CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME 
 OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT 
 FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY 
 
 HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE 
 
3 1924 092 335 664 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924092335664 
 
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THE 
 
 WOEKS OF JOHN BUNTAN. 
 
 INTRODUCTION TO EACH TREATISE, NOTES, 
 
 I AND A 
 
 / 
 
 SKETCH OF HIS LIFE, TIMES, AND CONTEMPORAKIES. 
 
 VOLUME SECOND. 
 
 EXPERIMENTAL, DOCTRINAL, AND PRACTICAL, 
 
 EDITED BI 
 
 GEORGE OFFOR, ESQ. 
 
 BLACKIE AND SON: 
 
 FREDERICK STREET, GLASGOW; SOUTH COLLEGE STREET, EDINBURGH; 
 AND WARWICK SQUARE, LONDON. 
 
 MDOCCLVI. ' 
 
 \ 
 
 1,/l'V 
 
V. 2^ 
 
 S 
 
 GLASGOW^ 
 
 W. O. BLACKIB iND CO., FSINTXB3, 
 
 VlJAAmCLD. 
 
CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S 
 LOVE ; or. The nnsearcliable riches of Christ, on 
 Eph. iii. 18, 19. 
 
 Prefatory Remarks by the Hditw I 
 
 The sorely afflicted are comforted with the foi'e- 
 ordination of all things by their heavenly Father ; 
 the words, breadth, length, depth, and height 
 unlimited to wonderment. First, The reasons of 
 these words; and, Second, Their fnlness. First, 
 Breadth, The unsearchable greatness of God ; be- 
 yond all ci'catcd bounds ; all for the profit of his 
 saints ; breadth beyond all our sins ; the rage of 
 men and of devils. Second, Lemoth, Further than 
 the ends of the world ; God has a long arm, to reach 
 backsliders. TIdrd, Depth, Beyond cur sinkings ; 
 under aU miry plaocs ; deeper than heU. Fmirth, 
 Height, Higher than giants or walls, or fallen 
 angels ; than heaven is from the grave ; the extent 
 of sin and misei-y man could never get over, but all 
 power is in Christ 4 
 
 The apostle's prater for the Ephesians in reference 
 TO THESE WORDS — To be able to comprehend these 
 mercies ; mysterious ; God lays blessings where we 
 would not ; they are to be discerned ; difficult for 
 weak eyes ; benefits of knowing God's power ; if He 
 is our God, what can we fear ; it begets holy rever- 
 ence ; willingness to submit ; shows the greatness of 
 the saints' treasure in heaven ; certainty of judg- 
 ment ; creates love of heaven 10 
 
 Second part of the text. 
 
 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth 
 knowledge. — First, Of the loveof Christ. Second, 
 Of the exceeding greatness of it. Third, Of the 
 knowledge of it 
 
 First, Of the love of Christ. — First, Who Christ is. 
 Second, What love is. Third, What the love of 
 Christ is. — 1. This made known by his dying for us. 
 — 2. By his improving of his dying for us 15 
 
 Second, Of the exceeding greatness of Christ's love. — 
 First, Tt passes the knowledge of the wisest saints. 
 Second, Passeth the knowledge of all the saints. 
 Third, Of the saints in heaven. Fourth, Of angels. 
 — Four reasons why these riches are unsearchable, 
 and that love is sncli as passeth knowledge.... 22 
 
 Third, Of the knowledge of Christ's love — What 
 knowledge op Christ's love is attainable in this 
 WORLD — First, We may know the nature of it ; free, 
 divine, heavenly, everlasting, incorruptible ; four 
 helps to this knowledge. Second, We may know 
 the degrees of it ; three things by which we may 
 know the degrees of this love. Thirdly, Our greatest 
 attainment is to know that it passeth knowledge ; 
 the Christian's r«/io6o(A, <Sic 27 
 
 The Uses — 1. It shows the good will of God to us.— 
 2. It becomes us to search into it. — 3. To cast our- 
 selves upon it. — 4. Not to abuse it. — 5. Labour to 
 improve it.^Five counsels 35 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST AND HIS RUIN; and of the 
 Slaying of the Witnesses. 
 
 Prefatory Bemarks by the Editor 41 
 
 Buntan's pbemoniiion to the reader, on the grant to 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Ezra for building the temple, free, large, no con- 
 straint 43 
 
 Of Antichrist ; a real adversary, and a pretended 
 friend ; contrary to Christ ; its description ; first 
 
 appearance; ruin; its soul destroyed 45 
 
 Its ordinances ; how its body shall be destroyed ; 
 brave days when it is dead ; the manner of its ruin ; 
 tenth part falls first ; the other nine parts fall ; great 
 Babel falls 49 
 
 Five signs of the approach of the downfall op anti- 
 christ 68 
 
 The slaying of the witnesses 60 
 
 The instruments to be used to ruin antichrist ; for 
 the bout and bout hammer, see page 70 ; seven 
 causes of its ruin 72 
 
 The application — The church will have rest ; The hor- 
 rible wickedness of antichrist a matter of talk ; come 
 out of her before she is destroyed ; go not back ; cry to 
 have the time hastened ; look for it, and its forerunners 79 
 
 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, AND 
 ETERNAL JUDGMENT ; or. The truth of the 
 resurrection of the bodies, both of good and bad, at 
 the last day, asserted, and proved by God's Word ; 
 also, the manner and order of their coming forth of 
 their graves ; as also, with what bodies they do arise ; 
 together with a discourse of the last judgment, and 
 the final conclusion of the whole world. 
 
 Advertisement by the Editor 83 
 
 Buny an' s Preface 85 
 
 ' There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of 
 the just and unjust.' — Acts xxiv. 15. 
 
 This doctrine carried Paul through temptation 
 and afiliction, and kept him separate ; inquire. 
 First, What is meant by the dead. Second, What 
 is meant by the resurrection. Third, Why the 
 apostle doth here speak of the resurrection of the 
 dead as of a thing yet to come. 
 
 First, The dead, in Scripture, under a fivefold 
 consideration. — 1. Dead by nature. — 2. Dead by 
 sin. — 3. Twice dead. — 4. Dead to sin. — 5. Eternal 
 death. Second, What is meant by the resurrection ; 
 it is the resurrection of the body; of the bodies both 
 of the just and unjust ; this promised to the fathers ; 
 began to be fulfilled in the resurrection of the body 
 of Christ ; not, therefore, the new birth or resur- 
 rection from a state of nature to one of grace. 
 Third, The resurrection spoken of as a thing yet to 
 come, not already enjoyed either by saints or sin- 
 ners ; this resurrection spoken of by Job xiv. 12 88 
 
 First, the kesurbeciion op the just — First, Must 
 rise, because Christ is risen. Second, Because the 
 body of the saints, as well as their soul, is the pur- 
 chase of Christ. Third, Because the body is the 
 temple of the Holy Ghost. Fourth, Because of the 
 similitude that must be between the body of Chii.st 
 and the bodies of the saints. Fifth, Because tlie 
 body as well as the soul has been a deep sharer in 
 afflictions for the gospel's sake. Sixth, The bodies 
 of the just must rise, else there will be a disappoint- 
 ment of — 1 . The will of God. — 2. The power of God. 
 — 3. Of Christ. — 4. Of the just, already dead. — 
 5. Of the saints yet alive. — 6. Of the grace of God 
 
IT 
 
 CONTENTS or THE SECOND VOLUME. 
 
 in our souls. Seventh, Because of the devilish and 
 satanical errors that would foUow the denial thereof. 
 — Seven reasons on this head 87 
 
 Second, The manner op the resdreection of the 
 JDST — How are the dead raised up ? and with what 
 body do they come ? answered, First, By a similitude 
 of seed. iSe(;on<i,Threemoresimilitudes. — 1. Variety 
 and glory of flesh. — 2. Difiference between heavenly 
 and eartlJy bodies, — 3. DiflFerence between the glory 
 and light of the sun and of the moon, and of the 
 stars. Third, More distinctly branched out in four 
 particulars. — 1. Raised in incorruption. — 2. Raised 
 in glory. — 3. Raised in power. — 4. Raised a spiritual 
 body 91 
 
 Third, The judgment of the jost — They must give 
 account of all things they have done in the world, 
 whether they be good or bad. — First, Of all their 
 bad — First, That the wood, hay, stubble, which they 
 may have built on the foundation may be consumed. 
 Second, Their infirmities will be laid open, that their 
 love may be heightened. Second, Of all the good 
 and holy actions and deeds they did do in the world. 
 — First, Ministers who have sincerely laboured in 
 word and doctrine shall be recompensed. Second, 
 The more private saints will be rewarded for their 
 labour of love ; and. Third, There will be a reward 
 for those afflictions endured for Christ while in the 
 world. Fourth, A reward for the more private 
 works of Christianity 97 
 
 FouBTH, The reward of the just — That with which 
 they shall be rewarded. — First, They that have 
 laboured most for God here will have the greatest 
 portion of God there. Second, All they have done 
 for God, his work, or ways, will be proclaimed to 
 their honour. Third, They shall each have the place 
 appointed for them at the right or left hand of Christ 101 
 
 The second part of the text. 
 
 First, The hesuhbection of the wicked — This proved 
 and made evident, — First, From the very terms and 
 names that the raised shall then go under. Second, 
 The body of the ungodly must rise, because a par- 
 taker with the soul in wickedness. Third, The 
 whole man must be a vessel of wrath and destruc- 
 tion. Fourth, The forbearance of God to his enemies 
 doth clearly bespeak a resurrection of the ungodly. 
 Fifth, The preparation God hath made demonstrates 
 that the wicked must rise. — Five particulars on this 
 head. Sixth, There must be a resurrection of the 
 wicked, because of the errors that would flow from a 
 denial thereof. 104 
 
 Second, The manner of the resurrection op tue 
 WICKED — First, They shall come forth in their cor- 
 ruption. Second, It wiU be a resurrection of dis- 
 hono\ir. Third, They will rise in weakness and 
 astonishment. Fourth, They shall rise mere lumps 
 of sinful nature 106 
 
 TuiRD, The examination and judgment of the wicked 
 — The judgment set; the books opened. — First, The 
 book of the creatures. Second, The book of God's 
 remembrance. Third, The book of the law ; three 
 witnesses to the transgression of the law — 1. God. 
 — 3. Conscience. — 3, The thoughts of the heart. 
 Fourth, The book of life ; three things by which they 
 will be judged out of this book 108 
 
 Fourth, The sentence and punishment of the wiciced 
 — Depart from me, ye cursed ; this word, depart, 
 looks two ways ; depart from heaven, depart to hell ; 
 these shall go away ; the end now come ; the end of 
 the reign of death ; God, Christ, the saint, and the 
 sinner in their proper place ; a brief touch on the 
 state of the good and bad after this eternal judgment 125 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED ACCORD- 
 ING TO THE SCRIPTURES ; or. The divine 
 and human nature of Christ Jesus j his coming ioto 
 
 TAOa 
 
 the world; his righteousness, death, resun-ectlou, 
 ascension, intercession, and second coming to judg- 
 ment, plainly demonstrated and proved. 
 Editor's Advertisement 129 
 
 The author to the reader on true faith ; to guard 
 against the wicked delusions of the day; recom- 
 mendation by John Burton 133 
 
 First, Christ ordained before the world began; dis- 
 covered to Adam, Noah, Abraham, David 141 
 
 Second, He that was of the Virgin is the Saviour ; 
 errors confuted 143 
 
 First, Christ is very God, co-equal, co-eternal 
 with the Father; giveth the light of conscience ; the 
 Spirit of Christ convinceth of sin 148 
 
 Second, By Christ the world was made 151 
 
 ITiird, God our Saviour ; made under the law ; 
 fulfilled the law in the flesh ; laid down his life for 
 us ; his burial proved ; his resurrection ; his ascen- 
 sion, in eight considerations ; his intercession 155 
 
 Christ the judge of quick and dead ; nine signs of 
 his second coming ; the manner of his coming ; what 
 shall then be done 162 
 
 Four characters that will find no favour; the 
 righteous will shine ; seven proofs of the new birth ; 
 eight examinations 165 
 
 Five advantages of faith ; six admonitions ; objec- 
 tions answered ; four modes of trying the spirits ; 
 seven questions to those possessed with a spirit of 
 delusion 163 
 
 A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS 
 OPENED ACCORDING TO THE SCRIP- 
 TURES ; Edward Burroughs confuted by the Word 
 of God ; preface ; distinction between Christ within 
 and Christ without ; reasons for errors ; five proofs 
 that Jesus did appear in the world as the Christ of 
 God; the witness of Richard Spencely, John Burton, 
 and John Child 177 
 
 Heresies set forth the truth in its lustre ; Bur- 
 roughs a railing Rabshakeh ; the sum of the gospel 
 truths ; opinions of the Ranters and some early 
 Quakers; the law good if used lawfully 181 
 
 Christ the end of the law for righteousness ; the 
 work of the Spirit essential to faith ; conscience may 
 convince of sin, but it leadeth not to Christ ; the 
 devil's counterfeits ; Christ revealed to the soul is 
 not his second coming 188 
 
 The author poor ; working with his hands ; did 
 not make merchandise of souls ; the author's queries 
 and Quaker's answers ; the Quaker's queries and 
 author's answers 200 
 
 Burrouglis' doctrines false; why Satan is permitted 
 to delude ; those who are not deluded called upon to 
 bless God 211 
 
 A DISCOURSE UPON THE PHARISEE AND 
 THE PUBLICAN; wherein is handled these great 
 and weighty things ; the nature of prayer ; of obe- 
 dience to the law ; how far it obliges Christians, and 
 wherein it consists. 
 
 Advertisement by the Editor 21.'5 
 
 Bunyan to the Reader 21C 
 
 The discourse on Luke xviii. 10-13; the reason 
 of the parable, like that of the unjust judge, was to 
 this end, that men ought always to pray ; we must. 
 
 First, Consider the persons in the text — Two; both 
 sinners ; one a pharisee, the other a publican ; both 
 went up to the temple to pray ; picked men ; a 
 Pharisee, in esteem ; a Publican, counted vile ; he 
 was a Jew and a notorious sinner ; the Pharisee was 
 a Jew, and notorious as a saint ; the conditions they 
 were in shown by their prayers 217 
 
 TriE Pharisee's prater — 1. What he is not, — 2. What 
 he is ; negative and positive holiness required ; both 
 imperfect; his manner of delivery 223 
 
CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. 
 
 Hia righteousness rejected; he asks justice and 
 not mercy ; he asks for what he thinks God oweth 
 him; the hypocrite pretends for mercy, but means 
 for merit 229 
 
 The Pharisee seeth no need of mercy; what a fool's 
 paradise; his whole righteousness, sinful 237 
 
 The godly are afraid of their own righteousness ; 
 the Pharisee ignorant that he must be made righteous 
 bel9re he can work righteousness 242 
 
 What is a Cliristian's righteousness to justifica- 
 tion and sanetification 246 
 
 They were sinners, and are made righteous 206 
 
 The Publican's peateb — He crawls into the temple ; 
 hia words are heavier than the earth ; his confession ; 
 the highest wisdom 258 
 
 Seven things needful to right confession ; a hard 
 duty; seven reasons for it 261 
 
 His imploring of mercy ; he falieth under tlie 
 sentence ; his gestures, afar off, leaving room for his 
 advocate to come between ; looking down ; smiting 
 his breast, a token of sorrow and abhorrence ; a 
 
 quarrel with his heart 266 
 
 TuE Conclusion — 1. A praying man outstrips a non- 
 praying one, as a star di/cs a clod ; but all praying 
 men know not God. — 2. He who pleads his own good 
 deeds is in a miserable state. — 3. High flaunting 
 language is not prayer. — 4. Outward reforms do not 
 justify. — 5, The self-abhorring sinner's prayers pre- 
 vail 276 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTI- 
 FICATION BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST; 
 showing, that true gospel holiness flows from thence ; 
 or, Mr. Fowler's pretended design of Christianity 
 proved to be nothing more than to trample under 
 foot the blood of the Son of God. 
 Editor's Advertisement 278 
 
 A premonition to the reader ; Fowler's doctrines 
 described in forty particulars ; from prison the 27th 
 of 12th month, 1671 280 
 
 Mr. Fowler exposeth the rottenness of his heart ; 
 his design; to justify what he calls inward righteous- 
 ness and holiness — 1st, Its nature, a sound com- 
 plexion of soul ; purity of nature, an original dictate 
 of nature ; these things argued and answered 281 
 
 Motives, becoming and just ; a Christian acts 
 from better motives ; things essential to holiness — 
 1. The Holy Ghost. — 2. Faith in Christ.— 3. A new 
 heart 283 
 
 Mr. Fowler's design of Christianity, to reproduce 
 man's original righteousness, confuted ; his errors 
 routed 291 
 
 Fowler's false quotations of Scripture 297 
 
 Our Lord's object, not to restore our natural holi- 
 ness, but to impart his infinite and eternal holiness 
 to believers 300 
 
 Man in wretched uncertainty, if he had no better 
 than Adam's holiness ; Christ a new and spiritual 
 light 307 
 
 Living faith in imputed righteousness essential to 
 salvation 314 
 
 The Bible the only standard of truth ; the Chris- 
 tian's great principles 318 
 
 The scandalous lives and foolish doctrines of state 
 priests, not the true ground of dissent ; a compliant 
 temper dangerous 323 
 
 Good habits and holy frames not sufficient 327 
 
 Fowler's false and dangerous conclusions, compared 
 with the Articles, with Campian the Jesuit, and with 
 Penn the Quaker 331 
 
 REPROBATION ASSERTED : or, The doctrine 
 of eternal election and reprobation promiscuously 
 handled ; wherein the most material objections made 
 by the opposers of this doctrine are fully answered. 
 
 IMGE 
 
 several doubts removed, and sundry cases of con- 
 science resolved. 
 
 • What then ? Israel hath not obtained that which 
 he sceketh for ; but the election hath obtained it, 
 and the rest were blinded.' — Rom. xi. 6. 
 
 Editor's Advertisement 335 
 
 Chap. I. That there is a reprobation 336 
 
 II. What reprobation is 337 
 
 III. Of the antiquity of reprobation 338 
 
 IV. Of the causes of reprobation 339 
 
 V. Of the unchangeableness of reprobation 311 
 
 VI. Whether to be reprobated be the same with 
 being appointed beforehand unto eternal condem- 
 nation? If not, how do they dlfl'er? Also, 
 whether reprobation be the cause of condemnation 342 
 
 VII. Whether any, under eternal reprobation, have 
 just cause to quarrel with God for not electing of 
 them 345 
 
 VIII. Whether eternal reprobation in itself, or in its 
 doctrine, be, in very deed, a hinderance to any 
 man in seeking the salvation of his soul _346 
 
 IX. Whether God would, in deed and in truth, that 
 the gospel with the grace thereof, should be ten- 
 dered to those that yet he hath bound up under 
 eternal reprobation ? Answered in the affirmative 348 
 
 X. Seeing then that the grace of God in the gospel 
 is by that to be proffered to sinners, as sinners, 
 as well to the reprobate as to the elect, is it pos- 
 sible for those who indeed are not elect, to receive 
 
 it, and be saved ? Answered in the negative 349 
 
 XI. Seeing that it is not possible that the reprobate 
 should receive this grace and live ; and also, seeing 
 this is infallibly foreseen of God ; and again, seeing 
 God hath fore-determined to suffer it so to be, 
 why doth he yet will and command that the 
 gospel, and so grace in the general tenders thereof, 
 should be proti'ered unto tliem? Answered and 
 cleared by five reasons, and the removing three 
 objections 353 
 
 QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NATURE AND 
 PERPETUITY OF THE SEVENTH-DAT 
 SABBATH ; and proof that the fii-st day of the 
 week is the Christian Sabbath. 
 
 ' The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath-day.' 
 
 Editor's Advertisement 859 
 
 Bunyan's Preface to the reader 301 
 
 Qlesiion I. Whether the seventh-day Sabbath is of, 
 or made known to man by, the law and light of 
 nature ? 362 
 
 QuEsiio.v II. Whether the seventh-day Sabbath, as to 
 man's keeping of it holy, was ever made known to, 
 or imposed by a positive precept upon him, until the 
 time of Moses, which from Adam was about two 
 thousand years? 303 
 
 Question III. Whether, when the seventh-day Sabbath 
 was given to Israel in the wilderness, the Gentiles, 
 as such, were concerned therein ? 365 
 
 Question IV. Whether the seventh-day Sabbath did 
 not fall, as such, with the rest of the Jewish rites 
 and ceremonies ? Or, Whether that day, as a Sab- 
 bath, was afterwards by the apostles imposed upon 
 the churclies of the Gentiles? 367 
 
 Question V. Since it is denied that the seventh-day 
 Sabbath is [a] moral [obligation], and it is found that 
 it is not to abide, as a Sabbath, for ever in the 
 church. What time is to be fixed on for New Testa- 
 ment saints to perform together Divine worship to 
 God by Chi-istin? 371 
 
 OF THE TRINITY AND A CHRISTIAN. 
 
 How a young or shaken Christian should demean 
 himself under the weighty thoughts of the doctrine 
 of the trinity, or plurahty of persons in the eternal- 
 Godhead. 
 
VI 
 
 CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLURIE. 
 
 I. Keep close to the Word of God. II. Christ 
 requireth you to credit every doctrine contained in 
 tlie Word 386 
 
 OF THE LAW AND A CHRISTIAN. 
 
 The Christian released from the law as it thun- 
 dereth from Sinai, by faith in Christ, yet we must 
 obey it in loye as holy, just, and good 387 
 
 SCRIPTURAL POEMS: being sereral portions of 
 
 Scripture digested into English verse. 
 
 Advertisement by the Editcn- 389 
 
 TJie Author to the Reader, a poetical pre/ace 390 
 
 The Book op Ruth, Four chapters., 390 
 
 The History of Saiison, from Judges, chapters xiii., 
 
 xiv., XV., xvi 393 
 
 Christ's Sermon on tiie Modnt, from Matt., chapters 
 
 v., vi., andvii 396 
 
 The Prophecy op Jonah, Four chapters 398 
 
 The Life op Joseph, taken out of the latter part of 
 
 Genesis, chaptei-s xxxvii. to 1 400 
 
 The General Epistle of James, Five chapters 410 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN 
 CHAPTERS OF GENESIS, and part of the 
 Eleventh. An unfinished commentary, found among 
 the author's papers after his death. 
 
 Advertisement by the Editor 413 
 
 It is evidently the result of long and earnest study 
 of the Holy Scriptures. It contains the history of 
 the creation ; the fall of man ; the first murder ; the 
 deluge explained and spiritualized ; it exhibits 
 throughout, that pious penetration which so remark- 
 ably characterized the author ; all drawn from the 
 holy oracles ; among many extraordinary ideas is 
 this. That it was the interference of the state with 
 matters of faith and worship, that occasioned the 
 deluge, and has been since that time a fruitful source 
 of misery 414 
 
 A HOLT LIFE TIIE BEAUTY OF CHRIS- 
 TIANITY : or, An exhortation to Christians to be 
 holy. 
 
 ' Holiness becometh thine house, Lord, for ever.' 
 — Psal. xciii. 5. 
 
 Editor's Advertisement 603 
 
 Bunyan's introduction ; faith invisible, seen only in its 
 fruits ; it is evidenced by good works ; good works 
 that cost nothing are not to be counted ; gross 
 
 immorality prevailing in his time 507 
 
 ' And let every one that nameth the name of 
 Christ depart from iniquity.' — 2 Tim. ii. 19. 
 
 God electeth his, not only to eternal glory, but to 
 holiness of life ; a means thereto 508 
 
 First, Exhortation — That men oefart fiiom iniquity. 
 FirH, Because iniquity is a dangerous and hurtful 
 thing to men in general- -\. It Iiath stiipified and 
 besotted men's souls. — 2. It has blinded and darkened 
 the powers of the soul. — 3. It has hardened the heart 
 against God. — 4. It has alienated the will, the mind, 
 and afiections. — 5. It has made man odious in God's 
 eyes. — 6. It so holds him and binds him that ho 
 cannot deliver himself; nor yet can the angels of 
 heaven. — 7. It makes him take delight in that way 
 
 to hell in which he walketh 
 
 Second, Iniquity is dangerous not only to the souls 
 of men in general, but to them that name the name 
 of Christ. — 1. It plucks many a one of them from 
 Christ, and a religious profession of him. — 2. It 
 keeps many a one from an effectual closing with him. 
 —3. And even of those who have come to him, have 
 sfiectuaUy closed with him, and named his name to 
 
 r/.oE 
 
 good purpose, yet iniquity hath hurt and abused 
 many of them S12 
 
 Second, The extension of the Exhortation — To 
 every one that nameth the name of Christ. 
 
 Seven reasons on this 513 
 
 Observation First — That it is incident to men to 
 name the name of Christ religiously, that is, rightly 
 as to words and notions, and not to depart from 
 
 iniquity 514 
 
 First, What Paul should mean when he bids them 
 that name the name of Christ, depart from iniquity 
 — First, Take off their minds and affections there- 
 from. Second, Depart from the occasions of it. 
 Third, Depart from those examples tending thereto. 
 Fourth, Depart from enticings to iniquity. Nine 
 
 things to remember on this head 515 
 
 Second, Why some, that as to words rightly name 
 the name of Christ, do not depart from iniquity — 
 First, Some profess him, yet have not saving faith 
 in him, nor yet received grace from him — 1. They 
 want faith. — 3. They want repentance. — 3. They 
 want love. — 4. They want hope. Second, Though 
 they rest not in bare notions, they take up short of 
 the saving grace of God ; two reasons of this, and 
 three causes of falling away. Third, Grace is weak 
 and corruption strong ; various reasons on this head; 
 a twofold departing from iniquity illustrated 518 
 
 Observation Second — That every one that in the way 
 of profession and religion names the name of Christ, 
 should depart from iniquity ; arguments, four sorts 
 — First, Ai-guments that respect Christ ; nine argu- 
 ments. Second, Arguments that respect God the 
 Father ; six arguments on this head. Third, Those 
 arguments that respect thyself ; two reasons. 
 Fourth, Arguments that respect the world ; two 
 reasons 52S 
 
 What iniquity they must depart from that religiously 
 NAME THE NAME OF Christ — First, From ALL iniquity. 
 Second, From their constitution sin. Third, 
 From the iniquity of the times. Fourth, From 
 family iniquity. Fifth, From the iniquity of their 
 closet. Sixth, From the iniquity that cleaveih 
 TO OPINIONS. Seventh, From hypocrisies ; helps 
 against this sin 531 
 
 Use and Application — Use First, Examine thyself ; 
 take heed of Satan's flattery ; dangers of neglect ; 
 nettles and thorns will arise and scratch thee ; God 
 will put a sting into them ; Christ wiU deny you.... 540 
 
 Use Second, A use of terror and alarm 613 
 
 Use Third, To those that desire to depart from 
 iniquity ; bless God for grace in your heart ; be 
 
 watchful ; he not ashamed of being singular 644 
 
 Why do men name Christ that love not to depart 
 from iniquity ; five reasons 647 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR : being the fruits of 
 true Christianity ; teaching husbands, wives, parents, 
 children, masters, and servants, how to walk so as 
 to please God. 
 
 Advertisement by the Editor 548 
 
 The Author to the Reader. Those that are justified 
 by grace, must justify that gi-ace before the world 
 
 which justifies them before God 549 
 
 ' That they which have believed in God might be 
 careful to maintain good works.' — Tit. iii. 7, 8. 
 
 I. Good works flow from faith; there is no other sonrce; 
 faith only represents things in their right colours ... 550 
 
 II. Every true believer careful of good works, in doc- 
 trine and in worship, in the family, in the church ; 
 the husband, children, servants, wife, neighbours 653 
 
 Sins which interfere with these duties ; covctous- 
 ness, pride, nncleanness 666 
 
 III. The believer must maintain good works 570 
 
 IV. The best way of provoking to good worlts ; the 
 fruitless must be disappointed ; the conclusion 570 
 
CONTENTS 01" THE SECOND VOLUME. 
 
 Vll 
 
 A CAUTION TO STIR UP TO WATCH 
 
 AGAINST SIN: A Poem. 
 
 Advertisement by the Editor,, B15 
 
 Beware of jirst sins ; sin a, bold and impudent 
 
 beggar; the worm of hell; not to be mocked 575 
 
 A DISCOURSE OP THE BUILDING, NA- 
 TURE, EXCELLENCY, AND GOVERNMENT 
 OF THE HOUSE OF GOD, with counsels and 
 directions to the inhabitants thereof : A Poem. 
 
 ' Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house.' 
 — Ps. xxvi. 8. 
 
 Advertisement by the Editor 577 
 
 The church the house of God ; by whom built ; 
 its beauty, conveniences, strength, and defence ; 
 
 delicately situated 673 
 
 Its inmates, and how they are received 679 
 
 The governors of this house, and under officers.... 680 
 Order and manner of the government ; punishment 
 
 of what is amiss 583 
 
 Care to restore runaways or backsliders 589 
 
 * Turn again, sxuner, do not make a iovht; 
 Come, the Lord Jesus will not cast thee out,' 
 
 BUNTAN ON THE TERMS OF COMMUNION, 
 AND FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIANS, AT 
 THE TABLE OF THE LORD ; comprising, I. 
 His contession or faith, and reason of nis practice. 
 II. Differences abodt water baftisu no bar to com- 
 munion ; and III. Peaceable pbinciples and true. 
 
 Advertisement by the Editor 591 
 
 1.— A CONFESSION OF MY FAITH, AND A 
 REASON OF MY PRACTICE ; or. With who, 
 and who not, I can hold church-fellowship, or the 
 communion of saints. Showing, by divers arguments, 
 that though I dare not communicate with the openly 
 profane, yet I can with those visible saints that differ 
 about water baptism. 
 
 Bunyan's Preface ; he had been imprisoned almost 
 twelve years, and sentenced to be banished or hanged 
 for not going to common prayer ; will persevere till 
 the moss grows on his eyebrows, rather than violate 
 his faith or conscience 593 
 
 His belief in God, in the Trinity, a world to 
 come, Christ the Saviour, God manifest in the flesh 691 
 
 Of justification, election, calling, iaith, repentance, 
 love, the Scriptures, magistrates 697 
 
 A reason of my practice in worship 602 
 
 A short application 615 
 
 II.— DIFFERENCES IN JUDGMENT ABOUT 
 WATER BAPTISM NO BAR TO COM- 
 MUNION; being an answer to Messrs. Paul, Kif- 
 fin, and D'Anvers' Reply to Mr. Bunyan's confession. 
 
 Water baptism not an initiating ordinance 618 
 
 Baptism of the Spirit the great baptism 621 
 
 Water baptism is not regeneration ; Christ was 
 not regenerated by it ; the want of it does not un- 
 cbristianize us ; edification greater than water 
 baptism; infant baptism a sin ; fourteen arguments 
 
 answered 626 
 
 Mr. H. Jesse's judgment 612 
 
 III.— PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE ; 
 A brief answer to the short Reply of Mr. D'Anvers 
 and Mr. Paul to the Confession and Difiierences in 
 judgment about baptism no bar to communion 618 
 
 ON THE LOVE OF CHRIST: A short Poem 657 
 
 A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED ; 
 whether in the church it is the duty of women 
 
 TAOB 
 
 to separate themselves, and worship without their 
 men. 
 Editor's Advertisement 658 
 
 The dedication to godly women 669 
 
 The case stated ; Mr. K.'s arguments for female 
 prayer meetings ; Mr. Bunyan's answer, denying 
 the right or propriety of such separate stated assem- 
 bling for Divine worship 660 
 
 Objections as to Miriam; Esther; Zee. xii. 11, 
 13; Ac. xvi. 13; Mai. iii. 16 ; the 'two or three,' 
 Mat. xviii. 20, considered and answered 666 
 
 Six cautions; application 671 
 
 JOHN BUNYAN'S CATECHISM, called IN- 
 STRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT ; being 
 a salve to cure that great want of knowledge which 
 so much reigns both in young and old. Presented in 
 a plain dialogue, fitted to the capacity of the weakest. 
 
 ' My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.' 
 —Ho. iv. 6. 
 Advertisem£nt by the Editor 673 
 
 Dedication to the Church of Christ in and about 
 Bedford 675 
 
 Objects of faith, or, what we must believe 676 
 
 Confession of sin ; belief in the Word ; prayer ; 
 self-denial; the conclusion GSl 
 
 SEASONABLE COUNSEL; or. Advice to Sufferers, 
 
 from 1 Pe. iv. 19. 
 Advertisement by tlie Editor 691 
 
 Bunyan's address to the Christian reader, showing 
 that we need those bitter pills that make us wince 
 and shuck 692 
 
 ' Wherefore let them that suffer according to 
 the will of God commit the keeping of their soul 
 to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.' — 
 1 Pe. iv. 19. 
 
 Peter writing to aflSicted believers, gives, I. A 
 direction to a duty of absolute necessity. II. A 
 description of the persons to whom this duty is 
 directed. III. The good effect of following this 
 blessed advice 
 
 I. Inquire what is meant by ' the soul ;' how to be com- 
 mitted to God. — 1. Persecution is intended to ruin 
 the soul. — 2. Be not negligent. — 3. Persecution some- 
 times so hot as to leave them notliing but a soul to 
 care for.— 1. The devil and wicked men cannot touch 
 the soul. — 6. Only safe in God's keeping. — 6. God is 
 willing to keep our souls. — 7. God is able. — 8. The 
 reason of the exhortation 695 
 
 II. Who it is that are directed to commit their souls 
 to God's keeping. — 1. They who suffer according to 
 BIS will, his law ; what it is thus to suffer ; cautions 
 and directions to sufferers 701 
 
 Christians may suffer for righteousness ; the call 
 
 to suffer 709 
 
 The will of God means his deslgnment 722 
 
 III. The good effect of committing the soul to God. — 
 
 1. He is a creator. — 2. Faithful 727 
 
 Some closing words ; Christ alone can save us from 
 allurements, and in sore temptations ; will you bring 
 your wife and children to beggary for religion ; he 
 will make a way for escape ; he will support us in 
 the blasts and battering storms that beat upon us ; 
 
 the soul shall not be destroyed 733 
 
 Uses — 1. The people of God are sufferers for their 
 religion. — 2. Seek grace to prepare for suffering, — 
 3. Religion is none the worse for the world's coarso 
 entertainment. — 1. Suffering for religion a token of 
 God's love. — 6. Take it with meekness. — 6. God i» 
 all-sufficient. — 7. The grave the only bound of suffer- 
 ing. — 8. If the enemy wrap thee in a bear's skin, and 
 set the dogs at thee, no marvel. — 9. Study to be 
 
 quiet 7.36 
 
 Seven considerations for an unquiet professor 738 
 
CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. 
 
 AN EXHOETATION TO PEACE AND UNITY. 
 
 Advertisement hy the Editor .' 742 
 
 ' Endeavouring to keep the unity of tlie Spirit in 
 the bond of peace.' — Ed. iv. 3 743 
 
 BIXNYAN'S LAST SERMON. 
 
 ' WMcli were bom, not of blood, nor of the will of 
 the fleshy nor of the will of man, but of God.' — 
 Jn. i. 13. 
 
 The text explained ; not of blood, nor of the will 
 of the flesh 755 
 
 The doctrine ; they are born to see and believe ; 
 before birth they are in darkness ; the signs of life ; 
 new-born babe must be fed, comforted ; has its father's 
 likeness; trained up ; dependence upon its father... 756 
 
 The application ; am I born of God ? risen with 
 Christ ? if so, live lovingly with your brethren; gird 
 up the loins of your mind ; be obedient to the holy 
 God whom you hope is your Father 757 
 
lUE EWT® KHSBOEWT. 
 
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 RLAi>IE£, SOH.CLASCOV/, EDINBURGH t LOIIOON . 
 
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 Zed. ix. U;J«[a.t. xr. 28 ; Heb. x. 5, 10, 12. 
 
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 Fs.XCII.2. LCorXW. 16. 
 
 BLACIEIE &SON. GLASG0V7.ED1N11URGH £= LONDOTI 
 
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 BLACKIE & SOH GLASGOW ZDIHBDRGH &. lOHDON 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE; 
 
 OB, 
 
 THE UNSEARCHABLE EICHES OF CHRIST. 
 
 By JOHN BUNYAN. 
 
 PREFATORY REMARKS BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 Tms Treatise is one of tTiose ten distinct -works, 
 which the author had prepared for the press, when 
 he was so suddenly summoned to the Celestial City. 
 Well did his friends in the ministry, Ehenezer 
 Chandler and John Wilson, call it ' an excellent 
 manuscript, calculated to assist the Christian that 
 would grow in grace, and to win others over to 
 Jesus Christ.' 
 
 It was first puhlished, witli a selection of Bun- 
 yan's Works in a folio volume, in 1692, about four 
 years after the author's decease; and although it 
 is a treatise exhibiting very deep research and 
 calculated for extensive usefulness, it does not ap- 
 pear ever to have been published as a separate 
 volume. Like all other of his works, it is original; 
 no one before him treated this subject with such 
 profound depth of thought, nor with such clear 
 Christian philosophy. 
 
 The revered John Bunyan proves in this, as in 
 all other of his works, that he was a real and not 
 a pretended descendant from the apostles, — he 
 breathes their spirit — ^he knew his Master's work, 
 and faithfully discharged his solemn requirements. 
 His object was as pure as it was apparent; to 
 preach not himself, but Christ Jesus his Lord. 
 One desire appears to have influenced him in 
 writing aU his works — that of shrinking back and 
 hiding himself behind his Master, while exhibiting 
 the unsearchable. Divine, eternal riches of His 
 grace. 
 
 This treatise is admirably adapted to warn the 
 thoughtless — ^break the stony heart — convince the 
 wavering — cherish the young inquirer — strengthen 
 the saint in his pilgrimage, and arm him for the 
 good fight of faith — and comfort the dejected, 
 doubting, despairing Christian. It abounds with 
 ardent sympathy for the Ibroken-hearted, a cordial 
 suited to every wounded conscience; while, at the 
 same time, it thimders in awful judgment upon the 
 impenitent and the hypocritical professor: won- 
 ders of grace to God belong, for all these blessings 
 form but a small part of the unsearchable riches. 
 
 vol,. II. 
 
 The reader should keep in his recollection, that 
 this treatise was originally conceived for the pul- 
 pit; and afterwards, probably with great additions, 
 written for the press. This wUl account for the 
 divisions and sub-divisions, intended to assist a 
 hearer's memory; or to enable a ready writer, by 
 taldng notes of each part, to digest prayerfully in 
 private, what he had heard in the public ministry 
 of the word, — a practice productive of great good 
 to individuals, and by which families may be much 
 profited while conversing upon the truths publicly 
 taught in the church; instead of what Bunyan 
 would have justly called, frothy conversation about 
 the dress or appearances of their feUow-worshippers. 
 
 This discourse has been published in every edi- 
 tion of the works of our great author, hut, most 
 strangely, the references to Scripture are omitted 
 in all the editions since that of 1737. Bunyan 's 
 anxiety at every step of this momentous inquiry 
 is to shew a ' thus saith the Lord,' in proof of 
 every assertion. In this treatise only, there are 
 nearly fcwr himdred and forty distinct references 
 to the holy oracles. These are all carefully re- 
 stored, and have been collated with the standard 
 text, for want of which some imperfections had 
 crept in, even to the old editions; and where the 
 author preferred the Genevan or Puritan version, 
 it is shewn by a note at the foot of the page. 
 
 To point out beauties in such a discourse, is to 
 point to the whole treatise — it is all admirable; a 
 solemn earnestness is found in every sentence; 
 even where Bunyan modestly differs with many 
 excellent divines, when treating upon the suficr- 
 ings of the Saviour, between the period of his cru- 
 cifixion and of his resurrection: this is worthy of 
 our prayerful consideration; ever keeping in re- 
 membrance those deeply impressive — those awfully 
 triumphant words of our Lord, ' It is finished. ' 
 
 The cathohc spirit, which so pervaded the mind 
 of Bunyan, appears conspicuously in this discourse; 
 and whatever bitter controversy this spirit occa- 
 sioned liim, it ought to be impressed upon the heart 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 of every Christian professor. It is a liberality 
 •which shines more brightly, as reflected by one, 
 whose religious education was drawn soldy from 
 the pure fountain of truth — the holy oracles; and 
 however unlettered he was, as to polite literature 
 or the learned languages, his Christian liberality 
 can no more be enlightened by the niggard spirit 
 of learned sectarians, than the sun could be Ulu- 
 minated by a rush-light. The iucLuiry was then, 
 as, alas, it is too frequent now, Are there many 
 that be saved? forgetful of the Saviour's answer 
 and just rebuke. What is that to thee, follow thou 
 me, seek thine own salvation. The inquiry is pur- 
 sued a step farther, ' Can those who differ with me 
 be saved?' Hear the reply of one so honest and 
 so fully embued with the Scriptures, into the truths 
 of which his spirit had been baptized, ' A man, 
 through unbelief, may think that Christ has no 
 love to him; and yet Christ may love him, with a 
 love that passeth knowledge. But when men, in 
 the common course of their profession, will be al- 
 ways terminating here, that they know how, and 
 how far, Christ can love; and will thence be bold 
 to conclude of their o^vn safety, and of the loss and 
 ruin of all that are not in the same notions, opinions, 
 Jormalibies, or judgment, as they. This is the worst 
 [pride] and greatest of all [delusions]. The text, 
 therefore, to rectify those false and erroneous con- 
 clusions, says, [the love of Christ] is a love that 
 passeth knowledge. ' Page 33. 
 
 Throughout the whole, there is a continued ef- 
 fort to comfort the sincere, but doubting, Christian. 
 ' Does Satan suggest that God will not hear yom- 
 Btammering and chattering prayers? Does Satan 
 suggest that thy trials, and troubles, and afflictions, 
 are so many that you shall never get beyond them? 
 — relief is at hand, for Christ loves thee with.a love 
 that passeth knowledge. This is a weapon that 
 will baffle the devil, when all other weapons fail. * 
 
 Page 33, 34. 
 
 The practical application of these soul-encourag- 
 
 ing truths is, ' To walk in love — filled with all the 
 fulness of God.' Bunyan has, in enforcing this 
 duty, a very remarkable expression, ' these are the 
 men that sweeten the churches, and bring glory to 
 God and to religion. Why should anything have 
 my heart but God, but Christ ? He loves'me, he 
 loves me with love that passeth knowledge, and I 
 will love him. His love stripped him of all for 
 my sake; Lord, let my love strip me of all for thy 
 sake. I am a son of love, an object of love, a 
 monument of love; of free love, of distinguishing 
 love, of peculiar love, and of love that passeth 
 knowledge: and why should not I walk in love — 
 in love to God, in love to man, in holy love, in love 
 unfeigned ? ' Page 39, 
 
 And will our ministering elders bear with me in 
 respectfully and affectionately commending to them 
 John Bunyan, as an example of devotedness to his 
 Master's service; of humble walking with God, 
 of tender faithfulness to the souls of men, of holy 
 fervour ? Under such a course of sermons as this 
 treatise would make, how attentively would our 
 children listen with reverence to the voice of truth, 
 and with a Divine blessing our earthen vessels 
 would be replenished with heavenly treasure. It 
 is delightful to read the testimony of Bunyan 's 
 ministerial friends, of various denominations, when' 
 recording his extensive usefulness. His works do 
 follow him. And upon reading of them, we can- 
 not wonder when we hear, that on a week-day 
 morning, in the depth of winter, long before day- 
 light, the inclemency of frost and snow was braved 
 by crowded assemblies of hungry and thirsty souls, 
 who eagerly listened to hear him proclaim ' The 
 Saints' Knowledge of Christ's Love, or the un- 
 searchable riches of Christ — which passeth know- 
 ledge. ' 
 
 May the effectual blessing of the Holy Spirit 
 attend the reading, as it did the preaching, of 
 these soul-saving truths. 
 
 Haciuiki, Oct., 1813. GeO. OfFOB. 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 ' THAT TE MAT BE ABLE TO COMPEEHEND WITH 
 
 ALL SAINTS, WHAT JS THE BREADTH, AND LENGTH, 
 AND DEPTH, AND HEIGHT; AND TO KNOW THE LOVE 
 OF CHRIST, WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE.' EPH. 
 
 III. 18, 19. 
 
 The Apostle having, in the first chapter, treated 
 of the doctrine of election, and in the second, of 
 the reconciling of the Gentiles with the Jews to the 
 Father, by his Son, through the preaching of the 
 
 gospel; comes in the third chapter to shew that that 
 also was, as that of election, determined before the 
 world began. Now lest the afflictions that attend 
 the gospel should, by its raging among these Bphe- 
 sians, darken the glory of these things unto them; 
 therefore he makes here a brief repetition and 
 explanation, to the end they might be supported and 
 made live above them. He also joins thereto a 
 fervent prayer for them, that God would let them 
 see in the spirit and faith, how they, by God and 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 8 
 
 by Christ, are secured from the evil of the worst 
 that might come upon them. ' For this cause I 
 bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and 
 earth is named; that he would grant you, accord- 
 ing to the riches of his glory, to he strengthened 
 with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that 
 Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, 
 being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to 
 comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, 
 and length, and depth, and height; and to know 
 the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,' &c. 
 Knowing, that their deep understanding what good 
 by these were reserved for them, they would never 
 be discouraged, whatever troubles should attend 
 their profession. 
 
 Beeadth, and length, and depth, and height, are 
 words that in themselves are both ambiguous, and 
 to wonderment; ambiguous, because unexplained, 
 and to wonderment, because they carry in them an 
 unexpressible something; and thai something that 
 which far out-goes all those things that can be 
 found in this world. The Apostle here was under 
 a spiritual surprize, for while meditating and writ- 
 ing, he was caught: The strength and glory of the 
 truths that he was endeavouring to fasten upon the 
 people to whom he wrote, took him away into their 
 glory, beyond what could to the fuU be uttered. 
 Besides, many times things are thus expressed, on 
 purpose to command attention, a stop and pause in 
 the mind about them; and to divert, by their great- 
 ness, the heart from the world, unto which they 
 naturally are so inclined. Also, truths are often 
 delivered to us, like wheat in full ears, to the end we 
 should rub them out before we eat them, and take 
 pains about them, before wehave the comfort of them. 
 
 Breadth, length, depth, and height. In my 
 attempting to open these words, I wUl give you, 
 some that are of the same kind. And then show you. 
 First, The reasons of them; and then also. Secondly, 
 Something of their fulness. 
 
 Those of the same kind, are used sometimes to 
 shew us the power, force, and subtilty of the ene- 
 mies of God's church, Dau. iv. 11. Kom. viu. 38, 39. But, 
 
 [Sometimes] Most properly to shew us the infinite 
 and unsearchable greatness of God, Job li. 7,8, 9. Eom. 
 
 xi. 33. 
 
 They are here to be taken in this second sense, 
 that is, to suggest unto us the imsearchable and 
 infinite greatness of God; who is a breadth, beyond 
 all breadths; a lerigth, beyond all lengths; a, depth, 
 beyond all depths; and a height, beyond all heights, 
 and that in all his attributes: He is an eternal 
 being, an everlasting bemg, and in that respect he is 
 beyond all measures, whether they be of breadth, 
 or length, or depth, or height. In all his attri- 
 butes he is beyond all measure: whether you 
 measure by words, by thoughts, or by the most 
 
 enlarged and exquisite apprehension; His greatness 
 is imsearchable; His judgments are unsearchable; 
 Joii T. 9. He is infinite in wisdom. '0! the depth 
 of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of 
 God! ' Roin.xi.33. 'If I speak of strength, lo, he is 
 strong;' Job ix. 19. yea, 'the thunder of his power who 
 can imderstand?' JobxxTiW. 'There is none holy 
 as the Lord: ' 1 Sa. u. 2. ' and his mercy is from ever- 
 lasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him.' 
 Ps. ciu. 17. The greatness of God, of the God and 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is that, if rightly 
 considered, which will support the spirits of those 
 of his people that are frighted with the greatness 
 of their adversaries. For here is a greatness 
 against a greatness. Pharaoh was great, but God 
 more great, more great in power, more great in 
 wisdom, more great every way for the help of his 
 people ; wherein they dealt prbudly, he was above 
 them. These words therefore take in for this 
 people, the great God who in his immensity and 
 infinite greatness is beyond all beings. But, to 
 eome 
 
 FmsT, to the reason of the words. They are 
 made use of to shew to the Ephesians, that God 
 with what he is in himself, and with what he hath 
 in his power, is all for the use and profit of the 
 believers. Else no great matter is held out to 
 them thereby. ' But this God is our God ! ' there 
 is the comfort: For this cause therefore he pre- 
 senteth them with this description of him. To 
 wit, by breadth, and length, and depth, and height: 
 As who should say, the High God is yours; the 
 God that fills heaven and earth is yours; the God 
 whom the heaven of heavens cannot contain, is 
 yours; yea, the God whose works are wonderful, 
 and whose ways are past finding out, is yours. 
 Consider therefore the greatness that is for you, 
 that taketh part with you, and that will always 
 come in for your help against them that contend 
 with you. It is my support, it is my relief; it [is] 
 my comfort in all my tribulations, and I would 
 have it yours, and so it will when we live in the 
 lively faith thereof. Nor should we admit of dis- 
 trust in this matter from the consideration of our 
 own unworthiness, either taken from the finiteness 
 of our state, or the foulness of our ways. Ps.xW. 
 For now, though God's attributes, several of them 
 in their own nature, are set against sin and sinners; 
 yea, were we righteous, are so high that needs 
 they must look over us, for 'tis to him a conde- 
 scension to behold things in heaven : How much 
 more then to open his eyes upon such as we: yet 
 by the passion of Jesus Christ, they harmoniously 
 agree in the salvation of our souls. Hence God is 
 said to he love, iJo.iv. God is love; miglit some 
 say, and justice too: but his justice is turned with 
 wisdom, power, holiness and truth, to love; yea, 
 to love those that be found in his Sou; forasmuch 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHEIST'S lOVB. 
 
 as there is nothing fault-worthy in his righteous- 
 ness which is put upon us. So then, as there is in 
 God's nature a length, and breadth, and depth, and 
 lieigM, that is heyond all that we can think: So we 
 should conclude that all this is love to us, for 
 Christ's sake; and then dilate with it thus in our 
 minds, and enlarge it thus in our meditations; say- 
 ing still to our low and trembling spirits: 'It is 
 high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than 
 hell; what canst thou know? the measure thereof 
 is longer than the earth, and *hroader than the sea. ' 
 Job xi. 8, 9. But we wOl.pass generals, and more par- 
 ticularly speak 
 
 Secondly, something of their fulness, as they are 
 fitted to suit and answer to the whole state and 
 condition of a christian in this life. The words are 
 boundless ; wehave here abreadth, a length, a depth, 
 and height made mention of; but wheA breadth, 
 what length, what depth, what height is not so 
 much as hinted. It is therefore infiniteness sug- 
 gested to us, and that has engaged for us. For 
 the Apostle conjoins therewith, And to hnow the 
 love of ChriM, which passeth knowledge. Thus- 
 therefore it suits and answers a Christian's con- 
 dition, while in this world, let that be what it wiU. 
 If his afflictions be broad, here is a breadth; if 
 they be long, here is a length; and if they be deep, 
 here is a depth; and if they he high, here is a 
 height. And I will say, there is nothing that '■ 
 more helpful, succouring, or comfortable to a chris- 
 tian while in a state of trial and temptation, than to 
 know that there is a breadth to answer a breadth, a 
 length to answer a length, a depth to answer a depth, 
 and a height to answer a height. Wherefore this 
 is it that the Apostle prayeth for, namely, that the 
 Ephesians might have understanding in these 
 things, ' That ye may know what is the breadth, and 
 length, and depth, and height.' 
 
 Of the largeness of the Apostle's heart in pray- 
 ing for this people, to wit, ' That they might be 
 able to comprehend with aU saints, what,' he. of 
 that we shaU speak afterwards. 
 
 But first, to speak to these four expressions, 
 breadth, length, depth, and height. 
 
 Fii-sl, What is the ereadth. This word is to 
 shew, that God is all over, everywhere, spreading 
 of his wings, stretching out his goodness to the id- 
 most hounds, for the good of those that are his 
 
 people. Be. xxiii. 11, 12. Ge. xlix. 26. 
 
 In the sin of his people there is a breadth; a 
 breadth that spreadeth over all, wheresoever a man 
 shall look. The sin of the saints is a spreading 
 leprosy. Le.iriii.i3. Sin is a scab that spreadeth; it 
 is a spreading plague; it knows no bounds: Le. xiii. 
 
 * In the first edition of tliis treatise, which was published 
 four years after Banyan's death, this is quoted ' deeper than 
 the sea,' probably a typographical error. It is afterwards 
 quoted correctly. — Ed. 
 
 8, and 67. Or, as David saith, 'I have seen the wicked 
 spreading himself.' Ps.xxxriLSS. Hence it is com- 
 pared to a cloud, to a thick cloud, that covereth or 
 spreadeth over the face of all the sky. Wherefore 
 here is a breadth called for, a breadth that can 
 cover all, or else what is done is to no purpose. 
 Therefore to answer this, here we have a breadth, 
 a spreading breadth; 'I spread my skirt over thee:' 
 But how far? Even so far as to cover all. 'I 
 spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy naked- 
 ness.' Eze.xvi. 8. Here now is a breadth according 
 to the spreading nature of the sin of this wretched 
 one; yea, a .super-abounding spreading; a spread- 
 ing beyond; a spreading to cover. 'Blessed is he 
 whose sin is covered,' Ps. xxxii. i. whose spreading sin 
 is covered by the mercy of God through Christ. 
 Eo. iv. 4-7. • This is the spreading cloud, whose spread- 
 ings none can understand. Job xxxvi. 39. ' He spread 
 a cloud for a covering, and fire t^ give light in the 
 night.' Ps. cv. 39. 
 
 This breadth that is in God, it also overmatch- 
 eth that spreading and overspreading rage of men, 
 that is sometimes as if it would swallow up the 
 whole church of God. You read of the rage of 
 the king of Assyiia, that there was a breadth in it, 
 an overflowing breadth, to the filling of ' the breadth 
 of thy land, Immanuel.' is. Tiii. 8. But what fol- 
 lows? 'Associate yourselves, ye people, (ye 
 Assyrians) and ye shall be broken in pieces; and 
 give ear, all ye of far countries; gird yourselves 
 and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel 
 together, and it shall come to nought ; speak the 
 word, and it shall not stand, for God is with us;' 
 la. viii. 8-10. God wiU over-match and go beyond yon. 
 
 Wherefore this word, breadth, and what is the 
 breadth: It is here expressed on purpose to suc- 
 cour and relieve, or to shew what advantage, for 
 support, the knowledge of the overspreading grace 
 of God by Christ yieldeth imto those that "have it, 
 let their trials be what they wiU. Alas! the sin 
 of God's children seemeth sometimes to overspread 
 not only their flesh, and the face of their souls, but 
 the whole face of heaven. And what shall he do 
 now, that is a stranger to this breadth, made men- 
 tion of in the text ? Why he must despair, lie 
 down and die, and shut up his heart against all 
 comfort, unless he, with his feUow-christians, can, 
 at least, apprehend what is this breadth, or the 
 breadth of mercy intended in this place. There- 
 fore Paul for the support of the Ephesians, prays, 
 that they may know 'what is the breadth.' 
 
 This largeness of the heart and mercy of God 
 towards his people, is also signified by the spread- 
 ing out of his hand to us in the invitations of the 
 gospel. 'I said,' saith he, 'Behold me, behold 
 me, - - I have spread out my hands all the 
 day unto a rebellious people, - - - to a people 
 that provoketh me continually. ' is. ix?. i-s. 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE 01? CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 I have spread out my hands, that is, opened my 
 arms as a mother affectionately doth, when she 
 stoopeth to her child in the warm workings of her 
 bowels, and claspeth it up iu them, and kisseth, 
 and putteth it into her bosom. 
 
 For, by spreading out the hands or arms to em- 
 brace, is shewed the breadth or largeness of God's 
 affections; as by our spreading out our hands in 
 prayer, is signified the great sense that we have 
 of the spreading nature of our sins, and of the 
 great desires that are in us, that God would be 
 merciful to us. Eir. ix. 6-7, &c. 
 
 This word also answereth to, or may fitly be set 
 against the wiles and temptations of the devil, who 
 is that great and dogged Leviathan, that spreadeth 
 his ' shai-p-pointed things upon the mire:' JobxU. so. 
 For, be the spreading nature of our corruptions 
 never so broad, he will find sharp-pointed things 
 enough to stick iij the mire of them, for our afflic- 
 tion. These shar^^-pointed things are those that 
 in another place are called 'fiery darts,' Ep. Tii6. 
 and he has abundance of them, with which he can 
 and will sorely prick and-wound our spirits : Yea, 
 80 sharp some have found these things to their 
 souls, that they have pierced beyond expression. 
 ' When, ' said Job, ' I say, my bed shall comfort 
 me, my couch shall ease my complaint; then thou 
 Ecarest me with dreams, and terriflest me through 
 visions; so that my soul chooseth strangling, and 
 death rather than my life.' Job viL 13-15. But now, 
 answerable to the spreading of these sharp-pointed 
 things, there is a super-abounding breadth in the 
 sovereign grace of God, the which whoso seeth and 
 imderstandeth, as the Apostle doth pray we should, 
 is presently helped: for he seeth that this grace 
 spreadeth itself, and is broader than can be, either 
 our mire, or the sharp-pointed things that he spread- 
 eth thereupon for our vexation and affliction: ' It is 
 broader than the sea. ' Job ri, 9. 
 
 This therefore should be that upon which those 
 that see the spreading nature of sin, and the leprosy 
 and contagion thereof, shoiUd meditate, to wit. The 
 broadness of the grace and mercy of God in Christ. 
 This will poise and stay the soul; this will relieve 
 and support the soul in and under those many mis- 
 giving and desponding thoughts imto which we are 
 subject when afflicted with the apprehensions of 
 sin, and the abounding nature of it. 
 
 Shall another man pray for this, one that knew 
 the goodness and benefit of it, and shall not I me- 
 ditate upon it ? and shall not I exercise my mind 
 about it ? Yes surely, for it is my duty, it is my 
 privilege and mercy so to do. Let this therefore, 
 when thou seest the spreading nature of thy sin be 
 a memento to thee, to the end thou may'st not sink 
 and die in thy soul. 
 
 Secondly, What is the breadth and length. As 
 tliero is a breadth in this mercy and grace of God 
 
 by Christ, so there is a length therein, and this 
 length is as large as the breadth, and as much suit- 
 ing the condition of the child of God, as the other 
 is. For, though sin sometimes is most afflicting to 
 the conscience, while the soul beholdeth the over- 
 spreading nature of it, yet here it stoppeth not, 
 but oft-times through the power and prevalency of 
 it, the soul is driven with it, as a ship by a mighty 
 tempest, or as a rolling thing before the whirlwind: 
 driven, I say, from God, and from all hopes of his 
 mercy, as far as the east is froA the west, or as 
 the ends of the world are asunder. Hence it is 
 supposed by the prophet, that for and by sin they 
 may be driven from God to the utmost part of 
 heaven; De. ixx. i. and that is a sad thing, a sad thing, 
 I say, to a gracious man. ' Why, ' saith the pro- 
 phet to God, 'Art thou so far from helping vnejand 
 from the words of my roaring?' Pa. xiii. i. Some- 
 times a man, yea, a man of God, is, as he appre- 
 hends, so far off from God, that he can neither hdp 
 him, nor Jimr him, and this is a dismal state. ' And 
 thou hast removed my soul,' said the church, 'far 
 off from peace: I forgat prosperity.' La. m. 17. This 
 is the state sometimes of the godly, and that not 
 only with reference to their being removed by per- 
 secutors, from the appointments and gospel-seasons, 
 which are their delight, and the desire of their eyes; 
 but also with reference to their faith and hope in 
 ^heir God. They think themselves beyond the 
 reach of his mercy. Wherefore in answer to this 
 conceit it is, that the Lord asketh, saying, 'Is my 
 hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? ' Is. 1. 2. 
 And again, 'Behold, the Lord's hand is not short- 
 ened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, 
 that it cannot hear. ' Is. lix. 1. Wherefore he saith 
 again, ' If any of them be driven out unto the out- 
 most parts of heaven, from thence will the Lord 
 thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch 
 thee.' De. XXX. 4. God has a long arm, and he can 
 reach a great way further than we can conceive he 
 can : Ke. i. 9. When we think his mercy is dean gone, 
 and that ourselves are free among the dead, and of 
 the number that he remembereth no more, then 
 he can reach us, and cause that again we stand be- 
 fore him. He could reach Jonah, tho' in the belly 
 of heU; Jon. a. and reach thee, even then, when thou 
 thinkest thy way is hid from the Lord, and thy 
 judgment passed over from thy God. There is a 
 length to admiration, beyond apprehension or belief, 
 in the arm of the strength of the Lord; and this is 
 that which the Apostle intended by this word. 
 Length; namely. To insinuate what a reach there 
 is in the mercy of God, how far it can extend it- 
 self. 'If I take the wings of the morning,' said 
 David, 'amd dwell in the uttermost parts of the 
 sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy 
 right hand shall hold me. ' I's. cxxxix. 9, lo. I will gather 
 them from the east, and from tho west, and from 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 the north, and from the south, saith he: That is, 
 from the utmost corners. 
 
 This therefore should encourage them that for 
 the present cannot stand, hut that do fly before 
 their guilt : Them that feel no help nor stay, but 
 that go, as to their thinkihg, every day by the 
 power of temptation, driven yet farther off from 
 God, and from the hope of obtaining of his mercy 
 to their salvation ; poor creature, I will not now 
 ask thee how thou camest into this condition, or 
 how long this has been thy state ; but I wiU say 
 before thee, and I prithee hear me, the length of 
 the saving arm of Ood ! As yet thou art within 
 the reach thereof; do not thou go about to measure 
 arms with God, as some good men are apt to do : 
 I mean, do not thou conclude, that because thou 
 canst not reach God by thy short stump, therefore 
 he cannot reach thee with his long arm. Look 
 again, ' Hast thou an arm like God, ' Job xl. 9, an arm 
 like his for length and strength? It becomes thee, 
 when thou canst not perceive that God is within 
 the reach of tJiy arm, then to believe that thou art 
 within the reach of his; for it is long, and none 
 knows how long. 
 
 Again, is there such a length ? such a length in 
 the arm of the Lord, that he can reach those that 
 are gone away, as far as they could? then this 
 should encourage us to pray, and hope for the sal- 
 vation of any one of our backslidden relations, that 
 God would reach out his arm after them: Saying, 
 ' Awake, - arm of the Lord, - art thou not 
 it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? 
 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the wa- 
 ters of the great deep, that hath made the depths 
 of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over ? ' 
 Is. li. 9, 10. Awake, arm of the Lord, and be 
 stretched out as far as to where my poor husband 
 is, where my poor child, or to where my poor back- 
 slidden wife or dear relation is, and lay hold, fast 
 hold ; they are gone from thee, but, 0' thou the 
 hope of Israel, fetch them again, and let them 
 stand before thee. I say, here is in this word 
 Length matter of encouragement for us thus to 
 pray; for if the length of the reach of mercy is so 
 great,, and if also this length is for the benefit of 
 those that may be gone' off /ar from God, (for they 
 at present have no need thereof that are near) then 
 improve this advantage at the throne of grace for 
 such, that they may come to God again. 
 
 Thirdly, As there is a breadth and length here, 
 so there is a Depth. What is the breadth, and 
 length, and depth? And this depth is also put in 
 here, on purpose to help us under a trial that is 
 diverse from the two former. I told you, that by 
 the breadth the apostle insinuates a remedy and 
 succour to us, when we see our corruptions spread 
 like a leprosy ; and by length he woidd shew us, 
 that when sin has driven God's elect to the far- 
 
 thest distance from him, yet his arm is long enough 
 to reach them, and fetch them back again. 
 
 But, I say, as we have here a breadth, and a 
 length, so we have also a depth. That ye may 
 know what is the Depth. Christians have some- 
 times their sinking fits, and are as if they were 
 always descending : or as Heman says, ' counted 
 with them that go down into the pit. ' Ps. kxxviii. 4. 
 Now guilt ia not to such so much a wind and a 
 tempest, as a load and burthen. The devU, and 
 sin, and the ewse of the law, and death, are gotten 
 upon the shoulders of this poor man, and are 
 treading of him down, that he may sink into, and 
 be swallowed up of his miry place. 
 
 • I sink,' says David, 'in deep mire, where iAerg 
 is no standing. I am come into deep waters^ 
 where the floods overflow me. ' Vs. kix. 2. Yea, there 
 is nothing more common among the saints of old, 
 than this complaint : ' Let neither the water flood 
 overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, 
 neither let the pit shut her mouth upon me. ' Ps. 
 ixix. 14, 15. Heman also saith, ' Thou hast laid me 
 in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Thy 
 wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afilicted 
 me with aU thy waves.' Ps. tax™. 6, 7. Hence it is 
 again that the Psalmist saya : ' Deep calleth unto 
 deep, at the noise of thy Water spouts: all thy 
 waves, and thy billows are gone over me. ' Ps. xlii. 7. 
 Deep calleth unto deep: What's that? Why, it is 
 expressed in the verse before: ' God,' says he, 
 ' My soul is cast down within me.' ' Down,' that 
 is, deep into the jaws of distrust and fear. And, 
 Lord, my soul in this depth of sorrow caHs for help 
 to thy depth of mercy. For though I am sinking 
 and going down, yet not so low, hut that thy 
 mercy is yet underneath me : Do of thy compas- 
 sions open those everlasting arms, De. xxxiii. 27, and 
 catch him that has no help or stay in himself: 
 For so it is with one that is falling into a well or 
 a dungeon. 
 
 Now mark, as there is in these texts, the sink- 
 ing condition of the godly man set forth, of a man 
 whom sin and Satan is treading down into the 
 deep; so in our text which I am speaking to at 
 this time, we have a depth that can more than 
 counterpoise these deeps, set forth with a hearty 
 prayer, that we may know it. And although the 
 deeps, or depths of calamity into which the godly 
 may fall, may be as deep as Hell, and methinka 
 they should be no deeper: yet this is the comfort, 
 and for the comfort of them of the godly that are 
 thus a sinking : The mercy of God for them lies 
 deeper. ' It is deeper than hell, what canst thou 
 know?' Job xi. 8. And this is that which made Paul 
 that he was not afraid of this depth, ' I am per- 
 suaded,' saith he, ' that neither - height nor 
 depth shall be able to separate us from the love 
 of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Eo.va 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHEIST'S LOVE. 
 
 8».39. But of this lie could lay no means have 
 been persuaded, had he not believed that mercy 
 Ueth deeper for the godly to help them, than can 
 all other depths be to destroy them : This is it at 
 which he stands and wonders, saying, ' the depth 
 of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge 
 of God,' Ro.id.ss. that is to find out a way to save 
 his people, notwithstanding all the deep contriv- 
 ances that the enemy hath, and may invent to 
 make us come short [of] home. 
 
 This is also that, as I take it, which is wrapped 
 up in the blessing, wherewith Jacob blessed his 
 son Joseph. ' God shall bless thee,' saith he, 
 ' with blessings of heaven above, ' and with the 
 ' blessings of the deep that lieth \mder.' Ge.xiix.35. 
 A blessing which he had ground to pronounce, as 
 well from his observation of God's good dealing 
 with Joseph, as in a spirit of prophecy : For he 
 saw that he lived and was become a flourishing 
 bough, by a wall, after that the archers had done 
 their worst to him. Ge. xiii. 22—24. Moses also 
 blesseth God for blessing of Joseph thus, and 
 blessed his portion to him, as counting of it suffi- 
 cient for his help in all afflictions. 'Blessed,' 
 saith he, ' of the Lord, be his land, for the pre- 
 cious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the 
 deep that coucheth beneath. ' De. xxxiu. 13. 
 
 I am not of belief that these blessings are con- 
 fined to things temporal, or carnal, but to things 
 spiritual and divine; and that they have most 
 chiefly respect to soul, and eternal good. Now 
 mark, he tells us here, that the blessings of the 
 deep, do couch beneath. Couch, that is, he close, 
 so as hardly to be discerned by him that wUlingly 
 would see that himself is not below these arms 
 that are beneath him. But that as I said, is hard 
 to be discerned by him that thus is sinking, and 
 that has as he now smartingly feels, aU God's 
 waves, and his billows rolling over him. How- 
 ever, whether he sees or not, for this blessing lieth 
 couched; yet there it is, and there will be, though 
 one should sink as deep as hell : And hence they 
 are said to be ' everlasting arms ' that are ' under- 
 neath :' De. xxxiii. 27. That is, arms that are long and 
 strong, and that can reach to the bottom, and also 
 beyond, of aU misery and distress, that Christians 
 are subject to in this Ufe. Indeed mercy seems to 
 be asleep, when we are sinking : for then we are 
 as if all things were careless of us, but it is but as 
 a lion coucliant, it will awake in time for our help. 
 Pa. xliv. 22, 26; Mar. iv. 36—39. And forasmuch as this 
 term is it, which is applicable to the hon in his 
 den ; it may be to shew that as a lion, so will God 
 at the fittest season, arise for the help and dehver- 
 ance of a sinking people. Hence when he is said 
 to address himself to the deUvering of his people, 
 it is that he comes as a roaring lion. ' The Lord 
 shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up 
 
 jealousy like a man of war ; he shall cry, yea, 
 roar; he shall prevail against his enemies.' is. xiu. 
 13. However here is a depth against the depth 
 that's against us, let that depth be what it wiU. 
 As let it be the depth of misery, the depth of mercy 
 is sufficient. If it be the depth of hellish pohcy, 
 the depth both of the wisdom and knowledge of 
 God shall go beyond it, and prevail. 
 
 This therefore is worthy of the consideration of 
 all sinking souls; of the souls that feel themselves 
 descending into the pit. There is such a thing as 
 this experienced among the godly. Some como 
 to them (when tempted) when you wiU, they will 
 tell you, they have no ground to stand on, their 
 feet have slipped, their foundation is removed, and 
 they feel themselves sinking, as into a pit that has 
 no bottom. Ps. xi. 3. They inwardly sink, not for 
 want of something to reheve the body, but for 
 want of some spiritual cordial to support the mind. 
 'I went down to the bottoms of the mountains,' 
 said Jonas, ' the earth with her bars was about 
 me for ever; - . - my soul fainted within me.' 
 
 Jonali ii. 6, 7. 
 
 Now for such to consider that underneath them, 
 even at the bottom there Heth a blessing, or that 
 in this deep whereinto they are descending, there 
 lieth a delivering mercy couching to catch them, 
 and to save them from sinking for ever, this would 
 be relief unto them, and help them to hope for 
 good. 
 
 Again, As this, were it well considered by tho 
 sinking ones, would yield them stay and relief, so 
 this is it by the virtue whereof, they that have 
 been sinking heretofore, have been lifted up, and 
 above their castings down again. There are of 
 those that have been in the pit, now upon mount 
 Sion, with the harps of God in their hands, and 
 with the song of the Lamb in their mouths. But 
 how is it that they are there ? why, David, by his 
 own deliverance shews you the reason. ' For 
 great is thy mercy towards me,' saith he, 'and 
 thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. ' 
 Ps. ixxxTi. 13. And again, ' He brought me up also 
 out of an horrible pit,' (a pit of noise, a pit wherein 
 was the noise of devils, and of my heart answering 
 them with distrust and fear) 'out of the miry 
 clay,' (into which I did not only sink, but was by 
 it held from getting up : but he brought me up) 
 ' and set my feet upon a rock, and established my 
 goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, 
 even praise to our God. ' Ps. xi. a, 3. 
 
 But let me here give, if it may be, a timely 
 caution to them that think they stand upon their 
 feet. Give not way to falling because everlasting 
 arms are underneath, take heed of that : God can 
 let thee fall into mischief, he <;an let thee fall, and 
 not help thee up. Tempt not God, lest he cast 
 thee away indeed. I doubt there are many that 
 
8 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHEIST'S LOVE. 
 
 have presumed upon this mercy, that thus do couch 
 heneath, and have cast themselves down from 
 their pinnacles into vanity, of a vain conceit that 
 they shall be lifted up again : whom yet God will 
 leave to die there, because their fall was rather of 
 vnllfidness, than weakness, and of stubborness, and 
 desperate resolutions, than for want of means and 
 helps to preserve them from it. 
 
 Fourthly, As there is a breadth, and length, and 
 depth, in this mercy and grace of God through 
 Christ towards his people: So there is also a 
 HEIGHT, 'That ye may comprehend with all saints, 
 what is the breadth and length, and depth, and 
 HEIGHT.' There are things that are high, as well as 
 things that are low; things that are ahove us, as 
 well as things that are vmder, that are distressing 
 to God's people. It is said when Noah was a 
 preacher of righteousness, there were giamts in the 
 earth in those days. Ge. yi. 4. And these, as I con- 
 ceive, were some of the heights that were set 
 against Noah^ yea, they were the very dads and 
 fathers of all that monstrous brood that followed 
 in the world in that day. Of this sort were they 
 who so frighted, and terrified Israel, when they 
 were to go to inherit the land of promise. The 
 men that were taM as the cedars, and strong as the 
 oaks, frighted them : they were in their own sight, 
 when compared with these high ones, but as grass- 
 hoppers. This therefore was their discouragement. 
 
 Nu. xiii. 31—33, and De. ii. 10, and ix. 3. 
 
 Besides, together with these, they had high 
 waRs, walls as high as heaven; and these walls 
 were of purpose to keep Israel out of his posses- 
 sion. See how it is expressed: The people is 
 greater and taller than we, the cities are great and 
 walled up to heaven : and moreover, we have seen 
 the sons of the Anakims there. De. i. 28. One of 
 these, to wit, Goliah by name, how did he fright 
 the children of Israel in the days of Saul ! How 
 did the appearance of him, make them scuttle to- 
 gether on heaps before him. iSa.xviL By these 
 giamts, and by these high waUs, God's children to 
 this day are sorely distressed, because they stand m 
 the cross ways to cut off Israel from his possession. 
 
 But now to support us against all these, and to 
 encourage us to take heart notwithstanding all 
 these things; there is for us, a height in God. 
 He hath made his Son higher than the kings of 
 the earth : Ps. btxxix. 26. 28. His word also is settled 
 for ever in heaven, and therefore must needs be 
 higher than their waUs : Pa. cxix. 89. He also saith 
 in another place, ' If thou seest tlie oppression of the 
 poor, and violent perverting of judgment and jus- 
 tice in a province, marvel not at the matter ; for 
 he that is higher than the highest, regardeth, and 
 tJiere be higher than they.' Ec. v. 8. 'Twas this that 
 made Paul, that he feared not the height: not 
 things present, nor things to come. Bo. vUL 39. 
 
 But again. As there are these things standing, 
 or lying in our way : So there are another sort of 
 heights that are more mischievous than these: 
 And they are the fallen angels. These are called 
 spiritual wickedness, or wicked spirits, in high 
 places : Eph. «. is. For God has suffered them for a 
 time to take to themselves principahty and power, 
 and so they are become the rulers of the darkness 
 of this world. By these we are tempted, sifted, 
 threatened, opposed, undermined: also by these 
 there are snares, pits, holes, and what not made 
 and laid for us, if peradventure by something we 
 may be destroyed. Yea, and we should most 
 certainly be so, were it not for the rock that is 
 higher than they. 'But he that cometh from hea- 
 ven is above all ! ' Jn. iii. 31. These are they that 
 our king has taken captive, and hath rid (in his 
 chariots of salvation) in triumph over their necks. 
 These are they, together with all others, whose 
 most devilish designs he can wield, and turn and 
 make work together for his ransomed's advantage, 
 Ko. viii. 38. There is a height, an infinitely over- 
 topping height in the mercy and goodness of God 
 for us, against them. 
 
 There are heights also that build up themselves 
 in us, which are not but to be taken notice of: Yea, 
 there are a many of them, and they place them- 
 selves directly so, that if possible they may keep 
 the saving knowledge of God out of our hearts. 
 These high things therefore are said to exalt them- 
 selves against the knowledge of God : 2 Cor. x. 5; and 
 do ofttimes more plague, afflict, and frighten 
 Christian men and women, than any thing besides. 
 It is from these that our faith and spiritual under- 
 standing of God and his Christ is opposed and 
 contradicted, and from these also that we are so 
 inclinable to swerve from right doctrine into 
 destructive opinions. 'Tis from these that we are 
 so easily persuaded to call into question our former 
 experience of the goodness of God towards us, and 
 from these that our minds are so often clouded and 
 darkened that we cannot see afar off. These 
 would betray us into the hands of fallen angels, 
 and men, nor should we by any means help of" 
 deliver ourselves, were it not for one that is higheris; 
 These are the dark mountains at which om* feet 
 would certainly stumble, and upon which we should 
 fall, were it not for one who can leap and skip over 
 these mountains of division, and come in to us. 
 
 Song ii. 8 md 17. 
 
 Further, There is a height also that is obvious 
 to our senses, the which when it is dealt withal by 
 OTir corrupted reason, proves a great shaking to 
 our mind, and that is the height, and exceeding 
 distance that heaven is off of us, and we off it. 
 'Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold 
 the height of the stars, how high they are?' 
 jobxxiLi2. Hence heaven is called the place fur 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 <> 
 
 'height, Pr. XXV. 3. Also when Ahaz is bid to ask 
 with reference to heaven, he is bid to ask it, In 
 the height, the height above. la. tu. ii. Now saith 
 reason, how shall I come thither? especially when 
 a good man is at his furthest distance therefrom : 
 which is, when he is in the grave. Now I say, 
 every height is a difficulty to him that is loaden 
 with a burden, especially the heaven of heavens, 
 where God is, and where is the resting-place of 
 his, to them that are oppressed with the guilt of 
 sin. And besides, the dispensation which hap- 
 peneth to us last, to wit, death, as I said before, 
 makes this heaven, in my thoughts while I Hve so 
 much the more unaccessible. Christ indeed could 
 mount up, Ac i. 9, but Tne, poor me, how shall I get 
 thither? Elias indeed had a chariot sent bim to 
 ride in thither, and went up by it into that holy 
 place: 2Ki.ii.n. but I, poor I, how shall I get 
 thither? Enoch is there, because God took him, 
 Ge. T. M: but as for me, how shall I get thither? 
 Thus some have moumingly said. And although 
 distrust of the power of God, as to the accomplish- 
 ing of this thing, is by no means to be smiled 
 upon, yet methinks the unconcemedness of pro- 
 fessors thereabout, doth argue that considering 
 thoughts about that, are wanting. 
 
 I know the answer is ready. Get Christ and go 
 to heaven. But methinks the height of the place, 
 and the glory of the state that we are to enjoy 
 therein, should a little concern us, at least so as 
 to make us wonder in our thinking, that the time 
 is coming that we must mount up thither. And 
 since there are so many heights between this place, 
 between us, and that; it should make us admire 
 at the heights of the grace and mercy of God, 
 by which, means is provided to bring us thither. 
 And I believe that this thing, this very thing, is 
 included here by the Apostle when he prays for 
 the Ephesians, that they might know the height. 
 
 Methinks, How shall we get thither will stiU stick 
 in my mind. ' I will ascend, ' says one, 'above the 
 height of the clouds , I will be like the most High. ' 
 Ia.3iiv.i4. And I, says another, will set my nest 
 among the stars of heaven. Oh. i. Well, but what 
 of all this ? If heaven has gates, and they shall 
 be shut, how wilt thou go in thither ? Though 
 such should climb up to heaven, from thence will 
 God bring them down. Am. ix. 3. Still I say, there- 
 fore, how shall we get in thither ? Why, for them 
 that are godly, there is the power of God, the 
 merits of Christ, the help of angels, and the testi- 
 mony of a good conscience to bring them thither ; 
 and he that has not the help of aU these, let him 
 do what he can, shall never come thither. Not 
 that all these go to the making up of the height 
 that is intended in the text : for the height there, 
 is what is in God through Christ to us alone. But 
 the angels are the servants of God for that end : 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 Lu. xvi. S3, md He. i. 14 and none with ill consciences, 
 enter in thither, Ps. xv. i, and xxiv. 3, 4. What, 'know 
 ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the 
 kingdom of God? be not deceived,' icor. vi. 9. such 
 have none inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and; 
 of God, Ep. '. 5. 
 
 This then should teach us that in God is at 
 power that is able to subdue all things to himself. 
 In the completing of many things, there seems to 
 be an utter impossibility, as that a virgin should 
 conceive in her womb, as a virgin, and bring a 
 Son into the world ; that the body that is turned' 
 into dust, should arise and ascend into the highest 
 heaven. Ph. m. 31. These things with many more 
 seem to be utterly impossible : but there is that 
 which is called the power of God, by the which he 
 is able to make all things bend to his wiU, and to 
 make all obstructions give place to what he pleases. 
 God is high above all things and can do whatever 
 it pleaseth him. But since he can do so, why 
 doth he suffer this, and that thing to appear, to 
 act, and do so horribly repugnant to his word ? I 
 answer, he admits of many things, to the end ha 
 may shew his wrath, and make his power known; 
 and that aU the world may see how he checks and 
 overrules the most vile and unruly things, and can 
 make them subservient to his holy will. And how 
 would the hrea/Jih and the length, and the depth, 
 and the height of the love and mercy of God in 
 Christ to US-ward, be made to appear, so as in all 
 things it doth, were there not admitted that there 
 should be breadths, and lengths, and depths and 
 heights, to oppose. Wherefore these oppositions 
 are therefore suffered, that the greatness of the 
 wisdom, the power, the mercy, and grace of God 
 to us in Christ might appear and be made mani- 
 fest unto us. 
 
 This calls therefore upon christians, wisely to 
 consider of the doings of their God. How many 
 opposite breadths, and lengths, and depths, and 
 heights did Israel meet with in their journey from 
 Egypt to Canaan, and all to convince them of their 
 own weakness, and also of the power of their God. 
 And they that did wisely consider of his doings 
 there, did reap the advantage thereof. Come, 
 behold the works of the Lord towards me, may 
 every christian say. He hath set a Saviour against 
 sin; a heaven against a hell; hght against dark- 
 ness ; good agamst evU, and the breadth, and length, 
 and depth, and height of the grace that is in him- 
 self, for my good, against all the power, and 
 strength, and force, and subtUty, of every enemy. 
 
 This also, as I hinted but just before, shews 
 both the power of them that hate us, and the in- 
 ability of us to resist. The power that is set 
 against us none can crush, and break, but God : 
 for it is the power of devils, of sin, of death, and 
 hell. But we for our parts are crushed before tha 
 
 B 
 
JO 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHEIST'S LOVE. 
 
 moth : being a shadow, a vapour, and a wind that 
 passes away. Jobiv. 19. Oh! how shovdd we, and 
 how would we, were but our eyes awake, stand 
 and wonder at the preservations, the deliverances, 
 the salvations and benefits with which we are sur- 
 rounded daUy : while so many mighty evils seek 
 daily to swallow us up, as the grave. See how 
 the golden psalm of David reads it. 'Be merciful 
 unto me, God; for man would swallow me up; 
 he fighting daily oppresseth me. Mine enemies 
 would daily swallow wie up : for they be many that 
 fight against me, thou most high. ' Ps. M. 1, 3. 
 This is at the beginning of it. And he concludes 
 it thus, ' Thou hast delivered my soul from death : 
 wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may 
 walk before God in the Hght of the living. ' ver. 13. 
 
 By this also we see the reason why it is so im- 
 possible for man or angel to persuade unbelievers 
 to come in to, and close imth Christ ; why there is 
 a breadth that they cannot get over, a length that 
 they cannot get beyond, a depth that they cannot 
 pass, and heighis that so hinder them of the pros- 
 pect of glory, and the way thereto, that they can- 
 not be allured thither. And that nothing can 
 remove these; but those that are in God, and that 
 are opposite thereto; even the breadth, and length, 
 and depth and Jieight that is in the text expressed, 
 is to all awakened men an imdoubted truth.* 
 
 One item I would here give to him that loveth 
 his own soul, and then we will pass on in pur- 
 suance of what is to come. Since there is an 
 height obvious to sense, and that that height must 
 be overcome ere a man can enter into life eternal : 
 let thy heart be careful that thou go the right way 
 to overpass this height, that thou mayest not miss 
 of the delectable plains, and the pleasures that are 
 above. Now, there is nothing so high, as to over- 
 top this height; but Jacob's ladder, and that can 
 do it: that ladder, when the foot thereof doth 
 stand upon the earth, reacheth with its top to the 
 gate of heaven. This is the ladder by which 
 angels ascend thither : and this is the ladder by 
 which thou mayest ascend thither. 'And he 
 dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, 
 and the top of it reached to heaven : and behold 
 the angels of God ascending and descending on it. ' 
 
 Ge. xiviii. 12. 
 
 This ladder is Jesus Christ, the son of man, as 
 is clear by the evangelist John. Jn. i. 51. And in 
 that it is said to stand upon the earth, that is to 
 shew that he took hold of man who is of the earth, 
 
 * How admirably does Bunyan bring home to the chris- 
 tian's heart these solemn truths. The breadth and length and 
 depth and height of our guilt and misery, requires a remedy 
 beyond all human power. This can only be found in the love 
 of God in Christ: this extends beyond all bounds. It is divine, 
 unsearchable, eternal mercy, swallowing up all our miseries. 
 —Ed. 
 
 and therein laid a foundation for his salvation : in 
 that it is said the top reached up to heaven, that 
 is to shew that the divine nature was joined to the 
 human, and by that means he was every way made 
 a Saviour complete. Now concerning this ladder, 
 'tis said. Heaven was open where it stood, to shew 
 that by him there is entrance into life : 'tis said 
 also concerning this ladder, that the Lord stood 
 there, at the top, above it : saying, ' I am the Lord 
 God of Abraham,' Ge. xx™. is, to shew his hearty 
 and willing reception of those that ascend the 
 height of his sanctuary this way. All which 
 Christ further explains by saying, ' I am the way, 
 and the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto 
 the father, but by me.' Ju. xiv.6. Look to thyself 
 then, that thou do truly and after the right manner 
 embrace this ladder, so will he draw thee up 
 thither after him. Jn. xii. 32. AU the roimds of this 
 ladder are sound and fitly placed, not one of them 
 is set further than that by faith thou mayest 
 ascend step by step unto, even until thou shalt 
 come to the highest step thereof, from whence, or 
 by which thou mayest step in at the celestial gate 
 where thy soul desireth to dwell. 
 
 Take my caution then, and be wary, no man 
 can come thither but by him. Thither I say to 
 be accepted : thither, there to dwell, and there to 
 abide with joy for ever. 
 
 'That ye - - may be able to comprehend Vr-ith 
 all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and 
 depth, and height ; and to know the love of Christ 
 which passeth knowledge. ' 
 
 Having thus spoke of the breadth, and length, 
 and depth, and height, that is in God's mercy by 
 Christ to US-ward ; we will now come more directly to 
 
 The PRArER of the Apostle for these Epee- 
 
 SIANS, with reference THEREUNTO ; to wit, that 
 they might be able to comprehend with all saints 
 what they are. And 
 
 First, As to the ability that he prays for, to 
 the end that they may be capable to do this thing. 
 
 First, That ye may be able. The weakness that 
 is here supposed to hinder their thus comprehend- 
 ing, &c., did doubtless lie in their grace, as well 
 .as their nature: for in both, with reference to 
 them that are Christians, there is great disability, 
 unless they be strengthened mightily by the Holy 
 Ghost. Nature's abihty depends upon graces, and 
 the ability of graces, depends upon the mighty 
 help of the spirit of God. Hence as nature 
 itself, where grace is not, sees nothing ; so nature 
 by grace sees but weakly, if that grace is not 
 strengthened with all might by the spirit of grace. 
 The breadths, lengths, depths and heights here 
 made mfsntion of, are mysteries, and in all their 
 operations, do work wonderfully mysteriously i 
 insomuch that many times, though they are all of 
 them busily engaged for this and the other child 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 11 
 
 of God, yet tliey tliemselves see nothing of them. 
 As Christ said to Peter, ' What I do thou knowest 
 not now;' Jn. xiii. 7; so may it be said to many where 
 the grace and mercy of God in Christ is working : 
 they do not know, they miderstand not what it is, 
 nor what will be the end of such dispensations of 
 God towards them. Wherefore they also say as 
 Peter to Christ, 'Dost thou wash my feet? - - 
 thou shalt never wash my feet;' Jn. xfli. 6— 8. Yea, 
 and when some light to convince of this folly breaks 
 m upon them, yet if it be not very distinct and 
 clear; causing the person to know the true cause, 
 nature, and end of God's doing of this or that, 
 they swerve with Peter, as jnudi on the other side. 
 Jn. xiii. 9, 10. They have not known my ways, and 
 my methods with them in this world, were that 
 that caused Israel always to err in their hearts, 
 He. iii. 10. and lie cross to all, and each of these 
 breadths, lengths, depths, and heights, whenever 
 they were under the exercise of any of them in the 
 wUdemess. 
 
 And the reason is, as I said before, for that they 
 are very mysterious in their workings. For they 
 work by, upon, and against oppositions; for, and 
 in order to the help and salvation of his people. 
 Also (as was hinted a while since) that the power 
 and glory of tMs breadth, and length, &c. of the 
 mercy and grace of God, may the more shew its 
 excellency and sufficiency as to our deliverance; 
 we by hun seem quite to be deUvered up to the 
 breadths, lengths, and depths, and heights that 
 oppose, and that utterly seek our ruin : wherefore 
 at such times, nothing of breadths, lengths, depths, 
 or heights can be seen, save by those that are very 
 well skilled in those mysterious methods of God, 
 in his gracious actings towards his people. 'Who 
 will bring me into the strong city,' and 'vnU not 
 thou, God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, 
 
 God, which didst not go out with our armies ? ' 
 Ps.k.9.10. is a lesson too hard for every Christian 
 man to say over believingly. And what was it that 
 made Jonah say, when he was in the belly of hell, 
 ' Yet I will look again toward thy holy temple, ' 
 Jonah ii. i. but the good skiU that he had in imder- 
 Btanding of the mystery of these breadths, and 
 lengths, and depths, and heights of God, and of 
 the way of his working by them. Read the text 
 at large. 'Thou hadst east me into the deep, in 
 the midst of the seas, and the floods compassed me 
 about. All thy billows and thy waves passed over 
 me. Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight ; yet 
 
 1 will look again toward thy holy temple. ' Jonah iLS,i. 
 
 These, and such like sentences, are easily played 
 with by a preacher, when in the pulpit, specially 
 if he has a little of the notion of things, but of the 
 difficulty and strait, that those are brought into, 
 out of whose mouth such things, or words are 
 extorted, by reason of the force of the labyrinths 
 
 they are fallen into: of those they experience 
 nothing, wherefore to those they are utterly 
 strangers. 
 
 He then that is able to comprehend with all 
 saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, 
 and height; must be a good expositor oi providences, 
 and must see the way, and the workings of God by 
 them. Now there are providences of two sorts, 
 seemingly good, and seemingly bad, and those do 
 usually as Jacob did, when he blessed the sons of 
 Joseph, cross hands; and lay the blessing where 
 we would not. ' And when Joseph saw that his 
 father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, 
 it displeased him. ' Ge. xlviii. 17. I say there are pro- 
 vidences unto which we would have the blessings 
 entailed, but they are not. And they are provi- 
 dences that smile upon the flesh; to wit, such as 
 cast into the lap, health, wealth, plenty, ease, 
 friends, and abundance of this world's good: because 
 these, [Manasseh, as his name doth signify,] have 
 in them an aptness to make us forget our toil, our 
 low estate, and from whence we were: Ge.xii. 51. but 
 the great blessing is not in them. There are pro- 
 vidences again, that take away from us whatever 
 is desirable to the flesh; such is the sickness, losses, 
 crosses, persecution and afBiction; and usually in 
 these, though they make us *shuck whenever they 
 come upon us, blessing coucheth, and is ready to 
 help us. For God, as the name of Ephraim signi- 
 fies, makes us 'fruitful in the land of our affliction.' 
 Ge. jdL 52. He therefore, in blessing of his people, 
 lays his hands across, guiding them wittingly, and 
 laying the chiefest blessing on the head of Ephraim, 
 or in that providence, that sanctifies affliction. 
 Abel ! what, to the reason of Eve was he, in com- 
 parison of Cain. Rachel called Benjamin the son 
 of her Borrow: but Jacob knew how to give him a 
 better name. Gcxxiv.is. Jabez also, though his 
 mother so called him, because, as it seems, she 
 brought him forth with more than ordinary sorrow, 
 was yet more honourable, more godly, than his 
 brethren. 1 Ch. iv. 9, 10. He that has sldU to judge of 
 providences aright, has a great ability in him to 
 comprehend with other saints, what is the breadth, 
 and length, and depth, and height: but he that has 
 not skill as to discerning of them, is but a child 
 in his judgment in those high and mysterious 
 things. And hence it is, that some shall suck 
 honey out of that, at the which others tremble for 
 fear it should poison them, I have often been made 
 to say, ' Sorrow is better than laughter ; and the 
 house of mourning better than the house of mirth. ' 
 Ec. vu.s-5. And I have more often seen, that the 
 afflicted are always the best sort of Christians. 
 There is a man, never well, never prospering, never 
 
 • S/iuci, a cun-aptioD of shrug, to express horror by motions 
 of the body. 
 
12 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 but under afflictions, disappointments and sorrows: 
 why this man, if he be a Christian, is one of the 
 best of men. ' They that go down to the sea, - - 
 that do business iu great waters, these see the 
 works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.* 
 Ps. cviL 23, 24. And it is from hence, for aught I 
 know, that James admonishes the brother of high 
 degree to rejoice in that he is made low. And he 
 renders the reason of it, to wit, for that the fashion 
 of the world perisheth, the rich man fadeth away 
 in his way; hut the tempted, and he that endureth 
 temptation is blessed. Ja. i. lo-is. Now, I know these 
 things are not excellent in themselves, nor yet to 
 be desired for any profit that they can yield, but 
 God doth use by these, as by a tutor or instructor, 
 to make known to them that are exercised with 
 them, so much of himself as to make them under- 
 stand that riches of his goodness that is seldom 
 by other means broken up to the sons of men. 
 And hence 'tis said, that the afterwards of affliction 
 doth yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness 
 unto them which are exercised thereby. He. xii. ii. 
 
 The sum is, these breadths, and lengths, and 
 depths, and heights of God, are to be discerned; 
 and some that are good, do more, and some do less 
 discern them, and how they are working, and put- 
 ting forth themselves in every providence, in every 
 change, in every turn of the wheel that passeth by 
 us in this world. I do not question but that there 
 are some that are alive that have been able to say, 
 the days of affliction have been the best unto them; 
 and that could, if it were lawful, pray that they 
 might always be in affliction, if God would but do 
 to them as he did when his hand was last upon 
 them For by them he caused his light to shine: 
 Or as Job has it, 'Thouhimtest me as a fierce Hon: 
 and again thou shewest thyself marvellously upon 
 me.' Job X. 16. See also the writing of Hezekiah, 
 and read what profit he found in afflictions, is. x^tviu. 
 
 But again, these breadths, lengths, depths, and 
 heights, have in themselves naturally that glory, 
 that cannot be so well discerned, or kept in view 
 by weak eyes. He had need have an eye like an 
 eagle, that can look upon the sun, that can look 
 upon these great things, and not be stricken blind 
 therewith. You see how Saul was served when he 
 was going to Damascus: Ac.ix. But Stephen could 
 
 * This is a very striking application of these words of David, 
 which so fearfully describe the agitation of those who are 
 exposed to a hurricane at sea. We too generally limit this 
 passage to its literal sense. To Bunyau, who had passed 
 through such a deep experience of the " terrors of the Lord," 
 when he came out of tribulation and anguish, he must have 
 richly enjoyed the solemn imagery of these words, depicting 
 the inmost feehngs of his soul when in the horrible deeps of 
 doubt and despair. But young Christians must not be dis- 
 tressed because they have never experienced such tempests: 
 thousands of vessels of mercy get to heaven, without meeting 
 with hurricanes in their way. — Ed. 
 
 stand and look up stedfastly into heaven; and thot 
 too when with Jonas he was going into the deep. 
 Ac vii. But I have done with this, and proceed. 
 
 Second — That ye may he able to comprehend. Al- 
 though apprehending is included in comprehending; 
 yet to comprehend is more. To comprehend is to 
 know a thing fully; or, to reach it all. But here 
 we must distinguish, and say, that there is a com- 
 prehending that is absolute, and a comprehending 
 that is comparative. Of comprehending absolutely, 
 or perfectly, we are not here to speak; for that the 
 Apostle could not, in this place, as to the thing 
 prayed for, desire: For it is utterly impossible per- 
 fectly to know whatsoever is in the breadths, 
 lengths, depths, and heights here spoken of. 
 Whether you call then mercies, judgments, or the 
 ways of God with men. ' How unsearchable are 
 his judgments, and his ways past finding out ! ' 
 Ko. xi. 33. Or, if you take them to signify his love, 
 imto which you see I am inclined; why, that you 
 read of in the same place, to be it ' which passes 
 knowledge. ' Wherefore should the Apostle by this 
 term, conclude, or insinuate, that what he calls 
 here breadths, lengths, depths, or heights, might 
 be fully, or perfectly understood and known, he 
 would not only contradict other scriptures, but him- 
 self, in one and the self same breath. Wherefore 
 it must be understood comparatively ; that is, and 
 that he says, with, or as much as others, as any, 
 even with all saints. That ye may he able to com- 
 prehend vnth all saints, what is the breadth, and 
 length, amd depth, and height. I would ye were 
 as able to understand, to know, and to find out 
 these things, as ever any were ; and to know with 
 the very best of saints. The hve of Christ, whidi 
 passeth Immvledge. There are, as has before been 
 hinted, degrees of knowledge of these things; some 
 know more, some less; but the Apostle prays that 
 these Ephesians might see, know, and understand 
 as much thereof as the best, or as any under 
 heaven. 
 
 1. And this, in the first place, shews us the 
 love of a minister of Jesus Christ. A minister's 
 love to his flock is seen in his praying for tliem : 
 wherefore Paul, commonly, by his epistles, either 
 first or last, or both, gives the churches to under- 
 stand. That he did often heartily pray to God 
 
 for them: Eo. xvi. 20, 24 1 Co. xri 23. Ga.Ti.18. Ep. L 16. Phfl. L 4. 
 Col.i3.1Tki.2.1Ti.vi.21.2Ti.iv.22. And not Only 80, 
 but also specifies the mercies, and blessings, and 
 benefits which he earnestly begged for them of God. 
 
 2Co. 3dii. 7. 2TlLi.ll. 
 
 2. But, secondly. This implies that there are 
 great benefits accrue to Christians by the com- 
 prehending of these things: Yea, it implies that 
 something very special is ministered to us by this 
 knowledge of these; and here to touch upon a few 
 of them. 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 13 
 
 • (1.) He that shall arrive to some competeftt 
 knowledge of these things, shall understand more 
 thoroughly the greatness, the wisdom, the power, &e. 
 of the God that is ahove. For by these expressions 
 are the attributes of (Jod set forth unto us: And 
 although I have discoursed of them hitherto under 
 the notion of grace and mercy, yet it was not for 
 that I concluded, they excluded the expressing of 
 his other attributes, but because they all, as it 
 were, turn into loving methods in the wheel of their 
 heavenly motion towards the children of God. 
 Hence it is said, 'God is love,' Un. iv. 16. ' God is 
 light,' iJn. i. 6. God is what He is for His own 
 ^ory, and the good of them that fear Him. God! 
 Why God in the breadth, length, depth, height, 
 that is here intended, comprehends the whole 
 world. Col. i. 17. The whole world is in him: for he 
 is before, above, beyond, and round about all things. 
 Hence it is said. The heavens for breadth, are but 
 his span: That he gathereth the wind in his fists, 
 Pr. XXX.4. measureth the waters in the hollow of his 
 hand, weigheth the mountains in scales, and the 
 hills in a balance, is. j1. 12. Yea, that ' all nations 
 before him are as nothing, and they are counted to 
 liim less than nothing, and vanity.' ver. 17. Hence 
 we are said to live and move in him, Ac, xvii. 28. and 
 that He is beyond all search. 
 
 I will add one word more, notwithstanding there 
 is such a revelation of Him in his word, in the book 
 of creatures, and in the book of providences ; yet 
 the scripture says, ' Lo, these are parts of his ways: 
 but how little a portion is heard of him?' Job xxvi u. 
 So great is God above all that we have read, heard, 
 or seen of Him, either in the bible, in heaven, or 
 earth, the sea, or what else is to be understood. 
 But now. That a poor mortal, a limip of sinful flesh, 
 or, as the scripture-phrase is, poor dust and ashes, 
 should be in the favour, in the heart, and wrapped 
 up in the compassions of sncH a God! ama- 
 zing! astonishing consideration! And yet 
 'This God is our God for ever and ever; and He 
 win be our guide even unto death. ' Pa.xiviii 14. 
 
 It is said of our God, ' That he humbleth him- 
 self when he beholds things in heaven. ' How much 
 more then when he openeth his eyes upon man; 
 but most of all when he makes it, as one may say, 
 liis business to visit him every morning, and to try 
 him every moment, having set His heart upon him, 
 being determined to set him also among his princes. 
 ' The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory 
 above the heavens. Who is like imto the Lord our 
 God, who dweHeth on high. Who humbleth himsdf 
 to behold the things that aire in heaven, and in the 
 earth ! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, 
 and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; that he 
 may set him with princes, eoen with the princes of 
 his people. ' Pa. cxui. s-s. 
 
 (2.) IF Ms God be om- God; or if our God be 
 
 such a God, and could we but attain to that know- 
 ledge of the breadth, and length, and depth, and 
 height that is in him, as the Apostle here prays, 
 and desires we may, we should never be afraid of 
 anything we shall meet with, or that shall assault 
 us in this world. The great God, the former of all 
 things, taketh part with them that fear Him, and 
 that engage themselves to walk in His ways, of 
 love, and respect, they hear unto him; so that such 
 may boldly say, ' The Lord is my helper, and I 
 will not fear what man shall do unto me. ' He. xm. 6. 
 Would it not be amazing, should you see a man 
 encompassed with chariots and horses, and weapons 
 for his defence, yet afraid of being sparrow blasted, 
 or over-run by a grasshopper ! Why ' Jd & he that 
 sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and' to whom 
 'the inhabitants thereof are as gi-asshoppers:' 
 i3. \\. 23. that is the God of the people that are lovers 
 of Jesus Chi-ist; therefore we should not fear them. 
 To fear man, is to forget God; and to be careless 
 in a time of danger, is to forget God's ordinance. 
 What is it then ? Why, let us fear God, and dili- 
 gently keep his way, with what prudence and re- 
 gard to our preservation, and also the preservation 
 of what we have, we may : And if, we doing this, 
 our God shall deliver us, and what we have, into 
 the hands of them that hate us, let us laugh, be 
 fearless and careless, not minding rum to do any- 
 thing else but to stand up for Him against the 
 workers of iniquity; fuUy concluding, that both we, 
 and our enemies, are in the hand of him that loveth 
 his people, and that will certainly render a reward 
 to the wicked, after that he has sufficiently tried 
 us by their means. ' The great God that formed 
 all things, both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth 
 transgressors. ' Pr. xxvi.io.* 
 
 (3.) Another thing that the knowledge of what 
 is prayed for of the Apostle, if we attain it, will 
 minister to us, is, An holy /ear and reverence of 
 this great God in our souls; both because he is great, 
 and because he is wise and good. Je, x. 7. ' Who 
 shall not fear thee, Lord, and glorify thy name ? ' 
 
 Be. XV. 4. 
 
 Greatness should beget fear, greatness should 
 beget reverence : Now who so great as our God ; 
 and so, who to be feared like him ! He also is 
 wise, and will not be deceived by any. 'He will 
 bring evil, and not call back his words, but will 
 rise against the house of evil-doers, and against 
 
 • How thantful should tee be, for the great spread of gospel 
 light itt this country, since Bunyan's days. He for refusing 
 to attend, what he considered, an unscriptural church; suffered 
 ahove twelve years' incarceration in a miserable den; while all 
 Ma friends were either imprisoned or plundered. It was a 
 dreadful attempt to root out Christianity from this country; 
 but was overruled to mate it take deeper root. How long 
 will Antichrist still hold up his head in this country ? He 
 has had some hard Iniocks of late. — En. 
 
14 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S tOYE. 
 
 the help of them that work iniquity, is. ixri. 3. Most 
 men deal with God as if he were not wise; as if he 
 either knew not the wickedness of their hearts and 
 ways, or else knew not how to be even with them 
 for it: When, alas! he is wise in heart, and 
 mighty in power; and although he wOl not, without 
 cause, afflict, yet he will not let wickedness go 
 unpunished. This therefore should make us fear. 
 He also is good, and this should make us serve 
 him with fear. Oh ! that a great God should be 
 a good God; a good God to an unworthy, to an 
 undeserving, and to a people that continually do 
 what they can to provoke the eyes of his glory ; 
 this should make us tremble. He is fearful in ser- 
 vice, fearful in praises. 
 
 The breadth, and length, and deptjh, and height of 
 his out-going towards the children of men, should 
 also beget in us a very great fear and dread of his 
 majesty. When the prophet saw the height of 
 the wheels, he said they were dreadful, Eze. 1. 18. 
 and cried out unto them, whed ! ch. x. 13. His judg- 
 ments also are a great deep; Ps. Etxri. 6. nor is there 
 any 'searching of his understanding.' Is. xl. S8. He 
 can tell how to bring his whed upon us; and to 
 make our table a snare, a trap, and a stumbling- 
 block unto us. Is.viiL 14; andKo.xi. 8-10. He Can tell how 
 
 to make his Son to us a rook of offence, and his 
 gospel to be a savour of death unto death, unto us. 
 2 Co. ii. 15, 16. He can tell howto choose delusions for 
 us, Is. kvi. 4; 2 Th. iL 11,12. and to lead us forth with the 
 workers of iniquity, Ps. mxt. 5. He can out-wit, and 
 out-do us, and prevail against us for ever; Job xiv. 20. 
 and therefore we should be afraid and fear before 
 Him, for our good, and the good of ours for ever : 
 Yea, it is for these purposes, with others, that the 
 Apostle prayeth thus for this people : For the com- 
 prehending of these things, do poise and keep the 
 heart in an even course. This yields comfort ; this 
 gives encouragement ; this begets fear and reve- 
 rence in our hearts of God. 
 
 (4.) This knowledge vriU make us willing that he 
 should be our God; yea, will also make us abide 
 by that willingness. Jacob said with a vow, ' If 
 God wUl be with me, and will keep me in this way 
 that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and rai- 
 ment to put on, so that I come again to my 
 father's house in peace ; then shall the Lord be 
 my God: And this stone, which I have set for a 
 pillar, shall be God's house : and of all that thou 
 shalt give me 1 will surely give the tenth unto 
 thee.' Ge.ixvm.20-X!. Thus he considered the great- 
 ness of God, and from a supposition that he was 
 what he had heard him, of his father, to be; he 
 concluded to choose him for his God, and that he 
 would worship him, and give him that honour that 
 was due to him as God. How did the king of Ba- 
 bylon set him above all gods, when but some spark- 
 ling rays from him did light upon him; he calls 
 
 him 'a God of gods,' Da.ii. 47. prefers him above all 
 gods, charges aU people and nations that they do 
 nothing amiss against him : Da. ffi. 28, S9. he calls him 
 'the most high' God, the God ' thatliveth for ever;' 
 and confesses, that he doth whatsoever he will in 
 heaven and earth; and concludes with praising and 
 extolling of him. Da. iv. We naturally love great- 
 ness; and when the glorious beauty of the King 
 of glory shall be manifest to us, and we shall be- 
 hold it, we shall say as Joshua did; Let all men 
 do as seems them good; but I, and my house will 
 serve the Lord. Jos. mciv. 15. 
 
 When the Apostle Paul sought to win the 
 Athenians to him, he sets Him forth before them 
 with such terms as bespeaks his greatness; calling 
 of him (and that rightly) ' God that made the world, 
 and all things: - - the Lord of heaven and earth; 
 One that giveth to all life and breatb, and 
 all things;' One that is nigh to every one; 'he in 
 whom we live, and move, and have our being:' 
 God that hath made of one blood all nations of 
 men, and that hath determined the times before 
 appointed, and the bounds of their habitation, <kc. 
 Ac. xvii. 24-28. These things bespeak the greatness 
 of God, and are taking to considering men. Yea, 
 these very Athenians, while ignorant of him, from 
 those dark hints that they had by natural light 
 concerning him, erected an altar to him, and put 
 this singular inscription upon it, ' To the unknown 
 God: ' to shew, that according to their mode, they 
 had some kind of reverence for him: but how much 
 more when they came to know him ? and to be- 
 lieve that God, in aU his greatness, had engaged 
 himself to be theirs; and to bring them to himself, 
 that they might in time be partakers of his glory. 
 
 (5.) The more a man knows, or understands 
 of the greatness of God towards him, expressed 
 here by the terms of unsearchable breadth, length, 
 depth, and height; the better wUl he be able in his 
 heart to conceive of the excellent glory and great- 
 ness of the things that are laid up in the heavens 
 for them that fear him. They that know nothing 
 of this greatness, know nothing of them; they that 
 think amiss of this greatness, think amiss of them; 
 they that know but little of this greatness, know 
 but little of them: But he that is able to compre- 
 hend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, 
 and depth, and height; he is best able to conceive 
 of, and, consequently to make a judgment concer- 
 ning the due worth, and blessed glory of them. 
 
 This is both evident to reason; also experience 
 confirmeth the same. For, as for those dark souls 
 that know nothing of his greatness, they have ill 
 derision those who are, through the splendor of 
 the glory, captivated and carried away after God. 
 Also, those whose judgments are corrupted, fllid 
 themselves thereby made as drunkards, to judge 
 of things foolishly, they, as it were, step in the 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEUGE OF CHIUST'S LOVE, 
 
 15 
 
 same steps with the other, and vainly imagine 
 thereabout. Moreover, we shall see those little 
 spirited Christians, though. Christians indeed, that 
 are hut in a small measure acquainted with this 
 God, with the breadths, and lengths, and depths, 
 and heights that are in him, taken but Uttle with the 
 glory and blessedness that they are to go to when 
 they die: wherefore they are neither so mortified 
 to this world, so dead to sin, so self-denying, so de- 
 lighted in the book of God, nor so earnest in desires 
 to be acquainted with the heights, and depths that 
 are therein. No, this is reserved only for those 
 who are devoted thereto; who have been acquainted 
 with God in a measure beyond that which your 
 narrow-spirited Christians understand. There doth 
 want as to these things, enlargings in the hearts 
 of the most of saints, as there did in those of 
 Corinth, and also in those at Ephesus: Wherefore, 
 as Paul bids the one, and prays that the other may 
 be enlarged, and have great knowledge thereabout: 
 so we should, to answer such love, through desire, 
 separate ourselves from terrene things that we may 
 seek and intermeddle with aU wisdom. Vi. xviu. i. 
 Christ says, 'If any man wiU do his will, he shall 
 know of the doctrine. ' Jo. m. 7; is. ixviii. 9. Oh ! that we 
 were indeed enlarged as to these breadths, and 
 lengths, and depths, and heights of God, as the 
 Apostle desired the Ephesians might. ' 
 
 (6.) Then those great truths ; • the coming of 
 Christ, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal 
 judgment, would neither seem so like fables, nor 
 be so much off our hearts as they do, and are. 
 1 Co XT. 35. For the thorough belief of them depends 
 upon the knowledge of the abilities that are in God 
 to perform what he has said thereabout : And hence 
 it is that your inferior sort of Christians live so like, 
 as if none of these things were at hand; and hence 
 it is again, that they so soon are shaken in mind 
 about them, when tempted of the devil, or briskly 
 assaulted by deceivers. But this cometh to pass 
 that there may be fulfilled what is written: 'And 
 while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered 
 and slept. ' Mat. xxv. 1-7. Surely, the meaning is, they 
 were asleep about his coming, the resurrection and 
 the judgment; and, consequently had lost much 
 of that knowledge of God, the which if they had 
 retained; these truths, with power, would have 
 been upon their hearts. The Corinthians were 
 horribly decayed here, though some more than 
 others: Hence Paul, when he treats of this doctrine, 
 bids them 'awake to righteousness,' and not sin, 
 telling them, that some among them had not the 
 knowledge of God. i Co. xv. 34. To be sure, they had 
 not such a knowledge of God as would keep them 
 steady in the faith of these things, ver. 5i. 
 
 Now, the knowledge of the things above-men- 
 tioned, to wit, 'this comprehending knowledge;' 
 will greaten these things, bring them near, and 
 
 make them to be credited as are the greatest of 
 God's truths : and the virtue of the faith of them 
 is, to make one die daily. Therefore, 
 
 (7.) Another advantage that floweth from this 
 knowledge, is, that it makes the next world desi- 
 rable, not simply as it is with those lean sends, that 
 desire it only as the thief desireth the judge's 
 favour, that he may be saved from the halter; but 
 out of love such have to God and to the beauties 
 of the house he dwells in ; and that they may be 
 rid of this world, which is to such as a dark dun- 
 geon. The knowledge of God that men pretend 
 they have, may easily be judged of, by the answer- 
 able or imanswerableness of their hearts and lives 
 thereto. Where is the man that groans earnestly 
 to be gone to God, that counts this life a strait 
 unto him: that saith as a sick man of my acquaint- 
 ance did, when his friend at his bed-side prayed to 
 God to spare his life. No, no, said he, pray not so; 
 for it is better to he dissolved and he gone. Chris- 
 tians should shew the world how they believe; not 
 by words on paper, not by gay and flourishing 
 notions: Ja. u. is. but by those desires they have to be 
 gone, and the proof that these desires are true, is 
 a life in heaven while we are on earth, pmi. m. 20, 31. 
 I know words are cheap, but a dram of grace is 
 worth all the world. But where, as I said, shall 
 it be found, not among carnal men, not among 
 weak Christians, but among those, and those only, 
 that enjoy a great measure of Paul's wish here. 
 But to come to the 
 
 SECOND PART OF THE TEXT, 
 
 And to know the love of Christ which pass- 
 ETH knowledge. These words are the second part 
 of the text, and they deal mainly about the love of 
 Christ, who is the Son of God. We have spoken 
 already briefly of God, and therefore now we shall 
 speak also of his Son. These words are a part 
 of the prayer afore-mentioned, and have something 
 of the same strain in them. In the first part, he 
 prays that they might comprehend that which can- 
 not absolutely by any means be comprehended: 
 and here he prays that that might be known, which 
 yet in the same breath he saith, passeth knowledge, 
 to wit, the love of Christ. And to know the love of 
 Christ, which passeth knowledge. In the words we 
 are to take notice of three things: 
 
 First, Of the love of Christ. 
 
 Second, Of the exceeding greatness of it. 
 
 Third, Of the knowledge of it. 
 
 FmsT, We wUl begin with the first of these, to 
 wit, Of the love of Christ. Now for the explication 
 of this we must inquire into three things. First, 
 Who Christ is. Second, What love is. Third, 
 What the love of Christ is. 
 
 First, Christ is a person of no less quality than 
 he is of whom we treated before: to wit, very God. 
 
TILE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OP CHEIST'S LOVE, 
 
 So I say, not tittdarlyj not nominally, not so ccmn^ 
 lerf&UA), but the self-same in naiwre ■with the Fa- 
 ther. Jn. i.i.a;iJn.T. 7iPM.n.6. Wherefore what we 
 have under con^eration, is so much the more to be 
 taken notice of; namely, that a person 30 great, so 
 high, so glorious, aa this Jesus Christ was, should 
 have love for us, that passes knowledge. It is 
 common for equals to love, and for superiors to he 
 beloved ; but for the King of prLnces, for the Son 
 of God, for Jesus Christ to love fnan thus : this is 
 amazing, and that so much the more, for that man 
 the object of this love, is so low, so mean, so vile, 
 so undeserving, and so inconsiderable, as by the 
 scriptures, everywhere he is described to be. 
 
 But to speak a little more particularly of this 
 person. He is called God. Jn. i. 1. The Bang of 
 glory, Ps. ixiv. 10. and Lord of glory. 1 Co. u. 8. The 
 brightness of the glory of his Father. He. i. 3. The 
 liead over all things. Ep. i. 32. The Prince of life. 
 Ac. iii. 15. The Creator of all things. Coi. i. le. The 
 upholder of all things. He. i. 3. The disposer of all 
 things. Mat. ELviii. 18. The only beloved of the Fa- 
 ther. Mat. xi. 
 
 But the persons of him beloved, are called trans- 
 gressors, sinners, enemies, dust and ashes, fleas, 
 1 Sa. ixiv. 14, worms, shadows, vapours: vile, sinful, 
 filthy, unclean, ungodly fools, madmen. And now 
 is it not to be wondered at, and are we not to be 
 affected herewith, saying. And wilt thou set thine 
 eye upon such a one ? But how much more when He 
 will set his heant upon us. And yet this great, this 
 high, this glorious person, verily, verUy loveth such. 
 
 Second, We now come to the second thing, 
 namely, to sJww what is love; not in a way of nice 
 distinction of words, but in a plain and familiar 
 discourse, yet respecting the love of the person 
 imder consideration. 
 
 Love ought to be considered with reference to 
 the subject as well as to the object of it. 
 
 The subject of love in the text, is Christ; but 
 forasmuch as love in Mm is diverse from the love 
 that is in us ; therefore it will not be amiss, if a 
 little [of] the difference be made appear. 
 
 Love in us is a passion of the soul, and being 
 such, is subject to ebb axiAfiow, and to be extreme 
 both ways. For whatever is a passion of the soul, 
 whether love or hatred, joy or fear, is more apt to 
 exceed, or come short, than to keep within its due 
 boimds. Hence, oft-times that which is loved to- 
 day is hated to-morrow ; 2 Sa. ™. is. yea, and that 
 which should be loved with bounds of moderation, 
 is loved to the drowning of both soul and body in 
 perdition and destruction, i tl vi. 9, lo. 
 
 Besides, love in us is apt to choose to itself un- 
 due and unlawful objects, and to reject those, that 
 with leave of God, we may embrace and enjoy ; 
 so unruly, as to the laws and rules of divine 
 government, oft-times is this passion of love in us. 
 
 Love in us, requires, that something pleasing 
 and denghtful be in the object loved, at least, so 
 it must appear to the Inst and fancy of the person 
 loving, or else love cannot act ; for the love that 
 is in us, is not of power to set itself onVork, where 
 no allurement is in the thing to be beloved. 
 
 Love in us decays, though once never so warm 
 and strongly fixed, if the object faUs off, as to its 
 first alluring provocation ; or disappointeth our 
 expectation with some unexpected reluctancy to 
 our fancy or our mind. 
 
 All this we know to be true from nature, for 
 every one of us are thus ; nor can we refuse, or 
 choose as to love, but upon, and after the rate, 
 and the working thus of our passions. Wherefore 
 our love, as we are natural, is weak, unorderly, 
 fails and miscarries, either by being too much or 
 too little ; yea, though the thing which is beloved 
 be allowed for an object of love, both by the law 
 of nature and grace. We therefore must put a 
 vast difierence betwixt love, as foimd in us, and 
 love as found in Christ, and that, both as to the 
 nature, principle, or object of love. 
 
 Love in Christ is not love of the same nature, as 
 is love in us ; love in him is essential to his being ; 
 1 Jn. w. 16. but in us it is not so, as has been already 
 shewed. God is love ; Christ is God ; therefore 
 Christ is love, lorn naiwraUy. Love therefore is 
 essential to His being. He may as well cease to 
 to he, as cease to love. Hence therefore it follows, 
 that love in Christ floweth not from so low and 
 beggarly a principle, as doth love in man; and 
 consequently is not, nor can be attended with those 
 iufirmities or defects, that the love of man is at- 
 tended with. 
 
 It is not attended with those imruly or uncer- 
 tain motions that ours is attended with : here is no 
 ebbing, no flowing, no going beyond, no coming 
 short ; and so nothing of imcertainty. ' Having 
 loved his own which were in the world, he loved 
 them imto the end. ' Jn. im. i. 
 
 True, there is a way of manifesting of this love, 
 which is suited to our capacities, as men, and by 
 that we see it sometimes more, sometimes less : 
 Songrii. 11, 12. also it is manifested to us as we do, or 
 do not walk with God in this world. Jn. jdv. 23. I 
 speak now of saints. 
 
 Love in Christ pitcheth not itself upon undue or 
 unlawful objects ; nor refuseth to embrace what by 
 the eternal covenant is made capable thereof. It 
 always acteth according to God ; nor is there at 
 any time the least shadow of swerving as to this. ^ 
 
 Love in Christ requireth no taking beauteous- 
 ness in the object to be beloved, as not being able 
 to put forth itself without such attracting allure- 
 ments. Eze. x-vi. 6—8. It can act of and from itself, 
 without all such kind of dependencies. This is 
 manifest to all who have the least true knowledge : 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 17 
 
 cf what tliat object is in itself, on whicli the Lord 
 Jesus has set his heart to lore them. 
 
 Love in Christ decays not, nor can be tempted 
 so to do by anything that happens, or that shall 
 happen hereafter, in the object so beloved. But 
 as this love at first acts by, and from itself, so it 
 continueth to do until all things that are imperfec- 
 tions, are completely and everlastingly subdued. 
 The reason is, because Christ loves to make us 
 comely, not because we are so. Eje. ivi. o— 14. 
 
 Object. But all along Christ compareth his love to 
 ours ; now, why doth he so, if they be so much alike ? 
 Answ. Because we know not love but by the 
 passions of love that work in our hearts ; where- 
 fore he condescends to our capacities, and speaketh 
 of His love to us, according as we find love to 
 work in ourselves to others. Hence he sets forth 
 his love to us, by borrowing from us instances of 
 our love to wife and children. Ep. v. 26. Yea, he 
 sometimes sets forth his love to us, by calling to 
 our mind how sometimes a man loves a woman 
 that is a whore, ' Go,' (saith God to the prophet) 
 ' love a woman beloved of Jwr friend, yet an adul- 
 tress, according to the word of the Lord toward 
 the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and 
 love flagons of wine.' Ho.ffi.i. But then, these 
 things must not be understood with respect to the 
 nature, but the dispensations and manifestations 
 of love ; no, nor with reference to these neither, 
 any further than by making use of such suitable 
 simihtudes, thereby to commend his love to us, 
 and thereby to beget in us affections to him for the 
 love bestowed upon us. 
 
 Wherefore Christ's love must be considered both 
 with respect to the essence, and also as to the 
 divers workings of it. For the essence thereof, 
 it is as I said, natural with himself, and as such, 
 it is the root and ground of all those actions of 
 his, whereby he hath shewed that himself is loving 
 to sinful man. But now, though the love that is 
 in him is essential to his nature, and can vary no 
 more than God himself: yet we see not this love 
 but by the fruits of it, nor can it otherwise be 
 discerned. ' Hereby perceive we the love of God, 
 because he laid down his life for us. ' i Jn. iii. 16. We 
 must then betake ourselves, to the discoveries of 
 this love, of which there are two sorts ; [namely,] 
 such as are the foundations, and such as are the 
 consequences of those fundamental acts. Those 
 which I call the foundations, are they upon which 
 all other discoveries of his goodness depend, and 
 they are two. 1. His dying for us. 2. His im- 
 proving of his death for us at the right hand of 
 God. 
 
 Third, And this leads me to the third particular, 
 to wit, to shew you what the love of Christ is; 
 namely, in the discovery of it. And to know the 
 love of Oirist. 
 
 VOL. 11, 
 
 The love of Christ is made known unto us, as 
 I said, First, By his dying for us. Second, By 
 his improving of his dying for us. 
 
 1. His dying for us appears, (1.) To be won- 
 derful in itself. (2.) In his preparations for that 
 work. 
 
 (1.) It appears to be wonderful in itself, and that 
 both with respect to the nature of that death, as 
 also, with respect to the persons for whom he so 
 died. 
 
 The love of Christ appears to be wonderful by 
 the death he died : In that he died, in that he died 
 such a death. 'Twas strange love in Christ that 
 moved him to die for us: strange, because not 
 according to the custom of the world. Men do 
 not use, in cool blood, dehberately to come upon 
 the stage or ladder, to lay down their lives for 
 others ; but this did Jesus Christ, and that too 
 for such, whose qualification, if it be duly consi- 
 dered, will make this act of his, far more amazing, 
 He laid down his life for his enemies, Eo.v. and for 
 those that could not abide him ; yea, for those, 
 even for those that brought him to the cross : not 
 accidentally, or because it happened so, but know- 
 ingly, designedly, Ze. xu. lo. he knew it was for those 
 he died, and yet his love led him to lay down his 
 life for them. I wiU add, That those very people 
 for whom he laid down his life, though they by all 
 sorts of carriages did what they could to provoke 
 him to pray to God his Father, that he would send 
 and cut them off by the flaming sword of angels. 
 Mat. xx\± 53. would not be provoked, but woidd lay 
 down his life for them. Nor must I leave off here: 
 We never read that Jesus Christ was more chear- 
 ful in all his life on earth, than when he was going 
 to lay down his life for them, now he thanked 
 
 God, Lii.mi.19. now he sang. Mat. xxvi. 30. 
 
 But this is not all. He did not only die, but 
 died such a deatli, as indeed cannot be expressed. 
 He was content to be counted the sinner : yea, to 
 be counted the sin of the sinner, nor coidd this but 
 be odious to so holy a Lamb as he was, yet wiUing 
 to be this and thus for that love that he bare to 
 men. 
 
 This being thus, it follows, that his sufferings 
 must be unconceivable; for that, what in justice 
 was the proper wages of sin and sinners, he must 
 undergo ; and what that was can no man so well 
 know as he himself and damned spirits ; for the 
 proper wages of sin, and of sinners for their sin, 
 is that death which layeth pains, such pains which 
 it deservBth upon the man that dieth so: But 
 Christ died so, and consequently was seized by 
 those pains not only in body but in soul. His 
 tears, his cries, his bloody sweat, Lu.xxU.44. the 
 hiding of his Father's face ; yea, God's forsaking 
 of him in his extremity, Mat.xmi.46. plainly enough 
 declares the nature of the death he died. Mai. it. 39. 
 
18 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHEIST'S LOVE. 
 
 For my part, I stand amazed at those that would 
 not have the world heheve, that the death of Jesus 
 Christ was, in itself, so terrible as it was. 
 
 I will not stand here to discourse of the place 
 called Hell, where the spirits of the damned are, 
 v^e are discoursing of the nature of Christ's suffer- 
 ings : and 1 say, if Christ was put into the very 
 capacity of one that must suffer what in justice 
 ought to be inflicted for sin ; then, how we can so 
 diminish the greatness of his sufferings, as some 
 do, without undervaluing of the greatness of his 
 love, I know not ; and how they will answer it, I 
 hnow not. And on the contrary, what if I should 
 say, that the soul of Christ suffered as long as his 
 body lay in the grave, and that God's loosing of 
 the pains of death at Christ's resurrection, must 
 not so much be made mention of with reference to 
 his body, as to his soul, if to his body at all. For 
 what pain of death was his body capable of, when 
 his soul was separate from it? Ac. u. 2i. And yet 
 God's loosing the pains of death, seems to be but 
 an immediate antecedent to his rising from the 
 dead. And this sense Peter doth indeed seem to 
 pursue, saying, ' For David speaketh concerning 
 him ; I foresaw the Lord always before my face, 
 for he is on my right hand, that I should not he 
 moved. Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my 
 tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall 
 rest in hope, because thou wilt not leave my soiil 
 in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to 
 see corruption. ' Ac. ii 25—27. This, saith Peter, 
 was not spoken of David, but he being a prophet, 
 and knowing that God had sworn with an oath, 
 that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh 
 he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne : 
 ver. 29, SO. He seeing this before, spake of the resur- 
 rection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, 
 neither did his flesh see corruption, ver. 31. ' Thou 
 wilt not leave my soul in heU;' his soul was not 
 left in heU. Of what use are these expressions, 
 if the soul of Christ suffered not, if it suffered not 
 when separated from the body ? for of that time 
 the Apostle Peter seems to treat. Besides, if it 
 be not improper to say, that soul was not left there, 
 that never was there, I am at a loss. Thou wUt 
 not leave, his soul was not left there ; ergo, It was 
 there, seems to be the natural conclusion. If it 
 be objected, that by heU is meant the grave, 'tis 
 foolish to think that the soul of Christ lay there 
 while his body lay dead therein. But again, the 
 Apostle seems clearly to distinguish between the 
 places where the soul and body of Chrjst was ; 
 coimting his body to be in the grave, and his soul, 
 for the time, in hell. If there be objected what 
 was said by him to the thief upon the cross. La. mii. 
 •B. I can answer, Chi-ist might speak that with 
 reference to his God-head, and if so, that lies as 
 no objection to what hath been insinuated. And 
 
 why may not that be so understood, as well as, 
 where he said, when on earth, ' The Son of man 
 which is in heaven,' Jn. iU. 13. meanmg himself. 
 For the personality of the Son of God, call him 
 Son of man, or what other term is fitting, resideth 
 not in the human, but divine nature of Jesus 
 Christ. However, since hell is sometimes taken 
 for the place, Ac. i. 25. sometimes for the grave, 
 sometimes for the state, Ps.cxri.s. and sometimes 
 but for a figure of the place where the damned 
 are tormented; Jonah u. 2. I will not strictly assign 
 to Christ the place, the prison where the damned 
 spirits ar«, 1 Fe. iii. 19. but wiU say, as I said before, 
 that he was put into the place of sinners, into the 
 sins of sinners, and received what by justice was 
 the proper wages of sin both in body and soul : As 
 is evident from that fifty-third of Isaiah, ver. 10, 11. 
 This soul of his I take to be that which the in- 
 wards and the fat of the burnt sacrifices was a 
 figure, or shadow of. ' And the fat and the in- 
 wards were burnt upon the altar, whilst the body 
 was burned for sin without the camp.' E.t. x.\ix. I3,li; 
 
 Le. viii. 14—17. 
 
 And now having said this much, wherein have 
 I derogated from the glory and holiness of Christ? 
 Yea, I have endeavoured to set forth something 
 of the greatness of his sorrows, the odiousness of 
 sin, the nature of justice, and the love of Christ. 
 And be sure, by how much the sufferings of the 
 Son of God abounded for us, by so much was this 
 unsearchable love of Christ made manifest. Nor 
 can they that would, before the people, pare away, 
 and make but little these infinite sufferings of our 
 Lord, make his love to be so great as they ought, 
 let them use what rhetoric they can. For their 
 objecting the odious names and place of hell, ac- 
 counting it not to be fit to say. That so holy a 
 person as the Son of God was there. I answer, 
 though I have not asserted it, yet let me ask, 
 which is more odious, heU or sin? Or whether 
 such think that Christ Jesus was subject to be 
 tainted by the badness of the place, had he been 
 there? Or whether, when the scripture says, 
 God is in hell, it is any disparagement to him? 
 Ps. cxxxix. 8. Or if a man should be so bold as to 
 say so. Whether by so saying, he confineth Christ 
 to that place for ever ? And whether by so thinking 
 he has contradicted that called the Apostles' creed?* 
 
 * The descent of Christ into heU has been the subject of 
 much controversy, and the question is as far from solution 
 now as it was in the dark ages, when it was first proijounded, 
 and then arbitrarily decreed to be an article of faith. Those 
 who explain hell as Aades, the iilaee of departed souls, or of 
 the dead generally, fortify themselves \vith Psalm cxxxix. 8, 
 and also Psalm xvi. 10 ; and yet the first passage may only imply 
 the omnipresence of God, and the second, the resurrection of 
 the incorruptible body of Christ fi-om the grave. The descent 
 of Christ into the place of tormeut is a figment, a moclisli 
 fable, in which Bible incidents and heathen myths are woven 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 19 
 
 (2.) Xlavlng tlius spoken of the deatli and suffer- 
 ings of Christ, I shall in the next place speak of 
 Ids preparations for his so suffering for us ; and by 
 so doing, yet shew you something more of the 
 greatness of his love. 
 
 Christ, as I have told you, was even before his 
 sufferings, a person of no mean generation, being 
 the Son of the eternal God : Neither had his Fa- 
 ther any more such sons but he ; consequently he 
 of right was heir of all things, and so to have do- 
 minion over all worlds. For, ' for him were all 
 things created. ' Coi. i. 16. And hence all creatures 
 are subject to him ; yea the angels of God worship 
 liim. He. L Wlierefore as so considered, he aug- 
 mented not his state by becoming lower than the 
 angels for us, for what can be added to him, that 
 is naturally God. Indeed he did take, for our 
 sakes, the human nature into union with himself, 
 and so began to manifest his glory ; and the kind- 
 ness that he had for us before all worlds, began 
 now eminently to shew itself. Had this Christ of 
 God, om- friend, given all he had to save us, had 
 not liis love been wonderful ? But when he shall 
 give for us himself, this is more wonderful. But 
 this is not all, the case was so betwixt God and 
 man, that this Son of God could not, as he was 
 before the world was, give himself a ransom for 
 us, he being altogether incapable so to do, being 
 such an one as could not be subject to death, the 
 condition that we by sin had put ourselves into. 
 
 Wherefore that which would have been a death 
 to some, to wit, the laying aside of glory and be- 
 coming, of the King of princes, a servant of the 
 meanest form ; this he of his own good-wiU, was 
 . heartily content to do. Wherefore, he that once 
 was the object of the fear of angels, is now become 
 a little creature, a worm, an inferior one, Pa. xxu. 6. 
 bom of a woman, brought forth in a stable, laid 
 in a manger, Lu.ii.7. scorned of men, tempted of 
 devils, Lu. iv. 2. was beholden to his creatures for 
 food, for raiment, for harbour, and a place wherein 
 to lay his head when dead. In a word, he 'made 
 himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of 
 a servant, and was made in the likeness of men,' 
 PhL ii. 7. that he might become capable to do this 
 Idndness for us. And it is worth your noting, 
 that all the while that he was in the world, put- 
 ting himself upon those other preparations which 
 were to be antecedent to his being made a sacri- 
 fice for us, no man, though he told what he came 
 about to many, had, as we read of, an heart once 
 to thank him for what he came about, is. liii. 3. No, 
 they railed on him, they degraded him, they called 
 
 togsther to delude a credulous and ignoront laity. The for- 
 mulary designated the apostles' creed, has, beyond question, a 
 high ciaim to antiquity, but none whatever to be the work of 
 the apostles themselves. The ' descent into hell ' was an after 
 interpolation, and its rejection has been suggested. 
 
 him devil, they said he was mad, and a deceiver, 
 a blasphemer of God, and a rebel against the 
 state: They accused him to the governor; yea, 
 one of his disciples sold him, another denied him, 
 and they all forsook him, and left him to shift for 
 himself in the hands of his horrible enemies ; who 
 beat him with their fists, spat on him, mocked 
 him, crowned him with thorns, scourged him, made 
 a gazing stock of him, and finally, hanged him up 
 by the hands and the feet alive, and gave him 
 vinegar to increase his affliction, when he com- 
 plained that his anguish had made him thirsty. 
 And yet all this could not take his heart off the 
 work of our redemption. To die he came, die he 
 would, and die he did before he made his return 
 to the Father, for our sins, that we might live 
 through him.* 
 
 Nor may what we read of in the word concern- 
 ing those temporal sufferings that he underwent be 
 over-looked, and passed by without serious con- 
 sideration; they being a part of the curse that om* 
 sin had deserved! For all temporal plagues are 
 due to our sin while we live, as well as the curse 
 of God to everlasting perdition, when we die. 
 Wherefore this is the reason why the whole life of 
 the Lord Jesus was such a life of aifliction and 
 sorrow, he therein bare otir sicknesses, and took 
 iTpon him our deserts : So that now the curse in 
 temporals, as well as the curse in spirituals, and 
 of everlasting malediction, is removed by him away 
 from God's people; and since he overcame them, 
 and got to the cross, it was by reason of the wor- 
 thiness of the himible obedience that he yielded to 
 his Father's law in our flesh. For his whole life 
 (as well as his death) was a life of merit and pur- 
 chase, and desert. Hence it is said, ' he increased 
 in favour with God. ' Lu. iL 52. For his works made 
 him still more acceptable to him: For he standing 
 in the room of man, and becoming our reconciler 
 to God; by the heavenly majesty he was counted 
 as such, and so got for us what he earned by his 
 mediatory works; and also partook thereof as he 
 was our head himself. And was there not in aR 
 these things love, and love that was infinite ? Love 
 which was not essential to his divine nature, could 
 never have carried him through so great a work as 
 this: Passions here would a failed, would a retreated, 
 and have given the recoil; yea, his very humanity 
 would here have flagged and fainted, had it not 
 been managed, governed, and strengthened by his 
 
 * This is one of those strikingly solemn passages, which 
 abound in Bunyan's works. It almost irresistibly brings to 
 our imagination his expressive countenance, piercing eyes and 
 harmonious voice; pressed on by his rapid conceptions and 
 overpowering natural eloquence. How must it have rivetted 
 the attention of a great congregation. It is a rush of words, 
 rolling on like the waves of the sea; increasing in grandeur 
 and in force as they multiply in n'lmber. — Ed. 
 
20 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOTE. 
 
 eternal Spirit. Wlierefore it is said, that ' through 
 the eternal Spirit he offered himself -without spot 
 to God.' He. ix. 14. And that he was declared to be 
 the Son of God, with so doing, and by the resur- 
 rection from the dead. Ro. i. i. 
 
 2. We come now to the second thing pro- 
 pounded, and by which his love is discovered, and 
 that is his imprcmng of his dying for us. But I 
 must crave pardon of my reader, if he thinks that 
 I can discover the ton hundred thousandth part 
 thereof, for it is impossible; but my meaning is, 
 to give a few hints what beginnings of improvement 
 he made thereof, in order to his further progress 
 therein. 
 
 (1.) Therefore, This his death for ns, was so vir- 
 tuous, that in the space of three days and three 
 nights, it reconciled to God in the body of his 
 flesh as a common person, all, and every one of 
 God's elect. Christ, when he addressed himself 
 to die, presented himself to the justice of the law, 
 as a common person; standing in the stead, place, 
 and room of all that he undertook for ; He gave 
 'his life a ransom for many.' Mat. nx. 28. 'He came 
 into the world to save sinners. ' i Ti. i. 15. And as he 
 thus presented himself, so God, his Father, admit- 
 ted him to this work; and therefore it is said, 
 ' The Lord laid upon him the iniquity of us all : ' 
 And again, ' Surely he hath borne our griefs, and 
 carried our sorrows. ' Is. liii. 4, 6, 13. Hence it unavoid- 
 ably follows, that whatever he felt, and underwent 
 in the manner, or nature, or horribleness of the 
 death he died, he felt and underwent all as a com- 
 mon person; that is, as he stood in the stead of 
 others: Therefore it is said, 'He was wounded for 
 our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities;' 
 and that ' the chastisement of our peace was upon 
 him.' Is. liii. 5. And again 'the just died for the 
 
 unjust. ' 1 Pe. iii. 18. 
 
 Now then, if he presented himself as a com- 
 mon person to justice, if God so admitted and ac- 
 counted him, if also he laid the sins of the people, 
 whose persons he represented, upon him, and under 
 that consideration punishes him with those pun- 
 ishments and death, that he died. Then Christ 
 in life and death is concluded by the Father to 
 live and die as a common or public person, 
 representing all in this life and death, for whom 
 he undertook thus to live, and thus to die. So 
 then, it must n^eds be, that what next befalls 
 this common person, it befalls him with respect to 
 them in whose room and place he stood and suffered. 
 Now, the next that follows, is, ' that he is justified 
 of God : ' That is, acquitted and discharged from this 
 punishment, for the sake of the worthiness of his 
 death and merits; for that must be before he could 
 be raised from the dead: Ac. ii. 34. God raised him 
 not up as guilty, to justify him afterwards: His 
 resurrection was the declaration of his precedent 
 
 justification. He was raised from the dead, 
 because it was neither in equity or justice possible 
 that he should be holden longer there, hia merits 
 procured the contrary. 
 
 Now he was condemned of God's law, and died 
 by the hand of justice, he was acquitted by God's 
 law, and justified of justice; and all as a common 
 person; so then, in his acquitting, we are acquitted, 
 in his justification we are justified; and therefore 
 the apostle applieth God's justifying of Christ to 
 himself ; and that rightly, is. l 8. and Bo. ii. 3S, m. For 
 if Christ be my undertaker, will stand in my place, 
 and do for me, 'tis but reasonable that I should be 
 a partaker: Wherefore we are also said to be 
 'quickened together with him:' Ep.ii. 5. That is, 
 when he was quickened in the grave; raised up 
 together, and made to sit together in heavenly 
 places in Christ Jesus. Therefore another scrip- 
 ture saith, ' Hath He quickened you - - together 
 with him, having forgiven you all trespasses. ' CoJ. 
 ii. 13. This quickening, must not be imderstood of 
 the renovation of our hearts, but of the restoring 
 of Jesus Christ to life after he was crucified; and 
 we are said to be quickened together with him, 
 because we were quickened in him at his death, and 
 were to fall or stand by him quite through the three 
 days and three nights work; and were to take 
 therefore our lot with him: Wherefore it is said 
 again. That his resurrection is our justification. 
 Ro. iv. 25. That by one offering he has purged our 
 sins for ever; He. x. 12. and that by his death he hath 
 'delivered us from the wrath to come.' iTh.!. lo. 
 But I say, I would be understood aright: This life 
 resideth yet in the Son, and is communicated from 
 him to us, as we are called to believe his word; 
 mean while we are secured from wrath and heU, 
 being justified in his justification, quickened in his 
 quickening, raised up in his resurrection; and made 
 to sit already together in heavenly places in Christ 
 Jesus ! * 
 
 And is not this a glorious improvement of his 
 death, that after two days the whole body of the 
 elect, in him, should be revived, and that in the 
 third day we should live in the sight of God, m 
 and by him. He. vi. 18-20. 
 
 (2.) Another improvement of his death for us, was 
 this. By that he slew for us, our infernal foes; by 
 it he abolished death; 2 Ti. i. i. by death he destroyed 
 him that had the power of death: He.ii. 14. By death 
 he took away the sting of death; i Co.xt.bs,66. by 
 death he made death a pleasant sleep to saints, 
 and the grave for a while, an easy house and home 
 
 ' The reader must not luisunderstaQd the word common a3 
 here applied to the Saviour. It has the same meaning that is 
 applied to a piece of land, to which many persons have an 
 equal or common right; hut which none hut those, who have 
 a right or title, can use. It strikingly illustrates the union 
 of Christ and hia church. — En. 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 21 
 
 for tlie body. By death he made death such an 
 advantage to us, that it is become a means of 
 translating of the souls of them that believe in him, 
 to life. And aU this is manifest, for that death is 
 ours, a blessing to us, as well as Paul and Apollos, 
 the world and life itself, i Co. m. 22. And that all this is 
 done for us by his death, is apparent, for that his 
 person is where it is, and that by himself as a 
 common person he has got the victory for us. For 
 though as yet all things are not put under our feet, 
 yet we see Jesus crowned with honour and glory, 
 who by the grace of God tasteth death for every 
 man. ' For it became God , for whom are aU things, 
 and by whom are all things, to make the captain 
 of their salvation perfect through sufferings.' 
 He. ii. 7-10. It became him; that is, it was but just 
 and right, he should do so, if there was enough in 
 the virtuousness of his death and blood to require 
 such, a thing. But there was so. Wherefore God 
 has exalted him, and us in him, above these infer- 
 nal foes. Let us therefore see ourselves delivered 
 from death first, by the exaltation of our Jesus, let 
 us behold him I say as cro^vned with glory and 
 honour, as, or because, he tasted death for us. 
 And then we shall see ourselves already in heaven 
 by om' head, our undertaker, our Jesus, our 
 Saviour. 
 
 (3.) Another improvement that has abeadybeen 
 made of his death for us, is thus, he hath at his 
 entrance into the presence of God, for his worthiness 
 sake, obtained that the Holy Ghost should be given 
 unto him for us, that we by that might in all things, 
 yet to be done, be made meet to be partakers person- 
 aUy, in ourselves, as well as virtuaUy by our head and 
 forerimner, of the inheritance of the saints in light. 
 Wherefore the abimdant pourings out of that was 
 forborn until the resurrection, and glorification of 
 our Lord Jesus. ' For the Holy Ghost was not 
 yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified. ' 
 Jn.vii.39. Nor was it given so soon as received: 
 for he received it upon his entering into the holy 
 place, when he had sprinkled the mercy seat with 
 the blood of sprinkling, but it was not given out 
 to us till sometime after: Ac. iv. however it was ob- 
 tained before. Ac ii 32, 33. And it was meet that it 
 should in that infinite immeasurableness in which 
 he received it, first abide upon him, that his hmnan 
 nature, which was the first fruits of the election of 
 God, might receive by its abidings upon him, that 
 glory for which it was ordained; and that we might 
 receive, as we receive aU other things, first by our 
 head and undertaker, sanctification in the fulness 
 of it. Hence it is written, that as he is made unto 
 us of God, wisdom, and righteousness, and redemp- 
 tion, so sanctification too: ico.i.so. For first we are 
 sanctified in his flesh, as we are justified by his 
 righteousness. Wherefore he is that holy one that 
 setteth us, in himself, a holy lump before God, not 
 
 only with reference to justification and life, but 
 with reference to sanctification and holiness : For 
 we that are elect, are all considered in him as he 
 has received that, as well as in that he has taken 
 possession of the heaven for us, I coimt not this 
 all the benefit that accrueth to us by Jesus his 
 receiving the Holy Ghost, at his entrance into the 
 presence of God for us: For we also are to receive 
 it ourselves from him, according as by God we are 
 placed in the body at the times appointed of the 
 Father. That we^ as was said, may receive per- 
 sonal quickening, personal renovation, personal 
 sanctification; and in conclusion, glory. But I 
 say, for that he hath received this holy Spirit to 
 himself, he received it as the effect of his ascension, 
 which was the effect of his resurrection, and of the 
 merit of his death and passion. And he received 
 it as a common person, as a head and imdertaker 
 for the people. 
 
 (4.) Another improvement that has been made of 
 his death, and of the merits thereof for us, is that 
 he has obtained to be made of God, the chief and 
 high Lord of heaven and earth, for us, (AU this 
 while we speak of the exaltation of the human 
 nature, in, by, and with which, the Son of God 
 became capable to be our reconciler unto God) 'All 
 things,' saith he, 'are delivered tmto me of my 
 Father. And all power in heaven and earth is 
 given unto me;' and all this because he died. 'He 
 hmnbled himself, and became obedient unto death, 
 even the death of the cross; wherefore God hath 
 highly exalted him, and given him a name above 
 every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee 
 should bow, of things in heaven, of things in earth, 
 or things under the earth: and that every tongue 
 shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory 
 of God the Father. ' pml u. And aU this is, as was 
 said afore, for our sakes. He has given him to be 
 head over all things to the church. Ep. i. 22. 
 
 Wherefore, whoever is set up on earth, they are 
 set up by our Lord. 'By me,' saith he, 'kings 
 reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes 
 rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.' 
 Pr. viii. 15, 16. Nor are they when set up, left to do, 
 though they should desire it, their own will and 
 pleasure. The Metheg-Amimdh,* the bridle, is in 
 his own hand, and he giveth reins, or check, even 
 as it pleaseth him, 2 Sa. viii. i. He has this power, 
 for the well-being of his people. Nor are the fallen 
 angels exempted from being put under his rebuke: 
 He is the ' only potentate, ' i Ti. vi. 16. and in his times 
 will shew it, Peter tells us, he 'is gone into heaven, 
 and is on the right hand of God; angels, and au- 
 thorities, and powers being made subject unto him. ' 
 
 1 Pe. iii. 22. 
 
 * There is no affectation of learning in Bunyan's giving the 
 meaning of the Hebrew words, jna, Metheg; it is translated 
 in the margin of our Bibles, 'the bridle' of Ammah. — Ed. 
 
23 
 
 THE SAINTS' JiNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 This power, as I said, lie has received for the 
 sake of his cliurch on earth, and for her conduct 
 and well-being among the sons of men. Hence, as 
 he is called the king of nations, in general; Je.x. 7. 
 so the King of saints, in special: He. xv. 3. and as he 
 is said to he head over all things in general; so to 
 his church in special. 
 
 (5.) Another improvement that he hath made of 
 his death for us, is, he hath obtained, and received 
 into his o'svn hand suflBciency of gifts to make 
 ministers for his church withal. I say, to make 
 and maintain, in opposition to all that would hin- 
 der, a sufficient ministry. 1 Co. xu. 28-30. Wherefore 
 he saith, ' When he ascended on high, he led cap- 
 tivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. And he 
 gave some apostles, some prophets, some evan- 
 gelists, some pastors and teachers; for the perfect- 
 ing of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for 
 edifying of the body of Christ. Until we all come 
 in the imity of the faith, and knowledge of the Son 
 of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of 
 the stature of the fulness of Christ.' Ep.iv. 8-14. Many 
 ways has Satan devised to bring into contempt this 
 blessed advantage that Christ has received of God 
 for the benefit of his chm-ch; partly while he stirs 
 up persons to revile the sufficiency of the Holy 
 Ghost, as to this thing: partly, while he stirs up 
 his own limbs and members, to broach his delusions 
 in the world, in the name of Christ, and as they 
 blasphemously call it by the assistance of the Holy 
 Ghost;* partly while he tempteth novices in their 
 faith, to study and labour in nice distinctions, and 
 the affecting of uncouth expressions, that vary from 
 the form of sound words, thereby to get applause, 
 and a name, a foreninner of their own destruction. 
 
 Jn. ill. 0. 
 
 But, notwithstanding all this, ' Wisdom is justi- 
 fied of her children:' Matxi. 19. and at the last day, 
 when the outside, and inside of all things shall be 
 seen and compared, it will appear that the Son of 
 God has so managed his own servants in the mi- 
 nistry of his word, and so managed his word, while 
 they have been labouring in it, as to put in his 
 blessing by tlwi, upon the souls of sinners, and has 
 blown away all other things as chaff. Ja. L is. 
 
 6. Another improvement that the Lord Christ 
 has made of his death, for his, is the obtaininn-. 
 and taking possession of heaven for them. ' By 
 his own blood he entered in once into the holy 
 place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. ' 
 He. 11. 13. , This heaven ! who knows what it is ? 
 
 * Builyan seems here e%'idently to refer to the case of Hnre- 
 generate and worldly men entering into the ministry, and 
 making a public and solemn declaration that they ' are inwardly 
 moved thereto by the Holy Ghost,' and ' truly called according 
 to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ.' See form and manner 
 of ordaining deacons and. priests in the Chui'th of England. 
 -Eu. 
 
 Mat. xxii.23. This glory! who knows what it isl 
 It is called God's throne, God's house, Jn.xiv.2. 
 God's habitation; paradise, zccxii.*. the kmgdom 
 of God, the high and holy place, is. Mi- 15. Abra- 
 ham's bosom, Lu. xvi. 22. and the place of heavenly 
 pleasures; I's.xvi.ii. in this heaven is to be found, 
 tli£ face of God for ever : Pa. xii. 12. Immortahty, the 
 person of Christ, the prophets, the angels, the 
 revelation of all mysteries, the knowledge of all the 
 
 elect, ETERNITY. 
 
 Of this heaven, as was said afore, we are pos- 
 sessed already, we are in it, we are set down in it, 
 and partake already of the benefits thereof, but all 
 by our head and undertaker ; and 'tis fit that wo 
 should beheve this, rejoice in this, talk of this, tell 
 one another of this, and hve in the expectation of 
 our own personal enjoyment of it. And as we 
 should do all this, so we should bless and praise 
 the name of God who has put over this house, this 
 kingdom, and inheritance into the hand of so faith- 
 ful a friend. Yea, a brother, a Saviour and blessed 
 undertaker for us. And lastly, since all these 
 things already mentioned, are the fruit of the suf- 
 ferings of our Jesus, and his sufferings the fruit of 
 that love of his that passeth knowledge: how should 
 we bow the knee before him, and call him tender 
 Father ; yea, how should we love and obey him, 
 and devote ourselves unto his service, and be will- 
 ing to be also sufferers for his sake, t'o whom be 
 honour and glory for ever. And thus much of the 
 love of Chi'ist in general. 
 
 I might here add many other things, but as 1 
 told you before, wo would under the head but now 
 touched upon, treat about the fundamentals or great 
 and chief parts thereof, [Christ's love] and then. 
 
 Second, Of the exceeding greatness of it more par- 
 ticularly: Wherefore of that we must say something 
 now. 
 
 And to know tJie love of Chi-ist, which passelh 
 knowledge. In that it is said to pass knowledge! 
 'tis manifest it is exceeding great, or greatly going 
 beyond what can be known; for to e.^ceed, is to 
 go beyond, be above, or to be out of the reach of 
 what would comprehend that which is so. And 
 since the expression is absolutely indefinite, and 
 respecteth not the knowledge of this or the other 
 creature only : it is manifest, that Paul by his thus 
 saying, challengeth all creatures in heaven and 
 earth to find out the bottom of this love if thej 
 can. 27ie love of Christ which passeth knowledge. 
 I will add, that forasmuch as he is indefinite also 
 about the knowledge, as well as about the persom 
 knowing, it is out of doubt that he here engageth 
 all knowledge, in what enlargements, attainments, 
 improvements, and heights soever it hath, or maj 
 for ever attain unto. It passeth knowledge. Ep. iii.8. 
 Of the same import also is that other passage 
 of the apostle a little above in the self-same chay 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OJF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 2; 
 
 ter. I preacli, saith he, among the Gentiles the 
 unsearchable rklies of Christ : or those riches of 
 Christ that cannot by searching, be found out in the 
 all of them : The riches, the riches of his love and 
 grace. The riches of his love and grace towards 
 Its. ' For ye know the grace of om- Lord Jesus 
 Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your 
 sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty 
 might be made* rich. ' 2 Co. viii. 9. Ye know the grace, 
 that is 60 far, and so far every believer knows it : 
 for that his leaving heaven and taking upon him 
 flesh, that he might bring us thither, is manifest 
 to all. But yet, aU the grace that was wrapped 
 up in that amazing condescension, knoweth none, 
 nor can know : for if that might be, that possibility 
 would be a flat contradiction to the text: 'The 
 love of Christ which passeth knowledge.' Where- 
 fore the riches of this love in the utmost of it, is 
 not, cannot be known by any: let their understand- 
 ing and knowledge, be heightened and improved 
 what it may. Yea, and being heightened and 
 improved, let what search there can by it be made 
 into this love and grace. ' That which is afar ofi', 
 and exceeding deep, who can find out?' Ecc.™. 24. 
 And that this love of Christ is so, shall anon be 
 made more apparent. But at present we wiU pro- 
 ceed to particular challenges for the making out of 
 this, and then we will urge those reasons that will 
 be for the further confirmation of the whole. 
 
 First, This love passes the knowledge oi the wisest 
 saint, we now single out the greatest proficient in 
 this knowledge ; and to confirm this, I need go no 
 further than to the man that spake these words ; 
 to wit, Paul, for in his conclusion he includes 
 himself. The love of Christ which passeth know- 
 ledge, even my knowledge. As who should say; 
 though I have waded a great way in the grace of 
 Christ, and have as much experience of his love 
 as any he in all the world, yet I confess myself 
 short, as to the fulness that is therein, nor will I stick 
 to conclude of any other. That 'he knows nothing 
 yet as he ought to know. ' l Co. viii. 3. and xiii. 13. 
 
 Second, This love passeth the knowledge of aU 
 the saints, were it all put together, we, we all, and 
 every one, did we each of us contribute for the 
 manifesting of this love, what it is, the whole of 
 what we know, it would amount but to a broken 
 Imowledge; we know but in part, we see darkly, 
 1 Co. xiii. 9-13. we walk not by sight, but faith, a Co. v. 7. 
 True, now we speak of saints on earth. 
 
 Third, But we will speak of saints in heaven ; 
 they cannot to the vtmost, know this love of Christ. 
 For though they know more thereof than saints on 
 earth, because they are more in the open visions 
 of it, and also are more enlarged, being spirits per- 
 
 * BuDyan quotes this passage from the puritan version; 
 vulgarly called ' The Breeches Bible.' The present authorized 
 translation is ' might be rich.' 
 
 feet, than we on earth. Yet, to say no more now 
 they do not see the rich and unsearchable runubgi 
 out thereof unto sinners here on earth. Nor mai 
 they there measure that, to others, by what the' 
 themselves knew of it here. For sins, and time, 
 and persons and other circumstances, may mucl 
 alter the case, but were all the saints on earth 
 and all the saints in heaven to contribute all tha 
 they know of this love of Christ, and to put it int( 
 one sum of knowledge, they would greatly conn 
 short of knowing the utmost of this love, for tha 
 there is an infinite deal of this love, yet unknowi 
 by them. 'Tis said plainly, that they on earth d( 
 not yet know what they shall be. i Jn. iii. 3. And ai 
 for them in heaven, they are not yet made perfee 
 as they shall be. lie. ni 39, 40. Besides, we find th( 
 souls under the altar, how perfect now soever, whei 
 compared with that state they were in when witl 
 the body; is. kiii. 16. yet are not able in all points 
 though in glory, to know, and so to govern them 
 selves there without directions. Ee.vi. 9-11. I say 
 they are not able, without directions and instrue 
 tions, to know the kinds and manner of working! 
 of the love of Christ towards us that dwell 01 
 earth. 
 
 Fourth, We wiU join with these, the angels, anc 
 when all of them, with men, have put all and even 
 whit of what they know of this love of Chris 
 together, they must come far short of reaching to 
 or of understanding the utmost bound thereof. ] 
 grant, that angels do know, in some certain parti 
 of knowledge of the love of Christ, more thai 
 saints on earth can know while here; but thei 
 again, I know that even they do also learn man] 
 things of saints on earth, which shews that them 
 selves know also but in part; Ep. iii. 10. so then 
 aE, as yet, as to this love of Christ, and the ut 
 most knowledge of it, are but as so many imper 
 fects, 1 Pe. i. 12. nor can they all, put aU their imper 
 fects together, make up a perfect knowledge of 
 this love of Christ; for the texts do yet stanc 
 where they did, and say, his riches are unsearchable, 
 and his love that which passeth knowledge. W( 
 wiU come now to shew you, besides what has beer 
 already touched on. 
 
 The eeason why this riches is unsearchable, anc 
 that love such as passeth knowledge; and the 
 
 Eeason First is. Because It is eternal. AU that is 
 eternal, has attending of it, as to the utmost know- 
 ledge of it, a fourfold impossibility. 1. It is with- 
 out beginning. 2. It is without end. 3. It is 
 infinite. 4. It is incomprehensible. 
 
 1. It is without beginning : That which was before 
 the world was, is without a beginning, but the love 
 of Christ was before the world. 
 
 This is evident from Proverbs the eighth, 'his 
 dehghts,' before God had made the world, are there 
 said to be, 'with the sons of men.' Not that we 
 
24 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST^S WrE. 
 
 then had being, for we were as yet uncreated ; but 
 though we had not beings created, we had being 
 in the love and affections of Jesus Christ. Now 
 this love of Christ must needs, as to the fulness of 
 it, as to the utmost of it, be absolutely unkno^vn 
 to man. Who can teU how many heart-pleasing 
 thoughts Christ had of us before the world began ? 
 Who can tell how much he then was delighted in 
 that being we had in his affections ; as also, in the 
 consideration of our beings, beUevings, and being 
 with him afterwards. 
 
 In general we may conclude, it was great ; for 
 there seems to be a parallel betmxt his Father's 
 delights in Mm, and his delights in us. ' 1 was 
 daily his delight, - - and my delights were with 
 the sons of men. ' Pr. vm. 22, so, 31. But I say, who 
 can teU, who can tell altogether, what and how 
 WMch the Father delighted in his Son before the 
 world began ? Who can tell what hind of delight 
 Ihe Father had in the Son before the world began ? 
 Why there seems to be a parallel betwixt the Fa- 
 ther's kwe to Christ, and Christ's hve to us ; the 
 Father's delight in Christ, and his ddight in us. 
 Yea, Christ confirms it, saying, ' As the Father 
 hath loved me, so have I loved you, continue ye in 
 my love.' Jn. w. 9. I know that I am not yet upon 
 the nature of the word eternal ; yet since, by eter- 
 nal, we understand, before the world began, as well 
 as forward, to an endless for-ever : We may a little 
 enquire of folks as they may read, if they can tell 
 the kind or measure of the love wherewith Christ 
 then loved us. I remember the question that God 
 asked Job, ' Where, ' saith he, ' wast thou when I 
 laid the foundation of the earth? declare if thou 
 hast understanding : ' Job xxxviiL 4. Thereby insinua- 
 ting that because it was done before he had his 
 being, therefore he could not tell how it was done. 
 Now, if a work so visible, as the creation is, is yet 
 as to the manner of the workmanship thereof 
 wholly unknown to them that commenced in their 
 beings afterwards : How shall that which has, in 
 all the circumstances of it, been more hidden and 
 inward, be found out by them that have inteUigenee 
 thereof by the ear, and but in part, and that in a 
 mystery, and long afterwards. But to conclude 
 this, That which is eternal is without all begin- 
 ning. This was presented to consideration before, 
 and therefore it cannot to perfection be known. 
 
 2. That which is eternal is without end, and 
 how can an endless thing be known, that which 
 has no end has no middle, wherefore it is impos- 
 sible that the one half of the love that Christ has 
 for his church should ever by them be known. I 
 laiow that those visions that the saved shall have 
 in heaven of this love, wiU far transcend our ut- 
 most knowledge here, even as far as the light of 
 the sun at noon, goes beyond the light of a blink- 
 ing candle at midnight ; and hence it is, that when 
 
 the days of those visions are come, the knowledge 
 that we now have, shall be swallowed iip. ' When 
 that which is perfect is come, then that which is 
 in part shall be done away. ' 1 Co. xiii. 10. And al- 
 though he speaks here of perfections, ' when that 
 which is perfect is come,' <kc., yet even that per- 
 fection must not be thought to be such as is the 
 perfection of God ; for then should all that are 
 saved be so many eternals and so many infinites, as 
 he is infinite. But the meaning is, we shall then 
 be with the eternal, shall immediately enjoy him 
 with all the perfection of knowledge, as far as is 
 possible for a creature, when he is wrought up to the 
 utmost height that his created substance will bear 
 to be capable of. But for all that, this perfection 
 will yet come short of the perfection of him that 
 made him, and consequently, short of knowing the 
 utmost of his love ; since that in the root is his 
 very essence and nature. I know it says also, 
 that we shall know even as we are known. But yet 
 this must not be understood, as if we should know 
 God as fully as he knows us. It woidd be foUy 
 and madness so to conclude ; but the meaning is, 
 we are known /or happiness ; we are known of 
 God, /or heaven and felicity ; and when that which 
 is perfect is come, then shall we perfectly know, 
 and enjoy that for which we are now known of 
 God. And this is that which the Apostle longed 
 for, namely. If by any means, he might appre- 
 hend that for which he was also apprehended of 
 Christ Jesus. Phi. m. 12. That is, know, and see 
 that, unto the which he was appointed of God and 
 apprehended of Christ Jesus. 'Tis said again, 
 ' We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he 
 is. ' 1 Jn. iii. 2. This text has respect to the Son, as 
 to his humanity, and not as to his divinity. And 
 not as to his divinity, simply, or distinctly consi- 
 dered ; for as to that it is as possible for a spirit 
 to drink up the sea, as for the most enlarged saint 
 that is, or ever shall be in glory, so to see God 
 as to know him altogether, to the utmost, or 
 throughout. But the humanity of the Son of God, 
 we shall see throughout, in all the beauty and 
 glory that is upon him ; and that was prepared for 
 him before the foundation of the world. And 
 Christ wiU that we see this glory, when he takes 
 us up in glory to himself; Jn. xvii. 24. but the ut- 
 most boundlessness of the divine majesty, the, 
 eternal deity of the Son of God, cannot be known,^ 
 to the utmost or altogether. I do not doubt, but 
 that there will then in him, I mean in Christ, and 
 in us, break forth these glorious rays and beams 
 of the eternal majesty, as wiU make him in each 
 of us admirable one to another ; 2 tl. i. 10. and that 
 then, that of God shall be known of us, that now 
 never entered into our hearts to think of. But the 
 whole, is not, cannot, shall never be fully knownj 
 of any. And therefore the love of Christ, it being 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 25 
 
 essential to himself, cannot be known because of 
 the endlessness that is in it. I said before, that 
 which has no end, has no middle, how then shall 
 those that shall be in heaven eternally, ever pass 
 over half the breadth of eternity. True, I know 
 that all enjoyments there wiU be enjoyments eter- 
 nal. Yea, that whatever we shall there embrace, 
 or what embraces we shall be embraced with, 
 shall be eternal ; but I put a difference betwixt 
 that which is eternal, as to the natwre, and that 
 which is so as to the durableness thereof. The 
 natwre of eternal things we shall enjoy, so soon as 
 ever we come to heaven, but the duration of eter- 
 nal things, them we shall never be able to pass 
 through, for they are endless. So then, the eter- 
 nal love of Christ, as to the nature of it, will be 
 perfectly known of saints, when they shall dwell 
 in heaven ; but the endlessness thereof they shall 
 never attain imto. And this -Will be their happi- 
 ness. For could it be, that we should in heaven 
 ever reach the end of our blessedness: (as we should, 
 could we reach to the end of this love of Christ) 
 why then, as the saying is. We should be at the 
 land's end, and feel the bottom of all our enjoy- 
 ments. Besides, whatsoever has an end, has a 
 time to decay, and to cease to be, as well as to 
 have a time to shew forth its highest excellencies. 
 Wherefore, from all these considerations it is most 
 manifest, that the love of Christ is imsearchable, 
 and that it passes knowledge. 
 
 3. and 4. Now the other two things foUow of 
 course, to wit. That fMs love is infinite and incom- 
 prehensible. Wherefore here is that that stUl is 
 above and beyond even those that are arrived to 
 the utmost of their perfections. And this, if I 
 may so say, will keep them in an employ, even 
 when they are in heaven ; though not an employ 
 that is laboursome, tiresome, burthensome, yet an 
 employ that is dutiful, delightful and profitable ; 
 for although the work and worship of saints in 
 heaven is not particularly revealed as yet, and so 
 ' it doth not yet appear what we shall be,' yet in 
 the general we may say, there will be that for 
 them to do, that has not yet by them been done, 
 and by that work which they shall do there, their 
 delight will be delight vuito them. The law was 
 the shadow and not the very image of heavenly 
 things. He.x.i. The image is an image, and not 
 die heavenly things themselves He. in. 23. (the hea- 
 venly things they are saints) there shall be wor- 
 ship in the heavens. Nor wiU this at all derogate 
 from their glory. The angels now wait upon God 
 and serve him ; Ps. dii. w. the Son of God, is now a 
 minister, and waiteth upon his service in heaven ; 
 He.Tiii.1,2, some saints have been employed about 
 service for God after they have been in heaven ; 
 Ln. k. 29—33. and why we should be idle spectators, 
 when we come thither, I see not reason to believe. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 It may be said, ' They there rest from their 
 labours.' True, but not from their dehghts. All 
 things then that once were burthensome, whether 
 in suffermg or service, shall be done away, and 
 that which is delightful and pleasureable shall re- 
 main. £vt then vM be a time to receive, and not 
 to work. True, if by work you mean such as we 
 now count work ; but what if our work be there, 
 to receive and bless. The fishes in the sea do 
 drink, swim and drink. But for a further dis- 
 course of this, let that alone till we come thither. 
 But to come down again into the world, for now 
 we are talking of things aloft : 
 
 Beason Second, This love of Christ must needs 
 be beyond our knowledge, because we cannot 
 possibly know the ntmost of owr sin. Sin is that 
 which sets out, and off, the knowledge of the love 
 of Christ. There are four things that must be 
 spoken to for the clearing of this. 1 . The nature 
 of sin. 2. The aggravations of sin. 3. The ut- 
 most tendencies of sin. 4. And the perfect know- 
 ledge of all this. 
 
 1. Before we can know this love of Christ, as 
 afore, we must necessarily know the natwre of sin, 
 that is, what sin is, what sin is in itself. But no 
 man knows the nature of sin to the fuU ; not what 
 sin in itself is to the fuU. The Apostle saith, 
 'That sin, (that is in itself) is exceeding sinful.' 
 Eo. vii. 13. That is, exceeding it as to its filthiness, 
 goes beyond our knowledge : But this is seen by 
 the commandment. Now the reason why none 
 can, to the fuU, know the horrible nature of sin, is 
 because none, to the fuU, can know the blessed 
 nature of the blessed God. For sin is the opposite 
 to God. There is nothing that seeketh absolutely, 
 and in its own nature to overcome, and to annihi- 
 late God, but sin, and sin doth so. Sin is worse 
 than the devU ; he therefore that is more afraid 
 of the devil than of sin, knows not the badness of 
 sin as he ought ; nor but Httle of the love of Jesus 
 Christ. He that knows not what sin would have 
 done to the world, had not Christ stept betwixt 
 those harms and it. How can he know so much 
 as the extent of the love of Christ in common ? 
 And he that knows not what sin woidd have done 
 to him in particular, had not Christ the Lord, stept 
 in and saved, cannot know the utmost of the love 
 of Christ to him in particular. Sin therefore in 
 the utmost evil of it, cannot be known of us : so 
 consequently the love of Christ in the utmost good- 
 ness of it, cannot be known of us. 
 
 Besides, there are many sins committed by ils, 
 dropping from us, and that pollute us, that we are 
 not at all aware of; how then should we know 
 that love of Christ by which we are delivered from 
 them? Lord, 'who can understand Ms errors?' 
 said David. Ps. x«. 12. Consequently, who can un- 
 derstand the love that saves him from them? more- 
 D 
 
26 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHEIST'S tOYE. 
 
 over, lie that knows tlie love of Christ to the full, 
 must also know to the full that wrath and anger 
 of God, that like hell itself, bumeth against sin- 
 ners for the sake of sin; but this knows none. 
 Lord, 'who knoweth the power of thine anger?' 
 said Moses. Ps. xc. ii. Therefore none knows this 
 love of Christ to the full. The nature of sin is to 
 get into our good, to mix itself with our good, to 
 lie lurking many times under the formahty and 
 shew of good ; and that so close, so cunningly, and 
 invisibly, that the party concerned, embraces it 
 for virtue, and knows not otherwise to do ; and 
 yet from this he is saved by the love of Christ ; 
 and therefore, as was hinted but now, if a man 
 doth not know the nature of his wound, how should 
 he know the nature and excellency of the balsam 
 that hath cured him of his wound. 
 
 2. There are the due aggravations that belong 
 to sin, which men are unacquainted with ; it was 
 one of the great things that the prophets were 
 concerned with from God towards the people, Je. ii. 
 (as to shew them their sins, so) to shew them what 
 aggravations did belong thereto. Je.iiLnndEze.xvi. 
 
 There are sins against light, sins against know- 
 ledge, sins against love, sins against learning, 
 sins against threatenings, sins against promises, 
 vows and resolutions, sins against experience, sins 
 against examples of anger, and sins that have 
 great, and high, and strange aggravations attend- 
 ing of them ; the which we are ignorant of, though 
 not altogether, yet in too great a measure. Now 
 if these things be so, how can the love that saveth 
 us from them be known or understood to the full ? 
 
 Alas ! om- ignorance of these things is manifest 
 by om' unwillingness to abide affliction, by our 
 secret murmm-ing under the hand of God ; by our 
 wondering why we are so chastised as we are, by 
 our thinking long that the affliction is no sooner 
 removed. 
 
 Or, if our ignorance of the vHeness of our ac- 
 tions is not manifest this way, yet it is in om* light- 
 ness under our guilt, our slight thoughts of our 
 doings, our slovenly doing of duties, and asking 
 of forgiveness after some evil or unbecoming ac- 
 tions. 'Tis to no boot to be particular, the whole 
 coui'se of our lives doth too fully make it manifest, 
 that we are wonderful short in knowing both the 
 nature, and also the aggravations of our sins : and 
 how then should we know that love of Christ in 
 its full dimensions, by which we are saved and 
 delivered therefrom? 
 
 3. Who knows the utmost tendencies of sin? I 
 mean, what the least sin driveth at, and what it 
 would tmavoidably i-un the sinner into. There is 
 not a plague, a judgment, an affliction, an evil 
 under heaven, that the least of our transgressions 
 has not called for at the hands of the great God ! 
 nay, the least sin calleth for all the distresses that 
 
 are under heaven, to fall upon the soul and body 
 of the sinner at once. This is plain, for that the 
 least sm deserveth hell ; which is worse than all 
 the plagues that are on earth. But I say, who 
 imderstandeth this? And I say again, if one sin, 
 the least sin deserveth all these things, what 
 thinkest thou do all thy sins deserve ? how many 
 judgments! how many plagues ! how many lashes 
 with God's iron whip dost thou deserve? besides 
 there is hell itself, the place itself, the fire itself, 
 the nature of the torments, and the durableness of 
 them, who can understand ? 
 
 But this is not all, the tendencies of thy sms 
 are to kill others. Men, good men little think 
 how many of their neighbours one of their sins 
 may kill. As, how many good men and good 
 women do unawares, through their uncircumspect- 
 ness, drive their own chUdi'en down into the deep? 
 Ps. cTi. 6, 7. We will easily count them very hard- 
 hearted sinners, that used to offer their childi-en in 
 sacrifice to devils; when 'tis easy to do worse 
 ourselves : they did but kill the body, but we body 
 and soul in hell, if we have not a care. 
 
 Do we know how our sins provoke God? how 
 they grieve the Holy Ghost? how they weaken 
 om- graces ? how they spoil our prayers ? how they 
 weaken faith ? how they tempt Christ to be 
 ashamed of us ? and how they hold back good from 
 us ? And if we know not every one of all these 
 things to the full, how shall we know to the fuU 
 the love of Christ which saveth us from them all? 
 
 4. Again, But who has the perfect knowledge 
 of aS, these things ? I will grant that some good 
 souls may have waded a great way in some one, or 
 more of them ; but I know that there is not any 
 that thoroughly know them all. And yet the love 
 of Christ doth save us from all, notwithstanding 
 all the vileness and soul-damning virtue* that is 
 in them. Alas ! how short are we of the know- 
 ledge of ourselves, and of what is in us. How 
 many are there that do not know that man con- 
 sisteth of a body made of dust, and of an immortal 
 soul ? Yea, and how many be there of those that 
 confess it, that know not the constitution of either. 
 I wiU add, how many are there that profess them- 
 selves to be students of those two parts of man, that 
 have oftentimes proved themselves to be but fools 
 as to both? and I wiU conclude that there is not a 
 man under heaven that knoweth it all together: 
 For man is 'fearfuUy and wonderfully made:' Ps.' 
 cxxjiix. 11, nor can the manner of the unkm of these 
 two parts be perfectly found out. How much more 
 then must we needs be at loss as to the fulness 
 of the knowledge of the love of Christ ? Bui, 
 
 Season Third, He that altogether knoweth the 
 
 * 'Virtue,' secret agency: elEcacy without visible or mate- 
 rial action. ' M'alker's Dictionary.' — Ei». 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 love oif Christ, must, precedent to that, know not 
 only all the wiles of the devil; hut also all the 
 plottings, contrivings and designs and attempts of 
 that wicked one ; yea, he must know, all the times 
 that he hath heen with God, together with all the 
 motions that he has made that he might have leave 
 to fall upon us, as upon Job and Peter, to try if 
 
 he might swallow us up. Job i.and a. Lu. xxii. 31. But 
 
 who knows all this ? no man, no angel. For, if 
 the heart of man be so deep, that none, by all his 
 actions, save God, can tell the utmost secrets that 
 are therein ; how should the heart of angels, which 
 in all likelihood are deeper, be found out by any 
 mortal man. And yet this must be found out 
 before we can find out the utmost of the love of 
 Christ to us. I conclude therefore from all these 
 things, that the love of Christ passeth knowledge : 
 or that by no means, the bottom, the utmost bounds 
 thereof can be understood. 
 
 Reason Fourth, He that wUl presiune to say, 
 this love of Christ can be to the utmost known by 
 us, must presume to say that he knoweth the ut- 
 most of the merits of his blood, the utmost exercise 
 of his patience, the utmost of his intercession, the 
 utmost of the glory that he has prepared and taken 
 possession of for us. But I presume that there 
 is none that can know all this, therefore I may 
 without any fear assert, there is none that knows, 
 that is, that knows to the full, the other. 
 
 We come now more partictdarly to speak of the 
 knowledge of the love of Christ ; we have spoken 
 of the hve of Christ ; and of the exceeding great- 
 ness of it : and now we come. 
 
 Third, To speak of the knowledge ofit; that is 
 to say, we will shew 
 
 WHAT KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST's LOVE IS ATTAINABLE 
 IN THIS WORLD, 
 
 under these three heads. As to this. First, It 
 may be known as to the nature of it. Second, It 
 may be known in many of the degrees of it. Third, 
 But the greatest knowledge that we can have of it 
 here, is to know that it passes knowledge. 
 
 First, We may know it in the nature of it. That 
 is, that it is lo\e free, divine, heavenly, everlasting, 
 inoorrwptible. And this no love is but the love of 
 Christ; all other love is either love corruptible, 
 transient, mixed, or earthly. It is divine, for 'tis 
 the love of the holy nature of God. It is heavenly, 
 for that it is from above : it is everlasting, for that 
 it has no end : it is immortal, for that there is not 
 the appearance of corruptibleness in it, or likeh- 
 hood of decay. 
 
 This is general knowledge, and this is common 
 among the saints, at leastwise in the notion of it. 
 Though I confess, it is hard in time of temptation, 
 practically to hold fast the soul to all these things. 
 'But, as I have said already, this love of Christ 
 
 must be such, because love in the root of it, is 
 essential to his nature, as also I have proved now, 
 as is. the root, such are the branches ; and as is 
 the spring, such are the streams, unless the chan- 
 nels in which those streams do run, should be cor- 
 rupted, and so defile it ; but I know no channels 
 through which this love of Christ is conveyed unto 
 us, but those made in his side, his hands, and his 
 feet, &c. Or those gracious promises that dropt 
 hke honey from his holy lips, in the day of his 
 love, in which he spake them : and seeing his love 
 is conveyed to us, as through those channels, and 
 so by the conduit of the holy and blessed spirit of 
 God, to our hearts, it cannot be that it should 
 hitherto be corrupted. I know the cisterns, to 
 wit, our hearts, into which it is conveyed, are 
 unclean, and may take away much, through the 
 damp that they may put upon it, of the native 
 savour and sweetness thereof. I know also, that 
 there are those that tread down, and muddy those 
 streams with their feet ; Eze. xxxiv. is, 19. but yet 
 neither the love nor the channels in which it runs, 
 should bear the blame of this. And I hope those 
 that are saints indeed, wiE not only be preserved 
 to eternal hfe, but nourished with this that is in- 
 corruptible unto the day of Christ. 
 
 I told you before, that in the hour of temptation, 
 it will be hard for the soul to hold fast to these 
 things ; that is, to the true definition of this love ; 
 for then, or at such seasons, it will not be admitted 
 that the love of Christ is either transient, or mixed; 
 but we count that we cannot be loved long, unless 
 something better than yet we see in us, be found 
 there, as an inducement to Christ to love, and to 
 continue to love our poor souls, is. Mv. 6. But these 
 the Christian at length gets over ; for he sees, by 
 experience, he hath no such inducement ; De. k. 5. 
 also, that Christ loves freely, and not for, or be- 
 cause of such poor, silly, imaginary enticements. 
 Eze. xvi. CO— 62. Thus therefore the love of Christ 
 may be known, that is, in the nature of it : it may, 
 I say, but not easily. Eze. xxxvi- 25— S3. For this know- 
 ledge is neither easily got, though got, nor easily 
 retained, though retained. There is nothing that 
 Satan setteth himself more against, than the break- 
 ing forth of the love of Christ in its own proper 
 native lustre. For he knows it destroys his king- 
 dom, which standeth in profaneness, in errors and 
 delusions, the only destruction of which is the 
 knowledge of this love of Christ. 2 Co. v. it What 
 mean those swarms of opinions that are in the 
 world? what is the reason that some are carried 
 about as clouds, with a tempest? what mean men's 
 wavermgs, men's changing, and interchanging 
 truth for error, and one error for another? why, 
 this is the thing, the devil is m it. This work is 
 his, and he makes this a-do, to make a dust ; and 
 a dust to darken the light of the gospel withal. 
 
28 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE Of CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 And if he once attaineth to that, then farewell the 
 true knowledge of the love of Christ. 
 
 Also he will assault the spirits of Christians with 
 divers and sundry cogitations, such as shall have 
 ill them a tendency to darken the judgment, delude 
 the fancy, to abuse the conscience. He has an art 
 to metamorphose all things. He can make God 
 seem to be to us, a most fierce and terrible destroyer; 
 and Christ a terrible exactor of obedience, and most 
 amazingly pinching of his love. He can make sup- 
 posed sins unpardonable ; and unpardonable ones, 
 appear as virtues. He can make the law to be 
 received for gospel, and cause that the gospel shall 
 be thrown away as a fable. He can persuade, 
 that faith is fancy, and that fancy is the best faith 
 in the world. Besides, he can tickle the heart 
 Avith false hope of a better life hereafter, even as 
 if the love of Christ were there. But, as I said 
 before, from all these things the true love of Christ 
 in the right knowledge of it, delivereth those that 
 have it shed abroad in the heart by the Holy 
 Ghost that he hath given. Ro. y. Wherefore it is 
 for this purpose that Christ biddeth us to continue 
 in his love; Ju. iv. 9. because the right knowledge, 
 and faith of that to the soul, dispersetb and driveth 
 away aU such fogs, and mists of darkness ; and 
 makes the soxil to sit fast in the promise of eternal 
 life by him ; yea, and to grow up into him who is 
 the head, 'in aU things.' 
 
 Before I leave this head, I wUl present my 
 reader with these things, as helps to the knowledge 
 of the love of Christ. I mean the knowledge of 
 the natwre of it, and as helps to retain it. 
 
 Help First, Know thy self, what a vile, horrible, 
 abominable sinner thou art : For thou canst not 
 know the love of Christ, before thou knowest the 
 badness of thy nature. ' wretched man that I 
 am,' Ko. rii.24. must be, before a man can perceive 
 the natwre of the love of Christ. He that sees 
 himself but little, wUl hardly know mudi of the love 
 of Christ : he that sees of himself nothing at all, 
 ^vill hardly ever see any thing of the love of Christ. 
 But he that sees most of what an abominable 
 wretch he is, he is like to see mo^ of what is the 
 love of Christ. AU errors in doctrine take their 
 rise from the want of this (I mean errors in doc- 
 trine as to justification.) All the idolizing of men's 
 virtues, and human inventions, riseth also from the 
 want of this. So then if a man would be kept sure 
 and stedfast, let him labour before aU things to 
 know his own wretchedness. People naturally 
 think that tlie linowledge of their sins is the way 
 to destroy them ; when in very deed, it is the first 
 step to salvation. Now if thou wouldest know 
 the badness of thy self, begin in the first place to 
 study the law, then thy heart, and so thy life. The 
 law thou must look into, for that's (he glass; thy 
 heart thou must look upon, for that's the face; thy 
 
 life thou must look upon, for that's the Icdy of a 
 man, as to religion. Ja. i. 33. And without the wary 
 consideration of these three, 'tis not to be thought 
 that a man can come at the knowledge of himself, 
 and consequently to the knowledge of the love of 
 Christ. Ja. i. 36, 27. 
 
 Hdp Second, Labour to see the emptmess, short- 
 ness, and the pollution that cleaveth to a man's 
 own righteousness. This also must in some mea- 
 sure be known, before a man can know the natwra 
 of the love of Christ. They that see nothing of 
 the loathsomeness of man's best things, will think, 
 that the love of Christ is of that natm-e as to be 
 procured, or won, obtamed or purchased by man's 
 good deeds. And although so much gospel light 
 is broke forth as to stop men's mouths from saying 
 this, yet 'tis nothing else but sound conviction of 
 the vileness of man's righteousness, that wUl enable 
 men to see that the love of Christ ia of that nature, 
 as to save a man without it ; as to see that it is of 
 that nature as to justify him without it : I say, 
 without it, or not at aU. There is ^wrtness, there 
 is,hypoorisy, there is a desire of vain glory, there is 
 pride, there is presumption in man's own righteous- 
 ness: nor can it be without these wickednesses, 
 when men know not the nature of the love of Christ. 
 Now these defile it, and make it abominable. Yea, 
 if there were no imperfection in it, but that which 
 I first did mention, to wit, shortness; how could it 
 cover the nakedness of him that hath it, or obtain 
 for the man, in whole or in part, that Christ should 
 love, and have respect xmto him. 
 
 Occasions many thou hast given thee to see 
 the emptiness of man's own righteousness, but aU 
 wiU not do unless thou hast help from heaven: 
 wherefore thy wisdom wUl be, if thou canst teU 
 where to find it, to lie in the way of God, that 
 when he comes to visit the men that wait upon him 
 in the means of his own appointing, thou mayest 
 be there ; if perhaps he may cast an eye of pity 
 upon thy desolate soul, and make thee see the 
 things abovementioned. That thou mayest know 
 the nature of the love of Christ. 
 
 Hdp Third, If thou wouldest know the nature 
 of this love, be much in acquainting of thy soul 
 with the nature of the law, and the nature of the 
 gospel. Ga. iii. 21. The which though they are not 
 diametricaUy opposite one to another, yet do pro- 
 pound things so differently to man, that if he 
 knows not where, when, and how to take them, 
 'tis impossible but that he should confound them, 
 and in confounding of them, lose his own soul. Ko. 
 ix. 31, 32. The law is a servant, both first and last, 
 to the gospel : Ho. x. 3, 4. when therefore it is made a 
 Lord, it destroyeth : and then to be sure it is made 
 a Lord and Saviour of, when its dictates and com- 
 mands are depended upon for life. 
 
 Thy wisdom therefore wiU be to study these 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 29 
 
 tilings distinctly, and tioroughly ; for so far as 
 thou art ignorant of the true knowledge of the 
 nature of these, so far thou art ignorant of the true 
 knowledge of the nature of the love of Christ. 
 Read Paul to the Galatians, that epistle was in- 
 dicted hy the Holy Ghost, ou purpose to direct 
 the soul, in, and ahout this very thing. 
 
 Hdp Fourth, The right knowledge of the naiure 
 of the love of Christ, is ohtained, and retained, hy 
 keeping of these two doctrines at an everlasting- 
 distance as to the conscience ; to wit, not suffering 
 the law to rule hut over my outward man, not 
 suffering the gospel to he removed one hair's breadth 
 from my conscience. When Christ dwells in my 
 heart by faith, Ep. iii. 17. and the moral law dwells 
 in my uiembers, Coi. m. 6. the one to keep up peace 
 with God, the other to keep my conversation in a 
 good decorum : then am I right, and not till then. 
 
 But this will not he done without much experi- 
 ence, diligence, and delight in Christ. For there is 
 nothing that Satan more desireth, than that the law 
 may abide in the conscience of an awakened Chris- 
 tian, and there take up the place of Christ, and 
 faith ; for he knows if this may be obtained, the 
 vail is presently drawn over the face of the soul, 
 and the heart darkened as to the knowledge of 
 Christ; and being darkened, the man is driven 
 into despair of mercy, or is put upon it to work 
 for life. 2 Co. iiL 13—15. There is therefore, as I say, 
 much diligence required of him that will keep these 
 two in their places assigned them of God. I say 
 much diligent study of the word, diligent prayer ; 
 with diligence to walk with God in the world. 
 But we will pass this, and come to the second head. 
 
 Secondly, As the love of Christ may be known 
 in the nature of it, so it may be known in many 
 degrees of it. That which is knowable, admits of 
 degrees of knowledge : the love of Christ is know- 
 able. Again, that which is not possible to be 
 known to the utmost, is to be known, we know not 
 how much ; and therefore they that seek to know 
 it, should never be contented or satisfied to what 
 degree of the knowledge of it soever they attain ; 
 but stiU should be reaching forward, because there 
 is more to be known of it before them. ' Brethren, ' 
 said Paul, ' I cotmt not myself to have apprehended, 
 (that is to the utmost) but this one thing / do, for- 
 getting those things which are behind, and reaching 
 forth unto those things which are before, I press 
 towards the mark for the prize of the high calling 
 of God in Christ Jesus, ' Piu. m. 13, 14. 
 
 I might here discourse of many things, since I 
 am upon this head of reaching after the knowledge 
 of the love of Christ in many of the degrees of it. 
 But I shall content myself with few. 
 
 1. He that would know the love of Christ 
 in several degrees of it, must begin at his person, 
 for in him dwells all the treasures of wisdom and 
 
 knowledge. Nay, more; In him 'are hid all the 
 treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' Ck>i. u.3. lu 
 him, that is, in his person : For, for the godhead of 
 Christ, and our nature to be united in one person, 
 is the highest mystery, and the first appearance 
 of the love of Christ by himself, to the world. 
 1 Ti. iii. 16. Here I say, lie hid the treasures of 
 wisdom, and here, to the world, springs forth the 
 riches of his love. Jn. i. u. That the eternal word, 
 for the salvation of sinners, should come down from 
 heaven and be made flesh, is an act of such con- 
 descension, a discovery of such love, that can 
 never to the fuU be found out. Only here we may 
 see, love in him was deep, was broad, was long, and 
 high : let us therefore first begin here to learn to 
 know the love of Christ, in the high degrees thereof. 
 
 (1.) Here, in the first place, we perceive love, in 
 that the huma/n nature, the nature of man, not of 
 angels, is taken into union with God. Who so 
 could consider this, as it is possible for it to be 
 considered, would stand amazed tiU he died with 
 wonder. By this very act of the heavenly wisdom, 
 we have an imconceivable pledge of the love of 
 Christ to man: for in that he hath taken into 
 union with himself our nature, what doth it signify, 
 but that he intendeth to take into union with him- 
 self our persons. For, for this very purpose did 
 he assume our nature. Wherefore we read that 
 in the flesh he took upon him, in that flesh, he 
 died for us, the just for the unjust, that he might 
 bring us to God. 1 Fe. iii. is. 
 
 (2.) As he was made Jlesh, so as was said afore, 
 he became a public or common person for us : and 
 hereby is perceived another degree of his love ; 
 undertaking to do for his, what was not possible 
 they should do for themselves, perfecting of righ- 
 teousness to the very end of the law, and doing for 
 us, to the reconciling of us unto his Father, and 
 
 himself. Ko. x. 3, 4. ana iii. 2i. 
 
 (3.) Herein also we may attain to another degree 
 of knowledge of his love, by imderstanding that he 
 has conquered, and so disabled our foes, that they 
 cannot now accomplish their designed enmity upon 
 us : Ko. V. and Ep. v. 26, 27. but that when Satan, death, 
 the grave and sin have done to his people, what- 
 ever can by them be done, we shall be stUl more 
 than conquerors, (though on our side be many dis- 
 advantages,) through him that has loved us, over 
 
 them. Ro. viii. 37. 
 
 (4.) By this also we may yet see more of his love, 
 in that as a forerunner, he is gone into heaven to 
 take possession thereof for us : He. vi. 20. there to 
 make ready, and to prepare for us our summer- 
 houses, our mansion, dweULng-places. As if we 
 were the lords, and he the servant! Jn.xiv. 2,3. Oh 
 this love ! 
 
 (0.) Also we may see another degree of his love, 
 in this, that now in his absence, he has sent the 
 
RO 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 third person in tlie Trinity to supply his place as 
 another comforter of us, Jn. xvi.7. andxv. 26. that we 
 may not think he has forgot us, not he left 
 destitute of a revealer of truth unto us. Jn. xiv. 16. 
 Yea, he has sent him to fortify our spirits, and to 
 .strengthen us under all adversity ; and against our 
 enemies of what account, or degree soever. Ln. 
 
 xxi. 15. 
 
 (6.) In this also we may see yet more of the love 
 of Christ, in that though he is in heaven and we 
 on earth: Nothing can happen to his people to 
 hurt them, hut he feds it, is touched with it, and 
 cmmkih it as done unto himself: Yea, sympathizes 
 with them, and is afflicted, and grieved in their 
 griefs, and their afflictions. 
 
 (7.) Another thing hy which also yet more of 
 the love of Christ is made manifest, and so may 
 by us he known, is this : He is now, and has been 
 ever since his ascension into glory, laying out him- 
 self as high-priest for us. He. vii. 24-36. that hy the 
 improving* of his merits before the throne of grace, 
 in way of intercession, he might preserve us from the 
 ruins that our daily infirmities would bring upon 
 us : He. viii. 13. yea, and make our persons and per- 
 formances acceptable in his Father's sight. Ro. v. 
 
 10. 1 Pe. ii. 5. 
 
 (8.) We also see yet more of his love by this, that 
 he win have us where himself is, that we may 
 behold and be partakers of his glory. Jn. x™. 24. 
 And in this degree of his love, there are many 
 loves. 
 
 Then he will come for us, as a bridegroom for 
 his bride. Mat. xw. 6-10. Then shall a public mar- 
 riage be solemnized, and eternized betwixt him 
 and his church. Ke. xix. 6, 7. Then she shall be 
 wrapped up in his mantles and robes of glory. 
 Col. iii. 4. Then they shall be separated, and sepa- 
 rated from other sinners, and all things that offend 
 shall be taken away from among them. Mat. xxv. 31. 
 ana xiii. 41. Then shall they be exalted to thrones, 
 and power of judgment ; and shall also sit in judg- 
 ment on sinful men and fallen angels, acquiescing, 
 by virtue of authority, with their king and head, 
 upon them. iCo.vi.3, s. Then or from thenceforth 
 for ever, there .shall be no more death, sorrow, 
 hidings of his face, or eclipsing of their glory for 
 ever. lu. ix. 36. And thus you may see what rounds 
 this our Jacob's ladder hath, and how by them we 
 may climb, and climb, even until we are climbed 
 up to heaven : but now we are set again ; for aU 
 the glories, all the benefits, aU the blessings, and 
 oM the good things that are laid up in heaven for 
 these; Who can understand? 
 
 2. A second thing whereby the love of Christ 
 in some degrees of it may be known, is this : 
 
 * ' Improving,' not in quality but by extending the benefits, 
 employing to good purpose; turning to profitable account. — Ed. 
 
 That he should pass by angds and take hold of us. 
 Who so considereth the nature of spirits, as they 
 are God's workmanship, must needs confess, that 
 as such, they have a pre-eminency above that which 
 is made of dust: This then was the disparity 
 'tvrixt us and them; they being, by birth, far 
 more noble than we. But now, when both are 
 fallen, and by our fall, both in a state of condem- 
 nation, that Jesus Christ should choose to take up 
 us, the most inconsiderable, and pass by them, to 
 their eternal perdition and destruction: love! 
 love in a high degree to man : For verily he took 
 not hold of angels, but of the seed of Abraham he 
 took hold. He.u. 16, Yet this is not all: In all pro- 
 bability this Lord Jesus has ten times as much to 
 do now he has undertaken to be our Saviour, as he 
 would have had, had he stepped over us and taken 
 hold on them. 
 
 (1.) He needed not to have stooped so low as to 
 take flesh upon him ; theirs being a more noble 
 nature. 
 
 (2.) Nor would he in aU likelihood, have met with 
 those contempts, those scorns, those reproaches 
 and undervaluings from them, as he has aU-along 
 received in this his undertaking, and met with from 
 sinful flesh. For they were more noble than we, 
 and would sooner have perceived the design of 
 grace, and so one would think more readily have 
 fallen in therewith, than [creatures in] such dark- 
 ness as we were, and still by sin are. 
 
 (3.) They would not have had those disadvantages 
 as we, for that they would not have had a tempter, 
 a destroyer, so strong and mighty as ours is, 
 Alas ! had God left us, and taken them, though 
 we should have been ever so full of envy against 
 their salvation ; yet being but flesh, what could we 
 have done to them to have laid obstacles in the 
 way of their faith and hope, as they can and do in 
 ours? 
 
 (4.) They, it may fairly be presumed, had they 
 been taken, and we left, and made partakers in 
 our stead, while we had been shut out, as they 
 are, would not have put Christ so to it, now in 
 heaven (pray bear with the expression, because 1 
 want a better) as we by our imperfections havo 
 done and do. Sin, methinks, would not have so 
 hanged in their natures as it doth in oiirs : their 
 reason, and sense, and apprehensions being more 
 quick, and so more apt to have been taken with 
 this love of Christ, and by it more easily have been 
 sanctified. 
 
 (5.) The law which they have broken, being not 
 so intricate, as that against which we have offended, 
 theirs being a commandment with faithfulness 
 to abide in the place in which their Creator had 
 set them ; methinks, considering also the aptness 
 of their natures as angels, would not have 
 their complete obedience so difficult. 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 31 
 
 (6.) Nor can I imagine, but had they been taken, 
 they, as creatures excelling in strength, would have 
 been more capable of rendering these praises and 
 blessings to God for eternal mercies, than such 
 poor sorry creatures as we are, could. But ! 
 'behold what manner of love the Father hath 
 bestowed upon us, that we should be called the 
 children of God. ' i Jn. m. i. That we, not they, that 
 we notwithstanding all that they have, or could 
 have done to hinder it, should be called the children 
 of God. 
 
 This therefore is an high degree of the love of 
 Jesus Christ to us, that when we and tliey were 
 fallen, he should stoop and take up us, the more 
 ignoble, and leave so mighty a creature in his sins 
 to perish. 
 
 3. A third thing whereby the love of Christ in 
 some of the degrees of it may bo known, will be 
 to consider more particularly the way, and unwea- 
 ried work that he hath with man to bring him to 
 that kingdom, that by his blood he hath obtained 
 for him. 
 
 (1 .) Man, when the Lord Jesus takes him in hand 
 to make him partaker of the benefit, is found an 
 enemy to his redeemer ; nor doth all the intelli- 
 gence that he has had of the grace and love of 
 Christ to such, mollify him at all, to wit, before 
 the day of God's power comes, Eo. iv. 5. and v. 7-10. 
 And this is a strange thing. Had man, though 
 he could not have come to Christ, been willing that 
 Christ should have come to him, it had been some- 
 thing ; it would have shewn that he had taken his 
 grace to heart, and considered of it: yea, and 
 diat he was wUling to be a sharer in it. But verily 
 here is no such thing ; man, though he has free 
 will, yet is willing by no means to be saved God's 
 way, to wit, by Jesus Christ, before (as was said 
 before) the day of God's power comes upon him. 
 When the good shepherd went to look for his sheep 
 that was lost in the wUdemess, and had found it : 
 did it go one step homewards upon its own legs ? 
 did not the shepherd take her and lay her upon 
 his shoulder, and bring her home rejoicing. Lu. xv. 
 This then is not love only, but love to a degree. 
 
 (2.) When man is taken, and laid under the day of 
 God's power : When Christ is openmg his ear to 
 discipline, and speaking to him that his heart may 
 receive instruction ; many times that poor man is, 
 as if the devil had found him, and not God. How 
 frenzily he imagines ? how crossly he thinks ? How 
 ungainly he carries it under convictions, counsels, 
 and his present apprehension of things ? I know 
 some are more powerfully dealt withal, and more 
 strongly bound at first by the world ; but others 
 more in an ordinary manner, that the flesh, and 
 reason may be seen, to the glory of Christ. Yea, 
 and where the will is made more quickly to 
 comply with its salvation, 'tis no thanks to the 
 
 sinner at all. Job iv. is. 'Tis the day of the power 
 of the Lord that has made the work so soon 
 to appear. Therefore count this an act of love, 
 in the lieight of love; Love in a great degree. 
 
 Jn. XV. 16. 
 
 (3.) When Christ Jesus has made this mad man 
 to come to himself, and persuaded him to be will- 
 ing to accept of his salvation : yet he may not be 
 trusted, nor left alone, for then the corruptions 
 that stiU lie scattering up and down in his flesh 
 wiU tempt him to it, and he will be gone ; yea, 
 so desperately wicked is the flesh of saints, that 
 should they be left to themselves but a little whUe, 
 none knows what horrible transgressions would 
 break out. Proof of this we have to amazement, 
 plentifully scattered here and there in the word. 
 Hence we have the patience of God, and his gen- 
 tleness so admired : 2 ch. xxxii. 21. for through that it 
 is that they are preserved. He that keepeth Israel 
 neither slumbers nor sleeps, Ps. cx-ii. 4. but watches 
 for them, and over them every moment, for he 
 knows else they will be hurt. Is. xxrii. 3. 
 
 (4.) Yea, notwithstanding this, how often are 
 saints found playing truant, and lurking like thieves 
 in one hole or other. Now, in the guUt of back- 
 sliding by the power of this, and then in filth by 
 the power of that corruption. Je. a. 26. Yea, and 
 when found in such decayings, and under such 
 revoltings from God, how commonly do they hide 
 their sin with Adam, and David, even until their 
 Saviour fireth out of their mouths a confession of 
 the truth of their naughtiness. 'When I keep 
 silence,' said David, (and yet he chose to keep 
 silence after he had committed his wickedness) 
 'my bones waxed old through my roaring all the 
 day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy 
 upon me, my moisture is turned into the drought 
 of summer. ' Ps. xxiii 3, 4 But why didst thou not con- 
 fess what thou hadst done then ? So I did, saith 
 he, at last, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my 
 
 sin. ver. 5. 
 
 (5.) When the sins of saints are so visible and 
 apparent to others, that God for the vindication of 
 his name and honour must punish them in the 
 sight of others ; yea, must do it, as he is just : 
 Yet then for Christ's sake, he waveth such judg- 
 ments, and refuseth to inflict such pimishments as 
 naturally tend to their destruction, and chooseth to 
 chastise them with such rods and scourges, as may 
 do them good in the end ; and that they may not 
 be condemned with the world. 1 Co. ji. si. 32. Where- 
 fore the Lord loves them, and they are blessed, 
 whom he chasteneth and teacheth out of his law. 
 He. xii. 5—8. and Ps. xciv. 12. And these things are love 
 to a degree. 
 
 (6.) That Christ should supply out of his fuhiess 
 the beginnings of grace in our souls, and carry on 
 that work of so great concern, and that which at 
 
32 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 times we have so little esteem of, is none of the 
 least of the aggravations of the love of Christ to 
 his people. And this work is as *common as any 
 of the works of Christ, and as necessary to our 
 salvation, as is his righteousness, and the imputa^ 
 tkmthereof to OUT justification: For else how could 
 we hold out to the end ; Mat. xziv. is. and yet none 
 else can he saved. 
 
 (7.) And that the love of Christ should be such 
 to us that he will thus act, thus do to, and for us, 
 ^vith gladness ; (as afore is manifest by the para- 
 ble of the lost sheep) is another degree of his love 
 towards us ; And such an one too, as is none of 
 the lowest rate. I have seen hot love, soon cold ; 
 and love that has continued to act, yet act towards 
 the end, as the man that by running, and has run 
 himself off his legs, pants, and can hardly run any 
 longer: but I never saw love like the love of 
 Christ, who as a giant, and bridegroom coming 
 out of his chamber, and as a strong man, rejoiceth 
 to run his race. Fs. xix. 5. Loving higher and higher, 
 stronger and stronger, I mean as to the lettings 
 out of love, for he reserveth the best wine even till 
 the last. Jn. ii. 10. 
 
 (8.) I will conclude with this, that his love may 
 be known in many degrees of it, by that sort of 
 sinners whose salvation he most rejoiceth in, and 
 that is, in the salvation of the sinners that are of 
 the biggest size : Great sinners, Jemsalem sinners, 
 Samaritan sinners, publican sinners. I might 
 urge moreover, how he hath proportioned invita- 
 tions, promises and examples of his love, for the 
 encouragement and support of those whose souls 
 would trust in him : By which also great degrees 
 of his love may be understood. But we will come 
 now to the third thing that was propounded. 
 
 Thirdly, But the greatest attainment that as to 
 the understanding of the love of Christ, we can 
 arrive to here, is to know that it ■passes knowledge: 
 And to know the love of Christ that passeth hrww- 
 ledge. This truth discovereth itself, 
 
 1. By the text itself, for the apostle here, in 
 this prayer of his for the Ephesians, doth not only 
 desire that they may know, but describeth that 
 thing which he prays they may know, by this tenn. 
 It passeth knowledge. And to know the love of 
 Christ which passeth knowledge. As our reason 
 and carnal imagination will be rudely, and unduly 
 tampering with any thing of Christ, so more espe- 
 cially with the love and kindness of Christ: Judg- 
 ing and concluding that just such it is, and none 
 other, as may be apprehended by them : Yea, and 
 will have a beKef that just so, and no otherwise 
 are the dimensions of this love ; nor can it save 
 beyond our carnal conceptions of it. Saying to 
 the soul as Pharaoh once did to Israel in another 
 
 * See meaning of ' common,' note on p. 20. 
 
 case : ' Let the Lord be with you as I shall ' (judge 
 it meet he should) 'let you go.' We think Christ 
 loves us no more than we do think he can, and so 
 conclude that his love is such as may by us be 
 comprehended, or known to the utmost bounds 
 thereof. But these are false conceptions, and this 
 love of Christ that we think is such, is indeed none 
 of the love of Christ, but a false image thereof, 
 set before our eyes. I speak not now of weak 
 knowledge, but of foolish and bold conclusions. 
 A man through unbelief may think that Christ has 
 no love for him, and yet Christ may love him with 
 a love that passeth knowledge. But when men in 
 the common course of their profession, will be al- 
 ways terminating here, that they know how, and 
 how far Christ can love, and will thence be bold 
 to conclude of their own safety, and of the loss and 
 ruin of all that are not in the same notions, 
 opinions, formalities, or judgments as they: this 
 is the worst and greatest of all. The text there- 
 fore, to rectify those false and erroneous conclu- 
 sions, says. It is a love thai passeth knowledge. 
 
 And it will be worth our observation to take notice 
 that men, erroneous men, do not put these limits so 
 commonly to the Father and his love, as [to] the 
 Son and his. Hence you have some that boast 
 that God can save some who have not the know- 
 ledge of the person of the mediator Jesus Christ the 
 righteous ; as the heathens that have, and stUldo 
 make a great improvement of the law and light of 
 nature : crying out with disdain against the nar- 
 rowness, rigidness, censoriousness, and pride of 
 those that think the contrary. Being not ashamed 
 all the while to eclipse, to degrade, to lessen and 
 undervalue the love of Jesus Christ ; making of 
 him and his undertakings, to offer himself a sacri- 
 fice to appease the justice of God for our sins, but 
 a thing indifferent, and in its own nature but as 
 other smaller matters. 
 
 But all this while the devil knows fuU well at 
 what game he plays, for he knows that without 
 Christ, without faith in his blood, there is no re- 
 mission of sins. Wherefore, saith he, let these 
 men talk what they will of the greatness of the 
 love of God as creator, so they slight and under- 
 value the love of Christ as mediator. And yet it 
 is worth our consideration, that the greatness of 
 the love of God is most expressed in his giving of 
 Christ to be a Saviour, and in bestowing his bene- 
 fits upon us that we may be happy through him. 
 
 But to return. The love of Christ that is so in- 
 deed, is love that passeth knowledge : and the best 
 and highest of our knowledge of it is, that we 
 know it to be such. 
 
 2. Because I find that at this point, the great 
 men of God, of old, were wont to stop, be set, 
 and beyond which they could not pass. 'Twas 
 this that made Moses wonder. De. iv. 31-^4. 'Twas 
 
THE. SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 S3 
 
 this that made David cry out, How great and won- 
 derful are the works of God? 'Thy thoughts to 
 usward : they cannot be reckoned up in order unto 
 thee : IJ I would declare and speak of tJiem, they 
 are more than can be nunjhered.' Pa.3ii.5. And 
 again, ' How precious also are thy thoughts unto 
 me, God ! how great is the sum of them ! If 
 I should count them, they are more in number than 
 the sand, ' Ps. Mxxix. 17, 18. And a little before, • such 
 knowledge is too wonderful for me.' ver. 6. Isaiah 
 saith, there hath not entered into the heart of man 
 what God has prepared for them that wait for him. 
 Is. iidv. 4. Ezekiel says, this is the river that can- 
 not be passed over: chap, xivu. 6. And Micah to the 
 sea, [chap. vii. 19] and Zechariah to a fountain, hath 
 compared this unsearchable love. chap. xiu. i. Where- 
 fore the Apostle's position, That the hue of Christ 
 is that which passeth knowledge, is a truth not to 
 be doubted of: Consequently, to know this, wid 
 thai, it is such, is the farthest that we can go. 
 This is to justify God, who has said it, and to 
 magnify the Son, who has loved us with such a 
 love: And the contrary is to dishonour him, to 
 lessen him, and to make him a deficient Saviom*. 
 For suppose this should be true, that thou couldest 
 to the utmost comprehend this love ; yet unless, by 
 thy knowledge thou canst comprehend beyond all 
 evil of sin, or beyond what any man sins, who 
 shall be saved, can spread themselves or infect : 
 Thou must leave some pardonable man in an un- 
 pardonable condition. For that thou canst com- 
 prehend this love, and yet canst not comprehend 
 that sin. This makes Christ a deficient Saviour. 
 Besides, if thou comprehendest truly; the word 
 that says, it passeth knowledge, hast lost its sanc- 
 tity, its truth. 
 
 It must therefore be, that this love passeth 
 knowledge ; and that the highest pitch that a man 
 by knowledge can attain unto, as to this, is to know 
 that it passeth knowledge. My reason is, for that 
 all degrees of love, be they never so high, or many, 
 and high, yet, if we can comprehend them, rest in 
 the bowels of oiy knowledge, for that only which 
 is beyond us, is that which passeth knowledge. 
 That which we can reach, cannot be the highest : 
 And if a man thinks there is nothing beyond what 
 he can reach, he has no more knowledge as to that: 
 but if he knows that together with what he hath 
 already reached, there is that which he cannot 
 reach, before [him] ; then he has a knowledge 
 for that also, even a knowledge, that it passeth 
 knowledge. 'Tis true a man that thus knoweth 
 may have divers conjectures about that thing that 
 is beyond his knowledge. Yea, in reason it will 
 be so, because he knows that there is something 
 yet before him : But since the thing itself is truly 
 beyond his knowledge, none of his conjectures 
 about that thing may be counted knowledge. Or 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 suppose a man that thus conjeetureth, should hit 
 right as to what he now conjectures ; his right 
 hitting about that thing may not be called know- 
 ledge : It is as yet to him but as an uncertain 
 guess, and is still beyond his knowledge. 
 
 Quest. But, may some say, what good will it do 
 a man to know that the love of Christ passeth 
 knowledge ? one would think that it should do one 
 more good to believe that the knowledge of the 
 whole love of Christ might be attamable. 
 
 Answ. That there is an advantage in knowing 
 that the love of Christ passeth knowledge ; must 
 not be questioned, for that the Apostle saith it 
 doth. 2 TL iii. 16. For to know what the holy word 
 affirms, is profitable : nor would he pray that we 
 might know that which passeth knowledge, were 
 there not by our knowing of it, some help to be 
 administered. But to shew you some of the ad- 
 vantages that will come to us by knowing that 
 the love of Christ passeth knowledge. 
 
 (1.) By knowing of this a child of God has in 
 reserve for himself, at a day, when all that he 
 otherwise, knows, may be taken from him through 
 the power of tempta^on. Sometimes a good man 
 may be so put to it^ that all that he knows com- 
 prehensively may be taken from him : to wit, the 
 knowledge of the truth of hia faith, or that he has 
 the grace of God in him, or the like, this I say 
 may be taken from him. Now if at this time, he 
 knows the love of Christ tlwt pass^h knowledge, he 
 knows a . way in all probability to be recovered 
 again. For if Christ Jesus loves with a love that 
 passeth knowledge : then, saith the soul, that is 
 thus in the dark, he may love me yet, for ought I 
 know, for I know that he loves with a love that 
 passeth knowledge ; and therefore I wiU not 
 utterly despond. Yea, if Satan should attempt to 
 question whether ever Christ Jesus will look upon 
 me or no : the answer is, if I know the love that 
 passes knowledge : But he may look upon me, (0, 
 Satan) yea, and love, and save me too, for ought 
 I poor sinner know ; for he loves with a love that 
 passeth knowledge. If I be fallen into sin that 
 lies hard upon me, and my conscience fears, that 
 for this there is no forgiveness. The help for a 
 stay from utter despair is at hand : but there may, 
 say I, for Christ loves, with a love that passeth 
 knowledge. If Satan would dissuade me from 
 praying to God, by suggesting as if Christ would 
 not regard the stammering, and chattering prayer 
 of mine. The answer is ready, but he may regard 
 for ought I know ; for he loves with a love that 
 passeth knowledge. If the tempter doth suggest 
 that thy trials, and troubles, and afflictions, are so 
 many, that it is to be thought thou shall never get 
 beyond them. The answer is near, but for ought 
 we know, Christ may carry me through them all, 
 for he loves with a love that passeth knowledge. 
 
34 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OP CHRIST'S lOVE. 
 
 Thus I say, is relief at hand, and a help m reserve 
 for the tempted, let their temptations he what they 
 ■vvill. This therefore is the weapon that wUl haffle 
 the devU when all other weapons fail ; for ought I 
 Icnow, Christ may save me, for he loves with a 
 love that passeth knowledge. Yea, suppose he 
 should drive me to the worst of fears, and that is 
 to doubt that I neither have nor shall have for 
 ever the grace of God in my soul. The answer is 
 at hand, hut I have or may have it, for Christ 
 loves with a love that passeth knowledge. Thus 
 therefore you may see that in this prayer of Paul, 
 there is a great deal of good. He prays, when he 
 prays that we might know the love of Christ that 
 passeth knowledge : that we may have a help at 
 hand, and relief against all the horrible temptations 
 of the devil. For this is a help at hand, a help 
 that is ready to fall in with us, if there be yet re- 
 maining with us, but the least grain of right rea- 
 soning according to the nature of things. For if 
 it he objected against a man that he is poor, be- 
 cause he has but a groat in his pocket ; yet if he 
 has an imknown deal of money in his trunks, how 
 easy is it for him to recover himself from that slan- 
 der, by returning the knowledge of what he has, 
 upon the objector. This is the case, and thus it 
 is, and will be with them that know the love of 
 Christ that passeth knowledge. Wherefore, 
 
 (2.) By this knowledge, room is made for a chris- 
 tian, and liberty is ministered unto him, to turn 
 humself every way in all spiritual things This is 
 the Christian's rehoboth, that well for which the 
 Philistines have no heart to strive, and that which 
 will cause that we be fruitful in the land. Qe.Dtvi.22. 
 
 If Christians know not with this knowledge, they 
 walk in the world as if they were pinioned ; or as 
 if fetters were hanged on their heels. But this 
 enlarges their steps under them : 2 Sa. nii. S7. by the 
 knowledge of tJiis love they may walk at liberty, 
 and their steps shall not be straitened. This is that 
 which Solomon intends when he saith, ' Get wisdom, 
 and get understanding.' Pr. iv. 5. Then 'when thou 
 goest, thy steps shall not be straitened, and when 
 thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. ' Pr. iv. 12. A 
 man that has only from hand to mouth, is oft put 
 to it to know how to use his penny, and comes off 
 also, many times, but with an hungry beUy ; but 
 he that has, not only that, but always over and to 
 spare, he is more at liberty, and can hve in fulness, 
 and far more like a gentleman. There is a man 
 has a cistern, and that is full of water: there is 
 another also, that has his cistern full, and withal, 
 his spring in his yard ; but a great drought is upon 
 the land in which they dwell : I would now know, 
 which of these two have the most advantage to live 
 in their own minds at liberty, without fear of want- 
 ing water? Why this is the case in hand. There 
 is a Cliristian that knows Christ in all those degrees 
 
 of his love that are knowable, but he knowetb 
 Christ nothing in his love that passeth knowledge. 
 There is another Christian, and he knows Christ, 
 as the first, but withal, he also knows him as to 
 his love that passeth knowledge. Pray now tell 
 me, which of these two are likeliest to live most 
 like a Christian, that is, like a spiritual prince, and 
 like him that possesseth all things ? which has 
 most advantage to live in godly largeness of heart, 
 and is most at liberty in his mind? which of these 
 two have the greatest advantage to believe, and the 
 greatest engagements laid upon him to love the 
 Lord Jesus? which of these have also most in 
 readiness to resist the wiles of the devU, and to 
 - subdue the power and prevalency of corruptions ? 
 'Tis this, that makes men fathers in Christianity. 
 'I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known; 
 - - I have written imto you, fathers, because ye 
 have known, ' 1 Jn. ii. is— 14. why, have not others 
 known, not so as the fathers ? The fathers have 
 hnown and hnovm. They have known the love 
 of Christ in those degrees of love which are htwm- 
 able, and have also known the love of Christ to 
 be such which passeth knowledge. In my father's 
 house is bread enough and to spare, was that that 
 fetched the prodigal home. La. xv. 17. And when 
 Moses would speak an endless all to Israel, for the 
 comfort and stay of their souls, he calls their God, 
 'The fountain of Jacob upon a land of com and 
 
 wine.' De. xixiii.28. 
 
 (3.) By this knowledge, or knowmg of the love of 
 Christ which passeth knowledge, there is begot in 
 Christians a greater desire to press forwards to that 
 which is before them. Phi. iii. ia-21. What' is the 
 reason of all that sloth, carnal contentedness, and 
 listlessness of spirit in Christians, more than the 
 ignorance of this. For he that thinks he hnam 
 what can be known, is beyond all reason that 
 should induce him to seek yet after more. Now 
 the love of Christ may be said, not to be knowable, 
 upon a threefold account : [namely.] For that my 
 knowledge is weak. For that my knowledge is 
 imperfect. Or for that, though my knowledge 
 be never so perfect, because the love of Christ is 
 eternal. 
 
 There is love that is not to be apprehended by 
 weak knowledge. Convince a man of this, and 
 then, if the knowledge of what he already has, be 
 truly sweet to his soul, Pr. ii. 10. it will stir him up 
 with great heartiness to desire to know what more 
 of this is possible. 
 
 There is love beyond what he knows already, 
 who is indued with the most perfect Imowledge, 
 that man here may have. Now if what this man 
 knows already of this love is indeed sweet unto 
 him ; then it puts him upon hearty desires that his 
 soul may yet know more. And because there is 
 no bound set to man, how much he may know in 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHEIST'S LOVE. 
 
 35 
 
 tliis life thereof; therefore his desires, notwith- 
 standing what he has attained, are yet ke^ alive, 
 and in the pursuit after the knowledge of more of 
 the love of Christ. And God in old time has taken 
 it so well at the hands of some of his, that their 
 desires have been so great, that when, as I may 
 say, they have known as much on earth as is 
 possible for them to know ; (that is by ordinary 
 means) he has come down to them in visions and 
 revelations ; or else taken them up to him for an 
 hour or two into paradise, that they might hmw, 
 and then let them down again. 
 
 But this is not all, There is a knowledge of the 
 love of Christ, that we are by no means capable of 
 until we be possessed of the heavens. And I 
 would know, if a man indeed loveth Christ, whether 
 the beUef of this be not one of the highest argu- 
 ments that can be urged, to make such an one 
 weary of this world, that he may be with him. To 
 such an one, 'to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' 
 Phi. L 21—23. And to such an one, it is difficult to 
 bring his mind to be content to stay here a longer 
 time ; except he be satisfied that Christ has still 
 work for bim here to do. 
 
 I wiU yet add, There is a love of Christ, I will 
 not say, that cannot be hnmon, but I will say, that 
 cannot be enjoyed ; no, not by them now in heaven 
 (in soul) untU the day of judgment. And the 
 knowledge of this, when it has possessed even men 
 on earth, has made them choose a day of judgment, 
 before a day of death, that they might know what 
 is beyond that state and knowledge which even the 
 spirits of just men made perfect, now do enjoy in 
 heaven. 2 Co. v. 4. Wherefore, as I said at first. To 
 hmw the love of Christ that passdh knowledge, is 
 advantageous upon this account; it begetteth in 
 Christians a great desire to reach, and press for- 
 ward to that which is before. 
 
 One thing more, and then, as to this reason, I 
 have done. Even that love of Christ that is abso- 
 lutely unknowable, as to the utmost boimd thereof 
 because it is eternal, will be yet in the natwe of it 
 sweet and desirable, because we shall enjoy or be 
 possessed of it so. This therefore, if there were 
 no more, is enough, when known, to draw away 
 the heart from things that are below, to itself. 
 
 (4.) The hve thai passeth hnmoledge. The know- 
 ledge of that is a very fruitful knowledge. It 
 cannot be, but it must be fruitful. Some know- 
 ledge is empty, and alone, not attended with that 
 good, and with those blessings wherewith this 
 knowledge is attended. Did I say, it is fruitful ? 
 I wUl add, it is attended with the best fruit ; it 
 yieldeth the best wine : It fills the soul with all the 
 fubess of God. 'And to know the hve of Christ 
 which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled 
 with all the fulness of God.' God is in Christ, 
 and makes himself known to us by the love of 
 
 Christ. 'Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth 
 not in the doctrme of Christ, hath not God,' for 
 God is not to be found nor enjoyed, but in him, 
 consequently, he that hath, and abideth in the 
 doctrine of Christ, 'hath both the Father and the 
 Son.' 3Jn. 9. Now, since there are degrees of 
 knowledge of this doctrine, and since the highest 
 degree of the knowledge of him, is to know that 
 he has a Love that passeth knowledge, it follows, 
 that if he that has the least saving knowledge of 
 this doctrine, hath God ; he that hath the largest 
 knowledge of it, has God much more, or, accord- 
 ing to the text, is filled with aU the fulness of God. 
 What this fulness of God should be, is best 
 gathered from such sayings of the Holy Ghost, as 
 come nearest to this, in language, filled. 
 
 Full of goodness. Eo. xv. u. 
 
 FuU of faith. Ac. vi. 5. 
 
 Full of the Holy Ghost. Ac. vii. 55. 
 
 FuU of assiu-ance of faith. He. x. 23. 
 
 Full of assurance of hope. He. vi. u. 
 
 FuU of joy unspeakable, and fuU of glory. 
 1 Pe. i. 8. 
 
 Full of joy. 1 Jn. 1 4. 
 
 FuU of good works. Ac. m. 36. 
 
 Being fiUed with the knowledge of his will. 
 Col. i. 9. 
 
 Being filled with the spirit. Ep. v. is. 
 
 FiUed with the fruits of righteousness, whicli 
 are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of 
 
 God. Phi.iy.ll. 
 
 These things to be sure are included either for 
 the cause or eifect of this fulness. The cause they 
 cannot be, for that is God's, by his Holy Spirit. 
 The effects therefore they are, for wherever God 
 dweUs in the degree intended in the text, there is 
 shewn in an eminent manner, by these things, ' what 
 is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the 
 saints.' Ep. i. 18. But these things dweU not in that 
 measure specified by the text, in any, but those 
 who know the kme of Christ which passeth knowledge. 
 
 But what a man is he that is fiUed with aU these 
 things ! or that is, as we have it in the text, ' fiUed 
 with aU the fulness of God ! ' Such men are, at 
 this day, wanting in the churches. These are the 
 men that sweeten churches, and that bring glory to 
 God and to religion. And knowledge will make 
 us such, such knowledge as the Apostle here speaketh 
 of.* 
 
 I have now done, when I have spoken something 
 by way of nsE unto you, from what hath been said. 
 And, 
 
 Use First, Is there such breadth, and length, and 
 
 * How deligMfoUy has Bunyan brought forth the marrow 
 of this iraportaut text. He felt that those who were filled 
 with all the fulness of God, sweetened the churches in his day; 
 they were wanted then; are they not equally wanted now? 
 —Ed. 
 
36 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 depth, and lieight in God, for us? And is there 
 toward us love in Christ that passeth knowledge ? 
 Then this shews us, not only the greatness of the 
 majesty of the Father and the Son, but the great 
 good will that is in their heart to them that receive 
 their word. 
 
 God has engaged the hreadth, aiid length and 
 depth, and height of the love, the wisdom, the 
 power, and truth that is in himself, for us ; and 
 Christ has loved us with a love that passeth know- 
 ledge. We may well say, 'Who is like thee, 
 Lord, among the gods?' Ex. xv.ii. Or, as another 
 prophet has it, 'Who is a God like unto thee, that 
 pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgres- 
 sion of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth 
 not his anger for ever : because he delighteth in 
 mercy. ' Mi vii. is. Yea, no words can sufficiently 
 set forth the greatness of this love of God and his 
 Son to us poor miserable sinners. 
 
 Use Second, Is there so great a heart for love, 
 towards us, both in the Father and in the Son ? 
 Then let us be much in the study and search after 
 the greatness of this love. This is the sweetest 
 study that a man can devote himself unto ; because 
 it is the study of the love of God and of Christ to 
 man. Studies that yield far leas profit than this, 
 how close are they pursued, by some who have 
 adapted themselves thereunto? Men do not use 
 to count telling over of their money burthensome 
 to them, nor yet the recoimting of their grounds, 
 their herds, and their flocks, when they increase. 
 Why? the study of the unsearchable love of God 
 in Christ to man, is better in itself, and yields 
 more sweetness to the soul of man, than can ten 
 thousand such things as but now are mentioned. 
 I know the wise men of this world, of whom there 
 are many, will say as to what I now press you 
 unto; Who can shew us any good in it? But 
 ' Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance 
 upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, 
 more than in the time that their com and their 
 wine increaseth. Ps. iv. 6, 7. David also said that his 
 meditation on the Lord should be sweet. Oh, there 
 is in God and in his Son, that kindness for the 
 sons of men, that, did they know it, they would 
 like to retain the Imowledge of it in their hearts. 
 They would cry out as she did of old ; ' Set me as 
 a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm : 
 For love is strong as death.' Song viii. 6, 7. Every 
 part, crumb, grain, or scrap of this knowledge, is 
 to a Christians, as drops of honey are to sweet- 
 palated children, worth the gathering up, worth 
 the putting to the taste to be relished. Yea, David 
 says of the word which is the ground of knowledge : 
 ' It is sweeter than honey or the honey-comb. 
 More,' saith he, ' to be desired are they than gold ; 
 yea, than much fine gold ; sweeter also than honey 
 or the honey-comb.' Ps. xix. u. Why then do not 
 
 Christians devote themselves to the meditation of 
 this so heavenly, so goodly, so sweet, and so com- 
 fortable a thing, that yieldeth such advantage to 
 the soul? The reason is, these things are talked 
 of, but not believed: did men believe what they 
 say, when they speak so largely of the love of God, 
 and the love of Jesus Christ, they would, they 
 could not but meditate upon it. There are so 
 many wonders in it, and men love to think of won- 
 ders. There is so much profit in it, and men lovo 
 to think of that which yields them profit. But, 
 as I said, the belief of things is wanting. Belief 
 of a thing will have strong efifects, whether the 
 ground for it be true, or false. As suppose one of 
 you should, when you are at a neighbour's house, 
 believe that your own house is on fire, whilst your 
 children are fast asleep in bed, though indeed there 
 were no such thing ; I will appeal to any of you 
 if this belief would not make notable work with 
 and upon your hearts. Let a man believe he shall 
 be damned, though afterwards it is evident he 
 believed a lie, yet what work did that belief make 
 in that man's heart; even so, and much more, the 
 belief of heavenly things will work, because true 
 and great, and most good; also, where they are 
 indeed believed, their evidence is managed upon 
 their spirit, by the power and glory of the Holy 
 Ghost it self : Wherefore let us study these things. 
 Use Third, Let vs cast owrsdves upon this love. 
 No greater encouragement can be given us, than 
 what is in the text and about it. It is great, it is 
 love that passeth knowledge. Men that are sensi* 
 ble of danger, are glad when they hear of such 
 helps upon which they may boldly venture for 
 escape. Why such an help and relief, the text 
 helpeth trembling and fearful consciences to. Fear 
 and trembling as to misery hereafter, can flow but 
 from what we know, feel, or imagine : but the text 
 speaks of a love that is beyond that we can know, 
 feel, or imagine, even of a love that passeth know- 
 ledge ; consequently of a love that goes beyond all 
 these. Besides, the Apostle's conclusion upon this 
 subject, plainly makes it manifest that this mean- 
 ing which I have put upon the text, is the mind 
 of the Holy Ghost. ' Now unto him,' saith he, 
 ' that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all 
 that we ask or think, according to the power that 
 worketh in us, unto him be glory in the chiu'ch by 
 Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without 
 end. Amen. ' Ep. iu. 20, 21. What can be more plain? 
 what can be more fuU? What can be more suit- 
 able to the most desponding spirit in any man? 
 He can do more than thou knowest he will. He 
 can do more than thou thinkest he can. What 
 dost thou think? why, I think, saith the sinner, 
 thai I am cast aiway. Well, but there are worse 
 thoughts than these, therefore think again. Why, 
 saith the sianer, I Qmik that my sins are as mot/ny 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 37 
 
 as the sins ofaMthe vx/rld. Indeed this is a very 
 black thought, but there are worse thoughts than 
 this, therefore pinthee thiiik again. Why, IthivJc, 
 saith the sinner, that God is not able to pardon all 
 my sins. Ay, now thou hast thought indeed. For 
 this thought makes thee look more like a devil 
 than a man, and yet because thou art a man and 
 not a devU, see the condescension and the bound- 
 lessness of the love of thy God. ffe is able to do 
 above ail thai we think! Couldest thou (sinner) if 
 thou hadst been allowed, thyself express what thou 
 wouldest have expressed, the greatness of the love 
 thou wantest, with words that coidd have suited 
 thee better? for 'tis not said he can do above what 
 we think, meaning our thinking at present, but 
 above all we can think, meaning above the worst 
 and most soul-dejecting thoughts that we have at 
 any time. Sometimes the dejected have worse 
 thoughts than at other times they have. Well, 
 take them at their worst times, at times when they 
 think, alid think, till they think themselves down 
 mto the very pangs of hell ; yet this word of the 
 grace of God, is above them, and shews that he 
 can yet recover and save these miserable people. 
 Arid now I am upon this subject, I will a little 
 further walk and travel with the desponding ones, 
 and will put a few words in their months for their 
 help against temptations that may come upon them 
 hereafter. For as Satan follows such now, with 
 charges and applications of guilt, so he may follow 
 them with interrogatories and appeals ; for he can 
 teU how by appeals, as well as by charging of sin, 
 to sink and drown the sinner whose soul he has 
 leave to engage. Suppose therefore that some dis- 
 tressed man or woman, should after this way be 
 enga,ged, and Satan should with his interrogatories, 
 and appeals be busy with them to drive them to 
 desperation ; the text last mentioned, to say nothing 
 of the subject of our discourse, yields plenty of 
 help for the relief of such a one. Says Satan, 
 dost thou not know that thou hast horribly sinned ? 
 yes, says the soul, I do. Says Satan, dost thou 
 not know, that thou art one of the vilest in all the 
 pack of professors ? yes, says the soul, I do. Says 
 Satan, doth not thy conscience tell thee that thou 
 art and hast been more base than any of thy fellows 
 can imagine thee to be ? Yes, says the soul ; my 
 conscience tells me so. Well, saith Satan, now 
 will I come upon thee with my appeals. Art thou 
 not a graceless wretch ? Yes. Hast thou an heart 
 to be sorry for this wickedness ? No, not as I should. 
 And albeit, saith Satan, thou prayest sometimes, 
 yet is not thy heart possessed with a belief that 
 God will not regard thee? yes, says the sinner. 
 Why then despair, and go hang thyself, saith the 
 devil. And now we are at the find of the thing 
 designed and driven at by Satan. But what shall 
 I now do, saith the sinner ; I answer, take up the 
 
 words of the text against him, Christ loves with a 
 love that passeth knowledge, and anSwereth him 
 farther, saying Satan, though I cannot think that 
 God loves me; though I cannot think that God 
 will save me ; yet I will not yield to thee : for God 
 can do more than I think he can. And whereas 
 thou appealedst unto me, if whether when I pray, 
 my heart is not possessed with uribehef that God 
 will not regard me ; that shall not sink me neither : 
 for God can do abundantly above what I ask or 
 think. Thus this text helpeth, where obstnictions 
 are put in against our believing, and thereby cast- 
 ing ourselves upon the love of God in Christ for 
 salvation. 
 
 And yet this is not all, for the text is yet more 
 full: 'He is able to do abundantly more,' yea, 
 • exceeding abundantly more, ' or • above all that 
 we ask or think. ' It is a text made up of words 
 piched and packed together by the wisdom of God, 
 picked and packed together on purpose for the suc- 
 cour and relief of the tempted, that they may when 
 in the midst of their distresses, cast themselves 
 upon the Lord their God. He can do abundantly 
 more than we ash. Oh! says the soul, that he 
 woilld but do so much for me as I could ask him to 
 do ! How happy a man should I then be. Why, 
 what wouldest thou ask for, sinner ? you may be 
 sure, says the soul, I would ask to be saved from 
 my sins ; I would ask for faith in, and love to, 
 Christ ; I would ask to be preserved in this evil 
 world, and ask to be glorified with Christ in heaven. 
 He that asketh for aU this, doth indeed ask for 
 much, and for more than Satan would have him 
 believe that God is able or wiUing to bestow upon 
 him ; but mark, the text doth not say, that God is 
 able to do all that we can ask or think, but that he 
 is able to do above all, yea, abundamih/ above all, 
 yea, exceeding abundantly above all that we ask 
 or think. What a text is this! What a God 
 have we ! God foresaw the sins of his people, and 
 what work the devil would make with their hearts 
 about them, and therefore to prevent their ruin by 
 his temptation, he has thus largely, as you see, 
 expressed his love by his word. Let us therefore, 
 as has been bidden us, make this good use of this 
 doctrine of grace, as to cast ourselves upon this 
 love of God in the times of distress and temptation. 
 
 Use Fourth, Take heed of abasing this love. This 
 exhortation seems needless; for love is such a 
 thing, that one would think none could find in their 
 heart to abuse. But for all that, I am of opinion, 
 that there is nothing that is more abused among 
 professors this day, than is this love of God. There 
 has of late more light about the love of Christ 
 broke out, than formerly : every boy now can talk 
 of the love of Christ ; but this love of Christ has 
 not been rightly applied by preachers, or else not 
 rightly received by professors. For never was this 
 
3S 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 grace of Christ so turned into lasciviousness, as 
 HOW. Now it is a practice among professors to 
 learn to be vile, of the profane. Yea, and to plead 
 for that vileness : Nay, we will turn it the other 
 way, now it is so that the profane do learn to be 
 vile of those that profess (They teach the wicked 
 ones their ways :) Je. ii S3: a thing that no good man 
 should think on but with blushing cheeks.* 
 
 Jude gpeaketh of these people, and tells us that 
 they, notwithstanding their profession, deny the 
 only Lord God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 Ter. 4. ' They profess, ' saith Paul, ' that they know 
 God ; but in works they deny hira, being abomin- 
 able, and disobedient, and imto every good work 
 reprobate.' Tit. lib. 
 
 But I say, let not this love of God and of Christ, 
 be abused. 'Tis imnatural to abuse love, to abuse 
 love is a viUany condemned of all, yea, to abuse 
 love, is the most inexcusable sin of all. It is next 
 the sin of devils to abuse love, the love of God and 
 of Christ. 
 
 And what says the Apostle ? ' Because they 
 received not the love of the truth, that they might 
 be saved, therefore God. shall send them strong 
 delusion that they shoidd believe a he, that they 
 all might be damned, who believed not the truth, 
 but had pleasure in unrighteousness.' 2 Th-iLio—ia. 
 And what can such an one say for himself in the 
 judgment, that shall be charged with the abase of 
 love ? Christians, deny yourselves, deny your lusts, 
 deny the vanities of this present life, devote your- 
 selves to God; become lovers of God, lovers of 
 liis ways, and 'a people zealous of good works;' 
 then shall you show one to another, and to all 
 men, that you have not received the grace of 
 God in vain. 3 Co. vt i. Renounce therefore the 
 hidden things of dishonesty, walk not in craftiness, 
 nor handle God's word deceitfully, but by mani- 
 festation of the truth, commend yourselves to every 
 man's conscience in the sight of God. Do this, 
 I say, yea, and so endeavour such a closure with 
 this love of God in Christ, as may graciously con- 
 strain you to do it, because, when all proofs of the 
 right receiving of this love of Christ shall be 
 produced, none will be found of worth enough to 
 justify the simplicity of our profession, but that 
 Which makes us 'zealous of good works.' Tit. ii. 14 
 And what a thing will it be to be turned off at last, 
 as one that abused the love of Christ ! as one that 
 presumed upon his lusts, this world, and all manner 
 of naughtmess, because the love of Christ to pardon 
 
 * Bnnyan lived in singnlarly eventful times. Under the 
 Conuponwealth the strictest outward morality waa enforced. 
 But when a licentious monarch was placed upon the throne a 
 flood of the grossest debauchery was let loose; and those hypo- 
 crites, who had put on a doak of religion to serve a tempo- 
 rary purpose, threw it off and became ringleaders in the vilest 
 iniquities. See Matt. xii. 43 — i5.— En. 
 
 sins was so great ! What an unthinking, what a 
 disingenuous one wilt thou be counted at that day! 
 yea, thou wilt be found to be the man that made a 
 2}rey of love, that made a stalking-horse of love, 
 that made of love a slave to sin, the devil and the 
 world, and will not that be bad? ReadEze. xri. 
 
 Use Fifth, Is the love of God and of Christ so 
 great? let us then labour to improve it to the 
 utmost for our advantage, against all the hin- 
 drances of faith. 
 
 To what purpose else is it revealed, made men- 
 tion of, and commended to us ? We are environed 
 with many enemies, and faith in the love of God 
 and of Christ, is our only succour and shelter. 
 Wherefore our duty and wisdom and privilege is, 
 to improve this love for our own advantage. Im- 
 prove it against daily infirmities, improve it against 
 the wiles of the devil ; improve it against the 
 threats, rage, death, and destruction, that the men 
 of this world continually with their terror set before 
 you. But how must that be done ? why, set this 
 love and the safety that is in it, before thine eyes ; 
 and behold it while these things make their assaults 
 upon thee. These words, the faith of this, God 
 loves me, will support thee in the midst of what 
 dangers may assault thee. And this is that which 
 is meant, when we are exhorted to rejoice in the 
 Lord, Phiiii-L to make our boast in the Lord; 
 Ps. xiiv. 61. to triumph in Christ ; 2 Co. iL 14. and to set 
 the Lord always before our face. Ps. xri. 8. For he 
 that can do this thing stedfastly, cannot be over- 
 come. For in God there is more than can be iu 
 the world, either to help or hinder ; wherefore if 
 God be my helper, if God loves me, if Christ be 
 my redeemer, and has bestowed his love that passeth 
 knowledge upon me, who can be against me ? 
 He. xiiL 6, and Ko. viii. 31. and if they be against me, what 
 disadvantage reap I thereby ; since even all .this 
 also, worketh for my good? This is improving 
 the love of God and of Christ for my advantage. 
 The same course should Christians' also take with 
 the degrees of this love, even set it against all the 
 degrees of danger ; for here deep caiReth unto ckep. 
 There cannot be wickedness and rage wrought up 
 to such or such a degree, as of which it may be 
 said, there are not degrees in the love of God and 
 of Christ to match it. Wherein Pharaoh dealt 
 proudly agamst God's people, the Lord was above 
 him, Ex. xviii. 11. did match and overmatch him ; he 
 came up to him, and went beyond him ; he coUared 
 with him, overcame him, and cast him down. ' The 
 Lord is a man of war, the Lord is his name. 
 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into 
 the sea - . - they sank into the bottom as a stone.' 
 Ex. XT. 6. There is no striving against the Lord that 
 hath loved us ; there is none that strive against 
 him can prosper. If the shields of the earth be 
 the Lord 's,P3.x!™. 9. then he can wield them for the 
 
THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LO'VE. 
 
 39 
 
 safegaard of liis body the church ; or if they are 
 become incapable of being made use of any longer 
 in that way, and for such a thing, can he not lay 
 them aside, and make himself new ones ? Men can 
 do after this manner, much more God. But again, 
 if the miseries, or affictions which thou meetest 
 with, seem to thee to overflow, and to go beyond 
 measure, above measure, and so to be above 
 strength, and begin to drive thee to despair of life ; 
 s Co. i. 8. then thou hast also, in the love of God, 
 and of Christ, that which is above, and that goes 
 beyond aU measure also, to wit, love unsearchable, 
 unknown, and ' that can do exceeding abundantly 
 above all that we ask or think.' Now God hath 
 set them one against the other, and 'twill be thy 
 wisdom to do so too, for this is the way to improve 
 this love. But, though it be easy, thus to admonish 
 you to do, yet you shall find the practical part 
 more difficult ; wherefore, here it may not be amiss, 
 if I add to these, another head of counsel. 
 
 Counsd First, Then, Wouldst thou improve this 
 love of God and of Christ to thy advantage. Why 
 then thou must labowr after the hnowledge of it. This 
 was it that the Apostle prayed for, for these Ephe- 
 sians, as was said before, and this is that that thou 
 must labour after, or else thy reading and my torit- 
 ing, will, as to thee, be fruitless. Let me then say 
 to thee, as David to his son Solomon, 'And thou 
 Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father. ' 
 1 Ch. xxviiL 9. Empty notions of this love will do 
 nothing but harm, wherefore, they are not empty 
 notions that I press thee to rest in, but that thou 
 labour after the knowledge of the favoiff of this 
 good ointment. Song 1 3. which the Apostle calleth 
 the favour of the knowledge of this Lord Jesus. 
 3 Co. u. 14. Know it, until it becometh sweet or 
 pleasant to thy soul, and then it wiU preserve and 
 keep thee. Pr. ii. lo, IL Make this love of God and 
 of Christ thine own, and not another's. Many 
 there are that can talk largely of the love of God 
 to Abraham, to David, to Peter and Paul. But 
 that is not the thing, give not over until this love 
 be made thine own ; until thou find and fed it to 
 I'un warm in thy heart by the shedding of it abroad 
 there, by the spirit that God hath given thee. 
 Eo. 7. 6. Then thou wUt know it with an obliging and 
 engaging knowledge ; yea, then thou wilt know 
 it with a soul-strengthening, and soul-encouraging 
 knowledge. 
 
 Counsd Second, Wouldst thou improve this love ? 
 then set it against the love of all other things 
 whatsoever, even until this love shall conquer thy 
 soul from the love of them to itself. 
 
 This is christian. Do it therefore, and say, why 
 should any thing have my heart but God, but 
 Christ? He loves me, he loves me with love that 
 passeth knowledge. He loves me, and he shall 
 have me : he loves me, and I will love him : his 
 
 love stripped him of all for my sake ; Lord let my 
 love strip me of all for thy sake. I am a son of 
 love, an object of love, a monument of love, of /ree 
 love, of distinguishing love, oi peculiar love, and of 
 love that passeth knowledge : and why should not 
 I walk in love ? In love to God, in love to men, 
 in holy love, in love unfeigned? This is the way 
 to improve the love of God for thy advantage, for 
 the subduing of thy passions, and for sanctifying 
 of thy nature. 'Tis an odious thing to hear men 
 of base lives talking of the love of God, of the 
 death of Christ, and of the glorious grace that is 
 presented unto sinners by the word of the truth of 
 the gospel. Praise is comely for the upright, not 
 for the profane. Therefore let him speak of love 
 that is taken with love, that is captivated with love, 
 that is carried away with love. If this man speaks 
 of it, his speaking signifies something ; the powers, 
 and bands of love are upon him, and he shews to 
 all that he knows what he is speaking of. But the 
 very mentioning of love, is in the mouth of the 
 profane, like a parable in the mouth of fools, or as 
 salt imsavory, Wherefore, Christian, improve this 
 love of God as thou shouldest, and that will improve 
 thee as thou vxmldest. Wherefore, 
 
 Counsd Third, If thou wouldest improve this 
 love, keep thyself in it. 'Keep yourselves in the 
 love of God.' Jade 21. This text looks as if it 
 favoured the Socinlans, but there is nothing of that 
 in it. And so doth that, 'If ye keep my com- 
 mandments, ye shall abida in my love : even as I 
 have kept my Father's commandments and abide 
 in his love. ' Jn. xv. lo. The meaning then is this, 
 that living a holy life is the way, after a man has 
 believed imto justification, to keep himself in the 
 savour and comfort of the love of God. And Oh, 
 that thou wouldest indeed so do. And that be- 
 cause, if thou shall want the savour of it, thou will 
 soon want tenderness to the commandment, which 
 is the rule by which thou must walk, if thou wilt 
 do good to thyself, or honour God in the world. 
 ' To him that ordereth his conversation aright, will 
 I shew the salvation of God.' Ps.i.23. He that 
 would live a sweet, comfortable, joyful life, must 
 live a very holy life. This is the way to improve 
 this love to thyself indeed. 
 
 Counsd Fourth, To this end, you must take root 
 and be grounded in love ; that is, you must be well 
 settled, and stablished in this love, if indeed you 
 would improve it. You must not be shaken as to 
 the doctrine and grounds of it. Ep. fiL 17. These yon 
 must be well acquainted with : for he that is but a 
 child in this doctrine, is not capable as yet, of 
 falhng in with these exhortations : For such waver, 
 and fear when tempted; and 'he that feareth is 
 not made perfect in love,' Ud.iv.is. nor can he so 
 improve it for himself and soul's good as he should. 
 
 Counsd Fifth, and lastly. Keep, to this end. 
 
40 
 
 THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. 
 
 those grounds, and evidences that God hath given 
 you of your call to be partakers of this love, with 
 all clearness upon your hearts, and in your mmds. 
 For he that wants a sight of them, or a proof 
 that they are true and good, can take but little 
 comfort in this love. There is a great mystery in 
 the way of God with his people. He will justify 
 them without their works, he wiU pardon them for 
 "lis Son's sake : but they shall have but little com- 
 fort of what he hath done, doth, and will do for 
 them that are careless, carnal, and not holy in their 
 lives. Nor shall they have their evidences for 
 heaven at hand, nor out of doubt with them, yea, 
 they shall walk without the sun, and have their 
 comforts by bits and knocks ; * while others sit at 
 their father's table, have liberty to go into the 
 
 * ' Bits and knocks;' this phrase is now obsolete: it alludes 
 to a dog at table, who while picking np the crumbs, often gets 
 a bite and a buffet or knock with it, but still perseveres. — Ed. 
 
 wine-cellar, rejoice at the sweet and pleasant face 
 of their heavenly Father towards them ; and know 
 it shall go weU with them at the end. 
 
 Something now for a conclusion should be spoken 
 to the carnal world, who have heard me tell of all 
 this love. But what shall I say unto them? If I 
 shoiild speak to them, and they should not hear ; 
 or if I should testify imto them, and they should 
 not believe ; or intreat them, and they should scorn 
 me ; all wiQ but aggravate, and greaten their sin, 
 and tend to their further condemnation. And 
 therefore I shall leave the obstinate where I found 
 him, and shall say to him that is willing to be 
 saved. Sinner, thou hast the advantage of thy 
 neighbour, not only because thou art willing to live, 
 but because there are [those] that are willing then 
 shouldest ; to wit, those imto whom the issues from 
 death do belong, and they are the Father and the 
 Son, to whom be glory with the blessed Spirit of 
 grace, world without end. Amen. 
 
OF ANTICHKIST, AND HIS RUIN: 
 
 THE SLAYING THE WITNESSES. 
 
 Bt JOHN BUNYAN. 
 
 PEEFATOEY REMAEKS BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 This important treatise was prepared for the press, 
 and left by the author, at his decease, to the care 
 of his surviving friends for publication. It first 
 appeared in a collection of his works in folio, 1691 ; 
 and although a subject of universal interest ; most 
 admirably elucidated ; no edition has been pubhshed 
 in a separate fonn. 
 
 Antichrist has agitated the christian world from 
 the earliest ages ; and his craft has been to mislead 
 the thoughtless, by fixing upon the humble follow- 
 ers of the Lamb his own opprobrious proper name. 
 The mass of professed Christians, whose creed and 
 mode of worship have been provided by himian laws, 
 has ever been opposed to the sincere disciples of 
 Christ. To imbibe every principle from investi- 
 gation and conviction of the holy oracles — to refuse 
 submission to any authority in the spiritual kingdom 
 of God, except it is to Christ, the supreme head and 
 only lawgiver in his church — to refuse obedience 
 to human laws in the great concern of salvation and 
 of worship; whether those laws or decrees emanate 
 from a Darius, a Nebuchadnezzar, a Bourbon, a 
 Tudor, or a Stuart — to be influenced by the spirit 
 which animated Daniel, the three Hebrew youths, 
 and the martyrs, brought down denunciations upon 
 them, and they were called Antichristian : but alas ! 
 the sincere disciples of Jesus have ever known and 
 FELT who and what is Antichrist. They have been 
 robbed — incarcerated in dungeons — racked and tor- 
 mented — transported — drowned — ^hung or burned. 
 The most frightful atrocities have been committed 
 upon the most peaceful and valuable members of 
 society; because they valued their soul's peace in 
 preference to temporal advantages. These cruelties 
 are thy cursed deeds, Antichrist! The hand 
 writing against thee is exhibited in blood-stained 
 and indelible characters. The Great God has de- 
 creed thy downfall and ruin — " That vricked 
 whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of 
 his mouth, " 3 Th. fl. 8. All who are found partakers 
 in his community, must be consumed with an ever- 
 hiking destrudion. No "paper-winkers" * can hide 
 
 Bunyan's expression, see the last page. 
 
 this truth from the enlightened regenerated miud. 
 " my soul, come not thou into their secret, unto 
 their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: 
 for in their anger they slew a man. Cursed be 
 their anger, for U was fierce ; and their wrath, for 
 it was cruel! " 
 
 In Bunyan's time great cruelties were practised 
 to compel uniformity. To that absurd shrine mcny 
 thousand invaluable lives were sacrificed. Blessed 
 be God, that happier days have dawned upon us. 
 Antichrist can no longer put the Christian to a 
 cruel death. It very rarely sends one to prison 
 for refusing obedience to himian laws that interfere 
 with religious worship. " My kingdom is not of 
 this world," said the Redeemer: and his followers 
 dare not render unto Caesar, or temporal govern- 
 ments, that which belongs exclusively to God. 
 Human coercion, in anything connected with re- 
 ligion, whether it imposes creeds, liturgies, or modes 
 of worship, is Antichrist : whom to obey, is spiri- 
 tual desolation, and if knowingly persevered in, 
 leads to death. 
 
 On the contrary, the kingdom of Christ is love, 
 meekness, forbearance, persuasion, conviction, and 
 holy faith. The Christian who dares not obey 
 Antichrist may stiU, in some countries, sufi^r 
 personal violence; but the olden cruelties have 
 given way to the spread of the gospel. Should the 
 wicked spirit of persecution stiU light its unhal- 
 lowed fire in any sect ; may heaven forgive and con- 
 vert such misguided men, before the divine wrath 
 shall consume all that pertains to Antichrist. ' ' Come 
 out from among them and be ye separate, saith 
 the Lord." 
 
 Buuyan conceives that previous to the universal 
 triumphs of the Saviour, Antichrist will spread his 
 influence over the whole earth ; and the church be 
 hidden from outward observation, in the hearts of 
 believers. This idea, which was also cherished by 
 Dr. GiU, and others, deserves careful consideration ; 
 while we keep in mind, that leaven which must 
 spread, however invisible in its operation, until the 
 whole earth shall be leavened. 
 
 The dread enemy may yet appear in a different 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
42 
 
 A PREMONITION TO THE READER. 
 
 sliape to any that Le has hitherto assumed. When 
 mankind, by the spread of knowledge, shall throw 
 off the absurdities and disgraceful trammels of hy- 
 pocrisy, fanaticism, and tyranny, which has so long 
 oppressed them ; there may be experienced a vast 
 overflowing of infidelity, and perverted reason as- 
 sume the place of Antichrist. Through this and 
 all other opposing systems, Christianity must make 
 its irresistible progress : all that opposes is doomed 
 
 to ruin by the G^'eat God. Every heart will be 
 subdued by that blessed knowledge, which has the 
 promise of the life that now is as well as of that 
 which is to come. Bloodless victory ! The ark 
 being exhibited, every Dagon must fall before it, 
 then shall be realized the heavenly anthem, " Glory 
 to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good 
 will towards men." 
 
 George Offor. 
 
 A PREMONITION TO THE EEADEE. 
 
 After that God had delivered Babylon and her 
 king into the hands of the kings of the Medes and 
 Persians, then began the liberty of the Jews, from 
 their long and tedious captivity : For though 
 Nebuchadnezzar and his sons did tyrannically 
 enslave, and hold them under ; yet so wrought God 
 with the hearts of those kings that succeeded them, 
 that they made proclamation to them to go home, 
 and build their city, temple, &c., and worship their 
 oum God according to his ovm law. aCh.xxx.Bj&Ezr.i. 
 But because I would not be tedious in enumerating 
 instances for the clearing of this, therefore I will 
 content myself with one, and with a brief note upon 
 it. It is that in the seventh of Ezra 26 : ' And 
 whosoever wiU not do the law of thy God, and the 
 law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily 
 upon him, whether it be to death, or to banishment, 
 or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. ' 
 This is the conclusion of a letter that king Ar- 
 taxerxes gave to Ezra the priest and scribe, when 
 he granted his petition, and gave him leave to go 
 to Jerusalem to build the temple, and to ofier 
 sacrifice there to the God whose house is in Jeru- 
 salem. And a conclusion it was, both comfortable 
 and sharp; comfortable to Ezra and his companions, 
 but sharp unto his enemies. I shall hei'e present 
 you with a copy of the letter at large. 
 
 ' Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, 
 a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect 
 peace, and at such a time. I make a decree, 
 that all they of the people of Israel, and of his 
 priests and levites, in my realm, which are minded 
 of their own free-will to go up to Jerusalem, go 
 with thee. Forasmuch as thou art sent of the 
 king, and of his seven counsellors, to inquire con- 
 cerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the 
 law of thy God which is in thine hand ; And to 
 carry the silver and gold, which the king and his 
 counsellors have freely ofifered unto the God of 
 Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem. And 
 all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all 
 the province of Babylon, with the free-will-offering 
 of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly 
 
 for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem : 
 That thou mayst buy speedily with this money 
 bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat-offerings 
 and their drink-offerings, and offer them upon the 
 altar of the house of your God which is in Jeru- 
 salem. And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, 
 and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the 
 silver and the gold, that do after the will of your 
 God. The vessels also that are given thee for the 
 service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou 
 before the God of Jerusalem. And whatsoever 
 more shall be needful for the house of thy God, 
 which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow 
 it out of the king's treasure-house. And I, even 
 I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the 
 treasurers which are beyond the river, that what- 
 soever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the 
 God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done 
 speedily. Unto an hundred talents of silver, and 
 to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hun- 
 dred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, 
 and salt without prescribing how much. Whatso- 
 ever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be 
 diligently done for the house of the God of heaven : 
 for why should there be wrath against the realm 
 of the king and his sons? Also we certify you, 
 that touching any of the priests and levites, singers, 
 porters, nethinims, or ministers of this House of 
 God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, 
 or custom, upon them. And thou, Ezra, after the 
 wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set 
 magistrates and judges, which may judge all the 
 people that are beyond the river, all such as know 
 the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know 
 tJiem not. And whosoever will not do the law of 
 thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment bo 
 executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto 
 death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, 
 or to imprisonment.' [Ezr. viL 11-26.] 
 
 This is the letter ; and now for the scope thereof. 
 First, Generally. Secondly, Particularly. , 
 
 Generally. The general scope of the letter is 
 this: A grant given by the king to Ezra the 
 
A PREMONITION TO THE READER. 
 
 43 
 
 Bcrlbe, to go to Jerusalem, and build there the 
 temple of God, and offer sacrifice in it according to 
 the law : With commissions annexed thereunto, to 
 the king's lieutenants, treasurers and governors on 
 that side the river, to further the work with such 
 things as by the king was commanded they should. 
 
 Pabticdlarly. But we ynO. consider the matter 
 particularly. 1. As to the Tuanner of the grant 
 (vhich the king gave to Ezra and his brethren to 
 go thither. 2. As to the king's grant, with refer- 
 ence to their building, and way of worship. 3. 
 With reference to the king's liberality and gifts 
 towards the building of the temple, and by what 
 rules it was to be bestowed. 4. As to the way 
 that the king concluded they should be governed 
 in their own land. 5. With reference to the king's 
 charge to his officers that were thereabout, not to 
 hinder Ezra in his work. 6. And lastly, with 
 reference to the king's threat and commandment 
 to do, judgment if they should hinder it. 
 
 First, As to the manner of the grant that the 
 king gave to Ezra and his brethren to go to bmld, 
 it was such an one as forced none, but left every 
 Jew to his own choice, whether he would go, or 
 forbear. The words are these : ' Artaxerxes, king 
 of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law 
 of the God of heaven, perfect 'peace, and at such a 
 time. I make a decree, that all they of the people 
 of Israel, and q/'his priests and levites, in my realm, 
 which are minded of their own free-will to go up to 
 Jerusalem, go with thee.' ver. 13, is. 
 
 Thus gracious then was the king ; He made a 
 decree, That all they of the captive Jews, their 
 priests and levites, that would return to their own 
 land, to build their temple, and to sacrifice there, 
 might : He would hinder none, force none, but left 
 them free, to do as they would. 
 
 Secondly, As to the king's grant, with reference 
 to their building, and way of worship there, nothing 
 was to be done therein, hvt according to the law of 
 (he God of Ezra, which was in his hands, ver. 14. 
 Hence, when he was come to Jerusalem, he was 
 to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem; to 
 wit, what was wanting in order to the temple and 
 worship of God there, according to the law of his 
 God, which was in his hand. Also when they went 
 about to build, and to sacrifice, all was to be done 
 according as was commanded by the God of hea- 
 ven : ver. 33. Yea, this was granted by the king, and 
 his seven counsellors. 
 
 Thirdly, As to the king's liberality towards the 
 building of this house, &e. it was large : He gave 
 silver, gold, bullocks, rams, lambs ; with wheat, 
 wine, oU, and salt ; ver. 17, 22. but would by his royal 
 power, give no orders how in particular things 
 should be bestowed, but left all thai to Ezra the 
 priest, to do with it according to the will, word, or 
 law of his God. ver. 18. 
 
 Foimtlily, As to the way that the king concluded 
 they should be governed in their own land, it was 
 by their own laws ; yea, he did bid Ezra the priest, 
 after the wisdom of his God that was in his hand, 
 set magistrates and judges, which might judge all 
 the people, &c. only he bid him make them such, 
 which did know the law of his God : Also the king 
 added. That they should teach it to them that 
 knew it not. 
 
 Fifthly, As to the king's officers, he gave them 
 a charge not to hinder, hut fiiHher this work. To 
 further this work, not by putting their hand thereto, 
 (that was to be left to the Jews alone, especially to 
 Ezra, according to the law of his God,) but that 
 they should speedUy give him such things which 
 the king had commanded, to wit, silver, and wheat, 
 and wine, and oil, and salt, for their encourage- 
 ment ; and to do therewith, as by the law of their 
 God they should. Further, That they should not 
 impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon the priests, 
 levites, singers, porters, nethinims, or ministers. 
 
 ver. 20—23. 
 
 SioctMy, And now we come to the conclusion, to 
 wit, the king's threat and command to do judgment 
 on them that obeyed not the law of Ezra's God, 
 and the king. 
 
 Considering what hath been said before, I con- 
 clude, 
 
 1. That this king imposed no law, no priest, no 
 people upon these Jews ; but left them wholly to 
 their own law, their own ministers, and their own 
 people : All which were the laws of God, the priests 
 of God, the people of God, as to their building of 
 their temple, and the worship of their God. 
 
 2. He forced not THIS people, no, not to their 
 land, their temple, nor their worship, by his or 
 their law ; but left them free to their own mind, to 
 do thereabout as they would. 
 
 3. He added not any law therefore of his own, 
 either to prescribe worship, or to enforce it upon 
 the Jews. 
 
 But you will say, upon what then was the 
 threatening and the command to punish groimded? 
 I answer, upon a supposed breach of two laws. 
 He of the Jews, that in Jerusalem, rebelled against 
 the law of the Lord, was in his own land left by the 
 king to be punished by the same law, according to 
 the penalties thereof: And he of the king's officers, 
 that refused to do the king's laws, that refused to 
 give the Jews such things as the king conamanded, 
 and that would yet exact such customs and tributes 
 as the king forbade, shoiJd be pimished by the 
 king's laws, whether unto death or unto banishment, 
 or mito confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. 
 
 And if aH kings would but give such liberty, to 
 wit, that God's people should be directed in their 
 temple-building, and temple worship, as they find 
 it in the law of their God, without the additions of 
 
a 
 
 A PEEMONITION TO THE READER. 
 
 man's inventions : And if all kings did but lay the 
 same penalty upon them of their pretended ser- 
 vants, that should hinder this work, which this 
 hrave king Artaxerxes laid upon his ; how many 
 of the enemies of the Jews, before this time, would 
 have been hanged, banished, had their goods con- 
 fiscated to the king, or their bodies shut up in 
 prison ! The which we desire not ; we desire only 
 that this letter of the king might be considered of, 
 and we left to do as is there licensed and directed : 
 And when we do the contrary, let us be punished 
 by the law of God, as we are his servants, and by 
 the law of the king, as we are his subjects ; and 
 we shall never complain. 
 
 Only I cannot but observe how prettily it is 
 done of some, who urge this text to colour their 
 malice, ignorance and revenge withal, while they 
 cry. The laio of God, and ITie law of the king, when 
 they will neither let, according to this scripture, the 
 law of God, nor the law of the king take place : 
 Not the law of God ; for that they will not leave 
 us to that, to square and govern ourselves in 
 temple-work, and sacrificing by. Nor will they do 
 the law of the king, which has made void, ipso 
 facto, whatever law is against the word of God ; 
 but because themselves can do, they will force us 
 to do so too.* 
 
 Before I leave this, I would touch once again 
 upon the candour of this king Artaxerxes, who 
 thus did : Because he gave this leave and license 
 to the Jews, contrary (if he had any) to his own 
 national worship ; yea, and also to the impairing 
 of his own incomes. Methinks he should have a 
 religion of his own ; and that, not that of the 
 Jews, because he was a Gentile ; and not, as we 
 read of, proselyted to the Jews religion. Indeed, 
 he spake reverently of the God of Israel, and of 
 his temple-worship, and sacrifices, as did also 
 several other kings ; but that will not prove that 
 he was adapted to that religion. 
 
 That his incomes were impaired, 'tis evident ; 
 because he took off toU, tribute, and custom from 
 them, of whom mention is made before ; nor is it, 
 I think, to be believed, that he did exact it of 
 their brethren. But we may see what the Lord 
 can do ; for thus to do, was put into the heart of 
 the king by the God of heaven, ver. 27. This there- 
 fore ariseth not of nature : no more did the kind- 
 ness of Cyrus or Darius, of whom we read in the 
 beginning of this history. As God therefore did 
 
 * The absurd act to compel uniformity ia modes of worship, 
 xiv. Charles II., had theu recently passed; and when this trea- 
 tise was written, it desolated the country. An amazing num- 
 ber of godly ministers were driven from their pulpits — pro- 
 scribed from preaching or teaching, and by the Kve Mile Act, 
 driven as prisoners to houses and villages five miles from a 
 market-town, upon pain of imprisonment, transportation, and 
 death ! ! !— En. 
 
 put it into the hearts of the wicked kings of Baby- 
 lon, to distress his church and people for their sins; 
 so he put it into the hearts of the kings of the 
 Medes and Persians, who were to be, in a sense, 
 their saviours ; to ease them of those distresses, to 
 take off the yoke, and let them go free. Indeed, 
 there was an Artaxerxes that put a stop to this 
 work of God, chap. iv. and he also was of the kings 
 that had destroyed the Babylonians ; for it doth 
 not follow, because God hath begun to deliver his 
 people, that therefore their dehverance must be 
 completed without stop or let. The protestants 
 in France had more favour formerly, than from 
 their prince they at this time have ; yet I doubt 
 not but that God will make that horn also one of 
 them (in his time) that (indeed) shall hate the 
 whore. As the sins of God's people brought them 
 into captivity ; so their sins can hold them there ; 
 yea, and when the time comes that grace must 
 fetch them out, yet the oxen that draw this cart 
 may stumble ; and the way through roughness, 
 may shake it sorely. However, heaven rules and 
 over-rules ; and by one means and another, as the 
 captivity of Israel did seem to linger, so it came 
 out at the time appointed ; in the way that best 
 pleased God, most profited them, and that most con- 
 founded those that were their implacable enemies. 
 This therefore should instruct those that yet dwell 
 where the woman sitteth, to quietness and patience. 
 
 To quietness: For God rules, and has the dis- 
 pose of things. Besides, it is a kind of arraigning 
 of his wisdom, to be discontent at that which at 
 present is upon the wheel. Above all, it displeases 
 him that any shoxdd seek, or go about to revenge 
 their own injuries, or to work their own deliverances; 
 for that is the work of God, and he will do it by 
 the kings : Nor is he weak, nor has he missed the 
 opportunity ; nor doth he sleep but waketh, and 
 waiteth to be gracious. 
 
 This also should teach them to be patient, and 
 put them upon bearing what at present they may 
 undergo, patiently. Let them wait upon God; 
 patiently let them wait upon men, and patiently 
 let them bear the fruits of their own transgressions; 
 which though they should be none other but a 
 deferring of the mercy wished for, is enough to 
 try, and crack, and break their patience, if a con- 
 tinual supply, and a daily increase thereof be not 
 given by the God of heaven. 
 
 And before I do conclude this, let me also add 
 one word more ; to wit, to exhort them to look 
 that they may see that which God at present may 
 be doing among the Babylonians. 
 
 When God had his people into Babylon of old, 
 he presented them with such rarities there, as he 
 never shewed them in their own country. And is 
 there nothing now to be seen by them that are 
 not yet delivered from that oppression, that may 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 45 
 
 give them occasion to stay themselves and wonder! 
 What, is preservation nothing ? What, is baiSing 
 and befooling the enemies of God's church nothing? 
 In the Maryan days here at home, there was such 
 sweet songs sung in the fire, such sweet notes 
 answering them from prison, and such providences, 
 that coals of burning fire still dropped here and 
 there upon the heads of those that hated God ; 
 that it might, and doubtless did make those that 
 did wisely consider of God's doings, to think God 
 was yet near, with, and for, a despised and afflicted 
 people.* 
 
 I conclude then, first with a word of counsel, 
 and then with a word of caution. 
 
 Mrst, Let us mend our pace in the way of refor- 
 mation, that is the way to hasten the downfall of 
 Antichrist, ministers need reforming, particular 
 congregations need reforming, there are but few 
 church-members but need reforming. This twenty 
 years we have been degenerating, both as to prin- 
 ciples, and as to practice ; and have grown at last 
 into an amazing likeness to the world, both as to 
 religion and civil demeanour : Yea, I may say, so 
 remiss have churches been in instructing those 
 that they have received into fellowship with them ; 
 and so careless have the received been, of consider- 
 ing the grounds of their coming into churches, that 
 most members, in some places, seem now to be at 
 a loss ; yea, and those churches stand with their 
 fingers in their mouths, and are as if they would 
 not, durst not, or could not help it. 
 
 My Second is, A word of caution. 
 
 I. Take heed of overJooking, or of shutting 
 your eyes upon your own guilt: 'He that covereth 
 his sins, shall not prosper. ' It is incident to some 
 men, when they find repentance is far from them, 
 to shut their eyes upon their own guilt, and to 
 please themselves with such notions of deliverance 
 from present troubles, as will stand with that 
 course of sin which is got into their families, per- 
 
 * When seven membei-s of the lirst dissenting chiu'ch in 
 London were bnrned, a proclamation was made that no one 
 should pray for them, speak to them, nor once say, ' God help 
 them.' But the church pressed through the officers, — em- 
 braced and prayed for and with the martyrs; and all the people 
 with one consent said. Amen ; to the astonishment of the 
 officers. And so these godly martyrs, praying and praising 
 God, sweetly ended their lives in the flames at Smithfield. — 
 Clarke's MatUjrology, p. 500 and 516. — Ed. 
 
 sons, and professions, and with a state of impeni- 
 tence : But I advise you to take heed of this. 
 
 2. Take heed in laying the cause of your troubles 
 in the badness of the temper of governors. I 
 speak not now with reflection upon any, excepting 
 those concerned in this caution : God is the chief, 
 and has the hearts of all, even of the worst of 
 men, in his hand. Good tempered men have some- 
 times brought trouble ; and had tempered men have 
 sometimes brought enlargement to the churches of 
 God: Saul brought enlargement, i Sa. xiv. 28. David 
 brought trouble: 2Sa.xii.io. Ahab brought enlarge- 
 ment, 1 ici. xxi. 29. Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah did 
 both sometimes bring trouble : 2 Ch. xuc. 2. and %x. 35. ana 
 xxxii. 25. Therefore, the good or bad tempers of 
 men sway nothing with God in this matter ; they 
 are the sins or repentances of his people, that 
 make the church either happy or miserable upon 
 earth. 
 
 Take heed, I say therefore, of laying of the 
 trouble of the church of God at the doors of gover- 
 nors ; especially at the doors of kings, who seldom 
 trouble churches of their own inclinations ; (I say, 
 sddom; for some have done so, as Pharaoh:) But 
 I say, lay not the cause of your trouble there ; for 
 oftentimes they see with other men's eyes, hear 
 with other men's ears, and act and do by the judg- 
 ments of others : (Thus did Saul, when he killed 
 the priests of the Lord ; i Sa. xxii. 18. and thus did 
 Darius, when he cast Daniel into the lions' den: 
 Da.vi.7.) But rather labour to see the true cause 
 of trouble, which is sin ; and to attain to a fitness 
 to be delivered out thence, and that is by repent- 
 ance, and amendment of life. If any object. That 
 God oft-times delivers his of mere grace: I answer. 
 That's no thanks to them ; besides, we must mind 
 om- duty. Further, When God comes to save his 
 people, he can cut off such objectors, if they be 
 impenitent, as the sinners of his people ; and can 
 save his church, without letting of them be sharers 
 in that salvation : So he served many in the wil- 
 derness ; and 'tis to be feared, so he wiU serve 
 many at the downfall of Antichrist. 
 
 I shall say no more, but to testify my loyalty 
 to my king, my love to my brethren, and service 
 for my country, has been the cause of this my 
 present scribble. Farewell. 
 
 Thine in the Lord, J. Buntan. 
 
 OF ANTICHEIST. 
 
 Antichrist is the adversary of Christ ; an adver- 
 sary reaUy, a friend pretendedly : So then, Anti- 
 christ is one; that is against Christ; one that is /or 
 Christ, and one that is contrary to him : (And this 
 
 is that mystery of iniquity. 2 Tli. ii. 7.) Against him 
 in deed; for him in word, and contrary to him in 
 practice. Antichrist is so proud as to go before 
 Christ ; so humble as to pretend to come after him, 
 
46 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 and so audacious as to say that himself is he. ' 
 Antichrist will cry up Christ ; Antichrist will cry 
 doivn Christ: Antichrist will proclaim that himself 
 is one above Christ. Antichrist is the man of sin, 
 the son of perdition; a heast, [that] hath two horns 
 like a lamb, but speaks as a dragon. Ke.xiii.ii. 
 
 Christ is the Son of God ; Antichrist is the son 
 of Hell. 
 
 Christ is holy, meek, and forbearing: Anti- 
 christ is wicked, outrageous, and exacting. 
 
 Christ seeketh the good of the soul : Antichrist 
 seeks his own avarice and revenge. 
 
 Christ is content to rule by his word : Antichrist 
 saith, The word is not sufficient. 
 
 Christ preferreth his Father's wiU above heaven 
 and earth: Antichrist preferreth himself and his 
 traditions above all that is written, or that is called 
 God, or worshipped. 
 
 Christ has given us such laws and rules as are 
 helpful and healthful to the soul: Antichrist 
 seeketh to abuse those rules to our hurt and de- 
 struction. 
 
 Antichrist may be considered either more parti- 
 cularly, or more generally. 1. More particularly: 
 And so there are many Antichrists, i Jn. ii. 18. 2. 
 More generally: And so the many maketh but one 
 great Antichrist, one man of sin, one enemy, one 
 great whore, one son of perdition. 3 Th. ii. 3. Ke. xix. 3. 
 
 Again, Antichrist must be distinguished, with 
 respect to his more internal and external parts ; 
 and so there is the spirit, sold, or life ; i Jn. iv. 3. and 
 also the body a,ni flesh of Antichrist. 3 Th. ii. 7. The 
 spirit, or soul, or life of Antichrist, is that spirit of 
 error, thai wicked, that mystery of iniquity, that 
 under colour and pretence of verity, draweth men 
 from truth to falsehood. The body or flesh of 
 Antichrist, is that heap of men, that assembly of 
 the wicked, that synagogue of Satan that is acted 
 and governed by that spirit. But God will destroy 
 both soul and body ; He ' shall consume the glory 
 of his forest, and of his fruitful field, both soul and 
 body : (or from the soul, even to the flesh) and 
 they shall be (both soul and body) as when a 
 standard-bearer faiuteth. ' is. x. 18. 
 
 A PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF ANTICHRIST. 
 
 Antichrist therefore is a mystical man, so made, 
 or begotten of the devil, and sent into the world, 
 himself being the chief and highest of him. Three 
 things therefore go to the making up of Antichrist, 
 the head, body, and soul. The devil he is the 
 head ; the synagogue of Satan, that is the body ; 
 that wicked spirit of iniquity, th/it is the soul of 
 Antichrist. Christ then is the head of his church; 
 the devil is the head of Antichrist ; the elect are 
 the body of Christ ; the reprobate professors are 
 the body of Antichrist ; the Holy Ghost is the 
 
 spirit of life that act[uat]eth Christ's body ; that 
 wicked spirit of iniquity, is that which act[uat]eth 
 the body of Antichrist. Thus therefore are the 
 two great mighties set forth before us, who are 
 the heads of those two bodies ; and thus are these 
 two bodies set before us, who are to be act[uat]ed 
 by these two spirits. 
 
 The reason why Christ came inio the world, 
 was. That he might destroy all the works of the 
 head of Antichrist, and they which he endeavour- 
 eth to complete by his wicked spirit workmg in 
 his body, i Jn. iii 8. And the reason why Antichrist 
 came into the world, was, That the church, which 
 is the body of Christ, might be tried, and made 
 white by suffering imder his tyranny, and by bear- 
 ing witness against his falsehoods. For, for the 
 trial of the faithful, and for the punishment of the 
 world, Antichrist was admitted to come : But when 
 he came, he first appeared there where one would 
 have thought there had been no place nor corner 
 for his reception. 
 
 WHERE ANTICHRIST FIRST APPEARED. 
 
 The devil then, made use of the church of God 
 to midwife this monster into the world, as the 
 Apostle plainly shews, there he first sat, shewing 
 himself 3 Th ii. i. Here therefore was his first 
 appearance, even in the church of God : Not that 
 the church of God did willingly admit him there to 
 sit as such ; he had covered his cloven-foot ; he 
 had plumbs in his dragon's mouth, and so came in 
 by flatteries ; promising to do for Christ and his 
 church, that which he never meant to perform. 
 For he shewed himself that he was God, and in 
 appearance, set his heart to do as the heart of God. 
 Eze. xxviii 3—6. And who could have found in their 
 hearts to shut the door upon such an one ? True, 
 he came, when he came thither, out of the bottom- 
 less-pit ; but there came such a smoke out thence 
 with him, and that smoke so darkened the light of 
 the sun, of the moon, of the stars, and of the day, 
 that had they [the church] been upon their watch, 
 as they were not, they could not have perceived 
 him from another man. Besides, there came with 
 him so many locusts to usher him into the house 
 of God, Re. ix. 3,8. and they so suited the flesh and 
 reason of the godly of that day, that with good 
 words and fair speeches, by their crafty and cun- 
 ning sleights, whereby they lay in wait to deceive, 
 they quite got him in, and set him up, and made 
 him a great one, even the chief, before they were 
 aware. Further, He quickly got him a bea^ to 
 ride on, far, for sumptuous glory, beyond (though 
 as to nature, as assish a creature as) that on which 
 Baalam was wont to ride : And by this exaltation 
 he became not only more stately, but the horns of 
 the heast would push for him. Ec. xra. 3—6. 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 47 
 
 Again, This man of sin, when he came into the 
 world, had the art of metamorphosing, and could 
 change himself, both in form and shape, into 
 the likeness of a beast, a man, or woman ; and the 
 tings of the earth, with the inhabitants of the 
 world, began then to love such women dearly; 
 wherefore they went to her into the bed of love, 
 and defiled themselves with the filthiness of her 
 fornications, gave her their troth, and became her 
 liusbands, and beloved sons ; took up helmet and 
 bhield, and stood to defend her ; yea, though Christ 
 iiimself, and some of the chief of his followers, 
 cried out of her shame, and of the evil of their 
 doings ; yet would she be audacious. 
 
 Also this woman had now arrayed herself in 
 flesli-tcJdng ornaments, of the colour of purple and 
 scarlet, and was decked with gold, and precious 
 stones, and pearls, after the manner or attire of 
 harlots. Thus came she to them, and lay in their 
 bosoms, and gave them out of her golden cup of 
 the wine of her fornication; of the which they 
 bibbed till they were drunken ; and then, in 
 requital, they also gave her of such liquors as they 
 could, to wit, to drink of the blood of saints, and 
 of martyrs of Jesus, till she, like these beasts, was 
 drunken also. 
 
 Now when they were drunken, they did as 
 drunkards do, revel, roar, and belch out their own 
 shame, in the sight of them that were sober: 
 Wherefore tliey cried out upon such doings, and 
 chose rather to die, than to live with such com- 
 pany. And so 'tis still with them where she yet 
 sitteth, and so wiU be till she shall fall into the 
 hands of the strong Lord, who will judge her 
 according to her ways. And that she must do, 
 as is implied by this. That her fornications are in 
 a cup ; she has therefore but her cup to be drank 
 out; wherefore when it is empty, then, whether 
 she will or no, the Lord God will call her to such 
 a reckoning, that aU the clothes on her back, with 
 what pearls and jewels she has, shall not be able 
 to pay the shot. 
 
 OF THE RUIN OF ANTICHRIST. 
 
 Antichrist, as was said, had a time to come into 
 the world, and so must have a time to go out again : 
 For although he saith that he is a God, yet must 
 he be subject to the will of God, and must go as 
 well as come according to that wiU. Nor can all 
 the fallen angels, with all the members and limbs 
 of Antichrist, cause that this their brat should 
 abide so much as one day longer than our God's 
 prefixed time. And this the head of Antichrist 
 understandeth very well: Wherefore the Holy 
 Ghost saith, ' Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, 
 and of the sea ! for the devil is come down unto 
 you, having great wrath, because he knowcth that 
 he hath but a short time. ' Re. xii. 13. 
 
 Besides, the text says plainly. The Lord shall 
 destroy him, 2 Th. u. 8. and that he goeth into per- 
 dition: Re. xvii.ii.anaxii. 26. Also the church of God 
 believes it, and the limbs of Antichrist fear it. 
 
 Now when, or as his time shall come to be 
 destroyed, so he shall be made a hand of; and 
 that with such instruments and weapons of God's 
 indignation, as best shall be suited to his several 
 parts. 
 
 Such weapons as are best for the destroying of 
 his sovl, shall be used for the destroying of it ; 
 and such weapons as are best for the destroying 
 of his body, shall be made use of for the destroying 
 of it. 
 
 THE SODL OF IT DESTROYED, AND HOW. 
 
 And therefore, as to his sovl, or that spirit of 
 error that governs him in aU his works of mischief ; 
 this must be consumed by the spirit of Christ's 
 mouth, and be destroyed by the brightness of his 
 coming. 
 
 This we have in the words of Paul : 'For (saith 
 he) the mystery of iniquity (the spirit of Antichrist) 
 doth already work : only he who now letteth, will 
 let, until he be taken out of the way. And then 
 shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall 
 consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall 
 destroy with the brightness of his coming. ' 2 Th. ii. 7, 8. 
 The Apostle here treateth of Antichrist, with 
 reference to his more subtil and spiritual part, since 
 that indeed is the chiefest of Antichrist : Where- 
 fore he calls it that wicked ; not, that wicked one, 
 as referring to the whole ; but that wicked, as 
 referring to the mystery or spirit of iniquity, the 
 heart and soul of Antichrist; and tells us, that 
 the Lord shall ' consume him with the spirit of his 
 mouth, and shall destroy him with the brightness 
 of his coming. ' 
 
 Now, by the spirit of his mouth, I understand 
 his holy word, which is called ' The word and 
 breath of his lips : ' is. xi. 4. And also, ' The sword 
 of his mouth.' Re. a. 16. By 'the brightness of his 
 coming,' I also understand, not only his presence, 
 but an increase of light by his presence ; not only 
 to help Christians to begin to bear witness against 
 some parts and pieces of the errors of Antichrist, 
 but until the whole is rooted out of the world. By 
 this, I say, must the soul, spirit, or life of Anti- 
 christ be taken away. But how shall Christ by 
 this rod, sword, or spirit of his mouth, consume 
 this wicked, this mystery of iniquity? Not by 
 himself immediately, but by his spirit and word in 
 his church ; the which he wiU use, and so manage 
 in this work, that they shall not rest till he by 
 them has brought this beast to his grave. This 
 beast is compared to the wild boar, and the beast 
 that comes out of the wood to devour the church of 
 God, (as we read in the book of Psalms: ixxx.ia.) 
 
43 
 
 OF ANTICHBIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 But Christ, with the dogs that eat the crumbs of 
 his table, will so hunt and scour him about, that 
 albeit he may let out some of their bowels with 
 the tushes of his chaps, yet they will not let him 
 alone till they have his life : For the church shall 
 single him out from all beasts, and so follow him 
 with cries, and pinch him with their voices, that he 
 alone shall perish by their means.* Thus shall 
 Christ consume and wear him out by the spirit of 
 his mouth, and destroy him with the brightness of 
 his coming. 
 
 Hence you find again, That this wicked, is to 
 melt and consume away as grease : For the Lord 
 Jesus shall consume him, and cause him to melt 
 away ; not all at once, but now this part, and tiwn 
 that ; now his sold, and after that his body, even 
 until soul and body are both destroyed. 
 
 And that you may be convinced of the truth of 
 this thing, do but look back and compare Anti- 
 christ four or five hundred years ago, with Anti- 
 christ as he is now, and you shall see what work 
 the Lord Jesus has begun to make with him, even 
 with the spirit and soul, and life of Antichrist ; 
 both in confounding and blasting of it by this spirit 
 of his mouth, as also by forcing of it to dishon- 
 ourable retreats, and by making of it give up to 
 him, as the conqueror, not only some of his super- 
 stitious and diabolical rites and ceremonies, to be 
 destroyed, but many a goodly truth, which this 
 vile one had taken from his church, to be renewed 
 to them : Nay, further, he hath also already began 
 to take from him both kingdoms and countries, 
 though as to some not so absolutely as he shall do 
 by and by. And in the meantime, this is the 
 plague wherewith the Lord shall plague or smite 
 the people that have fought against Jerusalem: 
 ' Their flesh shall consume away while they stand 
 upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away 
 in their holes, apd their tongue shall consume away 
 in their mouth. ' Zee. xiv. 12. And how has this long 
 ago been fulfilled here in England ! as also in Scot- 
 land, Holland, Germany, France, Sweden, Den- 
 mark, Hungary, and other places ! Is. xi-ii. 4r-e. Nor 
 hath this spirit of Antichrist, with all his art and 
 artificers, been able to reduce to Antichrist again, 
 those people, nations, or parts of nations, that by 
 the spirit of Christ's mouth, and 'the brightness of 
 his coming,' have been made to forsake him, and 
 
 * Christian, read in these words i/our duty. Bunyan felt 
 the tusks of the wild boar, even to the peril of his Ufc. He 
 bore with resignation all his suflerings, and was blest. Pity 
 those whose souls are under the yoke. Antichrist, if cruel 
 to the body, is more dangerous to the souls of men. Your 
 prayers and exertions should be redoubled until it is delivered 
 up to the just judgment of the Almighty. Come out, Chris- 
 tian, and be separate from every system which is stained with 
 the blood and defiled with the soul-harrowing groans of the 
 s:iints of God. — Ed. 
 
 to turn from him to Christ : The reason is, for thai 
 the Lord has not retreated, but is still going on in 
 the spirit of his mouth, and his brightness, to make 
 that conquest over him that is determined, in the 
 way that is determined : Of which more shall be 
 spoken afterward ; for the path-way that he goeth, 
 is as the shining light, which shines more and 
 more unto noon. True, the fogs of Antichrist, and 
 the smoke that came with him out of the bottom- 
 less-pit, has darkened and eclipsed the glorious 
 light of the gospel : But you know, in eclipses, 
 when they are on the recovering hand, all the 
 creatures upon the face of the earth cannot put a 
 stop to that course, until the sun or the moon have 
 recovered their glory. And thus it shall be now, 
 the Lord is returned to visit the earth, and his 
 people with his primitive lustre ; he will not go 
 back, nor slack his hand, until he has recovered 
 what Antichrist has darkened of his. ' The anger 
 of the Lord shall not return, until he have exe- 
 cuted, and till he have performed the thoughts of 
 his heart : in the latter days ye shall consider it 
 perfectly. ' Je. xxiii. 2o. Therefore he saith again, ' The 
 light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun 
 (was in her eclipse ;) and the light of the sun shall 
 be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day 
 that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, 
 and healeth the stroke of their wound, ' ifec. as 
 the verse before has it : 'In the day when the 
 towers fall. ' 
 
 For (as was said before) as to the recovery of 
 the light of the gospel from under Antichristian 
 mists, and fogs of darkness ; Christ will do that, 
 not by might nor power, but by the spirit of his 
 mouth, and the brightness of his coming : Where- 
 fore the smii of Antichrist, or that spirit of wicked- 
 ness by which this gospel-light hath been dimi- 
 nished, must be consumed and destroyed by that 
 spirit also. Nor can any other way of conquest 
 over that be thorough, and lasting ; because that 
 spirit can by no other means be slain. The body 
 of Antichrist may be destroyed by other instru- 
 ments, but spirits cannot be killed but by spirits. 
 The temporal sword then may kill the body, but 
 after that it hath no more that it can do, where- 
 fore, the other must be dealt with by another kind 
 of weapon: And here is one sufficient, the spirit 
 against the spirit ; the spirit and face of Christ, 
 against the spirit, that wicked, of Antichrist. And 
 by this spirit of Christ's mouth, all the spirit that 
 is in all the trinkets and wasJi of Antichrist shall 
 also be destroyed ; so that those trinkets, those 
 rites, ceremonies, and ordinances of this man of 
 sin, shall be left as carrion upon the face of the 
 earth, and shall stink in the noses of men, as doth 
 the corrupted blood of a dead man. 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS EUIN. 
 
 49 
 
 THE ORDINANCES OF ANTICHRIST. 
 
 Now therefore will the heauty of Antichrist fade 
 like a flower, and fall as doth a leaf when the sap 
 of the tree has left it ; or as the heauty departeth 
 from the body, when the soul, or life, or spirit is 
 gon,e forth. And as the body cannot be but un- 
 pleasant and unsavoury when under such a state ; 
 so the body of Antichrist will be to beholders, 
 when the Lord has slain the spirit thereof. It is 
 the spirit of Antichrist that puts life into the body; 
 and that puts lustre into the ordinances of Anti- 
 christ, as the light of the sun, and of the moon, 
 and of the stars, do put lustre upon the things of 
 this visible world: Wherefore, when this spirit, 
 and soul, and life' of Antichrist is slain, then it 
 will be with him as 'twould be with the W(yrld, 
 had it no light of the sun, of the moon, or of the 
 stars. 
 
 And hence, as the loss of our natural life is 
 compared to the loss of these lights ; Eo. lii. 3. so the 
 loss of the life, soul and spirit of Antichrist is com- 
 pared to these things also. For, the soul of Anti- 
 christ is compared to a heaven ; and her ordinances 
 and rites, to the ordinances of heaven : Wherefore, 
 when the Lord comes to fight against her with the 
 spirit of his mouth, he saith, ' The stars of heaven 
 [shall be darkened], and the constellations thereof 
 shall not give their light ; ' is. xiii. lo. because he will 
 slay that spirit of Antichrist that is in them. 
 Is. xxxiv. Ke. vi. 13, 14. 
 
 Take things therefore more distinctly, thus: 
 The Antichristians spirit, is the heaven of Anti- 
 christians ; their sun, moon and stars, are their 
 superstitious ordinances ; their earth is the body 
 or flesh of Antichrist, otherwise called the church 
 and synagogue of Satan. Now as the earth cannot 
 live, and be desirable, without the influences of 
 the spirit of the heavens ; so neither can Antichrist 
 live, when the Lord shall darken the light of his 
 heaven, and shall slay the spirit thereof. Hence 
 you read, as I touched before, that when his heaven 
 shall be rolled together as a scroU, ' all the host 
 thereof,' unto which I compare the ordinances of 
 Antichrist, ' shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off 
 from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig- 
 tree. 'is. xxxiv. 4. But how, or why doth the leaf, or 
 the fig fall from the tree ? Why, because the spirit, 
 or sap of the tree, is gone from them. 
 
 Therefore, the first and chief proceeding of the 
 Lord with the man of sin, is to slay his soul, that 
 his body Ta2t,j also be consumed: And when the 
 spirit of Antichrist shali be made to leave both the 
 body and ordinances of Antichrist, 'twill be easy 
 to deal both with the one and the other. And 
 first, for the ordinances of Antichrist ; because the 
 spirit of error is in them, as well as in the body 
 itself. When that spirit, as I said, has left them, 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 they will of themselves even moulder away, and 
 not be : As we have seen by experience here in 
 England, as others also have seen in other countries. 
 For as concerning his masses, prayers fo'r the dead, 
 images, pilgrimages, monkish vows, sinful fasts, 
 and the beastly single life of their priests, though 
 when the spirit of Antichrist was in them, they 
 did bear some sway in the world ; yet now, of what 
 esteem are they ? or who has reverence for them ? 
 They are now blown together under hedges, as the 
 dry leaves, for the mice and frogs to harbour in : 
 yea, the locusts too, camp in the hedges among 
 the dry leaves, in the cold day, and ' when the sun 
 ariseth they flee away : ' Na. m. 15—17. When 'tis a 
 cold day for them in a nation, then they lurk in 
 the hedges, though their ordinances lie there, as 
 leaves that are dry, and fallen down from the tree ; 
 but when the sun ariseth, and waxeth warm, they 
 abide not, but betake them to their wings, and fly 
 away. But one would think that fallen leaves 
 should have no great nourishment in them : True, 
 if you have respect to men, but with vermin any 
 thuig will do : We speak then of them with refe- 
 rence to men, not with respect to the very members 
 of Antichrist : And I say, as to them, when the 
 spirit of Antichrist is gone out of these ordinances, 
 they will be with them as dry leaves that no body 
 seeketh after. The ordinances therefore of Anti- 
 christ are not able to bear up themselves in the 
 world, as the ordinances of the Lord Jesus are, for 
 even the ordinances of Christ, where the spirit of 
 Christ is not, are yet in some esteem with men: 
 But THESE, when the spirit of delusion has left 
 them, are abhorred, both skin and bones : For in 
 themselves they are without any sense, or ration- 
 ality ; Eze. XX. 35, 26. yea, they look as parts of "things 
 which are used to conjure up devils with : These 
 were prefigured by the ordinances that were NOT 
 good, and by the judgments whereby one shovM 
 not live. For what is there, or can there be of 
 the least dram of truth or profit in the things that 
 are without the word, that being the only stamp 
 by which one is distinguished from the other ? I 
 say. What is there in any of them, to the man 
 whose eyes are open, but delusion and deceit! 
 Wherefore, as has been expressed already, when 
 the Lord Christ, by the spirit of his mouth, <Ssc. 
 shall drive this mystery of iniquity from them, and 
 strip them of that spirit of delusion that now by 
 its craft puts bewitching excellency upon them, 
 they will of themselves become such stinking 
 rivers, ponds and pools, that flesh and blood will 
 loathe to drink of them ; yea, as it was with the 
 ponds and pools of Egypt, they wiU be fit for nought 
 but to breed and hatch up frogs in. 
 
 Wherefore these ordinances shall be rejected, 
 not one of them shall find favour with men on earth ; 
 when the Lord, ' by the spirit of his mouth, and 
 G 
 
50 
 
 or ANTICHRIST, AND HIS EUIN. 
 
 €be brightness of his coming,' shall have separated 
 their spirit from them. 
 
 Now, by ordinances of Antichrist, I do not in- 
 tend things that only respect matters of worship 
 in Antichrist's kingdom, but those civil laws that 
 impose and enforce them also; yea, that enforce 
 THAT worship with pains and penalties, as in the 
 Spanish inquisition; For these must, as the other, 
 be overthrown by Christ, by the spirit of his mouth, 
 and the brightness of his coming : For these laws, 
 ■■as the other, took their being, and have their soul 
 and life by the spirit of Antichrist ; yea, as long as 
 there is life in them, 'tis because the spirit of that 
 man of sin yet remaineth in them. Wherefore, 
 these are -also great ordinances, though of another 
 nature than those mentioned before : Great, I say, 
 are they ; forasmuch as neither the church of Anti- 
 christ, nor his instruments of worship, can either 
 live or stand without them. Wherefore, it was 
 admitted to the image of the beast, not only to 
 speak, but to oaiLse. To speak out his laws of 
 worship, ' and cause that as many as would not 
 worship the image of the beast, should be killed. ' 
 Re. xiii. 15. And mark. This is because that the life 
 that was communicated to the image of the beast, 
 was by him also communicated to his word and 
 authority. Wherefore, these laws must not be 
 separated from those in which the spirit of Anti- 
 christ is ; yea, they are the very pillars and sinews 
 by which Antichristianism remains : And were 
 these dis-splrited, the whole building would quickly 
 become a ruinous heap. 
 
 What could the king of Babylon's golden image 
 have done, had it not been for the burning fiery 
 furnace that stood within view of the worshippers ? 
 Da. iii. Yea, what could that horrible command, to 
 pray, for thirty days, to neither God nor man, but 
 to the king, have done, had it not been for the dark 
 den, and the roaring lions there in readiness to 
 devour those that disobeyed it? Da. vi. As there- 
 fore the burning fiery furnace, and the den of lions, 
 were the support of the horrible religion of the 
 Babylonians of old ; so popish edicts are the sup- 
 port of the religion of Antichrist now ; and as long 
 as there is spirit, that is, avtlwrity, in them, they 
 are like to those now mentioned ; the spirit of such 
 laws is that that makes them dreadful: For as 
 the furnace would have been next to nothing, if 
 void of fire ; and the den as little frightful, if des- 
 titute of lions ; so these laws will be as insignificant, 
 when Christ has slain that spirit that is in them ; 
 that spirit that causes that as many as will not 
 worship the image of the beast, should be killed. 
 
 Nor can any sword reach thai life of Antichrist 
 that is in these, but the sword of Christ's mouth : 
 Therefore, as all the religious rites and ceremonies 
 of Antichrist are overthrown by his spirit working 
 in his, as Christians ; so those Antichristian laws 
 
 will have their soul and their life taken from them 
 also by this spirit of his mouth working in some 
 of his, as magistrates, and no otherwise ; for before 
 kings and princes, (fee. come to be enlightened about 
 the evils that are in such edicts, by the spirit of 
 the living God, they will let this image of the beast 
 both speak and cause, <fec. But when they shall 
 see, they will say, let it be decreed that this prop 
 of Antichrist be taken down. It was decreed by 
 Darius, that they that prayed, for thirty days, to 
 any God but him, should be cast into the den of 
 lions : Da. vi. 9. but this was before he saw; but when 
 he came to see, then he decreed again ; a decree 
 that quite took away the power of that which he 
 had decreed before. Da. vi. 26. 
 
 Nor are we without instances'of this kind nearer 
 home : who is now afraid of the act for burning of 
 those that papists call heretics, since by the king 
 and parliament, as by the finger of God, the life 
 and soul is taken out of it. I bring this to shew 
 you, that as there is life in wicked Antichristian 
 penal laws, as well as in those that are supersti- 
 tiously religious ; so the life of these, of all these, 
 must be destroyed by the same spirit working in 
 those that are Christ's, though in a diverse way. 
 
 Nor will the life of these sinews, as I have called 
 them, be taken away ; but as God shall enlighten 
 men to see the abominable filthiness of that which 
 is Antichristian worship : as would easily be made 
 appear, if some that dwell in those countries where 
 the beast and his image have been worshipped,;' 
 would but take the pains to inquire into antiquity ' 
 about it. As the noble king, king Henry VIII.'. 
 did cast down the Antichristian worship ; so he cast 
 down the laws that held it up : so also did the 
 good king Edward his son. The brave queen, queen 
 Elizabeth also, the sister to king Edward, hath 
 left of things of this nature, to her lasting fame 
 behind her. And if one such law of Antichrist 
 hath escaped the hand of one, another hath taken 
 it, and done tliat execution on it that their zeal and 
 piety prompted them to. 
 
 There is yet another thing that the spirit of An- 
 tichrist is immediately concerned in ; and that is, 
 the Antichristian names of the men that worship 
 tlic beast : the names, I mean, that Antichrist hath 
 baptized them into : for those names are breathed 
 upon them by the very spirit of Antichrist ; and are 
 such as are absolutely names of blasphemy, or such 
 as do closely border thereupon; some such as 
 Elihu durst not for his life give unto men, only he 
 calls them 'flattering titles.' Job xxxii. 31, 23. Now 
 therefore, of the danger (though not of the names 
 themselves) you read sufficiently in the scripture ; 
 and perhaps the Holy Ghost has contented him- 
 self with giving of items that are general, that men 
 might, as to them, be the more cautious of what 
 names they give one to another : Txe. xvii. 5. but this 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 51 
 
 is clear, they are worn by men of spiritual employ : 
 but since tbey are but mentioned, and are not dis- 
 tinctly nominated, how should we know which are 
 they, and which not? Verily, by searching the 
 word of God, and by seeing by that what names 
 we are allowed to give unto men, with reference to 
 their offices, dignities, and places : for God has a 
 quarrel with the names, as well as with the persons 
 that wear them ; and when his Son shall down 
 with Antichrist, he will slay seven thousand names 
 of men, as well as the persons of the worshippers 
 
 of the beast. Ke. xi. is. Margin. 
 
 But there are things, as well as men; Jobxxii.28. 
 and these also have been baptized into those names 
 by the very spirit of Antichrist, and must be de- 
 stroyed by Christ, the spirit of his mouth, and the 
 brightness of his coming: 'The idols he shall 
 utterly abolish;' is. ii. 18. and there are men that 
 are idols as well as things : Zee. xi. 17. wherefore, let 
 men have a care, as to shim the worship of idols, 
 so that they bare not the name, or stand in the 
 place of one : and the reason of this caution is, be- 
 cause name and thing are both abominable unto 
 God. 
 
 To give you the number of these names that the 
 spirit of Antichrist has baptized men into, (besides 
 the things that do also wear such blasphemies upon 
 them,) would be a task too great for me, and too 
 wearisome for you. It shall satisfy then, that I 
 give you notice that there are such things and men 
 and names ; and that I put you upon search to find 
 out what they be. But whatsoever of the spirit, 
 or soul, or life of Antichrist is in these names, men, 
 or things, must be consumed by Christ, by the 
 spirit of his mouth, and the brightness of his com- 
 ing.* 
 
 Another thing that I would touch upon is this ; 
 to wit. The lying legends, and false miiacles that 
 Antichrist cries up : These, by the means of which 
 such as dwell upon the earth are deceived, and 
 made to adore and worship the beast : these have 
 their life and soul (as had those mentioned before) 
 from the spirit of wickedness ; and must be de- 
 stroyed as they, namely, by Christ, the spirit of 
 his mouth, and the brightness of his coming: for 
 these are not of the body of Antichrist, but rather 
 such implements, or whatever you will call them, 
 by which the spirit and soul of Antichrist is con- 
 veyed into, and kept also aUve in the body of Anti- 
 christ, which is the church and synagogue of Sa- 
 
 * No man of the most refined education could have mani- 
 fested greater delicacy than Bunyan has iu treating thin 
 subject, leaving his reader to imagine whether the names 
 ' Reverend,' ' Very Reverend,' ' Right Reverend,' Venerable 
 yather in God, or His Holiness, are all or any of them appli- 
 cable as titles given by Antichrist : so of things, whether ' The 
 body of Christ,' in a wafer, or ' Church," a building of stone 
 brick, or timber, are or are not Antichristian. — Eu. 
 
 tan; you may call them organs and means by 
 which that wicked worketh in the mysteries of ini- 
 quity, for the begetting of, and maintaining a lying 
 and false belief of the rehgion of the beast : nor 
 can it be thought, but that, as the antichristian 
 statistst of Antichrist, mentioned before, do put a 
 dread and fear upon men that are worshippers of 
 the beast, and his image, to the holding of them' 
 still to his service; so these legends and miracles 
 do, on the other hand, abridge and bind their con- 
 sciences to that worship ; but all because of thai 
 spirit of Antichrist that is in them. J 
 
 So then, here is the spirit of Antichrist diffusing 
 itself into all the things pertaining to the kingdom 
 of the beast; for it dwells in the body of Anti- 
 christ ; it dwells in the matters and things of wor- 
 ship of Antichrist ; it dwells in the titles and names 
 that are antichristian ; and it dwells in the laws, 
 legends and miracles of Antichrist. And as it is 
 the spirit of Antichrist, so it must be destroyed ; 
 not by sword, nor by bow, but by Christ, as fight- 
 ing against it with the spirit of his mouth, and as 
 conquering of it by the brightness of his coming. 
 
 THE BODY OF ANTICHBIST DESTROYED, AND HOW. 
 
 We come now to discourse of the hody or flesh 
 of Antichrist, and of the destruction of that ; for 
 that must be destroyed also. Now the body of 
 Antichrist, is that church or synagogue in which 
 the spirit of Antichrist dwells, or imto which the 
 spirit of Antichrist is become a soul and life. 
 
 And this is to be destroyed, either as it is a 
 body mystical, or under the more gross considera- 
 tion. 
 
 Mrst, As it is a body mystical, and so it is to 
 be destroyed absolutely. 
 
 Secondly, As it is to be considered more grossly, 
 and so it is to be destroyed conditionally. That 
 is, if repentance doth not save the men that have 
 gone to the making up of this body, and to the 
 rejoicing in it. 
 
 As she is a body mystical, so she is to be de- 
 stroyed the same way that the things of Antichrist, 
 of which we discoursed before, were to be destroyed ; 
 to wit, by Christ, the spirit of his mouth, and the 
 brightness of his coming. 
 
 This then is the sum, as to this : That the church 
 of Antichrist, as a church, shall be destroyed by the 
 word and spirit of Chiist. Nor can anything in 
 
 t Antichristian statists of Antichrist. Those who weigh 
 things to place them in their relative order in the kingdom of 
 Antichrist, as the decree followed by the lion's den, &c. 
 
 % The homilies read in the Church of England prior to the 
 Reformation, called ' The Festival,' contains the pith of these 
 lying legends and pretended miracles. Omitting the obscene 
 parts, it ought to be republished, to exhibit the absurdities of 
 Popery and of the then Established religion.— Kd. 
 
52 
 
 01 ANTICHKIST, AND HIS KUIN. 
 
 heaven prevent it, because the strong God has 
 decreed it : ■ And a mighty angel took up a stone, 
 like a great mill-stone, and cast U into the sea, 
 saying. Thus with violence shall that great city 
 Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no 
 more at all. ' e«. x\m.2i. This city, Babylon, is here 
 sometimes considered in the whole, and sometimes 
 as to the parts of it ; but always, whether in whole, 
 or in part, as some, or else as the whole of the 
 antichristian church ; and as such, it must not be 
 destroyed, but by the means aforesaid. By which 
 means her witchcrafts, spiritual whoredoms, spiri- 
 tual murders, thefts, and blasphemies, shall be so 
 detected and made manifest, so laid open, and so 
 discovered, that the nations shall abhor her, flee 
 from her, and buy her merchandise no more. Ee. 
 xviii. 11. Hence her tempting things rot, and 
 moulder away ; for these will not keep, they are 
 things not lasting, but that perish in the using : 
 what then will they do when they are laid by ? 
 Therefore it follows, ' All things which were (thy) 
 dainty and goodly (ones) are departed from thee, 
 and thou shalt find them no more at all.' Re.xviii.i*. 
 Now, if when she had things to trade with, her 
 dealers left her ; how shall she think of a trade, 
 when she has nothing to traffic with ? Her things 
 are slain, and stink already, by the weapons that 
 are made mention of before ; what then will her 
 carcase do ? It follows then, that as to her church- 
 state, she must of necessity tumble: wherefore, 
 from Rev. xviii. 22 to 24, you have the manner 
 of her total ruin as a church, and something of the 
 cause thereof. 
 
 But as she must, with reference to her body, 
 be considered mystically as a church ; so also she 
 must be considered as a body of men, (this is that 
 which I called more grossly,) and as such, against 
 whom the wrath of God will burn, and against 
 whom, if repentance prevent not, he will have in- 
 dignation for ever. These, I say are them ; to 
 wit, as they are the body of the people, that have 
 been seduced by this spirit of Antichrist, that have 
 been made use of to do all the mischiefs that have 
 been done both to true religion, and to the profes- 
 sors of it, for this many hundred years, wherefore 
 these must not escape. Wherefore you find, that 
 after Antichrist, as to the spirit and mystery of 
 Antichrist, is slain, that the body of Antichrist, or 
 the heap of people that became her vassals, come 
 next to be dealt withal. 
 
 Therefore, the angel that standeth in the sun, 
 makes a proclamation to all the fowls that fly in 
 the midst of heaven, to gather themselves, and to 
 come unto the supper of the great God ; that they 
 may eat the flesh of the several sorts of the men 
 that have been the lovers, the countenancers, the 
 upholders and defenders of her antichristian state, 
 worship, and falsehoods : He. xix. 17, 18. for abun- 
 
 dance of their hearts shall be hardened, and made 
 yet more obdurate, that they may be destroyed for 
 the wickedness that they have done. 
 
 Wherefore, you find (as did the enemies of the 
 church of old,) that they might revenge themselves 
 for the loss of their idol, or antichristian state, be- 
 gin a new war with the king, whose name is the 
 Lord of hosts : ' And I saw the beast, and the 
 kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered to- 
 gether to make wa:r against him that sat on the 
 horse, and against his army. ' Re. xix. 19. 
 
 Their implacable malice remained when their 
 church-state was gone ; wherefore they wiU now 
 at last make another attempt upon the men that 
 had been the instruments in Christ's hand to tor- 
 ment them that dwelt on the earth ; of which more 
 hereafter. 
 
 Now therefore is the last stroke of the batter,* 
 with reference to the destroying the body of Anti- 
 christ ; only the head of this monster remains, and 
 that is SATAN himself : wherefore, the next news 
 that we hear, is, that he is taken also : ' And I 
 saw an angel come down from heaven, having the 
 key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his 
 hand. And he laid hold on the Dragon, that old 
 serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound 
 him a thousand years, and cast him into the bot- 
 tomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon 
 him, that he should deceive the nations no more, 
 tin the thousand years should be fulfilled,' &c. 
 
 Ee. xx. 1—3. 
 
 BRAVE DAYS WHEN ANTICHRIST IS DEAD. 
 
 Now therefore there will be nothing of Antichrist 
 to be seen throughout the nations, hut ruinous 
 heaps, and desolate places. It is said of the army 
 of the man of sin, when he came into the land of 
 God's people, though it was before him 'as the 
 garden of Eden,' yet behind him 'twould be as 'a 
 desolate wilderness ; ' Joci a. 3. such ruins would he 
 make of the flock of God, and of all their ordi- 
 nances, and heavenly dainties. But when the 
 days that I have spoken of, shall come, it will be 
 to him a time of retaliation : for it shall then be 
 done unto Antichrist, as he hath done to the church 
 of God: As he hath made women childless, so 
 shall he be made childless ; as he has made ZioD 
 sit upon the ground, so now must this wicked one 
 come down and sit in the dust ; yea, as he has 
 made many churches desolations, so now shall he 
 be also made a desolation. Wherefore, whoso 
 wUl find his body, they must look for it in the side 
 of the pit's mouth ; and whoso wiU find his friends 
 and companions, they must look for them there 
 
 * ' The last stroke of the batter,' prohably alludes to nil 
 engine of war used by the ancients, called a battering-ram. 
 —Ed. 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 53 
 
 likewise. ' They have set her a bed in the midst 
 of the slain with all her multitude : her graves 
 are round about him : all of them uncircumcised, 
 slain by the sword: though their terror was caused 
 in the land of the living, yet have they borne their 
 shame with them that go down to the pit, he is 
 put in the midst of them that he slain. There is 
 Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude : - - - 
 There is Edom, her king, and all her princes, (fee. 
 - There be the princes of the north, all of them, 
 - - which - - with their - - might ' are laid with 
 them that are ' slain by the sword, and bare their 
 shame with them that go down to the pit. ' Eze. txxu. 
 25—30. For ' as Babylonto/i caused the slain of Israel 
 to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the 
 earth. ' Je. li. 49. The margin reads it thus : Both 
 Babylon is to fall, ye slain of Israel ! And with 
 Babylon the slain of all the earth. Now then she 
 is gone down, when all these things shall be ful- 
 filled ; and what remains now, but to talk of her, 
 as folk use to do of them that are dead : for the 
 day will come that the church of God shall have 
 no more of Antichrist, Babylon, or the mother of 
 harlots, than only the remembrance of her ; to wit, 
 that there was such an enemy of God in the world ; 
 that there was such a superstitious, idolatrous, 
 bloody people in the world. Wherefore the people 
 that shall be born, that shall live to serve God in 
 these happy days, they shall see Antichrist only in 
 its ruins ; they shall, like the sparrows, the Uttle 
 robins, and the wren, sit and sing, and chirrup one 
 to another, while their eyes behold this dead hawk. 
 ' Here (shall they say) did once the lion dwell; and 
 there was once a dragon inhabited : here did they 
 hve that were the murderers of the saints ; and 
 there another, that did use to set his throat against 
 the heavens ; but now in the places where these 
 ravenous creatures lay, grows grass, with reeds 
 and rushes, is. art. 7. (or else, now their habitation 
 is cursed, nettles grow, and so do thorns and 
 brambles, where their palaces were wont to be.) 
 And as no good was with them while they lived, so 
 their name stinketh now they are dead : yea, as 
 they wrought mischiefs, and Uved like the wild 
 beasts when they enjoyed their abundance ; so now 
 the wild beasts of the desert, yea, they of the 
 desert, shall meet with the wild beasts of the 
 island : and the satyr shall cry to his fellows. 
 Their houses shall be full of doleful creatures, even 
 as devils and wicked spirits do haunt the desolate 
 houses of the wicked, when they are dead. ' is. xxxiv. 
 ' And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty 
 of the Chaldees excellency, shall be as when God 
 overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never 
 be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from 
 generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian 
 pitch tent there : neither shall the shepherds make 
 their folds there. ' Is. xiii. 19, 20. 
 
 A while after this, as was hinted before, the 
 Christians wiU begin with detestation to ask what 
 Antichrist was ? Where Antichrist dwelt? Who 
 were his members ? And, What he did in the 
 world ? and it shall be answered by them that shall 
 have skill to consider his features by the word, by 
 way of taunt and scorn, • la this the man that 
 made the earth to tremble, that did shake king- 
 doms ; tJwt made the world as a wUdemess, and 
 destroyed the cities thereof ; that opened not the 
 house of his prisoners ? AU the kings of the 
 nations, even all of them, he in glory, every one in 
 his own house. But thou art cast out of thy grave 
 Uke an abominable branch ; and as the raiment of 
 those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, 
 that go down to the stones of the pit, as a carcass 
 trodden under feet.' is. xiv. ic— 19. 
 
 There will be a strange alteration when Anti- 
 christ is dead, and that both in the church, and in 
 the world. The church and the members of it 
 then, shall wear the name of their God in their 
 foreheads ; that is, they shall be bold in the pro- 
 fession of their king, and their God ; yea, it shall 
 be their glory to be godly ; and carnal men shall 
 praise them for it: the praise of the whole earth 
 shall the church of God be in those days. 
 
 Then there shall no more be a Canaanite in the 
 house of the Lord : no lion shall be there ; the 
 unclean shall no more tread in the paths of God's 
 people, but the ransomed of the Lord shall walk 
 there. 
 
 Glory that has not been seen nor heard of by 
 the people that used to walk in sackcloth, shall 
 now be set in the land of the living. For as it 
 was said of Christ, with reference to his day ; so 
 it shall be said of saints, with reference to this day: 
 many kings and righteous men have desired to see 
 the things that will be seen then, and shaU not see 
 them : but without all doubt, the men that shall 
 be born at this time, will consider that these 
 glories, and liberties, and privileges of theirs, cost 
 the people that walked in the king of Babylon's 
 fiery furnace, or that suficred the trials, troubles 
 and tyranny of the antichristian generation, more 
 groans and hearty wishes, than they did them that 
 shall enjoy them. Thus then it will go ; the 
 afflicted prayed for them, and the possessors bless 
 God for the enjoyment of them. 
 
 Oh ! now shall the church walk in the light of 
 the Lord, and sit every man under his vine, and 
 under his fig-tree, and none shall make him afraid I 
 
 ' For the Lord wUl have mercy on Jacob, and 
 will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own 
 land : and the strangers shaR be joined with them, 
 and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. And 
 the people shall take them, and bring them to their 
 place : and the house of Israel shall possess them 
 in the land of the Lord for servants and hand- 
 
54 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS KUIN. 
 
 maids ; And they shall take them captives, whose 
 captives they were ; and they shall rule over their 
 oppressors. And it shall come to pass in the day 
 that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, 
 and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage 
 wherein thou wast made to serve, that thou shalt 
 take up this proverh against the king of Babylon, 
 and say. How hath the oppressor ceased ! the 
 golden city, (or the exactress of gold) ceased ! 
 The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and 
 the sceptre of the rulers. He who smote the 
 people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that 
 ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, amd none 
 hindereth. The whole earth is at rest, amd is quiet : 
 they break forth into singing. Yea, the fir trees 
 rejoice at thee, cmd the cedars of Lebanon, saying. 
 Since thou art laid down, no seller is come up 
 against us. ' is. xb. i— s. 
 
 Also the world will now be (as it were) another 
 thing than it was in the days of Antichrist: now 
 will kings, and princes, and nobles, and the whole 
 commonalty be rid of that servitude and bondage 
 which in former times (when they used to carry 
 BeU and the dragon upon their shoulders) they 
 were subjected to. They were then a burthen to 
 them, but now they are at ease. 'Tis with the 
 world, that are the slaves of Antichrist now, as it 
 is with them that are slaves and captives to a 
 whore : they must come when she calls, run when 
 she bids, fight with and beat them that she saith 
 miscall her, and spend what they can get by labour 
 or fraud upon her, or she will be no more their 
 whore, and they shall be no more her bosom ones. 
 But now ! Now it will be otherwise ! Now they 
 will have no whore to please ! Now they will have 
 none to put them upon persecuting of the saints ! 
 Now they shall not be made, as before, guilty of 
 the blood of those against whom this gentleman 
 shall take a pet ! Now the world shall return and 
 discern between the righteous and the wicked ; yea, 
 they shall cleave to, and countenance the people of 
 God, being persuaded, as Laban was of Jacob, that 
 the Lord will bless them for his people's sakes : 
 for at this day, ' the remnant of Jacob shall be 
 (among the Gentiles) in the midst of many people, 
 as a dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the 
 grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for 
 the sons of men. ' Mi. v. 7. 
 
 Also in these days men shall come flocking into 
 the house of God, both kings and princes, and 
 nobles, and the common people, as the doves do to 
 their windows : and for that cause it is spoken to 
 the church, with reference to the latter days, 
 saying, ' Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let 
 them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations : 
 spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy 
 stakes ; for thou shalt break forth on the right 
 hand, and on the left ; and thy seed shall inherit 
 
 the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be 
 inliabited. ' is. Uv. 2, 3. 
 
 Now will be broken up those prophecies and 
 promises that to this day lie as under lock and 
 key, and that cannot be opened untU they be ful- 
 filled. Now will the Spirit of God be poured forth 
 abundantly ; and our rivers shall be in high places, 
 that is, shall break forth from the hearts of great 
 ones ; yea, then shall our waters be made deep : 
 ' And I will cause their rivers to run like oil, saith 
 the Lord God. 'Eze. xxxii. u. Then shall the differences, 
 the divisions and debates that are among the godly, 
 cease : for men ' shall see eye to eye, when the 
 Lord shall bring again Zion : ' is.iii.8. yea, the 
 watchmen of God's people shall do so ; for it is for 
 want of light in them, that the lambs have so butted 
 one another. 
 
 Now the church of God shall read with great 
 plainness the deptfis of providence, and the turn- 
 ings and windings of all God's dark and intricate 
 dispensations, through which she hath waded in 
 the cloudy and dark day : now, I say, they shall 
 see there was an harmony in them ; and that if 
 one of them had been wanting, the work and way 
 of her deliverance could not have been so full of 
 the wisdom, and justice, and goodness of God ; 
 Wherefore now will that song be sung with clearer 
 notes than ever : ' Great and marvellous are thy 
 works. Lord God Almighty ; just and true an 
 thy ways, thou king of Saints. Who shall not 
 fear thee, Lord, and glorify thy name ? for than 
 only art holy : for all nations shall come and wor- 
 ship before thee ; for thy judgments are made 
 manifest.' Be. XV. 3, 4. And again, 'For true and 
 righteous are his judgments : For he hath judged 
 the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with 
 her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his 
 servants at her hand. ' Re. six. 2. 
 
 OP THE MANNER OF THE RUIN OF ANTICHRIST. 
 
 What Antichrist is, I have told you ; and that 
 as to liis soul and body. I have also told you 
 where, or in what things the spirit and life of Anti- 
 christ lieth, and how he shall reign for a time. I 
 have moreover shewed you that he shall be de- 
 stroyed, and by what, and that with reference 
 both to his soul and body. Wherefore, waving 
 other things, I shall here only present you with a 
 few short hints concerning the manner of his 
 downfall. 
 
 There is the downfall, the time of the downfall, 
 and the inanner of the downfall of Antichrist. 
 
 The manner of the downfall of Antichrist, may 
 be considered, either with respect to the suddenness, 
 ui7£xpectedness. terribleness, or strangeness thereof. 
 It may also be considered with respect to the way 
 of God's procedure with her, as to the gradudness 
 
or ANTICHRIST, AND HIS KUIN. 
 
 65 
 
 thereof. As to tlie suddenness thereof, 'tis said 
 to be in an hour. It is also to be, when by her 
 unexpeded ; for then she saith, 'I sit a queen. ' 
 Ee. xTiii. 7, 8. For the terriblmess of it. The nations 
 shall shake at the sound of her fall. Eze xxxi, le, 17. 
 And for the strangeness thereof, it shall be to the 
 wonder of the world, is. xir. 12. it will be as when 
 God oyerthrew Sodom. 
 
 But I shall not enlarge upon this method in my 
 discourse, but shall shew you the manner of the 
 ruin of Antichrist, with respect to the gradualmess 
 
 thereof. Eze. xvi. 36—43; Re. xviii. 8; Is. xlv-ii. 9. , 
 
 Antichrist then shall be brought to ruin gra- 
 dually ; that is, by degrees : A part after a part ; 
 liere a fenced city, and (here a high tower, even 
 until she is made to lie even with the ground. 
 And yet all shaE be within the compass of God's 
 days, hours, or moments ; for within the compass 
 of these limited times Antichrist shall be destroyed.* 
 
 Now, (as I said) He, she, Sodom, Egypt, 
 Babylon, Antichrist, shall be destroyed, not all at 
 once, after the way of our counting of time ; but 
 by step after step, piece after piece. And perhaps 
 there may be in the words now following, something 
 that signifies this : They shall ' shew the king of 
 Babylon that his city is taken at one end.' Je.u.si. 
 This is also shewed by the vessels in which is con- 
 tained the wrath of God for her, together with the 
 manner of pouring of it out. The vessels in which 
 it is contained are called VIALS ; Now a vial is 
 that which letteth out what is contained in it by 
 degrees, and not all at once. 
 
 There are also two things to be considered, as 
 to the manner of its being poured out of them. 
 The first respecteth the nature of the vial. The 
 other, the order of the angels that poured forth 
 this wrath. 
 
 For the First : The vial, as it letteth out what 
 is in it by degrees ; so it doth it with certain gusts, 
 that are mixed with strength and violence, bolting 
 it out with noise, <fec. 
 
 As for the order of the angels, or that order 
 that they observe, they plainly shew that this 
 enemy must come down by degrees ; for that these 
 vials are by them poured out one after another, 
 each one working something of their own eflfects, 
 before another is poured forth. The first is poured 
 forth upon the antichristian earth : The second, 
 upon her sea: The third is poured forth upon her 
 rivers: And the fourth, upon her sun: The fifth is 
 poured forth upon the seat of the beast: The sixth, 
 
 * Upon the Sunday sports being authorized, and pious 
 muusters persecuted for refusing to wear popish vestments in 
 the reign of James I., that godly puritan, Mr. Carter, ex- 
 claimed, ' I have had a longing desire to see or hear of the 
 fall of Antichrist: but I check myself. I shall go to heaven, 
 and th^re news will come, thick, thick, thick.' — Life hy his 
 Son, p. 13. 
 
 upon her mphrales: And the seventh, into her air. 
 He. jwi. 2—17. And, I Say, they are poured forth not 
 all at one time, but now one, and then another. 
 Now, since by these vials Antichrist must fall; and 
 since also they are poured forth successively: 
 'Tis evident that this man of sin, this son of per- 
 dition, is to fall and die by degrees. He would 
 not die at all, as is manifest by his wrestUng with 
 it; but he is a strong God that judges, and there- 
 fore he must come down : His friends also, with 
 what cordials they can, will labour to lengthen out 
 his tranquillity; hut God hath set his bounds, and 
 he cannot go beyond the time appointed. 
 
 We must also put a difierence betwixt her being 
 fought withal and wounded, and that of her dying 
 the death. Michael and his angels have been 
 holding of her in play a long season ; but yet she 
 is not dead: Re. xii. But, as I said, she shall descend 
 in battle and perish, and shall be found no more 
 for ever. 
 
 A TEfTTH PART FALLS FIRST. 
 
 To speak then to the manner of the ruin of this 
 Antichrist, with respect to the gradualness thereof: 
 It must piece after piece be overthrown, until at 
 last every whit thereof is rolled down from the 
 rocks as a burnt mountain. 
 
 And hence we read that this city falls first in a 
 tenth part thereof, even whQe nine parts remain yet 
 standing : Nor doth this tenth part, notwithstand- 
 ing the faith and faithful testimony of the two 
 witnesses, quite fall, until they are slain, and also 
 raised again : For 'tis said. The same hour that 
 the witnesses were raised, the tenth part of the 
 city fell: Re. xi. 13. The tenth part of that city that 
 reigneth over the kings of the earth, which city is 
 Sodom, jEgypt, Babylon, or the great whore. Re.xvii.is. 
 
 By the city then, I understand the church of 
 Antichrist in its utmost bounds; and so it reaeheth 
 as far as the beast with seven heads and ten horns 
 hath dominion. Hence this city is also called 
 cities, as one universe is called by the name of 
 several countries, (fee. And them cities also are 
 called ' the cities of the nations:' Re. xviig. For as 
 when they are put together, they all make but one ; 
 so when they are considered apart, they are found 
 in number ten, and answer to the ten horns upon 
 the heads of the (seven headed) beast that carries 
 her, and do give her protection. 
 
 This then I take to be the meaning : That the 
 antichristian church is divided into ten parts, and 
 each part is put under one of the horns of the 
 beast for protection : But that aid and protection 
 shall not help, when God shall come to execute 
 judgment upon her: For it saith, 'A tenth part of 
 the city fell;' that is, first, and as a forerunner of 
 the fall of all the rest: Now where this tenth part 
 
56 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 is, or whicli of the ten parts must fall first, or 
 vhether indeed a tenth, part is already fallen, that 
 I will leave to those that are wiser than myself to 
 determine. 
 
 But since I am speaking of the fall of a tenth 
 part of Antichrist; a word or two about the means 
 of the fall thereof. 
 
 The means of the fall of this tenth part, is an 
 earthquake ; yet not such as is universal, over the 
 face of all, but an earthquake in that tenth part 
 where that city stood that should fall. Now by 
 earthquakes here, cannot be meant any thing but 
 such a shaking as imsettleth the foundations of 
 this tenth part ; But whether it shall be in this 
 tenth part as a city, or in it as a state, that I shall 
 not determine ; only my thoughts are. That it shall 
 be an earthquake in that kingdom where this tenth 
 part shall happen to be : An earthquake not to 
 overthrow further than is appointed ; and that is 
 the city which is called the tenth part of the great 
 Antichrist. So far as that state is a state, so far 
 then it is shaken for reformation, not for destruc- 
 tion ; for in the earthquake were slain seven 
 thousand (names of) men ; and the remnant were 
 affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 
 But thus much for the first: Great Babylon falleth 
 first, in a tenth part of it. 
 
 THE NINE PARTS FALL. 
 
 Again, The next step that the strong God taketh 
 towards the utter overthrow of Antichrist, will be 
 more sore upon the whole, though not at first uni- 
 versal neither, yet in conclusion, it shall throw 
 down the nine parts that are left : For thus it is 
 recorded : ' And the cities of the nations fell : ' 
 The cities of the nations, the antichristian churches, 
 otherwise called the daughters of the mother of 
 harlots, and abominations of the earth. 
 
 Now to shew you the hand of God in this second 
 stroke, wherewith the Lord wiU smite this enemy. 
 
 1. Here we have a great earthquake. 
 
 2. And then. The fall of the cities of the nations. 
 For the earthquake, it is said to be such as 
 
 never was, ' so mighty an earthquake, and so 
 great;' Ee.xri.i8. for it extended itself as far as the 
 other nine cities had any ground to stand on ; for 
 it shook the foundations of them all. 
 
 The fall of the cities, was not immediately upon 
 the shake that was made, but the earthquake pro- 
 duced an eruption, an eruption in the nine re- 
 maining parts of this city : And such an eruption 
 as is of the worser sort, for it divided them into a 
 three-headed division : ' And the great city was 
 divided into three parts :' The great city, to wit, 
 the powers by which they were upheld. The 
 meaning then is this ; when God shall strike this 
 man of sin the second time, he will not be so 
 
 sparing as he was at first, when he struck but a 
 tenth part to the ground; but now he will so shake, 
 so confound, so divide, so raise up Antichrist against 
 himself, to wit, in the body and members of him, 
 that they shall set to fighting, and to tearing one 
 another in pieces, until they have consumed the 
 whole of these nine parts. It was, saith the text, 
 divided into three parts, which divisions are the 
 worst of all : It will be therefore such a division as 
 will bring them all to ruin. Hence it follows, 
 ' And the cities of the nations fell.' 
 
 Wherefore, this three-cornered eruption will bo 
 the most dreadful to Antichrist that ever was : It 
 will be like that that was in Jerusalem when she 
 came to be laid even with the ground ; and like 
 that that came upon the armies of the Gentiles, 
 when they came up to fight against Jehosaphat. 
 
 ' For the children of Ammon and Moab stood 
 up agamst the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly 
 to slay and destroy them: And when they had 
 made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one 
 helped to destroy another.' 2Ch.xx.23. This, I say, 
 is the division that this mighty earthquake shall 
 make betwixt the horns that are left to these nine 
 parts that remained, when the tenth part of the 
 city fell. And this will come to pass through the 
 increase of the heat of God's anger : For he is 
 angry with the waters where the woman sitteti, 
 because they have delivered up his beloved to the 
 bloody whore ; wherefore, he now will give them 
 blood to drink in fury. 
 
 Hence his beginning to deal with Antichrist, is 
 called, the beginning of revenges: 'I wiU make 
 (saith God) mine arrows drunk with blood, and my 
 sword shall devour flesh ; and that with the blood 
 of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning 
 of revenges upon the enemy. ' De. xxrii. 42. And 
 therefore it is said again, that when God comes to 
 do this work upon this Antichrist, it is because 'it 
 is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year 
 of recompences for the controversy of Zion. 'is. xxxiv. 8. 
 ' For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and 
 the year of my redeemed is come.' is.kiii. 4. 
 
 A peace therefore cannot be made among these 
 cities when God has forbidden it : Wherefore the 
 effect of all, is, TTie dtiesofthe nations faU. There 
 is therefore like to be no more good days for Anti- 
 christ after this earthquake has begun to shake 
 her : No, nothing now is to be expected of her, but 
 rumours, tumults, stirs, and iiproars: 'One post 
 shall run to meet another, - - to shew the king 
 of Babylon that his city is taken at OTie end:' And 
 again, ' A rumour shall both come one year ; and 
 after that in anot/ier year sJiall come a rumour, and 
 violence in the land, ruler against ruler,' (fee. Je. 
 li. 31, 46. So that this earthquake has driven away 
 peace, shaken the foundations, and will cast the 
 I nine cities down to the ground. 
 
or ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 57 
 
 GREAT BABEL FALLS. 
 
 And this is a second stroke that God will give 
 this man of sin, and a tliird cometh quickly. 
 Wherefore it follows upon the downfall of these 
 cities of the nations, that ' great Bahylon came 
 into rememhrance hefore God, to give imto her the 
 cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. ' 
 Now then, have at great Bahylon. Great Baby- 
 lon ! What is that ? Why, I take it to he the 
 mother, the metropolitan, the great wlwre herself: 
 For though sometimes, by the great whore, or great 
 Bahylon, we may understand, the church of Anti- 
 christ in general ; yet by it is meant more properly, 
 the mother of the daughters, of whose overthrow 
 we have spoken before. We are now then come 
 to the threshold of the door of the house of the 
 OLD one ; to the door of the mother of harlots, 
 and abomination of the earth. This then that but 
 now is said to come into remembrance with God, 
 is that which gave being to the cities destroyed 
 before ; to wit, the mistress, the queen, the mother- 
 church, as she caUeth herself. 
 
 And this is the wisdom of God concerning her, 
 that she should not be the first that should die ; 
 but that she should live to see the destruction of 
 her daughters, and pine away imder the sight and 
 sense of that, even until judgment also shall over- 
 take herself. 
 
 Thus Pharaoh and his chief ones did live to see 
 the greatest part of Egypt destroyed before judg- 
 ment overtook them, but at last it came to their 
 doors also. 
 
 Zedekiah lived to see his children slain before 
 his face, before judgment overtook him to his own 
 personal destruction. Je. lii. 8— ii. 
 
 Babylon also, when God sent the cup of his fury 
 unto her, yet was to live to see the nations drink 
 before her : ' Take the wine cup of my fury (said 
 God to the prophet,) and cause all the nations to 
 whom I send thee, to drink it.' Je. xx?. 15. To wit, 
 AH the kingdoms of the world which are upon the 
 face of the earth. 'And Sheshach shall drink 
 after them. ' ver. 26. But what was Sheshach? may 
 some say. I answer. It was Babylon, the princess 
 of the world, and at that time the head of all those 
 nations, Da. iv. 22. (as this queen is now the mother 
 of harlots.) Wherefore, the same prophet, speak- 
 ing of the destruction of the same Sheshach, saith, 
 ' How is Sheshach taken ? and how is the praise 
 of the whole earth surprised ! How is Babylon 
 become an astonishm^t among the nations ! ' 
 
 Je. Ii. 41. 
 
 Now, if this was the method of God's proceeding 
 with his enemies in the way of his judgments of 
 old, why may we not suppose that he wiU go the 
 same way with his great enemy now : especially 
 
 VOL. n. 
 
 since those judgments mentioned before, were exe- 
 cuted upon those, which, in some things, were 
 figures of the great whore. Besides, we read hero 
 plainly, that when the cities of the nations were 
 fallen, great Babylon came into remembrance be- 
 fore God, to give her to drink of the cup. 
 
 From all which I conclude, as I did before, that 
 the mother, the metropolitan, the lady of king- 
 doms, shall live to see her daughters executed be- 
 fore her face : After which she shall eome into 
 consideration herself; for she must assuredly 
 drink of the cup.* 
 
 This destruction therefore must be last, for the 
 reasons urged before, and also because she most 
 deserves the bottom of the cup. The bottom is 
 the dregs, the most bitter part, and that where the 
 most heat, and fiercest wrath of God doth lie : Ps. 
 ixxT. 8. Wherefore, although you find that by the 
 first earthquake a great slaughter was made, and 
 that a tenth part of the city fell ; yet from that 
 judgment some did escape : ' And the remnant 
 were afii'ighted, and gave glory to the God of 
 heaven.' Ke. xi. 13. But now, this earthquake, by 
 virtue of which the cities of the nations fall, and 
 as an effect of which great Babylon is come into 
 'remembrance before God,' neither spares one of 
 the daughters of this whore, nor any man that is 
 a lover of them ; but it so is seconded by a ' hail- 
 stonn,' and that haU-storm worketh so in wrath, 
 that not one escapes by repentance. Every hail- 
 stone was the weight of a talent, which some say 
 is six pounds above half an himdred weight:! By 
 this therefore God shews, that now his anger was 
 wrought up to the height. I know not wherewith 
 so to compare these hailstones, as with the talent 
 of lead that was laid over the mouth of the ephah, 
 which was prepared to hold the woman, whose 
 name was vncJced/iiess, this very whore of Babylon: 
 For that talent of lead was to keep down this mis- 
 tress, that she might get no more out of the ephah, 
 and these hail-stones are to banish her out of the 
 worl'd: Ze.v.s— 11. Therefore it follows, that she 
 must have the most heavy judgment, even the 
 bottom of the cup. 
 
 • And great Babylon came into remembrance 
 before God.' To remember with God, is to visit 
 
 * How remarkably has this come to pass since Bunyan's 
 time; a slow but sure progression. That darling ugly daugh- 
 ter, Intolerance, was executed by the Act of Toleration. The 
 impious Test by the repeal of the Sacramental Test Act, &c., 
 &c.— Ed. 
 
 t There is great difficulty in estimating the weight of a 
 talent. Dr. GOl considers it about sixty pounds; this was the 
 lesser Roman talent. Michaelis estimates the Jewish talent 
 at thkty-two pounds and a half. The attic talent of gold used 
 in Greece in the time of Homer is estimated at less than an 
 ounce. The safest conclusion as to the weight of the hail- 
 stones is, that they were enormous, and fell with a velocity to 
 crush all animals to instant death. — Ed. 
 H 
 
S8 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 eitLer with grace or wrath, God is said to remember 
 Rachel, when he visited her with the blessing of a 
 fruitful womb. Ge.xxx.23. It is said also that God 
 remembered Noah, when the time came on that he 
 was to be delivered from the flood. Ge.viii.i. Here 
 also he is said to remember Babylon, that is, to 
 visit her with his anger for the wickedness that 
 she had committed : ' To give unto her the cup of 
 the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.' 
 
 Now then is the time of iniquity, when it will 
 be come to the full ; and now also is the time of 
 God's anger, when it will be come to the full: 
 Now therefore must the murders, Ee. rriiL 2t and 
 thefts, and blasphemies, and fornications, &c., 
 belonging to this mother of harlots, be recom- 
 pensed to the full, to wit, with the dregs of this 
 cup : Yet since the hail^stones come by weight, and 
 the wrath comes by measwre, (for so a talent and 
 a cup imports) it follows, that the Almighty God, 
 even in the midst of the heat of all this anger, will 
 keep to the rules of justice and judgment while he 
 is dealing with this enemy : He has not passions, 
 to carry him beyond rules of judgment; nor vxak- 
 ness, to cause him to fall short of doing justice : 
 Therefore he has (as was said) his judgments for 
 her by weight, and his indignation by measure : 
 But yet this weight and measure is not suited to 
 her constitution, not with an intent to purge or 
 refine her; but it is disposed according to the 
 measure and nature of her iniquity, and comes to 
 sweep her, as with the besom of destruction, imtil 
 she is swept off from the face of all the earth. 
 
 And thus I have shewed you the manner of the 
 ruin of Antichrist; that is. That it wlU be gradual, 
 part after part, imtU the whole be overthrown. 
 And this truth may be applied both to the soul, as 
 well as to the body of Antichrist : For the soid, 
 spirit, or hfe of Antichrist must also after this 
 manner be destroyed. And hence it is said to be 
 consumed, that is, by degrees : For to consume, 
 is to destroy by degrees : Only this caution I would 
 have the reader remember, That much of the soul 
 of Antichrist may be destroyed, when none of her 
 daughters are ; and that the destruction of her 
 spirit is a certain forenmner of the destruction of 
 her body in the manner that we have related. 
 
 Now since she is dying, let us ring her passing- 
 bell ; for when she is dead, we that live to see it, 
 intend to ring out. 
 
 ' For thus saith the Lord God ; When I shall 
 make thee a desolate city, Uke the cities that are 
 not inhabited ; when I shall bring up the deep 
 upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee ; 
 when I shall bring thee down with them that 
 descend into the pit, with the people of old time, 
 and shaU set thee in the low parts of the earth, in 
 jilaces desolate of old, with them that go down to 
 the pit, that thou be not inhabited ; and I shall 
 
 set glory in the land of the living ; I will make 
 thee a terror, and thou sJialt be no mwe : though 
 thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found 
 again, saith the Lord God.' Eze. xxvi. i»— 21. 
 
 OF THE SIGNS OF THE APPROACH OF THE DOWXFALL 
 OF ANTICHRIST. 
 
 Having in the foregoing discoui-se spoken of 
 Antichrist his ruin, and the manner thereof, I now 
 come to speak of the signs of the approach of her 
 destruction. And whether I shall hit right, as to 
 these, that I must leave to time to make manifest ; 
 and in the mean whUe to the wise in heart to judge. 
 
 That she shall fall, there is nothing more cer- 
 tain ; and when she is fallen, that she never shall 
 rise again, is also as firmly decreed; yea, and 
 shewed too by him that cast the millstone into the 
 sea, and said, ' Thus with violence shall that great 
 city Babylon be thrown down, and shaU be found 
 no more at all. ' Be. xriiL 21. This is therefore her 
 fate and destiny, from the mouth of the holy one ; 
 and is sealed up in the scriptures of truth, for the 
 comfort of the people that have been afflicted by 
 her. 
 
 True, the time of her fall is not certainly known 
 by the saints, nor at all believed by her; where- 
 fore, her plagues must come unlocked for by her. 
 And as to the saints, their guesses, as to the time 
 of her ruin, must needs be conjectural and uncertam. 
 For her part, she shall say, and that when she 
 stands where she must suddenly fall, ' I shall be a 
 lady for ever. ' I3. xi™, 7—9. And as to the saints 
 that would very willingly see her downfall, how 
 often have they been mistaken as to the set time 
 thereof. 
 
 Nor have I been without thought, but that this 
 mistake of the godly may become a snare to Anti- 
 christ, and a trap to her upholders. For what 
 can be a greater judgment, - or more effectually 
 harden the hearts of the wicked, than for them to 
 behold that the predictions, prophecies, expectation 
 and hopes of their enemies (as to their ruin) should 
 quite (as to the time) be frustrate, and made void. 
 
 Moses prophesied, and the people hoped that 
 God would give Israel ' the land of Canaan ;' and 
 yet the Canaanit^s beat them. Nu. xiv. 40! Jos. -m. 5—9. 
 
 Jeremiah prophesied that the enemy should 
 come and take the city [of] Jerusalem ; but because 
 he came once, and went back without doing it, 
 how stout and hardened were the hearts of that 
 people against all the rest of his prophetic sayings, 
 as to such a thing. Je. xxrtU. Now the error lay not 
 in these prophets, but in the people's mistaking 
 the times : and if mistakes do so much harden the 
 heart of the wicked, what will they do to such of 
 them who make it their business to blind and 
 harden their hearts against God, by abusing all 
 
or ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 59 
 
 truths ? Surely, when men seek to harden their 
 hearts by abusing of truth, they will do it to pur- 
 pose, when they have also the advantage of the 
 weakness of their professed enemies to do it by: 
 especially when their enemies shall say they speak 
 by the word of the Lord, and time shall manifest 
 it to be both a mistake and a falsehood. 
 
 It is to be bewailed, namely, the forwardness of 
 some In this matter, who have predicted concern- 
 ing the time of the downfall of Antichrist, to the 
 shame of them and their brethren: nor will the 
 wrong that such by their boldness have done to 
 the church of God, be ever repaired by them nor 
 their works. But the judgments of God are a 
 great deep ; and therefore who can tell, since the 
 onemy of God would not be convinced by the power 
 of truth, and the virtuous lives of some, but that 
 God might leave them to be snared, hardened and 
 emboldened to run upon their unavoidable destruc- 
 ■ tion, by the lies and lightness of others. They 
 begin to vaunt it already, and to say. Where is 
 the word of the Lord, as to this, let it come now. 
 But when Agag said, ' surely the bitterness of 
 death is past,' then was the time for him to be 
 hewn in pieces, i Sa. it. 33, 33. I shall not therefore 
 meddle with the times and seasons which the 
 Father hath put in his own power; no, though 
 they as to Antichrist's ruin are revealed ; because 
 by the Holy Ghost there is a challenge made, not- 
 wthstanding the time is set, and by the word 
 related to the man of wisdom, to find it out if he 
 
 can. Be. xiii. 13. 
 
 If Samson's riddle was so puzzling, what shall 
 we think of this ? and though the angel hath inti- 
 mated, that this sealed matter shaU be opened 
 towards the time of the end ; Da. xU. 9. yet 'tis evi- 
 dent, some have either been so hasty, or presumed 
 too much upon their own abilities : for I am sure 
 they have missed the mark, hardened the heart of 
 the enemy, stumbled the weak, and shamed them 
 that loved them. 
 
 But since the most high hath irreversibly deter- 
 mined her downfall also, let us see if we can have 
 better success in discoursing upon the signs, than 
 others have had who have meddled with the timing 
 thereof. 
 
 FIRST siaK. 
 
 First then. The downfall and ruin of Antichrist 
 draws near, when the church and people of God are 
 driven from aU, those hiding-places that God has 
 ■prepa/red for them in the v^ildemess. The church 
 of God, when the dragon did his worst, had an 
 hiding-place prepared her of God, that she might 
 not utterly be devoured by him ; and so shall have 
 till the time of his end shall come. 
 
 Of this you read in the 12th of the Revelations, 
 
 a place worthy to be noted for this. But now, 
 when the time of the ruin of Antichrist draws on, 
 then is the church deprived of her shelter, and 
 laid open, as one would think, to be utterly swal- 
 lowed up for ever, having no more place in the 
 wilderness, that is, among the nations, to hide 
 herself from the face of the serpent-. But how 
 comes this to be a sign of the approach of the ruin 
 of Antichrist ? why thus. The time of this beast's 
 war with the church of God, and the time that 
 the church shall have an hiding-place in the wil- 
 derness, are both of a length, the one continuing 
 forty4wo monffis, the other a thousand two hund/red 
 cmd threescore days. Now since the war that this 
 beast makes with the woman and her seed, and 
 the woman's hiding-place in the wilderness from 
 his face, are, for length of time, the same ; what 
 hindereth but that when the woman and her seed 
 can find no more shelter in the nations, the time 
 that the beast hath allotted him to make war 
 against her, should be finished also? when we 
 therefore shall see that plots and conspiracies, that 
 designs for utter ruin, are laid against God's 
 church all the world over ; and that none of the 
 kings, princes, or mighty states of the world, will 
 open their doors, or give them a city for refuge ; 
 then is the ruin of Antichrist at hand: for Haman's 
 plot, though the most universal that ever yet was 
 hatching, (being laid in an hundred twenty-seven 
 provinces,) did but presage the deliverance and 
 exaltation of the Jews, and the hanging of Haman 
 and his sons : yea, and I take it, that the very 
 day that this great enemy had set for the utter 
 overthrow of the church, God made the day in 
 which their dehverance began, and that from 
 whence it was completed ; and I take that to be a 
 type of this. 
 
 There is but one thing that I can think of that 
 can give matter of a shew of doubt about this thing; 
 and that is, though the time of this war against 
 the saints, and that of the woman's shelter in the 
 wilderness as to length, be one and the same ; yet 
 whether they did commence together, and begin to 
 take their rise, as men do that begin to run a race? 
 a word therefore to this. I suppose they did com- 
 mence miich together; for else with whom should 
 this beast make war, and how should the church 
 escape ? Or, if the beast began his war before 
 the woman began to have a hiding place, why was 
 she not swallowed up, since in the wilderness was 
 her only place of shelter ? Again, what needed 
 the woman to have a place of shelter in the wil- 
 derness, when there was no war made against her ? 
 And yet this must be, if her thousand two hundred 
 and threescore days, began before the beast's forty- 
 two months: but they ended both together; for 
 the heast could not kiU the vyilnesses before they 
 had finished their testunony; which testimony of 
 
60 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS EUIN. 
 
 theirs lasted tliis full time that the beast had 
 granted him to make war with them, to wit, one 
 thousand two hundred and threescore days : Kc. ri.3. 
 therefore their times went out together, as wiU be 
 made appear, if you consider also that the witnesses 
 were slain, by virtue, not of the old, but of a new 
 war leyied against them; and that, as it should 
 seem, at the very time when her hiding place was 
 taken from her ; for then indeed, for a little sea- 
 son, win the church of God be overcome, as I shall 
 shew by and by. 
 
 Wherefore, let God's people consider and re- 
 member that when God's church is absolutely for- 
 lorn, and has no hiding place any longer in the 
 world, the kingdom of Antichrist will quickly begin 
 to tumble. Nor is this the alone place from whence 
 we may gather these conclusions. 
 
 The time of Pharaoh's tyi-anny, of his life, and 
 of the deliverance of the children of Israel, came 
 out much together ; as any will discern that shall 
 consider the history of them. Gc xv. vi. 
 
 David, when Saul did sorely prosecute him, fled 
 last into the mlderness to Aehish the king of Gath, 
 a Philistiiie, for shelter ; and he gave him Ziklag 
 for his refuge, i Sa. ix™. 5, 6. And that place so 
 continued to David, 'till just about the time in 
 which Saul must die ; and then behold, David's 
 Ziklag is burnt with fire, and himself stript naked 
 of harbour ! i Sa. xxx. i. But what matter ! The 
 time of Saul's life, as well as of David's Ziklag, 
 was now upon expiring ; for within three or four 
 days after, David became the king of Israel. 
 
 1 Sa. xxxi. 1 — 6. 
 
 And thus also it was with the Babel-beast : His 
 time expired, when the captivity of Israel was upon 
 the finishing : then was the time of his land come, 
 and ' in that ' very ' night was Belshazzar the king 
 of the Chaldeans slain. ' Da. v. 25—30. 
 
 Thus therefore it will happen to the church in 
 the latter days : her place of shelter in the wilder- 
 ness ; her Ziklag will be taken from her, about 
 the time that the war that the beast has to make 
 \ipon the woman and her seed shall be finished. 
 But now the church is not therefore immediately 
 delivered, when her Ziklag is taken from her ; for 
 after that, the beast levieth a new war, to the over- 
 coming and killing of the church : I say therefore, 
 that this is a sign, not of the downfall of Antichrist, 
 but of the approach thereof: for the church's bon- 
 dage shall continue but three days, and a little 
 after this [shall be her deliverance]. Much like 
 to this was that of David ; for after he had lost 
 his Ziklag, for two or three days he had sore dis- 
 tress : but lo, then came the kingdom to him. 
 
 Indeed, sense and reason saith, it is a fearful 
 thing for the church of God to be exposed to the 
 rage of her enemy all over the world at once ; and 
 that all nations should shut up their gates, let 
 
 down their portcullises, bolt up their doors, and 
 set open their flood-gates to destroy them : but so 
 wiU be the dispensation of God, to the end delive- 
 rance may be the sweeter, and the enemies fall the 
 more headlong, and the arm of God the more mani- 
 fest, both /or the one, and against the other. And 
 in this will that scripture be fulfilled: 'And there 
 shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since 
 there was a nation - - and at that time thy people 
 shall be delivered, every one that shall be found 
 written in the book. ' Da. xu. i. 
 
 Let us gather up what has been said again; 
 namely, that it is a sign of the approach of the 
 ruin of Antichrist, when God's church can find no 
 more shelter in the wilderness ; because when her 
 Ziklag is burned, the time of the war that the 
 beast is to make against her, is finished. Where- 
 fore, when she hath given one desperate struggle 
 more, and laid the church of God, or his witnesses, 
 for dead, in the street of his great city, for three 
 days and an half, then comes the kingdom, and 
 the long, long-looked-for rest and glory. Where- 
 fore it remains, that an angel should stand in the 
 sun, and make proclamation to all the fowls that 
 fly in the midst of heaven, to gather themselves 
 together to the supper of the great God: 'That 
 ye may eat the fiesh of kings, and the flesh of 
 captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the 
 flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them ; and 
 the flesh of aU men, both free and bond, both small 
 and great. ' He. xix. la This is to be after the forty- 
 two months of the beast ; and consequently, after 
 the thousand two hundred and threescore days that 
 the church was to be in sackcloth ; yea, after the 
 resurrection of the witnesses, as is evident by that 
 which follows : 'And the beast was taken, (that 
 is, after the second year) and with him the false 
 prophet that wrought miracles before him, with 
 which he deceived them that had received the 
 mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his 
 image. These both were cast alive into a lake of 
 fire burning with brimstone. ' v. 20. 
 
 SECOND sig:t. 
 
 Secondly, Another sign of the approach of the 
 ruin of Antichrist, is this : towards the end of her 
 reign, the nations will be made to see her baseness, 
 and to abhor her and her ways. They will, I say, 
 be made to see these things, in order to her ruin: 
 also, when they shall be made to see, her ruin will 
 not be far oif. For so long as the nations and their 
 rulers shall continue in that dead sleep that she hath 
 bewitched them into, by their drinking of the wine 
 of her fornication ; so long we have no ground to 
 think that her ruin is at the door : but when God 
 shall lay her before kings, and shall discover her 
 nakedness to the nations, then be siu-e her destruc- 
 
01' ANTICHEIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 CI 
 
 tioii is at hand. Hence you read, that precedent 
 to her downfall: An angel comes down from heaven, 
 and enlightens the earth with his glory. Ke.x.i. 
 [The earth;] that is, the kingdoms, countries, and 
 nations where the woman sitteth, or they that her- 
 der thereupon. [ErdigMened ;] to let them see the 
 filthiness of the whore. [ With his glory;] with the 
 doctrine that he had commission to preach against 
 her, for the discovering of her lewdness to the earth. 
 This also was the way that God took with hack- 
 shding Israel of old, (and she was a type of our 
 religious Babel) when he intended to bring her to 
 judgment for her sins ; Eze. xri. 37. and this is the 
 way that God wiU take to destroy our religious 
 Antichrist, when he comes to deliver his people out 
 of her hand. 
 
 For though the people that suffer at her hand, 
 can do nothing against her, but lay, in prayers and 
 tears against her before the God of heaven, and 
 bear their witness against her before the gods of 
 the earth ; yet when kings shall come to be con- 
 cerned, and they will count themselves concerned 
 when they shall see how they have been deceived 
 by her; then let her look to it. 'Behold, I am 
 against thee, saith the Lord of Hosts ; and 1 wiU 
 discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew 
 the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy 
 shame. And I will east abominable filth upon 
 thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a 
 gazing-stock.' And what follows? 'And it shall 
 come to pass, that all they that look upon thee, 
 shall flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste : 
 who will bemoan her? whence shall I seek com- 
 forters for thee ? ' Na. iii. 5—7. 
 
 Wherefore, there wants nothing but that she be 
 discovered to the nations and their kings ; for did 
 they but see her, though they lay yet in her bosom, 
 they would rise up against her, that she must die : 
 wherefore it is written again, I will ' bring forth a 
 fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, 
 and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in 
 the sight of all them that behold thee.' Eze. xxviii. is. 
 
 The chief of the wisdom of Antichrist this day is 
 laid out, if perhaps by it she may cover her naked- 
 ness, and keep it from the eyes of kings and their 
 people. But God has said it shall not avail : 
 ' Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame 
 shall he seen : I will take vengeance, and I will 
 not meet thee as a man. ' I?, xivii. 3, But how will he 
 make her naked? Verily, by kings. But how 
 shall kings do it ? Why, by virtue of the glory of 
 the angel : yea, they ' shall make her desolate and 
 naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with 
 fire. ' Re. jtvii 10. 
 
 Let this, I pray, be considered. That Antichrist 
 shall not down, but by the hand of kings. The 
 preacher then kills her soul, and the king kills her 
 body. And why should not the kings have it 
 
 granted unto them, that she should fall by their 
 hand ? the kings are those that she has abused, 
 that she has in the grossest manner abused, and 
 has served herself of them : but the time of the end 
 of Antichrist, mystery Babylon is coming, ' and 
 then many nations and great kings shall serve 
 themselves of him. ' Je. xxvu. 7. * 
 
 Nor shall all the tricks, lies, and deceit under 
 which formerly she used to shroud herself, be able 
 to prove a bahn to her any longer : No, ' hi vain 
 shalt thou use many medicines ; ' for no cure shall 
 be vmto thee ; ' the nations have heard of thy 
 shame.' Je. xivi. 11. 13. 
 
 Babylon has for a long time been * a lady of 
 kingdoms,' and 'a golden cup in the Lord's hand:' 
 the nations also have largely drank of her cup, and 
 the kings have committed fornication with her 
 Re. xviii. 3. But now the angel is come down, and 
 hath enlightened the earth with his glory. Where- 
 fore now it follows immediately, ' Babylon is fallen I 
 is fallen ! ' That is, in the eyes and esteem of the 
 nations, as well as otherwise. 
 
 True, some of the kings will bewail her fall, and 
 will cry, Alas! Alas! when they see that they can- 
 not help her ; for that they shall see, as is evident, 
 because they stand afar off to lament her, ' afar off 
 for the fear of her torment. ' The kings therefore 
 into whose hands God shall deliver her, and who 
 shall execute his judgments upon her, shall be 
 more mighty and powerful to bring her down, than 
 shall be the whole world besides to uphold her. 
 
 The Protestant Kings. 
 
 And this observe further. That as the kings that 
 shall hate her, shall hate her because in the liirht 
 of the glory of the angel they are made able to see 
 her filthiness ; so the kings that shall bewail her, 
 are such as in judgment are left in the dark, and 
 that shall be bewitched by her to the end. This 
 therefore wiU let us see something of the meaning 
 of God, in that he has drawn off from her some of 
 the kings already; to wit, that he might train them 
 up by the light of the gospel, that they may be 
 expert, like men of war, to scale her walls, when 
 the king of kings shall give out the commandment 
 to them so to do. 
 
 There has been a great deal of talk in the coun- 
 tries about the ruin and destruction of Babylon ; 
 
 * The reailer must not misunderstand the words, ' The king 
 kills her hody.' Bunyan does not in the slightest degree con- 
 cede to kings or nations a right to interfere with ' the soul' or 
 religious principles or practices — these are to be slain, if false, 
 by persecution of the preacher. Kings and nations will restore 
 to the people the immense property and revenue of which they 
 have been plundered, under the hollow knavish pretence of 
 cui'ing souls and forgiving sins. Thus will human laws kill 
 the body of Antichnst. Every motive for professing to believe 
 absm'dities and contradictions will be at an end, when neither 
 rule nor honour, nor pelf is to be gained by hypocrisy. — Ed. 
 
&2 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS EUIN. 
 
 but could we see more of the kings engaged against 
 her, we should hope groundedly that her fall was 
 at the door. Well, blessed be God for what kings 
 there are, and the Lord turn the hearts of many 
 more to hate her. 
 
 Some, as I said before, have adventm-ed to fore- 
 tell the time of her downfall ; but give me the signs 
 thereof. This therefore is a sign, a sign that her 
 downfall approaches, when God shall lay her naked- 
 ness before the nations, and put it into the hearts 
 of kings to abhor her. The signs of the times the 
 Lord Jesus would have us mind ; and because the 
 Jews neglected them, though as to the time they 
 hit pretty right, yet they missed of the thing that 
 the time brought forth. 
 
 THIBD SIGN. 
 
 Thirdly, A third sign of the approach of the ruin 
 of Antichrist, is this: ' When Babylon is become the 
 habitation of devils, <fec.,' then the downfall thereof 
 is upon us. True, Babylon was always an habita- 
 tion for devils; but not an habitation cmly for them; 
 Israel once dwelt there, and our Antichrist was 
 sometimes a place of residence for good men. The 
 meaning then, is. When you shall see the church 
 and people of God so forsake her that she is left in 
 a manner to herself, and to her disciples, then she 
 is to fall quickly. When you hear it proclaimed 
 by them that are yet in her, of God's people, ' We 
 would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: 
 forsake her, and let us go every one into his own 
 country:' Je. ii.9. Then she will soon be hissed out 
 of the world: for this is the way of the wisdom of 
 God; namely, to bring his people out of a city or 
 place, when he intends the ruin of that place. When 
 God was about to destroy the old world, he put his 
 Noah into an ark : when God was about to destroy 
 Sodom, he sent his Lot away thence to Zoar: when 
 Christ was about to destroy Jerusalem, he bid his 
 disciples flee from the midst of that : and when 
 there shall be by God a hissing for his people; and 
 when they shall hear him, and obey, and gather to 
 him, then you shall see what will become of this 
 enemy of Christ : ' I will hiss for them, and gather 
 them; for I have redeemed them.' Ze. x.8— 12. 
 
 I say therefore, when Babylon shall become the 
 habitation of devils, a hold for all foul spirits, and 
 a cage for every imclean and hateful bird, then 
 Babylon is faUen. 
 
 And thus the angel that lightened the earth 
 with his glory, proclaimed, 'Babylon the great is 
 fallen ! is fallen ! and is become the habitation of 
 devils, and a hold for every foul spirit, and a cage 
 for every unclean and hateful bird. ' Wherefore it 
 must be, that by that her time is come that she 
 should fall, God wiU have gleaned his people from 
 the midst of her. And when God shall have gleaned 
 Ills people from the midst of her, those that are left 
 
 behind will appear more than ever to be what they 
 are, to wit, devils, foul spirits, and hateful birds ; 
 wherefore, now will Antichrist appear in his own 
 most proper colours. 
 
 But to comment a little upon the words. 
 
 Babjlon 'Mystery Babylon. ' Ee. xvii. 5. The anti- 
 christian church. 
 
 ' Is fallen ! Is fallen ! ' In the eyes and faith 
 of the godly, by her dropping into the dregs of 
 degeneracy, and so is become the habitation of 
 devils, he, in order to her falling into utter and 
 unavoidable destruction for ever. 
 
 'Is become.' That is, through the labour of the 
 fanners and winnowers that God hath sent to fan 
 Babylon, and to fetch out his people, that she 
 might be left to her chaff: 'I wiU send (saith God 
 to Babylon) fanners, that shall fan her, and shall 
 empty her land (of good men;) for in the day of 
 trouble they shall be against her round about. 'Je. u. 2. 
 
 'An habitation of devils.' Devils: not such by 
 nature, but by practice. Incarnate devils. For 
 when the time is come that Babylon must be de- 
 stroyed, she shall be found to be an habitation for 
 the most vile of the sons of men. For as devils 
 have acted towards the world, so shall the sons of 
 this sorceress, and this whore, act towards Christ 
 and his members in the latter days. And, perhaps, 
 the departing of Zion from the midst of her, will 
 blow her up into this spirit of devilism. Let God's 
 people therefore, when Antichrist is towards her end, 
 look for nothing from her, but what the devil, in 
 times past, used to do; to wit, aU sinful subtilty, ma- 
 lice, wrath, fraud, deceit, lying, murder, false accus- 
 ings, and implacable madness of spirit to do them 
 mischief. (But Lord God ! think I, what wiU become 
 of good men ! and where will they be safe in such 
 days ? Only 1 comfort myself, by saying to myself 
 again, this a sign that the ruin of Antichrist is at the 
 door.) But this I say, he must needs be a tuneable 
 man, that shall be able in those days to sing this song 
 to himself at all seasons : for this is to drive reason 
 backward, and to set the cart before the horse. 
 For what will the good man's reason say, when it 
 seeth all Babylonians are become devils, but that 
 the church of God will certainly be torn in pieces? 
 But behold! the text and the Holy Ghost runs 
 counter. ' Babylon is fallen ! is fallen ! and (or, 
 for it) is become the habitation of devils. ' These 
 words for certain are the words of an holy angel ; 
 for it could not have entered into the heart of mere 
 man to have conceived them. 
 
 'An habitation.' To be an habitation- (for 
 devils) is to be their house, their dwelling-place, 
 their place of privilege, their place of rest and 
 abode, or thither whither they have right to go. 
 And thus will Babylon be ; that is, an house, an 
 habitation, a dwelling-place, and a place of rest, 
 only for devilish-minded men ; thither may such 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 63 
 
 men come ; . for such her doors staud open, and 
 there may such inhabit. When therefore you see 
 good men come out thence, and all sorts of wicked 
 men flock in thither, then know that Babylon is 
 near her end. 
 
 'And a hold for every foul spirit.' Understand 
 by spirit, either those that are devils by nature, or 
 such as are such otherwise. But I think that the 
 angel chiefly intends all manner of unclean and filthy 
 spirits ; and so the ichurch and members of Baby- 
 lon, their only place of safety : Or if you imder- 
 stand it of the uncleanness of the spirits and minds 
 of men, then the meaning is, that they are called 
 foul spirits, in allusion to those of devils which go 
 by the same name. Ma. ii. 25. But however, or which 
 way soever taken, it seems Babylon is their held ; 
 that is,' their place of defence : For by an hold, 
 we often understand a place of strength, a castle, 
 a fort, a tower ; so that these devils, these foid- 
 spirited men, these Babylonians, will not only find 
 house-room and harbour in Babel, but shelter, 
 defence and protection, when she is near her ruin : 
 yea, they wiQ find her an upholder to them, and a 
 countenancer of them, in all their foul and devilish 
 pranks ; yea, such an hold shall she be to such 
 foul spirits in such foul acts, that it shall not be 
 possible that they should be driven from her, or 
 from them : For an fiM is often taken in the scrip- 
 tures for a place that is impregnable, and must be 
 so taken here. This intimates then, that some 
 faint opposition by the kings and nations will be 
 made against these inhabiters, foul spirits, but to 
 little purpose, until the time of her land shall come ; 
 Je. xxviL 7. for in their hold they still wiU be secured 
 and defended from what reason, law and scripture 
 can or would do unto them. Thus then we see 
 how Babel, towards her end, wiU be filled, and 
 with what, to wit, with devils and foul spirits ; yea, 
 and that she will not only be an habitation, but a 
 place of defence for such. 
 
 'And a cage for every unclean and hateful bird. ' 
 Those that before are called devils, and foul spirits, 
 are also here called 'birds, unclean and hateful 
 beasts.' By the term \^Birds,'\ he may allude to 
 that of the prophet Isaiah, where these unclean 
 birds are mentioned. rmT. n— 17. And by cxige, he 
 may allude to the prophet Jeremiah, from whom, 
 as I think, the Holy Ghost takes those words ; but 
 then we must put men in the place of birds, and 
 the Babyloniom kingdom for the cage. Je. v. 37. 
 
 'Every unclean bird.' As was said before, a 
 hold for every foul spirit. These unclean birds 
 therefore are not all of one feather, or kind, but of 
 oS and everi/ kind ; and it intimates, that the worst 
 act of all professions, shall be, as in a cage, in 
 Babylon, a little before her downfall. But I say, 
 if they will not be all of one feather, yet in their 
 temper they wiU somewhat agree, being either in 
 
 shape, monstrous; of aiypel'de, ravenous; or, of 
 indination, lovers of the night. For of all these 
 sorts were the forbidden, or unclean birds among 
 the Jews. Now since these unclean birds are not 
 all of one feather, or kind, it intimates that tho 
 basest of all sorts, sects, professions and degrees, 
 shall take shelter in Babylon towards her end ; and 
 that they shall there, in their temper, unanimously 
 agree to show themselves monstrous, to devour and 
 eat up the poor and needy, and to blow out the 
 light of the gospel. 
 
 'A cage.' Not to imprison them in, but for 
 them to sit and sing in, to confer their notes in, 
 to make melodious music in; I mean, melodious 
 to their own thinking ; for the ass thinks that he 
 sings fuU favouredly, and the owl endeavours to 
 lift up her voice above all the birds of the wood : 
 But it will be a prediction of her fall, and that her 
 ruin is at the door. 
 
 Of these birds Zephaniah speaks, when he pro- 
 phecies of the downfall of Nineveh, saying, 'The 
 cormorant and the bittern [shall] lodge in the 
 uppermost lintels of it, their voice shall sing in 
 the windows ; (when) desolation shaU be in the 
 thresholds. ' Zep. ii. 14. An unseasonable time to sing 
 in ; for when death is coming in at the door, mourn- 
 ing should be in the chambers. But this is the 
 judgment of God, That she should be a cage for 
 every imclean bird to sing iu; even then when her 
 destruction and desolation cometh upon her. 
 
 To sing, as in a cage, doth also denote security, 
 and that the heart is far from fear ; for she saith, 
 ' I shall see no sorrow, in that hour in which her 
 judgment comes." 
 
 But is this a sign of the approach of the ruin 
 of Antichrist ? And must those that shall live to 
 see those days, rejoice when these things begin to 
 come to pass ? Are not these things rather a sign 
 that the utter overthrow of the church of God is at 
 the door ? Indeed, to sense it is, and reason will 
 be apt to say so : But hark what the Holy Ghost 
 saith ! ' She is faU^ ! is fallen now ! ' 
 
 When therefore we shall see men like devils ; 
 yea, every foul spirit, and hateful bird, flock to, 
 and take shelter in Babylon; let us not be 
 frighted or dejected, but pluck up our hearts, and 
 say. This is one of the signs that the downfall of 
 Babylon is near. Wherefore it follows, after that 
 the prophet had told us that these birds should 
 dwell in the land of the people of God's curse. 
 Is. xxxiT. That ' the wUdemess and the solitary 
 place shall be glad for them ; (for that they are 
 there) and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as 
 the rose ; It shall blossom, (saith he) abundantly, 
 and rejoice even with joy and singing: The glory 
 of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency 
 of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of 
 the Lord, amd the excellency of our God.' And to 
 
M 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST; AND HIS BUIN. 
 
 support the weak from those fears that in those 
 days ■will be pulling of them down, he adds, 
 ' Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the 
 feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful 
 heart, Be strong, fear not : behold, yom- God will 
 comeimih vengeance, even God with a recompence; 
 he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the 
 blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall 
 be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as 
 an hart, and the tongue of the dmnb sing: for 
 in the wilderness shall waters break out, and 
 streams in the desert. And the parched ground 
 shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of 
 water; In the habitation of dragons, where each 
 lay, shaM be grass with rfeeds and rushes. And 
 an highway shall be there, and a way, and it 
 shall be called. The way of holiness ; the unclean 
 shall not pass over it ; but it shall he for those : 
 the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err 
 therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous 
 beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found 
 there ; but the redeemed shaU walk tJiere. And 
 the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come 
 to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their 
 heads : They shall obtain joy and gladness, and 
 sorrow and sighing shall flee away. ' Is. jmt. 
 
 What say ye now, ye sons of God ! Will you 
 learn to make a judgment of things according to 
 the mystery of the wisdom of God, or wiU ye 
 longer conclude according to sense and reason: 
 ' He turneth the shadow of death into the morning : ' 
 Am. r. 8. And commands oft-times, that the fairest 
 day should succeed the foulest night. WTierefore, 
 when we see these devils, foul spirits, and unclean 
 birds in Babylon ; yea, when we see good men 
 leave her, and the vilest run in to her, then let us 
 sing the angels' song, and say, ' Babylon the great 
 is fallen ! is fallen ! and is become the habitation 
 of devils, and a hold for every foul spirit, and a 
 cage for every unclean and hateful bird. ' 
 
 FOURTH SIGN. 
 
 Fourtldy, Another sign of the approach of the 
 ruin of Antichrist, is, ' The Slaying of the Wit- 
 nesses : ' For the witnesses are to be slain before 
 the fall of Antichrist ; and that by the hand of 
 the beast, who shall manage the members of Anti- 
 christ, having qualified them before that work, 
 with those qualifications of which you read in the 
 sign foregoing. For what can better fit a genera- 
 tion for such a work, than to be themselves aU 
 turned devils, and also succourers of all foul spirits. 
 Wherefore, they must be the wickedest of men that 
 shaU do this : the very scum of the nations, and 
 the very vilest of people. Nor is this a new notion : 
 God threatened to give his sanctuary 'into the 
 hands of strangers for a prey, and to the wicked 
 
 of the earth for a spoil;' Eze.vii. -21. To robbers, 
 burglars, and they should defile it. ver. 23. Agp,in, 
 saitli God of his people, ' I will bring the worst of 
 the heathen, and they shall possess their houses.' 
 ver. 2i. For the truth is, this work is too bad for 
 men either of reason or conscience to be found in 
 the practice of. The hangman is usually none of 
 the best : The witnesses are also to be slain ; but 
 not a man, but a beast must slay them , ' a deii 
 of thieves, a hold of foul spirits, ' must do it. 
 
 That the witnesses must be slain before the fall 
 of Babylon, has been hinted already. Also, that 
 their death is a forerunner of the ruin of Antichrist, 
 has before been touched upon ; but in this place I 
 shall a little enlarge. 
 
 And therefore I proceed : ' And when they shall 
 have finished their testimony, the beast that 
 ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war 
 against them, and shall overcome them, and kill 
 them. And their dead bodies shaUlie in the street 
 of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom 
 and Egypt, where also our Lord was ■crucified. 
 And they of the people, and kindreds and tongues 
 and nations shall see their dead bodies three daya 
 and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to 
 be put into graves. ' ' And after three days and an 
 half, the spirit of life from God entered into them, 
 and they stood upon their feet j^- and great fear fell 
 upon them which saw them. And they heard a 
 great voice from heaven, saying unto them. Come 
 up hither : And they ascended up to heaven in a 
 cloud ; and their enemies beheld them.' Ee. xi. 7—13. 
 
 Thus you see their death is before their deliver- 
 ance. Also their death is to be by the hand of the 
 beast ; to wit by the men that have and hold his 
 mark, and that of his image, and that are of the 
 number of his name. You see also that their death 
 is not only a fore-runner of their deliverance, but a 
 sign that their deliverance is at the door; since 
 the one is but three days and a half before the 
 other. 
 
 And if a short comment upon this text will give 
 a little light to the reader, I shall not count my 
 labour lost. 
 
 ■And when they shall have finished their tes- 
 timony, when, or about the time they have done 
 their work of witness-bearing for God in the world ; 
 When they have made or are making an end of 
 giving their testimony for Christ, and against the 
 witchcrafts, idolatries, sorceries, fornications, thefts, 
 murders, and wickedness of Antichrist : Then and 
 not till then. 
 
 ' The beast that ascended out of the bottomless 
 pit.' The heasl: The power that carrieth and 
 beareth up Antichrist, the mother of harlots : The 
 beast upon which the woman sitteth, and by the 
 heads and horns of which she is protected and de- 
 fended ; he is said to ascend out of the bottomless 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 65 
 
 pit ; for that he manifesteth by his doings, that he 
 was horn there, and came to [do] the work of the 
 king thereof. 
 
 ' Shall make war against them.' We read that 
 he made war against them all the time of their 
 prophesying in sackcloth, while they were hearing 
 their testimony against his doing ; and that his 
 commission was, That he should have leave to make 
 war so long. Re. xii. 6. But here we read again, that 
 when they had finished their testimony, and so 
 consequently he had run out the time of his first 
 commission for war, he makes war again. So that 
 this war which now he raiseth against them, seems 
 to be another, a new war, and such as is grounded 
 upon other, to wit, new arguments, besides those 
 upon which his first war stood. By his first war, 
 he sought to beat down and overthrow their testi- 
 moTiy. Ko. xiii. *. By this war he seeketh to over- 
 throw tliemsdves. The first war he made, was 
 grounded upon a vain conftdenoe of his abihty to 
 destroy their faith ; but this last was grounded 
 upon madness against them, because their testi- 
 mony had prevailed against him : Wherefore, Tor- 
 ment, wherewith these witnesses by their testimony 
 tormented him and his followers, was the cause of 
 this last war. And this is insinuated when he 
 saith, ' They make merry for their victory over 
 them, because these two prophets,' (to wit, by their 
 testimony,) ' tormented tliem that dwelt on the 
 earth. ' K«. xi. 10. 
 
 The beast therefore will make a war against the 
 witnesses all the time of their prophesying in sack- 
 cloth, which will be a thousand two hundred and 
 threescore days. Re. xii. 6. In all which time they 
 shall give,him the foil, and overcome him by their 
 faith and testimony ; and be proclaimed more than 
 conquerors over him, through the Christ that loved 
 them. But now in this second war he overcomes 
 them, 'he overcomes them, and kills them.' 
 
 Jezebel for a long time made war against Elias 
 the prophet, seeking to overthrow the worship of 
 God which he maintained, and to establish the re- 
 ligion of Baal: But when she saw that by all she 
 could do she got nothing, but that the prophet got 
 the day of her worship, priests and worshippers, 
 1 Ki. xviii. SO— 40. she breaks out into a rage, as one 
 tormented almost to death, and raises a new war; 
 not now against his religion, but 'his person, and 
 desperately swears by all the gods that she had. 
 That by to-morrow that time the Hfe of the pro- 
 phet should be as the life of one of her priests 
 whom he had slain for an idolater, i Ki xix. 2. When 
 the devil sees that he cannot do by argument, he 
 will try if he can by blows. 
 
 When Zedekiah, the son of Chenanah, saw that 
 with argument he could not overcome Micaiah, he 
 steps to him, and takes him a box of the ear. i 
 la. xxii. 2-1. This new war, is a box of the ear which 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 the beast will give the witnesses, because they 
 overcame him by their faith and testimony, all the 
 time that the first war lasted. 
 
 Now how long this second war will last, and 
 what strugglings the witnesses will make before he 
 shall overcome them, I know not : This I know, 
 that the text saith, ' By this war he shall overcome 
 them. ' 
 
 'And shall overcome them.' Saints are not 
 said to be overcome, when they are imprisoned, 
 banished, and killed for their faithful testimony : 
 No, by these things they overcome. T6 overcome 
 then, is to get the mastery, to subdue, to turn out 
 of possession, to take and hold captive, to strip 
 the subdued of power and privilege, as is suflSciently 
 manifest both by scripture and reason : ' For of 
 whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought 
 in bondage. ' 2 Pe. ii. 19. 
 
 So then, when he is said to overcome them, it 
 is meant, he shall get the mastery of them, they 
 shall grow faint before him, have no heart or spirit 
 to hear up in their profession against him : Against 
 him, I say, as she did the thousand two hundred 
 and threescore days' war with him ; for then they 
 were overcomers, and did bear away the garland. 
 
 Nor do I, for my part, wonder at this, when I 
 consider that these witnesses are a succession of 
 good men; and that when Israel came out of 
 Egypt of old, the feeble and weak-handed did come 
 behind. De. xxv. 17—19. It will be the lot therefore 
 of the church, in the latter end of the reign of the 
 beast, to be feeble and weak in their profession, 
 the valiant ones having gone before: These will 
 come, when those that were able have bravely borne 
 their testimony, or when they are upon finishing 
 of that : In comparison of whom, they that come 
 after will be but hke eggs to the cocks of the game: 
 wherefore they must needs be crushed, cowed, and 
 overcome. And then will the beast boast himself, 
 as did his type of old, and say, ' My hand hath 
 found as a nest the riches of the people : and as 
 one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered 
 all the earth ; and there was none that moved the 
 wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. 'is. x. 14. 
 
 A sad time, and it is to happen to the people 
 that are left, to the latter end of the witness-bearers; 
 and that too when they shall have finished their 
 testimony. 
 
 Of this tyranny the cruelty of Amalek was a 
 type ; who, as was hinted before, smote the hin- 
 dermost, the weak: But his judgment is, That 
 ' he shall perish for ever.' 
 
 'And shall overcome them.' There are two 
 ways of overcoming ; to wit, by power and pohcy: 
 And perhaps by both these ways they may be 
 overcome. However, overcome they shall be ; 
 for so saith the holy word of God ; yea, the 
 beast shall overcome them. Wherefore the church 
 
 T 
 
05 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 of God, at that day, will be under such a cloud 
 as she never was since Christ's day. Now how 
 long they shall thus be held captive before they 
 are brought to execution ; whether the beast will 
 ride in triumph while they are in his bonds ; or 
 whether he wiU suddenly kill them ; that time, and 
 observation, and experience, must make manifest : 
 But kill them he shall, that's most certain, for so 
 says the Holy Ghost. 
 
 ' And shall overcome them, mid hWt tliem. ' ' In 
 this method therefore God will suffer the beast to 
 proceed with the church of God, after she has 
 sufficiently borne her testunonyfor him in the world. 
 He shaU ' war agamst them,' but that is not all : 
 He shall overcome them, but that is not all ; he 
 ' shall overcome them, and kill them. ' 
 
 ' And kill them, ' Of their slaughter also I 
 shall speak a word or two. But first I would 
 note, as all know, that there is a difference to be 
 put betwixt kOling and overcoming: For though 
 every one that is killed, is overcome : yet every 
 one that is overcome, is not killed: Ac. xxi 33. men 
 may be overcome, and yet live ; Je. m. n. but when 
 they are killed, it is otherwise: There may be a 
 cry heard from the mouth of them that are over- 
 come, but not from the mouth of them that are 
 killed : Ei. xxxU. 18; Ac. vii. 34. They that are overcome, 
 may consulttheirown enlargement and deliverance; 
 but they that are killed, cannot do so. I do there- 
 fore distinguish between hilled and overcame, be- 
 cause the text doth so : ' He shall make war 
 against them, and shaU overcome them, and kill 
 them. ' 
 
 ' And kill them. ' From these words therefore 
 I will take occasion to inquire, 
 
 1. How they ai'e to he considered as to this 
 slaughter. 
 
 2. What death they must die to accomplish this 
 prophecy. 
 
 First, How they are to he considered ? 
 
 I answer : Not in a carnal or natural, but in a ' 
 mystical sense. For, first, they are called wit- ' 
 nesses. Secondly, They are put under the number 
 of two: ' My two witnesses.' He. xi. 3. Both which 
 are to be mystically taken. 
 
 First, Because their testimony standeth not in 
 their words only, but in their conversation; yea, in 
 their suffering also : and that is a mystical witness- 
 bearing. 
 
 Secondly, They go under the number of two : 
 Not because there were indeed two such men in 
 the world, but because two are a sufficient number 
 to bear witness ; Ku. xxxv. 30; De. xrii. 6. & xix. is. and 
 God's church, in the most furious heat and rage of 
 Antichrist, has been at least of such a number of 
 professing saints, to proclaim against the beast and 
 his worship in the name of God. To think that 
 there have been two such men in the world, is ridi- 
 
 culous; for these witnesses must continue to givo 
 their testimony for God against Antichrist, a thou- 
 sand two hundred and threescore years. Nor can 
 they scripturally bear this title. Mi/ tvx> witnesses, 
 but with respect to their prophesying so long. The 
 witnesses therefore are nothing else but a succes- 
 sive church, or the congregation of God abiding 
 for him against Antichrist, by reason of a continual 
 succession of men that is joined by the special 
 blessing of God unto it. 
 
 Secondly, What death they must die ? I an- 
 swer. Not a corporeal one, but that which is mys- 
 tically such. And I choose to understand it thus, 
 because this suiteth best with their state and con- 
 dition, which is mystical. Besides, thus did they 
 (when they did overcome,) slay their enemies, even 
 with the fire or sword of their mouth: ' If any man 
 will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, 
 and devoureth their enemies : and if any man will 
 hurt them, he must in this manner be kUled. ' Ke. 
 xi. 5. As therefore they went about to kill their 
 enemies, so their enemies will kill them : But they 
 sought to kill their enemies by their testimony, as 
 to their antichristian spirit, and church state ; and 
 their enemies wiU kill them, as to their Christian 
 heat and fervency of mind ; and also as to their 
 Christian church state. So that, (at least so I 
 think,) there will be such ruins brought both upon 
 the spirit of Christianity, and the true Christian 
 church state, before this Antichrist is destroyed, 
 that there will for a time scarce be found a Chris- 
 tian spirit, or a true visible Uving church of Christ 
 in the world: Nothing but the dead bodies of these 
 will be to be seen of the nations ; nor them neither, 
 otherwise than as so many ruinous heaps. For 
 the love that I bear to the church of Christ, I wish, 
 as to this, I may prove a false prophet : But this 
 looks so like the text, and also so like the dispen- 
 sations of God with his church of old, that I can- 
 not but think it will be so. For the text, I have 
 spoken to that already ; wherefore I will now pre- 
 sent you with some things that look like parallel 
 cases. 
 
 First, When the church was coming out of 
 ^gypt' just before they were delivered from Pha- 
 raoh, they were in their own eyes, and in the eyes 
 of their enemies, none other than dead : ' It had 
 been better (said they to Moses) for us to serve 
 the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wil- 
 derness.' Ex. xiv. 12 The people said so, Moses 
 feared, and Pharaoh concluded they were all dead 
 men. Ex. xu. 33. Also Paul tells us, ' that they were 
 baptized (that is, buried) unto Moses in the cloud, 
 and in the sea.' They were, for the time, to use 
 the expression, a dead churdi both in the eyes of 
 Pharaoh, in the eyes of Moses, and also in their 
 own. 
 
 And 'tis to be taken notice of; As the witnesses 
 
OP ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 fi7 
 
 in the text were slain but a little before tlie ruin 
 of Antichrist began ; so this church was baptized in 
 the sea but a little before great Pharaoh was 
 drowned there. 
 
 Secondly, In the time of Elias, which time also 
 was typical of this, what church was there to be 
 seen in Israel? None but what was under ground, 
 buried in dens, and in caves of the earth : Yea, 
 the prophet could see none, and therefore he cried 
 to God, and said. Lord, they have ' digged down 
 thine altars,' and slain thj prophets, 'and I am 
 left alone, and they seek my life. ' i Ki. xix. i*; Ro. xi. 
 3. What visible living church was now in the land, 
 I mean, either with reference to a godly spirit for 
 it, or the form and constitution of it? What was, 
 was known to God, but dead to every man alive. 
 
 Thirdly, ^Vhat was the dry hones that we read 
 of in the 37th of Ezekiel, but the church of God, 
 and also a figm-e of what we are treating of? And 
 why called dry hones, since the people were alive, 
 with their substance, wives, and children ; but to 
 shew, that that chm-ch of God was now, as to their 
 spirit and church-state, accounted as dead, not 
 only by themselves, but by the king of Babylon, 
 and the nations round about? Babylon then was 
 the valley, and the grave ; and the church of God 
 were the bones : Bones without flesh, sinews, or 
 skin ; bones exceeding dry ; yea so dry and dead 
 were they, that the prophet himself could not tell 
 whether ever they should live again. Eze. xxx™. 1—3. 
 Now this, as I said, was a state that was not to 
 end with the church of Israel, but to be acted over 
 once again by the beast with the church of the new 
 testament : Yea, it is an easy matter to make their 
 witnesses in this their death, and the church of 
 Israel in this their grave, in many things to sym- 
 bohze. 
 
 FourMy, Take another instance, or rather com- 
 parison, into which the church of God compared 
 herself, when under the king of Babylon's tyranny: 
 And that is, she counted herself as the dung that 
 the beast lets fall to the ground from behind him. 
 And doth this look like a visible church-state ? 
 Or has it the smell or savour of such a thing ? 
 Nejjuchadnezzar (said she) ' hath swaUowed me up 
 like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my de- 
 licates, he hath cast me out. ' Je. u. 3+. Pray, what 
 would you think of a man, of whom one should 
 tell you. That he was eaten up of a dragon; made 
 to fill the belly of a dragon ; and cast out as the 
 dung of a dragon ? Would you think that such 
 an one did all this while retain the shape, form, or 
 similitude of a man ? Why, thus the church said 
 she was, and thus the church shall be again : For 
 she is once more to be overcome, to be overcome 
 and killed ; and that by the beast, the dragon's 
 whelp, of which the king of Babylon was a type. 
 And therefore I conclude the premises ; that is. 
 
 That the beast will kill the church that shall be in 
 the latter days, as to her Christian spiritedness, and 
 her church-state. And I could further add, That 
 if we hold they die corporeally, we must conclude, 
 that their natural body being slain, shall lie three 
 years and a half in the street ; yea, that their re- 
 surrection shall be corporeal, <fcc. But why via 
 should think thus, as yet I can see no reason, 
 since the persons are such mystically ; the beast 
 mystically so ; the street in which they be, mysti- 
 cally such ; and the days of their unburied state, 
 to be taken mystically likewise. But we will pass 
 this, and descend to other things. 
 
 Fifthly, I will yet add another thing. When 
 Israel was coming out of Babylon ; yea, while 
 they were building of the temple of God, which was 
 a figure of our church-state now under the Gospel ; 
 they were not only troubled, hindered and molested 
 in their work, but were made for a time to cease, 
 and let the work lie, still. 
 
 ' Now (says the text) when the copy of king 
 Artaxerxes letter (which he sent to forbid the Jews 
 in their work) was read before Relimn and Shim- 
 shai the scribe, and their companions, they went 
 up in haste to Jerusalem imto the Jews, and made 
 them to cease by force and power. Then ceased 
 the work of the house of God which is at Jerusa- 
 lem. So it ceased unto the second year of the 
 reign of Darius king of Persia.' Ezr. iv. 33, si. 
 
 And I pray, since their temple-worship was a 
 type of a new-testament church state and worship, 
 what doth their causing of that work to cease sig- 
 nify to us, but that we must have a time also to 
 cease as they? And since their temple- work was 
 caused to cease before the house was finished, what 
 face could there be at present thereupon, but that, 
 to look to, it was hke some deformed, battered, 
 broken building, or as such an one that was begun 
 by foolish builders ? Yea, and since the Jews left 
 off to build God's house at the command of the 
 heathens, what did that bespeak, but that they had 
 lost their spirit, were quashed, and so as to their 
 temple-work, killed, as it were, to all intents and , 
 purposes ? And thus it will be, a little before the 
 church of God shall be set free from the beast, and 
 all his angels : For these things were writ for om- 
 admonition, to show us what shall be done here- 
 after; yea, and whether we believe or disbelieve 
 hereabout, time will bring it to pass. 
 
 I do not question but many good men have writ 
 more largely of this matter : but as I have not seen 
 their books, so I walk not by their rules. If I 
 mistake, the mistakes are only mine ; and if I shall 
 merit shame, I alone must bear it. 
 
 Some may think they have said enough, when 
 they assert, that for the witnesses to be killed, is, 
 To be dead in law. But I answerj That is not to 
 he cwercome. They are here said to be overcome ; 
 
G3 
 
 or ANTICHRIST, AWD HIS BUIN. 
 
 and that is more than to be dead in law : For a 
 man may be dead in law, and yet not be overcome; 
 and if so, then far enough off from being killed. 
 So then, for as much as they are said to be over- 
 come and hilkd, it must be more than to be dead 
 in law. Besides, the text supposeth that they had 
 yielded up, as dying men do, their souls, their spirit 
 of life into the hands of God : For it saith concern- 
 ing them. That at their resurrection, the spirit of 
 life from Gf od entered again into them : Into them^ 
 antecedent thereunto. ' And after three days and 
 an half the spirit of life from God entered into 
 them, and they stood upon their feet. ' Ee. n. ii. 
 Thus it was concerning the dry bones, of which 
 mention was made before : ' Then said he unto 
 me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, 
 and say to the wind. Thus saith the Lord God ; 
 Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe 
 upon these slain, that they may live.' Eze. xxxm. 9. 
 And thus much concerning their killing. 
 
 Now, as I said, since in death, the body doth not 
 only lie dead, but the spirit of life departs there- 
 from; it is to shew, that not only their bodies, 
 their church-state, shall die, (for ckwrches are called 
 
 bodies, l Co. sdL n-, Ep. uL 6. iT. 12. t. 33. & Col. i. 18.) but that 
 
 spirit of life that acted those bodies, shall be taken 
 up to God. There shall, for a time, be no living 
 visible church of Christ in the world : A church, 
 but no living church, as to church-state : A church 
 in ruins, but not a church in order : Even as there 
 was once a Christ, but no living Christ in the grave; 
 yet the gates of hell shall not prevail to an utter 
 overthrow thereof, no more than they prevailed to 
 an utter overthrow of Christ ; but as one did, so 
 shall the other, revive, and rise again, to the utter 
 confusion and destruction of their enemies : Yea, 
 and as Christ, after his resurrection, was, as to his 
 body, more glorious than he was before ; so the 
 witnesses, after their resurrection, shall be more 
 spiritual, heavenly, and exact in aU their ways, 
 than they were before they were killed. Besur- 
 recikms are always attended with new additions 
 of glory ; and so shall the church of God, as to her 
 church-state, be in the latter days. 
 
 But yet the beast shall not altogether have his 
 win, (if that at all was his will) that these wit- 
 nesses, in this second war, should be conquered 
 to a compliance with Antichrist in his foolish and 
 vain religion : For it is not with dead men to com- 
 ply ; but as they are dead to their own church- 
 state, so they are to his. When the Jews had 
 killed Christ, it was beyond all the art of hell to 
 cause that his body should see corruption; so when 
 the beast has lulled the witnesses, he shall not be 
 able to corrupt them with any of his vices. 
 
 Hence you find, that not the witnesses, but the 
 dwellers upon the earth were them that danced after 
 the devil's pipe, when he had fulfilled their murder. 
 
 I Nor doth this murder, as to the fulfilling of it 
 in those nations where the woman sitteth, seem to 
 be a great way off, if all be true that from foreign 
 parts some have said : For what a withdrawing of 
 God and of his Spirit is there already in some of 
 the churches of God ! The word worketh not that 
 sound repentance which it was wonttodo: Preachers 
 preach for little, but to spend themselves, as men 
 that are wounded do when with groans they let 
 out their life. Where (say some) is the spirit and 
 life of communion ? And where that practical 
 holiness that formerly used to be seen in the houses, 
 lives and conversations of professors ? The whole 
 head is sick, and the whole heart faint already ; 
 and bow long will it be before churches die of the 
 wound that the beast has given them, time must 
 make appear : But die I perceive they must ; for 
 if the wound already given will not kill, repeated 
 blows shall. 
 
 By all that I have said, I do not deny but that 
 many of the people of God may die corporeally, by 
 the hand of the beast, in this second war that shall 
 be made by him against the witnesses. But should 
 as many more die, that wUl not prove that that 
 death wUl be that that by the killing of the wit- 
 nesses is intended. 
 
 Some thing I would bestow upon the reader, for 
 him to carry with him as a memorandum, while 
 he reads this account of things : As, 
 
 First, This victory of the beast, is not to be un- 
 til the witnesses have finished their testimony; and 
 so by all that he shall do, he shall not hinder the 
 revelation of any of the truths that they either were 
 to bring to light, or to confirm by their witness- 
 bearing. 
 
 Witnesses are not always bound to speak: There 
 is a time 'to keep silence,' Ec. m.7. and 'thou shalt 
 be dumb. ' Eie. m. 26. But how shall we know when 
 this time is come ? 
 
 1 . When a sufficient testimony has been given 
 for Christ, and against Antichrist, before the God 
 of heaven ; for he must be the judge. 
 
 2. When her enemies forbear to plead against 
 her by argument, and rather betake themselves to 
 blows. Mat. r. 19. , 
 
 3. When the spirit of testimony-bearing is taken. 
 from the church ; for that is not essential to Chris- 
 tianity, but is given and taken away as there is 
 occasion. 
 
 4. When testimony-bearing becomes a vain or 
 needless repetition, when they have heard suffi- 
 ciently of things before. Jn. ix. 27. 
 
 Secondly, This victory of the beast shall not in- 
 validate or weaken their testimony ; no, not in the 
 eyes of the world ; for they wiE still remember, 
 and have a reverence for it : This is intimated by 
 this. That ' they of the people and kindreds and 
 tongues and nations — (that are neither the wit- 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 69 
 
 nesses, northey tliat in the next verse are called 
 the inhabiters, or they that dwell upon the earth,) 
 — shaJl not suffer their dead bodies to be [buried, 
 or be] put in graves.' Ee. xi. 9. 
 
 Thirdly, This shall not lengthen the reign and 
 tranquillity of the antichristian kingdom ; nor frus- 
 trate, drive back {or cause to tarry) the glorious 
 freedom and Uberty of the saints. 
 
 But some may say, This wUl be a SAD day. 
 
 So it wiU, and gloomy; but it wUl be but short, 
 and ' the righteoixs shall have dominion over them 
 next morning.' 'TwiQ last but three days and an 
 half ; nor shall it come, but for the sins of churches 
 and saints, and to hasten the downfall of the king- 
 dom of the beast, and for the sweetening to the 
 church her future mercies. Christ Jesus, our 
 Lord, in answer to the question of his disciples, 
 about the destruction of Jerusalem, presented them 
 with a relation of many sad things ; but when he 
 ■was come even to the hearts of men, and had told 
 ■them 'that they should fail for fear:' He said, 
 ' when these things begin to come to pass, then 
 look up, and Uft up your heads ; for your redemp- 
 tion draweth nigh. ' Lu. ixi. 25—38. 
 
 'Tis as ordinary as for the light to shiue, for 
 God to make black and dismal dispensations, to 
 usher in bright and pleasing [ones] ; yea, and the 
 more fi-ightful that is which goes before, the 
 more comforting is that which follows after. In- 
 stances in abundance might be given as to this, 
 but at present let this suffice that is here upon the 
 paper before us ; namely, the state of the witnesses, 
 with their glorious resurrection. 
 
 FIFTH SIGN. 
 
 Fifdily, Another sign of the approach of the 
 ruin of Antichrist, wUl be this : The great joy 
 that ■will be in her, and among her disciples, when 
 they shall see that the witnesses are slain, and he 
 dead upon the spot : • And they that dwell upon 
 the earth shaU rejoice over them, and make merry, 
 and shall send ^fts one to another ; because these 
 two prophets tormented them that dwell on the 
 earth. ' Ee. %i. lo. Babylon has been always a merry 
 city, and her disciples merry men ; but the poor 
 church of Christ has been sohtaiy, and as a ■wife 
 forsaken ; her tears upon her cheeks bear her ■wit- 
 ness, and so doth her sackcloth-weed. 
 
 Hence our Babylon, under the name of Nineveh, 
 is called, 'the rejoicing city. ' Zep. ii. 15. Only her 
 joy is distinguished from that which is the joy of 
 God's people, by these two things. 
 
 First, Either she rejoiceth in outward and carnal 
 glory, or else in the ruin of the church of God. 
 This last, to wit, the supposed ruin of the church 
 of God, is that which wiU be now the cause of her 
 glorying. And this is the joy that God complaineth 
 
 of, and for the which he said that he would punish 
 Babylon : ' Chaldea shall be a spoil : All that spoU 
 her shall be satisfied, saith the Lord. Because 
 ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, ye destroyers 
 of mine heritage,' &c. Je. i. lo, ii. The joy therefore 
 of Babylon, Antichrist ; the joy that she shall con- 
 ceive in her heart upon the slaughter of the wit- 
 nesses, is a sure sign of her unavoidable ruin and 
 destruction. These two prophets tormented her; 
 they were to Babylon as Mordecai was to Haman, a 
 continual plague and eye-sore: As also was Da^vdd 
 to the wretched Saul : But now they are overcome, 
 now they are killed ; now she rejoiceth, and maketh 
 merry. And this her joy was of old prefigured by 
 them that in her spirit have gone before her : As, 
 
 First, When the Philistines had, as they thought, 
 for ever overcome Samson, that Nazarite of God, 
 how joyful were they of the victory ! ' Then the 
 lords of the PhUistines gathered them together for 
 to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and 
 to rejoice : for they said. Our god hath dehvered 
 Samson our enemy into our hand. And when 
 the people saw him, (saw 'h^^n m chains) they 
 praised their god : for they said. Our god hath 
 delivered into our hands our enemy, and the de- 
 stroyer of our country, ■which slew many of us.' 
 Ju. nvi. 33, 34. Poor Samson ! WhUe thou hadst thy 
 locks, thy liberty, and thine eyes, thou didst shake 
 the pillar that did bear up their kingdom ! But 
 now they have conquered thee, how great is their 
 joy! How great is their joy, and how near their 
 downfall ! This therefore is a joy that is like that 
 we have under consideration, to wit, the joy of 
 them that dwell upon the earth ; for that the wit- 
 nesses that did bear up the name of God in the 
 world, were overcome and kiUed. 
 
 Secondly, Like to this, is that which you read 
 of in the first book of Samuel, concerning the men 
 that had burnt David's Ziklag. Ziklag was poor 
 David's place of safety ; nor had he any else but 
 that under the whole heaven: But the children of 
 the east came upon it, and took it ; set it on fire, 
 and carried thence all David's substance, with his 
 wives and his children. (Very Ul done to a man 
 in affliction ; to a man that went always in fear of 
 his life, because of the rage of his master Saul.) 
 But how were they that had got the victory ? Oh ! 
 joyful, and glad, and merry at heart at the thoughts 
 of the richness of the booty? 'Behold, they were 
 spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drink- 
 ing, and dancing, because of aU the great spoU 
 that they had taken out of the land of the Phili- 
 stines (from Ziklag) and out of the land of Judah.' 
 1 Sa. %xx. 18. Here again you find a joy and merri- 
 ment hke these that we have under consideration, 
 and that upon such like accounts. Nothing pleases 
 the wicked more, than to see the godly go down 
 the wind ; for their words, and lives, and actions 
 
-70 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 are a plague and a torment to them : As 'tis said 
 of these two prophets, ' They tormented them that 
 dwelt on the earth.' 
 
 Thirdly, While the church of God lay dead in 
 Babylon, and as bones exceeding dry; what a 
 tramphng upon them was there by Belshazzar a 
 little before his death ! He called for his golden 
 and silver vessels that his father Nebuchadnezzar 
 had taken out of the temple of God that was at 
 Jerusalem, (those holy vessels once dedicated to 
 the worship and service of God) that his princes, 
 his wives and his concubines might drink therein. 
 An high affront to heaven : ' They drank wine, and 
 praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, 
 ,<if iron, of wood, and of stone.' Da. v. 4. And aR to 
 shew what a conquest, as he thought, he had got 
 over the God of heaven, and over his people that 
 dwelt in Jerusalem, and over his ordinances and 
 vessels used in his worship and service : Yea, this 
 he did with such joy that was no^ usual, as is inti- 
 mated by his doing of it before ' a thousand of his 
 lords,' and that till he had drank himself drunken. 
 But all this whUe, as was hinted before, the church 
 of God, as it were, lay dead at his feet ; or as the 
 phrase is, ' as bones exceeding dry. ' This too will 
 be the joy of the beast and his followers in the 
 latter days ; they will make war with the witnesses ; 
 they shall overcome them, and kill them; and 
 when that is done, they shaU rejoice over them, 
 and make merry. But as Belshazzar soon after 
 this, saw the hand-writing that made his knees 
 knock togetJier; and as he lived not to see the light 
 of another day; so 'twill be with the beast and his 
 followers ; the nest news that we hear upon this 
 mirth and jollity, is, the tenth part of his kingdom 
 falls, and so on till the whole is ruined. 
 
 Thirdly, Moab also, in the day that Israel was 
 taken captive by their enemies, could not forbear 
 but skip for joy, so glad was he in his heart thereat. 
 But what saith the jealous Lord ? ' Make ye him 
 drunken : for he magnified himself against the 
 Lord: Moab also shall - be in derision: For 
 was not Israel (saith God) a derision unto thee? 
 was he found among thieves ? for since thou spakest 
 of him, thou skippedst for joy.' Je.xlim.26,37. Of aU 
 things, God cannot away with this : For when the 
 wicked would rejoice that they have been suffered 
 to make havoc of the church of God, they deny 
 the wisdom and power by which they were permit- 
 ted to do this, and offer sacrifice to their own net 
 and drag ; iiab. i. is. which provoketh the holiness 
 of Israel : ' Shall the axe boast itself against him 
 that heweth therewith ? or shall the saw magnify 
 itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod 
 should shake itself against them that lift it up, or 
 as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no 
 v/ood.' But what follows? Wliy, burning and 
 consuming of soul and body of tliem tliat do such 
 
 a thing, is *. 15— 18. And this text I the rather 
 bring, because 'tis to be the portion of Antichrist. 
 
 And therefore let this be a caution to the men 
 that wonder after the beast, to caution them to 
 repentance, for he wiU assuredly go into perdition. 
 What ! shall the witnesses of God be killed ! Shall 
 the beast stand glorying over them while they are 
 dead, with his feet in their neck ? and shall none 
 be angry at it? Let them that love themselves 
 hok to themselves: God will be concerned, and 
 will assuredly for this quickly put a period to the 
 kingdom and reign of Antichrist. Je.l.13. 
 
 And although this glorying mistress of iniquity, 
 this Antichrist and Babylon, may say that her 
 power is the hammer of the whole earth; yet. God 
 will cut him in sunder, and break him in pieces 
 with his hovt-hmnmers,* with the kings t of tho 
 earth, that he will use to do this work withal ; that 
 is, when this last sign is fulfilled : I call it the h&i 
 sign ; I find none that doth intervene betwixt the 
 slaying of the witnesses, and the beginnings of the 
 ruin of Antichrist but this. 
 
 But a little to comment upon their joy, as the 
 Holy Ghost doth set it forth. The cause of their 
 joy we have touched already; which was, for that 
 they had slain their tormentors. For, as was 
 shewed you, the witnesses had been then* torment 
 ors : But when they shall overcome them, and kUl 
 them, they rejoice, make merry, and send gifts 
 one to another. 
 
 Tills repeating, and repeating with aggravation, 
 doth manifest, and at that day their joy will be 
 exceeding great : ' They shall rejoice, and make 
 merr}',' ifcc. They shall rejoice over them, over 
 their slain, their enemies, their tormenting ene- 
 mies. This joy therefore, is a joy that flows from 
 victory, from victory after a war that has lasted 
 a thousand two hundred and threescore years. 
 They shall rejoice, as they do that have a most 
 potent, vexatious, and tormenting enemy lying 
 dead at their foot, and as those that ride in triumph 
 over them. They shall therefore rejoice as con- 
 querors use to do, who make the slaughters of their 
 spoiled enemies the trophy of their joy. 
 
 For the devil, that great deceiver of mankind, 
 will so flush up and bewitch the men that wonder 
 after the beast, with the victory that they shall 
 get over the faithful witnesses for God and his 
 Son, that they will tliink ('twiU never be day) that 
 the victory is so complete, so universal, so thorough, 
 that the conquest must be lasting. And from sense 
 and reason they will have ground to think so ; for 
 
 * This is a very expressive term, but better understood by 
 Bimyan the brazier than by many of his readers. It is well 
 known to those who live near a coppersmith's, when thfee or 
 fom- athletic men are keeping up, bout and bout, incessant 
 blows upon n rivet, until their object is accomplished. — Bn. 
 
 t Protestant kings. 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 71 
 
 who now is left in the world any more to make 
 head against them ? but here comes in that which 
 will utterly spoil this joy; these conquered, killed, 
 dead men must come to life again, and then what's 
 become of their joy ? ' And great fear fell upon 
 them which saw them.' Ee. xi. ii. Wherefore, this 
 joy must fade and vanish : But, I say, the followers 
 of the beast will be far from thinking so ; for they 
 will ' rejoice over them, make merry, and send 
 gifts one to another,' concluding that these tor- 
 mentors shall never torment them more. But 
 Jacob's blessing upon his son Gad, shall be fulfilled 
 upon these witnesses : ' Gad (saith he) a troop 
 shall overcome him : but he shall overcome at the 
 last.' Ge.xUx. 19. So then thpse conquerors must 
 not always rejoice, though they will suppose they 
 shall, and also make merry too. 
 
 ' And make merry. ' To make merry, is more 
 than to rejoice. To rejoice, doth shew the present 
 act of the soul ; but to make merry, is to use the 
 means as wiU keep this joy ahve, and on foot. Joy 
 is one thing, and the continuance of it is another. 
 I Sa. KT. 36. Joy may be begotten by a conceit, a 
 thought ; but it cannot be maintained so ; because 
 dehberation wiU oome in and spoU it, Eb. v. 4. if suf- 
 ficient means is not used to continue it : wherefore 
 he adds, They rejoiced over them, ' And made 
 merry. ' 
 
 And there are five things that are usually made 
 use of to keep up wicked joy. 1. There is the 
 merriment of music. Lu. ct. 25. 32. 2. The merri- 
 ment of feasting. Ju. xk. 6, 9. 3. The merriment of 
 laughter. Ec. ». 19. 4. The merriment of fleshly 
 solace. Je. xiri. 4. 5. Revenge upon a supposed 
 enemy, asa. liii. 28. So then, by these five things we 
 see what is the way that sinful joy is maintained 
 in the hearts of wicked men ,- and also by what 
 means the limbs and brats of Antichrist will keep 
 up that joy that at first wUl be conceived in their 
 hearts at the thought that now they have killed 
 their tormentors. They shall have music. They 
 shall have feasting. They shall have laughter. 
 They shall have fleshly solace. And they shall 
 have their fill, for the time, of revenge. Thus 
 therefore shall they rejoice over them, and make 
 merry, all the time of that little, short everlasting 
 that they are to Hve in the world. 
 
 ' And make merry. ' To make merry, to make 
 wicked mirth, there must be a continual fraternity, 
 or brotherhood in iniquity, maintained among them, 
 and tliat where none may come to interrupt ; and 
 that they will be capable of doing any where then, 
 for that their toi-mentors wiU be dead. Wicked- 
 ness shall walk with open face in those days ; for 
 then there will be none ahve for God and his 
 ways ; wherefore, the beast and his tram may do 
 what they wUl; now will be the time for men to 
 live carelessly and wantonly, and to make their 
 
 wantonness their joy, (after the manner of the 
 Zidonians) for there vnS. be none to put them to 
 shame. ^ 
 
 ' And shall send gifts one to another.' This is 
 another token of their gladness, and also a means 
 to buoy them up still. And it wiU be a sign that 
 they have joined hand in hand to do this wicked- 
 ness, not dreaming of the pimishment that must 
 follow. This sending of gifts to each other, and 
 that after they have slain these two prophets, doth 
 also declare that they will be far from repentance, 
 for the commission of so great an offence. Nay, 
 it signifies further, that they were resolved, and 
 determined to quench all manner of convictions one 
 in another, that might arise in their hearts for the 
 sin which they had committed : for a gift blinds 
 the eyes of the wise, and perverts the judgment of 
 the righteous ; how much more then wUl it stifle 
 and choke appearances of such upon the spirits of 
 wicked men ! I question not at all but many have 
 been, by the favours and gifts of wicked men, 
 drawn do'mi into the belly of hell. 
 
 Now what these gifts will be, either as to kind 
 or quantity, that I can say nothing to : but pro- 
 bably, whatever they will be, there wiU be but 
 httle of their o^vn cost in them. Victors and con- 
 querors do use to visit their friends with their 
 spoils won in battle, with the spoil of the enemies 
 of their God. Eir. x. 7. 
 
 And this was David's way, after he had recovered 
 the loss that he had sustained at the burning of 
 his Ziklag ; he sent to his friends of what he had 
 taken from his enemies, as token of victory: 'David 
 sent of the spoil (says the text) unto the elders of 
 Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present 
 for you of the spoils of the enemies of the Loed ; ' 
 1 Sa. XXX. 26. And why may not those we have now 
 under consideration, do so to their god, and their 
 friends also ? Spoiling is like to be one of the last of 
 the mischiefs that Antichrist shall do to the church 
 of God in this world: And methinks, since the 
 beast will have power to overcome, and' to kUl, he 
 should also have power to take away: Da. xi. 83. 
 ' Hast thou killed, and also taken possession ? ' 
 said the prophet to wicked Ahab. 
 
 However, whatever their gifts may be, and at 
 whose cost soever bought, 'tis a sign their hearts 
 will be open, they shall send gifts one to another : 
 their merry days wiE then be come, and their ene- 
 mies will then be dead at their feet ; wherefore, 
 now they will have nothing to do but to rejoice 
 over them, and to make merry, and to send gifts 
 one to another. 
 
 Thus as to sense and reason, all shall be hush, 
 all shall be quiet and still : the followers of the 
 Latnb shall be do^ra ; the followers of the Beast 
 be up, cry peace and safety, and shall be as secure 
 as an hard heart, false peace, and a deceitful devil 
 
72 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS BUIN. 
 
 can make them. But behold! While they thus 
 ' suig in the windows, ' death is stradling over the 
 threshold ! Zep. ii. 14. While they are crying peace 
 and safety, sudden destruction cometh: By that 
 they have well settled themselves at their table 
 with Adonijah, 1 Ki. i. they shall hear it proclaimed 
 with sound of trumpet, the witnesses are risen 
 again. 
 
 Now the Christians' pipes will go again, and 
 surely the earth wiU be rent with the sound of their 
 shouts and acclamations, while they cry with joy- 
 ful sound, 'The kingdoms of this world are become 
 the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ ; and 
 he shall reign for ever and ever. ' Ke. xi. 15. 
 
 But woe to the wicked, it shall be ill with them ; 
 for the Lord Jesus will now begin to shew his 
 jealousy, and to make known his indignation 
 towards those that have thus cruelly slain his pro- 
 phets, digged down his altars, and made such 
 havoc of the afflicted church of God. is. bm. 14. Now 
 will he whet his glVtering sword, and his hand shall 
 take hold on vengeance, that he may render a re- 
 compence to his enemies, and repay them that hate 
 him. De. xxxii. 41. 
 
 But this he will not do immediately by himself, 
 but by such instruments as have been spoken of 
 before : of which more particularly to treat, shall 
 be that I shall next take in hand. 
 
 OF THE INSTRUMENTS THAT GOD WILL USE TO BUING 
 ANTICHBIST TO HIS KUIN. 
 
 Although I have hinted at this before, yet it 
 may be convenient briefly to touch it again. Anti- 
 christ, as I have told you, consisteth of soul and 
 body, and must be destroyed by such instruments 
 as may most properly be applied to each. Further, 
 As to the soul, spirit or life of Antichrist, and its 
 destruction, of that we have also spoken already : 
 It remains then that now we discourse of the ruin 
 of his body and flesh. 
 
 I then take it. That the destruction of her flesh 
 shall come by the sword, as managed in the hands 
 of kings, who are God's ministers for the punish- 
 ment of evil deeds, and the praise of them that do 
 well. Eo. xiii. Not that the church, even as a church, 
 shall be quite exempt and have therein no hand at 
 aU ; for she, even as such, shall with her faith and 
 prayers help forward that destruction. 
 
 The church therefore, as a church, must use 
 such weapons as are proper to her as such ; and 
 the magistrate, as a magistrate, must use such 
 weapons as are proper to him as such. When the 
 church of Israel were prisoners in Babylon, they 
 did not fight their way through their foes, and the 
 countries to Jerusalem; but waited in their capti- 
 vated state with patience, until the kings of the 
 Medes and Persians came to deliver them. Nor is 
 
 it to be slighted, but to be thought on seriously, that 
 before there was an Israelite captive in Babylon, 
 their deliverer Cyrus was prophesied of: which 
 Cyrus did afterwards come and take Babylon, and 
 deliver the captives, as it was foretold he should. 
 He saith unto Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd, and 
 shall perfoi-m all my pleasure : even saying to 
 Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built ; and to the temple, 
 Thy foundation shall be laid. ' I3. xliv. 28. And again, 
 ' Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, 
 whose right hand I have holden to subdue nations 
 before him, &c. I have raised him up in righte- 
 ousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall 
 build my city, and he shall let go my captives, 
 not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of Hosts.' 
 Is. xiv. 1, 13. And this accordingly he did, to wit, 
 when the time was come ; as may be seen in those 
 holy records where these things are made mention 
 of. Indeed, as I said, the church is not excluded; 
 2 Ch. xxxTi. 2. she may, and ought, with her faith and 
 prayer, and holy life, to second this work of kings, 
 Ezr. i. 2, 3. Wherefore, when God speaks of bringing 
 down the lofty city and of laying it low in the dust 
 by the church, he saith, they shall do it by their 
 feet, and with their steps : ' The foot shall tread it 
 down, eoen the feet of the poor, and the steps of 
 the needy. ' is. x.xvi. 6. - 
 
 By feet and steps, I understand the good hves 
 of the children of God : but now, when kings come 
 to deal with her, as kings, they serve her as 
 Samuel served Agag, as a judge, 'cut her in pieces 
 with their swords : ' or as you have it elsewhere, 
 ' They make her desolate and naked ; they eat her 
 flesh, and burn her with fire. ' The sword will be 
 put into their hands for this very purpose. Thus 
 therefore must their deliverance be begun. 
 
 It is also to be considered. That after these first 
 kings of the Medes and Persians had broken the 
 yoke of the king of Babylon from off the neck of 
 the captive church, and had given her license to go 
 to her place to build her temple and city, and to 
 sacrifice there according to the law of their God, 
 (as both in Ezra and Nehemiah we read;) and 
 when their work was hindered by under-officers, or 
 they endeavoured so to do, they pleaded the heense 
 that they received to build and sacrifice by the 
 decree of the first kings, and so finished their 
 deliverance: They went not on in headstrong 
 manner, as if they regarded neither king nor 
 Caesar: 'But Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and the rest 
 of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them,' 
 that sought to hinder their work, ' Ye have nothing 
 to do with us to build an house unto our God ; but 
 we oui-selves wiU build unto the Lord God of Israel, 
 as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded 
 us.' Ezr. iv. 3. And as they said, so also they did: 
 ' The elders of the Jews builded, and they pros- 
 pered through the prophesying of Haggai the 
 
OF ANTICHEIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 73 
 
 propliet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they 
 builded, and finished it, according to the com- 
 mandment of the God of Israel, and according to 
 the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and 
 Artaxerxes king of Persia. ' Ezr. vi. u. Yea, they 
 did not only accept of the kindness of kings, but 
 did acknowledge that kindness with thanksgiving, 
 as a gift of the God of heaven : for the kings had 
 commanded and given leave to the Jews to go to 
 Jerusalem, to build their temple, and to do sacrifice 
 there, according to the counsel of the priests that 
 were at Jerusalem, and according to the law of 
 God that they had in their hand. Ezr. vU. 13, 14. For 
 Artaxerxes sent Ezra the priest to enquire after 
 the condition that Jerusalem and Judah was in, 
 according to, or by the law of God that was in his 
 hand. ver. u. And he had license also further to 
 do with the king's silver and gold, which he gave 
 for the service of the hquse of the Lord, 'accord- 
 ing to the will, word or law of his God.' 'And 
 thou, Ezra, (says the king) after the wisdom of thy 
 God, (that is, after his word) that is in thine hand, 
 set magistrates and judges, which may judge all 
 the people that are beyond the river, all such as 
 know the laws of thy God ; and teach ye them that 
 know them not. And whosoever will not do the 
 law of thy God, (that is, worship, and walk by the 
 rule of his testament,) and the law of the king, 
 (that is, shall refuse to give Ezra such things as 
 by the king was appointed for Ezra's help in the 
 furthering of the worship of God, according to the 
 law of his God,) let judgment be executed speedily 
 upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banish- 
 ment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprison- 
 ment. ' Ezr. vii. 25, 3c. This was therefore a wonderful 
 gracious license that the king now gave to Ezra: 
 he imposed nothing upon him or the Jews in mat- 
 ters of religion and worship, but left him and them 
 whoUy to the law, wUl, and word of God, only he 
 laid check upon wicked and ungodly people : that 
 if they did things contrary to the laws of Ezra's 
 God, or did slight the king's law, as aforesaid, that 
 then such penalties and pains should be inflicted 
 upon them. 
 
 To the same purpose was the decree of Cyrus, 
 and that of Dai-ius, to put it in execution. Also 
 the penalty enacted against such offenders, was 
 full as sharp and severe : ' Also I have made a 
 decree (said the king,) that whosoever shall alter 
 this word, let timber be puUed down from his 
 house, and being setup, let him be hanged thereon; 
 and let his house be made a dunghill for this. — 
 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell 
 there destroy all kings and people, that shall put 
 to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of 
 God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made 
 a decree ; let it be done with speed. ' Ezr. vi. ii, 12. 
 
 Indeed, sometimes a .stop was put to this work 
 
 vol.. IT. 
 
 by the kings, and the Jews were made to cease by 
 force and power, ch. w. 23, 24. the which the good 
 people did bear with patience : Ezr. iv. 11—21. also 
 they waited to see their God go before them among 
 the kings, who at length took away Artaxerxes, 
 who for a time had put a stop to the work, and 
 brought in another, who gave leave that with speed 
 it should be set on foot again. Ezr. v. 
 
 The Jews did also in these vacancies, or times 
 in the which hinderances were put, carry it very 
 tenderly and lovingly to those kings that at pre- 
 sent they were under, submitting of their bodies 
 and their goods to their will, and meekly endured 
 the ti'ial and affliction, serving them with all faith- 
 fulness, watching to save their lives from the hands 
 of bloody men. Also when the king's laws, and 
 the law of their God, did at any time come in com- 
 petition, they would indeed adhere to, and do the 
 law of their God; yet with that tenderness to the 
 king, his crown and dignity, that they could at all 
 times appeal to the righteous God about it. Da. vi. 
 22. Nor did they lose by so doing ; yea, they pros- 
 pered ; for by this means Mordecai was made a 
 great man, and a saviour of his people. Es.u. 21— 23. 
 By this means also was Daniel made a great man, 
 and helpful to his brethren. Da. t. 29. 
 
 Kings, 1 say, must be the men that must down 
 with Antichrist, and they shall down with her in 
 God's time. 
 
 God hath besun to draw the hearts of some of 
 them from her already, and he will set them, in 
 time, against her round about. If therefore they 
 do not that work so fast as we would have them, 
 let us exercise patience and hope in God : 'tis a 
 wonder that. they go so fast as they do, since the 
 concerns of whole kingdoms lie upon their shoul- 
 ders, and that there are so many SanbaUats and 
 Tobias's to flatter with them and misinform them 
 concerning the people that are dehvered but in 
 part. See what an ugly account was given of 
 Jerusalem by the enemies of the Jews, even then 
 when they were in the hands of their deliverers : 
 ' Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which 
 came up from thee to us, are come unto Jerusalem, 
 building the rebellious and bad city, and have set 
 up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations. — 
 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city 
 be buUded, and the walls set up again, then will 
 they not pay toU, tribute, and custom, and so thou 
 shalt endamage the revenue of the kings. ' Ezr. iv. 12, 
 13. Oh ! what a, be it known, be it known, is here ! 
 But were not these gentlemen more afraid of losing 
 their own places and preferments, than of the 
 king's losing of his toll and custom? But the 
 whole was a lie, though it hindered the work for a 
 time, and the patience of the people, and their 
 loyalty to the king, did conquer and overcome all. 
 
 I speak the more to this, because, (as I have 
 K 
 
34 
 
 ■OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS KUIN. 
 
 «aid) I believe that by magistrates and powers vre 
 shall be delivered and kept from Antichrist ; and 
 because God has already begim to do it by such, 
 by which also she shall be destroyed : and I have 
 a few things to present to good men, to be conver- 
 sant in, in such a day as this. 
 
 Let the king have verily a place in your hearts, 
 and with heart and mouth give God thanks for him; 
 lie is a better saviour of us than we may be aware 
 of, and may have dehvered us from more deaths 
 than we can tell how to think. We are bidden to 
 ' give thanks to God for all men, and in the first 
 place, for kings, and all that are in authority.' 
 
 1 Ti. ii. 1, 2. 
 
 Be not angry with them, no, not in thy thought; 
 but consider, if they go not on in the work of refor- 
 mation so fast as thou wouldest they should, the 
 fault may be thine ; know that thou also hast thy 
 cold and chill frames of heart, and sittest still 
 when thou shouldest be up and doing. 
 
 Pray for kings to the God of heaven, who has 
 the hearts of kings in his hand : and do it ' with- 
 out wrath, and doubting;' without vyrath, because 
 thy self is not perfect ; and without doubting, be- 
 cause God governeth them, and has promised to 
 bring down Antichrist by them. 
 
 Pray for the long life of the king. 
 
 Pray that Grod would always give wisdom and 
 judgment to the king. 
 
 Pray that God would discover all plots and con- 
 spiracies against his person and government. 
 
 Pray also that God woidd make him able to 
 drive away all evil and evil men from his presence; 
 and that he may be a greater eountenancer than 
 ever, of them that are holy and good, and wait 
 iind beheve, that God that has begun his quarrel 
 with Babylon, Antichrist, the mother of Antichrist, 
 the whore; would in his own time, and in his own 
 way, bring her down by the means which he has 
 appointed. 
 
 I do confess myself one of the old-fashion pro- 
 fessors, that covet ' to fear God, and honour the 
 king. ' I also am for blessing of them that curse 
 me, for doing good to them that hate me, a,nd for 
 praying for them that despitefuUy use im, and per- 
 secute me. And have had more peace in the prac- 
 tice of these things, than all the world are aware 
 of. I only drop this, because I would shew my 
 brethren that I also am one of them ; and to set 
 them right that have wrong thoughts of me, as to 
 so weighty matters as these.* 
 
 * lias Christian temper of Bnnyan certainly saved Mm 
 from much suffering while under persecution. It prohably 
 saved his invaluable life. But how deeply it increases the 
 guilt of his persecutors, to send such a man to a damp wretched 
 prison, for more than twelve years, because he dared not join 
 in the worship established by law; and after all this, to hear 
 
 Now these kings whose hearts God shall set to 
 destroy Antichrist, shall do it without those inward 
 reluctancies that wiU accompany inferior men: 
 they shall be stript of all pity and compassion. 
 Hence they are compared to the mighty waves of 
 the sea, Je. u. 42. which saith, when the wrecked 
 and dying mariners cry out for mercy for them- 
 selves, and for their children, I am a sea ; ' I tra- 
 vail not, nor bring forth children, neither do I 
 nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins: ' isa. xxiii. 
 4, 6. I have therefore no pity for these, or any of 
 them. Therefore they must be swallowed up of 
 this sea, and sink like a stone in the midst of these 
 mighty waters. 
 
 And thus much for the mernis by which God 
 will destroy the body and flesh of Antichrist. 
 
 OF THE CAUSES OF THE RUIN OF AKTICHEIST. 
 
 Although the causes of the ruin of Antichrist 
 be to some conspicuous ^lough, yet to some they 
 may be otherwise ; yea, and will to all kings and 
 people whose eyes shall be held, that they may not 
 see the judgment, in the reasonableness and equi- 
 tableness thereof ; and these shall wail when they 
 see 'the smoke of her - - torment;' and these 
 shall cry, Alas ! Alas ! Be. xviii. 10. Wherefore, for 
 further edification, as I have treated of the mm 
 of sin already ; so will I now, of the causes of his 
 downfall. And, 
 
 FIRST CAUSE. 
 
 First, He must down, for that he hath usurped, 
 and taken the name and attributes of God upon himr 
 self: He hath said, ' I am God : ' He hath set in 
 the temple of God, ' shewing himself that he is 
 God ; ' yea, and that in contempt and scorn of any 
 other, 'exalting himself above all that is called 
 God, or that is worshipped ;' 3 iih. u. yea, hath cried 
 down all gods but himself. Wherefore it must 
 needs be, that he be brought to judgment, that 
 the truth of his saying may be proved. And for 
 this cause he is threatened, under the name of the 
 prince of Tyrus : ' Because thine heart is lifted up 
 (saith the Lord) and thou hast said, I am a god, 
 therefore 1 will bring strangers upon thee, the 
 terrible of the nations : and they shall draw their 
 swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they 
 shall defile thy brightness. They shall brmg thee 
 down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of 
 tJiem that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt 
 thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I cm 
 god ? hut thou shalt he a man, and no god, in the 
 hand of him that slayeth thee.' Eze. xxviii. 3, 7-9- 
 
 If God will not give his name or ghry to another, 
 
 his prayers and good wishes to his persecutors, ought to have 
 cut them to the quick. — Ed. 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS KUIN. 
 
 75. 
 
 be sure lie will not be under another ; but this to 
 have, and thus to do, Antichrist has attempted. 
 But how? In that he has been so bold as to pre- 
 scribe and impose a worship besides, and without 
 reverence of that which God has prescribed and 
 imposed : For to do this, is, to make one's self a 
 God. ' Thou shalt have no other Gods before me,' 
 is the first command : And the first, to enforce the 
 second, ' Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 
 image, or the likeness of any thing that is in hea- 
 ven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that 
 is in the water under the earth : thou shalt not 
 bow down thyself to them, nor serve them : ' For 
 he that thus doth, is an idolater ; and he that 
 these things doth impose, is one that shews him- 
 self a God. But this doth Antichrist do : And 
 'tis worth the noting, That God forbids not only 
 images, but the likeness of any thing ; books, altars, 
 fancies, imaginations, or any thing in heaven 
 above, or in the earth beneath, to bow down to, or 
 to make them a means to worship or come to God 
 by, if he has not commanded nor tolerated them in 
 his holy word. 
 
 Thus saith the lard: And, I am the Lord, is the 
 stamp, the seal, and sign of aU true rules of wor- 
 ship ; and therefore it is so often repeated both in 
 Hoses, and in the prophets, where God commandeth 
 worship to be performed, and imposeth the means 
 and methods of it. Now this. Thus saith the Lord, 
 Antichrist has rejected; and I am the Lord, he 
 hath assumed to himself: and therefore without 
 the law, the word and commandment, hath framed 
 and imposed a worship, exalting himself in the 
 temple of God, although he is but the man of 
 sin, above all that is called God, or that is wor- 
 shipped. 
 
 Nor is he in this his so foul a fact, without 
 them that adore, worship his image, and wonder 
 after him ; yea, he hath got by this means almost 
 the whole world to himself, who say, ' Who is like 
 unto the beast ? Who is able to make war with 
 him?' Ee. xiii4. And that they might shew their 
 resolvedness to stand by him, they receive his 
 mark in their forehead, or in their hand; His 
 mwk ; that is, they either openly or seriously 
 become his disciples, and worship him according 
 to the rules, methods, and ways that he hath pre- 
 scribed. Wherefore, these with him, are also to 
 drink of the fierceness of the wrath of almighty 
 God : ' If any man worship the beast and his 
 image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in 
 his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the 
 wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture 
 into the cup of his indignation ; and he shall be 
 tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence 
 of the holy angels, and in the presence of the 
 Lamb:' He. xiv. 9, lo. 
 
 But, I say, for that Antichrist hath thus taken 
 
 the place of God, prescribed and imposed a wor- 
 ship OS a God, got the world to worship and wonder 
 after him as after a God. Therefore shall he 
 die the death of the uncircumcised, both in the 
 soul, spirit, body, or flesh of Antichrist ; therefore 
 win God enlighten, and gather, and set the kings 
 and nations against him, that both he and his may 
 be buried, and have their dolesome withdravnns- 
 rooms from the world in the sides of the pit's 
 mouth. 
 
 SECQKS CAUS£. 
 
 Secondly, Antichrist must be destroyed, because 
 he hath set himself against the Son of God; against 
 the Father, and against the Son. He had a spite 
 against the Son betimes, even then when he came 
 forth but in little bits, when he attempted to deny 
 that he was come in the flesh, i Jn. iv. 1—4. But see- 
 ing he could make no earnings of that, he hath 
 changed his methods, and seeks to rim him out 
 and down by other means and ways : Because 
 therefore he hath set himself against the Son of 
 God, the king, therefore he must die. That he 
 hath set himself against the Son of God, is also 
 evident ; for he hath his name from thence : He is 
 therefore called Antichrist. That he hath set 
 himself against him, is yet further evident; for 
 that he hath endeavoured to take from him his 
 headship over, and his offices _/(»■ and in the church, 
 which is his body. He hath plainly endeavoured 
 to be head, for that he hath striven to take his 
 wife from him, and to cause that she should be 
 called HIS : Yea, he hath endeavoured by all in- 
 ventions to prostrate her to his lusts, to deflower 
 her, and to make her an adulteress. He has been 
 worse than Pharaoh, who took Abraham's wife ; 
 Ge. lu. and worse than Abimelech, who lusted after 
 Isaac's: Ge. xxri. Yea, worse than Phalti, who run 
 away with David's; iSa.xxT. 44. forasmuch as she is 
 higher, beloved better, and cost more than did any 
 of these. Would it not be counted an high afiront, 
 for a base inferior fellow, to call himself the head 
 of the queen ? Yet thus has Antichrist done, and 
 worse ; he has called himself the head of the uni- 
 versal church of God. 
 
 And as he has attempted to be head in his 
 stead, so to be king, priest, and prophet. 
 
 [1.] He has attempted to wrest his sceptre and 
 kingdom from him, in that he hath endeavoured to 
 thrust himself into his throne, which is the heart 
 and conscience of his people. The heart and con- 
 science is that which Christ claimeth for his own 
 proper and peculiar seat : ' My son, give me thy 
 heart.' 'That Christ may dwell in your hearts 
 by faith.' Ep.iii.17. In this therefore the church 
 is not to be for another man, so will he be for 
 her; but this throne Antichrist has lusted for, 
 attempted to take, and made war with Christ and 
 
76, 
 
 or AJNTlUIiKJST, AJNU HiS KUIX. 
 
 his church, because tliey would not yield up to 
 Iiim this glorious throne of his, and therefore he 
 must die. 
 
 [2.] He hath intruded upon the priestly office 
 of Christ, hath called himself higk-jjriesi ; though 
 the Lord hath said, ' Because thou hast rejected 
 knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt 
 be no priest to me : seeing thou hast forgotten the 
 law of thy God, I win also forget thy children.' 
 Ho. iT. 6. But he will make himself a priest; he hath 
 invented sacrifices for the quick and the dead: he 
 hath put, as he presumes, merit and worth into 
 these sacrifices ; he hath commanded that those 
 that worship, should have faith in, and expect 
 benefit by these sacrifices, although he offereth to 
 his God nought else but the flesh of the hog, and 
 of the 7nome, with the broth of his abominable 
 things. Is. kvi. 17. Many and sundry ways he hath 
 set himself up to be high-priest, though God knows 
 no high-priest but one, though the church ought 
 to know no high-priest but one ; yea, though no 
 high-priest but one can approach God's mercy- 
 seat, to do for us the necessary and desired 
 work. 
 
 [3.] He hath intruded upon the prophetical 
 office of Jesus Christ. What else means his pre- 
 tences to infallibUity?* And that too when he 
 imposes unwritten verities, abominable traditions, 
 blasphemous rites and ceremonies ; and forbids or 
 dispenseth with the holy commands of God : Yea, 
 when he enforceth these his Omiian statutes, and 
 doth impose the works of the house of Ahab, Mi. 
 vi. 16. he doth all in the name of the Lord Christ, 
 when himself hath set himself in his place, and in 
 his room. This is mystery Babylon, the mystery 
 of iniquity: This is Antichrist's soul and body, 
 and as such, must be destroyed. But, 
 
 THIRD CAUSE. 
 
 Thirdly, Antichrist must be destroyed, because 
 lie hath blasphemed against the Holy Gliost, and so 
 set himself above the Father, the Sou, the Spirit ; 
 against all that is called God. The Holy Ghost 
 is that Spirit of truth that Christ has promised to 
 give unto his church, to help her in the understand- 
 ing of his holy word, and to enable her to believe, 
 and walk humbly and holily before God and man. 
 The spirit of Antichrist is that spirit of error that 
 hath puffed up the false church into a conceit of 
 herself, and unscriptm-al worship ; and that hath 
 made this false church, which is his body, to as- 
 cribe all the horrible things and acts thereof, to 
 
 • What are Acts of Uniformity, compelling all persons, under 
 pains and penalties, to conform to National liturgies, or alJur- 
 ing them by honours and emoluments, but pretended infallibili- 
 ties? AH laws interfering with the solemn duty of personal 
 investigation and decision, in all things connected wilh re- 
 ligion, are pretences to infallibility. — Ei). 
 
 the wisdom, guidance, directions or operations of 
 the Holy Ghost: As, 
 
 1. In all her unscriptural councils, assemblies 
 and convocations, they blasphemously father what 
 they do upon the Holy Ghost, and make him the 
 inventor and approver thereof. 
 
 2. She also blasphemeth the Holy Ghost, in 
 accusing and condemning the holy scriptures of 
 insufficiency, for that she saith, though it is a rule, 
 yet but an imperfect one ; one deficient, one that 
 is not able to make the man of God perfect in all 
 things, without the traditions, inventions, and 
 blasphemous helps of antichristian wisdom. 
 
 3. She hath also blasphemed the Holy Ghost, 
 in that she hath set up her own church-govern, 
 ment, offices, officers and discipline: None of all 
 which is the church of Christ directed to by the 
 wisdom of the Spirit of God in his testament. 
 
 4. She hath also sinned against the Holy Ghost, 
 in that she hath, as it were, turned the Holy Ghost 
 out of doors, in concluding that he, without the 
 works of the flesh, is not sufficient to govern the 
 hearts of worshippers, in the service and worship 
 of God. 
 
 5. She hath also thus sinned, in that she hath 
 wrougU many lying mirades in the face of the 
 world, and imposed them upon her disciples for 
 the confirming of her errors and blasphemous 
 opinions, to the confronting of the true miracles 
 wrought by the Holy Ghost ; and also to the con. 
 eluding, that there was an insufficiency in those 
 that were true, to confirm the truth, without the 
 addition of hers ; which she has wrought by the 
 power of Satan, and the spirit of delusion, only to 
 confirm her lies. 
 
 6. She hath sinned against the Holy Ghost, in 
 that she hath, with Jeroboam the son of Nebat, 
 striven against the judgments wherewith God hath 
 punished her ; to call her back from her wicked 
 way ; and persisted therein, to the effectual proving 
 of herself to be the lewd woman. 2 Ki. xiii 4—7, 23, 24 
 
 7. She hath sinned, by labouring to hide all her 
 wickedness, by lies, dissmiulations, and filthy equi- 
 vocations of her priests, friars, Jesuits, he. I 
 say, her labouring to hide the wickedness that she 
 hath committed against kings, countries, nations, 
 kingdoms and people. She hath hid these things 
 by the means or persons made mention of before ; 
 as by the tail; for they indeed are the tail of 
 the beast, that cover his most filthy parts :t 
 The prophet that speaketh lies, he is the tail. 
 
 13.11.15. But, 
 
 FOnRTH CAUSE. 
 
 FourtUy, Antichrist must be destroyed, far (ht 
 fuinid outrage, and viManous murders that she hath 
 
 + See note on page 78. 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RDIN. 
 
 77 
 
 ccmimUted upon th.e bodies' 0/ the minis. For there 
 is none, as to these things, for cruelty, to be com- 
 pared with the church of Antichrist, and her fol- 
 lowers : For upon whom hath not her cruelty been 
 shewed ; have they never so Uttle stood in her way, 
 though never so innocently and honestly by so 
 doing, stood to the truth and verity of God ? Yea, 
 the promoting of her own superstition, idolatry, 
 and blasphemous rites and ceremonies, have been 
 so pursued by her, that she has waded through a 
 sea of innocent blood for the accomplishment 
 thereof. 
 
 The poor church of God is a sensible bleeding 
 witness of this, and so has been for hundreds of 
 years together ; witness the chronicles of all nations 
 where she hath had to do ; yea, and the sackcloth 
 and ashes, and tears, and widows, and fatherless 
 children, and their cries, of all which the holy 
 word of God is a sufficient confirmation ; ' And in 
 her,' when God shall come to make inquisition for 
 blood, ' will be found the blood of prophets and of 
 saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.' 
 Re. xviiL 24. And yet has she such a whore's fore- 
 head, such a blindness in her judgment, and such 
 an hard and obdurate heart, that it is not possible 
 she should ever repent. Murders have been so 
 natural to her, and in them her hand has been so 
 exercised, that it is now become a custom, a trade, 
 a pastime to her, to be either in the act, or laying 
 some foundation for murders : Witness those plots, 
 designs, conspiracies, and frequent attempts that 
 are, one or other of them, continually on foot in 
 the world for the commission of murders. 
 
 Nay, the test last mentioned seems to import, 
 that blood is so natural to her, that she sticketh 
 not at any condition, sex, age, or degree, so she 
 may imbrue her hands in blood. In her was 
 found the blood of saints and prophets, and of all 
 other carnal, natural, ignorant, graceless men that 
 have been slain upon the earth. It is she that 
 sets kings' and kingdoms at variance : It is she 
 that sets parents and children at variance, by her 
 abuse of the word of our Lord and Christ. And 
 besides, is it not easy, if we do but consider 
 those bloody massacres that have been committed 
 by her hand, both in France, Ireland, Piedmont, 
 and in several places besides, without wronging of 
 her, to conclude, that the blood of thousands, that 
 have not known their right hand from their left in 
 rehgion, hath been shed, to quench, if it might 
 have been, her insatiate thirst after blood. There- 
 fore, for these things shall she be judged, as 
 women that shed blood are judged ; because she 
 is an adulteress, and blood is in her hands. Eze. xxiii. 
 45. She hath been as a beast of prey : Nay, worse; 
 for they do but kiU and tear for the hunger of 
 themselves, and of their whelps : but she, to 
 gatisfy her Avanton and beastly lusts. ' They have 
 
 cast lots for my people ; (saith God) and havo 
 given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, 
 that they might drink:' Joelui. 3. and therefore 
 must Antichrist be destroyed. Forbearance is no 
 payment, God's patience is not a sign that he/or- 
 getteth to take vengeance ; but rather, that he 
 waiteth till his own are come out of her, and until 
 her iniquity is filled up : For then he will execute 
 the judgment written, and will remember, as 
 has been said, the Babylonians, and all their ways.* 
 
 FIFTH CAUSE. 
 
 Fifthly, Antichrist must be destroyed, because 
 sJie hath put out of order, and confounded the rule 
 and government that God 1ms set up in tlie world. 
 I say, she has put it out of order, and confounded 
 it in all places where she rules ; so that it cannot 
 accomplish the design of him that ordained it, To 
 wit, To be a terror to evil works, and a praise to 
 them that do well. 
 
 Wherefore we read, That those horns or kings 
 where Mystery Babylon sitteth, are upon the heads 
 of that beast that carrieth her, which beast is her 
 protector. Magistracy is God's ordinance, ap- 
 pointed for the good of society, and for the peace 
 and safety of those that are good. But this Anti- 
 christ has, where she rules, put all out of order ; 
 and no wonder, for she has bepuddled the word of 
 God ; no wonder, then, I say, if the foundations of 
 the world be out of course. 'Tis she that hath 
 turned the sword of the magistrate against those 
 that keep God's law : 'Tis she that has made it 
 the ruin of the good and virtuous, and a protection 
 to the vile and base. Wherefore, when the Holy 
 Ghost tells us, that the time is coming in which 
 God win count with the bloody-minded, for tho 
 murders that they have committed ; he in a man- 
 ner doth quite excuse the magistrate, saying, 'Woe 
 to the bloody city ! it is all fuU of lies and robbery ; 
 the prey departeth not : The noise of a whip, and 
 the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the 
 prancing horses, and of the jumping chariots. The 
 horseman lifteth up both the bright sword, and 
 the glittering spear : and there is a multitude of 
 slain, and a great nxunber of carcases ; and there is 
 
 * These bloody massacres, to which Bunyan here alludes, 
 were attended with atrocities at which nature shudders. In 
 France, under a Bourbon and a Guise, the mrrrder of hundreds 
 of thousands of pious men and women, with helpless infants, 
 threw down every barrier to the spread of infidelity, and a 
 frightful reaction took place at the Kevolution. In Ireland, 
 under a Stuart and a Bourbon, still more frightful atrocities 
 were perpetrated, and which were severely punished by Crom- 
 well and his Roundheads. Under a second Stuart, awfu! 
 ■wholesale mui-ders were again committed, and punished by 
 ■William III.; and the voice of the blood that was shed by 
 Antichrist, and the voices of people enslaved by a national reli- 
 gion, which it considers heresy— these voices cry for ven- 
 geance, and desolate that unhappy country. — Ed. 
 
va 
 
 U.t AiNliUWBiai, AJNJJ njS ItLliX 
 
 none end of ilieir corpses ; tliey stumble upon their 
 corpses. ' Na. ffi. 1—3. But what is the cause of all 
 this slaying, and the reason of this abundance of 
 corpses ? Why, it is because of the unsatiable 
 thirst of the bloody city after blood : and, ' Because 
 of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well- 
 favoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that 
 selleth nations through her whoredoms, and fami- 
 lies through her witchcrafts.' ver. 4. But doth this 
 bloody city spiU this blood by herself simply, as 
 she is the adulterated whore ? No, this church 
 has found out a trick ; that is to say, to quarrel 
 with Christ in his members ; and to persuade the 
 powers where she rules to set ensnaring laws to 
 catch them, and to execute the same upon them. 
 
 Thus when the synagogue of Satan, of old, had 
 taken Christ, and accused him, they made Pontius 
 Pilate to condemn and hang him. But God has 
 begun to shew to some of the kings this wicked- 
 ness, and has prevailed with them to teotest against 
 her. And in the mean time, for those that are 
 yet in the bed of love with her, the Holy Ghost 
 doth, in the text last mentioned, and in Ee. xviii. 
 24. much excuse them for the blood that they have 
 shed, and for the injuries that they have done to 
 his people ; because they have not done it of their 
 m^e inchnations, nor in the prosecution of their 
 oiBce, but through the whoredoms and witchcrafts 
 of this well-favoured harlot, who hath with false 
 doctrines, false promises, and causeless curses, pre- 
 vailed on them to do it. And they have done it, 
 rather of fear than favour. Some indeed have 
 more doted upon her beauty, and have more 
 thoroughly been devoted to her service : But they 
 also had not that aptness to do so of themselves, 
 but have been forced to it by the power of her 
 enchantments: Therefore, I say, the main guilt 
 shall be laid at her door, for that she in chief has 
 deserved it. ' Son of man (says God) take up a 
 lamentation for the princes of Israel.' Why? 
 Because their mother, the church, was at that 
 time adulterated, and become a lioness, had lain 
 down with the heathen, and so brought forth yoimg 
 lions, that is, rulers: 'And she brought up one of 
 her whelps : it became a young lion, and it learned 
 to catch the prey; it devoured men.' Eze.xix. 1— 3. It 
 learnt. It learnt : But of who but of its dam, or of 
 the lioness to whom she had put it to learn to do 
 such things? Therefore they are to he lamented 
 and pitied, rather than condemned, and their 
 mother made to bear the blame. Wherefore it 
 follows, ' She was plucked up in fury, she was cast 
 down to the ground, and the east wind dried up 
 her fruit: her strong rods were broken and 
 withered; the fire consmned them. And now she 
 is planted in the wilderness, (in the provinces of 
 Babylon,) in a dry and thirsty ground. And fire 
 is gone out vi a rod of her branches, which hath 
 
 devoured her fruit, so that he hath no strong rod 
 to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and 
 shall be for a lamentation.' Eze. xii. 12— h. 
 
 SIXTH eATJSE. 
 
 Sixthly, Antichrist must be destroyed, because 
 of iter exceeding covetousness. Religion, such as it 
 is, is the thing pretended to : But the great things 
 of this world, are the things really intended by her 
 in all her seeming self-denials and devotions. And 
 for this covetousness also it is that this destruction 
 is to fall upon her: 'Woe to him that coveteth an 
 evil covetousness to his house, (to his church) that 
 he may set his nest on high ;' Hab. ii. 9. (for he could 
 not do the one, before he had obtained the other:) 
 for then indeed they began to be high, when they 
 had so inveigled Constantine, that he bestowed 
 upon them much riches and honour ; and then it 
 was cried by an angel, and the cry was heard in 
 the city, Constantinople! 'Woe! woe! woe! this 
 day is venom poured into the church of God ! ' (as 
 both my Lord Cobham and Mr. Fox witness iu 
 the book of Acts and Monuments.)* 
 
 Nor has any generation since the world began, 
 been so insatiably greedy of gain, as these poor 
 people have been : They have got kingdoms, they 
 
 have got crowns, they have got, What have 
 
 they not got ? They have got everything but grace 
 and pardon. Did I say before, that religion is their 
 pretence ? Doth not the whole course of their way 
 declare it to their face? Every one of them, 
 from the least even to the greatest, is given to 
 covetousness, from the prophet even to the priest, 
 every one dealeth falsely : Je. vi. 13. anu rai. 10. Mcmeij, 
 money, as the pedlar cries, + broken or whole, is 
 the sinews of their religion ; And it is for that they 
 set kingdoms, crowns, principalities, places, pre- 
 ferments, sacraments, pardons, prayers, indul- 
 gences, hberty ; yea, and souls and bodies of men, 
 women and children, to sale. Yea, it is for this 
 that they have invented so many places, offices, 
 names, titles, orders, vows, <fcc. It is to get 
 money, to rob countries, that they may make their 
 nests on high. And indeed they have done it, to 
 the amazement of all the world. They are clam- 
 
 * In the first examination of Lord Cobliam, (Toi, vi. p. 
 732, edit. 1632,) the gallant knight was asked by his bitter 
 persecutor, what he meant by ' the venom shed over the 
 chm-ch;' his reply was, 'Your possessions and lordships.' For 
 then cried an angel in the air — ' Wo 1 Wo ! Wo ! this day is 
 venom shed into the ch\u-ch of God. - - Kome is the very 
 nest of Antichrist — prelates, priests and monks are the body; 
 and these pild (bald, but query, pillaging) friars are the tail, 
 which covereth his most filthy part.' How peacefiU and 
 blessed will be the church when all her ministers can glory 
 with Paul, in Acts 11. 33, 84. — En. 
 
 t The principal cry of the travelling pedlars was for brobn 
 or light money, to exchange for their wares: now obsolete. 
 —Ed. 
 
OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 79 
 
 bered up above Mngs and princes, and emperors:* 
 They wear the tdpk-crown : They have made 
 kings bow at their feet, and emperors, stand bare- 
 foot at their gaies: They have kicked the crowns 
 of princes from their heads, and set them on again 
 with their toes.t Thus their covetousness has set 
 them high, even above the suns, moons and stars 
 of this world : but to what end ? That they may 
 be cast down to hell. 
 
 SETEK'TH CAUSE. 
 
 Seventhh/, Antichrist must be destroyed, because 
 lie standeth in the way of the setting up of the king- 
 dom of CTirist in the world. Many princes were in 
 Edom before there was a king in Israel ^ and 
 Christ has suffered Antichrist to set up before him. 
 And he standeth in his way, and has so overspread 
 the world in aU places, with that which is directly 
 contrary to him, that he cannot set up his king- 
 dom, until that which is Antichrist's is tumbled 
 down to the ground ; even as a man whose ground 
 is full of thorns, and briars, and weeds, cannot 
 sow in erpectatiou of a <!rop, until he hath 
 removed them. And these seeds has Antichrist 
 sown where the kingdom of Christ should stand: 
 ' Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns 
 and briars ; yea, upon all the houses of joy in the 
 joyous city : Because the palaces shall be forsaken ; 
 the multitude of the city shall be left ; the forts 
 and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild 
 asses, a pasture of flocks, (this is to happen to the 
 church of God,) Until the Spirit be powred upon 
 us from on high, and the walderaiess be a fruitful 
 field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest. ' 
 Is. xxxii. 13—15. And the antichristian synagogue be 
 turned into a wilderness. 
 
 When God came from Egypt with his people, to 
 set up his kingdom in Canaan, he cast out the 
 heathen before them in order thereunto ; ' Thou 
 hast brought a vine out of Egypt : thou hast cast 
 out the heathen, and planted it. ' Ps- hcxx. 8 Where- 
 fore, Antichrist must be removed and destroyed 
 for this: For Antichrist is in flat opposition to 
 Christ, as Tibni was to Omri : i Ki. xvi 21, 23. Where- 
 fore Antichrist must die. The reason is, because 
 Christ's kingdom shall be peaceable, without moles- 
 tation ; and glorious, without the fumes and fogs 
 of Antichristian darkness: Because also, as the 
 world hath seen the manner of the reign of Anti- 
 christ, and how tyrannical and outrageous a king- 
 dom his is: so they shall see the reign of Christ, 
 
 * Such has been the tendency di the Antichristian chnrrih 
 in all ajes ; witness the cases of the Emperor Henry IV, 
 Henry II. of England, and many others. The spirit and pre- 
 cept of Christianity, on the contrary, is, while feaiiag God, to 
 honour the king ; and that we be suliject to principalities and 
 jioweis, Tit. iii. 1 ; see also Mat. xxii. 21 ; Eo. xiii. 1-7. — Ed. 
 
 t See Fox's Martyr., folio, ¥ol. i., last leaf, — Ed. 
 
 by his word and spirit in his people, how peace- 
 able, how fruitful in blessedness and prosperity his 
 kingdom is. And hence it is that God purposeth 
 to bury Antichrist, before he sets ' glory in the land 
 of the living.' Eze. xxvL 20, 21. As also you read in 
 the book of Revelations ; for there you find the 
 kingdom of Antichrist was destroyed before the 
 new Jerusalem was set up. When men intend to 
 build a new house, if in the place where the old one 
 stood, they first pull down the old one, raze the 
 foundation, and then they begin their new. Now 
 God, as I said, will have his primitive church state 
 set up in this world, (even where Antichrist has set 
 up his ;) wherefore, in order to this. Antichrist 
 must be pulled down, down stick and stone; and then 
 they that live to see it, will behold the new Jeru- 
 salem come down from heaven, as « bride adorned 
 for her husband. 
 
 New wine is not put into old bottles, nor a new 
 piece into an old garment ; nor shall any of the old 
 anti-scriptural ordinances, ceremonies, rites, or 
 vessels of the man of sin, be made use of, or ac- 
 ooimted anything worth, in this day of the king- 
 dom of Jesus Christ. And thus I have shewed 
 you something of Antichrist, of his ruin, and of 
 the manner and signs of the approach thereof; to- 
 gether with the means and causes of his ruin. 
 All which I leave to the judgment of the godly, 
 and beg their instiniction whei« they see me to be 
 out ; and shall conclude, after a short word of 
 application, 
 
 ■ First, Must Antichrist be destroyed? Then this 
 informs us, that a time is coming wherein there 
 shall be no Antichrist to afflict God's church any 
 more. 'Tis Antichrist, Antichristians, and Anti- 
 christianism, that is the cause of the troubles of 
 Christians, for being Christians. And therefore 'tis 
 from the consideration of this that it is said, men 
 ' shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and 
 their spears into pruning-hooks,' and that they 
 ' shall learn war no more : ' is. u. *• Yea it is from 
 the consideration of this, that it is said the child 
 shall play with venomous and destroying beasts, 
 and that a little child shall lead the wolf, the leopard, 
 and the young lion, and that the weaned child shall 
 put his hand into the cockatrice's den, and catch 
 no hurt thereby. la- n. 6—9. For as was said before, 
 'tis through the instigation of this spirit of error, 
 that the governors of the world have heretofore 
 done hurt to Zion, and I say now again, all things 
 shall turn to their right course, and occupy their 
 places, as do the bodies in the higher orbs. 
 
 Secondly, Is Antichrist to be destroyed, and 
 must she have an end? Then this gives us to im- 
 derstand, that a day is coming when Antichrist 
 shall be unknown, not seen, nor felt by the church 
 of God. There are men to be born who shall not 
 know Antichrist, but as they read in the word that 
 
wr All i-iviiiLxoi., a.~^xj iixt^ x\.v^ii^. 
 
 such a thing has been. These shall talk of her, 
 as Israel's childrens' children were to talk of Pha- 
 raoh, of his cruelty ; of his tasks, of his pride, 
 of the Red Sea, and how he was drowned there : 
 They shall talk of them, as of those that have 
 been long dead ; as of those who for their horrible 
 wickedness, are laid in the pit's mouth. This wiU 
 be some of that sweet chat that the saints shall, 
 at their spare hours, have in time to come. When 
 God has pulled this dragon out of the sea, this 
 leviathan out of his river, and cast his dead car- 
 case upon the open field, then shall those whose 
 ancestors have been put into terrors by him, come 
 flocking to see the monster ; and shall rejoice for 
 all the mercy. In that day, the church of God 
 shall say, ' Lord I will praise thee : tliough thou 
 wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, 
 and thou comfortest me. — In that day shall ye 
 say. Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare 
 his doings among the people,' &c. is. xii. i, 4. 
 how sweetly did David, and the church in his day, 
 sing of the ruins of the Egyptians, and the deliver- 
 ances of their fathers, which had been in times of 
 old ! P3. ixTiii. to wit, what God did in Egypt, what 
 he did at the Red Sea ; what he did to Sihon, to 
 Og, and to the remnant of the giants : How he 
 divided the waters of Jordan, and gave the land 
 of Canaan in its fruitfulness among his people : Ps. 
 cv. How that though Pharaoh and his horsemen 
 and chariots were terrible then, yet now there is 
 nothing left but their souls, their feet, and the 
 palms of their hands ; nothing but that which can 
 do no hurt ; nothing but what may minister an 
 occasion of joyful remembrance of them. Ps. cvi. and 
 ctxxii. 
 
 Thirdly, Is Antichrist to be destroyed ? Tlioi 
 Hits calls aloud to God's people to make haste to come 
 out of her. ' Ho, ho,' says the prophet: He cries 
 out as if the people were asleep; ' Come forth, and 
 flee from the land of the north. ' Zee. h. 6. The peo- 
 ple of God in the latter days will want a heart to 
 come out of her, with that fear of her plagues as 
 they should: Wherefore another says, 'Come out 
 of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her 
 sins and that ye receive not of her plagues. ' Re. 
 xTiii. 4. When Israel was carried into Babylon, 
 'twas not that they should dwell there for ever : 
 Though they were bid to build them houses, and be- 
 get them children there. But when they had built, 
 planted vineyards, and got wives and children 
 there, 'twas hard getting them from thence again: 
 For now they were as it were naturalized to the 
 country, and to the manners of it. Jc. xxix. 4—7. But 
 God will have them out, (but they must not think 
 to carry thence their houses and vineyards on their 
 backs,) or he will destroy them with those destruc- 
 tions wherewith he hath threatened to destroy Ba- 
 bylon itself, flesh will hang behind, because it 
 
 favoureth the things of the flesh, plenty of which 
 there is in that country : But they that wiU live 
 after the flesh must die. ' Wherefore come out 
 from among them, and be ye separate, - and 
 touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive 
 you, and will be a father unto you, and ye shall 
 be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Al- 
 mighty. ' 3 Co. Ti. 17, 18. But why (some may say) 
 mvM we cmne ovtl I answer, because God has 
 temple-work to do, temple-worship to do, temple-sa- 
 crifices to ofier, and none of these things can by any 
 means be done, but at Jerusalem. But if you still 
 object and say, ' The Lord has raised us up pro- 
 phets in Babylon,' and we will not come out; you 
 must not murmur if you feel what is to follow. 
 And that such may know upon what bottom they 
 stand, let them read the 29th chapter of Jer. 15 
 —19. 
 
 Fourthly, Must Antichrist be destroyed ? Tlim 
 wliat mean tliey, wlw were to appearance once come 
 out, hui now are going thither again ? If it cost ■ 
 Lot's wife dear for but looking back, shall not it 
 cost them much dearer, that are going back, that 
 are gone back again? and that, after the angel 
 had fled through the midst of heaven, preaching 
 the gospel to those that dwell on the earth ? Re. xiv. 
 6—10. They that received the mark of the beast 
 at first, before this angel came forth, are when 
 compared with these, excusable : Ee. xiii. 16, 17. 
 Wherefore, they are not threatened with that smok- 
 ing wrath, as are these which are here under con- 
 sideration. 
 
 You dread, that which is like to become of thera 
 that will be so mad to run into an house, when 
 fire is putting to the gimpowder barrel, in order to 
 its blowing up : Why thus do they, let their pre- 
 tended cause be what it will, that are returning 
 again to Babel. Are her plagues pleasant or easy 
 to be borne ? Or dost thou think that God is at 
 play with thee, and that he threateneth but in jest? 
 Her plagues are death, and mourning, and famim, 
 and fire ; Ee. xviii. 8. are these things to be over- 
 looked ? And they that, as before is hinted, shall 
 receive the mark of the beast in their forehead, or 
 in their hand, and shall worship him, they, 'the 
 same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God:' 
 Rc.xiv. 10. And will this be a delightsome draught? 
 Remember how ill God took it, that his people of 
 old, in their hearts, though but in their hearts, 
 went back again into Egypt. You may say, but 
 I hay e. friends, relations, and concerns in Babylon. 
 And, I answer, so had Lot in Sodom ; Ge. xL\. 14-16. 
 but for all that, he must either quickly come out, 
 or run the hazard of being burned there with them. 
 But methinks, a people that belong to God, should 
 be willing to leave aU to follow him : Besides, his 
 presence is promised at Jerusalem, there also will 
 he accept thy ofi'erings. 
 
or ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 81 
 
 Fifthly, Is Anticliriat to be destroyed? Then 
 let them, that love God, his Son, and his Zion, cry to 
 God that it may be hastened in its time. One of 
 the songs of Zion is, that Babylon shall be de- 
 stroyed. The cries of the souls of them that were 
 slain for the witness of Jesus is, that Babylon may 
 be counted with, and that their blood may be re- 
 venged upon her. The promise is, that Babylon 
 shall be destroyed : And do we hold our tongues ? 
 The church of God will not flourish as it should, 
 until Babylon is destroyed: The world will never 
 be in its right wits, until Babylon is destroyed: The 
 kingdom of Christ will never be set up, in and by 
 his church, as it ought, and shall, until Antichrist 
 is destroyed : There will never be peace upon earth 
 till Antichrist is destroyed: And God has pro- 
 mised that there shall be peace and truth, and 
 glory, when Babylon is destroyed: And do we 
 hold our peace ? Besides, your innocency in suf- 
 fering ; your honesty towards God, in your testi- 
 mony for his truth ; the substantial groimd which 
 you have for the bottom of your faith, as to things 
 controverted betwixt Antichrist and you, will never 
 be manifested as it will then; and so consequently, 
 you never so brought out to the light, and your 
 enemies never so put to shame as then. ' Then 
 shame shall cover her that said unto thee. Where 
 is the Lord thy God?' Wherefore, as I said, cry 
 unto the Lord, keep not silence, give him no rest, 
 let him not alone, until he has delivered his miser- 
 able people out of the mouth of this lion, and 
 from the paw of this bear. 
 
 Sixthly, la Antichrist to be destroyed? Then 
 let us live in the expectation of it; and let this be 
 one of our songs in the house of our pilgrimage. 
 God bids his people, while in Babylon, to let Jeru- 
 salem come into their mind, Je. u. 50. and writes to 
 them that then were in her, to acquaint them that 
 he remembered them still, and would assuredly de- 
 liver them from that place and state. And where- 
 fore doth he thus, but to beget an expectation in 
 them of their salvation and deliverance? Je. xxii. 13, 
 14. The Lord is so pleased with the faith and ex- 
 pectation of his people, as to this, that they seldom 
 are herein concerned as they should, but he steps 
 in with them, and warms their hearts. The reason 
 is, because the faith of God's people, as to the 
 downfall of Babylon, stands upon as sure a founda- 
 tion as doth the salvation of their souls ; and that 
 next to that, God is as much delighted in what he 
 has purposed to do against Babylon, as in any- 
 thing else in the earth : And therefore, if you con- 
 sider it well, the great and glorious promises that 
 are to be fulfilled on earth, are to be fulfilled when 
 Antichrist is dead and buried : These hits are too 
 good even for his children to have, so long as this 
 dog is by, lest he should snatch at the crumbs 
 thereof; wherefore they are reserved until he is 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 gone : For thus saith the Lord, ' That after seventy 
 years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, 
 and perform my good word towards you, in causing 
 you to return to this place: For I know the thoughts 
 that I think toward you, saith the Lord ; thoughts 
 of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected 
 end.' This is in Jeremiah the twenty-ninth, ver, 
 10, 11. and in chapter the thirty-first he adds, 
 ' Therefore they shall come and sing in the height 
 of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of 
 the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and 
 for the young of the flock and of the herd : and 
 their soul shall be as a watered garden ; and they 
 shall not sorrow any more at aU. Then shall the 
 virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and 
 old together: for I will turn their mourning into 
 joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice 
 from their sorrow. And I will satiate the soul of 
 the priests with fatness, and my people shall be 
 satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord.' ver. 
 13— u. Again, in the thirty-second chapter, still 
 speaking of the same thing, he saith, ' Yea, I will 
 rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant 
 them in this land assuredly with my whole heart 
 and with my whole soul.' ver. iX. 
 
 I conclude this with that which I find in chapter 
 the thirty-third : ' And I will cleanse them from 
 all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against 
 me ; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby 
 they have sinned, and whereby they have trans- 
 gressed against me. And it shall be to me a name 
 of joy, a praise, and an honour before all the na- 
 tions of the earth, which shall hear all the good 
 that I do unto them: and they shall fear and 
 tremble, for all the goodness and for all the pro- 
 sperity that I procure unto it. ' ver. 8, 9. 
 
 Seventhly, Must Antichrist be destroyed ? Then 
 this should make us glad, when we see the signs of 
 his fall presenting themsdves to our view. Indeed, 
 the signs of his fall, or those that forerun it, are 
 terrible, and amazing to behold. But what of 
 that, since the wrinkles that are in their faces 
 threaten not us but them ? A man is angry, and 
 will punish ; yea, and whets his sword, makes his 
 rod, and he speaks not a word, but blood, blood, is 
 in it. Indeed, this should make them that are 
 concerned in this anger, be afraid ; (but the judg- 
 ment is, they are fast asleep,) but what is in all 
 this of terror to them, for the pleading whose cause 
 he is so angry with the other? Nothing whereat 
 the innocent should be afraid. Cold blasts in No- 
 vember are not received with that gentleness as 
 are colder in March and April ; for that these last 
 cold ones are but the farewell notes of a piercing 
 winter ; they also bring with them the signs and , 
 tokens of a comfortable summer. Why, the church 
 is now at the rising of the year ; let then the blasts 
 at present, or to come, be what they will, Anti- 
 L 
 
8S 
 
 OF ANTICHRIST, AND HIS RUIN. 
 
 Christ is assuredly dra\ying towards his downfall : 
 And though the devil, knowing what is to he done 
 to him, and to his kingdom, shall so blind his dis- 
 ciples, and fright the godly, do something like it 
 upon the church of Christ; yet we should look 
 through these paiper-winkers* and espy in all 
 
 * ' Paper-winkers' in every edition, except the first, wMcli 
 was from the author's manuscript, has been altered to ' paper- 
 windows.' Bnnyan's allusion is to the winkers, called hy many 
 ' hliokers,' put by the side of a horse's eyes, to keep him under 
 the complete control of his driver — and by, '^ff^cr- winkers ' I 
 
 this, that fear, yea, certain terrible judgments a 
 following of him at the heels, by which not on 
 the soul, spirit, and life of Antichrist, but the bod 
 thereof ; yea, body, and soul, and head, are quick] 
 to go down thither ; from whence they, as sucl 
 shall not arise again. Amen. 
 
 the flimsy attempts of Antichrist to hood-mnk mankind b 
 printed legends, miracles, and absurd assumptions — it is on 
 of the almost innumerable sparks of wit, which render all th 
 writings of Bunjan so entertaining and strikingly instructive 
 —Ed. 
 
THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, 
 
 ETERNAL JUDGMENT: 
 
 OR. THE TE.UTH OF THE RESURRECTION- OF THE BODIES, BOTH OF GOOD AND BAD AT THE 
 LAST DAY: ASSERTED, AND PROVED BY GOD'S WORD. 
 
 ALSO, THE MANNER AND OKDEE OF THEIR COMING FOKTH OF THEIR GRAVES ; AS ALSO, WITH WHAT BODIES 
 
 THEY DO ARISE. TOGETHER, WITH A DISCOURSE OF THE LAST JUDGMENT, AND THE 
 
 FIKAl CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD. 
 
 By JOHN BUNYAN, a Servant op the Lord's Christ. 
 
 'Sehold, I shew you a mystery; IFe shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twiiMing of an 
 eye, at the last trump : for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be chanaed. 
 —1 Cor. XV. 51, 52. 
 
 ' Marvel not at this : for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come 
 forth; they that have done good, unto tJie resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of 
 damnation.' — John v. 28, 29. 
 
 London: Printed for Francis Smith, at the Elephant and Castle, without Temple-Ean-e. [No date.] 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOE. 
 
 Tins very important treatise, judging from the 
 style "in which it is written, was, probahly, one of 
 the first books composed by Bimyan. The form 
 in which it is prepared, with minute divisions to 
 assist the memory, and its colloquial language, in- 
 dicate that it was first intended for the pulpit and 
 then enlarged to form a more complete treatise ; 
 while the frequent recurrence of the words ' I say,' 
 shew the unpolished style in which he was in the 
 habit of committing his thoughts to paper, when 
 he became an author. 
 
 A good copy of what appears to be the first edi- 
 tion, is in the British Museum, a small 8vo. without 
 date — and from this, collated with the reprint by 
 C. Doe in Bunyan's works, 1691, the present edi- 
 tion is published. Doe, in his catalogue of all 
 Mr. Bunyan's books, appended to the Heavenly 
 Footman, 1690, states that 'The resurrection of 
 the Dead, and eternal Judgment by John Bunyan, 
 a servant of the Lord's Christ, was first published 
 in 1665.' I have not been able to discover any 
 subsequent edition in a separate volume. 
 
 The resurrection of the body is a subject of uni- 
 versal and deep importance. It defies our reason- 
 ing powers, while it exalts our ideas of the divine 
 omnipotence. With God, all things revealed in 
 his word are not only possible, but certain of ac- 
 complishment. The bodies of the saints, which 
 are a part of the Redeemer's purchase, will be 
 
 raised in heavenly and wondrous perfection ; like 
 to the Saviour's glorious body. That body, which 
 being transfigured ' did shine as the sun, and bis 
 raiment became as the hght. ' That body which, 
 after his resurrection, might be touched, but which 
 could appear and disappear to mortal eyes ; in the 
 room at Emmaus, or in a closed room filled with his 
 disciples ; could be touched, yet vanish away; could 
 eat with them on the sea shore, and could ascend 
 to heaven from the mount. Thus it was foretold 
 by the prophet and reiterated by the apostle — 
 ' Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have 
 entered into the heart of man, the things which 
 God hath prepared for them that love him. ' is. ixiv. 
 -t; 1 Co. ii. 9. Not One atom of our dust can be lost ; 
 a bright, a glorious anticipation to the saints ; but 
 how solemn and awful a thought to those who die 
 without hope. Among Christians it is common to 
 think and talk of the happiness of the spirits of the 
 just made perfect ; but alas, how seldom do we 
 think or speak of the perfect bliss of our whole 
 nature, body, soul, and spirit — incorruptible, un- 
 defiled, glorified — every part equally the object of 
 the Saviour's purchase and of his care. 
 
 This treatise, which wOl be ever new, and ever 
 important, was peculiarly required in Bunyan's 
 early days. Under the protectorate, the minds of 
 men, which had been kept in slavery, became sud- 
 denly emancipated from human creeds and formu- 
 
8-1 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 ]aries of public worsliip. The personal attention 
 of every one was then directed to the Bible — the 
 Lord's day was observed, men were chosen as 
 ministers not from high connections, but from deep 
 and humble piety. Tens of thousands became 
 happy in a personal knowledge of divine truth. 
 At such a period, it must have happened that some 
 evil spirits would exalt themselves, and that even 
 some serious inquirers would draw strange con- 
 clusions from a misconception of divine truth ; 
 and dimly see ' men as trees walking. ' Among 
 these there appeared teachers, who, unable to com- 
 prehend how that body, which had gone to dust, 
 or in some cases had been reduced by fire to its 
 primary elements, and dispersed to the winds or 
 waves, could be again produced. They revived 
 an ancient error. That the new birth was the only 
 resurrection from death ; and consequently, that to 
 those who were born again, the resurrection was 
 passed. The individuals who promulgated these 
 opinions, do not appear to have been associated 
 together as a sect, or a church. The greater 
 number were called in derision ' ranters,' and some 
 ' quakers. ' It is very probable, that this treatise 
 was intended as an antidote to these delusions. 
 We must not infer from the opinions of a few un- 
 worthy individuals, who justly deserved censure, 
 that Bunyan meant to reflect upon the Society of 
 Friends. This treatise was printed in 1665: but 
 it was not until 1675 that the Quakers' rules of 
 disciphne were first published, and they from that 
 time as a sect have been, in a high degree, con- 
 formable to the morality and heavenly influences 
 of the gospel. But even before this, Fox, Crisp, 
 Penn, Barclay, and others, who afterwards formed 
 the Society of Friends, had declared their full 
 belief in this doctrine. ' The resurrection of the 
 just and unjust — the last judgment — ^heaven and 
 hell as future rewards — we believe and confess.' 
 ' We believe the holy manhood of Christ to be in 
 heavenly glory. ' ' We acknowledge a resurrec- 
 tion in order to eternal recompence, and rest con- 
 tented with that body which it shall please God to 
 give us. ' ' We do firmly believe that besides the 
 resurrection of the soul from the death of sin, to a 
 life of righteousness while here, there will be a 
 resurrection of the dead hereafter, and that we 
 must aM appear before the judgment scat of Christ. ' 
 Barclay, in his catechism, 1673, clearly asserts 
 Bunyan's own ideas of the resurrection. But in 
 the face of these, and a thousand similar declara- 
 tions, the grossest calumnies were asserted by a 
 fanatic clergyman, Alexr. Ross, in his View of all 
 Religions: — ' The Ranters are a sect of beasts that 
 neither divide the hoof, nor chew the cud ; that is 
 to say, very unclean ones. They, like the Quakers, 
 
 oppose forms and order (the form and order of 
 Common Prayer). To anatomize this monster: 
 1st, They hold that God, Devils, Angels, Heaven, 
 and Hell, are fictions. 2d, That Moses, the Bap- 
 tist, and Christ were impostors. 3d, That preach- 
 ing and praying is lying.' 8vo., 1696, p. 273. 
 And such wild slanders were uttered occasionally 
 against all dissenters, until a much later period. 
 Happily they are now better known, and the truths 
 of Claristianity are more appreciated. I have been 
 careful to guard the reader upon this subject, lest 
 it should be thought that Bunyan had in any de- 
 gree manifested the spirit of those, who even to 
 the present day misrepresent the opinions of the 
 Quakers. This may be occasioned by their dis- 
 tinguishing tenet — That the work of the ministry 
 is purely a labour of love, and ought not to be 
 performed for hire — derived from the command 
 of Christ to his disciples, ' Freely ye have received, 
 freely give.' This, however, is no reason that they 
 should be, as to their general views of divine truth, 
 misrepresented and traduced. 
 
 Bunyan, at all times solemn and impressive, is 
 peculiarly earnest and searching in this treatise, 
 The dead will arise involuntarily and irresistibly 
 — conscience uncontrolled, must testify the truth, 
 yea, all the truth to the condemnation of the soul 
 and body, unless cleansed from sin by faith in the 
 Redeemer and the sacred influences of the Holy 
 Spirit. The books will be opened, and every 
 thought and word and action be seen inscribed iu 
 characters legible to all. Every soul will be able 
 to read and clearly to imderstand those mysterious 
 books — God's omniscient, his penetrating, his uni- 
 versal sight of all things from the creation of the 
 world to the final consummation ; and his perfect 
 remembrance of all that he saw — are am and tke 
 scmw. There is then no refuge, no escape — the 
 word depart impels obedience, and the sinner 
 plunges into eternal woe ! ! that the living may 
 lay these awful realities to heart, and fly for refuge 
 to the bosom of the Redeemer — ^he only is able- 
 he is willing to save to the uttermost all that come 
 unto God by him. And they who find in him a 
 refuge from the storms of life, shall hear his voice 
 irresistibly impelling them to heaven, ' Come, ye 
 blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared 
 for you from the foundation of the world.' 
 
 glorious hour 1 blest atode ! 
 
 1 shall be like and near my God I 
 And flesh and sin no more control 
 The sacred pleasvu-es of the soul. 
 
 May the divine blessing abundantly attend the 
 reading of these awful or joyful realities. 
 
 Geo. Offoe. 
 
OF THE EESUKRECTION OP THE DEAD. 
 
 8S 
 
 PEEF A CE. 
 
 COUETEOUS ReADEE, 
 
 Though this be a small treatise, yet it doth present 
 thee with things of the greatest and most weighty 
 concernment, even with a discourse of life and 
 death to eternity : opening, and clearing, by the 
 scriptures of God, that the time is at hand, when, 
 there shall be a reswrrection of the dead, both of the 
 just and unjust ; even of the bodies of both, from 
 the graves where they are, or shall be, at the 
 approach of that djxy. 
 
 Thou hast also in these few lines, the order and 
 manner of the rising of these two sorts of people, 
 wherein is shewed thee with what body they shaU 
 then rise, as also their states and condition at this 
 day, with great clearness. 
 
 For here thou shalt see the truth, and manner of 
 the terrible judgment, the opening of the books, the 
 examining of witnesses, with a final conclusion upon 
 good and bad. Which, I hope will be profitable to 
 thy soul that shall read it. For if thou art godly, 
 then here is that which will, through God's bless- 
 ing, encourage thee to go on in the faith of the 
 truth of the gospel ; but if thou art ungodly, then 
 here thou mayst meet with conviction: yea, and 
 
 that of what wiU be, without fail, thy end, at the 
 end of the world : whether thou continue in thy sins, 
 or repent. If thou continue in them, blackness, 
 and darkness, and everlasting destruction ; but if 
 thou repent, and believe the gospel, then light, and 
 life, and joy, and comfort, and glory, and happiness, 
 and that to eternity. 
 
 Wherefore let me here beg these things at thy 
 hand 
 
 First, That thou take heed of that spirit of 
 mockery that saith, ' Where is the promise of his 
 
 commg 
 
 ? ' 2 Pe. iii. 4. 5. 
 
 Secondly, Take heed that thy heart be not over- 
 charged with surfeiting and di'unkenness, and the 
 cares of this life, and so that day come upon thee 
 unawares. Lh- xxi. 34, 35. 
 
 Thirdly, But be diligent in making thy calling 
 and election sure ; that thou in the day, of which 
 thou shalt read more in this book, be not found 
 without that glorious righteousness that will then 
 stand thee in stead, and present thee before his 
 glorious presence, with exceeding joy. To him be 
 glory in the church by Christ Jesus, world without 
 end. Amen. John Bunyan. 
 
 OF THE HESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 'BUT THIS I CONFESS USTO THEE, THAT AFTER 
 THE WAT WHICH THEY CALL HEEESY, SO WOE- 
 SHIP I THE GOD OF MY FATHEES, BELIEVING 
 ALL THINGS WHICH AEE WEITTEN IN THE LAW 
 AND IN THE PROPHETS: AND HAVE HOPE TO- 
 WARD GOD, WHICH THEY THEMSELVES ALSO 
 ALLOW, THAT THEEE SHALL BE A EESURRBCTION 
 OP THE DEAD, BOTH OF IHE JUST AND UNJUST.' 
 ACTS XXIV. 14, 15. 
 
 My discourse upon this text, will chiefly concern the 
 resurrection of the dead : wherefore to that I shall 
 immediately apply myself, not meddling with what 
 else is couched in the words. 
 
 You see here, that Paul, being upon his arraign- 
 ment, accused of many things, by some that were 
 violent for his blood ; and being licensed to speak 
 for himself by the then heathen magistrate ; he doth 
 in few words tell them, that as touching the crimes 
 wherewith they charged him, he was utterly fault- 
 less, only this he confessed, that after that way 
 which they call heresy, so he worshipped the God 
 of his fathers ; believing aU things that are written 
 in the law and the prophets, and that he had the 
 same hope towards God, which they themselves did 
 
 allow, that there should be a resurrection of the 
 dead, both of the just and unjust. 
 
 Whence note by the way, that a hypocritical 
 people, will persecute the power of those truths in 
 others, which themselves in words profess. I have 
 hopes towards God, and that, such a hope which 
 themselves do allow, and yet I am this day, and 
 that for this very thing, persecuted by them. 
 
 But to come to my purpose, 'There shall be a 
 resurrection of the dead,' &c. By these words, the 
 apostle sheweth us what was the substance of his 
 doctrine, to wit, that there should be ' a resurrection 
 of the dead ;' and by these words also, what was the 
 great argument with his soul, to carry him through 
 these temptations, afflictions, reproaches, and neces- 
 sities he met with in this world, even the doctrine 
 of a reswrrection. I have hope towards God, saith 
 he, and there is my mind fixed ; for there shall be 
 ' a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and 
 unjust. ' The reason why I cannot do what these 
 Jews would have me ; also why I cannot live as do 
 the Gentiles, it is, because I have in my soul, the 
 faith of the resurrection. This is the doctrine I 
 say, which makes me fear to offend, and that is as 
 an undergirder to my soul, whereby I am kept from 
 
8S 
 
 OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 destruction and confusion, under all the storms and 
 tempests I here go through. In a word, this is it 
 that hath more awe upon my conscience than all 
 the laws of men, with all the penalties they inflict. 
 ' And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a 
 conscience void of offence toward God and toward 
 men. ' ver. le. 
 
 Now here, seeing this doctrine of the resurrec- 
 tion of the dead hath that power, hoth to bear up 
 and to awe ; hoth to encourage and to keep within 
 compass, the spirit and body of the people of God ; 
 it win be requisite, and profitable for us, to inquire 
 into the true meaning and nature of this word, ' the 
 resurrection of the dead. ' 
 
 And for the better compassing of this matter, I 
 shall briefly enquire, 
 
 First, What in this place is meant by fAe decid. 
 
 Secondly, What is meant by (lie resurrection. 
 
 Thirdly, Why the apostle doth here speak of the 
 resurrection of the dead aa of a thing yet to come 
 — ' There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both 
 of the just and unjust.' 
 
 First. The dead in scripture go mider a five- 
 fold consideration ; as, 
 
 1. Such as die a natural death, or as when a 
 man ceaaeth to be any more in this world, as 
 David, whom Feter tells us ' is both dead and 
 bm-ied, and his sepulchre is with us to this day. ' 
 
 Ac. ii. 39. 
 
 2. There is a people that are reckoned dead in 
 trespasses and sins, as those are, who never yet were 
 translated from darkness to light, and from the 
 power of Satan to God. Such, I say, who yet 
 never felt the power of the Word and Spirit of God, 
 to raise them from tliat state, to walk with him in 
 the regeneration ; making a life out of Christ, and 
 his present benefits. Ep. ii. l, 3; Jn.v.ss. 
 
 3. There is a death seizeth men often after some 
 measure of light received from God, and some pro- 
 fession of the gospel of Christ. These, for the cer- 
 tainty of their damnation, are said to be dead 
 — dead, twice dead, and plucked up by the roots. 
 Jude 13. 
 
 4. There is in scripture mention made of a death 
 to sin, and the lusts of the flesh ; this death is the 
 beginning of true Hfe and happiness, and is a cer- 
 tain forerunner of a share in Christ, and with him 
 in another world. Ro. vi. 6—8; 3 Ti. ii. ii. 
 
 5. Lastly. There is also in the word, a relation 
 of eternal death. This is the death that those are 
 in, and swallowed up of, that go out of this world 
 Godless, Christless, and graceless ; dying in sin, 
 and so under the curse of the dreadful God ; who, 
 I say, because they have missed of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, the Saviour in this day of grace : are fallen 
 into the gulf and jaws of eternal death and misery, 
 in the fire that never shall be quenched. Mar. u. 43. 
 
 4i; Lu. xyL 33—36. 
 
 Now then, seeing there is death, or to be dead, 
 taken under so many considerations in the scrip- 
 ture ; it is evident, that to be dead in Christ, the 
 text is not meant of them all : I then must distin- 
 guish, and inquire which of these deaths it is, that 
 here the apostle did look for a resurrection from. 
 (1.) then. It cannot be meant a resurrection from 
 eternal death, for from that there is no redemp- 
 tion. Fa. xiix. 8. (2.) Neither is it a resurrection 
 from that double death ; for they that are in that, 
 are past recovery also. (3.) And as for those that 
 are dead to sin, it is nonsense to say there shall, 
 or can be a resurrection from that : for that itself 
 is a resurrection; wliich resurrection also, the 
 apostle had then passed through : and also all the 
 brethren, as he saith. You hath he quickened, 
 who were dead in trespasses and sins. CoL ii. 12, 13, 
 20. And again, ' If ye then be risen with Christ,' 
 Col. iii. 1. And again, ' Wherein also ye are risen 
 with him, through the faith of the operation of 
 God, who hath raised him from the dead. ' Coi. ii. 12. 
 (4.) The dead therefore in this scripture, .must 
 be understood of those that have departed this 
 life, that have body and soul separated each from 
 the other ; and so the resurrection, a resurrection 
 of the body out of the grave ; as Daniel saith, 
 ' Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth 
 shall awake. ' Da. .\ii. 2. And again, 'The hour is 
 coming, in the which all that are in the graves 
 shall hear his voice, and shall come forth,' ha. 
 
 Jn. V. 28, 29. 
 
 Second. [What is meant by the resurrection.] The 
 resurrection of the just, then, is the rising of the 
 bodies of the just, and the resurrection of the un- 
 just, the rising of their bodies, at the last judg- 
 ment. This also is the meaning of that saying of 
 Paul to Agrippa, ' I stand, ' saith he, ' and am 
 judged for the hope of the promise made of God 
 unto our fathers,' Ac. xxri. 6. which promise at first 
 began to be fulfilled in the resurrection of the body 
 of Christ, Ac. xiii. 32, 33. and hath its accomphshment, 
 when the dead, small and great, are raised out of 
 their graves. Wherefore, though Paul saith in 
 the 1 3th of the Acts, it is already fulfilled ; yet 
 here he saith, he hopes it shall come. ' Which 
 promise,'' saith he, ' our twelve tribes, instantly 
 serving (?oc? day and night, hope to come.' [Ac. xxvi 7.] 
 As God told Daniel, saying, ' go thy way, till the 
 end he: for thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot at 
 the end of the days. ' Da. xd. 13. 
 
 Christ is already risen, and therefore so far the 
 promise is fulfilled ; but his saints are yet m their 
 graves, and therefore that part of the fulfiUmg of 
 it is yet to come, as he saith, ' Why should it be 
 thought a thing incredible with you, that God should 
 raise the dead ? ' Ac. xxvi. 8. 
 
 Again, That it is the resurrection of the dead 
 bodies of both saints and siimers that is here inserted, 
 
OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 87 
 
 it is further evident ; because the apostle saith, it 
 is the resurrection, that the very Pharisees tliem- 
 selves allowed. I have hope towards God, saith he, 
 which themselves also allow ; then what that hope 
 is, he in the next words sheweth, namely, that there 
 shaM he a reswrection of the dead, <fec. Now we 
 , know, that the Pharisees did not allow of a resur- 
 rection from a state of nature, to a state of grace, 
 which is the same with the new birth ; but did 
 confidently allow and teach, that they were the 
 children of Abraham, according to the flesh. Yea, 
 when any of them began to adhere, or inclme to 
 Christ's doctrme in some things, yet the doctrine 
 of the new birth, or of being raised from a state 
 of nature, to a state of grace, they would very 
 much stick at ; though in the meantime, they 
 utterly were against the doctrine of the Sadducees, 
 which denied the resurrection of the body. Jn- ffi. i— 
 
 9; yiii. 51—56; Ac. xxiii. 6—8. 
 
 Further, the resurrection here spoken of, must 
 needs be the resurrection of the body, because it is 
 called, ' a resurrection of the dead, both of the just 
 and unjust' — that is, of both saints and sinners, 
 according to the saying of Christ, 'The hour is 
 coming, in the which all that are in the graves 
 shall hear his voice, and shall come forth ; they 
 that have done good, unto the resm-rection of life ; 
 and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection 
 of damnation. ' Jn. v. 38, 39. 
 
 Third. [The resurrection spoken of is a thing yet 
 to come;] the resurrection here mentioned, is a re- 
 surrection to come, not already enjoyed, either by 
 saints or sinners — ' There shaU be a resurrection of 
 the dead, both of the just and unjust.' Now, I 
 say, the resurrection here being yet deferred by the 
 just, and counted also the resurrection of the dead, 
 both of the just and unjust : it must needs be the 
 same resurrection that is spoken of by Job, who 
 saith. ' So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the 
 heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be 
 raised out of their sleep.' Jobxiv. 13. 
 
 Having thus, in few words, opened this scripture 
 unto you, I shall in the next place, for the further 
 satisfaction of those that are yet wavering, and for 
 the refreshment of those that are strong and stead- 
 fast, lay down before you, several undeniable scrip- 
 ture demonstrations of the resu/rrection of the dead, 
 both of the just, and unjust. 
 
 First, I shall first begin with, 
 
 TEIE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST. 
 
 Fird, The just must arise, because Christ is 
 risen from the dead. Christ is the head of the 
 just, and they are the members of his body; and 
 because of this union, therefore the just must arise. 
 This is the apostle's ovm argument — 'If Christ,' 
 saith he, ' be preached that he rose from the dead. 
 
 how say some among you that there is no resurrec- 
 tion of the dead ? But if there be no resurrection 
 of the dead, then is Christ not risen.' ico.xv. 13,13. 
 Now, I say, the reason why the apostle thus argueth 
 the resurrection from the dead, by the resurrection 
 of Christ, it is, because the saints, of whose re- 
 surrection he here chiefly discourseth, are in their 
 bodies, as well as in their souls, the members of 
 Christ; 'Know ye not,' saith he, 'that your bodies 
 are the members of Christ. ' 1 Co. vi. 15. A very 
 weighty argument; for if a good man be a member 
 of Christ, then he must either be raised out of his 
 grave, or else sin and death must have power over 
 a member of Christ. I say again, if this body be 
 not raised, then also Christ is not a complete 
 conqueror over his enemies ; forasmuch as death 
 and the grave have still power over his members. 
 ' The last, enemy that shall be destroyed is death. ' 
 1 Co. xv. 36. Now, though Christ in his own person 
 hath a complete conquest over death, (fee, yet death 
 hath still power over the bodies of all that are in 
 their graves : now, I say, Christ being considered 
 with relation to his members, then he hath not yet 
 a complete conquest over death, neither will he, 
 until they every one be brought forth of their 
 graves ; for then, and not till then, shall that say- 
 ing be every way fulfilled, ' Death is swallowed up 
 in victory. ' 1 Co. xv. 53, 54. 
 
 Second, As there must be a resurrection of the 
 just, because Christ is their head, and they his 
 members : so also, because the body of the saints, 
 as well as their sold, is the purchase of Christ's 
 blood. ' Ye are bought with a price :' saith Paul; 
 'therefore glorify God in your body, and in your 
 spirit, which are God's.' iCo. vi 3o. Christ wLU not 
 lose the purchase of his blood. death, saitli 
 Christ, I win have them; grave, I will make 
 thee let them go ; I will ransom them from the 
 power of the grave, I wlU redeem them from death. 
 I have bought them, and they shall be mine. ' 
 death, I wiU be thy plagues ; grave, I wiU be thy 
 destruction : ' Ho. xiii. u. I say, though the power 
 of the grave be invincible, and death be ' the king 
 of terrors,' Jobxriii.u. yet he who hath the keys of 
 hell and of death at his girdle, Ue. i. I8. to him be- 
 longeth the issues from death. ' He that is our 
 God is the God of salvation; and unto God the 
 Lord belong the issues from death,' Ps. ixvUi. 20. and 
 we, the price of his blood, shall be delivered. 
 
 Third, As the body is the member of Christ, 
 and the price of his blood : so it is the temple of 
 the Holy Ghost, which is in us. ' What ? know 
 ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy 
 Ghost which is in you, - - and ye are not your own? ' 
 1 Co. vi. 19. The body is no such ridiculous thing in 
 the account of Christ as it was in the account of 
 the Sadducees. ' The body is not for fornication, 
 but for the Lord ; and the Lord for the body,' 
 
8S 
 
 OF THE EESUKRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 ver.13. and that not only in tliis -world, but that 
 which is to come ; wherefore he saith, ' God hath 
 both raised up the Lord [Jesus,] aid will also raise 
 us up by his own power ' — that is, as he hath 
 raised up the body of Christ, so will he raise up 
 ours also by Christ. 
 
 Fourth, The bodies of the just must arise again, 
 because of that similitude, that must be betwixt 
 the body of the Lord Jesus Christ and the bodies 
 of the saints. ' When he shall appear, we shall 
 be like him.' l Jn. iii. 3. Now we have it abundantly 
 manifest in scripture, that the body of the Lord 
 Jesus, was raised out of the grave, caught up into 
 heaven, and that it ever remaineth in the holiest 
 
 of all, a glorified body. Lu. xxiv. 3— 7, 36 — 13;Jn.xx. 34—28; 
 Ac. i. 3—11 ; ii. 31; xvii. 30—32; Mar. xvi. 6, 7, 19; He. vii. 24—36; 
 viii.l— 3;x. 12. 
 
 Now, I say, it would be very strange to me if 
 Christ should be raised, ascended, and glorified in 
 that body; and yet that his people should be with 
 him, no otherwise than in their spirits ; especially, 
 seeing that he in his resurrection, is said to be 
 but ' the first-born from the dead, and the first-fruits 
 of them that sleep.' Col. i. 18 ; l Co. xv. 23. For we 
 know, that a first-begotten doth imply more sons, 
 and that first-fruits do foreshew an after-crop ; 
 wherefore we conclude, that ' as in Adam all die, 
 even so in Christ shall all he made alive. But 
 every man in his own order : Christ the first-fruits ; 
 afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.' 
 
 1 Co. XV. 23, 33. 
 
 And hence it is that the scripture saith. He 
 ' shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned 
 like unto his glorious body.' Plii. Hi. 21. And hence 
 it is again, that the day of Christ is said to be the 
 day of the manifestation of the sons of God, and of 
 the redemption of our body, Eo. viii. 31— 34; for then 
 shall the saints of God not only be, but appear as 
 their Saviour, being delivered from their graves, as 
 he is from his, and glorified in their bodies, as he 
 is in his. 
 
 Fifth, There must be a resurrection of the body 
 of the saints, because the body, as well as the 
 mind, hath been a deep sharer in the afilictions 
 that we meet with for the gospel's sake. Yea, the 
 body is ofttimes the greater sufferer, in all the 
 calamities, that for Christ's sake we here undergo; 
 it is the body that feels the stocks, the whip, hunger 
 and cold, the fire and rack, and a thousand calami- 
 ties; it is the body in which we have the dying 
 marks of the Lord Jesus, ' that the life also of 
 Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal * flesh. ' 
 Ga.vi. 17; 2Co. iv. 11. God is SO just a God, and so 
 merciful to his people, that though the boditso of 
 his saints should, through the malice of the enemy, 
 
 ' Bunyau quotes this from the Genevan or Puritan version ; 
 our present translation has ' in our body.' — Ed. 
 
 be never so dishonourably tortuied, killed, and 
 sown in the grave : yet he will, as further will be 
 shewn anon, raise it again in incorruption, glory, 
 and honour : as he saith also in another place, that 
 we who have continued with Christ in his tempta- 
 tions, that have for his sake underwent the reproach 
 and malice of the world, to you, saith Christ, ' I 
 appoint a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed 
 unto me.' Lu. xxii. 28, 39. If we suffer, we shall also 
 reiarn with him: 3Ti. ii. 12. 'and he that hateth his 
 
 o 
 
 life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.' 
 Jn. xii. 25. All this is to be enjoyed, especially at 
 the resurrection of the just. But, 
 
 Sixth, There must be a resurrection of the just, 
 otherwise, there will be the greatest disappoint- 
 ment on all sides that ever was, since man had a 
 being on the earth. A disappointment, I say, 
 ■ 1. Of the wiU of God — ' And this is the Father's 
 will which hath sent me, ' saith Christ, ' that of all 
 which he hath given me I should lose nothing, [not 
 a dust,] but shoidd raise it up again at the last 
 day.' Jn. vi. 39. 
 
 2. A disappointment of the power of God; for 
 he that hath raised up the Lord Jesus, doth also 
 intend to raise us up by his power, even our bodies; 
 as Paul saith, ' The body is not for fornication, 
 but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. 
 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will 
 also raise up us by his power. ' 1 Co. v-i. 13, 14. 
 
 3. If there should he no resurrection of the just, 
 Christ also woidd be wonderfully disappointed of 
 the fruits of all his sufferings. As I told you be- 
 fore, his people are the price of his blood, and the 
 members of his body, and he is now at the right 
 hand of God, ' far above all principalities and 
 powers, and every name that is named,' expecting 
 tin his enemies be made his footstool, He. i. 13. and 
 brought imder the foot of the weakest saint; which 
 will not be, until the last enemy deaih is destroyed. 
 We know that he said, when he went away, that 
 he would come again, and fetch all his people to 
 himself, even up into heaven, that where he is, 
 there we may be also. Jn. xu. 26; xiv. i— 3; xni. 24. But, 
 I say, how will he he disappointed, if when he 
 comes, the grave and death should prevent and 
 hinder him, and with its bars, keep down those, 
 whom he hath ransomed with his blood, from the 
 power thereof. 
 
 4. If the bodies of the just arise [not] from the 
 dead, then they also will be disappointed. 'Tis 
 true, the saints departed, have far more fellowship 
 and communion with God and the Lord Jesus, than 
 we have, or are not yet capable of having, they 
 being in paradise, and we in this world ; Lu.xxiii.43. 
 but yet, I say for all that, they are, though there, 
 very much longing for the day of the Lord's ven- 
 geance, which will be the day in which they will, 
 and must arise from the dead. This, I say, is the 
 
OF THE EESURKECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 89 
 
 time that ttey long for, wlien they cry under the 
 altar, ' How long, Lord, holy and true, dost thou 
 not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell 
 on the earth ? ' Ke. vi. lo, n. When they died, they 
 died in hope to 'obtain a better resurrection,' 
 He. xi. 35. and now they are gone, they long till that 
 day he come ; till the day come, I say, when the 
 dead, even all the enemies of Christ, shall be 
 judged ; for then will he give rewards to his ser- 
 vants the prophets, and to his saints, and to all 
 that fear his name, small and great. He. xi 18. 
 
 5. If the just arise not, great disappointment 
 also will be to the saints yet alive in this world; 
 for, notwithstanding they have already received the 
 first-fruits of the Spirit, yet they wait, not only for 
 more of that, but also for the resurrection, redemp- 
 tion, and changing of this vile body. ' For our 
 conversation is in heaven,' saith Paid, ' from 
 whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that 
 it may be fashioned like to his glorious body.' 
 Ko. Tiii. 20—33 ; PM. iii. 20. 21. But now, I say, if the body 
 riseth not, then how can it be made like to the 
 glorious body of Christ Jesus: yea, what a sad 
 disappointment, infatuation, and delusion, are those 
 poor creatures under, that look, and that by scrip- 
 ture warrant, for such a thing ? They look for 
 good, but behold evU ; they expect to be delivered 
 in their whole man from every enemy; but lo, both 
 death and the grave, their great enemies, do swallow 
 them up for ever. But, beloved, be not deceived. 
 ' The needy shall not alway be forgotten, the ex- 
 pectation of the poor shall not perish for ever. ' 
 Ps. ix. 18. Saith Christ, He that seeth the Son, 
 and believeth on him that sent him, hath ever- 
 lasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 
 
 Jn. vi. 40. 
 
 6. If the just arise not out of their graves, tlien 
 also is every grace of God in our souls defeated ; 
 for though the spirit of devotion can put forth a 
 feigned show of holiness with the denial of the 
 
 o 
 
 resurrection, yet every grace of God in the elect 
 doth prompt them forward to live as becomes the 
 gospel, by pointing at this day; as, (1.) 'Tis this 
 that faith looks at, according as it is written, ' I 
 believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also 
 believe, and therefore speak ; knowing that he 
 which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us 
 also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.' 
 2 Co. iv. 13, 14. (2.) Hope looks at this. 'We,' saith 
 Paul, 'which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, 
 even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting 
 for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our 
 Ijody' — that is, we expect this by hope; 'but hope 
 that is seen is not hope : for what a man seeth, ' or 
 hath in present possession, 'why doth he yet hope 
 for? ' Ro. viii. 23, 24. (3.) The grace of self-denial also 
 worketh by this doctrine — ' If after the manner of 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what 
 advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? ' iCo.xv. 32. 
 As who should say. Wherefore do I deny myself 
 of those mercies and privileges that the men of this 
 world enjoy ? Why do not I also, as well as they, 
 shun persecution for the cross of Christ ? If the 
 dead rise not, what shall I be the better for all my 
 trouble that here I meet with for the gospel of 
 Christ? (4.) Both zeal and patience, with aU other 
 the graces of the Spirit of God in our hearts, are 
 much, yea, chiefly encouraged, animated, and sup- 
 ported by this doctrine ; as James saith, 'Be patient, 
 therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord,' 
 for then shall the dead be raised. 1 Th. iv. 16, 17. 
 ' Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious 
 fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, 
 until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye 
 also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming 
 of the Lord draweth nigh. ' Ja. v. 7, 8. 
 
 Seventh, The doctrine of the resurrection of tlie 
 just, must needs be a certain truth of God, if we 
 consider the devilish, and satanical errors and ab- 
 surdities that must unavoidably follow the denial 
 thereof; as, he that holdeth no resurrection of our 
 body, he denieth the resurrection of the body of 
 Christ. This is the Spirit's own doctrine — ' For 
 if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised.' 
 1 Co. XV. ic. He that denieth the resurrection of the 
 members, denieth the resurrection of the head; for 
 seeing the resurrection of the saints is proved by 
 the resurrection of Christ, he that doth deny the 
 resurrection of the saints, must needs deny the 
 resurrection of Chi'ist, that proves it. Now this 
 error, as it is in itself destructive to all Christian 
 religion: so it, like an adder, carrieth within its 
 bowels, many other ahke devilish and filthy; as, 
 
 1. He that denieth the resurrection of the saints, 
 he concludeth, that to preach deliverance from sin 
 and death, it is vain preaching; for how can he be» 
 freed of sin, that is swallowed up for ever of death 
 and the grave? as he most certainly is, that is 
 always contained therein, as Paul saith, ' If Christ 
 be not risen,' whose resurrection is the ground of 
 ours, ' then is our preaching vain, and your faith 
 is also vain,' iCo. xv.14. then we preach fables, and 
 you receive them for truth. 
 
 2. This error, casteth the lie in the face of God, 
 of Christ, and the Scriptures — 'Yea, and we,' 
 saith Paul, ' are found false witnesses of God; be- 
 cause we have testified of God that he raised up 
 Christ: - if so be that the dead rise not.' 
 1 Co. XV. 15. Mark, before he said, Christ in his 
 resurrection, doth prove our resurrection; but now 
 he saith, that our resurrection will prove the truth 
 of his; and indeed both are true; for as by Christ's 
 rising, ours is afiirmed; so by ours, his is demon- 
 strated. ' 
 
 3. The denial of the resun-ection, it also damneth 
 
or THE KESUREECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 all those that have departed this world in the faith 
 of this doctrine. 'If Christ be not raised,' (as if 
 he is not, we rise not, then is not only) your faith 
 vain, ye are yet in your sins (that are alive,) but 
 ' then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ 
 are perished. ' i Co. xv. 17, I8. 
 
 4. He that denieth the resurrection of the just, 
 he concludeth, that the Christian is of all men the 
 most miserable. Mark the words: ' If in this life 
 only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men 
 most miserable.' 1C0.xv.19. First of all, men the 
 most miserable, because we let go present enjoy- 
 ments for those that will never come, ' if the dead 
 rise not. ' Of aU men most miserable, because our 
 faith, our liope, our joy, and peace, are all but a 
 lie, ' if the dead rise not. ' But you will say, he 
 that giveth up himself to God shall have comfort 
 in this life. Ah ! but ' if the dead rise not, ' all 
 our comfort that now we think we have from God, 
 will then be found presumption and madness, be- 
 cause we believe, that God hath so loved us, as to 
 have us in his day, in body and soul, to heaven : 
 which will be nothing so, if the dead rise not. If 
 in this life only, we have hope in Christ, we are 
 of aU men most miserable. Poor Christian ! thou 
 that lookest for the blessed hope of the resurrection 
 of the body, at the glorious appearing of the great 
 God, and oiir Saviour Jesus Christ, how wUt thou 
 be deceived, if the dead rise not ! ' But now is 
 Christ risen from the dead, and become the first- 
 fruits of them that slept. For since by man came 
 death, by man came also the resurrection of the 
 dead. ' 1 Co. iv. 20, 21. 
 
 5. But again ; he that denieth the resurrection 
 of the dead, he setteth open a flood-gate to all 
 manner of impiety; he cutteth the throat of a truly 
 holy life, and layeth the reins upon the neck of the 
 most outrageous lusts ; for if the dead rise not, let 
 
 •us eat and drink; that is, do anything, though 
 never so diabolical and hellish ; ' let us eat and 
 drink, for to-morrow we die, ' 1 Co. xv. 33. and there 
 is an end of us ; we shall not arise again, to receive 
 either evil or good. 
 
 6. To deny this resurrection, nay, if a man do 
 but say, it is past either with him or any Christian : 
 his so saying tendeth directly to the destruction 
 and overthrow of the faith of them that hear him ; 
 and is so far from being according to the doctrine 
 of God, that it eateth out good and wholesome 
 doctrine even as cankers eat the face and flesh of 
 a man. How iU-favouredly do they look, that 
 have their nose and lips eaten oif with the canker? 
 Even so badly doth the doctrine of no resurrection 
 of the dead, look in the eyes of God, Christ, saints, 
 and scripture. 2Ti. ii. 18. 
 
 7. I conclude then, that to deny the resurrection 
 of the bodies of the just, it argueth, 
 
 (1.) Great ignorance of God, ignorant of his 
 
 power to raise, ignorant of his promise to raise, 
 ignorant of his faithfulness to raise ; and that both 
 to himself. Son, and saints, as I shewed before. 
 Therefore saith Paul to those that were thus de- 
 luded, ' Awake to righteousness, and sin not ; for 
 some have not the knowledge of God. I speak this 
 to your shame.' 1 Co, xv. 34. As if he had said. Do 
 you profess Christianity ? and do you question the 
 resurrection of the body? Do you not know, that 
 the resurrection of the body, and glory to follow, 
 is the very quintessence of the gospel of Jesus 
 Christ ? Are you ignorant of the resurrection of 
 the Lord Jesus, and do you question the power and 
 faithfulness of God, both to his Son and his saints ; 
 because you say, there shall be no resurrection of 
 the dead ? You are ignorant of God ; of what he 
 can do, of what he wiU do, and of what he wiU by 
 doing glorify himself. 
 
 (2.) As it argueth very great ignorance of God's 
 power, faithfulness, <fcc., so it argueth gross igno- 
 rance of the tenor and current of the scriptures; 
 for ' as touching the dead, that they rise : have ye 
 not read in the book of Moses (saith Christ) how 
 in the bush, God spake unto him, saying, ' I am 
 the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and 
 the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, 
 but the God of the living : ye therefore do greatly 
 
 err. ' Mar. xii. 26, 27. 
 
 To be the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it 
 is to be understood of his being their God under a 
 new covenant consideration ; as he saith, ' I will 
 be their God, and they shall be my people. ' Now, 
 thus he is not the God of the dead — that is, of 
 those that perish, whether they be angels or men. 
 
 He. viii. 10, 11 j Jn. viii. 43; 1 Jn. iii. 8—10; Ho.vL 2; Col. iii. 4; 
 Ep. 1.4. 
 
 Now, I say, they that are the children of God, 
 as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they are counted 
 the living under a threefold consideration — (a.) In 
 their Lord and head, and thus all the elect may 
 be said to live ; for they are from eternity chosen 
 in him, who also is their life, though possibly many 
 of them yet unconverted. I say, yet Christ is their 
 life, by the eternal purpose of God. (6.) The 
 children of the new covenant, do live both in their 
 spirits in glory, by open vision, and here by faith 
 and the continual communication of grace from 
 Christ into their souls. Ga. ii. 20. (c. ) They live also 
 with respect to their rising again ; for God ' calleth 
 those things which be not as though they were.' 
 Ko. iv. 17. To be born, dead, buried, risen, and as- 
 cended, are all present with God, he liveth not by 
 time, as we do — a thousand years to him are but as 
 the day that is past. And again, ' One day is as a 
 thousand years.' 2 Pe. iii. 8. Eternity, which is God 
 himself, admitteth of no first, second, and third ; all 
 things are naked and bare before him, and present 
 with him ; He. iv. 13; la. xhi 9. 10. all his live unto hiffli 
 
OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 91 
 
 There shall he a resurrection of the dead, hoth of 
 the just and unjust. So. viii. 89—34. 
 
 A resurrection — of what? Of that which is 
 sown, or of that which was never sown? If of 
 that which is sown, then it must he either of that 
 nature that was sown, or else of the corruption 
 that cleaveth to it ; hut it is the nature, and not 
 the corruption that cleaveth unto it, that riseth 
 again. And verily, the very term ' resurrection ' 
 is a forcible argument to prove the dead shall come 
 forth of their graves ; for the Holy Ghost hath 
 always spoken more properly than to say, ' There 
 shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just 
 and unjust;' when yet neither the good nor the 
 bad shall come forth of their graves, but rather 
 something else to delude the world withal. 
 
 Having thus in few words, shewed you the truth 
 of the resurrection of the dead, I now come. 
 
 Second — To the manner of their rising. 
 
 THE MANNER OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST. 
 
 And First of the just. 
 
 The apostle, when he had in the fifteenth of the 
 1st of the Corinthians proved the truth and cer- 
 tainty of the resurrection, he descends to the dis- 
 covery of the manner of it ; and to the end, he 
 might remove those foolish scruples that attend 
 the hearts of the ignorant, he begins with one of 
 their questions — 'But some ma« will say,' saith 
 he, ' How are the dead raised up ? and with what 
 body do they come ? ' ver. 35. To which he answereth. 
 
 First, By a sirmlitvde of seed, that is sown in 
 the earth. In which similitude, he inserteth three 
 things — 
 
 1. That our reviving or rising, must be after 
 death — ' That which thou sowest is not quickened 
 except it die. ' ver. 36. 
 
 2. That at our rising, we shall not only revive 
 and live, but be changed into a far more glorious 
 state than when we were sown. ' That which thou 
 sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, ' he. 
 ' But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, ' 
 ver. 38. — that is, he giveth the body more splendour, 
 lustre, and beauty at its resurrection. But, 
 
 3. Neither its quickening, not yet its transcend- 
 ent splendour, shall hinder it from being the same 
 body — as to the nature of it — that was sown in 
 the earth ; for as God giveth it a body, for honour 
 and splendour as it pleaseth him, so ' to every seed 
 his own body. ' ver. 38. 
 
 And, indeed, this similitude by which he here 
 reasoneth the manner of the resurrection of the 
 just, is very natural, and fitly suiteth each par- 
 ticular; for, as to its burial — (1.) The corn of 
 wheat is first dead, and after sown and burled In 
 the earth ; and so is the body of man. (2.) After 
 the corn is thus dead and buried, then it quickeneth 
 
 and revlveth to life : so also shall It be with our 
 body; for after it Is laid in the grave and burled, 
 it shall then quicken, rise, and revive. 
 
 Again, as to the manner of its change in Its 
 rising, this sImUitude also doth fitly suit ; as. 
 
 It is sown a dead corn ; it is raised a Uving 
 one. It is sown dry, and without comeliness ; it 
 riseth green and beautiful. It is sown a single 
 corn ; it riseth a full ear. It is sown in its husk ; 
 but in its rising It leaveth that husk behind it. 
 
 Further, though the kernel thus die, be burled, 
 and meet with aU this change and alteration in 
 these things, yet none of them can cause the nature 
 of the kernel to cease — it Is wheat still. Wheat 
 was sown and wheat ariseth ; only it was sown 
 dead, dry, and barren wheat; and riseth living, 
 beautiful, and fruitful wheat. It hath this altera- 
 tion, then, that It doth greatly change its resem- 
 blance, though yet it hath this power, as still 
 to retain its own nature. God giveth it a body 
 as It pleaseth him, 'but to every seed his own 
 body.' 
 
 The apostle having thus presented the manner 
 of the resurrection of the saints by the nature of seed 
 sown and rising again ; he proceedeth, 
 
 Second, for further illustration, to three more 
 similitudes — The first Is, to shew us the variety and 
 glory of flesh. The second is, to shew us the difiis- 
 rence of glory that Is between heavenly bodies, and 
 those that are earthy. The third is, to shew u3 
 the dlfierence that Is between the glory of the light 
 of the sun, from that of the moon ; and also how 
 one star dlffereth from another in glory: and then 
 concludeth, ' so is the resurrection of the dead. ' 
 1 Co. rv. 39—43. As who should say, at the resurrec- 
 tion of the bodies, they will be abimdantly more 
 altered and changed, than If the flesh of beasts 
 and fowls were made as noble as the flesh of men ; 
 or the bodies of earth, were made as excellent as 
 the heavenly bodies, or as If the glory of the moon 
 should be made as bright, and as clear as the glory 
 of the sun ; or as If the glory of the least star was 
 as glorious, and as shining, as the biggest in the 
 firmament of heaven. 
 
 It is a resurrection indeed, a resurrection every 
 way. The body ariseth, as to the nature of it, 
 the self-same nature ; but as to the manner of It ; 
 how far transcendent Is it ! There is a poor, dry, 
 wrinkled kernel cast into the ground, and there It 
 lieth, and swelleth, breaketh, and, one woidd think, 
 perisheth; but behold, it receiveth life, it cliltteth,* 
 It putteth forth a blade, and groweth Into a stalk, 
 there also appeareth an ear ; it also sweetly blos- 
 soms, with a full kernel in the ear : it is the same 
 wheat, yet behold how the form and fashion of that 
 
 * From the verb ' to chit,' to sprout — to shoot at the end 
 of the grain; provincial and almost obsolete. — Ed. 
 
93 
 
 OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 which now ariseth, doth differ from that which then 
 was sown ; its glory also when 'twas sown, is no 
 glory, when compared with that in which it riseth. 
 And yet it is the same that riseth that was sown, 
 and no other ; though the same after a far more 
 glorious manner ; not the same with its husk, but 
 without it. Our Iran shall be left behind us when 
 we rise again. The comparison also between the 
 bodies heavenly and bodies earthly holds forth the 
 same — ' The glory of the celestial is one, and the 
 glory of the terrestrial is another. ' Now mark it ; 
 he doth not speak here of the natures of each of 
 these bodies ; but of the transcendent glory of one 
 above another. ' The glory of the heavenly is one, 
 and the glory of the earthly is another. ' Where- 
 fore I say, at our rising, we shall not change our 
 wxture,\ but our ghry; we shaU be equal to the 
 angels, Lu. xx. S6, not with respect to their nature, 
 but glory. The nature also of the moon is one 
 thing, and the glory of the moon is another; 
 and so one star also differeth from another in 
 glory. 
 
 A beggar hath the same nature as a king, and 
 gold in the ore, the same nature with that which 
 is best refined ; but the beggar hath not the same 
 glory with the king, nor yet the gold in ore, the 
 same glory with that which is refined. But our 
 state will be far more altered than any of these in 
 the days when we, like so many suns in the firma- 
 ment of heaven, arise out of the heart and bowels 
 of the earth. 
 
 These things thus considered do shew you how 
 vainly they argue, that say, our human nature con- 
 sisting of body and soul, shall not inherit the king- 
 dom of God, and also how far from their purpose, 
 that saying of the apostle is, which saith, that 
 ' flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of 
 God.' And now also, because I am fallen upon 
 the objection itself, I shall not pass it, but with a 
 short dash at it. Wherefore reader, whoever thou 
 art, consider that frequently in scripture the words 
 'flesh' and 'blood,' as also in the place alleged, 
 are not to be understood of that matter which God 
 made; which flesh cleaveth to our bones, and blood 
 runs in our veins : but is taken for that corruption, 
 weakness, mortality, and evil that cleaveth to it ; 
 which weakness and corruption, because it pos- 
 sesseth all men, and also wholly ruleth where the 
 soul is unconverted ; therefore it beareth the name 
 of that which is ruled and acted by it — to wit, our 
 whole man, consisting of body and soul ; yet, I say, 
 is a thing distinct from that flesh and blood which 
 is essential to our being, and without which we 
 are no men. As, for instance, he that is Christ's, 
 saith Paul, ' hath crucified the flesh, with the 
 affections and lusts, ' Ga. v. 24. Who is so vain as to 
 think that the apostle by these words, should mean 
 our material flesh that hangeth en our bones, and 
 
 that is mixed with our natural blood, sinews, an( 
 veins ; and not rather of that inward fountain ol 
 sin, corruption, and wickedness, which in anothei 
 place he calleth ' the old man, ' with his ' deceitfu 
 lusts.' Ep. iv. 22. Again, 'The flesh lusteth againsi 
 the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh.' Is ii 
 our flesh that hangeth on our bones, which lustetli 
 against the spirit ? and that also against which the 
 spirit lusteth? Certainly, if the spirit lusteth 
 against our material flesh, then it is our duty not 
 to nourish it at all, because, by nourishing of it 
 we nourish that against which the Spirit of God 
 fighteth, and warreth. Nay, if the spirit lust 
 against the flesh on our bones simply considered 
 as flesh ; and if it be our duty to follow the Spirit, 
 as it is, then we must needs kill ourselves, or cut 
 our flesh from our bones. For whatever the Spirit 
 of God lusteth against, it must be destroyed ; yea, 
 it is our duty with all speed to destroy it. But 
 wilt thou know, vain man, that by flesh here is 
 to be understood, not the nature that God hath 
 made, but the corrupt apprehension, and wisdom, 
 with those inclinations to evil, that lodge within 
 us, which in another place are called the ' wisdom 
 of the flesh,' yea, in plain terms, ' flesh and blood,' 
 where Christ saith, ' Flesh and blood bath not re- 
 vealed [this] unto thee, but my Father which is b 
 heaven. ' Mat. xri. 17. 
 
 Nay, observe it, all these places, with many 
 others, do rather point at a corrupt soul, than a 
 corrupt body; for, indeed, sin and all spiritual 
 wickedness, they have their seat in the heart and 
 soul of a man, and by their using this or that mem- 
 ber of the body, so defile the man ; the weaknesses 
 of the body, or that attend our material flesh and 
 blood, they are weaknesses of another kind, as 
 sickness, aches, pains, sores, wounds, defection of 
 members, <&c. Wherefore, where you read of 
 flesh and blood, as rejected of God; especially, 
 when it speaks of the flesh and blood of saints, 
 you are not to understand it as meant of the flesh, 
 which is their proper human nature, but of that 
 weakness which cleaveth to it. 
 
 Paul in another place, reckoneth up the works 
 of the flesh, in many things, as in witchcraft, 
 hatred, variance, strife, emulation, fornication, and 
 many others. But can any imagine, that he there 
 should strike at that flesh which hangeth on our 
 bones, or rather at that malignity and rebellloa 
 that is in the mind of man against the Lord, by 
 reason of which the members of the body are used 
 this way, and also sometimes that, to accomplish 
 its most filthy and abusive deeds. Ga. v. 17—21. ' Thej 
 were - - enemies in [their] mind by wicked works,' 
 
 Col. i. 21. 
 
 Thus you see that ' flesh and blood' is not to he 
 taken always for the flesh that is upon our hands, 
 and feet, and other parts of our body; but for that 
 
OF THE KESURKECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 93 
 
 Bin, wealuiess, and infirmity, that cleaveth to our 
 whole man. 
 
 Further then, touchiug our real substantial flesh, 
 it may be either considered as God's creature 
 purely, or as corrupted with sin and infirmity. 
 Now if you consider it as corrupted, so it shall not 
 inherit the kingdom of God : but yet consider it as 
 God's creature, and so all that God hath converted 
 to himself, through Jesus Christ, shall, even with 
 that body when changftd, inherit the kingdom of 
 God. The woman whose clothes are foul, can yet 
 distinguish between the dirt and the cloth on which 
 it hangeth ; and so deals God with us. 'Tis true, 
 there is not one saint, but while he liveth here, his 
 body is arrayed and infected with many corrupt 
 and filthy things, as touching bodily weaknesses ; 
 yea, and also with many sinful infirmities, by rea- 
 son of that body of sin and death that yet remains 
 in us : but yet God, I say, distinguisheth between 
 our weaknesses, and his workmanship, and can 
 tell how to save the whole man of his people, while 
 he is destroying the corruption and weakness that 
 cleaveth to them. 
 
 And now to return to the place objected — 'Flesh 
 and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God. ' 
 It cannot be truly understood, that that flesh which 
 is man's nature shall not enter the kingdom ; for 
 then, as I said before, Christ must lose his mem- 
 bers, the purchase of his blood, the vessels and 
 temples of his Spirit ; for all this is our body. 
 Again, then Christ also, in that his body, which 
 is also our flesh and blood, is not in glory, con- 
 trary to the whole current of the New Testament. 
 He. ii. 14, 15. vii. 24, 23. viii. 3, 4. a. 10—12. Re. i. 18. ii. 8. 
 
 Yea, it woxdd be nonsense to say, there should 
 be a resurrection, and that our vUe body shall be 
 changed, ' and made like to the glorious body of 
 the Son of God;' if this body do not at all rise 
 again, but some other thing, which is not in us, 
 and our nature. But to be short ; the apostle 
 here, when he saith, ' Flesh and blood cannot in- 
 herit,' &c., speaks properly of that mortality and 
 weakness, that now attends our whole man, and 
 not of our real substantial body itself. For after 
 he had said, ' Flesh and blood cannot inherit the 
 kingdom of God,' he adds, 'neither doth corrup- 
 tion inherit incorruption, ' which two sayings are 
 answerable to what he presently adds, saying, 
 ' Behold, I shew you a mystery ; we shall not all 
 sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in 
 the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the 
 trumpet shall sound, and the dead ' — mark, ' the 
 dead shall be raised incorruptible ' — that is, the 
 dead shall be so raised as that in their rising, in- 
 corruption shall possess them instead of corruption, 
 and immortality instead of that mortality that des- 
 cended to the grave with them, — ' for this corrup- 
 tible ' — mark, tliis corruptible — ' must put on in- 
 
 corruption, and this mortal must put on immor- 
 tality.' Mark, I say, it is this corruptible, and 
 this mortal, that must bo raised, though not cor- 
 ruptible and mortal, as it was buried ; but immor- 
 tal and incorruptible; it shall leave its grave- 
 clothes of corruption and mortality behind it. 
 
 1 Co. xv. 60—53. 
 
 Third. The manner of which their rising, the 
 apostle doth more distinctly branch out a little 
 above in four particulars, which particulars aro 
 these that follow — 1. It is sown in corruption; 
 it is raised in incorruption. 2. It is sown in 
 dishonour, it is raised in glory. 3. It is sown 
 in weakness, ii is raised in power. 4. It is so^vn 
 a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. 
 
 1 Co. XV. 
 
 1. It is raised in incorruption. We are brought 
 into this world by sin and corruption ; corraption 
 is our father, and in sin did our mother conceive 
 us. Job xvii. 14. Ps. li. 5. And hence it is that we have 
 our life, not only like a span, shadow, or post, for 
 shortness, but also, that it is attended with so much 
 vanity and vexation of spirit. But now being raised 
 from the dead incorruptible, which is also called a 
 begetting and birth, these things that now in our 
 hfe annoy us, and at last take away our life, are 
 effectually destroyed; and therefore we live for 
 ever, as saith the Spirit — ' And there shall be no 
 more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither 
 shall there be any more pain : for the former 
 things,' that is, all our corruptibleness, 'are passed 
 away. ' Ke. xA 4. 
 
 There shall be in our resurrection no corruption, 
 either of body or of soul ; no weakness, nor sick- 
 ness, nor anything tending that way ; as he saith. 
 He will present us ' to himself a glorious church, 
 not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.' 
 Ep. v. 27. Therefore, when he saith it is raised in 
 incorruption, it is as if he had said. It is impossi- 
 ble that they should ever sin more, be sick more, 
 sorrow more, or die more. ' They which shall be 
 counted worthy to obtain that world, and the re- 
 surrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are 
 given in marriage;' though 'twas thus with them 
 in this world ; ' neither can they die any more, for 
 they are equal unto the angels ; and are the chil- 
 dren of God, being the children of the resurrection.' 
 
 Lu. XX. 35, 36. 
 
 2. It 'is raised in glory. The dishonour that 
 doth attend the saint at his departing this world, 
 it is very great — ' he is sown in dishonour ; ' he is 
 so loathsome at his death, that his dearest friends 
 are weary of him, stop their noses at him, see no 
 beauty in him, nor set any price upon him, (I speak 
 nothing here how some of them are hanged, starved, 
 banished, and so die, torn to pieces, and not suf- 
 fered to be put into graves,) but it is raised in 
 glory. Glory is the sweetness, comeliness, purity, 
 
2i 
 
 OF THE RESURKE.CTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 and perfection of a tiling. The light is the glory 
 of the sun, strength is the glory of youth, and 
 grey hairs are the glory of old age — that is, it is 
 the excellency of these things, and that which 
 makes them shine, i Co. w. 40, 41. Pr. xx. 29. 
 
 Therefore, to arise in glory, it is first to arise 
 in all the beauty, and utmost completeness that is 
 possible to possess a human creature ; I say, in 
 all its features and members, inconceivably beau- 
 tiful. Sin and corruption have made mad work in 
 our bodies as well as in our souls. 'Tis sin com- 
 monly that is the cause of aU that deformity and 
 ill-favouredness that now cleaveth to us, and that 
 also rendereth us so dishonourable at our death ; 
 but now at our rising, we being raised incorrupti- 
 ble, we shall appear in such perfections, and that 
 of all sorts, belonging to the body, that all the 
 beauty and comehness, sweetness and amiableness, 
 that hath at any time been in this world, it shall 
 be swallowed up a thousand times told with this 
 glory. The Psalmist saith of Christ that ' he was 
 fairer than the children of men, ' Ps. xlv. 2. and that, 
 as I believe, in his outward man, as well as in his 
 inward part. He was the exactest, purest, com- 
 pletest, and beautifulest creature that ever God 
 made, till his visage was so marred hy his persecu- 
 tions ; for in all things he had and shall have the 
 pre-eminence, is. hi. u. Coi. i. 18. Why, our bodies 
 at our resurrection will not only be as free from 
 sin, as his was before he died, but also as free 
 from all other infirmities as he was after he was 
 raised again. In a word, if incorruptibleness can 
 put a beauty upon our bodies when they arise, we 
 shall have it. There shall be no lame legs, nor 
 crump shoulders, no bleared eyes, nor yet wrinkled 
 faces — He ' shall change our vile body, that it 
 may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.' Phi. 
 
 iii. 21. 
 
 Again, all the glory that a glorified soul can 
 help this body to, it at this day shall enjoy. That 
 soul that hath been these hundreds or thousands 
 of years in the heavens, soaking in the bosom of 
 Christ, it shall in a moment come spangling into 
 the body again, and inhabit every member and vein 
 of the body, as it did before its departure. That 
 Spirit of God also that took its leave of the body 
 when it went to the grave, shall now in all perfec- 
 tion dwell in this body again ; I tell you, the body 
 at this day will shine brighter than the face of 
 Moses or Stephen, even as bright as the sun, the 
 stars, and angels. ' When Christ who is our life, 
 shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him 
 
 in glory. ' Ex. .xxxiv. 29, 35. Ac. vL 15. Da. xu. 3. Mat. xiii. 43. 
 Lu. XX. 36. Col. iii. 3, 4. 
 
 3. It is raised in power. While we are here, 
 we are attended with so many weaknesses and in- 
 firmities, that in time the least sin or sickness is 
 too hard for us, and taketh away both our strength. 
 
 our beauty, our days, our breath, and life, and all. 
 Job xxx\iii. 17. But behold, we are raised in power, 
 in that power that all these things are as far below 
 us as a grasshopper is below a giant ; at the first 
 appearance of us the world will tremble. 
 
 Behold, the gates of death and the bars of the 
 grave are now carried away on our shoulders, as 
 Samson carried away the gates of the city. Ju. xvi. 
 3. Death quaketh, and destruction falleth down 
 dead at our feet: What, then, can stand before 
 us ? We shall then carry that grace, majesty, 
 terror, and commanding power in our souls that our 
 countenances shaR be like lightning.* CompareLa.is. 
 16 mth Mat. xiviii. 2, 3. ' For this corruptible must put 
 on incorruption, and this mortal muM put on im- 
 mortality. So when this corruptible shall have 
 put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put 
 on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the 
 saying that is written. Death is swallowed up in 
 victory. ' l Co. xv. 53, 54. 
 
 4. It is raised a spiritual body. This is the last 
 particular, and is indeed the reason of the other 
 three ; it is an incorruptible body, because it is a 
 spiritual one ; it is a glorious body, because it is a 
 spiritual one ; it doth rise in power, because it is a 
 spiritual body. When the body is buried, or sowu 
 in the earth, it is a body corruptible, dishonourable, 
 weak, and natural ; but when it ariseth, it doth 
 rise incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual; 
 so that so far as incorruption is above corruption, 
 glory above dishonour, power above weakness, 
 and spiritual above natural ; so great an alteration 
 will there be in our body, when raised again. Aud 
 yet it is this body and not another ; this in nature, 
 though changed into a far more glorious state, a 
 thousand times further than if a fhoggard was 
 changed to be an emperor. Mark, ' it is sown a 
 natural body;' a very fit word; for though there 
 dwell never so much of the Spirit and grace of 
 God in it while it liveth, yet so soon as the soul is 
 separate from it, so soon also doth the Spirit of 
 God separate from it, and so will continue while 
 the day of its rising be come. Therefore, it is laid 
 into the earth a mere lump of man's nature — ' It 
 is sown a natural body;' but now at the day when 
 ' the heavens be no more,' as Job saith, xiv.i2. then 
 
 * These ideas are as new as they are striking and splendid, 
 Our vile bodies, when raised from the dust, shall he sfirilud 
 — like that of Christ — with him in glory; 'bright as the sun 
 and stars and angels.' How amazingly superior is our preach- 
 ing mechanic, to all the fathers (so called) and dignitaries of 
 state churches that ever wrote upon this subject. Banyan 
 proves his apostolic descent in the right line; he breathes the 
 spirit — the holy fire of the inspired writers. — En. 
 
 t I have continued this word as Bunyan spelt it, but Ic 
 probably meant hog-herd, a keeper or driver of swine, one of 
 the dii-tiest and lowest employments. 
 
 ' No boorish hog-herd fed his rooting swine.' 
 
 Browne's Pastorals. — Ed, 
 
OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 the trump shall sound, even the trump of God, and, 
 in a moment, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, 
 glorious, and spiritual, i Co. xv. 62. i Tii. iv. le, 17. So 
 that I say, the body when it ariseth, will be so 
 swallowed up of life and immortality, that it will 
 be, as if it had lost its own human nature ; though, 
 in truth, the same substantial real nature is every 
 whit there still. 'Tis the same it that riseth, that 
 was sown ; ' /i is sown,' 'it is raised ;' ' it is sown,' 
 ' it is raised,' saith the apostle. You know, that 
 things which are candied, by the art of the apo- 
 thecary, they are so swallowed up with the sweetness 
 and virtue of that in which they are candied, that 
 they are now, as though they had no other nature, 
 than that in which they are boiled : when yet, in 
 truth, the thing candied doth still retain its own 
 proper nature and essence; though by virtue of its 
 being candied, it loseth its former sourness, bitter- 
 ness, stinting, smell, or the like. Just thus, at 
 the last day, it will be with our bodies : we shall 
 be so candied, by being swallowed up of life, as 
 before is shewed, that we shall be, as if we were 
 all spirit, when in truth, it is but this body that is 
 swallowed up of life. And it must needs be, that 
 our nature still remain, otherwise it cannot be MS 
 that shall be in heaven, but something besides us. 
 Let us lose our proper himian nature, and we lose 
 absolutely our being, and so are annihilated into 
 nothing. Wherefore it, the same it, that is sown 
 a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body. 
 
 But again, as I said, concerning things that are 
 candied ; our body, when thus risen, it shall lose 
 all that sourness and stink, that now, by reason of 
 sin and infirmity, cleaveth to it: neither shall its 
 lumpishness, or imwieldiness, be any impediment 
 to its acting after the manner of angels. Christ 
 hath shewed us, what our body at our resurrection 
 shall be, by shewing of us, in his word, what his 
 body was, at and after, his resurrection. We 
 read, that his body, after he was risen from the 
 dead, though it yet retained the very same flesh 
 and bones that did hang upon the cross, yet how 
 angelical was it at all times, upon all occasions! He 
 could come in to his disciples with that very body, 
 when the doors were shut upon them : He could, 
 at pleasure, to their amazement, appear in the 
 twinkling of an eye, in the midst of them: he could 
 be visible and invisible as he pleased, when he sat 
 at meat with them: in a word, he could pass and 
 repass, ascend and descend in that body, with far 
 more pleasure and ease, than the bird by the art 
 
 of her wing. Lu. xxiv. 31, 33, 36—42, 50, 51. Jn. xx. 19, 24—36. 
 Ac, i. 1—12. Mar. xvi. 19. Ep. vr. 7—10, 
 
 Now, I say, as we have in this world borne the 
 image of our first father ; so, at that day, we shall 
 have the image of Jesus Christ, and be as he is — 
 ' As is the earthy, such are they also that are 
 earthy : and as is the heavenly, such are they also 
 
 that are heavenly. And as wo have borne the 
 image of the earthy, we shall also, (at our resur- 
 rection,) bear the image of the heavenly.' iCo.xv. 
 48, 49. It is so in part now, but shall so be in per- 
 fection then. 
 
 To mount up to heaven, and to descend again 
 at pleasure, shall, witli us, in that day, be ordi- 
 nary. If there were ten thousand bars of iron, or 
 walls of brass, to separate between us, and our 
 pleasure and desire, at that day, they should as 
 easily be pierced by us, as is the cobweb, or air 
 by the beams of the sun : And the reason is, be- 
 cause to the Sph'it, wherewith we shall be incon- 
 ceivably filled at that day, nothing is impossible ; 
 Mat. xvii. 20. and the working of it at that day, shall 
 be in that nature and measure as to swallow up all 
 impossibilities. Ho ' shall change our vile body, 
 that it may be fashioned like imto his glorious 
 body,' — now mark, 'according to the working 
 whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto 
 himself.' Plu. ffi. 21. As who should say, I know 
 that there are many things, that in this world hin- 
 der us from having our bodies like the body of 
 Christ; but when God shall raise us from the 
 dead, because he will then have our body like the 
 body of his Son ; He will stretch forth such a 
 power to work upon, and in our body, that he will 
 remove all impossibilities and hindrances. 
 
 Nay, further, we do not only see what operation 
 the Spirit will have in our body, by the carriage 
 of Christ, after his resurrection ; but even by many 
 a saint before their death. The Spirit used to 
 catch Elijah away, no man could tell whither. It 
 carried Ezekiel hither and thither : It carried 
 Christ from the top of the pinnacle of the temple 
 into Gahlee ; through it he walked on the sea; the 
 Spirit caught away Philip from the eunuch, and 
 carried him as far as Azotus. i Ki. xvUi. u, 12. 3 Ki. ii. 
 
 11. Eze. iii. 14. Lu. iv. 14. Mat. xiv. 25. Ac. viii. 39, 40. 
 
 Thus the great God hath given us a taste of the 
 power and glory that is in himself, and how easily 
 it wiU help us, by its possessing* of us at the re- 
 surrection, to act and do hke angels ; as Christ 
 saith, They that shall be counted worthy of that 
 world, and of the resurrection from the dead, they 
 shall not die, but be equal to the angels. Ln. xxL 36. 
 
 Further, as the body by being thus spiritualized, 
 shall be as I have said ; so again it must needs 
 be, that hereby all the service of the body, and 
 faculties of the soul, must be infinitely enlarged 
 also. Now 'we shall see him as he is,' and now 
 we shall know even as we are known, i Jn. iii- 2- i Co. 
 
 xiii. 12. 
 
 Mrst, Now we shall see him ; to wit, Christ in 
 
 * 'Its possessing of iis,' or to give us possession. 'This 
 possesses us of the most valuable blessing of human life, friend- 
 ship.' Gov. of Tontjue. — Eu. 
 
OF THE EESUKRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 his glory ; not by revelation only, as we do now, 
 but thenyace to face; and lie will have us with him 
 to this very end. Jn. mi. 24 Though John was in 
 the Spirit when he had the vision of Christ, yet it 
 made him fall at his feet as dead ; Re. i. 17. and 
 also turned Daniel's beauty into corruption. Da.x.8. 
 It was so glorious, and so overweighing a glory, 
 that he appeared in ; but we shall, at the day of 
 our resurrection, be so furnished, that we shall 
 with the eagle, be able to look upon the sun in his 
 strength : we shall then, I say, ' see Him as he 
 is,' who now is in the light, that no eye hath seen, 
 nor any man can see till that day. 1 Ti. ri. le. 
 
 Now we shall see into all things; there shall not 
 be anything hid from us ; there shall not be a 
 saint, a prophet, or saved soul, small or great, 
 but we shall then perfectly know them. Also, all 
 the works of creation, election, and redemption, 
 and shall see and know as thoroughly, all the 
 things of heaven, and earth, and hell, even as 
 perfectly, as now we know our A, B, C. For the 
 Spirit, with which we shall in every cranny of soul 
 and body be filled, I say, ' searoheth all things, 
 yea, the deep things of God. ' 1 Co. ii. 10. We see 
 what strange things have been known by the pro- 
 phets and saints of God, and that when they knew 
 but ' in part. ' 
 
 Abraham could, by it, tell to a day, how long 
 his seed should be under persecution in Egypt ; 
 Oe. iy.i3. Elisha, by it, could teU what was done in 
 the king of Assyria's bed-chamber; 2 Ki. ri. la. Ahi- 
 jah could know by this, Jeroboam's wife, so soon, 
 yea before her feet entered within his door, though 
 he saw her not. 1 Ki. xiv. 1— G. 
 
 The prophet of Judah could tell by this, what God 
 would do to Bethel, for the idolatry there committed; 
 and could also point out the man by name that 
 should do the execution, long before he was born 
 lKi.xiii.2. What shall I say, Enoch by it could tell 
 what should be done at the end of the world. Judel-i, 
 15. How did the prophets, to a circumstance, pro- 
 phesy of Christ's birth, his death, his burial, of 
 their giving him gall and vinegar, of their parting 
 his raiment, and piercing his hands and feet ! is. liii. 
 Of his riding on an ass also ; all this they saw, 
 when they spake of him. Jn. xii. 41. Peter also, 
 though half asleep, could at the very first word, 
 call Moses and Ellas by their names, when they 
 appeared to Christ in the holy mount. Lu. Lt. 33. 
 He is very ignorant of the operation of the Spirit 
 of God, that scrupleth these things. But now, I 
 say, if these things have been done, seen, and 
 known, by spiritual men, while their knowledge 
 hath been but in part, how shall we know, see, 
 and discern, when that which is perfect is come ? 
 Which wUl be at the resurrection ; ' It is raised a 
 spiritual body.' 
 
 Thus, in few words, have I shewed you the 
 
 truth of the resurrection of the just, and also tlio 
 manner of their rising. Had I judged it con- 
 venient, I might have much enlarged on each par- 
 ticular, and have added many more ; for the doc- 
 trine of the resurrection, however questioned by 
 heretics, and erroneous persons ; yet is such a 
 truth, that almost all the holy scriptures of God 
 point at, and centre in it. 
 
 God hath, from the beginning of the world, 
 shewed to us, that our body must be with him, as 
 well as our soul, in the kingdom of heaven. I 
 say, he hath shewed us, how he will deal with 
 those that are alive at Christ's coming, by his 
 translating of Enoch, Ge. y. a. and by taking him 
 body and soul to himself; He.xi. 5. As also, by his 
 catching of Elias up body and soul into heaven, 
 in a fiery chariot, 2 Ki. ii. 11. and, 
 
 Secondly/, He hath often put us in remembrance 
 of the rising of those that are dead, at that day, as, 
 (1.) By the faith he gave Abraham, concerning the 
 offering of his son : for when he offered him, he 
 accounted ' that God was able to raise him up, even 
 from the dead ; from whence also he received him in 
 a figure. ' He. xi. 19. In a figure of the resurrection 
 of Christ, for Abraham's justification; and of Abra- 
 ham's resurrection by Christ at the last day, for his 
 glorification. (2.) By the faith he gave Joseph con- 
 cerning his bones; which charge, the godlyinEgypt, 
 did diligently observe, and to that end, did keep 
 them four hundred years ; and at length, carried 
 them, I say, from Egypt to Canaan, which was a 
 type of our being carried in our body, from thia 
 world to heaven. He. xi. 23. 
 
 Besides, how oft did God give power to his pro- 
 phets, servants, and Christ Jesus, to raise some 
 that were now dead, and some that had been long 
 so ; and all, no doubt, to put the present genera- 
 tions, as also the generations yet unborn, in mind 
 of the resurrection of the dead. To this end, I 
 say, how was the Shunammite's son raised from the 
 dead ? 2 Ki. iv. The man also at the touching of the 
 bones of Elisha? 2 Ki, xiii. 20, 21. together with the body 
 of Lazarus, with Jairus's daughtei-, and Tabitha, and 
 many others, who, after their souls were departed 
 from them, Lazarus lying in his grave four days, 
 were aU raised to life again, and lived with that 
 very body out of which the soul, at their death, 
 had departed. Lu. viii. 63—56. Jn. xi. 43, 44. Ac. ix. 40, 41. 
 
 But above all, that notable place in Matthew, at 
 the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, gives us a nota- 
 ble fore-word of the resurrection of the just. Saith 
 the text, ' And the graves were opened ; and many 
 bodies of the saints >vhioh slept arose, and came 
 out of the graves after his resurrection, and went 
 into the holy city, and appeared unto many. M* 
 
 xxvii. 62, 63. 
 
 When the author to the Hebrews had given us a 
 catalogue of the worthies of the Old Testament, he 
 
OF THE RESUUEECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 97 
 
 saitli at last, 'These all died in faitli.' In tlie I lowed up of incorruption, immortality, and gloiy; 
 
 faith of what? That they should lie and rot iu 
 their graves eternally? No, verily; this is the 
 faith of Ranters, not of Christians. They all died 
 in faith, that they should rise again ; and there- 
 fore counted this world not worth the living in, 
 upon unworthy terms, that after death ' they might 
 obtain a better resurrection.' He. xi. 13, 35. 
 
 It is also worth the considering, that of Paul to 
 the Philippians, where he saith that he was confi- 
 dent that that God that had begun a good work in 
 them would ' perform it until the day of Jesus 
 Christ.' Phi. i.e. Which day of Christ, was not the 
 day of their conversion, for that was passed with 
 them already, they were now the children of God ; 
 but this day of Christ, it is the same which in other 
 places is called the day when he shall come with 
 the sound of the last trump to raise the dead. 
 For you must know, that the work of salvation is 
 not at an end with them that are now in heaven ; 
 no, nor ever will, until (as I shewed you before) 
 their bodies be raised again. God, as I have told 
 you, hath made our bodies the members of Christ, 
 and God doth not count us thoroughly saved, un- 
 til otir bodies be as well redeemed aud ransomed 
 out of the grave and death, as our souls from the 
 curse of the law, and dominion of sin. 
 
 Though God's saints have felt the power of much 
 of his grace, and have had many a sweet word ful- 
 fiOed on them; yet one word will be unfulfilled on 
 their particular person, so long as the grave can 
 shut her mouth upon them : but, as I said before, 
 when the gates of death do open before them, and 
 the bars of the grave do fall asunder ; then shall 
 be brought to pass that saying that is written, 
 ' Death is swallowed up of victory;' and then will 
 they hear that most pleasant voice, ' Awake and 
 sing, yethat dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the 
 dew of herbs, and the earth shaU cast out the dead. ' 
 Is. xxvi. 19. Thus much touching the truth of the 
 resurrection of the just, with the manner of their 
 rising. 
 
 Now you must know, that the time of the rising 
 of these just, will be at the coming of the Lord: 
 for when they arise, nay, just before they are 
 raised, the Lord Jesus Christ will appear in the 
 clouds in flaming fire, with aU his mighty angels ; 
 the effect of which appearing will be the rising of 
 the dead, <tc. ' For the Lord himself shall descend 
 from heaven with a shout,' saith Paul, 'and with 
 the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of 
 God, and the dead shall rise.' 2 Tii. i. 8. 1 Th. iv, le. 
 
 1 Co. XV. 52. 
 
 Now at the time of the Lord's coming, there will 
 be fomid in the world alive both saints and sinners. 
 As for the saints that then shall be found alive, 
 they shall, so soon as all the saints are raised out 
 of their graves, not die, but be changed, and swal- 
 
 TOL. II. 
 
 and have the soul- spiritual translation, as the 
 raised saints shall have ; as he saith, ' We shall 
 not all [die, or] sleep, but we shall all be changed, 
 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, - for 
 the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be 
 raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.' 
 1 Co. XT. 51, 52. And again, 'For the Lord himself 
 shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the 
 voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God : 
 and the dead iu Christ shall rise first : then we 
 which are alive and remain shall be caught up to- 
 gether with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord 
 in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.' 
 1 I'll. iv. ic, 17. As he saith also in another place, he 
 'shall judge the quick and the dead at his appear- 
 ing and his kingdom.' 2Ti. iv. 1. 
 
 Now when tlie saints that sleep shall be raised 
 thus incorruptible, powerful, glorious, and spiritual; 
 and also those that then shall be found alive, made 
 like them : then forthwith, before the unjust are 
 raised, the saints shall appear before the judgment- 
 seat of the Lord Jesus Christ, there to give an 
 account to their Lord the Judge, of all things they 
 have done ; and to receive a reward for their good 
 according to their labour. 
 
 They shall rise, I say, before the wicked, they 
 being themselves the proper children of the resurrec- 
 tion; that is. Those that must have all the glory 
 of it, both as to pre-eminency and sweetness ; and 
 therefore they are said, when they rise, to rise from 
 tlie dead; that is, in their rising, they leave 
 the reprobate world behind them. Lu. xx. 35, 36. Ac. iii. 
 15 i iv. 10; xiii. 30. Jn. xii. 1, 9, 17. And it must be so, be- 
 cause also the saints will have done their account, 
 and be set upon the throne with Christ, as kings 
 and princes with him, to judge the world, when 
 the wicked world are raised. The saints shall 
 judge the world ; they shall judge angels ; yea, 
 they shall sit upon the thrones of judgment to do 
 it. I Co.vL 3,3. Ps. cxxii. 5. But to pass that, [we come 
 Third, to the examination the just must under- 
 0-0, and the account they must give to the Lord the 
 Judge; or,] 
 
 TUB JUDGMENT OF THE JUST. 
 
 Now when the saints are raised, as ye have 
 heard, they must give an account of all things, in 
 general, that they have done while they were in 
 the world ; of aU things, I say, whether they be 
 good or bad. 
 
 FiBST, Of all their bad; but mark, not under 
 the consideration of vagabonds, slaves and sinners, 
 but as sons, stewards, and servants of the Lord 
 Jesus. That this shall be, it is evident from divers 
 places of the holy Scriptures : 
 
 First, Paul saith, 'We shaU all stand before the 
 judgment-seat of Christ,'— we saints— ' For it is 
 
OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall 
 bowto me, and every tongue shallconfess to God. So 
 then every one of us shall give account of himself 
 to God. ' Ko. xiv. 10—13. Again, ' Wherefore we labour, 
 that, whether present or absent, we may he ac- 
 cepted of him. For we must all appear before the 
 judgment-seat of Christ; that everyone [of us] 
 may receive the things done in his body, according 
 to what he hath done, whether U be good or bad. ' 
 
 2 Co. V. 9, 10. 
 
 It is true, God loveth his people, but yet he 
 loveth not their sins, nor anything they do, though 
 with the greatest zeal for him, if he be contrary 
 to his word; wherefore as truly as God wiU give 
 a reward to his saints and children for all that 
 they have indeed well done ; so truly will he at 
 this day distinguish their good and bad : and when 
 both are manifest by the righteous judgment of 
 Christ ; he will burn up their bad, with all their 
 labour, travel, and pains in it for ever. He can 
 tell how to save his people, and yet take vengeance 
 on their inventions. Ps. xcix. 8. 
 
 That is an observable place, in the first epistle 
 of Paid to the Corinthians, and the third chapter, 
 ' If any man build,' saith he, 'upon this founda- 
 tion (Christ) gold, silver, precious stones, wood, 
 hay, stubble ; every man's work shall be made 
 manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it 
 shall be revealed by fire ; and the fire shall try 
 every man's work of what sort it is. If any 
 man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, 
 he shaU receive a reward. If any man's work 
 shall be burned, he shall suffer loss ; but he him- 
 self shall be saved ; yet so as by fire. ' 1 Co. iii. 13 
 —15. Now observe, 
 
 1. As I said before, the foundcdion is Christ, 
 ver. 11. 
 
 2. The gold, silver, and precious stones that 
 here are said to be built upon him, are aU the act- 
 ings in faith and love, according to the word, that 
 the saints are found doing for his sake in the world. 
 1 Pe. i.7; Ke. iii. 18. 
 
 3. To build on him wood, hay, and stubble, it 
 is to build, together with what is right in itself, 
 human inventions and carnal ordinances, fathering 
 them still on God and his allowance. 
 
 4. The fire that here you read of, it is the pure 
 word and law of God. Je. xxiU. 39. Jn. xii. 4S. 
 
 5. The day that here you read of, it is the day 
 of Christ's coming to judgment, to reveal the hid- 
 den things of darkness, and to make manifest the 
 counsels of the heart. 1 Co. iv. 6. 
 
 6. At this day, the gold, silver, precious stones, 
 wood, hay, and stubble, and that of every man, 
 shall be tried by this fire, that it may be manifest 
 of what sort it is ; the wind, the rain, and floods, 
 heat now as vehemently against the house upon 
 the rock, as against that on the sand. lu. vi. i%, lo. 
 
 Observe again, 
 
 (1.) That the apostle speaks here of the saved, 
 
 not of the reprobate — ' He himself shall be saved.' 
 
 (2.) That this saved man may have wood, hay, 
 
 and stubble ; that is, things that will not abide 
 
 the trial. 
 
 (3.) That neither this man's goodness, nor yet 
 God's love to him, shall hinder all his wood, hay, 
 or stubble from coming on the stage, 'Everyman's 
 work shall be manifest: the fire shall try every 
 man's work, of what sort it is. ' 
 
 (4.) Thus, a good man shall see all his wood; 
 hay, and stubble burnt up in the trial before Ms 
 face. 
 
 (5.) That good man then shall suffer loss, or, 
 the loss of all things that are not then according 
 to the word of God — 'If any man's works shall be 
 burnt,' or any of them, 'he shall sufifer loss; but 
 he himself shall be saved ; yet so as by fire' — that 
 is, yet so as that aU that ever he hath done, shall 
 be tried, and squared by the word of God. 
 
 From all which, it must be unavoidably con- 
 cluded, that the whole body of the elect must count 
 with their Lord for all things they have done, 
 whether good or bad, and that he will destroy all 
 their bad, with the purity of his word, yea, and 
 all their pains, travel, and labour that they have spent' 
 about it. I am persuaded that there are now many 
 things done by the best of saints, that then they" 
 will gladly disown and be ashamed of; yea, which 
 they have and do still do with great devotion. 
 Alas, what gross things do some of the saints in 
 their devotion father upon God, and do reckon him 
 the author thereof; and that he also prompts them 
 forward to the doing thereof, and doth give them 
 his presence in the performance of them! Yea, 
 and as they father many superstitions and scrip- 
 tureless things upon him ; so they die in the same 
 opinion, and never come in this world, to the sight 
 of their evil and ignorance herein.* But now the 
 judgment-day is the principal time wherein every- 
 thing shall be set in its proper place ; that which 
 is of God in its place, and that which is not, shall 
 now be discovered, and made manifest. In many 
 things now we offend all ; and then we shall see 
 the many offences we have committed, and shall 
 ourselves judge them as they are. The Christian, 
 is in this world, so candid a creature, that take 
 him when he is not under some great temptation, 
 
 * This is an awful state of delusion, to imagine that God is 
 the author of (/ross things, such as worshipping a wafer, oi 
 applying to a priest to forgive sins; and that a holy God 
 prompts them to the doing thereof, and sanctions them by his 
 presence !1 'Every man is tempted, when he is drawn awiijf 
 of his own lust, and enticed,' James i. 14. Christian, take care 
 that you receive not any doctrine, nor conform to any practice 
 
 I in religion, without prayerful investigation, and a 'thus saith 
 
 1 the Lord' for its sanction. — En. 
 
OF THE EESURKECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 99 
 
 and he will ingeniously confess to bis God, before 
 all men, bow be batb sinned and transgressed 
 against bis Father ; and will fall down at the feet 
 of God, and cry, IMu art righteous, for I have 
 sinned; and thou art gracious, that, notwithstand- 
 ing my sin, thou shouldest save me. Now, I say, 
 if the Christian is so simple and plain-hearted with 
 God, in the days of bis imperfection, when he is 
 accompanied with many infirmities and tempta- 
 tions ; how freely will be confess and acknowledge 
 his miscarriages, when he comes before bis Lord 
 and Saviour; absolutely stript of all temptation 
 and imperfection. 'As I live, saitb the Lord, 
 every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue 
 shall confess to God.' Ko.xiv.ii.piu.ii.io.il. Every 
 knee shall bow, and reverence God the Creator, 
 and Christ the Redeemer of the world ; and every 
 tongue shall confess, that his will alone ought by 
 them to have been obeyed in all things ; and shall 
 confess also, and that most naturally and freely 
 — I mean, the saints shall — in how many things 
 they were deceived, mistaken, deluded, and drawn 
 aside in their intended devotion and honour to 
 God. 
 
 [SecondJ] But yet take notice, that in this day, 
 when the saints are thus counting for their evil 
 before their Saviour and Judge ; they shall not then, 
 as now, at the remembrance and confession of 
 sin, be filled with that guUt, confusion, and shame 
 that now through the weakness of faith attendeth 
 their souls ; neither shall they in the least be 
 grieved or offended, that God bath before the 
 angels and the rest of their holy brethren, laid 
 open to a tittle their infirmities, from the least and 
 first, to the biggest and last. For, 
 
 1. The God to whom they confess all, they w^ill 
 now more perfectly than ever see be doth love 
 them, and free them from all, even when and 
 before they confess and acknowledge them to him ; 
 and tbey shall, I say, have their soul so full of the 
 ravishing raptures of the life and glory that now 
 they are in, that they shall be of it swallowed up 
 in that measure and manner, that neither fear, 
 nor guilt, nor confusion can come near them, or 
 touch them. Their Judge is their Saviour, their 
 Husband, and Head; who, though he will bring 
 every one of them for all things to judgment, yet 
 he will keep them for ever out of condemnation, 
 and anything that tendeth that way. 'Perfect 
 love castetb out fear,' even while we are here; 
 much more then, when we are with our Saviour, 
 our Jesus, being passed from death to life, Jn. ». 
 
 24. 1 Jn. iv. 18. 
 
 2. The saints at this day, shall have their 
 hearts and souls so wrapped up in the pleasure of 
 God their Saviour, that it shall be their delight, to 
 see all things, though once never so near and dear 
 unto them; yet now to perish, if not according to 
 
 his word and will. ' Thy will be done,' is to be 
 always our language here ; Mat. ri. lo. but to delight 
 to see it done in all things, though it tend never 
 so much to the destruction of what we love ; to 
 delight, I say, to see it done in the height and 
 perfection of delight ; it wiU be when we come to 
 heaven, or when the Lord shall come to judge the 
 world. But, 
 
 3. The sole end of the counting of the saints 
 at the day of God, it will be, not only for the vindi- 
 cation of the righteousness, holiness, and purity of 
 the word, neither will it centre only in the mani- 
 festation of the knowledge and heart-discerning 
 nature of Christ (though both these will be in it, 
 Ee. ii. 23, 23.) But their very remembrances and 
 sight of the sin and vanity that they have done 
 while here; it shall both set off, and heighten the 
 tender affections of their God imto them ; and also 
 increase their joy and sweetness of soul, and cling- 
 ing of heart to their God. Saints while here, are 
 sweetly sensible that the sense of sin, and the 
 assurance of pardon, will make famous work in 
 their poor hearts. Ab, what meltings without 
 guilt! what humility without casting down! and 
 what a sight of the creature's nothingness, yet 
 without fear, will this sense of sin work in the soul ! 
 The sweetest frame, the most heart-endearing 
 frame, that possibly a Christian can get into while 
 in this world, is to have a warm sight of sin, and 
 of a Saviour upon the heart at one time. Now it 
 weeps not for fear and through torment, but by 
 virtue of constraining grace and mercy, and is at 
 this very time, so far off of disquietness of heart, 
 by reason of the sight of its wickedness, that it is 
 driven into an ecstasy, by reason of the love and 
 mercy that is mingled with the sense of sin in the 
 soul. 
 
 The heart never sees so much of the power of 
 mercy as now, nor of the virtue, value, and excel- 
 lency of Christ in all his offices as now, and the 
 tongue so sweetly enlarged to proclaim and cry up 
 grace as now; now will Christ ' come to be glorified 
 in his saints, and to be admired in all them that 
 believe,' 3Th. i.io. 
 
 Wherefore, though the saints receive by faith 
 the forgiveness of sins in this life, and so are passed 
 from death to life ; yet again, Christ Jesus, and 
 God his Father, will have every one of these sins 
 reckoned up again, and brought fresh upon the 
 stage in the day of judgment, that tbey may see 
 and be sensible for ever, what grace and mercy 
 bath laid hold upon them. And this I take to he 
 the reason of that remarkable saying of the apostle 
 Peter, ' Kepent ye therefore, and be converted, 
 that your sins may be blotted out, when the times 
 of refreshing shall come from the presence of the 
 Lord ; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before 
 was preached unto you: whom the heaven must 
 
100 
 
 OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 receive until the times of restitution of all things, 
 which God hath spoken hy the mouth of all his 
 holy prophets since the world began. ' Ac. m. 19—21. 
 
 If a sense of some sin, (for who sees all ? Ps. six. 12.) 
 and a sight of the love of God, will here so work 
 upon the spirit of the godly : what will a sight of 
 all sin do, when together with it they are personally 
 present with their Lord and Saviour ? 
 
 Yea, if a sight of some sins, with a possihility 
 of pardon, wiU make the heart love, reverence, and 
 fear with guiltless and heart-affecting fears ; what 
 will a general sight of all sin, and together with 
 them an eternal acquittance from them, work on 
 the heart of the saint for ever ? 
 
 Yea, I say again, if a sight of sin, and the love 
 of God, will make such work in that soul where 
 yet there is unbelief, blindness, mistrust, and for- 
 getfulness : what will a sight of sin do in that soul, 
 who is swallowed up of love, who is sinless, and 
 temptationless ; who hath all the faculties of soul 
 and body strained by love and grace, to the highest 
 pin of perfection, that is possible to be in glory 
 enjoyed and possessed ? Oh the wisdom and good- 
 ness of God, that he at this day, should so cast 
 about the worst of our things, even those that 
 naturally tend to sink us, and damn us, for our 
 great advantage ! ' All things shall work to- 
 gether for good,' indeed, ' to them that love God.' 
 Ko. viii. 28. Those sins that brought a curse upon 
 the whole world, that spilt the heart-blood of our 
 dearest Saviour, and that laid his tender soul under 
 the flaming wrath of God, shall hy his wisdom and 
 love, tend to the exaltation of his grace, and the 
 inflaming of our afi^eclious to him for ever and ever. 
 
 Ee. V. 9—14. 
 
 It will not be thus with devils ; it will not be 
 thus with reprobates ; the saved only have this 
 privilege peculiar to themselves. Wherefore, to 
 vary a little from the matter in hand: will God 
 make that use of sin, even in our coimting for it, 
 that shall in this manner work for our advantage ? 
 Why then, let saints also make that advantage of 
 their sin, as to glorify God thereby, which is to he 
 done, not by saying, ' Let us do evil, that good 
 maycome;' or, ' Let us sin, that grace may abomid;' 
 but by taking occasion by the sin that is past to 
 set the crown upon the head of Christ for our justi- 
 fication; continually looking upon it, so as to press 
 us, to cleave close to the Lord Jesus, to grace and 
 mercy through him, and to the keeping of us 
 humble for ever, imder all his dispensations and 
 carriages to us. 
 
 Now, having counted for all their evil, and con- 
 fessel to God's glory, how they fell short, and did 
 not the truth in this, or that, or other particulars, 
 and having received their eternal acquittance from 
 the Lord and Judge, in the sight of both angels and 
 saints ; forthwith the Lord Jesus wiU make inquiry, 
 
 Second, into all the good and holy actions and 
 deeds they did do in the world. Now here shall all 
 things be reckoned up, from the very first good 
 thing that was done by Adam or Abel, to the last 
 that will fall out to be done in the world. The 
 good of all the holy prophets, of all apostles, pas- 
 tors, teachers, and helps in the church; here also 
 will be brought forth and to light, all the good 
 carriages of masters of families, of parents, of chil- 
 dren, of servants, of neighbours, or whatever good 
 thing any man doth. But to be general and short, 
 
 First, here will be a recompense for all that have 
 sincerely laboured in the word and doctrine — I say, 
 a recompense for all the souls they have saved by 
 their word, and watered by the same. Now shall 
 Paul the planter, and ApoUos the watorer, with 
 every one of their companions, receive the reward 
 that is according to their works. 1 Co. m. 6—8. 
 
 Now, all the preaching, praying, watching, and 
 labour thou hast been at, in thy endeavouring to 
 catch men from Satan to God, shall he rewarded 
 with spangling glory. Not a soul thou hast con- 
 verted to the Lord Jesus, nor a soul thou hast com- 
 forted, strengthened, or helped by thy wholesome 
 counsel, admonition, and comfortable speech, but 
 it shall stick as a pearl in that crown ' which the 
 Lord the righteous Judge, shall give thee at that 
 day. ' 3 Ti. iv. 7, 8. That is, if thou dost it willingly, 
 delighting to lift up the name of God among men; 
 if thou doest it with love, and longing after the 
 salvation of sinners, otherwise thou wilt have only 
 thy labour for thy pains, and no more. 'If I do 
 this thing willingly, I have a reward : but if against 
 my wiU, a dispensation of the gospd is committed 
 to my charge.' ICo. ix.l7; &Phi. i.ls. But, I say, if 
 thou do it graciously, then a reward followeth; 
 ' For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoic- 
 ing? .ire not even ye,' saith Paul, ' in the presence 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ? For ye 
 are our glory and joy. ' 1 Tli. ii. 19, 30. Let him there- 
 fore that Christ hath put into his harvest, take 
 comfort in the midst of all his sorrow, and know 
 that God acknowledgeth, that he that converteth 
 a sinner from the error of his way, doth even save 
 that soul from death, ' and covereth a multitude 
 of sins.' Ja. T. 20. AVherefore labour to convert, 
 labour to water, labour to build up, and to ' Feed 
 the flock of God which is among you, taking the 
 oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; 
 not for filthy lucre, hut of a ready mind; — and 
 when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall re- 
 ceive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.' 
 1 Pe. V, 2, 4. 
 
 Secondly, And as the ministers of Christ's gospel 
 shall at this day be recompensed; so shall also 
 those more private saints he with tender afiections, 
 and love looked on, and rewarded for all their work 
 and labour of love, which they have shewed to the 
 
or THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 101 
 
 name of Christ, in miuistoring to his saints, and 
 suffering for his sake. He. ri. lo. ' Whatsoever good 
 thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive 
 of the Lord, whether he he bond or free.' Ep. vi. 8. 
 Ah ! little do the people of God thbk, how largely 
 and thoroughly, God wiU at that day, own and 
 recompense all the good and holy acts of his peo- 
 ple. Every hit, every drop, every rag, and every 
 night's harbour, though hue in a wisp of straw, 
 shall be rewarded in that day before men and angels 
 — ' Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these 
 little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of 
 a disciple, verily I say unto you,' saith Christ, 
 'he shall in nowise lose his [a disciple's] reward.' 
 Mat. X. 42. Therefore ' When thou makest a feast, ' 
 saith he, ' call the poor, the maimed, the lame, 
 the blind : And thou shalt be blessed ; for they 
 cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recom- 
 pensed at the resurrection of the just.' Lu. xiv. is, u. 
 If there be any repentance among the godly at 
 this day, it will be, because the Lord Jesus, in his 
 person, members, and word, was no more owned, 
 honoured, entertained, and provided for by them, 
 when they were in this world: For it will be 
 ravishing to all, to see what notice the Lord Jesus 
 will then take of every widow's mite. He, I say, 
 will call to mind, even aU those acts of mercy and 
 kindness, which thou hast shewed to him, when 
 ' thou wast among men. I say, he will remember, 
 cry up, and proclaim before angels and saints, 
 those very acts of thine, which thou hast either 
 forgotten, or, through bashfulness wilt not at that 
 day count worth the owing. He will reckon them 
 up so fast, and so fully, that thou wilt cry, 
 Lord, when did I do this ? and when did I do the 
 other? ' When saw we thee an hungered, and fed 
 thee ? or thirsty, and gave tJiee drink ? When saw 
 we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, 
 and clofkei thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or 
 in prison, and came unto thee ? And the King 
 shall answer and say unto them. Verily I say unto 
 you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the 
 least of these my brethren, ye have done U unto 
 me. ' Mat. XXV. 37—40. ' The good works of some are 
 manifest beforehand ; and they that are otherwise 
 cannot be hid. ' i Tt t. 25. Whatever thou hast done 
 to one of the least of these my brethren, thou hast 
 done it unto me. I felt the nourishment of thy 
 food, and the warmth of thy fleece. I remember 
 thy loving and holy visits when my poor members 
 were sick, and in prison, and the like. When they 
 were strangers, and wanderers in the world, thou 
 tookest them in. ' Well done, thou good and faith- 
 ful servant ; - enter thou into the joy of thy 
 
 Lord.' Mat.xjcv. 21— S3,-34-37. 
 
 Thirdly, Here also will be a reward for all that 
 hardness, and Christian enduring of affliction that 
 thou hast met with for thy Lord, while thou wast 
 
 in the world. Hero now will Christ begin from 
 the greatest suffering, even to the least, and bestow 
 a reward on them all : from the blood of the suf- 
 fering saint, to the loss of a hair : nothing shall go 
 unrewarded. He. xi. 35.— «). 2 Co. viU. 8—14. ' For our light 
 affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for 
 us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
 glory. ' 2 Co. iv. 17. Behold by the scriptures how God 
 hath recorded the sufferings of his people, and also 
 how he hath promised to reward them — ' Blessed 
 are they which are persecuted for righteousness' 
 sake : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed 
 are ye, when men shall revile you,' and speak ' all 
 manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 
 Rejoice,' leap for joy, ' and be exceeding glad: for 
 great is your reward in heaven. ' Mat. v. ii, 12. Lu. vi. 23, 2S. 
 'And every one that hath forsaken houses, or 
 brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, 
 or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall 
 receive an hundred-fold, and shall inherit everlast- 
 ing life.' Mat. xix. 29. 
 
 Fourdily, There is also a reward at this day, for 
 all the more secret, and more retired works of 
 Christianity. 1. There is not now one act of faith 
 in thy soul, either upon Christ, or against the 
 Devil, and Antichrist ; hut it shall in this day be 
 found out, and praised, honoured and glorified, in 
 the face of heaven. 1 Pe. i. 7. 2. There is not one 
 groan to God in secret, against thy own lusts, and 
 for more grace, light, spirit, sanctification, and 
 strength to go through this world like a Christian; 
 but it shall even at the coming of Christ he re- 
 warded openly. Mat. vi. 6. 3. There hath not one 
 tear dropped from thy tender eye against thy lusts, 
 the love of this world, or for more communion with 
 Jesus Christ, but as it is now in the bottle x)f God; 
 so then it shall bring forth such plenty of reward, 
 that it shaU return upon thee with abundance of 
 increase. ' Blessed are ye that weep now : for ye 
 shall laugh. ' Lu. vi. 21. ' Thou tellest my wander- 
 ings : put thou my tears into thy bottle ; are 
 they not in thy book ? ' Ps. w. 8. ' They that sow in 
 tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and 
 weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless 
 come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves 
 
 with him. ' Ps. cxxvi. 6, 6. 
 
 Having thus in brief shewed you something con- 
 cerning t/ie resurrection of the saints, and that they 
 shall count with their Lord at his coming, both for 
 the burning up what was not according to the 
 truth, and rewarding them for aU their good. It 
 remains, that I now in few words, 
 
 Fourth, Shew you something also of that with 
 which they shall he rewarded. 
 
 THE REWARD OF THE JUST. 
 
 First then, those that shall be found in the day 
 
103 
 
 OF THE KESUKEECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 of tlieir resurrection, when tliey sliall have all their 
 good things hrought upon the stage ; they I say, 
 that then shall he found the people most lahorious 
 for God while here ; they shall at that day enjoy 
 the greatest portion of God, or shall he possessed 
 with most of the glory of the Godhead then. For 
 that is the portion of saints in general. Ro. Tiii. 17. La. 
 iii. 24. And why shall he that doth most for God 
 in this world, enjoy most of him in that which is 
 to come? But hecause hy doing and acting, the 
 heart, and every faculty of the soul is enlarged, 
 and more capacitated, wherehy more room is made 
 for glory. Every vessel of glory shall at that day 
 he full of it ; but every one will not he capahle to 
 contain a like measure; and so if they should have 
 it commimicated to them, would not he ahle to 
 stand under it ; for there is ' an eternal weight in 
 the glory that saints shall then enjoy,' 2 Co. iv. 17. 
 and every vessel must he at that day filled — that 
 is, have its heavenly load of it. 
 
 All Christians have not the same enjoyment of 
 God in this life, neither indeed were they able to 
 hear it if they had it. 1 Co. m. 2. But those Chris- 
 tians that are most lahorious for God in this world, 
 they have already most of him in their souls, and 
 that not only hecause diligence in God's ways, is 
 the means whereby God communicates himself; hut 
 also because thereby the senses arc made more 
 strong, and ahle, by reason of use, to understand 
 God, and to discern both good and evil. He. v. 13, li. 
 To him that hath, to him shall be given, and he 
 shall have more abundance. Mat. xUi. 11, 12. He that 
 laid out his pound for his master, and gained ten 
 therewith, he was made ruler over ten cities; but 
 he that by his pound gained but five, he was made 
 ruler over but five. Lu. xix. 16—19. Often, he that is 
 hest bred in his youth, he is hest able to manage 
 most, when he is a man, touching things of this 
 life; Da. 1.3.4. but always he that is hest bred, and 
 that is most in the bosom of God, and that so acts 
 for him here; he is the man that will he hest ahle 
 to enjoy most of God in the kingdom of heaven. 
 It is observable that Paul saith, ' Our afiliction 
 - - worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal 
 weight of glory.' 2 Co. IT. 17. Our afflictions do it, 
 not only because there is laid up a reward for the 
 afflicted, according to the measure of affliction; but 
 hecause afflictions, and so every service of God, 
 doth make the heart more deep, more experimen- 
 tal, more knowing and profound; and so more ahle 
 to hold, contain, and bear more. Ps. cxix. 71. ' Every 
 man shall receive his own reward, according to his 
 owa. labour. ' 1 Co. iii. 8. And this is the reason of 
 such sayings as these — Lay up for yourselves a 
 good foundation against the time to come, that you 
 may lay hold on eternal life, 1 Ti. vi. is. which eternal 
 life, is not the matter of our justification from sin 
 in the sight of God; for that is done freely hy grace. 
 
 through faith in Christ's hlood; (hut here th( 
 apostle speaks of giving of alms) but it is the sams 
 that in the other place he calls ' the far more ex- 
 ceeding and eternal weight of glory.' And henw 
 it is that he in his stirring them up to he diligeni 
 in good works, doth tell them, that he doth not 
 exhort them to it because he wanted, but hecause 
 he would have ' fruit that might abound to theii 
 account;' Plii. iv. 17. as he saith also in another place, 
 ' Beloved hrethren, he ye stedfast, unmoveable, 
 always ahounding in the work of the Lord, foras- 
 much as ye know that your lahour is not in vain 
 in the Lord. ' 1 Co.xv. 58. Therefore I say, the reward 
 that the saints shall have at this day for all the 
 good they have done, it is the enjoyment of God, 
 according to their works : though they shall be 
 freely justified and glorified without works. 
 
 Second, As the enjoyment of God at that day, 
 will he to the saints, according to their works and 
 doings — I speak not now of justification from sin 
 — so will their praise and commendations at that 
 day, he according to the same, and hoth of them 
 their degrees of glory ; for I say, as God by com- 
 municating of himself unto us at that day, will 
 therehy glorify us, so also he wiLL for the adding 
 all things that may furnish with glory every way, 
 cause to be proclaimed in the face of heaven, and 
 in the presence of all the holy angels ; everything 
 that hath for God, his ways, and people, been' 
 done hy us while here we have been. ' Whatso- 
 ever ye have spoken in darkness shall he heard in 
 the light ; and that which ye have spoken m the 
 ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the house- 
 tops.' Lu. xii. 2,3. Again, He that 'shall confess 
 me,' saith Christ, ' before men, him will I confess 
 also before my Father which is in heaven.' Mat. x. 33. 
 
 Now as he of whom Christ is ashamed when he 
 comes in his glory, and in the glory of the holy 
 angels, will then lie under inconceivable disgrace, 
 shame, dishonour, and contempt: so he whom 
 Christ shall confess, own, commend, and praise at 
 that day, must needs have very great dignity, 
 honour, and renown, ' for then shall every man 
 have praise of God ' — to wit, according to his 
 works. 1 Co. iv. 5. Now will Christ proclaim before 
 thee and all others what thou hast done, and what 
 thou hast sufl'ercd, what thou hast owned, and 
 what thou hast withstood for his name. Mar. viii. 88. 
 This is he that forsook his goods, his relations, 
 his country, and hfe for me : this is the man that 
 overcame the flatteries and threats, allurements 
 and enticings, of a whole world for me ; behold 
 him, he is an Israelite indeed, Jn. i. 47. the top man 
 in his generation, 'none like him in all the earth.' 
 Job i. 8. It is said, that when king Ahasuerus bad 
 understanding of how good service Mordecai the 
 Jew had done to and for him, he commanded that 
 the royal apparel and the crown, with the horse 
 
OF THE KESnKRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 103 
 
 that the king did ride on, should be given to him, 
 and that he should with that crown, apparel, and 
 horse, be had through the city, in the presence of 
 all his nobles, and that proclamation should be 
 made before him, * Thus shall it be done unto 
 the man whom the king delighteth to honour.' 
 
 Es. vi. 9—11. 
 
 Ahasuerus in this was a type to hold forth to 
 the children of God, how kindly he will take all 
 theii- labour and service of love, and how he wiU 
 honour and dignify the same ; as Christ saith, 
 ' Let your loins be girded about, and your lights 
 burning ; And ye yourselves like unto men that 
 wait for their lord, when he will return from the 
 wedding ; that when he cometh and knocketh, they 
 may open unto him immediately. Blessed are 
 those servants, whom the lord when he cometh 
 shall find watching : verily I say unto you, that 
 he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to 
 meat, and will come forth and serve them. ' Lu. xU. 
 86—37. The meaning is, that those souls that shall 
 make it their business to honour the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, in the day of their temptation ; he will 
 make it his business to honour and glorify them in 
 the day of his glorification. Jn. xii. 26. ' VerUy, I 
 say unto you, that he wUl make them sit down to 
 meat, and shall come forth and serve them. If 
 any man will serve me,' saith he, 'him will my 
 Father honour. ' It hath been God's way in this 
 world to proclaim the acts and doings of his saints 
 in his word before all in this world, and he wUl do 
 
 it in that which is to come. Mar.idv.g. Re.m.4; xir.l— 6. 
 
 Third, Another thing that shall be yet added 
 to the glory of the saints, in the kingdom of their 
 Saviour, at his coming is, they shall every one of 
 them then have his throne and place of degree on 
 Christ's right hand, and on his left, in his glorious 
 kingdom, according to the relation they stand in 
 to Christ, as the members of his body; for as 
 Christ will have a special eye on us, and a tender 
 and afifectionate heart, to recompense to the full 
 every good thing that any man doth for his name 
 in this world : so also he will have as great regard, 
 that there be to every member of his body, the 
 place, and state that is comely for every such 
 member. When the mother of Zebedee's children 
 petitioned our Savioizr that he would grant to her, 
 that her two sons might sit, the one on his right 
 hand, and the other on his left, in his kingdom : 
 though he did not grant to her the request for her 
 children, yet he affirmed that there would be places 
 of degrees and honour in heaven, saying, ' To sit 
 on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to 
 give, but U slwM be given to them for whom it is 
 prepared of my Father.' Mat. xx. 20—23. In the 
 temple, there were chambers bigger and lesser, 
 higher and lower, more inward and more outward : 
 which chambers were types of the mansions that 
 
 our Lord when he went away, told us he went to 
 prepare for us. ' In my Father's house are many 
 mansions : if it were not so, I would have told you. 
 I go to prepare a place for you.' Jn. xiv. 2,3. The 
 foot here, shall not have the place prepared for the 
 eye, nor yet the hand, that which is prepared for 
 the ear, but every one shall have his own place in 
 the body of Christ, and the glory also prepared 
 for such a relation. Order, as it is comely in 
 earth, so much more in the kingdom of the God 
 of order, in heaven ; where all things shall be done 
 in their utmost perfections. Here shall Enoch, 
 Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, with the 
 prophets, have every one his place, according to 
 the degree of Old Testament saints. As God said 
 to Daniel, ' Go thou thy way till the end he: for 
 thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of 
 the days. ' Da. xii. 13. And here also shall Peter, 
 Paul, Timothy, and all other the church officers 
 have their place, and heavenly state, according as 
 God hath set them in the church in the New Tes- 
 tament. As Paul saith of the deacons, ' They 
 that have used the office of a deacon well, purchase 
 to themselves a good degree, and great boldness 
 in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.' ITi. iii. 13. 
 And so of all other saints, be they here of what 
 rank, quality, or place in the church soever, they 
 shall have every one his state, his heavenly state, 
 according as he standeth in the body. As he 
 saith, seeing those members that are most feeble 
 are necessary, to them shall be given ' more abun- 
 dant honour. ' 1 Co. xii. 23, 23. Of this heavenly order 
 in the kingdom of Christ, when his saints are risen 
 from the dead, was Solomon a notable type in his 
 family, and among his servants and officers, who 
 kept such exactness in the famous order in which 
 he had placed all about him, that it did amaze and 
 confound beholders. For ' when the queen of 
 Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the 
 house that he had built, and the meat of his table, 
 and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance 
 of his ministers, and their apparel ; his cup-bearers 
 also, and their apparel ; and his ascent by which 
 he went up into the house of the Lord, there was 
 no more spirit in her. ' 2 Ch. ix. 3, 4. ' Glorious things 
 are spoken of thee, city of God. ' I's. ixxxvii. 3. II av- 
 ing gone thus far, I shall now come to 
 
 THE SECOND PART OF THE TEXT, 
 
 To wit, that there shall be a resurrection of the 
 wicked. 'There shall be a resurrection of the 
 dead, both of the just and unjust;' for as the just 
 go before the unjust, in name and dignity, and 
 honour, so they shall in the last day, go before 
 them in the resurrection. 
 
 Now, then, when the saints have thus risen out 
 of their graves, given up their accounts, received 
 
104 
 
 OF THE EISURRECTION OF THE DEAt). 
 
 their glory, and are set upon the thrones, ' for 
 there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of 
 the house of David.' Ps.cxxii. 6. When, I say, they 
 are all of them in their royal apparel, with crowns 
 of glory, every one presenting the person of a king, 
 then come the unjust out of their graves, to receive 
 their judgment for what they have done in the 
 body. As Paul saith, ' We must all appear he- 
 fore the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one,' 
 hoth saints and sinners, ' may receive the things 
 done in the body, whetlier it he good, or whether 
 it be bad.' 
 
 But now, because I would prove by the word, 
 whatever I would have others receive for a truth, 
 therefore I shall in few particulars, 
 
 FmsT, prove the resurrection of the tvidced. 
 
 THE RESURRECTION OP THE WICKED. 
 
 First, then, it is evident, that tlie wicked shall 
 rise, from the very terms and names that the raised 
 shciU then go under, which are the very same names 
 that they did go under when they lived in this 
 world. They are called the heathen, the nations, 
 the world, the wicked, and those that do iniquity; 
 they are called men, women, [of] Sodom, Sidon, 
 Bethsaida, Capernaum, and Tyre. The men of 
 Nineveh shall rise up in judgment; Lu. x. 12— ll. the 
 queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment ; 
 Mat. xii. i\, 43. and it shall be more tolerable for 
 Sodom in the day of judgment than for other 
 sinners that have resisted more light. Mat. xi. si— 24. 
 ' The heavens and the earth, which are now, - - 
 are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the 
 day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.' 
 2 Pe. iii. 7. Joel iii. 13—14. Now these terms, or names, 
 are not given to the spirits of the wicked only, but 
 to them as consisting of body and soul. Further, 
 Christ teUs his adversaries, when they had appre- 
 hended him, and shamefully entreated him, that 
 yet they should see him sit on the right hand of 
 power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Mat. xxv. 
 31,32; xxvi. 64. Jude 14,16. as John also doth testify, 
 saying, ' Behold, he cometh with clouds ; and 
 every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced 
 him : and aU kindreds of the earth shall wail 
 because of him. ' lie. i. 7. Now none of these sayings 
 are yet fulfilled, neither sliall they, until his second 
 coming; for though the Jews did many of them 
 see him, when he did hang upon the cross, yet 
 then he was not coming in the clouds of heaven, 
 neither did then all kindreds of the earth wail 
 because of him. No, this is reserved till he comes 
 to judge the world ; for then shall the ungodly be 
 so put to it, that gladly they would creep into the 
 most invincible rock or moimtain under heaven, to 
 hide themselves from his face, and the majesty of 
 his heavenlj presence. Ea ti. 11—17. There shall 
 
 therefore, that this may be brought to pass, be a 
 resm-rection of the dead, both of the just and un- 
 just. For though an opinion of no resurrection 
 may now lull men asleep, in security and impiety, 
 yet the Lord when he comes will rouse them, and 
 cause them to awake ; not only out of their secu- 
 rity, hut out of their graves, to their doom, that 
 they may receive for tlieir error, the recompense 
 that is meet. 
 
 Second, The body of the ungodly must, at tic 
 last, arise out of the grave, because that body and 
 their soul, while they lived in the world, were co- 
 partnei-3 in their lusts and wickedness. ' The 
 Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions 
 are weighed. ' 1 i^a. ii- 3. He will therefore bring every 
 work into judgment, ' with every secret thing.' 
 Ec. xii. 14. And as he wiU bring into judgment every 
 work, so will he also the worker thereof, 'even the 
 dead, small and great.' Re. xx. 13— 14. It is not in 
 God to lay the punishment where the fault is not, 
 neither to punish a part of the damned for the 
 whole. ' With righteousness shall he judge the 
 world, and the people with equity. ' Ps. xcviii. 9. ' Shall 
 not the Judge of all the earth do right ?' Gc.1viii.25. 
 As therefore the body was co-partner with the 
 soul in sinning, so shall every man receive tlie 
 things done in his body, according to what he 
 hath done. Wherefore he saith in another place, 
 ' Behold, I come quickly ; and my reward is with 
 me, to give every man according as his work shall 
 be.' Re. xxii. 13. There shall therefore be a resur- 
 rection of the dead, loth ofthejuA and unjust. 
 
 Third, The body of the wicked must rise again, 
 because as the whole man of the just also that is 
 the vessel of mercy and glory ; so the whole man 
 of the unjust is the vessel of wrath and destruction. 
 There are, saith Paul, in a great house not only 
 vessels of gold and of silver, hut also of wood and 
 of earth, and some to honour and some to dis- 
 honour. Now, as he sheweth us, these vessels to 
 honour, they are good men, and the vessels to dis- 
 honour are the bad. 2 ri. ii. 20, 21. Now as these 
 vessels to dishonour, are called the vessels of wrath: 
 so it is said, that God with much long-sufferuig, 
 doth suffer them to be fitted to destruction. Eo. ii. 
 23. How they are thus fitted, he also further 
 sheweth, where he saith. They do ' after thy hard- 
 ness and impenitent heart treasure up unto thyself 
 wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of 
 the righteous judgment of God,' Eo. ii. 5. which 
 treasures of wickedness, James saith, it is trea- 
 sured up against the last days (which is the time 
 of judgment), and observe it, he saith, that then 
 it shall eat their flesh as it were fire. Ja. v. 2,3. Now 
 then, their bodies being the vessels of the wrath 
 of God, and again, seeing with this wrath they 
 must be possessed at the last day, that their flesh 
 must with it be eaten, it is evident, that theb bodj 
 
OF THE RESUURECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 105 
 
 Hiust rise again out of their graves, and before the 
 judgment-seat appear ; for it is from thence, that 
 each of them must go with his full load to their 
 long and eternal home, ' where their worm dieth 
 not, and the fire is not quenched. ' Mar. ix. 47, 48. 
 
 Fourth, The severity of the hand of God towards 
 his children, with his forbearance of his enemies, 
 doth clearly bespeak a resurrection of the imgodly, 
 that they may receive the reward for their wicked- 
 ness which they have committed in this world. 
 We know, that while the eyes of the wicked start 
 out with fatness, the godly are plagued all the day 
 long, and chastened every morning, Ps. ixxiu. s— 16. 
 wherefore it is evident, that the place and time of 
 the punishment of the ungodly, it is another world. 
 If 'judgment must begin at the house of God, 
 what shall the end be of them that obey not the 
 gospel of God ? And if the righteous scarcely he 
 saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner 
 appear ?' l I'e. w. n, 18. Alas, poor creatures ! they 
 now plot against the righteous, and gnash upon 
 them with their teeth ; but ' the Lord shall laugh 
 at him, for he seeth that his day is coming;' Pa. 
 icxrvii. 13. for as he saith, the wicked is reserved, or 
 let alone in his wickedness, to the day of destruc- 
 tion, and shall then be brought forth to the day 
 of wrath, though in the meantime, he may go to 
 his grave in his banner, and rest within his tomb.* 
 Tob jcd. 29— S3. As Peter saith again, ' The Lord 
 knoweth how to deliver the godly out of tempta- 
 tions, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of 
 judgment to be punished:' 2Pe. U. 9. And Jude 
 saith. For them ' is reserved the blackness of dark- 
 ness for ever.' Judeis. The punishment of the un- 
 godly, it is reserved till the day of judgment, which 
 will be the time of their resurrection. Observe, 
 
 1. The wicked must be punished. 
 
 2. The time of their punishment is not now, but 
 at the day of judgment. 
 
 3. This day of judgment, must be the same with 
 the resurrection of the dead, at the end of this 
 world. 'As therefore the tares are gathered and 
 burned in the fire ; so shall it be in the end of 
 this world. The Son of man shall send forth his 
 angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom 
 all things that ofiend, and them which do iniquity; 
 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire : there 
 shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.' Mat.iiii.40, 
 41. There shall then be resurrection of the dead, 
 botli of the just and unjust. 
 
 4. The sovereignty of the Lord .Jesus over all 
 creatures, doth plainly foreshow a resurrection of 
 the bad, aa well as of the good. Indeed, the un- 
 just shall not arise, by virtue of any relation they 
 
 * ' Go to his grave in his hanncr,' aliuding to splendid fune- 
 rals, the hearse being ornamented with banners captnred in 
 war, or ai-morial bearings. — Ed. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 stand in to the Lord Jesus, as the saints shall ; 
 but yet, because all are delivered into his hand, 
 and he made sovereign Lord over them ; therefore 
 by an act of his sovereign power, they that are 
 ungodly, shall arise ; this is Christ's own argu- 
 ment, 'The Father judgeth no man,' saith he, 'but 
 hath committed all judgment unto the Son ' — that 
 is, count him, and fall before him as their sove- 
 reign Lord, even as they honour the Father, and 
 he hath given him authority to execute judgment 
 also, because he is the Son of man. And then he 
 adds, ' Marvel not at this : for the hour is coming, 
 in the which all that are in the graves shall hear 
 his voice. And shall come forth ; they that have 
 done good, unto the resurrection of life ; and they 
 that have done evil, unto the resurrection of dam- 
 nation. ' Jn. V. 22—29. From hence also Paul argueth, 
 saying, ' For to this end Christ both died, and rose, 
 and revived, that he might be Lord both of the 
 dead and living,' and then adds, 'We shall all 
 stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. ' Eo.xiv.g.iu. 
 Pray mind these words, Jesus Christ by his 
 death and resurrection, did not only purchase grace, 
 and remission of sins, for his elect, with their eter- 
 nal glory; but did thereby also obtain of the Father 
 to be Lord, and head over aU things, whether they 
 be things in heaven, or things on earth, or things 
 under the earth. ' AU power,' saith he, 'is given 
 unto me, in heaven and in earth, and I have the 
 keys of hell and of death, ' Mat. xxviii. 18; Ke. i. 18. So 
 that all things, I say, whether they be visible, or 
 invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or 
 principalities or powers ; all things were created 
 by him, and for him. Col. i. 16. This being thus, ' at 
 the name of Jesus every knee should bow, - - 
 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus 
 Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father, ' 
 Phil. a. 10, 11. Now, that this may be done, He hath 
 his resolutions upon a judgment-day, in which he, 
 to shew himself his people, his way, and word in 
 their glory, will have all his enemies raised out of 
 their graves, and brought before him, where he will 
 sit upon them in the throne of his glory, and will 
 shew them then, 'who is the blessed and only poten- 
 tate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords ; ' Mat. 
 
 XXV. 31, 33; 1 Ti, vi. 14, 15. 
 
 Behold, He comes, ' with ten thousand of his 
 saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to con- 
 vince all that are ungodly among them of all their 
 ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, 
 and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners 
 have spoken against him, ' Jude 14, 16. 
 
 Fifth, The great preparation that God hath 
 made for the judgment of the wicked, doth clearly 
 demonstrate their rising forth out of their graves. 
 1. He hath appointed the day of their rising. 2. He 
 hath appointed their judge, to judge them. 3. He 
 hath recorded aU their acts and doings against 
 
106 
 
 OF THE EESURRECTION Of THE DEAD. 
 
 that day. 4. He hath also abeady appointed the wit- 
 nesses to come in against them. 5. The instruments 
 of death and misery, are already prepared for them. 
 1. He hath appointed the day of their rising, 
 which day John calleth the time of the dead, that 
 they should he judged, Re. xi.lSi which time, Paul 
 saith, is a time fixed ; ' He hath appointed a day 
 in which he will judge the world,' <fcc., Ac. xvii. 31. 
 This time and day Chi'ist hrings down to an hour, 
 saying, ' The hour is coming, in the which aU that 
 are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall 
 come forth;' &c., Jn. v. 28, 29. 
 
 2. As he hath appointed the day, so he hath 
 appointed the judge, ' He hath appointed a day in 
 the which he will judge the world in righteousness, 
 by thai man whom he hath ordained, whereof he 
 hath given assurance to all men, in that he hath 
 raised him from the dead.' Ac. xvii. 31. This man is 
 Jesus Christ ; for it is he that is ' ordained of God 
 to be the judge of quick and dead. ' Ac. x. 42. 
 
 3. All their deeds and works, to a word and 
 thought, are every one already recorded and en- 
 rolled in the hooks of the laws of heaven against 
 vhat day. ' The sin of Judah is written with a pen 
 of iron, mid with the point of a diamond: - 
 upon the table of their heart, ' Je. xvii. i. And again 
 saitli God, ' Write it - in a table, and note it 
 in a book, that it may be for the time to come, 
 even for ever and ever, that this is a rebellious 
 people,' <fec.. Is. XXX. 8, 9. 
 
 4. God hath prepared his witnesses against this 
 
 day. Ja. V. 1—3. Job XX. 27. Mat. xxiv. U. Eo. ii. W, 15. Mai. lii, 6. 
 
 5. The instruments of death, and eternal misery, 
 are already prepared. ' He hath also prepared 
 for him the instruments of death ; he ordaineth his 
 arrows against the persecutors. ' Ps. vii. 13. Ps. xxi. 12. 
 HeU is of old prepared, he hath made It deep and 
 large, the fire, the everlasting fire, is also now of 
 along time prepared; ls.xxx.33. Mat.xxv.4l; the heavy 
 weights of God's curse are also ready, l)e.x.vix.20, 
 and their ' damnation now of. a long time slumher- 
 eth not.' 2Pe. iL3. But now I say, how ridiculous 
 a business would all this be, if these things should 
 be all prepared of the only wise God, and there 
 should he none to be judged ; or if he that is or- 
 dained judge, should not, either through want of 
 power or will, command these rebels, and force 
 them before his judgment-seat. Glad indeed, 
 would the sinners be, if these things might be 
 true ; glad I say, at very heart, if they might he 
 in their secret places of darkness, and the grave 
 for ever ; but it must not be ; the day of their rising 
 is set; the judge is appointed; their deeds are 
 written ; the deep dungeon is with open mouth 
 ever waiting for them ; wherefore at the day ap- 
 pointed, neither earth, nor death, nor hell can 
 hinder : There sJicdl be a resurrection of the dead, 
 both of the just and unjust. 
 
 Sixth and Lastly, Besides what hath been saii 
 I cannot but believe, there shall be a resurrectio 
 of the wicked at the last day, hecause of the un 
 godly consequences, and errors that do most natu 
 rally follow the denial thereof. For, 
 
 1. He that taketh away the doctrine of the re 
 surrection of the wicked ; he taketh away one oi 
 the main arguments that God hath provided for ti 
 convince a sinner of the evil of his ways ; for ho? 
 shall a sinner be convinced of the evil of sin, if h( 
 be not convinced of the certainty of eternal judg 
 ment? and how shall he be convinced of eternal 
 judgment, if you persuade him, that when he is 
 dead, he shall not at all rise? especially seeing the 
 resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment must 
 unavoidably he one the forerminer of the other. 
 He. vi. 2. It was Paul's reasoning of righteousness, 
 temperance, and judgment to come that made Pelix 
 tremble, Ac.x.Yiv.2o. It is this also he calleth the 
 argument of terror, wherewith he persuaded men, 
 2Co. V. 10, 11. This was Solomon's argument; Ec.xi.9. 
 and Christ's also, where he saith, ' that every idle 
 word that men shall speak, they shall give account 
 thereof in the day of judgment.' Mat. xii.36. 
 
 2. They that deny the resurrection of the wicked, 
 they do both allow and maintain the chief doctrine 
 of the ranters, with most of the debauched persons 
 in the world. For the ranters deny it both iu 
 principle and practice, and the other in practice at 
 least. Now to me it is very strange, that these 
 men above all other, should hoth know and five* in 
 the doctrines of the kingdom of God: especially 
 seeing the denial hereof is an evident token of one 
 appointed to wrath and destruction. 2 Ti. ii. is. But to 
 be plain ; there shall he a resurrection of the dead, 
 both of the just and unjust: wherefore, whatever 
 others may say or profess, heing beguiled by Satan, 
 and theii- own hearts, yet.do thou fear him that can 
 ' destroy hoth soul and body in hell. ' Mat. x. 28. 
 
 There shaU he a resurrection of the dead, both 
 of the just and unjust. 'And the sea gave up the 
 dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered 
 up the dead wliich were in them. ' Ee. xx. 13. 
 
 Having in the first place shewed you, that the 
 wicked must arise ; I shall in the next place. 
 
 Second, Shew you the manner of their rising. 
 And observe it, as the very title of the just and 
 unjust, are opposites, so they are in all other mat- 
 ters, and in their resurrections. 
 
 MANNER OF THE EESHRRECTION OF THE WICKEP. 
 
 First then, as the just in their resurrection do 
 come forth in incorruption : the unjust m their 
 resurrection, shall come forth in their corruptions;' 
 
 * Unsaactifted knowledge, accompanied by a degree of con- 
 formity in conduct, may be the portion of some who indulge 
 soul-destroying heresies. — Ed. 
 
OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 107 
 
 for tliougli the ungodly at their resurrection, shall 
 for ever after, he incapable of having body and soul 
 separate ; or of their being annihilated into nothing, 
 yet it shall be far from them to rise in incorruption ; 
 for if they arise in incorruption, they must arise to 
 life, and also must have the conquest over sin and 
 death, i Co. xv. 45. but that they shall not ; for it is 
 the righteous only, that put on incorruption, that 
 are swallowed up of life. The wicked's resurrec- 
 tion, it is called the resurrection of damnation. 
 Jn.v. 28. These in their very resurrection, shall be 
 hurt of the second death. They shall arise in 
 death, and shall be under it, under the gnawings, 
 and terrors of it, all the time of their arraignment. 
 As it were, a living death shall feed upon them ; 
 they shall never be spiritually alive, nor yet abso- 
 lutely dead; but much after that manner, that 
 natural death, and hell, by reason of gmlt, doth 
 feed on him, that is going before the judge, to 
 receive his condemnation to the gallows. You 
 know, though a felon go forth of the jail, when he 
 is going to the bar for his arraignment, yet he is 
 not out of prison, or out of his irons for that ; his 
 fetters are still making a noise on his heels,* and 
 the thoughts of what he is to hear by and by from 
 the judge, is still frighting and afflicting his heart ; 
 death, like some evil spirit or ghost, doth con- 
 tinually haunt him, and playeth the butcher con- 
 tinually in his soul and conscience, with frights and 
 fears about the thoughts of the sudden, and insup- 
 portable after-clap, by and by he is to meet withal. 
 Thus I say, will the wicked come out of their 
 graves, having yet the chains of eternal death 
 hanging on them, and the talons of that dreadful 
 ghost festened in their souls ; so that life will be 
 far from them, even as far as heaven is from hell. 
 This morning to them, is even as the shadow of 
 death. They will then be in the very terrors of 
 the shadow of death. Job xxiv. 17. As Christ saith, 
 ' Their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. ' 
 Mar. ix. 4*. From death to eternity, it never shall be 
 quenched, their bed is now among the flames ; and 
 when they rise, they will rise in flames ; while they 
 stand before the judge, it will be in flames, even 
 in the flames of a guilty conscience ; they will in 
 their coming before the judge, be within the very 
 jaws of death and destruction. Thus I say, the 
 ungodly shall be far off from rising as the saints ; 
 for they will be even in the region and shadow of 
 death. The first moment of their rising, death 
 will be ever over them, ever feeding on their souls ; 
 
 * A graphic writer, addressing us at the distance of two 
 centuries, frequently makes interesting mention of manners and 
 customs prevailing at the time wherein he lived. From the 
 i illustration here employed by Banyan, we learn that the culprit 
 • before trial, and therefore before convicted of crime, was in a 
 ( manner prejudged, and loaded with fetters. These extreme 
 I judicial severities belong to the past. 
 
 and ever presenting to their hearts, the heights and 
 depths, of the misery that now must seize them, 
 and, like a bottomless gulf, must swallow them up. 
 ' They shall move out of their holes like worms of 
 the earth: They shall be afraid of the Lord our 
 God.' Mi.vii.l7. 
 
 Second, As the resurrection of the godly shall 
 be a resurrection in glory : so the resurrection of 
 the wicked, it will be a resurrection in dishonour. 
 Yea, as the glory of saints, at the day of their 
 rising, will be glory unspeakable ; so the dishonour 
 of the ungodly at that day, it will be dishonour 
 beyond expression. As Daniel saith, the good 
 shall rise to everlasting life, but the wicked to 
 shame and everlasting contempt. Da. xii. 3. And 
 again, ' Lord, when thou awakest,' that is, to 
 judge them, 'thou shalt despise their image.' Ps. 
 ixxiii. 30. Never was toad or serpent more loathsome 
 to any, than these will be in the eyes of God, in 
 their rising forth of their graves. When they go 
 to their graves, saith Job, ' His bones are full of 
 the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him 
 in the dust.' JqIjxx. ji. Arid arise they shall, in the 
 same noisome and stinking condition ; for as death 
 leaves, so judgment finds them. At the resurrec- 
 tion then of these xmgodly, they will be in a very 
 loathsome condition. 
 
 The ungodly at their death are like the thistle 
 seed, but at their rising, they will be like the thistle 
 grown; more noisome, offensive, and provoking to 
 rejection abundance.* Then such dishonour, shame, 
 and contempt will appear in them, that neither 
 God nor Christ, saints nor angels, will so much as 
 once regard them, or vouchsafe once to come near 
 them. ' He beholdeth the wicked afar off ; ' because 
 in the day of grace, they would not come to hand, 
 and be saved, therefore now they shall, all as 
 thorns, be thrust away, as with fences of iron, 
 3 Sa. xxiii. 6, 7. Their rising, is called the resurrection 
 of the unjust, and so they at that day will appear, 
 and wiU more stink in the nostrils of God, and aU 
 the heavenly hosts, than if they had the most irk- 
 some plague-sores in the world running on them. 
 If a man at his birth, be counted as one cast forth 
 to the loathing of his person ; how loathsome, and 
 irksome, dishonourable, and contemptible, will those 
 be that shall arise Godless, Chrlstless, Spiritless, , 
 and graceless, when the trumpet sounds to their 
 judgment, they coming out of their graves, far 
 more loathsome, and filthy, than if they should 
 ascend out of the most filthy hole on earth. 
 
 Third, As the just shall arise in power, so the 
 wicked and unjust, in weakness and astonishment. 
 Sin and guilt bringeth weakness, and faintness in 
 this life ; how much more, when both with all their 
 power and force, like a giant, fasten on them ; as 
 
 • AhuudaDce,' exuberance, more than enough. — Ed. 
 
108 
 
 OF TUB RESUKRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 God saith, ' Can thine heart endure, or can thine 
 hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with 
 thee?' Eze. xxii. 14 Now will the ghastly jaws of 
 despair gape upon thee, and now will condemnings 
 of conscience, like thunder-claps, continually batter 
 against thy weary spirit. It is the godly that hare 
 boldness in the day of judgment ; i Jn, ir. 17. but the 
 wicked will be like the chaiF which the wind driveth 
 away. Ps. i. 4. Oh the fear, and the heart-aching 
 that will seize them in their rising! the frightful 
 thoughts that then will fill their throbbing hearts ! 
 Now must that soul that hath been in hell-fire 
 among the devils possess the body again. Possess 
 it, I say, with the hot scalding stink of hell upon 
 it. They shall not be able to lift up the head for 
 ever ; pangs shall take hold on them, all their hands 
 shall faint, and every man's heart shall melt ; 
 ' They shall be amazed one at another, their faces 
 shall be as flames.' Is. xiii. 6— 8. Everything they 
 see, hear, or think of, shall tend to their discom- 
 fort. They must needs be weak, whom God hath 
 left, whom guilt hath seized, and whom death is 
 swallowing up for ever. 
 
 Fourth, As the just shall arise spiritual bodies, 
 so the unjust shall arise only as mere and naked 
 lumps of suiful nature ; not having the least help 
 from God, to bear them up under this condition. 
 Wherefore, so soon as ever they are risen out of 
 their graves ; they will feel a continual sinking 
 under every remembrance of every sin, and thoughts 
 of judgment ; in their rising they fall — fall, I say, 
 from thenceforth, and for ever. And for this rea- 
 son the dungeon into which they fall is called 
 'bottomless.' Re. xi, 1. Because, as there will be no 
 end of their misery, so there will be no stay 
 or prop to bear them up in it. Only, as I said 
 before, they shall not now, as afore, be separate 
 body from soiil ; but both together, be bound in the 
 cords of sin and iniquity, in which they shall now 
 tremble as thieves and murderers, ifec, as they go be- 
 fore the Judge, to hear what he will say unto them. 
 
 [Third — The examination and judgriient of the 
 ivicJeed.] — Now, when the wicked are thus raised 
 out of their graves, they shall, together with all 
 the angels of darkness, their fellow-prisoners, be 
 brought up, being shackled in their sins, to the 
 place of judgment ; where there shall sit upon them 
 Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of 
 lords, the Lord Chief Judge of things in heaven, 
 and things in earth, and things under the earth. 
 On whose right hand, and left, shall sit all the 
 princes, and heavenly nobles ; the saints and pro- 
 phets, the apostles and witnesses of Jesus ; every 
 one in his kingly attire, upon the throne of his 
 glory. Joel iii. 11—14. Then shall be fulfilled that 
 which is written, ' But those mine enemies, which 
 would not that I should reign over them, bring 
 hither, and slay iliem. ' Lu xa. 37. 
 
 [the judgment of the wicked.] 
 
 When every one is thus set in his proper plae( 
 the Judge on his throne, with his attendants, an 
 the prisoners coming up to judgment, forthwit 
 there shall issue forth a mighty fire and tempes 
 from before the throne, which shall compass it roun 
 about ; which fire, shall be as bars and bounds t 
 the wicked, to keep them at a certain distanc 
 from the heavenly Majesty. As David saith, ' Ou 
 God shall come, and shall not keep silence ; a fir 
 shall devour before him, and it shall be very ten 
 pestuous round about him.' Ps. 1. 3. And again 
 ' Plis throne was like the fiery flame, arid his wheel 
 as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and cam' 
 forth from before him:' <kc. Da.vii. 9,10. 
 
 This preparation being made, to wit, the Judgi 
 with his attendants, on the throne ; the bar for thi 
 prisoners, and the rebels all standing with ghasth 
 jaws, to look for what comes after : presently thi 
 books are brought forth, to wit, the books both oi 
 death and life ; and every one of them openec 
 before the sinners, now to be judged and eon 
 demned. For after that he had said before, 'A 
 fiery stream issued and came forth from befon 
 him:' he adds, 'Thousand thousands ministerec 
 unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousanc 
 stood before him : the judgment was set, and tli( 
 book was opened. ' Da. Tii. 10. And again, 'I saw j 
 great white throne, and him that sat on it, fron 
 whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; 
 and there was found no place for them. And 1 
 saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; 
 and the books were opened : and another book was 
 opened, which is the book of life : and the dead wen 
 judged out of those things which were written ii 
 the books, according to their works.' Ke. xx. 11, 12. 
 
 He doth not say, the book was opened, as of 
 one, but the hooks, as of many. And indeed, 
 they are more than one, two, or three, out of whict 
 the dead shall in the judgment be proceeded 
 against. 
 
 First then, there is the book of fAe creatures tc 
 be opened. Second, The book of God's rcmm- 
 irance. Tliird, The book of the law. AnAfmrtli, 
 the book of life. For by every one of these, thai 
 is, out of what is written in them, shall the world 
 of the ungodly be judged. 
 
 ' And the books were opened. ' 
 
 First, The book of the creatures'^' ^'^ ■'^t 
 
 1 11 1 1 opened m it 
 
 shall be opened, and that first, it con- tot part. 
 
 cems man's nature ; and next, as it relates to al 
 
 other creatures. 
 
 I. He will shew in what the principles of naturi 
 
 were, as they were God's creation ; and how con 
 
 trary to these principles, the world have walked 
 
 acted, and done. The principles of natui-e are con 
 
 eluded under three general heads. 
 
OF THE RESURKECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 109 
 
 1. That man ty his own natural reason and 
 judgment may gather, that there is a God, a Deity, 
 a chief, or first, or principal Being, who is over 
 all, and supreme above all. This instinct, I say, 
 man merely as he is a rational creature findeth in 
 himself; and hence it is, that all heathens that 
 mind their own natural reason, do conclude, that 
 we are his offspring; that is. His creation and 
 workmanship. That He made heaven and earth, 
 and hath made of one hlood, all nations of men ; 
 that 'in him we live, and move, and have our 
 being;' <fec. Ac. xvii. 24— 39. 
 
 It appears further, that man by his own nature, 
 doth know that there is such a God. 
 
 (I.) By his being able to judge by nature, that 
 there is such a thing as sin ; as Christ saith, 
 ' Why even of yourselves judge ye not what is 
 right ?' Lu. xii. 67. As if he had said. You are de- 
 generated even from the principles of nature, and 
 right reason ; as Paul saith in another place, 
 ' Doth not even nature itself teach you ?' i Co. xi u. 
 Now he that can judge, that there is such a thing 
 as sin, it must of necessity be, that he understandeth 
 that there is a God, to whom sin is opposite ; for 
 if there be no God, there is no sin against him ; 
 and he that knows not the one, knows not the 
 other. 
 
 . (2.) It is evident further, that man by nature 
 knows that there is a God, by those fits of fear, 
 and dread that are often begotten in themselves, 
 even in every man that breatheth in this world ; 
 Man's nature i, a f«"" ^^y are by their own consciences, 
 Book, or kw to and thoughts, convicted and reproved, 
 judged and condemned, though they 
 know neither Moses nor Christ — For the Gentiles 
 which have not the law, these are a law to them- 
 selves, and shew the work of the law written in 
 their hearts, Ko. ii. 14, 15. — that is, by this very 
 thing, they hold forth to all men, that God created 
 them in that state and quality, that they might in 
 and by their own nature, judge and know that 
 there is a God. And it further sheweth itself, 
 Baith he, by those workings of heart, convictions of 
 conscience, and accusations, that every thought 
 maketh within them, together with the fear that 
 is begotten in them, when they transgress, or do 
 those things that are irrational, or contrary to what 
 they see they shall do. I might add further, that 
 the natural proneness that is in all men to devotion 
 and religion, that is, of one kind or another, doth 
 clearly tell us, that they by the book of nature, 
 which book is themselves, do read that there is one 
 great and eternal God. 
 
 2. The second principle of nature is, that this 
 God should by man be sought after, that they 
 might enjoy communion with him for ever. As I 
 said before, the light of nature sheweth man, that 
 there is a great God, even God that made the world; 
 
 and the end of its shewing him this is, that ' they 
 should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after 
 him, and find him, though he be not far from every 
 one of us.' Ac. xvii. 27. 
 
 3. This light of nature teacheth, that men be- 
 tween themselves, should do that which is just and 
 equal. As Bloses said, and that long before the 
 law was given, ' Sirs, ye are brethren, why do ye 
 wrong one another ? ' Ac. vii. 20. Ex. li. 13. as who 
 should say. You are of equal creation, you are the 
 same flesh ; you both judge, that it is not equally 
 done of any, to do you wrong, and therefore ought 
 to judge by the same reason, that ye ought uot to 
 wrong one another. 
 
 Now against every one of these three principles, 
 hath every man in the whole world transgressed ; 
 as Paul saith, ' For both Jews and Gentiles - - 
 are all under sin.' Eo. iii. 9. For as touching the 
 first, (1.) who is he that hath honoured, reverenced, 
 worshipped, and adored the living God, to the 
 height, both of what they saw in him, and also 
 according to the goodness and mercy they have as 
 men received from him ? All have served and 
 worshipped the creature more than the Creator, 
 who is blessed for ever, Ro. i. 25. and so have walked 
 contrary to, and have sinned against, this bond of 
 nature, in this first principle of it. 
 
 (2.) Men, instead of minding their own future 
 happiness, as nature teacheth, they have, through 
 their giving way to sin and Satan, minded nothing 
 less ; for though reason teacheth all men to love 
 that which is good and profitable, yet they, con- 
 trary to this, have loved that which is hurtful and 
 destructive. Yea, though sense teacheth to avoid 
 the danger that is manifest ; yet man, contrary to 
 reason and sense both, even all men, have both 
 against light and feeling, rejected their own happi- 
 ness ; as Paul saith, ' Who knowing the judgment 
 of God, that they which commit such things are 
 worthy of death, not only do the same, but have 
 pleasure in them that do them.' Ho. i. 81. 
 
 (3.) Man, instead of doing equity, and as he 
 would be done by, which nature itself teacheth: he 
 hath given up himself to vile affections, being filled, 
 by refusing the dictates of nature, ' with all un- 
 righteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetous- 
 ness, maliciousness ; full of envy, murder, debate, 
 deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters 
 of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of 
 evil things, disobedient to parents, without under- 
 standing, covenant-breakers, without natural affec- 
 tion, implacable, unmerciful. ' Ho. i. 29—31. 
 
 And observe it, he doth not say, that all these 
 things are by every man put into practice ; but 
 every man hath all these in his heart, which there 
 defile the soul, and make it abominable in the sight 
 of God. They are fitted with all unrighteousness, 
 which also appears, as occasion serveth, sometimes 
 
no 
 
 or THE RESURRECTION OF THE DE,U). 
 
 one of them, sometimes more. Now, man having 
 sinned against that natural light, judgment, rea- 
 son, and conscience, that God hath given him ; 
 therefore, though as I said hefore, he neither knew 
 Moses nor Christ, yet he shall perish. • As 
 many,' saith Paul, 'as have sinned without law, 
 shall also perish without law. ' Ro. a. 13. 
 
 Yea, here will man he found not only a sinner 
 against God, hut an opposer of himself, a contra- 
 dictor of his own nature, and one that will not do 
 that which he judgeth even of himself to he right. 
 B Ti. ii. 25. Their sin is written upon the tables of 
 their own heart, Je. xvii. 1. and their own wickedness 
 and backsliding shall both correct and reprove 
 them. Je. ii. 19. 
 
 It is marvellous, if we consider, how curious a 
 creature man was made of God ; to behold how 
 much below, besides, and against that state and 
 place, man acts and does in this state of sin and 
 degeneracy. Man in his creation was made in the 
 image of God, Ge. i. 26. but man, by reason of his 
 yielding to the tempter, hath made himself tlie 
 very figure and image of the devil. Man by ci'ea- 
 tion was made upright and sinless ; but man by 
 sin, hath made himself crooked and sinful. Ec.vu. 29. 
 Man by creation had all the faculties of his soul at 
 liberty to study God his creator, and his glorious 
 attributes and being ; but man by sin, hath so 
 bound up his own senses and reason; and hath 
 given way for blindness and ignorance of God, so 
 to reign in his soul; that now he is captivated and 
 held bound in alienation and estrangedness both 
 from God, and all things truly spiritually good ; 
 ' Because,' saith he, 'that when they knew God, 
 they glorified him not as God, - - but became vain 
 in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was 
 darkened. ' Eo. i. 21. And again, ' Having the un- 
 derstanding darkened, being alienated from the life 
 of God, through the ignorance that is in them, 
 because of the blindness of their hearts.' Ep. iv. w. 
 
 Now, for this abuse of the workmanship of God, 
 shall man be brought forth to the judgment, shall 
 be convicted, cast, and condemned as a rebel, 
 against both God and his own soul, as Paul af- 
 firmeth, and that when he reasoned but as a man. 
 Ko. iii. 5, 6. 
 
 When this part of the hook touching man's na- 
 ture is opened, and man convicted and cast by it, 
 by reason of his sinning against the three general 
 principles thereof: 
 
 II. Then forthwith is the second part of the book 
 opened, which is the mystery of the creatures; for 
 the whole creation, that is before thee, are not 
 only made to shew the power of God in themselves ; 
 but also to teach thee, and to preach unto thee, 
 both much of God and thyself; as also the righte- 
 ousness, and justice of God against sin; ' For the 
 wrath of God is revealed fi'om heaven against all 
 
 ungodhness and unrighteousness of men, who hold 
 the truth in unrighteousness ; Because that which 
 may be known of God is manifest in them ; for 
 God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible 
 things of him from the creation of the world are 
 clearly seen, being imderstood by the things that 
 are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; 
 so that they are without excuse. ' Ko. i. 18— 20. 
 
 1. The creation then of the world, namely, of 
 the heavens, earth, sun, moon, stars, with all other 
 the creatures of God: they preach aloud to all 
 men, the eternal power and Godhead of their Crea- 
 tor. Ps. viii. 3. In wisdom he hath made them all ; 
 Ps. civ. 24. to be teachable, and carrying instruction 
 in them ; and he that is wise, and will understand 
 these things, even he shall understand the loving- 
 kindness of the Lord ; for ' the works of the Lord 
 are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure 
 therein.' Ps. cvii.; cxi. 3. 
 
 2. As the creation in general preacheth to every 
 man something of God; so they do hold forth, how 
 man should behave himself both to God, and one 
 to another ; and will assuredly come in, in the 
 judgment, against all those that shall be found 
 crossers, and thwarters of what God by the crea- 
 tures doth hold forth to us. 
 
 (1.) As First, The obedience of the creatures, 
 both to God and thee, (a.) To God, they are all 
 in subjection (set devils and men aside) even the 
 very dragons, and all deeps, fire, hail, snow, and 
 vapours, Ps. cxlviii. 7, 8. fulfilling his word. Yea, the 
 winds and seas obey him. Mar. iv. a. Thus, I say, 
 by their obedience to God they teach thee obedi- 
 ence, and by their obedience shall thy disobedience 
 be condemned in the judgment. Ps. cdviL 15—18. (b.) 
 Their obedience to thee, also teacheth thee obedi- 
 ence to all superiors; for every kind of beasts, and 
 of birds, and serpents, and things in the sea, is 
 tamed, and hath been tamed, and brought into 
 obedience by mankind. Man only remains untamed 
 and unruly, and therefore by these is condemned. 
 
 Ja. iii. 7, 8. 
 
 (2.) The frultfulness of all the creatures in their 
 kind, doth teach and admonish thee to a fruitful 
 life to Godward, and in the things of his holy word. 
 God did hut say in the beginning. Let the earth 
 bring forth fruit, grass, herbs, trees, beasts, creep- 
 ing things, and cattle after their kind; and it was 
 so. Ge. i. 2i. But to man, he hath sent his pro- 
 phets, rising early, and sending them, saying, ' 
 do not this abominable thing that I hate.' Je. xliv.4. 
 but they will not obey. For if the Gentiles, which 
 have not the law, do, by some acts of obedience, 
 condemn the wickedness of those who do by the 
 letter and circumcision, break the law : how much 
 more shall the fruitfulness of all the creatures come 
 in, in the judgment, against the whole world! As 
 Job saith, By the obedience and fruitfulness of the 
 
OF THE RESUERECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 Ill 
 
 creatures he judgeth, and so will judge, the people. 
 
 Job xxxTi. 27— S3. 
 
 (3.) The knowledge and wisdom of the creatures, 
 do with a check, command thee to he wise, and do 
 teach thee wisdom. The stork in the heaven, the 
 swallow and the crane, hy ohserving the time and 
 season of their coming, do admonish thee to learn 
 the time of grace, and of the mercy of God. Je. viii. 7. 
 The ox and the ass, by the knowledge they have 
 of their master's crib, do admonish thee to know 
 the bread and table of God, and both do and shall 
 condemn thy ignorance of the food of heaven. 
 Is. i. 8. 
 
 (4.) The labour and toil of the creatures doth 
 convict thee of sloth and idleness. ' Go to the 
 ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be 
 wise ; ' for she provideth her food in the summer, 
 and layeth up against the day of trial. Pi. vi. 6, 7. 
 But thou spendest the whole summer of thy life in 
 wasting both time and soul. All things are full 
 of labour, saith Solomon, Eci. 8, only man spendeth 
 all the day idle. Mat. xx. 6. and his years like a tale 
 that is told. Pa. jc. 9. Eo. X. SI. The coney is but a 
 feeble folk, yet laboureth for a house in the rock, 
 to be safe from the rage of the hunter. Pr. xxx. S6. 
 
 The spider also, taketh hold with her hands, and 
 is in king's palaces. Pr. xix. 23. It is man only 
 that turneth himself upon the bed of sloth, as 
 the door doth itself upon the hinges. 'Tis man, 
 I say, that will neither lay hold on the rock 
 Christ, as the coney doth teach, nor lay hold on 
 the kingdom of heaven, as the spider doth bid 
 him. Jn. T. 40. 
 
 (5.) The fear that is in all creatures, when they 
 perceive that danger is near, it teacheth men to 
 fly from the wrath to come, ' In vain the net is 
 spread in the sight of any bird, ' Pr. L 17. but man, 
 man only is the fool-hardy creature, that heth 
 wait for his own blood, and that lurketh privily 
 for his own life. How I say, will every creature 
 fly, run, strive, and stmggle to escape the danger 
 it is sensible of ! 'Tis man only that delighteth 
 to dance about the mouth of hell, and to be know- 
 ingly smitten with Satan's snare. Ko. i. 32. 
 
 (6.) The dependence that all the creatures have 
 upon God ; they teach thee to depend on him that 
 made thee; yea, and will in the judgment condemn 
 thee for thy unlawful practices, and deah'ngs for 
 thy preservation. The young ravens seek their 
 food from God, Ps. cxM, 9, Job jomiii. 41. and will con- 
 demn thy lying, cheating, overreaching, defrauding, 
 and the like. They provide neither storehouse, 
 nor barn ; Lu. xu. 24. but thou art so greedy of these 
 things, that thou for them shuttest thyself out of 
 the kingdom of heaven. Pr. xm. 16. 
 
 (7.) The love and pity that is in their hearts to 
 their young, and one another : will judge and con- 
 demn the hard-heartedness that is in thee to thy 
 
 own soul. What shall I say? ' The heaven shall 
 reveal his iniquity ; and the earth shall rise up 
 against him.' Jobxx. 27. That is, all the creatures 
 of God, they will, by their fruitfulness and subjec- 
 tion to the will of their Creator, judge and con- 
 demn thee for thy disobedience, and rebellion 
 against him. 
 
 3. Now, as these creatures do every day call 
 unto thee, and lay before thee these things: so he 
 hath for thy awakening, in case thou be asleep, 
 and senseless, creatures of another nature ; as, 
 
 (1.) Thy bed, when thou liestdown in it, preach- 
 eth to thee thy grave ; thy sleep, thy death ; and 
 thy rising in the morning, thy resurrection to judg- 
 ment. Job xiv. 12. xrii. 13. Is. xxvi. 19. 
 
 (2.) The jad that thou seest with thine eyes, 
 and the felons that look out at the grate, they put 
 thee in mind of the prison of hell, and of the 
 dreadful state of those that are there. Lu. xii. 58, so. 
 
 (3.) The fire that bums in thy chimney, it holds 
 forth the fire of hell unto thee. is. x. 16. Ke. xx. 14. 
 
 (4.) The ugly smell, stench, and steam, of the 
 burning brimstone, it shews thee the loathsome, 
 odious, and dreadful torments of hell. Ee. xix. 20. 
 
 (5.) The darkness of the night in solitary places, 
 and the fears that do commonly haunt those that 
 walk therein : it preacheth to thee the fears and 
 frights, the scares and amazements, that will for 
 ever attend all damned souls. Mat. riii. 12. De. xxviji. C5 
 -67. 
 
 (6.) By thy delighting, when thou art cold, to 
 lay sticks on the fire to warm thyself, not caring 
 how fiercely they flame therein, so thou canst be 
 wai-m and be refreshed thereby, by this, I say, 
 God preacheth to thee, with what delight he will 
 burn sinners in the flames of hell, for the eashig 
 of his mind, and the satisfaction of his justice. 
 'Ah,' saith he, ' I will ease me of mine adversaries, 
 and avenge me of mine enemies.' is.i. 24. 
 
 (7.) Yea, by thy blowing the fire, that it may 
 fasten upon the wood the better ; thou preachest 
 to thyself how God will blow the fire of hell by the 
 rigour of his law, to the end, it may by its flames, 
 to purpose, kindle upon damned sinners, is. xix. 33. 
 
 All these things, as inconsiderable and unlikely 
 as they may appear to you now, yet in the judg- 
 ment will be found the items, and warning words 
 of God to your souls. And know, that he who 
 could overthrow the land of Egypt with frogs, Uce, 
 flies, locusts, &c., will overthrow the world, at the 
 last day, by the book of the creatures ; and that 
 by the least and most inconsiderable of them, as 
 well as by the rest. This book of the creatures, 
 it is so excellent, and so full, so easy, and so suiting 
 the capacity of all, that there is not one man in 
 the world but is catched, convicted, and cast by it. 
 This is the book, that he who knows no letters may 
 read in ; yea, and that he who neither saw New 
 
m 
 
 OF THE RESURRECTION OP THE DEAD. 
 
 Testament, nor Old, may know botli mucli of God, 
 and himself by. 'Tis this book, out of which gene- 
 rally, both Job and his friends did so profoundly 
 discourse of the judgments of God ; and that out 
 of which God himself did so convincingly answer 
 Job. Job was as perfect in this book, as we are, 
 many of us in the scriptures ; yea, and could see 
 further by it, than many now adays do see by the 
 New Testament and Old. This is the book out of 
 which, both Christ, the prophets, and apostles, do 
 so frequently discourse by their similitudes, pro- 
 verbs, and parables, as being the most easy way 
 to convince the world, though by reason of their 
 ignorance, nothing wiU work with them, but what 
 is set on their heart by the Holy Ghost. 
 
 One word further, and I have done with this, 
 and that is, God hath sealed the judgment of the 
 world by the book of the creatures ; even by man's 
 own carriage unto such of them, which, through 
 any impediment, have disappointed his expecta- 
 tions. As thus : if thou hast but a tree in thy 
 orchard, that neither beareth fruit, nor aught else 
 that is good ; why, thou art for hewing it down, 
 and for appointing it, as fuel for the fire. Now 
 thou little thinkest that by thy thus judging thou 
 shouldst pass sentence upon thy own fruitless soul; 
 but it is so; 'And now also the axe is laid unto 
 the root of the trees, therefore every tree which 
 bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and 
 east into the fire.' For as truly as thou sayest of 
 thy fruitless tree, Cut it down, why doth it cumber 
 the ground ? so truly doth thy voice cause heaven 
 to echo again upon thy head, Cut him down ; why 
 doth he cumber the ground? Mat. iii. lO; Lu. xiii. 6— 8; 
 
 Eze. XV. 1—6.* 
 
 Further, the inclination of thy heart towards 
 fruitless and unprofitable creatures, doth fore-preach 
 to thee, the inclination of the heart of God towards 
 thee in the judgment. If thou hast either cow, or 
 any other beast, that is now unprofitable to thee, 
 though thou mayst suff'er them for some time to be 
 with thee, as God sufFereth sinners in the world, 
 yet all this while thy heart is not with them, but 
 thou wilt take thy time to clear thy hands of them. 
 Why, just so shall thy judgment be, as God saith, 
 ' Though Moses and Samuel stood before me,' that 
 is, to pray me to spare this people, ' yet my mind 
 coiiM not be towards this people : east them out of 
 my sight, and let them go forth.' Je.xv.iiE2e.xiv.13, 14 
 
 * Buiiyan's sattctificd mind, well stored witli the sacred 
 scriptures, richly enjoyed the contemplation of natm'e. No 
 writer, however blessed with extensive learning, sanetified by 
 deep and glowing piety, has opened the book of creation 
 with such a master mind, as a witness against man at the day 
 of judgment. In this, as in many other things, Bunyan 
 stands [ire-cmineiit; a striking illustration of the ways of God, 
 who poiu'cd such abundance of heavenly treasure into an earthen 
 vessel, despised and persecuted of men. — Ed. 
 
 Thus I say, will God judge the world at the last 
 day ; he will open before them, how they have de- 
 generated and gone back from the principles of 
 nature in which he created them. Also how they 
 have slighted all the instructions that he hath given 
 them, even by the obedience, fruitfulness, wisdom, 
 labour, fear, and love of the creatures; and he will 
 tell them, that as to their judgment, they them- 
 selves have decided it, both by their cutting down 
 that which was fruitless, and by the withdrawing 
 of their hearts from those things, which to them 
 were unprofitable, ' As therefore the tares are 
 gathered, and burned in the fire, so shall it he in 
 the end of the world.' As men deal with weeds, 
 and rotten wood : so will God deal with sinners in 
 the day of judgment : and will bring in, I say, all 
 the counsels and warnings he hath given men by 
 these things, both to clear up and to aggravate 
 their judgment to them. 
 
 Second, The second book that will be opened at 
 this day, it wiU be the book of God's remembrance. 
 Mai. iu. 16. For as God hath in his re-„., ,. , .. „ 
 membrance, recorded all and every remembraiice 
 particular good thing that his own °'"^°' 
 people hath done to, and for his name while they 
 were in this world : so he hath in his remembrance, 
 recorded all the evil and sin of his adversaries; even 
 everything. Eo. xii. u. Now God's remembrance is 
 so perfect every way, that it is impossible that 
 anything should he lost, that is committed to it to 
 be kept, and brought forth to the judgment at the 
 time appointed; for as a thousand years are but 
 as yesterday, with his eternity: so the sins that 
 have been committed thousands of years since, they 
 are all so fii-mly fixed in the remembrance of the 
 eternal God, that they are always as fresh and 
 clear in his sight, as if they were but just now in 
 committiniT. He calleth again the things that are 
 past, Ec. iii. 15. and hath set ' our [most] secret sins 
 in the light of his countenance.' Ps. xc. 8. As he 
 also saith in another place, ' lieU [itself] is naked 
 before him, and destruction hath no covering,' 
 Job xxvi. 6. that is, the most secret, cunning, and 
 hidden contrivances of the most subtle of the infer- 
 nal spirits, which yet are far more Blethy,t than 
 men, to hide their wickedness ; yet, I say, all their 
 ways, hearts, and most secret doings, are clear, to 
 the very bottom of them, in the eyes of the great 
 God. AU things are open and bare before the 
 eyes of him with whom we have to do; who will 
 bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and 
 will make manifest the cotmsels of the heart. 
 
 lie. iv. 13; 1 Co. iv, 6. 
 
 'Ye that say. The Lord shall not see, neither 
 
 t 'Slethy,' now obsolete, sJy, cunning, stealthy. 'Darkened 
 with men's sleightie jugling, aud connterfait crafts.' Bishop 
 Gardiner, — En. 
 
OF THE KESURRECTION 01" THE DEAD. 
 
 113 
 
 shall the God of Jacob regard it. Understand, [0] 
 ye brutish among the people : and ye fools, when 
 will ye be wise ? He that planted the ear, shall he 
 not hear ? he that formed the eye, shall he not 
 see ? he that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he 
 correct ? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not 
 
 he hnaw ? ' Ps. xciv. a— lO ; see aluo Ho. vii. 2. and viii. 13. ' C an 
 
 any hide himself in secret places that I shall not 
 see him ? ' — that is, when he is committing wicked- 
 ness — ' saith the Loed : Do not I fill heaven and 
 earth ? saith the Lord, ' Je. xxui. m. 
 
 Now to know and see things, it is the cause 
 among men of tlioir remembrance. Wherefore, 
 God to shew us, that he will remember all our sins 
 if we die out of Christ, he tells us, that he luioweth, 
 and seeth them all, and therefore must needs 
 remember them; for as is his sight and knowledge, 
 so is his remembrance of all things. 
 
 When this book of his remembrance therefore is 
 opened, as it shall be, in the judgment, then shall 
 be brought forth of their hidden holes, all things, 
 whatsoever hath been done since the world began, 
 whether by kingdoms in general, or persons in 
 particular. Now also shall be brought forth to 
 open view, all the transactions of God and his Son, 
 among the sons of men, and everything shall be 
 applied to every particular person, in equity and 
 justice, to whom they belong: the sins that thou 
 hast committed shall be thy own, and thou thyself 
 shalt bear them. ' The Lord is a God of know- 
 ledge, and by him actions are weighed. ' l Sa, ii. s. 
 
 It win be marvellous to behold how by thousands, 
 and ten thousands, God wiU call from their secret 
 places, those sins, that one would have thought, had 
 been dead, and buried, and forgotten ; yea, how he 
 will shew before the sun, such things, so base and 
 so horrid, that one would think, it was not in the 
 hearts of any to commit; for all is recorded in the 
 book of God's remembrance. While men are here, 
 they have a thousand tricks to present themselves 
 one to another, far more fair, and honest than they 
 are, or ever were. As Christ said to the Pharisees, 
 ' Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; 
 but God Imoweth your hearts : ' Lu. xvL 15. Ay, God 
 knoweth, indeed, what a nest, what a heap, what 
 swarms; yea, what legions of hellish wickednesses, 
 there are with power lurking, like cockatrices, in 
 those men, that one would swear a thousand times, 
 are good and honest men. The way of men in 
 their sins, it is like ' an eagle in the air, the way 
 of a serpent upon a rock, the way of a ship in the 
 midst of the sea ; and the way of a man with a 
 maid,' saith Solomon, Pr. xxx. 19. that is, hiddenly, 
 closely, covertly, burying all imder fair pretences, 
 wipeth their mouths in the close of their evil, 
 saying, 'I have done [no] wickedness.' Pr. xxx. 20. 
 
 But tliis, though it may serve for the time pre- 
 sent, and no longer, God wiU not be deluded, nor 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 blinded, nor mocked, nor put off. Oa. vi. 7. ' They 
 consider not - - that I remember all tlieir wicked- 
 ness;' Ho. vii. 2. saith he, 'but I will reprove thee, 
 and set them in order before thine eyes.' Ps.1.21. 
 Here will be laid open the very heart of Cain the 
 murderer, of Judas the traitor, of Saul the adver- 
 sary of David, and of those that under pretences 
 of holiness have persecuted Christ, his word, and 
 people. Now shall every drmakard, whoremaster, 
 thief, and other wicked person, be turned their 
 inside outward; their hearts right open, and every 
 sin, with every circumstance of place, time, person 
 with whom, with the causes also that drew them to 
 the commission of every evil, be discovered to all. 
 Here will be no hiding yourselves behind curtains, 
 nor no covering yourselves with the black and 
 dark night. ' If I say, Surely the darkness shall 
 cover me; even the night shall be liglit about me: 
 Yea,' God, ' darkness hideth not from thee; but 
 tlie night shineth as the day: the darkness and the 
 light are both alike to thee. ' Ps. cxxxix. 11, 12. 
 
 The piercing eye of God, beholds all places, per- 
 sons, and things; the holy hand of his justice writ- 
 eth tliem down in the book of his remembrance ; 
 and by his power and wisdom, will he open and 
 read to all men exactly, distinctly, and convinc- 
 ingly, whatever hath passed from them, or been 
 done by them, in their whole life; for, 'For all these 
 things God will bring thee into judgment. ' Ec xi. 9. 
 Again, as God will bring out of the book of his 
 remembrance, whatever hath passed from thee 
 against him ; so also will he then bring forth by 
 the same book, all things and carriages of his 
 towards thee. 
 
 Here wiU he bring to thy mind, every sermon 
 thou hast heard, every chapter thou hast read ; 
 every conviction thou hast had on thy conscience; 
 and every admonition that hath been given thee 
 in all thy life, when thou wast in the land of the 
 living. 
 
 Now will God lay open before thee, what patience 
 he extended to thee, how he let thee live one year, 
 two years, ten, yea, twenty and twenty years,* and 
 all to try thee. Yea, now also will he bring to thy 
 view, how many times he warned, rebuked, threat- 
 ened, and chastised thee for thy wickedness; how 
 many awakening providences and judgments he 
 continually laid before thy face ; yea, how many a 
 time thou didst, like Balaam, run upon the point 
 of the sword of justice, and how he gave back, as 
 being loath to kill thee. >'u. xxii. 23— 34. 
 
 Now also again, shall be brought before thee 
 and all men, how many stragglings God had with 
 thy heart, on thy sick-bed, to do thee good ; yea, 
 
 * ' Twenty and twenty years,' a singular mode of expression, 
 probably alluding to the forty years' trial of the Israelites ia 
 the wilderness. — Ed. 
 
114 
 
 OP THE EESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 and at sucli times, how many vows, promises, 
 engagements, and resolutions tliou madest before 
 God, to turn, if he would release thee from thy 
 affliction, and take off his rod from thy back; and 
 yet, how thou didst, like the man possessed, Mar. v. 
 1—6. break and snap in twain all these chains of 
 iron, with which thou hadst bound thy soul, and 
 that for a very lust and sin. Here also, will be 
 opened before thee, how often thou hast sinned 
 against thy light and knowledge ; how often thou 
 hast laid violent hands on thy own conscience; how 
 often thou hast laboured to put out that light that 
 hath stood in thy way to hinder thee from sinning 
 against thy soul. Ah, Lord, what a condition 
 will the Christless soul be in at this day ! how will 
 every one of these things afflict the damned soul ! 
 They wiU pierce like arrows, and bite like serpents, 
 and sting like an adder. With what shame, will 
 that man stand before the judgment-seat of Christ 
 who must have all things he hath done against 
 God, to provoke the eyes of his glory to jealousy, 
 laid open before the whole host of the heavenly 
 train ! It would make a man blush to have his 
 pockets searched, for things that are stolen in the 
 midst of a market, especially, if he stand upon his 
 reputation and honour. But thou must have thy 
 lieart searched, the bottom of thy heart searched; 
 and that, I say, before thy neighbour whom thou 
 hast wronged, and before the devils whom thou 
 hast served ; yea, before God, whom thou hast 
 despised, and before the angels, those holy and 
 delicate creatures, whose holy and chaste faces will 
 scarce forbear blushing, while God is making thee 
 vomit up, all thou hast swallowed ; for God shall 
 bring it out of thy belly. Job xx. 12—15. 
 
 For as for God to forget iniquity, is one of the 
 chief heads of the covenant of grace, and is an 
 argument of the highest nature, to beget and to 
 continue consolation in the godly : so the remem- 
 brance of iniquity, by the Lord, it is one of the 
 heaviest loads and judgments, that can befal any 
 poor creature. ' Lord, ' saith the prophet, ' remem- 
 ber not against us former inquities. ' And again, 
 ' If thou. Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, 
 who shall stand ? ' Ps. cxxx. 3. And the reason is, 
 because, that which the Lord forgettcth, is for- 
 given for ever; He. viii. 13; Ro. iv. 6— 8. but that which 
 he remembereth, it is charged for ever, and 
 nothing can take it away—' Though thou wash 
 thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine 
 iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God. ' 
 
 Je. ii. 23. 
 
 Third. The third book that will at this day be 
 
 „. . ^, opened, and out of which God will judge 
 
 of tiic law the world : it is the hooh of the law, or ten 
 
 words given forth on the Mount Sinai. 
 
 But this book will more specially concern those 
 
 that have received it, or that have had Imowledge 
 
 thereof. Every one shall not be judged by this book, 
 as there delivered, though they shall he judged by 
 the works of it, which are written in their hearts. 
 ' As many as have sinned without law, shall also 
 perish without law : and as many as have sinned in 
 the law, shall be judged by the law.' ito.ii.13. That 
 is, the heathens that never knew the law, aa deh- 
 vered on Sinai, they shall be judged by the law, 
 as it was written in man's heart in his creation, 
 which is comprised within the book of the crea- 
 tures, but those that have knowledge of the law, 
 as delivered on Sinai: they shall be judged by the 
 law as there given. 
 
 Now then, this book when it is opened at the 
 day of judgment, it will to those to whom it espe- 
 cially relates, be a most terrible law, far surpassing 
 the two afore-mentioned. This law, as I may so 
 say, it is the chief and most pure resemblance of 
 the justice and holiness of the heavenly majesty, 
 and doth hold forth to all men the sharpness and 
 keenness of his wrath above the other two that I 
 have before mentioned. I say, both because it 
 hath been delivered more plain and open, both as 
 to the duty enjoined, and the sin prohibited; and 
 therefore must of necessity, fall with the more 
 violence upon the head of all that shall be found 
 within the compass of it. This law, it hath in it 
 to be opened at this day, these two general heads : 
 
 1. A discovery of the evil of sin, that is so, 
 against plain light and truth; and, secondly, a dis- 
 covery of the vanity of all things, that will at this 
 day be brought by siimers for their help and plea 
 at the judgment. Alas, who can but imagine, that ' 
 the poor world, at the day of their arraignment, 
 should muster up all that ever they can think of, 
 as arguments to shelter them from the execution 
 of that fierce wrath, that then, with sinking souls, 
 they will see prepared for them. 
 
 As to the first of these, the apostle tells us that 
 ' the law entered, that the offence might abound,' 
 Ko. V. 20. or be discovered what it is. As he saith 
 again, ' I had not known sin, but by the law,' 
 Ro. vii. 7. 13. Thus it is in this life, and thus it will 
 be in the day of judgment, that is, those that see 
 sin, and that in its abounding nature, and in its 
 exceeding sinfulness, they must see it by the law, 
 for that is indeed the glass by which God dis- 
 covereth sin, and the filthy spots of leprosy, that 
 are in the soul. Ja. i. 23—25. Now those that have 
 not the happiness to see their sin by the law in 
 this life, while there is a fountain of grace to wash 
 in, and be clean; they must have the misery io see 
 it at the judgment, when nothing is left but misery 
 and pain, as the punishment for the same. At 
 which day, those little tittles of this holy law, that 
 now men so easily look over, and sin against witli 
 ease, they will every one of them appear with such 
 dread, and with such flaming justice against every 
 
or THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 113 
 
 offence committed; that if heaven and earth itself, 
 should step in to shelter the sinner from the justice 
 and wrath due to sin, it would turn them up by the 
 roots. ' It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, 
 than one tittle of the law to fail. ' Lu. xvi. 17. If there 
 appeared such flames, such thunderings, and tem- 
 pests, as there were at the giving of the law; what 
 flames and blackness will there appear at the exe- 
 cution thereof ! And if at the giving of the law 
 there appeared so much holiness and justice, that 
 it made all Israel fly; yea, holy Moses 'exceedingly 
 fear and quake,' what will become of these that 
 God shall judge by the rigour of this law in the 
 day of judgment? Ex, xix. 16; He. xii.21. 
 
 what thunderings and lightnings, what earth- 
 quakes and tempests, will there be in every damned 
 soul, at the opening of this book ? Then, indeed, 
 will God visit them ' with thunder, and with earth- 
 quake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, 
 and the flame of devouring fire. ' is. xxix. 6. ' For 
 behold,' saith the prophet, 'the Lord will come 
 with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, 
 to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with 
 flames of fire. ' chap. ixvi. 15. 
 
 The Lord wiU come with fire, that is, in the 
 flaming heat of his justice and holiness against 
 sin, and sinners, to execute the rigour of his 
 threatenings upon their perishing souls. 
 
 2. The second general head, that is contained 
 in this law, to he opened at this day is, its exact- 
 ness, and purity, and strictness as to all acts of 
 good that any poor creature hath done in this life, 
 whereby he in the judgment will think to shelter, 
 or secure himself from the wrath of God. This is 
 the rule, and line, and plummet, whereby every 
 act of every man shall be measured ; Ro. iii. 31, 23. and 
 he whose righteousness is not foimd every way 
 answerable to this law, which all will fall short of, 
 but they that have the righteousness of God by 
 faith in Jesus Christ : he must perish, as he saith, 
 ' Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righte- 
 ousness to the plummet : and the hail shall sweep 
 away the refuge of lies, and the waters shaU over- 
 flow the hiding place.' is.xxriii. 17. That is, though 
 men may now shelter themselves under legal re- 
 pentance, cold profession, good meaning, thinkings, 
 and doings : yet all these things must be measured, 
 and weighed in the balance of God's most righteous 
 law: and, as I said, whatever in that day is not 
 found the righteousness of God, it will be found a 
 refuge of lies, and will be drowned by the over- 
 flowing of the wrath of God, as the waters of Noah 
 overflowed the world. And hence it is that all 
 the ungodly will at this day, be found as stubble, 
 and the law as fire. Mai, iv, 1. As it saith, ' From 
 his right hand went a fiery law. ' Be. xxxiii. 3. And 
 again, ' His lips are full of indignation, and his 
 tongue as a devouring fire. ' is. xxn. 27. For as fire, 
 
 where it seizeth, doth burn, eat, destroy, devour 
 and consume: so will the law, all those that at 
 this day, shall be found under the transgression of 
 the least tittle of it. It will be with these souls 
 at the day of judgment, as it is with those coun- 
 tries that are overrun with most merciless con- 
 querors, who leave not anything behind them, but 
 swallow up all with fire and sword. ' For by fire, 
 and by his sword, will the Lord plead with all 
 flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.' 
 is.ixvi. 16, There are two things at the day of judg- 
 ment, will meet in their height and utmost strength, 
 and they are sin and the law; for the judgment 
 will not be, till the iniquity of the world be full 
 ripe. Joel ui. 13, Ee, xiv. 16—20. 
 
 Now then, when sin is come to its full, havinsr 
 played all its pranks, and done all the mischief it 
 can against the Lord of glory : then God brings 
 forth the law, his holy and righteous law, one of 
 which will now reign for ever, that is, either the 
 law or sin : wherefore sin and sinners, they must 
 tremble, with all that help, and hold them up ; for 
 God ' will magnify the law, and make U honour- 
 able. ' Is. xMi. 21. That is, will give it the victory 
 over the world for ever ; for that is holy, just, and 
 good ; they are unholy, unjust, and bad. Thei'e- 
 fore by this law ' the Lord shall rain snares, fire, 
 and brimstone, and an horrible tempest : this shaU 
 be the portion of their cup. ' Ps. xi. 6. Let no man 
 say then, that because God is so famous in his 
 mercy and patience, in this day of his grace, that 
 therefore he will not be fierce, and dreadful in his 
 justice, in the day of judgment ; for judgment and 
 justice, are the last things that God intends to 
 bring upon the stage, which wUl then be to the 
 fuU, as terrible, as now his goodness and patience, 
 and long-sufierance are admirable. Lord, ' who 
 knoweth the power of thine anger ? even according 
 to thy fear, so is thy wrath. ' Ps, xc. ll. 
 
 You may see, if you will, a few of the sparks of 
 the justice of God against sin and sinners. By 
 his casting ofi' angels for sin, from heaven to hell ; 
 by his drowning the old world ; by his burning of 
 Sodom and Gomorrah, to ashes ; condemning them 
 with an overthrow, making them an example to 
 those that after should live ungodly. 2 Pe. ii. 4—6. 
 Jude 6, 7. 
 
 For ' what things soever the law saith, it saith 
 to them who are under the law ; that every mouth 
 may be stopped, and all the world may become 
 guilty before God. ' Ro. m, 19. 
 
 Moses seems to wonder, that the children of 
 Israel could continue to live, when they did but 
 hear the law delivered on the mountain — 'Did ever 
 people,' saith he, ' hear the voice of God speaking 
 out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, 
 andlive ?' De.iv. 33. that ye did but know the 
 law, and the wondrous things that are written 
 
116 
 
 or THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 therein, before the Lord cause that fearful voice to 
 be heard — ' Cursed is every one that continueth 
 not in all things that are written in the book of 
 the law to do them ; ' Ga. iii. lo. which curse miist 
 fall on all that walk not in all the commandments 
 of God vntlwut iniquity; Eze. xxxiii. 15. which none do, 
 I say, but they that walk in Christ, who hath 
 alone fulfilled them all. Col. u. 10. 
 
 The law is that which standeth at the entrance 
 of the paradise of God, as a flaming sword, turning 
 every way to keep out those that are not righteous 
 with the righteousness of God ; Ge. m. 24. that have 
 not skill to come to the throne of grace by that 
 new and living way which he hath consecrated for 
 us through the veil; that is to say, his flesh, 
 He. x, 20. for though this law, I say, be taken away 
 by Christ Jesus, for all that truly and savingly 
 believe ; CoL ii. M. yet it remains in full force and 
 power, in every tittle of it, against every soul of 
 man, that now shall be foimd in his tabernacle, 
 that is, in himself, and out of the Lord Jesus ; 
 Ro. iii. 19. it lieth, I say, like a lion rampant at the 
 gates of heaven, and will roar upon every uncon- 
 verted soul, fiercely accusing every one that now 
 would gladly enter in through the gates into this 
 city. Job xTiii. u. Jn. v. 45. So, then, he that can 
 answer all its most perfect and legal commands, 
 and that can live in the midst of devouring fire, 
 and there enjoy God and solace himself, he shall 
 dwell on high, and shall not be hurt by this law — 
 ' His place of defence shall he the munitions of 
 rocks : bread shall be given him ; his waters slmll 
 he sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his 
 beaxity : they shall behold the land that is very far 
 off. ' Is. xxxiii. 16, 17- Blessed then is he whose righte- 
 ousness doth answer every point of the law of God, 
 according to l Co. l so. he shall he able to escape all 
 those things that shall come to pass, and to stand 
 before the Son of man ; for in himself, our God is 
 a consuming fire, and man out of Christ, is but as 
 stubble, chafi', thorns, briars, and fuel for the wrath 
 of this holy and sinner-consuming God to seize 
 
 upon for ever. He. xii. 29. Mai. i?. 1. Mat. iii. 13. He. vi. 8. Is. 
 
 xxvii. 4. 2 Sa. xxiii. 6, 7. ' Who can stand before his in- 
 dignation ? And who can abide the fierceness of 
 his anger ? His fury is poured out like fire, and 
 the rooks are thrown down by him.' Na. i. 6. 
 
 Now when these three books are thus opened, 
 there will without doubt, be sad throbbing and 
 pricking, in every heart that now stands for his 
 life, before the judgment-seat of Christ, the righ- 
 teous Judge ; and without all question, they will 
 be studying a thousand ways to evade and shift 
 the stroke, that by the sin that these three books 
 do charge them with, will immediately fall upon 
 them. 
 
 But now to cut ofi' all these at a blow, forthwith 
 appear the witnesses, who are ready to evince, and 
 
 make full and soul-killing proof of every particular 
 charged against them. 
 
 [First Witness.]— knA the first is ^^ ^.^^^^^^^ 
 Gnd himself. 'I,' saith he, 'will be ^bem their evi- 
 a swift witness against the sorcerers, 
 and against the adulterers, and against false 
 swearers, and against those that oppress the hire- 
 ling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, 
 and that turn aside the stranger from his rigM, and 
 fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.' Mai. iii. 6. 
 
 This must needs be of great sway with every 
 soul, that God should now come in. I will witness, 
 saith God, that these things of which you are ac- 
 cused before the Judge are true. I have seen all, 
 know all, and write down all. There hath not 
 been a thought in your heart, nor a word in your 
 tongue, but I have known it altogether ; aU things 
 have always been open and naked to mine eye. He. 
 iv. 13. Yea, my eyelids try the children of men. 
 Pa. xi. 4. I have known your down-sitting, and your 
 up-rising ; and have understood your thoughts afar 
 ofi'. I have compassed your path, and am well 
 acquainted with all your ways. Ps. cxxxix. 1—3. 
 
 1. You have not continued in that state of 
 nature in which I did at first create you ; Ec. vii. 29. 
 you have not liked to retain that knowledge and 
 understanding of God, that you had, and might 
 have had, by the very book of the creatures. Ko. I 
 You gave way to the suggestions of fallen angels, 
 and so your foolish hearts were darkened and 
 alienated, and estranged from God. 
 
 2. All the creatures that were in the world, have 
 even condemned you ; they have been fruitful, but 
 you fruitless ; they have been fearful of danger, 
 but you foolhardy ; they have taken the fittest 
 opportunity for their own preservation, but thou 
 hast both blindly, and confidently gone on to thy 
 punishment. Pr. xxii. 8. 
 
 3. Touching the book of my remembrance, who 
 can contradict it? Do not I fill heaven and earth? 
 saith the Lord. Was not I in all places to behold, 
 to see, and to observe thee in all thy ways ? My 
 eye saw the thief, and the adulterer, and I heard 
 every lie and oath of the wicked. I saw the hypo- 
 crisy of the dissembler. ' They have committed 
 villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with 
 their neighbours' wives, and have spoken lying 
 words in my name, which I have not commanded 
 them; even Iknow, and am a witness, saith the 
 Lord. ' Je. xxk. 23. 
 
 4. God wiU also come in against them for their 
 transgressing his law, even the law which he de- 
 livered on Mount Sinai ; he will, I say, open every 
 tittle thereof in such order and truth : and apply 
 the breach of each particular person with such con- 
 vincing argument, that they will fall down silenced 
 for ever — ' Every mouth shall be stopped, and all 
 the world shall become guilty before God. ' eo. iii. la. 
 
OP THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 117 
 
 [Second Witness."] — There is yet another witness, 
 for the condemning the transgressors of these laws, 
 and that is, conscience — ' Their conscience also 
 hearing witness,' saith the apostle. Ko. ii. 15. Con- 
 science is a thousand witnesses. Conscience, it 
 will cry amen to every word that the great God 
 doth speak against thee. Conscience is a terrible 
 accuser, it wiU hold pace with the witness of God 
 as to the truth of evidence, to a hair's breadth. 
 The witnesses of conscience, it is of great autho- 
 rity, it commands guilt,* and fasteneth it on every 
 soul which it accuseth ; and hence it is said, ' If 
 our heart [or conscience] condemn us.' iJn.Ui. 20. 
 Conscience will thunder and lighten at this day; 
 even the consciences of the most pagan sinners in 
 the world, wUl have sufficiently wherewith to 
 accuse, to condemn, and to make paleness appear 
 in their faces, and breaking in their loins, by rea- 
 son of the force of its conviction. Oh, the mire 
 and dirt, that a guilty conscience, when it is forced 
 to speak, will cast up, and throw out before the 
 judgment-seat! It must out, none can speak 
 peace, nor health, to that man upon whom God 
 hath let loose his own conscience. Cain wUl now 
 cry, ' My punishment is greater than I can bear ; ' 
 Judas will hang himself; and both Belshazzar 
 and Felix wUl feel the joints of their loins to be 
 loosened, and their knees to smite one against 
 another, when conscience stirreth. Ge. iv. 13. Mat. xxvii. 
 3. Da. T. 6. Ac. xjdv. 23. When Conscience is once tho- 
 roughly awakened, as it shall be before the judg- 
 ment-seat: God need say no more to the sinner 
 than Solomon said to filthy Shimei, ' Thou knowest 
 all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to.' 
 1 Ki. ii. 44. As who should say. Thy conscience 
 knoweth, and can well inform thee of all the evil, 
 and sin that thou art guilty of. To all which it 
 answereth, even as face answereth to face in a 
 glass; or as an echo answereth the man that 
 speaketh; as fast, I say, as God chargeth con- 
 science will cry out, Guilty, guilty ; Lord, guUty 
 of all, of every whit ; I remember clearly all the 
 crimes thou layest before me. Thus, I say, wiU 
 conscience be a witness against the soul, in the 
 day of God. 
 
 [Third Witness.] — As God and conscience will 
 at this day be most dreadful witnesses against the 
 sinful man ; so also will those several thoughts 
 that have passed through man's heart, be a witness 
 also against him. As he said before, ' Their con- 
 science also bearing witness, and their thoughts the 
 meanwhile accusing, or else excusing one another; 
 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of 
 
 * Conscience, at the day of judgment, will imperatively 
 'command guilt,' whicli had been committed, to appear, and 
 will fasten it upon the soul, which it accuseth. This is a most 
 impressive and solemn appeal; — there can then be no conceal- 
 ment, no subterfuge. — En. 
 
 men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.' 
 
 Ro. ii. 15, 16. 
 
 The thoughts come in as a witness for God 
 against the sinner upon the account of that un- 
 steadiness and variety that were in them, both 
 touching God, and their ownselves. Sometimes 
 the man thinks there is no God, but that everything 
 hath its rise of itself, or by chance, or fortune — 
 ' The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.' 
 
 Ps, xiv, 1. 
 
 Sometimes, again, they think there is a God, 
 but yet they think and imagine of him falsely. 
 ' Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an 
 one as thyself,' saith God; 'hvt I wUl reprove 
 thee.' Ps. 1. 21. 
 
 Men think, that because they can sin with de- 
 Hght : that therefore God can let them escape with- 
 out punishment. Nay, oftentimes they think, that 
 God doth either quite forget their wickedness, or 
 else that he will be pleased with such satisfaction 
 as they are pleased to give him, even a few howl- 
 ing prayers. Ho. Tii. 14. feigned and hypocritical tears, 
 and weepings, which pass from them more for fear 
 of the punishment of hell-fire, than because they 
 have offended so holy, so just, and so glorious a 
 God, and so loving and so condescending a Jesus. 
 
 Mai. ii. 13. 
 
 Sometimes again, they have had right thoughts 
 of something of God, but not of him together ; 
 either thinking so of his justice, as to drive them 
 from him, and also cause them to put him out of 
 their mind. Job xxi. 14. Or else so thinking of his 
 mercy as that they quite forget his holiness and 
 justice. Now both these are hut base thoughts of 
 God, and so erroneous, and sinful thoughts. 
 
 Sometimes also, they have pretty right thoughts 
 of God, both as to justice and mercy, but then, 
 through the wretchedness of their unsatisfied 
 nature, they, against this light and knowledge, do, 
 with shut eyes, and hardened hearts, rush fiercely, 
 knowingly, and willingly again into their sins and 
 
 wickedness. He. vi. 4—6; x. 26. 2 Pe. ii. 20. 
 
 As men have these various thoughts of God, so 
 also their thoughts are not steady about themselves. 
 
 Sometimes they think they are sinners, and 
 therefore they have need of mercy. 
 
 Sometimes again, they think they are righteous, 
 and so have not so much need ; mark, and yet both 
 alike rotten and base ; because, as the last is alto- 
 gether senseless, so the first is not at aE savingly 
 sensible. Mar. x. 17—22. Lu. x™. 11, 12. 
 
 Sometimes again, they think they are gods; 
 Eze. xxviii. 1—6. that they shall never die ; or that if 
 they do die, yet they shall never rise again ; 1 Co.iv. 
 IS. or if they do rise again, yet they shall be saved, 
 though they have lived vilely and in their sins all 
 the days of their life. De. xxix. I8-20. Now, I say, 
 every one of these thoughts, with ten thousand 
 
118 
 
 OV THE UESUERECTION Or THE DEAD. 
 
 more of the like nature, will God bring in against 
 the rebels in the judgment-day. ^Vluoh thoughts 
 shall every one of them be brought forth in their 
 distinct order. He sheweth to man what is his 
 thought. Am, iv. 13. And, again, ' I know that thou 
 canst do every thing, and iJiai no thought can be 
 with-holden from thee. ' Job xlii. 2. We read, that 
 when the strangers at Jerusalem did hut hear the 
 apostles speak to every one of them in their own 
 language, how it amazed and confounded them. 
 Ac. ii. 6—8. But, I say, how will they look and be 
 amazed when God shall evidently, clearly, and fully 
 speak out all their hearts, and every thought they 
 have had before them ! 
 
 Now the reason and strength of this witness will 
 lie here, that God will by the variety and crossness 
 that their thoughts had one to another, and by the 
 contradiction that was iu them, prove them sinners 
 and ungodly ; because that, 1 say, sometimes they 
 thought there was a God, sometimes again, they 
 thought there was none. Sometimes they thought, 
 that he was such a God, and sometimes again, they 
 thought of him quite contrary ; sometimes they 
 thought he was worth regarding, and sometimes 
 they thought he was not ; as also, sometimes they 
 thought he would be faitliful, both to mercy, and 
 justice, and sinners ; and sometimes again, they 
 thought he would not. 
 
 What greater argument now can there be, to 
 prove men, vanity, froth, a lie, sinners, deluded by 
 the devil, and such as had false apprehensions of 
 God, his ways, his word, his justice, his holiness, 
 of themselves, their sins, and every action ? 
 
 Now they will indeed appear a very lump of con- 
 fusion, a mass of sin, a bundle of ignorance, of 
 atheism, of unbelief, and of all things that should 
 lay them obnoxious to the judgments of God. This 
 wiU God, I say, by mustering up the thoughts of 
 man, and by shewing of them, that every imagina- 
 tion and thought of their heart was only evil, and 
 that continually, (by shewing of them what stag- 
 gering, drunken, wild, and uncomely thoughts they 
 liave had, both of him, and of themselves,) con- 
 vince them, cast them, and condemn them for 
 sinners, and transgressors against the book of 
 creatures, the book of his remembrance, and the 
 book of the law. By the variety of their thoughts, 
 they shall be proved unstable, ignorant, wander- 
 ing stars, clouds carried with a tempest, without 
 order or guidance, and taken captive of the devil 
 at his will. 
 
 Now, while the wicked are thus standing upon 
 their trial and lives before the judgment-seat, and 
 that in the view of heaven and hell, they, I say, 
 hearing and seeing such dreadful things, both writ- 
 ten and witnessed against every one of them, and 
 that by such books and such witnesses as do not 
 only talk, hut testify, and that with the whole 
 
 strength of truth against them: they will then 
 begin, though poorly, and without any advantage, 
 to plead for themselves, which plea will be to this 
 effect. 
 
 Lord, we did find in the scriptures, that thou 
 didst send a Saviour into the world, to ^^ ^^^^^,^ 
 deliver us from these sins and miseries, plea for liim- 
 
 „ . , 1. 1 • 1 J ^eli at tLe 
 
 We heard this Saviour also publislied, judgment- 
 and openly proffered to such poor sin- ^""• 
 ners as we are. Lord, Lord, we also made pro- 
 fession of this Saviour, and were many of us fre- 
 quenters of his holy ordinances. We have eaten 
 and drank in thy presence, and thou hast taught 
 in our streets. Lord, we have also some of us, 
 been preachers ourselves, we have prophesied in 
 thy name, and in thy name have we cast out devils, 
 and done many wondrous works. Nay, Lord, we 
 did herd among thy people ; we forsook the pro- 
 fane and wicked world, and carried our shining 
 lamps before us in the face of all men ; Lord, Lord, 
 
 open to us. Mat. vii. SI— 23 ; XiT. 1, 2, 10, 11 ; Lu. xiii. 24-88. 
 
 And all the while they are thus pleading, and 
 speaking for themselves: behold, how earnestly 
 they groan, how ghastly they look, and how now 
 the brinish tears flow down like rivers from their 
 eyes, ever redoubling their petition. Lord, Lord, 
 Lord, Lord : first thinking of this thing, and then 
 of that, ever contending, seeking, and striving to 
 enter in at this strait gate. As Christ saith, 
 'When once the master of the house is risen up,' 
 that is, when Christ hath laid aside his media- 
 tion for sinners, and hath taken upon him only to 
 judge and condemn; then wiU the wicked begin 
 to stand without, and to knock and contend for a 
 portion among them that are the blessed. Ah, how 
 wiU their hearts twitter while they look upon the 
 kingdom of glory! and how will they ache and 
 throb at every view of hell, their proper place! 
 still crying, that we might inherit life, and 
 that we might escape eternal death ! 
 
 Fourth, But now, to take away all cavils and 
 objections, that of this nature will arise in the hearts 
 of these men: forthwith t/ie 6ooft o/'Zi/e The iwok of 
 is brought out for a conclusion, and a ^""^ °''™''' 
 final end of eternal judgment. As John saith, 'The 
 books were opened ; and another book was opened, 
 which is the book of life : and the dead were judged 
 out of those things which were written in the 
 books, according to their works.' Re. xx. 13. 
 
 But this book of life, it is not at this time opened, 
 because there are not any godly to be tried; for 
 as I have shewed before, their judgment is past 
 and over, before the wicked rise. The book of 
 life, then, is now opened for further conviction of 
 damned reprobates, that their mouths may be 
 stopped for ever, as touching all their cavils, con- 
 tendings, and arguments against God's proceeding 
 in judgment with them. For believe it, while God 
 
OY THE KESUKKECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 119 
 
 IS judging them, they ■will fall to judging him again; 
 but he will be justified in his sayings, and will 
 overcome when he is judged at this day. Ro.iii.4^6. 
 Yet not by a hasty and angry casting them away, 
 but by a legal and convincing proceeding against 
 them, and overthrowing all their cavils by his 
 manifest and invincible truth. Wherefore, to cut 
 off all that they can say, he will now open the 
 book of life before them, and will shew them what 
 is written therein, both as to election, conversion, 
 and a truly gospel conversation. And will convince 
 them that they neither are of the number of his 
 elect, neither were they ever regenerate, neither had 
 they ever a truly gospel conversation in the world. 
 
 By these three things, then, out of this book, 
 thou, who art not saved, must at last be judged 
 and overcome. 
 
 1. Here will be tried, whether thou art within 
 that part of this book wherein all the elect are re- 
 corded; for all the elect are written here, as Christ 
 saith, 'Rejoice, because your names are written in 
 heaven;' Lu. x. 20. and again, 'In thy book,' saith he 
 to his Father, 'all my members were written.' Ps. 
 cixiix. 16. He. xii. 23, 23. 
 
 Now, then, if thy name be not found, either 
 among the prophets, apostles, or the rest of saints, 
 thou must be put by, as one that is cast away, 
 as one polluted, and as an abominable branch ; 
 Isa. xiv. 19. thy name is wanting in the genealogies 
 and rolls of heaven, Ezr. u. 63. thou art not *pricked 
 for everlasting life, therefore thou must not be de- 
 livered from that soul-amazing misery; for there 
 are no souls can, though they would give a thou- 
 sand worlds, be delivered at the day of God but 
 such that are found written in this book. Every 
 one of those that are written, though never an one 
 of those that are not written, shall in that day be 
 delivered from the wrath to come. Da. xii. l. 
 
 But, methinks, with what careful hearts will 
 the damned now begin to look for their names in 
 this book. Those that, when once the long-suffer- 
 ing of God waited on them, made light of all ad- 
 monition, and slighted the counsel of making their 
 calling and election sure: would now give thou- 
 sands of treasures, that they could but spy their 
 names, though last and least among the sons of 
 God. But, I say, how will they fail ? how will 
 they faint? how will they die and languish in 
 their souls ? when they shall stiU as they look, 
 see their names wanting. What a pinch will it 
 be to Cain to see his brother there recorded, and 
 he himself left out. Absalom wiU now swoon, and 
 be as one that giveth up the ghost, when he shall 
 see David his father, and Solomon his brother 
 written here, while he withal is written in the earth, 
 
 * 'Pricked,' nominated by a puncture or mark, as our 
 sheriffs are pricked. — Ed. 
 
 among the damned. Thus, I say, will sadness be 
 added to sadness, in the soul of the perishing 
 world when they fail of finding their names in this 
 part of ' the book of life of the Lamb slain from 
 the foundation of the world.' He. xiii. 8. 
 
 2. The second part of this book, is that in which 
 is recorded, the nature of conversion, of faith, love, 
 <fcc. And those that have not had the effectual 
 word of God upon them, and the true and saving 
 operation of grace in their hearts, which is indeed 
 the true life which is begun in every Christian, 
 they will be found stiU not written in this book; 
 for the living, the holy living souls, are they only 
 that are written therein ; as the prophet saith, 
 ' And he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall he 
 called holy, euen every one that is written among 
 the living in Jerusalem:' is. ir.s. Eternal life is 
 already in this life, begun in every soul that 
 shall be saved; as Christ saith, ' He that believeth 
 in me hath everlasting life.' And again, ' Whoso 
 eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eter- 
 nal hfe; and I will raise him up at the last day.' 
 Jn. vi. 64. And hence they are called the living, that 
 are written in this book. Here then, the Lord will 
 open before thee, what conversion is, in the true 
 and simple nature of it, which when thou beholdest, 
 thou wilt then be convinced, that this thou hast 
 missed of; for it must needs be, that when thou 
 beholdest by the records of heaven, what a change 
 what a turn; what an alteration the work of regene- 
 ration maketh on every soul, and in every heart, 
 where the effectual call, or the call according to 
 his purpose, is ; that thou who hast lived a stranger 
 to this, or that hast contented thyself with the notion 
 only, or a formal, and feigned profession thereof : 
 I say, it cannot be but that thou must forthwith 
 fall down, and with grief conclude, that thou hast 
 no share in this part of the book of life neither, 
 the living only are written herein. There is not 
 one dead, carnal, wicked man recorded here. No; 
 but when the Lord shall at this day make mention 
 of Rahab, of Babylon, of Philistia, and Ethiopia: 
 that is, of all the cursed rabble and crew of the 
 damned: then he wiU say, that this man was horn 
 there — that is, amongst them, and so hath his 
 name where they have theirs; namely, under the 
 black rod, in the king's black hook, where he hath 
 recorded all his enemies and traitors. It shall be 
 said of this man, of this ungodly man, that he was 
 bom there, Ps. ixxxvii. 4. that he lived and died in the 
 state of nature, and so under the curse of God, 
 even as others: for as he said of wicked Coniah, 
 ' Write ye this man childless,' Jc. xxii.30. so he saith 
 of every ungodly man that so departeth out of this 
 world. Write this man graceless. 
 
 Wherefore, I say, among the Babylonians and 
 Philistines ; among the unbelieving Moors and 
 pagans, his name will be found in the day when it 
 
120 
 
 OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 vfill be inquired where every man was born; for 
 God at this day, will divide the whole world into 
 these two ranks — the children of the world, and 
 the children of Zion. Wlierefore here is the honour, 
 the privilege, and advantage that the godly above 
 the wicked will have at the day of their counting, 
 when the Lord maketh mention of Zion, it shall be 
 then acknowledged that this and that (good) man 
 was born in her. ' The Lord shall count, ' saith 
 the prophet, 'when he writeth up the people, tlwit 
 this Tnan was born there.' Ps. ixxxvU. 6. This man 
 had the work of conversion, of faith, and grace in 
 liis soul. This man is a child of Zion, of the 
 heavenly Jerusalem, which is also written in 
 heaven. Ga. ir. 26. He. xii. as. Blessed is the people 
 that is in such a case. Ps. cxJiv. 16. 
 
 But, poor soul, counters* will not go for gold 
 now; for though so long as thou didst judge thy- 
 self by the crooked rule of thy own reason, fancy, 
 and affection, thou wast pure in thine own eyes : 
 yet now thou must be judged alone by the words 
 and rule of the Lord Jesus : which word shall not 
 now, as in times past, be wrested and wrung, both 
 this way and that, to smooth thee up in thy hypo- 
 crite's hope and carnal confidence; but be thou king 
 or keser,t be thou who thou wilt, the word of 
 Christ, and that with this interpretation only, it 
 shall judge thee in the last day. Jn. xii. 4-3. 
 
 Now will sinners begin to cry with loud and bit- 
 ter cries. Oh! ten thousand worlds for a saving 
 work of grace. Crowns and kingdoms for the 
 least measure of saving faith, and for the love, that 
 Christ will say, is the love of his own Spirit. 
 
 Now they will begin also to see the work of a 
 broken and a contrite spirit, and of walking with 
 God, as living stones, in this world. But alas! 
 these things appear in their hearts to the damned 
 too late; as also do aU things else. This will be 
 but like the repentance of the thief, about whose 
 neck is the halter, and he turning off the ladder ; 
 for the unfortunate hap of the damned wUl be, that 
 the glory of heavenly things will not appear to them 
 till out of season. Christ must now indeed bo 
 shewed to them, as also the true nature of faith 
 and all grace ; but it will be, when the door is 
 shut, and mercy gone. They will pray, and repent 
 most earnestly; but it will be in the time of great 
 waters of the floods of eternal wrath, when they 
 cannot come nigh him. 1 Ti. vi. 15 ; Mat. xxv. lo, n ; Ps. 
 
 xxxii. 6. 
 
 Well, then, teU me, sinner, if Christ should now 
 come to judge the world, canst thou abide the trial 
 of the book of life ? art thou confident that thy 
 
 * ' Counters,' false coin — 
 
 ' "Will you with counters sum 
 
 Tlie vast proportion of lis infinite.' 
 
 Shakspeare. — Ed. 
 f ' Keser,' Caesar or emperor. — Ec. 
 
 profession, that thy conversion, thy faith, and 
 other graces thou thinkest thou hast, will pr 
 gold, silver, and precious stones in this day ? . 
 hold, he comes as a refiner's fire, and as fulh 
 soap. Shalt thou indeed abide the melting i 
 washing of this day? Examine, I say, beforeha 
 and try thyself unfeignedly; for everyone 'tl 
 doth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds n 
 be made manifest, that they are wrought in Go 
 
 Jn. iii. 31. 
 
 Thou sayest thou art a Christian, that also tl 
 hast repented, dost believe, and love the Lord Jesi 
 but the question is, whether these things will 
 found of equal length, height, and breadth with 1 
 book of life, or whether, when thou art weighed 
 the balance, thou wilt yet be found wanting. 
 V. 27. How if, when thou comest to speak for tl 
 self before God, thou shouldst say Sibboleth 
 stead of Shibboleth: that is, though almost, i 
 not rightly and naturally the language of the Ghr 
 tians. Ju. xii. 6. 
 
 If thou miss but one letter in thy evidence, th 
 art gone; for though thoumayest deceive thyo' 
 heart with brass, instead of gold, and with tin 
 stead of silver, yet God will not be so put off. 
 vi. 7. You know how confident the foolish virgi 
 were, and yet how they were deceived. Th 
 herded with the saints, they went forth from t 
 gross pollutions of the world, they every one h 
 shining lamps, and all went forth to meet t 
 bridegroom, and yet they missed the kingdoi 
 they were not written among the living at Jerui 
 lem; they had not the true, powerful, saving wo 
 of conversion, of faith, and grace in their sou 
 they that are foolish take their lamps, but take 
 oil, no saving grace, with them. Mat.x.vy.l-^ Th 
 you see how sinners will be put to it before t 
 judgment-seat from these two parts of this bo* 
 of life. But, 
 
 3. There is yet another part of this book to 
 opened, and that is, that part of it in which a 
 recorded those noble and Christian acts, that th- 
 have done since the time of their conversion ai 
 turning to Christ. Here, I say, are recorded tl 
 testimony of the saints against sin and antichris 
 their suffering for the sake of God, their love 
 the members of Christ, their patience under tl 
 cross, and their faithful frequenting the assembli 
 of the saints, and their encouraging one another 
 bear up in his ways in the worst of times ; evi 
 when the proud were called happy, and when thi 
 that wrought wickedness were even set up. As 1 
 there saith, 'Then they that feared the Loi 
 spake often one to another : and the LoED hear 
 ened, and heard it, and a book of remembran 
 was written before him for them that feared tl 
 LoED, and that thought upon his name.' Mai. 
 
 10. 
 
OF THE KESURKECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 131 
 
 For indeed, as truly aa any person hath his 
 Jiame found in the first part of this book of life, 
 and his conversion in the second ; so there is a 
 third part, in which there are his noble, spiritual, 
 and holy actions recorded and set down. As it is 
 said by the Spirit to John, concerning those that 
 buffered martyrdom for the truth of Jesus, 'Write, 
 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord : 
 Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from 
 their labours ; and their works do follow them.' Re. 
 
 liv. 13. 
 
 And hence it is that the labours of the saints 
 and the book of life, are mentioned together, sig- 
 nifying that the travels, and labours, and acts of 
 the godly, are recorded therein. PUi iv. 3. 
 
 And hence it is again, that the Lord doth tell 
 Sardis, that those among them that stood it out to 
 the last gasp, in the faith and love of the gospel, 
 should not be blotted out of the book of life ; but 
 they, with the work of God on their soul, and their 
 labour for God in this world ; should be confessed 
 before his Pather, and before his angels. Ee. iii. b. 
 
 This part of this book, is in another place called, 
 ' The book of the wars of the Lord, ' Nu. xxi. 14. be- 
 cause in it, I say, are recorded these famous acts 
 of the saints against the world, flesh, and the devil. 
 
 You find also, how exact the Holy Ghost is, in 
 recording the travels, paius, labour, and goodness 
 of any of the children of Israel, in their journey 
 /.•om Egypt to Canaan, which was a representation 
 of the travels of the saints, from nature to grace, 
 and from grace to glory. King Ahasuerus, kept 
 in his library a book of records, wherein was writ- 
 ten, the good service that his subjects did for him 
 at any time, which was a type also of the manner 
 and order of heaven. And as sure as ever Mor- 
 decai, when search was made in the J oils, was 
 found there to have done such and such service for 
 the king and his kingdom : Ea. vi 1, 2. so surely wiU 
 it be found, what every saint hath done for God, 
 at the day of inquiry. You find in the Old Testa- 
 ment also, still as any of the kings of Judah died, 
 there was surely a record in the book of Chronicles, 
 of their memorable acts and doings for their God, 
 the church, and the comtnonweallh of Israel, which 
 fitiU doth further hold forth unto the children of 
 men, this very thing, that all the kings of the New 
 Testament, which are the saints of God, have all 
 their acts, and what they have done for their God, 
 (fee, recorded in the book of Chronicles in the 
 heavenly Jerusalem. 
 
 Now, I say, when this part of the book of life 
 shall be opened, what can be found in it, of the 
 good deeds and heaven-born actions of wicked men ? 
 Just nothing; for as it is not to be expected that 
 thorns should bring forth grapes, or that thistles 
 should boar figs : so it cannot be imagined, that 
 ungodly men should have anything to their com- 
 
 \0L. II. 
 
 mendations, recorded in this part of the book of 
 hfe. What hast thou done, man, for God in this 
 world? Art thou one of them that hast set thyself 
 against those strong strugglings of pride, lust, 
 covetousness, and secret wickedness, that remain 
 in thy heart, like Job and Paul? Jobi. 8; 3Co. x. <t, 5. 
 And do these strugglings against these things, 
 arise from pure love to the Lord Jesus, or from 
 some legal terrors and conviction for sin. Ga.T. a. 
 Dost thou, I say, struggle against thy lusts, beoausp 
 thou dost in truth, love the sweet, holy, and blessed 
 leadings of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus ; its lead- 
 ings of thee, I say, into his blood and death, for 
 thy justification and deliverance from wrath to 
 
 come. Plii. iii. 6— 8j 3 Co. v. 14. 
 
 What acts of self-denial, hast thou done for the 
 name of the Lord Jesus, among the sons of men? 
 I say, what house, what friend, what wife, what 
 children, and the hke, hast thou lost, or left for the 
 word of God, and the testimony of his truth in the 
 world ? Mat. xix. 27, 28. He. xu. 11. Wast thou One of 
 them, that didst sigh, and afllict thyself for the 
 abominations of the times? and that Christ hath 
 marked and recorded for such an one ? Eie. ix. i. Zep. 
 
 iii. 18. 
 
 In a word, art thou one of them, that wouldst 
 not be won, neither by fear, frowns, nor flatteries, 
 to forsake the ways of God, or wrong thy con- 
 science? or art thou one of them that slightest 
 those opportunities that Satan and this world did 
 often give thee to return to sin in secret. He. li. IB. 
 These be the men whose praise is in the gospel, 
 and whose commendable and worthy acts are re- 
 corded before the Judge of all the world. Alas, 
 alas, these things are strange things to a carnal 
 and wicked man. Nothing of this hath been done 
 by him in this life, and therefore how can any such 
 be recorded for him in the book of life ? wherefore 
 he must needs be shut out of this part also. As 
 David saith, ' Let them be blotted out of the book 
 of the living, and not be written with the righte- 
 ous. ' Pa. box. 28. 
 
 Thus I say, the wicked will find nothhig for 
 their comfort, either in the first part of this book, 
 where all the names of the elect are, neither will 
 they find anything in the second part thereof, where 
 are recorded the true nature and operation of effec- 
 tual conversion, of faith, or love, or the like ; and 
 I say, neither can anything be found in this third 
 part, wherein are recorded the worthy acts, and 
 memorable deeds of the saints of the Lord Jesus. 
 Thus, when Christ therefore hath opened before 
 them this book of life, and convinced , the ungodly 
 at this day out of it, he will then shut it up again, 
 saying, I find nothing herein that will do you good ; 
 you are none of my elect, you are the sons of per- 
 dition. Por as these things will be found clear 
 and full in the book of life, so they will be found 
 
122 
 
 or THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 effectually wrought in tlie hearts of the elect, ail 
 whose conversion and perseverance shall now be 
 opened before thine eyes, as a witness, I say, of 
 the truth of what thou liere seest opened before 
 thee, and also of thy unregenerate estate. Now, 
 thou wilt see what a turn, what a change, and 
 what a clinging to God, to Christ, and his word 
 and ways ; there was found in the souls of the 
 saved ones! Here shall be seen also how re- 
 solvedly, unfeigTiedly, and heartily the true child 
 of God did oppose, resist, and war against Iiia most 
 dear and darling lusts and corruptions. Now the 
 saints are hidden ones, but then they shall be 
 manifest ; this is the morrow in which the Lord 
 will shew who are his, and who they are that fear 
 the Lord, and who that fear him not. Ps. kxxiii. 3; l 
 Sa. viii. 19. Nu. xvi. 5. Mai. iii. 18. Now you shall see how 
 Abraham left his country; He. xi. 8. how close good 
 Lot did stick to God in profane and wicked Sodom ; 
 2Pe. ii.7.8. how the apostles left all to follow Jesus 
 Christ ; Mat. xix. 29. and how patiently they took all 
 crosses, afflictions, persecutions, and necessities for 
 the kingdom of heaven's sake ; how they endured 
 burning, striving, stoning, hanging, and a thousand 
 calamities; how they manifested their love to their 
 Lord, his cause, and people in the worst of times, 
 and in the days when they were most rejected, 
 slighted, abused, and abased ; ' then shall the King 
 say to them on his right hand, (and that when all 
 the devils and damned sinners stand by,) Come, 
 ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom pre- 
 pared for you from the foundation of the world: 
 (you are indeed the truly converted souls, as ap- 
 pears by the grace that was in your hearts) for I 
 was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was 
 thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, 
 and ye took me in : Naked, and ye clothed me : I 
 was sick, and ye visited me : I was in prison, and 
 ye came unto me.' Matjor. 84— 36. You owned me, 
 stood by me, and denied yourselves to nourish me 
 and my poor members, in our low, and weak, and 
 most despised condition. This, I say, the world 
 shall see, hear, and be witnesses of, against them- 
 selves and their souls for ever ; for how can it be, 
 but these poor damned sinners should be forced to 
 confess, that thej' were both Christless and grace- 
 less, when they shall find, both in the book of life, 
 and in the hearts of the holy and beloved souls, 
 that which themselves are quite barren of, and 
 greatest strangers to. The saints, by the fruits of 
 regeneration, even in this world, do testify to the 
 world, not only the truth of conversion in them- 
 selves, but also that they are yet Christless, and 
 so heavenless, and salvationless, that are not con- 
 verted. lTi.vi.l3; ITh. u. 10;2Ti.u. 2. But alas! while 
 we are here, they wiU evade this testimony, both 
 of our happiness, by calling our faith, phantasy; 
 our communion with God, delusion; and the sincere 
 
 profession of his word before the world, hypocrisy, 
 pride, and arrogancy: yet, I say, when they see us 
 on the right hand of Christ, commingled among 
 the angels of Kght, and themselves on his left hand, 
 and commingled with the angels of darkness ; and, 
 I say, when they shall see our hearts and ways 
 opened before their eyes, and owned by the Judge 
 for honest hearts and good ways, and yet the same 
 ways that they hated, slighted, disowned and con- 
 temned, what will they, or what can they say, but 
 thus — We fools counted their lives madness, and 
 their end to be without honour ; but how are they 
 numbered with the saints, and owned by God and 
 Christ! 
 
 And truly, was it not that the world might, by 
 seeing the turn that is wrought on the godly at 
 their conversion, be convinced of the evil of their 
 ways, or be left without excuse the more in the day 
 of God, (with some other reasons) they should not, 
 I am persuaded, stay so long from heaven as they 
 do, nor undergo so much abuse and hardship as 
 frequently befals them. God, by the lengthening 
 out the life of his people that are scattered here 
 and there among men in this world, is making 
 work for the day of judgment, and the overthrow 
 of the implacable, for ever and ever; and, as I have 
 said, will by the conversion, life, patience, self- 
 denial, and heavenly-mindedness of his dear chil- 
 dren, give them a heavy and most dreadfid blow. 
 Now, when God hath thus laid open the work of 
 grace, both by the book of life and the Christian's 
 heart : then, of itself wiU fall to the ground, their 
 pleading what gifts and abilities they had in this 
 world; they will now see that gifts, and grace, are 
 two things ; and also, that whosoever is graceless, 
 let their gifts be never so excellent, they must 
 perish and be lost for ever; wherefore, for aU their 
 gifts, they shall be found the workers of iniqruty, 
 and shall so be judged and condemned. Mat. vU. 22, 23. 
 That is a notable place in the prophecy of Ezekiel, 
 'Thus saith the Lord GOD,' saith he, 'If the 
 prince, ' the Prince of Life, ' give a gift to any of 
 liis sons, ' — that is, to any that are truly gracious 
 — ' the inheritance, ' or the profit that he gets 
 thereby, ' shall be his son's ' — that is, for the exer- 
 cise of his gift he shall receive a reward ; ' but if 
 he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his ser- 
 vants, ' that is not a son, ' then it shall be his ' but 
 ' to the year of liberty; after, it shall return to the 
 prince, ' &c. Ezc. xlvi. 16, 17. This day of liberty it is 
 now, when the Judge is set upon the throne to 
 judgment, even the glorious liberty of the children 
 of God, Ro. viii. 21. wherefore then wiU Christ say to 
 them that stand by, ' Take from him the pound, 
 and give it to him that hath ten pounds. This ser- 
 vant must not abide in the house for ever, though 
 with the son it shall be so. ' Jn. viii. 35. Lu. x\x. 24. A 
 man may be used as a servant in the church of 
 
OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 123 
 
 God, and may receive many gifts, and much know- 
 ledge of tie tilings of heaven, and yet at last him- 
 self be no more than a very bubble and nothing. 
 
 1 Co. xiii. 1—3. 
 
 But now, I say, at tliis day, tliey shall clearly 
 see the difference between gifts and grace, even as 
 clearly, as now they that have eyes can see the 
 difference between gifts and ignorance, and very 
 foolishness. This our day doth indeed abound 
 with gifts ; many sparkling wits are seen in every 
 corner; men have the word and truths of Christ at 
 their fingers' ends ; but alas, with many, yea, a 
 great many, there is nought but wits and gifts ; 
 they are but words, all their religion lieth in their 
 tongues and heads, the power of what they say 
 and know, it is seen in others, not in themselves. 
 These are like the lord on whom the king of Israel 
 leaned, they shall see the plenty, the blessed plenty 
 that God doth provide, and will bestow upon his 
 church, but they shall not taste thereof. 2 Ki. tU. 17 
 —20. 
 
 Ohs. First. Before I conclude this matter, ob- 
 Berve, [first,] that among all the objections and 
 cavils that are made, and will be made, by the un- 
 godly, in the day of the Lord Jesus, they have not 
 one hump* about election and reprobation; they 
 munnur not at all that they were not predestinated 
 to eternal Ufe; and the reason is, because then they 
 shall see, though now they are blind, that God 
 could in his prerogative royal, without prejudice 
 to them that are damned, choose and refuse at 
 pleasure ; and besides, they at that day shall be 
 convinced, that there was so much reahty and 
 downright willingness in God, in every tender of 
 grace and mercy to the worst of men ; and also so 
 much goodness, justness, and reasonableness in 
 every command of the gospel of grace, which they 
 were so often entreated and beseeched to embrace, 
 that they will be drowned in the conviction of this, 
 that did refuse love, grace, reason, &c.; love, I 
 say, for hatred, grace for sin, and things reason- 
 able, for things unreasonable and vain. Now they 
 shall see they left glory for shame, God for the 
 devil, heaven for hell, light for darkness. Now 
 they shall see that though they made themselves 
 beasts, yet God made them reasonable creatures, 
 and that he did with reason expect that they should 
 have adhered to, and have dehghted in, things that 
 are good, and according to God; yea, now they 
 shall see, that though God did not determine to 
 bring them to lieaven against their hearts and wills, 
 and the love that they had to their sins : yet then 
 they shall be convinced, that God was far from in- 
 fusing anything into their souls, that shoidd in the 
 
 * 'Hump;' or 'hnmp-baek' is a deformity in nature, so 
 Bunyan uses the word 'hnmp' as a deformity in judgment. 
 —Ed. 
 
 least hinder, weaken, obstruct, or let them in seek- 
 ing the welfare of their souls. Now men will tattle 
 and prattle at a mad rate, about election and re- 
 probation, and conclude, that because all are not 
 elected, therefore God is to blame that any are 
 damned: but then they will see, that they are not 
 damned because they were not elected, but because 
 they sinned; and also that they sinned, not because 
 God put any weakness into their souls, but because 
 they gave way, and that wilfully, knowingly, and 
 desperately, to Satan and his suggestions ; and so 
 turned away from the holy commandment delivered 
 unto them ; yea, then they will see, that though 
 God at some times did fasten his cords about their 
 heads, and heels, and hands, both by godly edu- 
 cation, and smarting convictions, yet they rushed 
 away with violence from all, saying, ' Let us break 
 their bands asunder, and cast away their cords 
 from us.' Ps.ii. 3. God will be justified in his say- 
 ings, and clear when he judgeth, F8.Il4; though 
 thy proud ignorance thinks to have, and to multiply, 
 cavils against him. 
 
 Obs. Second. But secondly, as the whole body 
 of the elect, by the nature of conversion in their 
 hearts, shall witness a non -conversion in the hearts 
 of the wicked ; and as the ungodly shall fall imder 
 the conviction of this cloud of witnesses : so, to in- 
 crease their conviction, there will also be opened 
 before them aU the labours of the godly, both 
 ministers and others, and the pains that they have 
 taken, to save, if it had been possible, these damned 
 wretches ; and now will it come burning hot upon 
 their souls, how often they were forewarned of this 
 day; now they shall see, that there was never any 
 quarter-sessions, nor general jail-delivery more pub- 
 licly foretold of, than this day. You know that 
 the judges before they begin their assizes, do give 
 to the coimtry in charge, that they take heed to 
 tlie laws and statutes of the king. Why rebel, 
 thou shalt be at this day convicted, that every ser- 
 mon thou hast heard, and that every serious debate 
 thou hast been at about the things of God, and 
 laws of eternity, they were to thee as the judge's 
 charge before the assizes and judgment began. 
 Every exhortation of every minister of God, it is 
 as that which Paul gave to Timothy, and com- 
 manded him to give in charge to others — ' 1 charge 
 thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the 
 elect angels,' saith he, 'that thou observe these 
 things;' and again, ' I give thee charge in the sight 
 of God, who quickeneth all things, and be/ore Jesus 
 Christ, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good 
 confession ; That thou keep this commandment 
 without spot, unrebukeable, imtil the appearing of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. ' iTi. v. 21 ; vi. 13, u. These 
 things give in charge, saith he, that they may be 
 blameless. This, I say, hast thou heard and seen, 
 and yet thou hast not held fast, but hast cast away 
 
124 
 
 OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 tlie things that thou hast heard, and has-t been 
 warned of: alas! God will multiply his witnesses 
 against thee. 
 
 1. Thy own vows and promises shall he a wit- 
 ness against thee, that thou hast, contrary to thy 
 light and knowledge, destroyed thy soul, as Joshua 
 said to the children of Israel, when they said the 
 Lord should be their God. Well, saith he, ' Ye 
 are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen 
 you the Lord, to serve him. ' That is, if now you 
 turn back again, even this covenant and resolution 
 of yours will in the great day be a witness against 
 you — 'And they said. We are witnesses.' Jos. xxiv. 23. 
 
 2. Every time you have with your mouth said 
 well of godliness, and yet gone on in wickedness ; 
 or every time you have condemned sin in others, 
 and yet have not refrained it yourselves ; I say, 
 every such word and conclusion that hath passed 
 out of thy mouth, sinner, it shall be as a witness 
 against thee in the day of God, and the Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; as Christ saith, ' By thy words thou shalt 
 be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be con- 
 demned.' Mat, xii. 37. I observe, that talk with who 
 you will, they will with their mouth say, serving 
 of God, and loving of Christ, and walking in ways 
 of holiness, are best, and best will come of them. 
 I observe again, that men that are grossly wicked 
 themselves, will yet, with heavy censures and 
 judgments, condemn drunkenness, lying, covetous- 
 ness, pride, and whoring, with all manner of abo- 
 minations in others; and yet, in the meantime, con- 
 tinue to be neglecters of God, and embracers of 
 sin and the allurements of the flesh themselves. 
 Why, such souls, every time they speak well of 
 godliness, and continue in their sins ; they do pass 
 judgment upon themselves, and provide a witness, 
 even their own mouth, against their own soul, at 
 the judgment-seat^' Out of thy own mouth,' saith 
 Christ, 'will I judge thee, thou wicked servant ;' 
 thou knewest what I was, and that I loved to see 
 all my servants zealous, and active for me, that at 
 my coming, I might have received again what I 
 gave thee, with increase; thou oughtest therefore 
 to have been busying thyself in my work, for my 
 glory, and thy own good; but seeing thou hast, 
 against thy own light and mouth gone contrary : 
 Angels, take this unprofitable servant, and cast ye 
 him into utter darkness, there shall be weeping 
 and gnashing of teeth ; he sinned against his light, 
 he shall go to hell against his will. Mat ixv. 26—31. 
 
 The very same I say, will befall all those that 
 have used their mouth to condemn the sins of 
 others, while they themselves live in their sins. 
 Saith God, thou wicked wretch, thou didst know 
 that sin was bad, thou didst condemn it in others, 
 thou didst also condemn, and pass judgment upon 
 them for their sin, 'Therefore thou art inexcusa- 
 ble, man, whosoever thou art that judgest : for' 
 
 thou that judgest dost the same thing; wherefore, 
 ' wherein thou hast judged another, thou condemnest 
 thyself. ' I must therefore, saith Christ, look upon 
 thee to be no other but a sinner against thy own 
 mouth, and cannot but judge thee as a despiser of 
 my goodness, and the riches of my forbearance ; 
 by which means, thou hast treasured up wrath 
 against this day of wrath, and revelation of the 
 righteous judgment of God. Ro. u. 1—5. He thai, 
 hnmieth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin. 
 Thus will God, I say, judge and condemn poor 
 sinners, even from and by themselves, to the fire, 
 that lake of brimstone and fire. 
 
 3. God hath said in his word, that rather than 
 there shall want witness at the day of judgment, 
 against the workers of iniquity : the very dust of 
 their city, that shall cleave to his messengers that 
 publish the gospel shall itself be a witness against 
 them; and so Christ bid his servants say — 'Into 
 whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, 
 go your ways out into the streets of the same, and 
 say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleav- 
 eth on us, we do wipe off against you:' (fee. ' But 
 I say unto you, ' saith he to his ministers, ' it shall 
 be more tolerable for Sodom ' at the judgment ' than 
 for that city. ' Lu. x. 10—12. 
 
 It may be, that when thou hearest that the dust 
 of the street, (that clcaveth to a minister of the 
 gospel, while thou rejectest his word of salvation,) 
 shall be a witness against thee at the day of judg- 
 ment: thou wilt be apt to laugh, and say. The 
 dust a witness ! Witnesses will be scarce where 
 diid is forced to come in to plead against a man. 
 Well sinner, mock not; God doth use to confoimd 
 the great and mighty by things that are not, and 
 that are despised. And how sayest thou ? If God 
 had said by a prophet to Pharoah, but two years 
 before the plague, that he would shortly come 
 against him with one army of lice, and a second 
 army of frogs, and with a third army of locusts, 
 &.C., and would destroy his land, dost thnu think 
 it had been wisdom in Pharaoh, now to have 
 laughed such tidings to scorn ? ' Is anything too 
 hard for the Lord? Hath he said it, and shall 
 he not bring it to pass?' You shall see in the day 
 of judgment, of what force all these things will be, 
 as witnesses against the ungodly. 
 
 Many more witnesses might I here reckon up, 
 but these at this time shall suffice to be nominated; 
 for out of the mouth of two or three witnesses, 
 every word shall be established. 2 Co. xiii. 1. ' And 
 at the mouth of two or three witnesses, shall he 
 that is worthy of death, be put to death.' De. xvii. 6. 
 Jn. viii. 17. 
 
 [Fourtli — the sentence of the ungodly.'] Thus 
 then, the books being opened, the laws read, the 
 witnesses heard, and the ungodly convicted; fortli- 
 with the Lord and Judge proceeds to executioa. 
 
or THE EESUERECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 125 
 
 [the sentence and punishment of the wicked.] 
 
 And to that end doth pass the sentence of eter- 
 nal death upon them, saying, ' Depart from me, 
 ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the 
 devil and his angels. ' Mat. xxv. n. You are now 
 by the hook of the creatures, hy the hook of God's 
 remembrance, hy the book of the law, and hy the 
 book of life, adjudged guilty of high treason against 
 God and me; and as murderers of your own souls, 
 as these faithful and true witnesses here have tes- 
 tified, every one of them appearing in their most 
 upright testimony against you. Also, you never 
 had a saving work of conversion, and fiiith, passed 
 upon you, you died in your sins; neither can I find 
 anything in the last part of this book that will serve 
 your turn, no worthy act is here recorded of you — 
 When ' I was an hungered, and ye gave me no 
 meat:' when ' I was thirsty, ye gave me no drink: 
 when I was a stranger, ye took me not in : I was 
 naked, but ye clothed me not : I was sick and in 
 prison, but ye visited me not:' I have made a 
 thorough search among the records of the living, 
 and find nothing of you, or of your deeds, therein — 
 ' Depart from me, ye cursed, ' &c. Mat. xxv. 42, 43. 
 
 Thus wiU these poor ungodly creatures be strip- 
 ped of all hope and comfort, and therefore must 
 need fall into great sadness and wailing, before the 
 Judge; yea, crying out, as being loth to let go 
 all for lost ; and even as the man that is fallen 
 into the river, will catch hold of anything when he 
 is struggling for Ufe, though it tend to hold him 
 faster under the water to drown him : so, I say, 
 while these poor creatures, as they lie struggling 
 and twining under the ireful countenance of the 
 Judge; they will bring out yet one more faint and 
 weak groan, and there goes life and all; their last 
 sigh is this — Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, 
 and gave thee no meat ? or when saw we thee 
 thirsty, and gave thee no drink ? when saw we 
 thee a stranger, and took thee not in ? or naked, 
 and clothed thee not? or when wast thou sick, or 
 in prison, and we did not minister unto thee ? 
 Mat. XXV. 44. 
 
 Thus you see, how loath the sinner ia now to 
 take a ' Tiay ' of life everlasting. He that once 
 would not be persuaded to close with the Lord 
 Jesus, though one should have persuaded him with 
 tears of blood: behold how fast he now hangs 
 about the Lord, what arguments he frames with 
 mournful groans ; how with shifts and words he 
 seeks to gain the time, and to defer the execution : 
 Lord, open unto us ! Lord, Lord, open unto us ! 
 Mat. XXV. 11. Lord, thou hast taught in our streets, 
 and we have both taught in thy name and in thy 
 name have we cast out devils. Mat. vii. 22. We have 
 eaten and drank in thy presence. Lu. xiii. 26. And 
 
 when did we see tliee an hungry, or thirsty, or a 
 stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did 
 not minister to thee ? Mat. xiv. 10, 11. poor hearts ! 
 how loth, how unwillingly do they turn away from 
 Christ! How loth are they to partake of the 
 fruit of their ungodly doings ! Christ must say. 
 Depart once, and depart twice, before they will 
 depart. When he hath shut the door upon them, 
 yet they knock, and cry, 'Lord, open unto us ;' 
 when he hath given them their answer, ' that ho 
 knows them not,' yet they plead and mourn. 
 Wherefore he ia fain to answer again, ' I tell you, 
 I know you not whence you are; depart.' Lu. xm,25 
 -27. 
 
 ' Depart.' this word. Depart! How dread- 
 ful is it ! with what weight will it fall on the head 
 of every condemned sinner ! For you must note, 
 that while the ungodly stand thus before the 
 Judge; they cannot choose but have a most famous 
 view both of the kingdom of heaven, and of the 
 damned wights in hell. Now they see the God of 
 glory, the King of glory, the saints of glory, and 
 the angels of glory; and the kingdom in which 
 they have their eternal abode. Now, they also 
 begin to see the worth of Christ, and what it is to 
 be smiled upon hy him; from all which they must 
 depart ; and as I say, they shall have the view of 
 this; so they will most famously* behold the pit, 
 the bottomless pit, the fire, the brimstone, and the 
 flaming beds that justice hath prepared for them 
 of old. Jude 4. Their associates also, will be very 
 conspicuous, and clear before their watery eyes. 
 They wiU see now, what and which are devils, and 
 who are damned souls; now their great-grand- 
 father Cain, and all his brood, with Judas and his 
 companions, must he their fellow-sighers in the 
 flames and pangs for ever. heavy day ! heavy 
 word ! 
 
 This word 'depart,' therefore, it looketh two 
 ways, and commands the damned to do so too. 
 Depart from heaven, depart to hell ; depart from 
 life, depart to death : ' depart from me ' — now the 
 ladder doth turn from under them indeed.! The 
 Saviour turns them ofi^, the Saviour throws them 
 down. He hath given him authority to execute 
 judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 
 Jn. >. 27. Depart from me : I would come to have 
 done you good ; but then you would not. Now 
 then, though you would have it never so willingly, 
 yet you shall not. 
 
 * 'Famously,' plainly, openly; in this sense obsolete. Til- 
 lotson used the words ' famous malefactors.' Sermon on 1 John 
 iv. 9.— Ed. 
 
 t Bunyan here alludes to men convicted of crime ; but how 
 many innocent, nay, pious servants of Christ, have been com- 
 pelled to go up the ladder to the gibbet, and when the ropa 
 has been adjusted and the ladder turned, have been ignomini- 
 ously murdered by the sanction of wicked l.iws. — Ed. 
 
126 
 
 OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD 
 
 ' Depart from me, ye cursed.' You lie open to 
 the stroke of justice for your sins ; ye forsaken, 
 and left of God, ye vessels of wrath, ye despisers 
 of God and goodnessi^ you must now have vengeance 
 feed on you; for you did, when you were in the 
 ■world, feed on sin, and treasure up wrath against 
 this day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous 
 judgment of God. Eo. ii. 3—6. 
 
 'Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.' Fire 
 is that which of all things is the most insufferahle 
 and insupportahle. Wherefore, hy fire, is shewed 
 the grievous state of the ungodly, after judgment. 
 Who can eat fire, drink fire, and lie down in the 
 midst of flames of fire ? Yet this must the wicked 
 do. Again ; not only fire, hut everlasting fire. 
 ' Behold how great a fire a little matter kindleth. ' 
 A little sin, a little pleasure, a little unjust dealing 
 and doing ; what preparation is made for the pun- 
 ishment thereof. And hence it is, that the fire 
 into which the damned fall, is called the lake, or 
 sea of fire — 'And whosoever,' saith John, 'was 
 not found written in the book of life was cast into 
 the lake of fire and brimstone.' Ee. xx. 15. Little 
 did the sinner seriously think, that when he was 
 Binning against God, he was making such provi- 
 sion for his poor soul ; but now 'tis too late to re- 
 pent, his worm must never die, and his fire never 
 shall be quenched. Mar. ix. 48. Though the time in 
 which men commit sin is short, yet the time of 
 God's punishing of them for their sin, is long. 
 
 ' Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting 
 fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. In 
 that he saith, ' prepared for the devil and his an- 
 gels : ' he insinuates a further conviction upon the 
 consciences of the damned. As if he had said, 
 As for this fire and lake that you must go to, though 
 you thought but little of it, because you were care- 
 less, yet I did betimes put you in mind of what 
 would be the fruits of sin ; even hy preparing of 
 this judgment for the devil and his angels. 
 The devil in his creation is far more noble than 
 you ; yet when he sinned, 1 spared him not. He 
 sinned also before man; and I, upon his sinning, 
 did cast him down from heaven to hell, and did 
 hang the chains of everlasting darkness upon him, 
 Jude 6. which might, yea, ought to have been a fair 
 item to you to take heed, but you would not. 
 Ge. iii. 2—5. Wherefore, seeing you have sinned as 
 he hath done, and that too, after he had both 
 sinned, and was bound over to eternal punishment; 
 the same justice that layeth hold on these more 
 noble creatures, must surely seize on you. Re. xx. i. 
 The world should be convinced of judgment then, 
 ' because the prince of this world is judged. Jn. ivi. 
 8. And that before they came to this condition of 
 hearing the eternal sentence rattle in their ears ; 
 but seeing they did not regard it then, they must 
 and shall feel the smart of it now. • Depart from 
 
 me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for 
 the devil and his angels.' 
 
 God would have men learn both what mercy 
 and justice is to them, by his shewing it to others; 
 but if they be sottish and careless in the day of 
 forbearance, they must learn by smarting in the 
 day of rebukes and vengeance. Thus it was with 
 the old world ; God gave them one hundred and 
 twenty years' warning, by the preparation of Noah, 
 for the flood that should come; but forasmuch as 
 they then were careless, and would not consider 
 the works of the Lord, nor his threatening them 
 by this preparation : therefore he brought in the 
 flood upon the world of the ungodly, as he doth 
 here the last judgment upon the workers of ini- 
 quity, and sweeps them all away in their wilful 
 ignorance. Mat. xxiv. 37—39. 
 
 Wherefore, I say, the Lord Chief Judge by 
 these words, ' Prepared for the devil and his an- 
 gels,' doth as good as say. This fire into which 
 now I send you, it did of itself, even in the pre- 
 paration of it, had you considered it, forewarn you 
 of this that now is come upon you. Hell-fire is 
 no new, or unheard-of thing ; you cannot now 
 plead, that you heard not of it in the world, neither 
 could you with any reason judge, that seeing I 
 prepared it for angels, for noble, powerful, and 
 mighty angels ; that you, poor dust and ashes, 
 should escape the vengeance. 
 
 ' Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting 
 fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:' The 
 sentence being thus passed, it remains now, the 
 work being done, that every one goeth to his eter- 
 nal station. Wherefore, forthwith this mighty 
 company, do now with heavy heart, return again 
 from before the judgment - seat : and that full 
 liastily, God knoweth, for their proper centre, is 
 the hell of hell ; into which they descend like a 
 stone into a well, or like Pharaoh into the bottom 
 of the Red Sea. Ex. xv. lo. For all hope being now 
 taken from them, they must needs fall with vio- 
 lence, into the jaws of eternal desperation, which 
 will deal far worse with the souls of men, and 
 make a greater slaughter in their tortured con- 
 sciences, than the lions in the den with Daniel, 
 could possibly do with the men that were cast in 
 among them. Da. vi. 34. 
 
 This is that which Paul calleth eternal judg- 
 ment. He. ri. 3. because it is that which is last and 
 final. Many are the judgments that God doth 
 execute among the sons of men, some after this 
 manner, and some after that; divers of which, con- 
 tinue but for awhile, and none of them are eternal; 
 no, the very devils and damned spirits in hell, 
 though there, is the longest and most terrible of 
 all the judgments of God, yet on foot: yet I say, 
 they must pass under another judgment, even this 
 last, great, and final judgment — ' The angels which 
 
OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 127 
 
 kept not their first estate, but left their own habi- 
 tation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under 
 darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.' 
 Jude 6. And so also it is with damned souls ; for 
 both Sodom and Gomorrah, with all other, though 
 already in hell in their souls; yet they must, as I 
 have before shewed, aU arise to this judgment, 
 which wiU be their final judgment. Other of the 
 judgments of God, as they have an end, so the 
 end of many of them prove the profit of those on 
 whom they are inflicted, being I say, God's instru- 
 ments of conversion to sinners ; and so may fitly 
 be compared to those petty judgments among men, 
 as putting in the stocks, whipping, or burning in 
 the hand : which punishments, and judgments, do 
 often prove profitable to those that are punished 
 with them ; but eternal judgment, it is like those 
 more severe judgments among men, as beheading, 
 shooting to death, hanging, drawing and quarter- 
 ing, which swoop* all, even health, time, and the 
 like, and cut off aU opportunity of good, leaving 
 no place for mercy or amendment — ' These shall go 
 away into everlasting punishment, ' &,c. Mat mt. 46. 
 This word, • depart,' <fec., is the last word the 
 damned for ever are like to hear — I say, it is the 
 last voice, and therefore will stick longest, and 
 with most power, on their slaughtered souls; there 
 is no caUing of it back again; it is the very wind-up 
 of eternal judgment. 
 
 Thus then, the judgment being over, the king- 
 dom ceaseth to be any longer in the hand of the 
 man Christ Jesus ; for as the judges here among 
 men, when they have gone their circuit, do dehver 
 up their commission to the king; so Christ the 
 judge, doth now deliver up his kingdom to his 
 Father, Mat. nd. 8. and now, all is swallowed up of 
 eternity. The damned are swallowed up of eternal 
 justice and wrath; the saved, of eternal life and 
 fehcity; and the Son also delivereth up, I say, 
 the kingdom to the Father, and subjects himself 
 under him that did put all things under him, that 
 God may be all in aU. i Co. n-. 24—28. 
 
 •For now is the end come, and not before, even 
 the end of the reign of death itself; for death, and 
 hell, and sinners, and devils, must now [fall] to- 
 gether into the lake, that burns with fire and brim- 
 stone. He. XX. 14, 15. And now is the end of Christ's 
 reign, as the Son of man ; and the end of the 
 reign of the saints with him, in this his kingdom, 
 which he hath received of his Father for his work 
 3ake, which he did for him, and for his elect. 
 ' Then cometh the end,' saith Paul, ' when he shall 
 have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the 
 Father;' But when shall that be? Why, he 
 
 * The physician looks with another eye on the medicinal 
 herb than the grazing ox, which swoops it in with the com- i 
 mou grass. Glanville. — Ed, I 
 
 answers, saying, ' When he shall have put down 
 aU rule and all authority and power. For he must 
 reign,' saith he, 'till he hath put all enemies under 
 his feet, ' which will not be until the final sentence 
 and judgment be over; for ' the last enemy that 
 shall be destroyed ia death. For he (God) hath 
 put all things under his feet. But when he saith, 
 AU things are put under him, it is manifest that 
 he is excepted which did put all things under him. 
 And when aU things shall be subdued unto him, 
 then shall the Son also himself be subject unto 
 him that put all things under him, that God may 
 be all in all.' i Co. xv. 34—38. 
 
 All things being now at this pass — to wit, every 
 one being in its proper place, God in his, Christ 
 in his, the saint in his, and the sinner in his ; I 
 shall conclude with this brief touch upon both the 
 state of the good and bad after this eternal judg- 
 ment — 
 
 The righteous now shall never fear death, the 
 devil, and hell more ; and the wicked shall never 
 hope of life. 
 
 The just shall ever have the victory over these 
 things : but the wicked shall everlastingly be swal- 
 lowed up of them. 
 
 The holy shall be in everlasting light : but the 
 sinner in everlasting darkness. Without light, I 
 say, yet in fire ever burning, yet not consumed ; 
 always afraid of death and hell, vehemently desiring 
 to be annihilated to nothing. Continually fearing 
 to stay long in hell, and yet certainly sure they 
 shall never come out of it. Ever desiring the 
 saints' happiness, and yet always envying their 
 felicity. They would have it, because it is easy 
 and comfortable ; yet cannot abide to think of it, 
 because they have lost it for ever. Ever laden 
 with the delight of sin ; and yet that is the greatest 
 torture ; always desiring to put it out of their mind, 
 and yet assuredly know they must for ever abide the 
 guilt and torment thereof. 
 
 The saints are always inflamed with the consi- 
 deration of the grace that once they embraced ; 
 but the wicked, most flamingly tormented with the 
 thoughts of rejecting and refusing it. 
 
 The just, when they think of their sins, they 
 are comforted with the thoughts of their being 
 delivered from them ; but the ungodly, when they 
 think of their righteousness, will gnaw themselves, 
 to think that this would not deliver them from hell. 
 
 When the godly think of hell, it will increase 
 their comfort; but when the wicked think of heaven, 
 it will twinge them like a serpent. Oh, this eternal 
 judgment! What would a damned soul give that 
 there might be, though after thousands and hun- 
 dreds of thousands of millions of years, an end put 
 to this eternal judgment. But their misery is, 
 they have sinned against a God that is eternal ; 
 thoy have offended that justice that will never be 
 
128 
 
 OF THE RESUEKECTION OF THE DEAD. 
 
 satisfied ; and therefore they must abide the fire 
 that never shall be quenched. Here is judgment, 
 just and sad. 
 
 Again ; as it will be thus with good and bad in 
 general, so again, more particularly, when the 
 wicked are thus aajudged and condemned, and also 
 received of the fiery gulf, then they shall find, 
 That as he that busieth himself to do good, shall 
 have more glory than others ; so they that have 
 been more busy and active in sin than others, they 
 shall have more wrath and torment than others. 
 For as doing good abundantly, doth enlarge the 
 heart to receive and hold more glory: so doing 
 evil abundantly, doth enlarge the heart and soul 
 to receive punishment so much the more. And 
 lience it is that you have such sayings as these — 
 It shall be more tolerable in the judgment for 
 Sodom than for others — Lu. a. 12. that is, than for 
 those that had sinned against much greater light 
 and mercy. ' For these, ' as he saith in another 
 place, 'shall receive greater damnation.' Lu.xx. 47. 
 Yea, it standeth to reason, that he who had most 
 light, most conviction, most means of conversion, 
 and that was highest towards heaven, he must 
 needs have the greatest fall, and so sink deepest 
 into the jaws of eternal misery. As one star — 
 that is, as one saint — differeth from another in 
 heaven ; so one damned soid shall differ from another 
 in hell. It is so among the devils themselves ; 
 they are some worse than others ; Beelzebub is the 
 jirince, or chief of the devils. Mat. Lv. 3+. Mar. -ii. 53. 
 
 That is, one that was most glorious in heaven ; 
 chief among the reprobate angels before his fall, 
 Is. xiv. 12. and therefore sinned against the greater 
 light, mercy, and goodness ; and so became the 
 chief for wickedness, and will also have as the 
 wages thereof, the chief of torments. For that 
 will be true of the damned in hell, which is prayed 
 for against Babylon. — ' How much she hath glori- 
 fied herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment 
 and sorrow give her.' Ee. xviii. 7. Can it be imagined 
 that Judas should have no more torment, who be- 
 trayed the Prince of hfe and Saviour of the world, 
 than others who never came near his wickedness 
 by ten thousand degrees ? He that knew his 
 master's will, and prepared not himself, neither did 
 according to Lis will, shall be beaten with many 
 stripes ; with many more stripes, than others that 
 through ignorance did commit sin worthy of many 
 stripes. But what should I thus discourse of the 
 degrees of the torments of the damned souls in 
 hell ? For he that suffers least, will the waters 
 of a full cup be wrung out to him ; the least mea- 
 sure of wrath, it will be the wrath of God, eternal 
 and fiery wrath, insupportable wrath ; it will lay 
 the soul in the gulf of that second death, which will 
 for ever have the mastery over the poor damned 
 perishing sinner. ' And death and hell were cast 
 into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 
 And whosoever was not found written in the book 
 of life was cast into the lake of fire.' Ee. xx. u, 15. 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED, 
 
 ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES ; 
 
 OB, 
 
 THE DIVINE AND HUMAN NATURE OF CHRIST JESUSj 
 
 niS COMING INTO THE WORLD ; HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, DEATH, KESUEKECTION, ASCENSION, INTEECESSION, AND 
 SECOND COMINQ TO JUDGMENT, PLAINLY DEMONSTRATED AND PROVED. 
 
 AND ALSO, 
 
 Answers to several Questions, with profitable Directions to stand fast in the Doctrine of Jesus the Son of MARY, against 
 those blustering Storms of the Devil's Temptations, which do at this Day, Mice so many Scorpions, break loose from the 
 bottomless Pit, to bite and torment those that have not tasted the Vertue of Jesus, by the Revelation of the Spirit of God- 
 
 Published for the good of God's chosen ones, by that unworthy servant of CHRIST, 
 
 JOHN BUNYAN, of BEDFORD, 
 
 By the grace of GOD, preacher of the GOSPEL of his dear SON. 
 
 ' Jesus saith, • • I am Ihe wai/, and the truth, and the life : no man comeih unto the Father hut ly me' — John xit. 6. 
 ' Neither is there salvation in any other.' — Acts I v. 12. 
 
 EDITOE'S ADYEETISEMENT. 
 
 This was the first work puWisbed by the indefati- 
 gable servant of Christ, John Bunyan ; and he 
 modestly sought the patronage of his brethren in 
 the ministry, and Messrs. Burton, Spencly and 
 Child wrote prefatory recommendations. The 
 latter of these, Mr. John Child, for some temporal 
 advantages afterwards conformed ; and became 
 notorious for having, in a fit of despair, destroyed 
 himself. 
 
 Well might Bunyan in this treatise, call the 
 early period of his ministry ' distracted and dan- 
 gerous times,' in which many a poor sincere in- 
 quirer stood ' tottering and shaking, ' bewildered 
 with the new din of sectaries, each boldly declaring 
 his divine authority. In the midst of this storm 
 of contending opinions, Bunyan stood forth con- 
 spicuously to declare ' Gospel Truths ;' and to open 
 and vindicate them these discourses were written. 
 To enable the reader to understand and appreciate 
 them, it will be needful to take a rapid glance at 
 the state of society which then prevailed. The 
 frivolities of dress and laxity of morals introduced 
 by James the First, increased by the mixture of 
 French fashions under the popish wife of Charles 
 the First, had spread their debauching influence 
 throughout the kingdom. George Fox, the founder 
 of the Society of Friends, in an address ' To such 
 as follow the world's fashions,' gives an almost 
 incredible description of the tomfooleries of dross 
 which prevailed. ' How doth the devil garnish 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 himself, and the people are carried away with 
 vanity — women plaiting their hair — men and wo- 
 men powdering it, making their backs like bags 
 of meal. The men having store of ribbands of 
 divers colours about their waists, and at their 
 knees, and in their hats. The women with their 
 spots on their noses, cheeks, and foreheads— rings 
 on their fingers — cufi"s double, like a butcher in 
 his white sleeves — ribbands about their arms, 
 hands, back, waists, knees^and hats like unto 
 fidlers' bags — is not this the devil's adorning?'* 
 
 At this period the iron hand of tyranny and op- 
 pression over the worship of God had been suddenly 
 paralyzed. The ruinous penalties, and even capi- 
 tal punishments, which had enforced attendance 
 on a form of common prayer, and a pretence to 
 believe articles, creeds, and catechisms, ordained 
 by Acts of Parliament, were removed. Man, by 
 nature averse to religious inquiries, was now sti- 
 mulated, under a threat of eternal ruin, personally 
 and individually, to seek for truth and salvation. 
 At this time a little persecuted band of puritans had 
 directed every inquirer after salvation to the sacred 
 Scriptures, which alone were able to make wise unto 
 salvation, by the aid of the Holy Spirit enlightening 
 their minds to understand, and subduing their wills 
 to receive those eternal truths. But a new light 
 was now discovered — that which lighteneth every 
 
 * George Fox's Journal, folio, p. 144. 
 K 
 
130 
 
 EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 man that cometli into the world ; and which, it 
 was alleged, would alone, if cherished and followed, 
 lead the honest inquirer into all truth. National 
 religion, so called, had been propagated at an in- 
 credible expense of treasure, and by the sacrifice 
 of the best blood in the country, to the shrine of 
 infallibility — called uniformity. A hireling priest- 
 hood had limited to themselves the right to teach 
 men how to be Christians. The result of all this 
 was clearly seen, when the people were driven to 
 think and choose for themselves. Their minds 
 were in darkness and confusion, which quickly 
 produced the most whimsical, mischievous, and 
 even ludicrous opinions, mixed with truth. 
 
 National establishments, whether Pagan, Moha- 
 medan, or Christian — be this latter either Greek, 
 Roman, or Protestant — have a direct and natural 
 tendency to repress and prevent personal inquiries, 
 lest they should interfere with uniformity in faith 
 and worship; which is a presumed incapability of 
 error on the part of those who impose them. Sys- 
 tems, which IN FACT, although not in words, claim 
 infallibility, by requiring implicit and absolute sub- 
 mission, must have had a direct tendency to hood- 
 wink and blind the people ; nor can we be sur- 
 prised, that when their eyes were first opened, 
 they saw indistinctly; or, to use a scripture phrase, 
 'men as trees walking.' They utterly failed in 
 preparing the mind to receive divine truth, or in 
 furnishing an antidote to extravagant speculations 
 in rehgion. 
 
 The state of the millions can hardly he conceived; 
 they had paid a priest to think on religion for them — 
 to read the Bible for them — and to pray for them. 
 They had paid the church to make them Christians 
 — to confirm them — to forgive their sins — and to 
 bury their bodies in sure and certain hope of hea- 
 ven. From this fatal sleep of ignorance and error, 
 they were aroused by itinerant preachers; many 
 of whom were men of education, of irreproachable 
 morals, and most benevolent habits. They went 
 forth upon their mission at a fearful sacrifice of 
 comfort, property, health, and even of life; calling 
 all to repentance, and to obey the light within — 
 to follow on to perfection in this life — and, at the 
 same time, denouncing all hireling ministers. 
 They were called in derision, Familists, Ranters, 
 Quakers, New Lights, (fee. The old leaven, which 
 had led the people without inquiry to follow the 
 priests, now operated on multitudes to follow those 
 ardent and self-denying leaders. The Familists, 
 or family of love, were consistent in their lives ; — 
 considered every day a sabbath, and baptized none 
 under thirty years of age. The Ranters mingled 
 a little truth with much error — abused their Chris- 
 tian liberty — and lived Hcentiously, and were a 
 scandal to religion. The Quakers — so called from 
 their trembling agitation when under a powerful 
 
 sense of eternal realities, and because, in preaching 
 they admonished their hearers to tremble am 
 quake at the word of God — considered the sacra 
 ments as mere ceremonies, inconsistent with spiri 
 tual worship — lived and dressed with the utmos 
 simplicity, and took the lead in attacking error a 
 all risks. 
 
 These itinerants went through the whole lengtl 
 and breadth of the land, and in every place of publi( 
 resort they made proclamation. In fairs, markets 
 meetings, assizes, and steeple-houses, their voici 
 was heard denouncing evil and exhorting to righte 
 ousness. Short weights and deceit were declarec 
 an abomination to the Lord, in fairs and markets 
 Every religious delusion was exposed in meeting! 
 and parish churches. The journals of Georg( 
 Fox, and others, are exceedingly interesting ii 
 recounting their hazardous adventures, zeal, anc 
 no ordinary degree of ready wit and talent. Som< 
 of these itinerants came to Bedford, and in th( 
 parish church, called ' the steeple-house,' in Bed 
 ford town, on the 23d of May, 1656, they me 
 John Bunyan, probably after he had been minis 
 tering there. With him they held a public dispu 
 tation or controversy, to which allusions are mad( 
 by both parties,* and in Bunyan they met a mastei 
 spirit who confounded them. The subjects in dis 
 pute were of the deepest importance — the work oi 
 the Holy Spirit in conversion — the authority of th( 
 Bible — the perfection of holiness in this life — anc 
 whether it was lawful to perform the work of tli( 
 ministry for hire. 
 
 After a very careful perusal of E. Burrough's 
 answers to Bunyan, it is gratifying to find that th( 
 whole truth is set forth in the following pages;— 
 some of the facts are worthy of a careful notice, 
 The Baptists and Independents had long existed 
 in this country, and had pubhshed confessions of 
 faith. The Ranters and FamiUsts existed not as 
 sects but in name, and soon disappeared. The 
 Quakers, who were confounded with the Ranters 
 and Familists, were not at this time formed into a 
 society; nor had they published any book of dis- 
 cipline. The Society of Friends were some years 
 after united, and have been one of the most usefu! 
 as well as the brightest ornaments to this kingdom 
 The works of Fox, Penn, Barclay, and others, witl 
 their books of discipline, and yearly epistles, shew 
 that they, to a very great extent, agree with Bun 
 yan in his sentiments ; and it is well worthy of 
 notice that, in the latter part of his life, when h( 
 wrote his admirable treatise on the resurrection o 
 the dead, he does not accuse the Society of Friend: 
 with holding any false opinions. Bunyan is cleai 
 and scriptural upon the ' Light within,' or tha 
 conscience of right and wrong which all possess t( 
 
 * See Biirrougli's Works, p. 30-1. 
 
EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 131 
 
 their condemnation — as distinguislieJ from the in- 
 dwelling of the Holy Spirit, the gift of God to his 
 people, revealing in them the pardon of sin and 
 hope of glory, by opening their understandings to 
 receive the truths of the Bible. When Ann Blake- 
 ley bid Bunyan ' throw away the Scriptures, ' he 
 replied, ' No, for then the devil would be too hard 
 for me. '* And when accused of being a hireling 
 priest, how triumphant was the reply — it ought to 
 be printed in letters of gold. He was charged with 
 making merchandize of souls, and he answered — 
 ' Friend, dost thou speak this from thy own know- 
 ledge, or did any other tell thee so? However, 
 that spirit that led thee out this way is a lying 
 spirit. For though I be poor, and of no repute in 
 the world, as to outward things; yet through grace 
 I have learned by the example of the apostle, to 
 preach the truth ; and also to work with my 
 hands, both for my own living, and for those that 
 are with me, when I have opportunity. And I 
 trust that the Lord Jesus, who hath helped me to 
 reject the wages of unrighteousness hitherto, will 
 also help me still, so that I shall distribute that 
 which God hath given me freely, and not for filthy 
 lucre's sake.'t How does this contrast with the 
 description of the state clergy, before the triers 
 were appointed. | 
 
 Favoured by the kind assistance of Charles 
 Bowden, the secretary to the Society of Friends, 
 access was afforded me to the extensive library in 
 Devonshire House, and upon collation of Bunyan's 
 quotations with the original editions of Burrough's 
 exceedingly rare tracts, my gratification was great 
 to find that every extract made by John Bunyan 
 was perfectly faithful. 
 
 Edward Burrough, called a son of thimder and 
 of consolation, answered both these treatises of 
 Bimyan's, — denying, on the part of the Quakers, 
 many of the charges made against them, as con- 
 nected with the Eanters. He was a man of great 
 talent — fearless, devoted, and pious. He became 
 extensively useful; and like thousands of most ex- 
 cellent men, was sacrificed at the shrine of that 
 fanatical church over which the profligate and de- 
 bauched Charles the Second was the supreme head. 
 He died in the prime of life, receiving the crown 
 of martyrdom, when his happy spirit ascended from 
 Newgate in 1662 : aged 28 years. 
 
 J'age 301. 
 
 t Page 201. 
 
 t Page 178. 
 
 No sect was so severely tormented as the Qua- 
 kers. A fanatical clergyman, Edward Lane, in 
 a book called 'Look imto Jesus,' 1663, thus pours 
 forth his soul, breathing out cruelty — ' I hope and 
 pray the Lord to incline the heart of his majesty 
 our religious King, to suppress the Quakers, that 
 none of them may be suffered to abide in the 
 land.' A prayer as full of cruelty against a 
 most peaceful and valuable part of the commu- 
 nity, as it was hypocritical in calling a debauched 
 and profligate man [Charles the Second] ' our 
 religious king.' 
 
 Controversy was carried on in those days with 
 extreme virulence ; learned and unlettered men 
 alike used violent language, which, in this enlight- 
 ened and comparatively happy age, is read with 
 wonder. Burrough called his answer ' The Gospel 
 of Peace contended for in the spirit of meekness 
 and of love.' He meekly commences with — 'How 
 long, ye crafty fowlers, will ye prey upon the inno- 
 cent ; how long shall the righteous be a prey to 
 your teeth, ye subtile foxes; your dens are in dark- 
 ness, and your mischief is hatched upon your beds 
 of secret whoredoms. ' He says, ' I own the words 
 but 1 deny thy voice.' Such was the unhallowed 
 spirit of controversy in that age. A harsh epithet 
 was called faithful dealing: thus, a learned clergy- 
 man, writmg upon Baptism, entitled his work — 
 ' The Anabaptists ducked and plunged over head 
 and ears — washed and shrunk in the washing;' to 
 which an equally learned Baptist replied, in his 
 ' Baby Baptism mere Babyism. ' AU this unseemly 
 violence has passed away, and with it much of the 
 virulence of persecution ; soon may it pass away 
 altogether, only to be pointed at as the evidence 
 of a barbarous age. We now look back to cruelties 
 perpetrated in the times of Bunyan by the national 
 religion, as a stigma upon human nature. 'What 
 a church is this of yours, to be defended by gaols, 
 and prisons, and whips, and stocks, and violent 
 dealing. ' ' Let us fairly try our spiritual weapons, 
 and not carnal cruel tortures.' ' Let us not hurt 
 or imprison each other, nor put in the stocks, nor 
 cruelly whip and lacerate each others' bodies ; but 
 let us thrash deceit, whip and beat that and all 
 false doctrines ; ' these were the breathings of our 
 pilgrim forefathers,— it is the language of common 
 sense and of real religion. May such sentiments 
 spread, and sooa cover the earth!— Geo. Off or. 
 
133 
 
 THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. 
 
 THE AUTHOE TO THE READER. 
 
 Seeing the Lord hath been pleased to put it into 
 my heart, to write a few things to thee (Reader) 
 touching those things which are unost surely be- 
 lieved by all those that are, or shall be saved. Lu. 
 i. 1. Ac. xiii. 38. I think it meet also, to stir up 
 thy heart by way of remembrance, touching 
 those things that are the hindrances of thy believ- 
 ing the things that are necessary to the welfare 
 of thine immortal soul. And indeed, this is the 
 only thing necessary ; it is better to lose all that 
 ever thou hast, than to have thy soul and body 
 for ever cast into hell; And therefore, I beseech 
 thee to consider with me a few things touching 
 the stratagems, or subtle temptations of the devil, 
 whereby he lieth in wait, if by any means he may, 
 to make thee fall short of eternal life, i Pe. v. 8. 
 
 And first of all, he doth endeavour by all means 
 to keep thee in love with thy sins and pleasures, 
 knowing that he is sure of thee, if he can but 
 bewitch thee to live and die in them. 1 Co. vi. 9, 
 10; s Th. ii. 12. Yea, he knows that he is as sure of 
 thee, as if he had thee in hell already. Jn. iii. 19. 
 And that he might accomplish his design on 
 thee in this particular, he laboureth by all means 
 possible to keep thy conscience asleep in security 
 and self - conceitedness, keeping thee from all 
 things that might be a means to awaken and rouse 
 up thine heart. As first, he will endeavour to 
 keep thee from hearing of the word, by sug- 
 gesting unto [thee] this and the other worldly 
 business which must be performed ; so that thou 
 wilt not want excuse to keep thee from the ordi- 
 nances of Christ, in hearing, reading, meditation, 
 (fee, or else, he seeks to disturb, and distract thy 
 mind when thou art conversant in these things, 
 that thou canst not attend to them diligently, and 
 so they become unprofitable; or else if thou art a 
 little more stirred, he labours to rook thee asleep 
 again, by casting thee upon, and keeping thee in 
 evil company, as among rioters, drunkards, jesters, 
 and other of his instruments, which he employeth 
 on purpose to keep thee secure, and so ruin thy 
 soul and body for ever and ever. 
 
 If not thus, then peradventure he will seek to 
 persuade thee it is but a melancholy fit, and will 
 put thee upon the works of thy calling, or thy 
 pleasures, or physic ; or some other trick he will 
 invent, such as best agreeth with thy nature. 
 And thus thy heart is again deaded, and thou art 
 kept in carnal security, that thou mightcst perish 
 for ever. But if notwithstanding these, and many 
 cunning slights more which might be named, he 
 cannot so blind, and benumb thy conscience, but 
 that it doth see and feel sin to bo a burden, 
 
 ' intolerable and exceeding sinful ; Then in tha 
 second place, his design is to drive thee to despair, 
 by persuading thee that thy sins are too big to be 
 pardoned ; he will seek by all means possible to 
 aggravate them by all the circumstances of time, 
 place, person, manner, nature, and continuance of 
 thy sins, he will object in thy soul, thou hast out- 
 sinned grace, by rejecting so many exhortations, 
 and admonitions, so many reproofs, so many ten- 
 ders of grace ; hadst thou closed in with them it 
 had been well with thee, but now thou hast stood 
 it out so long, that there is no hope for thee: thou 
 migbtest have come sooner, if thou didst look to be 
 saved, but now it is too late. And withal, that he 
 might carry on his design upon thee to purpose, he 
 will be sure to present to thy conscience, the most 
 sad sentences of the scripture ; yea, and set them 
 home with such cimning arguments, that, if it be 
 possible, he will make thee despair, and make 
 away thyself, as did Judas. 
 
 But if he be prevented in this his intended pur- 
 pose; the next thing he doth beset thee with, is to 
 make thee rest upon thine own righteousness, tell- 
 ing thee, that if thou wilt needs be saved, thou 
 must earn heaven with thyfingers' ends ; and it may 
 be, he represents to thy soul such a scripture; 'If 
 thou doest well, shaltthou not be accepted ?' And 
 thou having (but in the strength of nature) kept 
 thyself from thy former grosser pollutions, and it 
 may be from some more secret sins, are ready to 
 conclude, now thou dost well; now God accepts 
 thee; now he will pardon, yea, hath pardoned tbee; 
 now thy condition is good, and so goest on till 
 thou meetest with a searching word, and ministrj', 
 which tells thee, and discovers plainly unto thee, 
 that thou doest all this while deceive thyself, by a 
 vain hope and confidence; for tho' thou seek 
 after the law of righteousness, thou hast not yet 
 attained to the law of righteousness, nor yet canst, 
 because thou seekest it ' not by faith, but as it 
 were, by the works of the law. ' Ro. k. si, S3. Here 
 again, thou art left in the mire, and now perad- 
 venture thou seest, that thou art not profited by 
 the works of the law, nor thy own righteousness: 
 And this makes thee stir a little, but in process of 
 time, (through the subtil sleights of the devil, and 
 the wickedness of thine own heart;) thou forgettest 
 thy trouble of conscience, and slippest into a notion 
 of the gospel, and the grace thereof, and now thou 
 thinkest thyself cock-sure : Now thou art able to 
 say, ' He that lives and dies in his sins, shall be 
 damned for them : lie that trusts in his own righ- 
 teousness, shall not be saved : ' Now thou canst cry, 
 ' grace, grace, it's freely by grace, it's through 
 
THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. 
 
 133 
 
 the death of the man Christ Jesus, that sinners do 
 attain unto eternal life.' He. ix. u. This, I say, thou 
 hast in the notion, and hast not the power of the 
 same in thine heart, and so it may he thine head 
 is full of the knowledge of the scriptures, though 
 thine heart be empty of sanctifying grace. And 
 thus thou dost rejoice for a time. Yet because 
 thou hast not the root of the matter within thee, 
 in time of temptation thou fallest away. Lu. viu. 13. 
 
 Now being in this condition, and thinking thy- 
 self to be wondrous well, because of that notion of 
 the truth, and that notion thou hast in the things 
 of God : I say, being in this state, thou art liable 
 to these dangers. 
 
 First, Thou art like to perish if thou die with 
 this notion in thine head, except God out of his 
 rich grace do work a saving work of grace and 
 knowledge in thy heart; for know this, thou may- 
 est understand glorious mysteries, and yet be a 
 cast-away. 1 Co. xUi. 1—3. Or else. 
 
 Secondly, Thou art liable to the next damnable 
 heresy that the devil sendeth into the world. 
 See and consider Lu. viu. is. 2 Ti. a. is. I say, thou 
 dost he liable to be carried away with it, and to 
 be captivated by it; so that at last, through the 
 delusions of the devil, thou mayest have thy con- 
 science seared as with an hot iron, so hard, that 
 neither law, nor gospel, can make any entrance 
 thereinto, to the doing of thee the least good. 
 And indeed, who are the men that at this day are 
 BO deluded by the quakers, and other pernicious 
 doctrines ; but those who thought it enough to be 
 talkers of the gospel, and grace of God, without 
 seeking and giving all diUgence to make it sure 
 unto themselves ? ' And for this cause God' [shall 
 send] hath sent ' them strong delusion, that they 
 sliould believe a lie: -That they aU might be damned, 
 who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in 
 unrighteousness, ' as it is written. 3 iTl ii. 11, 13. And 
 indeed if you mark it, you shall see, that they be 
 such kind of people, who at this day are so carried 
 away with the quakers' delusions : namely, a com- 
 pany of loose ranbers, and light notionists, with 
 here and there a legalist, which were shaking in 
 their principles from time to time, sometimes on this 
 religion, sometimes on that.* And thus these un- 
 stable sends are deluded and beguiled at last. 3 Pe. ii. 
 14. So that these who before (as one would have 
 thought) had something of God in them, are now 
 turned such enemies to the glorious truths of the 
 gospel, that there are none so obstinately erroneous 
 as they. And indeed it is just with God, to give 
 them over to ' believe a lie, '2 Th. ii. 11. who before were 
 
 * The word ' quakers' must not be misundersood as refer- 
 ring to the society of friends, hut to some deluded individuals 
 caUing themselves quakers ; the friends were not formed into a 
 society for some years after this was written. — Ed. 
 
 SO idle that they would not receive the truth of God 
 into their hearts, in the love of it. And to be 
 bewitched by the devil to obey his temptations, and 
 be damned, who would not obey the truth, that 
 they might be saved. Ga. iii. 1. 
 
 But you will say, what lies are those, that the 
 devil beguileth poor souls withal ? I shall briefly 
 tell you some of them, but having before said, 
 that they especially are liable to the danger of 
 them, who slip into high notions, and rest there ; 
 taking that for true faith which is not. 1 shall 
 desire thee seriously to consider this one character 
 of a NOTIONIST. Such an one, whether he perceives 
 it or not, is puffed up in his fleshly mind, and ad- 
 vanceth himself above others, thinking but few 
 may compare with him for religion and knowledge 
 in the scriptures, but are ignorant and foolish in 
 comparison of him : (Thus knowledge puffeth up, 
 ] Cor. viii. 1.) whereas when men receive truth in the 
 love of the truth, the more the head and heart is 
 filled with the knowledge of the mystery of godli- 
 ness, the more it is emptied of its own things, and 
 is more sensible of its own vileness, and so truly 
 humbled in its own eyes. 
 
 And further, a notionist, though he fall from 
 his former strictness and seeming holiness, and 
 appear more loose, and vain in his practices, yet 
 speaks as confidently of himself, as to assurance 
 of salvation, the love of God, and union with God, 
 as ever. But now to return, and declare some of 
 those lies which the devil persuades some of these 
 men to believe. 
 
 I. That salvation was not fully, and completely 
 wrought out for poor sinners by the man Christ 
 Jesus, though he did it gloriously, Ac. xiii. 38, 39. by 
 his death upon the cross, without the gates of Jeru- 
 salem, Heb, xiii. 12. compared with Jn. xix. 19, 20. 
 
 II. This is another of his lies wherewith he 
 doth deceive poor sinners, bidding them follow the 
 hght that they brought into the world with them, 
 telling them, that light will lead them to the king- 
 dom; for (say they) it will convince of sin, as 
 swearing, lying, stealing, covetousness, and the 
 rest of the sins against the law. Ko. iii. 30. But ' the 
 law is not of faith.' Ga. iii. 13. And then I am sure, 
 that it, with all its motions and convictions, is 
 never able to justify the soul of any poor sinner. 
 ' For as many as are of the works of the law are 
 under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every 
 one that continueth not in all things which are 
 written in the book of the law to do them,' Ga. iii. lo. 
 but that no man is justified by the law is evident, 
 'for. The just shall live by faith,' ver. n. Now 
 because I am not altogether ignorant of the de- 
 lusion of the devil touching this grace of faith also, 
 I shall therefore in short give thee (reader) a 
 brief, yet true description from the scripture. 1. 
 What true justifying faith is, and what it lays 
 
134 
 
 THE AUTHOR TO THE KEADEK. 
 
 hold upon. 2. I shall shew who it doth come 
 from. 3. That every one hath it not. 4. What 
 are the fruits of it. 
 
 1. First therefore, true faiih is a fruit, work, or 
 gift of the Spirit of God, Ga. v. 22. 2 Th. i, 11. ana 1 Co. xii. 
 9. whereby a poor soul is enabled through the 
 mighty operation of God, Col. ii. 12. in a sense of its 
 sins' and wretched estate to lav hold on the right- 
 eousness, blood, death, resurrection, ascension, 
 intercession, and coming again of the Son of God 
 which was crucified without the gates of Jeru- 
 salem, for eternal life ; Ju. m. 16— 18. compared with 
 
 Mat. iii. 17. Ga. ii. 20. Eo. v. 8—10. Eo. iii. 25. Ac xri. 31. He. xiii. 12. 
 
 according to that saying in He. xi. l. 'Now 
 faith is the substance of things hoped for,' and 
 'the evidence of things not seen,' that is, the things 
 that are hoped for faith sees, lays hold upon, and 
 embraces them, He. xi. 13. as if they were present ; 
 yea, it seals up the certainty of them to the soul. 
 Therefore saith the Apostle, it is the evidence, or 
 testimony, or witness, of those things that are not 
 seen as yet with a bodily eye ; which are obtained 
 by the blood of the man Christ Jesus, He. ix. 14 com- 
 pared with He. X. 12, 19, 20. by which the soul sees as 
 in a glass the things that God hath laid up for them 
 that fear him. l Co. xiii. 12. 2 Co. iii. 18. 
 
 2. If you would know wJto this faith comes from, 
 read Ep. ii. 8. ' For by grace ye are saved (saith the 
 scripture) through faith ; and that not of your- 
 selves: ii is the gift of God.' Again, in Pini.i. 29. 
 it is thus written : ' For unto you (that are believ- 
 ers) it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to 
 believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;' 
 And thus much do the Apostles hold forth to us 
 in their prayer, or request to the Lord Jesus, 
 when they say, ' Lord increase our faith, ' Lu. xvii. 6. 
 and he is therefore called ' the author and finisher 
 of our faith.' He. xii. 2. Also we find in Ja. i. 17. that 
 'Every good gift and every perfect gift is from 
 above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,' 
 &c., and therefore faith comes from God, for true 
 justifying faith is a good gift, and perfect in re- 
 spect of the author God, in respect of its object, 
 Christ ; and in respect of the nature, though not 
 in respect of the degree, and measure of it in us : 
 even as a grain of gold, is as perfect gold, as a 
 pound of gold, though not so much. 
 
 3. All men have not faith, this the Apostle wit- 
 nesseth in so many words as we find, 2 ih. iii. 2. ana De. 
 xxxii. 20. Also in Ti. i. 15. 'Unto them that are de- 
 filed and unbelieving is nothing pure,' &c. It 
 nppeareth also in this, that all do not attain salva- 
 tion, which they must needs do if they had true 
 justifying faith ; compare Lu. xiiL 24. ana i Jn. r. 19. wiiii 
 
 Mark xvi. 16. Ana Ho. iv. 8. with ver. 6. ana 11. ' they that be- 
 lieve shall be saved.' 
 
 4. Tlie fruits of it are, (1 .) to purify the heart, 
 Ac. XV. 9. ana 1 Ju. iii. 3. and that, as I Said before, by 
 
 laying hold on what Jesus Christ had done and 
 suffered for sinners. Ac. xiii. 38, 39. (2.) It fills the 
 soul with peace and joy, in that it lays hold on the 
 things that are obtained for it. Ko. v. l. 2 Ti. 1 9, 10. 
 iPei. 8. (3.) It makes the soul to wait patiently, 
 for the glory that is to be revealed at the second 
 appearing of the man Christ Jesus, whom God 
 hath raised from the dead, which hath also de- 
 livered it from the wrath to come, as in Ti a. is, it 
 
 1 Pe. iv. 13. ana V. 1, 4. 1 Th. i. 10. 
 
 Quest. — But how (may some say) doth the devil 
 make his delusions take place in the hearts of poor 
 creatures ? 
 
 Answ. 1. — Why, first, He labours to render the 
 doctrine of the Lord Jesus, and salvation by him 
 alone, very odious and low: and also his ordinances, 
 as hearing, reading, meditation, use of the scrip- 
 tures, (Sic. telling poor sinners that these things 
 are but poor, low, carnal, beggarly, empty notions; 
 preached up by the clergymen, who are the scribes 
 and pharisees of this generation ; who have the 
 letter, but not the Spirit of God in them ; which 
 lead men into the form, but not into the power of 
 the Lord Jesus : And with this persuasion, he also 
 represents the ungodly and base carriage, or be- 
 haviour, of some, who have taken in hand to preach 
 the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ, and thereby 
 he doth render the gospel of our Lord Jesus the 
 more contemptible and base. But woe, woe, woe, 
 be to them by whom such ofi"ences come. Mat. xm 
 
 7. Lu. XTii. 1, 2. 
 
 Answ. 2. He pretends to lead them up into 
 some higher light, mysteries, and revelations of 
 the Spirit, into which a very few have attained or 
 can attain, also bewitching their affections, and 
 taking them with an earnest pursuit after these 
 his pretended truths ; persuading them, that they 
 shall bo as God himself, able to discern between 
 good and evil. Ge. iii. 6. And in this he is exceeding 
 subtil and expert, as having practised it ever since 
 the days of Adam. These things being thus con- 
 sidered, and in some measure hungered after, and 
 the rather because they are good (as they think) 
 to make one wise. Ge. iii. 6. The poor soul is all ou 
 the sudden possessed with a desperate spirit of 
 delusion, which carries it away headlong with some 
 high, light, frothy notions, and spiritual wicked- 
 ness (which drown it in perdition and destruction) 
 that doth feed and tickle the heart a while, to the 
 end it may make way for a farther manifestation 
 of itself in the poor deluded soid; which when it 
 hath attained to, it doth then begin to bring the 
 sold into a clearer sight of those things, which it 
 was loth it should know at the first ; but having 
 fitted the soul by degrees for a further possession 
 of itself, at last it begins to hold forth its new 
 gospel ; shewing the soul a new Christ, and new 
 scriptures. The new and false Christ, is a Christ 
 
THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. 
 
 135 
 
 crucified within, dead within, risen again within, 
 and ascended within, in opposition to the Son of 
 Mary, who was crucified without, dead without, risen 
 again without, and ascended in a cloud away from 
 his disciples into heaven without them. Ac 1 9—11. 
 
 Now this new and false Christ, hath a new and 
 false faith helonging to his gospel, which faith is 
 this, to apprehend this Christ crucified within, dead 
 within, risen again within, and ascended within: 
 But ask them for a scripture that doth positively 
 prove their doctrine, they also have a scripture, 
 but it is within, it doth hear witness within, and 
 if they had not that, (though that be of the devil's 
 making) I am sure th«y would have none out of 
 God's holy scriptures, for they will allow of no 
 Crucified Christ, but he that was crucified without 
 the gates of Jerusalem. He. liiL 13. Jn. xii. 17, 18. Dead 
 and burled in the sepulchre of Joseph of Arima- 
 thea. Jn. la. 38 — ti. Was raised again out of that 
 sepulchre into which Joseph had laid him. Jn. xx. 
 1—13. Who went before his disciples into Galilee. 
 Mar. iiri.7. And to Emmaus. Lu.1xiT.15. Shewed 
 them his hands and his feet, where the nails had 
 gone through. Ln. rdv. 39,40. Did eat and drink with 
 them after his resurrection : Was seen of them on 
 earth forty days after his resurrection. Ac. i. s. And 
 after that ascended away in a cloud, out of the 
 sight of his disciples into heaven. Ac.i.9— 11. Which 
 Christ ever Uves to make intercession for us. lie. 
 Til S5. Who will come again also at the end of the 
 world to judgment. Ac x. 43; irii. 3ij 2 Pe. iii 10, 11. Who 
 also is the same that hath obtained eternal re- 
 demption for us. Ac liiL 37—39. Bo. iii. 25. Ep. i. 7. Re. i. 5. 
 He. i. 2; ix. 14. This I say, or rather the scriptures 
 say, is God's Christ. Mat. rn. 16. In whom he is 
 well pleased. Mat. iii 17. Neither doth God own any 
 other, or allow of any other: For there is none 
 other name under heaven given among men, 
 whereby we must be saved, than the name of Jesus 
 
 of Nazareth, Ac iv. lO. compared with Ter. ll, 12. But as I 
 
 told you before, the way to be thus deluded, is 
 first to render God's Christ odious and low, with 
 a pretence of some further light and revelations ; 
 and thus professing themselves to be wise, they 
 became fools. Eo. i. 22. 
 
 Quest. — But you wiU say, doth not the scripture 
 make mention of a Christ within ? Col. 1 27; 2 Co. liii. 5. 
 Eo. Tiii. 10. 
 
 rhou^h I shall 50 Answ. — I answer, God's Christ 
 :dSt\t'lesVas, and is. true God and^tme 
 tion, yet it will be man ; he was bom of the \ irgln 
 them ^who shall Mary, true God, and true man. 
 rheieve^'seSc:^ Mat. i. 23. • And they shall Call his 
 hereof. name Emmanuel, which being in- 
 
 terpreted is, God with us,' or God in our nature, 
 according to 1 Ti. iii. 16. ' God was manifested in 
 the flesh:' And Jn. i.ii 'The word was made 
 flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his 
 
 glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the 
 Father, fuU of grace and truth. ' And in He. ii. u. 
 ' Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of 
 flesh and blood, he,' that is, God, Hci. a 'also 
 himself likewise took part of the same, that through 
 death ho might destroy him that had the power 
 of death, that Is, the devil. ' Now as he was thus 
 true God, and true man, so he became our re- 
 deemer and Saviour. Compare the first and 
 second chapters to the Hebrews together, and you 
 may clearly see that this is a glorious truth, that 
 he who is the first and the last. He. i. 17, iS; a. 8. 
 humbled himself, and made himself of no reputa- 
 tion, and took upon him the form of a servant, 
 and was made in the likeness of men : And was 
 this all? No. He humbled himself unto death, 
 
 even the death of the cross. Phi. ii. 7, 8. compared with He 
 
 i. 17, 18. and He. ii. 8. with Ga. i. 4. Now after this Christ 
 of God, true God and true man, had wrought out 
 eternal redemption for us poor miserable sinners, 
 He ix. 14. compared with 1 Ti. i. 16. 1 say, after he had done 
 this, he ascended up into heaven, and there ever 
 lives to make intercession for us. Now this Christ, 
 having thus completely wrought out our salvation, 
 sends his disciples abroad to preach the same to 
 poor sinners, Ac ii. 2 Co. v. 19, 20. and so many as were 
 ordained to eternal life, when they heard the word, 
 or the gospel preached by the Apostles, which 
 
 gospel was this Christ, 1 Co. i. 17. compared with ver. 23. I 
 
 say, so many as were ordained to eternal life, when 
 they heard the word, the Holy Ghost or Spirit of 
 
 Christ, fell upon them, Ac x. 44. compared with Ac. xiii. 48. 
 which did lead them into the redemption and glori- 
 ous things that the Lord Jesus had laid up and 
 prepared for them. Jn. xvi. 13— 15; 1 Co. ii. 9. Which 
 Spirit was the earnest of their Inheritance, imtil 
 the redemption of the purchased possession, to the 
 praise of his glory. Ep. i.is, 14. The earnest of their 
 inheritance was a glorious encouragement to them 
 that had it, to hope for the glory that was to be 
 revealed at the appearing of Jesus Christ, which 
 is the meaning of that place in CoL i. 27. And that 
 will be seen clearly, if we compare it with Ep.i 13,14. 
 before recited. Now this Spirit, which _ „ , .^ , 
 
 a • ■ rrti ■ ^^ ^P'"' "^ 
 
 sometimes is called the Spirit 01 Christ. Christ is the 
 
 mi • o • 'i. T L • _ earnest of tiius 
 
 3 Co. xm. 6. This Spirit, 1 say, being inheritance, 
 
 given to aU those that were ordained ^^'^ wlL"^ God 
 to eternal life, it must needs follow, and man, did 
 that those that had not this Spirit, 
 but did live and die without it, were not ordained 
 to eternal life, and so were none of Christ's; but 
 were reprobates, Ro. vffi. 9. for the Spirit of Christ is 
 the distinguishing character betwixt a believer and 
 an unbeliever, he that hath it, and is led by it, is 
 a cliild of God, Ro. vil. 4. but he that hath it not is 
 none of Christ's. 
 
 So then, the answer that I give to Th^^^objec'ioi, 
 the question, is this. The Spirit of 
 
136 
 
 THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. 
 
 Christ that is given to believers, is the earnest or 
 hope of that inheritance that Christ hath already 
 purchased, and is now preparing for so many as 
 lie hath given, or shall give this holy spirit unto. 
 And for the proof hereof, read Ep. i. 13, 14. In whom 
 (saith the scripture) ye also trusted, after that ye 
 heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salva- 
 tion. In whom also, after that ye believed, ye 
 were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which 
 is the earnest of our inheritance ; (which inheri- 
 tance is the eternal redemption that was purchased 
 by Christ for poor sinners, He. ix. 15.) untU the re- 
 demption of the purchased possession, unto the 
 praise of his glory. Again, Ga.7. 5. ' For ye through 
 the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by 
 faith.' AndCol, i. 27. the Apostle speaking of this 
 great mystery, saith, 'To whom God would make 
 known what is the riches of the glory of this 
 mystery among the Gentiles ; which is Christ in 
 you the hope of glory;' which glory was then re- 
 vealed to the saints no otherwise than by faith, as 
 the Apostle saith, 'We rejoice in hope of the glory 
 of God. ' Ro. V. 3. Which hope is begotten by the 
 Spirit's shedding abroad the love of God in our 
 hearts, ver. 6. which hope is not yet seen, that is, 
 not yet actually enjoyed; ' For we are saved by 
 hope : But hope that is seen is not hope : for what 
 a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if 
 we hope for that we see not, then do we with 
 patience wait for it. ' Ro. viii. 24, 25. And as I say, 
 the cause of believers' hope is this, Christ, or the 
 Spirit of Christ, in them, the hope of glory. And 
 indeed he may well hope for glory to come, who 
 hath already an earnest thereof given him of God, 
 and that earnest no less than the Spirit of the Lord 
 Jesus. Ro. viii. 16, 17. 
 
 But now, this Spirit, which is the cause of a 
 believer's hope, all men have not. Jude 19. Ep. ii. 12. 
 Ro. viii. 9. Ju. xiT. 16, 17. Therefore what a sad doctrine 
 is that which saith, follow the light that Christ 
 hath enlightened every man withal, which cometh 
 into the world ; which light is the conscience, that 
 convinceth of sins against the law ; and that j'ou 
 may see clearly if you mind that scripture, Jn. viii. 9. 
 which saith. That the Pharisees, [which had 
 neither the love of God, nor his word, abiding in 
 them, Jn. T. 38, 43.] when they had heard Christ 
 speaking thus to them, He that is without sin 
 among you, &c. being convicted by their own 
 consciences, went out one by one, beginning at the 
 eldest, even to the least. But the devil, that he 
 might be sure not to miss of his design, labours by 
 
 Ti. 1, ■ t rtu all means to render the scriptures 
 It 13 the spirit of the n- , 
 
 devil that doth ren- also odious and low, teUmg them 
 
 contcmptiblo' "iuid of the scriptures within ; which 
 
 '"^^ Christ never taught, nor yet his 
 
 disciples : But they being given up of God to a 
 
 reprobate mind, have given themselves over, rather 
 
 to follow the suggestions of the devil, than 
 holy scriptures which God hath commanded us to 
 
 take ourselves to, is. viii. 20. compared with Jn. V. 39. wh 
 
 scripture is called the sword of the Spirit, Ep. 
 17. which weapon our Lord Jesus himself held 
 to overcome the devil withal. Mat. iv. 4, 7, 10. Lu. i 
 8, 13. But this design (as I told you) the d( 
 carries on, by pretending to shew them a m 
 excellent way which they may attain to, if they 
 but wise, and follow what is made known uj 
 them from the light within them. 
 
 But, reader, that thou mayest be able to esc£ 
 the snare of this cunning hunter, I shall lay tl 
 down some few directions, which if the Lord g 
 thee grace to follow, thou shalt escape thi 
 
 WICKED DELUSIONS. 
 
 Direct. 1. And first of all, I do admonish tl 
 to be very serious touching thine estate and con 
 tion; and examine thine own heart by the rule 
 the word of God, whether or no, thou hast as ; 
 any beginnings of desiring after religion : and 
 thou findest that thou hast lived until now in igi 
 ranee, and hast not set thyself to remember t 
 Creator as thou art commanded, Ec. xii. 1. then 
 beseech thee consider that thou art under 1 
 wrath of Almighty God, and hast been so ei 
 since thou camest into the world, Ep. ii. 1, 2. bei 
 then in thy first parents, those didst transgn 
 against thy maker, Ro. v. 18. ' Therefore as by 1 
 ofience of one,' that is, of Adam, ver 14. 'judgmi 
 came upon all men to condemnation.' Besides i 
 many SINS thou hast committed ever since th 
 wast born : sins against the law of God, and s: 
 against the gospel of the grace of God; sins agaL 
 the long-suffering and forbearance of God, and s: 
 against his judgments ; sins of omission, and s 
 of commission, in thoughts, words, and action 
 consider, I say, thy condition ; yea, get a v( 
 great sense of thy sins that thou hast committe 
 and that thou mayest so do, beg of God to convii 
 thee by his Holy Spirit, not only of sins agaii 
 law, biit also of that damning sin, the sin of un' 
 lief. . 
 
 Direct. 2. If thou by grace, art but brought ii 
 such an estate as to see thyself in a lost condit 
 because of sin, without the Lord Jesus ; then 
 the next place, have a care of resting on any N 
 done, though it be never so specious ; I say, hi 
 a care of making any stay anywhere on this s 
 the Lord Jesus Christ: but aboveall strive tobehe 
 that that very Man that was bom of the Vir 
 Mary, did come into the world on purpose to si 
 thee, as well as other poor sinners : I say, tl 
 must not be content till thou art enabled to s 
 ' He loved me, and gave himself for me. ' Ga. ii 
 And that thou mayest be sure to attain to i 
 most precious faith, (for so it is) be much in 
 plying the freest promises to thy own soul ; J 
 
THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. 
 
 137 
 
 tlioso tliat have no conditions annexed to tliem, as 
 
 these, or other like, Ile.xxii.l7.Je.xxxi.3;iii. Jn.ri.37.alsoxiv. 
 
 19. Ho. xiv. 3. I say, labour to apply to thy own soul 
 in particular, the most glorious and freest promises 
 in the hook of God. And if at any time the devil 
 besets thee by his temptations, (for so is his wonted 
 manner to do, and so much the more, as he sees 
 thee labour to get out of his reach) I say, when he 
 assails thee with his fiery darts, be sure to act 
 faith on the most free promises, and have a care 
 that thou dost not enter into any dispute with him, 
 but rather resist him by those blessed promises that 
 are laid down in the word of God : And withal, be 
 sure to meditate upon the blood of the man Christ 
 Jesus, who also is the true God, and read those 
 scriptures that do most fully and clearly speak of 
 
 it ; as, 1 In. i. 7. F.p- i. 7. He. ix. 14. Eo. iii. 35. 
 
 Direct. 3. But if thou say (as it is often the speech 
 of poor souls lying under a sense of sin, and the 
 apprehensions of wrath due to it) I cannot apply 
 the promises to mine own soul ; and the reason is, 
 because my srss are so great, and so many. Con- 
 sider, and know it for a truth, that the more and 
 greater thou seest thy sins to be, the more cause 
 hast thou to believe ; yea, thou must therefore be- 
 lieve because thy sins are great: David made it 
 an encouragement to himself, or rather the Spirit 
 of the Lord made it his encouragement, to crave, 
 yea to hope for pardon, because he had greatly 
 transgressed. Ps. xxr. ll. ' For thy name's sake, 
 Lord, (saith he) pardon mine iniquity; for it is 
 great.' As if he had said, Lord, thy name will 
 be more glorified, the riches of thy grace wiR he 
 more advanced, thy mercy and goodness will more 
 shine, and be magnified in pardoning me who am 
 guilty of great iniquity, than if thou pardonest 
 many others who have not committed such heinous 
 offences. And I dare say, the reason why thou 
 believest not, is not because thy sins are great, 
 but because thou dost reason too much with that 
 wicked enemy of man's salvation, and givest way 
 too much to the fleshly reasoning of thine own 
 heart. For Christ hath said, ' He that cometh 
 unto me, I will in no wise cast out.' Jn. vi. 37. And 
 again, ' Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall 
 be as white as snow. ' is. i. 18. And Christ calleth 
 those that labour, and are heavy laden, to come to 
 him, with promise to give them rest. Mat. .ti. 28. 
 Wherefore thou must not say, my sins are too big; 
 but thou must say, because I am a great sinner ; 
 yea, because I have sinned above many of my com- 
 panions, and am nearer to hell, and eternal damna- 
 tion than they, because of my sins, therefore will 
 I cry unto the Lord, and say, Lord, pardon my 
 sins, for they are great. 
 
 Now that thou mayest not be deceived in a 
 matter of so great concernment, have a special 
 care of these thi'ce things. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 Caution 1. First, Have a care of putting off thy 
 trovhle of spirit the wrong way, which thou mayest 
 do three ways; (1.) When thy conscience flieth in 
 thy face, and tells thee of thy sins, thou dost put 
 off convictions the wrong way, if thou dost stop 
 thy conscience by promising to reform thyself, 
 and lead a new life, and gettest off thy guilt by so 
 doing : for though thou mayest by this means still 
 and quiet thy conscience for a time, yet thou canst 
 not hereby satisfy and appease the wrath of God : 
 yea, saith God to such, ' Though thou wash thee 
 with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine ini- 
 quity is marked before me.' Je. u. 32. 
 
 (2.) If when thou art under the guilt of thy 
 sins, thou puttest off convictions by thy perform- 
 ances of DUTIES, and so satisfiest thy conscience, 
 then also thou dost put off thy convictions the wrong 
 way : for God wiU not be satisfied with anything 
 less than the blood, righteousness, resurrection, 
 and intercession of his own Son. Ac. iv. 13. And 
 thou shouldest not satisfy thyself with any less 
 than God would have thee to satisfy thyself withal, 
 and that is the water of hfe. Is. iv. 1, 2. which water 
 of life thy duties, and all thy righteousness, is not; 
 for they are as filthy rags. Is. ixiT. 6. 
 
 (3.) Have a care that when thou art under con- 
 viction, thou dost not satisfy thyself with a notion 
 of the free grace of the gospel ; my meaning is, 
 do not content thyself with any measure of know- 
 ledge that thou canst attain imto, or bottom thy 
 peace upon it, thinking thou art now well enough, 
 because thou canst speak much of the grace of 
 God, and his love in Christ to poor sinners. For 
 this thou mayest have, and do ; and yet be but a 
 companion for Demas, yea, for Judas and the rest 
 of the damned multitude : As the Apo&tle saith. 
 For all this thou mayest be but as sounding brass, 
 and as a tinkling cymbal ; that is, nothing but a 
 sound. 1 Co. jdii. 1—3. 
 
 Caution 2. But Secondly, If thou wouldest not 
 be deceived, then have a care to avoid false doc- 
 trines, which are according to the spirit of the 
 devil, and not after Christ. As, 
 
 (1.) If any doctrine doth come unto thee, that 
 tells theC, except thou art circumcised after the 
 manner of Moses, thou canst not be saved: that 
 is, if any man come unto thee, and tell thee, thou 
 must do such and such works of the lav;, to the 
 end thou mayest present thyself the better before 
 God, do not receive him : For ' to him that worketh 
 not, but believeth on him that justifieth the un- 
 godly, his faith is counted for righteousness.' Eo.b. 5. 
 
 (2.) If any come unto thee, and bring such a doc- 
 trine as this; That thou mayest be Noaing can make ns 
 saved by grace, though thou walk in ^^=^«Pjg^ merits^°of 
 the imaginations of thy own wicked Jesus Christ. Tiic 
 
 , TT' T • 1 • 1 'T 1 Itanters' doctrine is 
 
 heart : His doctrine also is devilisn, i^^, 
 do not receive him. De. mLx, 19—23. 
 
138 
 
 THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. 
 
 (3.) But if any come unto tliee, and doth in truth 
 advance the blood, rigldeousneas, resurrection, inter- 
 cession, and second coming of that very Man in the 
 clouds of heaven, that was born of the virgin Mary ; 
 and doth press thee to helieve on -what he hath 
 done (shevring thee thy lost condition without him) 
 and to own it as done for thee in particular, and 
 withal doth admonish thee, not to trust in a bare 
 notion of it, hut to receive it into thy heart, so 
 really, that thy very heart and soul may bum in 
 love to the Lord Jesus Christ again : and doth also 
 teach thee, that the love of Christ should and must 
 constrain thee, not to Uve to thyself: But to him 
 that loved thee, and gave himself for thee. 3 Co. v. 
 1*, 15. Ep. iv. 21—24. 1 Co. vii. 23. ' Ye are bought with a 
 price ; be not ye the servants of men. ' If his 
 conversation be also agreeable to his doctrine, a 
 believing, honest, loving, self-denying, 
 Tlie floctriiie is courteous conversation, (he also is a 
 
 true, and of God, , ^ 
 
 whatever tLe true Christian.) Receive that doctrme 
 and receive it really; for it is the doc- 
 trine of God, and of Christ. Ga. iv. 4; i. 4. Ep. i. 7. Ke. i. 6. 
 Ac. xiii. 38. Jn. i. 29. Ac. iv. 13; s. 40 — 12. and 1 Th. i. 10. Mar. xiii.ult. 
 
 z Pe. i. 5—10. Considering the end of their conversa- 
 tion Jesus Christ, yesterday, and to-day, and the 
 same for ever. He. xiii. 7, 8. 
 
 Caution 3. Again, If thou wouldest not be de- 
 ceived, then beware of slighting any known truth 
 that thou findest revealed, or made known to 
 thee in the gospel ; but honour and obey it in 
 its place, he it (as thou thinkest) never so low. 
 
 Jn. xiv. 15. 
 
 (1.) Have a care that thou do not undervalue, 
 or entertain low thoughts of God, Christ the Son 
 of Mary, and the holy scriptures, but search them. 
 Jn. V. 39. And give attendance to the reading of 
 them. 1 Ti. iv. 13. For, I wOl tell thee, he that 
 slights the scriptures, doth also slight him of whom 
 they testify. And I wiU tell thee also, that for this 
 cause God hath given up many to strong delusions, 
 that they might believe a lie : ' that they all 
 might be damned who believed not the truth, but 
 had pleasure in unrighteousness.' 3 Tli. ii. ll, 13. 
 
 (2.) Therefore I say unto thee. In the name of 
 the Lord Jesus, the Son of Mary, the Son of God, 
 the very creator of heaven and earth, and all 
 things that are therein ; have a care of thyself ; 
 for the devil doth watch for thee day and night. 
 1 Pe. v. 8. Thine own heart also doth labour to de- 
 ceive thee, if by any means it may. Je. xvii. 9. There- 
 fore do not thou trust it; for if thou do, thou wilt 
 not do wisely. Pr. xxviii. 26. I say therefore, have a 
 care that thou labour in the strength of the Lord 
 Jesus, to escape all these things ; for if thou fall 
 into any one of them, it will make way for a far- 
 ther income of sin and the devil, through whose 
 deceitfulness thy heart wUl be hardened, and thou 
 wdt he more incapable of receiving instruction, or 
 
 reaping advantage, by and from the ordinances of 
 Jesus Christ : the rather therefore, give_ all dili- 
 gence to helieve in the Christ of God, which is the 
 Son of Mary, and he sure to apply aU that he 
 hath done, and is doing, unto thyself, as for thee 
 in particular ; which thing if thou dost, thou shalt 
 never fall. 
 
 And now, reader, I shall also give thee some 
 few considerations, and so I shall commit thee to 
 the Lord. 
 
 Consider, 1. That God doth hold out his grace, 
 and mercy freely, and that to every one. Ke. xxii. 17. 
 Is. iv. 1—7. 
 
 Consider, 2. That there is no way to attain to 
 this free mercy and grace, but by him that was 
 born of the Virgin Mary; for he himself saith, ' I 
 am the way, and the truth, and the life : no man 
 Cometh unto the Father but by me. ' Jn. xiv. 6. com- 
 
 pared with Mat. i. 30, 31. 
 
 Consider, 3. If thou strivest to go over any other 
 way, thou wilt be but a thief and a robber. Jn.i.i. 
 compared with 9. And kuow that none of these (so 
 continuing) shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 1 Co. vi. 9, 10. 
 
 Consider, 4. That if the devil should be too hard 
 for thee, and deceive thee, by persuading thee to 
 embrace, or entertain a new gospel, which neither 
 Christ nor his disciples did allow of, it wotdd make ' 
 thee gnash teeth when it is too late. 
 
 Consider, 5. That though thou hast been deluded 
 by Satan to this day, yet if now thine eyes be 
 opened to see and acknowledge it, though as yet 
 thou hast been either exceedingly wicked, l Ti. i. is. 
 or an idle. Mat. xx. 6, 7. lukewarm, hypocritical pro- 
 fessor ; Re. iii. 17—19. and hast stood it out to the 
 last ; Eze, xviii. 20—22. for aU this there is hope ; and 
 if now thou receive the truth in the love of the 
 truth, being as willing to be rid of the filth of sin, 
 as the guilt of it, thou shalt be saved. 
 
 Consider, 6. That the Lord will call thee to 
 judgment for all thy sins past, present, and what 
 else thou shalt practise hereafter, especially for 
 thy rejecting and trampling on the blood of his 
 Son, the Man Christ Jesus : And if thou dost not 
 agree with thine adversary, now, while thou art in 
 the way, ' Lest he hale thee to the judge, and the 
 judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast 
 thee into prison. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart 
 thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.' Ln- 
 
 xii. 68, 69. 
 
 And therefore I beseech thee to consider; Here 
 is at this time life and death, heaven and hell, ever- 
 lasting joy, and everlasting torment set before thee. 
 Here is also the way to have the one, and the way 
 to escape the other. Now if the Lord shall do 
 thee any good by what I have spoken, I hope it 
 will be a means to stir me up to thank the Lord 
 that ever he did use such a sinner as I am, in the 
 
THE EPISTLE WRIT BY MR. BURTON. 
 
 139 
 
 wort of his gospel. And here I shall close up 
 what I have said, desiring thee (if thou he a chris- 
 tian) to pray for him who desires to continue 
 
 Tliy servant in the Lord Jesus Christ, though 
 less than the least of all saints, 
 
 John Bunyax. 
 
 THE EPISTLE ¥EIT BY MR. BTIRTON, MINISTER AT BEDEOED. 
 
 To THE KeaDEE, 
 
 Readeb, thou hast in this small treatise, set he- 
 fore thee, the several pieces of that great and glo- 
 rious mystery, Jesus Christ, God manifested in the 
 flesh : And if thou art enlightened hy the Spirit of 
 Christ, here thou mayest see by that Spirit how 
 Jesus Christ the Son of Grod, the Son of Mary, is 
 both true God and true Man, both natui-es making 
 but one Christ, one Jesus, as Pbi. ii. 5—9. where 
 speaking first of his being God, and then of his 
 taking upon him the nature of man ; afterwards in 
 the 8th and 9th verses, he saith, he (meaning this 
 Jesus) humbled himself, &c., and God (meaning 
 the Father) hath highly exalted him, <kc. speak- 
 ing of both natures God and man as together 
 making but one Christ ; who is the Saviour, and 
 is to be believed and trusted in for salvation not 
 only as God, but as man also ; and those who do 
 not thus make him the object of their faith, will 
 sm-ely fall short of pardon of sin, and of salvation; 
 ' through this man (speaking of Christ as crucified 
 at Jerusalem) is preached unto you the forgiveness 
 of sins:' Ap. xiii. 38. And saith he, there is 'one 
 mediator between God and men, the man Christ 
 Jesus ; ' 1 Ti. ii. 5. and this discovers the damnable 
 errors of those commonly called Socinians, who 
 on the one hand deny him that was born of the 
 Virgin Mary to be true God as well as true Man : 
 And this is also quite contrary to those commonly 
 called Famihsts, Ranters, Quakers, or others, 
 who on the other hand either deny Christ to be a 
 real Man without them, blasphemously fancying 
 him to be only God manifest in their flesh ; or else 
 make his human nature with the fulness of the 
 godhead in it, to be but a type of God, to be 
 manifest in the saints, and so according to their 
 wicked imagination, his human nature was to be 
 laid aside after he had offered it up on the cross 
 without the gate at Jerusalem, contrary to Ac. i. 1 
 —3, 9—11. compared with the last chapter of Luke, 
 ver. 39, 40, 50, 51. where it is clearly held forth, that the 
 man Christ rose again out of the grave, with the 
 same body which was crucified and laid in the 
 grave, and was taken up above the clouds into 
 heaven with the same real body, and that he shall 
 again descend from heaven in that same glorious 
 body of flesh, as Ac. i. 9— ii. And this sure truth of 
 Christ bemg the Saviour and Mediator, as Man, 
 
 and not only as God, will also shew serious be- 
 lievers what to think of some, who though they 
 will not (it may be) deny that Christ is a real man 
 without them in the heavens as well as God, yet 
 do own him to be the Saviour only as God, first 
 dwelling in that flesh that was born of the Virgin, 
 and then dwelling in saints, and thus both begin- 
 ning and perfecting their salvation within them, 
 and so indeed do hold Christ as Man, to be only 
 (I say to be only) the saved or glorified one of God, 
 together with the saints his members, only some- 
 thing in another and more glorious manner and 
 measure than the saints ; and these high-flown 
 people are in this very like to Famdists and Qua- 
 kers, undervaluing the Lord Jesus Christ, God- 
 man, and though they may speak much of Christ, 
 yet they do not rightly and savingly lay him for 
 their foundation. 
 
 Now as a help against all these dangerous 
 things, thou hast here the main things of Christ 
 laid down before thee briefly, and fully proved by 
 the scriptures : 
 
 First, Of his being true God out of flesh from 
 eternity, and then of his taking flesh, or the nature 
 of man upon him in the womb of the Virgin, and 
 so his fulfilling the law, his dying for sins at Jeru- 
 salem, his rising again without, his ascending into 
 heaven without, and not into a fancied heaven 
 only within, as some say ; his interceding in hea- 
 ven for all his, and his coming again in his body 
 of flesh to judge the world. And if thou art yet 
 in a state of nature, though covered over with an 
 outside profession, here thou mayest find some- 
 thing (if the Spirit of Christ meet thee in reading) 
 to convince thee of the sad condition thou art in, 
 and to shew thee the righteousness thou art to fly 
 to by faith, and to trust in for salvation, when con- 
 vinced of sin; which is a righteousness wrought 
 by that God-man Jesus Christ without thee, dying 
 without thee at Jerusalem for sinners : here also 
 thou mayest see the difference between true and 
 false faith. If thou art a true believer, as these 
 things are the foundation of thy faith, so they may 
 be of great use for thee to meditate upon, and to 
 exercise thy faith in, particularly in meditation, 
 and in this way to seek daily for a higher faith in 
 these truths, to be given into thy heart from hea- 
 ven ; and there is a great need of this, for though 
 these truths be commonly known amongst profes- 
 
140 
 
 THE EPISTLE WRIT BY MR. BURTON. 
 
 Bors to the notion of them, yet very few know or 
 believe them aright : nay, it may well he said in 
 this age, that, if the faith of the true saints was 
 well sifted, and tradition, notion, and the apprehen- 
 sions of their o\vn reason and fancy was sifted out, 
 most of them would be found to have very little 
 knowledge of, and faith in, these common truths. 
 
 Secondly, These truths being put thus together, 
 and plainly proved by the scriptures, may he a 
 great help (through the Spirit concurring) to 
 strengthen thee against all those damnable here- 
 sies which are spread abroad, which deny the 
 Lord Jesus Christ either plainly, or more cun- 
 ningly and mysteriously. And 
 
 Thirdly, The more thou art rooted and set down 
 from heaven in the faith of these truths of Christ, 
 to believe fuUy the glorious reality of them, and 
 their interest in them, the more heavenly peace 
 and joy thou wilt have, 1 Pc.i. 7, 8. and also thou wilt 
 hereby attain the more true holiness and purity of 
 heart and life, 'purifying their hearts by faith.' 
 Ac. XV. 9. And then the more tliou hast of the right 
 faith of Christ, and of his things in thy heart, the 
 more strong and valiant wilt thou be in spirit, to 
 do any work private or public for Jesus Christ, 
 like Stephen, who being full of faith, and of the 
 Holy Spirit, was also fuU of power. Ac. vi. 8. 
 
 In this book thou hast also laid down from the 
 scriptures, how Jesus Christ is without the saints 
 as Man, and yet dwelleth within them, that is, 
 something of his divine nature or his blessed Spirit 
 dwells witliin them, wlwch Spirit is sometime 
 called, The Spirit of Christ. Eo. Wu. 9. He that 
 hath not the Spirit of Christ, &,c. and sometime 
 called Christ, ' If Christ be in you.' &c. Eo. viii, lo. 
 And also how we may know whether it be Christ 
 and the Spirit of Christ within, or a false spirit 
 calling itself Christ, and that is thus ; If it be in- 
 deed Christ within, that is, the Spirit of Christ 
 God-man ; why then it teaches that man or woman 
 in whom it is, to apply, and trust in Christ without 
 for salvation ; Christ as born of the Virgin Mary, 
 as fulfilling the law without them, as dying with- 
 out the gate of Jerusalem as a sacrifice for sin; it 
 teaches them to trust in the Man Christ as rising 
 again out of the grave without them, as ascending 
 into, and interceding in heaven loithout for them ; 
 and as to come from that heaven again in his flesh 
 to judge the world. Thus the man Christ him- 
 self saith, ' When he (the Spirit of truth) is come, 
 &c. he shall glorify me.' Jn. xvi. 13, it He shall 
 make you more to prize, admire and glorify me, 
 who am both God and man, and who shall be ab- 
 sent from you touching my body. Then follows, 
 for he shall take of mine (of my glorious things) and 
 shew them to you ; he shall take my divine and 
 hmnan nature, my birth, my person and offices, 
 my obedience, death, satisfaction, my resurrection, 
 
 ascension and intercession, and of my second comi 
 in the clouds with my mighty angels to judgmei 
 and shall shew them, or clear them up to yo 
 He shall take of my salvation, which I have wrouj 
 for you in my own person without you : And 
 shall take of my glory and exaltation in i 
 heavens, and shew to you. Now to mind this o 
 thing, and to be set down in a right understandi 
 of it, by the Spirit, from the scriptures, will be 
 great concernment to thee and me ; for, for wa 
 of this, many professors have split themselvi 
 some looking only on what Christ hath done a 
 suffered without them, resting in an historical, ti 
 ditional, and indeed a fancied faith of it, withe 
 looking for the Spirit of Jesus Christ to come wi 
 power into their hearts, without which they cam 
 rightly know, nor rightly believe in Christ the S 
 of God without them, so as to have any share 
 interest in him, ' If any man have not the Spi 
 of Christ, he is none of his.' Eo. via, 9. Others ha 
 been depending too much upon something they c 
 Christ, and the righteousness of Christ vxthin the: 
 in opposition to Christ and his righteousness wh 
 out them, from which all true saints have thi 
 justification and comfort, it being received throu 
 the operation of the Spirit which dwells in thei 
 and however these may talk much of Christ witl 
 them, yet it is manifest, that it is not the Spi 
 of Christ, but the spirit of the devil ; in that 
 doth not glorify, but slight and reject the m 
 Christ and his righteousness which was wrou^ 
 without them : Reader, in this book thou wilt i 
 meet with high flown airy notions, which soi 
 delight in, counting them high mysteries, but t 
 sound, plain, common, (and yet spiritual and m; 
 terious) truths of tlie gospel, and if thou art 
 believer, thou must needs reckon them so, and t 
 more, if thou hast not only the faith of them in t 
 heart, but art daily living in the spiritual ser 
 and feeling of them, and of thy interest in the 
 Neither doth this treatise offer to thee doubt 
 controversial things, or matters of opinion, as soi 
 books chiefly do, which when insisted upon, 1 
 weightier things of the gospel have always dc 
 more hurt than good : But here thou hast thir 
 certain, and necessary to be believed, which ti 
 canst not too much study. Therefore pray, tl 
 thou mayest receive this word which is accord! 
 to the scriptures in faith and love, not as the w( 
 of man, but as the word of God, without resp 
 of persons, and be not offended because Chi 
 holds forth the glorious treasure of the gospel 
 thee in a poor earthen vessel, by one who hi 
 neither the greatness nor the wisdom of this wo 
 to commend him to thee; for as the scriptv 
 saith Christ, (who was low and contemptible 
 the world himself) ordinarily ehooseth such 
 himself, and for the doing of his work, i Co. i. 2G- 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 141 
 
 Not many wise men after the flesh, not many 
 mighty, not many noble are called : But God hath 
 chosen the foolish things of the world, &;c. This 
 man is not chosen out of an earthly, but out of 
 the heavenly university, the church of Christ, 
 which church, as furnished with the Spirit, gifts, 
 and graces of Christ, was in the beginning, and 
 still is, and wiU be to the end of the world, that 
 out of which the word of the Lord, and so all true 
 gospel ministers must proceed, whether learned or 
 unlearned, as to human learning. 1 Co. xii. 27, 28. And 
 though this man hath not the learning or wisdom 
 of man, yet, through grace he hath received the 
 teaching of God, and the learning of the Spirit of 
 Christ, which is the thing that makes a man both 
 a Christian and a minister of the gospel. ' The 
 Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned,' 
 •fee. Is. 1. 4. compared with Lu. iv. 18. where Christ, as man, 
 saith, ' The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because 
 lie hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the 
 poor,' &c. He hath, through grace taken these 
 three heavenly degrees, to wit, union with Christ, 
 the anointing of the Spirit, and experience of the 
 temptations of Satan, which do more fit a man for 
 that mighty work of preaching the gospel, than all 
 university learning and degrees that can be had. 
 My end in writing these few lines is not to set 
 
 up man, but having had experience with many 
 other saints of this man's soundness in the faith, 
 of his godly conversation, and his ability to preach 
 the gospel, not by human art, but by the Spirit of 
 Christ, and that with much success in the conver- 
 sion of sinners when there are so many carnal 
 empty preachers, both learned and unlearned ; I 
 say having had experience of this, and judging 
 this book may be profitable to many others, as 
 well as to myself: I thought it my duty upon this 
 account (though I be very unfit for it) to bear 
 witness with my brother to the plain and simple 
 (and yet glorious) truths of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 And now reader, the Lord give thee and me a 
 right understanding in these things, that we may 
 live and die not with a traditional notional dead 
 faith, but with a right spiritual lively faith of 
 Christ in our heart, wrought by the mighty power 
 of God ; such a faith as may make Jesus Christ 
 more real and precious to us than any thing iu the 
 world, as may purify our hearts, and make us new 
 creatures, that so we may be sure to escape the 
 wrath to come, and after this life enjoy eternal life 
 and glory through the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom 
 be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 Farewell, thine to serve thee in the Lord Jesus, 
 
 John Bueton. 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED, &c. 
 
 Forasmuch as many have taken in Hand to set 
 forth their several Judgments concerning the Son 
 of the Virgin Mart, the Lord JESUS CHRIST ; 
 and some of those many having most grossly erred 
 from the simplicity of the Gospel, it seemed good 
 to me, having had some Knowledge of these 
 things, to write a few words, to the end, if the 
 Lord will, Souls might not be so horribly deluded 
 by those several corrupt Principles that are gone 
 into the World concerning him. 
 
 Now, that there is such a thing as a Christ, I 
 shall not spend much time in proving of; only I 
 shall shew you, that he was first promised to the 
 fathers, and afterwards expected by their children : 
 But before I do that, I shall speak a few words 
 concerning God's fore-ordaining and purposing, 
 THAT A Christ, a Saviour, should be, and that 
 
 BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN. Now God in his OWn 
 
 wisdom and counsel, knowing what would come to 
 pass, as if it were already done. Ko. iv. 17. He 
 knowing that man would break his commandments, 
 and so throw himself under eternal destruction, did 
 in his own purpose /ore-orcfoiw such a thing as the 
 rise of him that should fall, and that by a Saviour, 
 '' According as he hath chosen us in him, (meaning 
 
 the Saviour) before the foundation of the world.' 
 Ep. L 4. That is, God seeing that we would trans- 
 gress, and break his commandment, did before 
 choose some of those that would fall, and give them 
 to him that should afterward purchase them 
 actually, though in the account of God, his blood 
 was shed before the world was. Ke. xiii. 8. I say, in 
 the account of God, his Son was slain! that is, 
 according to God's purpose and conclusion, which 
 he purposed in himself before the would was ; as 
 it is written, 2Ti. i. 9. 'Who hath saved us, and 
 called us with an holy calling, according to his 
 own purpose and grace, which was given us in 
 Christ Jesus before the world began.' As also, 
 in 1 Pe, i. 20. Where the Apostle speaking of Christ, 
 and the redemption purchased by him for sinners, 
 saith of him, ' Who verily was fore-ordained before 
 the foundation of the world, but was manifest in 
 these last days for you, who by him do believe in 
 God, that raised him up from the dead.' God 
 having thus purposed in himself, that he would 
 save some of them that by transgression had 
 destroyed themselves, did with the everlasting Son 
 of his love, make an agreement, or bargain, that 
 upon such and such terms, he would give him a 
 
142 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 company of sucli poor souls as had by transgres- 
 sion fallen from their own innocency and upright- 
 ness, into those wicked inventions that they them- 
 selves had sought out. Ec. vii. 29. The agreement 
 also how this should he, was made before the 
 foundation of the world was laid. Tit. i. 2. The 
 Apostle, speaking of the promise, or covenant 
 made between God and the Saviour (for that is his 
 meaning,) saith on this wise ; ' In hope of eternal 
 life, which God that cannot lie, promised before 
 the world began.' Now this promise, or covenant 
 was made with none but with the Son of God, the 
 Saviour. And it must needs he so ; for there was 
 none \nth God before the world began, hut he by 
 whom he made the world, as in Pr. viii. ftom ver. 33 to 
 »er. 31. which was and is, the Son of his love. 
 
 This covenant, or bargain, had these conditions 
 in it. 
 
 First, That the Saviour should take upon him 
 flesh and blood, the same nature that the sons of 
 men were partakers of (sin only excepted) He. u. 14. 
 He. IT. 15. And this was the will or agreement that 
 God had made with him : And therefore when he 
 speaks of doing the will of God, He. .\. 5. he saith, 
 ' a body hast thou prepared me, ' (as according to 
 tby promise, Ge. iii. is. which I was to take of a 
 woman,) and in it I am come to do thy will, God, 
 as it is written of me in the volume of thy book, 
 ver. 7. 
 
 Second, The Saviour was to bring everlasting 
 righteousness to justify sinners withal. Da. ix. 24, 25. 
 The Messias, or Saviour, shall bring in everlast- 
 ing righteousness, and put an end to iniquity, as 
 it is there written, ' To make an end of sins, and 
 to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in 
 everlasting righteousness.' This, I say, was to be 
 brought into the world by the Saviour, according 
 to the covenant, or agreement, that was between 
 God and Christ before the world began, which 
 God, that cannot lie, promised at that time. Tit. i. 2. 
 
 Third, He was to accomplish this everlasting 
 righteousness by spilling his most precious blood, 
 according to the terms of the covenant, or bargain ; 
 and therefore when God would shew his people 
 what the agreement was that he and the Saviour 
 had made, even before the covenant was accom- 
 plished and sealed actually. See for this Zec. ix. 
 (where he is speaking of him that should be the 
 Saviour,) v. ll. 'As for thee 
 
 When the?e words were , , . ^.i ci ■ \ i 
 
 spokenthecovenantwas also (meaning the baviour) by 
 
 SlwSrStt the blood of thy covenant,' or 
 
 tiood of ciinst was let as some render it, whose cove- 
 out upon the cross. i / i ■ i • i, 
 
 nant is by blood (which is aU to 
 one purpose) ' I (meaning God) have sent forth 
 thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. ' 
 The meaning is this : As for thee also, seeing the 
 covenant, or bargain that was made between me 
 and thee before ^e world was, is accomplished in 
 
 my account, as if it were actually and really d( 
 
 with all the conditions that were agreed upon 
 
 me and thee ; I have therefore, according to 1 
 
 agreement that was on my part, sent forth 
 
 prisoners, and those that were under the curs 
 
 my law, out of the pit wherein there is no wa1 
 
 seeing thou also hast completely fulfilled in 
 
 account whatsoever was on thy part to be dc 
 
 according to our agreement. And thus is t 
 
 place to be understood in Jn. xvii. 9. ' I pray 
 
 them : I pray not for the world, hut for them wb 
 
 thou hast given me ' (which I covenanted with t 
 
 for) ' thine they were and thou gavest them n 
 
 (but on such and such conditions as are bef( 
 
 mentioned. Zee. ix.) And again, 'According as 
 
 hath chosen us in him, (that is, in Christ,) be! 
 
 the foundation of the world, that we should 
 
 holy and without blame before him in love. ' Ep. 
 
 Now, seeing this was thus con- 
 111 1 .1 iiii'iTobe holy and wit 
 
 eluded upon by those that did blame is that wiiich 
 wish weU to the souls and bodies "s^™?; 
 of poor sinners, after the world h '' "'<»"= «« are 
 
 ^ ^ ^ , 1 /• ^ud i\itliout blame 
 
 was made by tnem, and alter fore him m Iotb; fo 
 they had said, 'let us make iyTS'fw.,1 
 man in our image, after our !l''Y|5'.''".-™2'"'"'°' 
 likeness. ' Ge. i. 36. And after 
 man, whom God had made upright, had by tra 
 gression fallen from that state into which God 
 first placed him, and thrown himself into a mis 
 able condition by his transgression, then C 
 brings out of his love that which he and his 5 
 had concluded upon, and begins now to make fo 
 that to the world, which he had purposed in hi 
 self before the world began, Ep. i. 4, 9; 2 Ti. i. 9. 
 
 1 . Now the Jlrst discovery that was made to a I 
 creature of the love of God, was made to fal 
 Adam. Ge. iii. 15. Where it is said, ' I wiU ] 
 enmity between thee and the woman, and betw( 
 thy seed and her seed;' which is the Saviour, 6a. i 
 ' It shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt hru 
 his heel.' This was the first discovery of the 1( 
 of God to lost man : This was the gospel wh: 
 was preached to Adam in his generation ; in thi 
 words was held forth to them in that generati( 
 that which should be farther accomplished in af 
 generations. 
 
 2. Another discovery of the love of God 
 the gospel, was held forth to Noah, in that 
 would have him to prepare an ark to save hims 
 withal ; which ark did type out the Lord that ■« 
 to come, and be the Saviour of those whom 
 before had covenanted for with God the Fath 
 ' And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh 
 come before me ; - - make thee an ark of gopl 
 wood. ' Ge. vi. 13, 14. and eh. vii. 1. ' The Lord said ui 
 Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ar 
 for thee have I seen righteous before me in tl 
 generation.' 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 143 
 
 3. God brealis out with a farther discovery of 
 himself in love to that generation in which Abraham 
 lived, Where he saith, 'And in thee, (that is, from 
 thee shall Christ come through, in whom) shall all 
 families of the earth he blessed. ' Ge. xii. 3. This 
 was also a farther manifestation of the good will 
 of God to poor lost sinners; and through this 
 discovery of the gospel, did Abraham see that 
 which made him rejoice. Jn viii. 56. 
 
 4. When the time was come that Moses was to 
 be a prophet to the people of his generation, then 
 God did more gloriously yet break forth with one 
 type after another, as the blood of bidls, and 
 lambs, and goats : Also sacrifices of divers 
 manners, and of several things, which held forth 
 that Saviour more clearly which God had in his 
 own purpose and decree determined to be sent; for 
 these things (the types) were a shadow of that 
 which was to come, which was the substance. 
 He. ix. 9, 10. He. x. 1, 6—7. Now when these things were 
 thus done, when God had thus signified to the 
 world, what he intended to do in after times, pre- 
 sently all that had faith to believe that God would 
 be as good as his word, began to look for, and to 
 expect that the Lord should accomplish and bring 
 to pass what he had promised, what his hand and 
 counsel had before determined to be done. 
 
 (1.) Now Abraham begins to look for what God 
 had promised and signified; namely, that he would 
 send a Saviour into the world in his appointed 
 time, which thing being promised, Abraham 
 embraces, being persuaded of the certainty of it ; 
 as in He. xi. 13. And this did fiU his heart with joy 
 and gladness, as I said before; for 'he saw it, and 
 
 was glad.' Jn. viii. 56. 
 
 (2.) Jacob also, while he was blessing his sons, 
 concerning things to come, breaks forth with these 
 words, ' I have waited for thy salvation.' GcxUx. 18. 
 He was also put in expectation of salvation to come 
 by this Savioiu-. 
 
 (3.) David was in earnest expectation of this, 
 which was held forth by types and shadows in the 
 law ; for as yet the Saviour was not come, which 
 made him cry out with a longing after it, ' that 
 the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion.' 
 Pa. liii. 6. And again, ' that the salvation of Israel 
 were come out of Sion ! ' Ps. xiv. 7. The thing that 
 David waited for, was not in his time come, though 
 before his time it was promised ; which makes him 
 cry out, that it were come, that it were come out 
 of Sion ! Where, by the way, take notice, that the 
 true salvation and Saviour of Israel was to come 
 out of Sion, that is, out of the church of God, 
 touching the flesh, as it is written; A prophet 
 shall the Lord your God raise up imto you of your 
 brethren like unto me. De.xTiii.i5, 18. And again, 
 ' I have laid help upon one that is mighty ; I have 
 exalted one chosen out of the people. ' Vs. ixxxix. 19. 
 
 and Eo. ix. 5. ' Wliose are the fathers, and of whom 
 as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over 
 all, God blessed for ever.' Christ, as concerning 
 the flesh, did come of the fathers. 
 
 (4.) Isaiah did prophesy of this, that God would 
 thus save his people; yea, he breaks forth with 
 these words, ' But, Israel shall be saved in the 
 LORD with an everlasting salvation.' is, xiv. 17. He 
 also tells them how it shall be accomplished in that 
 53d chapter. Yea, he had such a glorious taste of 
 the reality of it, that he speaks as though it had 
 been actually done. 
 
 (5.) In the days of Jeremiah, this that God had 
 promised to the fathers, was not yet accomplished ; 
 in ch. xxiii. 6. he saith, 'Behold, the days come, 
 saith the Lord, that I wiU (mark, it was not yet 
 done) but I will (saith God) raise unto David a 
 righteous branch, and a king shall reign and pros- 
 per. - - In his days Judah shall be saved, and 
 Israel shall dwell safely ; and this is his name 
 wherewith he shall be called, The Lord our 
 Righteousness. ' 
 
 (6.) He was also to come in Zechariah's time. 
 Zee. iii. 8. Where he saith, 'for, behold, I will bring 
 forth my servant the branch. ' 
 
 (7.) He was not come in the time of Malachi 
 neither, though he was indeed at that time near 
 his coming. For he saith himself, ' Behold, I will 
 send my messenger, (meaning John the baptist,) 
 and he shall prepare the way before me : and the 
 Lord whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his 
 temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom 
 ye delight in : behold he shall come, saith the 
 
 Lord of hosts. ' Mai. iii. 1 ; see also Is. xl. 3; Lu. i. 76. 
 
 (8.) Old Simeon did also wait for the consolation 
 of Israel a long time. Lu. ii. 25. Where it is said, 
 ' And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, 
 whose name was Simeon ; and the same man was 
 just and devout, waiting for the consolation of 
 Israel.' That is, waiting for him that was to be 
 the Saviour, as is clear, if you read with under- 
 standing a little "farther: 
 
 ' Anrl it wna rpvpnlpd iinfn God lias a Clirist, one distinct 
 
 Ana ID was reveaiea unto „.^^ ^, „jj,^, ^^^ „.,jjjj. 
 him by the Holy Ghost, that '»evcr tiwt is called cimst, 
 
 , "^ , , *^ , . , whether they be spirit or 
 
 he should not see death, be- body, orhoth spirit and body, 
 /. 1 1. 1 AT, T T and tliis is sijmilied, where 
 
 tore he had seen the Lord s i,e saith, the Loid's chiist. 
 
 Christ.' ver. 26. 
 
 And thus have I In brief shewed you, 1. That 
 there is such a thing as Christ. 2. That this 
 Christ was promised and signified out by many 
 things before he did come. 3. How he was waited 
 for, and expected before the time that God had 
 appointed in the which he should come. 
 
 The Second Thing that I will (through the 
 strength of Christ) prove, is this, that he that 
 WAS or THE Virgin, is he that is the Saviour. 
 
 First, And first, I shall lay down this for a 
 truth ; That it is not any Spirit only by, and of 
 
144 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 itself, witliout it do take the nature of man, that 
 can be a Saviour of man from eternal vengeance. 
 
 Or thus : That that [which] will he a Saviour of 
 man, must in the nature of man satisfy and appease 
 the justice and wrath of God. And the arguments 
 that I do bring to prove it by, are these. 
 
 Fird, Because it was man that had offended ; 
 and justice required that man must give the satis- 
 faction: And therefore, when he that should be 
 the Saviour, was come, he ' took upon him the 
 form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of 
 men:' pm. h. 7. anaiuHe.ii.14 Because ' the children 
 are partakers of flesh and blood ; he also himself 
 likewise took part of the same;' To what end? 
 'that through death he might destroy him that 
 had the power of death, that is, the devil.' And 
 is that all ? No ; but also that he might ' deliver 
 them who through fear of death, were all their 
 lifetime subject to bondage.' vw. 15. 
 
 Second, The second argument is this ; because, 
 if a spirit only could have made satisfaction for 
 the sin of mankind, and have subdued Satan for 
 man, without the nature of man, either there had 
 been weakness in God when he made that promise 
 to fallen Adam, That the seed of the woman should 
 break the serpent's head ; (for there hath been no 
 need of and so no room for that promise) or else 
 God having made it, would have appeared unfaith- 
 fid, in not fulfilling his promise, by redeeming the 
 world without it. 
 
 Third, If a spirit only could have made satisfac- 
 tion, and so have saved man ; then Christ needed 
 not to have come into the world, and to have been 
 born of a woman. Ga. iv. 4. But in that he must 
 come into the world, and must be bora of a woman, 
 it is clear, that without this, he could not have been 
 a Saviour : For he was made of a woman, made 
 under the law, to this end, that he might redeem 
 them that were under the law ; implying. No sub- 
 jection to this, (viz. the taking of the nature of 
 man) no redemption from the curse of the law. 
 But Christ hath delivered from the curse of the 
 law (all that believe in his name) being in their 
 nature made a curse for them. 
 
 And this is the reason, why the fallen angels are 
 not recovered from their damnable estate, because, 
 he did not take hold of their nature, ' For vei'ily 
 he took not on him the nature of angels ; but he 
 took on him the seed of Abraham. He. ii. I6. 
 
 Second, Now then, seeing 
 
 They tliat arc reaecmca, .v- ■ .1 j. j.i r ri j 
 
 must have rcdenvptim this IS the Very truth of God, 
 
 nTlh ttr'natSe"; ^ ^^lall next prove, that Jesus 
 
 for except tliat nature that was bom of the virgin, to 
 
 tliat sinned do bring m ^ , _, . at 
 
 recovery ftom the curse 06 the baviOUr. And, 
 
 fm"'tLtt^e "irnS! First, I shall prove it by com- 
 ned must suffer for its paring some places of the Old 
 
 ovv-n sin. Ga. m. !*• ■, Zr 
 
 and New testament together, 
 and by some argimients drawn from the scriptures. 
 
 1. And first, see Gc.iU. 15. where he is called the 
 seed of the woman, saying, ' I will put enmity be- 
 tween thee and the woman, and between thy seed 
 and her seed;' and so was Jesus, Ga. iv. 4. where it is 
 said, ' God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,' 
 or born of a woman. 
 
 2. This woman must he a virgin, Is.vii.u. where 
 it is said, ' A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, 
 and shall call his name Imanuel.' And Jesus is 
 he that was the fulfilling of this scripture. Mat. i. 22, 
 23. ' Now all this was done, that it might be ful- 
 filled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, 
 saying. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and 
 shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call his 
 name Imanuel.' 
 
 3. The Saviour must be of the tribe of Judah. 
 And this Jacob prophesied of on his death-bed, 
 saying, ' Judah, thou art he whom thy, brethren 
 shall praise,' or honour, ' thy hand shall he in the 
 neck of thine enemies ; thy father's children shall 
 bow down before thee.' Ge. xiix. 8. 
 
 And again. Mi. v. 3. ' But thou, Bethlehem Eph- 
 ratah, though thou he little among the thousands 
 of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth imto 
 me that is to he ruler in Israel.' Jesus also came 
 of the tribe of Judah, and that will clearly appear, 
 if you read. Mat. L Matthew, he begins first witk 
 Abraham, vcr. 2. and thence to Judah vcr. 3. from 
 Judah to David, ver. 6. from David to Zorobabel, ver. 
 13. then to Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband 
 of Mary, of whom was bom Jesus, ver. 16. 
 
 Now Mary was one of the same house also, and 
 for this consider, Jesus came from the loins of 
 David ; see Mat. i. hut that he could not do, if Mary 
 had not been of the seed of David : For Christ 
 came from her, not from him, for Joseph ' knew 
 her not till she had brought forth her first-born.' 
 Mat. i. 25. Again, the angel toH her, that he was 
 the son of David, saying, ' And the Lord God 
 shall give unto him the throne of his father David.' 
 
 Lu. i. 33. 
 
 And again. The Jews knew this very well, or 
 else they would have been sure to have laid it open 
 before all the world ; for they sought by all means 
 to disown him. And though they did thi'ough the 
 devilishness of their unbelief disown him, yet could 
 they find no such thing as to question the right of 
 his birth from Mary. If it had been to be done, 
 they would no doubt have done it ; they did not 
 want mahce to whet them on ; neither did they 
 want means so far as might help forward their 
 malice ; without manifest and apparent injury ; for 
 they had exact registers, or records of their gene- 
 alogies, so that, if they had had any colour for it, 
 they would sure have denied him to have been the 
 son of David. There was reasoning concerning him 
 when he was with them, Jn. vu. 27, 43. and I do believe, 
 part of it was about the generation of which he came. 
 
SOME GOSPEL TROTHS OPENED. 
 
 145 
 
 And this was so commonly known, that the Wind 
 man that sat by the way-side could cry out, ' Jesus 
 thou Son of David, have mercy on me. — Thou Son 
 of David, have mercy on me. ' Lu. xviii. 88, 39. It was 
 so common, that he came from the loins of his 
 father David according to the flesh, that it was 
 not so much as once questioned. ' And when' 
 Herod ' demanded of the chief priests and scribes 
 of the people where Christ should be born. They 
 said unto him, in Bethlehem of Judea : For thus it 
 is written by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem, 
 in the land of Juda, art not the least among the 
 princes of Juda, for out of thee shall come a 
 governor, that shall rule my people Israel. ' Mat. i. 
 4—6. (For out of thee) mark that ; if Mary had not 
 been of Judah, Christ had not come out of Judali, 
 but Christ came out of Judah ; therefore Mary is 
 also a daughter of Judah. And this is evident, as 
 saith the scripture, ' for - - our Lord sprang out of 
 Judah.' He. ™. M. 
 
 Again, when Christ the Saviour was to come 
 into the world, at that time the sceptre was to 
 depart from Judah, according to the prophecy of 
 Jacob. ' The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, 
 nor a law-giver from between his feet, until Shiloh 
 come, ' Ge. xlix. 10. 
 
 Now the sceptre was then departed from those 
 that were Jews by nature, and also the law-giver, 
 and Herod who was a stranger, and not of Judea, 
 was king over them, as Csesar's deputy ; and Caesar 
 Augustus imposed laws on them. 
 
 The stubborn Jews also confessed the sceptre to 
 be departed, when before Pontius Pilate a Roman 
 governor of Judea, they cried out against Christ: 
 ' We have no king but Cesar.' Jn. mc.is. 
 
 Nay farther, the Jews from that day to this, 
 have been without a king of tlieir own nation to 
 govern them: they never had the sceptre swayed 
 since by any of themselves, but have been a scat- 
 tered despised people, and have been as it were 
 liable to all dangers, and for a long time driven 
 out from their country, and scattered over all the 
 nations of the earth, as was prophesied concerning 
 them. Je. xiv. 10. Zee. vi. 14, 15. And yet these poor 
 souls are so horribly deluded by the devil, that 
 though they see these things come to pass, yet 
 they will not believe. And one reason among 
 many, of their being thus deluded, is this, they 
 say that the word sceptre in Ge. xlk. is not meant 
 of a kingly government ; but the meaning is, 
 (say they) a rod, or persecutions shall not depart 
 from Judah till Shiloh come. Now they do most 
 grossly mistake that place ; for though I am not 
 skilled in the Hebrew tongue, yet through grace, I 
 am enlightened into the scriptures ; whereby I find 
 that the meaning is not persecutions, nor the rod 
 of afflictions, but a governor or sceptre of the 
 kingdom shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh 
 VOL. II, 
 
 come. And that this is the meaning of the place, 
 weigh but the very next words of the same verse, 
 and you will find it to be the sceptre of a king that 
 is meant ; for he addeth, ' nor a law-giver from 
 between his feet.' Mark it. The sceptre, nor a 
 law-giver ; the legislative power depending on the 
 sceptre of the kingdom, shall not depart from 
 Judah till Shiloh come. According to that scrip- 
 ture, written in Is. rii. 16. ' For before the child shall 
 know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the 
 land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both 
 her kings.' Which scripture hath been fulfilled 
 from that same time. 
 
 But a word to the Jews' exposition of the sceptre 
 to be a rod, or persecutions ; saying, that persecu- 
 tions shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come. 
 This cannot be the meaning of the place ; for the 
 Jews have had rest oftentimes, and that before 
 Shiloh did come ; at one time they ' had rest four- 
 score years. ' Ju. m. so. Again, 'And the land had 
 rest from war.' Jos. jdv. 15. And again, 'And the 
 Lord gave them rest round about, according to all 
 that he sware unto their fathers, and there stood 
 not a man of all their enemies before them. ' Jos. nxi. 
 44. ' And the land had rest forty years. ' Jn. iii. ll. 
 There was rest many a time from persecution and 
 from the rod, though it were hut for a season ; but 
 the sceptre, or kingdom, did not depart from Judah, 
 and a law-giver from between his feet tOl Shiloh 
 came. 
 
 Second, Again, To prove that Jesus is the 
 Christ, it is clear from the hand of God against 
 the Jews, for putting him to death. What was 
 the reason why they did put him to death, but 
 this. He did say that he was the Christ the Son 
 of God? Lu. xxii.70. ' Then said they all, Art thou 
 then the Son of God? And he said unto them. 
 Ye say that I am. ' That is, I am he as you say, 
 I am the Son of God ; yea, the only begotten Son 
 of the Father, and I was with him before the world 
 
 was. Jn. ix. 37- and xvii. 5. 
 
 Now the Jews did put him to death for his thus 
 owning his own ; that is, for not denying of his 
 Sonship, but making himself equal with God, there- 
 fore did they put him to death. Jn. xix. 7. 
 
 Now God did, and doth most miserably plague 
 them to this very day, for their crucifying of him : 
 But I say, had he not been the Christ of God, 
 God's Son, he would not have laid sin to their 
 charge, for crucifying him ; but rather have praised 
 them for their zeal, and for taking him out of the 
 way, who did rob God of his honour, in that he 
 made himself equal with God, and was not. He 
 would have praised them for doing the thing that 
 was right, as he did Phineas the son of Eleazar, 
 for executing judgment in his time, on the adulterer 
 and adulteress. Nu. xxv. 8. 
 
 But in that he said he was the Son of God, and 
 
146 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TKUTHS OPENED. 
 
 accounted it no robbery so to call himself, ph. ii. 6. 
 And seeing tbat they did put him to death, because 
 he said he was the Son of God ; and in that God 
 doth so severely charge them with, and punish 
 them for their sin in putting him to death, for say- 
 ing that he was the Son of God, it is evident that 
 he was and is the Son of God, and that Saviour 
 that should come into the world. For his blood 
 hath been upon them to this very day for their hurt, 
 according to their desire. Mat-xx-ra. 35. 
 
 Again, Jesus himself doth in this day hold forth 
 that he is the Christ, where he saith, ' The time is 
 fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. ' Mar. i. 
 15. What time is this that Jesus speaks of ? 
 Surely, 'tis that of Daniel's seventy weeks, spoken 
 of in chap. ix. 24. where he saith, ' Seventy weeks are 
 determined upon thy people - - - to finish the 
 transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to 
 make reconcihation ' or satisfaction ' for iniquity, 
 and to bring in everlasting righteousness, - - and to 
 anoint the most Holy.' This time, that here Daniel 
 speaks of, is it that Christ saith hath an end ; and 
 the argument that he brings to persuade them to 
 believe the gospel, is this, ' The kingdom of God is 
 at hand,' (according as was prophesied of it by 
 Daniel) ' repent, and believe the gospel. ' Repent, 
 and believe that this is the gospel ; and that this is 
 the truth of God ; consider, that Daniel had a revela- 
 tion of these days from the angel of God, and also 
 the time in which it should be accomplished: namely. 
 Seventy weeks was the determined time of the 
 Messias his coming, from the time when the angel 
 spake these words to Daniel : Seventy weeks, that 
 is, about 490 years, if you reckon every day in the 
 said seventy weeks for a year : A day for a year, a 
 day for a year ; for so is the Holy Spirit's way some- 
 times to reckon days. Eze. iv. 6. And this the Jews 
 were convinced of, when Christ saith to them, ' Ye 
 hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky ; but 
 can ye not discern the signs of the times ? ' Mat. xvi. s. 
 Do you not see that those things that are spoken 
 of as forerunners of my coming, are accomplished? 
 Do you not see that the sceptre is departed from 
 Judah ? Do you not see the time that Daniel 
 spake of is accomplished also ? There shall no 
 sign be given xmto it, but the sign of the prophet 
 Jonas : ye hypocritical generation ! ver. i. 
 
 Third, Another argument to prove that Jesus 
 is the Clirist, is this. By his power the blind see, 
 the lame walk, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the 
 dead are raised up, the devils are dispossessed. 
 In Is. xixv. 4. it is thus prophesied of him, ' Behold 
 your God will come with vengeance, even God vMh 
 a recompense ; he will come and save you ; ' But 
 how shall we know when he is come ? Why, 
 ' Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and 
 the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then 
 shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue 
 
 of the dumb sing ; for in the wilderness shall w; 
 break out, and streams in the desert.' ver. 6, 6. 
 when John would know whether he were the C! 
 or no, Jesus sends him this very answer, ' Go, 
 shew John (saith he) again those things which 
 do hear and see : the bUnd receive their sight, 
 the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and 
 deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the 
 have the gospel preached to them. Mat. xi. 3—6. 
 
 Fourth, Another argument that doth prove 
 Jesus to be the Christ, is this, namely, he to w 
 it was revealed, that he should see him, thougl 
 waited long for him. So soon as ever he did 
 see that sweet babe that was bom of the vi 
 Mary, he cried out, ' Lord now lettest thou 
 servant depart in peace, according to thy wi 
 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which 1 
 hast prepared before the face of all people ; ' as 
 in Lu. ii. 36— SI. The prophetess Anna also, so i 
 as she had seen him, ' gave thanks to the L 
 and spake of him to aU them that looked 
 redemption in Jerusalem. ' ver. 36—38. 
 
 Fifth, Another argument is, the sign of 
 prophet Jonah. He, even Jonah, was three i 
 and three nights in the whale's belly, Jonah i. 17. 
 Jesus makes this very thing an argument to 
 Jews, that he was the true Messias, where he sa 
 ' An evil and adulterous generation seeketh aft 
 sign;' that is, they would have me to show tl 
 a sign, to prove that I am the Saviour, ' And tl 
 shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the ] 
 phet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and tl 
 nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son 
 man be three days and three nights in the hear 
 the earth.' Mat. xii. 39, 40. And this, the Apo 
 makes mention of to be accomphshed, where 
 says, The Jews slew Jesus, and hanged him a 
 tree, Ac. x. 39. and laid him in a sepulchre. Mat. ; 
 But God raised him up the third day, and shei 
 him openly. Ac. jt. 40. 
 
 Sixth, Another scripture argument to prove t 
 Jesus is the Christ, is this, that there was not 
 of his bones broken ; which thing was foretold 1 
 typed out by the Paschal Lamb, where he sa 
 ' They shall leave none of it unto the morning, 
 break any bone of it,' Ex. xii. 46. No. ix. 12. wh 
 thing was fulfilled in the Son of the virgin, (thoi 
 contrary to the customs of that nation,) as i( 
 written, ' Then came the soldiers, and brake 
 legs of the first, and of the other which was cri 
 fied with him. But when they came to Jesus, 1 
 saw that he was dead already, they break not 
 legs:' Jn. xix. 33, 33. 'that the scripture should be 
 filled, A bone of him shall not be broken. ' ver. a 
 
 Seventh, Another scripture demonstration is 
 that they did fulfil the saying that was writi 
 ' They part my garments among them, and ( 
 lots upon my vesture.' Ps. xxii.i8. But this ■ 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 147 
 
 also fulfilled in Jesus, as ib is written ; ' Then the 
 soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his 
 garments, and made four parts, to every soldier 
 a part; and also his coat: now the coat was 
 without seam, - - They said therefore among 
 themselves, let us not rend it, hut cast lots for 
 it whose it shall he : that the scripture might he 
 fulfilled, which saith. They parted my raiment 
 among them, and for my vesture they did cast 
 
 lots. ' Jn. xii. 23, 24 
 
 Eighth, Again, The scripture saith, ' they shall 
 look upon me, whom they have pierced.' Zeo. xii. lo. 
 But the soldier thrust a spear into his side, That 
 it might he fulfilled which was written, ' they 
 shall look on him whom they pierced.' Jn. xix. 
 84^-37. 
 
 Err<yr\. Now then, seeing this is the truth of God, 
 
 that Jesus that was horn of the virgin, is the Christ 
 
 of God ; how horrihly are those deceived who look 
 
 on Jesus the Son of Mary, to he hut a shadow 
 
 or type, of something that was afterward to he 
 
 revealed ; whereas the scriptures most lively hold 
 
 bim forth to be the Christ of God, and not a shadow 
 
 of a spirit, or of a body afterwards to be revealed, 
 
 but himself was the very substance of all things that 
 
 did any way type out Christ to come ; and when 
 
 he was indeed come, then was an end put to the 
 
 law for righteousness, or justification to every one 
 
 that believeth ; ' Christ is the end of the law for 
 
 righteousness to every one that believeth,' as it is 
 
 written. Eo. y. 4. That is, he was the end of the 
 
 ceremonial law, and of that commonly called the 
 
 iporal law, the substance of which is laid down, 
 
 Ex. XX. from the first to the 17th verse, though that 
 
 law, as handed out by Christ, still remains of great 
 
 use to all believers, which they are bound to 
 
 , . ,. , ,, , , keep for sanctification, as Christ 
 A peliever hath no law to , ^ i r\ i 
 
 fulfil for justification; saith. Mat. V. loth vcrse, to 
 
 only to believe on what ,, jrj.i ix -Do. 
 
 the man Christ Jesus the end of the chapter. Uut 
 hath done and he saved, q^^-^^^^ jgg^g ^inth. obtained 
 
 everlasting righteousness, having fulfilled all the 
 law of God in the body of his flesh, wherein he 
 also sufiered on the cross without the gates, and 
 doth impute this righteousness to poor man, having 
 accomplished it for him in the body of his flesh, 
 which he took of the virgin. Gal. St. 4. ' God sent 
 forth his Son, made of a woman, [that is, born of 
 the virgin] made under the law,' that is, to obey 
 it, and to bear the curse of it, ' being made a curse 
 for us ; ' Ga. ill 13. to redeem them that were imder 
 the law, that is, to redeem such as were ordained 
 to life eternal, from the curse of the law. And 
 this he did by his birth, being made or horn of a 
 woman ; by his obedience, yea, by his perfect obe- 
 dience ' he became the author of eternal salvation 
 unto aU them that obey him ; ' He. v. 8, 9. and by his 
 doing and suffering, did completely satisfy the law 
 and the justice of God, and bring in that glorious 
 
 and everlasting salvation, with- See He. ix. 23, ana com. 
 out which we had all eternally Ke he'snitii,'';™'; of 
 been undone, and that without JJ^Jf^tettf 11^" 
 remedy ; for without shedding of »*'•' 'wi"?.'' "an »'i« 
 
 , . ., , ^ , . . Jesus, ch, vu. 22. 
 
 his blood therewas no remission. 
 
 Error 2. Seeing Jesus Christ, the Son of the 
 virgin Mary, was and is the Christ of God ; and 
 that salvation came in alone by him, for there is 
 salvation in no other, Ac. iv. 12. then how are they 
 deceived, that think to obtain salvation by follow- 
 ing the convictions of the law, which they call 
 Christ (though falsely) when alas, let them follow 
 those convictions that do come from the law, and 
 conscience set on work by it ; I say, let them fol- 
 low aU the convictions that may be hinted in upon 
 their spirits from that law, they shall never be able 
 to obtain salvation by their obedience to it, ' for by 
 the law is the knowledge of sin. ' Ro. iii. 20. Ga. iii. lo. 
 On. X. 16. He. ix. 12. And ' It is not of works least any 
 man should boast,' as those fond hypocrites called 
 Quakers would do. And again, ' If righteousness 
 come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.' Ga. 
 ii. 21. ' But that no man is justified by the works 
 of the law, in the sight of God, it is evident : for. 
 The just shall live by faith. ' Ga. iii. ii. Which living 
 by faith, is to apply the Lord Jesus Christ his 
 benefits, as birth, righteousness, death, blood, resur- 
 rection, ascension, and intercession, with the glo- 
 rious benefits of his second coming to me, as mine, 
 being given to me, and for me, and thus much doth 
 the Apostle signify, saying ; ' The Mfe which I 
 now live in the flesh I Uve by the faith of the 
 Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for 
 
 me.' Ga- iL 20. 
 
 Error 3. Again, Seeing God's Christ, which 
 was with him before the world was, Jn. \vii. 6. took 
 upon him flesh and blood from the virgin Mary, 
 (who was espoused to Joseph the carpenter) and 
 in that human nature yielded himself an ofiering 
 for sin, (for it was the body of his flesh by which 
 sin was purged, Col. i 22.) I say, seeing the Son of 
 God, as he was in a body of flesh, did bring in 
 salvation for sinners, and by this means, as I said 
 before, we are saved, even by faith in his blood, 
 righteousness, resurrection, &c. How are they 
 then deceived who own Christ no otherwise than 
 as he was before the world began, who was then 
 without flesh and blood (for he took that in time 
 of the virgin. Ga. iv. 4. He. ii. 14.) I say, they are 
 wickedly deluded, who own him no otherwise but 
 as he was before the world was : For in their own- 
 ing of him thus and no otherwise, they do directly 
 deny him to be come in the flesh, and are of that 
 antichristian party which John speaks of, i Jn- i''- s. 
 ' Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ 
 is come in the flesh, is not of God : and this is that 
 spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it 
 should come, and even now already is it in the 
 
148 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TEUTHS OPENED. 
 
 world. ' Now because the enemy doth most notahly 
 wrest this scripture, as they do others, to their 
 own damnation, I shall apeak something to it ; and 
 therefore, when he saith, every spirit that confesseth 
 not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of 
 God, his meaning is. Every spirit that doth not con- 
 fess that that Christ that was with the Father 
 before the world was, did in the appointed time of 
 the Father come into the world, took on him a 
 body from the virgin, and was very man as well 
 as very God, and in that body of flesh did do and 
 sufier whatsoever belonged to the sons of men for 
 the breach of the holy law of God, and impute his 
 glorious righteousness which he fulfilled in that 
 body of his flesh, to the souls that shall believe on 
 what he hath done, and is adoing in the same body. 
 
 Consider 1 . And that this is the mind of the Spirit 
 of God, consider, first, he himself saith, handle me 
 and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye 
 see me have, when his disciples had thought he had 
 been but a spirit. Lu. xxiv. 39, 40. 
 
 Consider 2. Now that in this flesh he died for 
 sins : consider, secondly, that scripture which saith, 
 ' Who his own self, (that is, the Christ that was 
 bom of the Virgin) bare our sins in his own body 
 on the tree. ' i Pe. ii. 21. See CoL i. 33. ' in the body 
 of his flesh,' saith he, 'to present you holy and 
 unblameable, and unreprovable in his sight. ' Now 
 that he arose again from the dead, with the body 
 of flesh wherewith he was crucified, consider, that 
 forenamed scripture, Lu. xxiT.39, 40. spoken after his 
 resurrection. 
 
 Now that he went away with the same body 
 from them into heaven, consider that it is said, 
 ' And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and 
 he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it 
 came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted 
 from them, and carried up into heaven,' Lu.xxiv. so, 
 61. This is the meaning of those words therefore ; 
 Jesus Christ is come into the flesh, that is, Jesus 
 Christ hath come in the flesh that he took of the 
 Virgin, hath brought us who were enthralled to 
 the law, the devil, and sin, to liberty; and that 
 by his obedience and death. ' Forasmuch then as 
 the children are partakers of flesh and blood, (saith 
 the scripture) he, (Christ) also himself likewise 
 took part of the same ;' wherefore? ' That through 
 death he might destroy him that had the power of 
 death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who 
 through fear of death were all their life-time sub- 
 ject to bondage.' He. ii. 14, 15. For he 'was delivered 
 for our ofienees, and was raised again for our justi- 
 fication.' Ko. iv. S3. For he, even that man, through 
 the power of the eternal Spirit, did ofier up him- 
 self without spot to God, and thereby, or by that 
 offering, ' obtained eternal redemption for us.' lie. 
 is. 12, 14. And therefore I say again and again, look 
 to yourselves, that you receive no Christ except 
 
 God's Christ: For he is like to be deceived t' 
 wiU believe every thing that calls itself a Chr 
 ' For many, [saith he] shall come in my name, 
 and shall deceive many. ' Mat. xxiv. 5. 
 
 Ifow having spoken thus much touching 
 Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, I shall, according 
 the assistance of the Lord Jesus, proceed, and sh 
 speak something of his godhead, birth, death, res 
 rection, ascension, and intercession ; together u 
 his most glorious and personal appearing the seco 
 time, which wiU he to raise the dead, and bri 
 every work to judgment. Ec. xii. 14. 
 
 And FIRST I shall shew you that he (Christ) 
 very God, co-eternal, and also co-equal with '. 
 Father. Second, That by this Son of Me 
 (which is equal with his Father) the world n 
 made. Third, That he in the fulness of time, \i 
 made of a woman, made under the law, to redei 
 them that were (or are) under the law ; that 
 was bom of a woman : and in our nature (for 
 made himself of no reputation, and took on h 
 the form of a servant, and was made in the lil 
 ness of men) and in our stead he did fulfil the 1 
 in point of justification. So. x. 4. and was crucif 
 for our transgressions. 1 Co. i. 23—25. Fourth, T1 
 very body of the Son of Mary which was crucifii 
 did rise again from the dead, after he had be 
 buried in Joseph's sepulchre; that he in thatve 
 body ascended up into heaven ; and in that v( 
 body shall come again to these ends, 1. To jud 
 the quick and the dead. 2. To receive his sau 
 to himself. 3. To pass eternal condemnation 
 his enemies. These things in brief I shall ton 
 upon, according to the wisdom given me. 
 
 First, And therefore that Christ is very God 
 shall yirsi prove by plain texts of scripture. Secor 
 From the testimony of God, angels, and men, tt 
 nessed by the scriptures. Third, By seve: 
 argiunents drawn from scripture, which will pre 
 the same clearly. 
 
 First, Then to prove it by the scriptures ; tl 
 indeed the whole book of God's holy scriptu 
 testify these things plainly to be most true, j 
 there be some places more pregnant and pertin( 
 to the thing than others ; and therefore I sh 
 mention some of them : as that in Pr. yiii. 22, &c. a 
 there you shall find him spoken of under the na; 
 of Wisdom, the same name that is given him 
 1 Co. i. 24. I say in that place of the Proverbs ab( 
 mentioned, you shall find these expressions fn 
 his own mouth. ' The Lord possessed me in I 
 beginning of his way, before liis works of old. 
 was set up from everlasting, from the begmnh 
 or ever the earth was. When there were no dept 
 I was brought forth ; when there were no founta 
 abounding with water. Before the mounta 
 were settled, before the hiUs was I brought fort 
 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 149 
 
 fields, nor tho highest part of the dust of the 
 world. When he prepared the heavens, I loas 
 there : when he set a compass upon the face of the 
 depth : When he estabhshed the clouds above : 
 when he strengthened the fountains of the deep : 
 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the 
 waters should not pass his commandment : when 
 he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then 
 I was by him, as one brought up with him : and I 
 was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him ; 
 rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth ; and 
 my dehghts were with the sons of men. ' Also in 
 Jn. i. 1, 2. you have these words spoken of Christ, 
 ' In the beginning was the Word, and the Word 
 was with God, and the Word was God. The 
 same was in the beginning with God.' As also in 
 He.i. 3. the Apostle being about to prove the Son of 
 Mary to be very God, saith ; He ' hath in these 
 last days spolien unto us by his Son ;' which Son 
 is the Son of Mary, as in Mat. iU. ' But (saith the 
 Apostle He. i. 8.) imto the Son Jie saith. Thy throne, 
 
 God, is for ever and ever, a sceptre of righte- 
 ousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.' Again, 
 in Jn. jtvii 5. yon have the words of the Son of Mary 
 for it, saying, ' And now, Father, glorify thou 
 me with thine own self, with the glory which I had 
 with thee before the world was.' Again, he him- 
 self saith, before Abraham was, I am : And again, 
 
 1 and my Father are one. And in Piii. ii. 6. the 
 Apostle saith, ' Let this mind be in you which was 
 also in Christ Jesus : who, being in the form of 
 God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 
 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon 
 him the form of a servant, and was made in the 
 likeness of men.' Also Re. ii 8. Christ himself 
 saith, I am 'the first and the last, which was dead, 
 and is ahve. ' And thus have I quoted some few 
 scriptures to prove that the Son of Mary is the 
 true God. 
 
 Second, I shall give you the testimony of God 
 himself touching the truth of this, viz. That 
 Christ, the Son of the Virgin, is the true God: 
 
 1. And first see Zec. xuL 7- and there you shall find 
 these words, 'Awake, sword, against my shep- 
 herd, and against the man t/iat is my fellow, saith 
 the Lord of hosts.' In this place the Lord doth 
 call that Man his fellow, which he doth not do to 
 any mere creature. Again, in Mat. m. 17. he calls 
 him his beloved Son, saying, ' This is my beloved 
 Son, in whom I am well pleased.' And in the 
 aforesaid place of the Hebrews, cU. i, the Apostle 
 advancing the Lord Jesus, brings in this question. 
 ' To which of the angels said he at any time. 
 Thou art my Son ?' ver. s. ' But unto the Son Ae 
 saith, Ter.8. Thy throne, God, is for ever and 
 ever:' And thus far of the testimony that God 
 himself hath given of the Son of Mary, Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 2. The angels do shew that he is God: (1.) In 
 that they do obey him. (2.) In that they worship 
 him. 
 
 (1.) That they obey him, is clear, if we com- 
 pare Re. xxi. 9. with xxii. 6. In the first of these places 
 we find, that there came one of the angels of the 
 seven vials, which had the seven last plagues, and 
 talked with John. He came not of himself ; for 
 in that x.\ii. ch. ver. 0. ho saith, ' The Lord - - sent 
 his angel to shew unto his servants, the things 
 which must shortly be done.' Now in the iGth ver. 
 you may see who this Lord God is : He saith there, 
 'I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify - - these 
 things in the churches, [compare Re. i. 1.] I am the 
 root and (as well as) the ofispring of David, and 
 the bright and morning star.' I say this obedience 
 of the angels doth testify that Jesus, which is the 
 Son of Mary, is the true and very God ; for they 
 do obey God only. 
 
 (2.) The angels do shew that the Son of Mary, 
 is the true God, in that they do not only obey 
 him, but worship him also; yea, they are com- 
 manded so to do, He i. 6. where it is written, ' When 
 he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he 
 (i. e. God,) saith. And let all the angels of God 
 worship him,' viz. the Son of Mary. Now the 
 angels themselves command that we worship none 
 but God, Re. xxii. 8, 9. When John fell down to wor- 
 ship the angel, the angel said, ' See thou do it not: 
 for I am thy fellow servant, - - worship God.' 
 Now if the angels should command to worship 
 God, and they themselves should worship him that 
 by nature is no god, they should overthrow them- 
 selves, in commanding one thing, and doing another, 
 and so lose their ovi'n habitations, and be shut up 
 in chains of darkness, to be punished with ever- 
 lasting destruction from God himself at the great 
 day. And thus much concerning the testimony 
 of angels touching Jesus the Son of Mary, the 
 Son of God, yea, very and true God. Is. ix. 6. 
 
 3. [The testimony of men witnessed by the scrip- 
 tures do shew that Christ is very God.] Now foUow- 
 eth David his testimony among other of the saints, 
 who witness Jesus the Son of Mary to be true God ; 
 and that you may find in Ps. ex. 1. where he saith, 
 ' The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at 
 my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy 
 footstool.' Also Isaiah in the 9tli. ch. ver. 6. saith, 
 ' For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is 
 given ; and the government shall be upon his 
 shoulder : and his name shall be called Wonder- 
 ful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting 
 Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of 
 his government and peace there shaU he no end, 
 upon the throne of David, (which is not, nor ever 
 was the heart of any believer) and upon his king- 
 dom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment 
 and with justice from henceforth even for ever. 
 
150 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 Tlie zeal of the Loed of hosts will perform this,' 
 Again, see Peter's testimony of this Son of Mary ; 
 When Jesus asked his disciples, whom say ye 
 that I am ? Peter, as the mouth of the rest, said, 
 ' Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. ' 
 Mat. xvi. 16. Also when Thomas, one of Christ's dis- 
 ciples, Tvoidd not he persuaded by the others that 
 they had seen the Lord, except he did also see in 
 his hands the print of the nails, and put his fingers 
 into the print of the nails, and thrust his hand 
 into his side, he would not believe. Saith the Son 
 of Mary, ' Reach hither thy finger, and behold my 
 hands ; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it 
 into my side ; and be not faithless but believing. ' 
 And then Thomas breaks out with a mighty faith, 
 and a glorious testimony for his master, and saith, 
 'My Lord, and my God.' Jn. xx.27, 33. Again, See 
 Paul's testimony of him, Eo. Lx. 5. where speaking 
 of the Son of Mary, he saith. That Christ came 
 of the Fathers, ' who is over all, God blessed for 
 ever, Amen.' And the apostle John doth also 
 witness as much, i Jn. v. 20. where speaking of Jesus 
 Christ, he saith on this wise, 'And we know that 
 the Son of God is come, and hath given us an 
 understanding, that we may know him that is true, 
 and we are in him that is true, (Wlio is that? 
 why, saith John) even in his Son Jesus Christ.' 
 Who is he ? Why, ' This is the true God, and 
 eternal life.' 
 
 I could here also bring in the testimony of the 
 very devils themselves, as Lu. iv. 4i ; viii. 28. where he 
 is by them acknowledged to be the Son of the 
 living God : But it is needless so to do ; for we 
 have plainly proved it already. 
 
 Third, Now foUoweth the several scripture argu- 
 ments, which wiU prove that Jesus the Son of Mary 
 is very God. 
 
 1. There is none but he that is the true 
 God, can satisfy the justice of the true God, for 
 the breach of his holy law ; but if you compare 
 Is. liii. 6. with Mat. iii. 17. you shall find, tliat Jesus the 
 Son of Mary did give God a full and complete 
 satisfaction for the breach of his holy law ; there- 
 fore Jesus the Son of Mary must needs be the 
 great and true God. 
 
 2. He that hath power of his own to lay down 
 his life, and hath power of his own to take it up 
 again, must needs be the true God : but this did 
 Jesus the Son of Mary the virgin ; therefore he 
 must needs be the true God. Jn. x. 17. Eo. i. 4 
 
 3. There was never any able to bear the sins of 
 all the believers in the world, that ever were, now 
 are, or hereafter shall be, but the true God : But 
 Jesus, the Son of the Virgin Mary, did bear them 
 all, ' in his own body on the tree.' 1 Pe. ii. 24. is. Uii. 6. 
 Therefore Jesus the Son of Mary must needs be 
 the true God as well as man. 
 
 4. There Avas never any mere man able, by his 
 
 own power, to overcome the If^'i',eS^?"£™H 
 devil in all his temptations, but were tavt under^.^^tl^ 
 he that is also the true God. (for ftought, it would make 
 
 , , . 1 . , ,. r ' «,.. them to cry out with 
 
 Adam m ms state 01 mnocency cain. My punishment ia 
 was overcome by them, and fell g",'=f it'" ^ "^ "''"' 
 under them :) But Jesus the Son 
 of the Virgin did overcome them all by his own 
 power ; therefore he is very God, as well as verj 
 
 Man. See Ge. iii. 15. is. li. 9 i kiii. 5. Mat. iv. 24. Lu. iv. 13. 
 
 5. There was never any that did call himself 
 the true God (and was not) which did please God 
 in so doing. But Jesus the Son of Mary did call 
 himself the true God, or account himself equal 
 with God (which is all one) yet God was well 
 
 pleased with him. Mat. iii. 17. Phi. ii. 6, 7. Jn. viii. 29. And 
 therefore Jesus the Son of Mary must needs be 
 true God as well as man. 
 
 6. There was never any that had all power in 
 heaven and in earth, but the true God. Jesus the 
 Son of the Virgin Mary, who was espoused to 
 Joseph, hath all power in heaven and in earth in 
 his own hand. Therefore he is the true and great 
 
 God. Mat. xxviii. 18. 
 
 7. There was never any able to keep poor souls 
 from falling from God, saving he that is the true 
 God. Jesus the Son of Mary did, and doth this. 
 Jn. X. 27—30 ; xvii. 12. Therefore he is the true and 
 great God. 
 
 8. Never could any justly call himself the first 
 and the last, except the true God, nor truly (as 
 the Lord did say) I am. But these did Jesus the 
 
 Son of Mary. Ee. i. 1. compared with ver. 17, 18 ; Ee. ii. 8. anil 
 
 Jn. viii. 58. Therefore Jesus must needs be true God 
 as well as man. 
 
 9. Never was there any that could absolutely 
 forgive sins but God. Mar. ii. 7. Lu. v. 21. But Jesus 
 the Son of the Virgin Mary, can forgive sins. Lu. 
 V. 20. Mar. ii. 5. Therefore Jesus the Son of Mary 
 must needs be true God, as well as man. 
 
 10. The scriptures never call any the true and 
 living God; but he that is the true God. The 
 scriptures call Jesus, the Son of the Virgin, the 
 true God. is. ix. 6. l Jn. V. 20. Therefore he is the true 
 and great God. 
 
 11. He that made all things, whether they be 
 visible, or invisible, whether they be thrones or 
 dominions, or principalities, or powers, must needs 
 be the true God. But Jesus the Son of the Vir- 
 gin Mary did make aU these. Coi.i. 14^18. Ju.i. i— 16. 
 He. i. 3, 3. And therefore he is the true God as well 
 as man. 
 
 12. The blood of a mere finite creature could 
 never obtain eternal redemption for sinners. But 
 the blood of Jesus, the Son of the Virgin Mary, 
 hath obtained eternal redemption for sinners. Eo. iii. 
 25; V. 9. He. ix. 12, I4j x. 19, 20. Therefore the blood of 
 the Son of the Virgin, must needs be the blood of 
 God. And so the Apostle calleth it, saying to 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 151 
 
 tlie pastors of the churches, ' Feed the church of 
 God, which he hath purchased with his own Wood. ' 
 
 Ac. XX. 28. 1 Jn.iii. 16. 
 
 13. Never was there any that could overcome 
 death in his own power, hut the true God. Ho. xiu, 
 i4i3Ti. 1. 10. He. i. 3. Jesus the Son of the Virgin 
 Mary did overcome death hy himself. He. m. 14. 
 Therefore he is the true God as well as man. 
 
 14. He that searcheth the hearts, and knovveth 
 the thoughts of men, must needs he the true God. 
 Je. xvii. 10. But Jesus the Son of the Virgin doth. 
 Lu. V.22; ix. 47. Jn. fi. 24, 25. Therefore he is the true 
 God. 
 
 15. He that hy his own power commandeth the 
 rajjins: sea, must needs he the true God. Job xxxviii. 
 10, 11. Pr. Tiii. 29. But this did Jesus the Son of Mary. 
 Mar. iv. 39^1. Lu, viii. 24. Therefore, he is the true 
 God. 
 
 16. He that is the wisdom, power, and glory of 
 God, must needs he the true God. But Jesus the 
 Son of the Virgin is all these, as i Co i. 34. He. i. 3. 
 Therefore Jesus the Son of the Virgin must needs 
 he true God as well as man. 
 
 Second. — The next thing that I am to prove, is 
 this; namely. That hy this Jesus Christ, the Son 
 of the Virgin, the world was made: And here 
 I shall he hrief, having touched on it already. 
 Only I shall lay down some of the scriptures, that 
 hold forth this to he a truth, and so pass to the 
 next things that I intend to speak of. 
 
 And therefore in the first place, see He. i. 3 where 
 the Apostle is speaking of the Son of God, which 
 Son was horn of the Virgin Mary, according to 
 these scriptures mentioned hefore. Mat. i. is— 33. Lu. 
 ii. Mat. iii. 17. where God himself saith, This is my 
 heloved Son, &c. This Son of God, saith the 
 Apostle, hy whom God hath spoken to us, hy him 
 also he made the worlds. And Col. i. the Apostle 
 speaking of the deUverance of the saints, saith, 
 ' who hath deUvered us from the power of dark- 
 ness, and translated us into the kingdom of his 
 dear Son : In whom we have redemption through 
 his Wood, even the forgiveness of sins:' And is 
 that all ? No, hut he is (also) ' the image of the 
 invisihle God, the first horn of every creature.' 
 ver. 16. And in ver. 16, 17. ' By him were all things 
 created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, 
 visible and invisihle, whether the?/ be thrones, or 
 dominions, or principalities, or powers : all things 
 were created hy him, and for him: And he is 
 hefore aU things, and hy him all things consist. ' 
 Also He. i. 10. it is thus written of this Son of God, 
 Christ Jesus the Son of Mary, 'And, Thou, Lord, 
 in the heginning hast laid the foundation of the 
 earth: and the heavens are the works of thine 
 hands.' And again, John i. and the first 9 verses, 
 the Evangelist, or Apostle, speaking of the Son, 
 saith, ' In the heginning was the Word, ' which 
 
 Word was the Son. Re. xix. 13. This Word, or Son, 
 was with God, and the Word was God. All things 
 were made hy him, and without him was not any 
 thing made that was made. ' In him was life ; 
 and the life was the light of men. And the light 
 shineth in darkness ; and the darkness compre- 
 hended it not.' But in the ninth verse of this 
 first chapter of John, it is written, ' T/iat was the 
 true light, which lighteth every man that cometh 
 into the world.' Now seeing the Lord hath 
 brought me thus far; and because the Quakers hy 
 wresting this scripture, do not only split themselves 
 upon it, hut endeavour also to split others, 1 shall 
 therefore, before I proceed any further, speak a few 
 words to it ; and they are these that follow.^ 
 
 The Apostle in these nine first verses, or most 
 of them, is speaking of the divinity or godhead of 
 the Son of Mary, and shewing that he made the 
 world : Now in this ninth verse he speaketh of 
 man as he is in his coming into the world, and not 
 as he is a regenerate person. Now every man as 
 he comes into the world, receives a light from 
 Christ, as he is God, which light is the conscience, 
 that some call Christ though falsely. This light, 
 or conscience, will shew a man that there is a God, 
 and that this God is eternal. Ko. i. 20. This light 
 doth discover this eternal God hy his works in the 
 world ; for saith the scripture hefore named, ' The 
 invisible things of him (meaning God) from the 
 creation of the world are clearly seen, being under- 
 stood hy the things that are made, even his eter- 
 nal power and godhead;' This light also will 
 reprove of sin, or convince of, and make manifest 
 sins against the law of this eternal God : so that 
 man, before he is regenerate, is able by that light 
 to know that sins against the law, are sins against 
 God, as is manifested in the unconverted Pharisees, 
 who, (as Christ told them) had neither the love of 
 God, nor the word of God abiding in them, Jd.v.ss, 
 43. yet knew sins against the law, to be sins ; for 
 they were offended at a woman for committing 
 adultery, which act was forbidden, hy the law ; 
 Mat. V. 27, 28. and it is said also, they were convicted 
 of sin hy their own consciences. Jn. viii. 7—10. 
 
 Again, The Apostle writing to the Corinthians, 
 and admonishing them to walk orderly, 1 Co. xi. 14. 
 turns them to nature itself, saying, 'Doth not even 
 nature itself teach you?' &c. This hght surely 
 is that, wherewith Christ, as he is God, hath 
 enlightened every man that cometh into the 
 world, which doth convince of sins against the law 
 of God. Therefore, as the Apostle saith, Ko. i. 20. 
 They are left without excuse. That is, they have 
 their own conscience, that doth shew them there 
 is a God, and that this God is to he served and 
 obeyed ; and the neglect of this will be sure to 
 damn them, though the obedience to the law will 
 not save them, because they are not able to make 
 
152 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TUUTHS OPENED. 
 
 a full recompense to God for the sius that are 
 past ; neither are they ahle for the time to come, 
 ifworkswouWdait, ^° J'^^ld a fuU, Continual, and com- 
 wliat need is there of plete obedience to the law of this 
 dent that works will ahnighty, infinite, and eternal God. 
 the're'miSthefelth ^or as many as are of the works 
 inthehloDdofJesua of the law, are under the curse: for 
 
 tlie Son of Mary. ... 
 
 it IS written, ' Cursed is every one 
 that continueth not in all things which are written 
 in the hook of the law to do them. But that no 
 man is justified by the [works of the] law, - it 
 is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 
 
 Ga. iu. 10. 11. 
 
 But now, though Christ, as he is God, doth 
 give a light to every one that cometh into the 
 world, which light is the conscience, (as they them- 
 selves confess ;) yet it doth not therefore follow 
 that this conscience is the Spirit of Christ, or the 
 work of grace, wrought in the heart of any man 
 whatsoever ; for every one hath conscience, yet 
 every one hath not the Spirit of Christ : For Jude 
 speaks of a company of men in his days, who had 
 not the Spirit of Christ, Jude 19. ' These he they 
 who separate themselves, (saith he) sensual, hav- 
 ing not the spirit. ' Yea, Heathens, Turks, Jews, 
 Pagans, Athiests, have that also that doth con- 
 vince of sin, and yet are so far from having the 
 Spirit of Christ iu them, that it is their great 
 delight to serve their lusts, this world, their sins ; 
 whereas the Apostle saith plainly, ' If Christ be in 
 you, the body is dead because of sin ; but the 
 Spirit is life for righteousness sake. ' Ko. viii. :o. * 
 So that those who are alive to their sins, have not 
 the Spirit of Christ. Nay, let me tell you, the 
 very devils themselves, who were thrown from 
 their first state by sin, Jude 6. have such a taste 
 of their horrible sins, 3 Pe. ii. i. that when they did 
 but suppose that Jesus was come to put an end to 
 their tyrannical dealing with the world, and to 
 bring them to judgment for their sins, (to which 
 they know they shall be brought,) it made them 
 cry out, 'Art thou come hither to torment us be- 
 fore the time?' Mat. viii. S9. James doth also signify 
 this much unto us, where he saith, ' The devils 
 also believe and tremble. ' Ja. ii. 19. Whicli belief of 
 theirs is not a believing in Christ to save them ; 
 for they know he did not take hold on their nature. 
 He. ii. 16. But they do believe that Christ will come 
 to their everlasting torment ; and the belief of this 
 doth make these proud spirits to tremble. 
 
 Again, Man at his coming into the world, hath 
 his conscience given him, which doth convince of 
 sin, Jn. ii. 9. and viii. 9. yet man, as he cometh into 
 the world, hath not the Spirit of Christ in him ; 
 for that must be received afterward, by the preach- 
 
 * Banyan q\iotes tkis passage from the Gcuevau or Puritan 
 version. — Eu. 
 
 ing of the word, which is preached by the minis 
 ters and servants of Jesus Christ. This is God' 
 usual way to communicate of his Spirit into thi 
 hearts of his elect ; and this is clear in so man; 
 words, where Peter preaching to a certain number 
 the scripture saith, ' While Peter yet spake thesi 
 words, the Holy Ghost, [or Holy Spirit, ] fell on al 
 them which heard the word. ' Ac. x. 44. And again 
 Cia.iii. ver. 2 and 5. compared together, ' Received ye th( 
 Spirit by the works of the law, (saith the Apostle 
 or by the bearing of faith ? ' or the Gospel, which ii 
 the word of faith preached by us ? Which Spirit 
 as Christ saith, the world cannot receive, beeaus( 
 it seeth him not, neither knoweth him, though hii 
 children shall have fellowship with him to the greai 
 comfort of their own souls. Jn. xiv. 16, 17. 
 
 But now, this merciless butcherer of men, th( 
 devil, that he might be sure to make the soul fal 
 short of glory, if possible, endeavours to persuade 
 the soul that its state is good ; that it hath th< 
 Spirit of Christ in it ; and for a proof of the same, 
 saith he, turn thy mind inward, and listen within, 
 and see if there be not that within thee that dot! 
 convince of sin : Now the poor soul ; finding this 
 to he so, all on haste (if it be willing to profess] 
 through ignorance of the Gospel, claps in witl 
 these motions of its own conscience, which dot! 
 command to abstain from this evil, and to practise 
 that good ; which, if neglected, will accuse and 
 torment for the same neglect of others, both now 
 and hereafter. Eo. ii. 15. 
 
 Now the soul seeing that there is something 
 within that convinceth of sin, doth all on a sudden 
 close with that, supposing it is the Spirit of Christ, 
 and so through this mistake, is carried away with 
 the teachings and convictions of its own conscience, 
 (being misinformed by the devil) unto the works 
 of the law ; under which, though it work all its 
 days, and labour with its might and main, yet it 
 never wU] be able to appease the wrath of God, 
 nor get from under the curse of the law, nor get 
 from under the guilt of one sinful thought the 
 right way, which is to he done by believing what 
 another man hath done by himself, without us, on 
 the cross, without the gates of Jerusalem. He. i. 3,3. 
 
 Ho. V. 16. See also for this, IPe. ii. 24.He.xiii.13. The 
 
 one saith. He bare our sins in his own body on the 
 tree ; the other saith, It was done without the 
 gate. 
 
 And thus the poor soul is most horribly carried 
 away headlong, and thrown down violently uudei 
 the curse of the law, under which it is held all its 
 days, if God of his mere mercy prevent not ; and 
 at the end of its life doth faU into the very bellj 
 of heU. 
 
 Again, That the devil migbt be sure to carry or 
 his design, he now begins to counterfeit the worl 
 of grace : Here he is very subtil, and doth trans- 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 153 
 
 form himself Into an angel of light. 2 Co. xi. 14. Now 
 he makes the soul helieve that he is its friend, and 
 that he is a gospel minister ; and if the soul will he 
 led by what shall he made known unto it by the 
 light (or conscience) within, it shall not need to 
 fear but it shall do well. 
 
 Now he counterfeits the new birth, persuading 
 them, that it is wrought by following the light 
 that they brought into the world with them. Now 
 he begins also to make them run through difficul- 
 ties : and now, like Baal's priests, they must lance 
 themselves with knives, &c. Now, 1656, quakers 
 are changed to the laws of the world. Now they 
 must wear no hatbands ; now they must live with 
 bread and water; now they must give heed to 
 seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, which bids 
 them abstain from marriage, and commands them 
 to abstain from meats, which God hath created to 
 be received with thanksgiving, of them which love 
 and know the truth, as in i Ti. iv. i— 3. Now they 
 must not speak, except their spirit moves them, (I 
 do not say the Spirit of Chiist) though when it 
 moves, they will speak such sad blasphemies, and 
 vent such horrible doctrines, that it makes me 
 wonder to see the patience of God, in that he doth 
 not command, either the groimd to open her mouth, 
 and swallow them up, or else suffer the devil to 
 fetch them away alive, to the astonishment of the 
 whole world. 
 
 Object. But you will say, doth not the scripture 
 say, that it is the Spirit of Christ that doth make 
 manifest or convince of sin? Jn. irri. 8. 
 
 Answ. Yes, it doth so. But for the better 
 understanding of this place, I shall lay down this ; 
 namely. That there are two things spoken of in the 
 scriptures, which do manifest sin, or convince of 
 sin. Fir^, The law, as saith the Apostle. Eo. m. 
 20. ' Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall 
 no flesh be justified in his sight : [viz., God's 
 sight : ] for by the law is the knowledge of sin. ' Se- 
 vondly, The Spirit of Christ doth make manifest, or 
 reprove of sin, as it is written. Jn. xvi. 8, 9. 'And 
 when he (the Spirit) is come, he will reprove the 
 world of sm, and of righteousness, and of judg- 
 ment: Of sin, because they believe not on me;' 
 saith the Son of Mary, which is Christ. 
 
 Now the law doth sometimes by its own power 
 manifest sin without the Spirit of Christ; as in 
 the case of Judas, who was convinced of the sin of 
 murder, which made him cry out, ' 1 have sinned ; ' 
 „ , , vet at that time he was so far from 
 
 lie Imnsed •; . „ . . ,. ^, • ^ • i ■ 
 
 himself imme- having the Spirit of Christ in iiim, 
 Mat!Lvii.3— that he was most violently possessed 
 ^- of the devil. Lu. xxii. 3, i. 
 
 Again, Sometimes the Spirit of Christ takes 
 the law, and doth effectually convince of sin, of 
 righteousness, and judgment to come. 
 
 Query. But you will say, How should I know 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 whether 1 am convinced by the law alone, or that 
 the law is set home effectually by the Spirit of the 
 Lord Jesus upon my conscience? 
 
 Ans. 1. Unto this I answer. First, When the 
 law doth convince by its own power, without the 
 help of the Spirit of Christ, it doth only convince 
 of sins against the law, as of swearing, lying, 
 stealing, murdering, adultery, covetousness, and 
 the like. I say, it doth only make manifest sins 
 against the law, pronouncing a horrible curse, 
 against thee, if thou fulfil it not, and so leaves 
 thee ; but it gives thee no strength to fulfil it com- 
 pletely, and continually, (which thou must do, if 
 thou wilt he saved thereby). Now thy own strength 
 being insuflicient for these things, having lost it in 
 Adam, thou art a breaker of the law. Here the 
 law finds thee in thy sins, and condemns thee for 
 thy sins : But gives thee no power to come wholly 
 out of them ; neither doth it shew thee thy right 
 Saviour, to save thee from them (which is the Son 
 of the Virgin Mary, the man Christ Jesus) but 
 commands thee upon pain of eternal damnation, to 
 continue in all things that are written in the book 
 of the law to do them. Ga. iii lo. And therefore if 
 thou hast been convinced of no other sins, but what 
 are against the law, for all thy 
 
 . . 1 1 « T'or a ffartlier) proof hereof 
 
 convictions and horror or con- take the ca)riaL-e of the 
 science, thou mayest he but a ^^'^^^T^ 
 natural man, at the best, and trmtea in Moses, ciuciHea 
 
 Jesus. 1 Co. u. 8. 
 
 SO under the curse. 
 
 (Ohj.) But, perhaps thou wilt say, I am not only 
 convinced of my sins against the law, but I have 
 also some power against my sins, so that I do in 
 some considerable measure abstain from those 
 things that are forbidden in the law. 
 
 [Ans.) This thou mayest have, and do, as thou 
 thinkest, perfectly, as those blind Pharisees called 
 quakers, do think that they also do, and yet be but 
 a natural man : And therefore I pray consider that 
 place, in Ro. ii. 14, 15. the Apostle there speaks on this 
 wise, concerning the Gentiles' obedience to the law, 
 ' For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, 
 do by nature the things contained in the law, these, 
 having not the law, are a law unto themselves : 
 Which shew the work of the law written in their 
 hearts.' Which work of the law, Christ as he is 
 God, hath enlightened every one withal, that com- 
 eth into the world, Jn. i. 9. which, as the quakers 
 say, doth convince of sin, yet of no other than sins 
 against the law : and therefore must needs be all 
 one light or law ; for ' the law is light, ' Pr. vi. 23. 
 and gives ' the knowledge of sin. ' Eo. iii 20. And 
 therefore, as 1 said before, so say I now again, if 
 thy convictions are no other than for the sins 
 against the law, though thy obedience be the strict- 
 est that ever was wrought by any man, (except 
 the Lord Jesus the Son of Mary) thou art at the 
 best but under the law, and so consequently under 
 U 
 
154. 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 the curse, and uuJcr the wrath of God, whether 
 thou believest it or not. Ga. m. lo. Jn. iii. 36. 
 
 Ans. 2. But now the second thing, how thou 
 shouldest know, whether the Spirit of Christ doth 
 effectually set home the law upon thy conscience, 
 or not ; and therefore to speak directly to it, if the 
 Spirit of the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, doth set 
 home the law effectually ; then the same Spirit of 
 Christ shews thee more sin than the sins against 
 the law. For, 
 
 (1.) It shews thee, that 'all our righteousnesses 
 are as filthy rags.' Is. kiv. 6. Thou seest all thy 
 praying, meditation, hearing, reading, alms-deeds, 
 fasting, reformation, and whatsoever else thou hast 
 done, doest, or canst do, being an unbeliever, de- 
 serves at the hands of God his curse and condem- 
 nation, and that for ever : And therefore thou art 
 so far from trusting to it, that in some measure 
 thou even loathest it, and art ashamed of it, as 
 being a thing abominable, both in God's sight and 
 thine own. Pliii. Ui. 8. Thou countest thy own per- 
 formances, when at best, and thine own righteous- 
 ness, A bed too short to stretch thyself upon, and 
 a covering too narrow to wrap thyself in. is. xxviii. 20. 
 And these things thou seest not *overly, or slight- 
 ly, and as at a great distance, but really and seri- 
 ously, and the sense of them sticks close unto 
 thee. 
 
 (2.) It shews thee that thou hast no faith in the 
 man Christ Jesus by nature, and that though thou 
 hadst no other sins, yet thou art in a perishing 
 state because of unbelief, according to that 16th 
 of John, ver. 9, ' Of sin, because they believe not 
 on me.' If therefore thou hast been convinced 
 aright by the Spirit, thou hast seen that thou hadst 
 no faith in Christ the Son of Mary, the Son of God, 
 before conversion. It shews thee also, that thou 
 canst not believe in thine own strength, though 
 thou wouldest never so willingly; yea, though 
 thou wouldest give all the world (if thou hadst it) 
 to believe, thou couldest not. 
 
 (3.) In the next place it will shew thee, that if 
 thou doest not believe in the man Christ Jesus, and 
 that with 'the faith of the operation of God,' Col. 
 ii. 13. thou wilt surely perish, and that 
 uje'gifto'f'Gn.l without remedy ; Also it shews thee, 
 ftg"- ^- ■^'"'- that if thou hast not that righteous- 
 ness, which the man Christ Jesus ac- 
 compli.'ihed in his own person for sinners ; 1 say, 
 if thou be not clothed with that instead of thine 
 own, thou art gone for ever ; and therefore saith 
 Christ, (speaking of the Spirit) 'When he is come 
 he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteous- 
 ness' too. Jn. xvi. 8. That is, the Spirit shall con- 
 vince men and women of the sufficiency of that 
 righteousness that Christ, in his human nature. 
 
 'Overly,' carelessly, negligently, inattentively.— Ed. 
 
 hath fulfilled: So that they need not run to llio 
 law for righteousness : ' For Christ is the end of 
 the law for righteousness, to every one that believ- 
 eth. Eo. X.4. Again, if the Spirit of Jesus setteth 
 home the law upon thy conscience, thou wilt freely 
 confess, that although the law curseth, and con- 
 demneth thee for thy sins, and gives thee no power 
 either to fulfil it, or to come out of thy sins : Yet 
 God is just in giving that law, and ' the law is 
 holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and 
 good. ' Eo. vii. 13. 
 
 (4.) Lastly, It also convinceth of judgment to 
 come : He (viz. the Spirit) shall reprove the world 
 of sin, of righteousness, yea, and of judgment too. 
 Ac.xxiv.25 Then doth the soul see, that that very 
 man that was born of the Virgin Mary, crucified 
 upon the cross without the gates of Jerusalem, 
 shall so come again ; even that same Jesus, in 
 like manner as he was seen to go up from his dis- 
 ciples. Ac. i. u. Yea, they that are thus convinced 
 by the Spirit of Christ, know that God 'Lath ap- 
 pointed a day, in the which he will judge the world 
 in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordain- 
 ed : Ac. xvii. 31. which is the man Christ Jesus ; For 
 ' it is he which was ordained of God to he the judge 
 of quick and dead. ' Ac. x. 43. 
 
 And now, man, or woman, whoever thou art, 
 that art savingly convinced by the Spirit of Christ, 
 thou hast such an endless desire after the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, that thou canst not be satisfied or 
 content with anything below the blood of the Son 
 of God to purge thy conscience withal ; even that 
 blood that was shed without the gate. He. xiii. I2.and 
 ix. 14. Also thou canst not be at quiet, till thou 
 dost see by true faith, that the righteousness of 
 the Son of Mary is imputed unto thee, and put upon 
 thee. Ko. iii. 21— s.f. Then also thou canst not be at 
 quiet, till thou hast power over thy lusts, and cor- 
 ruptions, till thou hast brought them into subjec- 
 tion to the Lord Jesus Christ. Then thou wilt 
 never think that thou hast enough faith. No, 
 thou wilt be often crying out. Lord, give me more 
 precious faith : Lord, more faith in thy righteous- 
 ness; more faith in thy blood and death; more 
 faith in thy resurrection : And Lord, more faith in 
 this, that thou art now at the right hand of thy 
 father in thy human nature, making intercession 
 for me a miserable sinner. Jn. xvi. 5—7. 1 Ti. ii. 6. Ho. 
 vii. 24, 26. And then, poor soul, if thou comestbut 
 hither, thou wilt never have an itching ear after 
 another gospel. Nay, thou wilt say, if a presbyter, ! 
 or anabaptist, or independent, or ranter, or quaker, j 
 or papist, or pope, or an angel from heaven, preach , 
 any other doctrine, let him be accursed, again and 
 again. Ga. i. 8. And thus have I briefly shewed 1 
 you. 
 
 First, How Christ, as he is God, doth enlighten 
 every man that comes into the world. 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 155 
 
 Secondly, What this light will do, viz. shew them 
 that there is a God, hy the things that are made ; 
 and that this God must he worshipped. Ho. i. 20. 
 
 Thirdly, I have shewed you the difference be- 
 tween that light and the Spirit of Christ the Sa- 
 viour. 
 
 Fourthly, I have also shewed you, how you 
 should know the one from the other, by their 
 several eifects. 
 
 The first light convinces of sins, but of none 
 other than sins against the law ; neither doth it 
 shew the soul a Saviour, or deliver (for that is the 
 work of the Spirit) from the curse wherewith it 
 doth curse it. But I shewed you, that when the 
 Spirit of Christ comes and works effectually, it 
 doth not only shew men their sins against the law, 
 but also shews them their lost condition, if they 
 believe not in the righteousness, blood, death, re- 
 surrection, and intercession of Jesus Christ, the 
 Son of Mary, the Son of God. Jq. vl 44 and xvi. 24. Mut. 
 iii. 17. He. i. 9. And thus much I thought necessary 
 to be spoken at this time, touching the nature of 
 conviction. 
 
 Third. Now in the Third Place. Though I 
 have spoken something to this thing already, 
 namely, concerning our Lord the Saviour, yet 
 again, in few words, through grace, I shall shew, 
 that he was made, that is, born of a woman, and 
 made under the law, to redeem them that are un- 
 der the law. My meaning is. That God is our 
 Saviour. 
 
 First, And for this, see is. iIt. u. where you have 
 these words, ' Verily, thou art a God that hidest 
 thyself, God of Israel, the Saviour:' Andver.21, 
 22. you have these words, ' Who hath declared this 
 from ancient time ? - - Have not I the Lord ? And 
 there is no God else beside me ; a just God and a 
 Saviour ; there is none beside me. Look unto me, 
 and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth :' Why, 
 who art thou ? ' For I am God, and there is none 
 else.' Also in is. Uv. 6. 'For thy Maker is thine 
 ■husband ; the Lord of hosts is his name ; and thy 
 Redeemer the Holy One of Israel ; the God of the 
 whole earth shall he be called.' Read also ver. 6—8. 
 of that chapter. I could abundantly multiply 
 scriptures to prove this to be truth, but I shall 
 only mind you of two or three, and so pass on ; 
 the first is in Jmie, ver. 35. ' To the only wise God 
 our Saviour he glory. ' And Ac. .\i. 23. Jn. iii. 16; 1 Jn. v. 
 20. 
 
 Object. But you will say. How is God a Saviour 
 of sinners, seeing his eyes are so pure that he can- 
 not behold ini(juity; Hib. i. 13. 
 
 Answ. For answer hereunto. • When the fulness 
 of the time was come' wherein the salvation of sin- 
 ners should be actually wrought out, ' God sent 
 forth his Son, (which Son is equal with the Father^ 
 Jn. i, 1. xvU. 5. and x. 30.) made of a woman, made under 
 
 the law,' (that is, he was subject to the power and 
 curse of the law) to this end, ' to redeem them that 
 (are, or) were under the law, ' Ga. iv. 4, 6. that is, to deh- 
 ver us ' from the curse of the law, being made a curse 
 for us.' Gil. iii. 13. From whence take notice, that 
 when the salvation of sinners was to be actually 
 wrought out, then God sent forth the everlasting 
 Son of his love into the world, clothed with the 
 human nature, according to that in Ju. i. 14. lie. n. it. 
 and 1 Ti. iii. 16. which saith, ' God was manifest in the 
 flesh,' that is, took flesh upon him. 
 
 Second, This Son of God, which is equal with 
 the Father, did in that flesh, which he took upon 
 him, completely fulfil the whole law : So that the 
 Apostle saith, ' Christ is the end of the law for 
 righteousness to every one that believeth. ' Ko. x. 4. 
 This righteousness v/hich this Christ did accom- 
 plish, is called, ' The righteousness of God. ' Ea. iii. 
 23. This righteousness of God, is by the faith of 
 Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all them that be- 
 lieve : My meaning is, it is imputed to so many as 
 shall by faith lay hold on it. This is also part of 
 the meaning of that speech of the Apostle: 'As 
 many of you as have been baptized into Christ, 
 have put on Christ. ' Ga. iii. 27. That is, by faith 
 have put on the righteousness of Christ, with the 
 rest of that which Christ hath bestowed upon you, 
 having accomplished it for you. This is also the 
 meaning of the Apostle, Co. ii. 9, 10. where he saith, 
 ' for in him (that is the Son of Mary, chap. i. 13, 14.) 
 dwelleth all the fulness of the godhead bodily. 
 And ye are complete in him. ' That is, in his obe- 
 dience and righteousness ; which also the Apostle 
 himself doth so hard press after, PLii. iii. 8, 9. say- 
 ing, ' doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for 
 the e.tcellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus 
 my Lord ; ' which Lord was crucified by the Jews, 
 as it is in 1 Go. ii. 8. ' for whom, (that is for Christ,) 
 I have suffered the loss of all things (as well the 
 righteousness of the law, in which I was blameless, 
 Pliil. iii. 6. as all other things) and do count them but 
 dung, that I may win Christ: And be found m 
 him, not having mine own righteousness, which is 
 of the law, but that which is through the faith of' 
 Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith : 
 which is ' unto all, and upon all them that believe.' 
 Ro iii. 22. That place also in the ninth of Daniel, 
 ver. 24, 25, holdeth forth as much whei-e prophe- 
 sying of the Messias, he saith, that it is he that 
 came ' to finish the transgression, and to make an 
 end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, 
 and to bring in everlasting righteousness.' Now 
 that the righteousness of the Son of Mary is it, 
 mind the 26ih verse, where he saith thus, ' And 
 after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be 
 cutoff,' that is, Christ shall be crucified, ' but n6t 
 for himself, ' that is, not for any sin that he hath 
 committed ; for he committed none. Then surely, 
 
15fi 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 it must be for the sins of the people, Jn. xi. 50. as 
 the high priest said, ' It is expedient for us tliat 
 one man should die for the people,' which man was 
 the true Mes^as, Da. ix. a. which also is the Son of 
 Mary. Mat. i. ia-23. And the Son of God, Mat. iii. 17. 
 And also the true God, IJn. v. 20. And this Mes- 
 sias, this Son of the Virgin, this Son of God, this 
 true God, did not die for himself, for he had not 
 offended ; neither did he fulfil the law or finish 
 transgression, and bring in everlasting righteous- 
 ness for himself, for he had not sinned, 1 Pe. ii. 23. 
 therefore it must of necessity follow, that this righ- 
 teousness of God, this everlasting righteousness, is 
 imputed to all, and upon all them that believe. Ko. 
 iii. 22; 3 Co. V. 19— 31. But, 
 
 Thirdly, this Messias, this Son of Mary, this Son 
 of God, this true God, he was put to death for the 
 sins that his children had committed, according 
 to that saying, ' Herein perceive we the love of 
 God, because he laid down his life for us. ' 1 Jn. iii. 16. 
 Also in Ac. XI. 28. the apostle speaking to the pastors 
 of the churches, saith, ' feed the church of God, 
 which he hath purchased with his own blood. ' See 
 also Zee. xii. 10. 
 
 Now, I would not be mistaken. I do not think, 
 or say, that he died in his divine nature, but as it 
 is written, he in his own body on the tree did bear 
 our sins ; l Ve. ii. 24. which tree was the cross. Col. ii. 
 14. And as the apostle saith again, who ' when he 
 had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the 
 right hand of the majesty on high.' lie. i. 3. And 
 again, the apostle speaking of this glorious God, 
 saith on this wise, (being before speaking of his 
 godhead) in Cni. i. 19—23. ' For it pleased the Father 
 that in him should all fulness dwell ; and having 
 made peace through the blood of his cross by him 
 to reconcile all things to himself: by him, / say, 
 whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 
 And you, who were sometime alienated and enemies 
 in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he 
 reconciled.' But how? Why in ver. 22. he tells 
 you, that it is ' in the body of his flesh through 
 death, to present you holy and unblameable and 
 unreprovable in his sight. ' That is, Christ, who 
 is the true God, after that he had finished all actual 
 obedience on earth, did in the power and strength 
 of his godhead, Jn. xix. so and x. is. yield up himself 
 to the wrath of his Father, which was due to poor 
 sinners (and that willingly) Is. ixiii. 3. [see He. in. 14. 
 and read that verse with understanding] according 
 to that saying in 1 Pc. iii. 18. ' For Christ also hath 
 once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust : ' 
 That is, the Son of God for poor sinners: ' that 
 he might bring us to God, being put to death in 
 the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.' Again, 
 I Pe. iv. 1. ' Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered 
 for us (not for himself Da. i.v. 26.) in the flesh, (in his 
 own body which he tookof the Virgin, 1 Pe. ii. 24.) arm 
 
 yourselves likewise with the same mind : ' That is, 
 let us die to sin as he did, that we might live to 
 God as he did, and doth. Ro. vi. 10. And thus have 
 I briefly showed you, 
 
 I. That the Son of Mary is very God. 
 
 II. That he made the world. 
 
 II!. That he is our Saviour, and how. 
 
 IV. That he died for sinners, and how, namely, 
 not in his divine nature, but in his human, in his 
 own body, and in his own flesh. Col. i. 23. redeeming 
 his church with his own blood, Ac. xx. ss. and with 
 his own life. 1 Jn. iii. 16. Jn. 1. 18. 
 
 We shall now pass on to some other things (the 
 Lord willing) touching his burial, resurrection, 
 ascension, intercession, second coming, resurrection 
 of the body, and eternal judgment. 
 
 His burial proved. — I shall prove by several 
 scriptures that he was buried, and so pass on. 
 Therefore see that place, Mat xxvii. ver. 67. and so for- 
 ward. After that Jesus the Son of God had been 
 crucified a while, he gave up the ghost ; that is, 
 he died ; and after he had been awhile dead, Joseph 
 of Arimathea went in to Pilate, and begged the 
 body of Jesus, and Pilate gave consent thereto. 
 And Joseph took the body of Jesus and wrapped 
 it in clean linen, and laid it (viz. the body of Jesus) 
 in his own tomb, and rolled a stone upon the mouth 
 of the sepulchre, and departed. Also in Lu. xxiii. 
 61—53. The apostle Paul also teacheth so much, 
 1 Cor. XV. 3, 4. where be saith, ' For I delivered unto 
 you first of all that which I also received, how that 
 Christ died for our sins according to the scripture ; 
 And that he was buried. ' Again, in Ac. xiii. 29. the 
 apostle speaking there of Jesus Christ, saith, ' And 
 when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, 
 they took him down from the tree, and laid him in 
 a sepulchre. ' And so much touching the burial of 
 Jesus Christ the Son of God. 
 
 Resurrection. In the next place, I am to prove, 
 That that very man, whom the Jews did crucify 
 between two thieves, called Jesus Christ, did rise 
 again. That very man, with that very body where- 
 with ho was crucified upon the cross, did rise again 
 out of the grave in which he was laid. And this 
 I shall prove 1 . by scripture, 2. by the testimony 
 of angels, 3. by Christ's own words after he was 
 risen, and 4. by the testimony of the apostles in 
 the scripture. 
 
 First therefore consider, Ps. xvi. verse 10. where the 
 prophet speaks on this wise of Christ's resurrec- 
 tion ; ' For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell ; 
 neither wilt thou sufi'er thine Holy One to see cor- 
 ruption.' Which words the Apostle Peter cites in 
 
 Ac. ii. from ver. 22 to 33. <Jso Is. xxvi. 19. in the persOn of 
 
 Christ saith, ' Thy dead men shall live, together 
 with my dead body shall they arise.' See also Jn. 
 XX. 15, 16. where mention is made of his appearing unto 
 Mary Magdalen, and he called her Mary, and she 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 157 
 
 called him master; which signifies that he was 
 risen, and that she knew him after his resurrection ; 
 for he was come out of the grave, see ver. 6, 7, 8. 
 Again, another scripture is that in Lu. xxiv. 1— s. 
 The disciples of Jesus coming to the sepulchre, 
 thinking to anoint the body of Jesus, found the 
 stone that was on the mouth of the sepulchre 
 rolled away; and when they went in, they found 
 not the body of the Lord Jesus ; and at this thoy 
 were troubled and perplexed, ver. i. But as two of 
 them went up to Emmaus, and were talking of 
 what had befallen to Jesus, Jesus himself drew 
 near, and went with them, ver. 15. Another scrip- 
 ture is that in Mar. xvi. ver. 9. which saith on this wise, 
 ' Now when Jesii^ was risen early the first day of 
 the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalen, out 
 of whom he had cast seven devils.' Where take 
 notice how the Holy Ghost lays it down in these 
 words, out of whom he had cast seven devils. To 
 intimate to us the certainty, that it was the same 
 Jesus that was bom of the virgin Mary, who did 
 many miracles, and cured many diseases, who did 
 also cast seven devils out of Mary Magdalen, that 
 did rise again. Yea, saith the Holy Ghost, it was 
 the same Jesus that did work such a wonderful 
 miracle on Mary, he appeared to her first, out of 
 whom he had cast seven devils. And let these 
 scriptures sufiice to prove the resurrection of the 
 Son of God. 
 
 Second, you shall have the testimony of the holy 
 angels also by the scriptures. And first look into 
 Mar. xvi s— 7. the words are these, ' And they (viz. 
 the disciples) said among themselves. Who shall 
 roll us away the stone ? ' They had a good mind 
 to see their Lord, hut they could not, as they 
 thought, get away the stone which covered the 
 mouth of the sepulchre. ' And when they looked 
 (that is, towards the sepulchre) they saw that the 
 stone was rolled away : for it was very great. And 
 entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man 
 (that is, an angel) sitting on the right side, clothed 
 in a long white garment ; And they (the disciples) 
 were afi^righted. And he saith unto them. Be not 
 ati^righted (you have no cause for it) Ye seek Jesus 
 of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen, he 
 is not here ; behold the place where they laid him.' 
 What scripture can be plainer spoken than this ? 
 Here is an angel of the Lord ready to satisfy the 
 disciples of Jesus, that he was risen from the dead. 
 And lest they should think it was not the right 
 Jesus he spoke of. Yes, saith he, it is the same 
 Jesus that you mean ; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, 
 do you not ? Why he is risen, he is not here. But 
 do you speak seriously, and in good earnest ? Yea 
 surely, if you will not believe me, behold the place 
 where they laid him. This scripture, or testimony 
 is very clear to our purpose. But again, the next 
 place is in Mat. x.\viii. ver. 3—7. In the third verse 
 
 there is an angel (as before) bearing witness of the 
 resurrection of Jesus. ' His countenance was like 
 lightning, and his raiment white as snow : And for 
 fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as 
 dead men. And the angel answered and said 
 imto them, (viz. to the women who came to seek 
 Jesus) Fear not ye : ' but let them that seek to keep 
 the Lord in his grave fear if they ^^,^y „^^ j,,^^ j^,, 
 will ; for you have no ground of iwd need to fear 
 
 - 1 1 T 1 *ind tremble, lor 
 
 teal", who seek Jesus who was cru- they deny the faiih 
 cified; He is not here, for he is °f "'= So„ of G«d. 
 risen ; he cannot be in body here and risen too : If 
 you will not believe me, come, see where the Lord 
 lay, and go quicldy and tell his disciples that he 
 is risen from the dead ; and behold, he goeth 
 before you into Galilee, there shall you see him. 
 But shall we be sure of it? Yea, saith the angel, 
 Lo, it is I that have told you. See how plainly 
 this scripture also doth testify of Christ his resur- 
 rection. Here, saith the angel, you seek a Saviour 
 and none will content you but he, even the same 
 that was crucified: Well you shall have him, but 
 he is not here. Why, where is he then ? He is 
 risen from the dead. But are you sure it is the 
 same that we look for? Yea, it is the same that 
 was crucified, ver. b. But where should we find 
 him? Why, he goeth before you into Galilee, 
 where he used to be in his life-time, before ho 
 was crucified : And that you might be sure of it, 
 there to find him, know that he is an angel of God 
 that hath told you. ver. 7. And thus have you in 
 brief the testimony of the angels of God, to witness 
 that Jesus the Son of the virgin, the Son of God, 
 is risen from the dead. 
 
 Object. But you will say, might they not be 
 deceived? Might not their eyes dazzle, and they 
 might think they did see such a thing, when indeed 
 there was no such matter? 
 
 Ans. Well, because it is so difficult a matter, to 
 be persuaded of the truth of this thing, that Christ 
 is raised again out of the grave, that very man, 
 with that very body ; though these things that have 
 been already spoken, might be enough (through 
 grace) to satisfy, yet because of the unbelief of 
 some, we shall turn to some more of those infallible 
 proofs that are spoken of in Ac. i. 3. to prove the 
 point yet more clear. 
 
 Third, Do but see how the Lord doth deal with 
 an unbelieving disciple. Jn. xx. ver. 23—29. You shall 
 see in the 23d verse, Christ after his resurrection 
 is talking with his disciples, but Thomas was not 
 with them. But when the disciples saw him again, 
 they said unto him, We have seen the Lord, ver. 25. 
 but Thomas would not believe them. Another 
 time Jesus comes to his disciples again, and 
 then Thomas was with them ; then so soon as the 
 Lord had said, ' Beace be unto you, ' he turned 
 himself to Thomas, and said to him ; ' Thomas, 
 
158 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands ; and 
 reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side : 
 and be not faithless, but believing. ' ver. 37. As 
 much as if the Lord should have said. Come 
 Thomas, tliou hast doubted of the truth of my 
 resurrection very much ; thou sayest that thou 
 wilt not believe, except thou do feci with thy 
 fingers the print of the nails, and do thrust thy 
 hand into my side. Come Thomas, reach hither 
 thy finger, and behold my hands, and see if there 
 were not the nails driven through them ; and reach 
 hither thy hands and thrust them into my side, and 
 feel if I have not the very hole in it still, that was 
 
 how doth the ™a'^.<' '^'*^ ^'^e .sps'^'" t^'^t ^^^ 
 Lord coudescend, to soldier did thrust into it, and be not 
 
 strengthen the f-Sth SO full of unbelief, but believe that 
 u, one thatis wu;j.. ^^ rcsurrection is a glorious truth. 
 Another infallible proof, is that in Lu. xxiv. from 
 the 36th, to the end of the 44th verse. In ver. 30. 
 it is said that the Lord, (even while they were 
 talking) ' stood in the midst of them and saith 
 unto them, Peace be unto you : ' But they were so 
 far from being at peace, that they were terrified, 
 and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And 
 Jesus said to them, ' Why are ye troubled, and 
 why do thoughts arise in your hearts ? ' What, 
 do you think that I am a spirit? Do you think 
 your eyes dazzle? 'Behold my hands and my 
 feet.' Look well upon me, and see my hands, and 
 the holes in them, and likewise my feet, and the 
 holes in them, and know that it is I myself, and 
 not a spirit, as you suppose. Know, that it is 
 
 1 myself, and not another. Doth your hearts 
 fail you? Then take hold of me with your hands, 
 yea, ' handle me, and see ; for a spirit hath not 
 ilesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when 
 lie had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and 
 his feet.' As if he had said. Come my disciples, 
 take special notice of me, do not be daunted, nor 
 affrighted, but consider that it is 1 myself. Well, 
 tliey could not believe as yet, but wondered that 
 such a thing as this should be : And while they 
 were thus wondering he will give them another 
 infallible proof : And ' he said unto them, have 
 you here any meat?' ver. 41. As if the Lord had 
 said. Come my disciples, I see that you are very 
 fuU of unbelief, if you have here any meat, you 
 shall see me eat before you all. And they gave 
 him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honey- 
 comb, ' And he took it, and did eat before them.' 
 Again, ver. 43. the Lord strives with another infallible 
 proof against their doubting, saying. My disciples, 
 do you not remember what discourse you and I 
 had before 1 was crucified, how that I told you, 
 that all things must be fulfilled w'hich were written 
 in the law of Moses, and in the prophets concern- 
 ing me. Mar. viii. 31; xiv. 31. Another infallible proof 
 was, that appearance of his at the sea of Tiberias, 
 
 where he came to them on the shore, and called 
 them, and provided for them a dinner, and wroiight 
 a notable miracle while he was there with them at 
 that time, namely, the catching of 153 great fishes, 
 and yet their net break not. (Jn. xxi. read that 
 whole chapter, and Ac. x. 41.) Which as it was a 
 great miracle, so it did also show his power and 
 authority over his creatures. Besides his eating 
 and drinking with his disciples after his resurrec- 
 tion ; and also his preaching to them. Ac. i. 8. This 
 is not the least, viz. that he was with his disciples 
 on earth forty days, which was almost six weeks, 
 speaking to them the things concerning his king- 
 dom: which was a mighty confirmation of their 
 faith in his resurrection. 
 
 Fourth, I shall now briefly touch two or three 
 scriptures, the which hold forth his disciples' testi- 
 mony of his resurrection. And the first is in Ac. 
 X. 40, 41. In which place the Apostle speaking of 
 the Lord Jesus, saith, ' Him God raised up the 
 third day, and shewed him openly,' yet ' Not to 
 all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of 
 God, even to us (saith the Apostle) who did eat 
 and drink with him after he rose from the 
 dead.' Again, Ac. iv.lO;andxm. 29— 3i. The words run 
 thus (the Apostle speaking of Jesus, saith) ' And 
 when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, 
 they took him down from the tree, and laid him in 
 a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead : 
 And he was seen many days of them which came 
 up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are 
 his witnesses imto the people.' See iCo. xv. 1— 8. 
 And thus far touching his resurrection from the 
 dead. 
 
 Ascension. In the next place I am to prove that 
 this very man, Christ Jesus, the Son of the virgin, 
 in his very body, the same body that was crucified, 
 is above the clouds and the heavens. And though 
 this is made light of by those men called quakers, 
 and other infidels of this generation : Yet I ani 
 sure that it will prove true to their cost, who reject 
 it as erroneous and vain. But to prove it, First, 
 I shall prove that he is ascended. SeconMy, that 
 he is ascended above the clouds, and the heaven. 
 
 First, that he is ascended, see Ep. iv. 8-10. 
 ' Wherefore (saith the Apostle) When he ascended 
 up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts 
 unto men. Now that he ascended, what is it but 
 that he also descended first into the lower parts of 
 the earth, he that descended is the same also that 
 ascended (again) up far above all heavens.' 
 
 Again, read Jn. xx. 17. where Christ after his 
 resurrection from the dead, saith to Mary Magda- 
 len, ' Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to 
 my Father : ' That is, I have not yet ascended with 
 this my body wherewith I was crucified on the 
 cross. ' But go to my brethren, and say unto 
 them (meaning his disciples) I ascend unto mj 
 
SOME GOSPEL TllUTHS OPENED. 
 
 159 
 
 Father and vour Father ; and to my God and your 
 God.' 
 
 Object. But in that place, (may some say) Ep, iv. 
 10. He that descended, is s^id to be the same that 
 ascended. Now there was no human nature with 
 God in heaven before the world was ; Therefore if 
 he be but the same that was with the Father from 
 all eternity, then the humanity of the Son of Mary 
 is not ascended into heaven. 
 
 Ans. For answer, It is clear fi'om Jn. i. l. that the 
 Word or Son of God, as he was a Spirit, was with 
 the Father before the world was. Tit. i. 3. But now, 
 in the fulness of time, that is, when that time that 
 the Father and he had concluded on, was come, 
 ' God sent forth his Son (which was with him before 
 the world was, Jn. xvii. 6.) made of a woman ; ' Ga.ir.4. 
 that is, born of a woman. ' And took upon him 
 the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness 
 of men. ' Phi. u. 6, 7. Now as he was born of a 
 woman, as he was in the likeness of men, so he 
 ascended to the right hand of his Father, in our 
 nature. And for this, I pray turn to Ac.i. 9— u. and 
 there you shall find, that he is the same that was 
 born of the virgin, that very man that was crucified; 
 if you compare ver. 3. with ver. 9. lo, ll. you will find it 
 so to be. Now in ver. 9. after he had spoken many 
 things while they beheld, that is, while his disciples 
 looked on him, he was taken up, that is, he was 
 taken up from them into heaven, as in ver. ii. and a 
 cloud received him out of their sight. And while 
 they looked up stedfastly towards heaven, as he 
 went up (which heaven, was not within them ; if 
 it had, they needed not to have looked toward the 
 clouds and the heaven without them) behold two 
 men stood by them, not in them, in white apparel, 
 which also said (that is, the two men, or angels 
 which stood by them said) Ye men of Galilee, why 
 stand ye gazing up into heaven ? Here again, they 
 did not look within them, but stood gazing or look- 
 ing after the Lord Jesus, the Son of Mary, who 
 was carried away from them in a cloud, ver. 9. But 
 why (say the angels) do you stand gazing so much 
 into heaven : your master will come again after a 
 certain time. Mat. xxv. 19; Mar. xiii. 34. For, This same 
 Jesus, namely, which was crucified, which rose 
 again, and hath been with you these forty days, 
 which also you see go into heaven, shall so come, 
 (namely in a cloud) as ye have seen him go into 
 heaven. Ac. i.3. But shall he not lose his body 
 before he come again? No say the angels, he 
 shall so come, that is, as ye have seen him go ; in 
 like manner, that is, with the same body. Or else 
 I am sure he cannot come in the same manner, if he 
 lose his body before he comes again ; for he went 
 thither with that body. But that same Jesus that 
 was crucified, is ho that went, or ascended up into 
 heaven. If you compare Luke xxiv. v. 39 to 44 
 with thp 50th and 5Ist verses of the same chapter, 
 
 you may clearly find it so to be. And therefore if 
 he come again in like manner, he must come again 
 with the same body wherewith he was crucified. 
 
 Object. But you will say. The scripture saith, he 
 that descended is the same that ascended, which 
 to me (say you) implies, none but the Spirit's 
 ascending? 
 
 Ans. For answer, we do not say, (as I said 
 before) that it is another that ascended, but the 
 very same : That is, the very same Christ, that was 
 with the Father from everlasting did come down 
 from heaven : That same Christ also that came 
 down from heaven did ascend. up thither again ; 
 only, he descended without a body from heaven, 
 and took flesh and blood upon him from the virgin. 
 And though he descended without a body, yet he, 
 the very same Christ that descended without a 
 body, the same did ascend again with a body, even 
 that verj' body that he took of the virgin Mary. 
 See Lu. xxiv. from 39tli to 51st verses. Ac. ii. SO, 31 ; Jn. xv. 1; 
 1 Co. ix. 24, 23. Now let me give you a similitude, for 
 it is warrantable ; for both Christ and his apostles 
 did sometimes use them, to the end, souls might be 
 better informed. The similitude is this. Suppose 
 there come into thine house a man that is naked, 
 and without clothing, though he go out of thy 
 house again well clothed, yet the same man that 
 came in without clothing, is the same man also that 
 goes out of thy house, 'though very well clothed. 
 Even so it is in this case, The Lord Jesus came 
 into the womb of the virgin. Spirit, Mat. i. 18. but he 
 came out of the womb clothed with a body, and went 
 up into heaven again clothed with a body. Compare 
 
 Lu. xxiv. 39. with Ac. i. 11; and ii. 30, 31. 
 
 Now also I shall lay down some few things to 
 be considered, for the better clearing of it. 
 
 Consider 1. That he did say to his disciples that 
 he would go away from them. Jn, xiv.s.amixvi. 7; Mat. 
 XXV. 19. Yea, saith he, I go and prepare a place 
 for you, and then I will, after a long time, come 
 again, and take you to myself, that where I am, 
 that is, whither I am going, there ye may be also. 
 Now, I say, if Christ had not gone from his dis- 
 ciples (for that was his meaning) touching his 
 bodily presence ; I say, if he had not gone away 
 from them, in respect of his bodily presence, he 
 had said more than he had performed ; which is 
 horrible blasphemy once to assert ; which going of 
 his, is his going into heaven. See l Pe.iU. 23. 
 
 Consider 2. That there it was that he was to 
 receive the promise of the Father, Lu. xxiv. 49, which 
 promise was the shedding forth in an abundant 
 manner the blessed Holy Ghost. And for this see 
 Ac. u. 33—36. ' Therefore being by the right hand of 
 God (which is in heaven) exalted, and having 
 received of the Father the promise of the Holy 
 Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see 
 and hear. For David is not ascended into the 
 
160 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 heavens : but Le saith himself, the Lord said unto 
 ray Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make 
 thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house 
 of Israel know assuredly (for 'tis very true) that 
 God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have 
 crucified, both Lord and Christ. ' 
 
 Consider 3. That if he were on earth, he could 
 not be a priest. He. viii. 4. Now the man Christ 
 Jesus is a glorious priest. He. vii. u. in the heavens, 
 lie. ix. 24. And therefore he is able to save to the 
 uttermost, all that come to God by him, seeing he 
 ever liveth to make intercession for them. (This 
 
 man, vii. ver, 25. ) 
 
 Consider 4. If he be not gone into heaven, both 
 his own, and his Apostles' doctrine is false ; yea, 
 the witness of the angels also, which to think were 
 damnable infidelity in any man. l I'e. iii. 23. Ac. i 9— ll. 
 
 Consider 5. Know that he is gone into heaven, 
 because the scriptures say he is ; which is the very 
 truth of God, spoken by his holy Apostles and pro- 
 phets : Yea, holy men of God, spake them as they 
 were moved by the Holy Ghost. Ep. vi. 9;lPe. iii. 22; 
 
 He. ix. 24. 
 
 Consider 6. If thou sayest that that man is not 
 gone into heaven, then thou must also conclude 
 that he is still in the grave ; and if so, then thou 
 sayest that the prophets, apostles, angels, Christ, 
 God, and all are liars, who have testified these 
 things in the scriptures for glorious truths, is. xxvi.19; 
 Ac. X. 40—43 ; xiii. 30—39; and i. 9—11 ; Ue. i. 17, 18 ; and ii. 8. And 
 as the Apostle saith of himself, and the rest of the 
 Apostles and ministers of Jesus Christ, 'And we 
 are found false witnesses of God ; because we have 
 testified of God that he raised up Christ : whom he 
 
 raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 
 
 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become 
 the first fruits of them that slept. For as by man 
 ca7ne death, by MAN came also the resurrection 
 uf the dead.' l Co. xv. 15, 20—23. 
 
 Second, Now I am to prove, that he is above 
 tlie clouds and the heavens. My meaning is, he 
 is above the lowest heavens. For there are three, 
 as appears in 2 Co. xii. 1-^.. I knew a 
 ^|)CTkh^™oftl'ie ™an in Christ, (saith Paul there) 
 i"K""''''" c'^^gli* "P i"to the third heaven. 
 Now, 
 
 Heaven in scripture, is taken sometimes meta- 
 phorically, and sometimes properly. First, Meta- 
 phorically it is taken for the church and people of 
 God, as in Ke. xii. 13. Second, Properly, it is taken 
 for the material heaven, where the sun, moon, and 
 stars are placed, as in Ge. i. ver. 8, 14, 15, 16. compared 
 together: above which heaven, Jesus the Son of 
 Mary is ascended. Therefore I pray you consider 
 with me a httle. 
 
 Cons'der I. That when he went into this heaven 
 into which he is gone, he went AWAY from his 
 disciples, as it is written, If I go not away, the 
 
 comforter will not come. Jn. -Aw 2, 3; Ju. xvi. 7; Ac. i. 9— n. 
 So that he did not go into a heaven within them in 
 his person and human nature. If so, he must 
 needs go into that heaven without, above the clouds 
 and the stars. Ge. i. 8, 5, 16. 
 
 Consider 2. He was caught away in a cloud ; 
 yea, and was caught upwards from them, as it is 
 Ac. i. 9—11. and carried away into heaven ; yea, and 
 his disciples stood gazing or looking up after him 
 into heaven, which heaven must needs bo that 
 above the clouds. (1-) ^^ 7°" consider the posture 
 of the disciples, they looked upwards after the 
 cloud that did take him away. (2.) Consider the 
 manner of his going, it was in a cloud. (3.) He 
 was received out of their sight. (4.) And so 
 received up into heaven ; which heaven must needs 
 be above the clouds, where God is in his special 
 presence. Job xxii. 12—14. But further. 
 
 Consider 3. That those believers that are alive at 
 this day in the body, 'are absent from the Lord,' 
 3 Co. T. 6. but now, if the man Christ were ascended 
 into that heaven within them, he would neither be 
 'absent from them,' nor they from him; but in 
 that he is absent from them touching his bodily 
 presence, and they from him touching the same, 
 it is evident that that heaven into which he is 
 ascended, must needs be without, above the clouds. 
 
 Consider 4. That that heaven into which the 
 man Christ is ascended, must contain him till the 
 time of the restitution of all things, as in Ac. iii. 21. 
 into which heaven he hath been ascended above 
 sixteen hundred years by computation. And I 
 am sure there is not a saint that doth live in the 
 world half so long, before he fall asleep, and be 
 gathered to his fathers ; so that that heaven into 
 which he is ascended, is not within, but must needs 
 be that above the clouds. But 
 
 Consider 5. That he that ascended from his 
 disciples, was a man, with flesh and bones, not a 
 spirit only ; for handle me, and see, (saith he) for 
 a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me 
 have. Lu. x.viv. 39, 50, 6I. Now let the adversaries show 
 by the scriptures, that there is any place in them 
 called heaven, that is able to contain a man of 
 some four or five feet long, the space of fifteen or 
 sixteen hundred years ; besides that : therefore, it 
 must needs be that heaven without, which is above 
 the clouds and stars. 
 
 Consider 6. That heaven into which the Lord 
 Jesus that man is ascended must not contain him 
 always; for, saith the Apostle, iTU.iv.i6. 'The 
 Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a 
 shout, with the voice of the archangel.' So that 
 there is another descending from that heaven into 
 which he is ascended ; and his descending from 
 that heaven is to this end, namely, to take his 
 people to himself, as it is ver. 17. so that it is clear 
 that it is not any heaven wilhin thee, into which 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 161 
 
 the man Christ that was horn of the Virgin Mary 
 is ascended, hut it must needs he that heaven 
 without, which is above the clouds. He. xu. 33. If 
 thou consider, that the place into which he as- 
 cended, even the heaven into which he is entered, 
 is the same place where all the deceased saints are 
 in their spirits: 'Therefore,' saith Paul, 'I desire 
 to depart, and to he with Christ, which is far 
 better. ' Now Paul did not in this place, rh. i. 33. 
 mean the enjoying of Christ only in the Spirit ; 
 for that he enjoyed in great measure when he 
 spake these words ; but he spake of a dying, and 
 being with Christ after this life is ended ; as is 
 clear if you compare the 20th to the 26th verses 
 together, being absent from him while he was 
 here in the body. 2 Co. y. 6. For ' whilst we are at 
 home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. ' 
 
 Consider 7. That that heaven into which the man 
 Christ is ascended, is not into his church on earth ; 
 but into heaven without, above the clouds and the 
 stars. Jn. xvi.7;andidv. 1— 3; iTi. ii. 5. And this David 
 doth prophesy of. Pa. xlvii. 5. where he saith, ' God is 
 gone up with a shout, the Loud with the sound of 
 a trumpet.' Now Christ, as God merely, could 
 not go up, being no less in one place than another; 
 but as God-man, or in his human nature, he went 
 np ; as will clearly appear, Ep. iv. 8—10. where he 
 speaketh of his triumph over all the enemies of his 
 people at his resurrection and ascension into hea- 
 ven above the clouds. 
 
 Consider 8. When Christ doth descend from 
 that heaven into which he is now ascended, his 
 saints and he will meet one another, just in the 
 air, according to the scripture, 1 Th. iv. 16, 17. 'For,' 
 (saith he) 'the Lord himself shall descend from 
 heaven with a shout, with the voice of the arch- 
 angel, and with the trump of God : and the dead 
 in Christ shall rise first : (that is, they shall come 
 out of their graves.) Then we which [shall be 
 saved] are alive (at that day) and remain shall be 
 caught up together with them in the clouds, to 
 meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be 
 with the Lord. ' 
 
 Pray mark here a little, and see what heaven the 
 man Christ is ascended into, and see if it be not 
 the heaven without, above the sun, moon, and stars. 
 
 When Christ and his saints do meet a second 
 time together, the one ascends and the other 
 descends; the one is caught up in the clouds 
 towards the heaven, the other descends from 
 heaven towards the earth, and they must needs 
 meet one another just in the air, that is, between 
 the heaven and the earth. So then, the one 
 coming from heaven and the other from the earth, 
 and their meeting being in the air, which is be- 
 tween heaven and earth, is an undeniable demon- 
 stration, that that heaven into which the man 
 Christ is ascended, must needs be that heaven 
 
 VOL. 11. 
 
 without, above the sun, moon, and stars. Ph. Ui. 20; 
 1 Th. i. 10. And thus much touching the Son of 
 Mary, his ascending up into the heaven without 
 
 above the clouds. Ac. i. 9— lli andiii. 21. and 1 Pe. iii. 22. 
 
 Intercession. In the next place, now I shall 
 prove the intercession of the man Christ Jesus to 
 be in the heaven that I have been speaking of ; 
 though some have mocked at it, and others have 
 called it juggling; which names here I shall not 
 mention, only I shall admonish them, that they do 
 not blaspheme the truth and Son of God in his 
 intercession. 
 
 I shall quote some of the scriptures that hold 
 out, this truth, and so pass on. 
 
 First, And first of all, see Ps. xvi. 4. where David pro- 
 phesying of the intercession of Christ, saith, 'Their 
 sorrows shall be multiplied t?iai hasten after another 
 God, (speaking of the wicked) their drink-oiferings 
 of blood will I not off'er, nor take up their names 
 into my lips.' Now, compare this with He. via. 4. 
 where he saith, ' if he were on earth, he should 
 not be a priest.' And He. ix. 24. 'For Christ is not 
 entered into the holy places made with hands, 
 (meaning the temple which Solomon buUt) which 
 are the figures of the true ; but into heaven itself, 
 now to appear in the presence of God for us:' 
 ' wherefore he is able also to save them to tho 
 uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he 
 ever liveth to make intercession for them.' He. ™. 25. 
 
 Second, But you will say, is there a man made 
 mention of here ? Yes, for the scripture saith, 
 ' T/iere is one God, and one mediator between God 
 and men, the man Christ Jesus.' iTi ii. 5. And in 
 that 8th to the Hebrews made mention of before ; 
 where the Apostle is speaking of Christ's priestly 
 oifice, as he is in the heavens, compared with other 
 priests that are on earth ; he saith ver. 3. ' For 
 every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and 
 sacrifices : wherefore (speaking of Christ) it is of 
 necessity that this man have somewhat also to 
 ofier. For if he were on earth, he should not be a 
 priest, seeing that there are priests that ofi'er gifts 
 according to the law, ' which law was the law of 
 Moses, ch. ix. from 19 to 23. where also he is speaking 
 of the priesthood of the priests under the law, and 
 their oft'ering of the blood of bulls and goats (ver. 12 com- 
 pared with ver. 19—21.) And of the Lord Jesus the high 
 priests of saints, and of his blood (ver. li compared with 
 ver. 24. ) Now as men under the law did offer up the 
 blood of bulls and goats, so the man Christ .Tesus 
 did offer up his own blood to his Father ; and this 
 you may clearly see, if you compare He. ix. li. where 
 he saith, ' How much more shall the blood of 
 Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered 
 himself without spot to God, purge your consciences 
 from dead works to serve the living God? [with] 
 He. X. 12. where he saith, ' But this man (meaning 
 
 the Son of the Virgin, ch. ii. 14 comjiared with Mat. i. 21.) 
 X 
 
162 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever 
 sat down on the right hand of God ; ' again, He. 7. 
 the chapter I mentioned before, yon shall find his 
 intercession plainly held forth, if you read ver. 32, 
 and so on, where the scripture saith, ' By so much 
 was Jesus made a sui-ety of a better testament. 
 And they truly were many priests (meaning the 
 priests under the law) because they were not suf- 
 fered to continue by reason of death:' (that is, the 
 high-priest under the law, coiild not live ever in 
 this world, because it was appointed to all men 
 once to die.) Ke. «. 8. But when he speaks of Christ 
 Jesus, he saith on this wise, ' But this man, 
 because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable 
 priesthood. Ke. i. 18. Wherefore he (this man) is 
 able also to save them to the uttermost that come 
 unto God by him, seeing he (this man) ever liveth 
 to make intercession for them. And thus in brief 
 have I proved through the assistance of the Lord, 
 the intercession of the Son of Mary, which is also 
 the Son of God. And this concerning Christ's 
 priestly office, might serve also for a proof of his 
 being in the heaven without, above the stars. But 
 all men may see (unless they be blind) that these 
 are the truths of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of 
 God his Father ; and that those men that oppose 
 them (as the quakers do) are very violently pos- 
 sessed of the devil, and besides themselves ; and 
 have neither the truth of God, nor his Spirit in 
 
 them. 2 Ju. ix. 10. Jn. V. 38, 42. 
 
 [Christ Jddge of Quick and Dead.] And now 
 through the assistance of the Lord, I shall come 
 to the last that I promised, and that is to prove, 
 that this very man Christ, will come to judge the 
 quick and the dead. And first, I shall prove the 
 trath itself, viz.. That that man shall come again 
 to judge the world, quick and dead. Second, I 
 shall shew you that his coming will be very shortly. 
 Third, What shall be done at his coming. Fourth, 
 Who shall stand when he shall come, and who not. 
 
 First, That that man that was horn of the 
 Virgin Mary shall come again to judge the quick 
 and the dead, read 2 Ti. iv. i. 'I, (saith Paul) 
 ' charge thee therefore before God, (speaking to 
 him, even to Timothy, and so to aU believers) ' and 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick 
 and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.' 
 Now if you would know who this Lord Jesus is, 
 look into Ac. I. 28. and you shall see it was Jesus of 
 Nazareth ; would you know who that was ? read 
 Mat. ii. towards the end, and you shall see it was 
 the Son of Mary the Virgin, who was espoused to 
 Joseph the carpenter. But read Ac. x. yer. S8 to 43. you 
 shall find these words, 'God anointed Jesus of 
 Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with the power : 
 who went about doing good, and healing all that 
 were oppressed of the devil ; for God was with 
 him ; And we are witnesses of all things which he 
 
 did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalen 
 
 whom they slew and hanged on a tree, (even Jesi 
 
 of Nazareth) Him God raised up the third da; 
 
 and shewed him openly ; not to all the people, hi 
 
 unto witnesses chosen before of God, eoen to u 
 
 who did eat and drink with him after he rose froi 
 
 the dead. And he commanded us to preach unl 
 
 the people, (that is, God commanded us) and t 
 
 testify (that is, to be bold in our preaching) ths 
 
 it is he (namely, Jesus of Nazareth, whom tb 
 
 Jews did thus crucify) which was ordained of Go 
 
 to he the judge of quick and dead.' This is h 
 
 also that is spoken of in Ac. xrii. 30, 31. ' The time 
 
 of this ignorance God winked at ; (meaning men' 
 
 being without the gospel) but now commandeth al 
 
 men everywhere to repent : Because he hath ap 
 
 pointed a day (which day is the day of judgment 
 
 Mat.xii.S6.) in the which he will judge the world ii 
 
 righteousness, by that man (namely, Jesus o 
 
 Nazareth) whom he hath ordained, (compare thii 
 
 with that in Ac. x. 38 to 43.) wliereof he hath givet 
 
 assurance unto all men (that is, hath given a sure 
 
 sign unto all men) in that he hath raised him, (thai 
 
 is, in that he hath raised Jesus of Nazareth) from 
 
 the dead.' This also is Christ's own meaning. 
 
 Mat. xxiv. where speaking of his second coming, ho 
 
 styleth himself the Son of man, saying ; 'And then 
 
 shall appear the sign of the Son of man,' ver. so. 
 
 and ' so shall also the coming of the Son of man 
 
 be. ' ver. 27. So shall also the coming of the Son of 
 
 man be, ver. 37. So shall also the coming of the 
 
 Son of man be. ver. 39. Where, by the way, it is 
 
 observable to see how the Lord of life and glory 
 
 doth in this chapter, where he speaketh of his 
 
 second coming, for the most part style himself the 
 
 Son of man. Sure he doth it to this end, because 
 
 he will not have his humanity and the doctrine 
 
 thereof, to be razed out from under heaven : For 
 
 he knew, that in the last days, there would come 
 
 mockers 'walking after their own lusts, and saying, 
 
 Where is the promise of his coming.' spe.iu. 8. I 
 
 could multiply scriptures to prove this doctrine of 
 
 his second coming, as He. ix. ver. 28; 2 Pe. iiL 2Th. i. 6—8. 
 Lu. x.vi. Mat. xxiv. and xxv. He. xxii. 7,12, mi 20; 2 Co. v. 10. Ko. xiv. 10. 
 Ac. xxiv. 25. But, 
 
 Secondly, I will shew you tJiat his coming will be 
 shortly. It is true, no man can teU neither the 
 day nor the hour, yet so far as the scriptures will 
 give us light into the nearness of his coming, so 
 far we may go. And if you read Mat. xxiv. you shall 
 see many signs of his coming spoken of. 
 
 1. There is falling away from the faith spoken 
 of. And that hath been fulfilled and is fulfilling 
 every day. 
 
 2. Wars and rumours of wars is another sign 
 that his coming doth draw nigh, even at the doors. 
 
 3. The love of many waxing cold, is another 
 sign that it is nigh, even the coming of Christ." 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 1G3 
 
 And how cold is the love of many at this day ? 
 They that were hot two or three years ago, are 
 now grown lukewarm and cold. They are cold in 
 the Lord's appearing. They are cold in the pro- 
 fession of the gospel. They are cold in love to 
 tlie saints, they are cold in the worship of God ; 
 Yea, very cold, which is a notahle demonstration 
 that the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 
 
 4. The stars falling from heaven ; ( That is 
 professors falling from the faith which once they 
 professed) is another sign that the coming of the 
 Lord is at hand. And how many professors do 
 you see now a-days, fall from the doctrine of God, 
 and his Son Jesus Christ, as though there were no 
 such thing as a world to come, and no such thing 
 as a Lord Jesus Christ, and his second coming. 
 
 5. Many poor souls will go on in their profes- 
 sion with lamps without oil, just before his second 
 coming. Mat. xxv. 1—7. And the Lord knows that 
 most of the professors of this generation, are such 
 
 kind of professors, vea, very foolish 
 These things I do but „ -^ 1 • 1. ■ ^i 
 
 hint at, though I protessors, winch IS another sure 
 
 Lu."riiiT° ^'g°' tliat the coming of the Lord 
 
 draws nigh. 
 
 6. When the time of Christ's second coming 
 is at hand, there will be hut a very little faith ia 
 the world. And the Lord knows, that there he 
 many, who are now as high as lucifer, that at 
 Say 1 Jn. iii. 3 to thy ^^^^ ^^J ^^r Want of faith will he 
 
 heart, and compare thrown down to the sides of the 
 
 thy condition with It, . . . in/. 
 
 and thou wilt find pit : even in the very belly ot 
 
 this a glorious truth. Vpi] 
 
 7. Another sign of Christ's second coming, is 
 the carnal mindedness of the most of the world ; 
 and the very carriages of almost all men now 
 living do discover this truth to he at this day ful- 
 filled, and know that when they shall say peace 
 and safety, then sudden destruction comes, and 
 they shall not escape, i Th. y. i— i. 
 
 8. Before Christ's second coming, there shall 
 come many false Christs and false prophets, and 
 shall shew great signs, and wonders, to seduce 
 if it were possible the elect. Mat. xxiv. M. Mar. xiii. az. 
 And is not this more clearly fulfilled in our days 
 than ever it was, especially among those men 
 called quakers, who being as persons, whose con- 
 sciences are seared with an hot iron, and they 
 being sealed up unto destruction, do some of them 
 call themselves Christ, and shew great signs, (as 
 their quaking) and such a legal holiness, as makes 
 the simple admire them, and wonder after them, 
 which shews the coming of Christ to be very nigh. 
 
 9. Before Christ's second coming, there shall 
 come scoffers in the world, walking after their own 
 lusts, 2 Pe. iii. 3. and if ever this scripture was fid- 
 fiUed, it is fulfilled on these men called quakers : 
 For they are the men, that at this day make a 
 mock at Christ's second coming, which shall be 
 
 from heaven without ; 1 Tii. i. lo. Phi. iii. 20. and there- 
 fore saith the Holy Ghost, these mockers shall be 
 such as shall say, where is the promise of his 
 coming ? For since the fathers fell asleep, all 
 things continue as they were, see 2 Pe. iii. 3—7. And 
 there you shall see their mocking and the reason 
 of it. Read and the Lord give thee understanding. 
 But I would not have thee think that I speak at 
 random, in this thing, Know for certain, that I 
 myself have heard them blaspheme ; yea, with a 
 grinning countenance, at the doctrine of that man's 
 second coming from heaven above the stars, who 
 was born of the Virgin Mary. Yea, they have 
 told me to my face, that I have used conjuration, 
 and witchcraft, because what I preached was 
 according to the scriptures. I was also told to 
 my face, that I preached up an idol, because I 
 said, that the Son of Mary was in heaven, with 
 the same body that was crucified on the cross ; 
 And many other things have they blasphemously 
 vented against the Lord of life and glory, and his 
 precious gospel. The Lord reward them accord- 
 ing as their work shall be. 
 
 I coidd have hinted in many other things which 
 Christ and his Apostles have shewed to be signs 
 of his coming. But I shall commend the holy 
 scriptures unto thee, which are able to make the 
 man of God perfect in all things, through faith in 
 the Lord Jesus. 2 Ti. iii. 17. 
 
 Now you have also tJie manner of his coming 
 how it shall be, most notably laid down in the 
 scriptures. I shall hint in a few things touching it. 
 1. He will come when there is but very few 
 looking for his coming. ' When they shall say, 
 peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh.' 
 iTh. V. 1— 3. Which sudden destruction will be at 
 his second coming, for that is it which the Apostle 
 spake of in those three verses. Then will all the 
 world be caught at such an unexpected time, that 
 it will come upon them, even as a snare cometh 
 upon those creatures that are caught in it. As it is 
 written Lu. \A 35. ' For as a snare shall it come on 
 all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. ' 
 Which is all on a sudden, before they are aware. 
 
 2. He cometh with all his saints and angels. 
 Then will the Lord descend from that heaven, into 
 which he is now ascended, as it is written in i Th.iv. 
 16. Then will he come, and all his saints with him, 
 as Jude saith in his Epistle, 15. Then shall Abel 
 and Enoch, Noah and Abraham, David and Job, 
 Peter and Paul: Together with all the saints 
 which have been, now are, or hereafter shall be, 
 and they shall sit on the throne with the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, as in Mat. xi\. 38. Before whom shall 
 all the nations of the world be gathered, as it is 
 written. Joel iii. 12. ' Let the heathen be wakened (or 
 raised out of their graves. Da. iii. 3.) and come up 
 to the valley of Jehoshaphat : for there will I sit 
 
164 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 to judge the heathen round about. ' Which never 
 was yet accomplished, though it shall certainly he, 
 in God's time: To the astonishment, and everlasting 
 damnation of all those that shall continue mocking, 
 or sinning against God and his Christ. 
 
 3. He shall come in a flaming fire, (when he 
 doth come again: he will come in such a manner, 
 as will make all that shall he found in their sins 
 rather seek to creep under a mountain, than to 
 meet the Lord of glory. Rev. vi. 15. As Isaiah saith, 
 ' For, hehold, the Lord will come with fire, and 
 with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his 
 anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire.' 
 Is. kvi. 15. 'To execute judgment upon all, and to 
 convince aU that are ungodly among them, of all 
 their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly com- 
 mitted, and of all their hard speeches, which ungodly 
 sinners have spoken against him, ' Jude 15. as I shall 
 shew farther by and by. 
 
 TIdrd, And therefore in the next place, I shall 
 shew you, what shall be done when he is come. 
 
 1. When Christ is come the second time, they 
 that are in their graves shall arise, and come forth 
 of their graves (as I said before) in which they have 
 lain according to that in Jn. y. 28, 29. Where Christ 
 saith, • Marvel not at this : for the hour is coming, 
 in the which all that are in the graves shall hear 
 his voice, and shall come forth ; they that have 
 done good, unto the resurrection of life ; and they 
 that have done evil, unto the resurrection of 
 damnation.' You will say. Are these graves 
 spoken of here, the graves that are made in the 
 earth ? Yea, that they are, and for a further proof 
 of the same, look into Da. A 2. Daniel there speak- 
 ing of the same thing saith, ' And many of them that 
 sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, (or arise) 
 some to everlasting life, and some to shame and 
 everlasting contempt' (or damnation.) 
 
 I shall not stand here to dispute any distinctions 
 of the resurrections, only prove that the dead shall 
 arise ; and that is a clear truth from the scriptures. 
 
 Ac. I. 42. Re. XX. 11— 14 ; and ] Th. iv. IC. 1 Co. xv. 62. ' The 
 
 dead shall be raised.' 
 
 2. He shall call all men and women to an 
 account for all their * close sinful thoughts, words 
 and actions ; then wiU the secrets of all hearts be 
 made manifest. Then shall all thy adulterous, and 
 thievish, and covetous, idolatrous, and blasphemous 
 thoughts be laid open, according to that saying, 
 ' Their consciences also hearing witness, and their 
 thoughts the mean (time, or) while accusing or 
 else excusing one another. ' Ro. ii. 15. But when ? 
 Why, ' In the day when God shall judge the secrets 
 of men by Jesus Christ. ' ver. 16. See also l Co iv. 6. 
 ' Therefore judge nothing before the time. ' What 
 time is that ? Why, when the Lord comes ; what 
 
 ■ ' Close,' secret, not disclosed. — Ed. 
 
 will he do ? He ' will bring to light the hidden 
 things of darkness,' that is, all those cunning, close, 
 hidden wickednesses that thou in thy life-time hast 
 committed ; yea, he will ' make manifest the coun- 
 sels of the hearts ; ' that is, the most hidden and 
 secret things that are contrived and plotted by the 
 sons of men. Then shall all the midnight whore- 
 mongers be laid open with aU their sins ; Then 
 thou (it m<ay be) who has committed Such sins as 
 thou wouldest not have thy neighbour, thy father, 
 thy wife, thy husband, or any one else know of 
 for thousands, then thou shalt have them all laid 
 open, even upon the house tops. Ln. xii. 3. Then 
 thou that hatest God's children; his ways, his 
 word, his Spirit ; then thou that makest a mock at 
 Jesus of Nazareth's second coming, then thou 
 that livest in open prophaneness, or secret hypo- 
 crisy, then I say, will be such a time of reckoning 
 for you, as never was since the world began, then you 
 that shall die in your sins, will cry to the mountains, 
 Fall on us, and cover us from the face of him that 
 sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the 
 Lamb (which Lamb is the Man Christ Jesus, it. 
 i. 29.) And ah, my friends! If the very looks 
 of God be so terrible, what will his blows be, 
 think you ? Then if all thy idle words shall be 
 accounted for, as it is written, ' But I say unto 
 you. That every idle word that men shall speak, 
 they shaU give account thereof in the day of judg- 
 ment. Mat. xii. 36. and also , all thy filthy actions shall 
 be then regarded in such sort, as thou shalt 
 receive a just recompense for them. And know, 
 saith the scripture, ' that for .^^^^^^ ,;„„,,, ^ ^„ 
 all these thinqs, God will brinar unwilling to com to 
 
 - . . '^- , ° judgment, yet thia will 
 
 thee into judgment. Ec. xi. 9. be their misery, God will 
 mi^ bring them Mai. iv. 1. 
 
 Thou that art an unbeliever, shalt be sure to 
 fall imder the judgment for all thy sins. (1 .) Thou 
 must give an account. (2.) Thou must fall in the 
 judgment. Oh my friends, there are hot days 
 a-coming for all those that are found out of the Lord 
 Jesus : Behold, saith Malachi, ' The day cometh, 
 that shall burn as an oven ; and all the proud, yea, 
 and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the 
 day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the 
 Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither 
 root nor branch. ' iv.i. The day of judgment wiU burn 
 like an oven, and all that have not the righteousnesa 
 of Christ upon them shall be as stubble. Ah 
 friends, put a red hot oven and stubble together, 
 and what work will there be ! Even the one wiU 
 burn and destroy the other. 
 
 3. When Christ doth come the second time, 
 another end of his coming will be to purge out all 
 things that ofi'ended in this kingdom. Mat. xiu. 41, 42. 
 ' The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and 
 they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that 
 offend, and them which do iniquity ; And shall cast 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 165 
 
 them into a furnace of fire ; there shall he wailing 
 and gnashing of teeth. ' There are many things 
 that do offend in his kingdom now : namely 
 
 (1.) The lukewarm professor, he doth oifend, (a.) 
 the Lord, (5.) his people. But then thou lukewarm 
 offending professor shalt offend the church of God 
 no more. 
 
 (2.) The loose professors do also offend God, 
 Christ and his church, (a.) He scandals the gos- 
 pel hy his loose walking, and naughty carriages. 
 (6.) He doth make the world blaspheme the name 
 of God by the same, (c.) He grieves the hearts 
 of God's people, pw. m. is. But know that thou 
 also shalt he taken away from offending any more, 
 God, Christ, and his saints, and thou shalt have 
 \veeping and gnashing of teeth, for thy thus 
 offending. Mat. x\-m. 6, 7- 
 
 4. Another end of Christ's second coming, is to 
 cut off all the ignorant persons that are in the 
 world. There is a generation of poor souls that 
 do think to be excused for their ignorance : Alas ! 
 saith one, I am a poor ignorant man, or woman ; 
 and therefore I hope that the Lord will have mercy 
 upon me : we cannot, say others, do as such and 
 such, and will the Lord condemn us? And thus 
 poor souls, as they are in the broad way to 
 destruction, lest they should miss of the way 
 iM„ ..M „*„„». . to hell; do swallow down 
 
 Menseekmgtogetencourage- ' 
 
 ment from their ignorance, \,^f clusters, that wllich will 
 
 do more harden themselves ^ , , , , , , 
 
 in sin, and so ai-e ia greater pOlSOn them, DOdy and SOul 
 
 dangerofetemaldamnation. ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ 
 
 Quest. But you will say, What, will not the 
 Lord have mercy on ignorant souls ? 
 
 Answ. Not on those who live and die in their 
 ignorance. He himself hath said, is. xxvii. n. ' For 
 it is a people of no understanding : therefore he 
 that made them will not have mercy on them, and 
 he that formed them will shew them no favour.' 
 Again, Paul also in that 2 Th. l. 8. saith, that when 
 Jesus Christ shall come to judge the world, he 
 doth come to take vengeance on aU ' them that 
 know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ.' 
 
 But ye wHl say, Who are those ignorant persons, 
 
 that shall find no favour at that day ? or how doth 
 
 the ignorance discover itself ? I shall only mention 
 
 three or four sorts of men ; 
 
 The xxvii. Is. 11th verse is a , , , . xi 
 
 notable confutation of the and leave tnee to the scrip- 
 S^hfSf'i'^'e'S tm-es, which if thou read 
 
 made them wiU not have tJ^g^i diHcrentlv, will further 
 mercy on them, and he that c i r 
 
 formed them, will show them lay them open before thee, 
 no favour.' . , 
 
 And, 
 
 (1.) The profane scoffer, who makes a mock at 
 
 the truths of God, and so goes on in his sins, for 
 
 this see in a Pe. iiL 3. which the apostle attributes to 
 
 their ignorance, ver. 6. And therefore he likens 
 
 them to brute beasts, ch. ii. lo, is. who ' walk after 
 
 the flesh in the lust of vmcleanness, ' and ' speak 
 
 evil of the things that they understand not ; and 
 shall utterly perish in their own corruption ; ' who 
 because they understand not the scripture, nor the 
 power of God in them, speak evil of the truths 
 therein contained, and think the Lord like unto 
 themselves. Ps. L 
 
 (2.) The formal professor, who hath only a notion 
 of the gospel, and some seeming holiness, but wants 
 gospel faith : such are called fooMsh virgins. Mat. 
 x.\v. 2, 3. to whom Christ will say in that day, 
 Verily, ' I know you not.' Add hereto, those that 
 think it enough to confess Christ with their mouths, 
 and profess that they know God, but deny him in 
 their works ; such notwithstanding all their profes- 
 sion, shall, if they so continue, perish eternally, 
 being abominable, disobedient, and to every good 
 work reprobate, or void of judgment, that is, igno- 
 rant. Tit. i. 16. 
 
 (3.) The legal righteous man or woman, though 
 they walk blameless, as touching the righteous- 
 ness that is in the law : For they being ignorant 
 of God's righteousness, go about to establish their 
 own righteousness, as reading, hearing sermons, 
 prayers, pubhc or private, peaceableness with their 
 neighbours, fasting, alms, good works as they 
 count them, just dealings, abstinence from the 
 grosser pollutions of the world, stricter obedience 
 to the commandments of the first and second table; 
 all which with many other things may be com- 
 prehended in their oivn righteousness, and it is 
 grounded on their ignorance, and goes on in rebel- 
 lion ; and such ignorant persons shall in that day 
 perish, not submitting through ignorance to the 
 righteousness of God, Ko. x. s. compared with Lu. xix. 
 27. where Christ saith, that when he shall come the 
 second time, he wUl command those his enemies, who 
 submitted not themselves to him, [who is called the 
 righteousness of God, is. xivi. 13.] or would not have 
 him to reign over them, to be slain before his face. 
 
 (4.) Those whose hearts are set upon the world, 
 and follow the alluring persuasions of it ; the Lord 
 calls such fools, [Lu. xii.30.andFr.vii. 7.] who go after it 
 (viz. the world, held forth by a similitude of a 
 woman with the attire of an harlot) as an ox to 
 the slaughter, or a fool to the correction of the 
 stocks, till a dart strike through his liver, as a 
 bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it 
 is for his life : and knows not, mark, it is through 
 ignorance, ver. 23. 
 
 5. A fit end of Christ's coming, is, that his 
 righteous ones might shine as the sun in the glory, 
 or kingdom of their father. Mat. xiii. 43. There are 
 many things that do hinder the people of God from 
 shining forth as the sun now. 
 
 As, They have a body of death, which makes 
 them fetch many a groan in their journey to 
 Canaan. Ko. vii. 24; 2 Co. V. 2. They meet with many a 
 sad temptation, which also makes them in heaviness 
 
16d 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 many a time, i re. i. 6. Tliey have also many other 
 things that do hinder their shining now ; hut then 
 the hody of death shall be left off. My meaning 
 is, that sin shall he no more in the natures of 
 God's people then : Their bodies that are now so 
 vile, shall then he made like imto the glorious 
 body of the Son of God, 'Wlio shall change our 
 vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his 
 glorious body, according to the working whereby 
 he is able even to subdue aU things unto himself.' 
 Ph. iii. 21. 
 
 6. Another end of Christ's coming shall be to 
 take an account of his children, how they have 
 laid out their talents, that he hath committed to 
 
 their trust. Mat. xxv. 19; Eo. xiv. 12; 2 Co. V. 10. 
 
 7. Another end of his coming is, to set up his 
 kingdom, which will be glorious indeed at his 
 appearing. 2Ti. iv. l; Eo. viii. 19— 21. I do but touch 
 these things, because I would hasten towards a 
 conclusion ; many other things might have been 
 spoken to, but at this time I shall forbear. 
 
 But you wiU say. Who shall stand when he 
 appears ? Why, I told you before, that ' the 
 ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor 
 sinners in the congregation of the righteous.' Ps. 
 i. 5. Let him be close or profane, as I told you 
 even now, all shall be laid open, all shall be made 
 manifest, all shall come into judgment. 
 
 Ah poor soul ! It is not then thy brave words 
 wiU save thee ; it is not thine eloquent tongue that 
 will then do thee any good : if thou be without the 
 wedding garment, thou wilt be speechless, as in 
 Mat. xxii. 12. But thou that art a converted person, 
 shalt stand in the judgment ; thou that art born 
 again shalt enter into the kingdom, and none else. 
 
 Ju. iii. 5 ; Ee. xxL 27- 
 
 But how shall I know that I am born again? 
 
 (1.) Why, if thou art born again, then thou 
 knowest that thou wast not born a Christian at 
 first. Ep. ii. 1—3. ' You liaih he quickened, who were 
 dead in trespasses and sins.' 
 
 (2.) Thou knowest that once thouhadst no faith 
 in the Lord Jesus ; and wert convinced of sin be- 
 cause thou didst not believe in the Son of Mary. 
 Jn. xvi. 9. 
 
 (3.) Thou seest all true joy through the blood 
 and righteousness of the Son of Mary, l Co. iv. 67; 
 
 Ro. vii. 25. 
 
 (4.) Art thou born again? Then thou canst 
 not be quiet till thou seest God smile, and lift up 
 the light of his countenance upon thee, 2Co. iv. 6; Ps. 
 iv. 6. and that through the face of the Son of Maiy, 
 the Son of God. 
 
 (5.) Thou knowest that God hath given thee thy 
 
 faith. Phi. 1.29; Ep. ii. 8. 
 
 (6.) Art thou born again ? Then thou knowest 
 that the doctrine of the Son of Mary the Virgin, 
 is a right doctrine. 2 Jn. 9. 
 
 (7.) Then also thou lookest for the personal 
 appearing of the Son of Mary from heaven in the 
 clouds, the second time. He. ix. 28. Ke. i. 7. 
 
 These things, though plain, yet if the Lord set 
 them home upon thy conscience, may be profitable 
 both to thee and me. Therefore let us examine 
 the matter a httle. And 
 
 Examine 1. Thou thinkest that thou art a Chris- 
 tian ; thou shouldest be sorry else : Well, But when 
 did God shew thee that thou wert no Christian ? 
 When didst thou see that : And in the light of the 
 Spirit of Christ, see that thou wert under the 
 wrath of God because of original sin ? Eb. t. 12. 
 Nay, dost thou know what original sin means? 
 Is it not the least in thy thoughts ? And dost 
 thou not rejoice in secret, that thou art the same 
 that thou ever wert ? If so, then know for certain 
 that the wrath of God to this very day abideth on 
 thee. Jn. iii. 36. And if so, then thou art one of 
 those that will fall in the judgment, except thou 
 art horn again, and made a new creature. 2 Co. t. 17. 
 
 Exam. 2. Thou thinkest that thou hast been 
 born again, ('tis well if thou hast) but least thou 
 shouldest deceive thy poor soul, I pray thee con- 
 sider, when did the Spirit of the Lord Jesus shew 
 thee, that thou hadst no faith in thee by nature? 
 And when did the Spirit of Christ convince thee 
 of sin, because thou didst not believe in hun? It 
 may be thou hast been convinced of sins against 
 the law, by the law, and thine own conscience, as 
 the Pharisees were. Jn. viii. 9, and Eo. iii. 20. Ay, but 
 when didst thou see thyself a lost creature for 
 want of faith in the son of Mary? If not, thou 
 hast not yet been savingly convinced by the Spirit 
 of Christ ; for that, when it convinceth effectually 
 of sin, it convinceth of unbehef ; though thou hast 
 been never so much convinced of sins against the 
 law, if thou hast not seen thyself under the power 
 and dominion, guilt and punishment of sin, because 
 thou didst not believe in Christ, thou hast not yet 
 been savingly convinced ; for that's one work of 
 the Spirit to convince of sin, ' Because they believe 
 not on me,' saith Jesus the Son of Mary, who was 
 espoused to Joseph the carpenter: But on the 
 contrary, dost thou not say in thy heart, thou never 
 hadst thy faith to seek, but hast always beheved 
 with as good a faith as any one alive ? If so, then 
 know for certain that thou hast no faith of the 
 operation of God in thee, according to God's ordi- 
 nary working ; and if so, then know, that if the 
 Son of Man should come to judge the world at 
 this moment of time, that thou with aU thy faith 
 (thou thinkest thou hast) wouldst fall m the judg- 
 ment. 3 Th. ii. 12. 
 
 Exam. 3. Art thou bom again? Then thou 
 seest that thy great sin was want of faith in the 
 Son of Mary. Then thou seest that it is he 
 that was sent of God to die for the sins of the 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 167 
 
 world, Jn. L29, andiii.ie— 19. Ab. int S(>, 39. and ttat thou 
 
 art complete in him, vrithout any works of the law, 
 Ko. iv. 5. then thou rejoicest in Christ Jesus, and 
 puttest no confidence in the flesh, pm. m. 3. yet thou 
 rejoicest in the flesh and hlood of the Son of Mary, 
 knowing that his flesh is meat indeed, and his 
 blood is drink indeed, Jn. vi. 65. out of which thou 
 wouldest very wilHngly make thy life all thy days ; 
 out of his birth, obedience, death, resurrection, 
 ascension, and glorious intercession, now at the 
 right hand of his Father, He. vii. 24, 25. but if thou art 
 wavering in these things, know that thou art but 
 a babe at the best, and for ought thou knowest, 
 God may cut thee off in thy unbelief, and cast thee 
 into utter darkness, where there shall be weeping 
 and wailing and gnashing of teeth. 
 
 Eocrnn. 4. Art thou born again? Then thou 
 seest all true peace and joy comes through the 
 blood of the Son of Mary, and his righteousness, 
 as in Eo. viL25, andlCo. iv. 67. there are many poor souls 
 that are taken with raptures of joy, and false con- 
 ceited consolation, [jn. xvi. 20.] which doth come 
 from the devil, and their own deceitful hearts ; hut 
 their joy shall be turned into mourning and sorrow 
 of heart, Lu. vi. 24, 25, but thou that art a Christian 
 in deed, and not in word only, rejoicest in Christ 
 Jesus the Son of Mary ; yea, though now you see 
 him not, yet beheving, you rejoice with joy un- 
 speakable and full of glory. 1 Pe. i. 8. And these two 
 things are the fruits of thy faith, and of thy joy. 
 
 (1.) The Lord Jesus Christ is very precious unto 
 thee. 1 Pe. ii. 7. 
 
 (2.) Thou dost purify thine heart by this faith, 
 and the power of the Spirit of Christ, which thou 
 hast received into thy soul. Ko. viii 13. Ac. xr. 9,laiiajii. 
 Ui. 3. But if thy guilt of sin goes oflf, and convic- 
 tions go off any other way than by the blood and 
 righteousness of the Man Christ Jesus, thy guilt 
 goes ofl" not right, but wrong, and thy latter end 
 will be a very bitter end without faith and repent- 
 ance ; for it is his blood through which all true 
 peace comes, Col, i 20. and there is no other name 
 under heaven given among men, whereby we should 
 be saved, but by the Lord Jesus of Nazareth, Ac. iv. 
 ver. 10—12. compared together. 
 
 Eocam. 5. Art thou born again? Then thou 
 canst not be quiet tUl thou doest see God lift up the 
 light of his countenance upon thee ; yea, thou hast 
 such a desire after the light of God's countenance, 
 that, all the glory, riches, honour, pleasure, profits, 
 &c. of this world wiU not satisfy, till thou doest see 
 God to be a reconciled Father to thee in the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, as it is Ps. iv. 6. Jn. xiv. 8. Ps. xxxv. 3. Then 
 thou wilt not be quiet till thou dost hear from the 
 Son of Mary, which is the Lord of glory, such a 
 voice as this. Son be of good cheer, thy sins are 
 ' forgiven thee : And ' my grace is sufficient for 
 ' thee.' 2Co. xii.9iiCo. iL8. But if thou canst content 
 
 thyself with anything below this, thou wilt, when 
 all comes to all, be found but a rotten-hearted 
 professor, who wUl have thy portion among the 
 slothful ones, who will fall in the judgment of the 
 Son of Man, when he comes in flaming fire with 
 his mighty angels. 2 Th. i. 8. 
 
 Exam. 6. Art thou born again ? Then thou 
 knowest that God hath given thee thy faith that 
 thou hast in his Son : Then thou art to say through 
 grace, there was a time in which I had no faith ; 
 there was a time in which I could not believe in 
 the Son of God for eternal life. ' But God, who 
 is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he 
 loved us, even when we were dead in sins (and 
 unbelief; which is the greatest;) hath quickened 
 us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved,' 
 Ep. ii. 4, 6. ' through faith. ' vcr. 8. 
 
 Exam. 7. Art thou born again ? Then thou 
 knowest that the doctrine of the Son of God, the 
 Son of Mary, is a right doctrine, which is this : 
 
 That the Son of God which was with his Father 
 before the world was, (Jn. i. l; xvii. 5.) came into the 
 world in the fulness of time, and was made in the 
 likeness of man. ( pm. ii. 7- ) being made of a woman 
 or virgin, made under the law, to redeem them 
 that were under the law. (Ja. iv. 4. And that was 
 done in this wise. What the law could not do in 
 that it was weak through the flesh ; that is, through 
 our flesh ; God sending his own Son in likeness of 
 sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, 
 that is, condemned him in the flesh for the sins of 
 poor sinners : For this, compare Bo. viii. s, 2 Co. v. 21. 
 with Ga. iii. 13. and it wiU appear clearly to be the 
 truth of God: Also, that this Son of God, which 
 is the true God, as well aS the Son of Mary, did 
 bear our sins in his own body on the tree, lPe.ii.24. 
 and did spill his own blood, which is also the blood 
 of God, Ac. XX. 28. that he died, and was laid in 
 Joseph's sepulchre, Jn. xix. 38—43. and rose again 
 the third day, Ac x. 40. that very Man, Lu. xxiv. 39—45. 
 and ascended up into heaven in a cloud, Ac. i. 9- ll. 
 and there ever lives to make intercession for us, 
 that very man. He. vii. 24, 25 ; viii. 3 ; x. 12. 
 
 Exam. 8. And in the last place, If thou art a 
 Christian, then thou lookest for that very Jesus 
 again, whom the Jews did crucify, Jn. xu. whom 
 God raised again, as it is 1 Th. i. 10. I say, thou 
 lookest, thou waitest, thou hasteneth after the 
 coming of this Lord Jesus, which doth deliver thee 
 from the wrath to come. 2 Pe. iii. 10— 12. He. ix. 26—28; 1 
 Th. i. 10. Yea, thou knowest, that this very man 
 shall so come in like manner, as his disciples did 
 see him go into heaven, which was a very man, 
 Lu. xxiv. 39. compared with ver. 50, ei, of the same 
 chapter. Yea, in a cloud he M^ent away from his 
 disciples, and in the clouds he shall come again, 
 Ee.i.7. to judge all that are in their graves, Jn. v. 28, 
 29. Da. xii. 2. and shall receive all that look for, and 
 
168 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 love his second coming, to himself. He. ix. 27, 28. And 
 they shall be for ever with him. 1 Th. ir. 16, 17. But 
 the wicked shall be cast into eternal damnation. 
 Mat. XIV. 46. These things, I say, if thou be a Chris- 
 tian indeed, thou believest, and ownest, and the 
 faith of them doth purify thy heart, 1 Jn. iii. 3. and 
 wean thee from this world, and the things thereof ; 
 and if it is not from this principle ; that is, if thy 
 obedience do not flow from this faith, which is the 
 faith of God's elect, as I have proved at large, thy 
 obedience, thy zeal, thy self-denial, thy holiness, 
 righteousness ; yea, all that thou canst do, is but 
 sin in the sight of the great God of heaven and 
 earth. He. xi. 6. Eo. xiv. 23. For all true sanotification 
 comes through the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 by the operation of the Spirit of God. 1 Co. vi. ii. 
 'But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye 
 are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and 
 by the Spirit of our God. ' And in Ca. i. s. ' Thy 
 name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the 
 virgins love thee.' 
 
 Well then, seeing this is a truth of so great 
 concernment, I beseech you, seek to be thoroughly 
 rooted into it by faith. And that thou mayest so 
 be, examine thy heart ; yea, beg of God to help 
 thee to examine it, and to throw out all that fancy 
 that thou takest instead of faith ; also throw away 
 all thine own wisdom ; yea, thy own righteousness 
 also, and come to God in the name of the Son of 
 Mary, which is the Son of God, and beg faith of 
 him, true faith, the faith of the operation of God ; 
 such a faith as he gives to his own elect, which 
 will shew thee clearly of these things ; so that 
 thou shalt not deceive thyself with a fancy of them; 
 and the advantages will be many. 
 
 Advantage 1. It will comfort thy heart against 
 persecutions, temptations, and cross providences, 
 as also James saith to his persecuted brethren ; 
 ' Be patient (my brethren, saith he), stablishyour 
 hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. ' 
 U. V. 8. 
 
 Advantage 2. It will through grace, wean thy 
 heart and aifections abundantly from this world, 
 and the things therein. ' Who is he that over- 
 cometh the world, (saith John) but he that believeth 
 that Jesus is the Son of God ? ' 1 Jn. v. 5. Who is 
 he also that purifies his heart, but he that looketh 
 for the second coming of Christ from heaven to 
 judge the world ? as in 1 Jd. iii. 3. compared with 
 2 Pe. iii. 10, n. 
 
 Advantage 3. Hereby thou wilt be able to judge 
 of all doctrines whatsoever, though they come 
 never so nigh the truth, yet if they be not indeed 
 the very truth, thou wilt find them and their doc- 
 trine liars. Re. ii. 2. 1 Co. ii. 15. 
 
 Advantage 4. If thou beest thoroughly set down 
 in this doctrine, even in the faith of this doctrine 
 which I have held forth unto thee, thou wilt not 
 
 be taken with any other doctrine whatsoever. 
 What is the reason I pray you, that there are so 
 many giddy-headed professors in these days, that 
 do stagger to and fro like a company of drunkards, 
 but this. They were never sealed in the doctrine 
 of the Father, and the Son ? They were never 
 enabled to believe that that child that was born 
 of the virgin Mary, was the mighty God. is. ix.e. 
 No, saith Christ, he that is built upon this rock, 
 (meaning the faith of himself, which is to believe 
 that the Son of Mary is the Christ of God, Mat. xvi. 
 16, ) the gates of hell shall not prevail against him. 
 
 ver. 18. 
 
 Advantage 5. The faith of this doctrine, will 
 make thee labour in the work of God in the world. 
 Oh, it will liven thy heart in the work of the Lord ; 
 especially, if thou livest in the faith of thy interest 
 in Christ, it will make thee labour to be found 
 watching when thy Lord shall return from the 
 wedding ; that when he doth come, thou mayest 
 open to him immediately. Lu. xii. 35, 36. 
 
 Now seeing the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 
 is so nigh, even at the doors, what doth this 
 speak to aU sorts of people (under heaven) but 
 this? 
 
 Adnwnition 1 . First, to see whether they have 
 oil in their lamps or not ; that is, to search and 
 see, whether the Spirit of the Man Christ Jesus be 
 in them or no ; for he that hath not the Spirit of 
 Christ in him, is none of Christ's. Bo. viii. 9. Thou 
 that hast not the Spirit of Christ in thee, why, at 
 that day (let thy profession be what it wiU) he will 
 say to thee. Depart, I know you not, Mat. xxv. and 
 if so, then thy latter end will be worse than thj 
 beginning, as in 2 Pe. ii. 20. 
 
 Admonition 2. Then what will become of all the 
 profane, ignorant, scoffers, self-righteous, proud, 
 bastard-professors in the world ? If the children 
 of God shall ' scarcely be saved, where shaU the 
 ungodly, and the sinner appear ? ' l Pc. iv. 18. 
 
 Admonition 3. Then what will become of all 
 those that creep into the society of God's people 
 without a wedding garment on ? Why, it will be 
 said unto them. Friends, how came you hither ? 
 Take them, and bind them hand and foot, and 
 cast them into utter darkness ; ' There shall be 
 weeping and gnashmg of teeth. ' Mat. xxii. 11—13. 
 
 Adnwnition 4. Then what will become of all 
 those that mock at the second coming of the Man 
 Christ, as do the Ranters, Quakers, drunkards, 
 and the like ? Why read their doom in Mat. xxiv. 
 60, 51. ' The Lord of that or these servants, shall 
 come in a day when they look not for him, and in, 
 an hour that they are not aware of, and shall cut 
 them asunder, and appoint them their portion with 
 the hypocrites, ' And ' there shall be weeping and 
 gnashing of teeth. ' 
 
 Admonition 5. Then what doth this speak to 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 169 
 
 tlie Lord's own people ? Surely this, that they 
 should be in a watchful posture. Mar. xffi. 37. 
 
 (1.) Watch therefore over your own hearts, least 
 they should be over-charged with surfeiting and 
 drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and so that 
 day come upon you unawares ; for as a snare shall 
 it come upon all the dwellers upon the face of the 
 earth, as it is in Lu. xxi. 34.— 36. 
 
 (2.) Watch over the devil's temptations. Oh, 
 have a care in the first place, lest by any means, 
 as the serpent beguiled Eve, so your minds should 
 be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ : 
 And the rather, because at this day he is very 
 busy with his doctrines, and his ministers ; trying 
 all ways, if by any means he might deceive you 
 with fair speeches, and enticing carriages; what a 
 fair shew in the flesh, yet denying the Lord, and 
 refusing to be justified by the blood of Jesus the 
 Son of Mary, the Son of God. Watch I say over 
 the devil touching doctrines, for he labours as 
 much this way as any way, for he knows that if 
 he can but get you to lay a rotten foundation, he 
 is sure of you, live as godly in your conceit as you 
 wLU, and therefore, it is worth your observation, in 
 that xxivth of Mat. when Christ is speaking of the 
 signs of his coming, he breaks forth with a warn- 
 ing word to his disciples, to beware of false teachers, 
 ■vet. 4. the very first words that he answers to a 
 question that his disciples put to him is this, ' Take 
 heed that no man deceive you.' Again, ver. 11. 
 'And many false prophets shall rise, and shall 
 deceive many, ' And in ver. a. he saith again, 
 ' For there shall (come or) arise, false Christs, and 
 false prophets, and shall shew great signs and 
 wonders ; insomuch that, if it were possible, they 
 shall deceive the very elect. ' 
 
 (3.) Take heed that he doth not deceive you in 
 point of worship, that he make you not slight any 
 of the ordinances of God ; for if he do, he will 
 quickly make way for another temptation. 
 
 (4.) Take heed also that you have not your 
 lamps to trim when the bridegroom comes ; if you 
 have, you may peradventure be ashamed and blush 
 before him at his coming. 1 Jn. ii. 38. Therefore 
 content not yourselves with a profession of Christ, 
 and no more, for the devil may deceive, yea, doth 
 deceive a professing people many times. And if 
 he will deceive a professing generation, he must 
 come in this manner: Under the name of Christ. 
 With a fair shew in the flesh of outward holiness. 
 6a. vi. 12. He must come ' with good words and fair 
 speeches,' Eo. xvi. is. Now though he come to 
 drunkards, swearers, whoremongers, thieves, liars, 
 murderers, and covetous persons, in his black 
 colours ; yet if he will come to deceive a profess- 
 ing party, he must appear like an angel of light. 
 2 Co. xi. 14. And the reason why souls are deceived 
 by him in these his appearances, is, because they 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 are not able to distinguish betwixt the law and 
 the gospel, the convictions of conscience by the 
 law only, and convictions by the Spirit, but do 
 (though they profess the Lord Jesus) give ear to 
 every wind of doctrine, and being unstable, as 
 Peter saith, do :^all into the temptations of the 
 devU, in wresting the scriptures to their own 
 destruction, 2 Po. Ui. IG. 
 
 Admonition 6. In a word, you that have not yet 
 laid hold on the Lord Jesus Christ, for eternal life, 
 lay hold upon him ; upon his righteousness, blood, 
 resurrection, ascension, intercession, and wait for 
 his second coming to 'judge the world in righte- 
 ousness. ' ic. xiii. 31. And you that have laid hold, 
 I say to you, lay faster hold on your Lord Jesus, 
 ' Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. ' Mat. xiii. 43. 
 
 Now, that thou mayest the more clearly under- 
 stand my faith in the doctrine of God's dear Son, 
 I have thought good to hold forth again the doe- 
 trine of the former treatise by way of question and 
 answer, as foUoweth. 
 
 Quest. Seeing there are many false Christs gone 
 out into the world, according as was prophesied of 
 in former times by the Lord himself. Mat. xxiv. 6, 23. 
 And seeing (if we be saved) we must be saved by 
 a Christ; for he that misses of him (saith tha 
 scriptures) cannot be saved, because there is no 
 way to come to the Father but by him, as it ia 
 written. Jn. xiv. 6. Ac. iv. 12. How therefore, is the 
 knowledge of the true Christ to be attained unto, 
 that we may be saved by him ? 
 
 Ans. Indeed to know Christ, (God's Christ) is 
 as the scripture saith, the one thing necessary, 
 Lu. X. 42. without which all other things wiR avail 
 nothing: And therefore I shall according to the 
 scriptures, (1.) TeU you what God's Christ is. 
 And, (2.) How the knowledge of him is attained 
 unto. And therefore, God's Christ is true God, 
 and true man. Tliat fie is true God, is mani- 
 fest by that scripture, in la. ix. 6. where it is said, 
 ' unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given : 
 and the government shall be upon his shoulder : 
 and his name shall be called Wonderful, Coun- 
 sellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the 
 Prince of Peace.' Also iJn.6.20. And we are in 
 him that is true, (saith the apostle) even in his 
 Son Jesus Christ. "This is the true God, and eternal 
 
 life. See He. i. 6. Jn. i. 12. Ko. ix. 6. Jn. xx. 28. ThM he is 
 
 true man, see again, is.ix. 6. where it is said, ' Unto 
 us a child is born, unto us a Son is given ; and 
 compare it with Mat. i. 3i. where it is said, ' And 
 she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his 
 name Jesus : for he shall save his people from 
 their sins, see Jn. i. 14. 'And the word was made 
 flesh.' iTiiii.i6. ' God was manifest in the flesh. ' 
 These two scriptures are expounded by He. ii. 14. 
 where it is said, 'Forasmuch then as the children 
 are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself 
 y 
 
170 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 likewise took part of the same ; ' that is, of flesh 
 and blood, see Ro. viii. 3. and compare it with Lu.xxiT. 
 89. where Christ saith, ' Behold my hands and my 
 feet, that it is I myself : handle me, and see ; for 
 a spirit hath not flesh and hones, as ye see me 
 have.' And he doth often call himself by the 
 name of the Son of man to signify that he is very 
 man, as well as very God. Mat. xxit.; ivt 13. 
 
 Quest. But why was he true God and true 
 man? 
 
 Ans. He was true man, because man had of- 
 fended, and justice required that man should suffer 
 and make satisfaction, and so it is written. iCo.xy. 
 21. ' For since by man cavie death, by man came 
 also the resurrection of the dead.' And again, 
 ' All we like sheep have gone astray ; and the 
 Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us aU.' 
 And in 1 Pe. ii, 24. where that liii. of is. is mentioned, 
 he saith, 'Who his own self hare our sins in his 
 own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, 
 should live unto righteousness ; by whose stripes 
 ye were healed.' And again, God did prepare this 
 body, the human nature of Christ, that it should 
 he a sacrifice for sins, ' wherefore - he saith. 
 Sacrifice and offering (that is, such as were offered 
 by the law of Moses) thou wouldest not, but a body 
 hast thou prepared me. He. x. 5. In this body which 
 God had prepared for him, which he took of the 
 virgin, Ga. iv. i. in this he did bear all the sins of 
 all his elect, i Pe. a. a. 
 
 And he must needs he true God, because, it 
 was an infinite God that was transgressed against, 
 and justice required an infinite satisfaction, and 
 therefore he must be infinite that must give this 
 satisfaction, or else justice could not be satisfied, 
 and so it was written, where the apostle is telling 
 the pastors of the chm-ch of Ephesus, by what 
 they were redeemed, he tells them, that God did 
 purchase them ' with his own blood. ' Ac. xx. 38. see 
 1 Jn. iii. 16. where he saith, ' Hereby perceive we the 
 love of God, because he laid down his life for 
 us.' Not in his divine, but in his human nature ; 
 for as I said before, God's Christ was of both 
 natures, Esa. ix. 6. Ro. ix. 6. 1 Jn. t. 20. Jn. L 1—14. True 
 God, and true man, and the divine nature did 
 enable him to undergo in his human nature, all 
 that sin, curse, and wrath that was laid upon him 
 for us ; and to overcome, and obtain eternal re- 
 demption for us. He. k. 24. 
 
 Quest. How did this Christ bring in redemption 
 for man ? 
 
 Am. (1.) Why first, man broke the law of God; 
 but this man did fulfil it again, and became the 
 end of it ' for righteousness to every one that be- 
 lieve th. ' Bo. X. 4. 
 
 (2.) Man was foiled and overcome by the devil; 
 but this Man Christ did overcome him again, and 
 
 Ihat for us. Lu. iv. He. ii. 14, 15. 
 
 (3.) Man did lose the glory of God, but this 
 Man hath obtained it again. 
 
 (4.) Man by sin lost eternal salvation; but this 
 Man by his own blood hath obtained it again for 
 
 him. He. ix. 12. 
 
 (5.) Man by sin brought death into the world. 
 Ko. T. 12. But Jesus Christ, th^ Man, hath destroyed 
 it again, He. u. 14. compared with Ho. xiii. 14. and 
 brought in life and immortality. 2 Ti. i. 10. Eo. v. 15. 
 
 Quest. But how ai-e we justified by this man's 
 obedience ? 
 
 Ans. All our iniquities were laid upon him, is. 
 liii. 6, 8, 11, 12. And his righteousness is bestowed on 
 us, if we believe, as it is written, 'Even the righ- 
 teousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ 
 unto all and upon all them that believe. ' Ko. iii. 22. 
 And this is it which Paul so much sought after, 
 when he saith, 'Yea doubtless, and I count all 
 things but loss, - - - and do count them bid dung, 
 that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not 
 ha\'ing mine own righteousness, which is of the 
 law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, 
 the righteousness which is of God by faith.' PM. 
 iii. 8, 9. 
 
 Quest. How do men come by this righteousness 
 and everlasting life ? 
 
 Ans. By faith men lay hold upon it, and apply 
 it to their own souls in particular. Ga. ii. 20. For it 
 is by faith they are justified, as also saith the 
 scriptm-e. Ro. v. 1. That his faith lays hold on and 
 applies, that which this Christ of God hath done, 
 and is a doing, and owns it as his own. 
 
 Quest. What is this faith that doth justify tbe 
 sinner ? 
 
 Ans. It is a gift, Ep.ii.8. fruit, Ga.v. 22. or work, 
 of the Spirit of God, whereby a soul is enabled, 
 under a sight of its sins, and wretched estate, to 
 lay hold on the birth, righteousness, blood, death, 
 resurrection, ascension and intercession of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Th. ii. 7. and by the assistance 
 of the Spirit, whereby it is wrought, to apply all 
 the virtue, life and merit of what hath been done 
 and suffered, or is a doing by the same Lord Jesus 
 Christ, to its own self in particular, Ga.ii. 20. ito.?ii. 
 24, 25. as if itself had really done all that the Lord 
 Jesus Christ hath done : I do not say that the 
 soul doth any thing for justification, but it doth 
 know, that whatsoever Jesus Christ hath done in 
 point of justification, is given to, and bestowed 
 upon it, Ro. iii. 22. and God finding the soul in him, 
 that is in Christ, doth 'justify it from all things, 
 from which it could not be justified by the law of 
 Moses.' Ac. xiii. 39. 
 
 Quest. Well, but is there no way to come to the 
 Father of mercies but by this man that was born 
 of the virgin ? Is there no way to come to God 
 but by the faith of him ? 
 
 Atis. No, ' there is none other name under hea- 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 171 
 
 ven given among men, ivhereby we must be saved.' 
 Ac. iv. 12. And Jesus himself, that was born of the 
 virgin Mary, said, ' I am the way, and the truth, 
 and the life : no man cometh unto the Father, but 
 by me. ' Jn. xiv. 6. 
 
 Quest. And where is this man, that was bom of 
 the virgin, that we may come to the Father by him ? 
 
 Ans. He ascended away from his disciples in a 
 cloud, into heaven, as we may read. Ac. i. 9— u. 
 
 Quest. What doth he there ? 
 
 Ans. He ever lives to make intercession for all 
 that come unto God by him. He. vii. 36. That is, 
 they shall come out of themselves to him, and 
 venture their souls on what he did and suffered 
 when he was on earth, and is doing now in heaven; 
 shall certainly be saved : For he ever lives to save 
 them, that do thus come to the Father by him. 
 And it is, because he spilt his blood for all that 
 shall by the faith of God's elect lay hold upon him. 
 And thus it is written where he saith, ' Being 
 justified freely by his grace, through the redemp- 
 tion that is in Christ Jesus, [Mark this] whom 
 God hath set forth to be a, propitiation through 
 faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness, 
 (that is, to declare God's righteousness) for the 
 remission of sins that are past, through the for- 
 bearance of God ; to declare, / say, at this time 
 his righteousness : that he might be just, and the 
 justifier of him which believeth (or layeth hold) 
 in Jesus. ' Eo. iii. 24—26. 
 
 Quest. But did this man rise again from the 
 dead, that very man, with that very body where- 
 with he was crucified ? for you do seem, as I 
 conceive, to hold forth so much by these your 
 expressions. 
 
 Ans. Why do you doubt of it ? 
 
 Quest. Do you believe it ? 
 
 Ans. Yes, by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 for he hath enabled me so to do. 
 
 Quest. And can you prove it by the scriptm-e ? 
 
 Ans. Yes. 
 
 Quest. How ? 
 
 Ans. First, From that scripture in Lu. mh-. 39, 40. 
 where Christ himself after he was crucified ap- 
 peared to his disciples, (who having seen him) 
 supposed they had seen a spirit. But he said. 
 Why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arise 
 in your hearts ? Behold my hands and my feet, 
 that it is I myself, and do not think you see a 
 spirit ; handle me, and 'see, for a spirit hath not 
 flesh and bones, as you see me have. This he 
 spake after he was crucified, Lu. cdii. 33. and buried, 
 ver. 53. and rose again from the dead, ch. xxiv. 6, 7. 
 many other scriptures could I give for the proof 
 liereof, as Ac. x. 40, 41. And Ac. xiii. so, 3i. 1 Th. i. 10. only 
 read Ac ii. 2fl— 32. where the apostle proveth the 
 same, bringing in the words of the prophet David 
 for a testimony thereof, saying. He ' being a pro- 
 
 phet, and knowing that God had sworn with an 
 oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, accord- 
 ing to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on 
 his throne; (saith) he seeing this before, spake of 
 the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not 
 left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.' 
 Mark it, his flesh did see no corruption, ver. si. But 
 if he had not risen again, his flesh had seen cor- 
 ruption. But he rose again from the dead, that 
 very man, that very body ; for his flesh did see 
 no corruption. 
 
 Quest. Why did he rise again from the dead, 
 with that very body? 
 
 Ansu). (1.) Because it was not possible he should 
 be holden of death. 
 
 (2.) Because in his hmnan nature he sjiffered 
 for sin ; and if he had not recovered himself from 
 that very curse, even from under death, and all 
 other things that lay on him, which he had 
 through the sins of his children subjected himself 
 unto, he had not overcome sin, hell, death, the 
 law, and the devil : Ac. u. 24. but had been over- 
 come by them ; and if so, then had not redemp- 
 tion been obtained for sinners ; for it was at his 
 resurrection from the dead, that God said unto 
 him, ' Thou art my Sou, this day have I begotten 
 thee ; ' (As saith the Apostle) ' And we declare 
 unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which 
 was made imto the fathers, God hath fulfilled 
 the same unto us their children, in that he hath 
 raised up Jesus again ;' as it is also written in the 
 second psalm, ' Thou art my Son, this day have I 
 begotten thee. ' Ac. xiii. so— 36. And it is this, namely, 
 the resurrection of that Man from the dead, that 
 doth give us ground of hope ; as in i Pe. i. 3. where 
 he saith. He ' hath begotten us again unto a Hvely 
 hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the 
 dead. ' 
 
 (3.) Because God intends to redeem the bodies 
 of his saints out of their graves in which they have 
 lain many a year, Jn. v. 28, 29. Eo. viii. 23. l Co. xv. 52. and 
 to possess them with his own glory ; and when 
 this comes to pass, then shall that scripture be. 
 fulfilled, that saith. He ' shall change our vile 
 body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glo- 
 rious body, according to the working (of his mighty 
 power) whereby he is able even to subdue all 
 things imto himself. ' Piii. u. 21. And he hath given 
 U8 assurance thereof, in that he hath raised up 
 Jesus our Lord again from the dead. Ac. ivii. 3i. 
 
 Qu£st. But do you think, that these our bodies 
 that we do carry about with us in this world, after 
 that they are dead and buried, and rotten, shall 
 rise again out of those graves into which they are 
 laid; when the scripture saith, flesh and blood 
 shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? i Co. xv. 60. 
 
 Anew. Flesh in scripture is taken more ways 
 than one: As, 
 
173 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPEISfED. 
 
 It is taken for the works of the law ; where the 
 Apostle saith, ' Received ye the Spirit by the 
 works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ? 
 Are ye so foolish ? having begun iu the Spirit, 
 are ye now made perfect by the flesh ? ' Ga. Hi. 2, 3. 
 By flesh here, he means the law ; as is clear, if 
 you compare it with ver. lo— 13. Again, sometimes 
 flesh is taken for sins. Ra viii. i, 5. And sometimes 
 it is taken for the bodies of the saints, as subject 
 to distempers, to pain, sickness, corruptions, to 
 death; by reason of sin. 3Co. iv. ll;ra. 5. Now the 
 Apostle in that place, where he saith, ' Flesh and 
 blood cannot inherit the kingdom (of heaven, or) 
 of God,' his meaning is, sinful flesh and blood, or 
 the sin, with any imperfection that is in the bodies 
 of the saints, shall not inherit the kingdom ; and 
 that you shall find to be the mind of the Holy 
 Ghost, if you read with understanding the latter 
 end of the same verse, where he saith, ' Neither 
 doth corruption inherit incorruption.' That is, 
 sin, or any imperfection of the body, shall not in- 
 herit eternal life ; for, saith he, in ver. 63. ' This 
 corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mor- 
 tal must put on immortality. ' Mark here, I pray 
 you, though he saith, ' Flesh and blood cannot 
 inherit the kingdom of God;' yet he saith, ' This 
 corruptible must put on incorruption.' For the 
 trump shall blow, and the dead shall be raised (as 
 Christ saith) ' They that are in the graves shall 
 hear his voice.' Jn. v. 28. And shall come forth of 
 their graves incorruptible, l Co. xv. 63. And shall 
 ' all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.' 
 2 Co. V. 10. lie. ii. 12, 13. See also that scripture. Phi. iii. 
 20, 21. where the Apostle saith. He waited for Christ 
 the Saviour from heaven. And what shall he do 
 when he comes ? why. He ' shall change our vile 
 body.' Mark it, it must be our vile body that 
 must be changed. But if it he changed, then how 
 can it be the same ? not the same in respect of 
 sin, or bodily infirmities, but the very same in re- 
 spect of substance : For, saith he, It is our vile 
 body that must be changed ; and it is the very 
 same, It shall be ' fashioned like unto his glorious 
 body. ' And if you ask, How is it possible that 
 this should be done? He answers, 'According to 
 the working whereby he is able even to subdue all 
 things unto himself.' 
 
 Quest. But do you think this is certain ? methinks 
 the scriptures seemingly hold forth so much, yet I 
 cannot believe it, for it is contrary to all reason. 
 
 Answ. Truly the scriptures do not only hold 
 forth so much seemingly, but they do most really, 
 and plainly, hold out these things to all those that 
 have received the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 For it is it, and it alone, that can reveal these 
 things. ' For the things of God knoweth no man, 
 but the Spirit of God.' i Co. ii.ii. Now if thou 
 wouldest know these things, thou must first receive 
 
 the Spirit of the Son of God, without which, thon 
 canst not know so much as one of the fundamental 
 truths of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 Quest. But there are those in our days, who 
 reject this doctrine that you lay down, concerning 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, as you lay it down, and 
 they are for a Christ withiu, for a cross within, 
 for a resurrection, and intercession within ; and 
 they do not hold as you do, a Christ without, and 
 a resurrection of Christ without ; and intercession 
 of Christ without ; Ay, and they have very much 
 scripture for that which they say too : And there- 
 fore what shall such as we do, that stand tottering 
 and shaking in these distracted and dangerous 
 times? For our poor souls are in very much 
 doubt what way to take. 
 
 Ans<o. Therefore I will speak a few words to 
 you bj way of discovery of the falsity of such 
 opinions ; and a word of direction, how you should 
 understand the truth. 
 
 Therefore, he that cries up a Christ within, in 
 opposition to a Christ without, that man instead of 
 having the Spirit of Christ in him, is possessed 
 with a spirit of delusion ; for where the Spirit of 
 Christ is in truth, that Spirit causeth the soul to 
 look to the Christ that was born of the Virgin, foi 
 all justification ; as it is written, ' Howbeit when 
 he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you 
 into all truth : for he shall not speak of himself ; 
 but whatsoever he shall hear, thai shall he speak: 
 and he will shew you things to come,' mark the 
 next verse, ' He (saith the Son of the Virgin) shall 
 receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.'Ja.m 
 13, 14. He shall take of mine ; What is that ? 
 Why surely it is, he shall take of my Godhead, my 
 humanity, my birth, my righteousness, my blood, 
 my death, my resurrection, my ascension and inter- 
 cession, my kingly, priestly, and prophetical offices, 
 and shall shew you the life, merit, and value of them. 
 And this was it which was revealed to Paul by the 
 Holy Spirit, here spoken of. 1 Co. xv. 1—8. 'Moreover 
 brethren, (saith he) I declare unto you the gospel 
 which I preached unto you, which also ye have 
 received, and wherein ye stand ; By which also ye 
 are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached 
 unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.' But 
 what is this doctrine ? why, ' I delivered unto you 
 first of all that which I also received. ' What was 
 that ? Why, ' How that Christ died for our sins 
 according to the scriptures; And that he was 
 buried, and that he rose again the third day ac- 
 cording to the scriptures : (there is his death and 
 resurrection preached.) And that he was seen of 
 Cephas, then of the twelve; after that, he was 
 seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of 
 whom the greater part remain unto this present, 
 but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was 
 seen of James; then of all the Apostles. And last 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 173 
 
 of all lie was seen of me also, (saith Paul) as of 
 one born out of due time.' This is it, I say, that 
 the Spirit of Truth doth hold forth to poor sinners, 
 a Christ crucified without the gates of Jerusalem, 
 Lu. xxiii. S3, buried in Joseph's sepulchre, 63. risen 
 again the third day, Lu. xxiv. 6. ascended away from 
 his disciples in a cloud into heaven, as in Ac. i. 9— ii. 
 And there ever liveth, that very man, with that 
 very body, to make intercession for all that receive 
 him. He. ™. 24, 35. This is, I say, the doctrine of the 
 Spirit of truth, whatsoever is the spirit of error. 
 
 Quest. But do not the scriptures make mention 
 of a Christ within ? 3 Co. xiii. 6. Col. i. 27. 
 
 Answ. Yes, And he that hath not the Spirit of 
 Christ, is none of his. Ko. viii. 9. But he that hath 
 it, is led out of himself by it ; and as I said before, 
 it shews the soul, what the blessed Son of the Vir- 
 gin Mary hath done and suffered, and is a doing 
 for it. Therefore hereby know we the Spirit of 
 truth from the spirit of error. [2 Jn. 7.] ' Every spirit 
 that doth confess that Jesus Christ is come in the 
 flesh, is of God;' Un. iv. 2. That is, that spirit that 
 doth confess, that Jesus Christ took flesh upon him, 
 and in that flesh did bear our sins, l Pe. ii. 24. Col. i. 
 20—23. 1 Pe. iii. 18; iy. 1. And after he was taken down 
 from the cross, and laid in a sepulchre, rose again 
 from the dead ; that very Man with that very body, 
 wherewith he was crucified : That spirit that doth 
 believe and confess this, is of God, and is the 
 blessed Spirit of Christ, whereof he spake, when he 
 was yet with his disciples touching his bodily pre- 
 sence: For 'he (saith the Son of Mary) shall glorify 
 me, for he shall receive of mine and shew it xmto 
 
 you. ' Jn. xvi. 13, 14. 
 
 I have answered this already in my epistle to 
 the first treatise. Therefore believe not every spirit, 
 but try the spirits whether they be of God, for 
 many false spirits and prophets are gone out into 
 the world, therefore have a care how thou receivest 
 the voice that speaks to thee, but try whether they 
 are according to the truth of God's word as it is 
 written, ' To the law and to the testimony : if they 
 speak not according to this word, it is because there 
 is no light in them. ' Is. viii. 20. 
 
 (1.) Therefore try a little, Do they slight God's 
 Christ, which is the Son of the Virgin ? that spirit 
 is of the devil. 1 Co. xii. 3. 
 
 (2.) Do they say that that blood of his which 
 was shed without the gates of Jerusalem, doth not 
 wash away sin, yea, all sin from him that believes? 
 That is a spirit of antichrist. 1 Jn. L 7. 
 
 (3.) Do they say, that that Man that was cruci- 
 fied without the gates of Jerusalem, is not risen 
 again (with that very body wherewith he was cru- 
 cified) out of the sepulchre? Lu. xxiv. 38, 39. That is 
 a spirit of antichrist. 
 
 (4.) Do they say that that very Man that was 
 crucified with that very body, is not now in the 
 
 presence of his Father, absent from his people 
 touching his bodily presence, though present in 
 Spirit ? I say whoever they be, that say he is not 
 there, they are of the devil : for the proof of this 
 see Ac. V. 80 and 31. and compare it with He. vii. 24, 35. 
 ' The God of our fathers (saith the Apostle) raised 
 up Jesus.' But what Jesus ? 'he whom ye slew,' 
 saith he to the Jews. ' Him (the very same whom 
 ye slew) hath God exalted with his right hand to 
 be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance 
 to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.' 
 
 And indeed, here is my life, namely, the birth 
 of this Man, the righteousness of this Man, the 
 blood of this Man, the death and resurrection of 
 this Man, the ascension and intercession of this 
 Man for me ; and the second coming of this Man 
 to judge the world in righteousness. Ar. xvil. 31. I 
 say, here is my life, if I see this by faith without 
 me, through the operation of the Spirit within me : 
 I am safe, I am at peace, I am comforted, I am 
 encouraged, and I know that my comfort, peace, 
 and encouragement is true, and given me from 
 heaven, by the Father of mercies, through the 
 Son of the Virgin Mary, Mat. i. 21. who is the way 
 to the Father of mercies, Jn. xiv. 6. who is able to 
 save to the uttermost, all that come to the Father 
 by him. He, vii. 25. Because he, that very Man, with 
 that very body wherewith he was crucified, is as- 
 cended into heaven, Ac. i. 9— 11. and there ever lives 
 to make intercession for them that come to God 
 by him. This is the rock, sinner, upon which, if 
 thou be built, the gates of heU, nor Ranter, Qua- 
 ker, sin, law, death, no nor the devil himself, shall 
 ever be able to prevail against thee. Mat. xvi. i&— 18. 
 And here I leave thee to the wisdom of the great 
 God, who if he hath chosen thee in his Son, and 
 brought thee to him ; and hath made thee by faith 
 to lay hold on him, thou needest not fear the devil 
 with his siftings, snares, wiles, and fiery darts, 
 wherewith he doth destroy thousands ; but mayest 
 with the A postle (if thou live in the power and life 
 of the love of God towards thee) cry out, ' I am 
 persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, 
 nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, 
 nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any 
 other creature, shall be able to separate us from 
 the love of God which is in Christ Jesus om- Lord.' 
 
 Ro. viii. 38, 89. 
 
 And now reader, if thou be a true Christian, I 
 am sure that these be the things that appear to be 
 the glorious substantial truths to thy soul, and thou 
 doest not care for that comfort that doth not make 
 this Man, the Son of the Virgin, precious to thy 
 soul, 1 Pe. ii 7 for thou knowcst, that it is he, that 
 hath delivered thee from the wrath to come. iTh.i. 
 10. But as for you that are disobedient, except you 
 mend your manners, you will stumble ' and fall 
 backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.' 
 
174 
 
 SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 Is. xxriii. 18. and wonder and perish because you 
 believe not. Ac. xiu. 41. 
 
 A few words more, and so I sball have done, and 
 they are words of coimsel to thee. Have a care 
 thou receive not every Christ that is proffered to 
 thee, though it may appear very excellent to thy 
 foolish heart : for under the name Christ, are men 
 deceived, as it is written, ' many shall come in my 
 name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive 
 many.' Mat. xxiv. 6. But have a care that thou re- 
 ceive that Christ, that was born without thee, ful- 
 filled the law in his human nature without thee ; 
 spilt his blood without thee, is risen again and 
 ascended without thee, and maketh intercession 
 without thee : And that he that very Man that 
 
 was born of the Virgin, will come again in the 
 clouds without thee ; and this truth must thou re- 
 ceive by that Spirit that he hath promised to send 
 and give to them that ask him : And that shall 
 dwell in thy heart, and shall shew thee what the 
 Son of Mary the virgin, the Son of man, the Son 
 of God, the true God hath in his body done for thy 
 soul. Jn. xvi. 13, 14. And if thou receive him in truth, 
 then though thou do not boast, nor brag of thy 
 holiness, as those painted hypocrites called Qua- 
 kers do : yet thou wilt do more work for God iq 
 one hour, than they, even all of them, can do in 
 all their lifetime. 
 
 Take my counsel, and the Lord Jesus Christ 
 have mefcy upon thy soul and body. Farewell, 
 
SOME GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED. 
 
 175 
 
 SOME QUESTIONS TO THE QUAKERS, 
 
 OTl A FEW QUERIES TO THOSE WHO ARE POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF DELUSION IN THIS GENERATION. 
 
 ' Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketJi you a reason of the hope that is in you,' 1 Pet. iii. 15. 
 
 I beseech you do it in sincerity. 
 
 And 
 
 1 . If thou sayest that every one hath a measure 
 of the Spirit of Jesus Christ within him, why say 
 the scriptures that some are ' sensual having not 
 the Spirit.' judeig. And when Christ tells his 
 disciples of sending them the Spirit, he also saith. 
 The world cannot receive it. Jn. xiv. 17. 
 
 2. What is the church of God redeemed hy, 
 from the curse of the law ? Is it by something 
 that is done within them, or by something done 
 without them ? If thou answer, it is redeemed 
 from the curse of the law by something that 
 worketh in them ; then I ask, why did the Man 
 Christ Jesus hang upon the cross on Mount Cal- 
 vary, without the gates of Jerusalem, for the sins 
 of the people ? 6a. m. s. 1 Pe. a. 24. And why do the 
 scriptures say, that through this Man, is preached 
 to us the forgiveness of sins. Ac. xiii. 38. That is, 
 through his blood, Ep. i. 7. Coi. i. 20. which was shed 
 without the gates of Jerusalem. He. xiii. 12. 
 
 3. What scripture have you to prove, that 
 Christ is, or was crucified witJdn you, dead within 
 you, risen within you, and ascended within you ? 
 
 4. Is that very Man that was crucified on Mount 
 Calvary between two thieves, whose name is Jesus, 
 the Son of Mary, I say, is he the very Christ of 
 God, yea, or no ? 
 
 5. Is that very Man, with that very body, within 
 you, yea, or no ? 
 
 6. Was that Jesus, that was born of the Virgin 
 Mary, a real Man of flesh and bones, after his 
 resurrection from the dead, out of Joseph's sepul- 
 chre, yea, or no ? For the scripture saith he was, 
 as in Lu. xiiv. 39. If so, then did that Man that said 
 handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and 
 bones as ye see me have ; I say, did that Man go 
 away from his disciples (and not into them, in his 
 body) as these scriptures declare, Lu. xxiv. 39, 40. com- 
 
 pared with 50, 61. also Ac. i. 9— 11. or did he with that 
 body of flesh go into his disciples, as some fond 
 dreamers think ? 
 
 7. Hath that Christ that was with God the 
 Father before the world was, no other body but 
 his church ? If you say no, as it is your wonted 
 course ; then again I ask you, what that was in 
 which he did bear the sins of his children ? If 
 you answer, It was ' in his own body on the tree, ' 
 for so saith the scripture. 1 Pe. fl. 24. Then I ask 
 you further, whether that body in which he did 
 bear our sins, (which is also called his own body) 
 was, or is, the church of God, yea, or no? Again 
 if you say he hath no body but the church, the 
 saints. Then I ask, what that was that was taken 
 down from the cross, and laid into Joseph's sepul- 
 chre. Lu. xiiii. 53. 
 
 Now I know, that as Christ is the head of his 
 church, so the church is the body of the head, 
 which is Christ. But as Christ is the mediator 
 between God and man, I say, as he is mediator, so 
 he is a man, 1 tl a. 6. and absent from his saints 
 in the world, as is clear, 2 Co. r. 6. Therefore as he 
 is a mediator, and a Man, so he hath a body that 
 is absent from his church, which body is ascended 
 from his disciples, above the clouds into heaven. 
 Lu. xjiv. 51. Ac. i. 9—11. If you Say no, then I ask you. 
 Did he leave the body behind him, which was born 
 of the Virgin Mary, which walked up and down 
 with his disciples in the world, was afterwards 
 hanged upon the cross, Ln. xxiii. 26, 33, 63. buried, rose 
 again from the dead. Mat. xxiv. 3, 6, 15, 41, 42, 39, 60. with 
 which body he did eat, drink, and likewise walk 
 with his disciples after his resurrection from the 
 dead, Ac. x. 41. and did bid his disciples see if he 
 were not flesh and bones, yea, or no ? 
 
 John Bunyan. 
 
A VINDICATION 
 
 OF 
 
 GOSPEL TRUTHS OPENED; 
 
 ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, 
 
 AND Tin; OPPOSITION MADE AOAINST IT BY EDWAED BORROUGH, A PROFESSED QUAKER, BUT PROVED 
 AN ENEMY TO THE TRUTH, EXAMINED AND CONFUTED BY THE WORD OF GOD, 
 
 AND ALSO, 
 
 The Tilings that were then laid down, and declared to the World hy me, are a second Time borne witness to, according to 
 truth : With the Answer of Edward Borroiigh to the aueries then laid down in my Book reproved. And also, a plain 
 Answer to his Queries, given in Simplicity of Soul ; and is now also presented to the World, or who else may read, or hear 
 them ; to the end (if God will) that Truth may be discovered thereby. 
 
 ' I have found David - • a man after mine own heart,' (saitb God, Acts xiii. 22.) 
 
 ' Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:' (saith the Apostle) 23. 
 
 'And when they Imd fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a 
 
 sepulchre:' 29. 
 * But God raided him from the dead;' 30. 
 ' And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the Promise which was made unto the fatliers, God hath fulfuled the 
 
 same unto us their children, in that he hath raided up Jesus again :' 32, 33. 
 'Beit known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of 
 
 sins:' 38. 
 And hy him all that ielieve are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of 
 
 Moses:' 39. 
 
 TO THE READER. 
 
 Since it hath pleased the Lord to work in my soul 
 hy his holy Spirit, and hath translated me in some 
 measure from darkness to light, I have seen and 
 heard, that such things have heen done by those 
 ■who did once pretend themselves to he the servants 
 of Jesus Christ, that it hath made me marvel: 
 Partly, while I have beheld the vile conversation 
 of some, and also the seeming legal holiness of 
 Others, together with their damnable doctrine ; 
 which have, notwithstanding their professions, made 
 shipwreck of the faith, both to themselves, and 
 their followers. I having had some in-sight into 
 such things as these, was provoked to publish a 
 small treatise touching the fundamentals of religion, 
 supposing that God might add his blessing thereto, 
 both for the establishing of some, and the convinc- 
 ing of others ; which things I doubt not but they 
 have been accomplished ; and wiU be still more 
 and more. But, as it was in former days, so it is 
 now: That is, some in all former ages have been 
 on foot in the world, ready to oppose the truth : 
 So it is now, there are certain men newly started 
 up in our days, called quakers, who have set 
 themselves against the truth of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and do in very deed deny, that salvation 
 was then obtained by him, when he did hang on 
 the cross without Jerusalem's gate. Now these 
 men do pretend, that they do verily and truly 
 profess the Lord Jesus Christ ; hut when it comes 
 
 to the trial, and their principles be thoroughly 
 weighed, the best that they do, is to take cue 
 truth, and corrupt it, that they may thereby fight 
 more stoutly against another. As for instance: 
 
 First, They will own that salvation was obtained 
 by Christ, this is truth, that salvation was obtained 
 by Christ ; hut come close to the thing, and you 
 will find, that they corrupt the word, and only 
 mean thus much, That salvation is wrought out by 
 Christ as he is within ; and by it (though not war- 
 ranted by the scripture) they will fight agamst the 
 truth: Namely, that salvation was obtained for 
 sinners, by the man that did hang on the cross on 
 Mount Calvary, between two thieves, called Jesus 
 Christ. I say, hy what he did then for sinners in 
 his own person or body, which he took from the 
 Virgin Mary, according to the word of God. 
 
 Second, They will own the doctrine of Christ 
 within. This is truth, that Christ is within his 
 saints : But this doctrine they will take to fight 
 against the doctrine of Christ without, ascended 
 from his disciples into heaven, by whom salvation 
 was obtained, 'neither is there salvation in any 
 other. ' Ac. iv. 13. 
 
 Third, They will own the resurrection of tho 
 saints, but their meaning is only thus much. That 
 the saints are raised from the state of nature to a 
 state of grace, and herewith they will fight against 
 this truth ; namely, the resurrection of tho bodiee 
 
TO THE READER. 
 
 177 
 
 of saints out of their graves, into wliich they were 
 laid, some thousands, some hundreds of years 
 hefore. And if they do say, they do own the 
 resurrection of the saints out of their graves, they 
 do mean out of the grave of sin only, and nothing 
 else. 
 
 Fourth, They will say, they do own the second 
 „ „ . ^ cominff of Christ to iudffe the world ; 
 
 Tliese tilings I " , i 
 
 am an ear wit- hut search them to the bottom, and 
 you will find them only to own him in 
 his coming in spirit, within, in opposition to the 
 glorious coming of the Lord Jesus, the Son of 
 Mary, from heaven in the clouds, with all his 
 mighty angels, to raise the dead, and bring them 
 to judgment, according to the scripture. And so 
 for the intercession of Christ, and the truths of the 
 gospel, they only own them to be within ; in oppo- 
 sition to the glorious intercession, and mediation 
 of the man Christ Jesus in his own person without, 
 now in the presence of his Father, between us and 
 him, pleading and making intercession for his 
 children. These things, together with many more, 
 I might mention, but now I forbear, knowing that 
 none shall be lost, nor altogether carried away by 
 them, nor any heretics, but the sons of perdition. 
 Now that they might the better make their doctrine 
 take place in the hearers, they endeavour to make 
 a fair shew in the flesh, that thereby they might 
 now, as did their fathers in time past, compel and 
 constrain them who are not by the Lord's right 
 hand planted into the truth of Jesus, to follow their 
 covered errors, as it is written. Ga.vi. 13. 'As many 
 as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, ' That 
 is, according to works of the law; do 'by good 
 words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the 
 simple.' Ro. rvL J8. And indeed it doth clearly ap- 
 pear, that those that are carried away, are such 
 as are not able to discern between fair speeches 
 declared by heretics, and sound doctrine declared 
 by the simple-hearted servants of Jesus. 
 
 First, Now I shall lay down several grounds, 
 not only why errors are broached in the world ; 
 but also, why so many are carried away with 
 them. 
 
 1. One ground, why so many errors do from 
 time to time come into the world, is because those 
 that are not indeed of the planting of the Lord's 
 right hand, might be rooted out. Mat. xt. 13. Now 
 these are many times carried away by deceivable 
 doctrines : And truly in this our God hath both a 
 care of his own glory, and of his church's welfare. 
 For first, should they not be swept away by some 
 heresy or other, there might be great dishonour 
 brought to his name by their continuing among his 
 people : And secondly, that he might take away 
 i such grievances as such may bring, had they con- 
 tinued still in the society of his children. 
 , 2. Another ground why the Lord doth suflfer 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 such errors to come into the world is, because, 
 those that are Christians indeed, might be approved 
 and appear. iCo. xi. 19. 'For there must be also 
 heresies among you, that they which are approved 
 may be made manifest. ' Should not the Lord go 
 this way to work (sometimes) there would be many 
 that would make people believe that they are 
 Christians, and yet are not. And again, that he 
 might make it appear, that though there be heretics, 
 yet he hath a people, enabled by his Spirit, to 
 contradict, and oppose them, and plead to the 
 truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and his glorious 
 gospel against them. 
 
 3. Another ground why the Lord doth suffer, 
 yea, even send delusions among the people, is. That 
 those who were so idle and slothful, as not to seek 
 after the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, might be 
 taken away, and violently possessed with error, 
 and be made to run greedily after the same ; that 
 they might smart the more for their neglect of the 
 truth. For always, those who were lazy in seek- 
 ing after the truth when it was proffered, and 
 afterward hasty after the doctrine of devils, when 
 that is declared to them, shall be sure to have 
 their latter behaviour to rise up in judgment against 
 them, in that when the truth was profiered to 
 them they were idle and did not receive it, and yet 
 when delusion did profi'er itself, they were indus- 
 trious, and labouring. Now mark, that they all 
 might be damned who believed not the truth, but 
 had pleasure in unrighteousness ; because they 
 received not the truth in the love of it, that they 
 might be saved. And for this cause God shall 
 send them strong delusions, that they might 
 believe a lie, and be damned. 3 Tii. u. lo— 12. 
 
 Second, Now in the second place, why so many 
 are so easily carried away with errors in this day : 
 The grounds are these that follow. 
 
 1. Because men count it enough to be professors 
 of the truth, without seeking to be possessors of 
 the same. Now because men are but only profes- 
 sors of the truth, not having it in their hearts in 
 reality, they are carried away with an error, if it 
 come in never so little power, more than the truth 
 they profess. And this is the reason why so 
 many are carried away with the errors that are 
 broached in these days, because they have not 
 indeed received the Lord Jesus by the revelation 
 of the Spirit, and with power, but by the relation 
 of others only ; and so having no other witness to 
 set them down withal, but the history of the word, 
 and the relation of others concerning the truths 
 contained therein, (though the knowledge of the 
 truth this way shall abundantly aggravate their 
 damnation) yet they having not had the Spirit of 
 the Lord to confirm these things efl^ectually unto 
 them, they are carried away with delusions. 
 
 2. Another reason why so many are carried 
 
 z 
 
178 
 
 TO THE READER. 
 
 away witli delusions, is, those differences tliat are 
 jimong the children of God about smaller matters. 
 Friends ! how is the hand of the enemy strength- 
 ened by o\ir carnality, while one saith, I am of 
 Paul ; and another, I am of ApoUos ; many a poor 
 soul is carried away with delusion. And why so ? 
 They are not satisfied that this is the truth, because 
 the children are at difference among themselves, 
 about some outward things. And again, it makes 
 those that are not so desperately possessed with a 
 spirit of delusion, as are others, but are mere moral 
 men: I say it makes them to say within them- 
 selves, and one to another ; There are so many 
 sects and judgments in the world, that we cannot 
 tell which way to take. And therefore you that 
 have the Spirit, pray that these things may cease, 
 least you blush for your folly, at the appearing of 
 Jesus our Lord. 
 
 3. The pride, covetousness, and impiety of 
 hypocrites, and carnal professors, are great stum- 
 bling-blocks to the poor world ; and the cause why 
 many at this day do drink down so greedily a 
 deluding doctrine, and especially if it come with a 
 garment of pretended holiness. But as for these, 
 they shall go to their place in their time, with the 
 curse of the Almighty poured out upon them, for 
 their casting of stumbhng-blocks before the simple 
 by their loose conversations, if they do not hastUy 
 repent of their wickedness, and close in reality 
 with our blessed Lord Jesus. 
 
 4. Another reason why delusions do so easily 
 take place in the hearts of the ignorant, is, because 
 those that pretend to be their teachers, do behave 
 themselves so basely among them. And indeed I 
 may say of these, as our Lord said of the Pharisees 
 in another case, all the blood of the ignorant, from 
 the beginning of the world, shall be laid to the 
 charge of this generation. They that pretend they 
 are sent of the Lord, and come, saying, Thus saith 
 the Lord; we are the servants of the Lord, our 
 commission is from the Lord (by succession) and 
 the like ; I say, these pretending themselves to be 
 the preachers of truth, (but are not) do by their 
 loose conversation, render the doctrine of God, and 
 his Son Jesus Christ, (by whom the saints are 
 saved) contemptible, and do give the adversary 
 mighty encouragement, to cry out against the 
 truths of our Lord Jesus Christ, because of their 
 wicked walking. Now shall not his soul be 
 avenged on such a nation as this, who pretend to 
 be teachers of the people in goodness, when, as for 
 the most part of them, they are the men, that at 
 this day do so harden their hearers in their sins 
 by giving them, even their hearers, such ill exam- 
 ples, that none goeth beyond them for impiety. 
 As for example ; Would a parishioner learn to be 
 proud? he or she need look no farther than to 
 the priest, his wife and family; for there is a 
 
 notable pattern before them. Would the people 
 learn to be wanton, they may also see a pattern 
 among their teachers. Would they learn to be 
 drunkards ? they may also have that from some of 
 their ministers ; for indeed they are ministers in 
 this, to minister iU example to their congregations. 
 Again, would the people learn to be covetous, they 
 need but look to their minister, and they shall 
 have a lively, or rather a deadly resemblance set 
 before them, in both riding and running after great 
 benefices, and parsonages by night and by day. 
 Nay, they among themselves will scramble for the 
 same. I have seen, that so soon as a man hath 
 but departed from his benefice as he calls it, either 
 by death or out of covetousness of a bigger, we 
 have had one priest from this town, and another 
 from that, so run, for these tithe-cocks and hand- 
 fuls of barley, as if it were their proper trade, and 
 calhng, to hunt after the same. wonderful 
 impiety and ungodliness ! are you not ashamed of 
 your doings ? If you say no, it is (perhaps) because 
 you are given over of God to a reprobate mind. 
 Read Ro. i. towards the end. As it was with them, 
 so (it is to be feared) it is with many of you, who 
 knowing the judgments of God, that they who do 
 such things are worthy of death, not only do the 
 same, but have (as I may so say) pleasure also in 
 them that do them. And now you that pretend 
 to be the teachers of the people in verity and truth, 
 though we know that some of you are not : Is it a 
 small thing with you, to set them you say are 
 your flock such an example as this. Were ever 
 the Pharisees so profane ; to whom Christ said, 
 ye vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of 
 hell ; doth not the ground groan under you? surely, 
 it will favour you no more than it favoured your 
 fore-runners. Certainly the wrath of God hes heavy 
 at your doors, it is but a very httle while, and 
 your recompense shall be 
 upon your own head. And 
 as for you that are indeed of 
 God among them, though not 
 of them; separate yourselves. 
 Why should the righteous partake of the same 
 plagues with the wicked? ye children of the 
 harlot ! I cannot well tell how to have done with 
 you, your stain is so odious, and you are so sense- 
 less, as appears by your practices. But I shall at 
 this time forbear, having in some measure dis- 
 charged my conscience according to the truth 
 against you ; hoping if God do give me opportunity, 
 and a fair call, that I shall a second tune in this 
 world give testimony against your filthy conversa- 
 tions, though now I shall say no more, only thus 
 much ; Be ashamed of your earthly-mindedness, if 
 you can ; and be converted, or ebe you shall nevei 
 be healed. 
 
 Here might I also aggravate your sm by its 
 
 Eze. xiii. ; read tliat whole 
 chapter and you vnW find it 
 as it was a looking glass by 
 whicli thou maycst notably 
 see them witli tlieir marks 
 and discoveries. 
 
TO THE KEADEE. 
 
 179 
 
 several circumstances, but I shall rather forbear ; 
 supposing that you may entertain wrong and harsh 
 thoughts of me, though I have spoken the truth ; 
 therefore I shall at this time rather keep silence, 
 and wish you to amend, than to rake in your sores ; 
 for thereby would your stink go more abroad in 
 the world, Therefore I say, I forbear. And now 
 to the reader, I beseech thee to have a care of thy 
 soul, and look well to the welfare of it : And that 
 you may do so, have a care what doctrine it is that 
 thou receivest. Be not contented until thou in 
 deed and in truth, in the light of the Spirit of 
 Christ, see thy sins washed away in the blood of 
 that Lamb, who did offer up himself a ransom on 
 the cross on Mount Calvary, for the sins of thy 
 soul and body, together .with the rest of the saints 
 of God. 
 
 And let not the legal holiness of the one, nor 
 the loose profane conversation of the other, beat 
 thee off from pursuing after the truths of Jesus, 
 as the truth is in Jesus, {and so laid down in this 
 my discourse) neither let the plausibleness of the 
 other beguile thy simple heart. And now to you 
 that are carried away with the delusions at this 
 day broached in the wcg-ld, by the instruments of 
 Satan, and that after a profession of the truth : I 
 say to you, Turn again, (if you can) peradventure 
 there may be hope, and that you may escape that 
 wrath which justly you have deserved: But if you 
 shall still refuse the Lord that speaks now from 
 heaven in mercy to you, you shall not hereafter 
 escape the Lord, that in his own time will speak 
 to you in his wrath, and vex you in his sore dis- 
 pleasure. 
 
 And now a few words to you that have indeed 
 closed in with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of 
 Mary, and they are these that foUow. (1.) Be of 
 good cheer, all ' your sins are forgiven you for his 
 name's sake.' lJn.u.13. (2.) Know, he that hath 
 begun the good work of his grace in you, wiU 
 perfect it, even to the second coming of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, pm. i. 6. (3.) Know that though your 
 Lord Jesus, who is in you by his Spirit, be absent 
 from you touching his bodily presence, yet he is 
 not forgetful of you, but is preparing a place for 
 you. Jn. liv.i— 3. (4.) Consider, That he is also at 
 this very present, in his very person in the presence 
 of his Father now in the heavens, praying and 
 making intercession for you, that you may be 
 brought safe to glory. He. vii. 24. Father, I will 
 (saith he) that they also, whom thou hast given 
 me, be with me where I am ; that they may behold 
 my glory, Jn. x™. 3S. (5.) Know also. That he hath 
 overcome in his own person (when he was in the 
 world) devil, death, sin, hell, the curse of the law, 
 the power of the grave, and and all other evils, in 
 the body of his flesh for you. He. u. u. (6.) Believe 
 also, that while you are in the world, all things 
 
 shall fall out for your good at the eud, whether 
 they he temptations, doctrines of devils, workings 
 of corruptions, all things shall fall out for your 
 good, who love our precious Lord Jesus. Eo, viii. 28. 
 (7.) Be assured, that all your enemies shall very 
 suddenly be under your feet, even Satan and all. 
 Ro. xvi. 20. (8.) Consider, That there shall no temp- 
 tation befall you in the days of your pilgrimage, 
 but God will enable you to bear it ; Ay, and make 
 a way also for you to escape the destroying danger 
 of it. 1 Co. X. 13. (9.) When the time of your disso- 
 lution shall come, your Jesus will deal with you, as 
 he did with blessed Lazarus, that is, he wiU send 
 his angels to fetch your souls away to glory. Lu.xvi 
 23. (10.) Believe also, and know assuredly, that at 
 the last day, he wiU also raise your bodies out of 
 . their graves, and make them also for ever vessels 
 of his glory, Ro. viii. 23. compared with Jn. v. ssj i Th. 
 iv. 14— 18. (11.) And lastly, consider. That though 
 now by the world, and heretics, you be counted as 
 not worth the looking after ; Yet you have your 
 day a coming, when as the Dives's of this and all 
 other ages, would be glad if they might have but 
 the least favour from you, one drop of cold water 
 on the tip of your fingers. you despised begging 
 Lazarus 's (as in Lu. x«. 24. ) For the world, for all 
 their stoutness, must be forced to come to judg- 
 ment, before your Lord and you. i Co. vi. 2. ' This 
 honour have all his saints. ' Ps. cxlix. 9. 
 
 Now seeing that these things be so, I beseech 
 you by (those) the mercies of God, (1.) That you 
 do give up your bodies, as hands, tongue, strength, 
 health, wealth, and aU that you have and are, to the 
 service of God, your God. Eo.xU. i. (2.) 'Let your 
 moderation [in every thing] be known unto all men. 
 (for) The Lord is at hand.' Phi. ir.s. (3.) Study to 
 walk as Uke the Lord Jesus Christ, as ever you 
 can, for your lives. Mat. xi. 29. (4.) Let that you 
 strive for, be the faith of the gospel of your precious 
 Lord Jesus, pm. i. 27. And not any earthly advan- 
 tages. (5.) 'Let your conversation be as it be- 
 cometh the gospel.' Ph. i. 37. (6.) Let your hearts 
 be always in heaven, where our Lord Jesus is. 
 Col. iii.1— 3. (7.) Forbear and forgive one another, 
 in love, and with aU your hearts, as God for Christ 
 sake hath forgiven you. Ep. iv. 2. (8.) Let your light 
 so shine before men, that they may see your good 
 works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 
 Mat. V. 16. (9.) You are the salt of the earth, have 
 a care you lose not your savour. Mat. v. 13. (10.) Be 
 forward to distribute to those that are in want, for 
 this is well-pleasing to your most glorious loving 
 Father. He. xiii. I6. (11.) Learn all one of another 
 the things that are good, for this is the command 
 of God, and also commendable in saints. Phi. iii. 17. 
 (12.) And lastly, brethren, consider what tlie 
 Lord hath done for you ; he hath bought you, and 
 paid for you with his blood, and he doth now also 
 
180 
 
 TO THE READER. 
 
 make it his business to pray for your safe conduct 
 to glory. He. Tii. 25. He hath delivered you from 
 those that would have heen your ruin, and hath 
 promised to you everlasting life. Let the love of 
 Christ constrain you, let the love of God win upon 
 your souls. What ! he that spared not his own 
 Son, but delivered him up for us all : How shall 
 he not with him freely give us all things. Hold 
 out my brethren, hold out, for you have but a little 
 while to run : Hold fast unto the death, and Christ 
 will give you a crown of life. Ke. ii. lo. Farewell, 
 dear brethren ; the mighty God of Jacob preserve 
 and deliver you from every evil work ; and all the 
 days of our pilgrimage let us pray one for another, 
 that our God will count us worthy of this rich and 
 glorious calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of 
 his goodness, and the work of faith with power, to 
 whom be glory now and ever. 
 
 And now reader, before I make an end of this 
 discourse, I think it meet to let thee understand, 
 that though there hath been a book put forth by 
 Edward Borrough, in seeming opposition to that 
 of mine, called, ' Some Gospel-Truths opened ac- 
 cording to the scripture.' Yet the substance of 
 ray discourse then published by me, standeth un- 
 controlled by scripture, as from him or others. I 
 do not say he doth not wrangle with them, but I 
 say, he doth not by any one plain scripture con- 
 tradict them. As for instance : 
 
 1. The first great thing that I do bold forth in 
 that discourse, is this: That that babe that was 
 born of the virgin Mary, and that at that time did 
 give satisfaction for sin, was the very Christ of 
 God, and not a type of anything afterward to be 
 revealed for the obtaining redemption for sinners 
 ■within them. Which thing my adversary can find 
 no groxmd in scripture to build an opposition upon, 
 see his book, page 12. but is forced to confess it 
 in word, though he do deny the very same in doc- 
 trine, see his book p. 29. at his 6th query. And 
 p. 26. where in answer to this question of mine ; 
 Why did the Man Christ hang on the cross on 
 Mount Calvary? All the answer he gives, is this; 
 Because they wickedly judged him to be a blas- 
 phemer ; and as in their account (saith he) he died 
 as an evil doer. And this is all the ground he 
 giveth: See his answer to my second query in this 
 my book, taken word for word as he laid them 
 down. 
 
 2. The next thing I do prove in that book is. 
 That that light which every one hath, is not the 
 Spirit of Christ ; because the scripture saith. 
 Some have it not. JudeiQ. But Edward Borrough 
 saith. It is given to every one; [p. 18. of his 
 book :] And he saith. They have it within them 
 too; [p. 26. of his book,] in answer to my first 
 
 question, though he hath no scripture to confirm 
 the same, as I have had to contradict it. See his 
 book. 
 
 3. The next thing I prove, is. That Jesus, Christ 
 did fulfil the law in his own person without us for 
 justification, and that his blood then shed, hath 
 washed away the sins of the children of God, as 
 aforesaid. Which thing he would oppose, but 
 finds no footing for his discourse. See his book, 
 p. 12. where he saith. The law is not fulfilled: 
 (read the latter end of that page) [which is] con- 
 trary to scripture. Coi. ii. 14. Eo. x. 4. which saith, 'For 
 Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to 
 every one that belie veth.' Another thing I prove 
 in that book is. That Christ is ascended into 
 that heaven without, above the clouds and stars ; 
 and that I prove by eight several scripture demon- 
 strations, of which not one is confuted by scripture, 
 though secretly in his book smitten against. Read 
 his whole book. 
 
 4. The next thing I prove, is. That the same 
 Jesus that was born of Mary, laid in the manger, 
 who is the Saviour, is at this day making interces- 
 sion in that body he then took of Mary ; which 
 thing also is not confuted by him, by the scripture; 
 though cunningly smitten against in his discourse, 
 where he saith. It is only necessary to salvation to 
 preach Christ within, laying aside all that Christ 
 did when he was in his own person in the world. 
 See p. 29. of his book, Qu. 6. 
 
 5. Another truth I prove, is. That the very same 
 Jesus that was born of Mary, that very Man (that 
 was also hanged on the cross) wUl come the second 
 time, and that shall be to save his children, and to 
 judge the world at the last day, that great day of 
 judgment. And though they will not own, that 
 he shall so come as he went away, which was a 
 very Man without ; yet they could not at all by the 
 scripture contradict it. But the very sum of his 
 discourses is a wrangling with the thing laid down, 
 as a dog with a bone ; but hath not, nor cannot by 
 scripture overcome the same. This have I written, 
 that the reader into whose hand this book may 
 come, may have the more certain information con- 
 cerning the things before published by me, and 
 also concerning the opposition made against them 
 by the adversary. And here, because I am loath 
 to be too tedious, I do conclude, and desire thy 
 prayers to God for me (if thou be a Christian) that 
 I may not only be preserved to the end in the faitl 
 of Jesus, but that God would enable me to be an 
 earnest contender for the same, even to the last; 
 and rest, 
 
 The servant of the Lord JESUS, 
 
 John Bunyan. 
 
A VINDICiTION OF GOSPEL TEUTHS. 
 
 181 
 
 Readeb, 
 We, whose names are here under-written, having 
 (through grace) some blessed faith and experience 
 of the truths declared in this hook, and knowing 
 them so to he; having tried them by the scriptures 
 in the light of the Spirit, thought it our duty to 
 bear witness thereunto, together with our brother, 
 desiring the blessing of God may go along with 
 
 these endeavours of his, for the doing good to our 
 Christian brethren, or any other who may read it. 
 Farewell. 
 
 Yours in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, for 
 which faith we desire to contend, 
 
 Richard Spenclt. 
 
 John Burton. 
 
 John Cmu). 
 
 A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS, &c. 
 
 It is very expedient that there should be heresies 
 amongst us, that thereby those which are indeed 
 of the truth might be made manifest; and also that 
 the doctrine of God, and his Son Jesus Christ, 
 might the more cast forth its lustre and glory. 
 For the truth is of that nature, that the more it is 
 opposed, the more glory it appears in ; and the 
 more the adversary objects against it, the more it 
 will clear itself ; which doth give me, and all that 
 stand for it, and doth plead on its side in the wis- 
 dom of the Spirit, much boldness and encourage- 
 ment, to venture without any slavish fear upon 
 those that have already, or shall hereafter, stand up 
 to oppose it. I did some few weeks past, put forth 
 a small book, called. Some Gospel-Truths opened, 
 and so forth; and the thing I looked for from them 
 tvas, namely, opposition from the adversary, which 
 hath been accomplished in that, namely, as I did 
 look for it, so did it happen ; not that it daunted 
 me; for if it had so done, it might have made me 
 kept those truths within my breast, which are now 
 made manifest by me (as well as others) to the 
 world. Now I have not only met with some oppo- 
 sition from others face to face in secret, but there 
 is one Edward Burrough (as I heard his name is 
 so, by some of themselves) that hath ventured to 
 stand up against the truth, with the rest of his 
 companions, and hath published a book, called, 
 ' The true faith of the gospel of peace contended 
 for, (fee. ' In which book of his there is a very 
 great niunber of heresies cunningly vented by him, 
 and also many things there falsely reported of me, 
 which things in this my discourse I shall very 
 plainly discover ; and the way that I shall take, 
 shall be by laying down some of thy expressions, 
 and also some of mine; and by inquiring into the 
 truth of one, and the error of the other, tlirough 
 the assistance of the Spirit of Christ, and accord- 
 ing to the scriptures. Only by the way, I think 
 good to mind thee of thy clothing thyself with the 
 words of the prophets and apostles, against whom 
 thou dost fight (as will appear in my following 
 discourse) and also of thy endeavouring to wrest 
 the sword out of the hands of the saints, and art 
 
 fighting against them bitterly, with a parcel of 
 scolding expressions. But I wish thee to learn, 
 (if thou canst) to be sober, and to keep under thy 
 unruly spirit ; and do not so much appear, at least 
 not so grossly, a railing Rabshakeh ; but contrari- 
 wise, if you would be looked upon to be holy, which 
 (we know and believe that) as yet, many of you 
 are not. Let at the least some appearance of mode- 
 ration be manifest among you. After many words 
 that are flung into the wind by thee my adversary, 
 in the first and second page of thy book, thou 
 couldst not be contented therewith, as being too 
 few to vent thyself withal ; but thou breakest out 
 in page 3. with a small testimony of John Burton, 
 and his fellow, saying, ' They have ^his i» a lie, i 
 joined themselves with the broken *•"' G"*. spo- 
 army of Magog. — And have shewed versmy against 
 themselves in the defence of the dra- "'' 
 gon against the Lamb, in the day of war betwixt 
 them.' When alas! poor soul we do know, and 
 are bold to declare, in the name of the Lord Jesus 
 the Son of Mary, that our God hath owned us, 
 with others of his servants, in his own work against 
 the devil's devices and false doctrine ; as instru- 
 ments both for the comforting and establishing of 
 his own, and also for the convincing and converting 
 of some of them, who aforetime was not converted. 
 And friend, why dost thou say, that we join with 
 Magog in the defence of the dragon against the 
 Lamb, when thou seest the whole drift both of my 
 brother's epistle, and also of my writing, is to exalt 
 and advance the first-born of Mary, the Lord of 
 glory, and to hold on his side, notwithstanding 
 there are so many tempests go through the world. 
 And the rather, because we know that it is he, and 
 he alone, that did bear our sins in his own body on 
 the tree, l Pe. ii. a. for it is he that hath taken away 
 the sins of the world. Now I say therefore, do not 
 thou thus accuse the brethren, for speaking good 
 of the name of Jesus, lest thou be troubled at thy 
 end for thus spending thy beginning in taking part 
 with the devil to accuse God's children. 
 
 Then in the same page thou sayest, thou hast 
 numbered up part of our work, and the sum is, A 
 
182 
 
 k VINDICATION 01" GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 corrupted grain of Babylon's treasure, &,e. Ans. 
 Friend, The sum of our discourse is of the birth, 
 righteousness, death, blood, resurrection, ascen- 
 sion, intercession, and second coming of the Son 
 of Mary the virgin, by which righteousness, blood, 
 death, bm'ial, resurrection, ascension, and inter- 
 cession Tve are saved. And dost thou count this 
 a corrupted grain of Babylon's treasure ? Have 
 a care what thou sayest, least thou utter that with 
 thy mouth now, which will lie heavy on thy con- 
 science for ever. 
 
 Then, as though this thy unwise speaking were 
 too little, thou breakest out with a taunt, or a jeer, 
 saying ; A larger portion, and more to the purpose 
 might have been brought in, but with such as you 
 had, or could procure from your neighbours are 
 you come. Ans. Friend, Who hath despised the 
 day of small things ? But again, we desire not to 
 bring to others, no nor to know ourselves, any- 
 thing else but Jesus Christ (the Son of Mary) and 
 him crucified for our sins. 1 Co. ii. 3. Then thou 
 sayest further in the same page. That though thou 
 hast not seen our faces, yet our spirit is tried, and 
 we are clearly described to thee, (sayest thou) to 
 be of the stock of Ishmael, and of the seed of 
 Cain, whose line reacheth to the murdering priests, 
 ikc. Ans. Friend, thou art very censorious, and 
 utterest many words without knowledge. We 
 bless God, for the most part of our line, we do 
 labour to stretch it out, either in building up and 
 exhorting the saints of the most High, to cleave 
 close to their Jesus, or else as much as in us lies, 
 we labour to convince poor souls of their lost con- 
 dition, according to the word of God, and not to 
 murder any. Nay contrariwise, we desire through 
 grace, if at any time we chance to see any of 
 Christ's lambs in the teeth of any wolf or bear, be 
 they never so terrible in appearance ; I say, we 
 desire, we labour, we strive, and lay out ourselves, 
 if it be possible, to recover the same, though with 
 the hazard of our lives, or whatsoever may befal 
 us in doing our duty. And whereas thou sayest 
 Here is one ^° *^^ ^^'^ V^S^' '^^''■^ '^^ are found 
 
 false charge enemies to Christ, revealed in his 
 
 laid down by . a rm i 
 
 the adversary samts. Ans. iliou dost US Wrong, 
 against me, ^^^ ^^ labour all that we may to coun- 
 tenance the same, where he doth indeed appear : 
 and if at any time we do see or discern, that any 
 soul hath any breathing after the knowledge of 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, we are so far from disown- 
 ing or discountenancing of the same, that we give 
 them all the encouragement we may : Nay, and we 
 are so far from discountenancing the doctrine of 
 God, and his Son Jesus Christ, that we say plainly, 
 some have not the Spirit of Christ in them, and 
 they are reprobates, according to that scripture, 
 Ro. viii. 9. ' If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, 
 ho is none of his. ' And again, Some are ' sensual, 
 
 having not the Spirit.' Juaei9. And again, ^e are 
 so far from being against the doctrine of the Spirit 
 of Christ in his saints, we bless God that we say. 
 It is the distinguishing character of a true beUever, 
 from others : All which things do I also afBrm in 
 my book, and hold forth, as doth also my brother 
 in his epistle. Therefore, I marvel, that you should 
 be overseen, as to utter so many false things toge- 
 ther, in less than four sides of paper, I wonder 
 what will be the end of your discourse. 
 
 Well, now thou dost come and fall a wrangling 
 with some of the words of my brother Burton, 
 which are to this purpose, (he speaking before of 
 the doctrine of Jesus) and this is quite contrary 
 (saith he) to those commonly called Famihsts, 
 Ranters, Quakers, and others, who on the other 
 hand either deny Christ to be a real man without 
 them, blasphemously fancying him to be only God 
 manifest in their flesh ; or else make his human 
 nature with the fulness of the Godhead in it, to be 
 but a type of God to be manifested in the saints. 
 Now first of all, the great oifence thou takest of 
 some of these words, is, because he doth join in 
 his discourse Familists, Ranters, and Quakers 
 together. Friend, what harm is it to join a dog 
 and a wolf together ? A fawning dog and a wolf 
 in sheep's clothing ; they dififer a little in outward 
 appearance, but they can both agree to worry 
 Christ's lambs. But again, friend, let us a little 
 compare the principles of a Ranter and a Quaker 
 together, and it will clearly appear, that in many 
 of their principles (at least) they agree, or jump 
 in one : As 
 
 1. The Ranters will own Christ no otherwise, 
 than only within ; and this is also the principle of 
 the Quakers, they wiU not own Christ without them. 
 2. The Ranters, they cry dovra all teaching, but 
 the teaching within: and so do the Quakers (wit- 
 ness thousands) and yet condemn their principles 
 by their practice, as the Ranters also did and do. 
 Now the apostle saith the contrary, saying, 'He 
 that knoweth God heareth us; (meaning himself 
 with the rest of the apostles and servants of Christ.) 
 He that is not of God heareth not us.' i Jn. iv. 6. 
 Again, 3. The Ranters are neither for the ordin- 
 ance of baptism with water, nor breaking of bread, 
 And are not you the same ? 4. The Ranters would 
 profess that they were without sin : and how far 
 short of this opinion are the Quakers ? 5. The 
 Ranters would not own the resurrection of the 
 bodies of the saints after they were laid in the 
 graves: And how say you. Do you believe that the 
 very bodies of the saints, as the very body of 
 Abraham, and the body of Isaac, with the bodies 
 of all the saints, notwithstanding some of them 
 have been in the graves thousands of years, others 
 hundreds, some less : I say. Do you believe the 
 resurrection of these very bodies again, which were 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TKUTHS. 
 
 183 
 
 hurled so long since; or do you hold, as the Ran- 
 ters do, nothing but the resurrection from a sinful 
 to an holy state in this life. 
 
 And really I tell thee (reader) plainly, that for 
 the generality, the very opinions that are held at 
 this day by the Quakers, are the same that long 
 ago were held by the Eanters. Only the Ranters 
 had made them threadbare at an alehouse, and the 
 Quakers have set a new gloss upon them again, 
 by an outward legal holiness, or righteousness. 
 But again. Why shoidd you be so angry with my 
 brother, for joining of a sinner and a liar together? 
 Is there any great harm in that? Surely no. And 
 the joining Ranters and Quakers together, is but so. 
 The Quakers themselves confess, the Ranters are 
 to be disowned, page 4. Nay if they would not, 
 yet God hath disowned them in the open view of 
 the nations. Now that the Quakers are liars, I 
 shall prove from their own mouth. As first, from 
 the several things that I did oppose even now, 
 page 1 — 4, of this book, called, ' The true Faith 
 of the Gospel of Peace, ' &c. Now lest they shoidd 
 be slighted and set at nought, I shall shew you 
 clearly this man's lies manifestly laid down in his 
 book against me. As first, he saith of me in his 
 book, page 11, 12. That 1 said positively, the 
 blood of Christ was shed before the world began. 
 Whereas I said only this, Tlwi in the account, of 
 God (mark it, in the account of God) his blood 
 was shed before the world was, according to that 
 scripture, Ee xiu. 8. ' The Lamb slain from the 
 foundation of the world,' in my book, page 3 
 [141]. Secondly, he saith, that I cry aloud 
 against Christ within, in page 24. of his book. 
 And again he saith, ' That all my work is an 
 obscure shooting against the manifestation of 
 Christ within.' Where he speaks very falsely of 
 me, for I confess and own God's Christ within as 
 well as without, as appears in my book, page 206. 
 towards the end [173]. And in the epistle to my 
 book you may find the same held out by me for 
 two or three leaves together ; besides, many other 
 places of my book doth testify of the same; there- 
 fore, doth not he lie miserably in this also ? 
 
 Again, he saith, that I am one of those that do 
 preach for hire, through covetousness, making 
 merchandise of souls, page 23. of his book, which 
 is also an imtruth, as I shall shew further when I 
 come to the place. 
 
 Again he saith, in page 30, that I said 'Christ's 
 I coming in the Spirit was no coming. ' Here also 
 I he uttereth falsehood. I never said so, as many 
 I of our brethren can witness. But of this also in 
 ! its place, when I come to it, with many other 
 i things which he hath very untruly vented of me, 
 i which I fear not but they shall be cleared, both 
 I now, and also at the second appearance of the 
 man Christ Jesus. And therefore friend (I say to 
 
 thee) be not so pharisaical as to say within thine 
 heart, ' I am uot as this publican.' Why am I 
 reckoned with the Ranters ? Thou art, both thou 
 and thy fellows, of the same mind with them in 
 many things, and shall assuredly partake of the 
 same plague with them, if they and you repent not 
 speedily. 
 
 Again, in page 7, thou wouldest make us be- 
 lieve, that the Quakers do really and truly lay the 
 Christ of God, God-man, for their foundation. 
 Saying, 'We prize the Lord Jesus Christ, God- 
 man, to be precious to us, and to all that do 
 believe, and have owned him to be the foundation,' 
 &c. Now friend, this is fairly spoken ; but by 
 words in general we may be deceived, because a 
 man may speak one thing with his mouth, and 
 mean another thing in his heart ; especially it is 
 so with those that use to utter themselves doubt- 
 fully ; therefore we will a little enquire what it is 
 to lay Christ, God-man for a foundation. 
 
 1. Then, To lay God's Christ, God-man, for a 
 foundation, is to believe that man that was born 
 of the Virgin Mary, to be the saviour. 
 
 How he was and is the saviour, and therefore if 
 you do indeed lay him for your foundation, then 
 you do believe that when the man Christ did hang 
 on the cross on Mount Calvary, that then your 
 sins were satisfied for at that time, as it is written, 
 ' Who his ownself bare our sins in his own body on 
 the tree. ' i Pe. ii 24. 
 
 2. If the Christ of God, God-man, be indeed 
 your foundation, then you do believe, that that 
 very man in that very body, did fulfil all the law, 
 in the point of justification, as it is written, ' Christ 
 is the end of the law for righteousness to every 
 one that beheveth. ' Bo. x. i. So that now, believe 
 aright in what the Son of Mary hath done without 
 on the cross, and be saved. 
 
 3. If you have laid Christ that man aright for 
 your foundation, then you do believe, that when he 
 was raised out of the sepulchre into which Joseph 
 had laid him, then at that time was accomphshed 
 your justification. Ro. iv. 25. How say you to these 
 things. Do you make an open profession of them 
 without dissembling ? Or do you not (notwithstand- 
 ing your talk of Christ) in very deed deny the 
 virtue of the death and blood of Christ without, as 
 for justification and life ? If so, you have not 
 laid him for your foundation. 
 
 4. If you have indeed laid Christ, God-man, for 
 your foundation, then you do lay the hope of your 
 fehcity and joy on this. That the Son of Mary is 
 now absent from his children in his person and 
 humanity, making intercession for them and for 
 thee, in the presence of his Father. 2 Co. v. 6. 
 And the reason that thou canst rejoice here-at is, 
 because thou hast not only heard of it with thine 
 ear only, but dost enjoy the sweet hope and faith 
 
184 
 
 A. VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 of them in tliy heart ; which hope and faith is 
 begotten by the Spirit of Christ, which Spirit 
 dwelleth in thee, (if thou be a believer) and 
 sheweth those things to thee to be the only things. 
 And God having shewn thee these things, thus 
 without thee by the Spirit that dwelleth in thee, 
 thou hast mighty encouragement to hope for the 
 glory that shall he revealed at the coming again 
 of the man Christ Jesus, of which glory thou hast 
 also greater ground to hope for a share in, because 
 that that Spirit that alone is able to discover to 
 thee the truth of these things, is given to thee of 
 God, as the first fruits of that glory which is here- 
 after to be revealed, being obtained for thee by 
 the man Christ Jesus's death on Mount Calvary, 
 and by his blood that was shed there, together 
 with his resurrection from the dead, out of the 
 grave where they had laid him. Also, thou be- 
 lievest that he is gone away from thee in the same 
 body which was hanged on the cross, to take pos- 
 session of that glory, which thou, through his obe- 
 dience, shall at his (the very same man's) return 
 from heaven the second time, have bestowed upon 
 thee, having all this while prepared and preserved 
 it for thee, as he saith himself : ' I go to prepare 
 a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place 
 for you, I will come again, and receive you unto 
 myself, that where I am, tliere ye may be also.' 
 Jn. xi7. 3, 3. Again, 
 
 5. If thou hast laid Christ, God-man, for thy 
 foundation, though thou hast the Spirit of this 
 man Christ witliin thee, yet thou dost not look 
 that justification should be wrought out for thee, 
 by that Spirit of Christ that dwelleth within thee, 
 for thou knowest that salvation is already obtained 
 for thee by the man Christ Jesus without thee, and 
 is witnessed to thee by his Spirit which dwelleth 
 within thee. And thus much doth this man Christ 
 Jesus testify unto us where he saith he shall glo- 
 rify me; mark, 'He shall glorify me;' (saith the 
 Son of Mary) but how ? Why, ' he shall receive 
 of mine (what I have done, and am doing in the 
 presence of the Father) and shall shew it unto 
 you.' Jn. xvi. 14. I have been a little the larger in 
 this, because it is of weight. 
 
 But again, thou sayest further, The rest of this 
 first epistle I shall say little to ; only thus much 
 
 is the mind of the penman's spirit, 
 ^6peak3°?aiBely! sccretly Smiting at the doctrine of true 
 
 faith and salvation, (to wit) Christ 
 within. Ans. My friend, by saying that my 
 brother doth strike at the doctrine of true faith 
 and salvation, thou dost him a great deal of wrong ; 
 for it is so far from him so to do, that he telleth 
 souls plainly, that without true faith in the blood 
 of the Son of Mary, who was crucified on Mount 
 Calvary, there is no remission ; for saitli he, it is 
 only through that one oflfering then given up to 
 
 the Father, that you must be justified. And that 
 is according to the whole stream of scripture : 
 For by one ofi'ering. What was that ? Why, the 
 offering up of the body of Jesus once for all, 
 (He. X. 10.) he hath perfected for ever them that 
 are sanctified. ' But this man after he had ofi'ered 
 one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down.' Mark 
 it : ' This man after he had ofi'ered one sacrifice 
 for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of 
 
 God. ' ver. 13. 
 
 And as for thy saying, that salvation is Christ 
 within ; if thou mean in opposition to Christ with- 
 out; instead of pleading for Christ, thou wilt 
 plead against him ; for Christ, God-man, without 
 on the cross, did bring in salvation for sinners. 
 And the right believing of that, doth justify the 
 soul. Therefore Christ within, or the Spirit of 
 him who did give himself a ransom, doth not work 
 out justification for the soul in the soul; hut doth 
 lead the soul out of itself, and out of that that 
 can be done within itself, to look for salvation in 
 that man that is now absent from his saints on 
 earth. 3 Co. v. 6. Why so ? For [because] it knowetli 
 that there is salvation in none other. Ac. iv. B. 
 And therefore I would wish thee to have a care 
 what thou dost, for I tell thee, that man who 
 is now jeered by some, because he is preached 
 to be without them, will very suddenly come the 
 second time, to the great overthrow of those, who 
 have spoken, and shall stiU speak against him. 
 
 Jude 14,, 15. 
 
 Thou sayest also the next thing thou mindest, 
 is this in the second epistle,* where a question is 
 asked. Who are the men that at this day are so 
 deluded by the Quakers, and other pernicious 
 doctrines, but they that counted it enough to be 
 talkers of the gospel, &c. This man, saith the 
 Quaker, is of the same Spirit with his fellow, and 
 will more abound in lies, <kc. And why? because 
 he saith the Quakers are those deceivers that at 
 this day beguile poor souls by their doctrine. 
 Alas poor man, why shouldest thou be angry for 
 my speaking the truth, in saying: The Quakers 
 are deceivers, this will easily appear. 
 
 1. They deny the man Christ to be without 
 them, and own Christ no otherwise, but as he is 
 within, contrary to that scripture, which saith, 
 for 'while we are at home in the body we are 
 absent from the Lord.' This is touching his 
 bodily presence. And again, he was parted from 
 them, ' and a cloud received him out of their 
 sight.' And he was carried away from them, 
 and so received up into heaven, Ac.i.9— ii. Now he 
 that denieth this, is a deceiver, as is clear, in that 
 he doth speak against the truth laid down in thfl 
 scripture. 
 
 * Banyan's epistle to " Some Gospel Truths Opened." 
 
A VINDICATTON OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 185 
 
 2. The Quakers are deceivers, in tliat they 
 persuade souls that Christ is crucified in them, 
 dead within them, and kept down with some thing 
 within them, which was never taught by those 
 that spoke the scripture from the Spirit of God. 
 Shew me a scripture to confiim such a doctrine as 
 this, which hath been avouched over and over by 
 the Quakers. 
 
 3. The Quakers are deceivers, because they do 
 persuade souls, that that man that was born of 
 the Virgin Mary, is not above the clouds and 
 the stars, when the scripture saith, ' a cloud 
 received him out of the sight of his saints. ' And 
 again, that he is above the highest heavens, which 
 must needs be above the stars, for they are not 
 the highest. 
 
 4. The Quakers are deceivers, because they 
 persuade souls not to believe, that that man that 
 was crucified, and rose again flesh and bones, Lu. 
 xxiv. 38 — iO. shall so come again, that very man, in 
 the clouds of heaven to judgment as he went 
 away; and at the very same time shall raise up 
 all the men and women out of their graves, and 
 cause them to come to the valley of Jehoshaphat ; 
 because there will he, that very man, sit to judge 
 all the heathen round about. I say, they strive 
 to beat souls off from believing this, though it be 
 the truth of God witnessed by the scripture, 
 Joel iii. 11, 13. as also Ac. i. 10, 11. 'This same Jesus, 
 which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so 
 come (mark, the very same) in like manner as ye 
 have seen him go into heaven. ' ' And his feet 
 shall stand in that day (the day of his second 
 coming) upon the Mount of Olives.' Zec. xiv. i. 
 Where is that ? Not vrithin thee, but that which 
 is without Jerusalem, before, it on the east side. 
 I say now, he that persuades souls not to believe 
 this, but makes them believe there is no such 
 thing, as the Quakers do, he is a deceiver. Again, 
 the Quakers make no difference 'between that 
 light wherewith Christ, as he is God, hath 
 enlightened all ; and the Spirit of Christ he gives 
 not to all, which I shall show by and by to be a 
 deceit. 
 
 5. The Quakers are deceivers, because they 
 say, That every one hath that which is like the 
 Spirit of Christ, even as good as the Spirit of 
 Christ, page 10 of his book, which is desperate 
 blasphemy. The scripture saith plainly, ' That 
 some are sensual, having not the Spirit.' And 
 yet though they have not that, they have, says 
 the Quakers, that which is as good as that. 
 wonderful deceit, as I shall farther show by and 
 by when I come to the place. But to cover him- 
 self, and so his deceit, he doth apply that to 
 himself that should be applied for the encourage- 
 ment of the children of God : saying, the children 
 of God was always counted deceivers, we (saith 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 he) have a cloud of witnesses. Answer, friend, 
 they were called deceivers, and were not so ; but 
 you are rightly called so, as I have already 
 showed, and shall show farther by and by. In 
 the meantime know, that the devil knows how to 
 take children's bread, and cast it to the dogs. 
 Then the next thing; that he is , ,, , , ... 
 
 o ^ Another false thing 
 
 grieved with, is, because I said, spoken of me, by 
 
 ,, -I , p the Quakers, 
 
 there are none but a company oi 
 
 light notionists, ranters, with here and there a 
 
 legalist, that was shaking in their principles, that 
 
 were carried away by the Quakers, &c. When 
 
 this appears in all men's sight that can see, though 
 
 you would not have it so (it is like.) And as for 
 
 your saying, because all sorts of people are 
 
 brought to God, I am offended therewith ; I 
 
 answer, No friend, I bless God my soul can 
 
 rejoice that souls come in to Jesus Christ, though 
 
 it grieves me to see, how some with a spirit of 
 
 delusion are deceived, and destroyed, by its 
 
 coming unto them as an angel of light. And 
 
 whereas thou sayest I am like the Pharisees, who 
 
 said, none believe, but a company of poor people, 
 
 which know not the law. Answ. I bless God, 1 
 
 do know they are the poor that receive the gospel ; 
 
 but friend, I must tell you, that you and your 
 
 fellows may seek for justification from the law,- 
 
 and yet have no better a recompense, than to bo 
 
 condemned by the law. 
 
 Now passing many railings, I come to the next 
 
 thing that thou dost stumble at, which is in that 
 
 I say, some of those delusions the devil doth 
 
 deceive poor souls withal, is first, in that he doth 
 
 persuade them, that salvation was not completely 
 
 wrought out for sinners by the man Christ Jesus, 
 
 though he did it gloriously upon the cross without 
 
 the gates of Jerusalem. Now these words, ' he 
 
 did it gloriously on the cross, without the gates of 
 
 Jerusalem,' thou leavest out. Therefore I ask, 
 
 do you believe that at that time, when he did 
 
 hang upon that cross on Mount Calvary, that he 
 
 did by that death he died there, redeem all his 
 
 elect from eternal vengeance ? If not, whatever 
 
 thou sayest, thou wilt certainly see, that Satan 
 
 hath caught thee in his snare, notwithstanding thy 
 
 railing against the Lord Jesus. And friend, thou 
 
 mayest call thy conscience the man Christ Jesus, 
 
 or the light (as thou caUest it) in thy conscience 
 
 the man Christ Jesus ; which if thou do, this is a 
 
 delusion, and a dangerous doctrine. For a Spirit 
 
 hath not flesh and bones, and so hath the man 
 
 Christ Jesus. Now it may be, you think farther 
 
 that the church, with the Spirit of Christ, is the 
 
 man Christ Jesus, which is also a damnable heresy. 
 
 Therefore, speak plainly ; Dost thou beheve that 
 
 the man Christ Jesus is ascended from his people 
 
 in his person ? And again, dost thou believe that 
 
 he which ascended from his disciples, did bring in 
 
 2 A 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 everlasting salvation for them, in that liis body 
 which ascended from them ? An answer to this 
 might give great satisfaction to souls, if also it 
 might be made in words easily to be understood. 
 Again, 
 
 Thou art also offended with the second deceit 
 which I lay down in my epistle, which is (say I) 
 for the devil to bid souls follow that light which 
 they brought into the world with them, telling 
 them, that that wiU lead them to the kingdom. 
 Now thou seemest gravelled, because I said, which 
 they brought into the world with them. If thou 
 art offended at that, show me when, and at what 
 time every soul receives a light from Christ after 
 it comes into the world. Now this I say, That 
 every man hath not the Spirit of Christ within 
 him. Jude 19. And that there is nothing that can 
 show the soul the things of Christ savingly, but 
 the Spirit of Christ, i Co. ii. ii. Then will not you 
 yourself confess, that he is deluded, that is per- 
 suaded to follow that hght that cannot reveal 
 Christ unto him ? But I must mind you of one 
 filtiiy error also which thou layest down in page 
 10. Corrupting the scripture to make it good, 
 but in vain ; where thou sayest. That light which 
 every man is hghtened withal, will lead unto the 
 kingdom of peace and righteousness. And then 
 thou addest, for saith Christ, ' I am the light of 
 the world, he that followeth me shall not [abide 
 in darkness, or] walk in darkness.' Pray mark. 
 First, thou caUest it the light of Christ, where- 
 with he hath lightened every one ; and here thou 
 comest a step higher, and callest it, Christ him- 
 self; and then corruptest that scripture, where the 
 Son of Mary saith, 'I am the light of the world,' 
 <fcc. Here thou wouldest very willingly have room 
 to broach thy folly, but it may not be ; for though 
 Christ be the light of the world, yet he is not in 
 every one in the world. But secondly, I pray 
 where was Christ when he spake those words ? 
 was lie I say, within his disciples, or without them, 
 when he said, ' I am the light of the world ? ' He 
 was without them, and walked up and down in the 
 world with them from place to place, a very man. 
 Therefore, he did not mean at that time any light 
 within, but himself who was vrithout. And indeed, 
 they who will follow Christ aright, must foUow him 
 without, to the cross without, for justification on 
 Mount Calvary without, (that is, they must seek 
 for justification by his obedience without.) To the 
 grave without, and to his ascension and interces- 
 sion hi heaven without ; and this nmst be done 
 through the operation of his own Holy Spirit, that 
 he hath promised shall show these things imto 
 them, being given within them for that purpose. 
 Jn. xvi. 14. Now the Spirit of Christ tliat leads also, 
 but whither ? It loads to Christ without, which 
 eaid, being without, ' I am the light of the world : 
 
 he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, 
 but shall have the light of life. ' Jn. viii. 13. Deny this, 
 that Christ was without when he spake those words 
 (I am the light of the world :) if you can. 
 
 But to come more close, to the thing. That 
 light wherewith Christ, as he is God, hath lightened 
 every one that cometh into the world, is the soul 
 of man, which is the life of the body, and yet 
 itself is but a creature, and made by the creator 
 of all things. Is. ivii. 16. and is not the Spirit, as some 
 do think it is. This creature hath one faculty of 
 its own nature, called conscience, which hath its 
 place in the soul, where it is as a judge to discern 
 of things good or bad, and judge them accordingly, 
 as the apostle saith, speaking of the heathens, 
 ' Their conscience also bearing witness and their 
 thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing 
 one another.' Eo. ii. 14. This conscience is that in 
 which is the law of nature, l Co. xi. 14. which is able 
 to teach the Gentiles, that sin against the law, is 
 sin against God: And yet it is called but even 
 nature itself, as he saith there, ' Doth not even 
 nature itself teach you ? ' <fec. 
 
 Now this conscience, this nature itself, because 
 it can control, and chide them for sin, who give 
 ear unto it, therefore must it be idolized, and made 
 a God of wonderful ! that men should make 
 a God and a Christ of their consciences, because 
 they can convince of sin. But thou goest ramping 
 on, and sayest, there is nothing but the light of 
 Christ that will convince of sin, and thou biddest 
 me, mind that. Now dost thou mean the Spirit 
 of Christ ? dost thou say that that which thou 
 caUest the light of Christ, is the Spirit of Christ ? 
 If so, then there is conscience which is not the 
 Spirit of Christ, but a poor dunghill creature, in 
 comparison of the Spirit of Christ; yet will con- 
 vince of sin, as is clear, from that 8th of John. 
 Where the woman is mentioned, who was taken 
 in adultery by the Pharisees, or others, who when 
 they had brought her to Christ, and began to 
 accuse her, Christ said, ' He that is without sin 
 among you, let him first cast a stone at her.' And 
 what then? When they heard that, they were 
 convicted by their own consciences. Mark,' he 
 doth not say, by the light of Christ in their con- 
 sciences, as some would have it be ; No, but by 
 their own consciences they were convinced, and 
 went out one by one. And were they all served j 
 so ? Yea, from the eldest, even to the last ; for 
 they all had consciences, though not the Spirit of \ 
 Christ. So that friend, here is something beside j 
 the Spirit of Christ, that can and doth convince of i 
 sin, even a man's own conscience, the law of 
 nature; nay nature itself, which no man will say 
 is as good as the Spirit of Christ, except they are I 
 guided by a deluding Spirit. Again, thou sayest, 
 Ho that convinceth of sins against the law, leads 
 
A VINDICATION 0? GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 187 
 
 tip to the fulfilling of the law. Friend, thy con- 
 science convinceth of sins against the law, follow 
 thy conscience, it may lead thee under the curse 
 of the law, through its weakness ; hut it can never 
 deliver thee from the curse of the lavv hy its power. 
 For if righteousness come hy the ohedience to the 
 law, or hy thy conscience either, then Christ is 
 dead in vain. Ga. a. 21. 
 
 Again thou sayest, ' That I and my generation 
 would leap over the law. ' 
 
 Answ. For justification we look heyond it to the 
 Son of Mary ; yet we know that the law is good, 
 if it he used lawfully ; hut if it he used unlawfully, 
 as those do use it, who seek to he justified hy their 
 ohedience to it, it is made an idol of, and a saviour, 
 though it were given to no such purpose: For if 
 there had heen a law given which could have given 
 life, verily righteousness should have come hy (thy 
 ohedience to) the law. Ga. m. 21. Now at thy con- 
 clusions, sometimes thou dost utter thyself in this 
 wise, Learn what this means. 
 
 Answ. Indeed thy words are dark, and enough 
 to deceive the hearts of the simple ; hut blessed 
 he God, he hath given me to understand, that 
 thou dost all along in the drift of thy discourse, 
 disown Christ without, hy pretending to a Christ 
 within ; whereas hadst thou indeed the Spirit of 
 Christ within thee, it would he thy great business 
 to extol and magnify the Son of Mary, the Christ 
 of God without thee, because it is the nature of 
 the same Spirit so to do, even to glorify Christ 
 without, who went away from his disciples into 
 heaven, to prepare a place for them. Lu. jmv. 50, 51. 
 
 Then thou further sayest (with a kind of dis- 
 daining spirit) ' Many things more thou passest hy 
 in my hook, as being not pertinent to the thing in 
 hand.' But I believe they are so pertinent, that 
 neither thou, nor thy friends or fellows are able to 
 contradict without blaspheming, in the view of all 
 them that have eyes to see : for if they could, it 
 should have been done by thee. And whereas 
 thou sayest, ' Fools must be meddling. ' Answer, 
 It must needs be, that the saints of God should be 
 called fools hy the enemies of the man Christ Jesus 
 without, because that the doctrine of the man 
 Christ Jesus, crucified without for the sins of poor 
 sinners, is also held to be foolishness by them ; 
 although it be the wisdom ; and also the power of 
 God, unto every one that believeth. 1 Co. i. 23, 24. 
 
 And further, thou sayest, that the Pope can 
 speak as much of Christ without, as I. Answer, 
 friend, dost thou put no dificrence betwixt the 
 speaking of Christ without, and believing in Christ 
 without ? I tell thee, though there may be many 
 that can speak of the Christ of God without, yet 
 there are hut very few that can, or do believe 
 indeed in him without, hy the mighty operation of 
 Lis Holy Spirit within. Nay, you yourselves do 
 
 testify this, who deny that the salvation of sinners 
 was completely wrought out by that one oficring 
 of Jesus Christ without upon the cross on Mount 
 Calvary, and that he is ascended from his disciples 
 above the clouds, touching his bodily presence, as 
 in 2 Co. T. 6. compared with Ac. i. 9—11. 
 
 Then again thou sayest, ' I do ask myself a 
 question, and do also answer it myself deceitfully. ' 
 The question is. Do not the scriptures make men- 
 tion of a Christ within ? And thou sayest, I 
 answer it deceitfully myself. But I answer again, 
 that I am not ashamed of that answer I then gave, 
 because I know it is truth ; and whereas thou 
 sayest it is deceitful, and yet canst not find fault 
 with any point thereof, it confirms me, that had 
 there been falsity in it, such an enemy to the truth, 
 as thou art, would have taken that advantage, as 
 to have discovered, that thereby thou mightest 
 have rendered the truth the more odious. The 
 answer 1 shall leave to the Christian reader, which 
 is so indeed ; yet am confirmed myself concerning 
 it, and shall give thee an answer to thy question, 
 which is, Doth not the scriptures say, or witness, 
 that all that have not Christ within are reprobates ? 
 Answer: Yes, the scripture saith so, and it is true, 
 they that have not the Spirit of Christ in them, are 
 reprobates. But there are some that are repro- 
 bates, that you will confess. Then by your own 
 argument you must grant, that some have not the 
 Spirit of Christ in them. Pray take notice, they 
 that have not the Spirit of Christ in them are 
 reprobates. There are some who are reprobates ; 
 therefore there are some who are sensual, ' having 
 not the Spirit of Christ in them.' (See thy folly 
 how it is made manifest.) Ju. t. 19. The next thing 
 thou art offended withal, is, because I say, the 
 devil deceives poor souls by persuading them to 
 follow the light within which all men have. 
 Answer, friend, I say, again, and again. That 
 there is nothing less than the Spirit of Christ, that 
 can give a soul a sight of justification by the blood 
 of the man Christ Jesus without, by following of 
 it. Now as thou sayest thyself, some are repro- 
 bates, and have not the Spirit of Christ. 
 
 Then is it any heresy to say, that it is of the 
 devil to persuade a soul to follow that hght which 
 is no better than conscience, or nature itself. 
 Eg. ii. 14. which are not able to lead to Christ his 
 things, being foolishness to it ; or is conscience, 
 which every one is lightened withal, the Spirit of 
 Christ ? give an answer in sincerity. 
 
 Then thou sayest, that my whole purpose is a 
 secret smiting at the light wherewith Christ hath 
 lightened every man. I answer, my whole design 
 in my book, is, and was, these following things : — 
 
 1. To show souls, where salvation is to be had. 
 Namely, in Christ without. 
 
 2. To show souls how they should lay hold of 
 
188 
 
 A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 this salvation ; namely, by the operation of the 
 Spirit of Christ, which must he given within. 
 
 3. To forewarn poor souls, that they should not 
 deceive themselves, neither by conscience, nor the 
 law ; which are both inferior, and much below the 
 Spirit of Christ ; even as much as he that buildeth 
 the house, hath more honour than the house. 
 
 He. iii. 3. 
 
 4. To show how poor souls should know, whether 
 they had the Spirit of Christ, or not, within them, 
 or whether the Spirit of the devil had exalted 
 himself above the Spirit of Christ, by transforming 
 himself into an angel of light. 
 
 Farther, thou thinkest I contradict myself, be- 
 cause I admonish poor souls to beg of God to con- 
 vince them by his Holy Spirit ; and thou sayest. 
 This is my confusion. When alas, confusion is of, 
 and from thyself, who wouldst make a defiled con- 
 science, the law and the Spirit of Christ to be all 
 one ; as I shall further clear to the reader by and by. 
 
 But I tell thee friend, there are many who have 
 not the Spirit of Christ, and yet are convinced of 
 sin by their own consciences, Jn. viii, 9. He doth not 
 say, ' by the light of Christ in their consciences, ' 
 that is a saying of your own, without warrant from 
 the word of God, but 'by their own consciences.' 
 Mark that : Now 1 knowing, that a man may be 
 convinced, and yet not by the Spirit of Christ (for 
 he may be without that) but by nature itself. 
 1 Co. xi. 14. 1 do admonish every soul, if they love 
 themselxes, to beg of God for Jesus Christ his 
 sake, that he would not only let them be convinced 
 by these poor, low, empty, beggarly things (their 
 consciences) in respect of the Spirit of Christ, but 
 that he would convince them by that Spirit of his 
 effectually, which is not only able to show their 
 lost state because of sins against the law, but also, 
 to lead them to the right Saviour, and plant them 
 into him, which all other things are not able to do. 
 And thus much in answer to thy scolding against 
 my epistle the truth of which I bless God through 
 the strength of Christ, I could be willing to seal 
 with my blood. 
 
 And now friend, in love to thy soul, I say, have 
 a care of thyself, that thou do not satisfy thyself 
 with anything, until thou seest by the operation of 
 the Spirit of Christ (which thou must have given 
 thee from heaven, as being without it before con- 
 version) that the blood of that man Christ Jesus 
 that was crucified on Mount Calvary, did at that 
 same time, when it was there shed, wash thee from 
 all thy sins, and be not so stout, and so stern 
 against the truth, because it suits not with thy 
 beguiled conscience. (Bear with me in patience) 
 and seriously inquire into the truth of things 
 according to the scriptures. ' For they are they 
 that testify of Christ,' and how salvation doth 
 come by him. 
 
 In thy entering upon my book, the first thing I 
 find thee wrangling with, is by corrupting my 
 words, and then by calling me liar. 
 
 Thou corruptest my words saying. That I said, 
 ' The blood of Christ was shed before the world 
 beo-an.' Whereas I said, that in the account of 
 God, (mark, in the account of God) the blood of 
 Christ was shed before the world began. Friend, 
 art thou not able to disting-uish, betwixt a thing 
 beino- done in God's account, or according to his 
 foreknowledge, and a thing that is really and 
 actually done ? Surely it was either thy folly to 
 speak evil of the thing thou knowest not, or else 
 thy madness doth much appear, in that though 
 thou understandest these things, yet for to wrangle 
 by corrupting my sayings here, as also in other 
 places, as will afterwards appear. This is in page 
 11, of thine, page 3, of my book. 
 
 Then thou goest on, page 12, and quotest the 
 place where I say, page 37. How horribly are 
 those deceived who look on Jesus (but thou leavest 
 out those words, the Son of Mary) to be but a 
 type ; which thing you say, you know none that 
 do. And again thou sayest, that I say, he is of 
 something afterwards to be revealed. My words 
 thou corruptest; thou wouldst fain gather thus 
 much out of my words, by corrupting them. That 
 though I denied Christ Jesus the Son of Mary to 
 be a type, yet I myself say, He was Here my words 
 a type of something afterward to be "^corrupted. 
 revealed. Which thing, as there in my book, so 
 here again I do most positively deny, and I quote 
 the same words again, for a second confirmation 
 of the same, saying as then I did ; ' How horribly 
 are those deceived, who look on Jesus the Son of 
 Mary to be but a shadow, or type of something 
 that was afterwards to be revealed.' Whereas 
 the scriptures most lively hold him forth to be the 
 Christ of God ; and not a type- or shadow of a 
 Spirit, or body afterwards to be revealed, but him- 
 self was the very substance of all things that did 
 any way hold forth, or type out, Christ to come: 
 And wlaen he was indeed come, then was an end 
 put to the law for righteousness or justification to 
 every one that believeth. Ko. x. 4. And therefore, 
 friend, though thou hast, or wouldest corrupt my 
 words, yet have a care of corrupting Christ s 
 words, lest thou dost even heap up wrath against 
 the day of wrath, and rdVelation of the righteous 
 judgment of God. And whereas thou sayest, 
 ' Thou deniest not but Jesus is the substance. 
 Answer, I doubt thou dost not speak thine heart 
 plainly, but hidest thyself with so saying, as with 
 an apron; if we inquire into what it is to hold 
 forth Jesus the Son of Mary to be the substance. 
 Therefore he that holds forth Jesus the Son of 
 Mary to be indeed the substance, and not a type ; 
 holds forth and believes, that that Jesus that was 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 i{ 
 
 'born of the Virgin Mary, did in his own body of 
 flesh fulfil the law, and impute the righteousness 
 of his obedience unto them that he accomplished 
 then without them ; and that his blood that was 
 shed without on the cross, doth, and hath washed 
 away all sin past, present, and to come, from him 
 that believeth this ; as it is written, ' For what 
 the law could not do, in that it was weak through 
 the flesh, (that is, through our flesh:) God send- 
 ing his own Son in the hkeness of sinful flesh, and 
 for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: ' That is, he 
 was condemned in the flesh that he took on him 
 of the Virgin Mary. Ro. rai. 3. And again, he bore 
 our sins in his own body on the tree, which was 
 the cross on Mount Calvary. 
 
 Jesus also (saith the apostle) that he might 
 sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered : 
 Where ? Not in any believer, but witliout the gate 
 of Jerusalem. He. xiii. 13. How say you, do you 
 really believe that at that time when Jesus did 
 hang on the cross without Jerusalem's gate, even 
 at that time he did give the justice of God a full 
 and complete satisfaction for all the sins of all 
 believers, that have been formerly, or are now, or 
 hereafter shall be ? Or do you look upon Jesus 
 at that time to be but a shadow, or type of some- 
 what that was afterwards to be done within ? 
 Answer plainly, yea, or no ; that the simple may 
 imderstand you. 
 
 Now I come to answer thy query laid down, 
 page 12, in these words; 'Did Christ Jesus put 
 an end to the law, for them who live yet in the 
 transgression of the law ? Or doth he justify that 
 which the law condemned ? ' Indeed a right 
 answer to this will be great satisfaction to some, 
 though I think some trouble to others. And 
 therefore in answer to thy question I shall lay 
 down these following things : 
 
 Answ. 1. Christ Jesus did put an end to the law 
 for righteousness, for all that the Father hath given 
 him ; as it is written, the body of Jesus was' offered 
 once for all, for all that shall be saved ; for he 
 shall not be offered a second time : No, ' but once 
 for all. ' He. X. 10. Once in the end of the world 
 hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice 
 of hiriiself ; and he hath done it once by himself 
 for all. He. k. 26. Otherwise he must have often 
 suffered since the world began : But that must not 
 be ; for he ' dieth no more. ' k«. »i. 9. But say you, 
 ' Did he put an end to the law for them who still 
 live in transgression ? ' 
 
 Answ. 2. There are many poor souls that are 
 given unto Christ, who yet live in their sins. But 
 Christ did at that time, when he hanged on the 
 cross, give a full and complete satisfaction for them. 
 ' In due time Christ died for the ungodly : For 
 scarcely for a righteous man wiU one die, yet per- 
 adventure for a good man some would even dare to 
 
 die.' Ay, 'But God commendeth his lore towards 
 us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died 
 for us.' While we were yet sinners, yet ungodly. 
 Eo. V. 6—8. Nay, he did not only die for those who 
 still live in sin, but he also makes intercession now 
 at the throne of his Father's grace for them. 'And 
 he made intercession for the transgressors.' is. liii. 12. 
 ' Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led cap- 
 tivity captive; - and received gifts for men.' For 
 what men ? Even ' for the rebellious also.' To 
 what end ? ' That the Lord God might dwell 
 among them. ' Ps. IxtoL is. 
 
 And whereas thou askest ; ' Doth he justify that 
 which the law condemneth, before the work of the 
 law be finished ? ' I answer : 
 
 Answ. 3. That at that very time when Jesus 
 Christ did hang on the cross on Mount Calvary, 
 was buried, rose again from the dead, and ascended 
 above the clouds from his disciples, at that very 
 time was all the law fulfilled for righteousness. He 
 is the end of the law, mark ; he is the end of the 
 law for righteousness. But if there were anything 
 yet to be done for justification, which was not then 
 done; there could not be an end put to the law for 
 righteousness, for every one that believeth. But 
 in that there is an end put to the law for righte- 
 ousness by Jesus for all the elect of God, Christ 
 having once fulfilled it for them : It is manifest, 
 that there was not anything then left undone by 
 Christ at that time, which was afterward to be done 
 by his own Spirit in his children for justification, 
 only believe what the man Christ, at that time did 
 do, and be saved ; Ac. xiii. 29—39. and whereas thou 
 asketh, whether Christ did justify that which the 
 law condemneth ? 
 
 Answ, 4. I answer, Fourthly, That though 
 Christ Jesus did not justify sins of ungodliness, 
 yet he justifieth the ungodly. ' Now to him that 
 worketh is the reward [given, or] not reckoned 
 of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh 
 not, but believeth on him that justifieth the un- 
 godly, (mark the ungodly) his faith is counted for 
 righteousness.' Eo. iv. 4. He is he that justifieth, 
 having finished the righteousness of the law in his 
 own person for them. ' Mine own arm brought 
 salvation,' saith he, but how? Even by his bleeding 
 on the cross ; ' we have redemption through his 
 blood,' Ep. i. 7. which was shed without the gate. He. 
 xiii. 13. Ay, and though the law condemneth a sin- 
 ner, yet let but that sinner believe in Christ, in 
 what he hath done in his own person, and he shall 
 be 'justified from all things, from which he could 
 not be justified by the law of Moses. ' Ac. xiii. 39. 
 
 And whereas thou asketh me the meaning of 
 that scripture, ' not one tittle of the law shall fail 
 till all be fulfilled.' I answer. That the law hath 
 already been fulfilled for justification, for every 
 one that believeth : And a behever is to do nothing 
 
190 
 
 A VINDICATION Or GOSPEL TKUTHS. 
 
 for justification, only believe and be saved ; tliougb 
 that law be a rule for every one tbat believeth to 
 walk by, but not for justification. But if you do 
 not put a difierence between justification wrought 
 by the man Christ without, and sanctification 
 wrought by the Spirit of Christ, within ; teaching 
 believers their duty to their God, for his love in 
 giving Christ ; you are not able to divide the word 
 aright : but contrariwise, you corrupt the word of 
 God, and cast stumbling-blocks before the people ; 
 and will certainly one day most deeply smart for 
 your foUy, except you repent. Here is a plain 
 answer that may satisfy the simple. The Lord 
 God grant that they may lay it to heart effectually. 
 Now this I say further, that if God enable any 
 to receive this doctrine aright (namely what I said 
 even now) it wOl more engage the soul to God, 
 than all the threatenings, thunder-claps, and curses 
 that come from the law itself. And a soul will 
 do more for God, seeing itself redeemed by the 
 blood of the Lamb the Son of Mary, Jn. i. 29. than 
 if he had all the conditions of the law to fulfil, and 
 might be sure to have heaven for the fulfilling of 
 them. Now as to the assurance thou speakest of 
 at the end of thy question. I know in the first 
 place, that though believers themselves do sin, yet 
 they have ' an advocate with the Father, Jesus 
 Christ the righteous : ' i Jn. ii. 1. And though the 
 doctrine of the gospel be to abstain from all appear- 
 ance of evil, yet our Lord Jesus Christ is so pitiful, 
 as not altogether to deprive his children of an 
 assurance of their salvation,* 
 
 * For the proof of this, ., . j_- ±i i 
 
 read the good love of though sometimes through 
 
 o^£fX'h''dri,Tst weakness they do transgress. 
 
 woefuUy sin again after And whercas vou would lay an 
 they were converted. "^ it . 
 
 assurance on our obedience to 
 the law ; I say, our assurance comes through our 
 believing, and our obedience to the law is a fruit 
 of our believing ; for every one that hath this hope, 
 that he is one of the children, or sons of God, by 
 faith in Jesus, l Jn, iii. 3. ' ptu-ifieth himself, even as 
 he is pure.' Holiness of life, if it be right, flows 
 from an assurance of our being justified by Christ's 
 death on the cross, on Mount Calvary ; as it is 
 written again, that he might sanctify his people 
 with his own blood, he sufi'cred without the gate. 
 But again, page 12. thou seemest oifended, 
 because 1 say, ' They are deceived, who think to 
 obtain salvation by following the law, which they 
 call Christ, though falsely.' Why shouldst thou 
 be offended at this, when the scripture saith 
 plainly, ' That by the deeds of the law there shall no 
 flesh be justified in his sight : for by the law is the 
 knowledge of sin.' Ko.iii. 20. But this is thy frothy 
 argument, ' The law convinceth, and is our school- 
 master to bring us to Christ ; therefore the law is 
 not taken away,' sayest thou. Friend, what is 
 tliis to the purpose ? must we seek for justification 
 
 by the works of the law, because the law con- 
 vinceth ? you may as well say, we must seek for 
 justification from our consciences, because they 
 do convince : Now where the scripture saith, the 
 law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ ; do 
 you think it means, we must be first fitted by puri- 
 fication of ourselves by, or according to the law, 
 before we can be saved by Christ from the curse 
 of the law ? If you say, yea ; then doth not this 
 follow, that Christ Jesus did not come to save 
 sinners, but to save the righteous ; and if so, then 
 you must say, that Christ, Peter, Paul, and all the 
 servants of the Lord are liars, who have testified 
 that Christ died not for the godly, but for the un- 
 godly and sinners. 
 
 But where the scripture saith. The law was our 
 schoolmaster to bring us to Christ: I ask again, 
 is it the ceremonial law, or the moral law that is 
 meant in this place ? If you say the moral, or the 
 ten commandments, I answer ; That.doth not lead 
 to life and so not to Christ ; but is properly the 
 ministration of condemnation. 2 Co. iii. 6—11. That 
 is, the proper work of the moral law, or ten com- 
 mandments, is to condemn, if it be pot obeyed ; 
 and yet not to bless, until it be every jot fulfilled, 
 which is impossible to be done by any man for 
 justification, in that exact and severe way which 
 the law calls for ; which makes the Apostle say, 
 as many as are of the works of the law, are under 
 the curse. Mark, he doth not say, as many as are 
 of the works of sin, are under the curse, though 
 that be true ; but as many as are of the works of 
 the law, are xmder the curse : ' for it is written, 
 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things 
 which are written in the book of the law to do 
 them. But that no man is justified by tlie law in 
 the sight of God, it is evident : for. The just shall 
 live by faith.' Ga. iii. lo, ii. 
 
 If it be meant of the ceremonial law, as I am 
 most inclinable to believe, because he saith it was 
 our schoolmaster ; he doth not say it is, but it was 
 our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, being tutor 
 or governor; holding and significations forth, 
 Christ to come by its types until the time appointed 
 of the Father, which appointed time (and so that 
 law) was to have an end, when God sent forth his 
 Son made of a woman, Jesus the Son of Mary, who 
 was made under the law, to redeem those that were 
 under the law. 
 
 Now the ceremonial law did bring or lead to 
 Christ these two ways : First, In that it did con- 
 tinue in full force until he did come into the world, 
 and had done that which was by it held out for him 
 to do. 
 
 Secondly, In that the several types and shadows, 
 as the blood of buUs and lambs, with diverse other 
 service"s^d lead to, or hold forth Christ that was 
 to come : But the moral law, or ten command- 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 191 
 
 ments, is so far from leading us to Christ by our 
 following it, that it doth even lead those that are 
 led by it imder the curse. Not because the law 
 hath an evil end in it, but because of our weakaess 
 and inability to do it ; therefore it is forced, as it 
 is just, to pass a sentence of condemnation on every 
 one, that in every particular fulfils it not. 
 
 In the next place, thou art offended because I 
 said, ' It is not of works least any man should 
 boast, as those fond hypocrites, called Quakers 
 would do. ' 
 
 Thou art offended it seems, because I call you 
 boasters. You need not, for I do not know your 
 fellows for boasting under heaven, in that you, 
 (Pharisees like) dJ) cry up yourselves to be the men, 
 and condemns all others ; when you are the men 
 that are the greatest enemies to the Christ of God 
 without (who is the Saviour) of any men under 
 heaven. And in that you pretend you are perfect, 
 when you are the notablest liars and corrupters of 
 the sayings of the people of God, yea, and of the 
 scriptures also, that ever I came near in all the 
 days of my life ; and I doubt not but before I have 
 done with you, I shall make it appear to them that 
 read or hear my lines aright. The query in page 
 13. runs thus, 'Will that faith which is without 
 works justify ?' I answ'er. No, neither will those 
 works which are without faith sanctify. What 
 then. Is it faith and works together that doth jus- 
 tify ? No, it is only faith in the blood of the man 
 Christ, that did hang on the cross on Mount Cal- 
 vary, that doth justify in the sight of God and 
 the soul, and it is the fruits of faith, good works, 
 which do justify in the sight of men. So that 
 when it is said, we are justified by works ; it is not 
 meant that works will justify in the sight of God. 
 No, but shew me (or shew men) thy faith, or jus- 
 tify thy faith to be true and right before men by 
 thy works. Shew men thy faith by thy works, it 
 is in the sight of men. So that we conclude a 
 man is justified by faith without the works of the 
 law in the sight of God, and so his own soul also, 
 and his faith is justified, or made manifest to be 
 indeed that which is right, both to believers, and 
 to the world by its works. Though I must confess, 
 that both Paul and Peter, and the rest of the 
 saints, may sometimes be deceived in the truth of 
 the faith of others by their works. 
 
 Again in page 17 thou seemest to be offended, 
 because, I say ' living by faith, is to apply the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, his benefits, as birth, righteous- 
 ness, death, blood, resurrection, ascension, and 
 intercession, together with the glorious benefits of 
 liis second coming to me, as mine, and forme, <fec.' 
 
 Ga.ii. 20. 
 
 Friend, methinks thou shonldest find no fault 
 with this, but that the Man Christ Jesus, the Son 
 of Mary, is not very pleasant to thee, because thou 
 
 hast swallowed down secretly another doctrine ; 
 but friend, I speak of applying these things, and 
 thou speakest of talking of them, I know that 
 there are many who talk of Christ, that will fall 
 short of heaven and glory. 
 
 But tell me, what sayest thou to him that doth 
 apply all these things to his soul, Is there not 
 enough in them to justify him, that doth really and 
 truly In the power of the Spirit, believe this to be 
 true which I have said ? or dost thou deny it and 
 preach another gospel? and whereas thou sayest, 
 the word of the gospel salth not, who shall ascend, 
 to fetch Christ from above for salvation. Though 
 there is never a scripture that saith these words, 
 word for word ; yet the scriptm-e saith, ' The word 
 is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and In thy heart ;' 
 but mark, it is the word of faith, not the Man 
 Christ Jesus, but faith which layeth hold on him, 
 Ro. X. 8, read the 9th verse, which is this, ' That If 
 thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, 
 (who was born of the Virgin, Mat. i. 2l) and shalt 
 believe in thine heart that God hath raised him 
 from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ' These great 
 and precious scriptures, with which by corrupting 
 of them, the Quakers have beguiled many, have 
 this meaning, that If thou shalt confess with thy 
 mouth the Lord Jesus ; that is, in profession and 
 practice, own him, and believe him to be the 
 anointed Saviour. And shalt believe in thine heart, 
 there is the word of faith, if thou shalt believe in 
 thine heart, that God raised him from the dead, thou 
 shalt be saved ; ' for with the heart man believeth 
 unto righteousness ; and with the mouth confession 
 is made vmto salvation.' But what should men 
 believe with the heart ? Namely this, that God 
 raised him (that Is Christ) from the dead. ver. lo. 
 And therefore, I wonder thou shpuldest so scold, 
 as thou dost, against the truth : If this be not 
 truth, blame the scriptures which do testify of 
 these things for truth. For I am ruled and would 
 be ruled by them through the Spirit. 
 
 But farther, thou art offended that I should say, 
 ' They are deceived who own Christ no otherwise 
 than as he was before the world began.' This 
 question, I briefly ask thee, ' Had Christ a body 
 of flesh before the world began ? ' If you say no, 
 as you must, if you say true ; then do not I say 
 true, when I say, they are deceived who own 
 Christ no otherwise than as he was before tlio 
 world began ? because they own him not with that 
 body of flesh which he took of the Virgin Mary; 
 and so are antichrists, as the scripture saith. And 
 how say you? Do you believe that the samo 
 Christ who was before the world, without a body, 
 did in time come into the world and take a body 
 from the Virgin, and in that body did obtain ever- 
 lasting redemption for sinners ? and is gone with 
 that very body into the presence of his Father 
 
m 
 
 A VINDICATION 07 GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 above the clouds into heaven, from his saints on 
 earth, though in them by his Spirit. A plain 
 answer to this would unlock your double meanings. 
 Again, thou sayest the saints drank of the spiritual 
 rock that followed them. 
 
 Friend, I confess, that that spiritual rock that 
 did follow the fathers, and long after, was from 
 the same loins with them, even from the loins of 
 Abraham, and the rest of the children of the pro- 
 mise, according to the promise, was the meat and 
 drink of saints. Eo. k. 4, 5. But to look upon Christ 
 no otherwise than as he was before the world was, 
 which was a Spirit only, and not to own him now 
 clothed with a body, absent from his children touch- 
 ing the same body, I dare be bold to say, they are 
 no Christians, but antichristians, yea antichrists. 
 He that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in 
 the flesh is antichrist, and of antichrist. Again, 
 
 At this also thou wranglest, because I said that 
 ' every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ, 
 who was with the Father before the world was, 
 did in the appointed time of the Father, come into 
 the world, take a body upon him, and was very 
 Man as well as very God : and did in that very 
 body suffer what did belong to the sons of men, 
 ifec' So my book, page 42, 43, 44. I answer, 
 if thou didst indeed believe the truth, thou wouldest 
 own these things. But being deceived, rather than 
 thou wilt let this pass for truth, though thou darest 
 not oppose it with open face, yet thou wilt put on 
 a vaU, and ventm'c upon it thus, saying, ' If every 
 spirit were of God, which doth confess in words 
 this, then is not the Pope himself antichrist.' 
 
 Answ. Friend, it is one thing to confess the 
 things in words and another thing to believe them, 
 and to make a life out of them ; and therefore is 
 thy life made out of Christ without thee, by the 
 operation of his Spirit within thee, yea or no ? 
 
 Then in answer to my bidding people receive no 
 Christ except God's Christ, thou sayest thus, 
 ' That Christ is a mystery, and unto him is light, 
 and shall be salvation where his person never 
 came.' This question I ask thee. Did or doth 
 Christ obtain salvation for any, without that body 
 which he took of the Virgin ? And yet thou say- 
 est, it cannot be said, here is the place where the 
 Son is not. 
 
 I answer : As the Son of God is also very Man, 
 so it may be said, here is the place where he is 
 not, and there is the place where he hath not been, 
 though as he is God it is otherwise : let him that 
 reads understand. 
 
 And now passing by many things that I might 
 justly examine, and also many unseemly expres- 
 sions, I come to the next thing, and that is, where 
 you say, you wrest not the scriptures in Jn. i. 9. 
 But it is evident, that you do most horribly wrest 
 it, in that you, though you seem to take it in the 
 
 plain words, yet would hold, that that light is the 
 Spirit of Christ, notwithstanding here is no such 
 thing mentioned in that scripture. For mark, as 
 I have sometimes said, and now also wUl say, that 
 that light wherewith Christ, as he is God, hath 
 lightened every one with, is not the Spirit of Christ, 
 as is clear, in that some are sensual having not the 
 Spirit, which they must needs have, if it were given 
 to every one that comes into the world, and there- 
 fore, in that you say, I say you lay down that 
 scripture false ; I say again, that you say many 
 things which I do know to be blasphemy, as I 
 shall prove clearly anon, as also I have already. 
 And therefore, to take thee off from this, I shall 
 say, that Christ as he is a mediator, a Man be- 
 tween God and man, so he doth not lighten every 
 pian that comes into the world, though as he is 
 God he doth. And this is manifest, where he 
 often, (as he was Man) saith, These things are 
 spoken to them that are without in parables; 
 ' that seeing they might not see, and hearing they 
 might not understand, ' Lu, viii, lo. And again, where 
 Judas (not Iscariot) said ; Lord, how is it, that 
 thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not unto the 
 world ? He saith, ' If a man love me, he will keep 
 my words : and my Father will love him, and we (I 
 as mediator, and my Father as reconciled in me) 
 will come unto him, and make our abode with him.' 
 Jn. xiv. 23. And again, ' 1\ o man knoweth the 
 Father but the Son:' That is no man knowetli 
 him as a Father, but the Son, and he to whom the 
 Son will reveal him. Mat. xi. 27. But above all, take 
 that scripture where the Son saith, ' I thank thee 
 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou 
 hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, 
 and hast revealed them unto babes. ' vei. 25. Here 
 the Son and the Father are speaking one to another; 
 the Father he hides the glorious things of the gos- 
 pel from the world. Mat. xi. 25—37. and the Son he re- 
 joices in so doing. At the same hour Jesus re- 
 joiced in Spirit, and said, 'I thank thee, Father, 
 (fee. Therefore understand thus much, that though 
 Christ as he is God, doth give to every man a hght, 
 which is conscience, otherwise called nature, Eo. ii. 
 14 1 Co. xi. 11. yet it doth not follow, that every man 
 hath enlightening from Christ as he is mediator. 
 No, Christ as he is mediator doth neither pray for 
 the world, Jn. xvii. 9. neither doth he give his Spirit 
 to all that are in the world ; for some are sensual, 
 and have it not. But now the argument that thou 
 dost bring to colour the contrary with, is this ; tor 
 what the Father doth, sayest thou, the Son doth 
 also. Answ. Though this bo true, that the Son 
 doth what the Father doth ; yet it doth not appear 
 that either the Father or the Son hath given the 
 Spirit to every one that comes into the world. 
 
 Judc 19. 
 
 Again thou sayest, thou deniest those that say, 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 193 
 
 * That light which every one hath as he comes into 
 the "world, is conscience ; though some call it Christ 
 falsely.' Answ. Friend, What wilt thou have it 
 called ; Christ. No, if not conscience, then call it 
 nature itself ; for all have not the Spirit. 
 
 But another great argument thou hringest in 
 page 1 5, is, ' The light of Christ doth convince of 
 sin.' Now do you call conscience the light of 
 Christ ? that will convince of sin. Jn. viu. 9. And 
 they being convinced by their own consciences, 
 <kc. if thou dost call the law the light of Christ, 
 that also will convince of or make known sin ; For 
 by the law is the knowledge of sin. Ro. iii. 30. If 
 thou dost call even nature itself, the light of 
 Christ; That also doth shew, that sins are a 
 shame, even those sins which some leap over, 
 1 Co. si. 14. and ruffian-like they will wear long hair, 
 which nature itself forbiddeth, and is commended 
 for the same by the apostle. The Spirit of Christ 
 also will convince of sin. What, because these 
 several things will convince of sin, therefore will 
 they needs be the Spirit of Christ? Or do they 
 altogether make but one Spirit of Christ ? Dost 
 thou profess thyself to walk in the light, and art 
 not able to know these things ; Or, if thou dost 
 know them, art thou so imfaithful as not to teU 
 poor people of them, who are some of them at 
 their wits end, by reason they are not enlightened 
 into these things. 
 
 Another of thy arguments is, 'They saw the 
 eternal power and Godhead, by that which was 
 made manifest of God in them.' 
 
 [I reply] The scripture say not so word for word, 
 but thus: 'Because that which might be known 
 of God, was manifested in them. ' But how ? for 
 he hath shewed it unto them. But how? why the 
 invisible things of him from the creation of the 
 world are clearly seen, being imderstood by the 
 things that are made, (which words in thy charge 
 against me thou didst leave out) but mark : The 
 invisible things of God from the creation of the 
 world are clearly seen, being understood by the 
 things that are made. But how then doth it say, 
 that the knowledge of God is manifested in them ? 
 Why, because God hath shewed it unto them by 
 the things that are made, even by the creation of 
 the world. So that this scripture holdeth forth 
 thus much ; that the invisible things of God, as 
 his power, holiness, and common goodness to the 
 sons of men are clearly seen, being understood by 
 the things that are made. But how feeble an ar- 
 gument is this, to prove such a doctrine as this : 
 That every one hath the Spirit when this light 
 discovers God only by his works in the world. 
 Friend, if they that know God, because he doth 
 shew himself to them by his works in the world, 
 have the Spirit of Christ, then the same argument 
 will serve to speak thus much ; that the devils 
 
 VOL. n. 
 
 themselves have the Spirit of Christ, which would 
 be wonderful blasphemy once to affirm. And 
 friend, the very devils, both for the knowledge of 
 sin, and also for the knowledge of God's eternal 
 power and Godhead, have more experience than all 
 the unregenerate men in the woi'ld ; and yet have 
 not the least spark of the Spirit of Christ in them. 
 
 Other lame arguments thou tumblest over, like 
 a blind man in a thicket of bushes, which I pass 
 by. But one thing more thou hast, and that is this, 
 
 Thou askest me 'whether I do know this light 
 which God and Christ hath given to every man ?' 
 Eo. ii. 14, 1 Co. xi. 14. First, I deny that Christ as he 
 is mediator, hath given to every man his Spirit, 
 And Secondly, I deny, that Christ as he is God 
 hath given to every one his Spirit ; but this I say 
 as I have often said, it is conscience of nature itself 
 that every one hath, take it in either of these scrip- 
 ture terms, as 1 have proved at large. And where- 
 as thou askest me, ' Whether that light, which 
 Christ as he is God hath liglitened every one with 
 that comes into the world, be sufficient in itself 
 for life and salvation. I answer plainly, no ; for 
 then Christ Jesus needed not to have come into the 
 world to die for sinners ; for every one had that 
 light before Christ did come into the world, 
 
 2. And secondly I answer, it is not able, for 
 then it would have been a needless thing for Christ 
 to tell his disciples of sending them his Spirit, to 
 lead them into all truth. They might have said, 
 why dost thou talk of sending us thy Spirit, who 
 have that that can do the deed already, if that 
 could have done it. 
 
 3. Because the scripture saith, 'Some are sen- 
 sual, not having the Spirit.' Now a man cannot 
 lay hold on Christ, nor believe in him savingly 
 without the Spirit, because faith is the work of 
 the Spirit. 
 
 4. Because then it had been in vain for the Lord 
 to have given the scriptures to teach men out of, 
 either concerning himself or themselves : Why ? 
 because without it, they had a sufficient light to 
 guide them : that thing must not be so. 
 
 And whereas thou askest, whether the fault be 
 then in God, or in that thou caUest his light, or in 
 the creature ? I answer ; What if God willing to 
 shew his wrath, and to make his power known, 
 endured with much patience the vessels of wrath 
 fitted to destruction ; and that he might make 
 known the riches of his glory on the vessels of 
 mercy, which he had afore (before the world was, 
 Ep. i. 4.) ordained unto glory ? And secondly, 
 vain man ! What is that to thee if God should 
 make some vessels to dishonour : hath not the 
 potter power over the clay, of the same lump to do 
 therewith as he pleases. Ko. ix. 16-23. 
 
 And where I say, ' Christ as he is God hath 
 lightened every one that cometh into the world ; ' 
 2 B 
 
194, 
 
 A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 to it thou girest a glavering answer ; but having 
 touched on this before, I pass it by. 
 
 To the next thing, where I say, ' men's neglect- 
 ing this light, or law, wUl be sure to damn them, 
 though their obedience to the law ■will not save 
 them.' Here thou sayest I have confessed truth, 
 (and I know it is true by experience) and thou 
 commentest on those things laid down by me thus : 
 ' Then surely (sayest thou) It is good not to neglect 
 it;' that is, not to neglect following the law. To 
 which I answer, as their obedience to the law wOl 
 not save them, so their neglect of obedience to 
 the law will be sure to damn them ; these things 
 thou canst not deny. But is this aU the wit thou 
 hast? Because the neglect of the law wUl be 
 sure to damn them ; therefore wouldst thou put 
 poor souls to foUow that which wiU not save them ? 
 (0 wonderful ignorance.) Nay, but thou shouldest 
 have said, then surely the best course is, for a poor 
 soul in this case, to fly to the Lord Christ, even 
 the Man Christ Jesus, who was slain on Mount 
 Calvary for the sins of poor sinners. And the 
 rather, because he did so willingly, of his own 
 accord lay down his life for them. Methinks, I 
 say, thou shouldest rather have said, then let us 
 follow the Son of Mary, the Man Christ Jesus, the 
 Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the 
 world, by his blood on the cross ; who is now also 
 at his Father's right hand making intercession for 
 all those that do come to the Father by him ; but 
 they that are not for the truth, will advance any- 
 thing but the truth. And as for that which thou 
 callest the second clause, which is, The law (sayest 
 thou) must be obeyed. 
 
 I answer, Christ Jesus hath done that in his 
 own person, and justified me thereby, and for my 
 part, I will not labour now to fulfil the law for 
 justification, least I should undervalue the merits 
 of the Man Christ Jesus, and what he hath done 
 without me : and yet will I labour to fulfil, if it 
 were possible, ten thousand laws, if there were so 
 many; And ! let it be out of love to my sweet 
 Lord Jesus (2 Co. y. 14 ) ' for the love of Christ con- 
 strains me.' And thus much to thy 16th page. 
 
 In the next place, thou art offended with this, 
 because I say, though Christ doth give a light to 
 every one that comes into the world, yet it doth 
 not therefore follow, that this conscience, (or light) 
 is the Spirit of Christ, or the work of grace wrought 
 in the heart of any believer. This I shall pass 
 also, as having spoken to it already, only mind 
 thee of thy weakness, in that thou shovddest make 
 this conscience, that Christ hath given to every 
 man, to be the same with the Spirit of Christ. 
 And thou sayest further, that the light, that Christ 
 hath lightened every one with, is the same in 
 nature with the Spirit of Christ. wonderful ! 
 that a man should be so foolish, and so much 
 
 besides the truth, as to compare that nature, c 
 conscience, that is given to every man ; equal t 
 the Spirit of Cirist : nay, thou sayest that it is on 
 ■with it in nature. Didst thou not blush whei 
 thou laidst it down ? if thou didst not, thou mightes 
 have done with shame enough. As I said before 
 because thy conscience will convince thee of sin 
 therefore thou wilt call it Christ, or as good ai 
 Christ. What ! because the law wiU convince of 
 sin, therefore the law must be called Christ 
 What ignorance is this ? Nay, nature itself, thai 
 must have the pre-eminency, even as high as 
 Christ Jesus, because it can tell a man that it is a 
 shame for him to wear long hair. 
 
 Then thou askest me, can there be a surer thing 
 for the creature to walk by, than by the light of 
 Christ, which thou confessest every one hath, that 
 Cometh into the world. Answer, Friend, to the 
 law, and to the testimony (sayeth the scriptures) 
 for they testify of Christ. And if thou or any 
 else, shaU leave the scriptures, to follow the con- 
 victions of their own conscience ; ye are not like 
 to know Christ Jesus the Lord, for they may be 
 defiled. And again, it is through the promises 
 laid down in the scriptures, ' that we might be 
 partakers of the divine nature,' 2 Pe. i. i. and not bj 
 our following of the law, or conscience. Ga. m. i— *. 
 
 But again, where I say, Heathens, Turks, Jews, 
 Atheists, (fee. have that which doth convince of 
 sin, and yet are so far from having the Spirit of 
 Christ in them, that they delight to do iniquity; 
 and to serve their lust. Upon this thou movest 
 this query ; Do they, or I, or any other, serve sin 
 and lust, because Christ hath not given us light, 
 or because we hate this light. 
 
 Ans. This I do really confess, that every Hea- 
 then, Turk, or Jew, in this world, hath a conscience 
 within them, that doth convince of sin; for the 
 GentUes which have not the law, that is, not the 
 law in tables of stone, or written as we have ; these 
 do by nature, the things contained in the law; 
 these having not the law, are a law unto them- 
 selves ; which shew the work of the law wijitten 
 in their hearts, their consciences also bearing them 
 witness, <fcc. And all men and women shall be 
 left without excuse, even by the convictions of 
 their o^vn consciences, or the law. But now that 
 those things are the Spirit of Christ, that I deny. 
 For conscience is but a creature, a faculty of the 
 soul of man, which God hath made. Neither is 
 the law the Spirit of Christ ; for the law is not of 
 faith. They that are of the works of the law, arc 
 under the curse, but they that have the spirit of 
 Christ they are the children of God, and under 
 grace, and delivered from the curse, as it is written 
 Ga.iii. 10. 'As many as are of the works of the law ^ 
 are under the curse.' But what is it to be of the | 
 works of the law, or under the law ? Ans. Why 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 195 
 
 to seek to te justified by their obedience to the 
 law. ' Israel which followed after the law of 
 righteousness,' mark. They that follow after 
 righteousness, do not attain to the law of righte- 
 ousness ; if they seek it not by faith : but as it 
 were by the works of the law. Ko. ix. so, si. But 
 ' Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the 
 law, being (in our nature) made a curse for us.' 
 
 Ga. iii. 10—13. 
 
 But whereas thou sayest, this conscience or 
 law, which you would fain have called the Spirit 
 of Christ, works in all men either to justify, or 
 condemn. I do plainly deny, that either con- 
 science, or the law can justify, though they can 
 condemn. Mark, The law is called the ministra- 
 tion of condemnation, but not of life. 
 
 The gospel is called the ministration of life, but 
 not of condemnation. 2 Co. Ui. 9. The law was given 
 that sin might be discovered. The gospel was 
 sent, that sin might be taken away. The law 
 worketh wrath ; but the gospel is a gospel of 
 peace. Bo. x. 'The law made nothing perfect.' 
 He. viLl9. But Christ justifieth from all those 
 things from which we could not be justified by the 
 law of Moses. Ac. xiii. 39. 
 
 And whereas thou askest me whether any thing 
 doth convince of sin contrary to, or besides the 
 Spirit of Christ. 
 
 I answer. There is conscience, and the law, 
 yea, and nature itself that doth convince of sin ; 
 as before I have proved at large. Yet neither is 
 conscience, the law ; or nature itself the Spirit of 
 Christ ; no, but are much inferior to it, as being 
 things of no glory in respect of it. 
 
 And again, that something doth convince of sin 
 besides the Spirit of Christ, it is evident, for the 
 law saith, ' Cursed is every one that continueth 
 not in all things which are written in it to do them. ' 
 Ga. iii. 10. But the Spirit eonvinceth men of their 
 unbelief, together with other sins. Now mark. 
 The law also eonvinceth to work for life, the 
 Spirit eonvinceth to believe for life ; the law saith, 
 He that doth not fulfil me, shall be damned. The 
 Spirit saith, He that believeth in Christ shall be 
 saved. Now- observe the terms of the law and of 
 the gospel, are different one from another as to 
 justification. If men seek for life by the law ; 
 then the law saith. Fulfil roe perfectly, and thou 
 shalt live. The Spirit saith, that Christ Jesus 
 came into the world to save those that by trans- 
 gression had broken the law. For, for this cause 
 saith the Spirit ' He (Jesus the Son of Mary, the 
 Man Christ between God and us. l Ti. ii. 5.) is the 
 mediator of the New Testament.' For what? 
 ' That by means of death, for the redemption of 
 the transgressions that were under the first testa- 
 ment, they which are called might receive the 
 promise of eternal inheritance.' He. Lt-is. Now I 
 
 would not be mistaken ; I do not say, that the 
 Spirit of Christ doth give the least liberty to sin ; 
 God forbid. But its convictions are of a more 
 saving and refreshing nature than the convictions 
 of the law, and do more constrain the soul to hoM- 
 ness than that. 
 
 The law saying. Work for life ; the Spirit saying, 
 ' Now to him that worketh not, (for life) but be- 
 lieveth on him that justifieth the imgodly, his faith 
 is counted for righteousness,' Ko. iv. b. as thus, if I 
 should owe to two creditors ten thousand talents ; 
 the one should say unto me, thou owest me five 
 thousand talents, pay that thou owest ; the other 
 should say, thou owest me five thousand talents, and 
 I frankly and freely forgive thee all. Now these ex- 
 pressions are contrary one to another : even so is the 
 end of the convictions of the law, not according to 
 the end of the convictions of the Spirit of Christ ; 
 the one saying,' pay me that thou owest, the other 
 saying, thou art frankly and freely forgiven all. 
 
 The next thing thou utterest is, where I say, 
 ' Those that are alive unto sins, have not the Spirit 
 of Christ.' But sayest thou, it is given to every 
 man. Mark, thou sayest. It is given to every 
 man. The Apostle saith, some are sensual, having 
 not the Spirit. Jude 19. Who must we now believe, 
 the Apostle or you ? Certainly your doctrine is not 
 according to truth, but a lie ; as is clear, in that 
 you will affirm, that which the Apostle doth deny. 
 
 Then thou sayest, I bring other vain arguments 
 to prove that every one hath not the Spirit of 
 Christ. This one is enough to prove it, that the 
 Apostle saith, Some men have it not. But that 
 which thou caUest vain, I am sure neither thou 
 nor any of thy fellows, are able to answer. One 
 is to this purpose ; the devils are so convinced of 
 sin, that they did fear the tonnent that was to 
 come upon them for their sins ; and did fear also 
 that the Son of Man was come to torment them 
 for their sins, and yet the devils have not the 
 spirit of Christ. So that it is evident, that we 
 may be convinced of sin, and yet not by the Spirit 
 of Christ. A second argument which thou caUest 
 vain, is this, Man in his coming into the world, 
 hath his conscience given him, which doth convince 
 of sin, Jn. viii.9. yet man in his coming into the 
 world, or as he cometh into the world, hath not 
 the Spirit of Christ given him, for that must be 
 received ordinarily afterward by the preaching of 
 the word, which is preached by the ministers and 
 servants of Jesus Christ. Ac. x. a. ' While Peter 
 yet spake' to the people, ' the Holy Ghost fell on 
 all them which heard the word.' 
 
 But farther, thou sayest, ' Until I prove the 
 light of Christ contrary to the Spirit of Christ, 
 thou wilt say, that every man hath that which is 
 one in union, and like the Spirit of Christ, even as 
 good as the Spirit of Christ in its measure.' 
 
196 
 
 A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 Answer. Friend, I have proved already that 
 every man hath not the Spirit of Christ, though 
 they have that which thou dost call the Spirit of 
 Christ, which is conscience and nature itself. And 
 this I say again, that thou hast laid open thy 
 weakness very much, to say that every man hath 
 that which is as good as the Spirit of Christ. 
 Friend, seeing the scriptures say, some have not 
 the Spirit of Christ, how durst thou so hlaspheme, 
 as to say, then it is as good as the Spirit of Christ 
 in its measure. Was there ever such a deal of 
 ignorance discovered at one time hy man, as to 
 say, that every man hatn the Spirit, or that which 
 is as good as the Spirit ; though the Spirit saith 
 plainly, that some have not the Spirit, as I have 
 proved plainly. Snin 19. Friend, what is there be- 
 sides the Spirit that is as good as the Spirit. Be 
 silent, and say no more so, lest thou dost through 
 ignorance, or presumption, set up- thy conscience 
 or nature, as high and as good as the Spirit of 
 Christ, when indeed they are not worthy to be 
 compared with it, being weak, and not able to do 
 that which is and hath been done by the Spirit of 
 Christ. 
 
 Then thou art offended, because I said the devil 
 doth deceive poor souls by bidding them listen 
 within, and see if there be not that which doth 
 convince of siu. Friend, all men have not the 
 Spirit, though they have that conscience that 
 doth convince of sin. Jn. viii. 9. Now seeing all men 
 have not the Spirit, is it not a great deceit of the 
 devil to persuade poor souls, that because they are 
 convinced for sin by their own consciences, there- 
 fore they have the Spint of Christ : surely it is 
 from the devil. Because he Would make thee 
 believe that conscience, which is but a creature, 
 is the Spirit of Christ, by whom the world was 
 made. Again, because the soul, being persuaded 
 that it hath the Spirit (when it hath it not) as all 
 men naturally are without it, Ep. v. 13, 14. it is kept 
 off from seeking and begging for it, being already 
 persuaded (falsely) that it hath it. 
 
 And whereas thou sayest, the voice of the 
 gospel is to bid listen within the heart, as Paul 
 preacheth. I deny that Paul biddeth Hsten within. 
 But the scripture that you would fain make shelter 
 for your error is this, where he saith, ' The word 
 is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart. ' 
 Ro. X. 8. That is. The word of faith which we 
 preach. Now, Friend, faith is that which layeth 
 hold of, or believeth the gospel. And that this is 
 the meaning read the next verse : That (saith he) 
 ' If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord 
 Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God 
 hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ' 
 So that it is clear that the word of faith, is to 
 believe assuredly from the very heart, that God hath 
 raised up Jesus from the dead, out of the grave 
 
 into which he was laid by Joseph ; and that lie 
 was raised again for my justification, Ho. iv. 36. as it 
 is written, l Co. xt. ' Moreover brethren (saith he,) 
 I declare unto you the gospel which I preached 
 unto you' at the first, ' which also you have received, 
 and wherein ye stand, by which also ,ye are saved, 
 if ye keep in memory, (or assuredly believe,) what 
 I preached unto you, unless ye have believed hi 
 vain. ' But what was that gospel you preached ? 
 why, saith he, ver. 3. ' I delivered unto you first of 
 all, that which I also received, how that Christ 
 died for our sins according to the scriptures ; and 
 that he was buried, and that he rose again the 
 third day according to the scriptures: and that lie 
 was seen of- - the brethren after his resurrection,' 
 &c. The word of the gospel, my friend, is, Christ 
 died for our sins according to the scriptures, and . 
 that be rose again according to the scriptures, and 
 that he is ascended from his disciples, to prepare 
 a place for them according to the scripture. 
 
 That he ever liveth to make intercession in his 
 own person without, as mediator between God and 
 man, according to the scripture. He. viu 25. 
 
 That he will come again in the clouds with all 
 his mighty angels, and before him shall aU nations 
 be gathered, according to the scriptures, 1 Th. iv. 16, 17. 
 Mat. xxT. 31, 38. after which time, his saints shall be 
 ever with him according to the scriptures. 
 
 Again, thou art offended in that I said. Now 
 the poor soul finding this to be so (that it is con- 
 vinced of sin) all in haste (if it be Here my worils 
 willing to profess) through ignorance "^ corrupted. 
 of the gospel, claps in with the motions of its own 
 conscience, which doth command to abstain from 
 this evU, and to practise that good. Which words 
 of mine thou corruptest, and wrestest, and layest 
 down in another form, as are to be seen in thy book, 
 page 18. But now, friend, is not he ignorant of 
 the gospel, which thinks his own conscience will 
 lead him to eternal life, by commanding to abstain 
 from this evil, and practise that good ? Surely, if 
 salvation comes by our conscience, or by the con- 
 victions or commands thereof, Christ Jesus died 
 for nothing. Ga. ii. 21. 
 
 And whereas thou askest, what, and how doth 
 the light of the gospel work, if not in the con- 
 science. I answer. Though the light of the Spirit 
 of God and the gospel be in the hearts of the elect 
 of God ; yet the gospel light is hid, and doth not 
 shine so much as unto, much less into the con- 
 sciences of some of them that be lost, a Co. iv. s, 4. 
 that though the light of the gospel doth shine, 
 and that gloriously too in the hearts of God's 
 elect, yet it doth not foUow, that the convictions of 
 conscience is the gospel ; no, nor the convictions 
 of the law neither. And again, though every one 
 of God's elect have the light of the glorious gospel 
 shming in them, what argument is this to prove all 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 197 
 
 men have the light of the gospel shining in them. 
 No, saith Christ, ' I thank thee, Father, hecause 
 thou hast hid these things (the things of the 
 gospel) from the wise and prudent, and hast 
 revealed them unto habes. ' Mat.idi. 25. And whereas 
 thou sayest (as I gather hy thy words) that I call 
 conscience the hght of Christ, I say, if thou 
 meanest hy these words (the light of Christ) the 
 Spirit of Christ, I do deny that every man hath 
 it: hut if thou callest conscience the light of 
 Christ, or the highest light that is in an uncon- 
 verted man the light of Christ ; then, I say, that 
 the highest light that is in a natural or unconverted 
 man (which you call the light of Christ) is not ahle 
 by all its motions and convictions, nor yet by all 
 the obedience that a man can yield to these convic- 
 tions ; I say, they are not able to deliver him from 
 the wrath to come ; for deliverance from that is 
 obtained by the blood of Jesus, which was shed 
 on the cross, without the gate of Jerusalem (as I 
 have often said) Ep. L 7. compared with He. xiii. 13. and 
 not any light within a natural man. 
 
 And whereas thou sayest that I said, the devil 
 counterfeits the new birth by persuading to fol- 
 low the light of the world. I answer, 
 
 therof Ms false * Thou hast most naughtily belied me. 
 
 accusaUons of rpj^g ^^j.^^ ^■^^^^ j g^^;^ (speaking of 
 
 the devil before) are these; Now he 
 counterfeits the new birth (said I) by persuading 
 them that it is wrought by following the Hght that 
 they brought into the world with them ; as is 
 clearly seen in my book, page 76. Friend, 1 
 wonder that you should so boldly profess yourself 
 to be led by the Spirit of Christ, when you make 
 it manifest that you are guided by the spirit of 
 Satan. Was not he a liar ? and hast not thou 
 been led by a lying spirit also, in wresting of my 
 words as thou hast done ? 
 
 But I do freely declare again, that Satan doth 
 deceive those souls, whom he persuades the new 
 birth is wrought in, by following the light they 
 brought into the world with them ; for men as they 
 come into the world, do not receive the Spirit, for 
 it is given to the elect afterwards ; neither have all 
 men the Spirit. And he that hath the new birth, 
 must have it by, and through the Spirit ; as it is 
 written, ' Except a man be born of water and of 
 the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of 
 God.' Therefore, if men do not bring the Spirit 
 into the world with them ; and if nothing without 
 the Spirit, or nothing but the Spirit, will or can 
 work the new birth in a man : it must needs follow, 
 that they who think the new birth is wrought hy 
 that light or conscience which they brought into 
 the world with them, must needs be beguiled by 
 Satan. 
 
 I do pass by many of thy raging expressions, 
 which I might justly charge with much unrighte- 
 
 ousness ; but I know the time is short, and then 
 whatsoever thou hast done in secret, shall be laid 
 open upon the house tops, therefore I forbear them. 
 
 Again, thou art offended because I said, now 
 Satan makes the soul believe he is its friend, and 
 that he is a gospel minister, 2 Co. xi. u. and if the 
 soul will be led hy what shall be made known to 
 it, from the light or conscience within, it shall not 
 need to fear, but it shall do well, page 76. of my 
 book [153]. I said it then, and I say it now; and 
 I know that he that doth think to be bom again 
 by following his conscience, or any other light that 
 is in an unregenerate man, will be deceived, and 
 shall one day know, that there is a diiFerence be- 
 tween conscience and Christ ; between the light of 
 nature, and the Spirit of God. 
 
 Quest. But you may say, how can you prove 
 that conscience is not of the same nature, of the 
 Spirit of Christ ? 
 
 Amw. 1. They that are unbelieving, even their 
 conscience is defiled. Tit. i. 15. But so cannot be the 
 Spirit of Christ. 
 
 Answ. 2. Conscience is not of the same nature 
 with the Spirit of Christ, for conscience may be 
 hardened or seared with an hot iron: as it is written, 
 1 Ti. iv. 3. But so cannot be the Spirit of Christ. 
 
 Answ. 3. Our consciences naturally are evil, 
 ' having (saith the scripture) our hearts sprinkled 
 from an evil conscience. ' He. x. 23. But so is not the 
 Spirit of Christ. 
 
 But again whereas you said, that I said, they 
 wiU not speak except the Spirit move them, ifcc. 
 thou dost falsely speak of me, and again dost cor- 
 rupt my words ; for I said, How they will not 
 speak except their spirit move them, (I do not say 
 the Spirit of Christ) (said I) Friend ; if you can 
 he lead to life by your own spirit, if your own 
 spirit will learn you the things of the Spirit of 
 God; and if you can speak them with and in your 
 own spirit, in that demonstration that they are 
 spoken, when they are spoken in the Spirit of 
 Christ ; (which all men have not) then say that I 
 speak false things ; but till that time hold your 
 peace. Thus I pass by thy 20. page, leaving 
 many of thy scolding terms to thyself. The next 
 thing thou sayest is, that I did run hut Auofter false 
 was not sent, like unto my forefathers: accusation. 
 and therefore sayest thou, I do not profit the people 
 at all. Answ. Which accusation of thine, I shall 
 leave to be taken notice of by the people of God 
 in the country where I dwell, who will testify the 
 contrary for me, setting aside the carnal ministry, 
 with their retinue ; who are as mad against me as 
 thyself. 
 
 But farther, thou art somewhat distempered, 
 and discontented that I said, ' Many sad and hor- 
 rible doctrines are vented by you.' And you 
 said, I named nothing. Answ. I need not, thine 
 
198 
 
 A VINDICATION Of GOSPEL TEUTHS. 
 
 own speocli Lctrayoth tliee, tliat tliou art one of 
 them, that do such things ; and I need go no fur- 
 ther than thy own mouth and doctrine. But if it 
 will he more satisfaction to tell you wherein, they 
 of your society do hold sad doctrine I shall. 
 
 1. Therefore your society do hold and affirm, 
 that that man which was hanged on the cross he- 
 tween two thieves, called Jesus; in his person is 
 within you, contrary to the scripture. Ac. i. li. 
 
 2. You say that Christ is crucified within, dead 
 ■^'ithin, risen and ascended within ; which also you 
 have no word of scripture to prove. 
 
 3. Your Society affirm, that the coming of the 
 Spirit into the hearts of helievers, is Christ his 
 second coming, when the scriptures do plainly hold 
 forth, that the coming of Christ in the Spirit was 
 before his coming in the flesh ; as in l Pe. i. lo, li. 
 where the apostle speaking of the prophets inquir- 
 ing into the great salvation which was afterwards 
 to he accomplished, saith, ' Searching what, or 
 what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was 
 in them did signify, when it testified hefore hand 
 the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should 
 follow.' Mark, here is the Spirit of Christ in the 
 prophets, long before the first coming of Christ in 
 the flesh, which was when he was born of Mary 
 the Virgin, the Spirit of Christ, saith he, did tes- 
 tify before hand the suffering of Christ, to the pro- 
 phets, which were before Christ came in the flesh, 
 as the scriptures hold forth plentifully. 
 
 4. But again, you deny the second coming of 
 that very Man, with that very body, which was 
 born of the Virgin Mary ; and say, his second 
 coming is not his coming again personally, but his 
 coming in the Spirit only ; and that is all you look 
 for, when the scriptui-e saith ; That same Jesus 
 (who appeared to his disciples after his passion, 
 Ac. i. 3.) shall so come, even as they did see him 
 depart from them into heaven ; which was a very 
 Man, as well as very God. And will come again, 
 a very Man, as well as very God, at the end of 
 the world. For it is that Man ; namely, he that 
 was crucified, whom God raised again, must be 
 the judge of quick and dead. Ac. i. 39^12. seriously 
 compared. 
 
 5. Again, you say, that every man hath the 
 Spirit of Christ, which is a sad doctrine, because 
 contrary to the scriptm-e. JuflclQ. And you say, 
 there is that in every man which is as good as the 
 Spirit of Christ ; which is a blasphemous doctrine. 
 Besides many other things which they of your own 
 spirit have most sadly spoken ; which I shall not 
 mention, being so commonly known to the saints 
 of the Lord, before whom you have openly, and 
 without fear (at least in shew) spoken. Which 
 will doubtless be laid open to your sorrow and 
 great amazement, at the appearing of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 Then thou art offended because I said, I wonder 
 that the Lord doth not either cause the ground to 
 open her mouth and swallow you up : or else suffer 
 the devil to fetch you away, to the astonishing the 
 whole world. Certainly, Korah, Dathan, and 
 Abiram did not so horribly transgress, as you have 
 done. Yet his hand on them (no question) was as 
 it were the astonishment of the world. Therefore 
 I may well wonder that you are not served so. 
 Only this I consider, it may be, you have not 
 yet filled up the measure of your wickedness; 
 therefore is not the hand of God as yet upon 
 you. 
 
 The next thing I take notice of is, that thou 
 findest fault with mine answer to this question. 
 ' But doth not the scripture say, that it is the 
 Spirit of Christ that doth convince of sin ?' Thou 
 sayest it is a good question, but I have confounded 
 it in the answer, and not answered plainly. Where- 
 fore I shall not at all stick at the pains, to give the 
 reader in brief some of the heads of the answer I 
 then gave to it word for word, or to the same pur- 
 pose. The answer was, yes, the Spirit doth con- 
 vince of sin ; but for the better understanding of 
 this place, I shall lay down this, said I, That there 
 are two things spoken of in scripture, that do mani- 
 fest or convince of sin. First, the law. Eo. iii. 20. 
 ' For by the law is the knowledge of sin.' Se- 
 condly, the Spirit of Christ doth also the same, as 
 it is written, ' And when he is come, he will *eon- 
 vince the world of sin.' Jn. xvi. 7— 9. Now say I, 
 sometimes the law itself, by its own power doth 
 'manifest sin, as in the case of Judas, who was so 
 far from having the Spirit of Christ, that the devil 
 had very great possession of him. Which things 
 my adversary doth wrangle at, yet dares not affirm 
 the contrary : only saith this, he had the righteous 
 law of God written in his heart : which thing is not 
 the Spirit of Christ. The law is not of faith. The 
 law is not the comforter, but rather a tormentor : 
 yet the Spirit of Christ is a comforter. Again say 
 I, the Spirit of Christ doth take the law, and doth 
 effectually convince of sin, &o. Then I put forth 
 another question, saying, ' But how should I know 
 whether I am convinced by the law alone, or whe- 
 ther the law be effectually set home by the Spirit?' 
 To which I answer, when the law doth convince by 
 itsown power, it dothconvince only of sins againstthe 
 law; as lying, swearing, stealing, &c. pronouncing 
 an horrible curse against thee if thou fulfil it not, 
 and there leaves thee, but gives thee no power to 
 fulfil it completely and continually, which thou 
 must do, if thou be saved thereby. With which 
 my adversary is much offended ; also saying, that 
 I am confounded in my discourse, and so leaves 
 me, confuting none of my words by holy scripture, 
 
 * See margin of the bible. — En. 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 199 
 
 but falls a railing, because I reckon Pharisees and 
 Quakers together. 
 
 Only this much he saith ; That I make it a light 
 thing to he convinced by the law, and then brings 
 in that scripture ; ' This is the condemnation, that 
 light is come into the world, and men love darkness 
 rather than light;' cunningly corrupting of it, and 
 would fain have you understand it as spoken of 
 the law, when the Son of Mary speaks it of him- 
 self, which was not the law, but the Saviour. 
 And that he might the better go away undia- 
 cerned, he saith, and the law is light, therefore 
 the light is the law (saith he). But I perceive 
 that he doth not yet understand the difference 
 between the light of the law, and the light of 
 the gospel; but would fain make the law and 
 Christ one Saviour : the one being but only a con- 
 demning light, and nothing else ; the other a saving 
 comfortable light. And whereas thou sayest, I 
 make it a light thing to be convinced by the law, 
 I answer ; the law is good, if a man use it law- 
 fully ; and I honour it in its place ; yet if they 
 make a Saviour of it, they make an idol of It, and 
 wrest it out of its proper place. Also, if they 
 think that it is Christ, they are much deceived. 
 
 But farther, he put me to prove any such dis- 
 tinction in scripture as that there is STnything made 
 mention of therein that doth convince of sin, beside 
 the Spirit of Christ : which thing I have already 
 answered, where I said the scripture saith, ' By 
 the law is the knowledge of sin. ' Ko. iii. 20. And 
 again, doth not even nature itself teach you, that 
 it is a shame for a man to wear long hair, 1 Co. xi. 
 11, and also conscience, which are neither of them 
 the Spirit of Christ, but much inferior to the same; 
 yet this also convinceth of sin. Jn. vui. 9. 
 
 But to the other thing, which is the answer that 
 I give in my book to this objection: But I am 
 not only convinced of my sins (may some say) but 
 have also some power against my sins ; so that I 
 do in some measure abstain from the sins forbidden 
 in the law. And because I say, this thou mayest 
 have and do, as thou thinkest, perfectly too [as 
 thou thinks, mark that] as those fond hypocrites, 
 called Quakers [think] that they also do, and yet 
 be but a natural man. Here my adversary is very 
 much offended, and calls me perverter of the right 
 way of the Lord ; and saith. Shew me any natural 
 man in the scripture that hath done it. Whereas 
 had he been but willing to have laid down the 
 scripture I brought to prove it, he needed not to 
 have looked for a second answer. But because he 
 would have it again, I will therefore shew you, that 
 natural men merely by nature may be convinced, 
 and abstain from those things forbidden in the 
 law, and think they do it perfectly, nay, they do 
 the things contained in the law. For saith the 
 apostle. Ka. ii. i!i» 'When the Gentiles, which have 
 
 not the law, do by nature [mark, do hy 'ncUare] the 
 things contained in the law, these, [the Gentiles] 
 having not the law, are a law unto themselves.' 
 Mark ; the Gentiles do by nature the things con- 
 tained in, or held forth, or made mention of by the 
 law ; the light also that they have, it is themselves, 
 being a law to themselves ; that is, their conscien- 
 ces (being of themselves) bearing them witness and 
 their thoughts the meanwhile accusing, or else ex- 
 cusing one another, ver. 15. though they cannot be 
 saved thereby. 
 
 Again, when Paul was a natural man, and a 
 persecutor of Jesus Christ, he saith of himself, 
 that then he was, ' touching the righteousness 
 which is in the law, blameless.' Piui. m. 6. And 
 whereas thou sayest, thou hadst rather choose to 
 be one of those who abstain from those things for- 
 bidden in the law, and to have power over sin, than 
 to live in the transgression of the law ; this is fair 
 spoken, and it doth shew that thou art vuider the 
 convictions of the law ; and if it be no worse, I fear 
 thy state the less, though it be bad enough ; yet 
 this I say. If thy soul be not saved freely by the 
 blood of that man who was crucified on Mount Cal- 
 vary, and by his merits alone done by himself in 
 his own person, thou, notwithstanding wilt fall 
 short of eternal life. For by the works of the law, 
 shall no flesh living be justified. Eo. iii. 20. Though 
 by it be the knowledge of sin, and a command to 
 abstain from the same. And thus have I spoken 
 to thy 21 page. 
 
 But farther thou sayest, that thou fearest I wor- 
 ship the name Mary, because I mention her name 
 so much. 
 
 [I reply] If thou hadst said, I worship her Son, 
 thou hadst said truly (I hope) But 
 
 ... .. ■ i I. Tliere are mnre 
 
 IS not thy spite more agamst her offenaed at tMa 
 Son, than her? I doubt it is; for besides the Qua- 
 neither thou, nor thy companions 
 can endure that one should say, he is stiU the same 
 that was born of Mary, flesh and bones, a very 
 man, now absent from his people, though in them 
 in his Spirit. 
 
 Again, thou sayest I said, ' That as he is God, 
 Christ lighteneth every man that comes into the 
 world;' which thing again I say. What then ? Then 
 say you, I will mind you of one scripture which 
 you yourself have quoted, which saith ' The law 
 is light.' Pr.vi. 23. Therefore sayest thou, 'The 
 light is the law.' Give me leave here to take thy 
 words in twain : — 
 
 First, if when thou sayest, then the law is light, 
 thou mean, the light of the law is the light of the 
 law, and no more, thou sayest right. But if thou 
 mean the light of the law, is the light of the gospel, 
 or the Spirit of Christ, I must needs reprove thee. 
 For I tell thee again, the law is not of faith, the 
 law makes nothing perfect. He. vii. 19. The law ia 
 
200 
 
 A VINDICATION Ol' GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 l)Ut a weak and unprofitable thing, as to justifica- 
 •tion, He. Tii. 18. though as I said before, it is good 
 if it be used lawfully ; which is, not to seek or 
 look for justification thereby, nor yet to say, it is 
 the Spirit of Christ. 
 
 Then farther thou art offended, because I said, 
 "when the Spirit of Christ convinceth, it convinceth 
 of more sins than the sins against the law. Friend, 
 will the la^ shew a man that his righteousness is 
 sin and dung ? No, for though the law will shew 
 a man that his failing in the acts of righteousness is 
 sin; yet I question, whether tlj^e law will shew, 
 that a man's own righteousness is sin. For there 
 is in scripture [that which] saith it doth, or can. 
 
 Secondly, shew me, if thou canst, that the sin 
 of unbelief is spoken against in all the ten com- 
 mandments, or that called the moral law. But 
 now the Spirit of Christ convinceth of unbelief, 
 that is, it sheweth, that if men do not believe, that 
 they have redemption by the obedience of that man 
 who was laid in the manger, hanged on the cross, 
 (fee. I say, it sheweth, that those who do not lay 
 hold on what he hath done and suffered without 
 them in his own body on the tree (through the 
 operation of his Spirit, which he hath promised to 
 give to them that ask him) or else they have not 
 yet been convinced of the sin of unbelief, and so 
 a,re still in a perishing condition ; notwithstanding 
 their strict obedience, to the light within them, or 
 to the law. And now tell me, you that desire to 
 mingle the law and the gospel together, and to 
 make of both one and the same gospel of Christ : 
 Did you ever see youi-selves undone and lost, unless 
 the righteousness, blood, death, resurrection and 
 intercession of that man Christ Jesus (in his own 
 person) was imputed to you? and until you could 
 by faith own it as done for you, and counted yours 
 by imputation, yea, or no ? Nay rather, have you 
 not set up your consciences, and the law, and 
 counted your obedience to them better, and of 
 more value, than the obedience of the Son of Mary 
 without you, to be imputed to you ? and if so, it 
 is because you have not been savingly convinced by 
 the Spirit of Christ, of the sin of unbelief. 
 
 Other things thou dost quarrel against, but see- 
 ing they are in effect the same with the former, I 
 pass them by ; and shall come to the next thing 
 thou dost think to catch me withal, and that is ; 
 because I say, that ' God only is the Saviour, there 
 is none besides him.' Therefore sayest thou, how 
 contrary is this to that in p. 24, where I say. How 
 .wickedly are they deluded, who own Christ no 
 otherwise than as he was before the world began. 
 Now this is no contradiction as thou wouldest have 
 it ; for though I say there is none but God our 
 Saviom-, yet I did also then in my book shew how 
 he was our Saviour, namely, 'in that he came into 
 the world, being born of a virgin, made imder the 
 
 law, that he might redeem them that were under' 
 the law, by his obedience in that nature, by suffer- 
 ing in that nature, by his rising again in that na- 
 ture, and by carrying that nature into heaven with 
 him,' as the scriptures at large declare ; and there- 
 fore, though I say God is our Saviour, and none 
 besides him; yet they that own him to be the 
 Saviour no otherwise than as he was before the 
 world began, are such as deny that he is come in 
 the flesh, and so are of antichrist. Un. u. For 
 before God could actually be a Saviour, he must 
 partake of another nature than the divine, even the 
 nature of man. He. ii. 14, 15. 
 
 Again, thou sayest, it is a slander put upon the 
 Quakers, to say, they slight the resurrection : Ans. 
 What say you. Do you believe the resurrection of 
 the body after it is laid in the grave? Do you 
 believe that the saints that have been this four or 
 five thousand years in their graves shall rise, and 
 also the wicked, each one with that very body 
 wherein they acted in this world; some to ever- 
 lasting life, and some to everlastmg contempt ? 
 Answer plainly, and clear yourselves, but I know 
 you dare not, for you deny these things. 
 
 But if you speak doubtfully, or covertly in an- 
 swer thereunto ; I doubt not but God will help me 
 to find you out, and lay open your folly; if I shall 
 live till another cavil by you be put forth against 
 the truth. 
 
 The next thing thou cavillest at is, that query 
 raised from Ep. iv. lo. and thou sayest I have not 
 answered it. You should have answered it better, 
 or else have confuted that answer I gave unto it, 
 and then you had done something : But the great 
 thing that troubles thee is, because I say, (further 
 in my book) he that ascended from his disciples, 
 was a very man, ' Handle me and see ; saith 
 Christ, for a spirit hath not flesh and hones as ye 
 see me have.' Now let the adversary shew by the 
 scripture (said I) that there is in them any place 
 called heaven, which is able to contain a man of 
 some four or five foot long (or a competent man 
 of flesh and bones) for the space of fifteen or six- 
 teen hundred years, but that above the clouds, 
 which troubles thee so, that it makes thy tongue 
 run thou canst not tell how; but know, that when 
 the Son of man shall come from heaven to judge 
 the world in righteousness, that which thou caUest 
 foolishness now, thou wilt find a truth then to thy 
 own wrong, if thou close not in with him, who said, 
 ' Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh 
 and bones as ye see me have.' Lu. xxiv. 89. 
 
 Another thing that thou art troubled at, is, in 
 that I do reckon the Quakers to be of the deluding 
 party; when alas, all men that have eyes to see; 
 may easily discern, that you are of that generation, 
 as will appear in part byyour own expressions, botli 
 now, and also at other times. But that you maj 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 201 
 
 take off the brand from yourselves, you say, that 
 the fake prophets and antichrist, were in the 
 apostle days, as though there should he no false 
 prophets now, when the very time we live in 
 doth manifestly declare, and hold forth, that 
 there are many, who at this day seek to beguile 
 unstable souls, of which sort you are not the least, 
 though for ought I can learn as yet, you are the 
 last, (that are come into the world) but that you 
 may the better shift it from yourselves, you say, 
 that in those days there was not a Quaker heard 
 of; namely, in the days of John. Friend, thou 
 hast rightly said, there was not a Quaker heard 
 of indeed, though there were many Christians 
 heard of then. By this you yourselves do confess, 
 that you are a new upstart sect, which was not at 
 other times in the world, though Christian saints 
 have been always in the world. Friend, here like 
 a man in the dark, in seeking to keep thyself out 
 of one ditch, thou art fallen into another ; instead 
 of proving yourselves no false prophets, you prove 
 yourselves no Christians, saying. There was not a 
 Quaker heard of then. But if Quakers had been 
 Christians, then they would have been heard of to 
 the glory of God, and his Christ. 
 
 Again to defend thyself thou throwest the dirt 
 in my face, saying; If we should diligently trace 
 thee, we should find thee in their steps, meaning 
 false prophets, through fained words, through 
 covetousness making merchandise of souls, loving 
 the wages of unrighteousness. 
 
 Friend, dost thou speak this as from thy own 
 Another of his knowledge, or did any other tell thee 
 false accusa- so? However, that spirit that led 
 thee out this way, is a lying spirit. 
 For though I be poor, and of no repute in the 
 world, as to outward things ; yet through grace I 
 have learned by the example of the apostle to preach 
 the truth ; and also to work with my hands, both 
 for mine own living, and for those that are with 
 me, when I have opportunity. And I trust that 
 the Lord Jesus, who hath helped me to reject the 
 wages of unrighteousness hitherto, wiU also help 
 me still, so that I shall distribute that which God 
 hath given me freely, and not for filthy lucre's 
 sake. Other things I might speak in vindication of 
 my practice in this thing : but ask of others, and 
 they wUl tell thee that the things I say are truth : 
 and hereafter have a care of receiving anything by 
 hearsay only, lest you be found a publisher of those 
 Hes which are brought to you by others, and so 
 render yourself the less credible ; but be it so. 
 
 And as for your thinking, that to drink water, * , 
 
 * There is nothing new under the sun. It appears from 
 this that there was a tee-total movement in the time of the 
 Commonwealth. I'or the meaning of hatband, see editor's 
 advertisement. — ^Ed, 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 and wear no hatbands, is not walking after your 
 own lusts ; I say, that whatsoever men do make a 
 religion out of, having no warrant for it in the 
 scripture, is but walking after their own lusts, and 
 not after the Spirit of God. Thus have I passed 
 thy 23d page. 
 
 And lest you should think that the Quakers are 
 not such as condemned me and others for preach- 
 ing according to the scriptures ; as you would fain 
 clear yourselves of this charge laid against you in 
 my book, by your saying, you deny the accusation 
 to be true upon any of the Quakers. I shall 
 therefor* tell you of your sister Anne Blackly, who 
 did bid me in the audience of many, ' To throw 
 away the scriptures. ' To which I answered, ' No, 
 for then the devil would be too hard for me. ' 
 
 And again, because I said. The man Christ 
 Jesus was above the clouds and the heavens, now 
 absent from his people in the world, touching his 
 bodily presence ; she said, I preached up an idol, 
 and used conjuration and witchcraft. Which 
 things I should rather have desired her to repent 
 of, than to make her a public example for others 
 to take warning by ; but that it is expedient that 
 your fdlly be laid open, that others may fear to do 
 as you have done. 
 
 But farther, thou chargest me with 
 a loud crying out against Christ within, of Lis'falso ac> 
 This is thy throwing of dirt in my face ^""""s "f 
 again, for I have said it often, that if 
 any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none 
 of his. 
 
 Again thou sayest that in page 203, Here is amtiier 
 I do take in hand to prove or discover lie made of me. 
 that the doctrine of Christ within, is a false opinion. 
 
 Thou dost also here speak falsely of me, for all 
 that I take in hand to prove, is this. That they 
 hold a false opinion (and principles too) who hold 
 up a Christ within, in opposition to Christ without, 
 who is the Saviour ; as doth plainly appear by my 
 following discourse, if you read from page 203 to 
 the end of my book. 
 
 But in the next place, after much railing, thou 
 comest to the place where I again ask this ques- 
 tion, ' Doth not the scripture make mention of a 
 Christ within ? ' 
 
 To which I answer. Yes, and he that hath it not 
 is none of his. But to lay open my folly at last 
 thou sayest. Doth not the scripture say, Christ is 
 within you, except ye be reprobates ? and is not 
 this thus much, are not aU they reprobates (say 
 you) but they in whom Christ is within ? 
 
 Ans. They are indeed reprobates who have not 
 Christ within them; but now, how is thy folly 
 manifest? that in one place thou shouldest confess 
 some are reprobates, who have not Christ within ; 
 and yet in page 18, of thy book thou sayest, it is 
 given to every man. And in page 26, of thy 
 2 c. 
 
203 
 
 A. VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 book, tlaou sayest, tliat a measure of the Spirit is 
 given to every man, and is given witliin him too, 
 though the scripture declareth the contrary, and 
 thyself also now at last. It is well thou dost 
 recant so much, as to eat thy first words at the 
 last, or at least to show thyself unstable in judg- 
 ment: Friend, thou mayest see, the more thou 
 dost fight against the truth, the more thou foilest 
 thyself: Partly by helping of it, and partly by 
 contradicting thyself. 
 
 One thing more thou dost befool thyself with ; 
 and that is, in that thou in the first place sayest 
 thou ownest the words in my book, and yet hath 
 spent some four sheets of paper to vent thy thoughts 
 against them. 
 
 But peradventure thou wilt say; those words 
 that I own are not those that I speak against, but 
 the other. To which I answer, There are many 
 things in my book spoken of by me that are truth, 
 which if you own, you must leave professing your- 
 self a Quaker. As, 
 
 1. That that man that was born of the virgin 
 Mary, called Jesus (I say you will not own) that 
 he in his own person, by himself without us, did 
 completely bring in everlasting life for us, by ofier- 
 ing up himself once for aU upon the cross. 
 
 2. That Christ who wrought out redemption for 
 his children, did after he had wrought it out, go 
 away from them, and not into them in his person. 
 
 3. That he ever liveth, that very man to make 
 intercession in his person, in the presence of his 
 Father without, until the end of the world. 
 
 4. That that very man who did go away from 
 his disciples into heaven, will come again personally 
 the same man the second time, and before him shall 
 be gathered all nations, and he shall judge them 
 for their sins : and take his to himself, who shall 
 soul and body be with him to all eternity ; these 
 things (I say) thou couldest not own, though they 
 are the truth of Goi But leaving thee to the 
 great God, who wiU give thee according to thy 
 works, in this as in other things ; I shall come to 
 thy answers to my queries. 
 
 Query 1. The first query that I propouiMled is. 
 If thou sayest that every man hath a measure of 
 the Spirit of Christ within him, why say the scrip- 
 tures, ' Some are sensual, having not the Spirit.' 
 And when Christ telleth his disciples, of sending 
 them the Spirit, he saith, the world cannot receive 
 it. Here in the first place thou hast not only 
 answered deceitfully, but hast also -corrupted my 
 words in laying down the query, in that thou didst 
 leave out some words, for thou didst lay it down 
 thus : ' If thou sayest that every man hath a 
 measure of the Spirit of Christ within him, why 
 say the scriptures, some are sensual, having not 
 the Spirit : ' and Christ saith, ' The world cannot 
 receive it. ' (Reader, compare them both together.) 
 
 Now thy answer, is, ' Some are sensual, having 
 not the Spirit, because they receive it not, and 
 some cannot receive it, because they believe not 
 on him from whence it comes.' Yet sayest thou, 
 ' The measure of the Spirit is given to every man 
 to profit withal,' as the scriptures say: when there 
 is no scripture faithy a measure of the Spirit is 
 given to every man to profit withal. But again, 
 see here thy strange confusion. 1. To say, some 
 have it not. 2. To say every man hath it. But 
 you would make a difierence between having and 
 receiving : but I tell thee, he that hath it hath 
 received it, Ga. iii. s. and he that hath not received 
 it, hath it not. Jude 19. 
 
 Query 2. My second query was, ' What is the 
 church of God redeemed by from the curse of 
 law ? Is it by something done within them, or by 
 something done without them ? ' If you say, it is 
 redeemed by something that worketh in them, then 
 why did the man Christ Jesus hang on the cross 
 on Mount Calvary, without the gate of Jerusalem, 
 for the sins of his children ? And why do the 
 scriptures say, ' That through this man is preached 
 to us the forgiveness of sins ? ' 
 
 The answer thou givest is, ' The church of God 
 is redeemed by Christ Jesus, which is revealed in 
 all believers. And Christ Jesus wrought in them 
 mightily ; And it was he that wrought in them to 
 will and to do.' 
 
 This is plain scripture, and the man Christ Jesus 
 (sayest thou) hanged on the cross on MountCalvary: 
 because, they wickedly judged him to be a blas- 
 phemer, and through their envy persecuted him to 
 death ; because he bare witness against them, and 
 as in their account he died, and hanged on the cross, 
 for an evil doer. And this is one ground (at least) 
 why he hanged on the cross, <fec. 
 
 Ha Friend ? I had thought thou hadst not been 
 so much hardened ; art thou not ashamed thus to 
 slight the death of the Man Christ Jesus on the 
 cross ; and reckon it not effectually for salvation, 
 but sayest, the church is redeemed by Christ Jesus 
 which is revealed within. And to confirm it, thou 
 dost also corruptly bring in two scriptures. 
 
 The one saith, ' Whereunto I also labour accord- 
 ing to his working, which worketh in me mightily.' 
 By which words Paul signifies thus much, ' That 
 as God was with him in the ministry of the word, 
 so did he also strive accordins: to his workinff which 
 wrought in him mightily.' What is this to the 
 pui-pose ? See Coi. i. 20—30. And also, the other 
 scripture makes nothing to prove, that the church 
 of God is redeemed by Christ within, as he is 
 witliin. Only you must corrupt the scriptures, and 
 be transformed (though ministers of darkness) into 
 an angel of light, if you will do any mischief. 
 
 And now, that thy answer is false, I shall clearly 
 prove. First, because thou deiiiest that redemp- 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 203 
 
 <ion was wrought out for signers by the Man Christ 
 Jesus on the cross, or tree, on Mount Calvary; 
 when the scripture saith plainly, that when he did 
 hang on the tree, then did he bear all our sins 
 there in his own body, i Pc. ii. 34 And secondly. 
 In thy saying it is redeemed by Christ within, by 
 being within ; when the work of the Spirit of Christ 
 in believers, is to make known to the soul by dwell- 
 ing within, which way and how they were redeemed 
 by the Man Christ Jesus on the cross. And this 
 I prove farther, because when thou art forced to 
 answer to these words. Why did the Man Chi-ist 
 Jesus hang on the cross on Mount Calvary for the 
 sins of his children ? Thou sayest, because they 
 wickedly judged him to be a blasphemer. Friend, 
 I did not ask thee why the Jews did put him to 
 death? But why was he crucified there for the 
 sins of his children ? But thou willing to cover 
 over thine error, goest on cunningly saying, and 
 through their envy they persecuted him to death, 
 for an evil doer. This is one ground at least, &c. 
 
 Friend, but that thou art ashamed to own the 
 gospel of Jesus Christ, thou wouldest have said, he 
 was crucified there for the sins of the world ; and 
 by his offering up of himself upon the cross, he did 
 for ever perfect them that are sanctified. Nay, 
 thou wouldest have studied to exalt his dying 
 there ; first, by shewing what a sad condition we 
 were in without it ; Secondly, by holding forth the 
 manifold and great privileges that we have by his 
 dying for us there. But thou art at enmity against 
 the things of God, as is clearly seen by those that 
 have indeed the Spirit of God in them, and are 
 enabled thereby to discern you. And though you 
 say, there is no other that can forgive sin, nor the 
 blood of any other that can take away sin, but the 
 blood of God. Yet thou deniest, that the blood 
 of him, who was, and is ti-uly God as well as Man, 
 Christ Jesus: I say, thou deniest that his blood 
 that was shed without Jerusalem Gates, doth wash 
 away sin from the saints of God : and cunningly 
 (though not at this time uttered) concluding that 
 the blood of God was shed for sin on a cross within. 
 If it be not so, then call me bar ; but it will clearly 
 appear so to be in your answer to my third query. 
 
 Query 3. What scripture have you to prove, 
 that Christ is, or was crucified within you, dead 
 ■within you, risen within you, ascended within 
 you? 
 
 Thy answer is, There is no scripture that men- 
 tions every of our names in particular. And thy 
 query (sayest thou) is raised from a misunder- 
 standing of us, so I judge. But Christ is within 
 us, that we do not deny, and he is the Lamb that 
 was slain in the streets of the great city, which 
 is spiritually called Sodom, and Egypt (mind 
 spiritually) and he is now risen, and ascended ; 
 this we know, and leave thee to receive a further 
 
 answer from them that are led by a spirit of 
 delusion. 
 
 Friend, How dost thou run about the bush, 
 seeking to scrabble up an answer, but fiudest not 
 a right one, and wouldest also fain hold out, that 
 Christ is, or was crucified within, dead within, 
 risen and ascended within ; but seeing thou canst' 
 not with or by the scriptures give an answer ; then 
 seeing thyself left of them, through the strength 
 of carnal reason, thou goest about this way. Is 
 there any of our names made mention of in scrip- 
 ture, or to that purpose, and wouldst fain infer 
 from thence, that because we have names, though 
 not mentioned in scripture, therefore, Christ is, 
 and was qrucified within, though not mentioned 
 in the scriptures. Friend, Thy sophistry deceives 
 thee. 
 
 The second Argument, which is like the first, is 
 this. He is the Lamb slain in the streets of the 
 great city, spiritually called Sodom and Egypt. 
 Now from the word ' spiritually,' thou wouldest 
 willingly infer also, that Christ is and was crucified 
 within, dead within, and risen within you, and 
 therefore thou sayest, mind spiritually. Friend, I 
 may well mind thy spiritual wickedness, by which 
 thou wouldest willingly cover thy heresy, but it 
 wUl not be. Though thou dare not speak plainly 
 in so many words, yet the thoughts of thy heart 
 are made manifest, by the words that flow from 
 thee. 
 
 Ah Friend ! That thou couldest but close with 
 the truth, and venture thy soul upon what was done 
 by Jesus on the cross without the gates of Jeru- 
 salem, for it is by and through that blood that was 
 there shed that we have redemption, (He. xiii. 13. 
 compared with CoL i. so.) and remission of sins, 
 
 Ep. L 7. and 1 Pe. ii. 34. 
 
 Query 4. My fourth query was. Is that very 
 Man that was crucified between two thieves, whose 
 name was Jesus the Son of Mary, is he the very 
 Christ of God, yea, or nay? 
 
 Thy Answer is. Yes, he is the very Christ of 
 God, which was before the world was, by whom 
 the world was made, who was made manifest from 
 Mary's womb, and was persecuted to death by the 
 Scribes and Pharisees, in whose steps thou treadest 
 in asking subtile questions to ensnare the innocent, 
 as they did. Read thy example (sayest thou) and 
 thyself to be an enemy to God's Christ. 
 
 This Answer is doubtfully given, I did not ask 
 thee whether he was the Christ of God, that was 
 before the world was ; but I asked thee whether he, 
 was the Christ of God, that did hang between two 
 thieves on Mount Calvary. Now I know the Christ 
 of God was before the world was ; but thou art 
 afraid to look upon him, as suffering on the cross 
 on Mount Calvary, between two thieves for our 
 sins. But contrary-wise, wouldst willingly ov.'u 
 
304 
 
 A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 him to be no otherwise, hut as he was before the 
 world, which thing is very dangerous ; for he that 
 doth BO, doth lay aside all things, that in his own 
 person he did in the flesh that he took from the 
 Virgin Mary, as to justification and salvation; 
 only supposing him to be but an example, and so 
 bespatters all his merit and righteousness, by your 
 false conclusions, which in his own person he ac- 
 complished for our justification. 
 
 And Friend, hadst thou not been afraid of thyself, 
 thou wouldst have been so far from calling these 
 my queries, subtil questions, that thou wouldst 
 have owned them, and have given a sober Christian 
 answer to them, instead of a railing accusation. 
 But it matters not, it hath but made thee shew 
 thyself the more, which peradventure for a time 
 might otherwise have lien hid. 
 
 Qtiery 5. My fifth query was, ' Is that very 
 man with that very body within you, yea, or no ? ' 
 To which thou answerest : ' The very Christ of 
 God is within us, we dare not deny him ; and we 
 are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his 
 bones, as the Ephesians were : They that are led 
 with a spirit of delusion, shall answer the rest of 
 this thy query, if they will.' 
 
 Thy answer is nothing to the question, for 1 did 
 not ask, whether the Spirit of Christ was in thee ? 
 (though I question the truth of that) But I asked 
 you whether that very Man, with that very body, 
 (or the body of Christ that was hanged on the 
 cross) be within you ? But I see you are minded 
 to famble,* and will not answ'er plainly. But thou 
 answerest, saying, ' We are members of his body, 
 of his flesh, and of his bones, as the Ephesians 
 were.' This is nothing to the purpose neither ; for 
 it is one thing for a man to be a member of the 
 flesh and bones of Christ, and another thing to 
 have the flesh and bones of Christ within him. 
 What, because believers are members one of an- 
 other, must they therefore be also one in another ? 
 No. Even so, though a believer be a member of 
 the body, flesh and bones of Christ ; it doth not 
 therefore follow, that Christ, flesh and bones is 
 within him. But thou art loth to discover thyself 
 in plain terms, though thou art made manifest full 
 sore against thy will ; for thou dost here also, 
 though very cunningly, signify, that thou ownest 
 Christ no otherwise, but as he is within. And to 
 own him no otherwise, is still against the gospel 
 and faith of the Apostles, who said, they were 
 absent from him while they were at home in the 
 body, or here below. 2 Co. v. g. 
 
 Query 6. My sixth query was this, ' Was that 
 very Jesus, that was bom of the Virgin Mary, a 
 real man of flesh and bones after his resurrection 
 out of Joseph's sepulchre, yea, or nay. The scrip- 
 
 * 'To famble," to falter, or stammer in speccli; obsolete. 
 — £d. 
 
 tures say he was ; and if so, then did that man 
 go away from his disciples, and not into them, an 
 the scriptures declare ; or did he with that body 
 of flesh go into his disciples, as some fond dreamers 
 think. 
 
 Thy answer is. What the scripture speaks of 
 Christ, we own to be truth, and own him to be 
 what the scriptures speak of him ; and aE men's 
 imaginations of him we deny, and their false inter, 
 pretations of the scripture concerning him. And 
 let the fond dreamers, who err in their thoughts, 
 be reproved ; for we dare own nothing but what 
 the Spirit of the Lord bears witness of according 
 to the scriptures. And thus far I answer in behalf 
 of the Quakers ; and let them that are led with a 
 spirit of delusion answer the rest, which concerns 
 themselves. 
 
 This answer hath some pretended fairness in it. 
 But yet we know you, that you can wrest the scrip- 
 tures to your own destruction ; and that is clear, 
 in that though you say you own him as the scrip- 
 tures speak of him, yet you deny him as the 
 scriptures speak of him in part. And if at any 
 time you plead one truth, it is that you might by 
 your corrupt dealing with that, clash against 
 another: as for instance: You profess you own 
 Christ within, but withal, with that doctrine you 
 will smite against the doctrine of Christ Jesus in 
 his person without, and deny that, though that is 
 a truth, as is also the other. You do use th^ 
 truth of the resurrection of saints, from a state of 
 nature, to a state of grace, to fight against that , 
 truth of the resurrection of the bodies of saints 
 out of their graves; together with other things i 
 that I might add, as your holding forth the inter- 
 cession of the Spirit of Christ within, in opposition 
 to the intercession of Christ in his person without : 
 in the heavens. Which things being thus done, ' 
 they shew forth a great deal either of ignorance 
 or presumption, knowingly to fight against the 
 truth. And in this that thou answerest so gene- 
 rally, and not particularly to the question, it is 
 evident that thou dost not plainly declare thy mind, 
 but dost keep that in thy bosom, which thou darest 
 not manifest to the world. 
 
 Query 7. My seventh query was, ' Hath that 
 Christ that was with God the Father before the 
 world was, no other body but his church ? ' If 
 you say No, as it is your wonted course ; then 
 again I ask you, ' What was that in which he did 
 bear the sins of his children ? If you say, in Lis 
 own body on the tree ; then I ask. Whether that 
 body in which he did bear our sins, was, or is, 
 the church of God, yea, or no ? ' Again, if you 
 say he hath no other body but his church, then 1 
 ask. What that was that was taken down from the 
 cross ? But here thou puttest a stop to the rest 
 of my words, with an <fec. 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 JOS 
 
 Thy answer is, In tliis thou hast not only queried, 
 but slandered ; therefore thy slander (sayest thou) 
 I do remove. It is our wonted course, sayest thou, 
 to say, that Christ hath no other body but his 
 church. Thou art here a false accuser. But we 
 say, the church is Christ's body ; and it i§ suffi- 
 cient for salvation to know Christ Jesus to be head 
 in us, and over us, and ourselves to be members 
 of his body ; which thou sayest is his church. 
 And what thou intendest by making so many 
 foldings in one query, sayest thou, it may be 
 judged it is to insnare ; and in that thou answerest, 
 thou answerest thyself for us in some things, that 
 thou mightest have a further ground to lay a deeper 
 snare ; we do deny thee and thy spirit, and see 
 thee to be only feeding in thy imaginations upon 
 the report of things, without the life: And thy 
 religion stands in disputes and controversies, and 
 queries, and many words. But our religion stands 
 in the exercise of a pure conscience towards God, 
 and towards man ; whether we speak, or be silent: 
 These are thy words. 
 
 Now in my query thou sayest I slander, in that 
 I say, you Quakers allow of no other body of 
 Christ ; but the Church of Christ ; yet dost thou 
 not clear thyself at all, only thou wouldest say 
 something to dazzle the eyes of the ignorant. 
 But friend. If thou wouldest have made it appear 
 that I slandered in saying, you own no other body 
 but the church ; you should have said yes, we do 
 own this, That Christ hath a body that is now in 
 glory, ascended from his disciples, according to 
 
 the scripture. Ac. i. S. compared with ver. 9—11. But thou 
 
 dost only fling up a few words into the air, that 
 thou mightest thereby puzzle thy simple reader. 
 But I bless God, for my part I do see thee, that 
 thou dost, like a beguiled man, seek by all means 
 to beguile others. And whereas thou sayest, It is 
 sufficient to salvation, to know Christ Jesus as 
 head in us, and over us. To this I answer, what- 
 soever thy meaning is by these words, yet there 
 are none shall be saved, but those who through 
 the mighty operation of the Spirit of Christ, are 
 enabled to apply what the man Christ Jesus the 
 Son of Mary hath done and suffered, and is now 
 a-doing for sinners and saints, (and for him) in the 
 presence of his Father, now ascended in his body 
 of flesh and bones, from his children which are 
 alive in this world. I say, there are none shall be 
 saved, but those that are thus established, or shall 
 be so, as is clear from these (i Pe. L is, 19. & ii 24. & 
 
 iii. 18, 23. & iv. 1. S Pe. i. 17. He. vu. 24, 35. & x. 7, 9. & xiii. 12. 1 Ti. 
 
 ii. 5, 6. Dp. L 7. Ac. xiii. 37—39.) with many other scrip- 
 tures. And again, when you say, I answer you 
 in something, if you mean, that the body in which 
 he did bare the sins of his children, is his church 
 (for that is partly my query,) then I do say, that 
 your doctrine is desperate and devilish ; and you 
 
 do thereby undervalue the death, blood, resurrec- 
 tion and ascension, intercession and second coming 
 again of that man for salvation ; and therefore for 
 a better satisfaction to all who may read yoiu: 
 book, I entreat you to answer, ' Did he bear our 
 sins in that body which is his church, or did he 
 bear our sins in that body that did hang on the 
 ci-oss on Mount Calvary ? ' Answer plainly I 
 beseech you. 
 
 And now friend, passing by the rest of thy 
 brawllngs, I shall come to thy several queries, and 
 shall answer to them in the simplicity of my soul, 
 not laying down any doubtful expressions, but in 
 all plainness, and not as you do. For the better 
 understanding of them, by those that read them. 
 
 These he tlie Quaker's Queries, and my Answers to 
 tliem. 
 
 Query 1 . 'Is any man justified in the sight of 
 God, but he that foUoweth Christ ; and is it not a 
 work to follow Christ, yea or nay, and what Is the 
 sight of God. 
 
 Ans. He that followeth Christ aright, must first 
 believe in Christ ; for how shall they follow him, 
 In whom they believe not. Now then the scripture 
 saith, He that believeth on the Son hath ever- 
 lasting life, Jn. iii. 16—18. SO then we are justified by 
 believing ; and if so, then to follow Christ Is rather 
 a fruit of our believing, than justification Itself. 
 And whereas you ask. What Is the sight of God ? 
 I answer. To be justified in the sight of God by 
 Jesus Christ, Is for God to look on such poor crea- 
 tures as we are ; as complete, without spot or 
 wrinkle. In the obedience of the man Christ Jesus; 
 who otherwise could not behold them in love, 
 because of their Iniquity. Eab. i. 3. 
 
 Query 2. 'Whether will that faith justify a man 
 which hath not works, seeing the scripture, or the 
 Apostle saith, faith without works is dead ; and 
 what is that wlilch worketh faith ; and where is 
 it, within, or without ?' 
 
 Ans. That faith that hath not works is dead, 
 being alone. Yet it doth not follow, that all that 
 have works, have faith. No ; but contrary-wise, 
 men may have works, yea, the works of the law 
 of God too, and yet be under the curse ; Ga. iii. lo— 
 13. which they could not be If they had saving 
 faith. So then, if faith without works is dead; 
 and again, if men may have works, and yet no 
 faith, no saving faith, I mean: Then it wiU be 
 good to inquire, what it is to have a right faith, 
 which doth bring forth right good works; and 
 who have works without a right faith. And 
 
 (1.) A right saving faith, is, for a man to be 
 enabled of God's holy Spirit, to lay hold on what 
 the man Christ hath done In his own person, when 
 he was in the world ? as his birth, righteousness, 
 death, blood, resurrection, ascension, and inter- 
 
206 
 
 A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TEUTHS. 
 
 cession ; and to apply tlie virtue and merit thereof 
 ■to himself, so as to see himself saved thereby. 
 Ko. iv. 24, 25. Being justified freely by his grace : 
 How? Even through the redemption that is in 
 Christ Jesus. Whom God hath set forth to be a 
 propitiation, or reconciler, through faith in his 
 blood, &c. Again, ' Be it known unto you, - - 
 that through this man is preached unto you the 
 forgiveness of sins : And by him aU that believe : 
 (Mark, all that believe ; namely, in his blood 
 which was shed on Mount Calvary) are justified 
 from all things, from which ye could not be justi- 
 fied by the law of Moses. ' Ac. xiii. 38, 39. If the faith 
 that applies these things be of the operation of 
 God, it is very much accompanied with good works. 
 ' For the love of Christ constraineth us ; because 
 we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were 
 all dead. And tliM he died for all, that they 
 which live (namely by the faith of this, that Christ 
 died for aU, Ga. ii. 20.) should not henceforth live 
 unto themselves, but unto him which died for them. ' 
 2 Co. v. 14, 15. But 
 
 (2.) They that deny the merits of the birth, 
 death, righteousness, blood, ifcc. of the man that 
 was born of Mary, which he fulfilled in his own 
 person, by himself. lie. L 3. I say, they that do not 
 venture their souls on these glorious, mysterious 
 truths, but deny the belief of them to be sufficient 
 of themselves to save from hell, and all other things, 
 and doth expect that salvation should be obtained 
 by something that worketh in them, by working in 
 them. It is impossible that these, though they 
 may be, touching the righteousness of the law 
 blameless, (as Paul was while he was a persecutor. 
 Phi. iii. 6. ) to be Saved hereby. Wherefore ? be- 
 cause they seek it not by the faith of Christ, but 
 as it were by the works of the law. Eo. k. 30, 31. 
 
 And whereas you ask me, ' What is that which 
 worketh faith ? And where is it, within or with- 
 out?' I answer. That which worketh saving faith, 
 is the holy Spirit of God, which is renewed through 
 the hearing of the word, preached by the Apostles 
 or ministers of Jesus Christ : Now the Spirit when 
 it doth work, it entereth into the soul, and as I 
 said before, doth enable the soul to believe, and 
 lay hold on the merits of the Son of Mary, Jesus 
 Christ. For saith he, when he is come, he shall 
 glorify me, for he shall take of mine, and shew it 
 unto you. Jn. xvi. 14. 
 
 Query 3. ' Whether any be justified but he that 
 is born of God ? And whether doth he that is 
 bom of God commit sin ? And is that within the 
 creature, or without, that worketh the new birth ?' 
 
 Ans. Justification may be taken two ways, (1.) 
 either in the sight of God, or in the sight of the 
 Boul, or creature ; my meaning is, that all that are 
 or shall be saved, are justified in the sight and fore- 
 knowledge of God before the foundation of the 
 
 world. Ep. i. 4. According as he hath chosen us in 
 him before the foundation of the world, he. 
 Having predestinated us to the adoption of children 
 by Jesus Christ unto himself. And again, ' More- 
 over whom he did predestinate, them he also 
 called ; and whom he called, them he also justified ; 
 and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 
 Eo. viiL 30. Mark, aU these thing are spoken as 
 being already done ; predestinated, called, justified, 
 glorified. He doth not say, they shall be, but he 
 hath done it, that is, in and according to the fore, 
 ordination of God. (2.) Saints are said to be 
 justified in their own sight or knowledge, as when 
 God doth make manifest to the soul, what he had 
 determined before should be done. ' Be of good 
 cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee. ' This is justifi- 
 cation in the sight of the creature. And whereas 
 you ask me, ' Do they that are born of God com- 
 mit sin ?' To this I answer, 
 
 They shall never commit the sin against the 
 Holy Ghost, as is the meaning of that place, iin. 
 y. 16—18. There is a sin unto death, and there is a 
 sin not unto death. — He that is born of God sinneth 
 not, but keepeth himself ; and that wicked one, 
 (mark, that wicked one, the sin unto death,) toueh- 
 eth him not : But they that are born of God not- 
 withstanding, do daily sin, as it is evident. Ja.m.3. 
 ' In many things we oifend all,' saith he, I and 
 you, all of us. And again, if we say that we have 
 no sin we deceive ourselves, and (instead of having 
 no sin) the truth is not in us. 1 Jn. i. a. And who 
 can say, my heart is clean ? There is none righ- 
 teous, no not one. And again, ' There is not a 
 just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth 
 not. ' Ec. vii. 20. And I am confident, that while 
 some would persuade others that they have no sin, 
 their own consciences tell them they lie ; and if it 
 be not so in the rest, it is because they are har- 
 dened, and given to believe a lie. 
 
 As to the latter part of your query, I answer; 
 The new birth is wrought through hearing of the 
 word preached. And yet not by conscience, nor 
 by the obedience to the law, or dictates of nature; 
 but by the Spirit coming into the soul, and shew- 
 ing its lost condition without the obedience of the 
 Son of Mary, the Son of God; and his freeness 
 and willingness to communicate, or give himself, 
 and all his things unto it ; which being done, the 
 man is thereupon given up to God, and is become 
 a new creature. I might spend much time in 
 speaking to this, but I forbear, because of itself 
 it is enough to fill up a small volume. 
 
 Query 4. ' If Christ hath enlightened all men 
 as he is God (as thou confessest) then hath he not 
 enlightened all men as he is the Son of God ? and 
 is not the light of God sufficient in itself, to lead 
 to God all that follow it, yea, or nay ?' 
 
 Ans. (1.) Christ as he is God, doth enlighten 
 
A VINDICATION OV GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 207 
 
 every man tliat comes into the woiid, which light 
 is conscience, or otherwise nature itself, which doth 
 also convince of sin. Jn. yiii. 9. Yet Christ as he is 
 God ; doth not give unto every man that spirit 
 that doth lead to eternal life, for all men have it 
 not. Judel9. (2.) Christ as he was and is the Son 
 of God hefore the world was, heing one in power, 
 and heing with his Father, hath enlightened every 
 one that comes into the world, as aforesaid; but 
 hath not so neither given them his spirit. ' Some 
 are sensual,' &o. (3.) Christ as God-man, or as 
 he came into the world to die for those whom 
 before as God he knew and loved ; I say, he doth 
 not in this way neither enlighten every man with 
 the saving light of life, or give unto them his holy 
 Spirit. No, they that have been, and now are 
 believers, do know and can remember, that all the 
 time of their unregenerate state, they were with- 
 out Christ. Ep. ii. 12. So that here is no way or room 
 for your doctrine, take it how you will, Christ 
 hath not given to every one his Spirit. 
 
 Second Part of the Query. Is not the light of 
 God sufficient in itself, to lead to God all that fol- 
 low it, yea, or nay ? 
 
 Ans. (1.) As I said before, some are sensual, 
 and have not the Spirit of Christ. (2.) No man 
 can come to God as a Father by adoption, but by 
 Jesus Christ ; then it must needs be that all men, 
 though they do follow that light which is given to 
 every man, it is not able to lead to God as a Fa- 
 ther in the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet this light 
 that every man hath, wiU shew a man there is a 
 God, and that this God is eternal ; and also will 
 clear out something of him, to them, by the things 
 that are made. But now, if this light womld lead 
 to everlasting life, then might the devils also be 
 delivered from everlasting damnation ; seeing they 
 also do know God as a creator, and revenger of 
 sin, more perfectly than any natural man in the 
 world, though not as a Father by adoption. 
 
 But you say, Doth it not lead to God all that 
 follow it ? Anaw. (1.) Not to be saved, though to 
 be condemned, through the weakness and unprofit- 
 ableness of that light, or conscience, or the law, 
 call it either, and I clear it thus : Because, if that 
 light that every man receives, were able by our 
 following it, to save us, then Christ needed not to 
 have suifered, seeing all men had that light. (2.) 
 If that light that every man hath, which is con- 
 science, were able to lead a man to justification by 
 following it ; that promise was made in vain by 
 Jesus the Son of Mary, when he^aid, 'I will send 
 you ; [Mark, I will send you] the Spirit, and he 
 shall lead you into all truth : ' for they had a light 
 before. But it is evident, that that was not suf- 
 ficient, because they must have another sent them 
 by Jesus Christ, and that must be the Spirit. 
 Query 5. ' Whether is not the same light in him 
 
 that hates it, as it is in him that loves it, Jn. ui. If 
 there be a difierence in the light, show it wherein ; 
 whether in the nature, or otherwise ? ' 
 
 Answ. (1.) That scripture quoted in Jn. iii. ' Light 
 is come into the world,' «fcc., is not meant of that 
 light, or conscience, that every man hath ; but the 
 Man Christ Jesus is speaking there of himself, as 
 God-man, come into the world, born of the Virgin, 
 if thou compare 19—31. with 14—18. of the same 
 chapter, it is clear, for they all do speak of the 
 same thing ; namely, the Son of Mary. And 
 again, saith he, 'I am the light of the world.' 
 Now the man Christ, though he was then in the 
 world, and walked up and down in the same, yet 
 he was not within any man in the world as man, 
 (though he calls himself the light thereof) though 
 he was in some ; I say, in some, as God by his 
 Spirit. Now the light, which was the Man Christ, 
 was the very same, whether loved by some, or 
 hated by others ; but if you conclude every man 
 hath Christ, or that light spoken of there, Jn. iii. 
 within him ; that I deny, having proved the con- 
 trary. But (2.) Whether is there a difference iu 
 the light ? Answ. There are more Ughts than one, 
 there is a light that may be suspected to be dark- 
 ness, where he saith, ' if the light that is in thee 
 be darkness,' <fec. Again, there is the light of the 
 law. Pr. vi. 23. Again, conscience also will convince 
 of sin. Now there is none of these that can save 
 a sinner from the evil of his ways. Take the best 
 of them, which is the righteous law of God, that 
 cannot. For had there been a law given, which 
 might have given life, then verily righteousness 
 had come by the law: But if you conclude that 
 righteousness, or everlasting life cometh by the 
 law, you must conclude this again; that Christ 
 did die in vain. Ga. ii. 21. So then these things being 
 not able to save the soul, the next thing is, the 
 Son of God, the Son of righteousness arising with 
 healing under his wings; he is also a light, and 
 indeed the saving light, far surpassing aU the other 
 mentioned. 
 
 Now though Christ doth not differ in himself, 
 yet there is a difference in the power of these lights; 
 the law and Chi-ist, the one not being able to save, 
 the other being able. And again, there is also a 
 difference in the nature of them ; the one being a 
 condemning light, the other a saving light. It is 
 Moses that accuseth you (saith Christ) even Moses 
 in whom ye trust: But do not think, saith Christ, 
 that I will accuse you to the Father : No, saith he, 
 it is Moses, or the law given by him. But again, 
 where Christ speaks for himself as a Saviour, he 
 saith ' God sent not his Sou into the world to con- 
 demn the world ; but that the world through him 
 might be saved. ' Jn. iii. 17. So that I say, (a) That 
 light spoken of, Jn. iii. which is the Man Christ, is 
 not in every man that comes into the world. (6) 
 
2U8 
 
 A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 That the Man Christ, or the light spoken of there, 
 is not against himself, (c) There is the light of 
 the law, conscience, and nature itself, 'which are in 
 all men, which things are altogether insuificient to 
 save a man from death, hyhis seeking of justifica- 
 tion thereby. Again, there is Jesus Christ, he is 
 the Saviour, but not in all men. And again, 
 neither is the Man Christ Jesus the condemning 
 light. 
 
 Query 6. ' Whether is it possible, that any can 
 be saved, without Christ manifested within ? If 
 no, then whether is not the doctrine of salvation, 
 which is only necessary, to preach Christ within : 
 And is not the whole mystery of salvation, God 
 manifest in the flesh ? ' 
 
 Answ. There can none be saved, but they that 
 have the Spirit of Christ given unto them. But it 
 is not the Spirit of Christ given to the elect, that 
 doth work out the salvation of their souls within 
 them, for that was obtained by the blood of the 
 Man Christ Jesus on the cross. lie. ix. 12. compared 
 with He. xiii. 13. 
 
 Again, every one that is, or shall be saved, must, 
 and shall have the Spirit of Christ within them ; 
 yet doth it not foUow, that to preach Christ (onlj') 
 within, is the only doctrine of salvation. For then 
 also the preaching of the blood of Christ shed on 
 the cross, as I said before, must be of none effect. 
 But he that doth preach the doctrine of salvation 
 aright, must first begm to preach that doctrine that 
 Paul preached in l Co. xv. 3, 4. ' For I delivered unto 
 you (saith he) first of all that which I also I'eceived, 
 how that Christ died for our sins according to the 
 scriptures ; and that he was buried, and that he 
 rose again the third day according to the scrip- 
 tures.' Now Christ, or the Spirit of Christ, is 
 received by such preaching as this is, as is clear 
 from that scripture, Ac. x. 38-44. Where Peter 
 speaking of the word that was published through- 
 out all Judea : ' How God anointed Jesus of 
 Nazareth (or which dwelt at Nazareth) with the 
 Holy Ghost and with power : who went about 
 doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of 
 the devil ; for God was with him. And we are 
 witnesses of all things which he did both in the 
 land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem ; (saith Peter) 
 whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Ilim God 
 raised up the third day, and shewed him openly ; 
 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen 
 before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink 
 with him, after he rose from the dead. And he 
 commanded us to preach unto the people, and to 
 testify that it is he which was ordained of God to 
 he the Judge of quick and dead.' And is that all ? 
 No, But ' to him give all the prophets witness, (to 
 him, even Jesus of Nazareth whom the Jews cruci- 
 fied on the tree) that through his name whosoever 
 believeth in Lim shaU receive remission (or for- 
 
 giveness) of sins.' Now mark. And ' while Peter 
 yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on ail 
 them which heard the word.' While Peter spake 
 these words, that by Jesus of Nazareth forgiveness 
 of sins was preached to them that believe in his 
 name, ' the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard 
 the word.' Namely, which Peter spake : This is 
 the way in which the Spirit is given ? namely, by 
 preaching a crucified Christ. 
 
 But now, no man can be saved without Christ. 
 or the Spirit of Christ be given to him, because he 
 cannot be able to lay hold savingly of, and to hope 
 for that 'glory that Christ as he is God-man hath 
 accomphshed in his own person without, unless he 
 have the Spirit. But farther, thou sayest ; Is it 
 not the whole mystery of salvation, God manifested 
 in the flesh ? 
 
 Answ. Truly, to know that God out of love to 
 poor sinners, did in the fulness of time send forth 
 his only begotten Son, who is equal with his Father, 
 to be born of a woman, and made under the law, 
 to redeem them that are under the law, that we 
 might receive the adoption of sons ; this is to know 
 the mystery of godliness. Therefore, when the 
 scriptures say, God was manifested in the flesh, 
 they mean, God sent forth his Son, which was and 
 is the word of God, God himself, and he was made 
 flesh. Jn. i. 14. And so in the nature of man he did 
 become the Lamb of God, or the sacrifice of God, 
 that doth take away the sins of the world, ver. 29. 
 Now here 1 might enlarge abundantly, but that I 
 would not be tedious. 
 
 Query 7. ' Whether is it not possible, that many 
 may profess as much of Christ without, as thou 
 hast said of him, and yet be damned ; and if thia 
 be the faith to profess him born, dead, risen and 
 ascended without ; then is there any unbeliever in 
 England ? seeing all in the outward sound believes, 
 and professes as much as thou hast said. Yea, or 
 nay? ' 
 
 Answ. 1 . I know there are many that do profess 
 in word, that Christ was born, dead, risen, and 
 ascended without, and yet may be damned. Yet 
 he that doth really, with the faith of the operation 
 of God, believe these things, and doth also apply 
 the virtue and merit of the same to themselves for 
 justification and life, shall be saved. 'If thou 
 shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and 
 shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised 
 him from the d<)ad, thou shalt be saved.' Eo.x.9. 
 And also i Co. xv. 2. ' By which also ye are saved, 
 if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you. 
 What was that ? why, ' how that Christ died for 
 our sins according to the scriptm-es ; And that he 
 was burled, and rose again,' &c. 
 
 (2.) It is not faith, only to talk of him with the 
 
 mouth, but as I said before, to believe the same hy 
 
 I the operation of the Spirit in our hearts. If tlus 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 209 
 
 1)6 faitli, (sayest tbou) to profess him born, dead, 
 risen and ascended •without, then is there any un- 
 believer in England ? [I reply] All that profess 
 this do not truly believe it ; for to profess in word 
 alone, and believe in heart, are two things. 
 Secondly, If to profess this were the Faith, yet 
 were there a good maiiy Unbelievers in England, 
 for the Quakers will not profess him ascended 
 without, neither making intercession without, but 
 eontrarywise strike at this doctrine. 
 
 Query 8. ' Whether hath that man faith in 
 Christ that is not changed in the nature, and is 
 not the liar and slanderer an unbeliever, and of 
 the cursed nature, yea or no ? ' 
 
 Ansio. He that hath faith in Christ is a new 
 creature: and the liar and slanderer is an unbeliever: 
 and if he live and die in that condition, his state is 
 very sad, though if he turn there is hope for him ; 
 therefore repent and turn quickly, or else look to 
 yourselves, for you are the men, as is clear by 
 your discourse. 
 
 Query 9. ' Whether [doth] any [man] receive 
 Christ, who receives him not into him ? if not, 
 show how Christ can be received, and whether 
 many professes him not which never received him. ' 
 
 Answ. Christ as he is Man, as he was a sacrifice 
 for sin, cannot be received reaUy and personally 
 into any, but yet, he that doth indeed receive the 
 gospel, and believe that he was a sacrifice upon 
 the cross for his sins, doth and hath also received 
 his Spirit into him, which giveth him the comfort 
 of these things. Jn. m. 26. And there are very many 
 that profess him, that at the day of judgment wiE 
 fall short of eternal life, notwithstanding all their 
 profession ; for as I said before ; it is not the 
 professor, but the sound believer that shall be 
 saved by him. But let the reader mark, how thou 
 condemnest thy own doctrine by this query, for 
 thou grantest many profess Christ that never 
 receive him. How then hath every man Christ, 
 or the light of Christ within him ? If it be within 
 him, either he must receive it, or snatch it by force 
 against the will of another, however the scripture 
 saith, what is it that thou hast not received ; (yet 
 all men have not received that) Jude la 
 
 Query 10. ' Whether to preach for hire, for 
 gifts and rewards, and to divine for money, and to 
 make merchandise of the people for so much a year 
 for preaching to them, be not true marks and signs 
 of false prophets ? or can any give truer signs of 
 false prophets than Isaiah and Micah give, yea or 
 nay? ' 
 
 Answ. There are a company of dumb dogs that 
 are crept into the nation, that love give ye, and 
 desire to bear rule by their means ; and they are 
 every one for his gain from their quarter. There 
 are a company of wolves crept out also, having 
 wrapped themselves about with sheep's clothing, 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 and these are both alike abominable to the Lord. 
 Neither can a man give a more right description 
 of a false prophet, than the prophets and Christ 
 with his apostles did give, therefore eiamine your- 
 selves. 
 
 Querj 11. 'Whether must not the devil be 
 chained before Christ reign, and what is that 
 which chains him, and whether art thou come to 
 one of the days of the thousand years, yea, orno ?' 
 
 Answ. Christ hath two several times wherein 
 Satan must be bound by him, one is at the con- 
 version of sinners, the other when he shall come 
 the second time, and personally appear, and reign, 
 in the world to come. Again, ' Whether I am 
 come to one of the days of the thousand years ? ' 
 [I reply] No, because he that doth reign with 
 Christ one of these days, shall live and reign with 
 Christ a thousand years. Ke. xx. i. But there is 
 never a believer in the world, that doth, or in any 
 likelihood shall live half so long, before they die 
 or be changed at the coming of the Man Christ 
 Jesus. 
 
 Query 12. ' Whether dost thou know any Christ, 
 preach or profess any Christ who hath not lightened 
 every man that comes into the world with the light 
 of hfe, or of condemnation ; And is he not a de- 
 ceiver that exhorts people for salvation to any 
 other thing than the hght of Christ, yea, or no ? 
 And how hath Christ lightened every man if not 
 within him ?' 
 
 Answ. That Christ I preach, is the Christ of 
 God, who as he is God hath enlightened every man 
 that comes into the world with conscience, and the 
 law, which is the light of condemnation, but not 
 of life ; For the law is the ministration of condem- 
 nation. 3 Co. iii. 7, 8. And aU men have the law and 
 conscience : but these will not save them. Again, 
 there are some that do indeed enjoy the light of 
 life. And whereas thou askest, is not he a de- 
 ceiver, that exhorts people to anything else than 
 the hght of Christ? Answ. He that telleth any 
 man that the ministration of condemnation will 
 save him, which is the law, he is a liar, and a de- 
 ceiver : but he that exhorts people to lay hold on 
 what the Man Christ Jesus hath done in his o^Tn 
 person for sinners, and presseth souls to venture 
 upon that for salvation, pr«acheth the truth. 
 Christ hath given to every one the law, and con- 
 science within him : yet these are not able to save 
 him, but let him follow the righteousness of the 
 law never so much, yet if he be not directed of 
 God to fly to Jesus the Son of Mary, and to what 
 he hath done in his own person for them, he shall 
 never he saved. Ac. iv. 12. 
 
 Friend, Thus have I with all plainness of speech 
 answered thy queries, and I fear not at all, but I 
 have spoken the truth as it is in Jesus. And as 
 for committing them to the judgment of others, as. 
 
210 
 
 A VINDICATION OP GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 thou wouklst liave me ; let others say what they 
 will, I am sure I have spoken the truth of God ; 
 and I make no question hut at the second coming 
 of my Lord Jesus from heaven to judge the world, 
 these things I shall not he ashamed of; neither 
 am I now; hut am ready, if God shall give me life, 
 to speak the same things to any man, face to face; 
 and I desire thee, and all, even as many as shall 
 read or hear this treatise, to consider, and look to 
 themselves, lest they sin against God so much in 
 their lifetime by rejecting these truths, that it shall 
 never he forgiven them to all eternity, though they 
 repent them of their rejecting the same. There is 
 one thing more to which I shall speak a few words, 
 and that is to a few words written at the end of 
 thy hook, which is called the postscript, wherein 
 is several charges against myself and some others, 
 which I shall speak somewhat to. 
 
 The first is against John Burton, thus: John 
 Burton said in a discourse with some friends, that 
 Christ had two bodies, and one of them is out of 
 the sight of the saints. My brother Burton being 
 absent, I shall answer for him concerning the 
 charge laid against him. And therefore, that 
 Christ, who is and was before the world began, 
 God equal with his Father, did in the fulness of 
 time take upon him a body from the Virgin Mary, 
 which was so prepared by God his Father, it is 
 evident in scripture ; and in it after he had lived a 
 while in the world, he did hang on the cross, was 
 taken down thence again, and laid in Joseph's 
 sepulchre, was raised again, and ascended away 
 from his disciples therewith into glory. Ac. i. 3, 9— li. 
 
 Again, he hath another body, and that is his 
 church. Ep. i. 23. Now that he is out of the sight 
 of his saints in one of the bodies ; namely, that 
 which did hang on the cross, it is also evident, 
 1 Ti. vi. where Paul speaking of that very Jesus, 
 who did bear a faithful witness before Pontius 
 Pilate, saith in ver. 16. ' Who only hath immortality, 
 dwelling in the light which no man can approach 
 unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see.' 
 That is, not with their mortal eyes, in that glory 
 as yet. If you say still, notwithstanding this, that 
 Christ as he was before the world began, hath but 
 one body, and that to be his church. I ask you 
 what that was that was taken down from the cross, 
 and laid into Joseph's sepulchre. Lu. xxiii. 63. 
 
 The second charge is against myself, and is this; 
 JohnBunyan said, Christ's second coming is not his 
 coming in Spirit, for his coming in Spirit is no coming. 
 
 The former part of the words, namely, Christ's 
 _, . . , , second coming is not his comina; in 
 
 This IS a fnlse . , =» ^ 
 
 tiling spoken the Spirit, those I own. But the 
 other, namely. For his coming in 
 Spirit is no coming, is a lie, made of me by the 
 Aiathor, Edward Borrough. 
 
 The former words were spoken at a meeting in 
 
 Bedford, some Quakers being present contradict- 
 ing and blaspheming : And now they could not be 
 content with that ; but they must make up all with 
 a lie, and publish it in print. A Quaker there 
 and I had some discourse concerning Christ's 
 second coming, and he would affirm, that his com- 
 ing in Spirit, was his second coming spoken of in 
 scripture. Then I asked him which was his first 
 coming ? He answered, when he was born of the 
 Virgin, and took flesh upon him from her. Then 
 said I, I shall easily prove, that his coming in the 
 Spirit is not his second coming, for I will prove 
 that his coming in the Spirit was before that 
 which the scripture and you also do call his first 
 coming ; and proved it by that plain scripture, 
 where Peter speaking of the prophets, saith, 
 ' Searching what, or what manner of time the 
 Spirit of Christ which was in them (the pro- 
 phets) did signify, when it testified before-hand 
 the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should 
 follow. ' 1 Pe. L 11. and iii. 19, where speaking of Christ's 
 being put to death in the flesh, but quickened in 
 the Spirit. ' By which Spirit also he went and 
 preached unto the spirits (now) in prison ; ' but when 
 was this, only ' when once the longsuffering of God 
 waited in the days of Noah. ver. 20. Which was 
 long before the first coming of Christ, so called in 
 scripture, for that was, as I said, when he took a 
 body from the Virgin Mary. 
 
 But it seems clearly by these words that you do 
 look for no other coming but his coming in Spirit. 
 ! how suddenly and unexpected of you, will the 
 Son of Man break down from heaven, with all his 
 mighty angels in flaming fire, and call you, to- 
 gether with all nations to judgment. And though 
 now peradventure you are ready to slight the per- 
 sonal appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, that 
 Man to judgment, only looking for a judgment 
 within, yet you wiU I am certain, very suddenly be 
 made to pass under another judgment, which will 
 be more exceeding great than any judgment you 
 shall have here, and more terrible. As for the 
 latter part of the charge, which is a very lie; 
 though I shall not trouble myself to lay it to your 
 charge (you have so manifestly declared yourselves 
 already what you are) yet I beseech you, that here- 
 after you would not be so ready to receive lies 
 from others, and publish them to the view of the 
 world, least you appear to all men (as you do to 
 some) to be such as are of an accusing lying spirit. 
 
 But farther. That Christ's commg in the Spirit 
 is not his second coming, it is evident ; partly, in 
 that the coming of Christ in Spirit, was before 
 that called in scripture, his first coming. Secondly, 
 he that comes the second time is he that came the 
 first time. Now he that came the first time was 
 very God and very Man, and not a Spirit only; 
 for handle me, saith he, a Spirit hath not flesh 
 
 MHIMC'-! 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 211 
 
 and bones, as you see me have. Lu. xxiv. 39. Now 
 this satie Jesus that was very God and very Man, 
 so born of Mary, saith, ' I go and prepare a place 
 for you ; and I, (the very same as also Ac. i. 10, 11.) 
 will come again, and receive you unto myself; that 
 M'here I am, there ye may be also. ' Jn. xiv. 3. Here 
 I might spend many words, but it needs not ; the 
 whole current of scriptures do confirm this thing ; 
 and therefore I shall forbear, and content myself 
 with this, He that wiU he filthy let him be filthy, 
 for the day is at hand. 
 
 The Third Charge is also against me, saying, ' I 
 said there was nothing in me, nor any man to be 
 taken notice of. ' 
 
 Though in some sense I do not deny these words, 
 yet I know, and am sure, that directly in this 
 form of words, I did never lay them down, but I 
 pass that. Now in this sense I do not deny them, 
 there was nothing in me, as I was in my unre- 
 generate estate ; nor in any man else in the same 
 estate, that is worthy to be taken notice of for jus- 
 tification. Because every imregenerate man is 
 withouc Christ, before he he converted. Ep. ii. 13. 
 Wherefore remember, that ye being Gentiles in 
 the flesh (unconverted) that at that time ye 
 were without Christ. Now a man that is without 
 Christ, and hath not his Spirit in him, as some, 
 yea, most men are. Jnde 19. What is there in that 
 man, that is worth the taking notice of to j ustify him. 
 
 Also converted Paul saith, ' I know that in me, 
 (that is, in my flesh,) dweUeth no good thing.' 
 
 Eo. viL 18. 
 
 As for others that are charged with things, be- 
 cause their names are not also mentioned, I shall 
 pass them by ; only thus much I shall say further 
 to the last charge. That there is nothing in any 
 man by nature, before he be converted, that is 
 worth the taking notice of, as to seek justification 
 thereby. And that that light which every man 
 liath, being at the best but conscience, nature, or 
 the law, let a man take notice of it, follow it, obey 
 it never so much, it is not able to justify the soul : 
 For if righteousness come by the law, then Christ 
 is dead in vain. And as I said before, every man 
 hath not Christ to take notice of, though every 
 man hath conscience, or the light of nature in him, 
 which is also able to convince of sins against the 
 law of God, yet is not able to deliver from that 
 curse pronounced by the Lord, against them that 
 disobey the law. Nay the law itself is not able to 
 save them that do follow it, being too weak for 
 such a thing. And indeed God did not give it to 
 that end, that saints should have hfe by it. No, 
 compare Ga. ffi. 21. with Ko. v. 20. you may clearly see 
 ■why God gave the law, namely, that sins or offen- 
 ces might aboimd. But how ? By discovering 
 sin by its workings. Now then you that foUow 
 the law, and seek life by it, this is all you are 
 
 like to have of it : You shall see your transgression 
 against it, made known to j'ou by it, Eo. iiL 20. and 
 an horrible curse pronounced against you, because 
 you cannot give a complete continual obedience to 
 every tittle of it. 
 
 And now friend to thee, who hast taken in 
 hand to answer my queries laid down in the end 
 of my book ; I say, thou hast only wrangled and 
 quarrelled at them ; but hast not given one plain 
 and right answer to any one of them. Therefore 
 I shall leave them stiU to be answered by you, or 
 others of your spirit. You will find them at the 
 end of the foregoing discourse: And I beseech 
 you to answer them in all plainness of heart, and 
 with as moderate a spirit as you may. It is like 
 there may be some addition to them : But as I have 
 dealt plainly and sincerely with yours, so do you 
 deal uprightly and plainly with mine, for the satis- 
 faction of those who shall read them. And here 
 I shall draw towards a conclusion, only speak some 
 words to those who miawares to themselves may 
 be carried away with the doctrines of the Quakers: 
 And I shall be brief in speaking to it. The way 
 that I shall take, shall be very plain to be under- 
 stood ; for I shall not lay down any doubtful sen- 
 tence in my speech to them, nor others. First, I 
 shall shew you that the doctrine of the Quakers is 
 an error, and how. Second, Who they are that 
 are carried away with it, and why. Tliird, The 
 way Satan takes to make this delusion, or filthy 
 doctrine to take place in the soul. 
 
 Fir^, That the doctrine of the Quakers is false, 
 or an error, I shall shew, 
 
 1. By discovering the doctrine itself. Now the 
 doctrine of the Quakers is plainly this ; namely, 
 that every man that comes into the world, hath 
 the Spirit of Christ in him. Now that this is an 
 error is clear, because the word of God saith 
 plainly, that some are ' sensual, having not the 
 Spirit.' Judel9. And again. The unregenerate 
 man, in the time of his unregenerate state, is with- 
 out Christ. Ep. ii. 12. 
 
 2. He that will but observe the motions of that 
 light which every man hath within him (say they) 
 so as to obey and close in with it to follow it, shall 
 undoubtedly be saved from the wrath to come 
 Now this is clearly a gross error ; for first. If all 
 men have not Christ, as they have not, then is it 
 not an error to press men to seek for Mfe, by fol- 
 lowing that which is not able to give hfe. Yet 
 this they do, who labour to persuade men, yea, 
 the souls of men, that it is no less than the very 
 Spirit of Christ in every man, that doth convince 
 of sin, when the scriptures say plainly, ' the law. 
 Eo. iii 20. ' Conscience,' Eo.ii 15. and nature itself, 
 Eo. ii. M. 1 Co. XI. U. will and doth convince of sin, yet 
 none of these is the Spirit of Christ. And tho 
 great argument that they bring to prove that it is 
 
213 
 
 A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TKUTHS. 
 
 tlie Spirit of Christ, is, because the Spirit doth 
 also convince of sin. Now what a poor argument 
 is this, to say, That because the Spirit of Christ 
 doth conyince of sin, therefore whatsoeyer doth 
 convince of sin, must needs be the Spirit of Christ. 
 As much as to say, because the saints are called 
 ' the light of the world. ' Mat v. 14. Therefore the 
 saints are the Saviour of the world, seeing Christ 
 also doth call himself the light of the world, Jn. yiii. 
 13. or because the moon hath, or is light, therefore 
 the moon is the sun. This is but sophistical argu- 
 ing, and doth beget most damnable errors and 
 heresies in the world ; but this is the way that 
 they take, to entangle poor souls with their sad 
 and erroneous doctrine, see page 22 of his book, 
 lines 12 and 13. They say, that it must be Christ 
 within them, that must within them work out justi- 
 fication for them ; when it is evident from the 
 whole current of scripture, that the Son of Mary 
 was delivered to be crucified for our oiFences, and 
 his resurrection, through faith in it, is our jus- 
 tification; as all along, through grace, I have 
 declared and cleared. And the work that the 
 Spirit doth in point of justification, is, to shew us 
 what the Son of Mary hath done and sufiered in 
 his own body on the tree, and is now doing in the 
 presence of his Father, in the highest heaven. 
 
 And to help us to apply this to our souls by 
 faith now, for a preservative against these and the 
 like delusions, observe, (1.) As 1 said before, all 
 have not the Spirit of Christ. Juaei9. Ep. u. 12. (2.) 
 That the law, with all our obedience to it, is not 
 able to save, or justify any poor soul. Ro. ffi. 20. For 
 by the works of the law shall no flesh hving be 
 justified, though it gives the knowledge of sin. 
 (3.) That there is none other way to be justified in 
 the sight of God, but by laying hold of what the 
 Son of Mary (Jesus) did do and suifer in his own 
 person, when he was in the world. For it is by 
 him (and what he hath done in his own person 
 by himself. He. i. 3.) that any man is justified from 
 his sins, and the wrath of God due to the same, 
 by believing that his blood was shed for their sins; 
 as it is written, ' With his stripes we are healed,' 
 Is. liii. 5. as if their own blood had been shed for 
 their own sins ; and that his righteousness is theirs 
 by imputation, as if they themselves had actually 
 fulfilled all the law of God for their own justifica- 
 tion. Eo. X. 4. 
 
 Second, The second thing is, who are they that 
 are carried away with this delusion, and why? 
 
 1. Not one of God's elect whom he foreknew, 
 shall be utterly destroyed thereby ; (I do not say 
 they shall not be led away for a time ; but they 
 shall not be utterly destroyed) for they are kept 
 by the mighty power of God through faith unto 
 salvation. But they are such as are not indeed 
 the elect of God, nor chosen in Christ before the 
 
 world began. Though Hymeneus and Philetus 
 fall away, and overthrow the faith of some, yet 
 ' the foundation of God stands sure, having this 
 seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.' 
 
 2 Ti. ii. 17—19. 
 
 2. They are such as in time past, for the gene- 
 rality of them were either but light, frothy profes- 
 sors, or else were shaken in their principles, and 
 unstable therein, as saith the scriptures, They that 
 are deceivers do beguile unstable souls. Or if 
 they were such as were in appearance sober and 
 serious in the account of others, it was either from 
 those convictions they had from the law, or else 
 from high notions they had of the gospel ; which 
 have both such influence at some time on the soul 
 (though not savingly) that the soul will go very 
 far in obedience to them ; as for example, Herod 
 who was an enemy to the truth, yet for a time 
 had such heart-workings, being convinced by the 
 preaching of John the Baptist, that he feared him, 
 and observed him, and when he heard him, he did 
 many things, and heard him gladly. Mar. vi. 20. 
 
 Now the reason why such people are carried 
 away with such heresies as these, or the like, is, 
 
 (1.) That as they were not of the elect of God, 
 so God by sufiering them to be carried away finally, 
 may make it appear, that they were not of his 
 elect. They went out from us, but they were not 
 of us : for if they had been of us, they would no 
 doubt have continued with us. But they went out 
 from us, that it might be made manifest (or that 
 men might see) that they were not aU of us. 
 
 1 Jn. ii. 19. 
 
 (2.) Beca>4se God will not have his church so 
 disturbed always with such as are not of the truth. 
 Now there are some men that have their time to 
 walk with the church of God by permission, and 
 these men are ever and anon ready to broach their 
 errors, even while they are among the saints, to 
 their trouble. Now God having a care of his 
 church, hath a time to suffer the devil to run 
 through the world with some erroneous doctrine 
 or other, which when these men taste, being 
 spirited beforehand for that purpose, do presently 
 close in with the same, to the purifying of the 
 church, and the manifestation of themselves. And 
 thus every branch wliich the Lord's right hand 
 hath not planted, shall and must have a time to he 
 rooted up. Mat. xv. 13. 
 
 (3.) Because others that are of the right graffing 
 in, may notwithstanding not presume but fear, lest 
 they also fall through the same example of others 
 who are already fallen, or may fall hereafter,, 
 
 He. iT. 1, 2, 11. 
 
 (4.) Because others may see, that it is not by 
 their own strength that they do stand, but freely 
 by the grace of God, and his power and love to- 
 wards them in the Lord Jesus Christ. God hath 
 
A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 213 
 
 chosen some before the foundation of the world. 
 Now to manifest this, though they are even as 
 bad as the worst by nature, yet I say, because 
 God will shew his power and his love, he doth pre- 
 serve some to eternal life, though others fall into 
 eternal damnation. Of all that thou hast given 
 me, saith Christ, have I lost none but the son of 
 perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. 
 Jn. xvii. 13. Many other reasons might be given why 
 these things must and shall be ; but I rather 
 choose to forbear. Only thus much I have spoken, 
 because I know it is my duty to speak a few words 
 unto you, that you may either close in with the 
 truth, or else the more clearly be left without 
 excuse at the great day. 
 
 Third. The third and last tjiing, is the way that 
 Satan takes to make those delusions take place in 
 the soul. 
 
 Now the way whereby he makes these or any 
 other delusions to take place in the soul, is, 1. to 
 persuade the soul that they are the truth ; and 2. 
 to stir up in the soul an enmity to any thing or 
 person that shall declare the contrary. 
 
 1. They are given over to believe a lie ; that is, 
 to believe false doctrine to be the doctrine of God 
 and of Christ. And that he might bring this to 
 pass, he goeth about to change the names of 
 things ; and because the law, conscience, and 
 nature itself can convince of sin, therefore he caU- 
 eth them Christ, or the light of Christ ; saying to 
 a natural man, one tliat is not yet converted, 
 ' Mind the light within you. ' If they ask what 
 light ? say they, That which doth convince of sin. 
 If they farther ask, why, what is that ? They say, 
 ' It is the light of Christ, the hght of life, or Christ 
 within. ' 
 
 Now these things are nothing else but conscience, 
 nature, or the law, for a natural man hath nothing 
 else that dweUeth within him to convince him of 
 sin ; only these things have a new name put upon 
 them. And poor creatures hearing the name 
 Christ, being ignorant of the nature of Christ, do 
 presently close in with these things, supposing, 
 nay, verily believing that these are the Spirit of 
 Christ. Which things being thus received, if at 
 any time one come and oppose them, and teU them 
 that it is an error that they have taken up, to 
 think that that which is in an unregenerate man 
 is the Spirit of Christ, and contrarywise telleth 
 them plainly, that it is but their own conscience 
 that doth convince them, or the law written in their 
 hearts by nature. Nay, say they, it is the light 
 of Christ in the conscience, when there is no scrip- 
 ture hath any such manner of expressions, only a 
 fancy of their own, taken up without ground from 
 the word. 
 
 2. But the soul being possessed with this doctrine, 
 presently its heart riseth against anything that 
 
 doth contradict it, and is filled with a secret enmity 
 against it. Now the way that Satan takes to 
 bring this about, is to persuade poor souls, that all 
 these thoughts that do any wise contradict the 
 principles received, is but a temptation of the 
 devil. And if at any time there be the doctrine 
 of Jesus held forth in truth, his death, burial, 
 resurrection, ascension, and intercession ; now 
 without in the presence of his Father for sinners, 
 and that there is salvation nowhere else but in the 
 merits of thd firstborn of Mary, which is Jesus 
 Christ, without the works of the law, Eo. iii. 38. Pre- 
 sently with envy they are enraged and cry, ' Dost 
 thou not know that every man hath a measure of 
 the Spirit given to him ? Follow that, Usten to 
 that, tm-n thy mind to that, and walk in the light 
 of that.' When alas, there is no such thing as 
 the Spirit of Christ in every man, as I said, and 
 proved before at large ; only the devil hath gotten 
 this way to call conscience Christ, the law Christ; 
 and hereby to entangle the soul with the name of 
 a thing, without the thing itself. 
 
 But now the soul is set down in its principles, 
 and he that doth any way confute that spirit, pre- 
 sently it falls a raging, and cries out, serpent. Mar, 
 wolf, dragon, devil, be silent with thy serpentine 
 wisdom, and smoke of the bottomless pit. Now in 
 this the devil is wonderfully- cunning ; for least he 
 should indeed be discovered, he doth set the face 
 hard against the truth, and counteth it such a 
 deadly enemy, that he will not, cannot bear it ; 
 but lets fly against it all the hellish words and 
 madness he can : And now he begins first to cry, 
 avoid Satan. All which is only to harden him in 
 whom he doth dwell, more and more against the 
 truth. Now he doth also harden souls in delu- 
 sions, by presenting the ugly and base conversa- 
 tions of a company of covetous wretches, who do 
 profess themselves to be the ministers of the gospel, 
 but are not ; now poor creatures being shaking and 
 doubtful what way to take, seeing the conversation 
 of these men to be wicked, and the doctrine of 
 these deluders covered with a seeming holiness ; 
 they presently embrace it, saying, surely these 
 men are in the right way; they cry down the 
 priests, whose lives we also see to be profane, they 
 are very strict in their ways, and if such be not 
 good men, who are ? But yet that which is most 
 taking is (through the corruption and pride that is 
 naturally in the heart of man) these men propose 
 such a way to salvation, as is in the compass of a 
 man's own ability, even works of righteousness 
 done by him, which is very agreeable to man's 
 nature, which would willingly be saved, but would 
 not be altogether beholden to God for it: and 
 these works not being wrought by the priests or 
 national ministers, but by the other, though in 
 opposition to the righteousness of Christ, the 
 
214 
 
 A VINDICATION OF GOSPEL TRUTHS. 
 
 Messias God-man, poor souls not only suck in these 
 erroneous principles, but are hardened in them 
 against the doctrine of God and his Son Jesus 
 Christ, by their ungodly conversation ; and thus 
 dishonour the Son of God. But come brethren, 
 let us be patient, stablish our hearts, wait but a 
 while, and I doubt not but you wiU see that those 
 who dishonour our Jesus shall soon be brought 
 down, both Ranters, Quakers, priests, and people 
 also, that shall continue in opposing him either in 
 doctrine or practice ; for our God hath said, ' Ah ! 
 I wiU ease me of my adversaries. ' 
 
 Now, a few words more to those who do believe 
 in Christ aright, and lay him for their foundation. 
 
 First, Bless God that you are not carried away 
 with the delusions that are on foot in this genera- 
 tion. Secondly, See that you are labourers after 
 a more experimental knowledge of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; fly more to his birth, death, blood, resur- 
 rection, ascension and intercession ; and fetch 
 refreshing for your soids more and more from him 
 without, through the operation of his Spirit within ; 
 
 and though the fruits of the Spirit be excellent, 
 and to be owned where they are found ; yet have a 
 care you take not away the glory of the blood of 
 Christ shed on the cross without the gates of Jeru- 
 salem, and give it them ; which you will do, if 
 you do content yourselves, and satisfy your con- 
 sciences with this ; that you find the fruits of the 
 Spirit within you, and do not go for peace and 
 consolation of conscience to the blood of Jesus shed 
 on the cross. 
 
 Therefore learn of the saints, or rather of the 
 Spirit, Ee. V. 9. who teacheth to sing this song, ' Thou 
 art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals 
 thereof, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us 
 to God by thy blood. ' 
 
 And as for you that cannot yet well endure to 
 think you should be justified by the blood of the 
 Son of Mary shed on the cross without the gate, I 
 say to you, ' Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and 
 ye perish /roOT the way, when his wrath is kindled 
 hut a little. Blessed are all they that put their 
 trust in him.' Ps. ii. la. 
 
A DISCOUESE 
 
 uroN 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN; 
 
 ITHEEEIN SEYEKAL 
 
 GREAT AND WEIGHTY THINGS ARE HANDLED: 
 
 AS, THE NATURE OF PRATER, AND OF OBEDIENCE TO TIIE LAW, WITH HOW FAR IT OBLIGES 
 CHRISTIANS, AND WHEREIN IT CONSISTS. 
 
 WRtREIN IS AUO STIEWBD, 
 
 THE EaUAXLT DEPLORABLE CONDITION OE THE PHARISEE, OR HYPOCRITICAL AND SELF-RIGHTEOUS MAN ; AND 07 THE PUBLICAN, OB 
 
 SIHHEE THAT LIVES IN SIN, AND IN OPEN VIOLATION OP THE DIVINE LAWS. TOGETHER WITH THE WAY AND MEIUOU 
 
 OF god's free GRACE IN PARDONING PENITENT SINNERS ; PROVING THAT HE JUSTIFIES THEM BY 
 
 IMPUTING CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS TO THEM. 
 
 By JOHN BXJNYAN, author op the Pilgrim's Progress. 
 
 [The first edition is neatly printed in foolscap duodecimo, and euds on page 202. It is embellished with a frontispiece, the 
 upper half a view of the Temide with the publican and pharisee, under which is a verse; — 
 
 Fee how ye piiarisee in the Temple stands 
 Anil justifies himself witli lifted hands 
 Whilst y poor publican uitli do^vncast eyes 
 Conseious of guilt to God for mercy (tries. 
 
 The lower half is occupied with the Vera efBgies Johanis Bunyan, Mt. sae 57. It is a small circle, apparently copied from 
 the portrait by White, prefixed to the Holy War.] 
 
 ADVEETISEMENT BY THE EDITOE. 
 
 This important treatise unvails, in few but telling 
 words, the nature of prayer, about which mankind 
 has made most awful mistakes. Multitudes con- 
 ceive that the heart-searching God can be influ- 
 enced and propitiated by eloquent words and forms 
 of prayer ; whilst the few, who are taught by the 
 Holy Spirit, feel and know that the ardent desire, 
 the aspirations, the fervent wishes of the mind, can 
 alone be accepted by the Eternal ; and even then 
 only through the merits of the Redeemer. 
 
 The first edition appeared in 1635, and it soon 
 became a very popular book. The use and applica- 
 tion announced at the end do not appear to have been 
 published, unless the author meant one of his later 
 productions to answer that purpose. The twelfth 
 edition has no date on the title page ; to it is added 
 Bunyan's last Sermon, and his dying sayings, — 
 'Licensed, Sept. 10th, 1688;' but this announce- 
 ment had been probably continued from some earlier 
 edition. The number of cheap reprints of this 
 little volume may account, in some measure, for 
 the amazing errors which crept in and deformed 
 the book; for with the exception of 'Grace 
 Abounding,' ' The Pilgrim,' and ' The Holy War,' 
 few books have been so carelessly and disgracefully 
 printed. Por more than a century Bunyan has 
 been represented as saying, 'How did God deal 
 with sinners before his righteousness was actually 
 in being,' (p. 255). In fact, no reader can con- 
 
 ceive the mutilated state in which this valuable 
 treatise has been published, unless by actual com- 
 parison with those printed before the author's 
 decease. Some considerable omissions, doubtless, 
 arose from political causes. Bunyan died very 
 shortly before the glorious revolution in 1688, — 
 and in drawing a faithful portrait of a publican or 
 tax gatherer, he supposed the country to be con- 
 quered by a foreign power. ' Would it not be an 
 insufferable thing ? yea, did not that man deserve 
 hanging ten times over, that should, being a Dutdir- 
 man, fall in with a French invader, and farm at 
 his hands, those cruel and grievous taxations, which 
 he, in barbarous wise, should at his conquest lay 
 upon them ; and exact and force them to be paid 
 with an over, and above of what is appointed.' 
 He goes on to argue, that if this would be a severe 
 trial at the hand of a foreigner, how much more 
 oppressive would it appear if exercised by a fellow- 
 countryman. ' If these things are intolerable, 
 what shall we think of such men as shall join to 
 all this compliance with a foreign prince, to rob 
 the church of God ? yea, that shall become a man 
 in power under them, to wring out of the hand of 
 a brother, his estate ; yea, his bread and liveli- 
 hood. ' These paragraphs, and much more, were 
 omitted, probably, from a fear of giving offence to 
 the new government, and, until the present edition, 
 they had not been restored. In Bunyan's time, 
 
216 
 
 TO THE EEADEE. 
 
 severe and awful persecutions fell upon tlie church 
 of God in England, and he must have felt the 
 utmost compassion, mingled with deep abhorrence, 
 for those emissaries of Satan, the Informers, who 
 plundered mercilessly all who refused obedience to 
 the order of common prayer. These men, aided 
 by fanatic justices and clergymen, reduced many 
 pious families to the severest sufferings, while 
 thousands fled to the wilds of America for that 
 refuge among men called savages, which was 
 denied them by their much more savage country- 
 men. It is distressing to read the narrative, pub- 
 lished in 1670, of those proceedings in Bedford, 
 while Bunyan was an inmate in its jail. The 
 porters, charged to assist in carrying off the peo- 
 ple's goods, ran away, saying, that ' they would be 
 hanged, drawn, and quartered, before they would 
 assist in that work ; ' two of them were sent to 
 gaol for thus refusing to aid in this severe enforce- 
 ment of impious laws. This populous town ' was 
 so thin of people that it looked more like a country 
 village than a corporation; and the shops being 
 generally shut down, it seemed like a place visited 
 with the pest, where usually is written upon the 
 door — Lord, have mercy upon us.' When in the 
 presence of the justice the officers took all his 
 goods from Thomas Arthur, he appealed to the 
 humane feelings of the magistrate on behalf of his 
 children, — ' Sir, shall my children starve,' to which 
 he replied, ' yes, your children shall starve. ' AU 
 these bitter sufferings were inflicted for worshipping 
 God according to the directions of his holy word. 
 Can we wonder then that Bunyan uses hard words. 
 He felt that state hierarchies were anti-christian ; 
 their fruit declared that those who supported them 
 by such cruelties were aliens and enemies to the 
 church of Christ. 
 
 As a theological treatise, this of the Pharisee 
 and Publican is invaluable. It is clear and per- 
 fectly intelligible to every candid and prayerful 
 inquirer. When our author is proving the impos- 
 sibility of a sinner's recommending himself to the 
 divme favour by any imperfect good works of his 
 
 own, he draws a vivid picture, (p. 239, 240). A lord 
 invites his friends to a sumptous banquet, the pro- 
 vision is bountiful and in rich abundance, when 
 some of the guests take a few moiddy crusts out 
 of their pockets and lay them on their plates, lest 
 the prince had not provided a sufficient repast for 
 his friends ; ' would it not be a high affront to, a 
 great contempt of, and a distrust in, the goodness 
 of the Lord.' We are bound to produce good 
 works as a fruit of faith — a proof of love to him 
 that hath redeemed us, but not to recommend us 
 to his favour. The picture of such a feast drawn 
 by John Bunyan must make upon every reader a 
 deep, a lasting, an indelible impression. How 
 bitter and how true is the irony, when the Pharisee 
 is represented as saying, ' I came to thy feast out 
 of civility, but for thy dainties I need them not, I 
 have enough of my own ; I thank thee for thy 
 kindness, but I am not as those that stand in need 
 of thy provisions, nor yet as this Publican.' And 
 how excellent is the reasoning and the Christian 
 philosophy of that paragraph which was suppressed 
 after Bunyan's death, (p. 248). The language is 
 bold and striking, but it exhibits the unvarnished 
 truth ; an inward change of nature is the only 
 cause of good and acceptable works — good or evil 
 actions are but the evidences of our state by grace 
 or by nature — they do not work that change or 
 produce that state. It is a soul-humbling view of 
 our state of death by sin, or of life by the righte- 
 ousness and obedience of Christ. Bunyan's train 
 of reasoning on Ko. v. (p. 256) is worthy of our 
 profound consideration, — ' When we were enemies 
 we were reconciled to God by the death of his 
 Son.' What is a sinful man in himself, or in his 
 approach to God, but as stubble fully dry in the 
 presence of a consuming fire, unless he is washed 
 and cleansed by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. 
 
 May the glorified spirit of Bunyan rejoice among 
 the angels of heaven, over souls converted by the 
 instrumentality of this solemn and searching 
 treatise. 
 
 George Offob. 
 
 TO THE READER. 
 
 Courteous Reader, 
 I HATE made bold once again to present thee with 
 some of my meditations ; and they are now about 
 the Pharisee and tlie Publican : Two men in 
 whose condition the whole world is comprehended, 
 both as to their state now, and condition at the 
 judgment. 
 
 Wherefore in reading this little book thou must 
 needs read thyself. 1 do not say thou must under- 
 
 stand thy condition ; for it is the gift of God must 
 make thee do that. Howbeit, if God wiU bless il 
 to thee, it may be a means to bring thee to see 
 whose steps thou art treading, and so at whose 
 end thou art like to arrive. 
 
 And let me beg this at thy hand, now thou art 
 about to read ; reserve thy judgment or sentence 
 as to me, until thou hast passed through the dis- 
 course. 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 217 
 
 Justificalion is treated of here, and the way for 
 Men to be saved. 
 
 I hav6 also Pdblican here, as my skill hath 
 served me, for thy encouragement, set before thee 
 the Pharisee and the Publican in their colours, and 
 shewed thee, that though the Publican seemed to 
 be far behind, yet in running he got the prize from 
 
 the lofty Pharisee. I say, Art thuu a Pharisee ? 
 Here is a Pharisee for thee ! Art thou a Publi- 
 can ? Here is a Publican for thee ! 
 
 God give thee the Publican's heart, if thou art 
 in the Publican's sins, that thou mayest partake 
 with the Publican, of mercy. — So wisheth thy friend, 
 
 John Bunyan. 
 
 A DIS(X)UIISE UPON THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 
 
 ' TWO MEN WENT UP INTO THE TEMPLE TO PRAT ; THE 
 ONE A PHARISEE, AND THE OTHER A PUBLICAN : 
 THE PHARISEE STOOD AND PRAYED THUS WITH HIM- 
 SELF, GOD, I THANK THEE, THAT I AM NOT AS 
 OTHER MEN ARE, EXTORTIONERS, UNJUST, ADUL- 
 TERERS, OR EVEN AS THIS PUBLICAN. I FAST 
 TWICE IN THE WEEK, I GIVE TITHES OF ALL THAT I 
 POSSESS. AND THE PUBLICAN, STANDING AFAR OFF, 
 WOULD NOT LIFT UP SO MUCH AS HIS EYES UNTO 
 HEAVEN, BUT SMOTE UPON HIS BREAST, SAYING, 
 GOD BE MERCIFUL TO MB A SINNER.' LUKE XVIU. 
 10—13. 
 
 In the beginning of this chapter you read of the 
 reason of the parable of the unjust judge and the 
 poor widow ; namely, to encourage men to pray. 
 He spake a parable to this end, that men ought 
 always to pray and not to faint. And a most 
 sweet parable for that purpose it is : For if through 
 importunity, a poor widow-woman may prevail with 
 an unjust judge ; and so Consequently with an un- 
 merciful and hard-hearted tyrant ; how much more 
 shall the poor, afflicted, distressed, and tempted 
 people of God, prevail with, and obtain mercy at 
 the hands of a loving, just and merciful God ? The 
 unjust judge would not hearken to, nor regard, the 
 cry of the poor widow for a whUe: 'But after- 
 ward he said within himself, Though I fear not 
 God, nor regard man ; yet because this widow 
 ^ troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her con- 
 tinual coming she weary me. ' Hark, saith Christ, 
 'what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God 
 avenge his own elect, which cry day and night 
 unto him?' I tell you, that he wiU avenge them 
 speedily. 
 
 This is therefore a very comfortable parable to 
 . such of the saints, that are under hard usages by 
 , reason of evil men, their might, and tyranny. For 
 " by it we are taught to believe and expect, that 
 God, though for a while he seemeth not to regard, 
 ' yet will, in due time and season, arise and set such 
 , in safety from them that puff at them. Ps. xii. 5. 
 ** Let the good Christian pray always; let him 
 'pray and not faint at seeming delays; for if the 
 "widow by importunity prevailed with the unjust 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 judge, how much more shall he with his heavenly 
 Father. ' I tell you, {says Christ,) that he will 
 avenge them speedily.' 
 
 But now, forasmuch as this parable reacheth 
 hot (so directly) the poor publican in the text, 
 therefore our Lord begins again, and adds to that 
 another parable, this parable, which 1 have chosen 
 for my text. By the which he designeth two 
 things: First, The conviction of the proud and 
 self-conceited Pharisee. Secondly, The raising up 
 and healing of the cast down and dejected Public 
 can. And observe it, as by the first parable he 
 chiefly designeth the relief of those that are under 
 the hand of cruel tyrants : So by this he designeth 
 the relief of those that lie under the load and 
 burden of a guilty and a disquieted conscience. 
 
 This therefore is a parable that is full of singu- 
 lar comfort to such of the sinners in the world, that 
 are clogged with guilt, and a sense of sin ; and 
 that lie under the apprehensions of, and that are 
 driven to God by, the sense of the judgment, that 
 for sin is due unto them. 
 
 In my handling of this text, 1 shall have respect 
 to these things. 
 
 First, To the persons in the text. 
 
 Secondly, To the condition of the persons in the 
 text. 
 
 Thirdly, To the conclusion that Christ makes 
 upon them both. 
 
 Mrst, For the persons. They were, as you see, 
 far one from another in their own apprehension of 
 themselves ; one good, the other bad ; but yet in 
 the judgment of the law, both alike, both the same, 
 both sinners ; for they both stood in need of 
 merit.* True, the first mentioned did not see it, 
 as the other poor sinner did ; but that altereth not 
 the case. He that is in the judgment of the law 
 a sinner, is in the judgment of the law for sin con- 
 demned, though in his own judgment he be never so 
 righteous. 
 
 Men must not be judged, or justified, according 
 to what themselves do think, but according to the 
 
 * The word 'merit 
 author's death. — Ed. 
 
 wa3 changed for 'mercy' after the 
 2 E 
 
318 
 
 THE PHAKISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 verdict and sentence that cometh out of the mouth 
 of God about them.* Now the sentence of God is, 
 ' They are all under sin - - There is none righteous, 
 no, not one : ' Ko. m. 'Tis no matter then what the 
 Pharisee did think of himself, God by his word hath 
 proclaimed him a sinner. A sinner, by reason of 
 original sin. A sinner by reason of actual transgres- 
 sion. Personally therefore, with reference to the 
 true nature of their state, they both were sinners, 
 and both by the law under condemnation. True, 
 the Publican's leprosy was outward ; but the Phari- 
 see's leprosy was inward : his heart, his soul, his 
 spirit, was as foul, and had as much the plague 
 of sin, as had the other in his life or conversa- 
 tion. 
 
 Secondly, As to their condition. I do not mean 
 by condition, so much a habit of mind, as the state 
 that they had each of them put themselves into by 
 that mind. The one, says the text, was a Phari- 
 see, the other a Publican. A Pharisee : That is, 
 one that hath chosen to himself such a course of 
 Hfe. A Publican : That is, one that hath chosen 
 to himself such a course of life. These terms 
 therefore shew, the divers courses of life that they 
 had put themselves into. The Pharisee, as he 
 thought, had put himself into a condition for hea- 
 ven and glory; but the Pubhcan was for this 
 world, and his lusts. Wherefore when the Phari- 
 see stands in the temple, he boasteth of himself 
 and good condition ; but condemneth the Publican, 
 and bitterly inveigheth against him. But, as I 
 said, their personal state by the law, was not at 
 all changed. The Pharisee made himself never 
 the better ; the Pubhcan also abode in his place. 
 
 Indeed the Publican is here found to recant, and 
 repent of his condition ; of the condition that he 
 had put himself into; and the Pharisee to boast 
 of his: But the Publican's repentance was not of 
 himself, but of God ; who can also, yea, and some- 
 times it is evident, Ac. ix. he doth make Pharisees 
 also repent of that condition that they have chosen 
 to be in themselves. Phi. iii. 3—8. The Pharisee, 
 therefore in commending of himself, makes him- 
 self never the better. The Publican also, in con- 
 demning of himself, makes himself never the worse. 
 Nay, contrariwise, the Pharisee by commending 
 of himself makes himself much the worse [v. 14). 
 And the Publican, by condemning of himself, 
 makes himself much the better. ' I tell you, (says 
 Christ) This man went down to his house justified 
 rather than the other : Por every one that exalteth 
 himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth 
 himself shall be exalted.' 
 
 But, 1 say, as to men's commending of them- 
 selves, yea, though others should commend them 
 
 " ' Not he that commendeth liimself is approved, but whom 
 the Lord conameudeth.' 2 Cor. i. 18. 
 
 also, that availeth, to God ward, nothing at all. 
 ' For not he that commendeth himself is approved, 
 but whom the Lord commendeth.' So then, inen 
 in ' measuring themselves by themselves, and com- 
 paring themselves among themselves, are not wise.' 
 
 3 Co. X. 18, 13. 
 
 Now this was the way of the Pharisee, I am not, 
 saith he, as other men ; I am no extortioner, nor 
 unjust, no adulterer, nor yet as this Publican. 
 
 Two MEN WENT UP INTO THE TEMPLE TO PRAT. 
 
 And they two, as I said, as opposite one to the 
 other, as any two men that ever went thither to 
 pray. One of them was over righteous, and the 
 other wicked over much. Some would have 
 thought, had they not by the word of Christ been 
 otherwise described, that they had been both of 
 the same religion ; for they both went up into the 
 temple to pray; yea, both to pray, and that at 
 the same time, as if they did it by appointment, 
 by agreement, but there was no such thing. The 
 one was a Pharisee, the other a Publican ; for so 
 saith the after words : And therefore persons as 
 opposite as light and darkness, as fire and water; 
 I mean as to their apprehensions one of another. 
 The Pharisee could not abide the Pubhcan, nor 
 could the Publican brook the Pharisee, and yet 
 both went up into the temple to pray. It is strange 
 to see, and yet it is seen, that men cross in their 
 minds, cross in their principles, cross in their 
 apprehensions ; yea, and cross in their prayers 
 too, should yet meet together in the temple to 
 pray. 
 
 Two MEN, Men not of the middle sort, as afore 
 is shewed ; but two, and them too, picked out of 
 the best and worst that was : as shall now be a 
 little more largely handled. Two men, a Pharisee 
 and a Publican. 
 
 To be a Pharisee was in those days counted 
 honourable for religion, and for hoHness of life, 
 A Pharisee was a man of esteem and repute among 
 the Jews, though it is a term of reproach with ns. 
 Else Paul would not as he did, and at such a time 
 as he did it, have said, ' Men arid brethren, I am 
 a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee.' Acxmi. 6. Piii.E 
 6. For now he stood upon his purgation and justi- 
 fication, especially it appears so by the place first 
 named. And far be it from any to think, that 
 Paul would make use of a colour of wickedness, 
 to save, thereby, himself from the fury of the 
 people. 
 
 A Publican was in those days counted one of 
 the vilest of men, as is manifest ; because when 
 they are by the word, by way of discrimination, 
 made mention of, they are ranked with the most 
 vile and base. Therefore they are joined with 
 sinners. ' He eateth and drinketh with publicans 
 and sinners;' and with harlots. 'The publicans 
 and the harlots go into the kingdom of God.' Yea, 
 
THE PHAEISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 219 
 
 vlien our Lord Christ would have the rehellious 
 professor stigmatized to purpose, he saith : • Let 
 him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a 
 publican.' 
 
 We therefore can mate no judgment of men 
 upon the outward appearance of them. Who 
 would have thought, but that the Pharisee had 
 been a good man, tor he was righteous ; for he 
 prayed. And who could have thought, that the 
 other had been a good man ? For he was a Pub- 
 lican: A man, by good men, and bad men, joined 
 with the worst of men, to wit, with sinners, har- 
 lots, heathens. 
 
 The Pharisee was a sectarian; the Publican 
 was an officer. The Pharisee even because he 
 was a sectarian, was had the more in esteem ; and 
 the Publican because he was an officer, was had 
 the more in reproach. To speak a little to both 
 these. 
 
 The Pharisee was a sectarian, one that deviated, 
 that turned aside in his worshipping from the way 
 of God, both in matter and manner of worship ; 
 for such an one I count a sectarian. That he 
 turned aside from the matter, which is the rule of 
 worship, to wit, the written word, it is evident; 
 for Christ saith, That they rejected the command- 
 ments of God, and made them of no effect, that 
 they might keep their own traditions. Mar. vii. 9—14. 
 That they turned aside also as to their manner of 
 worship, and became sectarians there, is with no 
 less authority asserted ; For ' all their works they 
 do for tojbe seen of men.' Ac xxvi. 5. Mat. xxiii. 5. 
 
 Now this being none of the order or ordinance 
 of Christ, and yet being chose by, and stuck to of 
 these sort of men, and also made a singular and 
 necessary part of worship, became a sect, or bot- 
 tom for these hypocritical factious men to adhere 
 unto, and to make of others, disciples to them- 
 selves. And that they might be admired, and 
 rendered venerable by the simple people to their 
 fellows, they loved to go in long robes ; they loved 
 to pray m markets, and in the comers of the 
 streets ; they shewed great zeal for the small 
 things of the law, but had only great words for 
 t^hings that were substantial. ' They make broad 
 their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their 
 garments. ' Mat. xxiii. 5. 
 
 When I say the Pharisee was a sectarian, I do 
 
 not mean that every sectarian is a Pharisee. 
 
 There was the sect of the Herodians, and of the 
 
 , Alexandrians, of the Sadducees, with many others; 
 
 but to be a Pharisee, was to be of the straitest 
 
 sect ; After the most straitest sect of our religion 
 
 ' I lived a Pharisee ; that therefore of all the sects, 
 
 ' was the most strait and strict. Therefore, saith 
 
 ' he in another place, I was 'taught according to 
 
 I' the perfect manner of the law of the fathers. ' Ac. 
 
 r uii- 3; »ri. 4— 6. And again, 'Touching the law a 
 
 Pharisee.' Piii. ffi. 6. The Pharisees therefore did 
 carry the bell,* and did wear the garlaud for 
 religion ; for he out-did, he went beyond all other 
 sectarians in his day. Ho was the strictest, he 
 was the most zealous ; therefore Christ in his 
 making of this parable, waveth all other sects 
 then in being, and pitcheth upon the Pharisee as 
 the man most meet, by whose rejection he might 
 shew forth, and demonstrate the riches of his 
 mercy in its extension to sinners: 'Two men went 
 up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee.' 
 The one such a brave man as you have heard. 
 
 The Publican also went up thither to pray. 
 The Publican, I told you before, was an officer. 
 An officer that served the Romans and themselves 
 too ; for the Romans at that time were possessors 
 of the land of Jewry, the lot of Israel's inheritance, 
 and the Emperor Tiberius Cassar placed over that 
 land four governors, to wit, Pilate, Herod, Philip, 
 and Lysanias ; Lu iu. 1. all these were gentiles, 
 heathens, infidels ; and the Publicans were a sort 
 of inferior men, to whom was let out to farm, and 
 so men that were employed by these to gather up 
 the taxes and customs, that the heathens had laid 
 upon the Jews to be paid to the emperor. Lu. ii. 
 
 1; iiilS, 13. 
 
 But they were a generation of men that were 
 very injurious in the execution of their office. 
 They would exact and demand more than was due 
 of the people ; yea, and if their demands were 
 denied, they would falsely accuse those that so 
 denied them to the governor, and by false accusa- 
 tion obtain the money of the people, and so wickedly 
 enrich themselves. Lu. iu. 13 ; xk. 3, 8. This was there- 
 fore grievous to the Jews, who always counted 
 themselves a free people, and could never abide to 
 be in bondage to any. And this was something 
 of the reason, that they were so generally, by all 
 the Jews, counted so vile and base, and reckoned 
 among the worst of men, even as our informers 
 and bum bailiffs are with us at this day. 
 
 But that which heightened the spirit of the 
 people against them, and that made them so odious 
 and filthy in their eyes, was for that, at least so I 
 think, these Publicans were not, as the other 
 officers, aliens, heathens, and gentiles, but men of 
 their own nation, Jews, and so the brethren of 
 those that they so abused. Had they been gentiles, 
 it had not been to be wondered at ; that they 
 abused, accused and by false accusations peeled 
 and wasted the people ; for that cannot but be ex- 
 pected at the hands of aliens and strangers. 
 
 The PubUcan then was a Jew, a kind of a rene- 
 
 * ' Carry the bdi and wear the garland,' ajluding to our old 
 English races; the winner being rewarded with a silver bell, 
 and crowned with a garland: or to the morris dance, in which 
 the leader carried the garland and danced with bells fixed to 
 Ms diesi. — Ed. 
 
220 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 gade Jew, that through the love that he had to 
 unjust gains, fell off in his affections from his 
 hrethren, adhered to the Romans, and hecame a 
 kind of servant to them against their hrethren, 
 farming the heathenish taxations at the hand of 
 strangers, and exacting of them upon their 
 hrethren with much cruelty, falsehood, and ex- 
 tortion. And hence, as I said, it was, that to be 
 a Publican, was to be so odious a thing, so vile a 
 sinner, and so grievous a man in the eyes of the 
 Jews. And would it not be an insufferable thing? 
 Yea, did not that man deserve hanging ten times 
 over, that should, being a Dutchman, fall in with 
 a French invader, and take place or farm at his 
 hands, those cruel and grievous taxations, which 
 he in barbarous wise should at his conquest lay 
 upon them ; and exact and force them to be paid 
 him with an over and above of what is appointed.* 
 Why this was the Publican, he was a Jew, and so 
 should have abode with them, and have been con- 
 tent to share with his brethren in their calamities ; 
 but contrary to nature, to law, to religion, reason, 
 and honesty, he fell in with the heathen, and took 
 the advantage of their tyranny, to pole, to peel,+ 
 to rob and impoverish his brethren. 
 
 But for proof that the Publican was a Jew. 
 
 1. They are, even then, when compared with, 
 yet distinguished from the heathen ; Let him he to 
 thee as an heathen man and a Pvhlicam, Mat, xviii. 
 which two terms, I think, must not here be apphed 
 to one and the self-same man, as if the heathen 
 was a Publican, or the Publican a heathen, but 
 to men of two distinct nations ; aa that Publican 
 and Harlot, is to be understood of sinners of both 
 sexes. The Publican is not an harlot, for he is a 
 man, &c. and such a man as has been described 
 before. So by PubUoans and Sinners, is meant 
 Publicans, and such sinners as the Gentiles were ; 
 or such as, by the text, the Pubhcan is distin- 
 guished from : Where the Pharisee saith he was 
 not an extortioner, unjust, adulterer, or even as 
 
 * The glorious revolution, conducted by William, Prince of 
 Orange, afterwards King 'William the 3rd, took place soon 
 after Bunyan'a decease. It was probably on this account that 
 this paragraph was omitted &om the edition of September, 
 1688, and all the subsequent ones to the present time. The 
 popular opinion, in those times, was, that Dutchman and 
 extortioner were nearly synonyinous. 
 
 'We trade wid de Yankcy, we deal wid de Scot. 
 
 And clieaten de tain and de teither: 
 We cheaten de Jew, aye and better dan dat, 
 We cheaten well ein aniether.' OU Song. 
 
 t 'To pole, to peel,' to take off the top and branches of a 
 tree, and then to peel off the bark; terms used to designate 
 violent oppressions under pretended legal authority. ' Which 
 pols and pils the poor in piteous wise.' Fair;/ Queen. ' Pilling 
 and polling is grown out of request, since plain pilfering came 
 into fashion.' Winwood's Memorials. ' Tley had rather pUl 
 straws than read the scriptures.' Bent's Falhway. — Ed, 
 
 this Publican. Nor can he by Heathen Man, 
 intend the person, and by the term Publican, the 
 ofSce or place of the heathen man ; but by Pubh- 
 can is meant the renegade Jew, in such a place, 
 (fee. as is yet further manifest by that which follows. 
 For, 
 
 3. Those Publicans, even every one of them 
 that by name are made mention of in the New 
 Testament, have such names put upon them ; yea, 
 and other circumstances thereunto annexed, as 
 doth demonstrate them to be Jews. I remember 
 the names of no more but three, to wit, Matthew, 
 Levi, and Zaccheus, and they were all Jews. 
 
 (1.) Matthew was a Zes^, and the same Matthew- 
 was a Publican ; yea, and also afterward an apostle. 
 He was a Jew, and wrote his gospel in Hebrew; 
 He was an apostle, and is therefore found amono' 
 the twelve. That he was a Publican too, is as 
 evident by his own words : For though Mark and 
 Luke in their mentioning of his name and apostle- 
 ship, do forbear to call him a Publican. (M«. ia. m 
 Lu. Ti. 16. ) Yet when this Matthew comes to speak 
 of himself, he calls himself Matthew the Publican, 
 Mat. X. 3. for I count this the self-same Matthew 
 that Mark and Luke maketh mention of, because 
 I find no other Matthew among the apostles but 
 he : Matthew the Publican, Matthew the man so 
 deep in apostaey, Matthew the man of that iU 
 fame among his brethren. Love in Mark and 
 Luke, when they counted him among the apostles, 
 did cover with silence this his publican state ; and 
 it is meet for Peter to call Paul his beloved brother, 
 when Paul himself shall call himself the chief of 
 sinners ; but faithfulness to the world, and a desire 
 to be abased, that Christ thereby, and grace by 
 him, might be advanced, made Matthew, in his 
 evangelical writings, call himself by the name of 
 Matthew the Pubhcan. Nor has he lost thereby; 
 for Christ again to exalt him, as he hath also 
 done by the apostle Paul, hath set, by his special 
 providence, the testimony that this Matthew hath 
 given of his birth, life, death, doctrine, andmiraqles, 
 in the front of all the New Testament. 
 
 (2.) The next Publican that I find by the testa- 
 ment of Christ, made mention of by name, is Levi, 
 another of the apostles of Jesus Christ. This 
 Levi also, by the Holy Ghost in holy writ, ia 
 called by the name of James. Not J^mes the 
 brother of John, for Zebedee was his father; but 
 James the son of Alpheus. Now I take this Levi 
 also to be another than Matthew ; first, because 
 Matthew is not called the son of Alpheus; and 
 because Matthew and Levi, or James the son of 
 Alpheus, are distinctly counted where the nanws 
 of the apostles are mentioned. Mat. x. 3. for two 
 distinct persons : And that this Levi, or James the 
 apostle was a Publican, as was the apostle Matthew, 
 whom we mentioned before, is evident; for both 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 221 
 
 Mark and Luke do count him such, Fh-st, Mark 
 saith, Christ found him when he called him, as he 
 also found Matthew, sitting at the receipt of cus- 
 tom ; yea, Luke words it thus : ' He went forth, 
 and saw a puhlican, named Levi, sitting at the 
 receipt of custom : and he said unto him, Follow 
 me. ' Mar. a. U. Lb. t. 27. 
 
 Now that this Levi, or James the son of Alpheus, 
 was a Jew, his name doth well make manifest. Be- 
 sides, had there heen among the apostles any more 
 Gentiles save Simon the Canaanite ; or if this Levi 
 James had heen [one] here, I think the Holy Ghost 
 would, to distinguish him, have included him in 
 the same discriminating character as he did the 
 other, when he called him Simon the Canaanite. 
 
 Mat. X. i. 
 
 Matthew, therefore, and Levi or James, were 
 both Puhlicans, and, as I think, called both at the 
 same time ;* were both Publican-Jews, and made 
 by grace the apostles of Jesus Christ. 
 
 (3.) The next Puhlican that I find by name, 
 made mention of in the testament of Christ, is one 
 Zaccheus. And he was a chief Publican ; yea, 
 for ought I know, the master of them all. ' There 
 was a man, (saith Luke,) named Zaccheus, which 
 was the chief among the Publicans, and he was 
 rich. ' Lu. xir. 2. This man, Christ saith, was a son 
 of Abraham, that is, as other Jews were ; for he 
 spake that to stop the mouths of their pharisaical 
 cavillations. Besides, the Puhhcan shewed him- 
 self to be such an one, when under a supposition 
 of wronging any man, he has respect to the Jew- 
 ish law of restoring four-fold. Ex. xxU. l. 2 Sa. xii. 6. 
 
 It is further manifest that he was a Jew, because 
 Christ puts him among the lost ; to wit, among the 
 lost sheep of the house of Israel, Ln. xix. 8— lo. and 
 Mat. XV. 34. for Zaccheus was one that might properly 
 be said to be lost, and that in the Jews account : 
 Lost I say, and that not only in the most common 
 sense, by reason of transgression against the law, 
 but for that he was an apostate Jew ; not with re- 
 ference to heathenish religion, but as to heathen- 
 ish, cruel, and barbarous actions ; and therefore he 
 was, as the other, by his brethren counted as bad 
 as heathens, gentiles, and harlots. But salva- 
 tion is come to this house, saith Christ, and that 
 notwithstanding his Publican practices, forasmuch 
 as he also is the son of Abraham. 
 
 3. Again, Christ by the parable of the lost sheep, 
 doth plainly intimate, that the Publican was a Jew. 
 ' Then drew near unto him all the Publicans and 
 sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and 
 
 * Immediately after the calling of Matthew and of James, 
 our liOrd sat at meat in levi's [James!] house, and made that 
 gracious declaration, ' I am not come to call the righteous hut 
 sinners to repentance;' compare Matt. ix. 10 — 13, with Mark 
 a. 14—17 and Luke f. 37—33 — Lu. 
 
 Scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sin- 
 ners, and eateth with theni.' Lu. xv. 1,2. 
 
 But by what answer doth Christ repel their ob- 
 jections? Why, he saith, 'What man of you, hav- 
 ing an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth 
 not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and 
 go after Ihat which is lost until he find it?' Doth 
 he not here, by the lost sheep, mean the poor Pub- 
 lican ? Plenty of whom, while he preached this 
 sermon, were there, as objects of the Pharisees' 
 scorn; but of the pity and compassion of Jesus 
 Christ ! he did without doubt mean them. For, 
 pray, what was the flock, and who Christ's sheep 
 under the law, but the house and people of Israel? 
 Exe. xxxiT. 30, 81. So then, who could be the lost sheep 
 of the house of Israel, but such as was Matthew, 
 James, Zaccheus, and their companions in their, 
 and such like transgressions. 
 
 4. Besides, had not the Publicans been of the 
 Jews, how easy had it been for the Pharisees to 
 have objected, that an impertinency was couched 
 in that most excellent parable of the lost sheep ? 
 They might have said, We are offended, because 
 thou receivest the Publicans, and thou for vindica- 
 tion of thy practice, propoundest a parable of lost 
 sheep ; but they are the sinners of the house of 
 Israel, and the Publicans are aliens and Gentiles. 
 I say, How easily might they thus have objected? 
 But they knew full well, that the parable was per- 
 tinent, for that the Publicans were of the Jews, 
 and not of the aliens. Yea, had they not been 
 Jews, it cannot, it must not be thought, that Christ, 
 in sum, should call them so ; and yet he did do so, 
 when he called them lost sheep. 
 
 Now that these Publicans were Jews, what fol- 
 lows, but that for this they were a great deal the 
 more abominated of their brethren. And, as I 
 have also hinted before, it is no marvel though 
 they were ; for a treacherous brother is worse than 
 an open enemy. Pa. Ir. 12, 13. For, if to be debauched 
 in open and common transgressions is odious, how 
 odious is it for a brother to be so ? For a brother 
 in nature and religion to be so ? I say again, if 
 these things are intolerable, what shall we think of 
 such men, as shall join to all this compliance with 
 a foreign prince to rob the church of God ? Yea, 
 that shall become a tenant, an officer, a man in 
 power under them, to exact, force, and wring out 
 of the hand of a brother his estate ; yea, his bread 
 and livelihood. Add to all this, What shall wo 
 say to him that shall do for an enemy against a 
 brother in a way of injury and wrong, more than 
 in strictness of law they were commanded by that 
 same enemy to do? And yet all this they did, as 
 both John insinuates, and Zaccheus oonfesses.t 
 
 t Nearly half this paragraph is omitted from every edition 
 since 1688, probably from a fear lest it should be misiuter-. 
 
222 
 
 THE PHAEISBE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 The Pharisee therefore was not so good, but the 
 Publican was as bad : Indeed, the Publican was a 
 notorious wretch, one that had a way of trans- 
 gressing by himself ; one that could not be suffi- 
 ciently condemned by the Jews, nor coupled with 
 a viler than himself. 'Tis true, you find him here 
 in the temple at prayer ; not because he retained 
 in his apostacy, conscience of the true religion, but 
 God had awakened him, shewn him his sin, and 
 bestowed upon him the grace of repentance, by 
 which he was not only fetched back to the temple, 
 and prayer, but to his God, and to the salvation 
 of his soul. 
 
 The Pharisee, then, was a man of another com- 
 plexion, and stood as to his own thoughts of him- 
 self ; yea, and in the thoughts of others also, upon 
 the highest and better ground by far. The Publi- 
 can was a notorious sinner; the Pharisee was a 
 notorious righteous man. The Publican was a 
 sinner out of the ordinary way of sinning ; and the 
 Pharisee was a man for righteousness in a singular 
 way also. The Publican pursued his villanies, and 
 the Pharisee pursued his righteousness ; and yet 
 they both meet in the temple to pray. Yea, the 
 Pharisee stuck to, and boasted in the law of God; 
 but the Publican did forsake it, and hardened his 
 heart against his way and people. 
 
 Thus diverse were they in their appearances ; 
 the Pharisee, very good ; the Publican, very bad. 
 But as to the law of God, which looked upon them 
 with reference to the state of their spirits, and the 
 nature of their actions, by that they were both 
 found sinners ; the Publican an open outside one, 
 and the Pharisee a filthy inside one. This is evi- 
 dent, because the best of them was rejected, and 
 the worst of them was received to mercy. Mercy 
 standeth not at the Publican's badness, nor is it 
 enamoured with the Pharisee's goodness : It suf- 
 fereth not the law to take place on both, though it 
 findeth them both in sin, but graciously embraceth 
 the most unworthy, and leaveth the best to shift 
 for himself. And good reason that both should 
 be dealt with after this manner ; to wit, that the 
 word of grace should be justified upon the soul of 
 the penitent, and that the other should stand or 
 fall to that, which he had chosen to be his master. 
 
 There are three things that follow upon this 
 discourse. 
 
 [Conclusion.] 1. That the righteousness of man 
 is not of any esteem with God, as to Justification. 
 It is passed by as a thing of naughtiness, a thing 
 not worth the taking notice of. There was not so 
 much as notice taken of the Pharisee's person, or 
 prayer, because he came into the temple mantled 
 up in his own good things. 
 
 preted as reflecting upon the glorioos revolution under "William 
 and Mary. See page 220.— Ed. 
 
 [Conclusion.] 2. That the man that has nothing 
 to commend him to God, but his own good doings, 
 shall never be in favour with him. This also is 
 evident from the text : The Pharisee had his own 
 righteousness, but had nothing else to commend 
 him to God ; and therefore could not by that obtain 
 favour with God, but abode still a rejected one, and 
 in a state of condemnation. 
 
 [Conclusion.] 3. Wherefore, though we are bound 
 by the law of charity to judge of men, according 
 as in appearance they present themselves unto us: 
 yet withal, to wit, though We do so judge, we must 
 leave room for the judgment of God. Mercy may 
 receive him that we have doomed to hell, and jus- 
 tice may take hold on him, whom we have judged ' 
 to be bound up in the bundle of life. And both 
 these things are apparent by the persons under 
 consideration. 
 
 We, like Joseph, are for setting of Manasseh 
 before Ephraim; but God, like Jacob, puts his 
 hands across, and lays his right hand upon the 
 worst man's head, and his left hand upon the best, 
 to the amazement and wonderment even of the best 
 of men. Ge. xlriii. 14. 
 
 [THE PHARISEE'S PRAYER.] 
 
 ' Two men went up into the temple to pray; the 
 one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican. The 
 Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, 
 I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, ex- 
 tortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Pub- 
 lican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of 
 all that I possess.'* 
 
 In these words many things are worth the not- 
 ing. As, 
 
 FIRST. The Pharisee's definition of eighte- 
 OUSNESS ; the which standeth in two things: 1. In 
 negatives. 2. In positives. 
 
 In negatives ; to wit, what a man that is righ- 
 teous must not be ; I am no extortioner, no unjust 
 man, no adulterer, nor yet as this publican. 
 
 In positives ; to wit, what a man that is righ- 
 teous must be : I fast twice a week, I give tithes 
 of all that I possess, &c. 
 
 That righteousness standeth in negative and 
 positive holiness is true ; but that the Pharisee's 
 definition is, notwithstanding, false, will be mani- 
 fest by and by. But I will first treat of righteous- 
 ness in the general, because the text leadeth mo 
 to it. 
 
 First then, A Man that is righteous, must have 
 negative holiness; that is, he must not live in actual 
 
 * This proud beggar shews not his wounds but his worth; 
 not his rags, but his robes; not his misery, but his stout-' 
 heartedness : he brings in God Almighty as a debtor to him 
 for his services, and thanks God more that others were bad, 
 than for his own fancied goodness. — Ri/land. 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 23a 
 
 transgressions : He must not be an extortioner, 
 unjust, an adulterer, or, as the Publican was. 
 And this the apostle intends, when he saith, ' Flee 
 fornication, 3 Ti. ii. 33. flee also youthful lusts, i Co. vi. 18. 
 flee from idolatry,' iCo. x. 14 and 'Little children, 
 keep yourselves from idols. ' i Jn. v. 21. , For it is a 
 vain thing to talk of righteousness, and that our- 
 selves are righteous, when every observer shall find 
 us in actual transgression. Yea, though a man 
 shall mix his want of negative holiness, with some 
 good actions, that will not make him a righteous 
 man. As suppose, a man that is a swearer, a 
 drunkard, an adulterer, or the like, should, not- 
 withstanding this, be open handed to the poor, be 
 a greater executor of justice in his place, be exact 
 in his buying, selling, keep touch with his promise 
 and with his friend, or the like. These things, 
 yea, many more such, cannot make him a righteous 
 man; for the beginning of righteousness is yet 
 wanting in him, which is this negative holiness : 
 For except a man shall leave off to do evil he can- 
 not be a righteous man. Negative holiness is there- 
 fore of absolute necessity to make one in one's self 
 a righteous man. This therefore condemns them, 
 that count it sufficient if a man have some actions 
 that in themselves, and by virtue of the command 
 are good, to make him a righteous man, though 
 negative holiness is wanting. This is as saying to 
 the wicked, Thou art righteous, and a perverting 
 of the right way of the Lord. Negative holiness 
 therefore must be in a man before he can be 
 accounted righteous. 
 
 Second. As negative holiness is required to de- 
 clare one a righteous man ; so also positive holiness 
 must be joined therewith, or the man is unrighteous 
 BtiU. For it is not what a man is not, but what a 
 man does, that declares him a righteous man. 
 Suppose a man be no thief, no liar, no unjust man; 
 or, as the Pharisee saith, nA extortioner, no adul- 
 terer, <fec., this will not make him a righteous man. 
 But there must be joined to these, holy and good 
 actions, before he can be declared a righteous man. 
 Wherefore, as the apostle, when he pressed the 
 Christians to righteousness, did put them first upon 
 negative holiness, so he joineth thereto an exhorta- 
 tion to positive hohness ; knowing, that where posi- 
 tive holiness is wanting, all the negative holiness in 
 the whole world cannot declare a man a righteous 
 man. When therefore he had said, 'But thou, 
 man of God, flee these things,' (sins and wicked- 
 ness) he adds, 'andfoUowafter righteousness, god- 
 liness, faith, love, patience, meekness.' iTi. viii. 
 Here Timothy is exhorted to negative holiness, 
 when he is bid to flee sin. Here also he is 
 exhorted to positive holiness, when he is bid 
 to follow after righteousness, <fec., for righteous- 
 ness can neither stand in negative nor positive 
 holiness, as severed one from anotlier. That 
 
 man then, and that man only, is, as to actions 
 a righteous man, that hath left off to do evil, and 
 hath learnt to do well, is. i. I6, 17. that hath cast off 
 the works of darkness, and put on the armour of 
 light. Flee also youthful lusts, (said Paul,) but 
 follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with 
 them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 
 2 Ti. ii. 22. 
 
 The Pharisee therefore, as to the general des- 
 cription of righteousness, made his definition right; 
 but as to his person and personal righteousness, he 
 made his definition wrong. I do not mean, he de- 
 fined his own righteousness wrong; but I mean, 
 his definition of true righteousness, which standeth 
 in negative and positive holiness, he made to stoop 
 to justify his own righteousness, and therein he 
 played the hypocrite in his prayer : For although 
 it is true righteousness, that standeth in negative 
 and positive holiness ; yet that is not true righte- 
 ousness, that standeth but in some pieces and rag- 
 ged remnants of negative and positive righteous- 
 ness. If then the Pharisee would in his definition 
 of personal righteousness, have proved his own 
 righteousness to be good, he must have proved, 
 that both his negative and positive holiness had 
 been universal : to wit, that he had left oif to act 
 in any wickedness, and that he had given up him- 
 self to the duty enjoined in every commandment. 
 For so the righteous man is described. Job i. 8. As 
 it is also said of Zacharias and Elizabeth his wife, 
 ' They were both righteous before God, walking 
 in aU the commandments and ordinances of the 
 Lord blameless.' Lu. i. 6. Here the perfection, that 
 is, the imiversality of their negative holiness is 
 implied, and the universality of their positive holi- 
 ness is expressed: They walked in all the com- 
 mandments of the Lord ; but that they could not 
 do, if they had lived in any unrighteous thing or 
 way. They walked in all blamelessly, that is, sin- 
 cerely with upright hearts. The Pharisee's righte- 
 ousness therefore, even by his own implied defini- 
 tion of righteousness, was not good, as is manifest 
 these two ways. 
 
 1 . His negative holiness was not universal. 
 
 2. His positive holiness was rather criminal* than 
 moral. 
 
 1 . His negative holiness was not universal. He 
 saith indeed, he was not an extortioner, nor unjust, 
 no adulterer, nor yet as this Publican : but none 
 of these expressions apart, nor all, if put together, 
 do prove him to be perfect as to negative holiness ; 
 that is, they do not prove him, should it be granted, 
 that he was as holy with this kind of holiness, as 
 himself of himself had testified. For, 
 
 * The word ' criminal,' used by Bunyan, has been altered 
 ia modern editions to ' ceremonial ;' but it was not only cere- 
 monial but superstitious, and therefore more criminal than 
 mora]. 
 
234 
 
 THE PHARISEI! AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 (1.) What though he was no extortioner, he 
 might yet be a covetous man. Ln. xvi. 14. 
 
 (2.) What though, as to dealing, he was not 
 unjust to others, yet he wanted honesty to do jus- 
 tice to his own soul. Lu. xvi. 15. 
 
 (3.) What, though he was free from the act of 
 adultery, he might yet he made guilty by an adul- 
 terous eye, against which the Pharisee did not 
 watch, of which the Pharisee did not take cogni- 
 zance. Mat. T. 28. 
 
 (4.) What, though he was not like the publican, 
 yet he was like, yea, was a downright hypocrite ; 
 he wanted in those things wherein he boasted him- 
 self, sincerity ; but without sincerity no action cnn 
 be good, or accounted of God as righteous. The 
 Pharisee therefore, notwithstanding his boasts, was 
 deficient in his righteousness, though he would 
 fain have shrouded it under the right definition 
 thereof. 
 
 2. Nor doth his positive holiness help him at all, 
 forasmuch as it is grounded mostly, if not alto- 
 gether, in ceremonial holiness. Nay, I will recol- 
 lect myself, it was gltunded partly in ceremonial, 
 and partly in superstitious holiness, if there be such 
 a thing as superstitious holiness in the world, this 
 paying of tithes was ceremonial, such as came in 
 and went out with the typical priesthood. But 
 what is that to positive holiness, when it was but 
 a small pittance by the by. Had the Pharisee 
 argued plainly and honestly; I mean, had he so 
 dealt with that law, by which now he sought to be 
 justified, he should have brought forth positive 
 righteousness in morals, and should have said and 
 proved it too, that, as he was no wicked man with 
 refereace to the act of wickedness, he was indeed 
 a righteous man in acts of moral virtues. He 
 should, I say, have proved himself a true lover of 
 God, no superstitious one, but a sincere worship- 
 per of him ; for this is contained in the first table, 
 Ex. XX. and is so in sum expounded by the Lord 
 Christ himself. Mar. xii. 30. He should also in the 
 next place have proved himself truly kind, com- 
 passionate, liberal, and full of love and charity to 
 his neighbour f for that is the sum of the second 
 table, as our Lord also doth expound it, saying, 
 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' Mar. 
 
 xii. 31. 
 
 True, he says, he did them no hurt ; but did he 
 do them good? To do no hurt is one thing; and 
 to do good, is another ; and it is possible for a man 
 to do neither hurt nor good to his neighbour. What 
 then, Is he a righteous man because he hath done 
 him no hurt ? No verily ; Unless, to his power, 
 he hath also done him good. 
 
 It is therefore a very fallacious and deceitful 
 arguing of the Pharisee, thus to speak before God 
 in his prayer : I am righteous, because I have not 
 hurt my neighbour, and because I have acted in 
 
 ceremonial duties. Nor will that help him at all 
 to say, he gave tithes of all that he possessed. 
 It had been more modest to say, that he had paid 
 them; for they, being commanded, were a due 
 debt ; nor could they go before God for a free gift, 
 because by the commandment they were made a 
 payment; but proud men and hypocrites, love 
 so to word it both with God and man, as at 
 least to imply, that they are more forward to 
 do, than God's commandment is to require them 
 to do. 
 
 The second part of his positive holmess was 
 superstitious ; for God hath appointed no such set 
 fasts, neither more nor less, but just twice a week: 
 I fast twice a week. Ay, but who did command 
 thee to do so ;* commanded to fast when occaaioa 
 required if thou wast, but that thou shouldest have 
 any occasion to do so as thou doest, other than-by 
 thy being put upon it by a superstitious and erro- 
 neous conscience, doth not, nor canst thou make 
 to appear. This part therefore of this positive 
 righteousness, was positive superstition, an abuse 
 of God's law, and a gratification of thy own erro- 
 neous conscience. Hitherto therefore, thou art 
 defective in thy so seemingly brave and glorious 
 righteousness. 
 
 Yet this let me say in commendation of the 
 Pharisee: In my conscience he was better than 
 many of our English Cbristians ; for many of them 
 are so far ofi' from being at all partakers of positive 
 righteousness, that all their ministers, bibles, good 
 books, good sermons, nor yet God's judgments, 
 can persuade them to become so much as negatively 
 holy, that is, to leave ofi" evU. 
 
 SECOND. — The second thing tbat Itake notice 
 of in this prayer of the Pharisee, is, his manner 
 OF BELITERT, as he stood praying in the temple. 
 ' God, I thank thee (said he) that I am not as othet 
 men are. He seemed to be at this time, in more 
 than an ordinary frame, while now he stood in the 
 presence of the divine majesty: for a prayer made 
 up of praise, is a prayer of the highest order, and 
 is most like the way of them that are now in a 
 state beyond prayer. Praise is the work of heaveit; 
 but we see here, that an hypocrite may get into 
 that vein, even while an hypocrite, and while on 
 earth below. Nor do I think that this prayer of 
 his was a premeditated stinted form, but a prayer 
 extempore, made on a sudden, according to what 
 he felt, thought, or understood of himself. 
 
 Here therefore, we may see, that even prayer, 
 as well as other acts of religious worship, may be 
 performed in great hypocrisy ; although, I think, 
 
 * It is singular that our modem pharisees continue the 
 custom of fasting tivice a week, on Wednesday and Friday. 
 This is not so moustrous as pretending to do what 'God 
 manifest in the flesh ' alone could do— to fast for forty con- 
 secutive days. — Ed. 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 225 
 
 tliat to perform prayer in hypocrisy, is one of the 
 most daring sins that are committed by the sons 
 of men. For by prayer, above all duties, is our 
 most direct, and immediate personal approach into 
 the presence of God : and as there is an uttering 
 of things before him, especially a giving of him 
 thanks for things received, or a begging, that such 
 and such things might be bestowed upon me. 
 But now to do these things in hypocrisy, and 'tis 
 easy to do them so, when we go up into the temple 
 to pray, must needs be intolerable wickedness, and 
 it argueth infinite patience in God, that he should 
 let such as do so, arise alive from their knees, or 
 that he should suffer them to go away from the 
 place where they stand, without some token or 
 mark of his wrath upon them. 
 
 I also observe. That this extempore prayer of 
 the Pharisee, was performed by himself, or in the 
 strength of his own natural parts ; for so the text 
 implieth, 'The Pharisee,' saith the text, 'stood 
 and prayed thus with himself,' with himself, or 
 by himself, and may signify, either that he spoke 
 softly, or that he made this prayer by reason of 
 his natural parts. ' I will pray with the Spirit, ' 
 said Paul, l Co. \W. 15. The Pharisee prayed with 
 himself, said Christ. It is at this day wonderful 
 common, for men to pray extempore also. To pray 
 by a book, by a premeditated set form, is now out 
 of fashion. He is counted no body now, that can- 
 not at any time, at a minute's warning, make a 
 prayer of half an hour long. I am not against 
 extempore prayer, for I believe it to be the best 
 kind of praying ; but yet I am jealous, that there 
 are a great many such prayers made, especially in 
 pulpits and public meetings, without the breathing 
 of the Holy Ghost in them : For if a Pharisee of 
 old could do so. Why may not a Pharisee do the 
 same now ? Wit, and reason, and notion is now 
 screwed up to a very great height ; nor do men 
 want words, or fancies, or pride, to make them do 
 this thing. Great is the formality of religion this 
 day, and little the power thereof. Now where 
 there is a great form and little power, and such 
 there was also among the Jews, in the time of our 
 Saviour Jesus Christ, there men are most strangely 
 under the temptation to be hj'pocrites ; for nothing 
 doth so properly and directly oppose hypocrisy, as 
 the power and glory of the things we profess. And 
 so on the contrary, nothing is a greater temptation 
 to hypocrisy, than a form of knowledge of things 
 without the savour thereof. Nor can much of the 
 power and savour of the things of the gospel be 
 seen at this day upon professors, I speak not now 
 of all, if their notions and conversations be compared 
 together. How proud, how covetous, how hke the 
 world in garb and guise, in words and actions, are 
 most of the great professors of this our day ! But 
 when they come to divine worship, especially to 
 
 VOL.- II. 
 
 pray, by their words and carriages there, one 
 would almost judge them to be angels in heaven. 
 But such things must be done in hypocrisy, as also 
 the Pharisee's were. 
 
 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with dim- 
 self. 
 
 And, in that it is said, ' he prayed with him- 
 self;' it may signify, that he went in his prayer no 
 further than his sense and reason, feeling and 
 carnal apprehensions went. True, Christian prayer 
 ofttimes leaves sense and reason, feeling, and 
 carnal apprehensions behind it, and it goeth forth 
 with faith, hope, and desires to know what at 
 present we are ignorant of, and that unto which 
 our sense, feeling, reason, &c., are strangers. 
 The apostle indeed doth say, ' I will pray with the 
 understanding,' ICo. xiv. 15. but then it must be 
 taken for an understanding spiritually enlightened. 
 I say, it must be so understood, because the natural 
 understanding, properly as such, receiveth not 
 the things of the Spirit of God when offered, and 
 therefore cannot pray for them ; for they to such, 
 are foolish things. 1 Co. ii. 14. 
 
 Now a spiritJially enlightened understanding may 
 be officious in prayer these ways. 
 
 1 . As it has received conviction of the truth of 
 the being of the things that are of the Spirit of 
 God; For to receive conviction of the truth and 
 being of such things, comes from the Spirit of 
 God, not from the law, sense, or reason. 1 Co. ii. 10 
 —12. Now the understanding having, by the Holy 
 Ghost, received conviction of the truth of the being 
 of stich things, draweth out the heart to cry in 
 prayer to God for them. Therefore he saith, ho 
 would pray with the understanding. 
 
 2. A spiritually enlightened understanding, hath 
 also received by the Holy Ghost, conviction of the 
 excellency and glory of the things that are of the 
 Spirit of God, and so enflameth the heart with 
 more fervent desires in this duty of prayer ; for 
 there is a supernatual excellency in the things that 
 are of the Spirit ; ' But if the ministration of death, 
 (to which the Pharisee adhered) written and 
 engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the chil- 
 dren of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face 
 of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which 
 glcm/ was to be done away: How shall not the 
 ministration of the^ Spirit be rather glorious. For 
 if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much 
 more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed 
 in glory. For even that which was made glorious 
 had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory 
 that excelleth.' 2 Co. iii. 7—10. And the Spirit of God 
 sheweth, at best, some things of that excellent 
 glory of them to the imderstandlng that it enlighten- 
 eth. Ep.i. 17— 19. 
 
 3. The spiritually enlightened understanding 
 hath also thereby received knowledge, that these 
 
236 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 excellent supernatural things of the Spirit, are 
 given by covenant in Christ to those that love God, 
 that are beloved of him. ' Now we have received, 
 (says Paul) not the Spirit of the world, (that the 
 Pharisee had) but the Spirit which is of God, that 
 we might know the things that are freely given to 
 us of God. ' 1 Co. ii. 13. And this knowledge, that the 
 things of the Spirit of God are freely given to us 
 of God, puts yet a greater edge, more vigour, and 
 yet further confidence into the heart to ask for 
 what is mine hy gift, by a free gift of God in his 
 Son.* But all these things the poor Pharisee was 
 an utter stranger to ; he knew not the Spirit, nor 
 the things of the Spirit, and therefore must neglect 
 faith, judgment, and the love of God, Mat. x.\iii. 33. 
 Lu. xi. 43. and follow himself, and himself only, as to 
 his sense, feeling, reason, and carnal imagination 
 in prayer. 
 
 He stood and prayed thus with himself. He 
 prayed thus, talking to himself; for so also it may, 
 I think, be understood. It is said of the unjust 
 judge, 'he said within himself, Though I fear not 
 God, nor regard man,' Sac. Lu. xviii. 4. That is, he 
 said it to himself. So the Pharisee is said to 
 pray with himself. God and the Pharisee were 
 not together, there was only the Pharisee and 
 himself. Paul knew not what to pray for without 
 the Holy Ghost joined himself with him, spake 
 with him and helped him with groans unutterable. 
 But the Pharisee had no need of that, it was 
 enough that he and himself were together at this 
 work; for he thought without doubting that he 
 and himself together could do. How many times 
 have I heard ancient men, and ancient women, at 
 it, with themselves, when all alone in some private 
 room, or in some solitary path ; and in their chat, 
 they have been sometimes reasoning, sometimes 
 chiding, sometimes pleading, sometimes praying, 
 and sometimes singing ; but yet all has been done 
 by themselves when all alone : But yet so done, as 
 one that has not seen them, must needs have con- 
 cluded, that they were talking, singing, and pray- 
 ing with company, when all that they said, they 
 did it with themselves, and had neither auditor nor 
 regarder. 
 
 So the Pharisee was at it with himself, he and 
 himself performed, at this time, the duty of prayer. 
 Now I observe, that usually when men do speak 
 to, or with themselves, they greatly strive to please 
 themselves; Therefore it is said, there is a man. 
 That ' flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his 
 iniquity he found to be hateful.' Ps.xxxvi. 3. He 
 flattereth himself in his own way, according as his 
 sense and carnal reason dictates to him ; and be 
 
 * God heareti the heart, without the mouth ; but never 
 heareth the mouth acceptably, without the heart. I Sa. i. 13, 
 15. Furitan Saijing. 
 
 might do it as well in prayer, as in any other way. 
 Some men will so hear sermons, and apply them 
 that they may please themselves : And some men 
 will pray, but will refuse such words and thoughts 
 in prayer as will not please themselves. 
 
 Oh,how many men speak all that they speak in 
 prayer, rather to themselves, or to their auditory, 
 than to God that dwelleth in heaven ! And this I 
 take to he the manner, I mean something of the 
 manner of the Pharisee's praying. Indeed, he 
 made mention of God, as also others do ; but he 
 prayed with himself to himself, in his own spirit, 
 and to his own pleasing, as the matter of his 
 prayer doth manifest. For was it not pleasant to 
 this hypocrite, think you, to speak thus well of 
 himself at this time ? doubtless it was. Also 
 children and fools are of the same temper with 
 hypocrites as to this ; they also love without 
 ground, as the Pharisee, to flatter themselves in 
 their own eyes. But not he that commendetli 
 himself is approved. 
 
 God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men 
 are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this 
 Publican, &c. 
 
 Thus he begins his prayer ; and it is, as was 
 hinted before, a prayer of the highest strain. Por 
 to make a prayer all of thanksgiving, and to urge 
 in that prayer, the cause of that thanksgiving, is 
 the highest manner of praying, and seems to be 
 done in the strongest faith, <kc., in the greatest 
 sense of things. And such was the Pharisee's 
 prayer, only he wanted substantial ground for his 
 thanksgiving ; to wit, he wanted proof of that he 
 said, 'he was not as other men were,' except lie 
 had meant, as he did not, that he was even of the 
 worst sort of men : For even the best of men by 
 nature, and the worst, are all alike. ' What, 
 then ? are we better than they ? ' said Paul, ' No, 
 in no wise. ' Ro. iu. 9. So then, he failed in the 
 ground of his thankfulness, and therefore his 
 thankfulness was grounded on an untruth, and so 
 became feigned, and self-flattering, and could not 
 be acceptable with the God of heaven. 
 
 Besides, in this high prayer of the Pharisee, he 
 fathered that upon God which he could by no 
 means own ; to wit, that his being so good as he 
 thought himself to bo, was through distinguishing 
 love and favour of God, ' God, I thank thee, th.at I 
 am not as other men are. ' I thank thee, that thou 
 hast made me better than others. I thank thee 
 that my condition is so good, and that I am so far 
 advanced above my neighbour. 
 
 There are sever.\l things flow from this 
 
 PRAYER of the PhaRISEE, THAT ARE WORTH OOB 
 OBSERVATION. As, 
 
 First, That the Pharisees and hypocrites, do nd 
 
 love to count tliemsdves sinners, when they stand 
 
 ) before God. They choose rather to commend 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN, 
 
 227 
 
 themselves before Mm for virtuous and holy persons, 
 sometimes saying, and oftener thinking, that they 
 are more righteous than others. Yea, it seems by 
 the word, to be natural, hereditary, and so common 
 for hypocrites to trust to themselves that they are 
 righteous, and then to condemn others ; this is the 
 foundation upon which this very parable is built ; 
 ' He spake this parable, (saith Luke) unto cer- 
 tain which trusted in themselves that they were 
 righteous;' or that they were so, 'and despised 
 
 others.' ver. 9. 
 
 I say, hypocrites love not to think of their sins, 
 when they stand in the presence of God ; but 
 rather to muster up, and to present him with their 
 several good deeds, and to venture a standing or 
 falling by them. 
 
 Second, This carriage of the Pharisee before 
 God informs us, that moral virtues, and the ground 
 of them, which is the law, if trusted to, blinds the 
 mind of man, that he cannot for them perceive the 
 ■way to happiness. While Moses is read, and his 
 law, and the righteousness thereof trusted to, the 
 vaU is upon their heart. ' For untQ this day, 
 (said Paul) remaineth the same vail untaken away 
 in the reading of the old testament, which vail is 
 done away in Christ. But even unto this day, 
 when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. ' 
 2 Co. iii. 14, IB. And this is the reason that so many 
 moral men, that are adorned with civil and moral 
 righteousness, are yet so ignorant of themselves, 
 and the way of life by Christ. 
 
 The law of works, and the righteousness of the 
 flesh, which is the righteousness of the law, blinds 
 their minds, shuts up their eyes, and causeth them 
 to miss of the righteousness that they are so hotly 
 in the pursuit of. Their minds were blinded, saith 
 the text : Whose minds ? Why those that adhered 
 to, that stood by, and that sought righteousness of 
 the law. Now, 
 
 The Pharisee was such an one, he rested in the 
 law, he made his boasts of God, and trusted to 
 himself that he was righteous ; And all this pro- 
 ceeded of that blindness and ignorance that the law 
 had possessed his mind withal ; for it is not granted 
 to the law to be the ministration of life and light, 
 but to be the ministration of death, when it speaks; 
 and of darkness, when trusted unto, that the Son 
 of God might have the pre-eminence in all things : 
 Therefore 'tis said, ' When the heart shall turn to 
 him, the vail shall be taken away.' 2Co. ui. 16. 
 
 Third, We may see by this prayer, the strength 
 of vain confidence ; it will embolden a man to stand 
 in a lie before God ; it will embolden a man to trust 
 to himself and to what he hath done ; yea, to plead 
 his own goodness instead of God's mercy before 
 him. For the Pharisee was not only a man that 
 justified himself before men, but one that justified 
 himself before God. And what was the cause of 
 
 his so justifying of himself before God ; but that 
 vain confidence that he had in himself and his 
 works, which were both a cheat and a lie to him- 
 self. But, I say, the boldness of the man was 
 wonderful, for he stood to the lie that was in his 
 right hand, and pleaded the goodness of it before 
 him. But, besides these things, there are four 
 things more that are couched in this prayer of the 
 Pharisee. 
 
 Fourth, By this prayer the Pharisee doth appro- 
 priate to himsdf conversion, he challengeth it to 
 himself and to his fellows. I am not, saith he, as 
 other men; that is, in imconversion, in a state of 
 sin, wrath, and death. And this must be his 
 meaning ; for the religion of the Pharisee was not 
 grounded upon any particular natural privilege. 
 I mean not singly, not only upon that, but upon 
 a falling in with those principles, notions, opinions, 
 decrees, traditions, and doctrines that they taught 
 distinct from the true and holy doctrines of the 
 prophets. And they made to themselves disciples 
 by such doctrine, men, that they could captivate 
 by those principles, laws, doctrines, and traditions ; 
 And therefore such are said to be of the sect of 
 the Pharisees ; that is, the scholars, and disciples 
 of them, converted to them and to their doctrine. 
 Oh'! it is easy for souls to appropriate conversion 
 to themselves, that know not what conversion is. 
 It is easy, I say, for men to lay conversion to God, 
 on a legal, or ceremonial, or delusive bottom, on 
 such a bottom that will sink under the burden that 
 is laid upon it ; on such a bottom that will not 
 stand when it is brought under the touch-stone of 
 God, nor against the rain, wind, and floods that 
 are ordained to put it to the trial, whether it is 
 true or false. The Pharisee here stands upon a 
 supposed conversion to God ; ' I am not as other 
 men;' but both he, and his conversion are rejected 
 by the sequel of the parable : ' That which is highly 
 esteemed among men is abomination in the sight 
 of God. ' Lu. xvi. 15. That is, that conversion, that 
 men, as men, flatter themselves that they have, is 
 such. But the Pharisee will he a converted man, 
 he will have more to shew for heaven than his 
 neighbour, ' I am not as other men are ; ' to wit, 
 in a state of sin and condemnation, but in a state 
 of conversion and salvation. But see how griev- 
 ously this sect, this religion beguiled men. It 
 made them two-fold worse the children of hell than 
 they were before : And than their teachers were, 
 Mat, xxiiL 15. that is, their doctrine begat such blind- 
 ness, such vain confidence, and groundless boldness 
 in their disciples, as to involve them in that con- 
 ceit of conversion that was false, and so if trusted 
 to, damnable. 
 
 Fifih, By these words, we find the Pharisee, 
 not only appropriating conversion to himself, but 
 rejoicing in that conversion: ' God, I thank thee,' 
 
223 
 
 THE PHARISEE AIND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 saith he, ' that I am not as other men;' which i 
 saying of his, gives us to see that he gloried in I 
 his conversion; he made no doubt at all of his 
 state, hut lived in the joy of the safety that he 
 supposed his soul by his conversion to he in. Oh ! 
 thanks to God, says he, I am not in the state of 
 sin, death, and damnation, as the unjust, and this 
 Publican is. But a strong delusion ! to trust to 
 the spider's web, and to think, that a few of the 
 most fine of the works of the flesh, would be suf- 
 ficient to bear up the soul in, at, and under the 
 judgment of God. ' There is a generation that are 
 pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from 
 their filthiness. ' Pr. xxx. 13. This text can be so 
 fitly applied to none, as to the Pharisee, and to 
 those that tread in the Pharisee's steps, and that 
 are swallowed up with his conceits, and with the 
 glory of his own righteousness. 
 
 So again, ' There is a way (a way to heaven) 
 which seemeth right unto a man, hut the end 
 thereof are the ways of death.' Pr. xiv. 12. This also 
 is fiilfilled in these kind of men ; at the end of 
 their way is death and hell, notwithstanding their 
 confidence in the goodness of their state. 
 
 Again, ' There is that maketh himself rich, yet 
 hath nothing.' Pr. xiu. 7. What can be more plain 
 from all these texts, than that some men, that are 
 out of the way think themselves in it ; and that 
 some men think themselves clean that are yet in 
 their filthiness ; and that think themselves rich 
 for the next world, and yet are poor, and miserable, 
 and wretched, and blind, and naked.* Thus the 
 poor, blind, naked, hypocritical Pharisee thought 
 of himself, when God threatened to abase him: 
 Yea, he thought himself thus, and joyed therein, 
 when indeed he was going down to the chambers 
 of death. 
 
 Sixth, By these words, the Pharisee seems to put 
 the goodness of his condition upon the goodness of 
 God. I am not as other men are, and I thank God 
 for it. God, saith he, I thank thee that I am not 
 as other men are. He thanked God when God 
 had done nothing for him. He thanked God, when 
 the way that he was in was not of God's prescrib- 
 ing, but of his own inventing. So the persecutor 
 thanks God that he was put into that way of 
 roguery that the devil had put him into, when he 
 fell to rending and tearing of the church of God : 
 ' Whose possessors slay them, (saith the prophet,) 
 and hold themselves not guilty : and they that sell 
 them say, Blessed he the Lord, for I am rich.' 
 
 * To sucli poor deceived souls, our Lord's words are ex- 
 tremely applicable; ' If therefore the light that is iu thee be 
 darkness, how great is that darkness ! * If poor blind sinners 
 are, through the ignorance of their minds, fully persuaded that 
 the destractive way in which they walk is the road to true 
 happiness, how dangerous is their error, and how deplorable 
 the consequences, — Rijland. 
 
 Zee. xi. 5. I remember that Luther used to say, ' In 
 the name of God begins all mischief.' All must 
 be fathered upon God : the Pharisee's conversion 
 must be fathered upon God ; the right or rather 
 the viUany of the outrageous persecution against 
 God's people, must be fathered upon God. God, 
 ' I thank thee, ' and blessed be God, must he the 
 burthen of the heretic's song. So again, the free- 
 wilier, he will ascribe all to God ; the quaker, 
 the ranter, the socinian, (fee. will ascribe all to 
 God. ' God, I thank thee, ' is in every man's 
 mouth, and must be entailed to every error, delu- 
 sion, and damnable doctrine that is in the world r 
 But the name of God, and their doctrine, worship, 
 and way, hangeth together, much as doth it and 
 the Pharisee's doctrine ; that is to say, nothing at 
 all ; for God hath not proposed their principles, nor 
 doth he own them, nor hath he commanded them, 
 nor doth he convey by them the least grace or 
 mercy to them ; but rather rejecteth them, and 
 holdeth them for his enemies, and for the destroyers 
 of the world. 
 
 Seventh, We come in the next place to the ground 
 of aU this ; and that is, to what the Pharisee had 
 attained. To wit, that he was no extortioner, no 
 unjust man, no adulterer, nor even as this Publican,' 
 and for that he fasted twice a-week, and paid tithes 
 of all that he possessed. So that you see he pre- 
 tendeth to a double foundation for his salvation, a 
 moral and a ceremonial one ; but both very lean, 
 weak, and feeble : For the first of his foundations, 
 what is it more, if all be true that he saith, but a 
 being removed a few inches from the vilest men in 
 their vilest actions, a very slender matter to build 
 my confidence for heaven upon. 
 
 And for the second part of his ground for life, 
 what is it but a couple of ceremonies, if so good. 
 The first is questioned as a thing not founded in 
 God's law; and the second is such, as is of the 
 remotest sort of ceremonies, that teach and preach 
 the Lord Jesus. But suppose them to be the best, 
 and his conformity to them the thoroughest, they 
 never were ordained to get to heaven by, and so 
 are become but a sandy foundation. But anything 
 will serve some men for a foundation and support 
 for their souls, and to build their hopes of heaven 
 upon. I am not a drunkard, says one, nor a bar, 
 nor a swearer, nor a thief, and therefore, I thank 
 God, I have hopes of heaven and glory. I am not 
 an extortioner, nor an adulterer, nor unjust, nor 
 yet as this Publican; and therefore do hope I 
 shall go to heaven. Alas ! poor men ! will your 
 being furnished with these things, save you from 
 the thundering claps and vehement batteries, that 
 the wrath of God will make upon sin and sinners 
 in the day that shall burn like an oven? No, no, 
 nothing at that day can shroud a man from the hot 
 rebukes of that vengeance, but the very righteous^ 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 229 
 
 ricss of God, which is not the righteousness of the 
 law, however christened, named, or garnished with 
 all those gew-gaws that men's heads and fancies 
 can invent, for that is but the righteousness of man. 
 
 [man's righteousness rejected,- and the imputed 
 riqeteousness of christ alone to be relied 
 on for justification.] 
 
 But, thou blind Pharisee, since thou art so 
 confident that thy state is good, and thy righteous- 
 ness is that that will stand, when it shall be tried 
 with fire, i Co. iu. is. let me now reason with thee of 
 righteousness. My terror shall not make thee 
 afraid ; I am not God, but a man as thou art, we 
 both are formed out of the clay. 
 
 First, Prithee when didst thou begin to be 
 righteous ? Was it before or after thou hadst been 
 a sinner ? Not afore, I dare say ; but if after, 
 then the sins that thou pollutedst thyself withal 
 before, have ijiade thee uncapable of acting legal 
 righteousness. For sin, where it is, pollutes, de- 
 files, and makes vile the whole man ; therefore 
 thou canst not by after acts of obedience make 
 thyself just in the sight of that God thou pretended 
 now to stand praying unto. Indeed, thou mayest 
 cover thy dirt, and paint thy sepulchre ; for that 
 acts of after obedience will do, though sin has 
 gone before. But Pharisee, God can see through 
 the white of this wall, even to the dirt that is 
 within : God also can see through the paint and 
 garnish of thy beauteous sepulchre, to the dead 
 men's bones that are within ; nor can any of thy 
 most holy duties, nor all, -when put together, blind 
 the eye of the all-seeing majesty from beholding 
 all the uncleanness of thy soul.* Mat. xxiiL 27. Stand 
 not therefore so stoutly to it, now thou art before 
 God; sin is with thee, and judgment and justice is 
 before him. It becomes thee, therefore, rather to 
 despise and abhor this life of thy hand, and to 
 count all thy doings but dross and dung, and to be 
 content to be justified with another's righteousness 
 instead of thine own. This is the way to be sesured. 
 1 say, blind Pharisee, this is the way to be secured 
 from the wrath which is to come. 
 
 There is nothing more certain than this, that as 
 to justification from the curse of the law, God has 
 rejected man's righteousness, for the weakness and 
 unprofitableness thereof ; and hath accepted in the 
 room of that glorious righteousness of his Son ; 
 because indeed, that, and that only, is imiversal, 
 perfect, and equal with his justice and holiness. 
 
 * Wtat home-thrusts are here ! The two-edged sword of 
 the Spirit, wielded by such a man, pierces — divides — lays bai-e 
 every refnge of lies to which poor souls vainly fly for succour. 
 It is a solemn and most important subject. May every reader 
 have grace given him to weigh his hopes of heaven in the 
 bidauces of divine unerring truth. — Ed, 
 
 This is in a manner the contents of the whole bible, 
 and therefore must needs be most certainly true. 
 Now then, Mr. Pharisee, methinks, what if thou 
 didst this, and that while thou art at thy prayers; 
 to wit, cast in thy mind what doth God love 
 most, and the resolve will be at hand. The best 
 righteousness, surely the best righteousness ; for 
 that thy reason will tell thee: This done, even 
 while thou art at thy devotion, ask thyself again. 
 But WHO has the best righteousness? And that 
 resolve wiU be at hand also ; to wit, he that in 
 person is equal with God ; and that is his Son 
 Jesus Christ. He that is separate from sinners, 
 and made higher than the heavens ; and that is 
 his Son Jesus Christ. He that did no sin, nor had 
 any guile found in his mouth ; and there never 
 was any such he in all the world but the Son of 
 God, Jesus Christ. 
 
 Now Pharisee, when thou hast done this, then 
 as thou art in thy devotion, ask again. But what is 
 this best righteousness, the righteousness of Christ, 
 to do ? And the answer will be ready. It is to be 
 made by an act of the sovereign grace of God over 
 to the sinner, that shall dare to trust thereto for 
 justification from the curse of the law. He is 
 made unto us of God, righteousness. 1 Co. i. 30. ' He 
 hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, 
 that we might be made the righteousness of God 
 in him.' 2 Co. t. 21. 'For Christ is the end of the 
 law for righteousness to every one that believeth.' 
 Ro. X. 4. 
 
 This done, and concluded on, then turn asrain 
 Pharisee, and say thus with thyself; Is it most 
 safe for me to trust in this righteousness of God ? 
 This righteousness of God-man, this righteousness 
 of Christ ? Certainly it is. Since, by the text, it 
 is counted the best, and that which best pleaseth 
 God ; since it is that which God hath appointed, 
 that sinners shall be justified withal. For in the 
 Lord have we righteousness if we believe : And, 
 in the Lord we are justified, and do glory. Is. xiv. 
 
 24, 25. 
 
 Nay Pharisee, suppose thine own righteousness 
 should be as long, as broad, as high, as deep, as 
 perfect, as good, even every way as good, as the 
 righteousness of Christ. Yet since God has chosen 
 by Christ, to reconcile us to himself, canst thou 
 attempt to seek by thine own righteousness to re- 
 concile thyself to God, and not be guilty of attempt- 
 ing, at least, to confront this righteousness of 
 Christ before God. Yea, to dare with it, yea, to 
 challenge by it, acceptance of thy person contrary 
 to God's design. 
 
 Suppose, that when the king has chosen one to 
 be judge in the land, and has determined that ha 
 shall be judge in all cases, and that by his verdict 
 every man's judgment shall stand. I say, sup- 
 pose, after this another should arise, and of hia 
 
230 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN, 
 
 own head resolve to do bis own business himself. 
 Now, though he should be every whit as able as the 
 judge of the king's appointing to do it ; yea, 
 and suppose he should do it as justly and righte- 
 ously too, yet his making of himself a judge, would 
 be an affront to the king, and an act of rebellion, 
 and so a transgression worthy of pmiishment. 
 
 Why Pharisee, God hath appointed, that by the 
 righteousness of his Son, and by that righteous- 
 ness only, men shall be justified in his sight from 
 the curse of the law. Wherefore, take heed, and 
 at thy peril, whatever thy righteousness is, con- 
 front not the righteousness of Christ therewith. 
 I say, bring it not in, let it not plead for thee at 
 the bar of God, nor do thou plead for that in his 
 court of justice ; for thou canst not do that and be 
 innocent. If he trusts to his righteousness, he 
 hath sinned, says Ezekiel. Mark the text, 'When 
 I shall say to the righteous, thai he shall surely 
 live ; if he trust to his own righteousness, and com- 
 mit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be 
 remembered: but for his iniquity that he hath 
 committed, he shall die for it. ' ch. xvxiii. 13. 
 
 Observe a few things from this text, and they 
 are these that follow. 
 
 First, Here is a righteous man; a man, with 
 whom we do not hear that the God of heaven finds 
 fault. 
 
 Secondly, Here is a promise made to this man, 
 that 'he shall surely live;' but on this condition, 
 that he trusts not to his own righteousness. 
 Whence it is manifest, that the promise of life to 
 this righteous man, is not for the sake of his 
 righteousness, but for the sake of something else, 
 to wit, the righteousness of Christ. 
 
 1. Not for the sake of his own righteousness. 
 This is evident, because we are admitted, yea, 
 commanded, to trust in the righteousness that 
 saveth us. The righteousness of God is unto all, 
 and upon all that believe ; that is, trust in it, and 
 trust to it for justification. Now therefore, if thy 
 righteousness, when most perfect, could save thee, 
 thou mightest, yea oughtest most boldly to trust 
 therein. But since thou art forbidden to trust to 
 it, it is evident it cannot save, nor is it for the 
 sake of that, that the righteous man is saved. Kc. 
 m. 21, as. 
 
 2. But for the sake of something else ; to wit, 
 for the sake of the righteousness of Christ, whom 
 God hath set forth to be a propitiation through 
 faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for 
 the remission of sins that are past, through the 
 forbearance of God. ' To declare, I say, at this 
 time his righteousness, that he might be just, and 
 the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.' Uo. iii, 
 26. See also pmi. iii. 7—9. 
 
 ' If he trusts to his o^vn righteousness, and com- 
 mit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be 
 
 remembered ; but for his iniquity that he hath 
 committed [in trusting to his own righteousness] 
 he shall die for it. ' 
 Note hence further. 
 
 1. That there is more virtue in one sin to de- 
 stroy, than in all thy righteousness to save thee 
 alive. If he trust, if he trust never so little, if he 
 do at all trust to his own righteousness, all his 
 righteousness shall be forgotten ; and hy, and for, 
 and in, the sin that he hath committed in trusting 
 to it, he shall die. 
 
 2. Take notice also, that there are more dam- 
 nable sins than those that are against the moral 
 law. By which of the ten commandments is 
 trusting to our own righteousness forbidden? Yet 
 it is a sin. It is a sin therefore forbidden by the 
 gospel, and is included, lurketh close in, yea, is the, 
 or a root of unbelief itself; ' He that believeth not 
 shall be damned. ' But he that trusteth in his own 
 righteousness doth not believe, neither in the truth 
 or sufficiency of the righteousness of Christ to save 
 him, therefore he shall be damned. 
 
 But how is it manifest, that he that trusteth to 
 his own righteousness, doth it through a doubt, or 
 unbelief of the truth or sufficiency of the righteous, 
 ness of Christ? 
 
 I answer. Because, even because he trusteth to 
 his own. A man will never willingly choose to 
 trust to the worst of helps, when he believes there 
 is a better as near, and to be had as Soon, and 
 that too, iipou as easy, if not more easy terms. 
 If he that trusteth to his own righteousness for 
 life, did believe, that there is indeed such a thing 
 as the righteousness of "Christ to justify; and that 
 this righteousness of Christ has in it all sufficiency 
 to do that blessed work, be sure he would choose 
 that, thereon to lay, lean, and venture his soul, 
 that he saw was the best, and most sufficient to 
 save ; especially when he saw also, (and see that 
 he must, when he sees the righteousness of Christ) 
 to wit, that that is to be obtained as soon, because 
 as near, and to be had on as easy temis ; nay, 
 upon easier than may man's own righteousness. 
 I say, he would sooner choose it, because of the 
 weight of salvation, of the worth of salvation, and 
 of the fearful sorrow, that to eternity will overtake 
 him, that in this thing shall miscarry. It is for 
 heaven, it is to escape hell, wrath, and damnation, 
 saith the soul ; and therefore I will, I must, I dare 
 not but choose that, and that only, that I believe 
 to be the best and most sufficient help in so great 
 a concern, as soul-concern is. So then he that 
 trusteth to his own righteousness, does it of unbe- 
 lief of the sufficiency of the righteousness of Chi'ist 
 to save him. 
 
 Wherefore this sin of trusting to his own righte- 
 ousness is a most high and damning transgression: 
 because it contemneth the righteoiisness of Christ, 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 231 
 
 which is the only righteousness that is sufficient 
 to save from the curse of the law. It also dis- 
 alloweth the design of heaven, and the excellency 
 of the mystery of the wisdom of God, in designing 
 this way of salvation for man. What shall I say, 
 It also seeketh to rob God of the honour of the 
 salvation' of man. It seeketh to take the crown 
 from the head of Christ, and to set it upon the 
 hypocrite's head; therefore, no marvel, that this 
 one sin he of that weight, virtue and power, as to 
 sink that man and his righteousness into heU, that 
 leaneth thereon, or that trusteth unto it. 
 
 But Pharisee, I need not talk thus unto thee, 
 for thou art not the man that hath that righteous- 
 ness, that God findeth not fault withal ; nor is it 
 to he found, but with him that is ordained to be 
 the Saviour of mankind ; nor is there any such 
 one besides Jesus, who is called Christ. Thy 
 righteousness is a poor pittance, a scrap: nay, 
 not so good as a scrap of righteousness. Thine 
 own confession makes thee partial in the law ; for 
 here, in the midst of thy boasts, thou hast not, 
 because thou canst not say, thou hast fulfilled all 
 righteousness. "What madness then has brought 
 thee into the temple, there in audacious manner to 
 stand and vaunt before God ; saying, ' God, I 
 thank thee, I am not as other men are.' 
 
 Dost thou not know, that he that breaks one, 
 breaks aU the commandments of God ; and conse- 
 quently, that he that keeps not all, keeps none at 
 all of the commandments of God. Say I this of 
 myself ? saith not the scriptures the same ? ' For 
 whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet ofiend 
 in one poiM, he is guilty of aU. ' Ja, u. lo. Be con- 
 founded' then, be confounded. 
 
 Dost thou know the God with whom now thou 
 hast to do? He is a God that cannot, no, that 
 cannot, as he is just, accept of an half righteous- 
 ness for a whole ; nor of a lame righteousness for 
 a sound; nor of a sick righteousness for a well 
 and healthy one. Mai. i. 8. And if so, how should 
 he then accept of that which is no righteousness ? 
 I say, how should he accept of that which is none 
 at all, save an hypocritical and feigned one, for 
 thine is only such. And if Christ said, when you 
 have done all, say, ' We are unprofitable, ' How 
 camest thou to say before thou hadst done one thing 
 well, I am better, more righteous thap other men ? 
 
 Didst thou believe, when thou saidst it. That 
 God knew thy heart ? Hadst thou said this to 
 the Publican, it had been a high and rampant ex- 
 pression; but to say this before God, to the face 
 of God, when he knew that thou wast vile, and a 
 sinner from the womb, and from the conception, 
 spoils all. It was spoken to put a check to thy 
 arrogancy, when Christ said, ' Ye are they which 
 '■ justify yourselves before men ; but God knoweth 
 ( your hearts. Lu. xvi. 15. 
 
 Hast thou taken notice of this, that God judgeth 
 the fruit by the heart from whence it comes? 'A 
 good man out of the good treasure of his heart 
 bringeth forth that which is good ; and an evil 
 man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth 
 forth that which is evil.' Lu. ri. 45. Nor can it be 
 otherwise concluded, but that thou art an evil man, 
 and so that all thy supposed good is nought but 
 badness. For that thou hast made it to stand in 
 the room of Jesus, and hast dared to commend 
 thyself to the living God thereby : For thou hast 
 trusted in thy shadow of righteousness, and com- 
 mitted iniquity. Thy sin hath melted away thy 
 righteousness, and tui-ned it to nothing but dross ; 
 or, if you will, to the early dew, like to which it 
 goeth away, and so can by no means do thee good, 
 when thou shalt stand in need of salvation and 
 eternal life of God. 
 
 But further, thou sayest thou art righteous, but 
 they are but vain words. Knowest thou not that 
 thy zeal, which is the life of thy righteousness, is 
 preposterous in many things. What else means 
 thy maduess, and the rage thereof, against men as 
 good as thyself. True, thy being ignorant that 
 they are good, may save thee from the commis- 
 sion of the sin that is unpardonable, but it will 
 never keep thee from spot in God's sight, but 
 will make both thee and thy righteousness cul- 
 pable. 
 
 Paul, who was once as brave a Pharisee as 
 thou canst be, caUeth much of that zeal, which he 
 in that estate was possessed with, and lived in the 
 exercise of, madness ; yea, exceeding madness, 
 Ac. xxvi. 9—11. Plii. iii. 5, 6. and of the same sort is much 
 of thine, and it must be so ; for a lawyer, a man 
 for the law, and that resteth in it, must be a per- 
 secutor ; yea, a persecutor of righteous men, and 
 that of zeal to God; because by the law is begat, 
 through the weakness that it meeteth with in thee, 
 .sourness, bitterness of spirit, and anger against 
 him that rightfully condemneth thee of folly, for 
 choosing to trust to thine own righteousness, when 
 a better is provided of God to save ns. Ga. iv. 28—31. 
 Thy righteousness therefore is deficient ; yea, thy 
 zeal for the law, and the men of the law, has 
 joined madness with thy moral virtues, and made 
 thy righteousness unrighteousness ; How then 
 canst thou be upright before the Lord ? 
 
 Further, Has not the pride of thy spirit in this 
 hot-headed zeal for thy pharasaical notions, run 
 thee upon thinking that thou art able to do more 
 than God hath enjoined thee, and so able to make 
 thyself more righteous, than God requireth thou 
 shouldest be. What else is the cause of thy add- 
 ing of laws to God's laws, precepts to God's pre- 
 cepts, and traditions to God's appointments? Mar. 
 Tii. 8. Nay, hast thou not by thus doing, condemned 
 the law of want of perfection, and so the God that 
 
232 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUELICAIT. 
 
 gave it, of ^vant of wisdom, and faithfulness to 
 himself and thee ? 
 
 Nay, I say again, hath not thy thus doing 
 charged God with being ignorant of knowing, what 
 rules there needed to he imposed on his creatures 
 to make their obedience complete? And doth not 
 this apish madness of thine intimate, moreover, 
 that if thou hadst not stept in with the bundle of 
 thy. traditions, righteousness had been imperfect, 
 not through man's weakness, but through impedi- 
 ment in God, or in his ministering rules of righte- 
 ousness mito us. 
 
 Now, when thou hast thought on these things 
 fairly, answer thyself in these few questions: Is 
 not this arrogancy ? Is not this blasphemy ? Is 
 not this to condemn God, tliat thou mightest be 
 righteous ? And dost thou think, this is, indeed, 
 the way to be righteous ? 
 
 But again, what means thy preferring of thine 
 own rules, laws, statutes, ordinances and appoint- 
 ments, before the rules, laws, statutes and appoint- 
 ments of God ? Thinkest thou this to be right ? 
 Whither will thy zeal, thy pride, and thy folly 
 carry thee ? Is there more reason, more equity, 
 more holiness in thy traditions, than in the holy, 
 and just, and good commandments of God? Eo. ™. 
 ]3. Why then, I say, dost thou reject the com- 
 mandment of God, to keep thine own tradition ? 
 Yea, Why dost thou rage, and rail, and cry out 
 when men keep not thy law, or the rule of thine 
 order, and tradition of thine elders ; and yet shut 
 tliine eyes, or wink with them, when thou thyself 
 shalt live in the breach of the law of God ? Yea, 
 why wilt thou condemn men, when they keep not 
 thy law, but study for an excuse, yea, plead for 
 them that live in the breach of God's. Mar.vU.lo— 13. 
 Will this go for righteousness in the day of God 
 Almighty ? Nay rather, will not this, lilce a mill- 
 stone about thy neck, drown thee in the deeps of 
 hell? Oh, the blindness, the madness, the pride, 
 and spite, that dwells in the hearts of these pre- 
 tended righteous men. 
 
 Again, What kind of righteousness of thine, is 
 this, that staudeth in a misplacing, and so conse- 
 quently in a misesteeming of God's commands ? 
 Some thou settest too high, and some too low ; as 
 in the text, thou hast set a ceremony above faith, 
 above love, and above hope in the mercy of God : 
 When, as it is evident, the things last mentioned, 
 are the things of the first rate, the weightier mat- 
 ters. Mat. xxiii. 23. 
 
 Again, Thou hast preferred the gold above the 
 temple that sanctifieth the gold, and the gift upon 
 the altar, above the altar that sanctifies the gift. 
 
 Mat. xxiiL 17. 
 
 I say again. What kind of righteousness shall 
 this be called ? What back will such a suit of 
 apparel fit, that is set together just cross and 
 
 thwart to what it should be ? Just as if the slueves 
 should be sewed upon the pocket-holes, and the 
 pockets set on where the sleeves should stand. Nor 
 can other righteousness proceed where a ■(vrong 
 judgment precedeth it. 
 
 This misplacing of God's laws cannot, I say, 
 but produce misshaped and misplaced obedience. 
 It indeed produceth a monster, an ill-shapened 
 thing, a mole, a mouse, a pig, all which are things 
 unclean, and an abomination to the Lord. Por 
 see, saith he, if thou wilt be making, that thou 
 make aU things according to the pattern shewed 
 to thee in the mount. Set faith, where faith 
 should stand, a moral, where a moral should stand; 
 and a ceremony, where a ceremony should stand; 
 for this turning of things upside doivn shall be 
 esteemed as the potter's clay: And wilt thou 
 call this thy righteousness ; yea, wilt thou stand 
 in this, plead for this, and venture an eternal con- 
 cern in such a piece of linsey-woolsey as this ? 
 fools, and blind ! 
 
 But further, let us come a little closer to the 
 point. blind Pharisee. Thou standest to thy 
 righteousness, what dost thou mean ? Wouldest 
 thou have mercy for thy righteousness, or justice 
 for thy righteousness ? 
 
 [First Mercy.] If mercy, what mercy? Tem- 
 poral things God giveth to the unthankful and 
 unholy ; nor doth he use to Sell the world to man 
 for righteousness. The earth hath he Given to 
 the children of men. But this is not the thing; 
 thou wouldest have eternal mercy for thy righte- 
 ousness ; thou wouldest have God think upon what 
 an holy, what a good, what a righteous man thou 
 art, and hast been. But Christ died not for the 
 good and righteous, nor did he come to call such 
 to the banquet, that grace hath prepared for the 
 world. 'I came not,' I am not come, saith Christ, 
 'to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' ' 
 Mar. ii. 37. Eo. v. Yet this is thy plea ; Lord God, I am 
 a righteous man, therefore grant me mercy, and a 
 share in thy heavenly kingdom. What else dost 
 thou mean, when thou sayest, ' God I thank thee, 
 that I am not as other men are ? ' Why dost thou 
 rejoice, why art thou glad that thou art more 
 righteous, if indeed thou art, than thy neighbour, 
 if it is not because thou thinkest, that thou bast 
 got the start of, the better of thy neigbour, with 
 reference to mercy ; and that by thy righteousness 
 thou hast insinuated thyself into God's affections, 
 and procured an interest in his eternal favour. 
 But, 
 
 What, What hast thou done by thy righteous- 
 ness? I say. What hast thou given to God thereby? 
 And what hath he received of thy hand ? Perhaps 
 thou wilt say, righteousness pleaseth God : But I 
 answer no, not thine, with respect to justification 
 from the curse of the law, unless it be as perfect, 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 233 
 
 as the justice it is yielded to, and as the law that 
 doth command it. But thine is not such a righte- 
 ousness : no, thine is speckled, thine is spotted, 
 thine makes thee to look like a speckled bird in 
 his eye-sight. 
 
 Thy righteousness has added iniquity, to thy 
 iniquity, because it has kept thee from a belief of 
 thy need of repentance, and because it has em- 
 boldened thee to thrust thyself audaciously into 
 the presence of God, and made thee there, even 
 before his holy eyes, which are so pure, that they 
 cannot look on iniquity, Hab. i. 13. to vaunt, boast, 
 and brag of thyself, and of thy tottering, ragged, 
 stinking unclennness ; for all our righteousnesses 
 are as menstruous rags, because they flow from a 
 thing, a heart, a man that is unclean. But, 
 
 Again, Wouldest thou have mercy for thy righ- 
 teousness ? For who wouldest thou have it ; for 
 another, or for thyself ? If for another, and it is 
 most proper, that a righteous man should intercede 
 for another by his righteousness, rather than for 
 himself, then thou thiusteth Christ out of his place 
 and office, and makest thyself to be a saviour in 
 his stead ; for a mediator there is already, even a 
 mediator between God and man, and he is the 
 man Christ Jesus. There is therefore no need 
 of thine interceding by thy righteousness for the 
 acceptation of any unto justification from the 
 curse. 
 
 But dost thou plead by thy righteousness, for 
 
 mercy for thyself ? Why, in so doing thou impliest. 
 
 First, That thy righteousness can prevail with 
 
 God, more than can thy sins. I say, that thy 
 
 righteousness can prevail with God, to preserve 
 
 thee from death, more than thy sins can prevail 
 
 with him to condemn thee to it. And if so, what 
 
 follows ? but that thy righteousness is more, and 
 
 has been done in a fuller spirit than ever were thy 
 
 sins : but thus to insinuate is to insinuate a lie ; 
 
 for there is no man, but while he is a sinner, 
 
 sinneth with a more fuU spirit, than any good 
 
 man can act righteousness withal. 
 
 I A smner when he sinneth, he doth it with all 
 
 i his heart, and with all his mind, and with all bis 
 
 ; soul, and with all his strength ; nor hath he in 
 
 ; his ordinary course any thing that bindeth. But 
 
 with a good man it is not so ; all, and every wliit 
 
 of himself, neither is, nor can be, in every good 
 
 j duty that he doth. For when he would do good 
 
 : evil is present with him. And again, ' The flesh 
 
 J lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against 
 
 the flesh : and these are contrary the one to the 
 
 , other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye 
 
 ; would. ' Ga. V. 17. 
 
 [ Now if a good man cannot do good things with 
 
 , that wholeness and oneness of soul, with that one- 
 
 j ness and universalness of mind, as a wicked man 
 
 , doth sin with, then is his sin heavier to weigh him 
 
 VOL. tl. 
 
 down to hell, than is his righteousness to buoy hhu 
 up to the heavens. 
 
 Arid again, I say, if the righteousness of a good 
 man comes short of his sin, both in number, weight 
 and measure, as it doth, for a good man shrinks 
 and quakes at the thoughts of God's entering into 
 judgment with him, Ps. cxliii. 2. then is his iniquity 
 more than his righteousness. And I say again, 
 if the sin of one that is truly gracious, and so of 
 one that hath the best of principles, is heavier and 
 mightier to destroy him, than is his righteousness 
 to save him, how can it be, that the Phai-isee, that 
 is not gracious, but a mere carnal man, somewhat 
 reformed and painted over with a few, loan, and 
 lousy formalities, should with his empty, partial, 
 hypocritical righteousness, counterpoise his great, 
 mighty, and weighty sins, that have cleaved to 
 him in every state and condition of his,, to make 
 him odious in the sight of God? 
 
 Second. Dost thou plead by thy righteousness 
 for mercy for thyself ? Why in so doing thou 
 impliest, that mercy thou deservedst; and that is 
 next door to, or almost as much as to say, God 
 oweth me what I ask for.* The best that can be 
 put upon it, is, thou seekest security from the dire- 
 ful curse of God, as it were by the works of the 
 law, and to be sure betwixt Christ and the law, 
 
 thou wilt drop into hell. Ko. ix. three lastveisea. For he 
 
 that seeks for mercy, as it were, and but as it were, 
 by the works of the law, doth not altogether trust 
 thereto. Nor doth he that seeks for that righte- 
 ousness, that should save him, as it were, by the 
 works of the law, seek it only, wholly and solely at 
 the hands of mercy. 
 
 So then, to seek for that that should save thee, 
 neither at the hands of the law, nor at the hands 
 of mercy, is, to be sure, to seek it where it is not 
 to be found ; for there is no medium betwixt the 
 righteousness of the law, and the mercy of God. 
 Thou must have it either at the door of the law, 
 or at the door of grace. But sayest thou, 1 am 
 for having of it at the hands of both. I will trust 
 solely to neither. I love to have two strings to 
 my bow. If one of them, as you think, can help 
 me by itself, my reason tells me, that both can help 
 me better. Therefore will I be righteous, and good, 
 and will seek by my goodness to be commended to 
 the mercy of God : for surely, he that hath some- 
 thing of his own to ingratiate himself into the fa- 
 vour of his prince withal, shall sooner obtain his 
 mercy and favour, than one that comes to him as 
 stript of all good. 
 
 * Tliose who p/'ad for mercy, as the ruwai'd of their own 
 righteousness, are guilty of gross absurdity. They may claim 
 to employ the mercy which they have earned : wliy plead with 
 the God of justice for ibat to which they consider themselves 
 in justice entitled ? God will give to all that to which they 
 are entitled, without being sued for their earnings. — Ed. 
 2 G 
 
334 
 
 THE PHAEISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 I answer, But tliere are not two ways to heaven, 
 not two living ways ; there is one new and living 
 way, which Christ hath consecrated for us through 
 the vail, that is to say, his flesh ; and besides that 
 one, there is no more. He. x. 19—34 Why then dost 
 thou talk of two strings to thy how ? What became 
 of him that had, and would have, two stools to sit 
 on? Yea, the text says plainly, that therefore 
 they obtained not righteousness, because they 
 sought it not by faith, but, as it were, by the works 
 of the law. See here, tliey are disowned by the 
 gospel, because they sought it not by faith ; that 
 is, by faith only. Again, the law, and the righte- 
 ousness thereof, flies from them, nor could they 
 attain it, though they followed after it, because 
 they sought it not by faith. 
 
 Mercy then is to be found alone in Jesus Christ ! 
 Again, the righteousness of the law is to be ob- 
 tained only by faith of Jesus Christ : that is, in 
 the Son of God is the righteousness of the law to 
 be found ; for he, by his obedience to his Father, 
 is become the end of the law for righteousness. 
 And for the sake of his legal righteousness, which 
 is also called the righteousness of God, because it 
 was God in the flesh of the Lord Jesus that did 
 accomplish it, is mercy and grace from God ex- 
 tended, to whoever dependeth by faith upon God 
 by this Jesus his righteousness for it. And hence 
 it is, that we so often read, that this Jesus is the 
 way to the Father: That God, for Christ's sake, 
 forgiveth us : That by the obedience of one, many 
 are made righteous or justified: And that through 
 this man, is preached to us the forgiveness of sins ; 
 and that by him all that believe are justified from 
 all things, from which they could not be justified 
 by the law of Moses. 
 
 Now, though I here do make mention of righte- 
 ousness and mercy, yet I hold there is but one way, 
 to wit, to eternal hfe ; which way, as I said, is 
 Jesus Christ ; for he is the new, the only new, and 
 living way to the Father of mercies, for mercy to 
 make me capable of abiding with him in the heavens 
 for ever and ever. 
 
 But sayest thou, I will be righteous in myself 
 that I may have wherewith to commend me to God, 
 when I go to him for mercy ? 
 
 I answer, But thou blind Pharisee ; I tell thee 
 thou hast no understanding of God's design by the 
 gospel; which is, not to advance man's righteous- 
 ness, as thou dreamest ; but to advance the righ- 
 teousness of his Son, and his grace by him. In- 
 deed, if God's design by the gospel was to exalt and 
 advance man's righteousness, then that which thou 
 hast said, would be to the purpose. For what 
 greater dignity can be put upon man's righteous- 
 ness, than to admit it ? 
 
 1 say then, for God to admit it, to be an advo- 
 cate, an intercessor, a mediator ; for all these is 
 
 that which prevaileth with God to shew me mercT, 
 But this God never thought of, much less could he 
 thus design by the gospel : for the text runs flat 
 against it. Not of works, not of works of righte- 
 ousness, which we have done ; not of works, lest 
 any man should boast, saying. Well, I may thank 
 my own good life for mercy. It was partly for the 
 sake of mine own good deeds that I obtained mercy 
 to be in heaven and glory. Shall this be the bur- 
 den of the song of heaven ? Or is this that which 
 is composed by that glittering heavenly host, and 
 which we have read of in the holy book of God! 
 No, no, that song runs upon other feet, standeth 
 in far better strains, being composed of far higher, 
 and truly heavenly matter: For God has 'predes- 
 tinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus 
 Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure 
 of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, 
 wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 
 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the 
 forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his 
 grace. ' Ep. i. 5—7. And it is requisite, that the song 
 be fi-amed accordingly ; wherefore he saith, that 
 the heavenly song runs thus : ' Thou art worthy to 
 take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for 
 thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by 
 thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and 
 people, and nation ; and hast made us unto our 
 God kings and priests ; and we shall reign on the 
 earth. ' Re. v. 9, 10. 
 
 He saith not that they have redeemed, or helped 
 to redeem and dehver themselves ; but that the 
 Lamb, the Lamb that was slain; the Lamb only 
 was he that had redeemed them. Nor, saith he, 
 that they had made themselves kings and priests 
 unto God to oifer any oblation, sacrifice, or offer- 
 ing whatsoever ; but that the same Lamb had made 
 them such. For they, as is insinuated by the text, 
 were in, among, one with, and no better, than the 
 kindreds, tongues, nations, and people of the earth. 
 Better! No, in no wise, saith Paul, Eo.ffi. 9. there- 
 fore their separation from them was of mere mercy, 
 free grace, good will, and distinguishing love : not 
 for, or because of, works of righteousness which 
 any of them have done j no, they were all alike. 
 But these, because beloved, when in their blood, 
 according to Eze. xri. were separated by free grace. 
 And as another scripture hath it, redeemed from 
 the earth, and from among men by blood. Ke.xiv.8,4 
 Wherefore dehverance from the ireful wrath of 
 God, must not, neither in whole, nor in part, he 
 ascribed to the whole law, or to all the righteous- 
 ness that comes by it ; but to this Lamb of God, 
 Jesus, the Saviom- of the world ; for it is He that 
 delivered us from the wrath to come : and that ac- 
 cording to God's appointment ; ' For God hath not 
 appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by 
 (or through) our Lord Jesus Christ.' 1 Th. v. 9. Let 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 23fi 
 
 tevery man, therefore, take heed what he doth, and 
 whereon he layeth the stress of his salvation, ' For 
 other foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, 
 which is Jesus Christ.' iCo. iii.ll. 
 
 But dost thou plead still ns thou didst before, 
 and wilt thou stand thereto? Why then, thy de- 
 sign must overcome God, or God's design must 
 overcome thee. Thy design is to give thy good 
 life, thy good deeds, a part of the glory of thy jus- 
 tification from the curse. And God's design is to 
 throw all thy righteousness out into the street, into 
 the dirt, and dunghill, as to that. Thou art for 
 glory, and for glorying here before God ; yea, thou 
 art for sharing in the glory of justification, when 
 that alone belongeth to God. And he hath said, 
 ' My glory will I not give to another.' Thou wilt 
 not trust wholly to God's grace in Christ for jus- 
 tification ; and God will not take thy stinking 
 righteousness in, as a partner in thy acquitment 
 from sin, death, wrath, and hell. Now the ques- 
 tion is, who shall prevail? God, or the Pharisee? 
 And whose word shall stand? His, or the Pha- 
 risee's? 
 
 Alas ! The Pharisee here must needs come 
 down, for God is greater than all. Also, he hath 
 said, that no flesh shall glory in his presence; and 
 that he will have mercy, and not sacrifice. And 
 again, that it is not, nor shall be, in him that wills, 
 nor In him that runs, but in God that sheweth 
 mercy. What hope, help, stay, or relief then is 
 there left for the merit-monger ? What twig, or 
 straw, or twined thread is left to be a stay for his 
 soul ? This besom will sweep away his cobweb : 
 The house that this spider doth so lean upon, will 
 now be overturned, and he in it to hell fire ; for 
 nothing less than everlasting damnation is designed 
 by God, and that for this fearful and unbelieving 
 Pharisee : God will prevail against him for ever. 
 
 Third. But wilt thou yet plead thy righteousness 
 for mercy? Why, in so doing, tlwu taJcest away 
 from God the power of giving mercy. For if It be 
 thine as wages, it is no longer his to dispose of at 
 pleasure ; for that which another man oweth me, 
 is in equity not at his, but at my disposal. Did I 
 say, that by this thy plea, thou takest away from 
 God the power of giving mercy; I will add, yea, and 
 also of disposing of heaven and life eternal. And 
 then, I pray you, what Is left unto God, and what 
 can he call his own? Not mercy; for that by 
 thy good deeds thou hast purchased. Not heaven; 
 for that by thy good deeds thou hast purchased. Not 
 eternal life ; for that by thy good deeds thou hast 
 purchased. Thus, Pharisee, thou self-righteous 
 man, hast thou set up thyself above grace, mercy, 
 heaven, glory ; yea, above even God himself, for 
 the purchaser should in reason be esteemed above 
 the purchase. 
 
 Awake man ! What hast thou done ? Thou 
 
 hast blasphemed God, thou hast undervalued tj,e 
 glory of his grace ; thou hast, what in thee lieth, 
 opposed the glorious design of heaven ! Thou hast 
 sought to make thy filthy rags to share In thy jus- 
 tification. 
 
 Now, all these are mighty sins ; these have 
 made thine Iniquity infinite. What wilt thou do ? 
 Thou hast created to thyself a world of needless 
 miseries. . I call them needless, because thou 
 hadst more than enough before. Thou hast set 
 thyself against God in a way of contending ; thou 
 standest upon thy points and pantables:* Thou 
 wilt not bate God an ace, of what thy righteous- 
 ness is worth, and wilt also make it worth what 
 thyself shalt list. Thou wilt be thine own judge, 
 as to the worth of thy righteousness ; thou wilt 
 neither hear what verdict the word has passed 
 about it, nor wilt thou endure, that God should 
 throw It out in the matter of thy justification, but 
 quarrellest with the doctrine of free grace, or else 
 dost wrest it out of its place to serve thy Phari- 
 saical designs ; saying, ' God, I thank thee, I ara 
 not as other men;' fathering upon thyself, yea, 
 upon God and thyself, a stark lie ; for thou art as 
 other men are, though hot in this, yet in thai; yea, 
 in a far worse condition than the most of men are. 
 Nor will it help thee any thing to attribute this 
 thy goodness to the God of heaven: for that Is but 
 a mere toying ; the truth is, the God that thou 
 intendest, Is nothing but thy righteousness ; and 
 the grace that thou supposest, is nothing but thine 
 own good and honest Intentions. So that, 
 
 Fourth, In all that thou sayest, thou dost but 
 play the downright hypocrite. Thou pretendest 
 indeed to mercy, but thou intendest nothing but 
 merii. Thou seemest to give the glory to God ; 
 but at the same time takest it all to thyself. Thou 
 desplsest others, and crlest up thyself, and In con- 
 clusion fatherest all upon God by word, and upon 
 thyself in truth. Nor Is there any thing more 
 common among this sort of men, than to make 
 God, his grace, and kindness, the stalking-horse 
 to their own praise, saying, God, I thank thee 
 when they trust to themselves that they are righte- 
 ous, and have not need of any repentance ; when 
 the truth is, they are the worst sort of men in the 
 world, because they put themselves Into such a 
 
 * 'Points and pantables;' quibbles and quirks. 
 
 ' Witli periods, poittU. and tropeSj lie slurs his crimes ; 
 
 He robb'd not, but he borrowed from the poor.' — Dryden. 
 
 ' Pantable,' from pautoufle, a slipper. To stand .upon his pan- 
 tables, was a contemptuous mode of speech, to express a very 
 dishonourable man's ' standing upon his honour,' which could 
 TO easily be slipped from under him. ' What pride is equal to 
 the pope's in malring kings kiss his pantables.' Sir E. Sandi/s. 
 ' He standeth upon his pantables, and regardeth greatly hit 
 reputation.' Saker's Character of a Fraudulent Fellow. Buuyaii 
 was peculiarly happy in his use of popular and proverbial 
 expressions. — Ed. 
 
23'fe 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 State as God hath not put them into, and then 
 impute ifc to God, saying, God, I thank thee, that 
 thou hast done it; for what greater sin [is there] 
 than to make God a Har, or than to father that 
 upon God which he never meant, intended, or did. 
 And all this under a colour to glorify God ; when 
 tliere is nothing else designed, but to take all 
 glory from him, and to wear [it] on thine own 
 head as a crowu, and a diadem in the face of the 
 whole world. 
 
 A self-righteous man therefore can come to God 
 for mercy none otherwise than fawningly: For 
 what need of mercy hath a righteous man ? Let 
 hira then talk of mercy, of grace, and goodness, 
 and come in an hundred times with his, ' God, I 
 thank thee,' in his mouth, all is but words, there 
 is no sense, nor savour, nor relish of mercy and 
 favour ; nor doth he in truth, from his very heart, 
 understand the nature of mercy, nor what is an 
 object thereof; but when he thanks God, he 
 praises himself; when he pleads for mercy, he 
 means his own merit ; and all this is manifest from 
 what doth follow ; for, saith he, ' I am not as this 
 Publican ! ' Thence clearly insinuating, that not 
 the good, but the bad, should be rejected of the 
 God of heaven : That not the bad but the good ; 
 not the sinner, but the self-righteous, are the most 
 proper objects of God's favour. The same thing 
 is done by others in this our day : Favour, mercy, 
 grace, and ' God I thank thee,' is in their mouths, 
 but their own strength, sufficiency, free-will, and 
 the like, they are the things they mean, by all 
 such high and glorious expressions. 
 
 [Second Justice.] But, seamdly, If thy plea 
 be not for mercy, but for justice, then to speak a 
 little to that. Justice has measures and rules to 
 go by ; unto which measures and rules, if thou 
 oomest not up, justice can do thee no good. Come 
 then, thou blind Pharisee, let us pass away a 
 few minutes in some discourse about this. Thou 
 demandest justice, because God hath said, that the 
 man that doth these things shall live in and by 
 them. And again, the doers of the law shall be 
 justified ; not in a way of mercy, but in a way of 
 justice. He shall live by them. But what hast 
 thou done, blind Pharisee ! What hast thou 
 done, that thou art emboldened to venture, to stand 
 and fall to the most perfect justice of God ? Hast 
 thou fulfilled the whole law, and not offended in 
 one point ? Hast thou purged thyself from the 
 pollutions and motions of sin that dwell in the 
 flesh, and work in thy own members ? Is the 
 very being of sin rooted out of thy tabernacle ? 
 And art thou now as perfectly innocent as ever was 
 Jesus Christ ? Hast thou, by suffering the utter- 
 most punishment that justice could justly lay upon 
 thee for thy sins, made fair and full satisfaction to 
 God, according to the tenor of his law for thy 
 
 transgressions ? If thou hast done all these 
 things, then thou mayest plead something, and yet 
 but something for thyself in a way of justice. 
 Nay, in this I will assert nothing, but rather 
 inquire : — What hast thou gained by all this thy 
 righteousness ? (we will now suppose what must 
 not be granted) Was not this thy state when thou 
 wast in thy first parents ? Wast thou not in- 
 nocent, perfectly innocent and righteous ? And if 
 thou shouldest be so now, what hast thou gained 
 thereby ? Suppose that the man, that had lorty 
 years ago forty pounds of his own, and had spent 
 it all since, should yet be able now to show his 
 forty pounds again ? What has he got thereby, or 
 how much richer is he at last, than he was, when 
 he first set up for himself. Nay, doth not the 
 blot of his ill living betwixt his first and his last, 
 lie as a blemish upon him, unless he should redeem 
 himself also by works of supererogation, from the 
 scandal that justice may lay at his door for that ? 
 
 But, I say, suppose, Pharisee, this should be 
 thy case, yet God is not bound to give thee in 
 justice that eternal life, which by his grace he 
 bestoweth upon those, that have redemption from 
 sin, by the blood of his Son. In justice therefore, 
 when all comes to all, thou canst require no more 
 than an endless life in an earthly paradise ; for 
 there thou wast set up at first ; nor doth it appear 
 from what hath been said, touching all that thou 
 hast done or canst do, that thou deservedst a better 
 place. 
 
 Did I say, that thou mayest require justly an 
 endless life in an earthly paradise. ^Vhy ? I 
 must add to that saying, this proviso : If thou 
 continuest in the law, and in the righteousness 
 thereof, else not. 
 
 But how dost thou know that thou shalt con- 
 tinue therein ? Thou hast no promise from God's 
 mouth for that, nor is grace or strength ministered 
 to mankind by the covenant that thou art under. 
 So that still thou standest bound to thy good 
 behaviour, and in the day that thou dost give the 
 first, though never so little a trip, or stumble in 
 thy obedience, thou forfeitest tliine interest in 
 paradise, and in justice, as to any benefit there. 
 
 But alas, what need is there that we should 
 thus talk of things, when it is manifest, that thou 
 hast sinned, not only before thou wast a Pharisee, 
 but when, after the most strictest sect of thy 
 religion, thou livedst also a Pharisee ; yea, and 
 now in the temple, in thy prayer there, thou 
 showest thyself to be full of ignorance, pride, self- 
 conceit, and horrible arrogancy, and desire of vain 
 glory, &c., which are none of them the seat or 
 fruits of righteousness, but the seat of the devil, 
 and the fruit of his dwelling, even at this time, in 
 thy heart. 
 
 Could it ever have been imagined, that such 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 237 
 
 audacious impudence could have put itself forth in 
 any mortal man, in his approach unto God by 
 prayer, as has showed itself in Ihee ? * I am not 
 as other men ! ' sayest thon ; but is this the way 
 to go to God in prayer ? Is tliis the way for a 
 mortal man, that is fuU of sin, that stands in need 
 of mercy, and that must certainly perish without 
 it, to come to God in prayer ? The prayer- of the 
 upright is God's delight. But the upright man 
 glorifies God's justice, by confessing to God the 
 vileness and pollution of his state and condition : 
 He glorifies God's mercy by acknowledging, that 
 that, and that only, as communicated of God by 
 Christ to sinners, can save and deliver from the 
 curse of the law. 
 
 This, I say, is the sum of the prayer of the 
 
 just and upright man, Job i. 8; xl. i. Ac. xm. 22. Ps. xxxviii.; 
 
 li. 2 Sa. vi. 21, 22. and not as thou most vain-gloriously 
 vauntest, with thy, ' God, I thank thee, that I am 
 not as other men are. ' 
 
 True, when a man is accused by his neighbours, 
 by a brother, by an enemy, and the like ; if he be 
 clear, and he may be so, as to what they shall lay 
 to his charge, then let him vindicate, justify, and 
 acquit himself, to the utmost that in justice and 
 truth he can ; for his name, the preservation 
 whereof is more to be chosen than silver and gold ; 
 also his profession, yea, the name of God too, and 
 religion, may now lie at stake, by reason of such 
 false accusations, and perhaps can by no means, 
 as to this man, be recovered, and vindicated from 
 reproach and scandal, but by his justifying of him- 
 self. Wherefore in such a work, a man serveth 
 God, and saves religion from hui-t ; yea, as he that 
 is a professor, and has his profession attended with 
 a scandalous life, hurteth religion thereby ; So he 
 that has his profession attended with a good life, 
 and shall suffer it notwithstanding, to lie under 
 blame by false accusations, when it is in the power 
 of his hand to justify himself, hurteth religion also. 
 But the case of the Pharisee is otherwise. He is 
 not here a dealing with men, but God ; not seek- 
 ing to stand clear in the sight of the world, but in 
 the sight of heaven itself; and that too, not with 
 respect to what men or angels, but with respect to 
 what God and his law, could charge him with and 
 justly lay at his door. 
 
 This therefore mamly altereth the case ; for a 
 man here to stand thus upon his points,* it is 
 death ; for he afFronteth God, he giveth him the 
 lie, he reproveth the law, and in sum, accuseth it 
 of bearing false witness against him ; he doth this, 
 I say, even by saying, 'God, I thank thee, that I 
 am not as other men are;' for God hath made 
 none of this difference. The law condemneth all 
 men as sinners, and testifieth, that every imagina- 
 
 * See note on page 235. 
 
 tion of the thought of the heart of the sons of men 
 is only evil, and that continually. Wherefore thej 
 that do as the Pharisee did, to wit, seek to justify 
 themselves before God from the curse of the law, 
 by their own good doings, though they also, as 
 the Pharisee did, seem to give God the thanks for 
 all, yet do most horribly sin, even by their so doing, 
 and shall receive a Pharisee's reward at last. 
 Wherefore, thou Pharisee, it is a vain thing for 
 thee either to think of, or to ask for, at God's 
 hand, either mercy or justice. Because mercy 
 thou canst not ask for, from sense of want of 
 mercy, because thy righteousness, which is by the 
 law, hath utterly blinded thine eyes, and compli- 
 menting with God doth nothing. And as for 
 justice, that can do thee no good, but the more 
 just God is, and the more by that he acteth towards 
 thee, the more miserable and fearful will be thy 
 condition, because of the deficiency of thy, so 
 much by thee, esteemed righteousness. 
 
 [TTie Pha/risee seeth no need of mercy, hut thinkelh 
 himself rigMeous before God. ] 
 
 What a deplorable condition then is a poor Pha- 
 risee in ! For mercy he cannot pray, he cannot 
 pray for it with all his heart ; for he seeth, indeed, 
 no need thereof. True, the Pha,risee, though he 
 was impudent enough, yet would not take all from 
 God ; he would still count, that there was due to 
 him a tribute of thanks: ' God, I thank thee,' 
 saith he, but yet not a bit of this, for mercy ; but . 
 for that he had let him live, for I know not for 
 what he did thank himself, till he had made him- 
 self better than other men ; but that betterment 
 was a betterment in none other judgment than that 
 of his own, and that was none other but such an 
 one as was false. So then, the Pharisee is by this 
 time quite out of doors ; his righteousness is worth 
 nothing, his prayer is worth nothing, his thanks to 
 God are worth nothing ; for that what he had was 
 scanty, and imperfect, and it was his pride that 
 made him offer it to God for acceptance ; nor could 
 his fawning thanksgiving better his case, or make 
 his matter at all good before God. 
 
 But I'll warrant you, the Pharisee was so far 
 off' from thinking thus of himself, and of his righte- 
 ousness, that he thought of nothing so much as 
 of this, that he was a happy man ; yea, happier 
 by far than other his fellow rationals. Yea, he 
 plainly declares it when he saith, ' God, I thank 
 thee, that I am not as other men are. ' 
 
 what a fool's paradise was the heart of the 
 Pharisee now in, whiie he stood in the temple 
 praying to God ! ' God, I thank thee,' said he, 
 for I am good and holy, I am a righteous man ; I 
 have been full of good works ; I am no extortioner, 
 unjust, nor adulterer, no nor yet as this wretched 
 
238 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 Publican. I have kept myself strictly to tlie rule 
 of mine order, and my order is the most strict of 
 all orders now in being : I fast, I pray, I give tithes 
 of all that I possess. Yea, so forward am I to be 
 a religious man ; so ready have 1 been to listen 
 after my duty, that I have asked both of God and 
 man the ordinances of judgment and justice; I 
 take delight in approaching to God. What less 
 now can be mine than the heavenly kingdom and 
 glory ? 
 
 Now the Pharisee, like Ilaman, saith in his 
 heart. To whom would the king delight to do hon- 
 our, more than to myself? Where is the man 
 that so pleaseth God, and consequently, that in 
 equity aud reason should be beloved of God like 
 me ? Thus like the prodigal's brother, he pleadeth, 
 saying, ' Lo, these many years do I serve thee, 
 neither transgressed I at any time thy command- 
 ment.' LU.XT. 29. brave Pharisee ! But go on in 
 thine oration : ' Nor yet as this Publican. ' 
 
 Poor wretch, quoth the Pharisee to the Publi- 
 can, What comest thoii for ? Dost think that such 
 a sinner as thou art shall be heard of God ? God 
 heareth not sinners ; but if any man be a wor- 
 shipper of God as I am, as I thank God I am, him 
 he heareth. Thou, for thy part, hast been a rebel 
 all thy days: I abhor to come nigh thee, or to 
 touch thy garments. Stand by thyself, come not 
 near me, for I am more holy than thou. is. ixv. 5. 
 
 Hold, stop there, go no further; fie Pharisee, 
 fie ; Dost thou know before whom thou standest, 
 to whom thou speakest, and of what the matter of 
 thy silly oration is made ? Thou art now before 
 God, thou speakest now to God, and therefore in 
 justice and honesty thou shoiddest make mention 
 of his righteousness, not of thine ; of his righteous- 
 ness, and of his only. 
 
 I am sure Abraham, of whom thou sayest he is 
 thy father, never had the face to do as thou hast 
 done, though it is to be presumed he had more 
 ca'use so to do, than thou hast, or canst have. 
 Abraham had whereof to glory, but not before 
 God; yea, he was called God's friend, and yet 
 would not glory before him ; but humbled himself, 
 was afraid, and trembled in himself, when he stood 
 before him, acknowledging of himself to be but 
 dust and ashes. Ge. xviii. 37, 30. Eo. iv. 3. But thou, as 
 thou hadst quite forgot, that thou wast framed of 
 that matter, and after the manner of other men, 
 standest and pleadest thy goodness before him. 
 Be ashamed Pharisee ! Dost thou think, that God 
 hath eyes of flesh, or that he seeth as man sees ? 
 Is not the secrets of thy heart open unto him ? 
 Thinkest thou with thyself, that thou, with a few 
 of thy defiled ways canst cover thy rotten wall, 
 that thou hast daubed with untempered mortar, 
 and so hide the dirt thereof from his eyes : Or 
 that these fine, smooth, and oily words, that come 
 
 out of thy mouth, will make him forget that tlij 
 throat is an open sepulchre, and that thou wUhk 
 art full of dead>»men's bones and all uncleanness "i 
 Thy thus cleansing of the outside of the cup and 
 platter, and thy garnishing of the sepulchres of 
 the righteous, is nothing at all in God's eyes, but 
 things that manifest, that thou art an hypocrite, 
 and blind, because thou takest no notice of that 
 which is within, which yet is that, which is mos( 
 abominable to God. For the fruit, alas, what is 
 the fruit to the tree, or what are the streams to the 
 fountain ! Thy foimtain is defiled; yea, a defiler, 
 and so that which maketh thy whole self, with thy 
 works unclean in God's sight. 
 
 But Pharisee, how comes it to pass, that the 
 poor Publican is now such a mote in thine eye, that 
 thou canst not forbear, but must accuse him before 
 the judgment of God: for in that thou sayest, 
 ' that thou art not even as this Publican, ' thou 
 bringest in an accusation, a charge, a bill against 
 him. What has he done? Has he concealed any 
 of thy righteousness, or has he secretly informed 
 against thee that thou art an hypocrite, and super- 
 stitious ? I dare say, the poor wretch has neither 
 meddled nor made* with thee in these matters. 
 
 But what aileth the Pharisee ? Doth the poor 
 Publican stand to vex thee ? Doth he touch thee 
 with his dirty garments ; or doth he annoy thee 
 with his stinking breath ? Doth his posture of 
 standing so like a man condemned offend thee ? 
 True, he now standeth with his hand held up at 
 God's bar, he pleads guilty to all that is laid to 
 his charge. 
 
 He cannot strut, vapour, and swagger as thou 
 dost ? but why offended at this ? Oh but he has 
 been a naughty man ! and I have been righteous, 
 sayest thou. Well, Pharisee, well, his naughtiness 
 shall not be laid to thy charge, if thou hast chosen 
 none of his ways. But since thou -wilt yet bear me 
 down, that thou art righteous, shew now, even now, 
 while thou standest before God with the Publican, 
 some, though they be but small, yea, though but 
 very small fruits of thy righteousness. Let the 
 Publican alone, since he is speaking for his life 
 before God. Or if thou canst not let him alone, 
 yet do not speak against him ; for thy so doing 
 will but prove, that thou rememberest the evil that 
 the man has done unto thee ; yea, and that thou 
 bearest him a grudge for it too, and that while you 
 stand before God. 
 
 But Pharisee, the righteous man is a merciful 
 
 * ' Meddle nor make,' to interfere witli matters that do not 
 concern us. 
 
 ' I think it no sin, to sleep in a whole skin. 
 So I ncitlier meddle nor Itake.'—Old Play. 
 ' He that will meddle with all things, may go shoe the goslings.' 
 ' I'll neither meddle nor make, said Bill Heaps, when he spifl'd 
 the butter milk.' Old Proverbs. — Ed. 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 239 
 
 man, and while he standeth praying, he forgiveth; 
 yea, and also crieth to God that he will forgive 
 him too. Mar. xi. 35, S6. Ac. rii. 60. Hitherto then thou 
 hast shewed none of the fruits of thy righteousness. 
 Pharisee, righteousness would teach thee to love 
 this Puhlican, hut thou showest that thou hatest 
 him. Love covereth the multitude of sins ; hut 
 hatred and unfaithfulness revealeth secrets. 
 
 Pharisee, thou shouldest have remembered this 
 thy brother in this his day of adversity, and 
 shouldest have shewed, that thou hadst compassion 
 to thy brother in this his deplorable condition ; but 
 thou, like the proud, the cruel, and arrogant man, 
 bast taken thy neighbour at the advantage, and 
 that when he is even between the straits, and 
 standing upon the very pmnacle of difficulty, be- 
 twixt the heavens and the hells, and hast done 
 what thou couldest, what on thy part lay, to thrust 
 him down to the deep, saying, ' I am not even as 
 this Publican.' 
 
 What cruelty can be greater ; what rage more 
 furious ; and what spite and hatred more damnable 
 and implacable, than to follow, or take a man 
 while he is asking of mercy at God's hands, and 
 to put in a caveat* against his obtaining of it, by 
 exclaiming against him that he is a sinner? The 
 master of righteousness doth not so : 'Do not 
 think,' salth he, 'that I will accuse you to the 
 Father. ' Jn. v. 45. The scholars of righteousness do 
 not so. ' But as for me,' said David, ' when they 
 (mine enemies) were sick, (and the Publican here 
 was sick of the most malignant disease) my cloth- 
 ing was sackcloth, I humbled my soul with fasting; 
 and my prayer (to wit, that I made for them) re- 
 turned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself 
 as though he had been my friend or brother : I 
 bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his 
 mother. ' Ps. xxxv. is, 14. 
 
 Pharisee, Dost thou see here how contrary thou 
 art to righteous men ? Now then, where shall we 
 find out one to parallel thee, but by finding out of 
 him that is called the dragon ; for he it is that 
 accuseth poor sinners before God. Zec. m. Ke. rfi. 
 
 'I am not as this Publican:' Modesty should 
 have commanded thee to have bit thy tongue as to 
 this. What could the angels think, but that re- 
 venge was now in thine heart, and but that thou 
 comest up into the tempk, rather to boast of thy 
 self and accuse thy neighbour, than to pray to the 
 God of heaven : For what one petition is there in 
 all thy prayer, that gives the least intimation, that 
 thou hast the knowledge of God or thyself? Nay, 
 what petition of any kind is there in thy vain-glo- 
 
 * The accurate knowledge of Bunyan as to the meaning of 
 lawlerms is very surprising, and proves him to have been an 
 apt scholar. A caveat is a caution not to admit a wiU that 
 may injure some other party. — Ed. 
 
 rious oration from first to last ? only an accusation 
 drawn up, and that against one helpless and for- 
 lorn ; against a poor man, because he is a sinner ; 
 drawn up, I say, against him by thee, who canst 
 not make proof of thyself that thou art righteous : 
 But come to proofs of righteousness, and there thou 
 art wanting also. What though thy raiment is 
 better than his, thy skin mity ue full as black: 
 Yea, what if thy skin be whiter than his, thy heai t 
 may be yet far blacker. Yea, it is so, for the 
 truth hath spoken it ; for within you are full of 
 excess and all imcleanness. Mat. xxiii. 
 
 Pharisee, there are transgressions against the 
 second table, and the Publican shall be guilty of 
 them: But there are sins also against the first 
 table, and thou thyself art guilty of them. 
 
 The Publican, in that he was an extortioner, 
 unjust, and an adulterer, made it thereby manifest 
 that he did not love his neighbom' ; and thou by 
 making a God, a Saviour, a deliverer, of thy filthy 
 righteousness, doth make it appear, that thou dost 
 not love thy God ; for as he that taketh, or that 
 derogateth from his neighbour in that which is his 
 neighbour's due, sinneth against his neighbour, so 
 he that taketh or derogateth from God, sinneth 
 against God. 
 
 Now then, though thou hast not, as thou dost 
 imagine, played at that low game as to derogate 
 from thy neighbour ; yet thou hast played at that 
 high game as to derogate from' thy God ; for thou 
 hast robbed God of the glory of salvation ; yea, 
 declared, that as to that there is no trust to be 
 put in him. ' Lo, this is the man that made not 
 God. his strength; but trusted in the abundance 
 of his riches, and strengthened himself in his 
 wickedness' or substance. Ps. lii. 7. 
 
 What else means this great bundle of thy own 
 righteousness, which thou hast brought with thee 
 into the temple ? yea, what means else thy com- 
 mending of thyself because of that, and so thy 
 implicit prayer, that thou for that mightest find 
 acceptance with God? 
 
 All this, what does it argue, I say, but thy diffi- 
 dence of God ? and that thou countest salvation 
 safer in thine own righteousness, than in the 
 righteousness of God ; and that thy own love to, 
 and care of thy own soul, is far greater, and so 
 much better, than is the care and love of God. 
 And is this to keep the first table ; yea, the first 
 branch of that table, which saith, ' Thou shalt 
 love the Lord thy God ?' For thy thus doing cannot 
 stand with love to God. 
 
 How can that man say, I love G od, who from 
 his very heart shrinketh from trusting in him? 
 Or, how can that man say, I Avould glorify God, 
 who in his very heart refuseth to stand and fall 
 by his mercy? 
 
 Suppose a great man should bid aU the poor of 
 
240 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 the parish to his house to dinner, and should more- 
 over send by the mouth of his servant, saying, My 
 lord hath killed his fatlings, hath furnished his 
 table, and prepared his wine, nor is there want of 
 anything, come to the banquet : Would it not be 
 counted as a high affront to, great contempt of, 
 and much distrust in the goodness of the man of 
 the house, if some of these guests should take 
 with them, out of their own poor store, some of 
 their mouldy crusts, and cai-ry them with them, 
 lay them on their trenchers upon the table before 
 the lord of the feast, and the rest of his guests, 
 oiit of fear that he yet would uot provide sufficiently 
 for those he had bidden to his dinner that he 
 made? 
 
 Why Pharisee, this is thy very case. Thou hast 
 been called to a banquet, even to the banquet 
 of God's grace, and thou hast been disposed to 
 go; but behold, thou hast not believed, that he 
 would of his own cost make thee a feast, when 
 thou comest; wherefore of thy own store thou 
 hast brought with thee, and hast laid upon thy 
 trencher* on his table, thy mouldy and hoary 
 crusts in the presence of the angels, and of this 
 poor Publican ; yea, and hast vauntingly said 
 upon the whole, ' God, I thank thee, that I am 
 not as other men are. ' I am no such needy man. 
 Lu. XV. 7. * I am no extortioner, nor unjust, no 
 adulterer, nor even as this Publican ' I am come 
 indeed to thy feast, for of civility I could do no 
 less ; but for thy dainties, I need them not, I have 
 of such things enough of mine own.t Lu- xviii. 9. I 
 thank thee therefore for thy offer of kindness, but 
 I am not as those that have, and stand in need 
 thereof, ' nor yet as this Publican. ' And thus 
 feeding upon thine own fare, or by making a com- 
 position of his and thine together, thou condemnest 
 God, thou countest him insufficient or unfaithful ; 
 that is, either one that hath not enough, or having 
 it, will not bestow it upon the poor and needy, 
 and therefore, of mere pretence thou goest to his 
 banquest, but yet trustest to thine own, and to 
 that only. 
 
 This is to break the first table; and so to make 
 thyself a sinner of the highest form: for the sins 
 against the first table, are sins of an higher nature 
 than are the sins against the second. True, the 
 sins of the second table are also sins against God, 
 'because they are sins against the commandments 
 of God: but the sins that are against the first 
 table, are sins not only against the command, but 
 
 * In this couutry the introdactiou of earthenware plates has 
 driven the less cleanly wooden plate, called a trencher, entirely 
 out of use. — Ed. 
 
 i" Sin-sick soiils alone seek the Great Physician, and are the 
 proper subjects of Chiist's healing power. Pride and unbelief 
 bar the door of mercy and grace ; and if not subdued by the 
 blood of the cross, nill ruin the soul, — Ryland. 
 
 against the very love, strength, holiness, and faith- 
 fulness of God. And herein stands thy condition; 
 thou hast not, thou say est thou hast not done injury 
 to thy neighbour ; but what of that, if thou hast 
 EEPBOACHED GoD THY MAKER ? This is, as if a 
 man should be in with his fellow-servant, and out 
 with his master. 
 
 Pharisee, I will assure thee, thou art besides 
 the saddle ; % thy state is not good, thy righteous- 
 ness is so far off from doing of thee any good, that 
 it maketh thee to be a greater sinner than if thou 
 hadst none at all, because it fighteth more imme- 
 diately against the mercy, the love, the grace, and 
 goodness of God, than the sins of other sinners, as 
 to degree, does. 
 
 And as they are more odious and abominable in 
 the sight of God, as they needs must, if what is 
 said be true, as it is ; so they are more dangerous 
 to the life and soul of man: for that they always 
 appear unto him in whom they dwell, and to him 
 that trusteth in them, not to be sins and trans- 
 gressions, but virtues and excellent things. Not 
 things that set a man further off, but the things, 
 that bring a man nearer to God, than those that 
 want them are or can be. 
 
 This therefore is the dangerous estate of those 
 that go about to establish their own righteousness, 
 that neither have, nor can, while they are so doing, 
 submit themselves to the righteousness of God. Ro. 
 X. 8. It is far more easy to persuade a poor wretch, 
 whose life is debauched, and whose sins are written 
 in his forehead, to submit to the righteousness of 
 God, that is, to the righteousness that is of God's 
 providing and giving ; than it is to persuade a self- 
 righteous man to do it. For the profane are sooner 
 convinced, as of the necessity of righteousness to 
 save him: so that he has none of his oivn to do 
 him that pleasure, and therefore most gladly he 
 aocepteth of, and submitteth himself to the help 
 and health and salvation that is in the righteous- 
 ness and obedience of another man. 
 
 And upon this account it is, that Christ saith, 
 ' The Publicans and the Harlots' enter into the 
 kingdom of heaven before the Scribes and Phari- 
 sees. Mat. xxi. 81. Poor Pharisee, what a loss art 
 thou at ? thou art not only a sinner, but a sinner 
 of the highest form. Not a sinner by such sins 
 (by such sins chiefly) as the second table doth 
 make manifest ; but a sinner chiefly in that way, 
 as no self-righteous man did ever dream of. For 
 
 % ' Thou art besides the saddle.' 
 
 ' 1 have no spur 
 To prick the sides of my intent, but only 
 Vaulting araliitioii ; which o'erleaps itself. 
 And faUs on the other. - -• Macbeth. 
 
 A p'roud ecclesiastic requested one of bis devotees to give him 
 a leg on mounting his horse, which he did so heartily as to 
 throw him to the other side the saddle, and broke his neck. 
 — Ed. 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 241 
 
 when the righteous man or Pharisee shall hear 
 that he is a sinner, he replieth, ' I am not as other 
 men are.' 
 
 And hecause the common and more ordinary 
 description of sin, is the transgression against the 
 second tahle, he presently replieth again, I am 
 not as this Publican is ; and so shrowdeth himself 
 under his own lame endeavours, and ragged, 
 partial patches of moral or civil righteousness. 
 Wherefore when he heareth, that his righteous- 
 ness is condemned, slighted, and accounted nothing 
 worth, then he fretteth, and fumeth, and chafeth 
 and would kill the man, tliat so slighteth and dis- 
 daineth his goodly righteousness ; but Christ and 
 the true gospel- teacher still goeth on, and con- 
 demneth all his righteousness to be as menstrous 
 rags, an abomination to God, and nothing but loss 
 and dung. 
 
 Now menstrous rags, things that are an abomi- 
 nation, and dung, are not fit matter to make a 
 garment of to wear, when I come to God for life, 
 much less to be made my friend, my advocate, my 
 mediator and spokesman, when I stand betwixt 
 heaven and hell, to plgad for me that I might be 
 saved, is. Wt. 6. Lu. xvi. is. PM. ui. 6—8. 
 
 Perhaps some will blame me, and count me 
 also worthy thereof, because I do not distinguish 
 betwixt the matter and the manner of the Phari- 
 see's righteousness. And let them condemn me 
 still ; for, saving the holy law, which is neither 
 the matter nor manner of the Pharisee's righteous- 
 ness, but rather the rules, if he will live thereby, 
 up to which he should completely come in every 
 thing that he doth. And I say again, that the 
 whole of the Pharisee's righteousness is sinful, 
 though not with and to men, yet with and before 
 the God of heaven. Sinful I say it is, and abomi- 
 nable, both in itself, and also in its effects. 
 
 [The Pharisee's whole righteousness sinful.] 
 
 First, In itself ; for that it is imperfect, scanty, 
 and short of the rule by which righteousness is 
 enjoined, and even with which every act should 
 be: For shortness here, even every shortness in 
 these duties, is sin, and sinful weakness ; where- 
 fore the curse taketh hold of the man for coming 
 short, but that it could not justly do, if his coming 
 short was not his sin : Cm-sed is every one that 
 doeth not, and that continueth not to do all things 
 written in the law. De. xxvu. se. Ga. iii. lo. 
 
 Second, It is sinful, because it is wrought by 
 sinful flesh ; for aU legal righteousness is a work 
 of the flesh. Eo. iv. i. pm. Hi. 3—8. 
 
 A work, I say, of the flesh ; even of that flesh, 
 who, or which also committeth the greatest enor- 
 mities. For the flesh is but one, though its 
 worldngs are divers: Sometimes in a way most 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 notoriously sensual and devilish, causing the soul 
 to wallow in wickedness as the sow doth to wallow 
 in the mire. 
 
 But these are not all the works of the flesh ; the 
 flesh sometimes will attempt to be righteous, and 
 set upon doing actions, that in their perfection 
 would be very glorious and beautiful to behold. 
 But because the law is only commanding words, 
 and yieldeth no help to the man that attempts to 
 perform it ; and because the flesh is weak, and 
 cannot do of itself that which it beginneth to 
 meddle with, therefore this most glorious work of 
 the flesh faileth. 
 
 But, I say, as it is a work of the flesh, it can- 
 not be good, forasmuch as the hand that worketh 
 it, is defiled with sin : For in a good man, one 
 spiritually good, ' that is in his flesh there dwells 
 no good thing,' but consequently that which is 
 bad ; how then can the flesh of a carnal, graceless 
 man, and such a one is every pharisee and self- 
 ' righteous man in the world, produce, though it 
 joineth itself to the law, to the righteous law of 
 God, that which is good in his sight. 
 
 If any shall think that I pinch so hardly, because 
 I call man's righteousness which is of the law, of 
 the righteous law of God, flesh; let them consider 
 that which follows ; to wit, That though man by 
 sin, is said to be dead in sin and trespasses, yet not 
 so dead, but that he can act still in his own sphere. 
 That is, to do, and choose to do, either that which 
 by all men is counted base, or that which by some 
 is counted good, though he is not, nor can all the 
 world make him capable of doing anything that 
 may please his God. 
 
 Man by nature, as dead as he is, can, and that 
 with the will of his flesh, wiU his own salvation. 
 Man by nature can, and that by the power of the 
 flesh, pursue and follow after his own salvation; but 
 then he wills it, and pursues or follows after it, not 
 in God's way, but his own. Not by faith in Christ, 
 but by the law of Moses, see Ro. ix. 16, 3i ; x. 3—7. 
 
 Wherefore it is no error to say, that a man 
 naturally has WUl, and a Power to pursue his 
 will, and that as to his salvation. But it is a 
 damnable error to say, that he hath will and power 
 to pursue it, and that in God's way. For then we 
 must hold that the mysteries of the gospel are 
 natural ; for that natural men, or men by nature, 
 may apprehend and know them ; yea, and know 
 them to be the only means by which they must 
 obtain eternal life : for the understanding must act 
 before the will ; yea, a man must approve of the 
 way to life by Jesus Christ, before his mind will 
 budge, or stir, or move that way : ' But the natural 
 man reoeiveth not the things of the Spirit of God ; 
 (of the gospel) for they are foolishness unto him, 
 neither can he know them, because they are 6pi= 
 ritually discerned. ' i Co. a. 14. 
 2 H 
 
242 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 He receiveth not these tilings ; that is, his mind 
 and will lie cross unto them, for he counts them 
 foolishness ; nor can all the natural wisdom in the 
 world, cause that his will should fall in with them, 
 because it cannot discern them. 
 
 Nature discemeth the law, and the righteousness 
 thereof ; yea, it diseerneth it, and approveth thereof ; 
 that is, that the righteousness of it is the best and 
 only way to life, and therefore the natural will and 
 power of the flesh, as here you see in thePharisee, do 
 steer their course hy that for eternal life, i Co. ii. 14. 
 
 The righteousness of the law therefore is a work 
 of the flesh, a work of sinful flesh, and therefore 
 must needs be as filth and dung, and abominable 
 as to that for which this man hath produced it, and 
 presented it in the temple before God. 
 
 Nor is the Pharisee alone entangled in this mis- 
 chief ; many souls are by these works of the flesh 
 flattered, as also the Pharisee was, into an opinion, 
 that their state is good, when there is nothing in 
 it. The most that their conversion amounteth to, 
 is, the Publican is become a Pharisee; the open 
 sinner is become a self-righteous man. Of the 
 black side of the flesh he hath had enough, now 
 therefore with the white side of the flesh he will 
 recreate himself. And now, most wicked must he 
 needs be, that questioneth the goodness of the 
 state of such a man. He, of a drunkard, a 
 swearer, an unclean person, a sabbath-breaker, a 
 liar, and the like, is become reformed ; a lover of 
 righteousness, a strict observer, doer, and trader in 
 the formalities of the law, and a herder with men 
 of his complexion. And now he is become a great 
 exclaimer against sin and sinners, defying to ac- 
 quaint with those that once were his companions, 
 saying, 'I am not even as this Publican.' 
 
 To turn therefore from the flesh to the flesh, 
 from sin to man's righteousness : yea, to rejoice in 
 confidence, that thy state is better than is that of 
 the Publican: I mean, better in the eyes of divine 
 justice, and in the judgment of the law ; and yet 
 to be found by the law, not in the spirit, but in the 
 flesh ; not in Christ, but under the law ; not in a 
 state of salvation, but of damnation, is common 
 among men: For they, and they only, are the 
 right men, ' which worship God in the Spirit, and 
 rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in 
 the flesh.' Where by flesh, must not be meant 
 tlie horrible transgressions against the law, though 
 they are also called the works of the flesh, Ga. v. 19. 
 for they minister no occasion unto men, to have 
 confldence in them towards God : but that is that, 
 which is insinuated by Paul, where he saith, he 
 had 'no confidence in the flesh,' though he might 
 have had it, as he said, ' Though I might also have 
 confidence in the flesh. I| any other man,' saith 
 he, 'thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust 
 in the flesh, I more:' PhiLiii. 3. 4. And then he re- 
 
 peats a two-fold privilege that he had by the 
 flesh. 
 
 First, That he was one of the seed of Abraham, 
 and of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the 
 Hebrews, &c. 
 
 Secondly, That he had fallen in with the strictest 
 men of that religion, which was such after the 
 flesh ; to wit, to be a Pharisee, and was the son 
 of a Pharisee, had much fleshly zeal for God, and 
 was 'touching the righteousness which is in the 
 law blameless.' Phu.iii. 6. 
 
 But, I say still, there is nothing but flesh, flesh : 
 fleshly privileges, and fleshly righteousness, and so 
 consequently a fleshly confidence, and trust for 
 heaven. This is manifest for these very things, 
 when the man had his eyes enlightened, he counted 
 all but loss and dung, that he might be found in 
 Christ, not having his own righteousness which is 
 of the law, but that which is through the faith of 
 Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, 
 
 [Godly men are afraid of their oton righteousness.] 
 
 And this leads me to another thing, and that is, 
 to tell thee, thou blind Pharisee that thou canst 
 not be in a safe condition, because thou hast thy 
 confldence in the flesh, that is, in the righteous- 
 ness of the flesh. For ' all flesh is grass, and all 
 the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field : ' 
 and the flesh and the glory of that being as weak 
 as the grass, which to day is, and to morrow is 
 cast into the oven, is but a weak business for a 
 man to venture his eternal salvation upon. Where- 
 fore, as I also hinted before, the godly-wise have 
 been afraid to he foimd in their righteousness, I 
 mean their own personal righteousness, though 
 that is far better, than can be the righteousness 
 of any carnal man: for the godly man's righteous- 
 ness is wrought in the spirit and faith of Christ ; 
 but the ungodly man's righteousness is of the 
 flesh, and of the law. Yet I say, this godly man 
 is afraid to stand by his righteousness before the 
 tribunal of God, as is manifest in these following 
 particulars. 
 
 First, He sees sin in his righteousness, for so 
 the prophet intimates, when he saith, 'AU our 
 righteousnesses are as filthy rags: is.ixiv.c. but 
 there is nothing can make one's righteousness filthy 
 but sin. It is not the poor, the low, the mean, the 
 sickly, the beggarly state of a man, nor yet his being 
 hated of devils, persecuted of men, broken under 
 necessities, reproaches, distresses, or any kind of 
 troubles of this nature, that can make the godly 
 man's righteousness filthy ; nothing but sin can do 
 it, and that can, doth, hath, and will do it. Nor 
 can any man, be he who he will, and though he 
 watches, prays, strives, denies himself, and puts 
 his body under what chastisement or hardships he 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 ZiS 
 
 can ; yea, ttougli he also shall get his spirit and 
 Boul hoisted up to the highest peg, or pin of sanc- 
 tity, and holy contemplation, and so his lusts to 
 the greatest degree of mortification ; but sin -will 
 be with him in the beat of his performances. 
 With him, I say, to pollute and defile his duties, 
 and to make his righteousness specked and spotted, 
 filthy and menstruous. 
 
 I will give you two or three instances for this. 
 
 1. Nehemiah was a man, in his day, one that 
 was zealous, very zealous for God, for his house, 
 for his people, and for his ways ; and so continued, 
 and that from first to last, as they may see that 
 please to read the relation of his action ; yet when 
 he comes seriously to be concerned with God about 
 his duties, he relinquisheth a standing by them. 
 True, he mentioneth them to God, but confesseth 
 that there is imperfections in them, and prayeth 
 that God will not wipe them away: 'Wipe not 
 out my good deeds, my God, that I have done 
 for the house of my God, and for the offices there- 
 of.' And again, 'Remember me, my God, con- 
 cerning this,' also another good deed, 'and spare 
 me according to the greatness of thy mercy: - 
 Remember me, my God, for good. ' Ne. xiii. 
 
 I do not think that by these prayers he pleadeth 
 for an acceptation of his person, as touching justi- 
 fication from the curse of the law, as the poor 
 blind Pharisee doth ; but that God would accept 
 of his service, as he was a son, and not deny to 
 give him a reward of grace for what he had done, 
 since he was pleased to declare in his testament, 
 that he would reward the labour of love of bis 
 saints with an exceeding weight of glory ; and 
 therefore prayeth, that God would not wipe away 
 his good deeds, but remember him for good, ac- 
 cording to the greatness of his mercy. 
 
 2. A second instance is that of David, where he 
 saith, 'Enter not into judgment with thy servant:' 
 Lord ; 'for in thy sight shall no man living be jus- 
 tified. ' Ps. cxiiiL 2. David, as I also have hinted before, 
 is said to be a man after God's own heart, Ac. xiii. 
 23. and as here by the Spirit he acknowledges him 
 for his servant ; yet behold how he shrinketh, how 
 he draweth back, how he prayeth, and petitioneth, 
 that God would vouchsafe so much as not to enter 
 into judgment with him. Lord, saith he, if thou 
 enterest into judgment with me, I die, because I 
 shall be condemned ; for in thy sight I cannot he 
 justified ; to wit, by my own good deeds. Lord, 
 at the beginning of thy dealing with me, by thy 
 law and my works I die, therefore do not so much 
 as enter into judgment with me, Lord. Nor is 
 this my case only, but it is the condition of all the 
 world: ' For in thy sight shall KO man living he 
 justified.' 
 
 3. A third instance is, that general conclusion 
 of the apostle, ' But that no man is justified by the 
 
 law in the sight of God, it is evident : for, The just, 
 shall live by faith. ' Ga. iii. u. By this saying of Paul, 
 as he taketh up the sentence of the prophet Habak- 
 kuk, ii. 1. so he taketh up this sentence, yea, and 
 the personal justice of David also. No man, saith 
 he, is justified by the law in the sight of God ; no, 
 no just man, no holy man, not the strictest and 
 most righteous man. But why not? why? Be- 
 cause the just shall live by faith. 
 
 The just man, therefore, must die, if he has 
 not faith in another righteousness, than that which 
 is of the law; called his own: I say, he must die, 
 if he has none other righteousness than that which 
 is his own by the law.* Thus also Paul confesses 
 of himself: I, saith he, know nothing by myself, 
 either before conversion or after ; that is, I knew 
 not, that I did anything before conversion, either 
 against the law, or against my conscience ; for I 
 was then, touching the righteousness which is of 
 the law, blameless. Also, since my conversion, I 
 know nothing by myself ; for ' I have lived in all 
 good conscience before God unto this day. ' Ac. xxiii. i. 
 
 A great saying, I promise you. I doubt this is 
 more than our glorious justitiaries can say, except 
 they say and lie. Well, but yet, ' I am not hereby 
 justified. ' 1 Co. iy. 4.PM. iu. 7. Nor will I dare to ven- 
 ture the eternal salvation of my soul upon mine 
 own justice, ' but he that judgeth me is the Lord. ' 
 That is, though I, through my dimsightedness, 
 cannot see the imperfections of my righteousness ; 
 yet the Lord, who is my judge, and before whose 
 tribunal I must shortly stand, can and will; and 
 if in his sight there shall be found no more but 
 one spot in my righteousness, I must, if I plead 
 my righteousness, fall for that. 
 
 Second, That the best of men are afraid to stand 
 before God's tribunal, there to be judged by the 
 law as to life and death, according to the suffi- 
 ciency or non-sufficiency of their righteousness, is 
 evident, because by casting away their own, in this 
 matter, they make all the means they can for this ; 
 that is, that his mercy, by an act of grace, be 
 made over to them, and that they in it may stand 
 before God to be judged. 
 
 Hence David cries out so oiten, ' Lead me, 
 Lord, in thy righteousness.' Pa. v. 8. 'Deliver me in 
 thy righteousness. ' Vs. xxxi. i. ' Judge me, Lord 
 my God, according to thy righteousness. ' Ps xxxv.34. 
 ' Quicken me in thy righteousness. ' Ps. cxix. 40. ' 
 Lord, ' says he, ' give ear to my supplications ; in 
 thy faithfulness answer me, mid in thy righteous- 
 ness. And enter not into judgment ivith thy ser- 
 vant : ' Lord : ' For in thy sight shall no man 
 living be justified.' Ps. cxiiii. i. 3. And David, What 
 if God doth thus ? Why then, saith he, ' My 
 
 * ' For whosoever ehaU keep the whole law, and yet offend 
 in outpoint, he is guilty of all.' Jam. ii. 10. 
 
24i 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 tongue shall speak of thy righteousness.' Ps.xxit. 28. 
 ' My tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. ' 
 I's. li. 14. ' My mouth shall shew forth thy righteous- 
 ness. ' Yea, ' I will make mention of thy righte- 
 ousness, euen o/" thine only.' Ps. itxi. 15, le. 
 
 Daniel also, when he comes to plead for himself 
 and his people, he first easts away his and their 
 righteousness, saying, ' For we do not present our 
 supplications before thee for our righteousnesses.' 
 And pleads God's righteousness, and that he might 
 have a share and interest in that, saying, ' Lord, 
 righteousness hdongeth unto thee,' k.7,i8. to wit, 
 that righteousness, for the sake of which, mercy 
 and forgiveness, and so heaven and happiness is 
 extended to us. 
 
 Righteousness helongeth to thee, and is thine, 
 as nearly as sin, shame, and confusion, is ours, and 
 helongeth to us, which righteousness he afterwards 
 calleth ' The Lord,' saying, do it, for the Lord's 
 sake ; read the 16, 17, verses of the 9th of Daniel. 
 ' Lord, ' saith he, ' according to all thy righte- 
 ousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy 
 fury he turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy 
 holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the 
 iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people 
 are become a reproach to all that are about us. 
 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of thy 
 servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face 
 to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for 
 the Lord's sake.' For the sake of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; for on him Daniel now had his eye, and 
 through him to the Father he made his supplica- 
 tion ; yea, and the answer was according to his 
 prayer, to wit, that God would have mercy on 
 Jerusalem, and that he would in his time send the 
 Lord, the Messias, to hrincj them in everlasting: 
 righteousness for them. 
 
 Paul also, as I have hinted before, disclaims his 
 own righteousness, and layeth fast hold on the 
 righteousness of God : seeking to be found in that, 
 or in him that has it, not having his own righteous- 
 ness ; for he knew that when the rain descends, the 
 winds blow, and the floods come down falls on aU 
 men, but they that have that righteousness. Phi m. 
 
 Now the earnest desire of the righteous to be 
 found in God's righteousness, ariseth from strong 
 conviction of the imperfections of their own, and 
 of good knowledge that was given them of the 
 terror that will attend men at the day of the fiery 
 trial ; to wit, the day of judgment. For although 
 men can now flatter themselves into a fool's para- 
 dise, and persuade themselves that all shall be well 
 with them then, for the sake of their own silly and 
 vain-glorious performances ; yet when the day 
 comes that shall burn like an oven, and when all 
 that have done wickedly shall he as stubble, and so 
 will all appear to be that are not found in Christ, 
 then will their righteousness vanish like smoke, or 
 
 be hke fuel for that burning flame. And hence 
 the righteousness that the godly seek to be foimd 
 In, is called the name of the Lord, a strong tower, 
 a rock, a shield, a fortress, a buckler, a rock of 
 defence, unto which they resort, and into which 
 they rmi and are safe. 
 
 The godly wise therefore do not, as this Phari- 
 see, bring their own righteousness into the temple, 
 and there buoy up themselves and spirits by that 
 into a conceit, that for the sake of that, God will 
 be merciful and good unto them: but throwing 
 away their ovm, they make to God for Ms, because 
 they certainly know, even by the word of God, 
 that in the judgment none can stand the trial, but 
 those that are found in the righteousness of God. 
 
 Third, That the best of men are afraid to stand 
 before God's tribunal by the law, there to be judged 
 to life and death, according to the sufficiency or 
 non-sufficiency of their righteousness, is evident : 
 for they know, that it is a vain thing to seek by 
 acts of righteousness to make themselves righteous 
 men, as is the way of all them that seek to be 
 justified by the deeds of the law. 
 
 And herein lieth the great difference between 
 the Pharisee and the true Christian man. The 
 Pharisee thinks, by acts of righteousness he shall 
 make himself a righteous man, therefore he cornet]^ 
 into the presence of God well furnished, as he 
 thinks, with his negative and positive righteous- 
 ness. 
 
 Grace suffisreth not a man to boast it before 
 God, whatever he saith before men: 'His soul 
 which is lifted up, is not upright in him : ' Hab. ii. 4. 
 And better is the poor in spirit, than the proud in 
 spirit. The Pharisee was a very proud man, a 
 proud, ignorant man, proud of his own righteous- 
 ness, and ignorant of God's: for had he not, he 
 could not, as he did, have so condemned the Pub- 
 lican, and justified himself. 
 
 [Tlie Pharisee ignorant that he must he rightemis 
 be/ore lie can do righteousness. ] 
 
 And I say again, that all this pride and vain- 
 glorious shew of the Pharisee, did arise from his 
 not being acquainted with this ; that a man must 
 bo good, before he can do good ; he must be righ- 
 teous, before he can do righteousness. This is 
 evident from Paul, who insinuateth this as ' the 
 reason, why ' none do good,' even because There 
 is none that is righteous, no, not one. ' There is 
 none righteous, ' saith he ; and then follows, ' There 
 is none that doeth good. ' Ko. iii. 10—13. For it is not 
 possible for a man, that is not first made righteous 
 by the God of heaven, to do anything that in a pro- 
 per, in a law, or in a gospel-sense maybe called righ- 
 teousness. Meddle with righteous things he may; 
 attempt to make himself a righteous man, by his 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 2'lD 
 
 BO meddling with them, he may ; but work righte- 
 ousness, and so by such works of righteousness, 
 make himself a righteous man, he cannot. 
 
 The righteousness of a carnal man, is indeed by 
 God called righteousness ; but it must be under- 
 stood, as spoken in the dialect of the world; or 
 with reference to the world's matters. The world 
 indeed calls it righteousness ; and it wiU do no 
 harm, if it bear that term with reference to worldly 
 matters. Hence worldly civilians are called good 
 and righteous men, and so, such as Christ, under 
 that notion, neither died for, nor giveth his grace 
 unto. Ko. V. 7, 8. But we are not now discoursing 
 about any other righteousness, than that which is 
 so accounted either in a law, or in a gospel-sense; 
 and therefore let us a Uttle more touch upon that. 
 
 A man then must be righteous in a law-sense, 
 before he can do acts of righteousness, I mean 
 that are such, in a gospel-sense. Hence first, you 
 have true gospel-righteousness made the fruit of a 
 second birth. ' If ye know that he (Christ) is 
 righteous, ye know that every one that doeth 
 righteousness is bom of him.' i Jn. ii. 29. Not born 
 of him by virtue of his own righteous actions, but 
 born of him by virtue of Christ's mighty working 
 with his word upon the soul ; who afterwards, from 
 a principle of life, acteth and worketh righteous- 
 ness. 
 
 And he saith again, ' Little children, let no man 
 deceive you, he that doeth righteousness is righte- 
 ous, even as he is righteous. ' i Jn. iii. 7. Upon this 
 scripture, 1 will a little comment, for the proof of 
 what is urged before ; namely, that a man must 
 be righteous in a law-sense, before he can do such 
 things that may be called acts of righteousness in 
 a gospel-sense. And for this, this scripture, minis- 
 tereth to us two things to be considered by us. 
 
 The first is, that he that doeth righteousness is 
 righteous. 
 
 The second is, that he that doeth righteousness 
 is righteous, as Christ is righteous. 
 
 First, He that doeth righteousness ; that is, 
 righteousness which the gospel calleth so, is righ- 
 teous ; that is, precedent to, or before he doth that 
 righteousness. For he doth not say, he shall make 
 his person righteous by acts of righteousness that 
 he shall do ; for then an evil tree may bear good 
 fruit : yea, and may make itself good by doing so : 
 But he saith, he that doeth righteousness is righ- 
 teous ; as he saith, he that doeth righteousness is 
 born of him. 
 
 So then, a man must be righteous before he can 
 do righteousness, before he can do righteousness 
 in a gospel-sense. 
 
 Second, Our second thing then is to inquire, with 
 what righteousness a man must be righteous, be- 
 fore he can do that which in a gospel-sense is called 
 righteousness ? 
 
 And first, I answer. He must be righteous in a 
 law-sense ; that is, he must be righteous in tho 
 judgment of the law. This is evident, because he 
 saith, he that doeth righteousness is righteous as ho 
 is righteous. That is, in a law-sense ; for Christ 
 in no sense is righteous in the judgment of charity 
 Only ; but in his meanest acts, if it be lawful to 
 make such comparison, he was righteous in a law- 
 sense, or in the judgment of the law. Now the 
 apostle saith, ' That he that doeth righteousness 
 IS righteous, as he is righteous.' They are the 
 words of God, and therefore I cannot err in quoting 
 of them, though I may not so fully, as I would, 
 make the glory of them shine in speaking to them. 
 
 But what righteousness is that, with which a 
 man must stand righteous in the judgment of the 
 law, before he shall or can be found to do acts of 
 righteousness, that by the gospel are so called? I 
 answer 
 
 First, It is none of his own which is of the law, 
 you may be sure ; for he hath this righteousness 
 before he doeth any that can be called his own. 
 ' He that doeth righteousness is righteous ' already, 
 precedent to, or before he doth that righteous- 
 ness ; yea, he is righteous before, even as he is 
 righteous. 
 
 Second, It cannot be his own which is of the 
 gospel ; that is, that which floweth from a princi- 
 ple of grace in the soul : for he is righteous before 
 he doeth this righteousness. He that doeth righ- 
 teousness, IS righteous. He doth not say he that 
 hath done it, but he that doeth it ; respecting the 
 act while it is in doing, he is righteous. He is 
 righteous even then, when he is a doing of the very 
 first act of righteousness ; but an act, while it is 
 in doing, cannot, until it is done, be called an act 
 of righteousness ; yet, saith the text, ' he is righ- 
 teous. ' 
 
 But again, if an act, while it is in doing, cannot 
 be called an act of righteousness ; to be sure, it 
 cannot have such influences as to make the actor 
 righteous ; to make him righteous, as the Son of 
 God is righteous, and yet the righteousness with 
 which this doer is made righteous, and that before 
 he doeth righteousness, is such ; for so saith the 
 text, that makes him righteous as he is righteous. 
 
 Besides, it cannot be his own, which is gospel- 
 righteousness, flowing from a principle of grace in 
 the soul; for that in its greatest perfection in us, 
 while we live in this world, is accompanied with 
 some imperfections ; to wit, our faith, love, and 
 whole course of holiness is wanting, or hath some- 
 thing lacking in it. They neither are apart, nor 
 when put all together, perfect, as to the degree, 
 the uttermost degree of perfection. 
 
 But the righteousness under consideration, with 
 which the man, in that of John, is made righteous, 
 is a perfect righteousness ; not only with respect 
 
246 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 to the nature of it, as a penny is as perfect silver 
 as a shilling ; nor yet with respect to a compara- 
 tive degree ; for so a shilling arriveth more toward 
 the perfection of the number twenty, than doth a 
 two-penny or a three-penny piece : but it is a righ- 
 teousness so perfect, that nothing can be added to 
 it, nor can any thing be taken from it: for so 
 implieth the words of the text, ' he is righteous, 
 as Christ is righteous.' Yea, thus righteous 
 before, and in order to his doing of righteousness. 
 And in this he is like unto the Son of God, who 
 was also righteous before he did acts of righteous- 
 ness referring to a law of commandment : where- 
 fore it is said, that as he is, so are we in this 
 world. As he is or was righteous, before he did 
 acts of righteousness among men by a law, so are 
 HIS righteous, before they act righteousness among 
 men by a law. ' He that doth righteousness is 
 righteous, as he is righteous.' 
 
 Christ was righteous, before he did righteous- 
 ness, with a two-fold righteousness. He had a 
 righteousness as he was God ; his godhead was 
 perfectly righteous ; yea, it was righteousness it- 
 self. His human nature was perfectly righteous, 
 it was naturally spotless and undefiled. Thus his 
 person was righteous, and so qualified to do that 
 righteousness, that because he was born of a 
 woman, and made under the law, he was bound 
 by the law to perform. 
 
 Now, as he is, so are we : not by way of natu- 
 ral righteousness, but by way of resemblance 
 thereunto. Had Christ, in order to his working 
 of righteousness, a two-fold righteousness inherent 
 in himself, the Christian, in order to his working 
 of righteousness, hath belonging to him a two-fold 
 righteousness. Did Christ's two-fold righteous- 
 ness qualify him for that work of righteousness, 
 that was of God designed for him to do ? Why 
 the Christian's two-fold righteousness doth qualify 
 him for that work of righteousness, that God hath 
 ordained, that he should do and walk in in this 
 world. 
 
 But you may ask, what is that righteousness, 
 with which a Christian is made righteous before 
 he doth righteousness ? 
 
 I answer. It is a two-fold righteousness. 
 
 I. It is a righteousness put upon him. 
 
 II. It is a righteousness put into him. 
 
 I. For the first, It is righteousness put upon Mm, 
 with which also he is clothed as with a coat or 
 mantle, Ro. iii. 22. and this is called the robe of 
 righteousness ; and this is called the garments of 
 salvation, is. hi. m* This righteousness is none 
 
 * When we had no righteousness of our own to cover us 
 he put on us naked beggars that rich robe, the righteousness 
 of Christ. Though black in ourselves, we are comely in 
 Christ's comeliness ; but we never live upon his righteousness, 
 only as we see none in ourselves. — Bt/tand. 
 
 other but the obedience of Christ ; the which he 
 performed in the days of his flesh, and can pro- 
 perly be called uo man's righteousness, but the 
 righteousness of Christ ; because no man had a 
 hand therein, but he completed it himself. And 
 hence it is said, That ' by the obedience of one 
 shall many be made righteous.' ito. v. 19. By the 
 obedience of one, of one man Jesus Christ, as you 
 have it in ver. 16. for he came down into the world 
 to this very end ; that is, to make a generation 
 righteous, not by making of them laws, and pre- 
 scribing unto them rules : for this was the work 
 of Moses, who said, 'And it shall be our righteous- 
 ness, if we observe to do all these commandments 
 before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded 
 us.' De. yi. 35; xiiv. 13. Nor yet by taking away by 
 his grace the imperfections of their righteousness, 
 and so making of that perfect by additions of his 
 own ; but he makes them righteous by his obe- 
 dience ; not in them, but for them, while he per- 
 sonally subjected himself to his Father's law on 
 our behalf, that he might have a righteousness to 
 bestow upon us. And hence we are said to be 
 made righteous, while we work not; and to be 
 justified while ungodly, Eo.iv. 5. which can be done 
 by no other righteousness than that, which is the 
 righteousness of Christ by performance, the righ- 
 teousness of God by donation, and our righteous- 
 ness by imputation. For, I say, the person that 
 wrought this righteousness for us, is Christ Jesus ; 
 the person that giveth it to us, is the Father ; who 
 hath made Christ to be unto us righteousness, and 
 hath given him to us for this very end, that we 
 might be made the righteousness of God in him, 
 1 Co. i. 30. 2 Co. V. 21. And hence it is so often said. 
 One shall say, surely in the Lord have I righte- 
 ousness and strength. And again, ' In the Lord 
 shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall 
 glory.' 'This is the heritage of the servants of 
 the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith 
 the Lord.' is. xiv. 24, 25; liv. n. 
 
 This righteousness is that which justifieth, and 
 which secureth the soul from the curse of the law ; 
 by hiding, through its perfection, all the sins and 
 imperfections of the soul. Hence it follows, in 
 that fourth of the Romans, ' Even as David also 
 describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom 
 God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, 
 Blessed a/re they whose iniquities are forgiven, and 
 whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to 
 whom the Lord will not impute sin. ' 
 
 And this it doth, even while the person that by 
 grace is made a partaker, is without good works, 
 and so ungodly. This is the righteousness of Christ, 
 Christ's personal performances, which he did when 
 he was in this world ; that is that, by which the 
 soul while naked, is covered, and so hid as to its 
 nakedness, from the divine sentence of the law ; 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 247 
 
 ^T spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy 
 nakedness.' Eze.irvi. 8. 
 
 Now this obediential righteousness of Christ, 
 consisteth of two parts. 1 . In a doing of that which 
 the law commanded us to do. 2. In a paying 
 that price for the transgression thereof, which 
 justice hath said, shall be required at the hand of 
 man ; and that is the cursed death. In the day 
 that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death ; 
 to wit, the death that comes by the curse of the 
 law. So then, Christ having brought in that part 
 of obedience for us, which consisteth in a doing of 
 such obediential acts of righteousness which the 
 law commands ; he addeth thereto the spilling of 
 his blood, to be the price of our redemption from 
 that cursed death, that by sin we had brought 
 upon our bodies and souls. And thus are the 
 Christians made perfectly righteous ; they have 
 the whole obedience of Christ made over to them ; 
 to wit, that obedience that standeth in doing the 
 law, and that obedience that standeth in paying 
 of a price for our transgressions. So then, Doth 
 the law call for righteousness ? Here it is. Doth 
 the law call for satisfaction for our sins ? Here it 
 is. And what can the law say any more to the 
 sinner but that which is good, when he findeth in 
 the personal obedience of Christ for him, that 
 which answereth to what it can command, that 
 which it can demand of us. 
 
 Herein then standeth a Christian's safety, not 
 in a bundle of actions of his own, but in a righte- 
 ousness which Cometh to him by grace and gift ; 
 for this righteousness is such as comes by gift, by 
 the gift of God. Hence it is called the gift of 
 righteousness, the gift by grace, the gift of righte- 
 ousness by grace, which is the righteousness of 
 one, to wit, the obedience of Jesus Christ. Bo. 
 
 y. 15—19. 
 
 And this is the righteousness by which, he that 
 doth righteousness, is righteous as he is righteous ; 
 because it is the very self-same righteousness, that 
 the Son of God hath accomplished by himself. 
 Nor has he any other or more excellent righteous- 
 ness, of which the law taketh notice, or that it 
 requireth, than this. For as for the righteous- 
 ness of his god-head, the law is not concerned 
 with that ; for as he is such, the law is his crea- 
 ture, and servant, and may not meddle with him. 
 
 The righteousness also of his human nature, the 
 law hath nothing to do with that ; for that is the 
 workmanship of God, and is as good, as pure, as 
 holy and undefiled, as is the law itself. All then 
 that the law hath to do with, is to exact complete 
 obedience of him that is made under it, and a due 
 satisfaction for the breach thereof, the which, if it 
 hath, then Moses is content. 
 
 Now, this is the righteousness, with which the 
 Christian, as to justification, is made righteous; 
 
 to wit, a righteousness, that is neither essential to 
 his god-head, nor to his manhood; but such as 
 standeth in that glorious person, who was such, his 
 obedience to the law. Which righteousness him- 
 self had, with reference to himself, no need of at 
 all, for his god-head; yea, his manhood was per- 
 fectly righteous without it. This righteousness 
 therefore was there, and there only, necessary, 
 where Christ was to be considered as God's ser- 
 vant and our surety, to bring to God Jacob again, 
 and to restore the preserved of Israel. For though 
 Christ was a Son, yet he became a servant to do, 
 not for himself, for he had no need, but for us, 
 the whole law, and so bring in everlasting righte- 
 ousness for us. 
 
 And hence it is said, that Christ did what he 
 did for us : He became the end of the law for 
 righteousness for us ; he suffered for us ; i Pe. ii. 21. 
 he died for us ; 1 1'U. .. 10. he laid down his life for 
 us, 1 Jn. iii. 16. and he gave himself for us. Ga. i. 4. 
 The righteousness then that Christ did fulfil, when 
 he was in the world, was not for himself simply 
 considered, nor for himself personally considered, 
 for he had no need thereof ; but it was for the 
 elect, the members of his body. 
 
 Christ then did not fidfil the law for himself, 
 for he had no need thereof. Christ again did ful- 
 fil the law for himself, for he had need of the 
 righteousness thereof; he had need thereof for 
 the covering of his body, and the several members 
 thereof; for they, in a good sense, are himself, 
 members of his body, of his flesh, and of his boues ; 
 and he owns them as parts of himself in many 
 places of the holy scripture. Ep. v. 30. Ac. ix. 4, 5. Mat. 
 
 XXV. 45; x.'40. Mar. ix. 37. Lu. x. 16. 1 Co.xiL 13, 37. Tllis righ- 
 teousness then, even the whole of what Christ did 
 in answer to the law, it was for his, and God hath 
 put it upon them, and they are righteous in it, 
 even righteous as he is righteous. And this they 
 have before they do acts of righteousness. 
 
 II. There is righteousness jtz/^ into tliem, before 
 they act righteous things. A righteousness, I say, 
 put into them ; or I had rather that you shoulJ 
 call it a principle of righteousness ; for it is a prin- 
 ciple of life to righteousness. Before man's con- 
 version, there is in him a principle of death by 
 sin ; but when he is converted to Christ, there is 
 put into him a principle of righteousness, that ho 
 may bring forth fruit unto God. Ko. yii. 4—6. • 
 
 Hence they are said to be quickened, to be made 
 alive, to be risen from death to life, to have the 
 Spirit of God dwelling in them ; not only to make 
 their souls alive, but to quicken their mortal bodies 
 to that which is good. Ko. vUi. ii. 
 
 Here, as I hinted before, they that do righte- 
 ousness are said to be born of him, that is, ante- 
 cedent to their doing of righteousness, iJn. ii. 29. 
 'born of him,' that is, made alive with new spiri- 
 
243 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 tual and heavenly life. Wherefore the exhortation 
 to theui is, ' Neither j'ield ye your members as 
 instruments of unrighteousness unto sin : but yield 
 yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from 
 the dead, and your members as instruments of 
 righteousness unto God. ' Ko. ri. 13. 
 
 Now this principle must also be in men, before 
 they can do that which is spiritually and gospeUy 
 good : For whatever seeming good thing any man 
 doth, before he has bestowed upon him this hea- 
 venly principle from God, it is accounted nothing, 
 it is accounted sin and abomination in the sight of 
 God; for an evil tree cannot bring forth good 
 fruit : Men do not gather grapes of thorns ; neither 
 of a bramble gather they figs. Either make the 
 tree good and his fruit good, or the tree evil and 
 his fruit evil. Lu. ri. 43^5 It is not the fruit that 
 makes the tree, but the tree that makes the fruit. 
 A man must be good, before he can do good, and 
 evil before he can do evil. 
 
 They be not righteous actions that make a 
 righteous man ; nor be they evil actions that make 
 a wicked man : for a tree must be a sweeting tree 
 before it yield sweetings ;* and a crab tree before 
 it bring forth crabs, t 
 
 This is that which is asserted by the Son of God 
 himself; and it lieth so level with reason and tlie 
 nature of things, that it cannot be contradicted. Mat. 
 Tii. 16—18. 'A good man out of the good treasure of 
 his heart, bringeth forth that which is good ; and an 
 evil man out of the evU treasure of his heart, bringeth 
 forth that which is evil. ' Lu. vi. 45. But this, notwith- 
 standing all that can be said, seemeth very strange 
 to the carnal world ; for they will not be otherwise 
 persuaded, but that they be good deeds that make 
 good men, and evil ones that make evil men : And 
 so by such dotish apprehensions do what in them 
 lieth to fortify their hearts with the mists of dark- 
 ness against the clear shining of the word, and 
 co^iviction of the truth. 
 
 And thus it was from the beginning : Abel did 
 his first services to God from this principle of 
 righteousness ; but Cain would have been made 
 righteous by his deed ; but his deed not flowing 
 fi-om'the same root of goodness, as did Abel's, 
 notwithstanding he did it with the very best he 
 had, is yet called evil : For he wanted, I say, the 
 principles, to wit, of grace and faith, without 
 which no action can be counted good in a gospel 
 sense. 
 
 * ' Sweeting,' au obsolete term tor a sweet ajjple. — Ed. 
 
 f This whole paragraph is omitted from all editions snb- 
 sequcnt to 1688, when the author died. It is the practical 
 illustration of his whole theoiy. By their fruit ye shall know 
 them ; the fruit does not make them what they ai'c by nature 
 and sin or by grace and righteousness. The rebulfe of the 
 Saviour, Mat. xv. 16, falls heavily on the man who rejected 
 this paragraph. — Eii. 
 
 These two things then, that man must have that 
 will do righteousness. He must have put upon 
 him the perfect righteousness of Christ ; and he 
 must have dwelling in him, as a fruit of the new 
 birth, a principle of righteousness. Then indeed 
 he is a tree of righteousness, and God is like to be 
 glorified in, and by him ; but this the Pharisee 
 was utterly ignorant of, and at the remotest dis- 
 tance from it. 
 
 [ T7ie righteousness of Clirist, unto jvstification, must 
 he imputed to the Cliristiojn before he can attain 
 tlie principle of righteousness u7ito sanctifcation.] 
 
 Quest. You may ask me next. But which of 
 these are first bestowed upon the Christian, the 
 perfect righteousness of Christ unto justification, 
 or this gospel principle of righteousness unto 
 sanotification ? 
 
 Answ. The perfect righteousness of Christ unto 
 justification, must first be made over to him by an 
 act of grace. This is evident, 
 
 1. Because, he is justified as ungodly; that is, 
 whilst he is ungodly : But it must not bo said of 
 them, that have this principle of grace in them, 
 that they are ungodly ; for they are saints and 
 holy. But this righteousness, by it God justifieth 
 the ungodly, by imputing it to them, when, and 
 while they, as to a principle of grace, are grace- 
 less. 
 
 This is further manifested thus: The person 
 must be accepted before the performance of the 
 person can ; ' And the Lord had respect unto Abel, 
 and to his ofiering. ' Ge. iv. 4 If he had respect to ' 
 Abel's person first, yet he must have respect unto 
 it for the Sake of some righteousness ; but Abel, 
 in that, had no righteousness ; for that he acted 
 after that God had had respect rmto his person. | 
 ' And the LORD had respect tmto Abel, and to 
 his ofiering: But unto Cain, and to his oflfering, he 
 had not respect.' 
 
 The prophet Ezekiel also shows us this ; where, 
 by the similitude of the wretched infant, and of 
 the manner of God's receiving it to mercy, he 
 shows how he received the Jews to favour. First, 
 saith he, ' I spread my skirt over thee, and covered 
 thy nakedness.' xri. 8. There is justification; 'I 
 covered thy nakedness.' But what manner of 
 nakedness was it ? Was it utter nakedness, naked- 
 ness in its perfection ? Yes, it was then as naked 
 as naked could be, even as naked as in the day 
 that it was bom. And as thus naked, it was 
 covered, not with anything, but with the skirt of 
 Christ; that is, with his robe of righteousness, ; 
 with his obedience, that he performed by himself 
 
 :|: Abel possessed righteousness before his offering, which 
 I influenced him to make this acceptable sacrifice.— Eu 
 
THE PHARISEE iND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 249 
 
 for that very purpose. For by the obedieuce of 
 one many are made righteous. 
 
 2. Righteousness unto justification must be first, 
 because the first duty that a Christian performeth 
 to God, must be accepted, not for the sake of the 
 principle from which in the heart it flows, nor yet 
 for the sake of the person that acts it ; but for the 
 sake of Christ, whose righteousness it is, by which, 
 before the sinner, he stands just before God. And 
 hence it is said, ' By faith Abel oiFered unto God a 
 more excellent sacrifice than Cain.' He. xi. 4. By 
 faith he did it; but faith hath respect to the 
 righteousness that justifies. For we are justified 
 by faith, not by faith as it is a grace, nor by faith 
 as it is an acting grace ; but by the righteousness 
 of faith ; that is, by that righteousness that faith 
 embraceth, layeth hold of, and helpeth the soul to 
 rest upon, and to trust to, for justification of Mfe, 
 which is the obedience of Christ. Besides, it is 
 said, by faith he offered; faith then, faith in 
 Christ, was precedent to his offering. 
 
 Now since faith was in being and in act before 
 his offer, and since before his offer, he had no 
 personal goodness of his own, faith must look out 
 from home: I say, it must look out to another 
 than to him in whom it resided for righteousness ; 
 and finding the righteousness of Christ to be the 
 righteousness, which by God was designed to be 
 performed for the justification of a sinner, it 
 embraces it, and through it offereth to God a more 
 excellent sacrifice than Cain. 
 
 Hence it follows, ' by which he obtained witness 
 that he was righteous.' By which, not by his 
 offering; but by his faith. For his offering, simply 
 as an offering, could not have made him righteous, 
 if he had not been righteous before ; ' for an evil 
 tree cannot bring forth good fruit.' Besides, if 
 this be granted, why had not God respect to Cain's 
 offering, as well as to Abel's ? For, did Abel offer ? 
 so did Cain. Did Abel offer his best ? so did Cain 
 his. And if with this, we shall take notice of the 
 order of their offering, Cain seemed to offer first, 
 and so with the frankest will, and forwardest 
 mind; but yet, saith the text, 'The Lord had 
 respect to Abel and to his offering.' But why to 
 Abel ? Why, because his person was made 
 righteous before he offered his gift : ' By which he 
 obtained witness that he was righteous.' God 
 testifying of his gifts, that they were good and 
 acceptable, because they declared Abel's accepta- 
 tion of the righteousness of Christ, for his justice, 
 through the riches of the grace of God. 
 
 By faith then, Abel offered to God a more excel- 
 lent sacrifice than Cain. He shrouded himself 
 under the righteousness of Christ, and so, as out 
 of that righteousness, he offered to God; God also 
 looking and finding him there, where also he could 
 not have been, as to his own apprehension, no 
 
 VOL. H. 
 
 otherwise than by faith, he accepted of his gift ; 
 by which acceptation, for so you may understand 
 it also, God testified that he was righteous : For 
 God reoeiveth not the gifts and offerings of those 
 that are not righteous, for their sacrifices are an 
 abomination unto him. Pr. \xi. 37. 
 
 Abel then was righteous before ; he was, I say, 
 made righteous first, as he stood ungodly in him- 
 self; God justifieth the ungodly. Ro. iv. Now being 
 justified, he was righteous; and being righteous, 
 he offered his* sacrifice of praise to God, or other 
 offerings which God accepted, because he believed 
 in his Son, as also other scriptures manifest 
 abundantly. But this our Pharisee understand- 
 eth not. 
 
 3. Righteousness by imputation must be first, 
 because we are made so, to wit, by another, ' By the 
 obedience of one shall many be made righteous.' 
 Now to be made righteous, implies a passivenesa 
 in him that is so made, and the activity of the 
 work to lie in some body else ; except he had said, 
 they had made themselves righteous ; but that it 
 doth not, nor doth the text leave to any the least 
 countenance so to insinuate : Nay, it plainly affirms 
 the contrary, for it saith, by the obedience of one, 
 of one man Jesus Christ, many are made righteous; 
 by the righteousness of one, Ko. v. So then, if they 
 be MADE righteous by the righteousness of one: I 
 say, if many be made righteous by the righteous- 
 ness of one, then are they that are so, as to them- 
 selves, passive and not active, with reference unto 
 the working out of this righteousness. They have 
 no hand in that ; for that is the act of one, the 
 righteousness of ONE, the obedience of one, the 
 workmanship of ONE, even of Christ Jesus. 
 
 Again, if they are made righteous by this 
 righteousness, then also they are passive, as to 
 their first privilege by it ; for they are r>mde 
 righteous by it ; they do not make themselves 
 righteous ; no, they do not make themselves 
 righteous by it. 
 
 Imputation is also the act of God. Even as 
 David also describeth the blessedness of the man, 
 unto whom God imputeth righteousness. The 
 righteousness then is the work of Christ, his own 
 obedience to his father's law; the making of it 
 ours, is the act of his father, and of his infinite 
 grace ; 'But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of 
 God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness,' 
 ' For he (God) hath made him to be sin for us, who 
 knew no sin, that we might be made the righteous- 
 ness of God in him.' And both these things God 
 showed to our first parents, when he acted in grace 
 towards them after the fall. 
 
 There it is said, the Lord God made unto Adam, 
 and unto his wife, coats of skins, and clothed them. 
 
 Ge. iii. SI. 
 
 Whence note, 
 
 2 I 
 
250 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 (1.) That Adam and his wife were naked both 
 in God's eye, and in their own. Ter. 10, ll. 
 
 (2.) That the Lord God made coats of skins. 
 
 (3.) That in his making of them, he had respect 
 to Adam and to his wife, that is, he made them 
 for them. 
 
 (4.) That when he had made them, he also 
 clothed them therewith. 
 
 They made not the coats, nor did God bid them 
 make them ; but God did make them himself to 
 cover their nakedness with. Yea, when he had 
 made them, he did not bid them put them on, but 
 he himself did clothe them with them : For thus 
 runs the text ; ' Unto Adam also and to his wife 
 did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed 
 them. ' ! It was the Lord God that made this 
 coat, with which a poor sinner is made righteous ! 
 And it is also the Lord God that putteth it upon 
 us. But this our Pharisee understandeth not. 
 
 But now, if a man is not righteous before he is 
 made so, before the Lord God has, by the righte- 
 ousness of another, made him so; then whether 
 this righteousness come first or last, the man is 
 not righteous until it cometh, and if he be not 
 righteous until it cometh, then what works soever 
 are done before it comes, they are not the works 
 of a righteous man, nor the fruits of a good tree, 
 but of a bad. And so again, this righteousness 
 must first come before a man be righteous, and 
 before a man does righteousness. Make the tree 
 good and its fruit wUl be good. 
 
 Now, since a man must be made righteous before 
 he can do righteousness, it is manifest his works 
 of righteousness do not make him righteous, no 
 more than the fig makes its own tree a fig-tree, or 
 than the grape doth make its own vine a vine. 
 Hence those acts of righteousness, that Christian 
 men do perfonn, are called the fruits of righteous- 
 ness, which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and 
 praise of God. Piii. i. ii. 
 
 The fruits of righteousness they are by Jesus 
 Christ, as the fruits of the tree are by the tree 
 itself. For the truth is, that principle of righte- 
 ousness, of which mention has been made before, 
 and concerning which I have said, it comes in, in 
 the second place ; it is also originally to be found 
 for us no where but in Christ. 
 
 Hence it is said to be by Jesus Christ, and again, 
 ' of his fulness have all we received, and grace for 
 grace.' Jn. i.l6. A man must then be united to 
 Christ first, and so being united, he partaketh of 
 this benefit, to wit, a principle that is supernatural, 
 spiritual, and heavenly. Now his being united to 
 Christ, is not of, or from himself, but of, and from 
 the Father, who, as to this work, is the husband- 
 man ; even as the twig tbat is grafted into the 
 tree, officiateth not, that is, grafteth not itself 
 thereinto, but is grafted in by some other, itself 
 
 being utterly passive as to that. Now being 
 united unto Christ, the soul is first made partaker 
 of justification, or of justifying righteousness, and 
 now no longer beareth the name of an ungodly 
 man, for he is made righteous by the obedience of 
 Christ, he being also united to Christ, partaketh 
 of the root and fatness of Christ ; the root, that is, 
 his divine nature ; the fatness, that is, that fulness 
 of grace that is laid up in him to be communicated 
 unto us, even as the branch that is grafted into 
 the olive-tree, partaketh of the root and fatness of 
 the olive-tree. Now partaking thereof, it quicken- 
 eth, it groweth, it buddeth, and yieldeth fruit to 
 the glory and praise of God. Eo. xi. 17. 
 
 But these things, as I have often said, the poor 
 Pharisee was ignorant of, when so swaggeringly 
 he, with his, ' God I thank thee, ' came into the 
 temple to pray; and indeed, in that which hath 
 here been said, is something of the mystery of 
 God's wlH in his way with his elect; and such a 
 mystery it is, that it lieth hid for ever to nature 
 and natural men; for they think of nothing less 
 than of this, nor of nothing more, when they think 
 of their souls and of salvation, than that something 
 must be done by themselves to reconcile them to 
 God. Yea, if through some common convictions 
 their understandings should be swayed to a con- 
 senting to that, that justification is of grace by 
 Christ, and not of works by men ; yet conscience, 
 reason, and the law of nature, not being as yet 
 subdued by the power and glory of grace unto the 
 obedience of Christ, will rise up in rebellion against 
 this doctrine, and will overrule and bow down the 
 soul again to the law and works thereof for life. 
 
 4. Righteousness by imputation must be first, 
 because, else faith, which is a part, yea, a great 
 part, of that which is called a principle of grace 
 in the soul, will have nothing to fix itself upon, 
 nor a motive to work by. Let this therefore 
 be considered by those that are on the contrary 
 side. 
 
 Faith, so soon as it has being in the soulj is like 
 the child that has being in the mother's lap, it 
 must have something to feed upon, not something 
 at a distance, afar ofi', or to be purchased, I speak 
 now as to justification from the curse, but some- 
 thing by promise made over of grace to the soul ; 
 something to feed upon to support from the fears 
 of perishing by the curse for sin. Nor can it rest 
 content with all duties and performances, that other 
 graces shall put the soul ^ upon; nor with any of 
 its own works, until it reaches and takes hold of 
 the righteousness of Christ. Faith is like the 
 dove, that found no rest any where in all the world 
 until it returned to Noah into the ark. But this 
 our Pharisee understandeth not. 
 
 Objection. Perhaps some may object. That from 
 this way of reasoning it is apparent, that sanctifi- 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 251 
 
 cation is first, since the soul may have faith, and 
 so a principle of grace in it ; and yet, as yet it 
 cannot find Christ to feed and to refresh the soul 
 vrithal. 
 
 Answ. From this way of reasoning it is not at 
 all apparent, that sanctification, or a principle of 
 grace is in the soul before righteousness is imputed,^ 
 and the soul made perfectly righteous thereby. 
 And for the clearing up of this let me propose a 
 few things. 
 
 (1.) Justifying righteousness, to wit, the obe- 
 dience of that one man Christ is imputed to the 
 sinner to justify him in God's sight. For his law 
 calls for perfect righteousness, and before that be 
 come TO, and put upon the poor sinner, God can- 
 not bestow other spiritual blessings upon him ; 
 because by the law he has pronounced him 
 accursed ; by the which curse, he is also so holden, 
 until a righteousness shall be found upon the sinner, 
 that the law, and so divine justice can aUke approve 
 of, and be contented with. So then, as to the 
 justification of the sinner, there must be a righte- 
 ousness for God ; I say, for the sinner, and for 
 God. For the sinner to be clothed with, and for 
 God to look upon, that he may, for the sake thereof 
 in a way of justice, bless the sinner with forgive- 
 ness of sins: For forgiveness of sins is the next 
 thing that followeth upon the appearance of the 
 sinner before God in the righteousness of Christ. 
 
 Ro. iT. 8, 7. 
 
 Now, upon this forgiveness, follows the second 
 blessing. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse 
 of the law, being made a curse for us. And so, 
 consequently, hath obtained for us the forgiveness 
 of sins: for he that is delivered from the curse, 
 hath received forgiveness of sins, or rather is made 
 partaker thereof; now being made a partaker 
 thereof, the second blessing immediately follows : 
 to wit, the blessing of Abraham, that is, ' the 
 promise of the spirit through faith, ' Ga. iu 13, 14. but 
 this our Pharisee understandeth not. 
 
 But now, although it be of absolute necessity 
 that imputed righteousness be first TO the soul ; 
 that is, that perfect righteousness be found upon 
 the sinner first by God, that he may bestow other 
 blessings in a way of justice. Yet it is not of 
 absolute necessity that the soul should see this 
 first. 
 
 Let God then put righteousness, the righteous- 
 ness of his Son upon me ; and by virtue of that, 
 let the second blessing of God come in to me ; and 
 by virtue of that, let me be made to see myself a 
 sinner, and Christ's righteousness, and my need of 
 it, in the doctrine of it, as it is revealed in the 
 scriptures of truth. Let me then believe this doc- 
 trine to be true, and be brought by my belief to 
 I repentance for my sins, to hungering and thirsting 
 ■• Tehemently after this righteousness ; for this is 
 
 ' the kingdom of God and his righteousness. ' Yea, 
 let me pray, and ciy, and sigh, and groan day and 
 night to the God of this righteousness, that he will 
 of grace make me a partaker : And let me thus 
 prostrate before my God, all the time that in wis- 
 dom he shall think fit. And in his own time he 
 shall show me, that I am a justified person, a 
 pardoned person, a person in whom the Spirit of 
 God hath dwelt for some time, though I knew it 
 not. 
 
 So then justification before God is one thing; 
 and justification in mine own eyes is another : not 
 that these are two justifications, but the same 
 righteousness by which I stand justified before 
 God, may be seen of God, when 1 am ignorant of 
 it; yea, for the sake of it I may be received, 
 pardoned, and accounted righteous of him, and yet 
 I may not understand it. Yea, further, he may 
 proceed in the way of blessing, to bless me with 
 additional blessings, and yet I be ignorant of it. 
 
 So that the question is not. Do I find that I am 
 righteous ? But am I so ? Doth God find me so, 
 when he seeth that the righteousness of his Son is 
 upon me, being made over to me by an act of his 
 grace ? For I am justified freely by his grace, 
 through the redemption which is in Jesus Christ, 
 whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation 
 through faith in his blood, to declare his righte- 
 ousness for the redemption of sins that are past, 
 through the forbearance of God. llo.iiL25. But this 
 our Pharisee understandeth not. 
 
 I am then made righteous first, by the righte- 
 ousness of another; and because I am thus 
 righteous, God accepteth of my person as such, 
 and bestoweth upon me his grace ; the which, at 
 first, for want of skill and experience in the word 
 of righteousness, I make use of but poorly, and 
 have need to be certified that I am made righteous, 
 and that I have eternal life. He. v. 13. not by faith 
 first and immediately, but by the written word, 
 which is called the word of faith; which word 
 declareth unto me, to whom grace, and so faith in 
 the seed of it is given, that I have eternal life; 
 and that I should with boldness, in peace and joy, 
 believe on the Son of God. Ko. xv. 13. i Jn. v. 13. But, 
 Again, I, in the first acts of my faith, when I 
 am come at Christ, do not accept of him, because, 
 I know I am righteous, either with imputed 
 righteousness, or with that which is inherent : both 
 these, as to my present privilege in them, may be 
 hidden from mine eyes, and I only put upon taking 
 of encouragement to close with Christ for life and 
 righteousness, as he is set forth to be a propitia- 
 tion before mine eyes, in the word of the truth of 
 the gospel ; to which word I adhere as, or because 
 I find, I want peace with God in my soul, and 
 because I am convinced, that the means of peace 
 is not to be found any where but in Jesus Christ. 
 
253 
 
 TUB PHARISEE ANB THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 Now, by my thus adhering to him, I find stay for 
 my soul, and peace to my conscience, because the 
 word doth ascertain me, that he that believeth on 
 him hath remission of sins, hath eternal life, and 
 shall be saved from the wrath to come. 
 
 But alas I who knows the many streights, and as 
 I may say, the stress of weather, I mean the cold 
 blasts of hell, with which the poor soul is assaulted, 
 betwixt its receiving of grace, and its sensible 
 closing with Jesus Christ ? * None, I daresay, but 
 IT and its fellows. ' The heart knoweth his own 
 bitterness ; and a stranger doth not intermeddle 
 with his joy. ' Pr. xiv. lo. No sooner doth Satan per- 
 ceive that God is doing with the soul, in a way of 
 grace and mercy, but he endeavoureth what he 
 may, to make the renewing thereof bitter and 
 wearisome work to the sinner. what mists, 
 what mountains, what clouds, what darkness, what 
 objections, what false apprehensions of God, of 
 Christ, of grace, of the word, and of the soul's 
 condition, doth he now lay before it, and hatmt it 
 with ; whereby he fighteth, dejecteth, casteth 
 down, daunteth, distreaseth, and almost driveth it 
 quite into despair. Now, by the reason of these 
 things, faith, and all the grace that is in the soul, 
 is hard put to it to come at the promise ; and by 
 the promise to Christ, as it is said, when the 
 tempest and great danger of shipwreck lay upon 
 the vessel in which Paul was. They ' had much 
 work to come by the boat.' Ac. xxTii, 16. For Satan's 
 design is, if he cannot keep the soul from Christ, 
 to make his coming to him, and closing wiih him, 
 as hard, difficult, and troublesome, as he by his 
 devices can. But faith, true justifying faith, is a 
 grace, that is not weary by all that Satan can do ; 
 but meditateth upon the word, and taketh stomach, 
 and courage, fighteth, and crieth, and by crying 
 and fighting, by help from heaven, its way is made 
 through all the oppositions that appear so mighty, 
 and draweth up at last to Jesus Christ, into whose 
 bosom it putteth the soul, where, for the time, it 
 sweetly resteth after its marvellous tossings to and 
 fro.t 
 
 And besides what hath been said, let me yet 
 illustrate this truth unto you by this familiar simili- 
 tude. 
 
 Suppose a man, a traitor, that by the law should 
 
 * ' ThcQ was I most distresatd with blasphemies, if I have 
 been hearing the word, then uncleanness, blasphemies, and 
 despair would hold me as captive.' ' I blessed the condition 
 of the dog and toad, and counted their state far better than 
 this state of mine.' — Grace Abounding, 106 and 184. 
 
 t Many are the devices of Satan to keep sonls from Christ. 
 The world and the flesh are his grand instruments of seduc- 
 tion, while his temptations and snares drown them in despair. 
 Their wisdom is to resist manfully by faith in the serpent- 
 bruiser, Jesus. He wiE consummate his victories by a glori- 
 ous triumph over all the powers of hell and darkness. — B.yland. 
 
 die for his sin, is yet such an one, that the king 
 hath exceeding kindness for ; may not the king 
 pardon this man of his clemency ; yea, order that 
 his pardon should be drawn up and sealed, and so 
 in every sense be made sure ; and yet, for the pre- 
 sent, keep all this close enough from the ears, or 
 the knowledge of the person therein concerned. 
 Yea, may not the king after all leave this person, 
 with others under the same transgression, to sue 
 for, and obtain this pardon with great eipence and 
 difficulty, with many tears and heart-achings, with 
 many fears, and dubious cogitations. 
 
 Why this is the case between God and the soul 
 that he saveth ; he saveth him, pardoneth him, 
 and secureth him from the curse and death that to 
 him is due for sin, but yet doth not tell him so, 
 but ascends in his great suit unto God for it. 
 Only this difliierence we must make in this between 
 God and the potentates of this world : God cannot 
 pardon before the sinner stands before him righte- 
 ous by the righteousness of Christ ; because he has 
 in judgment, and justice, and righteousness threat- 
 ened and concluded, that he that wants righteous- 
 ness shall die. 
 
 And I say again, because this righteousness is 
 God's, and at God's disposal only ; it is God that 
 must make a man righteous before he can forgive 
 him his sins, or bestow upon him' of his secondary 
 blessings ; to wit, his Spirit, and the graces thereof. 
 And I say again, it must be this righteousness ; 
 for it can be no other, that must justify a sinner 
 from sin in the sight of God, and from the sentence 
 of his law. But 
 
 (2.) This is, and must be the way of God with 
 the sinner, that faith may not only have an object 
 to work upon, but a motive to work by. 
 
 Here, as I said, Faith hath an object to work 
 upon, and that is the person of Christ, and that 
 personal righteousness of his, which he in the days 
 of his flesh did. finish to justify sinners withal. 
 This is, I say, the object of faith for justification, 
 whereunto the soul by it doth continually resort. 
 Hence David said to Christ, ' Be thou my strong 
 habitation;' or as you have it in the margin, 'Be 
 thou to me for a rock of habitation, whereunto I 
 may continually resort : ' Ps. Ixxi. 3. And two things 
 he inserts by so saying. 
 
 The first is. That the Christian is a man under 
 continual exercises, sometimes one way, and some- 
 times another ; but all his exercises have a tendency 
 in them more or less to spoil him ; if he deals with 
 them hand to hand ; therefore he is rather for flying 
 than standing ; for flying to Christ, than for grap 
 pling with them in and by his own power. 
 
 The second is. That Christ is of God, provided 
 to be our shelter as to this very thing. Hence his 
 name is said to be a strong tower, and that the 
 righteous run into it, and are safe. Pr.xviu.io. That 
 
THE PHAEISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 253 
 
 also of David in tlie fifty -sixth psalm Is very preg- 
 nant to this purpose ; ' Mine enemies, ' saith he, 
 ' would daily swallow me up, for ihey be many that 
 fight against me, thou most high. ' And what 
 then? Why, ' What time I am afraid,' saith he, 
 ' I will trust in thee. ' Thus you see, faith hath 
 an object to work upon to carry the soul unto, and 
 to secure the soul in, in times of difficulty, and 
 that they are almost continually, and that object is 
 Jesus Christ, and his righteousness. But, 
 
 Again, as faith hath an object to work upon, so 
 it hath a motive to work by ; and that is the love 
 of God in giving of Christ to the soul for righte- 
 ousness. Nor is there any profession, religion, or 
 duty and performance, that is at all regarded, 
 where this faith, which by such means can work, 
 is wanting. ' For in Jesus Christ neither circum- 
 cision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision ; but 
 faith which worketh by love.' Ga. v. 6. So he saith 
 not here, hut faith which acteth lovely, or but faith 
 whose fruit is love, though true faith hath love for 
 its ofi"spring, but faith which worketh by love ; that 
 is true saving justifying faith, as it beholdeth the 
 righteousness of Christ, as made over to the soul 
 for justification, so it beholdeth love, love to be the 
 cause of its so being made over. It beholdeth love in 
 the Father, in giving of his Son ; and love in the Son, 
 in giving of himself to be made soul-saving righte- 
 ousness for me. And this seeing, it worketh or this 
 apprehending, it worketh by it ; that is, it is stirred 
 up to an holy boldness of venturing all eternal 
 concerns upon Christ, and also to an holy endeared 
 affecting love of him for his sweet and blessed 
 redeeming love. Hence the apostle saith, ' The 
 love of Christ constraineth us ; because we thus 
 judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 
 And that he died for all, that they which live 
 should not henceforth live unto themselves, but 
 unto him which died for them, and rose again.' 
 
 2 Co. T. 14, 15. 
 
 Thus then is the heart united in afi'ection and 
 love to the Father and the Son, for the love that 
 they have shewed to the poor sinner, in' their thus 
 delivering him from the wrath to come. Nor doth 
 this love of God cause that the faith of the poor 
 man should work by it to him alone, no ; for by 
 this love faith worketh, in sweet passions and pangs 
 of love, to all that are thus reconciled, as this sin- 
 ner seeth he is. The motive then, whereby faith 
 worketh, both as to justification, and sanctifica- 
 tion, the great motive to them, I say, is love, the 
 love of God, and the love of Christ: 'We love 
 him because he first loved us. ' That is, when our 
 faith hath told us so ; for so are the words above, 
 ' We have known and believed the love that God 
 hath to us,' And then, 'We love him because he 
 first loved us.' And then, 'This commandment 
 have we from him, That he who loveth God, love 
 
 his brother also. ' 1 Ju. iv. 16— 21. But this our poor 
 Pharisee understandeth not. But, 
 
 5. Righteousness by imputation must be first, 
 to cut off boasting from the heart, conceit, and 
 lips of men. Wherefore he saith as also was 
 hinted before. That we are justified freely by the 
 grace of God, not through, or for the sake of an 
 holy gospel principle in us ; but ' through the 
 redemption that is in Jesus Christ,' &c. 'Where 
 is boasting then ? It is excluded. By what law ? 
 of works ? Nay : but by the law of faith. ' Ko. iii. 
 24, 27. And this is the law of faith that we are 
 justified as afore [is shewen]. 
 
 Nor can any man propound such an essential 
 way to cut off boasting as this, which is of God's 
 providing : for what has man here to boast of ? 
 No righteousness, nor yet of the application of it 
 to his soul. The righteousness is Christ's, not 
 the sinner's. The imputation is God's, not the 
 sinner's. The cause of imputation is God's grace 
 and love, not the sinner's works of righteousness. 
 The time of God's imputing righteousness, is when 
 the sinner was a sinner, wrapped up in ignorance, 
 and wallowing in his vanity ; not when he was 
 good, or when he was seeking of it ; for his inward 
 gospel goodness is a fruit of the imputation of 
 justifying righteousness, as has been already 
 shewed. 'Where is boasting then?' Where is 
 our Pharisee then, with his brags of not being as 
 other men are ? It is excluded, and he with it, 
 and the poor Publican taken into favour, that 
 boasting might be cut off. ' Not of works, lest 
 any man should boast. ' There is no trust to be 
 put in men, those that seem most humble, and that 
 to appearance, are farthest off from pride, it is 
 natural to them to boast ; yea, to boast now, now 
 they have no cause to boast. For by grace are we 
 saved through faitw, and that not of ourselves, it 
 is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man 
 should boast. 
 
 Eut if man is so prone to boast, when yet there 
 is no ground of boasting in him, nor yet in what 
 he doth, how would he have boasted, had he been 
 permitted by the God of heaven to have done some- 
 thing, though that something had been but a very 
 little something towards his justification. But God 
 has prevented boasting by doing as he has done. 
 Ep. ii. 8, 9. Nay, the apostle addeth further, lest 
 any man should boast, that as to good works, 'we 
 are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus 
 imto good works, which God hath before ordained, 
 that we should walk in them.' ver. lo. Can the tree 
 boast, because it is a sweeting tree,* since it was 
 not the tree, but God that made it such : Where 
 is boasting then ? ' But of him are ye in Christ 
 
 * ' A sweeting tree,' a sweet apple, and not a crab apple 
 tree. — Ed. 
 
254 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAX. 
 
 Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and 
 righteousness, and sanctifieation, and redemption : 
 That according as it is written. He that glorieth, 
 let him glory in the Lord.' l Co. i. so, 31. Where is 
 boastmg then ? Where is our Pharisee then, with 
 all his works of righteousness, and with his hoasts 
 of heing better than his neighbours ? 
 
 Objection. It may be said. If we should be justi- 
 fied for the sake of our inherent righteousness, 
 since that righteousness is the gift of God, wiU it 
 not follow that boasting is in the occasion thereof, 
 cut off. 
 
 Ans. No, for although the principle of inherent 
 righteousness be the gift of God, yet it bringeth 
 forth fruits by man, and through man, and so man 
 having a hand therein, though he should have never 
 so little, he has an occasion offered him to boast. 
 Yea, if a man should be justified before God by 
 the grace, or the working of the grace of faith in 
 ^him, he would have ground of occasion to boast, 
 because faith, though it be the gift of God, yet as 
 it acteth in man, takes man along with it in its so 
 acting ; yea, the acting of faith is as often attri- 
 buted to the man by whom it is acted, and oftener, 
 than to the grace itself. How then can it be, but 
 that man must have a hand therein, and so a ground 
 therein, or thereof to boast. 
 
 But now ! since justification from the curse of 
 the law before God, lieth only and wholly in God's 
 imputing of Christ's righteousness to a man, and 
 that too, while the man to whom it is imputed, is 
 in himself wicked and ungodly, there is no room 
 left for boasting before God, for that is the boasting 
 intended ; but rather an occasion given to shame 
 and confusion of face, and to stop the mouth for 
 ever, since justification comes to him in a way so 
 far above him, so vastly without him, bis skill, 
 help, or what else soever. Eze. xvi. 61—63. 
 
 6. Righteousness by imputation must be first, 
 that justification may not be of debt, but of mercy 
 and grace. This is evident from reason : It is 
 meet that God should therefore justify us by a 
 righteousness of his own, not of his own prescribing, 
 for that he may do, and yet the righteousness be 
 ours ; but of his own providing, that the righteous- 
 ness may be his. ' Now to him that worketh, is 
 the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.' Eo. 
 iv. 4. If I work for justifying righteousness, and 
 that way get righteousness, my justification is not 
 of grace but of debt, God giveth it not unto me, 
 for he oweth it unto me ; so then it is no longer 
 his but mine : Mine not of grace, but debt : And 
 if so then, I thank him not for remission of sins, 
 nor for the kingdom of heaven, nor for eternal 
 life ; for if justifying righteousness is of debt, then 
 when I have it, and what dependeth thereon, I 
 have but mine own, that which God oweth to me. 
 
 Nor will it help at all to say, but I obtain it by 
 
 God's grace in me, because that doth not cut off 
 my work, nor prevent my having of an hand in my 
 justifying righteousness. 
 
 Suppose I give a man materials, even all materials 
 that are necessary to the completing of such or 
 such a thing ; yet if he worketh, though the 
 materials be mine, I am to him a debtor, and he 
 deserveth a reward. Thou sayest, God has given 
 thee his Spirit, his grace, and aU other things that 
 are necessary for the working up of a complete 
 righteousness. Well, but is thy work required to 
 the finishing of this righteousness ? If so, this is 
 not the righteousness that justifieth, because it is 
 such as has thy hand, thy workmanship therein, 
 and so obtains a reward. And observe it, righte- 
 ousness, justifying righteousness, consisteth not 
 in a principle of righteousness, but in works of 
 righteousness ; that is, in good duties, in obedience, 
 in a walking in the law to the pleasing of the law, 
 and the content of the justice of God. 
 
 I suppose again, that thou shalt conclude with 
 me, that justifying righteousness, I mean that 
 which justifies from the curse of the law, resideth 
 only in the obedience of the Son of God ; and that 
 the principle of grace that is in thee, is none of 
 that righteousness, no, not then when thou hast 
 to the utmost walked with God according to thy 
 gift and grace : Yet if thou concludest that this 
 principle must be in thee, and these works done by 
 thee, before this justifying righteousness is imputed 
 to thee for justification, thou layest in a caveat 
 against justification by grace ; and also concludest, 
 that though thou art not justifie,d by thy righteous- 
 ness, but by Christ, yet thou art justified by Christ's 
 righteousness, for the sake of thine own, and so ' 
 makest justification to be still a debt. But here 
 the scripture doth also cut thee off : ' Not for thy 
 righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart 
 dost thou go to possess their land ; ' which was but 
 a type of heaven, and if our righteousness cannot 
 give us by its excellency a share in the type, be 
 sure, that for it, we shall never be sharers in the 
 antitype itself. ' Understand therefore, that the 
 Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to 
 possess it, for thy righteousness ; for thou art a 
 stiff-necked people. ' De. ix. 5, 6. 
 
 Gospel-performances therefore are not first; that 
 was first, for the sake of which, God did receive 
 these people into favour with himself, and that was 
 a covenant righteousness ; and where could that 
 covenant righteousness be found but in the prince, 
 mediator, and high priest of the covenant ? For 
 it was HE and he only that was appointed of God, 
 nor could any but himself, bring in everlasting 
 righteousness. Da. ix. u, 25. This is evident from 
 these texts last mentioned ; it was not for their 
 righteousness, that they possessed the land. 
 
 Again, As it was not for their righteousness. 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 255 
 
 tLat they were made possessors of the land, so it 
 was not for the sake of their righteousness, that 
 they were made partakers of such a righteousness 
 that did make them possess the land. This is plain 
 to reason ; for then inherent or inherent and per- 
 sonal righteousness, when hy us performed, is of 
 worth to ohtain of God a justifying righteousness. 
 But if it he of worth to ohtain a justifying righte- 
 ousness, then it seems, it is more commodious to 
 hoth parties than is justifying righteousness. First, 
 it is more commodious to him that worketh it, for 
 by it he ohtaineth everlasting righteousness ; and 
 secondly, it is more commodiouS unto him that 
 receiveth it, else why doth he for it give us a due 
 debt, and so put upon us the everlasting justifying 
 righteousness. 
 
 Perhaps it wiU be objected, that God doth all 
 this of grace; but I answer, that these are hut 
 fallacious words, spake by the tongue of the crafty. 
 For we are not now discom-sing of what rewards 
 God can give to the operations of his own grace 
 in us, but whether he can in a way of justice, or 
 how he will, bestow any spiritual blessings upon 
 sinful creatures, against whom, for sin, he has 
 pronounced the curse of the law, before he hath 
 found them in a righteousness, that is proved to 
 be as good justice and righteousness, as is the 
 justice and righteousness of the law, with which 
 we have to do. 
 
 I assert he cannot, because he cannot lie, because 
 he cannot deny himself: For if he should first 
 tlireaten the transgression of the law with death, 
 and yet afterwards receive the transgressor to 
 grace, without a plenary satisfaction, what is this 
 but to lie, and to diminish his truth, righteousness, 
 and faithfulness ; yea, and also to overthrow the 
 sanction and perfect hoHness of his law. His 
 mercy therefore must act so towards this sinner, 
 that justice may be content, and that can never be, 
 without a justifying righteousness. 
 
 Now what this justifying righteousness should 
 be, and when imputed, that is the question. I say, 
 it is the righteousness or the obedience of the Son 
 of God in the flesh, which he assimied, and so his 
 own, and the righteousness of no body else, other- 
 wise than by imputation. 
 
 I say again, that this righteousness must be 
 imputed first, that the sinner may stand just in 
 God's sight from the curse, and that God might 
 deal with him both in a way of justice as well as 
 mercy, and yet do the sinner no harm. 
 
 But you may ask. How did God deal with 
 sinners before this righteousness was actually in 
 being ? 
 
 I answer. He did then deal with sinners even as 
 he dealeth with them now; he justifieth them by 
 it, by virtue of the suretiship of him that was to 
 bring it in. Christ became surety for us, and by 
 
 his suretiship laid himself under an obligation to 
 bring in, in time, for those for whom he became a 
 surety, this everlasting and justifying righteousness, 
 and by virtue of this those of his elect that came 
 into and went out of the world, before he came to 
 perform his work, were saved through the forbear- 
 ance of God. Wherefore, before the Lord came, 
 they were saved for the Lord's sake, and for the 
 sake of his name. And they that were spiritually 
 wise understood it, and pleaded it as their neces- 
 sities required, and the Lord for his sake also 
 
 accepted them. He. rii. 22. Ko. iv. 24, Da. ix. 17. Ps. xxT. 11. 
 
 7. 1 Righteousness by imputation must be first: 
 that justification may be certain ; ' therefore it is 
 of faith, (of the righteousness that faith layeth 
 hold on) that it might be by grace ; to the end the 
 promise might be sure to all the seed.' Ro. iv. I6. 
 That the promise. What promise ? The promise 
 of remission of sins, &c. might be sure. 
 
 Now a promise of remission of sins supposeth 
 a righteousness, a righteousness going before ; for 
 there is no forgiveness of sins, nor promise of for- 
 giveness, but for the sake of righteousness: but 
 not for the sake of righteousness that shall be by 
 us, but that IS already found in Christ as head, 
 and so imputed to the elect for their remission. 
 'God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.' Ep. 
 iv. 32. For Christ's sake; that is, for the sake of 
 the righteousness of Christ. Therefore imputed 
 righteousness must be first ; yea, it must be before 
 forgiveness, and forgiveness is extended by God, 
 then when we lie in our blood, though to us it is 
 manifested afterwards.* Therefore it is OF faith, 
 he saith not BY it, respecting the act of faith ; but 
 of, respecting the doctrine or word which presenteth 
 me with this blessed imputed righteousness : ' They 
 that are of faith, are the children of faithful Abra- 
 ham.' They that are of the doctrine of faith, for 
 all the elect are the sons of that doctrine in which 
 is this righteousness of Christ contained ; yea, they 
 are begotten by it of God to this inheritance, to 
 their comfortable enjoyment of the comfort of it 
 by faith. 
 
 That ' the promise might be sure to aU the 
 seed;' to all them wrapped up in the promise, and 
 so begotten and bom. That it might be sure, 
 implying that there is no certain way of salvation 
 for the elect but this, because God can never by 
 
 * As the disobedieuce of the first Adam is imputed to all 
 his natural posterity, and brings death upon all ; so the righte- 
 ousness of the second Adam is imputed to all his spiritual 
 progeny, to obtain life for them. As the carnal Adam, lost 
 original righteousness, derives a corrupt nature to all his 
 descendants ; so the spiritual Adam, by his obedience, conveys 
 a vital efficacy of grace to us. The same Spirit of holiness 
 which anointed our Redeemer doth quicken all his race, that 
 as they have borne the image of the earthly, they may hence- 
 forth bear the image of the heavenly Adam. — Ri/land. 
 
236 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 other means reconcile us to himself ; for his hea- 
 venly eyes perceive through and through the silly 
 cohweb righfeousness that we wort ; yea, they 
 spy faults and sins in the best of our gospel per- 
 formances. How then can God put any trust in 
 such people, or how can remission be extended to 
 us for the sake of that? Yea, our faith is faulty, 
 and also imperfect ; how then should remission be 
 extended to us for the sake of that? But now the 
 righteousness of Christ is perfect, perpetual and 
 stable as the great mountains, wherefore he is 
 called the rock of our salvation, because a man 
 may as soon tumble the mountains before him, as 
 one would tumble a little ball, I say, as soon as 
 sin can make invalid the righteousness of Christ, 
 when, and unto whom, God shall impute it for 
 justice. Ps. xxxvi. 6. In the margin it is said, to be 
 like the mountain of God ; to wit, that is called 
 Mount Zion, or that Moriah on which the temple 
 was built, and upon which it stood : AU other 
 bottoms are fickle, all other righteousnesses are 
 so feeble, short, narrow, and thin, yea, so specked 
 and fuU of imperfections. ' For what the law 
 could not do in that it was weak through the 
 flesh,' Christ did for us in the similitude of sinful 
 flesh. But what could not the law do? Why it 
 could not give us righteousness, nor strengthen us 
 to perform it. It could not give us any certain, 
 solid, well-grounded hope of remission of sin and 
 salvation, ' but the bringing in of a better hope 
 did, by the which we draw nigh unto God. ' 
 
 Wherefore this righteousness being imputed, 
 justice findeth no fault therewith, but consenteth 
 to the extending to the sinner those blessings that 
 tend to perfect his happiness in the heavens. 
 
 8. Righteousness by imputation must be first, 
 ' That in all things he (Christ) might have the 
 pre-eminence.' Christ is head of the church, and 
 therefore let him have the highest honour in the 
 soul ; but how can he have that, if any precede as 
 to justification, before his perfect righteousness be 
 imputed? If it be said, grace may be in the soul, 
 though the soul doth not act it, until the moment 
 that justifying righteousness shall be imputed. 
 
 I ask. What should it do there before, or to 
 what purpose is it there, if it be not acted ? And 
 again, how came it thither, how got the soul pos- 
 session of it, while it was unjustified? Or, How 
 could God in justice give it to a person, that by 
 the law stood condemned, before they were quitted 
 from that condenmation ? And I say, nothing 
 can set the soul free from that curse, but the per- 
 fect obedience of Christ ; nor that either, if it be 
 not imputed for that end to the sinner by the grace 
 of God. 
 
 Imputed, that is, reckoned, or accounted to him. 
 And why should it not be accounted to him for 
 righteousness ? Who did Christ bring it into the 
 
 world for, for the righteous or for sinners ? no 
 doubt for sinners. And how must it be reckoned 
 to them ? when in circumcision or in uncircumci- 
 sion ; not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision ; 
 not as righteous, but as sinners. And how are 
 they to consider of themselves, even then when 
 they first are apprehensive of their need of this 
 righteousness ? Are they to think, that they are 
 righteous or sinners. 
 
 And again. How are they to believe concerning 
 themselves, then when they put forth the first act 
 of faith towards this righteousness for justifica- 
 tion? Are they to think, that they are righteous 
 or sinners? Sinners, sinners doubtless they are 
 to reckon themselves, and as such to reckon them- 
 selves justified by this righteousness. And this 
 is according to the sentence of God, as appeareth 
 by such sayings. 
 
 ' For when we were yet without strength, in due 
 time Christ died for the ungodly. ' 
 
 ' But God commended his love toward us, in 
 that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for 
 us.' 
 
 ' For if when we were enemies, we were recon- 
 ciled to God by the death of his Son,! &c. Ro. v. 6, 
 
 8,10. 
 
 Out of these words I gather these three things. 
 
 1. That Christ by God's appointment died 
 for us. 
 
 2. That by his death he reedhciled us to God. 
 
 3. That even then, when the very act of recon- 
 ciliation was in performing, and also when per- 
 formed, we were ungodly, sinners, enemies. 
 
 Now the act by which we are said to be recon- 
 ciled to God while ungodly, while sinners, and 
 while enemies, was Christ's ofiering himself a 
 sacrifice for us, which is, in the words above-men- 
 tioned, called his death. Christ died, Christ died 
 for the ungodly, Christ died for us while sinners. 
 Christ reconciled us to God by his death. And 
 just as here Christ is said to die for us, so the 
 Father is said to impute righteousness to us ; to 
 wit, as we are without works, as we are imgodly: 
 ' Now to him that worketh not, but believeth on 
 him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted 
 for righteousness.' Eo. iv. 5. He worketh not, but is 
 ungodly, when this gracious act of God, in imput- 
 ing of the righteousness of Christ to him, is ex- 
 tended, the which when he shall believe, his faith 
 is coimted to him for righteousness. And why 
 should we not have the benefit of the righteousness, 
 while we are vmgodly, since it was completed for 
 us while we were yet imgodly? Yea, we have the 
 benefit of it : ' For - when we were enemies, we 
 were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.' 
 Ro. V. 10. 
 
 When I say, the benefit, I mean that benefit 
 that we are capable of, and that is justification be- 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 257 
 
 fore God ; for that a man may be capable of while 
 he is in himself migodly, because this justice comes 
 to him by the righteousness of another. True, was 
 it to be his own righteousness by which he was to 
 be justified, he should not could not so be, as or 
 while he is ungodly. But the righteousness is 
 Christ's, and that imputed by God, not as a reward 
 for work, or of debt, but freely by his grace, to 
 the glory of it, and therefore may be done, and is 
 80, while the person concerned is without works, 
 ungodly, and a sinner. 
 
 And he that denieth that we are capable of this 
 benefit while we are sinners and ungodly, may 
 with like reason deny that we are created beings. 
 For that which is done for a man without him, 
 may be done for him, not only at any time -which 
 they that do it shall appoint, but for him while in 
 any condition in this world. While a man is a 
 beggar, may not I make him worth ten thousand 
 a year, if I can and will ; yea and yet he shall not 
 know thereof in that moment that I make him so ? 
 yet the revenue of that estate shall really be his 
 from the moment that I make him so, and he shall 
 know it too at the rent-day. 
 
 This is the case, we are sinners and ungodly ; 
 there is a righteousness wrought out by Jesus 
 Christ, the which God hath designed we shall be 
 made righteous by ; and by it, if he will impute it 
 to us, we shall be righteous in his sight, even then 
 when we are yet ungodly in ourselves ; ' for he 
 justifies the ungodly. ' 
 
 Now though it is irregular and blame-worthy in 
 man to justify the wicked, because he cannot for 
 the wicked provide, and clothe him with a justify- 
 ing righteousness ; yet it is glorious and for ever 
 worthy of praise for God to do it ; because it is in 
 his power not only to forgive, but to make a man 
 righteous, even then when he is a sinner, and to 
 justify him, as afore is proved, while he is un-' 
 godly. 
 
 Objection. But it may be yet objected, That 
 though God has received satisfaction for sin, and 
 so sufficient terms of reconciliation by the obedience 
 and death of his Son, yet he imputeth it not unto 
 us but upon condition of our becoming good. 
 
 Answ. This must not be admitted : For, 
 
 1. The scripture saith not so; but that we are 
 reconciled to God by the death of his Son, and jus- 
 tified too, and that while, or when we are sinners 
 and ungodly. 
 
 2. If this objection carrieth the truth in it, then 
 it foUows, that the Holy Ghost, faith, and so all 
 grace, may be given to us, and we may have it 
 dwelling in us, yea, acting in us, before we stand 
 righteous in the judgment of the law before God ; 
 for nothing can make us stand just before God in 
 the judgment of the law, but the obedience of the 
 Son of God without us. And if the Holy Ghost, 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 faith and so consequently the habit of every grace, 
 may be in us, acting in us, before Christ's righte- 
 ousness be by God imputed to us, then we are not 
 justified as sinners and ungodly : but as persons 
 inherently holy and righteous before. 
 
 But I have over and over already shewed you, 
 that this cannot be, therefore righteousness for 
 justification must be imputed first. And here let 
 me present the reader with two or three things. 
 
 (1.) That justification before God is one thing; 
 and justification to the understanding and con- 
 science is another. Now, I am treating of justifi- 
 cation before God, not of it as to man's understand- 
 ing and conscience, and I say, a man may be jus- 
 tified before God, even then when himself knoweth 
 nothing thereof. Is. xl. 3. Mat. ix. 3. and so when and 
 while he hath not faith about it, but is ungodly. 
 
 (2.) There is a justification by faith, by faith's 
 applying of that righteousness to the understand- 
 ing and conscience, which God hath afore of his 
 grace imputed for righteousness to the soul for 
 justification in his sight. And this is that by 
 which we, as to sense and feeling, have peace with 
 God : ' Being justified by faith we have peace with 
 God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' Eo. v. i. And 
 these two the Apostle keepeth distinct, a little 
 lower in this chapter: for after that he had said 
 in the tenth verse, that while ' we were enemies we 
 were reconciled to God by the death of his Son : ' 
 He addeth, • And not only so, but we also joy in 
 God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we 
 have now received the atonement. ' ver. n. Here you 
 see that to be reconciled to God by the death of 
 his Son, is one thing ; and for us actually, for that 
 I think he aimeth at, to receive by faith, this re- 
 conciliation, is another. That is a thing over and 
 above, and not only so, but we have received the 
 atonement. 
 
 (3.) Men do not gather their justification from 
 God's single act of imputing of righteousness, that 
 we might stand clear in his sight from the curse 
 and judgment of the law ; but from the word, tho 
 which they neither see nor understand, till it is 
 brought to their understanding by the light and 
 glory of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 We are not therefore in the ministry of the word 
 to pronounce any man justified, from a supposition 
 that God has imputed righteousness to him, since 
 that act is not known to us, until the fruits that 
 follow thereupon do break out before our eyes ; to 
 wit, the signs and eflfects of the Holy Ghost's in- 
 dwelling in our souls. And then we may conclude 
 it ; that is, that such a one stands just before God, 
 yet not for the sake of his inherent righteousness, 
 nor yet for the fruits thereof, and so not for the 
 sake of the act of faith, but for the sake of Jesus 
 Christ his doing and sufiering for us. 
 
 Nor will it avail to object. That if at first we 
 2 K 
 
!258 
 
 THE PHAEISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 stand just before God by his imputing of Christ's 
 righteousness unto us, though faith be not in us to 
 act, we may always stand justified so ; and so 
 what need of faith ? For therefore are we justi- 
 fied, first, by the imputation of God, as we are 
 ungodly> that thereby we might be made capable 
 of receiving of the Holy Ghost, and his graces in 
 a way of righteousness and justice. Besides, God 
 will have those that he shall justify by his grace 
 through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, to 
 have the Holy Ghost, and so faith, that they may 
 know and believe the things not only that shall be, 
 but that already aee, freely given to us of God. 
 Now, says Paul, ' we have received, not the spirit 
 of the world, but the spirit which is of God ; 
 that we might know the things that are freely 
 given to us of God. ' i Co. ii. 12. To know, that 
 is, to believe. It is given to you to believe, 
 who believe according to the working of his 
 mighty power, ' and we have known and behoved 
 the love that God hath to us, ' preceding to oui- be- 
 lieving. iJn.iT. 16. He then that is justified by 
 God's imputation, shall believe by the power of 
 the Holy Ghost ; for that must come, and work 
 faith, and strengthen the soul to act it, because 
 imputed righteousness has gone before. He then 
 that believeth shall be saved ; for his believing is 
 a sign, not a cause, of his being made righteous 
 before God by imputation : And he that believeth 
 not shall be damned, because his non-belief is a 
 sign that he is not righteous, and a cause that his 
 sins abide upon him. 
 
 And thus much for the Pharisee, and for his in- 
 formation ; and now I come to that part of the 
 text which remains, which part in special respecteth 
 the Publican. 
 
 [the publican's peayer.] 
 
 And the Publican, standing afar off, would 
 not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, 
 but smote upon his bbeast, saying, god be mer- 
 ciful to me a sinner. 
 
 What this Publican was, I have shewed you, 
 both with respect to his nation, office, and disposi- 
 tion. Wherefore I shall not here trouble the 
 reader as to that, with a second rehearsal of these 
 things ; we now therefore come to his repentance 
 in the whole and in the parts of it ; concerning 
 which I shall take notice of several things, some 
 more remote, and some more near to the matter 
 and life of it. 
 
 But first let us see how thwart and cross the 
 Pharisee and the Publican did lie in the temple one 
 to another, while they both were presenting of 
 their prayers to God. 
 
 First, The Pharisee he goes in boldly, fears 
 nothing, but trusteth in himself that his state is 
 
 good, that God loves him, and that there was no 
 doubt to be made but of his good speed in this his 
 rehgious enterprize. But alas ! poor Publican, he 
 sneaks, he lears, he is hardly able to crawl into the 
 temple, and when he comes there, stands behind, a 
 loof off, as one not worthy to approach the divine 
 presence. 
 
 Seamd, The Pharisee at his approach hath his 
 mouth full of something, yea of many fine thmgs, 
 whereby he strokes himself over the head, and in 
 effect calls himself, and that in his presence, one 
 of God's white boys, that always kept close to his 
 will, abode with him ; or as the prodigal's brother 
 said, 'Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither 
 transgressed I at any time thy commandment;' 
 Lu. x7. 29. But alas ! poor Publican, thy guilt, as 
 to these pleas, stops thy mouth, thou hast not one 
 good thing to say of thyself, not one rag of righ- 
 teousness ; thy conversation tells thee so, thy con- 
 science tells thee so ; yea, and if thou shouldest 
 now attempt to set a good face on it, and for thy 
 credit say something after the Pharisee in way of 
 thine own commendations, yet here is God on the 
 one side, the Pharisee on the other, "together with 
 thine own heart to give thee check, to rebuke thee, 
 to condemn thee, and to lay thee even with the 
 ground for thy insolency. 
 
 Third, The Pharisee in his approach to God, 
 wipes his fingers of the Publican's enormities, will 
 not come nigh him, lest he should defile him with 
 his beastly rags : ' I am not as other men are, - or 
 even as this Publican.' But the poor Publican, 
 alas for him, his fingers are not clean, nor can he 
 tell how to make {hem so ; besides, he meekly and 
 quietly puts up this reflection of the Pharisee upon 
 him, and by silent behaviour, justifies the severe 
 sentence of that self-righteous man, concluding 
 with him, that for his part, he is wretched, and 
 miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and not 
 worthy to come nigh, or to stand by, so good, so 
 virtuous, so holy, and so deserving a man as our 
 spangling Pharisee is. 
 
 Fourth, The Pharisee, as at feasts and syna- 
 gogues, chose the chief and first place for his per- 
 son, and for his prayer, counting that the Publican 
 was not meet, ought not to presume to let his 
 stinking breath once come out of his polluted lips 
 in the temple, till he had made his holy prayer. 
 And poor Publican, how dost thou hear and put 
 up this with all other affronts, counting even as the 
 Pharisee counted of thee, that thou wast but a dog 
 in comparison of him, and therefore not fit to go 
 before, but to come as in chains, behind, and for- 
 bear to present thy mournful and *debrorou3 sup- 
 
 * ' Debrorous,' probably a misprint for ' dolorous,' sorrow- 
 ful or dismal. 
 
 'Through many a dark and dreary vale 
 Tlicy passed, and many a region dolorous.'— ifiWo«. 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 239 
 
 plication to the lioly God, till he had presented him 
 with his, in his own conceit, hrave, gaj, and fine 
 oration. 
 
 Fifth, The Pharisee, as he is numerous in his 
 repeating of his good deeds, so is stiff in standing 
 to them, bearing up himself, that he hath now suffi- 
 cient foimdation on which to bear up his soul against 
 all the attempts of the law, the devil, sin and hell. 
 But alas, poor Publican ! Thou standest naked ; 
 nay, worse than naked ; for thou art clothed with 
 filthy garments, thy sins cover thy face with shame: 
 nor hast thou in, from, or of thyself, any defence 
 from, or shelter against the attempts, assaults, and 
 censures of thy ghostly enemies, but art now in 
 thine own eyes, though in the temple, cast forth 
 into the open field stark naked, to the loathing of 
 thy person, as in the day that thou wast born, and 
 there ready to be devoured or torn in pieces for 
 thy transgressions against thy God. 
 
 What wilt thou do Publican ! What wilt thou 
 do ! Come, let's see, which way wilt thou begin 
 to address thyself to God; bethink thyself man, 
 lias thou any thing to say, speak out man, the 
 Pharisee by this time has done, and received his 
 sentence. Make an yes ;* let all the world be 
 silent ; yea, let the angels of heaven come near and 
 listen ; for the PubUcan is come to have to do with 
 God ! Yea, is come from the receipt of custom 
 into the temple to pray to him. 
 
 ' And the Publican, standing afar off, would not 
 Uft up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote 
 upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a 
 sinner. ' And is this thy way poor Publican ! 
 cunning sinner ! crafty Publican ! thy wisdom 
 has outdone the Pharisee, for it is better to apply 
 ourselves to God's mercy, than to trust to our- 
 selves that we are righteous. But that the Pub- 
 lican did hit the mark, yea, get nearer vmio, and 
 more indo the heart of God and his Son than did 
 the Pharisee, the sequel of the matter will make 
 manifest. 
 
 Take notice then of this profound speech of the 
 Pubhcan, every word is heavier than the earth, 
 and has more argument in it, than has ten thou- 
 sand Pharisaical prayers. ' God be merciful to me 
 a sinner.' Yea, the Son of God was so delighted 
 with this prayer, that for the sake of it, he, even 
 as a limner, draweth out the Publican in his manner 
 of standing, behaviour, gestures, &;c. while he 
 makes this prayer to God : Wherefore we wLU take 
 notice both of the one and of the other ; for surely 
 his geslwes put lustre unto his prayer and re- 
 pentance. 
 
 First, His prayer you see is this, ' God be mer- 
 ciful to me a sinner. 
 
 * ' Make an O yes,' aflading to the form of proclamatioQ at 
 SI ssions of the peace — ' Oyer,' the I'rencli for ' Hear,' now 
 tomiptod to ■ yes.' — Eo. 
 
 Second, His gestures in his prayer wei-e in 
 general three. 
 
 First, He stood afar off. 
 
 Second, He would not lift up so much as his eyes 
 to heaven. 
 
 Third, He smote upon his hreast, with his fist, 
 saying, ' God be merciful to me a sinner. ' 
 
 First, To begin first with his prayer. In his 
 prayer we have two things to consider of. Firkt, 
 His confession : I am a sinner. Second, His im- 
 ploring of help against this malady : ' God be mer- 
 ciful to me a sinner. ' 
 
 [His Confession.] 
 
 First, In his confession divers things are to be ' 
 taken notice of. As, 
 
 1 . The fairness and simplicity of his confession: 
 A sinner : I am a sinner ; ' God be merciful to me 
 a sinner.' This indeed he was, and this indeed 
 confesses ; and this, I say, he doth of godly sim- 
 pUcity. For, for a man to confess himself a sin- 
 ner, it is to speak all against himself that can be 
 spoken. And man, as degenerate, is too much an 
 hypocrite, and too much a self-flatterer, thus to 
 confess against himself, unless made simple and 
 honest about the thing through the power of con- 
 viction upon his heart. And it is yet worth your 
 noting, that he doth not say he was, or had been, 
 but that at that time his state was such, to wit, a 
 sinner. ' God be merciful to me a sinner, ' or who 
 am, and now stand before thee a sinner, or, in my 
 sins. 
 
 Now a little to shew you what it is to be a sin- 
 ner ; for every one that sinneth may not in a proper 
 sense be called a sinner. Saints, the sanctified in 
 Christ Jesus, do often sin, but it is not proper to 
 caU them sinners : But here the Publican calls 
 himself a sinner ; and therefore in effect, calls him- 
 self an evil tree, one that hath neither good nature, 
 nor that beareth good fruit : one whose body and 
 soul is polluted, whose mind and conscience is de- 
 filed: one who hath 'walked according to the course 
 of this world, and after the spirit that now worketh 
 in the children of disobedience.' They having 
 their minds at enmity with or against God, and 
 are taken captive by the devil at his will. A sin- 
 ner, one whose trade hath been in and about sin, 
 and the works of Satan all his days. 
 
 Thus he waves all pleas, and shews of pleas, and 
 stoops his neck immediately to the block. Though 
 he was a base man, yet he might have had pleas ; 
 pleas, I say, as well as the Pharisee, though not 
 so many, yet as good. lie was of the stock of 
 Abraham, a Jew, an Israelite of the Israehtes, and 
 so a privileged man in the things and religion of 
 the Jews, else what doth he do in the temple ? 
 Yea, why did not the Pharisee, if he was a hea- 
 then, lay that to his charge while he stood before 
 
260 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 God ? but the truth is, he could not ; for the Pub- 
 lican was a Jew as well as the Pharisee, and con- 
 sequently might, had he been so disposed, have 
 pleaded that before God. But that he would not, 
 he could not, for his conscience was under convic- 
 tions, the awakenings of God were upon him ; 
 wherefore his privileges melt away like grease, and 
 fly from him like the chaff of the summer threshing- 
 floor, which the wind taketh up and scattereth as 
 the dust ; he therefore lets all privileges fall, and 
 pleads only that he is ' a sinner. ' 
 
 2. In this confession be judges and condemns 
 himself: For, for a man to say, ' I am a sinner,' 
 is as much as to say, I am contrary to the holiness 
 of God, a transgressor of his law, and consequently 
 an object of the curse, and an heir of hell. The 
 Publican therefore goeth very far in this his con- 
 fession, but this is not all ; for, for a man to con- 
 fess that he is a sinner, is in the 
 
 3. Third place, to confess, that there is nothing 
 in him, done, or can be done by him, that should 
 allure, or prevail with God to do any thing for 
 him. For a sinner cannot do good; no, nor work 
 up his heart unto one good thought : no, though 
 he should have heaven itself, if he could ; or was 
 sure to burn in hell fire for ever and ever if he could 
 not. For sin, where it is in possession and bears 
 rule, as it doth in every one that we may properly 
 call a sinner, there it hath the mastery of the man, 
 hath bound up his senses in cords and chains, and 
 made nothing so odious to the soul as are the 
 things that be of the Spirit of God. Wherefore it 
 is said of such, that they are enemies in their 
 minds ; that the carnal mind is enmity to God, and 
 that wickedness prooeedeth of the wicked; and 
 that the Ethiopian may as well change his skin, or 
 the leopard his spots, as they that are accustomed 
 to do evU may learn to do well. Ep. u. Ro. viii. i Sa. 
 
 Kxiv. 13. Je. xili. 23. 
 
 4. In this confession, he implicitly acknow- 
 ledgeth, that sin is the worst of things, forasmuch 
 as it layeth the soul without the reach of aU remedy 
 that can be found under heaven. Nothing below, 
 or short of the mercy of God, can deliver a poor 
 soul from this fearful malady. This the Pharisee 
 did not see. Doubtless be did conclude, that at 
 some time or other he had sinned ; but he never 
 in all his life did arrive to a sight of what sin was : 
 His knowledge of it was but false and counterfeit, 
 as is manifest by bis cure ; to wit, his own righte- 
 ousness. For take this for a truth undeniable, 
 that he that thinks himself better before God, be- 
 cause of his reformations, never yet had the true 
 knowledge of his sin: But the poor Pubhcan he 
 had it, he had it in truth, as is manifest, because 
 it drives him to the only sovereign remedy. For 
 indeed, the right knowledge of sin, in the guilt and 
 filth, and damning power thereof, makes a man to 
 
 understand, that not any thing but grace and 
 mercy by Christ, can secure him from the hellish 
 ruins thereof. 
 
 Suppose a man sick of an apoplexy unto death, 
 and should for his remedy make use only of those 
 things that are good against the second ague, 
 would not this demonstrate that this man was not 
 sensible of the nature and danger of this disease. 
 The same may be said of every sinner, that shall 
 make use only of those means to justify him before 
 God, that can hardly make him go for a good 
 Christian before judicious men. But the poor 
 Publican, he knew the nature of his disease, the 
 danger of his disease ; and knew also, that no- 
 thing but mercy, infinite mercy could cure him 
 thereof. 
 
 5. This confession of the Publican, declareth 
 that he himself was born up now, by an almighty, 
 though invisible hand. For sin, when seen in its 
 colours, and when appearing in its monstrous 
 shape and hue, frighteth all mortals out of their 
 wits, away from God ; and if he stops them not, 
 also out of the world. This is manifest by Cain, 
 Judas, Saul, and others, who could not stand up 
 before God under the sense and appearance of their 
 sin, but fly before him, one to one fruit of despair, 
 and one to another. But now this Publican, 
 though he apprehends his sin, and that himself 
 was one that was a sinner, yet he beareth up, 
 cometh into the temple, approaches the presence 
 of an holy and siu-revenging God, stands before 
 him, and confesses that he is that ugly man, that 
 man that sin had defiled, and that had brought 
 himself into the danger of damnation thereby. 
 
 This therefore was a mighty act of the Publican. 
 He went against the voice of conscience, against 
 sense and feeling, against the curse and condemn 
 ing verdict of the law ; he went, as I may say, 
 upon hot burning coals to one, that to sin ant 
 sinners is nothing but consuming fire. 
 
 Now then, did the Publican this of his o^vn head, 
 or from his own mind ? No verily, there was some 
 supernatural power within that did secretly prompt 
 him on, and strengthen him to this most noble 
 venture. True, there is nothing more common 
 among wicked men, than to tick and toy, and play 
 with this saying of the Publican, ' God be merci- 
 ful to me a sinner;' not at all being sensible either 
 what sin is, or of their need of mercy. And- such 
 sinners shall find their speed in the Publican's 
 prayer, far otherwise than the Publican sped him- 
 self; it will happen unto them much as it happened 
 unto the vagabond Jews, exorcists, who took upon 
 them to call over them that had evU spirits, the 
 name of the Lord Jesus ; that were beaten by that 
 spirit and made fly out of that house naked and 
 wounded. Ac. xix. is— 16. Poor sinner, dead sinner, 
 thou wilt say the Publican's prayer, and make tha 
 
THE PIIAKISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 261 
 
 Publican's confession, and say, ' God be merciful 
 to me a sinner. ' But hold, dost thou do it with 
 the Publican's heart, sense, dread and simplicity? 
 If not, thou dost but abuse the Publican and his 
 prayer, and thyself, and his God ; and shalt find 
 God rejecting of thee and thy prayers, saying, 
 The Publican I know, his prayers, and tears, and 
 godly tears I know ; but who or what art thou ? 
 And will send thee away nake.d and wounded. 
 They are the hungry that he filleth with good 
 things, but the rich and the senseless, he sendeth 
 empty awa3^ 
 
 For my part, I find it one of the hardest things 
 that I can put my soul upon, even to come to God, 
 when warmly sensible that I am a sinner, for a 
 share in grace and mercy. Oh ! methinks it seems 
 to me as if the whole face of the heavens were set 
 against me. Yea, the very thought of God strikes 
 me through, I cannot bear up, I cannot stand be- 
 fore him, I cannot but with a thousand tears say, 
 ' God be merciful to me a sinner. ' Ezr ix. 15. 
 
 At another time when my heart is more hard 
 and stupid, and when his terror doth not make me 
 afraid, then I can come before him and talk of my 
 sins, and ask mercy at his hand, and scarce be 
 sensible of sin or grace, or that indeed I am before 
 God : But above all, they are the rare times, when 
 I can go to God as the Publican, sensible of his 
 glorious majesty, sensible of my misery, and bear 
 up, and afiectionately cry, ' God be merciful to me 
 a sinner.' 
 
 But again, the Publican by his confession, show- 
 eth a piece of the highest wisdom that a mortal 
 man can show ; because by so doing, he engageth 
 as well as imploreth the grace and mercy of God 
 to save him. You see by the text he imploreth 
 it ; and now I will shew you that he engageth it, 
 and makes himself a sharer in it. 
 
 ' He that covereth his sins shall not prosper : 
 but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall 
 have mercy. ' Pr. xxviii. is. And again, ' If we confess 
 our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, 
 and to cleanse us from all imrighteousness. ' 1 Jn. i. 9. 
 
 [He engageth it]. In the promise of pardon, He 
 shall find mercy; he shall have his sins forgiven. 
 As also Solomon prays, that God wiU forgive them 
 that know their own sore, and they are indeed, 
 such as are sensible of the plague of their own 
 heart. !! Ch. vi. 29, 30. 1 E. via. 37, 38. And the reason is, 
 because the sinner is now driven to the farthest 
 point ; for confession is the farthest point, and the 
 utmost bound unto which God has appointed the 
 Publican to go, with reference to his work. As it 
 is said of Saul to David, when he was about to 
 give him Micah his daughter to wife, ' The king 
 desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins 
 of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's 
 enemies. ' 1 Sa. xviii. 25. 
 
 So says God in this matter, I desire no sacri- 
 fices, nor legal righteousness to make thee accept- 
 able to me, only acknowledge and confess thine 
 iniquity that thou hast transgressed against me. 
 Je. iii. 12, 13. And though this by some may be 
 thought to be a very easy way to come at, and 
 partake of, the mercy of God ; yet let the sensible 
 sinner try it, and he shall find it one of the hardest 
 things in the world. And there are two things, 
 to which man is prone, that makes confession 
 hard. 
 
 I. There is a great incidency in us to be partial, 
 and not thorough and plain in our confessions. M^e 
 are apt to make half confessions ; to confess some, 
 and hide some; or else to make feigned confessions, 
 flattering both ourselves, and also God, while we 
 make confession unto him ; or else to confess sin 
 as our own fancies apprehend, and not as the word 
 descries them. These things we are very incident 
 to: Men can confess little sins, while they hide 
 great ones. Men can feign themselves sorry for 
 sin, when they are not, or else in their confessions 
 foiget to judge of sin by the word. Hence it is 
 said. They turned to God, not with their whole 
 heart, but as it were feignedly. They spake not 
 aright, saying, what have 1 done ? They flatter 
 him with their lips, and lie unto him with their 
 tongues, and do their wickedness in the dark, and 
 sin against him with a high hand, and then come 
 to him and cover the altar with their tears. These 
 things therefore, demonstrate the difficulty of sin- 
 cere confession of sin ; and that to do it as it 
 should, is no such easy thing. 
 
 To right confession of sin, several things must 
 go. As, 
 
 1. There must be found conviction for sin upon 
 the spirit : for before a man shall be convinced of 
 the nature, aggravation, and evil of sin, how shall 
 he make godly confession of it ? Now to convince 
 the soul of sin, the law must be set home upon the 
 conscience by the Spirit of God ; ' For by the law 
 is the knowledge of sin. ' Ro. m. 20. And again, ' I 
 had not known sin except the law had said. Thou 
 shalt not covet. ' Eo. vii. 7. This law, now, when it 
 effectually ministereth conviction of sin to the con- 
 science, doth it by putting of life, and strength, 
 and terror into sin. By its working on the con- 
 science, it makes sin revive, ' and the strength of 
 sin is the law. ' 1 Co. xv. 66. It also increaseth and 
 multiplieth sin, both by the revelation of God's 
 anger against the soul ; and also by mustering up, 
 and calling to view sins committed, and forgotten 
 time out of mind. Sin seen in the glass of the law 
 is a terrible thing, no man can behold it and live. 
 ' When the commandment came, sin revived, and 
 I died;' when it came from God to my conscience, 
 as managed by an almighty arm, ' then it slew me.' 
 And now is the time to confess sin, because now a 
 
262 
 
 THE PHAKISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 Boul knows what it is, and sees what it is, both in 
 the nature and consequence of it. 
 
 2. To right confession of sin, there must be 
 sound knowledge of God, especially as to his jus- 
 tice, holiness, righteousness, and purity ; wherefore 
 the Publican here begins his confession by calling 
 upon, or by the acknowledgment of his majesty : 
 ' God be merciful to me a sinner,' As if he should 
 «ay, God, God, great God, sin-revenging 
 God, I have sinned against thee, I have broken thy 
 law, I have opposed thy holiness, thy justice, thy 
 law, and thy righteous will. consimiing fire ! 
 for our God is a consuming fire, I have justly pro- 
 voked thee to wrath, and to take vengeance of me 
 for my transgressions. But, alas ! how few, that 
 make confession of sin, have right apprehension of 
 God, unto whom confession of sin doth belong ! 
 Alas, 'tis easy for men to entertain such appre- 
 hensions of God as shall please their own humours, 
 and as will admit them without dying, to bear up 
 under their sense of sin, and that shall make their 
 confession rather facile, and fantastical, than solid 
 and heart-breaking. The sight and knowledge of 
 the great God is to the sinful man the most dread- 
 ful thing in the world ; and is that which makes 
 confession of sin so rare and wonderful a thins. 
 
 o 
 
 Most men confess their sins behind God's back, 
 but few to his face ; and you know there is ofttimes 
 a vast difference in one thus doing among men. 
 
 3. To right confession of sin, there must be a 
 deep conviction of the certainty and terribleness of 
 the day of judgment. This John the Baptist 
 inserts, where he insinuates, that the Pharisees' 
 want of sense of, and the true confession of sin, 
 was because they had not been warned, or had not 
 taken the alarm, to flee from the wrath to come. 
 What dread, terror, or frightful apprehension can 
 there be put into a revelation of sin, where there 
 is no sense of a day of judgment, and of our giving 
 there unto God an account for it. Mat. iii. 7. Lu. iii. 7. 
 
 I say therefore, to right confession of sin there 
 must be, 
 
 (1.) A deep conviction of the certainty of the 
 day of judgment; namely, that such a day is 
 coming, that such a day shall be. This the apostle 
 insinuates, where he saith, ' God commandeth all 
 men every where to repent; Because he hath 
 appointed a day, in the which he will judge the 
 world in righteousness by ilmt man whom he hath 
 ordained ; whereof he hath given assurance unto 
 all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.' 
 
 Ac. xvii. 30, 31. 
 
 This will give a sense of what the soul must 
 expect at that day for sin, and so will drive to an 
 hearty acknowledgment of it, and strong cries for 
 deliverance from it. For thus will the soul argue, 
 that expecteth the judgment day, and that believes 
 that he must comit for all there. my heart ! 
 
 It is in vain now to dissemble, or to hide, or to 
 lessen transgressions ; for there is a judgment to 
 come, a day in which God will judge ' the secrets 
 of men by his Son,' and at that day he will bring 
 to light 'the hidden things of darkness, and will 
 make manifest the counsels of the heart.' If it 
 must be so then, to what boot* will it be now to 
 seek to dissemble, or to lessen in this matter. 
 ] Co. iv. 5. This also is in the Old Testament urged 
 as an argument to cause youth, and persons of all 
 sizes to recal themselves to sobriety, and so to 
 confession of their sin to God; where the Holy 
 Ghost saith ironically, ' Rejoice, young man, in 
 thy youth ; and let thy heart cheer thee in the 
 days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine 
 heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know 
 thou, that for all these things God will bring thee 
 into judgment. ' Ec. -n. 9. So again, ' God shall 
 bring every work into judgment, with every secret 
 thing, whether good, or whether evil.' Ec. xii. u. 
 
 The certainty of this, I say, must go to the 
 producing of a sincere confession of sin, and this 
 is intimated by the Publican, who, with his con- 
 fession, addeth a hearty crave for mercy, ' God be 
 merciful to me a sinner. ' As if he should say, if 
 thou art not merciful to me, by thy judgment 
 when thou comest I shall be swallowed up ; with- 
 out thy mercy I shall not stand, but fall by the 
 judgment which thou hast appointed. 
 
 (2.) As there must he, for the producing of 
 sincere confession of sin, a deep conviction of the 
 certainly, so there must also be of the teiribleness 
 of the day of judgment. Wherefore the apostle, 
 makes use of the first, so of this to put men upon 
 repentance, an ingredient of which is sincere con- 
 fession of sin. 'For we must all appear before 
 the judgment seat of Christ ; that every one may 
 receive the things done in his body, according to 
 that he hath done, whether it be good or had. 
 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we per- 
 suade men. ' 3 Co. v. lo, n. The terror of the Lord, 
 as we see here, he makes use of that, to persuade 
 men to come by confession of sin, and repentance, 
 to God for mercy. 
 
 And I am persuaded, that it will he found a 
 truth one day that one reason that this day doth 
 so swarm with wanton professors, is, because they 
 have not begun at sound conviction for, nor gone 
 to God at first with sincere confession of sin. 
 And one cause of that has been, for that they did 
 never seriously fall in with, nor yet in heart sink 
 under, either the certainty or terribleness of the 
 day of judgment. 
 
 ! the terrors of the Lord ! the amazing face 
 that will be put upon all things before the tribunal 
 of God. Yea, the terror that will then he read in 
 
 ' Boot,' profit or advautage. — Ed. 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 363 
 
 the face of God, of Christ, of saints and angels, 
 against the ungodly; whoso believes and under- 
 stands it, cannot live without confession of sin to 
 God, and coming to him for mercy. 
 
 Mountains, mountains fall upon us, and cover 
 us, will then the cry of the ungodly be, and 'hide 
 us from the face of him that sitteth upon the 
 throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb : For the 
 great day of his wrath is come, and who shall be 
 able to stand ?' This terror is also signified where 
 it is said, ' And I saw a great white throne, and 
 him that sat on it, from whose face the (very) 
 earth and the heaven fled away, and there was 
 found no place for them. And I saw the dead, 
 small and great, stand before God ; and the books 
 were opened : and another book was opened, which 
 is the hook of life : and the dead were judged out 
 of those things which were written in the books, 
 according to their works. And the sea gave up 
 the dead which were in it; and death and hell 
 delivered up the dead which were in them : and 
 they were judged every man according to their 
 works. And death and hell were cast into the 
 lake of fire. This is the second death. And 
 whosoever was not found written in the book of 
 life was cast into the lake of fire. Ke. k. Here is 
 terror, and this terror is revealed afore-hand in 
 the word of the truth of God, that sinners might 
 hear and read and consider it, and so come and 
 confess, and implore God's mercy. 
 
 The terror of the Lord, how wUl it appear, when 
 he ' shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty 
 angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them 
 tliat know not God, and that obey not the gospel 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ.' 2111. i. 7— 9. 
 
 The terror of the Lord, how will it appear, when 
 his wrath shall burn and flame out like an oven, 
 or a fiery furnace before him, while the wicked 
 stand in his sight. Mat.xiiLso. 
 
 The terror of the Lord, how wUl it appear, while 
 the angels at his commandment shall gather the 
 wicked in bundles to bum them ! 'As - the tares 
 are gathered and burned in the fire ; so shall it 
 be in the end of this world. The Son of Man 
 shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather 
 out of his kingdom all things that ofiond, and 
 them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into 
 a furnace of fire: there shall be waihng and 
 gnashing of teeth. Mat. liiL 40-43. Who can conceive 
 of this terror to its fuU with his mind ? Wherefore 
 much more imable are men to express it with 
 tongue or pen ; yet the truly penitent and sin- 
 confessing Publican, hath apprehension so far 
 thereof, by the word of the testimony, that it 
 driveth him to God, with a confession of sin for an 
 interest in God's mercy. But, 
 
 4. To right and sincere confession of sin, there 
 must bo a good conviction of a probability of 
 
 mercy. This also is intimated by the Publican in 
 his confession ; ' God (saith he) bo merciful to me 
 a sinner.' He had some glimmerings of mercy, 
 some conviction of a probability of mercy, or that 
 he might obtain mercy for his pai'don, if he went, 
 and with unfeigned lips did confess his sins to God.* 
 
 Despair of mercy, shuts up the mouth, makes 
 the heart hard, and drives a man away from God ; 
 as is manifest in the case of Adam and the fallen 
 angels. But the least intimation of mercy, if the 
 heart can but touch, feel, taste, or have the least 
 probabihty of it, that wUl open the mouth, tend to 
 soften the heart, and to make a very Publican 
 come up to God into the temple and say, ' God be 
 merciful to me a sinner.' 
 
 There must then be this holy mixture of things 
 in the heart of a truly confessing Publican. There 
 must be sound sense of sin, sound knowledge of 
 God : deep conviction of the certainty and terrible- 
 ness of the day of judgment, as also of the pro- 
 babihty of obtaining mercy. 
 
 But to come to that which remains ; I told you 
 that there were two things that did make unfeigned 
 confession hard. The first I have touched upon. 
 
 IL And now the second follows : And that is, 
 some private, close leaning to some piece or parcel 
 of goodness, that a man shall conceit that he hath 
 done before, or is doing now, or that he purposeth 
 in his deceitful heart that he wiU do one of these 
 days, with which he hopes to prevail with God for 
 the pardon of his sins. This man to be sure knows 
 not sin in the nature and evil of it, only he has 
 some false apprehensions about it. For where the 
 right knowledge of sin is in the heart, that man 
 sees so much evil in the least transgression, as 
 that it would, even any one sin, break the backs 
 of all the angels of heaven, should the great God 
 but impute it to them. And he that sees this is 
 far enough oflf from thinking of doing to mitigate, 
 or assuage the rigour of the law, or to make par- 
 donable his own transgressions thereby. But he 
 that sees not this, cannot confess his transgressions 
 aright ; for the confession consisteth in the general, 
 in a man's taking to himself his transgressions, 
 and standing in them, with the acknowledgment 
 of them to be his, and that he cannot stir from 
 under them, nor do any thing to make amends for 
 them, or to palliate the rigour of justice against 
 the soul. And this the Publican did when he 
 cried, ' God be merciful to me a sinner. ' 
 
 He made his sins his own, he took them to him, 
 
 * The mercy of God has not only a quick eye to spy out a 
 penitent, but a swift foot 'to ruu and embrace him. What 
 infinite condescension ! God the Father is said to ' run, fail 
 on the neck of, and kiss' the sinner, whom he has by his Spirit 
 inclined to sue for mercy and peace, which, being obtained, he 
 will withhold from him no manner of thing that is good.— 
 Ri/land. 
 
264, 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 he stood before God in them, accounting that he 
 was surely undone for ever if God did not extend 
 forgiveness unto him. And this is to do as the 
 prophet Jeremy bids ; to wit, ' only to acknowledge 
 our iniquities, ' to acknowledge them and to stand 
 in them at the terrible bar of God's justice, until 
 mercy takes them out of the way ; not shifting 
 our shoulders or conscience of them, by doing, or 
 promising to do, either this or that good work, 
 only acknowledge, acknowledge only. And the 
 reason of this kind of confession is, 
 
 1. Because this carrieth in it the true nature 
 of confession, to confess, and to abide imder the 
 crimes confessed, without shifts and evasions, is 
 the only real simple way of confessions. ' I said, 
 I would confess my transgressions unto the Lord;' 
 and what then, ' and thou forgavest the iniquity 
 of my sin.' Ps. xxxii. 5. Mark, nothing comes in 
 betwixt confession and forgiveness of sin, nothing 
 of works of righteousness, nothing of legal amend- 
 ments, nothing but an outcry for mercy ; and that 
 act is so far off from lessening the offence, that it 
 greatly heighteneth and aggravates it. That is the 
 first reason. 
 
 2. A second reason is, because God doth expect 
 that the penitent confessors should for the time 
 that his wisdom shall think meet, not only confess, 
 but bear their shame upon them ; yea, saith God, 
 ' be thou confounded also and bear thy shame,' 
 when God takes away thine iniquity, thou shalt 
 be confounded and never open thy mouth more be- 
 cause of thy shame. Eze. xvi. 53, 63. We count it 
 convenient that men, when their crimes and trans- 
 gressions are to be manifested, that they be set in 
 some open place, with a paper, wherein their trans- 
 gressions are inserted, pinned upon their back or 
 their forehead, that they may not only confess, but 
 bear their own shame.* And at the penitential 
 confession of sinners, God has something of this 
 kind to do ; if not before men, yet before angels, 
 that they may behold, and be aifected, and rejoice 
 when they shall see, after the revelation of sin, 
 the sinner taken into the favour and abundant 
 mercy of God. Lu. xv. 
 
 3. A third reason is. For that God wiU in the 
 forgiveness of sin, magnify the riches of his mercy; 
 but this cannot be, if God shall suffer, or accept 
 of such confession of sin, as is yet intermixed with 
 
 * The pillory, to which allusion is here made, was a cruel 
 mode of punishment, now out of date. In earlier times, the 
 ears were nailed to the wood, and after an hour's anguish were 
 cut off, and the nose and cheeks slit; thus were treated Leigh- 
 ton and other holy men. In later days, the victims were 
 suhjected to the brutality of a mob, and sometimes excited by 
 factious men. 
 
 'Tell us who 'tis upnn the ridge stands there 
 So full of fault, and yet so void of fear; 
 And from the paper in his liat 
 Let all mankind be told for what.' — T)cJoe. 
 
 those thino-s that will darken the heinousness of 
 the offence, and that will be darkened either by a 
 partial, feigned, or overly confession : or by a 
 joining with the confession any of the sinners pre- 
 tended good deeds. 
 
 That God in the salvation, and so in the confes- 
 sion of the sinner, designs the magnifying of his 
 mercy, is apparent enough from the whole current 
 of scripture, and that any of the things now men- 
 tioned will, if suffered to be done, darken and 
 eclipse this thing, is evident to reason itself. 
 
 Suppose a man stand indicted for treason, yet 
 shall so order the matter, that it shall ring in the 
 country, that his offences are but petty crimes ; 
 though the king shall forgive this man, much 
 glory shall not thereby redound to the riches and 
 greatness of his mercy. But let all things lie 
 naked, let nothing lie hid or covered, let sin be 
 seen, shewn, and confessed, as it is with and in 
 the sinner himself, and then there will be in his 
 forgiveness a magnifying of mercy. 
 
 -A. A fourth reason is, for that else God cannot 
 be justified in his sayings, nor overcome when he 
 is judged. Ps. li. Ro. iii. God's word hath told us 
 what sin is, both- as to its nature and evil effects. 
 God's word hath told us, that the best of our 
 righteousnesses are no better than filthy rags. 
 God's word has also told us, that sin is forgiven 
 us freely by grace, and not for the sake of our 
 amendments: and all this God will have shewn, 
 not only in the acts of his mercy towards, but 
 even in the humiliations and confessions of the 
 penitent : For God will have his mercy begin to be 
 displayed even there where the sinner hath taken 
 his first step toward him: 'That as sin hath 
 reigned unto death, even so might grace reign 
 through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus 
 Christ our Lord.' Ro. v. 21. 
 
 5. A fifth reason is, because God would have 
 by the Publican's conversion, others affected with 
 the displays and discoveries of wonderful grace ; 
 but to cloud and cover it with lessening of sin, and 
 the sinful righteousness of man, is not the way to 
 do this. Wherefore the sinner's confession must be 
 such as is/wZZ, nor must anything of his to lessen 
 sin come in betwixt confession and mercy; and 
 this is the way to affect others [who are] as bad 
 as publicans and sinners, and to make them come 
 in to God for mercy. 
 
 For what will such say when sin begins to 
 appear to the conscience, and when the law shall 
 follow it with a voice of words, each one like a 
 clap of thunder? I say, what wiU such say when 
 they shall read that the Publican did only acknow- 
 ledge his iniquity, and found grace and favour at 
 the hand of God ? But that God is infinitely mer- 
 ciful ; merciful indeed, and that to those, or to" 
 such, as do in truth stand in need of mercy. Also 
 
THE PHARISEE AND toE PUBUCAN. 
 
 265 
 
 that he sheweth mercy of his own good pleasure, 
 nothing moving him thereto but the boimty of his 
 own goodness and the misery of his creature. 
 
 I say, this is the way to make others be aifected 
 with mercy; as he saith, by the apostle Paul, 
 ' But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love 
 wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in 
 sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by 
 grace ye are saved ; ) and bath raised tis up together, 
 and made MS sit together in heavenly places in 
 Christ Jesus : That in the ages to come he might 
 shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kind- 
 ness toward us through Christ Jesus. Ep. ii. 4—7. 
 You may also see that i Ti. i. 15, 16. 
 
 6. Another reason of this is, because this is the 
 way to heighten the comfort and consolation of the 
 soul; and that both here and hereafter. What 
 tendeth more to this, than for sinners to see, and 
 with guilt and amazement to confess what sin is, 
 and so to have pardon extended from God to the 
 sinner as such? This fills the heart; this ravishes 
 the soul! this puts a whole heaven of joy into 
 every one of the thoughts of salvation from sin, 
 and deliverance from wrath to come. ' And the 
 ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to 
 Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their 
 heads : they shall obtain joy and gladness, and 
 sorrow and sighing shall flee away.' is. xxxv. 10. 
 Indeed the belief of this makes joy and gladness 
 endless : I say, it will make it begin here, and 
 make that it shall never have consummation in 
 heaven. 
 
 7. Besides, it layeth upon the soul the greatest 
 obligations to holiness ; what like the apprehension 
 of free forgiveness, and that apprehension must 
 come in through a sight of the greatness of sin, 
 and of my inability to do anything towards satis- 
 faction, to engage the heart of a rebel and traitor 
 to love his prince, and to submit to his laws. 
 
 When Elisha had taken the Syrians captives, 
 some were for using severities towards them ; but 
 he said, ' Set bread and water before them, that 
 they may eat and drink, and go to their master;' 
 and they did so. And what follows-, ' So the bands 
 of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.' 
 He conquered their malice with his compassion. 
 And it . is the love of Christ that constraineth to 
 live to him. 3 Ki vi. 22, 23. 2 Co. V. u. 
 
 Many other things might possibly be urged, but 
 at present let these be sufficient. 
 
 [His imploring of mercy. \ 
 
 Second. The second thing that we made mention 
 of in the Publican's prayer was, an imploring of 
 help against this malady; God be merciful to 
 MB A SINNER. In which petition I shall take 
 uotice of several things. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 I. That a man's help against sins, doth not so 
 absolutely lie in his personal conquest, as in the 
 pardon of them. I suppose a conquest, though 
 there can indeed by man be none, so long as he 
 liveth in this world ; I mean, a complete conquest 
 and annihilation of sin. 
 
 The Publican, and so every graciously awakened 
 sinner, is doubtless for the subduing of sin ; but 
 yet he looketh that the chief help against it doth 
 lie in the pardon of it. Suppose a man should 
 stab his neighbour with his knife, and afterwards 
 burn his knife to nothing in the fire, would this 
 give him help against his murder ? No verily, 
 notwithstanding this, his neck is obnoxious to the 
 halter, yea, and his soul to hell fire. But a par- 
 don gives him absolute help : ' It is God that 
 justifies, who shall condemn.' Ro. viii Suppose a 
 man shotdd live many days in rebellion against 
 God, and after that leave off to live any longer so 
 rebelliously, would this help him against the guilt 
 which he contracted before ? No verily, witho\it 
 remission there is no help, but the rebel is undone. 
 Wherefore the first blessedness, yea, and that 
 without which all other things cannot make one 
 blessed, it lies in pardon. ' Blessed is he whose 
 transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.' Ps. 
 xxxii. 1. ' Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will 
 not impute sin. ' Ho. iv. 8. 
 
 Suppose a man greatly sanctified and made holy; 
 I say, suppose it ; yet if the sins, before committed 
 by him, be not pardoned, he cannot be a blessed 
 man. 
 
 Yet again. Suppose a man should be caught up 
 to heaven, not having his sins pardoned, heaven 
 itself cannot make him a blessed man. I suppose 
 these things, not that they can be, but to illustrate 
 my matter. There can be no blessedness upon 
 any man who yet remaineth unforgiven. You see 
 therefore here, that there was much of the wisdom 
 of the Holy Ghost in this prayer of the Publican. 
 He was directed the right, the only, the next* way 
 to shelter, where blessedness begins even to mercy 
 for the pardon of his sins. Alas ! What would it 
 advantage a traitor to be taken up into the king's 
 coach, to be clothed with the king's royal robe, to 
 have put upon his finger the king's gold ring, and 
 to be made to wear, for the present, a chain of 
 gold about his neck, if after all this the king should 
 say unto him, but I wiU not pardon tliy rebellion ; 
 thou shalt die for thy treason ? Pardon then, to 
 him that loves life, is chiefest, is better, and more 
 to be preferred and sought after, than all other 
 things ; yea, it is the highest point of wisdom in 
 any sinner to seek after that first. 
 
 * ' Next,' nighest or nearest. This sentence is highly poeti- 
 cal, as much or more so as any in the writings of the most 
 cultivated scholars. — Ed. 
 
 2 L 
 
266 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 This therefore confuteth the hlindness of some, 
 and the hypoci'isy of others. Some are so silly, 
 aufl so hlind, as quite to forget and look over the 
 pardon of sin, and to lay their happiness in some 
 external amendments ; when alas poor wretches, 
 as they are, they abide still under the wrath of 
 God. Or if they he not quite so foolish as utterly 
 to forget the forgiveness of sin, yet they think of 
 it, hut in the second place ; they are for setting 
 of sanctification before justification, and so seek 
 to confound the order of God ; and that which is 
 worse unto them, they by so doing, do what they 
 can to keep themselves indeed from being sharers in 
 that great blessing of forgiveness of sins by grace. 
 
 But the Publican here was guided by the wisdom 
 of heaven : He comes into the temple, he confesseth 
 himself a sinner, and forthwith, without any delay, 
 before he removeth his foot from where he stands, 
 craveth help of pardon ; for he knew that all other 
 things, if yet he remained as involved in guilt, 
 would not help him against that damnation that 
 belonged to a vile and unforgiven sinner. 
 
 This also confuteth the hypocrites, such as is 
 our Pharisee here in the text, that glory in nothing 
 more, or so much, as that they are 'not as other 
 men, - - unjust, adulterers, extortioners, or even as 
 this Publican;' for these men have missed of the 
 beginning of good which is the forgiveness of sin; 
 and if they have missed of the first, of the begin- 
 ning good, they shall never, as so standing, receive 
 the second, or the third: Justification, sanctifica- 
 tion, glorification, they are the three things, but 
 the order of God must not be perverted. Justifi- 
 cation must be first, because that comes to man 
 while he is ungodly and a sinner. 
 
 Justification cannot be where God has not passed 
 a pardon. A pardon then is the first thing to be 
 looked after by the sinner ; this the Pharisee did 
 not, therefore he went down to his house unjusti- 
 fied ; he set the stumbling-block of his iniquity 
 before his face when he went to enquire of the 
 Lord; and as he neglected, slighted, scorned, 
 because he thought that he had no need of pardon ; 
 therefore it was given to the poor, needy, and 
 miserable Publican, and he, went away with the 
 blessing of it. 
 
 Publicans, since this is so weighty a point, let 
 me exhort you that you do not forget this prayer 
 of your wise and elder brother, to wit, the Publi- 
 can, that went up into the temple to pray. I say, 
 forget it not, neither suffer any vain-glorious or 
 self-conceited hypocrite to beat j'-ou with argu- 
 ments, or to allure you with their silly and deceitful 
 tongues, from this most wholesome doctrine. Re- 
 member that you are sinners, equal to, or as 
 abominable as are the Publicans, wherefore do 
 you, as you have him for your pattern, go to God, 
 and to him confess iu all simple, honest, and self- 
 
 abasing- wise your great, numerous, and abominable 
 sins ; and be sure that in the very next place you 
 forget not to ask for pardon, saying, ' God be 
 merciful to me a sinner.' And remember that 
 heaven itself cannot help you against, nor keep 
 you from, the damnation and misery that comes 
 by sin, if 'twas possible you should go thither, if 
 you miss of pardon and forgiveness. 
 
 II. As the Publican imploreth help, so withal he 
 closely approveth, notwithstanding, of the sentence 
 of the law that was gone out against him. This 
 is manifest, for he saith to God, ' be merciful to 
 me;' and also in that he concludes himself 'a 
 sinner.' I say, he justifieth, he approveth of the 
 sentence of the law, that was gone out against 
 him, and by which he now stood condemned in his 
 own conscience before the tribunal of God's justice. , 
 He saith not as the hypocrite, ' Because I am inno- 
 cent, surely his anger shall turn from me ;' Je. ii. 35. 
 or ' What have we spoken so much against thee ? ' 
 Mai. iii. IS. No, he is none of these murmurers or 
 complainers, but fairly falls before the law, wit- 
 nesses, judge and jury, and consenteth to the ver- 
 dict, sentence, and testimony of each of them. 
 
 To illustrate this a httle, suppose a malefactor 
 should be arraigned before a judge, and that after 
 the witnesses, jury, and judge, have all condemned 
 him to death for his fact, the judge again should 
 ask him what he can say for himself why sentence 
 of death should not pass upon him ? Now if he 
 saith, nothing, but good, my lord, mercy; he in 
 sum confesseth the indictment, justifieth the wit- 
 nesses, approveth of the verdict of the jury, and 
 consenteth to the judgment of the judge. 
 
 The Publican therefore in crying mercy, justi- 
 fieth the sentence of the law that was gone out 
 against his sins : He wrangleth not with the law, 
 saying, that was too severe, though many men do 
 thus, saying, God forbid, for then woe be to us. 
 He wrangleth not with the witness, which was his 
 own conscience, though some will buffet, smite, 
 and stop its mouth, or command it to be silent. 
 He wrangleth not with the jury, which was the 
 prophets and apostles, though some men cannot 
 abide to hear all that they say. He wrangleth 
 not with the judge, nor sheweth himself irreverently 
 before him, but in all humble- wise, with all manner 
 of gestures that could bespeak him acquiescing 
 with the sentence, he flieth to mercy for relief. 
 
 Nor is this alone the way of the Publican ; but 
 of other godly men before his time : When David 
 was condemned, he justified the sentence and the 
 judge, out of whose mouth it proceeded, and so 
 fled for succour to the mercy of God. ps. li. When 
 Shemaiah the prophet pronounced God's judgments 
 against the princes of Judah for their sin, they said, 
 'The Lord is righteous.' ach.xii. 6. When the 
 chui-ch in the Lamentations had reckoned up seve- 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 267 
 
 ral of her grievous afiBictions wherewith she had 
 heen chastised of her God, she, instead of com- 
 plaining, doth justify the Lord, and approve of the 
 sentence that was passed upon her, saying, ' The 
 Lord is righteous ; for I have rebelled against his 
 commandment.' La. i. is. So Daniel, after he had 
 enumerated the evils that befel the church in his 
 day, addeth, ' Therefore hath the Lord - brought 
 it upon us ; for the Lord our God is righteous in all 
 his works which he doeth : for we obeyed not his 
 voice.' Da.k. 14. 
 
 I know that all these do justify the judgment of 
 God that was gone out against them, as the Pub- 
 lican did the sentence wherewith he was condemned. 
 And I say, that unless a man doth come hither, his 
 confession and cry for mercy is not right, and so 
 according to the scripture, reason, and nature of 
 things as they ought to be ; for he that has any 
 other plea, why doth he cry God, Mercy ! Surely 
 not because he concludes that what is done, is done 
 justly and righteously against him, but because 
 he is overruled by spite, prejudice, tyranny, or 
 the like. 
 
 But this is, not the case with our Publican. He 
 has transgressed a law that is holy, just, and good : 
 the witness that accuseth him of this, is God and 
 his conscience ; he is also cast by the verdict of 
 holy men of God ; and aU this he knows, and im- 
 plicitly confesses, even in that he directs his prayer 
 unto his judge for pardon. And it is one of the 
 excellentest sights in the world to see, or under- 
 stand a sinner thus honestly receiving the sentence 
 of the law that is gone out against him ; to see 
 and hear a Publican thus to justify God.* And 
 this God wiU have done for these reasons. 
 - 1. That it might be conspicuous to all that the 
 Publican has need of mercy. This is for the glory 
 of the justice of God, because it vindicates it in its 
 goings out against the Publican. God loveth to 
 do things in justice and righteousness, when he 
 goeth out against men, though it be hut such a 
 going out against them as only tendeth to their 
 conviction and conversion. When he dealt with 
 our father Abraham in this matter, he called him 
 to his foot, as here he doth the Publican. And 
 fiinner, if ever God coimts thee worthy to inherit 
 the throne of glory, he will bring thee hither. 
 But, 
 
 2. The Publican, by the power of conviction 
 stoops to, and falleth under the righteous sentence 
 gone forth against him, that it might be also 
 manifest that what afterward he shall receive is of 
 
 ' A humbling view of our sinful selves is manifested to tlie 
 soul by the Word and Spirit of God. The gospel of Jesus 
 Christ has all the properties of a great and true Ught ; it has 
 a piercing power and penetrating virtue ; it enters the darkest 
 recesses of the soul, and detects the errors of men's judgment, 
 u well aa discovers the enormities of their lives. — Byland. 
 
 the mere grace and sovereign goodness of God. 
 And indeed there is no way that doth more naturally 
 tend to make this manifest than this. For thus ; 
 there is a man proceeded against for life, by the 
 law, and the sentence of death is in conclusion 
 most justly and righteously passed upon him by 
 the judge. Suppose now that after this, this man 
 lives, and is exalted to honour, enjoys great things, 
 and is put into place of trust and power, and that 
 by him that he has offended, even by him that did 
 pass the sentence upon him. What will all say, 
 or what will they conclude, even upon the very first 
 hearing of this story ? Will they not say, well, 
 whoever he was that found himself wrapped up in 
 this strange providence, must thank the mercy of 
 a gracious prince; for all these things bespeak 
 grace and favour. But, 
 
 3. As the Publican falleth willingly under the 
 sentence, and justifieth the passing of it upon him ; 
 so by his flying to mercy for help, he declareth to 
 aU that he cannot deliver himself: He putteth help 
 away from himself, or saith, it is not in me. 
 
 This, I say, is another thing included in this 
 prayer, and it is a thing distinct from that but now 
 we have been speaking to. For it is possible for 
 a man to justify and fall under the sentence of the 
 judge, and yet retain that with himself that wiU 
 certainly deliver him from that sentence when it 
 has done its worst. Many have held up their 
 hand, and cried guilty at the bar, and yet have 
 fetched themselves off well enough for all that ; 
 but then, they have not pleaded mercy, for he that 
 doth so, puts his life altogether into the hands of 
 another, but privilege or good deeds either done or 
 to be done by them. But the publican in the text 
 puts aU out of his own hand; and in effect saith to 
 that God before whom he went up into the temple 
 to pray ; Lord, I stand here condemned at the bar 
 of thy justice, and that worthily, for the sentence 
 is good, and hath in righteousness gone out against 
 me ; nor can I deliver myself, I heartily and freely 
 confess I cannot ; wherefore I betake myself only 
 to thy mercy, and do pray thee to forgive the 
 transgressions of me a sinner. how few be 
 there of such kind of Publicans ! I mean of Pub- 
 licans thus made sensible, that come unto God for 
 mercy. 
 
 Mercy with most, is rather a compliment, I mean, 
 while they plead it with God, than a matter of 
 absolute necessity ; they have not awfuUy, and in 
 judgment and conscience fallen under the sentence, 
 nor put themselves out of all plea but the plea of 
 mercy. Indeed, thus to do, is the effect of the 
 proof of the vanity and emptiness of all experiments 
 made use of before. 
 
 Now there is a two-fold proof of experiments ; 
 the one is, the result of practice the other is, the 
 result of faith. 
 
26S 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 The woman with her bloody issue made her proof 
 by practice, when she had spent all that she had upon 
 physicians and was nothing bettered, but rather 
 grew worse. Mar. v. 26. But our Publican here proves 
 the emptiness and vanity of all other helps, by one 
 cast of faith upon the contents of the bible, and by 
 another look upon his present state of condemna- 
 tion; wherefore he presently, without any more 
 ado, condemneth aU other helps, ways, modes, or 
 means of deliverance, and betakes himself only to 
 the mercy of God, saying, ' God be merciful to me 
 a sinner.' 
 
 And herein he showeth wonderful wisdom. For, 
 
 (I.) By this. He thrusts himself under the shelter 
 
 and blessing of the promise : and I am sure it is 
 
 better and safer to do so, than to rely upon the 
 
 best of excellences that this world can afford. 
 
 Ho. xir. 1 — 4, 
 
 (2.) He takes the ready way to please God ; for 
 God takes more delight in showing of mercy, than 
 in any thing that we can do. Ho. tI. 6. Mat. ix. 13; & xii. 7. 
 Yea and that also is the man that pleaseth him, 
 even he that hopes in his mercy. Ps. cxlvii. ll. The 
 Publican therefore, whatever the Pharisee might 
 think, stood all this while upon sure ground, and 
 had by far the start of him for heaven. Alas ! 
 his dull head could look no^ further than to the 
 conceit of the pitiful beauty and splendour of his 
 own stinking righteousness.* Nor durst he leave 
 that to trust wholly to the mercy of God ; but the 
 Publican comes out, though in his sins, yet like 
 an awakened, enlightened, resolved man, and first 
 abases himself, then gives God the glory of his 
 justice, and after that the glory of his mercy, by 
 saying, ' God be merciful to me a sinner ;' and thus 
 in the ears of the angels he did ring the changes 
 of heaven. Again, 
 
 (3.) The Publican, in his thus putting himself 
 upon mercy, showeth, that in his opinion there is 
 more virtue in mercy to save, than there is in the 
 law and sin to condemn. And although this is 
 not counted a great matter to do, while men are 
 far from the law, and while their conscience is 
 asleep within them; yet when the law comes near, 
 and conscience is awake, who so tries it, will find 
 it a laboursome work. Cain could not do thus for 
 his heart, no, nor Saul ; nor Judas neither. This 
 is another kind of thing than most men think it to 
 be, or shall find it, whenever they shall behold 
 God's angry face, and when they shall hear the 
 words of his law. 
 
 However our Publican did it, and ventured his 
 body, soul, and future condition for ever in this 
 bottom, with other the saints and servants of God, 
 leaving of the world to swim over the sea of God's 
 
 * This sentence is peculiarly striking, and is very illustra- 
 tive of Banyan's homely, cutting, faithful phraseology.— Ed. 
 
 wrath if they will, in their weak and simple vessels 
 of bull-rushes, or to lean upon their cobweb-hold, 
 when he shall arise to the judgment that he hath 
 appointed. 
 
 In the mean time pray God awaken us as he did 
 the Publican ; pray God enlighten ua as he did the 
 PubUcan ; pray God grant us boldness to come to 
 him as the Publican did ; and also in that trembling 
 spirit as he did, when he cried in the temple 
 before him, ' God be merciful to me a sinner.' 
 
 [His Gfestures.] 
 
 Second. Thus having in brief passed over his 
 prayer, we come in the next place to his gestures ; 
 for in my judgment the right understanding of 
 them will give us yet more, conviction of the Publi- 
 can's sense and awakening of spirit under this 
 present action of his. 
 
 And I have observed many a poor wretch that 
 has readily had recourse to the Publican's prayer, 
 that never knew what the Publican's gestuees, in 
 the presence of God, while in prayer before him, 
 did mean. Nor must any man be admitted to 
 think, that those gestures of his were in custom, 
 and a formahty among the Jews in those days ; for 
 'tis evident enough by the carriage of the Pharisee, 
 that it was below them and their mode, when they 
 came into the temple, or when they prayed any 
 where else ; and they in those days were counted 
 for the best of men, and men too in religious 
 matters they were to imitate and take their exam- 
 ples at the hands of the best, not at the hands of 
 the worst. 
 
 The Publican's gestures then, were properly his 
 own, caused by the guilt of sin, and by that dread 
 of the majesty of God that was upon his spirit. 
 And a comely posture it was, else Christ Jesus, 
 the Son of God, would never have taken that par- 
 ticular notice thereof as he did, nor have smiled 
 upon it so much as to take it, and distinctly repeat 
 it as that which made his prayer the more weighty, 
 and the more also to be taken notice of. Yea, in 
 mine opinion, the Lord Jesus has committed it tO' 
 record, for that he liked it, and for that it shall 
 pass for some kind of touchstone of prayer, that is 
 made in good sense of sin, and of God, and of need 
 of his goodness and mercy. For verily, all these 
 postures signify sense, sight of a lost condition, 
 and a heart in good earnest for mercy. 
 
 I know that they may be counterfeited, and 
 Christ Jesus knows who doth so too ; but that will 
 not hinder, or make weak or invalid what hath 
 already been spoken about it. But to forbear to 
 make a further prologue, and to come to the hand- 
 ling of particulars. 
 
 ' And the PubUcan, standing afar off, would not 
 lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote 
 upon his breast.' 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 269 
 
 Three things, as I told you already, we may 
 perceive in tliese words, by which his Publican 
 posture, or gestures are set forth. 
 
 First. He stands afar off. Second. He would 
 not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven. Third. 
 He smote upon his breast. 
 
 First. For the first of these, ' He stood afar off. ' 
 'And the Publican standing afar off.' This is, I 
 say, the first thing, the first posture of his with 
 which we are acquainted, and it informeth us of 
 several things. 
 
 1. That he came not with senselessness of the 
 majesty of God when he came to pray, as the 
 Pharisee did, and as sinners commonly do. For 
 this standing back, or afar off, declares that the 
 majesty of God had an awful stroke upon his spirit : 
 He saw whither, to whom, and for what, he was 
 now approaching the temple. It is said in that 
 • twentieth of Exodus, That when the people saw 
 the thunderings and the lightnings, and the noise 
 of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking-, and all 
 these were signs of God's terrible presence, and 
 dreadful majesty, they removed themselves, ' and 
 stood afar off.' Ex. xx. 18. This behaviour therefore 
 of the Publican did well become his present action, 
 especially since, in his own eyes, he was yet an 
 unforgiven sinner. Alas ! What is God's majesty 
 to a sinful man, but a consuming fire ? And what 
 is a sinful man in himself, or in his approach to 
 God, but as stubble fully dry. 
 
 How then could the Publican do otherwise than 
 what he did, than stand afar off, if he either 
 thought of God or himself. Indeed the people 
 afore-named, before they saw God in his terrible 
 majesty, could scarce be kept off from the mount 
 with words and bounds, as it is now the case of 
 many : Their blindness gives them boldness ; their 
 rudeness gives them confidence ; but when they 
 shall see what the Publican saw, and felt, and 
 understood as he, they will pray, and stand afar 
 off, even as these people did. They removed And 
 stood afar off, and then fell to praying of Moses 
 that this dreadful sight and sound might be taken 
 from them. And what if I should say, he stood 
 afar off for fear of a blow, though he came for 
 mercy, as it is said of them. They stood, 'afar off 
 for the fear of her torment.' Re. xviii lo. 
 
 I know what it is to go to God for mercy, and 
 what it is to stand all that while in my spirit 
 through fear afar off, being possessed with this, 
 will not God now smite me at once to the ground 
 for my sins. David thought something when he 
 said as he prayed, ' Cast me not away from thy 
 presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. ' 
 
 Pa. li. 11. 
 
 There is none knows, but those that have them, 
 what turns and returns, what coming on and going 
 off, there is in the spirit of a man that indeed is 
 
 awakened, and that stands awakened before the 
 glorious Majesty in prayer.* The prodigal also 
 made his prayer to his Father intentionally, while 
 he was yet a great way off. And so did the lepers 
 too ; ' And as he entered into a certain village, 
 there met him ten men that were lepers, which 
 stood AFAR OFF : And they lift up their voices and 
 said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.' Lii. xvii. 
 
 12, 13. 
 
 See here, it has been the custom of praying men 
 to keep their distance, and not to be rudely bold 
 in rushing into the presence of the holy and hea- 
 venly majesty ; especially if they hare been sensi- 
 ble of their own vileness and sins, as the prodigal, 
 the lepers, and our Publican was. Yea, Peter 
 himself, when upon a time he perceived more than 
 commonly he did of the majesty of Jesus his Lord, 
 what doth he do! 'When Simon Peter saw if,' 
 says the text, ' he fell down at Jesus' knees, say- 
 ing, Depart from me ; for I am a sinful man, 
 Lord. ' Lu, V. 8. Oh ! when men see God and them- 
 selves, it fills them with holy fear, of the greatness 
 of the majesty of God, as well as with love to, and 
 desire after his mercy. 
 
 Besides, by his standing afar off, it might be tO' 
 intimate that he now had in mind, and with great 
 weight upon his conscience, the infinite distance 
 that was betwixt God, and him. Men should know 
 that, and tremble in the thoughts of it, when they 
 are about to approach the omnipotent presence. 
 
 What is poor sorry man ! poor dust and ashes^ 
 that he should crowd it up, aadgo jostlingly in the 
 presence of the great God ? especially since it is 
 apparent, that besides the disproportion that is 
 betwixt God and him, he is a filthy, leprous, pol- 
 luted, nasty, stinking, sinful bit of carrion. + 
 Esther, when she went to supplicate the king her 
 husband for her people, made neither use of her 
 beauty, nor relation, nor other privileges of which 
 she might have had temptation to make use, espe- 
 cially at sjich a time, and in such exigencies, as 
 then did compass her about : But I say, she made 
 not use of them to thrust herself into his presence, 
 but knew, and kept her distance, standing in the 
 inward court of his palace, until he held out the 
 
 * The newly awakened son], beholding itself in the glass of 
 the law, is shocked at its own deformity. Sin is truly odious, 
 and an intolerable burthen. So felt the royal penitent when 
 he cried, ' My flesh trembleth for fear of thee ; and I am afraid 
 of thy judgments.' God's indignation at sin must be felt on 
 this side the grave, in the conscience of the sinner, if ever he 
 hopes to escape the dreadful punishment of it in the world to 
 come. But blessed be God, the blood of atonement is a 
 sovereign balsam for sick and vfounded souls, and is abun- 
 dantly efiScacious for procuring pardon, peace, and reconcilia- 
 tion by the application of the eternal Spirit. — Uyland. 
 
 t These humbbng words, being too rough for ears polite, 
 have been omitted from all the editions of this book published 
 since the author's death, except the 5th, 1703.— En. 
 
270 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 golden sceptre to her; Then ' Esther drew near, 
 and touched the top of the sceptre.' Es.t. 3. 
 
 Men also when they come into the presence of 
 God, should know their distance; yea, and shew 
 that they know it too, by such gestures and car- 
 riages, and behaviours that are seemly. A re- 
 markable saying is that of Solomon. ' Keep thy 
 foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be 
 more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of 
 fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 
 (And as they should keep their foot, so also he 
 adds) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine 
 heart be hasty to utter any thing before God : for 
 God is in heaven, and thou upon earth : therefore 
 let thy words be few.' Ec. v. i, 2. 
 
 Three things the Holy Ghost exhorteth to in this 
 text. 
 
 The one is, that we look to out feet, and not be 
 forward to crowd into God's presence. 
 
 Another is. That we should also look well to our 
 tongues, that they be not rash in uttering any thing 
 before God. 
 
 And the third is, because of the infinite distance 
 that is betwixt God and us, which is intimated by 
 those words, ' for God is in heaven, and thou upon 
 earth.' 
 
 The Publican therefore shewed great wisdom, 
 holy shame, and humility, in this brave gesture 
 of his, namely, in his standing afar off, when be 
 went up into the temple to pray. But this is not 
 all. 
 
 2. The Publican, in standing afar off, left room 
 for an advocate, an high priest, a day's-man to come 
 betwixt, to make peace between God and this poor 
 creature. Moses, the great mediator of the Old 
 Testament, was to go nigher to God than the rest 
 of the elders, or of the people were. Ex. xx. 31. Yea, 
 the rest of the people were expressly commanded 
 to worship, standing afar off. xix. 31. No man of 
 the sons of Aaron that hath a blemish was to come 
 nigh. ' No man that hath a blemish of -the seed 
 of Aaron the priest, shall come nigh to offer the 
 offerings of the Lord made by fire: He shall 
 not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.' Le. 
 xxi. 21. 
 
 The Publican durst not be his own mediator, he 
 knew he had a blemish, and was infirm, and there- 
 fore he stands back ; for he knew that it was none 
 of him that his God had chosen to come near unto 
 him, to offer the fat and the blood. Eze. xiiv. 13— 16. 
 The Publican therefore was thus far right : he took 
 not up the room himself, neither with his person, 
 nor his performances, but stood back, and gave 
 place to the high priest that was to be intercessor. 
 We read, that when Zacharias went into the 
 temple to burn incense, as at that time his lot was, 
 ' The whole multitude of the people were praying 
 without.' Lu. i. 9,10. They left him where he was. 
 
 near to God, between God and them, mediating 
 for them ; for the offering of incense by the chief 
 priest was a figurative making of intercession for 
 the people, and they maintained their distance. 
 
 It is a great matter in praying to God, not to 
 go too far, nor come too short in that duty. I 
 mean in the duty of prayer, and a man is very apt 
 to do one or the other. The Pharisee went so far, 
 he was too bold, he came into the temple making 
 such a ruffle with his own excellences, there was 
 in his thoughts no need of a Mediator. He also 
 went up so nigh to God, that he took up the room 
 and place of the Mediator himself; but this poor 
 Publican, he knows his distance, and keeps it, and 
 leaves room for the High Priest to come and inter- 
 cede for him with God. He stood afar off, not too 
 far off; for that is the room and place of unbelievers, 
 and in this sense that saying is true, ' For, lo, they 
 that are far from thee shall perish : ' Ps. ixxiii. 27. • 
 That is, they whose unbelief hath set them in their 
 hearts and affections more upon their idols, and 
 that have been made to cast God behind their 
 backs, to foUow and go a whoring after them. 
 
 Hitherto therefore it appears, that though the 
 Pharisee had more righteousness than the Publican, 
 yet the Publican had more spiritual righteousness 
 than the Pharisee : And that though the Publican 
 had a baser, and more ugly outside than the Pha- 
 risee, yet the Publican knew how to prevail with 
 God for mercy better than he. 
 
 As for the Publican's postiu'e of standing in 
 prayer, it is excusable, and that by the very father 
 of the faithful himself: For Abraham stood praying 
 when he made intercession for Sodom. 6e. xvm.23, 23. 
 Christ also alloweth it where he saith, ' And when 
 ye STAND PRATING, forgive, if ye have ought against 
 any: that your Father also which is in heaven 
 may forgive you your trespasses.' Mar. xi. 35. Indeed 
 there is no stinted order prescribed for our thus or 
 thus behaving of ourselves in prayer, whether 
 kneeling, or standing, or walking or lying, or sit- 
 ting ; for all these postures have been used by the 
 godly. ' Paul kneeled down and prayed. ' Ac. xi. 36. 
 Abraham and the Publican stood and prayed, 
 David prayed as he walked. 2 Sa. xv. 30, 31. AJjrahain 
 prayed LYING upon his face. Ge. xvii. 17, is. Moses 
 prayed sitting. Ex. xvii. 12. And indeed prayer, 
 effectual fervent prayer, may be, and often is, made 
 unto God, under all these circumstances of beha- 
 viour : for God has not tied us to any of them; and 
 he that shall tie himself, or his people, to any one 
 of these, doth more than he hath warrant for from 
 God ; and let such take care of innovating, it is 
 the next way to make men hypocrites and dis- 
 semblers in those duties, in which they should be 
 sincere. 
 
 True, which of those soever a man shall chose 
 to himself for tlie present, to perform this solema 
 
THE PHABISEB AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 271 
 
 duty in, it is required of him, and God expects it, 
 that he should pray to him in truth, and with de- 
 sire, affection, and hunger, after those things, that 
 with his tongue he maketh mention of hefore the 
 throne of God. And indeed without this, all is 
 nothing. But alas ! how few he there in the world 
 whose heart and mouth in prayer shall go together? 
 Dost thou, when thou askest for the spirit, or faith, 
 or love to God, to holiness, to saints, to the word, 
 and the hke, ask for them with love to them, desire 
 of them, hungering after them ? Oh ! this is a 
 mighty thing ! and yet prayer is no more hefore 
 God, than as it is seasoned with these hlessed 
 qualifications. Wherefore it is said, that while 
 men are praying, God is searching of the heart, to 
 see what is the meaning of the spirit, or whether 
 there he the spirit and his meaning in all that the 
 mouth hath uttered, either by words, sighs, or 
 groans ; because it is by him, and through his help 
 only that any make prayers according to the wiU 
 of God. E«. viii 26, 27. Whatever thy posture there- 
 fore shall he, see that thy prayers be pertinent and 
 fervent, not mocking of thine own soul with words, 
 while thou wantest and art an utter stranger to the 
 very vital and living spirit of prayer. 
 
 Now our Publican had, and did exercise, the 
 very spirit of prayer in prayer. He prayed sensi- 
 bly, seriously, afiiectionately hungering, thirsting, 
 and with longing after that, for which with his 
 mouth he implored the God of heaven: His heart 
 and soul were in his words, and it was that which 
 made his peater; even because he prayed in 
 PEAYER ; he prayed inwardly, as well as outwardly. 
 
 David tells us, that God heard the voice of his 
 supplication, the voice of his cry, the voice of his 
 tears, and the voice of his roaring. For indeed 
 there are all these without this acceptable sound 
 in them, nor can any thing but sense, and afiec- 
 tion, and fervent desire, make them sound well in 
 the ears of God. Tears, supplications, prayers, 
 cries, may be all of them done in formality, hypo- 
 crisy, and from other causes, and to other ends 
 than that which is honest and right in God's sight: 
 F.or God as he had experience of, would search and 
 look after the voice of his tears, supplications, 
 roarings, prayers, and cries. 
 
 And if men had less care to please men, and 
 more to please God, in the matter and manner of 
 praying, the world would be at a better pass than 
 it is. But this is not in man's power to help, and 
 to amend : When the Holy Ghost comes upon men 
 with greater conviction of their state and condition, 
 and of the use and excellency of the grace of sin- 
 cerity and humility in prayer, then, and not tOl 
 then, will the grace of prayer be more prized, and 
 the spacious flouting, complimentary lips of flat- 
 terers be more laid aside. I have said it already, 
 and I will say it again, that there is now-a-days a 
 
 great deal of wickedness committed in the very 
 duty of prayer ; by words, of which men have no 
 sense,* by reaching after such conclusions and 
 clenches therein, as may make their persons to be 
 admired ; by studying for, and labouring after such 
 enlargements as the spirit accompanieth not the 
 heart ill. Lord God, Lord God, make our 
 hearts upright in us, as in all points and parts of 
 our profession, so in this solemn appointment of 
 God, 'If I regard iniquity in my heart,' said David, 
 'the Lord will not hear me.' But if I be truly sincere 
 he will, and then it is no matter whether I kneel, 
 or stand, or sit, or lie, or walk ; for I shall do 
 none of these, nor put up my prayers under any 
 of these circumstances, lightly, foolishly, and idly, 
 but to beautify this gesture with the inward worli- 
 ing of my mind and spirit in prayer ; that whether 
 I stand or sit, walk or lie down, glory and gravity, 
 humility and sincerity shall make my prayer pro- 
 fitable, and my outward behaviour comely in his 
 eyes, with whom in prayer I now have to do. 
 
 And had not our Pubhcan been inwardly sea- 
 soned with these, Christ would have taken but 
 little pleasure in his modes and outward behaviour : 
 but being so honest inwardly, and in the matter 
 of his prayer, his gestures by that were made 
 beauteous also ; and therefore it is that our Lord 
 so delightfully dilateth upon them, and draweth 
 them out at length before the eyes of others. 
 
 I have often observed, that that which is natu- 
 ral, and so comely in one, looks odiously when 
 imitated by another, I speak as to gestm-es and 
 actions in preaching and prayer. Many, I doubt 
 not, but will imitate the Publican, and that both in 
 the prayer and gestures of the Publican, whose 
 persons and actions will yet stink full foully in the 
 nostrils of him that is holy and just, and that 
 searcheth the heart and the reins. 
 
 Well, the Publican stood and prayed, he stood 
 afar off, and prayed, and his prayers came even to 
 the ears and heart of God. 
 
 ' And the Publican standing afar off, would 
 
 NOT LIFT UP so MUCH AS HIS EYES UNTO HEAVEN. ' 
 
 Second, We are now come to another of his pos- 
 tures. ' He would not, (says the text) so much 
 as lift up his eyes to heaven.' Here therefore 
 was anothei' gesture added to that which went be- 
 
 * A simple-hearted man, at a prayer meeting, used the 
 words, ' Incline our hearts to cast our bread upon the waters, 
 that we may find it after many days.' Upon leaving the 
 prayer meeting, while crossing a bridge, a youth said to nun, 
 ' If you were to throw a loaf into the river, what good would 
 it he even if you did find it after many days;' to wliich his elder 
 replied, ' Oh, it is a scripture expression, though I do not 
 know its meaning 1 ! ! ' This happened to the editor forty- 
 five yeai-s ago, hefore Sunday schools and the Tract Society 
 had spread their food of siriptnral knowledge over the king- 
 dom. — Ed. 
 
272 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 fore ; and a gesture that a great while before had 
 been condemned by the Holy Ghost himself. ' Is 
 it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a 
 man to afflict his soul ? Is it to bow down his 
 head as a bulrush. ' is. 1™. 5. 
 
 But why condemned then, and smiled upon 
 now ? Why! Because done in hypocrisy then, 
 and in sincerity now. Hypocrisy and a spirit of 
 error wiU so besmut God's ordinances, that he shall 
 take no pleasure in them : but sincerity, and hon- 
 esty in duties, will make even those circumstances 
 that in themselves are indifferent, at least comely 
 in the sight of men. May I not say before God ? 
 the Rechabites were not commanded of God, but 
 of their father, to do as they did; but, because 
 they were sincere in their obedience thereto, even 
 God himself maketh use of what they did to con- 
 demn the disobedience of the Jews ; and moreover 
 doth tell the Eechabites, at last, that they should 
 not want a man to stand before him for ever. 
 ' And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Recha- 
 bites, Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, the God of 
 Israel ; Because ye have obeyed the commandment 
 of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, 
 and done according unto all that he hath com- 
 manded you ; therefore, thus saith the Loed of 
 Hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of 
 Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me 
 for ever. ' Je. xxxxv. 18, 19. 
 
 'He would not Uft up his eyes to heaven.' 
 Why ? Surely because shame had covered his 
 face. Shame will make a man blush and hang his 
 head like a bulrush. Shame for sin is a virtue, a 
 comely thing ; yea, a beauty-spot in the face of a 
 sinner that cometh to God for mercy. 
 
 God complains of the house of Israel, that they 
 could sin, and that without shame ; yea, and 
 threateneth them too with sore and repeated judg- 
 ments, ' because they were not ashamed, ' it is in 
 Je. Tiii. 12. Their crimes in general were, they turned 
 every one to his course, as the horse runneth into 
 the battle. In particular, they were such as rejected 
 God's word, they loved this world, and set themselves 
 against the prophet's crying peace, peace, peace, 
 when they cried judgment, judgment: 'Were they 
 ashamed when they had committed abomination ; 
 nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they 
 blush; therefore shall they fall among them that 
 fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be 
 cast down, saith the Lord.' Oh! to stand, or sit, 
 or lie, or kneel, or walk before God in prayer, 
 with blushing cheeks for sin, is one of the excel- 
 lentest sights that can be seen in the world. 
 Wherefore the church taketh some kiftd of heart 
 to herself in that she could lie down in her shame ; 
 yea, and makes that a kind of an argument with 
 God, to prove that her prayers did come from her 
 heart, and also that he would hear them. Jem. 25. 
 
 Shame for sin argueth sense of sin, yea, a right 
 sense of sin, a godly sense of sin ; Ephraim pleads 
 this when under the hand of God: ' I was,' saith 
 he, ' ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I 
 did bear the reproach of my youth. ' But what 
 follows ? ' Is Ephraim my dear son 'i is he a. 
 pleasant child ? for since I spake against him, I 
 do earnestly remember him still: therefore my 
 bowels are troubled for him: I will surely have 
 mercy upon him, saith the Lord. ' Je. xxxi. 19, 20. 
 
 I know that there is a shame that is not the 
 spirit of an honest heart ; but that rather floweth 
 from sudden surprisal, when the sinner is unawares 
 taken in the act, in the very manner. And thus 
 sometimes the house of Israel was taken, and then 
 when they blushed, their shame is compared to the 
 shame of a thief. ' As the thief is ashamed when 
 he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed ; 
 they, their kings, their princes and their priests, 
 and their prophets. 
 
 But where were they taken, or about what were 
 they found ? Why they were found ' saying to a 
 stock. Thou art my father ; and to a stone. Thou 
 hast brought me forth.' Je. ii. 26, 27. God catched 
 them thus doing, and this made them ashamed, 
 even as the thief is ashamed when the owner doth 
 catch him stealing of his horse. 
 
 But this was not the Publican's shame; this 
 shame brings not a man into the temple to pray, 
 to stand willingly, and to take shame before God 
 in prayer. This shame makes one rather to fly 
 from his face, and to count one's self most at ease 
 when they get farthest off from God. 
 
 The Publican's shame therefore, which he de- 
 monstrateth that he had, even by hanging down of 
 his head, was godly and holy, and much like that of 
 the prodigal, when he said, ' Father, I have sinned 
 against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more 
 worthy to be called thy son. ' Lu. xv. 21. I suppose 
 that his postures were much the same with the 
 Publican's, as were his prayers, for the substance 
 of them. however grace did work in both to 
 the same end, they were both of them, after a 
 godly manner ashamed of their sins. 
 
 He would not lift up so much as his eyes to 
 heaven. 
 
 It saith not he could not, but he wovM not; 
 which yet more fully makes it appear that it was 
 shame, not guilt, not guilt only or chiefly, though 
 it is manifest enough that he had guilt also by his 
 crying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I say, 
 guilt was not the chief cause of hanging down his 
 head, because it saith, he would not; for when 
 guilt is the cause of stooping, it lieth not in the 
 wiU, or in the power thereof, to help one up. 
 
 David tells us, that when he was under guilt, 
 his iniquities were gone over his head : ' As an 
 heavy burden they are too heavy for me. ' I's. xxxviii. 4 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 273 
 
 And that with item lie was bowed down greatly. 
 Or, as he says m another place, ' Mine iniqui- 
 ties have taken hold upon me, so that I am not 
 able to look up ;' Pa. xi. 12. I am not able to do it; 
 guilt disableth the understanding and conscience, 
 shame makes all willingly fall and bare at the feet 
 of Christ. 
 
 'He would not.' He knew- what he was, what 
 he had been, and should be, if God had not mercy 
 upon him : Yea, he knew also that God knew what 
 he was, had been, and would be, if mercy prevented 
 not; wherefore thought he. Wherefore should I 
 lift up the head ? I am no righteous man, no godly 
 man; I have not served God, but Satan; this I 
 know, this God knows, this angels know, where- 
 fore I wiU not ' lift up the head. ' It is as much 
 as to say, I will not be an hypocrite, like the Pha- 
 risee ; for lifting up of the head signifies innocency 
 and hannlessness of life, or good conscience, and 
 the testimony thereof, under, and in the midst of 
 aU accusations. Wherefore this was the counsel 
 of Zophar to Job : ' If thou prepare thine heart, 
 and stretch out thine hands towards him ; If ini- 
 quity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let 
 not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. For then 
 shalt thou lift up thy face without spot ; yea, thou 
 shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear. ' Job xi. is— 15. 
 
 This was not the Publican's state, he had hved 
 in lewdness and villany aU his days ; nor had he 
 prepared his heart to seek the Lord God of his 
 fathers, he had not cleansed his heart nor hands 
 from violence, nor done that which was lawful and 
 right. He only had been convinced of his evil 
 ways, and was come into the temple as he was, aU 
 foul, and in his filthy garments, and amidst his 
 pollutions ; how then could he be innocent, holy 
 or without spot ? And consequently how could he 
 lift up his face unto God ? I remember what 
 Abner said to Asahel, ' Turn thee aside, from fol- 
 lowing me ; wherefore should I smite thee to the 
 ground ? how then should I hold up my face to 
 Joab thy brother ?' 2 Sa. u. 23. 
 
 As if he had said, if I kill thee, I shall blush, 
 be ashamed, and hang my head like a bulrush, 
 the next time I come into the company of thy 
 brother. 
 
 This was the Publican's case, he was guilty, he 
 had sinned, he had committed a trespass, and now 
 being come into the temple, into the presence of 
 that God whose laws he had broken, and against 
 whom he had sinned, how could he lift up his 
 head ? how could he bear the face to do it ? No, 
 it better became him to take his shame, and to 
 hang his head in token of guilt; and indeed he 
 did, and did it to purpose too, for he would not 
 hft up, no, not so much as his eyes to heaven. 
 
 True, some would have done it, the Pharisee 
 did it ; though if he had considered, that hypocrisy, 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 and leaning to his own righteousness had been sin, 
 he would have found as little cause to have done 
 it, as did the PubHcan himself. But, I say, he 
 did it, and sped thereafter; he went down to his 
 house as he came up into the temple, a poor un- 
 justified Pharisee, whose person and prayers were 
 both rejected, because, like the whore of whom we 
 read in the Proverbs, after he had practised all 
 manner of hypocrisy, he comes into the temple 
 ' and wipes his mouth, and saith, I have done no 
 wickedness.' Pr. xxx. 20. He lifts up his head, his 
 face, his eyes to heaven ; he struts, he vaunts 
 himself; he swaggers, he vapours, and cries up 
 himself, saying, ' God, I thank thee, that I am not 
 as other men are.' 
 
 True, had he come and stood before a stock or 
 a stone, he might have said thus, and not have 
 been reprehended ; for such are gods that see not, 
 nor hear, neither do they understand. But to 
 come before the true God, the living God, the God 
 that fills heaven and earth by his presence, and 
 that knows the things that come into the mind of 
 man, even every one of them, I say, to come into 
 his house, to stand before him, and thus to lift up 
 his head and eyes in such hypocrisy before him : 
 this was abominable, this was to tempt God, and 
 to prove him ; yea, to challenge him to know what 
 was in man if he could, even as those did who said, 
 ' How doth God (see) know ? can he judge through 
 the dark cloud ? Job xxu. 13. Ps. kxiu. 11. 
 
 But the publican, no the publican could not, 
 durst not, would not do thus: He would not lift 
 up so much as his eyes to heaven. As who should 
 say, Lord, I have been against thee, a traitor 
 and a rebel, and like a traitor and rebel before 
 thee will I stand. I will bear my shame before 
 thee in the presence of the holy angels ; yea, I 
 wiU prevent thy judging of me by judging myself 
 in thy sight, and wiU stand as condemned before 
 thee, before thou passest sentence upon me. 
 
 This is now for a sinner to go to the end of 
 things. For what is God's design in the work of 
 conviction for sin, and in his awakening of the 
 conscience about it ? Wliat is his end I say, but 
 to make the sinner sensible of what he hath done, 
 and that he might unfeignedly judge himself for 
 the same. Now this our Publican doth; his will 
 therefore is now subjected to the word of God, and 
 he justifies him in all his ways and works towards 
 him. Blessed be God for any experience of these 
 things. 
 
 ' He would not hft up so much as his eyes to 
 heaven. ' He knew by his deeds and deservings 
 that he had no portion there ; nor would he divert 
 his mind from the remembering, and from being 
 affected with the evil of his ways. 
 
 Some men when they are under the guilt and 
 conviction of their evil life, wiU do what they can 
 2 M 
 
274 
 
 THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 to look any ways, and that on purpose to divert 
 their minds, and to call them oflp from thinking on 
 what they have done; and hy their thus doing, 
 they hring many evils more upon their own souls : 
 for this is a kind of striving with God, and a shew- 
 ing a dislike to his ways. Would not you think, 
 if when you are shewing your son or your servant 
 his faults, if he should do what he could to divert 
 and take off his mind from what you are saying, 
 that he striveth against you, and sheweth dislike 
 of your doings. What else means the complaints 
 of masters and of fathers in this matter ? I have 
 a servant, I have a son, that doth contrary to my 
 wiU. hut why do you not chide them for it: 
 The answer is, so I do ; hut they do not regard 
 my words ; they do what they can, even while I 
 am speaking, to divert their minds from my words 
 and counsels. Why, all men will cry out this is 
 hase, this is worthy of great rebuke; such a son, 
 such a servant deserveth to be shut out of doors, 
 and so made to learn better breeding by want and 
 hardship. 
 
 But the Publican would not divert his nund from 
 what at present God was about to make him sen- 
 sible of, no, not by a look on the choicest object, 
 he would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven. 
 They are but bad scholars, whose eyes, when their 
 master is teaching of them, are wandering off of 
 their books. 
 
 God saith unto men, when he is a teaching 
 them to know the evil of their ways, as the angel 
 said to the prophet, when he came to shew him 
 the pattern of the temple ; ' Son of man, ' says he, 
 ' behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, 
 and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew 
 thee ; for to the intent that I might shew them 
 unto thee, art thou brought hither.' Eze. xi. i. So to 
 the intent that God might shew to the Publican 
 the evil of his ways, therefore was he brought 
 under the power of convictions, and the terrors of 
 the law; and he also like a good learner gave 
 good heed unto that lesson that now he was learn- 
 ing of God ; for he would not lift up so much as 
 his eyes to heaven. 
 
 Looking downwards doth ofttimes bespeak men 
 very ponderous and deep in their cogitations ; also 
 that the matter about which in their minds they 
 are now concerned, hath taken great hold of their 
 spirits. The Publican hath now new things, great 
 things, and long-lived things, to concern himself 
 about: His sins, the curse, with death, and hell, 
 began now to stare him in the face ; Wherefore it 
 was no time now to let his heart, or his eyes, or 
 his cogitations wander, but to be fixed, and to be 
 vehemently applying of himself as a sinner, to the 
 God of heaven for mercies. 
 
 Few Imow the weight of sin, and how, when 
 the guilt thereof takes hold of the conscience, it 
 
 commands homewards aU the faculties of the soul. 
 No man can go out or off now. Now he is wind- 
 bound, or as Paul says, caught. Now he is made 
 to possess bitter days, bitter nights, bitter hours, 
 bitter thoughts ; nor can he shift them, for his sin 
 is ever before him. As David said, 'For I acknow- 
 ledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever 
 before me,' in mine eye, and sticketh fast in every 
 one of my thoughts. Ps. li. 3. 
 
 He would not lift, up so much as his eyes to 
 heaven. TnmD, But smote upon his bbeast. 
 This was the third and last of his gestures. He 
 smote upon his breast ; to wit, with his hand, or 
 with his fist. I read of several gestures with the 
 hand and foot, according to the working and pas- 
 sions of the mind. 'Tis said Balak smote his 
 hands together, being angry because that Balaam 
 had blessed and not cursed for him the children of 
 Israel. Nu.xxiv.io. 
 
 God says also, that he had smitten his hands 
 together, at the sins of the children of Israel. 
 Eze. xxii. 13. God also bids the prophet stamp with 
 his feet, and smite with his hand upon his thigh, 
 upon sundry occasions, and at several enormities, 
 but the Publican here is said to smite upon his 
 breast, ch. Ti.li; xxi. 12. And, 
 
 1. Smiting upon the breast betokeneth sorrow 
 for something done, this is an experiment common 
 among men. And indeed, therefore as I take it, 
 doth our Lord Jesus put him under this gesture in 
 the act and exercise of his repentance, because it 
 is that which doth most lively set it forth. 
 
 Suppose a man comes to great damage for some 
 foUy that he has wrought, and he be made sorrow- 
 ful for being and doing such folly : There is nothing 
 more common than for such a man, if he may, to 
 walk to and fro in the room where he is, with head 
 hung down, fetching ever and anon a bitter sigh ; 
 and smiting himself upon the breast in his dejected 
 condition ; ' But smote upon his breast, saying, 
 God be merciful to me a sinner. ' 
 
 2. Smiting upon the breast is sometimes a token 
 of indignation and abhorrence of something thought 
 upon. I read in Luke, that when Christ was 
 crucified, those spectators that stood to behold the 
 barbarous usage that he endured at the hands of 
 his enemies, ' smote their breasts and returned.' 
 ' And all the people that came together to that 
 sight, beholding the things which were done, smote 
 their bceasts, and returned.' Lu. xmi.48. smote their 
 breasts ; that is, in token of indignation against, 
 and abhorrence of their cruelty, that so grievously 
 used the Son of God. 
 
 Here also we have our Publican smiting upon 
 his breast, in token of indignation against, and 
 abhorrence of his former life. And indeed without 
 indignation against, and abhorrence of his former 
 life, his repentance had not been good. Where- 
 
THE PHAEISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 275 
 
 fore the apostle doth make indignation against sin, 
 and against ourselves for that, one sign of true 
 repentance, 2 Co. vu. n. and his indignation against 
 sin in general, and against his former life in par- 
 ticular, was manifested by his smiting upon the 
 breast. Even as Ephraim's smiting upon the 
 thigh was a sign and token of his: ' Surely,' says 
 he, 'after that I was turned, I repented; and after 
 that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh : I 
 was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did 
 hear the reproach of my youth.' Je.xxxi.i9, Man 
 when he vehemently dislikes a thing, is very apt 
 to shew that dislike that to that thing he hath, by 
 this or another outward gesture : as in putting the 
 branch to the nose,* in snuffing or snorting at it ; 
 Eze. Tiii. 17. Mai. i. 13. or in deriding ; or, as some say, in 
 blowing of their noses at it. Lu. xvi. 14. But the 
 Publican here chooseth rather to use this most 
 solemn posture ; for smiting upon the breast, seems 
 to imply a more serious, solemn, grave way or 
 manner of dislike, than any of those last men- 
 tioned do. 
 
 3. Smiting upon the breast, seems to intimate 
 a quarrel with the heart for beguiling, deluding, 
 flattering, seducing, and enticing of him to sin: 
 For as conviction for sin begets in man, I mean if 
 it be thorough, a sense of the sore and plague of 
 the heart. So repentance, if it be right, begets 
 in the man an outcry against the heart; for as 
 much as by that light, by which repentance takes 
 occasion, the sinner is made to see, that the heart 
 is the fountain, and well-spring of sin. 'For from 
 within, out of the heart of men proceed evil 
 thoughts, adulteries, - covetousness, ' <fec. Mar.Tii.21, 
 23. And hence it is, that commonly young converts 
 do complain so of their hearts, calhng them wicked, 
 treacherous, deceitful, desperate ones. 
 
 Indeed one difference between true and false 
 repentance lieth in this. The man that truly 
 repents crieth out of his heart ; but the other, as 
 Eve, upon the serpent, or something else. And 
 that the Publican perceived his heart to be naught 
 I conclude, by his smiting upon his breast. 
 
 4. Smiting upon the breast, seems to intimate 
 one apprehensive of some new, sudden, strange 
 and amazing thing: As when a man sees some 
 strange sight in the air, or heareth some sudden 
 or dismal sound in the clouds: Why, as he is 
 struck into a deep damp in his mind, so 'tis a 
 wonder if he can keep or hold back from smitmg 
 upon his breast. 
 
 Now ofttimes a sight of God and sense of sin, 
 comes to the sinner hke a flash of hghtning, not 
 for short continuance, but for suddenness, and so 
 for Burprisal ; so that the sinner is struck, taken 
 
 * This is variously interpreted, but may it not mean an 
 ancient mode of mockiug, now called taking a sight? — Ed. 
 
 and captivated to his own amazement, with what 
 so unexpectedly is come upon him. It is said of 
 Paul at his conversion, that when conviction of his 
 bad life took fast hold of his conscience, he trem- 
 bled, and was astonished. Ac. ix. e. And although 
 we read not of any particular circumstance of his 
 behaviour under his conviction outwardly, yet it is 
 almost impossibly but he must have some, and those 
 of the most solid sort. For there is such a sym- 
 pathy betwixt the soul and the body, that the one 
 cannot be in distress or comfort, but the other 
 must partake of, and also signify the same. If it 
 be comfort, then 'tis shewn; If comfort of mind, 
 then by leaping, skipping, cheerfiUness of the 
 countenance, or some other outward gesture. If it 
 be sorrow or heaviness of spirit, then that is shewed 
 by the body, in weeping, sighing, groaning, softly- 
 going, shaking of the head, a lowering counten- 
 ance, stamping, smiting upon the thigh or breast 
 as here the Publican did, or somewhat. 
 
 We must not therefore look upon these outward 
 actions or gestures of the Publican, to be empty 
 insignificant things ; but to be such, that in truth 
 did express and shew the temper, frame, and pre- 
 sent complexion of his soul. For Christ, the wis- 
 dom of God, hath mentioned them to that very 
 end, that in and by them, might be held forth, and 
 that men might see, as in a glass, the very emblem 
 of a converted, and truly penitent sinner. ' Ho 
 smote upon his breast.' 
 
 5. Smiting upon the breast, is sometimes to 
 signify a mixture of distrust, joined with hope. 
 And indeed in young converts, hope and distrust, 
 or a degree of despair, do work and answer one 
 another, as doth the noise of the balance of the 
 watch in the pocket. Life and death, hfe and 
 death is always the motion of the mind then, and 
 this noise continues until faith is stronger grown, 
 and until the soul is better acquainted with the 
 methods and ways of God with a sinner. Yea, 
 was but a carnal man in a convert's heart, and 
 could see, he should discern these two, to wit, 
 hope and fear, to have a continual motion in the 
 soul : wrestling and opposing one another, as doth 
 light and darkness, in striving for the victory. 
 
 And hence it is that you find such people so 
 fickle and uncertain in their spirits ; Now on the 
 mount, then in the valleys ; now in the sunshine, 
 then in the shade ; now warm, then frozen ; now 
 bonny and blithe, then in a moment pensive and 
 sad ; as thinking of a portion nowhere but in heU. 
 This will cause smiting on the breast ; nor can I 
 imagine that the Pubhcan was as yet farther than 
 thus far in the Christian's progress, since yet he 
 was smiting upon his breast. 
 
 6. Smiting upon the breast, seems to intimate, 
 that the party so doing is very apprehensive of 
 some great loss that he hag sustained ; either by 
 
276 
 
 THE PHAEISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 negligence, carelessness, foolishness, or the like, 
 and this is the way in which men do lose their 
 souls. Now to lose a thing, a great thing, the 
 only choice thing that a man has, negligently, care- 
 lessly, foolishly, or the like, why it puts aggrava- 
 tions into the thoughts of the loss that the man has 
 sustained; and aggravations in the thoughts of 
 them go out of the soul, and come in upon a sud- 
 den, even as the bailiflF, or the king's sergeant at 
 arms, and at every appearance of them makes the 
 soul start ; and starting, it smites upon the breast. 
 I might multiply particulars ; hut to be brief, 
 we have before us a sensible soul, a sorrowful soul, 
 a penitent soul: one that prays indeed, that prays 
 sensibly, aifectionately, effectually. One that sees 
 his loss, that fears and trembleth before God in 
 consideration of it, and one that knows no way, 
 but the right way, to secure himself from perish- 
 ing, to wit, by having humble and hearty recom-se 
 to the God of heaven for mercy. 
 
 I should now come to speak something by way 
 of use and application ; but before I do that, I will 
 briefly di'aw up, and present you with a few con- 
 clusions that in my judgment do naturally flow 
 from the text, therefore in this place I will read 
 over the text again. 
 
 ' Two men went up into the temple to pray ; the 
 one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican: The 
 Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, 
 I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, ex- 
 tortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this Pub- 
 lican : I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of 
 all that I possess. And the Publican, standing 
 afar off, would not lift up so much as Ms eyes unto 
 heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be 
 merciful to me a smner.' 
 
 From these words I gather these several conclu- 
 sions, with these inferences. 
 
 Condusion First, It doth not always follow, that 
 they that pray do know God, or love him, or trust 
 in him. This conclusion is evident by the Phari- 
 see in the text ; ho prayed, but he knew not God, 
 he loved not God, he trusted not in God ; that is, 
 he knew him not in his Son, nor so loved, nor trusted 
 in him. He was, though a praying man, far off 
 from this. Whence it may be inferred, that those 
 that pray not at all cannot be good, cannot know, 
 love, or trust in God. For if the star, though it 
 shines, is not the sun, then surely a clod of dirt 
 cannot be the sun. Why, a praying man doth as 
 far outstrip a non-praying man, as a star outstrips 
 a clod of earth. A non-praying man lives like a 
 beast, nay worse, and with reference to his station, 
 a more sottish life than he. ' The ox knoweth his 
 owner, and the ass his master's crib: but [this 
 man] Israel doth not know, [but this man] my 
 people doth not consider.' Is. i. 3. The prayerless 
 man is therefore of no religion, except he be an 
 
 Atheist, or an Epicurean. Therefore the non- 
 praying man is numbered among the heathens, 
 and among those that know not God, and is 
 appointed and designed by the sentence of the 
 word to the fearful wrath of God. Ps. ixxix. 6. Je. x. 25. 
 
 Cmdusion Secmd, A second conclusion is. That 
 the man that prays, if in his prayer he pleads for 
 acceptance, either in whole or in part, for his own 
 good deeds, is in a miserable state. This also is 
 gathered from the Pharisee here, he prayed, but 
 in his prayer he pleaded his own good deeds for 
 acceptance, that is, of his person, and therefore 
 went down to his house imjustified. Now to be 
 unjustified is the worst condition that a man can 
 be in, and he is in this condition that doth thus. 
 The conclusion is true, forasmuch as the Pharisee 
 mentioned in the parable is not so spoken of, for 
 the only sake of that sect of men, but to caution, 
 forewarn, and bid all men take heed, that they by 
 doing as he, procure not his rejection of God, and 
 be sent away from his presence imjustified. I do 
 therefore infer from hence, that if he that pleadeth 
 his own good doing for personal acceptance with 
 God, be thus miserable ; then he thatteacheth men 
 so to do, is much more miserable. We always 
 conclude, that a ring-leader in an evil way, is more 
 blame-worthy, than those that are led of him. This 
 falls hard upon the leading Socinians and others, 
 who teach, that men's works make their persons 
 accepted of God, 
 
 True, they say, through Christ; but that is 
 brought in as a *blandation, merely to delude the 
 simple with, and is an horrible lie ; for we read 
 not in all the word of God, as to personal justifica- 
 tion in the sight of God from the curse, and that 
 is the question under consideration, that it must 
 be by man's righteousness, as made prevalent by 
 Christ's, hut contrariwise by his, and his only, 
 without the deeds, works, or righteousness of the 
 law which is our righteousness. Wherefore I say, 
 the teachers and leaders of this doctrine have the 
 greater sin. 
 
 Condusum Third, A third conclusion is. They 
 that use high and flaunting language in prayer, 
 their simplicitly and godly sincerity is to be ques- 
 tioned, as to the doing of that duty sincerely. 
 This stiU flows from our text, the Pharisee greatly 
 used this ; for higher and more flaunting language 
 can hardly be found, than in the Pharisee's mouth; 
 nor will ascribing to God by the same mouth laud 
 and praise, help the business at all : For to be sure, 
 where the effect is base and rotten, the cause cannot 
 be good. 
 
 The Pharisee would hold himself in hand that 
 he was not as other men, and then gives thanks to 
 
 * ' BlandatioD,' a piece of flattery. 'They flattered the 
 Bishop of Ely with this blandatiou.' — Camcleh. 
 
THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN. 
 
 277 
 
 God for this : But tlie conclusion was most vilely 
 false, and therefore the praise for it could not but 
 be foolish, vain, and frivolous. Whence I infer, 
 that if to use such language in prayer is dangerous, 
 then to affect the use thereof is yet more danger- 
 ous: Prayer must be made with humble hearts, 
 and sensible words, and of that we have treated 
 before, wherefore high, flaunting, swelling words 
 of vanity becomes not a sinner's mouth, no, not at 
 any time, much less when he comes to, and pre- 
 sents himself before God in that solemn duty of 
 prayer. But, I say, there are some that so affect 
 the Pharisee's mode, that they cannot be well if 
 in some sort or other they be not in the practice 
 of it ; not knowing what they say, nor whereof 
 they affirm; but these are greatly addicted to 
 hypocrisy, and to desire of vain-glory, especially 
 if the soimd of their words be virithin the reach of 
 other men's ears. 
 
 Condusion Fourth, A fourth conclusion is, that 
 reformation and amendment, though good, with, 
 and before men, are nothing as to justification with 
 
 God. This is manifest by the condition of our 
 Pharisee ; he was a reformed man, a man beyond 
 others for personal righteousness, yet he went out 
 of the temple from God unjustified, his works, 
 came to nothing with God. Hence I infer, that 
 the man that hath nothing to commend him to 
 God of his own, yet stands as fair before God for 
 justification, and so acceptance, as any other man 
 in the world. 
 
 Condusion Fifth, A fifth conclusion is, it is the 
 sensible sinner, the self-bemoaning sinner, the self- 
 judging sinner, the self-abhorring sinner, and the 
 self-condemning sinner, whose prayers prevail with 
 God for mercy. Hence I infer, that one reason 
 why men make so many prayers, and prevail no 
 more with God, is because their prayers are rather 
 the floatings of pharisaical fancies, than the fruits 
 of sound sense of sin, and sincere desire of enjoy- 
 ing God in mercy, and in the fruits of the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 The use and application we must let alone till 
 another time. 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION, 
 BY FAITH IN JESUS CHEIST; 
 
 SHEWING, 
 
 TRUE GOSPEL-HOLINESS FLOWS FROM THENCE; 
 
 OB, MR. fowler's pretended design of CHRISTIANITY, PROVED TO BE NOTHINGS MORE THAN TO 
 TRAMPLE UNDER FOOT THE BLOOD OF THE SON OF GOD ; AND THE IDOLIZMa 
 
 OF man's own righteousness. 
 
 AS ALSO, 
 
 HOW WHrLE HE PKKTENDS TO BE A MINISTEE OJ THE CHUKCH OF ENGLAND, HE OVEKTHROWETH THE TTHOLESOME 
 
 DOCIMNE CONTAINED IN THE lOxH, IItH, AND 13tH, OF THE THIETI-NINE AUTICLES OF THE SAME, 
 
 AND THAT HE FALLETH IN -WITH THE UUAKEE AND EOMANIST, AGAINST THEM. 
 
 By JOHN BUNYAN. 
 
 'Disallowed indeed of men^ but chosen of God^ ^\iiX precious* — 1 Pet. ii. 4. 
 Printed for Francis Smith, at the Elephant and Castle, without Temple Bar, 1G72. 
 
 EDITOE'S ABVEKTISEMENT. 
 
 This is one of the least known but most deeply 
 interesting productions of John Bunyan. It has 
 never been reprinted in a separate form ; and once 
 only in any edition of his works — that with notes, 
 by Mason and Ryland, and then with great care- 
 lessness, the errata remaining uncorrected, and 
 one leaf being entirely omitted. This treatise was 
 published to counteract the pernicious errors in a 
 very popular volume called ' The Design of Chris- 
 tianity, by Edward Fowler, minister of God's Word 
 at NorthiU, in Bedfordshire. Printed by the author- 
 ity of the Bishop of London, April 17th, 1671;' an 
 octavo volume of 308 pages. The whole object 
 proposed by Mr. Fowler was to shew, that Christi- 
 anity is intended merely to restore man to the 
 original state which he enjoyed before the fall. 
 
 Bunyan was at that time suffering his tedious 
 imprisonment for conscience sake in Bedford jail ; 
 and having refused to expatriate himself, was in 
 daily fear lest his cruel sentence, ' you must stretch 
 by the neck' for refusing to attend the church ser- 
 vice, should be carried into execution. 
 
 The fame of Fowler's gross perversion of the 
 design of Christ's gospel reached Bunyan in prison, 
 and its popularity grieved his spirit. At length, 
 on the I3th of the 11th Month (February), a copy 
 of the book was brought to him ; and in the almost 
 incredible space of forty-two short days, on the 27th 
 of the 12th Month (March) 1671-2, he had fuUy 
 analysed ' The Design,' exposed the sophistry, 
 and scripturally answered the gross errors which 
 abound in every page of this learned and subtle 
 piece of casuistry. 
 
 The display of Latin and Greek quotations from 
 the heathens and fathers, those thunderbolts of 
 scholastic warfare, dwindled into mere pop-gun 
 weapons before the sword of the Spirit, which puts 
 all such rabble to utter rout. Never was the 
 homely proverb of Cobbler Howe more fully exem- 
 plified, than in this triumphant answer to the subtO- 
 ties of a man deeply schooled in all human acquire- 
 ments, by an unlettered mechanic, whose knowledge 
 was drawn from one book, the inspired volume : — 
 
 ' The Spirit's teaching in a cohMer's shop. 
 Doth Oxford and Camhridge o'ertop.' 
 
 The Babel building of the learned clergyman could 
 not withstand the attack of one who was armed 
 with such irresistible weapons. His words burn 
 'like a fire,' and consume the wood, hay and 
 stubble ; while they fell with overpowering weight, 
 as ' a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces.' 
 Je. xxiii. 39. So Cunningly was ' the design ' con- 
 structed, that nothing but the fire and hammer of 
 God's word could have demolished it. Armed with 
 such weapons, he fearlessly from his dungeon made 
 the attack ; and, encouraged by the Spirit which 
 animated the prophet, he was not ' dismayed at 
 their faces,' but became as ' a defenced city, and 
 an iron pillar, and brazen walls against the whole 
 land.' Je. i. 4s. 
 
 Such internal and powerful support encouraged 
 Bunyan to use the greatest plainness of speech. 
 He was fully aware of his danger, and of the great 
 influence of Mr. Fowler, but he had counted the 
 cost of plain honest dealing, and was undaunted 
 
EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 279 
 
 by the perils whicli surrounded him. With nohle 
 hearing, •worthy the descendant of the apostles, he 
 declares, ' As for your subtle and close incensing 
 THE POWER to persecute Nonconformists, know that 
 we are willing, God assisting, to overcome you 
 with truth and patience ; not sticking to sacrifice 
 our lives, and dearest concerns in a faithful witness- 
 bearing.'* ' Wherefore, sir, laying aside all fear 
 of men, not regarding what you may procui'e to 
 be inflicted upon me, for this my plain dealing with 
 you, I tell you again, that you are one of them that 
 have closely, privily, and devilishly, by your book, 
 turned the grace of our God into a lascivious doc- 
 trine. 't Mr. Fowler's opinions were not only 
 contrary to scripture, but to that which some 
 esteem a more heinous offence, they opposed the 
 thirty-nine articles; and the result was that Bunyan, 
 who vindicated the scriptures and those articles, 
 was kept in prison, while the clergyman who op- 
 posed them was soon after consecrated Bishop of 
 Gloucester ! It may lead some simple readers to 
 wonder how it could be, that state religion thus 
 made a mockery of itself. The reason is perfectly 
 obvious ; Fowler's religion was that of a statesman, 
 which may be comprised in one word, expediency; 
 and the man who could publish as truth, that 
 religion consists in obeying the orders made therein 
 by the state, deserved the primacy of the united 
 churches of England and Ireland. His words are, 
 speaking of religious observances, ' Whatsoever of 
 such are commended by the custom of the places 
 we live in, or commanded by superiors, or made 
 by any circumstance convenient to be done ; our 
 christian liberty consists in this, that we have leave 
 to do them. And, indeed, it is so far from being 
 a sin, that it would be so to refuse so to do.' 
 Could the state have selected a fitter tool for their 
 purposes ? 
 
 Mr. Fowler is somewhat inconsistent with regard 
 to persecution ; in p. 266 he says, ' As for factious 
 hypocrites, they would be with ease supprest;' in 
 p. 262 he describes these factious hypocrites, ' Such 
 as preach up free grace, — laying hold on Christ's 
 righteousness and renouncing our own righteousness.' 
 Such are to be suppressed, but for Roman catholics 
 ' imposing their own sense upon the word of God, 
 and their persecuting, burning, and damning men 
 for not subscribing to theirs as to God 's word can 
 be no better than an act of devilish pride and bar- 
 barous cruelty,' p. 247. Does not the same pride 
 and cruelty apply equally to the church of Bonner 
 for burning Latimer, of Fowler, for the imprison- 
 ment of Bunyan ; and of Philpot, for dragging his 
 brother. Shore, from his family, and shutting him 
 up in Exeter jail ? 
 
 The admirers of Bunyan will feel surprised at his 
 
 * P. 324. 
 
 t P. 321. 
 
 strictures upon persons calling themselves Quakers. 
 In these severe remarks he does not refer to the 
 Society of Friends ; but to some unworthy indivi- 
 duals who assumed the name of Quakers. They will 
 be equally surprised at his freedom of speech with 
 one who he considered to be an enemy to his Lord. 
 He calls Mr. Fowler ' a brutish, beastly man,' 
 'this thief,' ' a blasphemer,' ' horribly wicked,' ' a 
 learned ignorant Nicodemus,' * one that would 
 fling heaven's gates off the hinges,' ' a bat,' 'an 
 angel of darkness. ' Such epithets sound strangely 
 in our more refined age ; but they were then con- 
 sidered essential to faithful dealing. The Bishop 
 in his reply, called ' Dirt wiped off, ' beat the tinker 
 in abusive language ; he calls Bunyan ' A wretched 
 scribbler, ' ' grossly ignorant, ' ' most unchristian 
 and wicked, ' ' a piece of proud folly, ' ' so very dirty 
 a creature that he disdains to dirt his fingers with 
 him,' 'Bunyan can no more disgrace him than a 
 rude creature can eclipse the moon by barking at 
 her ; or make palaces contemptible by lifting up 
 their legs against them, ' ' a most black-mouthed 
 caluminator,' 'infamous in Bedford for a pestilent 
 schismatic, ' and with a heart full of venom he called 
 upon his majesty not to let such a firebrand, im- 
 pudent, malicious schismatic to enjoy toleration, 
 or go unpunished, Jest he should subvert all govern- 
 ment. Bunyan had then suffered nearly twelve 
 years' incarceration in a miserable jail, and was 
 more zealous and intrepid than ever: and yet this 
 learned fanatic would have added to his privations, 
 because he could not resist the arrows of truth with 
 which this poor prisoner for Christ assailed him, 
 drawn aU burning from the furnace of God's holy 
 word. 
 
 Bunyan's views of the kingly office of Christ are 
 very striking : not only is he king over the church 
 requiring personal obedience, but over the universe 
 for the benefit of believers. ' Christ is as well a 
 Lord for us, as to, or over us ; and it highly con- 
 cerneth the soul — when it believeth in, or trusteth 
 to, the righteousness of Christ, for justification 
 with God — to see that this righteousness lords it 
 over death and sin, and the devil and hell for us.' 
 ' He led captivity captive, that is, carried them pri- 
 soners, whose prisoners we were : He rode to heaven 
 in triumph, having in chains the foes of believers.' 
 
 This compendious treatise is upon a most import- 
 ant subject, and detects dangerous errors enveloped 
 in most insinuating sophistry. In preparing this 
 edition for the press, the text has been carefully 
 collated with the original, which is in the editor's 
 possession. The quotations have been verified ; 
 those from Fowler by the first edition of his ' De- 
 sign of Christianity,' 1671. The extracts from 
 ' Penn's Sandy Foundation,' by the second edition, 
 in the Friends' library, Devonshire House. Those 
 from Campian have not been discovered; the 
 
280 
 
 A PREMONITION TO THE HEADER. 
 
 author's being confined at Bedford, while his book 
 was printing in London, occasioned numerous typo- 
 graphical errors which have been corrected, and 
 all the obsolete words explained. 
 
 To assist tlie reader, a few leading words havo 
 been introduced in italics, and between brackets, 
 to distinguish them from the text. 
 
 George Offor. 
 
 A PEEMONITION TO THE HEADER. 
 
 Gentle Reader, 
 
 That thou mayest not be tired with longing to 
 know what errors, and doctrines destructive to 
 Christianity, Mr. Fowler in his feigned design of 
 Christianity, hath presented the world withal; and 
 that thou mayest even in the entry, see that which 
 more fully is shewn in the house : namely, of the 
 contradiction that is in his book, to the wholesome 
 doctrine of the church of England, while he stands 
 a minister of the same, I have thought convenient, 
 instead of an epistle, to present thee with those 
 doctrines contained in his; and that are refuted by 
 the book that thou hast in thy hand. The which 
 also, I hope, will be a sufficient apology for this 
 my undertaking. 
 
 His Doctrines are these : 
 
 1. That the first principles of morals, those first 
 written in men's hearts, are the essentials, the in- 
 dispensable, and fundamental points or doctrines 
 of the gospel, p. 8, 281, 283. 2. That these first prin- 
 ciples, are to be followed, principally, as they are 
 made known to us, by the dictates of human na- 
 ture : and that this obedience is the first, and best 
 sort of obedience, we Christians can perform, p. 8, 9, 
 10. 3. That there is such a thing as a soundness 
 of soul ; and the purity of human nature in the 
 world, p. 6. 4. That the law, in the first principles 
 of it, is far beyond, and more obliging on the hearts 
 of Christians, than is, that of coming to God by 
 Christ, p. 7—10. 5. That the precept of coming to 
 God by Christ, <fec. is in its own nature, a thing 
 indifferent, and absolutely considered neither good 
 nor evil, p. 7, 8, 9. 6. That Christ's great errand, 
 in coming into the world, was to put us again 
 in possession of the holiness we had lost, p. 13. 
 
 7. That John the Baptist, the Angel that was 
 sent to Zacharias, and Mary, preached this doc- 
 trine, and so also did Malachi the prophet, p. 13. 
 
 8. That Christ by saving us from sin, is meant, 
 not first, his saving us from the punishment, 
 but from the filth, and from the punishment, as a 
 consequence of that, p. u, 15. 9. That Christ's work, 
 when he was come, was to establish only an inward 
 real righteousness, p. 16. 10. That Christ's fulfillino- 
 the law FOR us, was by giving more perfect, and 
 lighter instances of moral duties, than were before 
 expressly given, p. 17. 11. That Christ's doctrine. 
 
 life, actions, miracles, death, resurrection, ascen- 
 sion, and coming again to judgment, is aU preached 
 to establish us in this righteousness, chap. 2—8. 12. 
 That it is not possible a wicked man should have 
 God's pardon, p. 119. 13. That it is impossible 
 Christ's righteousness should be imputed to an 
 unrighteous man, p. lao. 14. And that if it were, 
 he boldly afSrms, it would signify as little to his 
 happiness, while he continueth so, as would a gor- 
 geous and splendid garment, to one that is almost 
 starved, p. 130. 15. For God to justify a wicked 
 man,* &,e., would far more disparage his justice 
 and holiness, than advance his grace and kindness, 
 p. 130. 1 6. He saith, men are not capable of God's 
 pardoning grace, till they have truly repented them 
 of all their sins, p. 130. 17. The devils, saith he, 
 have a large measure of these attributes of God ; 
 as his power, knowledge, &c.t p- 124- 18. That 
 Christ did himself perform, as our example, what- 
 ever he required of us to do ; yea, that he trod 
 himself evert step of our way to heaven, p. 148. 
 19. The salvation of Christ, first, consists in curing 
 our wounds (our filth) and secondarily, in freeing 
 us from the smart, p. 216. 20. That pardon doth 
 not so much consist in remission, as in healing; 
 [to wit, our filth,] p. 216. 21. Faith justifieth, as 
 it includeth true holiness in the nature of it ; it 
 justifieth AS it doth so, p. 221. 22. That faith which 
 entitles a sinner to so high a privilege as that of 
 justification, must needs be such as complieth with 
 oM the purposes of Christ's coming into the world, 
 &c. And it is no less necessary that it should 
 justify as it doth this, p. 222. 23. He wonders that any 
 worthy man should be so difficultly persuaded, to 
 embrace this accoimt of justifying faith, p. 223. 24. 
 There can be no pretence for a man, to think that 
 faith should be the condition or instrument of jus- 
 tification, as it complieth with, only the precept of 
 relying on Christ's merits for the obtaining of it, 
 p. 233. 25. It is, saith he, as clear as the sun at 
 noon-day, that obedience to the other precepts 
 must go before obedience to this, p. 223. 26. He 
 shall be his Apollo, that can give him a sufficient 
 reason, why justifying faith should consist in re- 
 cumbencej and reliance on Christ's merits for the 
 
 * Fowlcr'3 words, in place of, &c., are ' wliile he coatimies 
 so (if it were possible for God to do it).' 
 t Holiness is excepted 1 1 
 X ' Recumbence,' depending upon. 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 281 
 
 pardon of sin,* ii 224. 27. He will take tlie boldness 
 to tell those who are displeased with this account 
 of justifying faith, that in his opinion it is impos- 
 sible they should once think of any other, p. 225. 
 28. The imputation of Christ's righteousness, con- 
 sisteth in dealing with sincerely righteous persons, 
 as if they were perfectly so, &c. p. 225. 29. The 
 grand intent of the gospel is, to make us partakers 
 of inward real righteousness ; and it is hut se- 
 condary, that we should he accepted as before, 
 p. 326. 30. It is not possible (he saith) that any 
 other notion of this doctrine should have truth in 
 it, p. 226. 31. Whatsoever is commended by the 
 customs of the place we live in, or commanded 
 by superiors, or made by any circumstance con- 
 venient to be done, our christian liberty consists 
 in this that we have leave to do them, p. 242. 32. 
 For our refusing to comply with these, can hardly 
 proceed from any thing, than a proud affectation 
 of singularity, or at best from superstitious scru- 
 pulosity, p. 242. 33. Those ministers hinder the 
 design of Christianity, that preach up free grace, 
 and christian privileges, other ways than as 
 motives to obedience, and that scarce ever insist 
 upon any other duties than those of believing, lay- 
 ing hold of Christ's righteousness, applying the 
 promises, &c., p. 262. 34. But to make the chris- 
 tian duties to consist either wholly or mostly in 
 these, &c., is the way effectually to harden hypo- 
 crites, p. 263. 35. Those ministers do nothing less 
 than promote the design of Christianity, that are 
 never in their element, but when they are talking 
 
 * Fowler adds, ' and not also in his power for the mortifica- 
 tion of it.' 
 
 of the irrespectiveness of God's decrees, the abso- 
 lute [ness of his] promises, the utter disability, and 
 perfect impotence of natural men, to do any thing 
 towards their own conversion, p. 262. 36. He is the 
 only child of Abraham, who in the purity of his 
 heart obeyeth those substantial laws, that are by 
 God imposed upon him, p. 283. 37. There is NO 
 duty more affectionately commanded in the gospel, 
 than that of almsgiving, p. 384. 38. It is impossible 
 we should not have the design of Christianity 
 accomplished in us, &c., if we make our Saviour's 
 most excellent life, the pattern of our lives, p. 296. 
 39. To do well is better than believing, p. 299. 40. 
 To be imitators of Christ's righteousness, even of 
 the righteousness we should rely on, is counted by 
 Mr. Fowler, rnore noble, than to rely thereon, or 
 trust thereto, p. soo. 
 
 Reader, 
 
 1 have given thee here but a taste of these 
 things ; and by my book but a brief reply to the 
 errors that he by his hath divulged to the world : 
 Ay, though many more are by me reflected than 
 the forty thou are here presented with. 
 
 God give thee eyes to see, and an heart to shun 
 and escape all these things that may yet come to 
 pass, for hurt, and to stand before the Son of Man. 
 
 Thus hoping that this short taste may make Mr. 
 Fowler ashamed, and thee receive satisfaction, 
 touching the truth and state of this man's spirit 
 and principles ; I rest. 
 
 Thine to serve thee in the gospel of Christ, 
 
 J. Bpnyas. 
 
 From Prison, the 27th of tlie 
 12th Month, 1671. 
 [27th March, 1672.] 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH IN JESCS CHRIST; 
 
 PKOVING 
 
 THAT GOSPEL-nOLINESS 'FLOWS FROM THENCE. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Having heard of your book, entidcd. The Design 
 of Christianity ; and that in it was contained such 
 principles as gave just offence to christian ears ; I 
 was desirous of a view thereof, that from my sight 
 of things I might be the better able to judge. But 
 I could not obtain it tOl the 13th of this 11th 
 month, which was too soon for you. Sir, a pre- 
 tended minister of the word, so vilely to expose to 
 public view the rottenness of your heart in princi- 
 ples diametrically opposite to the simplicity of the 
 gospel of Christ. And had it not been for this 
 consideration, that it is not too late to oppose open 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 blasphemy (such as endangereth the souls of thou- 
 sands) I had cast by this answer, as a thing out 
 of season. 
 
 Two things are the design of your book. 
 
 1. To assert and justify a thing which you call 
 inward, real righteousness and holiness. 
 
 2. To prove, That the whole, the grand, the 
 only, and ultimate design of the gospel of Christ, 
 is to begin and perfect this righteousness. 
 
 Into the truth, or untruth, of both these, as 
 briefly as I may, I shall at this time inquire. 
 
 First, Therefore, a little to examine the nature 
 of your holiness and righteousness, as yourself 
 hath described the same. 
 2 N 
 
283 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTKINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 ' It is (say you) so sound a complexion of soul, 
 as maintains in life and vigour, whatsoever is 
 essential to it, and suffereth not anything unnatural 
 to mix with that which is so ; by the force and 
 power whereof a man is enabled to behave him- 
 self as [becometh] a creature indued with a prin- 
 ciple of reason, keeps his supreme faculty in its 
 throne, brings into due subjection all his inferior 
 ones, his sensual imagination, his brutish passions 
 and affections.' 
 
 You add farther, 'It is the purity of th& human 
 nature, engaging those in whom it resides, to 
 demean themselves suitably in that state in which 
 God hath placed them, and not to act disbecomingly 
 in any condition, circumstance or relation.' 
 
 You say, moreover, 'It is a divine, or God-like 
 nature, causing an hearty approbation of, and an 
 affectionate compliance with the eternal laws of 
 righteousness ; and a behaviour agreeable to the 
 essential, and immutable differences of good and 
 evil, ' p. 6. 
 
 Farther, You call it a principle or habit of soul, 
 'originally dictates of human nature,' p. 8. 
 
 ' A disposition and temper of the inward man, 
 as powerfully inclines it to regard, and attend to ; 
 affectionately to embrace and adhere to ; to be 
 actuated by, and under the government of, all 
 those [good] practical principles, that are made 
 known either by revelation, nature, or the use of 
 reason,' p. ll. Which in conclusion you call that 
 holiness which already we have lost, p. 13. 
 
 Thus, Sir, is your holiness, by you described; 
 which hoHness you aver is that, which is the great 
 and only design of Christ to promote both by his 
 life and glorious gospel. 
 
 To take therefore your description in pieces, if 
 happily there may be found ought, but naught 
 therein. 
 
 1. ' It is (say you) an healthful complexion of 
 soul, the purity of the human nature,' &c. 
 
 Ans. These are but words; there is no such 
 thing as the purity of our nature, abstract and 
 distinct from the sinful pollution that dwelleth in 
 us. Ko.vii. 24. It is true, a man may talk of, and 
 by argument distinguish between nature and sin ; 
 but that there is such a principle in man (since 
 Adam's fall) a principle by which he may act, or 
 that Christ's whole gospel-design is, the helping 
 forward such a principle, is altogether without 
 scripture or reason. There is no man by nature, 
 that hath any soundness in him, is. i. 6. no, neither 
 in soul or body ; his understanding is darkened, 
 his mind and conscience is defiled. Tit. i. 15. his will 
 is perverted and obstinate. Ep. iv. 18. ' There is no 
 judgment in his goings,' is. ik. 6— lo. Where now is 
 the sound and healthful complexion of soul ? Let 
 the best come to the best, when we have mustered 
 up all the excellences of the soul of man, as man. 
 
 shall nought we find there, but the lame, the blind, 
 the defiled, the obstinate and misled faculties 
 thereof. And never think to evade me by saying, 
 the graces of the Spirit of God are pure : for with 
 them you have nothing to do ; your doctrine is of 
 the sound complexion of soul, the purity of the 
 human nature, a habit of soul, and the holiness we 
 lost in Adam, things a great way off from the 
 spirit of grace, or the gracious workings of the 
 spirit. You talk indeed of a divine or godlike 
 nature,* but this is still the same with your pure 
 human nature, or with your sound complexion, or 
 habit of soul ; and so must either respect man, as 
 he was created in the image or likeness of God, or 
 else you have palpable contradiction in this your 
 description. But it must be concluded, that the 
 divine nature you talk of, is that, and no other 
 than the dictates of the human nature, or your 
 feigned purity thereof; because you make it by 
 your words the self same ; it is the purity of the 
 human nature, it is a divine or Godlike nature. 
 
 2. But you proceed to tell us of a degree, it is 
 so sound and healthful a complexion or tempera- 
 ture of the faculties, qualities, or virtues of soul, 
 'as maintains in life and vigour whatsoever is 
 essential to it, and suffereth not anything unnatural 
 to mix with that which is so.'t 
 
 Ans. If, as was said before, there is no sound- 
 ness of soul in man, as man, and no such thing as 
 a purity of our nature, abstract from that which is 
 sin ; then where shall we find so healthful a com- 
 plexion, or temperature of soul, as to maintain in 
 life and vigour whatsoever is essential to it, and 
 that suffereth not any thing unnatural to mix with 
 that which is so ? 
 
 But let us take Paul's definition of a man ; 
 ' There is none righteous, no, not one : there is 
 none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh 
 after God. They are all gone out of the way, they 
 are together become unprofitable ; there is none 
 that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an 
 open sepulchre; with their tongues they have 
 used deceit ; the poison of asps is under their lips : 
 whose mouth is fuU of cursing and bitterness : [their 
 feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery 
 are in their ways : and the way of peace have they 
 not known : there is no fear of God before their 
 eyes.' Ro. iii. I the rather give you this of Paul, 
 than any of my own ; because it is the soundest 
 complexion of soul, that the Holy Ghost himself 
 coidd draw. Here is now no purity of the human 
 nature, nor such sound complexion of soul as can 
 keep itself from mixing with that which is contrary 
 to itself. And note, that this is the state of all 
 men, and that as they stand in themselves before 
 God: wherefore together, even altogether, all the 
 
 * Fowler's Design, p. 6. 
 
 t Ibid. 
 
A DEFENCE OP THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 2S3 
 
 men in the world, take tliein in their most pure 
 naturals, or with all the purity of humanity, which 
 they can make, and together, they still wiU he 
 unprofitahle, and so must come short of doing 
 good, ' that every mouth might he stopped, and 
 all the world hecome guilty before God. ' ver. 19. * 
 
 3. But proceeding, you say, that this complexion 
 is so forcible as to ' keep his supreme faculty (I 
 suppose you mean the conscience) in its throne, 
 (and that) brings into due subjection all his iufe- 
 rior ones, (as namely) his sensual imagination, 
 brutish passions and affections. 't 
 
 Am. These words suppose that 't is within the 
 power of a man's own soul, always to keep sin out 
 of itself, and so guilt out of the conscience ; albeit 
 the scripture saith, that both the mind and it are 
 defiled with the filth of sin, in all whoever do not 
 believe the gospel, with which belief this descrip- 
 tion meddleth not. Tit. i. is. 
 
 They suppose that this conscience is perfectly 
 clear and light, when the scriptures say they have 
 the understanding darkened ; yea and farther, in 
 despite of these your sayings of the sound com- 
 plexion of soul, of the purity of human nature, and 
 of this supreme faculty, the scriptures teach, that 
 man in his best estate is altogether vanity, that 
 they are darkness and night, &c. Ep. iv. is, 19. 1 Th. v. 
 
 Fs. xxxix. 6. 
 
 ' Yea, (say you) this sound complexion brings 
 into due subjection all his inferior ones.'| 
 
 Ans. Here seems to be a contradiction to the 
 former part of this description, yea, to the nature 
 of the soul itself; for you say before, it suffereth 
 not any thing unnatural to mix itself- therewith, 
 when yet here you seem to suggest that part, I 
 say, even part of itself is disobedient and rebellious, 
 'it brings into subjection all his inferior ones.' 
 
 ' It brings into due subjection.' 
 
 Arts. Due subjection is such as is everlasting, 
 universal, perfect in nature, kind, and manner, 
 such as the most righteous, perfect, comprehensive 
 law, or commandment cannot object against, or 
 find fault therewith. Here's a soul ! here's a 
 
 * Seeing, then, it is evident from scriptore, how deeply and 
 dreadfully man is fallen from God, what a folly it is to sup- 
 pose, in such a depraved creature, conditions previous to his 
 justification ! They who talk at this rate, know not what they 
 sjy, nor whereof they affirm. In a natural man there is no 
 meetness, but a meetness to sin, and a meetness to be damned. 
 They who know themselves, know this. And there are no 
 pre-requisites to justification, hut what God, by his Spirit, is 
 pleased to work in men's hearts. None are meet to obey the 
 gospel, till God implants in their souls a principle of faith and 
 evangelical obedience. Before this is done, there is no meet- 
 ness in the creature, no disposition to do anything spiritually 
 good; neither are any of our works, till a change of nature 
 takes place, acceptable and well-pleasing in the sight of 
 Almighty God. — 3Iason and Ri/!and. 
 
 t Fowler, p. 6. J Ibid. 
 
 pure human nature I here are pure dictates of a 
 brutish beastly man, that neither knows himself 
 nor one tittle of the word of God. But ' Tliere is 
 a generation thai are pure in their own eyes, and 
 yet are not washed from their filthiness.' Pr. xxx. 13. 
 
 ' It is the purity of the human nature, engaging 
 those in whom it resides,' &c.| 
 
 Ans. That is, verily in none at all ; for there is 
 no such thing in any man in this world, as a purity 
 of human nature : ' we are all as an unclean thing, ' 
 Is. btiv. 6. and ' Who can bring a clean thing out of 
 an unclean ? not one. ' Job xiv. 4. Again, 
 
 ' What is man, that he should be clean? or he 
 which is born of a woman, that he should be 
 righteous? Joiiiv. u. These are therefore expres- 
 sions without the testimony of the word, arising 
 from your own phantasy. 
 
 ' It is a divine, or Godlike nature.' || 
 
 Ans. This you seem also to fetch from the simi- 
 litude or likeness of God that was in us at our first 
 creation, before we sinned; but that similitude 
 being at best but created, and since most unspeak- 
 ably defiled, defaced and polluted with sin ; there 
 is now, no not in the best of men, as men, any 
 sinless likeness, and similitude of God to be found, 
 no such petty divine, or Godlike nature to be found, 
 as you imagine. 
 
 But having thus stated your holiness in its nature 
 and essence, you come in the next place to tell us, 
 under what considerations it moveth a person to 
 act, also by what rules and laws it squareth its 
 acts and doings. 
 
 First, By or under what considerations it acts, 
 and these you scatter here and there in your 
 description of hohness, under these heads. I. To 
 act ' as becomes a creature endued with a principle 
 of reason,' eyeing the state or place in which God 
 hath set him ; approving of, affecting and comply- 
 ing with the eternal laws of righteousness, p. 6. 
 which eternal laws in p. 8. you call ' divine moral 
 laws,' those that were first written in the hearts 
 of men, ' and originally dictates of human nature,' 
 &c. II. ' To do these, from truly generous motives 
 and principles,' p. 7. Such as these, 1. Because 
 ' it is most highly becoming all reasonable creatures 
 (you might also have added, and those unreasonable) 
 to obey God in every thing ; (within their spheres) 
 and as much disbecoming them, to disobey him,' 
 p. 8. 2. ' Because it is a base thing to do unjustly,' 
 p. 11. 
 
 Now a little to touch upon all these, and then to 
 proceed to what is behind. 
 
 I. To act and do the things of the moral law, 
 but as ' creatures endued with a principle of 
 reason,' is but to do things in our sphere as men, 
 as the beast, the hog or horse doth things in his. 
 
 i Fonler, p. 6. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
284 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 as a beast ; wliicli is at Lest, if it could be attained, 
 to act but as pure naturals, which state of man is 
 of at infinite distance from that, in which it is 
 by God expected the man must act, that doth 
 ought that is pleasing in his sight. For, 
 
 1. The qualification and consideration by you 
 propounded, is that which is in all men, in men 
 simply as men, they being reasonable creatures, 
 and somewhat, though but somewhat capable of 
 acting as such. 
 
 2. This qualification is not only in, but of men ; 
 reason is of the man himself, even that which is as 
 essential to him, as is that of his being created or 
 made. 
 
 3. The law also, which you call divine, moral, 
 and eternal, is that which is naturally seated in the 
 heart, and as you yourself express it, is originally 
 the dictates of humane nature, or that which man- 
 kind doth naturally assent to, p. ii. 
 
 Now I say, that a man cannot by these princi- 
 ples, and these qualifications, please the God of 
 heaven, is apparent. (1.) Because none of these 
 are faith, ' But without faith it is impossible to 
 please Am.' He.xi.6. (2.) Because none of these are 
 of the Holy Ghost, but there is nothing accepted 
 of God, under a New Testament consideration, but 
 those which are the fruits of the Spirit. Ga. v. 23—34. 
 (3.) The man and principles you have stated, may 
 be such as are utterly ignorant of Jesus Christ, 
 and of alJ his New Testament things, as such: 
 ' But the natural man receiveth not the things of 
 the Spirit of God : (the things of his New Testa- 
 ment) for they are foolishness unto him : neither 
 can he know them, because they are spiritually 
 discerned.' iCo. ii. u. (4.) Your qualifications and 
 considerations, know nothing at all of the adoption 
 of sons, and of our acting and doing our duty as 
 such. You only content yourself to rest within the 
 confines of the humane nature, acts of reason, as 
 men or creatures only, or in their supposed pure, 
 natiural principles. 
 
 And Sir, a Httle by way of digression ; I will 
 tell you also of our truly christian righteousness, 
 both as to its original or first principle ; and also 
 how, or imder what capacity, it puts the person 
 that is acted by it. 
 
 First, The principle which is laid within us, it 
 is not the purity of the humane nature, but of the 
 Holy Ghost itself, which we have of God received, 
 by believing in the Son of God, a principle as far 
 above yours of humanity, as is the heavens above 
 the earth ; yours being but like those of the first 
 Adam, but ours truly those of the second, i Co. vi. 19. 
 ' As is the earthy, such a/re they also that are 
 earthy : and as is the heavenly, such are they also 
 that are heavenly.' iCo.xv.48. 
 
 Now whosoever hath not this principle, although 
 he be a creature, and also have the dictates of the 
 
 humane nature, yea, and also follows them, yet he 
 is not Christ's : ' If any man have not the Spirit 
 of Christ, he is none of his.' Eo. viii. 9. Thus there- 
 fore is the christian principle another from, and far 
 above, your heathenish Pagan one. By this Spirit is 
 the Christian qualified with principles, not natural, 
 but spiritual, such as faith, hope, joy, peace, &c. all 
 which are the fruits of the revelation of the forgive- 
 ness of sins, freely by grace, Ga. v. 25. ' through the 
 redemption that is in Jesus Christ. ' Ko. iii. 24. In 
 this spirit and faith we walk, by this spirit we are 
 led, Eo. viii. 14. even into the joy and peace of the New 
 Testament of our Lord ; wherefore our holy actions 
 are the fruits of righteousness, that is by Jesus 
 Christ, not by our humane nature, or the purity 
 of it in us ; yea, they are the fruits of the Spirit 
 of God, the qualifications that attend the new 
 covenant, and those that by the work of regenera- 
 tion are brought within the bounds and privileges 
 thereof. Wherefore, 
 
 Second, The capacity that we are in, who act 
 and do from the heavenly principle ; it is that of 
 sons, the sons of God by adoption, as the apostle 
 said, ' Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth 
 the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, 
 Abba, Father. ' Ga. iv. 6. And again, ' As many as 
 are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of 
 God. ' Eg. viii. 14. This is a far other than is your 
 human description of acting as a creature, endued 
 with a principle of reason ; for here is a man acts 
 as a son, endued with the Holy Spirit of God, who 
 hath, before the world was, predestinated him to 
 this estate, by Jesus Christ, to himself. Ep. i. 4; iv. e. 
 As a son therefore, the Christian ,acts and does, 
 because he is endued with that high and heavenly 
 principle mentioned before; by which principle 
 this man hath received a new heart, a new spirit, 
 a new imderstanding, a good conscience, so made 
 by ' faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus. ' He. x. 
 Thus being made again anew and another man, 
 he acts from a new and another principle than 
 yours ; a principle as far beyond and above you, as 
 is a man above a brute, and as is grace above 
 nature. 2 Co. v. 14—16. 
 
 Third, As the Christian acts and does from a 
 better principle, and under a better capacity or 
 consideration than that you have described ; so (to 
 allude to your own notion) the first principles by 
 which they receive this spirit and adoption, are 
 not those principles of morals, or those originally 
 dictates of human nature ; but it is through the 
 hearing of faith, Ga. iii. 1—3. by which we under- 
 stand, that the Son of God became a man, died 
 for our sins, hath saved us from the curse of God, 
 and accounted us to be the righteousness of God 
 in him ; this being heard with the gospel, and a 
 New Testament hearing, the Holy Ghost forthwith 
 possesseth us, by the glorious working whereof 
 
A DEFEN'CE OT THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 285 
 
 we are helped, through the Son, to call the God of 
 heaven, our Father. 
 
 Now thus being made free from sin, by the only 
 faith of Jesus Christ, 'we have our fruit unto holi- 
 ness, and the end everlasting hfe. ' Ro. n. 23. 
 
 And here come in those reasonable conclusions, 
 which you would make the very radicals of Chris- 
 tianity, they being only remote, and after conclu- 
 sions, drawn from the fore-mentioned mercy of 
 God, viz., from predestination, calling, adoption, 
 and justification by Christ's blood, while we in 
 ourselves are sinners. I say these are the things 
 which Paul endeavoured to provoke the Romans, 
 Philippians, and Colossians, to an holy conversa- 
 tion by. 
 
 To the Romans, 'I beseech you therefore,' saith 
 he, ' by the mercies of God, (What mercies ? Why 
 those of election, redemption, calling, justification, 
 and adoption, mentioned in the foregoing chapters) 
 that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, 
 acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable 
 service.' Eo. xii. i. 
 
 To the Philippians, 'If there be therefore any con- 
 solation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any 
 fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 
 fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded.' pu. u. i, 3. 
 
 To the Colossians, ' If ye then be risen with 
 Christ, seek those things which are above, where 
 Christ sitteth on the right hand of God ; set your 
 afiection on things above, not on things on the 
 earth ; for ye are dead, and your life is hid with 
 Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall 
 appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. ' 
 Cci. iiL 1 — 1. Now mark ; mortify therefore, there- 
 fore ! wherefore ? why, because they were risen 
 with Christ; because they should appear at the 
 end of this world with Christ himself in glory ; 
 therefore mortify the deeds of the body, or our 
 members that are upon the earth. 
 
 These Sir, are the motives by which we Chris- 
 tians act; because we are forgiven, because we 
 are sons, and if sons, then heirs, and so we act ; 
 but to speak to this more anon. 
 
 Perhaps you will say I deal not fairly with you, 
 because you treat, as of moral, so of gospel or 
 New Testament laws. 
 
 But to that I will answer at present, that in this 
 description of your holy principle, which is the 
 foundation of your book, whether the laws be 
 natural or spiritual, moral or of grace, the prin- 
 ciple by which you do them, is no other than the 
 principle of nature, the dictates of the human 
 nature; and so such as can by no means reach 
 the doctrines of the gospel any farther than to 
 make a judgment of them, by that wisdom which 
 is ' enmity with God, ' as will farther be seen in 
 my progress through your book. 
 
 Indeed you make mention of divine laws, and 
 
 that under two heads. 1. Such as are of an indis- 
 pensable and eternal obligation, as those purely 
 moral, p. 7 and 8. 2. Such which you call positive 
 precepts, in themselves of an indifferent nature, 
 and absolutely considered, are neither good nor 
 evil. Of those of this kind that we have under 
 the gospel, you say you know but three, viz., Tliat 
 of coming to God by Christ, and the institutions 
 of baptism, and the Lord's supper, p. 9. 
 
 So then, although you talk of gospel positive 
 laws, and particularly that of coming to God by 
 Christ ; yet those which you call first principles of 
 morals, are of higher concern with you, and more 
 indispensible by far than this, this being a thing 
 of an indifferent nature, and in itself absolutely 
 considered, is neither good nor evil ; but the other 
 is the life of the matter. But a little to gather 
 you up. 
 
 The morals, say you, are indispensable, and 
 good in themselves, but that of coming to God by 
 Christ, a thing indifferent, and in itself neither 
 good nor evil. Wherefore though in this your 
 description, you talk of conforming to all those 
 good and practical principles, that are made known 
 either by revelation, nature, or the use of reason, 
 yet in this your obedience you reckon coming to 
 God by Christ, but an act of a very indifl^erent 
 nature, a thing if done not good in itself, neither 
 evil in itself, should a man leave it undone ; and 
 so consequently a man may have in him the 
 ground and essentials of Christianity without it, 
 may be saved, and go to heaven without it: for 
 this I say, whatsoever is of an indifferent nature in 
 itself, is not essential to the Christian religion ; but 
 may or may not be done without the hazard of 
 eternal salvation ; but say you, this of coming to 
 God by Christ, is one of the positive precepts, p. 9. 
 which are in themselves things indifferent, and 
 neither good nor evil : therefore not of the sub- 
 stance of Christianity. 
 
 But, Sir, where learned you this new doctrine, 
 as to reckon coming to God by Christ, a thing of 
 so indifferent a nature, a thing not good in itself, 
 but with respect to certain circumstances, p. 7. Had 
 you said this of baptism and the Supper of the 
 Lord, I could with some allowance have borne 
 your words, but to comit coming to God by Christ 
 a thing indifi^erent in itself, is a blasphemy that 
 may not be borne by Christians, it being too high 
 a contempt of the blood, and too great a disgrace 
 to the person of the Lord, the king of glory; of 
 which more hereafter, but to return. 
 
 II. The intent of this your description is to set 
 before us these two things. 
 
 (1.) What are the essentials of the rule of that 
 holiness, which by the gospel we are immediately 
 obliged to, if we would be justified in the sight of 
 God. 
 
286 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 (2.) What are the principles hy which we act, 
 when we do these works aright. 
 
 1. For the first you tell us, 'they are the first 
 principles of morals, such as are self-evident, and 
 therefore not capable of being properly demon- 
 Btrated ; as being no less knowahle, and easily 
 assented to, than any proposition that may be 
 brought for the proof of them, ' p. 8. Such as are 
 self-evident or evident of themselves ; to what ? To 
 us as men that know the principles of reason, and 
 that are as easily assented to as any proposition ; 
 why said you not such as may be as easily known, 
 as we know there is a day or night, winter and 
 summer, or any other thing that may be brought 
 for the proof of them. This law therefore is none 
 other than that mentioned in Eo. ii. 14, 15. which is 
 the law of our nature, or that which was implanted 
 in us in the day of our creation, and therefore is 
 said to be ourselves, even nature itself, i Co. xi. 14. 
 
 2. The principle, say you, by which we act, and 
 in the strength of which we do this law, it is the 
 principle of reason, or a reasonable compliance 
 with this law written in our hearts, and originally 
 dictates of human nature, <fec. which certain prin- 
 ciple, say you, is this, to count it ' most highly 
 becoming all reasonable creatures, to obey God 
 in every thing ; and as much disbecoming them, 
 in any thing to disobey him. ' p. 8. 
 
 The sum is; this your holiness both in root and 
 act is no other than what is common to all the men 
 on earth ; I mean so common as that for the first, 
 is in their nature, as the second is also part of 
 themselves, they being creatures whose prime or 
 principal distinction from other, consisteth more in 
 that they are reasonable, and such as have reason 
 as a thing essential to them; wherefore the excel- 
 lency that you have discoursed of, is none other 
 than the excellency and goodness that is of this 
 world, such as in the first principles of it, is com- 
 mon to Heathens, Pagans, Turks, Infidels: and 
 that as evidently dictates to those that have not 
 heard the gospel (1 mean as to the nature the good 
 and evil) as it doth in them that sit under the sound 
 thereof; and is the self-same which our late un- 
 godly heretics the Quakers have made such a stir 
 to promote and exalt, only in the description thereof 
 s you seem more ingenious than they : for whereas 
 they erroneously call it Christ, the light of Christ, 
 faith, grace, hope, the spirit, the word that is nigh, 
 &c. you give it the names due thereto, viz. A com- 
 plexion or complication and combination of all the 
 virtue of the soul, the human nature, the dictates 
 of it, the principles of reason, such as are self- 
 evident, than which there is nothing mankind doth 
 naturally assent to, p. 6— ll. Only here, as I have 
 said, you glorify your errors also, with names and 
 titles that are not to he found, but in your own 
 deluded brains; as that the virtues of the souls can 
 
 keep themselves incommixed, that there is yet in 
 us the purity of the humane nature, or such a dis- 
 position, that can both by light and power give a 
 man to see, and powerfully incline him to, and bi'ing 
 him under the government of all those good and 
 practical principles, that are made known either 
 by revelation, nature, or the use of reason. 
 
 But I say, these principles thus stated by you, 
 being the principles, and the goodness of this world, 
 and such as have not faith, but the law ; not the 
 Holy Ghost, but humane nature in them ; they can- 
 not be those which you affirm, was or is the de- 
 sign, the great, the only, and ultimate design of 
 Christ, or his gospel to promote, and propagate in 
 the world ; neither with respect to our justification 
 before God from the curse ; neither with respect 
 to the workings of his Spirit, and the faith of 
 Jesus in our hearts, the true gospel or evangelical 
 holiness. 
 
 First, It is not the righteousness that justifieth 
 us before God from the curse ; because it is that 
 which is properly our own ; and acted and managed 
 by principles of our own, arising originally in the 
 roots of it, from our own. There is the righteous- 
 ness of men, and the righteousness of God ; that 
 which is the righteousness of men, is that which 
 we do work from matter and principles of our own; 
 but that which is the righteousness of God, is that 
 which is wrought from matter and principles purely 
 divine, and of the nature of God. Again, that 
 which is our own righteousness, is that which is 
 wrought in and by our own persons as men ; but 
 that which is the righteousness of God, is that 
 which is wrought in and by the second person in 
 the Trinity, as God and man in one person; and 
 that resideth only in that person of the Son. I 
 speak now of the righteousness by which we stand 
 just before God, from the curse of the law. Now 
 this righteousness of ours, our own righteousness, 
 the apostle always opposeth to the righteousness 
 of God, saying, ' They going about to establish 
 their own righteousness, have not submitted them- 
 selves unto the righteousness of God. ' Ko. ix. s. Far- 
 ther, This righteousness of our own, Paul counts 
 loss and dog's-meat, in comparison of that other, 
 far more glorious righteousness, which he calleth 
 as it is in truth, the righteousness of God, vu. m. 
 7—9. which as I said but now, resideth in the per- 
 son of the Son. Therefore (saith Paul) I cast 
 away my own righteousness, and do count it loss, 
 and ' but dung, that I may win Christ, and be 
 found in him, not having mine own righteousness, ' 
 which is of the law, but that which is through the 
 faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God 
 by faith. ' The righteousness therefore, that is our 
 own, that ariseth from matter and principles of 
 our own (such as that which you have described) 
 justifieth us not before God from the curse. 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTKINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 287 
 
 Second, The righteousness that you have de- 
 scribed, justifieth us not, as before, because it is 
 the righteousness which is of the moral law, that 
 is, it is wrought by us, as walking in the law. 
 Now it mattereth not, whether you respect the 
 law in its first principles, or as it is revealed in the 
 table of the ten commandments, they are in nature 
 but one and the same, and their substance and 
 matter is written in our hearts, as we are men. 
 Now this righteousness, the apostle casteth away, 
 as was shewn before ; ' Not having mine own righ- 
 teousness (saith he) which is of the law;' why ? 
 Because the righteousness that saveth us from the 
 wrath of God, is the righteousness of God ; and so 
 a righteousness that is without the law. ' But now 
 the righteousness of God without the law is mani- 
 fested, being witnessed by the law and the pro- 
 phets; even the righteousness of God, which is by 
 faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them 
 that believe : ' Ro. m. 21, 23. The righteousness of 
 God without the law ; the righteousness of Christ 
 who is naturally God ; wherefore such a righteous- 
 ness as was accomplished by him that was Lord, 
 and the very God of the law ; whose nature was 
 infinite, and not that which the law could command 
 or condemn ; neither was the command of the law, 
 the great and principal argument with him, no, not 
 in its first and highest principles, to do or continue 
 to do it ; but even that which the law commanded 
 of us, that he did, not by the law, but by that 
 spii'it of life, that eternal spirit, and Godhead, 
 which was essential to his very being : He did 
 naturally and infinitely that which the law required 
 of us, from higher, and more mighty principles 
 than the law could require of him : for I should 
 reckon it a piece of prodigious blasphemy to say, 
 that the law could command his God; the creature, 
 his Lord and Creator: but this Lord God, Jesus 
 Christ, even he hath accomplished righteousness, 
 even righteousness that is without, that is above, 
 higher, and better than that of the law ; and that 
 is the righteousness that is given to, and put upon 
 all them that believe. Wherefore the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, in his most blessed life, was neither 
 prompted to actions of holiness, nor managed in 
 them, by the purity of humane nature, or those you 
 call first principles of morals, or as he was simply 
 a reasonable creature ; but being the natural Son 
 of God, truly, and essentially, eternal as the Fa- 
 ther; by the eternal Spirit, his Godhead, was his 
 manhood governed, and acted, and spirited to do 
 and suffer. ' He through the eternal Spirit offered 
 himself without spot to God ; ' He. ii. 14. which offer- 
 ing respects not only his act of dying, but also 
 that by which he was capacitated to die without 
 spot in his sight ; which was the infinite dignity, 
 and sinlessness of his person ; and the perfect jus- 
 tice of his actions. Now this person, thus acting, 
 
 is approved of, or justified by the law to be good: 
 for if the righteousness of the law be good, which 
 law is but a creature, the righteousness of the Lord, 
 the God of this law, must needs be much more good; 
 wherefore here is the law, and its perfection swal- 
 lowed up, even as the light of a candle, or star is 
 swallowed up by the light of the sun. Thus then 
 is the believer made, not the righteousness of the 
 law, 'but the righteousness of God in Christ,' 
 2 Co. T. 21. because Christ Jesus, who is the righte- 
 ousness of the Christian, did walk in this world, 
 in, and under the law ; not by legal and humane 
 principles, which are the excellences of men, but 
 in, and by those that are divine, even such as were, 
 and are of his own nature, and the essence of his 
 eternal Godhead. This is the righteousness with- 
 out the law, accomplished by a person and princi- 
 ples, far otherwise, than is he, or those you make 
 description of; and therefore yours cannot be that, 
 by which we stand just before the justice of God 
 without the law. Now if it be a righteousness 
 without the law, then it is a righteousness without 
 men, a righteousness that cannot be found in the 
 world ; for take away the law, the rule, and you 
 take away, not only the righteousness, but that by 
 which men, as men, work righteousness in the 
 world : ' Mine own righteousness which is of the 
 law.' The righteousness then by which a man 
 must stand just in the sight of God from the curse, 
 is not to be found in men, nor in the law, but in 
 him, and him only, who is greater, and also, with- 
 out the law ; for albeit, for our sakes he became 
 under the law, even to the curse and displeasure 
 of God ; yet the principles by which he walked in 
 the world to Godward, they were neither humane, 
 nor legal, but heavenly, and done in the Spirit of 
 the Son. Wherefore it is not the righteousness you 
 have described, by which we stand just before God. 
 Third, The righteousness you have described, can- 
 not be that which justifieth us before God, because 
 of its imperfections, and that both with respect to 
 the principle, and the power with which it is man- 
 aged : for though you have talked of a sound com- 
 plexion of soul, the purity of the hunane nature, 
 and that with this addition of power, as to be able 
 to keep itself incommixt with that which is not of 
 itself; yet we Christians know, and that by the 
 words of God, that there is in man, as man, now 
 no soundness at all, but from the crown of the 
 head, to the sole of the foot, botches and boils, 
 putrefactions and sores. Is. i.e. We are ALL an 
 unclean thing, and our righteousness as filthy 
 ulcerous rags. is. ixiv. 6. ' If there had been a law 
 given which could have given life, verily righteous- 
 ness should have been by the law. ' Ga. iii. si- Could 
 a man perform the law to the liking of the justice 
 of the eternal majesty, then would the law give 
 lif 3 to that man ; but because of the perfection of 
 
i DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF TOSTIFICATION. 
 
 an infinite justice, and the weakness and unprofit- 
 ableness of the law through our flesh, Bo.viii.3, 
 therefore, though you speak yet farther of the ex- 
 cellency of your sound complexion, and of the 
 purity of the human nature, you must fly from 
 yourself, to another righteousness for life, or at 
 the last stick in the jaws of death and everlasting 
 desperation. ' For by the works of the law shall 
 no flesh be justified.' Ga.ii. 16. 
 
 It is therefore no better than error, thus to 
 ascribe to poor man, ' that hath drank iniquity 
 like water,' a soundness of soul, a purity of human 
 nature. Wherefore Jude saith of you, and of all 
 such naturalists, ' That even in the things that 
 you know naturally, as the brute, in them you cor- 
 rupt yourselves,' Jude 10, even in the very principles, 
 the first or original dictates of your nature or hu- 
 manity. There is none that understandeth or is 
 good, therefore there is none that doth good, no 
 not one: that is, none as continuing in a natural 
 state ; none by the power or principles of nature ; 
 for he meaneth here, in your own sense, as men by 
 natural principles have to do with the justice of 
 
 the law. 
 
 Fourth, The righteousness which you have de- 
 scribed cannot be that which justifieth us before God, 
 because it is that which is not of faith. ' The law 
 is not of faith : but, The man that doeth them shall 
 Jive in them. ' Ga. iu. n. The apostle also in the 1 0th 
 chapter of the Romans tells us, that the righteous- 
 ness that is completed by doing the law is one, and 
 another besides the righteousness of faith. For 
 faith in the justification of a sinner from the curse 
 and wrath of God, rcspecteth only the mercy of 
 God, and forgiveness of sins for the sake of Christ. 
 ' God for Christ's sake hath forgiven him, that is 
 enabled to beheve, that is, trust to, and venture 
 the eternal concern of his soul upon the righteous- 
 ness that is no where to be found, but in the per- 
 son of the Son of God." For there is justice more 
 than answerable to all the demands of the law, 
 and equal to the requirements of the eternal jus- 
 tice of God, and he is our justice ; he is made unto 
 us of God, righteousness, or justice ; that is, the 
 righteousness or justice that is in him, is by God 
 accounted the man's that shall accept thereof by 
 faith, that he might be made the justice or righte- 
 ousness of God in him. For the righteousness that 
 saveth a sinner from damnation must be equal to 
 that in the eternal Deity: But where can that be 
 found but in him that is naturally God, as is indeed 
 the Son of the Father ; in him, therefore, and not 
 in the law, there is a righteousness fit for faith to 
 apply to. Besides, the law is not, neither can be, 
 the object of faith to men; for that which is the 
 object of faith (I speak now as to justifying righte- 
 ousness) it must be a righteousness already com- 
 pleted, and as I said, a righteousness to be received 
 
 and accepted, being now perfected and offered and 
 given to us by the kindness and mercy of God; 
 but a man may believe long enough in the law, be- 
 fore that performs for him a perfect righteousness. 
 The law can work nothing unless it be wrath. No 
 thou must work by, and not believe in, the law 
 Bo,iv. Besides, all that cometh out of the mouth 
 of the law is, ' Cursed is every one that contmueth 
 not in all things which are written in the book ot 
 the law to do them,' Ga.iu.io. which no man is 
 capable of doing, so as to escape the curse by 
 doing, that hath once, or first transgressed the 
 same. Wherefore it is a vain thing, yea an hor- 
 rible wickedness in you, thus to abuse the law, and 
 the weakness of man, by suggesting that the only, 
 the ultimate, or grand design of Christ Jesus was, 
 or is, the promoting of a righteousness by the law, 
 that is performed by humane principles m us. 
 
 I could double, yea ten times double the number 
 of these arguments against you, but I will pass 
 from this to the second thing, ' The righteousness 
 you have described, is not the true gospel inward 
 
 holiness.' 
 
 I told you before, that the principles which you 
 have described, are not evangelical principles ; and 
 now I wHl add, that as they are not such in them- 
 selves, so neither do they fetch in, or obtain by 
 our adhering to them, those things which alone 
 can make, or work in the soul, those truly gospel 
 inward acts of holiness. 
 
 [TIdngs essential to inward gospel JwUness.] 
 
 There are three things which are essential to 
 the inward gospel holiness ; of which as your de- 
 scription is utterly destitute, so neither can they 
 by that be obtained, or come into the heart. 1. 
 T/ie Holy Ghost. 2. Faith in Christ. 3. A new 
 heart, and a new spirit. 
 
 Without these three, there is no such thing is 
 
 • Maa, in his first estate, was holy and righteous; and he 
 continued' to he possessed of this righteousness as long ^ he 
 was obedient to his Creator ; hut as soon as he disobeyed the 
 divine command, he lost all his holiness and righteousness at 
 once- he emptied himself of every spark of goodness, and was 
 full of aU manner of vrickedness ; he forfeited all his pnmitive 
 purity, and became a sinful, impure, and unrighteous creature. 
 Hence, all mankind are destitute of original righteousness: 
 there is none of the children of men righteous, 'no not one: 
 there is none that doeth good, no not one,' Kom. iii. 10, M- 
 What then becomes of the purity and dignity of human natnre, 
 so vainly boasted of? or how shall man he righteous before 
 God ? To this last question, we answer with Paul, in the 
 above-quoted chapter, ver. 21, 22, ' Now the righteousness ot 
 God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law 
 and the prophets; even the righteousness of God, which f liy 
 faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon aU them tnat behevc. 
 Without this righteousness, no soul ever was, no soul ever will 
 be, justified before God.— ifaso)j and Rjland. 
 
A DKFENCB OP THE BOCTEINE OF JUSTIl'ICATION. 
 
 289 
 
 gospel holiness in man, as before I have also hinted 
 at. But now as there are none of these three found 
 in your description of inward holiness ; so neither 
 can you, or others, by all your inclinations, either 
 to those you call first principles of natural reason, 
 or the dictates of human nature, obtain or fetch 
 into the soul the least dram of that which is essen- 
 tial, to that which is indeed according to the gos- 
 pel description of inward gospel holiness, as will 
 further be manifest in this that foUoweth. 
 
 1. Tlie Holy Ghost is not obtained by your 
 description, that consisting only in principles of 
 nature, and in putting forth itself in acts of civility 
 and morality. When the apostle would convince 
 the bewitched Galatians, that your doctrine which 
 was also the doctrine of the false apostles, was 
 that, which instead of helping forward, did hinder, 
 and pervert the gospel of Christ ; he applieth him- 
 self to them in this manner. ' This only would I 
 learn of you, Keceived ye the Spirit by the works 
 of the law, or by the hearing of faith ? ' Ga. iii. 2. 
 By the works of the law, that is, by putting of 
 your principles into practice. Nay, may I not add, 
 by putting of your principles into practice, by a 
 more bright and clear rule, than in the beginning 
 of your description is inserted by you ; for the law 
 as written and engraven in stones, with the addi- 
 tion of all the Mosaical precepts, was a more ample, 
 and full discovery of the mind of God, than can be 
 obtained by your virtues of soul, your purity of 
 human nature, or the first principles of morals, as 
 they are written in the heart of man ; and origin- 
 ally dictates of human nature. Ro. iiL i— 3. Yet by 
 these, by following these, by labouring to live up 
 to the light of these, their own experience told 
 them, that they neither could, nor did obtain the 
 enjoyment of the Holy Ghost ; but that rather their 
 now declining the word of faith, by which indeed 
 they receive it at first (whatever pretences of holi- 
 ness, and godliness were the arguments to prevail 
 with them so to do) was in truth none other but 
 the very witchcraft, and enchantments of the 
 devil. 
 
 Farther, The apostle sets this your spirit and 
 principles, and that which indeed is the Spirit of 
 God, in aline diametrically opposite one against an- 
 other ; yea the receiving of the one, opposeth the re- 
 ceiving of the other. ' Now we have received, 
 (saith he) not the spirit of the world,' (that is, 
 your spirit, and principles of humanity) to walk by 
 it, or live in it ; ' but the Spirit which is of God ; 
 that we may know the things that are freely given 
 to us of God. ' 1 Co. ii. 13. But what is the spirit of 
 the world ? He tells us in the verse before, it is 
 the spirit of a man ; which Solomon calls, ' the 
 candle of the Lord ; searching aU the inward parts 
 of the belly,' Pr. xx.37. by human principles, good 
 motions to moral duties, workings of reason, dlc- 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 tates of nature to obey God as Creator. These 
 things flow from the spirit of a man, which is the 
 spirit of all the world. They that preach, or speak 
 by this spirit, they preach or speak of the world, 
 of the virtues of the world ; and the world, ' the 
 whole world heareth them, ' or know in themselves 
 what they say. i Jn, iv, 6. 
 
 Now when this spirit is received, embraced, and 
 followed, as the spirit that is of God, then it must 
 be branded with the mark of the spirit of error, 
 and of antichrist ; because the act in so doing, is 
 most wicked ; yea, and Christ himself is made 
 head against, by it. 
 
 But I say, the Holy Ghost is not obtained by 
 these principles, nor by the pursuit of them. 
 
 2. Faiih is not obtained by the pursuit of your 
 principles, but by hearing of another doctrine ; he 
 that presseth men to look to, and live by the purity 
 of human nature, principles of natural reason, or 
 by the law, as written in the heart, or bible ; he 
 sets the word of faith out of the world ; for these 
 doctrines are as opposite, as the spirits I spake of 
 before ; ' For Moses describeth the righteousness 
 which is of the law. That the man which doeth 
 those things shall live by them.' Now he that 
 receiveth this law, to do, and live by; he hath set 
 up, and is in pursuit of a doctrine of another 
 nature, than that which is called the righteousness 
 of faith; that being such, as for justification, and 
 deliverance from the curse, maketh uo mention at 
 all of hearing the law, or of doing good works ; 
 but of hearing of the mercy of God, as extended to 
 sinners ; and of its coming to us through the death, 
 and resurrection of Christ Jesufe, ' The righteous- 
 ness which is of faith, speaketh on this wise. Say 
 not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven ? 
 (that is, to bring Christ down from above :) or. 
 Who shall descend into the deep ? (that is, to bring 
 up Christ again from the dead). But what saith 
 it ? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, 
 and in thy heart : that is, the word of faith, which 
 we preach ; That if thou shalt confess with thy 
 mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine 
 heart that God hath raised him from the dead, 
 thou shalt be saved. ' Ko. %. 5, 9, This then is the 
 doctrine of faith, or the righteousness with which 
 faith hath to do. Now as old covenant-works are 
 begotten in men by the doctrine of works ; so faith 
 is begotten by the doctrine of faith. Therefore 
 after he had said, 'faith cometh by hearing;' he 
 insinuates it to be the hearing the preaching c-f the 
 gospel of peace (peace by the blood of the cross) 
 and the glad tidings of good things, (vcr. I'l— 17) of 
 good things promised for the sake of the Lord 
 Jesus ; not for the sake of good deeds done of us, 
 by human principles, or the dictates of our nature. 
 
 Faith, Then the second essential, comes into the 
 heart, not by the preaching, or the practice of yoiu' 
 
290 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTEINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 principles ; but by another, a higher, and far more 
 heavenly doctrine. And hence the apostle com- 
 pletely puts the difference betwixt the worker of 
 good works in the spirit of the law, and the be- 
 liever that taketh hold of grace by Christ, that 
 he may be saved thereby. The one he calls 
 ' Them that are of the works of the law ; ' the 
 other, ' They which are of faith. ' Ga. ui. This being 
 done, he tells us, that as they differ in the princi- 
 ples, to wit, of faith and works, so they shall differ 
 in conclusion : ' For the law is not of faith, the 
 promise is only made to faith; therefore, they 
 only that are of faith, are blessed with faithful 
 Abraham.' 
 
 3. The third essential is, a new heart, and a 
 new spirit or mind ; and this also comes not by 
 your principle, that being but the old covenant 
 that gendereth to bondage, and that holds its Ish- 
 maels under the curse for ever: there comes no 
 new heart by the law, nor new spirit. It is by the 
 new covenant, even the gospel, that all things are 
 
 made new. Je. xxxi. 33. Eze. xxxn. He. viii. 8. 2 Co. v. 17—19. 
 
 The apostle, after a large discourse of the two 
 ministrations, and their excellencies, 3 Co. m. tells 
 us that the heart is nothing changed, so long as it 
 abideth in the works of the law, but remaineth 
 blind and ignorant : ' Nevertheless (saith he) when 
 it shall turn (from the law) to the Lord, the vail 
 shall be taken away.' But what is it to turn from 
 the law to the Lord ? Why, even to leave and 
 forsake your spirit and principles, and works from 
 those principles, and fly to the grace and merits; 
 ' the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. ' Now when 
 the heart is turned to Christ, then the vail of Mo- 
 ses is taken off; wherefore then the soul ' with 
 open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the 
 Lord, is changed - from glory to glory, e:ven as 
 by the Spirit of the Lord. ' 2 Co. m. 14, is. 
 
 Ohj. But it seems a paradox to many, that a 
 man should live to the law, that is, devote himself 
 to the works of the ten commandments, the most 
 perfect rule of life ; and yet not be counted one 
 changed, or new. 
 
 Ans. Though it seemeth an untruth, yet it is 
 most true, that by the works of the law, no heart 
 is made new, no man made new. A man from 
 principle of nature and reason, (which principles 
 are of himself, and as old) may give up himself to 
 the goodness of the law : yet these principles are 
 so far off from being new, that they are as old as 
 Adam in Paradise ; and come into the world with 
 all the children of men. To which principles the 
 law, or the first principles of morals, so equally 
 suit, that, as you have said, p. 8. ' they are self- 
 evident, than which there is nothing mankind doth 
 more naturally assent to,' p. 11. Now nature is no 
 new principle, but an old : even our own, and of 
 ourselves. The law is no new principle, but old, 
 
 and one with ourselves (as also you well have caKcd 
 it) ' first written in men's hearts, and originally 
 dictates of human nature.' Let a man then be as 
 devout, as is possible for the law, and the holiness 
 of the law. Yet if the principles from which he 
 acts, be but the habit of sold, the purity (as he 
 feigns) of his own nature ; principles of natural 
 reason, or the dictates of human nature ; all this 
 is nothing else but the old gentleman in his holi- 
 day clothes: the old heart, the old spirit, the 
 spirit of the man, not the spirit of Christ, is here. 
 
 And hence the apostle, when he would shew us 
 a man alive, or made a new man indeed ; as he 
 talketh of the Holy Ghost and faith, so he tells us 
 such are dead to the law, to the law, as a law of 
 works ; to the law as to principles of nature. 
 ' Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become 
 dead to the law (the moral law, and the ceremonial 
 law) by the body of Christ, that ye should be mar- 
 ried to another (another than the law) even to him 
 who is raised from the dead, that we should bring 
 forth fruit unto God. ' Ko. -rii. 4. 
 
 Ye are become dead to the law. Dead to the 
 law ! Why ? That you should be married to an- 
 other. Married to another ! Why ? ' That you 
 should bring forth fruit unto God. ' But doth not 
 a man bring forth fruit unto God, that walketh 
 orderly according to the ten commandments ? No, 
 if he do it before faith make this in the spirit of 
 a man, by the dictates of human nature, respecting 
 the law, as that, by the obeying of which, he must 
 obtain acceptance with God. This is bringing forth 
 fruit imto himself ; for all that he doth, he doth it 
 as a man, as a creature, from principles natural, 
 and of himself, his own, and for none other than 
 himself ; and therefore he serveth in an old spirit, 
 the oldness of the letter, and for himself. But 
 now (that is, ye being dead to the law, and married 
 to Christ) that (the law) being dead ; by which 
 (while in ourselves) we were held; now we are 
 delivered from that law, both as to its curse and 
 impositions, as it stands a law of works in the 
 heart of the world ; we serve in newness of the 
 spirit, ' and not in the oldness of the letter. ' vcr. 6. 
 A man must first then be dead to your principles, 
 both of nature and the law ; if he wiU serve in a 
 new spirit, if he would bring forth fruit unto God.* 
 
 * Great will be the condemDation of all those who profess to 
 know God, but in works deny him ; who are abominable and 
 disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. Tit. i. 16. 
 A great profession, without a suitable life and conversation, 
 will only procure a greater condemnation. Therefore, up, yo 
 sleepy virgins ; up, and be doing ; shew your faith by your 
 works. There is no true religion without good works, attended 
 with a godly wallc and behaviour. There maybe works seemingly 
 good, where there is no true religion. Good works are not the 
 causes, but the fruits and effects of true religion, of justifyins; 
 faith wrought in the sonl by the Holy Ghost ; and where true 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OP JUSTiriCATlON. 
 
 291 
 
 'Wherefore your description of the principle of 
 holiness in man, and ^Iso the principles by which 
 this holiness is put forth by him into righteous 
 acts ; they are such as are altogether void of the 
 true essentials of inward gospel-holiness and righ- 
 teousness, 
 
 [fowler's ASSERTIOlt THAT THE GRAND, THE ONLY 
 AND ULTIMATE DESIGN OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST 
 IS TO RB-PBODUCB MAn's ORIGINAL RIGHTEOUSNESS 
 EXAMINED AND CONFUTED.] 
 
 But there is one thing more in this description, 
 or rather effect thereof, which I shall also inquire 
 into : and that is your saying, ' As it was the 
 errand of Christ to effect our deliverance out of 
 that sinful state we had brought ourselves into : 
 so to put us again into possession of that holiness 
 which we had lost.' p. 13. The proof of this position 
 is now your next business ; that is, if I understand 
 your learning, the remaining part of your book, 
 which consisteth of well nigh 300 pages, is spent 
 for proof thereof ; which I doubt not but effectually 
 to confute with less than 300 lines. Only first by 
 the way, I would have my reader to take notice 
 that in this last clause, (to put us again into pos- 
 session of that holiness which we had lost) is the 
 sum of all this large description of his holiness in 
 the foregoing pages ; that is, the holiness and 
 righteousness that Mr. Fowler hath been describ- 
 ing ; and adds, that Christ's whole business when 
 he came into the world was, as to effect our deli- 
 verance from sin ; ' so to put us again in possession 
 of that holiness which we had lost. ' The holiness 
 therefore that here he contendeth for, is that, and 
 only that which was in Adam before the fall, which 
 he lost by transgression ; and we by transgressing 
 in him. A little therefore to inquire into this, if 
 perhaps his reader and mine may come to a right 
 understanding of things. 
 
 Firsi, then, Adam before the fall, even in his 
 best and most sinless state, was but a pure natural 
 man, consisting of body and soul ; these, to use 
 your own terms, were his pure essentials: p. ii. in 
 this man's heart, God also did write the law; that 
 is, as you term them, the first principles of morals, 
 p. 8. This then was the state of Adam, he was a 
 pure natural man ; made by God sinless ; all the 
 faculties of his soul and members of his body were 
 clean. ' God made man upright. ' Ec. vii. 29. But 
 he made him not then a spiritual man ; ' the first 
 Adam was made a Hving soul,' ' howbeit that was 
 not first which is spiritual; but that which is 
 
 rdigion is, good works, of every divine kind and quality, %vill 
 naturally follow, to the glory and praise of that grace which 
 alone brings salvation to miserable ruined sinners. — Maaon 
 
 natural, and afterward that which is spiritual : 
 The first man is of the earth, earthy.' i Co. xv. 45— 
 47. A living soul he was ; yet but a natural man, 
 even in his first and best estate ; but earthly, when 
 compared with Christ, or with them that believe 
 in Christ. So then, the holiness of Adam in his 
 best estate, even that which he lost, and we in 
 him, it was none other, than that which was natural, 
 even the sinless state of a natural man. This 
 holiness then was not of the nature of that, which 
 hath for its root the Holy Ghost ; for of that we 
 read not at all in him, he only was indued with a 
 living soul ; his holiness then could not be gospel, 
 nor that which is a branch of the second covenant; 
 his acts of righteousness, were not by the opera- 
 tions of the Spirit of grace, but the dictates of the 
 law in his o^vn natural heart. But the apostle 
 when he treateth of the christian inherent holiness; 
 first excluding that in Adam, as earthly; he tells 
 us, it is such as is in Christ : ' As is the earthy, 
 such are they that are earthy ; and as is the hea- 
 venly, such are they that are heavenly. ' Let then 
 those that are the sons of Adam, in the state of 
 nature as he, though not so pure, and spotless as 
 he, be reckoned to bear his image and similitude : 
 but let them that are the children of Christ, though 
 not so pure as he, bear the image and similitude 
 of Christ : ' for they are conformable to the image 
 of the Son of God.' Ro. yiii 29. The holiness there- 
 fore that was in Adam, being but that which was 
 natural, earthly, and not of the Holy Ghost, cannot 
 be that which Christ came into the world to give 
 us possession of. 
 
 Second, Adam in his best, and most sinless state, 
 was but a type or figure : ' The figure of him that 
 was to come. ' Eo. v. 14. A type in what ? A type 
 or figure doubtless, in his sinless and holy estate, 
 a type and figure of the holiness of Christ : But 
 if Christ should come from heaven, to put us in 
 possession of this sinless holiness that was in Adam, 
 or that we lost in him : to what more would his 
 work amount, than to put us into the possession 
 of a natural, figurative, shadowish righteousness 
 or holiness. But this he never intended; therefore 
 it is not the possessing of his people with that 
 holiness, that was the great errand Christ came 
 into the world upon. 
 
 Third, The holiness and righteousness that was 
 in, and that we lost by, Adam before the fall; was 
 such as stood in, and was to be managed by his 
 natural perfect compliance with a covenant of 
 works. For, 'Do this sin and die,' were the terms 
 that was from God to Adam. But Christ at his 
 coming brings in another, a better, a blessed cove- 
 nant of grace; and hkewise possesseth his children, 
 with the holiness, and privileges of that covenant ; 
 not with Adam's heart nor Adam's mind ; but a 
 new heart, a new spirit, a new principle to act 
 
293 
 
 A DEFENCE OP THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 by, and walk in a new covenant. Therefore the 
 holiness that was in Adam hefore, or that we lost 
 in him by the fall, could not be the holiness that 
 Christ at his coming made it his great or only 
 business to put us in possession of. 
 
 Fourth, The holiness that was in Adam before, 
 and that we lost in him by the fall, was such as 
 might stand with perfect ignorance of the media- 
 tion of Jesus Christ: for Christ was not made 
 known to Adam as a Saviour, before that Adam 
 was a sinner; neither needed he at all to know 
 him to be his Mediator, before he knew he had 
 offended. Ge. iii. But Christ did not come into the 
 world to establish us in, or give us possession of 
 such holiness as might stand with perfect ignor- 
 ance of his Mediatorship. No ; the holiness that 
 we believers have, and the righteous acts that we 
 fulfil, they come to us, and are done by us, through 
 the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, and of his being 
 the Messias promised. Ep. iv. 21, S2. 3 Pe. i. 3. 
 
 Fifth, The holiness that was in Adam, was 
 neither given him through the promise, neither 
 encouraged by the promise. Adam had no pro- 
 mise to possess him with a principle of holiness ; 
 it came to him by creation ; neither had he any 
 promise to strengthen or encourage him in holiness. 
 AU he had was instructions concerning his duty, 
 and death threatened if he did it not. Ge. ii. 15— 17. 
 But Christ came not to give us possession of an 
 holiness or righteousness, that came to us by our 
 creation, without a promise ; and that hath no pro- 
 mise to encourage us to continue therein ; but of 
 an holiness that comes to us by the best of pro- 
 mises, and that we are encouraged to by the best 
 of promises. Therefore it was not his great errand 
 when he came from heaven to earth, to put us in 
 possession of that promiseless holiness that Adam 
 had before, and that was lost in him by the fall. 
 
 LaUly, In a word ; the holiness that Adam had 
 before, and that we lost in him by the fall ; it was 
 a natural shadowish old covenant, promiseless holi- 
 ness; such as stood and might be walked in, while 
 he stood perfectly ignorant of the Mediator Christ. 
 Wherefore it is rather the design of your Apollo 
 the devil,* whom in p. 101. you bring forth to ap- 
 plaud your righteousness; I say, it is rather his 
 design than Christ's, to put men upon an endea- 
 vour after a possession of that : for that which is 
 truly evangelical, is the spiritual, substantial, new 
 covenant promised holiness ; that which cometh 
 to us by, and standeth in the Spirit, faith and 
 knowledge of the Son of God, not that which we 
 lost in Adam. Wherefore the song which there 
 you learnt of the devil, is true, in the sense he 
 made it, and in the sense for which you bring it ; 
 which is, to beget in men, the highest esteem of 
 
 * Ilierocks, the Greek philosopher. 
 
 their own human nature ; and to set up this natu- 
 ral, shadowish, promiseless, ignorant holiness, in 
 opposition to that which is truly Christ's. 
 
 To dwell in heaven doth not more please him, than 
 Within the souls of pious mortal men. , 
 
 This is the song ; but you find it not in Mat- 
 thew, Mark, Luke, or John, but among the hea- 
 thens who were his disciples, and who were wont 
 to inquire at his mouth, and learn of him. 
 
 Thus have I razed the foundation of your book, 
 even by overthrowing the holiness, and righteous- 
 ness, which by you is set up, as that which is the 
 only true gospel, and evangelical. Wherefore it 
 remaineth, that the rest of your book, viz. what- 
 ever therein is brought, and urged for the proof 
 of this your description of holiness, &c. it is but 
 the abuse of Christ, of scripture, and reason ; it is 
 but a wresting and corrupting the word of God, 
 both tqyour own destruction, and them that believe 
 you. 
 
 [Fowler's insidious errors roiUed.'\ 
 
 But to pass this, and to come to some other 
 passages in your book ; and first to that in p. 5. 
 where you say, 
 
 ' The holiness, which is the design of the religion 
 of Christ Jesus, - is not such as is subjected in 
 any thing without us, or is made ours by a mere 
 external application,' <fec. 
 
 Answ. 1. These words secretly smite at the 
 justification that comes by the imputation of that 
 most glorious righteousness that alone resideth in 
 the person of the Lord Jesus ; and that is made 
 ours by an act of eternal grace, we resting upon it 
 by the faith of Jesus. 
 
 2. But if the holiness of which you speak, be 
 not subjected in any thing without us ; then it is 
 not of all that fulness which it pleased the Father 
 should dwell in Christ : for the holiness and righte- 
 ousness, even the inward holiness that is in saints, 
 it is none other than that which dwelleth in the 
 person of the Son of God in heaven : neither doth 
 any man partake of, or enjoy the least measure 
 thereof, but as he is united by faith to this Son of 
 God, the thing is as true in him as in us ; in him 
 as the head, and without measure ; 1 Jn. u. 8. and is 
 originally seated in him, not in us. ' Of his ful- 
 ness have all we (saints) received, and grace for 
 grace. ' Jn. i. I6. Wherefore the holiness that hath 
 its original from us, from the purity of the human 
 nature (which is the thing you aim at) and that 
 originally, as you term it, is the dictates thereof, 
 is the religion of the Socinians, Quakers,* <Ssc., 
 and not the religion of Jesus Christ. 
 
 ♦ Bunyan must have formed his opinions of the Quakers 
 from some persons who passed as such. No form either of 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 293 
 
 And now I will come to your indifferent things, 
 viz., those which you call 'positive precepts;' 
 things, say you, ' of an indifferent nature ; and 
 absolutely considered, are neither good, nor evil ; — 
 but are capable of becoming so ; only by reason of 
 certain circumstances : ' of these positive indifferent 
 precepts, you say, you know but three in the 
 gospel; but three, that are purely so, viz., 'That 
 of going to God by Christ, and the institutions of 
 baptism, and the Lord's Supper.' This we have 
 
 in p 7 and 9. 
 
 Answ. These words, as I hinted before, are highly 
 derogatory to the Lord, the King of glory ; and 
 trample as much upon the blood of the Son of 
 God, as words can likely do. For, 
 
 1. If going to God by Christ, be in itself but an 
 indifferent thing, then, as I also hinted before, it 
 is not of the substance of Christianity ; but a man 
 may be truly a Christian without it ; may be saved, 
 and go to heaven without it ; this is in truth the 
 consequence of your words : for things purely of an 
 indifferent nature, do not in themselves either make 
 or mar the righteousness that justifieth us from 
 the curse before God. Wherefore, by your argu- 
 ment, if a man remain ignorant of that positive 
 precept, of 'coming to God by Christ;' he 
 remaineth ignorant but of an indifferent thing, a 
 thing that in itself is neither good nor evil, and 
 therefore not essentially material to his faith or 
 justifying righteousness. 
 
 2. An indifferent thing in itself is next to nothing, 
 neither good nor evil then, but a thing betwixt them 
 both. 
 
 Then is the blood of the Lord Jesus, in itself, 
 of no value at all ; nor faith in him, of itself, any 
 more than a thing of nought ; their virtue and 
 goodness onlydependeth upon certain circumstances 
 that make them so. For the indifferency of the 
 thing lieth not simply in coming to God, but in 
 coming to him by Christ: coming otherwise to 
 God, even in this man's eyes, being the all in all; 
 but in this coming, in coming to him by Christ, 
 there lieth the indifferency. I marvel what injury 
 the Lord Jesus hath done this man, that he should 
 have such indifferent thoughts of coming to God 
 by him ? 
 
 But hath he no better thoughts of his own good 
 deeds, which are by the law ? Yes, doubtless, for 
 those (saith he) 'are of an indispensable, and eternal 
 obligation, which were first written in men's hearts, 
 and originally dictates of human nature, ' p. s. ' Mark, 
 not a dictate of human nature, or necessary con- 
 clusion or deduction from it, is of an indifferent, 
 but of an indispensable ; not of a transient, but of 
 
 doctrine or discipline had appeared in 1672. As soon as their 
 tenets were published, they professed, as they do to this day, 
 entire dependence upon Jesus Christ for holiness. — Ed. 
 
 an eternal obligation. It is only going to God by 
 Christ, and two other things that he findeth in the 
 gospel, that of themselves are of an indifferent 
 nature. 
 
 But how indifferent ? Even as indifferent in itself 
 as the blood of a silly sheep, or the ashes of an 
 heifer ; for these are his very words. ' Such (that 
 is, such ordinances as in themselves are of an in- 
 different nature) were all the injunctions and pro- 
 hibitions of the ceremonial law ; and some few such 
 we have under the gospel,' p. 7. Then, in p. 9. he 
 tells you what these positive precepts under the 
 gospel, or things indifferent, are : ' Tuat of going 
 to God by Christ, is one ; and the other two, are 
 the institutions of baptism, and the Lord's supper.' 
 Such therefore as were the ceremonies of the law, 
 such, even such, saith he, is that of going to God 
 by Christ, <fec. 
 
 Wherefore, he that shall lay no more stress upon 
 the Lord Jesus to come to God by, than this man 
 doth, would lay as much, were the old ceremonies 
 in force, upon a siUy sheep, as upon the Christ of 
 God. For these are all alike positive precepts, 
 such as were the ceremonies of the law, things in 
 themselves neither good nor evil, but absolutely 
 considered of an indifferent nature. 
 
 So that to come to God by Christ, is reckoned, 
 of itself, by him, a thing of a very indifferent 
 nature, and therefore this man cannot do it, but 
 with a very indifferent heart ; his great, and most 
 substantial coming to God, must needs be by some 
 other way. Jn. x. i. But why should this thief love 
 thus to clamber, and seek to go to God by other 
 means ; such which he reckoneth of a more indis- 
 pensable nature, and eternal ; seeing Christ only, 
 as indifferent as he is, is the only way to the 
 Father. ' I am the way, (saith he) the truth and 
 the life ; no man cometh to the Father but by me.' 
 If he be the only way, then there is none other ; 
 if he be thus the truth, then is all other the lie ; 
 and if he be here the life, then is all other the 
 death; let him call them indispensable and eternal 
 never so often. 
 
 So then, how far off this man's doctrine is, of 
 sinning against the Holy Ghost, let him that is 
 wise consider it. For if coming to God by Christ, 
 be in itself but a thing indifferent, and only made 
 a duty upon the account of certain circumstances ; 
 then, to come to God by Christ, is a duty incum- 
 bent upon us only by reason of certain circum- 
 stances ; not that the thing in itself is good, or 
 that the nature of sin, and the justice of God, 
 layeth a necessity on us so to do. But what be 
 these certain circumstances ? For it is because of 
 these, if you will believe him, that God the Father, 
 yea, the whole Trinity, did consult in eternity, and 
 consent, that Christ should be the way to life : 
 now, I say, it is partly because by him was the 
 
294 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATIOX. 
 
 greatest safety, he bsiag naturally the justice, 
 wisdom, and power of God ; and partly, because it 
 would, we having sinned, be utterly impossible we 
 should come to God by other means and live. He 
 that will caU these circumstances, that is, things 
 over and above besides the substaiitials of the 
 gospel, will but discover his unbelief and ignor- 
 ance, &c. 
 
 As for your saying, that Calvin, Peter jjlartyr, 
 Musculus, Zanchy,* and others, did not question, 
 but that God could have pardoned sin, without any 
 other satisfaction, than the repentance of the sin- 
 ner, p. 84 It matters nothing to me, I have neither 
 made my creed out of them, nor other, than the 
 holy scriptures of God. 
 
 But if Christ was from before all worlds ordained 
 to be the Saviour, then was he from all eternity so 
 appointed and prepared to be. And if God be, as 
 you say, infinitely, p. 136. and I will add, eternally 
 just ; how can he pardon without he be presented 
 with that satisfaction for sin, that to all points of 
 the highest perfection doth answer the demands of 
 this infinite, and eternal justice ? Unless you will 
 say, that the repentance of a sinner is sufficient to 
 answer whatever could be justly demanded as a 
 satisfaction thereto ; which if you should, you 
 would in consequence say, that man is, or may be 
 in himself, just, that is, equal with God ; or that 
 the sin of man was not a transgression of the law 
 that was given, and a procurer of the punishment 
 that is threatened, by that eternal God that gave 
 it. (But let me give you a caution, take heed 
 that you belie not these men) Christ cries, ' If it 
 be possible let this cup pass from me.' Mat. xxvi. 39. 
 If what be possible ? Why, that sinners should be 
 saved without his blood. He. ix. 22. Lu. x\w. 26. Ac. xrii. 3. 
 'Ought not Christ to have suffered?' 'Christ 
 must needs have suffered,' not because of some 
 certain circumstances, but because the eternal 
 justice of God, could not consent to the salvation 
 of the sinner, without a satisfaction for the sin 
 committed.! Of which, more in the next, if you 
 shall think good to reply. 
 
 * Mr. Fowler gives no reference to any of the works of 
 these learned divines, nor could he 1 1 He traduces these great 
 reformers and the doctrines of his own church, and yet was 
 soon after made a bishop 1 1 1 — Ed. 
 
 t The saints of God experience a mystery of iniquity, a hor- 
 rible depth of corruption in their own hearts, and groan under 
 the plague and bui-den of it. If we rightly know ourselves, 
 and behold our vileness, filthiuess, and exceeding sinfulness, in 
 their true colours, we shall be obliged to own that we are very 
 wicked, unholy, ungodly, abominable; and that a principle 
 and inclination to evil is so prevalent in the best of us, that 
 were God to leave us to ourselves, we shoidd greedily commit 
 the most heinous sins. These truly humbled persons, and 
 these alone, are made sensible of the want of the application 
 of the precious atoning blood of Christ to cleanse them from 
 the pollution of sin, and of the sanctif)'ing grace of the Spii-it 
 
 Now, that my reader may see that I have no 
 abused you in this reply to your sayings, I wil 
 repeat your words at large, and leave them upoi 
 you to answer it. 
 
 You say, • Actions may become duties or sini 
 ' these two ways ; first, as they are compliances 
 ' with, or transgressions of, divine positiveprecepts; 
 ' These are the declarations of the arbitrary will of 
 ' God, whereby he restrams our liberty, for greai 
 ' and wise reasons, in things that are of an indifferenl 
 ' nature, and absolutely considered are neither gooii 
 ' nor evil ; and so makes things not good in them- 
 ' selves (and capable of becoming so only by reasoi: 
 ' of certain circumstances) duties, and things not 
 ' evil in themselves, sins. Such were all the in- 
 ' junctions and prohibitions of the ceremonial law, 
 ' and some few such we have under the gospel, ' p 7 
 Then p. 9. you tell us, that ' the reasons of the 
 ' positive laws (that is, concerning things in them- 
 ' selves indifferent) contained in the gospel are de- 
 ' dared ; of which (say you) I know not above 
 ' three that are purely so, viz. That of going to God 
 ' by Christ, and the institutions of baptism, and 
 ' the Lord's Supper.' 
 
 Here now let the reader note. That the positive 
 precepts, declarations of the arbitrary will of God, 
 in things of an indifferent nature, being such, as 
 absolutely considered, are neither good nor evil; 
 some few such, say you, we have under the gospel, 
 namely, that of coming to God by Christ, <fcc. I 
 am the more punctual in this thing, because you 
 have confounded your weak reader with a crooked 
 parenthesis in the midst of the paragraph, and also 
 by deferring to spit your intended venom at Christ, 
 till again you had puzzled him, with your mathe- 
 matics and metaphysics, (kc, putting in another 
 page, betwixt the beginning and the end of your 
 blasphemy. 
 
 Indeed, in the seventh chapter of your book, 
 you make a great noise of the effects and conse- 
 quences of the death of Christ, as that it was a 
 sacrifice for sin, an expiatory, and propitiatory 
 sacrifice, p. 83. Yet, he that well shall weigh you, 
 and compare you with yourself, shall find that words 
 and sense, with you are two things ; and also, that 
 you have learned of your brethren of old, to dis- 
 semble with words, that thereby your own heart- 
 errors, and the snake that lieth in your bosom, 
 may yet there abide the more undiscovered. For 
 in the conclusion of that very chapter, even in and 
 by a word or two, you take away that glory, that 
 of right belongeth to the death and blood of Cb-ist, 
 and lay it upon other things. 
 
 For you say, 'The scriptures that frequently 
 affirm, that the end of Christ's death was the for- 
 
 to deliver them from the dominion and tyranny of li.—Mcum 
 and Hjland. 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 295 
 
 giveness of our sins, and the reconciling of us to 
 his Father, we are not so to understand, [those 
 places where this is expressed] as if these hlessings 
 were ahsolutelj therehy procured for us any other- 
 wise, than upon condition of our effectual believing. ' 
 
 p. 91. 
 
 I answer, By the des^th of Christ was the for- 
 giveness of sins effectually obtained for all that 
 shall be saved, and they, even while yet enemies, 
 by that were reconciled unto God. So that, as to for- 
 giveness from God, it is purely upon the account 
 of grace in Christ ; ' We are justified by his blood, 
 we are reconciled to God by the death of his Son. ' 
 Ro. V. 9, 10. Yea peace is made by the blood of his 
 cross, Co. L 20. and God for Christ's sake hath for- 
 given us. Ep. iv. 32. So then, our effectual beUeving 
 is not a procuring cause in the sight of God, or a 
 condition of ours foreseen by God, and the motive 
 that prevaileth with him to forgive us our manifold 
 transgressions : Believing being rather that which 
 makes application of that forgiveness, and that pos- 
 sesseth the soul with that peace that already is made 
 for us with God, by the blood of his Son Christ Jesus; 
 ' Being justified by faith, we have peace with God 
 through our Lord Jesus Christ. ' Eo. v. i. The peace 
 and comfort of it cometh not to the soul, but by 
 believing. Yet the work is finished, pardon pro- 
 cured, justice being satisfied already, or before, by 
 the precious blood of Christ. 
 
 Observe, I am commanded to believe, but what 
 should I believe ? Or what should he the object 
 of my faith in the matter of my justification with 
 God ? Why, I am to believe in Christ, I am to 
 have faith in his blood ? But what is it to believe 
 in Christ ? and what to have faith in his blood ? 
 Verily, To believe that while we were yet sinners 
 Christ died for us, that even then, when we were 
 enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death 
 of his Son : To believe that there is a righteous- 
 ness already for us completed. 
 
 I had as good give you the apostle's argument 
 and conclusion in his own language. ' But God 
 commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we 
 were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more 
 then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be 
 saved from wrath through him. ' Ko. v. 8, 9. And 
 note that this word now respects the same time 
 Tilth YET that went before. ' For if, when we were- 
 enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death 
 of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall 
 be saved by his life,' or intercession. Ho. v. lo. 
 
 Believing then, as to the business of my deliver- 
 ance from the curse before God, is an accepting of, 
 1 Ti. i. 15. a tnisting to, Ep. i. 12, 13. or a receiving, 
 Jn. i. 12. the benefit that Christ hath already 
 obtained for me ; by which act of faith, I see my 
 interest in that peace that is made before with 
 God by the blood of his cross: For if peace be 
 
 made already by his blood, then is the curse taken 
 away from his sight ; if the curse be taken away 
 from his sight, then there is no sin with the curso 
 of it to be charged from God by the law, for so 
 long as sin is charged by the law, with the curse 
 thereto belonging, the curse, and so the wrath of 
 God remaineth. 
 
 ' But (say you) Christ died to put us into a 
 capacity of pardon,' p. oi. 
 
 Ans. True ; but that is not all. He died to put 
 us into the personal possession of pardon : Yea, to 
 put us into a personal possession of it, and that 
 before we know it. 
 
 ' But (say you) the actual removing of our guilt 
 is not the necessary and immediate result of his 
 death,' p. 9i. 
 
 Ans. Yea, but it is from before the face of God, 
 and from the judgment and curse of the law ; for 
 before God the guilt is taken away, by the death 
 and blood of his Son, immediately, for all them 
 that shall be saved ; else how can it be said we 
 are justified by his blood ; he hath made peace by 
 his blood. ' He loved us, and washed us from our 
 sins in his own blood,' Re. i. 6. and that v>'e are 
 reconciled to God by the death of his Son ; which 
 can by no means be ; if, notwithstanding his death 
 and blood, sin in the gudt, and consequently the 
 curse that is due thereto, should yet remain in the 
 sight of God. But what saith the apostle ? ' God 
 was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, 
 not imputing their trespasses unto them. ' 2 Co. t. 19. 
 Those that are but reconciling, are not yet recon- 
 ciled : I mean, as Paul, not yet come aright over 
 in their own souls by faith ; yet to these he im- 
 puteth not their trespasses : Wherefore ? because 
 they have none ; or because he forgiveth them as 
 they believe and work; Neither of both; but 
 because he hath first made his Son to be sin for 
 them, and laid aU the gudt and curse of their sin 
 upon him, that they might be made the righteous- 
 ness of God in him. Therefore even because by 
 him their sin and curse is taken off, from before 
 the law of God ; therefore, God for the sake of 
 Christ, seeketh for, and beseecheth the sinner to 
 be reconciled ; that is, to believe in, and embrace 
 his majesty. 
 
 ' No (say you) the actual removing of our guilt, 
 is not the necessary and immediate result of his 
 death; but suspended until such time as the fore- 
 mentioned conditions, by the help of his grace, are 
 performed by us, ' p. 93. 
 
 Ans. I. Then may a man have the grace of 
 God within him ; yea, the grace and mercy of the 
 new covenant, viz. Faith, and the hke, that yet 
 remaineth under the curse of the law ; and so hath 
 yet his sins untaken away from before the face of 
 God ; for where the curse is only suspended, it 
 may stand there notwithstanding, in force against 
 
296 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTKINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 tlie soul. Now, let tte soul stand accursed, and 
 his duties must stand accursed : For first the per- 
 son, and then the ofiering must be accepted of 
 God. God accepted not the works of Cain, be- 
 cause he had not accepted his person. Ge. iv. 5. But 
 having first accepted Abel's person, he therefore 
 did accept his offering. He. \i. i. And hence it is 
 said, that Abel offered by faith : He believed that 
 his person was accepted of God, for the sake of 
 the promised Messias, and therefore believed also 
 that his offering should be accepted. 
 
 2. Faith, as it respecteth justification in the 
 sight of God, must know nothing to rest upon but 
 the mercy of God, through Christ's blood: But if 
 the curse be not taken away, mercy also hangeth 
 in suspense ; yea, lieth as drowned, and hid in 
 the bottom of the sea. This doctrine then of 
 your's overthroweth faith, and rusheth* the soul 
 into the works of the law, the moral law ; and so 
 quite involveth it in the fear of the wrath of God, 
 maketh the soul forget Christ, taketh from it the 
 object of faith ; and if a miracle of mercy prevent 
 not, the soul must die in everlasting desperation. 
 
 ' But (say you) it is suspended till such time as 
 the forementioned conditions, by the help of his 
 grace, are performed by us,' p 92. 
 
 Am. Had you said the manifestation of it is 
 kept from us, it might, with some allowance, have 
 been admitted ; but yet the revelation of it in the 
 word, which in some sense may be called a mani- 
 festation thereof, is first discovered to us by the 
 word ; yea, is seen by us, and also believed as a 
 truth recorded ; before the enjoyment thereof be 
 with comfort in our own souls, l Jn. v. ll. 
 
 But you proceed and say, ' Therefore was the 
 death of Christ designed to procure our justifica- 
 tion from aU sins past, that we might be by this 
 means provoked to become new creatures, ' p. 93. 
 
 Ans. That the death of Christ is a mighty 
 argument to persuade with the believer, to devote 
 himself to God in Christ, in all things, as becometh 
 one that hath received grace and redemption by 
 his blood, is true ; but that it is in our power, as 
 is here insinuated, to become new creatures, is as 
 untrue. The new creature, is of God ; yea, imme- 
 diately of God ; man being as incapable to make 
 himself anew, as a child to beget himself. 2 Co. v. 
 17, 18. Neither is our conformity to the revealed 
 will of God, any thing else, if it be right, than the 
 fruit and effect of that. All things are already, 
 or before, become new in the Christian man. But 
 to return : 
 
 After all the flourish you have made about the 
 death of Christ, even as he is an expiatory, and 
 
 * ' Eusheth the soul.' To rush is a neuter verb, here used 
 in an active sense; — 'precipitateth' gives the correct idea. 
 —Ed. 
 
 propitiatory sacrifice ; in conclusion, you teimiuato 
 the business far short of that for which it was 
 intended of God : for you almost make the effects 
 thereof but a bare suspension of present justice 
 and death for sin ; or that which hath delivered 
 us at present from a necessity of dying, that we 
 might live unto God ; that is, according as you 
 have stated it. ' That we might from principles 
 ' of humanity and reason, act towards the first 
 ' principles of morals, &e. till we put ourselves 
 ' into a capacity of personal and actual pardon. 
 
 Ans. The sum of your doctrine therefore is, 
 that Christ by his death only holds the point of 
 the sword of justice, not that he received it into his 
 own soul; that he suspends the curse from us, not 
 that himself was made a curse for us, that the 
 guilt might be remitted by our virtues ; not that 
 he was made to be our sin : But Paul and the 
 New Testament, giveth us account far otherwise ; 
 viz. ' That Christ was made our sin, our curse, 
 and death, that we by him (not by the principle 
 of pure humanity, or our obedience to your first 
 principles of morals, <kc.) should be set free from 
 the law of sin and death.' 3 Co. v. Si. Ga. iii 13. 
 
 If any object that Christ hath designed the 
 purifying our hearts and natures ; I answer, 
 
 But he hath not designed to promote, or to 
 perfect that righteousness that is founded on, and 
 floweth from, the purity of our human nature ; for 
 then he must design the setting up man's righte- 
 ousness, that which is of the law : and then he 
 must design also the setting up of that which is 
 directly in opposition, both to the righteousness, 
 that of God is designed to justify us ; and that by 
 which we are inwardly made holy. As I have 
 shewed before. 
 
 You have therefore. Sir, in all that you have 
 yet asserted, shewed no other wisdom than a 
 heathen, or of one that is short, even of a novice 
 in the gospel. 
 
 In the next place, I might trace you chapter 
 by chapter ; and at large refute, not only the whole 
 design of your book by a particular replication to 
 them ; but also sundry and damnable errors, that 
 like venom drop from your pen. 
 
 But as before I told you in general, so here I 
 tell you again. That neither the scriptures of God, 
 the promise, or threatenings, the life, or death, 
 resurrection, ascension, or coming again of Christ 
 to judgment ; hath the least syllable or tendency 
 in them to set up your heathenish and pagan 
 holiness or righteousness ; wherefore your whole 
 discourse is but a mere abuse of, and corrupting 
 the holy scriptures, for the fastening, if it might 
 have been, your errors upon the godly. I conclude 
 then upon the whole, that the gospel hath cast out 
 man's righteousness to the dogs; and conclude 
 that there is no such thing as a purit/ of human 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 297 
 
 nature, as a principle in us, thereby to work righ- 
 teousness withal. Farther, It never thought of 
 returning us again to the holiness we lost in Adam, 
 or to make our perfection to consist in the posses- 
 sion of so natural, and ignorant* a principle as 
 that is, in all the things of the holy gospel ; but 
 hath declared another and far better way, which 
 you can by no means xmderstand by aU the dic- 
 tates of your humanity. 
 
 I will therefore content myself at present with 
 gathering up some few errors, out of those abun- 
 dance which are in your book ; and so leave you 
 to God, who can either pardon these grievous 
 errors, or damn you for your pride and blasphemies. 
 
 [Fowler'' s false quotations of sci-ipture.] 
 
 You pretend in the beginning of your second 
 chapter, to prove your assertion, viz. ' That the 
 great) errand that Christ came upon, was to put us 
 again into possession of that holiness which we 
 had lost.' p. 13. For proof whereof you bring John 
 the Baptist's doctrine. Mat. m. 1,2. and the angel's 
 saying to Zacharias, Lii.i.l6,l7. and the prophet 
 Malachi, ui. 1, 2, 3. in which texts there is as much 
 for your purpose, and no more, than there is in a 
 perfect blank ; for which of them speak a word of 
 the righteousness or holiness which we have lost ? 
 Or where is it said, either by these mentioned, or 
 by the whole scripture, that we are to be restored 
 to, and put again into possession of that holiness ? 
 These are but the dictates of your human nature. 
 
 John's ministry was, ' To make ready a people 
 prepared for the Lord Jesus ;' not to possess them 
 with themselves and their own, but now lost, holi- 
 ness. And so the angel told his father, saying, 
 ' Many of the children of Israel shall he turn to 
 the Lord their God:' Not to Adam's innocency, 
 or to the holiness that we lost by him. Neither 
 did the prophet Malachi prophesy that Christ at 
 his coming should put men again in possession of 
 the holiness we had lost. And I say again, as 
 you here fall short of your purpose, so I challenge 
 you to produce but one piece of a text, that in the 
 least looketh to such a thing. The whole tenor 
 of the scripture, that speaks of the errand of 
 Christ Jesus, tells us another lesson, to wit. That 
 he himself came to save us, and that by his oiim 
 righteousness ; not that in Adam, or which we 
 have lost in him, unless you can say and prove 
 that we had once, even before we were converted, 
 the holiness of Christ within us, or the righteous- 
 ness of Christ upon us. 
 
 But you yet get on, and tell us, ' That this was 
 also the prophesy of the angel to Joseph ( p. u. ) 
 
 * ' So natural, and ignorant,' in distinction from that spiri- 
 tual wisdom wbicli is immortal and illuminating. — En. 
 VOL. II. 
 
 in these words he (Jesus) shall save his people 
 from their sins.' ' Not (say you) from the pun- 
 ishment of them, although that be a true sense too; 
 but not the primary, but secondary, and implied 
 only, and the consequence of the former salva- 
 tion,' p. 16. 
 
 Arts. Thus Penn the quaker and you run in this, 
 in one and the self same spirit ; he affirming that 
 sanctification is antecedent to justification, but not 
 tlie consequence thereof. 
 
 2. But what salvation ? Why salvation ? say you: 
 First from the filth ; for that is the primary and 
 first sense : justification from the guilt, being the 
 never-failing consequence of this. But how then 
 must Jesus Christ, first save us from the filth? 
 You add in p. 16, ' That he shall bring in, instead 
 of the ceremonial observations, a far more noble, 
 viz.. An inward substantial righteousness: and by 
 abrogating that (namely of the ceremonies) he shall 
 establish only this inward righteousness. ' This is, 
 that holiness, or righteousness you tell us of, in the 
 end of the chapter going before, that you acknow- 
 ledge we had lost ; so that the sum of all that you 
 have said, is. That the way that Christ will take to 
 save his people from their sins, is, first to restore 
 unto them, and give them possession of, the righ- 
 teousness that they had lost in Adam : and having 
 established this in them, he would acquit them also 
 of guilt. But that this is a shameless error, and 
 blasphemy, is apparent, from which hath already 
 been asserted of the nature of the holiness, or 
 righteousness, that we have lost, viz.. That it was 
 only natural of the old covenant, typical : and such 
 as might stand with perfect ignorance of the media- 
 tion of Jesus Christ: and now I add. That for 
 Christ to come to establish this righteousness, is 
 alone, as if he should be sent from heaven, to over- 
 throw, and abrogate the eternal purpose of grace, 
 which the Father had purposed should be mani- 
 fested to the world by Christ. But Christ came not 
 to restore, or to give us possession of that which 
 was once our own holiness, but to make us par- 
 takers of that which is in him, ' that we might be 
 made partakers of HIS holiness.' Neither (were 
 it granted that you speak the truth) is it possible 
 for a man to be fiUed with inward gospel holiness, 
 and righteousness, that yet abidoth, as before the 
 face of God, under the curse of the law, or the 
 guilt of his own transgressions. He. xii. The guilt 
 must therefore, first be taken off, and we set free 
 by faith in that blood, that did it, before we can 
 act upon pure Christian principles. Pray tell me 
 the meaning of this one text ; which speaking of 
 Christ, saith, ' Who when he had by himself purged 
 our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Ma- 
 jesty on high.' He. i. s. Tell me, I say, by this text, 
 whether is here intended the sins of all that shall 
 be saved? If so, what kind of a purging is here 
 2 p 
 
298 
 
 A DEFENCE OP THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 meant, seeing thousands, and thousands of thou- 
 sands, of the persons intended by this act of purg- 
 ing were not then in being, nor their personal sins 
 in act? And note, he saith, he purged them, be- 
 fore he sat down at the right hand of God : purging 
 then, in this place, cannot first, and primarily, re- 
 spect the purging of the conscience : but the tak- 
 ing, the complete taking of the guilt, and so the 
 curse from befm-e the face of God, according to 
 other scriptures : ' He hath made him to be sin, and 
 accursed of God for us.' Now he being made the 
 sin which we committed, and the curse which we 
 deserved ; there is no more sin nor curse ; I mean 
 to be charged by the law, to damn them that shall 
 believe, not that their believing takes away the 
 curse, but puts the soul upon trusting to him, that 
 before purged this guilt, and curse : I say, before 
 he sat down on the right hand of God ; not to sus- 
 pend, as you would have it, but to take away the 
 sin of the world. ' The Lord hath laid upon him 
 the iniquities of us all. ' is. M 6. And he bare them 
 in his own body on the tree : l Pe. ii. u, nor yet that 
 he should often offer himself ; for then must he 
 often have suffered since the foundation of the 
 world: but now, (and that at once,) in the end 
 of the world hath he appeared, to put away 
 sin, by the sacrifice of himself. He. ix. 34—26. Mark, 
 he did put it away by the sacrifice of his body and 
 soul, when he died on the cross : but he could not 
 then put away the inward filth of those, that then 
 remained unconverted ; or those that as yet wanted 
 being in the world. The putting away of sin there- 
 fore, that the Holy Ghost here intendeth, is, such 
 a putting of it away, as respecteth the guilt, curse, 
 and condemnation thereof, as it stood by the accu- 
 sations of the law, against all flesh before the face 
 of God ; which guilt, curse, and condemnation, 
 Christ himself was made in that day, when he died 
 the death for us. And this is the first and princi- 
 pal intendment of the angel, in that blessed saying 
 to godly Joseph, concerning Christ ; ' He shall save 
 his people from their sins ;' from the guilt and curse 
 due to them, first : and afterwards from the filth 
 thereof. This is yet manifest, further; because 
 the heart is purified by faith, and hope. Ac. xy. 9. Un. 
 iii. 3. Now it is not the nature of faith ; I mean, of 
 justifying faith, to have any thing for an object; 
 from which it fetcheth peace with God, and holi- 
 ness before, or besides the Christ of God himself ; 
 for he is the way to the Father : and no man can 
 come to the Father, but by him. Come ; that is, 
 so as to find acceptance, and peace with him : the 
 reason is, because without his blood, guilt remains. 
 He. ix. 32. He hath made peace by the blood of his 
 cross: so then, faith in the first place seeketh 
 peace. But why peace first ? Because till peace 
 is fetched into the soiU, by faith's laying hold on 
 the blood of Christ : sin remains in the guilt and 
 
 curse, though not in the sight of God, yet upon 
 the conscience, through the power of unbelief. 
 ' He that believeth not, stands yet condemned. ' 
 Jn. iii. 18, 19. Now, SO long as guilt, and the curse in 
 power remains, there is not purity, but unbelief ; 
 not joy, but doubting ; not peace, but peevishness ; 
 not content; but murmuring, and angering against 
 the Lord himself. 'The law worketh wrath.' 
 Ro. iv. 15. Wherefore, as yet there can be no purity 
 of heart, because that faith yet wants his object. 
 But having once found peace with God by believing 
 what the blood of Christ hath done ; joy followeth ; 
 so doth peace, quietness, content, and love; which is 
 also the fulfiUiug of the law: yet not from such dung- 
 ish principles as yours, for so the apostle calls them. 
 Plii. iii. 8. But from the Holy Ghost itself ; which 
 God, by faith, hath granted to be received by them 
 that believe in the blood of his Jesus. 
 
 But you add, That Christ giveth, first repent- 
 ance, and then forgiveness of sins, p. 17. 
 
 Answ. 1. This makes nothing for the holiness 
 which we lost in Adam : for the proof of which you 
 bring that text, Ac. v. 31. 
 
 2. But for Christ to take away guilt, and the 
 curse, from before the face of God, is one thing ; 
 and to make that discovery, is another. 
 
 3. Again, Christ doth not give forgiveness for 
 the sake of that repentance, which hath its rise, 
 originally from the dictates of our own nature, which 
 is the thing you are to prove ; for that repentance 
 is called the sorrow of this world, and must be again 
 repented of : but the repentance mentioned in the 
 text, is that which comes from Christ : But, 
 
 4. It cannot be for the sake of gospel-repentance, 
 that the forgiveness of sins is manifested, because 
 both are his peculiar gift. 
 
 5. Therefore, both faith, and repentance, and 
 forgiveness of sins, are given by Christ ; and come 
 to us, for the sake of that blessed offering of his 
 body, once for all. For after he arose from the 
 dead, having led captivity captive, and taken the 
 curse from before the face of God : therefore his 
 Father gave him gifts for men, even all the things 
 that are necessary, and effectual, for our conver- 
 sion, and preservation iu this world, &;c. Ep. iv. 8. 
 
 This text, therefore, with all the rest you bring, 
 falleth short of the least shew of proof, ' That the 
 great errand for which Christ came into the world 
 was — to put us in possession of the holiness that 
 we had lost. ' 
 
 Your third chapter is as empty of the proof of 
 your design as that through which we have passed : 
 there being not one scripture therein cited, that 
 giveth the least intimation, that ever it entered 
 into the heart of Christ to put us again into 
 possession of that holiness which we had before 
 we were converted : for such was that we lost in 
 Adam. 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 299 
 
 You tell us tlie sum of all is, ' that we are com- 
 manded to add to our faith, virtue,' (fee. p. 25. I 
 suppose you intend a gospel faith, which if you 
 can prove Adam had before the fall, and that we 
 lost this faith in him ; and also that this gospel 
 faith is none other, but that which originally ariseth 
 from, or is the dictates of human nature, 1 will con- 
 fess you have scripture, and knowledge beyond me. 
 In the mean time you must suffer me to tell you, 
 you are as far in this from the mind of the Holy 
 Grhost, as if you had yet never in all your days 
 heard whether there be a Holy Ghost or no. 
 
 Add to your faith. The apostle here lays a gos- 
 pel principle, viz.. Faith in the Son of God: which 
 faith layeth hold of the forgiveness of sins, alone 
 for the sake of Christ ; therefore he is a great way 
 off, of laying the purity of the human nature, the 
 law, as written in the heart of natural man, as the 
 principle of holiness ; from whence is produced good 
 works in the soul of the godly. 
 
 In your fourth chapter also (p. 28.) even In the be- 
 ginning thereof; even with one text you have over- 
 thrown your whole book. 
 
 This chapter is to prove, that the only design of 
 the promises, and threatenings of the gospel, is to 
 promote, and put us again in possession of the holi- 
 ness we had lost. For that the reader must still 
 remember, is the only design of your hook, p. 12. 
 Whereas the first text you speak of, 2 Pe.i. i. maketh 
 mention of the Divine nature, or of the Spirit of 
 the living God, which is also received by the pre- 
 cious faith of Christ, and the revelation of the know- 
 ledge of him ; this blessed Spirit, and therefore not 
 the dictates of human nature, is the principle that 
 is laid in the godly: but Adam's holiness had nei- 
 ther the knowledge, or faith, or Spirit of the Lord 
 Jesus, as its foundation, or principle ; yea, nature 
 was his foundation, even his own nature was the 
 original, from whence his righteousness and good 
 works arose. 
 
 The next scriptures also, viz. 2 Co. vii. i. Ro. xii. i. 
 overthrow you; for they urge the promises as mo- 
 tives to stir us up to holiness. But Adam had 
 neither the Spirit of Jesus, or faith in him, as a 
 principle: nor any promises to him as motives: 
 wherefore this was not that to which he, or which 
 tve Christians are exhorted to seek the possession 
 of; but that which is operated by that Spirit which 
 we receive by the faith of Jesus, and that which 
 is encouraged by those promises, that God hath 
 since given to them that have closed by faith with 
 Jesus. 
 
 The rest also, (in p. 29.) not one of them doth 
 promise us the possession of the holiness we have 
 lost, or any mercy to them that have it. 
 
 You add : ' And whereas the promises of pardon, 
 and of eternal life are very frequently made to 
 bdiemng ; there is nothing more evidently declared. 
 
 than that this faith is such as purifieth the heart, 
 and is productive of good works.' p. 30. 
 
 Ans. 1. If the promise be made at all to believ- 
 ing, it is not made to us upon the account of the 
 holiness we had lost ; for I tell you yet again, that 
 holiness is not of faith, neither was faith the effect 
 thereof. But, 
 
 2. The promises of pardon, though they be made 
 to such a faith as is fruitful in good works : yet 
 not to it, as it is fruitful in doing, but in receiving 
 good. Sir, the quality of justifying faith is this. 
 Not to work, but to believe, as to the business of 
 pardon of siu: and that not only, because of the 
 suiEcIency that this faith sees in Christ to justify, 
 but also for that it knows those whom God thus 
 pardoneth, be justifieth as ungodly. ' But to him 
 that worketh not, but believeth ; ' (Mark, here faith 
 and works are opposed) ' But to him that worketh 
 not, but believeth on him that justifieth the 
 ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.' 
 Ro. iv. 5. 
 
 You add farther, ' That the promises may be 
 reduced to these three heads ; that of the Holy 
 Spirit, of remission of sins, and eternal happiness. 
 In the enjoyment of God,' p. so. 
 
 Ans. If you can prove that any of these promises 
 were made to the holiness that we had lost, or 
 that by these promises we are to be possessed with 
 that holiness again ; I will even now lay down the 
 bucklers. For albeit, the time will come when the 
 saints shall be absolutely, and perfectly sinless ; 
 yet then shall they be also spiritual, immortal, and 
 incorruptible, which you cannot prove Adam was, 
 in the best of his holiness, even that which we lost 
 in him. 
 
 The threatenings you speak of * are every one 
 made asralnst sin, but not one of them to drive us 
 into a possession of that holiness that we had lost: 
 nay, contrariwise, he that looks to, or seeks after 
 that, is as sure to be damned, and go to hell, as 
 he that transgresseth the law ; because that is not 
 the righteousness of God, the righteousness of 
 Christ, the righteousness of faith, nor that to which 
 the promise Is made. 
 
 And this was manifested to the world betimes, 
 even in that day, when God drove the man and his 
 wife out of Eden, and placed cherubims, and a 
 flaming sword. In the way by which they came 
 out, to the end, that by going back by t/iat way, 
 they might rather be killed and die, than lay hold 
 of the ' tree of life.' Ge. m. 
 
 Which the apostle also respects, when he calleth 
 the way of the gospel, the new and living way, 
 even that which is made by the blood of Christ ; 
 He. X. 20. concluding by this description of the way 
 
 * Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, such 
 as disbelief, idolatry, adultery, &c., p. 35. 
 
300 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 tliat ia ty Wood, that the other is old, and the 
 way of death, even that which is by the moral law, 
 or the dictates of our nature, or by that fond con- 
 ceit of the goodly holiness of Adam. 
 
 [Our Lord's object not merely to restore mans 
 natwrcJ, holiness, but to impart his own inf/nite 
 artd eternal holiness to those thai believe.1 
 
 Your fifth chapter tells us, 'That the promoting 
 of holiness was the design of our Saviour's whole 
 life and conversation among men,' p. 36. 
 
 A72S. 1. Were this granted, it reacheth nothing 
 at all the design for which you in your way pre- 
 sent us with it : For, 
 
 2. That which you have asserted is : That the 
 errand about which Christ came, was, as the effec- 
 ting our deliverance out of that sinful state we had 
 brought ourselves into, so to put us again in pos- 
 session of that holiness which we had lost; for 
 that, you say, is the business of your book, p. 13. 
 Wherefore you should have told us in the head of 
 this chapter, not so much that our Saviour de- 
 signed the promoting of holiness in general by his 
 life, but that the whole design of our Saviour's life 
 and conversation, was to put us again into posses- 
 sion of tliat holiness which we had lost, into a 
 possession of that natural, old covenant, figurative, 
 ignorant holiness. But it seems you count that 
 there is no other than that now lost, but never 
 again to be obtained holiness, that was in Adam. 
 
 3. Farther, you also falter here, as to the stating 
 of the proposition ; for in the beginning of your 
 book, you state it thus: That the enduing men 
 with inward real righteousness, or true holiness, 
 was the ultimate end of our Saviour's coming into 
 the world, still meaning the holiness we lost in 
 Adam. You should therefore in this place also, 
 have minded your reader of this your proposition, 
 and made it manifest if you could, ' that the ultimate 
 end of our Saviour's whole life and conversation, 
 was the enduing men with this Adamitish holiness.' 
 But holiness, and tJutt holiness, is alone with you; 
 and to make it his end, and whole end ; his busi- 
 ness, and the whole business of his life; is but the 
 same with you. 
 
 But you must know, that the whole life and 
 conversation of our Saviour, was intended for an- 
 other purpose, than to drive us back to, or to endue 
 us with, such an holiness and righteousness as I 
 have proved this to be. 
 
 You have therefore, in this your discourse, put 
 an insufferable affront upon the Son of God, in 
 making all his hfe and conversation to centre and 
 terminate in the holiness we had lost : As if the 
 Lord Jesus was sent down from heaven, and the 
 word of God made flesh ; that by a perfect life and 
 conversation, he might shew us how holy Adam 
 
 was before he fell ; or what an holiness that our 
 holiness was, which we had before we wore con- 
 verted. 
 
 Your discourse therefore, of the life and conver- 
 sation of the Lord Jesus, is none other than hea- 
 thenish : For you neither treat of the principle, his 
 Godhead, by which he did his works ; neither do 
 you in the least, in one syllable, aver the first, the 
 main and prime reason of this his conversation ; 
 only you treat of it so far, as a mean man might 
 have considered it. And indeed it stood not with 
 your design to treat aright with these things ; for 
 had you mentioned the first, though but once, your 
 Babel had tumbled about your ears ; for if in the 
 holy Jesus did ' dwell the word,' one of the three 
 in heaven; or if the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
 was truly, essentially, and naturally God ; then 
 must the principle from whence his works did pro- 
 ceed, be better than the principle from whence 
 proceeded the goodness in Adam; otherwise Adam 
 must be God and man. Also you do, or may know 
 that the self-same act may be done from several 
 principles : and again, that it is the principle from 
 whence the act is done, and not the bare doing of 
 the act, that makes it better or worse accepted, in 
 the eyes either of God or men. 
 
 Now then, to shew you the main, or chief design 
 of the life and conversation of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 First, It was not to shew us what an excellent 
 holiness we once had in Adam, but that thereby 
 God, the Eternal Majesty, according to his pro- 
 mise, might be seen by, and dwell with, mortal 
 men : For the Godhead being altogether in its own 
 nature invisible, and yet desirous to be seen by, and 
 dwell with the children of men ; therefore was the 
 Son, who is the self-same substance with the Fa- 
 ther, closed with, or tabernacled in our flesh; that 
 in that flesh, the nature and glory of the Godhead 
 might be seen by, and dwell with us : ' The word 
 was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we be- 
 held his glory, (what glory ? the glory,) as of the 
 only begotten of the Father) full of grace and 
 truth.' Jn. i. 14. Again, ' The life (that is, the life 
 of God, in the works and conversation of Christ) 
 was manifested, and we have seen ii, and bear wit- 
 ness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which 
 was with the Father, and was manifested imto us;' 
 1 Jn. i. 3. And hence he is called the image of the 
 invisible God ; Col. i. is. or he by whom the invisible 
 God is most perfectly presented to the sons of men. 
 Did I say before, that the God of glory is desirous 
 to be seen of us ? Even so also, have the pure in 
 heart, a desire that it should be so : ' Lord, say 
 they, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.' 
 Jn. xiv. 8. And therefore the promise is for their 
 comfort, that 'they shall see God.' Mnt. v. 8. But 
 how then must they see him ? Why, in the per- 
 son and by the life and works of Jesus. When 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 301 
 
 Pliilip, uuder a mistake, thouglit of seeing God 
 some other way, than in and by this Lord Jesus 
 Christ ; What is the answer ? ' Have I been so 
 long time with you, (saith Christ) and yet hast 
 thou not known me, Philip ? He that hath seen 
 me, hath seen the Father ; and how sayest thou 
 then. Shew us the Father ? Believest thou not 
 that I am in the Father, and the Father in me ? 
 The words that I speak unto you I speak not of 
 myself: but the Father, that dwelleth in me, he 
 doth the works. Believe me, that I am in the 
 Father, and the Father in me ; or else believe me 
 for the very works' sake.' Jn. xiv. 9— ii. See here, 
 that both the words and works of the Lord Jesus, 
 were not to shew you, and so to call you back to 
 the holiness that we had lost, but to give us visions 
 of the perfections that are in the Father. He 
 hath given us ' the knowledge of the glory of God, 
 in the face of Jesus Christ.' 2Co. iv. 6. And hence 
 it is, that the apostle, in that brief collection of 
 the wonderful mystery of godliness, placeth this 
 in the front thereof : ' God was manifest in the 
 flesh.' 1 Ti. iii. 16. Was manifest, viz. In and by 
 the person of Christ, when in the flesh he lived 
 among us ; manifest, I say, for this, as one reason, 
 that the pure in heart, who long after nothing 
 more, might see him. 'I beseech thee,' said 
 Moses, ' shew me thy glory. '* ' And will God 
 indeed dwell with men on the earth ? ' saith Solo- 
 mon. 
 
 Now to fulfil the desires of them that fear him, 
 hath he shewed himself in flesh unto them; which 
 discovery principally is made by the words and 
 works of Christ. But, 
 
 Second, Christ by his words and works of righ- 
 teousness, in the days of his flesh, neither shewed 
 us which was, nor called us back to the possession 
 of the holiness that we had lost ; but did perfect, 
 in, and by himself, the law for us, that we had 
 broken. Man being involved in sin and misery, 
 by reason of transgression committed against the 
 law, or ministration of death, and being utterly 
 unable to recover himself therefrom, the Son of 
 God himself assumeth the flesh of man, and for 
 
 * How astonishing tlie mystery ! how condescending the 
 love ! that the infinite Deity and finite flesh should meet in 
 one person (Christ), in order to display to manldnd the glory 
 of God in that divine person ! to bring hell-deserving mortals 
 into a nearness, yea, into a oneness with his Creator, that they 
 might he made partakers of his hoHness, and adore and admire 
 his perfections for ever ! Christians, Imow and prize your 
 inestimable privileges, and be instant at the throne of grace, 
 that your souls may he so far assimilated to the image of the 
 ever-blessed and adorable Jesus, that you may be constantly 
 looking and hastening to, and longing for that happy time, 
 when, having dropt the dimning rags of mortality, the veil of 
 sinful flesh, you shall be brought to ' know him even as you 
 are known' of him, because you shall ' sec him as he is.' — 
 Itf/Iand, 
 
 sm condemned sin in that flesh. And that first, 
 by walking, through the power of his eternal 
 Spirit, in the highest perfection to every point of 
 the whole law, in its most exact and full require- 
 ments ; which was to be done, not only without 
 commixing sin in his doing, but by one that was 
 perfectly without the least being of it in his nature; 
 yea, by one that now was God-Man, because it 
 was God whose law was broken, and whose justice 
 was offended : For, were it now possible to give a 
 man possession of that holiness that he hath lost 
 in Adam, that holiness could neither in the princi- 
 ciple nor act deliver from the sin by him before 
 committed. This is evident by many reasons : 
 I . Because it is not a righteousness able to answer 
 the demands of the law for sin ; tliat requiring not 
 only a perfect abiding in the thing commanded, 
 but a satisfaction by death, for the transgression 
 committed against the law. ' The wages of sin 
 is death. ' Ko. vi. S3. Wherefore he that would under- 
 take the salvation of the world, must be one who 
 can do both these things ; one that can perfectly 
 do the demands of the law in thought, word, and 
 deed, without the least commixture of the least 
 sinful thought in the whole course of his life : He 
 must be also able to give by death, even by the 
 death that hath the curse of God in it, a complete 
 satisfaction to the law for the breach thereof. 
 Now this could none but Christ accomplish; none 
 else having power to do it. ' I have power (said 
 he) to lay down my life, and I have power to, take 
 it again : And this commandment have I received 
 of my Father.' Jn. x. 18. This work then must be 
 done, not by another earthly Adam, but by the 
 Lord from Heaven ; by one that can abolish sin, 
 destroy the devil, kill death, and rule as Lord in 
 heaven and earth. Now the words and works of 
 the Lord Jesus, declared him to be such an one. 
 He was first without sin ; then he did no sin ; nei- 
 ther could either the devU, the whole world, or the 
 law, find any deceit in his mouth: But by being 
 under the law, and walking in the law, by that 
 Spirit which was the Lord God of the law, he not 
 only did always the things that pleased the Father, 
 but by that means in man's flesh, he did perfectly 
 accomplish and fulfil that law which all flesh stood 
 condemned by. It is a foolish and an heathenish 
 thing, nay worse, to think that the Son of God 
 should only, or specially fulfil, or perfect the law, 
 and the prophets, by giving more and higher in- 
 stances of moral duties than were before expressly 
 given, p. 17. This would have been but the lading 
 of men with heavy burthens. But know then, 
 whoever thou art that readest, that Christ's expo- 
 sition of the law was more to shew thee the per- 
 fection of his own obedience, than to drive thee 
 back to the holiness thou hadst lost ; for God 
 sent him to fulfil it, by doing it, and dying to tho 
 
302 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRIXE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 most sore sentence it could pronounce : not as he 
 stood a single person, but common,* as Mediator 
 between God and man ; making up in himself the 
 breach that was made by sin, betwixt God and the 
 world. For, 
 
 lliird. He was to die as a lamb, as a lamb with- 
 out blemish, and without spot, according to the 
 type; ' Your lamb shall be without blemish.' Ex. 
 xii. 5. But because there was none such to be found 
 BY and AMONG all the children of men ; therefore 
 God sent his from heaven. Hence John calls him 
 the Lamb of God, Jn. l 39. and Peter him that was 
 without spot, who washed us by his blood, i Pe. i. 19. 
 Now wherein doth it appear that he was without 
 spot and blemish, but as he walked in the law ? 
 These words therefore without spot are the sentence 
 of the law, who searching him could find nothing 
 in him why he should be slain, yet he died because 
 there was sin : Sin ! where ? Not in him, but in 
 his people ; ' For the transgression of my people 
 was he stricken.' is. liii. 8. He died then for our sins, 
 and qualified himself so to do, by coming sinless 
 into the world, and by going sinless through it ; 
 for had he not done both tliese, he must have died 
 for himself. But being God, even in despite of 
 all that stumble at him, he conquered death, the 
 devil, sin, and the curse, by himself, and then sat 
 down at the right hand of God. 
 
 Fourth, And because he hath a second part of 
 his priestly office to do in heaven ; therefore it was 
 thus requisite that he should thus manifest himself 
 to be holy and harmless, undefiled, and separate 
 from sinners on the earth. He. vii. 36. As Aaron first 
 put on the holy garments, and then went into the 
 holiest of all. The life, therefore, and conversation 
 of our Lord Jesus, was to shew us with what a 
 curious robe and girdle he went into the holy place ; 
 and not to shew us with what an Adamitish holiness 
 he would possess his own. ' Such an high priest 
 became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, sepa- 
 rate from sinners, and made higher than the 
 heavens;' that he might always be accepted, both 
 in person and offering, when he presenteth his blood 
 to God, the atonement for sin. Indeed in some 
 things he was an example to us to follow him; but 
 mark, it was not as he was Mediator, not as he was 
 under the law to God, not as he died for sin, nor 
 as he maKeth reconciliation for iniquity. But in 
 these things consist the life of our soul, and the 
 beginning of our happiness. He was then exem- 
 plary to us, as he carried it meekly and patiently, 
 and self-denyingly towards the world : But yet not 
 so neither to any but such to whom he first offered 
 justification by the means of his own righteous- 
 ness ; for before he saith ' learn of me, ' he saith, 
 
 * 'Common,' as the bead of his church, ia nhoin all his 
 people have an equal or common right. — Fn. 
 
 ' I will give you rest;' rest from the guilt of sin, 
 and fear of everlasting burnings. Mat xi. And so 
 Peter first tells us, he died for our sins ; and next, 
 that he left us an example. 1 Pe. u. 31. But should 
 it be granted that the whole of Christ's life and 
 conversation among men was for our example, and 
 for no other end at all, but that we should learn to 
 live by his example, yet it would not follow, but 
 be as far from truth as the ends of the earth are 
 asunder, that by this means he sought to possess 
 us with the holiness we had lost, for that he had 
 not in himself ; it is true he was born without sin, 
 yet born God and man ; he lived in the world with- 
 out sin, but he lived as God-Man: he walked in 
 and up to the law, but it was as God-Man. Neither 
 did his manhood, even in those acts of goodness, 
 which as to action, most properly respected it ; do 
 ought without, but by and in conjunction with his 
 Godhead: Wherefore all and every whit of the 
 righteousness and good that he did was that of 
 God-Man, the righteousness of God. But this was 
 not Adam's principle, nor any holiness that wa 
 had lost. 
 
 Your fifth chapter, therefore, consisteth of words 
 spoken to the air. 
 
 Your sixth chapter tells us, ' That to make men 
 truly virtuous and holy, was the design of Christ's 
 inimitable actions, or mighty works and miracles, 
 and these did only tend to promote it,' p. 68. 
 
 He neither did, nor needed, so much as one small 
 piece of a miracle to persuade men to seek for the 
 holiness which they had lost, or to give them again 
 possession of that; for that as I have shewed, 
 though you would fain have it otherwise, is not at 
 all the Christian or gospel righteousness. Where- 
 fore, in one word, you are as short by tliis chapter 
 to prove your natural old covenant, promiseless, 
 figurative holiness, to be here designed, as if you 
 had said so much as amounts to nothing. Farther, 
 Christ needed not to work a miracle to persuade 
 men to fall in love with themselves, and their own 
 natural dictates ; to persuade them that they have 
 a purity of the human nature in them ; or that the 
 holiness which they have lost, is the only true, 
 real, and substantial holiness : These things, both 
 corrupted nature and the devil, have of a long time 
 fastened, and fixed in their minds. 
 
 His miracles therefore tend rather to take men 
 off of the pursuit after the righteousness or holiness 
 that we had lost, and to confirm unto us the truth 
 of a far more excellent and blessed thing ; to wit, 
 the righteousness of God, of Christ, of faith, of the 
 Spirit, which tJiat you speak of never knew; neither 
 is it possible that he should know it who is hunting 
 for your sound complexion, your purity of human 
 nature, or its dictates, as the only true, real, and 
 substantial righteousness. ' They are ignorant of 
 God's righteousness, that go about to establish 
 
A DEFENCE OP THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 303 
 
 tlieir own righteousness;' and neither have, nor 
 can, without a miracle, suhmit themselves unto the 
 righteousness of God. They cannot submit them- 
 selves thereto ; talk thereof they may, notion it they 
 may, profess it too they may; but for a man to sub- 
 mit himself thereto, is by the mighty power of God. 
 Miracles and signs are for them that believe not. 
 iCo.xiv.22. Why for them? That they might be- 
 lieve ; therefore their state is reckoned fearful that 
 have not yet believed for all his wondrous works. 
 And though he did so many miracles among them, 
 yet they believed him not. Jn. xii. 37— to. But what 
 should they believe? That Jesus is the true 
 Messias, the Christ that should come into tha 
 world. Do you say that I blaspheme (saith Christ) 
 because I said I am the Son of God : ' If I do not 
 the works of my Father believe me not ; but if I do, 
 though ye believe not me believe the works : that 
 ye may know, and believe that the Father is in me, 
 and I in him.' Jn. x. 37, 38. But what is it to believe 
 that he is Messias, or Christ ? Even to believe that 
 this man Jesus was ordained and appointed of God 
 (and that before all worlds) to be the Saviour of men, 
 by accomplishing in himself an everlasting righte- 
 ousness for them, and by bearing their sins in his 
 body on the tree ; that it was he that was to recon- 
 cile us to God, by the body of his flesh, when he 
 hanged on the cross. This is the doctrine that at 
 the beginning Christ preached to that learned igno- 
 rant Nicodemus. ' As Moses (said he) lifted up the 
 serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of 
 Man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him 
 should not perish, but have eternal life. ' Jn. iii. 14, 15. 
 The serpent was lifted up upon a pole : Nu. xxi. 9. 
 ' Christ was hanged on a tree. ' The serpent was 
 lifted up for murmm-ers : Christ was hanged up 
 for sinners : The serpent was lifted up for them 
 that were bitten with fiery serpents, the fruits of 
 their wicked murmuring : Christ was hanged up 
 for them that are bitten with guilt, the rage of the 
 devil, and the fear of death and wrath : The ser- 
 pent was hanged up to be looked on : Christ was 
 hanged up that we might believe in him, that we 
 might have faith in his blood : They that looked 
 upon the serpent of brass lived : They that believe 
 in Christ shall be saved, and shall never perish. 
 Was the serpent then lifted up for them that were 
 good and godly? No, but for the sinners : ' So God 
 commended his love to us, in that, while we were 
 yet sinners Christ died for us.' But what if they 
 that were stung, could not, because of the swelling 
 of their face, look up to the brazen serpent? then 
 without remedy they die : So he that believeth not 
 in Christ shall be damned. But might they not 
 be healed by humbling themselves? one would 
 thuik that better than to live by looking up only : 
 No, only looking up did it, when death swallowed 
 up them that looked not. This then is the doctrine. 
 
 * Christ came into the world to save sinners : ' ac- 
 cording to the proclamation of Paul, ' Be it known 
 unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through 
 this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of 
 sins ; And by him all that believe are justified from 
 all things, from which ye could not be justified by 
 the law of Moses. ' The forgiveness of sins ; But 
 what is meant by forgiveness ? Forgiveness doth 
 strictly respect the debt, or punishment that by 
 sin we have brought upon ourselves. But how are 
 we by this man forgiven this ? Because by his 
 blood he hath answered the justice of the law, and 
 so made amends to an ofiended majesty. Besides, 
 this man's righteousness is made over to him that 
 looks up to him for life ; yea, that man is made 
 the righteousness of God in him. ' This is the 
 doctrine that the miracles were wrought to confirm, 
 and that, both by Christ, and his apostles, and not 
 that holiness and righteousness, that is the fruit of 
 a feigned purity of our nature. 
 
 Take two or three instances for all. 
 Fird, ' Then came the Jews round about him, 
 and said unto him. How long dost thou make us 
 to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 
 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed 
 not ; the works that I do in my Father's name, 
 they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, 
 because ye are not of my sheep. ' Jn. x. 124— 26. 
 
 By this scripture the Lord Jesus testifies what 
 was the end of his words and wondrous works, viz. 
 That men might know that he was the Christ ; 
 that he was sent of God to be the Saviour of the 
 world ; and that these miracles required of them, 
 first of all, that they accept of him by idiemng ; 
 a thing little set by, by our author, for in p. 299. he 
 preferreth his doing righteousness far before it, and 
 above all things else, his words are verbatim thus, 
 ' Let us exercise ourselves unto real and substantial 
 godliness, (such as he hath described in the first 
 part of his book, viz. That which is the dictates 
 of his human nature, (fee.) and in keeping our 
 consciences void of ofi'ence, both towards God and 
 towards men, and in studying the gospel to enable 
 us, not to discourse, or only to believe, but also 
 and above all things to do weU. ' But believing, 
 though not with this man, yet by Christ and his 
 wondrous miracles, is expected first, and above 
 ALL things, from men ; and to do well, in the best 
 sense (though his sense is the worst) is that which 
 by the gospel is to come after. 
 
 Second, ' Go into all the world, and preach the 
 gospel to every creature. Ho that believeth and 
 is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth 
 not shall be damned. And these signs shall follov/ 
 them that believe : In my name shall they cast out 
 devils, they shall speak with new tongues; they 
 shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly 
 thing, it shall not hurt them,' &:c. Mar xvi. is— is. 
 
304 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OP JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 Mark you here, it is believing, believing ; It is, 
 I say, believing that is here required by Christ. 
 Believing what ? The gospel ; even good tidings 
 to sinners by Jesus Christ ; good tidings of good, 
 glad tidings of good things. Mark how the apostle 
 hath it ; the glad tidings is, ' That through this 
 man [Jesus] is preached unto you the forgiveness 
 of sins ; and by him all that believe are justified 
 from all things, from which ye could not he justi- 
 fied by the law of Moses. ' Ac. xiii. 38, 39. 
 
 These signs shall follow them that believe. 
 Mark, signs before, and signs after, and all to ex- 
 cite to, and confirm the weight of believing. ' And 
 they went forth, and preached everywhere, the 
 Lord working with them, and confirming the word 
 with signs following. Amen.' Mar. xvi. 30. 
 
 Tliird, ' Therefore we ought to give the more 
 earnest heed to the things which we have heard, 
 lest at any time we sliould let them slip. For if 
 the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every 
 transgression and disobedience received a just re- 
 compense of reward ; How shall we escape, if we 
 neglect so great salvation ; which at the first began 
 to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto 
 us by them that heard him ; God also bearing tliem 
 witness both with signs and wonders, and with 
 divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, accord- 
 ing to his own wUl. ' He. ii. 1—4. 
 
 Here we are excited to the faith of the Lord 
 Jesus, under these words ' so great salvation.' As 
 if he had said, give earnest heed, the most earnest 
 heed, to the doctrine of the Lord Jesus, because it 
 is ' so great salvation. ' What this salvation is, he 
 tells us, it is that which was preached by the Lord 
 himself ; ' For God so loved the world, that he gave 
 his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in 
 him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ' 
 Jn. iii. 10, God so loved, that he gave his Sou to be 
 so great salvation. Now as is expressed in the 
 text, to be the better for this salvation, is, to give 
 heed to hear it ; for ' Faith cometh by hearing. ' 
 Ko. X. 17. 
 
 He saith not give heed to doing, but to the word 
 you have heard ; faith, I say, cometh by hearing, 
 and hearing by the word of God. Ko. x. But that 
 this hearing is the hearing of faith, is farther 
 evident : 
 
 L Because he speaketh of a great salvation, 
 accomplished by the love of God in Christ, accom- 
 plished by his blood. ' By his own blood he entered 
 in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal 
 redemption for us. ' He. ix. 12. 
 
 2. This salvation is set in opposition to that 
 which was propounded before, by the ministration 
 of angels, which consisted in a law of works ; that 
 which Moses received to give to the children of 
 Israel. ' For the law (a command to works 
 and duties) was given by Moses, biU grace and 
 
 truth came by Jesus Christ. ' Jn. i. 17. To live by 
 doing works is the doctrine of the law and Moses ; 
 but to live by faith and grace, is the doctrine of 
 Christ, and the gospel. 
 
 Besides, the threatening being pressed with an 
 'How shall we escape?' Kespects still a better, 
 a freer, a more gracious way of life, than either 
 the moral or ceremonial law ; for both these were 
 long before : But here comes in another way, not 
 that propoimded by Moses, or the angels, but since 
 by the Lord himself. ' How shall we escape, if 
 we neglect so great salvation ; which at the first 
 began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed 
 unto us by them that heard him.' 
 
 Now mark, It is this salvation, this so great and 
 eternal salvation, that was obtained by the blood 
 of the Lord himself. It was this, even to confirm 
 faith in this, that the God of heaven himself came 
 down to confirm, by signs and wonders ; ' God 
 bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, 
 and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy 
 Ghost, according to his owa will. ' He. ii. i. 
 
 Thus we see, that to establish a holiness that 
 came from the first principles of morals in us, or 
 that ariseth from the dictates of our human nature, 
 or to drive us back to that figurative holiness that 
 we had once, but lost in Adam, is little thought 
 on by Jesus Christ, and as little intended by any 
 of the gospel miracles. 
 
 A word or two more. Tlie tribute money you 
 mention,* was not as you would clawingly insinu- 
 ate for no other purpose, than to shew Christ's 
 loyalty to the magistrate : But first, and above aU, 
 to shew his godhead, to confirm his gospel, and 
 then to shew his loyalty, the which. Sir, the per- 
 sons you secretly smite at, have respect for, as 
 much as you. 
 
 Again, Also the curse of the barren fig-tree, 
 mentioned, p. 73. was not (if the Lord himself may 
 be believed) to give us an emblem of a person void 
 of good works ; but to shew his disciples the power 
 of faith, and what a wonder-working thing that 
 blessed grace is. Wherefore, when the disciples 
 wondered at that sudden blast that was upon the 
 tree, Jesus answered not, behold an emblem of one 
 voidof moral virtues; but 'Verily, I say unto you. If 
 ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do 
 this which is done to the fig-tree, but also if ye 
 shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, 
 and be thou cast into the sea ; it shall be done. 
 And all tilings, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer 
 
 * ' And even tliat miracle which might seem the most incon- 
 siderable, namely, his causing his disciple Peter to catch a fish 
 vnih a small piece of money in its mouth, was also instructive 
 of a duty; it being an instance of his loyalty to the supreme 
 magistrate ; for the money was expended in paying tribute, 
 and taken out of the sea in that strange manner for no other 
 purpose' — Fowler's Sesit/n, ^c, p. 72. 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 S05 
 
 believing, ye shall receive.' Mat.xxi.21,22. Again, 
 Mark saith. When Peter saw the fig-tree that the 
 Lord had cursed dried up from the roots, he said 
 to his master, 'behold the fig-tree which thou 
 cursedst is withered away.' xi. 21. Christ now doth 
 not say as you, this tree was an emblem of a pro- 
 fessor void of good works ; but, ' Have faith in, or 
 the faith of God. For, verily I say unto you, 
 That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be 
 thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, and 
 shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that 
 those things which he saith shall come to pass, he 
 shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say 
 unto you. What things soever ye desire, when ye 
 pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall 
 have them. ' Christ Jesus therefore had a higher, 
 and a better end, than that which you propound, 
 in his cursing the barren fig-tree, even to shew, 
 as himself expounds it, the mighty power of faith ; 
 and how it lays hold of things in heaven, and tum- 
 bleth before it things on earth. Wherefore your 
 scriptureless exposition, doth but lay* you even 
 Solomon's proverb, ' The legs of the lame are not 
 equal, ' <fec. Pr. xxvi. 7. 
 
 I might enlarge ; but enough of this ; only here 
 I add, that the wonders and miracles that attend 
 the gospel, were wrought, and are recorded, to 
 persuade to faith in Christ. By faith in Christ 
 men are justified from the curse, and judgment of 
 the law. This faith worketh by love, by the love 
 of God it brings up the heart to God, and good- 
 ness; but not by your covenant, E2e.xri.6i. not by 
 principles of human nature, but of the Spirit 
 of God; not in a poor, legal, old covenant, pro- 
 miseless, ignorant, shadowish, natural holiness, but 
 by the Holy Ghost. 
 
 [The death of Christ accomplished an infinitely 
 greater object than the restoring of man to his 
 original temporal holiness. ] 
 
 I come now to your seventh chapter; but to 
 that I have spoken briefly already, and therefore 
 here shall be the shorter. 
 
 In this chapter you say, ' that to make men holy 
 was the design of Christ's death.' p. 78. 
 
 Arts. 1. But not with your described principles 
 of humanity, and dictates of human nature. He 
 designed not, as I have fully proved, neither by his 
 death, nor life, to put us into a possession of the 
 holiness which we had lost, though the proof of 
 that be the business of your book. 
 
 2. To make men holy, was doubtless designed 
 by the death and blood of Christ : but the way and 
 
 * 'Lay you,' brings forth to yourself. 'Lay' is here used 
 as in ' a hen lays eggs ;' such an application to this proverb 
 is a cuttins satire. — Ed. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 manner of the proceeding of the Holy Ghost there- 
 in, you write not of ; although the first text you 
 mention (p. 78, 79.) doth fairly present you with it. 
 For the way to make men inwardly holy, by the 
 death and blood of Christ, is, first, to possess! them 
 with the knowledge of this, that their sins wore 
 crucified with him, or that he did bear them in his 
 body on the tree : ' Knowing this, that our Old 
 Man is crucified with him, that the body of sin 
 might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not 
 serve sin.' Ro.vi. 6. So he died for all, that they 
 that live, should not henceforth live unto them- 
 selves, as you would have them, nor to the law or 
 dictates of their own nature, as your doctrine would 
 persuade them ; ' but to him that died for them, 
 and rose again. ' 2 Co. v. 15. 
 
 There are two things, in the right stating of the 
 doctrine of the effects of the death and blood of 
 Christ, that do naturally effect in us an holy prin- 
 ciple, and also a life becoming such a mercy. 
 
 First, For that by it we are set at liberty, by 
 faith therein, from the guilt, and curse that is due 
 to guilt, from death, the devil, and the wrath to 
 come. No encouragement to holiness like this, 
 like the persuasion, and belief of this; because 
 this carrieth in it the greatest expression of love, 
 that we are capable of hearing or believing, and 
 there is nothing that worketh on us so powerfully 
 as love. ' Herein is love, not that we loved God, 
 but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the 
 propitiation for our sins.' Un. iv.io. He then that 
 by faith can see that the body of his sin did hang 
 upon the cross, by the body of Christ, and that 
 can see by that action, death and sin, the devil 
 and hell, destroyed for him ; it is he that will say, 
 ' Bless the Lord, my soul, and all that is within 
 me bless his holy name, ' &c. Pa. ciii. 1—4. 
 
 Second, Moreover, the knowledge of this giveth 
 a man to understand this mystery. That Christ 
 and himself are united in one. For faith saith. 
 If our Old Man was crucified with Christ, then 
 were we also reckoned in him, when he hanged on 
 the cross, ' I am crucified with Christ. ' Ga. ii. 20. All 
 the Elect did mystically hang upon the cross in 
 Christ. We then are dead to the law, and sin, 
 first, by the body of Christ. Eo. rii. i. Now he that 
 is dead is free from sin ; now if we be dead with 
 Christ, we beUeve that we shall live with hi[n, 
 knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, 
 dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over 
 him ; for in that he died, he died unto sin once ; 
 but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God : likewise 
 reckon yourselves also dead unto sin, but alive 
 unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Ro. vi. 
 
 t 'To possess them.' Possess was formerly used as an 
 active verb, but now is only used as a neuter verb ; the mean- 
 ing is ' to tiU them with the certainty of the knowledge.' 
 
 2 a 
 
806 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 This also Peter doth lively discourse of, ' Foras- 
 much then (saith he) as Christ hath suffered for 
 us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the 
 same mind : for he that hath suffered in the flesh 
 hath ceased from sin. ' 1 Pe. iv. 1. By which words he 
 insinuateth the mystical union that is between 
 Christ the head, and the Elect his body : arguing 
 from the suffering of a part, there should be a 
 sympathy in the whole. If Christ then suffered 
 for us, we were (even our sins, hodies and souls) 
 reckoned in him when he so suffered. Wherefore, 
 by his sufferings, the wrath of God for us is ap- 
 peased, the curse is taken from us : for as Adam 
 by his acts of rebellion, made all that were in him 
 guilty of his wickedness ; so Christ by his acts, 
 and doings of goodness, and justice ; made all that 
 were reckoned in him good, and just also: but as 
 Adam's transgression did first, and immediately 
 reside with, and remain in the person of Adam 
 only, and the imputation of that transgression to 
 them that sprang from him ; so the goodness, and 
 justice, that was accomplished by the second Adam, 
 first, and immediately resideth in him, and is made 
 over to his also, by the imputation of God. But 
 again, as they that were in Adam, stood not only 
 guilty of sin, by imputation, but polluted by the filth 
 that possessed him at his fall ; so the children of the 
 second Adam, do not only, though first, stand just 
 by virtue of the imputation of the personal acts of 
 justice, and goodness done by Christ ; but they 
 also receive of that inward quality, the grace, and 
 holiness that was in him, at the day of his rising 
 from the dead.* 
 
 Thus therefore come we to be holy, by the death, 
 and blood of the Lord : this also is the contents of 
 those other scriptures, which abusively you cite, to 
 justify your assertion, to wit. 
 
 ' That the great errand of Christ in coming into 
 the world, was — to put us again into possession of 
 the holiness which we had lost. And that only 
 designed the establishing such a holiness, as is 
 seated originally in our natures, and originally 
 dictates of the human nature.' The rest of the 
 chapter being spoken to already, I pass it, and 
 proceed to the next. 
 
 Your eighth chapter tells us, ' That it is only 
 
 * 'As in Adam all diecl,' were Ijereft of every good, and 
 became obnoxious to wratli and endless misery, so ' in Christ,' 
 by virtue of bis life, death, and resurrection, ' shall all be made 
 alive;' they shall have that incorruptible seed implanted in 
 their hearts, which livelh and abideth for ever. Every grace 
 and blessing is derived to the renewed soul from its union to 
 Ohi-ist, as its living head, thi-ough the eternal Spirit. Christ 
 hath fulfilled all righteousness for us and in our stead, and this 
 was the end and iutent of his coming into the world; so that 
 Christ is now become the righteousness of all them that do 
 truly believe in him. ' Created in Christ Jesus unto good 
 works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk 
 in them,' Eph ii. 10. — IJason and Rt/land. 
 
 the promoting of the design of makmg men holy, 
 that is aimed at by the apostles insisting on the 
 doctrines of Christ's resurrection, ascension, and 
 coining again to judgment. ' 
 
 Though this should be granted, as indeed it 
 ought not ; yet there is not one syllable in all their 
 doctrines, that tendcth in the least to drive men 
 back to the possession of the holiness we had lost; 
 which is still the thing asserted by you, and that, 
 for the proof of which you make this noise, and ado. 
 Neither did Christ at all design the promoting of 
 holiness, by such principles as you have asserted in 
 your book ; neither doth the holy Spirit of God, 
 either help us in, or excite us to our duty, smPLl 
 from such natural principles. 
 
 But the apostles in these doctrines you mention, 
 had far other glorious designs ; such as were truly 
 gospel, and tended to strengthen our faith yet far- 
 ther: As, 
 
 First, For the resurrection of Christ ; they urge 
 THAT, as an undeniable argument, of his doing 
 away sin, by his sacrifice and death : ' He was 
 delivered for our offences,' because he put himself 
 into the room, and state of the wicked, as under- 
 taking their deliverance from death, and the ever- 
 lasting wrath of God. Now putting himself into 
 their condition, he bears their sins, and dies their 
 death ; but how shall we know, that by undertak- 
 ing this work, he did accomplish the thing he in- 
 tended ? the answer is, ' He was raised again for 
 our justification.'Eo. iv. 25. Even to make it mani- 
 fest, that by the offering of himself he had purged 
 our sins from before the face of God. For in that 
 he was raised again, and that by him, for the 
 appeasing of whose wrath he was dehvered up to 
 death ; it is evident that the work for us, was by 
 him effectually done : for God raised him up again. 
 And hence it is that Paul calls the resurrection of 
 Christ, ' the sure mercies of David. And as con- 
 cerning that he raised him up from the dead, nmo 
 no more to return to corruption, he said on this 
 wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.' 
 Ac. xiii. 34 For Christ having conquered and over- 
 come death, sin, tlie devil, and the curse, by him- 
 self, as it is manifest he did, by his rising from the 
 dead ; what now remains for him, for whom he 
 did this, but mercy and goodness for ever ? 
 
 Wherefore the resurrection of Christ is that 
 which sealeth the truth of our being delivered from 
 the wrath by his blood. 
 
 Second, As to his ascension they [the inspired 
 writers] urge and make use of that, for divers 
 weighty reasons also. 
 
 I.Asa farther testimony yet, of the sufficiency 
 of bis righteousness to justify sinners withal: for 
 if hn that undertaketh the work, is yet entertained 
 by hini, whose wrath he was to appease thereby: 
 What is it? But that he hath so completed that work. 
 
DEFJUNCE or THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 307 
 
 Wherefore he saitli, that the Holy Ghost shall 
 convince the ■world ; that he hath a sufficient righ- 
 teousness, and that hecause he went to the Father 
 and they saw him no more, Jn. xvi because he, when 
 he ascended up to the Father, was there enter- 
 tained, accepted, and embraced of God. That is 
 an excellent word. ' Ho is chosen of God, and 
 precious.' Chosen of God to be the righteousness, 
 that his Divine Majesty is pleased with, and takes 
 complacency in ; God hath chosen, exalted, and 
 set down Christ at his own right hand ; for the 
 sweet savour that he smelled in his blood, when he 
 died for the sins of the ■w^orld. 
 
 2. By his ascension he sheweth how he returned 
 conqueror, and victor over our enemies. His as- 
 cension was his going home, from whence he came, 
 to deUver us from death : now it is said, that when 
 he returned home, or ascended, ' he led captivity 
 captive,' Ep. iv. that is, carried them prisoners, 
 whose prisoners we were : He rode to heaven in 
 triumph, having in chains the foes of believers. 
 
 3. In that he ascended, it was, that he might 
 perform for us, the second part of his priestly 
 office, or mediatorship. He is gone into heaven 
 itself, there ' now to appear in the presence of God 
 for us. ' He. Lc. 24. ' Wherefore, he is able also to save 
 them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, 
 (as indifferent a thing as you make it to be) seeing 
 he ever liveth (viz. in heaven, whither he is as- 
 cended) to make intercession for them.' viL 25. 
 
 4. He ascended, that he might be exalted not 
 only above, but be made head over all things to the 
 church. Wherefore now in heaven, as the Lord 
 in whose hand is all power, he ruleth over, both 
 men, and devils, sin, and death, hell, and all cala- 
 mities, for the good and profit of his body, the 
 church. Ep. L 19—23. 
 
 5. He ascended to prepare a place for us, who 
 shall live and die in the faith of Jesus. Jn. xiv. i— 3. 
 
 6. He ascended, because there he was to receive 
 the Holy Ghost, the great promise of the New Tes- 
 tament ; that he might communicate of that unto 
 his chosen ones, to give them light to see his won- 
 derful salvation, and to be as a principle of holiness 
 in their souls : ' For the Holy Ghost was not yet 
 given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.' 
 Jn. vii. 30. But when he ascended on high, even as 
 he led captivity captive, so he received gifts for 
 men ; by which gifts he meaneth the Holy Ghost, 
 and the blessed and saving operations thereof. 
 
 Lu. xxiv. Ac. i. 2. 
 
 Third. As to his coming again to judgment, that 
 doctrine is urged, to shew the benefit that the godly 
 will have at that day, when he shall gather together 
 his elect, and chosen, from one end of heaven unto 
 the other. As also to shew you what an end he 
 will make with those who have not obeyed his gos- 
 pel- Milt. xxr. 3 rh. I 8. 2 Ve. iii. 7—11. 
 
 Now it is true, all these doctrines do forcibly 
 produce an holy, and heavenly life, but neither from 
 your principles, nor to the end you propound ; to 
 wit, that we should be put into possession of our 
 first, old covenant righteousness, and act from 
 human and natural principles. 
 
 Your ninth chapter is spent, as you suppose, to 
 shew us the nature, and evil of sin ; but because 
 you do it more like a heathen philosopher, than a 
 minister of the gospel, I shall not much trouble 
 myself therewith. 
 
 Your tenth chapter consisteth in a commendation 
 of virtue, but still of that, and no other, though 
 counterfeited for another, than at first you have 
 described, (chap. L) even such, which is as much in 
 the heathens you make mention of, as in any other 
 man, being the same both in root, and branches, 
 which is naturally to be found in aU men, even as 
 is sin and wickedness itself. And hence you call 
 it here, a living up to your feigned ' highest princi- 
 ple, like a creature possessed of a mind and reason.' 
 Again, ' While we do thus, we act most agreeably 
 to the right frame and constitution of our souls, 
 and consequently most naturally ; and all the actions 
 of noLure, are confessedly very sweet and pleasant ;' 
 of which very thing you say, ' the heathens had a 
 great sense. ' p. 113, 114. 
 
 Answ. No marvel, for it was their work, not to 
 search the deep things of God, but those which be 
 the things of a man, and to discourse of that righ- 
 teousness, and principle of holiness, which was 
 naturally founded, and found within themselves, as 
 men ; or, as you say, ' as creatures possessed with 
 a mind and reason. ' But as I have already shewed, 
 all this may be, where the Holy Ghost and faith is 
 absent, even by the dictates, as you call them, of 
 hiunan nature ; a principle, and actions, when 
 trusted to that, as much please the devil, as any 
 wickedness that is committed by the sons of men. 
 I should not have thus boldly inserted it, but that 
 yourself did tell me of it, p. loi. But I believe it 
 was only extorted from you ; your judgment, and 
 your Apollo, suit not here, though indeed the devil 
 is in the right ; for this righteousness and holiness 
 which is our own, and of ourselves, is the greatest 
 enemy to Jesus Christ : the post against his post, 
 and the wall against his wall. ' I came not to call 
 the righteous (puts you quit of the world) but sin- 
 ners to repentance.' 
 
 \^Man in wretched imcertainty if he possessed no 
 better holiness than that of Adam in his creation.] 
 
 Your eleventh chapter is, to shew what a misera- 
 ble creature that man is, that is destitute of yom- 
 holiness. 
 
 Answ. And I add, as miserable is he, that hath, 
 or knoweth no better. For such an one is under 
 
308 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 the curse of God, because he ahideth in the law 
 of works, or in the principles of his own nature, 
 which neither can cover his sins from the sight of 
 God, nor possess him with faith or the Holy Ghost. 
 
 There are two things in this chapter, that pro- 
 claim you to he ignorant of Jesus Christ. 
 
 First, you say. It is not possible a wicked man 
 should have God's pardon, p. 119,130. 
 
 Secondly, You suppose it to be impossible for 
 Christ's righteousness to be imputed to an unrigh- 
 teous man, p, 120. 
 
 Ansio. To both which, a little briefly ; God doth 
 not use to pardon painted sinners, but such as are 
 really so. Christ died for sinners, 1 Ti. i. 15. and 
 God justifieth the ungodly, Ro. v. 6—9. even him that 
 worketh not, iv.3— 5. nor hath no works to make him 
 godly, ix. 18. Is. xxxiii. 11. Besides, pardon supposes 
 sin ; now he that is a sinner is a wicked man ; by 
 nature a child of wrath, and, as such, an object of 
 the curse of God, because he hath broken the law 
 of God. But such God pardoneth ; not because 
 they have made themselves holy, or have given up 
 themselves to the law of nature, or to the dictates 
 of their human principles, but because he will be 
 gracious, and because he will give to his beloved 
 Son Jesus Christ, the benefit of his blood. 
 
 As to the second head, what need is there that 
 the righteousness of Christ should be imputed, where 
 men are righteous first ? God usetli not thus to 
 do ; his righteousness is for the ' stout-hearted, 
 that are far from righteousness.' Is. xU-i. 13. 
 
 The believing of Abraham was while yet he was 
 uncircumcised ; and circumcision was added, not to 
 save him by, but as a seal of the righteousness of 
 that faith, which he had, being yet uncircumcised. 
 Now we know that circumcision in the flesh, was a 
 type of circumcision in the heart ; Ro. ii. wherefore 
 the faith that Abraham had, before his outward 
 circumcision, was to shew us, that faith, if it be 
 right, layeth hold upon the righteousness of Christ, 
 before we be circiuncised inwardly ; and this must 
 needs be so : for if faith doth purify the heart, then 
 it must be there be/we the heart is purified. Now 
 this inward circumcision is a seal, or sign of this : 
 that that is the only saving faith, that layeth hold 
 upon Christ before we be circumcised. But he 
 that believeth before he be inwardly circumcised, 
 must believe in another, in a righteousness without 
 him, and that, as he standeth at present in himself 
 ungodly ; for he is not circumcised ; which faith, 
 if it be right, approveth itself also so to be, by an 
 after work of circumcising inwardly. But, I say, 
 the sold that thus layeth hold on Christ, taketh the 
 only way to please his God, because this is that 
 also, which himself hath determined shall be accom- 
 plished upon us. ' Now to him that worketh, is the 
 reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to 
 him that worketh not, but believeth on him that 
 
 justifieth THE UNGOBLr, his faith is counted for 
 righteousness. ' Eo. iv. He that is ungodly, hath a 
 want of righteousness, even of the inward righte- 
 ousness of works : but what must become of him ? 
 Let him believe in him that justifieth the imgodly, 
 because, for that purpose, there is in him a righte- 
 ousness. We will now return to Paul himself; he 
 had righteousness before he was justified by Christ ; 
 yet, he choose to be justified rather as an unrigh- 
 teous man, than as one endued with so brave a 
 qualification. That I may ' be found in him, not 
 having mine own righteousness,' away with mine 
 own righteousness ; 1 choose rather to be justified 
 as ungodly, by the righteousness of Christ, than by 
 mine own, and his together. Phil. iii. 
 
 You argue therefore, like him that desireth to be 
 a teacher of the law, (nay worse,) that neither know- 
 eth what he saith, nor whereof he affirmeth. But 
 you say, 
 
 ' Were it possible that Christ's righteousness 
 could be imputed to an unrighteous man, I dare 
 boldly aflSrm that it would signify as little to his 
 happiness, while he continueth so, as would a gor- 
 geous, and splendid garment, to one that is almost 
 starved,' &c. p. 120. 
 
 Answ. 1. That Christ's righteousness is imputed 
 to men, while sinners, is suflSciently testified by 
 the word of God. Eze. xri. l— 8. Zec. iii. l— 5. Ho. iii. 24— 25 J 
 iv. 1—5 ; V. 6—9. 2 Co. V. 18—21. Pliil. iii. 6—8. 1 Ti. i. 15, 16. Re. i. 5 
 
 2. And that the sinner, or imrighteous man, is 
 happy in this imputation, is also as abundantly evi- 
 dent. For, (1.) The wrath of God, and the curse 
 of the law, are both taken olf by this imputation. 
 (2.) The graces and comforts of the Holy Ghost, 
 are all entailed to, and followers of, this imputation. 
 ' Blessed is he to whom the Lord will not impute 
 sin.' It saith not, that he is blessed that hath not 
 sin to be imputed, but he to whom God will not 
 impute them, he saith, therefore the non-imputation 
 of sin, doth not argue a non being thereof in the 
 soul, but a glorious act of grace, imputing the suffi- 
 ciency of Christ's righteousness, to justify him that 
 is yei ungodly. 
 
 But what blessedness doth follow the imputation 
 of the righteousness of Christ, to one that is yet 
 ungodly ? 
 
 Answ. Even the blessing of Abraham, to wit, 
 grace and eternal life : For Christ was made the 
 curse, and death, that was due to us as sinners ; ' That 
 the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gen- 
 tiles, through [faith in] Jesus Christ ; that we might 
 receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.' 
 Ga. iii. IS, 14. Now faith hath its eye upon two things, 
 with respect to its act of justifying. First, it ac- 
 knowledgeth that the soul is a sinner, and then, 
 that there is a sufiBciency in the righteousness of 
 Christ, to j'lstify it in the sight of God, though a 
 s:aner. 
 
DEFENCE or THE DOCTRINE OT JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 309 
 
 We have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might 
 be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the 
 works of the law ; therefore they that believe aright, 
 receive righteousness, even the righteousness of an- 
 other, to justify them, while yet in themselves they 
 are sinners. 
 
 Why do they believe in Christ ? the answer is : 
 that they might be justified, not because in their 
 own eyes they are. They therefore at present 
 stand condemned in themselves, and tJierefore they 
 believe in Jesus Christ, that they might be set free 
 from present condemnation. Now being justified 
 by his blood, as ungodly, they shall be saved by 
 his life, that is, by his intercession : for whom he 
 justifieth by his blood, he saveth by his interces- 
 sion ; for by that is given the spirit, faith, and all 
 grace that preserveth the elect unto eternal life 
 and glory. 
 
 I conclude therefore, that you argue not gospelly, 
 in that you so Boldly affirm. That it would signify 
 as little to the happiness of one, to be justified by 
 Clirist's righteousness, while a sinner ; as would a 
 gorgeous and splendid garment to one that is ready 
 to perish. For farther, thus to be justified, is meat 
 and drink to the sinner ; and so the beginning of 
 eternal life in him. ' My flesh is meat indeed, 
 (said Christ), and my blood is drink indeed ; and 
 lie that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, 
 hath eternal, or everlasting life.' He afiirmeth it 
 once again : ' As the living Father hath sent me, 
 and I live by the Father, so he that eateth me, even 
 he shall live by me. ' Jn. vi 57. Here now is a man 
 an hungered, what must he feed upon ? Not his 
 pure humanity, not upon the sound complexion of 
 his soul, nor yet on the dictates of his human na- 
 ture, nor those neither, which you call truly gene- 
 rous principles : but upon the flesh and blood of the 
 Son of God, which was once given for the sin of 
 the world. Let those then, that would be saved 
 from the devil and hell, and that would find a foun- 
 tain of grace in themselves, first receive, and feed 
 I upon Christ, as sinners and ungodly ; let them be- 
 lieve that both his body, and blood, and soul, was 
 I ofifered for them, as they were sinners. The 
 I believing of this, is the eating of Christ ; this 
 eating of Christ, is the beginning of eternal life, 
 ; to wit, of all grace and health in the soul ; and 
 , of glory to be enjoyed most perfectly in the next 
 , world. 
 
 J Your twelfth chapter is to shew, ' That holiness 
 
 ) being perfected is blessedness itself ; and that the 
 I glory of heaven consists chiefly in it. ' 
 . Answ. But none of j'our holiness, none of that 
 
 . inward holiness, which we have lost before conver- 
 . sion, shall ever come to heaven : that being, as I 
 J have shewed, a holiness of another nature, and 
 I arising from another root, than that we shall in 
 heaven enjoy. 
 
 But further, your description of the glory that 
 we shall possess in heaven, is questionable, as to 
 your notion of it ; your notion is, that the substance 
 of it consists 'in a perfect resemblance to the divine 
 nature,' p. 123, 124-. 
 
 Answ. Therefore not in the enjoyment of the 
 divine nature itself: for that which in substance is 
 but a bare resemblance, though it be a most per- 
 fect one, is not the thing itself, of which it is a re- 
 semblance. But the blessedness that we shall 
 enjoy in heaven, in the very substance of it, con- 
 slsteth not wholly, nor principally, in a resemblance 
 of, but in the enjojonent of God himself ; ' Heirs 
 of God.' Wherefore there shall not be in us a 
 likeness only to, but the very nature of God; 
 ' Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.' Ko. viii. 
 17. Hence the apostle tells us, that he ' rejoiced in 
 hope of the glory of God. ' Bo. v. 3. Not only in hope 
 of a resemblance of it. ' The Lord is my portion, 
 saith my soul.' But this is like the rest of your 
 discourse. You are so in love with your Adamitish 
 holiness, that with j'ou it must be God in earth, 
 and heaven. 
 
 Who they are that hold, [that] our happiness in 
 heaven shall come by a mere fixing our eyes upon 
 the divine perfections, I know not : But thus I read, 
 ' we shall be like him.' Why? or how? 'For we 
 shall see him as he is.' Our likeness then to God, 
 even in the very heavens, will in great part come 
 by the visions of him. And to speak the truth, 
 our very entrance into eternal life, or the beginnings 
 of it here, they come to us thus, ' But we all, 
 (every one of us that shall be saved, come by it 
 only thus) with open face beholding as in a glass 
 the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same 
 image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of 
 the Lord. ' 2 Co. iii. 18. 
 
 And whereas you tell us, p. 124. That the devils 
 themselves have a large measure of some of the 
 attributes of God, as knowledge, power, (fee. though 
 themselves are unlike unto them. 
 
 In this you most prodigiously blaspheme. 
 
 Your thirteenth chapter is to show, ' That our 
 Saviour's preferring the business of making men 
 holy, before any other, witnesseth, that this is to 
 do the best service to God.' 
 
 But still respecting the holiness, you have in 
 your first chapter described, which still the reader 
 must have his eye upon, it is false, and a slander 
 of the Son of God. He never intended to promote 
 or prefer your natural old covenant holiness, viz. 
 that which we had lost in Adam, or that which 
 yet from him, in the dregs thereof, remaineth in 
 human nature; but that which is of the Holy 
 Ghost, of faith, of the new covenant. 
 
 I shall not here again take notice of your 130th 
 page, nor with the error contained therein, about 
 justification by imputed righteousness. 
 
310 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 But one tiling I observe, that in all this chapter 
 you have nothing fortified what you say, by any 
 word of God; no, though you insinuate (p. 139 and 
 p. 131. ) that some dissent from your opinion. But 
 instead of the holy words of God, being as you 
 feign, conscious to yourself, you cannot do it so 
 well as by another method, viz. The words of Mr. 
 John Smith; therefore you proceed with his, as 
 he with Plato's, and so wrap you up the business. 
 
 [Christ gives a new and spiritual light.] 
 
 You come next to an improvement upon the 
 whole, where you make a comparison between the 
 heathens and the gospel ; shewing how far the 
 gospel helpeth the light the heathens had, in their 
 pursuit after your holiness. But still the excellency 
 of the gospel, as you have vainly dreamt, is to 
 make improvement first of the heathen principles ; 
 such good principles, say you, ' as were by the 
 light of nature dictated to them,' p. 133. As, 
 
 ' 1. That there is but one God; that he is infi- 
 nitely perfect,' &c. 
 
 ' 2. That we owe our lives, and all the comforts 
 of them to him. ' 
 
 ' 3. That he is our sovereign Lord. * 
 ' 4. That he is to be loved above all things,' p. 136. 
 Ans. 1. Seeing all these are, and may be known, 
 as you yourself confess, by them that have not the 
 gospel; and I add, nor yet the Holy Ghost, nor 
 any saving knowledge of God, or eternal life: 
 Therefore it cannot be the design of Jesus Christ 
 by the gospel to promote or help forward this 
 knowledge, simply from this principle, viz. Natural 
 light, and the dictates of it. My reason is, because 
 when nature is strained to the highest pin, it is but 
 nature still ; and so all the improvement of its 
 light and knowledge is but an increase of that 
 which is but natural. ' But (saith Paul) the 
 natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit 
 of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither 
 can he know them, because they are spiritually 
 discerned. ' l Co. ii. li. 
 
 But the gospel is the ministration of the Spirit; 
 a revelation of another thing than, is found in, or 
 can be acquired by, heathenish principles of nature. 
 I say, a revelation of another thing ; or rather, 
 another discoveiy of the same. As, 1. Concern- 
 ing the Godhead ; the gospel giveth us another 
 discovery of it, than is possible to be obtained by 
 the dictates of natural light ; even a discovery of 
 a trinity of persons, and yet unity of essence, in 
 the same Deity, i Jn. ,. i, 5, 8. 2. The light of nature 
 will not shew us, that God was in Christ, recon- 
 ciling the world to himself. 3. The light of nature 
 wiU not shew us, that we owe what we are, and 
 have, to God, because we are the price of the 
 blood of his Son. 4. The light of nature will not 
 
 shew, that there is such a thing as election in 
 Christ. 5. Or, that there is such a thing, as the 
 adoption of children to God, through him. 6. Nor, 
 that we are to be saved by faith in his blood. 
 7. Or, that the man Christ shall come from heaven 
 to judgment. These things, I say, the light of 
 nature teacheth not; but these things are the 
 great and mighty things of the gospel, and those 
 about which it chiefly bendeth itself, touching 
 upon other things, still as those that are knowable, 
 by a spirit inferior to this of the gospel. 
 
 Besides, as these things are not known by the 
 light of nature, so the gospel, when it comes, as I 
 also told you before, doth implant in the soul 
 another principle, by which they may be received, 
 and from which the soul should act and do, both 
 towards God and towards men ; as namely the 
 Holy Ghost, faith, hope, the joy of the Spirit, <ke. 
 
 The other things you mention, viz. 
 
 1. ' The immortality of the soul,' p. 1S8. 
 
 2. ' The doctrine of rewards and punishments in 
 the life to come, ' p. 140. 
 
 3. ' Of the forgiveness of sin upon true repen- 
 tance,' ifec. p. 142. 
 
 [4. The doctrine of God's readiness to assist 
 men by his special grace in their endeavours after 
 virtue, p. 143. ] 
 
 Ans. All these things may be assented to, where 
 yet the grace of the gospel is not, but yet the 
 apprehension must be such, as is the.light by which 
 they are discovered ; but the light of nature cannot 
 discover them, according to the light and nature 
 of the gospel ; because the gospel knowledge of 
 them, ariseth also from another principle : So 
 then. These doctrines are not confirmed by the 
 gospel, as the light of nature teacheth them: 
 Wherefore, Paul, speaking of the things of the 
 gospel, and so consequently of these, he saith, 
 ' Which things also we speak, not in the words 
 which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the HoLT 
 Ghost teacheth ; comparing spiritual things with 
 spiritual.' iCo. ii. 13. As if he should say. We 
 speak of God, of the soul, of the life to come, of 
 repentance, of forgiveness of sins, (fee. Not as 
 philosophers do, nor yet in their light ; but as 
 saints. Christians, and sons of God, as such who 
 have received, not the spirit of the world, but the 
 spirit which is of God ; that we may know the 
 things that are freely given to us of God. 
 
 But you add (for the glory of the gospel) That 
 we have other things, which no man could, with- 
 out divine revelation, once have dreamed of. As, 
 
 That God hath made miserable sinners the 
 objects of such transcendant love, as to give them 
 his only begotten Son. 
 
 Am. I must confess. If this one head had by 
 
 you been handled well, you would have written 
 
 i like a worthy gospel minister. But you add, p. 146. 
 
& DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 311 
 
 1. That when Christ was sent, it was to shew 
 us upon what terms God was reconcileahle to us, 
 viz. By laying ' before us all the parts of that 
 holiness, which is necessary to restore our natures 
 to his own likeness ; and most pathetically, 
 moreover to intreat us to do what lieth in us to 
 put them in practice, that so it may be to eternity 
 well with us. ' What these things are, you men- 
 tion not here ; therefore I shall leave them to be 
 spoken to under the third head. 
 
 2. A second thing you mention is, ' That this 
 Son of God conversed upon equal terms with men, 
 becoming the Son of Man, born of a woman, (a 
 great demonstration that God hath a liking to the 
 human nature).' But little to the purpose as you 
 have handled it. 
 
 3. ' That the Son of God taught men their duty, 
 by his own example, and did himself perform what 
 he required of them ; and that himself did tread 
 before us etebt step of that way, which he hath 
 told us leadeth to eternal life.' 
 
 Answ. Now we are come to the point, viz.: 'That 
 the way to eternal life is. First of all to take Christ 
 for our example, treading his step : ' And the 
 reason, if it be true, is weighty ; ' For he hath 
 trod every step before us, which he hath told us 
 leads to eternal life. ' 
 
 1 . Every step. Therefore he went to heaven by 
 virtue of an imputative righteousuess. For this is 
 one of our steps thither. 
 
 2. Every step. Then he must go thither, by 
 faith in his own blood for pardon of sin. For this 
 is another of our steps thither. 
 
 3. Every step. Then he must go thither by 
 virtue of his own intercession at the right hand of 
 God, before he came thither: For this is 'one of 
 our steps thither. 
 
 4. Every step. Then he must come to God, and 
 ask mercy for some great wickedness, which he had 
 committed. For this is also one of our steps thither. 
 
 But again, we will consider it the other way. 
 
 1. Every step. Then we cannot come to heaven, 
 before we first be made accursed of God. For so 
 was he before he came thither. 
 
 2. Every step. Then we must first make our 
 body and soul an offering for the sin of others. 
 For this did he before he came thither. 
 
 3. Every step. Then we must go to heaven for 
 the sake of our own righteousness. For that was 
 one of his steps thither. 
 
 0, Sir I What will thy gallant, generous mind 
 do here ? Indeed you talk of his being an expia- 
 tory sacrifice for us, but you put no more trust to 
 that, than to Baptism, or the Lord's Supper; 
 counting that, with the other two, but things 
 indifferent in themselves, p. 6—9. 
 
 You add again, ' That this Son of God being 
 raised from the dead, and ascended to heaven, is 
 
 our high priest there:' But you talk not at all of 
 his sprinkling the mercy seat with his blood, but 
 clap upon him, the heathens demons ; negotiating 
 the affairs of men with the supreme God, and so 
 wrap up, with a testification that it is needless to 
 enlarge on the point, p. 149. 
 
 But to be plain, and in one word to tell you, 
 about all these things you are heathenishly dark ; 
 there hath not in these one hundred and fifty pages 
 one gospel truth been christianly handled by you ; 
 but rather a darkening of truth by words without 
 knowledge. What man that ever had read, or 
 assented to the gospel, but would have spoken, vet 
 kept within the bounds of truth, more honourably 
 of Christ, than you have done? His sacrifice 
 must be stept over, as the spider straddleth over the 
 wasp, his intercession is needless to be enlarged 
 upon. But when it falleth in your way to talk of 
 your human nature, of the dictates, of the first 
 principles of morals within you, and of your gener- 
 ous mind to follow it: oh what need is there now 
 of amplifying, enlarging, and pressing it on men's 
 consciences ! As if that poor heathenish, pagan 
 principle, was the very spirit of God within us : 
 And as if righteousness done by that, was that, 
 and that only, that would or could fling heaven 
 gates off the hinge's. 
 
 Yea, a little after you tell us, that ' The doctrine 
 of his sending the Iloly Ghost, was to move and 
 excite us to our duty, and to assist, cheer, and 
 comfort us in the performance of it. ' Still meaning 
 our close adhering, by the purity of our human 
 nature, to the dictates of the law, as written in our 
 hearts as men. Which is as false as God is true. 
 For the Iloly Ghost is sent into our hearts, not to 
 excite us to a compliance with our old and wind- 
 shaken excellencies, that came into the world with 
 us ; but to write new laws in our hearts ; even the 
 law of faith, the word of faith and of grace, and the 
 doctrine of reinission of sins, through the blood of the 
 Lamb of God, that holiness might flow from thence. 
 Your 15th chapter is to shew, That the gospel 
 giveth far greater helps to an holy life, than tlie 
 Jewish ceremonies did of old. 1 answer. 
 
 But the reader must here well weigh, that in 
 the gospel you find also some positive precepts, 
 that are of the same nature with the ceremonies 
 under the law ; of which, that of coming to God 
 by Christ, you call one, and baptism, and the 
 Lord's supper, the other two. So then by your 
 doctrine, the excellency of the gospel doth not lie 
 in that we have a Christ to come to God by, hut 
 in things as you feign more substantial. What 
 are they? 'Inward principles of holiness,' p. 159. 
 Spiritual precepts, p. 182. That height of virtue, 
 and true goodness, that the gospel designeth to 
 raise us to : all which are general words, falling 
 from a staggering conscience, leaving the world, 
 
S12 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 that are ignorant of his mind, in a muse; but 
 tickling his brethren with the delights of their 
 moral principles, with the dictates of their human 
 nature, and their gallant generous minds. Thus 
 making a very stalking-horse of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and of the words of truth and holiness, 
 thereby to slay the sQly one ; making the Lord of 
 life and glory, instead of a saviour, by his blood, 
 the instructor, and schoolmaster only of human 
 nature, a chacer away of evil affections, and an 
 extinguisher of burning lusts ;* find that not so 
 neither, but by giving perfect explications of moral 
 precepts, (p. 17.) and setting himself an example 
 before them to foUow him, p. 297. 
 
 Your sixteenth chapter, containeth an answer to 
 those that object against the power of the christian 
 religion to make men holy. 
 
 Answ. And to speak truth, what you at first 
 render as the cause of the unholiness of the pro- 
 fessors thereof (p. 171.) is to the purpose, had it been 
 christianly managed by you, as namely, men's 
 gross unbelief of the truth of it ; for it ' effectually 
 ■worketh in them that believe.' 1 Th.ii.i3. But that 
 you only touch and away, neither showing what is 
 the object of faith, nor the cause of its being so 
 effectual to that purpose ; neither do you at all 
 treat of the power of unbelief, and how all men by 
 nature are shut up therein. Eo. xi. 33. But presently, 
 according to your old and natural course, you fall, 
 first, upon a supposed power in men, to embrace 
 the gospel, both by closing with the promise, and 
 shunning the threatening ; (p. 172.) farther adding, 
 that ' mankind is endued with a principle of free- 
 dom, and that this principle is as essential, as any 
 other to the human nature,' (p. 173.) By all which 
 it is manifest, that however you make mention of 
 unbelief, because the gospel hath laid the same in 
 your way, yet your old doctrine of the purity of 
 the human nature, now broken out into a freedom 
 of will, and that, as an essential of the human 
 nature, is your great principle of faith, and your 
 following of that, as it dictateth to you obedience 
 
 * Would to God this legal, self-exalting, Christ-dislionouring 
 doctiine had heea confiued to the times in which our author 
 wrote, or had been then banished to hell, fi'oni whence it came • 
 but alas 1 it is hut too prevaleut iu these degeuerate times, in 
 which Arianism, Arminianism, Sociuianism, &c., &c., so dread- 
 fully infect the midtitude even of profesbora ! Ja the national 
 churches, what do we hear but Moses and the law, ' This do 
 and live ;' or, in other words, do your duty as well as you can, 
 and Christ will do the rest : thus mailing the gospel the sacri- 
 fice of Chi-ist, and the work of the Spirit, of no eli'ect. Whereas, 
 on the contrary, tmregenerate, depraved, and sinful mortds 
 ' have no power to do good works pleasant and acceptable to 
 God, without the grace of God preventing (or going before) 
 them, that they may have a good will ; and working in and by 
 them, when they have that good wid;' which is perfectly 
 agi-ecable to our Lord's declaration, John xv. 5, ' Without me, 
 ye can do nothins.' — Mason or Btjland. 
 
 to the first principles of morals, the practice of 
 faith, by which you think to be saved. That this 
 is so, must unavoidably be gathered from the good 
 opinion you have yourself of coming to God by 
 Christ; viz.. That in the command thereof, it is 
 one of these positive precepts, and a thing in itself 
 absolutely considered indifferent, and neither good 
 nor evil. Now he that looketh upon coming to 
 God by Christ with such an eye as this, cannot lay 
 the stress of his salvation upon the faith, or belief 
 thereof: Indifferent faith, will serve for indifferent 
 things ; yea, a man must look beyond that which 
 he believeth is but one with the ceremonial laws, 
 but not the same with baptism, or the Lord's 
 supper ; for with those you compare that of coming 
 to God by Christ. Wherefore faith, with you, 
 must be turned into a cheerful and generous com- 
 plying with the dictates of the human nature ; and 
 unbelief, into that which opposeth this, or that 
 makes the heart backward and sluggish therein. 
 This is also gathered from what you aver of the 
 divine moral laws, that they be of an indlspe sable 
 and eternal obligation, (p. 8.) things that are good 
 in themselves, (p. 9.) considered in an abstracted 
 notion, (p. 10.) Wherefore, things that are good in 
 themselves, must needs be better than those that 
 are in themselves but indifferent ; neither can a 
 positive precept make that, which of itself is neither 
 good nor evil, better than that which in its own 
 nature remaineth the essentials of goodness. 
 
 I conclude then, by comparing you with your- 
 self, by bringing your book to your book, that you 
 understand neither faith, nor unbelief, any farther 
 than by obeying or disobeying the human nature, 
 and its dictates in chief; and that of coming to 
 God by Christ, as one of the things that is indif- 
 ferent in itself. 
 
 But a little to touch upon your principle of free- 
 dom, which in p. 9. you call an understanding and 
 liberty of will. 
 
 Answ. First, That there is no such thing in man 
 by nature, as liberty of will, or a principle of free- 
 dom, in the saving things of the kingdom of Christ, 
 is apparent by several scriptures. Indeed there is 
 in men, as men, a willingness to be saved their 
 own way, even by following, as you, their own 
 natural principles, as is seen by the Quakers, as 
 well as yourself; but that there is a freedom of 
 will in men, as men, to be saved by the way which 
 God hath prescribed, is neither asserted in the 
 scriptures of God, neither standeth with the nature 
 of the principles of the gospel. 
 
 The apostle saith, ' The natural man receiveth 
 not the things of the Spirit of God.' And the 
 reason is, not because, not principally because, he 
 layeth aside a liberty of will, but because ' they 
 are foolishness to him.' iCo.ii.u. Because in his 
 judgment they are things of no moment, but 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 313 
 
 tilings, as you [Mr. fowler] have imagined of 
 them, that in themselves are hut indifferent. And 
 that this judgment that is passed hy the natural 
 man, concerning the things of the Spirit of God, 
 of which, that of coming to God hy Christ, is the 
 chief, is that which he cannot hut do as a man, is 
 evident from that which followeth: 'neither can 
 he know them, hecause they are spiritually dis- 
 cerned. ' Neither can he know them as a man, 
 hecause they are spiritually discerned. Now, if 
 he cannot know them, from what principle should 
 he will them? For judgment, or knowledge, 
 must be before the will can act. I say, again, 
 a man must know them to be things in chief, that 
 are absolutely, and indispensably necessary, and 
 those in which resteth the greatest glory ; or else 
 his imll will not comply with them, nor centre and 
 terminate in them as such, but still count them- 
 selves, as you, though somewhat convinced that 
 he ought to adhere unto them, things that in 
 themselves are only indifferent, and absolutely 
 considered neither good nor evil. 
 
 A farther enlargement upon this subject, will 
 be time enough, if you shall contradict. 
 
 Another reason, or cause, which you call an 
 immediate one, of the unsuccessfulness of the 
 gospel, is, ' men's [strange and] unaccountable 
 mistaking the design of it, - not to say worse, as 
 to conceive no better of it, than as a science, and 
 a matter of speculation,' <fec., p. 173. 
 
 Answ. If this he true, you have shewed us the 
 reason, why yourself have so base and unworthy 
 thoughts thereof: for although coming to God by 
 Christ bo the very chief, first, the substance, and 
 most essential part of obedience thereto ; yet you 
 have reckoned this but like one of the ceremonies 
 of the law, or as baptism with water, and the 
 Lord's supper, p. 7—9. Falling more directly upon 
 the body of the moral law, as written in the heart 
 of men, and inclining more to the teaching, or 
 dictates of human nature, which were neither of 
 them both ever any essential part of the gospel, 
 than upon that which indeed is the gospel of Christ. 
 
 And here I may, if God wiU, timely advertise 
 my reader, that the gospel, and its attendants, are 
 to he accounted things distinct: the gospel, pro- 
 perly taken, being glad tidings of good things ; or, 
 the doctrine of the forgiveness of sins freely by 
 grace, through the redemption that is in Christ 
 Jesus. For to speak strictly, neither is the grace 
 of faith, hope, repentance, or newness of life, the 
 gospel ; hut rather things that are wrought by the 
 preaching thereof, things that are the effects of it ; 
 or its inseparable companions, to all them that 
 shall be saved. Wherefore the gospel is said to 
 he preached in all nations, for the obedience of 
 faith. Ro. xri. 26. Hope also is called the hope of the 
 gospel, not the gospel itself. So again, the gospel 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 is preached that men should repent, but it is not 
 preached that men should gospel. 
 
 But your gospel, which principally or chiefly, 
 centres in the dictates of human nature ; and your 
 faith, which is chiefly a subjecting to those dictates, 
 are so far off from being at aU any near attendants 
 of the gospel, that they never are urged in the 
 New Testament, but in order to show men they 
 have forgotten to act as men. E0.L19— 2i;ii.u, 15. 
 1 Co. xi. u. 
 
 Your last reason is, because of ' several untoward 
 opinions,' the gospel is very unsuccessful, p. 174 
 
 Ans. But what these opinions are, we hear not ; 
 nor how to shun them, you tell us here nothing at 
 all. This I am sure, there are no men in this day 
 have more opposed the light, glory, and lustre of 
 the gospel of Christ, than those, as the Quakers 
 and others, that have set up themselves, and their 
 own humanity, as the essential parts of it. 
 
 You in answer to other things, add many other 
 reasons to prove they are mistaken that count the 
 gospel a thing of but mean operation to work holi- 
 ness in the heart : at which you ought yourself to 
 tremble, seeing the Son himself, who is the Lord 
 of the gospel, is of so little esteem with you, as to 
 make coming to God by him so trivial a business as 
 you have done. 
 
 Your large transcript of other men's sayings, to 
 prove the good success of the gospel of old, did 
 better become that people and age, than you and 
 yours ; they being a people that lived in the power 
 thereof, but you such bats as cannot see it. That 
 saying you mention of Rigaltias, doth better be- 
 come you and yours : ' Those now-a-days do retain 
 the name, and society of Christians, which live 
 altogether antichristian lives. Take away publi- 
 cans, and a wretched rabble, &c. and our Christian 
 churches wiU be lamentably weak, small, and insig- 
 nificant things, ' p. 181. 
 
 I shall add to yours another reason of the unsuc- 
 cessfidness of the gospel in our days, and that is, 
 because so many ignorant Sir Johns,* on the one 
 hand, and so many that have done violence to their 
 former light, and that have damned themselves in 
 their former anathematizing of others, have now 
 for a long time, as a judgment of God, been per- 
 mitted to be, and made the mouth to the people : 
 persons whose lives are debauched, and who in the 
 face of the world, after seeming serious detestings 
 of wickedness, have for the love of filthy lucre, and 
 the pampering their idle carcasses, made shipwreck 
 of their former faith, and that feigned good con- 
 science they had. From which number if you. 
 Sir, have kept yourself clear, the less blood of the 
 damned will fall upon your head : I know you not 
 
 * ' Sir Johns,' formerly the title given to the priests. It 
 was succeeded by the title ' reverend.' — Ed, 
 
 2b. 
 
314 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION 
 
 by face, mucli less your personal practice ; yet I 
 have heard as if blood might pursue you, for your 
 unstable weathercoct spirit, which doubtless could 
 not but stumble the weak, and give advantage to 
 the adversary to speak vilifyingly of religion. 
 
 [Living faith essential to scdvcUion.] 
 
 As to your seventeenth and eighteenth chapters,* 
 I shall say little, only I wish that your eighteenth 
 had been more express in discovering how far a 
 man may go, with a notion of the truth of the 
 gospel, and yet perish because he hath it not in 
 power. 
 
 Only in your inveighing so much against the 
 pardon of sin, while you seem so much to cry up 
 healing ; you must know that pardon of sin is the 
 beginning of health to the soul : He pardoneth our 
 iniquities, and healeth all our diseases. Ps. ciii. 3. 
 And where he saith, by the stripes of Christ we 
 are healed, it is evident that healing beginneth at 
 pardon, and not pardon after healing, as you would 
 rather have it. 1 Pe. ii. 24. compare is. liii. As for your 
 comparison of the plaister, and the physician's 
 portion, t I say you do but abuse your reader, and 
 muddy the way of the gospel. For the first thing 
 of which the soul is sick, and by which the con- 
 science reoeiveth wounding ; it is the guilt of sin, 
 and fear of the curse of God for it. For which is 
 provided the wounds and precious blood of Christ, 
 which flesh and blood, if the soul eat thereof by 
 faith, giveth deliverance therefrom. Upon this the 
 filth of sin appears most odious, for that it hath 
 not only at present defiled the soul, but because it 
 keeps it from doing those duties of love, which by 
 the love of Christ it is constrained to endeavour 
 the perfecting of. For filth, appears filth ; that is 
 irksome, and odious to- a contrary principle now 
 implanted in the soul ; which principle had its con- 
 veyance thither by faith in the sacrifice and death 
 of Christ going before. ' The love of Christ con- 
 Btraineth us ; because we thus judge, that if one 
 died for all, then were all dead : And thai he died 
 for all, that they which live should not henceforth 
 live unto themselves, but unto him which died for 
 
 * Chap. 17 : ' How fearfully the gospel is abused by the 
 papists.' Chap. 18 : ' Those sottish, who expect salvation with- 
 out holiness ; and those more so who encourage themselves 
 by the grace of the gospel in unholiness.' — Heads of these 
 Chapters. — Ed. 
 
 t ' Would that man be accounted any better than a perfect 
 idiot, who, being sorely hurt, should expect from his surgeon per- 
 fect ea,se, when he will not permit him to apply any plaister for 
 the healing of his wound ? Or that being deadly siclc, should 
 look that his physician should deliver him from his pain, when 
 he will not take any course he prescribes for the removal of the 
 distempCT that is the cause of it ? ' — Fowler's Design, p. 216. 
 How admirably docs Bunyan detect and unravel this casuistic 
 sophistry. — Ed. 
 
 them, and rose again.' 3Co. v. ii. The map that 
 hath received Christ, desireth to be holy, because 
 the nat\ire of the faith that layeth hold on Christ 
 (although I will not say as you, it is of a generous 
 mind) worketh by love, and longeth, yea, greatly 
 longeth that the soul may be brought, not only 
 into an universal conformity to his will, but into 
 his very likeness ; and because that state standeth 
 not with what we are now, but with what we shall 
 he hereafter : therefore ' in this we groan, - being 
 burdened (with that which is of a contrary nature) 
 to be clothed upon - with our house which is from 
 heaven.' 2Co. y. i— 8. Which state is not that of 
 Adam's innocency; but that which is spiritual 
 and heavenly, even that which is now in the Lord 
 in heaven. 
 
 But I win descend to your nineteenth chapter, 
 it may be more may be discovered there. 
 
 [Justifying faith and the impuiaticm of Christ's 
 righteousness.] 
 
 Your nineteenth chapter is to shew ; ' That a 
 right understanding of the design of Christianity 
 (viz. as you have laid it down) will give satisfaction 
 concerning the true notion. ' First, ' Of justifying 
 faith.' Second, ' Of the imputation of Christ's 
 righteousness, ' p. 231. 
 
 First, Of justififing faith ; ' It is (say you) such 
 a belief of the truth of the gospel, as includes a 
 sincere resolution of obedience unto all its precepts. ' 
 
 Ans. To this I shall answer, first, that the faith 
 which we call justifying faith, ' Is like precious 
 faith' with all the elect, 2 Pe i. i. and that which is 
 most holy : Jude 20. but those acts of it, which re- 
 spect our justification with God from the curse of 
 the law that is due for sin ; are such, as respect 
 not any good work done by us, but the righteous- 
 ness that resideth in the person of Christ ; and is 
 made ours by the imputation of grace. This faith, 
 I say, accovmteth him in whom it is, now a sinner, 
 and without works ; yea, if he have any that in 
 his own eyes are such, this faith rejects them, and 
 throweth them away ; for it seeth a righteousness 
 in the person of Christ sufiicient ; even such as is 
 verily the righteousness of God. ' Now to him 
 that worketh not, hut believeth.' Works and faith 
 are put here m opposition, faith being considered 
 as justifying, in the sight of God from the curse. 
 The reason is, because the righteousness by which 
 the soul must thus stand justified, is a righteous- 
 ness of God's appointing, not of his prescribing 
 us ; a righteousness that entirely is included in the 
 pei«son of Christ. The apostle also, when he speaks 
 of God's saving the election, which hangeth upon 
 the same hinge, as this of justification doth, to wit, 
 on the grace of God ; he opposcth it to works ; and 
 that, not to this or that sort only, but even to work, 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 515 
 
 in the nature of work, ' If by grace, then is it no 
 more of works : otherwise grace is no more grace. 
 But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: 
 otherwise work is no more work. ' Eo. jd. 8. By this 
 text, I say, the apostle doth so thoroughly dis- 
 tinguish between grace and works as that which 
 soever standeth in the case, the other must be 
 annihilated : If it be by grace, then must works 
 be no more, ' then it is no more of works : ' but if 
 it be of works, then is grace no more, ' then it is 
 no more of grace.' 
 
 But this, notwithstanding, you urge farther; 
 ' that faith justifieth, as it includes a sincere re- 
 solution,' <fco. 
 
 Ans. Although, as I have said before, the faith 
 which is the justifying faith, is that of the holiest 
 nature, yet in the act, by which it layeth hold of 
 justifying righteousness, it respects it, simply, as 
 a righteousness offered by grace, or given unto the 
 person that by faith layeth hold thereon as he 
 stands yet ungodly and a sinner. 
 
 Faith justifieth not separate from the righteous- 
 ness of Christ as it is a grace in us, nor as it sub- 
 jecteth the soul to the obedience of the moral law, 
 but as it receiveth a righteousness offered to that 
 sinner, that as such will lay hold on, and accept 
 thereof. Christ Jesus came into the world to save 
 sinners, by being their redemption, and righteous- 
 ness himself. 1 Co. i. 30. 
 
 But you add, ' The faith which entitles a sinner 
 to so high a privilege as that of justification, must 
 needs be such as eomplieth with aU the piu-poses 
 of Christ's coming into the world,' <kc. p. 223. 
 
 Ans. By this supposition, faith justifieth not by 
 receiving of the righteousness that Christ by him- 
 self accomplished for sinners ; but by falling in 
 with all good works, which because they cannot be 
 known, much less, done, by the soul at first, his 
 faith being then, as to the perfection of knowledge 
 of duties, weak, he standeth still before God unjus- 
 tified, and so must stand until he doth comply with 
 all those purposes of Christ's coming into the world. 
 
 But yet again you recal yourself, and distin- 
 guish one purpose from the rest, as a grand one, 
 p. 223. And that is to receive Christ as Lord, as 
 well as a Saviour. 
 
 Ans. 1. Although the soul that in truth receiveth 
 Christ, receiveth him wholly, and entirely as Christ, 
 and not as chopt, and pulled in pieces ; yet I dis- 
 tinguish between the act of faith, which layeth 
 hold of Christ for my justification from the cm-se 
 before God, and the consequences of that act, 
 which are to engage me to newness of life. And 
 indeed, as it is impossible for a man to be a new 
 man, before he be justified in the sight of God; so 
 it is also as impossible, but that when faith hath 
 once laid hold on Christ for life, it should also 
 follow Christ by love. But, 
 
 2. Christ may be received at first as Lord, and 
 that in our justification, and yet not at all be 
 considered as a law-giver, for so he is not the 
 object of faith for our justification with God, but 
 a requirer of obedience to laws and statutes, of 
 them that already are justified by the faith that 
 receiveth him as righteousness. But Christ is as 
 well a Lord for us, as to, or over us ; and it highly 
 concerneth the soul, when it believeth in, or trusteth 
 to the righteousness of Christ, for justification with 
 God, to see that this righteousness lords it over 
 death, and sin, and the devil, and hell for us: the 
 name wherewith he shall be called, is, ' the Lord 
 our righteousness.' Jc. xxiii. c. Our righteousness, 
 then is Lord, and conqueror over all; and we more 
 than conquerors through this Lord that loved ua. 
 Ro. Yiii The author to the Hebrews calls him 
 ' King of righteousness,' He. vU. because by his 
 righteousness he ruleth as Lord and King, and can 
 reign and lord it, at all times over all those that 
 seek to separate us from the presence, and glory 
 of God.* 
 
 Now, how you will brook this doctrine I know 
 not ; I am sure he stands in need thereof, that is 
 lorded over by the curse of the law, the guilt of 
 sin, the rage of the devil, and the fear of death 
 and hell ; he, I say, would be glad to know that 
 in Christ there is a righteousness that loeds it, 
 or that Christ, as he is righteousness, is Loed. 
 
 Wherefore reader, when thou shalt read or hear, 
 that Jesus Christ is Lord, if thou art at the same 
 time under guilt of sin, and fear of hell, then do 
 thou remember that Christ is Lord more ways than 
 one, He is Lord as he is righteousness ; he is Lord 
 as he is imputative righteousness ; he is ' the Lord 
 our righteousness.' Je. xxiiie. Of the same imporf 
 is that also, ' He is a Prince, and a Saviour,' he 
 is a Prince, as he is a Saviour ; because the righ- 
 teousness by which he saveth, beareth rule in hea- 
 ven, and earth. And hence we read again, that 
 even when he was in the combat with our sins, 
 the devils, the curse, and death, upon the cross, 
 he even in that place ' made a shew of them openly, 
 triumphing over them.' Col. u. 15, 16. Now in these 
 
 * ' The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith;' 
 that is, from one degree of faith to another : therefore increase 
 in faith ; live nearer to Christ ; and the nearer you live to 
 the Saviour, the farther you will be from sin ; yea, he will 
 make you, by precious feith in him, more than conqueror over 
 all yoar spiritual enemies: therefore venture wholly upon 
 Christ, and see if he will cast you out : indeed, he never will. 
 TiTist in him, hope in him, believe in hiw, and you will never 
 be disappointed. All your fitness is in Christ. Believe in 
 him, and he is yours. In him dwells all fullness. Believe in 
 Christ, and all that Christ has is yours ; his blood is yours, 
 his wisdom is yours, his righteousness, his sanctification is 
 yours ; yea, Christ Jesus hipiself is yours — he is yours in this 
 world, and in the world to come ; he is yours in time, and ia 
 eternity. Evea so, Amnv-.c^Mawil mi Rj/larfd- 
 
316 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 things he is Lord for us, and the Captain of our 
 Balvation ; as also in that ' He led captivity cap- 
 tive;' Ep. iv, 8. all which places, with many more, 
 being testimonies to us, of the sufficiency of that 
 righteousness which saveth us from the justice of 
 the law and wrath of God. But you respect not 
 this his manner of lording ; but will have him be 
 a Saviour, as he giveth laws, especially those you 
 call indispensable, and eternal, the moral law. 
 You would have him a Saviour, as he bringeth us 
 back to the holiness we had lost. But this is 
 none other than barbarous quakerism, the stress 
 of their writing also tending to no other purpose. 
 
 But you tell us, ' That you scarcely admired at 
 any thing more in all your life, than that any 
 worthy men especially, should be so difficultly per- 
 suaded to embrace this account of justifying faith, 
 and should perplex and make intricate so very 
 plain a doctrine,' p. 332. 
 
 Ans. And doubtless they far more *groundedly 
 stand amazed at such as you, who while you pre- 
 tend to shew the design of the gospel, make the 
 very essential of it, a thing in itself indifferent, 
 and absolutely considered neither good nor evil, 
 p. 7. that makes obedience to the moral laws, p. 8. 
 more essential to salvation, than that of going to 
 God by Christ, p. 9. that maketh it the great design 
 of Christ, to put us into a possession of that pro- 
 miseless, natural, old covenant holiness which we had 
 lost long since in Adam, that maketh as if Christ, 
 rejecting all other righteousness, or holiness, hath 
 established only this, p. 10—16. Yea, that maketh 
 the very principle of this holiness to consist in ' a 
 sound complexion of soul, the purity of human 
 nature in us, a habit of soul, truly generous mo- 
 tives and principles, divine moral laws which were 
 first written in men's hearts, and originally dic- 
 tates of human nature.' All this villany against 
 the Son of God, with much more as bad, is com- 
 prized within less than the first sixteen pages of 
 your book. 
 
 But say you, ' what pretence can there be for 
 thinking, that faith is the condition, or instrument 
 of justification, as it complieth with only the pre- 
 cept of relying upon Christ's merits for the ob- 
 taining of it : especially when it is no less manifest 
 than the sun at noon-day, that obedience to the 
 other precepts must go before obedience to this; and 
 that a man may not rely upon the merits of Christ 
 for the forgiveness of his sins, and he is most pre- 
 sumptuous in so doing, and puts an afiront upon 
 his Saviour too, till he be sincerely willing to be 
 reformed from them.' p. 223. 
 
 Ans. That the merits of Christ, for justification, 
 are made over to that faith that receiveth them, 
 while the person that believeth it, stands in his 
 
 ' More groundedly,' with better foundation. 
 
 own account, by the law a sinner ; hatli already 
 been shewed. And that they are not by God 
 appointed for another purpose, is manifest through 
 all the Bible. 
 
 1. In the type, when the bloody sacrifices were 
 to he offered, and an atonement made for the soul, 
 the people were only to confess their sins over the 
 head of the bullock, or goat, or lamb, by laying 
 their hands thereon, and so the sacrifice was to be 
 slain. They were only to acknowledge their sins. 
 And observe it, in the day that these offerings were 
 made, they were 'not to work at all; for he that did 
 any work therein, was to be cut off from his people.' 
 
 Le. iv.; xvi.; xxiii. 
 
 2. In the antitype thus it runs ; ' Christ died 
 for our sins ; Christ gave himself for our sins ; he 
 was made to be sin for us ; Christ was made a 
 curse for us.' 
 
 ' Yea, but (say you) What pretence can there 
 be, that faith is the condition, or instrument of jus- 
 tification, as it complieth with only the precepts 
 of relying upon Christ's merits;' that is, first, or 
 before the soul doth other things. 
 
 Ans. I say, avoiding your own ambiguous terms, 
 that it is the duty, the indispensable duty of all 
 that would be saved, Pirst, Immediately, now to 
 close in by faith with that work of redemption, 
 which Christ by his blood hath purchased for them, 
 as they are sinners. 
 
 1. Because God doth hold it forth, yea, hath set 
 it forth to be received by us, as such. Ko. iii. 23—27. 
 
 2. Because God hath commanded us by faith to 
 receive it as such. Ac. xvi. 
 
 And I add. If the jailor was altogether ignorant 
 of what he must do to be saved, and Paul yet bids 
 him then, before he knew anything else, ' Believe 
 in the Lord Jesus Christ, and he should be saved,' 
 that then believing, even believing on Christ for a 
 righteousness to justify and save him, must go 
 first, and may, nay ought to be pressed, even then, 
 when the soul stands ignorant of what else he ought 
 
 to do. Ac. xvi, 30—33. 
 
 ' But (you say) It is evident as the sun at noon- 
 day, that obedience to the other precepts must go 
 before obedience to this, that is, before faith in 
 Christ.' 
 
 Ans. This you say ; but Paul said to the igno- 
 rant jailor, that knew nothing of the mind of God 
 in the doctrine of justification, that he should first 
 believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and so should 
 be saved. Again, when Paul preached to the 
 Corinthians, the first doctrine that he delivered 
 unto them was, ' That Christ died for their sins, 
 according to the scriptures, ' <feo. l Co. xt. i— 3. 
 
 But what be these other precepts ? Not Bap- 
 tism, nor the supper of the Lord ; for these you 
 say are, as poor and inconsiderable, as that of 
 coming to God by Christ, even all three, things in 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 317 
 
 themselves neither good nor evil, but of an indif- 
 ferent nature ; they must be therefore some more 
 weighty things of the gospel, than these positive 
 precepts. But what things are they ? It is good 
 that you tell us, seeing you tacitly forbid all men 
 upon pain of presumption, and of doing affront to 
 Jesus Christ, that they rely not on the merits 
 of Christ for forgiveness till they be sincerely 
 willing to perform them first ; yet I find not here 
 one particular precept instanced by you: Bui 
 perhaps we shall hear of them hereafter, therefore 
 now I shall let them pass. You tell us farther, 
 ' That such a reliance (as that of acting faith, first, 
 on the merits of Christ for justification) is ordinarily 
 to be found amongst unregenerate, and even the 
 worst of men,' p. 223. 
 
 Ans. This is but a falsehood and a slander, for 
 the unregenerate know him not; how then can 
 they believe on him ? 1 Jn. iii. 1. Besides, the worst 
 of men, so far as they pretend religion, set up 
 your idol in their hearts, viz. their own good 
 meanings, their own good nature, the notions and 
 dictates of their nature, living that little which 
 they do live upon the snuff of their own light, the 
 sparks of their own fire, and therefore woe unto 
 them. 
 
 But you add, ' How can it be otherwise, than 
 that that act of faith must needs have a hand in 
 justifying, and the special hand too, which dis- 
 tinguisheth it from that which is to be found in 
 such persons.' 
 
 Ans. 1. There is no act of faith doth more dis- 
 tinguish true faith from false, and the Christian 
 from the painted hypocrite, than that which first 
 lays hold on Christ, while the person that hath it 
 stands in his own esteem, ungodly; all over like 
 yourself, being fearful and unbelieving Re. ixi. 8. 
 despisers, who wonder, and jerish. Ac. xiii. 40, 41. 
 
 2. And this faith, by thus acting, doth more 
 
 subdue sin, though it doth not justify as subduing, 
 
 but as applying Christ's righteousness, than all the 
 
 wisdom and purity of human nature, or the dictates 
 
 of that nature that is found in the whole world. 
 
 But you add farther : ' What good ground can 
 
 , men have for this fancy, when as our Saviour 
 
 hath merited the pardon of sin for this end, that 
 
 , it might be an effectual motive to turn from it ?' 
 
 I Ans. Although you speak this in greut derision 
 
 ! to faith when it worketh right, yet know that 
 
 therefore (seeing you would hear it) I say, therefore 
 
 hath our Saviour merited pardon, and bestowed it 
 
 on men freely, and bid them believe or receive it, 
 
 and have it ; that thereby they might be encour- 
 
 ' aged to live to him, and love him, and comply with 
 
 his commandments. ' For scarcely for a righteous 
 
 ■ man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man 
 
 J some would even dare to die: But God commendeth 
 
 ' his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sin- 
 
 ners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being 
 NOW justified by his blood, we shall be saved from 
 wrath through him.' Ko.v. Now, as here we are 
 said to be justified by his blood, that is, as his 
 blood appeaseth the justice of God ; so again, it 
 is said that this blood is set forth by God for us 
 to have faith in it, by the term of a propitiation. 
 ' Whom God hath set forth to be a, propitiation (or 
 a sacrifice to appease the displeasure of God) 
 through faith in his blood. - To declare at this 
 time his righteousness, that he might be just, and 
 the justifler of him which believeth in Jesus.' Ho. 
 
 iii. 25, 2G. 
 
 Again, As we are thus justified by blood in the 
 sight of God, by faith in it, so also it is testified 
 of his blood, that it sprinkleth the conscience of 
 the faithful, but still only as it is received by faith. 
 But from what is the conscience sprinkled, but 
 from those dead works that remain in aU that have 
 not yet been justified by faith in this blood. Now 
 if faith in this blood doth sprinkle the conscience, 
 and so doth purge it from all dead works, then 
 must faith go first to the blood of Christ for justi- 
 fication, and must bring this home to the defiled 
 conscience, before it be delivered from those dead 
 works that are in it, and made capable of serving 
 
 the hving God. Eo. v. 7—10; iii. n, 25. He. ix. 14 J I. 19—22. 
 
 But you say, ' you will never trust your discur- 
 sive faciUty so long as you hve, if you are mis- 
 taken here,' p. 224. 
 
 Tell not me of your discursive faculty: The 
 word of God is plain. And never challenge man, 
 for he that condemneth your way to heaven, to 
 the very pit of hell, as Paul doth, can yet set forth 
 a better. 
 
 Second, I come now to the second thing, viz. 
 the doctrine of the impuialion of Christ's righteous- 
 ness, which you thus expound. 
 
 ' It consists in dealing with sincerely righteous 
 persons, as if they were perfectly so, for the sake, 
 and upon the account of Christ's righteousness,' 
 
 p. 225, 226. 
 
 Ans. 1 . Any thing hut truth ; but I would know 
 how sincerely righteous they were that were jus- 
 tified without works ? Or how sincerely righteous 
 they were whom God justified as ungodly ? Ro ir. 3—5. 
 
 2. Your explication of the imputation of Christ's 
 righteousness makes it respect our works rather 
 than our persons : ' It consists (say you) in dealing 
 with sincerely righteous persons, as if they were 
 perfectly so : ' That is, it justifieth their imperfect 
 righteousness first, and so secondarily their persons 
 for the sake of that. 
 
 But observe a few things from this exphcation. 
 
 1 . This concludeth that a man may be sincerely 
 righteous in God's account, without the righte- 
 ousness of Christ ; for that is to be imputed to 
 such, and none but such. 
 
318 
 
 A DErENCE OF THE DOCTRINE Or JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 2. This concludeth that men may be sincerely 
 righteous, before Christ's righteousness is imputed: 
 For this sincere righteousness is precedent to the 
 imputation of Christ's. 
 
 3. This concludeth that a man may have true, 
 yea saving grace in great and mighty action in 
 him, before he hath faith in tlie righteousness of 
 Christ. For if a man must be sincerely righteous 
 first ; then he must not only have that we call the 
 habit, but the powerful acts of grace. , 
 
 Besides, if the righteousness of Christ is not to 
 be looked to first, but secondarily ; not before, but 
 after we be made sincerely righteous ; then may 
 not faith be thus acted if a man should have it, 
 until he be first a sincerely righteous person. 
 
 4. This concludeth that a man may be brought 
 from under the curse of the law in God's sight, 
 before he have faith in the righteousness of Christ, 
 yea before it be imputed to him : for he that in 
 God's account is reckoned sincerely righteous, is 
 beloved of his God. 
 
 5. This concludeth that a man may bo from 
 under the curse of God, without the imputation of 
 the righteousness of Christ: For if a man must 
 be sincerely righteous in God's account without it, 
 then he is from under the curse of God without it. 
 
 6. This doctrine teacheth farther, that Christ 
 came to call, and justify the righteous, contrary to 
 his express word. In short, by this account of 
 things, first we must be healed, and then the 
 plaister comes. 
 
 Yea, so confident is this man in this his asser- 
 tion, that he saith, ' It is not possible any other 
 notion of this doctrine should have truth in it,' 
 p. 226. this Jesus ! This rock of offence ! But 
 he that bclieveth on him shall not be confounded. 
 
 But blessed be God for Jesus Christ, and for 
 that he took our nature, and sin, and curse, and 
 death upon him : And for that he did also by 
 hinwelf, by one offering purge our sins. We that 
 have believed have found rest, even there where 
 God and his Father hath smelled a sweet savour 
 of rest ; because we are presented to God, even 
 now complete in the righteousness of him, and 
 stand discharged of guilt, even by the faith of 
 him: yea, as sins past, so sins to come, were 
 taken up and satisfied for, by that offering of the 
 body of Jesus, we who have had a due sense of 
 sins, and of the nature of the justice of God, we 
 know that no remission of the guilt of any one can 
 be, but by atonement made by blood. He. h. 23, 
 We also know that where faith in Jesus Christ is 
 wanting, there can bo neither good principle, nor 
 good endeavour. For faith is the first of all graces, 
 and without it there is nothing but sin. Eo. xiy. 23. 
 We know also, that faith as a grace in us, severed 
 from the righteousness of Christ, is only a beholder 
 of things, but not a justifier of persons, and that 
 
 if it lay not hold of, and applieth not that righte- 
 ousness which is in Christ, it carrieth us no farther 
 than to the [faith of] devils. We know..that this 
 doctrine killeth sin, and curseth it at the very 
 roots ; I say we know it, ' who have mourned over 
 him whom we have pierced,' Zee. xu. 10. and who 
 have been confounded to see that God by his 
 blood should be pacified towards us for all the 
 wickedness we have done. Eze. xvi. 63. Yea, we have 
 a double motive to be holy and humble before him ; 
 one because he died for us on earth, another be- 
 cause he now appears for us in heaven, there 
 sprinkling for us the mercy-seat with his blood, 
 there ever-living to make intercession for them 
 that come unto God by him. ' If any man sin, 
 we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ 
 the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our 
 sins. ' iJii. ii. 1, 3. Yet this worketh in us no loose- 
 ness, nor favour to sin, but so much the more an 
 abhorrence of it : ' She loveth much, for much was 
 forgiven her.' Lu. vii. 47. Yea, she weeps, she 
 washeth his feet, and wipeth them with the hairs 
 of her head, to the confounding of Simon the 
 pharisee, and all such ignorant hypocrites. 
 
 [The Bible the only measure and standard oftjuth.] 
 
 But I pass this, and come to the twentieth 
 chapter, which is to learn us by what measure 
 and standard we are to judge of doctrines ; and 
 that is by the design of Christianity as stated, you 
 must know, by Mr. Fowler. Wherefore it wiU 
 be requisite here again, that a collection of prin- 
 ciples and doctrines be gathered out of this book, 
 that the man that hath a short memory may be 
 helped the better to bear them in mind, and to 
 make them, if he shall be so bewitched by them, 
 instead of the Bible, a standard for truth, and a 
 rule for him to obtain salvation by. 
 
 First then, he must know that the principle by 
 which he must walk must be the purity of the 
 human nature, a divine or God-like nature, which 
 yet is but an habit of soul, or more plainly the 
 moral law, as written in the heart, and originally 
 the dictates of human nature, a generous principle, 
 such an one as although it respects law, yet acts 
 in a sphere above it ; above it as a written law, 
 that acts even in the first principles of it, p. 7—10. 
 
 Second, He must know, that the holiness Christ 
 designed to possess his people with, is that which 
 wo had lost in Adam, that which he had before ho 
 fell, that natural old covenant Christ-less hoU>i 
 ness, p, 13. 
 
 Tliird, He must put a difi'erence between those 
 laws of the gospel that are essential to holiness, 
 and those positive precepts that in themselves are 
 indifferent, and absolutely considered neither good 
 nor evil ; but must know also that of these positive 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTEINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 319 
 
 precepts, lie alloweth but three in the gospel, but 
 three that are purely such ; to wit, that of coming 
 to God by Christ, the institutions of baptism, and 
 the Lord's supper, p. 7—9. 
 
 Fourth, He must hold for certain, that the faith 
 which entitleth a sinner to so high a privilege as 
 that of justification, must needs be such as com- 
 plieth with all the purposes of Christ's coming 
 into the World, whether at present it understands 
 them or not, and it is no less necessary it should 
 justify as it doth so, p. 332. 
 
 Fifth, He must know, that a man may not rely 
 upon the merits of Christ for the forgiveness of his 
 sins, before he have done other good works first, 
 
 p. 223. 
 
 Sixth, And that the right explication of the 
 imputation of Christ's righteousness is this, that 
 it consisteth in having to do with persons that are 
 sincerely righteous, p. 225. For it is not possible 
 for Christ's righteousness to be imputed to an 
 unrighteous man, p. 120. 
 
 These things, with many like to them, being 
 the main points by this man handled, and by him 
 asserted to be the design of Christianity, by these 
 we must, as by a rule and standard, understand 
 how to judge of the truth of doctrines. And, 
 saith he, ' seeing the design of Christianity is to 
 make men holy, (stiU meaning from principles of 
 humanity, and by possessing us again, with the 
 often repeated holiness which we had lost,) what- 
 soever opinions do either directly, or in their evi- 
 dent consequences, obstruct the promoting of it, 
 are perfectly false, ' p. 227, 323. 
 
 Ans. Thus with one word, as if he were Lord 
 and Judge himself, he sendeth to the pit of hell, 
 all things that sanctify or make holy the hearts of 
 men, if they oppose the design of his Christianity. 
 But what if the Holy Ghost will become a principle 
 in the hearts of the converted, and will not now 
 suffer them to act simply and alone upon the prin- 
 ciples of pure humanity; or what now if faith 
 will become a principle to act by, instead of these 
 that are originally dictates of human nature ? Or 
 what if a man should act now as a son, rather than 
 simply as a creature endued with a principle of 
 reason ? I question here whether these things 
 thus doing do not obstruct, put by, yea and take 
 the way* of his pure humanity, dictates of human 
 nature, and instead thereof act and govern the 
 soul by and with their own principles. For albeit, 
 there be the dictates of human nature in the sons 
 of men, yet neither is this nature, nor yet the 
 dictates of it, laid by Jesus Christ as the truly 
 christian principles in his. But you add : 
 
 ' Those doctrines which in their own nature do 
 evidently tend to the serving of Tms design of 
 
 * ' Take the way,' occupy the place. — Ed. 
 
 Christianity, we may conclude are most true and 
 genuine,' p. 239. 
 
 Ans. The holiness which you so often call the 
 design of Christianity, being by yourself said to be 
 that which we had lost, for this one sentence is it 
 on which your whole book is built, p. 12. whatso- 
 ever doctrine or doctor it be that asserts it, both 
 that doctrine is of the devil, and that doctor an 
 angel of darkness, or rather a minister of Satan, 
 become as a minister of righteousness. For where 
 is it said in all the whole book of God, that ever 
 the Lord Christ designed, yea made it his errand 
 from heaven, to put us again in possession of the 
 hoUness which we had lost ? Yet this you affirm, 
 and tell us the business of your book is to prove 
 it. But blessed be God, your shifts are dis- 
 covered, and your fig-leaves rent from off you, and 
 the righteousness or holiness so much cried up by 
 you, proved to be none of the holiness of the gos- 
 pel, but that which stood with perfect ignorance 
 thereof. I might speak to what yet remains of 
 falsehood, in the other part of this chapter ; but 
 having overthrown the foundation, and broken the 
 head of your Leviathan ; what remains falleth of 
 itself, and dieth of its own accord. 
 
 What you say of modes or forms, and sticklers 
 for httle trifles, such as place their religion in 
 mere externals, you may fasten them where of due 
 they belong : Yet I tell you the least of the com- 
 mandments of Christ is better than your adamitish 
 holiness. 
 
 [The necessity of a sound ftmmdation.J 
 
 Your twenty-first chapter tells us, if we will 
 believe you, how we shall judge of the necessity 
 of doctrine, to be embraced or rejected ; also you 
 say, it giveth us a brief discourse of the nature of 
 fundamentals : But because your discourse of them 
 is general, and not any one particularized, I might 
 leave you in your generals till you dealt more can- 
 didly, both with the word of God and your abused 
 reader. 
 
 First, Indeed you tell us of primary funda- 
 mentals. ' Such, as without the knowledge and 
 behef of which it is impossible to acquire that 
 inward righteousness and true holiness which the 
 christian religion aimeth at ; - but the particulars 
 of these, say you, I shall not enumerate, because 
 (as will appear from what will be said anon) it is 
 not needful to have a just table of them,' p. 334. 
 
 Ans. Deep divinity! (1.) They are such as with- 
 out the knowledge and belief of them, it is not 
 possible we should acquire your true holiness ; and 
 yet for all that, it is not needful that we be told 
 what they are, or that we should have a just table 
 of them. (2.) But if they be things necessary, 
 things without the knowledge of which it is impossible 
 
320 
 
 A DEFENCE OP THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 we should be truly holy, then is it needful that 
 we understand what they are : yea, then is it 
 needful that they he written, and presented one by 
 one unto us, that our knowledge of them being 
 distinct and full, we may the better be able to ob- 
 tain or acquire your glorious (so pretended) holiness. 
 
 But I know your primary fundamentals, they 
 are your first principles of morals ; not faith in 
 the righteousness of Christ, for that is compre- 
 hended in your positive, and in themselves indiffer'- 
 ent things : your morals are the things in them- 
 selves absolutely necessary; of an indispensable 
 and eternal obligation, p. 8, 9. But, 
 
 Second, You tell us of points of faith that are 
 secondarily fundamental; the disbelief of which 
 cannot consist with true holiness, in those to 
 whom the gospel is sufficiently made known. 
 
 Ans. The secondary fundamentals also, are all 
 kept close and hid, and not otherwise to be vmder- 
 stood, but by implication ; however, the disbelief 
 of these is not of so sad a consequence as is that 
 of the former, because, say you, ' They are not in 
 their own nature, holiness,' p. 335. Yea, he insinu- 
 ateth that the disbelief of them may stand with 
 true holiness in those to whom the gospel is not 
 sufficiently made known. 
 
 Of these secondary fundamentals therefore, what- 
 ever is their number, this is one, even coming to 
 God by Christ ; for as in p. 7. and 9. he calleth it a 
 positive precept, a thing that in itself is neither 
 good nor evil ; so here he speaks of such as are 
 not in their own nature holy; not such, as that 
 holiness js not in some degree or other attainable 
 without the belief of them. 
 
 That one of these secondary fundamentals in- 
 tended by Mr. Fowler, ia, that of coming to God by 
 Christ, I farther gather, because he saith, that ' in 
 the number of these, are all such doctrines, as are 
 with indisputable clearness revealed to us,' that is, 
 by the holy scriptures of the New Testament, 
 p. 335. For therein is this revealed to be a funda- 
 mental ; but he saith, not a primary one, because, 
 that in itself, it is but indifferent, and not in its 
 own nature good. ' Now the belief of these, saith 
 he, though it is not in itself any more, than in 
 higher or lower degrees, profitable, (confusion! 
 darkness ! confusion !) yet it is absolutely necessary 
 from an external cause : ' That is, with such abun- 
 dant clearness, as that nothing can cause men to 
 refuse to admit them, but that which argueth them 
 to be stark naught. 
 
 Ans. Then, hence it seems that the reason why 
 you admit these secondary sort of fundamentals, is 
 not from any internal power, but an external de- 
 claration only. 2. Nay, and you do but admit 
 them neither, and that too, for some external cause; 
 not because of the worthiness of the nature of the 
 points themselves. 3. And were it not, but that 
 
 you are loth to be counted stark naught in the eyes 
 of men, so far as I can discern, you would not at 
 all make profession of them, with pretence as unto 
 God ; for, say you, ' We must take notice here, 
 that all such points [as these] (viz. these fundamen- 
 tals,) are not of equal necessity to be received by 
 all Christians, because, that in regard of the diver- 
 sity of their capacities, educations, and other means 
 and advantages, some of them may be most plainly 
 perceived by some, to be delivered in the scriptures, 
 which cannot be so by others, with the like ease.' 
 Ans. From these words I take notice of four 
 things. 
 
 1. That by this universal (all Christians) is com- 
 prehended the Heathen and Pagan people, they 
 give heed to, and mind to follow that light, that 
 originally, and naturally, stirreth them to moral 
 duties. These be they that want the education, 
 and advantages of others, and are not in such a 
 capacity, as they to whom these things are de- 
 livered by the scriptures. 
 
 2. That this people, notwithstanding they want a 
 . scripture revelation of these secondary fundamen- 
 tals, yet have the more necessary, the first sort of 
 fundamentals ; for the secondary sort, say you, are 
 not in their own nature such, as that holiness is 
 not in some degree or other attainable without the 
 belief of them. 
 
 3. That therefore, these secondary sort of fun- 
 damentals, are only necessary to be believed by 
 them that have the indisputable (the scripture) 
 revelation of them ; and that, in truth, the others 
 may be saved without them. 
 
 4. But yet, even those that are made capable, 
 by education and other advantages, to obtain the 
 belief of them, ought, notwithstanding, not to have 
 the same respect for them, as for those of the first 
 sort of fundamentals, because they are not in their 
 own nature such. 
 
 But will this man know, that Christ is not only 
 a fundamental, but the very foimdation of all other 
 fundamental truths, revealed both in the Old Tes- 
 tament and the New ; and that his pure human 
 nature, with the dictates of it, with his feigned 
 adamitish holiness, is no fundamental at all; I 
 mean no fundamental of faith, no gospel funda- 
 mental. 1 Co. iii. 14. Ep. ii. 19, 20. Yea, will he know, 
 that from heaven there is none other name given, 
 than the name of Jesus Christ, whereby we must 
 be saved, none other name given under the whole 
 heavens. Ac iv. 12. 
 
 Oh the witchcrafts, by which some men's spirits 
 are intoxicated ! and the strength of delusion, by 
 which some are infatuated, and turned aside from the 
 simplicity that is in Jesus Christ! But I proceed: 
 
 Your great question, or rather your Urim and 
 Thummim, by which you would have all men make 
 judgment of their saveable, or damnable state, 
 
A. DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 821 
 
 p. sse. is, according to your description of things, 
 most devilish and destructive. For to obey God 
 and Christ in all thmgs, with you, is to do it from 
 principles purely human in the faith of this : that 
 Christ hath designed to possess us again with that 
 holiness we had lost. Again, to obey God and 
 Christ, with you, is, so to obey all their laws, as 
 respecting the first principles of morals ; and our 
 obedience to them, far more indispensable than 
 that of coming to God by Christ. Farther, he 
 that obeys them in all things, with your directions, 
 must not look upon faith in the blood of Christ, 
 and justification by his righteousness, as the main 
 and first, but the second part of om' duty ; other 
 commands, or precepts, more naturally holy and 
 good, first being embraced, and lived in the prac- 
 tice of, by us. 
 
 This, I say, being the doctrine you have asserted, 
 and the foundation on which your Urim and Thum- 
 mim stands ; the foundation, with your trial, are 
 both from the devil and bell, as hath at large been 
 jproved, and discovered in this book. 
 
 And I now will add, and bid you take your ad- 
 vantage, that should a man with all his might, 
 strive to obey all the moral laws, either as they 
 are contained in the first principles of morals, or 
 in the express decalogue, or Ten Commandments ; 
 without faith, first, in the blood, and death, and 
 resurrection of Christ, &c. For his justification 
 with God ; his thus doing would be counted wicked- 
 ness, and he in the end, accounted a rebel against 
 the gospel, and shall be damned for want of faith in 
 the blood of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 \The Chridiaris great principles.] 
 
 Your twenty-second chapter, saith, ' That the 
 design of Christianity, teacheth us what doctrines 
 and practices we ought, as Christians, to be most 
 zealous for, or against, ' p. 337. 
 
 Ans. But there is not by that, it being rightly 
 stated, one syllable that tendetli to encourage any 
 man, to have lower thoughts of coming to God by 
 Christ, than of keeping the moral law. For even 
 the first text you bring, doth utterly overthrow it. 
 'Contend [earnestly], say you, for the faith;' I 
 answer then, not for the law of works, for the law 
 is not of faith ; but the man that doth these things, 
 shall live in them, by them. ' Contend earnestly 
 for the faith, for there are certain men crept in 
 unawares, which were before of old, ordained unto 
 ' this condemnation;' even the condemnation that 
 is to come upon them that contend against the 
 faith ; for these ungodly men turn the grace of 
 God into lasciviousness, and deny the only Lord 
 God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Now these 
 creeping ungodly men, may be divided in three 
 ranks. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 1. Such as by principle, and practice both, say, 
 ' Let us do evil, that good may come : whose dam- 
 nation is just.' Ko. iii. 8. 
 
 2. Such as by practice only, appear to be such, 
 denying to profess the principle thereof, such are 
 they that made excuse and delay, when invited to 
 come to the wedding. Mat. xxu. 1—5. Lu. iiv. 
 
 3. There is yet another sort ; and they are sucli 
 as seem to deny it, both in principle, and practice 
 also ; only they do it covertly, privily bringing in 
 damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that 
 bought them. These ' bring upon themselves swift 
 destruction.' 3 Pe.ii..i. 
 
 This third sort, made of the docti'ine of grace, 
 and of the forgiveness of sins, through the faith of 
 the righteousness of Christ, a loose and licentious 
 doctrine, or a doctrine that giveth liberty to the 
 flesh. By reason of these the way of truth is evil 
 spoken of, and the hearts of innocent ones alien- 
 ated therefrom. These will not stick to charge it 
 upon the very chief of the brethren, if they shall 
 say, ' As sin abounded, grace hath much more 
 abounded: that they press men to do evil, that good 
 may come of it. ' Ro. iii. 8, 9. But, as I said, these vilify 
 Christ, not with open words, but covertly; privily 
 they bring in their blasphemy under a cloak, cry- 
 ing, the law, holiness, strictness, good works, <fec. 
 Besides, these clothe their doctrines with names 
 and notions that belong not at all unto them ; as 
 of Christ, grace, the spirit, the gospel, when there 
 is only there, the devU, and his angels, and errors ; 
 as angels of light, and ministers of righteousness. 
 Of this las't sort are you, and the subject matter 
 of your book ; for you bring into the world an 
 anti-gospel holiness, anti-gospel principles, and 
 anti-gospel fundamentals ; and that these things 
 might be worshipped by your disciples, you give 
 them the name of holiness, the design of Christ, 
 and of Christianity; by which means you remove 
 the Christ of God, from before, and set him behind, 
 forbfdding men to believe on him, till they have 
 practised your things first : nay, after they have 
 practised yours, they then must come to God by 
 him, stiU respecting the principles and dictates of 
 humanity, as things of the greatest weight, things 
 that are good in themselves ; still considering that 
 • coming to God by Christ, is not good in itself, 
 but so only upon the account of certain circum- 
 stances ; a thing in itself of an indiflfereut nature, 
 and absolutely considered neither good nor evil. ' 
 
 Wherefore, Sir, laying aside all fear of men, not 
 regarding what you may procure to be inflicted 
 upon me for this my plain dealing with you, I tell 
 you again, that yourself is one of them, that have 
 closely, privily, and devilishly, by your book, 
 turned the grace of our God into a lascivious doc- 
 trine, bespattering it with giving liberty to loose- 
 ness, and the hardening of the ungodly in wicked- 
 2s 
 
B22 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 ness, against wliom, stall you persist in your wick- 
 edness, I shall not fail, may I live, and know it, 
 and be helped of God to do it, to discover yet far- 
 ther the rottenness of your doctrine, with the ac- 
 cursed tendencies thereof. 
 
 What you say about ' doubtful opinion, alterable 
 modes, rites, and circumstances in religion, ' p. 239. 
 I know none so wedded thereto as yourselves, even 
 the whole gang of your rabbling counterfeit clergy; 
 who generally like the ape you speak of,* lie blow- 
 ing up the applause and glory of your trumpery, 
 and like the tail, with your foolish and sophistical 
 arguings, you cover the filthy parts thereof, as you 
 sweetly argue in the next chapter, p. Ui. saying, 
 ' Whatsoever of such are comnieJided by the custom 
 of the place we live in, or convmanded by superiors, 
 or made by any circumstance convenient to be done, 
 our christian liberty consists in this, that we Jtave 
 leave to do them.'f So that do but call them 
 things indifferent, things that are the customs of 
 the place we live in, or made by ant circumstance 
 convenient, and a man may not doubt but he hath 
 leave to do them, let him live at Rome or Constan- 
 tinople, or amidst the greatest corruption of wor- 
 ship and government. These are therefore doubt- 
 less, a third sort of fundamentals, by which you 
 can wrestle with conviction of conscience, and 
 stifle it ; by which you can suit yourself for every 
 fashion, mode, and way of religion. Here you may 
 hop from Presbyterianism, to a prelatical mode ; 
 and if time and chance should serve you, back- 
 wards, and forwards again: yea, here you can 
 make use of several consciences, one for this way 
 now, another for that anon ; now putting out the 
 light of this by a sophistical delusive argument, 
 then putting out the other, by an argument that 
 best suits the time. J Yea, how oft is the candle 
 of the wicked put out, by such glorious learning 
 as this. Nay, I doubt not, but a man of your 
 principles, were he put upon it, would not stick to 
 count, those you call gospel-positive precepts, of 
 no value at all in the christian religion ; for now, 
 even now, you do not stick to say that, that even 
 that of going to God by Christ, is one of these, and 
 that such an one, as if absolutely considered in it- 
 self, is neither good nor evil. How then, if God 
 
 * 'Doubtful opinions, modes and rites, eagerly opposed, 
 is like the apes blowing at a glowworm, which affords neither 
 light nor warmth,' p. 239. 
 
 -j- These sentiments are the essential fundamentals of all 
 state religions, be they heathen, christian, or mohamedan. . 
 This plain avowal of them might have been the cause why the 
 luthor was soon after made a bishop of the Church of Eng- 
 land. — Ed. 
 
 X Like the vicar of Bray, near Maidenhead, who boasted of 
 liis consistency. He was under Henry Vltl. a papist, then 
 a semi-protestant ; under Edward, a protestant ; under Mary, 
 again a papist ; and under EMzabeth, a protestaut. Still he 
 had never ceased to be vicar of Brai/. — Ep. 
 
 should cast you into Turkey, where Mahomet reigns 
 as Lord ? It is but reckoning that ?t is the reli- 
 gion, and custom of the country, and that which is 
 authorised by the power that is there ; wherefore 
 it is but sticking to your dictates of human nature, 
 and remembering that coming to God by Christ is 
 a thing of an indifferent nature in itself, and then 
 for peace sake, and to sleep in a whole skin, you may 
 comply, and do as your superior commands. Why ? 
 Because in Turkey, are your first sort of fimda- 
 mentals found : there are men that have human 
 nature, and the law of morals written in their 
 hearts ; they have also the dictates thereof written 
 within them, which teach them, those you call the 
 eternal laws of righteousness ; wherefore you both 
 would agree in your essential, and immutable dif- 
 ferences of good and evil, p. 6. and differ only about 
 these positive laws, indifferent things. Yea, and 
 Mahomet also/w tlie time, because by a custom 
 made convenient, might be now accounted worship- 
 ful, and the circumstances that attend his worship, 
 especially those of them that clash not with the 
 dictates of your human nature, might also be swal- 
 lowed down. 
 
 Behold you here then, good reader, a glorious 
 Latitudinarian, that can, as to religion, turn and 
 twist like an eel on the angle; or rather like the 
 weather-cock that stands on the steeple. 
 
 ' For (saith he) our refusing to comply with 
 either of these can hardly proceed from anything 
 better than a proud affectation of singularity, or 
 at best, from superstitious scrupulosity.' p. 242. 
 
 Do but believe him therefore in what he saith, 
 and you cannot choose but be ready with him to 
 comply with aU modes that may serve for advan- 
 tage. 
 
 Besides, he saith, ' that the word superstition, 
 in the Greek* implieth, a frightful, and over- 
 timorous apprehension of the divine nature ; and 
 consequently a base and under-valuing conception 
 of it.' 
 
 So that to be tender of conscience, especially iu 
 things of divine worship, binding up the soul to the 
 words of the everlasting testament, in such things 
 especially, as a fool can call little, and insignificant 
 trivial matters, rendereth a man such an one as 
 hath a very erroneous conscience. 
 
 But he would not be understood (p. 244.) as if- ho 
 here intended to vilify things that are plainly com- 
 manded, or to tolerate that which is plainly for- 
 bidden, only he would have all things that may 
 fall within the reach of these two general heads, 
 be examined by this general rule, ' his description 
 of the design of Christianity.' 
 
 Answ. But I could tell him, that whatsoever is 
 imposed as a part of God's worship, is judged by 
 
 ( Aiijidecifxori'a, 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 823 
 
 a better rule than his, hoth as to its goodness and 
 badness, neither can we account any thing indif- 
 ferent that is a part thereof. Besides, whatsoever 
 is reputed a part of God's worship, layeth hold on 
 the conscience of the godly : although a ranting 
 Latltudinarian may say, ' If the devil should preach, 
 
 1 would hear him, before I would suffer persecu- 
 tion. ' As a brave fellow which I could name, in 
 Lis zeal was pleased to declare. 
 
 But what trust should any man put to the rule 
 to which you direct him for help, and relief therein ; 
 seeing that from the beginning to the end, from 
 the top to the bottom, it is a cursed blasphemous 
 book; a book that more vilifieth Jesus Christ, than 
 many of the Quakers themselves: for which of 
 them said worse of him, and make coming to God 
 by him, a more insignificant thing, than you by 
 your pretended design of Christianity have done. 
 
 We have therefore a more sure word of the pro- 
 phets, to the which 'we do well to take heed,' 
 
 2 Pe. i. 19. by which, both your doctrine, and practice, 
 is already judged to be naught, as will be farther 
 discovered time enough, when you shall justify or 
 condemn particulars. 
 
 Your twenty-fourth chapter I shall now pass by, 
 until I can better compare you and popery, against 
 which you there so stoutly* diggle together. , 
 
 \The scandalous lives and foolish doctrines of state 
 priests, not the true ground of dissent.] 
 
 Your twenty-fifth chapter carrieth in it an 
 hideous outcry against many of your ministers and 
 guides, complaining and confessing, ' That no one 
 thing hath so conduced to the prejudice of your 
 church of England, and done the separating parties 
 so much service, as the scandalous lives of some 
 that exercise the ministerial function in her,' p. 258. 
 
 Answ. 1 will grant it, if you respect these poor 
 carnal people, who yet have been shamed from 
 your assemblies, by such vicious persons you men- 
 tion: but the truly godly, and spiritually judicious 
 have left you from other arguments, of which 1 
 shall not here dilate. 
 
 But from p. 261. to the end of the chapter, you 
 take upon you to particularize other of your minis- 
 ters that are an offence to you, and to the design 
 of your Christianity.! 
 
 1. ' Such as affect to make people stare at their 
 high flown bombast language, or to please their 
 phantasies with foolish jugglings, and pedantic or 
 boyish wit ; or to be admired for their ability in 
 
 * ' Diggle together,' probably from ' degladiation,' a combat, 
 quarrel, or contest ; a fencing match between two friends. 
 —Ed. 
 
 t Fowler's picture of the want of uniformity in the preachers 
 of his sect, all being under the ' Act of Uniformity,' is very 
 amusing and instructive I ! — Ed. 
 
 dividing of an hair, their metaphysical acuteness, 
 and scholastic subtUty, or for their doughty dex- 
 terity in controversial squabbles. ' And I add, had 
 you joined herewith, such as vilify and trample 
 upon the blood of the Lord Jesus, preferring the 
 snivel of their own brains before him, you had 
 herein but drawn your own picture, and given 
 your reader an emblem of yourself. 
 
 2. The second sort you blame, are ' such as seek 
 to approve themselves to their auditories to be 
 men of mysteries, and endeavour to make the plain 
 and easy doctrines of the gospel as intricate and 
 obscure as ever they are able. ' I will add to these, 
 such as take away the doctrine of faith, and that 
 set themselves and their works in the room thereof: 
 such as have sought to overturn the foundation, 
 Jesus Christ, and have made coming to God by 
 him, in itself of a far more indifferent nature than 
 the dictates of our humanity. 
 
 3. Another sort (you say) are ' such as preach 
 upon free grace, and christian privileges, otherwise 
 than as motives to cite to obedience, and never 
 scarce insist upon any duties, but those of believing, 
 laying hold on Christ's righteousness, applying the 
 promises, and renouncing our own righteousness,' 
 which they that have none at all to renounce, have 
 a mighty kindness for. 
 
 Answ. (1.) Who they are that preach free grace 
 in your church, to excite men to uncleanness, you 
 may know better than I. But if these words, 
 otherwise than to cite men to obedience, be thus 
 thrust in, of purpose thereby to speak evil of the 
 preachers of free grace, and the exalters of the 
 imputed righteousness of Christ, then look to it ; 
 for such venom language as this, doth but involve 
 you within the bowels of that most dreadful pro- 
 phecy, concerning the false prophets of the last 
 days, that shall privily bring in damnable heresies, 
 even denying the Lord that bought them. 
 
 (2.) The preaching of free grace, pressing to 
 beheving, and laying hold on Christ's righteous- 
 ness, is the most available means under heaven, to 
 make men holy, and righteous :| 1. Before God. 
 2. Then before men. 
 
 (3.) The preaching of these are first, and prin- 
 cipally to beget faith, to beget life, to beget souls 
 to God ; yea, to beget in men such a principle, 
 whereby they may serve God acceptably, with 
 reverence and godly fear. 
 
 (4.) But to preach free grace, doth much con- 
 demn your free will ; to preach Christ's righteous- 
 ness doth utterly curse, and condemn yours ; and 
 to preach the promise of grace, doth quite shut 
 
 J Undoubtedly so ; because the good works of a man who 
 is under the influence and power of divine grace, flow from 
 the constraining love of a covenant-reconciled God in Christ 
 Jesus, whom the holy-making Spirit glorifies and renders pre- 
 cious to every true believer in him. — 3Ia30n and Ei/land. 
 
324 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTinCATION. 
 
 out. a covenant of works: therefore no marvel if 
 you, who are so wedded to these things, be such 
 an enemy to free grace, the righteousness of Christ, 
 and the gospel promises, that you make even 
 these things a characteristical note (first abusing 
 the consequences of them) of a church-troubling 
 preacher. 
 
 (5.) You tauntingly proceed, saying, 'such 
 preachers also press us to renounce our own righte- 
 ousness, which they that have none at all to re- 
 noimce, have a mighty kindness for. ' 
 
 Answ. Indeed those that have a righteousness of 
 their own, as the pharisees, and hypocrites of old, 
 had never much kindness for the doctrine of grace, 
 and the ministers of Christ, but the publicans and 
 harlots had : and therefore, these, while they that 
 had righteousness stumbled and fell, entered into 
 the kingdom of heaven. ' The publicans and the 
 harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.' 
 But what righteousness have you of your own, to 
 which you so dearly are wedded, that it may not 
 be let go, for the sake of Christ ? seeing also so 
 long as you go about to establish it, you submit 
 not yourself 'to the righteousness of God.' Uo.x.s. 
 Yea, why do you taunt those ministers that per- 
 suade us to renounce our own righteousness, and 
 those also that follow their doctrine ? Seeing this 
 was both the doctrine and practice of Paul and all 
 others, save only those that had Moses' veil over 
 their hearts. 
 
 Another sort of ministers that you say are ene- 
 mies to the promoting of holiness, are such as ' are 
 never in their element, but when they are talking 
 of the irrespectiveness of God's decrees, the abso- 
 luteness of his promises, the utter disability and 
 perfect impotence of natural men, to do any thing 
 towards their own conversion, and that insist with 
 great emphasis, and vehemence, upon such like 
 false, and dangerous opinions,' p. 263. 
 
 Answ. The men that preach these things, being 
 rightly stated, preach the truth of God, if the 
 scriptures may bear sway ; they having all been 
 proved the truth of the gospel, both by the pro- 
 phets and apostles : and when you shall think 
 meet by argument to contradict them, either I, or 
 same other may show you the folly of your under- 
 taking. In the mean time let the reader take 
 notice that here you have judged not by scripture, 
 nor by reason, but upon a bare presmnption, arising 
 from your pride or ignorance. Wherefore pray 
 you in your next, shew us, (1.) What is in man 
 that the decree of election should respect as a 
 thing foreseen of God, to prevail with him to pre- 
 destinate him to eternal life by Jesus Christ our 
 Lord. (2.) Make it manifest that in the word of 
 God there neither is, nor can be any absolute 
 promise contained. (3.) Shew us what ability 
 there is in a natural man, as such, to do things 
 
 towards his own conversion ; I mean things imme- 
 diately tending to, and that must infallibly con- 
 summate therein, and let us see what things they 
 are. And know that when you have well done all 
 this, according to the scriptures of truth, that then 
 it will be time enough to condemn the contrary for 
 false, and dangerous opinions. 
 
 But shall I speak the truth for you? The 
 reasou of this your presumptuous exclamation, and 
 condemnation of these things ; is because they 
 stand in the way of promoting your ignorant, tot- 
 tering, promiseless, and gospeUess holiness ; they 
 stand in the way of old Adam, they stand in the 
 way of your dunghill rebellious righteousness, they 
 stand in the way of your freedom of will, and 
 a great rabble more of such like pretended virtues. 
 Yea, they do, and must, and shall stand there, 
 when you and the rest of the Socinians, and 
 Quakers, have said their all against them. 
 
 There is yet another sort of preachers whom 
 you condemn, and so do I as well as you, though 
 not in your spirit, nor to advance your pestiferous 
 principles : and they are ' such as make it their 
 great business, to advance the petty interest of 
 any party whatsoever, and concern themselves 
 more about doing this, than about promoting, and 
 carrying on that, wherein consists the eliief good 
 of all mankind, and are more zealous to make pro- 
 selytes to their particular sects, than converts (I 
 will add first to Jesus Christ, and then) to an holy 
 life ; and press more exact and rigid conformity to 
 their modes and forms, than to the laws of God, 
 and the essential duties of the christian religion,' 
 
 p. 263. 
 
 Lastly, The caution which you give to ministers,^ 
 because there wanteth for it, among you a founda- 
 tion, is to be esteemed but an error, and an abuse 
 of the words, and practices of the apostle. And 
 as for your subtil and close incensing the power to 
 persecute Nonconformists, know that we are will- 
 ing, God assisting, to overcome you with truth and 
 patience, not sticking to sacrifice our lives, and 
 dearest concerns in a faithful witness-bearing 
 against your filthy errors, compiled and foisted 
 into the world, by your devilish design to promote 
 Paganism, against Christianity, p. 205, 260. 
 
 \^A compliant temper may prove dangerous.] 
 
 I come now to your twenty-sixth chapter, which 
 is spent to prove, ' That an obedient temper of 
 mind, is a necessary and excellent qualification to 
 prepare men for a firm belief, and a right under- 
 standing of the gospel of Christ,' p. 267. 
 
 Answ. 1. Forasmuch as the obedient temper 
 you mention, is precedent to, or before, faith, and 
 the right understanding of the gospel, it must needs 
 be also, that which stands with unbelief, and 
 
A DEFENCi; OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATIDN. 
 
 325 
 
 Ignorance of the same. Now that this should be 
 
 ^ an excellent, and necessary qualification, to a firm 
 
 belief, and right understanding of the gospel, is 
 altogether -without proof, and truth. But this is 
 affirmed for the farther promoting of your human 
 nature, and the things that originally are dictates 
 thereof. But, 
 
 2. The obedience, or inclination to obedience, 
 that is before faith, or the understanding of the 
 gospel, is so far off from being an excellent pre- 
 parative, or good qualification for faith, and the 
 knowledge of the gospel, that in its own nature, 
 which is more than in its consequences, it is a 
 great obstruction thereto. 
 ' For, while a man remains faithless and ignorant 
 
 > of the gospel, to what doth his obedient temper of 
 mind incline ? Not to faith, nor the gospel of 
 Christ ; for with these, as yet you suppose he hath 
 not to do ; therefore he inclineth to the law of ■ 
 morals, either as it was delivered in tables of stone 
 
 1 from Sinai, or as written in the hearts of all the 
 
 children of men, to it, under the last consideration, 
 
 V which is in truth, the most heathen and pagan to 
 it, as so you intend, your obedient temper of mind 
 should incline, p. 7— lo. 
 
 Now this doctrine, being in itself of quite another 
 nature than the doctrine of faith, and also, as 
 such, a covenant by itself, it requireth the mind 
 by virtue of its commands, to stand to that, and 
 
 ■y to rest in that; for of necessity, the heart and 
 mind of a man can go no farther than it seeth, and 
 hath learnt, but by this moral doctrine, the heart 
 and mind is bound and limited to itself, by the 
 power of the dictate to obedience, and the promise 
 of obtaining the blessing, when the preceptive part 
 of it is fulfilled. Hence Paul tells us, that though 
 that ministration, that was written, and engraven 
 in stones, (which in nature is the same with this) 
 
 ^ is glorious, yet these imperfections attended the 
 man that was in it. 2 Co. iU. 
 
 1. He was. but within the bounds of the mini- 
 stration of death. 
 
 2. In this estate he was blind, and could not see 
 how to be delivered therefrom : ' The vail is over 
 their heart,' so that they could not heretofore, 
 
 ' neither can they now, see to the end of that which 
 was commanded, neither to the perfection of the 
 command, nor their own insufficiency to do it, nor 
 to the death and curse of God, that attended him, 
 that in every thing continued not in [all] that was 
 
 ' written in the book of the law to Jo them. 
 
 3. Every lecture, or reading of this old law, is 
 r as a fresh hood-winking of its disciples, and a 
 
 doubling of the hindrance of their coming to Christ 
 for life. ' But their minds were blinded, for until 
 this day, remaineth the same vail untaken away in 
 reading of the old testament ; which vdS, is done 
 away in Christ, But even unto this day, when 
 
 Moses is read, the vail is upon their hearts.' 
 
 2 Co. iiu 14, 15. 
 
 And let the reader note, that all these things 
 attend the doctrine of morals : the ceremonies being 
 in themselves more apt to instruct men in the 
 knowledge of Christ, they being by God's ordi- 
 nation, figures, shadows, representations, and 
 emblems of him ; but the morals are not so, 
 neither, as written in our natures, nor as written 
 and engraven in stones. Ga. Hi. 24. Wherefore, your 
 80 highly commended obedient temper of mind, 
 you intending thereby an hearty compliance before 
 faith, VN^ith morals for righteousness, is so far off 
 from being an excellent temper, and a necessary 
 qualification, to help a man to a firm belief, and 
 right understanding of the gospel ; that it is the 
 most ready way of all ways in the world, to keep 
 a man perpetually blind, and ignorant thereof. 
 Wherefore the apostle saith, that the vail, the 
 ignorance, cannot be taken away, but when the 
 heart shall turn to the Lord, that is, from the doc- 
 trine of morals, as a law and covenant in our 
 natures, or, as it was written and engraven in 
 stones, to Christ for mercy to pardon our trans- 
 gressions against it, and for imputative righteous- 
 ness to justify us from it. While Moses is read, 
 the vail is over the heart ; that is, while men with 
 their minds stand bending also to do it. But 
 mark, when it, the heart, shall turn to the Lord, 
 or to the word of the gospel, which is the revela- 
 tion of him, then the vail shall be taken away. 
 
 And hence it will not be amiss, if again we con- 
 sider how the Holy Ghost compareth, or setteth 
 one against another, these two administrations. 
 
 The law he calls the letter, even the law of 
 morals, that law that was written and engraven 
 in stones. The other ministration, he calls the 
 ministration of the spirit, even that which Christ 
 offered to the world, upon believing. 
 
 Again, he denieth himself to be a minister of 
 the law of morals. He hath made us able ministers 
 of the New Testament, not of the letter, or 'law ; 
 but of the spirit or gospel. The reason is, for the 
 letter, or law, can do nothing but kill, curse, or 
 condemn ; but the spirit, or the gospel, giveth life. 
 Farther, in comparing, he calls the law, the mini- 
 stration of death, or that which layeth death at 
 the doors of all flesh ; but the gospel, the ministra- 
 tion of righteousness, because, hy this ministry, 
 there is a revelation of thai righteousness that is 
 fulfilled by the person of Christ ; and to be imputed 
 for righteousness to them that believe, that they 
 might be delivered from the ministration of death. 
 How then? Hath the ministration of God no 
 glory? Yes, forasmuch as it is a revelation of 
 the justice of God against sin. But yet again, its 
 glory is turned into no glory, when it is compared 
 with that which excelleth. ' But if the ministra- 
 
326 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 tion of death, written and engraven in stones, was 
 glorious, so that the children of Israel could not 
 Btedfastly hehold the face of Moses for the glory 
 of his countenance ; which glory was to he done 
 away ; how shall not the ministration of the Spirit 
 be rather glorious ? For if the ministration of con- 
 demnation he glory, much more doth the ministra- 
 tion of righteousness exceed in glory. For even 
 that which was made glorious had no glory in this 
 respect, by reason of the glory that exceUeth.' 
 
 3 Co. iii. 7—10. 
 
 So then, your obedient temper of mind, forasmuch 
 as it respecteth the law of morals, and that too, 
 before faith, or a right understanding of the gospel, 
 is nothing else but an obedience to the law, a living 
 to death, and the ministration of condemnation ; 
 and is a persuading the world, that to be obedient 
 to that ministration, that is not the ministration of 
 the gospel, but holdeth its disciples in blindness 
 and ignorance, in which it is impossible Christ 
 should he revealed, is an excellent, yea, a necessary 
 qualification to prepare men for a firm belief, and 
 a right understanding of the gospel of Christ, which 
 yet even hlindeth, and holdeth all blind that are the 
 followers of that ministration. I come now to your 
 proof, which indeed is no proof of this anti-gospel 
 assertion, but texts abused, and wrested out of 
 their place, to serve to underprop your erroneous 
 doctrine. The first is, ' If any man will do his 
 will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be 
 of God, or whether I speak of myself. ' Jn. vii. 17. p. 208. 
 
 Ans. This scripture respecteth not at all the 
 moral law, or obedience to the dictates of human 
 nature, as an acceptable qualification precedent to 
 faith ; or that, for the sake of which God will give 
 men faith in, and a rieht understandinff of the 
 gospel, but is itself an immediate exhortation to 
 believing, with a promise of what shall follow ; as 
 who shall say. The Father hath sent me into the 
 world to be salvation to it, through faith in my 
 blood : My Father's will therefore is, ' that men 
 believe in me ; ' and if any will do his will, he 
 shall know of the doctrine, he shall feel the power 
 thereof, by the peace and comfort that will pre- 
 sently possess the soul, and by the holy effects 
 that follow. 
 
 That this is the true exposition of this place 
 will be verified if you consider, that to do the will 
 of God, in a New Testament sense, is to be taken 
 imder a double consideration. 1. As it respecteth 
 Christ. 2. Man. 
 
 \. Asit regpedeih Christ, so it concerns his com- 
 pleting the redemption of man by himself, by his 
 own personal performances. Jn. vi. 38, 39. He. x. 6—10. 
 
 2. As it respecteth inan, it doth first and im- 
 mediately respect our believing on him for remis- 
 sion of sins and eternal life. ' And this is the will 
 of him [the Father] which sent me (saith Christ) 
 
 that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on 
 him, may have everlasting life : and I will raise 
 him up at the last day.' Jn. vi. 40. This then is the 
 will of God ; that men do believe in Jesus Christ. 
 
 Again, when the .Tews asked Jesus Christ what 
 they should do, that they might work the works 
 of God, he did not send them first to the moral 
 precept, or to its first principles in the hearts of 
 men ; by obeying that, to fit themselves for faith ; 
 but immediately he tells them, ' This is the work 
 of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.' 
 Jn. vi. S9. This is the work of God ; that is, 'This is 
 his commandment. That we should believe on the 
 name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, 
 as he gave us commandment. ' 1 Jn. iii. 23. If any 
 man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, 
 that is, as I have said, he shall feel, and have the 
 authority of this faith in his heart, both to give 
 peace and joy in his heart, and assurance, and the 
 sealing of his soul to glory. For all these things 
 come in upon believing_/?rs< in Christ. 
 
 1. 'By faith we have peace with God.' Ko.t. 1. 
 
 2. ' We have joy and peace through believing.' 
 
 Uo. XV. 13. 
 
 3. ' Assurance comes also through believing.' 
 
 Jn. vi. 69. He. i. 32. 
 
 4. Yea, and the sealings up to eternal life ; ' In 
 whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed 
 with that holy spirit of promise. ' Ep. i. 13. 
 
 5. Sanctification, and a right obedient temper, 
 is not to be found in men before, but after they 
 have believed ; ' He purified their hearts by faith.' 
 Ac. xv. 9. Yea, heaven and eternal happiness is 
 promised to them who are sanctified by faith which 
 is in Christ. cU. xxvi. is. 
 
 This first text, therefore, hath been by you 
 abused, in that you have ungodlily strained it, but 
 in vain, to make it warrant your heathenish prepa- 
 rations to faith. 
 
 The second scripture; ' He that is of God heareth 
 God's words : ye therefore hear them not, because 
 ye are not of God.' Jn. viii. 47. 
 
 Ans. This scripture supposeth men must first 
 be of God, before they can hear God's word; be- 
 fore they can hear it with the hearing of faith ; 
 and therefore nothing respecteth those that before 
 they have faith, live in the law of works ; and 
 least of all, those that become obedient thereto, 
 that thereby they may obtain everlasting life. For 
 these are not of God, not of him hi a New Testa- 
 ment sense ; not sons, because they are born of 
 men, of the will of men, of the law, and accord- 
 ing to the wisdom of flesh and blood. Jn. i. 12, 13. 
 
 Your third scripture is, ' And as many as were 
 ordained to eternal life believed.' Ac. xiii. 48. Which 
 text you thus expound: 'That as many of the 
 Gentiles as were disposed, or in a ready prepared- 
 ness for eternal life, believed ; that is, those which 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 327 
 
 were proselytes of the gate, who were admitted by 
 the Jews to the hope of eternal life, and to have 
 their portion in the age to come, without submitting 
 to their whole law, or any more than owning the 
 God of Israel, and observing the seven precepts of 
 Noah," p. 269* 
 
 Ans. 1. That obedience to the moral law is not 
 a preparative to faith, or an excellent and neces- 
 sary qualification to the right understanding of the 
 gospel I have proved. 
 
 2. That to be a Jewish proselyte was to live in 
 the faith of Messias to come, is the strain of all 
 the scriptures that have to deal with them. 
 
 3. But that ordaining men to eternal life respects 
 an act of the Jews, or that the Jews did dispense 
 with the Gentile proselytes, in their casting off all 
 their laws, but the seven precepts of Noah. 
 
 4. Or that God counted this a fit, or forerunning 
 qualification to faith in Jesus Christ, neither 
 stands with the word of God, nor the zeal of that 
 people. 
 
 5. Besides, the words presently following seem 
 to me to insmuate more, viz. That the Jews and 
 religious proselytes that adhered to Paul at his 
 first sermon, ver. 43. did contradict and blaspheme 
 at his second, ver. 45. and moreover, that it was they 
 that raised persecution upon him, and expelled him 
 out of their coasts, ver. 60. When the Gentiles, even 
 those that were more barbarously ignorant at his 
 coming, when they heard that by Christ there 
 was offered to them the forgiveness of sins, they 
 believed, ver. 48. and glorified the word of the Lord: 
 The wisdom of heaven so disposing such of their 
 hearts, that were before by him, not by Jews or- 
 dained to life. ' And as many as were ordained to 
 eternal life, believed. ' 
 
 But you come again, in p. 269. to the scripture 
 first urged by you, ' If any man wiU do his will, ' 
 &c. and you tell us, that this must also needs be im- 
 plied, he shall rightly imderstand the doctrine too ; 
 which word (understand) you so carry, as may best 
 help you in case you should meet with an adver- 
 sary. As if any should thus object, that here you 
 have granted that the words make promise of an 
 understanding of the gospel ; yea require in it the 
 very first act of the will ; then you readily shift it 
 by saying, That this is implied only, suggesting 
 
 * The Jews were divided into three sections : I. The descen- 
 dants of Israel ; II. Proselytes who conformed to all the Mosaic 
 rites; and, III. Those who were bound to obey the seven pre- 
 cepts of Noah — and these, althongh they did not conform to 
 the Jewish rites, yet were admitted to the worship of the true 
 God and the hope of the life to come. According to the 
 Talmud these precepts were — 1. To renounce idols and all 
 idolatrous worship. 2. To worship the true God, the creator 
 of heaven and earth. 3. Bloodshed, to commit no murder. 
 4. Not to be defiled with foniication. 5. Rapine, against 
 theft and robbery. 6. To admiaister justice. 7. Not eating 
 flesh with the blood in it. — Ed. 
 
 that obedience to morals is expressed, and there- 
 fore must first be thought on and done. But if 
 one of your brotherhood stop here, and make the 
 objection ; then you add, ' It is knowledge, at 
 least, in aU the necessary points thereof, abso- 
 lutely necessary and essential parts, from among 
 which you long since did cast out, " Coming to 
 God by Jesus Christ." ' Yea you add, ' That by 
 (that which you call) the design of the gospel, it 
 may'be presumed, that whosoever considereth it, 
 with a design of being so, (that is, of hving up to 
 human principles, and that desireth to be possessed 
 again of the holiness he hath lost, for that is it for 
 the proof of which you have written above 300 
 pages) he must needs believe the gospel to have 
 come from God, and also be enlightened in the 
 true knowledge of at least the necessary points 
 of it,' viz. All moral duties contained therein, 
 which are never a one of them as such an essential 
 of the gospel, but are such duties as are conse- 
 quential to the belief thereof. 
 
 Wherefore, although you feign it, ' this honest 
 temper,' as you call it, will not help you, I. To 
 judge of the gospel without prejudice ; nor 2.' To 
 evidence it with satisfaction ; nor 3. Secure those 
 in whom it is from error and delusion; no man 
 being more brutish or heathenish, nor so void of 
 satisfaction about it, nor more involved in error 
 concerning it, than yourself; being truly what you 
 charge upon others; 1. Grossly ignorant; 2. Too 
 highly opinionate ; 3. Proud in affectation ; 4. 
 Liquorish ; 5. A self-lover ; 6. And for your blas- 
 phemy under the just judgment of God. ' If our 
 gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost : In 
 whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds 
 of them which believe not, lest the light of the 
 glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of 
 God, should shine into them. ' 2 Co. iv. 3. 4. 
 
 [' For me to live is Christ ' includes in it more than 
 good habits or holy frames of s(nilJ\ 
 
 I am come now to your last chapter, which tells 
 us wherein the essence and life of Christianity 
 consisteth, viz. In a good state and habit of mind, 
 in a holy frame and temper of' soul, p. 282. 
 
 Ans. 1. It consisteth in a hfe of faith, when I 
 live in the belief of this, that Christ loved me, and 
 gave himself for me. * The life that I now live in 
 the flesh (saith Paul) I live by the faith of the Son 
 of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' 
 
 2. And besides, a good state and habit of mind, 
 or an holy frame and temper of soul, in yom* 
 notion of them, which respecteth purely obedience 
 to morals, from natural impulses, or dictates of 
 our humanity, they are rather heathenish than 
 Christian, and being alone, end in death rather 
 than hfe. ' As many as are of the works of the 
 
328 
 
 A DEFENCE OF TliE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 law, are under the curse,' he saith not they that 
 sin against it, but they that are of the works of 
 it, such as do justice, righteousness, charity, good- 
 ness, mercy, patience, and all kind of moral duties, 
 from principles human, natural, or as men, they 
 are under the curse, because they have sinned first, 
 and also are infirm and weak in their pursuit after 
 the perfections they desire. These follow after 
 righteousness, but thai flies from them ; wherefore 
 they do not obtain it, because they seek it not by 
 faith in Christ, but as it were by the works ; the 
 righteous, good, and holy works of the law. Eo. ix. 
 30,32. But you add, 
 
 ' It is such a habit of mind, such a frame and 
 temper of soul, as esteemeth God as the chiefest 
 good, and preferreth him and his Son Jesus Christ 
 before all the world, and that prizeth above all 
 things an interest in the divine perfections,' (kc. 
 
 p. 282. 
 
 Ans. 1. God must needs be esteemed the chiefest 
 good, by all that have but, and are ruled by, the 
 light of nature, because they see him by his works 
 to be almighty, merciful, and eternal. Ko. i. 20. But 
 this may be where the knowledge of the man, the 
 Mediator is not ; therefore this, in this and in your 
 sense, cannot be of the essence of Christianity, for 
 that it is common to all the world. That estima- 
 tion of God which is common to natural men, can- 
 not be of the essence of Chi-istianity, because they 
 want that knowledge of him that comes by Jesus 
 Christ, and so are not capable to esteem of him 
 under a Christian consideration. 
 
 But you say, ' it is that good habit and temper 
 of mind that preferreth God, and his Son Jesus 
 Christ, before all the world.' 
 
 Ans. He that esteemeth God above all, must 
 needs, at least in his judgment, so prefer him ; but 
 whereas you add, and his Son Jesus Christ, you 
 put in them words but as a cloak, for yourself 
 have not preferred his Son Jesus Christ, no, not 
 before a moral law, no not before your obedience 
 to it, although but by human principles ; yea, you 
 have accounted the command of God, by which we 
 are enjoined by him to come to God, a thing in 
 itself but like levitical ceremonies, or as Baptism 
 and the Lord's Supper; a thing in itself indifferent, 
 and absolutely considered neither good nor evil, 
 p. 7, 8, 9. 
 
 You add ; ' It is such a temper as prizeth above 
 all things, an interest in the divine perfections ; 
 such as justice and righteousness, universal cha- 
 rity, goodness, mercy, patience, and all kinds of 
 purity,' p. 283. 
 
 Ans. Seeing by these expressions you only in- 
 tend moral virtues, and those that are inherent in 
 you, and originally operations of humanity, it is 
 evident that you have but impiously and idola- 
 trously attributed to your own goodness so high 
 
 and blessed a title. For whatsoever is in your 
 nature, and originally the dictates thereof, and 
 whatsoever proficiency you make therein by human 
 principles, and helps of natural endowments ; these 
 things are but of yourself, your own justice, your 
 own righteousness, your own charity, goodness, 
 mercy, patience, kindness, he. Now to call these 
 the divine perfections, when they are only your 
 own human virtues, bespeaks you, I say, fond, 
 impious, and idolatrous, and shews you, in the 
 midst of all your pretended design to glorify God, 
 such an one li^ho have set up your own goodness 
 with him, yea and given it the title of his blessed 
 grace and favour. 
 
 That scripture you mention, Eo. xiv. 17. although 
 by the word righteousness there, is intended obe- 
 dience to the moral law, yet to it by persons already 
 justified by Christ's righteousness ; hence they 
 are said to do it in the joy and peace of the Holy 
 Ghost, or by the joy and peace which they had by 
 faith in Christ's righteousness, as revealed to them 
 by the Spirit of God. Hence again, they are said 
 in IT to serve Christ, or to receive the law at his 
 hand, which he giveth to them to walk after, hav- 
 ing first justified them from the curse thereof by 
 his blood. 
 
 2. The law was given twice on Sinai, the last 
 time, with a proclamation of mercy going before, 
 and he that receiveth it thus, receiveth it after a 
 gospel manner. For they as justified persons are 
 dead to the law as a covenant of works by the body 
 of Christ, that they might live to another, even to 
 him that is raised from the dead. Eo. vii. Ga. ii. la 
 But you by this scripture intend not this doctrine, 
 for you make justification by Christ, come after, 
 not before obedience to the law ; yea, you make 
 obedience thereto, the essential, and coming to God 
 by Christ, but a thing of a more remote nature, 
 from true and substantial gospel-righteousness. 
 
 In p. 283, you speak again of the old principle, 
 and thus you comment, ' A principle of holiness 
 that respecteth duty, as with respect to the nature 
 of the command, so not with respect to the duty 
 as occasioned by certain external inducements and 
 motives, but from a good temper and disposition 
 of soul.' 
 
 Ans. Thi.'i I say, still respecting your old prin- 
 ciple of humanity, and the purity of your nature, 
 the most amounts but to this : Your principle is 
 confined to a liberty of will and aff'ections, with 
 respect to doing of the law of works, which many 
 have professed to have, and do before you, and yet 
 have come short of the glory of God. For as I 
 told you before, I tell you now again, that the 
 gospel-principles are the Holy Ghost and faith, 
 which help that soul in whom they dwell to count 
 beUeving in Jesus Christ the great and essential 
 part of our Christianity, and our reckoning our- 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 329 
 
 selves pardoned for the sake of him: • And thus 
 being set free from sin, we become the servants of 
 God, and have our fruit imto holiness, and the end 
 everlasting life. ' Ko. vi. 22. 
 
 Your description of a child of Abraham, you 
 meaning in a New Testament sense, is quite beside 
 the truth. For albeit, the sons of Abraham will 
 live holy hves, and become obedient to the sub- 
 stantial ■ laws ; yet it is not their subjection to 
 morals, but faith in Jesus, that giveth them the 
 denomination of children of Abraham. ' Know ye, 
 therefore, that they that are of faith are the chil- 
 dren of faithful Abraham : They that are of faith, 
 the same are the children of Abraham : Yea, they 
 that are of faith are blessed with faithful Abra- 
 ham. ' Ga. Hi. 7, 9. In p. 284, you Say, ' That there is 
 no one duty more affectionately recommended to 
 us in the gospel than is alms- giving.' 
 
 Ans. Yes, That there is, and that which more 
 immediately respecteth our justification with God, 
 than ten thousand such commandments ; and that 
 is faith in Christ. Alms-deeds is also a blessed 
 command ; yet but one of the second table, such 
 as must flow from faith going before. Faith I 
 mean that layeth hold on Christ's righteousness, 
 if it be accepted of God. For before the heart 
 be good the action must be naught ; now the heart 
 is good by faith, because faith, by applying Christ's 
 righteousness, makes over [a] whole Christ to the 
 soul, of whose fulness it receiveth, and grace for 
 grace. Jn. i. 16. Many things in this last chapter 
 are worthy reprehension, but because you tell us, 
 in the last two pages thereof, is the smn of all that 
 need to be said, I will immediately apply myself 
 to what is there contained. 
 
 You say, p. 296, ' It is not possible we should not 
 have the design of Christianity accomplished in us, 
 and therefore that we should be destitute of the 
 power of it, if we make our Saviour's most excel- 
 lent life the pattern of our lives. By our Saviour's 
 life, as by a parenthesis you also express, you 
 mean, as yourself hath in short described it, ch. v. 
 viz., ' The greatest freedom, affabihty, courtesy, 
 candour, ingenuity, gentleness, meekness, humility, 
 contempt of the world, contentation, charity, ten- 
 derness, compassion, patience, submission to the 
 divine will, love of God, devoutest temper of mind 
 towards him, mighty confidence and trust in 
 God,' <fec. 
 
 Answ. Our Saviour's life, in not only these, but 
 all other duties that respected morals, was not 
 principally or first to be imitated by us, but that 
 the law, even in the preceptive part thereof, might 
 be fully and perfectly fulfilled for us. ' Christ is 
 the end of the law for righteousness ; ' the end, not 
 only of the ceremonial law, but the ten command- 
 ments too ; for if the word righteousness, respect- 
 eth in special them. ' Jesus increased in favour 
 
 VOL. ii. , 
 
 with God. ' Lu. ii. 62. Mat. Hi. 17. This respecteth him 
 as made under the law, and his pleasing of God in 
 that capacity. So also doth that, ' In him I am 
 well pleased. ' Now I say, as Jesus stood in this 
 capacity, he dealt with the law in its greatest force 
 and severity, as it immediately came from God, 
 without the advantage of a Mediator, and stood 
 by his perfect complying with, and fulfilling every 
 tittle thereof. Besides, as Jesus Christ had thus 
 to do with the law, he did it in order to his ' finish- 
 ing transgression, and putting an end to sin,' 
 Da. ix, 24. and so consequently as Mediator, and 
 undertaker for the world. For his perfect com- 
 plying withal, and fulfilling every tittle of the law, 
 respected nothing his own private person, that he 
 for himself might be righteous thereby; for in him- 
 self he was eternally just and holy, even as the 
 Father, but it respected us, even us. For us he 
 was made under the law, that we, by his fulfilling 
 the law, might by him be redeemed from under the 
 law, and also receive the adoption of sons, 6a. iv. 
 4, 5. For we having sinned, and transgressed the 
 law, and the justice of God, yet requiring obedience 
 thereto, and the law being too weak through our 
 flesh to do it, God therefore sent his own Son in 
 the hkeness of sinful flesh, who himself for us did 
 first of all walk in the law, and then for sin suf- 
 fered also in his flesh, the sentence, and curse 
 pronounced against us by the law. For it was 
 nothing less necessary, when the Son of God 
 became undertaker for the sin of the world, that 
 he should walk in obedience to the whole of the 
 precepts of the law, to deliver us from the judg- 
 ment of the law ; I say it was no less necessary he 
 should so do, than that he should bear our curse 
 and death. For it would have been impossible for 
 him to have overcome the last, if he had not been 
 spotless touching the first. For therefore it was 
 impossible he should be holden of death, because 
 he did nothing worthy of death ; no, not in the 
 judgment of the law, to which he immediately 
 stood. Now as Christ Jesus stood thus to, and 
 walked in the law, it is blasphemy for any to pre- 
 sume to imitate him ; because thus to do is to turn 
 Mediator and xmdertaker for the sin of the world. 
 Besides, whoso doth attempt it, undertakes an 
 impossibility ; for no man can stand by the moral 
 law, as it immediately comes from the divine 
 majesty ; he having sinned first, even before he 
 goeth about to fulfil it. And in this sense is that 
 to be understood, ' as many as are of the works of 
 the law are under the curse,' held accursed, be- 
 cause they have sinned first ; accursed in their per- 
 formances, because of imperfection, and therefore 
 assuredly accursed at last, because they come short 
 of the righteousness thereof. 
 
 1. Christ Jesus did never set himself forth for 
 an example, that we by imitating his steps ia 
 2 T 
 
330 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OP JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 morals should obtain justification with God from 
 the curse of that law ; for this would be to over- 
 throw, and utterly abolish the work which himself 
 came into the world to accomplish, which was not 
 to be our example, that we by treading his steps 
 might have remission of sins, but that through the 
 faith of him, through faith in his blood, we might 
 be reconciled to God. 
 
 2. Besides, thus to imitate Christ, is to make 
 of him a Saviour, not by sacrifice, but by example. 
 Nay, to speak the whole, this would be to make 
 his mediatorship wholly to center, rather in pre- 
 scribing of rules, and exacting obedience to morals, 
 than in giving himself a ransom for men ; yea, 1 
 will add to imitate Christ, as you have prescribed, 
 may be done by him, that yet may be ignorant of 
 the excellency of his person, and the chief end of 
 his being made flesh: For in all these things 
 which you have discoursed in that fifth chapter of 
 him, you have only spoken of that, something of 
 which is apprehended by the light of nature ; yea, 
 nature itself will teach that men should trust in 
 God, which is the most excellent particular that 
 there you mention. Wherefore our Lord Jesus 
 himself foreseeing, that in men there will be a 
 proudness, to content themselves with that confi- 
 dence, he intimateth that it would be in us insig- 
 nificant, if it stand without faith in himself. ' Ye 
 believe [naturally] in God (saith he) believe also 
 in me.' Jn. xiT. 1. Faith in Jesus is as absolutely 
 necessary as to believe immediately in the divine 
 being. Yea, without faith in Jesus, whosoever 
 believeth in God is sure to perish and burn in hell. 
 ' If you believe not that I am he, ye shall die in 
 your sins. ' Jn. viii 24 And to take Jesus in morals 
 for example, is nowhere called believing in him, 
 neither is there one promise of eternal life, annexed 
 to such a practice. But you say, ' If we tread in 
 his blessed steps, and be such, according to oiu: 
 measure and capacity, as we have understood he 
 was in this world. ' p. 296. 
 
 Answ. I say, for a man to confine himself only 
 to the life of the Lord Jesus, for an example, or to 
 think it enough to make him, in his life, a pattern 
 for us to follow, leaveth us, through our shortness 
 in the end, with the devil and his angels, for want 
 of faith in the doctrine of remission of sins ; for 
 Christ did nowhere make another mediator between 
 God and him, nor did he ever trust to another 
 man's righteousness, to be thereby justified from 
 the curse of the law ; neither did he at all stand 
 in need thereof, without which, we must be damned 
 and perish. Now I say, these things being 
 nowhere practised by him, he cannot therein be 
 an example to us. And I say again, seeing that 
 in these things, by faith in them, is immediately 
 wrapped up our reconciliation with God; it fol- 
 loweth, that though a man take the Lord Christ 
 
 in his whole life, for an example in the end, that 
 notwithstanding, he abideth unreconciled to God. 
 Neither will that clause, ' and be such,' help such 
 a person at all : For justification with God, comes 
 not by imitating Christ as exemplary in morals, 
 but through faith in his precious blood. In the 
 law I read, that the Paschal Lamb was neither to 
 be eaten sodden nor raw, but roast with fire, must 
 it be eaten. Ex. xii. Now to make salvation prin- 
 cipally to depend upon imitating Christ's life, it is 
 to feed upon him raw, or at most, as sodden, not 
 sanctified and holy: But the precept is, 'Eat it 
 roast with fire ;' is to be the antitype, as accursed 
 of God for sin, and enduring the punishment for 
 it, Ex. xix. De. xxiiii. 2. Mai. iv. 1. The law is compared 
 to fire, and its curse to a burning oven. Now 
 under the curse of this fiery law, was the Lord 
 Jesus afiiicted for the sins of the world: where- 
 fore, as so considered, our faith must lay hold upon 
 him, for justification with God. ' This is the law 
 of the burnt-ofi"ering : (which was the ofibring for 
 sin ;) It is the burnt-offering, because of the burn- 
 ing upon the altar all night unto the morning, and 
 the fire of the altar shall be burning in it. ' Lb. vi. 9. 
 But now I would inquire: Had Israel done the 
 commandment, if they had eaten the passover raw, 
 or boiled in water ? Or if they had ofiered that 
 offering, that was to be burnt as a sin-offering, 
 otherwise than it was commanded ? Even so, to 
 feed upon Christ, as he is holy, and of good life 
 only; and also, as taking him therein for an 
 example to us, to follow his steps for justification 
 with God ; this is, to eat the passover raw, and 
 not as roast with fire ; this is, to feed upon Jesus, 
 without respecting him as accursed of God for our 
 sin, and so consequently to miss of that eternal 
 life, that by his blood he hath obtained for every 
 one that believeth on him. I have been pleased 
 with this observation : That none of the signs and 
 wonders in Egypt, could deliver the children of 
 Israel thence, till the Lamb was slain, and roast 
 with fire. Ex. xii. 31. And I have been also pleased 
 with this : That the Father, not Moses, gave the 
 manna from heaven, which was a type of the flesh, 
 and blood of Christ, that whoso feedeth on, shall 
 hve for ever. Jn. vi. 32. Yea, circumcision also, which 
 was a type of inward, and heart-holiness, was not 
 of Moses, but of the Fathers, and principally a 
 consequence of the faith of Abraham. Jn. vii. 23. 
 Whence I gather, that no wonder, but the blood 
 of Christ can save; that no kindness, but the 
 mercy of God, can give this to us ; and that no 
 law, but the law of faith, can make us truly holy 
 in heart. But you add, ' Those that sincerely, and 
 industriously, endeavour to imitate the holy Jesus 
 in liis Spirit and actions, can never be ignorant 
 what it is to be truly Christians.' Those that 
 follow Jesus in his Spirit, must first receive that 
 
A DEJENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 331 
 
 Spirit from heaven, which Spirit is received, as I 
 have often said, by applying first, by faith, the 
 merits of Christ to the soul, for life and justifica- 
 tion with God. The Spirit is not received by the 
 works of the law, but by the hearing of faith ; 
 neither comes it in the ministry, or doctrine of 
 morals, but in and by the ministry of faith ; and 
 the law is not of faith. Wherefore seeing you 
 have, in p. 233. of your book, forbidden sinners to 
 come first to Jesus for justification with God ; the 
 Spirit you talk of, however you call it the Spirit of 
 Jesus, can be no other than the spirit of a man ; 
 which you also yourself, in p. 7, 8, 9. call ' the purity 
 of human natiu-e, a principle of reason, the first 
 principles of morals, or those that are originally 
 dictates of human nature.' Wherefore by these 
 words, ' in his Spirit,' you do but blaspheme the 
 Holy Ghost, and abuse your ignorant reader ; 
 calling now, Quaker-like, the dictates of your 
 humanity, and your Socinian compliances there- 
 with, the Spirit of Holy Jesus. I conclude there- 
 fore, that the way of salvation, or the design of 
 Chrf&tianity as prescribed by you, is none other 
 than the errors of your own brain, the way of 
 death, the sum and heart of Papistical Quakerism, 
 and is quite denied by the Lord Jesus, and by his 
 blessed Testament. And now go your ways, and 
 imitate the Lord Jesus, and take the whole history 
 of his life for your example, and walk in his steps, 
 and be such as much as you can, yet without faith 
 in his blood, first; yea, and if you stand not just 
 before God through the imputation of his righte- 
 ousness, your imitating will be found no better 
 than rebellion, because by that, instead of faith in 
 his blood, you hope to obtain remission of sins, 
 thrusting him thereby from his office and work, 
 and setting your dunghill righteousness up in his 
 stead. 
 
 [Fowlers false and dangerous amdtiskms.] 
 
 I come now to your conclusion. First, in p. 298. 
 'You press men to betake themselves to find (that 
 which you call) the design of Christianity, ac- 
 complished in their hearts and lives. 
 
 Am. Seeing that the holiness that your errone- 
 ous book has exalted, is none other but that which 
 we have lost ; yea, and again, seeing you have set 
 this in the head of, and before the righteousness 
 of Christ, I admonish my reader to tremble at the 
 blasphemy of your book, and account the whole 
 design, therein, to be none other but that of an 
 'enemy to the Son of God, and salvation of the 
 world. For that holiness as I have shewed, is 
 none other but a shadowish, Christless, graceless 
 holiness ; and your so exalting of it, very blas- 
 phemy. You proceed, saying, ' Let us exercise 
 ourselves unto real and substantial godliness ; (still 
 
 meaning your Adamitish holiness) let us study the 
 gospel not to discourse, or only to believe, but also, 
 and above aM things, to do well.' 
 
 Ans. Herein still you manifest, either ignorance 
 of, or mahce against, the doctrine of faith ; that 
 doctrine, which above all doctrines, is the quint- 
 essence of the New Testament, because therein, 
 and not principally, as you feign, by doing well, 
 is the righteousness of God revealed, and that from 
 faith to faith ; not from faith to works, nor yet 
 from works to faith. Besides, the gospel is 
 preached in all nations, for the obedience of faith. 
 Eo. xvi. 26. Neither works, the law, the dictates of 
 humanity, nor the first principles of morals, know- 
 ing what to do with the righteousness of the gospel, 
 which is a righteousness imputed by God, not 
 wrought by us ; a righteousness given, not earned, 
 a righteousness received by believing, not that 
 which floweth from our obedience to laws, a righte- 
 ousness which comes from God to us, not one that 
 goeth from us to God. Besides, as I also have 
 hinted before, the apostle and you are directly 
 opposite. You cry, 'above all things, do well:' 
 that is, work and do the law ; but he, ' above all, 
 take the shield of faith, wherewith are quenched 
 all the fiery darts of the wicked. ' Ep. vi. 16. 
 
 But you add, p. 300. ' Let us do what lieth in us 
 to convince our Atheists, that the religion of the 
 blessed Jesus, is no trick or device ; and our wan- 
 ton and loose Christians, that it is no notional 
 business, or speculative science.' 
 
 Ans. This you cannot do by your moral natural 
 principles of humanity: For even some of your 
 brave philosophers, whose godliness you have so 
 much applauded, were even then in the midst of 
 their, and your virtues, atheistically ignorant of 
 the religion of Jesus. And as to the loose Chris-" 
 tian ; Christ neither hath need of, nor will he bless 
 your blasphemous opinions, nor feigned godliness, 
 but real ungodliness, to make them converts to his 
 faith and grace, neither can It be expected it should, 
 seeing you have not only dirty thoughts, but vili- 
 fying words, and sayings of his person, work, and 
 righteousness. You have set your works before 
 his, p. 223. calling them substantial, indispensable, 
 and real ; but coming to God by him, a thing In 
 Itself indifferent, p. 7—9. You go on, and say, 'Let 
 us declare — that we are not barely reliers on 
 Christ's righteousness, by being imitators of it,' 
 p. 300. You cannot leave off to contemn and blas- 
 pheme the Son of God. Do you not yet know 
 that the righteousness of Christ on which the sin- 
 ner ought to rely for life, is such, as consisted in 
 his standing to, and doing of the law, without a 
 Mediator ? And would you he doing this ? What 
 know you not, that an essential of the righteous- 
 ness he accomplished for sinners when he was in 
 the world; is, 'That he was conceived by the 
 
S32 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 Holy Ghost, born without sin, did all things in the 
 power of, and union with his own eternal Godhead. ' 
 And are you ahle thus to imitate him ? Again, 
 the righteousness on which we ought to rely for 
 life, is that which hath in it the merit of blood : 
 we are ' justified by his blood' through faith in his 
 blood. Ko. V. 9. Is this the righteousness you would 
 imitate ? Farther, the righteousness on which 
 poor sinners should rely, is that, for the sake of 
 which God forgiveth the sins of him that resteth 
 by faith thereupon. But would you be imitating 
 of, or accomplishing such a righteousness ? 
 
 Your book, Sir, is begun in ignorance, managed 
 with error, and ended in blasphemy. 
 
 Now the God of glory, if it may stand with his 
 glory, give you a sight of your sins, against the 
 Son of God, that you may, as Saul, lie trembhng, 
 and being astonished, cry out to be justified, with 
 the righteousness of God without the law, even 
 that which is by faith of Jesus Christ, imto all, 
 and upon all them that believe. 
 
 Many other gross absurdities, which I have 
 omitted in your whole book, may perhaps, be more 
 thoroughly gathered up, when you shall have taken 
 the opportunity to reply. In the meantime I shall 
 content myself with this. 
 
 Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away 
 the sin of the world. ' Jn. i. 29. 
 
 ' Even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath 
 to come.' iTh. i. 10. 
 
 ' Who when he had by himself purged our sins, 
 sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. ' 
 
 He. i. 3. 
 
 ' Christ died for our sins. ' 1 Co. xv. 3. 
 
 ' God hath made him to he &u for us.' 3 Co. v. 21. 
 
 ' Christ was made a curse for us.' Ga. ui. 13. 
 
 ' He bare our sins in his own body on the tree." 
 
 1 Pe. ii. 24. 
 
 ' He loved us, and washed us from our sins in 
 his own blood.' Re. i. 5. 
 
 ' God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. ' Ep. 
 iv. 32. 
 
 ' We have redemption through his blood, the 
 forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his 
 grace. ' Ep. i. ^. 
 
 Now unto the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, 
 the only wise God, be honour, and glory, for ever, 
 and ever. Amen. 
 
 THE CONCLUSION. 
 
 That my reader may farther perceive that Mr. 
 Fowler, even by the chief of the articles of the 
 church of England, is adjudged erroneous; and 
 besides the very fundamentals of the doctrine of 
 Jesus Christ, and that in those very principles 
 that are in the main, I say, and that most imme- 
 diately concern Christ, faith, and salvation, will 
 
 be evident to them that compare his design of 
 Christianity, with these articles hereunto recited. 
 
 The Article [X.] cmiceming Free-will. 
 
 ' The condition of man, after the fall of Adam, 
 is such, that he cannot turn and prepare himself, 
 by his own natural strength and good works, to 
 faith, and calling upon God: wherefore we have 
 no power to do good works, pleasant and accepta- 
 ble to God, without the grace of God by Christ 
 preventing* us, that we may have a good will, 
 and working with us, when we have that good 
 will.' 
 
 77ie Article [XL] concerning Justijicat.icm. 
 
 'We are accounted righteous before God, only 
 for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
 by faith; and not for our own works, or deservings. 
 Wherefore that we are justified by faith only, is 
 a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of com- 
 fort,' (fee. 
 
 The Aiiide [XIII.] of Wb^-Ies he/ore Justification. 
 
 ' Works done before the grace of Christ, and 
 the inspiration of his Spirit, are not pleasant to 
 God, for as much as they spring not of faith in 
 Jesus Christ, - or deserve grace of congruity: yea 
 rather, for that they are not done as God hath 
 willed and commanded them to be done, we doubt 
 not but they have the natube of sin.' 
 
 These articles, because they respect the points 
 in controversy betwixt Mr. Fowler, and myself; 
 and because they be also fundamental truths of 
 the christian religion, as I do heartily believe, let 
 all men know that I quarrel not with him, about 
 things wherein I dissent from the church of Eng- 
 land, but do contend for the truth contained, even 
 in these very articles of theirs, from which he hath 
 so deeply revolted, that he clasheth with every one 
 of them, as may farther be shewn when he shall 
 take heart to reply. 
 
 But to wind up this unpleasant scribble, I shall 
 have done when I have farther shewed, how he 
 joineth with papist, and quaker, against these 
 wholesome, and fundamental articles. 
 
 Mr. Fowler'' s Doctrine compared vnlh Campicm tlie 
 Jesuit, upon that question wJidher Faith only jus- 
 tifieth: saith Campicm, 
 
 1. Campian. ' We (Papists) say, that as grace 
 is put into us in justification, so also our righte*' 
 ousness is enlarged through good works, and is 
 
 * ' To prevent,' from ' prtevenio,' to go before ; ' preventiDg 
 us' was formerly used for 'preparing as.' It is now obsolete 
 in tliis sense, but frequently occurs in the Bible. — El». 
 
A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 333 
 
 inherent in us ; therefore it is not true that God 
 doth justify by faith only.' 
 
 Fowler, p. 221. ' Justifying faith is such a hehef 
 of the truth of the gospel, as includes a sincere 
 resolution of obedience unto aU its precepts : and 
 that it justifieth as it doth so. - In short, is it 
 possible that faith in Christ's blood, for the for- 
 giveness of sins, should be the only act which jus- 
 tifieth a sinner ? ' p. 224. 
 
 2. Campkm. ' So that faith is urged, but not 
 faith ONLY ; again, by faith is meant all Chris- 
 tianity, and the whole religion of Christians.' 
 
 Fowler, p. 222. 'For surely the faith which entitles 
 the sinner to so high a privilege, as that of justi- 
 fication, must needs be such as complieth with aU 
 the purposes of Christ's coming into the world; 
 especially with his grand purpose, - as Lord, and 
 that it is no less necessary that it should justify 
 as it doth this.' 
 
 3. Campian. ' Though works void of Christ are 
 nothing ; yet through grace they serve to justifi- 
 cation.' 
 
 Fowler, p. 235, 226. ' Of the imputation of Christ's 
 righteousness, - this is the true explication; it con- 
 sists in dealing with sincerely righteous persons : 
 as if they were perfectly so, for the sake and upon 
 the account of Christ's righteousness. The grand 
 intent of the gospel being to make us partakers 
 of an inward and real righteousness ; and it being 
 but a secondary one, that we should be accepted, 
 and rewarded, as if we were completely righteous.' 
 
 4. Campian. ' Speaking of faith, hope, and 
 charity, he confesseth; that faith in nature is 
 before them, but it doth not justify before they 
 come.' 
 
 Fowler, p. 223. ' What pretence can there be for 
 thinking, that faith is the condition, or instrument 
 of justification, as it complieth with only the precept 
 of relying on Christ's merits, for the obtaining of 
 it: especially when it is no less manifest than the 
 sun at noon-day, that obedience to the other pre- 
 cepts, [or works of love,] must go before obedience 
 
 to this. ' p. 284. 
 
 5. Campian, ' I deny (that faith only doth jus- 
 tify) for you have not in all the word of God, that 
 faith only doth justify.' 
 
 Fowler, p. 225. ' And for my part, I must con- 
 fess, that I would not willingly be he that should 
 undertake to encounter one of the champions of 
 that foul cause, with the admission of this princi- 
 ple, that faith justifieth, only as it apprehendeth 
 (resteth or relieth on, p. 224.) the merits, and righte- 
 ousness of Jesus Christ, 1 must certainly have great 
 luck, or my adversary but little cunning, if I were 
 not forced to repent me'of such an engagement.' 
 
 6. Campian. ' Abraham being a just man, was 
 made more just by a living faith. ' 
 
 Finder, p. 233. ' He only is a true child of Abra- 
 
 ham, who in the purity of the heart obeyeth those 
 substantial laws, that are imposed by God, upon 
 him.' 
 
 7. Campia/n. ' I say that charity and good 
 works, are not excluded (in the causes of our jus- 
 tification.') 
 
 Fowler, p. 214, 216. ' For we have shewn, not only 
 that reformation of Ufe from the practice, and 
 purification of heart from the liking of sin, are as 
 plainly as can be asserted in the gospel to be abso- 
 lutely necessary to give men a right to the pro- 
 mises of it, but also that its great salvation doth 
 even consist in it.' 
 
 Mr. Fowler's Dodrine compared with WiUiam Pemi 
 tlie Quaker 
 
 1. Penns Sandy Foundation, p. 19. [p. 16. ed. 1684.] 
 ' Life and salvation is to them that follow Christ 
 the light, in all his righteousness, which every 
 man comes only to experiment, as he walks in a 
 holy subjection to that measure of light and grace, 
 wherewith the fulness hath enlightened him.' 
 
 Fowler, p.s. ' That is, those which are of an in- 
 dispensable, and eternal obligation, which were first 
 written in men's hearts, and originally dictates of 
 human nature.' 
 
 2. Penn, p. 33. [p. 26. ea 1684.] 'I really confess that 
 Jesus Christ fulfilled the Father's will, and oifered 
 up a most satisfactory sacrifice, but not to pay 
 God, or help him [as otherways being unable] to 
 save men. ' 
 
 Fowler, p. 85. ' Christ was set forth to be a pro- 
 pitiatory sacrifice for sin ; I will not say that Ms 
 Father (who is perfectly sui juris) might be put 
 by this means into a capacity of forgiving it. ' 
 
 3. Penn, p. le. [p. 14. ed. 1684.] 'God's remission is 
 grounded on man's repentance, not that it is 
 impossible for God to pardon without a plenary 
 satisfaction.' 
 
 Fowler, p. S4. ' There are many that do not ques- 
 tion but that God could have pardoned sin, without 
 any other satisfaction, than the repentance of the 
 sinner,' <fec. 
 
 4. Penn, p. 27. [p. 23. ed. 168-1.] ' Justification doth 
 not go before, hut is subsequential to the mortifi- 
 cation of lusts.' 
 
 Fowler, p. 14, 15. ' This blessing of making men 
 holy, was so much the design of Christ's coming, 
 that he had his very name from it : ' observe the 
 words are, ' He shall save his people from their 
 sins;' not from the punishment of them. And 
 that is the primary sense of them, which is most 
 plainly expressed in them : ' That he shall save his 
 people from the punishment of sin, is a true sense 
 too ; but it is secondary and implied only ; as this 
 latter is the never failing and necessary consequent 
 of the former salvation.' 
 
 5. Penn, p. as. [p. 21. ed. 1684.] 'Smce therefore there 
 
334 
 
 A DEFENCE OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 can be no admittance had, without performing that 
 righteous will, and doing those holy, and perfect 
 sayings : alas ! to what value will an imputative 
 righteousness amount?' &c. 
 
 Fowler, p. 16. ' Christ shall bring in an inward 
 substantial, and everlasting righteousness, and by 
 abrogating the outward (ceremonial) and esta- 
 blishing ONLY this righteousness, he should en- 
 large the Jewish Church, an accession of the Gen- 
 tiles, being by that means made unto it.' 
 
 6. Perm, p. 24, 35. [p. 20. ed, 1664] ' Since God has 
 prescribed an inoffensive life, as that which only 
 can give acceptance with him ; and on the con- 
 trary hath determined never to justify the wicked, 
 &c. - - Will not the abomination appear greatest 
 of all, where God shall be found condemning the 
 just, on purpose to justify the wicked ; and that 
 he is thereto compelled, or else no salvation, which 
 is the tendency of their doctrine, who imagine the 
 righteous, and merciful God to condemn and pun- 
 ish his [innocent*] righteous Son, that ho having 
 satisfied for our sins, we might be justified (while 
 unsanctified) by the imputation of his perfect righ- 
 teousness. why should this horrible thing be 
 contended for by Christians ! ' 
 
 Fowler, p. 119. ' If it were possible (as it hath 
 been proved it is not) that a wicked man should 
 have God's pardon, it would not make him cease 
 to be miserable.' 
 
 Fowler, p. 120. ' Were it possible that Christ's 
 righteousness could be imputed to an unrighteous 
 man, I dare boldly affirm it would signify as little 
 to his happiness, as would a gorgeous and splendid 
 
 'Innocent' instead of ' rigliteo'is,' ed. 1684. 
 
 garment, to one that is almost starved with hun- 
 ger, or that lieth racked by the torturing diseases 
 of the stone, or colic. 
 
 Fowler, p. iso. ' To justify a wicked man, while he 
 continueth so, if it were possible for God to do it, 
 would far more disparage his justice, and holiness, 
 than advance his grace and kindness.' 
 
 7. Perm, p. as. [p. 23. ea. 1684] 'Unless wehe[come] 
 doers of that law, which Christ came not to destroy, 
 but as our example to fulfil, we can never be justi- 
 fied before God. ' 
 
 Fowler, p. 296. ' It is impossible we should not 
 have the design of Christianity accomplished in us, 
 and therefore that we should be destitute of the 
 power of it, if we make our Saviour's most excel- 
 lent life, the pattern of our lives. Those that sin- 
 cerely, and industriously endeavour to imitate the 
 holy Jesus in his spirit and actions, can never be 
 ignorant what it is to be truly Christians, nor can 
 they fail to be so.' 
 
 8. Perm, p. 26. ' Nor let any fancy that Christ 
 hath so fulfilled it for them, as to exclude their 
 obedience, from being requisite to their acceptance, 
 but only as their pattern.' 
 
 Fowler, p. ua. 'This Son of God taught men 
 their duty, by his own example, and did himself 
 perform among them, what he required of them. 
 Now that he should tread before us EVERY step 
 of that way, which he hath told us leadeth to eter- 
 nal happiness, and commend those duties which 
 are most ungrateful to our corrupt inclinations, by 
 his own practice ; our having so brave an exampld 
 is no small encouragement, to a cheerful perform- 
 ance of all that is commanded.' 
 
 Understandest thou what thou readest ? 
 
EEPROBATION ASSERTED: 
 
 Olt, 
 
 THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL ELECTION AND REPROBATION PROMISCUOUSLY 
 HANDLED, IN ELEVEN CHAPTERS. 
 
 WHEEEIN IHE MOST MATEKIAl OBJECTIONS MADE BY THE OPPOSEKS OP THIS DOCTRINE, AEE PULLY ANSWERED; SETERAt 
 DOUBTS REMOVED, AND SUNDRY CASES OP CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 By JOHN BUNYAN of Bedford, a lover of peace and truth. 
 
 ' What then!' Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election liath obtained it, and the rest were 
 
 blinded^ — Rom. xi. 7. 
 
 London: Printed for G. L., and are to be sold in Tum-stile-alley, in Holbourn. Smdl 4to, 44 pages. 
 
 THE CONTENTS OF THE CHAPTERS. 
 
 I. That there is a reprobation. 
 II. What reprobation u. 
 III. Of the antiquity of reprobation. 
 IV. Cff tlie causes of reprobation, 
 v. Of the unchangeableness of eternal reprobation. 
 VI. Whether to be reprobated, be the same with being ap- 
 pointed before-hand unto eternal condemnation!' If not, 
 how do they differ! Also, whether reprobation be the 
 cause of condemnation? 
 
 VII. Whether any under eternal reprobation have just cause 
 to quarrel with God for not electing them! 
 
 VIII. Whether eternal reprobation in itself, or in its doc- 
 trine, be in very deed an hindrance to any man in seeking 
 the salvation of his soul! 
 
 IX. Whether God would, in deed and in truth, that the gos- 
 
 pel with the grace thereof, should be tendered to those thai 
 yet he hath bound np under eternal reprobation! Answered 
 in the affirmative. 
 X. Seeing then that the grace of God in the gospel, is by that 
 to be proffered to sinners, as sinners ; as well to tlie repro- 
 bate as to the elect; Is it possible for those who indeed 
 are not elect, to receive it, and be saved! Answered in the 
 
 XI. Seeing it is not possible thai the reprobate sJuiuld receive 
 this grace and live, and also seeing this is infallibly fore- 
 seen of God; and again, seeing God hath fore-determined 
 to suffer it so to be. Why doth he yet will and command 
 that the gospel, and so grace in the general tenders thereof, 
 should be proffered unto them! Answered and cleared 
 by five reasons, and the removing of three objections. 
 
 EDITOE'S ADYERTISEMENT. 
 
 This valuable tract was first published Tvitbout a 
 date, but according to Doe's List, about the year 
 1674, and has never been reprinted in a separate 
 volume ; it appeared in only one edition of the col- 
 lected Tvorks of John Bunyan — that with the notes 
 by Ryland and Mason ; and in his select works, 
 published in America in 1832. No man could 
 have been better qualified to write upon the sub- 
 ject of reprobation than Bunyan. — His extraordi- 
 nary knowledge of, and fervent attachment to, the 
 holy oracles, peculiarly fitted him with unwavering 
 verity to display this doctrine of divine truth. He 
 was incapable of any misrepresentation with a view 
 of concealing what fallen reason might deem a 
 deformity, or to render the doctrines of the cross 
 palatable to mankind. His object is to display 
 the truth, and then humbly to submit to the wisdom 
 of God, and zealously to vindicate it. There is 
 .no subject which more fuUy displays our fallen 
 nature, than that of reprobation. AU mankind 
 agree in opinion, that there ever has been an elect, 
 or good class of society; and a reprobate, or worth- 
 less and bad class ; varying in turpitude or in 
 
 goodness to a great extent and in almost imper- 
 ceptible degrees. AU must unite in ascribing to 
 God that divine foreknowledge that renders ten 
 thousand years but as one day, or hour, or moment 
 in his sight. AU ascribe to his omnipotence the 
 power to ordain or decree what shall come to pass 
 — and where is the spirit that can demonstrate a 
 shade of difference between such foreknowledge and 
 preordination. All agree that in the lower class of 
 animals some of the same species pass their hves 
 in luxury and comfort, whUe others are crueUy tor- 
 mented, this world comprising their whole term of 
 existence ; and will those who refuse to submit to 
 the sovereignty of God in the doctrine of election 
 dare to arraign his conduct in leaving some out of 
 his electing love ? The reprobate or worthless lose 
 nothing by the happiness of others. It is inscrut- 
 ably hid from mankind who are the elect, until the 
 Holy Spirit influences them with the love of God 
 in Christ Jesus, and this sometimes in the last 
 moments of life. There is every encouragement, 
 nay incentive, to the sinner who feels the burthen 
 of guilt to fly for refuge to the hope set before 
 
33S 
 
 REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 him in the gospel. ' It is a faithful saying, and 
 worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came 
 into the world to save sinners ;' even the chief of 
 sinners. The glad tidings are addressed to all 
 sin-sick souls; and Bunyan's statement of this 
 truth is clear, scriptural, and reasonable. Very 
 different is the account of reprobation given by R. 
 Resburie in his Stop to the Gangrene of Arminlan- 
 ism, 1651. ' For the reprobate God decrees the 
 permitting of sin in order to hardening, and their 
 hardening in it, in order to their condemnation.' 
 
 p. 69. ' As election is the book of life, so reproba- 
 tion of death ; the names of the reprobate are there 
 registered for destruction.' p. 73. It is much to 
 be regretted that sentiments like these have been 
 too commonly uttered. It is as an antidote to such 
 ideas that this little work was written ; but, unfor- 
 tunately, it has never been widely circulated and 
 read. May the divine blessing follow this attempt 
 to spread these important, although to many, un- 
 palatable, doctrines. 
 
 George Offob. 
 
 REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 TliM there is a Reprobation. 
 
 In my discourse upon this subject, I shall study as 
 much brevity as clearness and edification will allow 
 me ; not adding words to make the volume swell, 
 but contracting myself within the bounds of few 
 lines, for the profit and commodity of those that 
 shall take the pains to read my labours. And 
 though I might abundantly multiply arguments 
 for the evincing and vindicating this conclusion, 
 yet I shall content myself with some few scripture 
 demonstrations : the first of which I shall gather 
 out of the ninth of the Romans, from that discourse 
 of the apostle's, touching the children of the flesh, 
 and the children of the promise. 
 
 1. At the beginning of this chapter, we find the 
 apostle grievously lamenting and bemoaning of the 
 Jews, at the consideration of their miserable state: 
 ' I say the truth in Christ, (saith he) I lie not, my 
 conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy 
 Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual 
 sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that my- 
 self were accursed from Christ for my brethren, 
 my kinsmen according to the flesh:' Poor hearts, 
 saith he, they will perish ; they are a miserable 
 sad and helpless people ; their eyes are darkened 
 that they may not see, and their back is bowed 
 down alway. Eo. xi. 10. Wherefore ? Have they not 
 the means of grace ? Yes verily, and that in 
 goodly measure. First they ' are Israelites ; to 
 whom pertaindh the adoption, and the glory, and 
 the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the 
 service of God, and the promises ; whose are the 
 fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh 
 Christ ca/me, vi^ho is over all, God blessed for ever. 
 Amen. ' What then should be the reason ? Why 
 saith he, though they be the children of Abraham 
 according to the flesh, yet they are the children 
 of Abraham BUT according to the flesh : ' For they 
 are not all Israel (in the best sense) which are of 
 
 Israel : neither, because they are the seed of Abra- 
 ham, are they all children : but, in Isaac shall thy 
 seed be called. ' That is, they that are the children 
 of the flesh, they are not the children of God; but 
 the children of the promise shall be counted for 
 the seed. So then, here you see that they that 
 are only the childi-en of the flesh, as the greatest 
 part of Israel were, they are those that are neither 
 counted for the seed, the children of promise, nor 
 the children of God; but are rejected, and of the 
 reprobation. Tliis therefore shall at this time 
 serve for the first scripture-demonstration. 
 
 2. Another scripture you have in the eleventh 
 chapter of this epistle, from these words, ' The 
 election hath obtained it, and the rest were 
 blinded. ' Ko. xi. 7. These words are shedding* words, 
 they sever between men and men ; the election, the 
 rest ; the chosen, the left ; the embraced, the re- 
 fused : ' The election have obtained it, and the 
 rest were blinded.' By rest here, must needs he 
 understood those not elect, because set one in oppo- 
 sition to the other ; and if not elect, what then hut 
 reprobate ? 
 
 3. A third scripture is that in the Acts of the 
 Apostles, ' And as many as were ordained to eter- 
 nal life, believed. ' xiii. 48. ' And as many ; ' by these 
 words, as by the former, you may see how the 
 Holy Ghost distinguisheth or divideth between men 
 and men ; the sons, and the sons of Adam. ' As 
 many as were ordained to eternal life, behoved:' 
 If by mamy here, we are to understand every indi- 
 vidual, then not only the whole world must at least 
 believe the gospel, of which we see the most fall 
 short, but they must be ordained to eternal life ; 
 which other scriptures contradict : for there is the 
 rest, besides the elect ; the stubble and chaff, as 
 well as wheat : many therefore must here include 
 but some ; ' For though Israel be as the sand 
 
 * ' Shedding words' means ' scattering or spreading words,' 
 as iu Acts ii. 33; now obsolete. — Ejj. 
 
KEPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 337 
 
 of the sea, a remnant shall be saved.' Ro, k. 27. la. i. 
 
 9. and X. 23, 23. 
 
 I might here multiply many other texts, hut in 
 the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every 
 word he established. Let these therefore for this, 
 suffice to prove that there is a reprobation. For 
 this I say, though the children of the flesh, tlie 
 rest besides the election, and the like, were not 
 mentioned in the word ; yet seeing there is such a 
 thing as the children of the promise, the seed, the 
 children of God, and the like, and that too under 
 several other phrases, as predestinated, foreknown, 
 chosen in Christ, and written in the book of life, 
 and appointed unto life, with many others : I say 
 seeing- these things are thus apparent, it is without 
 doubt, that there is such a thing as a reprobation 
 
 also. Ro. viii. Ep.i. 3, 4. 1 Th. v. 9. 
 
 Nay, further, From the very word election, it 
 foUoweth unavoidably; for whether you take it as 
 relating to this, of distinguishing between persons 
 as touphing the world to come, or with reference 
 to God's acts of choosing this or that man to this 
 or that office, work, or employment in this world, 
 it still signifieth such a choosing, as that but some 
 are therein concerned, and that therefore some are 
 thence excluded. Are all the elect, the seed, the 
 saved, the vessels of mercy, the chosen and pecu- 
 liar ? Are not some, yea the most, the children 
 of the flesh, the rest, the lost, the vessels of wrath, 
 of dishonour, and the children of perdition ? Ro. xi. 
 
 9. 1 Pe. ii. 8, 9. Mat. .v, 16. 2 Sa. vi. 21. Ps. Ixxviii. 07, 68. Jn. iv. 16. 2 
 Co. iv. 3. Eo. ix. 21, 22. Jn. xvii. 13. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 What Beprobaiion is. 
 
 Having thus shewed you that there is such a 
 thing as a reprobation, I come now to shew you 
 what it is. Which that I may do to your edifica- 
 tion, I shall First shew you wliat this word repro- 
 bation signifieth in the general, as it concemeth 
 persons temporary and visibly reprobate : Second, 
 more particularly, as it concemeth persons that 
 are eternally and invisibly reprobate. 
 
 First; Generally, As it concemeth persons tem- 
 porarily and visibly reprobate, thus : To he repro- 
 bate is to be disapproved, void of judgment, and 
 rejected, &c. To be disapproved, that is, when 
 the word condemns them, either as touching the 
 faith or the holiness of the gospel ; the which they 
 must needs be, that are void of spiritual and hea- 
 venly judgment in the mysteries of the kingdom ; 
 a manifest token [that] they are rejected. And 
 hence it is that they are said to be reprobate or 
 void of judgment concerning the faith ; reprobate 
 or void of judgment touching every good work; 
 having a reprobate mind, to do those things that 
 are not convenient, either as to faith or manners. 
 VOL. u. 
 
 And hence it is again, that they are also said to 
 be rejected of God, cast away, and the like. 2 Co. 
 
 xiii. 0, 7. 2 Ti. iii. 8. Tit. i. 16. Ro. i. 28. Jc. vi. 30. 1 Co. ix. 27. 
 
 I call this temporary visible reprobation, because 
 these appear, and are detected by the word as such 
 that are found imder the above-named errors, and 
 so adjudged without the grace of God. Yet it is 
 possible for some of these, however for the present 
 disapproved, through the blessed acts and dispen- 
 sations of grace, not only to become visible saints, 
 but also saved for ever. Who doubts but that he 
 who now by examining himself, concerning faith, 
 doth find himself, though under profession,* grace- 
 less, may after that, he seeing his woeful state, 
 not only cry to God for mercy, hut find grace, and 
 obtain mercy to help in time of need ? though it 
 is true, that for the most part the contrary is ful- 
 filled on them. 
 
 Second, But to pass this, and more particularly 
 to touch the eternal invisible reprobation, which I 
 shall thus hold forth : It is to be passed by in, or 
 left out of, God's election ; yet so, as considered 
 upright. In which position you have these four 
 things considerable: 1. The act of God's election. 
 2. The negative of that act. 3. The persons 
 reached by that negative. And, 4. Their qualifi- 
 cation when thus reached by it. 
 
 1. For the first. This act of God in electing, 
 it is a choosing or fore-appointing of some infallibly 
 unto eternal life, which he also hath determined 
 shall be brought to pass by the means that should 
 he made manifest and efficacious to that very end. 
 
 Ep. i. 3—5. 1 Pe. i. 2. 
 
 2. Now the negative of this act is, a passing hj-, 
 or a leaving of those not concerned in this act ; a 
 leaving of them, I say, without the bounds, and so 
 the saving privileges of this act ; as it foUoweth by 
 natural consequence, that because a man chooseth 
 hut some, therefore he chooseth not all, hut leaveth, 
 as the negative of that act, all others whatsoever. 
 Wherefore, as I said before, those not contained 
 within this blessed act, are called the rest besides 
 the election. ' The election hath obtained it, and 
 the rest were blinded.' 
 
 3. The persons then that are contained under 
 the negative of this act, they are those, and those 
 only, that pass through this wicked world without 
 the saving grace of God's elect ; those, I say, that 
 miss the most holy faith, which they in time are 
 blest withal, who are fore-appointed unto glory. 
 
 4. And now for the qualification they wore con- 
 sidered xmder, when this act of reprobation laid 
 hold upon them; to wit, They were considered 
 upright. 
 
 This is evident. From this consideration, that 
 
 reprobation is God's act, even the negative of his 
 
 choosing or electing, and none of the acts of God 
 
 make any man a sinner. It is further evident by 
 
 2u 
 
S38 
 
 REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 tlie similitude, that is taken from tlie carriage of 
 the potter in his making of his pots ; for by this 
 comparison the God of heaven is pleased to shew 
 unto us the nature of his determining in the act 
 of reprobation. ' Hath not the potter power over 
 the clay, of the same lump?' <fec. Ko. ix. 21. Consi- 
 der a little, and you shall see that these three 
 things do necessarily fall in, to complete the pot- 
 ter's action in every pot he makes. 
 
 (1.) A determination in his own mind what pot 
 to make of this or that piece of clay ; a determina- 
 tion, I say, precedent to the fashion of the pot; 
 the which is true in the highest degree, in him 
 that is excellent in working; he determines the 
 end, before the beginning is perfected : is. xU. 22. xivi. 
 10. ' For this cause (very purpose) have I raised 
 thee up.' Ex. iv. 16. 
 
 (2.) The next thing considerable in the potter; 
 it is the so making of the pot, even as he deter- 
 mined ; a vessel to honour, or a, vessel to dishonour. 
 There is no confusion nor disappointment under 
 the hand of this eternal God, his work is perfect, 
 and everyway doth answer to what he hath deter- 
 mined. De. xxxii i. 
 
 (3.) Observe again. That whether the vessel be 
 to honour or to dishonour, yet the potter makes it 
 good, sound, and fit for service ; his fore-deter- 
 rnining to make this a vessel to dishonour, hath no 
 persuasion at all with him to break or mar the pot: 
 Which very thing doth well resemble the state of 
 man as under the act of eternal reprobation, for 
 ' God made man upright.' Ec. to. 29. 
 
 From these conclusions then. 
 
 Consider, 1. That the simple act of reprobation, 
 it is a leaving or passing by, not a cursing of the 
 creature. 
 
 Consider, 2. Neither doth this act alienate the 
 heart of God from the reprobate, nor tie him up 
 from loving, favouring, or blessing of him ; no, not 
 from blessing of him with the gift of Christ, of 
 faith, of hope, and many other benefits. It only 
 denieth them that benefit, that will infallibly bring 
 them to eternal life, and that in despite of all op- 
 position ; it only denieth so to bless them as the 
 elect themselves are blessed. Abraham loved all 
 the children he had by all his wives, and gave them 
 portions also ; but his choice blessing, as the fruit 
 of his chiefest love, he reserved 'for chosen Isaac. 
 
 Ge. KXV. 5, 0. 
 
 Consider Lastly, The act of reprobation doth 
 harm to no man, neither means him any ; nay, it 
 rather decrees him upright, lets him be made up- 
 right, and so be turned into the world.* 
 
 * As election took place before the creation of man — all 
 men in Adam were decreed, made and turned into the world 
 upright. — Ed. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 0/ the Antiquity of Reprobation. 
 
 Having now proceeded so far as to shew yon 
 what reprobation is, it will not be amiss if in this 
 place I briefly shew you its antiquity, even when it 
 began its rise; the which you may gather by 
 these following particulars. 
 
 First, Reprobation is before the person cometh 
 into the world, or hath done good or evil : This is 
 evident by that of Paul to the Romans : ' For the 
 child/ren being not yet born, neither having done 
 any good or evil, that the pm-pose of God according 
 to election might stand not of works, but of him 
 that calleth ; it was said unto Rebecca, The elder 
 shall serve the younger.' ix. 11. Here you find 
 twain in their mother's womb, and both receiving 
 their destiny, not only before they had done good 
 or evil, but before they were in a capacity to do 
 it, they being yet unborn ; their destiny, I say, the 
 one unto, the other not unto, the blessing of eternal 
 life ; the one chose, the other refused ; the one elect, 
 the other reprobate. The same also might be said 
 of Ishmael and his brother Isaac, both which did 
 also receive their destiny before they came into the 
 world : for the promise that this Isaac should be 
 the heir, it was also before Ishmael was born, 
 though he was elder by fourteen years, or more, 
 than his brother. Ge. xv. 4, 6; xvi. 4, 5, 16; xyii. 25; xxi. 6. 
 And it is yet further evident, 
 
 1. Because election is an act of grace; 'There 
 is a remnant according to the election of grace.' 
 Eo. xi. 5. Which act of grace saw no way so fit to 
 discover its purity and independency, as by fasten- 
 ing on the object before it came into the world ; 
 that being the state in which at least no good were 
 done, either to procure good from God, or to eclipse 
 and darken this precious act of grace. For though 
 it is true that no good thing that we have done 
 before conversion, can obtain the grace of election; 
 yet the grace of election then appeareth most, when 
 it prevents t our doing good, that we might be loved 
 therefore : wherefore he saith again, ' That the 
 purpose of God according to election might stand, 
 not of works, but of him that calleth ; it was said 
 unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.' Ko.ix. 
 11, 12. 
 
 2. This is most agreeable to the nature of the 
 promise of giving seed to Abraham; which promise, 
 as it was made before the child was conceived, so 
 it was fulfilled at the best time, for the discovery 
 of the act of grace, that could have been pitched 
 
 t ' Prevents our doing good.' Few words in the English 
 language have more altered in their meaning than 'prevent;' 
 it is derived from ' prccvenio,' to go before. ]n Bunyau's time, 
 it meant 'to go before,' 'clear the way,' 'make the way easy' 
 for our doing good. Its present meaning is 'to obstruct,' by 
 going or standing before us. — En. 
 
REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 339 
 
 ■upon: At this time will I come (saith God) • and 
 Sarah shall have a son;' Ge. xvUi. 14. which promise, 
 hecause it carried in its bowels the very grace of 
 electing love, therefore it left out Ishmael, with the 
 children of Keturah : ' For in Isaac shall thy seed 
 be called. ' Ko. iv. le— 19; ix. 7. 
 
 3. This was the best and fittest way for the de- 
 crees to receive soimd bottom, even for God both 
 to choose and refuse, before the creature had done 
 good or evil, and so before they came into the 
 world: 'That the purpose of God according to 
 election might stand, ' saith he, therefore before the 
 children were yet born, or had done any good or 
 evil, it was said unto her, &,c. God's decree would 
 for ever want foundation, should it depend at all 
 upon the goodness and holiness either of men or 
 angels ; especially if it were to stand upon that 
 good that is wrought before conversion, yea, or 
 after conversion either. We -find, by daily experi- 
 ence, how hard and difficult it is, for even the 
 holiest in the world, to bear up and maintain their 
 faith and love to God ; yea, so hard, as not at all 
 to do it without continual supplies from heaven. 
 How then is it possible for any so to carry it before 
 God, as to lay, by this his holiness, a foundation 
 for election, as to maintain that foundation, and 
 thereby to procure all those graces that infalhbly 
 saveth the sinner? But now the choice, I say, 
 being a choice of grace, as is manifest, it being 
 acted before the creature's birth ; here grace hath 
 laid the comer-stone, and determined the means 
 to bring the work to perfection. Thus ' the foun- 
 dation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The 
 Lord knoweth them that are his. ' 2 Ti. ii. 19. That 
 is, who he hath chosen, having excluded works, 
 both good and bad, and founded all in an unchange- 
 able act of grace ; the negative whereof, is this 
 harmless reprobation. 
 
 Second, But secondly, To step a little backward, 
 and so to make all sure: This act of reprobation 
 was before the world began ; which therefore must 
 needs confirm that which was said but now, that 
 they were, before they were born, both destinated 
 before they had done good or evil. This is manifest 
 by that of Paul to the Ephesians, at the beginning 
 of his epistle; where, speaking of Election, whose 
 negative is reprobation, he saith, ' God hath chosen 
 us in Christ before the foundation of the world. ' 
 Nay further, if you please, consider, that as Christ 
 was ordained to suffer before the foundation of the 
 world, and as we that are elected were chosen in 
 him before the foundation of the world ; so it was 
 also ordained we should know him, before the 
 foundation of the world ; ordained that we should 
 be holy before him in love, before the foundation 
 of the world ; and that we in time should be cre- 
 ated in him to good works, and ordained before 
 that we should walk in them. Wherefore repro- 
 
 bation also, it being the negative of electing love ; 
 that is, because God elected but some, therefore he 
 left the rest : these rest therefore must needs be 
 of as ancient standing under reprobation, as the 
 chosen are under election ; both which, it is also 
 evident, was before the world began. Which serveth 
 yet further to prove that reprobation could not be 
 with respect to this or the other sin, it being only 
 a leaving them, and that before the world, out of 
 that free choice which he was pleased to bless the 
 other with. Even as the clay with which the dis- 
 honourable vessel is made, did not provoke the 
 potter, for the sake of this or that impediment, iliere- 
 fore to make it so ; but the potter of his own will, 
 of the clay of the same lump, of the clay that is full 
 as good as that of which he hath made the vessel to 
 honour, did make this and the other a vessel of dis- 
 honour, (fee. 1 Pe. i. 20, 31. 1 Co. ii. 7. Ep. i. 3, 4; ii. 10.* 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 0/ the causes of Reprobation. 
 
 Having thus in a word or two shewed the anti- 
 quity of Reprobation, I now come in this place to 
 shew you the cause thereof; for doubtless this must 
 stand a truth. That whatever God doth, there is 
 sufficient ground therefore, whether by us appre- 
 hended, or else without our reach. 
 
 First then. It is caused from the very nature of 
 God. There are two things in God, from which, 
 or by the virtue of which, all things have their rise, 
 to wit, the eternity of God in general, and the 
 eternal perfection of every one of his attributes in 
 particular : for as by the first, he must needs be 
 before all things ; so by virtue of the second, must 
 all things consist. And as he is before aU things, 
 they having consistence by him ; so also is he be- 
 fore all states, or their causes,be they either good 
 or bad, of continuance or otherwise, he being the 
 first without beginning, <fcc., whereas all other 
 things, with their causes, have rise, dependance, 
 or toleration of being from him. Col. i. 17. 
 
 Henee it follows, that nothing, either person or 
 cause, &c., can by any means have a being, but 
 first he knows thereof, allows thereof, and decrees 
 it shall be so. ' Who is he that saith, and it Com- 
 eth to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?' 
 La. iii. 37. Now then, because that reprobation, as 
 well as election, are subordinate to God ; his wUl 
 also, which is eternally perfect, being most imme- 
 
 * They who diligently attend to the scriptures, will find 
 throughout the whole a vein of election and reprobation. The 
 holy seed may be traced in many instances, and in divers fami- 
 lies, in the Bible, from Adam to the birth of our Saviour, whose 
 ancestors, according to the flesh, were of the line of election or 
 the godly; which those who are only born after the flesh, and 
 not after the Spirit, namely, the reprobate, have always despised 
 and persecuted, and wiU do so to the end of time. — Mason 
 and R'jland. 
 
340 
 
 REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 diately herein concerned ; it was impossible that 
 any should be reprobate, before God had both willed 
 and decreed it should be so. It is not the being 
 of a thing that administers matter of knowledge or 
 'foresight thereof to God, but the perfection of his 
 knowledge, wisdom, and power, &c., that givetli 
 the thing its being : God did not fore-decree there 
 should be a world, because he foresaw there would 
 be one ; hut there must be one, because he had 
 before decreed there should be one. The same is 
 true as touching the case in hand : ' For this cause 
 [very purpose] have I raised thee up, for to shew 
 in thee my power. ' Ex, ix. 16. Ho. ix. 17. 
 
 Second, A second cause of eternal reprobation, 
 is the exercise of God's sovereignty; for if this is 
 true, that there is nothing either visible or invisible, 
 whether in heaven or earth, but hath its being from 
 him : then it must most reasonably follow, that he 
 is therefore sovereign Lord, &c., and may also ac- 
 cording to his own will, as he pleaseth himself, both 
 exercise and manifest the same ; being every whit 
 absolute ; and can do and may do whatsoever his 
 soul desireth : and indeed, good reason, for he hath 
 not only made them all, but 'for his pleasure they 
 both were and are created. ' E,e. iv. 11. 
 
 Now the very exercise of this sovereignty pro- 
 duceth reprobation : ' Therefore hath he mercy on 
 whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he har- 
 deneth.' Ko. ix. 13. ' Hath not the potter power over 
 the clay, of the same lump?' And doth he not 
 make his pots according to his pleasure? Here 
 therefore the mercy, justice, wisdom and power of 
 God, take liberty to do what they will ; saying, 
 ' ]\Iy counsel shall stand, and I will do all my plea- 
 sure. ' Is. xlvi. 10. Job xxiii. 13. Da. iv. 35. Is, xliii. 13. 
 
 Third, Another cause of eternal reprobation, is 
 the act and working of distinguishing love, and 
 everlasting grace. God hath universal love, and 
 particular love ; general love, and distinguishing 
 love ; and so accordingly doth decree, purpose, and 
 determine: from general love, the extension of 
 general grace and mercy : but from that love that 
 is distinguishing, peculiar grace and mercy : ' Was 
 not Esau Jacob's brother?' saith the Lord, 'yet I 
 loved Jacob.' Mai. i. 3. Yet I loved Jacob, that is, 
 with a better love, or a love that is more distinguish- 
 ing. As he further makes appear in his answer to 
 our father Abraliam, when he prayed to God for 
 Ishmael: 'As for Ishmael, (saith he,) I have heard 
 thee : Behold, I have blessed him, and will make 
 him fruitful. But my covenant will I establish with 
 Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee.' Ge. xvii. 20, 
 SI. Touching which words, there are these things 
 observable. 
 
 1. That God had better love for Isaac, than he 
 had for his brother Islimael. Yet, 
 
 2. Not because Isaac had done more worthy and 
 goodly deeds, for Isaac was yet unborn. 
 
 3. This choice blessing could not be denied to 
 Ishmael, because he had disinherited himself by 
 sin ; for this blessing was entailed to Isaac, before 
 Ishmael had a being also. Ko. iv. 16—19. Ge. xv. 4, 5; xvi. 
 
 4. These things therefore must needs fall out 
 through the working of distinguishing love and 
 mercy, which had so cast the business, ' that the 
 purpose of God according to election might stand.' 
 
 Further, Should not God decree to shew distin- 
 guishing love and mercy, as well as that which is 
 general and common, he must not discover his best 
 love at all to the sons of men. Again, if he should 
 reveal and extend his best love to all the world in 
 general, then there would not be such a thing as 
 love that doth distinguish ; for distinguishing love 
 appeareth in separating between Isaac and Ishmael, 
 Jacob and Esau, the many called, and the few 
 chosen. Thus by virtue of distinguishing love, 
 some must be reprobate: for distinguishing love 
 must leave some, both of the angels in heaven, 
 and the inhabitants of the earth ; wherefore the 
 decree also that doth establish it, must needs leave 
 some. 
 
 Fourth, Another cause of reprobation. Is God's 
 willingness to shew his wrath, and to make his 
 power known. This is one of those arguments 
 that the holy apostle setteth against the most 
 knotty and strong objection that ever was framed 
 against the doctrine of eternal reprobation : ' Thou 
 wilt say then imto me, (saith he,) Why doth he 
 yet find fault?' For if it be his will that some 
 should be rejected, hardened, and perish, why then 
 is he offended that any sin against him ; ' for who 
 hath resisted his will?' Hold, saith the apostle; 
 stay a little here ; first remember this. Is it meet 
 to say unto God, What doest thou? 'Shall the 
 thing formed say to him that formed it. Why hast 
 thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power 
 over the clay, of the same lump,' <fcc. Besides, 
 when you have thought your worst, to wit, that 
 the eifects of reprobation must needs be consum- 
 mate in the eternal perdition of the creature ; yet 
 again consider, ' What if God, willing to shew Ms 
 wrath,' as well as grace and mercy? And what 
 if he, that he may so do, exclude some from having 
 share in that grace that would infallibly, against 
 all resistance, bring us safe unto eternal life? What 
 then? Is he therefore the author of your perish- 
 ing, or his eternal reprobation either? Do you not 
 know that he may refuse to elect who he will, with- 
 out abusing of them? Also that he may deny to 
 give them that grace that would preserve them 
 from sin, without being guilty of their damnation? 
 May he not, to shew his wrath, suffer ' with much 
 long-suffering' all that are 'the vessels of wrath,' 
 by their own voluntary will, to fit themselves for 
 wrath and for destruction ? Ko. ix. 19—22. Yea, might 
 lie not even in the act of reprobation, conclude also 
 
REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 341 
 
 to suffer them thus left, to fall from the state he 
 left them in, that is, as they were considered up- 
 right ; and when fallen, to hind them fast in chains 
 of darkness unto the judgment of the great day, 
 hut he must needs he charged foolishly? You 
 shall see in that day what a harmony and what a 
 glory there will he found in all God's judgments 
 in the overthrow of the sinner ; also how clear the 
 Lord wilt shew himself of having any working hand 
 in that which causeth eternal ruin ; notwithstand- 
 ing he hath reprohated such, doth suifer them to 
 sin, and that too, that he might shew his wrath on 
 the vessels of his wrath ; the which I also, after 
 this next chapter, shall further clear up to you. 
 As ' the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly 
 out of temptations,' without approving of their mis- 
 carriages ; so he also knoweth how ' to reserve the 
 unjust unto the day of judgment to he punished : ' 
 2 Pe. ii. 9. yet never to deserve the least of hlame for 
 his so reserving of them ; though none herein can 
 see his way, for he alone knows how to do it.* 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 Of the Unchangeableness of Eternal Reprobation. 
 
 Many opinions have passed through the hearts 
 of the sons of men concerning reprobation ; most 
 of them endeavouring so to hold it forth, as there- 
 with they might, if not heal their conscience 
 slightly, yet maintain their own opinion, in their 
 judgment, of other things ; stiU wringing, now the 
 word this way, and anon again that, for their pur- 
 pose ; also framing within their soul such an ima- 
 gination of God and his acts in eternity, as would 
 suit with such opinions, and so present all to the 
 world. And the rather they have with greatest 
 lahour strained unweariedly at this above many 
 other truths, because of the grim and dreadful 
 face it carrieth in most men's apprehensions. But 
 none of these things, however they may please the 
 creature, can by any means in any measure, either 
 cause God to undo, imsay, or undetermine what 
 he hath concerning this, decreed and established. 
 
 First, Because they suit not with his natm-e, 
 especially in these foundation-acts : ' The founda- 
 tion of God standeth sure,' 2Ti. ii. 19. even touching 
 reprobation, 'that the purpose of God according 
 to election might stand. ' Eo. ix. ii. ' I know (saith 
 Solomon) that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be 
 
 * It is of God's mere mercy and grace tlat any sinners are 
 called and admitted to the privilege of justification and adop- 
 tion, upon God's own terms. The reason why the sinful and 
 unworthy heathen (of whom Britain is a part) were called to 
 be a people, who. were not a people, while the Jews were left 
 out aud cast off for their obstinate unbehef, was not because 
 the Gentiles were either more worthy or more willing (for they 
 were aU dead in trespasses and sins), but from God's discrimi- 
 nating grace aud mercy. — Mason and Ri/land. 
 
 for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thinw 
 taken from it, ' &c. Ec. iii. 14. ' Hath he said, and 
 shall he not do it ? Hath he spoken, and shaU he 
 not make it good?' Ku. xxiii. 19. His decrees are 
 composed according to his eternal wisdom, esta- 
 blished upon his unchangeable will, governed by 
 his knowledge, prudence, power, justice, and 
 mercy, and are brought to conclusion, on his part, 
 in perfect holiness, through the abiding of his most 
 blessed truth and faithfulness : ' He is the rock, 
 his work isperfect : for all his ways are judgment: 
 a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right 
 
 is he. ' De. x.\xii. 4. 
 
 Second, This decree is made sure by the number, 
 measiu-e, and bounds of election ; for election and 
 reprobation do inclose all reasonable creatures ; 
 that is, either the one or the other ; election, those 
 that are set apart for glory; and reprobation, those 
 left out of this choice. 
 
 Now as touching the elect, they are by this de- 
 cree confined to that limited number of persons 
 that must amount to the complete making up the 
 fulness of the mystical body of Christ; yea so con- 
 fined by this eternal purpose, that nothing can be 
 diminished from or added thereunto: and hence 
 it is that they are called his body and members in 
 particular, ' the fulness of him that fiUeth all in 
 all.' Ep. i. 23. and ' the measure of the stature of the 
 fulness of Christ.' Ep. iv. 13. Which body, considering 
 him as the head thereof, in conclusion maketh up 
 one perfect man, and holy temple for the Lord. 
 These are called Christ's substance, inheritance 
 and lot ; Ps. xvi. and are said to be booked, marked, 
 and sealed with God's most excellent knowledge, 
 approbation and liking. 2 Ti. ii. 19. As Christ said 
 to his Father, ' Thine eyes did see my substance, 
 yet being unperfect ; and in thy book all mif 
 members were written, which in continuance were 
 fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.' 
 Ps. cxxxix. 16. This being thus, I say, it is in the 
 first place impossible that any of those members 
 should miscarry, for ' Who shall lay any thing to 
 the charge of God's elect ?' Ro. viii. 33. and because 
 they are as to number every way sufficient, being 
 his body, and so by their completing to be made 
 a perfect man : therefore all others are rejected, 
 that the ' purpose of God according to election 
 might stand. ' Ho. ix. ii. Besides, it would not only 
 argue weakness in the decree, but monstrousness 
 in the body, if after this, any appointed should 
 miscarry, or any besides them be added to them. 
 
 Mat. xxiv. 24. 
 
 Third, Nay further, that all may see how punc- 
 tual, exact, and to a tittle this decree of election 
 is, God hath not only as to number and quantity 
 confined the persons, but also determined and 
 measured, and that before the world, the number 
 of the gifts and graces that are to be bestowed on 
 
342 
 
 REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 these members in general ; and also what graces 
 and gifts to be bestowed on this or that member 
 in particular : He ' hath blessed us with all spiri- 
 tual blessings - in Christ, according as he hath 
 chosen ua in him before the foundation of the 
 word ; ' Ep. i. 3, i. And bestoweth them in time upon 
 us, ' According to the eternal purpose which he 
 purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord : ' Ep. ffi. ii. He 
 hath given to the eye, the grace that belongeth to 
 the eye ; and to the hand that which he also hath 
 appointed for it. And so to every other member 
 of the body elect, he doth deal out to them their 
 determined measure of grace and gifts most fit for 
 their place and office. Thus is the decree esta- 
 blished, both of the saved, and also the non-elect. 
 
 Ro. xii 3. Ep. iv. 16. CoL ii. 19. Ep. iv. 13, 13. 
 
 Fourth, But again, another thing that doth esta- 
 blish this decree of eternal reprobation, is the 
 weakness that sin, in the fall, and since, hath 
 brought aU reprobates into : For though it be most 
 true, that sin is no cause of eternal reprobation ; 
 yet seeing sin hath seized on the reprobate, it can- 
 not be but thereby the decree must needs be the 
 faster fixed. If the king, for this or the other 
 weighty reason, doth decree not to give this or that 
 man, who yet did never offend him, a place in his 
 Iprivy chamber ; if this man after this shall be in- 
 fected with the plague, this rather fastens than 
 loosens the king's decree. As the angels that 
 were left out of God's election, by reason of the 
 sin they committed after, are so far ofi^ from being 
 by that received into God's decree, that they are 
 therefore bound for it in chains of everlasting 
 darkness to the judgment of the great day. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Wlietker to he reprobaied be the same leith being 
 appointed before-hand unto eternal condemnation? 
 If not, how do they differ ? Also whether repv- 
 bation be the cause of condemnalion ? 
 
 It hath been the custom of ignorant men much 
 to quarrel at eternal reprobation, concluding, for 
 want of knowledge in the mystery of God's will, 
 that if he reprobate any from eternity, he had as 
 good have said, I will make this man to damn him; 
 I will decree this man, without any consideration, to 
 the everlasting pains of hell. When in very deed, for 
 God to reprobate, and to appoint before-hand to eter- 
 nal condemnation, are two distinct things, properly 
 relating to two distinct attributes, arising from two 
 distinct, oauses. 
 
 First, They are two distinct things : Reproba- 
 tion, a simple leaving of the creature out of the 
 bounds of God's election ; but to appoint to con- 
 demnation is to bind them over to everlasting pun- 
 ishment. Now there is a great difference between 
 Diy refusing to make of such a tree a piUar in my 
 
 house, and of condemning it unto the fire to bo 
 burned. 
 
 Second, As to the attributes; reprobation re- 
 spects God's sovereignty ; but to appoint to con- 
 demnation, his justice. Eo. ix. is. Ge. xviil. S5. 
 
 Third, As to the causes ; sovereignty being ac- 
 cording to the will of God, but justice according 
 to the sin of man. For God, though he be the 
 only sovereign Lord, and that to the height of per- 
 fection ; yet he appointeth no man to the pains of 
 everlasting fire, merely from sovereignty, but by 
 the rule of justice : God damneth not the man be- 
 cause he is a man, but a sinner ; and fore-appoints 
 him to that place and state, by fore-seeing of him 
 
 wicked. Ro. i. 18, 19. Col. iii. 6. 
 
 Again, As reprobation is not the same with 
 fore-appointing to eternal condemnation; so neither 
 is it the cause thereof. 
 
 If it be the cause, then it must either, 1. Leave 
 him infirm. Or, 2. Infuse sin into him. Or, 3. 
 Take from him something that otherwise would 
 keep him upright. 4. Or both license Satan to 
 tempt, and the reprobate to close in with the 
 temptation. But it doth none of these ; therefore 
 it is not the cause of the condemnation of the 
 creature. 
 
 That it is not the cause of sin, it is evident, 
 
 1. Because the elect are as much involved 
 therein, as those that are passed by. 
 
 2. It leaveth him not infirm ; for he is by an 
 after-act, to wit, of creation, formed perfectly up- 
 right. 
 
 3. That reprobation infuseth no sin, appearetb, 
 because it is the act of God. 
 
 4. That it taketh nothing, that good is, from 
 him, is also manifest, it being only a leaving of him. 
 
 5. And that it is not by this act that Satan is 
 permitted to tempt, or the reprobate to sin, is 
 manifest ; because as Christ was tempted, so the 
 elect fall as much into the temptation, at least 
 many of them, as many of those that are repro- 
 bate : whereas if these things came by. reprobation, 
 then the reprobate would be only concerned therein. 
 All which will be further handled in these questions 
 yet behind. 
 
 Object. From what hath been said, there is con- 
 cluded this at least. That God hath infallibly 
 determined, and that before the world, the infallible 
 damnation of some of his creatures: for if God 
 hath before the world [was made] bound some 
 over to eternal punishment, and that as you say, 
 for sin ; then this determination must either be 
 fallible or infallible ; not fallible," for then your 
 other position of the certainty of the number of 
 God's elect, is shaken ; unless you hold that there 
 may be a number that shall neither go to heaven 
 nor hell. Well then, if God hath indeed deter- 
 mined, fore-determined, that some must infallibly 
 
REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 343 
 
 perisli; doth not this his determination lay a 
 necessity on the reprobate to sin, that he may be 
 damned ; for, no sin, no damnation ; that is your 
 own argument. 
 
 Ans. That God hath ordained, (Jude 4.) the dam- 
 nation of some of his creatures, it is evident ; hut 
 Avhether this his determination he positive and 
 absolute, there is the question: for the better 
 understanding whereof, I shall open unto you the 
 variety of God's determinations, and their nature, 
 as also rise. 
 
 The determinations of God touching the destruc- 
 tion of the creature, they are either ordinary or 
 extraordinary : those I count ordinary that were 
 commonly pronounced by the prophets and apostles, 
 &e., in their ordinary way of preaching; to the 
 end men might be affected with the love of their 
 own salvation : now these either bound or loosed, 
 but as the condition or qualification was answered 
 by the creature under sentence, and no otherwise. 
 
 1 Sa. xii. 25. Is. i. 20. Mat. xviii. 3. Lu. xiii. 1, 2, 3. Ko. ii. 8, 9; viii. 
 13 J xL 23. 1 Co. vi. 9—11. 
 
 Again, These extraordinary, though they respect 
 the same conditions, yet they are not grounded 
 immediately upon them, but upon the infallible 
 fore-knowledge and fore-sight of God, and are 
 thus distinguished. First the ordinary determina- 
 tion, it stands but at best upon a supposition that 
 the creature may continue in sin, and admits of a 
 possibility that it may not ; but the extraordinary 
 stands upon an infallible fore-sight that the crea- 
 ture will continue in sin ; wherefore this must 
 needs be positive, and as infallible as God himself. 
 
 Again, These two determinations are also dis- 
 tinguished thus : the ordinary is applicable to the 
 elect as well as to the reprobate, but the other to 
 the reprobate only. It is proper to say evqn to 
 the elect themselves, * He that believeth shall be 
 saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned ;' 
 but not to say to them, These are appointed to 
 UTTER destruction, or that they shall utterly perish 
 in their own corruptions ; or that for them is 
 reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. iKi. xx. 
 43. Z Pe. ii. 12. Jude 13. 
 
 So then, though God by these determinations 
 doth not lay some under irrecoverable condemna- 
 tion, yet by one of them he doth ; as is further 
 made out thus : 
 
 1. God most perfectly foreseeth the final im- 
 penitency of those that so die, from the beginning 
 to the end of the world. Pr. xv. u. Ps. raxxix. 3. is. xivi. lo. 
 
 2. Now from this infallible foresight, it is most 
 easy and rational to conclude, and that positively, 
 the infallible overthrow of every such creature. 
 Did I infallibly foresee that this or that man would 
 cut out his heart in the morning, I might infallibly 
 determine his death before night. 
 
 Object. But still the question is. Whether God 
 
 by this his determination doth not lay a necessity 
 on the creature to sin ? For, no sin, no condem- 
 nation : this is true by your own assertion. 
 Ans. No, by no means : for, 
 
 1. Though it be true, that sin must of absolute 
 necessity go before the infallible condemnation and 
 overthrow of the sinner ; and that it must also bo 
 pre-considered by God; yet it needs not lay a 
 necessity upon him to sin : for let him but alone 
 to do what he will, and the determination cannot 
 be more infallible than the sin, which is the cause 
 of its execution. 
 
 2. As it needs not, so it doth not: for this 
 positive determination is not groimded upon what 
 God will effect, but on what the creature wiU ; and 
 that not through the instigation of God, hut the 
 instigation of the devil. What? might not I, if I 
 most undoubtedly foresaw that such a tree in my 
 garden would only cumber the ground, notwith- 
 standing reasonable means, might not I, I say, 
 from hence determine, seven years before, to cut 
 it down, and burn it in the fire, but I must, by so 
 determining, necessitate this tree to be fruitless ? 
 the case in hand is the very same. God there- 
 fore may most positively determine the infallible 
 damnation of his creature, and yet not at all neces- 
 sitate the creature to sin, that he might be damned. 
 
 Object. But how is this simihtude pertinent ? 
 For God did not only foresee sin would be the 
 destruction of the creature, but let it come into 
 the world, and so destroy the creature. If you, 
 as you foresee the fruitlessness of your tree, should 
 withal see that which makes it so, and that too 
 before it makes it so, and yet let the impediment 
 come and make it so ; are not you now the cause 
 of the unfruitfulness of that tree which you have 
 before condemned to the fire to be burned ? for 
 God might have chose whether he would have let 
 Adam sin, and so sin to have got into the world 
 by him. 
 
 Ans. Similitudes never answer every way ; if 
 they be pertinent to that for which they are in- 
 tended, it is enough ; and to that it answereth 
 well, being brought to prove no more but the 
 natural consequence of a true and infallible fore- 
 sight. And now as to what is objected further, 
 as that God might have chose whether sin should 
 have come into the world by Adam, to the destruc- 
 tion of so many : to that I shall answer, 
 
 1. That sin could not have come into the world 
 without God's permission, it is evident, both from 
 the perfection of his foresight and power. 
 
 2. Therefore all the means, motives, and in- 
 ducements thereunto, must also by him be not 
 only foreseen, hut permitted. 
 
 3. Yet so, that God will have the timing, pro- 
 ceeding, bounding, and ordering thereof, at his 
 disposal: ' Surely the wrath of man shall praise 
 
Sii 
 
 REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 tliee, and tlie remainder of wrath slialt thou 
 
 restrain. ' Ps. kxvi. lO. l Ki. xxii 20—23 Jn. viii. 20. Lu. Jtxii. 61, 53. 
 
 4. Therefore it must needs come into the world, 
 not without, hut hy the knowledge of God ; not in 
 despite of him, hut by his suffering of it. 
 
 Object. But how then is he clear from having a 
 hand in the death of him that perisheth ? 
 
 Ans. Nothing is more sure than that God could 
 have kept sin out of the world, if it had been his 
 will ; and this is also as true, that it never came 
 into the world with his liking and compliance ; and 
 for this, you must consider that sin came into the 
 world by two steps : 
 
 1. By being offered. 2. By prevailing. 
 
 Touching the first of these, God without the 
 least injury to any creature in heaven or earth, 
 might not only suffer it, but so far countenance 
 the same : that is, so far forth as for trial only : 
 as it is said of Abraham ; ' God tempted Abra- 
 ham ' to slay his only son, Ge. xxii. i. and led Christ 
 by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of 
 the devil. Mar. i. 12. Lu. iv. 1. This is done without any 
 harm at all ; nay, it rather produceth good ; for 
 it tends to discover sincerity, to exercise faith in, 
 and love to his Creator ; also to put him in mind 
 of the continual need he hath of depending on his 
 God for the continuation of help and strength, and 
 to provoke to prayers to God, whenever so engaged. 
 De. viii. 1—3. 1 Fe. i. 7. He. v. 7. Mat. xxvi. 22, 41. 
 
 Object. But God did not only admit that sin 
 should be offered for trial, and there to stay ; but 
 did suffer it to prevail, and overcome the world. 
 
 Ans. Well, this is granted : but yet consider, 
 
 1. God did neither suffer it, nor yet consent it 
 should, but under this consideration; If Adam, 
 upright Adam, gave way thereto, by forsaking his 
 command, ' In the day that thou eatest thereof 
 thou shalt surely die.' Ge. iL 17; iii. 3. Which Adam 
 did, not because God did compel him or persuade 
 him to it, but volmitarily of his own mind, con- 
 trary to his God's command: so then, God by 
 suffering sin to break into the world, did it rather 
 in judgment, as disliking Adam's act, and as a 
 punishment to man for listening to the tempter ; 
 and as a discovery of his anger at man's disobe- 
 dience; than to prove that he is guilty of the 
 misery of his creature. 
 
 2. Consider also, that when God permitted sin 
 •for trial, it was, when offered first, to them only 
 
 who were upright, and had sufficient strength to 
 resist it. 
 
 3. They were by God's command to the con- 
 trary, driven to no strait to tempt them to incline 
 to Satan : ' Of every tree of the garden thou mayest 
 freely eat,' saith God; only let this alone. 
 
 4. As touching the beauty and goodness that 
 was in the object unto which they were allured; 
 What was it ? Was it better than God ? Yea, was 
 
 it better than the tree of life ? For from that they 
 were not exempted till after they had sinned. Did 
 not God know best what was best to do them good ? 
 
 5. Touching him that persuaded them to do 
 this wicked act ; was his word more to be valued 
 for truth, more to be ventured on for safety, or 
 more to be honoured for the worthiness of him that 
 spake, than was his that had forbad it ? The one 
 being the devil, with a lie, and to kill them ; the 
 other being God, with his truth, and to preserve 
 them safe. 
 
 Quest. But was not Adam unexpectedly sur- 
 prised ? Had he notice beforehand, and warning 
 of the danger ? For God foresaw the business. 
 
 Ans. Doubtless God was fair and faithful to his 
 creature in this thing also ; as clearly doth appear 
 from these considerations. 
 
 1. The very commandment that God gave him, 
 fore-bespake him well to look about him ; and did 
 indeed insinuate that he was likely to be tempted. 
 
 2. It is yet more evident, because God doth 
 even tell him of the danger; ' In the day that thou 
 eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. ' 
 
 3. Nay God by speaking to him of the very tree 
 that was to be forborn, telling him also where it 
 stood, that he might the better know it ; did in 
 effect expressly say unto him, Adam, if thou be 
 tempted, it will be about tliat tree, and the fruit 
 thereof : wherefore if thou findest the tempter 
 there, then beware thy life. 
 
 (1.) To conclude then : though sin did not come 
 into the world without God's sufferance, yet it did 
 without his liking : God suffered also Cain to kill 
 his brother, and Ishmael to mock at Isaac, but he 
 did not like the same. Ge. iv. 9— ll. Ga. iv. 30. 
 
 (2.) Therefore though God was first in conclud- 
 ing sin should be offered to the world; yet man 
 was the first that consented to a being overcome 
 thereby. 
 
 (3.) Then, Though God did fore-determine that 
 sin should enter, yet it was not but with respect 
 to certain terms and conditions, which yet was not 
 to be enforced by virtue of the determination, but 
 permitted to be completed by the voluntary inchna- 
 tion of a perfect and upright man. And in that 
 the determination was most perfectly infallible, it 
 was through the foresight of the undoubted inchna- 
 tion of this good and upright person. 
 
 Quest. But might not God have kept Adam from 
 inclining, if he would? 
 
 Ans. What more certaui? But yet consider, 
 
 1. Adam being now an upright man, he was 
 able to have kept himself, had he but looked to it 
 as he should and might. 
 
 2. This bemg so, if God had here stept in, he 
 had either added that which had been needless, 
 and so had not ob*ained thankfulness ; or else had 
 made the strength of Adam useless, yea his own 
 
REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 345 
 
 ■workmanship in so creating him, supei-fluous ; or 
 else by consequence imperfect. 
 
 (3.) If he had done so, he had taken Adam from 
 his duty, which was to trust and beheve his Maker; 
 he had also made void the end of the command- 
 ment, which was to persuade to watchfulness, dili- 
 gence, sobriety, and contentedness ; yea, and by so 
 doing would not only himself have tempted Adam 
 to transgression, even to lay aside the exercise of 
 that strength that God had already given him ; but 
 should have become the pattern, or the first father 
 to all looseness, idleness, and neglect of duty. 
 Which would also not only have been an iU ex- 
 ample to Adam to continue to neglect so reasonable 
 and wholesome duties, but would have been to 
 himself an ar'gument of defence to retort upon his 
 God, when he had come at another time to reckon 
 with him for his misdemeanours.* 
 
 Many other weighty reasons might here be fur- 
 ther added for God's vindication in this particular, 
 but at this time let these suffice. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 WketTier any under Eternal JReprobation have just 
 cause to quarrel with God for not electing of 
 them? 
 
 That the answer to this question may be to edi- 
 fication, recall again what I have before asserted ; 
 to wit. That for a man to be left out of God's elec- 
 tion, and to be made a siimer, is two things ; and 
 again. For a man to be not elect, and to be con- 
 demned to hell-fire, is two things also. Now I say, 
 if non-election makes no man a sinner, and if it 
 appoints no man to condemnation neither, then 
 what groimd hath any reprobate to quarrel with 
 God for not electing of him ? Nay, further, repro- 
 bation considereth him upright, leaveth him up- 
 right, and so turneth him into the world ; what 
 wrong doth God do Idm, though he hath not 
 elected him ? What reason hath he that is left in 
 this case to quarrel against his Maker ? 
 
 * The final condemnation of the wicked does not spring 
 , from God's sovereign will to destroy any of his rational crea- 
 tures; this is evident from the many pressing invitations, 
 declarations, and promises in the word of God : for Jehovah 
 swears by his great self, that he desires not the death of a sin^ 
 ner. Oar lord assigns the cause of reprobation in these 
 words, John v. 40, ' Ye will not come unto me, that ye might 
 haye life ;' wherefore Christ, the only remedy for their cure, 
 being rejected, the sinner is condemned, and rendered the 
 object of wrath and punishment by the law and justice of God; 
 because the same word of truth which says, ' Whosoever will, 
 let him come, and take of the water of life freely,' also says, 
 ' The soul that sinneth (or lives and dies in sin unpardoned) 
 ehall die.' Thus sin is the object of God's hatred, and not the 
 man, abstractedly considered. May we therefore each of us have 
 grace to look to Christ for fuU and complete salvation, who hath 
 put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, whereby he has per- 
 fected for ever them that are sanctified \—Byland and Mason. 
 VOL. II 
 
 If thou say, because God hath not chosen them, 
 as well as chosen others : I answer, ' Nay but, 
 man, who art thou that rephest against God ? 
 Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, 
 Wliy hast thou made me thus ? ' Ko. ix. 20. ' Behold, 
 as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in my 
 hand, house of Israel,' saith the Lord God. Je. 
 xviii. 6. So then, if I should say no more but that 
 God is the only Lord and Creator, and that by his 
 sovereignty he hath power to dispose of them ac- 
 cording to his pleasure, either to choose or to refuse, 
 according to the counsel of his own will, who could 
 object against him and be guiltless ? ' He glveth 
 not account of any of his matters.' Job xxxiii. 13. 
 ' And whai his soul desireth, even thai he doeth. ' 
 
 Job xxiii. 13. 
 
 Again, God is wiser than man, and therefore can 
 shew a reason for what he acts and does, both 
 when and where at present thou seest none. Shall 
 God the only wise, be arraigned at the bar of thy 
 blind reason, and there be judged and condemned 
 for his acts done in eternity? Who hath directed 
 the Spirit of the Lord, ' or who hath been his 
 counsellor?' Eo. xi. n. Do you not know that he is 
 far more above us, than we are above our horse or 
 mule that is without understanding ? ' Great things 
 doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. ' Jo. xixvii. 6. 
 ' Great things and unsearchable, marvellous things 
 without number. ' Job v. 9. 
 
 But, I say, should we take it well if our beast 
 should call us to account for this and the other 
 righteous act, and judge us unrighteous, and our 
 acts ridiculous, and all because it sees no reason 
 for our so doing? Why, we are as beasts before 
 
 God. Pa.lmii. 23. 
 
 But again, to come yet more close to the point : 
 the reprobate quarrels with God, because he hath 
 not elected him ; well, but is not God the master 
 of his own love ? And is not his will the only rule 
 of his mercy? And may he not, without he give 
 ofience to thee, lay hold by electing love and 
 mercy on whom himself pleaseth ? Must thy reason, 
 nay, thy lust, be the ruler, orderer, and disposer of 
 his grace ? ' Is it not lawful for me to do what I 
 will with mine own?' saith he, ' Is thine eye evil, 
 because I am good?' Mat. «. is. 
 
 Further, What harm doth God to any reprobate, 
 by not electing of him ; he was, as hath been said, 
 considered upright, so formed in the act of crea- 
 tion, and so turned into the world : indeed he was 
 not elected, but hath that taken anything from 
 him? No, verily, but leaveth him in good condi- 
 tion : there is good, and better, and best of all ; he 
 that is in a good estate, though others through 
 free grace are in a far better, hath not any cause to 
 murmur either with him that gave him such a 
 place, or at him that is placed above him. In a 
 word, reprobation maketh no man personally a 
 2 X 
 
345 
 
 REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 sinner, neither dotli election make any man per- 
 sonally righteous. It is the consenting to sin that 
 mates a man a sinner; and the imputation of grace 
 and righteousness that makes [men] gospelly and 
 personally just and holy. 
 
 But again, seeing it is God's act to leave some 
 out of the hounds of his election, it must needs he, 
 therefore, positively good : Is that then which is 
 good in itself made sin unto thee ? God forhid : God 
 doth not evil hy leaving this or that man out of 
 his electing grace, though he choose others to 
 eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Where- 
 fore there is not a reprohate that hath any cause, 
 and therefore no just cause, to quarrel with his 
 Maker, for not electing of him. 
 
 And that, hesides what hath heen spoken, if 
 you consider, 
 
 1. For God to elect, is an act of sovereign graee; 
 but to pass hy, or to refuse so to do, is an act of 
 sovereign power, not of injustice. 
 
 2. God might therefore have chosen whether he 
 would have elected any, or so many or few ; and 
 also which and where he would. 
 
 3. Seeing then that all things are at his dispose, 
 he may fasten electing mercy where he pleaseth ; 
 and other mercy, if he will, to whom and when he 
 will. 
 
 4. Seeing also that the least of mercies are not 
 deserved hy the best of sinners ; men, instead of 
 quarrelling against the God of grace, because they 
 have not what they list, should acknowledge they 
 are unworthy of their breath ; and also should con- 
 fess that God may give mercy where he pleaseth, 
 and that too, both which or what, as also to whom, 
 and when he will ; and yet be good, and just, and 
 very gracious still : Nay, Job saith, ' He taketh 
 away, who can hinder him? Who will say unto 
 liim. What doest thou?' Jotix. 13. 
 
 The will of God is the rule of all righteousness, 
 neither knoweth he any other way by which he 
 governeth and ordereth any of his actions. What- 
 soever God doth, it is good because he doth it ; 
 whether it be to give grace, or to detain it; whether 
 in choosing or refusing. The consideration of this, 
 made the holy men of old ascribe righteousness to 
 their Maker, even then when yet they could not see 
 the reason of his actions. They would rather stand 
 amazed, and wonder at the heighths and depths of 
 his unsearchable judgments, than quarrel at the 
 strange and most obscure of them. Job x.vxiv. lo— I3j 
 xixvi. 3; xxxrii. 23. Je. xii. 1. Ro. xi. 33. 
 
 God did not intend that aU that ever he would 
 do, should he known to every man, no nor yet to 
 the wise and prudent. It is as much a duty some- 
 times to stay ourselves and wonder, and to confess 
 our ignorance m many things of God, as it is to 
 do other things that are duty without dispute. So 
 then, let poor dust and ashes forbear to condemn 
 
 the Lord, because he goeth beyond them ; and 
 also they should beware they speak not wickedly 
 for hun, though it be, as they think, to justify his 
 actions. ' The Lord is righteous in all his ways, 
 and holy in all his works.'* Ps. cxIt. 17. Mat. iL 25 
 
 1 Co. ii. 8. Job xiiL 6—8. 
 
 CHAP. VIII.' 
 
 WTietlier Menial reprobation in itsdf, or in its doc- 
 trine, be in very deed an hindrance to any man 
 in seeldng the salvation of his soul. 
 
 In my discourse upon this question, I must en- 
 treat the reader to mind well what is premised in 
 the beginning of the former chapter, which is. 
 That reprobation makes no man a sinner, appoints 
 no man to condemnation, but leaveth him upright 
 after all. So then, though God doth leave the 
 most of men without the hounds of his election, 
 his so doing is neither in itself, nor yet its doctrine, 
 in very deed, an hindrance to any man in seeking 
 the salvation of his soul. 
 
 First, It hindereth not in itself, as is clear by 
 the ensuing considerations : — 
 
 1. That which hindereth him is the weakness 
 that came upon him hy reason of sin. Now God 
 only made the man, but man's hstening to Satan 
 made him a sinner, which is the cause of all his 
 weakness : this therefore is it that hindereth him, 
 and that also disenableth him in seeking the sal- 
 vation of his soul. ' Let no man say when he is 
 tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be 
 tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.' 
 Ja. i. 13. ' God made man upright ; but they have 
 sought out many inventions.' Ec. vii. 29. Eze. rri. 30. Ho. 
 xiii. 9 ; xiv. 1. Ge. iii. 8—11. 
 
 2. It hindereth not in itself, for it taketh not 
 anything from a man that would help him, might 
 it continue with him ; it takes not away the least 
 part of his strength, wisdom, courage, innocency, 
 or will to good ; all these were lost hy the fall, in 
 that day when he died the death. Nay, reproba- 
 tion under some consideration did rather establish 
 all these upon the reprobate ; for as it decrees him 
 
 * ' Secret things belong to God, but those that are revealed 
 belong to us.' It is a vain thing for men to cavil at the doc- 
 trine of peculiar election, and to quarrel with God for choosing 
 some, and passing by others. Their best way would be to 
 assure themselves of their own election, by using the means, 
 and walking in the ways of God's appointment, as laid down 
 in the word, and then they will find that God cannot deny 
 himself, but will make good to them every promise therein ; 
 and thus, by scripture evidence, they wUl find that they are 
 elected unto life, and will be thankful and humble. They will 
 then find that an hearty afi'ectionate trusting in Christ for all 
 his salvation, as freely promised to us, hath naturally enough 
 in it to work in our soijs a natural bent and iuclination to, 
 aud ability for, the practice of all holiness. — Ih/land and 
 Mason. 
 
REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 347 
 
 left, so left upright. Wherefore man's hindrance 
 cometh on him from other means, even hy the fall, 
 and not by the simple act of eternal reprohation. 
 
 Ge. iii. 
 
 3. As reprobation hindereth not either of these 
 two ways, so neither is it from this simple act that 
 Satan is permitted either to tempt them, that they 
 might be tried, or that they might be overthrown. 
 
 (1.) It is not by this act that Satan is permitted 
 to tempt them that they might be tried ; because 
 then the Son of God himself must be reached by 
 this reprobation ; he being tempted by the devil as 
 much, if not more than any. Yea, and then must 
 every one of the elect be under eternal reproba- 
 tion ; for they also, and that after their conversion, 
 are greatly assaulted by him. 'Many are the 
 troubles of the righteous,' <fec. Mat. iv. i.s.He. u. 17; 
 
 iv. 15. 
 
 (2.) Neither is it from the act of reprobation 
 that sin hath entered the world, no more than 
 from election, because those under the power of 
 election did not only fall at first, but do still gene- 
 rally as foully, before conversion, as the reprobate 
 himself. Whereas, if either the temptation, or 
 the fall, were by virtue of reprobation, then the 
 reprobates, and they only, should have been tempt- 
 ed, and have fallen. The temptation then, and 
 the fall, doth come from other means, and so the 
 hinderance of the reprobate, than from eternal 
 reprobation. For the temptation, the fall and 
 hinderance being universal, but the act of reproba- 
 tion particular, the hinderance must needs come 
 from such a cause as taketh hold on all men, which 
 indeed is the fall ; the cause of which was neither 
 election nor reprobation, but man's voluntary list- 
 ening to the tempter. Ko. iiL 9. 
 
 (3.) It is yet far more evident that reprobation 
 hindereth no man from seeking the salvation of 
 his soul: because notwithstanding aU that repro- 
 bation doth, yet God giveth to divers of the repro- 
 bates great encouragements thereto ; to wit, the 
 tenders of the gospel in general, not excluding 
 any; great light also to understand it, with many 
 a sweet taste of the good word of God, and the 
 powers of the world to come ; he maketh them 
 sometimes also to be partakers of the Holy Ghost, 
 and admitteth many of them into fellowship with 
 his elect ; yea, some of them to be rulers, teachers, 
 and governors in his house: all which, without 
 doubt, both are and ought to be great encourage- 
 ments even to the reprobates themselves, to seek 
 the salvation of their souls. Mat. iLSS. He.xxii. 17. He.vi. 
 
 t, 5. Mat. HV. 1, 2. Ac. i. 16, 17. 
 
 Second, As it hindereth not in itself, so it hin- 
 dereth not by its doctrine : for, aU that this doc- 
 trine saith is, that some are left out of God's elec- 
 tion, as considered upright. Now this doctrine 
 cannot hinder any man. For, 
 
 1. No man still stands upright. 
 
 2. Though it saith some are left, yet it points 
 at no man, it nametli no man, it binds all faces in 
 secret. So then, if it hinder, it hindereth all, even 
 the elect as well as reprobate ; for the reprobate 
 hath as much ground to judge himself elect, as the 
 very elect himself hath, before he be converted, 
 being both alike in a state of nature and unbelief, 
 and both alike visibly liable to the curse, for the. 
 breach of the commandment. Again, As they are 
 equals here, so also have they ground alike to close 
 in with Christ and live ; even the open, free, and 
 full invitation of the gospel, and promise of life 
 and salvation, by the faith of Jesus Christ. Ep. ii 
 1, 3. Ro. iii. 9. Jn. iii. 16. 2 Co. v. 19—31. He. xxi. 6 ; xxii. 17. 
 
 3. It is evident also by experience, that this 
 doctrine doth not, in deed, neither can it hinder 
 any (this doctrine I mean, when both rightly 
 stated and rightly used) because many who have 
 been greatly afflicted about this matter, have yet 
 at last had comfort; which comfort, when they 
 have received it, hath been to them as an argu- 
 ment that the thing they feared before, was not 
 because of reprobation rightly stated ; but its doc- 
 trine much abused was the cause of their affliction: 
 and had they had the same light at first they re- 
 ceived afterwards, their troubles then would soon 
 have fled, as also now they do. Wherefore dis- 
 couragement comes from want of light, because 
 they are not skilful in the word of righteousness : 
 for had the discouragement at first been true, 
 which yet it could not be, unless the person knew 
 by name himself under eternal reprobation, which 
 is indeed impossible, then his light would have 
 pinched him harder ; light would rather have fast, 
 ened this his fear, than at all have rid him of it. 
 
 He. V. 13-14. 
 
 Indeed the scripture saith, the word is to some 
 the savour of death unto death, when to others the 
 savour of life unto life. But mark, it is not this 
 doctrine in particular, if so much as some other, 
 that doth destroy the reprobate. It was respite 
 at which Pharaoh hardened his heart; and the 
 grace of God that the reprobates of old did turn 
 into lasciviousness. Yea, Christ the Saviour of 
 the world, is a stumbling-block unto some, and a 
 rock of offence unto others. But yet again, con- 
 sider that neither HE, nor any of God's doctrines, 
 are so simply, and in their own true natural force 
 and drift : for they beget no unbelief, they provoke 
 to no wantonness, neither do they in the least en- 
 courage to impenitenoy; all this comes from that 
 ignorance and wickedness that came by the fall : 
 Wherefore it is by reason of that also, that they 
 stumble, and fall, and grow weak, and are dis- 
 couraged, and split themselves, either at the doc- 
 trine of reprobation, or at any other truth of God. , 
 Ex. Tiii. 16. Jude iv. 1. 1 Fe. ii, 8 
 
813 
 
 REPEOBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 Lastly, To conclude as I began, there is no man 
 while in this world, that doth certainly know that 
 he is left out of the electing love of the great God ; 
 neither hath he any word in the whole bihle, to 
 persuade him so to conclude and believe ; for the 
 scriptures hold forth salvation to the greatest of 
 sinners. Wherefore, though the act of reproba- 
 tion were far more harsh, and its doctrine also 
 more sharp and severe, yet it cannot properly be 
 said to hinder any. It is a foolish thing in any to 
 be troubled with those things which they have no 
 ground to believe concerns themselves ; especially 
 when the latitude of their discouragementis touch- 
 ing , their own persons only. ' The secret things 
 belong unto the Lord our God. ' De. xiix. 39. Indeed 
 every one of the words of God ought to put us 
 upon examination, and into a serious enquiry of our 
 present state and condition, and how we now do 
 stand for eternity; to wit, whether we are ready to 
 meet the Lord, or how it is with us. Yet, when 
 search is fully made, and the worst come unto the 
 worst, the party can find himself no more than the 
 chief of sinners, not excluded from the grace of God 
 tendered in the gospel ; not from an invitation, nay 
 a promise, to be embraced and blest, if he comes 
 to Jesus Christ. Wherefore he hath no ground to 
 be discouraged by the doctrine of reprobation, i Ti. i. 
 
 15. Ac. iii. 19. 3 CI. xxxiii. Jn. vii. 37; "• 37. Mar. ii. 17. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Wliether God wcndd indeed and in truth, that the 
 gospel, vnth the grace thereof, should be tendered 
 to those that yet he hath bound up vnde/r Eternal 
 JBeprobaiion ? 
 
 To this question I shall answer, 
 
 First, In the language of our Lord, ' Go preach 
 the gospel imto every creature ; ' Mar. xvi. is. and 
 again, ' Look unto me, and be ye saved ; all ye 
 ends of the earth.' Is. xiy. 22. 'And whosoever will, 
 let him take the water of life freely. ' Ee. xxii. 17. 
 And the reason is, because Christ died for all, 
 'tasted death for every man;' 2Co. t. is. He. u. 9. is 
 ' the Saviour of the world, ' 1 Jn. iv. 14. and the propi- 
 tiation for the sins of the whole world. 
 
 /Second, I gather it from those several censures 
 that even every one goeth under, that doth not 
 receive Christ, when offered in the general tenders 
 of the gospel ; ' He that believeth not, - shall be 
 damned;' Mar. xri. I6. 'He that believeth not God 
 hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the 
 record that God gave of his Son;' iJn.v. 10. and. 
 Woe imto thee Capernaum, ' Woe unto thee 
 Chorazin ! woe imto thee Bethsaida ! ' Mat. xi. 21. with 
 many other sayings, aU which words, with many 
 other of the same nature, carry in them a very 
 great argument to this very purpose ; for if those 
 that perish in the days of the gospel, shall have, 
 
 at least, their damnation heightened, because they 
 have neglected and refused to receive the gospel, 
 it must needs be that the gospel was with all faith- 
 fulness to be tendered unto them ; the which it 
 could not be, unless the death of Christ did extend 
 itself unto them ; Jn, iii. 16. He. ii. 3. for the oifer of the 
 gospel cannot, with God's allowance, be offered 
 any further than the death of Jesus Christ doth 
 go ; because if that be taken away, there is indeed 
 no gospel, nor grace to be extended. Besides, if 
 by every creature, and the like, should be meant 
 only the elect, then are all the persuasions of the 
 gospel to no effect at all ; for stiU the unconverted, 
 who are here condemned for refusing of it, they 
 return it as fast again : I do not know I am elect, 
 and therefore dare not come to Jesus Christ ; for 
 if the death of Jesus Christ, and so the general 
 tender of the gospel, concern the elect alone ; I, 
 not knowing myself to be one of that number, am 
 at a mighty plunge ; nor know I whether is the 
 greater sin, to believe, or to despair: for I say 
 again, if Christ died only for the elect, &c. then, 
 I not knowing myself to be one of that number, 
 dare not believe the gospel, that holds forth his 
 blood to save me ; nay, I think with safety may 
 not, until I first do know I am elect of God, and 
 appointed thereunto. 
 
 Third, God the Father, and Jesus Christ his 
 Son, would have all men whatever, invited by the 
 gospel to lay hold of life by Christ, whether elect 
 or reprobate ; for though it be true, that there is 
 such a thing as election and reprobation, yet God, 
 by the tenders of the gospel in the ministry of his 
 word, looks upon men under another consideration, 
 to wit, as sinners ; and as sinners invites them to 
 believe, lay hold of, and embrace the same. He 
 saith not to his ministers. Go preach to the elect, 
 because they are elect ; and shut out others, 
 because they are not so: But, Go preach the 
 gospel to sinners as sinners ; and as they are such, 
 go bid them come to me and live. And it must 
 needs be so, otherwise the preacher could neither 
 speak in faith, nor the people hear in faith. First, 
 the preacher could not speak in faith, because he 
 knoweth not the elect from the reprobate; nor 
 they again hear in faith, because, as unconverted, 
 they would be always ignorant of that also. So 
 then, the minister neither knowing whom he should 
 offer life unto, nor yet the people which of them 
 are to receive it ; how could the word now be 
 preached in faith with power ? And how could 
 the people believe and embrace it ? But now the 
 preacher offering mercy in the gospel to sinners, 
 as they are sinners, here is way made for the 
 word to be spoke in faith, because his hearers 
 are sinners ; yea, and encouragement also for 
 the people to receive and close therewith, they 
 understanding they are sinners : ' Christ Jesus 
 
REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 849 
 
 came into the world to save sinners.' iTi.i. 15. in. 
 
 MW. 46, *7. 
 
 Fourth, The gospel must be preached to sinners 
 as they are sinners, without distinction of elect or 
 reprobate; because neither the one nor yet the 
 other, as considered imder these simple acts, are 
 fit subjects to embrace the gospel: for neither the 
 one act, nor yet the other, doth make either of 
 them sinners ; but the gospel is to be tendered to 
 men as they are sinners, and personally under the 
 curse of God for sin : wherefore to proffer grace to 
 the elect because they are elect, it is to proffer 
 grace and mercy to them, as not considering them 
 as sinners. And, I say, to deny it to the repro- 
 bate, because he is not elected, it is not only a 
 denial of grace to them that have no need thereof, 
 but also before occasion is given on their part, for 
 such a dispensation. And I say again, therefore, 
 to offer Christ and grace to man elect, as simply 
 so considered, this administers to him no comfort 
 at all, he being here no sinner ; and so engageth 
 not the heart at all to Jesus Christ ; for that comes 
 in, and is effected on them as they are sinners. 
 Yea, to deny the gospel also to the reprobate, 
 because he is not elect, it wiU not trouble him at 
 all ; for saith he. So I am not a sinner, and so do 
 not need a Saviour. But now, because the elect 
 have no need of grace in Christ by the gospel, but 
 as they are sinners ; nor the reprobates cause to 
 refuse it, but as they are sinners ; therefore Christ 
 by the word of the gospel, is to be proffered to 
 both, without considering elect or reprobate, even 
 as they are sinners. ' The whole have no need of 
 the physician, but they that are sick : I came not 
 to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' 
 
 Mar. U. 17. 2 Co. v. 14, 15. Lu. vu. 47. 
 
 Thus you see the gospel is to be tendered to all 
 in general, as well to the reprobate as to the elect, 
 TO siNNEKS AS siNNEES ; and so are they to receive 
 it, and to close with the tenders thereof.* 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Seeing tlien that the grace of God in the gospd, is 
 by that to be proffered to sinners, as sinners ; as 
 well to the reprobate as the elect ; Is it possible for 
 those who indeed are not elect, to receive it, and 
 
 To this question I shall answer several things : 
 but^^sJ I shall shew you what that grace is, that 
 
 * None are excluded the benefit of the great and precious 
 salvation procured and finished by the Lord Jesus Christ, but 
 they, who by perverseness, unbelief, and impenitency, exclude 
 themselves. Sinners, — miserable, helpless, and hopeless sin- 
 uers, are the objects of this salvation : whosoever is enabled 
 to see, in the light of God's Spirit, their wretched and forlorn 
 state ; to feel their want of Christ as a suitable Saviour, and 
 to repent and forsake their sins, shall find mercy; for ' God is 
 no respecter of persons,' Acts x. 34. — Si/land and Mason. 
 
 is tendered in the gospel ; and secondly, what it is 
 to receive it and be saved. 
 
 Mrd then, The grace that is offered to sinners 
 as sinners, without respect to this or that person, 
 it is a suflBciency of righteousness, pardoning grace, 
 and life, laid up in the person of Christ, held forth 
 in the exhortation and word of the gospel, and 
 promised to be theirs that receive it ; yea, I say, 
 in BO imiversal a tender, that not one is by it ex- 
 cluded or checked in the least, but rather encou- 
 raged, if he hath the least desire to life ; yea, it is 
 held forth to beget both desires and longings after 
 the life thus laid up in Christ, and held forth by 
 
 the gospel. Jn. i. 16. Col. i. 19, 33. 1 Jn. t. 11, 12. Ac. xiii. 38, 39. 
 Ro. 1. 13—14.; xvi. as, 26. 
 
 Secondly, To receive this grace thus tendered by 
 the gospel, it is, 
 
 1. To believe it is true. 
 
 2. To receive it heartily and imfeignedly through 
 faith. And, 
 
 3. To let it have its natural sway, course and 
 authority in the soul, and that in that measure, as to 
 bring forth the fruits of good living in heart, word, 
 and life, both before God and man. 
 
 Now then to the question. 
 
 Is it possible that this tender, thus offered to 
 the reprobate, should by him be thus received and 
 embraced, and he hve thereby ? 
 
 To which I answer in the negative. Nor yet for 
 the elect themselves, I mean as considered dead in 
 trespasses and sins, which is the state of all men, 
 elect as well as reprobate. So then, though there 
 be a sufficiency of life and righteousness laid up in 
 Christ for all men, and this tendered by the gospel 
 to them without exception; yet sin coming iu 
 between the soiil and the tender of this grace, it 
 hath in truth disabled all men, and so, notwith- 
 standing this tender, they continue to be dead. 
 For the gospel, I say, coming in word only, saveth 
 no man, because of man's impediment ; wherefore 
 those that indeed are saved by this gospel, the 
 word comes not to them in word only, but also in 
 power, and in the Holy Ghost ; is mixed with faith, 
 even with the faith of the operation of God, by 
 whose exceeding great and mighty power they are 
 raised from this death of sin, and enabled to 
 embrace the gospel. Doubtless, all men being 
 dead in trespasses and sins, and so captivated 
 under the power of the devO, the curse of the law, 
 and shut up in unbelief; it must be the power of 
 God, yea the exceeding greatness of that power 
 that raiseth the soul from this condition, to receive 
 the holy gospel. Ep. a. i— 3. i tl. i. 6, 6. Ccl. u. n. He. iv. 
 1, 2. Ep. i. 18, 19. &c. 
 
 For man by nature, (consider him at best), can 
 see no more, nor do no more than what the prin- 
 ciples of nature understands and helps to do ; which 
 nature being below the discerning of things truly. 
 
850 
 
 REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 spiritually, and savingly good, it must needs fall 
 short of receiving, loving and delighting in them. 
 ' The natural man receiveth not the things of the 
 Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him : 
 neither can he know tliem, because they are spiri- 
 tually discerned. ' i Co. ii. M, Now I say, if the 
 natural man at best (for the elect before conver- 
 sion are no more, if quite so much) cannot do this, 
 how shall they attain thereto, being now not only 
 corrupted and infected, but depraved, bewitched 
 and dead; swallowed up of unbelief, ignorance, 
 confusion, hardness of heart, hatred of God, and 
 the like ? When a thorn by nature beareth grapes, 
 and a thistle beareth figs, then may this thing be. 
 Mat. vii. 16—18. To lay hold of and receive the 
 gospel by a true and saving faith, it is an act of 
 the soul as made a new creature, which is the 
 workmanship of God : ' Now he that hath wrought 
 us for the self-same thing is God. ' s Co. v. 6. ' For a 
 corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit. ' Lu. vi. 
 43—45. * Can the Ethiopian change his skin ? ' 
 
 Je. xiii. 33. 
 
 But yet the cause of this impossibility. 
 
 1. Lieth not in reprobation, the elect themselves 
 being as much unable to receive it as the other. 
 
 2. Neither is it because the reprobate is excluded 
 in the tender, for that is universal. 
 
 3. Neither is it because there wanteth arguments 
 in the tenders of the gospel, for there is not only 
 plenty, but such as be persuasive, clear, and full 
 of rationality. 
 
 4. Neither is it because these creatures have no 
 need thereof, for they have broken the law. 
 
 5. Wherefore it is, because indeed they are by 
 em dead, captivated, mad, self-opposers, blind, 
 alienated in their minds, and haters of the Lord. 
 Behold the ruins that sin hath made ! 
 
 Wherefore whoever receiveth the grace that is 
 tendered in the gospel, they must be quickened by 
 the power of God, their eyes must be opened, their 
 understandings illuminated, their ears imstopped, 
 their hearts circumcised, their wills also rectified, 
 and the Son of God revealed in them. Yet as I 
 said, not because there wanteth argument in these 
 tenders, but because men are dead, and blind, and 
 cannot hear the word. ' Why do ye not under- 
 stand my speech {saith Christ) : Even because ye 
 cannot hear my word. ' Ju. viii. 43. Ac. k. IB ; xxvi. 9, lo. Ps. 
 ex. 3. Ga. i 15. Mat. xi. 37. 
 
 For otherwise, as I said but now, there is, 1. 
 Rationality enough in the tenders of the gospel. 
 2. Persuasions of weight enough to provoke to 
 faith. And, 3. Arguments enough to persuade to 
 continue therein. 
 
 1. Is it not reasonable that man should believe 
 God in the profi"er of the gospel and life by it? Is 
 tliere not rea.5on, I say, both from the truth and 
 faithfulness of God, from the sufiiciency of the 
 
 merits of Christ, as also from the freeness and full- 
 ness of the promise? What unreasonable thing 
 doth the gospel bid thee credit ? Or what false- 
 hood doth it command thee to receive for truth? 
 Indeed in many points the gospel is above reason, 
 but yet in never a one against it ; especially in 
 those things wherein it beginneth with the sinner, 
 in order to eternal life. 
 
 2. Again, touching its persuasions to provoke to 
 faith: With how many signs and wonders, mira- 
 cles and mighty deeds, hath it been once and again 
 confirmed, and that to this very end ? He. L 1—3. J Co. 
 xiv. 33. With how many oaths, declarations, attesta- 
 tions, and proclamations, is it avouched, confirmed, 
 and established ? He. vi. 17, 18. Ac. xiii. 33. Je. iii. 12. Ga. iii. 15. 
 And why should not credence be given to that gos- 
 pel that is confirmed by blood, the blood of the Son 
 of God himself ? Yea, that gospel that did never 
 yet fail any that in truth hath cast themselves upon 
 it, since the foundation of the world. He. ix. 16—18. 
 and xii. 1 — 3. 
 
 3. Again, as there is rationality enough, and 
 persuasions sufficient, so there is also argument 
 most prevalent to persuade to continue therein, and 
 that to heartily, cheerfully, and unfeignedly, imto 
 the end: did not, as I have said, blindness, mad- 
 ness, deadness, and wilful rebellion, carry them 
 away in the vanity of their minds, and overcome 
 them. Ep. iT.i7— 19. 
 
 (1.) For, first, if they could but consider how 
 they have sinned, how they have provoked God, 
 &c., if they could but consider what a dismal state 
 the state of the damned is, and also, that in a mo- 
 ment their condition is like to be the same, would 
 they not cleave to the gospel and live? 
 
 (2.) The enjoyment of God, and Christ, and 
 saints, and angels, being the sweetest ; the plea- 
 sures of heaven the most comfortable, and to live 
 always in the greatest height of light, life, joy, and 
 gladness imaginable, one would think were enough 
 to persuade the very damned now in hell. 
 
 There is no man then perisheth for want of suffi- 
 cient reason in the tenders of the gospel, nor any 
 for want of persuasions to faith ; nor yet because 
 there wanteth arguments to provoke to continue 
 therein. But the truth is, the gospel in this hath 
 to do with imreasonable creatures ; with such as 
 win not believe it, and that because it is truth: 
 ' And because I tell you the truth, (saith Christ,) 
 therefore ye believe me not.' Jq. riii. 45. 
 
 Quest. Well, but if this in truth be thus, how 
 then comes it to pass that some receive it and live 
 for ever? For you have said before, that the elect 
 are as dead as the reprobate, and full as unable as 
 they, as men, to close with these tenders, and lives 
 
 Anew. Doubtless this is true, and were the elect 
 left to themselves, they, through the wickednes. 
 of their heart, would perish as do others. Neither 
 
EEPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 351 
 
 could all the reasonable persuasive prevalent argu- 
 ments of the gospel of God in Christ, prevail to 
 make any receive it, and live. Wherefore here you 
 must consider, that as there is mercy proclaimed 
 in the general tenders of the gospel, so there is 
 also the grace of election ; which grace kindly over- 
 ruleth and v?inneth the spirit of the chosen, work- 
 ing in them that unfeigned closing therewith, that 
 makes it effectual to their undoubted salvation ; 
 wliich indeed is the cause that not only in other 
 ages, but also to this day, there is a remnant that 
 receive this grace ; they being appointed, I say, 
 thereto, before the world began"; preserved in time 
 from that which would undo them, and enabled to 
 embrace the glorious gospel of grace, and peace, 
 
 and hfe. 1 Ki. xix. is. Ko. xj. 6. l Th. V. 9. 
 
 Now there is a great difference between the grace 
 of election, and the grace that is wrapped up in 
 the general tenders of the gospel ; a difference, I 
 say, and that both as to its timing, latituding, and 
 working. 
 
 1. Touching its timing ; it is before, yea long 
 before, there was either tender of the grace wrapped 
 up in the gospel to any, or any need of such a ten- 
 der. Ep. i. 4, 6. 
 
 2. They also differ in latitude ; the tenders of 
 grace in the gospel are common and universal to 
 all, but the extension of that of election special and 
 peculiar to some. ' There is a remnant according 
 to the election of grace.' Ro. jA s. 
 
 3. Touching the working of the grace of elec- 
 tion; it differs much in some things from the 
 working of the grace that is offered in the general 
 tenders of the gospel. As is manifest in these 
 particulars : 
 
 (1.) The grace that is offered in the general 
 tenders of the gospel, caUeth for faith to lay hold 
 upon, and accept thereof; but the special grace of 
 election, worketh that faith which doth lay hold 
 
 thereof. Ac. m. 31. juii. 48. PM. L 29. 2 Th. i. 11. 
 
 (2.) The grace that is offered in the general 
 tenders of the gospel, caUeth for faith as a condi- 
 tion in us, without which there is no life ; but the 
 special grace of election worketh faith in us with- 
 out any such condition. Mar. xri. 15, 16. Bo. xi. 6, 6. 
 
 (3.) The grace that is offered in the general 
 tenders of the gospel, promiseth happiness upon 
 the condition of persevering in the faith only ; but 
 the special grace of election causeth this perseve- 
 rance. Col. i. 23. Ep. ii. 10. Ko. xi. 7. 1 Pe. i. 6—7. 
 
 (4.) The grace offered in the general tenders of 
 the gospel, when it sparkleth most, leaveth the 
 greatest part of men beliind it ; but the special 
 grace of election, when it shineth least, doth in- 
 fallibly bring every soul therein concerned to ever- 
 lasting life. Bo. X. 16. viii. 83—35. 
 
 (5.) A man may overcome and put out all the 
 light and life that is begotten in him by the gene- 
 
 ral tenders of the gospel ; but none shall overcome, 
 or make void, or frustrate the grace of election. 
 Jnao i. 2 Pe. ii. 20—22. Mat. xxW. 24. Eo. xi. 1—3, &c. 
 
 (6.) The general tenders of the gospel, consi- 
 dered without a concurrence of the grace of elec- 
 tion, helps not the elect himself, when sadly fallen. 
 Wherefore, when I say the grace that is offered in 
 the general tenders of the gospel, 1 mean that grace 
 when offered, as not being accompanied with a spe- 
 cial operation of God's eternal love, by way of con- 
 junction therewith. Otherwise the grace that is 
 tendered in the general offers of the gospel, is that 
 which saveth the sinner now, and that brings him 
 to everlasting life ; that is, when conjoined with 
 that grace that blesseth and maketh this general 
 tender effectually efficacious. The grace of elec- 
 tion worketh not without, but by these tenders 
 generally ; neither doth the grace thus tendered, 
 effectually work, but by and with the grace of elec- 
 tion: 'As many as were ordained to eternal life 
 believed : ' Ac. xiu. 48. The word being then effectual 
 to life, when the hand of the Lord is effectually 
 therewith to that end. Mar. xvi. 20. They ' spake 
 (saith the text) unto the Grecians, preaching the 
 Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with 
 them ; and a great number believed, and turned 
 unto the Lord. ' Ac. xi. 20, 21. 
 
 We must always put difference between the word 
 of the gospel, and the power that manageth that 
 word ; we must put difference between the common 
 and more special operations of that power also ; 
 even as there is evidently a difference to be put be- 
 tween those words of Christ that were effectual to 
 do what was said, and of those words of his which 
 were but words only, or at least not so accompanied 
 with power. As for instance : that same Jesus 
 that said to the Leper, ' Say nothing to any man,' 
 said also to Lazarus, 'Come forth;' yet the one 
 obeyed, the other did not ; though he that obeyed 
 was least in a capacity to do it, he being now dead, 
 and stunk in his grave. Indeed unbehef hath hin- 
 dered Christ much, yet not when he putteth forth 
 himself as Almighty, but when he doth suffer him- 
 self by them to be abused who are to De dealt with 
 by ordinary means : Otherwise legions of devCs, 
 with ten thousand impediments, must fall down be- 
 fore him, and give way unto him. There is a 
 speaking, and a so speaking: 'They so spake, that 
 a great multitude, both of the Jews, and also of 
 the Greeks, beUeved.' Ac xiv. i. Even as 1 have 
 hinted already, there is a difference between the 
 coming of the word when it is in power, i Th. i. 6. 
 and when it is in word only. So then, the blessed 
 grace of election chooseth this man to good, not be- 
 cause he is good ; it chooseth him to believe, not 
 because he doth believe ; it chooseth him to perse- 
 vere, not because he doth so ; it fore-ordains that 
 this man shall be created in Christ Jesus unto good 
 
352 
 
 KEPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 ■worts, Ep. L 4—6. not if a man will create himself 
 thereto, l Pe. i. 2. Ep. ii. 10. 
 
 What shall we say then ? Is the fault in God, 
 if any perish ? Douhtless no ; nor yet in his act 
 of eternal reprohation neither: it is grace that 
 sayeth the elect, hut sin that damns the rest : it 
 is superabundant grace that causeth the elect to 
 close with the tenders of hfe, and live ; and it is 
 the ahoundings of sin that holds off the reprobate 
 from the rational, necessary, and absolute tenders, 
 of grace. To conclude then ; the gospel calleth 
 for credence as a condition, and that both from the 
 elect and reprobate; but because none of them 
 both, as dead in sin, will close therewith, and live; 
 therefore grace, by virtue of electing love, puts 
 forth itself to work and do for some beyond reason; 
 and justice cuts off others, for slighting so good, 
 so gracious, and necessary a means of salvation, 
 so fuU both of kindness, mercy and reason. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 Seeing [that] it is not possible that the reprobate 
 should receive this grace and live, and also seeing 
 [that] this is infallibly foreseen of God; and 
 again, seeing God hath fore-determined to suffer 
 it so to he ; Why doth he yet vM and comma7id 
 that (lie gospel, and so grace in the general tenders 
 tJiereof, should be proffered unto them ? 
 
 Why then is the gospel offered them ? Well, 
 that there is such a thing as eternal reprobation, 
 [ have shewed you ; also what this eternal repro- 
 bation is, I have opened unto you : and shall now 
 shew you also, that though these reprobates will 
 infallibly perish, which God not only foresaw, but 
 fore-determined to suffer them most assuredly so 
 to do ; yet there is reason, great reason, why the 
 gospel, and so the grace of God thereby, should 
 be tendered, and that ui general terms, to them as 
 well as others. 
 
 But before I come to lay the reasons before you, 
 I must mind you afresh of these particulars : 
 
 1. That eternal reprobation makes no man a 
 sinner. 
 
 2. That the fore-knowledge of God that the 
 reprobate would perish makes no man a sinner. 
 
 3. That God's infallibly determining upon the 
 damnation of him that perisheth, makes no man a 
 sinner. 
 
 4. God's patience and long-suffering, and for- 
 bearance, until the reprobate fits himself for eter- 
 nal destruction, makes no man a sinner. 
 
 So then, God may reprobate, may suffer the 
 reprobate to sin, may fore-determine his infallible 
 damnation, through the pre-consideration of him in 
 sin, and may also forbear to work that effectual 
 work in his soul that would infallibly bring him 
 out of this condition, and yet neither be the au- 
 
 author, contriver, nor means of man's sin and 
 misery. 
 
 Again, God may infallibly foresee that this re- 
 probate, when he hath sinned, will be an unrea- 
 sonable opposer of his own salvation; and may 
 also determine to suffer htm to sin, and be thus 
 unreasonable to the end, yet be gracious, yea very 
 gracious, if he offer him life, and that only upon 
 reasonable terms, which yet he denieth to close 
 with. Is. i. 18, Iv. 13. 
 
 The reasons are, 
 
 1. Because not God, but sin, hath made bun 
 unreasonable; without which, reasonable terms 
 had done his work for him : for reasonable terms 
 are the most equal and righteous terms that can 
 be propounded between parties at difference ; yea 
 the terms that most suiteth and agreeth with a 
 reasonable creatm-e, such as man ; nay, reasonable 
 terms are, for terms, the most apt to work with 
 that man whose reason is brought into and held 
 captive by very sense itself. Eze. xviii.; xxxia. 
 
 2. God goeth yet further, he addeth promises 
 of mercy, as those that are inseparable to the 
 terms he offereth, even to pour forth his Spirit 
 unto them ; ' Turn at my reproof, and behold I 
 will pour forth of my Spirit unto you, and inchne 
 your ear ; come unto me, hear and your soul shall 
 
 live. ' Pr. i. 23—37. 
 
 Now then to the question itself, to wit, that 
 seeing it is impossible the reprobate should bo 
 saved ; seeing also this is infallibly foreseen of 
 God, and seeing also that God hath beforehand 
 determined to suffer it so to be ; yet I shall shew 
 you it is requisite, yea very requisite, that he should 
 both will and command that the gospel, and so 
 grace in the general tenders thereof should be prof- 
 fered unto them. 
 
 First Reason. — And that first, to shew that 
 this reprobation doth not in itself make any man 
 absolutely incapable of salvation : for if God had 
 intended that by the act of reprobation, the persons 
 therein concerned should also by that only act have 
 been made incapable of everlasting life, then this 
 act must also have tied up all the means from 
 them, that tendeth to that end ; or at least have 
 debarred the gospel's being offered to them by 
 God's command, for that intent; otherwise who is 
 there but would have charged the Holy One as 
 guilty of guile, and worthy of blame, for com- 
 manding that the gospel of grace and salvation 
 should be offered irnto this or that man, whom yet 
 he hath made incapable to receive it, by his act 
 of reprobation. Wherefore this very thing, to wit, 
 that the gospel is yet to be tendered to those 
 eternally reprobated, sheweth that it is not simply 
 the act of God's reprobation, but sin, that incapa- 
 citateth the creature of live everlasting. Which 
 sin is no branch of this reprobation, as is evident, 
 
REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 363 
 
 because the elect and reprobate are both alike 
 defiled therewith. 
 
 'Second Reason-^— God also sheweth by this, 
 that the reprobate do not jperish for want of the 
 offfers of salvation, though he hath offended God, 
 and that upon most righteous teWnS ; according to 
 whftt is written, ' As I live, saith the Lord God, 
 I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, 
 but that the wicked turn from his way, and live. ' 
 Eze.xyxm.ll; xym.3l,S3. 'Turn y6 unto me, saith the 
 Lord of Hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the 
 Lord of Hosts.' Zee. 13. So then, here lieth the 
 point between God and the Teprcybate, I mean the 
 reprobate since he hath sinned, God is willing to 
 save him upon reasonable terms, but not upon 
 terms above reason ; but no reasonable terms wiU. 
 [go] down with the reprobate, therefore he must 
 perish for his unreasonableness. 
 
 That God is wiHing to save even those that 
 perish for ever, is apparent, both from the Consi- 
 deration of the goodness of his nature, Ps. cxlv. g. of 
 man's being his creature, and indeed in a miserable 
 state. Jo* xiv. 15; iii. 16. But I say, as I have also 
 said abeady, there is a great difference between 
 his being willing to save theffl, through their com- 
 plying with these his reasonable terms, and his 
 being resolved to save them, Whether they, as men, 
 will close thel-ewith, or no ; so only he saveth the 
 elect themselves, even 'according to the riches of 
 his grace. ' Ep. i 7. Even 'according to his riches 
 in glory, by Christ Jesus. ' Phi. iv. 19. Working effec- 
 tually in them, what the gospel, as a (condition, 
 calleth for from them. And hence it is that he is 
 said to give faith. Phi. L 39. y^a the most holy faith, 
 for that is the faith of God's elect, to give Repent- 
 ance, Ac. V. 31. to give a new heart, to give his fear, 
 even that fear that may keep thein for ever from 
 everlasting ruia ; Ep. i. 4 still engaging his mercy 
 and goodness to follow <hem aU the days of their 
 lives, Je. xxxii. 40. Eze. ttxvi. 26, 27. that they may dwell 
 in the house of the Lord for ever, Ps. judii 6. and as 
 another scripture saith, ' Now he that hath wrought 
 us for the selfsame thing, is God. ' 2 Co. v. 5. Ro. viii. 
 S6, fee. 
 
 But I say, his denying to do thus for every man 
 in the World, cannot properly be said to be because 
 he is not heartily willing they should close with 
 the tenders bf the gracfe held forth in the gospel, 
 and live. Wherefore you must consider that there 
 is a distinction to be put between God's denying 
 grace on reasonable terms, and denying it abso- 
 lutely ; and also that there is a difference between 
 his withholding further grace) and of hindering 
 men from closing With the grace at present offered; 
 also that God may withhold much, when he taketh 
 away nothing ; yea, take away much, when once 
 abused, and yet be just and righteous still. Further, 
 God may deny to do this or that absolutely, when 
 
 vol.. 11. 
 
 yet he hath promised to do, not onljr that, but 
 more, conditionally. Which things considered, 
 you may with ease conclude, that he maybe wiUinf 
 to save those not elect, upon reasonable terms, 
 though hot without them. 
 
 It is no tmrighteousness in God to offer grace 
 unto the world, though but on these terms only, 
 that they are also foreseen by him infallibly to re- 
 ject ; both because to reject it is unreasonable, 
 especially the terms being so reasonable, as to be- 
 lieve the truth and live ; and also because it is 
 grace and merey in God, so much as once to offer 
 means of reconciliation to a sinner, he being the 
 offender; but the Lord, the God offended; they 
 being but dust and ashes, he the heavenly Majesty. 
 If God, when man had broke the law, had yet 
 with all severity kept the world to the utmost con- 
 dition of it, had he then been unjust ? Had he 
 injured man at all ? Was not every tittle of the 
 law reasonable, both in the first and second table ? 
 How much more then is he merciful and gracious, 
 even in but mentioning terms of reconciliation ? 
 especially seeing he is also willing so to condescend, 
 if they will believe his word, and receive the love 
 of the truth. "Though the reprobate then doth 
 voluntarily, and against all strength of reason, run 
 himself upon the rocks of eternal misery, and split 
 himself thereon, he perisheth in his own corrup- 
 tion, by rejecting terms of life. 2 Th. ii. lo. 2 Pe. ii. 12. is. 
 
 Object. But the reprobate is not now in a capa- 
 city to fulfil these reasonable terms. 
 
 Ans. But 1 say; suppose it should be granted, 
 is it because reprobation made him incapable, or 
 sin ? Not reprobation, but sin : if sin, then before 
 he quarrel, let him consider the case aright, where, 
 in the result, he will find sin, being consented to 
 by his voluntary mind, hath thus disabled him: and 
 because, 1 say, it was sin by his voluntary consent 
 that did it, let him quarrel with himself for con- 
 senting, 80 as to make himself incapable to close 
 with reasonable terms ; yea, with those terms be- 
 cause reasonable, therefore most suitable, as terms, 
 for him notwithstanding his wickedness. And I say 
 again, forasmuch as those reasonable terms have 
 annexed unto them, as their inseparable companions, 
 such wonderfiU mercy and grace as indeed there 
 is, let even them that perish, yet justify God; yea 
 cry, ' His goodness endureth for ever ; ' though 
 they, through the wretchedness of their hearts, get 
 no benefit by it. 
 
 Third Reason. — God may will and command 
 that his gospel, and so the grace thereof, be ten- 
 dered to those that shall never be saved, (besides 
 what hath been said) to shew to all spectators what 
 an enemy sin, being once embraced, is to the sal- 
 vation of man. Sin, without the tenders of the 
 grace of the gospel, could never have appeared so 
 exceeding sinful, as bv that it both hath and doth: 
 3 Y 
 
354 
 
 REPIiOBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 ' If I had not come and spoken unto them, (saitli 
 Christ) they had not had sin : but now they have 
 no cloke for their sin. ' Jn. xv. 23. As sins that oppose 
 the law, are discovered by the law, that is, by the 
 goodness, and justness, and holiness of the law ; 
 Eo. vii. so the sins that oppose the gospel, are made 
 manifest by that, even by the love, and mercy, and 
 forgiveness of the gospel: If 'he that despised 
 Moses' law died without mercy, of how much 
 sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought 
 worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of 
 God?' He.x. 28, 39. Who could have thought that 
 sin would have opposed that which is just, but 
 especially mercy and grace, had we not seen it 
 with our eyes ? And how could we have seen it 
 to purpose, had not God left some to themselves ? 
 Here indeed is sin made manifest : ' For all he had 
 done so many miracles amongst them,' (to wit, to 
 persuade them to mercy) 'yet theybeheved not on 
 him.' Jn. xii. 37. Sin, where it reigneth, is a mortal 
 enemy to the soul ; it blinds the eyes, holds the 
 hands, ties the legs, and stops the ears, and makes 
 the heart implacable to resist the Saviour of souls. 
 That man wiU neither obey the law nor the gospel, 
 who is left imto his sin : which also God is willing 
 should be discovered and made manifest, though 
 it cost the damnation of some : For this very pur- 
 pose, saith God to Pharaoh, ' have I raised thee 
 up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my 
 name may be declared in aU the earth.' Ejc. ix. 16. 
 R«. ix. 17. For God, by raising up Pharaoh to his 
 kingdom, and suffering him to walk to the height, 
 according as his sin did prompt him forward, 
 shewed unto all beholders what a di-eadful thing 
 sin is ; and that without the special assistance of 
 his Holy Spirit, sin would neither be charmed by 
 law nor gospel. This reason, though it be no 
 profit unto those that are damned ; yet it is for 
 the honour of God, and the good of those he hath 
 chosen. 
 
 It ia for the honour of God, even for the honour 
 of his power and mercy : for his power is now dis- 
 covered indeed, when nothing can tame sin but 
 that ; and his mercy is here seen indeed ; because 
 that doth engage him to do it. Read Ro. ix. 23, 33. 
 
 Fourth Reason. — God commandeth that the 
 tender of the gospel, and the grace thereof, bo in 
 general offered to all, that means thereby might 
 be sufficiently provided for the elect, both to beget 
 them to faith, and to maintain it in them to the 
 end, in what place, or state, or condition soever 
 they are. Ep. i. God, through the operation of his 
 manifold wisdom, hath an end and an end in his 
 acts and doings amongst the children of men : and, 
 BO in that he commandeth that his gospel be ten- 
 dered to all, an end, I say, to leave the damned 
 without excuse, and to provide sufficiency of means 
 for the gathering all his elect. ' Oh that God 
 
 would speak, (saith Zophar,) and open his lips 
 against thee ; and shew thee the secrets of wis- 
 dom, that they are double to that which is.' Joii li. 
 5, 6. For though God worketh with and upon the 
 elect, otherwise than with and upon the reprobate ; 
 yet he worketh with and upon the elect, with and 
 by the same word he commandeth should be held 
 forth and offered to the reprobate. Now the text 
 thus running in most free and imiversal terms, the 
 elect then hearing thereof, do through the mighty 
 power of God close in with the tenders therein 
 held forth, and are saved. Thus that word that 
 was offered to the reprobate Jews, and by them 
 most fiercely rejected, even that word became yet 
 effectual to the chosen, and they were saved there- 
 by. They gladly received the word, ' and as many 
 as were ordained to eternal life believed. ' Ac. xfli. 48* 
 ' Not as though the word of God had taken none 
 effect.' Ko. ix. 6. ' God hath not cast away his peo- 
 ple whom he foreknew.' xi.3. The word shall 
 accomplish the thing for which God hath sent it, 
 even the salvation of the few that are chosen, when 
 tendered to all; though rejected by most, through 
 the rebellion of their hearts. Ac. ixviii. 38. He. it. i— 3. 
 
 Object. But if God hath elected, as you have 
 said, what need he lay a foundation so general for 
 the begetting faith in his chosen particulars, see- 
 ing the same Spirit that worketh in them by such 
 means, could also work in them by other, even by 
 a word, excluding the most, in the first tenders 
 thereof, amongst men ? 
 
 Ans. I told you before, that though this be a 
 principal reason of the general tenders of the grace 
 of the gospel, yet it is not all the reason why the 
 tender should be so general, as the three former 
 reasons shew. 
 
 But again, in the bowels of God's decree of 
 election, is contained the means that are also 
 ordained for the effectual bringing of those elected 
 to that glory for which they were fore-appointed ; 
 
 * As the same sun which softens the wax, hardens the clay, 
 so it is with the preached gospel, which is to some ' the savour 
 of death unto death, and to others the savonr of life unto hfe,' 
 2 Cor. ii. 16. The gospel is ineffectual to any saving purpose 
 respecting the reprohate; partly through pride, and in not 
 enduring to he reproved hy it ; partly through slothfolness, in 
 not coming imder the sound of it ; and principally through 
 cursed infideHty, in not believing the gracious message it 
 brings. Let it be well attended to, that all who hear the 
 gospel, are obliged to the duty of believing, as well as to all 
 the duties of the moral law, and that before they know their 
 particular election ; for we cannot have a certain knowledge 
 of our election to eternal life before we do believe : it is a 
 thing hidden in the unsearchable counsel of God, until it ho 
 manifest by our effectual ealhng, and believing on Christ; 
 therefore we must believe on Christ before we know our elec- 
 tion; or else we shall never know it, and shall never beheve. 
 All joy, peace, comfort, assurances, are communicated to the 
 sou] in the way of believing. May the Lord give and increase 
 saving faith ! — Mason and Rijland. 
 
REPEOBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 355 
 
 even to gather together in one, all the children of 
 God. Jn. xi. 62. ' Whereunto he called you, (saith 
 Paul,) hy our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ. ' 2 Th. u. 14. God's decree 
 of election then, destroyeth not the means which 
 his wisdom hath prepared, it rather establisheth, 
 yea ordains and establisheth it ; and maketh that 
 means which in the outward sound is indefinite 
 and general, effectual to this and that man, through 
 a special and particular application : Ga. ii. 30, 21. thus 
 thai Christ that in general was offered to all, is hy 
 a special act of faith applied to Paul in particular; 
 ' He loved me, and gave himself for me. ' 
 
 Further, As the design of the Heavenly Majesty 
 is to bring his elect to glory by means, so by the 
 means thus universal and general, as most behoove- 
 ful and fit ; if we consider not only the way it doth 
 please him to work with some of his chosen, in 
 order to this their glory, but also the trials, temp- 
 tations, and other calamities they must go through 
 thereto. 
 
 1 . Touching his working with some, how invisible 
 is it to those in whose souls it is yet begun? How 
 is the word buried under the clods of their hearts 
 for months, yea years together ? Only thus much 
 is discovered thereof, it sheweth the soul its sin, 
 the which it doth also so aggravate and apply to 
 the conscience (Jesus still refraining, like Joseph, 
 to make himself known to his brethren) that were 
 there not general tenders of mercy, and that to the 
 worst of sinners, they would soon miscarry, and 
 perish, as do the sons of perdition. But by these 
 the Lord upholdeth and helpeth them, that they 
 stand, when others fall for ever. Ps. odx. 49. 
 
 2. And so likewise for their trials, temptations, 
 and other calamities, because God wiU not bring 
 them to heaven without, but by them ; therefore 
 he hath also provided a word so large, as to he 
 fair for the support of the soul in all conditions, 
 that it may not die for thirst. 
 
 3. I might add also in this place, their imper- 
 fect state after grace received, doth call for such 
 a word ; yea, many other things which might be 
 named: which God, only wise, hath thought fit 
 should accompany us to the ship, yea in the sea, 
 to our desired haven. 
 
 Fifth Reason. — God willeth and commanlfeth 
 
 the gospel should be offered to all, that thereby 
 
 distinguishing love, as to an inward and spiritual 
 
 work, might the more appear to be indeed the 
 
 fruit of special and peculiar love. For in that the 
 
 gospel is tendered to all in general, when yet but 
 
 , some do receive it; yea, and seeing these some 
 
 i are as unable, unwilling, and by nature, as much 
 
 i averse thereto, as those that refuse it, and perish; 
 
 * it is evident that something more of heaven and 
 ' the operation of the Spirit of God doth accompany 
 
 * the word thus tendered for their life and salvation 
 
 that enjoy it. ) Th. i. 4^7. Not now as a word barely 
 tendered, but backed by the strength of heaven : 
 ' Behold what manner of love the Father hath 
 bestowed upon us, that we should be called the 
 sons of God ! ' Un. ffi. 1. even we who believe ' ac- 
 cording to the working of his mighty power, which 
 he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from 
 the dead. ' Ep. i. 20. This provoketh to distinguishing 
 admiration, yea, and also to a love like that which 
 hath fastened on the called, the preserved, and the 
 glorified : ' He hath not dealt so with any nation : 
 and as for his judgments, they have not known 
 them. Praise ye the Lord. ' Ps. cii™. 20. Now are 
 the sacrifices bound even to the horns of the altar, 
 with a ' Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest 
 thyself unto us, and not unto the world ! ' Jn. xiv. 22. 
 He ' sent from above, he took me ; he drew me out 
 of many waters ; he delivered me from my strong 
 enemy, and from them that hated me ; for they 
 were too strong for me.' 2 Sa. xm. 17. Ps. xtIU. 16. 
 
 For thus the elect considereth: though we all 
 came alike into the world, and are the children of 
 wrath by nature; Ep. a. 1— 3. yea, though we have 
 alike so weakened ourselves by sin, Eo. iii. 9. that 
 the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint, 
 Is. L 5. being altogether gone out of the way, and 
 every one become altogether improfitable, both to 
 . God and ourselves ; Ko. m. 12. yet that God should 
 open mine eyes, convert my soul, give me faith, 
 forgive my sins , raise me, when I fall ; fetch me 
 again, when I am gone astray ; this is wonderful ! 
 Ps. xxxvii. 23. Yea, that he should prepare eternal 
 mansions for me ; Ps. xxUi. 6. and also keep me by 
 his blessed and mighty power for that ; and that 
 in a way of believing, which without his assistance 
 I am no way able to perform ! 2 Co. v. 5. That ha 
 should do this notwithstanding my sins, though I 
 had no righteousness ! De. ix. 5—7. Yea, that he 
 should do it according to the riches of his grace, 
 through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ our 
 Lord ! Even according to an everlasting covenant 
 of grace, which yet the greatest part of the world 
 are void of, and wiU for ever miss and faU short 
 of ! Eze. x?i. 60—63. Besides, that he should mollify 
 my heart ! break it, and then dehght in it ; Ps. li. 17. 
 put his fear in it, and then look to me, is. ixvi. 2. P«. 
 cxixviu. 6. and keep me as the apple of his eye ; 
 De. xxxii. 10. yea, resolve to gtude me with his coun- 
 sel, and then receive me to glory! Further, that 
 all this should be the effect of unthought of, unde- 
 served, and undesired love ! Mai. i. 2. De. vu. 7, 8. That 
 the Lord should think on this before he made the 
 world, Je.xxxl.3. and sufficiently ordain the means 
 before he had laid the foundation of the hills ! 
 For this he is worthy to be praised : i Co. a. 9. yea, 
 ' Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord ; 
 I praise ye the Lord.' 
 i Object. But you have said before, that the repro- 
 
S56 
 
 EEPEOBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 bate is also blessed with many gospel mercies, as 
 with the knowledge of Christ, faith, light, the gift 
 of the Holy Ghost, and the tastes or relish of the 
 powers of the world to come : if so, then what 
 should be the reason that yet he perisheth? Is it 
 because the grace that he receivethdiffereth from the 
 grace that the elect are saved by ? If they differ, 
 where lieth the difference ? Whether in the nature, 
 or in the degree, or in the management thereof? 
 
 Ans. To this objection I might answer many 
 things ; but, for brevity, take this reply : That 
 the non-elect may travel very far both in the 
 knowledge, faith, light, and sweetness of Jesus 
 Christ, and may also attain to the partaking of 
 the Holy Ghost ; yea, and by tho very operation 
 of these things also, escape the pollutions of tlie 
 world, and become a visible saint, join in church- 
 communion, and be. as chief amongst the very 
 elect themselves. This the scriptures every where 
 do shew us. 
 
 The question then is, whether the elect and 
 reprobate receive a diifering grace ? To which I 
 answer. Yes, in some respects, both as to the 
 nature thereof, and also the degree. 
 
 1. To begin then with the nature of it. 
 
 (1.) The faith that the chosen are blessed with, 
 it goeth under another name than any faith besides, 
 even the faith of God's elect, Tit. i.1. as of a faith 
 belonging to them only, of which none others do 
 partake ; which faith also, for the nature of it, is 
 called faith most holy; Jude20. to shew it goes 
 beyond all other, and can be fitly matched no 
 where else, but with their most blessed faith who 
 infallibly attain eternal glory : even ' like precious 
 faith with us,' saith Peter; 3Fe. i. i. with his elect 
 companions, And so of other things. For if this 
 be true, that they differ in their faith, they must 
 needs therewith diifer in other things : for faith 
 being the mother grace, produoeth all the rest 
 according to its own nature, to wit, love that 
 abounds, that never fails, and that is never con- 
 tented till it attain the resurrection of the dead, <fec. 
 
 2 ITi. i. S. 1 Co. xiii. 8. Phi. iii. 
 
 (2.) They differ as to the nature, in this ; the 
 faith, and hope, and love, that the chosen receive, 
 it is that which floweth from election itself ; he 
 hath blessed us ' according as he hath chosen us,' 
 Ep. i. 4, 6. even with those graces he set apart for us, 
 when he in eternity did appoint us to life before 
 the foundation of the world : which graces, because 
 the decree in itself is most absolute and infallible, 
 they also, that they may completely answer the end, 
 will do the work infallibly likewise, still through 
 the management of Christ : ' I have prayed for 
 thee, that thy faith fail not.' Lu. iadL32. But, 
 
 2. As they differ in nature, they differ also in 
 degree : for though it be true that the reprobate 
 is blessed with grace, yet this is also as true, that 
 
 the elect are blessed with more grace. It is. the 
 privilege only of those that are chosen, to be blessed 
 vrith AIL spiritual blessings, and to have ah, the 
 good pleasure of the goodness of God fulfilled iu 
 and upon them. Those who are blessed with ali 
 spiritual blessings must needs be blessed with eter- 
 nal life ; and those ip whom, the Lord, not only 
 works all his good pleasure, but fulfilleth all the 
 good pleasure of his goodness upon them, they 
 must needs be preserved to his heavenly kingdom; 
 Ep. i. 4, 5. 1 Th. i. 10. but none of the non-elect havQ 
 these things conferred upon them. ; therefore the 
 grace bestowed upon tte one, doth differ both in 
 nature and degree from the other. 
 
 3. There is a difference as to the management 
 also. The reprobate is principal, for the manage- 
 ment of the grace he receiveth, but Jesus Christ 
 is principal for tjie management of the grace the 
 elect receiveth. When I say, principal, I mean 
 chief ; for though the reprobate is to have> the 
 greatest hand in the management of what mercy 
 and goodness the. Lord bestoweth on him, yet not 
 so as that the Lord wiU, not help him at all ; nay 
 contrariwise he wiU, if first the reprobate do, truly 
 the duty that lieth, on him : ' If thou doest, well, 
 shalt thou not be accepted ? but if thpu- doest. i>ot 
 well, sin lieth at the door.' Ge.iT.7. Thus it was 
 also with Si^ul, who was rejected of God upon, this 
 account. 1 Sa. iriii. 11—14; XT. 36. And I; say, as to the 
 elect themselves, though. Jesus Christ our blessed 
 Saviour be chief, as to the management, of the 
 grace bestowed on his chosen, yet not so as that 
 he quite excludeth them, from ' striving accoi>iing 
 to his working, which. WQrketh 'm me mightily.' 
 Col. i. 29. Nay contrariwise, if those who in truth 
 are elect, shall yet be remiss, and do wickedly, 
 they shall feel the stroke of God's rod, it ip^ be 
 till their bones do break. But because tlje work 
 doth not lie at their, door to manage as chief;, but 
 as Christ's, therefore though he may perform his 
 work with much bitterness and grief to them ; yet 
 he being engaged as the principal, will, perform 
 that which concemeth them, even imtil the,, day 
 (the coming) of Jesus Christ. Ps. oatiyiU. 8. Pin. i. 6. 
 
 From what hath been said, there ariseth thjg con- 
 clusion : 
 
 The elect are always under eternal merqy, hut 
 those not elect always under eternal justice; for you 
 must consider this: there is eternal mercy and, eter- 
 nfil justice, and there is present mercy and present 
 justice. So then, for a man to be in a state of mercy, 
 it maybe either a state of mercy present, or bothpre- 
 sent and eternal also. Andso again ior a man to be in 
 a state under justice, it may be understood either of 
 present justice only, or of both present and eternal 
 also. 
 
 That this may yet, further be opened, I shall 
 somewhat enlarge. 
 
EBPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 357 
 
 I begin with present meroy and present justice. 
 That which I call present mercy-, ia that faith, 
 light, knowledge, and taste of the good word of 
 God, that a man may have, and perish. This is 
 called in scriptui'e, Believing for a whUe, during 
 for a while, and rejoicing in the Ught for a season. 
 
 He. vi. 4, 6. 2 Pe. ii. 30. Mat. xiii. 32. Lu. viii. 13. Now I call this 
 
 mercy, both because none, as men, can deserve it, 
 and also because the proper end thereof isto do good 
 to those that have it. But I call' it present mercy, 
 because those that are only blessed with that, may 
 sin it away, and perish ; as did some of the Gala- 
 tians, Hebrews, Alexandrians, with the Asians, 
 
 and others. Ga. v. 4. He. rit 15, 16. 1 Ti. i. 30; 2 TS. ii. 18 ; L 16. 
 
 He. iLii. 15. But yet observe again, I do not call 
 this present mercy, because Grod hath determined 
 it shall last but a while absolutely; but because it 
 is possible for man to lose it, yea determined he 
 shall, conditionally. Jn. v. 35. 1 Co. xii. 7. 
 
 Again, as to present justice, it is that which 
 lasteth but a while also ; and as present mercy is 
 properly the portion of those left out of God's 
 election, so present justice chiefly hath to do with 
 God's beloved; who yet at that time are also un- 
 der eternal mercy. This is that justice that afflict- 
 ed Job, ch. Ti.4. David, Ps. bntxyiii.; ixxriii. 3. Heman, 
 
 and the godly, who notwithstanding do infallibly 
 attain, by virtue of this mercy, eteraal life and 
 
 glory. Am. iii. 2. 1 Co xi. 30, 31. Ps. xn. 5 ; ciii. 9. 1 Pe. i. 6. I 
 
 call this justice, because in some sense God deal- 
 eth with his children according to the quality of 
 their transgressions ; and I call it also present jus- 
 tice, because though the hand of God for the pre- 
 sent be never so heavy on those that are his by 
 election, yet it lasteth but a while ; wherefore 
 though this indeed be called wrath, yet is but a 
 little wrath, wrath for a moment, time, or season. 
 ' In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a 
 moment; but with everlasting kindness will I 
 have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. ' 
 
 Is. liT. 8. 
 
 Thus you see there is present mercy and present 
 justice ; also that the elect may be under present 
 justice, when the rest maybe under present mercy. 
 
 Again, As there is present mercy and present 
 justice, so there is eternal mercy and eternal jus- 
 tice : and I say, as the elect may be imder present 
 justice, when the non-elect may be under present 
 mercy; so the elect at that time are also under 
 eternal mercy, but the other under eternal justice. 
 
 That the elect are under eternal mercy, and 
 that when under present justice, is evident from 
 what hath been said before, namely, from their 
 being chosen in Christ before the foundation of 
 the world ; as also from the consideration of their 
 sound conversion, and safe preservation quite 
 through this wicked world, even safe unto eternal 
 life ; as he also saith by the prophet Jeremiah, 
 
 ' Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love : 
 therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.' 
 ch, xxxi. 3. And hence it is that he calleth the elect 
 his sheep, Ju. x. le. his children, xi. 62. and people, 
 Ac-, xyih. 9, 10. and that before conversion ; for though 
 none of them as yet were his children by calling, 
 yet were they his according to election. 
 
 Now the elect being under this eternal grace 
 and mercy, they must needs be under it both be- 
 fore present justice seizeth upon them, while it 
 seizeth them, and also continueth with them longer 
 than present justice can, it being from everlasting 
 to everlasting. This being so, here is the reason 
 why no sin, nor yet temptation of the enemy, with 
 any other evil, can hurt or destroy those thus elect 
 of God : yea this is that which maketh even those 
 things that in themselves are the very bane of men, 
 yet prove very much for good to those within this 
 purpose; Eo. viii. 28. And as David saith, 'It is good 
 for me that I have been afflicted.' Ps. cxix.71. And 
 again, 'But when we are judged we are chastened 
 of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with 
 the world.' ICo. xi. 32. Now afflictions, <fec., in 
 themselves are not only fruitless and unprofitable, 
 but, being unsanctified, are destructive ; ' I smote 
 him, and he went on frowardly: ' Is. Mi. I7. But now 
 eternal mercy working with this or that affliction, 
 makes it profitable to the chosen ; ' I have seen his 
 ways, and wiU heal him, and restore comforts unto 
 him and to his mourners.' ver. 18. As he saith in 
 another place, ' Blessed is the man whom thou 
 chastenest, and teachest him out of thy law. ' Ps. xciv. 
 12. For eternal mercy doth not look on those who 
 are the elect and chosen of God, as poor sinful 
 creatures only, but also as the generation whom 
 the Lord hath blessed, in whom he hath designed 
 to magnify his mercy to the utmost, by pardoning 
 the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage. 
 1 Pe. ii. 9. Mi. Tii. 18, 19. ' Having predestinated us imto 
 the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to him- 
 self, wherein he hath made us accepted in the 
 beloved.' Ep. i. e. Wherefore, I say, the elect, as 
 they do also receive that grace and mercy that may 
 be sinned away, so they have that grace and mercy 
 which cannot be lost, and that sin cannot deprive 
 them of, even mercy that abounds, and goeth be- 
 yond all sin; such mercy as hath engaged the 
 power of God, the intercession of Christ, and the 
 communication of the blessed Spirit of adoption, 
 which Spirit also engageth the heart, directs it 
 into the love of God, that it may not depart from 
 God after that rate as the reprobates do. Ep. v. 29, 
 80. ' I will make an everlasting covenant with 
 them, (saith God) that I will not turn away from 
 them, to do them good ; but I will put my fear in 
 their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.' 
 
 Je. xxxii. 40. 
 
 But now I say, God's dealmg with the nou- 
 
858 
 
 REPROBATION ASSERTED. 
 
 elect, is far otlierwise, tliey being under the con- 
 sideration of eternal justice, even then when in the 
 enjoyment of present grace and mercy. And 
 lience it is that as to their standing before the God 
 of heaven, they are counted dogs, and sows, and 
 devils, even then when before the elect of God 
 themselves they are counted saints and brethren : 
 ' The dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the 
 sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.' 
 s Pe. ii. 22. And the reason is, because notwithstand- 
 ing aD their shew before the world, their old na- 
 ture and corruptions do still bear sway within, 
 which in time also, according to the ordinary 
 judgment of God, is suffered so to shew itself, 
 that they are visible to saints that are elect, as 
 was the case of Simon Magus, and that wicked 
 apostate Judas, who 'went out from us, but they 
 were not of us ; for if they had been of us, they 
 would no doubt have continued with us : hut they 
 went ant that they might be made manifest that 
 they were not all of us : ' l Jn. u, 19. They were not 
 elect as we, nor were they sanctified as the elect 
 of God themselves ; wherefore eternal justice 
 counts them the sons of perdition, when under their 
 profession. And I say, they being under this 
 eternal justice, it must needs have to do with them 
 in the midst of their profession ; and because also 
 it is much offended with them for conniving with 
 their lust, it taketh away from them, and that 
 
 most righteously, those gifts and graces, and bene- 
 fits and privileges that present mercy gave them ; 
 and not only so, but cuts them off for their ini- 
 quity, and layeth them under wrath for ever. 
 They ' have forsaken the right way, (saith God) 
 - following the way of Baalam the son of Bosor ; - 
 these are wells without water, clouds that are car- 
 ried with a tempest;' trees whose fruit withereth, 
 without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, 
 ' for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness 
 for ever. ' 2 Pe. ii. 6, 16, 17. Jude 11—13. Jn. xvii. 12. Mat. xiii. 12; 
 XXT. 29. Mar. iv. 25. Lu. viii. 18. 
 
 These things thus considered, you see, 
 
 1 . That there is present grace and present mercy, 
 eternal grace and eternal mercy. 
 
 2. That the elect are under eternal mercy, 
 and THAT, when under present justice ; and that 
 the reprobate is imder eternal justice, and , that 
 when under present mercy. 
 
 3. Thus you see again, that the non-elect perish 
 by reason of sin, notwithstanding present mercy, 
 because of eternal justice ; and that the elect are 
 preserved from the death, though they sin and are 
 obnoxious to the strokes of present justice, by rea- 
 son of eternal mercy. What shall we say then ? 
 Is there unrighteousness with God ? God forbid : 
 'He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, 
 and compassion on whom he will have compassion.' 
 
 Ko. is. 15. 
 
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NATURE AND PERPETUITY 
 
 SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 AND PEOOP, 
 
 THAT THE FIRST DAY OP THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. 
 
 By JOHN BUNYAN. 
 
 ' The Son of man is lord aho of the Sabbath day.^ 
 London : Printed for Nath. Ponder, at tlie Peacock in the Poultry, 1685, 
 
 EDIIOE'S ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 All our inquiries into divine commands are required 
 to be made personally, solemnly, prayerfully. To 
 ' prove all things,' and ' told fast' and obey ' that 
 wbicb is good, ' is a precept, equally binding upon 
 the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied 
 from our observations of nature, that there is a 
 God ; our next inquiry is into the revelation of his 
 will : which, when understood, must be implicitly 
 obeyed, in defiance of any usages of society, and 
 of every erroneous pre-conceived opinion. In this 
 important investigation, we shall find, that the com- 
 mands of God revealed toman, fall undertwo classes. 
 
 First, Moral and Eternal, being essential to the 
 happiness of aU created intelligences, whether pure 
 or sinful. As, the fear and love of the Creator, 
 who preserves and boimtifully blesses his creatures; 
 and flowing from this is love to all his creation, 
 lie who wantonly destroys hfe in order that he 
 may glut a demoniac propensity with the agonizing 
 death struggle, is a practical atheist. The Chris- 
 tian win cherish and promote the happiness of all; 
 he dares only to take away life to preserve life. 
 
 Second, Ceremonial or Temporal. Those which 
 have been commanded by God, for local, family or 
 national observances, and which, when they have 
 fulfilled their intended object, are removed or suf- 
 fered gradually to die away. 
 
 The well-being of society requires that a portion 
 of time be set apart for divine worship. Individuals 
 are commanded to pray without ceasing. An in- 
 valuable custom leads families to unite in morning 
 and evening prayer ; and it is an important ques- 
 tion whether the Creator having sanctified, and 
 rested on, the seventh day, intended that rest as a 
 pattern to all his rational creatures. If so, the 
 seventh day must depend upon our being able to 
 fix upon which day of the week the creation com- 
 menced. Again our inquiries will extend to those 
 injunctions, given to the Jews in the wildemess, to 
 sanctify certain days to public worship ; and whe- 
 
 ther that law was intended for all mankind. In 
 either case it is essential that we ascertain whether 
 those various Sabbaths of weeks — of months or of 
 years — with the ceremonies to be performed on 
 them, were to continue to the end of time or for' a 
 Umited period. 
 
 In all these inquiries we are strictly confined to 
 revelation, for there is no indication in nature, or 
 in any of its laws, of a day of rest ; but on the 
 contrary a state of progression marks every day 
 alike. Our Lord has taught us that 'the Sabbath 
 was made for man,' and therefore did not exist 
 among the angels, prior to the creation of man, as 
 aU moral or universal obligations must have ex- 
 isted ; for they are the same from eternity to eter- 
 nity; and over this, Hke other ceremonial or local 
 commands, the Creator claims dominion. ' The 
 Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.' 
 
 Researches into these questions were made in 
 earlier times, and some curious calculations have 
 appeared to prove, that the work of creation com- 
 menced on the day called Monday, so that what 
 is now termed the first day of the week, was ori- 
 ginally the rest of God from creation ; as it was 
 his rest from the work of redemption, by rising 
 from the tomb. But the extent of that period 
 called a day, in creation, has never been defined : 
 and the terms ' work ' or ' rest, ' as applied to the 
 Deity, are used in condescension to our finite 
 powers. The controversy upon this subject as- 
 sumed a more public and definite form at the 
 Reformation. Sir Thomas More asserted that the 
 seventh day was superseded by the first, in obe- 
 dience to tradition:* it forms the first of the five 
 commandments of Holy Church — ' The Sundays 
 hear thou mass. ' William Tyndale, in reply, con- 
 tends that 'we be lords over the Sabbath;' we 
 may change it for Monday, or any other day, as 
 
 * Dialogues, 1st chap., ixv. 
 
360 
 
 EDITOE'S ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 we see need, or have two every week, if one is not 
 enough to teach the people.* Calvin preferred a 
 daUy assembling of the church, hut if that was 
 impossible, then at stated intervals: his words 
 are — ' Since the Sabbath is abrogate, I do not so 
 rest upon the number of seven, that I would bind 
 the church to the bondage thereof ; neither will 
 I condemn those churches that have other solemn 
 days for their meetings.'! Luther considers the 
 observance of the Jewish Sabbath one of the 
 ' weak and beggarly rudiments. '| 
 
 The controversy became still more popular in 
 this country, when James the First and Charles 
 the First put forth the hook of sports to be allowed 
 and encouraged on Sundays. The Puritans called 
 Sunday ' The Sabbath, ' and a voluminous contest 
 was carried on as to whether it ought not rather 
 to be called 'The Lord's day.' In 1628, Mr. 
 Brabourne, a clergyman of note, kept the Jewish 
 Sabbath, and in a short time several churches, in 
 England, assembled on that day, and were called 
 'seventh day, or Sabbath keepers '-^many of them 
 were Baptists. This led to the controversy in 
 which Bunyan took his part, in this very conclu- 
 sive and admirable treatise. 
 
 The work was first published in the year 1685, 
 and was not reprinted until the year 1806, when 
 it appeared in the third volume of select ww'ks by 
 John Bunyan ; since then it has been reprinted in 
 two American editions of his works. The reason 
 why it was not republished, probably was, that the 
 churches of the Sabbath keepers died away. At 
 this time only three are known in England ; one 
 of these is at Millyard, London, where my talented 
 antiquarian friend, W. H. Black, is elder and pas- 
 tor. These places of worship are supported by an 
 endowment. Bunyan's book does not appear to 
 have been answered; indeed, it would require 
 genius of no ordinary kind to controvert such 
 conclusive evidence. 
 
 His arguments are, that the appearances of 
 nature shew no difference of days— -that no Sab- 
 bath or other day was set apart for worship before 
 the giving of the Law at Sinai. ' Thou earnest 
 down also upon Mount Sinai, and madest known 
 unto them thy holy Sabbaths, by the hand of 
 Moses. ' Ne. ix. 13, 14 ' The seventh day is the Sab- 
 bath of the Lord thy God : m it thou shalt not do 
 any work — and remember that thou wast a servant 
 in the land of Egypt, and tliat the Lord thy God 
 brought thee out thence through a mighty hand 
 and by a stretched out arm, therefore the Lord 
 thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath 
 day.' De. 7. 14, 15. While many crimes are mentioned 
 in patriarchal times, there is no complaint of Sab- 
 bath-breaking. We read of fratricide, drunkenness, 
 
 • Answer to More. f Institutes, b. ii. ch. 8. 
 
 X Com. on Gal. iv. 9. 
 
 lying, unbelief, theft, idolatrj, slave-dealing, and 
 other crimes, but no hint as to sanctifying or dese- 
 crating the Sabbath. At length, a few days before 
 the giving of the law, a natural phenomenon an- 
 nounced to the Jews the great change that was at 
 hand — the manna feO in double quantity on Friday, 
 and was not found on Saturday. So new was this 
 that, contrary to the command, the people went out 
 on the seventh day as on other days, and were re- 
 buked but not punished for it. But no sooner is the 
 Sabbath instituted by Moses, than it is broken, and 
 the Sabbath-breaker is punished with a cruel death. 
 It was instituted as a peculiar observance to dis- 
 tinguish the Jews from all other nations — ' The 
 Lord hath given you the Sabbath. ' Ex. xvi. 39. ' The 
 children of Israd shall keep the Sabbath.' Ex. xixi. 
 16, 17. ' I gave them [the Israelites who were deli- 
 vered from Egypt] my Sabbaths to be a sign be- 
 tween me and them. ' Eze. ix. 13. Ceremonies were 
 commanded to be performed as the Sabbath wor- 
 ship, which cannot now be observed, see Le. xxiv. Nu 
 xxviii. Ne. xiii. 33. Ete. xlvi. 4. The Jewish Sabbath was 
 ' a shadow of things to come, but the body is of 
 Christ.' Col. ii. 16, 17. The shadows have fled away; 
 we possess the substance. The covenant of Moses 
 was written on stone — the new covenant is written 
 on our hearts, St. viii. 9, lo. Bunyan admits no un- 
 certainty as to a fixed day for christian worship : 
 the law of nature requires it ; the God of nature 
 fixes the day, without borrowing it from the minis- 
 tration of death. The Jewish passover and Sab- 
 baths are superseded ; Christ our passover is slain, 
 and we have not an annual but a perpetual feast. 
 We have an infinitely greater deliverance to com- 
 memorate than that of the Jews from Egypt. 
 Released from the dominion and punishment of 
 sin, we have entered into a rest boundless as eter- 
 nity. Manna, which never fell on the Jewish 
 Sabbath, falls in peculiar and rich abundance on 
 the first day of the week, when it first began to 
 faU. The first day is peculiarly sanctified and 
 honoured of God. On iMs day the Son rested from 
 His work of redemption. He. iv. lo. He is Lord of 
 the Sabbath, and hath peculiarly blessed his own 
 day. On this day some of the saints that slept 
 arose. Mat. xx-rii. 53, 63. On this day Christ was made 
 the head of the corner, and we will rejoice and be 
 glad in it. On the first day God begat his beloved 
 Son from the dead. Ac. xiii. S3. Let all the angels 
 of God worship him. He. i. 6. Hence it is called the 
 Lord's day. Re. i. lo. This day is the only one 
 named upon which Christ appeared to his disciples 
 after his resurrection : it was on the evening of 
 the first day of the week, and on the evening of 
 the following eighth day, that they assembled and 
 Christ appeared in the midst of them. On this 
 day he walked with his disciples to Emmaus, and 
 made their hearts to burn within them with holy 
 
TO THE RBABEll. 
 
 361 
 
 joy aud wonder. The marvels of the day of Pen- 
 tecost honoured the first day of the week. On 
 this day the first great conversion of ' about three 
 thousand souls ' took place. On this day the dis- 
 ciples at Jerusalem came together to break broad. 
 Ac. M. 7. Upon THE, not A, first day they broke 
 bread ; and upon the first day, the collections were 
 made for the poor saints, i Co. xvi. i, 3. With such 
 concurrent and ample testimony we must conclude 
 that the seventh day Sabbath, with its Jewish 
 ritual, is dissolved, and the first day has taken its 
 place. The Saviour said, 'It is finished;' and 
 from that moment to the end of the inspired vo- 
 lume, the seventh day is swallowed up in the 
 glories of the first day of the week. Let Jews 
 commemorate their temporal deliverance from 
 Pharaoh and Egypt with their divers ceremonies ; 
 
 but Christians, blessed with a foretaste of eternal 
 glory, will commemorate the resurrection of their 
 Lord, as the first fruits of an unspeakable rest 
 from the dominion of sin, of Satan, and of hell. 
 Our glorified Redeemer sanctioned and blessed tlio 
 first day, with his personal appearance in the as- 
 semblies of his saints. His inspired apostles kept 
 it, as it is recorded, and thus it is sanctioned by the 
 Holy Ghost ; and their descendants are bound to 
 keep it to the end of the world. Go, little trea- 
 tise, and carry conviction with thee. Emancipate 
 the christian mind from all the beggarly rudiments 
 of Jewish rites and ceremonies. Add to the holy 
 enjoyments of God's saints in public worship, on 
 the day when their eternal redemption is com- 
 memorated by the triumphant resurrection of their 
 Lord. — Geo. OrFon. 
 
 TO THE READER. 
 
 Some may think it strange, since God's church 
 has already been so well furnished with sound 
 grounds and reasons by so many wise and godly 
 men, for proof that the first day of the week is 
 our true Christian sabbath, that I should now 
 offer this small treatise upon the same account. 
 But when the scales are even by what already is 
 put in, a little more, you know, makes the weight 
 the better. 
 
 Or grant we had down weight before, yet some- 
 thing over and above may make his work the 
 harder, that shall by hanging fictions on the other 
 end, endeavour to make things seem too light. 
 
 Besides, this book being little, may best suit 
 such as have but shallow purses, short memories, and 
 but little time to spare, which usually is the lot of 
 the mean and poorer sort of men. 
 
 I have also written upon this subject, for that I 
 would, as in other gospel truths, be a fellow witness 
 with good men that the day in which our Lord rose 
 from the dead should be much set by of Christians. 
 
 I have observed that some, otherwise sound in 
 faith, are apt to be entangled with a Jewish sab- 
 bath, (fee, and that some also that are afar off 
 from the observation of that, have but little to say 
 for their own practice, though good ; and might I 
 help them I should be glad. 
 
 A Jewish seventh-day sabbath has no promise 
 of grace belonging to it, if that be true, as to be 
 sure it is, where Paul says. The command to honour 
 parents is the first commandment with promise. 
 Dp. vL 1—3. 
 
 Also it follows from hence, that the sabbath that 
 has a promise annexed to the keeping of it, is 
 rather that which the Lord Jesus shall give to the 
 churches of the Gentiles. Is. ivj. 
 
 VOL. TT. 
 
 Perhaps my method here may not in all things 
 keep the common path of argumentation with them 
 that have gone before me : but I trust [that] the 
 godly wise will find a taste of scripture truth in 
 what I present them with as to the sanction of our 
 Christian sabbath. 
 
 I have here, by handling four questions, proved, 
 that the seventh day sabbath was not moral. For 
 that must of necessity be done, before it can be 
 made appear that the first day of the week is 
 that which is the sabbath day for Christians. But 
 withal it follows, that if the seventh day sabbath 
 was not moral,* the first day is not so. What is 
 it then? Why, a sabbath for holy worship is 
 moral; but this or that day appointed for sucli 
 service, is sanctified by precept or by approved 
 example. The timing then of a sabbath for us lies 
 in God, not man ; in grace, not nature ; nor in the 
 ministration of death, written and engraven in 
 stones : God always reserving to himself a power 
 to alter and change both tki2e and modes of wor- 
 ship according to his own will. 
 
 A sabbath then, or day of rest from worlJly 
 affairs to solemnize worship to God in, all good 
 men do by nature conclude is meet ; yea, neces- 
 sary: yet that, not nature, but God reveals. 
 
 Nor is that day or time by God so fixed on, in its 
 own nature, better than anyother: the holiness thou 
 of a sabbath lies, not in the nature or place of a 
 day, but in the ordinance of God. 
 
 Nor doth our sanctifying of it, to the ends for 
 
 * The word 'moral' is here used to mai-k the difference 
 between obligations binding on all mankind and a positive or 
 limited command : thus, to love God is a moral or universal 
 obligation, but to be baptized is positive and obligatory only oa. 
 those who believe, Acts viii. 37. — Ed. 
 2z 
 
863 
 
 THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 ■which it is ordained, lie in a bare confession that 
 
 it is such ; hut in a holy performance of the duty 
 
 of the day to God by Christ, according to his word. 
 
 But I will not enlarge to detain the reader longer 
 
 from the following sheets ; but shall commit both 
 
 him and them to the wise dispose of God, and rest. 
 
 Thine to serve thee, 
 
 J OH. Bunt AN. 
 
 QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 
 
 NATURE AND PERPETUITY OF THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 QUESTION I. 
 
 Whether the seventh day sabbath is of, or made 
 hnovm to, man by the law and liglvt of nature ? 
 
 Something must be here premised before I show 
 the grounds of this question. First then, by the 
 law or light of nature, I mean that law which was 
 concreate with man ; that which is natural to him, 
 being original with, and essential to, himself; con- 
 sequently, that which is invariable and unalterable, 
 as is that nature. Secondly, I grant that by this 
 law of nature, man understands that there is one 
 eternal God; that this God is to be worshipped 
 according to his own will ; consequently, that time 
 must be allowed to do it in : but whether the law 
 or light of nature teacheth, and that of itself, with- 
 out the help of revelation, that the seventh day of 
 the week is that time sanctified of God, and set 
 apart for his worship, that is the question; and the 
 grounds of it are these : 
 
 First, Because the law of nature is antecedent 
 to this day, yea completed as a law before it was 
 known or revealed to man, that God either did or 
 would sanctify the seventh day of the week at all. 
 
 Now this law, as was said, being natural to a 
 man, for man is a law unto himself, Eo. ii. could 
 only teach the things of a man, and there the 
 Apostle stints it, iCo. ii.ii. But to be able to 
 determine, and that about things that were yet 
 without being, either in nature or by revelation, is 
 that which belongs not to a man as a man ; and 
 the seventh day sabbath, as yet, was such. Por 
 Adam was completely made the day before ; and 
 God did not sanctify the seventh day before it Avas, 
 none otherwise than by his secret decree. There- 
 fore, by the law of nature, Adam understood it not, 
 it was not made known to him thereby. 
 
 Second, To aflSrm the contrary, is to make the 
 law of nature supernatural, which is an impossi- 
 bility. Yea, they that do so make it a predictor, 
 a prophet ; a prophet about divine things to come ; 
 yea, a prophet able to foretel what shall be, and 
 that without a revelation ; which is a strain that 
 never yet prophet pretended to. 
 
 Besides, to grant this, is to run into a grievous 
 error; for this doth not only make the law of 
 
 nature the first of prophets, contrary to Ce. iii. lo. 
 compared with Jn. i. i. but it seems to make the 
 wiU of God, made known by revelation, a needless 
 thing. For if the law of nature, as Such, can 
 predict, or foretel God's secrets, and that before 
 he reveals them, and this law of nature is universal 
 in every individual man in the world, what need is 
 there of particular prophets, or of their holy writ- 
 ings ? And indeed here the Quakers and others 
 split themselves. For if the law of nature can of 
 itself reveal unto me one thing pertaining to insti- 
 tuted worship, for that we are treating of now, and 
 the exact time which God has not yet sanctified 
 and set apart for the performance thereof, why may 
 it not reveal unto me more, and so still more ; and 
 at last all that is requisite for me to know, both as 
 to my salvation, and how God is to be worshipped 
 in the church on earth. 
 
 Third, If it be of the law of nature, then all 
 men by nature are convinced of the necessity of 
 keeping it, and that though they never read or 
 heard of the revealed will of God about it ; but 
 this we find not in the world. 
 
 For though it is true that the law of nature is 
 common to all, and that all men are to this day 
 under the power and command thereof; yet we 
 find not that they are by nature under the convic- 
 tion of the necessity of keeping of a seventh day 
 sabbath. Yea, the Gentiles, though we read not 
 that they ever despised the law of nature, yet never 
 had, as such, a reverence of a seventh day sabbath, 
 but rather the contrary. 
 
 Fourth, If therefore the seventh day sabbath 
 is not of the law of nature, then it should seem not 
 to be obligatory to aU. For instituted worship, 
 and the necessary circumstances thereunto belong- 
 ing, is obligatory but to some. The tree that 
 Adam was forbid to eat of, we read not but that 
 his children might have eat the fruit thereof: and 
 circumcision, the passover, and other parts of 
 instituted worship was enjoined but to some. 
 
 Fifth, I doubt the seventh day sabbath is not 
 of the law of nature, and so not moral ; because 
 though we read that the law of nature, and that 
 before Moses, was charged upon the world, yet I 
 find not tin then, that the profanation of a seventh 
 
THE SEVENTH -DAT SABBATH. 
 
 363 
 
 day sabbath was charged upon the world : and 
 indeed to me this very thing makes a great scruple 
 ia the case. 
 
 A law, as I said, we read of, and that from 
 Adam to Moses. Ho. y. 13, u. The transgressions 
 also of thai law, we read of them, and that par- 
 ticularly, as in Ge. W. 8. & vi. 6; ix. 21, 23; xii. 13; xiii. 13; xviii. 
 12—15; xix.5; (Eze. xvi. 49, 50.») Ge. xxxLSO; xxxv. 2; xl, 15; xliv. 
 8—10. De. viii. 19, 20; xii. 2. Ps. cri. 35—37. and Romans the 
 first and second chapters. 
 
 But in all the scriptures we do not read, that 
 the breach of a seventh day sabbath was charged 
 upon men as men all that tune. Whence I gather, 
 that either a seventh day sabbath was not dis- 
 cerned by the light of nature, and so not by that 
 law imposed ; or else, that men by the help and 
 assistance of that, for we speak of men as men,t 
 in old time kept it better, than in after ages did 
 the church of God with better assistance by far. 
 For they are there yet found fault with as breakers 
 of the sabbath. Kze. xx. 13. 
 
 It follows therefore, that if the law of nature 
 doth not of itself reveal to us, as men, that the 
 seventh day is the holy sabbath of God. That 
 that day, as to the sanction of it, is not moral, but 
 rather arbitrary, to wit, imposed by the will of God 
 upon his people, until the time he thought fit to 
 change it for another day. 
 
 And if so, it is hence to be concluded, that 
 though by the light of nature men might see that 
 time must be allowed and set apart for the perform- 
 ance of that worship that God would set up in his 
 house, yet, as such, it could not see what time the 
 Lord woidd to that end choose. Nature therefore 
 saw that, by a positive precept, or a word revealing 
 it, and by no others means. 
 
 Nor doth this at all take away a whit of that 
 sanction which God once put upon the seventh day 
 sabbath ; unless any will say, and by sufficient 
 argument prove, that an ordinance for divine wor- 
 ship receiveth greater sanction from the law of 
 nature than from a divine precept: or standeth 
 stronger when it is established by a law humane, 
 for such is the law of nature, than when imposed 
 by revelation of God. 
 
 But the text will put this controversy to an end. 
 The sanction of the seventh day sabbath, even as 
 it was the rest of God, was not till after the law 
 of nature was completed ; God rested the seventh 
 day and sanctified it. Ge. ii. 3. Sanctified it ; that 
 is, set it apart to the end there mentioned, to wit, 
 to rest thereon. 
 
 Other grounds of this question I might produce, 
 but at present I will stop here, and conclude, That 
 
 * The original editiou refers to (Ezek. 49, 50), but it is evi- 
 dently a typographical error in omitting the chapter. 
 t Man unaided by revelation. 
 
 if a seventh day sabbath was an essential neces- 
 sary to the instituted worship of God, then itself 
 also as to its sanction for that work, was not 
 founded but by a positive precept ; consequently 
 not known of man at first, but by revelation of 
 God. 
 
 QUESTION II. 
 
 Whether the seventh day sabbath, as to man's keep- 
 ing of it holy, was ever made known to, or im- 
 posed by, a positive precept upon him until the 
 time of Moses ? which f rain Adam was about two 
 thousand years. 
 
 Something must also be here premised, in order 
 to my propounding of my grounds for this question ; 
 and that is. That the seventh day was sanctified so 
 soon as it had being in the world, unto the rest of 
 God, as it is Ge. ii. 2, 3. and he did rest, from all his 
 works which he had made therein. But the ques- 
 tion is,- Whether when God did thus sanctify this 
 day to his own rest, he did also by the space of time 
 above-mentioned, impose it as an holy sabbath of 
 rest upon men ; to the end they might solemnize 
 worship to him in special manner thereon? And 
 I question this. 
 
 First, Because we read not that it was. And 
 reading, I mean, of the divine testimony, is ordained 
 of God, for us to find out the mind of God, both 
 as to faith and our performance of acceptable ser- 
 vice to him. 
 
 In reading also, we are to have regard to two 
 things. 
 
 I. To see if we can find a precept : or, 
 
 II. A countenanced practice for what we do. 
 For both these ways we are to search, that we 
 may find out what is that good, that acceptable 
 will of God. 
 
 For the first of these we have Ge. H 16, 17. and for 
 the second, Ge. ml 20, 21. [as to public worship but 
 not on a stated day.] 
 
 Now as to the imposing of a seventh day sab- 
 bath upon men from Adam to Moses, of that we 
 find nothing in holy writ either from precept or 
 example. True, we find that solemn worship was 
 performed by the saints that then lived : for both 
 Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, sacrificed 
 unto God, Ge. iv. i; viii. 20, 21; xii. 7; xiii. 4; xxxv. 1. but we 
 read not that the seventh day was the time pre- 
 fixed of God for their so worshipping, or that they 
 took any notice of it. Some say, that Adam in 
 eating the forbidden fruit, brake also the seventh 
 day sabbath, because he fell on that day;| but we 
 
 X Adam is supposed by some rabbins not to have passed 
 one uight in a state of perfection, (see Ainsworth on Gen. iii, 
 1; xxviii. 11 ; and Psal. xlix. 13), and to have fallen on the 
 I Sabbath day. 
 
set 
 
 THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 read not that the breach of a saLbath was charged 
 upon him. That which we read is this; 'Hast 
 thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee 
 that thou shouldest not eat ? ' Ge. ui. ii. Some say 
 also that Cain killed Abel on a sabbath day ;* but 
 we read not that, in his charge, God laid any such 
 thing at his door. This was it of which he stood 
 guilty before God; namely, That his brother's 
 blood cried unto God against him from the ground. 
 
 Ce. iv. 10. 
 
 I therefore take little notice of what a man saith, 
 though he flourisheth his matter with many brave 
 words, if he bring not with him, ' Thus saith the 
 Lord.' For that, and that only, ought to be my 
 grovmd of faith as to how my God woidd be wor- 
 shipped by me. For in the matters material to 
 the worship of God, it is safest that thus I be 
 guided in my judgment: for here only I perceive 
 ' the footsteps of the flock,' Ca. i. 8. Ezc. iii. n. They 
 say fui-ther, that for God to sanctify a thing, is to 
 set it apart. This being true ; then it follows, 
 that the seventh day sabbath was sanctified, that 
 is, set apart for Adam in paradise ; and so, that it 
 was ordained a sabbath of rest to the saints from 
 the beginning. 
 
 But I answer, as I hinted before, that God did 
 sanctify it to his own rest. ' The LORD (also) 
 hath set apart him that is godly for himself.' But 
 again, it is one thing for God to sanctify this or 
 that thing to an use, and another thing to com- 
 mand that that thing be forthwith in being to us. 
 As for instance : the land of Canaan was set apart 
 many years for the children of Israel before they 
 possessed that land. Christ Jesus vfas long sanc- 
 tified ; that is, set apart to be our redeemer before 
 he sent him into the world. De. xxxii. 8. Jn. ,.. S6. 
 
 If then, by God's sanctifying of the seventh day 
 for a sabbath, you understand it for a sabbath for 
 man, (but the text saith not so) yet it might be so 
 set apart for man, long before it should be, as such, 
 made known unto him. And that the seventh day 
 sabbath was not as yet made known to men. 
 
 Second, Consider secondly, Moses himself seems to 
 have the knowledge of it at first, not by tradition, 
 but by revelation ; as it is. Ex. xvi. 33. ' This is that 
 (saith he) which the Lord hath said, (namely to 
 me ; for we read not, as yet, that he said it to any 
 body else). To morrow is the sabbath of the holy 
 rest unto the Lord.' 
 
 Also holy Nehemiah suggesteth this, when he 
 saith of Israel to God, Thou ' madest known unto 
 them thy holy sabbath [by the hand of Moses thy 
 servant]' Ke.ix.lt. The first of these texts shews 
 
 * The murder of Abel took place ' at the end of days;' see 
 imrgin to Gen. iv. 3. Properly rendered ' in process of time;' 
 but by some supposed to mean at the end of the week. See 
 Dr. GUI's Commentary. 
 
 us, that tidings of a seventh day sabbath for men, 
 came fit'st to Moses from heaven : and the second, 
 that it was to Israel before unknown. 
 
 But how could be either the one or the other, 
 if the seventh day sabbath was taught to men by 
 the light of nature, which is the moral law? Or if 
 from the beginning it was given to men by a posi- 
 tive precept for to be kept. 
 
 This therefore strengtheneth my doubt about the 
 afiirmative of the first question, and also prepareth 
 an argument for what I plead as to this we have 
 now under consideration. 
 
 Third, This yet seems to ,me more scrupulous, 
 because that the punishment due to the breach of 
 the seventh day sabbath was hid from men to the 
 time of Moses ; as is clear , for that it is said of 
 the breaker of the sabbath, ' They put him in ward, 
 because it was not [as yet] declared what should 
 be done to him.' Nu. xv. 33—36. 
 
 But methinks, had this seventh day sabbath been 
 imposed upon men from the beginning, the penalty 
 or punishment due to the breach thereof had cer- 
 tainly been known before now. 
 
 When Adam was forbidden to eat of the tree of 
 the knowledge of good and evil, the penalty was 
 then, if he disobeyed, annexed to the prohibition. 
 So also it was as to circumcision, the passover, 
 and other ordinances for worship. How then can 
 it be thought, that the seventh day sabbath should 
 be imposed upon men from the beginning; and 
 that the punishment for the breach thereof, should 
 be hid with God for the space of two thousand 
 years ! Ge. ii. 16, 17 ; xvii. 13, u. Ex. xii. 43—48. and the same 
 chapter, ver. 19. 
 
 Fourth, God's giving of the seventh day sab- 
 bath was with respect to stated and stinted wor- 
 ship in his church ; the which, until the time of 
 Moses, was not set up among his people. Things 
 tUl then were adding or growing : tww a sacrifice, 
 then circumcision, then again long after that the 
 passover, <fec. 
 
 But when Israel was come into the wilderness, 
 there to receive as God's congregation, a stated, 
 stinted, limited way of worship, then he appoints 
 them a time, and times, to perform this worship 
 in ; but as I said afore, before that it was not so, 
 as the whole five books of Moses plainly shew: 
 wherefore the seventh day sabbath, as such a 
 limited day cannot be moral, or of the law of 
 nature, nor imposed till then. 
 
 And methinks Christ Jesus and his apostles do 
 plainly enough declare this very thing. For that 
 when they repeat unto the people, or expound be- 
 fore them the moral law, they quite exclude the 
 seventh day sabbath. Yea, Paul makes that law 
 to us complete without it. 
 
 We will first touch upon what Christ doth in this 
 case. 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 365 
 
 As in Lis sermon upon the mount, Mat. v— vii. In 
 all that large and heavenly discourse upon this 
 law, you have not one syllable about the seventh 
 day sabbath. 
 
 So when the young man came running, and 
 kneeling, and asking what good thing he should 
 do to inherit eternal life, Christ bids him keep the 
 commandments ; but when the young nlan asked 
 which ; Christ quite leaves out the seventh day, 
 and puts him upon the other. As in Mat. xix. ic- 
 19. As in Mar. x. 17—20. As in Lu. xviii. 18—30. 
 
 You will say, he left out the first, and second, 
 and third likewise. To which I say, that was be- 
 cause the young man by his question did presup- 
 pose that he had been a doer of them : for he pro- 
 fessed in his supplication, that he was a lover of 
 that which is naturally good, which is God, in that 
 his petition was so universal for every thing which 
 he had commanded. 
 
 Paul also when he makes mention of the moral 
 law, quite leaves out of that the very name of the 
 seventh day sabbath, and professeth, that to us 
 Christians the law of nature is complete without it. 
 As in Eo. iii. 7—19. As in Eo. xiii. 7—10. As in 1 Ti. i. 8 
 
 —11. 
 
 ' He that loveth another, saith he, hath fuliilled 
 the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adul- 
 tery. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not steal. 
 Thou shalt not covet ; and if there be any other 
 commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this 
 saying. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 
 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore 
 love is the fulfilling of the law. ' 
 
 I make not an argument of this, but take an 
 occasion to mention it as I go. But certainly, had 
 the seventh day sabbath been moral, or of the law 
 of nature, as some would faiu persuade themselves, 
 it would not so slenderly have been passed over in 
 all these repetitions of this law, but would by 
 Christ or his apostles have been pressed upon the 
 people, when so fair an opportunity as at these 
 times offered itself imto them. But they knew 
 what they did, and wherefore they were so silent 
 as to the mention of a seventh day sabbath when 
 they so well talked of the law as moral. 
 
 Fifth, Moses and the prophet Ezekiel both, do 
 fully confirm what has been insinuated by us ; to 
 wit, that the seventh day, as a sabbath, was not 
 imposed upon men until Israel was brought into 
 the wilderness. 
 
 1. Moses saith to Israel, ' Remember that thou 
 wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the 
 Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a 
 mighty hand and by a stretched out arm : there- 
 fore the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep 
 the sabbath day. ' Yea, he tells us, that the cove- 
 nant which God made with them iji Horeb, that 
 written in stones, was not made with their fore- 
 
 fathers, to wit, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but 
 with them. Do. v. l— 16. 
 
 2. Ezekiel 'also is punctual as to this : I caused 
 them, saith God by that prophet, ' to go forth out 
 of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the 
 wilderness. And I gave them my statutes, and 
 shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, 
 he shall even live in them. Moreover also I gave ■ 
 them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and 
 them, that they might know that I am the Lord 
 that sanctify them.' Eze. xx. 10-^12. Ex. xx. 8; xxxi. 13; 
 
 XXXV. 2. 
 
 What can be more plain ? And these to be 
 sure, are two notable witnesses of God, who, as 
 you see, do jointly concur in this ; to wit, That 
 it was not from paradise, nor from the fathers, 
 but from the wilderness, and from Sinai, that 
 men received the seventh day sabbath to keep it 
 holy. 
 
 True, it was God's sabbath before : for on the 
 first seventh day we read, that God rested there- 
 on, and salictified it. Hence he calls it in the 
 first place, My sabbath. I gave them my sabbath; 
 But it seems it was not given to the church till he 
 had brought them into the wilderness. 
 
 But I say, if it had been moral, it had been 
 natural to man ; and by the light of nature men 
 would have understood it, even both before it was, 
 and otherwise. But of this you see we read no- 
 thing, either by positive law, or countenanced ex- 
 ample, or any other way, but rather the flat con- 
 trary ; to wit, that Moses had the knowledge of it 
 first from heaven, not by tradition. That Israel 
 had it, not of, or from their fathers, but in the 
 wilderness, from him, to wit, Moses, after he had 
 brought them out of the land of Egypt. And that 
 that whole law in which this seventh day sab- 
 bath is placed, was given for the bounding and 
 better ordering of them in their church state for 
 their time, till the Messias should come and put, 
 by a better ministration, this out of his church, as 
 we shall further shew anon. 
 
 The seventh day sabbath therefore was not from 
 paradise, nor from nature, nor from the fathers, 
 but from the wilderness, and from Sinai. 
 
 QUESTION IIL 
 
 Whether when the seventh day sabbath vias given to 
 Israd in the wilderness the Gentiles, as such, was 
 concerned therein. 
 
 Before I shew my ground for this question, I 
 must also first premise. That the Gentiles, as such, 
 were then without the church of God, and pale 
 thereof; consequently had nothing to do with the 
 essentials or necessary circumstances of that wor- 
 ship which God had set up for himself now among 
 the children of Israel. 
 
S66 
 
 THE SEVENTH-BAY SABBATH. 
 
 Now then for the ground of the question. 
 
 First, we read not that God gave it to any but 
 to the seed of Jacob. Hence it is said to Israel, 
 and to Israel only, ' The Lord hath given you the 
 sabbath. ' Ex. xyi. 29. And again, ' also I gave them 
 my sabbath.' Eze. xx. s, 12. 
 
 Now, if the gift of the seventh day sabbath was 
 only to Israel, as these texts do more than seem 
 to say ; then to the Gentiles, as such, it was not 
 given. Unless any shall conclude, that God by 
 thus doing preferred the Jew to a state of gentile- 
 ism ; or that he bestowed on them, by thus doing, 
 some high Gentile privilege. But this would be 
 very fictious. For, to lay aside reason, the text 
 always, as to preference, did set the Jew in the 
 first of places. Uo. ii. 10. Nor was his giving the 
 seventh day sabbath to them but a sign and token 
 thereof. 
 
 But the great objection is, because the seventh 
 day sabbath is found amongst the rest of those 
 precepts which is so commonly called the moral 
 law; for thence it is concluded to be of a perpetual 
 duration. 
 
 But I answer: That neither that as given on 
 Sinai is moral ; I mean, as to the manner and 
 ends of its ministration ; of which, God permitting, 
 we shall say more in our answer to the fourth 
 question, whither I direct you for satisfaction. 
 But, 
 
 Second, The Gentiles could not be concerned, 
 as such, with God's giving of a seventh day sab- 
 bath to Israel, because, as I have shewed before, 
 it was "^iven to Israel, considered as a church of 
 God. Ac. vii. 33. Nor was it given to them, as 
 such, but with rites and ceremonies thereto be- 
 longing, so Le. xxiv. 6—9. Nu. xxriii. 9, 10. Ke. xiii. 22. Eze. 
 xlvi. 4. 
 
 Now, I say, if this sabbath hath ceremonies 
 thereto belonging, and if these ceremonies were 
 essential to the right keeping of the sabbath : and 
 aii"ain, if these ceremonies were given to Israel 
 only, excluding all but such as were their prose- 
 lytes, then this sabbath was given to them as 
 excluding the Gentiles as such. But if it had 
 been moral, the Gentiles could as soon have been 
 deprived of their nature as of a seventh day sab- 
 bath, though the Jews should have appropriated 
 it unto themselves only 
 
 Again, to say that God gave this seventh day 
 sabbath to the Gentiles, as such, (and yet so he 
 must, if it be of the moral law) is as much as to 
 say, that God hath ordained that that sabbath 
 should be kept by the Gentiles without ; but by the 
 Jews, 7wt without her ceremonies. And what con- 
 clusion will follow from hence, but that God did at 
 mie and the sanie time set up two sorts of accept- 
 able worships in the world : one among the Jews, 
 another among the Gentiles ! But how ridiculous 
 
 such a thought would be, and how repugnant to 
 the wisdom of God, you may easily perceive. 
 
 Yea, what a diminution would this be to God's 
 church that then was, for one to say, the Gentiles 
 were to serve God with more liberty than the Jew! 
 For the law was a yoke, and yet the Gentile is 
 called the dog, and said to be without God in the 
 
 world. De. vii. 7. Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20. Mat. XT. 26. Ep. ii. 11, 12. 
 
 Third, When the Gentiles, at the Jews' return • 
 from Babylon, came and offered their wares to sell 
 to the children of Israel at Jerusalem on this sab- 
 bath; yea, and sold them to them too: yet mt 
 thetj, but the Jews were rebuked as the only 
 breakers of that sabbath. Nay, there dwelt then 
 at Jerusalem men of Tyre, that on this sabbath 
 sold their commodities to the Jews, and men of 
 Judah : yet not they, but the men of Judah, were 
 contended with, as the breakers of this sabbath. 
 
 True, good Nehemiah did threaten the Gentiles 
 that were merchants, for lying then about the 
 walls of the city, for that by that means they were 
 a temptation to the Jews to break iJieir sabbaths ; 
 but stiU he charged the breach thereof cmly upon 
 his own people. Ne. xiii. 15—20. 
 
 But can it be imagined, had the Gentiles now 
 been concerned with this sabbath by law divine, 
 that so holy a man as Nehemiah would have let 
 them escape without a rebuke for so notorious a 
 transgression thereof; especially considering, that 
 now also they were upon God's ground, to wit, 
 within and without the walls of Jerusalem. 
 
 Fawrth, Wherefore he saith to Israel again, 
 'Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep.' And again, 
 'Ye shall keep the sabbath.' And again, 'The 
 children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe 
 the sabbath throughout their generations. ' Ex. xxxi. 
 
 14—16 ; and xvi. 29.* 
 
 What can be more plain, these things thus 
 standing in the testament of God, than that the 
 seventh day sabbath, as such, was given to Israel, 
 to Israel only ; and that the Gentiles, as such, 
 were not concerned therein! 
 
 Fifth, The very reason also of God's giving 
 of the seventh day sabbath to the Jews, doth 
 exclude the Gentiles, as such, from having any 
 concern therein. For it was given to the Jews, 
 as was said before, as they were considered God's 
 church, and for a sign and token by which they 
 shoiild know that he had chosen and sanctified 
 them to himself for a peculiar people. Ex. xxxi. 13— 
 
 17. Eze. xx. 13, 13. 
 
 And a great token and sign it was that he had 
 so chosen them : for in that he had given to them 
 this sabbath, he had given to them (his own rest) 
 
 * ' The Lord tath given Tou the sahbath.' See also Hxi. 
 17, ' It (the observaQce of the sabbath) is a sign between me 
 and the children of Israel for ever.' — Ed. 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 307 
 
 a figure and pledge of his sending his Son into the 
 world to redeem them from the hondage and 
 slavery of the devil : of which indeed this sahhath 
 was a shadow or type. Coi. ii. IG, 17.* 
 
 Thus have I concluded my ground for this 
 third question. I shall therefore now propound 
 another, 
 
 QUESTION IV. 
 
 Whether the seventh day sabbath did not fall, as 
 such, with the rest of the Jenoish rites and cere- 
 monies ? Or whether thai day, as a sabbath, was 
 afterwards by the aposHes imposed upon the 
 churdies of the Gentiles ? 
 
 I would now also, before I shew the grounds of 
 my proposing this question, premise what is neces- 
 sary thereunto ; to wit, That time and day were 
 both fixed upon by law, for the solemn performance 
 of divine worship among the Jews ; and that time 
 and day is also by law fixed, for the solemnizing 
 of divine worship to God in the churches of the 
 Gentiles. But that the seventh day sabbath, 
 as such, is that time, that day, that still I ques- 
 tion. 
 
 Now before I shew the grounds of my question- 
 ing of it, I shall enquire into the nature of that 
 ministration in the bowels of which this seventh 
 day sabbath is placed. And, 
 
 Mrst, I say, as to that, the nature of that law 
 is moral, but the ministration, and circumstances 
 thereunto belonging, are shadowish aud figura- 
 tive. 
 
 By the nature of it, I mean the matter thereof : 
 by the ministration and circumstances thereto 
 belonging, I do mean the giving of it by such 
 hands, at such a place and time, in such a mode, 
 as when it was given to Israel in the wilder- 
 ness. 
 
 The matter therefore, to wit, ' Thou shalt love 
 the Lord thy God with aU thy heart, and with all 
 thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with aU thy 
 strength:' and ' thy neighbour as thyself,' is ever- 
 lasting, (Mar. xu. 29—31.) and is not from Sinai, nor 
 from the two tables of stone, but in nature; for 
 this law commenced and took being and place that 
 day in which man was created. Yea, it was con- 
 create with him, and without it he cannot be a 
 rational creature, as he was in the day in which 
 God created him. But for the ministration of it 
 from Sinai, with the circumstances belonging to 
 
 * This is a striking application of Col. ii. 17. The sabbath 
 ' a shadow of things to come ;' to the Jews it was a shadow of 
 the rest that remainetli to the childi'en of God, reflected fi'om 
 the completion of the work of creation. The day of rest and 
 worship to the Christian, is a much stronger type, yet but a 
 shadow of the holy enjoyments of his eternal rest, prefigured 
 from the finishing of the mightier woi-k of redemption. — Ed. 
 
 that ministration, they are not moral, nor ever- 
 lasting, but shadowish and figurative only. 
 
 That ministration cannot be moral for three 
 reasons. 1 . It commenced not when morality com- 
 menced, but two thousand years after. 2. It was 
 not universal as the law, as moral, is ; it was 
 given only to the church of the Jews in those 
 tables. 3. Its end is past as such a ministration, 
 though the same law as to the morality thereof 
 abides. Where are the tables of stone and this 
 law as therein contained? We only, as to that, 
 have the notice of such a ministration, and a re- 
 hearsal of the law, with that mode of giving of it, 
 in the testament of God. 
 
 But to come to particulars. 
 
 1. The very preface to that ministration car- 
 rieth in it a type of our deliverance from the bon- 
 dage of sin, the devil, and hell. Pharaoh, and 
 Egypt; and Israel's bondage there, being a type 
 of these. 
 
 2. The very stones in which this law was 
 engraven, was a figure of the tables of the heart. 
 The first two were a figure of the heart carnal, by 
 which the law was broken : the last two, of the 
 heart spiritual, in which the new law, the law of 
 grace is written and preserved. Ex. xxxiv.i. 2Co. iu. 3. 
 
 3. The very mount on which this ministration 
 was given, was typical of Mount Zion. See He. xii. 
 where they are compared, ver. 18—22. 
 
 4. Yea, the very chiirch to whom that minis- 
 tration was given, was a figure of the church of 
 the gospel that is on Mount Zion. See the same 
 scripture, and compare it with Ac. vii. %%. Ee. xiv. i— 6. 
 
 5. That ministration was given in the hand and 
 by the disposition of angels, to prefigure how the 
 new law or ministration of the Spirit was to be 
 given afterwards to the churches under the New 
 Testament by the hands of the angel of God's 
 everlasting covenant of grace, who is his only 
 
 begotten Son. is. Wii. 9. Mai. iii. 1. 1 Ac. iii. 23, 23. 
 
 6. It was given to Israel also in the hand of 
 Moses, as mediator, to shew, or typify out, that 
 the law of grace was in after times to come to the 
 church of Christ by the hand and mediation of 
 
 Jesus our Lord. Ga. iii. 19. Dc. y. 6. He. riii. 6. 1 Tl ii. 5. He. 
 ix. 15; xii. 24. 
 
 7. As to this ministration, it was to continue 
 but ' till the seed should come;' and then must, 
 as such, give place to a better ministration. Ga. iii. 
 19. ' A better covenant, established upon better 
 promises.' He. viii. 6. 
 
 From all this therefore I conclude, that there is 
 a difi'erence to be put between the morality of the 
 law, and the ministration of it upon Sinai. Tlie 
 law, as to its morahty was before ; but as to this 
 
 t In Bunyan's original edition it is ' Matth. 3, 1,' but this 
 must he a typographical cn'or. — Ed. 
 
368 
 
 THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. . 
 
 ministration, it was not till the church was with 
 Moses, and he with the angels on Mount Sinai in 
 the wilderness. 
 
 "Now in the law, as moral, we conclude a time 
 propounded, hut no seventh day sahbath enjoined. 
 But in that law, as thus ministered, which mini- 
 stration is already out of doors ;* we find a seventh 
 day; that seventh day on which God rested, on 
 which God rested from all his works, enjoined. 
 What is it then ? Why the whole ministration as 
 written and engraven in stones being removed, the 
 seventh day sabbath must also be removed ; for 
 that the time, nor yet the day, was as to our holy 
 sabbath, or rest, moral; but imposed with that 
 whole ministration, as such, upon the church, 
 until the time of reformation : which time being 
 come, this ministration, as I said, as such, ceasetli; 
 and the whole law, as to the morahty of it, is 
 delivered into the hand pf Christ, who imposes it 
 now also ; but not as a law of works, nor as that 
 ministration written and engraven in stones, but 
 as a rule of life to those that have believed in him. 
 1 Co. ix. 31. 
 
 So then, that lajv is stiU moral, and still sup- 
 poses, since it teaches that there is a God, that 
 time must be set apart for his church to worship 
 him in, according to that wiU of his that he had 
 revealed in his word. But though by that law 
 time is required ; yet by that, as moral, the time 
 never was prefixed. 
 
 The time then of old was appointed by such a 
 ministration of that law as we have been now dis- 
 coursing of ; and when that ministration ceaseth, 
 that time did also vanish with it. And now by 
 our new law-giver, the Son of God, he being 'lord 
 also of the sabbath day, ' vtb have a time prefixed, 
 as the law of nature requireth, a new day, by him 
 who is the lord of it; I say, appointed, wherein 
 we may worship, not in the oldness of that letter 
 written and engraven in stones, but according to, 
 and most agreeing with, his new and holy testa- 
 ment. And this I confirm further by those reasons 
 that now shall follow. 
 
 First, Because we find not from the resurrection 
 of Christ to the end of the Bible, anything written 
 by which is imposed that seventh day sabbath 
 upon the churches. Time, as I said, the law as 
 moral requires ; but that time we find no longer 
 imposed. And in all duties pertaining to God and 
 his true worship in his churches, we must be 
 guided by his Itiws and testaments. By his old 
 laws, when his old worship was in force ; and by 
 his new laws, when his new worship is in force. 
 And he hath verily now said, ' Behold, I make all 
 things now.' Kc. xxi. 5. 
 
 * ' Oat of doors,' no more to be found, quite gone, faii'ly 
 euat away. — Loc/ce. ' Out of court.' — Law-lerrn. — Ed. 
 
 Second, I find, as I have shewed, that this 
 seventh day sabbath is confined, not to the law of 
 nature as such, but to that ministration of it which 
 was given on Sinai : which ministration as it is 
 come to an end as such, so it is rejected by Paul 
 as a ministration no ways capable of abiding in 
 the church now, since the ministration of the 
 Spirit also hath taken its place, s Co. iii. Where- 
 fore instead of propounding it to the churches with 
 arguments tending to its reception, he seeks by 
 degrading it of its old lustre and glory, to wean 
 the churches from any tlikement thereof : 
 
 1 . By calling of it the ministration of death, of 
 the letter, and of condemnation, a term most 
 frightful, but no ways alluring to the godly. 
 
 2. By calling it a ministration that now has 
 no glory, by reason of the exceeding glory of that 
 ministration under which by the Holy Spirit the 
 New Testament churches are. And these are 
 weaning considerations. 2 Co. iii. 
 
 3. By telling of them it is a ministration that 
 tendeth to blind the mind, and to veil the heart as 
 to the knowledge of their Christ : so that they can- 
 not, while under that, behold his beauteous face, 
 but as their heart shall turn from it to him. 3 Co. iii. 
 
 4. And that they might not be left in the dark, 
 but perfectly know what ministration it is that ha 
 means, he saith expressly, it is that ' written and 
 engraven in stones.' See again 3 Co. iii. And in 
 that ministration it is that this seventh day sab- 
 bath is found. 
 
 But shall we think that the apostle speaks any 
 thing of all here said, to wean saints ofit from the 
 law of nature, as such I No verily, that he retains 
 in the church, as being managed there by Christ : 
 but THIS ministration is dangerous now, because 
 it cannot be maintained in the church, but in a 
 way of contempt to the ministration of the Spirit, 
 and is derogatory to the glory of that. 
 
 Now these, as I said, are weaning considera- 
 tions. No man, I do think, that knows himself, 
 or the glory of a gospel ministration, can, if he 
 understands what Paul says here, desire that 
 such a ministration should be retained in the 
 churches. 
 
 T/drd. This seventh day sahbath has lost its 
 ceremonies (those unto which before you are cited 
 by the texts) which was with it imposed upon the 
 old church for her due performance of worship to 
 God thereon. How then can this sabbath now be 
 kept ? Kept, I say, according to law. For if 
 the church on which it was first imposed, was not 
 to keep it, yea, could not keep it legally without 
 the practising of those ceremonies : and if those 
 ceremonies are long ago dead and gone, how will 
 those that pretend to a belief of a continuation of 
 
 t ' Auy likemcnt,' any fondness or partiality. — El). 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 369 
 
 the sanction tiereof, keep it, I say, according as 
 it is written ? 
 
 If they say, tliey retain the day, but change 
 their manner of observation thereof ; I ask, wlio 
 has commanded them so to do ? Tliis is one of 
 the laws of this sabbath. ' Thou shalt take fine 
 flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof : two tenth 
 deals shall be in one cake. And thou shalt set 
 them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure 
 table before the Lord. And thou ^halt put pure 
 frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the 
 bread for a memorial, even an offering made by 
 fire unto the Lord. Every sabbath he shall set it 
 in order before the Lord continually, being taken 
 from the children of Israel by an everlasting cove- 
 nant. Le. ixiv. 6—8. You may see also other places, 
 as Nu. xxnii. 9, 10. Ne. xiii. 22 and Eze. xlri. 4. 
 
 Now if these be the laws of the sabbath, this 
 seventh day sabbath ; and if God did never com- 
 mand that this sabbath should by his church be 
 sanctified without them : and, as was said before, 
 if these ceremonies have been long since dead and 
 buried, how must this sabbath be kept ? 
 
 Let men take heed, lest while they plead for 
 law, and pretend themselves to be the only doers 
 of God's will,* they be not found the biggest trans- 
 gressors thereof. And why can they not as well 
 keep the other sabbaths ? As the sabbaths of 
 months, of years, and the jubilee ? For this, as I 
 have shewed, is no moral precept, it is only a 
 branch of the ministration of death and condem- 
 nation. 
 
 Fourth, The seventh day sabbath, as such, 
 was a sign and shadow of things to come ; and a 
 sign cannot be the thing sigTiified and substance 
 too. Wherefore when the thing sig-nified or sub- 
 stance, is come, the sign or thing shadowing 
 ceaseth. And, I say, the seventh day sabbath 
 being so, as a seventh day sabbath it ceaseth also. 
 
 See again Ex. xxxj. 13, 14. Eze. XX. 12, 21. Col. ii. 14. 
 
 Nor do I find that our Protestant writers, not- 
 withstanding their reverence of the sabbath, do 
 conclude otherwise ; but that though time as to 
 worshipping God, must needs be contained in the 
 bowels of the moral law, as moral ; yet they for 
 good reasons forbear to affix the seventh day as 
 tliat time there too. 
 
 * This spirit is not extinct. Mr. Shenston, in Ilia ' Plea 
 for the Seventh -day,' charges those who Iceep the Lord's day 
 ' that they yield to the tide — keep their friends — riches — com- 
 forts ; they believe that the seventh-day is the sabbath, and 
 would greatly prefer keeping it, if the rulers of the nation 
 would iter the day; they imagine that their God is some 
 dumb idoH't Language most unseemly and iusidting — 
 charging all who observe the Lord's day with being hypocrites 
 and the worst of fools. Mr. S. forgot the solemn proverb, 'with 
 what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged.' 
 
 They do it, I say, for good reasons ; reasons 
 drawn from the scripture ; or rather, for that the 
 scripture draws them so to conclude: yet they 
 cast not away the morality of a sabbath of rest to 
 the church. It is to be granted them, that time 
 for God's worship abideth for ever, but the seventh 
 day vanishes as a shadow and sign ; because sucli 
 indeed it was, as the scripture above cited declares 
 as to the sanction thereof as a sabbath. 
 
 The law of nature then calls for time ; but the 
 God of nature assigns it, and has given power to 
 his Son to continue such time as himself shall by 
 his etej'nal wisdom judge most meet for the 
 churches of the Gentiles to solemnize worship to 
 God by him in. Hence he is said to be ' Lord 
 even of the sabbath day.' Mat. xii. 8. 
 
 Fifth, I find by reading God's word, that Paul 
 by authority apostolical, takes away the sanctions 
 of all the Jews' festivals and sabbaths. 
 
 This is manifest, for that he leaves the observa- 
 tion or non-observation of them, as things indift'er- 
 ent, to the mind and discretion of the behevers. 
 ' One man esteemeth one day above another : 
 another esteemeth every day alike. Let every 
 man be fully persuaded in his own mind.' Eo. 
 
 xiv. 5. 
 
 By this last clause of the verse, ' Let every man 
 he fully persuaded in his own mind,' he doth 
 plainly declare, that such days are now stript of 
 their sanction. ;[ For none of God's laws, wliilo 
 they retain their sanction, are left to the will and 
 mind of the believers, as to whether they will 
 observe them or no. Men, I say, are not left tu 
 their liberty in such a case ; for when a stamp of, 
 divine authority is upon a law, and abides, so long 
 we are bound, not to our mind, but to that law : 
 but when a thing, once sacred, has lost its sanc- 
 tion, then it falls, as to faith and conscience, 
 among other common, or indifferent things. And 
 so the seventh day sabbath did. Again, 
 
 Sixth, Thus Paul writes to the clmrch of 
 Coloss. ' Let no man therefore judge you in 
 meat, or in drink, or in respect of an liolyday, or 
 of the new moon, or of the sabbath : which are a 
 shadow of things to come ; but the body is of 
 Christ.' Col. ii. 16, 17. Here also, as he serveth other 
 holy days, he serveth the sabbath. He gives a 
 liberty to believers to refuse the observation of it, 
 and commands that no man should judge against 
 them for their so doing. And as you read, the 
 reason of his so doing is, because the bodj', the 
 substance is come. Christ saith he, is the body, 
 or that which these things were a shadow or 
 figure of. ' The body is of Christ. ' 
 
 + Edit. 1826, pp. (1, 13. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 X This was the oi)inion of those great reformers, Tynd;ile, 
 Calvin, and Luther; see introduction by the Editor. 7t v.ta 
 a sentiment which led to no practical c\'il. — En. 
 3 A 
 
370 
 
 THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 Nor liath tlie apostle, since he saith ' or of tlie 
 sabbath ' one would think, left any hole, out at 
 which men's inventions could get : but man has 
 sought out many ; and, so, many he will use. 
 
 But again, That the apostle by this word ' sab- 
 bath ' intends the seventh day sabbath, is clear ; 
 for that it is by Moses himself counted for a sign, 
 as we have shewed: and for that none of the 
 other sabbaths were a more clear shadow of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ than this. For that, and that 
 alone, is called 'the rest of God:' in it God rested 
 from all his works. Hence he calls it by way of 
 eminency, ' My sabbath, and my holy day. ' is. M. 
 
 4; Iviii. 13. 
 
 Yet could that rest be nothing else but typical ; 
 for God, never since the world began, really rested, 
 but in his Son. ' This is he,' saith God, ' in whom 
 I am well pleased.' This sabbath then, was God's 
 rest typically, and was given to Israel as a sign of 
 his grace towards them in Christ. Wherefore 
 when Christ was risen, it ceased, and was no 
 longer of obligation to bind the conscience to the 
 observation thereof. [Or of the sabbath.] He 
 distinctly singleth out this seventh day, as that 
 which was a most noble shadow, a most exact 
 shadow. And then puts that with the other 
 together; saying, they are a shadow of things to 
 come ; and that Christ has answered them all. 
 'Thebody is of Christ.' 
 
 Seventh, No man will, I think, deny but that 
 He. iv. 4. intends the seventh day sabbath, on which 
 God rested from all his works ; for the text doth 
 plainly say so ; yet may the observing reader easily 
 perceive that both it, and the rest of Canaan also, 
 made mention of ver. 6. were typical, as to a day 
 made mention of vers. 7 and 8. which day he calls 
 another. He would not afterwards have made 
 mention of another day. If Joshua had given 
 them rest, he would not. Now if they had not 
 that rest in Joshua's days, be sure they had it not 
 by Moses ; for he was still before. 
 
 All the rests therefore that Moses gave them, 
 and that Joshua gave them too, were but typical 
 of another day, in which God would give them 
 rest. He. iy. 9, 10. And whether the day to come, was 
 Christ, or Heaven, it makes no matter: it is 
 enough that they before did fail, as always shadows 
 do, and that therefore mention by David is, and 
 that afterward, made of another day. ' There 
 remains therefore a rest to the people of God. ' A 
 rest to come, of which the seventh day in which 
 God rested, and the land of Canaan, was a type ; 
 which rest begins in Christ now, and shall be con- 
 summated in glory. 
 
 And in that he saith 'There remains a rest,' 
 referring to that of David, what is it, if it signifies 
 not, that the other rests remain not ? There 
 remains therefore a rest, a rest prefigured by the 
 
 seventh day, and by the rest of Canaan, though 
 they are fled and gone. 
 
 ' There remains a rest ;' a rest which stands not 
 now in signs and shadows, in the seventh day, or 
 Canaan, but in the Son of God, and his kingdom, 
 to whom, and to which the weary are invited to 
 come for rest. Is. xxvUi. 12. Mat. xi. 30. He. iv. n. 
 
 Yet this casts not out the Christians holiday or 
 sabbath : for that was not ordained to be a type 
 or shadow of things to come, but to sanctify the 
 name of their God in, and to perform that worship 
 to him which was also in a shadow signified by 
 the ceremonies of the law, as the epistle to the 
 Hebrews doth plentifully declare. 
 
 And I say again, the seventh day sabbath can- 
 not be it, for the reasons shewed afore. 
 
 Eighth, Especially if you add to all this, that 
 nothing of the ministration of death written and 
 engraven in stones, is brought by Jesus, or by his 
 apostles, into the kingdom of Christ, as a part of 
 his instituted worship. Hence it is said of that 
 ministration in the bowels of which this seventh 
 day sabbath is found, that it has now no glory; 
 that its glory is done away, in or by Christ, and 
 so is laid aside, the ministration of the Spirit that 
 excels in glory, being come in the room thereof. 
 
 I will read the text to you. ' But if the minis- 
 tration of death, written mid engraven in stones, 
 was glorious, so that the children of Israel could 
 not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the 
 glory of his countenance ; which glory was to be 
 done away: (It was given at first with this pro- 
 viso, that it should not always retain its glory, 
 that sanction, as a ministration.) How shall not 
 the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious ? 
 For if the ministration of condemnation he glory, 
 much more doth the ministration of righteousness 
 exceed in glory. For even that which was made 
 glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of 
 the glory that exceUeth. For if that which was 
 done away was glorious, much more that which 
 remaineth is glorious. ' 2 Co. iii. 7—11. 
 
 What can be more plain ? The text says ex- 
 pressly, that this ministration doth not remain; 
 yea, and insinuates, that in its first institution it 
 was ordained with this proviso, ' It was to be done 
 away.' Now if in its first institution upon Sinai 
 it was thus ordained ; and if by the coming in of 
 the ministration of the spirit, this ordination is 
 now executed ; that is, if by it, and the apostlo 
 saith it, it is done away by a ministration that re- 
 mains : then where is that seventh day sabbath ? 
 
 Thus therefore I have discoursed upon this 
 fourth question : And having shewed by this dis- 
 course that the old seventh day sabbath is abo- 
 lished and done away, and that it has nothing to 
 do with the churches of the Gentiles; I am next 
 to shew what day it is that must abide as holy to 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 571 
 
 tlie Christians, and Tor them to perform their New 
 Testament cliurch service in. 
 Take the question thus. 
 
 QUESTION V. 
 
 Since it is denied that the seventh day sabhath is 
 nwrcd, and it is found that it is not to abide as a 
 sabhath for ever in the church, What time is to 
 be fixed on for New Testament saints to perform 
 together, divine worship to God by Christ in ? 
 
 Upon this question hangs the stress of all, as to 
 tlie subject now under consideration : but before 
 1 can speak distinctly to it, I must premise, as I 
 have in order to my speaking to the questions 
 before, something for the better clearing of our 
 way— 
 
 [Therefore I remark, that] we are not now speak- 
 ing of all manner of worshipping God, nor of all times 
 in which all manner of worship is to be performed ; 
 but of that worship, which is church worship, or wor- 
 ship that is to be performed by the assembly of saints, 
 when by the will of God they in all parts of his 
 dominion assemble together to worship him ; which 
 worship hath a prefixed time allotted to, or for its 
 performance, and without which it cannot, accord- 
 ing to the mind of God, be done. This is the 
 time, I say, that we are to discourse of, and not 
 of ALL time appointed for all manner of worship. 
 
 I do not question but that worship by the godly 
 is performed to God every day of the week ; yea, 
 and every night too, and that time is appointed or 
 allowed of God for the performance of such wor- 
 ship. But this time is not fixed to the same mo- 
 ment or hour universally, but is left to the discre- 
 tion of the believers, as their frame of spirit, or 
 occasions, or exigencies, or temptations, or duty 
 shall require. 
 
 We meddle then only with that time that the 
 worship aforesaid is to be performed in ; which 
 time the law of nature as such supposes, but the 
 God of nature chooses. And this time as to the 
 churches of the Gentiles, we have proved is not 
 that time which was assigned to the Jews, to wit, 
 THAT seventh day which was imposed upon them 
 by the ministration of death; for, as we have 
 shewed already, that ministration indeed is done 
 away by a better and more glorious ministration, the 
 ministration of the spirit; which ministration surely 
 would be much more inferior than that which has 
 now no glory, was it defective as to this. That 
 is, if it imposed a gospel service, but appointed 
 not time to perform that worship in : or if not- 
 withstanding all its commendation, it should be 
 forced to borrow of a ministration inferior to itself; 
 that, to wit, the time without which by no means 
 its most solemn worship can be performed. 
 
 This then is the conclusion, that time to wor- 
 
 ship God in, is required by the law of nature; but 
 that the law of nature doth, as such, fix it on the 
 seventh day from the creation of the world, that I 
 utterly deny, by what I have said already, and 
 have yet to say on that behalf. Yea, I hope to 
 make it manifest, as I have, that this seventh day 
 is removed ; that God, by the ministration of the 
 spirit, has changed the time to another day, to 
 wit. The first day of the week. Therefore we 
 conclude the time is fixed for the worship of the 
 New Testament Christians, or churches of the 
 Gentiles, unto that day. 
 
 Now in my discourse upon this subject, I shall, 
 
 I. Touch upon those texts that are more close, 
 yet have a divine intimation of this thing in them. 
 
 II. And then I shall come to texts more ex- 
 press. 
 
 FIRST, for those texts that are more close, yet 
 have a divine intimation of this thing in them. 
 
 First, The comparison that the Holy Ghost makes 
 between the rest of God from his works, and the 
 rest of Christ from his, doth intimate such a thing. 
 ' He that is entered into his rest, he also hath 
 ceased from his own works, as God did from his.' 
 
 He. iv, 10. 
 
 Now God rested from his works, and sanctified 
 a day of rest to himself, as a signal of that rest, 
 which day he also gave to his church as a day of 
 holy rest likewise. And if Christ thus rested 
 from his own works, and the Holy Ghost says he 
 did thus rest, be also hath sanctified a day to 
 himself, as that in which he hath finished his 
 work, and given it (that day) also to his church 
 to be an everlasting memento of his so doing, and 
 that they should keep it holy for his sake. 
 
 And see, as the Father's work was first, so his 
 day went before ; and as the Son's work came 
 after, so his day accordingly succeeded. The 
 Father's day was on the seventh day from the 
 creation, the Son's the first day following. 
 
 Nor may this be slighted, because the text says, 
 as God finished his work, so Christ finished his ; 
 He also hath ceased from his own works as God 
 did from his. He rested, I say, as God did; but 
 God rested on his resting day, and therefore so did 
 Christ. Not that he rested on the Father's rest- 
 ing day ; for it is evident, that then he had great 
 part of his work to do ; for he had not as then 
 got his conquest over death, but the next day he 
 also entered into his rest, having by his rising 
 again, finished his work, viz., made a conquest 
 over the powers of darkness, and brought life and 
 Immortality to light through his so doing. 
 
 So then, that being the day of the rest of the 
 Son of God, it must needs be the day of the rest 
 of his churches also. For God gave his resting 
 day to his church to be a sabbath ; and Christ 
 rested from his own works as God did from his, 
 
!72 
 
 THE SEVENTH-BAY SABBATH. 
 
 therefore he also gave the day in which he rested 
 from hi« works, a sabhath to the churches, as did 
 the Father. Not that there are two sabbaths at 
 once: the Father's was imposed for a time, even 
 until the Son's should come ; yea, as I have 
 shewed you, even in the very time of its imposing 
 it was also ordained to be done away. Hence he 
 saith, that ministration ' was to be done away. ' 
 s Co. iii. 7. Therefore we plead not for two sabbaths 
 to be at one time, but that a succession of time 
 was ordained to the New Testament saints, or 
 churches of the Gentiles, to worship God in; which 
 time is that in which the Son rested from his own 
 works as God did from his. 
 
 Second, Hence he calls himself, The ' Lord 
 even of the sabbath day,' as Lu. v. Mat. xU. 8. shews. 
 Now to be a Lokd, is to have dominion, dominion 
 over a thing, and so power to alter or change it 
 according to that power ; and where is he that 
 dares say Christ has not this absolutely! We 
 will therefore conclude that it is granted on all 
 liands he hath. The question then is. Whether 
 he hath exercised that power to the demolishing 
 or removing of the Jews' seventh day, and esta- 
 blishing another in its room ? The which I think 
 is easily answered, in that he did not rest from 
 his own works therein, but chose, for his own rest, 
 to himself another day. 
 
 Surely, had the Lord Jesus intended to have 
 established the seventh day to the churches of the 
 Gentiles, he would himself in the first place have 
 rested from his own works therein ; but since he 
 passed by that day, and took no notice of it, as to 
 the finishing of his own works, as God took notice 
 of it when he had finished his ; it remains that he 
 fixed upon another day, even the first of the week; 
 on which, by his rising again, and shewing him- 
 self to his disciples before his passion, he made it 
 manifest that he had chosen, 'as Lord of the sab- 
 bath,' that day for his own rest: consequently, 
 and for the rest of his churches, and for his wor- 
 ship to be solemnized in. 
 
 Third, And on this day some of the saints 
 that slept arose, and began their eternal sabbath. 
 Mat. xxviL i'i, 63. See how the Lord Jesus hath glori- 
 fied tlds day ! Never was such a stamp of divine 
 honour put upon any other day, no not since the 
 world began. ' And the graves were opened; and 
 many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and 
 came out of the graves after his resurrection,' &c. 
 That is, they arose as soon as he was risen. But 
 why was not all this done on the seventh day ? No, 
 that day was set apart that saints might adore 
 God for the works of creation, and that saints 
 through that might look for redemption by Christ. 
 But now a work more glorious than that is to be 
 done, and therefore another day is assigned for 
 the doing of it in. A work, I say, of redemption 
 
 completed, a day therefore by itself must be as- 
 signed for this ; and some of the saints to begin 
 their eternal sabbath with God in heaven, there- 
 fore a day by itself must be appointed for this. 
 Yea, and that this day might not want that glory 
 that might attract the most dim-sighted Christian 
 to a desire after the sanction of it, the resurrec- 
 tion of Christ, and also of those saints met toge- 
 ther on it: yea, they both did begin their eternal 
 rest thereon. 
 
 Fourth, The psalmist speaks of a day that the 
 Lord Jehovah, the Son of God, has made ; and 
 saith, 'we will rejoice and be glad in it.' But 
 what day is this ? Why the day in which Christ 
 was made the ' head of the corner,' which must be 
 applied to the day in which he was raised from the 
 dead, which is the first of the week. 
 
 Hence Peter saith to the Jews, when he treateth 
 of Christ before them, and particularly of his re- 
 surrection. ' This is the stone which was set at 
 nought of you builders, which is become the head 
 of the corner.' He was set at nought by them, 
 the whole course of his ministry unto his death, 
 and was made the head of the corner by God, on 
 that day he rose from the dead. This day there- 
 fore is the day that the Lord Jehovah has made a 
 day of rejoicing to the church of Christ, and we will 
 rejoice and be glad in it. Ps. cxviii. 24. 
 
 For can it be imagined, that the Spirit by the 
 prophet should thus signalise this day for nothing; 
 saying, ' This is the day which the Lord hath made;' 
 to no purpose ? Yes, you may say, for the resur- 
 rection of his son. 
 
 But I add, that that is not all, it is a day that 
 the Lord has both made for that, and that we 
 might 'rejoice and be glad in it.'* Rejoice, that is 
 before the Lord while solemn divine worship is per- 
 formed on it, by all the people that shall partake 
 of the redemption accomplished then. 
 
 Fifth, God the Father again leaves such an- 
 other stamp of divine note and honour upon this 
 day as he never before did leave upon any ; where 
 he saith to our Lord, ' Thou art my Son, this day 
 have I begotten thee. ' Ac. xm. 3S. Still, I say, hav- 
 ing respect to the first day of the week ; for that, 
 and no other, is the day here intended by the 
 apostle. This day, saith God, is the day : ' And 
 as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, 
 7WW no more to return to corruption, he said on 
 this wise, I will give thee the sure mercies of 
 David. Wherefore he saith also in another Psalm, 
 Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see cor- 
 ruption. ' Wherefore the day in which God did this 
 work, is greater than that in which he finished 
 the work of creation ; for his making of the crea- 
 tion saved it not from corruption, but now he hath 
 
 * Psal. cxriii. 24. 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 373 
 
 done a work which corruption cannot touch, where- 
 fore the day on which he did this, has this note 
 from his own mouth, This day, as a day that doth 
 transcend. 
 
 And, as I said, this day is the first of the week; 
 for it was on that day that God hegat his heloved 
 Son from the dead. This first day of the week 
 therefore, on it God found that pleasure which he 
 found not in the seventh day from the world's crea- 
 tion, for that in it his Son did live again to him. 
 
 Now shall not Christians, when they do read that 
 God saith, ' This day, ' and that too with reference 
 to a work done on it hy him, so full of delight to 
 him, and so full of life and heaven to them, set 
 also a remark upon it, saying, This was the day 
 of God's pleasure, for that his Son did rise thereon, 
 and shall it not be the day of my delight in him ! 
 This is the day on which his Son was both begotten 
 and born, and became the first fruits to God of 
 them that sleep ; yea, and in which also he was 
 made by him the chief, and head of the corner ; 
 and shall not we rejoice in it ? Ac xiii. 33. He. i. 6. Col. i. 
 18. Re. i. 5. 
 
 Shall kings, and princes, and great men set a 
 remark upon the day of their birth and coronation, 
 and expect that both subjects and servants should 
 do them high honour on that day, and shall 
 the day in which Christ was both begotten and 
 bom, be a day contemned by Christians! And 
 his name not be but of a common regard on that 
 day? 
 
 1 say again, shall God, as with his finger, point, 
 and that in the face of the world, at this day, say- 
 ing, ' Thou art my Son, this day,' &c., and shall 
 not Christians fear, and awake from their employ- 
 ments, to worship the Lord on this day! 
 
 If God remembers it, well may I! If God says, 
 and that with all gladness of heart, ' Thou art my 
 Son, this day have I begotten thee ! ' may not ! 
 ought not I also to set this day apart to sing the 
 songs of my redemption in ? 
 
 This day my redemption was finished. 
 This day my dear Jesus revived. 
 This day he was declared to be the Son of God 
 with power. 
 
 Yea this is the day in which the Lord Jesus 
 finished a greater work than ever yet was done in 
 the world ; yea, a work in which the Father him- 
 self was more delighted than he was in making of 
 heaven and earth. And shall darkness and the 
 shadow of death stain this day ! Or shall a cloud 
 dwell on this day! Shall God regard this day 
 from above ! And shall not his light shine upon 
 this day ! What shall be done to them that curse 
 this day, and would not that the stars should give 
 their light thereon. This day ! After this day was 
 come, God never, that we read of, made mention 
 with delight, of the old seventh day sabbath more. 
 
 Sixth, Nor is that altogether to be slighted, 
 when he saith, ' When he briugeth in the first-be- 
 gotten into the world. Let aU the angels of God wor- 
 ship him. ' To wit, at that very time and day. He.i. 6. 
 
 I know not what our expositors say of this text, 
 but to me it seems to be meant of his resurrection 
 from the dead ; both because the apostle is speak- 
 ing of that, ver. 5, and closes that argument with 
 this text, ' Thou art my Son, this day have I be- 
 gotten thee ? And again, I will be to him a Fatlier, 
 and he shall be to me a Son ? And again, when 
 he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, h& 
 saith, And let all the angels of God wor.?hip him.' 
 
 So then, for God's bringing of his first-begotten 
 now into the world, was by his raising him again 
 from the dead after they by crucifying of him had 
 turned him out of the same. 
 
 Thus then God brought him into the world, 
 never by them to be hurried out of it again. For 
 Christ being now raised from the dead, dies no 
 more ; death hath no more dominion over him. 
 
 Now, saith the text, when he bringeth him thus 
 into the world, he requireth that worship be done 
 unto HIM. When ? That very day, and that by 
 all the angels of God'. And if by aU, then minis- 
 ters are not excluded ; and if not ministers, then 
 not churches ; for what is said to the angels, is 
 said to the church itself. Rev. ii. 1—7, 8, 11, 12, 17, 18, 29 ; 
 
 iii, 1, 6, 7, J3, 14, and 53. 
 
 So then, if the question be asked, when they 
 must worship him : the answer is, when he brought 
 him into the world, which was on the first day of 
 the week; for then he bringeth him again from 
 the dead, and gave the whole world and the govern- 
 ment thereof into his holy hand. This text there- 
 fore is of weight as to what we have now mider 
 consideration, to wit, that the first day of the week, 
 the day in which God brought his first begotten into 
 the world, should be the day of worshipping him 
 by all the angels of God. 
 
 Seventh, Ilence this day is called 'the Lord's 
 day,' as John saith, 'I was in the Spirit on the 
 Lord's day,' the day in which Jesus rose from 
 the dead. Re. i. lo. 
 
 'The Lord's day.' Every day, say some, is 
 the Lord's day. Indeed this for discourse sake 
 may be granted ; but strictly, no day can so pro- 
 perly be called the Lord's day, as this first day of 
 the week ; for that no day of the week or of the 
 year has those badges of tlie Lord's glory upon it, 
 nor such divine grace put upon it as has the first 
 day of the week. 
 
 This we have already made appear in part, and 
 shall make appear much more before we have done 
 therewith. 
 
 There is nothing, as I know of, that bears this 
 title but the Lord's supper, and this day. l Co. xi. 20. 
 Re. i. 10. And since Christians count it an abuse to 
 
37-1 
 
 THE SEVENTH-UAY SABBATH. 
 
 allegorize the first, let them also be ashamed to 
 fantasticalize the last. The Lord's day is doubt- 
 less the day in which he rose from the dead. To 
 be sure it is not the old seventh day ; for from the 
 day that he arose, to the end of the Bible, we find 
 not that he did hang so mueh as one twist of glory 
 upon that; but this day is beautified with glory 
 upon glory, and that both by the Father and the 
 Son ; by the prophets and those that were raised 
 from the dead thereon ; therefore this day must be 
 more than the rest. 
 
 But we are as yet but upon divine intimations, 
 drawn from such texts which, if candidly consider- 
 ed, do very much smile upon this great truth ; 
 namely, that the first day of the week is to be 
 accounted the Christian sabbath, or holy day for 
 divine worship in the churches of the saints. And 
 SECOND, Now I come to the texts that are more 
 express. 
 
 Then First, This was the day in the which he did 
 use to shew himself to his people, and to congregate 
 with them after he rose from the dead. On the first 
 first- day, even on the day on which he rose from the 
 dead, he visited his people, both when together and 
 apart, over, and over, and over, as both Luke and 
 John do testify. Lu. xxiv. Jn. xx. And preached such 
 sermons of his resurrection, and gave unto them ; 
 yea, and gave them such demonstration of the 
 truth of all, as was never given them from the 
 foundation of the world. Shewing, he shewed 
 them his risen body; opening, he opened their 
 understandings ; and dissipating, he so scattered 
 their unbelief on this day, as he never had done 
 before. And this continued one way or another 
 even from before day until the evening. 
 
 Second, On the next first day following the church 
 was within again ; that is, congregated to wait 
 upon their Lord. And John so relates the matter, 
 as to give us to understand that they were not so 
 assembled together again till then. ' After eight 
 days,' saith he, 'again his disciples were within,' 
 clearly concluding, that they were not so on the 
 days that were between, no not on the old seventh 
 day. 
 
 Now why should the Holy Ghost thus precisely 
 speak of their assembling together upon the first 
 day, if not to confirm us in this, that the Lord 
 had chosen that day for the new sabbath of his 
 church ? Surely the Apostles knew what they 
 did in their meeting together upon that day ; yea, 
 and the Lord Jesus also ; for that he used so to 
 visit them when so assembled, made his practice 
 a law unto them. For practice is enough for us 
 New Testament saints, especially when the Lord 
 Jesus himself is in the head of that practice, and 
 that after he rose from the dead. 
 
 Perhaps some may stumble at the word ' after, ' 
 after eight days ; but the meaning is, at the con- 
 
 clusion of the eighth day, or when they had spent 
 in a manner the whole of their sabbath in waiting 
 upon their Lord, then in comes their Lord, and 
 finisheth that their day's service to him with con- 
 firming of Thomas's faith, and by letting drop 
 other most heavenly treasure among them. Christ 
 said, he must lie three days and three nights in 
 the heart of the earth, yet it is evident, that he 
 rose the third day. l Co. xv. 4. 
 
 We must take then a part for the whole, and 
 conclude, that from the time that the Lord Jesus 
 rose from the dead, to the time that he shewed his 
 hands and his side to Thomas, eight days were 
 almost expired; that is, he had sanctified unto 
 them two first days, and had accepted that service 
 they had performed to him therein, as he testified 
 by giving of them so blessed a farewell at the con- 
 clusion of both those days. 
 
 Hence now we conclude, that this was the cus- 
 tom of the church at this day, to wit, upon the 
 first day of the week to meet together, and to wait 
 upon their Lord therein. For the Holy Ghost 
 counts it needless to make a continued repetition 
 of things ; it is enough therefore if we have now 
 and then mention made thereof. 
 
 Ohj. But Christ shewed himself alive to them at 
 other times also, as in Jn. xxi. &c. 
 
 Ans. The names of all those days in which he 
 so did are obliterated and blotted out, that they 
 might not be idolized ; for Christ did not set them 
 apart for worship, but this day, the first day of 
 the week, by its name is kept alive in the church, 
 the Holy Ghost surely signifying thus much, that 
 how hidden soever other days were, Christ would 
 have his day, the first day had in everlasting re- 
 membrance among saints. 
 
 Churches also meet together now on the week 
 days, and have the presence of Christ with them 
 too in their employments ; but that takes not off 
 from them the sanction of the first day of the 
 week, no more than it would take away the sanc- 
 tion of the old seventh day, had it still continued 
 holy to them : wherefore this is no let or objection 
 to hinder our sanctifying of the first day of the 
 week to our God. But, 
 
 Third, Add to this, that upon Pentecost, which 
 was the first day of the week, mention is made of 
 their being together again: for Pentecost was 
 always the morrow after the sabbath, the old 
 seventh day sabbath. Upon this day, 1 say, the 
 Holy Ghost saith, they were again ' with one ac- 
 cord together in one place.' 
 
 But oh ! the glory that then attended them, by 
 the presence of the Holy Ghost among them: never 
 was such a thing done as was done on that first 
 day until then. We will read the text, ' And 
 when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they 
 were all with one accord in one place. And sud- 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAy SABBATH. 
 
 87.1 
 
 donly ttere came a sound from heaven as of a 
 rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house 
 where they were sitting. And there appeared 
 unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat 
 upon each of them. And they were all fiUed with 
 the Holy Ghost.' Ac. U. 1—4. 
 
 Here is a first day glorified ! Here's a coun- 
 tenance given to the day of their Christian assem- 
 bling. But we will note a few things upon it. 
 
 1. The church was now, as on other first days, 
 all with one accord in one place. We read not 
 that they came together by virtue of any pre- 
 cedent revelation, nor by accident, but contrari- 
 wise by agreement, they were together ' with one 
 accord,' or by appointment, in pursuance of their 
 duty, setting apart that day, as they had done the 
 first days afore, to the holy service of their blessed 
 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 
 
 2. We read that this meeting of theirs was 
 not begun on the old sabbath, but when Pente- 
 cost was fully come : the Holy Ghost intimating, 
 that they had left now, and began to leave, the 
 seventh day sabbath to the unbelieving Jews. 
 
 3. Nor did the Holy Ghost come down upon 
 them till every moment of the old sabbath was 
 past, Pentecost, as was said, was fully come 
 first. ' And when the day of Pentecost was fully 
 come, they were all with one accord in one place. ' 
 And then, <fec. 
 
 And why was not this done on the seventh day 
 sabbath ? But, possibly, to shew, that the minis- 
 tration of death and condemnation was not that, 
 by or through which Christ the Lord would com- 
 municate so good a gift unto his chunihes. Ga. m. 
 
 1-5. 
 
 This gift must be referred to the Lord's day, 
 the first day of the week, to fulfil the scripture, 
 and to sanctify yet farther this holy day unto the 
 use of all New Testament churches of the saints. 
 For since on the first day of the week our Lord 
 did rise from the dead, and by his special presence, 
 1 mean his personal, did accompany his church 
 therein, and so preach as he did, his holy truths 
 unto them, it was most meet that they on the same 
 day also should receive the first fruits of their 
 eternal life most gloriously. 
 
 And, I say again, since from the resurrection 
 of Christ to this day, the church then did receive 
 upon the first day, but as we read, upon no other, 
 such glorious things as we have mentioned, it is 
 enough to beget in the hearts of them that love 
 tlie Son of God, a high esteem of the first day of 
 the week. , But how much more, when there shall 
 be joined to these, proof that it was the custom of 
 the first gospel church, the church of Christ at 
 Jerusalem, after our Lord was risen, to assemble 
 together to wait upon God on the first day of the 
 week with their Lord as leader. 
 
 To say little mure to this head, but only to 
 repeat what is written of this day of old, to wit, 
 that it should be proclaimed the selfsame day, to 
 wit, the morrow after the sabbath, which is the 
 first day of the week, ' that it may be an holy con- 
 vocation unto you ; ye shall do no servile work 
 therein : it shall be a statute for ever in all your 
 dwellings. ' Le. xxiu. 2i. 
 
 This ceremony was about the sheaf that was to 
 be waved, and bread of first fruits, which was a 
 type of Christ; for he is unto God 'the first fruits 
 of them that slept.' i Co. xv. 30. 
 
 This sheaf, or bread, must not be waved on the 
 old seventh day, but on the morrow after, which 
 is the first day of the week, the day in which 
 Christ rose from the dead, and waved himself as 
 the first fruits of the elect unto God. Now from 
 this day they were to count seven sabbaths com- 
 plete, and on the morrow after the seventh sabbath, 
 which was the first day of the week again ; and 
 this Pentecost upon which we now are, then they 
 were to have a new meat oiFering, with meat ofier- 
 ings and drink ofi'erings, &c. 
 
 And on the selfsame day they were to proclaim 
 that that first day should be a holy convocation 
 unto them. The which the apostles did, and 
 grounded that their proclamation so on the resur- 
 rection of Jesus Christ, not on ceremonies, that at 
 the same day they brought three thousand souls 
 to God. Ac. ii. 41. 
 
 Now what another signal [applause] was hero 
 put upon the first day of the week ! The day in 
 which our Lord rose from the dead, assembled 
 with his disciples, poured out so abundantly of the 
 Spirit, and gathered even by the first draught that 
 his fishermen made by the gospel, such a number 
 of souls to God. 
 
 Thus then they proclaimed, and thus they ga- 
 thered sinners on the first first-day that they 
 preached ; for though they had assembled together 
 over and over with their Lord before therein, yet 
 they began not jointly to preach until this first day 
 Pentecost. 
 
 Now, after this the apostles to the churches did 
 never make mention of a seventh day sabbath. 
 For as the wave sheaf and the bread of first fruits 
 were a figure of the Lord Jesus, and the waving, 
 of his life from the dead : so that morrow after the 
 sabbath on which the Jews waved their sheaf, was 
 a figure of that on which our Lord did rise ; con- 
 sequently, when their morrow after the sabbath 
 ceased, our morrow after that began, and so has 
 continued a blessed morrow after their sabbath, as 
 a holy sabbath to Christians from that time ever 
 since. 
 
 Fourth, We come yet more close to the cus- 
 tom of churches; I mean, to the custom of the 
 churches of the Gentiles; for as yet we have spokcu 
 
378 
 
 THE SEVENTH DAY SABBATH. 
 
 but of the practice of the church of God which 
 was at Jerusalem ; only we will add, that the cus- 
 toms that were laudable and binding with the 
 church at Jerusalem, were with reverence to be 
 imitated by the churches of the Gentiles ; for 
 there was but one law of Christ for them both to 
 worship by. 
 
 Now then, to come to the point, to wit, that it 
 was the custom of the churches of the Gentiles, 
 on the first day of the week, but upon no other 
 that we read of,* to come together to perform 
 divine worship to their Lord. 
 
 Hence it is said ' And upon the first day of the 
 week, when the disciples came together to break 
 bread,' <fec. Ac. xx. 7. This is a text, that as to mat- 
 ter of fact cannot be contradicted by any, for the 
 text saith plainly they did so, the disciples then 
 came together to break bread, the disciples among 
 the Gentiles, did so. 
 
 Thus you see that the solemnizing of a first 
 day to holy uses was not limited to, though first 
 preached by the church that was at Jerusalem. 
 The church at Jerusalem was the mother church, 
 and not that at Rome, as some falsely imagine ; 
 for from this church went out the law and the 
 holy word of God to the Gentiles. Wherefore it 
 must be supposed that this meeting of the Gentiles 
 on the first day of the week to break bread, came 
 to them by holy traditiout from the church at Je- 
 rusalem, since they were the first that kept the 
 first day as holy unto the Lord their God. 
 
 And indeed, they had the best advantage to do 
 it ; for they had their Lord in the head of them 
 to back them to it by his presence and preaching 
 thereon. 
 
 But we will a little comment upon the text. 
 ' Upon the first day of the week.' Thus you see 
 the day is nominated, and so is kept alive among 
 the churches. For in that the day is nominated 
 on which this religious exercise was performed, it 
 is to be supposed that the Holy Ghost would have 
 it live, and be taken notice of by the churches that 
 succeed. 
 
 It also may be nominated to shew, that both the 
 church at Jerusalem, and those of the Gentiles did 
 harmonize in their sabbath, jointly concluding to 
 solemnize worship on a [the same] day. And 
 
 * 'That we read of in the New Testament; for this is our 
 sole authority in all inquiries as to a Christian's faith and 
 practice. — Ed. 
 
 f 'Tradition' is a commnnication without writing, and 
 when made orally hy some apostle or messenger from the iii'st 
 chm'ch at Jerusalem, and the message so obeyed as to be left 
 I'.poji record by the Holy Ghost, it has the same authority as 
 if it had been commanded in an epistle. It has nothing to do 
 with the vain traditions of the fathers (so called), which were 
 not heard of until after the inspired volume was completed 
 and closed. Any subsequent commands ore censures upon 
 God's omniseieace, and ai'e deserving only of conlempt. — Ed. 
 
 then again to shew, that they all had loft the old 
 sabbath to the unbelievers, and jointly chose to 
 sanctify the day of the rising of their Lord, to this 
 work. 
 
 They ' came together to break bread,' to par- 
 take of the supper of the Lord. And what day 
 so fit as the Lord's day for this ? This was to bo 
 the work of that day, to wit, to solemnize that 
 ordinance among themselves, adjoining other so- 
 lemn worship thereto, to fiU up the day, as the 
 following part of the verse shews. This day there- 
 fore was designed for this work, the whole day, 
 for the text declares it. The first day of the week 
 was set by them apart for this work. 
 
 ' Upon THE first day ; ' not upon a first day, or 
 upon one first day, or upon such a first day ; for 
 had he said so, we had had from thence not so 
 strong an argument for om- purpose; but when he 
 saith, ' upon the first day of the week ' they did 
 it, he insinuates, that it was their custom. [It 
 was] also upon one of these, [that] Paul being 
 among them, preached unto them, ready to depart 
 on the morrow. Upon the first day : what, or 
 which first day of this, or that, of the third or 
 fourth week of the month ? No, but upon the 
 first day, every first day ; for so the text admits 
 us to judge. 
 
 ' Upon the first day of the week, wiiex the dis- 
 ciples came together,' supposes a custom when, or 
 as they were wont to come together to perform 
 such service among themselves to God : then Paul 
 preached unto them, <fec. 
 
 It is a text also that supposes an agreement 
 among themselves as to this thing. They came 
 together then to break bread ; they had appointed 
 to do it then, for that then was the day of their 
 Lord's resurrection, and that in which he himself 
 congregated after he revived, with the first gospel 
 church, the church at Jerusalem. 
 
 Thus you see, that breaking of bread, was the 
 work, the work that by general consent was agreed 
 to be by the churches of the Gentiles performed 
 upon the first day of the week. I say, by the 
 churches ; for I doubt not but that the practice 
 here, was also the practice of the rest of the Gen- 
 tile churches, even as it had been before the prac- 
 tice of the church at Jerusalem. 
 
 For this practice now did become universal, and 
 so this text implies ; for he speaks here universally 
 of the practice of all disciples as such, though he 
 limits Paul preaching to that church with whom 
 he at present personally was. Upon the first, day 
 of the week, ' when the disciples came together to 
 break bread, ' Paul being at that time at Troas 
 preached to them on that day. 
 
 Thus then you see how the Gentile churches did 
 use to break bread, not on the old sabbath, but on 
 the first day of the week. And, I say, they had 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 377 
 
 it from the churcli at Jerusalem; where the apostles 
 were first seated, and beheld the way of their Lord 
 with their eyes. 
 
 Now, I say, since we have so ample an example, 
 not only of the church at Jerusalem, hut also of 
 the churches of the Gentiles, for the keeping of the 
 first day to the Lord, and that as countenanced by 
 Christ and his apostles, we should not he afraid 
 to tread in their steps, for their practice is the 
 same with law.and commandmnet. But, 
 
 Fifth, We will add to this another text. ' Now 
 (saith Paul) concerning the collection for the saints, 
 as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, 
 even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let 
 every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath 
 prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I 
 
 come. ' 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. 
 
 This text some have greatly sought to evade, 
 counting the duty here, on this day to be done, a 
 duty too inferior for the sanction of an old seventh 
 day sabbath ; when yet to show mercy to an ass 
 on the old sabbath, was a work which our Lord no 
 ways condemns. Lu. xiii. 15 ; xiv. 5. 
 
 But to pursue our design, we have a duty 
 enjoined, and that of no inferior sort. If charity 
 be indeed as it is, the very bond of perfectness : 
 and if without it all our doings, yea and sufferings 
 too, are not worthy so much as a I'ush, 1 Co. xiii. Col. 
 lii. 14. we have here a duty, I say, that a seventh 
 day sabbath, when in force, was not too big for it 
 to be performed in. 
 
 The work now to be done, was, as you see, to 
 bestow their charity upon the poor; yea, to pro- 
 vide for time to come. And I say, it must be 
 collected upon the first day of the week. Upon 
 THE first day ; not A first day, as signifying one 
 or two, but upon the first day, even every first 
 day; for so your ancient Bibles have it;* also our 
 later must be so understood, or else Paul had 
 left them to whom he did write, utterly at a loss. 
 For if he intended not every first day, and yet did 
 not specify a particular one, it could hardly even 
 have been understood which first day he meant. 
 But we need not stand upon this. This work 
 was a work for a first-day, for every first day of 
 the week. 
 
 Note again that we have this duty here com- 
 manded and enforced by an apostolical order : ' I 
 have given order,' saith Paul, for this; and his 
 
 * The New Testament by Wliittingliam, 1557 ; the Genevan 
 or Puritan Bible by Knox, Ooverdale, and others, 1560; and 
 the New Testament revised by Tomsou, 1576, very frequently 
 reprinted, and very favourite translations among our pm-itan 
 and pilgrim forefathers in the faith. The margiual note to 
 the Puritan Bible, in Acts xx. 7, 'first day,' is, 'which wc call 
 Sunday. Of this place, and also of the 1 Cor. xvi. 2, we 
 gather that the Christians used to have their solemn assemblies 
 this day, laying aside the ceremony of the Jewish sabbath.' — Ed. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 orders, as he saith in another place, ' are the com- 
 mandments of the Lord. ' You have it in the same 
 epistle, ch. xiv. 37. 
 
 Whence it follows, that there was given even by 
 the apostles themselves, a holy respect to the first 
 day of the week above all the days of the week ; 
 yea, or of the year besides. 
 
 Further, I find also by this text, that this order 
 is universal. I have, saith he, given this order 
 not only to you, but to the churches of Galatia. 
 Consequently to all other that were concerned in 
 this collection. 2Co. viii.; ix. <fec. 
 
 Now this, whatever others may think, puts yet 
 more glory upon the first day of the week. For 
 in that all the churches are commanded, as to 
 make their collections, so to make them on this 
 day : what is it, but that this day, by reason of the 
 sanction that Christ put upon it, was of virtue to 
 sanctify the offering through and by Christ Jesus, 
 as the altar and temple afore did sanctify the gift 
 and gold that was, and was offered on them. The 
 proverb is, ' The better day, the better deed.' And 
 I believe, that things done on the Lord's day, are 
 better done, than on other days of the week, in his 
 worship. 
 
 Obj. But yet, say some, here are no orders to 
 keep this first day holy to the Lord. 
 
 Ans. 1. That is supplied; for that by this very 
 text this day is appointed, above all the days of 
 the week, to do this holy duty in. 
 
 2. You must understand that this order is but 
 additional, and now enjoined to fiU up that which 
 was begun as to holy exercise of religious worship 
 by the churches long before. 
 
 3. The universality of tlie duty being enjoined 
 to this day, supposes that this day was universally 
 kept by the churches as holy already. 
 
 4. And let him that scrupleth this, shew me, if 
 he can, that God by the mouth of his apostles did 
 ever command that all the churches should be 
 confined to this or that duty on such a day, and 
 yet put no sanction upon that day ; or tliat he has 
 commanded that this work should be done on the 
 first day of the week, and yet has reserved other 
 cliurch ordinances as a public solemnization of 
 worship to him, to be done of another day, as of a 
 day more fit, more holy. 
 
 5. If charity, if a general cuUection for the saints 
 in the churches is commanded on this day, and on 
 no other day hut this day; for church collection is 
 commanded on no other, tliere must be a reason 
 for it: and if that reason had not icspectto the 
 sanction of the day, I know not why the duty 
 should be so strictly confined to it. 
 
 6. But for the apostle now to give with this a 
 particular command to the churches to sanctify 
 that day as holy unto the Lord, had been utterly 
 siipei-fluous ; for that they already, and that by 
 
 3b 
 
378 
 
 THE SEVENTH-DAT SABBATH. 
 
 the countenance of their Lord, and his church at 
 Jerusalem, had done. 
 
 Before now, I say, it was hecome a custom, as 
 by what hath been said already is manifest : where- 
 fore what need that their so solemn a practice he 
 imposed again upon the brethren ? An intimation 
 now of a continued respect thereto, by the very 
 naming of the day, is enough to keep the sanctity 
 thereof on foot in the churches. How much more 
 then, when the Lord is still adding holy duty to 
 holy duty, to be performed upon that day. So then, 
 in that the apostle writes to the churches to do 
 this holy duty on the first day of the week, he 
 puts them in mind of the sanction of the day, and 
 insinuates, that he would still have them have a 
 due respect thereto. 
 
 Quest. But is there yet another reason why this 
 holy duty should, in special as it is, be commanded 
 to be performed on the first day of the week ? 
 
 Ans. 1. Yes; for that now the churches were come 
 together in their respective places, the better to 
 agree about collections, and to gather them. You 
 know church worship is a duty, so long as we are 
 in the world, and so long also is this of making 
 collections for the saints. And for as much 
 as the apostle speaks here, as I have hinted 
 afore, of a church collection, when is it more fit 
 to be done, than when the church is come to- 
 gether upon the first day of the week to worship 
 God? 
 
 2. This part of worship is most comely to be 
 done upon the first day of the week, and that at 
 the close of that day's work. For thereby the 
 church shows, not only her thankfulness to God 
 for a sabbath day's mercy, but also returneth him, 
 by giving to the poor, that sacrifice for their 
 benefit that is most behoveful to make manifest 
 their professed subjection to Christ. Pr. xix.iT. 2Co. k. 
 12—15. It is therefore necessary, that this work be 
 done on the first day of the week, for a comely 
 close of the worship that we perform to the Lord 
 our God on that day. 
 
 3. On the first day of the week, when the church 
 is performing of holy worship unto God, then that 
 of collection for the saints is most meet to be per- 
 formed ; because then, in aU likelihood, our hearts 
 will be most warm with the divine presence ; con- 
 sequently most open and free to contribute to the 
 necessity of the saints. You know, that a man 
 when his heart is open, is taken with some excel- 
 lent thing ; then, if at all, it is most free to do 
 something for the promoting thereof. 
 
 Why, waiting upon God in the way of his 
 appointments, opens, and makes free, the heart to 
 the poor: and because the first day of the week 
 was it in which now such solemn service to him 
 was done, therefore also the apostle commanded, 
 that upon the same day also, as on a day most fit, 
 
 this duty of collecting for the poor should be done. 
 ' For God loveth a cheerful giver. ' 3 Co. ix. e, 7. 
 
 Wherefore the apostle by this, takes the churches 
 as it were at the advantage, and as we say, [strikes] 
 while the iron is hot, to the intent he might, what 
 in him lay, make their collections, not sparing nor 
 of a grudging mind, but to flow from cheerfulness. 
 And the first day of the week, though its institu- 
 tion be set aside, doth most naturally tend to this ; 
 because it is the day, the only day, on which we 
 received such blessings from God. Ac. iii. 26. 
 
 This is the day on which, at first, it rained 
 manna all day long from heaven upon the new 
 testament church, and so continues to do this day. 
 
 Oh ! the resurrection of Christ, which was on 
 this day, and the riches that we receive thereby. 
 Though it should be, and is, I hope thought on every 
 day ; yet when the first of the week is /idly come ! 
 Then to-day ! This day ! This is the day to be 
 warmed ; this day he was begotten from the dead. 
 
 The thought of this, will do much with an honest 
 mind: this is the day, I say, that the first saints 
 did find, and that after saints do find the blessings 
 of God come down upon them ; and therefore this 
 is the day here commanded to be set apart for holy 
 duties. 
 
 And although what I have said may be but 
 little set by of some, yet, for a closing word as to 
 this, I do think, could but half so much be pro- 
 duced from the day Christ rose from the dead 
 quite down [to the end of revelation], for the sanc- 
 tion of a seventh day sabbath in the churches of 
 the Gentiles, it would much sway with me. But 
 the truth is, neither doth .the apostle Paul, nor any 
 of his feUows, so much as once speak one word to 
 the churches that shows the least regard, as to 
 conscience to God, of a seventh day sabbath more. 
 No, the first day, the first day, the first day, is 
 now aU the cry in the churches by the apostles, 
 for the performing church worship in to God. 
 Christ began it on that day : then the Holy Ghost 
 seconded it on that day : then the churches prac- 
 tised it on that day. And to conclude ; the apostle 
 by the command now under consideration, continues 
 the sanction of that day to the churches to the 
 end of the world. 
 
 But as to the old seventh day sabbath, as hath 
 been said afore in this treatise, Paul, who is the 
 apostle of the Gentiles, has so taken away that 
 whole ministration in the bowels of which it is; 
 yea, and has so stript it of its old testament gran- 
 deur, both by terms and arguments, that it is 
 strange to me it should by any be still kept up in 
 the churches ; specially, since the same apostle, 
 and that at the same time, has put a better minis- 
 tration in its place. 2 Co. iii. 
 
 But when the consciences of good men are cap- 
 tivated with an error, none can stop them from a 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 379 
 
 prosecution thereof, as if were itself of the best 
 of truths. 
 
 Obj. But Paul preached frequently on the old 
 sabbath, and that after the resurrection of Christ. 
 
 Ana. To the unbelieving Jews and their pro- 
 selytes, I grant he did. But we read not that he 
 did it to any new testament church on that day : 
 nor did he celebrate the instituted worship of 
 Christ in the churches on that day. For Paul, 
 who had before cast out the ministration of death, 
 as that which had no glory, would not now take 
 thereof any part for new testament instituted woi-- 
 ship ; for he knew that that would veil the heart, 
 and blind the mind from that, which yet instituted 
 worship was ordained to discover. 
 
 He preached then on the seventh day sabbath, 
 of a divine and crafty love to the salvation of the 
 unbeheving Jews. 
 
 I say, he preached now on that day to them and 
 their proselytes, because that day was theirs by 
 their estimation. He did it, I say, of great love 
 to their souls, that if possible, he might save some 
 of them. 
 
 Wherefore, if you observe, you shall stiU find, 
 that where it is said that he preached on that day, 
 it was to that people, not to the churches of 
 
 Christ. See Ac. ix. 20 ; xiii. 14—16 ; xvi. 13 ; xvU. 1—3; xviii. 4. 
 
 Thus, though he had put away the sanction of 
 that day as to himself, and had left the Christians 
 that were weak to their liberty as to conscience to 
 it, yet he takes occasion upon it to preach to the 
 Jews that still were wedded to it, the faith, that 
 they might be saved by grace. 
 
 Paul did also many other things that were 
 Jewish and ceremonial, for which he had, as then, 
 no conscience at all, as to any sanction that he 
 believed was in them. 
 
 As his circumcising of Timothy. Ac. xvi. 1—3. 
 
 His shaving of his head. Ac. xviii. 18. 
 
 His submitting to Jewish purifications. Ac. 
 sxi. 24—26. 
 
 His acknowledging of himself a Pharisee, ch.xxiiie. 
 
 His implicitly owning of Ananias for high priest 
 after Christ was risen from the dead. Ac. xxiU. 1—5. 
 
 He tells us also that, ' unto the Jews he became 
 as a Jew ' that he might save the Jew. And 
 'without law,' to them that were without law, that 
 also he might gain them. Yea, he became, as he 
 saith, 'all things to all men,' that he might gain 
 the more, as it is 1 Co. ix. 19—23. 
 
 But these things, as I said, he did not of con- 
 science to the things ; for he knew that their 
 sanction was gone. Nor would he suffer them to 
 be imposed upon the churches directly or indirectly; 
 no, not by Peter himself. Ga. ii. 11. 
 
 Were I in Turkey with a church of Jesus Christ, 
 I would keep the first day of the week to God, 
 and for the edification of his people : and would 
 
 also preach the word to the infidels on their sab- 
 bath day, which is our Friday ; and be glad too, 
 if 1 might have such opportunity to try to persuade 
 them to a love of their own salvation. 
 
 Obj. But if the seventh day sabbath is, as you 
 say, to be laid aside by the churches of the Gen- 
 tiles, why doth Christ say to his, ' Pray ye that 
 your flight be not in the winter, neither on the 
 sabbath day ?' For, say some, by this saying it 
 appears, that the old seventh day sabbath, as you 
 have called it, will as to the sanction of it, abide 
 in force after Christ is ascended into heaven. 
 
 Am. I say first, these words were spoken to the 
 Jewish Christians, not to the Gentile churches. 
 And the reason of this first hint, you will see 
 clearer afterwards. 
 
 The Jews had several sabbaths ; as, their seventh 
 day sabbath, their monthly sabbaths, their sabbath 
 of years, and their jubilee. Le. xxv. 
 
 Now if he means their ordinary sabbaths, or 
 that called the seventh day sabbath, why doth he 
 join the winter thereto? for in that he joineth the 
 winter with that sabbath that he exhorteth them 
 to pray their flight might not be in, it should seem 
 that he meaneth rather their sabbath of years, or 
 their jubilee, which did better answer one to an- 
 other than one day and a winter could. 
 
 And I say again, that Christ should suppose 
 that their flight should, or might last some consi- 
 derable part of a winter, and yet that then they 
 should have their rest on those seventh day sab- 
 baths, is a little beside my reason, if it be consi- 
 dered again, that the Gentiles before whom they 
 were then to fly, were enemies to their sabbath, 
 and consequently would take opportunity at their 
 sabbaths to afflict them so much the more. 
 Wherefore, I would that they who plead for a 
 continuation of the seventh day sabbath from this 
 text, would both better consider it, and the inco- 
 herence that seems to be betwixt such a sabbath 
 and a winter. 
 
 But again, were it granted that it is the seventh 
 day sabbath that Christ here intendeth ; yet, since 
 as we have proved, the sanction before this was 
 taken away ; I mean before this flight should be, 
 he did not press them to pray thus because by any 
 law of heaven they should then be commanded to 
 keep it holy ; but because some would, through 
 their weakness, have conscience of it till then. 
 And such would, if their flight should happei) 
 thereon, be as much grieved and perplexed, as if 
 it yet stood obligatory to them by a law. 
 
 This seems to have some truth in it, because 
 among the Jews that believed, there continued a 
 long time many that were wedded yet to the law, to 
 the ceremonial part thereof, and were not so clearly 
 evangelized as the churches of the Gentiles were. 
 ' Thou seest brother, ' said James to Paul, ' how 
 
380 
 
 THE sevi;nth-day sabbath. 
 
 many thousands of Jews there are which helieve ; 
 and they are all zealous of the law.' Ac. xxi. 20 ; xv, 5. 
 
 Of these, and such weak unbelieving Jews, 
 perhaps Christ speaks, when he gives this exhor- 
 tation to them to pray thus ; whose consciences he 
 knew would be weak, and being so, would bind 
 when they were entangled with an error, as fast 
 as if it bound by a law indeed. 
 
 Again, though the seventh day sabbath and 
 ceremonies lost their sanction at the resurrection 
 of Christ, yet they retained some kind of being in 
 the church of the Jews, imtil the desolation spoken 
 of by Daniel should be. 
 
 Hence it is said, that then the oblation and 
 sacrifices shall cease. Da. ix. S7. And hence it is, 
 that Jerusalem and the temple are still called the 
 holy place, even until this flight should be. 
 
 Mat. xxiv. 15. 
 
 Now if Jerusalem and the temple are still called 
 holy, even after the body and substance, of which 
 they were shadows, Were come ; then no marvel 
 though some to that day that believed were en- 
 tangled therewith', <fec. For it may very well be 
 supposed that all conscience of them would not be 
 quite taken away, until all reason for that con- 
 science should be taken away also. But when 
 Jerusalem, and the temple, and the Jews' worship, 
 by the Gentiles was quite extinct by ruins, then in 
 reason that conscience did cease. And it seems 
 by some texts, that all conscience to them was 
 not taken away tiU then. 
 
 Quest. But what kind of being had the seventh 
 day sabbath, and other Jewish rites and cere- 
 monies, that by Christ's resurrection were taken 
 away ? 
 
 Ans. These things had a virtual and a nominal 
 being. As to their virtual being, that died that 
 day Christ did rise from the dead, they being 
 crucified with him on the cross. Col. ii. 
 
 But now, when the virtual being was gone, they 
 still with the weak retained their name, among 
 many of the Jews that believed, until the abomi- 
 nation that maketh desolate stood in the holy 
 place: for in Paul's time they were, as to that, 
 but ready to vanish away. 
 
 Now, I say, they still retaining their nominal 
 grandeur, though not by virtue of a law, they 
 could not, till time and dispensation came, be 
 swept out of the way. We will make what hath 
 been said, as to this, out by a familiar similitude. 
 
 There is a lord or great man dies ; now being 
 dead, he has lost his virtual life, fie has now no 
 relation to a wife, to children, virtually ; yet his 
 name still abides, and that in that family, to which 
 otherwise he is dead. Wherefore they embalm 
 him, and also keep him above ground for many 
 days. Yea, he is still reverenced by those of the 
 family, and that in several respects. Nor doth 
 
 any thing but time and dispensation wear this 
 name away. 
 
 Thus then the Old Testament signs and shadows 
 went off the stage in the church of Christ among 
 the Jews. They lost their virtue and signification 
 when Christ nailed them to his cross. Col. ii. But 
 as to their name, and the grandeur that attended 
 that, it continued with many that were weak, and 
 vanished not, but when the abomination that made 
 them desolate came. 
 
 The sum then and conclusion of the matter is 
 this ; the seventh day sabbath lost its glory when 
 that ministration in which it was, lost its : But 
 yet the name thereof might abide a long time with 
 the Jewish legal Christians, and so might become 
 obligatory still, though not by the law, to their 
 conscience, even as circumcision and other cere- 
 monies did: and to them it would be as grievous 
 to fly on that day, as if by law it was still in force. 
 For, I say, to a weak conscience, that law which 
 has lost its life, may yet through their ignorance, 
 be as binding as if it stood still upon the authority 
 of God. 
 
 Things then become obligatory these two ways, 
 (1,) By an institution of God. (2.) By the over- 
 ruling power of a man's misinformed conscience. 
 And although by virtue of an institution divine 
 worship is acceptable to God by Christ, yet con- 
 science will make that a man shall have but Kttle 
 ease if such rules and dictates as it imposes be not 
 observed by him. 
 
 This is my answer, upon a supposition that the 
 seventh day sabbath is in this text intended : and 
 the answer, I think, stands firm and good. 
 
 Also, there remains, notwithstanding this ob- 
 jection, no divine sanction in or upon the , old 
 seventh day sabbath. 
 
 Some indeed will urge, that Christ here meant 
 the first day of the week, which here he puts 
 under the term of sabbath. But this is foreign to 
 me, so I waive it till I receive more satisfaction 
 in the thing. 
 
 Quest. But if indeed the first day of the week 
 be the new christian sabbath, why is there no 
 more spoken of its institution in the testament of 
 Christ? 
 
 Ans. No more ! What need is there of more 
 than enough ! Yea, the)'e is a great deal found 
 in the testament of the Lord Jesus to prove its 
 authority divine. 
 
 (1.) For we have shewed from sundry scriptures, 
 that from the very day our Lord did rise from the 
 the dead, the church at Jerusalem, in which the 
 the twelve apostles vrere, did meet together on that 
 day, and had the Lord himself for their preacher, 
 while they were auditors ; and thus the day began. 
 (2.) We have shewed that the Holy Ghost, the 
 third person in the Trinity, did second this of 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 S81 
 
 Christ, in coming down from heaven upon this day 
 to manage the apostles in their preaching ; and in 
 that very day so managed them in that work, that 
 by his help they then did bring three thousand 
 souls to God. 
 
 (3.) We have shewed also, that after this the gen- 
 tile churches did solemnize this day for holy wor- 
 ship, and that they had from Paul both countenance 
 and order so to do. 
 
 And now I will add, that more neea not be 
 spoken : for the practice of the first church, with 
 their Lord in the head of them to manage them in 
 that practice, is as good as many commands. What 
 then shall we say, when we see a first practice 
 turned into holy custom? 
 
 I say, moreover, that though a seventh day sab- 
 bath is not natural to man as man, yet our chris- 
 tian holy day is natural to us as saints, if our 
 consciences are not clogged before with some old 
 fables, or Jewish customs. 
 
 But if an old religion shall get footing and root- 
 ing in us, though the grounds thereof be vanished 
 away, yet the man concerned will be hard put to 
 it, should he be saved, to get clear of his clouds, 
 and devote himself to that service of God which is 
 of his own prescribing. 
 
 Luther himself, though he saw many things were 
 without ground which he had received for truth, 
 had yet work hard enough, as himself intimates, 
 to get his conscience clear from all those roots and 
 strings of inbred error. 
 
 But, I say, to an imtainted and well bred Chris- 
 tian, we have good measure, shaken together, and 
 running over, for our christian Lord's day. And 
 I say again, that the first day of the week, and 
 the spirit of such a Christian, suit one another as 
 nature suiteth nature ; for there is as it were a 
 natural instinct in Christians, as such, when they 
 understand what in a first day was brought forth, 
 to fall in therewith to keep it holy to their Lord. 
 
 1. The first day of the week! Why it was the 
 day of our life. -After two days he will revive 
 us,' and in the third day ' we shall live in his sight.' 
 ' After two days' there is the Jews' preparation, 
 and seventh day sabbath, quite passed over ; and 
 in the third day, that is the first day of the week, 
 which is the day our Lord did rise from the dead, 
 we began to live by him in the sight of God. Ho. vi. 
 
 2. Ji). XX. i. 1 Co. XV. i. 
 
 2. The first day of the week ! That is the day 
 in which, as I hinted before, our Lord was wont 
 to preach to his disciples after he rose from the 
 dead ; in which also he did use to shew them his 
 hands and his feet. Lu. xxiv. S8, 39. Jn. xx. 25. To the 
 end they might be confirmed in the truth of his 
 victory over death and the grave for them. The 
 day in which he made himself known to them in 
 breaking bread. The day in which he so plenti- 
 
 fully poured out the Holy Ghost upon them. The 
 day in which the chui-ch, both at Jerusalem and 
 those of the Gentiles, did use to perform to God 
 divine worship: all which has before been suffi- 
 ciently proved. And shall we not imitate our 
 Lord, nor the church that was immediately acted* 
 by him in this, and the churches their fellows ? 
 Shall, I say, the Lord Jesus do all this in his 
 church, and they together with him ! Shall the 
 churches of the Gentiles also fall in with their Lord 
 and with their mother at Jerusalem herein ! And 
 again, shall all this be so pimctually committed to 
 sacred story, with the day in which these things 
 were done, under denomination, over and over, say- 
 ing. These things were done on the first day, on 
 the first day, on the first day of the week, while 
 all other days are, as to name, buried in everlast- 
 ing oblivion ! And shall we not take that notice 
 thereof as to follow the Lord Jesus and the churches 
 herein? Oh stupidity! 
 
 3. This day of the week! They that make but 
 observation of what the Lord did of old, to a many 
 sinners, and with his churches on this day, must 
 needs conclude, that in this day the treasures of 
 heaven were broken up, and the richest things 
 therein communicated to his church. Shall the 
 children of this world be, as to this also, wiser in 
 their generations than the children of light, and 
 former saints, upon whose shoulders we pretend to 
 stand, go beyond us here also. 
 
 Jacob could by observation gather that the place 
 where he lay down to sleep was no other but the 
 house of God, and the very gate of heaven. 
 Ge. xxviii. 17. 
 
 Laban could gather by observation, that the 
 Lord blessed him for Jacob's sake. Ge. x.xx. 27. 
 
 David could gather by what he met with upon 
 Mount Moriah, that that was the place where God 
 would have the temple builded, therefore he sacri- 
 ficed there. 1 Ch. xxi. 26—28 ; xxii. 1, 2. 2 Cli. iii. 1. 
 
 Ruth was to mark the place where Boaz lay 
 down to sleep, and shall not Christians also mark 
 the day in which our Lord rose from the dead. 
 
 Ru. iii. i. 
 
 I say, shall we not mark it, when so many 
 memorable things were done on it, for and to and 
 in the churches of God ! Let saints be ashamed 
 to think that such a day should be looked over, or 
 counted common, when tempted to it by Satan, 
 when [it was] kept to religious service of old, and 
 when beautified with so many divine characters of 
 sanctity as we have proved, by Christ, his church, 
 the Holy Ghost, and the command of apostolical 
 authority it was. 
 
 But why, I say, is this day, on which our Lord 
 
 * ' Acted by,' a mode of speech now obsolete ; it menus 
 'actuated by' or 'influenced by.' — Ed. 
 
382 
 
 THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 rose from the dead, nominated as it is ? Why was 
 it not sufficient to say ' he rose again. ' or, he rose 
 again the third day ? without a specification of the 
 very name of the day. For, as was said afore, 
 Christ appeared to his disciples, after his resurrec- 
 tion, on other days also, yea, and thereon did 
 miracles to. Why then did not these days live ? 
 Why was their name, for all that, blotted out, and 
 this day only kept alive in the churches ? 
 
 The day on which Christ was horn of a virgin ; 
 the day of his circumcision, the day of his baptism, 
 and of his transfiguration, are not by their names 
 committed by the Holy Ghost to holy writ to be 
 kept alive in the world, nor yet such days in which 
 he did many great and wonderful things. But 
 THIS day, this day is still nominated ; the first day 
 of the week is the day. I say, why are things 
 thus left with us? But because we, as saints of 
 old, should gather, and separate, what is of divine 
 authority from the rest. For in that this day is 
 so often nominated while all other days lie dead in 
 their graves, it is as much as if God should say. 
 Remember the first day of the week to keep it holy 
 to the Lord your God. 
 
 And set this aside, and I know not what reason 
 can be rendered, or what prophecy should be ful- 
 filled by the hare naming of the day. 
 
 When God, of old, did sanctify for the use of 
 his church a day, as he did many, he always called 
 them either by the name of the day of the month, 
 or of the week, or by some other signal by which 
 they might be certainly known, why should it not 
 then be concluded, that for this very reason the 
 first day of the week is thus often nominated by 
 the Holy Ghost in the testament of Christ ? 
 
 Moreover, he that takes away the first day, as 
 to this service, leaves us now no day, as sanctified 
 of God, for his solemn worship to be by his churches 
 performed in. As for the seventh day sabbath, 
 that, as we have seen, is gone to its grave 
 with the signs and shadows of the Old Testament. 
 Yea, and has such a dash left upon it by apos- 
 tolical authority, that it is enough to make a 
 Christian fly from it for ever. 2 Co. m. 
 
 Now, I say, since that is removed by God : if 
 we should sufii'er the first day also to be taken away 
 by man, what day that has a divine stamp upon it, 
 would be left for us to worship God in ? 
 
 Alas ! the first day of the week is the Christian's 
 market day, that which they so solemnly trade in 
 for sole provision for all the week following. 
 This is the day that they gather manna in. To 
 be sure the seventh day sabbath is not that. For 
 of old the people of God could never find manna on 
 that day. ' On the seventh day (said Moses) 
 which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. ' Ex. 
 
 ivi. 26. 
 
 Any day of the week manna could be found, but 
 
 on that day it was not to be found upon the face 
 of the ground. But now our first day is the manna 
 day ; the only day that the churches of the New 
 Testament, even of old, did gather manna in. But 
 more of this anon. 
 
 Nor will it out of my mind but that it is a very 
 high piece of ingratitude, and of uncomely beha- 
 viour, to deny the Son of God his day, the Lord's 
 day, the day that he has made. And as we have 
 shewed already, this first day of the week is it ; 
 yea, and a great piece of unniannerliness is it too, 
 for any, notwithstanding the old seventh day is so 
 degraded as it is, to attempt to impose it on the 
 Son of God. To impose a day upon him which 
 yet Paul denies to be a branch of the ministration 
 of the Spirit, and of righteousness. Yea, to im- 
 pose a part of that ministration which he says 
 plainly ' which was done away, ' for that a better 
 ministration stript it of its glory, is a high attempt 
 indeed. 2 Co. iii. 
 
 Yet again, the apostle smites the teachers of 
 the law upon the mouth, saying, ' understanding 
 neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.' 
 1 Ti. i. 7. 
 
 The seventh day sabbath, was indeed God's rest 
 from the works of creation ; but yet the rest that 
 he found in what the first day of the week did pro- 
 duce, for Christ was born from the dead on it, 
 more pleased him than did all the seventh days 
 that ever the world brought forth : wherefore, as I 
 said before, it cannot be but that the well-bred 
 Christian must set apart this day for solemn wor- 
 ship to God, and to sanctify his name therein. 
 
 Must the church of old be bound to remember 
 that night in which they did come out of Egypt! 
 must Jephtha's daughter have four days for the 
 virgins of Israel yearly to lament her hard case 
 in ! Yea, must two days be kept by the church of 
 old, yearly, for their being delivered from Haman's 
 fury! And must not one to the world's end be 
 kept by the saints for the Son of God their Re- 
 deemer, for all he has delivered them from a worse 
 than Pharaoh or Haman, even from the devil, and 
 death, and sin, and hell ! Oh stupidity ! Ex. xii. 24. 
 
 Judg. xi. 89, 40. Es. ix. 26—32. 
 
 A day! say some, God forbid but he should 
 have a day. But what day ? Oh ! The old day 
 comprised within the bounds and bowels of the 
 ministration of death. 
 
 And is this the love that thou hast to thy Re- 
 deemer, to keep that day to him for all the service 
 that he hath done for thee, which has a natural 
 tendency in it to draw thee oif from the consider- 
 ation of the works of thy redemption, to the crea- 
 tion of the world ! Oh stupidity ! 
 
 But why must he be imposed upon ? Has he 
 chosen that day ? Did he finish his work thereon ? 
 Is there in all the New Testament of our Lord, 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 383 
 
 from the day he rose from the dead, to the end of 
 his holy book, one syllable that signifies in the least 
 the tenth part of such a thing? Where is the 
 scripture that saith that this Lord of the sabbath 
 commanded his church, from that time, to do any 
 part of church service thereon ? Where do we 
 find the churches to gather together thereon ? 
 
 But why the seventh day? What is it? Take 
 but the shadow thereof away. Or what shadow 
 now is left in it since its institution as to divine 
 service is taken long since from it? 
 
 Is there any thing in the works that was done 
 in that day, more than shadow, or that in the least 
 tends otherwise to put us in mind of Christ ; and 
 he being come, what need have we of that shadow ? 
 And I say again, since that day was to be observed 
 by a ceremonial method, and no way else, as we 
 find ; and since ceremonies have ceased, what way 
 of divine appointment is there left to keep that old 
 sabbath by Christians in ? 
 
 If they say, ceremonies have ceased. By the 
 same argument, so is the sanction of the day in 
 which they were to be performed. I would gladly 
 see the place, if it is to be found, where it is said, 
 That day retains its sanction, which yet has lost 
 that method of service which was of God appointed 
 for the perfonnance of worship to him thereon. 
 
 When Canaan worship fell, the sanction of Ca- 
 uaan fell. When temple worship, and altar wor- 
 ship, and the sacrifices of the Levitical priesthood 
 fell, down also came the things themselves. Like- 
 wise so, when the service, or shadow and cere- 
 monies of the seventh day sabbath fell, the seventh 
 day sabbath fell likewise. 
 
 On the seventh day sabbath, as I told you, 
 manna was not to be found. But why ? For that 
 thM day was of Moses and of the ministration of 
 death. But manna was not of him. Moses, saith 
 Christ, ' gave you not that bread of heaven. ' Jn. 
 Ti. SI, 32. Moses, as was said, gave that sabbath in 
 tables of stone, and God gave that manna from 
 heaven. Christ, nor his Father, gives grace by 
 the law ; no not by that law in which is contained 
 the old seventh day sabbath itself. 
 
 The law is not of faith, why then should grace 
 be by Christians expected by observation of the 
 law ? The law, even the law written and engraven 
 in stones, enjoins perfect obedience thereto on pain 
 of the curse of God. Nor can that part of it now 
 under consideration, according as is required, be 
 fulfilled by any man, was the ceremony thereto 
 belonging, allowed to be laid aside. I3. 1™. 13. Never 
 man yet did keep it perfectly, except he whose 
 name is Jesus Christ: in him therefore we have 
 kept it, and by him are set free from that law, and 
 brought under the ministration of the Spirit. 
 
 But why should we be bound to seek manna on 
 that day, on which God says, none shall be found. 
 
 Perhaps it will be said, that the sanction of tliat 
 day would not admit that manna should be gathered 
 on it. 
 
 But that was not all, for on that day there was 
 none to be found. And might I choose, I had 
 rather sanctify that day to God on which I might 
 gather this bread of God all day long, then set my 
 mind at all upon that in which no such bread was 
 to be had. 
 
 The Lord's day, as was said, is to the Christians 
 the principal manna day. 
 
 On this day, even on it manna in the morning 
 very early was gathered by the disciples of our 
 Lord, as newly springing out of the ground. The 
 true bread of God : the sheaf of first fruits, which 
 is Christ from the dead, was ordained to he waved 
 before the Lord on the morrow after the sabbath, 
 the day on which our Lord ceased from his own 
 work as God did from Ms. Le. xxiii. 
 
 Now therefore the disciples found their green 
 ears of corn indeed ! Now they read life, both in 
 and out of the sepulchre in which the Lord was 
 laid. Now they could not come together nor 
 speak one to another, but either their Lord was 
 with them, or they had heart enflaming tidings 
 from him. Now cries one and says. The Lord is 
 risen : And then another and says. He hath 
 appeared to such and such. 
 
 Now comes tidings to the eleven that their 
 women were early at the sepulchre, where they had 
 a vision of angels that told them their Lord was 
 risen : Then comes another and says. The Lord is 
 risen indeed. Two also came from Emmaus and 
 cried. We have seen the Lord : and by and by, 
 while they yet were speaking, their Lord shows 
 himself in the midst of them. 
 
 Now he calls to their mind some of the eminent 
 passages of his life, and eats and drinks in their 
 presence, and opens the scriptures to them : )'ea, 
 and opens their understanding too, that their 
 hearing might not be unprofitable to them ; all 
 which continued from early in the morning till late 
 at night. Oh ! what a manna day was this to the 
 church. And more than all this you will find, if 
 you read but the four evangelists upon this subject. 
 
 Thus began the day after the sabbath, and thus 
 it has continued through all ages to this very day. 
 Never did the seventh day sabbath yield manna to 
 Christians. A new world was now begun with 
 the poor church of God, for so said the Lord of 
 the sabbath, 'Behold, I make all things new.' A 
 new covenant, and why not then a new resting day 
 to the church ? Or why must the old sabbath be 
 joined to this new ministration ? let him that can, 
 show a reason for it. 
 
 Christians, if I have not been so large upon 
 things as some might expect ; know, that my 
 brevity on this subject is, from consideration that 
 
38 i 
 
 THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 must needs not be spoken tliereto, and because I 
 may have occasion to write a second part. 
 
 Christians, beware of being entangled with old 
 testament ministrations, lest by one you be brought 
 into many inconveniencies. 
 
 I have observed, that though the Jewish rites 
 have lost their sanction, yet some that are weak in 
 judgment, do bring themselves into bondage by 
 them. Yea, so high have some been carried as to 
 a pretended conscience to these that they have at 
 last proceeded to circumcision, to many wives, and 
 the observation of many bad things besides. 
 
 Yea, I have talked mth some pretending to 
 Christianity, who have said, and affirmed, as well 
 as they could, that the Jewish sacrifices must up 
 again. 
 
 But do you give no heed to these Jewish fables 
 'That turn from the truth. ' Tit. i. u. Do you, I 
 say, that love the Lord Jesus, keep close to his 
 testament, his word, his gospel, and observe nis 
 holy day. 
 
 And this caution in conclusion I would give, to 
 put stop to this Jewish ceremony, to wit. That a 
 seventh day sabbath pursued according to its im- 
 position by law, (and I know not that it is imposed 
 by the apostles) leads to blood and stoning to death 
 those that do but gather sticks thereon. Nu. xv. 32— 
 36. A thing which no way becomes the gospel, 
 that ministration of tlie Spirit and of righteous- 
 ness. 2 Cor. iii. Nor yet the professors thereof. Lu. ix. 
 
 54—66. 
 
 Nor can it with fairness be said, that lliat sab- 
 bath day remains, although the law thereof is 
 repealed. For confident I am, that there ia no 
 more ground to make such a conclusion, than there 
 is to say, that circumcision is still of force, though 
 the law for cutting of the uncircumcised is by the 
 gospel made null and void. 
 
 I told you also in the epistle, that if the fifth 
 commandment was the first that was with promise; 
 then it follows, that the fourth, or that seventh 
 day sabbath, had no promise entailed to it. 
 Whence it follows, that where you read in the 
 prophet of a promise annexed to a sabbath, it is 
 best to understand it of our gospel sabbath, is. ivi. 
 
 Now if it be asked, What promise is entailed to 
 our first day sabbath ? I answer. The biggest of 
 promises. For, 
 
 First, The resurrection of Christ was tied by 
 promise to this day, and to none other. He rose 
 the third day after his death, and that was the 
 first day of the week, ' according ' to what was 
 fore-promised in the scriptures. Ho. vi. i, 2. i Co. xv. 3—6. 
 
 Second, That we should live before God by him, 
 is a promise to be fulfilled on this day ; ' After 
 two days will he revive us : in the third day we 
 shall live in his sight.' Ho. vi. 2. See also Is. xxvi. 19. 
 and compare them again with i Co. w. i. 
 
 Third, The great promise of the new testament, 
 to wit, the pouring out of the Spirit, fixeth upon 
 these days ; and so he began in the most wonder- 
 ful effusion of it upon Pent«cost, which was the 
 first day of the week, that the scriptures might be 
 
 fulfilled. Ac. ii. 16-19. 
 
 Nor could these three promises be fulfilled upon 
 any other days, for that the scripture had fixed 
 them to the first day of the week. 
 
 I am of opinion that these things, though but 
 briefly touched upon, cannot be fairly objected 
 against, however they may be disrelished by some. 
 
 Nor can I believe, that any part of our religion, 
 as we are Christians, stands in not kindling of fires, 
 and not seething of victuals, or in binding of men 
 not to stir out of those places on the seventh day, 
 in which at the dawning thereof they were found. 
 And yet these are ordinances belonging to that 
 seventh day sabbath. Ex. xvi. 33— 29. 
 
 Certainly it must needs be an error to impose 
 these things by divine authority upon new testa- 
 ment believers, our worship standing now in tilings 
 more weighty, spiritual, and heavenly. 
 
 Nor can it be proved, as I have hinted before, 
 that this day was, or is to be imposed without 
 those ordinances, with others in other places men- 
 tioned and adjoined, for the sanction of that day, 
 they being made necessary parts of that worship 
 that was to be performed thereon. 
 
 I have charity for those that abuse themselves 
 and their Lord, by their preposterous zeal and 
 affection for the continuing of this day in the 
 churches. For I conclude, that if they did either 
 believe, or think of the incoherence that this day 
 with its rites and ceremonies has with the mini- 
 stration of the Spirit, our new testament ministra- 
 tion, they would not so stand in their own light as 
 they do, nor so stiffly plead for a place for it in the 
 churches of the Gentiles. But as Paul insinuates 
 in other cases, there is an aptness in men to be 
 under the law because they do not hear it. Ga. iv. 
 
 Nor will it out of my mind, but if the seventh 
 day sabbath was by divine authority, and to be 
 kept holy by tlie churches of the Gentiles, it should 
 not have so remained among the Jews, Christ's 
 deadliest enemies, and have been kept so much 
 hid from the believers, his best friends. For who 
 has retained the pretended sanction of that day 
 from Christ's time, quite down in the world, but 
 the Jews, and a few Jewish Gentiles, I will except 
 some. But, I say, since a sabbath is that without 
 which the great worship of God under the gospel 
 cannot be well performed : how can it be thought, 
 that it should as to the knowledge of it, be con- 
 fined to so blasphemous a generation of the Jews, 
 with whom that worship is not ? 
 
 I will rather conclude, that those Gentile pro- 
 fessors that adhere thereto are Jewified, legalized, 
 
THE SEVENTH-DAY SABBATH. 
 
 335 
 
 and so far gone back from the authority of God, 
 who from such bondage has set his churches free. 
 
 I do at this time but hint upon things, reserving 
 a fuller argument upon them for a time and place 
 more fit; where, and when, I may perhaps also 
 show, some other wild notions of those that so 
 stiffly cleave to this. 
 
 Meantime, I entreat those who are captivated 
 with this opinion, not to take it iU at my hand that 
 I thus freely speak my mind. I entreat them also 
 to peruse my book without prejudice to my person. 
 The truth is, one thing that has moved me to this 
 work, is the shame that has covered the face of my 
 soul, when I have thought of the fictions and fancies 
 that are growing among professors. And while I 
 see each fiction turn itself to a faction, to the loss 
 of that good spirit of love, and that oneness that 
 formerly was with good men. 
 
 I doubt not but some unto whom this book may 
 
 TOL. II. 
 
 come, have had seal from God, that the first day 
 of the week is to be sanctified by the church to 
 Jesus Christ. Not only from his testimony, which 
 is, and should be, the ground of our practice ; but 
 also, for that the first conviction that the Holy 
 Ghost made upon their consciences, to make them 
 know that they were sinners, began with them for 
 breaking this sabbath day ; which day, by that 
 same spirit was told them, was that now called the 
 first day, and not the day before, and the Holy 
 Ghost doth not use to begin this work with a he, 
 which first conviction the Spirit has followed so 
 close, with other things tending to complete the 
 same work, that the soul from so good a beginning 
 could not rest until it found rest in Christ. Let 
 this then to such be a second token that the Lord's 
 day is by them to be kept in commemoration of their 
 Lord and his resurrection, and of what he did on 
 this day for their salvation. Amen. 
 3q 
 
OF THE TRINITY AND A CHRISTIAN, 
 
 OF THE LAW AND A CHRISTIAN. 
 
 EDITOE'S ADVEETISEMENT. 
 
 These two short treatises were found among Mr. 
 Bunyan's papers after his decease. They probably 
 were intended for publication, like his ' Prison 
 Meditations' and his 'Map of Salvation,' on a single 
 page each, in the form of a broadside, or handbill. 
 This was the popular mode in which tracts were 
 distributed ; and when posted against a wall, or 
 framed and hung up in a room, they excited notice, 
 and were extensively read. They might also have 
 afforded some trifling profit to aid this poor but 
 eminent servant of Christ in his very limited income. 
 They form two pages in that exceedingly interest- 
 
 ing volume of ' The Works of Mr. John Bunyan,' 
 in smaU folio, 1692, To which is added 'The 
 Struggler,' containing some most valuable facts, 
 relative to the various works, imprisonment and 
 sufferings of the author. The titles to these 
 treatises were added by Mr. Doe, the personal 
 friend of Bunyan, who edited the works and wrote 
 ' The Struggler, 'the author having left them with- 
 out any heading or title. They are very unfinished, 
 and may have been intended as a syllabus or out- 
 line of more extended treatises. — Geo. Offob. 
 
 OF THE TRINITY AND A CHRISTIAN. 
 
 Eovo a young, or shaken Christian shoidd demean 
 himself under the weighty thoughis of the doctrine 
 of the Trinity, or plurality of persons in the 
 eternal godhead. 
 
 The reason why I say a young, or shaken Chris- 
 tian ; it is because some that are not young, but of 
 an ancient standing, may not only be assaulted 
 with violent temptations, concerning gospel princi- 
 ples, but a second time may become a child, a babe, 
 a shallow man, in the things of God ; especially, 
 either when by backsliding he hath provoked God 
 to leave him, or when some new, unexpected, and, 
 as to present strength, over- weighty objection doth 
 fall upon the spirit ; by means of which, great 
 shakings of mind do commonly attend such a soul, 
 in the most weighty matters of the concerns of 
 faith, which this is one that I have supposed in the 
 above-jiamed question. Wherefore passing other 
 things, I win come directly to that, and briefly 
 propose some helps to a soul in such a case. 
 
 THE FIEST PBEPARATIVE. 
 
 First, then, be sure thou keep close to the word 
 of God ; for that is the revelation of the mind 
 and win of God, both as to the truth of what is 
 either in himself or ways ; and also as to what 
 he requireth and expecteth of thee, either concern- 
 ing faith in, or obedience to, what he hath so 
 
 revealed. Now for thy better performing of this 
 I shall give thee in brief these following directions. 
 
 1. Suffer thyself, by the authority of the word, 
 to be persuaded that the scripture indeed is the 
 word of God ; the scriptures of truth, the words 
 of the holy one ; and that they therefore must 
 be every one true, pure, and for ever settled ia 
 heaven. 
 
 2. Conclude therefore from the former doctrine, 
 that that God whose words they are, is able to 
 make a reconciliation and most sweet and harmo- 
 nious agreement with all the sayings therein, how 
 obscure, cross, dark, and contradictory soever they 
 seem to thee. To imderstand aU mysteries, to 
 have all knowledge, to be able to comprehend with 
 all saints, is a great work ; enough to crush the 
 spirit, and to stretch the strings of the most capa- 
 cious and widened soul that breatheth on this side 
 glory, be they notwithstanding exceedinglyenlarged 
 by revelation. Paid, when he was caught up to 
 heaven, saw that which was unlawful, because im- 
 possible for man to utter. And saith Christ to the 
 reasoning Pharisee, ' If I have told you earthly 
 things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if 
 I tell you of heavenly things ?' Jn. iii. la. It is great 
 lewdness, and also insufferable arrogancy to come 
 to the vrord of God, as conceiting already that 
 whatever thou readest, must either by thee be 
 understood, or of itself fall to the ground as a 
 senseless error. But God is wiser than man. 
 
OF THE LAW AND A CHRISTIAN. 
 
 8S7 
 
 wherefore fear thou him, aiid tremble at his word, 
 saying still, with godly suspicion of thine own 
 infirmity, what I see not, teach thou me, and thou 
 art God only wise ; but as for me, ' I was as a 
 beast before thee. ' ps. kxia. 22. 
 
 3. Take heed of taking a part of the word only, 
 lest thou thereby go away with the truth as man- 
 gled in pieces. For instance, where thou readest, 
 'The Lord our God is one Lord;' De.vi.4. there 
 take heed that thou dost not thence conclude, Then 
 there are not three persons in the godhead: Or when 
 thou readest of the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
 Spirit, then take heed of concluding, there must 
 therefore either be three Gods, or else that Jesus 
 Christ and the Holy Ghost are not true God, but 
 the Father only. Wherefore to help thee here, 
 observe, 
 
 THE SECOND PEEPAEATIVE. 
 
 1. That Christian religion requireth credit con- 
 cerning every doctrine contained in the word; 
 credit, I say, according to the true relation of 
 every sentence that the Holy Ghost hath revealed 
 for the asserting, maintaining, or vindicating that 
 same truth. 
 
 2. And therefore hence it is that a Christian is 
 not called a doer, a reasoner, an objector, and 
 perverse disputer ; but a believer. Be thou an 
 example to the believer. ' And believers were the 
 more added to the Lord, ' &c. Ac. v. 14. 1 Ti. iv. 12. 
 
 3. Therefore know again that the word, if it 
 Baith and eipresseth that this or that is so and so, 
 as to the matter in hand, thou art bound and 
 obliged both by the name, profession, and the 
 truth, unto which thou hast joined thyself, to 
 assent to, confess and acknowledge the same, even 
 then when thy carnal reason will not stoop thereto. 
 'Righteous art thou, Lord,' saith Jeremiah, 
 
 ' yet let me talk with thee ; Wherefore doth the 
 way of the wicked prosper ? ' Je. m. 1. Mark, first he 
 acknowledgeth that God's way with the wicked is 
 just and right, even then when yet he could not 
 see the reason of his actings and dispensations 
 towards them. The same reason is good as to 
 our present case. And hence it is that the apostle 
 teacheth, the spiritual armour of Christians should 
 be much exercised against those high-towering and 
 self-exalting imaginations, that within our own 
 bosoms do exalt themselves against the knowledge 
 of God. That every thought, or carnal reasoning, 
 may be not only taken, but brought as captive 
 into obedience to Christ ; that is, be made to stoop 
 to the word of God, and to give way and place to 
 the doctrine therein contained, how cross soever 
 our thoughts and the word lie to each other. And 
 it is observable that he here teacheth. They exalt 
 themselves against the knowledge of God, which 
 cannot be understood that our carnal or natural 
 reason doth exalt itself against an eternal deity, 
 simply considered; for that nature itself doth 
 gather from the very things that are made, even 
 his eternal power and godhead ; it must be then 
 that they exalt themselves against that God as 
 thus and thus revealed iu the word, to wit, against 
 the knowledge of one God consisting of three per- 
 sons. Father, Son, and Spirit; for this is the 
 doctrine of the scriptures of truth ; and therefore 
 it is observable these thoughts must be brought 
 captive, and be made subject in particular to the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, as to the second person in the 
 godhead ; for the Father is ever acknowledged by 
 all that profess the least of religion; but the Son 
 is that stumbling-stone, and rock of ofience, against 
 which thousands dash themselves in pieces ; though 
 in bim are hid all the treasures of wisdom and 
 knowledge, and in him dweUs the fulness of the 
 godhead bodily. 
 
 OF THE LAW AND A CHRISTIAN. 
 
 The law was given twice upon mount Sinai, but 
 the appearance of the Lord when he gave it the 
 second time, was wonderfully diiferent from that 
 of his [appearance], when at the first he delivered 
 
 it to Israel. Ex, xix. and xxriv. 
 
 1. When he gave it the first time, he caused 
 his terror and severity to appear before Moses, to 
 the shaking of his soul, and the dismaying of 
 Israel : Ex. xix. I6. He. xii. 18—20. But when he gave it 
 the second time, he caused all his goodness to pass 
 before Moses, to the comfort of his conscience, 
 and the bowing of his heart. Ex. iixiv, 8. 
 
 2. When he gave it the first time, it was with 
 
 thunderings and lightnings, with blackness and 
 darkness, with flame and smoke, and a tearing 
 sound of the trumpet. Ex. xix. 16—18. But when he 
 gave it the second time, it was with a proclama- 
 tion of his name to be merciful, gracious, long- 
 suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 
 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, 
 transgressions and sins. Ex. xxxiv. 6, 7. 
 
 3. When he gave it the first time, Moses was 
 called to go up to receive it through the fire, which 
 made him exceedingly fear and quake : Ex. xix. is. 
 He. xii. 21. But when he went to receive it the second 
 time, he was laid in a clift of the rock. Ex. xxii. 23. 
 
3«8 
 
 OF THE LAW AND A CHRISTIAN. 
 
 4. From all which I gather, that, though aa to 
 the matter of the law, both as to its being given 
 the first time, and the second, it binds the unbe- 
 lierer under the pains of eternal damnation, if he 
 close not with Christ by faith ; yet as to the man- 
 ner of its giving at these two times, I think the 
 first doth more principally intend its force as a 
 covenant of works, not at all respecting the Lord 
 Jesus ; but this second time not, at least in the 
 manner of its being given, respecting such a cove- 
 nant, but rather as a rule, or directory, to those 
 who already are found in the clift of the rock, 
 Christ : for the saint himself, though he be with- 
 out law to God, as it is considered the first or old 
 covenant, yet even he is not without law to him as 
 considered under grace, not without law to God, 
 but under the law to Christ, l Co, ix. 21. 
 
 5. Though therefore it be sad with the vmbe- 
 liever, because he only and wholly stahdeth imder 
 the law, as it is given in fire, in smoke, in black- 
 ness, and darkness, and thunder ; all which threaten 
 him with eternal ruin if he fulfil not the utmost 
 tittle thereof: yet the believer stands to the law 
 under no such consideration, neither is he so at aU 
 to hear or regard it, for he is now removed from 
 thence to the blessed mountain of Zion, to grace 
 and forgiveness of sins ; he is now, I say, by faith 
 in the Lord Jesus shrouded under so perfect and 
 blessed a righteousness, that this thundering law 
 of mount Sinai cannot find the least fault or dimi- 
 nution therein ; but rather approveth and alloweth 
 thereof either when, or wherever it find it. He. xii. 
 This is called the righteousness of God without the 
 law, and is also said to he witnessed by both the 
 law and the prophets : even the righteousness of 
 God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ ' unto all 
 and upon aU them that believe, for there is no 
 difference. ' Eo. iii. 23. 
 
 6. Wherefore whenever thou who believest in 
 Jesus, dost hear the law in its thundering and 
 lightning fits, as if it would burn up heaven and 
 earth ; then say thou, I am freed from this law, 
 these thunderings have nothing to do with my 
 soul ; nay even this law, while it thus thunders 
 and roareth, it doth both allow and approve of my 
 righteousness. I know that Hagar would some- 
 times be domineering and high, even in Sarah's 
 house and against her ; hut this she is not to he 
 suffered to do, nay though Sarah herself be barren; 
 wherefore serve it also as Sarah sei-ved her, and 
 expel her out from thy house. My meaning is, 
 when this law with its thundering threatenings doth 
 
 attempt to lay hold on thy conscience, shut it out 
 with a promise of grace ; cry, the inn is took up 
 already, the Lord Jesus is here entertained, and 
 here is no room for the law. Indeed if it wiU be 
 content with being my informer, and so lovingly 
 leave off to judge me; I will be content, it shall be in 
 my sight, I will also delight therein ; but other- 
 wise, I being now made upright without it, and 
 that too with that righteousness, which this law 
 speaks well of and approveth ; I may not, will not, 
 cannot, dare not make it my saviour and judge, 
 nor sufifer it to set up its government in my con- 
 science ; for by so doing I fall from grace, and 
 Christ Jesus doth profit me nothing. Ga. v. 1—5. 
 
 7. Thus therefore the soul that is married to 
 him that is raised up from the dead, both may and 
 ought to deal \vith this law of God ; yea, it doth 
 greatly dishonour its Lord and refuse its gospel 
 privileges, if it at any time otherwise doth, what- 
 ever it seeth or feels. The law hath power over 
 the wife so long as her husband liveth, but if her 
 husband be dead she is freed from that law, so 
 that she is no adulteress though she be married 
 to another man. Ko. to. 1—8. Indeed so long as thou 
 art alive to sin, and to thy righteousness which is 
 of the law, so long thou hast them for thy husband 
 and they must reign over thee : But when once 
 they are become dead imto thee, as they then 
 most certainly wiU, when thou closest with the 
 Lord Jesus Christ ; then I say, thy former hus- 
 bands have no more to meddle with thee, thou art 
 freed from their law. Set a case, a woman be 
 cast into prison for a debt of hundreds of pounds, 
 if after this she marry ; yea, though while she is 
 in the gaoler's hand, in the same day that she is 
 joined to her husband, her debt is all become his ; 
 yea, and the law also that arrested and imprisonsd 
 this woman, as freely teUs her, go, she is freed, 
 saith Paul, from that, and so saith the law of this 
 land. 
 
 The sum then of what hath been said is this, the 
 Christian hath now nothing to do with the law, as 
 it thundereth and burneth on Sinai, or as it bindeth 
 the conscience to wrath and the displeasure of 
 God for sin; for from its thus appearing, it is 
 freed by faith in Christ. Yet it is to have regard 
 thereto, and is to count it holy, just and good ; 
 P.O. vii. 12. which that it may do, it is always when- 
 ever it seeth or regards it, to remember that ha 
 who giveth it to us is 'merciful, and gracious, 
 long-sufiering, and abundant in goodness and 
 truth,' &c. E.x. iixiv. 0. 
 
SCRIPTURAL POEMS; 
 
 EEma 
 SEVERAL PORTIONS OF SCRIPTURE DIGESTED INTO ENGLISH VERSE, 
 
 VIZ, 
 
 I. The Book of Ruth. 
 11. The History op Samson. 
 HI. Christ's Sermon on the Mount. 
 
 IV. The Prophecy of Jonah. 
 V. The Life of Joseph. 
 VI. The Epistle of James. ^ 
 
 Bt JOHN BUNYAN. 
 
 licensed according to order, 
 London: Printed for J. Blare, at the Looking Glass, on London Bridge, 1701. 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT BT THE EDITOR. 
 
 This very interesting little volume of poems, we 
 believe, has not been reprinted since the year 1701, 
 nor has it ever been inserted in any edition or cata- 
 logue of Bunyan's works. This may have arisen 
 from the author's having sold his entire copyright — 
 a fact which prevented Charles Doe from publishing 
 many other of Bunyan's treatises, when he projected 
 his edition of the entire works, of which the first 
 volume only was printed. With some other of Bim- 
 yan's rarest tracts, it escaped the researches of Wil- 
 son, who pubhshed the works in 1737, and also of 
 Whitefield, Mason, and all other editors of Bunyan's 
 works. Mr. Doe, in his very interestingpages called 
 ' The Struggler, for the Preservation of Mr. John 
 Bunyan's Labours,' gives a catalogue table of his 
 books in the order in which they were published ; 
 but he had not discovered these poems, nor the 
 Emblems, nor the Exhortation to Peace and Unity. 
 
 The volume from which this edition is printed 
 consists of one hundred pages in crown octavo, with 
 a very rude cut of Ruth and Boaz. It is of extreme 
 rarity, if not unique, in a perfect state. The 
 imprint is — London, for J. Blare, at the Looking 
 Glass, on London Bridge, 1701. It forms part of 
 the Editor's extensive collection of the original or 
 early editions of Bunyan's tracts and treatises; 
 the scarcity of which may be accounted for, from 
 their having been printed on very bad paper, and 
 worn out by use, being so generally and eagerly 
 read by pious persons among the labouring classes 
 of the community. 
 
 The style and substance of these scriptural poems 
 are entirely Bunyan's. His veneration for the holy 
 oracles appears through every page, by his close 
 adherence to the text. He fuUy proves what he 
 asserts in his address to the reader — 
 
 • The WOKD are for the moat part all the same, 
 For I affected plaumess more thaa fame.' 
 
 However uncouth it may appear to use a plural 
 verb after a singular noun, it really expresses his 
 meaning, which is evidently, that portions of the 
 WORD of God are rendered into poetry as nearly as 
 possible, word for word with the original ; and he 
 immediately apologises for this rudeness, in ne- 
 glecting the rules of grammar, by stating his 
 earnest plainness of speech, and his want of educa- 
 tion in early life. 
 
 ' Nor oould'st thou hope to have it better done. 
 For I'm no poet, nor a poet's son, 
 But a mechanic, guided by no rule. 
 But what I gained in a grammar school 
 In my minority.' 
 
 How exactly does this agree with his account of 
 himself in boyhood, — ' It pleased God to put it into 
 my parent's heart to put me to school, to learn 
 both to read and write ; though, to my shame I 
 confess, I did soon lose that I learnt, even almost 
 utterly. '* 
 
 Our surprise will be excited, not by little inac- 
 curacies of style or departures from the rules of 
 grammar, but at the talent of a poor mechanic, in 
 so faithfully rendering scripture histories in such 
 aunple and striking language. As Mr. Burton 
 says, in commending his Gospel Truths Vindicated, 
 — ' This man hath not the learning or wisdom of 
 man, yet through grace he hath received the teach- 
 ing of God, and the learning of the Spirit of Christ, 
 which is the thing that makes a man both a Chris- 
 tian and a minister of the gospel, is. i i. He was 
 
 firace Abounding, No. 3. 
 
390 
 
 SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 not chosen out of an earthly, hut out of the hea- 1 Bunyan's desire he realized, and his verses provo 
 
 venly University, and hath taken these three hea- to aE our readers 
 
 venly degrees — Union with Christ — The Anoint- 'As delighting 
 
 ing of the Spirit, and Experience of the Tempta- To thee in reading, as to me in writing.* 
 
 tiona of Satan ; far hetter than aU the University q Oppor 
 
 learning and degrees that can he had.' May hackhet, August 32, 1849. 
 
 SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 TO THE READER. 
 
 Whoe'er thou art that shall peruse this book, 
 
 This may inform thee, when I midertooli 
 
 To write these lines, it was not my design 
 
 To publish this imperfect work of mine: 
 
 Composed only for diversion's sake. 
 
 But being inclin'd to think thou may'st partake 
 
 Some benefit thereby, I have thought fit. 
 
 Imperfect as it is, to pubHsh it. 
 
 The subjects are a part of the contents. 
 
 Both of the Old and the New Testaments ; 
 
 The word are for the most part all the same. 
 
 For I affected plainness more than fame. 
 
 Nor could'st thou hope to have it better done: 
 
 For I'm no poet, nor a poet's son. 
 
 But a mechanic, guided by no rule. 
 
 But what I gained in a grammar school 
 
 In my minority: I can't commend it. 
 
 Such as it is into the world I send it. 
 
 And should be glad to see some hand to mend 
 
 J 
 
 Would but those men whose genius leads them tot. 
 
 And who have time and parts wherewith to do't. 
 
 Employ their pens in such a task as this, 
 
 'Twonld be a most delightsome exercise 
 
 Of profit to themselves and others too : 
 
 If what the learned Herbert says, holds tme, 
 
 A verse may find him, who a sermon flies, 
 
 And turn delight into a sacrifice;* 
 
 Thus I conclude, and wish it as delighting 
 
 To thee in reading as to me in writing. 
 
 John Buntan. 
 
 * George Herbert, in that admirable poem called 'The Temple,* mtro* 
 duces his reader to the church porch thus : — 
 
 * Thou, whose sweet youth and early hopes enhance 
 
 Thy rate and price, and mark thee for a treasure; 
 
 Hearken nuto a Terser, who may chance 
 
 Rhyme thee to good, and make a bait of pleasure. 
 
 A Terse may find him, who a sermon flies. 
 
 And turn deUght into a eaCTillce.* 
 
 THE BOOK OF EUTH. 
 
 A VEET KUDE WOODCUT : — EUTH GLEANING. — EUTH CREEPING TO BOAZ, WHO IS ASLEEP. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 In ancient times, e'er Israel knew the way 
 
 Of kingly power, when judges bore the sway: 
 
 A certain man of Bethlehem Juda fled. 
 
 By reason of a famine that o'erspread 
 
 The land, into the land of Moab, where 
 
 He and his wife, and sons, sojourners were. 
 
 His name Elimelech, his eldest son 
 
 Was called Mahlon, t'other CMlion, 
 
 His wife was Naomi, Ephrathites they were: 
 
 They went to Moab and continued there : 
 
 Where of her husband Naomi was bereft. 
 
 And only she and her two sons were left: 
 
 Who took them wives of Moab in their youth. 
 
 The name of one was Orpah, t'other Ruth: 
 
 And there they died ere twice five years were gone ; 
 
 And Naomi was wholly left alone. 
 
 Then she arose, and her step-daughters with her. 
 
 To leave the land of Moab altogether: 
 
 For she had heard the Lord had visited 
 
 Her native country, with increase of bread. 
 
 Wherefore the land of Moab she forsook. 
 
 And to her native place her course she took. 
 
 Her daughters with her: whom she did desire. 
 That to their mother's house they would retire. 
 The Lord, said she, be kind to you again. 
 As you to me, and to the dead have been. 
 God grant you each may be with husbands blest. 
 And in the enjoyment of them both find rest. 
 Then she embraced them, and there withal, 
 Down from their cheeks, the tears began to fell. 
 They wept aloud, and said. Most surely we 
 Unto thy people will return with thee. 
 But Naomi replied. Wherefore vrill ye. 
 My daughters, thus resolve to go with me? 
 Are there yet any more sons in my womb. 
 That may your husbands be in time to come ? 
 Return again, my daughters, go your way. 
 For I'm too old to marry : should I say 
 I've hope ? Should I this night conceive a son ? 
 Would either of you stay till he is grown ? 
 Would you so long without an fhusband live P 
 Nay, nay, my daughters, for it doth me grieve 
 Eieeedingly, even for your sakes, that I 
 Do under this so great affliction lie. 
 
 t ' An husband,' c, i. 12. 
 
SCEIPTDRAl POEMS. 
 
 391 
 
 And here they wept again. And Orpah kjss'd 
 
 Her mother, but Ruth would be not dismiss'd 
 
 But clave imto her: unto whom she spake 
 
 And said, Behold, thy sister is gone back, 
 
 With her own gods, and people to abide. 
 
 Go thou along with her. But Ruth replied, 
 
 Intreat me not to leave thee, oi return: 
 
 For where thou goest, I'll go, where thou sojourn, 
 
 I'll sojourn also. And what people's thine. 
 
 And who thy God, the same shall both be mine. 
 
 Where thou shalt die, there will I die likewise. 
 
 And I'U be buried where thy body lies. 
 
 The Lord do so to me, and more, if I 
 
 Do leave thee, or forsake thee till I die. 
 
 And when she saw the purpose of her heart, 
 
 She left off to desire her to depart. 
 
 So they two travelled along together 
 
 To Bethlehem, and when they were come thither. 
 
 Behold I the people were surprised, and cried. 
 
 What, is this Naomi ? But she replied. 
 
 Oh I call me Mara, and not Naomi; 
 
 For I have been afflicted bitterly. 
 
 I went out from you full, but now I come. 
 
 As it hath pleased God, quite empty home : 
 
 Why then call ye me Naomi ? Since I 
 
 Have been afflicted so exceedingly. 
 
 So Naomi return' d, and Ruth together. 
 
 Who had come from the land of Moab with her: 
 
 And unto Bethlem Judah did they come. 
 
 Just as the Barley Harvest was begun. 
 
 CHAP. 11. 
 There was a man of kin to Naomi, 
 One that was of her husband's family. 
 His name was Boaz, and his wealth was great. 
 And Ruth, the Moabitess, did intreat 
 Her Mother's leave, that she might go, and gather 
 Some ears of com, where she should most find favour; 
 Go, daughter, go, said she. She went and came 
 Near to the reapers, to glean after them: 
 And lo, it was her hap to light among 
 The reapers, which to Boaz did belong. 
 Behold, now Boaz came from Bethlehem 
 Unto his reapers, and saluted them, 
 And they bless'd him again: and he enquired 
 Of him that was set over them he hired. 
 From whence the damsel was, and was inform'd 
 She was the Moabitess that return'd 
 With Naomi: and she did ask, said he. 
 That here amongst the reapers she might be. 
 And that she might have liberty to glean 
 Among the sheaves. And she all day hath been, 
 Ev'n irom the morning until now, with us, 
 That she hath stay'd a little in the house. 
 Then Boaz said to Ruth, observe, my daughter, 
 That thou go not from hence, or follow after 
 The reapers of another field, but where 
 My maidens are, see that thou tarry there: 
 Observe what field they reap, and go thou there. 
 Have I not charged the young men to forbear 
 To touch thee ? And when thou dost thirst, approach 
 And drink of what the youths have set *abroach. 
 
 • ' Set abroach," in a posture to run out, or yield the liquor contained. 
 
 -£d. 
 
 Then she fell on her face, and to the ground 
 She bow'd herself, and said. Why have I found 
 Such favour in thine eyes; that thou, to me 
 Who am a stranger, should so courteous be ? 
 And Boaz said, it hath been fully shewn 
 To me, what to thy mother-in-law thou'st done. 
 Since of thine husband thou hast been bereft: 
 How thou thy father and thy mother left, 
 And thine own native land; to come unto 
 A land which thou before didst never know: 
 The liord, the God of Israel, the defence 
 Whom now thou'st chosen, be thy recompenco. 
 Then said she, let me in thy sight, my lord, 
 Find favour in that thou dost thus afford 
 Me comfort, and since thou so kind to me 
 Dost speak, though I thereof unworthy be. 
 And Boaz said, at meal time come thou near. 
 Eat of the bread, and dip i' th' vinegar. 
 And by the reapers she sat down to meat. 
 He gave her parched com, and she did eat. 
 And was suffic'd ; and left, and rose to glean: 
 And Boaz gave command to the young men, 
 " Let her come in among the sheaves, said he. 
 To glean, and let her not reproached be. 
 Let fall some handfuls also purposely. 
 And let her take them without injury. 
 So she till even glean'd, and then beat out 
 Her barley, being an *ephah or thereabout. 
 She took it up, and to the city went. 
 And to her mother-in-law did it present: 
 And what she had reserv'd to her she gave. 
 When she had took what she design'd to have. 
 Then unto her, her mother-in-law did say. 
 In what field hast thou been to glean to-day ? 
 And where hast thou been working ? Blest be he. 
 That thus hath taken cognizance of thee. 
 She told with whom, and furthermore did say. 
 The man's name's Boaz, where I wrought to-day. 
 And Naomi replied, may he be blest. 
 Even of the Lord, whose kindness manifest 
 Unto the living and the dead hath been: 
 The man's our kinsman, yea, the next of kin. 
 And Ruth, the Moabitess, said, he gave 
 Me likewise a commandment not to leave. 
 Or to depart from following his young men. 
 Until they had brought all his harvest in. 
 And Naomi said unto Ruth, my daughter, 
 'Tis good that thou observe to foUow after 
 His maidens, that they meet thee not elsewhere. 
 So she to Boaz's maidens still kept near. 
 Till barley and wheat harvest both, she saw 
 Were done, and she dwelt vrith her mother-in law. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 Then Naomi said. Shall I not, my daughter. 
 Seek rest for thee, that thou do well hereafter ? 
 And is not Boaz, with whose maids thou wast, 
 One of the nearest kinsmen that thou hast ? 
 Behold, this night he in his threshing floor 
 Is winnowing Barley, wash thyself therefore. 
 Anoint thee, put thy clothes on, and get down 
 Unto the floor; but make not thyself known. 
 
 * 'An ephah,' a measure containing three pecks and three pints. 
 Calmett 
 
393 
 
 SCMPTUEAL POEMS. 
 
 Till he hath eat and drank, and shall prepare 
 
 To lie him dovra; then take good notice where 
 
 He goes ahont to take Ms night's repose, 
 
 And go thou in there, and hft up the clothes 
 
 From off his feet, and likewise lay thee down, 
 
 And what thou hast to do he will make known. 
 
 And she made answer. Whatsoever thou 
 
 Hast me commanded, will I gladly do. 
 
 And down unto the floor she hasted, and 
 
 Forthwith fulfilled her mother-in-law's command. 
 
 So now when Boaz had his heart refresh'd, 
 
 With meat and drink, he laid him down to rest. 
 
 Near to the heap of com; she softly came, 
 
 Uncover'd's feet, and lay down by the same. 
 
 And, lo ! at midnight, as he turn'd him round. 
 
 He was afraid, for at his feet he found 
 
 A woman lay. Who art thou ? then said he. 
 
 I am thine handmaid Ruth, replied she. 
 
 Over thine handmaid therefore spread thy skirt, 
 
 I pray, because thou a near kinsman art. 
 
 Blessed he thou, said he, because thou hast 
 
 Made manifest more kindness at the last, 
 
 Thau at the first, in that thou did'st, my daughter, 
 
 No young men, whether poor or rich, go after. 
 
 And now, my daughter, be not thou afraid, 
 
 I will do to thee aU that thou hast said : 
 
 For all the city of my people knows, 
 
 Thou art a woman truly virtuous ; 
 
 And now though I am kin undoubtedly, 
 
 Yet there is one that's nearer kin than I. 
 
 Tarry this night, and when 'tis morning hght. 
 
 If he will like a kinsman, do thee right, 
 
 We'll let him, but if not, I myself will, 
 
 As the Lord Hves ; till morning lie thou still. 
 
 And tin the morning at his feet she lay. 
 
 And then arose about the break of day ; 
 
 And he gave her a charge, not to declare 
 
 That there had any womaukiad been there, 
 
 He also said, bring here thy veil, and hold 
 
 To me ; she did, and thereinto he told 
 
 Six measures fuU of barley, and did lay 
 
 It on her, and she hasted thence away. 
 
 And when unto her mother-in-law she came. 
 
 Art thou, said she, my daughter come again ? 
 
 Then what the man had done she told, and said. 
 
 He these six measures full of barley laid 
 
 Upon me, for said he. This I bestow. 
 
 Lest to thy mother thou should'st empty go. 
 
 Then, said she, sit still daughter, till thou see 
 
 What the event of this intrigue wiU be ; 
 
 For till the man this day hath made an end. 
 
 No satisfaction wiU on him attend, 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 And Boaz went up to the city gate. 
 And after a short space, while there he sate, 
 The kinsman of whom he had spoke, came by, 
 To whom he said. Ho,* such a one, di'aw nigh, 
 And sit down here. He came and sat him down. 
 Then he took ten men, elders of the town, 
 
 * Similar to Christian's exclamation, when calling to Faithfill to stop 
 and bear him companj. See Fflgrim's Progreea, Fart 1st. 
 
 And caused them to sit down. Then to the man 
 
 That was of kin, thus he his speech began, 
 
 Naomi, said he, who not long since sojourn'd 
 
 Among the Moahites, is now returu'd ; 
 
 And doth intend to sell a piece of ground. 
 
 The which EHmelech our brother own'd. 
 
 And now to give thee notice, I thought fit. 
 
 That if thou pleasest, thou may'st purchase it. 
 
 In presence of these men assembled here. 
 
 Then if thou wilt redeem it, now declare 
 
 Thy mind, but if thou wUt not, then let me. 
 
 For thou art next of kin, and I next thee. 
 
 Then said the kinsman, I will it redeem. 
 
 Boaz reply'd, if good to thee it seem, 
 
 To buy it of the hand of Naomi, 
 
 Thou also art obhged the same to buy 
 
 Of Ruth the Moabitess, wife o' th' dead ; 
 
 On his inheritance to raise up seed. 
 
 The kinsman said, I cannot do this thing 
 
 Myself, lest I an inconvenience bring 
 
 Upon mine own inheritance, what's mine 
 
 By right, therefore I now to thee resign. 
 
 Now this in Israel did a custom stand. 
 
 Concerning changing and redeeming land ; 
 
 To put all controversy to an end, 
 
 A man pluck'd off his shoe, and gave his friend ; 
 
 And this in Israel was an evidence. 
 
 When e'er they changed an inheritance. 
 
 Then said the kinsman unto Boaz, do 
 
 Thou take my right. And off he pluck'd his shoe. 
 
 Then Boaz to the elders thus did say 
 
 And to the people, all of you this day 
 
 Appear for me as witnesses, that I 
 
 Have bought all of the hand of Naomi, 
 
 That was Elimelech's or did belong 
 
 Either to Mahlon or to ChiUon : 
 
 And Ruth the Moabitess, who some time 
 
 Was Mablon's wife, I've pujchas'd to be mine. 
 
 Still to preserve alive the dead man's name 
 
 On his inheritance, lest that the same 
 
 Should in the gate where he inhabited. 
 
 Or 'mongst his brethren be extinguished : 
 
 Behold, this day, my mtnesses you are. 
 
 Then all the people that were present there. 
 
 And elders said. We are thy witnesses : 
 
 May God this woman thou hast taken bless. 
 
 That she, like Rachel, and like Leah be. 
 
 Which two did build up Israel's family : 
 
 And thou in Ephratah exalt thy name. 
 
 And tlu'ough the town of Bethl'hem spread thy fame j 
 
 And may the seed which God shall give to thee 
 
 Of this young woman, full as prosperous be, 
 
 As was the house of Pharez heretofore, 
 
 (Pharez, whom Tamar unto Judah bore.) 
 
 So he took Ruth, and as his wife he knew her. 
 
 And God was pleased, when he went in to her 
 
 To grant the blessing of conception, 
 
 And she accordingly bare him a son. 
 
 Then said the woman, Blessed be the Lord ! 
 
 Bless thou him Naomi, who doth afford 
 
 To thee this day a kinsman, which shall be 
 
 Famous in Israel ; and shall be to thee 
 
 As the restorer of thy life again, 
 
 And in thy drooping age shall thee sustain s 
 
SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 393 
 
 For that thy daughter-in-law, who loves thee well 
 And in thy sight doth seven sons excel. 
 Hath horn this child. Then Naomi took the hoy 
 To nurse; and did him in her bosom lay. 
 
 Her neighbours too, gave him a name, for why. 
 This son, say they, is bom to Naomi : 
 They called him Ohed, from whuse loins did spring 
 Jesse, the sire of David, Israel's king. 
 
 THE HISTOEY OF SAMSON. 
 
 JTJDGES, CHAP. XIII. 
 
 When Israel's sins th' Almighty did provoke, 
 To make them subject to Philistine yoke 
 Tor forty years : in Zorah dwelt a man. 
 His name Manoah, of the tribe of Dan ; 
 His wife was barren, unto whom appeared 
 The angel of the Lord, and thus declared : 
 Though thou, said he, art barren, time shall come 
 Thou shalt enjoy the blessing of thy womb ; 
 Now therefore I entreat thee to refrain 
 Erom wine, strong drink, and things that are unclean. 
 For lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son. 
 Upon whose head there shall no razor come : 
 For he to God a Nazarite shall be. 
 And shall begin to set his people free 
 From the Philistine yoke. The woman came 
 And told her husband, she had seen a man 
 Of God : his dreadful look made me, said she, 
 Think him an angel of the Lord to be : 
 But I inquired not from whence he came. 
 Neither did he make known to me his name ; 
 But thus he said. Thou shalt conceive a son ; 
 Wherefore strong drink and wine, see that thou shun. 
 And have a care that thou be not defil'd 
 With things that are unclean ; for why, the child 
 Shall from his separation from the womb. 
 Become a Nazarite, ev'n to his tomb. 
 Manoah then did supplicate the Lord, 
 And said, Lord, be pleased to aiford 
 This favour unto me, to send again 
 The man of God, more fully to explain 
 Thy will to us, that we may rightly know, 
 AVhen this child shall he bom, what we must do. 
 And to Manoah's prayer God gave ear, 
 And to his wife the angel did appear 
 Again, as she did in the field retire, 
 At such time as her husband was not m'gh her. 
 And she made haste, and ran, and strait declared 
 Unto her husband, that the man appeared 
 Again, whom she had seen the other day. 
 Manoah then arose, and went his way, 
 And when he came, he said. Art thou the man 
 That spakest to nay wife ? He said, I am. 
 Manoah said. Now let thy words be true ; 
 How shall we use the child. What must we do ? 
 Then said the angel of the Lord, let her 
 Of all that I have charged her beware : 
 She may not taste of what comes of the vine, 
 Nor may she drink strong drink, or any wine, 
 Nor may she eat of things that are unclean. 
 From all that I have said let her refrain. 
 Manoah said unto the angel, stay 
 VOL. II. 
 
 With us, till we have dress'd a kid, I pray. 
 
 But he reply'd, though thou shalt me detain, 
 
 I'll eat no bread, but if thou dost desictn 
 
 A sacrifice unto the Lord, then offer : 
 
 For ne'er tiU now, Manoah did discover 
 
 It was a man of God he spake unto. 
 
 Then said he to the angel. Let me know 
 
 Thy name, that when these things shall be perform'd. 
 
 The honour due to thee may he return'd. 
 
 Whereto the man of God made this reply. 
 
 Why askest thou, since 'tis a mystery ? 
 
 So he a kid, and a meat-off'ring took. 
 
 And oflfer'd to the Lord upon a rock. 
 
 And there the man of God did wond'rously. 
 
 The whilst Manoah and his wife stood by : 
 
 For as the altar did send up the iame. 
 
 The man of God ascended in the same. 
 
 Manoah and his wife stood looking on. 
 
 And on their faces to the ground fell down. 
 
 But then the angel did appear no more. 
 
 Manoah then knew who he was : therefore 
 
 He said unto his wife, most surely we 
 
 Shall die, for we the face of God did see. 
 
 But she repli'd. If God would such a thing. 
 
 He would not now accept our offering, 
 
 Or would he have to us these things made known ; 
 
 Or told us, as at this time he hath done. 
 
 And now, according to the angel's word. 
 
 The woman bare a son, to whom the Lord 
 
 Was pleas'd, his blessing graciously to give : 
 
 She call'd him Samson, and the child did thrive. 
 
 And lo ! the spirit of the Lord began. 
 
 At times to move him in the camp of Dan. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 Now down to Timnath Samson's steps incline. 
 Where seeing the daughter of a Philistine, 
 He came up and did of his parents crave. 
 That he in marriage might the woman have. 
 Then thus his father and his mother said, 
 'Mongst all thy kin can'st thou find ne'er a maid ; 
 Nor yet among my people, fit to malce 
 A wife, hut thou wilt this Philistine take. 
 Of race uncircumcised ? He repUed, 
 Get her for me, for I'm well satisfied. 
 But neither of his parents then did know. 
 It was the Lord that moved him thereto. 
 To seek a way to accomplish his designs, 
 Upon the then o'er-ruling Philistines. 
 Then Samson and his parents both went down 
 To Timnath, and as they came near the town. 
 Among the vineyards a young Hon roar'd : 
 Then on him came the spirit of the Lord, 
 3 D 
 
394 
 
 SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 And though unarm' d, lie rent him lite a kid, 
 
 But he discovered not to them the deed. 
 
 And he went down, and with the woman treated, 
 
 And was well pleas'd to have the match completed. 
 
 And iu a while as he returned again 
 
 To talce his wife, behold, where he had slain 
 
 The beast, he there a swarm of bees set eye on. 
 
 And honey in the carcase of the lion : 
 
 He took thereof, and eating, on he went, 
 
 And to his parents did a pai't present : 
 
 And they did also eat, but did not know 
 
 That from the lion's carcase it did flow. 
 
 So down his father went unto the woman. 
 
 And Samson made a feast, as it was common 
 
 Among young men. The Philistines provide 
 
 Thirty companions with him to abide 
 
 And Samson said unto them, now behold, 
 
 I have a riddle for yon to unfold ; 
 
 Which if you do before the seven days' feast 
 
 Be ended, I will give to every guest 
 
 A sheet and change of garments ; but if ye 
 
 Cannot declare it, ye shall give to me 
 
 Full thirty sheets, and thirty changes too. 
 
 Then said they, "What's thy riddle, let ns know ? 
 
 And Samson said, The eater sent forth meat. 
 
 And from the strong there came a thing most sweet. 
 
 And they could not in three days find it out. 
 
 Wherefore before the seventh came about, 
 
 They said unto his wife. Thou must entice 
 
 Thy husband to discover this device 
 
 Lest we burn thee, and all thy father's house : 
 
 Is it not so, that ye have called us 
 
 To make a spoil ? And Samson's wife wept sore. 
 
 And said, thou dost but hate me, and no more ; 
 
 To put a riddle to my countrymen 
 
 And not tell't me. And he reply'd again, 
 
 I have not told my father or my mother. 
 
 And shall I now to thee this thing discover. 
 
 And she continually before him wept, 
 
 Dming the time the feasting days were kept. 
 
 And now behold it came to pass that he. 
 
 By reason of her importunity, 
 
 Did on the seventh day to her unfold 
 
 The riddle, which she to her brethren told ; 
 
 And e'er the sun went down on that same day. 
 
 The Philistines to Samson thus did say. 
 
 What is more sweet than honey ? What more stron"- 
 
 Than is a lion ? And he said, how long 
 
 Would it have been, e'er you had understood 
 
 This thing, had you not with my heifer plow'd ? 
 
 Then came the spirit of the Lord upon 
 
 Him, and he hasted down to Askelon, 
 
 And thurty of the Philistines he slew, 
 
 And took their clothes, and gave the garments due. 
 
 To every one of them that had disclosed 
 
 The meaning of the liddle he proposed ; 
 
 And towards them his anger fiercely burned. 
 
 And he unto his father's house returned. 
 
 But Samson's wife was given unto one 
 
 That was his fiiend and chief companion. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 But in a while, as Samson visited 
 
 His wife, iu the wheat harvest with a kid. 
 
 To her into her chamber he would go. 
 
 The which her father would not let him do ; 
 
 But said, I thought that thou had'st quite forsook her, 
 
 Wherefore I gave consent, and thy friend took her ; 
 
 Doth not her sister's beauty her's exceed, 
 
 Though young ? I pray then take her in her stead. 
 
 And Samson said, I shall more blameless be 
 
 Thau they, though I shall do them injury. 
 
 And then he caught three hundred foxes, and 
 
 Tum'd tail to tail, and put a fiery brand 
 
 Between two taUs, and setting fire thereto. 
 
 Into the standing com he let them go. 
 
 And burnt both shocks and standing coni and vines. 
 
 And all the olives of the Philistines. 
 
 Then they inquired who this thing had done. 
 
 And were inform'd it was the Timnite's son ; 
 
 Because his father took his wife away. 
 
 And gave her his companion to enjoy. 
 
 And the Philistines came up, full of wrath. 
 
 And burnt with fire, her and her father both. 
 
 And Samson said, though you have done this thing, 
 
 A further evil I will on you bring ; 
 
 And my avenging hand shall cease hereafter ; 
 
 And hip and thigh he smote them with great slaughter. 
 
 And he retum'd, and came up to the top 
 
 Of Etam, and dwelt there upon the rock. 
 
 Then the Philistines up to Judah went. 
 
 And in the vale of Lehi pitched their tent. 
 
 Then said the men of Judah, for what reason 
 
 Are you come up against us at this season ? 
 
 And they made answer. We are come to bind 
 
 Samson, to do to hirr in the same kind 
 
 As he hath done to us. Then there went up 
 
 Three thousand men of Judah to the top 
 
 Of the rock Etam, and to Samson said. 
 
 Dost thou not know that we have long obey'd 
 
 The Philistines ? Wherefore is it that thou 
 
 Hast done this thing, to bring this evil now. 
 
 Upon us, let us know it ? Then said he 
 
 I did to them as they have done to me. 
 
 Then said they we are come, and have brought bands. 
 
 To bind, and give thee up into their hands. 
 
 And he made answer, you shall swear unto me. 
 
 That you yourselves no injury will do me. 
 
 And they reply'd, no no, we will but bind thee. 
 
 We win not kill thee, but to them resign thee. 
 
 And they took two new cords, and therewith tied him. 
 
 And from the rock where he abode convev him : 
 
 Whom when they to the camp at Lehi brought. 
 
 The Philistines against him gave a shout : 
 
 And mightUy the Spirit of the Lord 
 
 Came on him, and like burning flax each cord 
 
 That was upon his arms became ; the bands 
 
 Were likewise separated from his hands. 
 
 And he the jaw-hone of an ass espied. 
 
 And took and smote them till a thousand died. 
 
 Then said he, with an ass's jaw-bone I 
 
 Have made mine enemies in heaps to lie. 
 
 Behold I have destroy'd a thousand men 
 
 With this same worthless ass's jaw. And when 
 
 He made an end to speak, it came to pass 
 
 He cast away the jaw-bone of the ass. 
 
 And said. Now let the place where this was done 
 
 Be by the name of Ramath-Lehi known. 
 
SCKIPTUKAL POEMS. 
 
 395 
 
 And ho was sore atliirst, and to the Lord 
 He cried, and said, Lord, thou did'st afford 
 This great deliverance, and now shall I, 
 By reason of my thirst fall down and die. 
 And fall into the most accursed hands 
 Of these uncircumcis'd Philistine hands ? 
 But God was pleas'd to cleave an hollow place. 
 Within the jaw, from whence did water pass ; 
 Whereof when he had drunk, his spirit came 
 As heretofore, and he reviv'd again : 
 Wherefore that place, which is in Lehi, hore 
 Unto this day the name of En-hakkore. 
 And in the days the Philistines hore sway, 
 Israel for twenty years did him ohey. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Then down to Gaza Samson went, and there 
 
 Seeing an harlot, went in unto her. 
 
 And when the Gazites heard he was come thither: 
 
 Straightway they gathered themselves together 
 
 To compass him ahout, and lay in wait 
 
 All night, to take him in the city gate ; 
 
 And they were stiU all night, for why ? Say they. 
 
 To-morrow we shall kUl him when 'tis day. 
 
 And he till midnight lay, and then arose. 
 
 And with the city gates away he goes, 
 
 Bearing the posts and bar and all away , 
 
 And on an hiU near Hehron did them lay. 
 
 And afterward it came to pass he saw, 
 
 And lov'd a woman named Delilah, 
 
 Who in the vale of Sorek dwelt, to whom 
 
 There did the lords of the Philistines come. 
 
 And said. If thou wilt hut entice him to reveal 
 
 Where lies his strength, and which way we may deal 
 
 With him, to bind him, to afflict him, we 
 
 Each one will give a great reward to thee. 
 
 And she to Samson said, I pray thee, tell 
 
 Wherein thy strength doth other men excel. 
 
 And how thou may'st he hound. And he rephed. 
 
 If they with seven green withs that ne'er were dried, 
 
 Shan bind me hand and foot, I shall be then 
 
 As weak and impotent as other men. 
 
 Then the Phihstine lords for her provide 
 
 The seven green withs which never had been dried. 
 
 And she therewith did bind him, (now there were 
 
 Men lying in wait whom she had placed there,) 
 
 Then she cried out, and said. Now Samson stand 
 
 Thy ground, for the Philistines are at hand. 
 
 And straight he brake the withs, and they became 
 
 I jke to a thread of tow when touch'd vrith fame : 
 
 So was his strength not found out. Then said she, 
 
 Samson, behold, thou hast deceived me. 
 
 And told me lies : therefore no longer bMnd me. 
 
 But tell, I pray thee, wherewith I may bind thee. 
 
 Bind me with ropes that ne'er were us'd, said he; 
 
 Then weak as other men are, shall I be. 
 
 She therefore took new ropes, and bound him, and 
 
 Cried, Samson, the Philistines are at hand : 
 
 (And in the chamber there were men lay hid) 
 
 And from his arms he brake them Mice a thread. 
 
 Then said she. Thou hast mocked me hitherto. 
 
 And told me lies : now tell me what to do 
 
 To bind thee. He replied. Thou with the web 
 
 Most interweave the seven locks of my head. 
 
 Then she his locks did fasten with the pia, 
 
 And said. The Philistines are coming in, 
 
 Shift, Samson, for thyself; then he awoke. 
 
 And pin and web, and all away he took. 
 
 Then said she. How canst thou pretend to love me. 
 
 When thus thy doing towards me disprove thee ? 
 
 For now, behold, thou hast deceived me thrice. 
 
 And hast not told me where thy great strength lies. 
 
 At length his soul being vex'd exceedingly. 
 
 By reason of her importunity: 
 
 He told the secrets of his heart, and said. 
 
 Never yet razor on my head was laid; 
 
 For I have been to God a Nazarite, 
 
 Even from the day that first I saw the hght: 
 
 Wherefore lilcc other men, if I am shaven, 
 
 I shall be weak, and of my strength bereaven. 
 
 And when she saw that he had told her all 
 
 The secrets of his heart, she sent to call 
 
 The lords of the Philistines. Come, said she, 
 
 This once, for now he hath made known to me 
 
 The veiy truth. Then they came up together. 
 
 And brought the money in their hands to give her. 
 
 Then down to sleep upon her knees she laid him. 
 
 And call'd a man, who of his locks betray'd him. 
 
 And to afflict him she began, and then 
 
 His strength became lilce that of other men. 
 
 Then said she, Samson, thy Philistine foes 
 
 Are just at hand : and he from sleep arose, 
 
 And as at other times went forth to shake him. 
 
 Not knowing that the Lord did now forsake him. 
 
 But the Philistines seized him, and brought 
 
 Him down to Gaza, having first put out 
 
 His eyes, and did with brazen fetters hind 
 
 And made him in the prison house to grind. 
 
 Howbeit the hair upon his head began. 
 
 After he had been shaved, to grow again. 
 
 Then the Phihstine lords together met. 
 
 And a thanksgiving-day apart they set. 
 
 For to rejoice, and unto Dagon pay 
 
 Their highest service; For our God, say they. 
 
 Did this ; and when the people did behold 
 
 Poor captive Samson, they their god cxtoU'd, 
 
 And said. Our God hath given into our hand 
 
 Him that destroy'd us, and laid waste our land. 
 
 And in their height of mirth they sent to call 
 
 Samson, to come and make sport for them all. 
 
 And from the prison-house they brought him, and 
 
 Between the pUlars they set him to stand ; 
 
 And there he made them sport. Then to the lad 
 
 That led him by the hand, thus Samson said ; 
 
 Let me now feel the pillars that sustain 
 
 The house, that I myself thereon may lean. 
 
 Now in the house there was a mighty throng 
 
 Of men and women gather'd, and among 
 
 Them, all the lords of the Philistines were. 
 
 Besides, upon the roof there did appear, 
 
 About three thousand men and women, who 
 
 Beheld, while Samson made them sport below. 
 
 And Samson, calling on the Lord, did say, 
 
 Lord, my God, remember me, I pray, 
 
 This once give strength, that I aveng'd may be 
 
 Of those Philistines who have blinded me. 
 
 And with his right hand and his left, he held 
 
 Two middle pillars which the house upheld; 
 
396 
 
 SCRIPTUKAL POEMS. 
 
 And said, Let me with the Philistines die. 
 And then he bowed himself most mightily : 
 And down the house fell on the lords, and all 
 The people that were in't; so that the fall 
 Thereof, slew at his dying many more 
 Thau he had slain in all his life before. 
 
 Then did his brethren and his kinsfolks come 
 And took him up, and brought him with them home, 
 And laid him in his father's sepulchre, 
 When he had judged Israel twenty year. 
 
 CHEIST'S SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 
 
 MATTHEW, CHAP. V. 
 And Jesua, seeing the multitudes, ascended 
 Up to a mount, where sitting, and attended 
 By liis disciples, he began to preach; 
 And on this manner following did them teach. 
 Blessed are all such as are poor in spirit. 
 For they the heavenly kingdom do inherit. 
 Blessed are they that mourn; for in the stead 
 Thereof shall comfort be administred. 
 Blessed are they, whose meekness doth excel : 
 For ou the earth their portion is to dwell. 
 Blessed are they, who after righteousness 
 Hunger and thirst ; for they shall it possess. 
 Blessed are they, for they shall mercy find. 
 Who to do mercifully are incHn'd. 
 Blessed are all such as are pm'e in heart ; 
 For God his presence shall to them impart. 
 Blessed are they that do make peace ; for why ? 
 They shall be call'd the sons of the Most High. 
 Blessed are they which suffer for the sake 
 Of righteousness : for they of heav'n partake. 
 Blessed are ye, when men shall falsely speak 
 AH kind of ill against you for my sake. 
 And shall revile, and persecute you sore ; 
 Eejoice, and be exceeding glad therefore : 
 For your reward in heav'n wiU be great : 
 For thus of old they did the prophets treat. 
 Ye are the salt o' th' eaith ; but wherewith must 
 The earth be seasou'd when the savour's lost ? 
 It is fi'om thenceforth good for nothing, but 
 To be cast out, and trodd'n under foot. 
 Ye are the light o' th' world; a city set 
 Upon an hill cannot be hid ; nor yet 
 Do men a candle with a bushel cover. 
 But set it where it lights the whole house over. 
 So shine your light, your good works seen thereby 
 Men may your heavenly Father glorify. 
 Think not that to destroy the law I came. 
 Or prophets ; no, but to fulfil the same. 
 For till the heav'n and earth shall pass away. 
 One jot or tittle from the law, I say. 
 Shall never pass, till all shall be complete. 
 Whoso therefore presumes to violate. 
 One of these least commands, and teacheth so, 
 Shall in God's kingdom be accounted low. 
 But he that doth, and teacheth them likewise, 
 Shall in God's kingdom have great dignities. 
 For I declai-e unto you, that unless 
 You shall exceed the scribe and pharisees 
 In righteousness ; you shall on no condition. 
 Into the heavenly kingdom gain admission. 
 
 YeVe heard 'twas said of old, ' Thou shalt not kill;' 
 
 And he incurs the judgment who shall spiU 
 
 His brother's blood : but I to you declare. 
 
 That he that's wroth without a cause, shall bear 
 
 The judgment. Likewise of the council he 
 
 That sayeth ' racha' shall in danger be. 
 
 But whosoe'er shall say. Thou fool, the same 
 
 Shall be in danger of eternal flame. 
 
 When therefore to the altar thou dost bring 
 
 Thy gift, and there rememb'rest any thing 
 
 Thy brother hath against thee : leave it there 
 
 Before the altar, and come thou not near. 
 
 Till thou hast first made reconciliation, 
 
 Then may'st thou come and offer thine oblation. 
 
 Make an agreement with thine adversary 
 
 Whilst thou art in the way, and do not tarry ; 
 
 Lest he at any time deliver thee 
 
 Unto the judge, and by the judge thou bo 
 
 Unto the officer forthwith resign' d. 
 
 And in imprisonment thou be confin'd ; 
 
 I do affirm thou shalt not be enlarg'd. 
 
 Tin thou the utmost farthing hast discharg'd. 
 
 Ye've heard that they of old did testify. 
 
 That men should not commit adultery : 
 
 But I pronounce him an adulterer. 
 
 Who views a woman to lust after her. 
 
 And if thy right eye shall offensive be, 
 
 Pluck thou it out and east the same ftom thee ; 
 
 For it is better lose one, than that all 
 
 Thy members should into hell torments fall. 
 
 And if thy right hand doth offend, cut off it, 
 
 And cast it from thee, for it will thee profit 
 
 Much rather that one of thy members fell. 
 
 Than that they should he all condemned to hell. 
 
 It hath been said, whoso away shall force 
 
 His wife, shall give her a biU of divorce: 
 
 But whosoe'er shaU put his wife away. 
 
 Except for fornication's sake, I say. 
 
 Makes her adult'ress, and who marries her. 
 
 So put away, is an adulterer. 
 
 Again : Ye've heard. Thou shalt not be forsworn, 
 
 Was ancient doctrine, hut thou shalt perform 
 
 Unto the Lord thine oaths: But I declare. 
 
 That thou shalt not at all presume to swear ; 
 
 Neither by heaven, for it is God's throne ; 
 
 Nor by the earth, for his foot stands thereon: 
 
 Neither swear by Jerusalem, for why ? 
 
 It is the city of the King Most High : 
 
 Nor swear thou by thine head, for thou canst make 
 
 No hair thereof to he or white or black : 
 
 But let yea, yea ; nay, nay, in speech sufiico. 
 
 For what is more fi-om evil doth arise. 
 
SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 397 
 
 Ye'vc heard, it hath been Said; Eye for au eye. 
 
 And tooth for tooth : But I do testify, 
 
 That you shall not resist ; hut let him smite 
 
 Thy left cheek also, who assaults thy right. 
 
 And if that any by a lawsuit shall 
 
 Demand thy coat, let them have doak and all. 
 
 And whosoe'er compelleth thee to go 
 
 A mile, tefuse not to go with him two. 
 
 Give him that aslceth, and from him that may 
 
 Have need to borrow, turn not thou away. 
 
 Ye've heard, 'twas said : That thou shalt love thy fi-icud 
 
 And hate thy foe : But let your love extend 
 
 Unto your enemies : thus I declare. 
 
 Bless them that curse, do good to them that bear 
 
 111 will, and for your persecutors pray. 
 
 And them that do reproach you ; that you may 
 
 Be children of your Father that's in heaven ; 
 
 For he on good and bad alike hath given 
 
 His sun to rise, and in like manner doth 
 
 Send rain upon the just and unjust both 
 
 For what is your reward, if you love them 
 
 That love you ? Do not publicans the same ? 
 
 And if your brethren only you salute. 
 
 What more than they do ye ? They also do't. 
 
 I will therefore that you be perfect, ev'n 
 
 As is your Father perfect that's in heaven. 
 
 CHAP. TI. 
 
 Talce heed you do not your alms-deeds bestow 
 
 Before men, purposely to make a shew ; 
 
 For then there will no reoompence be given 
 
 Unto yon of your Father that's in heaven ; 
 
 With sound of trumpet do not thou therefore 
 
 Proclaim what thou art giving to the poor ; 
 
 As is the manner of the hypocrites 
 
 To do i' th' synagogues, and in the streets ;* 
 
 That men may give them praises. Verily 
 
 They have their recompence, I testify. 
 
 But when thou dost alms, let thy left hand know 
 
 Not what thy right hand is about to do: 
 
 That giving secretly, thy Father may. 
 
 Who sees in secret, openly repay. 
 
 And when thou pray'st be not as hypocrites ; 
 
 For they love in the corners of the streets. 
 
 And in the synagogues to stand and pray. 
 
 There to be seen : they've their reward I say. 
 
 But thou, when thou dost make thy pray'r, go thee 
 
 Into thy closet, shut thy door unto thee. 
 
 And there in secret to thy Father cry. 
 
 Who seeing thee shaU reward thee openly. 
 
 But when ye pray use not vain repetitions. 
 
 As heathens do, for they think their petitions 
 
 Prevail ; when they the same do multiply : 
 
 Be ye not like to them therefore ; for why ; 
 
 Tour Father knows what things you need before 
 
 You ask him, on this wise pray ye therefore. 
 
 Our Father which art in heav'n, thy name alone 
 Be hallowed. Thy glorious kingdom come. 
 
 * These lines, and those on the next page, ' The eye's the light o' tli' 
 boay," remind one of Bimjan's style in his Apology for the Pilgrim's 
 Progress, — 
 
 ' Dost thon love picking meat ? Or would'st thou see 
 A man i' th' clouds, and hear him speak to theef ' — En. 
 
 Thy will be done on earth as 'tis in heaven. 
 Give us this day our daily bread. And ev'n 
 As we remit our debtors, grant remission 
 To us. And lead us not into temptation. 
 But from all evil do thou us deliver ; 
 For th' kingdom, power and glory's thine for ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 For if you do forgive men that offend, 
 
 Your heavenly Father wiU to you extend 
 
 Forgiveness ; but if not, nor will he spare. 
 
 At auy time when you offenders are. 
 
 Moreover when you fast beware lest you 
 
 Look sad, as hypocrites are wont to do j 
 
 For they disguise their faces, that they may 
 
 Appear to fast : they've their reward I say. 
 
 Bat thou, when thou dost fast, anoint thine head 
 
 And wash thy face, that undiscovered 
 
 Thy fasting may be unto men, but rather 
 
 That thou be seen in secret of thy Father : 
 
 And then thy Father, who in secresy 
 
 Beholds thee, shall reward thee openly. 
 
 Lay not up treasure for yourselves in store 
 
 Upon the earth, where moth and rust devour. 
 
 And where by thieves you may be quite bereaven. 
 
 But lay up treasure for yourselves in heaven. 
 
 Where neither moth, nor rust, nor thieves can enter: 
 
 For where's your treasure there your hearts will centre. 
 
 The eye's the light o' th' body, which if right 
 
 Then thy whole body will be full of light : 
 
 But if thine eye be evil, then there iviU 
 
 A total darkness thy whole body fill. 
 
 If therefore all the light that is in thee 
 
 Be darkness, how great must that darkness be ? 
 
 No man can serve two masters, either he 
 
 Will hate one, and love t'other, or will be 
 
 Faithful to one, and t'other will forego. 
 
 Ye cannot serve both God and mammon too. 
 
 Take no thought therefore for your life, I say, 
 
 What you shall eat or drink ; or how you niay 
 
 Your bodies clothe. Is not the life much more 
 
 Than meat ; Is not the body far before 
 
 The clothes thereof? Behold the fowls o' th' air. 
 
 Nor sow nor reap, nor take they any care ; 
 
 How they provision into bams may gather ; 
 
 Yet they are nomnsh'd by your heavenly Father : 
 
 Are ye not worth much more ? Which of you can 
 
 By taldng thought add to his height one span ? 
 
 And why for raiment are ye taking thought? 
 
 See how the lilies grow ; they labour not. 
 
 Nor do they spin ; yet Solomon, I say, 
 
 In all his pomp, had no such gay array. 
 
 If in the field God so doth clothe the grass, 
 
 Which is to-day, and doth to-morrow pass 
 
 Into the oven, shall he not therefore 
 
 O ye of Utile faith, clothe you much more ? 
 
 Talce no thought therefore, saying. What shall we eat. 
 
 Or di-ink, or where shall we our raiment get : 
 
 (For thus the heathen people use to do) 
 
 For that you need them doth your Father know. 
 
 But seek God's kingdom, and his righteousness 
 
 First, and then all these things you shall possess. 
 
 Be not then exercis'd with care and sorrow. 
 
 In maldng preparation for the morrow ; 
 
398 
 
 SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 The morrow shall things for itself prepare : 
 Sufficient to the day is each day's cai'e. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Judge not that you may not be judg'd ; for even 
 
 As you pass judgment, judgment shall be giv'n : 
 
 And with such measure as you mete to men, 
 
 It shall be measured unto you again. 
 
 And why dost thou take notice of the mote 
 
 That's in thy brother's eye ; but dost not note 
 
 The beam that's in thine o^vn ? How wUt thou say 
 
 Unto thy brother, let me talie away 
 
 The mote that's in thine eye, when yet 'tis plain 
 
 The beam that's in thine own doth still remain ? 
 
 First cast away the beam, thou hypocrite. 
 
 From thine own eye, so shall thy clearer sight 
 
 The better be enabled to descry. 
 
 And pluck the mote out of thy brother's eye. 
 
 Give not to dogs the things that arc divine, 
 
 Neither cast ye your pearls before the swine 
 
 Lest that they should their feet them trample under. 
 
 And turn upon you, and rend you asunder. 
 
 Ask, and obtain; seek, and ye shall find; do ye 
 
 Knock, and it shall be opened unto ye ; 
 
 For he that seeks, shall find ; that asks, obtain. 
 
 And he that knocks, shall an admittance gain. 
 
 Or what man is there of you, if his son 
 
 Shall ask him bread, will he give him a stone? 
 
 Or if he ask a fish, will he bestow 
 
 A serpent? If then ye being evil know 
 
 To give your children good gifts, how much rather 
 
 To them that ask him shall your heav'nly Father. 
 
 Then whut you wou'd men shou'd to you, so do 
 
 To them ; for that's the law and prophets too. 
 
 Enter in at the strait gate, for the road 
 
 That doth unto destruction lead, is broad; 
 
 And wide the gate ; and many there be that 
 
 Enter therein: because strait is the gate. 
 
 And narrow is the way that is inclin'd 
 
 To life, and which there are but few that find. 
 
 False prophets shun, who in sheep's clothes appear. 
 
 But inwardly devouring wolves they are : 
 
 Ye by their fruits shall know them. Do men either 
 
 Pluck grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles gather ? 
 
 Even so each good tree good fruit will produce j 
 
 But a corrupt tree fiuit unfit for use : 
 
 A good tree cannot bring forth evil food. 
 
 Nor can an evil tree bear fruit that's good : 
 
 Each tree that bears not good fruit's hewn down 
 
 And burnt, thus by their fruits they shall be known. 
 
 Not every one that saith lord. Lord, but he 
 
 That doth my heav'nly Father's will shall be 
 
 An heir of heaven : many in that day 
 
 Win call Lord, Lord, and thus to me will say ; . 
 
 Have we not prophesied in thy name ? 
 
 Cast devils out, done wonders in the same ? 
 
 And then vrill I profess I know you not ; 
 
 Depart from me ye that have evil wrought. 
 
 Whoso therefore these sayings of mine doth hear, 
 
 And doth them, to a wise man I'U compare. 
 
 The which upon a rock his building founded. 
 
 The rain descended and the floods surrounded. 
 
 The winds arose, and gave it many a shock. 
 
 And it fell not, being founded on a rock. 
 
 And ev'ry one that hears these sayings of mine. 
 
 And not to do them doth his heart incline. 
 
 Unto a foolish man shall be compar'd ; 
 
 Who his foundation on the sand prepar'd ; 
 
 The rain descended and the floods were great. 
 
 The winds did blow, and vehemently beat 
 
 Against that house ; and down the building came, 
 
 And mighty was the downfall of the same. 
 
 And now when Jesus thus had finished 
 
 His sayings, the people were astonished 
 
 Thereat: for not as do the scribes taught he 
 
 Them, but as one that had authority. 
 
 THE PROPHECY OF JONAH. 
 
 CHAP. L 
 
 Now unto Jonah, old Amittai's son. 
 
 Thus did the word of the Almighty come. 
 
 And said. Arise, go thou forthwith and cry 
 
 'Gainst that great city Nineveh ; for why. 
 
 The sins thereof are come up in my sight. 
 
 But he arose, that he to Tarshish might 
 
 Hee from God's presence ; and went down and found 
 
 A ship at Joppa unto Tarshish bound : 
 
 He paid the fare, and with them went on board 
 
 For Tarshish, from the presence of the Lord. 
 
 But the Almighty a great wind did raise. 
 
 And sent a mighty tempest on the seas. 
 
 So that the ship was liliely to be broken. 
 
 Then were the mariners with horror stricken ; 
 
 And to his God they cried every one ; 
 
 And overboard was the ship's lading thrown 
 
 To lighten it : but down into the ship 
 
 Was Jonah gone, and there lay fast asleep. 
 
 So to him came the master and did say, 
 
 What meanest thou, sleeper ! rise and pray 
 
 Unto thy God, and he perhaps will hear. 
 
 And save us from the danger that we fear. 
 
 Then said they to each other, Come let's try. 
 
 By casting lots, on whom the fault doth lie. 
 
 In bringing all this evil now upon us. 
 
 So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonas. 
 
 Then said they. We entreat thee let us know. 
 
 For whose cause we this evil undergo, 
 
 Whence comest thou ? What is thine occupation P 
 
 Wliat countryman art thou ? And of what nation ? 
 
 And unto them himself Jie did declare. 
 
 And said, I am an Hebrew, and do fear 
 
 The living Lord, the God of heaven, who 
 
 Alone hath made the sea and dry land too. 
 
 Then were the men exceedingly afraid ; 
 
 And, wherefore hast thou done this thing ? they said : 
 
 (For they did understand he did forego 
 
 God's presence, for himself had told them so.) 
 
SCRIPTDKAL POEMS. 
 
 399 
 
 ■What stall we do uuto tiee, then tliey said. 
 That so the raging of the sea he stay'd ? 
 (For it did rage and foam.) Take me, said he, 
 And cast me overheard into the sea j 
 So shall the sea be cabu, for on my score 
 I know it is, that thus the waves do roar. 
 Nevertheless they rowed hard to gain 
 The land, but all their labour was in vain ; 
 So much against them did the tempest beat. 
 Wherefore they the Almighty did entreat, 
 And said. We do beseech thee, and we pray, 
 Lord, that thou would'st not upon us lay 
 The charge of guiltless blood, nor let it be. 
 That now we perish, on th' account that wa 
 Take this man's life away ; for thou alone 
 As it hath pleased thee, Lord, hast done. 
 So they took Jonah up, and to the seaa 
 Committed him, then did the tempest cease. 
 Then did the dread of the great God on high. 
 Seize on the mariners exceedingly. 
 And they did offer up a sacrifice. 
 And vowed vows unto the Lord likewise. 
 And now the Lord for Jonah did contrive 
 A mighty fish, to swallow 'im up alive. 
 And in the fish's belly for the space 
 Of thi'ee days and three nights, poor Jonah was. 
 
 CHAP. IL 
 
 Unto the Lord his God then Jonah pray'd 
 
 Out of the belly of the fish, and said. 
 
 By reason of afdiction, which lay sore 
 
 Upon me, I the Lord God did implore. 
 
 And he gave ear; and from Hell's Belly I 
 
 Cry'd unto thee, and thou. Lord, heard'st my cry: 
 
 Tor thou into the deep hadst cast me out. 
 
 And there the floods did compass me about; 
 
 In the midst of the sea, thy waves were sent. 
 
 And all thy billows which my head o'erwent. 
 
 Then said I though thy presence hath forsook 
 
 Me, to thy holy temple will I look. 
 
 The waters compassed about my soul. 
 
 And the great deeps did round about me roll. 
 
 The weeds were wrapt about my head, I went 
 
 Down to the bottom of the element; 
 
 The earth with her strong bars surrounded me. 
 
 Yet thou, Lord, from death hast set me free. 
 
 When my soul fainted, on the Lord I thought. 
 
 And to thee, to thy temple then was brought 
 
 My prayer. They their own mercies do despise. 
 
 Who have regard to lying vanities. 
 
 But with the voice of my thanksgiving, I 
 
 Will offer sacrifice to thee on high. 
 
 And pay my vows which I have vow'd, each one. 
 
 For why ? Salvation's of the Lord alone. 
 
 And now the fish, as God did give command. 
 
 Did vomit Jonah out upon dry land. 
 
 CHAP. HI. 
 
 And now the second time to Jonah came 
 God's word, and said. Arise, go and proclaim 
 To that great city Nineveh, what I 
 Have heretofore commanded thee to cry. 
 So Jonah rose up, and prepar'd to go 
 To Nineveh, as God had bid him do. 
 
 (Now was the city Nineveh so great, 
 
 That it was three days' journey long complete) 
 
 And as into the city Jonah made 
 
 His first day's journey, he cry'd out and said, 
 
 When forty days shall be expired and past, 
 
 Tliis city Nineveh shall he laid waste. 
 
 Then did the Ninevites with one accord. 
 
 Believe this was the message of the Lord; 
 
 And did proclaim a fast, and every one. 
 
 From greatest to the least, put sackcloth on: 
 
 For to the kiug this news was quicldy flown. 
 
 And he arose, and came down from his throne, 
 
 And having laid aside his robes of state. 
 
 He put on sackcloth, and in ashes sate: 
 
 And issuing out his royal proclamation. 
 
 And through the city making publication 
 
 Thereof (being by the king and council sign'd) 
 
 A solemn and a general fast enjoin'd; 
 
 And said, I will, that neither man nor beast. 
 
 Nor flock, nor herd, shall their provision taste: 
 
 But let them all put sackcloth on and cry 
 
 Unto the Lord with greatest fervency; 
 
 Yea, let them all their evil ways refrain. 
 
 And from the violence which they retain. 
 
 Who knows if God will yet be pleas'd to spare. 
 
 And turn away the evil that we feai' ? 
 
 And God beheld their works, and saw that they 
 
 Had turned from the evil of their way. 
 
 And God turn'd from his wrath, and did revoke 
 
 The dreadful judgment whereof he had spoke. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 But hereat Jonah was extremely vext. 
 And in his mind exceedingly perplext: 
 And to the Lord his God he pray'd, and said, 
 
 Lord, I pray thee, was not I afraid 
 
 Of this, when I was yet at home ? Therefore 
 
 1 unto Tarshish took my flight before: 
 For that thou art a gracious God I know. 
 Of tender mercy, and to anger slow. 
 
 Of great compassion, and dost oft recall 
 The evil thou dost threat mankind withal. 
 Now therefore. Lord, I earnestly do pray 
 That thou would'st please to talce my life away, 
 For I had better die than Uve. Dost thou 
 Do well, said God, to be so angry now ? 
 So then out of the city Jonah went. 
 And on the east side of it made a tent,* 
 And underneath the shade thereof he sate. 
 Expecting what would be the city's fate. 
 And over Jonah's head behold the Lord 
 Prepar'd, and caused to come up a goiu'd 
 To shadow him, and ease him of his grief; 
 And Jonah was right glad of this relief. 
 But God a worm sent early the next day. 
 Which smote the gourd; it ivithered away: 
 And when the sun arose, it came to pass. 
 That God a vehement east wind did raise; 
 Besides the sun did beat upon his head, 
 So that he fainted, saying. Would I were dead; 
 For it is better for me now to die. 
 Than thus to lead my life in misery. 
 
 ' TSO, a cover, a booth, Ijower, or hut made of the houghs of trees.— Ed. 
 
400 
 
 SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 Anil to distressed JonaJi, said the Lord, 
 
 Dost thou well to be angry for the gourd ? 
 
 And he unto the Lord made this reply, 
 
 I do well to be angry e'en to die. 
 
 Thou hast bad pity, Jonah, on the gourd, 
 
 For which thou didst not labour, said the Lord, 
 
 Nor madest it to grow, which also came 
 
 Up in a night, and perish'd in the same. 
 
 And should not I extend my gracious pity 
 
 To NineTeb, so populous a city. 
 
 Where more than six score thousand persons dwell, 
 
 "Who 'twixt their right hand, and their- left can tell 
 
 No difference, wherein are also found 
 
 Cattle which do in multitudes abound. 
 
 THE LIFE OF JOSEPH, 
 
 TAKEN OUT OF TIIE LATTER PART OP THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 
 
 CHAP, xxxvn. 
 
 When Jacob from his brother Esau fled. 
 
 He by the hand of providence was led 
 
 To Padan-aram, in Assyria, where 
 
 He serv'd his uncle Lab'an twenty year; 
 
 During which time he was in all things blest, 
 
 And with a num'rous issue 'mongst the rest : 
 
 Amongst whom none so pleasing in his sight 
 
 As Joseph was, who was his chief delight: 
 
 Who by the time that Jacob was retum'd 
 
 Into the land, wbere's fathers had sojourn'd, 
 
 Was full arrived at seventeen years of age; 
 
 And by his hopefulness did then presage. 
 
 He was endued with a noble mind. 
 
 That would to virtuous actions be inclin'd; 
 
 For being sent to feed his father's flock. 
 
 Among bis bretliren he great notice took 
 
 Of what they did, and if in any sort 
 
 They did amiss, he thereof made report 
 
 Unto his father, and did thus create 
 
 His father's favour, but his brethi-en's hate. 
 
 His father loved him better than the rest. 
 
 As being the son wherewith his age was blest. 
 
 And that his kindness might the more appear. 
 
 Made him a party colour'd coat to wear. 
 
 But as it often haps, his father's love 
 
 Did in his brethren greater hatred move. 
 
 But that which most incens'd them was his dreams. 
 
 By which, in a prophetic way, he seems 
 
 Their low submission, and bis future state 
 
 Of greatness plainly to prognosticate. 
 
 For to his brethren thus his dreams he told, 
 
 And said. As we were binding sheaves, behold. 
 
 My sheaf arose and stood up in the field. 
 
 And all your sheaves stood round about, to yield 
 
 Obeisance unto mine : And what, must we 
 
 Indeed, say they, be subject unto thee? 
 
 Their wrath increas'd, this added to his crime. 
 
 And Joseph di'camed yet a second time; 
 
 And said. Behold, I saw the sun and moon. 
 
 And the eleven stars to me fall down. 
 
 At which his father highly was offended. 
 
 And for these words, the lad he reprehended. 
 
 And said, Fond youth, dost thou pretend to shew 
 
 That I, thy mother, and thy brethren too, 
 
 Must all submit to thee? Thou dost but dream: 
 
 But Jacob kept his words, and thought of them. 
 
 Now Jacob's sons did feed their flocks in Shechem, 
 
 And he desired Joseph to go seek them. 
 
 And find them out, and come again and tell 
 
 If all things with them and their flocks were well. 
 
 So Joseph went, and wander'd here and there. 
 
 But could not find out where his brethren were, 
 
 Unta a man had told bira their intent 
 
 Of going to Dotham, where he also went. . 
 
 And when his brethren at a distance saw him. 
 
 They held a consultation how to slay him. 
 
 And said. Here comes the dreamer, we shall see 
 
 What the event of all his dreams wiU be; 
 
 For we will kill, and in a pit will hide him. 
 
 And say some beast or other hath destroy'd him. 
 
 But Keuben somewhat tend'rer than the rest, 
 
 Endeavour'd to persuade them to desist 
 
 From murder, saying. Into this pit let's cast him, 
 
 Aud this he said in hopes to have releas'd him. 
 
 And now when Joseph came not dreading ought. 
 
 They stript him of his party colour'd coat. 
 
 And led him to a pit that was hard by. 
 
 And threw him into't, hut the pit was dry. 
 
 And sitting down to eat, they chauc'd to spy, 
 
 A company of Ishmaelites pass by. 
 
 Who with balm, myrrh, and spice, their camels lading, 
 
 Fi-om Gilead came, and were to Egypt trading. 
 
 Then Judah said, 'Twill do us little good 
 
 To slay our brother, and conceal his blood; 
 
 Come therefore, brethren, be advis'd by me. 
 
 Let's sell him to these Ishmaelites, for he 
 
 Is our own flesh, and 'tis a cruel deed. 
 
 To km him, and to this they aU agreed. 
 
 Their brother then out of the pit they hale. 
 
 And to these merchants offer'd him to sale: ' 
 
 Who, him for twenty silver pieces bought. 
 
 And with them to the land of Egypt brought. 
 
 But Reuben, ignorant of what was done. 
 
 Came to the pit, and seeing the lad was gone. 
 
 He rent his clothes in a great consternation, 
 
 Returning back with heavy lamentation. 
 
 And now that they might make their story good 
 
 They kill'd a kid, and dipped in the blood 
 
 Their brother Joseph's coat, and home they came. 
 
 And to their father's view expos'd the same, 
 
 And said. This we have found, now thou dost know 
 
 Whether it be thy son's coat, yea or no. 
 
 And Jacob knew the coat full well, and said. 
 
 Now hath some evil beast devour'd the lad ; 
 
SCKlPTUKAl POEMS. 
 
 401 
 
 Joseph is torn in pieces without doubt, 
 For, too, too well I know this is his coat. 
 He rent his clothes, and putting sackcloth on. 
 He for a long time mourned for his son. 
 His children striving to assuage his grief 
 Eudeavour'd to administer relief: 
 But he refus'd, and said. Since he is gone,"] 
 I will in sorrow to the gi'ave go down. 
 Such lamentation made he for his son. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIX. 
 And now these merchants, sons of Ishmael, 
 Again did poor afflicted Joseph sell. 
 To an Egyptian, named Potiphar, 
 The captain of King Pharoah's men of war. 
 And God was with him, and did greatly bless. 
 And crown his undertakings with success. 
 Whereof his master being well aware, 
 Committed all he had to Joseph's care; 
 And made him oTcrseer of 'his house. 
 And, from the time his master us'd him thus, 
 The Lord was pleas'd to give him to partake. 
 So many blessings, e'en for Joseph's sake: 
 Of that with plenty he was hedg'd about. 
 And prospered within door and without. 
 Such was his master's love, and he so just. 
 That all things were committed to his trust. 
 Now Joseph was grown up to manly stature. 
 Of goodly presence, and most comely feature. 
 Wherefore his mistress, with a lustful eye. 
 Beheld his beauty, and resolv'd to try. 
 If to unchaste embraces she could gain 
 The youth, but her endeavours prov'd in vain: 
 For he refus'd, and said. My master knows 'J 
 In all the house of nothing that he owes,* V 
 Tor his concerns are all at my dispose: J 
 There's not a thing that he hath kept from me 
 But aU is in my hand, save only thee; 
 Then how can I commit so foul a fact. 
 And the displeasure of my God contract? 
 Yet still she sued, and still did he deny her, 
 Refusing to be with her, or lie by her. 
 Now on a time when all the men were gone 
 Out of the house, and she was left alone : 
 And Joseph at that instant coming in. 
 About some business he'd to do within; 
 She took advantage of their being together. 
 And held his clothes to force him to lie with her. 
 But Joseph strove, and from her hands got loose. 
 And left his coat, and fled out of the house. 
 And when she saw that he had made's escape. 
 She call'd her servants, and proclaim'd a rape: 
 Come see now how this Hebrew slave, said she. 
 Your master's favourite, hath affronted me. 
 He came to violate my chastity. 
 And when he heard that I began to cry, 
 And call for help, afraid lest you should find him. 
 He's fled, and left his garment here behind him. 
 And now to give her words the greater credit. 
 Until her husband's coming home, she hid it. 
 To whom sb.p spake, and said. Why hast thou brought 
 This Hebrew here, to set me thus at nought? 
 
 'lie owes,' a contraction for 'he owneth.* — Ed. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 The slave attempted to defile my bed. 
 
 And when I cry'd, he left his coat and fled, 
 
 See here it is. Which when he saw, and heard 
 
 The heavy accusation she preferr'd, 
 
 He was exceeding wroth at bis behaviour. 
 
 And utterly cashier'd him from his favour; 
 
 Nay more, he east him into prison, where 
 
 In fetters bound. King Pharaoh's pris'ners were. 
 
 But Joseph's God, who never yet forsook 
 
 Him in extremity, was pleas'd to look 
 
 With great compassion on his injuries. 
 
 And gave him favour in the keeper's eyes; 
 
 So that he was entrusted with the care 
 
 And charge of all the pris'ners that were there: 
 
 All were committed unto Joseph's hand. 
 
 And what was done, was done at his command. 
 
 The prison -keeper took no care at all, 
 
 Of ought that he entrusted him withal; 
 
 Because he saw that God was with him, and 
 
 AU things did prosper that he took in hand. 
 
 CHAP. XL. 
 
 And now, whilst Joseph in confinement lay. 
 It came to pass upon a certain day. 
 That Pharaoh King of Egypt, being wroth 
 With his chief butler, and chief baker both. 
 For their offences, put them both in ward. 
 In the house of the captain of the guard: 
 Into the place where Joseph was confin'd. 
 Unto whose custody they were resign'd; 
 And he attended on them in the prison. 
 And there they were continu'd for a season. 
 During which time it chanced both of them 
 Uid in the same night dream each man his dream: 
 Which dreams, according to interpretation. 
 Had to themselves particular relation. 
 And Joseph coming early the next day. 
 Into the room where Pharaoh's servants lay. 
 Beheld their countenances much dejected : 
 Wherefore he said. What evil hath effected 
 This melancholy frame, what is't that causes 
 These marks of discontentment in your faces? 
 Then said they. We have dream'd each man his dream. 
 And there is'no man to interpret them. 
 Then Joseph said. Your dreams to me make known, 
 Interpretations are from God alone. 
 Then unto Joseph the chief butler told 
 His dream, and said, Methought 1 did behold 
 A vine, whereon three branches did appear, 
 "Which seem'd to bud, to blossom, and to bear 
 Clusters of full ripe grapes, which to my thinkiug 
 I press'd into the cup for Pharaoh's drinking. 
 And Joseph said. Thy dream doth signify. 
 Thou shalt enjoy thy former dignity; 
 The branches which thou sawest are three days, 
 In which King Pharaoh will his butler raise 
 And to thy place again will thee restore. 
 And thou shalt serve him as thou'st done before; 
 But do not, when it shall be well with thee, 
 Forget me, but show kindness unto rae. 
 And unto Pharaoh represent my case, 
 That I may be deliver'd from this place; 
 For I was stol'n out of the Hebrew's land. 
 And also here am wrongfully detained. 
 3 £ 
 
403 
 
 SCKIPTUKAL POEMS. 
 
 Then the chief baker haviiig understood. 
 
 That the interpretation was so good. 
 
 He told his di-eam to Joseph too, and said, 
 
 Lo, I had three white baskets on my head. 
 
 And in the uppermost there seem'd to be. 
 
 Of baked provision, great variety, 
 
 !Fit for King Pharaoh's table, and there came 
 
 A flock of bii'ds, and seem'd to eat the same. 
 
 And Joseph said. Thy dream portends thy fall. 
 
 For at the end of three days Pharaoh shall 
 
 lift up thy head, and hang thee on a tree. 
 
 So that the birds shall feast themselves on thco. 
 
 And on the third day Phaj'aoh made a feast 
 
 Unto his servants, and among the rest 
 
 The butler and the baker were brought fortli. 
 
 The day being kept in memory of his birth. 
 
 And to his place King Pharaoh did restore 
 
 His butler, and he served him as before. 
 
 But the chief baker he condemn'd to die, 
 
 According unto Joseph's prophecy. 
 
 Yet though the butler had regain'd his place. 
 
 He was unmindful of poor Joseph's case. 
 
 CHAP. XLT. 
 
 And now when two years' time was fully past, 
 
 And Joseph from confinement not releast, 
 
 It came to pass that Pharaoh dream 'd, and 
 
 He seemed by a river-side to stand, 
 
 "Whence he seven fat weU-favour'd Idne beheld. 
 
 Come up and grazed in the neighbouring field. 
 
 And after thera there came up seven more. 
 
 Lean and ill-favour'd, and did soon devom' 
 
 The seven fat kine which came up just before. 
 
 So Pharaoh 'woke, and mus'd awhile, and then 
 
 Soon as his sleep his dream retmmed again: 
 
 "Wherein he saw upon one stalk there stood 
 
 Seven ears of corn exceeding rank and good. 
 
 And seven others, with the east wind blasted. 
 
 And withered, sprang up, and quicldy wasted 
 
 The seven good eai's, and quite devour'd them: 
 
 And Pharaoh 'woke, and lo, it was a di-eam. 
 
 And in the morning he was discontent. 
 
 And for the wise men and magicians sent, 
 
 To ease his mind; but there was none of them 
 
 That could interpret to the Idng his dream. 
 
 Then the chief butler, maldng his addi-ess 
 
 Unto King Pharaoh, said, I now confess 
 
 My former faults, for when the king was v\Toth 
 
 With his chief butler, and chief baker both. 
 
 It pleased him, to put us both in ward. 
 
 In the house of the captain of the guard: 
 
 And in one night we dream'd a di-eam, each one 
 
 According to 's interpretation : 
 
 And there was then an Hebrew there in ward, 
 
 A youth that serv'd the captain of the guard: 
 
 To whom we told whereof we had been dreaming, 
 
 And he intei'prcted to us the meaning; 
 
 And what he said fell out accordingly. 
 
 Me he restored to my dignity. 
 
 But told the baker he should surely die. 
 
 Then Pharaoh sent a messenger in has'te, 
 
 And Joseph from the dungeon was releas'd: 
 
 And having shav'd himself and chang'd his clothes, 
 
 Into the presence of the king he goes. 
 
 To whom king Pharaoh said, I have been told 
 
 Thou canst the meaning of a dream unfold: 
 
 Now I have dream'd a dream, and there is nona 
 
 Can give me the interpretation. 
 
 And Joseph said, I cannot do this thing 
 
 Myself, but God shall answer thee, oh king. 
 
 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, In my dream. 
 
 As I stood by a river's side, there came 
 
 Up from the river seven weH-favour'd kine. 
 
 And fed upon the baulcs, all fat and fine. 
 
 And after them there came up seven more. 
 
 Lean and Ul-favour'd, and exceeding poor: 
 
 Such as the land of Egypt never bred. 
 
 And on the seven weU-favour'd kine they fed. 
 
 And eat them up, but 'twas not to be seen 
 
 That they had eat them, they look'd still so thin. 
 
 So I awoke, and mus'd awhile, and then 
 
 Soon as my sleep, my dream return'd again; 
 
 Wherein I saw upon one stalk there stood 
 
 Seven ears of corn, exceeding rank and good: 
 
 Then seven others, with the east wind blasted. 
 
 And withered, came up, and quicldy wasted 
 
 The seven good ears, and quite devoured them. 
 
 And being unsatisfied about my dream, 
 
 I sought unto the wise men of the nation, 
 
 But they could give me no interpretation. 
 
 And Joseph said. Thy dream, oh king! is one, 
 
 God shews to Pharaoh what he will have done. 
 
 The seven fat kine and seven good ears agree 
 
 To shew, seven yeai-s of plenty there shall be. 
 
 The seven lean kine, and seven blasted ears. 
 
 Denote there shall be famine seven years. 
 
 This I declare to Pharaoh, God doth shew 
 
 To thee, oh king! what he's about to do. 
 
 Behold seven years of plenty are at hand. 
 
 Which shall be very great throughout the land. 
 
 And after them seven years of famine shall 
 
 Arise, and shall consume the land, and all 
 
 The former plenty shall not be perceiv'd. 
 
 So much the land with famine shall be griev'd. 
 
 And since the di-eam was doubl'd to the king, 
 
 It is because God hath decreed the thin" 
 
 And on this land the same will shortly brin" 
 
 Now therefore if I may the Idng advise. 
 
 Let him look out a man discreet and wise 
 
 And make him overseer of the land : 
 
 And substitute men under his command 
 
 To gather a fifth pai't for public use. 
 
 Of what the seven plenteous years produce ; 
 
 And in the cities lay it up for store. 
 
 Against the famine in the land grows soj-e ; 
 
 And let it be repos'd in Pharaoh's hand, 
 
 That so the famine may not waste the land. 
 
 And when king Pharaoh and his servants heard 
 
 The propositions Joseph had preferr'd, 
 
 They were acceptable in Phai-aoh's eyes. 
 
 And in the eyes of all his com-t likewise : 
 
 So that he said. Can such an one be found ? 
 
 A man in whom God's Spirit doth abound. 
 
 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, Forasmuch 
 
 As God's great kindness unto thee is such. 
 
 :i 
 
SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 403 
 
 ne, ■) 
 
 ly dame, >■ 
 ; of fame. ) 
 
 As to i-evcal this tiling to thee, I Icnow 
 
 No man so wise or so discreet as thou. 
 
 Be thou therefore the ruler of the land, 
 
 And let my people he at thy command ; 
 
 Thou shalt in all things he as great as I, 
 
 Save only in the royal dignity. 
 
 Behold this day I have advanced thee 
 
 Said he, to be a man of high degree 
 
 Throughout the land. And therewithal the ting 
 
 Bestow'd on Joseph his own royal ring ; 
 
 And him with robes of state did richly deck. 
 
 And put a chain of gold about his neclc, 
 
 And in his second chariot made him ride, ^ 
 
 And as he past. Bow down the knee they ci7'd, >• 
 
 With so great honour was he dignifi'd. ) 
 
 And Pharaoh said moreover, I am long. 
 
 No man shall dare to purpose any thing. 
 
 Or move his hand or foot in all this nation. 
 
 Unless it shall be by thy approbation. 
 
 He also gave to Joseph a new name. 
 
 And for a wife gave him a princely i 
 
 Who was the daughter of a priest < 
 
 (Now Joseph had attained his thirtieth year, 
 
 When he before ting Pharaoh did appear.) 
 
 And he went out from Pharaoh's presence, and 
 
 Began his progress over all the laud. 
 
 Now in the seven plenteous years, the field 
 
 Did its increase in great abundance yield. 
 
 And Joseph gather'd all that plenteous crop. 
 
 And in th' adjacent cities laid it up : 
 
 Which like unto the sand upon the shore. 
 
 Did so abound that he could count no more. 
 
 Such was the plenty that the earth then bore. J 
 
 And unto Joseph there was bom a son. 
 
 Even by the daughter of the priest i 
 
 Before the years of famine were begu 
 
 The which he call'd Jlanasseh, for, said he, 
 
 God makes me to forget my misery, 
 
 And all my father's house. And after him 
 
 Was born another he called Ephraim ; 
 
 Por God, saith he, hath made me to possess 
 
 Abundance in the land of my distress. 
 
 And when the seven plenteous years were gone, 
 
 Tiie seven years of famine next came on. 
 
 As Joseph said, and there was a great dearth 
 
 In every nation throughout all the earth ; 
 
 But in the land of Egypt there was bread. 
 
 And when the people almost famished. 
 
 Complained to the king, he bade them go 
 
 To Joseph, and whate'er he said to do. 
 
 And now the famine daily waxing sore, 
 
 Joseph began to bring forth of his store, 
 
 Which he had laid up for the pubHc good ; 
 
 To whom th' Egyptians came and bought their food. 
 
 And people from all countries far and near ■] 
 
 To Egypt came to buy provision there ; 
 
 Eor in all lands the famine was severe. 
 
 CHAP. XLII. 
 
 And now, behold, when Jacob had been told 
 That there was com in Egypt to be sold. 
 He said unto his sons. Why stand ye thus ? 
 Go down to Egypt and buy corn for us ; 
 
 •n a son, ^ 
 iest of On, V 
 ! begun ; } 
 
 That so our craving stomachs may be fed. 
 
 And not be here and die for lack of bread. 
 
 Thus Jacob's ten sons were to Egypt sent, 
 
 But Joseph's brother Benjamin ne'er went. 
 
 For why, his father said, I will not send him. 
 
 Lest peradvcntm'o some ill chance attend him. 
 
 And Joseph's brethren came among the rest 
 
 To buy provision, for they were distress'd. 
 
 Now he was governor of all the land, 
 
 And all the corn of Egypt in his hand. 
 
 Wherefore his brethren, when they came to treat 
 
 AVilh him for com, bow'd down e'en at his feet : 
 
 And he no sooner saw them but he knew them. 
 
 And show'd himself extremely strange unto thera : 
 
 And very roughly asked who they were, 
 
 Erom whence they came, and what their bus'ness there. 
 
 And they made answer, We thy servants from 
 
 The land of Canaan to buy food are come. 
 
 Now tho' they knew him not, yet he knew them, 
 
 And calling now to mind his former dream. 
 
 He said, I do suspect ye're come as spies, 
 
 To see in what distress our country lies. 
 
 But they reply'd again. My lord, we're come 
 
 Only to buy some food to carry home. 
 
 Think not thy servants spies, but true men rather 
 
 For we are all the children of one father. 
 
 Nay, nay, said he, but ye are come to pry 
 
 Into the nation's great necessity. 
 
 But they reply'd again. Thy servants are 
 
 Inhabitants of Canaan, and declare, 
 
 That we're twelve brethren, whom one man begot. 
 
 The youngest is at home, and one is not 
 
 Well then, said Joseph, hereby shall I know, 
 
 "VlTiether ye're spies, as I have said, or no ; 
 
 Now by the Hfe of Pharaoh do I swear. 
 
 Until your brother come I'U keep you here. 
 
 Send one of you and fetch the lad to me, 
 
 And you shall be coniin'd, so shall there be 
 
 A proof of what you say before mine eyes. 
 
 Or by the Hfe of Pharaoh ye are spies. 
 
 Then he for tliree days put them aU in ward. 
 
 And on the third day said, I have regard 
 
 To equity, therefore if ye are true 
 
 And honest men, do this ; let one of you 
 
 Be bound in prison here, and let the other 
 
 Go carry corn home and bring me your brother; 
 
 So shall ye be approv'd and shall not die. 
 
 And they prepared to do accordingly. 
 
 And as they were discoursing to each other. 
 
 They said. We were in fault about our brother. 
 
 In that we saw his soul in great distress. 
 
 And yet were so exceeding pitiless. 
 
 As not to hearken to his earnest cries : 
 
 This is the cause of these our miseries. 
 
 And Reuben said. You know I did forewarn. 
 
 And beg that you would do the cUUd no harm ; 
 
 But you would not do then as I desir'd, 
 
 And now his blood is at our hands rcquir'd. 
 
 Thus they discours'd about the cause that brought 
 
 Their present trouble, but they little thought 
 
 That Joseph Icnew of what they did confer. 
 
 Because he spake by an interpreter. 
 
 And he being moved at then: words witlidrew 
 
 To weep, and then returned to renew 
 
4.04 
 
 SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 His former talk ; and choosing Simeon ont. 
 
 Before them all he bound him hand and foot. 
 
 And gave command to fill their sacks with grain, 
 
 And to restore their money to 'em again ; 
 
 And for their journey gare them food to eat ; 
 
 In such sort Joseph did his brethren treat. 
 
 Then with their asses laden towards home 
 
 They went, and when into their inn they come 
 
 As one of them his sack of corn unty'd. 
 
 To give his ass some provender, he spy'd 
 
 His money in his sack again return'd ; 
 
 Wherefore he call'd his brethren and inform'J 
 
 Them that his money was returned back. 
 
 Behold, said he, it is here in my sack. 
 
 On sight whereof their hearts were sore dismay'd. 
 
 And being very much affrighted said. 
 
 What is the thing that God's about to do. 
 
 That we do thus these troubles undergo ? 
 
 Then coming to their father they related. 
 
 After what sort they were in Egypt treated : 
 
 And said, the man that's lord of all the land. 
 
 And hath the store of com all in his hand. 
 
 Spake rougldy to us, and affirm'd that we 
 
 Were come the wealcness of the land to see. 
 
 To whom we said, We are all honest men ; 
 
 We are twelve brethren, whereof here are ten. 
 
 And two elsewhere, all which one man begot. 
 
 The youngest's with our father, one is not. 
 
 Then said the roler of the land. Hereby 
 
 Shall I make proof of your integrity : 
 
 let one of you continue here with me. 
 
 And take provision for yom- family ; 
 
 And get you gone and bring the youngest hither, 
 
 That so I may be satisfied whether 
 
 Ye are true men, as you make protestation, 
 
 Then I'll release him, and give toleration 
 
 To you to come and tralEc in the nation. 
 
 And now behold as they their sacks unloos'd 
 
 To empty out their corn, there was unclos'd 
 
 In each man's sack liis money therein bound. 
 
 As when they came from home, which when they found. 
 
 Both they and their old father were afraid ; 
 
 And to his sons afflicted Jacob said. 
 
 You of my children have bereaved me, 
 
 Joseph and Simeon now do cease to be ; 
 
 And of my Benjamin you would deprive me. 
 
 These things do ev'n into distraction drive me. 
 
 Then Rueben said, My father I resign 
 
 To thy disposing these two sons of mine ; 
 
 Give me the lad, and let them both be slain, 
 
 If I do not return him safe again. 
 
 But he reply'd, I will not let him go. 
 
 For why his brother is' dcccas'd you know ; 
 
 And if upon the way some evil thing 
 
 Should happen to the lad, you then will bring 
 
 These my grey hairs with sorrow to the grave ; 
 
 For he's the only comfort that I have. 
 
 CHAP. XLIII. 
 
 And now the famine still continuing sore, 
 And having spent all their late purchas'd store, 
 Their father bids them to go do\vn for more 
 To whom when Judah had himself address'd, 
 He said, The man did solemnly protest. 
 
 'I 
 
 If we without our brother came again. 
 
 To seek his face would be for us in vain : 
 
 If therefore thou wilt send him, well and good. 
 
 Then vrill we willingly go down for food ; 
 
 But if thou wilt not, we must let thee know. 
 
 We are resolved that we \vill not go : 
 
 For, as I said before, the ruler swore 
 
 Without him we should see his face no more. 
 
 Then Israel said. Why were you so unkind 
 
 To say you had a brother left behind P 
 
 The man, said they, was so inquisitive. 
 
 He asked if our father were alive. 
 
 Or if we had a brother, whereunto 
 
 Accordingly we answer'd, could we know ] 
 
 If he would bid us bring the lad or no ? 
 
 Moreover Judah to his father said. 
 
 If thou wilt but entrust me with the lad. 
 
 We will begone, that so both thou and we 
 
 May be preserved with our family : 
 
 I will be surety for him, if I fail 
 
 To bring him back, on me the blame entail ; 
 
 For if we had not lingered, we had been 
 
 By this time here the second time again. 
 
 Well then, said Isr'el, if it must be so. 
 
 My sons, take my advice before you go ; 
 
 Provide some of the best frnits of the land. 
 
 To give the man a present from your hand ; 
 
 Balm, myxi'h, and spices, and a httle honey. 
 
 Some nuts and almonds, and take double money. 
 
 For peradventure it was a mistake. 
 
 In that your money was returned back. 
 
 And take your brother Benjamin and go. 
 
 And God Almighty grant the man may shew 
 
 You mercy, that you may bring back again " 
 
 Your other brother, and my '. 
 
 And if I am bereav'd, so have '. 
 
 Then did the men prepare the present, and 
 
 They took their money double in their hand 
 
 With Benjamin, and down to Egypt went. 
 
 Who unto Joseph did themselves present. 
 
 Who, when he saw that Benjamin was come, 
 
 Order'd his stewai-d to conduct them home. 
 
 And to provide a dinner, for, said he, 
 
 I do intend these men shall dine with me. 
 
 Then did the steward as his master said. 
 
 And brought them home, whereat they were afraid. 
 
 And said, The man hath caus'd us to come in. 
 
 Because our money was return'd again ; 
 
 To take occasion now to fall upon us. 
 
 And make us slaves, and take our asses from us. 
 
 Unto the steward they di-ew nigh therefore. 
 
 And thus communed with him at the door : 
 
 sir, say they, we came at first indeed 
 
 To buy provision to supply our need ; 
 
 And in our inn as we om- sacks unloos'd. 
 
 We found our money therein all inclos'd 
 
 In its full weight, whereat surpvis'd with fear. 
 
 Not knowing who had put our money there, 
 
 We now have brought it in full weight again. 
 
 And other money too, to buy more gi-ain. 
 
 Peace, peace, said he, let not fear seize upon yon 
 
 For I had the disposing of your money : 
 
 God, unto whom you and your father bow. 
 
 Hath giv'n you treasure in your sacks I trow. 
 
 ring back again \ 
 
 Benjamin, >■ 
 
 re I been. } 
 
SCRIPTUEAL POEMS. 
 
 403 
 
 And then releasing Simon, who had been 
 
 Coufiu'd in Joseph's house, he brought them in 
 
 And set them water, and they wash'd their feet ; 
 
 And gave their asses provender to eat. 
 
 Then they made ready, against Joseph came, 
 
 Their gifts, in order to present the same 
 
 At noon ; for they were told he did design 
 
 To have their eompany with him to dine. 
 
 And now when Joseph was returned home, 
 
 Into his presence they with rev'rcnce come. 
 
 And brought their presents in and laid before him. 
 
 And fell down at his feet for to adore him. 
 
 Then he inquired if they all were well. 
 
 And said. When you were here I heard you tcU 
 
 Of an old man, your father, how does he ? 
 
 Is he in health, or doth he cease to be ? 
 
 AVhereto in humble sort they thus repli'd. 
 
 Thy servant, eVn our father, doth abide 
 
 In perfect health, which having said. 
 
 They bowed their heads and great obeisance made. 
 
 And Joseph viewing Benjamin his brother 
 
 (They being both the children of one mother) 
 
 He asked if he were the lad of whom 
 
 They spake, then said, God give thee grace, my son. 
 
 Then making haste to find a secret place 
 
 To weep, because his bowels yearn'd apace 
 
 Upon his brother, to his chamber went, 
 
 Where having giv'n his troubled spirits vent. 
 
 He washed his face, and did himself refi-ain, 
 
 And to his brethren then came forth again. 
 
 And bade his servants they should set on bread. 
 
 At his command the tables were all spread ; 
 
 One for himself, and for his fi-iends another. 
 
 And for the Egyptians one apart from either, 
 
 That so they might not eat bread altogether ; 
 
 Por it is held a great abomination 
 
 Por them to eat among the Hebrew nation. 
 
 And they were placed as their age required. 
 
 The eldest first, whereat the men admired. 
 
 And from his table Joseph sent them messes ; 
 
 But in a larger manner he expresses 
 
 To Benjamin his kindness, which was such. 
 
 That he appointed him five times as much 
 
 As to the rest : and they drank plenteonsly. 
 
 Till they were merry in his company. 
 
 CHAP. XLIV. 
 And to his steward Joseph spake, and said, 
 Give these men corn as much as they can lade ; 
 And in their sacks bind each man's money up. 
 And in the youngest's put my silver cup 
 Besides his money .- and he made haste and did 
 According as his master had commanded. 
 And in the morning by the break of day. 
 With asses laden they were sent away: 
 And now, e'er they had scarce the town's end pass'd. 
 He sent his steward after them in haste, 
 And said, Go, foUow them, and ask them why 
 They have dealt by me so ungratefully ? 
 And say unto them. You have done great evil 
 To rob my master, who hath been so civil. 
 And steal the cup wherein he diinks his wine ; 
 Is it not it whereby he doth '*divine ? 
 
 "" The word lyna, translated ' divine,' means to eye subtiHy, to searcli, 
 
 Then he pursu'd and quicldy overtook 
 
 Thein, and these very words to them he spoke. 
 
 To whom they said. Why hath my lord such thought ? 
 
 Oh, God forbid that we should be so fnaught ; 
 
 Behold, thou know'st we brought the money back 
 
 The wliich we found bound up in each man's sack. 
 
 Which shews that we had no design to cheat ; 
 
 How then shovdd we now steal yoiu* master's plate ? 
 
 With which of us thy servants it is found 
 
 Let him be slain, and we to slavery bound. 
 
 Now as you say, said he, so let it be. 
 
 He shall be bound, but you shall all go free. 
 
 Then they unladed ev'iy man his beast. 
 
 And to his view expos'd their sacks in haste. 
 
 And he from first to last them searched round, 
 
 And lo, the cup on Benjamin was found: 
 
 Thereat smiiris'd, each man his garment rent. 
 
 And lades his beast, and back again they went. 
 
 And now when Judah and the rest were come % 
 
 To Joseph's house, (for he was yet at home) V 
 
 They fell before him to the ground, to whom ) 
 
 He said, Y/hat deed is this that you have done ? 
 
 Are you not sensible that such a one 
 
 As I, can certainly thereof make trial ? 
 
 Then Judah said. My lord, there's no denial : 
 
 We cannot clear ourselves. The Lord hath sent, 
 
 for our misdeeds, this heavy punishment. 
 
 Behold, to be thy slaves we all are botmd. 
 
 Both we, and he on whom the cup was found. 
 
 Then Joseph said. The Lord forbid that I 
 
 Should exercise so great severity: 
 
 For he with whom 'tis found, and he alone 
 
 Shall be my servant, you may all be gone. 
 
 Then unto Joseph, Judah drawing near. 
 
 Said, my lord I I pray be pleas'd to bear 
 
 Thy servant speak, and be not angry now, 
 
 Por as king Pharaoh is ev'n so art thou. 
 
 My lord did bid thy servants to discover 
 
 Whether we had a father or a brother ; 
 
 And we made answer that thy servants had 
 
 An ancient father and a Uttle lad. 
 
 The child of his old age, who was our brother, 
 
 And he the only child left of his mother. 
 
 His brother being dead ; and that this lad 
 
 W^as all the comfort that our father had. 
 
 Then thou wei-t pleas'd to bid thy servants bring 
 
 The lad, that thou might'st have a sight of him. 
 
 And we made answer, if the lad should leave 
 
 His father, it would bring him to his grave : 
 
 And thou didst then protest it was in vain 
 
 For us without him to come here again. 
 
 Then towards home thy servants went their way. 
 
 And told our father what my lord did say. 
 
 And in a while, when all our com was spent. 
 
 Thy servant, ev'n our father, would have sent 
 
 To buy more food ; to whom thy servants said. 
 
 We cannot go except thou send the lad. 
 
 Because the man did solemnly declare. 
 
 Unless we brought him we should not come there. 
 
 to try, Ss lOha*^ '^h3 SIMI. v. 5, may be rendered, 'And he will search 
 deeply for it; and in v, 15, 'Know ye not that a man like me would 
 search deeply,' alluding to the certainty of detection, but not by divina- 
 tion. — Ed. 
 + ' So naught,' so corrupt, bad, or worthless.— En. 
 
40G 
 
 SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 hereby. 3 
 
 And then thy servant, ev'n our father, saiJ, 
 
 Ye know that by my wife two sons I had. 
 
 And one of them went forth and came no more. 
 
 Which made me thinlc some beast did him devour. 
 
 And if I now should also condescend 
 
 To let this go, and miscliief should attend. 
 
 Yon will with sorrow bring me to my end. 
 
 When to my father I shall come therefore. 
 
 And he shaU see that I do not restore 
 
 The lad again, he certainly wiU die, 
 
 (Since in his life my father's life doth lie) 
 
 And we shaU bring him to his grave the 
 
 For I became a surety for the lad 
 
 Unto my father, unto whom I said. 
 
 If I do not in safety him deliver, 
 
 Then let me bear the blame to thee for ever. 
 
 I humbly pray thee, therefore, to accept 
 
 Me in his stead, and let me here be Icept 
 
 My lord's bond-slave, and let the lad go free : 
 
 For how can I, thy servant, bear to see 
 
 The evd that shall on my father come. 
 
 If that the lad return not safely home. 
 
 CHAP. XLV. 
 
 Then Joseph, who by no means now could liide 
 
 His brotherly affection longer, cry'd. 
 
 Put all men forth; and he was left alone 
 
 "When to his brethren he himself made known. 
 
 Then Joseph weeping lifted up his voice 
 
 So loud, that Pharaoh's servants heard the noise. 
 
 And to his bretlircn did himself discover. 
 
 And said, Lo ! I am Joseph your own brother; 
 
 And doth my father live ? "Whereat amaz'd. 
 
 They could not speak, but at each other gaz'd. 
 
 Then Joseph said. Come near, I pray, behold, 
 
 I am your brother Joseph whom ye sold 
 
 To Egypt, be not gi'ieved now therefore, 
 
 Nor vex yourselves, for God sent me before 
 
 To save Hfe ; for these two years there hath been 
 
 A famine, and five more to come, wherein 
 
 Seed time nor harvest shall at all be seen. 
 
 The Lord, I say, hath sent me to provide 
 
 A place, and strangely save your lives beside. 
 
 So now ye sent me not, but it was rather 
 
 The Lord, and he hath made me as a father 
 
 Unto the king, lord of his household, and 
 
 A ruler over all this spacious land. 
 
 Unto my father, therefore, go your way. 
 
 And teU him. Thus doth thy son Joseph say : 
 
 The Lord hath rais'd me to a high degree 
 
 In Egypt, tai'ry not, but come to me. 
 
 And thou shalt dwell in Goshen and be nigh me. 
 
 And with provision there wiR I supply thee ; 
 
 Both thou and thine, flocks, herds, and all thou hast, 
 
 (For yet these five years will the famine last) 
 
 Lest otherwise, provision being scant. 
 
 Thou and thy family may come to want. 
 
 Behold, both you and Benjamin my brother 
 
 Do see that it is I aud not another. 
 
 Go tell my father this amazing story, 
 
 And bring him hither to behold my glorv. 
 
 Then falling on his youngest brother's neck, 
 
 Aud he on his, they o'er each other wept. 
 
 And to the rest he did Ukewise, wherefore 
 
 They now were more familiar than before. 
 
 And now whilst they discoursed, the report 
 
 Of their arrival came to Pharaoh's court. 
 
 And he was pleas'd thereat, wherefore he said 
 
 To Joseph, let thy brethren straightway lade 
 
 Their beasts with corn, and thus unto them say, 
 
 Unto your native counti'y haste away, 
 
 And fetch your father, and your households, and 
 
 I 'U feed you with the good things of the land ; 
 
 And since you are commanded by the king. 
 
 Take waggons mth you hence wherein to bring 
 
 Your wives, your little ones, and come down hither. 
 
 Your father, you aud yours altogether ; 
 
 And never heed to bring your household stuff. 
 
 For here in Egypt you shaU have enough. 
 
 Then did the Isr'elitcs accordingly : 
 
 And Joseph ordering them a large supply 
 
 Of necessaries for their journey, sent 
 
 AYaggons according to the king's intent. 
 
 And to each man he gave a suit of clothes. 
 
 But on his brother Benjamin bestows 
 
 Five suits, and as a token of his love, 
 
 A sum of money over and above. 
 
 And thus he sent ev'n for his father's use, 
 
 Of the best things that Egypt did produce. 
 
 Ten asses load, and ten she asses load 
 
 Of bread and meat, to spend upon the road. 
 
 Then sending them away, he said, I pray 
 
 See that you do not fall out by the way. 
 
 And leaving Egypt with their num'rous train. 
 
 Unto their father they returned again : 
 
 To whom, as soon as e'er they did arrive. 
 
 They said. Our brother Joseph's yet alive. 
 
 And lord of all the land, which sore dismay'd 
 
 Him, for he scarce believed what they said. 
 
 Then they of all that pass'd gave him relation. 
 
 And shewed the waggons for a confirmation 
 
 "Which being manifest before his eyes. 
 
 He rais'd himself, and said, It doth suffice ; 
 
 Joseph my son is yet ahve, and I 
 
 Will go to see him once before I die. 
 
 CHAP. XLVL 
 
 Then Isr'el setting forward on his way 
 
 "With all his household, came to Becrsheba; 
 
 And offer'd sacrifice there to implore 
 
 The God his father Isaac did adore. 
 
 And in the visions of the night God spaice 
 
 To him, and said. Fear not to undertake 
 
 This jom-ney into Egypt, for I am 
 
 The God of thy forefathers, Abraliam 
 
 Aud Isaac ; to the land of Egypt I 
 
 Will go with thee, and there wiU multiply 
 
 Thy offspring, and of thee wiU sm-ely make 
 
 A mighty nation, and will bring thee back ; 
 
 And thy son Joseph there thine eyes shall close. 
 
 After which vision he from thence arose. 
 
 And in the waggons which king Pharaoh sent. 
 
 He and his family to Egypt went : 
 
 His sons, their vrives and childi-en, and the rest 
 
 Of their concerns, whereof they were posscst 
 
 When they in Canaan dwelt, and they were then 
 
 No more m number but thi-ecscorc and ten. 
 
SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 407 
 
 And wleu to Egypt Israel di-ew near 
 
 He sent before Mm JuJah, to prepare 
 
 His way to Goshen, whioli wlien Joseph heard. 
 
 Immediately his chariot he prepai-'d ; 
 
 And unto Goshen he directly went. 
 
 And to his father did himself present : 
 
 And being 'over-joy'd feU on his neek, 
 
 And for a good while thereupon he wept. 
 
 Then Jacob said, Since thou yet liv'st, and I 
 
 Have seen thy face once more, now let me die. 
 
 And Joseph said. My bretliren I will go 
 
 Unto king Pharaoh, and wiU let him know 
 
 That you, and all my father's house are come ; 
 
 And that your occupation when at home, 
 
 Hath been in feeding cattle altogether, 
 
 And that you've brought your flocks and herds all hither. 
 
 Now therefore when you come before the Icing, 
 
 And he should ask you what your trade hath been. 
 
 Say thus : Thy servants from our youth till now 
 
 Have dealt in cattle, we and our fathers too. 
 
 That he may let you dwell in Goshen, for 
 
 Th' Egyptians do a shepherd's life abhor. 
 
 CHAP. XLVII. 
 
 Then to king Pharaoh .Joseph went and said. 
 My father and his sons, with all they had 
 In their own country, are come down to mc. 
 And in the land of Goshen now they be. 
 Five of his brethren also mth him went. 
 Whom he unto king Pharaoh did present. 
 And Pharaoh asked them about their trade. 
 And they unto the king reply'd and said : 
 We aud our fathers while we were at home 
 Were shepherds all, and now behold, we come 
 With all our flocks, to get some pasture here. 
 For in our land the famine is severe. 
 We therefore pray thee to appoint a portion 
 Unto thy servants in the land of Goshen. 
 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I empow'r thee 
 To use thy pleasure, Goshen is before thee ; 
 Settle thy father and thy brethi'en there, 
 And if among them active men there are. 
 Commit my cattle to their special care. 
 And Joseph brought his aged father in 
 Before the king, and Jacob blessed him. 
 And Pharaoh asking him about his age. 
 He said. The years of my life's pilgrimage 
 Are but an hundred thirty, very few 
 And evil, nor have I attain'd unto 
 The years of my forefathers longer age. 
 Which they pass'd thro' in this their pilgrimage. 
 And Jacob bless'd the king again, and then 
 Out of his presence he retum'd again. 
 And Joseph plac'd his father and relations 
 In Egypt, and appointed them possessions 
 In the best of the land, ev'n in the land 
 Of Eameses, according to the king's command: 
 And there he nourished them with fit supplies 
 Of bread, according to their families. 
 And now the people having spent their store. 
 And famine still increasing more and more, 
 Egypt and Canaan too, for want of bread. 
 Were sore distress'd and almost famished. 
 
 And Joseph took the money they did bring 
 To buy their corn, and kept it for the king- 
 Wherefore the people came to represent 
 Theii* case to hira, both corn and coin being spent. 
 And Joseph said. If money be grown scant. 
 Bring me your cattle and ye shall not want. 
 And they brought horses, asses, and their Uoclts 
 Aud herds of cattle, ev'n all their stocks. 
 And gave to Joseph in exchange for bread. 
 For which the people he for that year fed ; 
 And when that year was past, the second year 
 They came again, and said. We can't forbear 
 To let thee know our want, my lord doth know 
 Thou hast our money and our cattle too. 
 And there is nothing left (so hard's our fate) 
 But only each man's person and estate : 
 If thou wilt give us bread, into thy hands 
 WiU we resign our persons and our lands : 
 And be the servants of the king for ever. 
 From death therefore our hungry souls deliver, 
 And take some pity on our wretched state. 
 Lest we die, and the land be desolate. 
 And the Egyptians sold each man his field, 
 Because the famine over them prevail'd; 
 And all their lands became the Mug's possession. 
 And Joseph placed them at his own discretion. 
 But the land of the priests he purchased not. 
 For Pharaoh had assigned to them their lot : 
 And they received their food from Pharaoh's hands 
 Wherefore they had no need to sell their lands. 
 And Joseph said unto them, Now behold. 
 You and your lands are unto Pharaoh sold : 
 Lo 1 here is seed to sow in each man's field. 
 And when the land its ripe increase shall yield, 
 A fifth part shall belong unto the crown. 
 And the other four parts shall be your ovm, 
 For seed to sow your lands, and for supplies 
 Of food convenient for your families. 
 And they said; Thou hast sav'd om- lives, my lord, 
 Thy gracious favour unto us afford, 
 Aud we will do according to thy word. 
 And Joseph made it a decree, to stand 
 Ev'n to this day throughout th' Egyptian land ; 
 That Pharaoh should have a fifth pai-t, except 
 The priests' lands, which unto themselves they kept. 
 And in the land of Egypt ev'n in Goshen, 
 Did Isr'el dwell, and therein had possession ; 
 And grew and multiply'd exceeding fast. 
 And Jacob hv'd till seventeen years were past : 
 So that the siun of Jacob's age appears 
 To be an hundred forty-seven years. 
 And when the time approach'd that he must die, 
 He called Joseph, unto whom he said. If I 
 Have now found favour in thy sight, I pray. 
 Swear thou unto me that thou wilt not lay 
 My bones in Egypt, for I fain would lie 
 Among my ancestors when e'er I die. 
 And not be bury'd here ; therefore fulfil 
 This my desire ; and he reply'd, I wiU : 
 And he said. Swear unto me, which he did : 
 Then Jacob bow'd himself upon his bed. 
 
 1 
 
403 
 
 SCKIPTXJEAL POEMS. 
 
 CHAP. XLVin. 
 
 And now wken Joseph heard Lis father lay 
 Ereu at the point of death he hastes away 
 To visit him, and took along with him 
 His son Manasseh, and's son Ephraim. 
 Whereof when Jacob heard he strength'ncd 
 Himself, and rose and sat upon the bed : 
 And thus to Joseph said, Lo! God appeared 
 To me at Luz in Canaan, and declared. 
 That he would bless, and make me a great nation. 
 And give my seed that land for a possession : 
 And Jacob said. Behold, these sons of thine 
 As Reuben and as Simeon shall be mine ; 
 And all the rest that shall be horn to thee 
 Hereafter, shall he thine, and they shall be 
 Call'd by the name of their own family. 
 Behold thy mother died upon the way, 
 "When I from Padan came, near Ephratah, 
 The which is in the land of Canaan, where. 
 To wit, in Belhlem, did I bury her. 
 And Jacob seeing Joseph's sons were there. 
 He asked of him who the children were. 
 And Joseph said. My father, lo 1 these be 
 The sons, God in this place hath given me. 
 Then Jacob said, I pray thee bring them nigh 
 To me, and I will bless them e'er I die. 
 (Now Jacob's eyes, by reason of age, were dim) 
 And Joseph brought his sons near unto him, 
 And Jacob kissed and embraced them ; 
 And said, I never thought to see thy face. 
 And lol the Lord hath shewn me of thy race. 
 And Joseph fi'om between his knees brought forth 
 His sons, and bow'd himself even to the eai'th : 
 And in his right hand held up Ephraim, 
 Towards his father's left hand guiding him 
 And in his left hand to his father's right. 
 He held his son Manasseh opposite. 
 And Isra'l stretching out his right hand, laid 
 It on the youngest, namely Ephraim's head : 
 And laid his left hand wittingly upon 
 Manasseh's head, although the eldest son. 
 And Jacob blessed Joseph, saying. The God 
 Of heaven, in whose paths my fathers trod, 
 Who all my life hath nourish'd me, even he 
 Who from all evil hath redeemed me. 
 Bless both the lads, and let them bear my name, 
 And the name of my fathers Abraham 
 And Isaac, and let them multiply 
 In the midst of the earth exceedingly. 
 And Joseph seeing his father's right hand laid 
 On Ephraim's head, he was displeas'd, and said. 
 Not so, my father, lay this hand upon 
 Manasseh's head, for he's the eldest son: 
 And therewithal attempted to have laid 
 His father's right hand on Manasseh's head 
 But he refns'd and said, I know't my son, 
 I know't full well, he also shall become 
 A people, and be mighty; But indeed 
 His younger brother shall him far exceed. 
 And many nations shall come from his seed. 
 Thus Jacob blessed them, and said. In thee 
 Shall Isra'l bless, and say, God make thee be 
 
 Like Ephraim and Manasseh. Thus did he 
 Prefer the youngest to the first degree. 
 And Isra'l said to Joseph, Lol I die. 
 But God shall visit you, and certainly 
 Shall bring you back unto your father's land. 
 And thou shalt have a portion from my hand, 
 Above thy brethren, which with sword and bow 
 I took from th' Amorite, my deadly foe. 
 
 CHAP. XLIX. 
 
 And Jacob called all his sons together. 
 
 And said. Ye sons of Jacob come you hither: 
 
 And hearken what your aged father says. 
 
 Who tells you what shall be in the last days. 
 
 Eeuben my first born, of my strength the flowrs. 
 
 The excellency of dignity and power: 
 
 Unstable as water, be for ever vile. 
 
 Because thou did thy father's bed defile. 
 
 Simeon and Levi 're brethren. Instruments 
 
 Of cruelty ai'c lodged in theii' tents. 
 
 Come not, my soul, their secret councils nigh. 
 
 My honour, with them have no unity: 
 
 For in their wrath they caused a man to fall. 
 
 And in their self-will digged down a wall. 
 
 Curs'd be their anger, fierce, yea cursed be 
 
 Their wrath, for it was full of cruelty. 
 
 In Jacob therefore let their seed be spread. 
 
 And every where in Israel scattered. 
 
 Judah shaE have his brethren's praise, and they 
 
 Shall how before him ; he his foes shaU slay. 
 
 Jndah's a Uou's whelp retum'd fi'om prey. 
 
 He stoop'd, he couch'd, and as a lion hiy; 
 
 As an old lion, who shall dare molest. 
 
 Or rouse him up, when he lies down to rest. 
 
 The sceptre shall from Judah never start. 
 
 Nor a lawgiver from his feet depart; 
 
 Until the blessed ShUoh come, to whom 
 
 The scatter'd people shall from all p;irts come: 
 
 Binding his foal unto the choicest vine. 
 
 He wash'd his gai-ments, all of them in wine: 
 
 His eyes shall with the blood of th' gi-apes look red, 
 
 And millcy wliiteness shall his teeth o'erspread. 
 
 Lo! Zabulon shall dwell upon the sea,' 
 
 An haven for the ship's security. 
 
 And unto Zidon shall his border be. 
 
 And Issachar is a strong ass between 
 
 Two burdens crouching, who when he had seen 
 
 That rest was pleasant, and the land was good. 
 
 His servile neck imto the yoke he boiv'd. 
 
 Dan as a judge shall over Isra'l sway. 
 
 He shall be as a serpent in the way. 
 
 To bite the horse, and cast the rider down. 
 
 God ! 1 have look'd for thy salvation. 
 
 Gad by a troop shall be o'ercome, but he 
 
 ShaU at the last obtain the victoiy. 
 
 The bread of Asluu- shall be fat indeed. 
 
 And royal dainties shtdl from him proceed. 
 
 Like to a hind let loose is Naphtali, 
 
 lie spcalicth all his words acceptably. 
 
 Joseph's a fruitful bough, whose branches tall 
 
 Grow by a well, and over-top the wall: 
 
 By reason of hatred which the archers bore. 
 
 They shot at him and griev'd him very sore, 
 
SCRIPTUKAIi POEMS. 
 
 409 
 
 But Joseph's bow in its full strength abode 
 And by the arm of Jacob's mighty God, 
 He was iudu'd with strength, from whence alone 
 Is Isra'l's shepherd, and chief corner-stone: 
 Ev'n by my father's God, who shall assist 
 Thee, by th' Almighty God shalt thon be blest. 
 With blessings from above, and from below. 
 With blessings of the breast, and womb also. 
 Thy father's blessings have prevaU'd beyond 
 My ancestors. Unto the utmost bound 
 Of the perpetual hills, yea let them rest 1 
 On Joseph's head, and let him be possest > 
 Of all, who was divided from the rest. J 
 Young Benjamin shall wolf-like take his prey. 
 And part by night what he hath took by day. 
 All these are the ten tribes of Israel, 
 And thus their father did their fate foretel: 
 And blessed every one of them apait. 
 According to their personal desert. 
 Moreover he gave them a charge and said, 
 lol I shall die, but let my bones be laid 
 Among my ancestors in Canaan, where 
 Of Ephron, Abraham bought a sepulchre. 
 Together with a field, to be a place 
 Of burial, for JiiTn and all his race. 
 (There Abraham and Sarah lie, and there") 
 They Isaac and Eebecca did inter. 
 And there when Leah died I buried her.) J 
 The field was purchas'd of the sons of Heth. 
 Thus having said, resigning up his breath 
 To him that gave 't, his feet into the bed 
 He drew, and so was number'd to the dead. 
 
 CHAP. L. 
 
 And Joseph fell upon his father's face. 
 
 And did with tears his lifeless Kps embrace: 
 
 And sends for his physicians and advises 
 
 Them to embalm his father's corpse with spices. 
 
 And they did so, and forty days did pass. ") 
 
 (For so the manner of embalming was) > 
 
 And the Egyptians mourned for the space J 
 
 Of three score and ten days, which being expired 
 
 He spake to Pharaoh's servants and desired. 
 
 That they would please to speak in Pharaoh's ear, 
 
 And ten him that my father made me swear. 
 
 That I should bury him in Canaan, where 
 
 He hath provided his own sepulchre. 
 
 I therefore pray thee that I may obtain 
 
 Thy leave, and I wiU soon return again. 
 
 And Pharaoh said. Since thou hast sworn, fulfil 
 
 Thy oath, according to thy father's will. 
 
 And Joseph went up to accompany 
 
 His father's corpse with great solemnity. 
 
 And with him went up Pharaoh's servants, and 
 
 The prime nobility of all the land. 
 
 And Joseph's household, and his brethren all. 
 
 Only their flocks, and herds, and children small 
 
 Were left behind. Moreover there went up 
 
 Chariots and horsemen, ev'u a mighty troop. 
 
 And they came up to Atad's thi-eshiug floor 
 
 Beyond the river Jordan, where full sore 
 
 They mom-ned for him till seven days were past; 
 
 So long their mourning in that place did last. 
 
 Which when the Canaanites beheld they said. 
 
 Surely some eminent Egyptian's dead. 
 
 Wherefore they call'd it Abel-mizraim.* 
 
 Thus did his sons as he commanded them. 
 
 For to the land of Canaan they convey'd 
 
 Him, and in Machpelah near Mamre, laid 
 
 His body in the cave which Ephron sold 
 
 To Abraham, for him and his to hold. 
 
 And thus when Joseph fully had perform'd 
 
 His father's wiU, to Egypt he return'd. 
 
 Together with his brethren, and with all 
 
 Them that came with him to the funeral. 
 
 Now Joseph's brethren being well awai'e 
 
 That they were fatherless, began to fear 
 
 That he would hate them, and requite them all 
 
 The evil they had treated him withal. 
 
 Wherefore to him they sent a messenger 
 
 And said. Behold our father did declare 
 
 Before he died, that we should come and say. 
 
 Forgive thy brethi'en's trespasses, I pray; 
 
 And their misdeeds,'for they have been luildnd. 
 
 And now we humbly pray thee be inclin'd 
 
 To pardon our offences, and the rather 
 
 For that we serve the God e'en of thy father. 
 
 And Joseph wept when they thus spake, and they ) 
 
 Came nearer, and before him prostrate lay, > 
 
 And said. We are thy servants all this day. J 
 
 And Joseph bad them not to be afraid. 
 
 For in the place of God am I he said: 
 
 For though you meant me iU, God meant it good. 
 
 And sent me hither to provide you food. 
 
 Now therefore trouble not yourselves, for 1 
 
 Will nourish you, and all your family. 
 
 After this manner did he satisfy. 
 
 And treat them with extreme civility. 
 
 And Joseph and his father's house remain'd 
 
 In Egypt, and he Hv'd till he attain'd 
 
 An hundred and ten years, and hv'd to see 
 
 Of Ephraim's children to the third degree. 
 
 And Macher's children of Manasseh's tribe 
 
 Were also bom some time before he died. 
 
 Then Joseph said. My brethren, lol I die. 
 
 But God will visit you undoubtedly ; 
 
 And to that land again whereof he spake 
 
 Unto our ancestors, will bring you back. 
 
 And Joseph also made bis brethren swear, 
 
 That they would not inter his body there. 
 
 And thus he ended his life's pilgrimage. 
 
 Being an hundred and ten years of age; 
 
 And was embalm'd, and in a cofSn laid. 
 
 In Egypt, till he could be thence convey'd. 
 
 * ^^nstt ^as, the moummg of iigypt. — Eu. 
 
 VOL. II, 
 
 3r 
 
410 
 
 SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Unto the twelve tribes scattered abroad, 
 
 James, ac apostle of the living God, 
 
 And of the Lord Christ Jesus, salutation. 
 
 My brethren, when you fall into temptation 
 
 Of divers lands, rejoice, as men that know 
 
 ]?rom trial of your faith doth patience flow. 
 
 But let your patience have its fdl effect. 
 
 That you may be entire, without defect. 
 
 If any of yon lack wisdom, let him cry 
 
 To God, and he will give it lib'rally. 
 
 And not npbraid. But let him ask in faith. 
 
 Not wavering, for he that wavereth. 
 
 Unto a wave o' th' sea I will compare, 
 
 Driv'n with the wind and tossed here and there. 
 
 Por let not such a man himself deceive. 
 
 To think that he shall from the Lord receive. 
 
 A double-minded man most surely lacketh 
 
 Stability in all he undertaketh. 
 
 Let ev'ry brother of a low degree 
 
 Kejoice in that he is advanc'd, but he 
 
 That's rich in being made low, for he shall pass 
 
 Away, as doth the flow'r of the grass. 
 
 For as the grass, soon as the sun doth rise. 
 
 Is scorch'd by reason of the heat, and dies; 
 
 Its flow'r fades, aad it retains no more 
 
 The beauteous comeliness it had before. 
 
 So fades the rich man, maugre all his store. 
 
 The man is blest that doth endure temptation 
 
 For when he's try'd, the crown of God's salvation. 
 
 The which the Lord hath promised to give 
 
 To them that love him, that man shall receive. 
 
 Let no man be possest with a persuasion, 
 
 To say, when he [alls under a temptation. 
 
 That God's the cause; for with no evil can 
 
 God be tempted, nor tempts he any man. 
 
 But every man is tempted when he's drawn 
 
 Away, and by his lusts prevail'd upon; 
 
 Then when lust hath conceiv'd, it ushereth 
 
 In sin, and sin when finished brings death. 
 
 Err not, my brethren, whom I dearly love. 
 
 Each good and perfect gift is from above, 
 
 Down from th' original of lights descending, 
 
 "With whom's no change, nor shadow thereto tending. 
 
 According to his own good pleasure, he 
 
 Begat ns with the word of truth, that we 
 
 Should as the fh'st fruits of his creatures be 
 
 Wherefore, beloved brethren, I entreat 
 
 You to be swift to hear, and slow to speak. 
 
 And slow to wrath, fur wrath cannot incline 
 
 The sons of men to righteousness divine. 
 
 Wherefore avoiding cv'ry filthincss. 
 
 And superfluity of naughtiness: 
 
 Receive with meelcnesa the engrafted word, 
 
 Which can salvation to your souls afford. 
 
 But be ye doers of the word each one. 
 
 And not deceive yourselves to hear alone; 
 
 For he that hears the word and doth it not. 
 
 Is like unto a man that hath forgot 
 
 What kind of man he was, tho' in a glass 
 He just before beheld his nat'ral face. 
 But whoso minds the law of liberty 
 In its perfection, and continually 
 Abides therein, forgets not what he's heard. 
 But doth the work and therein hath reward. 
 If any man among you seem to he 
 Religious, he deceives himself if he 
 Doth not his tongue as with a bit restrain; 
 And all that man's religion is but vain. 
 Religion, pure and undefll'd, which is 
 Acceptable before the Lord, is this; 
 To visit widows and the fatherless. 
 In time of their affliction or distress ; 
 And so to regulate his conversation. 
 As to be spotless in his generation. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Faith of the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ, 
 
 Doth with respect of persons not consist ; 
 
 For if, my brethren, when there shall come in 
 
 To yom' assembly one with a gold ring. 
 
 In goodly clothes, and there shall also be 
 
 Another man that's meanly cloth'd, and ye 
 
 Shall have respect to him in rich attire. 
 
 And say unto him, come thou, sit up higher ; 
 
 And bid the poor man stand or sit below, ' 
 
 Are ye not partial then, and plainly show, j 
 
 That you do judge amiss in what you do ? , 
 
 Hearken, my brethren, hath not God elected 
 
 The poor, who by this world have been rejected ; 
 
 Yet rich in faith, and of that kingdom heirs. 
 
 Which God will give his foll'wers to be theirs ? 
 
 But you, my brethren, do the poor despise. 
 
 Do not the rich men o'er you tyrannise ; 
 
 And hale ye to their courts ; that worthy name 
 
 By which you're caU'd do not they blaspheme ? 
 
 Then if ye do the royal law fulfil. 
 
 To love thy neighbour as thyself, 'tis well. 
 
 According to the scripture; but if ye 
 
 Shall have respect to persons, ye shall be 
 
 Guilty of sin, and by the law condemn'd. 
 
 As such who have its righteousness coutemn'd. 
 
 For he that sh:dl but in one point offend, 
 
 Breaks the whole law, whate'er he may pretend. 
 
 For he that doth forbid adultery, 
 
 Forbids lUcewise all acts of cruelty. 
 
 Now tho' thou be not an adulterer, 
 
 Yet if thou kUl, thou shtdt thy judgment bear. 
 
 So speak and do as those men that shall be 
 
 Judg'd by the perfect law of liberty : 
 
 For he shall judgment without mercy know ; " 
 
 That to his neighbour doth no mercy show ; 
 
 And mercy triumphs against judgment too. 
 
 Brethren wdiat profit is't if a man saith 
 
 That he hath faith, and hath not works ; can faith 
 
 Save him P If any of the brotherhood 
 
 Be destitute of clothes or daily food. 
 
 And one of you shall say. Depart in peace. 
 
 Be warmed or be ye fill'd, ne'crtheless. 
 
SCRIPTURAL POEMS. 
 
 411 
 
 Yc do not furnish tliem with what they neecl. 
 
 What hoots it ? Thus faith without works is dead. 
 
 Yea may a man say, thou dost faith profess, 
 
 And 1 good works, to me thy faith express 
 
 Without thy works, and I will plainly show 
 
 My faith unto thee by the works I do. 
 
 Thou dost believe there is one God, 'tis true, 
 
 The devils do believe and tremble too. 
 
 But wilt thou know, vain man, that faith is dead. 
 
 Which with good works is not accompany'd. 
 
 Was not our father Abraham justify'd 
 
 By works, and by the same his faith was try'd ; 
 
 When he his Isaac to the altar brought ; 
 
 Seest thou how with his works his faith then wrought ? 
 
 And with his works he perfected his faith ? 
 
 And so the scripture was fulfill'd, which saith, 
 
 Abraham believed God, and 'twas imputed 
 
 For righteousness, and he God's friend reputed. 
 
 Thus may you see, that by works ev'ry one 
 
 Is justify'd, and not by faith alone. 
 
 Thus was the harlot Kahab justify'd ■) 
 
 By works, when she the messengers did hide, > 
 
 And by another way their feet did guide. ) 
 
 For as the body's dead without the spirit. 
 
 So faith without works never can inherit. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Affect not, brethren, superiority. 
 
 As knowing that we shall receive thereby 
 
 The greater condemnation in the eod : 
 
 For we in many things do all oifend. 
 
 Who doth not with Ms tongue offend, he can 
 
 Guide his whole body, he's a perfect man. 
 
 Behold, in horses' mouths we bridles put, 
 To rule and turn their bodies quite about. 
 Behold likewise the ships, which tho' they be 
 Of mighty bulk, and thro' the raging sea 
 Are driv'n by the strength of winds, yet they 
 By a small helm the pilot's will obey. 
 Ev'n so the tongue of man, which tho' it be 
 But a small member, in a high degree 
 It boasts of things. Behold, we may remark 
 How great a matter's kindled by a spark. 
 The tongue's a fire, a world of iU, which pl;ic'd 
 Among the members, often has disgrac'd 
 All the whole body, firing the whole frame 
 Of nature, and is kindl'd by hell flame. 
 AH kind of beasts and birds that can be nam'd. 
 Serpents and fishes, are and have been tam'd 
 By mankind ; but the tongue can no man tame, 
 A stubborn evil full of deadly bane. 
 We therewith God the Father bless, and we 
 Therewith curse men made like the Deity : 
 Blessing and cursing from the same mouth flow. 
 These things, my brethren, ought not to be so. 
 Is any fountain of so strange a nature. 
 At once to send forth sweet and bitter water ? 
 Can olives, brethi-en, on a fig-tree gi'ow. 
 Or figs on vines ? no more can water flow 
 l!>om the same fountain sweet and bitter too. 
 He that's endu'd ivith wisdom and discretion 
 Amongst you, let that man by the profession 
 Of meekness, wisely give a demonstration. 
 Of all his works, from a good conversation. 
 
 J 
 
 But if your heai-ts ai'e full of bitterness 
 
 And strife, boast not, nor do the truth profess. 
 
 This wisdom is not from above descending, 
 
 But eai-thly, sensual, and to evil tending : 
 
 For where there's strife and envying there's confusion 
 
 And ev'ry evil work in the conclusion. 
 
 But the true wisdom that is from above. 
 
 Is, in the first place, pure, then full of love. 
 
 Then gentle«nd entreated easily. 
 
 Next merciful, without partiality. 
 
 Full of good fi-uits, without hypocrisy. 
 
 And what is more, the fruits of righteousness 
 
 Is sown in peace, of them that do make peace. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 From whence come wars and fights, come they not hence, 
 
 Ev'n fi;om th' inordinate concupiscence 
 
 That in your members prompts to variance ? 
 
 You lust and have not, kill and desire to have ; 
 
 But ne'erthcless obtain not what you crave. 
 
 With war and fighting ye contend, yet have not 
 
 The things which you desire, because you crave not ; 
 
 Ye crave but don't receive, the reason's just. 
 
 Ye crave amiss to spend it on your lust. 
 
 You that live in adultery, know not yc 
 
 The friendship of the world is enmity 
 
 With God ? He is God's enemy therefore 
 
 That doth the friendship of the world adore. 
 
 Bo ye think that th' scripture saith in vain. 
 
 The spirit that lusts to hate, doth in you reign ? 
 
 But he bestows more grace, wherefore he says, 
 
 God scorns the proud, but doth the humble raise. 
 
 Unto the Lord therefore submissive be. 
 
 Resist the devil and he'U from you flee. 
 
 Draw nigh to God, and he'll to you draw nigh. 
 
 Make clean your hands you sinners, puiify 
 
 Your hearts you double-minded, weep and mourn. 
 
 And be affiicted, let your laughter turn 
 
 To sorrow, and your' joy to sadness : stoop 
 
 Before the Lord, and he will lift you up. 
 
 My brethi'en, speak not evil of each other ; 
 
 He that doth judge and speak ill of his brother. 
 
 Doth judge and speak ill of the law ; therefore 
 
 K thou dost judge the law, thou art no more 
 
 A doer of the same, but dost assume 
 
 The judgment-seat, and ait thyself become 
 
 A judge thereof. There is but one law-giver, ^ 
 
 That's able to destroy and to deliver ; C 
 
 Who then art thou that dost condemn thy neighbour f J 
 
 Go to now, you that say, to such a place 
 
 To-morrow will we go, and for the space 
 
 Of one whole year, or so, wiU there remain, 
 
 And buy and sell, and get great store of gain : 
 
 'Whereas ye know not what a day may do. 
 
 For what's the life of man ? Ev'n like unto 
 
 A vapour, which, tho' for a while it may 
 
 Appear, it quicldy vanisheth away. 
 
 So that ye ought to say, If God permit 
 
 Us life and health, we will accomplish it. 
 
 But now ye glory in yom- confidence, 
 
 Such glorying is of evil consequence. 
 
 He therefore that doth know, and doth not act 
 
 The thing that's good, doth puilt thereby contract, 
 
413 
 
 SCRIPTUKAl POEMS. 
 
 CHAP, v.* 
 
 Go to now, ye rich men, towl and cry. 
 
 Because of yoiu' approaching misery : 
 
 Your riches are corrupted, and the moths 
 
 Have ent'red, and have eaten np your clothes. 
 
 Your gold and silver's canker'd, and the rust 
 
 Thereof, shall be an evidence that's just 
 
 Agaiust you, and Hke fire your flesh devour: 
 
 Against the last days ye have heap'd up store. 
 
 The hire of them that reaped down your field. 
 
 The which by you is wrongfully withheld, 
 
 Cries, and the voice thereof hath reach'd the ears 
 
 Ev'n of the God of sabbath, and he hears. 
 
 Your lives in pleasure ye on earth have led. 
 
 And as in days of slaughter nourished 
 
 Your wanton hearts, and have coudemn'd and slain 
 
 The just, and he doth not resist agaiu. 
 
 Be patient therefore, brethren, ev'n unto 
 
 The coming of the Lord : behold, ev'n so 
 
 The husbandman expecteth patiently 
 
 The precious increase of the earth to see, 
 
 With patience waiting till he doth obtain 
 
 The showers of early and of latter rain. 
 
 So be ye patient, fixmg stedfastly 
 
 Your hearts, for the coming of the lord di'aws nigh. 
 
 Grieve not each other, brethi-en, lest ye bear 
 
 The condemnation ; t lo! the judge stands near. 
 
 The prophets, brethi'en, who all heretofore 
 
 In the name of the Lord their witness bore. 
 
 * By a typographical error, in the origina] edition, it is misprinteJ 
 Chap. XLVI. 
 
 + How admirably doe: BuEvaii enlarge upon this in his 'Peaceable 
 principles yet true.* 
 
 Take for examples in their sufferings 
 
 And patience : they that endure such things. 
 
 Ye know are counted blest. Have ye not read 
 
 Of Job, how patiently he suffered ? 
 
 Have ye not seen in him what was God's end; 
 
 How he doth pity and great love extend ? 
 
 My brethren, but above all things forbear. 
 
 By heav'n or earth, or otherwise to swear ; 
 
 But let your yea be yea, your nay be nay, 
 
 Lest ye become reproveahle I say. 
 
 Let him sing psalms that's merry ; he that's griev'd. 
 
 Let him by prayer seek to be reliev'd. 
 
 If any of you by sickness be distress'd, 
 
 Let him the elders of the church request 
 
 That they would come and pray for him a while ; 
 
 Anointing him in the Lord's name with oil ; 
 
 So shall the pray'r that is of faith restore 
 
 The sick, and God shall raise him as before. 
 
 And all th' offences which he hath committed 
 
 Shall be forgiv'n, and he shall be acquitted. 
 
 Confess your faults each one unto his brother. 
 
 And put up supplications for each other. 
 
 That so you may be heal'd ; the fervency 
 
 Of just men's prayers prevails effectually. 
 
 Elias was a man as frail as we are. 
 
 And he was earnest with the Lord in pray'r. 
 
 That there might be no rain, and for the space 
 
 Of thi-ee years and six months no rain there was : 
 
 And afterward, when he again made suit, 
 
 The heav'n gave rain, the earth brought forth her fruit. 
 
 If any one shall from the truth desert. 
 
 And one, my brethren, shall that man convert ; 
 
 Let him be sure, that he that doth recall 
 
 The poor backsliding sinner from his faU, 
 
 Shall save a soul from death, and certainly 
 
 Shall hide a multitude of sins thereby. 
 
AN EXPOSITION 
 
 FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS, 
 
 AND PART OF THE ELEVENTH; 
 
 AH UNFINISHED COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLE, FOUND AMONG THE AUTHOE's PAPERS AFTER HIS DEATH, 
 
 IN HIS OWN HANDWRITING ; AND PUBLISHED IN 1C91, BY CHARLES DOE, IN A 
 
 FOLIO VOLUME OF THE WORKS OP JOHN BUNYAN. 
 
 ADYEKTISEIENT BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 Being in company with an enlightened society of 
 Protestant dissenters of the Baptist denomination, 
 I ohseryed to a doctor of divinity, who was ad- 
 vancing towards his seventieth year, that my time 
 had heen delightfully engaged with John Bunyan's 
 commentary on Genesis. ' What,' said the D.D., 
 with some appearance of incredulity, ' Bunyan a 
 commentator — upon Genesis ! ! Impossible ! Well, 
 I never heard of that work of the good Bunyan 
 hefore. W'^hy, where is it to he found?' Yes, it 
 is true that he has commented on that portion of 
 sacred scripture, containing the cosmogony of 
 creation — the fall of man — the first murder — the 
 deluge — and other facts which have puzzled the 
 most learned men of every age ; and he has proved 
 to be more learned than all others in his spiritual 
 perceptions. He graduated at a higher university 
 — a university unshackled by human laws, con- 
 ventional feelings, and preconceived opinions. His 
 intense study of the Bible, guided by the teaching 
 of the Holy Spirit, enabled him to throw a new and 
 beautiful light upon objects which are otherwise 
 obscure. Oh ! that young ministers, while attain- 
 ing valuable book learning, may see the necessity 
 of taking a high degree in, and of never forgetting 
 this Bible university ! Reader, is it not sur- 
 prizing, that such a treatise should have remained 
 comparatively hidden for more than one himdred 
 and fifty years. It has been reprinted in many 
 editions of Bunyan's works: but in all, except the 
 first, with the omission of the scripture references; 
 and with errors of so serious a character as if it 
 was not intended to be read. Even in printing 
 the text of Oe. vii.7. Noah's three sons do not enter 
 the ark! although in viii. 16. they are commanded 
 to go forth out of the ark. It is now presented to 
 the pubUo exactly as the author left it, with the 
 addition of notes, which it is hoped will illustrate 
 and not encumber the text. 
 
 This exposition is evidently the result of long 
 and earnest study of the holy scriptures. It is the 
 history of the creation and of the flood explained 
 and spiritualized, and had it been originally pub- 
 
 lished in that form and under a proper title, it 
 would most probably have become a very popular 
 work. The author's qualifications for writing this 
 commentary were exclusively limited to his know- 
 ledge of holy writ. To book learning he makes 
 no pretensions. He tells us that in his youth 
 ' God put it into my parents' hearts to put me to 
 school, to learn to read and write as other poor 
 men's children ; though, to my shame, I confess, 
 I did soon lose that little I learnt even almost 
 utterly.'* In after life, his time was occupied in 
 obtaining a livelihood by labour. When enduring 
 severe mental conflicts, and while he maintained his 
 family by the work of his hands, he was an accept- 
 able pastor, and extensively useful in itinerant 
 labours of love in the villages round Bedford. 
 His humility, when he had used three common 
 Latin words, prompted him to say in the margin, 
 ' The Latino I borrow, 't And this unlettered 
 mechanic, when he might have improved himself 
 in book wisdom, was shut up within the walls of a 
 prison for nearly thirteen years, for obeying God, 
 only solaced with his Bible and Fox's Book of 
 Martyrs. Yet he made discoveries relative to the 
 creation, which have been very recently again pub- 
 lished by a learned philosopher, who surprised and 
 puzzled the world with his vestiges of creation. 
 Omitting the fanciful theories of the vestige phi- 
 losopher, his two great facts, proved by geological 
 discoveries, are — 1. That when the world was cre- 
 ated and set in motion, it was upon principles by 
 which it is impelled on to perfection — a state of 
 irresistible progress in improvement. This is the 
 theory of Moses: and Bimyan's exposition is, that 
 all was finished, even to the creation of all the 
 souls which were to animate the human race, and 
 then God rested from his work. II. The second 
 geological discovery is that the world was far ad- 
 vanced towards perfection, producing all that was 
 needful for human life, before man was created. 
 Upon this subject, Bunyan's words are — ' God 
 
 Grace Abounding, No. 3. t Pilgrim's Progress, Part 2. 
 
4U 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 shews his respect to this escellent creature, in that 
 he first provideth for him before he giveth him 
 his being. He hringeth him not to an empty house, 
 but to one well furnished with all kind of neces- 
 saries, having beautified the heaven and the earth 
 with glory, and all sorts of nourishment for his 
 pleasure and sustenance.'* But the most pious 
 penetration is exhibited in the spiritualizing of the 
 creation and of the flood — every step produces 
 some type of that new creation, or regeneration, 
 without which no soul can be fitted for heaven. 
 The dim twilight before the natural sun was made, 
 is typical of the state of those who believed before 
 Christ, the Sun of righteousness, arose and was 
 manifested. The fixed stars are emblems of the 
 church, whose members all shine, but with different 
 degrees of lustre — sometimes eclipsed, and at 
 others mistaken for transient meteors. The whales 
 and lions are figures of great persecutors. But 
 the most singular idea of all is, that the moral 
 degradation of human nature before the flood, was 
 occasioned by hypocrisy and persecution for con- 
 science sake, arising from governors interfering 
 with matters of faith and worship ; in fact, that a 
 STATE CHURCH occasioncd the deluge — and since 
 that time has been the fruitful source of the miseries 
 and wretchedness that has afflicted mankind. His 
 prediction of the outpouring of the Spirit in the~ 
 conversion of sinners, when the church shall he no 
 longer enthralled and persecuted by the state, is 
 remarkable. ' thou church of God in England, 
 which art now upon the waves of affliction and 
 temptation, when thou comest out of the furnace, 
 if thou come out at the bidding of God, there 
 
 • C. i. v. 20. 
 
 shall come out with thee, the fowl, the beast, and 
 abundance of creeping things. Judah, he hath set 
 an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivityof 
 my people. 't May this prediction soon be veri- 
 fied, and the temporal government no longer vex 
 and torment the church by interfering with spiritual 
 things. 
 
 It is remarkable that of the vast number of 
 pious and enlightened mechanics who adorn this 
 country and feed its prosperity, so few read the 
 extraordinary writings of John Bunyan, a brother 
 mechanic ; for with the exception of the Pilgrim's 
 Progress and Holy War, they are comparatively 
 little known. His simple but illustrative com- 
 mentary — his book of Antichrist — his solemn and 
 striking treatise on the resurrection and final judg- 
 ment — in fact, all his works, are peculiarly calcu- 
 lated to inform the minds of the millions — to re- 
 form bad habits, and, under the divine blessing, to 
 purify the soul with that heavenly wisdom which 
 has in it the promise of the life that now is as 
 well as of that which is to come. It is also a fact 
 which ought to be generally known, that those 
 preachers who have edited Bunyan's works and 
 have drunk into his spirit, have been most emi- 
 nently blessed in their ministry ; Wilson, White- 
 field, and Ryland, can never be forgotten. If the 
 thousands of godly preachers who are scattered 
 over our comparatively happy island were to take 
 Bunyan's mode of expounding scripture as their 
 pattern, it would increase their usefulness, and 
 consequently their happiness, iu the great work 
 of proclaiming and enforcing the doctrines of the 
 gospel. — Geo. Offor. 
 
 + C. viii. 10. 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS, 
 
 AND PART OP THE ELEVENTH. 
 
 In the first editioQ of this commentaiy, a series of numbers from 1 to 294 were placed in the margin, the use of which the 
 editor could uot discover; i)robably the work was written on as many scraps of paper, thus numbered to direct the printer. 
 They are omitted, lest, among divisions and subdivisions, they should puzzle the reader. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 I. Of God. 
 God is a Spirit, Jn. iv. C4, eternal, De. xxxiu. 27. infinite, 
 no. i. 17—20. incomprehensible, Joh xi. 7. perfect, and 
 unspeakably glorious in his being, attributes, and 
 woi'ks. Ge. xvii li. Is. vi. 3. Ex. xxxiii. 20. ' The eternal 
 God.' ' Do not 1 fill heaven and earth ? saith the 
 Lord.' Je. xxiii. 24. 'Neither is there any creature 
 that is not manifest in his sight.' He. iv. 13, Pr. xv. 11. 
 In his attributes of wisdom, power, justice, hoU- 
 uess, mercy, ifec, he is also inconceivably perfect 
 
 and infinite, not to be comprehended by things 
 in earth, or things in heaven ; known in the per- 
 fection of his being only to himself. The sera- 
 phims cannot behold him, but through a veil ; no 
 man can see him in his perfection and live. 
 
 His attributes, though apart laid down in the 
 word of God, that we, being weak, might the better 
 conceive of his eternal power and godhead ; yet in 
 him they are without division ; one glorious and 
 eternal being. Again, though sometimes this, 
 as of wisdom, or that, as of justice and mercy, 
 is most manifest in his works and wonders before 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 415 
 
 men ; yet every such work is begun and completed 
 by the joint concmTence of all his attributes. No 
 act of justice is without his will, power, and wis- 
 dom ; no act of mercy is against his justice, holi- 
 ness and purity. 
 
 Besides, no man must conceive of God, as if 
 he consisted of these attributes, as our body doth 
 of its members, one standing here, another there, 
 for the completing personal subsistence. For 
 though by the word we may distinguish, yet may 
 we not divide them, or presume to appoint them 
 their places in the Godhead. Wisdom is in his 
 justice, holiness is in his power, justice is in his 
 mercy, holiness is in his love, power is in his good- 
 ness. 1 Jn. i 9. Nu. xiv. 17, 18. 
 
 Wherefore, he is in aR his attributes almighty, 
 all-wise, holy and powerful. Glory is in his wisdom, 
 glory is in his hoMness, glory is in his mercy, justice, 
 and strength ; and ' God is love.' l Jn. iv. 16.* 
 
 II. Of Hie Persons or Svhsistances in the Godlimd. 
 
 The Godhead is but one, yet in the Godhead 
 there are three. ' There are three that can bear 
 record in heaven. ' l Jn. v. 7—9. These three are 
 called ' the Father, the Son [Word], and the Holy 
 Spirit;' each of which is really, naturally and 
 eternally God: yet there is but one God. But 
 again, because the Father is of himself, the Son 
 by the Father, and the Spirit from them both, 
 therefore to each, the scripture not only applieth, 
 and that truly, the whole nature of.the Deity, but 
 again distinguisheth the Father from the Son, and 
 the Spirit from them both ; calling the Father he, 
 by himself ; the Son he, by himself ; the Spirit 
 HE, by himself. Yea, the Three of themselves, in 
 their manifesting to the church what she should 
 believe concerning this matter, hath thus expressed 
 the thing : ' Let us make man in oun image, after 
 OUR likeness.' Ge. i. 26. Again, 'The man is become 
 as one of us.' Ge. iii. 33. Again, 'Let US go down, 
 and there confound their language : ' Ge. \i 6, 7. And 
 again, ' Whom shall I send, and who will go for 
 us ? ' Is. vi. 8. To these general expressions might 
 be added, That Adam heard the voice of the Lord 
 God walking in the midst of the garden : Ge. iii. 8. 
 Which voice John will have, to be one of the Three, 
 calling that which Moses here saith is the voice, 
 the word of God : ' In the beginning, ' saith he, 
 ' was the word : ' the voice which Adam heard 
 walking in the midst of the garden. This word, 
 saith John, ' was with God,' this ' word was God. 
 The same was in the beginning with God. ' Ju. i. i, 3. 
 
 * Althougli uo mortal mind can by searching find out the 
 Almighty to perfection, yet Banyan's views of the Divine 
 Being is an approach to perfection. It is worthy the pen of 
 the most profound chi-istiau philosopher. — Ed. 
 
 Marvellous language ! Once asserting the miity 
 of essence, but twice insinuating a distinction of 
 substances therein. ' The word was with God, 
 the word was God, the same was in the beginning 
 with God.' Then follows, 'All things were made 
 by him,' the word, the second of the three. 
 
 Now the godly in former ages have called these 
 three, thus in the Godhead, Persons or Subsist- 
 ances ; the which, though I condemn not, yet 
 choose rather to abide by scripture phrase, know- 
 ing, though the other may be good and sound, 
 yet the adversary must needs more shamelessly 
 spurn and reject, when he doth it against the evi- 
 dent text. 
 
 To proceed then. First, There are Three. Se- 
 cond, These three are distinct. 
 
 Fir^, By this word Three, is intimated the Fa- 
 ther, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and they are 
 said to be three, 1. Because those appellations that 
 are given them in scripture, demonstrate them so 
 to be, to wit. Father, Son and Holy Ghost. 2. 
 Because their acts one towards another discover 
 them so to be. 
 
 Secondly, These three are distinct. 1. So distinct 
 as to be more than one, only : There are three. 
 2. So distinct as to subsist without depending. Tho 
 Father is true God, the Son is true God, the Spirit 
 is true God. Yet the Father is one, the Son is 
 one, the Spirit is one: The Father is one of himself, 
 the Son is one by the Father, the Spirit is one from 
 them both. Yet the Father is not above the Son, 
 nor the Spirit inferior to either: The Father is 
 God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God. 
 
 Among the three then there is not superiority. 
 1 . Not as to time ; the Father is from everlasting, 
 so is the Son, so is the Spirit. 2. Not as to nature, 
 the Son being of the substance of the Father, and 
 the Spirit of the substance of them both. 3. The 
 fulness of the Godhead is in the Father, is in the ' 
 Son, and is in the Holy Ghost. 
 
 The Godhead then, though it can admit of a 
 Trinity, yet it admitteth not of inferiority in that 
 Trinity: if otherwise, then less or more must be 
 there, and so either plurality of gods, or something 
 that is not God : so then. Father, Son and Spirit 
 are in the Godhead, yet but one God; each of 
 these is God over all, yet no Trinity of Gods, but 
 one God in the Trinity. 
 
 Explioaiion. — The Godhead then is common to 
 the three, but the three themselves abide distinct 
 in that Godhead: Distinct, I say, as Father, and 
 Son, and Holy Spirit. This is manifest further by 
 these several positions. 
 
 Fird, Father and Son are relatives, and must 
 needs therefore have their relation as such: A 
 Father begetteth, a Son is begotten. 
 
 Proof. — ' Who hath ascended up into heaven, 
 or descended ? Who hath gathered the wind in 
 
416 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 his fists ? Who hath bound the waters in a gav- 
 ment ? What is his name, and what is his son's 
 name, if thou canst tell ?' Pr. xxx. i. 
 
 ' God so loved the world, that he gave his only 
 hegotten Son,' (fee. Jn. iii. 16. 
 
 ' The Father sent the Son to he the Saviour of 
 the world. ' i Jn. w. 14. 
 
 Secondly, The Father then cannot he that Son 
 he begat, nor the Son that Father that begat him, 
 hut must he distinct as such. 
 
 Proof. — ' I am one that bear witness of myself, 
 and the Father that sent me beareth witness of 
 
 me. ' Jn. viii. 17, 18. 
 
 ' I came forth from the Father, and am come 
 into the world:' again, 'I leave the world, and go 
 to the Father. ' Jn. xvi. 28. 
 
 ' The Father judgeth no man, but hath com- 
 mitted all judgment unto the Son : That all men 
 should honour the Son, even as they honour the 
 Father. ' Jn. t. 33, 23. 
 
 Thirdly, The Father must have worship as a 
 Father, and the Son as a Son. 
 
 Proof. — They that worship the Father must 
 worship him ' in spirit and in truth : for the Fa- 
 ther seeketh such to worship him.' Jn. iv. 23, 2i. 
 
 And of the Son he saith, and 'when he bringeth 
 in the first begotten into the world, he saith. And 
 let all the angels of God worship him.' He. i. 6. 
 
 Fourthly, The Father and Son have really 
 theso distinct, but heavenly, relative properties, 
 that discover them, as such, to be two as well as 
 one. 
 
 Proof. — ' The Father loveth the Son, and sheweth 
 him all things.' Jn. v. 30. 
 
 ' Therefore doth my Father love me, because I 
 lay down my life, that I might take it again. ' Jn. 
 A. 17. The Father sent the Son ; the Father com- 
 manded the Son ; the Son prayed to the Father, 
 and did always the things that pleased him. 
 
 77ie absurdities that flov) from the denial of this 
 are divers, some of which hereunder follow. 
 
 1 Absurdity. — It maketh void all those scriptures 
 that do affirm the doctrine; some of which you have 
 before. 
 
 2 Absurdity. — If in the Godhead there be but one, 
 not three, then the Father, Son, or the Spirit, must 
 needs be that one, if any one only : so then the other 
 two are nothing. Again, If the reality of a being 
 be neither in the Father, Son, nor Spirit, as such, 
 but in the eternal deity, without consideration of 
 Father, Son, and Spirit as three ; then neither of 
 the three are anything but notions in us, or mani- 
 festations of the Godhead ; or nominal distinctions ; 
 so related by the word ; but if so, then when the 
 Father sent the Son, and the Father and Son the 
 Spirit, one notion sent another, one manifestation 
 
 sent another. This being grarited, this unavoid- 
 ably follows, there was no Father to beget a Son, 
 no Son to be sent to save us, no Holy Ghost to be 
 sent to comfort us, and to guide us into all the 
 truth of the Father and Son, <fec. The most 
 amounts but to this, a notion sent a notion, a dis- 
 tinction sent a distinction, or oue manifestation 
 sent another. Of this error these are the conse- 
 quences, we are only to believe in notions and 
 distinctions, when we believe in the Father and the 
 Son; and so shall have no other heaven and glory, 
 than notions and nominal distinctions can furnish 
 us withal. 
 
 3 Absurdity. — If Father and Son, <fec., be no 
 otherwise three, than as notions, names, or nomi- 
 nal distinctions; then to worship these distinctly, 
 or together, as such, is to commit most gross and 
 horrible idolatry: For albeit we are commanded to 
 fear that great and dreadful name. The Lord our 
 God; yet to worship a Father, a Son, and Holy 
 Spirit in the Godhead, as three, as really three as 
 one, is by this doctrine to imagine falsely of God, 
 and so to break the second commandment : but to 
 worship God under the consideration of Father, 
 and Son, and Holy Ghost, and to believe them as 
 really three as one when I worship, being the 
 sum and substance of the doctrine of the scriptures 
 of God, there is really substantially three in the 
 eternal Godhead. 
 
 But to help thee a little in thy study on this 
 deep. 
 
 1. Thou must take heed when thou readest, 
 there is in the Godhead, Father, and Son, (fcc, 
 that thou do not imagine about them according to 
 thine own carnal and foohsh fancy; for no man 
 can apprehend this doctrine but in the light of 
 the word and Spirit of God. ' No man knoweth 
 the Son, but the Father ; neither knoweth any 
 man the Father, save the Son; and he to whom 
 the Son wiU reveal him.' Mat. xi. 37. If therefore 
 thou be destitute of the Spirit of God, thou canst 
 not apprehend the truth of this mystery as it is in 
 itself, but wUl either by thy darkness l)e driven to 
 a denial thereof; or if thou own it, thou wUt (that 
 thy acknowledgment notwithstanding) falsely ima- 
 gine about it. 
 
 2. If thou feel thy thoughts begin to wrestle 
 about this truth, and to struggle concerning this 
 one against another; take heed of admitting of 
 such a question. How can this thing he ? For 
 here is no room for reason to make it out, here is 
 only room to believe it is a truth. You find not 
 one of the prophets propounding an argument to 
 prove it; but asserting it, they let it lie, for faith 
 to take it up and embrace it. 
 
 ' The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the 
 love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, 
 be with you all. Amen.' 2 Co. xiu. 11. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTEUS OF GENESIS. 
 
 417 
 
 III. Oftlie Creation of the World. GcL 
 
 The Apostle saith, That ' to us there is hut one 
 God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we 
 in him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are 
 all things, and we by him.' iCo.™. 6. ' God that 
 made the world. ' Ac. xvu. u. ' All things were made 
 by him; and without him was not any thing made 
 that was made. ' Jo. i. 3. This world therefore had 
 a beginning, and was created by the God of heaven. 
 Which work, because it is wonderful, and discover- 
 eth much of the greatness, of the wisdom and 
 power of the eternal Godhead, it behoveth such 
 poor mortals as we to behold these works of the 
 mighty God, that thereby we may see how great 
 lie is, and be made to cry out, What is man ! * 
 
 Ps. viii. 3, i. 
 
 Now in the creation of the world we may con- 
 sider several things; as. What was the order of 
 God in this work ? And, whether there was a 
 secret or mystery in this work containing the 
 truth of some higher thing? For the first of 
 these: 
 
 Oftlie Order of God in Making the World. 
 
 [the HEAVE>f.] 
 
 Although God be indeed omnipotent, and not 
 only can, but doth do whatsoever he will ; and 
 though to do his works he needeth not length 
 of time; yet it pleased him best, in the creation 
 of the world (though it could, had it pleased him, 
 have done all by one only word) to proceed by de- 
 grees from one thing to another, to the completing 
 of six days' work in the making thereof. 
 
 And forasmuch as this work went on by degrees, 
 now this thing, and then another, it may not be 
 amiss, if in our discourse on this wonderful work, 
 we begin where God began ; and if we can, go 
 wondering after him who hath thus wrought. 
 
 I. The first thing that God made was time; I 
 say, it was time: All the plain in which he would 
 build this beautiful world ; he made nothing be- 
 fore, but in the beginning: ' In the beginning God 
 created the heaven and the earth.' Ge. i.l. In the 
 beginning of time. ' For in six days the Lord 
 made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them 
 is.' Ex. XX. 11. Therefore the first day must first 
 have a beginning to be. Whatsoever was before 
 time, was eternal; but nothing but God himself 
 is eternal, therefore no creature was before time. 
 
 * The more extensive our inq^uiries are into the wonders of 
 creation, the more deeply will our souls be humbled. The 
 answer to the inquiry, 'What is man?' can then, and only 
 then, be made in the language of Isaiah, ' Nothing — vanity — 
 a drop of a bucket — the small dust of the balance,' xl. 15. — 
 Ed. 
 
 VOL. 11. 
 
 Time, therefore, which was indeed the beginning, 
 was the first of the creatures of God. 
 
 2. I think, the second of creatures that the 
 Lord created, were the holy angels of God, they 
 being called the morning stars, as created and 
 shining in the morning of the world; and there- 
 fore they are said to be by, when the corner-stone 
 of the universe was laid; that is, when he 'laid 
 the foundations' of the world: Then ' the morning 
 stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted 
 for joy. ' Job V. 4—7. 
 
 3. I think the third thing that the Lord created, 
 was these large and copious heavens; Tiie highest 
 for they are mentioned with respect to iiea-™n. 
 their being before the earth, or any visible crea- 
 ture. ' In the beginning God created the heavens,' 
 Ge. i. 1. &c. Neither do I think that the heavens 
 were made of that confused chaos that afterwards 
 we read of. It is said, he stretched out the 
 heavens as a curtain, and with his hand he hath 
 spanned the heavens; Ps. civ. 2. Is. xl. 23, andxlviii. 13. in- 
 timating, that they were not taken out of that 
 formless heap, but were immediately formed by 
 his power. Besides, the Holy Ghost, treating of 
 the creating of heaven and earth, he only saith. 
 The earth was void, and without form; but no such 
 thing of the heavens. 
 
 [the earth.] 
 
 4. The fourth thing that God created, it was 
 (in mine opinion) that chaos, or first matter, with 
 which he in the six days framed this earth, with 
 its appurtenances; for the visible things that are 
 here below, seem to me to be otherwise put into 
 being and order, than time, the angels, and the 
 heavens, they being created in their own simple 
 essence by themselves: But the things that are 
 visibly here below, whatever their essence and 
 nature be, they were formed of that first deformed 
 chaos. ' In the beginning God created the heaven 
 and the earth, and the earth was without form and 
 void.' Ge.il, 2. He saith not so of the heavens; 
 they, as I said, were at first stretched forth as a 
 curtain; indeed they were afterwards garnished 
 with the beauty which we now behold ; but other- 
 wise they had, at their first instant of being, that 
 form which now they have. This seems clear by 
 the antithesis which the Holy Ghost put between 
 them, God created the heaven and the earth, but ' 
 ' the earth was without form and void. ' Gc. i. 2. The 
 earth was without form, (fcc, without order; things 
 were together on a confused heap; the waters were 
 not divided from the earth, neither did those things 
 appear which are now upon the face of the earth; 
 as man, and beast, fish, fowls, trees, and herbs; 
 all these did afterwards shew themselves, as the 
 word of God gave them being, by commanding 
 their appearance, in what form, order, place and 
 
 3 G 
 
418 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTEllS OF GENESIS. 
 
 time he in himself had before determined; but all, 
 I say, took their matter and substance of that first 
 chaos, which he in the first day of the world had 
 commanded to appear, and had given being to: 
 And therefore 'tis said, God said, Let the earth 
 bring forth grass, herbs, trees, &c., ver. 12. and 
 that the waters brought forth the fish, and fowl, 
 yea, even to the mighty whales : ver. 31, 23. Also the 
 earth brought forth cattle, and creeping things: 
 ver. 24. And that God made man of the dust of 
 the ground, m. 19. AU these things therefore were 
 made of, or caused by his word distinctly to ap- 
 pear, and be after its kind, of that first matter 
 which he had before created by his word. Observe 
 therefore. That the matter of all earthly things 
 was made at the same instant, but their forming, 
 &c., was according to the day iu which God gave 
 them their being, in their own order and kind. 
 And hence it is said, that after that first matter 
 was created, and found without form and void, 
 that the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the 
 waters; that is to work, and cause those things to 
 appear in their own essence and form, which, as 
 to matter and substance, was before created: 
 Wherefore it follows. And God said, Let there be 
 light; and God divided the light from the darkness, 
 i&c. Now he set to putting in frame that which 
 before lay in disorder and confusion: And this was 
 a great part of the six days' work; I say, a great 
 part, but not all ; for (as I said) before that time, 
 the angels, and the heavens were made ; yea, after 
 the beginning of the morning of the first day. I 
 am of the belief, that other things also, that were 
 formed after, were not made of that first chaos, as 
 the sun, the moon, the stars, the light, the souls 
 of men, and possibly the air, (kc. The sun, and 
 moon, and stars, are said to be made the fourth 
 day, yet not of tlie body of heaven itself, much 
 less, in my opinion, of any earthly matter: God 
 made them, and set them in the firmament of 
 heaven: ver. 16,17. So the light that was made be- 
 fore, it seems to be a thing created after the 
 heavens and the earth were created: Created, I 
 say, as a thing that wanted a being before, any 
 otherwise than in the decree of God: and God 
 said, Let there be light ; Let it have a being : ver, 3. 
 And so, though the body of man was made of the 
 substance of earth, yet as to his soul, it is said, 
 God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, 
 and man became a living soul. ii. 7. 
 
 Whether there was a secret or mystery in this work, 
 ccnUainhig tJie truth of some higher thing. 
 
 Though God in very deed, by his eternal power, 
 created heaven and earth of things that do not 
 appear, wo that are Christians believe : yet in this 
 his wonderful work, neither his will or understand- 
 
 ing did here terminate, or make a stop ; but being 
 infinite in wisdom, he made them, that both as to 
 matter and manner, they might present unto us, 
 as in a mystery, some higher and more excellent 
 thing ; iu this wisdom he made them all. And 
 hence it is that other things are also called a crea- 
 tion: As, 1. The essential conversion of a sinner, 
 s Co. V. 17. 2. The recovery of the church from a 
 degenerate state. Re. xxi. 5. 
 
 And therefore, as Moses begins with the creation 
 of the world, so John begins with the gospel of 
 salvation. Ge. i. 1. Jn. i. 1. There is also besides 
 many excellent things in the manner and order of 
 the creation of the world, held forth to those that 
 have understanding : Some of which I may touch 
 upon by way of observation. But to begin with 
 the first : 
 
 The first appearance of this earthy part of the 
 world, is recorded to be but a formless and void 
 heap or chaos ; and such is man before a new 
 creation : formless, I mean, as to the order of the 
 Testament of Christ, and void of the holy order 
 thereof: And hence Jeremiah, when he would set 
 forth the condition of a wicked people, he doth it 
 under this metaphor : ' 1 beheld (saith he) the 
 earth, and, lo, it was without form and void.' 
 Je. iv. 23. Indeed, the world would make this a type 
 of Christ ; to wit, a man of no form or comeli- 
 ness : Is. liii. 3. But 'tis only true of themselves ; 
 they are without a New Testament impression 
 upon them ; they are void of the sovereign grace 
 of God. So then the power of God gave the 
 world a being, but by his word he set it in form 
 and beauty; even as by his power he gives a being - 
 to man, but by his word he giveth him New Testa- 
 ment framing and glory. Ep. ii. 10— 13. This is still 
 followed by that which follows : 
 
 And darkness was upon the face of the deep. 
 
 ver. 3. 
 
 The Deep here, might bo a type of the heart of 
 man before conversion ; and so Solomon seems to 
 intimate. Now as the darkness of this world did 
 cover the face of this first chaos ; so spiritual 
 darkness the heart of the sons of men : and hence 
 they are said to be darkened, to he in darkness, 
 yea, to be very darkness itself. 
 
 'And the Spirit of God moved The first day's rat 
 upon the face of the waters. ' ^^'"'' ^~^J 
 
 A blessed emblem of the word of God in the 
 matter of regeneration ; for as the first chaos 
 remained without form, and void, until the Spirit 
 of God moved to work upon it, and by working, 
 to put this world into frame and order ; so man, 
 as he comes into the world, abides a confused 
 lump, an unclean thing ; a creature without New 
 Testament order, until by the Spirit of the Lord 
 he is transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Ga, i. 15. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 419 
 
 ' And the Spirit of God moved upon the face. ' 
 Solomon compares the heart to a man's face ; 
 hocause as in the face may he discerned whether 
 there is anger or otherwise ; so by the inclinations 
 of the heart are discovered the truth of the condi- 
 tion of the man, as to his state either for heaven 
 or hell. And besides, as the Spirit of God moved 
 upon the face of the waters ; so in the work of our 
 conversion, the Spirit of God beginneth with the 
 heart of the sons of men ; because the heart is 
 the main fort : Ac. fi. S7. Now if the main fort be 
 not taken, the adversary is still capable of making 
 continual resistance. Therefore God first conquers 
 the heart ; therefore the Spirit of God moveth 
 upon the face of our heart, when he cometh to 
 convert us from Satan to God. 
 
 ' And God said. Let there be light.' 
 This is the first thing with which God began 
 the order of the creation ; to wit, light, ' Let there 
 be light ; ' From which many profitable notes may 
 be gathered, as to the order of God in the salva- 
 tion of the soul. As, 
 
 1. When the Holy Ghost worketh upon us, and 
 in us, in order to a new creation ; he first toucheth 
 our understanding, that great peace of the heart, 
 with his spiritual illumination : Mat. iv. 16. His first 
 word, in order to our conversion, is. Let there be 
 light : light, to see their state by nature ; light, to 
 see the fruits and effects of sin ; hght, to see the 
 truth and worth of the merits of Jesus Christ ; 
 light, to see the truth and faithfulness of God, in 
 keeping promise and covenant with them that 
 embrace salvation upon the blessed terms of the 
 gospel of peace. He. x. 32. Now that tliis word. Let 
 there be light, was a semblance of the first work 
 of the Holy Ghost upon the heart, compare it with 
 that of Paul to the Corinthians ; ' For God, who 
 commanded the light to shine out of darkness,' 
 that is, at the beginning of the world, ' hath 
 shined in our hearts to give the light of the know- 
 ledge of the glory of God in tlie face of Jesus 
 Christ. ' z Co. iv. 6. 
 
 2. 'And God said. Let there be light.' As 
 here, the light of this world ; so in conversion, the 
 light of the New Testament of Christ, it comes by 
 the word of God. No word, no light: therefore 
 
 , the apostle saith. He ' hath brought life and im- 
 mortality to light through the gospel. ' 2 Tim. i. lo. 
 ) And therefore Paul saith again, That salvation is 
 ( manifest through preaching, through the expound- 
 ; ing or opening of the word of faith. 
 
 3. ' And God said, Let there be light ; and 
 J there was light:' He spake the word, and it was 
 J done ; aU that darkness that before did cover the 
 (j face of the deep, could not now hinder the being 
 I of light. So neither can aU the blindness and 
 i ignorance that is in the heart of man, hinder the 
 
 light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the 
 
 face of Jesus Christ. Re. iii. 7. Wlien it pleaseth 
 God to reveal, it is revealed ; when he openeth, 
 none can shut : He said, Let there be light, and 
 there was light. . 
 
 And God saw that the light was good. Truly 
 the light is good (saith Solomon) and a pleasant 
 thing it is for the eye to behold the sun. It was 
 good, because it was God's creature ; and so in 
 the work of grace that is wrought in our hearts, 
 tliat light of the new-covenant, it is good, because 
 it is God's work, the worlc of his good pleasure ; 
 3Th. i. 11. that good work which he hath not only 
 begun, but promised to fulfil until the day of 
 Jesus Christ. Phi. i. 6. 
 
 God saw that the light was good. The dark- 
 ness that before did cover the face of the waters, 
 was not a creature of God, but a privation, or that 
 which was caused by reason that light was not as 
 yet in the world: so sin, that darkness that might 
 be felt, is not the workmanship of God in the 
 soul, but that which is the work of the devil ; and 
 that taketh occasion to be, by reason that the true 
 light, as yet, doth not shine in the soul. 
 
 'And God divided the light from the dark- 
 ness.' As Paul saith. What communion hath 
 light with darkness ? they cannot agree to dwell 
 together. 2 Co. vi. 14. We see the night still flies 
 before the day, and dareth not come upon us 
 again, but as the light diminisheth and conveyeth 
 itself away. So it is in the new creation ; before 
 the light of the glorious gospel of Christ appears, 
 there is night, all night, in the soul : Ep. t. e. but 
 when that indeed doth shine in the soul, then for 
 night there is day in the soul : ' Ye were - dark- 
 ness (saith Paul) but now are ye light in the Lord : ' 
 ver. 9. And, ' The darkness is past (saith John) 
 and the true light now shineth. ' Un. iL 8. 
 
 ' And God divided the light from the dark- 
 ness.' 
 
 God took part witli the light, and preserved it 
 from the darkness. By these words, it seems 
 that darkness and light began the quarrel, before 
 that bloody bout of Cain and Abel. Ga. v. 17. The 
 light and the darkness struggled together, and 
 nothing could divide or part them but God. Dark- 
 ness is at implacable enmity with light in the 
 creation of the world ; and so it is in that rare 
 work of regeneration, the flesh lusteth against the 
 spirit, and the spirit against the flesh ; as Peter 
 saith. Fleshly lusts, they war against the soul. 
 This every Christian feels, and also that which I 
 mentioned before, namely. That before he be cap- 
 able of opposing antichrist, with Abel, in the world, 
 he findeth a struggling in his own soul between 
 the light and the darkness that is there. 
 
 ' And God called the light Day, and the dark- 
 ness he called Night,' 
 
 God doth not only distinguish by separating, 
 
420 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE flKST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 but also by certain characters ; that things which 
 are distinguished and separate, may to us be the 
 better known ; he did so here in the work of creat- 
 ing the world, and he doth so also in the great 
 concern of man's eternal happiness. The place 
 of fehcity is called heaven : The place of torment 
 is called heU : that which leads to bell is called 
 sin, transgression, iniquity, and wickedness ; that 
 which leads to heaven, righteousness, holiness, 
 goodness and uprightness : even as in these types 
 God called the light day, of which the godly are 
 the children ; i Th. v. 5. but the darkness he called 
 night, of which all ungodly men are the inhabiters 
 and children also. Thus after the Spirit of God 
 had moved upon the face of the waters ; after God 
 had commanded the light to shine, and had divided 
 between the light and the darkness, and had cha- 
 racterized them by their proper names, he concludes 
 the first day's work, ' And the evening and the 
 morning were the first day.' In which conclusion 
 there is wrapped up a blessed gospel-mystery ; for 
 God, by concluding the first day here, doth shew 
 us how we ought to determine that one is made 
 indeed a Christian: Even then when the Spirit of 
 God hath moved upon the face of the heart, when 
 he hath commanded that light should be there, 
 when he divideth between, or setteth the light at 
 variance with the darkness ; and when the soul 
 doth receive the characters of both, to observe them, 
 and carry it to each according to the mouth of 
 God. 
 
 Xhesecond day's WO] k. 'And God said. Let there be a 
 [ver. 6-8.] firmament.' ver. 6. 
 
 This firmament he calleth heaven, ver. 8. Now 
 this firmament, or heaven, was to make a separa- 
 tion, or to divide between the waters and the 
 waters ; ver. 7. To separate, I say, the waters from 
 the waters ; the waters which were under the fir- 
 mament, from the waters which were above the 
 firmament. Now by waters is signified in the 
 scriptures many things, as afilictions, worldly 
 people, Ps. L\Lt. 1, 2. and particularly the saints ; 
 ae. xix. 6. but in this place is figured forth, all the 
 people in the world, but so as consisting of two 
 parts, the children of God, and the children of the 
 wicked one: They under the heaven, figure out 
 the world, or ungodly: they above the firmament, 
 the elect and chosen of God. And hence in scrip- 
 ture the one is called heaven, and the other is 
 called earth, to signify the separation and difl'erence 
 that there is between the one and the other. 
 
 ' And God made the firmament, and divided the 
 waters - from the waters.' 
 
 Indeed the world think that this separation 
 comes, or is made, through the captiousness of 
 the preacher : But in truth it is the handy work 
 of God ; And God made the firmament, and God 
 divided, <fec. 'I,' saith he, 'will nut enmity 
 
 between thee and the woman, and between thy 
 seed and her seed. ' Ge. iii. 15. The good seed are 
 the children of the kingdom of God, but the bad 
 are the children of the wicked one. Mat. xiii. 38. 
 
 ' And God made the firmament, and divided the 
 waters which were under the firmament, from the 
 waters which were above the firmament: and it 
 
 was so. ' ver. 7. 
 
 Whatsoever the Lord doth, it abideth for ever. 
 Ec. iii. 14. And again. What he hath made crooked, 
 who can make straight ? Ec. i. 15. He said it in the 
 beginning, and behold how it bath continued ! 
 Yea, though there hath been endeavours on Satan's 
 part, to mingle his children with the seed of men ; 
 yet it hath not been possible they should ever 
 cleave one to another, ' even as iron is not mixed 
 with clay. ' Da. u. 43. Yea, let me add further. What 
 laws have been made, what blood hath been shed, 
 what cruelty hath been used, and what flatteries 
 and lies invented, and all to make these two waters 
 and people one ? And yet all hath failed, and 
 fallen short of producing the desired effect ; for 
 the Lord hath made a firmament, even heaven 
 itself hath divided between them. 
 
 ' And God called the firmament heaven. And 
 the evening and the morning were the second day. ' 
 ver. 8. 
 
 After the waters were divided from the waters, 
 God called the cause of dividing, heaven ; and so 
 concluded the second day's work. And indeed it 
 was a very great work, as in the antitype we feel 
 it to this very day. Dividing work is difficult 
 work, and he that can, according to God, com- 
 pletely end and finish it, he need do no more that 
 day of his life. 
 
 ' And God said. Let the waters The tiiira day's work, 
 under the heaven be gathered to- tver. 9—13.] 
 gether unto one place, and let the dry land appear : 
 and it was so. ' ver. 9. 
 
 Although in the second day's work, the waters 
 above the firmament, and those that be under, are 
 the two peoples, or great families of the world ; 
 Pr. viii. si.yet because God would shew us by things 
 on earth, the flourishing state of those that are his, 
 Ho. X. 12. Joel ii. 21—23. Ps. xci. 1. He. ri. 7. therefore he here 
 doth express his mind by another kind of repre- 
 sentation of things: Je. iv. 3, 4. 'And God said, Let 
 the waters under the heaven be gathered together 
 unto one place ; and let the dry Imud appear.' 
 The waters here signifying the world; but the 
 fruitful earth, the thrifty church of God. That 
 the fruitful earth is a figure of the thriving church 
 of God in this world, is evident from many scrip- 
 tures, (and there was nothing but thriftiness till the 
 curse came.) And hence it is said of the church, 
 That she should break the clods of the ground : 
 that she should sow righteousness, and reap it; 
 that she should not sow among thorns; that if 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE KIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 421 
 
 this be (lone, the heart is circumcised, and spiri- 
 tual fruit shall flow forth, and grow abundantly : 
 And hence again it is that the officers and eminent 
 ones in the church, are called vines, trees, and 
 other fruitful plants. And hence it is said again, 
 Wlien the Lord xeigneth, let the earth (that is, the 
 church) rejoice. That earth which hringeth forth 
 fruit meet for him hy whom it is dressed, i-eceiveth 
 blessing from God. In all which places, and 
 many more that might be named, the earth is 
 made a figure of the church of God ; and so I count 
 it here in this place. 
 
 ' And God said. Let the waters under the heaven 
 be gathered into one place. 
 
 Let them be together: It is not thus of all 
 waters, but of the sea, which is still hero a type of 
 the world. Let them be so together, that the 
 earth may appear ; that the church may be rid of 
 their rage and tumult, and then she will be fruitful, 
 as it follows in this first book of Genesis. The 
 church is then in a flourishing state, when the 
 world is farthest off from her, and when the roar- 
 ing of their waves are far away. Now therefore 
 let all the wicked men be far from thence : Ezr. vi. 6. 
 The Lord gather these waters, which in another 
 place are called the doleful creatures, and birds of 
 prey ; Let these, Lord, be gathered together to 
 their own places, and be settled in the land of 
 Shinar upon their own base : Zee. r. n. Then the 
 wilderness and the soUtary places shall be glad for 
 them ; that is, for that they are departed thence, 
 the desert shall rejoice and blossom as a rose. 
 
 Is. xxxi7. and xxxv. 
 
 ' And God called the dry land Earth ; and the 
 gathering together of the waters called he seas : 
 and God saw that it was good.' ver. lo. 
 
 God saw, that to separate the waters from the 
 earth was good : And so it is, for then have the 
 chm-ches rest. Then doth this earth bring forth her 
 fruit, as in the 11th and 12th verses may here be seen. 
 The fourth aay'3 work. 'And God said. Let there be 
 
 [ver. 14-19.] lights in the firmament of the 
 heaven.' ver. 14. 
 
 The wisdom of God, is there to make use of 
 figures and shadows, even where most fit things, 
 the things under consideration, may be most fitly 
 demonstrated. The dividing the waters from the 
 waters, most fitly doth show the work of God in 
 choosing aud refusing ; by dividing the waters 
 from the earth, doth show how fruitful God's 
 earth, the church is, when persecutors are made 
 to be far from thence. 
 
 Wherefore he speaketh not of garnishing of his 
 church until he comes to this fourth day's work : 
 By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens, that 
 most fitly showing the glory of the church. 
 
 Let there be lights ; to wit, the sun, the moon, 
 and the stars. 
 
 The sun is ia this place a type of Christ, the 
 Sun of Kighteousness : The moon is a type of the 
 church, in her uncertain condition in this world : 
 The stars are types of the several saints and officers 
 in this church. And hence it is that the sun is 
 said not only to rule, but it, with the moon and 
 stars, to be set for signs, and for seasons, and for 
 daj'S, and for years, <kc. Re. i. 20. But if we take 
 the heaven for the church, then how is she beauti- 
 fied, when the Son of God is placed in the midst 
 of her ! Ke. i. 12, is. And how plainly is her con- 
 dition made out, even by the changing, increasing, 
 and diminishing of the moon ! And how excellent 
 is that congregation of men, that for light and 
 glory are figured by the stars ! Mat. xxviii. 20. 
 
 From this day's work much might be observed. 
 
 Mrstj^That forasmuch as the sun was not made 
 before the fourth day, it is evident there was light 
 in the world before the sun was created ; for in the 
 fijst day God said. Let there be' light, and there 
 was light. This may also teach us thus much. 
 That before Christ came in person, there was 
 spiritual light in the saints of God. And again. 
 That as the sun was not made before the fourth 
 day of the creation, so Christ should not be born 
 before the fourth mystical day of the world ; for 
 it is evident, that Christ, the true light of the 
 world, was not born till about four thousand years 
 after the world was made. 
 
 Second, As to the moon, there are four things 
 attending her, which fitly may hold forth the state 
 of the church. (1.) In that she changeth from an 
 old to a new, we may conceive, that God by mak- , 
 ing her so, did it to show he would one day make 
 a change of his church, from a Jewish to a Gentile 
 congregation. (2.) In that she increaseth, she 
 showeth the flourishing state of the church. (3.) 
 In her diminishing, the diminishing state of the 
 church. (4.) The moon is also sometimes made to 
 look as red as blood, to show how dreadful and 
 bloody the suffering of the church is at some 
 certain times. 
 
 lliird, By the stars, we understand two things. 
 (1.) How innumerable the saints, those spiritual 
 stars shall be. He. xi. 12. (2.) How they shall differ 
 each from other in glory. 1 Co. xv. 41. 
 
 ' And God said. Let there be lights in the firma- 
 ment of the heaven, to divide the day from the night. ' 
 
 For though before the light was divided from 
 the darkness, yet the day and night was not so 
 kept within their bounds, as now by these lights 
 they were : probably signifying, that nothing 
 should be so clearly distinguished and made appear, 
 as by the sun light of the gospel of Christ : for by 
 that it is that ' the shadows flee away. ' So. ii. 17. The 
 light of the sun gathers the day to its hours, both 
 longer and shorter, and forceth also the night to 
 keep within his bounds. 
 
423 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE PIEST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 ' And God made two great lights ; the greater 
 light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule 
 the night. ' ver. 16. 
 
 Signifying, That Christ should be the light and 
 governor of his church, which are the children of 
 the day; hut the church, a hght to the children of 
 the night, that by them they might learn the 
 mysteries of the kingdom. Saith Christ to his 
 own, ' Ye are the light of the world:' And ao-ain, 
 ' Let your light so shine, - that men may see,' <feo., 
 for though they that only walk in the night, can- 
 not see to walk by the sun, yet by the moon they 
 may. Thus the hejiven is a type of the church, 
 the moon a type of her uncertain state in this 
 world ; the stars are types of her immovable con- 
 verts ; and their glory, of the differing degrees of 
 theirs, both here, and in the other world. Much 
 more might be said, but I pass this. 
 The fifth aay'9 work. ' And God said. Let the waters 
 [ver. 20—23.] bring forth abundantly the mov- 
 ing creature that hath life.' ver. 20. 
 
 The sea, as I said, is a figure of the world; 
 wherefore the creatures that are in it, of the men 
 of the world. Zee. xiii. 8. Is. ix. 5. This sea briugeth 
 forth small and great beasts, even as the world 
 doth yield both small and great persecutors, who 
 like the fishes of prey, eat up and devour what 
 they can of those fish that are of another condition. 
 Now also out of the world that mystical sea, as 
 fishers do out of the natural; both Christ and his 
 servants catch mystical fish, even fish as of the 
 great sea. 
 
 In the sea God created great whales, he made 
 them to play therein. 
 
 Which whales in the sea are types of the devils 
 in the world: Therefore as the devil is called, the 
 prince of this world ; so the whale is called, king 
 over all the children of pride. Job xli. 33, u. 
 The sixth day's work. ' And God said. Let the earth 
 [ver. 24, 25 } bring forth the living creature 
 after his kind.' ver. s-i. 
 
 Of the beginning of this si.tth day's work that 
 may be said which is said of the fishes, and the 
 rest of the sea ; for as there is variety of fish in 
 the one, so of beasts and cattle in the other, who 
 also make a prey of their fellows, as the fishes 
 do ; a most apt representation of the nature and 
 actions of bloody and deceitful men: Hence per- 
 secutors are called bulls, bears, lions, wolves, 
 tigers, dragons, dogs, foxes, leopards, and the 
 like.* 
 
 'And God said, Let us make man.' ver. 28. 
 
 * How sad, but true, is this type of many governments, 
 especially of the olden times ; the strong devour the weak — 
 strong in person or by subtilly, or by combination. Sbould 
 this earth ever be blessed with a christian government, the 
 governors will exclusively seek the welfare and happiness of 
 the governed. — Ed. 
 
 I observe, that in the creation of the world, 
 God goeth gradually on, from things less, to things 
 more abundantly glorious ; I mean, as to the crea- 
 tion of this earth ; and the things that thereto 
 appertain. Pirst he bringeth forth a confused 
 chaos, then he commands matter to appear distinct, 
 then the earth bringeth forth trees, and herbs, and 
 grass ; after that beasts ; and the sea, fowls ; and 
 last of all. Let us make man. Now passing by 
 the doctrine of the trinity, because spoken to 
 before, I come to make some observation upon this 
 wonderful piece of the workmanship of God. 
 
 ' Let us make man.' Man in whom is also in- 
 cluded the woman, was made the last of the crea- 
 tures. ~ From whence we may gather, 
 
 God's respect to this excellent creature, in 
 that he first provideth for him, before he giveth 
 him his being : He bringeth him not to an empty 
 house, but to one well furnished with all kind of 
 necessaries, having beautified the heaven and the 
 earth with glory, and all sorts of nourishment, for 
 his pleasure and sustenance, t 
 
 ' Let us make man in our image, after our like- 
 ness.' 
 
 An image, or the likeness of any thing, is not 
 the thing of which it is a figure ; so here, Adam 
 is an image, or made in the likeness of God. Now 
 as Adam is the image of God, it must either 
 respect him, as he consisteth of the soul, as a part; 
 or as he consists of a body and soul together : If 
 as he is made a reasonable soul, then he is an 
 excellent image of the eternal Godhead, the attri- 
 butes of the one being shadowed out by the quali- 
 ties and passions of the other ; for as there is in 
 the Godhead, powei', knowledge, love, and righte- 
 ousness ; so a likeness of these is in the soul of 
 man, especially of man before he had sinned: And 
 as there is passions of pity, compassion, affections, 
 and bowels in man ; so there are these in a far 
 more infinite way in God. 
 
 Again, If this image respect the whole man, then 
 Adam was a figure of God, as incarnate ; or of 
 God, as he was to be made afterwards man. And 
 hence it is, that as Adam is called the image of 
 God ; Ro. V. 14. so also is Christ himself called and 
 reckoned as the answering antitype of such au 
 image. 
 
 t This is one of those beautiful discoveries which modem 
 geology fuUy confirms. The earth is created, matured, pre- 
 pared and fitted for him, before man is created. That modem 
 popular work, ' The Vestiges of Creation,' elucidates the same 
 fact from the phenomena of natm-e: but the philosopher who 
 wrote that cm-ious book little thought that these suUirae 
 truths were published more than a century and a half ago, by 
 an unlettered mechanic, whose sole source of knowledge was 
 his being deeply learned in the holy oracles. They discover : 
 in a few words that which defies centuries of philosophic 
 researches of the most learned men. A wondrous book is 
 God's book ! — Eu. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE PIRST TEN CHAFrERS OP GENESIS. 
 
 42S 
 
 But again, Thougli Adam te here called the 
 image or similitude of God; yet but so as that 
 he was the shadow of a more excellent image. 
 Adam was a type of Christ, who only is ' the express 
 image ' of his Father's person, and the likeness of 
 his excellent glory. He. i. 3. For those things that 
 were in Adam, were hut of a humane, hut of a 
 created substance ; but those that were in Christ, 
 of the same divine and eternal excellency with the 
 Father. 
 
 Is Christ then the image of the Father, simply, 
 as considered of the same divine and eternal excel- 
 lency with him ? Certainly, No : for an image is 
 doubtless inferior to that of which it is a figure. 
 Understand then, that Christ is the image of the 
 Father's glory, as born of the Virgin Mary, yet 
 so, as being very God also : Not that his Godhead 
 in itself was a shadow or image, but by the acts 
 and doing of that man, every act being infinitely 
 perfect by virtue of his Godhead, the Father's 
 perfections were made manifest to flesh. An 
 image is to be looted upon, and by being looked 
 upon, another thing is seen ; so by the person and 
 doings of the Lord Jesus, they that indeed could 
 see him as he was, discovered the perfection and 
 glory of the Father. — ' PhiUp, He that hath seen 
 me hath seen the Father ; and how sayest thou 
 tlien, Shew us the Father ? ' Jn. xiv. 9. Neither the 
 Father nor the Son can by us at all be seen, as 
 they are simply and entirely in their own essence. 
 Therefore the person of the Father must be seen 
 by us, through the Son, as consisting of God and 
 man ; the Godhead, by working efiectually in the 
 manhood, shewing clearly there through the infinite 
 perfection and glory of the Father : ' The word 
 was made flesh, and - (then) we beheld his glory, 
 the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, 
 (He being in his personal excellencies, infinitely 
 and perfectly, what is recorded of his Father,) full 
 of grace and truth.' Jn. i. 14. So again, he 'is the 
 image of the invisible God.' Col. i. 15. The Godhead 
 is indeed invisible ; how then is Christ the image 
 of it ? Not by being invisible also ; for so is he 
 as much hid as the Father ; but being clothed 
 with flesh, that the works of the Son might by us 
 be seen, he thereby presenteth to u,s, as in a figure, 
 the eternal excellency of the Father. And hence 
 as he is called ' an image, ' he is also called ' the 
 first-born ' of every creature. Col. i. 18. His being a 
 creature, respecting his manhood, and his birth, 
 and his rising again from the dead. Therefore a 
 little after, he is called, ' the first-born from the 
 dead : ' vcr. 19. And in another place, 'the first-begot- 
 ten of the dead : ' Ke. L 6. And ' the first-fruits of 
 them that slept. ' 1 Co. xv. 20. So then, though Adam 
 was the image of God, yet God's image but as a 
 mere creature: But Christ though a creature as 
 touching hia manhood ; yet being also God, as the 
 
 Father, he shewed forth expressly, in capital 
 characters, by all his works and doings in the 
 world, the beauty and glory of the Father : ' The 
 light of the knowledge of the glory of God,' is 
 given ' in the face of Jesus Christ. ' 3 Co. iv. 6. Where 
 by face, we must understand that which is visible, 
 that being open when all else is covered, and that 
 by which most principally we are discovered to 
 others, and known. Now as to the case in hand, 
 this face must signify to us the personal virtues 
 and doings of Christ, by which the glory of the 
 Father is exposed; the glory of his justice, by 
 Christ's exactness of life ; the glory of his love, by 
 Christ's compassion to sinners, &c 
 
 Ver. 26. 'And God said. Let us make man in our 
 image, after our likeness : and let them have domi- 
 nion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of 
 the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, 
 and over every creeping thing that ereepeth upon 
 the earth.' 
 
 As Adam was a type of Christ, as the image 
 and glory of God ; so by these words he further 
 showeth, that he was a type of his sovereign 
 power ; for to him be dominion and power ever- 
 lasting. He ii. 8, 9. ' to whom be praise and dominion 
 for ever. ' 1 Pe. iv. 11. Jude 36. Now by the fish of the 
 sea, the beasts of the earth, the fowls of the air, 
 and every creeping thing, we may understand all 
 creatures, visible and invisible, whether they be 
 men, angels, or devils ; in heaven, earth, or under 
 the earth : also all thrones, authorities and powers, 
 whether in heaven, in earth, or hell: Christ is 
 made head over all ; He hath also a name above 
 every name, ' not only in this world, but in that 
 which is to come. ' Dp. i. 25. 
 
 Ver. 28. ' And God blessed them ; and God f^aid 
 unto them, (that is, to the man and his wife) Be 
 fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and 
 subdue it,' <fec. 
 
 This in the type doth show, in the antitype, how 
 fruitful Christ and his church shall be ; and how 
 he at last shall, all over the earth, have a seed to 
 replenish and subdue it by the power of the im- 
 mortal seed of the word of God: how his name 
 shall be reverenced from one end of the earth to 
 the other: how the kingdoms of the earth shall 
 ALL at last become the kingdoms of our Lord, and 
 of his Christ. 
 
 ' And subdue it.' God did put that majesty 
 and dread upon Adam, at his creation, that all the 
 beasts of the field submitted themselves unto him. 
 As God also said to Noah, ' The fear of you and 
 the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the 
 earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all 
 that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes 
 of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.' 
 Ge. ix. a. 
 
 ' ^ And God said, Behold I have given ycu 
 
434 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE EIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 every herb bearing seed, wliicli is upon tlie face of 
 all the earth ; and every tree, in the which is the 
 fruit of a tree yielding seed ; to you it shall be for 
 meat. ' Ge. i. 29. 
 
 These herbs and trees are types of the whole- 
 some word of the gospel, on which both Christ, his 
 church, and unconverted sinners, ought to feed and 
 be refreshed ; and without which there is no sub- 
 sisting either of one or the other : ' He causeth the 
 grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the ser- 
 vice of man : that he may bring forth food out of 
 the earth ; and wiue tJuxi maketh glad the heart 
 of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and 
 bread which strengtheneth man's heart.' Ps. ci7. u, 15. 
 
 ' And God saw every thing that he had made, 
 and, behold, it was very good.' ver. 3i. 
 
 All things have their natural goodness by crea- 
 tion. Things are not good, because they have a 
 being only, but because God gave them such a 
 being. Neither did God make them, because he 
 saw they would attract a goodness to themselves ; 
 but he made them in such kind, as to bring forth 
 that goodness he before determined they should. 
 ' And the evening and the morning were the sixth 
 day.' 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Ver. 3. ' And God blessed the seventh day, and 
 sanctified it : because that in it he had rested 
 from all his work which God created and made. ' 
 
 The seventh day did signify two things: 
 
 First, Christ Jesus, who is as well the rest of 
 the justice of God, as a rest for sinful man. 
 
 Secondly, It was also a type of that glorious 
 rest that saints shall have when the six days of 
 this world are fully ended. 
 
 For the first, the apostle makes the sabbath a 
 shadow of Jesus Christ, 'ashadow of thingsto come; 
 but the body (or substance) is of Christ.' Coi. ii. 17. 
 And hence it is that he is so often said to be ' a 
 rest ' to the Gentiles, a glorious rest, and that he 
 promiseth rest to such as cast their burthen upon 
 him. Mat. xi. 29. 
 
 The second also the apostle assertetli in that 
 fourth chapter to the Hebrews, ' There reraaineth 
 therefore a rest,' or the keeping of a sabbath, 'to 
 the people of God:' ver. 9. read also ver. 4— 11. Which 
 sabbath, as I conceive, will be the seventh thou- 
 sand of years, which are to follow immediately 
 after the world hath stood six thousand first : for 
 as God was six days in the works of creation, and 
 rested the seventh; so in six thousand years he 
 will perfect his works and providences that con- 
 cern this world. As also he will finish the toil 
 and travel of his saints, with the burthen of the 
 beasts, and the curse of the ground ; and bring all 
 into rest for a thousand years. A day with the 
 Lord, ia as a thousand years: wherefore this 
 
 blessed and desirable time is also called 'a day,' 
 ' a great day, ' ' that great and notable day of the 
 Lord, ' Ac ii. 30. which shall end in the eternal judg- 
 ment of the world. God hath held forth this by 
 several other shadows, as the sabbath of weeks, the 
 sabbath of years, and the great jubilee, which is 
 to be the year after forty-nine years are expired. 
 Le. XXV. 1—13. Of all which, more in their place, if 
 God permit. 
 
 Ver. 4. ' H These are the generations of the 
 heavens and of the earth when they were created, 
 in the day that the Lord God made the earth and 
 the heavens.' 
 
 Moses seems by these words, 'In the day,' to 
 insist principally upon them in their first and 
 primitive state, before there was sin or curse in the 
 world ; for in the day that they were created, there 
 was a far more glorious lustre and beauty than 
 now can be seen ; the heaven, for sin, is, as it 
 were, turned into brass ; and the rain into powder 
 and dust, in comparison of what it was as it came 
 from the fingers of God. The earth bath also 
 from that time a curse upon it; yea, the whole 
 creation, by sin, is even ' made subject to vanity,' 
 is in travail, and groans under the burthen that 
 sin hath brought upon it. Eo. viii. 19—23. 
 
 Ver. 5. ' And every plant of the field before it 
 was in the earth, and every herb of the field before 
 it grew.' 
 
 Thus it was in the first creation ; they therefore 
 became neither herbs nor trees, by the course of 
 nature, but by the creation of God. And even so 
 it is in the new creation, men spring not up by 
 nature to be saints : No, not in the church of God, 
 but first they are created in Christ Jesus, and 
 made meet to be partakers of the benefit, and then 
 planted in the church of God ; ' planted, ' I say, 
 as plants before prepared. Indeed hypocrites, and 
 formal professors, may spring up iu the church, 
 by virtue of her forms, and outward services, aa 
 thorns and thistles spring up in the earth, by virtue 
 of her moisture and heartiness. But these are but 
 the fruits of the curse, and are determined to be 
 burned at last in the fire: 'Every plant (saith 
 Christ) which my heavenly Father hath not 
 planted, shall be rooted up. ' Mat. xv. 13. He. vi. s.* 
 
 ' For the Lord God had not caused it to rain 
 upon the earth.' This is the reason that they 
 came not up by nature first, but were first created, 
 then planted, tlien made to grow. So the reason 
 why men by nature grow not in the church, is, be- 
 cause the Lord doth not cause it to rain upon them, 
 they still abiding and doing according to the course 
 of this world ; but he plants them in his house by 
 
 * Iq what pointed language are these solemn warnings put. 
 Reader, in the sight of God, let the heart-seardhing inquiry of 
 the apostle's he yours ; Lord. Ls it I ? 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIKST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 435 
 
 tlie mighty power of his word and Spirit, by which 
 they are created saints, and then they afterwards 
 grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 ' And there was not a man to till the groimd. ' 
 It seems by this there was a kind of necessity why 
 God should make man, yea, a multitude of men ; 
 for otherwise he had made what before he made in 
 vain ; that is, his end in making so glorious a 
 creature as this world, which was to shew forth 
 his glory by, had been void, and without effect ; 
 for although it was glorious, as it came out of the 
 hand of God ; yet it was not of power so to pre- 
 serve itself, but would, without men to look after 
 and dress it, be turned into a wilderness. 
 
 Thus it is with the world (A men, if there was 
 not the second Adam to plough them and sow 
 them, they could none of them become saints; 
 No, not the elect themselves ; because the means 
 are determined, as well as the end. 
 
 By this we may likewise see what a woful con- 
 dition that people is in, that have no ministers of 
 the word of the gospel : ' My people perish, [are 
 destroyed] for lack of knowledge :' Ho. iv. 6. And 
 again, ' Where there is no vision, the people perish. ' 
 Pr. xxix. 18. Pray therefore to the Lord of the har- 
 vest, that he would send out his ploughers to 
 plough, and his labourers into his harvest. 
 
 Ver. 6. ' But there went up a mist from the 
 earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. ' 
 
 Although as yet there was no ploughman nor 
 rain, yet a mist arose from the earth; so where 
 there is not the word of the gospel, there is yet 
 sufficiency of light, to teach men how to govern 
 themselves in civil and natural society. But this 
 is only 'a, mist,' men cannot gospeUy grow by this; 
 therefore, as in the next verse, of necessity man 
 must be formed. 
 
 But again, I have sometimes thought by this 
 mist, might be held forth that nourishment men 
 had by the doctrine of faith, before the gospel was 
 divulged by Moses, the prophets, or Christ, he. 
 for before these, that nourishment the church re- 
 ceived, was but slender and short, even as short 
 as the nourishing of the mist is to sober and mo- 
 derate showers of rain ; to which both the law and 
 the gbspel is compared. 
 
 Again, I have also sometimes thought, that by 
 this mist might be typified those excellent pro- 
 verbs and hbly sayings of the men of old, before 
 there was a written word ; for it cannot be but the 
 godly did contain in proverbs, and certain sayings, 
 the doctrine of salvation hereafter, and of good 
 . living here ; [see Eo. ii 14.] of which we have a touch 
 ill Genesis; but more at large by that blessed book 
 ' of Job ; which book, in my opinion, is a holy col- 
 ! lection of those proverbs and sayings of the an- 
 '' cients, occasioned by the temptation of that good 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 man. But whatever this mist did signify (in other 
 men's judgment) certain it is, it was for present 
 necessity, till a man should be made to till the 
 ground, and the fruits thereof watered with ' the 
 bottles of heaven : ' Which, so far as I see yet, 
 most stptly presents us with some of all these. 
 
 Ver. 7. * And the Lord God formed man q/'the 
 dust of the ground, ' <fec. 
 
 In the creation of man, God began with his out- 
 side ; but in the work of regeneration, he first be- 
 gins within, at the heart. He naade him ; that is, 
 his body, of the dust of the ground ; but he abides 
 a lifeless lump, till the Lord puts forth a second 
 act. ' And [he] breathed into his nostrils the 
 breath of life; and man became a living soul.' 
 Now he lives, now he acts : so it is in the king- 
 dom of Christ, no man can be a living soul in that 
 kingdom by his first creation, he must have life 
 ' breathed ' into him, life and spirit from Jesus 
 Christ. Jn. ix. 23. 
 
 Now therefore is Adam a type, yet but an earthly 
 one, of things more high and heavenly ; ' And as 
 we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall 
 also bear the image of the heavenly.' l Co. xv. 49. 
 
 Ver. 8. ' II And the Lord God planted a garden 
 eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom 
 he had formed.' 
 
 'And the Lord God planted a garden.' Thus 
 the Holy Ghost speaks clearer and clearer ; for 
 now he presents the church to us under the simi- 
 litude of a garden, which is taken out of the wide 
 and open field, and inclosed ; " A garden inclosed 
 is my sister, my spouse ;' a garden inclosed, ' a 
 spring shut up, a fountain sealed;' Ca. iv. 13. and 
 there he put the man whom he had formed. An 
 excellent type of the presence of Christ with his 
 church. Re. i. 12, 13. 
 
 Ver. 9. ' And out of the ground made the Lord 
 God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the 
 sight,' &c. 
 
 These trees, and their pleasurableness, do shew 
 us the beauty of the truly godly, whom the Lord 
 hath beautified with salvation. And hence it is 
 said, the glory of Lebanon, of Sharon, and of Car- 
 mel, is given to the church : that is, she is more 
 beautified with gifts and graces than can by types 
 and shadows be expressed. ' The tree of life also 
 in the midst of the garden, and the tree of know- 
 ledge of good and evil. ' 
 
 This ' tree of life, ' was another type of Christ, 
 as the bread and healing medicine of the church, 
 that stands ' in the midst of the paradise of God. ' 
 
 lie. ii. 7; xxii. 3. 
 
 The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was 
 a type of the law, or covenant of works, as the 
 sequel of the story clearly manifesteth ; for had 
 not Adam eaten thereof, he had enjoyed for ever 
 his first blessedness. As Moses saith, ' It shall 
 3 II 
 
426 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIEST TEN CHAPTERS 01' GENESIS. 
 
 be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these 
 commandments before the Lord our God, as he 
 hath commanded us.' De. vL26. But both Adam 
 and we have touched, that is, broken the boughs 
 and fruit of this tree, and therefore now for ever, 
 by the law, no man can stand just before God. 
 
 Ga. ii. 16. 
 
 Ver. 10. ' H And a river went out of Eden to 
 water the garden j and from thence it was parted, 
 and became into four heads. ' 
 
 This river while it abided in Eden, in the gar- 
 den, it was the river of God ; that is, serviceable 
 to the trees and fruit of the garden, and was 
 herein a type of those watering ministers that 
 water the plants of the Lord. But observe, when 
 it had passed the garden, had gotten without the 
 bound of the garden, from thence it was parted, 
 and became into four heads ; from thence it was 
 transformed, or turned into another manner of 
 thing: it now became into four heads; a type 
 of the four great monarchies of the world, of which 
 Babylon, though the first in order of being, yet 
 the last in a gospel or mysterious sense. The 
 fourth is the river Euphrates, that which was the 
 face of the kingdom of Babel of old. Hence note. 
 That how eminent and serviceable soever men are 
 while they abide in the garden of Eden, the 
 church; yet when they come out from thence, 
 they evilly seek the great things of the world : 
 one is for compassing the whole land of Havilah, 
 where is gold ; another is for compassing this, a 
 third that, and a fourth another thing, according 
 as you see these four heads did. Observe again. 
 That while men abide in the church of God, there 
 is not by them a seeking after the monarchies of 
 this world; but when they depart from thence, 
 then they seek and strive to be heads ; as that 
 cursed monster the pope, forsaking the garden of 
 God, became in a manner the prince of all the 
 earth: Of whom Tyrus mentioned by Ezekiel, 
 was a very lively type, ' Thou hast been in Eden, 
 the garden of God; every precious-stone, [that 
 is, doctrine,] was thy covering; as the sardius, 
 topaz, diamond,' kc. 'till iniquity was found in 
 thee ; ' Eze. xxYiii. 13— 18. till thou Jeftest thy station, 
 and place appointed of God, and then thou wast 
 cast as profane out of the mountain of God, yea, 
 though a covering cherub. See it again in Cain, 
 who while he continued in the church, he was a 
 busy sacrificer, as busy as Abel his brother ; but 
 when he left off to fear the Lord, and had bloodily 
 butchered his holy brother, then he seeks to be a 
 head, or monarch ; then he goeth and buildeth a 
 city to preserve his name and posterity for ever. 
 
 Ge. iv. 17. 
 
 Ver. 15. 'H And the Lord God took the man, 
 and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it 
 and to keep it. ' 
 
 In this also Adam was a figure of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, as pastor and chief bishop of his 
 church. ' I the Lord, [saith Christ,] do keep it; 
 I will water it every moment, I wiU keep it night 
 and day.' is. xxrii.3. 
 
 ' And the Lord God took the man.' No man 
 taketh this honour upon him, but he that is called 
 of God, as was Aaron. Blessed is he also that 
 can say as the prophet Amos ; ' And the Lord 
 took me (said he) as I followed the flock, and the 
 Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people 
 Israel. ' Am. vii. is. 
 
 'To dress it and to keep it.' He that is not 
 dressed, is not kept : That is a sad judgment. That 
 which dieth, let it die ; That which is diseased, let 
 it not be dressed, let it die of that disease. By 
 dressing therefore I understand, pruning, mauui-ing 
 and the like, which the dresser of the vineyard 
 was commanded to do, without which aU is over- 
 run with briers and nettles, and is fit for nothing 
 but cursing, and to be burned. Lu. xiii. 6—9. Pr. axiv. 30 
 —34. He. vi. 7, 8. 
 
 ' And the Lord commanded the man, saying. 
 Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. ' 
 
 ver. 16. 
 
 It is God's word that giveth us power to eat, 
 to drink, and do other our works, and without the 
 word we may do nothing. The command gave 
 Adam leave : ' Every creature of God is good, and 
 nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanks- 
 giving ; for it is sanctified by the word of God (by 
 the command of the word, and by receiving of it 
 according to the limits thereof,) and prayer. ' l Ti. iv. 
 
 i, 5. 
 
 Ver. 17. ' But of the tree of the knowledge of 
 good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it.' I said 
 before. What God's word prohibits, we must take 
 care to shun. 
 
 This ' tree of knowledge,' as I said before, was 
 a type of the covenant of works, the which had not 
 Adam touched, (for by touching it he broke that 
 covenant,) he then had lived ever, but touching it 
 he dies. Ge. iii. s. 
 
 Adam going into the garden under these condi- 
 tions and penalties, was therein a type of the humi- 
 liation of Christ ; who at his coming into the world, 
 was made under the law, under its command and 
 penalty, even as other men, but without sin. Ga. ii. 
 
 4,6. 
 
 ' For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou 
 shalt surely die.' 
 
 ' Por in the day. ' Adam lived to God no longer 
 than while he kept himself from eating forbidden 
 fruit ; in that very day he died ; first a spiritual 
 death in his soul ; his body also was then made 
 capable of mortality, and all diseases, which two 
 great impediments in time brought him down to 
 dust again. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON TIIE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 427 
 
 Ver. 18. ' H And tlie Lord God said, It is not 
 good that man should be alone ; I will make him 
 an help meet for him.' 
 
 By these words, Adam's state, even in inno- 
 cency, seems to erave for help ; wherefore it is 
 manifest that that state is short of that we attain 
 by the resurrection from the dead; yea, for as much 
 as his need required earthly help, it is apparent 
 his condition was not heavenly: ' The first man is 
 of the earth, earthy : the second man is the Lord 
 from heaven. ' 1 Co. XT. 47. Adam in his first estate 
 was not spiritual : ' That was not first which is 
 spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterwards 
 ihat which is spiritual.' ver. 46. Wherefore those 
 that think it enough to attain to the state of Adam 
 in innocency, think it sufficient to be mere natural- 
 ists; think themselves well, without being made spi- 
 ritual : yea, let me add, they think it safe standing 
 by a covenant of works ; they think themselves 
 happy, though not concerned in a covenant of 
 grace ; they think they know enough, though igno- 
 rant of a mediator, and count they have no need 
 of the intercession of Christ.* 
 
 Adam stood by a covenant of works: Adam's 
 kingdom was an earthly paradise ; Adam's excel- 
 lency was, that he had no need of a Saviour ; and 
 Adam's knowledge was ignorance of Jesus Christ : 
 Adam in his greatest glory, wanted earthly com- 
 forts ; Adam in his innocency, was a mere natural 
 man. 
 
 Ver. 19. 'And out of the groimd the Lord God 
 formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of 
 the air.' 
 
 This proveth further what I said at first. That 
 in the first chaos was contained all that was made 
 upon the earth. 
 
 ' And brought them unto Adam, to see what he 
 would call them : and whatsoever Adam called 
 every living creature, that was the name thereof. ' 
 
 In this Adam was a lively type of the Lord 
 Christ's sovereign and glorious power over all 
 flesh : ' Thou hast given him power over all flesh, 
 that he should give eternal life to as many as thou 
 hast given him.' Jn. xrii. 2. 
 
 ' And brought tJiem unto Adam to see what he 
 would call them.' 
 
 So Christ nameth the world ; whom he will he 
 calleth saints ; and whom he will he calleth the 
 world, 'ungodly,' 'serpents,' 'vipers,' and the 
 like. ' I pray for them, 1 pray not for the world.' 
 
 Jn. xvii. 9. 
 
 'And whatsoever Adam called every living 
 creature, that was the name thereof.' Even as 
 Christ passes sentence, so shall their judgment be. 
 
 * Bimyan beautifully illustrates this view of divine truth in 
 his controversy with Edward Fowler, Bishop of Gloucester. 
 See ' The Defence of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith in 
 Jesus Christ.' — Eu. 
 
 Ver, 20. ' And Adam gave names to all cattle, 
 and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of 
 the field. ' So Christ judgeth of angels, devils, and 
 men. 
 
 ' But for Adam, there was not found an help 
 meet for him.' All the glory of this world, had 
 not Adam had a wife, could not have completed 
 this man's blessedness ; he would yet have been 
 wanting : so all the glory of heaven, considering 
 Christ as mediator, could not, without his church, 
 have made him up complete. The church, I say, 
 ' which is his body, the fulness of him that fiUeth 
 all in all.' 
 
 Ver. 21, 22. ' IT And the Lord God caused a 
 deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept : and he 
 took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead 
 thereof; and the rib which the Lord God had 
 taken from man, made he a woman, and brought 
 her unto the man.' 
 
 In these words we find an help provided for 
 Adam ; also, whence it came. The help was a 
 wife; she came out of his side; she was taken 
 thence while Adam slept. A blessed figure of a 
 further mystery. Adam's wife was a type of the 
 church of Christ ; for that she was taken out of 
 his side, it signifies we are flesh of Christ's flesh, 
 and bone of Christ's bone. Ep. t. 30. And in that 
 she was taken thence while Adam slept, it signi- 
 fies, the church is Christ's, by virtue of his death 
 and blood : ' Feed the church of God, which he 
 hath purchased with his own blood.' Ac. xx. 28. 
 
 ' And he brought her to the man.' That is, 
 And God brought her to the man. By which he 
 clearly intimates. That as the church is the work- 
 manship of God, and the purchase of the blood of 
 Christ ; so yet she cannot come to Christ, unless 
 brought to him of God : ' No man can come to 
 me (saith Christ) except the Father which hath 
 sent me, draw him.' Jn. vi. 4*. 
 
 Ver. 23. ' And Adam said. This is now bone of 
 my bones, and flesh of my flesh : she shall be called 
 Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' 
 
 In that Adam doth thus acknowledge his wife 
 to be bone and flesh of his substance, it shews us, 
 that Christ will acknowledge those that are his: 
 ' He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, 
 I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the 
 midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.' 
 He. u. 11, 12. 
 
 And observe it. He said, ' She is bone of my 
 bone,' ifec. before that God, that brought her to him ; 
 intimating, that Christ both owns us now at his 
 Father's right hand, and will not be ashamed of 
 us, even in the day of judgment. Mat. x. 33. Lu. xU. a. 
 
 Ver. 24. 'Therefore shall a man leave his father 
 and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife : 
 and they shall be one flesh.' 
 
 This ought to be truly performed in our married 
 
428 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 estate In this world. But here endetla not the 
 mystery. 
 
 ' Therefore shall a man leave his father.' Thus 
 did Christ when he came into the world to save 
 sinners : He came forth from the Father ; ' I 
 came forth from the Father, and am come into 
 the world.' Jn. xvi. 2g 
 
 ' Therefore shall a man leave his father and his 
 mother.' The Jewish church may, in a mystical 
 sense, he called the mother of Christ ; for she was 
 indeed God's wife, and of her came his Son Jesus 
 •Christ : yet his mother he left and forsook, to be 
 joined to his Gentile spouse, which is now his only 
 wife. 
 
 Ver. 25. ' And they were both naked, the man 
 and his wife, and were not ashamed.' 
 
 No sin, no shame: Let men stand where God 
 hath set them, and there is no cause of shame, 
 though they be exposed in outward appearance to 
 never so much contempt. 
 
 ' And they were both naked.' Apparel is the 
 fruits of sin ; wherefore let such as pride them- 
 selves therein, remember, that they cover one 
 shame with another. But let them that are truly 
 godly have their apparel modest and sober, and 
 with shamefacedness put them on, remembering 
 always the first cause of our covering our naked- 
 ness, was the sin and shame of our first parents. 
 
 P Pe. iii. 3.] 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Ver. 1. ' Now the serpent was more subtil than 
 
 'any beast of the field which the Lord God had 
 
 made. And he said unto the woman. Yea, hath 
 
 God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the 
 
 garden ?' 
 
 In these words we have an enti-ance of the first 
 great spiritual conflict that was fought between 
 the devil and flesh ; and it is worth the observing, 
 how the enemy attempted, engaged, and overcame 
 the world. 2 Co. xi. 3. 
 
 1 . He tempts by means ; he appeareth not in 
 his own shape and hue, but assumeth the body of 
 one of the creatures, the body of the serpent, and 
 so begins the combat. And from hence it is, that 
 in after ages he is spoken of under the name of 
 that creature, ' the dragon, that old serpent which 
 is the devil, and Satan ;' Re. xx. 2. because, as the 
 Holy Ghost would have us beware of the devil, so 
 of the means and engines which he useth ; for 
 where one is overcome by his own fearful appear- 
 ance, ten thousand are overcome by the means and 
 engines that he useth. 
 
 2. 'The serpent was more subtil.' The devil, in 
 his attempts after our destruction, maketh use of 
 the most suitable means. The serpent was more 
 subtil, therefore the cunning of the devil was least 
 of all discerned. Had he made use of some of the 
 
 most foolish of the creatures, Adam had luckily 
 started back, for he knew the nature of all the 
 creatures, and gave them names accordingly; 
 wherefore the serpent, Adam knew, was subtil, 
 therefore Satan useth him, thereby to catch this 
 goodly creature. Hereby the devil least appeared; 
 and least appearing, the temptation soonest took 
 the tinder.* 
 
 ' Now the serpent was more subtil.' More sub- 
 til. Hence the devil is called, ' the serpent with 
 heads,' [with great cunning;] 'the crooked ser- 
 pent,' [with knotty objections;] 'the piercing 
 serpent,' [for he often wounds ;] and his ways are 
 called 'devices,' 'temptations,' 'delusions,' 'wiles,' 
 'power,' and 'the gates of hell;' because of their 
 mighty prevalency. This is he that undertook our 
 first parents. 
 
 But how did he imdertake them ? 
 
 He labours to make them question the simpli- 
 city of the word of God, bearing Adam's wife in 
 hand, that there must needs be sonae meaning that 
 palliates the text ; Hath God said ye shall not eat 
 of the tree ? Which interrogatory suggested them 
 with a strong doubt that this word would not 
 appear a truth, if you compare it with the 4th 
 verse. 
 
 Hence learn, that so long as we retain the sim- 
 plicity of the word, we have Satan at the end of 
 the staff ; for unless we give way to a doubt about 
 that, about the truth and simplicity of it, he gets 
 no ground upon us. And hence the apostle says, 
 He feared lest by some means, as the serpent be- 
 guiled Eve through his subtilty, so our minds 
 should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in 
 Christ; 2Co. xi. 3. that is, lest our minds should be 
 drawn oif from the simplicity of the word of the 
 gospel by some devilish and delusive arguments : 
 For mark, Satan doth not first of all deny, but 
 makes a doubt upon the word, whether it is to be 
 taken in this or another sense ; and so first cor- 
 rupting the mind with a doubt about the simplicity 
 of the true sense, he after brings them to a denial 
 thereof ; ' Hath God said. Ye shall not eat of 
 every tree of the garden V 
 
 Ver. 2. ' And the woman said unto the serpent. 
 We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden.' 
 
 'And the woman said.' Indeed, the question was 
 put to her, but the command was not so imme- 
 diately delivered to her: 'The Lord God commanded 
 the man.' chap. ii. 16. This therefore I reckon a 
 great fault in the woman, an usurpation, to under- 
 take so mighty an adversary, when she was not 
 the principal that was concei-ned therein; nay, 
 
 * Christian, you are specially cautioned to ' beware of the 
 flatterer." The Pilgrim's Christian and Hopeful forgot the 
 caution, and ' a man black of flesh b\it covered with a veiy 
 light robe, caught them in his net, and they were chastised 
 sore.' — Eu. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE PIRST TJSN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 429 
 
 ■when lier hustand who was more ahle than she, 
 was at hand, to whom also the law was given as 
 chief. But for this act, I think it is, that they 
 are now commanded silence, and also commanded 
 to learn of their hushands : l Co. xiv. 34, 35. A com- 
 mand that is necessary enough for that simple and 
 weak sex:* Though they see it was hy them that 
 sin came into the world, yet how hardly are some 
 of them to this day dissuaded from attempting 
 unwarrantahly to meddle with potent enemies, 
 ahout the great and weighty matters that concern 
 eternity, l Ti. ii. 11—15. 
 
 Hence note, That often they who are least ahle, 
 will first adventure to put in their head to defend 
 that, from whence they return with shame. 
 
 ' And the woman said unto the serpent. We 
 may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden.' 
 
 This was her prologue to her defence, hut that also 
 for which she had no warrant. In time of tempta- 
 tion, it is our wisdom and duty to keep close to the 
 word, that prohibits and forbids the sin ; and not 
 to reason with Satan, of how far our outward and 
 worldly privileges go, especially of those privileges 
 that border upon the temptation, as she here did : 
 We may eat of all but one. By this she goeth to 
 the outside of her liberty, and sets herself upon the 
 brink of the danger. Christ might have told the 
 tempter, when he assaulted him, That he could 
 have made stones bread ; and that he could have 
 descended from the pinnacle of the temple, as 
 afterwards he did ; Mat. iv. 3—7. Ln. iv. but that would 
 have admitted of other questions. Wherefore he 
 chooseth to lay aside such needless and unwarant- 
 able reasonings, and resisteth him with a direct 
 word of God, most pertinent to quash the tempter, 
 and also to preserve himself in the way. To 
 go to the outside of privileges, especially when 
 tempted of the devil, is often, if not always very 
 dangerous and hazardous. 
 
 By these words therefore, in mine opinion, she 
 spoke at this time too much in favour of the flesh ; 
 and made way for what after came upon her. We 
 may eat of all but one. 
 
 Ver. 3. ' But of the fruit of the tree which is 
 in the midst of the garden, God hath said. Ye 
 shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest 
 ye die.' 
 
 Now, too late, she urgeth that which should 
 have been her only stay and weapon ; to wit, the 
 express word of God ; That she should, if she 
 would have disputed with the tempter, have urged 
 at the first that only, and have thought of nothing 
 
 * Much allowance must be made for the state of female 
 education in Bunyan's days. Every effort was made to keep 
 women in subordination — a mere drudging, stocking mending 
 help meet for man. Now we feel that the more highly she is 
 cultivated, the more viJuable help she becomes, aud that in 
 intellect she is on a perfect equality with man. — En. 
 
 else. Thus did the Lord himself: but she looking 
 first into those worthy privileges which God had 
 given her, and dilating delightfully of them before 
 the devil, she lost the dread of the command from 
 oif her heart, and retained now but the notion of 
 it : which Satan perceiving, and taking heart there- 
 from to make his best advantage, he now adds to 
 his former forged doubt, a plain and flat denial, 
 ' Ye shall not surely die. ' 
 
 Ver. 4. ' And the serpent said unto the woman. 
 Ye shall not surely die. ' 
 
 When people dally with the devil, and sit too 
 near their outward advantages; when they are 
 tempted to break the command of God, it is usual 
 for them, even by setting their hearts upon things 
 that in themselves are honest and lawful, to fall 
 into temptation : To see a piece of ground, to prove 
 a yoke of oxen, to marry a wife, are doubtless 
 lawful things ; but upon the borders of these privi- 
 leges lay the temptation of the devil ; therefore by 
 the love of these, which yet jvere lawful in them- 
 selves, the devil hardened the heart, and so at 
 last made way for, and perfectly produced in them, 
 flatly to deny, as then, to embrace the words of 
 God's salvation. Mat. xxa. 5. Lu. xiv. 16—20. The like 
 befel our first mother; wherefore though at last 
 she freely objected the word ; yet because before 
 she had so much reasoned to the pleasing of the 
 flesh, she lost the dread and savour of the com- 
 mand, and having nought but notion left, she found 
 not wherewith to rebuke so plain a lie of the devil, 
 but hearkened to his further reasoning. 
 
 'Ye shall not surely die.' Not surely; in the 
 word there is some slight meaning, of which you 
 need not be so afraid. And besides, 
 
 Ver. 5. ' God doth know that in the day ye eat 
 thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye 
 shall be as gods, knowing good and evU.' 
 
 In these words two privileges are asserted : one. 
 That their eyes should be opened ; the other, That 
 they should be as gods, knowing good and evil. 
 The first is very desirable, and was not at all 
 abridged by them ; the second, as to their knowing 
 good and evil, was absolutely forbidden ; because 
 they could not attain to the knowledge of that 
 which was evil, but by transgressing, or by eating 
 of that forbidden tree. 
 
 Hence observe. That it is usual with the devil, 
 in his tempting of poor creatures, to put a good 
 and bad together, that by shew of the good, the 
 tempted might be drawn to do that which in truth 
 is evil. Thus he served Saul ; he spared the best 
 of the herd and flock, under pretence of sacrificing 
 to God, and so transgressed the plain command. 
 1 Sa. IV. 20—32. But this the apostle saw was danger- 
 ous, and therefore censureth such, as in a state of 
 condemnation. Ko. jii. 8. Thus he served Adam; he 
 put the desirableness of sight, and a plain transr 
 
430 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 gresslon of God's law together, tbat by the loveli- 
 ness of the one, they might the easier be brought 
 to do the other. poor Eve! Do we wonder at 
 thy folly! Doubtless we had done as bad with 
 half the argument of thy temptation. 
 
 ' Ye shall be as gods.' In these words he at- 
 tempts to beget in them a desire to be greater 
 than God had made them, l Ti. iii. 6. He knew this 
 was a likely way, for by this means he fell himself ; 
 for being puffed up with pride, they left their own 
 estate, or habitation, and so became devils, and 
 were tumbled down to hell, where they are ' re- 
 served in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto 
 the judgment of the great day.' Judee. 
 
 ' Ye shall be as gods. ' When souls have begun 
 to hearken to the tempter, that hearkening hath 
 made way for, and given way to so much darkness 
 of mind, and hardness of heart, that now they can 
 listen to anything: as to hear God charged with 
 folly, 'Ye shall not surely die;' as to hear him 
 made the author of ignorance, and that he delights 
 to have it so, by seeking by a command to prohibit 
 them from knowing what they could ; for God doth 
 know, that in the day ye eat thereof, then your 
 eyes shall be opened ; and therefore he forbids to 
 touch it. 
 
 ' Ye shall be as gods.' Here is also a pretence 
 of holiness, which he knew they were prone unto ; 
 ' Ye shall be as gods,' as knowing and perfect as 
 God. Oh! Thousands are, even to this day, by 
 such temptations overcome! Thus he wraps his 
 temptations up in such kind of words and sugges- 
 tions as wiU carry it either way. But mark his 
 holiness, or the way that he prescribes for holiness; 
 it is, if not point blank against, yet without and 
 besides the word, not by doing what God commands, 
 and abhorring what he forbids, but by following 
 the delusion of the devil, and their own roving 
 fancies ; as Eve here does. 
 
 Ver. 6. ' H And when the woman saw that 
 the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant 
 to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one 
 wise, she took of the fruit thereof,' &.c. 
 
 This verse presents us with the use that Eve 
 made of the reasonings of the serpent ; and that 
 was, to take them into consideration ; not by the 
 word of God, but as her flesh and blood did sense 
 them : A way very dangerous and devouring to the 
 soul, from which Paul fled, as from the devil him- 
 self : ' Immediately I conferred not with flesh and 
 blood.' Ga. i. 16. Wherefore, pausing upon them, 
 they entangled her as with a threefold cord. 1. 
 ' The lust of the flesh;' she saw it was good for 
 food. 2. 'The lust of the eye;' she saw it was 
 pleasant to the eye. 8. 'The pride of life;' a 
 tree to be desired, to make one wise, l Jn. u. is. 
 Being taken, I say, with these three snares of the 
 adversary, which are not of the Father, but of the 
 
 world, and the devil the prince thereof, forthwith 
 she falls before him : ' And when the woman saw' 
 this, ' she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat.' 
 
 ' And when the woman saw.' This seeing, as 
 I said, is to be understood of her considering what 
 Satan presented to her, and of her sensing or tast- 
 ing of his doctrine ; not by the word, which ought 
 to be the touch stone of all, but by and according 
 to her own natural reason without it. Now this 
 makes her forget that very command that but now 
 she had urged against the tempter : This makes 
 her also to consent to that very reason, as an in- 
 ducement to transgress ; which, because it was 
 the nature of the tree, was by God suggested as a 
 reason why they should forbear ; it was the tree of 
 the knowledge of good and evil, therefore they 
 should not touch it ; it was the tree, that would 
 by touching it, make them know good and evil ; 
 therefore she toucheth, and also eateth thereof. 
 See therefore what specious pretences the devil, 
 and those that are imder the power of temptation, 
 will have to transgress the command of God. That 
 which God makes a reason of the prohibition, even 
 that the devil wiU make a reason of their trans- 
 gression. 
 
 God commands to se'f-denial, but the world 
 makes that a reason of their standing off from the 
 very grace of God in the gospel. God also com- 
 mands. That we be sober, chaste, humble, just, 
 and the like ; but the devil, and carnal hearts, 
 make these very things the argument that keeps 
 sinners from the word of salvation. Or rather take 
 it thus ; God forbids wickedness, because it is de- 
 lightful to the flesh, and draws the heart from 
 God, but therefore carnal men love wickedness 
 and sin: Therefore they go on in sin, and ' there- 
 fore they say unto God, Depart from us, for we 
 desire not the knowledge of thy ways.' lob xxt 14; 
 
 xxii. 15—17. 
 
 She ' did eat, and gave also unto her husband 
 with her, and he did eat. ' 
 
 The great design of the devil, as he supposed, 
 was now accomplished ; for he had both in the 
 snare, both the man and his wife, and in them, the 
 whole world that should be after. And indeed 
 the chief design of Satan was at the head at first, 
 only he made the weakest the conveyance for his 
 mischief. Hence note again, That Satan by tempt- 
 ing one, may chiefly intend the destruction of 
 another. By tempting the wife, he may aim at 
 the destruction of the husband ; by tempting the 
 father, he may design the destruction of the chil- 
 dren ; and by tempting the king, he may design 
 the ruin of the subjects. Even as in the case of 
 David : ' Satan stood up against Israel, and pro- 
 voked David to number the people.' He had a 
 mind to destroy seventy thousand, therefore ho 
 tempted David to sin. i ch. Mi. i. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS 01' GENESIS. 
 
 431 
 
 She gave also to her husband, and he did eat. 
 Sin seldom or never terminates in one person ; but 
 the pernicious example of one, doth animate and 
 embolden another ; or thus, the beholding of evil 
 in another, doth often allure a stander-by. Adam 
 was the looker-on, he was not in the action as 
 from the serpent: ' Adam was not deceived,' that 
 is, by having to do with the devil, ' but the woman, 
 the woman being deceived, was in the transgres- 
 sion. ' 1 Ti. ii u. This should exhort all men that 
 they take heed of so much as beholding evil done 
 by others, lest also they should be allured. When 
 Israel went into Canaan, God did command them 
 not so much as to ask. How those nations served 
 their gods? lest by so doing, Satan should get an 
 advantage of their minds, to incline them to do 
 the like. De. xii. 30. Evil acts, as well as evil words, 
 will eat as doth a canker. This then is the reason 
 of that evil-favom-edness that you see attending 
 some men's lives and ]: rofessions ; they have been 
 corrupted, as Adam was, either by evil words or 
 bad examples, even till the very face of their lives 
 and professions are disfigured as with the pox or 
 canker. 2 Ti. ii. 17. 
 
 Thus have we led you through that woful 
 tragedy that was acted between the woman and the 
 serpent ; and have also shewed, how it happened 
 that the serpent went away as victor. 
 
 1. The woman admitted of a doubt about the 
 truth of the word that forbad her to eat ; for unbe- 
 lief was the first sin that entered the world. 
 
 2. She preferred the privileges of the flesh, be- 
 fore the argument to self-denial; by which means 
 her heart became hardened, and grew senseless of 
 the dread and terror of the words of God. 
 
 3. She took Satan's arguments into considera- 
 tion, and * sensed, or tasted them ; not by the 
 word of God, but her own natural, or rather sore- 
 deluded fancy. 
 
 4. She had a mind to gratify the lusts of the 
 flesh, the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of 
 hfe. 
 
 Now to speak of the evil consequences that fol- 
 lowed this sinful act : That is not in the wisdom 
 of mortal man to do ; partly, because we know 
 but in part even the evil and destructive nature of 
 sin ; and partly, because much of the evil that will 
 follow this action, is yet' to be committed by per- 
 sons unborn. Yet enough might be said to astonish 
 the heavens, and to make them horribly afraid. 
 Je. ii.i2. 1. By this act of these two, the whole 
 world became guilty of condemnation and eternal 
 judgment, ito. t. 2. By this came all the blindness, 
 
 * 'And sensed.' Not now used as a verb. The meaning 
 is, that Eve, instead of instantly rejecting the temptation, 
 because contrary to God's command, she reasoned upon it, and 
 sought counsel of her carnal tenses. — En. 
 
 atheism, ignorance of God, enmity and malice 
 against him, pride, covetousness, adultery, idolatry, 
 and implacableness, ifec. that is found in all the 
 world. By this, I say, came aU the wars, blood, 
 treachery, tyranny, persecution, with all manner of 
 rapine and outrage that is found among the sons of 
 men. 3. Besides, all the plagues, judgments, and 
 evils that befal us in this world, with those ever- 
 lasting burnings that will swallow up millions for 
 ever and ever ; all and every whit of these came 
 into the world as the portion of mankind, for that 
 first transgression of our first parents. 
 
 Ver. 7. ' And the eyes of them both were 
 opened, and they knew that they were naked ; and 
 they sewed fig-leaves together, and made them- 
 selves aprons.' 
 
 That their eyes might be opened, was one branch 
 of the temptation, and one of the reasons that 
 prevailed with the woman to forsake the word of 
 God : But she httle thought of seeing after this 
 manner, or such things as now she was made to 
 behold. She expected some sweet and pleasant 
 sight, that might tickle and delight her deluded 
 fancy ; but behold, sin and the wrath of God ap- 
 pears, to the shaking of their hearts ! And thus, 
 even to this very day, doth the devil delude the 
 world : His temptations are gilded with some sweet 
 and fine pretences ; either they shall be wiser, 
 richer, more in favour, live merrier, fare better, or 
 something ; and that they shall see it, if they will 
 but obey the devil : Which the fools easily are, by 
 these and such like things, allured to do. But 
 behold, when their eyes are opened, instead of 
 seeing what the devil falsely told them, they see 
 themselves involved in sin, made guilty of the 
 breach of God's command, and subject to the 
 wrath of God.t 
 
 ' And they knew that they were naked.' Not 
 only naked of outward clothing, but even desti- 
 tute of righteousness; they had lost their innocency, 
 their uprightness, and sinless vail, and had made 
 themselves polluted creatures, both in their hearts 
 and in their fiesh ; this is nakedness indeed ; such 
 a kind of nakedness as Aaron made Israel naked 
 with, when he set up his idol calf for them to wor- 
 ship : ' For Aaron had made them naked unto their 
 shame. ' Ex. uxii. 25. Naked before the justice of the 
 law. 
 
 ' And they knew that they were naked.' And 
 they knew it: Why, did they not know it before? 
 The text says, They were naked, and were not 
 ashamed. ! they stood not naked before God ! 
 they stood not without righteousness, or upright- 
 
 + This passage would have done honour to Bishop Taylor, 
 or any one of our best English writers. How blessed are we, 
 if our eyes have been thus painfully opened to see and feel the 
 awful state into which sin plunges us. — Ed. 
 
432 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTEES OF GENESIS. 
 
 ness before him, and therefore were not ashamed, 
 hut now they knew they were naked aa to that. 
 
 ' And they sewed fig-leaves together, and made 
 themselves aprons.' A fit resemblance of what 
 is the inclination of awakened men, who are yet 
 but natural"! They neither think of Christ, or of 
 the mercy of God in him for pardon, but pre- 
 sently they betake themselves to their own fig- 
 leaves, to their own inventions, or to the righteous- 
 ness of the law, and look for healing from means 
 which God did never provide for cure. ' When 
 Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his 
 wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian.' 
 Ho. V. 13. Not to God, and sent to King Jarih, not 
 ■ to Christ, yet could they not heal him, nor cure 
 him of his wound. 
 
 ' And made themselves aprons.' Not coats, as 
 God did afterwards. A carnal man thinks him- 
 self sufficiently clothed with righteousness, if the 
 nakedness which he sees, can he but covered from 
 his own sight: As if God also did see that and 
 only that which they have a sight of by the light 
 of nature ; and as if because fig-leaves would hide 
 their nakedness from their sight, that therefore 
 they would hide it from the sight of God. But 
 alas ! No man, without the help of another, can 
 bring all his nakedness to the sight of his own 
 eye ; much is undiscovered to him, that may yet 
 lie open and bare to a stander-by : So it is with 
 the men that stand without Christ before God, at 
 best they see but some of their nakedness, to wit, 
 their most gross and worst faults, and therefore 
 they seek to cover them ; which when they have 
 hid from their own sight, they think them hid also 
 from the sight of God. Thus did Adam, he saw 
 his own most shameful parts, and therefore them 
 he covered: They made themselves aprons, or 
 things to gird about them, not to cover them all 
 over withal. - No man by all his own doings can 
 hide all his own, nakedness from the sight of the 
 justice of God, and yet, but in vain, as busy as 
 Adam to do it. 
 
 ' And they sewed fig-leaves together, and made 
 themselves aprons. ' Fig-leaves ! A poor apron, 
 but it was the best they coidd get. But was that 
 a sufSoient shelter against either thorn or thistle ? 
 Or was it possible but that after a while these fig- 
 leaves should have become rotten, and turned to 
 durig? So will it be vrith all man's own righteous- 
 ness which is of the law ; Paul saw it so, and 
 therefore counted it but loss and dung, that he 
 might win Christ, and be found in him. Phi. m.7, 8. 
 
 Ver. 8. ' And they heard the voice of the Lord 
 God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: 
 and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the 
 presence of the Lord God, among the trees of the 
 garden.' 
 
 ' And they heard the voice of the Lord God.' 
 
 This voice was not to be understood according, as 
 if it was the effect of a word ; as when we speak, 
 the sound remains with a noise for some time after ; 
 but by voice here, we are to understand the Lord 
 Christ himself; wherefore this voice is said to 
 walk, not to sound only: ' They heard the voice 
 of the Lord God walking. ' This voice John calls 
 the word, the word that was with the Father before 
 he made the world, and that at this very time was 
 heard to walk in the garden of Adam : Therefore 
 John also saith, this voice was in the beginning ; 
 that is, in the garden with Adam, at the beginning 
 of his conversion, as well as of the beginning of 
 the world. Jn. i, i. 
 
 ' And they heard the voice of the Lord God 
 walking in the garden in the cool of the day.' 
 The gospel of it is, in the season of grace ; for by 
 the cool of the day, he here means, in the patience, 
 gentleness, goodness and mercy of the gospel ; and 
 it is opposed to the heat, fire, and severity of the 
 law. 
 
 • And Adam and his wife hid themselves.' 
 Hence observe. That a man's own righteousness 
 will not fortify his conscience from fear and terror, 
 when God begins to come near to him to judgment. 
 Why did Adam hide himself, but because, as he 
 said, he was naked? But how could he be naked, 
 when before he had made himself an apron ? 1 
 the approach of God consumed and burnt off his 
 apron ! Though his apron would keep him from 
 the sight of a bird, yet it would not from the eye 
 of the incorruptible God. 
 
 Let therefore all self-righteous men beware, for 
 however they at present please themselves with the 
 worthiness of their glorious fig-leaves ; yet when 
 God shall come to deal with them for sin, assuredly 
 they will find themselves naked.* 
 
 ' And they hid themselves.' A man in a natural 
 state, cannot abide the presence of God ; yea, 
 though a righteous man. Adam, though adorned 
 with his fig-leaves, flies. 
 
 Observe again, That a self-righteous man, a 
 man of the law, takes grace and mercy for his 
 greatest enemy. This is apparent from the car- 
 riage of the Pharisees to Jesus Christ, who because 
 they were wedded to the works of their owii 
 righteousness, therefore they hated, persecuted, 
 condemned, and crucified the Saviour of the world. 
 As here in the text, though the voice of the Lord 
 
 * How solemn are these awful facts, and how impressively 
 does Bunyan fix them on our hearts. As Adam and Eve 
 attempted to hide their guilt and themselves by fig-leaves and 
 blushes, so does man now endeavour to screen his guilt from 
 the omniscient eye of God by refuges of lies, which, like the 
 miserable fig-leaf apron, mil be burnt up by the presence of 
 God. Oh, sinner ! seek shelter in the robe of the Redeemer's 
 righteousness ; the presence of your God will add to its lustre, 
 and make it shine brighter and brighter. — Ed. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OP GENESIS. 
 
 433 
 
 God walked in the garden in the cool of the day, 
 in the time of grace and love, yet how Adam with 
 his fig-leaves flies before him. 
 
 ' And Adam and his wife hid themselves from 
 the presence of the Lord God.' These latter 
 words are spoken, not to persuade us that men can 
 hide themselves from God, but that Adam, and 
 those that are his by nature, will seek to do it, 
 because they do not know him aright. These 
 words therefore further shew us what a bitter 
 thing sin is to the soul ; it is only for hiding work, 
 sometimes under its fig-leaves, sometimes among 
 the trees of the garden. what a shaking, starting, 
 timorous evil conscience, is a sinful and guilty con- 
 science ! especially when 'tis but a little awakened, 
 it could run its head into every hole, first by one 
 fancy, then by another ; for the power and good- 
 ness of a man's own righteousness, cannot with- 
 stand or answer the demands of the justice of 
 God, and his holy law. 
 
 ' And Adam and his wife hid themselves from 
 the presence of the Lord God, among the trees of 
 the garden.' If you take the trees in a mystical 
 sense- as sometimes they may be taken : Eze. xm. 8— 
 11. then take them here to signify, or to be a type 
 of the saints of God, and then the gospel of it is. 
 That carnal men, when they are indeed awakened, 
 and roused out of their foolish fig-leaf righteous- 
 ness ; then they would be glad of some shelter 
 with them that are saved and justified freely by 
 grace, as they in the Gospel of Matthew ; ' Give 
 us of your oil ; for our lamps are gone out. ' Mat. xjt. 8. 
 And again. The man without the wedding garment 
 had crowded himself among the wedding guests : 
 Had hid themselves among the trees of the garden. 
 
 Mat. xxii. 11. 
 
 Ver. 9. ' ^ And the Lord God called unto Adam, 
 and said unto him. Where art thou V 
 
 Adam having eaten of the forbidden tree, doth 
 now fleet his station, is gone to another than where 
 God left him. Wherefore, if God will find Adam, 
 he must now look him where he had hid himself. 
 And indeed so he does with 'Adam, where art thou ? ' 
 
 'And the Lord God called,' ha. Here begins 
 the conversion of Adam, from his sinful state, to 
 God again. But mark, it begins not at Adam's 
 calling upon God, but at God calling upon him: 
 'And the Lord God called unto Adam. ' Wherefore, 
 by these words, we are to understand the begin- 
 ning of Adam's conversion. And indeed, grace 
 hath gone the same way with the elect, from that 
 time to this day. Thus he dealt with Abraham, 
 Isaac and Jacob; he called them from their native 
 country, the country of their kindred. And hence 
 it is, that, especially in the New Testament, the 
 saints are said to be the Called^ ' Called of God, ' and 
 ' Called of Jesus Christ.' And hence again it is 
 that Calling is by Paul made the first demon- 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 stration of election, and that saints are admon- 
 ished to prove their election by their calling ; for 
 as Adam was in a lost, miserable and perishin'r 
 condition, until God called him out of those holes 
 into which sin had driven him : so we do lie where 
 sin and the devil hath laid us, until by the word 
 of God we are called to the fellowship of his Son 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 By these words therefore we have the beginning 
 of the discovery of effectual calling or conversion ; 
 ' And the Lord God called:' In which call observe 
 three things, 
 
 1. God called so that Adam heard him. And 
 so it is in the conversion of the New Testament 
 saints, as Paul says, ' If ye have heard him, und 
 have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus>* 
 Ep. IT. 21. That therefore is one discovery of eff"ec- 
 tual calling, the sinner is made to hear him, even 
 to hear him distinctly, singling out the very per- 
 son, calling, ' Adam, Where art thou ?' • Saul, 
 Saul, why persecutest thou me ? ' I have called 
 thee by thy name, thou art mine. As he also 
 said to Moses, ' I know thee by name, and thou 
 hast also found grace in my sight. ' Ex. xxxiii. 12. 
 
 2. God called so, as to fasten sin upon his con- 
 science, and as to force a confession from him of 
 his naked and shameful state. 
 
 3. God called so, as to make him tremble under, 
 and be afraid of the judgment of God. 
 
 ' And the Lord God called unto Adam, and 
 said unto him, Where art thou?' Indeed, Where 
 art thou must of necessity be forcibly urged to 
 every man on whose soul God doth work effectual 
 conversion; for until the person is awakened, as to 
 the state and condition he is in, he will not desire, 
 nay, will not endure to be turned to God; but 
 when in truth they are made to see what condition 
 sin hath brought them to, namely, that it hath laid 
 them imder the power of sin, the tyranny of the 
 devil, the strength of death, and the curse of God 
 by his holy law; then is mercy sweet. 
 
 'Where art thou V God knew where he was, 
 but foolish Adam thought otherwise ; he thought 
 to hide himself from the presence of the Lord, but 
 the Lord found him out. Indeed, deluded sinners 
 think that they can hide themselves and sins from 
 God. 'How doth God know,' say they, ' Can ho 
 judge through tlie thick cloud?' Job xxii. is. But 
 such shall know he sees them; they shall know it, 
 either to their correction, or to their condemna- 
 tion. 'Though they dig into heU,' saith God, 
 ' thence shall mine hand take them; though they 
 climb up to heaven, thence wdl I bring them down: 
 And though they hide themselves in the top of 
 Carmel, I will search and take them out thence,' 
 (fcc* Am. k. 3, 3. ' Can any hide himself in secret 
 
 The remaining words of this ajarming verse are ve^y 
 3i 
 
434 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OP GENESIS. 
 
 places tliat I shall not see him, saitli the Lord ? 
 Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.' 
 
 Je. xxiii, 34. 
 
 Ver. 10. 'And he said, I heard thy voiee in 
 the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked ; 
 and I hid myself. ' 
 
 This then was the cause of his flying, he heard 
 the voice of God : A wicked and evil conscience 
 saith, every thing is to it as the messenger of 
 death and destruction; for, as was said before, 
 ' the voice of the Lord walked in the garden in 
 the cool of the day,' in the time of grace and 
 mercy. But it mattereth not whether he came 
 with grace or vengeance ; guilt was in Adam's 
 heart, therefore he could not endure the presence 
 of God: He 'that doeth evil hateth the light.' Jn. 
 iii. 20. And again, ' The wicked flee when no 
 man pursueth.' Pr. xxvUi. l. Cain thought all that 
 met him, would seek his blood and life. 
 
 ' I heard thy voice. ' Something by the word 
 of God was spoken, that shook the heart of this 
 poor creature; something of justice and holiness, 
 even before they fell into this communication : for 
 observe it, Adam went forthwith from the tree of 
 knowledge of good and evil a convinced man, first 
 to his fig-leaves, but they would not do ; therefore 
 he seeks to be hid among the trees. And observe 
 again, That the insufliiciency of fig-leaves were dis- 
 covered by this voice of the Lord God, that at 
 this time walked in the garden : ' 1 heard thy voice 
 in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was 
 naked ; and I hid myself. ' So then, there was a 
 first and second voice which Adam heard; the 
 first he ran away from, ' I heard thy voice, and 
 hid myself.' The second was this, wherein they 
 commune each with other. The first therefore 
 was the word of justice, severity, and of the ven- 
 geance of God ; like that in the 19th of Exodus, 
 from the pronouncing of which, a trembling, and 
 almost death, did seize six hundred thousand per- 
 sons. 
 
 ' I heard thy voice in the garden.' It is a word 
 from without that doth it. While Adam listened 
 to his own heart, he thought fig-leaves a suflicient 
 remedy, but the voice that walked in the garden 
 shook him out of all such fancies : ' I heard thy 
 voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I 
 was naked ; and I hid myself. ' 
 
 Ver. 11. ' And he said, Who told thee that thou 
 wast naked ? tiast thou eaten of the tree, whereof 
 I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?' 
 
 ' Who told thee ? ' This, as I said before, sup- 
 
 strikmg, ' Though they he hid from my sight in the bottom 
 of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall 
 bite them.' Oh, sinner I whither can you flee from the pun- 
 ishment of sin, hut to the Saviour's bosom ? Leave your sins 
 and fly to him ; that almighty eternal refuge is open night 
 and day. — En. 
 
 poseth a third person, a preacher, and that was 
 the Son of God ; the voice of the Lord God that 
 walked in the garden, 
 
 ' Hast thou eaten pf the tree ? ' That is, If thou 
 hast been shewed thy nakedness, thou hast indeed 
 sinned ; for the voice of the Lord God will not 
 charge guilt, but where and when a law hath been 
 transgressed. God therefore, by these words, 
 driveth Adam to the point, either to confess or 
 deny the truth of the case. If he confess, then he 
 concludes himself under judgment; if he deny, 
 then he addeth to his sin : Therefore he neither 
 denieth nor confesseth, but so as he may lessen 
 and extenuate his sin. 
 
 Ver. 12. ' And the man said, The woman whom 
 thou gavest to he with me, she gave me of the tree, 
 and I did eat.' 
 
 He had endeavoured ivith fig-leaves to hide his 
 transgressions before, but that being found too 
 scanty and short, he now trieth what he can do 
 with arguments. Indeed he aknowledgeth that he 
 did eat of the tree of which he was forbidden ; but 
 mark where he layeth the reason: Not in any in- 
 fection which was centred in him by reason of his 
 listening to the discourse which was between the 
 woman and the serpent ; but because God had 
 given him a woman to be with him : ' The woman 
 whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of 
 the tree.' The woman was given for an help, not 
 an hindrance ; but Satan often maketh that to 
 become our snare, which God hath given us as a 
 blessing. Adam therefore here mixeth truth with 
 falsehood. It is true, he was beguiled by the 
 woman ; hut she was not intended of God, as he 
 would insinuate, to the end she might be a trap 
 unto him. Here therefore Adam sought to lessen 
 and palliate his ofience, as man by nature is prone 
 to do ; for if God will needs charge them with the 
 guilt of sin for the breach of the law, they will 
 lay the fault upon anything, even upon God's 
 ordinance, as Adam here doth, rather than they 
 will honestly fall under the guilt, and so the judg- 
 ment of the law for guilt. It is a rare thing, and 
 it argueth great knowledge of God, and also hope 
 in his mercy, when men shall heartily acknowledge 
 their iniquities, as is evident in the case of David; 
 ' Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and 
 cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my 
 transgressions : and my sin is ever before me. ' Ps. 
 li. 2, 3. But this knowledge is not at first in young 
 converts; therefore when God begins to awaken, 
 they begin, as sleepy men, to creep further under 
 their carnal covering ; which yet is too short to 
 hide them, and too narrow to cover their shame. 
 
 Is. xjtTiii. 20. 
 
 ' The woman whom thou gavest to he with me, 
 she gave me of the tree.' Although, as I said, 
 this sinner seeks to hide, or at least to lessen his 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 435 
 
 sin, \>y laying the cause upon the woman, the gift 
 of God ; yet it argueth that his heart was now 
 filled with shame and confusion of face, for that 
 he had broken God's command; for indeed it is 
 the nature of ^uilt, however men may in appearance 
 ruffle under it, and set the best leg before, for their 
 vindication; yet inwardly to make them blush and 
 fail before their accuser. Indeed their inward 
 shame is the cause of their excuse; even as Aaron, 
 when he had rhade the golden calf, could not for 
 shame of heart confess in plainness of speech the 
 truth of the fact to his brother Moses, but faulter- 
 ingly : They gave me their gold, saith he, and ' I 
 cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.' 
 Ex. xijiii. 34. 'And there came out this calf;' a 
 pitiful fumbling speech: The Holy Ghost saith, 
 Aaron had made them naked ; ' had made them 
 naked unto their shame,' for he, as also Adam, 
 should, being chief and lord in their place, have 
 stoutly resisted the folly and sin which was to them 
 propounded ; and not as persons of a womanish 
 spirit, have listened to wicked proposals.* 
 
 Ver. 13. ' And the Lord God said unto the 
 woman, What J5 this thoi, thou hast done?' <5ic.. 
 
 Forasmuch as Adam did acknowledge his sin, 
 though with much weakness and infirmity, God 
 accepts thereof; and now applieth himself to tlie 
 woman, whom Satan had used as his engine to 
 undo the world. 
 
 Hence observe, That when God sets to seatch 
 out sin, he will follow it from the seduced to the 
 seducer, even till he comes to the rise and first 
 author thereof, as in the following words may more 
 clearly appear. Not that he excuseth or acquitteth 
 the seduced, because the seducer was the first 
 cause, as some do vainly imagine ; but to lay all 
 under guilt who are concerned therein : the woman 
 was concerned as a principal, therefore he taketh 
 her to examination. 
 
 'And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is 
 this that thou hast done ?' What is this ? God 
 seems to speak as if he were astonished at the in- 
 undation of evil which the woman by her sin had 
 overflowed the world withal : ' What is this that 
 thou hast done ! ' Thou hast undone thyself, thou 
 hast undone thy husband, thou hast undone all the 
 world; yea, thou hast brought a curse upon the 
 whole creation, with an overplus of evilsj plagues, 
 and distresses. 
 
 ' What is this tJiM thou hast done ! ' Tliou hast 
 defiled thy body and soul, thou hast disabled the 
 whole world from serving God ; yea, moreover, 
 
 * How art tllou fallen, oh Adam I thus to lay the blame of 
 thy sin upoa God,—' the womaa whom thou gavest me,' she 
 tempted me. Well does Bunyan term these defences — pitiful 
 fumbling speeches, faulteringly made. How would the glori- 
 fied spirits of Adam and Aaron embrace him, when he entered 
 heaven, for such honest dealing. — El). 
 
 thou hast let in the devil at the door of thy heart, 
 and hast also made him the prince of tlie world. 
 ' What is this tfuU thou hast done ! ' Ah ! little, 
 little do sinners know what they have done, when 
 they have transgressed the law of the Lot-d. I 
 say, they little know what death, what plagues, 
 what curse, yea, what hell they, by so doing, have 
 prepared for themselves. 
 
 ' What is this that thou hast done ! ' God there- 
 fore, by these words, would fasten upon the wo- 
 man's heart a deep sense of the evil of her doings. 
 And indeed, for the soul to be brought into a deep 
 sense of its sin, to cry out before God, Ah ! what 
 have I done ! it is with them the first step towards 
 conversion : ' Acknowledge thy iniquity (saith God) 
 that thou hast transgressed against me. ' Je. iii. 13. 
 And again, ' If we confess our sins, he is faithful 
 and juSt to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us 
 from all unrighteousness. ' l Jn. i. 9. The want of 
 this is the cause of that obdurate and lasting 
 hardness that continueth to possess so many thou- 
 sands of sinners, they cry not out before God, 
 What have I done ? but foolishly they rush into, 
 and continue in sin, ' till their iniquity be found to 
 be hateful, ' yea, their persons, because of their sin. 
 
 ' What is this that thou hast done ? ' By this 
 interrogatory the Lord also implieth an admoni- 
 tion to the woman, to plead for herself, as he 
 also did to her husband. He also makes way 
 for the working of his bowels towards her, which 
 (as will be shewn anon) he flatly denies to the ser- 
 pent, the devil : I say he made way for the woman 
 to plead for, or bemoan herself; an evident token 
 that he was unwilling to cast her away for her sin: 
 ' I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself; 
 - I will sm-ely have mercy upon him, saith the 
 Lord. ' Je. xxxi. 18—20. Again, by these words, he 
 made way for the working or yearning of his own 
 bowels over her ; for when we begin to cry out of 
 our miscarriages, and to bewail and bemoan our 
 condition because of sin, forthwith the bowels of 
 God begin to sound, and to move towards his dis- 
 tressed creature, as by the place before alleged 
 appears. ' I have surely heard Ephraim bemoan- 
 ing himself; — therefore my bowels are troubled 
 for him : I will surely have mercy upon him, saith 
 the Lord.' See also the 1 1th and 1 4th chapters 
 of Hosea. 
 
 ' And the woman said, the serpent beguiled mo 
 and I did eat. ' A poor excuse, but an heart afi^ect- 
 ing one; for many times want of wit and cunning 
 to defend ourselves, doth afiect and turn the heart 
 of a stander-by to pity us. And thus, as I think, 
 it was with the woman; she had to do with one 
 that was too cunning for her, with one that snapt 
 her by his subtilty or wUes; which also the woman 
 most simply confesses, even to the provoking of 
 God to take vengeance for her. 
 
436 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIKST TEN CHAPTEKS OP GENESIS. 
 
 Ver. 14. 'And the Lord God said unto the ser- 
 pent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed 
 above all cattle, and above every beast of the field. ' 
 
 The serpent was the author of the evil ; there- 
 fore the thunder roUs till it comes over him, the 
 hot burning thunder-bolt falls upon him. 
 
 The Lord, you see, doth not with the serpent as 
 with the man and his wife ; to wit, minister occa- 
 sion to commune with him, hut directly pronoun- 
 ceth him cursed above all, ' above every beast of 
 the field.' This sheweth us, that as concerning 
 the angels that fell, with them God is at eternal 
 enmity, reserving them in everlasting chains under 
 darkness. Cursed art thou : By these words, I 
 say, they are prevented of a plea for ever, and also 
 excluded a share in the fruits of the Messiah which 
 should afterwards be born into the world. He. ii. 2. 
 
 ' Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou. ' 
 ' Because thou hast done this : ' Not as though he 
 was blessed before ; for had he not before been 
 wicked, he had not attempted so wicked a design. 
 The meaning then is. That either by this deed the 
 devil did aggravate his misery, and make himself 
 the faster to hang in the everlasting chains under 
 darkness; or else by this he is manifested to us to 
 be indeed a cursed creature. 
 
 Further, ' Because thou hast done this,' may also 
 signify how great complacency and content God 
 took in Adam and his wife while they continued 
 without transgression ; But how much against his 
 mind and workmanship this wicked work was. 
 1. Against his mind; for sin so sets itself against 
 the nature of God, that, if possible, it would anni- 
 hilate and turn him into nothing, it being in its 
 nature point blank against him. 2. It is against 
 his workmanship ; for had not the power of the 
 Messias stept in, all had again been brought to 
 confusion, and worse than nothing: as Christ him- 
 self expresses it: 'The earth, and all the inhabi- 
 tants thereof, are dissolved : I bear up the pillars 
 of it.' Ps. ixxv. 3. And again, 'He upholdeth all 
 things by the word of his power. ' He. i. 3. 
 
 Besides, this being done, man, notwithstanding 
 the grace of God, and the merits of Jesus Christ, 
 doth yet live a miserable life in this world ; for 
 albeit that Christ hath most certainly secured the 
 elect and chosen of God from perishing by what 
 Satan hath done ; yet the very elect themselves 
 are, by reason of the first transgression, so in- 
 fested and annoyed with inward filth, and so 
 assaulted still by the devil, and his vassals the 
 proper children of hell, that they groan unutter- 
 ably under their burthen ; yea, all creatures, ' the 
 whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain to- 
 gether until now. ' Ro. riii. 22. And that most princi- 
 pally upon the very account of this first sin of 
 Adam; it must needs be therefore, this being so 
 high an afii-ont to the divine majesty, and so di- 
 
 rectly destructive to the work of his hands ; and 
 the aim of the devil most principally also at the 
 most excellent of his creation (for man was created 
 in God's own image) that he should hereat be so 
 highly ofiended, had they not sinned at all before, 
 to bind them over for this very fact to the pains of 
 the eternal judgment of God. 
 
 Ver. 15. 'And I will put enmity between thee and 
 the woman, and between thy seed and her seed ; it 
 shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. ' 
 
 The woman may, in this place, be taken either 
 really or figuratively; if really and naturally, then 
 the threatening is also true, as to the very natures 
 of the creatures here under consideration, to wit, 
 the serpent and the woman, and so all that come 
 of human race ; for we find that so great an anti- 
 pathy is between all such deadly beasts, as serpents 
 and human creatures, that they abiding in their 
 own natures, it is not possible they should ever be 
 reconciled : ' I wiH put enmity ; ' I will put it. This 
 enmity then was not infused in creation, but after- 
 wards; and that as a punishment for the abuse of 
 the subtlety of the serpent ; for before the fall, and 
 before the serpent was assumed by the fallen 
 angels, they were, being God's creatures, 'good,' 
 as the rest in their kind ; neither was there any 
 jarring or violence put between them ; but after 
 the serpent was become the devOs vizor, then was 
 an enmity begot between them. 
 
 ' I will put enmity between thee and the ser- 
 pent.' If by woman, we here understand the 
 church, (but then we must understand the devil, 
 not the natural serpent simply,) then also the 
 threatening is most true ; for between the church 
 of God, and the devil, from the beginning of the 
 world, hath been maintained most mighty wars 
 and conflicts, to which there is not a like in all the 
 blood shed on the earth. Yea, here there cannot 
 be a reconciliation, (the enmity is still maintained 
 by God:) The reason is, because their natural dis- 
 positions and inclinations, together with their ends 
 and purposes, are most repugnant each to other, 
 even full as much as good and evil, righteousness 
 and sin, God's glory, and an endeavour after his 
 utter extirpation. 
 
 Indeed, Satan hath tried many ways to be at 
 amity with the church ; not because he loves 
 her holiness, but because ho hates her welfare, 
 (wherefore such amity must only be dissembled,) 
 and that he might bring ahout his enterprise, he 
 sometimes hath allured with the dainty dehcates 
 of this world, the lusts of the flesh, of the eyes, 
 and the pride of life : This being fruitless, he hath 
 attempted to entangle and bewitch her with his 
 glorious appearance, as an angel of light ; and to 
 that end hath made his ministers as the ministers 
 of righteousness, preaching up righteousness, and 
 contending for a divine and holy worship : 2 Co. xi. 19. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTEES OF GENESIS. 
 
 437 
 
 —16. but tLis failing also, he hatli taken in hand at 
 length to fright her into friendship with him, by 
 stirring up the hellish rage of tyrants to threaten 
 and molest her ; by finding out strange inventions 
 to torment and afflict her children ; by making 
 many bloody examples of her own bowels, before 
 her eyes, if by that means he might at last obtain 
 his purpose : But behold ! all hath been in vain, 
 there can be no reconciliation. And why, but be- 
 cause God himself maintains the enmity ? 
 
 And this is the reason why the endeavours of 
 all the princes and potentates of the earth, that 
 have through ignorance or malice managed his 
 design against the church, have fallen to the 
 ground, and been of none effect. 
 
 God hath maintained the enmity: doubtless the 
 mighty wonder, that their laws cannot be obeyed;* 
 I mean their laws and statutes, which by the sug- 
 gestion of the prince of this world they have made 
 against the church : But if thoy understood hut 
 this one sentence, they might a little perceive the 
 reason. God hath put enmity between the devil 
 and the woman ; between that old serpent called. 
 The Devil and Satan, and the holy, and beloved, 
 and espoused wife of Christ. 
 
 ' I will put enmity between thee and the woman, 
 and between thy seed and her seed. ' The seeds 
 here are the children of both, but that of the 
 woman, especially Christ. Ga. iii. 16. ' God sent forth 
 his Son made of a woman. ' Ga. w. i. Whether you 
 take it literally or figuratively; for in a mystery 
 the church is the mother of Jesus Christ, though 
 naturally, or according to His flesh. He was born 
 of the virgin Mary, and proceeded from her womb : 
 But take it either way, the enmity hath been main- 
 tained, and most mightily did shew itself against 
 the whole kingdom of the devil, and death, and 
 hell ; by the undertaking, engaging, and war wliich 
 the Son of God did maintain against them, from 
 his conception, to his death and exaltation to the 
 right hand of the Father, as is prophesied of, and 
 promised in the text, ' It shall bruise thy head. ' 
 
 ' It shall bruise thy head. ' By head, we are 
 to understand the whole power, subtilty, and de- 
 stroying nature of the devil ; for as in the head of 
 the serpent lieth his power, subtilty, and poisonous 
 nature ; so in sin, death, hell, and the wisdom of 
 the flesh, heth the very strength of the devil him- 
 self. Take away sin then, and death is not hurt- 
 ful : ' The sting of death is sin : ' And take away 
 the condemning power of the law, and sin doth 
 cease to be charged, or to have any more hurt in 
 it, so as to destroy the soul : ' The strength of sin 
 
 * A decided Christian- cannot obey human laws affecting 
 divine worship. All such are of Antichrist; ' Ye cannot obey 
 God and maramou.' God requires an undivided allegiance. 
 —Ed. 
 
 is the law. ' i Co. xt. 66. Wherefore, the seed, Jesus 
 Christ, in his bruising the head of the serpent, 
 must take away sin, abolish death, and conquer 
 the power of the grave. But how must this be 
 done ? Why, he must remove the curse, which 
 makes sin intolerable, and death destructive. But 
 how must he take away the curse ? Why, by 
 taking upon Him ' flesh, ' as we ; Jn. l 14. by being 
 made 'under the law,' as we; Ga, iv. 4. by being 
 made 'to be sin for us,' a Co. v. 3i. and by being 
 'made a curse for us.' Ga. m. lo— is. He standing 
 therefore in our room, under the law and the jus- 
 tice of God, did both bear, and overcome the curse, 
 and so did bruise the power of the devil. 
 
 ' It shall bruise thy head. ' To bruise is more 
 than to break ; he shall quash thy head to death ; 
 so he also quashed the heel of Christ ; which 
 would, had not his eternal power and Godhead 
 sustained, have caused that he had perished for 
 ever. 
 
 'And thou shalt bruise his heel.' By these 
 words, a necessity was laid upon Jesus Christ to 
 assume our flesh, to engage the devil therein ; and 
 also because of the curse that was due to us for 
 sin, that he might indeei deliver us therefrom ; 
 even for awhile to fall before this curse, and to die 
 that death that the curse inflicteth : ' Christ hath 
 redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made 
 a curse for us. ' Thus therefore did Satan, that is, 
 by the fruits and effects of sin, bruise, or kill, the 
 flesh of Christ : But he being God, as the Father, 
 it was not possible he should be overcome. There- 
 fore his head remaineth untouched. A man's life 
 lieth not in his heel, but in bis head and heart ; 
 but the Godhead being the head and heart of the 
 manhood, it was not possible Satan should meddle 
 with that ; he only could bruise his heel ; which 
 yet by the power of the Godhead of this eternal 
 Son of the Father, was raised up again from the 
 dead : ' He was delivered for our offences, and 
 was raised again for our justification. ' Bo. iv. 36. 
 
 In these words therefore the Lord God gave 
 Adam a promise. That notwithstanding Satan 
 had so far brought his design to pass, as to cause 
 them by falling from the command, to lay them- 
 selves open to the justice and wrath of God ; yet 
 his entei'prise by grace, should be made of none 
 effect. As if the Lord had said, ' Adam, thou 
 seest how the devil hath overcome thee ; how he, 
 by thy consenting to his temptation, hath made 
 thee a subject of death and hell: but though he 
 hath by this means made thee a spectacle of misery, 
 even an heir of death and damnation : yet I am 
 God, and thy sins have been against me. Now 
 because I have grace and mercy, I will therefore 
 design thy recovery. But how shall I bring it to 
 pass ? Why I will give my Son out of my bosom, 
 who shall in your room, and in your nature 
 
438 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 encouater this adversary, and overcome liim. But 
 how ? Why, by fulfilHng my law, and by answer- 
 ing the penalties thereof. He shall bring in a 
 righteousness which shall be "everlasting," by 
 which I will justify you from sin, and the curse of 
 God due thereto ; But this work will make him 
 smart, he must be made " a man of sorrows," for 
 upon him will I lay your iniquities ; is. mi. e. Satan 
 shall bruise his heel.' 
 
 Ver. 16. 'IT Unto the woman he said, I wiU 
 greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception ; 
 in sorrow* shalt thou bring forth children ; and 
 thy desire sliaU he to thy husband, and he shall 
 rule over thee.' 
 
 ' I will greatly multiply thy sorrow,' <&c. This 
 is true, whether you respect the woman according 
 to the letter of the text, or as she was a figure of 
 the church ; for in both senses their sorrows for 
 sin are great, and multiplied upon them : The 
 whole heap of the female sex know the first.t the 
 church only knows the second. 
 
 ' In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children. ' 
 The more fruitful, the more afflicted is the church 
 in this world ; because the rage of hell, and the 
 enmity of the world, are by her righteousness set 
 on fire so much the more. 
 
 But again: Forasmuch as the promise is made 
 before this judgment of God for sin is threatened, 
 we must count these afflictions not as coming from 
 the hand of God in a way of vengeance, for want 
 of satisfaction for the breach of the law ; but to 
 shew and keep us in mind of his holiness, that 
 henceforth we should not, as at first through 
 ignorance, so now from notions of grace and mercy, 
 presume to continue in sin. 
 
 I might add. That by these words it is manifest, 
 that a promise of mercy and forgiveness of sin, 
 and great afflictions and rebukes for the same, may 
 and shall attend the same soul : ' I will greatly 
 multiply thy sorrow,' comes after the promise of 
 grace. 
 
 ' And thy desire shall be to thy husband, and 
 he shall rule over thee.' Doubtless the woman 
 was, in her first creation, made in subordination 
 to her husband, and ought to have been under 
 obedience to him: Wherefore, still that had re- 
 mained a duty, had they never transgressed the 
 commandment of God ; but observe, the duty is 
 here again not only enjoined, and imposed, but 
 that as the fruit of the woman's sin ; wherefore, 
 that duty that before she might do as her natural 
 right by creation, she must now do as the fruits 
 of her disobedience to God. Women therefore. 
 
 * Geaevan or Piiritaa version. 
 
 t Many are the anxieties, sorrows, and pains, that females 
 undergo, from which man is comparatively exempt. How 
 tenderly then ought they to be cherished. — Ed. 
 
 whenever they would perk it and lord it over their 
 husbands, ought to remember, that both by crea- 
 tion and transgression they are made to be in sub- 
 jection to their own husbands. This conclusion 
 makes Paul himself ! ' Let (saith he) the woman 
 learn in silence with all subjection. But 1 suffer 
 not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over 
 the man, but to be in silence ; for Adam was first 
 formed, then Eve ; and Adam was not deceived, 
 but the woman being deceived, was in the trans- 
 gression.' 1 Tim. ii. 11-^14. 
 
 Ver. 17. 'And unto Adam he said. Because 
 thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, 
 and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded 
 thee, saying. Thou shalt not eat of it : cursed is 
 the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat 
 of it all the days of thy life.' 
 
 God having laid his censure upon th6 woman, 
 he now proceedeth and cometh to her husband, 
 and also layeth his judgment on him : The judg- 
 ment is, ' Cursed is the ground for thy sake,' and 
 in sorrow thou shalt eat thereof. The causes of 
 this judgment are. First, For that ' he hearkened 
 to his wife : ' And also, ' For that he had eaten of 
 the tree.' 
 
 ' Because thou hast hearkened to thy wife.' 
 Why ? Because therein he left his station and 
 headship, the condition which God had appointed 
 him, and gave way to his wife to assume it, con- 
 trary to the order of creation, of her relation, and 
 of her sex ; for God had made Adam lord and 
 chief, who ought to have taught his wife, and not 
 to have become her scholar. 
 
 Hence note. That the man that suflfereth his 
 wife to take his place, hath abeady transgressed 
 the order of God.| 
 
 ' Because thou hast hearkened to the voice,' 
 &c. Wicked women, such as Eve was now, if 
 hearkened unto, are ' the snares of death ' to their 
 husbands ; for, because they are weaker built, and 
 because the devil doth easier fasten with them 
 than with men, therefore they are more prone to 
 vanity and all mis-orders in the matters of God, 
 than they ; [the men] and so, if hearkened unto, 
 more dangerous upon many accounts : ' Did not 
 Solomon king of Israel sin by these things ? yet 
 among many nations was there no king like him, 
 who was beloved of his God, nevertheless even him 
 did outlandish [wicked] women cause to sin.' Ke. 
 xiii. 26. ' But there was none like unto Ahab, 
 which did sell himself to work wickedness in the 
 
 \ Most married men find this to be an exceedingly difficult 
 duty. There are few Eves but whose dominant passion is to 
 rule a husband. Perhaps the only way to govern a wife is to 
 lead her to think that she rules, while in fact she is ruled. 
 One of the late Abraham Booth's maxims to youug ministers, 
 was, If you would rule in your church, so act as to allow them 
 to think that they rule you. — Ed. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTEES OF GENESIS. 
 
 439 
 
 sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred 
 
 up.' 1 Ki.3m. 26. 
 
 Hence note further, That if it be thus dan- 
 gerous for a man to hearlten to a wicked wife, how 
 dangerous is it for any to hearlicn unto wielced 
 whores, who will seldom yield up themselves to 
 the lusts of beastly men, but on condition they 
 will answer their ungodly purposes ! What mis- 
 chief by these things hath come upon souls, 
 countries and kingdoms, will here be too tedious 
 to relate. 
 
 ' Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of 
 thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree.' That is, 
 From the hand of thy wife ; for it was she that 
 gave him to eat: ' Therefore,' <fec. Although the 
 scripture doth lay a great blot upon women, and 
 cautioneth man to beware of these fantastical and 
 unstable spirits, yet it limiteth man in his censure: 
 She is only then to be rejected and rebuked, when 
 she doth things unworthy her place and caUing. 
 Such a thing may happen, as that the woman, not 
 the man, may be in the right, (I mean, when both 
 are godly,) hut ordinarily it is otherwise. Ge. joci. 13. 
 Therefore the conclusion is. Let God's word judge 
 between the man and his wife, as it ought to have 
 done between Adam and his, and neither of both 
 will do amiss ; but contrariwise, they will walk 
 in all the commandments of God without fault. 
 
 Lu. i. 6. 
 
 ' Therefore cursed be the ground for thy sake.' 
 Behold what arguments are thrust into every 
 corner, thereby to make man remember his sin ; 
 for all the toil of man, all the barrenness of the 
 ground, and aU the fruitlessness after all ; What 
 is it but the fruits of sin ? Let not us then find 
 fault with the weed, with the hotness, coldness, 
 or barrenness of the soil ; but by seeing these 
 things, remember our sin, Cursed be the ground 
 ' for thy sake ;' for this God makes our ' heaven 
 as iron,' and our ' earth as brass.' Ex. xxvL 19. 'The 
 Lord sliall make the rain of thy land powder and 
 dust ; from heaven shall it come down upon thee, 
 until thou be destroyed. ' De. xxviii. 20—24. 
 
 ' In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of 
 thy hfe. ' He then is much deceived, who thinks 
 to fill his body with the delicates of this world, 
 and not therewith to drink the cruel venom of asps: 
 Yea, ' He shall suck the poison of asps, the viper's 
 tongue shall slay him. ' Job xx. 16. The reason is, 
 because he that shall give up himself to the lusts 
 and pleasures of this life, he contracts guilt, be- 
 cause he hath sinned ; which guilt will curdle all 
 his pleasures, and make the sweetest of them 
 deadly as poison. ^ 
 
 'In sorrow shalt thou eat.' Even thou that 
 hast received the promise of forgiveness: How 
 then can they do it with pleasure, who eat, and 
 forget the Lord ? Pr. xxx. 9; xxxi. 6. 
 
 Again, Let not the sorrows, crosses, and afflic- 
 tions, that attend the godly in the things of this 
 life, weaken their faith in the promise of gra^e, 
 and forgiveness of sins ; for such things may hefal 
 the dearest Christian. 
 
 Ver. 18. ' Thoi-ns also and thistles shall it bring 
 forth to thee ; and thou shalt eat the herb of the 
 field.' 
 
 This shews us (as I also hinted before), That 
 the thorns and thistles of the ground, are but as 
 the excrements thereof ; and the fruits of sin, 
 and the curse for sin. This world, as it dropt 
 from the fingers of God, was far more glorious 
 than it is now: Now it is loaden with a burden of 
 corruption, thorns, thistles, and other annoyances, 
 which Adam linew none of in the days of his inno- 
 cency. None therefore ever saw this world, as it 
 was in its first creation, but only Adam and his 
 wife ; neither shall any ever see it, until the mani- 
 festation of the children of God : that is, until the 
 redemption or resurrection of the saints : but then 
 it shall he delivered from the bondage of corrup- 
 tion, into the glorious liberty of the children of 
 God. 
 
 • And thou shalt eat the herb of the field.' 
 These words are for his comfort, under all the 
 sorrow sin should bring upon him ; ' Thou shalt 
 eat the herb :' The herb was a type of the gospel- 
 comforts which the destroying angels were for- 
 bidden to smite. He. vii. 3. Of these medicinal and 
 healing herbs therefore Adam and his seed are 
 admitted to eat, that their soul may be replenished 
 in the midst of their sorrow. 
 
 Ver. 19. 'In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat 
 bread, till thou return unto the ground ; for out 
 of it wast thou taken : for dust thou art, and unto 
 dust shalt thou return.' 
 
 ' In the sweat of thy face.' This is true, whether 
 literally or allegorically understood : For as touch- 
 ing the things that pertain to this life, as they 
 become not ours without toil and labour ; so the 
 spiritual comforts of the kingdom of heaven are 
 not obtained without travail and sweat : ' Labour 
 (saith Christ) for the bread and meat which en- 
 dureth to everlasting life. ' Jn vi. 27. 
 
 ' In the sweat of thy face. ' Those that make 
 conscience of walking in the commandments of 
 God, they shall be blessed with the bread of life, 
 when others shall be hunger-bit. That may also 
 be mystically applied, ' On all hills that shall be 
 digged with the mattock, there shall not como 
 thither the fear of briars and thorns ; but it shall 
 be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the tread- 
 ing of lesser cattle. ' is. vii. 25. The meaning is. Where 
 people are diligent according to the word of God, 
 especially in spiritual and heavenly things, they 
 shall be fat and flourishing, though sorrow be 
 mixed therewith : ' When men are cast down : 
 
440 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 then thou shalt say, there is lifthig up ; and he 
 shall save the humble person.' Jobxrii. 29. 
 
 'Till thou return to the ground.' A Christian 
 should not leave off sweating labour so long as he 
 is above the ground ; even until he returneth 
 thither, he ought to be diligent in the way and 
 worship of God. Jacob,' when sick, would worship 
 God, though so weak as not able to do it, without 
 leaning upon the top of his staff: A blessed example 
 for the diligent, and reproof for those that are 
 
 slothful. He.xi. 31. 
 
 'For out of it wast thou taken.' That is, 
 out of thd ground. Behold how the Lord doth 
 mix his doctrine ! Now he tells him of his sin, 
 then he promiseth to give him a Saviour, then 
 again he shews him the fruits of his sin, and 
 immediately after the comforts of the promise ; yet 
 again, he would have him remember that he is but 
 a mortal creature, not to live here for ever ; neither 
 made of silver nor gold, but even of a clod of dust: 
 ' For dust thou art. ' Observe therefore, that in 
 the midst of all our enjoyments, God would have 
 us consider our frame; that we may know how 
 frail we are. 
 
 ' For out of it was thou taken. ' It is hard for 
 us to believe it, though we daily see it is the way 
 even of all the earth, to return thither again : ' For 
 dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return. ' 
 
 Whether this was spoken to Adam, as a judg- 
 ment, or a mercy, or both, is not hard to determine, 
 (this first premised, that Adam had received the 
 promise ;) for as it was the fruit of sin, so a judg- 
 ment and a token of God's displeasure ; ' for the 
 wages of sin is death.' Ro. vi. 23. But as it is made 
 by the wisdom of God, a prevention of further 
 wickedness, and a conveyance through faith in 
 Christ, to a more perfect enjoyment of God in the 
 heavens ; so it is a mercy and blessing of God ; 
 la. ivii. 1, 3. For thus ' to die is gain.' Wherefore 
 thus we may praise the dead, that are already 
 dead, more than the living, which are yet alive. 
 Ec. iv. 2. This made Paul desire to depart ; for he 
 knew that through death was the way to have 
 more perfect sight of, and more close and higher 
 communion with the Father, and the Son, and the 
 Spirit in the heavens. 3 Co. v. o. I have a desire to 
 depart, and be with Clirist, which is far better. 
 Phi. i. 21— 33. Thus therefore those things that in 
 their own nature are the proper fruits and wages 
 of sin, may yet through the wisdom of God be 
 turned about for our good; Je. xxiv. 5. but let not 
 this embolden to sin, but rather minister occasion 
 to us to magnify the wisdom of God. Eo. viii. 38. 
 
 Ver. 20. ' And Adam called his wife's name 
 Eve; because she was the mother of all living.' 
 
 By this act Adam returneth to his first station 
 and authority in which God had placed liim, from 
 which he fell when he became a scholar to his 
 
 wife ; for to name the creatures, was in Adam a 
 note of sovereignty and power : This he attained 
 to, as an effect of his receiving the promise ; for 
 before the promise is received, man cannot servo 
 God in his station, because as he wanteth the 
 power of will, so also a good understanding ; but 
 when he hath received the promise, he hath also 
 received the Holy Ghost, which giveth to the 
 godly to know and do his duty in his station: 
 ' The spiritual' man discerneth, and so 'judgeth 
 all things ;' but he is not discerned nor judged of 
 any. l Co. ii. 16. 
 
 And he called his wife's name Eve, or Hevah : 
 Because she gave life to, or was the first mother 
 of all mankind. This then admits of two positions. 
 First, That the world was created when Adam 
 was created. And, Secondly, That there were' 
 none of the sons of men in the world before Adam, 
 as some have not only vainly, but irreligiously and 
 blasphemously suggested. ' Eve is the mother of 
 all living:' Not a man therefore that is the son of 
 man, but had his being since the woman was made. 
 
 Ver. 21. ' 1[ Unto Adam also and to his wife did 
 the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed 
 them.' 
 
 By this action the Lord God did preach to Adam, 
 and to his wife, the meaning of that promise that 
 you read of in ver. 15. Namely, That by the means 
 of Jesus Christ, God himself would provide a suf- 
 ficient clothing for those that accept of his grace 
 by the gospel : The coats here, being a type of 
 that blessed and durable righteousness. 
 
 'The Lord God made the coats.' Not Adam 
 now, because now he is received into a covenant 
 of grace with God : Indeed before he entered into 
 this covenant, he made his own clothing, such as 
 it was, but that could not cover his nakedness ; 
 but now the Lord will make them : And ' unto 
 Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make 
 coats : ' ' Their righteousness is of me, saith the 
 Lord.' is.Uv. 17. Of me, that is, of my providing, 
 of my performing. And this is the name whereby 
 he shall be called, The Lord our RiGnTEOUSNESS.' 
 
 Je. }ocm. 6. 
 
 ' He made them coats, aud clothed them.' As 
 the righteousness by which a sinner stands just in 
 the sight of God from the curse, is a righteous- 
 ness of God's providing ; so also it is of his putting 
 on. No man can put on the righteousness of Christ, 
 otherwise than by God's imputation : if God reckon 
 it ours then it is ours indeed ; but if he refuseth 
 to shew that mercy, who can impute that righte- 
 ousness to men ? Blessed are they to whom the 
 Lord imputeth righteousness. Ro. iv. Cursed then 
 must they needs be to whom God bath not imputed 
 the righteousness of his Son. ' The Lord clothed 
 them, ' according to that of Paul, ' Christ is made 
 unto us of God wisdom and righteousness,' (Sic. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 Ul 
 
 lCo.i. 30. And of that God who hath made him 
 thus to us, even of him are we in Christ Jesus. 
 
 Did the Lord God make coats of skins. The 
 coats were made of the skins of beasts, of the 
 skins of the slain, which were slain either for food 
 only, or for sacrifice also: This being so, the effects 
 of that promise mentioned before were by this 
 action the more clearly expounded unto Adam ; to 
 wit. That Christ, ' in the fulness of time, ' should 
 be born of a woman clothed with flesh ; and as so 
 considered, should be made a curse, and so die 
 that cursed death which by sin we had brought 
 upon ourselves ; the effects and fruits of which 
 should to us be durable clothing; that is, 'Ever- 
 lasting righteousness. ' Da. k. u. 
 
 Ver. 22, 23. ' If And the Lord God said, Behold, 
 the man is become as one of us, to know good 
 and evil : and now, [therefore] lest he put forth 
 his hand, and take also of the tree of hfe, and eat, 
 and live for ever: therefore the Lord God sent 
 him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the 
 ground from whence he was taken.' 
 
 ' Behold the man is become as one of us. ' These 
 words respect the temptation of the devil ; the 
 argument that prevailed with Adam ; and the 
 fruits of their consenting : And therefore I under- 
 stand them as spoken ironically, or in derision to 
 Adam. As if God had said, 'Now Adam, you see 
 what a god you are become : The serpent told you 
 " you should be as gods," as one that was infinite 
 in wisdom. But behold, your godhead is horrible 
 wickedness, even pollution of body and soul by sin. 
 A thing you little thought of, when you pleased 
 yourself with the thought of that high attainment; 
 and now if you be not prevented, you wUl proceed 
 from evil to evil ; for notwithstanding I have made 
 promise of sending a Saviour, you will, through 
 the pollution of your mind, forget and set at nought 
 my promise ; and seek life and salvation by that 
 tree of life which was never intended for the justi- 
 fication of sinners ; therefore I will turn you out 
 of the garden, " to till the ground whence thou 
 wast taken." ' 
 
 1. Hence observe. That it often falls out, after 
 the promised blessing is come, that God yet mak- 
 eth us to possess our former sins, not that the 
 guilt thereof might be charged to condemnation, 
 but that remembering of them, we might blush 
 before God, and be the more effectually driven to 
 a continual embracing of the mercy promised. 
 
 2. Observe again, That as God would have us 
 to remember our former sins, so he would not that 
 we should feed upon ought but the very mercy 
 promised. We must not rest in shadowish sacra- 
 ments, as the typical tree of life, but must remem- 
 ber it is our duty to live by faith in the promised 
 
 3. Observe also. That even our outward and 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 temporal employments, if they he lawful and honest, 
 are so ordered of God, as that we may gather some 
 heavenly mystery from them : ' To till the ground 
 from whence he was taken : ' Mysteriously intimat- 
 ing two things to Adam. (1.) That seeing ho 
 was of the earth, he stood in as much need to be 
 ordered and dressed by God, in order to his future 
 happiness, as the ground, in order to its thrift and 
 fruitfulness. (2.) Again, Seeing he was taken 
 from the ground, he is neither God, nor angel, but 
 a poor eai-then vessel, such as God can easily 
 knock in pieces, and cause to return to the ground 
 again. These things therefore Adam was to learn 
 from his calling, that he might neither think too 
 highly of himself, nor forget to live by faith, and 
 depending on the Lord God, to be blessed of 
 him. 
 
 Ver. 24. ' So he drove out the man ; and he 
 placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cheru- 
 bims, and a flaming sword which turned every 
 way, to keep the way of the tree of life.' 
 
 ' So he drove out the man. ' Adam was loth to 
 forsake this garden of Eden, because there was 
 the tree of life. The promise will hardly satisfy, 
 where faith is weak and low. Had this man with 
 great faith received and retained the gospel 
 preached before, he would not have so hankered 
 after a shadow ; but the conscience being awak- 
 ened, and faith low and weak there, because faith 
 wants the flower or bloom of assurance, the cere- 
 monial or moral law doth with ease engender 
 bondage. 
 
 ' And he placed at the east of the garden of 
 Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword.' This 
 shows the truth of what I said before ; to wit. 
 That Adam was loth to forsake the garden, loth 
 to forsake his doing of something ; but God sets a 
 shaking sword against him, a sword to keep that 
 way, or to prevent that Adam should have life by 
 eating of the tree of life. 
 
 Observe, This tree of life, though lawful for 
 Adam to feed on before he had transgressed, yet 
 now is wholly forbidden him ; intimating, that that 
 which would have nourished him before he brake 
 the law, will now avail him nothing as to life 
 before the justice of God : the tree of life might 
 have maintained his life before he sinned ; but 
 having done that, he hath no ways now but to live 
 by faith in the promise ; which that he might 
 effectually do, God takes from him the use of all 
 other things, he driveth him out of the garden, and 
 sets to keep him from the tree of life, ' Cherubims, 
 and a flaming sword. ' 
 
 • And he placed at the east of the garden 
 Cherubims, and a flaming sword.' These cheru- 
 bims are one sort of the angels of God, at this time 
 made ministers of justice, shaking the flaming 
 sword of God's severity against Adam for sin, 
 3 K 
 
442 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OP GENESIS. 
 
 threatening to cut him off thereby, if he ever return 
 by the way that he went. 
 
 We read also, that the law was delivered to 
 Israel from Sinai, by the hand and disposition of 
 angels ; Ac. vii the gospel, only by the Son himself. 
 
 lie. i. 2. 
 
 To keep the way. Hence the apostle implicitly 
 concludes it a way, that is, to death and damna- 
 tion ; by opposing another against it, even the 
 new and living one ; a new, not this the old ; a 
 living one, not this the dead one. He. k. For, for 
 that the cherubims are here placed with a flaming, 
 shaking sword, to keep the tree of life, it is evident 
 that death is threatened to him that shall at any 
 time attempt to come at, or that seeks for life that 
 way. 
 
 A flaming sword, turning every way to keep,' 
 <fec. This still shews us, that man, though he 
 hath already received the promise, is yet exceed- 
 ing prone to seek life by another way than free- 
 grace by Jesus Christ ; to wit, either by the law 
 he hath broken, or by the law and Christ together; 
 and so though not directly, yet ' as it were by the 
 works of the law. ' Eo. ix. 33. But all is to no pur- 
 pose, they are every way prevented. For, for- 
 sake the simplicity of the promise in the gospel, 
 and thou shalt meet with the stroke of the justice 
 of God ; for that flaming sword of his vengeance, 
 it turneth every way, and therefore will in every 
 way lay wrath upon thee, if thou seek life by ought 
 but Christ. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Ver. 1. 'And Adam knew Eve his wife; and 
 she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have 
 gotten a man fi'om the Lord.' 
 
 Now we are come to the generation of mankind. 
 ' Adam knew his wife :' A modest expression ; and 
 it should teach us, in all such matters where things 
 are discoursed of, that are either the fruits of sin, 
 or the proper eilects of man's natural infirmities, 
 there to endeavour the use of such expressions, as 
 neither to provoke to lust, nor infect us with evil 
 and uncivil communication. 'Adam knew his 
 wife;' Jacob, Samson, David, and others, are said 
 to go in unto them. So as to our natural infirmi- 
 ties of the stool, the scripture expression is, ' When 
 thou goest abroad to ease thyself, thou shalt turn 
 again' and cover that which cometh from thee:' 
 Modest and bashful expressions, and such as be- 
 come the godly, being those that are furthest off 
 of occasioning evil, and nearest to an intimation, 
 that such infirmities bespeak us infirm and imper- 
 fect creatures. 
 
 'And she conceived and bare Cain.' The first 
 sprout of a disobedient couple, a man in shape, 
 but a devil in conditions. This is he that is 
 
 called elsewhere, The child 'of that wicked one.' 
 
 1 Jn. iii. 12. 
 
 ' And she said, I have gotten a man from the 
 Lord.' If Eve by these words did only ascribe 
 the blessing of children to be the gift of God, then 
 she spake like a godly woman ; but if she supposed 
 that this man Cain was indeed the seed promised, 
 then it shows, that she in this was also deceived, 
 and was therein a figure of all such as make false 
 and strange delusions, signs of the mercy of God 
 towards them : The man she thought she had got 
 from the Lord as a mercy, and to be a Saviour, he 
 proved a man of the devil, a curse, and to be a 
 destroyer. 
 
 Ver. 2. ' And she again bare his brother Abel, 
 And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a 
 tiller of the ground. ' 
 
 Observe here. That the good child is not the 
 first-horn, but Abel, [a breath.] iCo. L27, 38. God 
 often doth as Jacob did, even cross hands, in be- 
 stowing blessings, giving that which is best to him 
 that is least esteemed: For Cain was the man in 
 Eve's esteem; she thought, when she had him, 
 she had got an inheritance ; but as for Abel, he 
 was little worth ; by his name they showed how 
 little they set by him. It is so with the sincere 
 to this day ; they bear not the name of glory with 
 the world: Cain with them is the profitable son; 
 Abel is of no credit with them, neither see they 
 form or comeliness in him ; he is the melancholy, 
 or lowering child, whose countenance spoileth the 
 mirth of the world : ' The heart of the wise is in 
 the house of mournings ; but the heart of fools is 
 in the house of mirth. ' Ec. Tii. 4. 
 
 • And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain 
 was a tiller of the ground. ' By this it seems yet 
 further, that Cain was the man in favour, even him 
 that should, by his Father's intentions, have been 
 heir, and have enjoyed the inheritance: He was 
 nurtured up in his father's employment, but Abel 
 was set in the lower rank. 
 
 It was also thus with Isaac and Jacob, Ishmael 
 and Esau, being the eldest, and those that by in- 
 tention were to be heirs. 
 
 Now in the inheritance lay, of old, a great bles- 
 sing: so that Esau in losing his father's inheri- 
 tance, lost also the blessing of grace, and moreover 
 the kingdom of heaven. He. xii.i6,i7. Wherefore 
 Cain had by this the better of Abel, even as the 
 Jews by their privileges had the better of the 
 Gentiles. Ko. iii. i, 2. But mark it, the blessing of 
 grace is not led by outward order, but by electing 
 love : Where the person then is under the blessing 
 of election, be he the first or the second son, the 
 highest or lowest in the family, or whether he be 
 more or less loved of his friends, 'tis he that- with 
 Abel hath the everlasting blessing. 
 
 Ver. 3, ' And, in process of time, it came to pass 
 
iVN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OP GENESIS. 
 
 44.3 
 
 that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an 
 oifering unto the Lord. ' 
 
 Mark here, That the devil can suffer his chil- 
 dren, in outward forms of worship, to he godly 
 and righteous men : Cain, a limb of the devil, and 
 yet the first in order that presents himself and his 
 service to God. 
 
 Cain brought of the fruit of the ground, as of 
 wheat, oil, honey, or the like ; which things were 
 also clean and good. Hence it is intimated, that his 
 offering was excellent ; and I conceive, not at all, 
 as to the matter itself, inferior to that of Abel's ; 
 for in that it is said that Abel's was more excel- 
 lent, it is not with respect to the excellency of the 
 matter or things with which they sacrificed, but 
 with respect to Abel's faith, which gave glory and 
 acceptableness to his offering with God, ' By faith 
 he offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than 
 Cain. ' He. xi. 4. 
 
 ' And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings 
 of his flock and of the fat thereof.' &c. 
 
 Abel, last in appearance, but in truth the first 
 in grace ; as it also is at this day : Who do so 
 flutter it out as our ruffling formal worshippers ? 
 Alas ! the good, the sincere and humble, they 
 seem to be least and last ; but the conclusion of 
 the tragedy will make manifest that the first is 
 last, and the last first; for the many are but 
 called, the few are chosen. 
 
 ' And the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to 
 his offering.' Herein are the true footsteps of 
 grace discovered ; to wit, the person must be the 
 first in favour with God, the person first, the per- 
 formance afterwards. 
 
 ' And the Lord had respect to Abel. ' But how 
 can God respect a man, before he respect his 
 offering? A man's gift (saith Solomon) makes 
 way for him ; It should seem therefore that there 
 lies no such stress in the order of words, but that 
 it might as well be read, ' The Lord had respect 
 to Abel, because he respected his offering. ' 
 
 Ansu). Not so : For though it be true among 
 men, that the gift makes way for the acceptance 
 of the person, yet in the order of grace it is after 
 another manner; for if the person be not first 
 accepted, the offering must be abominable ; for it 
 is not a good work that makes a good man, but a 
 good man makes a good work. The fruit doth 
 not malie a good tree, but 'a good tree bringeth 
 forth good fruit.' Make (saith Christ) the tree 
 good, and his fruit good ; or the tree evil, and his 
 fruit evil : Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs 
 of thistles ? Had Abel been a thorn, he had not 
 brought forth grapes ; had he been a thistle, he 
 had not brought forth figs. So then, Abel's per- 
 son must be first accepted, and after that his 
 works. 
 
 Object. But God accepteth no man while he 
 
 remains a sinner, but all men are sinners before 
 they do good works, how then could the person of 
 Abel be accepted first ? 
 
 Answ. Abel was just before he did offer sacri- 
 fice. Just, I say, in the sight of God. This God 
 witnessed by testifying of his gift : ' By faith 
 Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice 
 than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he 
 was righteous:' That is, God by accepting of the 
 gift of Abel, did testify that Abel was a righteous 
 man ; for we know God ' heareth not sinners : ' 
 ' The prayers of the wicked are an abomination 
 unto God.' But Abel was accepted, therefore ho 
 was righteous first. 
 
 Hence observe, That a man must be righteous 
 before he can do any good work. 
 
 Quest. Righteous ! ' With what righteousness ? * 
 
 Answ. With the righteousness of faith. And 
 therefore it is said, that Abel had faith before he 
 offered sacrifice. 'By faith he offered.' lie. xi. 4,. 
 Where faith is made to precede or go before the 
 work which by faith he offered unto God. 
 
 Quest. But are not good works the righteous- 
 ness of faith ? 
 
 Answ. They are the fruits of faith : As here in 
 the case of Abel ; his faith produced an offering ; 
 but before he gave his offering, his faith had made 
 him righteous ; for faith respects a promise of 
 grace, not a work of mine : Now the promise of 
 grace, being this, that the seed of the woman, 
 which is Christ, should destroy the power of the 
 devil ; by this Abel saw that it was Christ that 
 should abolish sin and death by himself, and bring 
 in ' everlasting righteousness ' for sinners. Thus 
 believing, he had accepted of Christ for righteous- 
 ness, which because he had done, God in truth 
 proclaims him righteous, by accepting of his per- 
 son and performances when offered. 
 
 Abel then presented his person and offering, as 
 shrouding both, by faith, imder the righteousness of 
 Christ, which lay wrapped up in the promise ; but 
 Cain stands upon his own legs, and so presents his 
 offering. Abel therefore is accepted, both his per- 
 son and his offering, while Cain remains accursed. 
 
 Ver. 5. ' But unto Cain, and to his offering, he 
 [the Lord] had not respect. And Cain was very 
 wroth, and his countenance fell.' 
 
 Mark : As first Abel's person is accepted, and 
 then his offering ; so first Cain's person is rejected, 
 and afterwards his offering: For God seeth not sin 
 in his own institutions, unless they be defiled by 
 them that worship him ; and that they needs must, 
 when persons by* themselves offer sacrifice to God, 
 because then they want the righteousness of faith. 
 
 * 'By themselves.' This does not mean mthout human 
 company, hut 'without divine aid,' without the sanction and 
 presence of God. — Ed. 
 
444 
 
 AW EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 This then made the difference betwixt Abel and 
 his brother ; Abel had faith, but Cain had none. 
 Abel's faith covered him with Jesus Christ, there- 
 fore he stood righteous in his person before God : 
 This being so, his offering was accepted, because 
 it was the offering of one that was righteous. 
 
 ' But unto Cain, and to his offering, the Lord 
 had not respect. ' Hence note, That a Christless 
 man is a wicked man, let him be never so full of 
 actions that be righteous ; for righteous actions 
 make not a righteous man, the man himself must 
 first be righteous.* 
 
 Wherefore, though Cain was the eldest, and 
 first in the worship ; yet Abel was the wisest, and 
 the most acceptable therein. 
 
 ' And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance 
 fell. ' From these words it may be gathered, that 
 Cain had some evident token from the observation 
 of God's carriage towards both himself and bro- 
 ther; that his brother was smiled upon, but he re- 
 jected : He was wroth : wroth with God, and wroth 
 with his brother. And indeed, before the world 
 hate us, they must needs hate Jesus Christ: 'It 
 hated me (saith he) before it hcUed you. ' Jn. xv. is. 
 He was wroth : and why ? Wroth because his 
 sacrifice was not accepted of God: And yet the 
 fault was not in the Lord, but Cain: He came not 
 before the Lord, as already made righteous with 
 the righteousness of Christ, which indeed had been 
 doing well, but as a cursed wicked wretch, he 
 thought that by his own good works he must be 
 just before the Lord. 
 
 The difference therefore that was between these 
 worshippers, it lay not in that they worshipped 
 divers gods, but in that they worshipped the same 
 God after a diverse manner: The one in faith, the 
 other without ; the one as righteous, the other as 
 wicked. 
 
 And even thus it is between us and our adver- 
 saries : We worship not divers gods, but the same 
 God in a diverse manner : We according to faith ; 
 and they according to their own intentions, t 
 
 ' And Cain was wroth.' This further shows us 
 the force of the law, and the end of those that 
 would be just by the same; namely. That in 
 
 * Tl.ere is no error more universal, nor more fatal, tlian 
 that wliicli Bunyan here, as well as in other of his treatises, 
 60 admirably elucidates and explodes. No sooner does a poor 
 sinner feel the necessity of flying from the wrath to come 
 than Satan suggests that some good works must be pleaded 
 instead of casting the soul, burthened with siu, upon the com- 
 passion of the Lord, and pleading for unconditional mercy. 
 Good works musi flow from, but cannot be any cause of grace 
 — Ed. 
 
 t Adversaries to Christ and his church, although professing 
 to be Christians ; worshipping according to ' the traditions of 
 men,' and putting the saints into wretched prisons, and to a 
 frightful death. An awful state of self-delusion ; how Cain- 
 likp.l— Ed. 
 
 conclusion they will quarrel with God ; for when 
 the soul in its best performances, and acts of 
 righteousness, shall yet be rejected and cast off 
 by God, it wUl fret and wrangle, and in its spirit 
 let fly against God. For thus it judgeth. That 
 God is austere and exacting ; it hath done what it 
 could to please him, and he is not pleased there- 
 with. This again offendeth God, and makes his 
 justice curse and condemn the soul. Condemn it, 
 I say, for imagining that the righteousness of a 
 poor, sinful, wretched creature, should be sufficient 
 to appease eternal justice for sin. Thus the law 
 worketh wrath, because it always bindeth our 
 transgression to us, and still reckoneth us sinners, 
 and accursed, when we have done our utmost to 
 answer and fulfil it. Eo. it. I5. 
 
 ' And his countenance fell.' However, an hypo- 
 crite, while God forbeareth to smite him, may 
 triumph and joy in his goodness; yet when God 
 shall pronounce his judgment according as he 
 approves of his act, he needs must lower and fall 
 in his countenance ; for his person and gift are 
 rejected, and he still counted a sinner. 
 
 Ver. 6. ' And the Lord said unto Cain, Wliy 
 art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance 
 fallen ? ' 
 
 These words are applied to Cain, for a further 
 conviction of his state to be miserable. ' Why 
 art thou wroth ? ' Is it because I have not accepted 
 thy offering ? This is without ground, thy person 
 is yet an abomination to me : Must I be made by 
 thy gift, which is polluted, for and by thy person, 
 to justify thee as righteous ? Thou hast not yet 
 done well. Wherefore, Cain had no cause to be 
 wroth ; For God rejected only that which was sin- 
 ful, as was both his person, and gift for the sake 
 thereof: Neither had he grounds to lift up his looks 
 on high, when he came to offer his sacrifice ; be- 
 cause he came not as a man in a justify 'd state. 
 But ' there is a generation that are pure in their 
 own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthi- 
 ness. There is a generation, how lofty ai-e 
 their eyes ! and their eyelids are lifted up. ' Pr. im. 
 12, 13. Such an one, or the father of these, was 
 Cain ; he counted himself clean, and yet was not 
 washed ; he lifted up his looks on high, before he 
 was changed from his iniquity. 
 
 Ver. 7. ' If thou doest well, shalt thou not be 
 accepted ? and if thou doest not well, sin heth at 
 the door. And unto thee shail be his desire, and 
 thou shalt rule over him.' 
 
 ' If thou do well.' Why, is not worshipping of 
 God, well-doing ? It may, and may not, even as 
 the person that worships is found. If he be found 
 righteous at his coming to worship, and if he 
 worship according to rule, then he does well, then 
 he is accepted of God ; but if he bo not found 
 righteous before, be you sure he cannot do well, 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 445 
 
 let the matter with which he worshippeth he 
 ■wrong or right. ' Who can hring a clean thing 
 out of an unclean ? ' Jn. ik. 4. Let Cain be clean, 
 and his offering will be clean, because brought to 
 God in a vessel that is clean ; but if Cain be un- 
 clean, all the holy things he toucheth, or layeth up 
 in his skirt, it is made unclean by the uncleanness 
 of his person : ' And so is this nation before me, 
 saith the Lord ; and so is every work of their 
 hands, and that which they offer there is unclean.' 
 
 Hag. ii. 11—14* 
 
 Men therefore ought to distinguish between doing 
 and well doing, even in the worship of God. All 
 that worship do not do well, though the matter of 
 worship be good in itself. Cain's offering you find 
 not blamed, as if it had been of a superstitious 
 complexion; but he came not aright to worship. 
 Why? he came not as one made righteous before. 
 Wherefore, as I have already touched, the differ- 
 ence that lay between the gifts of Abel and Cain, 
 was not in the gifts themselves, but the qualifica- 
 tions of the persons, Abel's faith, and Cain's 
 works, made God approve and reject the offering : 
 ' By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent 
 sacrifice than Cain:' For, as I said. Faith in 
 Christ, as promised to come, made him righteous, 
 because thereby he obtained ' the righteousness of 
 God;' for so was Christ in himself, and so to be 
 to him that by faith received and accepted of him : 
 This, I say, Abel did ; wherefore now he is righte- 
 ous or just before God. This being so, his offer- 
 ing is found to be an offering of Abel the just, and 
 is here said to obtain witness even of God, that he 
 was righteous, because he accepted his gift. 
 
 Wherefore, he that does well must first be good ; 
 ' He that doeth righteousness is [must first be] 
 righteous.' Un. m.7. He is righteous first; he is 
 righteous even as Christ is righteous, because 
 Christ himself is the righteousness of such a 
 person. And so on the contrary ; the reason why 
 some men's good deeds are accursed of God, it is 
 because in truth, and according to the law, the 
 Lord finds sin in them ; which sins he cannot 
 pardon, because he finds them not in Christ. Thus 
 they being evil for want of the righteousness of the 
 Son of God, they worship God as sinners, according 
 to that of the apostle. Because they are not good, 
 therefore they do not good, no, not one of them. 
 
 Ko. Hi. 10—13. 
 
 The way therefore to do well, it is first to receive 
 the mercy of God in Christ; which act of thine 
 will be more pleasing to the Diving Majesty, than 
 all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices: ' I will have 
 
 * If it be asked, Why take your imregenerate children, and 
 invite the ungodly, to the place of worship ? Our answer is, 
 Theee the Lord is pleased to meet with sinners — convince, 
 convert, and purify them — giving them a good hope that their 
 persons and services are accepted. — Ed. 
 
 mercy (saith God) I will have mercy, and not sacri- 
 fice. ' Mat. ii. 13; xii. 7. This Cain did not understand, 
 therefore he goes to God in his sins, and without 
 faith in the mercy of God through Christ, he 
 offereth his sacrifice. Wherefore because his 
 sacrifice could not take away his sin, therefore it 
 still abode upon him. 
 
 But ' if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.' 
 This reasoning therefore was much to Cain's con- 
 dition ; he would be wroth, because God did not 
 accept his offering, and yet he did not well : Now, 
 if he had done weU, God, by receiving of his 
 brother's sacrifice, shows, he would have accepted 
 him ; for this is evident, they were both alike by 
 nature ; their offerings also were in themselves one 
 as holy as the other : How then comes it to pass 
 that both were not accepted, they both offered to 
 God ? Why, Abel only sacrificed well, because he 
 first by faith in Christ was righteous : This because 
 Cain wanted, ' sin abideth at his door.' 
 
 ' And to thee shaU be his desire, and thou shalt 
 rule over him.' That is, if sin abideth at thy door 
 still, to thee shall be his desire ; he shaU love, 
 pity, pray for thee, and endeavour thy conversion ; 
 but thou shalt be lord over him, and shalt put thy 
 yoke upon his neck. This was Jacob's portion 
 also ; for after Esau had got head, he broke Jacob's 
 yoke from off his neck, and reigned by nineteen or 
 twenty dukes and princes, before there was any 
 king in Israel. Ge. xxvii. 40. 
 
 It is the lot of Cain's brood, to be lords and 
 rulers first, while Abel and his generation have 
 their necks under persecution ; yet while they lord 
 it, and thus tyrannically afflict and persecute, our 
 very desire is towards them, wishing their salva- 
 tion : WhOe they curse, we bless ; and while they 
 persecute, we pray. 
 
 Ver. 8. ' H And Cain talked with Abel his 
 brother: and it came to pass, when they were in 
 the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his 
 brother, and slew him.' 
 
 When Cain saw that by God's judgment Abel 
 was the better worshipper, and that himself must 
 by no means be admitted for well-doing, his heart 
 began to be more obdurate and hard, and to grow 
 into that height of desperateness, as to endeavour 
 the extirpating of all true religion out of the world ; 
 which it seems he did, by killing his brother, 
 mightily accomplish, until the days of Enos; for 
 ' then began men [again] to call upon the name of 
 
 the Lord. ' ver. 36. 
 
 Hence see the spite of the children of hell against 
 God : They have slain thy prophets, and digged 
 down thine altars. 1 Ki. xix. lo. If they may have 
 their wills, God must be content with their reli- 
 gion, or none ; other they will not endure should 
 have show within their reach, but with Cain, will 
 rather kill their brother; or with the Pharisees, 
 
44 fi 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 kill their Lord; and with the evil kings of old, 
 •will rather kill their sons and suhjects. That the 
 truth, I say, may fall to the ground, and their own 
 inventions stand for acceptable sacrifices, they will 
 not only envy, hut endeavour to invalidate all the 
 true worship and worshippers of God in the world ; 
 the which if they cannot without hlood accomplish, 
 they will slay and kiU till their cruelty hath 
 destroyed many ten thousands, even as Cain, who 
 slew his brother Abel.* 
 
 And Cain talked with his brother. He had not 
 a law whereby to arraign him, but malice enough, 
 and a tongue to set all on fire, of which no doubt, 
 by the goodly replies of his brother, was easily 
 blown up into choler and madness, the end of which 
 was the blood of his brother. 
 
 'And Cain talked with Abel,' &.C. To wit, 
 about the goodness and truth of his religion. For 
 that the New Testament seems to import, he slew 
 him ' because his works were righteous ;' l Ju. iii. )3. 
 which Abel, no doubt, had justified before his 
 brother, even then when he most set himself to 
 oppose him. Besides this, the connection of the 
 relation importeth, he talked with him, he slew 
 him; he talked with him and slew hhu, purely 
 upon a religious account, because his works were 
 righteous. 
 
 Hence note. That when wicked men have the 
 head in the world, professors had need be resolved 
 to hazard the worst, before they do enter debate 
 with ungodly men about the thmgs that pertain to 
 the kingdom of God. For behold here, words did 
 not end in words, but from words came blows, and 
 from blows hlood. The counsel therefore is, 
 'That you sit down first, and count up the cost,' 
 before ye talk with Cain of religion. Lu. xiv. 27—33. 
 ' They make a man an oifender for a word, and lay 
 a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and 
 turn aside the just for a thing of nought.' is. xxix. 21. 
 
 'And Cain talked with Abel his brother.' 
 With Abel his only brother, who also was a third 
 part of the world. But tyrants matter nothing, 
 neither nearness of kin, nor how much they destroy: 
 ' The brother shall betray the brother to death,' 
 &c. 
 
 ' And it came to pass, when they were in the 
 field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, 
 and slew him.' When they were in the field, from 
 home, out of the sight, and far from the help of 
 his father : Subtle persecutors love not to bite, 
 tiU they can make their teeth to meet ; for which 
 they observe their time and place. Joseph was 
 
 * How awfully is tills illustratod by acts of uniforraity. Is 
 it be lawful to pass such acts, it must be requisite and a duty 
 to enforce tbem. It was this that filled Europe with tears, 
 and the saints with anguish, especially in Piedmont, France, 
 and England. Mercifully, the tyrant Antichi'ist's power is 
 curtailed. — Ed. 
 
 also hated of his brethren, but they durst not 
 meddle till they found him in the field. Ge. xxxvii. ]5. 
 Here it is also that the holy virgin falleth : He 
 found her in the field, — and there was none to save 
 her. De. xjii. 27 
 
 Hence observe again. That be the danger never 
 so imminent, and the advantage of the adversary 
 never so great, the sincere professor of the truth 
 stands his ground against wind and weather. 
 Bloody Cain daunted not holy Abel; no, though 
 now he have his advantage of him. Da. iii. 16— 18. 
 
 He rose up against Abel his brother, and slew 
 ;jim. ' And wherefore slew he him ? Because 
 his own works were evil,' <ke. 1 Jn. iii. 13. It is 
 therefore hence to be observed. That it is a sign 
 of an evil way, be it covered with the name of the 
 worship of God, when it cannot stand without the 
 shedding of innocent blood. ' Wherefore slew he 
 him ? Because his own works were evil.' Had 
 his works been good, they had been accepted of 
 God : He had also had the joy thereof in his con- 
 science, as doubtless Abel had ; which joy and 
 peace would have produced love and pity to his 
 brother, as it was with his brother towards him ; 
 but his works being evil, they minister to him no 
 heavenly joy, neither do they beget in him love to 
 his brother; but contrariwise, his heart fills his 
 eye with evil also ; wliich again provoketh (while 
 it beholdeth the godly carriage of Abel) the heart 
 to more desperate resolutions, even to set upon 
 him with all his might, and to cut him off from 
 the eaith. Thus the goodness of God's people 
 provoketh to envy the wicked heart of the hypo- 
 crite. As it was betwixt Said and David; for 
 after Saul had seen that God had rejected him for 
 his wickedness, the more he hated the goodness of 
 David : ' And Saul saw and knew that the Lord 
 was with David.' 1 Sa. xviu. 8— 15. "And Saul was 
 yet the more afraid of David ; and Saul became 
 David's enemy continually.' ver. 29. 
 
 Ver. 9. ' And the Lord said unto Cain, Where 
 is Abel thy brother ? And he said, I know not: 
 Am I my brother's keeper ?' 
 
 Cain thought it had been no more but to kill 
 his brother, and his intentions and desires must 
 needs be accomplished, and that himself should 
 then be the only man. ' Come, let us kill him, 
 and the inheritance shall be our's.' Mar. xii. 7. But 
 stay, Abel was beloved of his God, who had also 
 justified his offering, and accepted it as a service 
 more excellent than his brother's. So then, be- 
 cause the quarrel arose between them upon this 
 very account, therefore Abel's God doth reckon 
 himself as engaged (seeing he is not) to take up 
 his servant's cause himself. 
 
 ' And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel 
 thy brother ?' A question not grounded on uncer- 
 tainty, but proposed as a beginning of further 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON TUB FIEST TEN CHAPTEUS OP GENESIS. 
 
 447 
 
 reasoning ; and also to make way to this wicked 
 wretch, to discover tlie desperate wickedness of his 
 bloody heart the more. For questions that stand 
 at first afar off, do draw out more of the heart of 
 another: and also do minister more occasion for 
 matter, than if they had been placed more near to 
 the matter. 
 
 ' Where is Abel ?' God missed the acceptable 
 sacrifices of Abel ; Abel was dead, and his sacri- 
 fices ceased, which had wont to be savoury in 
 the nostrils of God ; Cain could not supply them ; 
 his sacrifices were deficient, they were not of 
 faith. Hence note, that if tyrants should have 
 their will, even to the destroying of all the rem- 
 nant of God, their sacrifices and worsliip would 
 be yet before God as abominable as they were 
 before. 
 
 ' And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel?' 
 dreadful question ! The beginning of Cain's 
 hell, for now God entereth into judgment with him. 
 Wherefore, however this wretch endeavoured at first 
 to stifle and choke his conscience, yet this was to 
 him the arrow of death: Abel crieth, but his brother 
 would not hear him while alive, and now being 
 dead God hears the cry of his blood. ' When he 
 maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth 
 them : he forgetteth not the cry of the himible. ' 
 Ps. ix. 13. Blood that is shed for the sake of God's 
 word, shall not be forgotten or disregarded of God: 
 ' Precious in his sight is the death of his saints.' 
 Ps. cxri. 15. ' And precious shall their blood be in 
 his sight.' Ps. Laii. 14. 
 
 'Where is Abel thy brother?' This word, tliy 
 brother, must not be left out, because it doth 
 greatly aggravate his wickedness. He slew ' his 
 brother;' which horrid act the very law and bond 
 of nature forbiddeth. But when a man is given 
 up of God, it is neither this nor another relation 
 that will bind his hands, or make him keep within 
 the bounds of any law. Judas will seek his 
 master's, and Absalom his father's blood. ' Where 
 is Abel thy brother?' 
 
 • And he said, I know not. ' He knew fuU weU 
 what he had done, and that by his hands his bro- 
 ther's blood was fallen to the ground, but now 
 being called into question for the same, he endea- 
 voureth to plead ignorance before God. ' I know 
 not.' When men have once begun to sin, they 
 know not where they shall end ; he slew his bro- 
 ther, and endeavours to cover his fact with a lie. 
 David also httle thought his act of adultery would 
 have led him to have spilt the blood of Uriah, and 
 afterwards to have covered all with dissembling 
 lips and a lying tongue. 2 sa. xi. 
 
 ' I know not : Am I my brother's keeper ?' 
 
 This is the way of all ungodly men, they wUl 
 not abide that guilt should be fastened. Sin they 
 love, and the lusts and delights thereof, but to 
 
 count for it they cannot abide ; they will put it 
 off with excuses, or denials : Even like Saul, who 
 though he had spared the cattle and Agag con- 
 trary to the command of God, yet would needs 
 bear Samuel down, that he had kept, yea ' per- 
 formed the commandment of the Lord.' i Sa. xt. is, 20. 
 But they are denials to no boot, and excuses that 
 will not profit, that are made to hide the sin of the 
 soul from the sight and judgment of God. Lies 
 and falsehood will here do nothing. 
 
 Ver. 10. 'And he said. What hast thou done? 
 the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me 
 from the ground.' 
 
 Poor Cain, thy feeble shifts help thee nothing, 
 thy excuses are drowned by the cries of the blood 
 which thou hast shed. 
 
 ' What hast thou done ?' the blood of thy bro- 
 tlier cries. Beware persecutors, you think that 
 when you have slain the godly, you are then rid 
 of them ; but you are far wide, their blood which 
 you have shed, cries in the ears of God against 
 you. the cries of blood are strong cries, they 
 are cries that reach to heaven ; yea they are cries 
 that have a continual voice, and that never cease 
 to make a noise, until they have procured ven- 
 geance from the hands of the Lord of sabbath : 
 Job xvi. 18. And therefore this is the word of the 
 Lord against all those that are for the practice of 
 Cain: ' As I live, saith the Lord God, I will pre- 
 pare thee unto blood and blood shall pursue 
 thee: sith thou hast not hated blood, (that is, 
 hated to shed it,) even blood shall pursue thee.' 
 
 Eze. xxxT. 6. 
 
 'The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me.' 
 The apostle makes this voice of the blood of Abel, a 
 type of the voice of the justice of the law, and so 
 extends it further than merely to the act of murder; 
 intimating that he sheds blood, that breaks any ot 
 the commands of God, (and indeed so he doth, 'he 
 layeth wait for his own blood, and privily lurketh for 
 his own life.') Pr. i. 18. Wherefore the apostle com- 
 pareth the blood of Abel and the blood of Christ to- 
 gether; but so as by the rule of contraries, making 
 betwixt them a contrary voice, even as there is be- 
 tween a broken command and a promise of grace, the 
 one cahing for vengeance and damnation; the other 
 calling for foi'giveness and salvation ; ' the blood 
 of sprinkling it speaketh better things than the 
 blood of Abel ;' He. lii. 24. that is, it calls to God to 
 forgive the sinner ; but Abel's blood, of the breach 
 of the law, that cries damn them, damn them. 
 Christ also sets his own blood in opposition to the 
 blood of all that was shed before him ; concluding 
 that the proper voice of all the blood of the godly, 
 is to call for vengeance on the persecutors, even 
 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zecharias, 
 that was slain between the altar and the temple. 
 Mat. xxiii. 35. And let me here take leave to propound 
 
448 
 
 A.N EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 my private tliouglits : namely, that the Zecharias 
 that here is mentioned, might not be he that we 
 find in the hook of Chronicles ; 3 Cli. ixiv. 21. hut one 
 of that name that lived in the days of Christ, pos- 
 sibly John Baptist's father, or some other holy 
 Bear with ™^''' My reasons for this conjecture, 
 tiu3 COB- are, 1. Because the murderers are con- 
 vict by Christ himself : Zecharias, whom 
 ye slew between the altar and the temple. 2. 
 Because Christ makes a stop at the blood of Ze- 
 charias, not at the blood of John the Baptist : 
 wherefore, if the person here mentioned were not 
 murdered after, but before John the Baptist, then 
 Christ seems to excuse them for killing- his servant 
 John; for the judgment stops at the including of 
 the guilt of the blood of Zecharias. 3. I think 
 such a thing, because the voice of all holy blood 
 that hath been shed before the law by the adver- 
 sary, excepting only the blood of Jesus, must needs 
 be included here ; the proper voice of his, only 
 being to plead for mercy to the murderers. How- 
 ever, the voice of blood is a very killing voice, and 
 will one day speak with such thunder and terror 
 in the consciences of all the brood of Cain, that 
 their pain and burthen will be for ever insupport- 
 able. 
 
 Ver. 11. 'And now art thou cursed from the 
 earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive 
 thy brother's blood from thy hand.' 
 
 Here begins the sentence of God against this 
 bloody man ; a sentence fearful and terrible, for it 
 contaiueth a removing of him from all the privi- 
 leges of grace and mercy, and a binding of him 
 over to the punishment and pains of the damned. 
 
 • And now art thou cursed from the earth. ' 
 Peace on earth, is one branch of those blessed 
 tidings that were brought into the world, at the 
 coming of the Messias. Lu. ii. u. Again, before 
 Christ was come in the flesh, it is said. He rejoiced 
 'in the habitable part of his earth. 'Pr. viu. so. Where- 
 fore, by the earth in this place, I understand the 
 state that the men are in, to whom, by the mind 
 of God, the gospel and grace of God is to be ten- 
 dered. Now, whether it respect the state of man 
 by nature, or the state of those that are saints, 
 from both these privileges Cain is separate, as are 
 all whom the Lord hath utterly rejected. Not hut 
 that yet they may live long in the world, but God 
 hath cut them off from the earth, and all the gos- 
 pel privileges therein, and set them in the condi- 
 tion of devils ; so that as to grace and mercy they 
 are separate therefrom, and stand as men, though 
 alive, bound over to eternal judgment. And as to 
 their lives, it matters not how long they live, there 
 is ' no sacrilice for their sins, but a certain fearful 
 looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, 
 which shall devour the adversaries.' He. x. 26, 37. So 
 that I say, as the devils be bound in hell, so such 
 
 lie bound in earth ; bound I say in the chains of 
 darkness, and their own obstinate heart, over to 
 the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous 
 judgment of God. Cain therefore by these words 
 is denied the blessing of future means of grace, 
 and stands hound over to answer for his brother's 
 blood, which the ground had received from his 
 cruel hand. 
 
 Ver. 12. ' When thou tillest the ground, it shall 
 not henceforth yield to thee her strength ; a fugitive 
 and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.' 
 
 This is a branch, or the fruits of this wilful 
 murder. Indeed, sins carry in them not only a 
 curse with respect to eternity, hut are also the 
 cause of aU the miseries of this life. ' God 
 turneth - a fruitful land into barrenness, for the 
 wickedness of them that dwell therein.' Pa. cvii. 34. 
 
 ' When thou tiUest the ground.' Sin committed 
 doth not always exclude the sinner from an enjoy- 
 ment of God's mercies, but yet if unrepented of, 
 bringeth a curse upon them. ' I will curse, [saith 
 God,] your blessings: yea, 1 have cursed them 
 already, because ye do not lay it to heart. ' Mai. ii. 2. 
 This also is the reason that the table of some is 
 made their snare, their trap, a stumbling-block 
 and a recompence unto them ; Ro. xi. 9. men ought 
 not therefore to judge of the goodness of their 
 state, by their enjoyment of God's creatures, but 
 rather should tremble while they enjoy them, lest 
 for sin they should become accursed to them, as 
 were the enjoyments of this wicked man. 
 
 ' A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou he in the 
 earth.' The meaning is, thou shalt not have rest 
 in the world, hut shalt be continually possessed with 
 a guilty conscience, which shall make thy condition 
 restless, and void of comfort. For the man that 
 indeed is linked in the chains of guilt and damna- 
 tion, as Cain here was ; he cannot rest, hut (as we 
 say) fudge up and down from place to place, be- 
 cause his burthen is insupportable. As David said, 
 ' Let their eyes be darkened that they see not, and 
 make their loins continually to shake.' Ps. bdic.33. 
 A continual shaking and restlessness doth there- 
 fore possess such persons as are given up of God, 
 and swallowed up of guilt. 
 
 ' A fugitive and vagabond shalt thou be in the 
 earth.' Some men certainly know, even while 
 they are in this world, their state to be most 
 miserable, and damnable, as Cain, Saul and Judas 
 did; which knowledge, as I have hinted, puts 
 them besides the very course of other carnal men; 
 who while they behold them at quiet under their 
 enjoyments, these cannot but wonder, fear, and be 
 amazed with the deep cogitations which will abide 
 upon them, of their certain misery and everlasting 
 perdition. 
 
 Ver. 13. 'And Cain said unto the Lord, My 
 punishment is fi;reater than I can bear.' Or as the 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIKST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 449 
 
 tnarg'm hath it, ' Mine iniquity is greater than that 
 it may be forgiven.' And both readings are true: 
 for however some men please themselves in lessen- 
 ing sin, and the punishment thereof, yet a burdened 
 conscience judgeth otherwise. And if Cain failed 
 in either, it was in that he counted his sin (if he 
 did so) beyond the reach of God's mercy. But 
 again, when men persecute the worship and people 
 of God, as Cain did his blessed and religious 
 brother, even of spite, and because he envied the 
 goodness of his brother's work ; I question whe- 
 ther it be lawful for a minister to urge to such the 
 promise of grace and forgiveness ; and also whe- 
 ther it be the mind of God such persons should 
 hope therein. He that sins the sin unto death, is 
 not to be prayed for, l Ja. v. 16. but contrariwise he 
 is to be taken from God's altar that he may die. 
 Ex. xxi. U. This was Cain's case, and now he knew 
 it; therefore as one excluded of God from his 
 mercy and all the means thereof, he breaks out 
 with roaring under the intolerable burden of the 
 judgment of God upon him, concluding his pun- 
 ishment at present ' greater than he could bear, ' 
 and that yet his sin should remain impardonable 
 for ever: As saith our Lord Jesus Christ, He 
 hath neither forgiveness here nor in the world to 
 
 come. Mat. xii. 32. 
 
 Ver. 14r. ' Behold, thou hast driven me out this 
 day from the face of the earth ; and from thy face 
 shall I be hid ; And I shall be a fugitive and a 
 vagabond in the earth, and it shall come to pass, 
 that every one that findeth me shall slay me.' 
 
 By these words is confirmed what was said be- 
 fore, to wit, to be cursed from the earth, was to 
 be separate from the privileges of the gospel. For 
 Cain was not now to die, neither was he driven 
 into any den or cave ; yet driven out from the face 
 of the earth, that is, as I have said, he was ex- 
 cluded from a share in those special mercies that 
 by the gospel were still offered by gi-ace to the 
 others that inhabited the world: The mercies, I 
 say, that are offered by the gospel, as namely. The 
 mercy of eternal life : For as to the blessings of 
 this world, he had yet a notable share thereof. 
 Besides, he groaneth under this judgment, as an 
 insupportable curse : ' Thou hast driven me out 
 this day from the face of the earth.' And indeed, 
 if we take it according as I have laid it down, it 
 is a curse that would break the whole world to 
 pieces ; for he that is denied a share in the grace 
 that is now offered, must needs be denied a portion 
 in God's kingdom. And this Cain saw; wherefore 
 he adds in the process of his complaint, ' And 
 from thy face shall I be hid:' ' I shall never come 
 into thy kingdom, I shall never see thy face in 
 heaven.' This is therefore the highest of all com- 
 plaints ; namely, for a man from a certain con- 
 viction that his condition must without fail be 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 damnable, to condole and bemoan his forlorn con- 
 dition. 
 
 ' Thou hast driven me out.' ! when God 
 shall bind one over for his sin, to eternal judg- 
 ment, who then can release him ? This was Cain's 
 state, God had bound him over. The blood of his 
 brother was to rest upon him and not to be purged 
 with sacrifice for ever. 
 
 'Thou hast driven me out Tins Day.' Ho 
 knew by the sentence that fell from heaven upon 
 him, even from that very day that he was made 
 a companion of, and an associate with devils. 
 This day, or for this day's work, I am made an 
 inhabitant of the pit with the devil and his angels. 
 Hence note. That God doth sometimes smite the 
 reprobate so apparently, that himself from that 
 day may make a certain judgment of the certainty 
 of his damnation. Thus did Balaam : ' I shall see 
 him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not 
 nigh.' Nu. iiiv. 17. Where by now, he respects the 
 time of grace ; and by nigh, the time or day of 
 judgment: As who should say, ' I, for my sor- 
 ceries, and wicked divinations, am excluded a por- 
 tion in the day of grace, and therefore shall not 
 see the Saviour now : I am also rejected, as to a 
 portion in the blessed world to come : and there - 
 fore when he judgeth, I shall not see him nigh ; 
 Nigh, as a friend, as a saviour to my soul.' I 
 doubt this is the condition of many now alive, who 
 for their perfidiousness and treachery to Christ, 
 and his church, have already received, even ' in 
 themselves, that recompence of their error which 
 was meet.' Ko. 127. 
 
 Ishmael also, in the day he laughed at Isaac, 
 Ge. xjj. 9. and Esau in the day he sold liis birth- 
 right, Ge. xxm., xxviii. might have gathered, the one 
 from God's concurring with the judgment of Sa- 
 rah, the other, from his father's adhering to his 
 brother; his adhering, I say, in a prophetic spirit; 
 Ga. iv. 29. that from thenceforth they both were ex- 
 eluded grace and glory, as the apostle by the Holy 
 Ghost afterwards doth. He. xii. 16, 17. 
 
 ' And from thy face shall I be hid.' By face 
 here, we are to understand God's favour, and 
 blessed presence, which is enjoyed by the saints 
 both here, and in the world to come. I's. iv. 6, 7;xv>.ll. 
 Both which this wicked man, for the murdering 
 of his brother, and his envy to the truth, now 
 knew himself excluded from. 
 
 ' From thy face shall I be HID.' The pit of 
 hell, to which the damned go, besides the torment 
 that they meet with there, is such a region of dark- 
 ness, and at such a distance from the heavens, and 
 the glorious comfortable presence of God, that those 
 that shall be found the proper subjects of it, shall 
 for ever be estranged from one glimpse of him : 
 besides, sin shall bind all their faces in secret, and 
 so confound them with horror, shame, and guiU, 
 3 t 
 
450 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OE GENESIS. 
 
 that they shall not he able from thenceforth for 
 ever, so much as once to think of God with comfort. 
 
 ' From thy face.' As it were all the glory of 
 heaven, it lieth in beholding the face of God : A 
 thing the ungodly little think of ; yet the men 
 that have received in themselves already the sen- 
 tence of eternal damnation, they know it after a 
 wonderful rate ; and the thoughts of the loss of 
 his face and presence, doth, do what they can, as 
 much torment them, as the thoughts of all the 
 misery they are like to meet withal besides. 
 
 ' And a fugitive and a vagabond shall I be on 
 the earth.' Even from the present frame of his 
 spirit. Now, having received the sentence, he knew, 
 the judgment past being unrevokable, how it would 
 be with him all his lifelong; that he should spend 
 his days in trouble and guilt, rolling under the 
 justice of God, being always a terror and bur- 
 then to himself, to the day he was to be cut off 
 from the earth, that he might go to the place 
 appointed for him. 
 
 ' And it shall come to pass, that every one that 
 findeth me shall slay me.' Guilt is a strange 
 thing, it makes a man think that every one that 
 sees him, hath knowledge of his iniquity. It 
 also bringeth such a faintness into the heart, Le. 
 xxvi.36. that the sound of a shaken leaf doth chase 
 such persons: and above all things, the cries of 
 blood are most fearful in the conscience ; the cries 
 of the blood of the poor innocents, which the seed 
 of Cain hath shed on the face of the earth. Je.ii.si; 
 xL[. 4. Thus far of Cain's complaint. 
 
 Ver. 15. ' And the Lord said unto him, There- 
 fore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be 
 taken on him seven-fold. And the Lord set a 
 mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill 
 him.' 
 
 By these words, the judgment is confirmed, 
 which Cain, in the verse before, so mournfully 
 pronounced against his own soul. As if the Lord 
 had said, ' Cain, thy judgment is as thou hast 
 said, I have driven thee out this day from a share 
 in m}' special favour ; and when thy life is ended, 
 thou shalt be hid from my face, and blessed pre- 
 sence for ever ; and seeing it is thus, therefore I 
 will not suffer that thou die before thy time : Alas, 
 thy glass will be quickly run ! Besides, thy days, 
 while thou art here, will sufficiently be filled with 
 vexation and distress ; for thou shalt always carry 
 in thy conscience the cries of innocent blood, and 
 the fear of the wrath of God : I have said it, and 
 will perform it : I am not a man, that I should re- 
 pent: So that thus shall thy judgment be; There- 
 fore he that killeth Cain, I will take vengeance on 
 him.' 
 
 Hence note. That none need to add to the sor- 
 rows of the persecutors. They above all men 
 are prepared unto wrath. Let them alone (saith 
 
 Christ) they will quickly fall into the ditch. Be- 
 sides, God hath taken the revengement of the 
 blood of his servants into his own hand, and will 
 execute his wrath himself. Therefore he saith to 
 his saints (as in this case), ' Dearly beloved, avenge 
 not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath : 
 for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, 
 saith the Lord. ' Uo. xii. 19. And the reason is, be- 
 cause the quarrel is in special between the prose- 
 cutor and God himself. For we are not hated 
 because we are men, nor because we are men of evil 
 and debauched lives ; but because we are religious ; 
 because we stand to maintain the truth of God. 
 Therefore no man must here intercept, but must 
 leave the enemy in the hand of that God he hath 
 slighted and condemned. This made Moses that he 
 meddled not with Corah and his company, but left 
 them to that new thing which the Lord himself 
 would do unto them, because they had condemned 
 the ordinance of God. Hu. xiri. 35—35. This madeDavid 
 also that he meddled not with Saul, but left him to 
 the vengeance of God, though he had opportunity to 
 have destroyed him. l Sa, xxiv. and xxvi. 10—12. Let us 
 learn therefore to be quiet and patient under the 
 hand of wicked and blood-thirsty men. Let us 
 faU before them like holy Abel ; it is and wiU be 
 grief enough to them, that when we are dead, 
 our blood will cry from the ground against 
 them.* 
 
 ' Therefore he that killeth Cain, vengeance shall 
 be taken,' he. He now that shall, after this admo- 
 nition, plead for religious blood with the sword, 
 vengeance shall be taken on him, because he giveth 
 not place to the wrath of God, but intercepts with 
 his own, which ' worketh not the righteousness of 
 God.' Ja. i.i9, 20. Say therefore with David, when 
 you are vexed with the persecutor. Mine hand shaU 
 not be upon him ; but ' as the Lord liveth, the 
 Lord shall smite him ; or, his day shall come to 
 die ; or, he shall descend in battle, and perish.' 
 
 ' Vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold.' 
 It would not'be hard to shew how little they have 
 prevailed, who have taken upon them to take ven- 
 geance for the blood of saints, on them that have 
 been the spiUers of it. But my business here is 
 brevity, therefore I shall not launch into that deep, 
 only shall say to such as shall attempt it hereafter, 
 ' Put up thy sword into his place ; for all they that 
 take the sword shall perish with the sword ! ' Mat. 
 xxvi. 53. And ' here is the patience and faith of the 
 
 * How solemn are these iujuactioiis, and how opposed to 
 the violcat conduet of manltind. A most appalliug murdor 
 has been committed ;— ^a virtuous and pious young man is 
 brutally murdered by his only brother :— what is the divine 
 judgment ? If any man kill him, vengeance shall be taken on 
 him sevenfold ; set a mark upon him —drive liim from the 
 abodes of man— shut liim up in a cage like a wild beast — hut 
 shed not his blood. — Ed. 
 
AN EXPOSITIQISi ON THE riRST TEN CHAPTEKS OF GENESIS. 
 
 451 
 
 saiuts.' Re. xiii. 10. Let Cain and God alone, and do 
 you mind faith and patience; suffer with Abel, 
 until your righteous blood be spilt : even the work 
 of persecutors, is, for the present, punishment 
 enough ; the fruits thereof being the provoking 
 God to jealousy, a denying of them the knowledge 
 of the way of life, and a binding of them over to 
 the pains and punishment of hell, 
 
 ' And the Lord set a mark upon Cain.' What 
 the opinion of others is about this mark, I know 
 not ; to me it seems like those in Timothy, who 
 had ' their conscience seared with a hot iron. ' 
 1 Ti. iv. 2. Which words are an allusion to the way 
 of the magistrates iu their dealing with rogues 
 and felons ; who that they may be known to all, 
 are either in the hand, shoulder, or cheek branded 
 with a hot iron. So Cain was marked of God for a 
 reprobate, for one that had murdered a righteous 
 man, even of envy to the goodness of his work : 
 But the mark (as it was on those in Timothy) 
 was not on any outward or visible part of his body, 
 but (as there the apostle expresseth it) even upon 
 his very conscience ; his conscience then had re- 
 ceived the fire-mark of the wrath and displeasure 
 of God, which, as a burning iron doth to the flesh, 
 had left such deep impression therein, that it abode 
 as a scar or brand upon him, in token that good 
 would for ever after hold him for a fugitive rogue 
 or vagabond. 
 
 ' And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any 
 finding him should kill him. ' For though the mark 
 was branded with burning upon his conscience, and 
 so inward and invisible ; yet the effects of this hot 
 iron might be visible, and seen of all : the effects, 
 I say, which were, or might be, his restlessness in 
 every place, his dejectedness, the sudden and fear- 
 ful pangs and agonies of his mind, which might 
 break out into dolorous and amazing complaints ; 
 besides, his timorous carriage before all he met, 
 lest they should kill Irim ; gave all to understand, 
 that God had with a vengeance branded him. 
 And indeed this was such a mark as was amazing 
 to all that beheld him, and did ten times more 
 make them afraid of spilling blood, than if any 
 visible mark had been set upon him ; for by bis 
 trouble and distress of mind, they saw, what was 
 the guilt of blood : and by his continual fear and 
 trembling under the judgment of God, what it was 
 to be in fear of, nay, to have the first fruits of 
 everlastinfif damnation. Thus therefore God re- 
 
 o 
 
 served Cain to the judgment which he had appointed 
 for him. 
 
 Ver. 16. ' And Cain went out from the presence 
 of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the 
 east of Eden.' 
 
 The right carriage of a reprobate, and the infal- 
 lible fruits of final desperation. For a man that 
 hath received in his mind the stroke of the judg- 
 
 ment of God, and that is denied all means of 
 saving and sanctifying grace, (as the great trans- 
 gressors are,) the presence of God is to such most 
 dreadful; v/hether we understand the knowledge 
 of him as he is in himself, or as he diacoveretli 
 himself in his church ; for the thought of his being, 
 and eternal majesty, keeps the wound open, and 
 makes terror and guilt revive. To such it would 
 be the best of news, to hear that the Godhead doth 
 cease to be, or that themselves were high above 
 him* But that they are in the hand of the living 
 God, this is the dreadful and fearful thought. 
 
 ' And Cain went out from the presence of the 
 Lord.' These words may be taken many ways. 
 
 1. That he separated himself from the church 
 (the place of God's presence) 3 Co. vi. is. which then 
 consisted of his father and mother, and of those 
 other children they had. And this appears by the 
 text, ' He went out from the presence of the Lord, 
 and dwelt in the land of Nod.' 
 
 2. A man goes out from the presence of God, 
 when he withdraws his thoughts from holy medita- 
 tions, and employeth the strength of his mind about 
 the things of this life. Job xxi. 14—18. And thus he 
 also did ; he went into the land of Nod, and there 
 fell to building a city, and to recreate himself 
 with the pleasures of the flesh what he might. 
 
 3. A man goes out from the presence of God, 
 when he throweth up the worship and way of God ; 
 and this he did in departing from the church. 
 
 3 Ch. xLi. 1—3. 
 
 4. Besides, his going out from tne presence of 
 the Lord, implieth, that he hardened his heart 
 against him, that he set his spirit against him ; 
 that he said to God, Depart from me ; He. iii. 12. 
 that he grew an implacable enemy to him, and to 
 every appearance of good in the world. Job xv. 12. 13. 
 
 ' And Cain went out from the presence of the 
 Lord.' These words may also respect his being 
 thrust out from God, as one anathematized, ac- 
 cursed, or cut off, in effect the same with excom- 
 munication. But be it so, the act was extra- 
 ordinary, being administered by God himself; even 
 as he served Corah and his company, though in 
 kind there was a difference, the one, even Cain, 
 being yet permitted to live for a while in the world ; 
 the other being sent down quick into hell ; but both, 
 for their villany against the worship and people of 
 God, stand bound over to answer it at the eternal 
 judgment. 
 
 Ver. 17 ' IT And Cain knew his wife; and she 
 conceived, and bare Enoch : and he builded a city, 
 and called the name of the city, after the name of 
 his son, Enoch.' 
 
 Cain's wife was his sister, or near kinswoman: 
 for she sprang of the same loins with himself; be- 
 cause his mother was ' the mother of all living.' 
 
 Gb. iii. 20. 
 
452 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 This wife bare liim a son ; for wlioae sake, as it 
 seems, he built the city. Hence note, That men 
 who are shut out of heaven, will yet use some means 
 to he honourable on earth. Cain being accursed 
 of God, yet builds him a city; the renown of which 
 act, that it might not be forgotten, he calleth it 
 after the name of his son. Much like this was 
 that carnal act of blasted Absalom ; because he 
 had no child, he would erect a pillar, which must 
 forsooth be called Absalom's place, after the name 
 of Absalom, to keep his name in remembrance upon 
 earth. 2 ?a. iviii. 18. 
 
 ' And he builded a city,' &c. Note, That it is 
 the design of Satan, and the deceitful heart of 
 man, to labour to quiet a guilty conscience, not by 
 faith in the blood of Christ, but by over much busi- 
 ness in the things of this world. 
 
 ' And called the name of the city, after the 
 name of his son, Enoch.' Although Cain had a 
 mind to keep up his name with fame in the world, 
 yet he would not venture to dedicate the city to 
 his own name ; that would have been too gross ; 
 and perhaps others would have called it, The City 
 OP THE Murderer ; but he calleth it after the 
 name of his son, his son Enoch ; whom he pre- 
 tended was a man both taught, and dedicate, as it 
 seems his name imports. Hence note again. That 
 men who themselves are accursed of God, will 
 yet put as fair glosses on their actions, as their 
 hypocritical hearts can invent. Who must this city 
 be dedicated to, but to him whom Cain had dedi- 
 cated and taught. I will not say that in truth he 
 gave him to God, for that his reprobate heart 
 would not suffer ; but being given up of God, yet 
 retaining, with Saul, considerations of honour: 
 therefore, as is the custom of ungodly hypocrites, 
 he would put the best show on his ungodly 
 actions. 
 
 Thus Saul, when he had received the sentence 
 of the Lord against him ; yet, Turn again with 
 me (saith he to Samuel) ' yet honour me now before 
 - the people, and before Israel.' isa.xr. so. So the 
 money wherewith the high priests and scribes had 
 bought the life, and obtained the death of Christ ; 
 with that they make some shew of godliness, in 
 buying with it a piece of ground to bury strangers 
 in. Mat. ixvii. 3— 7. 
 
 Ver. 18. 'And unto Enoch was born Irad: and 
 Trad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methu- 
 sael: and Methusael begat Lamech.' 
 
 These are the offspring of Cain ; the English of 
 whose names, if the nature and disposition of the 
 persons were according, they might well be called, 
 with abhorrence, the brood of wicked Cain, even 
 the generation whom the Lord had cursed, notwith- 
 standing Enoch was their father. Enoch begat 
 L'ad, a wild ass ; Irad begat Mehujael, one pre- 
 sumptuous above measure, his name signifies, one 
 
 teaching God. But ' who hath directed the Spii-it 
 of the Lord?' Is. xl. 13; Or ' Shall any teach God 
 knowledge?' Job ixi. 22. The son of this man was 
 Methusael, asking death, the true fruit of all such 
 presumptuous ones, ' his confidence shall be rooted 
 out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the 
 king of terrors.' Jobxviii. 14. His son was Lamech, 
 one poor or smitten : The first, that, as we read, 
 did break the order of God in the matter of mar- 
 riage. 
 
 Ver. 19. 'IT And Lamech took unto him two 
 wives: the name of the one ivas Adah, and the 
 name of the other Zillah.' 
 
 This man was the first that brake the first in- 
 stitution of God concerning marriage. ' He took 
 unto him two wives. ' The New Testament says. 
 Let every man have his own wife. And so said 
 the law in its first institution : therefore plurality 
 of wives first came into practice by the seed of 
 cursed Cain, and for a time was suffered in the 
 world through the hardness of man's heart. 
 
 Ver. 20, 21. 'And Adah bare Jabal: he was 
 the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as 
 have cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal : 
 he was the father of all such as handle the harp 
 and organ.' 
 
 Jabal signifies bringing, or budding; Jubal, 
 bringing, or fading. So then in these tv70 sons 
 might be shewed unto us the world, as it is in its 
 utmost glory: that is, it brings buds, it brings 
 fading : to-day in the field, to-morrow in the oven : 
 ' All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof, 
 is as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, 
 the flower fadeth : because the Spirit of the Lord 
 bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.' Is. 
 
 xl. 6—8. 
 
 And observe in these, the last was the musical 
 one. Indeed, the spirit of the world, after things 
 have budded, is so far off from remembering that 
 they again must fade ; that then it begins its Re- 
 quiem ; then it saith to itself. Eat, drink, and bo 
 merry ; then it is for handling the harp and organ. 
 
 Lu. lii. 16—30. 
 
 Ver. 22. ' And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-Cain, 
 an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron : 
 and the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.' 
 
 Tubal-Cain, a worldly possession ; and Naamah, 
 one that by her name should be beautiful. Lamech 
 his fruit then was, a budding, fading, worldly 
 possession, with a little deceitful, vain beauty, for 
 ' favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain : but a 
 woman Ihat feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.' 
 
 Pr. xxxi. 30. 
 
 Ver. 23. • And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah 
 and Zillah, hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, 
 hearken unto my speech : for I have slain a man 
 to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. 
 
 He that sticks not to exceed in one point, will 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 453 
 
 not fear to transgress in another. He had har- 
 dened his heart, by breaking the modest and orderly 
 bounds of marriage, and so fitted himself to shed 
 blood, or do any other wickedness. 
 
 ' Hearken to me, ye wives.' Lustful men break 
 their minds to their fleshly companions, sometimes, 
 sooner than to wiser counsellors. Even as Ahab, 
 in the business of the vineyard of Naboth, breaks 
 his mind to that ungodly Jezebel his wife. 
 
 'I have slain a man to my wounding.' Who, 
 or what man this murdered person was, therein 
 the word is silent: yet this Lamech being the son 
 of a bloody murderer, it is possible he was some 
 godly man, one of Adam's other children, or of 
 his grandchildren, the son of Seth : for these sons 
 of Cain, and namely this in special, as it seems, 
 took not heed to the mark wherewith God branded 
 Cain ; but like Belshazzar, he hardened his heart, 
 though he knew it, and would turn murderer also. 
 Da. V. 18—33. 
 
 ' I have slain a man to my wounding. ' The 
 guilt of blood who can bear? or who can help 
 himself thereby? It is a wounding thing, it is a 
 hurtful thing, he that sheds man's blood wrong- 
 fully, cannot establish himself thereby. Mat. xxii. 6, 7. 
 The Jews thought to have preserved themselves 
 and country by killing Jesus Christ ; but this so 
 provoked the justice of God, that for this thing's 
 sake he sent the Gentiles upon them to burn up 
 their city ; who when they were come, if stories 
 be true, slew of them eleven hundred thousand ; 
 and those of them that were taken alive, were sold 
 to who would buy them, Thirty a penny. ' Ye 
 shed blood (says God) and shall ye possess the 
 land? Ye stand upon your sword, ye work 
 abomination, and ye defile every one his neigh- 
 bour's wife: and shall ye possess the land?' Eze. 
 
 liiiii. 25, 26. 
 
 Ver. 24. ' If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, 
 truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.' 
 
 Though wicked men may be willingly ignorant 
 of that part of the judgments of God, that are to 
 premonish them, that they do not that wicked 
 thing for which the judgment was executed ; yet 
 if there be anything like favour mixed with the 
 judgment, of that they will take notice, to encou- 
 rage themselves to evil : even as this ungodly per- 
 son, he would not be stopped from blood by the 
 judgment of God upon Cain ; but rather, as it 
 seems, because the judgment was not speedily 
 executed, his heart was fully set in him to do evil. 
 Ec. viii. 11. Much like that of the Jews, who because 
 Jehoiakim had slain Uriah the prophet, and yet 
 God spared the land ; therefore make that an 
 argument to prevail with Zedekiah to kill Jeremiah 
 also. Je. xxvi. 20— 23. 
 
 ' If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly 
 Lamech seventy and sevenfold. ' Give wicked men 
 
 leave to judge of themselves, and they will pass a 
 sentence favourable enough. Though Lamech 
 had not pity when he spilt blood ; yea, though the 
 judgment of God upon Cain could not hold his 
 murderous hands: yet now be is guilty, let him 
 but make a law in the case, and woe be to him 
 that killeth Lamech: Vengeance shall be taken 
 of him seventyfold and seven. Joab could with 
 pitiless hands spill the blood of men more righteous 
 than himself, not regarding what became of their 
 souls : but when his blood was by vengeance re- 
 quired for the same, then he would take sanctuary 
 at the horns of the altar, l Ki. ii. 2s. But judgment 
 is not wholly left to men, the Lord is judge him- 
 self; before whom both Cain and Lamech, and all 
 their successors, shall be arraigned, and receive 
 just doom, and that never to be reversed. 
 
 Ver. 25. ' If And Adam knew his wife again ; 
 and she bare a son, and called his name Seth : for 
 God, said she, hath appointed me another seed 
 instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.' 
 
 Now we have done, for a while, with Cain, and are 
 come again to the church of God. Cain had slain 
 Abel, and by that means, for a while, had greatly 
 suppressed the flourishing of religion ; in which 
 time his own brood began to be mighty upon 
 earth ; so encreasing, as if religion was put to an 
 end for ever. But behold their disappointment ! 
 ' Adam knew his wife again,' (for Adam's family 
 was then the true church of God ;) or take Adam 
 for a type of Christ, and his wife for a type of the 
 church, and then this observation foUoweth; namely, 
 That so long as Christ and the church hath to do 
 with one another, it is in vain for Cain to think of 
 suppressing religion. 
 
 ' Adam knew his wife again.' If Eve had now 
 been barren, or Adam had died without farther 
 issue, then Cain might have carried the day ; but 
 behold another seed! a seed to stand in Abel's 
 place : therefore she called his name Seth ; that is, 
 Set or Put, as namely, in the room of Abel, to 
 stand up for, and to defend the truth against all 
 the army and power of Cain. As Paul also saith 
 of himself, ' I am set, [or put,] for the defence of 
 the gospel.' PM. i. 17. This man therefore, so far as 
 can be gathered, was the first that put check to 
 the outrage of Cain and his company. But mark 
 some observations about him. 
 
 I. He was set in the stead or place of Abel ; not 
 an inch behind him, but even at the place where 
 his blood was spilt. So that he that will revive 
 lost religion, must avow it as God's Abels have 
 done before him : every talker cannot do this. 
 The blood that was shed before his face, must 
 not put check to his godly stomach ; yea, he must 
 say to religion, as Ruth said once to her mother, 
 ' Where thou diest, I will die, and there will I bo 
 buried.' Ku.i. 17. This is the way to revive and to 
 
454 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 maintain tlie ways of God, in despite of bloody 
 Cain.* 
 
 2. This Seth tliat was set to put check to Cain, 
 did not do it of his own brain, bat the hand of God 
 was principal in the work, ' God,' said she, 'hath 
 appointed me another seed to be set in the place 
 of Abel.' And indeed it is otherwise in vain, 
 when religion is once suppressed, to think it should 
 ever revive again. Alas ! where is the man, if 
 he want God's Spirit, that will care for the flourish- 
 ing state of religion? and that in truth will make 
 the Lord his delight: ' This is Zion, whom no man 
 soeketh [for, or seeketh] after. ' Jc. xxic. 17. All men 
 here say, ' See to thine own house, David.' 1 Ki.xii. 
 15. But when Seth comes, then the ground is 
 made good again ; then a living saint is found to 
 stand and maintain that truth which but now his 
 brother bled for. When James was killed, Peter 
 stands up, &c. Ac. xii. 1—3. And therefore Seth is 
 said to be another seed, a man of another spirit : 
 One who was principled with a spirit beyond and 
 .ibove the spirit of the world. ' Another seed,' 
 one that was spirited for God's word, and God's 
 worship, and that would maintain his brother's 
 cause. 
 
 3. Observe, That when Seth maintains his bro- 
 ther's lot, you hear no more of the brood of Cain. 
 And indeed, the way to weary out God's enemies, 
 it is to maintain and make good the front against 
 them : ' Resist the devil, and he will fly. ' Ja. iv. 7. 
 Now if the Captain, their king Apollion, be made 
 to yield, how can his followers stand their ground ? 
 ' The dragon, - the devil, Satan, - he was cast 
 out into the earth, and his angels were cast out 
 with him.' Ee. xii. 9. But how? It was by fighting : 
 ' Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; 
 
 and overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and 
 by the word of their testimony, and by not loving 
 of their lives unto the death. ' Ee. xii. 7, 8, 13. 
 
 4. Let this, in the last place, serve for perse- 
 cutors. That when you have cast down many ten 
 thousands, and also the truth to the ground ; there 
 is yet a Seth, another seed behind, that God hath 
 iippointed to stand in the stead of his brethren, by 
 whom you will certainly be put to flight, and made 
 to cease from oppressing the truth. 
 
 Ver. 26. ' And to Seth, to him also there was 
 born a son; and he called his name Enos: Then 
 began men to call upon the name of the Lord. ' 
 
 * When Bunyau was in prison, under sentence to be hung, 
 all his thoughts were, not how to escape, but, how so to suffer 
 ai to glorify God ; ' I thought with myself if I should make a 
 scrabbling shift to clamber up the ladder, yet I should either 
 with quaking or other symptoms of faintings, give occasion to 
 the enemy to reproach the way of God and his people for 
 their timorousness. This, therefore, lay with great trouble 
 upon me, for, methought, I was ashamed to die with a pale 
 face and tottering knees for such a cause as this.' — Grace 
 Abuunding, No. 334. — Eu 
 
 The Holy Ghost, in recording the birth of Enos, 
 goeth out of his ordinary style, in that he doubleth 
 the mentioning of his father, with respect to the 
 birth of this son. And indeed it is worth the 
 observing ; for it staggereth the faith of some, to 
 think that the man that makes good the ground 
 of a murdered brother, should not leave issue be- 
 hind him : But ' to Seth, to him was born a son. ' 
 Our faithfulness to the truth, shall be no hinder- 
 ance to the flourishing state of our offspring, take 
 them either for the fleshly or spiritual seed of God's 
 servants, but sons, (especially in the latter sense, 
 if we truly stand by the word of God) shall surely 
 be born unto us. 
 
 ' And to Seth, to him also there was born a son ; 
 and he called his name Enos.' Enos, a man; not 
 a devil, like Cain, but a man ; or, a man that was 
 miserable in this world, for the sake and cause of_ 
 God ;t for it seems, as was his father, so was he, 
 even both given up to maintain God's truth ; which 
 cannot be done but with great hazard, so long as 
 Cain or his offspring remain. His father there- 
 fore, by his very name, did offer him up to bear 
 all hardships for the name and cause of God: 
 ' Behold I send you forth (saith Christ) as lambs 
 in the midst of wolves. ' In effect, he called their 
 name Enos, men to be acquainted with grief and 
 miseries : But mark, ' Then began men to call 
 upon the name of the Lord. ' 
 
 ' Then,' when Seth maintained Abel's ground, 
 and when Enos endured all miseries for the same: 
 For indeed this makes spectators believe that 
 religion is more than a fictitious notion : The hard- 
 ships, miseries, and blood of the saints, will make 
 men, otherwise heedless, consider and ponder their 
 cause aright. 
 
 'Then began.' For, as I also before have 
 hinted, the outrage of bloody Cain did put, for a 
 time, a stop to the flourishing state of God's wor- 
 ship ; which in all probability was not so little as 
 half a hundred years, even till Seth, and the son 
 of Seth, stood up to maintain the same ; but 'then, 
 THEN men began (more men than Seth and Euos) 
 to call upon the name of the Lord. ' 
 
 Note again. That all true religion beginneth 
 with fervent prayer: Or thus, That when men 
 begin to be servants to God, they begin it with 
 calling upon him. Thus did Saul, 'Behold he 
 prayeth : ' Ac. ix. And, ' Lord have mercy upon me,' 
 is the first of the groans of a sanctified heart. 
 
 The margin hath it, ' They began to call them- 
 selves by the name of the Lord.' As God saith 
 in another place, 'My name is called on them.' 
 The disciples were called Christians, (nay, the 
 
 t Buuyan has taken the meaning of all these Scripture names 
 from the first table to the Genevan or Puritan version, vul- 
 garly called 'The Breeches Bible,' an invaluable translation, 
 —Ed. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN GHAPTEKS OE GENESIS. 
 
 455 
 
 Baints are called the anointed ones, and the church 
 is called Christ.) i Co. xU. 12. But note, That fervent 
 prayer ends in faith and confidence in God. They 
 called themselves by the name ; they counted 
 themselves not from a vain and groundless opinion, 
 hut through the faith they had in the mercy of 
 God, The saints and holy people of God. 
 
 They began to publish themselves, in contra- 
 distinction to the offspring of Cain, the holy people 
 of God. Wherefore, a separation from the wicked 
 began betimes ; the one going by the name of ' the 
 sons of God ;' the other, ' by the sons and daugh- 
 ters of men:' ch. vi. 1, 2. 'Then began men to call 
 upon the name of the Lord. ' 
 
 CHAP. V, 
 
 Ver. 1 . ' This is the book of the generations of 
 Adam. In the day that God created man, in the 
 likeness of God made he him.' 
 
 The Holy Ghost having thus largely treated of 
 Cain and his offspring, and of the head made 
 against him by Seth and Enos, and of the good 
 success that followed, he now comes to treat of 
 the church in particular, and of the flourishing 
 state of the same. 
 
 ' This is the book.' The Holy Ghost cuts off 
 the genealogy of Cain, accounting him none of the 
 race of the church, although before he was within 
 the pale thereof. John observing this, calls him, 
 ' a child of that wicked one,' 1 Jn. iiL 13. as our Lord 
 also accounted Judas. Wherefore, he here begins 
 his book again, that this wicked race might be 
 quite excluded. ' Let them be blotted out of the 
 book of the living, and not be written with the 
 righteous.' Ps.ixix. 28. 
 
 ' In the day that God created man, in the like- 
 ness of God made he him.' Although by this 
 new beginning the Holy Ghost excludeth Cain, yet 
 he fetcheth the genealogy of the church from the 
 day that man was created ; intimating that God, 
 in the very act of creation, had a special intention 
 to plant him a church in the world ; and therefore, 
 even before sin was in the world, the image of 
 God was upon man, as a token of his special 
 respect, and of the great delight that he intended 
 to take in that creature above all that he had 
 made. ?r. viii. 30, si. 
 
 Ver. 2. 'Male and female created he them; and 
 blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the 
 day when they were created.' 
 
 When Adam was created, the Lord created 
 two in one : So when Christ, the head of the 
 church, was chosen, the church was also chosen 
 in him. 
 
 ' And blessed them.' With the blessing of 
 generation : A type of the blessing of regeneration 
 that was to be by Christ in the church, according 
 
 to that which is written, ' So shall thy seed be.' 
 
 Ep. i. i. 
 
 ' And called their name Adam, in the day when 
 they were created.' So that in the man the woman 
 is included : ' Neither is the man without the 
 woman, neither the woman without the man, in 
 the Lord.' iCo. xi. 11. For the Holy Ghost, in the 
 work of the new creation, of which this creation 
 was a type, counteth not by male and female, but 
 'ye are all one in Christ Jesus.' Ga. iu. 28. Where- 
 fore, women are not to be excluded out of the 
 means of salvation ; nay, they have, if they believe, 
 a special right to all the promises of grace that 
 God hath made to his saints in all ages: Yea, 
 'she shall be saved in childbearing, [though she 
 bear children,] if she continue in faith, and charity, 
 and holiness with sobriety.' ITim ii. 15, 
 
 Ver. 3. ' And Adam lived an hundred and 
 thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, 
 after his image ; and called his name Seth.' 
 
 Here also by the book of Chronicles, the Holy 
 Ghost carrieth away the genealogy, because Abel 
 had no children, saying Adam, Seth, &c. iCh. i. 1. 
 
 ' An hundred and thiry years.' Behold the 
 rage of hell ! For until Seth stood in Abel's place, 
 religion was greatly hindered, and that was after 
 the world had stood an hundred and thirty years. 
 Indeed, Abel, while he had his breath, did hold it 
 up in the world ; but Cain, who was of that wicked 
 one, smote him and religion both to the ground. 
 
 'And begat a sow in his own likeness.' Who 
 can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ? not one. ' 
 Job xiv. i. If the father be polluted with the inward 
 filth of sin, the son must needs be like him : ' I 
 was shapen in iniquity; (said David) and in sin 
 did my mother conceive me. ' Ps. li. 5. Seth then 
 was no better than we by nature, but came into 
 the world in the blood of his mother's filth : ' What 
 is man, that he should be clean ? and }ie which is 
 horn of a woman, that he should be righteous?' 
 
 Job XV. 14. 
 
 This therefore should teach us not to count of 
 our election, and of our effectual calling but by 
 the word of God. Seth by nature was a sinful 
 man, and yet the chosen servant of God ; the first 
 that took up God's quarrel after the death of 
 blessed Abel. 
 
 This should also help us to hold up the bucklers 
 against the kingdom of the devil and hell. Seth 
 was subject to like infirmities with us, and yet he 
 got ground of the children of iniquity. I know a 
 sense of our own infirmities is apt to weaken our 
 hand in so mighty an undertaking, but it should 
 not: Although we be like old Adam by nature^ 
 yet God is able to make us stand. 
 
 Ver. 4. ' And the days of Adam, after he had 
 begotten Seth, were eight hundred years : and ho 
 begat sons and daughters. ' 
 
456 
 
 AN KXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 AJam therefore, as a type of Christ, reigned in 
 the church almost a thousand years. The world 
 therefore beginning thus, doth shew us how it will 
 end ; namely, hy the reign of the second Adam, 
 as it began with the reign of the first. 
 
 These long-lived men therefore shew us the 
 glory that the church shall have in the latter day, 
 even in the seventh thousand years of the world, 
 that sabbath when Christ shall set up his kingdom 
 on earth, according to that which is written, ' They 
 lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 
 Be. XX. l^k They : — Who ? The church of God, 
 according also as it was with Adam. Therefore 
 they are said by John to be holy, as well as blessed: 
 ' Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first 
 resurrection: on such the second death hath no 
 power, but they shall be priests of God, and of 
 Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.' 
 ver. 6. In all which time the wicked in the world 
 shall forbear to persecute, as did also the brood of 
 wicked Cain in the days of Adam, Seth, <fcc. 
 Hence therefore we find in the first place the 
 dragon chained for these thousand years. 
 
 Ver. 5. ' And all the days that Adam lived were 
 nine hundred and thirty years : and he died. ' 
 
 Adam therefore lived to see the translation of 
 Enoch : In whose translation a conquest was got 
 over all the enemies of his soul and body: So 
 Christ shall reign in and among his saints till all 
 his enemies be destroyed. ' The last enemy that 
 shall be destroyed is death ;' l Co. iv.26. which shall 
 be swallowed up when the members of that glorious 
 head have put on incorruption, and their ' mortal 
 shall have put on immortality.' Adam's reigning 
 therefore until Enoch's translation, looks like a 
 prophecy of the perfection of Christ's kingdom: 
 For he shall reign till he hath ' delivered up the 
 kingdom to God, even the Father:' vers*. As 
 Adam, till his Enoch was translated and took up 
 to God. 
 
 Ver. G. ' IT And Seth lived an hundred and five 
 years, and begat Euos. ' 
 
 Seth therefore stood by the truth of God, a long 
 time, without much help or encouragement from 
 man ; which was a great trial to his spirit, and 
 proof of the truth of his faith, and tended much to 
 the perfection of his patience. Somewhat like 
 this was that of Paul, who had no man stood with 
 him when he stood before Nero. 
 
 Seth was set in the stead of Abel, to keep the 
 gap against the children of hell ; which, by the 
 grace of God, he faithfully did, even till Enos was 
 sent to his aid and assistance. 
 
 Seth therefore was the forlorn hope of the church 
 in those days. So set of God to put check to the 
 enemy, until the church was increased, and more 
 able to defend herself from the outrage. 
 
 This therefore should teach the saints of God, 
 
 especially those that are sent before, against the 
 ofi'spring of Cain, to stand their ground, and not 
 to shrink like Saul, till God shall send others to 
 take part with them. 1 Sa. i. 8; xiii. 8—14. 
 
 Thus David stood, as it were, by himself, against 
 the wicked that was in his day ; which made him 
 cry, ' Who will rise up for me against the evil 
 doers,' or who will stand up for me against the 
 workers of iniquity ? Pa. jciv. 16. 
 
 Ver. 7. ' And Seth lived after he begat Enos 
 eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and 
 daughters. ' 
 
 Hence also we may gather great encouragement 
 who are set in the front of the army of the Lamb, 
 against the army and regiment of Cain. Seth, 
 saith the Spirit, was set in the stead of Abel, there 
 as forlorn, to defend rehgion: Must he not now be 
 swallowed up ? Will the blood-hounds let him 
 escape ? Behold, therefore his life must be ac- 
 counted a wonder ! As was also that of Paul. 
 iCo. ri. 9. But for Seth to stand eight hundred 
 years against such a murderous crew, and yet to 
 have his breath in his nostrils ! Our times are in 
 thy hands, and thou. Lord, ' holdeth our soul in 
 
 life. ' I's. Ixvi. 9. 
 
 ' And all the days of Seth were nine hundred 
 and twelve years, and he died. ' ver. 8. 
 
 His life was therefore eighteen years shorter 
 than that of Adam ; he lived fifty-five years after 
 Enoch, and died sis hundred and fourteen years 
 before the flood. 
 
 Ver. 9. ' IT And Enos lived ninety years, and 
 begat Cainan.' 
 
 Cainan signifieth a buyer, or owner. Let it be 
 with respect to religion, and then the sense may 
 be, that he had this privilege in religion by the 
 hazard of his father and grandfather's life ; they 
 bought it for him, and made him the owner of it : 
 As Paul saith. He gave not place to the false 
 Apostles, ' that the truth of the gospel might con- 
 tinue with the Galatians.' cli. ii. 5. As Jotham also 
 said to Shechem, 'My Father fought for you, and 
 adventured his life far, and delivered you out of 
 the hand of Jlidian.' Julix. 17. Namely, that they 
 might still be owners of the inheritance that the 
 Lord had given them. This shews us then, that 
 the fruit of a constant standing to the word of God, 
 is. That the generations yet unborn shall be made 
 the possessors and owners of it. 
 
 Ver. 10. ' And Enos lived after he begat Cainan 
 eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons 
 and daughters.' 
 
 He lived then to see his son enjoy the fruits of 
 his own constancy to the truth, so long a time as 
 eight hundred years, he. as we hope God's people 
 now may do. 'Tis true, they now do own the 
 truth with hazard, and do hold it up by enduring 
 much misery, according to the rage of wicked men; 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE HRST TE.V CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 457 
 
 but, I say, 'tis hoped others -nill reap the fruits of 
 our travails, and that some of us shall live to see 
 It, as Enos lived to see his Cainan possess rehgion 
 eight hundred years.* 
 
 Ver. 11. ' And all the days of Enos were nine 
 hundred and five yeai-s : and he died. ' 
 
 He lived then one hundred fifty-three years after 
 Enoch, and died five hundred and sixteen years 
 before the flood. 
 
 Ver. 12. ' % And Cainan lived seventy years, 
 and begat Mahalaleel. ' 
 
 Mahalaleel, signifieth praising God. Wherefore 
 he was born in settled times, wherein religion met 
 with little or no molestation. It began to be as 
 hereditary in the days of blessed Cainan ; where- 
 fore it was requisite that the very next that should 
 possess the truth, should spend their days in prais- 
 ing God. He. xi. 15. And thus it will be at the down- 
 fal of Antichrist: ' After this (saith John) I heard 
 a great voice of much people in heaven, saying 
 AUelujah ; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and 
 
 power unto the Lord our God. And a voice 
 
 came out of the throne saying, Praise our God, all 
 ye his servants ; and ye that fear him, both small 
 and great.' Ee. xk. l— 6. 
 
 ' The whole earth (.saith the Prophet) is at rest 
 and is quiet, they break forth into singing. Yea, 
 the fir-trees rejoice at thee, (0 thou brood of the 
 blood-thirsty Cain,) and the cedars of Lebanon, 
 saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come 
 up against us.' is. xiv. 7, 8. 
 
 Ver. 13. ' And Cainan lived after he begat 
 Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and 
 begat sons and daughters.' 
 
 God gave him a long possession and enjoyment 
 of the fruits of his father's labours. They sowed 
 (as Christ said) and he was entered into their 
 labours : They sowed in tears, and he reaped in 
 joy. Mahalaleel, or praise our God, was the lan- 
 guage of those times. 
 
 Ver. 14. ' And all the days of Cainan were nine 
 hundred and ten years: and he died.' 
 
 He lived tlTen two hundred and forty-eight years 
 after Enoch, and died four hundred twenty-one 
 years before the flood. 
 
 Ver. 15. ' IT And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five 
 years, and begat Jared.' 
 
 Jared signifies ruling, and sheweth us what is 
 the holy fruits of peace and thanksgiving in the 
 church ; to wit, government according to the testa- 
 ment of Christ, Ac. in. 31. It is hard to have all 
 things according to rule, in the day of the church's 
 
 * Bnnyau, after suffering much, and witnessing the cruel 
 h.ivoc made with the church of God in his time, fell asleep in 
 peace on the eve of the glorious revolution ; — while many of 
 his cotemporaries did, he did not ' live to see it.' He died 
 August 31, 1688 — as James the Second fled and lost his 
 «rown on the 11th of December following. — Ed. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 afiliction ; because of the weakness and fearfulness 
 of some ; and because possibly those who have 
 most skill in that matter, may for a time be laid 
 up in chains : but now when the church hath rest 
 and quietness, then as she praiseth God, so she 
 conceiveth and bringeth forth governors, and good 
 government and rule among her members. David, 
 a man of blood, could not build that house to the 
 Lord, which peaceable Solomon, that man of rest, 
 afterwards did. l Ch. xrriii. 3, 6. When armies are 
 engaged, and hot in battle, 'tis harder to keep 
 them in rank and file, than when they have rest, 
 and time for discipline. Jared therefore is the 
 fruits of thanksgiving, as thanksgiving is the fruits 
 of peace and possession. 
 
 Ver. 16. 'And Mahalaleel lived after he begat 
 Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat 
 sons and daughters.' 
 
 He lived not only to give thanks unto God, but 
 to shew to all that he gave thanks in truth, by sub- 
 mitting his neck the rest of the hundred of years 
 that he lived, to the holy law and word of God. 
 
 A good rule to prove people by; for all that 
 pretend to give thanks for liberty, put not their 
 neck under the yoke, but rather use their liberty 
 as an occasion for the flesh, than by love to serve 
 and advantage one another in the things of the 
 kingdom of Christ. Ga. t. 13. 1 Pc. ii. 16. But as 'the 
 bramble said to the [rest of the] trees,' so saith 
 Christ to such feigned thanksgivers, ' If in truth 
 ye anoint me king over you, then come avd put 
 your trust in my shadow.' Ju. ii. 15. Submit to my 
 law, and be governed by my testament. Let your 
 thanksgiving bring forth Jared, and walk with God 
 in the days of Jared. 
 
 Ver. 17. ' And all the days of Mahalaleel were 
 eight hundred ninety and five years : and he died. ' 
 
 He lived then three hundred and three years 
 after Enoch, and died three hundred and sixty-six 
 years before the flood. 
 
 Ver. 18. ' And Jared lived an hundred sixty 
 and two years, and he begat Enoch.' 
 
 Enoch, is taught, or dedicate: The true efiect 
 of rule or government, be it good or bad : in Cain's 
 posterity it was bad ; ' for an evil tree cannot 
 bring forth good fruit.' By Enoch here, we are 
 to understand, one taught in, and dedicated unto, 
 God. This Enoch therefore was a son that would 
 hear the rules, and submit to the government of 
 his father Jared. ' As an ear-ring of gold, and 
 an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover 
 upon an obedient ear. ' Pr. xxv, 13. 
 
 Ver. 19. 'And Jared lived after he begat Enoch 
 eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. 
 
 He lived therefore to see the fruit of his good 
 
 rule and government in the church, even to see his 
 
 teachable and dedicated son caught up to God, and 
 
 to his throne. A good encouragement to all rulers 
 
 3 x 
 
458 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 in the Louse of God, and also to all godly parents 
 to teach and rule in the fear of God ; for that is 
 the way to part with church memhers, and chil- 
 dren with comfort; yea, that is the way, if we 
 shall out-live them, to send them to heaven, and 
 to God before us. 
 
 Ver. 20. ' And all the days of Jared were nine 
 hundred sixty and two years : and he died. ' 
 
 He lived then three hundred thirty-five years 
 after Enoch, and died two hundred thirty-four 
 before the flood, 
 
 Ver. 21. ' And Enoch lived sixty and ijve years, 
 and begat Methuselah. ' 
 
 Methuselah signifieth, Spoiling his death : This 
 therefore is the true fruits of one that is truly 
 taught in, and dedicate to the service of God, as 
 Enoch was ; by this means he spoileth his death : 
 wherefore he adds, 'And Enoch walked with God,' 
 Walking with God, spoileth death, or overcomes 
 it, or it shall be prevented, he shall n»t be hurt 
 therewith: As Christ saith, 'If a man keep my 
 saying, he shall never taste death.' Jn.viii.B3. 
 
 Ver. 22. ' And Enoch walked with God, after 
 he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and 
 begat sons and daughters.' 
 
 These words [after he begat Methuselah] may 
 have respect either to his beginning to walk with 
 God, or to the number of the years that he lived 
 after the birth of Methuselah, or both. 
 
 If it respect the first, then it sheweth that the 
 only encouragement that a sinner hath to walk 
 with God, it is to see Methuselah, or his death 
 spoiled : for when a ma,n seeth deatli, and all evils, 
 conquered and overcome, then his soul is encou- 
 raged in holiness, i Co. xv. 55—58. No encouragement 
 to walking with God like this: 'Enoch walked 
 with God after he begat Methuselah.' As Paul 
 saith, ' Now being made free from sin, - (which 
 indeed is the sting of death) ye have your fruit 
 unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.' Ko. ri. 22. 
 
 If it respect the second, then it shews us the 
 invincible nature of true faith, (for by faith Enoch 
 walked with God:) I say, it sheweth us the invin- 
 cible nature of true faith, in that it would hold up 
 a man in close communion with God for the space 
 of three hundred years. 
 
 ' He walked with God three hundred years. ' 
 How wiU the conversation of Enoch rise up in 
 judgment with this generation, that walk not with 
 God at all ! Or if they do, do it so by fits, as if 
 walking with God was but a work by the by. 
 
 ' He walked with God and begat sons and 
 daughters.' And kept house, and lived with his 
 wife, according to knowledge. This shews then, 
 that it is sin, not our lawful and honest employ- 
 ment, that hindereth one's walking with God. 
 
 Ver. 23, 24. ' And all the days of Enoch were 
 three hundred and sixty and five years: And 
 
 Enoch walked with God : and he was not ; for God 
 
 took him. ' ver. 23, 24. 
 
 The New Testament saith, ' By faith Enoch 
 was translated that he should not see death ; and 
 was not found, because God had translated him : 
 for before his translation he had this testimony, 
 that he pleased God.' 
 
 ' And all the days of Enoch were three hundred 
 and sixty and five years. ' Enoch therefore lived 
 here but a while ; he was too good to live long in 
 this world, the world was not worthy of him; 
 neither would he be spared so long out of heaven, 
 'for God took him.' The end of walking with 
 God or the path-way thereof, it leads men to 
 heaven, to the enjoyment of the glory of God. 
 Thus also it was with blessed Elijah, he followed 
 God from place to place, till at length he was 
 caught up into heaven. 2 Ki. ii. i— ll. 
 
 A word or two more of Enoch. Jude observes. 
 That he was the seventh from Adam: Closely 
 intimating (as I conceive) that by him God pre- 
 figured the resurrection and end of the world: 
 And intimated. That in the seventh great day of 
 the world this resurrection should be, each genera- 
 tion from Adam being a type of a thousand years : 
 So that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, was a 
 type of the seventh thousand, in which the Lord 
 will reign with his church a thousand years. 
 
 There are two things in Enoch that incline me 
 to this opinion. First, he crieth out, ' Behold the 
 Lord comes ! ' and then is translated that he should 
 not see death. The right posture and end of those 
 that shall live at the day of God Almighty; and 
 that shall, like Enoch, be found ' walking with 
 God,' when the Lord shall come from heaven. 
 
 Jude 14, 16. 
 
 Ver. 25. ' H And Methuselah lived an hundred 
 eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech.' 
 
 Lamech signifieth poor, or smitten ; wherefore 
 I doubt that the apostacy that you read of in the 
 next chapter, began either in the days of, or by, 
 this man: he being, as it seems, more dry and 
 void of grace than those that went before hira ; 
 poor, or smitten. 
 
 Hence note. That faith and godhness, though 
 often it goeth from the father to the sou, as from 
 Seth to Enos, and from him to Cainan, yet it is 
 not tied here, but runs according to electing love, 
 as also do the fruits thereof. 
 
 Ver. 26, 27. ' And Methuselah lived after he 
 begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two 
 years, and begat sons and daughters. And all the 
 days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and 
 nine years, and he died.' 
 
 Methuselah, the spoiling of death, is the longest 
 liver in the world ; yet he died in the year that the 
 flood was upon the earth ; not by the flood, but by 
 the course of nature, as also did Lamech his sou, 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIEST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 459 
 
 lor the wicked reprobate only was swept away by 
 that, according to the apostle Peter. 
 
 Ver. 28, 29. ' IT And Lamech lived an hundred 
 eighty and two years, and begat a son: and he 
 called his name Noah, saying. This same shall 
 comfort us concerning our work and toil of our 
 hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath 
 cursed.' 
 
 ' And he called his name Noah.' Noah signi- 
 fieth rest ; his name was therefore according to his 
 work, for he was a preacher of righteousness, 
 which giveth rest to all that embraceth it. Besides, 
 it was he that prepared the ark, the place of rest 
 to the church of God. 
 
 ' This same shall comfort us concernina; our 
 work and toil of our hands, because of the ground 
 which the Lord hath cursed.' 
 
 These words seem to carry in them, repentance 
 for the apostacy that before was mentioned. ' This 
 same shall comfort us,' by restoring the church to 
 her former rest, and by delivering us from the 
 ' toil of our hands;' for sin once admitted of in 
 the church, is not without much toil extirpated, 
 and driven forth of the same ; yea sometimes it 
 getteth such footing and root, that it cannot again 
 be purged and destroyed, but by breaking the 
 very being of the church where it is. Thus it was 
 as to the case in hand, and is signified also by 
 pulling down the house in which the leprosy was, 
 Le. xiv. 43— 45. Yea Ephesus itself was almost thus 
 far infected, had not a threatening prevented. 
 He. ii. 1—3. 
 
 ' Because of the ground which the Lord hath 
 cursed.' The Lord did curse it for the sin of 
 Adam : He also renewed the curse to Cain, because 
 he was guilty of the blood of his brother. I incline 
 also to think, that the curse here mentioned, is the 
 first, reiterated for the grievous apostacy of this 
 congregation ; according to that which is written, 
 ' If ye walk contrary unto me, ' ' I will punish you 
 seven times more : ' ' I will bring seven times more 
 plagues upon you, according to your sins.' Le. xxvi. 
 18—21. 
 
 Ver. 30. ' And Lamech lived after he begat 
 Noah, five hundred ninety and five years, and 
 begat sons and daughters.' Wherefore Lamech 
 heard the preaching of Noah, who was the only 
 minister of God in those days, to recover the 
 church to repentance from their apostacy, which 
 also he did in some good measure effect, while 
 he condemned the world for their unbelief. He. xi. 7. 
 
 Ver. 31.' And all the days of Lamech were seven 
 hundred seventy and seven years : and he died. ' 
 He died five years before the flood. Methuselah 
 therefore was the longest liver of those godly that 
 fell on the other side the flood, for he died not 
 before the very year the flood came, not by the 
 water, but before. The righteous is taken away 
 
 from the evil to come ; though, as the prophet 
 saith, no man of the wicked laid it to heart. 
 
 Ver. 32. ' If And Noah was five hundred years 
 old : and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japhet. ' 
 
 CHAP. VL 
 
 Ver. 1. ' And it came to pass, when men began 
 to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters 
 were born unto them. ' 
 
 Moses now leaveth the genealogy for a while, 
 and searcheth into the state and condition of the 
 church now after so long a time as its standing 
 upwards of, or above, a thousand years : where he 
 presently findeth two things. L The church 
 declined. 2. And God provoked. Wherefore he 
 maketh inquiry into the nature of the church's 
 sin ; which he relateth in this following chapter. 
 
 ' And it came to pass, when men began to mul- 
 tiply. ' The men here I understand to be the 
 children of Cain, the church and synagogue of 
 Satan, because they are mentioned by way of 
 antithesis to the church and sons of God. 
 
 ' And daughters were born imto them. ' A snare 
 that was often used in the hand of the devil, to 
 intangle withal the church of God; yea, and doth 
 so usually speed, that it hath often been counted by 
 him as infallible ; so that this is the doctrine of 
 his prophet Balaam, and it prevailed, when all the 
 engines of hell beside were prevented. ' The 
 people began to commit whoredom with the daugh- 
 ters of Moab. ' Nu. xxr. 1, a. It may be this child of 
 hell, in this his advice to Balak looked back to the 
 daughters of Cain, and calling to remembrance 
 how of old they intangled the church, advertised 
 him to put the same into practice again. Ke. ii u. 
 
 Ver. 2. ' That the sons of God saw the daugh- 
 ters of men, that they were fair ; and they took 
 them wives of all which they chose.' 
 
 This was the way then of the sons of Cain, to 
 let their fair daughters be shewed to the sons of 
 God. Pr. xxiL 14. For it seems all other their wiles 
 and devices were not able to bring the church and 
 the world together, and to make them live as in 
 one communion. These to the church were such, 
 whose hearts were snares and nets, and whose 
 hands were bands to intangle and hold them from 
 observing the laws and judgments of God. Ec. vii. 26 
 
 ' And they took them wives. ' First their eye 
 saw them, and then their heart lusted after them. 
 Thus the devil deceived the woman, and bj' this 
 means perished cursed Achan. ' And Achan 
 answered Joshua, and said. Indeed I have sinned 
 against the Lord, and thus and thus have I done : 
 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Baby- 
 lonish garment,' (fee, 'then I coveted them.' Jos. 
 vii. 20, 21. 
 
 Note therefore, that it is not good to behold with 
 
460 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS 01? GENESIS. 
 
 the eye tLat which God hath forbid us to touch 
 with our hand. ' I made a covenant with mine eyes, ' 
 saith Job. Job. XXX. 1. And again, if at unawares a 
 thing was cast before him, the beholding of which 
 was of an intangling nature, he forthwith would 
 hold back his heart as with a bridle, lest the 
 design of hell should be effected upon him. ver. 7. 
 
 Crush sin then in the conception, lest it bring 
 forth death in thy soul. 
 
 Ver. 3. ' And the Lord said. My Spirit shall not 
 always strive with man, for that he also is flesh : 
 yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty 
 years. ' 
 
 By these words is aggravated the sin of the 
 church, that she would attempt to close with, and 
 hold a sinful communion, against the dissuasions 
 of the Spirit of God. 
 
 ' My Spirit shall not always strive.' To wit, 
 my Spirit in Noah, for he was the only preacher 
 of righteousness to the church in those backsliding 
 times. 
 
 By this then, I Gnd, that the doctrine of Noah, 
 was. To declare against a sinful communion, or to 
 command the church, in the name of God, that she 
 still maintain a separation from the cursed children 
 of Cain : As he said to the prophet Jeremiah, If 
 thou separate the precious from the vile, ' thou 
 shalt be as my mouth. ' chap. xv. 19. 
 
 Noah therefore had a hard task, when he 
 preached this doctrine among them : for this above 
 all is hard to be borne, for by this he condemned 
 the world. 
 
 The first great quarrel therefore that God had 
 with his church, it was for their holding unwar- 
 rantable communion with others. The church 
 should always ' dwell alone, and not be reckoned 
 among the nations.' Nu.xxiii. 9. The church is 'a 
 chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy 
 nation, a peculiar people.' IPe. ii. 9. Therefore the 
 work of the church of God, is not to fall in with 
 any sinful fellowship, or receive into their com- 
 munion the ungodly world, but to shew forth the 
 praises and virtues of him who hath called them 
 out from among such communicants into his mar- 
 vellous light. 
 
 ' My Spirit shall not always strive. ' Hence 
 note, that the people that shall continue to grieve 
 the Spirit of God, and to resist the doctrine of 
 Noah, they are appointed for heavy judgments. 
 ' Come out of her, my people, that ye be not par- 
 takers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her 
 plagues.' Re-xviii. 4. This because those (finally im- 
 penitent) in Noah's time refused to do, therefore 
 the wrath of God overtook them, and swept them 
 off the face of the earth. 
 
 ' Yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty 
 vears. ' Noah therefore began his preaching about 
 the four hundred and fourscore year of his life. 
 
 which continuing the space of sixscore more, it 
 reached to the day that the flood came. 
 
 In which time doubtless his faith was sufficiently 
 tried, both by the hard censures of the hypocrites 
 of the church, and the open profane of the world, 
 against whom he daily pronounced the judgments 
 of God for maintaining their forbidden communion. 
 Ge. ill. 15. 
 
 ' Yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty 
 years.' God also would yet have patience with 
 these people, if peradventure they would repent 
 that his hand might not be upon them. 
 
 Ver. 4. ' There were giants in the earth in 
 those days ; and also after that, when the sons of 
 God came in unto the daughters of men, and they 
 bare children to them, the same became mighty 
 men, which were of old, men of renown.' 
 
 ' There were giants in the earth in those days. ' 
 These words seem to be spoken, to shew us the 
 hazards that Noah ran, while he preached the truth 
 of God : He incurred the displeasure of the giants, 
 which doubtless made all men tremble, and kept 
 the whole world in awe. But Noah must engage 
 the giants, he must not fear the face of a giant. 
 This way God took also with Moses, and with his 
 people of Israel, they must go to possess the land 
 of the giants, a people high and tall as the cedars, 
 a people of whom went that proverb, ' Who can 
 stand before the children of Anak? ' De. k. 2. They 
 must not be afraid of Og the king of Bashan, 
 though his head be as high as the ridge of a house, 
 and his bedstead a bedstead of iron. De. Hi. ll. 
 
 This should teach us then not to fear the faces 
 of men : no, not the faces of the mighty ; not to 
 fear them, I say, in the matters of God, though 
 they should run upon us like a giant. 
 
 These giants I suppose were the children of 
 Cain, because mentioned as another sort than 
 those that were the fruit of their forbidden and 
 ungodly communion : For he adds, ' And also after 
 that,' or besides them, ' when the sons of God 
 came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare 
 children to them, the same, [or they also] became 
 mighty men which were of old, men of renown.' 
 
 Then Noah found giants every where: Giants 
 in the world, and giants in this confused com- 
 munion. And thus it is at this day ; we do not 
 only meet with giants abroad, among the most 
 ungodly and uncircumcised in heart, but even 
 among those that seem to be of the religious, 
 among them we also meet with giants ; men mighty 
 to oppose the truth, and very profomid to make 
 slaughter: But mark the advice of the Lord, 
 ' Fear not their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the 
 Lord of hosts himself, (who is stronger than all 
 the giants that are upon the face of the earth) and 
 let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.' 
 
 Is. viii. 13, is. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS Of GENESIS. 
 
 461 
 
 • ' And when the sons of God canae in unto the ! 
 daughters of men, and they hare children to them, 
 the same became mighty men ;' much like to the 
 giants. The fruit therefore of ungodly communion 
 is monstrous, and of a very strange complexion. 
 They are like unto them that worshipped the Lord, 
 and served their own gods also ; 2 Ki. xvu. 34, «. or 
 like to those of the church, of whom Nehemiah 
 spea.ks, that had mixed themselves with the chil- 
 dren of Ashdod, Ammon and Moah, whose chil- 
 dren were a monstrous hrood, that spake half the 
 language of Ashdod, and could not speak the Jews' 
 language. Ne. xiii. as, 24. 
 
 By hoth these sorts of giants was faithful Noah 
 despised, and his work for God condemned. In 
 David's time also Goliah defied Israel, and so did 
 his brethren also. 1 Sa. xtU. id. Giants, the sons of 
 the giant ; but David and his servants must engage 
 them, and fight them, though they were giants. 
 
 1 Ch. XX. 4—8. 
 
 'Mighty men which were of old.' Persecution 
 therefore, or the appearance of the giants against 
 the servants of God, is no new business ; not a 
 thing of yesterday, but of old, even when Noah did 
 minister for God in the world. ' There were giants 
 in the earth in those days,' to oppose him. 
 
 ' Men of renown.' Not for faith and holiness, 
 but for some other high achievements, may be, 
 mighty to fight, and to shed man's blood; or to 
 find out arts, and the nature of things ; both which 
 did render them famous, and men to be noted in 
 their place. Such kind of men might be Corah, 
 Dathan, and their company also ; yet they opposed 
 Moses and Aaron, yea, God, his way and worship, 
 and perished after an unheard of manner. Nu. xvi. l, 2. 
 As also did the opposers of righteous Noah, in the 
 day of the flood. 
 
 Ver. 5. ' And God saw that the wickedness of 
 man was great in the earth, and thai every imagi- 
 nation of the thoughts of his heart was only evil 
 continually. ' The margin saith, ' not only the 
 imagination, but also the purposes and desires.' 
 
 These words are to be understood, as still 
 respecting the apostacy that we read of in the first 
 and second verses, and are (in my thoughts) to be 
 taken as the efifect of their degeneracy. For 
 though it be true, that the best of men, in their 
 most holy and godly behaviour, have wicked and 
 sinful hearts ; yet so long as they walk sincerely 
 according to the rules prescribed of God, there is 
 no such character upon them ; especially as it 
 stands related to the words that immediately fol- 
 low ; to wit, ' that it repented the Lord that he 
 made them.' 
 
 These evil and wicked purposes then were in 
 special the fruit of their apostacy: for indeed, 
 when men are once fallen from God, they then, as 
 the judgment of God upon them, are given uij to 
 
 all unrighteousness. Again, apostatizing persons 
 are counted abhorrers of God. Zcc. xi. 8. Yet persons 
 in this condition will seek their own justification, 
 tnrning things upside down, traversing their ways 
 like the dromedaries ; bearing us still in hand, 
 that they stand not guilty of sin, but that what 
 they do is allowable, or winked at of God. 
 Besides, they say their hearts are still upright 
 with God, and that they have not forsaken the 
 simplicity of his way, of a wicked and ungodly 
 design, with an hundred more the like pretences ; 
 all which are condemned of God, and held by him 
 as abominable and vile. Je. ii. 31—37. 
 
 And God saw, <fec. They covered their shamo 
 from men, like the adulterous woman in the Pro- 
 verbs, and would speak with oily mouths, thereby 
 to cozen the world ; Pr. ixx. 20. but God knew their 
 hearts, and had revealed their sin to his servant 
 Noah ; he therefore in the Spirit of God, as one 
 alone, cried out against their wickedness. 
 
 Hence learn to judge of apostates, not by their 
 words, nor pretences, nor ungodly coverings, where- 
 by they may seek to hide themselves from the 
 stroke of a convincing argument, but judge them 
 by the words of God ; for however they think of 
 themselves, or would be accounted of others, God 
 sees their wickedness is great. 
 
 ' And that every imagination of the thoughts of 
 his heart, was only evil continually.' If they 
 think they have not sinned; if .they think they 
 promote religion ; if they think to find out a medium 
 to make peace between the seed of the woman, and 
 the wicked seed of Cain ; all is alike ungodly, they 
 have forsaken the right way, they have dissembled 
 the known truth, they have rejected the word of the 
 Lord : And what wisdom or goodness is in them ? 
 
 Ver. 6. ' And it repented the Lord that he had 
 made man on the earth, sCnd it grieved him at his 
 heart. ' 
 
 Repentance is in us a change of the mind ; but 
 in God, a change of his dispensations ; for other- 
 wise he repenteth not, neither can he ; because it 
 standeth not with the perfection of his nature : In 
 him ' is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. ' 
 Ja. i. 17. 
 
 Wherefore, it is man, not God, that turns. 
 When men therefore reject the mercy and ways of 
 God, they cast themselves under his wrath and 
 displeasure ; which because it is executed accord- 
 ing to the nature of his justice, and the severity of 
 his law, they miss of the mercy promised before. 
 Nu. xxiii. 19. Which that we may know, those shall 
 one day feel that shall continue in final impenitency. 
 Therefore, God speaking to their capacity, he tells 
 them, he hath repented of doing them good. ' The 
 Lord repented that he had made Saul king.'isa.xv. 
 35. And yet this repentance was only a change of 
 the dispensation, which Saul by his wickedness 
 
4.62 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 liad put himself under ; otherwise the strength, the 
 eternity of Israel, ' will not lie nor repent. ' vcr. 29. 
 
 The sum is therefore, that men had now hy 
 their wickedness put themselves under the justice 
 and law of God; which justice by reason of its 
 perfection, could not endure they should abide on 
 the earth any longer; and therefore now, as a just 
 reward of their deed, they must be swept from the 
 face thereof. 
 
 'And it grieved him at his heart.' This is 
 spoken to show, that he did not feign, but was 
 simple and sincere in his promise of remission and 
 forgiveness of sins, had they kept close to his 
 word, according as he had commanded. Where- 
 fore God's heart went not with them in their 
 backsliding, but left them, and was offended with 
 them. 
 
 Ver. 7. ' And the Lord said, I will destroy man 
 whom I have created, from the face of the earth, 
 both man, and beast, (or from man to beast,) and the 
 creeping thing, and the fowls of the air ; for it re- 
 penteth me that I have made them.' 
 
 This may be either understood as a threatening, 
 or a determination: if as a threatening then it 
 admitted of time for repentance ; but if it was 
 spoken as a determination, then they had stood 
 out the day of grace, and had laid themselves under 
 unavoidable judgment. If it respected the first, 
 then it was in order to the ministry of Noah, or in 
 order to the effecting the ends of its sending; 
 which were either to soften or harden, or bring to 
 repentance, or to leave them utterly and altogether 
 inexcusable. But if it respected the second, as it 
 might, then it was pronounced as an effect of God's 
 displeasure, for their abuse of his patience, his 
 minister, and word. As it also was with Israel of 
 old ; ' They mocked the messengers of God, and 
 despised his words, and misused his prophets, until 
 the Vrath of the Lord arose against his people, till 
 there was no remedy. ' 3 cu. xxxvL 16. 
 
 ' And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom 
 I have created. ' This word created, is added, on 
 purpose to show that the world is under the power 
 of his hand ; for who can destroy, but he that can 
 create ? Or who can save alive, when the maker 
 of the world is set against them ? ' There is one 
 lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.' 
 Ja. iv. 13. And again, ' Fear him which is able to 
 destroy both soul and body in hell. ' Mat. x. 28. In 
 both which places power to destroy is insinuated 
 from his power and Godhead : As he saith in 
 another place, ' All souls are mine ; the soul 
 that siuneth, it shall die. ' Eze. win. 4. 
 
 ' Both man and beast, and the creeping thing, 
 and the fowls,' <kc. Thus it was at first the sin of 
 a man brought a curse and judgment upon other 
 the creatures whom God had made : As Paul says, 
 ' The whole creation groaneth. ' Ro. viii. 23. 
 
 But ao-ain. This threatening upon the beasts, tl 
 fowls, and creeping thing, might arise from a doub 
 consideration: First, To show, that when G< 
 intends the destruction of man, he will also destrc 
 the means of his preservation. Jos. vi. 20. Or, secondly 
 To shew, that when he is determined to execul 
 his judgments, he will cut off all that stands in hi 
 way. 2 Ch. xxiT. 21. He could not destroy the eart 
 without a flood, and preserve the beast, &c., alive 
 therefore he destroys them also. 
 
 ' For it repenteth me that I have made them, 
 This seems to fall under the first consideration, t 
 wit. That God repented that he made the beast 
 and fowls ; because now they were used to sustaii 
 his implacable enemies. 
 
 Ver. 8. ' IF But Noah found grace in the eye 
 of the LORD.' 
 
 This word GRACE, must in special be observed 
 for grace is it which delivereth from all deservet 
 judgments and destruction. 
 
 Noah, by nature was no better than other men 
 therefore the reason why he perished not witl 
 others, it was because he ' found grace in the eye.' 
 of the Lord. ' Ye are saved by grace. Ep. ii. 8. Anc 
 thus was Noah, as is evident, because he was 
 saved by faith. He. xi. 7. For faith respecteth not 
 works, but grace : Ye are saved by grace through 
 faith. As Faul says again, ' Therefore it is oi 
 faith that it might be by grace,' &c. Eo.iv.i6. We 
 must therefore, in our deliverance from all the 
 judgments of God, sing grace, grace, unto it. 
 
 Ver. 9. ' These are the generations of Noah : 
 Noah was a just man, and perfect in his genera- 
 tions ; and Noah walked with God.' 
 
 The Holy Ghost here makes a short digression 
 from his pi-ogress, in his relation of the wickedness 
 of the world ; and yet not impertinently ; for seeing 
 Noah was the man that escaped the judgment, his 
 escape must be for some reason ; which was, be- 
 cause God was gracious to him, and because God 
 had justified him. Besides Noah being now made 
 righteous, faithfully walketh with God. 
 
 ' He was just and perfect in his generations. ' 
 But why it is said, Generations ? It might be, 
 because he was faithful to God and man, having 
 the armour of righteousness on the right hand, and 
 on the left. It is said in Isaiah, That Christ 
 'made hia grave with the wicked, and with the 
 rich in his death.' lm.9. To import. That they 
 only have benefit by him to eternal life, that die 
 by his example, as well as live by his blood; for 
 in his death was both merit and example ; and they 
 are like to miss in the first, that are not concerned 
 in the second. Phi. viii, ic, 
 
 ' Perfect in his generations.' In his carriage, 
 doctrines and life, before both God and man. And 
 thus ought every preacher to be ; he ought to do 
 in the sight of God, what he commands to men ; 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 463 
 
 by this means he saveth both himself, and them 
 that hear him. a tl iv. le. 
 
 Besides, Noah was a man, as well as a saint, 
 and in either sense had a generation : to both of 
 which grace made him faithful ; and he that shall 
 not serve his generation as a man, will hardly serve 
 his generation as a Christian. But Noah was 
 perfect in both, he was ' perfect in his generations. ' 
 
 ' And Noah walked with God.' This shews he 
 was sincere in his work ; for a hypocrite may, as 
 to outward shew, do as the saint of God : but he 
 doth it with respect to men, not God, and therefore 
 he is a hypocrite. To walk with God then, is not 
 only to do the duty commanded, hut to do it as 
 God requireth it ; that is, to do it with faith, and 
 son-like fear, as in God's sight, ' with singleness 
 of heart. ' 
 
 Ver. 10. ' And Noah begat three sons, Shem, 
 Ham, and Japheth.' 
 
 These are the offspring of Noah, and by these 
 was the earth replenished after the flood, as will 
 be further seen hereafter. 
 
 Ver. 11. 'The earth also was corrupt before 
 God, and the earth was filled with violence.' 
 
 He has now returned to the matter in hand be- 
 fore ; to wit, the causes of the flood. 
 
 'The earth also was corrupt.' By earth, he 
 may here mean, those that are without the church: 
 and if so, then by corrupt here, we must under- 
 stand, wicked after a most high manner ; for albeit 
 the world and generation of Cain be always sinners 
 before God, yet the Lord cutteth not off the world 
 in general, nor a nation in particular, but because 
 of the commission of eminent outrage and wicked- 
 ness. Thus it was with those of Sodom, a little 
 before the Lord with fire devoured them. ' The 
 men of Sodom (saith the text) were wicked, and 
 sinners before the Lord exceedingly.' Ge. xiii. 13. 
 
 Again : As by corrupt, we may understand, 
 corrupt by way of eminency ; so again, they were 
 corrupt incurably. This is evident, because they 
 were not brought off from sin by the ministry of 
 Noah, the only appointed means of their conver- 
 sion. 
 
 Hence note, That when men are sinners exceed- 
 ingly, and when the means of grace appointed of 
 God for their recovery, prove ineffectual, then they 
 are near some signal judgment. 2 Ch. .ixxvi. Thus 
 back-sliding Jerusalem, because she was wicked 
 with an high hand, Eze. xav. is, n. and could not 
 be cured by the ministry of the prophets, there- 
 fore her sons must go forth of her into captivity, 
 and the city burned to the groimd with fire. Je. xv. 
 1-3. 
 
 ' And the earth was filled with violence.' First, 
 they had violated the law of God, in making and 
 maintaining ungodly and wicked communion ; ac- 
 cording to that of the prophet, ' Her priests have 
 
 violated my law, and have profaned mine holy 
 things.' But how? 'They have put no differ- 
 ence between the holy and profane, neither have 
 they shewed difference between the unclean and 
 the clean. ' Ezc. xxU. 26. 
 
 They also perverted judgment between a man 
 and his neighbour : adhering to their own party, 
 in disaffection to the religious. This is supposed, 
 because of the exceeding latitude of the expression, 
 'The earth was filled with violence;' that is, all 
 manner of violence, outrage and cruelty was com- 
 mitted by this sort of people. This takes in that 
 saying of Solomon, the oppression of the poor, 
 especially God's poor, is included, in a ' violent 
 perverting of judgment and justice.' Ec.y. 8. 
 
 They also shewed violence to the lives of good 
 men, as may be gathered by the act of Lamech, 
 one of the sons of Cain. In a word, ' The eartli 
 was filled with violence ;' violence of every kind ; 
 lust and wickedness was outrageous, there was a 
 world of ungodliness among these ungodly men. 
 
 Ver. 12. 'And God looked upon the earth, and, 
 behold, it was corrupt ; for all flesh had corrupted 
 his way upon the earth.' 
 
 By these words therefore is confirmed the sense 
 of the former verse, ' The earth was corrupt ;' for 
 God saw it was so : ' The earth was full of vio- 
 lence,' for they had corrupted God's way. 
 
 ' And God looked upon the earth.' This shews 
 us. That the Lord doth not with haste, or in a rash 
 inconsiderate way, pour his judgments upon the 
 world; but that with judgment and knowledge, 
 the wickedness first being certain, and of merit 
 deserving the same. This is seen in his way of 
 dealing with Sodom. ' And the Lord said. Because 
 the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and be- 
 cause their sin is very grievous, I will go down 
 now, and see whether they have done altogether 
 according to the cry of it, which is come unto me ; 
 and if not, I will know.' Ge. xvhi. 21. 
 
 ' And, behold, it was coiTupt ; for all flesh had 
 con-upted his way upon the earth.' It proved, as 
 that of Sodom did, according to the cry thereof ; 
 for ' all flesh had corrupted his way. ' God's way, 
 by violating his law, and perverting of judgment, 
 as was hinted before. All flesh had corrupted it, 
 therefore the evil needed not to bo long in searching 
 out : As God saith by the prophet Jeremiah, ' I 
 have not found it by diligent search, but upon all 
 these.' ii. 34. Here upon the whole earth, none 
 exempted but righteous Noah. 
 
 Ver. 13. 'And God said unto Noah, The end of 
 all flesh is come before me ; for the earth is filled 
 with violence through them ; and, behold, I will 
 destroy them with the earth.' 
 
 ' And God said unto Noah,' or told Noah his 
 purpose : The same way he went with Abraham : 
 ' Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I 
 
464 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS 0? GENESIS. 
 
 do ?' Ge. xviii. 17. ' Surely the Lord will do nothing, 
 but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the 
 prophets. ' Am. m. 7. 
 
 ' The end of all flesh is come.' The time or 
 expiration of the world is at hand. God speaks 
 before he smites. Thus he did also by the pro- 
 phet Ezekiel, saying, ' An end' is come, 'the end 
 is come:' And again, ' An end is come, the end is 
 come : it watcheth for thee ; behold, it is come. ' 
 vii. 1— 6. 
 
 ' The end of all flesh is come before me. ' Sin 
 and wickedness doth not put an end to the ungodly 
 before their own face, yet it brings their end before 
 the face of God. It is said of these very people, 
 ' they knew not ' of their destruction, ' until ' the 
 day ' the flood came, and took them all away. ' 
 Mkt. xxiv. 37—39. Indeed, the nature of sin is to blind 
 the mind, that the person concerned may neither 
 see mercy nor judgment ; but God sees their end : 
 ' The end of all flesh is come before me.' 
 
 ' The end of all flesh. ' By these words, the 
 souls are left to, and reserved for another judg- 
 ment: Wherefore, though here we find the flesh 
 consumed; yet Peter saith, their spirits are still 
 in prison, even the souls that Christ once preached 
 to in the days, and by the ministry of Noah: Even 
 the souls ' which sometime were disobedient when 
 once the long-sufl'ering of God waited in the days 
 of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,' ifcc. 
 1 Pe. iii. 19, 20. 
 
 Ver. 14. ' IT Make thee an ark of gopher wood ; 
 rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch 
 it within and without with pitch.' 
 
 This is the fruits of the grace of God : He said 
 before. That Noah ' found grace in the eyes of the 
 Lord :' Which grace appoints to him the means of 
 his preservation. 
 
 ' Make TilEB an ark.' He saith not. Make one; 
 or, Make one for me : But, Make one ; make one 
 for thee: ' Make thee an ark of gopher wood.' 
 
 Noah therefore, from this word Thee, did gather. 
 That God did intend to preserve him from the 
 judgment which he had appointed in this his work; 
 Therein lay his own profit and comfort ; not a 
 thought which he had, not a blow that he struck, 
 about the preparing the ark, but he preached, as 
 to others their ruin, to himself, his safeguard and 
 deliverance : He ' prepared an ark, to the saving 
 of his house.' He. xt 7. 
 
 This therefore must needs administer much 
 peace and content to his mind, while he preached 
 to others their overthrow. As the prophet saith, 
 ' The work of righteousness shall be peace ; and 
 the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance 
 for ever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable 
 habitation.' b.xxxu. 17,13. Thus did Noah when he 
 dwelt in the ark, and in sure dwellings, and in 
 quiet resting-places. 
 
 ' Make thee an ark.' The ark was a figure 
 of several things. 1. Of Christ, in whom the 
 church is preserved from the wrath of God. 2. 
 It was a figure of the works of the faith of the 
 godly: ' By faith he prepared an ark;' by which 
 the followers of Christ are preserved from the rage 
 and tyranny of the world (for the rage of the water 
 was a type of that, as I shall shew you hereafter.) 
 So then Noah, by preparing an ark, or by being 
 bid so to do of God, was thereby admonished. 
 First, To live by the faith of Christ, of whom the 
 ark was a type : and hence it is said, that in pre- 
 paring the ark, he ' became heir of the righteous- 
 ness which is by faith ;' because he understood the 
 mind of God therein, and throughout his figure 
 acted faith upon Christ. But, Secondly, His faith 
 was not to be idle, and therefore he was bid to 
 work. This begat in him an obediential fear of 
 doing ought which God had forbidden : ' By faith 
 Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as 
 yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark, to the saving 
 of his house; by the which he condemned the 
 world, and became heir of the righteousness which 
 is by faith.' He. xi. 7. 
 
 ' Rooms (nests) shalt thou make in the ark.' 
 To wit, for himself, and the beasts, and birds of 
 the field, &e. Implying, that in the Lord Jesus 
 there is room for Jews and Gentiles. Yea, foras- 
 much as these rooms were prepared for beasts of 
 every sort, and for fowls of every wing : it informs 
 us, that for all sorts, ranks and qualities of men, 
 there is preservation in Jesus Christ : ' Compel 
 them to come in ;' drive them (in a gospel sense) 
 as Noah did the beasts of old into the ark, that my 
 house may be full, ' and yet there is room.'* Lu. 
 xiv. 33, 33. 
 
 ' And thou shalt pitch it within and without 
 with pitch.' This was to secure all from the flood, 
 or to keep them that were in the ark from perish- 
 ing in the waters. 
 
 Ver. 15. 'And this is the fashion which thou shalt 
 make it of : the length of the ark shcdl be three 
 hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and 
 the height of it thirty cubits.' 
 
 A vessel fit to swim upon the waters. 
 
 'And this is the fashion,' &c. God's ordinances 
 must be according to'God's order and appointment, 
 not according to our fancies, 'This is the fashion,' 
 to wit, according to what is after expressed. 
 
 By these words therefore Noah was limited and 
 bound up, as to a direction from which he must not 
 
 * ' Aud yet there is room." As in Christ, the ark of his 
 church, so ie was in Noah's ark. The best calculations, allow- 
 ing eighteen inches to a cubit, show that the ark was capable 
 of receiving many more than this selection from all the ani- 
 mals now known, together with their requisite provender. 
 Dr. Hunter estimated the tounage at 42,413 tons measure- 
 ment. — Ed. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE URST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 465 
 
 vary ; according to that of the angel to the pro- 
 phet, ' Son of man (saith he) behold with thine 
 eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart 
 Upon all that I shall shew thee : for to the intent 
 that I might shew them unto thee, ait thou brought 
 hither.' Eze. xi. 4. As the Lord said also to his ser- 
 vant Moses, ' In all things that I have said unto 
 you, be circumspect.' Ex. xxiii. is. An.d so again, 
 about making the tabernacle in the wilderness, 
 which the apostle also takes special notice of, say- 
 ing, ' See, saith he, that thou make all things 
 according to the pattern shewed to thee in the 
 
 mount.' He. viii 6. 
 
 Hence note. That God's command must be the 
 rule whereby we order aU our actions, especially 
 when we pretend to worship that is divine and re- 
 ligious. If our works, orders, and observances, 
 have not this inscription upon them, ' This is the 
 fashion,' or ' This is according to the pattern,' 
 such works and orders wiU profit us nothing: nei- 
 ther have we any promise when all is done, it 
 wanting the order of God, that we ishould escape 
 those judgments which those shall assuredly escape, 
 that have their eye in their work to the ' pattern ' 
 revealed in the word.* 
 
 Ver. 16. 'A window shalt thou make to the ark, 
 and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above ; and the 
 door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof : 
 with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou 
 make it.' 
 
 I told you before. That the ark was a type of 
 Christ, and also of the works of the faith of the 
 godly. And now he seems to bring in more, and 
 to make it a type of the church of Christ; as indeed 
 the prophet also does, when he calls the church, 
 one afiSicted, and tossed with tempests ; and com- 
 pareth her troublers to the waters of Noah, saying, 
 ' This is as the waters of Noah.' is Ut.9. 
 
 Now as the ark was a type of the church, so 
 according to the description of this verse she hath 
 three most excellent things attending her. 1. 
 Light. 2. A door. 3. Stories of a lower and 
 higher rank. 
 
 1. She hath a window for light, and that when 
 she was to be tossed upon the waters. Hence 
 note. That the church of Christ wanteth not light, 
 no, not in the worst of times. This light is the 
 Word and Spirit of God which Christ hath given 
 to them that obey him'. Jn. xvii. 
 
 2. She hath a door. This door was a type of 
 Christ ; so was also the door of the tabernacle. 
 And hence it is that you read. That Moses, when 
 
 * How astonishing is the fact, that man dares to introduce 
 his miserable inventions to deform the scriptural simplicity of 
 divine worship ; as if HE who makes all things perfect, had, 
 in this important institution, forgotten to direct the use of 
 liturgies—organs — vestments — pomps and ceremonies. When 
 "rill mnn, with child-like simplicity, follow gospel rules ? — En. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 he went to talk with God, would stand to talk in 
 the door of the tabernacle ; also that the cloudy 
 pillar stood at the door. Ex. xxxUi. 9. lo. ' I (saith 
 Christ) am the door:' Again, ' I am the door of 
 the sheep.' Jn. i. By this door then, entered all 
 that went into the ark, as by Christ all must 
 enter that enter aright into the cliurch. 
 
 3. She had stories in her, of ■first, second, and 
 third degree : To shew that also in the church of 
 Christ there are some higher than some, both as 
 to persons and states: 1. apostles-; 2. evangelists; 
 3. pastors and teachers. And again, there are in 
 the church degrees of states, as also there are in 
 heaven. 
 
 Ver. 17. 'And, behold, I, even I, do bring a 
 flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy al) 
 flesh, wherein is the breath of life from under 
 heaven ; and every thing that is in the earth 
 shall. die,' 
 
 This is the reason of the former commandment, 
 of making an ark : But some time was yet to in- 
 tervene: the flood was hereafter to overflow the 
 world : wherefoi-e, from tliis it is that those words 
 are inserted, of things not seen as yet : And that 
 the ark was a work, or the fruit of Noah's faitli : 
 ' By faith Noah, being warned of God of things 
 not seen as yet,' <fec. He. xi. 
 
 ' And, behold, I, even I,' &c. These words 
 excuse Noah of treason or rebellion, forasmuch as 
 his preparation for himself, and his warning and 
 threatening the whole world with death and judg- 
 ment for their transgression, was solely grounded 
 upon the word of God : God bid him prepare, God 
 said he would punish the world for their iniquity. 
 
 Hence note. That a man is not to be counted 
 an offender, how contrary soever he lieth, either in 
 doctrine or practice, to men, <fec. if both have the 
 command of God, and are surely grounded upon 
 the words of his mouth. This made Jeremiah, 
 though he preached. That the city of Jerusalem 
 should be burnt with fire, the king and people 
 should go into captivity ; yet stand upon his own 
 vindication before his enemies, and plead his inno- 
 cency against them that persecuted him. Je. xxvi. lo 
 —15. Daniel also, though he did openly break the 
 king's decree, and refused to stoop to his idolatrous 
 and devUish demand ; yet purged himself of both 
 treason and sedition, and justifies his act as inno- 
 cent and harmless, even in the sight of God. 'My 
 God (saith he) hath sent his angel, and hath shut 
 the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: for- 
 asmuch as before him innocency was found in me; 
 and also before thee, king, have I done no hurt.' 
 
 Da. vi. 22. 
 
 Further, Paul also, although by his doctrme he 
 
 did cry down the ceremonies of the Jews, and 
 
 I the idolatry of the heathen emperor, yet he quits 
 
 I himself of blame from either side: ' Neither against 
 
 3n 
 
466 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHlPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 the law of the Jews, [saith he,] neither against 
 the temple, nor yet against Csesar, have I offended 
 anything at all.' Ac.xxv.8. The reason is, because 
 the words of God, how severely soever they threaten 
 sinners, and how sharply soever (the preacher 
 keeping within the bowels of the word) this doc- 
 trine be urged on the world, if it destroy, it de- 
 stroyeth but sin and impenitent sinners, even as 
 the waters of Noah must do. 
 
 This then affords us another note worth re- 
 marking, to wit. That what God hath said in his 
 word, how offensive soever it be to ungodly men. 
 That we that are Christians ought to observe : 
 whether it direct us to declare against others' enor- 
 mities, or to provide for ourselves against the judg- 
 ment to come. 
 
 ' And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood,', ifec. 
 Hence note again. Let us preach and practise weU, 
 and let God alone to execute his judgments. It 
 is said of Samuel, That not one of his words did 
 fall to the ground, l Sa. ffi. 19. He preached, and 
 God, according to his blessing or cursing, did 
 either spare and forgive, or execute his judgments. 
 
 ' And, behold, I, even 1.' Note again, That 
 when sinners have with the utmost contempt 
 Bligkted and despised the judgment threatened, 
 jet forasmuch as the execution thereof is in the 
 hand of an omnipotent majesty, it must fall with 
 violence upon the head of the wicked. ' I, even 
 I,' therefore, were words of a strong encourage- 
 ment to Noah, and the godly with him; but black, 
 and like claps of thunder to the pestilent unbe- 
 lieving world : as the prophet says, ' He is strong 
 that executes his word:' And again, ' Not one of 
 his judgments fail.' 
 
 'And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood.' 
 The flood was a type of three things. 
 
 1. A type of the enemies of the church, is. liv. 
 
 9-H. 
 
 2. A type of the water baptism under the new 
 testament, i Pe. iii. 20, 21. 
 
 3. A type of the last and general overthrow of 
 the world by fire and brimstone, 2 Pe. iii. 6, 7. 
 
 But here, as it simply respecteth the cause, 
 which (as is afore related) was the sin that before 
 you read of ; so it precisely was a type of the last 
 of these, and to that end put an end to the world 
 that then was. The world that then was, being 
 overflowed with water, perished, to signify. That 
 the heavens and the earth which are now, are 
 reserved unto fire, against the day of judgment, 
 and perdition of ungodly men. 
 
 ' I bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to 
 destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life from 
 under heaven ; cmd every thing that is in the earth 
 shall die.' By these latter words, as the cause, 
 so the extention of this curse is expressed; and that 
 under a threefold denotation. 
 
 1. Every thing that is in the earth. ' 
 
 2. All flesh wherein is the breath of life. 
 
 3. Every thing that is under heaven. 
 So then, this deluge was universal, and extended 
 
 itself not only to those parts of the world where 
 Noah and that generation lived, which we find 
 repeated before, but even over the face of all the 
 earth ; and it took hold of the life of every living 
 thing that was either on all the earth, or in the 
 air, excepting only those in the ark, as wUl the 
 general judgment do : • And Noah only remained 
 alive, and they that were with him in the ark.' 
 
 Ge. vii. 23. 
 
 Ver. 18. 'But with thee will I establish my 
 covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, 
 and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives 
 with thee.' 
 
 ' But with thee,' ifec. This concerns what was 
 said before concerning the universality of the flood: 
 As he also said above, ' But Noah found grace in 
 the eyes of the Lord.' This Peter also notes. He 
 ' saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righ- 
 teousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of 
 the ungodly. ' 1 Pe. ii. 5. 
 
 ' With thee will I establish my covenant.' My 
 covenant of mercy, or my promise to save thee 
 when I drown the whole world for their iniquity : 
 And therefore he adds, ' And thou shalt come into 
 the ark.' 
 
 ' I will establish. ' Making and establishing of 
 promises are not always the same : He made his 
 promise to Abraham, he seconded it with an oath 
 unto Isaac, and he confirmed, or established it to 
 Jacob ; for by him he multiplied the seed of 
 Abraham as the stars of heaven for multitude. 
 
 Ps. cv. &— 10. 
 
 ' With thee will I establish.' Or, unto thee will 
 I perform my promise, ' Thou shalt come into tho 
 ark.' 
 
 Hence note again, That we ought to look upon 
 signal and great deliverances from sore and immi- 
 nent dangers, to be confirmations of the promise 
 or covenant of God. Or thus. When God finds 
 means of deliverance, and instateth our souls in a 
 special share of that means, this we should take 
 as a sign, That with us God hath confirmed, or 
 established, his covenant. Lu. i. 68—78. 
 
 ' Thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy 
 sons' wives with thee.' Because in that family 
 did now reside the whole of the visibility of the 
 church upon the earth ; all the rest were lost, as 
 Peter also intimates, when he calleth Noah the 
 eighth person, or one, and the chief of the eight 
 that made up the visible church, or that main- 
 tained the purity of the worship of God upon the 
 face of the whole earth : As he explains it a little 
 after : ' For thee have I seen righteous before me 
 in this generation.' vii.i. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OP GENESIS. 
 
 467 
 
 I Ver, 19. ' And of every living thing of all flesh, 
 two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to 
 keep them alive with thee ; they shall he male and 
 female. ' 
 
 By these words, Noah should seem to he, in this 
 action, a figure or semblance of Christ; who be- 
 fore the Lord shall rain fire and brimstone from 
 heaven, shall gather into his ark, the church, of 
 all kindreds, and tongues, and people, and nations. 
 Lu.riii. 29;riv.2i. Even as Noah was to gather of 
 all, of everything, of all flesh, of every sort, with 
 him into the ark. 
 
 ' Two of every sort.' This two, in special, re- 
 specteth the unclean, rii. 2. which were a type of 
 the Gentiles, and so further confirms the point. 
 
 They shall he male and female. He would not 
 make a full end, he would in judgment remember 
 mercy. Ac. x. u, 12, 17, 28. 
 
 Ver. 20. ' Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle 
 after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth 
 after his kind : two of every sort shall come unto 
 thee, to keep them alive. ' 
 
 ' Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after 
 their kind.' This, still respecting the antitype, 
 may shew us also, how that God, for proof of the 
 prophecy of the spreading of the gospel, doth not 
 only tell us, that the Gentiles were gathered into 
 his ark, but as here the beasts and birds, according 
 to their kind, are specified : so the Gentiles are 
 also denominated according to their several comi- 
 tries, Galatians, Corinthians, Ephesians, Colos- 
 sians, Thessalonians, Bereans, (kc, these, after 
 their country and nation, were gathered unto 
 Jesus to be preserved from the flood of wrath that 
 at last shall faU from God who dwells in heaven, 
 to the burning up of the sinner and ungodly. 
 
 ' Two of every sort shall come linto thee, to keep 
 them alive. ' If the emphasis lieth in Come, as I 
 am apt to think, and as the eighth verse of the next 
 chapter fairly allows me to judge ; then we must 
 observe still, That Noah was not only first in the 
 ark, as our Lord and Christ is the first from the 
 dead ; but that the cattle, the fowls, and the creep- 
 ing things, did come to him into the ark, by a spe- 
 cial instinct from heaven of the fruits of a divine 
 election.* Noah therefore, as a man, did not make 
 choice which of every kind ; but he went first into 
 the ark, and then of clean beasts by sevens, and of 
 unclean beasts by twos, went in unto Noah into the 
 ark, as the Lord commanded Noah. 
 
 * How mysterious are God's ways : some animals of every 
 land are saved, and all the rest destroyed. So throughout 
 every age some animals have been treated with kindness, and 
 others of the same species cruelly maltreated. Can those who 
 stumhle at the doctrine of election, account for this difference. 
 Reason must submit with revereace to the voice of Christ ; 
 'What I do, thon knowest not now; but thou shalt know 
 hereafter.' — ^Ed. 
 
 And thus it is in the antitype: 'Unto thee 
 shall all fiesh come,' saith the prophet. Pa. kv. 2. 
 And again, 'To him shaU the gathering of the 
 people be.' Ge.xik.io. But how ? Why, by an in- 
 stinct from heaven, the fruit of a divine election : 
 ' All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; 
 but no man can come to me (saith Christ) except 
 the Father which hath sent me draw him. ' Jn. vi. 
 37,44. 
 
 The beasts therefore which came into the ark, 
 were neither chosen by men, neither came they in 
 by any instinct of nature which was common to 
 them all, but as being by a divine hand singled out 
 and guided . thither, so they entered in : the rest 
 were left to the fury of the flood. Like to this 
 also is the antitype, sinners come not to Jesus by 
 any work or choice of flesh and blood, nor yet by 
 any instinct of nature that is common to all the 
 world ; but they come, as being by a divine hand 
 singled out from others; and as guided of the 
 Father, so they come to Christ into the ark : The 
 rest are left to the fury of the wrath of God, which, 
 in the day of judgment, shall swallow them up for 
 ever. 
 
 ' They shall come unto thee to keep them alive. ' 
 Indeed, they lived not for their own sakes, they 
 being not better than them that perished ; but 
 ' they shall come unto thee to save them : ' for, for 
 the sake of Noah they were preserved, when many 
 millions were drowned in the waters. Bring this 
 also to the antitype, and you find them look like 
 one another : for the reason why some are saved 
 from the wrath to come, it is not for that they are 
 better in themselves, for both Jews and Gentiles 
 are all under sin : But it is Christ that saveth by 
 his righteousness, as Noah saved the beasts and 
 fowls, &c. Let us therefore, as the beasts did, go 
 to Jesus Christ, that he may keep us alive from 
 perishing in the day of judgment. 
 
 Ver. 21. ' And take thou unto thee of all food 
 that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee, and 
 it shall be for food for thee, and for them.' 
 
 This therefore was for the preservation of the 
 life of those that were in the ark ; by which action 
 there is, as in the former, inclosed a gospel-mys- 
 tery. 
 
 ' Take thou unto thee of all food. ' This food 
 was not to be at the wiU and dispose of unruly 
 beasts ; but Noah was, as the lord of all that was 
 in the ark, to take it into his own custody : and 
 therefore he doubleth the command, ' Take it unto 
 thee;' Gather it unto thee ; to wit, to dispose of 
 after thy discretion and faithfulness. In this there- 
 fore he was a type of Christ, whom God hath set 
 as Lord and King in the church, and ' to feed his 
 flock as a shepherd;' for the 'bread of God' is in 
 the hand of Christ, for him to communicate imto 
 his spouses, saints, and children ; as Joseph did 
 
468 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIKST TEN CHAPTERS OP GENESIS. 
 
 to Egypt, according to the power committed to 
 him, and trust reposed in him. And hence it is 
 said, as concerning the bread that endureth to 
 everlasting life, ' the Son of man shall give it you ; 
 for Him hath God the Father sealed,' or appointed 
 thereunto : Jn. vi, 27. and therefore, that he giveth, 
 we receive, and no more of the bread of God : That 
 thou givest them, they gather : thou openest thine 
 hand, they are filled with good. Ps. civ. S8. 
 
 'Take unto thee all food.' That is, to he 
 eaten by man and beast ; the fowl also, and the 
 creeping thing. This still followed, and brought 
 in to the gospel, it shews us, that, even then, when 
 the church is driven up into a hole, and tossed 
 upon the waves of the rage and fury of the world, 
 as the ark was upon the face of the waters, that 
 even then her Noah hath all food for her, or food of 
 all sorts for her support and refreshment : ' Bread 
 shall he given him j his waters shall he sure.' is. 
 
 xxxiii. 16. 
 
 ' Take unto thee. ' How blessedly was this an- 
 swered, when the Lion of the tribe of Judah took 
 the book out of the hand of him that sat upon the 
 throne ; Ee.v. 7. for in the book is contained the 
 words of everlasting life; and the words of God 
 are the food of his church, which this Noah hath 
 received to nourish them withal : Man ' liveth not 
 by bread only, ' but by every word that proceedeth 
 out of the mouth of the Lord, doth man live. 
 
 Mat. ir. 4. l)c. viii. 3. 
 
 ' And it shall be for food for thee, and for them. ' 
 That is, each according to their kind. The same is 
 true also under our present consideration ; Christ 
 is the shepherd, we are the sheep, yet He feedeth 
 with us in the ark : ' I will come in to him, and wiU 
 •3up with him, and he with me.' Ke. iii, 30. Again, 
 here Christ transcends this action of Noah; for 
 he was to have his food of his own, but Christ 
 feedeth on the same with us, even on the words 
 of God : Yet herein again we differ ; he feedeth 
 as a Lord, we as servants ; he as a Saviour, we as 
 the saved; but in general, respecting the words 
 of God, we feed all but of one dish, but at one 
 table ; the bread therefore that he hath provided, 
 gathered and taken to him, it was food for him, as 
 well as for us. 
 
 Ver. 22. ' Thus did Noah ; according to all that 
 God commanded him, so did he.' 
 
 These words therefore present us with a de- 
 scription of the sincerity and simplicity of the 
 faith of Noah ; who received the word at the 
 mouth of God ; not to hear only, but to do and 
 live in the same. 
 
 ' Thus did Noah.' As it is also said of his ser- 
 vant Moses, ' As the Lord commanded Moses, so 
 did he:' As the Lord commanded Moses, so did 
 he. Yea, to shew us how pleasant a thing the Holy 
 Ghost accounteth this holy obedience of faith, he 
 
 is not weary with repeating, and repeating again 
 not less than eight times in one chapter, the punc- 
 tuality of Moses's conformity with the word of 
 God, in this manner, ' Thus did Moses ;' ' accord- 
 ing to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did 
 
 he. ' Ex. xl. 16, 19, 21, 23. 26, 27, 29, 32. 
 
 ' Thus did Noah,' This note therefore is, as it 
 were, a character or mark by which the Lord's 
 people are known from the world : They have special 
 regard to the word. ' All his saints are in thy hand : 
 they sat down at thy feet ; every one shall receive of 
 thy words.' Dc. xxxiii. 3. As Christ said, 'I have 
 given them thy words and they have received them:' 
 Jn. xvfl. 5, 6. Yea, ' and they have kept thy word.' 
 
 ' Thus did Noah.' Let this then be the dis- 
 criminating character of the saints from the men 
 of this world. It was so in the dia.ys of Noah, 
 when all the world went a whoring from their God, 
 and said, ' We desire not the knowledge of thy 
 ways.' Jobxii. u. Then Noah kept the words of 
 God. ' Thus did Noah ; according to all that God 
 commanded him, so did he,' 
 
 CHAP. VIL 
 
 Ver. L ' And the Lord said unto Noah, Come 
 thou aad all thy house into the ark ; for thee have 
 I seen righteous before me in this generation.' 
 
 The ark being now prepared, and the day of 
 God's patience come to an end, he now is resolved 
 to execute his threatening upon the world of un- 
 godly men ; but withal, in the first place, to secure 
 his saints, and them that have feared his name. 
 In this therefore we have a semblance of the last 
 judgment, and how God will dispose of his friends 
 and enemies. 
 
 ' Come thou into the ark.' God, I say, will 
 take care of, and safely provide for us that havo 
 feared him, when he most eminently entereth into 
 judgment with the world: As he also saith by 
 Isaiah the prophet, ' Come, my people, enter thou 
 into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee : 
 hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until 
 the indignation be over-past. ' xx>i. 20. He shall send 
 forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, 
 and they shall gather together his elect from the 
 four winds, from one end of heaven to another. 
 
 ' Come thou and all thy house.' Not an hoof 
 must be left behind ; God will not lose the very 
 dust of his people : Of all that thou hast given 
 me have I lost nothing, but will raise it up at the 
 last day. Jn. vi. 39. God therefore was careful not 
 only of Noah, but of all that were in his house ; 
 because they were all of his visible church, they 
 must therefore be preserved from the rage and 
 fury of the deluge. ' Gather my saints together 
 unto me ; (saith he) those that have made a cove- 
 nant with me by sacrifice. ' Ps. 1. 5. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE TIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 469 
 
 ' For tliee Lave I seea righteous before me. ' 
 This is not to be understood as the meritorious 
 cause, but as the characteristical note that distin- 
 guisheth them that are gods, from others that are 
 subjects of his wrath and displeasure : wherefore, 
 those that at this time perished, bear the badge 
 of ungodliness, as that which made them obnoxious 
 to this overflowing judgment : As also we have it 
 in the book of Job, ' Hast thou (said Eliphaz) 
 marked the old way which wicked men have trod- 
 den ? Which were cut down out of time, whose 
 foundation was overflown with a flood.' Joii xxii.is, 16. 
 
 Righteousness therefore, is the distinguishing 
 character whereby the good are known from the 
 bad. Thus it was in Ezekiel's time : ' Set a mark 
 (saith God) upon the foreheads of the men that sigh 
 and that cry for all the abominations that be done 
 in the midst of the city. ' Eze. ii. 4. Which mark was 
 to distinguish them from those that were profane, 
 and that for their wickedness were to be destroyed 
 by the ministers of God's justice. 
 
 'For thee have I seen righteous before me.' 
 These words, before me, are inserted on purpose 
 to shew us, that Noah was no feigned worshipper, 
 but one who did all things in the sight of God. 
 Indeed, there are two things which are of absolute 
 necessity for the obtaining of this approbation of 
 God. 1. All things must be done as to manner 
 according to the word. 2. All things must be 
 done as to the matter of them also according to 
 the word. Both which were found in Noah's per- 
 formances ; and therefore he is said to be perfect 
 in his generations, and that he walked with God. 
 Thus it was also with Zacharias and Elizabeth, ' they 
 were both righteous before God;' that is, sincere 
 and unfeigned in their obedience. Lu. i. 6. 
 
 ' Righteous before me in this generation.' By 
 this we see, righteousness, or the truth of God's 
 worship in the world, was now come to a low ebb ; 
 the devil, and the children of Cain, had bewitched 
 the church of God, and brought the professors 
 thereof so off from the truth of his way, that had 
 they got Noah also, the church had been quite ex- 
 tinct, and gone : wherefore, it now was lime for 
 God to work, and to cherish what was left, even 
 by sending a besom of destruction upon all the 
 face of the earth, to sweep away all the workers 
 of iniquity. 
 
 Ver. 2, 3. ' Of every clean beast thou shalt 
 take to thee by sevens, the male and his female : 
 and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male 
 and his female. — Of fowls also of the air by sevens, 
 the male and his female; to keep seed alive upon 
 the face of all the earth.' 
 
 Something hath been said to this already ; only 
 this I will add further, That by this commandment 
 of God, both Noah, and all that were with him, 
 were pre-admonished to look to their hearts ; that 
 
 they continued unfeigned before him. For jf 
 God would save unclean beasts, and fowls, from 
 the present and terrible destruction; why also 
 might not some of them, though they partook of 
 this temporal deliverance, be still reputed as un- 
 clean in his sight ? As indeed it came to pass ; 
 for a cursed Ham was there. Wherefoie, read not 
 lightly the commands of God, there may be botli 
 doctrine and exhortation ; both item,* as well as 
 an obligation to a duty contained therein. Cir- 
 cumcision was a duty incumbent as to the letter 
 of the commandment ; but there was also doctrine 
 in it, as to a more high and spiritual teaching than 
 the letter simply imported. 
 
 Note then from hence. That when you read that 
 unclean beasts, and unclean birds, rnay be in the 
 ark of Noah: That uncleai^ men, and unclean 
 women, may be in the church of God : ' One of 
 you is a devil,' was an admonition to all the rest: 
 Let this also of the beasts unclean be an admoni- 
 tion to you. 
 
 Ver. 4. ' For yet seven days, and I will cause 
 it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights ; 
 and every living substance that I have made, will \ 
 destroy, (or, blot out) from off the face of the earth.' 
 
 Now the judgment is at the door ; it is time to 
 make haste, and pack into the ark. God doth not 
 love to have his people have much vacancy from 
 employment while they are in this world. Idle 
 times are dangerous ; David found it so Li the 
 business of Uriah's wife. Wherefore Noah having 
 finished the ark, he hath another work to do, even 
 to get himself, with his family and household, fitly 
 settled in the vessel that was to save him from the 
 deluge, and that at his peril in seven days' time. 
 
 ' For yet seven days, and I wiU bring a flood.' 
 Note again. That it hath been the way of God, 
 even when he doth execute the severest judg- 
 ments, to tell it in the ears of some of his saints 
 sometime before he doth execute the same : Yea, 
 it seems to me, that it wiU be so even in the great 
 day of God Almighty ; for I read, that befoie 
 the bridegroom came, there was a cry made, 
 ' Behold the bridegroom cometh ! ' Mat. xxv.6. Which 
 cry doth not seem to me, to be the ordinary cry 
 of the ministers of the gospel, but a cry that was 
 effected by some sudden and marvellous awakening, 
 the product of some new and extraordinary revela- 
 tion. That also seems to look like some fore-word 
 to the church, ' Then shall appear the sign of the 
 Son of man in heaven : ' Mat. xxiv. 30. Some strange 
 and unusual revelation of that notable day to be 
 near, which in other ages was not made known to 
 the world ; upon which sign he presently appears. 
 Now whether this sign will be the appearing of 
 the angels first; or whether the opening of the 
 
 * ' Item,' a new article added ; a caution or warning. — Ed. 
 
470 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIKST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 heavens, or tlie voice of the arch-angel, and the 
 trump of God, or what, I shall not here presume 
 to determine ; hut a fore-word there is like to he, 
 yet so immediately followed with the personal pre- 
 sence of Christ, that they who had not grace before, 
 shall not have time nor means to get it then : And 
 while they went to buy, the bridegroom came ; and 
 they that were ready went in with him, and the 
 door was shut. Mat. %xv. 
 
 ' And I wiU cause it to rain forty days and forty 
 nights.' This length of time doth fore-pronounce 
 the completing of the judgment : As who should 
 say, I will cause it to rain until I have blotted out 
 all the creatures, both of men, beasts, and fowls: 
 and so the after- words import ; ' And every living 
 substance that I have made, wiU I destroy from 
 off the face of the earth.' 
 
 Ver. 5. ' And Noah did according to all that 
 the Lord commanded him.' 
 
 This note, as already I have said, doth denote 
 him to be a righteous man ; one that might with 
 honour to his God, escape the judgment now to be 
 executed; wherefore, the reiterating of this cha- 
 racter is much for the vindicating of God's justice, 
 and for the justification of his overthrowing the 
 world of ungodly sinners. 
 
 But again, these words seem to respect in spe- 
 cial, what Noah did in the last seven days, in order 
 to the commandment laid before him in the three 
 first verses of this chapter; and so they signify 
 his faithfulness to the word, and his observance of 
 the law of his God, even to the day that the rain 
 began to fall upon the earth. And therefore they 
 preach unto us, not only that he began well, but 
 that he continued in godly and unfeigned persever- 
 ance ; which when perfected, is the most effectual 
 proof, that what before he did, he did with upright- 
 ness of heart, and therefore now must escape the 
 judgment. As it is said in the gospel of Matthew, 
 ' He that shall endure imto the end, the same shall 
 be saved. ' Mat. xxw. 13. 
 
 Ver. 6. ' And Noah was six hundred years old 
 when the flood of waters was upon the earth.' 
 
 Four hundred and fourscore of which the world 
 had leisure to study the prophecy that God gave of 
 him by the mouth of his father Lamech ; Ge. v. 29. 
 the other himdred and twenty he spent in a more 
 open testifying, both by word, and his preparing 
 the ark, that God would one day overtake them 
 with judgment ; yet to the day that the flood came, 
 the world was ignorant thereof. Mat. wW. 38, 39. (As- 
 tonishing is the fruits of sin:) So it came to pass, 
 that in the six hundredth year of Noah's life, which 
 was the one thousand six hundred fifty sixth year 
 of the world's age, the flood of waters were upon 
 the earth, to the utter destruction of all that was 
 found upon the face thereof, Noah only being left 
 alive, and they that were with him in the ark. 
 
 Ver. 7. ' If And Noah went in, and his sons,* 
 and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the 
 ark, because of the waters of the flood.' 
 
 They had hardly done their work in the world, 
 by that it began to rain, by that the first drops of 
 the judgment appeared. They went into the ark, 
 says the text, because of the waters of the flood. 
 This should teach Christians diligence, lest they 
 be called for by God's dispensations, either of 
 death or judgment, before they have served com- 
 pletely their generations, by the will of God. Noah 
 had done it, but it seems he had but done it ; his 
 work was ended just as the judgment came: 'Be 
 ye also ready ; for in such an hour as ye think not 
 the Son of man cometh. ' Mat. xiIt. 44. 
 
 Ver. 8, 9. ' Of clean beasts, and of beasts that 
 are not clean, and of fowls, and of everything that 
 creepeth upon the earth, there went in two and two 
 unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, 
 as God had commanded Noah. ' 
 
 By these words it seems (as I also touched before) 
 that the beasts, and fowls, both clean and unclean, 
 did come in to Noah into the ark; not by Noah's 
 choice, nor by any instinct that was common to all, 
 but by an instinct from above, which so had de- 
 termined the hfe and death of these creatures, even 
 to a very sparrow ; for not one of them doth fall 
 to the ground without the providence of our hea- 
 venly Father. 
 
 ' They went in unto Noah. And let no man 
 deride, for that I said. By an instinct from above ; 
 for God hath not only wrought wonders in men, 
 but even in the beasts, and fowls of the air ; to 
 the making of them act both above and against ! 
 their own nature. How did Baalam's ass speak I 
 Nu. xxii. 28—30. And the cows that drew the ark, have 
 it right to the place which God had appointed, not 
 regarding their sucking calves ! 1 Sa.vi. lo— 14. Yea, 
 how did those ravenous creatures, the ravens, brine: I 
 the prophet bread and flesh twice a day, but by 
 immediate instinct from heaven? iKi.xvii.6. Even 
 by the same did these go in to Noah, into the ark. 
 
 Ver. 10. ' H And it came to pass after seven 
 days, that the waters of the flood were upon the 
 earth.' 
 
 Just as the Lord had denounced before : Look 
 therefore, what God hath said, shall assuredly 
 come to pass, whether it be believed, or counted 
 an idle tale. The confirmation therefore of what 
 God hath spoken, depended not upon the credence 
 of man, because it came not by the wiU of man: 
 ' He hath said it, and shall he not make it good ?' 
 It will therefore assuredly come to pass, whatever 
 God hath spoken, be it to save his Noahs, or be it 
 to drown his enemies ; and the reason is, Because 
 
 * Every edition, but the first, has left out Noah's sons 1 1 
 from the ark, while they all put in his sons' wives. — Ed. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE URST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 471 
 
 to do otherwise, is inconsistent with his nature. He 
 is faithful, holy and true, and cannot deny him- 
 self, that is, the word which he hath spoken. 
 
 Ver. 11. 'In the six hundredth year of Noah's 
 life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of 
 the month, the same day were all the fountains of 
 the great deep hroken up, and the windows (or 
 ^ood-gates) of heaven were opened.' 
 
 As to the month, and the day of the month I 
 have but little to say : though doubtless, had not 
 there been something worthy of knowing therein, 
 it would not so punctually have been left upon re- 
 cord ; for I dare not say this scribe wrote this in 
 vain, or that it was needless thus to punctilio it ; 
 a mystery is in it, but my darkness sees it not ; 
 I must speak according to the proportion of faith. 
 
 ' The same day were all the fountains of the 
 great deep broken up.' By these words, it seems 
 that it did not only rain from heaven, but also the 
 springs and fountains were opened ; which together 
 with the great rain of his strength, did overflow 
 the world the sooner. 
 
 This great deep, in mine opinion, was also a 
 type of the bottomless pit, that mouth and gulf of 
 hell, which at the day of judgment shall gape 
 upon the world of ungodly men, to swallow them 
 up from the face of the earth, and to carry them 
 away from the face and presence of God. 
 
 ' And the windows (or flood-gates) of heaven 
 were opened.' That is, that the water might 
 descend without measure or order, even in its own 
 natural force, with violence upon the head of the 
 wicked. It came as water out of his buckets upon 
 them, judgment without mercy. Ku. judv. 7. 
 
 This opening of the flood-gates of heaven, 
 was a type of the way that shall be made for 
 the justice of God upon ungodly men, when Christ 
 hath laid aside his mediatorship ; for he indeed 
 is the sluice that stoppeth this justice of God 
 from its dealing according to its infinite power 
 and severity with men. He stands, like Moses, 
 and, as it were, holdeth the hands of God. Oh ! 
 but when he shall be taken away! When he shall 
 have finished his mediatory work: then will the 
 flood-gates of heaven be opened, and then wiU the 
 justice and holiness of God deal with men without 
 stint or diminution, even till it hath filled the ves- 
 sels of wrath with vengeance till they run over. 
 ' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the 
 living God.' 
 
 • Ver. 12. 'And the rain was upon the earth forty 
 days and forty nights. ' 
 
 That is. It rained so long without stop or stint. 
 
 ver. 4. 
 
 Ver. 13. ' In the self same day entered Noah, 
 and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of 
 Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his 
 sons with them, into the ark.' 
 
 This therefore more fully approveth of what I 
 said before ; to wit. That they had hardly done 
 their work in the world, by that it began to rain ; 
 but so soon as they had done, the flood was upon 
 the earth. Much like this is that of Lot ; it was 
 not to rain fire and brimstone upon Sodom, till he 
 was got to Zoar: But when Lot was entered, but 
 just entered, ' Then the Lord rained upon Sodom, 
 and upon Gomorrah, brimstone and fire from the 
 Lord out of heaven.' Ge. ik. 21—24. 
 
 Hence note. That the reason why God doth for- 
 bear to destroy the world for the wickedness of 
 them that dwell therein, it is for the sake of the 
 elect; because his work upon them is not fully 
 perfected. ' The Lord is not slack concerning his 
 promise;' 2 Pe. iii. 9. no, nor as concerning his threat- 
 ening neither, — but is long-sufifering to us-ward 
 who are the elect ; not wilhng that any of us 
 should perish: But when Christ, head and members, 
 are complete in all things, let the world look for 
 patience and forbearance no longer ; for in that self 
 same day the trump of God wdl sound, and the 
 Lord descend with a shout from heaven, to execute 
 his anger with fury, and his rebukes with flames 
 of fire. Behold, he is now ' ready to judge the 
 quick and the dead ! ' 1 Fe. iv. 6. ' ready to be revealed 
 in the last time!' iPe. i. 6. The judge also stands 
 at the door ; Ja. v. 9. it is but opening therefore, and 
 his hand is upon you, which most assuredly he will 
 do when his body is full and complete. 
 
 Observe again, that providence sometimes so 
 ordereth it, that as touching the command of the 
 Lord, necessity is as it were the great wheel that 
 brings men into the performances of them, as 
 here the flood drove them into the ark ; as he said 
 above, they went in because of the waters of the 
 flood : So concerning the ordinance of unleavened 
 bread, the first institution of that law, was as it 
 were accompanied with an unavoidable necessity, 
 it was unleavened, saith the text, ' because they 
 were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, 
 neither had they prepared for themselves any 
 victual. ' Ex. lii. 39. 
 
 It will be thus also at the day of judgment: 
 Israel will be sufficiently weary of this world, they 
 wiU even as it were unexpressibly groan to be taken 
 up from hence ; wherefore the Lord will come, as 
 making use of the weariness and groaning of his 
 people, and will take them up into his chambers 
 of rest, and will wipe away all tears from their 
 eyes, as here Noah and his sons, <fec. did enter 
 into the ark, 
 
 Ver. 14. ' They, and every beast after his kind, 
 and all the cattle after their kind, and every 
 creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after 
 his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird 
 of every sort' or wing. 
 
 Without doubt this careful repetition is not with- 
 
472 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE TIEST TEN CHAPTEKS OF GENESIS. 
 
 out a cause, and have also in the bowels of it some 
 comfortable doctrine for the church of God ; every 
 beast, all cattle, every creeping thing that creepeth; 
 every fowl and bird of every wing. 
 
 First this aheweth, that God hath respect to the 
 fulfilling of his word in the midst of all his zeal 
 and anger against sin. Ge. lix. He doth not as we, 
 being angry, run headlong upon the offenders, but 
 if there be but three in a kingdom, or one in four 
 cities, he will have respect to them. Eze. xiv. 19, 20. 
 
 Secondly, It sheweth that, how inconsiderable 
 soever the persons are, that are within the compass, 
 and care of the love and mercy of God, that incon- 
 siderableness shall not be a let to their safety and 
 preservation : Yea, though they are but as these 
 creeping things, that creep upon the earth, or as 
 the saying is, but as a flea, a dead dog, or a grass- 
 hopper, or one of the least of the grains of wheat, 
 not one of them, nay, not a hair of the head of 
 them shall fall to the ground and perish. 
 
 Ver. 15, 16. 'And they went in unto Noah into 
 the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the 
 breath of life. And they that went in, went in 
 male and female of all flesh, as God had com- 
 manded him : and the Lord shut him in. ' 
 
 The Holy Ghost in this relation is wonderfully 
 punctual and exact : every beast, all cattle, every 
 creeping thing, every fowl, and every bird, after 
 their kind went in ; and saith he again, they that 
 went in, went in two and two ; as if there had 
 been an intelligence among these irrational crea- 
 tures, that the flood was shortly to be upon the 
 earth. Indeed, many among the sensitives have 
 strange instincts, as appendixes to their nature, 
 by which they do, and leave to do, to the astonish- 
 ment of them that have reason : But that any in- 
 stinct in nature should put them upon afore provid- 
 ing for shelter from the flood, by going into the 
 ark, (a place to secure them, rather than to save 
 them, had not the occasion and command of God 
 been otherwise) it cannot be once with reason ima- 
 gined. Wherefore, as their going into the ark, so 
 their going in two by two, and that too male and 
 female, plainly declares that their motion was 
 ordered and governed by heaven, themselves being 
 utterly ignorant thereof. 
 
 ' And they that went in went in male and female 
 of all flesh, (both man and beast) and the Lord 
 shut him in, ' that is Noah ; and those that were 
 with him. 
 
 These latter words are of great importance, and 
 do shew us the distinguishing grace of God, for 
 by his thus shutting the door of the ark, he not 
 only confirmed his mercy to Noah, but also dis- 
 covered the bounds and limits thereof. As who 
 should say. Now Noah you have your full tale, just 
 thus many I will save from the flood : and with 
 that he shut the door leaving all other, both man 
 
 and beast, <feo. to the fury of the waters. God 
 therefore by this act hath shewed how it will go 
 in the day of judgment with men. Those that 
 (like those beasts, and birds, and creeping things) 
 shall come to Christ, into his ark, before it rain fire 
 and brimstone from heaven, those will God shut 
 up in the ark, and they shall live in that day ; but 
 those that shall then be found in the world strangers 
 to Jesus Christ, those will God shut out : ' They 
 that were ready went in with him to the marriage : 
 and the door was shut.' Mat. xxy.w. 
 
 And observe, it is not said, that Noah shut the 
 door, but the Lord shut him in : If God shuts in 
 or out, who can alter it? I shut, and no man 
 openeth. E«. ffi. 7. Doubtless before the flood had 
 carried off the ark, others besides would with glad- 
 ness have had there a lodging room, though no 
 better than a dog-kennel ; but now it was too late, 
 the Lord had shut the door. Besides, had there 
 been now in the heart of Noah, bowels or compas- 
 sion to those without the ark, or had he had desire 
 to have received them to him, all had been worth 
 nothing, the Lord had shut him in. This signify- 
 ing, that at the day of judgment, neither the bowels 
 of Jesus Christ, neither the misery that damned 
 men shall be in, will anything at all avail with 
 God to save one sinner more, ' the door is shut.' 
 
 Where you read therefore both in Matthew and 
 Luke of the shutting of the door, understand that 
 by such expressions Christ aUudeth to the door in 
 Noah's ark, which door was open while Noah and 
 his attendants were entering into the ark, but they 
 being got in, the Lord shut the door. Then they 
 that stood without and knocked, did weep, and 
 knock, and ask too late. As Christ saith, ' When 
 once the master of the house is risen up, and hath 
 shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, 
 and to knock at the door, saying. Lord, Lord, open 
 unto us ; and he shall answer and say unto you, 
 I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye 
 begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy 
 presence, and thou hast taught in our streets, (as 
 Noah did of old.) But ho shall say, I tell you, 
 I know you not whence ye are ; depart from me, 
 all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping 
 and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abra- 
 ham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, 
 in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust 
 
 out. ' Lu. xiii. 25—28. 
 
 Ver. 17. ' 1[ And the flood was forty days upon 
 the earth, and the waters increased, and bare up 
 the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. * 
 
 While the ark rested, and abode in his place, no 
 doubt but the ears of Noah were filled with doleful 
 cries from the wretched and miserable people, 
 whom God had shut without the ark, one while 
 crying, another while knocking, according to what 
 but now was related ; which for ought I know 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 473 
 
 tniglit be many of the forty days, but when the 
 waters much increased, and lift up the ark above 
 the earth, this miserable company were soon shaken 
 off.* 
 
 It will be thus also in the day of judgment ; at 
 the beginning of that day the ears of the godly will 
 sufficiently be filled with the cries and tears of the 
 damned and miserable world ; but when the ark 
 shall be taken up, that is, when the godly shall 
 ascend into the clouds, and so go hence with Jesus, 
 they will soon lose this company, and be put of the 
 hearing of their lamentable dolours. 
 
 ' And the waters increased.' God's judgments 
 hare no ears to receive tlie cries, nor heart to pity 
 the miseries of the damned. They cry, it rains ; 
 they increase their cries, and the Lord does increase 
 his judgment. ' And it came to pass, that as he 
 cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and 
 I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts.' Zec 
 
 vii.l3. 
 
 Again, As the waters were a type of the wrath 
 of God that in the day of judgment shall fall 
 upon ungodly men : So they were also a type of 
 those afflictions and persecutions that attend the 
 church ; for that very water that did drown the 
 ungodly, that did also toss and tumble the ark 
 about ; wherefore by the increase of the waters, we 
 may also understand, how mighty and numerous 
 sometimes the afflictions and afflictors of the godly 
 be : As David said, ' Lord, how are they increased 
 that trouble me? many are they that rise up against 
 me. ' Fa. iii. 1. 
 
 ' And the waters increased, and bare up the ark. ' 
 The higher the rage and tyranny of this world 
 groweth against the church of God, the higher is 
 the ark lifted up towards heaven, the most proud 
 wave lifts it highest : The chm-ch is also by perse- 
 cution more purged and purified from earthly and 
 carnal delights ; therefore it is added, ' the waters 
 bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the 
 earth. ' 
 
 Ver. 18. 'And the waters prevailed, and were 
 increased greatly upon the earth ; and the ark 
 went upon the face of the waters, 't 
 
 These words are still to be considered under the 
 former double consideration, to wit, both, as they 
 present us with God's wrath at the last judgment, 
 and as they present us with a sign of the rage and 
 malice of ungodly men. 
 
 'And the waters prevailed;' that is, over all 
 
 * They perish iu sight of a place of security which they 
 cannot reach ; they perish with the bitter remorse of having 
 despised and rejected the means of escape, like the rich man 
 in hell, whose torment was grievously augmented by the sight 
 of Lazarus, afar off, in the bosom of Abraham. — Ed. 
 
 t Calmet says, ' Apres que I'Arche eut fait le toui- du mondc 
 pendant I'espace de sii mois.' — Supplement to Bictionari/. 
 He gives no authority for this improbable notion. — Ei). 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 ungodly sinners ; though they were mighty, and 
 stout, and cared for none, yet the waters prevailed 
 against them, as the fire and brimstone will do 
 over all the world at the day and coming of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, well may it be 
 said to all impenitent sinners, ' Can thy heart en- 
 dure, or can thy hands be strong, in the days that 
 I shall deal with thee,' Eze.xxii.i4:. saith the Lord 
 God ? Oh they cannot, the waters of the wrath of 
 God will prevail against, and increase upon them, 
 until they have utterly swallowed them up. 
 
 ' And the waters prevailed. ' Take it now as a 
 type of the nature of persecution, and then it shew- 
 eth, that as the waters here did swallow up all but 
 the ark, so when persecution is mighty in the 
 world, it prevaileth to swallowup all but the church; 
 for none else can aright withstand or oppose their 
 wickedness. It is said, when the beast had power 
 to work, ' the whole world wondered after the 
 boast,' Re. xiii. s. and all men who were not sealed, 
 and that had not the mark of God in their fore- 
 heads, fell in with the worship of the beast ; as it 
 is said, ' And all that dwell upon the earth shall 
 worship him, whose names are not written in the 
 book of life of the Lamb,' <kc. ver. s. So then it 
 might well be said, ' The waters prevailed and 
 increased.' 
 
 ' And the ark went upon the face of the waters.' 
 It is said that in the beginning the Spirit of God 
 moved upon the face of the waters, and here that 
 the ark went upon the face of them. Indeed the 
 Spirit of God moveth, and the church, as God, 
 walketh in strange and unthought of stations. It 
 is said, that God hath ' a way in the whirlwind, 
 and in the storm. ' Na. i. 3. So he hath upon the very 
 face of the persecution of the day, but none but 
 the church can follow him here ; it is the ark that 
 can foUow him upon the face of the waters. Deep 
 things are seen by them that are upon the waters : 
 ' They that go down to the sea in ships, that 
 do business in great waters ; They see the works 
 of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.' Ps. evil. 
 23, 34. Indeed it oft falls out, that the church seeth 
 more of God in affliction, than when she is at rest 
 and ease ; when she is tumbled to and fro in the 
 waters, then she sees the works of God, and his 
 wonders in the deep. 
 
 And this makes persecution so pleasant a thing, 
 this makes the ark go upon the face of the waters, 
 she seeth more in this her state, than in all the 
 treasures of Egypt. He. xL 24, 25. 
 
 Ver. 19. ' And the waters prevailed exceedingly 
 upon the earth ; and all the high hills, that were 
 under the whole heaven, were covered.' 
 
 This second repetition of the prevailing of the 
 waters, doth also call for a second consideration. 
 
 I. It shews us, that all hope that any migodly 
 man might have at the beginning of the flood to 
 3 o 
 
474 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 escape the rage thereof, was now swallowed up in 
 death. Indeed it is natural to the creatures, when 
 floods and inundations are upon the earth, to re- 
 pair to th« high places, as they only that are left 
 for preservation of life ; where life may be also 
 continued if th« waters do not overflow them : but 
 when it comes to pass as here we read, that all the 
 hills under the heavens are covered : then life takes 
 its farewell, and is gone from the world, as was the 
 effect of the waters of Noah. 
 
 The hills therefore were types of the hope of the , 
 hypocrite, upon which they clamber till their heads , 
 do touch the clouds, thinking thereby to escape , 
 the judgment of God ; but ' though they hide them- ' 
 selves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take 
 them out thence, ' saith God. &m. ix. 3, 3. The flood 
 of his wrath will come thither, even over the tops 
 of aU the hiUs. So that safety is only in the ark 
 with Noah, in the church with Christ, all other 
 places must be drowned with the flood. 
 
 2. We may also understand by this verse, how 
 God in a time of persecution will cut off the carnal 
 confidence of his people. We are apt to place our 
 hope somewher* else than in God, when persecu- 
 tion ariseth because of the word. We hope that 
 such a man, or that such outward means may pre- 
 vent our being swept away with this flood. But 
 because this confidence is not after God, but tendeth 
 to weaken our stedfast dependence on him ; there- 
 fore this flood shall cover all our hills, not one shall 
 be found for us under the whole heaven. Je. ii. 
 36, 37. When the king of Babylon came up against 
 Jerusalem to war, then Israel, instead of trusting 
 in God, put their confidence in the king of Egypt, 
 but he also was swallowed up by this flood, that 
 Israel might be ashamed of such confidence.; and 
 this at last they confessed. ' As for us, [said 
 they,] our eyes as yet failed for or.r vain help : in 
 our watching, we have watched for a nation tiiot 
 could not save us. ' La. w. 17. 
 
 It was requisite therefore that the hiUs should 
 be covered, that Noah might not have confidence 
 in them ; but surely this dispensation of God was 
 an heart-shaking providence to Noah, and they 
 that were with him ; for here indeed was his faith 
 tried, there was no hill left in all the world; now 
 were his carnal helpers gone, there was none shut 
 up or left: Now therefore, if they could rejoice, it 
 must be ' only in the power of God. As David 
 said, ' Shall I lift up mine eyes to the hUls ? 
 whence should my help come?' So the margin: 
 * My help cometh from the Lord that made heaven 
 and earth. ' Ps. cxxi 1, 2. 
 
 Ver. 20. ' Fifteen cubits upward did the waters 
 prevail ; and the mountains were covered. ' The 
 height of Goliah was but six cubits and a span, 
 1 Sa. xvii.4. neither was Og's bedstead any more than 
 nine. De. m. 11. Wherefore this flood prevailed far 
 
 the highest of those mighty ones: even fifteen cubits 
 above the highest mountains. 
 
 Ver. 21, 22, 23. '% And all flesh died that 
 moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, 
 and of beast, and of every creeping thing that 
 creepeth upon the earth, and every man : All in 
 whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that 
 was in the dry land, died. And every living sub- 
 stance was destroyed, which was upon the face of 
 the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping 
 things, and the fowls of the heaven ; and they were 
 destroyed from the earth, and Noah only remained 
 cdive, and they that were with him in the ark. ' 
 
 In these words you have the effects of the flood, 
 which was punctually according to the judgment 
 threatened. But observe, I pray you, how the 
 Holy Ghost, by repeating, doth amplify the matter. 
 ' All flesh,' ' All in whose nostrils was the breath 
 of life;' ' AUthat was in the dryland,' 'every 
 living substance,' 'every man;' and they were 
 destroyed from off the earth : By which manner 
 of language doubtless there is insinuated a threat- 
 ening to them who should afterward live ungodly. 
 And indeed the Holy Ghost affirmeth, that these 
 judgments, with that of Sodom, are but examples 
 set forth before our eyes, to shew us that such 
 sins, such punishment. 'Making them an ensample, 
 saith Peter, unto those that after should live un- 
 godly. ' 2 Pe. ii. 6. Nay, Jude saith, they are 'set 
 forth' in their overthrow, for that very purpose. 
 ver. 7. Wherefore this careful repeating of this 
 judgment of God, doth carry threatening in it, 
 assuredly foreshewing the doom and dowufal of 
 those that shall continue to tread their steps. 
 
 Yea, mind how Peter hath it: For if God 
 ' spared not the old world,' &c. 2Pe. u. 5. Secretly 
 intimating, that those that then lived, being the 
 first of his workmanship, and far surpassing in 
 magnificence, if he would have spared, he would 
 have spared them ; but seeing he so dreadfully 
 swept them away, let no man be so hold to presume 
 that wickedness shall now deliver him that is given 
 to it. 
 
 ' And Noah only remained alive, and they that 
 were with him in the ark. ' Noah was that man 
 of God that had set himself against a world of 
 ungodly men. The man that had hazarded life 
 and limb for the word of God committed to him ; lie 
 • only remained alive,' <tc. Hence note. That he 
 was the man that outlived the world, that would for 
 God venture life against all the world. Wherefore 
 the saying in the gospel is true, He that will lose 
 his life for my sake, shall save it unto life eternal. 
 Thus did Noah, and passed the end, and went over 
 the bounds, that God had appointed for every living 
 thing. Behold ! he was a man in both worlds, 
 yea, the world then to come was given him for a 
 possession. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE EIIIST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 475 
 
 ' H And tlie waters prevailed upon the earth an 
 hundred and fifty days.' About the same time the 
 scorpions mentioned of John, had power to hurt 
 the earth. E«.k.io. Wherefore, the thus prevailing 
 of the water, might be a type of our persecution 
 now in the New Testament days. All which time 
 doubtless Noah was sufficiently tried, while the 
 waves of the water had no pity for him. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Ver. 1. ' And God remembered Noah, and every 
 living thing, and all the cattle that v)as with him 
 in the ark ; and God made a wind to pass over the 
 earth, and the waters asswaged.' 
 
 Moses having thus related the judgment of the 
 waters, as they respected the drowning of the 
 world, and so typed forth the last judgment : he 
 now returneth to speak of them more largely, as 
 they were a type of the persecution and afflictions 
 of the church, and so sheweth how God delivered 
 Noah from the merciless violence of the waves 
 thereof. 
 
 ' And God remembered Noah.' This word re- 
 membered is usual in scripture ; both when God is 
 about to deliver his people out of affliction, and to 
 grant them the petition which they ask of him. 
 It is said, ' God remembered Abraham ; and sent 
 Lot out of Sodom;' Gcmt. 39. that he remembered 
 Rachel, and hearkened to her ; xii. 22. that he also 
 remembered his covenant with Abraham, when he 
 went to bring Israel out of their bondage. Ex. ii. 24. 
 
 Hence note, that Noah was now both in an 
 afflicted and a praying condition ; afflicted with the 
 dread of the waters, and prayed for their asswaging. 
 It is a question accompanied with astonishment. 
 How the ark being of no bigger an hull or bulk 
 should contain so many creatures, with sustenance 
 for them? And verily, I think, that Noah himself 
 was put to it, to believe and wait for so long a 
 time. But God remembered him, and also the 
 beasts, and every living thing that was with him, 
 and began to put an end to these mighty afflictions, 
 by causing the waters to asswage. 
 
 ■ And God made a wind to pass over the earth.' 
 The waters being here a type of persecutors and 
 persecution : this wind was a type of the breath of 
 the Lord's mouth, by which he is said to slay the 
 wicked. ' He shall smite the earth with the rod of 
 his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he 
 slay the wicked. ' is. xi. 4. It was a wind also that 
 blew away the locusts of Egypt, Ex. x. 19. which 
 locusts were a type of our graceless clergy, that 
 have covered the ground of our land.* Again 
 
 * ' A graceless clergy '11 So numerous as to cover the 
 ground of our land ! i How awful a fact — taking the name of 
 God on polluted lips, and professing to teach what they do 
 not comprehend. Men in a state of rehellion against heaven. 
 
 the kingdom of Babel was to be destroyed by a 
 destroying wind, which the Lord would send 
 against her, Je. u. 1,2. which Paul expounds to be by 
 the breath of the Lord's mouth, and by the bright- 
 ness of his coming. This wind therefore, as I said, 
 was a type of the breathing of the Spirit of the 
 Lord, by which means these tumultuous waves 
 shall be laid lower, and God's ark in a while made 
 to rest upon the top of his mountain. 2 Sa. xxiL 19. Por 
 by the breath of the Lord the earth is lightened, 
 and by this lightning coals are kindled ; ' yea, ho 
 sent out his arrows and scattered them, and he shot 
 out lightnings, and discomfited them. Then the 
 channels of waters were seen, and the foundations 
 of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, Lord, 
 at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.' Pa. xviii. 
 14, 15. ' And God made a wind to pass over the 
 earth, and the waters asswaged.' That is, in New 
 Testament language, the afflictors and afflictions 
 of the church did cease and decay, and came to 
 nought. 
 
 •And the waters asswaged:' To wit, by the 
 blowing of this wind, wherefore, as this wind did 
 assault the waters, so it did refresh the spirit of 
 this servant of God, because by it the affliction 
 was driven away. Thus then by the wind of the 
 Lord were these dry bones refreshed, and made to 
 stand upon their feet. Eze. xxxro. 9, lo. 
 
 'And God made a wind to pass over.' And 
 God made it ; when God blows, the enemies of his 
 truth shall pass away like waters that fail. 
 
 Ver. 2. ' The fountains also of the deep and the 
 windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from 
 heaven was restrained.' 
 
 By these words we see, that when the church of 
 God is afflicted, both heaven and hell have their 
 hand therein, but so as from a differing considera- 
 tion, and to a diverse end. From heaven it comes, 
 that we may remember we have sinned, and that 
 we may be made white, and tried; Da. xL35. but 
 from hell, from the great deep, that we might sin 
 the more, and that we might despair, and bo 
 damned. Job ill; fi. 6. 
 
 • And the fountains of the great deep.' When 
 God begins to slack and abate the afflictions of his 
 church, he rebukes, as it were first, the powers of 
 hell ; for should he take off his own hand, while 
 they have leave to do what they list, the church 
 for this would be worse not better : But first he 
 rebuketh them : ' The Lord rebuke thee, Satan, ' 
 that's the first ; and then he clothes them ' with 
 change of raiment : ' Zec. m. 1—5. The fountains of 
 the great deep were stopped, and then the bottles 
 of heaven. Ge.xv.i4. 
 
 • And the rain from heaven was restrained, or 
 
 calling upon others to submit to God's gospel. Solemn hypo- 
 crites, fearful will be your end. — Ed. 
 
476 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 held back, or made to cease. Afflictions are 
 governed by God, both as to time, number, nature 
 and measure. ' In measure when it shooteth forth, 
 tliou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough 
 wind in the day of his east wind.' Is. xxra. 8. Our 
 times therefore, and our conditions in those times, 
 are in the hand of God; yea, and so are our 
 souls and bodies, to be kept and preserved from 
 the evil, while the rod of God is upon us. Je. xv. 
 
 1—3. 
 
 Ver. 3. 'And the waters returned from off the 
 earth continually: and after the end of the hun- 
 dred and fifty days the waters were abated.' 
 
 The verse before doth treat of the original, the 
 fountains of the deep, and the windows of heaven, 
 that they were shut, or stopped ; which being done, 
 the effect beginneth to cease. Hence note, that 
 ease and release from persecution and affliction 
 cometh not by chance, or by the good moods, or 
 gentle dispositions of men, but the Lord doth hold 
 them back from sin, the Lord restraineth them. 
 It is said ' the Lord stirred up the adversaries of 
 Solomon.' 1 KLxL 14,23. Again, when the Syrians 
 fought against Jehoshaphat, 'the Lord helped him, 
 and God moved them to depart from him. ' 2 Ch. iviii. 
 81. The Lord sent the flood, and the Lord took it 
 away. 
 
 'And the waters returned from off the earth 
 continually. ' When God ceaseth to be angry, the 
 hearts and dispositions of the adversaries shall be 
 palliated, and made more flexible. It is said, 
 when the afflictions of Israel were ended in Egypt, 
 the hearts of the people were turned to pity them ; 
 yea, he caused them ' to be pitied of all those that 
 carried them captives. ' Ps. cvi. 46. 
 
 When you see therefore, that the hearts of kings 
 and governors begin to be moderated toward the 
 church of God, then acknowledge that this is the 
 hand of God. ' I,' saith he, ' wiU cause the enemy 
 to entreat thee well in the time of evU. and in the 
 time of affliction. ' Je. xv. ii. Por by waters here are 
 typed out the great and mighty of the world, by 
 the flowing of them, their rage ; and by their 
 ebbing and returning their stillness and modera- 
 tion. 
 
 • And the waters returned. ' That is, to the 
 sea. Ge. i. 9, 10. ' He gathereth the waters of the sea 
 together as an heap : he layeth up the depth in 
 store houses. ' Ps. xixiii. 7. 
 
 By 'gathering up,' the persecutors may be 
 understood, his gathering them to their graves, as 
 he did Herod, who stood in the way of Christ. 
 Mat. ii. 19, 30. And as he did those in Ezekiel, who 
 hindered the promotion of truth, and the exaltation 
 of the gospel, xixi. 14. 
 
 ' And after the end of the hundred and fifty 
 days the waters were abated.' These words then 
 imply, that for so long time, Noah, and the 
 
 church with him, were to exercise patience. They 
 also show us, That when the waters are up, they 
 do not suddenly fail: They were up four hundred 
 years, from Abraham to Moses. Ge.xv. 13. They 
 were up threescore and ten years in the days of 
 the captivity of Babylon ; Je. xxv. 12. and Ze. 1. 12. They 
 were up ten mystical days in the persecution that 
 was in the days of Antipas. Ee. ii. lo. And are to 
 be up forty and two months, in the reign, and 
 under the tyranny of antichrist, xiii. 5. But they 
 wiU abate ; the house of Saul will grow weaker ; 
 yea, they shall be gathered to their sea, and shall 
 be laid in the pit ; yea, they shall not be on the 
 earth, when God shall set glory in the land of the 
 
 living. Eze. xxvi. 19—21. 
 
 Ver. 4. IT 'And the ark rested in the seventh 
 month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon 
 the mountains of Ararat. ' 
 
 These instances therefore were a type of Christ, 
 the munition of rocks, is. xxxiii. 16. who is elsewhere 
 called, the mountain of the Lord's house ; Mi. ii. i. 
 the rock upon which he will build his church, and 
 the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Mat. iri 
 18. For after the ark had felt the ground, or had 
 got settlement upon the tops of these mountains ; 
 however, the waters that came from the great deep, 
 did notwithstanding, for some time, shake, and 
 make it stir, yet off from these mountains they 
 could not get it with all their rage and fury. It 
 rested there ; these gates of hell could not prevail. 
 But mark, it did rest on these mountains almost a 
 quarter of a year, before any ground appeared to 
 Noah. A right figiu-e of saving faith ; for that 
 maketh not outward observation a ground and 
 foundation for faith, but Christ the rock, who as 
 to sense and feeling is at first quite out of sight. 
 Hence the hope of the godly is compared to the 
 anchor of a ship, which resteth on, or taketh hold 
 of the rock that is now invisible under the water, 
 at the bottom of the sea. He. vi. 19. 
 
 This then should learn us to stay on the Lord 
 Jesus, and there to rest when the waters have 
 drowned all the world, and when all the mountains 
 and hills for help are as if they were cast into the 
 midst of the sea. 
 
 That is an excellent saying of the prophet, 'God 
 is our refuge and strength, a very present help in 
 trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the 
 earth be removed, (as now it seemed) and though 
 the mountains be carried into the midst of the 
 sea; Tlwugh the waters thereof roar and be 
 troubled ; though the mountains shake with the 
 swelling thereof. Selah. ' Pa. xivi. i— s. 
 
 Ver. 5. ' And the waters decreased continually 
 until the tenth month ; in the tenth month, on the 
 first day of the month, were the tops of the moim- 
 tains seen.' 
 
 In the third verse we read, that after an hun- 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIUST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 477 
 
 dred and fifty days' flood, the waters returned; that 
 is, began to return, from off the earth: Which 
 beginning of their return, was, because that God 
 had mercifully remembered the prayer and afflic- 
 tion of Noah. Again, in this verse we read, that 
 from the day that the ark did rest upon the moun- 
 tains of Ararat, the waters decreased continually. 
 Now the resting of the ark on the mountam, was 
 a figure of our trusting on Christ. Hence it fol- 
 lows, that the tumults and raging of the mystical 
 waters, are made to decrease by the power of faith : 
 'This is the victory, eve7i our faith.' Un. v. 4. As 
 it is also said of Moses, ' By faith they passed 
 through the Red sea.' He. xi. 29. But above all take 
 that as most pertinent, ' Through faith they sub- 
 dued kingdoms, - stopped the mouths of lions, - 
 and turned to flight the armies of aliens.' He. xi. 33, 
 34. Here you see faith made the waters decrease ; 
 it took away the heat and rage of the adversary. 
 
 ' And the waters decreased continually until the 
 tenth month, (another period of time,) and in the 
 first day of the tenth month were the tops of the 
 mountains seen.' These mountains were before 
 the flood, a type of the hope of the hypocrites, and 
 therefore then were swallowed up, fifteen cubits 
 under the waters. But now, methinks, they should 
 be a figure to the church of some visible ground of 
 deliverance from the flood ; for almost three months 
 the ark did rest on the invisible mountains of 
 Ararat. But now are the tops of the mountains 
 seen : A further sign that the waters were abated ; 
 and a ground, that at length they would be quite 
 dried up. Let these moimtains then be types of 
 the high and mighty, which God is used to stir up 
 to deliver his church from the heat and rage of 
 tyranny and persecution, as they are often termed 
 and called in scripture, the mountains of Israel, 
 for this very end. So then, from our thus con- 
 sidering the mountains. Two things we are taught 
 thereby. 
 
 1. That when the great ones of this world 
 begin to discover themselves to the church, by way 
 of encouragement, it is a sign that the waters are 
 now decreasing. Or thus : When God lets us see 
 the tops of the mountains, then we may certainly 
 conclude, that the rage of the waters abate. 
 
 Doubtless when God made promise of raising up 
 Josias to Israel, in Canaan ; 1 Ki. xiii. 1—3. and of 
 raising up for them Cyrus, in Babylon. Is, xiv. and 
 Eze. i. 1—3. The thus appearing of the tops of these 
 mountains, was comfort to the church in her day 
 of affliction. 
 
 2. This should teach us while we are in afilic- 
 tion, to look this way and that, if it may be that 
 the tops of the mountains may be seen by us. 
 I Sa. xi. 1—3. For though it be too much below a 
 Christian to place his confidence in men, yet when 
 God shall raise up Josias or a Cyrus, we may take 
 
 encouragement at this working of God. Therefore 
 is that in the Psalms read both ways, shall I look 
 to the mountains ? ' I will lift up mine eyes unto 
 the hills, from whence cometh my help. Yet so, 
 as that he would also conclude his help did come 
 from the Lord. ' Pa. cxxi. 1, 2. So then, we must take 
 heed that we look not to the mountains [alone]. 
 Again, it is our wisdom ' to look to the mountains:' 
 only look not to them but when God discovers them. 
 Look unto them if God discovereth them ; yet then 
 but so as means of God's appointing. But again, 
 God doth not let us see the hills for om- help, 
 before we have first of all seen them drowned. 
 Look not to them therefore while the water is at 
 the rising ; but if they begin to cease their raging, 
 if they begin to fall, and with that the tops of the 
 mountains be seen, you may look upon them with 
 comfort, they are tokens of God's deliverance. 
 
 Ver. 6. ' IT And it came to pass at the end of 
 forty days, that Noah opened the window of the 
 ark which he had made.' 
 
 These forty days seem to commence from the 
 discovery of the tops of the mountains. Where- 
 fore he did not presently go out of the ark, but 
 staid there above fourteen days still, signifying 
 unto us, that we must not be therefore delivered 
 so soon as the tops of the mountains aj-e seen, but 
 may yet be assaulted with the waters of the flood, 
 days, and weeks, and months, &c. 
 
 When Moses was sent to deliver Israel, they 
 came not presently out of Egypt ; neither seemed 
 their bm'thens ever the lighter to sense or feeling, 
 though faith indeed did see the end. Ex. t. 15— S3. 
 Again, When he had brought them forth of Egypt, 
 they came not in a day, or a month, to Canaan ; 
 but, saith the Holy Ghost, ' He brought them out, 
 (or, forth of affliction) after that he had showed 
 wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in 
 the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years. 
 
 Let us therefore take heed of a feverish spirit, 
 while we behold 'the tops of the mountains;' pos- 
 sibly, for all they are visible tokens to us of deliver- 
 ance, themselves may be yet much under water. 
 We see what work Moses, Gideon, Jephthah and 
 Samson had to deliver Israel, even after more than 
 their tops were seen. Be content to stay yet forty 
 days. David stayed, after he was anointed, till 
 years and times went over him, before he could 
 deliver Israel from the tyranny of its opposers. 
 
 'At the end of forty days Noah opened the 
 window of the ark.' This opening of the window 
 also, was a type, that now he was preparing 
 to, take possession of the world. It also might 
 be a type of the opening the law and testimony, 
 that light might by that come into the church; 
 for we find not that this window had any other 
 use, but to be a conveyance of light into the ark, 
 and as a passage for the raven and the dove, as 
 
478 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE TIKST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 may be further showed after. Now much like 
 this, is that of John : ' The temple of God was 
 opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple 
 the ark of his testament. ' Re. xi. 19. And again, ' I 
 looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle 
 of the testimony in heaven was opened.' And 
 then, as the raven, and the dove came out of the 
 window of the ark ; so ' the angels, ' that is, the 
 Lord's executioners, 'came out of the temple' that 
 was opened in heaven. Re. w. 5, 6. 
 
 Hence note. That though men may be borne 
 with, if they lie in their holes in the heighth of the 
 tempest ; but to do it when the tops of the moun- 
 tains were seen, if they then shall forbear to open 
 their window, they are worthy of blame indeed. 
 Wlien the lepers saw the Assyrians were fled, and 
 that liberty from heaven was granted to Samaria, 
 then they feared to conceal the thing any further ; 
 They feared, I say, that if they went not to the 
 city to declare it, some judgment of God would 
 befal them. 2 Ki. vii. 9. 
 
 Ver. 7, 8. ' And he sent forth a raven, which 
 went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried 
 up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove 
 from him, to see if the waters were abated from 
 off the face of the ground. " 
 
 Behold, the raven and dove are now sent out at 
 the window of the ark, as the angels are said to 
 come out of the temple, when it was opened in 
 heaven. This raven therefore, and the dove, were 
 figures and types of those angels. Ee. xv. 6, 6. 
 
 But to speak to them both apart. The raven 
 went forth, but returned not again to the ark. 
 This is intimated by these words, ' She went to and 
 fro, imtil the waters were abated, and dried up.' 
 This is further evident by that antithesis that the 
 word doth put between the practice of the raven 
 and the dove. The raven went forth, and went to 
 and fro tiU the waters were dried up. But mark 
 it, ' But the dove found no rest for the sole of her 
 foot, and she returned unto him into the ark.' 
 ver. 9. The raven then did find rest elsewhere, the 
 raven then returned not to him into the ark. 
 
 But what did the raven then do ? Why, cer- 
 tainly she made a banquet of the carcases of the 
 giants that were drowned by the flood ; it fed upon 
 the flesh of the men that had sinned against the 
 Lord. 
 
 The raven therefore was a type of those mes- 
 sengers that God sends out of his temple against 
 Antichrist ; that is, for ' eating the flesh of kings, 
 and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty 
 men, and the flesh of horses.' He was, I say, a 
 type of those professors that God saith he hath a 
 great sacrifice to sacrifice unto, a sort of professors 
 in his church ; as the raven was one that had his 
 being in the ark: These are they which Ezekiel 
 mentions, that were to eat flesh, and drink blood ; 
 
 to eat the fat till they be filled, and to drink blood 
 till they be drunken, xxxix. i7-30. These also are 
 the guests that Zephaniah mentions, and saith, 
 God hath bidden to the same feast also. i. 7-i4. 
 
 And let no man be offended that I say these 
 birds are in the church: For one effect of the 
 sixth vial, was that battle of the great day of 
 God Almighty. Re. xyi. 16. Further, The angel that' 
 proclaims this feast, calls to those that are God's 
 guests, by the name of, ' the fowls that fly in the 
 midst of heaven:' That they should 'come and 
 gather together to the supper of the great God : 
 That they may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh 
 of captains, and the flesh of mighty men,' <kc. 
 Re. jtix. 17, 18. Besides, this supper is the effect of the 
 going forth of the King of kings against the Anti- 
 christian whore, whose going forth was at the 
 opening of heaven, as the going forth of the raven 
 was at the opening of the window of the ark. ver. 
 
 11—16. 
 
 Note therefore. That God, in the overthrow of 
 the kingdom of Antichrist, and at the asswaging of 
 the rage of her tumultuous waves, will send forth 
 his birds amongst her fat ones, to partake of the 
 banquet that he hath appointed ; who when they 
 shall be tolerated by that angel that standeth in 
 the sun, will come down to their feast Beware of 
 with such greediness, that neither king ^'""'''^ '^'■™- 
 nor captain shall keep them from their prey : They 
 will eat flesh, and fat, till they be full, and drink 
 the blood till they be drunk. 
 
 ' Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if 
 the waters were abated.' This dove was a type 
 of another sort of professors in the church, that 
 are of a more gentle nature ; Mat. x. 16. for all the 
 saints are not for such work as the raven ; they 
 are not all for feeding upon the carcases, the king- 
 doms and estates of the Antichristian party, but 
 are for spending their time, and for bending their 
 spirits to a more spiritual and retired work ; even 
 as the dove is said to be harmless, and to mourn 
 for commimion with her companion. Is. xxxviii. 14 and 
 that is content if she hath her nest in the sides of 
 the rock, Christ. Je. xhiii. 28. Wherefore he adds, 
 
 Ver. 9. ' But the dove found no rest for the sole 
 of her foot, and she returned unto him into the 
 ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole 
 earth.' &c. 
 
 The dove could not live as the raven ; the raven 
 being content, so long as she found the carcases ; 
 but the dove found no rest till she returned again 
 to Noah. 
 
 The raven therefore, though he was in the ark, 
 was not a type of the most spiritual Chi'istian ; nay 
 rather, I think, of the worldly professor, who gets 
 into the church in the time of her afiiiction, as Ziba 
 did into the army of David, in the day of his 
 trouble ; not for love to the grace of David, but 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAFTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 479 
 
 that, if time should serve, he might he made the 
 Lord of his master's inheritance. 2 Sa. xvi. 1—4. But 
 David was content to let him go with him, and 
 that too as under such a consideration : as Christ 
 also lets these ravens to herd with his innocent 
 doves ; because he hath flesh to give them, which 
 the doves care not for eating.* 
 
 ' But the dove found no rest.' It seems the 
 raven did, as it is also with some professors, who 
 when they by their profession have advanced them- 
 selves to some worldly honour, they have ease and 
 rest, though, like the raven, they have it by going 
 out of the church. 
 
 ' But the dove foimd no rest. ' Though all the 
 enemies of God lay timabling in the sea, this could 
 not satisfy a gracious soul : divide her from the 
 ark, and she finds no rest, she is not at ease tUl 
 she be with Noah. 
 
 ' And she returned unto him into the ark ; - and 
 he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her 
 in imto him into the ark.' vcr. 9. 
 
 Noah here was a type of Christ, who took the 
 dove unto him : And it shows us, That Christ hath 
 a bosom open for the cries and complaints of his 
 people ; for the dove returned a-weary with the 
 tidings of this, that the waters still raged. A fit 
 figure of those of the saints Ijhat are groaning and 
 weary imder the oppression and cruelty of the 
 enemy. 
 
 Hence note, That though thou hast no other 
 tidings to Christ but sighs and groans, and weari- 
 ness, because of the rage of the waters ; yet he 
 will not despise thee; yea, he invites thee, as 
 weary, to come. Mat. xi. 28— so. 
 
 Ver. 10. -^And he stayed yet other seven days ; 
 and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark.' 
 
 This staying shows us. That he exercised 
 patience, waiting God's leisure till the flood should 
 be taken away. This grace therefore had yet 
 seven day's work to do, before he obtained any 
 further testimony that the waters were decreasing. 
 this staying work is hard work ! Alas ! some- 
 times patience is accompanied with so much heat 
 and feverishness, that every hour seems seven until 
 the end of the trial, and the blessing promised be 
 possessed by the waiting soul. It may be Noah 
 might not be altogether herein a stranger: I am 
 sure the Psalmist was not, in that he often under 
 afiiiction, cries. But how long, Lord ! for ever ! 
 Pa. vi. 3; tak. 6; liii. 1; ixiiv. 1; iixjox. 46. Make haste ! 
 Lord, how long ! xc. IS; iciv. s. 
 
 ' And again he sent forth the dove.' The first 
 time he sent her, she brought no good news, but 
 
 * I Tills shoiild prompt every professing Christian to self- 
 examination — Am I of the raven class, or that of the dove ? 
 May my heart, while trembling at the thought that there are 
 ravens in the chuich, appeal to the heart-searching God, ' Lord, 
 isit I?'— Ed. 
 
 came panting and weary home ; yet he sends her 
 a second time. 
 
 This should teach us, not to make conclusions 
 too suddenly about God's dispensation, saying it 
 must be now or never ; for it may be the seven 
 days are not out. The men of David said, This 
 is the day that the Lord will give thee the king- 
 dom of Israel : But David perceived otherwise, and 
 therefore adds yet to his temperance, patience. 
 1 Sa. xxh.l— 4; xxvi. 8— 10. Not Sullenly saying like 
 that wicked king. Why should I wait on the Lord 
 any longer ? 2 Ki. vL 32. But comforts himself with 
 the truth of the promise, saying, His time shall 
 come to die, &c. He that believeth, maketh not 
 haste, but waiteth patiently, for the perfecting 
 God's work in God's time. That is excellent in 
 the song : ' I charge you (saith the church) that 
 ye stir not up, nor awake my love, until he please. ' 
 Ca. viii. i. Noah was much for this, wherefore he 
 stayed yet other seven days. 
 
 ' And again he sent forth the dove.' Elias did 
 much like this, when his servant, at the first 
 sending, brought him no tidings of rain, he gave 
 him his errand again, saying. Go again: go seven 
 times. 1 Ki. xviii. 43-^5. As Noah here did with the 
 dove, and again he sent her. Seeming delays are 
 no hindrance to faith ; they ought to try it, and 
 put it into exercise : As here it was with this good 
 man about the waters of the flood ; he fainted not, 
 but believed to see the goodness of the Lord. That 
 in the prophet is notable as to this, ' The vision is 
 yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall 
 speak, and not lie : though it tarry, wait for it ; 
 because it will surely come, it will not tarry.' 
 Hall. ii. 3. 
 
 Ver. II. ' And the dove came in to him in the 
 evening ; and lo ! in her mouth was an olive-leaf 
 plucked ofi' : so Noah knew that the waters were 
 abated from off the earth. ' 
 
 ' And the dove came in to him in the evening.' 
 Wherefore hia patience was tried this day also. 
 All the day he heard nothing of his dove. Surely 
 she could not keep the wing all the day. Is she 
 drowned I tro ? Is she lost ? 0, no ! She comes 
 at last, though she stayed long. Samuel also 
 stayed long before he came to Saul; but Saul 
 could not wait as Noah did, therefore he had not 
 the benefit of the mercy promised. 
 
 ' The dove came in to him in the evening, and 
 lo, in her mouth was an olive-leaf, ' <fee. Now he 
 is recompensed for the exercise of patience : As 
 also was Abraham when God gave him Issac; for 
 after he had patiently endured, he obtained the 
 promise. 
 
 ' And lo, an olive-leaf.' A sign that God was 
 going through with his work of diminishing the 
 waters : A sign, I say, and a good experience of 
 the continued love of God to his servant; according 
 
480 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS, 
 
 to that of Paul, 'patience worketli experience;' 
 that is, it at last ohtaineth the hlessuig promised, 
 and so settleth the soul in a fresh experience of the 
 love and faithfulness of God. 
 
 And lo ! This word Lo, it is, as it were an 
 appeal to all readers to judge, whether God to 
 Noah was faithful or no. So then, this was n(|t 
 written for his sake only, but for us also that be- 
 lieve in God, that we might now exercise patience, 
 as Noah; and obtain the tokens of God's good- 
 ness, as he ; for lo the dove, at last, though 'twas 
 night first, came to Noah into the ark, ' and lo in 
 her mouth was an olive-leaf plucked off : so Noah 
 knew that the waters were abated.' 
 
 'An olive-leaf plucked oif.' These words, an 
 olive-leaf plucked off, do intimate, that Noah was 
 now inquisitive and searching how the dove ob- 
 tained the leaf; that is, whether she found it as 
 dead, and upon the waters ; or whether she 
 plucked it off some tree : But he found by the green- 
 ness and freshness of the slip, that si e plucked 
 it off from the olive. Wherefore, he had good 
 ground now to be comforted ; for if this leaf was 
 plucked off from a tree, then the waters could 
 not be deep ; especially, because as the story tells 
 us, the olive used also to stand in the bottoms, or 
 valleys. 
 
 This should teach us. That not over highly we 
 conclude messages or tokens, to be signs of God's 
 mercy. There are lying visions, and they are 
 causes of banishment ; they we should beware of, 
 or else we are not only at present deceived, but 
 our faith is in danger of the rocks ; for not a few 
 have cast up all, because the truth of some seem- 
 ing vision hath failed. Mark how David handleth 
 the messenger that brought him tidings of the 
 death of Saul: says he, How dost thou know that 
 Saul is dead ? What proof canst thou make of the 
 truth of this story ? 1 Sa. L 1—10. So should we say 
 of all those visions or messengers that come to 
 persuade us, that either inward or outward deliver- 
 ance is for us at the door. Prove these stories ; 
 look if they be not dead and lifeless fancies ; see 
 if you can find that they were plucked off from the 
 tree that is green. 
 
 Ver. 12. ' And he stayed yet other seven days ; 
 and sent forth the dove ; which returned not again 
 imto him any more,' 
 
 We read before of forty days' patience, and after 
 that of seven days' patience ; and that after the 
 waters began to return from off the earth, and here 
 again of seven days more. Whence note, That 
 the best of God's people, in the times of trials, 
 find their patience too short-winded to hold out the 
 whole length of a trial, unless the time be, as it 
 were, cut in pieces. The prophet when he was to 
 lay siege against Jerusalem, he must rest the one 
 side, by turning him upon the other. Ezo. w. 3—6. It 
 
 was with holy Job exceeding hard, when he miglit 
 not have time to swallow his spittle, when he might 
 not a little sit down and rest him. And if you 
 observe him, he doth not desire an absolute deli- 
 verance as yet, but only time to take wind and 
 breathe awhile ; and then, if God will, to engage 
 in the combat again:* ' How long (saith he) wilt 
 thou not depart from me.' Depart: what quite ? 
 I No, saith he, I beg not that absolutely, but 
 only so long as till a man might ' swallow down 
 his spittle.' JobTu.l9. This the church in Ezra's 
 time took as an exceeding favour. ' And now 
 (say they) for a little space, grace hath been 
 shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a rem- 
 nant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy 
 place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and 
 give us a httle reviving in our bondage.' Ezr. ix. 8. 
 
 ' And he stayed yet other seven days.' Note 
 again. That it is not God's way with his people 
 to shew them all their troubles at once; but first 
 he shews them a part ; first forty days, after that 
 seven other days, and yet again seven days more ; 
 that, they coming upon them by piecemeal, they 
 may the better be able to travel through them. 
 While Israel was in affliction in Egypt, they knew 
 not the trials that would meet them at the Red 
 Sea. Again, When they had gone through that, 
 they little thought that yet ' for forty years they 
 must be tempted and proved in the wilderness.' 
 
 And thus it was with this blessed Noah ; he 
 thought that by the first seven days his trials 
 might be ended. But behold, there is yet seven 
 days more behind: 'and he stayed yet other seven 
 days.' 
 
 Further : There may also be by these words 
 thus much insinuated. That these periods of time 
 might be also of Noah's prefixing : and if so, then 
 note, That the people of God in these days are not 
 the first that have been under mistake, as to the 
 timing of their afflictions. Noah counted it would 
 end many days before it ended indeed, even seven 
 days, and seven days, and seven days to that; for 
 he sent forth his dove about the beginning of the 
 first month, in which month also were his two 
 seven days' trials. Again, after that he had staid 
 two seven days more, to wit, to the end of that 
 first month. Again, he staid almost four 
 
 r t , , /» , 1 A caution. 
 
 sevens more ; tor ne came not out oi the 
 
 ark till the twenty-seventh day of the second 
 
 month. 
 
 Hence therefore let Christians beware that they 
 set not times for God, lest all men see their folly . 
 
 * This may have suggested an idea to Bunyau in writing 
 the second part of his Pilgrim. In the battle between Great 
 Heart and Giant Maul the sophist, after an hour's hard fight- 
 ing, ' they sat down to rest them, hut Mr. Great Heart betook 
 him to prayer. AVheu they had rested them, and taken 
 breath, they both fell to it again.' — Ed. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 481 
 
 'It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, 
 which the Father hath put in his own power.' 
 Ac. i. 7. Yea, I say again, take heed lest 
 that for thy setting of God a seven days' 
 time, he set not thee so many as seven times seven. 
 ' And he sent forth the dove, which returned 
 not again unto him anymore.' This is the third 
 time that the dove was sent to see how the waters 
 were abated on the face of the earth. The first 
 time she, by her restlessness, bespake the waters 
 to be high and mighty. The second time, by her 
 olive-leaf, she notifieth that the waters were low 
 and ebbing. But this third time, she seems to 
 be weary of her service, she returned not again 
 to him any more ; yet in her so absenting herself, 
 she gives confirmation to Noah, that the waters 
 were even in a manner quite gone. If he will take 
 this for a proof let him, if not, let him hang in 
 suspense with himself. Hence note, that God will 
 not be always testifying, by renewing of his tokens, 
 to that about which we have had sufficient convic- 
 tion before ; for in so doing he should gratify and 
 humour _our tmbelief. Noah had received already 
 two sufficient testimonies that the waters were 
 decreasing. First by his seeing the tops of the 
 mountains, and then by the olive-leaf ; but not- 
 withstanding these two testimonies, his unbelief in 
 part remains ; but God wiU not humour such a 
 groundless mistrust, by giving him any further 
 token, than the very absenting of the dove. Much 
 hke this was that of Samson's father; the angel 
 once had told his wife, that she should have a son 
 that should deliver Israel ; well, Manoah heard of 
 this, he also desired that he might see that man 
 that had told his wife this happy news. Now 
 God thus far condescends, as to send the angel a 
 second time ; but then, this being now a sufficient 
 antidote against their unbelief, the angel after the 
 next departing, was not seen again of them at all. 
 But saith the word. The angel of the Lord did no 
 more appear to Manoah, and to his wife: So that 
 now they must live by faith, or not at all. Jn. liiL 3, 
 
 9, 31. 
 
 God's dealing with his people with respect to 
 their spiritual condition, is much like this. The 
 Holy Ghost doth not use to confirm us by new 
 revelations of grace and justification, so often as 
 by our fond doubts or mistrust we call for and 
 desire the same. But having confirmed in us the 
 testimony of Christ, it may be twice or thrice, 
 (for the testimony of two men are true) he then 
 expects we should live by faith. And observe it, 
 if we have after such testunony joyful communion 
 with God, it is either by retreating to former ex- 
 perience, or by arguing according to faith ; that 
 because God hath done thus before, he therefore 
 hath given me interest in such and such promises 
 and mercies besides. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 T speak now of the first seals of the love of God 
 to the soul, after we have been sufficiently tossed 
 upon the waves of unbelief, as Noah was by tho 
 waters of the flood : such seals are few, the Lord 
 gave them to Solomon twice. iKi.xi. 9. And also 
 twice to his servant Paul. Ac xm. 6, 18. 'Tis enough 
 that they have seen ' the tops of the mountains, ' 
 and have had brought to them the olive-leaf. Let 
 them now believe this confirmation of mercy is 
 sufficient, and if they will not believe now, they 
 shall not be established. 
 
 Ver. 13. ' H And it came to pass in the six 
 hundredth and first year, in the first month, the 
 first day of the month, the waters were dried up 
 from off the earth : and Noah removed the cover- 
 ing of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face 
 of the ground was dry. ' 
 
 ' And it came to pass. ' That is, by the working 
 of God, that the waters were dried up. This came 
 to pass in God's time, to wit, in 'the six hundredth 
 and first year, in the first month, the first day of 
 the month;' not in the times of Noah's prefixing. 
 God's time is the time, the best time, because it 
 is the time appointed by him for the proof and 
 trial of our graces, and that in which so much, and 
 so much of the rage of the enemy, and of the 
 power of God's mercy, may the better be disco- 
 vered unto us ; 'I the Lord will hasten it in his 
 time,' U.U. 22. not before, though we were the sig- 
 net upon his right hand. Je. xxii. 24. 
 
 Noah the only man with God in that generation, 
 could not be restored before the time ; no more 
 could Israel from the thraldom of Egypt. Ex. iHL 4. 
 Yea, the Son of God himself must here give place 
 and be content. And when Satan had ended all 
 the temptation, when he ' had ended all, - then he 
 departed from him for a season.' Lu. iv. is. 
 
 ' And Noah removed the covering of the ark, 
 and looked. ' The failing again of his expected 
 comforter, caused him to be up and doing ; proba- 
 bly he had not as yet uncovered the ark, that is, 
 to look round about him, had the dove by returning 
 pleased his humour ; but she failing him, he stirs 
 up himself. Thus it should also be with the Chris- 
 tian now: doth the dove forbear to come to theo 
 with a leaf in her bill as before, let not this make 
 thee sullen and mistrustful, but uncover the ark, 
 and look, and by looking thou shalt see a further 
 testimony of what thou receivedst by the first mani- 
 festations : ' He looked, and behold the earth was 
 dry. ' Paul tells us, that by looking we have a 
 testimony like, or as that, which at first was given 
 us by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Co. ffi. is. ' And be- 
 hold the face of the earth was dry. ' 
 
 Ver. 14. "And in the second month, on tho 
 seven and twentieth day of the month, was the 
 earth dried.' 
 
 This prospect was like tho rain that we read of 
 3 V 
 
482 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CIlAPTEilS OF GENESIS. 
 
 in another place, that confirmed God's inheritance 
 when it was weary : It was a comfortable sight to 
 Noah to see that the face of the earth was dry; and 
 now he could wait upon God with less ti'ial and 
 strain to his patience the remaining days, which 
 were fifty and four, to wit, from the first of the first, 
 to the twenty-seventh of the second month, than he 
 could one of the sevens that he met with before. 
 Indeed the path is narrowest just at entrance, as 
 also our nature is then the most untoward; but after 
 we are in, the walk seems to he wider and easy; the 
 flesh is also then more mortified and conformable. 
 The walk is but a cubit wide at the door, but in- 
 ward ten times as broad. Eze. xiii. 4, ii. 
 
 'And in the second month, on the seven and 
 twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.' 
 So that from the first day it began to rain, which 
 was the seventeenth day of the second month 
 in the year before, unto this day, was Noah in the 
 ark ; it was just a year and ten days. That was 
 the time then that God had appointed to try his 
 servant Noah, by the waters of the flood : in which 
 time he was so effectually crucified to the things 
 of this world, that he was as if he was never more 
 to enjoy the same. Wherefore Peter making men- 
 tion of this estate of his, he tells us, it was even 
 like unto our baptism ; wherein we profess our- 
 selves dead to the world, and alive to God by Jesus 
 
 Christ. IPe. iii.Sl. 
 
 In the first verse of this chapter, we read that 
 God remembered Noah ; but till now we read not, 
 that the face of the earth was dried. Hence note 
 that our being imder the rage of the enemy, doth 
 not argue that we are therefore forgotten of God, ' he 
 remembereth us in our low estate, ' even when tossed 
 to and fro by the waters of a fiood of temptations. 
 
 Ver. 15, 16. 'HAnd God spake unto Noah, 
 saying, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, 
 and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. ' 
 
 Now we are come to the end of the trial, and so 
 to the time of Noah's dehverance, and behold as 
 he went in, so he came out : He went into the ark 
 at the commandment of the Lord. ' And the 
 Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house 
 into the ark. ' Ge. vu. i. And here again, ' And God 
 spake imto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark.' 
 Hence note, that notwithstanding the earth was 
 dry about fifty-four days before, yet Noah waited 
 for the word of God for his commission to bring 
 him forth of the ark. Providence seemed to smUe 
 before, in that the earth was dry, to which had 
 but Noah added reason, he must have concluded, 
 the time is come for me to go forth of the ark. 
 But Noah knew, that as well the providences of 
 God, as the waters of the flood might be to try his 
 dependance on the word of the Lord : wherefore, 
 though he saw this, yet because he had no answer 
 of God, he will not take the opportunity. 
 
 It is dangerous, or at least very difficult, to make 
 the most smihng providence of God our rule to act 
 by : Had David done it, he had killed Saul before 
 the time, but David respected the word of God. 
 2 Sa. xxiv. 17— 20. Elisha also would not suffer the 
 king to make that improvement of the providence 
 of God, which reason should he put in execution, 
 when he rebuked the king's desire that he had to 
 have killed the Syrians, and commanded that 
 bread should be set before them, that they might 
 eat, and go home again to their master. 2 Ki. vi. 39 
 —23. Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble 
 at his word. ' At the commandment of the Lord 
 the children of Israel journeyed, and at the com- 
 mandment of the Lord they pitched. - - At the com- 
 mandment of the Lord they rested in their tents, 
 and at the commandment of the Lord they jour- 
 neyed ; they kept the charge of the Lord, at the 
 commandment of the Lord, by the hand of Moses.' 
 
 i\u. i\. 18—23. 
 
 ' Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and 
 thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee.' 
 
 When God delivereth, he delivereth completely. 
 Thus Israel also went out of Egypt, they, their 
 wives, their children, with their flocks and herds, 
 not an hoof was left behind. Er.x. 24-26. When 
 David's time was come to possess the kingdom, he 
 brought along with him those six hundred men 
 that had been his companions in his suffering state, 
 every man with his household. But I say, he 
 went up to possess it, not simply by the voice of 
 providence, though Saul was dead, but ' David 
 enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into 
 any of the cities of Judah V Nay, a general an- 
 swer, even from God, would not satisfy this holy 
 man. ' The Lord said, - Go, but David replied. 
 Whither shall I go ? and he said unto Hebron.' 
 1 Sa. u. 1. Oh ! it is safe to regard the word of the 
 Lord ; this makes us all come safe to land. When 
 men wrest themselves from under the hand of God, 
 taking such opportunities for their deliverance, 
 which are laid before them only for trial of obe- 
 dience to the word : they may, it is probable, have 
 a seeming success ; the end will be as with Zede- 
 kiah king of Judah, aflBiction with addition. The 
 Jews that were left in the land of Israel, from the 
 hand of the king of Babylon, would flee to the 
 land of Egypt, Je. di. 17. that they might have quiet- 
 ness there, but they went without the word of God, 
 and therefore their rest brought them to their ruin. 
 
 xiii. xliii. 
 
 Noah therefore chose the safest way, even to 
 stay in the ark, tiU God's word came. As it is 
 also said of Joseph, ' The word of the Lord tried 
 him ;' till the word of the Lord came to deliver him, 
 and then he had deliverance indeed, Ps. cv. 19. as 
 Noah also and David had safe deliverance for him- 
 self and relations. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE nUST TEN CHAPTERS Of GENESIS. 
 
 483 
 
 Ver. 17. ' Bring forth with thee every living 
 thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, 
 and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that 
 creepeth upon the earth ; that they may hreed 
 abimdantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and mul- 
 tiply upon the earth.' 
 
 Noah was not only to have in this deliverance, 
 respect to himself and family, but to the good of 
 all the world. Men's spirits are too narrow for 
 the mind of God, when their chief end, or their 
 only design in their enjoying this or the other 
 mercy, is for the sake of their ownselves only. It 
 cannot he according to God, that such desires 
 should he encouraged : ' none of us liveth unto 
 him.self/ why then should we desire life only for 
 ourselves. 
 
 The church cries thus, ' God be merciful unto 
 us, and bless us ; and cause his face to shine upon 
 us.' Why ? ' That thy way may be known upon 
 earth, thy saving health among all nations.' Ps.lxvii. 
 
 1,3. 
 
 So David, ' Restore unto me the joy of thy sal- 
 vation ; and uphold me loith thy free spirit. Then 
 will I teach transgressors thy ways ; and sinners 
 shall be converted unto thee.' Fa. ii.13, 13. So then, 
 we must not desire to come out of trials and afflic- 
 tions alone, or by ourselves, but that in our deli- 
 verance the salvation of many may be concerned. 
 It is said, when Israel went up out of Egypt, there 
 went up with them ' a mixed multitude, ' to wit, of 
 Egyptians, and other nations : This going out of 
 captivity was right, they carried out with them the 
 fowls, the beasts, and the creeping things; to wit, 
 the heathens of other lands, and so added increase 
 to the church of God. Ex. xii.37, 38. In Esther's 
 time also, when the Jews came from under the 
 snare of Haman, they brought with them to God 
 many of the people of the provinces. ' Many of 
 the people of the land became Jews.' Es. via. 17. 
 
 These words therefore, ' bring forth with thee 
 every living thing,' <fcc. are not hghtly to be passed 
 over ; for they shew us, that we ought in our deli- 
 verance to have special respect to the deliverance 
 of others. And if our deliverance be with the 
 word and liking of God, it must needs have this 
 eifect. ' When I shall bring again their captivity, 
 the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the 
 captivity of Samaria, and her daughters, then will 
 I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the 
 midst of them.' Eze. xm. 53. 
 
 And indeed there is reason for this, for in every 
 affliction and persecution, the devil's design is to 
 impair Christ's kingdom: wherefore no marvel, 
 that God designeth in our deliverance, the impair- 
 ing and lessening the kingdom of sin and Satan. 
 Wherefore, thou church of God in England, 
 which art now upon the waves of afiliction, and 
 temptation, when thou comest out of the furnace. 
 
 if thou come out at the bidding of God, there shall 
 come out with thee the fowl, the beast, and abun- 
 dance of creeping things. ' Judah, he hath set 
 an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity 
 of my people.' Ho. vi. 11. 
 
 ' That they may hreed abundantly in the earth, 
 and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.' 
 
 This was God's end in preserving the creatures 
 from the flood, that again the earth might be re- 
 plenished therewith. The same end he hath in his 
 suffering of the persecutors, and all manner of 
 adversity to take away but ' a part,' some. Am. viL i. 
 Some of them they shall kill and crucify, leaving 
 a remnant ahve in the world, namely, that they 
 might breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruit- 
 ful, and multiply upon the earth. As he saith by 
 the prophet Isaiah, ' He shall cause them that 
 come of Jacob to take root : Israel shall blossom 
 and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.' 
 Is. xivii. 6. And this after their deliverance from 
 persecution : According as he saith again, ' The 
 remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah, 
 shall again take root downward, and bear fruit 
 upward : For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a 
 remnant ' that is yet to replenish the earth with 
 converts, xixvii. 33. As Luke observes, that when 
 the chm-ches in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had 
 rest, they ' walking in the fear of the Lord, and in 
 the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.' 
 
 Ac. ix. 31. 
 
 Ver. 18. ' And Noah went forth, and his sons, 
 and his wife, and his sons' wives with him.' 
 Obedience is better than sacrifice. Noah is at the 
 beck of God, what he bid him do, that does he ; 
 and indeed this is in truth to worship God, yea, 
 this is to know and worship God. It is said of 
 Abraham, when he went at God's command to 
 offer up Isaac, that he coimted it going to wor- 
 ship the Lord. Ge. xxu. s. And God saith of Heze- 
 kiah, that he did 'judgment and justice,' judging 
 the cause of the poor and needy ; and then adds, 
 Is not this 'to know me, saith the Lord?' Je. xxii. 
 15, 16. I bring these to shew, that obedience to the 
 word of God, is the true character of God's people 
 in all ages ; and this very text, as also such others 
 before, is on purpose recorded by the Holy Ghost, 
 to shew you, that Noah was obedient in all things ; 
 yea, I may add, these commands were to discover 
 the proof of him, whether he would be obedient in 
 all things ; and this was also his way with New 
 Testament churches. 2 Co. ii. 9. The sincerity of love, 
 and of the uprightness of the heart, is greatly dis- 
 covered by the commandments of God. ' He that 
 hath my commandments, and keepeth them, ' saith 
 Christ, ' he it is that loveth me. ' ifec. Jn. xiv. 31. 
 
 Ver. 19. 'Every beast, every creeping thing, 
 and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the 
 earth after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.' 
 
484 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIKST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 These words are yet a further expression of the 
 sincerity of Noah's obedience, for that he at the 
 command of God, did carefully search and seek 
 out every little creeping thing that God had brought 
 ■to him into the ark. Obedience in little things do 
 ofttimes prove us most ; for we through the pride 
 of our hearts are apt to look over little things, 
 because though commanded, they are but little. 
 Je. HiiL 38. 0, but Noah was of another spirit, he 
 carefully looked after little things, even after every 
 thing, 'whatsoever creepeth upon the earth;' and 
 not only so, but sought diligently that they might 
 go out in order, to wit, male and female, according 
 to their kind. Sometimes God would have men 
 exact to a word, sometimes exact to a tache, or 
 pin, or loop ; Ex. ixrri. 13, 13. sometimes to a step : 
 Eze. xl. 3. 4, 37. Be careful then in little things, but 
 yet leave not the other undone. Mat. xxui. 23. 
 
 Indeed the command of God is great ; if he 
 therefore commands us to worship him, though but 
 with a bird, we must not count such ordinances 
 insignificant, or below a human creature. Le. riv. 63. 
 
 Ver. 20. ' 1[ And Noah builded an altar unto the 
 Lord, and took of every clean beast, and of every 
 clean fowl, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar.' 
 
 This is the first work that we read Noah did, 
 when he came forth of the ark ; and it shews us, 
 that at this time he had a deep sense of the dis- 
 tinguishing mercy of God. And indeed he had 
 sufiicient cause to wonder, for the whole world was 
 drowned, save only himself, and they that were 
 with him in the ark. 
 
 But I say, this was the first work, to wit, ' to 
 worship God.' Hence note. That a sense of 
 mercy, of distinguishing mercy, naturally engageth 
 the heart to worship. It is said of Moses, when 
 the name of the Lord was proclaimed before him, 
 as ' merciful and gracious, - and abundant in good- 
 ness and truth, - and that he pardoned iniquity, 
 transgression and sin;' that he 'made haste, and 
 bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. ' 
 
 Ex. xxxiv. 8. 
 
 ' And Noah builded an altar. ' Although this 
 altar be the first that we read of, yet forasmuch 
 as there was before a blessed church, and also an 
 open profession of godliness, together with offering 
 sacrifice, in all probability this was not the first 
 altar that was builded unto the Lord. Besides, 
 we read not of any immediate revelation, from 
 which Noah had light and instruction to build it. 
 The text only saith, he built an altar unto the 
 Lord ; which may be aptly expounded, according 
 as he was wont in the other world. 
 
 This altar was a type of Christ, as capacitated 
 to bear the sin of the world (for the altar was it, 
 upon which the sacrifices were burnt ;) wherefore 
 it, in mine opinion, in special respected his God- 
 head, by the power of which he offered himself. 
 
 that is, his flesh. Again it is said, ' The altar 
 sanctifieth the gift.' Mat. xxiii. 19. So did the God- 
 head the humanity of Christ, through which ' eter- 
 nal Spirit, he offered himself without spot to God. ' 
 He. is. 14. By this altar then this blessed man 
 preached to his family the Godhead and eternity 
 of Christ. 
 
 • And took of every clean beast, and of every 
 clean fowl.' These beasts and fowls were types 
 of the flesh of the Son of God, as Paul in the niuth 
 and tenth chapters to the Hebrews afiirms ; where- 
 fore by this act he also preached to his family the 
 incarnation of the Lord Christ, how that ' in the 
 fulness of time ' he should in our flesh offer him- 
 self a sacrifice for us ; for as aU the ordinances of 
 the New Testament ministration preach to us. 
 That Christ is come ; so all the ordinances of 
 worship under the Old Testament preached to them 
 that were under it, Christ, as yet to come. 
 
 ' Of every clean beast and of every clean fowl.' 
 This was to shew. That when Christ did come, he 
 should not take hold of the Jew, and exclude the 
 Gentile ; but that in his flesh he should present 
 unto God EVERY clean beast, and every clean 
 fowl ; that is, aU the elect, both of Jew and Gen- 
 tile. Ac. X. 11— 16. 
 
 And it was requisite that this by Noah should 
 be preached, because the whole world was yet in 
 his family ; from whence, at the multiplication of 
 men, if through their rebellion and idolatry they 
 lost not this doctrine, they might to all their off- 
 spring preach the Lord Jesus. 
 
 Wherefore, the doctrine of the gospel, had the 
 world been faithful, might have been to this day 
 retained amongst them that now are the most bar- 
 barous people.* 
 
 Ver. 21. 'And the Lord smelled a sweei savour; 
 (a savonr of rest ;) and the Lord said in his heart, 
 I will not again curse the ground any more for 
 man's sake ; for the imagination of man's heart is 
 evil from his youth ; neither will I again smite any 
 more every living thing, as I have done.' 
 
 These words more fuUy shew, that this sacrifice 
 of Noah was a type of the offering up of the body 
 of Jesus Christ, he being said to be that blessed 
 sacrifice that is as perfume in the nostrils of God : 
 ' He gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice 
 to God for a sweet-smelling savour. ' Ep. v 3. Be- 
 sides, this offering of Noah was a burnt-offering to 
 God ; which burning signified, the curse of God, 
 which Christ was made in his death for us. Where- 
 fore, the burnt offerings were all along a type of 
 
 * Instead of progressing to the meridian sunshine of Chris- 
 tianity, they have retrograded to a darlicr gloom than the 
 twilight of Judaism. Still, some vestiges of knowledge remain 
 — some idea of a future state, and of sacrifice for sin. Chris- 
 tian, how blessed art thou I How ought your light to shine 
 among men, to the glory of your heavenly Father 1 — Ed. 
 
4.N EXPOSITION ON THE FIKST TEN CHAFTEKS OF GENESIS. 
 
 485 
 
 him ; as by reading the epistle to the Hebrews 
 you may see : 'It is the burnt-offering, [saith God,] 
 because of the burning upon the altar all night 
 unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall 
 be burning in it. ' Lc. vi. 9. Which was a type of the 
 fire of the law, and the guilt of sin, that Christ, 
 when he offered himself, should undergo for the 
 sins of man. 
 
 ' And the Lord smelled a sweet savour. ' This 
 signifies the content and satisfaction that for the 
 sin of the world, God should have by the offering 
 up of his Son for us upon the cross : Wherefore, 
 he is said to he now ' in Christ, reconciliug the 
 world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses 
 unto them.' 2Co. v. 19. 
 
 Now it is observable, That Noah was a man of 
 faith long before this. Hence note two things. 
 
 1. That men, even of eminent faith, have yet 
 need of a continual remembrance of the death and 
 sufferings of Christ; yea, and that in the most 
 plain and easiest manner to understand. 
 
 2. They have need also, notwithstanding they 
 have faith before, to present themselves before God, 
 through Jesus Christ our Lord : For as our per- 
 sons are not accepted, but in and through him, no 
 more are our performances ; yea, though they be 
 spiritual services or sacrifices ; it is the blood that 
 maketh the atonement, as well for works as persons. 
 Le. xvii. 11. He. k. 21. as he saith in another place, I 
 will accept you with your sweet savour, but not 
 without it. iPe. iL5. Eze. XX. 41. As he also said to 
 his church in Egypt, ' When I see the blood, I will 
 pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon 
 you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. ' 
 
 Ex. xiL 13. 
 
 'And the Lord said in his heart, I will not again 
 curse, ' &c. By heart here, we may understand two 
 things. 
 
 1 . That God was altogether imfeigned in this 
 promise. He spake it from his very heart : which 
 we use to count the most sincere expressing of our 
 mind : According to that of the prophet, ' Yea, I 
 win rejoice over them to do them good, and I will 
 plant them in this land assuredly - [in truth, in 
 stability,] with my whole heart, and with my whole 
 soul.' Je. xxxii.41. Mark, I wiU rejoice to do it, I 
 will do it assuredly, I will do it in truth, even 'with 
 my whole heart, and with my whole soul. ' 
 
 2. By his saying, ' In his heart, ' we may under- 
 stand the secrecy of his purpose ; for this doctrine, 
 Of not cursing again, it is hid from all but those 
 to whom it is revealed by the Spirit of God. For 
 this purpose, in the heart of God, is one of the 
 depths, or of the deep things of God, which the 
 spirit of a man cannot understand. ' Who hath 
 known the mind of the Lord ?' None of all the 
 sons of men, but those that have the Holy Ghost : 
 Therefore Paul applieth that to himself and feUows, 
 
 as that which is peculiar to them to know, ' We 
 have the mind of Christ. ' l Co. ii. 16. It is said, that 
 after Christ had by his parables preached his gos- 
 pel to the world, he in private ' expounded all things 
 to his disciples. ' Mar. iv. n. 
 
 Hence note. That they that wiU hear God speak 
 this, they must be near his very heart. They that 
 are in his heart, may hear it : but to them that are 
 without, in parables. This secret, in revelation of 
 the gospel, is also expressed in other terms : as. 
 That the Lord spake ' in mine ears,' is. v. 9. and 'it 
 was revealed in mine ears. ' is. xiii. 14. And again, 
 ' Hear now this word that I speak in thine ears. ' 
 
 Je. xxviii. 7. 
 
 ' I will not again curse the ground any more. ' 
 These words are also under Moses's veil ; for in 
 them is contained the sin of the world, and damna- 
 tion thereof. He said, when he was to bring the 
 flood, that the ' earth was corrupt,' and that he 
 would ' destroy the earth ; ' rt. ll, is. but his great 
 meaning, was, of the sinners that dwelt therein ; 
 as the effect of that flood declared. So he 
 saith again, he will not bring any more a flood to 
 destroy the earth ; and that the bow in the cloud 
 should be a sign of peace between him and the 
 earth : By all which is meant in special, the men 
 that dwell on the earth ; Ps. cxiv. 7. De. xxxii. 1. Je. vi 19; 
 xxii. 29. and they are called, the Ground, and the 
 Earth, because they came from thence. So then, 
 there is, as it were, the foundation of all spiritual 
 blessedness couched under these words, ' I will 
 not curse the ground, I will not destroy man.' 
 And that this must needs be the meaning thereof, 
 consider, that this promise ariseth from the sweet 
 savour that he smelt before in the burnt-offering ; 
 which was a figure of Christ, who was ' made a 
 curse for us,' Ga. iii. 13. to deliver us from the curse 
 of the law ; that we might through him obtain the 
 blessing of forgiveness of sins ; to which the curse 
 stands directly opposite. 
 
 ' I wiU not again curse the ground for man's 
 sake ; for the imagination of man's heart is evil 
 from his youth.' The imagination of man's 
 heart was the ground of this dreadful curse ; and 
 the effect of this curse, was, to lay them up in 
 chains in heU : Wherefore Peter saith. These men 
 are 'now in prison.' The curse therefore, in its 
 most eminent extension, reached the souls of those 
 ungodly ones that were swept away with the flood. 
 But it seems a strange argument, or reason ren- 
 dered of God, why again he would not curse the 
 ground, if it was because of the evil imagination of 
 man's heart, this being the only argument that 
 prevailed with him to send the flood. The mean- 
 ing therefore is rather this. That because of the 
 satisfaction that Christ hath given to God for sin, 
 therefore he said in his heart, he would ' not again 
 curse the ground,' for the evil imagination of man ; 
 
486 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTEllS OF GENESIS. 
 
 that is, he would not do it, for want of a sacrifice 
 that had in it a suiHcient propitiation. Jn. iii. 18. 19. 
 
 Hence note, That the great cause now of man's 
 condemnation, is not because of his inherent pol- 
 lution, hut hecause he accepteth not, with Noah, 
 of the satisfaction made by Christ ; for to all them 
 that have so accepted thereof, there is now no 
 curse nor condemnation, no. viii. 1. though still the 
 imagination of their heart be evil. ' If any man 
 sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus 
 Christ the righteous.' 1 Jn. ii. 1. 
 
 ' For the imagination of man's heart is evil 
 from his youth.' These words seem to insinuate 
 the cause of these evil imaginations ; and that 
 IS, from the corruption of their youth. Now how 
 soon their youth was corrupted, David shows by 
 these words, ' I was shapeii in iniquity ; and in sin 
 did my mother conceive me.' Ps. li. 6. Ezekiel also 
 shows, we were polluted in the day that we were 
 born. Eze. xvi 1—8. Further, God to Moses strongly 
 atRrms it, in that he commands. That for the first- 
 born, in whom the rest were included, an offering 
 should be offered, by that they were a month old. 
 Ex. xiii. Kj xxxiv. 30. God seems therefore, by this 
 word, to look back to the transgression of our first 
 parents, by whom sin came into our natures ; and 
 by so doing, he not only intimateth, yea, promiseth 
 a pardon to personal miscarriages ; but assureth 
 us. That neither them, nor yet our inward pol- 
 lutions, shall destroy us, because of the rest that 
 he foxmd before in Christ. Ro. v 
 
 ' Neither will I again smite any more every liv- 
 ing thing, as I have done. ' The creatures there- 
 fore also have some kind of benefit by the death 
 and blood of Christ ; that is, so as to live, and 
 have a being; for infinite justice is so perfectly 
 iust, as that without a sacrifice it could not have 
 suffered the world to stand, after sin was in the 
 world; but must have destroyed, for the sake of 
 sin,, the world which he had made. 
 
 For although it be foully absurd to say that 
 beasts and fowls are defiled with sin, as man ; yet 
 doubtless they received detriment thereby. ' The 
 creature was made subject to vanity, by reason of 
 him who hath subjected the same,' &c. That is, 
 by Adam's sin. Which vanity they also show by 
 divers of their practices ; as both in their enmity 
 to man, and one to another, with which they were 
 not created ; this came by the sin of man. Now 
 tliat man lives, yea, that beasts live, it is because 
 of the offering up of Christ : Wherefore it is said 
 in that of the Colossians, The gospel is ' preached 
 to every creature ;' in every creature under heaven ; 
 to wit, in that they live and have a being, i. S3. 
 
 ' Neither will I again smite any more every living 
 thing, as I have done.' These words, as I have 
 done, doth not exempt the creature from every 
 judgment of God, but from this, or such as this j 
 
 for we know, that other judgments do befal ungodly 
 men now ; and if they continue in final impenitence, 
 they shall partake of far greater judgments than 
 to be drowned by the waters of a flood. ' The 
 wicked is reserved unto judgment. ' Job xxi. sn. Yea, 
 the heavens and the earth that now are, are 
 ' reserved unto fire, - and perdition of ungodly 
 men.' 2Pe. ffi. 7. 
 
 Vcr. 22. ' While the earth remaineth, seed time 
 and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and 
 winter, and day and night, shall not cease.' 
 
 'While the earth remaineth.' These words 
 may have respect both to the words before, and 
 to them that follow after. If they respect the 
 words before, then they are as limits to that large 
 promise, of not destroying the world again: not 
 but that the day will come, as 1 said, in which 
 another general judgment, and that too far more 
 dreadful than this of water, will overflow the world, 
 and every living thing shall again be cut off from 
 the face of aU the earth ; as noio by rain of water, 
 tJien by rain of fire and brimstone : Which day and 
 sore judgment, God showed unto men, when he 
 burned Sodom and Gomorrah with ' fire and brim- 
 stone from heaven.' But, 
 
 ' While the earth remaineth,' this shall not be. 
 But in the end, then indeed both it and ' the works 
 that are therein, shall (as Peter saith) be burned 
 up. ' 2 Pe. iii. 10. But so long as it remaineth, that is, 
 until it be overtaken with this second, and that 
 too the beginning of eternal judgment, no univer- 
 sal judgment shall overrun the earth : For albeit 
 that since that flood, the earth hath been smitten 
 with many a curse ; yet it hath been but here and 
 there, not in every place at once. Famines, and 
 earthquakes, and pestilences, have been in divers 
 places, but yet at the same time hath there been 
 seed time and harvest also. Mar. xiii. 8. Lu. xxi. 11. 
 
 ' Seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and 
 summer and winter, and day and night, shaJl not 
 cease. ' These words were some of the first, with 
 that of 'the bow in the cloud,' that prevailed with 
 me to believe that the scriptures were the word of 
 God. 
 
 For my reason tells me, they are, and have con- 
 tinued a true prophecy, from the day that they 
 were related ; otherwise the world could not have 
 subsisted ; for take away seed time and harvest, 
 cold and heat, &c., and an end is put to the* begin- 
 ning of the universe. 
 
 Besides, if these words be taken in a spiritual 
 sense, they have also stood true from that very 
 day ; otherwise the church had ceased to have a 
 being long before this : For take away seed time 
 
 * ' The beginning,' the foundation ; that which is essential 
 to the existence, as, ' The fear of the Lord is the beginning of 
 wisdom.' Take away the fear of the Lord, and this heavenly 
 wisdom ceaseth to exist. — En. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAFTEES OF GENESIS. 
 
 487 
 
 and harvest from the church, with cold and heat, 
 and day and night, and those ovdmances of heaven 
 are taken from her, which were ordained for her 
 begetting and continuation. This head might with 
 much largeness be insisted on ; but to pass it, and 
 to come to the next chapter. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Ver. 1. ' And God blessed Noah, and his sons, 
 and said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and 
 replenish the earth.' 
 
 Noah having thus waded through these great 
 temptations, and being made also to partake of the 
 mercy of God, in preserving and saving him from 
 the evil thereof, and being brought to partake of 
 the beginning of a new world, while the ungodly 
 that were before the flood were perished for their 
 iniquity : he receiveth now from the mouth of the 
 Lord, before whom he walked before the flood, laws 
 aud ordinances, as rules by which he should still 
 govern his life before him. But mark, Before he 
 receiveth these rules and commandments, he re- 
 ceiveth blessing from God ; blessing, I say, as that 
 vhieh should yet fore-fit him to do his will. 
 
 'And God blessed Noah.' Blessed him with 
 spiritual and special grace ; for without that, no 
 man can walk, with God's acceptance before him. 
 He blessed him with grace suitable to the work he 
 was now to begin ; to wit, for the replenishing and 
 governing the new world God had brought him to : 
 so that Noah did not without precedent qualifica- 
 tions take this work upon him. God also gave 
 Caleb and Joshua another spirit, and then they 
 followed him fully. That of David is for this 
 remarkable, ' Vfho'am I, [said he] and what is my 
 people, that we should be able to offer so wUlingly 
 after this sort ? for all things come of thee, and of 
 thine own have we given thee.' ' Lord our 
 God, saith he, all this store that we have prepared 
 to budd thee an house for thine holy name, cometh 
 of thine hand, and is aU thine own.' i ciLxxix.io— il. 
 So is faith, love, strength, wisdom, sincerity, and 
 all other good things wherewith and by which we 
 walk with God, worship him, and do hia will : all 
 which is comprised in these words, ' I will give 
 them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord : 
 and they shall be my people, and I will be their 
 God; for they shall return unto me with their 
 whole heart. ' Je. xxiv. 7. ' A new heart also will 1 
 give them.' Eze. xxxvi. 25—29. And again, ' I will put 
 my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart 
 from me.' Je. xxxii. 37—40. 
 
 ' And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said 
 unto them. Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish 
 the earth,' After he had blessed him, then he 
 tells him what they should do ; namely, ' Be fruit- 
 ful, and multiply.' This he spake with respect to 
 
 the seed that he and his sons should beget, there- 
 with to people the world ; which was now the 
 remaining part of his work, and he had threo 
 arguments to encourage him thereto. First, He 
 was delivered from the wicked and sinners of the 
 old world: IL He was made the heir of a new 
 world ; and III. Was to leave it as an heritage to 
 his chddren. 
 
 This therefore should teach us, who are brought 
 into the kingdom of Christ, that new world that 
 hath taken its beginning in the word of the gospel, 
 not to be idle, but to be fruitful, and to labour to 
 fill the world with a spiritual seed to God : for as 
 Noah, so are we made heirs of this blessed king- 
 dom ; and shall also, as that good man, leave, when 
 we sleep in Jesus, this spiritual seed to possess the 
 kingdom after us. 
 
 Ver. 2. ' And the fear of you and the dread of you 
 shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon 
 every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon 
 the earth, and upon aU the fishes of the sea ; into 
 your hand are they delivered.' 
 
 These words seem to be a promise of what shall 
 be a consequence of their putting into practice 
 what was commanded in the verse before ; namely, 
 of their being fruitful, and of their ' multiplying in 
 the earth.' Hence note. That the faithful obser- 
 vation of God's word, puts majesty, and dread, and 
 terror upon them that do it : Therefore it is said, 
 that when the church is ' fair as the moon, and 
 clear as the sun, she is terrible as an army with 
 banners.' Ca. vi. 4, 10. The presence of godly Samuel 
 made the elders of Bethlehem tremble ; yea, when 
 EUsha was sought for by the king of Syria, he 
 durst not engage him, but with chariots and 
 horses, and an heavy host. 2 Ki. vi. 13. 14. Godliness 
 is a wonderful thing, it oommandeth reverence, and 
 the stooping of the spirits, even of the world of 
 ungodly ones. Ac. v. 13. 
 
 ' And the fear of you and the dread of you shall 
 be upon every beast.' This is true in the letter; 
 for because there is upon man, as man, more of 
 the image and similitude of God, than there is upon 
 other creatures ; therefore the beasts, and all the 
 creatures, are made to stoop and faU before them; 
 yea, though in themselves they are mighty and 
 fierce. Every kind (or, nature) of birds, and of 
 serpents, and things in the sea, is tamed, and hath 
 been tamed by mankind. Ja. iii. 7. 
 
 But to allegorize the word, for by the word, 
 ungodly men are beasts ; then, as I said before, 
 godliness puts such a majesty and dread upon the 
 professors of it, that their enemies are afraid of 
 them; yea, even then when they rage against them, 
 and lay heavy afilictions upon them. It is mar- 
 vellous to see in what fear the ungodly are, even 
 of godly men, and godliness; in that they stir 
 up the mighty, make edicts against them; yea, and 
 
4S8 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTEES OF GENESIS. 
 
 raise up armies, and what else can be imagined, 
 to suppress tliem ; while the persons thus opposed, 
 if you consider them as to their state and capacity 
 in this world ; they are most inconsiderable ; but 
 as a dead dog, or a flea, i Sa. xxiv. 14. but they 
 are clothed with godliness ! The image and pre- 
 sence of God is upon them ! This makes the 
 beasts of this world afraid. One of you shall chase 
 a thousand. 
 
 ' Into your hand are they delivered.' That is, 
 the beasts, birds, and fish of the sea (as David 
 saith) to be for the service of man. But again, 
 This is also true in a higher nature ; for taking 
 these beasts, &;c. for men, even they are delivered 
 into the hand of the church, by whose doctrine, 
 power and faith, they are smitten with severest 
 judgments. 3 Co. ii. 16, 16. Laying all that reject 
 them even in the depth of death, and smiting them 
 • with all plagues as often as they will. ' Re. xi. 6. 
 The world is therefore in our hand, and disposed 
 of by our doctrine, by our faith and prayers, al- 
 though they think far otherwise, and shall one day 
 feel their judgments are according. 
 
 Ver. 3. ' Every moving thing that liveth shall 
 be meat for you ; even as the green herb have I 
 given you all things.' 
 
 From these words some would insinuate, that 
 before the flood men lived only upon herbs, not 
 eating flesh ; as here they have authority granted 
 to do : but, in mine opinion, such should be mis- 
 taken, for this reason, if there were no other : be- 
 cause they offered sacrifice before ; sacrifices, I 
 say, as types and representatives to the church, 
 of the death and sufferings of Christ. Now, of 
 such sacrifices the offerers used to eat, as is clear 
 by the lamb of the passover, and many other 
 offerings: so that these words seem to be but a 
 renewing of their former privileges, not a granting 
 new liberty to the world. 
 
 ' Every moving thing.' This must be taken 
 with this restriction, That is wholesome and good 
 for food : for by the law of nature, nothing of that 
 is forbidden to man, though for some significations 
 many such creatures were forbidden us to use for 
 a time. De. xiv. 
 
 ' Even as the green herb.' For which they 
 expressly had liberty granted them, in the first 
 chapter of this hook. ver. 29. And this liberty 
 might afresh be here repeated, from some scruple 
 that might arise in Noah, &c. He remembering 
 that the world before might, for the abuse of the 
 creatures of God, as well as for the abuse of his 
 worship, be drowned with the flood ; for some- 
 times the abuse of that which is lawful to one, 
 may be a snare, abuse and stumbling to another. 
 
 1 Co. viL 1 ; viiL 
 
 Ver. 4. ' But flesh with the life thereof, which 
 is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.' 
 
 This law seems to be ceremonial, although given 
 long before Moses was ; as also some sacrifices and 
 circumcision were. Jn. vU 23. Wherefore we must 
 seek for the reason of this prohibition. ' What- 
 soever man (saith God) there be of the house of Is- 
 rael, - that eateth any manner of blood, I will even 
 set my face against that soul that eateth blood, 
 and will cut him off from among his people.' 
 Why ? ' For the life of the flesh is in the blood : 
 and I have given it to you upon the altar to make 
 an atonement for your souls : for it is the blood 
 that maketh an atonement for the soul. Therefore 
 I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you 
 shall eat blood.' Le. jtvu. 10—13. Again, As here the 
 prohibition is only concerning blood ; so in another 
 place, the word is as well against our eating the 
 fat ; ' It shall be a perpetual statute for your gene- 
 rations, throughout all your dwellings, that ye 
 neither eat fat nor blood.' And the reason ren- 
 dered, is. For ' all the fat is the Loed's.' Le.iii.i6,i7. 
 So then the meaning, the spiritual meaning, 
 seems to be this. That forasmuch as the blood is 
 the life, and that which maketh the atonement; 
 and the fat, the glory, and the Lord's ; therefore 
 they both were to be offered to the Lord. That 
 is, we ought always to offer the merit of our 
 salvation to God, by a continual acknowledgment, 
 that it was through the blood of Christ ; and we 
 ought always to give him the glory thereof, and 
 this is the fat of all our performances, is. xw. 6. Now 
 this is so blessed a thing, and calleth for that 
 grace, that every professor hath not, every one 
 cannot ascribe to the blood of the Lamb, the whole 
 of his reconciliation to God ; nor offer up the fat, 
 the glory, which is God's, to the Lord for so great 
 a benefit : this is the benefit of a peculiar people, 
 even of 'the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, 
 [or they that are justified, or just » por so Zadok 
 thereby;*] that kept the charge of ='6"""='- 
 my sanctuary, when the children of Israel went 
 astray from me ; they shall come near to me, to 
 minister unto me, and they shall stand before me 
 to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the 
 Lord God.' Eze. xiiv. 15. 
 
 Wherefore, for men to ascribe to their own works 
 the merit of their salvation, or to take the glory 
 thereof to themselves ; it is as eating the blood 
 and the fat themselves, and they shall be cut off 
 from the people of God. 
 
 Ver. 5. ' And surely your blood of your lives 
 win I require ; at the hand of every beast will I 
 require it, and at the hand of man ; at the hand 
 of every man's brother, wiU. I require the life of 
 man. ' 
 
 These words are spoken to the church, which 
 then resided in this family: Not but that God 
 will avenge the blood that is wrongfully shed, 
 though the person murdered be most carnal and 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 489 
 
 irreligious. 'A man that doetli violence to the 
 blood of amy person, shall flee to the pit ; let no 
 man stay him.' Pr. xxvili. 17. 
 
 But I say, these words respect the church in a 
 more special and eminent way. ' Surely (saith 
 God) your blood of your lives will I require.' Thus 
 also David insinuates the thing: 'when he maketh 
 inquisition for blood, he remembereth them : [the 
 saints and godly in special,] he forgetteth not the 
 ci-y of the humble,' the afflicted. Ps. ix. is. 
 
 ' At the hand of every beast will I require it.' 
 The beasts are here also to be taken for men, to 
 whom they are frequently likened in scripture; and 
 that because they have cast off human affections ; 
 and, like savage creatures, make a prey of those 
 that are better than themselves. Ignorance there- 
 fore or brutishness, thou wicked man ! will not 
 excuse thee in the day of judgment; all the inju- 
 ries that thou doest to the people of God, shall for 
 certain be required of thee. 
 
 At the hand of man will I require it. ' By mam, 
 here, we may understand, such as have greater 
 place and shew of reason wherewith they manage 
 their cruelty, than those that are as the natural 
 beast : for all persecutors are not brutish alike ; 
 some are in words as smooth as oil; others can 
 shew a semblance of reason of state, why they 
 should sell ' the righteous for silver, and the poor 
 for a pair of shoes.' Am. ii.6. These act, to carnal 
 reason, like men, as Saul against David, for the 
 safety of his kingdom ; but these must give an 
 account of their cruelty, for blood is in their hands. 
 ' At the hand of every mau's brother wiU I re- 
 quire the life of man.' This word brother may 
 reach to all the apostatized hypocrites that forsake 
 or betray the godly, for brother shall betray the 
 brother to death. Mat. x. 21. Such are spoken of in 
 Isaiah, ' Your brethren that hated you, [saith God, ] 
 and that cast you out for my name's sake, said. 
 Let the Loed be glorified : but he shall appear to 
 your joy, and they shall be ashamed. ' is. ixv. 6. So 
 that let them be as vile as the brute, or as reason- 
 able in appearance as men, or as near in relation 
 as a brother ; neither their ignorance, nor their 
 reason, nor their relation to the saints, shall secure 
 them from the stroke of the judgment of God. 
 
 Ver. 6. 'Whoso sheddeth bian's blood, by man 
 shall his blood be shed : for in the image of God 
 made he man.' 
 
 In these words we have both a tiireatening and 
 a command ; and the same words carry both : ' By 
 1 man shall his blood be shed, ' there is the threaten- 
 1 ing; ■ By man shall his blood be shed,' there is 
 '■ the command. For as they threaten, so they in- 
 struct us, that he is worthy of the loss of his own 
 j blood, that doth wickedly shed the blood of another. 
 j Mat. jcxvL 62. He. xiii. 10. Blood for blood, equal mea- 
 I sure : As he also saith elsewhere, An eye for an 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 eye, a tooth for a tootli, Ex. xxi. u. wound for wound, 
 burning for burning. Le. x.viv. 20. De. lix. 21. 
 
 ' For in the image of God made he man.' This 
 seems as the reason of this equal law ; because no 
 man can slay his neighbour, but he striketh at the 
 image of God. It is counted a heinous crime for 
 a man to run his sword at the picture of a king, 
 how much more to shed the blood of the image of 
 God ? ' He that mocketb, or oppresseth, the poor 
 reproacheth his Maker; but he that honoureth 
 him, hath mercy on the poor. ' Pr. xiv. 31 ; xvii. 6. And 
 if so, how much more do they reproach, yea, de- 
 spise and abhor their Maker, that slay and murder 
 his image ! But most of all those do prove them- 
 selves the enemies of God, that make the holiness, 
 the goodness, the religion and sobriety that is found 
 in the people of God, the object of their wrath and 
 hellish cruelty. Hence murder is, in the New 
 Testament, imputed to that man that hated holy 
 and godly man : ' He that hateth his brother, is a 
 murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath 
 eternal life abiding in him.' 1 Jn. iii.l5. 
 
 Ver. 7. ' And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; 
 bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply 
 therein.' Thus he doubleth the blessing and com- 
 mand, of multiplying and increasing the church in 
 the earth, for that is the delight of God, and of 
 Christ. 
 
 Ver. 8, 9. 'IT And God spake unto Noah, and 
 to his sons with him, saying. And I, behold, I 
 estabhsh my covenant with you, and with your 
 seed after you. ' 
 
 God having thus blessed them, and given them 
 laws and judgments to walk by, for the further 
 confirmation of their hope in God, he propoundeth 
 to them the immutability of his mind, by the esta- 
 blishing of his covenant with them ; for a covenant 
 is that, which not only concludeth the matter con- 
 cerned between the persons themselves; but it 
 provideth remedy against after temptations, and 
 fears, and mistrusts, as to the faithful performance 
 of that which is spoken of. As Laban said to Ja- 
 cob, ' Now therefore (said he) come thou, let us 
 make a covenant, I and thou ; and let it be for a 
 witness between me and thee. ' Ge. xxxi. «. Thus also 
 the apostle insinuates ; where making mention of 
 the promise and oath of God, he saith, this pro- 
 mise and oath are both immutable, that ' we might 
 have a strong consolation, [or always ground for 
 great rejoicing] who have fled for refuge to lay 
 hold upon the hope set before us. ' He. vi. is. 
 
 This covenant therefore, it was for the encourage- 
 ment of Noah and his sons, that they might walk 
 before God without fear. Yea, it was to maintain 
 their hope in his promi.se of forgiveness, though 
 they should find their after-performances mixed 
 with infirmities ; for so he had told them before, 
 namely, ' That he would not again destroy the 
 3 Q, 
 
490 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 earth for man's sake, albeit the imagination of 
 man's heart be evil from his youth. I will establish 
 my covenant with you, and with your seed after 
 you.' 
 
 Ver. 1 0. ' And with every living creature that 
 is with you ; of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every 
 beast of the earth with yon ; from all that go out 
 of the ark, to every beast of the earth.' These 
 words respect the whole creation;* for all the 
 things in the world, devils only excepted, have a 
 benefit by this covenant of God. And hence it is, 
 that not man only, but ' every thing that hath 
 breath,' is commanded to ' praise the Lord :' Ps. cl. 6. 
 But observe it ; as for the sin of man, they before 
 were destroyed by the flood ; so now by reason of 
 the mercy of God to man, they are spared, and 
 partake of mercy also. This is intimated by these 
 words : •' Every creature that is with you ; every 
 beast of the earth with you. ' 
 
 Ver. 11. 'And I will establish my covenant 
 with you, neither sliaTl all flesh be cut off any more 
 by the waters of a flood ; neither shall there any 
 more be a flood to destroy the earth. ' 
 
 This IS the sum of the covenan-t, as it respecteth 
 the letter, and the type, and the whole creation in 
 general. But yet as to the spirit and gospel of 
 it, the Holy Ghost must needs have a further reach, 
 an intention of more glorious things, as may farther 
 be shewed anon. 
 
 ' And I will establish my covenant with you."' 
 For you that are men, and especially the mem- 
 bers of the church, have the most peculiar share 
 therein. 
 
 ' ' Neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by 
 the waters of a flood.' For because of my cove- 
 nant which I establish with you, I will spare them 
 also, and give them tlie taste of mj merey and 
 goodness. 
 
 ' Neither shall there any more be a flood to de- 
 stroy the earth.' This covenant therefore, is not 
 of that nature as the covenant was which was made 
 with Adam, to wit, a covenant of works, as the 
 only conditions of life ; for by that was the ground, 
 for man's sin, accursed, accursed, and accursed 
 again. But now the Lord goeth another way, the 
 way of grace, and forgiveness of sins : Wherefore 
 now, not the curse, but the mercy of God, comes 
 in on the back and neck of sin, stiU sparing and 
 forgiving man, the great transgressor, and the 
 beast, (fee. and the earth, for the sake of him. 
 
 Vers. 12, 13. 'And God said, This & the token 
 of the covenant which I make between me and you 
 and every living creature that is with you, for per- 
 petual generations, I do set my bow in the cloud, 
 and it shall be for a token of a covenant between 
 me and the earth.' 
 
 * See «:liap. viU. 
 
 So then, the way to find out the covenant, what 
 that is, it is to see if we can find out this token 
 of it ; to wit, the BOW, of which the rainbow is 
 hut a type. I find then by the scriptures, where 
 this BOW is mystically spoken of, that the Lord 
 Jesus Christ himself is encompassed with the bow. 
 The first is this: 
 
 ' And above th« firmament that wets over their 
 heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appear- 
 ance of a sapphire stone : and upon the likeness 
 of the throne was the likeness, as the appearance 
 of a man above upon it. And I saw, as the colour 
 of amber, as the appearance of fire round about 
 within it, from the appearance of his loins even 
 upward, and from the appearance of his loins even 
 downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, 
 and it had brightness round about. As the appear- 
 ance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of 
 rain, so vxis the appearance of the brightness romid 
 about. This was the appearance of the likeness 
 of the glory of the Lord. ' F.ze. 1 26—26. the man, the 
 Lord's Christ, &c. 
 
 The second scripture is this. ' I was in the 
 Spirit : and, behold a throne was set in heaven, 
 and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was 
 to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: 
 a,nd there was a rainbow round about the throne, 
 in sight like unto an emerald. ' Re. Iy. 2, 3. In these 
 two texts there is mention of the rainbow, that was, 
 not to be the covenant, but the token or sign thereof. 
 Now then the covenant itself must needs be the 
 man that was set in the midst of the bow upon the 
 throne^ for so he saith by the prophet, ' I the 
 the Lord have called thee in rightousness, and will 
 hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee 
 for a covenant of the people.' is. xlii. 6. The cove- 
 nant therefore is Jesus Christ the Saviour, whom 
 the bow in the clouds was a sign or a token of. 
 So then the sum of the text is this. That God, for 
 the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, will not again 
 alU the days of the earth, bring an universal judg- 
 ment upon the creature, as in the days of Noah, 
 and of the old world he did ; for Christ by the 
 worth of his blood and righteousness hath pacified 
 the justice of the law for sin. So then the whole 
 universe standeth not upon a bottom of its own, 
 but by the word and power of Christ. He. i. 2. 3. 
 ' The earth [said he] and all the inhabitants 
 thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it.' 
 
 Pa. IxxT. 3. 
 
 Qiiest. But how must Christ be reckoned of God, 
 when he maketh him the poize against all the sin 
 of the world. 
 
 The prophet tells us thus : He shall be the cove- 
 nant of the people, or he shall be accounted the 
 conditions and worth of the world ; He shall be 
 the covenant, or works, or righteousness of the 
 people ; for, He as the high-priest under the law, 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 491 
 
 is Bet for the people to Godward; that is, he 
 standeth always iu the presence of God, as the 
 complete obedience of the people. So then, so 
 long as the Lord Christ bears up his mediatorship, 
 God in justice will neither destroy the world, nor 
 the things that are therein. 
 
 In this covenant therefore, the justice as well as 
 the mercy of God is displayed in its perfection, 
 inasmuch as without the perfection of the mediator 
 Christ, the world could not he saved from judg- 
 ment. 
 
 Ver. 14. ' And it shall come to pass, when I 
 bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be 
 seen in the cloud.' 
 
 By these words the Lord looks back to the flood 
 that before had drowned the earth ; for in these 
 clouds there was no bow, no token of Christ, or of 
 the mercy of God. But now, saith God, I will do 
 far otherwise; from henceforth when I bring a 
 cloud, and there be showers of rain on the earth, 
 these clouds shall not be as the other. But ' my 
 bow shall be therein.' 
 
 The cloud then that here is spoken of, must be 
 understood of the judgment of God for sin, like 
 those before, and at the overthrow of the world ; 
 only with this difierence, they were clouds, judg- 
 ments without mercy, hut these judgments mixed 
 therewith ; and often the clouds are thus to be 
 imderstood. Job when he curseth his day, saith, 
 ' Let a cloud dwell upon it.' ui. 6. So the judg- 
 ments of God upon Zion, are called the covering 
 of a cloud. La. ii. 1. So in Joel also, to the darkness 
 of clouds, are the judgments of the church com- 
 pared ; ii. 2. yea, that pillar that went before the 
 children of Israel, it being a judgment to the people 
 'tf Egypt, goes under this epithet, as a term most 
 fit to express this judgment by, ' it was a cloud 
 and darkness to them. ' Ex. xiv. 20. 
 
 And now to the cloud in hand, the cloud in which 
 is the bow, the cloud of rain, although by the 
 mercy and grace of God it is so great a blessing 
 as it is, yet it sometimes becomes a judgment, it 
 comes for correction, as a rod to afflict the inhabi- 
 tants of the world withal. Job xixviL 13. Thus it was 
 in the days of Ezra, and very often both before and 
 since, x. 13— 14. 
 
 ' The bow shall be seen in the cloud. ' This 
 is the mercy of God to the world, and that by 
 which it hath been hitherto preserved ; ' The bow 
 shall be seen in the cloud.' You know I told you 
 of the bow before, that it was a sign or token of 
 the covenant of God with the world, and that the 
 covenant itself was Christ, as given of God unto 
 us, with all his good conditions, merit, and worth. 
 So then, in that, God ' set this bow in the cloud, ' 
 and especially in the clouds that he sends for judg- 
 ment, he would have the world remember, that 
 there comes no judgment as yet on the world, but 
 
 it is mixed with, or poized by the merey of God 
 in Christ. 
 
 ' The bow shall be seen in the cloud.' This may 
 respect God, or the world, that is, the seeing of 
 the bow in the cloud ; if it respect God, then it 
 tells us he in judgment wiU remember mercy ; if it 
 respect the world, then it admonisheth us not to 
 despond, or sink in despair under the greatest 
 judgment of God, for the bow, the token of his 
 covenant, is seen in the judgments that he exe- 
 cuteth. 
 
 When the vision of the ruin of Jerusalem was 
 revealed to the prophet Ezekiel, he saw that yet 
 Christ sat under the bow. i. 28. 
 
 When Antichrist was to come against the saints 
 of God, the commission came from Christ, as he 
 sat ' under the bow. ' Re. iv.'s. This John did see 
 and relate, of which we should take special notice : 
 for by this token God would have us to know that 
 these clouds, though they come for correction, yet 
 not to destroy the church. 
 
 My bow shall be seen in the cloud. 
 
 Ver. 15. ' And I will remember my covenant, 
 which is between me and you, and every living 
 creature of all flesh ; and the waters shall no more 
 become a flood to destroy all flesh.' 
 
 ' And I will remember my covenant. ' Much 
 like this is that of the Lord to Israel, when they 
 are under all, or any of those forty judgments men- 
 tioned. Le. xxvi. If they shall confess their iniquity, 
 [saith he,] and the iniquity of their fathers, &c., 
 ' Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, 
 and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my 
 covenant with Abraham will 1 remember ; and I 
 wiU remember the land. ' Le. xxvi. 40—43. His usual 
 way in other sayings is, to begin with Abraham, 
 but here he ends with him ; and the reason is, 
 because there, as it were, the great promise of the 
 Messiah to that people began, * Saying, in thy 
 seed shall all nations be blessed.' 
 
 ' And I will remember my covenant which is 
 between me and you. ' We read not here of any 
 compact or agreement between Noah and God 
 Almighty; wherefore such conditions and compacts 
 could not be the terms between him and us. What 
 then ? why that covenant that he calls his, which 
 is his gift to us, ' I will give thee for a covenant,' 
 this is the covenant which is between God and us : 
 ' There is one God, and one mediator between God 
 and man, the man Christ Jesus.' This then is 
 the reason why all the waters, why all the judg- 
 ments of God, and why all the sins that have pron 
 voked those judgments, cannot become a flood to 
 destroy all flesh. 
 
 "''''er. 16. 'And the bow shall be in the cloud-, 
 and I will look upon it, that I may remember the 
 everlasting covenant between God and every liv- 
 ing creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.' 
 
4^2 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OP GENESIS. 
 
 ' And the bow shall he in the cloud.' This is a 
 kind of a repetition ; for this he had told us before, 
 ^"•ying. ' I do set my bow in the cloud,' and ' the 
 bow shall be seen in tbe cloud : ' which repetition is 
 very needful, for it is hard for us to believe that 
 Christ and grace are wrapped up in the judgments 
 of God. 1 Pe. i. 13. Wherefore it had need be attested 
 twice and thrice. ' To write the same things to 
 you,' saith Paul, 'tome indeed is not grievous, but 
 for you it is safe.' pm. m. i. 
 
 ' And I will look upon.' A familiar expression, 
 and suited to our capacity, and spoken to prevent 
 a further ground of mistrust ; much Uke to that of 
 God, when he was to send the plague upon Egypt : 
 
 ' The blood, saith God, (of the Lamb,) shall be 
 to you for a token upon the houses where ye are : 
 and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and 
 the plague shall not bs upon you, to destroy you, 
 when I smite the land of Egypt.' Ex. xii. is. 
 
 ' And I wiU look upon it that I may remember.' 
 Not that God is forgetful, ' He is ever mindful of 
 his covenant.' But such expressions are used to 
 shew and persuade us that the whole heart and 
 delight of God is in it. 
 
 ' That I may remember the everlasting cove- 
 nant. ' This word covenant is also the sixth repe- 
 tition thereof; my covenant, the covenant, a cove- 
 nant, and the everlasting covenant. how fain 
 would God beat it into the heads of the world, that 
 he hath for men a covenant of gi-aee. 
 
 'The everlasting covenant.' Because the par- 
 ties on both sides are faithful, perfect, and true ; 
 the Father being the one, and the Son of his 
 love the other ; for this covenant, as I said be- 
 fore, is not a compact and agreement betwixt God 
 and the world, but his Son, as his gift to men, is 
 set for them to Godward. Zec. ix. ll. So that what 
 conditions there are, they are perfectly found in 
 Christ, by whose blood the covenant is sealed and 
 established, and indeed becomes everlasting, hence 
 it is called ' the blood of the everlasting covenant.' 
 He. xiii. 20. And again, the New Testament is said 
 to be in this blood. Besides, the promises are all 
 in Christ, I mean the promises of this covenant ; 
 in him they are yea, and in him amen, to the glory 
 of God the Father : now they being all in him, and 
 yea and amen no where else, the covenant itself 
 must needs be of pure grace and mercy, and the 
 bow in the cloud, not qualifications in us, [but] the 
 proper token of this covenant. 
 
 Ver. 17. "And God said unto Noah, This is the 
 token of the covenant, which I have established 
 between me and all ilesh that is upon the earth.' 
 
 Behold a repetition of all things that were essen- 
 tial either to the covenant itself, or to our faith 
 therein, the inahing of the covenant, the looking on 
 the covenant, and the token of the covenant ; how 
 often are they mentioned, that we might be more 
 
 fully convinced of the unchangeable nature of it. 
 As Joseph said unto Pharaoh, ' For that the dream 
 was doubled unto Pharaoh twice, it is because the 
 thing is established by God.' Ge. xli. 83. 
 
 ' And God said unto Noah.' Where God loveth, 
 he delighteth to apply himself to such, in a moro 
 than general way; he singleth out the person,, 
 Noah, Abraham, and the like. ' I know thee by 
 name,' saith he to Moses, and 'thou hast found 
 grace in my sight.' 
 
 'This is the token of the covenant.' It still 
 wantsbeating into people's heads, where they should 
 look for the covenant itself, to wit, the throne which 
 the rainbow compasseth round about ; for that is 
 the token of the presence of the Messias, and thither 
 we are to look for salvation from all plagues, and 
 from all the judgments that are due to sin: The 
 Lord for Christ's sake forgave you, this is the token 
 of the covenant. 
 
 ' Of the covenant which I have established.' 
 
 This word 'I,' as also hinted before, doth inti- 
 mate that this covenant is the covenant of grace 
 and mercy, for a covenant of works cannot be 
 established ; that is, settled between God and men, 
 before both parties have either by sureties, or per- 
 formance ratified and confirmed the same. Indeed 
 it may be so established, as that God will appoint 
 no other ; but to be so established, as to give us 
 the fruits thereof, that must be the efiects of his 
 being well pleased with the conditions of those con- 
 cerned in the making thereof. But that is not the 
 world, but the Son of God, and therefore it is called 
 his covenant, and he ' as given to us of God,' is so 
 reckoned our condition and worth. Zee. ix. ll. 
 
 ' Which I have established.' To wit, upon better 
 promises than duties purely commanded, or than 
 the obedience of all the angels in heaven. I have 
 established it in the truth and faithfulness, in the 
 merit and worth of the blood of my Son, of whom 
 the rainbow that you see in the cloud is a token. 
 
 Ver. 18. ' H And the sons of Noah, that went 
 forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japh- 
 eth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.' 
 
 By these words Moses is returned again to the 
 history of Noah. ' And the sons of Noah that 
 went forth of the ark. ' If these words, ' that 
 went forth of the ark,' bear the emphasis of this 
 part of the verse, then it may seem that Noah had 
 more children than these ; but they were not ac- 
 counted of; for they being ungodly, as the rest of 
 the world, they perished with them in their ungod-i 
 liness. These only went in, and came out of the 
 ark with him ;* to wit, 
 
 * That absurd jumble, called 'Tlie Koran,' mentions a 
 fourth son of Noah, named Kinan, who refused to enter the 
 ark with his family, preferring to trust them on the top of a 
 mountain, where they all perished. See the chapter entitled 
 'Hod.'— Ed. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE MUST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 493 
 
 ' Shem, and Ham, and Japheth.' The names 
 tlius placed are not according to their birth ; for 
 Japheth was the elder, Ham the younger, and 
 Shem the middlemost of the two. 
 
 Shem therefore takes the place, because of his 
 eminency in godliness ; ix. M. also, because from 
 him went the line up to Christ, x.2. For which 
 cause also the family of the sons of Judah, though 
 he was but the fourth son of Israel, was reckoned 
 before the family of Reuben, Jacob's firstborn; 
 or before the rest of the sons of his brethren, i ch. 
 ii. 3. Sometimes persons take their place in gene- 
 alogy, from the fore-sight of the mightiness of their 
 offspring. Thus was Ephraim placed before Ma- 
 nasseh ; for ' truly (said Jacob) his younger brother 
 shall be greater than he,' Ge. dm. 17—20. And he set 
 Ephraim before Manasseh. 
 
 Ham is the next in order ; not for the sake of his 
 birthright, or because he was much, if anything, 
 now for godliness ; but for that he was the next 
 to be eminent in his offspring, for opposing and 
 fighting against the same. 
 
 Shem and Ham therefore the two heads, or chief, 
 from whence sprang good and evil men, by way of 
 eminency. ' Ham is the father of Canaan, ' or of the 
 Canaanites, the people of God's curse, whom the 
 sons of Shem who afterwards sprang from Abra- 
 braham, Isaac, and Jacob, were to cut off from 
 the earth, for their most high abominations. 
 
 Japheth comes in, in the first place, as one that 
 at present was least concerned either in the mercy 
 or displeasure of God; being neither, in his off- 
 spring, to be devoutly religious, nor yet incorrigibly 
 wicked, though afterwards he was to be persuaded 
 to dwell in the tents of Shem. 
 
 Ver. 19. 'These are the three sons of Noah; 
 and of them was the whole earth overspread.' 
 
 Thus though Noah's beginning was small, his 
 latter end did greatly increase. 
 
 Ver. 20, 21. ' ^ And Noah began to be an hus- 
 bandman, and he planted a vineyard: — And he 
 drank of the wine, and was drunken ; and he was 
 uncovered within his tent. 
 
 This is the blot in this good man's scutcheon ; 
 and a strange blot it is, that such an one as Noah 
 should be thus overtaken with evil! One would 
 have thought that Moses should now have began 
 with a relation of some eminent virtues, and honour- 
 able actions of Noah, since now he was saved from 
 the death that overtook the whole world, and was 
 delivered, both he and his children, to possess the 
 whole earth himself. Indeed, he stepped from the 
 earth to the altar ; as Israel of old did sing on the 
 shore of the Red Sea : But, as they, he soon for- 
 gat; he rendered evil to God for good.* 
 
 * FaithM is the record of Holy Writ. No excuse is 
 offered for the sin of this great patriai-ch. Grapes eaten from 
 
 Neither is Noah alone in this matter : Lot also 
 being delivered from that fire from heaven that 
 burnt up Sodom and Gomorrah, falls soon after 
 into lewdness with the children of his body, and 
 begetteth his own two daughters with child. Ge. xbt. 
 
 30—36. 
 
 Gideon also, after he was delivered out of the 
 hands of his enemies, took that very gold which 
 God had given him, as the spoil of them that hated 
 him, and made himself idols therewith. Ju. viii. 24—27. 
 What shall I say of David ? and of Solomon also, 
 who after he had been twenty years at work fur 
 the service of the true God, both in building and 
 preparing for his worship, and in writing of Pro- 
 verbs by divine inspiration ; did, after this, make 
 temples for idols ; yea, almost for the gods of all 
 countries ? Yea, he did it when he was old, when 
 he shoiild have been preparing for his grave, and 
 for eternity. ' It came to pass, when Solomon 
 was old, tliat his wives tiirned away his heart after 
 other gods : — For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, 
 the goddess of the Zidonians ; and after Milcom, 
 the abomination of the Ammonites. — He did also 
 build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination 
 of Moab, in the hiU. that is before Jerusalem ; and 
 for Molech, the abomination of the children of 
 Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange 
 wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their 
 gods. ' 1 Ki. xi. 4—8. 
 
 All these sins were sins against mercies ; yea, 
 and doubtless against covenants, and the most 
 solemn resolutions to the contrary. For who can 
 imagine, but that when Noah was tossed with the 
 flood, and Lot within the scent and smell of the 
 fire and brimstone that burnt down Sodom, with 
 his sons, and his daughters ; and Gideon, when so 
 fiercely engaged with so great an enemy, and 
 delivered by so strange a hand ; should in the most 
 solemn manner both promise and vow to God. 
 But behold ! now they in truth are delivered and 
 saved, they recompense all with sin. Lord, what is 
 man ! ' How - abommable and filthy is man, which 
 drinketh iniquity like water. ' Job xy. 16. Let these 
 things learn us to cease from man, ' whose breath 
 is in his nostrils : for wherein is he to be accounted 
 of ? ' l3. ii. 22. Indeed, it is a vain thing to buUd our 
 faith upon the most godly man in the world, be- 
 cause he is subject to err ; yea, far better than He, 
 was so. 
 
 If Noah, and Lot, and Gideon, and David, and 
 Solomon, who wanted not matter from arguments, 
 and that of the strongest kind ; as arguments that 
 
 the vine, or after having been dried, are nutritious, like grain 
 from the ear of corn ; pressed out and fermented, they losn 
 that nutriment — acquire a fiery force — mount to the brain — 
 lead reason captive— and triumphs over decency : the most 
 enlightened man becomes the savage. — I'd. 
 
494 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 are drawn from mercy and goodness be, to engage 
 to holiness, and the fear of God ; yet after all, did 
 so foully fall, as we see : let us admire grace, that 
 any stand ; let the strongest fear, lest he fearfully 
 fall ; and let no man but Jesus Christ himself be 
 the absolute platform and pattern of faith and holi- 
 ness. As the prophet saith, ' Let us cease from 
 man.' But to return: 
 
 • And Noah began to be an husbandman.' This 
 trade he took up for want of better employment ; 
 or rather, in mine opinion, from some liberty he 
 took to himself, to be remiss in his care and work, 
 as a preacher. For seeing the church was now at 
 rest, and having the world before them, they still 
 retaining outward sobriety, poor Noah, good man, 
 now might think with himself, ' I need not now be 
 BO diligent, watchful and painful in my ministry 
 as formerly; the church is but small, without 
 opposition, and also well settled in the truth ; I 
 may now take to myself a little time to tamper 
 with worldly things.' So he makes an essay upon 
 husbandry. ' He began to be an husbandman. ' 
 Ha, Noah ! it was better with thee when thou 
 wast better employed ! Yea, it was better with 
 thee, when a world of ungodly men set themselves 
 against thee ! Yea, when every day thy life was 
 in danger to be destroyed by the giants, against 
 whom thou wast a preacher above a hundred years ! 
 For then thou didst walk with God ; Then thou 
 wast better than all the world ; but now thou art 
 in the relapse ! 
 
 Hence note. That though the days of affliction, 
 of temptation and distress, are harsh to flesh and 
 blood ; yet they are not half so dangerous as are 
 the days of peace and liberty. Wherefore Moses 
 pre-admonished Israel, That when they had received 
 the land of Canaan, and had herds, and silver and 
 gold in abundance, that then their heart he not 
 lifted up to forget the Lord their God. Jesurun 
 kicked when he was fat. ! When provender 
 pricks* us, we are apt to be as the horse or mule, 
 that is without understanding. Be. viii. 10—15. 
 
 'He planted a vineyard: and he drank of the 
 wine, and was drunken.' Although in the course 
 of godliness, many men have but a speculative 
 knowledge of things ; yet it is not so in the ways 
 of this world and sin, the practical part of these 
 things are lived in by all the world. They are 
 sinners indeed, 'He drank of the wine.' 
 
 ' He drank of the wine, and was drunken. ' The 
 Holy Ghost, when it hath to do with sin, it lovcth 
 to give it its own name: drunkenness must be 
 drunkenness, murder must he murder, and adultery 
 must bear its own name. Nay, it is neither the 
 
 * To prick — to incite — to spur — to dress one'aelf for show; 
 thus it was commonly used in Bnnyaa's time, but in this sense 
 has become obsolete. — Ed. 
 
 goodness of the man, nor his being in favour with 
 God, that will cause him to lessen or mince his 
 sin. Noah was drunken ; Lot lay with his daugh- 
 ters ; David killed Uriah ; Peter cursed and swore 
 in the garden, and also dissembled at Antioch. 
 But this is not recoijded, to the intent that the 
 name of these godly should rot or stink: but to 
 shew, that the best men are nothing without grace ; 
 and, ' that he that standeth, should not be high 
 minded, but fear.' Yea, they are also recorded, 
 for the support of the tempted, who when they are 
 fallen, are oft raised up by considering the infir- 
 mities of others. ' Whatsoever things were written 
 aforetime were written for our learning, that we 
 through patience, and comfort of the scriptures 
 might have hope. ' Ro. xv. 4. 
 
 ' And he was uncovered within his tent. ' That 
 is, he lay like a drunken man, that regarded not 
 who saw his shame. Hence note, how beastly a 
 sin drunkenness is ; it bereaveth a man of con- 
 sideration, and civil behaviour; it makes him as 
 brutish and shameless as a beast; yea, it dis« 
 covereth his nakedness to all that behold. 
 
 ' And he was uncovered. ' That is, lay naked. 
 Behold ye now, that a little of the fruit of the vine, 
 lays gravity, grey hairs, and a man that for hun- 
 dreds of years was a lover of faith, holiness, good- 
 ness, sobriety, and all righteousness ; shamelessly, 
 as the object to the eye of the wicked, with his 
 nakedness in his tent. 
 
 ' He was uncovered within his tent. ' The best 
 place of retirement he had, but it could not hide 
 him from the eye of the ungodly ; it is not there- 
 fore thy secret chamber, nor thy lurking in holes, 
 that will hide thee from the eye of the reproacher : 
 nothing can do this but righteousness, goodness, 
 sobriety and faithfulness to God; this will hide 
 thee ; these are the garments, which, if they be 
 on thee, will keep thee, that the shame of thy 
 nakedness do not appear. E«. xvi. 16. 
 
 Ver. 22. ' And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw 
 the nakedness of his father, and told his two bre- 
 thren without.' 
 
 Ham was the unsanctified one, the father of the 
 children of the curse of God. He saw the naked- 
 ness of his father, and he blazed abroad the matter. 
 Hence note, That the wicked and ungodly man, is 
 he that doth watch for the infirmities of the godly: 
 as David says. They .watched for my halting. 
 Indeed, they know not else how to justify their 
 own ungodliness; but this, instead of excusing 
 them of their wickedness, doth but justify the word 
 against them ; for by this they prove themselves 
 graceless, and men that watch for iniquity. ' Let 
 them not say in their hearts (said David) Ah ! so 
 would we have it. ' Ps. xmv. 25. Ammon said, ' Aha ! 
 against the sanctuary when it was profaned ; and 
 against the land of Israel when it was desolate. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OP GENESIS. 
 
 495 
 
 and against the house of Judah when it went into 
 captivity.' Eze.ixT.3. The enmity that is in the 
 hearts of ungodly men, will not suffer them to do 
 otherwise ; when they see evil befal the saint, they 
 rejoice and skip for joy. Eze. xxvi. 2; xxxvi. 2. 
 
 ' He saw the nakedness of his father. ' Hence 
 note, That saints can rarely slip, hut the eyes of 
 the Canaanites will see them. This should make 
 us walk in the world with jealous eyes, with eyes 
 that look round about, not only to what we are 
 and do, hut also, how what we do is *resented in 
 the world. Ge. xiii. 7. Abraham was good at this, 
 and so was Isaac and Jacob ; xxxiv. 30. for they 
 tendered more the honour and glory of God, than 
 they minded their own concerns. 
 
 ' He saw the nakedness of his father. ' Wlio 
 was the nearest and dearest relation he had in the 
 world ; yet neither relation nor kin, nor all the 
 good that his father had done him, could keep his 
 polluted lips from declaring his father's follies, hut 
 out they must go ; the sin of his own defiled heart 
 must take place of the fifth commandment, and 
 must rather solace itself in rejoicing in his father's 
 iniquity, than in covering his father's nakedness. 
 Wicked men regard not kindred; and no marvel, 
 for they love not godliness. He that loveth not 
 God, loveth not his brother, or father: nay, he 
 ' wrongeth his own soul.' Pr. vUi. 36. 
 
 'And told his two brethren without.' He told 
 them, that is, mockingly, reflecting not only upon 
 Noah, but also upon his brethren ; to all of whom 
 himself was far inferior, both as to grace and 
 humanity, 
 
 Ver. 23. ' And Shem and Japheth took a gar- 
 ment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and 
 went backward, and covered the nakedness of their 
 father ; and their faces were backward, and they 
 saw not their father's nakedness 
 
 Shem and Japheth did it : This is recorded for 
 the renown of these, as the action of Ham is for 
 his perpetual infamy. 
 
 They ' took a garment, and went backward, ani 
 covered their father, and saw not his nakedness.' 
 Love will attempt to do that with difficulty, that it 
 cannot accomplish otherwise. I think it might be 
 from this action, that the wise man gathereth his 
 proverb from. ' Hatred stirreth up strifes ; but 
 love covereth all sins. ' Vt. x. 13. Indeed, Ham would 
 fain have made variance between his father and 
 his brethren, by presenting the foUy of the one, to 
 the shame and provocation of the other. But 
 Shem, and his brother Japheth, they took the 
 course to prevent it ; they covered their father's 
 nakedness. 
 
 Ver. 24. 'And Noah awoke from his wine, 
 
 * To resent — to consider as an injury or affront — to take 
 lU.— Ed. 
 
 and knew what his younger son had done unto 
 him.' 
 
 By these words more is implied than expressed ; 
 for this awaking of Noah, not only informeth us 
 of natural awaking from sleep, but of his spiritual 
 awaking from his sin. He awoke from his wine. 
 As ' Ely said to Hannah, How long wilt thou he 
 drunken ? Put away thy wine from thee. ' 1 Sa. i. 1*. 
 By which words he exhorteth to repentance. It 
 is said of Nabal, That his wine went from him, as 
 many men's sins forsake them, because they are 
 decayed, and want strength and opportunity to 
 perform them. Now this may be done, where the 
 heart remaineth yet unsanctified : but Noah awoke 
 from his wine, put it away, or, repented him of 
 the evil of his doing. ' A just man falleth seven 
 times, and riseth up again : but the wicked shall 
 fall into mischief. ' Pr. xxiv. I6. Wherefore they have 
 cause to say to all the Hams in the world, 'Rejoico 
 not against me, mine enemy : when I fall, I shall 
 arise ; ' Mi. vu. 8. but your fall, is a fall into mischief. 
 
 ' He knew what his younger son had done unto 
 him.' Whether this was by revelation from hea- 
 ven, or through the information of Japheth and 
 Shem, I determine not ; but so it was, that the 
 good man had understanding thereof: which might 
 be requisite upon a double account ; not only that 
 he might now be ashamed thereof; hut take notice, 
 that he had caused the enemies of God to reproach ; 
 for this sinks deep into a good man's heart, and 
 afflicteth him so much the more. 
 
 Ver. 25. ' And he said, Cm-sed be Canaan ; a 
 servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. ' 
 
 By these words one would think that Canaan, 
 the grand-child of Noah, was the first that dis- 
 covered his nakedness ; hut of this I am uncertain : 
 I rather think that Noah, in a spirit of prophecy, 
 determined the destruction of Ham's posterity, 
 from the prodigiousness of his wicked action, and 
 of his name, which signifieth indignation, or heat; 
 for names of old were ofttimes given according to 
 the nature and destiny of the persons concerned. 
 ' Is not he rightly called Jacob ? ' Ge. mvU. 3G. And 
 again, ' As his name is, so is he.' 1 Sa.xxT. 35. Be- 
 sides, by this act did Ham declare himself void of 
 the grace of God ; for he that rejoiceth in iniquity, 
 or that maketh a mock, as being secretly pleased 
 with or at the infirmities of the godly, he is de- 
 clared already, by the Spirit of God, to be nothing, 
 
 1 Co. xiii. 
 
 ' A servant of servants shall he be unto his 
 brethren.' This was accomplished when Israel 
 took the land of Canaan, and made the offspring 
 of this same Ham, even so many as escaped the 
 edge of the sword, to be captives and bondsmen, 
 and tributers unto them. 
 
 Hence note, that the censures of good men are 
 dreadful, and not lightly to be passed over, whether 
 
496 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 they prophesy of evil or good ; hecause they speak 
 ill judgment, and according to the tenor of the 
 word of God. 
 
 Ver. 26. ' And he said, Blessed be the Lobd 
 God of Shem ; and Canaan shall be his servant. ' 
 
 Shem seems by this to be the first in that action 
 of love to his father ; and that Japheth did help 
 through his persuasion ; for Shem is blessed in a 
 special manner, and Canaan is made his servant. 
 
 Hence note. That forwardness in things that 
 are good, is a blessed sign that the Lord is our 
 God : Blessed be the Lord God of Shem. It is 
 said of Hananiah, That ' he was a faithful man, 
 and feared God above many. ' Ne. w. 3. Now such 
 men are provocations to good, as I doubt not but 
 Shem's was to Japheth; As Paul saith of some, 
 ' Your zeal hath provoked very many.' 2 Co. ii, 3. 
 
 Ver. 27. ' God shall enlarge Japheth, and he 
 shall dwell in the tents of Shem. ' 
 
 In the margin, it is ' God shall persuade:' And 
 it looks like a confirmation of what I said before, 
 and is a prophecy of that requital of love that Gdd 
 should one day give his posterity, for his kindness 
 to Noah his father. As if Noah had said, ' Well, 
 Japheth, thou wast soon persuaded by Shem to 
 shew kindness to me thy father, and the Lord shall 
 hereafter persuade thy posterity to trust in the 
 God of Shem. ' 
 
 ' God shall enlarge.' This may respect liberty 
 of soul, or how great the church of the Gentiles 
 should be ; for Japheth was the father of the Gen- 
 tiles. Go. X. 5. 
 
 If it respect the first, then it shows that sin is 
 as fetters and chains that holds souls in captivity 
 and thraldom. And hence, when Christ doth come 
 in the gospel, it is ' to preach deliverance to the 
 captives, and to set at liberty them that are 
 bruised. ' Lu. iv. 18. 
 
 ' God shall persuade.' That is, God shall enlarge 
 liim by persuasion ; for the gospel knows no other 
 compulsion, but to force by argumentation. Them 
 therefore that God brings into the tents, or churches 
 of Christ, they by the gospel are enlarged from the 
 bondage and thraldom of the devil, and persuaded 
 also to embrace his grace to salvation. 
 
 Ver. 28. ' IT And Noah lived after the flood 
 three hundred and fifty years.' 
 
 He lived therefore to see Abraham fifty and eight 
 years old : He lived also to see the foimdation of 
 Babel laid; nay, the top stone thereof: and also 
 the confusion of tongues. He lived to see of the 
 fruit of his loins, mighty kings and princes. But 
 in all this time he lived not to do one work that 
 the Holy Ghost thought worthy to record for the 
 savour of his name, or the edification and benefit 
 of his church, save only. That he died at nine hun- 
 dred and fifty years ; so great a breach did this 
 drunkenness make upon his spirit. 
 
 Ver. 29. ' So all the days of Noah were nine 
 hundred and fifty years: and he died.' 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Ver. 1. 'Now these are the generations of the 
 sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth : and 
 unto them were sons born after the flood.' 
 
 Having thus passed over the flood, with what 
 Noah and his sons did after ; we now come to the 
 second plantation of the world, to wit, by the three 
 sons of Noah ; for by these three was the world 
 replenished after the flood. Shem was the father 
 of the Jews ; Ham the father of the Canaanites ; 
 and Japheth, the father of the Gentiles. So then, 
 of Shem came the then present visible church; 
 of Ham the opposers and enemies of it; but of 
 Japheth came those that should he received into 
 the church afterwards ; as also abundance of tha 
 haters of the Lord. 
 
 Ver. 2. ' H The sons of Japheth ; Gomer, and 
 Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and 
 Meshech, and Tiras.' 
 
 Gomer, a consumer ; Magog, covering, or melt- 
 ing; Madai, measuring, or judging; Javan, making 
 sad ; Tubal, horn, brought, or worldly ; Meshech, 
 prolonging; Tiras, a destroyer; these are the 
 English of their names. 
 
 Gomer, and Magog, and Meshech, and Tubal, 
 are the great persecutors of the church in the latter 
 days. Eze. xxxviii. 3. They shall be persecuted then by 
 consumers, melters, and men of this world. Re. xx. 8. 
 Madai, and Javan, (as some say,) were the fathers 
 of the Medes and Greeks. These therefore did 
 sometimes help, and not always hinder the church. 
 
 Ver. 3, 4. 'And the sons of Gomer; Askenaz, 
 and Riphath, and Togannah. And the sons 
 of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittini, and 
 Dodanim.' 
 
 Riphath, medicine, or release; Elishah, the 
 Lamb of God; Dodanim, beloved. Either these 
 names were given them by way of prophecy; 
 implying, that of their seed should arise many 
 Gentile churches ; or to show us, that when men, 
 as their fathers, have left or lost the power of 
 godliness, yet something of the notion they may 
 yet retain. Is. k. 9. 
 
 Ver. 5. ' By these were the isles of the Gentiles 
 divided in their lands, every one after his tongue, 
 after their families, in their nations.' 
 
 But this must be understood to be after the 
 building of, and confusion at Babel ; for before 
 they had all but one tongue; and besides, they 
 kept all together, ch. xi. i, 2. 
 
 Ver. 6. ' H And the sons of Ham ; Cush, and 
 Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.' 
 
 Cush, black. Of Ham and Mizraim came the 
 Ethiopians, or blackamoor: Pb. ct. 33. The land of 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 497 
 
 Ilam was the country about Egypt ; wherefore 
 Israel was first afflicted by them. 
 
 Ver. 7. ' And the sons of Gush ; Seba and Ha- 
 vUah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabteehah: 
 and the sons of Raamah; Sheba and Dedan.' 
 
 Seba and Sheba, sometimes look well upon the 
 chm-ch ; but when they did not, God gave them for 
 her ransom. Pa. ixxii. lo. is. xiiii. 3. 
 
 Ver. 8. ' And Gush begat Nimrod : (or the rebel- 
 lious one ;) he began to be a mighty one in the 
 earth.' 
 
 The begetting of Nimrod, is accounted a thing 
 that is over and above, and is laid by the Holy 
 Ghost as a blot upon Gush for ever ; for when men 
 would vilify, they used to say, Thou art the son of 
 the rebellious, the son of a murderer. So again. 
 He that begetteth Solomon's fool, (or, wicked one) 
 he begetteth him to his own shame. Pr. rni. 3i. 
 
 ' Gush begat Nimrod.' So then, the curse came 
 betimes upon the sons of Ham ; for he was the 
 father of Gush. For the curse, as it were, begins 
 in rebellion, and a rebellious one was Nimrod, both 
 by name and nature. 
 
 ' He began to be a mighty one in the earth.' I 
 am apt to think he was the first that in this new 
 world sought after absolute monarchy. 
 
 ' He began to be a mighty one in the earth,' (or, 
 among the children of men.) I suppose him to be 
 a giant ; not only in person, but in disposition ; 
 and so, through the pride of his countenance, did 
 scorn that others, or any, should be his equal ; nay, 
 could not be content, tiU all made obeisance to 
 him. He therefore would needs be the author and 
 master of what religion he pleased; and would 
 also subject the rest of his brethren thereto, by 
 what ways his lusts thought best. Wherefore here 
 began a fresh persecution. That sin therefore 
 which the other world was drowned for was again 
 revived by this cursed man, even to lord it over the 
 sons of God, and to enforce idolatry and supersti- 
 tionupon them ; and hence he is called ' the mighty 
 hunter. ' 
 
 Ver. 9. ' He was a mighty hunter before the 
 Loed: wherefore it is said, even as Nimrod the 
 mighty hunter before the Lord.' 
 
 He was a mighty hunter. That is, a persecu- 
 tor: Wherefore Saul's persecuting of David is 
 compared to hunting : i Sa. ixvi. 20. and so is the per- 
 secution of others. La. iv. is. They hunt every man 
 his brother with a net : Mi. vU. 2. and it may well be 
 compared thereto ; for the dog or lion that hunteth, 
 is void of bowels and pity ; and if they can but 
 satisfy their doggish and Hsnish nature, they care 
 neither for innocence, nor goodness, nor life of that 
 they pursue, i Sa. xxiv. ii. The life, the blood, the 
 extirpation of the contrary party, is the end of their 
 course of hunting.* Eze. xiii. 18, 32. 
 
 * How dreadfully vf as this eiempliSed in the cruelties per- 
 VOL. II. 
 
 'He was a mighty hunter.' As it is said of 
 .J.abin, ' He mightily oppressed Israel twenty years;' 
 that is, he did it exceedingly; he went beyond 
 others ; he was more cruel and barbarous ; he was 
 a mighty hunter. Wherefore the children of bles- 
 sed Shem,.by this monster, had sore affliction. 
 Ju. iv. 2, 3. Noah therefore lived to see Nimrod, the 
 mighty one, make havock of the children of his 
 bowels, to his no little grief and compunction of 
 spirit. 
 
 'He was a mighty hunter before the LoED;' 
 or, in the presence of the Lord; or, in defiance 
 to him. This shows. That the hand of God was 
 stretched forth against his work ; as also it was 
 against Jeroboam's, by that man of God that 
 from Judah went down to prophesy against him ; 
 but he abode obdurate and hard ; he regarded 
 not the Lord, nor the operation of his hands. 
 1 Ki. xiii. 1—3. As he also saith in another place of 
 the cursed brood of Antichrist, ' When they fall 
 upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.' 
 Joel ii. 8. Let them do things never so much against 
 the plain text, they feel not the wounds of con- 
 science ; but this is a sore judgment, and that 
 under which this himter was ; and therefore the 
 presence and hand of God would not break him 
 off, nor hinder his hunting of souls. But even 
 before the face of the keeper of the godly, would 
 Nimrod, the rebel, himt for their precious hfe to 
 destroy it. 
 
 Wherefore it is said, even as Nimrod, the mighty 
 hunter, before the Lord. These words, as it seems, 
 was the proverb that went of bun among the godly 
 in after generations ; for he had so left his marks 
 in the sides of the church, that she could not 
 quickly forget him. Wherefore, when at any time 
 there arose another that showed cruelty to the 
 ways of God, he was presently compared to Nimrod, 
 that ' hunted before the Lord. ' Nimrod therefore 
 was rebellious to a proverb : And as it is said of 
 Ahab, so might it be said of him, ' There was 
 none like ' Nimrod, ' which did sell himself to work 
 wickedness in the sight of, [or, before] the Lord.' 
 
 1 Ki. xii. 25.t 
 
 Ver. 10. ' And the beginning of his kingdom 
 
 petrated on the dissenters in the valleys of Piedmont, and on 
 the English dissenters in the reign of Mary, of EUzabeth, and 
 of the Stuarts.— Ed. 
 
 f ' The hunting tribes of air and earth. 
 Respect the brethren of their birthj 
 The eagle pounces on the lambj 
 The wolf devours the fleecy damj 
 Eveu tiger fell, and sullen bear, 
 ■ Their likeness and their lineage spare, 
 Man only mars this houeehold plan, 
 And turns the fierce pursuit on man; 
 Since Nimrod, Gush's mighty son. 
 At first the bloody game begun.' 
 
 &olfs Jtoheby. 
 8 a 
 
498 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 vras Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in 
 the land of SMnar. ' 
 
 By these words, as I suppose, are those in the 
 chapter that followeth expounded : Where it says, 
 ' Let us build us a city, and a tower ; ' for this 
 work was chiefly the invention of Nimrod, who, 
 with his wicked council, contrived this work ; and 
 as one that had made himself head of the people, 
 he enjoined them to set to the work. 
 
 • And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel.' 
 Babel therefore was the first great seat of oppres- 
 sors after the flood; whose situation was in the 
 land of Shinar, in that land which is now called 
 Babylon. By this we may also gather, by whom 
 our mystical Babel was builded ; to wit, by those 
 that rebelled (as Nimrod) from the simplicity of 
 the gospel of Christ ; for the builders, especially 
 the chief, have a semblance one of another. It 
 was even such as came of the seed of the godly, as 
 these did of blessed Noah ; who, in time, aposta- 
 tizing from the word, and desiring mastership over 
 their brethren ; they, as lords, fomented their own 
 conceptions, and then enjoined the people to build. 
 As Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the ancients, 
 that stood before his father Solomon ; so these have 
 forsaken the counsel of the old men, the apostles 
 that stood before Jesus Christ ; and hearkening to 
 the counsel of a younger sort of wanters of their 
 grace and wisdom, they imagine and build a 
 Babel.* 
 
 Ver. 11, 12. 'Out of that land went forth 
 Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, 
 and Calah, and Resen, between Nineveh, and 
 Calah: The same is a great city.' 
 
 Nimrod having began to exalt himself ; others, 
 that were big with desires of ostentation, did soon 
 follow his example, making themselves captains 
 and heads of the people, and built them strong 
 holds for the supportation of their glory. But they 
 did it, as I said, by Nimrod's example ; wherefore 
 it is said they went ' out of that land. ' Just thus 
 it was at the beginning of mystical Babel : First 
 the tyranny began at Babel itself, where the 
 usurper was seen to sit in his glory, before whose 
 face the world did tremble. Now other inferior 
 
 * Great allowances might be made for Banyan's severe lan- 
 guage with respect to state interference in matters of faitli 
 ond worsliip, because lie so cruelly suffered by it in his own 
 person. But had he escaped persecution, the same awful 
 reflections arc just and true. If a christian monarchy robs, 
 imprisons, and murders dissenters, surely a Mohamedan state 
 may do the same to all those who refuse to curse Christ and 
 bless Mahomet. Bunyan appears to consider that the great 
 wickedness of man which caused the flood arose from the state 
 interfering with faith and worship. This is certainly a fruitful 
 source of those dreadful crimes, hypocrisy and persecution, 
 but whether it was the cause of that awful event, the flood, 
 or of that splendid absurdity, the tower of Babel, the reader 
 must judge for himself. — Ed. 
 
 persons, inferior, I say, in power, but not in pride, 
 having desire to be lords, as Nimrod himself, they 
 will also go build them cities ; by which means 
 Nimrod's invention could not be kept at Rome, but 
 hath spread itself in many and mighty kingdoms.! 
 
 ' Out of that land went forth Asshur, and 
 builded Nineveh,' &c. Asshur seems to be the 
 second son of Shem, ver. 32. A fit resemblance of 
 those persons that have come from mystical Babel, 
 to build their Ninevehs, and Behoboths, and Cal- 
 nehs, in all lands. Still they have pretended re- 
 ligion. That they had their orders from the apos- 
 tohcal see. That they were the true sons of Shem, 
 or disciples of Christ. But the seeing Christian 
 should remember, that some of the children of 
 Shem were in Babel with rebellious Nimrod. That 
 instead of learning humility of their father, through 
 the pride and rebellion of their own vain-glorious 
 fancies, they learned wickedness and rebellion of 
 cursed and prodigious Nimrod. 
 
 Hence note, that what cities, that is, churches 
 soever have been builded by persons that have 
 come from Romish Babel, those builders and cities 
 are to be suspected for such as had their foimder 
 and foundation from Babel itself. Wherefore let 
 Israel say, ' Asshur shall not save us,' Ho. xiv. s. for 
 he shall not save himself ; Nu. xxiv. 24. but as the 
 star of Jacob ariseth, he shall fade and perish for 
 ever. So perish all the builders and building that 
 hath had its pattern from mystical Babel, unless a 
 miracle of grace prevents. 
 
 It was Asshur that carried away the ten tribes; 
 Ezr. iv. 2. it is Asshur that joineth with the enemies 
 of the church ; Ps. ixxxiii. 8. it is Asshur that with 
 others upholds the great mart of the nations. Eza, 
 xxyii. 23. Wherefore Asshur and all his company, 
 must at last go down into their pit. Eze. xxxii. 22. 
 
 So then, let Augustine the monk, come from 
 Rome mto England, and let him build his Nine- 
 veh here ; let others go also into other countries, 
 and build their Resens and Calahs there ; these 
 are all but brats of Babel, and their end shall be, 
 That they perish for ever. John saw it, and the 
 cities, that is, the churches of the nations, or the 
 national churches, fell ; and great Babylon, their 
 inventor and founder, ' came into remembrance 
 before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine 
 of the fierceness of his wrath.' Re. xvi. 19. 
 
 Ver. 13, 14. ' And Mizraim begat Ludim, and 
 Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, and Pa- 
 thrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philis- 
 tim,) and Caphtorim.' 
 
 t First Rome, then the Greek and Russian church; then 
 Henry the VIII. and the church over which that lascivious 
 monster was the supreme head; then the Lutheran church of 
 
 Germany and Holland ; and then How admirably 
 
 true is the genealogy of Antlchi'ist as drawn out by Bunyan. 
 —Ed. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 499 
 
 Ludim, as I suppose, may be the same with 
 Lubim that came up with the Egyptians and Ethio- 
 pians against Israel, 2 Ch. xii. S; xvi. 8. of whose cruelty 
 Nahum complains; where he saith, They also 
 helped Nineveh against the children of God. iu. 9. 
 The rest of them were of the same disposition, 
 especially the Philistine that carae of Casluhim ; 
 for they, both in Saul and David's days, were im- 
 placable against the church and people of God ; 
 they were a giantish people, and trusted in their 
 strength, and seldom overcome but when Israel went 
 against them in the name of the Lord their God. 
 
 Ver. 15 — 18. ' If And Canaan begat Sidon his 
 first born, and Heth, and the Jebusite, and the 
 Amorite, and the Girgasite, and the Hivite, and 
 the Arkite, and the Siuite, and the Arvadite, and 
 the Zemarite, and the Hamathite : And afterward 
 were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. ' 
 
 These are the children of Canaan, the son of 
 Ham, the accursed of the Lord. These did chiefly 
 possess the land of Canaan before Israel went out 
 of Egypt: they were a mighty giantish people, 
 yet Israel must fight with them, notwithstanding 
 they were, in comparison to these, but as the 
 grasshopper. 
 
 Ver. 19. • And the border of the Canaanites was 
 from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza ; as 
 thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, 
 and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.' • 
 
 They bordered therefore upon the Philistines on 
 .the one side ; Ge. nvi. is, is, 19. for Gerar and Gaza 
 belonged to them, and they touched upon Sodom 
 and Gomorrah, <fec. on the other. Ju. ivi. i, ai. They 
 were placed therefore, by the judgment of God, 
 between these two wicked and sinful people, that 
 they might, as a pimishment for their former sins, 
 be infected with the sight and infection of their 
 imgodly and monstrous abominations. They that 
 ' turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lokd 
 shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity.' 
 
 Ps. cxxv. 5. 
 
 Ver. 20. ' These are the sons of Ham, after their 
 famiUes, after their tongues, in their countries, and 
 in their nations. ' 
 
 Ham had a mighty offspring ; but the judgment 
 of God was, That they should be wicked men, 
 idolaters, persecutors, sinners with a high hand ; 
 such as God was resolved to number to the sword, 
 both in this world, and that to come ; I mean, for 
 the generality of them. 
 
 Ver. 21. ' H Unto Shem also, the father of all 
 the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the 
 elder, even to him were children born. ' 
 
 The manner of style which the Holy Ghost here 
 useth in his preamble to the genealogy of Shem, 
 is worthy to be taken notice of ; as that he is called, 
 ' the father of all the children of Eber,' and ' the 
 brother of Japheth.' 
 
 By his being called, ' the father of all the chil- 
 dren of Eber,' we may suppose, that from Eber to 
 Abraham, (by whom the reckoning of the genealogy 
 was cut off from Eber, and intailed to the name 
 of Abraham,) all the children of Eber were, as it 
 were, the disciples of Shem, for he lived awhile 
 after Abraham. His doctrine therefore they might 
 profess, though possibly with some mixture of those 
 inventions that came in among men afterwards ; 
 which I think were at the greatest about Abra- 
 ham's time. Besides, he shews by this, that the 
 other children of Shem, as Elam, Asshur, LuJ 
 and Aram, with Uz, Hul, Gether and Mash, went 
 away with Nimrod, and the rest of that company, 
 into idolatry, tyranny and other profaneness ; so 
 that only the line from Shem to Eber, and from 
 thence to Abraham, &c. were the visible church in 
 those days. 
 
 ' The brother of Japheth. ' So he was of Ham, 
 but because Ham was cut off for his wickedness to 
 his father, therefore both Shem and Japheth did 
 hold him in abomination, and would not own that 
 relation thai before was between them, especially 
 in things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and 
 of Christ: Wherefore tUe Holy Ghost also, in 
 reckoning up the kindred of Shem, excludeth Ham 
 the younger brother, and stops after he had men- 
 tioned Japheth : ' The brother of Japheth the 
 elder. ' 
 
 ' Unto him were children born,' unto Shem also. 
 Unto him were children born : The Holy Ghost 
 doth secretly here, as he did before in the genera- 
 tion of Seth, insinuate a wonder. For considering 
 the godliness of Shem, and the imgodliness of Ham, 
 and the multitude of his tyrannical brood, it is a 
 wonder that there should such a thing as the off- 
 spring of Shem be found upon the face of the earth. 
 For I am apt to think, that Shem, with his pos- 
 terity, did testify against the actions of Nimrod ; 
 as also against the childi-en of Ham, in their wicked- 
 ness and rebellion against the way of God; as may 
 be hinted after. Wherefore he, with his seed, 
 were in jeopardy, among that tumultuous genera- 
 tion. Yet God preserved him and his seed upon 
 the face of the earth. For let the number and 
 wickedness of men be never so great in the world, 
 there must be also a church, by whose actions tho 
 ways of the wicked must be condemned. 
 
 Ver. 22. ' The chUdren of Shem ; Elam, and 
 Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.' 
 
 These children were born unto Shem : The book 
 of Chronicles mentions four more, as Uz, and Hul, 
 and Gether, Meshech, or Mash; but these were 
 the natural sous of Aram, Shem beuig only their 
 father's father. 
 
 Elam and Asshur, as also Lud and Aram, not- 
 withstanding they were the sons of Shem, struck 
 off, as I think, with Nimrod, and left their father, 
 
500 
 
 iN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS 01' GENESIS. 
 
 for tho glory of Babel ; yea, they had a province 
 there in the days of Daniel, viii. 3. Wherefore great 
 judgments are threatened against Elam ; as. That 
 Elam shall drink the cup of God's fury: That 
 their bow shall be broken : That God would bring 
 upon him the four winds. Je. xUx. 36. And, That 
 there should be no nation whither the captives of 
 Elam should not come : Yet God would save them 
 in the latter days. ver. 39. 
 
 As for Lud although through the wickedness of 
 his heart he forsook his father Shem, and so the 
 true religion ; yet a promise is made of his con- 
 version, when God calls home the children of 
 Japheth, and persuadeth them to dwell in the 
 tents of Shem. ' I will set a sign among them 
 (saith God,) and I will send those that escape of 
 them, unto the nations to Tarshish, Pul and Lud, 
 - to Tubal and Javan, to the isles afar off, that 
 have not heard my fame. isa. IxtI. 19. Yea, thus it 
 shall be, although they were once the soldiers of 
 the adversaries of the church, and bare the shield 
 and helmet against her. Eze. xxra. lo. Of Asshur I 
 have spoken before. Aram became also an hea- 
 then, and dwelt among the moimtains of the east : 
 Out of him came Balaam the soothsayer that 
 Balak sent for, to curse the children of Israel. 
 
 Nu. xiiii. 7. 
 
 In Arphaxad, though he was not the eldest, 
 remained the line that went from Abraham to 
 David ; and from him to Jesus Christ. Lu. ffi. 36. 
 
 Ver. 23. 'And the children of Aram; Uz, and 
 Hul, and Gether, and Mash.' 
 
 Uz went also off from Shem, but yet good men 
 came from his loins ; for Job himself was of that 
 land. Joh i. 1. Yet the wrath of God was threatened 
 to go forth against them, because they had a hand 
 in the persecution of the children of Israel, <fee. 
 
 Je. XXV. 20; La. iv. 21. 
 
 Ver. 24, 25. ' And Arphaxad begat Salah ; and 
 Salah begat Eber. And unto Eber were born two 
 sons : the name of one was Peleg ; for in his days 
 was the earth divided ; and his brother's name was 
 Joktan.' 
 
 This Eber was a very godly man, the next after 
 Shem that vigorously stood up to maintain reli- 
 gion. Two things are entailed upon him to his 
 everlasting honour: First, The children of God, 
 even Abraham himself, was not ashamed to own 
 himself one of this man's disciples, or followers ; 
 and hence he is called Abraham the Hebrew, or 
 Ebrew. Ge. liv. 13. Joseph also will have it go 
 there : I was stolen (said he) out of the land of 
 the Hebrews. Ge. xi. 15. Nay, the Lord God him- 
 self, to show how he honoured this man's faith 
 and life, doth style himself the God of his fathers, 
 to wit, the God of the Hebrews, the Lord God of 
 the Hebrews. Ex. iii. 18; vii. 16; ix. 1, 13. Secondly, This 
 ivas the man that kept that language with which 
 
 Adam was created, and that in which God spake 
 to the fathers of old, from being corrupted and 
 confounded by the confusion of Babel ; and there- 
 fore it is for ever called his, the Hebrew tongue, 
 Jn. V. 2; xix. 13, 20. the tongue in which Christ spako 
 from heaven to and by Saul. Ac. xxi. 40; xxii. 2; xxvi. u. 
 This man therefore, was a stiff opposer of Nimrod ; 
 neither had he a hand in the building of Babel ; 
 for all that had, had their language confounded by 
 that strange judgment of God. 
 
 ' And imto Eber were born two sous : the name 
 of the one was Peleg, (or Division,) for in his days 
 was the earth divided ; and his brother's name was 
 Joktan.' This division, in mine opinion, was not 
 only that division that was made by the confusion 
 of tongues, but a division also that was made among 
 men by the blessed doctrine of God, which most 
 eminently rested in the bosom of Shem and Eber, 
 neither of which had their hands in that monstrous 
 work.* Wherefore, as Eber by abstaining kept 
 entire the holy language ; so Shem, to shew that 
 he was clear from this sin also, is by the Holy 
 Ghost called, ' The father of all the children of 
 Eber. ' Implying, that Eber and Shem did mightily 
 labour to preserve a seed from the tyranny and 
 pollution of Nimrod and Babel ; and by that means 
 made a division in the earth ; unto whom because 
 the rebels would not adhere, therefore did God the 
 Lord smite them with confusion of tongues, and 
 scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. 
 
 Ver. 26. ' And Joktan begat Almodad, and 
 Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah.' 
 
 Here again he hath left the holy line, which is 
 from Eber to Abraham, and makes a stop upon 
 Joktan's genealogy, and so comes down to the 
 building of Babel. 
 
 Ver. 27 — 30. ' These therefore begat Joktan : 
 He also begat ' Hadoram, and Uzal, aud Diklah, 
 and Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba ; and Ophir, 
 and Havilah, and Johab : aU these were the sons 
 of Joktan. — And their dwelling was from Mesha, 
 as thou goest, unto Sephar a mount of the east.' 
 
 Ver. 31. ' These are the sons of Shem, after their 
 families, after their tongues, in their lands, after 
 their nations.' 
 
 Moses, as I said, by this relation, respectetb, 
 and handleth chiefly those, or them persons, who 
 were at first the planters of the world after the 
 flood; leaving the church, or a relation of that, 
 and its seed, to be discoursed after the building of 
 Babel, unto the tenth verse of the next chapter. 
 Hence methinks one might gather, that these above^ 
 mentioned, whose genealogies are handled at large, 
 as the families of Japheth, of Ham, and Joktan 
 are, were both, in their persons and offsprings en- 
 
 * ' That monstrous work,' the attempting to build the tower 
 of Babel.— Eu. 
 
AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTERS OF GENESIS. 
 
 501 
 
 gaged (some few only excepted, who might adhere 
 to Noah, Shem, and Eher) in that foul work, the 
 building of Babel. Now that which inclineth me 
 thus to think, it is because immediately after their 
 thus being reckoned by Moses, even before he 
 taketh up the genealogy of Shem, he bringeth in the 
 building thereof ; the which he not only mentioneth, 
 but also enlargeth upon ; yea, and also telleth of 
 the cause of the stopping of that work, before he 
 returneth to the church, and the line that went from 
 Shem to Abraham. 
 
 Ver. 32. ' These are the families of the sons of 
 Noah after their generations, in their nations : and 
 by these were the nations divided in the earth after 
 the flood.' 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 Ver. 1. ' And the whole earth was of one lan- 
 guage, and of one speech.' 
 
 Moses having thus briefly passed through the 
 genealogies of Japheth, Ham, and Joktan ; In the 
 next place he cometh to shew us their works which 
 they had by this time engaged to do ; and that 
 was, to build a Babel, whose tower might reach to 
 heaven. Now, in order to this their work, or 
 rather to his relation thereof, he maketh a short 
 fore-speech, which consisteth of two branches. 
 The first is, That now they had all one language 
 or hp.* The other was. That they yet had kept 
 themselves together, either resting or walking, as 
 an army compact. An excellent resemblance of 
 the state of the church, before she imagined to 
 build her a Babel. For till then, however one 
 might outstrip another in knowledge and love ; yet 
 so far as they obtained, their language or lip was 
 but one. Having but one heart, and one soul, they 
 with one mouth did glorify God, even the Father. 
 
 ' And the whole earth was of one language.' 
 By these words therefore, we may conceive the 
 reason why so great a judgment as that great 
 wickedness, Babel, should be contrived, and endea- 
 voured to be accomplished. The multitude was one. 
 Not but that it is a blessed thing for the church to 
 be one : as Christ salth, ' My beloved is but one.' 
 Jn. rrii. 11. But here was an oneness, not only in 
 the church, but in her mixing with the world. The 
 whole earth, among which, as I suppose, is included 
 Noah, Shem, and others ; who being overtopt by 
 Nimrod, the mighty himter, might company with 
 him until he began to build Babel. Therefore it 
 is said in the next verse, that they companied to- 
 gether from the east, to the land of Shlnar. 
 
 Hence note. That the first and primitive churches 
 
 t ' Language or lip.' fsv, a lip, is also used for speech. 
 la the figurative language, ' of one lip,' means that they all 
 spoke one language ; so in Job si. 2, a veto v'Vi, literally, ' a 
 man of lips,' is translated ' a man full of talk.' — ^Ed, 
 
 were safe and secure, so long as they kept entire 
 by themselves ; but when once they admitted of a 
 mixture, great Babel, as a judgment of God, was 
 admitted to come Into their mind. 
 
 Ver. 2. 'And it came to pass, as they journeyed 
 from the east, that they found a plain in the land 
 of Shlnar; and they dwelt there.' 
 
 By these words, we gather, that the first rest of 
 Noah, and so the inhabiting of his posterity, was 
 stlil eastward from Babylon, towards the sun 
 rising. 
 
 But togospellse: They journeyed from the east: 
 and so consequently they turned their backs upon 
 the rising of the sun. So did also the primitive 
 church, in the day when she began to decline from 
 her first and purest state. Indeed, so long as she 
 kept close to the doctrine and discipline of the 
 gospel, according to the word and commandment 
 of the Lord Jesus, then she kept her face still 
 towards the sun rising : According to the type in 
 Ezoklel, who salth of the second and mystical 
 temple. Her fore front, or face, did stand towards 
 the east. xi™. i. Also he saith, when he saw the 
 glory of God, how it came unto this temple, it 
 came from the way of the east. riiiLZ. Their 
 journeying therefore from the east, was, their 
 turning their backs upon the sun. And to us, in 
 gospel times, it holdeth forth such a mystery as 
 this: That their journey was thus recorded, to 
 show they were now apostatized ; for assuredly 
 they had turned their back upon the glorious Sun 
 of Righteousness, as upon that which shlneth in 
 the firmament of heaven. 
 
 ' They found a plain in the land of Shinar. ' 
 Shlnar is the land of Babylon, ra. i. 3. Zee t. ii. as 
 those scriptures In the margin declare. 
 
 ' They found a plain. ' Or, place of fatness and 
 plenty, as usually the plains are; and are, upon 
 that account, great content to our flesh : This 
 made Lot separate from Abraham, and choose 
 to dwell with the sinners of Sodom ; why, the 
 country was a plain, and therefore fat and plenti- 
 ful, even like the garden of the Lord, and the land 
 of Egypt. Here therefore they made a stop ; here 
 they dwelt and continued together. A right 
 resemblance of the degenerators' course in the 
 days of general apostacy, from the true apostolical 
 doctrine, to the church of our Romish Babel. So 
 long as the church endured hardship, and affliction, 
 she was greatly preserved from revolts and baek- 
 sUdlngs ; but after she had turned her face from 
 the sun, and had found the plain of Shlnar ; that 
 is, the fleshly contents that the pleasures, and 
 profits, and honours of this world afford ; she for- 
 getting the word and order of God, was content, 
 with Lot, to pitch towards Sodom; or, with the 
 travellers in the text, to dwell in the land of 
 Babel. 
 
503 
 
 AN EXPOSITION ON THE FIRST TEN CHAPTEKS OF GENESIS. 
 
 Ver. 3. ' ^ And they said one to another, Go 
 to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly, 
 (and burn them to a burning). And they had 
 brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. ' 
 
 Now they being filled with ease and plenty, they 
 begin to lift up the horn, and to consult one with 
 another what they -were best to do : Whereupon, 
 after some time of debate, they came to this con- 
 clusion. That they would go build a Babel. 
 
 ' And they said one to another. Go to. ' This 
 manner of phrase is often used in scripture ; and 
 is some times, as also here, used to show, That 
 the thing intended, must come to pass, what 
 opinion or contradiction to the contrary soever 
 there be. It argueth that a judgment is made in 
 the case, and proceedings shall be accordingly. 
 Thus it is also to be taken in Ju. vii. 3. Ec ii. l. Is. t. 6. 
 Ja.T. 1. &c. Wherefore it shows, that these men 
 
 had cast oflF the fear of God, and, like Israel ia 
 the days of the prophet Jeremiah, they resolved to 
 follow their own imagination, let God or his judg- 
 ments speak never so loud to the contrary. And 
 so indeed he says of them at verse the sixth: 
 ' And this they begin to do : (saith God) and 
 now nothing will be restrained from them. ' 
 
 J^^ This is all Mr. Bunyan hath writ of this 
 EXPOSITION, as we perceive by the blank paper 
 following the manuscript.* 
 
 ' That Banyan intended to have continned tliis commen- 
 tary there can he no doubt, not only from the abrupt termi- 
 nation of his labours, and the blank paper following the manu- 
 script, but from an observation he makes on the sabbath — the 
 sabbath of years, the jubilee, &c., ' of all which, more in tlieir 
 place, ir God permit.' See Gen. ii. 3. — En. 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY 
 
 OB, 
 
 V 
 
 AN EXHORTATION TO CHRISTIANS TO BE HOLY. 
 
 'Holiness becomeih thine house, Lord, for ever.' — Psal. xciiL 5. 
 
 THE EDITOE'S ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 This is tlie most searching treatise that has ever 
 fallen under our notice. It is an invaluable guide 
 to those sincere Christians, who, under a sense of 
 the infinite importance of the salvation of an im- 
 mortal soul, and of the deceitfulness of their 
 hearts, sigh and cry, ' Lord of hosts, that 
 judgest righteously, that triest the reins [most 
 secret thoughts] and the heart. ' ' Try my reins 
 and MY heart,' for it ' is deceitful above all things, 
 and desperately wicked: who can know it? I 
 the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to 
 give every man according to his ways, and accord- 
 ing to the fruit of his doings.' He, in whose heart 
 the Holy Spirit has raised the solemn inquiry, 
 ' What must I do to be saved ';' flies from his own 
 estimate of himself, with distrust and fear, and 
 appeals to an infallible and unerring scrutiny. 
 ' Search me, God, and know my heart : try me, 
 and know my thoughts: And see if there he any 
 wicked way in me, and lead me in the way ever- 
 lasting. ' Reader, are you desirous of having your 
 hopes of pardon, and of heaven, weighed in the 
 unerring balances of the sanctuary ; while you are 
 yet in a state of probation ? Meditate and ponder 
 over this faithful little work. If accompanied by 
 the Divine blessing, it will test your faith and 
 practice in the crucible and by the fire of God's 
 word. It is intended to turn your spirit inside 
 out — to lay bare every insidious enemy that may 
 have crept in and lie lurking in the walls of Man- 
 soul. It exhibits sin in all its hideous deformity, 
 stript of its masquerade and disguises ; so that it 
 appears, what it really is, the great enemy to 
 human happiness. It is calculated to stir up our 
 pure minds to' incessant vigilance, lest we should 
 wander upon tempting, but forbidden paths ; and 
 be caught by Giant Despair, to become the objects 
 of his cruelty in Doubting Castle. 
 
 This work was first published in 1684, in a 
 pocket volume, comprising nine sheets duodecimo; 
 but became so rare, as to have escaped the re- 
 searches of Wilson, Wbitefield, and other editors of 
 the collected works of Mr. Bunyan, — until about the 
 year 1780, when it was first re-published in an edi- 
 tion of his works, with notes, by Mason and Ryland. 
 
 The evident object of this treatise was to aid 
 christian efforts, under the Divine blessing, in 
 stemming the torrent of iniquity, which, like an 
 a^vful flood, was overspreading this country. The 
 moral and religious restraints, which the govern- 
 ment vmder the Commonwealth had imposed, were 
 dissolved by the accession of a debauched prince 
 to the throne of England; a prince who was bribed, 
 to injure or destroy the best interests of the coun- 
 try, by the voluptuous court of France. He had 
 taken refuge there from the storm ; and had been 
 defiled and corrupted beyond ordinary conception. 
 The king and his court were surrounded by pimps, i 
 panders, courtesans, and flatterers. The example 
 of the court spread throughout the country — reli- 
 gion became a jest and laughing-stock; and those 
 who were not to be cajoled out of their soul's eternal 
 happiness — whose vital godliness presei-ved them 
 in the midst of such evil examples and allurements, 
 were persecuted with unrelenting rigour. The 
 virtuous Lord William Russel, and the illustrious 
 Sydney, fell by the hands of the executioner : 
 John Hampden was fined forty thousand pounds. 
 The hand of God was stretched out. An awful 
 pestilence carried off nearly seventy thousand of 
 the inhabitants of London. In the following year, 
 that rich and glorious city, with the cathedral — 
 the churches — ^pubUc buildings — and warehouses, 
 replenished with merchandize — were reduced to 
 ashes. The Dutch fleet sailed up the Thames and 
 threatened destruction to our navy, and even to 
 the government, — filling the court and country 
 with terror. Still profligacy reigned in the court 
 and country — a fearful persecution raged against 
 all who refused to attend the church service. 
 Thousands perished in prison, and multitudes were 
 condemned to expatriate themselves. The timid 
 and irresolute abandoned the faith, — desolation 
 spread over the church of God. At this time, at 
 imminent risk, John Bunyan not only fearlessly 
 preached, but published his faithful ' Advice to 
 Sufferers;' which was immediately followed by 
 this important work, calling upon every one 'who 
 named the name of Christ,' at all hazards, ' to 
 depart from iniquity.' They were ' words in sea- 
 
504 
 
 THE EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 Bon,' and were 'good,' 'like apples of gold in 
 pictures of silver. ' Pr. xvr. ii. 
 
 The contrast in putlic manners must have heen 
 painfully felt by one, who had seen and enjoyed 
 the general appearances, and doubtless many real 
 proofs of piety, which prevailed under the protec- 
 torate of Cromwell. He was now called to witness 
 the effects of open and avowed wickedness among 
 governors and nobles, by which the fountains of 
 iniquity were opened up, and a flood of immorality 
 let loose upon all classes; demoralizing the nation, 
 and distressing the church. It must have been 
 difficult to form any thing like an accurate esti- 
 mate of the number of those who abandoned their 
 christian profession. The immoral conduct of one 
 bad man is more conspicuous than the unobtrusive 
 holiness of ninety-nine good men ; more especially, 
 when a professor becomes profane. Thus Bunyan 
 argues, ' One black sheep is quickly espied among 
 five hundred white ones, and one mangey one will 
 soon infect many. One also, among the saints, 
 that is not clean, is a blemish to the rest, and 
 as Solomon says. " One sinner destroyeth much 
 good." ' p. .527. It is more congenial to our fallen 
 nature to notice, and be grieved with, evil con- 
 duct, than it is to rejoice over that excellence 
 which may cast the observer into the shade; 
 besides the jaundiced fear that good works may 
 arise from improper motives. These principles 
 equally applied to the state of society under the 
 Presbyterian government: but when the restora- 
 tion to the old system took place, so vast a change 
 passed over society, like a pestilence, ' that sin, 
 through custom, became no sin. The superfluity 
 of naughtiness,' says Bunyan, ' is at this day 
 become no sin with many. ' p. 509. ' There are a 
 good many professors now in England that have 
 nothing to distinguish them from the worst of men, 
 but their praying, reading, hearing of sermons, 
 baptism, church fellowship, and breaking of bread. 
 Separate them but from these, and every where 
 else they are as black as others, even in their 
 whole life and conversation.' p. 608. ' It is marvel- 
 lous to me to see sin so high amidst tho swarms 
 of professors that are found in every corner of this 
 land.' If the conduct of many professors were 
 so vile, as there can be no doubt but that it was, 
 how gross must have been that of the openly pro- 
 fane? It accounts for the wicked wit and raillery 
 of Hudibras, when so many professors threw off 
 the mask and gloried in their hypocrisy — Butler 
 shut his eyes to the cruel sufferings of thousands 
 ■who perished in jails, the martyrs to the sincerity 
 of their faith and conduct. The falling away was 
 indeed great; and Bunyan, with all earnestness, 
 ■warns his readers that, ' To depart from iniquity 
 is to shun those examples, those beastly examples 
 to di-unkenness — to whoredom — to swearing — to 
 
 lying — to stealing — to sabbath-breaking — to pride 
 — to covetousness — to deceit — to hypocrisy, that 
 in every comer of the country present themselves 
 to men.' p. 617. ' the fruits of repentance thick 
 sown by preachers, come up hut thinly ! Where 
 are they found? Confession of sin, shame for sin, 
 amendment of life, restitution for cozening, cheat- 
 ing, defrauding, beguiling thy neighbour, — where 
 shall these fruits of repentance he found ? Re- 
 pentance is the bitter pill, without the sound > 
 working of which, base and sinful humours rest 
 unstirred, unpurged, undriven out of the soul. 
 
 p. 619. 
 
 ' 1 would not be austere,' said Bunyan, 'but were 
 wearing of gold, putting on of apparel, dressing up 
 houses, decking of children, learning of compliments, 
 boldness in women, lechery in men, wanton behavi- 
 our, lascivious words, and tempting carriages, signs 
 of repentance; then I must say, the fruits of repent- 
 ance swarm in our land. ' ' The tables of God's 
 book are turned upside down. Love, to their doc- 
 trine, is gone out of the country.' ' Love is gone, 
 and now coveting, pinching, griping, and such 
 things, are in fashion ; now iniquity abounds instead 
 of grace, in many that name the name of Christ. ' 
 p. 519, 520. ' Alas ! alas ! there is a company of half- 
 priests in the world ; they dare not teach the peo- 
 ple the whole counsel of God, because they would 
 condemn themselves, and their manner of living in 
 the world : where is that minister now to be found, 
 that dare say to his people, walk as you have me 
 for an example, or that dare say, what you see 
 and hear to be in me, do, and the God of peace 
 shall be with you. ' p. 62o. Such was the general 
 character of the parish priests, after the black Bar- 
 tholomew Act had driven the pious and godly 
 ministers from the parish churches. It is almost 
 a miracle that Bunyan escaped persecution for his 
 plain dealing. We cannot wonder, that under such 
 teachers, 'Christians learned to he proud one of 
 another, to be covetous, to be treacherous, and 
 false, to be cowardly in God's matters, to he remiss 
 and negligent in christian duties, one of another.' 
 p. 525. A scandal was thus brought upon religion. 
 ' Upon this I write with a sigh ; for never more 
 than now. There is no place where the professors 
 of religion are, that is free from offence and scan- 
 dal. Iniquity is so entailed to religion, and base- 
 ness of life to the naming the name of Christ, that 
 'All places are full of vomit and filthiness.' 'Ah! 
 Lord God, this is a lamentation, that a sore disease 
 is got into the church of God.' p. 529. It was a 
 period when a more a^vvful plague raged as to 
 morals and religion, than that which, about the 
 same time, had ravaged London with temporal 
 death — the plague of hypocrisy — of naming the 
 n.arao of Christ, .and still living in sin. ' Hypocri- 
 sies arc '■'f that nature, that they spread themselves 
 
THE EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 505 
 
 over the mind as the leprosy does over the body. 
 It gets in the pulpit, in conference, in closets, in 
 communion of saints, in faith, in love, in repent- 
 ance, in zeal, in humility, in alms, in the prison, 
 and in all duties, and makes the whole a loath- 
 some stink in the nostrils of God.' p. ess. 'These 
 licentious times, in which we live, are full of ini- 
 quity. ' p. 539. ' They change one bad way for 
 another, hopping, as the squirrel, from bough to 
 bough, but not willing to forsake the tree, — from 
 drunkards to be covetous, and from that to pride 
 and lasciviousness — -this is a grand deceit, common, 
 and almost a disease epidemical among professors. ' 
 p. 532. ' The sins of our day are conspicuous and 
 open as Sodom's were; pride and covetousness, 
 loathing of the gospel, and contemning holiness, 
 have covered the face of the nation.' p. 534. The 
 infection had spread into the households of pro- 
 fessors. ' Bless me, saith a servant, are these the 
 religious people ! Are these the servants of God, 
 where iniquity is made so much of, and is so highly 
 entertained ! And now is his heart filled with 
 prejudice against all rehgion, or else he turns 
 hypocrite like his master and his mistress, wearing, 
 as they, a cloak of religion to cover all abroad, 
 while all naked and shameful at home.' p. 636. 'He 
 looked for a house fuU of vutue, and behold nothing 
 but spider-webs ; fair and plausible abroad, but 
 Uke the sow in the mire at home. ' The immoral 
 taint infected the young. ' ! it is horrible to 
 behold how irreverently, how saucily, and mala- 
 pertly, children, yea, professing children, at this 
 day, carry it to their parents; snapping and 
 checking, curbing and rebuking of them, as if they 
 had received a dispensation from God to dishonour 
 and disobey parents.' p. 535. ' This day, a sea and 
 deluge of iniquity has drowned those that have a 
 form of godliness. Now immorality shall, with 
 professors, be in fashion, be pleaded for, be loved 
 and more esteemed than holiness ; even those that 
 have a form of godliness, hate the life and power 
 thereof, yea, they despise them that are good.' 
 
 p. 643. 
 
 This melancholy picture of vice and profligacy 
 was drawn by one whose love of truth rendered him 
 incapable of deceit or of exaggeration. It was 
 published at the time, and was unanswered, because 
 unanswerable. It was not painted from imagina- 
 tion by an ascetic ; but from life by an enhghtened 
 observer — not by the poor preaching mechanic 
 when incarcerated in a jail for his godliness ; but 
 when his painful sufferings were past — when his 
 Pilgrim, produced by the folly of persecutors, had 
 rendered him famous through Europe — when his 
 extraordinary pulpit talents were matured and 
 extensively known, so that thousands crowded to 
 hear him preach — when his labours were sought 
 in London and in the country — when his opportu- 
 
 VOL, II. 
 
 nities of observation had become extended far 
 beyond most of his fellow-ministers. The tale is 
 as true as it is full of painful interest. The causes 
 of all this vice are perfectly apparent. Whenever 
 a government abuses its powers by interfering with 
 divine worship — by preferring one sect above all 
 others ; whether it be Presbyterian, Independent, 
 or Episcopalian — such a requiring the things that 
 are God's to be rendered unto Caesar, must be the 
 prohfic source of persecution, hypocrisy, and con- 
 sequent immorality and profaneness. The impm-o 
 process of immorality is checked by the rival labours 
 of all the sects to promote vital godliness. Can wo 
 wonder that such a state of society was not long 
 permitted to exist ? In three troublous years from 
 the publication of this book, the licentious monarch 
 was swept away by death, not without suspicion of 
 violence, and his besotted popish successor fled to 
 die in exUe. An enlightened monarch was placed 
 upon the vacant throne, and persecution was de- 
 prived of its tiger claws and teeth by the act of 
 toleration. 
 
 However interesting to the christian historian, 
 and humbling to human pride, the facts may be 
 which are here disclosed ; it was not the author's 
 intention thus to entertain his readers. No ; this 
 invaluable tract has an object in view of far greater 
 importance. It is an earnest, affectionate, but 
 pungent appeal to all professors of every age, and 
 nation, and sect, to the end of time. The admo- 
 nition of the text is to you, my reader, and to me ; 
 whether we be rich or poor, ministers or ministered 
 unto, it comes home equally to every heart, from 
 the mightiest potentate through every grade of 
 society to the poorest peasant. May the sound 
 ever reverberate in our ears and be engraven upon 
 our hearts, ' Let every one that nameth the name 
 of Christ depart from iniquity. ' 
 
 The analysis of this book exhibits — How solemn 
 a thing it is to name the name of Christ, as the 
 author and finisher of our faith — God manifest in 
 the flesh, to bear the curse for us, and to work out 
 our everlasting salvation. The hosts of heaven 
 rejoice over the penitent sinner ransomed from the 
 pit of wrath. Is it possible for the soul that has 
 escaped eternal burnings — that has experienced 
 the bitterness and exceeding sinfulness of sin — 
 that has felt the misery of transgression — that has 
 been brought up out of that deep and horrible pit 
 — to backslide and plunge again into misery, with 
 his eyes open to see the smoke of their torments 
 ascending up before him? Is it possible that he 
 should heedlessly enter the vortex, and be again 
 drawn into wretchedness? Yes; it is alas too 
 true. Well may the Lord, by his prophet, use these 
 striking words, ' Be astonished, ye heavens, at 
 this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, 
 saith the Lord. For my people have committed 
 3s 
 
S06 
 
 THE EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 two evils ; they have forsaken me, the fountain of 
 living waters, and hewed out broken cisterns, that 
 can hold no water. ' Je. ii. 12, 13. 
 
 The extreme folly of such conduct would render 
 the fact almost incredible, did we not too frequently 
 witness it in others, and feel it in our own hearts. 
 This volume places these facts plainly before us, 
 and affectionately exhorts us to be watchful, and 
 diligently to inquire into the causes of such evil, 
 and the remedies which ought to be applied. It 
 shews us the great varieties that are found in the 
 tempers and qualities of God's children, in words 
 calculated to make an indelible impression. 
 
 ' But in this great house of God there will not 
 only be golden and silver Christians, but wooden 
 and earthly ones. And if any man purge himself 
 from these [earthly ones], from their companies 
 and vices, he shall be a vessel to honour, sanctified, 
 and meet for the master's use, and prepared for 
 every good woi'k.' p. 518. Bunyan earnestly cautions 
 his readers to constant watchfulness, ' for sin is one 
 of the most quick and brisk things that are. ' p. 615. 
 And jealousy over ourselves, lest our hearts should 
 deceive us. ' The young man in the gospel that 
 cried to Christ to shew him the way to life, had 
 some love to his salvation ; but ,it was not a love 
 that was strong as death, cruel as the grave, and 
 hotter than coals of juniper.' Ca. -riii. 6. It cod 
 nothing — no self-denial, no sacrifice. ' Such will 
 love as long as mouth and tongue can wag,' will 
 pray and hear sermons, but will not cut off a dar- 
 ling lust ; such deceive their own souls. Some are 
 allured but not changed : ' There is some kind of 
 musicalness in the word ; when well handled and 
 fingered by a skilful preacher,' it has a momentary 
 influence ; ' they hear thy words, bat do them not.' 
 Eze. xxriiL 30. Above all things, beware of hypocrisy, 
 for when it once enters, it spreads over the soul, as 
 the leprosy does over the body. p. 521. ' He is the 
 same man, though he has got a new mouth.' p. 533. 
 ' Many that shew like saints abroad, yet act the 
 part of devils when they are at home.' Wicked 
 professors are practical atheists. ' The dirty hfe 
 of a professor lays stumbling blocks in the way 
 of the blind.' p. 5i3. 'A professor that hath not 
 forsaken his iniquity, is like one that comes out of 
 the pest-house, among the whole, with his plaguey 
 sores running upon him. This is the man that 
 hath the breath of a dragon ; he poisons the air 
 round about him. This is the man that slays his 
 children, his kinsmen, his friend, and himself. 
 They are the devil's most stinking tail, with which 
 he casts many a professor into carnal delights, with 
 their filthy conversations.' p. 530. 'Oh! the mill- 
 stone that God will shortly hang about your necks, 
 when the time is come that you must be drowned in 
 the sea and deluge of God's wrath, 'p. mo. Rather 
 
 than thus rush upon Jehovah's fiercest anger, 'Tell 
 the world, if you will not depart from iniquity, that 
 Christ and you are parted, and that you have left 
 him to be embraced by them to whom iniquity is an 
 abomination.' p. 530. Thus faithfully and affection- 
 ately did Bunyan deal with his hearers and readers. 
 And he takes an occasion, now in his maturer years, 
 to confirm the sentiments which he had formerly 
 published in his ' Differences in Judgment about 
 Water Baptism no Bar to Communion.' ' It is 
 strange to see at this day how, notwithstanding 
 all the threatenings of God, men are wedded to their 
 own opinions, beyond what the law of grace and 
 love will admit. Here is a Presbyterian, here an 
 Independent, here a Baptist, so joined each man to 
 his own opinion, that they cannot have that com- 
 munion one with another, as by the testament of 
 the Lord Jesus they are commanded and enjoined. ' 
 ' To help thee in this, keep thine eye much upon 
 thine own base self, be clothed with humility, and 
 prefer thy brother before thyself; and know that 
 Christianity lieth not in small matters, neither 
 before God nor understanding men. ' ' I have often 
 said in my heart, what is the reason that some of 
 the brethren should be so shy of holding communion 
 with those, every whit as good, if not better than 
 themselves? Is it because they think themselves 
 unworthy of their holy fellowship ? No, verily; it 
 is because they exalt themselves. ' p. 638. He goes 
 on to declare that the difficulties which sin and 
 Satan place in the way of the Christian pilgrim 
 ought never to be concealed. Salvation is to be 
 worked out with fear and trembling. It is only 
 by divine aid, by dependence upon our heavenly 
 Father, that it can be accomplished. ' To de- 
 part from iniquity to the utmost degree of require- 
 ment, is a copy too fair for mortal flesh exactly 
 to imitate, while we are iu this world. But with 
 good paper, good ink, and a good pen, a skilful 
 and wiUing man may go far. ' p. hg, 547. Mr. liy- 
 land's note on the Christian's trials is, ' when the 
 love of sin is subdued in the conscience, then peace 
 will flow in like a river, God wUl be glorified, 
 Christ exalted; and the happy soul, under the 
 teaching and influence of the aU-wise, omnipotent 
 Spirit, will experience sweet peace and joy iu 
 believing. ' Millions of pilgrims have entered the 
 celestial city, having fought their way to glory; 
 and then, while singing the conqueror's song, all 
 their troubles by the way must have appeared as 
 sufferings but for a moment, which worked out 
 for them an eternal and exceeding weight of glory. 
 And then how blessed the song to him that hath 
 loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own 
 blood, and made us kings and priests unto our 
 God. To him be glory and dominion for ever and 
 ever. Ameu Geo. Offok. 
 
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FOLLOWING DTSCOUKSE. 
 
 507 
 
 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FOLLOWING DISCOUESE. 
 
 When I write of justification before God from tte 
 dreadful curse of the law ; then I must speak of 
 nothing but grace, Christ, the promise, and faith. 
 But when I speak of our justification before men, 
 then I must join to these good works. For grace, 
 Christ, and faith, are things invisible, and so not 
 to be seen by another, otherwise than through a 
 life that becomes so blessed a gospel as has declared 
 unto us the remission of our sins for the sake of 
 Jesus Christ. He then that would have forgiveness 
 of sins, and so be delivered from the curse of God, 
 must believe in the righteousness and blood of 
 Christ : but he that would shew to his neighbours 
 that he hath truly received this mercy of God, must 
 do it by good works ; for all things else to them is 
 but talk : as for example, a tree is known to be 
 what it is, to wit, whether of this or that kind, by 
 its fruit. A tree it is, without fniit, but so long as 
 it so abideth, there is ministered occasion to doubt 
 what manner of tree it is. 
 
 A. professor is a professor, though he hath no 
 good works ; but that, as such, he is truly godly, 
 he is foolish that so concludeth. Mat. viL 17, 18, Ja. iLls. 
 Not that works mobke a man good ; for the fruit 
 maketh not a good tree, it is the principle, to wit. 
 Faith, that makes a man good, and his works that 
 shew him to be so. Mat vu. 16. La. -n. u. 
 
 What then? why, all professors that have not 
 good works flowing from their faith are naught ; are 
 bramble bushes ; are 'nigh unto cursing, whose end 
 & to be burned.' He. yi.8. For professors by their 
 fruitlessness declare that they are not of the plant- 
 ing of God, nor the wheat, ' but tares and children 
 of the wicked one. ' Mat. xiiL S7, 38. 
 
 Not that faith needeth good works as an help to 
 justification before God. For in this matter faith 
 will be ignorant of all good works, except those 
 done by the person of Christ. Here, then, the good 
 man ' worketh not, but believeth.' Eo.i?. 5. For he 
 is not now to carry to God, but to receive at his 
 hand the matter of his justification by faith ; nor 
 is the matter of his justification before God ought 
 else but the good deeds of another man, to wit, 
 Christ Jesus. 
 
 But is there, therefore, no need at all of good 
 works, because a man is justified before God with- 
 out them? or can that be called a justifying faith, 
 that has not for its fruit good works ? Job xm. 3. Ja. 
 jii. so, 26. Verily good works are necessary, though 
 God need them not ; nor is that faith, as to justifi- 
 cation with God, worth a msh, that abideth alone, 
 or without them. 
 
 There is, therefore, a twofold faith of Christ in 
 the world, and as to the notion of justifying righ- 
 
 teousness, they both concur and agree, but as to the 
 manner of application, there they vastly diflfer. 
 The one, to wit, the non-saving faith, standeth in 
 speculation and naked knowledge of Christ, and so 
 abideth idle : but the other truly seeth and receives 
 him, and so becometh fruitful. Jn. 1 13. He. ix. 13. Ro. yi. 
 16. And hence the true justifying faith is said to 
 receive, to embrace, to obey the Son of God, as ten- 
 dered in the gospel : by which expression is shewed 
 both the nature of justifying faith, in its actings in 
 point of justification, and also the cause of its being 
 fuU of good works in the world. A gift is not made 
 mine by my seeing of it, or because I know the 
 nature of the thing so given ; but then it is mine if 
 I receive and embrace it, yea, and as to the point 
 in hand, if I yield myself up to stand and fall by it. 
 Now, he that shall not only see, but receive, not 
 only know, but embrace the Son of God, to be jus- 
 tified by him, cannot but bring forth good works, 
 because Christ who is now received and embraced 
 by faith, leavens and seasons the spirit of this 
 sinner, through his faith, to the making of him 
 capable so to be [justified]. Ac. xv. 9. Ge. x™. 19. He. xi. 
 11. Faith made Sarah receive strength to conceive 
 seed, and we are sanctified through faith, which is 
 in Christ. For faith hath joined Christ and the 
 soul together, and being so joined, the soul is one 
 spirit with him ; not essentially, but in agreement 
 and oneness of design. Besides, when Christ is 
 truly received and embraced to the justifying of 
 the sinner, in that man's heart he dwells by his 
 word and Spirit, through the same faith also. Now 
 Christ by his Spirit and word must needs season 
 the soul he thus dwells in : so then the soul being 
 seasoned, it seasoneth the body ; and body and soul, 
 the life and conversation. 
 
 We know it is not the seeing, but taking of a 
 potion, that maketh it work as it should, nor is the 
 blood of Christ a purge to this or that conscience, 
 except received by faith, lie. k. 14. 
 
 Shall that then be counted right believing in 
 Christ unto justification, that amounts to no more 
 than to an idle speculation, or naked knowledge of 
 him ? shall that knowledge of him, I say, be counted 
 such, as only causes the soul to behold, but moveth 
 it not to good works? No, verily. For the true 
 beholding of Jesus to justification and life, changes 
 from glory to glory. 2 Co. iii. I8. 
 
 Nor can that man that hath so believed, as that 
 by his faith he hath received and embraced Christ 
 for life before God, be destitute of good works ; for, 
 as I said, the word and Spirit comes also by this 
 faith, aiid dwells in the heart and conscience. Now, 
 shall a soul where the word and Spirit of Christ 
 
603 
 
 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FOLLOWING DISCOURSE. 
 
 dwells, be a soul without good works? Yea, shall 
 a soul that has received the love, the mercy, the 
 kindness, grace and salvation of God through the 
 sorrows, tears, groans, cross, and cruel death of 
 Christ, be yet a fruitless tree ! God forbid. The 
 faith is as the salt which the prophet cast into the 
 spring of bitter water, it makes the soul good and 
 servieeable for ever. 2 Ki. u. 19—32. 
 
 If the receiving of a temporal gift naturally tends 
 to the making of us to move our cap and knee, and 
 binds us to be the servant of the giver, shall we 
 tliink that faith will leave him who by it has received 
 Christ, to be as unconcerned as a stock or stone, or 
 that its utmost excellency is to provoke the soul to 
 a lip-labour, and to give Christ a few fair words for 
 his pains and grace, and so wrap up the business? 
 No, no ; ' the love of Christ constraineth us' thus 
 to judge that it is but reasonable, since he gave 
 his aU for us, that we should give our some for 
 him. 2Co. T.H.is, 
 
 Let no man, then, deceive himself, as he may 
 and will if he takes not heed with true notions, 
 but examine himself concerning his faith, to wit ; 
 Whether he hath any? and if some. Whether of 
 that kind that will turn to account in the day when 
 God shall judge the world. 
 
 I told you before that there is a twofold faith, 
 and now I wiU tell you that there are two sorts of 
 good works ; and a man may be shrewdly guessed 
 at with reference to his faith, even by the works 
 that he chooseth to be conversant in. 
 
 There are works that cost nothing, and works 
 that are chargeable. And observe it, the unsound 
 faith will choose to itself the most easy works it 
 can find. For example, there is reading, praying, 
 hearing of sermons, baptism, breaking of bread, 
 church fellowship, preaching, and the like ; and 
 there is mortification of lusts, charity, simplicity, 
 open-heartedness, with a liberal hand to the poor, 
 and their like also. Now the unsoimd faith picks 
 and chooses, and takes and leaves, but the true 
 faith does not so. 
 
 There are a great many professors now in Eng- 
 land that have nothing to distinguish them from 
 the worst of men, but their praying, reading, hear- 
 ing of sermons, baptism, church-fellowship, and 
 breaking of bread. Separate them but from these, 
 and everywhere else they are as black as others, 
 even in their whole life and conversation. Thus 
 they have chosen to them the most easy things to 
 do them, but love not to be conscionably found in 
 the practice of the other ; a certain sign their faith 
 is nought, and that these things, even the things 
 they are conversant in, are things attended to of 
 them, not for the ends for which God has appointed 
 them, but to beguile and undo themselves withal. 
 
 Praying, hearing, reading; for what are these 
 things ordained, but that we might by the godly 
 
 use of them attain to more of the knowledge of 
 God, and be strengthened by his grace to serve him 
 better according to his moral law ? Baptism, fel- 
 lowship, and the Lord's supper, are ordained for 
 these ends also. But there is a vast diflFerence 
 between using of these things, and a using of them 
 for these ends. A man may pray, yea pray for 
 such things^ had he them, as would make him 
 better in morals, without desire to be better in 
 morals, or love to the things he prays for. A man 
 may read and hear, not to learn to do, though to 
 know ; yea he may be dead to doing moral good- 
 ness, and yet be great for reading and hearing all 
 his days. The people then among all professors 
 that are zealous of good works are the peculiar 
 ones to Christ. Tit. ii. 11. What has a man done that 
 is baptized, if he pursues not the ends for which 
 that appointment was ordained. The like I say of 
 fellowship, of breaking of bread, (fee. For all 
 these things we should use to support our faith, to 
 mortify the flesh, and strengthen us to walk in 
 newness of life by the rule of the moral law. Nor 
 can that man be esteemed holy whose life is tainted 
 with immoralities, let him be what he can in all 
 things else. I am of that man's mind as to prac- 
 tical righteousness, who said to Christ upon this 
 very question, ' Well, master, thou hast said the 
 truth ; - for to love the Lord our God with aU the 
 heart, and with all the understanding, and with all 
 the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his 
 neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt- 
 oiferings and sacrifices.' Mar. xii. 28— 33. To love my 
 neighbour as myself, to do as I would be done unto, 
 this is the law and the prophets. And he that is 
 altogether a stranger to these things, how dwelleth 
 the love of God in him ; or how will he manifest to 
 another that his faith will save him ? 
 
 Satan is afraid that men should hear of justifi- 
 cation by Christ, lest they should embrace it. But 
 yet, if he can prevail with them to keep fingers 
 off, though they do hear and look on, and practise 
 lesser things, he can the better bear it ; yea, he 
 will labour to make such professors bold to conclude 
 they shall by that kind of faith enjoy him, though 
 by that they cannot embrace him, nor lay hold of 
 him. For he knows that how far soever a man 
 engages in a profession of Christ with a faith that 
 looks on, but cannot receive nor embrace him, that 
 faith wiU leave him to nothing but mistakes and 
 disappointments at last. 
 
 The gospel comes to some in word only, and 
 the faith of such stands but in a verbal sound ; but 
 the apostle was resolved not to know or take< 
 notice of such a faith. iTh.i. 4, 6. 'For the king- 
 dom of God, ' saith he, ' is not in word, but iu 
 power. ' 1 Co, iv. 18—20. He whose faith stands only 
 in a saying, I believe, has his works in bare words 
 also, and as virtual is the one as the other, and 
 
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FOLLOWING DISCOURSE. 
 
 509 
 
 hoth insiguificant enough. ' If a bi-other or sister 
 be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of 
 you say unto them. Depart in peace, be ye warmed 
 and filled ; notwithstanding ye give them not those 
 things which are needful to the body ; what doth 
 U profit ? Even so faith, if it hath not works is 
 dead, being alone.' Ja.ii 15—17. This faith, there- 
 fore, Satan can allow, because it is somewhat of 
 kin to his own. ver. 19. 
 
 Besides, what greater contempt can be cast 
 upon Christ than by such wordy professors is cast 
 upon him ? These are the men that by practice 
 say, the gospel is but an empty sound. Yea, the 
 more they profess, the louder they proclaim it 
 thus to be, to his disgrace, while they, notwith- 
 standing their profession of faith, hold and main- 
 tain their league with the devil and sin. The Son 
 of God was manifest that he might destroy the 
 works of the devil, but these men profess his faith 
 and keep these works alive in the world. Un. iii. 
 Shall these pass for such as believe to the saving 
 of the soul ? For a man to be content with this 
 kind of faith, and to look to go to salvation by it, 
 what to God is a greater provocation ? 
 
 The devil laugheth here, for he knows he has 
 not lost his vassal by such a faith as this, but that 
 rather he hath made use of the gospel, that glo- 
 rious word of life, to secure his captive, through 
 his presumption of the right faith, the faster in 
 his shackles. 
 
 It is marvellous to me to see sin so high amidst 
 the swarms of professors that are found in every 
 comer of this land. Nor can any other reason be 
 given for it, but because the gospel has lost its 
 wonted virtue, or because professors want faith 
 therein. But do you think it is because of the 
 first ? no, the word of our God shall stand in its 
 strength for ever ; the faith of such therefore is 
 not right; they have for shields of gold, made 
 themselves shields of brass ; or instead of the pri- 
 mitive faith, which was of the operation of God, 
 they have got to themselves a faith that stands by 
 the power, and in the wisdom of man. 2 Ch. m. 9, 10. 
 Col. il 13. 1 Cki. iL 4 5. And, to Say no more to this, for 
 what is God so angry with this land, but for the 
 sin of the professors that dwell therein, while they 
 have polluted his name with their gifts, and with 
 their idols ? God, I say, has been provoked most 
 bitterly by us, while we have profaned his name, 
 making use of his name, his word, and ordinances, 
 to serve ourselves, ' Lord, what wilt thou do to 
 this land.' We are every one looking for some- 
 thing ; even for something that carrieth terror and 
 dread in the sound of its wings as it comes, though 
 we know not the form nor visage thereof.* One 
 
 * How clearly is here portrayed the wretched state of this 
 country towards the close of the reign of Charles IF. It is 
 
 cries out, another has his hands upon his loins, 
 and a third is made mad with the sight of his eyes, 
 and with what his ears do hear ? and as their faith 
 hath served them about justification, so it now 
 serves them about repentance and reformation : it 
 can do nothing here neither ; for though, as was 
 said, men cry out, and are with their hands upon 
 their loins for fear ; yet, where is the church, the 
 house, the man that stands in the gap for the 
 land, to turn away this wrath by repentance, and 
 amendment of life ? Behold the Lord cometh 
 forth out of his place, and will come down and 
 tread upon the places of the earth, and the moun- 
 tains shall be molten under him, and the valleys 
 shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the 
 waters that are poured down a steep place. But 
 what is the cause of all this ? — For the transgres- 
 sion of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the 
 house of Israel. Mi. i. 6. 
 
 It is that that is observed by them that can 
 rhake observation, that all that God has done to 
 us already has been ineffectual as to cause that 
 humility and reformation, by which his judgments 
 must be turned away. Repentance is rare this 
 day, and yet without doubt, that without which, 
 things will grow worse and worse. As for them 
 that hope that God will save his people, though 
 but from temporal judgments, whether they repent 
 and reform, or do otherwise, I must leave them 
 and their opinions together : this I have found, 
 that sometimes the repentance, even of the godly, 
 has come too late to divert such judgments. And, 
 how some of the godly should be so indulged as to 
 be saved from punishment without repentance, 
 when the true and unfeigned repentance of others 
 will not deliver them, leaves me, I confess,,in a 
 wUdemess ! But that which is most of all to be 
 lamented is, that sin, through custom, is become 
 no sin. The superfluity of naughtiness is at this 
 day become no sin with many. Surely this was 
 the case with Israel, else how could they say when 
 the prophets so bitterly denounced God's judgments 
 against them, ' Because we are mnocent, surely 
 his anger shall turn from us.' Je.ii.S5. When cus- 
 tom or bad example has taken away the conscience 
 of sin, it is a sign that [that] soul is in a dangerous 
 lethargy; and yet this is the condition of the 
 most that profess amongst us this day. But to 
 leave this and to proceed. 
 
 As there is a twofold faith, two sorts of good 
 works, and the like, so there is also a twofold love 
 to Christ ; the one standing, or stopping, in some 
 passions of the mind and affections ; the other is 
 
 the natural eloquence of one whose very thoughts were governed 
 by scriptural expressions. The martyrdoms of Essex, of Kussel, 
 and of Sydney— the uncertainty of the life of a debauched 
 monarch, with the gloomy prospect of a popish successor, filled 
 the country with dismal forebodings. — Bo. 
 
510 
 
 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FOLLOWING DISCOURSE. 
 
 that which breaks through all difficulties to the 
 holy commandment to do it. Of both these there 
 is mention niade in the scripture ; and though all 
 true love begins at the heart, yet that love is but 
 little set by that breaks not through to practice. 
 How many are there in the world that seem to 
 have the first, but how few shew the second. The 
 young man in the gospel. Mar. x. 17. did by his run- 
 ning, kneeling, crying, inquiring, and entreating 
 of Christ, to shew him the way to life, shew that 
 he had inward love to Christ and his own salvation; 
 but yet it was not a love that was ' strong as 
 death,' ' cruel as the grave,' and hotter than the 
 coals of juniper. Ca, vfli 6. It was a love that stopped 
 in mind and affection, but could not break out 
 into practice. This kind of love, if it be let alone, 
 and not pressed to proceed till it comes into a 
 labouring practising of the commandment, will 
 love as long as you will, to wit, as long as mouth 
 and tongue can wag ; but yet you shall not by aU 
 your skill drive this love farther than the mouth ; 
 ' for with their mouth they shew much love, hut 
 their heart goeth after their covetousness.' Eze. 
 
 jcxxiii. 31. 
 
 Nor may this love be counted for that of the 
 right kind, because it is in the heart, for the heart 
 knows how to dissemble about love, as much as 
 about other matters. This is feigned love, or love 
 that pretends to dear affections for Christ, but can 
 bestow no cost upon him. Of this kind of love 
 the world is full at this day, especially the pro- 
 fessors of this age ; but as I said, of this the Lord 
 Jesus makes little or no account, for that it hath 
 in it an essential defectiveness. Thus, therefore, 
 Christ and his servants describe the love that is 
 true and of the right kind, and that with reference 
 to himself and church. 
 
 Fird, with reference to himself. ' If a man 
 love me,' saith he, 'he will keep my words.' Ja. 
 jtiv. 23. And again, ' He that hath my command- 
 ments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. ' 
 And, ' He that loveth me not, keepeth not my 
 sayings.' ' And the word which ye hear is not 
 mine, but the Father's which sent me.' Behold 
 you now where Christ placeth a sign of love, it is 
 not in word nor in tongue, not in great and seem- 
 ingly afiBctionate gestures, but in a practical walk- 
 ing in the law (ff the Lord. Hence such, and such 
 only, are called the undefiled in the way. You 
 know who says, 'I am the way.' 'Blessed,' 
 saith David, ' are the undefiled in the way, who 
 walk in the law of the Lord.' Pa. cxix. 1. 
 
 But here again the hypocrite will give us the 
 slip by betaking himself to exterior matters, as to 
 his ' mint and anise and cummin.' Mat. xxiii, 33. Still 
 neglecting the more weighty matters of the law, 
 to wit, judgment, mercy, faith; or else to the sig- 
 nificative ordinances, still neglecting to do to all 
 
 men as he would they should do to him. But let 
 such know that God never ordained significative 
 ordinances, such as baptism, the Lord's supper, or 
 the like, for the sake of water, or of brfead and 
 wine ; nor yet because he takes any delight that 
 we are dipped in water, or eat that bread ; but 
 they were ordained to minister to us by the apt- 
 ness of the elements, through our sincere partak- 
 ing of them, further knowledge of the death, 
 burial, and resurrection of Christ, and of our death 
 and resurrection by him to newness of life. Where- 
 fore, he that eateth and believeth not, and he that 
 is baptized, and is not dead to sin, and walketh 
 not in newness of life, neither keepeth these ordi- 
 nances nor pleaseth God. Now to be dead to sin, 
 is to be dead to those things forbidden in the 
 moral law. For sin is the transgression of that, 
 and it availeth not to vaunt that I am a saint and 
 under this or that significative ordinance, if I live 
 in 'the transgression of the law.' IJn. iii. 4. For I 
 am convicted of the law as a transgressor, and so 
 concluded to be one that loveth not Christ, though 
 I make a noise of my obedience to Christ, and of 
 my partaking of his significative ordinances. The 
 Jews of old made a great noise with their signifi- 
 cative ordinances, while they lived in the breach 
 of the moral law, but their practice of significative 
 ordinances could not save them from the judgment 
 and displeasure of their God. They could frequent 
 the temple, keep their feasts, slay their sacrifices, 
 and be mighty apt about all their significative 
 things. But they loved idols, and hved in the 
 breach of the second table of the law: wherefore 
 God cast them out of his presence : hark what the 
 prophet saith of them. Am. iv. 4, 6. ' Come to Bethel, 
 and transgress ; at Gilgal multiply transgression ; 
 and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your 
 tithes after three years: and offer a sacrifice of 
 thanksgiving with leaven, and proclaim and pub- 
 lish the free offerings : for this liketh you, ye 
 children of Israel, saith the Lord God.' Thus, as 
 I said, the hypocrite gives us the slip ; for when 
 he heareth that love is in the keeping of the com- 
 mandments of God, then he betakes him to the 
 more external parts of worship, and neglecteth the 
 more weighty matters to the provoking of the God 
 of Israel. 
 
 Second, As love to God is shewed by keeping 
 of his commandments ; so love to my neighbour, 
 is the keeping of the commandments of God hke- 
 wise. ' By this we know that we love the children 
 of God, when we love God, and keep his command- 
 ments. For this is the love of God,' - in us, both 
 to God and man, ' that we keep his commandments; 
 and his commandments are not grievous.' iJn.v.a.s. 
 He that keepeth not God's commandments, loves 
 neither God nor men. 
 
 Thus then, wo must loam to love one another. 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 511 
 
 He that keepeth God's commandment, doth to his 
 brother what is right, for that is God's command- 
 ment. He that keeps God's commandment, doth 
 to his brother even as he would be done uuto him- 
 self, for that is God's commandment. He that 
 keeps God's commandment, shutteth not up his 
 bowels of compassion from him, for the contrary is 
 his commandment. Further, he that keepeth 
 God's commandment sheweth his brother what he 
 must do to honour the Christ that he professeth, 
 aright: therefore, he that keeps the command- 
 ment, loves his brother. Yea, the keeping of the 
 commandment is loving the brethren. 
 
 But if aU love, wliich we pretend to have one to 
 another, were tried by this one text, how much of 
 that that we call so, would be found to be nothing 
 less ? Preposterous are our spirits in all things, 
 nor can they be guided right, but by the word and 
 Spirit of God; the which, the good Lord grant 
 unto us plentifully, that we may do that which is 
 well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ 
 
 our Lord. Yea, and that there may, by them, be 
 wrought sound repentance in us for all that hath 
 been done by us amiss, lest he give ' Jacob to the 
 spoil, and Israel to the robbers ;' for that they have 
 sinned against him by not walking in his ways, and 
 by not being obedient to his law. I9. xiii. m. 
 
 Let me add, lest God doth not only punish us 
 in the sight, and by the hand of the wicked ; but 
 embolden them to say, it was God that set them 
 on ; yea, lest they make these sins of ours, which 
 we have not repented of, not only their bye-word 
 against us to after generations, but the argument, 
 one to another, of their justification for all the evil 
 that they shall be suffered to do imto us : saying, 
 when men shall ask them, ' Wherefore hath the 
 Lord done thus unto this land ? what meaneih the 
 heat of this great anger ?' De. xxix. 24.1 Ki. k. 8. Je. 
 xm. 8. ' Even because they have forsaken the cove- 
 nant of the Lord God of their fathers, and walked 
 not in his ways.' 
 
 John Buntan. 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHEISTIANITY. 
 
 • A>'D, LET EVEET ONE THAT NAMETH THE NAME OF 
 CHRIST DEPABT FROM INIQUITY.' 2 TIM. ii. 19. 
 
 Timothy, unto whom this epistle was writ, was an 
 evangelist, that is, inferior to apostles and extra- 
 ordinary prophets, and above ordinary pastors and 
 teachers. 3 Ti. ir. 6. Ep. iv. 1. And he with the rest of 
 those under his circumstances was to go with the 
 apostles hither and thither, to be disposed of by 
 them as they saw need, for the further edification 
 of those who by the apostolical ministry were con- 
 verted to the faith : and hence it is, that Titus was 
 left at Crete, and that this Timothy was left at 
 Ephesus. 1 Ti. i. 3 For they were to do a work for 
 Christ in the world, which the apostles were to 
 begin, and leave upon their hands to finish. Now 
 when the apostles departed from places, and had 
 left these evangelists in their stead, usually there 
 did arise some bad spirits among those people, 
 where these were left for the furtherance of the 
 faith. This is manifest by both the epistles to 
 Timothy, and also by that to Titus: wherefore 
 Paul, upon whom these two evangelists waited for 
 the fulfilling of their ministry, writeth imto them 
 while they abode where he left them, concerning 
 those turbulent spirits which they met with, and 
 to teach them how yet further they ought to behave 
 themselves in the house of God, which is the church 
 of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. 
 And to this purpose he gives them, severally, divers 
 instructions, as the judicious reader may easily 
 
 understand, by which he encourageth them to the 
 prosecution of that service which for Christ they 
 had to do for those people where he had left them, 
 and also instructeth them how to carry it towards 
 their disturbers, which last he doth, not only doc- 
 trinally, but also by shewing them, by his example 
 and practice, what he would have them do. 
 
 This done, he laboureth to comfort Timothy 
 with the remembrance of the steadfastness of God's 
 eternal decree of election, because grounded on his 
 foreknowledge; saying, though Hymeneus and 
 Philetus have erred from the faith, and, by their 
 fall, have overthrown the faith of some, ' Yet the 
 foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, 
 The Lord knoweth them that are his.' Now lest 
 this last hint should still encourage some tobe remiss 
 and carnally secure, and foolish, as I suppose this 
 doctrine abused, had encouraged them to be before ; 
 therefore the apostle immediately conjoineth to it 
 this exhortation j ' And, let every one that nameth 
 the name of Christ depart from iniquity. ' Two 
 truths strangely, but necessarily joined together, 
 because so apt to be severed by the children of men; 
 for many, under the pretence of their being elected, 
 neglect to pursue holiness ; and many of them again 
 that pretend to be for hohness, quite exclude the 
 doctrine and motives that election gives thereto. 
 Wherefore the apostle, that he might set men's 
 notions as to these things right, he joins these two 
 togetber, signifying thereby, that as electing love 
 doth instate a man in the blessing of eternal hfe ; 
 
513 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY 01? CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 so holiness is the path thereto ; and, that he that 
 refuseth to depart from iniquity shall he damned ; 
 notwithstanding he may think himself secured from 
 hell by the act of God's electing love. For elec- 
 tion designeth men not only to eternal glory, but 
 to holiness of life, a means, thereto. Ep. i. 4, 5. And 
 the manner of this connection of truth is the more 
 to be noted by us, because the apostle seems to 
 conjoin* them, in an holy heat of spirit, saying, 
 ' The foundation of God standeth sure, having this 
 seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his. ' And, 
 ' let every one that shall but so much as name 
 the name of Christ, depart from iniquity;' or, as 
 who would say, God will be revenged upon them 
 for all, or, notwithstanding, they appropriate unto 
 themselves the benefits of election. 
 
 In the text we have. First, An exhortation. 
 Second, The extension of that exhortation. The 
 exhortation is. That men depart from iniquity. 
 The extension of it is, to them, all of them, every 
 one of them that name the name of Christ. ' And 
 let every one that nameth the name of Christ, 
 depart from iniquity.' 
 
 [first, the exhortation THAT MEN DEPART 
 
 FROM INIQUITY.] 
 
 In the exhortation there are several things to be 
 taken notice of, because insinuated by the apostle. 
 The first is, that iniquity is a very dangerous and 
 hurtful thing, as to the souls of sinners in general ; 
 so to them that name the name of Christ. 
 
 First, Iniquity is a very dangerous and hurtful 
 tiling to men in general ; for it is that which did 
 captivate the world at the beginning, and that 
 made it a bond-slave to the devil. It has also 
 done great hurt to mankind ever since. To instance 
 a few things : 
 
 1. It is that which hath stupified and besotted 
 the powers of men's souls, and made them even 
 next to a beast or brute in all matters supernatural 
 and heavenly. 2 Pe. ii. 13. For as the beast minds 
 nothing but his lusts and his belly, by nature, so 
 man minds nothing but things earthly, sensual, 
 and devilish, by reason of iniquity. 
 
 2. It has blinded and darkened the powers of 
 the soul, so that it can neither see where it is, nor 
 which is the way out of this besotted condition. 
 
 Ep. iv. 18. 
 
 3. It has hardened the heart against God, and 
 against all admonition and counsel in the things of 
 the gospel of Christ. Eo, ii. 6. 
 
 4. It has alienated the will, the mind, and afl'ec- 
 tions, from the choice of the things that should save 
 
 • This is a solemn truth, which ought ever to be recollected 
 wheu studying the mysteries of electing love. Election is as 
 much to a lioly life as it is to eternal glory. — Ed. 
 
 it, and wrought them over to an hearty delight in 
 those things that naturally tend to drown it in per- 
 dition and destruction, Coi. i. 31. 
 
 5. It has made man odious in God's eyes, it has 
 provoked the justice of God against him, and made 
 him obnoxious to hell-fire. Eze. xvi. 5. 
 
 6. Yea, it so holds him, so binds him, so re- 
 serves him to this, that not he himself, nor yet all 
 the angels of heaven, can deliver him from this 
 deplorable condition. Pr. v. 33. / 
 
 7. To say nothing of the pleasure and dehght 
 that it makes him take in that way to heU in which 
 he walketh. Is. Uvi. 3; Pr. vii. 33, 23. Never went fat ox 
 so gamesomely to the shambles, nor fool so merrily 
 to the correction of the stocks, nor silly bird so 
 wantonly to the hidden net, as iniquity makes men 
 go down her steps to the pit of hell and damnation. 
 
 it is amazing, it is astonishing to consider 
 what hurt sin hath done to man, and into how 
 many dangers it has brought him ; but let thest 
 few hints at this time suffice as to this. I will now 
 speak a word to the other particular, namely, 
 
 Secoml, That as iniquity is dangerous and hurt- 
 ful to the souls of men in general, so it is to them 
 tlial name the name of Christ. As to the so and 
 so naming of him, to that I dliall speak by and by, 
 but at this time take it thus: That religiously 
 name his name. And I say iniquity is hurtful to 
 them. 
 
 1. It plucks many a one of them from Christ 
 and the religious profession of him. I have even 
 seen, that men who have devoutly and rehgiously 
 professed Jesus Christ, have been prevaOed withal, 
 by iniquity, to cast him and the profession of his 
 name quite off, and to turn their backs upon him. 
 ' Israel,' saiththe prophet, ' hath cast oS the thing 
 that ia good. ' Ho. v-iii. 3. But why ? ' Of their silver 
 and their gold have they made them idols.' The 
 sin of idolatry drew their hearts from God ; their 
 love to that iniquity made them turn their backs 
 upon him. Wherefore God complains, that of for- 
 wardness to their iniquity, and through the preva- 
 lence thereof, they had cast him behind their back. 
 
 Eze. xxiii. 36. 
 
 2. As it plucks many a professor from Christ, 
 80 it keeps many a one from an efl^ectual closing 
 with him. How many are there that religiously 
 profess and make mention of the name of Christ, 
 that yet of love to, and by the interest that iniquity 
 hath in their affections, never close with him unto 
 salvation, but are like to them, of whom you read 
 in Paul to Timothy, that they are ever learning 
 and never able to come to the knowledge of the 
 
 truth. 2 TL iii. 1—7. 
 
 3. And concerning those that have indeed come 
 to him, and that have effectually closed with him, 
 and that name his name to good purpose ; yet how 
 hath miquity hurt and abused many of them. (1.) 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OE CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 513 
 
 It has prevailed with God to hide his face from 
 them, a thing more hitter than death. (2.) It has 
 prevailed with God to chastise, and to afflict them 
 sorely, a thing in which he taketh no pleasure. 
 La. iii. 33. (3.) It has provoked God to give them 
 over to the hand of the enemy, and to deliver them 
 to the tormentors. Je. xii. 7. Mat. iviii. s*. (4.) It hath 
 hrought them to question their interest in Christ, 
 and whether they ever had grace in their souls. 
 Ps. ixxi.23. (5.) And for those that have yet believed 
 tliey were in his favour, this iniquity hath driven 
 them to fear that God woidd cast them away, and 
 take all his good things from them. Ps li. 
 
 Yea, he that would know the hurt that iniquity 
 Iiath done to them that name the name of Christ, 
 let him consider the cries, the sighs, the tears, the 
 bcmoanings, the bewailings, the lamentations, the 
 sorrows, the confessions, the repentings and griefs 
 wherewith they have been attended, whUe they 
 have complained that they have been put in the 
 stocks, laid in the dungeon, had their bones broken, 
 suffered the terrors of God, been distressed almost 
 to destruction, and have been fed with gravel, gall, 
 wormwood, and with the wine of astonishment, 
 for days, yea, years together. Jgbxiu.27.. ?s. vi. 6; xm, 
 
 9, 10 J xxiviii. 8 J k. 3; Ixxxviii; csvi. 3. Je. viii. 14; xxiii. 15; xxxL 
 18. ta. iii. i, 16. Eze. iv. 16. 3 Co vii. 21. By all which, 
 
 and many more which might be mentioned, it 
 appears that iniquity is a dangerous and hurtful 
 thing. 
 
 [second, the extension of the exhortation— to 
 eveey one that nameth the name of christ.] 
 
 But I proceed, and come in the next place to 
 the extension of the exhortation, namely, that it 
 reacheth to all those that name the name of Christ. 
 ' And let every one that nameth the name of Christ 
 depart from iniquity.' 
 
 To handle thi." a little, and to shew you what 
 the apostle here means by naming of the name of 
 Christ : he meaneth not an irreUgious naming of 
 that worthy name, nor those that name it irreli- 
 giously. This is evident, because he passed by their 
 manner of naming of it without the least reproof, 
 the which he would not have done had the fault 
 been in their manner of naming of the name of 
 Christ. Now I say, if he intendeth not those that 
 name the name of Christ irreligiously, then, though 
 the exhortation, ' let every one,' seems to extend 
 itself to all, and all manner of persons, that any 
 ways name the name of Christ, yet it is limited by 
 this, to wit, that rightly, religiously, or according 
 to the way of the professors of Christ, name his 
 worthy name. And it must needs be so taken, 
 and that for these reasons : 
 
 First, For that, as I said before, the apostle 
 talceth no notice of their manner of naming of his 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 name, so as to reprove anyundecency or unseemli- 
 ness in their naming of him ; wherefore he allow- 
 eth of the manner of their naming of him. 
 
 Second, Because the apostle's design in this 
 exhortation was, and is, that the naming of tho 
 name of Christ might be accompanied with such a 
 life of holiness as might put an additional lustre 
 upon that name whenever named in a religious 
 way ; but this cannot be applied to every manner 
 of naming the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 For if a man shall name the name of Christ unduly, 
 or irrehgiously, though he shall never so much 
 therewithal depart from iniquity, and be circum- 
 spect to the utmost in all civility and morality, yet 
 he answers not the apostle's end, which he seeks 
 by this his exhortation. For, 
 
 1. Suppose a man should name the name of 
 Christ vainly, idly, in vain mirth, wantonness, 
 false or vain swearing, or the hke, and shall back 
 this, his manner of naming the name of Christ, 
 with all manner of justness and uprightness of Ufa, 
 would this answer the apostle's end in this his 
 exhortation ? Verily no ; for this manner of nam- 
 ing the name is worthy reprehension ; ' Thou shalt 
 not take my name in vain,' or vainly make use 
 thereof: and moral goodness attending the so- 
 naming of the name of Christ will do more hurt 
 than good. Ex. xx. 
 
 2. There is a reproachful and scandalous nam- 
 ing of the name of Christ, such as the Jews and 
 Pharisees did accustom themselves unto, as to call 
 him Jesus, the deceiver; and Christ, in a way of 
 scorn and contempt. Nor were these men quite 
 destitute of that which put a lustre upon their opi- , 
 nions ; for, said the Lord Christ himself unto them, 
 
 ' Ye indeed appear beautiful outv/ard. ' Mat. xxiii. 27. 
 
 3. There is such a naming of the name of Christ 
 as to make it a cloak for false and dangerous 
 errors : that men, by the use of that name, and the 
 putting of it upon such errors and delusions, may put 
 off their errors to other the better. ' Many shall 
 come in my name,' to wit, with their delusions, 
 presenting them, in my name, to the world, and 
 shall put them off, in my name, to the destruction 
 of the soul. Mat. xxiv. 5. Now, can any imagine that 
 the apostle should extend his exhortation to such, 
 that they, thus continuing to name the name of 
 Christ, should depart from iniquity. To what end 
 should such be comprehended in this exliortation 
 of his ? to no purpose at all : for the more an 
 errroneous person, or a deceiver of souls, shall 
 back his errors with a life that is morally good, 
 the more mischievous, dangerous, and damnable is 
 that man and his delusions ; wherefore such a ono 
 is not concerned in this exhortation. 
 
 4. There is a naming of the name of Christ 
 magically, and after the manner of exorcism, or 
 conjuration ; as we read in the Acts of the apostles, 
 
 3t 
 
514 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITT. 
 
 The vagabond Jews, the exorcists, there say, ' We 
 adjure you hy Jesus, whom Paul preacheth. ' Ac. xix. 
 13—16. Thus they called over them that had evU 
 spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus. But what if 
 these should clothe this, their devilish art, and 
 devilish way, of using or naming of the name of the 
 Lord Jesus, with departing from iniquity, so as to 
 commend their whole life to by-standers, for such 
 as is morally good : what advantage would Christ, 
 or Paul, or the gospel, get thereby ? verily none 
 at all ; but rather damage and reproach, as will 
 soon appear to any man's reason, if it be considered 
 that goodness of life, joined to badness of principles 
 is like the devil clothed in white, or Satan trans- 
 formed into an angel of light. And Paul was 
 grieved in his spirit, when the wench that had a 
 spirit of divination did acknowledge him to be the 
 servant of the most high God, for he knew it would 
 nothing further, or help forward, the Lord's design, 
 but be rather an hinderance thereto. For when 
 witches and devils come once to commend, or make 
 use of the name of Christ, Christ and Paul like it 
 not ; therefore Paul's exhortation, which here we 
 are presented with by the text, is not extended to 
 any of the four sorts aforenamed, but, 
 
 Third, To those upon whom his name is called, 
 they should depart from iniquity. I say those 
 whom God has so far dignified, as to put the name 
 of Christ upon them. Ac. xv. 17. And I will add, that 
 apply that name to themselves. And the reason 
 is, because God is now concerned, ch. xi. 26. God 
 has changed thy name from Pagan to Christian, 
 and thou choosest to call thyself by that name, 
 saying, ' I belong to Christ.' Now thou must 
 depart from iniquity, for that notice is taken of 
 thee, both by heaven and earth, that thou art 
 become a disciple, and ' let every one that' so 
 ' nameth the name of Christ,' or that nameth it, 
 being himself by God and himself put under such 
 circumstances as these, ' depart from iniquity.' 
 
 1 Pe. iv. 16. 
 
 Fowrth, It is spoken to those that name the name 
 of Christ either in the public or private worship of 
 God, being themselves professed worshippers of 
 him ; and the reason is, for that the ordinances, 
 as well as the name of God, is holy, and ' he will 
 be sanctified in them that come nigh him.' Le. x. 3. 
 He therefore that approacheth the presence of 
 Christ in prayer, or any other divine appoint- 
 ment, must take heed of regarding ' iniquity in 
 his heart.' Ps. ixvi. is. Else the Lord will stop his 
 ears to his prayers, and will shut his eyes, and 
 not take notice of such kind of worship or wor- 
 shippers. 
 
 Fifth, Those that the apostle in this place exhorts 
 to depart from iniquity are such as have taken unto 
 themselves the boldness to say, that they are in 
 him, abide in him, and consequently are made 
 
 partakers of the benefits that are in him. 'Ho 
 that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also 
 to walk, even as he walked. ' 1 Jn. ii. 6. And the 
 reason is, because Christ is a fruitful root, and a 
 free conveyer of sap into the branches ; hence it 
 is written, that ' the trees of the Lord.are full of sap. ' 
 Vs. civ. 16. So then, he that nameth the name of 
 Christ by way of applying to himself his benefits, 
 and as counting that he is found of God in him, 
 and so abideth, ought himself to walk even as 
 he walked, that he may give proof of what he saith 
 to be true, by bearing forth before men that simili- 
 tude of righteousness that is in his root and stem : 
 for such as the stock or tree is, such let the 
 branches be, but that cannot be known but by the 
 fruit : ' ye shall know them by their fruit. ' Mat. vii. 16. 
 So then, he that thus shall name the name of 
 Christ, let him depart from iniquity : yea, let every 
 such man do so. 
 
 Sixth, This exhortation is spoken to them that 
 name Christ as their Sovereig-n Lord and King: 
 let them ' depart from iniquity. ' ' The Lord is 
 our judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is 
 our King; he will save us.' Is. xxxiii. 22. [These] 
 are great words ; and as they cannot be spoken by 
 every one, so they ought not to be spoken lightly 
 by them that can. Nor may he that claims so 
 high a privilege be but obedient, submissive, apt 
 to learn, conscientiously to put in practice what he 
 hath learnt of his Judge, his Lawgiver, and his 
 King. Lest when some shall hear him say that 
 Christ, by name, is his Lawgiver and his King, 
 and shall yet observe him to do things evil, and 
 to walk in ways that are not good, they shall think 
 evil, and speak so of his King ; saying. Learnt you 
 this of Christ your King ? or doth your King 
 countenance you in ways that are so bad ? or, do 
 you by thus and thus doing submit to the laws of 
 your king ? yea, your King, his name and gospel 
 shall bear the burden of the evil, together with the 
 shame thereof, if thou that namest the name of 
 Christ shalt not depart from iniquity. 
 
 Lastly, Whatever man he be that by his naming 
 of the name of Christ shall intimate that he hath 
 any reverence of love to, or delight in that Christ, 
 whose name he nameth, that man should depart 
 from iniquity, not only for the reasons that are 
 above mentioned, but for those that may be named 
 afterwards. 
 
 But having thus far opened the vrord, and 
 shewed who and what manner of man the apostle 
 had in his eye, in this his exhortation, I shall 
 I come, in the next place, to make some observa- 
 tions upon the text. As, 
 
 [Observation First.] 
 
 I Thai it is incident to men to name the name of 
 I CJirist- religiously, that is, rightly as to words and 
 
A. HOLY LIi"E THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 515 
 
 notians, and not to ' depart from iniquity. ' This 
 was the occasion of this exhortation, for Paul saw 
 that there were some that did so; to wit, that 
 named the name of Christ well, as to words, but 
 did not depart from iniquity. Some such he also 
 found among them at Corinth, which made him 
 say, 'Awake to righteousness, and sin not.' i Co. 
 XT. S4. He found such at Ephesus, and cries out 
 to them most earnestly, saying, ' Awake thou that 
 sleepest, and arise from the dead. ' Dp. v. ii. For 
 albeit they were professors of Christ, yet they 
 lived too much Uke those that were dead in tres- 
 passes and sins. This he also found among the 
 Hebrews, wherefore he saith to them, ' Let us lay 
 aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily 
 beset us, and let us run with patience the race 
 that is set before us.' He. xu. i. These professors 
 were easily beset with sin, yea, it did hang upon 
 them as weights to hinder them from making of 
 that profession of Christ, whose name they named, 
 so beautiful as did become both him and them. 
 
 In my discourse upon this subject, I must endea- 
 vour to shew you two things. FIRST, What 
 Paul means when he saith, ' depart from iniquity.' 
 SECONDLY, Why some, that as to words, rightly 
 name the name of Christ, do not 'depart from ini- 
 quity.' 
 
 The first of those doth need some explanation, 
 because in some sense even the best of saints can- 
 not depart from sin, or iniquity. 
 
 1. Because as to the being of it, it is seated and 
 rooted in their flesh, and hath its dwelling there. 
 Yea, it hath, and so will have an abiding there, so 
 long as man is on this side that state of perfection, 
 which is not to be enjoyed while we are in the 
 flesh: ' for in me, that is, in my flesh,' sin dwells, 
 Ro.vii. 18. nor doth any thing else but sin dwell 
 there : ' for in me^ that is, in my flesh,' said Paul, 
 ' dweUeth no good thing : ' therefore the apostle 
 must not be understood as if he intended to insinuate 
 that there was a possibility that the nature and 
 being of sin could be plucked up by the roots, and 
 so cast clean away from us, as to the very nature 
 thereof. No, that will abide with us, for it hath 
 its dwelling in us. 
 
 2. And as they cannot depart from the nature 
 of it as such, that is, as they cannot be rid of the 
 being of sin, so neither can they depart from the 
 motions and stirrings of sin, no more than they can 
 stir from the motions or stirrings of their natural 
 senses, or of their natural reason : the motions of 
 sin, which Paul also calls the lusts thereof, will be 
 where the nature and being of sin is, because it 
 is not dead ; for that which liveth, what manner 
 of life soever it hath, wUl have motion according 
 to the manner of life which it hath ; and sin being 
 one of the most quick and brisk things that are, 
 it will also have its motions and lusts accordingly. 
 
 Hence Paul says, it lusts, and wiH lust, where it 
 is and dwells ; though the very Spirit of God and 
 the utmost diligence of a Christian be also there to 
 
 oppose it. Ro. vi. 13. Gu. V. 17. 
 
 3. Again, as the being and motions of sin will 
 be with us, so also will it in its endeavours. It 
 will endeavour to overcome us, and to make us cap- 
 tives to itselt and to Satan ; and these endeavours 
 will be with us. Ep. ri. ii, 12. 3 Co. x. 6. He. xii. 4. Nor 
 can we so depart from iniquity, as to be utterly rid 
 of all sense and feeling of what endeavours there 
 are in sin and iniquity to be master and lord, and 
 reign. Sin will endeavour to defile the mind, to 
 defile the conscience, to defile the life and conver- 
 sation ; and this endeavour, as endeavour, we can- 
 not depart from ; that is, cause that it should not 
 be in our flesh ; for there it will be, since sin in 
 its being is there. 
 
 4. As the being, motions, and endeavours of sin 
 will stiU abide in our flesh, so consequently will its 
 polluting times be upon us ; nor doth the apostle 
 mean, when he bids us depart from iniquity, that 
 we should think that we can so be, or so do, in 
 this life, as that our being or doing should not 
 smell of the strong scent of sin. 'Who can bring 
 a clean thing out of an unclean ? not one. ' Job xi». 4. 
 ' We are all as an unclean thing, and ' therefore 
 ' all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.' is. Mt. 6. 
 The scent, the smell, the rank and odious stink of 
 sins abide upon, yea, and will abide upon us, when 
 most spiritual here, and upon our most spiritual 
 actions too, imtil they be taken away by Christ. 
 Thus far, therefore, we cannot be concerned in the 
 exhortation. For should Paul exhort us to depart 
 from the being, motion, endeavour, and polluting 
 fumes and scent ol sin — I mean so to depart from 
 them, as that there shall no such thing have place, 
 or motion, or striving, or scent in, or upon us — he 
 would exhort us to that which is altogether impos- 
 sible for us to perform, yea, to perform through 
 that working of the Spirit of God, which is to be 
 with us and in us here. Yea, he must exhort us 
 to that which he could not perform himself. But 
 such exhortations did not stand with the wisdom 
 of an apostle. Wherefore there is a certain 
 meaning in this exhortation, from the which if we 
 swerve, we shall both wrong the apostle and our- 
 selves. 
 
 FIRST — Let ust inquire then what Paul should 
 mean when he bids them ' that name the name of 
 Christ depart from iniquity. ' And for our better 
 understanding of him, we must consider that there 
 is an iniquity that is inherent in us, and an iniquity 
 that is apart, and at a distance from us. Now if 
 he means, as certainly he doth, that they that 
 name the name of Christ should depart from that 
 sin and iniquity that is in themselves; then, 
 though he cannot mean that we should separate 
 
516 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 tliat from our persons, for that is impossible, yet 
 he would hare us, 
 
 First, Take off and loiihdraw our minds and 
 AFFECTIONS therefrom. And he tells us that they 
 that are Christ's do so. 'And they that are 
 Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections 
 and lusts. ' Ga. t. 24. Sinful lusts and sinful motions, 
 our minds and affections should depart from them. 
 There are the affections and lusts of sin ; and there 
 are the affections and lusts, or desires of the soul; 
 and again, there arc the affections and lusts of the 
 new man in saints. Now this is that that the apostle 
 would have, to wit, that the affections and passions 
 of our souls should not choose but depart from the 
 affections and lusts of our old man, and should be 
 renewed and made wUling to be led by the Holy 
 Ghost from them. ' This I say,' says he, ' Walk 
 in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the 
 flesh.' ver.ic. 
 
 Wherefore, when he saith, depart from iniquity, 
 if he means from our own inherent iniquity, then 
 he must mean thus, take your mind and your affec- 
 tions off, carry your minds away from them, set 
 your minds and affections upon other objects, and 
 let your minds and affections be yielded up to the 
 conduct of the word and Spirit of God, ' Let not 
 sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye 
 should obey it in the lusts thereof. ' Ro. vi. 12. Now 
 a man, in mind and affections, may depart from 
 that which yet will not depart from him ; yea, a 
 man in mind may depart from that which yet will 
 dwell in him as long as he lives. 
 
 For instance, there are many diseases that 
 cleave to men, from which, in their minds, they 
 willingly depart. Yea, their greatest disquiet- 
 ment is, that so bad a distemper will abide by 
 them, and might they but have their desire accom- 
 plished, they would be as far therefrom as the 
 ends of the earth are asunder, and while they are 
 found to continue together, the mind departs 
 therefrom, and is gone either to God or to physi- 
 cians for help and deliverance from it. 
 
 And thus it is with the saint, and should be 
 with every one that by way of profession nameth 
 the name of Christ, he should depart from his 
 indwelling sin, with his mind. ' With his mind 
 he should serve the law of God.' Ro.vii. 25. And 
 this is an excellent thing to do, and can be done 
 by none but such as are possessed with an excel- 
 lent spirit. Ah ! to find a man that really departs 
 from himself, and that draweth the affections of 
 the soul, from the affections and lusts of his flesh, 
 is a rare thing. Eze. xi. la— 31. The heart of the 
 most of professors goeth after their detestable 
 lusts, and after their inward abominations. But 
 such shall ' of the flesh reap corruption, ' notwith- 
 standing they name the name of Christ. Ga. \\. 8. 
 
 Sin is sweet to him that is nothing but flesh, or 
 
 that can savour nothing but what is of the flesh. 
 Joi) ix. 12. Nor can it be that he that is such should 
 depart from himself, his sweet self. Eo. viii. 5—8. No, 
 they that are after the flesh do mind the things of 
 the flesh ; wherefore they that are in the flesh, 
 though they profess religion and name the name 
 of Christ, cannot please God; for such, instead 
 of walking in and after the Spirit, have put the 
 stumbling-block of their iniquity before their faces, 
 to hinder their departing therefrom. Eze. xiv. 7, 8. nor 
 will all their inquiring of God, nor their seeking 
 and praying to him, keep them from stumbling 
 and falling, and splitting themselves in simder upon 
 the rocks and ruins that are provided for them, as 
 a reward of the evil of their doings. Job xir. 16. Yea, 
 they shall suck the poison of asps, and the viper's 
 tongue shall slay them, notwithstanding all their 
 profession. 
 
 Quest. But some may say, how shall I know 
 that I do depart from the iniquity of my flesh, 
 from the iniquity that is in me. 
 
 Answ. I shall answer this question briefly thus : 
 
 (1.) How is iniquity in thine eye, when severed 
 from the guilt and punishment that attends it ? 
 Is it AS separate from these, beauteous, or ill- 
 favoured ? I ask thee how it looks, and how thou 
 likest it, suppose there were no guilt or punish- 
 ment to attend thy love to, or commission of it ? 
 For if in its own nature it be desirable to thy 
 mind, and only therefore shunned for fear of the 
 punishment that attends the commission of it, 
 without doubt thou art none of them that do 
 depart from it ; all that thou dost is, thou shun- 
 nest the sin, not of abhorrence of the sin, but for 
 fear of the punishment that attends it. Like the 
 thief that yet refuseth to take away his neigh- 
 hour's horse, not of hatred of theft, but for fear of 
 the gallows. 
 
 (2.) How dost thou like thyself, as considered 
 possessed with a body of sin, and as feeling and 
 finding that sin worketh in thy members ? doth 
 this yield thee inward pleasedness of mind, and a 
 kind of secret sweetness, or how ? for to be sure, 
 where a sanctified mind is, there is nothing more 
 odious in itself, nor that makes a man so in his 
 own eyes, as doth this sight, the sight of sin in 
 him, of the working of lust in him. Job xlii. 6. Eae. xvi. 
 63, Ho. vi. 12. It is this that makes the good man 
 ashamed, that makes him blush, and that makes 
 him abhor himself. 
 
 (3.) IIow look thy duties in thine eyes, I mean 
 thy duties which thou doest in the service of God? 
 I say, how look the best of these, the most warm 
 and spiritual of these, since not one of them can 
 be performed, but they do catch the stain of sin, 
 as coming from thee ? or art thou through the 
 ignorance that is in thee as [one] unacquainted 
 with these things ? 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHllISTIANITY. 
 
 517 
 
 (4.) Why wouldst thou go to heaven ? Is it 
 because thou wouldst he sared from hell, or he- 
 cauae thou wouldst he freed from sin ? I say, 
 wouldst thou go to heaven, hecause it is a place 
 that is holy, or hecause it is a place remote fi'om 
 the pains of hell ? I ask again, wherein dost 
 thou think the hlessedness of heaven consists ? is 
 it in the holiness that is there, or in the freedom 
 that is there from hell ? There is not a man 
 alive hut would go to heaven, that he may be 
 saved from hell : hut how many would go thither 
 that they might be saved from the pleasures of 
 gin, from the inward pleasure of sin; of that I 
 will he silent, though surely they are those that 
 are out of love with sin, and that do depart from 
 iniquity. 
 
 Verily, my brethren, it is a great thing to de- 
 part from iniquity ; it is a great thing to have my 
 win, my mind, and my affections departing from 
 it. But, 
 
 Second, As they that depart from iniquity with- 
 draw their minds and affections from the lusts and 
 motions of it, so they depart also fromthe occasions 
 of it; there are occasions by which sin worketh 
 to bring forth the fruits thereof, and some seek 
 
 those occasions. Ko. xi^. 13. 1 Ti. r. 4. ICx. ixUL 7. Pr. V. 8. 
 
 2 Ti. iL 16. But he that hath set himself to depart 
 from sin in himself, will not seek occasions from 
 abroad to do it. Such a man as will keep far from 
 an evil matter wiU not company with a person that 
 pollutes and defiles, nor will he come near the door 
 of the adulteress's house ; he will shun profane 
 and vain babbling, for fear of the ungodliness that 
 attends it ; he will walk with wise men that he 
 may be wise, knowing that ' a companion of fools 
 shall he destroyed. ' Pr. liu. 20. 
 
 Now there are occasions given and occasions 
 taken to sin against the Lord Jesus ; hut he that 
 departeth from iniquity departeth from them both. 
 He is not for giving any occasion to others to sin; 
 he had rather wrong himself and put up with 
 injuries done, than give occasion to others to do 
 iniquity ; and as he is for giving none, so neither 
 is he for taking any: he is for partaking of no 
 man's sins, but for keeping of himself pure. 1 Ti. 
 
 V. 23. 
 
 Third, To depart from iniquity, is to depart 
 from it in those examples that are set before us 
 thereto : occasions and examples are sometimes the 
 same, but there may be occasions to sin where 
 there are no examples thereto, and therefore in that 
 they differ. And to depart from iniquity is to shun 
 and depart from those examples, those beastly 
 examples, that in every corner of the country pre- 
 sent themselves to men. 
 
 Examples to drunkenness ; examples to whore- 
 dom ; examples to swearing, to lying, to stealing, 
 to sabbath-breaking, to pride, to covetousness, to 
 
 deceit, to hypocrisy, and to what not, are now-a- 
 days common among men, and he that is to seek 
 in this matter, and that knows not how to be 
 expertly base, may have patterns and examples 
 thereto in every hole. But to depart from iniquity 
 is to depart from sinful examples, to shut the eyes 
 at them, to turn the back upon them, and to cry 
 out to heaven for grace to he kept in the path of 
 life. And, ' Let every one that nameth the name 
 of Christ depart from iniquity,' 
 
 Fourth, To depart from iniquity is to depart 
 from ilie enticings to iniguUy. There is that in 
 iniquity that is of an enticing nature. Its plea- 
 sures, profits, honom-s, delights, and sweetnesses 
 are enticing, and he that hankers after these is 
 nat departed nor departing from iniquity. A 
 man must be weaned from these things, and must 
 find some things somewhere else that are better 
 than these, else he cannot depart from iniquity. 
 
 Quest. But some may say, I go from it and it 
 follows me ; I reject it and it returns upon me ; I 
 have said it nay, a thousand times, and yet it 
 otfereth itself and its deceits to me again, what 
 would you have me do ? 
 
 Answ. I would answer thus ; Departing from 
 iniquity is not a work of an hour, or a day, or a 
 week, or a month, or a year ; hut it is a work that 
 wUl last thee thy lifetime, and there is the great- 
 ness and difficulty of it : were it to he done pre • 
 sently, or were the work to be quickly over, how 
 many are there that would be found to have de- 
 parted from iniquity ; but for that it is a work of 
 continuance, and not worth anything, unless men 
 hold out to the end, therefore it is that so few are 
 found actors or overcomers therein. Departing 
 from iniquity, with many, is but like the falling 
 out of two neighbours, they hate one another for 
 a while, and then renew their old friendship again. 
 
 But again, since to depart from iniquity is a 
 work of time — of all thy time, no wonder if it dogs 
 thee, and offereth to return upon thee again and 
 again ; for that is mischievous, and seeks nothing 
 less than thy ruin : wherefore thou must, in the 
 first place, take it for granted that thus it will be 
 and so cry the harder to God for the continuing 
 of his presence and grace upon thee in this blessed 
 work, that as thou hast begun to call upon the 
 name of the Lord Jesus, and begun to depart from 
 iniquity, so thou mayest have strength to do it to 
 the last gasp of thy Hfe. 
 
 And further, for that departing from iniquity is 
 a kind of a warfare with it, for iniquity will hang 
 in thy flesh what it can, and will not he easily 
 kept under ; therefore no marvel if thou find it 
 wearisome work, and that the thing that thou 
 wouldest get rid of, is so unwilling to let thee 
 depart from it. 
 
 And since the work is so weighty, and that it 
 
618 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 makes thee to go groaning on, I will for tliy help 
 give thee here a few things to consider of: and 
 [remember], 
 
 1. Remember that God sees thee, and has his 
 eyes open upon thee, even then when sin and 
 temptation is lying at thee to give it some enter- 
 tainment. This was that that made Joseph depart 
 from it, when solicited to embrace it by a very 
 jiowerful argument. Ge. xxxix. 6, 7. 
 
 2. RemeTnber that God's wrath burns against it, 
 and that he will surely be revenged on it, and on 
 aU. that give it entertainment. This made Job 
 afraid to countenance it, and put him upon depart- 
 ing from it ; ' For destruction from God was a 
 terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could 
 not endure.' JoIjxxxLZS. 
 
 3. Remember the mischiefs that it has done to 
 those that have embraced it, and what distress it 
 has brought upon others. This made the whole 
 congregation of Israel tremble to think that any 
 of their brethren should give countenance to it. 
 Joa. Etii. 16—18. 
 
 4. Remember what Christ hath suflFered by it, 
 that he might deliver us from the power of it. This 
 made Paul so heartily to depart from it, and wish 
 all Christians to do so as well as he. 3 Co. v. u. 
 
 5. Remember that those that are now in hell- 
 fire went thither for that they loved iniquity, and 
 would not depart from it. Pa. U. 17; >i. 6. 
 
 6. Remember that a profession is not worth a 
 pin, if they that make it do not depart from ini- 
 quity. 3a. ii. 10, 17. 
 
 7. Remember that thy death-bed will be very 
 uneasy to thee, if thy conscience at that day 
 shall be clogged with the guilt of thy iniquity. 
 
 Ho. vu. 13, 14. 
 
 8. Remember that at the judgment-day Christ 
 wiU say to those, Depart from me, that have not 
 here departed from their sin and iniquity. Lu. xiiL 27. 
 
 Mat. XXV. 41. 
 
 Lastly, Remember well, and think much upon 
 what a blessed reward the Son of God will give 
 unto them at that day that have joined to their 
 profession of faith in him a holy and blessed con- 
 versation. 
 
 Having thus briefly showed you these things, I 
 shall come in the next place, 
 
 SECOND, To show you, why some, that as to 
 words rightly name Hie name of Christ, do not depart 
 from iniquity. That it is incident to men to name 
 the name of Christ religiously, and not to depart 
 from iniquity, I have proved already, and now I 
 must show you why it is so, and the reasons are 
 of three sorts : 
 
 First, Some profess him, yet have not saving faith 
 in him, nor yet received grace from him. That 
 some profess him that have not faith in him, nor 
 received grace from him, I will make appear first ; 
 
 and then that they do not depart from iniquity, 
 shall be shown afterwards. 
 
 That the first is true consider, Christ says to 
 his disciples, ' There are some of you that believe 
 not. ' And again, ' For Jesus knew from the 
 beginning who they were that believed not, and 
 who should betray him.' Jn. vi. 64. Now if they 
 believe not, they have none of his grace in them ; 
 for faith is the first and head grace, the beginning 
 and leading grace ; he, therefore, that is destitute 
 of that is empty of all the rest. Besides, other 
 scriptures also confirm this truth. James calls 
 some of the professors of Christ that were in bis 
 day vain or empty men. Ja. ii. 20. That is, men void 
 of grace. And the apostle suggesteth in the very 
 words below the text, that as in God's house there 
 are golden and silver saints, so there are also 
 earthy and wooden ones. For ' in a great house ' 
 as God's is, 'are not only vessels of gold and silver, 
 but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour, 
 and some to dishonour. ' 2 Ti. ii. 20. That is, some for 
 heaven and some for hell. Ko. ix. 20—23. 
 
 Now they are these wooden and earthy profes- 
 sors that he aimeth at in the text ; to wit, that 
 they should depart from iniquity, or else their pro- 
 fession would do them no good, and these also that 
 he despaireth of in the next words, saying. But in 
 this great house of God there will not only be 
 golden and silver Christians, but wooden and 
 earthly ones : And if any man purge himself from 
 these, from these men's companies, and from these 
 men's vices, he shall he a vessel to honour, sanc- 
 tified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared 
 to every good work. From aU which it is gathered 
 that there are some that name the name of Christ 
 in a way of profession, that have neither faith nor 
 grace in them, and so, consequently, that do not 
 depart from iniquity. For, 
 
 These want that principle, that holy and blessed 
 principle, that should induce them thereunto ; to 
 wit, the great and principal graces of the Spirit, 
 and they are four. 
 
 1 . As I have said, they want taith, that heart- 
 purifying grace, for the heart is purified by faith, 
 Ac. XT. 9. I have showed you already that departing 
 from iniquity must be with the mind and afiections, 
 or with the heart. But how can that be, where' 
 the heart is not sanctified and made holy ? For 
 an unsanctified mind cannot depart from iniquity, 
 no more than the Ethiopian can change his skin. 
 Je. xiu. 23. But nothing can purify the heart but 
 faith. Therefore nothing can make a professor 
 depart from iniquity where faith is wanting. So 
 then, when men professedly name the name of 
 Christ without having holy faith in him, they still 
 abide by their iniquity ; they depart not from their 
 iniquity, but rather make of their profession a 
 cloak for their iniquity, for their malice, and for 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 BI9 
 
 their coTctousness, and the like, i Th. u. 16. i Pe. ii. 16. 
 It is not profession, but faith, that bringeth God 
 and the soul together ; and as long as God and the 
 soul are at a distance, whatever profession is made, 
 there is not a departing, not an heart-departing 
 from iniquity. Wherefore to these professors 
 James writeth thus, ' Draw nigh to God, and he 
 will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye 
 sinners : and purify yon/r hearts, ye double-minded. ' 
 Ja. iv. 8. Men, far from God, cannot think reverently 
 of him, nor so speak and profess him, as standeth 
 ■with the nature of gospel religion ; wherefore God 
 saith, 'draw near hither,' that is, by faith; and 
 again, 'let them come near, then let them speak,' 
 then let them profess, is. xU. i. Without faith a man 
 cannot please God, because he cannot without it 
 stand before him in the spotless righteousness of 
 Christ, nor yet depart from iniquity, and live a 
 holy life. He. x\. 6. 
 
 There are three things in faith, that directly 
 tend to make a man depart from iniquity. (1.) It 
 ajiprehendeth the truth of the being and greatness 
 of God, and so it aweth the spirit of a man. (2.) 
 It apprehendeth the love of this God in Christ, and 
 so it conquereth and overcometh the spirit of a 
 man. (3.) It apprehendeth the sweetness and 
 blessedness of the nature of the Godhead, and 
 thence persuadeth the soul to desire here, com- 
 munion with him, that it may be holy, and the 
 enjoyment of him, when this world is ended, that 
 it may be happy in, and by him, for ever. 
 
 But without faith these things cannot be appre- 
 hended, and therefore those that want it, whatever 
 their profession is, they will not depart from 
 iniquity. 
 
 2. {They ward Repentance.] Repentance is 
 another of the great and principal graces which the 
 Holy Ghost worketh in the heart. Wherefore, 
 without this also there can be no departing from 
 iniquity. It is in vain to expect it of any man, let 
 his profession be never so stately and great, if he 
 is a stranger to sound repentance. How many 
 are there in our day, since the gospel is grown so 
 common, that catch up a notion of good things, 
 and from that notion make a profe.ision of the 
 name of Christ, get into churches, and obtain the 
 title of a brother, a saint, a member of a gospel 
 congregation, that have clean escaped repentance. 
 I say, they have catched up a notion of good things, 
 and have through that adventured to name the 
 name of Christ, quite forgetting to take repentance 
 with them. Repentance should be, and is one of 
 the first steps into the true gospel profession. 
 Mar. i.i6. Fr. iii. 7; xvi. 6. But some know nothing of it, 
 until they come to the end of all, and their repent- 
 ance will do them no good. Repentance is not 
 but where the true fear of God is ; yea, the fear 
 I of God is one ground of repentance. Repentance 
 
 is the scouring grace, it is that which purges. 
 Repentance is, as I may call it, that bitter pill 
 without the taking, and sound working of which, 
 base and sinful humours will rest unstirred, un- 
 purged, imdriven out of the soul. Can repentance 
 be where godly sorrow is not ? or can repentance 
 be where the fruits of repentance are not ? the 
 fruits of repentance, thick sown by preachers, but 
 
 it comes up but thinly ! Mar. i. 4, 6. Ko. vi 21. Je. vii. 3, 6. 
 
 Where shall the fruits of repentance be found ? 
 Confession of sin is one fruit of repentance ; shame 
 for sin is another fruit of repentance ; amendment 
 of life is another fruit of repentance ; restitution 
 for couzening, cheating, defrauding, beguiling thy 
 neighbour, is another fruit of repentance. Lu. xix. 5—8 
 Yea, if you would see the fruits of repentance as 
 described by the Holy Ghost, and put together for 
 the further conviction and shame of the impenitent 
 professor, look into the second epistle to the Corin- 
 thians, rii. 9—11. 
 
 But this is a day that was never read of, a day 
 wherein conversion is frequent without repentance ; 
 such a conversion as it is, and therefore doth the 
 church of God now swarm with them that reli- 
 giously name the name of Christ, and yet depart 
 not from iniquity. Alas ! all houses, all tables, all 
 shops, have hanging up in them the sign of the 
 want of repentance. Ec vii. 37, 38. To say nothing of 
 the talk, of the beds and the backs of most that 
 profess, by which of these is it that on6 of a thou- 
 sand for men ; and for women, one of ten thousand, 
 do show that they have repentance ? No marvel 
 then that the name of Christ is so frequently men- 
 tioned there, where iniquity dwells, yea, reigns, 
 and that with the consent of the mind. 
 
 I would not be austere, but weie wearing of 
 gold, putting on of apparel, dressing up house.'?, 
 decking of children, learning of compliments, bold- 
 ness in women, lechery in men, wanton behavioui-, 
 lascivious words, and tempting carriages, signs of 
 repentance ; then I must say, the fruits of repent- 
 ance swarm in our land ; but if these be none of 
 the fruits of repentance then, 0, the multitude of 
 professors, that religiously name the name of 
 Christ, and do not depart from iniquity.* But, 
 
 3. [^Theywant Love.] Love is another of those 
 great and principal graces which the Holy Ghost 
 worketh in the heart ; wherefore let profession bo 
 never so high, yet if love be wanting there, to bo 
 sure such professors ' depart from iniquity, ' 1 Co. xiii. 
 Hence all profession, and subjecting to profession, 
 are counted nothing, where love is not. Love is 
 counted a most infallible sign that a man is in a 
 
 * How much is it to be feared that some towering pro- 
 fessors, upon impartial self-examination, will find upon them- 
 selves some of these black spots ; aU of which are utterly 
 inconsistent with that humility which is the proper and only 
 becoming garb of a Christian. — Uijland. — Ed. 
 
620 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY 
 
 State of salvation. ' He that lovetli dwells in God, 
 is bom of God, aud knoweth him. ' i Jn. iv. 7, 16, 21. 
 Love divideth itself, to God, and to my neighbour. 
 Love to God is, that we keep his sayings, his com- 
 mandments, his laws. ' If a man love me,' saith 
 Christ, ' he will keep my words ; - and he that 
 loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings.' Jn. xiv. 33, 24. 
 For this is the love of God, that we keep his com- 
 mandments : and his commandments are not griev- 
 ous. ' 1 Jn. y. 3. So then, that professor that hath not 
 love, cannot depart from iniquity. (1.) Where no 
 love is, men cannot be tender of the name of God, 
 they are not afflicted because men keep not God's 
 law. Ps. cxix. 130; 1 Co. xui. 5. (2.) Where no love is, 
 men cannot deny themselves of that which other- 
 wise they might lawiuily do, lest the weak should 
 fall, and the world be destroyed, no. xiv. 15. (3.) 
 Where love to God is, there is hatred against ini- 
 quity; ' ye that love the Lord, hate evil.' Ps. icvu. 10. 
 
 A man cannot love God that loves not holiness ; 
 he loves not holiness that loves not God's word ; 
 he loves not God's word that doth not do it. It is 
 a common thing to find men partial in God's law. 
 Betting much by small things, and neglecting the 
 weightier matters, paying tithe of mint, and anise, 
 and cummin, and neglecting the weightier matters. 
 These turn the tables of God's book upside down ; 
 making little laws of great ones ; and great ones 
 of little ones ; counting half an hour's bodily ser- 
 vice better than a moral life. Love ! love is gone 
 out of the country ; love to the doctrine of the first 
 table, love to the doctrine of the second table. 
 how many professors, in God's eyes, are accounted 
 of no more than sounding brass, for want of this 
 ornament, love ! 1 Co. xiu. 
 
 To speak nothing of the first table, where is he 
 that hath his love manifested by the second ? where 
 are they that feed the hungry and clothe the naked, 
 and send portions to them, for whom nothing is 
 prepared ? Where is Paul that would not eat 
 meat while the world standeth, lest he made his 
 brother ofi'end ? 1 Co. viii, 13. Where is Dorcas, with 
 her garments she used to make for the widow, and 
 for the fatherless ? Ac. ix. 36—39. Yea, where is that 
 rich man that, to his power, durst say as Job 
 does? as recorded in Jobxxx. 2oj xxxi. 13, 32. Love! 
 love is gone, and now coveting, pinching, griping, 
 and such things are in fashion: now iniquity 
 abounds, instead of grace, in many that name the 
 name of Christ. They want love, and therefore 
 cannot depart from iniquity.* 
 
 4. [They want Hope.] Hope is another of those 
 great and principal graces, which the Holy Ghost 
 
 * Selfislmess is the great enemy to happiness. A heart 
 steeled against al/, naturally brings upon itself the hostility 
 of all. Love to the Redeemer, for emancipation from that 
 great curse, is the only antidote to selfishness. — Ed. 
 
 worketh in the heart, and without which, let a 
 man be never so high in profession, and so open in 
 naming the name of Christ, he cannot depart from 
 iniquity. As was said before of faith, so we say 
 now of hope. ' And every man that hath this hope 
 in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. ' 1 Jn. m. 3. 
 Here is that excellent office, or rather effect of 
 hope made manifest, it purifieth, it cleanseth a 
 man; it makes him make the Lord Jesus his 
 example, as well as his Saviour. He purifieth 
 himself even as he is pure ; to wit, in soul, in body, 
 in spirit, in life and conversation. Hope of life, 
 eternal by Christ, makes a man purify himself in 
 obeying the truth through the Spirit. Hope to be 
 with Christ hereafter, will make me strive to 
 believe him here. Hope of being with angels then, 
 will make a man strive to live like an angel here. 
 Alas ! alas ! there is a company of half-priests in 
 the world, and they cannot, they dare not teach 
 the people the whole counsel of God, because in so 
 doing they will condemn themselves and their 
 manner of living in the world ; where is that min- 
 ister now to be found that dare say to his people. 
 Look on me, and walk as you have me for an 
 example ? or that dare say, What you see and 
 hear to be in me, do, ' and the God of peace shall 
 be with you ?' PW. m. 17; i". 9. These men had hope, 
 and hope purified them to an example, till they 
 became patterns to others. Is not this now far off 
 from some professors in the world ? Are they puri- 
 fied, are they clean that name the name of Christ? 
 are they weaned from that milk, and drawn from 
 the breasts ? No, nor their profession is not 
 attended with grace ; they name the name of 
 Christ ; well, but they do not depart from iniquity. 
 Let a man believe a lie, and according to the 
 reality of his belief, such will his obedience be ; let 
 a man hope for that for which he hath no ground 
 to hope, yet his hope will work with him according 
 to the power thereof; and yet we have a genera- 
 tion of men that profess the blessed gospel, which 
 yieldeth the most substantial ground for faith and 
 hope ; yea, we have a company of men that will 
 be naming the name of Christ, which is the sweet- 
 est, the most taking, and desirable name that is 
 named among the sons of men, and for all that, 
 this gospel, this worthy name, nor yet their naming 
 of it, doth make them depart from iniquity. But 
 what's the reason ? why, they have taken up a 
 profession, but want the grace of Christ ; the faith, 
 the repentance, the love and hope of the gospel, 
 No marvel then, if they abide among the woodei; 
 sort of professors: no marvel then, though th( 
 iniquity of their heels still follows them, and thai 
 it droppeth from them wherever they go. But s( 
 much for the first reason, why men do name th( 
 name of Christ and yet do not depart from iniquity 
 Second, The second reason, why some that nanii 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 521 
 
 the name of Christ, depart not from iniquity, is, for 
 that, though they rest not in hare notions, as those 
 forementioned, yet they take up as they, short of the 
 saving grace of God. There are hare notions, there 
 are common workings, and there is a work that is 
 saving, and that will do the soul good to eternity. 
 
 1. There are hare notions, and they that have 
 them are such unto whom the gospel comes in 
 WORD ONLY. 1 Th. i B. 1 Co. iv. IS, 20. Such whose reli- 
 gion stands in word only, aud is not attended with 
 a power suitable ; that is, there goeth not along 
 with the word, a power sufficient to subdue, and 
 work over the heart to a cordial and gracious close 
 with that word that comes to them. Yet such is 
 the noise and sound of the word, that they are 
 willing to become professors thereof; there is some 
 kind of musicalness in it, especially when well 
 handled and fingered by a skilful preacher. And 
 lo, saith God unto such preachers, when their 
 auditory is made up of such kind of hearers, ' And 
 lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song,' or 
 as one that sings a song cf loves, ' of one that hath 
 a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instru- 
 ment : for they hear thy words but they do them 
 
 not. ' Eze. xxxiii. 30—32. 
 
 2. But then, besides these, there is another sort, 
 a,nd they go further than these. For to them the 
 word came, not in word only, but also in power : 
 though not in that or in such a power as is suffi- 
 cient absolutely against all attempts whatsoever to 
 bring the soul to glory. Of these we read in 
 several places ; to wit, that they have tasted of 
 the powers of the world to come ; but not so as to 
 bring them safe to glory. Yet thus far they 
 go. (1.) They attain light or illumination, to 
 see much of their state by nature with. He. vL 4. 
 (2.) This light standeth not in bare speculation, 
 but lets fall upon the conscience convincing argu- 
 ments to the bowing and humbling of the spirit. 
 1 Ki. xxL 27—29. (3.) They submit to these convictions, 
 and reform, and may for a time not only come out 
 from them that live in error, but escape the pollu- 
 tions of the world, by the knowledge of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Pe. ii. 18—20. Ga. iii. 4; w. 20. 
 (4.) Yea, so powerful will this dispensation be, 
 that it wiU prevail with them to do and suffer many 
 things for the vindication of the truth of that gospel 
 which they profess. For the word will be sweet 
 unto them. Christ, the gift of God, will be relished 
 by them. He. vi. 4, 5. The powers of the world to 
 come will be in them. Some workings of the Holy 
 Ghost will be in them. And joy, which is as oil 
 to the wheels, wiU be with their souls. Lu. Kiii. 13. 
 
 Thus, I say, it is with some professors, who yet 
 cannot be said to depart from iniquity, that is, for 
 all ado, because the things that now are upon them, 
 abide with them but awhile. * For awhile they 
 believe: they rejoice in the light for a season.' 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 Lu. viii. 13. Jn. V. 36. 2Pe. ii. 21. So they clean escape 
 from them, who live in error for a little, or awhile ; 
 and after that return to their old course, and are 
 again entangled with their iniquities and overcome. 
 This is called, ' A turning with the dog to his own 
 vomit again, and with the sow that was washed, 
 to her wallowing in the mire.' And some of these 
 are set forth by this and such like sayings, ' When 
 the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walk- 
 eth through dry places, seeking rest, and finding 
 none. Then he saith, I will return into my house 
 from whence I came out ; and when he is come, he 
 findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then 
 goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other 
 spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter 
 in and dwell there : and the last state of that man 
 is worse than the first.' Mat. xa a, 45. 
 
 Now the causes of this declension, returning, or 
 falling away again into iniquity, are many. 
 
 First [Cause of falling away.'] One is for that 
 this work, this work of power that they have been 
 made partakers of, has not been thorough enough 
 upon all the powers of their souls. Their under- 
 standings, their judgments and consciences have 
 been dealt with, but the power of God has not 
 been upon their wills and minds, and affections, 
 rightly to subdue them to the grace of the gospel. 
 Ps. ex. 3. Indeed there seems to be a subjection of 
 the will, and an overruling of the mind, and aflec- 
 tions also, else they could not for a time lay aside 
 their iniquity, come off from the pollutions of the 
 world, and for a season rejoice in the word and be 
 pleased with the light thereof. But we may con- 
 sider, that this may be, not for that a sound work 
 of God hath passed upon these powers of the soul, 
 but that rather this was by reason of those reflex 
 acts, that the understanding now enlightened, the 
 judgment now informed, and the conscience now 
 convinced, had upon these other powers of the 
 soul. And I the rather think it so, because wil- 
 lingness, mindfulness of, and affection for, this 
 gospel, lasted no longer than the light shined in 
 their understandings, or than the things were 
 relished by their judgment and conscience. So that 
 when the light of their candle went out, and when 
 the taste of this sugar-plum was out of their mouth, 
 their wills and affections, not being possessed with 
 the fear of God, they returned again to their course, 
 and went away as before with iniquity. 
 
 Nor do I by anything here discoursed, lay blame 
 or fault at the door of God. For, 
 
 1. He is a free agent to do what he pleaseth, and 
 may, if he please, refuse to give anything, or if he 
 gives something, why may he not give what he 
 pleases also? He may give special grace to one, 
 and that which is not so to another : he may open 
 Balaam's eyes, Nu. xxiv. 3. aud open Lydia's heart; 
 Ac. ivi. 14. he may give some but a taste, aud cause 
 3 
 
522 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 some to eat abundantly. He. vi. Ca. t. i. He may suf- 
 fer some to fall away, and keep others, by his 
 power, through faith unto salvation. 
 
 2. Besides, God's withdrawing, to wit, of those 
 common workings, if they were withdrawn without 
 
 a cause given — which yet I question yet why may 
 
 they uot be withdrawn from these, as well as from 
 his own peculiar ones. He knows hut little, that 
 doth not know that God ofttimes hides his face 
 from his own, and also withdraws from them the 
 light and great influences of the Holy Ghost : and 
 turns them over, at least in their own apprehensions, 
 to the ungodly, and to fallen angels for their chas- 
 tisement, or trial, or instruction, <tc. 
 
 3. And why may not God, since these rebels had 
 such working with them, as that their minds, by 
 their understandings, their will and affections ; by 
 their judgment and consciences were somewhat 
 taken and allured, cause a withdrawing of these 
 for trial, and to see if they would cry after him to 
 return. 
 
 But we will let these things pass, and call you 
 again to remembrance of what is in hand : we are 
 now shewing that there be them that name the 
 name of Christ, 'that yet depart not from iniquity,' 
 and in shewing the cause of their not so doing, one 
 was for that the gospel came to them in word only ; 
 and the other was, for that though it came to others 
 in power, yet not in power, or in that power, that 
 efi'ectually keepeth some to salxation. Upon this 
 second reason I now am, and am shewing how it 
 comes to pass that they that are under the power 
 of the things that we have afore discoursed, should 
 notwithstanding that, return to their vomit again. 
 One cause of this declension, or going hack to 
 iniquity, I have just now touched upon, and we 
 have some more behind. 
 
 Second [ Cause offaUing away. ] Therefore such 
 persons upon the withdrawing of those influences 
 that at present are mighty upon them, do forthwith 
 forget, both what they had, and what work it made 
 upon them. Straightway they forget what manner 
 of men they were. It is said of Israel, they sang 
 his praises, they soon forgot his word. So these 
 they forget. 
 
 1. They forget what light and what conviction 
 they had. 
 
 2. They forget what sorrow for sin they had. 
 
 3. They forget what tastes of Christ and his 
 word they had. 
 
 4. They forget what joy and comfort they had. 
 
 5. They forget how fair for heaven they were. 
 
 6. And they forget how cleansed once they were. 
 ' They have forgotten that they were purged from 
 
 their old sins.' 2Pe. i.9. Now forgetfulness makes 
 things that are past as nothing ; and if so, then it 
 can lay no obligations upon the mind, to engage it 
 to the delight of them, and to the enjoying of them. 
 
 no not in the thoughts of them, as if tliey were 
 remembered by us. Forgetfulness is a very dan- 
 gerous thing : it makes preaching vain, profession 
 vain, faith vain, and all to no purpose, l Co. xv. l, 2. 
 Such profession is hut a dream, and the professors 
 but as dreamers : all vanishes in the morning. This 
 made Paul so caution the Corinthians, that they 
 forgot not the preaching ; and the author to the 
 Hebrews, so earnestly calls thera, in their back- 
 sliding, back to the remembrance of former days, 
 and to the recollecting of what it was that then 
 had made them so willingly endure their great fight 
 of affliction. He. x. 33, 33. 
 
 Forgetfulness, I say, makes things nothing ; it 
 makes us as if things had never been ; and so takes 
 away from the soul one great means of stay, sup- 
 port, and encouragement ; when choice David was 
 dejected, the remembrance of the hill Hermon was 
 his stay ; when he was to go out against Goliah, the 
 remembrance of the lion and the bear was his stip- 
 port: so when those that have had the power of the 
 things of God upon them, can think of this ; when 
 they are withdrawn, it will, even the thinking of 
 it, have some kind of operation upon the soul. 
 And therefore you shall find, that the recovering 
 of a backslider usually begins at the remembrance 
 of former things. ' Remember therefore from 
 whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first 
 works.' Re.u. B. 
 
 It is marvellous to see how some men are capti- 
 vated with this forgetfulness. Those that some- 
 times have prayed, cried, groaned, and sighed, for 
 eternal life ; those that sometimes thought no pains 
 too much, no way too far, no hazards too great to 
 run, for eternal life; those who sometimes were 
 captivated with the word, and with the comforts 
 and joy thereof, and that, had it been possible, 
 could have pulled out their eyes, and have given 
 them to a gospel minister, so dear and sweet were 
 the good tidings which they brought to such. 
 Ga. iv. 14, 16. I say it is marvellous to see how such 
 men are captivated with the forgetfulness of this. 
 They are as if they never had been those men; 
 they are as if they never had had such things ; or, 
 as if they never had thought about them. Yea, 
 they are strange, and carry it strangely to all those 
 that still are under the power of that word, and of 
 that mighty hand by which sometimes themselves 
 were guided. 
 
 Should one say to some. Art not thou the man 
 that I once saw crying under a sermon, that I once 
 heard cry out. What must I do to be saved? and, 
 that some time ago I heard speak well of the holy 
 word of God? how askew will they look upon 
 one ; or if they will acknowledge that such things 
 were with them onee, they do it more like images 
 and rejected ghosts, than men. They look as if 
 they were blasted, withered, cast out, aud dried to 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 523 
 
 'powder, and now fit for nothing but to be cast into 
 the fire, and burned. Jn. xt. 6. The godliness from 
 ■which they are departed, and the iniquity unto 
 which again they have joined themselves, has so 
 altered, so metamorphosed and changed their heart, 
 and mind, and ways. This therefore is the second 
 thing which shews why some that have been under 
 something of the power of things,* are again with 
 iniquity entangled and overcome. 
 
 Third [Cause of falling aioay.'] Another thing 
 that makes these enlightened ones, that they con- 
 tinue not to depart from iniquity, is the persecution 
 that always attends the word: for persecution 
 always attends the word, that of the tongue, or 
 that of the sword. Now these men that were once 
 enlightened, though they cannot remember what 
 they were themselves, yet Satan helps them to 
 think that their neighbours remember what they 
 were : and having now lost the savour, the sense of 
 what they once had, and sinned away that Spirit 
 that brought it to them, they grow weak ; yea are 
 above all men the most unable to stand up, to abide 
 the shock and trial, that for their profession is 
 coming upon them. Wherefore, by and by they are 
 offended ; to wit, with their own profession, and 
 call themselves an hundred fools, for being so heed- 
 less, so witless, and unwary, to mind God's holy 
 things in such a time and day. Mat. iv. 16, 17. Ln. viii. 13. 
 Then they bethink with themselves, how to make 
 an honourable retreat, which they suppose they 
 Usually do, by finding fault, first with their own 
 unadvisedness, and of the over-persuasiveness of 
 others ; they also now begin to say farewell con- 
 science, yea, God and heaven and all, and join in 
 confederacy with the world again. Thus are they 
 in fear, where no fear is ; and the soimd of a shaken 
 leaf doth chase them. And there are four things 
 that are the cause of this. 
 
 1. For that notwithstanding the former power 
 that attended the word to their hearts, their hearts 
 did still abide as hard as a rock, there was no true 
 and sound breaking, nor softening in that ; where- 
 fore there the word wanted depth of earth, as our 
 Lord is pleased to call it; and anon when the sun was 
 up, that which remained was presently scorched, 
 and so withered away. 
 
 2. Notwithstanding what they had sometimes 
 enjoyed, yet the grace of the fear of God was want- 
 ing in them. Ec vii. 16—18. So wanting that, what 
 should hinder but that they should return to go as 
 they came, and leave Christ, the gospel, and the 
 people of God to shift as well as they can for 
 themselves. 
 
 3. AU that they enjoyed did not estrange their 
 hearts from their lusts, though when they were in 
 
 * ' Power of tilings ;' the influence of convictions and hopes 
 named in the six divisions on the preceding page. — En. 
 
 the power of things, they were deader to them 
 than formerly ; I say than formerly. Pa. kxviii. 30, 36, 
 37. And it is even with such, as with them, who 
 are for a time taken off from what yet they love, 
 by some new employ in which they are engaged. 
 Saul went out to look for David to kill him, but 
 when he came at Naioth, in Ramah, the Spirit of 
 God came upon him, and he prophesied, i Sa. xix. is, 2i 
 But this lasted but for awhile. Saul soon returned 
 to his old envy against the holy man again. 
 
 4. It comes upon them even of judgment and 
 wrath, for since they so soon give way to sin, and 
 forget, God suffereth them to fall into the fear of 
 men, and to force their hearts to comply with bad 
 things, — even as Judas and Demas did, — till they 
 are swallowed up of that gulph, into which the 
 ungodly descend. ' As for such as turn aside unto 
 their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth 
 with the workers of iniquity,' Ps. cxxv. 5. 
 
 When once God is angry with a people, he can 
 deal with them, he can give them up to those lusts 
 in judgment, that they will not be separated from 
 by mercy. Yea, he can make a way for his anger 
 to overtake them that have made a way, by the 
 deceits of their hearts, to go a-whoring from under 
 him. 
 
 And these are the causes why those that were 
 once enlightened, and have tasted the good word 
 of God, and the powers of the world to come, return 
 with the dog to his own vomit again ; and so, though 
 they have or do name the name of Christ, yet depart 
 not from iniquity. 
 
 Third, A third reason, why they that name the 
 name of Christ do not depart from iniquity, may 
 be, because gbace is weak and corruption strong. 
 I speak now of them that are truly gracious ; for as 
 those that never had nothing but notion, did never 
 at all depart from iniquity : and as those that never 
 had saving grace, though common workings were 
 with them, do but a little depart from iniquity ; so 
 those that yet have the grace of God in them, in 
 truth, do not, as they should, depart from iniquity; 
 wherefore the exhortation is as much to them as it 
 is to any body else ; ' and let them that name the 
 name of Christ,' with gracious lips, ' depart from 
 iniquity. ' For though there is a great difference 
 betwixt these and the two sorts that I mentioned 
 before, — these having the true principles of hohness 
 in them, but the other nothing thereof, — ^yet they, 
 even they, also have need of this exhortation ; for 
 they do not, as they should, ' depart from iniquity. ' 
 Their graces, as I said, are weak, and that is the 
 reason thereof. 
 
 That these do not depart from iniquity, as they 
 should, is clear. 
 
 1. For that their highest acts of holiness are 
 tainted therewith, and made imperfect thereby. 
 
 Is. bdv. 6. Pb. cxliii. 2. He. xii. 15. Mat. vi. 23. This is manifest. 
 
524 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHUISTIANITY. 
 
 because they still are afiaid to shew themselves 
 before God in their own works, and because they 
 betake them for acceptation with God, to the 
 priestly office of Christ, and pray by him, ' forgive 
 us our trespasses.' 
 
 2. This is clear also, because we are, while in this 
 world, nowhere by the word said to have attained 
 to the mark and point of absolute perfection ; but 
 are bid to grow, to follow on, to press forward, and 
 to perfect holiness in the fear of God. 2 Pe. iii. 18. He. 
 Ti. 12. Ph iii. 12— 14. 2 Co. vii. 1. Yea, the best of us all, 
 even the apostles and prophets, have not only made 
 it manifest by their imperfections, that as yet they 
 have not departed from iniquity as they should ; 
 but they have confessed, and denied not, that they 
 were yet in the pursuit of righteousness, and had 
 not already attained. 
 
 3. This is clear also, for that the righteousness, 
 by the which the best of saints are justified in the 
 sight of God, is a righteousness of another, not 
 their own ; the righteousness of another man, for 
 that there is not any upon earth that doth good 
 and sins not. And what need we pray, ' forgive 
 us our trespasses,' approach God in the perfections 
 of another, and be bid ' to perfect holiness,' if wo 
 had already attained, or were already perfect, or 
 were so departed from iniquity as we should. 
 
 4. Alas, the complaints of God concerning this 
 matter, doth sufficiently testify the truth of what I 
 say. When God came to his people in Egypt, and 
 bid them forsake the idols of Egypt, they did not. 
 But they rebelled against me, says he, and would 
 not hearken unto me ; they did not, every man, 
 cast away the abominations of his eyes, neither did 
 they forsake the idols of Egypt. Well, he saved 
 them out of Egypt, and brought them into the wil- 
 derness, and said to them there, Obey my laws, 
 and my commandments ; but the house of Israel 
 rebelled against me in the wilderness, they walked 
 not in my statutes, they despised my judgments. 
 Well, then he had them from the wilderness to 
 Canaan, and then said to them. Keep my laws. 
 Eze. XX. But when he had brought them into the 
 land, then they also polluted themselves, and sinned 
 against him as before. Again, when God brought 
 them out of captivity, both they, and every thing 
 that they did, was unclean. Hog.ii. 14. 
 
 To be short, what says Paul in the seventh to the 
 Romans ? what says James in the third chapter of 
 his epistle? ch. iii. 3. And what saj'S John in his 
 first epistle, and first chapter? iJu. i. 9. Do they 
 not all confess, though themselves were apostles, 
 and so for grace and gifts beyond any that breathe 
 in this world, that sin and iniquity was yet with 
 them ; and so consequently, that there was not as 
 Yet that departing by them therefrom, as there 
 should. And the reason, as I have said, is, because 
 grace is weak, weak in the best and most strong 
 
 of the saints of God. Hence the greatest saints use 
 to complain, when much assaulted with corruptions, 
 or attended with very hard service for God, of their 
 weakness and insufficiency, as to a completeness of 
 doing the will of God. 
 
 (1.) Moses, when God did but bid him nourish 
 and succour Israel in the wilderness, and carry 
 them in his bosom, as the nursing-father beareth 
 the sucking child, was stricken with such fear of 
 miscarrying, through the weakness of his graces 
 and the power of his corruptions, that he cried to 
 God, saying, ' I am not able to bear all this people 
 alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou 
 deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of 
 hand, - and let me not see my wretchedness.' 
 
 Nu. xL 14, IB. 
 
 (2.) Job, when he was, for a proof of his integrity, 
 to be exercised a while with some of the judgments 
 of God, cries out, in a sense of his weakness to bear 
 them, and to go through as he should, ' Is my 
 strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of 
 brass?' And again, 'Am I a sea, or a whale, 
 that thou settest a watch over me ? Wilt thou 
 break a leaf driven to and fro? And wilt thou pur- 
 sue the dry stubble?' Jobvi. 12; vii. 12 j xiu. 25. 
 
 (3.) So Daniel, when he was but to stand and 
 talk with the angel, how weak did he find himself; 
 ' There remained,' saith he, ' no strength in me;' 
 and, ' my Lord, by the vision my sorrows are 
 turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. 
 For how can the servant of this my Lord talk with 
 this my Lord? for as for me, straightway there 
 remained no strength in me, neither is there breat'a 
 left in me.' Da. i. Some may say, but this is natu- 
 ral weakness. But I ask, how came nature to be 
 so weak, but through sin? the remains whereof 
 abiding still upon the best of saints, make them, 
 notwithstanding their graces, uncapable to do any- 
 thing as they shoidd. 
 
 (4.) Paul, a man of men, who had so much grace, 
 revelation of grace and communion with Christ, 
 that sometimes he knew not whether he was in or 
 out of the body, and yet you find him making bitter 
 complaint of the weakness of his grace, and of the 
 power of his corruptions. ' I am carnal,' saith he, 
 and what I hate that do I. ' Sow to perform that 
 which is good I find not ;' ' when I would do good, 
 evil is present with me.' * But I see another law 
 in my members, warring against the law of my 
 mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of 
 sin, which is in my members.' ' wretched man 
 that I am,' &c. What complaints, what confes- 
 sions, what bewailing of weakness is here? And 
 what need was there of any of this, if Paul could, 
 as he would, have departed from iniquity? Ro.™. 
 
 I have instanced in these four men, because as 
 to failings and miscarriages they are as free — by 
 what the holy record saith — as any four of whose 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 525 
 
 lives you shall read in all the Bible ; but you see 
 that they were too weak to do good and depart 
 from iniquity as they would. 
 
 Grace may be said to be weak, either when a 
 lower or less degree thereof is compared with a 
 higher and greater degree of the same ; or it may 
 he said to be weak when, in what degree of it you 
 will, it shall be engaged by, or engage itself 
 against sin, &c. 
 
 There are degrees of grace in the world, some 
 have less, and some bigger measures thereof, and 
 according to the measure of grace received, so is 
 a Christian capable of action. He that has little, 
 acts but weakly; he that has much, acts more 
 strongly ; and he of the saints that has most, 
 acteth best of all : but yet none of these three can 
 act so as they should and would, and, consequently, 
 so depart from iniquity as is their duty. Witness 
 those four that I mentioned but now, for they are 
 among the first-rate of saints, yet you see what 
 they did, and hear what they said. 
 
 Sin is a mighty tyrant ; it is also installed in 
 our flesh, and has moreover that in it which 
 suiteth with whatever is sensual in us. The flesh 
 relisheth it well, though the spirit of the Christian 
 is against it. 
 
 Sin is an active beast, and will not admit that 
 the soul should attempt to put forth itself in any 
 good thing, without opposition and contradiction. 
 * When I could do good evil is present with me.'* 
 Sin is of a polluting and defiling nature, and 
 what grace soever it toucheth it staineth, and in 
 staining makes it weaker, than were it not so 
 defiled it would be. Besides, not a grace, nor an 
 act of grace in the soul can escape untouched. 
 
 Unbelief stands ready to annoy faith in the grace, 
 as well as in the act of faith. 
 
 Hardness of heart will not let love so affection- 
 ately and sympathisingly act as it should. 
 
 Sense and reason being polluted will not let 
 hope be so stedfastly fixed upon unseen things as 
 it should. 
 
 Pride will not let us be so humble as we ought, 
 nor sell so self-denying. Passion often interrupts 
 our patience, and angry motions our meekness. 
 By these, and more that might be named, it appears 
 that sin is in us, opposeth our graces, and lettetht 
 them from acting as they should ; and because this 
 sin has part of ourself in its possession, therefore 
 though our more noble part he utterly against it, 
 yet we depart not from it as we should. 
 
 God charseth Moses with rash and unadvised 
 
 * Plato says that some men are impotent by reason of sin ; 
 but Christianity alone developes the awful fact, that sin has 
 poisoned our nature, and that its effects are felt by the holiest 
 of saints. The reference to the experience of Paul in Kom. vii. 
 is conclusive of the fact. — En. 
 
 t'Lettethj' hindereth. or obstructeth : now obsolete. — ^El). 
 
 words, and so he doth Job also: Daniel did wear 
 the name of an idol god, and Paul freely confesseth 
 himself imfirm. Nu. xx. 13, Ps. ctl. 32. Job xxx™. 2; ilii. 6. 
 Da. iv. 8. Ko. vii. 34. 
 
 Nor may what hath now been said be applied to 
 those that are weak in faith, and so in every other 
 grace ; for the strongest grace when acted as well 
 as we can, cannot cause that we depart from ini- 
 quity as we should. (1.) Because the strongest 
 grace cannot act without opposition. (2.) Because 
 we that are the actors are lame, infirm, and made 
 weak by sin that dwells in us. (3.) Because grace 
 and a state of grace is not that wherein the per- 
 fection designed for us doth lie, for that is in 
 another world, (a.) This is a place to act faith in. 
 (6.) This is a place to labour and travel in. (c.) 
 This is a place to fight and wrestle in. {d.) This 
 is a place to be tried in. 
 
 And therefore this is no place of perfection, and 
 consequently no place where God's people can 
 depart from iniquity as they should. 
 
 Now there is a twofold way of departing from 
 iniquity. I. One is when the mind is set against 
 it, and withdrawn from the love and liking of it. 
 II. The other is when the practice of it is shunned 
 by the whole man. 
 
 I. The first of these ways, the saints, though 
 they truly do depart from iniquity, yet depart not 
 from it as they should. (I.) Their understanding 
 sees not the utmost baseness that is in it. (2.) Their 
 judgment is not informed about the vileness of it 
 to perfection. (3.) The conscience has not yet 
 been convinced of all the evil that is in it. Then, 
 (o.) How should the soul abhor it as it should ? 
 (6.) How should the desires depart from it with 
 that fervency as they should ? (c.) And the will 
 and affections so turn away from it as they 
 should ? 
 
 II. Second, As to the shunning of the acts of 
 sin, there we also come wonderful short. 
 
 We shun not the sins of others as wo should. 
 This is made appear, (1.) For that we shun not 
 the company of base men as we should. (2.) Nor 
 shun or refuse to imitate them in their evil, as we 
 should. How easily are good men persuaded to 
 comply with bad men's ways. Yea, Jehoshaphat 
 himself said to Ahab, that base one : Behold, ' I 
 am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses 
 as thy horses.' iKi. ixU. 4. Joseph could learn in 
 Pharaoh's court, to ' swear by Pharaoh's life,' 
 Ge. jdu. 15, 16. Pcter also, when dissembling, was in 
 fashion among the people, could learn to dissemble 
 likewise. Ga. itii— u. 
 
 We shun not our own sins, or the sins of our 
 own company as we should. Christians learn to 
 be proud one of another, to be covetous one of 
 another, to be treacherous and false one of another, 
 to be cowardly in God's matters one of another, 
 
526 
 
 A HOLY UYE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANnT. 
 
 to 1)6 remiss and nealia'ent in christian duties one 
 of another. 
 
 Besides, if I should go about to shew here, how- 
 Christians will hide iniquity, as David. 2 Sa. xu. 12. 
 How they will excuse it, as did Aaron. Ex. xxxii. 33— 
 24. How they will plead for it, as did the men of 
 the city of Joash for Baal. Ju. vi. 29—31. and the 
 like, I might soon make it abimdantly appear, 
 that Christians do not depart from iniquity as they 
 should; and therefore the exhortation stands 
 good, and of use to the best of saints on earth, 
 that they and every of them ' should depart from 
 iniquity.' Yea, the observation also that they do 
 not do it as they should, doth still stand good 
 against us. 
 
 Wherefore, as it is true in those that have 
 nothing but notion, and that it is true in those 
 that are wrought upon, but not effectually, so it 
 is true upon those that are truly gracious ; obser- 
 vation proves it, fears of damnation prove it, the 
 outcry of the world proves it, and the confession 
 of the best men proves it. 
 
 [Obsekvation Second.] 
 
 I come now to another observation with which 
 I will present you, and that is this, namely, that 
 every one tlwit in way of profession and religion 
 names the name of Christ, ' should depart from 
 iniquity.' I say, that every one that in a way of 
 profession and religion, ' nameth the name of 
 Christ, should depart from iniquity.' This truth 
 needs more practice than proof. For I think 
 there are none that have either scripture or reason 
 by them, but will freely consent to this. 
 
 Nor is there any thing ambiguous in the obser- 
 vation, that we need now to stand upon the ex- 
 plaining of. For, 
 
 What iniquity is, who knows not ? 
 
 That it cleaves to the best, who knows not ? 
 
 That it is disgraceful to profession, who knows 
 not ? and therefore that it ought to be departed 
 from, who knows not ? 
 
 But because the motives in particular may not 
 be so much considered as they ought, and because 
 it is Satan's design to tempt us to be unholy, and 
 to keep iniquity and the professing man together ; 
 therefore I will in this place spend some argu- 
 ments upon you that profess, and in a way of 
 profession do name the name of Christ, that you 
 depart from iniquity ; to wit, both in the inward 
 thought and in the outward practice of it. And 
 those arguments shall be of four sorts, some 
 respecting Christ, some his Father, some our- 
 selves, and some the world. 
 
 First, [Arguments that respect Christ.] 
 
 First, The Christ, whom you profess, whose 
 name you name, and whose disciples you pretend 
 
 to be, is holy. ' Be ye holy, for I am holy,' 
 1 Pe. i. 16. This is natural to our discourse ; for if 
 Christ be holy, and if we profess him, and in 
 professing of him, declare that we are his disci- 
 ples, we ought therefore to depart from iniquity, 
 that we may shew the truth of our profession to 
 the world. 
 
 Second, They that thus name the name of 
 Christ should depart from iniquity, because this 
 Christ, whose name wo name, is loving. Those 
 that have a loving master, a master that is con- 
 tinually extending his love unto bis servants, 
 should be forward in doing of his will, that thereby 
 they may shew their sense, and acceptation of 
 the love of their master. Why, this is his will, 
 ' that we depart from iniquity, that we throw siu 
 away ; that we fly every appearance of evU. ' i TU. 
 
 T. 22. 
 
 Third, They that thus name the name of Christ 
 should depart from iniquity, because of the honour 
 aud reputation of the Lord. It is a disparage- 
 ment to Christ, tlmt any of his servants, and that 
 any that name his name, should yet abide by, and 
 continue with, iniquity. ' A son honoureth his 
 father, and a servant his master ; if then I 6e a 
 Father, where is mine honour ? and if I 6e a Mas- 
 ter, where is my fear ? saith the Lord of hosts, 
 unto you, priests, that despise my name. And 
 ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name ?' 
 
 MaL i. fi. 
 
 Fourth, They that name the name of Christ 
 should depart from iniquity, because of his name, 
 that his name may not be evil spoken of by men ; 
 for our holiness puts a lustre and a beauty upon 
 the name of Christ, and our not departing from 
 iniquity draws a cloud upon it. Wherefore we 
 ought to depart from iniquity, that the name of 
 the Lord Jesus may be glorified, and not reproached 
 through us. 
 
 Fijlh, They that name the name of Christ 
 should depart from iniquity, because of the gospel 
 of the Lord Jesus Christ. That the gospel of out 
 Lord Jesus Christ, which they profess, may not 
 be evil spoken of by our neighbours. The gospel 
 is called holy, therefore let them be holy that 
 profess it. 2 Pe. ii. 21. The which they can by no 
 means be, if they depart not from iniquity. Men 
 cannot serve the designs of the gospel, and their 
 own worldly and fleshly designs. But they that 
 profess the name of Christ, they should be tender 
 of his gospel, that they keep that in good esteem 
 and reputation in the world. The which they can 
 by no means do, unless they depart from iniquity. 
 
 Sixth, They that name the name of Christ 
 should depart from iniquity, because the very pro- 
 fession of that name is holy. The profession is 
 an holy profession. Be ye clean that bear the 
 vessels of the Lord ; the vessels, that is, the pro- 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OP CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 527 
 
 fession, for by that is as it were carried about 
 the name and gospel of Jesus Christ. We must 
 therefore lay aside all iniquity, and superfluity of 
 naughtiness, and do as persons professing godli- 
 ness, as professing a profession, that Christ is the 
 priest of, yea the high-priest of. i tl fi. lo. He. iii. i. 
 It is a reproach to any man to be but a bungler 
 at his profession, to be but a sloven in his profes- 
 sion. And it is the honour of a man to be excel- 
 lent in the managing of his profession. Christians 
 should be excellent in the management of their 
 profession, and should make that which is good in 
 itself, good to the church and to the world, by a 
 Bweet and cleanly managing of it. 
 
 Severdh, They that profess the name of Christ, 
 or that name it religiously, should to their utmost 
 depart from iniquity, because of the church of 
 Christ which is holy. He that religiously pro- 
 fesseth the name of Christ, has put himself into 
 the church of Christ, though not into a particular 
 one, yet into the universal one. Now that is holy. 
 What agreement then hath the temple of God 
 with idols ? Ay, or any pUlar, or post, or pin, or 
 member of that temple. 2 Co. vi. 16. One black sheep 
 is quickly espied among five hundred white ones, 
 and one mangey one will soon aiFect many. One 
 also among the saints, that is not clean, is a blemish 
 to the rest, and, as Solomon says, ' one sinner 
 destroyeth much good.' Ec. ix. is. 
 
 Eighth, They that profess the name of Christ, 
 or that name that name religiously, should depart 
 from iniquity, because of the ordinances of Christ, 
 for they are holy. E.t. kx. 17—31. Men of old before 
 they went in to mtddle with holy things, were to 
 wash their hands and their feet in a vessel pre- 
 pared for that purpose. Now since they that 
 name that name religiously do also meddle with 
 Christ's appointments, they must also wash and 
 be clean ; cleanse your hands ye sinners, if you 
 mean to meddle with Christ in his appointment; 
 wash lest God cut you off for your not departing 
 from iniquity. 
 
 Ninth, They that name the name of Christ 
 religiously should depart from iniquity, because of 
 Christ's observers. There are many that keep 
 their eye upon Christ, and that watch for an 
 opportunity to speak against him, even through 
 the sides of those that profess him. 'Behold, 
 tliis child is set for the fall and rising again of 
 many in Israel ; and for a sign that shall be spoken 
 against.' Lu. ii.34. Some take occasion to speak 
 against him, because of the meanness of his per- 
 son ; here some again speak against him, because 
 of the plainness of his doctrine ; also some speak 
 against him, because of the meanness of his fol- 
 lowers ; and some speak against him, because of 
 the evil deeds of some that profess him. But if 
 he that gives just occasion of offence to the least 
 
 of the saints had better be drowned in the sea with 
 a mill-stone about his neck ; what think you shall 
 his judgment be, who, through his mingling of 
 his profession of Christ's name with a wicked life, 
 shall tempt or provoke men to speak against 
 Christ ? 
 
 Second, I come now to tliose aigmnents that 
 respect God the Father. 
 
 First, Then, they that profess the name of 
 Christ should depart from iniquity ; because of 
 God the Father, because God the Father has made 
 Christ to be to us what he is ; to wit, the Apostle 
 and High-priest of our profession. ' He that 
 honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father 
 which hath sent him.' i Co. L so. Jn.v. 23; xt. 8. Nor 
 can the Father be honoured by us, but by our 
 departing from iniquity. All our talk and pro- 
 fession of Christ, adds no glory to his Father, who 
 has made him our King, and Priest, and Prophet, 
 if it be not joined to an holy conversation. Where- 
 fore, if you profess the name of Christ, and would 
 hold the word in hand, that you have believed in 
 him, depart from iniquity, for the Father's sake 
 that hath sent him. 
 
 Second, As it is the Father which hath made 
 Christ to us what he is ; so it is the Father who 
 hath called us to partake of Christ and all his 
 benefits. ' Wherefore we must depart from ini- 
 quity that profess the name of Christ, that we may 
 glorify him for his call.' l Co. L 9. He. iii. l. He has 
 called us to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ; 
 that is, to partake of all that good that is in him, 
 as Mediator, and to be done by him for those that 
 trust in him. Nor had we ever come out of a 
 cursed and condemned condition, to Christ, for 
 life and blessedness, but by the call of the Father; 
 ' For it is not of works, but of him that calleth. ' 
 Eo. ix. 11. Now since he has called us to this privi- 
 lege — even us whom he has called — and left others 
 in their sins to perish by his judgments, it is meet 
 we should depart from iniquity. He. iii. l. 2 Pe. i. 2, 3. 
 Especially since the call by which he called us is 
 heavenly, and holy, and because he has not ouly 
 called us to glory, but to virtue. 
 
 Third, We that religiously name the name of 
 Christ, should depart from iniquity, because God 
 the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has com- 
 manded us so to do. Wherefore gird up the loius 
 of your minds, be sober, and hope to the end, for 
 the grace that is to be brought unto you at the 
 revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, 
 not fashioning yourselves according to your former 
 lusts in your ignorance ; but as he that has called 
 you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of con- 
 versation : because it is written, ' Be ye holy, aa 
 I am holy.' 
 
 Fmxrth, They that religiously name the name of 
 Christ should depart from iniquity, that they may 
 
538 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 answer tlie end for which they are called to profess 
 his name. The Father has, therefore, called them 
 to profess his name, that they might be trees of 
 righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he 
 might be glorified. Dost thou then profess the 
 name of Christ : bring forth those fruits that become 
 that holy profession, that you may be called ' trees 
 of righteousness,' and that God may be glorified 
 for and by your professed subjection to the gospel 
 of his Son. Is. Ixi. 3. 
 
 Fifth, They that name — as afore — the name of 
 the Lord Jesus Christ, should depart from iniquity, 
 that they may shew to the world the nature and 
 power of those graces, which God the Father has 
 bestowed upon them that do religiously name the 
 name of Christ. And the rather, because he that 
 religiously nameth that name, deelareth even by 
 his so naming of him, that he has received grace 
 of the Father, to enable him so to do. Now he 
 cannot declare this by deeds, unless he depart from 
 iniquity ; and his declaring of it by words alone, 
 signifies little to God or man. Ti. i. le. 
 
 SiaUh, We therefore that religiously name the 
 name of Christ, should also depart from iniquity, 
 because the Spirit of the Father will else be 
 grieved. Ep. iv. 30. The countenancing of iniquity, 
 the not departing therefrom, will grieve the Holy 
 Spirit of God, by which you ' are sealed to the day 
 of redemption ;' and that is a sin of a higher nature 
 than men commonly are aware of. He that griev- 
 eth the Spirit of God shall smart for it here, or in 
 hell, or both. And that Spirit that sometimes did 
 illuminate, teach, and instruct them, can keep 
 silence, can cause darkness, can withdraw itself, 
 and sufier the soul to sin more and more ; and this 
 last is the very judgment of judgments. He that 
 grieves the Spirit, quenches it ; and he that 
 quenches it, vexes it ; and he that vexes it, sets 
 it against himself, and tempts it to hasten destruc- 
 tion upon himself. 1 Th. v. 19. Wherefore take heed, 
 professors, I say take heed, you that religiously 
 name the name of Christ, that you meddle not with 
 iniquity, that you tempt not the Spirit of the Lord 
 to do such things against you, whose beginnings 
 are dreadful, and whose end in working of judg- 
 ments is unsearchable, is. um. 10. Ac. v. 9. A man knows 
 not whither he is going, nor where he shall stop, 
 that is but entering into temptation ; nor whether 
 he shall ever turn back, or go out at the gap that 
 is right before him. He that has begun to grieve 
 the Holy Ghost, may be suffered to go on untU he 
 has sinned that sin which is called the sin against 
 the Holy Ghost. And if God shall once give thee 
 up to that, then thou art in the iron cage, out of 
 which there is neither deliverance nor redemption. 
 Let every one, therefore, that nameth the name of 
 Christ, depart from iniquity, upon this second con- 
 sideration. 
 
 Third, In the next place, I come now to those 
 arguments thai do respect thyself. 
 
 First, Those that religiously name the name of 
 Christ should, must, depart from iniquity, because 
 else our profession of him is but a lie. ' If we 
 say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in 
 darkness, we lie. ' 1 Jn. i. 6. ' And walk in darkiioss ;' 
 that is, and walk in iniquity, and take part in a 
 life that is according to the course of this world. 
 ' He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his 
 commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in 
 him.' ch. ii.4. The truth that he professes to know, 
 and that he saith he hath experience of, is not in 
 him. Every man that nameth the name of Christ 
 is not therefore a man of God, nor is the word in 
 every man's mouth, truth, though he makes pro- 
 fession of that worthy name. 1 Ki. xvii. 21. It is then 
 truth in him, and to others with reference to him, 
 when his mouth and his life shall agree. Re. ii. 2, 9; 
 iii. 9. Men may say they are apostles, and be liars : 
 they may say they are Jews, that is. Christians, 
 and lie, and be liars, and lie in so saying. Now 
 this is the highest kind of lying, and certainly 
 must therefore work the saddest sort of effects. 
 Thus man's best things are lies. His very saying, 
 I know him, I have fellowship with him, I am a 
 Jew, a Christian, is a lie. His life giveth his 
 mouth the lie : and all knowing men are sure he 
 lies. 1. He lies unto God: he speaks lies in the 
 presence, and to the very face of God. Now this 
 is a daring thing : I know their lies, saith he ; and 
 shall he not recompence for this ? See Ac. v. 4. Re. 
 xxi. 3, 27; xxii. 16. and take heed. I speak to you that 
 religiously name the name of Christ, and yet do 
 not depart from iniquity. 2. He lies unto men ; 
 every knowing man; every man that is able to 
 judge of the tree by the fruit, knows that that man 
 is a liar, and that his whole profession as to him- 
 self is a lie, if he doth not depart from iniquity. 
 Thus Paul called the slow bellies,* the unsound 
 professors among the Cretians, liars. They were 
 so in his eyes, for that their profession of the 
 name of Christ was not seconded with such a 
 life as became a people professing godliness. Tit. 
 i. 12—16. They did not depart from iniquity. But 
 again, 3. Such a man is a liar to his own soul. 
 Whatever such an one promiseth to himself, his 
 soul will find it a lie. There be many in the 
 world that profess the name of Christ, and con- 
 sequently promise their soul the enjoyment of that 
 good, that indeed is wrapt up in him, but they will 
 certainly be mistaken hereabout, and with the 
 greatest terror will find it so, when they shall hear 
 that direfid sentence, ' Depart from me, all ye 
 workers of iniquity.' Lu. xiii.27. Christ is resolved 
 
 * 'Slow beUies;' gluttons, arunkards, slothful, idle, eating 
 tlie bread of others without working. — Ed. 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 529 
 
 ttat the loose-lived professor shall not stand in the 
 judgment, nor any such sinners in the congrega- 
 tion of the righteous. They have lied to God, to 
 men, and to themselves ; but Jesus then wiU not 
 lie unto them : he will plainly tell them that he 
 hath not known them, and that they shall not 
 abide in his presence. But, 
 
 Second, Those that religiously name the name 
 of Christ should depart from iniquity, else, as they 
 are liars in their profession, so they are self- 
 deceivers. I told you but now such lie to them- 
 selves, and so consequently they deceive themselves. 
 ' But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers 
 only, deceiving your ownselves.' Ja. i. 23. It is a sad 
 thing for a man, in and about eternal things, to 
 prove a deceiver of others ; but for a man to deceive 
 himself, his ownself of eternal life, this is saddest 
 of all ; yet there is in man a propenseness so to 
 do. Hence the apostle says, be not deceived, and 
 let no man deceive himself. And again, vcr. 36. ' If 
 any man among you seem to be religious, and 
 bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own 
 heart, this man's religion is vain.' These words, 
 ' but deceiveth his own heart,' I have much mused 
 about : for they seem to me to be spoken to show 
 how bold and prodigiously desperate some men are, 
 who yet religiously name the name of Christ: 
 desperate, I say, at self-deceiving. He deceiveth 
 his own heart ; he otherwise persuadeth it, than of 
 its ownself it would go : ordinarily men are said to 
 be deceived by their hearts, but here is a man that 
 is said to deceive his own heart, flattering it off 
 from the scent and dread of those convictions, that 
 by the Word, sometimes it hath been under: per- 
 Buadiog of it that there needs no such strictness of 
 life be added to a profession of faith in Christ, as 
 by the gospel is called for : or that since Christ has 
 died for us, and rose again, and since salvation is 
 alone in him, we need not be so concerned, or be 
 so strict to matter how we live. This man is a 
 self-deceiver; he deceives his own heart. Self- 
 deceiving, and that about spiritual and eternal 
 things, especially when men do it willingly, is one 
 of the most unnatural, unreasonable, and unaccount- 
 able actions in the world. 1. It is one of the most 
 unnatural actions ; for here a man seeks his own 
 ruin, and privily lurks for his own life. Pr.iia. We 
 all cry out against him that murders his children, 
 his wife, or his own body, and condemn him to be 
 one of those that has forgot the rules and love of 
 nature. But behold the man under consideration 
 is engaged in such designs as will terminate in his 
 own destruction : ho deceiveth his own soul. 2. 
 This is also the most unreasonable act ; there can 
 no cause, nor crum of cause that has the least 
 spark or dram of reason, or of anything that looks 
 like reason, be shown why a man should deceive 
 himself, and bereave his ^oul of eternal life. There- 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 fore, 3. Such men are usually passed over with 
 astonishment and silence. ' Be astonished, ye 
 heavens, at this ! and be horribly afraid, for my 
 people have committed two evils ; they have for- 
 saken me the foimtain of living waters, and hewed 
 them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold 
 no water. ' Je. H. ii— 13. 
 
 But, above all this, as to this head, is the most 
 amazing place, where it is said, that the self- 
 deceiver makes his self-deceiving his sport : ' Sport- 
 ing themselves with their own deceivmgs.' 2Fe.ii. 13. 
 These are a people far gone, to be sure, that are 
 arrived to such a height of negligence, carelessness, 
 wantonness, and desperateness of spirit, as to take 
 pleasure in, and make a sport of, that which will 
 assuredly deceive them for ever. But this is the 
 fruit of professing of Christ, and of not departing 
 from iniquity. The wisdom and judgment of God 
 is such, as to give such over to the sporting of 
 themselves in their own deceivings. 
 
 Fourth. [Those a/rgwmemts tftat respect tixe 
 
 WORLD.] 
 
 First, Those that reKgiously name the name of 
 Christ should depart from iniquity, because of the 
 scandal that will else assuredly come upon religion, 
 and the things of religion, through them. Upon 
 this head I may begin to write with a sigh, for 
 never more of this kind than now ! There is no 
 place, where the professors of religion are, that is 
 clean and free from offence and scandal. Iniquity 
 is so entailed to religion, and baseness of life to 
 the naming of the name of Christ, that one may 
 say of the professors of this age, as it was said of 
 them of old, ' All tables are full of vomit and filthi- 
 ness, so that there is no place dean.' is.xxvUi.a. 
 Where are they even amongst those that strive for 
 the rule, that mind it at all, when it pinches upon 
 their lusts, their pride, avarice, and wantonness ? 
 Are not, now-a-days, the bulk of professors like 
 those that ' strain at a gnat and swallow a camel V 
 Mat. xxiii. 24. Yea, do not professors teach the wicked 
 ones to be wicked ? Je. ii. 33. Ah ! Lord God, this 
 is a lamentation, and will be for a lamentation. 
 What a sore disease is now got into the church of 
 God, that the generality of professors should walk 
 with scandal ! 
 
 No fashion, no vanity, no profuseness, and yet 
 no niggardliness, but is found among professors. 
 They pinch the poor, and nip from them their due, 
 to maintain their own pride and vanity. I shall 
 not need to instance particulars ; for from the rich 
 to the poor, from the pastor to the people, from the 
 master to his man, and from the mistress to her 
 maiden, all are guilty of scandal, and of reproach-- 
 ing, by their lives, the name of the Lord ; for they 
 profess, and name that worthy name of Christ, but 
 are not as they should be, departed from iniquity. 
 
 I . Hence the name of God is polluted and 
 
5S0 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHEISTIANITY. 
 
 reproached, even till God is weary and cries out, 
 ' Pollute ye my name no more with your gifts 
 and with your idols. ' Ezo. xx. 39. do not pollute 
 my name, says God; rather leave off profession, 
 and go every one to his wickedness. Tell the 
 world, if you will not depart from iniquity, that 
 Christ and you are parted, and that you have left 
 him, to he emhraced hy them to whom iniquity is 
 an ahomination. It would far hotter secure the 
 name of God from scandal and reproach, than for 
 you to name the name of Christ, and yet not to 
 depart from iniquity. Then, though you sin, as 
 now you do, the poor world would not cry out, Ay, 
 this is your religion ! Then they would not have 
 occasion to vilify religion because of you, since you 
 tell them that Christ and you are parted. But, 
 
 2. If you will not leave off to name the name of 
 Christ, nor yet depart from iniquity, you also scan- 
 dal the sincere professors oi religion, and that is a 
 grievous thing. There are a people in the world 
 that have made it their business, ever since they 
 knew Christ, to cleanse themselves from aU filthi- 
 ness of flesh and spirit, and tliat desire to perfect 
 holiness in the fear of God ; and you scandalous 
 professors mixing yourselves with them, ' make 
 their gold look dim.' La. iv. i. You are spots and 
 blemishes to them; Judeis. you are an evil mixing 
 itself with their good, and a scandal to their holy pro- 
 fession, s Pe. ii. 13. You are they that make the heart 
 of the righteous sad, whom God would not have 
 sad ; you are they that offend his little ones. Oh ! 
 the millstone that God will shortly hang about 
 your necks, when the time is come that you must 
 be drowned in the sea and deluge of God's wrath. 
 
 3. If you will not leave off to name the name of 
 Christ, nor yet depart from iniquity, you continue 
 to extend your scandal also to the word and doc- 
 trine of God. They that name the name of Jesus 
 religiously, should so carry it in the world, that 
 they might adorn the doctrine of God their Sa- 
 viour ; hut thou that professest and yet departest 
 not from iniquity, thou causest the name and doc- 
 trine which tliou professest to be blasphemed and 
 reproached by the men of this world ; and that is 
 a sad thing, a thing that will bring so heavy a load 
 upon thee, when God shall open thine eyes, and he 
 will open them either here or in hell-fire, that thou 
 wilt repent it with great bitterness of soul, l tl vi.i. 
 Ti. ii. 6, 10. The Lord smite thee to the making of 
 thee sensible to thy shame and conversion, if it ho 
 his blessed will. Amen ! But, 
 
 4. If thou wilt not leave off to name the name 
 of Christ, nor yet depart from iniquity, thou wilt 
 bring reproach, scorn, and contempt upon thyself. 
 For 'sin is areproachto any people.' Pr.xiv. 34 (1.) 
 These are they that God will hold in great con- 
 tempt and scorn, is. i. (2.) These are they that his 
 people shall have in great contempt. ' Therefore,' 
 
 saith he, ' have T also made you contemptible and 
 base before all the people, according as ye have 
 not kept my ways,' but have lifted up the face 
 against my law.* MaL ii. 9. Je. xxv. 9, 18. 3. Such shall 
 also he contemned and had in derision of the men 
 of this world. They shall he a hissing, a bye- 
 word, a taunt, and a reproach among all people. 
 ' For them that honour me, ' saith God, ' I will 
 honour, and they that despise me shall he lightly 
 esteemed.' 1 Sa.ii.30. I remember that Philpot used 
 to tell the Papists that they danced with their 
 buttocks uncovered, in a net, because of the evil 
 of their ways ; Is. xx. 4. and the Lord bids profes- 
 sors have a care, ' that the shame of thy naked- 
 ness do not appear, ' or lest they walk naked, and 
 their shame be discovered ; for those professors 
 that depart not from iniquity, however they think 
 of themselves, their nakedness is seen of others: 
 and if it be a shame to the modest to have their 
 nakedness seen of others, what bold and brazen 
 brows have they who are not ashamed to show their 
 nakedness, yea, the very shame of it, to all that 
 dwell about them ? And yet thus doth every one 
 that religiously names the name of Christ, and yet 
 doth not depart from iniquity. 
 
 Second, Those that religiously name the name 
 of Christ, and do not depart from iniquity, they 
 are the cause of the perishing of many. ' Woe,' 
 saith Christ, ' unto the world because of offences,' 
 Mat. xviii. 7. And again, ' Woe to that man by whom 
 the offence cometh ! ' These are they that cause 
 many to stumble at sin, and fall into hell. Hark, 
 you that are such, what God says to you: 'Ye 
 have caused many to stumble at the law,' and at 
 religion. Mai. ii. s. Men that are for taking of occa- 
 sion, you give it them ; men that would enter into 
 the kingdom, you puzzle and confound them with 
 your iniquity, while you name the name of Christ, 
 and do not depart therefrom. One sinner destroyeth 
 much good ; these are the men that encourage the 
 vile to be yet more vile ; these be the men that 
 quench weak desires in others ; and these he the 
 men that tempt the ignorani to harden themselves 
 against their own salvation. A professor that 
 hath not forsaken his iniquity, is like one that 
 comes out of the pest-house, among the whole, with 
 his plaguey sores running upon him. This is the 
 man that hath the breath of a dragon, he poisons 
 the air round about him. This is the man that 
 slays his children, his kinsmen, his friends, and 
 himself. What shall I say ? A man that nametk 
 the name of Christ, and that departeth not from 
 iniquity, to whom may he be compared ? The 
 Pharisees, for that they professed religion, hut 
 walked not answerable thereto, unto what doth 
 Christ compare them but to serpents and vipers ? 
 
 * Margin, 
 
A. HOLT LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 531 
 
 What does he call them but hypocrites, whited 
 walls, painted sepulchres, fools, and blind? and 
 tells them that they made men more the children 
 of hell than they were before. Mat. xxUi. Wherefore 
 such an one cannot go out of the world by him- 
 self: for as he gave occasion of scandal when he 
 was in the world, so is he the cause of the damna- 
 tion of many. ' The fruit of the righteous is a tree 
 of life. ' Pr. xi. 30. But what is the fruit of the wicked, 
 of the professors that are wicked? why, not to 
 perish alone in their iniquity. Job xxu. 20. These, as 
 the dragon, draw many of the stars of heaven, and 
 cast them to the earth with their most stinking tail. 
 Re. xii. i. Cast many a professor into earthly and 
 carnal delights, with their most filthy conversations. 
 
 The apostle did use to weep when he spake of 
 these professors, such ofi'ence he knew they were 
 and would be in the world. Ac. x%. 30. Hi ffi. is, 19. 
 These are the chief of the engines of Satan, with 
 these he worketh wonders. One Baalaui, one 
 Jeroboam, one Ahab. how many fish bring 
 such to Satan's net ! These are the tares that he 
 strives to sow among the wheat, for he knows they 
 are mischief to it. ' Wherefore, let every one that 
 nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.' 
 
 Fifth, Those that religiously name the name of 
 Christ, and do not depart from iniquity, how will 
 they die ; and how will they look that man in the 
 face, unto the profession of whose name they have 
 eutailed an unrighteous conversation ? Or do they 
 think that he doth not know what they have done, 
 or that they may take him off with a few cries and 
 wringing of hands, when he is on the throne to do 
 judgment against transgressors ? Oh ! it had been 
 better they had not known, had not professed; 
 yea, better they had never been bom ; for as Christ 
 , said of Judas, so may it be said of these, it had 
 been good for that man if he had never been bom ; 
 •ind as Christ says it had been good, so Peter says 
 it had been bettor. Mar. xiv. 21. 2 Pe. iL 20, 21. Good they 
 had not been born, and better they had not known 
 and made profession of the name of Christ. 
 
 But perhaps some may ask me. 
 
 What iniquity they must depart from that 
 
 RELIGIOUSLY NAME THE NAME OF ChBIST ? 
 
 First, I answer first, in general, those that reli- 
 giously profess the name of Christ, rmist depart 
 from ALL iniquity. They should lay aside every 
 weight; they should fly ' all appearance of evil.' 
 He. xii. 2. 1 Th. V. 22. Many there be that are willing 
 to part with some sins, some pleasures, some unjust 
 profits, if they may be saved ; but this selling of 
 all, parting with all, forsaking of all, is a very hard 
 chapter. 
 
 And yet the Lord Jesus lays it there, saying so 
 likewise, ' whosoever he be of you, ' of any of you 
 ihat professeth my name, 'that forsaketh not all 
 that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.' Liniv. 33. 
 
 Christ by this text requireth more of them that arc 
 his than to forsake all iniquity. Wherefore, to be 
 sure, every sin is included. No less than univer- 
 sal obedience will prove a man sincere. A divided 
 heart is a faulty one. no.x.2. He that forsaketh 
 not every sin is partial in the law, nor can he have 
 respect to all God's commandments. J0I) x%. 13. Jn. xiv. 
 21—24. There can be no true love to Christ where 
 there are reserves ; he that will hide any one sin 
 in his bosom, or that will keep it, as the phrase 
 is, under his tongue, is a secret enemy to Jesus 
 Christ. Ho loveth not Christ that keepeth not 
 his sayings. To halt between two is naught, and 
 no man can serve two masters. Christ is a mas- 
 ter, and sin is a master; yea, and masters are 
 they so opposite, that he that at all shall cleave to 
 the one shall by the other be counted his enemy. 
 If sin at all be countenanced, Christ counts him- 
 self despised. What man would count himself 
 beloved of his wife that knows she hath a bosom 
 for another ? ' Thou shalt not be for another man, ' 
 saith he, ' so vntt I be for thee.' Ho.iii. 3. Would 
 the king count him a loyal subject who would hide 
 in his house, nourish iu his bed, and feed at his 
 table, one that implacably hateth and seeketh to 
 murder his majesty ? Why, sin is such an enemy 
 to the Lord Jesus Christ ; therefore, as kings com- 
 mand that traitors be delivered up to justice, so 
 Christ commands that we depart from iniquity. 
 ' Take away all iniquity,' is a good prayer, and to 
 ' resist unto blood, striving against sin, ' is a good 
 warfare, and he that brings ' every thought to the 
 obedience of Christ' gets a brave victory. Ho. xiv. 2, 
 He. xii. 4. 2 Co. x. 5. Grace leaveneth the whole soul, 
 and so consequently all the parts thereof. Now 
 where the whole is leavened, the taste must needs 
 be the same throughout. Grace leaves no power, 
 faculty, or passion of the soul unsanctified, where- 
 fore there is no corner in a sanctified soul where 
 sin may hide his head, to find rest and abode with- 
 out control. Consequently, he that has a harbour 
 for this or that sin, and that can find a hiding- 
 place and an abode for it in his heart, is no Chris- 
 tian man. Let them then that christianly name 
 the name of Christ, make it manifest that they do 
 not do it feignedly, by departing from iniquity. 
 But, 
 
 Second, And more particularly, they that name 
 the name of Christ, as above, lA them depart from 
 their constitution-sin, or, if you will, the sin that 
 their temper most inclines them to. Every man 
 is not alike inclined to the same sin, but some to 
 one and some to another. Now let the man that 
 professes the name of Christ religiously, consider 
 with himself, unto what sin or vanity am I most 
 inclined ; Is it pride ? Is it covetousness ? Is it 
 fleshly lusts ? And let him labour, by all means, 
 to leave off and depart from that. This is chat 
 
632 
 
 A. HOLY LirE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 wliich David called Lis own iniquity, and saith, ' I 
 was also upright before him, and I kept myself 
 from mine iniquity.' Ps.xTm.23. Rightly are these 
 two put togethiir, for it is not possible that he 
 should be an upright man that indulgeth or coun- 
 tenanceth his constitution-sin ; but on the contrary, 
 he that keeps himself from that will be upright as 
 to all the rest ; and the reason is, because if a 
 man has that grace, as to trample upon and mor- 
 tify his darling, his bosom, his only sin, he will 
 more easily and more heartily abhor and fly the 
 rest. 
 
 And, indeed, if a man will depart from iniquity, 
 he must depart from his darling sin first ; for as 
 long as that is entertained, the others, at least 
 those that are most suiting with that darling, wiU 
 always be haunting of him. There is a man that 
 has such and such haunt his house, and spend his 
 substance, and would be rid of them, but cannot ; 
 but now, let him rid himself of that, for the sake 
 of which they haunt his house, and then he shall 
 with ease be rid of them. Thus it is with sin. 
 There is a man that is plagued with many sins, 
 perhaps because he embraceth one : well, let him 
 turn that one out of doors, and that is the way to 
 be rid of the rest. Keep thee from thy darling, 
 thy bosom, thy constitution-sin. 
 
 Motives to prevail with thee to fall in with this 
 exhortation, are several. 
 
 1. There can no great change appear in thee, 
 make what profession of Christ thou wilt, unless 
 thou cast away thy bosom sin. A man's constitu- 
 tion-sin is, as I may call it, his visible sin ; it is 
 that by which his neighbours know him and describe 
 him, whether it be pride, covetousness, lightness, 
 or the like. Now if these abide with thee, though 
 thou shouldest be much reformed in thy notions, 
 and in other parts of thy life, yet say thy neigh- 
 bours, he is the same man still ; his faith has not 
 saved him from his darling ; he was proud afore, 
 and is proud still; was covetous afore, and is 
 covetous still ; was light and wanton afore, and is 
 so still. He is the same man, though he has got 
 a new mouth. But now, if thy constitution-sin be 
 parted with, if thy darling be cast away, thy con- 
 version is apparent, it is seen of all, for the casting 
 away of that is death to the rest, and ordinarily 
 makes a change throughout. 
 
 2. So long as thy constitution-sin remains, as 
 winked at by thee, so long thou art an hypocrite 
 before God, let thy profession be what it will ; also, 
 when conscience shall awake and be commanded 
 to speak to thee plainly what thou art, it will tell 
 thee so, to thy no little vexation and perplexity. 
 
 3. Besides, do what thou canst, so long as thou 
 remainest thus thou wilt be of a scandalous life. 
 No honour is brought to religion by such. But, 
 
 Again, As they that name the name of Christ 
 
 should depart fi'om their constitution- sin, so they 
 should depart from the sins of other men's tempers 
 also. Much harm among professors is done by 
 each others' sins. There is a man that has clean 
 escaped from those who live in error, has shaken 
 off the carnal world and the men thereof, and is 
 come among professors ; but, behold, there also he 
 meeteth with wicked men, with men that have not 
 departed from iniquity ; and there he is entangled. 
 This is a sad thing, and yet so it is. I doubt there 
 are some in the world, I mean professors, that will 
 curse the day that ever they were acquainted with 
 some professors. There are professors that are 
 defilers, professors that are ' wicked men,' profes- 
 sors of whom a wicked man may learn to sin. Je.v. 
 26 ; ii. 33. Take heed of these, lest, having fled from 
 thine own sins, thou shoiJdest be taken with the 
 sins of others. ' Be not partakers of other men's 
 sins,' is the counsel and caution that Paul giveth to 
 Timothy, if he would keep himself pure. iTi.T.22. 
 
 4. Dost thou profess the name of Christ, and 
 dost thou pretend to be a man departing from ini- 
 quity ? Then take heed thou dost not deceive 
 thyself, by changing one bad way of sinning for 
 another bad way of sinning. This was a trick 
 that Israel played of old ; for when God's prophets 
 followed them hard with demands of repentance 
 and reformation, then they would ' gad about to 
 change their ways.' Je. 11.36. But, behold, they 
 would not change a bad way for a good, but one 
 bad way for another, hopping, as the squirrel, from 
 bough to bough, but not willing to forsake the tree. 
 Hence they were said to return, but not to the 
 Most High. Take heed, I say, of this. Many 
 leave off to be drunkards, and fall in with covet- 
 ousness. Many fall off from covetousneris to pride 
 and laciviousness : take heed of this. Ho. vii. 16. This 
 is a grand deceit, and a common one too, a deceit 
 of a long standing, and almost a disease epidemi- 
 cal amoflg professors. 
 
 Many times men change their darling sins, as 
 some change their wives and servants : that which 
 would serve for such an one this year may not serve 
 to be so for the year ensuing. Hypocrisy would 
 do awhile ago, but now debauchery. Profaneness 
 would do when profaneness was in fashion, but now 
 a deceitful profession. Take heed, professor, that 
 thou dost not throw away thy old darling sin for a 
 new one. Men's tempers alter. Youth is for 
 pride and wantonness ; middle age for cunning and 
 craft; old age for the world and covetousness. 
 Take heed, therefore, of deceit in this thing. 
 
 5. Dost thou profess the name of Christ, and 
 dost thou pretend to be a man departing from ini- 
 quity ? take heed, lest thy departing from iniquity 
 should be but for a time. Some do depart from 
 iniquity, as persons in wrangling fits depart from 
 
 [ one another ; to wit, for a time, but when the 
 
A HOLY LlIE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY 
 
 533 
 
 quarrel is over, by means of some intercessor, they 
 are reconciled again. ! Satan is the intercessor 
 between the soul and sin, and though the breach 
 between these two may seem to be irreconcileable ; 
 yea, though the soul hath sworn it will never give 
 countenance to so vile a thing as sin is more ; yet 
 he can tell how to make up this difference, and to 
 fetch them back to their vomit again, who, one 
 would have thought, had quite escaped his sins, 
 and been gone. 2 Pe. jL is— 82. Take heed, therefore, 
 professor. For there is danger of this, and the 
 height of danger lies in it; and I think, that 
 Satan, to do this thing, makes use of those sins 
 again, to begin this rejoinder, which he findeth 
 most suitable to the temper and constitution of the 
 sinner. These are, as 1 may call them, the mas- 
 ter sins ; they suit, they jump with the temper of 
 the soul. These, as the little end of the wedge, 
 enter with ease, and so make way for those that 
 come after, with which Satan knows he can rend 
 the soul in pieces. Wherefore, 
 
 6. To help this, take heed of parleying with thy 
 sins again, when once thou hast departed from 
 them : sin has a smooth tongue ; if thou hearken 
 to its enchanting language, ten thousand to one 
 but thou art entangled. See the saying of the 
 wise man, • with her much fair speech she caused 
 him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she 
 forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as 
 an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the 
 coiTection of the stocks.' Pr. vu. ai, 22. He heard her 
 charm, and by hearing is noosed, and led away to 
 her house, which is the way to hell, ' going down to 
 the chambers of death.' Take heed, therefore, oi 
 listening to the charms wherewith sin enchanteth 
 the soul. In this, be like the deaf adder, stop 
 thine ear, plug it up to sin, and let it only be open 
 to hear the words of God. 
 
 Tliird, Let them that name the name of Christ 
 depart from the iniquity of TSa times. There are 
 sins that may be called the iniquity of the day. It 
 was thus in Noah's day, it was thus in Lot's day, 
 and it was thus in Christ's day — I mean, in the 
 days of his flesh: and it is a famous thing for pro- 
 fessors to keep themselves from the iniquities of 
 the times. Here lay Noah's excellency, here lay 
 Lot's excellency, and here will lie thy excellency, 
 if thou keep thyself from the iniquity of this day. 
 Keepr or ' save yourselves from this untoward gene- 
 ration, ' is seasonable counsel, Ac. ii. 40, but taken of 
 but few ; the sin of the time, or day, being as a 
 strong current or stream that drives all before it. 
 Hence Noah and Lot were found, as it were, alone, 
 in the practice of this excellent piece of rigliteous- 
 ness in their generation. Hence it is said of Noah, 
 that he ' was a just man, and perfect in his gene- 
 rations. ' Ge. Ti. 9. And again, the Lord said unto 
 Noah, ' Come thou and all thy house into the ark. 
 
 for thee have I seen righteous before me, in this 
 generation.' The meaning is, he kept himself clear 
 of the sin of his day, or of the generation among 
 which he lived. Ge. vii. i. 
 
 The same I say of Lot, he kept himself from 
 the sin of Sodom ; and hence Peter cries him up 
 for such a righteous man. ' Just Lot,' saith he, 
 ' that righteous man,' whose righteous soul was 
 vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. 
 2Pe.ii.7,8. Mark, ' a just man,' ' a righteous man,' 
 ' his righteous soul,' &c. But how obtained he 
 this character ? Why, he abhorred the sin of his 
 time, he fell not in with the sin of the people, but 
 was afflicted and vexed thereabout ; yea, it was to 
 him a daily burden. ' For that righteous man 
 dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed 
 his righteous soul from day to day, with their 
 unlawful deeds.' So David, ' I beheld,' saith he, 
 ' the transgressors, and was grieved, because they 
 kept not thy word.' Ps.cxix. 158. The sin of the 
 times is to God the worst of sins ; and to fall in 
 with the sin of the times is counted as the highest 
 of transgressions. Consequently, to keep from 
 them, though a man shoidd, through infirmity, be 
 guilty of others, yet he is accounted upright. And 
 hence it is, I think, that David was called a man 
 after God's own heart ; to wit, because he served 
 his own generation by the will of God ; or, as in 
 Ac. xiii. 22, after he had, in his own age, served 
 the will of God. By the sin of the times Satan, 
 as it were, set up his standard in defiance to God ; 
 seeking then to cause his name, in a signal way, to 
 be dishonoured, and that by the professors of that 
 age. And hence it is that the Lord doth manifest 
 such wrath against his people that are guilty of 
 the common sin of their day, and that he shews 
 such special favour to them that abstain therefrom. 
 Was there no more, think you, but Noah, in his 
 generation, that feared God? Yes, several, no 
 doubt ; but he was the man that kept clear of the 
 sin of his day, therefore he and his family must be 
 partakers of God's deliverance; the other must 
 die before, and not be permitted to the mercy of 
 the ark, nor to see the new world with Noah. 
 Unbelief was the sin of the day when Israel was 
 going from Egypt to Canaan ; therefore all that 
 were guilty of that transgression must be denied 
 to go in to see that good land, yea, though it were 
 Moses himself. ' And the Lord spake unto Moses 
 and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanc- 
 tify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, there- 
 fore ye shall not bring this congregation into the 
 land which I have given them. ' Nu. xx. 12. 
 
 The sin of the day is an high transgression ; 
 from the which, because Caleb and Joshua kept 
 themselves, God kept them from all the blasting 
 plagues that overtook all the rest, and gave them 
 the land which he had promised to their fathers. 
 
534 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OE CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 ' But my servant Caleb, because be bad anotber 
 spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him 
 will I bring into the land whereinto he went ; and 
 his seed shall possess it.' Nilxit. 24, Idolatry was 
 the sin of the day just before Israel were carried 
 captive into Babylon. Now those of the priests 
 that went astray then, even they say, God shall 
 bear their iniquity. ' But the priests, the Levites, 
 the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my 
 sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray 
 from me, they shall come near unto me, to minis- 
 ter unto me ; and they shall stand before me, to 
 offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord 
 God. They shall enter into my sanctuary, and 
 they shall come near to my table, to minister unto 
 me, and they shall keep my charge.' Eze. xliv. 15, 36. 
 
 Great complaints have we now among profes- 
 sors, of deadness in duties, barrenness of the 
 ministry, and of the withdrawing of God from his 
 people ; but I can tell you a cause of all this, 
 namely, the sin of the day is got into the church 
 of God, and has defiled that holy place. This is 
 the ground and cause of all these things ; nor is it 
 like to be otherwise, till the cause shall be removed. 
 If any should ask me what are the sins of our 
 day, I would say they are conspicuous, they are 
 open, they are declared as Sodom's were. Is. iii. 9. 
 They that have embraced them, are not ashamed 
 of them ; yea, they have got the boldness to plead 
 for them, and to count them their enemies that 
 seek to reform them. All tables are full of vomit 
 and filthiness. And for pride and covetousness, 
 for loathing of the gospel, and contemning holi- 
 ness, as these have covered the face of the nation, 
 so they have infected most of them that now name 
 the name of Christ. 
 
 And I say again, when you find out a professor 
 that is not horribly tainted with some of these 
 tilings, I exclude not the ministers nor their 
 families, let him be as a beacon upon a bill, or as 
 an ensign in our land. But says one. Would you 
 have us singular ? and says another, Would you 
 have us make ourselves ridiculous ? and says a 
 third, Such and such, more godly-wise than we, 
 do so. But I answer, if God has made you sin- 
 gular, and called you to grace, that is singular ; 
 and bid you walk in ways that are singular, and 
 diverse from the ways of all others. Yea, if to 
 depart from iniquity will make you ridiculous, if 
 to be holy- in all manner of conversation will make 
 you ridiculous, then be contented to be counted so. 
 As for the godly-wise you speak of, let them mani- 
 fest themselves to be such by departing from ini- 
 quity. I am sure that their being tainted with 
 sins of the day, will not prove them godly-wise. 
 ' Behold, I have taught you,' said Moses, 'statutes 
 and judgments, even as the Lord my God com- 
 manded me; tliat ye should do so in the land 
 
 whither you go to possess it. Keep therefore, and 
 do them, for this is your wisdom, and your under- 
 standing in the sight of the nations, which shall 
 hear of all these statutes, and say. Surely this 
 great nation is a wise and understanding people.' 
 Here then is wisdom, and this is that that mani- 
 festeth a people to be understanding, and godly- 
 wise, even the keeping of the commandments of 
 God. And why follow the apish fashions of the 
 world ? Hath the God of wisdom set tliem on 
 foot among us ? or is it because the devil and 
 wicked men, the inventors of these vain toys, have 
 outwitted the law of God ? ' what nation is tliere 
 so great, who liath God so nigh unto them ' as his 
 people have, and as he 'is in all things that we 
 call upon him for"^ And what nation is tliere so 
 great, that hath statutes and judgments so righte- 
 ous, as all this law,' said Moses, ' which I set 
 before you this day?' ])e. iv. 6—8. This then is that 
 which declareth us to be godly- wise, when we keep 
 our soul diligently to the holy words of God ; and 
 fit not only our tongues and lips, but also our 
 lives thereto. 
 
 Fourth, But again, let them that name the 
 name of Christ depart from the iniguity, that is, as 
 I may call it, from family iniquity. There is a 
 house iniquity ; an iniquity that loves not to walk 
 abroad, but to harbour within doors. This the 
 holy man David was aware of, therefore he said 
 that he would behave himself ' wisely, in a perfect 
 way ;' yea, saith he, ' I will walk within my house 
 with a perfect heart.' Ps. d. 2. 
 
 Now this house iniquity standeth in these 
 things. (1.) In domestic broils and quarrels. 
 (2.) In domestic chamberings and wantonness. 
 (3.) In domestic misorders of children and ser- 
 vants. 
 
 1. For house broils and quarrels, it is an ini- 
 quity to be departed from, whether it be betwixt 
 husband and wife, or otherwise. This, as I said, 
 is an iniquity that loves not to wallc abroad, but 
 yet it is an horrible plague within doors. And 
 many that shew like saints abroad, yet act the 
 part of devils when they are at home, by giving 
 way to this house iniquity ; by cherishing of this 
 house iniquity. This iniquity meeteth the man 
 and his wife at the very threshold of the door, and 
 will not suffer them to enter, no not with one foot 
 into the house in peace, but how far this isfrom 
 walking together as heirs of the grace of life, is 
 easy to be determined. Men should carry it in 
 love to their wives, as Christ doth to his church ; 
 and wives should carry it to their husbands, as 
 the church ought to carry it to her Saviour. Ep. f. 
 51—28. 1 Pe. iii. 7- And until each relation be managed 
 with respect to these things, this house iniquity 
 will be cherished there. ! God sees within 
 doors as well as without, and will judge too for 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHUISTIANiri'. 
 
 533 
 
 the iniquity of the house as well as for that more 
 open. 
 
 2, As house iniquity standeth in domestic broils 
 and contentions ; so it also standeth in chamber- 
 ings and wantonness. Eo. xiii. 13. Wherefore the 
 apostle putteth them both together, saying, ' not 
 in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and 
 envying.' This chambering and wantonness is of a 
 more general extent, being entertained by all, inso- 
 much, that sometimes from the head to the foot all 
 are horribly guilty. But, ' it is a shame to spealc 
 of those things that are done of some in secret ;' 
 for ' through the lusts of their own hearts, they 
 dishonour their own bodies between themselves,' 
 'working that which is unseemly,' Ep. v. 12. Ro. i. 
 24, 27. to their ignominy and contempt, if not with 
 their fellows, yet with God, who sees them ; for 
 ' the darkness hideth not from him. ' Ps. cxxxix. 12. It 
 was for this kind of iniquity with other, that God 
 told Eli that he would 'judge his house for ever.' 
 
 1 Sa. iii. 13. also the words that follow are to be 
 trembled at, that say, 'The iniquity of Eli's house 
 shall not be purged with sacrifice nor oiFering for 
 ever. ' v-er. 14. Such an evil thing is house iniquity 
 in the eyes of the God that is above. 
 
 3. As domestic iniquity standeth in these, so 
 also in the disorders of children and servants. 
 Children's unlawful carriages to their parents is a 
 great house iniquity ; yea, and a common one too. 
 
 2 Ti. iii. 2, 3. Disobedience to parents is one of the 
 sins of the last days. ! it is horrible to behold 
 how irreverently, how irrespectively, how saucily 
 and malapertly, children, yea, professing children, 
 at this day, carry it to their parents ; snapping, 
 and checking, curbing and rebuking of them, as 
 if they had never received their beings by them, 
 or had never been beholden to them for bringing 
 of them up ; yea, as if the relation was lost, or as 
 if they had received a dispensation from God to 
 dishonour and disobey parents. 
 
 I will add, that this sin reigns in little and 
 great, for not only the small and young, but men, 
 are disobedient to their pai'ents ; and indeed, this 
 is the sin with a shame, that men shall be disobe- 
 dient to parents ; the sin of the last times, that 
 men sjiall be ' disobedient to parents,' and ' with- 
 out natural affection.' Where now-a-days shall 
 we see children that are come to men and women's 
 estate, carry it as by the word they are bound, to 
 their aged and worn-out parents ? I say, where 
 is the honour they should put upon them ? who 
 speaks to their aged parents with that due regard 
 to that relation, to their age, to their worn-out 
 condition, as becomes them ? Is it not common 
 now-a-days, for parents to be brought into bondage 
 and servitude by their children ? For parents to 
 be under, and children above ; for parents to be 
 debased, and children to lord it over them. Nor 
 
 doth this sin go alone in the families where it is ; 
 no, those men are lovers of their ownselves; cove- 
 tous, boasters, proud, blasphemous, that are dis- 
 obedient to their parents. This is that the pro- 
 phet means, when he saith, ' The child shall behave 
 himself proudly against the ancient, and the base 
 against the honourable.' is. iii. 5. This is a common 
 sin, and a crying sin, and to their shame be it 
 spoken that are guilty ; a sin that makes men vile 
 to a high degree, and yet it is the sin of profes- 
 sors. But behold how the apostle brands them ; 
 he saith, such have but • a form of godliness, but 
 denying the power thereof,' and bids the godly 
 shut them out of their fellowship. 3 TL iU. 5. This 
 sin also is, I fear, grown to such a height in some, 
 as to make them weary of their parents, and of 
 doing their duty to them. Yea, I wish that some 
 are not 'murderers of fathers and mothers,' by 
 their thoughts, while they secretly long after, and 
 desire their death, that the inheritance may be 
 theirs, and that they may he delivered from obe- 
 dience to their parents. 1 Ti. i. 9. This is a sin in 
 the house, in the family, a sin that is kept in 
 hugger-mugger, close ; but God sees it, and hath 
 declared his dislike against it, by an explicit 
 threatening; to cut them off that are guilty of it. 
 Ep. c. 1—5. Let them then that name the name of 
 Christ, depart from this iniquity. 
 
 Disorders of servants is also an house iniquity, 
 and to be departed from by the godly. ' He that 
 worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house;' 
 said David ; and 'he that telleth lies shall not tarry 
 in my sight.' Ps. d. 7. One of the rarities in Solo- 
 mon's house, and which the queen of Sheba was so 
 taken with, was the goodly order of his servants. 
 
 2 Ch. ix. 4. 
 
 Some of the disorders, of servants i are to be 
 imputed to the governors of families, and some to 
 the servants themselves. Those that are to be 
 imputed to the governors of families, are such as 
 these: (1.) When the servant learns his vileness 
 of his master, or of her mistress. (2.) When 
 servants are countenanced by the master against 
 the mistress ; or by the mistress against the mas- 
 ter ; or when in opposition to either, they shall be 
 made equals in things. (3.) When the extrava- 
 gancies of servants are not discountenanced and 
 rebuked by their superiors, and the contrary taught 
 them by word and life. 
 
 Those to be imputed to the servants, themselves 
 are: (1.) Their want of reverence to their supe- 
 riors. (2.) Their backbiting and slandering of 
 them. (3.) Their unfaithfulness in serving of 
 them. (4.) Their murmuring at their lawful 
 commands, ifec. 
 
 Erom all these domestic iniquities, let every one 
 depart that religiously nameth the name of Christ. 
 And before I leave this head, let me, to enforce 
 
536 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 my exhortation, urge upon you a few considera- 
 tions to work with you yet further to depart from 
 these house iniquities. 
 
 Consider 1. A man's house, and his carriage 
 there, doth more hespeak the nature and temper 
 of his mind, than all public profession. If I were 
 to judge of a man for my life, I would not judge 
 of him by his open profession, but by his domestic 
 behaviours. Open profession is like a man's best 
 cloak, the which is worn by him when he walketh 
 abroad, and with many is made but little use of 
 at home. But now what a man is at home, that 
 he is indeed. There is abroad, my behaviour to 
 my friends, and customers, my outward honesty in 
 dealing and avoiding gross sins. There is at 
 home, my house, my closet, my heart; and my 
 house, my closet, shew most what I am: though 
 not to the world, yet to my family, and to angels. 
 And a good report from those most near, and most 
 capable of advantage to judge, is like to be truer 
 than to have it only from that which is gotten by 
 my observers abroad. The outside of the platter 
 and cup may look well, when within they may be 
 full of excess. Mat. xxm. 35—23. The outward shew 
 and profession may be tolerable, when within 
 doors may be bad enough. I and my house ' will 
 serve the Lord,' is the character of a godly man. 
 
 J03. XXIT. 14. 
 
 Consider 2. As the best judgment is made upon 
 a man from his house, so that man is like to have 
 the approbation of God for good, that is faithful 
 in all his house. 'I know Abraham,' says God, 
 ' that he will command his children, and his house- 
 hold after him, and they shall keep the way of the 
 Lord.' Ge. xviii. 19. To make religion and the 
 power of godliness the chief of my designs at 
 home, among those among whom God by a special 
 hand has placed me, is that which is pleasing to 
 God, and that obtaineth a good report of him. 
 But to pass these, and to come to other things. 
 
 Consider 3. A master of a family, and mistress 
 of the same, are those that are entrusted of God 
 with those under their tuition and care, to be 
 brought up for him, be they children or servants. 
 This is plain from the text last mentioned; where- 
 fore here is a charge committed to thee of God. 
 Look to it, and consider with thyself, whether 
 thou hast done such duty and service for God in 
 this matter, as, setting common frailties aside, 
 thou canst with good conscience lift up thy face 
 unto God ; the which to be sure thou canst by no 
 means do, if iniquity, to the utmost, be not ban- 
 ished out of thy house. 
 
 Consider 4. And will it not bo a sad complaint 
 that thy servant shall take up against thee, before 
 the Judge at the last day, that he learnt the way 
 to destruction in thy house, who art a professor. 
 Servants, though themselves be carnal, expect. 
 
 when they come into the house of professors, that 
 there they shall see religion in its spangling 
 colours ; but behold, when he enters thy door, he 
 finds sin and wickedness there. There is pride 
 instead of humility, and heighth and * raillery 
 instead of meekness and holiness of mmd. He 
 looked for a house fuU of virtue, and behold no- 
 thing but spider-webs ; fair and plausible abroad, 
 but like the sow in the mire at home. Bless me, 
 saith such a servant, are these the religious 
 people r Are these the servants of God, where 
 iniquity Is made so much of, and is so highly 
 entertained ! And now is his heart fiUed with 
 prejudice against all religion, or else he turns 
 hypocrite like his master and his mistress, wearing, 
 as they, a cloak of religion to cover all abroad, 
 while all naked and shameful at home. But 
 perhaps thy heart is so hard, and thy mind so 
 united to the pleasing of thy vile affections, that 
 thou wilt say, ' What care I for my servant ? I 
 took him to do my work, not to train him up In 
 religion.' Well, suppose the soul of thy servant 
 be thus little worth in thine eyes ; yet what wilt 
 thou say for thy children, who behold aU thy ways, 
 and are as capable of drinking up the poison of 
 thy footsteps, as the swine is of drinking up swill: 
 I say, what wilt thou do for them ? Children 
 will learn to be naught of parents, of professing 
 parents soonest of all. They will be tempted to 
 think all that they do is right. I say, what wilt 
 thou say to this ? Or art thou like the ostrich 
 whom God hath deprived of wisdom, and has 
 hardened her heart against her young ? Job xxxii. 
 13—17. Will it please thee when thou shalt see 
 that thou hast brought forth children to the mur- 
 derer? or when thou shalt hear them cry, I learnt 
 to go on in the paths of sin by the carriages of 
 professing parents.t Ho. Li. 13. If it was counted 
 of old a sad thing for a man to bring forth chil- 
 dren to the sword, as Ephraim did, what wlU it bo 
 for a man to bring up children for hell and damna- 
 tion ? But, 
 
 Fifth, Let those that name the name of Christ 
 depart from the iniquity of thetr closet. This 
 may be called part of the iniquity of the house ; 
 but because it is not public, but as a retired part, 
 therefore I put it here by Itself. There are many 
 closet sins that professors may be guilty of, and 
 from which they have need to depart. As, 
 
 1. There is the pride of a library, that is, the 
 study or closet, and I doubt this sin and iniquity 
 to this day is with many great professors, and in 
 
 * ' Raillery ;' jesting, merriment. 
 
 t A christian parent has peculiar and solemn duties to per- 
 form, in addition to those of eveiy other class of Christians. 
 This ought to lead him perpetually to seek wisdom from his 
 heavenly Father ; and in such close communion ho becomes 
 as peculiarly blessed as he is burtheued. — Ed. 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OP CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 537 
 
 my judgment it is thus manifested. (1.) When 
 luen secretely please themselves to think it is 
 linown what a stock of books they have, or when 
 they take more pleasure in the number of, than 
 the matter contained in, their books. (2.) When 
 they buy books rather to make up a number than 
 to learn to be good and godly men thereby. (3.) 
 When, though they own their books to be good 
 and godly, yet they will not conform thereto. 
 
 This is an iniquity now on foot in this land, and 
 ought to be departed from. It ia better to have 
 no books, and depart from iniquity, than to have a 
 thousand, and not to be bettered in fny soul thereby. 
 
 2. There is an iniquity that attends the closet, 
 which I may call by the name of vacancy. When 
 men have a closet to talk of, not to pray in ; a 
 closet to look upon, not to bow before God in : a 
 closet to lay up gold in, but not to mourn in for the 
 sins of my life ; a closet that, could it speak, would 
 say. My owner is seldom here upon his knees before 
 the God of heaven ; seldom here humbling himself 
 for the iniquity of his heart, or to thank God for 
 the mercies of his life. 
 
 3. Then also a man is guilty of closet-iniquity, 
 when though he doth not utterly live in the neglect 
 of duty, he formally, carnally, and without reve- 
 rence, and godly fear, performs it. Also, when he 
 asketh God for that which he cannot abide should 
 be given him, or when he prayeth for that in his 
 closet, that he cannot abide in his house, nor in 
 Lis life. 
 
 4. Then also a man is guilty of closet-iniquity, 
 when he desireth that the sound of the devotion he 
 doth there, may be heard by them without in the 
 house, the street, or of those that dwell by ; for a 
 closet is only for the man and God to do tilings in 
 secretly. Mat yL 6. 
 
 These things let the professor beware of, lest he 
 •idd to his iniquity, sin, until he and it comes to be 
 loathsome. The closet is by God appointed for 
 men to wait upon him in, apd to do it without 
 hypocrisy ; to wait there for his mind and his will, 
 and also for grace to perform it. And how can a 
 man that went last time out of his closet to be 
 naught, have the face to come thither again ? If I 
 regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear 
 my prayer ; and if so, then he will not meet me 
 in my closet ; and if so, then I shall quickly be 
 weary thereof, being left to myself, and the vanity 
 ofmymirid. 
 
 It is a great thing to be a closet Christian, and 
 to hold it ; he must be a close Christian, that will 
 be a closet Christian. When I say a close Chris- 
 tian, I mean one that is so in the hidden part, and 
 that also walks with God. Many there be that 
 profess Christ, who do oftener, in London,* frequent 
 
 * Buiiyan was in the liabit of visitiug London, the scat of 
 VOL. II. 
 
 the coifec-house than their closet ; and that sooner 
 in a morning run to make bargains than to pray 
 unto God, and begin the day with him. But for 
 thee, who professest the name of Christ, do thou 
 depart from all these things ; do thou make con- 
 science of reading and practising ; do thou follow 
 after righteousness ; do thou make conscience of 
 beginning the day with God ; for he that begins it 
 not with him will hardly end it with him ; he that 
 runs from God in the morning will hardly find him 
 at the close of the day ; nor will he that begins 
 with the world and the vanities thereof, in the first 
 place, be very capable of walking with God all the 
 day after. It is he that finds God in his closet 
 that will carry the savour of him into his house, 
 his shop, and his more open conversation. When 
 Moses had been with God m the mount his face 
 shone, he brought of that glory into the camp. 
 
 Ex. xxxiv. 
 
 Sixth, I add again, let those that name the name 
 of Christ depart from the iniquity that cleaveth 
 TO OPI.N'IONS. This is a sad age for that ; let opi- 
 nions in themselves be never so good, never so 
 necessary, never so innocent, yet there are spirits in 
 the world that will entail iniquity to them, and will 
 make the vanity so inseparable with the opinion, 
 that it is almost impossible with some to take in 
 the opinion and leave out the iniquity, that by the 
 craft and subtilty of Satan is joined thereto. Nor 
 is this a thing new, and of yesterday ; it has been 
 thus almost in all ages of the church of God, and 
 that not only in things small and indifferent, but 
 in things fundamental and most substantial. I 
 need instance in none other for proof hereof, but 
 the doctrine of faith and hoUness. If faith be 
 preached as that which is absolutely necessary to 
 justification, then faith fantastical, and looseness 
 and remissness in life, with some, are joined there- 
 with. If holiness of life be preached as necessary 
 to salvation, then [they say that] faith is under- 
 valued, and set below its place, and works as to 
 justification, with God set up and made co-partners 
 with Christ's merits in the remission of sins. Thus 
 iniquity joineth itself with the great and most sub- 
 stantial truths of the gospel, and it is hard to 
 receive any good opinion whatever, but iniquity will 
 join itself thereto. Ep. v. 12, 13. Wicked spirits do 
 not only tempt men to transgress the moral law, 
 but do present themselves in heavenly things, work- 
 ing there, and labouring in them, to wrest the 
 judgment, and turn the understanding and con- 
 science awry in those high and most important 
 things. Wherefore, I say, we must be the more 
 watchful and careful lest we be abused in our notions 
 
 government, and doubtless saw a sad change in the conduct of 
 many professors, under a profligate monarch, to what it had 
 hceu under the pious protector. — Elj. 
 
 3 X 
 
538 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 and best principles, by the iniquities that join them- 
 selves thereto. 
 
 It is strange to see at this day how, notwith- 
 standing all the threatenings of God, men are 
 wedded to their own opinions, beyond what the law 
 of grace and love will admit. Here is a Presbyter, 
 here is an Independent, and a Baptist, so joined 
 each man to his own opinion, that they cannot have 
 that communion one with another, as by the testa- 
 ment of the Lord Jesus they are commanded and 
 enjoined. Wliat is the cause? Is the truth? No? 
 God is the author of no confusion in the church of 
 God. ICo. xiv. 33. It is, then, because every man 
 makes too much of his own opinion, abounds too 
 much in his own sense, and takes not care to sepa- 
 rate his opinion from the iniquity that cleaveth 
 thereto. That this confusion is in the church of 
 Christ, I am of Paul, I of Apollos, I of Cephas, 
 and I of Christ, is too manifest. But what unbe- 
 coming language is this for the children of the 
 same father, members of the same body, and heirs 
 of the same glory, to be accustomed to ? Whether 
 it is pride, or hypocrisy, or ignorance, or self, or 
 the devil, or the Jesuit, or all these jointly working 
 with the church, it makes and maintains these 
 names of distinction. This distance and want of 
 love, this contempt of one another, these base and 
 undervaluing thoughts of brethren, will be better 
 seen, to the shame and confusion of some, in the 
 judgment. 
 
 In the meantime, I advise thee with whom I am 
 at this time concerned, to take heed of this mixture, 
 this sinful mixture of truth and iniquity together ; 
 and to help thee in this thing, keep thine eye much 
 upon thine own base self, labour also to be sensible 
 of the imperfections that cleave to thy best perform- 
 ances, be clothed with humility, and prefer thy 
 brother before thyself; and know that Christianity 
 lieth not in small mattei-s, neither before God, nor 
 understanding men. And it would be Avell if those 
 that so stickle by their private and unscriptural 
 notions, which only is iniquity cleaving to truth, — 
 I say, it would be well if such were more sound in 
 faith and morals, and if by their lives they gave 
 better conviction to the world that the truth and 
 grace of Christ is in them. 
 
 Sometimes so much iniquity is mixed with good 
 opinions, that it prevails, not only to hurt men in 
 this world, but to drown them in misery everlasting. 
 It was good tliat the Jews did own and allow the 
 ceremonies of the law, but since the iniquity that 
 joined itself thereto did prevail with them to make 
 those ceremonies copartners with Christ in those 
 matters that pertained to Christ alone, therefore 
 they perished in them. The Galatians also, with 
 many of the Corinthians, had like to have been 
 overthrown by these things, Take heed, there- 
 fore, of that iniquity that seekcth to steal with 
 
 the truth into thy heart, thy judgment, and under- 
 standing. 
 
 Nor doth one iniquity come without another; 
 they are linked togetlier, and come by companiesr 
 and therefore usually they that are superstitious in 
 one tiling, are corrupted in several other. The more 
 a man stands upon his points* to justify himself 
 and to condemn his holy brethren, the more danger 
 he is in of being overcome of diverser evils. And 
 it is the wisdom of God to let it be so, that flesh 
 might not glory in his presence. ' His soul, which 
 is lifted up,' Hab. ii. 4. to wit, with his good doings, 
 with his order and methods in religion, ' his soul 
 is not upright in him.' I have often said in 
 my heart. What is the reason that some of the 
 brethren should be so shy of holding communion 
 with those every whit as good, if not bettor than 
 themselves? Is it because they think themselves 
 unworthy of their holy fellowship? No, verily; it 
 is because they exalt themselves, they are leavened 
 with some iniquity that hath mixed itself with 
 some good opinions that they hold, and therefore 
 it is that they say to others, ' Stand by thyself, 
 come not near to me, for I am holier than thou.' 
 Is. kv, 5. But what is the sentence of God concern- 
 ing those? Why, these are a smoke in my nose, 
 a fire that burneth all the day. Wherefore, as I 
 said before, so I say now again, take heed of the 
 iniquity that cleaveth to good opinions ; the which 
 thou wilt in nowise be able to shun unless thou be 
 clothed with humility, t But, 
 
 Seventh, Let them that name the name of Christ 
 depart from hypocrisies. This exhortation is as 
 the first, general; for hypocrisies are of that 
 nature, that they spread themselves as the leprosy 
 of the body, all over j not the faculties of the soul 
 only, but all the duties of a man. So that here is 
 a great iniquity to be parted from, an over-spread- 
 ing iniquity. This sin will get into all thy profes- 
 sion, into every whit of it, and will make the whole 
 of it a loathsome stink in the nostrils ot God. 
 Hypocrisy will bo in the pulpit, in conference, in 
 closets, in communion of saints, in faith, in love, 
 in repentance, in zeal, in humility, in alms, in the 
 prison, and in all duties. Eze. viii. 12. Mai. ii. 18. Mat. vi. Zj 
 vii. 30, 21j xxiii. 15; Lu. xii. 1, 2 ; Kt. 19, 20. 1 Co. xiii. 3. 2 Co. ri. 6. 
 
 Col. ii. 23. 3 Ti. i. 5. So that here is, for the keeping of 
 thy soul upright and sincere, more than ordinary 
 
 * ' Hia points ;' an heraldic term, expressive of the exact 
 positiou of the various bearings on the shield — a scrupulous 
 or sujwrstitious niceness as to points of doctiine. — Ed. 
 
 t These are faithful words, giving offence to bigots of cverj 
 sect. The church of England excluded all from her commu- 
 nion except conformists — Independents held no fellowship 
 with Baptists, nor Baptists with Independents. Happily, 
 Christians are coming to their senses. The Test Act is 
 repealed — nor dai-e wc uoit call that unclean which God has 
 cleansed. — Ed. 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OP CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 539 
 
 diligence to be used. Hypocrisy is one of the most 
 abominable of iniquities. It is a sin that dares it 
 ■with God. It is a sin that saith God is ignorant, 
 or that he delighteth in iniquity. It is a sin that 
 flattereth, that dissembleth, that offereth to hold 
 God, as it were, fair in hand, about that which is 
 neither purposed nor intended. It is also a sin 
 that puts a man upon studying and contriving to 
 beguile and deceive his neighbour as to the bent 
 and intent of the heart, and also as to the cause 
 and end of actions. It is a sin that persuadeth a 
 man to make a show of civility, morality, or Chris- 
 tian religion, as a cloak, a pretence, a guise to 
 deceive withal. It will make a man preach for a 
 place and praise, rather than to glorify God and 
 save souls ; it will put a man upon talking, that he 
 may be commended ; it will make a man, when he 
 is at prayer in his closet, strive to be heard -without 
 door; it will make a man ask for that he desire th 
 not, and show zeal in duties, when his heart is as 
 cold, as senseless, and as much without savour as a 
 clod ; it will make a man pray to be seen and heard 
 of men, rather than to be heard of God ; it will 
 make a man strive to weep when ho repenteth not, 
 and to pretend much friendship when he doth not 
 love ; it will make a man pretend to experience and 
 sanctification when he has none, and to faith and 
 sincerity when he knows not what they are. There 
 is opposed to this sin simplicity, innocence, and 
 godly sincerity, without which three graces thou 
 wUt be a hypocrite, let thy notions, thy knowledge, 
 thy profession, and commendations from others, be 
 what they will. 
 
 Helps against this sin there are many,, some of 
 which I shall now present thee with. Pr. xyi. 3; xxi. 2. 
 Lu. iri. 15. 1. Believe that God's eye is always upon 
 thy heart, to observe all the ways, all the turnings 
 and windings of it. 2. Believe that he observeth all 
 thy ways and marks thy actions. 'The ways of man 
 are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth 
 all his goings.' Pr. v. 21. 3. Believe that there is a 
 day of judgment a-coming, and that then all things 
 shall be revealed and discovered as they are. ' For 
 there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed ; 
 neither hid that shall not be known. Therefore 
 whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be 
 heard in the light, and that which ye have spoken 
 in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the 
 house-tops.' Ln.xii. 3, 3. 4. Believe that a hj'pocrite, 
 with the cunning and shrouds for his hypocrisy, can 
 go unseen no further than the grave, nor can he 
 longer flatter himself with thoughts of life. For 
 ' the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the 
 joy of the hypocrite but for a moment. Though 
 his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his 
 head reach unto the clouds ; yet he shall perish for 
 ever, like his own dung : they which have seen him 
 shall say, Where is he ? He shall fly away as a 
 
 dream, and shall not be found ; yea, he shall be 
 chased away as a vision of the night.' Job xx. 6— is. 
 5. Believe that God will not spare a hypocrite in 
 the judgment, no, nor punish him neither with 
 ordinary damnation ; hut as they have here sinned 
 in a way by themselves, so there thoy shall receive 
 greater damnation. Lu. xx. 47. 
 
 Of all sins, the sin of hypocrisy bespeaks a man 
 most in love with some lust, because he dissembleth 
 both with God and man to keep it. 
 
 For a conclusion upon this sevenfold answer to 
 the question above propounded, let me advise those 
 that are tender of the name of Christ, to have 
 regard to these things. 
 
 Advice First, Be well acquainted with the Word, 
 and with the general rules of holiness ; to wit, witli 
 the moral law ; the want of this is a cause of much 
 unholiness of conversation. These licentious and 
 evil times wherein we live are full of iniquity ; nor 
 can we, though we never so much love God, do our 
 duty, as we are enjoined, if we do not know it. 
 The law is cast behind the back of many, when it 
 should be carried in the hand and heart, that we 
 might do it, to the end [that] the gospel which we 
 profess might be glorified in the world. Let then 
 the law be with thee to love it, and do it in the 
 spirit of the gospel, that thou be not unfruitful in 
 thy life. Let the law, I say, be with thee, not as 
 it comes from Moses, but from Christ ; for though 
 thou art set free from the law as a covenant of life, 
 yet thou still art under the law to Christ ; and it 
 is to be received by thee as out of his hand, to be 
 a rule for thy conversation in the world, l Co. k. s. 
 What then thou art about to do, do it or leave it 
 undone, as thou shalt find it approved or forbidden 
 by the law. And when ought shall come into thy 
 mind to be done, and thou art at a stand, and at 
 a loss about the lawfulness or unlawfulness thereof, 
 then betake thyself to the law of thy God, which is 
 in thy hand, and ask if this thing be good or to be 
 avoided. If this were practised by professors, there 
 would not be so much iniquity found in their beds, 
 their houses, their shops, and their conversations, 
 as there is. 
 
 Advice Second, As thou must be careful to find 
 out the lawfulness or unlawfulness of a thing before 
 thou puttest forth thy hand thereto, so thou must 
 also consider again whether that which is lawful is 
 expedient. A thing may be lawful in itself, and 
 may yet he unlawful to thee ; to wit, if there be an 
 inconveniency, or an inexpediency attending the 
 doing of it. ' All things are lawful unto me,' says 
 the apostle, ' but all things are not expedient ; all 
 things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.' 
 1 Co. ri. 13; X. 23. This then thou must consider, and 
 this also thou must practise. 
 
 But this is a hard lesson, and impossible to be 
 done, except thou art addicted to self-denial ; for 
 
540 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY, 
 
 this text, and so the practice of what is contained 
 therein, has respect chiefly to another, to wit, to 
 thy neighbour, and his advantage and edification ; 
 and it supposeth, yea enjoineth thee, if thou wilt 
 depart from iniquity, to forbear also some things 
 that are lawful, and consequently profitable to thee, 
 for the sake of, and of love to, thy neighbour. But 
 how little of this is found among men? Where is 
 the man that will forbear some lawful things, for 
 fear of hurting the weak thereby? Alas! how 
 many are there that this day profess, that will not 
 forbear palpable wickedness ; no, though the sal- 
 vation of their own souls are endangered thereby ; 
 and how then should these forbear things that are 
 lawful, even of godly tenderness to the weakness 
 of their neighbour? 
 
 Thus much have I thought good to speak in 
 answer to this question. What iniquity should we 
 depart from that religiously name the name of 
 Christ ? And now we will make some use of what 
 hath been spoken. 
 
 USE FIRST. And the first shall be a use of 
 examination. Art thou a professor ? Dost thou 
 religiously name the name of Christ ? If so, I 
 ask, dost thou, according to the exhortation here, 
 ■ Depart from iniquity?' I say, examine thyself 
 about this matter, and be thou faithful in this 
 work, for the deceit in this will fall upon thine 
 own pate. Deceive thyself thou mayost, but 
 beguile God thou shalt not. ' Be not deceived, 
 God is not mocked : for whatsoever a man soweth, 
 that shall he also reap.' Ga.vi. 7. Wherefore let no 
 man deceive himself, either in professing while he 
 lives viciously, or in examining whether his pro- 
 fession of this name, and his life, and conversa- 
 tion, do answer one another. What departing from 
 iniquity is, I have already sliowed in the former 
 part of this book ; wherefore I shall not here handle 
 that point farther, only press upon thee the neces- 
 sity of this exhortation, and the danger of the not 
 doing of it faithfully. The necessity of it is urged, 
 
 First, From the deceitfulness of man's heart, 
 which will flatter him with promises of peace and 
 life, both now and hereafter, though he live in 
 iniquity while he professeth the name of Christ. 
 For there are that say in their hearts, or that have 
 'their hearts say unto them, ' I shall have peace, 
 though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to 
 add drunkenness to thirst.' De.xxix. 19. And what 
 will become of them that so do, you may see by 
 that which followeth in the text. The heart there- 
 fore is not to be trusted, for it will promise a man 
 peace in the way of death and damnation. I doubt 
 not but many are under this feai-ful judgment to 
 this day. What means else their quietness of 
 mind, their peace and boasts of heaven and glory, 
 though every step they take, as to life and conver- 
 sation, is an apparent step to hell and damnation. 
 
 'The heart is deceitful.' Je. ivH. 9. and, 'lie thai 
 trusteth in his own heart is a fool. ' Pr. xxviiL 28. Tliesa 
 sayings were not written without a cause. Let 
 as many, therefore, as would examine themselves 
 about this matter, have a jealous eye over their 
 own heart, and take heed of being beguiled thereby; 
 let them mis hearty prayer with this matter unto 
 God, that he will help them to be faithful to them- 
 selves in this so great a matter ; yea, let them 
 compare their lives with the holy commandment, 
 and judge by that rather than by the fleshly fond- 
 ness that men naturally are apt to have for, and 
 of, their own actions ; for by the verdict of the 
 Word thou must stand and fall, both now, at death, 
 and in the day of judgment. Take heed, there- 
 fore, of thy heart, thy carnal heart, when thou 
 goest into thy life, to make a search for iniquity. 
 Take the Word with thee, and by the Word do 
 thou examine thyself. Jn. xii. 43. 
 
 Second, It is urged from the cunning of Satan. 
 Wouldest thou examine thyself faithfully as to this 
 thing, then take heed of the flatteries of the devil : 
 can he help it, thou shalt never find out the iniquity 
 of thy heels. He will labour to blind thy mind, to 
 harden thy heart, to put such virtuous names upon 
 thy foulest vices, that thou shalt never, unless thou 
 stoppest thine ear to him, after a godly sort, truly 
 examine and try thy ways, according as thou art 
 commanded. La. m. 40. 2 Co. xiii. 6. Wherefore take 
 heed of him, for he will be ready at thy side when 
 thou goest about this work. Now for thy help in 
 this matter, set God, the holy God, the all-seeing 
 God, the sin-revenging God, before thine eyes ; 'for 
 our God is a consuming fire. ' He. xU. 29. And believe 
 that he hath pitched his eyes upon thy heart; 
 also that 'he pondereth all thy goings,' and that 
 thy judgment, as to thy faithfulness, or unfaith- 
 fulness, in this work, must proceed out of the 
 mouth of God. Pr. v. 21 j xxi. 2. This will be thy help 
 in this thing, that is, if thou usest it faithfully; 
 also this will be thy hindrance, if thou shalt neglect 
 it, and suffer thyself to be abused by the devil. 
 
 Third, It is urged from the dangerousness of 
 the latter days. Wouldst thou examine thyself, 
 then make not the lives of others any rule to thee 
 in this matter. It is prophesied long ago, by 
 Christ and by Paul, concerning the latter times, 
 ' that iniquity shall abound, and be very high among 
 professors . ' Mat. xxiv. 12. 2 Ti. iii. 1-8. Therefore it will 
 be a rare thing to find an exemplary life among 
 professors. Wherefore cease from man, and learn 
 of the Word, try thyself by the Word, receive con- 
 viction from the Word ; and to take off thyself 
 from taking of encouragement from others, set the 
 judgment before thine eyes, and that account that 
 God will demand of thee then ; and know that it 
 will bo but a poor excuse of thee to say. Lord, 
 such a one doth so, did so, would do so : and they 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 541 
 
 professed, (fee. Whether thou wilt hear me or 
 not, I know not, yet this I know, 'If thou he wise, 
 thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, 
 thou alone shalt hear it.' Fr.i)£.i3. 
 
 Let me then, to press this use further upon thee, 
 show thee in a few particulars the danger of not 
 doing of it, that is, of not departing from iniquity, 
 since thou professest. 
 
 Banger 1. The iniquity that cleaveth to men 
 that profess, if they cast it not away, hut counte- 
 nance it, will all prove nettles and briars to them ; 
 and I will assure thee, yea, thou knowest, that 
 nettles and thorns will sting and scratch but ill- 
 fa vouredly. • I went,' saith Solomon, ' by the field 
 of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man 
 void of understanding. And lo, it was all grown 
 over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face 
 thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken 
 
 down.' Pr. xxiv. 30, 31. 
 
 Suppose a man were, after work all day, to be 
 turned into a bed of nettles at night : or after a 
 man had been about such a business, should be 
 rewarded with chastisements of briars and thorns : 
 this would for work be but little help, relief, or 
 comfort to him ; why this is the reward of a wicked 
 man, of a wicked professor from God ; nettles and 
 thorns are to cover over the face of his vineyard, 
 his field, his profession, and that at the last of all ; 
 for this covering over the face of his vineyard, witli 
 nettles and thorns, is to show wliat fruit the 
 slovenly, slothful, careless professor, will reap out 
 of his profession, when reaping time shall come. 
 
 Nor can he whose vineyard, whose profession is 
 covered over with these nettles and thorns of ini- 
 quity, escape being afflicted v>'ith them in his 
 coascience : for look as they cover the face of his 
 vineyard through his sloth now, so will they cover 
 the face of his conscience, in the day of judgment. 
 For profession and conscience cannot be separated 
 long : if a man then shall make profession without 
 conscience of God's honour in his conversation, his 
 profession and conscience will meet in the day of 
 his visitation. Nor will he, whose condition this 
 shall he, be able to ward off the guilt and sting of 
 a slothful and bad conversation, from covering the 
 face of his conscience, by retaining in his profes- 
 sion the name of Jesus Christ : for naming and 
 professing of the name of Christ will, instead of 
 salving such a conscience, put venom, sting, and 
 keenness into those nettles and thorns, that then 
 shall be spread over the face of such consciences. 
 This will be worse than was that cold wet cloth 
 that Hazael took and spread over the face of Ben- 
 hadad, that he died. 2Ki. vm. 15. This will sting 
 worse, tear worse, torment worse, kiU worse. 
 Therefore look to it ! 
 
 Banger 2. Nor may men shift this danger by 
 their own neglect of inquiring into the truth of 
 
 their separation from iniquity, for that God him- 
 self will search them. I search the reins and tho 
 heart, saith he, ' to give unto every one of you 
 according to your works.' Re. ii. 23, 
 
 There aro many that wear the name of Christ 
 for a cloak, and so make their advantages by their 
 iniquity; but Christ, at death and judgment, will 
 rend this cloak from off such shoulders, then shall 
 they walk naked, yea, the shame of their naked- 
 ness shall then appear. Now since no man can 
 escape the search of God, and so, not his judgment; 
 it will be thy wisdom to search thine own ways, 
 and to prevent judgment by judging of thyself. 
 
 Banger 3. Christ wUl deny those to be his that 
 do not depart from iniquity, though they shall 
 name his name among the rest of his people. 
 ' Depart from me,' saith he, 'all you that departed 
 not from iniquity. ' Lu. xiii. 25—27. Yea, they that 
 shall name his name religiously, and not depart 
 from iniquity, are denied by him all along. 1 . He 
 alloweth them not now to call him Lord. ' And 
 why call ye me Lord, Lord,' saith he, 'and do not, 
 the things which I say ?' tu, vi. 46. He cannot abide 
 to be reputed the Lord of those that presume to 
 profess his name, and do not depart from iniquity. 
 Eze. XX. 39. The reason is, for that such do but pro- 
 fane his name, and stave others off from falling in 
 love with iiim and liis ways. Hence he says again, 
 ' Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saitli 
 the Lord, that my name shall no more be named 
 in the mouth of any man of Judah.' Je. xliv. 26. Ko. ii, 2*. 
 2. He regardcth not their prayers. ' If I regard 
 iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear' my 
 prayer. Ps. Uvi. is. And if so, then whatever thou 
 hast at the hand of God, thou hast it, not in 
 mercy, but in judgment, and to work out farther 
 thine everlasting misery. 3. He will not regard 
 their soul, but at the last day will cast it from him, 
 as a thing abhorred by him. As is evidently seen 
 by that thirteenth of Luke, but now noted above. 
 
 Wherefore, from these few hints, thou, whoever 
 thou art, mayest well perceive what a horrible 
 thing it is to make a profession of the name of 
 Christ, and not to depart from iniquity. Therefore 
 let me exhort thee again to examine thyself, if thou 
 hast, and dost — since thou professest that name — 
 depart from iniquity. 
 
 And here I would distinguish, for there is two 
 parts in iniquity, to wit, the guilt and filth. As 
 for the guilt that is contracted by iniquity, I per- 
 suade myself, no man who knows it, needs to be 
 bid to desire to depart from that ; nay, I do believe 
 that the worst devil in hell would depart from his 
 guilt, if he could, and might : but this is it, to wit, 
 to depart from the sweet, the pleasure, and profit 
 of iniquity. There are that call evil good, iniquity 
 good, and that of professors too : this is that to bo 
 departed from, and these are they that are exhorted 
 
543 
 
 A liOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITy, 
 
 to forsake it upon tlic pains and penalties before 
 threatened. Therefore, as I said, let such look to 
 it, that they examine themselves if they depart 
 from iniquity. 
 
 And come, now thou art going about this work, 
 let me help thee in this matter. I. Ask thy heart. 
 What evil dost thou see in sin ? II. How sick art 
 thou of sin ? III. What means dost thou use to 
 mortify thy sins ? IV. How much hast thou been 
 grieved to see others break God's law, and to find 
 temptations in thyself to do it ? 
 
 I. For the first, There is a soul-polluting evil in 
 iniquity. There is a God-provoking evil in iniquity. 
 There is a soul-damning evil in iniquity. And 
 until thou comest experimentally to know these 
 things, thou wilt have neither list, nor will, to 
 depart from iniquity. 
 
 II. For the second. I mean not sick with guilt, 
 for so the damned in hell are sick, but I mean sick 
 of the filth, and polluting nature of it. Thus was 
 Moses sick of sin, thus Jabez was sick of sin, and 
 thus was Paul sick of sin. Nu. xl u, 15. 1 Ch. iv. 9, 10. Ko. 
 
 vii. 14. 3 Co. T. 1—3. Phi. iii. 10— M. 
 
 III. For the third. You know that those that 
 are sensible of a sickness, will look out after the 
 means to be recovered ; there is a means also for 
 this disease, and dost thou know what that means 
 is, and hast thou indeed a desire to it ? yea, could- 
 est thou be willing even now to partake of the 
 means that would help thee to that means, that 
 can cure thee of this disease ? there are no means 
 can cure a man that is sick of sin, but glory ; and 
 the means to come by that is Christ, and to go 
 out of this world by the faith of him. There is no 
 grace can cure this disease ; yea, grace doth rather 
 increase it ; for the more grace any man has, the 
 more is he sick of sin ; the greater an offence is 
 iniquity to him. So then, there is nothing can 
 cure this disease, but glory: but immortal glory. 
 And dost thou desire this medicine ? and doth God 
 testify that thy desire is true, not feigned ? 2 Co. v. i. 
 I know that there are many things that do make 
 some even wish to die: but the question is not 
 whether thou dost wish to die : for death can cure 
 many diseases : but is this that that moveth thee 
 to desire to depart : to wit, that thou mightest be 
 rid, quite rid, and stripped of a body of death, 
 because nothing on this side the grave can rid thee 
 and strip thee of it. And is hope, that this day is 
 approaching, a reviving cordial to thee ? and doth 
 tlie hope of this strike arrows into the heart of thy 
 lusts, and draw off thy mind and affections yet 
 farther from iniquity. 
 
 IV. To the fourth. How much hast thou been 
 grieved to see others break God's law, and to find 
 temptations in thyself to do it ? 'I beheld the 
 transgressors, and was grieved,' said David, 'be- 
 cause men kept not thy word.' Ps. cxii. 158. The 
 
 same also had Paul, because of that body of sin 
 and death which was in him. Professor, I beseech 
 thee be thou serious about this thing, because it 
 will be found, when God comes to judge, that those 
 that profess Christ, and yet abide with their ini- 
 quity, are but wooden, earthy professors, and none 
 of the silver or golden ones : and so, consequently, 
 such as shall be vessels, not to honour, but to dis- 
 honour ; not to glory, but to shame. 
 
 USB SECOND. Uj next shall he a -use of terror. 
 Has God commanded by the mouth of his holy 
 apostles and prophets, that those that name the 
 name of Christ should depart from iniquity : then 
 what will become of those that rebel against his 
 Word. Where the word of a king is, there is 
 power ; and if the wrath of a king be as the roar- 
 ing of a lion, what is, and what will be the wrath 
 of God, when with violence it falls upon the head 
 of the wicked ? 
 
 Sirs, I beseech you consider this, namelj', that 
 the man that professeth the name of Christ, and 
 yet liveth a wicked life, is the greatest enemy that 
 God has in the world, and, consequently, one that 
 God, in a way most eminent, will set his face 
 against. Hence he threateneth such so hotly, 
 saying, ' And the destruction of the transgressors 
 and of the sinner shaU be together,' and that ' they 
 that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.' Is. i. 28; 
 xxxiii. 14. But what sinners are these ? why, the 
 sinners in Zion, the hypocrites in the church. So 
 again the Lord shall ' purge out from among you 
 the rebels, and them that transgress against him.' 
 Eze. XX. 88. ' All the sinners of my people shall die 
 by the sword, which say. The evil shall not over- 
 take nor prevent us.' Am. ix. lo. For though such 
 do think that bj' professing of the name of Christ, 
 they shall prevent their going down to hell, yet 
 they shall go down thither, with those that have 
 lived openly wicked and profane : Egypt, and 
 Judah, the circumcised with them that are not, for 
 it is not a profession of faith that can save them. 
 Je. ij. 26. 'Whom dost thou pass in beauty,' saith 
 God ? wherein art thou bettered by the profession, 
 than the wicked ? ' go down, and be thou laid with 
 the uncircumcised.' Eze. xxxii. 19. 
 
 This in general ; but more particularly, the 
 wrath of God manifesteth itself against such kind 
 of professors. 
 
 In that the gospel and means of salvation shall 
 not be effectual for their salvation, but that it shall 
 work rather quite contrary effects. It shall bring 
 forth, as I said, quite contrary effects. 2 Co. ii. 15, 10. 
 As, 
 
 First, The preaching of the Word shall be to 
 such the savour of death unto death, and that is a 
 fearful thing. 
 
 Second, Yea Christ Jesus himself shall be so far 
 off from being a savour unto them, that he shall 
 
A nOLT LIFE THE BEAUTY Of CHllISTIANITY. 
 
 543 
 
 lie a snare, a trap and a gin to catch them by the 
 heel withal ; that they may go and fall backward, 
 'and be broken, and snared, and taken.' is. viii. i+, 15; 
 
 xxviii. 13. 
 
 Third, The Lord also will choose out such delu- 
 sions, or such as will best suit with the workings 
 of their flesh, as will effectually bring them down, 
 with the bullocks and with the bulls to the slaugh- 
 ter: yea, he will lead such forth with the workers 
 of iniquity. la. Ixri. 3, 4. Ps. cxxv. 6. 
 
 Fourth, Such, above all, lie open to the sin 
 against the Holy Ghost, that unpardonable sin, 
 that must never be forgiven. For alas, it is not 
 the poor ignorant world, but the enlightened pro- 
 fessor that comraitteth the sin that shall never be 
 forgiven. 
 
 1 say, it is one enlightened, one that has tasted 
 the good word of God, and something of the 
 powers of the world to come. He. vL 4. i Jn. v. lo. It 
 is one that was counted a brother, that was with 
 us in our profession; it is such an one that is in 
 danger of committing of that most black and bloody 
 sin. But yet all and every one of those that are 
 such are not in danger of this ; but those among 
 these that take pleasure in unrighteousness, and 
 that rather than they will lose that pleasure, will 
 commit it presumptuously. Presumptuously, that 
 is, against light, against convictions, against 
 warnings, against mercies. Or thus, a presump- 
 tuous sin is such an one as is committed in the 
 face of the command, in a desperate venturing to 
 run the hazard, or in a presuming upon the mercy 
 of God, through Christ, to be saved notwithstand- 
 ing: this is a leading sin to that which is unpar- 
 donable, and will be found with such professors 
 that do hanker after iniquity. I say, it is designed 
 by the devil, and suffered by the just judgment of 
 God, to catch and overthrow the loose and carnal 
 gospellers. And hence it is that David cries unto 
 God, that he would hold him back from these sort 
 of sins. ' Cleanse thou me from secret /aidls,' 
 says he. And then adds, ' Keep back thy servant 
 also from presumptuous sins ; let them not have 
 dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and 
 I shall be innocent from the great transgression.' 
 Ps. xk. 13, 13. 
 
 If there were any dread of God, or of his word, 
 in the hearts of the men of this generation, the 
 consideration of this one text is enough to shake 
 them in pieces : I speak of those that name the 
 name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity. 
 But the word of God must be fulfilled : in the last 
 days iniquity must abound ; wherefore these days 
 will be perilous and dangerous to professors. ' In 
 the last days perilous times shall come, for men 
 shall be lovers of their o wnselves, covetous, boasters, 
 proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, un- 
 thankful, unholy.' 2 Ti. Ui. l, 2. Mat. adv. 12. 1 do the 
 
 oftener harp upon this text at this time, bccauso 
 it is a prediction of what shall be in the latter 
 days, to wit, what a sea and deluge of iniquity 
 shall in the latter days overspread and drown 
 those that then shall have a form of godliness, and 
 of religion. So that this day is more dangerous 
 than were the days that have been before us. 
 Now iniquity, even immorality, shall with profes- 
 sors be in fashion, be pleaded for, be loved and 
 more esteemed than holiness itself. Now godli- 
 ness and self-denial shall be little set by; even 
 those very men that have a form of godliness hate 
 the life and power thereof; yea, they shall despise 
 them that are good. Now therefore ministers 
 must not think that what they say of the doctrino 
 of self-denial among professors, will be much, if 
 at all regarded. I say, regarded, so as to bo 
 loved and put in practice by them that name the 
 name of Christ. Por the strong hold that ini- 
 quity shall have of their aSections will cause that 
 but little effectualuess to this end will be found to 
 attend the preaching of the Word unto them. 
 
 But what will these kind of men do, when God 
 that is just, God that is holy, and God that is 
 strong to execute his word, shall call them to an 
 account for these things ? 
 
 Now some may say. But what shall we do to 
 depart from iniquity ? I answer, 
 
 1. Labour to see the odiousness and unprofi- 
 tableness thereof, which thou mayest do by the 
 true knowledge of the excellent nature of the holi- 
 ness of God. For until thou seest a beauty in 
 holiness, thou canst not see odiousness in sin and 
 iniquity. Danger thou mayest see in sin before, 
 but odiousness thou canst not. 
 
 2. Be much in the consideration of the power, 
 justice, and faithfulness of God to revenge himself 
 on the workers of iniquity. 
 
 3. Be much in the consideration of the great- 
 ness and worth of thy soul. 
 
 4. Be often asking of thyself what true profit 
 did I ever get by the commission of any sin. 
 
 5. Bring thy last day often to thy bedside. 
 
 6. Be often thinking of the cries and roarings 
 of the damned in hell. 
 
 7. Be often considering the lastingness of the 
 torments of hell. 
 
 8. Be often thinking what would those that aro 
 now in hell give that they might live their lives 
 over again. 
 
 9. Consider often of the frailty of thy life, and 
 that there is no repentance to be found in the grave, 
 whither thou goest. 
 
 10. Consider that hell is a doleful place, and 
 that the devils are but uncomfortable companions. 
 
 11. Again, consider together with those how 
 the patience of God has been abused by thee; yea, 
 how all his attributes iiave been despised by thee, 
 
544. 
 
 A HOLY Lira THE BEAUTY OF CHELSTIANITY. 
 
 who art a professor, that does not depart from 
 iniquity. 
 
 12. Moreover, I would ask with what face thou 
 canst look the Lord Jesus in the face, whose name 
 thou hast profaned by thine iniquity ? 
 
 13. Also, how thou wilt look on those that are 
 truly godly, whose hearts thou has grieved, while 
 they have beheld the dirt and dung that hath cloven 
 to thee and to thy profession. 
 
 14. But especially consider witli thyself how 
 thou wilt bear, together with thine own, the guilt 
 of the damnation of others. For as I have often 
 said, a professor, if he perishes, seldom perishes 
 alone, but casteth others down to hell with him- 
 self. The reason is, because others, both weak 
 piofessors and carnal men, are spectators and 
 observers of his ways ; yea, and will presume also 
 to fellow him especially in evil courses, concluding 
 that he is right. We read that the tail of the 
 dragon, or that the dragon by his tail, did draw 
 and cast down abundance of the stars of heaven to 
 the earth. He. .\ii. 4. is. Ix. u, 15. The tail ! ' The 
 prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.' The 
 prophet that speaketh lies, either by opinion or 
 practice, he is the tail, the dragon's tail, the ser- 
 pentine tail of the devil, is. ix. u, is. And so in his 
 order, every professor that by his iniquity draweth 
 both himself and others to hell, he is the tail. 
 The tail, says the Holy Ghost, draws them down; 
 draws down even the stars of heaven; but whither 
 doth he draw them? The answer is, from heaven, 
 the throne of God, to earth, the seat of the dragon; 
 for ho is the god of this world. The professor 
 then tliat is dishonourable in his profession, he is 
 the tail. ' The ancient and honourable, lie is the 
 head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the 
 tail. ' Nor can Satan work such exploits by any, 
 as he can by unrighteous professors. These he 
 useth in his hand, as the giant useth his club; he, 
 as it were, drives all before him with it. It is 
 said of Behemoth, that ' he moveth his tail like a 
 cedar.' Joii xi. 17. Behemoth is a type of the devil, 
 but behold how he handleth his tail, even as if a 
 man should swing about a cedar. Ee.ix.10,19. This 
 is spoken to .shew the hurtfulness of the tail, as it 
 is also said in another place. Better no professor 
 than a wicked professor. Better open profane 
 than a hypocritical namer of the name of Christ ; 
 and less hurt shall such an one do to his own soul, 
 to the poor ignorant world, to the name of Christ, 
 and to the church of God. 
 
 Let professors, therefore, take heed to them- 
 selves, that they join to their naming of the name 
 of Christ an holy and godly conversation ; for away 
 they must go else with the workers of iniquity to 
 the pit, Avith more guilt, and bigger load, and more 
 torment by far than others. But, 
 
 USE THIRD. My next word shall be to those 
 
 that desire to be true, sincere professors of the naine 
 of Christ. 
 
 First, Do you bless God, for that he has put 
 not only his name into your lips, but grace into 
 your hearts, that thereby that profession which 
 thou makest of him may be seasoned with that 
 salt. ' Every sacrifice shall be seasoned with 
 salt. ' Mar. ix. 49. No w naming of the name of Christ 
 is a sacrifice, and a sacrifice acceptable, when the 
 salt of the covenant of thy God is not Jacking, but 
 mixed therewith. He. xiii. 15. Le. ii 13. Therefore I 
 say, since God has put his name into thy mouth 
 to profess the same, and grace into thy heart to 
 season that profession with such carriage, such 
 behaviour, such life, and such conversation as doth 
 become the same, thou hast great cause to thank 
 God. A man into whose mouth God has put the 
 pame of Christ to profess it, is as a man that is 
 ^0 act his part upon a stage in the market place; 
 if he doth it well, he brings praise both to his 
 master and himself; but if he doth it ill, both are 
 brought into contempt. No greater praise can by 
 man be brought to God, than by joining to the 
 profession of the name of Christ a fruitful life and 
 conversation. 'Herein,' saith Christ, 'is my 
 Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit ; so shall 
 ye be my disciples.' Ju. xv. 8. Fruitful lives God 
 expecteth of all that profess the name of Christ. 
 And let every one that nameth the name of Christ 
 depart from iniquity. Bless God, therefore, if ha 
 hath kept thee from blotting and blemishing of thy 
 profession ; if thy conversation has not been stained 
 with the blots and evils of the times. What thou 
 feelest, fightest with, and groanest under, by 
 reason of the working of thine inward corruptions, 
 with that I meddle not ; nor is thy conversation 
 the worse for that, if thou keepest them from 
 breaking out. Thou also shalt be counted holy 
 unto God, through Christ, if thou be of an upright 
 conversation ; though plagued every day with the 
 working of thine own corruption. 
 
 As God's grace is the salt of saints, so saints are 
 the salt of God. The one is the salt of God in the 
 heart, and the other is the salt of God in the world. 
 'Ye are the salt of the earth:' Mat. v. 13. that is, 
 the salt of God in the earth. For the earth would, 
 be wholly corrupt, and would altogether stink, if 
 professors were not iu it. But now if the profes- 
 sor, which is the salt, shall indeed lose his savour, 
 and hath nothing in his conversation to season that 
 part of tbe earth, in which God has placed him, 
 wherewith shall it be seasoned ? The place where 
 he dwells, as well as his profession, will both stink 
 odiously in the nostrils of the Lord, and so both 
 come to ruin and desolation. 
 
 Indeed, as I have shewed, the professor will 
 come to the worst of it; for that God doth deny, 
 further to give him salt. ' If the salt have lost. 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTIANITY. 
 
 545 
 
 his savour, wlierewith shall it be seasoned ?' Ln. 
 xiv.34. Wherewith shall the salt he salted ? with 
 nothing. Therefore it is thenceforth good for 
 nothing. No, not for the dungliill, hut to he cast 
 out, and trodden under foot of men. ' He that 
 hath ears to hear let him hear.' 
 
 How much, therefore, is the tender-hearted, and 
 he that laboureth to beautify his profession with a 
 gospel conversation, bound to bless God for the 
 salt of his grace, by the which his heart is sea- 
 soned, and from his heart, his conversation. 
 
 Seco-nd, As such Christians should bless God, 
 BO let them watch, let them still watch, let them 
 still watch and pray, watch against Satan, and 
 pray yet for more grace, that they may yet more 
 and more beautify their profession of the worthy 
 name of Christ with a suitable conversation. 
 Blessed is he that wateheth and keepeth his gar- 
 ment ; that is, his conversation clean, nor is there 
 anything, save the overthrowing of our faith, that 
 Satan seeketh more to destroy. He knows holi- 
 ness in them that rightly, as to doctrine, name the 
 name of Christ, is a maul and destruction to his 
 kingdom, an allurement to the ignorant, and a 
 cuttmg oflF those occasions to stumble, that by the 
 dirty life of a professor is laid in the way of the 
 blind. Le. rix. 14. He knows that holiness of lives, 
 when they shine in those that profess the name of 
 Christ, doth cut off his lies that he seeketh to make 
 the world believe, and slanders that he seeketh to 
 fasten upon the professors of the gospel. Where- 
 fore, as you have begun to glorify God in your 
 body and in your spirit, which are God's ; so I 
 beseech you do it more and more. 
 
 Third, To this end, shun those professors that 
 are loose of life and conversation : ' From such 
 withdraw thyself,' saith Paul, and follow ' righte- 
 ousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call 
 on the Lord out of a pure heart.' i Ti. vi. 5. 3 Ti. ii. 23. 
 If a man, if a good man takes not good heed to 
 himself, he shall soon bring his soul into a snare. 
 Loose professors are defilers and corrupters ; a 
 man shall get nothing but a blot by having com- 
 pany with them. Is. i. 4. Besides, as a man shall 
 get a blot by having much to do with such ; so let 
 him beware that his heart learn none of their ways. 
 Let thy company be the excellent in the earth ; 
 even those that are excellent for knowledge and 
 conversation. ' He that walketh with wise men 
 shall be wise ; but a companion of fools shall be 
 destroyed,' 
 
 Be content to be counted singular, for so thou 
 shalt, if thou shalt follow after righteousness, <kc., 
 in good earnest ; for holiness is a rare thing now in 
 the world. I told thee before that it is foretold 
 by the Word, that in the last days perilous times 
 .shaU come, and that men shall walk after their 
 own lusts; yea, professors, to their destruction. 
 
 VOL. H. 
 
 Nor will it be easy to keep thyself therefrom. But 
 even as when the pestilence is come into a place, 
 it infecteth and casteth down the healthful ; so the 
 iniquity of the last times will infect and pollute the 
 godly. I mean the generaUty of them. Were but 
 our times duly compared with those that went before, 
 we should see that which now we are ignorant of. 
 Did we but look back to the Puritans, but especially 
 to those that, but a little before them, suffered 
 for the word of God, in the Marian days, we should 
 see another life than is now among men, another 
 manner of conversation than now is among pro- 
 fessors. But, I say, predictions and prophecies 
 must be fulfilled ; and since the Word says plainly, 
 that ' in the last days there shall come scoffers, 
 walking after their own lusts,' 3 Pe. iii. 3,17, and since 
 the Christians shall be endangered thereby, let us 
 look to it, that we acquit ourselves like men, see- 
 ing we know these things before ; ' lest we, being 
 led away with the error of the wicked, faU from 
 our own steadfastness.' 
 
 Singularity in godliness, if it be in godliness, no 
 man should be ashamed of. For that is no more 
 than' to be more godly, than to walk more humbly 
 with God than others ; and, for my part, I had 
 rather be a pattern and example of piety. I had 
 rather that my life should be instructing to the 
 saints, and condemning to the world, with Noah 
 and Lot, than to hazard myself among the multi- 
 tude of the drossy. 
 
 I know that many professors will fall short of 
 eternal life, and my judgment tells me, that they 
 will be of the slovenly sort of professors that so do. 
 And for my part, I had rather run with the fore- 
 most and win the prize, than come behind, and 
 lose that, and my labour, and aU. ' If a man also 
 strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except 
 he strive lawfully.' And when men have said all 
 they can, they are the truly redeemed ' that are 
 zealous of good works. ' 1 Co. k. 24 2 m. ii. 4, 5. Tit. ii. 14. 
 
 Not that works do save us, but faith, which 
 layeth hold on Christ's righteousness for justifica- 
 tion, sanctifies the heart, and makes men desu-ous 
 to live in this world, to the glory of that Christ 
 who died in this world to save us from death. 
 
 For my part I doubt of the faith of many, and 
 fear that it will prove no better at the day of God 
 than will the faith of devils. For that it standeth 
 in bare specidation, and is without life and soul to 
 that which is good. Where is the man that walk- 
 eth with his cross upon his shoulder ? Where is 
 the man that is zealous of moral holiness ? Indeed, 
 for those things that have nothing of the cross of 
 the purse, or of the cross of the belly, or of the 
 cross of the back, or of the cross of the vanity of 
 household affairs ; for those things, I find we have 
 many, and those, very busy sticklers ; but other- 
 wise, the cross, self denial, charity, pm-ity in life 
 3z 
 
546 
 
 A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CIIRLSTIANITY. 
 
 and conversation, is almost quite out of doors among 
 professors. But, man of God, do thou be singular 
 as to these and as to their conversation. ' Be not 
 ye therefore partakers with them,' Ep.v. 7,in any of 
 their ways, but keep thy soul diligently; for if 
 damage happeneth to thee, thou alone must bear it. 
 
 But be that will depart from iniquity must be 
 well fortified with faith, and patience, and the love 
 of God ; for juiquity has its beauty spots and its 
 advantages attending on it ; hence it is compared 
 to a woman, for it allureth greatly. Zec. v. 7. Where- 
 fore, I say, he that will depart therefrom had need 
 have faith, that being it which will help him to see 
 beyond it, and that will shew him more in things 
 that are invisible, that can be found in sin, were it 
 ten thousand times more entangling than it is. 
 2 Co. IT. 18. He has need of patience also to hold out 
 in this work of departing from iniquity. For, 
 indeed, to depart from that, is to draw my mind 
 off from that, which will follow me with continual 
 solicitations. Samson withstood his Delilah for a 
 while, but she got the mastery of him at the last ; 
 why so ? Because he wanted patience, he grew 
 angry and was vexed, and could withstand her soli- 
 citation no longer. Ju. xvl 15—17. Many there be 
 also, that can well enough be contented to shut sin 
 out of doors for a while ; but because sin has much 
 fair speech, therefore it overcomes at last. Pr. vii. 21. 
 For sin and iniquity wiU not be easily said nay ; it 
 is like her of whom you read — she has a whore's 
 forehead, and refuses to be ashamed. Je. iii. 3. Where- 
 fore, departing from iniquity is a work for length, 
 as long as life shall last. A work did I say ? It 
 is a war ; a continual combat ; wherefore he that 
 will adventure to set upon this work must needs 
 be armed with faith and patience, a daily exercise 
 he will find himself put upon by the continual 
 attempts of iniquity to be putting forth itself. 
 Mat. xxiv. 13. Re. ffi. 10. This is called an enduring to 
 the end, a continuing in the word of Christ, and 
 also a keeping of the word of his patience. But 
 what man in the world can do this whose heart 
 is not seasoned with the love of God and the 
 love of Christ ? Therefore, he that will exercise 
 liimself in this work must be often considering 
 of the love of God to him in Christ ; for the more 
 sense, or apprehension, a man shall have of that, 
 the more easy and pleasant wiU this work be to 
 him ; yea, though the doing thereof should cost 
 him his heart's blood. ' Thy loving-kindness is 
 before mine eyes,' says David, ' and I have walked 
 in thy truth. ' Ps. xxyi. 3. Nothing like the sense, 
 sight, or belief of that, to the man of God, to 
 make him depart from iniquity. 
 
 But what shall 1 do, I cannot depart therefrom 
 as I should ? 
 
 Keep thine eye upon all thy shortnesses, or 
 upon all thy failures, for that that is profitable for 
 
 thee. 1. The sight of this will make thee base in 
 thine own eyes. 2. It will give thee occasion to 
 see the need and excellency of repentance. 3. It 
 will put thee upon prayer to God for help and par- 
 don. 4. It will make thee weary of this world. 
 5. It will make grace to persevere the more desir- 
 able in thine eyes. 
 
 Also, it will help thee in the things which fol- 
 low : — 1. It wiU make thee see the need of 
 Christ's righteousness. 2. It wUl make thee see 
 the need of Christ's intercession. 3. It will make 
 thee see thy need of Christ's advocateship. 4. It 
 will make thee see the riches of God's patience. 
 5, And it will make heaven and eternal life the 
 sweeter to thee when thou comest there. 
 
 But to the question. Get more grace, for the 
 more grace thou hast the further is thine heart set 
 off of iniquity, the more, also, set against it, and 
 the better able to depart from it when it cometh to 
 thee, tempteth thee, and entreats thee for enter- 
 tainment. Now the way to have more grace is to 
 have more knowledge of Christ, and to pray more 
 fervently in his name ; also, to subject thy soul and 
 thy lusts, with all thy power, to the authority of 
 that grace thou hast, and to judge and condemn 
 thyself most heartily before God, for every secret 
 inclination that thou findest in thy flesh to sin- 
 ward. 
 
 The improvement of what thou hast is that, as I 
 may say, by which God judges how thou wouldest 
 use, if thou hadst it, more ; and according to that 
 so shalt thou have, or not have, a farther measure. 
 He that is faithful in that which is least is faith- 
 ful, and will be so, also in much ; and he that is 
 unjust in the least, is, and will be, unjust also in 
 much. I know Christ speaks here about the unrigh- 
 teous mammon, but the same may be applied also 
 unto the thing in hand. Lu. rpi. 10— is. 
 
 And if ye have not been faithful in that which 
 is another man's, who will commit unto you that 
 which is your own ? That is a remarkable place 
 to this purpose in the Revelation — ' Behold,' saith 
 he, 'I have set before thee an open door,' that thou 
 mayest have what thou wilt, as was also said to 
 the improving woman of Canaan, ' and no man can 
 shut it : for thou hast a little strength, and hast 
 kept my word, and hast not denied my name.' 
 
 Re. iii. 8. Mat. xt. 28. 
 
 A good improvement of what we have of the 
 grace of God at present pleases God, aud engages 
 him to give us more ; but an ill improvement of 
 what we at present have will not do so. ' To him 
 that hath,' that hath an heart to improve what ho 
 hath, ' to him shall be given ; but to him that hath 
 not, from him shall be taken even that whiqh he 
 hath.' Mat. XIV. 24— 30. Well, weigh the place an4 
 you shall find it so. 
 
 I know that to depart from iniquity so us is 
 
A HOLY LIFE THE BEAUTY OF CHRISTLiNITY. 
 
 547 
 
 required, that is, to the utmost degree of the 
 requirement, no man can, for it is a copy too fair 
 for mortal flesh exactly to imitate while we are in 
 this world. But with good paper, good ink, and 
 good pen, a skilful and willing man may go far. 
 And it is well for thee if thy complaint he sincere, 
 to wit, that thou art troubled that thou canst not 
 forsake iniquity as thou shouldest ; for God accept- 
 eth of thy design and desire, and it is coimted by 
 him as thy kindness. Pr. ax. 23. But if thy com- 
 plaint in this matter be true, thou wilt not rest nor 
 content thyself in thy complaints, but wilt, as he 
 that is truly hungry or greatly burdened useth all 
 lawful means to satisfy his hunger and to ease him- 
 self of his burden, use all thy skill and power to 
 mortify and keep them under, by the word of God. 
 Ndr can it otherwise be but that such a man must 
 be a growing man. ' Every branch that beareth 
 fruit, he ptirggth it, that it may bring forth more 
 fruit. ' Jn. xy. 2. Such a man shall not be stumbling 
 in religion, nor a Scandal to it, in his calling ; but 
 shall, according to God's ordinary way with his 
 people, be a fruitful and flourishing bough. 
 
 And I would to God this were the sickness of 
 all theiu that profess in this nation ; tor thea 
 should we soon have a new leaf turned over in 
 most comers of this nation ; then would gracious- 
 ness of heart, and life, and conversation be mcire 
 priied, more sought after, and better improved and 
 practised than it is ; yea, then would the throats 
 of togodly men be better stopt, and their mouths 
 faster shut up, as to their reproaching of reli- 
 gion, than they are. A Christian man must be 
 the object of the envy of the world; bnt it is 
 better, if the wUl of God be so, that we be re- 
 proached for well-doing than for evil, i Pe.ii; uL If 
 we be reproached for evil-doing, it is our shame ; 
 but if for well-doing, it is our glory. If we be 
 reproached for our sins, God cannot vindicate us ; 
 but if we be reproached for a virtuous life, God 
 himself is concerned, will espouse our quarrel, and, 
 in his good time, will thew our foes our righteous- 
 ness, and put them to shame and silence. Briefly, 
 a godly life annexed to faith iu Christ is so neces- 
 sary, that a man that professes the name of Christ 
 is worse than a beast without it. 
 
 But thou wilt say unto me. Why do men profess 
 the name of Christ that love not to depart from 
 iniquity ? 
 
 I answer, there are many reasons for it. 
 
 1. The preaching of the gospel, and so the pub- 
 lication of the name of Christ, is musical and very 
 
 taking to the children of men. A Saviour! a 
 Redeemer! a loving, sin-pardoning Jesus! what 
 better words can come from man ? what better 
 melody can be heard ? ' Son of man,' said God to 
 the prophet, ' Lo, thou art unto them as a very 
 lovely song ;' or, as a song of loves, • of one that 
 hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an 
 instrument.' Eze. xxxUi. 32. The gospel is a most 
 melodious note and sweet tune to any that are not 
 prepossessed with slander, reproach, and enmity 
 against the professors of it. Now, its melodious 
 notes being so sweet, no marvel if it entangle some 
 even of them that yet will not depart from ini- 
 quity to take up and profess so lovely a profession. 
 But, 
 
 2. There are a generation of men that are and 
 have been frightened with the law, and tenified 
 with fears of perishing for their sins, but yet have 
 not grace to leave them. Now^ when the sound of 
 the gospel shall reach such men's ears, because 
 there is by that made public the willingness of 
 Christ to die for sin, and of God to forgive them 
 for his sake ; therefore they presently receive and 
 profess those notions as the only ones that can rid 
 them from their frights and terrors, falsely resting 
 themselves conteilt with that faith thereof which 
 standeth in naked knowledge; yea, liking of that 
 faith best that will stand with their pride, covet- 
 ousness, and lechery, never desiring to hear of 
 practical holiness, because it will disturb them ; 
 wherefore they usually cast dirt at such, calling 
 them' legal preachers. 
 
 3. Here also is a design of Satan Set on foot; 
 for these carnal gospellers are his tares, the chil- 
 dren of the wicked one ; those that he hath sowed 
 among the wheat of purpose, if possible, that that 
 might be rooted up by beholding and learning to be 
 vile and filthy of them. Mat. xiiL 36—43. 
 
 4. Another cause hereof is this, the hypocrites 
 that begin to profess find as bad as themselves 
 already in a profession of this worthy name ; and, 
 think they, these do so and so, and, therefore, so 
 will I. 
 
 5. This comes to pass, also, through the righ- 
 teous judgment of God, who, through the anger 
 that he has conceived against some men for their 
 sins, will lift them up to heaven before he casts them 
 down to hell, that their fall may be the greater and 
 their punishment the more intolerable. Mat. xi. 20—24. 
 1 have now done when I have read to you my -text 
 over again — ' And, let every one that nameth the 
 name of Christ depart from iniquity,' 
 
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR; 
 
 E£IKG 
 
 THE FRUITS OF TRUE CHRISTIANITY: 
 
 TEACHIXa HUSBANDS, WIVES, PARENTS, CHILDREN, MASTERS, SERTANTS, ETC., HOW TO WALK 
 
 80 AS TO PLEASE GOD. 
 
 WITH A ■WORD OF DIIIECTION TO ALL BACKSLIDERS. 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOE. 
 
 This valuable practical treatise, was first published 
 as a pocket volume about the year 1674, soon after 
 the author's final release from his long and dan- 
 gerous imprisonment. It is evident from the con- 
 cluding paragraph that he considered his liberty 
 and even his life to be still in a very uncertain 
 state ; not from the infirmities of age, for he was 
 then in the prime of life ; but from the tyranny of 
 the state church, and probably from the effects of 
 his long incarceration in a damp, unhealthy gaol. 
 It is the best and most scriptural guide that has 
 ever appeared to aid us in the performance of 
 relative duties : written with originality of thought 
 and that peculiar and pious earnestness which so 
 distinguishes all his works. 
 
 No one can read this book, without finding in it 
 his own portrait truly and correctly drawn to the 
 life. Many have been the hearers of the word 
 in its public ministration, who have been astonished 
 that a faithful minister has not only opened their 
 outward conduct, but the inward recesses of their 
 hearts — and have inquired with wonder, ' Where 
 could he get such a knowledge of my heart?' 
 The usages and feelings of every part of the human 
 family — the rich and poor — outward professors or 
 openly profane — God fearers or God defiers — are 
 displayed in the following pages as accurately as 
 if the author had been present in every family upon 
 earth, and had not only witnessed the conduct of 
 the happy and of the miserable in every grade ; but 
 he goes within and unvails that mystery of iniquity 
 the human heart, its secret springs, feelings, and 
 machinations* What mysterious power could this 
 uneducated man have possessed, thus to dive into 
 the most subtle of all secret repositories, the human 
 heart ! Could he have left his body at times and 
 his invisible spirit have entered all chambers, as 
 was said of an ancient philosopher,* still time 
 
 * Hermotimus of Lucian. During one of these wanderings 
 his wife thought him dead, and his body was burnt. AVhether 
 the poor soul, thus suddenly ejected, obtained another habita- 
 tion is not narrated. 
 
 would have been too short even to have transiently 
 surveyed outward conduct ; and then he could not 
 have entered into the thoughts of others. Reader, 
 the fountain of all hidden things was open to him. 
 Shut up for many years in prison, with the key in 
 his possession which unlocks all the mysteries of 
 earth, and heaven, and hell — ^he diligently used 
 his time and all was revealed to him. He makes 
 the source of his knowledge no secret, but invites 
 you to search, as he did, this storehouse of things 
 new and old. It was the Bible which unfolded to 
 him aU the great events of time and of eternity — • 
 all the secret springs of states, and families, and 
 individuals — ^wonderous book ! It made an un- 
 educated artizan wiser than all the philosophers 
 who have been contented with Plato, Aristotle, 
 Pliny, Plutarch, and the most renowned of human 
 writers. Not only is the real state of human 
 nature revealed with unerring truth, as suffering 
 under a cruel malady, strangely diverse in its ope- 
 rations, but all tending to the downward, dark, 
 dreary road to misery temporal and eternal : but 
 it also displays the antidote; an infallible remedy 
 against all the subtilties of this tortuous disease. 
 Reader, this treasure is in our hands. How great 
 is the responsibility. How blessed are those who 
 with earnest prayer for divine illumination — read 
 — ponder — and relying upon the aid of the Holy 
 Spirit, understand and instantly obey the sacred 
 precepts which its pages unfold. Weigh well their 
 nature and tendency, as Bunyan opens them in 
 this invaluable treatise. They lead step by step 
 from darkness to light. It may be a tempestuous 
 passage in the dim twilight, as it was with him — 
 but it is safe and leads to the fountain of happiness 
 — the source of blessedness — the presence and 
 smiles of God and the being conformed to his 
 image. In proportion as we are thus transformed 
 in our minds, we shall be able to fulfil aU our 
 duties and behaviour as becometh Christians. We 
 dare not seek to avoid these duties because they 
 are full of anxieties. Blessed are those who know 
 and feel the ties of church fellowship — or the nearer 
 
THE EPISTLE TO THE KBADER. 
 
 549 
 
 union of husband and wife, that type of the mysti- 
 cal union of Christ and his church. Happy are 
 those who piously discharge parental and filial 
 duties, that figure of the relationship which the 
 Almighty, in infinite condescension, owns between 
 him and his fallen but renewed creatures. Vows 
 of celibacy disturb all the order and harmonies of 
 creation, and are fleshly, sensual, devilish. The 
 unmarried are strangers to those delightful or 
 painful sensibilities which drive the soul to con- 
 tinual converse with God, either in heart-felt 
 praises or for divine assistance to glorify him in 
 the discharge of domestic duties. They who vow 
 celibacy, fly in the face of the infinitely wise eter- 
 nal, who said, ' It is not good for man to be alone.' 
 He sets up his puny antagonism to omnipotence. 
 It is true, that in the prospect of the desolations 
 which were foretold by the Saviour and were about 
 to be poured out upon Jerusalem, ' for the present 
 distress,' ' the short time ' Paul advised, not com- 
 manded, a temporary deviation from the order of 
 nature — ^lilie an eclipse of the sun or moon — ^for a 
 * short time ' which no one could wish to be pro- 
 longed. We are botmd, in the expectation of the 
 
 divine approbation, not to shrink from duties, but 
 to seek wisdom to fulfil them ; and in this little 
 work we have a scriptural guide to which we shall 
 do well to take heed. It is a peculiarly solemn 
 legacy — the author's ardent desire is thus ex- 
 pressed ; ' Before I die [as the greatest of all the 
 duties he had to perform] let me provoke you to 
 faith and holiness.' Be it our duty and privilege 
 to examine our conduct faithfully by those portions 
 of holy writ, with which this treatise is beautifully 
 adorned. It was written in the prospect of suf- 
 ferings and death, and yet how serene was his 
 soul. No cloud, no doubts or fears are seen ; his 
 legacy to us as well as to those who survived him 
 is, 'Love one another when I am deceased.' My 
 labours of love to you are limited to this world. 
 ' Though there I shaU rest from my labours, and 
 be in paradise, as through grace, I comfortably 
 believe ; yet it is not there but here I must do 
 you good.' Consider what he has advanced, and 
 the scriptures by which every sentence is con- 
 firmed, and may his concluding and fervent prayer 
 be answered to our souls ; ' The Lord give us 
 understanding in all things. Farewell.' 
 
 Geo. Offor. 
 
 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEADER. 
 
 CounTEons Reaber, 
 
 Having formerly writ some small matter touch- 
 ing the doctrine of faith, as justification by grace 
 through the faith of Christ's blood, <fec., I do here, 
 as the second to that doctrine, present thee with 
 a few lines touching good works, that I might, as 
 at first I shewed thee the good and glory of the 
 one, so now shew thee the beauty and excellency 
 of the other : for though we are justified freely by 
 grace through Christ before God ; KaiiLM, 8cc. yet we 
 are justified before men by our works : Ja. u. is. nay, 
 a life of holiness flowing from faith in us that are 
 saved by grace, it doth justify that grace before 
 the world, that justifies us before God. 3 Co. ri. i, 3j 
 
 ix.UlS. IPe.u. 11,12. 
 
 I have not here only in general treated of this 
 doctrine of good works, but particularly, after some 
 discourse about works flowing from faith, and what 
 makes it truly and gospelly good, I discourse of 
 them as we stand under our several relations in this 
 world among men. 
 
 As, The duty of the master of a family: Of 
 the husband to his wife ; and of hers to him : Of 
 the duty of parents to their children ; and of chil- 
 dren to their parents : Of masters also to their ser- 
 vants ; and of the servant again to his master : with 
 a brief touch upon good neighbourhood; and a 
 
 discovery of covetousness, pride, and uncleanness, 
 which are great obstructions to a truly gospel con- 
 versation. 
 
 I know there are many that have treated of good 
 works in large and learned discourses ; but I doubt 
 all have not so gospehzed their discourses as be- 
 comes them, and as the doctrine ot the grace of 
 God calleth for. However, I thought it my duty 
 to add this discourse to all that are past ; and that 
 for these reasons. 
 
 1. To take away those aspersions that the ad- 
 versaries cast upon our doctrine — as also in the 
 days of Paul — that because we preach justification 
 without the works of the law ; therefore they pre- 
 tend we plead for looseness of life : ' whose damna- 
 tion is just.' Ko. iu. 8. 
 
 2. Because, though there be much discourse 
 about works in general, yet a particular discourse 
 of them, as before is touched, is too much neglected ; 
 and by this means every one too much left at uncer- 
 tainties (as from them) of their several works under 
 their particular relations ; which I think is one 
 reason of that disorder in families and places where 
 God's people live ; to their shame, and the dis- 
 honour of God. 
 
 3. Because these few books that do particularly 
 treat thits of good works, are, I think, now so 
 scarce, or so big, that but few have them, and few 
 
650 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 buy them, if they may be had, especially our new 
 converts, for whose sakes principally this short dis- 
 course is intended ; and indeed, this is one reason 
 of my brevity, that the price might neither be bur- 
 densome, nor the reading long and tedious. Multi- 
 tude of words drown the memory ; and an exhorta- 
 tion in few words may yet be so full, that the 
 reader may find that in one side of a sheet, which 
 some are forced to hunt for in a whole quire, he. 
 The Lord teach us this wisdom. 
 
 4. I have written this book, to shew that I 
 bear a fellow-testimony and witness, with all that 
 know God, of the operation that grace hath, and 
 will have, in the heart that hath savingly received 
 it. 
 
 Lastly, I have thus written, because it is amiable 
 and pleasant to God, when Christians keep their 
 rank, relation, and station, doing all as becometh 
 their quality and calling. When Christians stand 
 every one in their places, and do the work of their 
 relations,* then they are like the flowers in the 
 
 * ' Of their relations,' related or belonging to themselves. 
 —El). 
 
 garden, that stand and grow where the gardener 
 hath planted them^ and then they shall both honour 
 the garden in which they are planted, and the gar- 
 dener that hath so disposed of them. Erom the 
 hyssop in the wall, to the cedar in Lebanon, their 
 fruit is their glory. + And seeing the stock into 
 which we are planted, is the fruitfuUest stock, the 
 sap conveyed thereout the fruitfulleat sap, and the 
 dresser of our souls the wisest husbandman, Jn. xt. li 
 how contrary to nature, to example, and expecta- 
 tion, should we be, if we should not be rich in good ■ 
 works ! 
 
 Wherefore take heed of being painted fire, 
 wherein is no warmth ; and painted flowers, which 
 retain no smell ; and of being painted trees, 
 whereon is no fruit. ' Whoso boasteth himself of 
 a false gift, is like clouds and wind without rain.' 
 Pr. XXV. 14. Farewell. 
 
 The Lord be with thy spirit, that thou mayest 
 profit for time to come. j jjjjjy^,^ 
 
 t 'Also, where the gardener hath set them, there they 
 stand, and quarrel not one with another.' — Filgrim, 'part 2. 
 Interpreter's house. — Ei). 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEHAYIOUR. 
 
 ' THAT BEING JUSTIFIED BT HIS GRACE, WE SHOULD 
 BE MADE HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE HOPE OF ETER- 
 NAL LIFE. THIS IS A FAITHFUL SAYING, AND THESE 
 THINGS I WILL THAT THOU AFFIRM CONSTANTLY, 
 THAT THEY WHICH HAVE BELIEVED IN GOD MIGHT 
 BE CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS. THESE 
 
 THINGS ARE GOOD AND PROFITABLE UNTO MEN.' 
 
 TITUS III. 7, 8. 
 
 I SHALL not at this time discourse of every parti- 
 cular at large included in these words ; but shall 
 briefly fall upon those things that I judge most 
 necessary for the people of God. Neither shall I 
 need to make any great preamble to the words for 
 their explication ; they themselves being plain, and 
 without that ambiguity that calleth for such a 
 thing; the general scope being this. That they 
 
 WHICH have BELIEVED IN GoD SHOULD BE CAREFUL 
 TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS. 
 
 But yet, to prosecute what I intend, with what 
 clearness I may, I shall in a word or two make 
 way for what is to be the main of this book. 
 
 ' This is a faithful saying.' This; Which? Why, 
 that which goeth before, namely, 'That being justi- 
 fied by his grace, we should be made heirs according 
 to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful say- 
 ing, and these things 1 will that thou aflirm con- 
 stantly. ' 
 
 Why so? 
 
 Why, ' That they which have believed in God, 
 might be careful to maintain good works.' The 
 meaning is, that the way to provoke others to good 
 works, is constantly — in the evidence and demon- 
 stration of the spirit — to shew them the certainty of 
 their [these believers] being by grace made heirs 
 of eternal life. 
 
 Prom this scripture, therefore, I do gather these 
 things observable. 
 
 First, That good works do flow from faith. Yea, 
 
 Second, That every one that believeth should 
 be careful that their works be good. 
 
 Third, That every believer should not only be 
 careful that their works be good, and for the pre- 
 sent do them, but should also be careful to maintain 
 them ; that is, they should carefully study to keep 
 in a constant course of good works. 
 
 Fourth, and lastly. That the best way to pro- 
 voke both ourselves and others to this work, it is 
 to be often aflirming to others the doctrine of justi- 
 fication by grace, and to beheve it ourselves : ' ITiis 
 is a faithful saying, and these things I will,' saith 
 Paul, ' that thou aflarm constantly, that they which 
 have believed in God might be careful to maintain 
 good works.' 
 
 FIRST. — I begin with the first. Tlial good works 
 do Jiow from faith. This is evident divers ways. 
 
CHRISTIAN BEIUVIOUB. 
 
 5i51 
 
 Mrst, From tlie impossibility of tlieir flowing 
 from any otter thing ; they must either flow from 
 faith, or not at all : ' For whatsoever is not of 
 faith, is sin.' Ko. xiv.as. And again, ' Without faith 
 it is impossible to please him.' He. xi. 6. Every man 
 by nature, before faith, is an evil and » corrupt 
 tree ; and a corrupt tree cannot bring forth good 
 fruit : ' Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of 
 thistles?' Mat. vu. 16. 17. Now a man is made good 
 by faith, and by that bringeth forth the fruits that 
 are acceptable to God. He. xi. 4. Coi. i. 4^-6. 
 
 Wherefore sinners, before faith, are compared to 
 the wilderjiess, whose fruits are briars and thorns ; 
 and whose hearts are the habitation of dragons ; 
 that is, of devils.* is. xxxt. 6, 7. He, vi. 7, 8. 
 
 And hence again it is, that they are said to be 
 Godless, Christless, Spiritless, faithless, hopeless ; 
 without the covenant of grace, without strength ; 
 enemies in their minds by wicked works, and pos- 
 sessed by the spirit ol wickedness, as a castle by 
 a conqueror. Ep. ii. 13. Judie 19. 2 Th. ju. 2. Col. i. 21. Ln. XL 21. 
 
 Now, these thipgs being thus, it is impossible 
 that all the men underheaven, that are unconverted, 
 should be able to bring forth one work rightly 
 good ; even as impossible, as for all the briars and 
 thorns under heaven to bring forth one cluster of 
 grapes, or one bunch of figs ; for indeed they want 
 the qualification, A thorn bringeth not forth figs, 
 because it wanteth the nature of the fig-tree ; and 
 60 doth the bramble the nature of the vine. Good 
 works must come from a good heart. 
 
 Now, this the unbeliever wanteth, because he 
 wanteth faith ; for it is that which pm-ifieth the 
 heart. Lu. tI. 45. Ac. xr. 9. Good works must come from 
 love to the Lord Jesus ; but this the unbeliever 
 wanteth also, because he wanteth faith : For faith 
 ' worketh by love,' and by that means doth good. 
 Ga. V. i. 
 
 And hence again it is, that though the carnal 
 man doth never so much which he calleth good, 
 yet it is rejected, slighted, and turned as dirt in his 
 face again ; his prayers are abominable, Pr. xt. 8. his 
 ploughing is sin, xxL i. and all his righteousness as 
 menstruous rags. Is. Ixiv. 6. Thus you see that with- 
 out faith there are no good works. 
 
 Now then, to show you that they flow from 
 faith: and that, 
 
 For that FAITU is a principle of life, by which a 
 Christian lives, 6a. ii. 19, 20. a principle of motion, by 
 which it walks towards heaven in the way of holi- 
 ness. Ko. iv. 12. 2 Co, T. 7. It is also a principle of 
 strength, by which the soul opposeth its lust, the 
 devil, and this world, and overcomes them. ' This 
 is the victory, even our faith.' 1 Jn, v, 4, b. Faith, in 
 the heart of a Christian, is like the salt that was 
 
 * ' Wliere the great red dragon Satan had his seat.'— Dr. 
 (fill's Commentary. See also Kev. lii. — Ed. 
 
 thrown into the corrupt fountain, that mjide the 
 naughty waters good, and the barren land fruitful. 
 2 Ki, ii, 19—22. Faith, when it is wrought in the 
 heart, is like leaven hid in the meal, Mat. xiii. 33. or 
 like perfume that lighteth upon stinking leather, 
 turning the smell of the leather into the savour of 
 the perfume ; faith being then planted in the heart, 
 and having its natural inclination to holiness. 
 Hence it is that there followeth an alteration of 
 the life and conversation, and so bringeth forth 
 fruit accordingly. ' A good man out of the good 
 treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is 
 good. ' Lu. Ti, 45. Which treasure, I say, is this faith. 
 Ja. ii. 6. 1 Pe. i, 7. And therefore it is that faith is 
 called ' the faith according to godliness,' Tit, i i. and 
 the ' roost holy faith.' Jndeso. 
 
 Second, Good works must needs flow from faith, 
 or no way ; because that alone carrieth in it an 
 argument sufficiently prevalent to win upon our 
 natures, to make them comply with holiness. 
 
 Faith sheweth us that God loveth us, that he 
 forgiveth us our sins, that he accounteth us for his 
 children, having freely justified us through the 
 
 blood of his Son. Ko, iii, S4, 35; iv. He. xi. 13, 1 Pe, i. 8. 
 
 Faith receiveth the promise, embraceth it, and 
 eomforteth the soul imspeakably with it. 
 
 Faith is so great an artist in arguing and rea- 
 soning with the soul, that it will bring over the 
 hardest heart that it hath to deal with. It wiU 
 bring to my remembrance at once, both my vile- 
 ness against God, and his goodness towards me ; 
 it will shew me, that though I deserve not to 
 breathe in the air, yet that God will have me an 
 heir of glory. 
 
 Now, there is no argument greater than this. 
 This will make a man run through ten thousand 
 difficulties, to answer God, though he never can, 
 for the grace he hath bestowed on him. 
 
 Further, faith will shew me how distinguish- 
 ingly this love of God hath set itself upon me; it 
 will shew me, that though Esau was Jacob's bro- 
 ther, yet he loved Jacob. Mai. i. 3. That though 
 there were thousands more besides me that were 
 as good as me, yet I must be the man that must 
 be chosen. 
 
 Now this, I say, is a marvellous argument, and 
 unspeakably prevaileth with the sinner, as saith 
 the apostle : ' For the love of Christ constraineth 
 us ; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, 
 then werfe all dead : And that he died for all ; that 
 they which live,' that is, by faith, 'should not 
 henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him 
 which died for them, and rose again.' a Co. v. 14, 15, 
 ' Love,' saith the wise man, 'is strong as death; 
 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the 
 floods drown it : if a man would give all the sub- 
 stance of his house for love, it would utterly be 
 contemned.' C9.»iii.o,7. 
 
552 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUn 
 
 Oh ! wlicn the Lroken, dying, condemned sovJ, 
 can but see, by faith, the love of a tender-hearted 
 Saviour, and also see what he underwent to deli- 
 ver it from imder that death, guilt, and hell, that 
 now it feels and fears ; which also it knoweth it 
 hath most justly and highly deserved; 'Then bless 
 the Lord, my soul ;' Ps. cUi. i, 2, 3. and ' What shall 
 I render unto the Lord /or all his benefits ?' Ps.cxvi. 
 1-14. 
 
 Thus is faith a prevailing argument to the sin- 
 ner, whereby he is fetched off from what he was, 
 and constrained to bend and yield to what before 
 he neither would nor could. 1 Co. a. u. Ro. viii. 7. 
 
 And hence it is, that gospel obedience is called 
 ' the obedience of faith, ' as well as obedience to 
 the faith. Ko. ivi.26. For it must be by the faith of 
 Christ in my heart, that I submit to the word of 
 faith in the Bible, otherwise all is to no profit : as 
 saith the apostle, ' The word preached did not 
 profit them, not being mixed with faith in them 
 that heard it.' He. iv. 2. For faith alone can see the 
 reality of what the gospel saith ; and so I say, 
 argue over the heart to the embracing of it. 
 
 Third, Faith is such a grace, as will represent 
 to the soul all things in their proper colours. It 
 doth not, as doth unbelief and ignorance, shew us 
 all things out of order ; putting darkness for light, 
 and bitter for sweet; but will set everything in 
 its proper place before our eyes ; God and Christ 
 shall be with it, the chiefest good, the most lovely 
 and amiable ; a heavenly life shall be of greater 
 esteem, and more desirable, than all the treasures 
 of Egypt ! Righteousness and sanctification will 
 be the thing after which it will most vehemently 
 press ; because it seeth not only death and damna- 
 tion as the fruits of sin, but sin also in itself, dis- 
 tinct from the punishment belonging to it, a detes- 
 table, horrible, and odious thing. He, li. 26—27. pm. iii. 
 
 7—12. Eo. xii. 9. 
 
 By faith we see that this world hath no abiding 
 in it for us, nor no satisfaction if it were otherwise. 
 Pr. iii. 35. He. xi. 15, 16; xiii. \i. 1 Co. vii. 29—31. And hence it 
 is, that the people of God have groaned to he gone 
 from hence, into a state that is both sinless and 
 temptationless. And hence it is again that they 
 have run through so many trials, afflictions, and 
 adversities, even because of that love to holiness 
 of life that faith being in their hearts did prompt 
 them to, by shewing them the worth and durable- 
 ness of that which was good, and the irksomeness 
 and evil of all things else. 2 Co. v. 1—8. He. xi. 33-39. 
 
 Fourth, Faith layeth hold of that which is able 
 to help the soul to bring forth good works: it 
 layeth hold of, and engageth the strength of Christ, 
 and by that overcometh that which oppresseth ; 
 ' I can do aU things through Christ which strength- 
 eneth me.' Piii. iy. 13. 
 
 In a word, a life of holiness and godliness in 
 
 this world, doth so inseparably follow a principle 
 of faith, that it is both monstrous and ridiculous 
 to suppose the contrary. What, shall not he that 
 hath life have motion ! Ga. ii. 20. 
 
 He that hath by faith received the spirit of holi- 
 ness, shall not he be holy ? Ga. iii. 2. and he that is 
 called to glory and virtue, shall not he add to his 
 faith virtue ? 2 Pe. i. 4, 5. We are by faith made good 
 trees, and shall not we bring forth good fruit ? 
 Ln. vi. 43. They that believe are created in Christ 
 Jesur unto good works; and God hath, before the 
 world was, ordained that we should walk in them; 
 and shall both our second creation, and God's fore- 
 ordination be made frustrate ? Ep. i. 4; ii. 10. Be- 
 sides, the children of faith are the children of light, 
 and of the day. 1 Th. v. 5. Lights upon a hill, and 
 candles on a candlestick, and shall not they shine ? 
 They are the salt of the earth, shall not they be 
 seasoning ? Mat. v. 13—16. 
 
 The believer is the alone man, by whom God 
 sheweth to the world the power of his grace, the 
 operation of his people's faith, <fec. The unbe- 
 lievers read indeed of the power of grace ; of the 
 faith, hope, love, joy, peace, and sanctification of 
 the heart of the Christian ; but they feel nothing of 
 that sin-killing operation that is in these things ; 
 these are to them as a story of Rome or Spain. 
 Wherefore to shew them in others, what they find 
 not in themselves, God worketh faith, hope, love, 
 (fee, in a generation that shall serve him ; and by 
 them they shall see what they cannot find in them- 
 selves ; and by this means they shall be convinced, 
 that though sin, and the pleasures of this hfe, be 
 sweet to them, yet there is a people otherwise 
 minded; even such a people, that do indeed see 
 the glory of that which others read of, and from 
 that sight take pleasure in those things which they 
 are most averse unto. To this, I say, are Chris- 
 tians called; herein is God glorified; hereby are 
 sinners convinced ; and by this is the world con- 
 demned. 1 Til. iv. 7. 1 Pe. ii. 12; iii. 1. He. xi. 7. 
 
 Object. But if faith doth so naturally cause good 
 works, what then is the reason that God's people 
 find it so hard a matter to be faithful in good 
 works ? 
 
 I answer, 1. God's people are fruitful in good ' 
 works according to the proportion of their faith; ' 
 if they be slender in good works, it is because | 
 they are weak in faith. Little faith is like small | 
 candles, or weak fire, which though they shine 
 and have heat ; yet but dim shming and small heat, 
 when compared with bigger candles and greater ; 
 fire. The reason why Sardis had some in it whose 
 works were not perfect before God, it was, because 
 they did not hold fast by faith the word that they 
 have formerly heard and received. Re. iii 1—3. 
 
 2. There maybe a great mistake in our judging 
 The soul that indeed is 
 
 of our own fruitfuluess. 
 
CHRISTIAN BEHATIOUIt. 
 
 553 
 
 candid and nglit at heart, is taught hy grace to 
 judge itself, though fruitful, yet barren upon two 
 accounts. (1.) When it compareth its life to the 
 mercy bestowed upon it : for when a soul doth 
 indeed consider the greatness and riches of the 
 mercy bestowed upon it, then it must needs cry 
 out, • wretched man that I am,' Ko. vii. 24. for it 
 seeth itself wonderfully to fall short of a conversa- 
 tion becoming one who hath received so great a 
 benefit. (2.) It may also judge itself barren, be- 
 cause it falleth so far short of that it would attain 
 unto, ' it cannot do the thing that it would. ' Ga. 
 
 T.17. 
 
 3. The heart of a Christian is naturally very 
 barren ; upon which, though the seed of grace, 
 that is the fruitfiiUest of all seeds, be sown, yet 
 the heart is naturally subject to bring forth weeds. 
 Mat. XT. 19. Now, to have a good crop from such 
 ground, doth argue the fruitfulness of the seed. 
 Wherefore I conclude upon these three things, (1.) 
 That the seed of faith is a very fruitful seed, in 
 that it will be fruitful in so barren a soil. (2.) 
 That faith is not beholden to the heart, but the 
 heart to it, for all its fruitfulness. (3.) That there- 
 fore the way to be a more fruitful Christian, it is 
 to be stronger in believing. 
 
 SECOND — Now for the second thing, to wit, 
 That every one that believeth should be careful that 
 their works be good. This followeth from what 
 went just before ; to wit, That the heart of a 
 Christian is a heart subject to bring forth weeds. 
 
 There is flesh as well as spirit in the best of 
 saints : and as the spirit of grace will be always 
 putting forth something that is good, so the flesh 
 wiU be putting forth continually that which is evil. 
 ' For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the 
 Spirit against the flesh.' Ga. t.17. 
 
 Now this considered, is the cause why you find 
 so often in the Scriptures so many items and cau- 
 tions to the Christians to look to their lives and 
 conversations. As, ' Keep thy heart with all dili- 
 gence.' Pr.iv.23. 'Watch ye, stand fast in the 
 faith, quit you like men, be strong.' 1 Co. xvi. 13. ' Be 
 not deceived ; God is not mocked : for whatsoever 
 a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he 
 that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap cor- 
 ruption ; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of 
 the Spirit reap life everlasting.' Ga. n 7, 8. 
 
 All works are not good that seem to be so. It 
 is one thing for a man's ways to be right in his 
 own eye, and another for them to be right in 
 God's. Often 'that which is highly esteemed 
 among men is abomination in the sight of God.' 
 
 Pr. XXX. 12. Lu. xvi. 15. 
 
 Seeing corruption is not yet out of our natures, 
 there is a proneness in us to build [even] upon the 
 right foundation, wood, hay, and stubble, instead 
 of gold and silver, and precious stones, i Co. iii. u— 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 15. How was both David the king, Nathan the 
 prophet, and Uzza the priest, deceived, touching 
 good works ! iCh.xvU. i— t; xm. 9—11. Peter also, in 
 both his defending his Master in the garden, and 
 in dissuading of him from his sufferings, though 
 both out of love and afiectlon to his Master, was 
 deceived touching good works. Mat. xvi. 23, 23. in. xviii. 
 10, 11. Many have miscarried both as to doctrine, 
 worship, and the prosecution of each. 
 
 First, For doctrine. Christ tells the Jews, that 
 they taught for the doctrines of God the doctrines 
 and traditions of men. Mat. xv. 9. Mar. vii. 7- As also, 
 saith the apostle, They teach ' things they ought 
 not, for filthy lucre's sake.' Tit L 11. 
 
 Second, Also touching worship, we find how fre- 
 quently men have mistaken, both for time, place, 
 and matter, with which they worshipped. 
 
 1. For time. It hath been that which man 
 hath devised, not which God hath commanded. 
 1 Ki. xii. 32. They ' change the ordinance, ' saith 
 Isaiah, xxiv. B. They change God's 'judgments 
 into wickedness,' saith Ezekiel. v. 6. 
 
 2. For place. When they should have wor- 
 shipped at Jerusalem, they worshipped at Bethel, 
 at Gilgal and Dan, in gardens, imder poplars and 
 elms. 1 Ki. xii. 26—30. Ho. iv. IS— 15. Is. Ixy. 2—5. 
 
 3. For the matter with which they worshipped. 
 Instead of bringing according to the command- 
 ment, they brought the lame, the torn, and the 
 sick; they would sanctify themselves in gardens, 
 with swine's flesh and mice, when they should have 
 done it at Jerusalem, with bullocks and lambs. i». 
 
 Ixvi. 17. 
 
 Third, Again, touching men's prosecuting their 
 zeal for their worship, <fec., that they do think 
 right ; how hot hath it been, though with no reason 
 at aE ? Nebuchadnezzar will have his fiery fur- 
 nace, and Darius his lions' den for Nonconformists. 
 Da. iii. 6; vi. 7, &c. Again, they have persecuted men 
 even to strange cities ; have laid traps and snares 
 in every corner, to entrap and to entangle their 
 words ; and if they could at any time but kill the 
 persons that dissented from them, they would 
 think they did God good service. Ac. xxri.n. Lu. xi. 53, 
 64. Jn, xix. 1, 3. But what need we look so far from 
 home, were it not that I would seal my sayings 
 with truth. We need look no farther to affirm 
 this position, th»,n to the Papists and their com- 
 panions. How many have they in all ages hanged, 
 burned, starved, drowned, racked, dismembered, 
 and murdered, both openly and in secret ? and 
 all under a pretence of God, his worship, and good 
 works.* Thus you see how wise men and fools, 
 
 * This manly, bold, and upright statement of truth, was 
 published in 1674, only two years after the author's deliver- 
 ance from twelve years and a half's incarceration in a damp, 
 miserable jail, for nonconformity! None but those, whose 
 close communion with God inspires them with the confessor's 
 4 A. 
 
654i 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEIIAVIOUK. 
 
 saints and sinners, Christians and heathens, have 
 erred in the business of good -vforks ; wherefore 
 every one should he careful to see that their works 
 BE good. 
 
 Now, then, to prevent, if God wiU, miscarriage 
 m this matter, I shall propound unto you what it 
 is for a work to be rightly good. First, A good 
 work must have the word for its authority. Se- 
 cond, It must, as afore was said, flow from faith. 
 Third, It must he both rightly timed and rightly 
 placed. Fourth, It must be done wUlingly, cheer- 
 fully, «kc. 
 
 First, It must have the word for its authority. 
 Zeal without knowledge is like a mettled horse 
 without eyes, or like a sword in a madman's hand; 
 and there is no knowledge where there is not the 
 word : for if they reject the word of the Lord, and 
 act not by that, ' what wisdom is in them ?' saith 
 the prophet. Je. vfli. 9. is. viii. 20. Wherefore see thou 
 have the word for what thou dost. 
 
 Second, As there must be the word for the 
 authorising of what thou dost, so there must be 
 faith, from which it must flow, as I shewed you 
 before : ' for whatsoever is not of faith is sin;' and 
 • without faith ii is impossible to please God. ' Now, 
 I say, without the word there is no faith, Ko. a. 17- 
 as without faith there is no good, let men's pre- 
 tences be what they will. 
 
 laird. As it must have these two aforenamed, 
 so also it must have, 1. Right time ; and, 2. Right 
 place. 
 
 1. It must be rigMy timed. Every work is not 
 to he done at the same time ; every time not being 
 convenient for such a work ; There is a time for 
 all things, and every thing is beautiful in its time, 
 lie. iii. 11. There is a time to pray, a time to hear, 
 a time to read, a time to confer, a time to medi- 
 tate, a time to do, and a time to suffer. Now, to 
 be hearing when we should be preaching and 
 doing, that is, yielding active obedience to that 
 under which we ought to suffer, is not good. 
 Christ was very wary, that both his doings and 
 sufferings were rightly timed. Jn. ji. 3, i; xiii. l, 3. And 
 herein we ought to follow his steps. To be at 
 plough in the field, when I should be hearing the 
 word, is not good ; and to be talking abroad, when 
 I should be instructing my family at home, is as 
 bad; 'Whoso keepeth the commandment, shall 
 feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart dis- 
 cerneth both time and judgment.' Ec. viii. 6. Good 
 things mistimed, are fruitless, unprofitable, and 
 vain. 
 
 2. As things must have their right time, so they 
 must be rightly placed; for the misplacing of any 
 
 courage, can understand the spirit which dictated such lan- 
 guage. Had all dissenters used such faithful words, the chiiixh 
 would long ago have been emancipated from persecution in 
 this country. — En. 
 
 work is as bad as the mistiming of it. When I 
 say, things, if good, must be rightly placed, I 
 mean, we should not give to any work more than 
 the word of God aUoweth it, neither should we 
 give it less. Mint, anise, and cummin, are not su 
 weighty matters as faith and the love of God ; as 
 in Mat xxiii. 23. For a pastor to be exercising the 
 office of a deacon, instead of the oflSce of a pastor, 
 it is misplacing of works. Ac. vi. 2. For Martha to 
 be making outward provision for Christ, when she 
 should have sat at his feet to hear his word, was 
 the misplacing a work ; and for her sister to have 
 done it at her request — though the thing in itself 
 was good — ^had been her sin also. Lu. ». 89—42. 
 
 Now, to prevent the misplacing of good works, 
 
 (1.) They misplace them that set them in the 
 room of Christ. Ko. %. 1—3. 
 
 (2.) They also misplace them that make them 
 copartners with him. Eo. ix. si. 82. Ac. xt. 1. This is 
 setting up our post by God's posts, and man's 
 righteousness by the righteousness of Christ. Eze. 
 xliu. 7, 8. These are said to be teachers of the law, 
 not knowing what they say, nor whereof they affirm, 
 1 Ti. i. 7. 
 
 (3.) They also misplace works, who ascribe to a 
 work of less moment that honour that belongeth to 
 a work more noble. And such are (a) Those who 
 count the ceremonial part of an ordinance as good 
 as the doctrine and signification of it.* (6) Such 
 who account the dictates and impulses of a mere 
 natural conscience, as good, as high, and divine, as 
 the leadings and movings of the Spirit of Christ. 
 (c) Those also who count it enough to do some- 
 thing of what God hath commanded, and that some- 
 thmg, possibly the least, instead of all, and the 
 things more necessary and weighty, [d) They also 
 much misplace them, who count things indifferent 
 as high as those that are absolutely necessary in 
 the worship of God. (e) But the grosser, who place 
 men's traditions above them, [f) And they great- 
 est of all, who put bitter for sweet, and darkness 
 for light. AU these things we must shun and avoid, 
 as things absolutely obstructive to good works. 
 
 Wherefore touching good works ; obedience is 
 better than sacrifice ; that ia, to do things accord- 
 ing to the word of God, is better than to do them 
 according to my fancy and conceit. 1 Sa. xv. 23. 
 ' Wherefore, let all things be done decently and in 
 order.' iCo. xiv. 40. 
 
 Fourth, Again, as good works should be ordered 
 and qualified, as before is touched, so they should 
 be done from the heart, willingly, cheerfully, with 
 simplicity and charity, according to what a man 
 
 * This is a very extensive and awful delusion. Baptismal 
 regeneration, as believed by the churches of Rome and of Eng- 
 land, and the viaticum, or fitting the soul to appear before 
 God by administering the Lord's supper to a dying sinner, 
 have done infinite mischief to the souls of men. — En. 
 
CnaiSTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 555 
 
 Lath. 1 Jn. V. S. 2 Co. ix. 7. Ho. xii. 8. CoL iii. 12. 1 Co. x. 24. 1 Co. 
 viii. 12. 
 
 Farther, there are three things that a man should 
 have in his eye in every work he doth. 1. The 
 honour of God. i Co. vi. 20. 2. The edification of his 
 neighbour. 1 Co. xiv. 36. 3. The expediency or inex- 
 pediency of what I am to do. iCo.Ti. 12, And al- 
 ways observe it, that the honour of God is wrapped 
 up in the edification of thy neighbour ; and the 
 edification of thy neighbour in the expediency of 
 what thou dost. 
 
 Again, if thou wouldst walk to the edification 
 of thy neighbour, and so to God's honour, in the 
 midst of thy observers, beware, 
 
 1st. That thou in thy words and carriages dost 
 so demean thyself, that Christ in his precious bene- 
 fits may be with clearness spoken forth by thee ; 
 and take heed, that thou dost not enter into doubt- 
 ful points with them that are weak. Eo. xt. 1.- But 
 deal chiefly, lovingly, and wisely, with their con- 
 sciences about those matters that tend to their 
 establishment in the faith of their justification, and 
 deliverance from death and hell. ' Comfort the 
 feeble-minded,' confirm the weak. iTh. v. 14. 
 
 2ndly. If thou be stronger than thy brother, 
 take heed that thou do not that before him, that 
 may oflfend his weak conscience ; I mean, things 
 that in themselves may be lawful. All that is 
 lawful is not expedient ; all that is lawful edifieth 
 not. 1 Co. -vL 12. Wherefore here is thy wisdom and 
 love, that thou in some things deny thyself for thy 
 brother's sake. ' I will eat no flesh while the 
 world standeth,' saith Paul, 'lest I make my 
 brother to ofiend. ' 1 Co. -riu. 13. Wherefore have this 
 faith to thyself before God. Ro. xiv. 22. But if thou 
 walk otherwise, know, thou walkest not charitably, 
 and so not to edification, and so not to Christ's 
 honour, but dost sin against Christ, and wound thy 
 weak brother, for whom Christ died. lio. xIt. 15. 1 Co. 
 viii. 13. 
 
 But I say, all this while keep thy eye upon the 
 word ; take heed of going contrary to that under 
 any pretence whatever ; for without the word, there 
 is nothing to God's glory, nor thy brother's edifi- 
 cation. Wherefore, walk ' wisely in a perfect way.' 
 
 Fa. d. 2, 3. 
 
 Having thus, in few words, shewed you what 
 are works rightly good, I beseech you in the name 
 oi the Lord Jesus Christ, that you put yourselves 
 into a conscientious performance of them, that you 
 may, while you live here, be vessels of honour, and 
 fit for the master's use, and prepared to every good 
 work. 1 TL Tri. 18. Study to approve things that are 
 excellent, ' that you may be sincere, and without 
 offence, until the day of Christ. ' Phi. i. 10. Covet 
 communion with God : • covet earnestly the best 
 gifts.' 1 Co. xiL 81. Ah ! we that are redeemed from 
 among men, Re.xiy. 4, and that rejoice in the hope 
 
 of the glory of God, Ro. t. 2, we that look, I say, 
 for the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing 
 of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, 
 Tit. ii. 13, ' what manner of persons ought we to be 
 in aU holy conversation and godliness.' 2 Pe. iii. 11. 
 
 To conclude, for your farther edification, take a 
 plain rehearsal of your several general duties and 
 works, to which God engageth you in his word, 
 according to yom- places, callings, and relations in 
 this world; 
 
 DUTIES OF THE MASTER OF A FAMILY. 
 
 If thou have under thee a family, then thou art 
 to consider the several relations thou standest 
 under; and art to know, that thou in each of 
 them hast a work to do for God, and that he ex- 
 peoteth thy faithful deportment under every one of 
 them. As, in general; 
 
 DUTY TO THE FAMILY IN GENERAL. 
 
 He that is the master of a family, he hath, as 
 under that relation, a work to do for God ; to wit, 
 the right governing of his own family. And his 
 work is twofold. First, Touching the spiritual 
 state thereof. Second, Touching the outward state 
 thereof. 
 
 First, As touching the spiritual state of his 
 fajmily; he ought to be very diligent and circum- 
 spect, doing his utmost endeavour both to increase 
 faith where it is begun, and to begin it where it is 
 not. Wherefore, to this end, he ought diligently 
 and frequently to lay before his household such 
 things of God, out of his word, as are suitable for 
 each particular. And let no man question his 
 rule in the word of God for such a practice ; for if 
 the thing itself were but of good report, and a thing 
 tending to civil honesty, it is within the compass 
 and bounds even of nature itself, and ought to be 
 done ; much more things of a higher nature ; be- 
 sides, the apostle exhorts us to ' Whatsoever things 
 are honest, whatsoever things are just, pure, lovely, 
 and of good report, to think of them,' that is, to be 
 mindful to do them. Piii. iv. 8. But to be conversant 
 in this godly exercise in our family, is very worthy 
 of praise, and doth much become all Christians. 
 This is one of the things for which God so highly 
 commended his servant Abraham, and that with 
 which his heart was so much affected. I know 
 Abraham, saith God, ' I know him' to be a good 
 man in very deed, for ' he will command his chil- 
 dren, and his household after him, and they shall 
 keep the way of the Lord. ' Ge. xviii. 19. This was a 
 thing also which good Joshua designed should be 
 his practice as long as he had a breathing time in 
 this world. 'As for me,' saith he, I 'and my 
 household, we will serve the Lord.' Joj.xxiv.is. 
 
B56 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 Further, we find also ia the New Testament, 
 that they are looked upon as Christians of an in- 
 ferior rank that have not a due regard to this duty; 
 yea, so inferior as not fit to he chosen to any oflSce 
 in the church of God. A [hishop or] pastor must 
 be one that ruleth well his own house, having his 
 children in subjection with all gravity ; For if a 
 man know not how to rule his own house, how 
 shall he take care of the church of God ? ' The 
 deacon' also, saith he, must ' be the husband of 
 one wife, ruling their children, and their own house 
 well.' iTi. iii. Mark a little, the apostle seems to 
 lay down thus much, that a man that governs his 
 family well, hath one quaUfication belonging to a 
 pastor or deacon in the house of God, for he that 
 knoweth not how to rule his own house, how shall 
 he take care of the church of God ? which thing 
 considered, it giveth us hght into the work of the 
 ■master of a family, touching the governing of his 
 house. 
 
 1. A pastor must be sound and uncorrupt in 
 his doctrine ; and indeed so must the master of a 
 family. Tit. i. 9. Ep. vi. i. 
 
 2. A pastor should be apt to teach, to reprove, 
 and to exhort; and so should the master of a 
 
 family, l Ti. iu. 2. De. vi. 7. 
 
 3. A pastor must himself be exemplary in faith 
 and holiness ; and so also should the master of a 
 family, i Ti. iii. s— 4; iv. 13. ' I,' saith David, ' wiU 
 behave myself in a perfect way ; I will walk in, ' 
 or before, ' my house with a perfect heart.' Ps. ci. s. 
 
 4. The pastor is for getting the church toge- 
 ther ; and when they are so come together, then 
 to pray among them, and to preach unto them. 
 This is also commendable in Christian masters of 
 families. 
 
 Object. But my family is ungodly and unruly, 
 touching all that is good. What shall I do ? 
 Ansiv. I answer, 
 
 1 . Though this be true, yet thou must rule them, 
 and not they thee ! Thou art set over them of 
 God, and thou art to use the authority which God 
 hath given thee, both to rebuke their vice, and to 
 shew them the evil of their rebelling against the 
 Lord. This did Eli, though not enough; and thus did 
 David. 1 Sa. ii. 24, 2B. 1 Ch. xx?iii. 9. Also, thou must tell 
 them how sad thy state was when thou wast in 
 their condition, and so labour to recover them out 
 of the snare of the devil. Mar. v. 19. 
 
 2. Thou oughtest also to labour to draw them 
 forth to God's public worship, if peradventure God 
 may convert their souls. Saith Jacob to his 
 household, and to all that were about him, ' Let 
 us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make 
 there an altar unto God, who answered me in the 
 day of my distress. ' Ge. xxxv. s. Hannah would carry 
 Samuel to Shiloh, that he might abide with God 
 for ever, i Sa. i. 22. Indeed a soul rightly touched. 
 
 will labour to draw, not only their families, but a 
 whole city after Jesus Christ. Jn. ir. 28—30. 
 
 3. If they are obstinate, and will not go forth 
 with thee, then do thou get godly and sound men 
 to thy house, and there let the word of God be 
 preached, when thou hast, as Cornelius, gathered 
 thy family and friends together. Ac. x. 
 
 You know that the jailor, Lydia, Crispus, Gaius, 
 Stephanus, and others, had not only themselves, 
 but their families, made gracious by the word 
 preached, and that some of them, if not all, by 
 the word preached in their houses. Ac. xvi. 14—34; 
 xviii. 7, 8. 1 Co. i. 16. And this, for ought I know, might 
 be one reason among many, why the apostles taught 
 in their day, not only publicly, but from house to 
 house ; I say, that they might, if possible, bring 
 in those in some family, which yet remained un- 
 converted, and in their sins. Ac. x. 24; xx. 20, 31. For 
 some, you know how usual it was in the day of 
 Christ, to invite him to their houses, if they had 
 any afilicted, that either would not or could not 
 come unto him. Lu. ra.2, 3; viii. 41. If this be the 
 way with those that have outward diseases in their 
 families, how much more then, where there are 
 souls that have need of Christ, to save them from 
 death and eternal damnation ! 
 
 4. Take heed that thou do not neglect family- 
 duties among them thyself ; as, reading the word 
 and prayer ; if thou hast one in thy family that is 
 gracious, take encouragement ; nay, if thou art 
 alone, yet know that thou hast both hberty to go 
 to God through Christ, and also art at that time 
 in a capacity of having the universal church join 
 with thee for the wholo number of those that shall 
 be saved. 
 
 5. Take heed that thou suffer not any ungodly, 
 profane, or heretical books, or discourse in .thy 
 house. ' Evil communications corrupt good man- 
 ners,' i Co. xv. 33. I mean such profane or heretical 
 books, (fee, as either tend to provoke to looseness 
 of life, or such as do oppose the fundamentals of 
 the gospel. I know that Christians must be al- 
 lowed their liberty as to things indifferent ; but for 
 those things that strike either at faith or holiness, 
 they ought to be abandoned by all Christians, and 
 especially by the pastors of churches, and masters 
 of families ; which practice was figured out by 
 Jacob's commanding his house, and all that was 
 with him, to put away the strange gods from I 
 among them, and to change their garments. Ge. xixv. 
 
 2. AU those in the Acts set a good example for 
 this, who took their curious books and burned them 
 before all men, though they were worth fifty thou- 
 sand pieces of silver. Ac. xix. is, 19. The neglect of 
 this fourth particular hath occasioned ruin in many j 
 families, both among children and servants. It is 
 easier tor vain talkers, and their deceivable works, I 
 to subvert whole households, than many are awara 
 
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 557 
 
 of. Tit. i. 10, 11. Thus much touching the spiritual 
 state of thy household. And now to its outward. 
 Second, Touching the oviward state of thy family, 
 thou art to consider these three things. 
 
 1. That it lieth upon thee to care for them that 
 they have a convenient livelihood. ' If any man 
 provide not for his own, and specially for those of 
 his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is 
 worse than an infidel.' i Ti. v. 8. But mark, when 
 the Word saith, thou art to provide for thy house, 
 it giveth thee no license to distracting carefulness ; 
 neither doth it allow thee to strive to grasp the 
 world in thy heart, or cofiEers, nor to take care for 
 years or days to come, but so to provide for them, 
 that they may have food and raiment ; and if 
 either they or thou be not content with that, you 
 launch out beyond the rule of God. i Ti. vi. a. Mat. vi. 
 34. This is to labour, that you may have where- 
 with ' to maintain good works for necessary uses.' 
 Tit. iii. 14. And never object, that unless you reach 
 farther, it will never do ; for that is but unbelief. 
 The word saith, ' That God feedeth ravens, careth 
 for sparrows, and clotheth the grass ;' in which 
 three, to feed, clothe, and care for, is as much as 
 heart can wish. Lu. jdi 6—28. 
 
 2. Therefore though thou shouldest provide for 
 thy family ; yet let all thy labour be mixed with 
 moderation ; ' Let your moderation be known unto 
 all men.' PM-iv. 5. Take heed of driving so hard 
 after this world, as to hinder thyself and family 
 from those duties towards God, which thou art by 
 grace obliged to; as private prayer, reading the 
 scriptures, and Christian conference. It is a base 
 thing for men so to spend themselves and famihes 
 after this world, as that they disengage their heart 
 to God's worship. 
 
 Christians, 'The time is short: it remaineth 
 that both they that have wives be as though they 
 had none ; and they that weep, as though they 
 wept not ; and they that rejoice, as though they 
 rejoiced not ; and they that use this world, as not 
 abusing it; for the fashion of this world passeth 
 away.' l Co. vii. 29—31. Many Christians live and do 
 in this world, as if religion were but a by-business, 
 and this world the one thing necessary ; when in- 
 deed all the things of this world are but things by 
 the by ; and religion only the one thing needtul. 
 
 Ln. X. 40-42. 
 
 3. If thou wouldst be such a master of a family 
 as becomes thee, thou must see that there be that 
 Christian harmony among those under thee, as be- 
 comes that house where one ruleth that feareth 
 God. 
 
 (1.) Thou must look that thy children and ser- 
 vants be imder subjection to the word of God ; for 
 though it is of God only to rule the heart, yet he 
 expecteth that thou shouldest rule their outward 
 man ; which if thou dost not, he may in a short 
 
 time cut off all thy stock, [even every male]. 1 Sa.iii. 
 11—14. See therefore that thou keep them temperate 
 in all things, in apparel, in language, that they 
 be not gluttons, nor drunkards; not suffering either 
 thy children vainly to domineer over thy servants, 
 nor they again to carry themselves foolishly towards 
 each other. 
 
 (2.) Learn to distinguish between that injury 
 that in thy family is done to thee, and that which 
 is done to God ; and though thou oughtest to be 
 very zealous for the Lord, and to bear nothing 
 that is open transgression to him ; yet here will be 
 thy wisdom, to pass by personal injuries, and to 
 bury them in oblivion : ' Love covereth a multitude 
 of sins.' Be not then like those that will rage and 
 stare like madmen, when they are injured ; and 
 yet either laugh, or at least not soberly rebuke, 
 and warn, when God is dishonoured. 
 
 ' Rule thy own house well, having thy children 
 — with others in thy family — in subjection, with 
 all gravity.' iTi.iii.4. Solomon was so excellent 
 sometimes this way, that he made the eyes of his 
 beholders to dazzle. 2 Ch. ix. s, 4. * 
 
 But to break off from this general, and to come 
 to particulars. 
 
 [duty in relation to the wife.] 
 
 Hast thou a wife ? Thou must consider how 
 thou oughtest to behave thyself under that rela- 
 tion : and to do this aright, thou must consider the 
 condition of thy wife, whether she be one that 
 indeed believeth or not. 
 
 First, If she believeth, then, 
 
 1. Thou art engaged to bless God for 
 
 her : ' For her price is far above rubies, husbaiids 
 and she is the gift of God unto thee, and ^ ^Khev- 
 
 o ^ ' ing wives. 
 
 is for thy adorning and glory.' Pr. xii. 4; 
 and xixi. 10. iCo. xi. 7. 'Favour is deceitful, and 
 beauty is vain: hvt a woman that feareth the 
 Lord, she shall be praised. ' Pr. xxxi. 30. 
 
 2. Thou oughtest to love her, under a double 
 consideration: (1.) As she is thy flesh and thy 
 bone : ' For no man ever yet hated his own flesh.' 
 Ep.T. 29. (2.) As she is together with thee an heir 
 of the grace of life, l Pe. iii. 7. This, I say, should 
 engage thee to love her with Christian love ; to 
 love her, as believing you both are dearly beloved 
 of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, and as those 
 that must be together with him in eternal happi- 
 ness. 
 
 3. Thou oughtest so to carry thyself to and be- 
 fore her, as doth Christ to and before his church ; 
 as saith the apostle : So ought men to love their 
 
 * The queen of Sheba was as much or more delighted with 
 the order, harmony, and happiness of Solomon's household 
 than she was with all his splendour and magnificence. It ia 
 to this Bunyan refers in this quotation. — Ed. 
 
558 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 ■wives, ' even as Christ loved the church, and gave 
 himself for it. ' Ep. v. as. When husbands behave 
 themselves like husbands indeed, then will they be 
 not only husbands, but such an ordinance of God 
 to the wife, as will preach to her the carriage of 
 Christ to his spouse. There is a sweet scent 
 wrapped up in the relations of husbands and wives, 
 that believe ; Ep. iv. 32. the wife, I say, signifying 
 the church, and the husband the head and saviour 
 thereof, ' For the husband is the head of the wife, 
 even as Christ is the head of the church.' Ep. v. 23. 
 and he is the Saviour of the body. 
 
 This is one of God's chief ends in instituting 
 marriage, that Christ and his church, under a 
 figure, might be wherever there is a couple that 
 believe through grace. Wherefore that husband 
 that carrieth it undisoreetly towards his wife, he 
 doth not only behave himself contrary to the rule, 
 but also maketh his wife lose the benefit of such 
 an ordinance, and crosseth the mystery of his 
 relation. Therefore, I say, ' So ought men to love 
 their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth 
 his wife, loveth himself. For no man ever yet 
 hated his own flesh ; but nourisheth and cherisheth 
 it, even as the Lord the church : ' Ep. v. 28, 29. Christ 
 laid out his life for his church, covereth her infir- 
 mities, communicates to her his wisdom, protecteth 
 her, and helpeth her in her employments in this 
 world ; and so ought men to do for their wives. 
 Solomon and Pharaoh's daughter had the art of 
 thus doing, as you may see in the book of Canticles. 
 Wherefore bear with their weaknesses, help their 
 infirmities, and honour them as the weaker vessels, 
 end as being of a frailer constitution. IPe. iii. 7. 
 
 In a word, be such a husband to thy believing 
 wife, that she may say, God hath not only given 
 me a husband, but such a husband as preaoheth to 
 me every day the carriage of Christ to his church. 
 Second, If thy wife be unbelieving or 
 husbaiidsto Carnal, then thou hast also a duty lying 
 unWieviiig ^gfo„g thee, which thou art engaged to 
 perform under a double engagement: 
 1. For that she lieth liable every moment to eter- 
 nal damnation. 2. That she is thy wife that is in 
 this evil case. 
 
 Oh ! how little sense of the worth of souls is 
 there in the heart of some husbands ; as is manifest 
 by their unchristian carriage to and before their 
 wives ! Now, to qualify thee for a carriage suit- 
 able, 
 
 1 . Labour seriously after a sense of her miser- 
 able state, that thy bowels may yearn towards her 
 Boul. 
 
 2. Beware that she take no occasion from any 
 unseemly carriage of thine, to proceed in evO. And 
 here thou hast need to double thy diligence, for she 
 lieth in thy bosom, and therefore is capable of 
 espying the least miscarriage in thee. 
 
 3. If she behave herself unseemly and imruly, as 
 she is subject to do, being Christless and graceless, 
 then labour thou to overcome her evil with thy 
 goodness, her forwardness with thy patience and 
 meekness. It is a shame for thee, who hast another 
 principle, to do as she. 
 
 4. Take fit opportunities to convince her. Ob- 
 serve her disposition, and when she is most likely 
 to bear, then speak to her very heart. 
 
 5. When thou speakest, speak to purpose. It 
 is no matter for many words, provided they be 
 pertinent. Job in a few words answers his wife, 
 and takes her off from her foolish talking : ' Thou 
 speakest,' saith he, 'as one of the foolish women; 
 - shall we receive good at the hand of God. and 
 shall we not receive evil ? ' Joij u. 10. 
 
 6. Let all be done without rancour, or the least 
 appearance of anger : ' In meekness instructing 
 those that oppose themselves, if - peradventure 
 they may recover themselves out of the snare of 
 the devil, who are taken captive by him at his 
 will. ' 2 Ti. ii. 25, 26. ' And how knowest thou, man, 
 whether thou shalt save thy wife.' 1 Co ?u. u. 
 
 DnTr OF PARENTS TO CHILDREN. 
 
 If thou art a parent, a father, or a mother, then 
 thou art to consider thy calling under this relation, 
 
 Thy children have souls, and they must bo 
 begotten of God as well as of thee, or they perish. 
 And know also, that unless thou be very circum- 
 spect in thy behaviour to and before them, they 
 may perish through thee : the thoughts of which 
 should provoke thee, both to instruct, and also to 
 ayrred them. 
 
 First, To histruct them as the scripture saith, 
 and to ' bring them up in the nurture and admoni. 
 tion of the Lord;' and to do this diligently, 'when 
 thou sittest in thine house, - when thou liest down, 
 and when thou risest up. ' Ep. vi. 4. De. \\. 7. 
 
 Now to do this to purpose : 
 
 1. Do it in terms and words easy to be under- 
 stood : affect not high expressions, they will drown 
 your children. Thus God spake to his children. 
 Ho. xii. 10. and Paul to his. l Co. iii. 3. 
 
 2. Take heed of filling their heads with whimsies, 
 and unprofitable notions, for this will sooner learn 
 them to be malapert and proud, than sober and 
 humble. Open therefore to them the state of man 
 by nature ; discourse with them of sin, of death, 
 and hell ; of a crucified Saviour, and the promise 
 of life through faith : ' Train up a child in the 
 way he should go: and when he is old, he will not 
 depart from it. ' Pr. xxii. 6. 
 
 3. There must be much gentleness and patience 
 in all thy instructions, ' lest they be discouraged.' 
 Col. iii. 21. And, 
 
 4. Labour to convince them by a conversation 
 
CHRISTIAN BEIIAVIOUK. 
 
 669 
 
 answerable, tliat tlie things of which thou instructest 
 them are not fables, but realities ; yea, and realities 
 so far above what can be here enjoyed, that all 
 things, were they a thousand times better than they 
 are, are not worthy to be compared with the glory 
 and worthiness of these things.* 
 
 Isaac was so holy before his children, that when 
 Jacob remembered God, he remembered that he 
 was the Fear of his father Isaac' Ge. xxxi. 53. 
 
 Ah ! when children can think of their parents, 
 and bless God for that instruction and good they 
 have received from them, this is not only profitable 
 for children, but honourable, and comfortable to 
 parents : ' The father of the righteous shall greatly 
 rejoice : and he that begetteth a wise child shall 
 have joy of him. ' Pr. xxiiL m, 26. 
 
 Second, The duty of correction. 
 
 1. See if fair words wiU win them from evil. 
 This is God's way with hia children. Je. xxv. 4, 5. 
 
 2. Let those words you speak to them in your 
 reproof, be both sober, few, and pertinent, adding 
 always some suitable sentence of the scripture there- 
 with ; as, if they lie, then such as Ee. jud. 8, 27. If they 
 refuse to hear the word, such as 3 Ch. xxt. it— 16. 
 
 3. Look to them, that they be not companions 
 with those that are rude and ungodly; showing 
 with soberness a continual dislike of their naughti- 
 ness ; often crying out to them, as God did of old 
 imto his, ' Oh, do not this abominable thing that I 
 hate. Je, xliv, 4. 
 
 4. Let all this be mixed with such love, pity, and 
 compunction of spirit, that if possible they may be 
 convinced you dislike not their persons, but their 
 sins. This is God's way. Pa. xdx. 8. 
 
 5. Be often endeavouring to fasten on their con- 
 sciences the day of their death, and judgment to 
 come. Thus also God deals with his. De. uxiL 39. 
 
 6. If thou art driven to the rod, then strike 
 advisedly in cool blood, and soberly show them, 
 (I.) their fault; (2.) how much it is against thy 
 heart thus to deal with them ; (3.) and that what 
 thou dost, thou dost in conscience to God, and love 
 to their souls ; (4.) and tell them, that if fair means 
 would have done, none of this severity should have 
 been. This, I have proved it, will be a means to 
 afflict their hearts as well as their bodies ; and it 
 being the way that God deals with his, it is the 
 most likely to accomplish its end. 
 
 7. Follow all this with prayer to God for them, 
 and leave the issue to him : ' Foolishness is bound 
 in the heart of a child ; but the rod of correction 
 shall drive it far from him,' Pr. rsii. 15 
 
 * 'Though the words of the wise - are as nails fastened by 
 the master of assembKes, Eccl. xii. 1, yet sore their examples 
 are the hammer to drive them in to take the deeper hold. A 
 ■father that whipt his son for swearing, and swore himself 
 while he whipt him, did more harm by his example than good 
 by his correction.' — Fuller's lluly Slate, p. 11. — Ed. 
 
 Lastly, Observe these cautions, 
 
 1. Take heed that the misdeeds for which thou 
 correctest thy children be not learned them by thee. 
 Many children learn that wickedness of their 
 parents for which they beat and chastise them. 
 
 2. Take heed thou smile not upon them, to 
 encourage them in small faults, lest that thy car- 
 riage to them be an encouragement to them to 
 commit greater. 
 
 3. Take heed thou use not unsavoury and 
 unseemly words in thy chastising of them, as rail- 
 ing, miscalling, and the like : this is devilish. 
 
 4. Take heed thou do not use them to many 
 chiding words and threatenings, mixed with light- 
 ness and laughter ; this will harden. Speak not 
 much, nor often, but pertinent to them with all 
 gravity.! 
 
 DUTIES OF MASTERS TO SERVANTS. 
 
 Masters also have a work to do as they stand 
 related to their servants. And, 
 
 First, If possibly they can, to get them that fear 
 God : ' He that worketh deceit,' saith David, ' shall 
 not dwell within my house ; he that telleth lies, 
 shall not tarry in my sight. ' Ps. ci. 7. 
 
 Second, But if none at the present but unbelievers 
 can be got to do thy labour, then, 
 
 1. Know that it is thy duty so to behave thyself 
 to thy servant, that thy service may not only be 
 for thy good, but for the good of thy servant, and 
 that both in body and soul. Wherefore deal with 
 him, as to admonition, as with thy children ; give 
 him the same bread of God thou givest to them ; 
 and who knows, but that if thou with spiritual 
 delicates bringest up thy servant, but he may be- 
 come thy spiritual son in the end. Pr. xxix. 31. 
 
 2. Take heed thou do not turn thy servants into 
 slaves, by overcharging them in thy work, through 
 thy greediness. To make men serve with rigour, 
 is more Hke to Israel's enemies than Christian 
 masters. Ex. i. 14 J 
 
 3. Take heed thou carry not thyself to thy ser- 
 vant as he of whom it is said, ' He is such a man 
 of Belial, that his servants could not speak to him. ' 
 1 Sa. Xiv. 14^17. 
 
 And the apostle bids you forbear to threaten 
 them, because you also have a Master in heaven. 
 Ep. Ti. 9. As who should say. Your servants cannot 
 be guilty of so many miscarriages against you, as 
 you are guilty of against Christ. Wherefore do 
 
 t How exceedingly admirable are all these scriptural direc- 
 tions, warnings, and cautions. Happy are those parents and 
 their children where such wisdom is manifested in that painfal 
 duty of administering counsel and correction. — ^Ed. 
 
 \ jOne of the Saxon laws was, that if a serf or villain work 
 on Sunday by his lord's command, he shall be a free man,— 
 Spelman'i Concilia, An. 692. — En. 
 
560 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUE. 
 
 with, and to your servants, as you would have your 
 master do with you. 
 
 4. Take heed that thou neither circumvent liim 
 at his coming in to thj' service, nor at his going 
 out. 
 
 Servants, at their going into service, may he 
 heguiled two ways. 
 
 (1.) By their masters lying unto them, saying, 
 their work is so small and so easy, when it is 
 indeed, if not too burdensome, yet far beyond what 
 at first was said of it. This is beguiling of them. 
 
 (2.) The other way is, when masters greedily 
 seek to wire-draw their servants to such wages as 
 indeed is too little and inconsiderable for such work 
 and labour. Both these the apostle opposeth, 
 where he saith, ' Masters give unto yotur servants 
 that which is just,' just labour, and just wages, 
 ' knowing that ye also have a master in heaven. ' 
 
 Col. iv. 1. 
 
 As servants may be circumvented at their com- 
 ing into their labour, so also they may be at their 
 going out: which is done by masters that either 
 change their wages, like heathenish Laban, Ge. 
 xxxi. 7. or by keeping it back, like those against 
 whom God will be a swift witness. Mai. Hi. 5. 
 
 5. Take heed that thou make not a gain of thy 
 place, because thou art gracious, or livest conve- 
 niently for the means of grace.* 
 
 Servants that are truly godly they care not how 
 cheap they serve their masters, provided they may 
 get into godly families, or where they may be con- 
 venient for the word. But now, if a master or 
 mistress should take this opportunity to make a 
 prey of their servants, this is abominable, this is 
 making a gain of godliness, and merchandise of 
 the things of God, and of the soul of thy brother. 
 
 1 Ti. vi. 5. 
 
 I have heard some poor servants say. That in 
 some carnal families they have had more liberty to 
 God's things, and more fairness of dealing, than 
 among professors. But this stinketh. And as 
 Jacob said concerning the cruelty of his two sons, 
 so may I say of such masters, they make religion 
 stink before the inhabitants of the land. Ge. xxxiv. 30. 
 
 In a word, learn of the Lord Jesus to carry 
 yourselves well to your servants, that your ser- 
 vants also may learn something of the kindness of 
 Christ by your deportment to them. Servants are 
 goers as well as comers ; take heed that thou give 
 them no occasion to scandal the gospel when they 
 are gone, for what they observed thee unrighteously 
 to do when they were with thee. Then masters 
 carry it rightly toward their servants, when they 
 labour both in word and life to convince them that 
 
 * The rust of money in the rich man's puvse, unjustly 
 detained from the labourer, will poison and infect his whole 
 estate. — Fuller's Eoly Slate, p. 16. — Ed. 
 
 the things of God are the one thing necessary. 
 That which servants are commanded to do, touch- 
 ing their fear, their singleness of heart, their doing 
 what they do as to the Lord, and not to men ; the 
 master is commanded to do the same things imto 
 them. Bp. vi. 6—9. 
 
 THE DUTY OP WIVES. 
 
 But passing the master of the family, I shall 
 speak a word or two to those that are under him. 
 
 And, first, to the wife : The wife is bound by 
 the law to her husband, so long as her husband 
 liveth. Bo. vii. 3. Wherefore she also hath her work 
 and place in the family, as well as the rest. 
 
 Now there are these things considerable in the 
 carriage of a wife toward her husband, which she 
 ought conscientiously to observe. 
 
 First, That she look upon him as her head and 
 lord. ' The head of the woman is the man. ' l Co. xi. 
 3. And so Sarah called Abraham lord, l Pe. iii. 6. 
 
 Second, She should thei-efore be subject to him, 
 as is fit in the Lord. The apostle saith, ' That 
 the wife should submit herself to her husband, as 
 
 to the Lord, 't l Pe. iii. l. Col. iii. 18. Ep. v. S2. I told you 
 
 before, that if the husband doth walk towards his 
 wife as becomes him, he wiU therein be such an 
 ordinance of God to her, besides the relation of a 
 husband, that shall preach to her the carriage of 
 Christ to his church. And now I say also, that 
 the wife, if she walk with her husband as becomes 
 her, she shall preach the obedience of the church 
 to her husband. ' Therefore as the church is sub- 
 ject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own 
 husbands in everything. ' Ep. v. 24. Now for thy per- 
 forming of this work, thou must first shun these 
 evils. 
 
 1. The evil of a wandering and a gossiping 
 spirit ; this is evil in the church, and is evil also in 
 a wife, who is the figure of a church. Christ loveth 
 to have his spouse keep at home ; that is, to be 
 with him in the faith and practice of his things, 
 not ranging and meddling with the things of Satan ; 
 no more should wives be given to wander and gossip 
 abroad. You know that Pr. rii. ii. saith, ' She is 
 loud and stubborn ; her feet abide not in her house.' 
 Wives shoiild be about their own husbands' busi- 
 ness at home ; as the apostle saith. Let them ' be 
 discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient 
 to their own husbands.' And why? Because other- 
 wise ' the word of God will be blasphemed.' Tit.iLS. 
 
 2. Take heed of an idle, talking, or brangling 
 
 t The apostle Peter, in his solemn injunctions to married 
 persons, commences with the wife. Fuller observes upon this, 
 ' And sure it was fitting that women should first have their 
 lesson given them, because it is harder to be learned,— and 
 therefore they need have the more time to con ii.'—Holj 
 State, p. 1. — Ed. 
 
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 561 
 
 tongue. This also is odious, either in maids or 
 wives, to be like parrots, not bridling their tongue ; 
 ■whereas the wife should know, as I said before, 
 that her husband is her lord, and is over her, as 
 Christ is over the church. Do you think it is seemly 
 for the church to parrot it against her husband ? Is 
 she not to be silent before him, and to look to his 
 laws, rather than her own fictions? Why so, saith 
 the apostle, ought the wife to carry it towards her 
 husband? ' Let the woman,' saith Paul, ' learn in 
 silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman 
 to teach, nor to usui-p authority over the man, but 
 to be in silence. ' i Ti. ii. n, 13. It is an unseemly thing 
 to see a woman so much as once in all her lifetime 
 to offer to overtop her husband ; she ought in every- 
 thing to be in subjection to him, and to do aU she 
 doth, as having her warrant, licence, and authority 
 from him. And indeed here is her glory, even to 
 be under him, as the church is under Christ: Now 
 ' she openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her 
 tongue is the law of kindness. ' Pr. xud. 2a. 
 
 3. Take heed of affecting immodest apparel, or 
 a wanton gait ; this will be evil both abroad and at 
 home ; abroad, it will not only give ill example, but 
 also tend to tempt to lust and lasciviousness ; and 
 at home it will give an offence to a godly husband, 
 and be cankering to ungodly children, &c. Where- 
 fore, as saith the apostle. Let women's apparel be 
 modest, as becometh women professing godliness, 
 with good works, ' not with broidered hair, or gold, 
 or pearls, or costly array.' iTLu.9,10. And as it is 
 said again, ' Whose adorning, let it not be that out- 
 ward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing 
 of gold, or of putting on of apparel : But let ii be the 
 hidden man of the heart, in that which is not cor- 
 ruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet 
 spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. 
 For after this manner in the old time the holy 
 women also, who trusted in God, adorned them- 
 selves, being in subjection unto their own husbands. ' 
 a Pe. UL 3—5. 
 
 But yet, do not think that by the subjection I 
 have here mentioned, that I do intend women 
 should be their husbands' slaves. Women are their 
 husbands' yokefellows, their flesh and their bones ; 
 and he is not a man that hateth his own flesh, or 
 that is bitter against it. Ep.v.29. Wherefore, let 
 every man ' love his wife even as himself ; and the 
 wife see that she reverence tier husband.' Ep. v. 33. 
 The wife is master next her husband, and is to rule 
 aU in his absence ;* yea, in his presence she is to 
 guide the house, to bring up the children, provided 
 she so do it, as the adversary have no occasion to 
 speak reproachfully, i Ti. v. lo, 13. ' Who can find a 
 
 * ' In her husband's absence she is wife and deputy husband, 
 which makes her double the files of her diligence. At Ms return 
 he finds all things so well, that he wonders to see himself at 
 home when he was abroad.' — Fuller's Holy Stale, p. 2.— Eu. 
 
 Vol. II. 
 
 virtuous woman ? for her price is far above rubies. 
 A gracious woman retaineth honour : ' and guideth 
 her affairs with discretion. Pr. .«xL10; xi.i6i xu. 4. 
 
 Olg'ect. But my husband is an imbeliever ; what 
 shall I do? 
 
 An^io. If so, then what I have said before Heth 
 upon thee with an engagement so much the stronger. 
 For, 1 . Thy husband being in this condition, he will 
 be watchful to take thy slips and infirmities, to 
 throw them as dirt in the face of God and thy 
 Saviour. 2. He will be apt to make the worst of 
 every one of thy words, carriages, and gestures. 3. 
 And all this doth tend to the possessing his heai t 
 with more hardness, prejudice, and opposition to 
 his own salvation ; wherefore, as Peter saith, ' ye 
 wives, be in subjection to your own husbands ; that, 
 if any obey not the word, they may also without the 
 word be won by the conversation of the wives ; vhile 
 they behold your chaste conversation, coupled with 
 fear. ' 1 Pe. iii. 1, 2. Thy husband's salvation or dam- 
 nation lieth much in thy deportment and behaviour 
 before him ; wherefore, if there be in thee any fear, 
 of God, or love to thy husband, seek, by a carriage 
 full of meekness, modesty, and holiness, and a 
 humble behaviour before him, to win him to the 
 love of his own salvation ; and by thus doing, how 
 ' knowest thou, wife, whether thou shalt save thy 
 husband ? i Co. viL 16. 
 
 Olyect. But my husband is not only an unbeliever, 
 but one very froward, peevish, and testy, yea, so 
 froward, (kc, that I know not how to speak to him, 
 or behave myself before him. 
 
 Answ. Indeed there are some wives in great 
 slavery by reason of their ungodly husbands ; and 
 as such should be pitied, and prayed for ; so they 
 should be so much the more watchful and circum- 
 spect in all their ways. 
 
 1. Therefore be thou very faithful to him in all 
 the things of this life. 
 
 2. Bear with patience his unruly and unconverted 
 behaviour; thou art alive, he is dead; thou art 
 principled with grace, he with sin. Now, then, 
 seeing grace is stronger than sin, and virtue than 
 vice ; be not overcome with his vileness, but over- 
 come that with thy virtues, Eo. xU. ai. It is a shame 
 for those that are gracious to be as lavishing in 
 their words, ikc, as those that are graceless : They 
 that are 'slow to wrath are of great understanding ; 
 but they tlwt are hasty of spirit, exalteth folly.' 
 
 Pr. xiv. 29. 
 
 3. Thy wisdom, therefore, if at any time thou 
 hast a desire to speak to thy husband for his con- 
 viction, concerning anything, either good or evil, it 
 is to observe convenient times and seasons : There 
 is ' a time to keep silence, and a time to speak,' 
 Ec. iii. 7. Now for the right timing thy intentions, 
 
 (1.) Consider his disposition; and take him when 
 he is farthest off of those filthy passions that are 
 4 J] 
 
662 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 thy afflictions. Abigail would not speak a word 
 to her churlish husband till his wine was gone from 
 him, and he in a sober temper. X Sa. xxt. 36. 37. The 
 want of this observation is the cause why so much 
 is spoken, and so httle effected.* 
 
 (2.) Take him at those times when he hath his 
 heart taken with thee, and when he sheweth tokens 
 of love and delight in thee. Thus did Esther with 
 the king her husband, and prevailed. Es.v.3, 6. vii. 1,2. 
 
 (3.). Observe when convictions seize his con- 
 science, and then follow them with sound and grave 
 sayings of the Scriptures. Somewhat like to this 
 dealt Manoah's wife with her husband. Ju. liii. 22, 23. 
 Yet then, 
 
 (a) Let thy words be few. 
 
 {b) And none of them savouring of a lording it 
 over him ; but speak thou stiU as to thy head and 
 lord, by way of entreaty and beseeching. 
 
 (c.) And that in such a spirit of sympathy, and 
 bowels of affection after his good, that the manner 
 of thy speech and behaviour in speaking may be 
 to >iim an argument that thou speakest in love, as 
 being sensible of his misery, and inflamed in thy 
 soul with desire after his conversion. 
 
 (d) And follow thy words and behaviour with 
 prayers to God for his soul. 
 
 (e) Still keeping thyself in a holy, chaste, and 
 modest behaviour before him. 
 
 Object. But my husband is a sot, a fool, and 
 one that hath not wit enough to follow bis outward 
 employment in the world. 
 
 Answ. 1. Though all this be true, yet thou must 
 know he is thy head, thy lord, and thy husband. 
 
 2. Therefore thou must take heed of desiring to 
 usurp authority over him. He was not made for 
 thee ; that is, for thee to have dominion over him, 
 but to be thy husband, and to rule over thee. 1 Ti. 
 i. 12. 1 Co. xi. 3, 8. 
 
 3. Wherefore, though in truth thou mayest have 
 more discretion than he, yet thou oughtest to know 
 that thou, with all that is thine, is to be used as 
 under thy husband; even ' everything.' Ep. v. 24. 
 
 Take heed therefore, that what thou dost goes 
 not in thy name, but his ; not to thy exaltation, but 
 his ; carrying all things so, by thy dexterity and 
 prudence, that not one of thy husband's weaknesses 
 be discovered to others by thee : 'A virtuous woman 
 is a crown to her husband : but she that maketh 
 ashamed, is as rottenness in his bones.' For then, 
 as the wise man sayeth, ' she will do him good and 
 not evil, all the days of her life.' Pr. xii. 4; xxxi.12. 
 
 4. Therefore act, and do still, as being under the 
 power and authority of thy husband. 
 
 Now touching thy carriage to thy children and 
 
 * ' She never crosseth her husband in the spring-tide of his 
 anger, but stays till it be ebbing water.' — Fuller's Maj:ims. 
 
 servants. Thou art a parent, and a mistress, and 
 so thou oughtest to demean thyself. And besides, 
 seeing the believing woman is a figure of the church, 
 she ought, as the church, to nourish and instruct 
 her children, and servants, as the church, that she 
 may answer in that particular also ; and truly, the 
 wife being always at home, she hath great advan- 
 tage that way; wherefore do it, and the Lord 
 prosper your proceeding. 
 
 DUTIES OF CHILDREN TO PAREXTS. 
 
 There lieth also a duty upon children to their 
 parents, which they are bound both by the law of 
 God and nature conscientiously to observe : ' Chil- 
 dren, obey your parents in the Lord ; for this is 
 right.' And again, ' Children, obey your parents 
 in all things; for this is well pleasing unto the 
 
 Lord. ' Ep. vL 1. CoL iii. 20. 
 
 There are these general things in which children 
 should shew forth that honour that is due to their 
 parents from them. 
 
 First, They should always count them better 
 than themselves. I observe a vile spirit among 
 some children, and that is, they are apt to look 
 over their parents, and to have slighting and scorn- 
 ful thoughts of them. This is worse than heathen- 
 ish ; such an one hath got just the heart of a dog 
 or a beast, that will bite those that begot them, and 
 her that brought them forth. 
 
 Ohjed. But my father, kc, is now poor, and I 
 am rich, and it will be a disparagement, or at least 
 a hinderance to me, to shew that respect to him as 
 otherwise I might. 
 
 Answ. I tell thee thou arguest like an atheist 
 and a beast, and standest in this full flat against the 
 Son of God. Mar. vii. 9—13. Must a gift, and a little 
 of the glory of the butterfly, make thee that thou 
 shalt not do for, and honour to, thy father and 
 mother? ' A wise son maketh a glad father: but 
 a foolish man despiseth his mother. ' Pr. xv.20. Though 
 thy parents be never so low, and thou thsyelf never 
 so high, yet he is thy father, and she thy mother, 
 and they must be in thy eye in great esteem : ' The 
 eye that mocketh at Ms father, and despiseth to obey 
 his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it 
 out, and the young eagles shall eat it. ' Pr. xxx. 17. 
 
 Second, Thou oughtest to shew thy honour to thy 
 parents, by a willingness to help them with such 
 necessaries and accommodations which they need. 
 ' If any - have children or nephews, let them learn 
 to shew pietyt at home, and to requite their pa- 
 rents :' saith Paul, 'for that is good and acceptable 
 before God. ' i Ti. t. 4. And this rule Joseph observed 
 
 f Banyan's words are ' to show l>ity,' probably talien from 
 the word ' goodness' in the margin of the Bible ; but lest it 
 might be a typographieal error, the usual rendering is given in 
 this (Quotation. — Ei>. 
 
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUn. 
 
 563 
 
 to his poor fatter, thougli lie himself was next the 
 king in Egypt. Gc.xivu. i2i xU. 39— 44. 
 
 But mark, let them ' requite their parents.' 
 There are three things for which, as long as thou 
 livest, thou wilt be a debtor to thy parents. 
 
 1. For thy being in this world. They are they 
 from whom, immediately under God, thou didst 
 receive it. 
 
 2. For their care to preserve thee when thou 
 wast helpless, and couldst neither care for, nor 
 regard thyself. 
 
 3. For the pains they have taken with thee to 
 bring thee up. Until thou ha* children of thy own, 
 thou wilt not be sensible of the pains, watchings, 
 fears, sorrow, and affliction, that they have gone 
 under to bring thee up ; and when thou knowest 
 it, thou wilt not easily yield that thou hast recom- 
 pensed them for thy favour to thee. How often 
 have they sustained [thee in] thy hunger, clothed 
 thy nakedness ? What care have they taken that 
 thou mightest have wherewith to live and do well 
 when they were dead and gone? They possibly 
 have spared it from their own belly and back for 
 thee, and have also impoverished themselves, that 
 thou mightst live like a man.* All these things 
 ought duly, and like a man, to be considered by 
 thee ; and care ought to be taken on thy part to 
 requite them. The Scripture saith so, reason saith 
 so, and there be none but dogs and blasts that deny 
 it. It is the duty of parents to lay up for their 
 children ; and the duty of children to requite their 
 parents. 
 
 Third, Therefore shew, by all humble and son- 
 like carriage, that thou dost to this day, with thy 
 heart, remember the love of thy parents. Thus 
 much for obedience to parents in general. 
 
 Again, if thy parents be godly, and thou wicked, 
 as thou art, if thou hast not a second work or birth 
 fi-om God upon thee, then thou art to consider, that 
 thou art more strongly engaged to respect and 
 lionour thy parents, not now only as a father in 
 the flesh, but as godly parents; thy father and 
 mother are now made of God thy teachers and in- 
 structors in the way of righteousness. Wherefore, 
 to allude to that of Solomon, ' My son, keep thy 
 father's commandment, and forsake not the law 
 of thy mother ; bind them continually upon thine 
 heart, and tie them about thy neck.' tr.ri. 20, 21. 
 Now, to provoke thee hereto, consider. 
 
 * ' 'What 13 the child but a piece of the parents h rapped up 
 in another skiu.' — Flavel. 
 
 On seeing a Mother with her Infant asleep in her Arms 
 
 ' Thine is the mom of life, 
 Ml laughing, unconscious of the eveuing with her anxioiia cares, 
 Thy mother fUled with the purest happiness and hliss 
 Which an indulgent Heaven bestows upon a lower world. 
 Watches and protects ho dearest Ufc, now skeping in her arms.' 
 
 German Poem, — Ed. 
 
 1. That this hath been the practice always of 
 those that are and have been obedient children ; 
 yea, of Christ himself to Joseph and Mary, though 
 he himself was God blessed for ever. Ln.ii. 6I. 
 
 2. Thou hast also the severe judgments of God 
 upon those that have been disobedient, to awe thee. 
 As, (1.) Ishmael, for but mocking at one good car- 
 riage of his father and mother, was both thrust 
 out of his father's inheritance and the kingdom of 
 heaven, and that with God's approbation. Gc. xxi. 9— 
 U. Ga. w. 30. (2.) Hophni and Fhinehas, for refusing 
 the good counsel of their father, provoked the great 
 God to be their enemy : ' They hearkened not unto 
 the voice of their father, because the Lord would 
 slay them.' 1 Sa. ii. 2»— 25. (3.) Absalom was hanged, 
 as I may say, by God himself, for rebelling against 
 his father. 3 Pa. xviiL 9. 
 
 Besides, little dost thou know how heart-aching 
 a consideration it is to thy parents, when they do 
 but suppose thou mayest be damned ! How many 
 prayers, sighs, and tears, are there wrung from 
 their hearts upon this account ? E very miscarriage 
 of thine goeth to their heart, for fear God should 
 take an occasion thereat to shut thee up in hardness 
 for ever. How did Abraham groan for Ishmael? 
 * 0,' saith he, to God, ' that Ishmael might live 
 before thee ! ' Ge. xm. is. How was Isaac and Re- 
 becca grieved for the miscarriage of Esau? Ge. uri. 
 34, 85. And how bitterly did David mourn for his 
 son, who died in his wickedness ? 2 Sa. xiiii. 32, 33. 
 
 Lastly, And can anj» imagine, but that all these 
 carriages of thy godly parents, will be to thee the 
 increase of thy torments in hell, if thou die in thy 
 sins notwithstanding? 
 
 Again, if thy parents, and thou also, be godly, 
 how happy a thing is this ? How shouldest thou 
 rejoice, that the same faith should dwell both in thy 
 parents and thee ? Thy conversion, possibly, is tho 
 fruits of thy parents' groans and prayers for thy 
 soul; and they cannot choose but rejoice; do thou 
 rejoice with them. It is true, in the salvation of a 
 natural son, which is mentioned in the parable: 
 ' This my son was dead, and is alive again ; he was 
 lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. ' 
 Lu. XT. 24. Let therefore the consideration of this, 
 that thy parents have grace, as well as thee, engage 
 thy heart so much the more to honour, reverence, 
 and obey them. 
 
 Thou art better able now to consider the pains 
 and care that thy friends have been at, both for 
 thy body and soul ; wherefore strive to requite 
 them. Thou hast strength to answer in some 
 measure the command : wherefore do not neglect 
 it. It is a double sin in a gracious son not to 
 remember the commandment, yea, the first com- 
 mandment with promise. Ep. vi. 1, 2. Take heed of 
 giving thy sweet parents one snappish word, or 
 one unseemly carriage. Love them because they 
 
664 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 are thy parents, because they are godly, and 
 because thou must be in glory with them. 
 
 Again, if thou be godly, and thy parents wicked, 
 as often it sadly falls out ; then, 
 
 1. Let thy bowels yearn towards them; it is 
 thy parents that are going to hell ! 
 
 2. As I said before to the wife, touching her 
 unbelieving husband, so now I say to thee. Take 
 heed of a parroting tongue : speak to them wisely, 
 meekly, and humbly ; do for them faithfully with- 
 out repining ; and bear, with all child-like modesty, 
 their reproaches, their railing, and evU speaking. 
 Watch fit opportunities to lay their condition be- 
 fore them. ! how happy a thing would it be, 
 if God should use a child to beget his father to the 
 faith ! Then indeed might the father say. With 
 the fruit of my own bowels hath God converted 
 my soul. The Lord, if it be his will, convert our 
 poor parents, that they, with us, may be the 
 children of God.* 
 
 CONCEBNINO SERTANT3. 
 
 Servants also, they have a work to do for God, 
 in their place and station among men. 
 
 The apostles assert masters under a threefold 
 consideration. First, The believing master. Second, 
 The unbelieving master. Third, The froward 
 master. 
 
 For all which, servants are furnished with coun- 
 sel and advice in the word, for the demeaning of 
 themselves, under each of them. 
 
 But before I speak in particidar to any of these, 
 / wW, in general shew you the dudy of servants. 
 
 1. Thou art to look upon thyself as thou art ; 
 that is, as a servant, not a child, nor a wife ; thou 
 art inferior to these ; wherefore count thyself under 
 them, and be content with that station. ' For three 
 things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it 
 cannot bear.' One is 'a servant when he reigneth.' 
 Pr. XXX. 21, 22. It is out of thy place, either to talk or 
 do, as one that reigneth. 
 
 2. Consider, that thou being a servant, what is 
 under thy hand is not thy own but thy master's. 
 JNow, because it is not thy own thou oughtest not 
 to dispose of it ; but because it is thy master's, 
 thou oughtest to be faithful. Thus it was with 
 Joseph. Ge. xxxix. 8, 9. But if thou do otherwise, 
 know that thou shalt receive of God for the wrong 
 that thou dost ; and there is with God ' no respect 
 of persons. ' Coi. iii. 25. Wherefore, 
 
 * Buuyan's silence, in all liis writings, concerning the state 
 of liis parents as to godliness, may lead us to fear tliat this 
 fervent ejaculation had often been poured forth by his own sou] 
 on behalf of his father and mother. All that we Icnow of them 
 is, that they were poor, but gave their children the best edu- 
 cation their means afforded ; as to their piety he is silent. — 
 Ed. 
 
 3. Touching thy work and employment, thou 
 art to do it as imto the Lord, and not for man ; 
 and, indeed, then servants do their business as 
 becomes them, when they do all in obedience to 
 the Lord, as knowing that the place in which they 
 now are, it is the place where Christ hath put them, 
 and in which he expecteth they should be faithfuL 
 ' Servants,' saith Paul, 'be obedient to them that 
 are your master's, - with fear and trembling, in 
 singleness of your heart as unto Christ ; not with 
 eye-service, as men-pleasers ; but as the servants 
 of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.' 
 Ep. ^i. 6, 6. 
 
 Observe a little the word of God to servants. 
 1. Servants must be obedient; yet, 2. Not with 
 that obedience that will serve man only. Ser- 
 vants must have their eye on the Lord, in the 
 work they do for their masters. 3. That their 
 work in this service is the wiU and ordinance of 
 God. From which I conclude, that thy work in 
 thy place and station, as thou art a servant, is as 
 really God's ordinance, and as acceptable to him, 
 in its kind, as is preaching, or any other work, 
 for God ; and that thou art as sure to receive a 
 reward for thy labour, as he that hangs or is burnt 
 for the gospel. Wherefore, saith the apostle to 
 servants, ' Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to 
 the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that of the 
 Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance ; 
 for ye serve the Lord Christ. ' Col. iii. 23, 24 
 
 And now touching the three sorts of masters 
 mentioned hefore. 
 
 First, For the believing master ; saith Paul, 
 ' They that have believing masters, let them not 
 despise them, because they are brethren ; but 
 rather do them service, because they are faithful 
 and beloved, and partakers, with the servants, 'of 
 the' heavenly 'benefit.' iTi. -n. 2. Servants, if they 
 have not a care of their hearts, will be so much in 
 the consideration of the relation that is betwixt 
 their masters and they, as brethren, that they will 
 forget the relation that is between them as mas- 
 ters and servants. Now, though they ought to 
 remember the one, yet let them take heed of for- 
 getting the other. Know thy place, as a servant, 
 while thou considerest that thy master and thee 
 are brethren, and do thy work for him faithfully, 
 humbly, and with meekness, because he is a mas- 
 ter faithful and beloved, and partaker of the 
 heavenly benefit. ' If any man teach otherwise,' 
 saith the apostle Paul, 'and consent not to whole- 
 some words, even the words of our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to 
 godliness ; he is proud, knowing nothing, but 
 doting about questions, and strifes of words ; 
 whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil sur- 
 misings, perverse disputings of men of cornipt 
 minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that 
 
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUK. 
 
 565 
 
 gain is godliuess : from suoli withdi-avv thyself. ' 
 
 1 Ti. ti 8—5. 
 
 Second, For the uribdiem/ng masters, for of them 
 Paul speaks in the first verse of the 6th of Timothy, 
 'Let as many servants,' saith he, 'as are under 
 the yoke count their own masters worthy of all 
 honour, that the name of God and his doctrine he 
 not blasphemed. ' Servants living with unbelieving 
 masters, are greatly engaged to be both watchful, 
 faithful, and trusty. Engaged, I say, 1. From 
 the consideration of the condition of their master ; 
 for he being unbelieving, wiU have an evil eye 
 upon thee, and upon thy doings, and so much the 
 more because thou professest. As in the case of 
 Saul and David, i Sa. xviu. 8, 9, Sms. 2. Thou art 
 engaged because of the profession thou makest of 
 the word of God ; for by thy profession thou dost 
 lay both God and his word before thy master, 
 and he hath no other wit but to blaspheme them, 
 if thou behave thyself unworthily. Wherefore 
 Paul bids Titus ' exhort servants to be obedient to 
 their own masters, and to please them well in all 
 things, not ajiswering again;' not giving paiToting 
 answers, or such as are cross or provoking, ' not 
 purloining, but shewing all good fidelity, that 
 they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour 
 in all things. ' Tit. iL 9, lo. That servant, who in an 
 unbeliever's family doth his work before God, as 
 God's ordinance, he shall adorn the doctrine of 
 God, if not save his master by so doing ; but if he 
 doth otherwise, he shall both stumble the unbe- 
 liever, dishonour God, ofiend the faithful, and 
 bring guilt upon his own soul. 
 
 TTmd, For the frovxird master, though I dis- 
 tinguish him from the unbeliever, yet it is not 
 because he may not be such, but because every 
 unbeliever doth not properly go under that name. 
 Now with this froward and peevish feUow, thou 
 art to serve as faithfully for the time thou standest 
 boimd, as with the most pleasant and rational mas- 
 ter in the world: 'Servants,' saith Peter, 'be 
 subject to yowr masters with all fear ; not only to 
 the good and gentle, but also to the froward.' 
 1 Pe. ii. 18. And if thy peevish master will still be 
 froward, either out of spite to thy religion, or 
 because he is without reason concerning thy la- 
 bour — thou to the utmost of thy power labouring 
 faithfully — God then reckoneth thee a sufferer for 
 well-doing, as truly as if thou wert called upon the 
 stage of this world before men, for the matters of 
 thy faith. Wherefore Peter adds this encourage- 
 ment to servants, to the exhortation he gave them 
 before: 'This is thank worthy, ' saith he, 'if a 
 man for conscience toward God endure grief, suf- 
 fering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when 
 ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it 
 patiently ? But if when ye do well, and suffer /or 
 it, yo take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.' 
 
 1 Pe. u. 19. 20. Wherefore be comforted concerning 
 thy condition, with considering that God looks upon 
 tliee, as on Jacob in the family of Laban ; and 
 will right all thy wrongs, and recompense thee for 
 thy faithful, wise, and godly behaviour, before, 
 and in the service of thy froward master. Where- 
 fore, be patient, I say, and abound in faithfulness 
 in thy place and calling, tUl God make a way for 
 thy escape from this place ; and when thou mayest 
 be made free, use it rather, i Co. vii. si. 
 
 DUTIES OF NEIGHBOURS EACH TO OTHER. 
 
 Having thus in few words shewed you what is 
 duty under your several relations, I shall now at 
 last speak, in a word or two, touching good neigh- 
 bourhood, and then draw towards a conclusion. 
 Touching neighbourhood, there are these things 
 to be considered and practised, if thou wilt be 
 found in the practical part of good neighbour- 
 hood. 
 
 First, Thou must be of a good and sound con- 
 versation in thy own family, place, and station, 
 shewing to all, the power that the gospel and the 
 things of another world hath in thy heart, ' That 
 ye may be blameless, and harmless, the sons of 
 God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked 
 and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as 
 lights in the world.' PM. ii. 15, 16. 
 
 Second, As persons must be of good behaviour 
 at home, that will be good neighbours, so they 
 must be full of courtesy and charity to them that 
 have need about them. Lu. i. 36, 87. Right good 
 neighbourhood is for men readily to communicate, 
 as of their spirituals, so of their temporalities, as 
 food, raiment, and help to those that have need ; 
 to be giving to the poor as thou seest them go by 
 thee, or to inquire after their condition, and ac- 
 cording to thy capacity to send unto them. Job 
 xxa. 15—17, &«. 
 
 Thirdi Thou must be always humble and meek 
 among them, as also grave and gracious ; not light 
 and frothy, but by thy words and carriage mhii- 
 stering ' grace to the hearers. ' Ep. iv. 29. Thus also 
 Job honoured God among his neighbours. Job 
 
 lldx. 6—12. 
 
 Fawrth, Thy wisdom will be, rightly to discoun- 
 tenance sin, and to reprove thy neighbour for the 
 same, Le. xix. 17. denying thyself in some things, for 
 the preventing an injury to thy neighbour, that 
 thou mayest please him for his edification. Ko. xv. s. 
 
 Fifth, If tiiou wouldest be a good neighbour, 
 take heed of thy tongue upon two accounts. 
 
 1. That thou with it give no offensive language 
 to thy neighbour, to the provoking of him to 
 anger. Bear much, put up wrongs, and say little : 
 ' It is an honour for a man to cease from strife : 
 but every fool will be meddling.' Pr. xx. 3. And 
 
666 
 
 CHRISTUN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 again, ' He loveth transgression that loveth strife.' 
 
 I'i*. xvii. 19. 
 
 2. And as thou shouldest take heed that thou 
 be not the original of contention and anger, so also 
 take heed that thou he not an instrument to beget 
 it between parties, by tale-bearing and a gossiping 
 spirit : ' He that passeth by, and meddleth with 
 strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh 
 a dog by the ears. As coals are to burning coals, 
 and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle 
 strife.' Pr. xjcyi. 17— 31. I do observe two things very 
 odious in many professors ; the one is a head- 
 strong and stiff-necked spirit, that will have its 
 own way ; and the other is, a great deal of tat- 
 tling and talk about religion, and but a very little, 
 if anything, of those Christian deeds that carry in 
 them the cross of a Christian in the doing thereof, 
 and profit to my neighbour. 
 
 (1.) When I say a head-strong and stiff-necked 
 spirit, I mean, they are for pleasing themselves 
 and their own fancies, in things of no weight, 
 though their so doing be as the very slaughter-knife 
 to the weak conscience of a brother or neighbour. 
 Now this is base. A Christian, in all such things 
 as intrench not the matters of faith and worship, 
 should be full of self-denial, and seek to please 
 others rather than themselves ; ' Give none offence 
 
 to the Jews, nor to the * Greeks, nor to the 
 church of God : - not seeking mine own profit, but 
 the profit of many, that they may be saved.' l Co. x. 
 
 33, 33. 
 
 (2.) And the second is as bad, to wit, when 
 professors are great prattlers and talkers, and dis- 
 puters, but do little of anything that bespeaketh 
 love to the poor, or self-denial in outward things. 
 Some people think religion is made up of words ; 
 a very wide mistake! Words without deeds is 
 but a half-faced religion : ' Pure religion, and un- 
 defiled before God and the Father is this, To visit 
 the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and 
 to keep himself unspotted from the world. ' Ja. t 27. 
 Again, ' If a brother or sister be naked, and desti- 
 tute of daily food, and one of you say unto them. 
 Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' which are 
 very fine words, yet if you ' give them not those 
 things that are needful to the body, what doth it 
 profit V Ja. ii. 13, 16. 
 
 \Sins which interfere uOh the duties of Christian 
 Brolherliood and Civil NeigJibourliood.] 
 
 Now then, before I go any farther, I will here 
 take an -occasion to touch a little upon those sins 
 that are so rife in many professors in this day : and 
 
 * 'To the Greeks.' Bunyan in this follows the Puritan 
 translation. The word ' Greeks' is in the margin of the 
 authorized Bible. — Ed, 
 
 they are, covetousness, pride, and uncleanness, I 
 would speak a word to them in this place, the rather 
 because they are they which spoil both Christian 
 brotherhood, and civil neighbourhood, iu too great 
 a measure. 
 
 OF COVETOUSNESS. 
 
 First, For Covetousness. 
 
 1. Covetousness; it is all one with desire; he 
 that desires, covets, whether the thing he desires 
 be evil or good. Wherefore that which is called 
 coveting, in Exod. xx. 17, is called desire, in Deut. 
 V. 21. As the apostle also saith, 'I had not 
 known lust, except the law had said. Thou shalt 
 not covet.' Ro. ra. 7. That is, I had not known lust 
 to be a sin, unless the law had forbid it. Where- 
 fore, though lawful desires are good, 1 Co. ni 31, and 
 to be commended, yet covetousness, as commonly 
 understood, is to be fled from, and abhorred, as of 
 the devil. 
 
 2. Covetousness, or evil desire, it is the first 
 mover, and giveth to every sin its call, as I may 
 say, both to move and act ; as was said before, 
 the apostle had not known sin, except the law bad 
 said, Thou shalt not desire or covet ; for where 
 there is no desire to sin, there appears no sin, 
 
 3. Therefore covetousness carrieth in it every 
 sin — we speak of sins against the second table — 
 even as a serpent carrieth her young ones in her 
 belly. This the scripture affirms, where it saith, 
 ' Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor 
 his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, 
 nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's.' 
 Ex. XX. 17. Covetousness will meddle with anything. 
 
 Now, there are in my mind at present these 
 eight notes of covetousness, which hinder good 
 works, and a Christian conversation among men, 
 wherever they are harboured. 
 
 (1.) When men, to whom God hath given a com- 
 fortable livelihood, are yet not content therewith. 
 This is against the apostle, where he saith, ' Let 
 your conversation be without covetousness ; and be 
 content with such things as ye have : for he hath 
 said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' 
 
 He. xiii. 6. 
 
 (2.) It is covetousness in the seller, that puts 
 him to say of his traffic, it is better than it is, 
 that he may heighten the price of it ; and covetous- 
 ness in the buyer, that prompts him to say worse 
 of a thing than he thinks in his conscience it is, 
 and that for an abatement of a reasonable price. 
 This is that which the apostle forbids under the 
 name of defraud, 1 Co. ri. 8, and that which Solomon 
 condemns. Pr. xx. 14. 
 
 (3.) It is through covetousness that men think 
 much of that which goeth beside their own mouth, 
 though possibly it goeth to those that have more 
 
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 B67 
 
 teed than themselves, aud also that better deserve 
 tt than they, 
 
 (4.) It argueth covetousness, when men will 
 deprive themselves, and those under them, of the 
 privileges of the gospel, for more of this world ; and 
 is condemned by Christ. Lu. xi». 18— 20. 
 
 (5.) It argueth covetousness, when men that 
 have it, can go by, or hear of the poor, and shut 
 lip their bowels and compassions from them. 1 Ju. Ui. 
 17. 
 
 (6.) Also when men are convinced it is their 
 duty to communicate to such and such that have 
 peed, yet they defer it, and if not quite forget it, 
 yet linger away the time, as being loth to distri- 
 bute to the necessities of those in want. This is 
 forbidden by the Holy Ghost : ' Withhold not good 
 from them to whom it is due, when it is in the 
 power of thine hand to do it, ' Now, it is due 
 from thee to the poor, by the commandment of 
 God, if they want, and thou hast it ; ' Say not 
 unto thy neighbour. Go, and come again, and to- 
 morrow I win give ; when thou hast it by thee. ' 
 I'r. m. 37. 28. 
 
 (7.) It argueth a greedy mind also, when, after 
 men have cast in their minds what to give, they 
 then from that will be pinching and clipping, and 
 taking away ; whereas the Holy Ghost saith, 
 • Everyman according as he purposeth in his heart, 
 so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity : for 
 God loveth a cheerful giver. ' 3 Ck). ii. 7. 
 
 (8.) And lastly. It argueth a filthy greedy heart 
 also, when a man, after he hath done any good, 
 then in his heart to repent, and secretly wish that 
 he had not so done, or at least, that he had not 
 , done so much : this is to be weary of well-doing ; 
 (I speak now of communicating,) and carrieth in 
 it two evils, First, It spoileth the work done. 
 And, secondly, It, if entertained, spoileth the heart 
 for doing any more so. ' The vile person shall be 
 no more called liberal, nor the churl said to be 
 bountiful,' for ' the liberal deviseth liberal things; 
 and by liberal things shall he stand. ' is. xzxa. 5, 8. 
 i Now then, to dissuade aU from this poisonous 
 sin, observe, that above all sins in the New Testa- 
 ment, this is called idolatry. Ep. v. 6. CoL iii. 5 And 
 therefore God's people should be so far from being 
 taken with it, that they should be much afraid of 
 the naming of it one among another, lest it should, 
 as adulterous thoughts, infect the heart, by the 
 talking of it, Ep. v. 3. 
 Qiteat. But why is covetousness called idolatry ? 
 Answ, 1. Because it engageth the very heart of 
 Man in it, to mind earthly things ; it gets our love, 
 which should be set on God ; and sets it upon poor 
 empty creatures ; it puts our afi'ections out of 
 heaven, where they shoidd be, and sets them on 
 earth, where they should not be. Eze. xxifii 31. Phi. iii. is, 
 W- CoL iii. 1—3. Thus it changeth the object on which 
 
 the heart should be set, aud settetli it on that on 
 which it should not. It makes a man forsake 
 God, ' the fountain of living waters,' and causeth 
 him to hew to himself • cisterns, broken cisterns, 
 that can hold no water.' Jc. ii. 11— is. For, 
 
 2. It rejecteth the care, government, and pro- 
 vidence of God towards us, and causeth us to make 
 of our care and industry a god, to whom, instead 
 of God, we fly continually, both for the keeping 
 what we have and for getting more. This was 
 Israel's idolatry of old, and the original of aU 
 her idolatrous practices. ' For their mother hath 
 played the harlot,' that is, committed idolatry: 
 ' she that conceived them hath done shamefully : 
 for she said, I will go after my lovers, that gave 
 me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, 
 mine oil and my drink.' Ho. ii. 5. 
 
 3. It disalloweth of God's way of disposing his 
 creatures, and would have them ordered and dis- 
 posed of otherwise than his heavenly wisdom seem- 
 eth meet ; and hence ariseth all discontents about 
 God's dealing with us. Covetousness never yet 
 said. It is the Lord, let him do what he pleaseth ; 
 but is ever objecting, like a god, against every- 
 thing that goeth against it ; and it is that which, 
 like a god, draweth away the heart and soul from 
 the true God, and his Son Jesus Christ : ' And he 
 went away sorrowful ; for he had great possessions.' 
 Milt. xix. 16-22. Now then, that which engageth the 
 heart, that rejecteth the providence of God, and 
 that is for ordering and disposing of things con- 
 trary to God, and for breaking with God upon 
 these terms, is idolatry ; and all these do covetous- 
 ness. ' The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, 
 and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhor- 
 reth. ' Ps. X. 3. Now the way to remedy this disease 
 is, to learn the lesson which Paul had got by heart; 
 to wit, ' In whatsoever state you are, therewith to 
 be content. ' Phi. iv. 11. 
 
 OF PRIDE. 
 
 Second, I come, in the second place, to speak a 
 word of pride, and loftiness of heart and life. 
 
 1. Pride, in general, it is that which causeth a 
 man to think of man and his things, above what is 
 written, ico.iv. c. 
 
 2, It hath its seat in the heart among these 
 enormities, fornications, adulteries, lasciviousness, 
 murders, deceit, &c.. Mar. vii. 21 — 23, and sheweth 
 itself in these following particulars, 
 
 (1 .) When you slight this or that person, though 
 gracious ; that is, look over them, and shun them 
 for their poverty in this world, and choose rather 
 to have converse with others, that possibly are less 
 gracious, because of their greatness in this world. 
 This the apostle James writes against, Ja. ii. 1— s, 
 under the name of partiality ; ' for indeed the fruits 
 
568 
 
 CIIRISTUN BEHAVIOUE. 
 
 of a puffeJ-up heart is to deal in tLis manner with 
 Christians. ' 1 Co. iv. 6, 7. Now this hraneh of pride 
 floweth from ignorance of the vanity of the crea- 
 ture, and of the worth of a gracious heart ; where- 
 fore get more of the knowledge of these two, 
 and this sprig will he nipped in the head, and you 
 will learn to condescend to men of low degree. 
 Eo. m 16. 
 
 (2.) It argues pride of heart, v/heu men wiU not 
 deny themselves in things that they may, for the 
 good and profit of their neighhours. And it argueth 
 now, that pride has got so much up into self-love 
 and self-pleasing, that they little care who they 
 grieve or offend, so they may have their way. ob. 
 
 13-15. 
 
 (3.) It argueth pride of heart, when sober re- 
 proofs for sin, and imbeseeming carriages, will not 
 down with thee, hut that rather thou snuifest, and 
 givest way to thy spirit to be peevish, and to re- 
 tain prejudice against those that thus reprove thee. 
 Saith the prophet, ' Hear ye, and give ear ; be 
 not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.' That is, 
 hear the reproofs of God for your sins, and break 
 them off by repentance ; ' but if ye will not hear 
 it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride,' 
 (kc. Je. xiii. 15—17. So also in Hosea, ' They will not 
 frame their doings to turn unto their God : for the 
 spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and 
 they have not known the Lord. And the pride of 
 Israel doth testify to his face :' <fec. Ho. v. *, 5. This 
 argueth great senselessness of God, and a heart 
 greatly out of frame. 
 
 (4.) It argueth pride also, when a reproof or 
 admonition will not down as well from the poorest 
 saint, as from the greatest doctor ; and it argueth 
 a glory in men, l Co. m. si, and that they would, 
 that their faith should stand in their wisdom, and 
 not ' in the power of God ;' that is, of naked truth, 
 1 Co. ii 6. 
 
 (5.) It argueth pride of heart, when a man that 
 hath this or that in his heart to do, in reference to 
 God, but yet will slight a sober asking coimsel 
 and direction of God in this matter: ' The wicked, 
 through the pride of his countenance, will not seek 
 after God,' saith David. I's x. 4. 
 
 (6.) It argueth pride of heart, when persons are 
 tickled with thoughts of their own praise, that 
 secretly lust after it ; that think of themselves and 
 others above what is written ; wliich those do who 
 do not acknowledge that man in his best estate is 
 altogether vanity : but such kind of people have 
 forgot the exhortation, ' Be not high-minded, but 
 fear : ' Ro. .\i. 20. And also. That there is a know- 
 ledge that puffeth up, and edifieth neither them- 
 selves nor others. 1 Co. vffi. 1, 3. Wherefore, to such 
 the apostle saith. Be ' not desirous of vain- glory,' 
 but in lowliness of mind 'let each esteem others 
 better than themselves.' Piu. u. 3. Ga. t. 20. 
 
 Pride also there Is in outward carriage, beha- 
 viour, and gestm-e, which is odious for Christians to 
 be tainted with ; and this pride is discovered by 
 mincing words, a made carriage, and an affecting 
 the toys and baubles that Satan, and every light- 
 headed fool bringeth into the world. As God 
 speaketh of the daughters of Zion, ' they walk with 
 stretched forth necks, and wanton eyes, mincing 
 as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet. 
 Is. iii. 10. A very unhandsome carriage for a people 
 that profess godliness, and that use to come before 
 God to confess their sins, and to bemoan themselves 
 for what they have done. How can a sense of thy 
 own baseness, of the vileness of thy heart, and of 
 the holine."'s of God, stand with such a carriage ? 
 Dost thou see the vileness of thy heart, the fruit 
 of sin ? And art thou afflicted with that disagree- 
 ment that is between God and thy heart, that lay- 
 est the reins on the neck of thy lusts, and lettest 
 them run whither they will ? Be not deceived, 
 pride ariseth from ignorance of these things. 1 Ti. vi. 
 3, 4. A sense of my vileness, of what I have de- 
 served, and of what continually in my heart op- 
 poseth God, cannot stand with a foolish, light, and 
 wanton carriage : thou wilt then see there is other 
 things to mind than to imitate the butterfly. Alas, 
 aU these kind of things are but a painting the 
 devil, and a setting a carnal gloss upon a castle of 
 his; thou art but making gay the spider: is thy 
 heart ever the sounder for thy fine gait, thy minc- 
 ing words, and thy lofty looks ? Nay, doth not 
 this argue, that thy heart is a rotten, cankered, 
 and besotted heart ? Oh ! that God would but let 
 thee see a little of thy own inside, as thou hast 
 others to behold thy outside : thou painted sepul-- 
 chre, thou whited wall, will these things be found 
 virtues in the day of God ? Or, is this the way 
 that thou takest to mortify sin ? ' An high look, 
 and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, 
 M sin.' I'r. xxi. 4. Pride is the ringleader of the 
 seven abominations that the wise man nameth, 
 Pr. Ti. 16, 17, and is that above all that causeth to 
 fall into the condemnation of the devil. 1 Tl. iii. 6. 
 
 OF ADULTERY OE UNCLEANNESS. 
 
 Now I come in the last place to touch a word 
 or two of adultery, and then to draw towards a 
 conclusion. Adultery, it hath its place in tho 
 heart, among the rest of those filthinesses i men- 
 tioned before, Mar.vii.si, 22, of which sin I observe 
 two things. 
 
 1. That almost in every place where the apostle 
 layeth down a catalogue of wickednesses, he lay- 
 eth down adultery, fornication, and uncleanness in 
 the front ; as that in Mar. vii. 21. Eo. i. 29. 1 Co. vi. 9. Ga. V. 
 19. Fi). V. 3. 1 Til. IT. 3-5. He. iii. 16. Ja. U. 11. 1 Pe. ii. 11. 2 Pe.ii.l1 
 
 From this I gather that the sin of uncleanness is 
 
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUE. 
 
 569 
 
 a very predominant and master sin, easy to over- 
 take the .sinner, as being one of the first that is 
 ready to offer itself on all occasions to break the 
 law of God. 
 
 2. 1 observe that this sin Is committed unawares 
 to many, even so soon as a man hath but looked 
 upon a woman: •! say unto you,' saith Christ, 
 'that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust,' or 
 desire, ' after her, he hath committed adultery with 
 her already in his heart.' Mat. y.ss. This sin of un- 
 cleaimess, I say, is a very taking sin; it is natural 
 above all sins to mankind ; as it is most natural, 
 so it wants not tempting occasions, having objects 
 for to look on in every corner : wherefore there is 
 need of a double and treble watchfiJness in the soul 
 against it. It is better here to make a covenant 
 with our eyes, like Job, Job xxii. i, than to let them 
 wander to God's dishonour, and our own discom- 
 fort. 
 
 There are these three things which discover a 
 man or woman too much inclining to the unelean- 
 ness of their own hearts. 
 
 (1.) The first is a wanton eye, or an eye that 
 idoth secretly affect itself with such objects as are 
 tickling of the heart with the thoughts of immodesty' 
 •and uncleanness. Isaiah calls this a wanton eye : 
 and Peter an eye fuU of adultery, that cannot cease 
 from sin. 2 Pe. ii. 14 is. ffi. 16. This is that also which 
 Christ calleth an evil eye, and John the lust of the 
 flesh, and of the eyes, and doth defile those who 
 are not very watchful over their own hearts. Mar.vii. 
 23. 1 Jn. ii. 16. This wanton eye is that which the 
 most holy saints should take heed of, because it 
 is apt to seize upon them also. When Paul bids 
 Timothy beseech the young women to walk as 
 becomes the gospel, he bids him do it with all 
 purity. 1 Ti. T. 1, 3. As, who should say, Take heed 
 jbhat while thou instructest them to holiness, thou 
 thyself be not corrupted with the lust of thy eye. 
 how many soids, in the day of God, will curse 
 the day that ever they gave way to a wanton eye I 
 
 (2.) The second thing that discovereth one much 
 inclining to the lusts of uncleanness, it is ivanton 
 and immodest talk ; such as that brazen-faced 
 whore in the 7th of the Proverbs had, or such as 
 they in Peter, who allured ' through the lusts of 
 the flesh, through much wantonness, those that 
 ■ were clean escaped from them who live in error.' 
 ' » Pe. ii. 18. ' Out of the abundance of the heart the 
 mouth speaketh,' wherefore if we be saints, let us 
 take heed, as of our eye, so of our tongue, and let 
 not the lust of uncleanness, or of adultery, be once 
 named among us, ' named among us as becometh 
 saints^ Ep. v. 3. Mark, ' Let it not be once named. ' 
 This implies, that the lusts of uncleanness are 
 devilishly taking, they will both take the heart 
 with eyes and tongue : ' Let it not be once named 
 among you,' <fec. 
 
 VOL, II. 
 
 (3.) Another thing that bespeaks a man or 
 woman inclining to wantoimess and uncleanness, it 
 is an adorning themselves in light and wanton 
 apparel. The attire of an harlot is too frequently 
 in our day the attire of professors j a vile thing, 
 and argueth much wantonness and vUeness of 
 affections. If those that give way to a wanton 
 eye, wanton words, and immodest apparel, be not 
 whores, ifec, in their hearts, I know not what to 
 say. Doth a wanton eye argue shamefacedness ? 
 Doth wanton talk argue chastity ? And doth im- 
 modest apparel, with stretched-out necks, naked 
 breasts, a made speech, and mincing gaits, <kc., 
 argue mortification of lusts ? If any say, that these 
 things may argue pride as well as carnal lusts ; 
 well, but why are they proud ? Is it not to trick 
 up the body ? And why do they with pride trick 
 up the body, if it be not to provoke both themselves 
 and others to lusts ? God knoweth their hearts 
 without their outsides : and we know their hearts 
 by their outsides. 
 
 My friends, I am here treating of good works, 
 and persuading you to fly those things that are 
 hindrances to them : wherefore bear with my plain- 
 ness when I speak against sin. I would strike it 
 through with every word, because else it will strike 
 us through with many sorrows. 1 Ti. tL 9, lo. I do 
 not treat of good works as if the doing of them 
 would save us, for we are justified by his grace, 
 according to the hope of eternal life ; yet our sins 
 and evil works will lay us obnoxious to the judg- 
 ments both of God and man. He that walketh 
 not uprightly, according to the truth of the gospel, 
 is like to have his peace assaulted often, both* by 
 the devil, the law, death, and hell ; yea, and is like 
 to have God hide his face from him also, for the 
 iniquity of his covetousness. la. M. 17. 
 
 How can he that carrieth himself basely in the 
 sight of men, think he yet well behaveth himself 
 in the sight of God ? And if so dim a light as is 
 in man can justly count thee as a transgressor, 
 how shall thy sins be hid from him whose 'eye-Uds 
 try the children of men ?' Ps. ri. 4. 
 
 It is true, faith without works justifies us before 
 God: Ro. iii. 38 J iv. 6. yet that faith that is alone, will 
 be found to leave us sinners in the sight both of 
 God and man. Ja. ii. 18. And though thou addest 
 nothing to that which saveth thee by what thou 
 canst do, yet thy righteousness may profit the son 
 of man ; as also saith the text : but if thou shalt 
 be so careless as to say, Wliat care I for being 
 righteous to profit others ? I tell thee, that the 
 
 love of God is not in thee. Job xxxv. 8. l Jn. iii. 17. l Co 
 
 liii.i— 3. Walk therefore in God's ways, and do 
 them, for this is your wisdom and your understand- 
 ing in the sight of the nations, which shall hear of 
 all these statutes, and say, 'This great nation is a 
 wise and understanding people. ' De. iv. 6. 
 4 c 
 
570 
 
 CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 THIRD. Observe. Every believer shoiild not only 
 take heed that his works be good, and so for the pre- 
 sent do them, but should carefully study to maintain 
 them ; that is, to hecp in a comtinud exercise of them. 
 
 It is an easier matter to begin to do good, than 
 it is to continue therein ; and the reason is, there 
 is not so much of a Christian's cross in the begin- 
 ning of a work, as there is in a continual, hearty, 
 conscientious practice thereof. Therefore Chris- 
 tians have need, as to be pressed to do good, so to 
 continue the work. Man, by nature, is rather a 
 hearer than a doer, Athenian like, continually 
 listening after some new thing ; seeing many things, 
 but observing nothing. Ac. xvii. 20. is. xiii. 20. It is ob- 
 servable, that after Christ had divided his hearers 
 into four parts, he condemned three of them for 
 fruitless hearers. Lu. viii. 6—8. it is hard continu- 
 ing believing, continuing loving, continuing resist- 
 ing all that opposeth ; we are subject to be weary 
 of well-doing. Ga. ri. 9. To pluck out right eyes, to 
 cut off right hands and feet, is no pleasant thing 
 to flesh and blood ; and yet none but these shall 
 have the promise of life ; because none but these 
 will be found to have the effectual work of God's 
 grace in their soiils : Mat. xviii. 8, 9. ' If ye continue 
 in my word, then are you my disciples ' indeed. 
 Mat. xxiv. 13. Jn. viii. 31. And hence it is, that you find 
 so many irs in the Scripture about men's happi- 
 ness ; as, ' if children, then heirs ;' and ' if ye con- 
 tinue in the faith ;' and ' if we hold the beginning 
 of our confidence steadfast unto the end. ' Ko. viii. 17. 
 Col. L 23. He. iii. 14. Not that their continuing in the 
 way of God is the cause of the work being right ; 
 but 'the work being right causeth the continuance 
 therein. As John saith in another place, ' They 
 went out from us, but they were not of us ; for if 
 they had been of us, [saith he] they would, no 
 doubt, have continued with us.'l Jn. ii. 19. But I say, 
 where the work of God indeed is savingly begun, 
 even there is flesh, corruption, and the body of 
 death to oppose it. Therefore should Christians 
 take heed, and look that against these oppoaites 
 they maintain a continual course of good works 
 among men. 
 
 Besides, as there is that in our own bowels that 
 opposeth goodness, so there is the tempter, the 
 wicked one, both to animate these lusts, and to 
 join with them in every assault against every ap- 
 pearance of God in our souls. And hence it is, 
 that he is called the devil, the enemy, the destroyer, 
 and him that seeks continually to devour us, 
 I Pe. V. 8. I need say no more but this. He that 
 wiU walk like a Christian indeed, as he shall find 
 it is requisite that he continue in good works, so 
 his continuing therein wiU be opposed ; if therefore 
 he will continue therein, he must make it his 
 business to study how to oppose those that oppose 
 such a life, that he may continue therein. 
 
 FOURTH. Now then to help in this, here fitly 
 comes in the last observation, to wit. That the best 
 way both to provoke ourselves and others to good 
 works, ^ is to be often affirming to others the doctrine 
 of justificaticm by grace, and to believe it ourselves. 
 ' This is a faithful saying, and these things I will 
 that thou afiirm constantly, that they which have 
 believed in God, might be careful to maintain good 
 works. ' Tit. iii. 8. 
 
 I told you before, that good works must flow 
 from faith : and now I tell you, that the best way 
 to be fruitful in them, is to be much in the exercise 
 of the doctrine of justification by grace ; and they 
 both agree ; for as faith animates to good works, so 
 the doctrine of grace animates faith. Wherefore, 
 the way to be rich in good works, it is to be rich 
 in faith ; and the way to be rich in faith is to be 
 conscientiously afiirming the doctrine of grace to 
 others, and believing it ourselves. 
 
 First, To be constantly affirming it to others. 
 Thus Paul tells Timothy, that if he put the bre- 
 thren in mind of the truths of the gospel, he him- 
 self should not only be a good minister of Christ, 
 but should be nourished up in the words of faith 
 and of good doctrine. 1 Ti. iv. 6. It is the ordinance 
 of God, that Christians should be often asserting 
 the things of God each to others ; and that by 
 their so doing they should edify one another. He. *. 
 
 24, 25. 1 Th. ,. 11. 
 
 The doctrine of the gospel is like the dew and 
 the small rain that distUleth upon the tender grass, 
 wherewith it doth flourish, and is kept green. De. 
 xxxii. 2. Christians are like the several flowers in a 
 garden, that have upon each of them the dew of 
 heaven, which being shaken with the wind, they 
 let fall their dew at each other's roots, whereby 
 they are jointly nourished, and become nourishers 
 of one another. For Christians to commune 
 savourly of God's matters one with another, it is 
 as if they opened to each other's nostrils boxes of 
 perfume*. Saith Paul to the church at Rome, 
 ' I long to see you, that I may impart unto you 
 some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be esta- 
 blished ; that is, that I may be comforted together 
 with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me.' 
 Ro. i. 11, 13. Christians should be often affirming" 
 the doctrine of grace, and justification by it, one 
 to another. 
 
 Second, As they should be thus doing, so they 
 should live in the power of it themselves; they 
 should by faith suck and drink in this doctrine, as 
 the good ground reeeiveth the rain ; which being 
 
 * This is a most beautiful passage, unequalled by anj^ancient 
 or modern author. Such a vievf of church fellowship does 
 honour to the bead and heart of the prince of allegorists. It 
 is worthy to be printed in letters of gold, and presented to 
 every candidate for church fellowship among all christian socie- 
 ties of every denohiination. — En. 
 
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 571 
 
 done, forthwith there is proclaimed good works. 
 Paul to the Colossians saith thus, 'We give thanks 
 to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 praying always for you, 'since we heard of your 
 faith ill Christ Jesus, and love to all the saints; for 
 the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof 
 ye heard hefore in the word of the truth of the 
 gospel, which is come unto you, as ii is in aU the 
 world, and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in 
 you.' But how long ago ? Why, ' since the day 
 ye heard it, [saith he,] and knew the grace of God 
 in truth. ' Col. i. s— 6. 
 
 Apples and flowers are not made hy the gar- 
 dener ; hut are an effect of the planting and water- 
 ing. Plant in the sinner good doctrine, and let it 
 he watered with the word of grace ; and as the 
 effect of that, there is the fruits of holiness, and 
 the end everlasting life. iio. yi. 22. Good doctrine is 
 the doctrine of the gospel, which sheweth to men, 
 that God clotheth them with the righteousness of 
 his Son freely, and maketh him with all his bene- 
 fits over to them ; by which free gift the sinner is 
 made righteous hefore God; and because he is so, 
 ,therefore there is infused a principle of grace into 
 the heart, whereby it is both quickened, and 
 'bringing forth fruit. Eo. iii. ai— 26. 1 Co. L 30. 2 Co. V. 21. 
 Jn. i. 16. 
 
 Now then, seeing good works do flow from faith, 
 and seeing faith is nourished by an affirming of the 
 doctrine of the gospel, <fec., take here these few 
 considerations from the doctrine of the gospel, for 
 the support of thy faith, that thou mayest be in- 
 deed fruitful and rich in good works. • 
 
 Consider 1 . The whole Bible was given for this 
 very end, that thou shouldest both believe this doc- 
 trine, and live in the comfort and sweetness of it : 
 ' For whatsoever things were written aforetime 
 were written for our learning, that we through 
 patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have 
 
 hope. ' Ko. XV. 4. Jn.xx. 31. 
 
 Cmisider 2. That therefore every promise in the 
 Bible is thine, to strengthen, quicken, and encour- 
 age thy heart in believing. 
 
 Consider 3. That there is nothing that thou 
 dost, can so please God as believing ; ' The Lord 
 taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those 
 that hope in his mercy.' Pa.cxivii.il. They please 
 him, because they embrace his righteousness, he. 
 . Consider 4. That all the withdrawings of God 
 from thee, are not for the weakening, but for the 
 trial of thy faith; and also, that whatever he suffers 
 Satan, or thy own heart to do, it is not to weaken 
 
 faith. Job xxiil 8—10. 1 Pe. i. 7. 
 
 Conner 5. That believing is that which will 
 keep in thy view the things of, heaven and glory ; 
 and that at which the devil will be discouraged, sin 
 .weakened, and thy heart quickened and sweetened. 
 
 He, xi. 27. Ja. ir. 7. 1 Pe. T. 9. Ep. vi. 16. Ko. xv. 13. 
 
 Consider lastly, By believing, the love of God 
 is kept with warmth upon the heart, and that this 
 will provoke thee continually to bless God for 
 Christ, for grace, for faith, hope, and all these 
 things, either in God, or thee, that doth accom- 
 pany salvation. 2 Co. ii. 14. Ps. ciii. 1—3. 
 
 Third, The doctrine of the forgiveness of sins 
 received by faith, will make notable work in the 
 heart of a sinner, to bring forth good works. 
 
 But, Forasmuch as there is a body of death and 
 sin in every one that hath the grace of God in this 
 world ; and because this body of death will be ever 
 opposing that which is good, as the apostle saith, 
 Eo. vii. 21. therefore take these few particulars fur- 
 ther, for the suppressing that which will hinder a 
 fruitful life. 
 
 1. Keep a continual watch over the wretched- 
 ness of thy own heart, not to be discouraged at the 
 sight of thy vUeness, but to prevent its wicked- 
 ness ; for that will labour either to hinder thee 
 from doing good works, or else will hinder thee in 
 the doing thereof; for evil is present with thee for 
 both these purposes. Take heed then, that thou 
 do not listen to that at any time, but deny, though 
 with much struggling, the workings of sin to the 
 contrary. 
 
 2. Let this be continually before thy heart, that 
 God's eye is upon thee, and seeth every secret 
 turning of thy heart, either to or from him : ' All 
 things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him 
 with whom we have to do.' He. iv. 13. 
 
 3. If thou deny to do that good which thou 
 oughtest, with what thy God hath given thee; 
 then consider, that though he love thy soul, yet 
 he can chastise ; First, Thy inward man with such 
 troubles, that thy life shall be restless and com- 
 fortless. Secondly, And can also so blow upon 
 thy outward man, that all thou gettest shall be 
 put in a bag with holes. Ps. Ixxxix. 31—33. Hag. i. 6. And 
 set the case he should licence but one thief among 
 thy substance, or one spark of fire among thy 
 barns, how quickly might that be spent ill, and 
 against thy will, which thou shouldest have spent 
 to God's glory, and with thy wUl ; and I tell thee 
 further, that if thou want a heart to do good when 
 thou hast about thee, thou mayest want comfort in 
 such things thyself from others, when thine is 
 taken from thee. See Ju. i. 6, 7- 
 
 4. Consider, that a life full of good works is the 
 only way, on thy part, to answer the mercy of God 
 extended to thee ; God hath had mercy on thee, 
 and hath saved thee from all thy distresses ; God 
 hath not stuck to give thee his Son, his Spirit, and 
 the kingdom of heaven. Saith Paul, ' I beseech 
 you therefore by the mercies of God, that ye pre- 
 sent vour bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable 
 unto God, which is your reasonable service.' Ko. xii, 
 1. Mat. xviii. 32. ."f3. 
 
572 
 
 CHKISTIAN BEHAVIOUK. 
 
 5. Consider, that tliia is the way to convince al! 
 men, that the power of God's things hath taken 
 hold of thy heart — I speak to them that hold the 
 head* — and say what thou wilt, if thy faith he not 
 accompanied with a holy life, thou shalt he judged 
 a withered hranch, a wording professor, salt with- 
 out savour, and as lifeless as a sounding brass, 
 and a tinkling cymbal. Jn. xv. Mat. xiii. l Co. xiii. l, 2. 
 For, say they, shew us your faith by your works, 
 for we cannot see your hearts. Ja. ii. is. But I say 
 on the contrary, if thou walk as becomes thee who 
 art saved by grace, then thou wilt witness in every 
 man's conscience, that thou art a good tree ; now 
 thou leavest guilt on the heart of the wicked, l 
 Sa. xxiv. 16, 17. now thou takest oiF occasion from them 
 that desire occasion ; and now thou art clear from 
 the blood of all men. 3 Co. xi.l3. Ac.xx.Z6, 31—35. This 
 is the man also that provoketh others to good 
 works. The ear that heareth such a man shall 
 bless him ; and the eye that seeth him shall bear 
 witness to him. ' Surely,' saith David, 'he shall 
 not be moved for ever : The righteous shall be in 
 everlasting remembrance.' He x. 24. Jobxxix. li. Ps. cxii. 6. 
 
 6. Again, The heart that is fullest of good 
 works, hath in it at least room for Satan's temp- 
 tations. And this is the meaning of Peter, where 
 he saith, ' Be sober, be vigilant;' that is, be busy- 
 ing thyself in faith and holiness, ' because, your 
 adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh 
 about, seeking whom he may devour. ' l Pe. v. 8. ' He 
 that walketh uprightly, walketh safely ; and they 
 that add to faith, virtue ; to virtue, knowledge; to 
 knowledge, temperance ; to temperance, brotherly 
 kindness; and to these charity; and that abounds 
 therein, he shall neither be barren nor unfruitful ; 
 he shall never fall ; but so an entrance shaU be 
 ministered to him abundantly, into the everlasting 
 kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.' 
 
 2 Pe. i. 5—10. Pr. x. 9. 
 
 7. The man who is fullest of good works, he is 
 fittest to live and fittest to die : 'I am now,' at any 
 time, 'ready to be ofiered,' saith fruitful Paul. 
 J Ti. iT. 6. Whereas he that is barren, he is neither 
 fit to live, nor fit to die : to die, he himself is con- 
 vinced he is not fit, and to live God himself saith 
 he is not fit ; • cut him down, why doth he cumber 
 the ground ?' Lu. xiii. 7. 
 
 Lastly, Consider, to provoke thee to good works, 
 thou shalt have of God when thou comest to glory, 
 a reward for everything thou dost for him on earth. 
 Little do the people of God consider, how richly 
 God will reward, what from a right principle and 
 to a right end, is done for him here ; not a bit of 
 bread to the poor, not a draught of water to the 
 meanest of them that belong to Christ, or the loss 
 
 * To ' hold the head' is to make a very prominent profes- 
 sion of religion. — Hd. 
 
 of a hair of your head, shall in that day go witli- 
 
 out its reward. In. xiv. 13, 14. Mat. x. 42. 
 
 ' For our light afl[liction, ' and so all other pieces 
 of self-denial, ' which is but for a moment, worketh 
 for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of 
 glory.' 2C0.iT. 17. I tell thee. Christian, be but 
 rich in good works, and thou shalt have more than 
 salvation; thy salvation thou hast freely by grace 
 through Christ, without works, Ep. ii. 8-10. but now 
 being justified and saved, and as the fruits hereof, 
 renewed by the Holy Ghost; after this, I say, 
 thou shalt be rewarded for every work that proves 
 good ; ' For God is not unrighteous to forget your 
 work and labour of love, which ye have shewed 
 toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the 
 saints, and do minister.' He.vi.io. iCo.iii. 14. Moses 
 counted the reward that he was to have, for a short 
 suflfering with the people of God, of greater worth 
 than the treasures of Egypt, the smiles of the king, 
 or the honour of his kingdom. He. xi. 35—27. In a 
 word, let the disappointments that do, and shall 
 most surely befall the fruitless professors, provoke 
 thee to look with all diligence to thy standing. For, 
 
 1. Such a one is but deceived and ^ , .^, 
 
 . 1 ,. ^8 fruitless 
 
 disappomted touchmg the work 01 professor must 
 
 grace he supposeth to be in his heart; ^p'oiTtmentsT 
 
 he thinks he is a Christian, and hath 
 
 grace, as faith, hope, and the like, in his soul, yet 
 
 no fruits of these things manifest themselves in 
 
 him ; indeed his tongue is tipt with a talk and 
 
 tattle of religion. Poor man, poor empty man ! 
 
 Faith without works is dead ; thy hope shall be 
 
 as the giving up of the ghost ; thy gifts with which 
 
 thy soul is possessed, are but such as are common 
 
 to reprobates ; thou art therefore disappointed ; 
 
 God reputes thee still but wicked, though thou 
 
 comest and goest to the place of the Holy. Ja. ii. 
 
 19, 20. 3ob xi. 20. 1 Co. xiii. 1—3. 
 
 2. Therefore all thy joy and comfort must needs 
 fall short of saving comfort, and so leave thee in 
 the suds notwithstanding ; thy joy is the joy of 
 the Pharisees, Jn. t. 35. and thy gladness as that 
 of Herod, Mar. vi. 20. and the longest time it can 
 last, it is but a Scripture-moment, lob xx. 6. Alas ! 
 in aU thy gladness and content with thy religion, 
 thou art but like the boy that plays with brass 
 instead of gold ; and with counters instead of that 
 which wiU go for current coin. Thus, ' if a man 
 think himself to be something when he is nothing, 
 he deceiveth [or disappoints] himself.' Ga. vi. 3. 
 
 3. This is not all, but look thou certainly for 
 an eternal disappointment in the day of God ; for 
 it must be ; thy lamp will out at the first sound 
 the trump of God shall make in thine ears ; thou 
 canst not hold up at the appearance of the Son of 
 God in his glory ; his very looks will be to thy 
 profession as a strong wind is to a blinking candle, 
 and thou shalt he left only to smoke. 
 
CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 573 
 
 Oil the alteration that will befal a foolish virgin! 
 She thought she was happy, and that she should 
 have received happiness with those that were right 
 at the heart ; but behold the contrary, her lamp 
 is going out, she is now to seek for saving grace, 
 when the time of grace is over ? Her heaven she 
 thought of, is proved a hell, and her god is proved 
 a devil. God hath cast her out of his presence, 
 and claps the door upon her. She pleads her pro- 
 fession, and the like, and she hath for her answer 
 repulses from heaven. ' So are the paths of all 
 that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall 
 perish ; whose hope shall be cut off, and whose 
 trust shall be a spider's web. He shall lean upon 
 his house but it shall not stand ; he shall hold it 
 fast, but it shall not endure. ' Mat. xxv. i— lo. Lu. xiu. 
 
 26,26. JobviiLlS— 15. 
 
 Take heed therefore; thy soul, heaven, and 
 eternity, lies at stake; yea, they turn either to 
 thee or from thee upon the hinge of thy faith ; if 
 it be right, all is thine : if wrong, then all is lost, 
 however thy hopes and expectations are to the con- 
 trary : ' For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision 
 availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision ; but faith 
 which worketh by love. Let no man deceive you 
 with vain words : for because of these things 
 Cometh the wrath of God upon the children of un- 
 belief.* For the earth which drinketh in the rain 
 that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs 
 meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth 
 blessing from God : but that which beareth thorns 
 and briars is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, 
 whose end is to be burned. ' Ga. v. 6. Ep. v. 3—6. He. 
 vi. 7, 8. 
 
 Object. But what shall I do, who am so cold, 
 slothful, and heartless, that I cannot find any heart 
 to do any work for God in this world ? Indeed 
 time was when his dew rested all night upon my 
 branches, and when I could with desire, with ear- 
 nest desire, be doing and working for God ; but, 
 alas ! now it is otherwise. 
 
 Answ. If this be true, thy case is sad, thou art 
 to be pitied ; the Lord pity thee. And for thy 
 recovery out of this condition, I would give thee 
 no other counsel than was given to Ephesus when 
 she had lost her first love. 
 
 1. 'Remember,' saith Christ, 'from whence 
 thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works,' 
 &c. Ee. u. 5. 
 
 Mark : Thy first work is to enter into a serious 
 considering, and remembrance from whence thou 
 art fallen. Remember that thou hast left thy God, 
 the stay of thy soul, and him without whom there 
 is no stay, comfort, or strength, for thee either to 
 do or suifer anything in this world : ' Without me,' 
 saith he, ' ye can do nothing. ' Jn. xv. 6. A sad con- 
 
 * ' Of unbelief;' sec margin of the Bible. — Ed. 
 
 dition ; the remembrance of this, for certain, is the 
 first step to the recovering a backsliding heart; for 
 the right remembrance of this doth bring to mind 
 what loss that soul hath sustained that is in this 
 condition, how it hath lost its former visits, smiles, 
 and consolations of God. When thy conscience 
 was suppled with the blood of thy Saviour ; when 
 every step thou tookest was, as it were, in honey 
 and butter; and when thy heart could meditate 
 terror with comfort. Job x™. 2—6. is. xxxm. 14^19. In- 
 stead of which, thou feelest darkness, hardness of 
 heart, and the thoughts of God are terrible to thee. 
 Ps. k.tra.3. Now God never visits thee; or if he 
 doth, it is but as a wayfaring man, that tarrieth 
 but for a night. Je. xiv. a, 9. 
 
 This also brings to mind how the case is altered 
 with thee, touching thy confidence in God for thy 
 future happiness, how uncertain thou now art of thy 
 hopes for heaven, how much this life doth hang in 
 doubt before thee. De. xxvuL 65, 66. 
 
 2. ' Remember therefore from whence thou art 
 fallen, and repent.' These are words well put 
 together ; for a solid considering of what I have 
 lost in my declining, will provoke in my heart a 
 sorrow, and godly heaviness, whereby I shall be 
 forced to bemoan my condition, and say, ' I will go 
 and return to my first husband, for then vxis it 
 better with me than now.' Ho.ii. 7. 
 
 And believe it, the reason of God's standing ofi^ 
 from giving the comfortable communion with him- 
 self, it is that thou mightest first see the difference 
 between sticking close to God, and forsaking of 
 him ; and next, that thou mightest indeed acknow- 
 ledge thy offence, and seek his face. Ho. v. 15. He 
 taketh no pleasure in thy forlorn condition ; he 
 had rather thou shouldest have him in thy bosom, 
 only he will have it in his own way. ' He looketh 
 upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and per- 
 verted thai which was right, and it profited me 
 not; [then] he will deliver his soul from going 
 into the pit, and his life shall see the light.' Job 
 
 jTxxiii. 27, 28. 
 
 3. 'Remember from whence thou art fallen, and 
 repent, and do the first works.' 
 
 As there should be a remembering and a repent- 
 ing so there should be a hearty doing our first 
 works ; a believing as before, a laying hold of the 
 things of heaven and glory, as at the first ; for 
 now is God returned to thee, as before, zec. i. I6. And 
 though thou mayest, through the loss of thy locks, 
 with Samson, be weak at the first, yet, in short 
 time, thy hair will grow again ; that is, thy former 
 experience will in short space be as long, large, 
 and strong, as in the former times. Indeed at the 
 first thou wilt find all the wheels of thy soxil rusty, 
 and all the strings of thine heart out of tune ; as 
 also when thou first beginnest to stir, the dust and 
 filth of thy heart will, like smoke, trouble theo 
 
574 
 
 CHKISTIAN BEHAVIOUR. 
 
 from tliat clear beholding the grace of thy God, 
 and his love to thy soul ; hut yet wait, and go on, 
 and though thou findest thyself as unable to do 
 anything as thou formerly couldest ; yet I say, up, 
 and be doing, and the Lord will he with thee ; for 
 lie hath not despised the day of thy small things. 
 lCh.xxii.16. ZeciT.lO. 
 
 I know thou wilt be afflicted with a thousand 
 temptations to drive thee to despair, that thy faith 
 may be faint, <fec. But against all them set thou 
 the word of God, the promise of grace, the blood 
 of Christ, and the examples of God's goodness to 
 the great backsliders that are for thy encourage- 
 ment recorded in the scriptures of truth ; and re- 
 member, that turning to God after backsliding, is 
 the greatest piece of service thou canst do for him, 
 and the greatest honour thou canst bring to the 
 blood of Christ ; and know farther, that God, to 
 shew his willing reception of so unworthy a crea- 
 ture, saith, there shall be joy in heaven at thy 
 conversion to him again. Lu. xv. 7. 10. 
 
 TO CONCLUDE. 
 
 If thou yet, notwithstanding what hath been 
 said, dost remain a backslider : 
 
 1. Then remember that thou must die; and 
 remember also, that when the terrors of God, of 
 death, and a backslidden heart, meet together, 
 there will be sad work in that soul j this is the 
 
 man that hangeth tilting over the mouth of hell, 
 while death is cutting the thread of his life. 
 
 2. Remember, that thoigh God doth sometimes, 
 yea, often, receive backsliders, yet it is not always 
 so. Some draw back Into perdition ; for, because 
 they have flung up God, and would none of him, 
 he in justice flings up them and their souls for 
 ever. Pr. i. a—w. 
 
 I have observed, that sometimes God, as it were in 
 revenge for injury done him, doth snatch away souls 
 in the very nick of their backsliding, as he served 
 Lot's wife, when he turned her into a pillar of salt, 
 even while she was looking over her shoulder to 
 Sodom. Ge. xix. 26. An example that every backslider 
 should remember with astonishment. Lu. xvii. S2. 
 
 Thus have I, in few words, written to you, be- 
 fore I die, a word to provoke you to faith and 
 holiness, because I desire that you may have the 
 life that is laid up for all them that believe in the 
 Lord Jesus, and love one another, when I am de- 
 ceased. Though there I shall rest from my labours, 
 and be in paradise, as through grace I comfortably 
 believe, yet it is not there, but here, I must do you 
 good. Wherefore, I not knowing the shortness 
 of my life, nor the hinderance that hereafter I may 
 have of serving my God and you, I have taken this 
 opportunity to present these few lines unto you for 
 your edification. 
 
 Consider what hath been said ; and the Lord 
 give you understanding in all things. Farewell. 
 
A CAUTION 
 
 TO STIR UP 
 
 TO WATCH AGAINST SIN. 
 
 By J. BUNYAN. 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 This faithful and affectionate appeal to conscience, 
 was originally published on a half-sheet of copy 
 paper, and being only printed on one side of the 
 leaf was called a broadside ; probably intended to 
 hang up in the house, or to be pasted inside the 
 cover of the family bible. 
 
 Charles Doe gives the date 1685 ; but a copy 
 of this rare sheet, clean and perfect as when first 
 printed, was lately discovered in the Stowe Library, 
 among a great number of single-sheet poems, songs, 
 and proclamations ; a memorandum on it, in the 
 writing of Narcissus Luttrel, shews that he bought 
 it for one penny, on the 8th of April, 1684. By 
 
 the liberal permission of Mr. Pickering, of Picca- 
 dilly, the present owner of that extraordinary col- 
 lection, I have been able accurately to correct the 
 very numerous alterations and errors which abound 
 in all the later editions. 
 
 Reader, whoever thou art, but especially the 
 yoimg, this unassuming poem is most worthy of 
 being committed to memory. It is a striking 
 detection of the devU's sophistry. Strive, as you 
 value your peace and happiness, to escape the depths 
 of moral degradation and misery, by avoiding the 
 FIRST overtures of sin. — Geo. Offob. 
 
 CAUTION TO STIR DP TO WATCH AGAINST SIN. 
 
 The first eiyht lines one did commend to me. 
 The rest I thought good to commend to thee: 
 Reader, in reading be thou ruVd hy me. 
 With rhimes nor lines, hut truths, affected he* 
 
 8. Aprill. 1684. 
 L 
 
 Sin will at first, just like a beggar, crave 
 One penny or one half-penny to have; 
 And if you grant its first suit, 'twill aspire, 
 From pence to pounds, and so wUl still mount higher 
 To the whole soul: but if it makes its moan. 
 Then say, here is not for you, get you gone. 
 For if you give it entrance at the door. 
 It mil come in, and may go out no mors. 
 
 II. 
 
 Sin, rather than 'twill out of action be, 
 'Will pray to stay, though bat a while with theej 
 One night, one hour, one moment, will it ciy, 
 Embrace me in thy bosom, else I die: 
 Time to repent [saith it] I wiU allow. 
 And help, if to repent thou know'st not how. 
 Hut if you give it entrance at the door. 
 It will come in, and may go out no more. 
 
 * This same sentiment is well expressed in Bunyan's verses at the 
 Cuuclusion of the Pilgrim, part First. 
 
 ' Nor let my iig;ure or similitude 
 Put thee into a laughter or a feud; 
 Leave this to hoys and iools, but as for thee, 
 Do thou the substance of my matter see.' 
 
 III. 
 
 If begging doth not do, sin promise will 
 Kewards to those that shall its lusts fulfill: 
 Penny in hand, yea pounds 'twill oflier thee. 
 If at its beck and motion thou wilt be, 
 'Twill seem heaven to out-bid, and all to gain 
 Thy love, and win thee it to entertain. 
 
 But give it not admittance at thy door. 
 Lest it comes m, and so goes out no more. 
 
 IT. 
 If begging and promising will not do, 
 'TwHl by its wiles attempt to flatter you. 
 I'm harmless, mean no iH, be not so shy 
 Will ev'ry soul-destroying motion cry. 
 'Twill hide its sting, 'twill change its native hne. 
 Tile 'twill not, but a beauty seem to you. 
 Sut if you give it entrance at the door. 
 Its sting will in, and may come out no more. 
 
 T. 
 
 Rather than fail, sin will itself divide, 
 Bid tbce do this, and lay the rest aside. 
 Take little ones ('twill say) throw great ones by, 
 (As if for little sins men should not die.) 
 Yea SIN with sin a quarrel will maintain. 
 On purpose that thou by it might'st be slain. 
 Beware the cheat then, keep it out of door. 
 It would come in, and would go out no more. 
 
676 
 
 A CAUTION TO STIR UP TO WATCH AGAINST SIN. 
 
 VI. 
 Sin, if you will believe it, will accuse, 
 What is not hurtful and itself excuse : 
 'Twill make a vice of virtue, and 'twill say 
 Good is destructive, doth men's souls betray; 
 'Twin make a law, where God has made man free. 
 And break those laws by which men bounded be. 
 Look to thyself then, keep it out of door, 
 Thee 'twould entangle, and enlarge thj score. 
 
 vir. 
 
 Sin is that beastly thing that will defile 
 Soul, body, name, and fame in little while ; 
 'Twill make him, who some time God's image was, 
 Look like the devil, love, and plead his cause ; 
 Like to the plague, poison, or leprosy 
 Defile 'twill, and infect contagiously. 
 
 Wherefore beware, against it shut the door; 
 
 If not, it will defile thee more and more. 
 
 vni. 
 
 Sin, once possessed of the heart, will play 
 
 The tyrant, force its vassal to obey ; 
 
 'Twill make thee thine own happiness oppose 
 
 And offer open violence to those 
 
 That love thee best ; yea make thee to defy 
 
 The law and counsel of the deity. 
 
 Beware then, keep this tyrant out of door. 
 Lest thou be his, and so thy own no more. 
 
 IX. 
 
 Sin harden can the heart against its God, 
 Make it abuse his grace, despise his rod, 
 'Twin make one run upon the very pikes. 
 Judgments foreseen bring such to no dislikes 
 Of sinful hazards; no, they venture shall 
 For one base lust, their soul, and heav'n and all. 
 Take heed then, hold it, crush it at the door. 
 It comes to rob thee, and to make thee poor. 
 
 X. 
 
 Sis is a prison, hath its bolts and chains. 
 
 Brings into bondage who it entertains ; 
 
 Hangs shackles on them, bends them to its will, 
 
 Holds them, as Samson grinded at the mill, 
 
 'Twill blind them, make them deaf; yea, 'twiU them gag. 
 
 And ride them as the devil rides bis hag. 
 
 Wherefore look to it, keep it out of door. 
 If once its slave, thou may'st be free no more. 
 
 XL 
 
 Though SIN at first its rage dissemble may, 
 
 'Twill soon upon thee as a lion prey ; 
 
 'Twill roar, 'twill rend, 'twill tear, 'twill kill out-right. 
 
 Its living death will gnaw thee day and night : 
 
 Thy pleasures now to paws and teeth it turns, 
 In thee its tickling lusts, like brimstone burns. 
 Wherefore beware, and keep it out of door, 
 Lest it should on thee as a lion roar. 
 
 XII 
 
 Sin will accuse, will stare thee in the face, 
 Will for its witnesses quote time and place 
 Where thou committedst it ; and so appeal 
 To conscience, who thy facts will not conceal ; 
 But on thee as a judge such sentence pass. 
 As will to thy sweet bits prove bitter sauce. 
 
 Wherefore beware, against it shut thy door. 
 Repent what's past, believe and sin no more, 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Sin is the worm of hell, the lasting fire. 
 Hell would soon lose its heat, could sin expire ; 
 Better sinless, in hell, than to be where 
 Heav'n is, and to be found a sinner there. 
 One sinless, with infemals might do well. 
 But SIN would make a very heav'n a hell. 
 
 Look to thyself, then, to keep it out of door. 
 Lest it gets in, and never leaves thee more, 
 
 XIV. 
 No match has sin save God in all the world. 
 Men, angels it has from their stations hurl'd : 
 Holds them in chains, as captives, in despite 
 Of all that here below is called Might. 
 Release, help, freedom from it none can give, 
 But he by whom we also breathe and live. 
 
 Watch therefore, keep this giant out of door. 
 Lest if once in, thou get him out no more. 
 
 XV. 
 Fools make a mock at sin, will not bcKeve, 
 It carries such a dagger in its sleeve ; 
 How can it be (say they) that such a thing, 
 So full of sweet, should ever wear a sting : 
 They know not that it is the very spell 
 Of SIN, to make men laugh themselves to hell. 
 Look to thyself then, deal with sin no more. 
 Lest lie that saves, against thee shuts the door. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 Now let the God that is above. 
 
 That hath for sinners so much love ; 
 
 These lines so help thee to improve. 
 
 That towards him thy heart may move. 
 Keep thee from enemies external. 
 Help thee to fight with those internal : 
 Deliver thee from them infernal. 
 And bring thee safe to life eternal.— AMEN. 
 
 London : Printed for N. Ponder at the Peacock in the Foultrey. 
 
A DISCOURSE 
 
 O! THB 
 
 BUILDING, NATURE, EXCELLENCY, AND GOVERNMENT 
 
 ov 
 
 THE HOUSE OF GOD; 
 
 wiTn 
 
 COUNSELS AND DIKECTIONS TO THE INHABITANTS THEKBOF. 
 Br JOHN BUNYAN, of Bedford. 
 
 ' Lord, I have loved the halitaiion of thy house, and the place where thine honour dioelleth.^ — Psal. uvi. 8. 
 
 ADYEETISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 Beautiful in its simplicity is this treatise on the 
 Church of Christ, by John Bunyan. He opens, 
 with profound knowledge and eminent skill, all 
 those portions of sacred writ which illustrate the 
 nature, excellency, and government of the house of 
 God, with the personal and relative duties of its 
 inhabitants. It was originally published in a 
 pocket volume of sixty-three pages, by G. Larkin, 
 1688, and is now for the first time reprinted. We 
 are deeply indebted to the unknown owner of this 
 rare volume, and to Mr. Creasy, bookseller, Slea- 
 ford, through whom the copy was borrowed to 
 enrich this edition. 
 
 What is the church ? is a question upon which 
 all the subtilty of Jesuitic schoolmen and casuists 
 has been exhausted, to mystify and mislead the 
 honest inquirer in every age. The Jews, Papists, 
 Greeks, English, have each claimed the divine 
 favom' as being exclusively limited to their respec- 
 tive sects. Apostolic descent has been considered 
 to depend upon human ceremonies, instead of its 
 consisting in a similarity of mind and conduct to 
 that of the apostles, through the powerful influ- 
 ences of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. Judging 
 from this latter mode, we conclude that Bunyan 
 the brazier was very nearly related to, and des- 
 cended from, Paul the tentmakei-, and the other 
 apostles. But we form a very different judgment 
 as to the descent of Bonner and other persecuting 
 bishops. 
 
 A visible church of Christ is a congregation of 
 the faithful, who having personally and individually 
 given themselves to the SavioTir, unite together to 
 promote each other's spiritual happiness. Such 
 were the churches to whom the epistles in the 
 New Testament were addressed. The instructions 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 given to this spiritual community, in the following 
 treatise, are drawn solely from the sacred volume, 
 and are full of peace and righteousness — tending 
 purely to its happiness and prosperity. If these 
 directions were strictly and constantly followed, 
 our churches, notwithstanding the liability of the 
 members to err, would each present ' a little heaven 
 below. ' 
 
 The officers in these communities are — I. Bishops, 
 or preaching elders, to dispense the word and ordi- 
 nances ; a plurality in every church, to supply the 
 services of such as suffered under affliction of body, 
 or were imprisoned for conscience-sake. II. Ruling 
 elders, to assist the preachers — to admit the serious 
 inquirer, or shut out the profane backslider, and to 
 re-admit the penitent — to watch over the members, . 
 that they be dihgent in their worldly callings, that 
 there be no drones or idlers-^to heal offences — to 
 feed the church with admonitions, and to visit and 
 comfort the sick. III. Deacons, to manage the 
 temporal affairs — provide for the Lord's table and 
 for that of the bishops and elders — and to distribute 
 the alms to the infirm and needy. IV. Female 
 deacons, to nurse the sick, and direct their attention 
 to that home where there shall be no more sorrow ; 
 and generally to aid the deacons and elders. 
 
 The duty of the private members is to walk 
 humbly with God, and to be devoted to each other's 
 happiness. In aU these particulars Dr. John Cot- 
 ton of New England, in his ' True Constitution of 
 a Visible Church,'* fully concurs with Bunyan, as 
 does also Dr. John Owen, in his ' Nature of a 
 Gospel Church, ' excepting that he is silent as to 
 female deacons. Let every church be thus affec- 
 
 4to, London, 1642. 
 4 D 
 
 In the editor's library. 
 
578 
 
 A DISCOURSE OF THE BmLDING, &c., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 tionately and scripturally governed, and in their 
 
 works of faith and labours of love they will become 
 
 terrible to the enemy ' as an army with banners. '* 
 
 At the present ^ay, great laxity of discipline 
 
 Cant. vi. 4. 
 
 has crept in. Some offices have been discontinued, 
 others altered, and it becomes us most solemnly to 
 judge ourselves by the unerring word of the living 
 God, whether we have deviated from the order 
 recorded by the Holy Ghost, and if so, to repent 
 and return to the scriptural model. — Geo. Offok. 
 
 A DISCOURSE OF THE BUILDING, &c., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 BY WHOM THIS HOUSE IS BUILT. 
 
 The builder's God, " materials Ms Elect ; 
 
 His Son's tlie rock' on whicli it is erect ; 
 
 The Scripture is his rule, plummet, or Mne, ' 
 
 ■Which gives proportion to this house divine. 
 
 His working-tools his ordinances are, ^ 
 
 By them he doth his stones and timber square, 
 
 Affections knit in love, the couplings are ; ' 
 
 Good doctrine like to mortar doth cement 
 
 The whole together, schism to prevent;-' 
 
 His compass, his decree ; ' bis hand's the Spirit 
 
 By which he frames, what he means to inherit, 
 
 A holy temple,' which shall far excel 
 
 That very place, where now the angels dweU. 
 
 Call this a temple or a house of prayer,' 
 
 A palace, oracle, or spouse most fair ; 
 
 Or what you will : God's love is here displayed. 
 
 And here his treasure safely up is laid ; ■' 
 
 For his own darling none can find a place, 
 
 Where he, as here, is wont to show his face. 
 
 "What though some sMght it, it a cottage caU, 
 Give't the reproachful name of beggar's hall ; 
 Yea, what though to some it an eyesore is, 
 "What though they count it base, and at it hiss. 
 Call it an alms-house, buildedfor the foor; 
 Tet Icings of old have begged at the door. 
 
 II. 
 
 OP THE BEAUTI OP THE CHUKCn. 
 
 Lo her foundations laid with sapphires are; 
 Her goodly windows made of agates fair. 
 Her gates are carbuncles, or pearls ; nor one 
 Of all her borders hut's a precious stone;* 
 None common, nor o' th' baser sort are here. 
 Nor rough, but squar'd and polish'd everywhere ; 
 Her beams are cedars, fir her rafters be, 
 Her terraces ai'C of the algum-tree ; ' 
 The thorn or crab-tree here are not of use ; 
 Who thinks them here utensils, puts abuse 
 Upon the place, yea, on the builder too ; 
 Would they be thus controll'd in what they do? 
 
 « 1 Co. iii. 9. « Col. ii. 3, 19. < Mat. xxi. 13. 
 
 » Is. viii. 11. / Le. xif . 43. i Ps. xivii. i. 
 
 c Ho. xri. 26. s Ac. xiii. 4,, 48. * Is. Ut. 11, 13. 
 
 "i Ep. iv. 11, 13, 10. » Ep. iL 19—33. « 2 Cli. ii. 11 
 
 With carved-work of lily, and palm-tree. 
 With cherubims and chains adorned be 
 The doors, the walls, and pillars of this place; "■ 
 Forbidden beasts here must not show their face. 
 With grace like gold, as with fine painting, he 
 Will have this house within enriched be ; 
 Fig-leaves nor rags, must here keep out no cold. 
 This builder covers aH with cloth of gold. 
 Of needle-work, prick'd more than once or twice 
 (The oft'ner prick'd, stUl of the higher price) " 
 Wrought by his Son, put on her by his merit. 
 Applied by faith, revealed by the Spirit." 
 
 III. 
 
 OP THE CONVENIENCES OP THIS HOUSE. 
 
 Within these walls the builder did devise 
 That there the householders might sacrifice; 
 Here is an altar,!" and a laver too,* 
 And priests abundance,' temple work to do; 
 Nor want they living offerings, nor yet fire. 
 Nor holy garments ; what divine desire 
 Commands, it has bestowed on this place ; 
 Here be the censors, here's the thi'one of grace ; 
 None of the householders need go elsewhere. 
 To offer incense, or good news to hear. 
 
 A throne for judgment he did here erect, " 
 
 Virtue to cherish, folly to detect;' 
 
 Statutes and laws, unto this house he gave. 
 
 To teach who to condemn, and who to save : 
 
 By things thus wholesome taught is every brother 
 
 To fear his God, and to love one another. 
 
 And now for pleasure, solace, recreation. 
 Here's such as helpeth forward man's salvation. 
 Equal to these none can be found elsewhere, 
 All else turn to profuseness, sin, and cai'e. 
 So situate it is, so roomy, fair. 
 So warm, so blessed, with such wholesome air. 
 That 'tis enticing : whoso wishes well 
 To his soul's health, should covet here to dwelL 
 Here's necessaries, and what wiU delight 
 The godly ear, the palate, with the sight 
 Of each degree and sex ; here's everything 
 To please a beggar, and delight a king. 
 
 >» 1 Ki. vi. 35. 
 n Pa. xlv. 13, 14. 
 Ro. L 17. 
 
 p He. xiii. 10, 15. 
 9 Tit. iii. 5. 
 r 1 Pe. ii. 9. 
 
 • Ke. xvi. 17. 
 I 1 Co. vi. 3, V 
 
A DISCOURSE OF THE BUILDING. &o., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 679 
 
 Chambers" and galleries,' lie did invent. 
 
 Both, for a prospect and a retirement. 
 
 For such as unto music do incline, 
 
 Here arc both harps and psalteries divine ; " 
 
 Her cellars and banqueting-house" have been. 
 
 In former days, a palace for a queen. 
 
 house! what title to thee can be given. 
 
 So fit as that which, men do give to heavenl 
 
 IV. 
 
 OF THE STEENGtK AND BESENCE OF THIS HOiUSB. 
 
 This house, you may be sure, will always staaid ; 
 She's builded on a rock,* not on the sand; 
 Storms, rain, yea floods have oft upon her beat, 
 Yet stands she,' here's a proof she is no cheat; 
 Fear not therefore in her for to abide. 
 She keeps her ground, come weather, wind or tide. 
 Her comer-stone has many times been try'd. 
 But never could the scorn, or rage, or pride. 
 Of all her foes, by what force they could make. 
 Destroy her battlements, or ground-work shake." 
 Here's God the Lord encamping round about 
 His dwelling place; ' nor ought we once to doubt 
 But that he as a watchman succour will 
 Those that do dwell upon his holy hiU." 
 A wall of fire abovi her I will be. 
 And glory in, the midst of her, and she 
 Shall be the place where Imy name record; 
 Sere I will come and. bless you, saith the Lord. 
 
 The holy watchers at her gates do stand, 
 With their destroying weapons in their hand, 
 Those to defend, that in this house do dwell, 
 I'rom all her enemies in earth and hell ; * 
 Safety 1 where is it, if it is not here ? 
 God dweUeth in her, • doth for her appear. 
 To help her eariy, ' and her foes confound, 
 And unto her will make his grace abound ; 
 Safely is here, and also that advance* 
 Will make a beggar sing, a cripple dance. 
 
 THE DELICATENESS OF THE SITUATION OP THIS HOUSE. 
 
 As her foundation and her beauty's much ; 
 Conveniences, and her defences such 
 As none can parallel, so doth the field 
 About her, richest, rarest dainties yield. 
 Moriah, where Isaac was offered. 
 Where David from his sin was ransomed j 
 Where Solomon the temple did erect, 
 Compar'd with this is worthy no respect. 
 Under the very threshold of this place 
 Arise those goodly springs of lasting grace. 
 
 * 'That advance,' preferment, or progress towards perfection. — Ed. 
 
 » Ca. i. i. 
 ' Ca. vii. 6. 
 " 2 Cli. ix, 11. 
 « Ca. ii. 4. 
 » Hat. xri. 18. 
 
 ' Lu. vi. 4S. 
 a Is. Kxviii. 16. 
 * Zee. ii. 5. ix. 8. 
 c Ex. IX. 24. 
 
 <* Ke. xxi. 13. 
 e Ps xlviiL 3. 
 / Ps. ilvi. 1, 5. 
 e Ps. cxiii. 7. 
 
 Whose crystal streams minister life to those 
 That here of love to her, malce their repose.* 
 
 Sweet is her air, {as one may well infer) 
 'Cause 'tis the, breathings of the comforter.' 
 
 The pomegranates at all her gates do grow. 
 Mandrakes and vines, with other dainties mo;t 
 Her gardens yield the chief, the richest spico. 
 Surpassing them of Adam's paradise ;^ 
 Here be sweet ointments, and. the best ©f gums ; 
 Here runs the milk, here drops the honey-combs^ 
 Here arc perfumes most pleasant to the sense. 
 Here grows the goodly trees of frankincense ; 
 Her arbours, walks, fountains, and pleasant springs. 
 Delightful formerly have been to kings. 
 
 Such mountains round absiut this house do stand 
 As one from thence may see the holy land.* 
 
 Her fields are fertile, do abound with com ; 
 The lilies fair, hex* vallics do adorn.' 
 
 The birds that do come hither every spring. 
 For birds, they are the very best that sing.*" 
 
 Her friends, her neighbours too, do call her blest ; " 
 Angels do here go by, turn in and rest." 
 
 The road to paradise lies by her gate,* 
 Here pilgrims do themselves accommodate 
 With bed and board, and do such stories tell 
 As do for truth and profit all excel. 
 
 Nor doth the porter here say any nay. 
 That hither would turn in, that here would star. 
 This house is rent free; here the man may dmell 
 That loves his landlord, rules his passions welt. 
 
 VI. 
 
 THE WAY OF EECEIVIKO THOSE THAT WOUID HEBE INHABIT. 
 
 And wouldst thou know the customs of this place. 
 How men are here admitted to this grace; 
 And consequiontly whether thou mayst be 
 Made one of this most blest fraternity ? 
 Come hither then, unto me lend an ear ; 
 And what is doubtful to thee, I will clear. 
 
 1. This place, as mercy's arms, stands ope to those 
 That their own happiness us'd to oppose ; 
 
 Those under hedges, high- way men, ' or they 
 That would not God, nor yet good men obey ; •■ 
 
 Those that among the bushes us'd to browse, 
 Or under hedges us'd themselves to louze. 
 
 The vilest men, of sinners who are chie^ 
 A fornicator, liar, or a thief. 
 May turn in hither, here take up and dwell 
 With those who ransom'd are from death and hell. • 
 
 2. This place, as hcspitals, will entertain. 
 Those which the lofty of this world disdain : ' 
 The poor, the lame, the maimed, halt and blind," 
 The leprous, and possessed " too, may find 
 
 Free welcome here, as also such relief 
 
 As ease them will of trouble, pain and grief. 
 
 Mo,' ausual contraction for more in former times, now ol)Solete.^ED, 
 
 1- 
 
 ft Eze. xlvii. 1 
 < Ca. i. 7, 13, 13. 
 / Ca. iv. 12—16. 
 ' Ps. cxxv. 2. 
 > Ca. iL 1. 
 
 "» Ca. ii. 11, 13 
 « Ps. xlviii. 2. 
 o He. xiii. 3. 
 P Ge. xxviii. 17. 
 « Lu. xir. 33. 
 
 r 2 Ii. i. 16. 
 « 1 Co. vi. 9—11. 
 f Kze. xxxiv. 16. 
 «* Lu. xiv. 21, 
 » Mar. xvi. 9. 
 
£80 
 
 A DISCOURSE OF THE BUILDING, &c., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 S. This place, as David's heart, with free consent 
 Opens to th" distressed, and the discontent ; " 
 Who is in deht, that has not wherewithal 
 To quit his scores, may here be free from thrall: • 
 That man that fears the hailiif, or the jail. 
 May find one here that will become his bail. 
 
 4. Art thou bound over to the great assize. 
 For heaik'ning to the devil and his lies ; 
 Art thou afraid thereat to shew thy head, 
 For fear thou then be sent unto the dead ? 
 Thou may'st come hither, here is room and place, 
 For such as willingly would live by grace.* 
 
 5. This place, as father's house in former days. 
 Is a receptacle for runaways;* 
 He that, like to the ox,t baclcsKddeu is. 
 Forfeited hath for ain his share of bliss ; 
 May yet come hither, here is room and rest ; 
 Of old such have come hither and been blest. 
 
 Had this been false, woe had been to David ! 
 Nor Peter ' had, nor Magdalen, been saved. 
 Nor Jonah," nor Manasseh,' nor the rest; 
 No runaway from God could been blest 
 With Mnd reception at his hands ; return 
 Would here come too late, if nought but bum 
 Had been the lot of the backsliding man : 
 But we are told there's no rebellion can 
 Prevent, or hinder him from being saved. 
 That mercy heartily of God hath crav'd. " 
 She that went from her God to play the whore, * 
 Keturning may be as she was before : 
 He that refuses to his God to turn. 
 That is resolved in heB fire to burn; 
 If he bethinks himself, and turns again. 
 May find them here that wiU him entertain.' 
 
 6. But bring thou with thee a certificate. 
 To show thou aeest thyself most desolate ; 
 Writ by the master, vrith repentance seal'd,'' 
 To shew also that here thou wonld'st be heal'd. 
 By those fair leaves of that most blessed tree. 
 By which alone poor sinners healed be ; ' 
 And that thou dost abhor thee for thy ways. 
 And wouldst in holiness spend all thy days ; * 
 And here he entertained ; or thou wilt find 
 To entertain thee here are none inclin'd.^ 
 
 * Probably referring to tlie parable of the prodigal son, Lu. xv. — Ed. 
 
 t This may refer to the Levitieal law, Ex. xxi. 28 — 36. The ox that 
 had gored any one to death, * shall be surely stoned' without possibility 
 of escape, but the backshder or manslayer, although he lie equally under 
 the sentence of death, yet may escape to the city of refuge.— Ed. 
 
 i These stanzas afford an excellent illustration to the meaning of 
 Eunyau in his Pilgrim's Progress, where Clu-istian, before the cross, 
 receives the roll or certificate — loses it for a season in the arbour on the 
 hill DiflTiculty, when loitering and sleeping on his way to the Interpreter's 
 house, but regains it by repentance and prayer, and eventually, having 
 crossed the river, gives it in at the gate of the Celestial City, and is 
 admitted. — Ed. 
 
 «> 1 Sa. xxii. 2. 
 * Lu. vii. 41, 43. 
 1/ Ac. xvi. 30—33. 
 » Lu. xxii. 61. 
 
 a Jonah i. 
 b 2 Ch. xxxiii. 
 Lu. XV. 1 Sa xiL 
 i Je. iii. 1—6. 
 
 « Ko. X. 21. 
 / Ac. ix. 26, 27. 
 > Re. xxi. 27. 
 * lie. xxii. 3, 14, 16. 
 
 VII. 
 
 or THE GOVEENOBS 01 THIS HOCSE. 
 
 The governors that here in office are. 
 
 Such be as service do with love and care ; 
 
 Not swerving from the rule, nor yet intrude 
 
 Upon each other's work, nor are they rude 
 
 In managing their own : but to their trust 
 
 They labour to be honest, faithful, just. 
 
 1. The chief is he who is the Lord of all. 
 
 The Saviour; ' some him physician call. 
 
 He's cloth'd in shining raiment to the ground, 
 
 A golden girdle doth begirt him round; 
 
 His head and hairs are white as any snow. 
 
 His eyes are like a flame of fire also ; 
 
 His feet are like fine brass, as if they bum'd 
 
 Within a furnace, or to fire were turn'd; 
 
 His voice doth like to many waters sound ; 
 
 In his right hand, seven glittering stars are found. 
 
 Out of his mouth goes a two-edged sword. 
 
 Sharper than any ('tis his holy word) 
 
 And for his countenance, 'tis as the sun 
 
 Which shineth in its strength, till day is done.-' 
 
 HU name is call'd holy. The Word of God ; * 
 
 The vrine-press of his father's wrath he trod ; 
 
 At all the power of sin he doth deride. 
 
 The keys of hell and death hang at his side.' 
 
 This is our governor, this is the chief. 
 From this physician comes our soul's relief. 
 He is the tree of life and hidden manna ; 
 'Tis he to whom the children sing hosanna. 
 The white stone he doth give with a new name ; 
 In heaven and earth he is of worthy fame. 
 This man hath death destroy'd and slain the devil. 
 And doth secure all his from damning evil. 
 ffe is the prince of life, the prince of peace i 
 He doth us from the bonds of death release. 
 His work is properly his own ; nor may. 
 In what he doth, another say him nay. 
 
 "Ks he who pays our hospitalian scores. 
 
 He's here to search, supple, and bind up sores ; 
 
 He is our plaster-maker, he applies 
 
 Them to oiu' wounds, " he wipes our wetted eyes. " 
 
 'Tis he that gives us cups of consolation, 
 'Tis he renews the hopes of our salvation." 
 
 He'll talce our parts, oft times to us unknown. 
 And niake as if our failings were his own ; 
 
 He'll plead with God his name and doings too. 
 And save us will, from those would us undo. 
 
 His name is as an ointment poured forth; 
 'Tis sweet from east to west, from south to north. 
 
 He's white and ruddy ; yea of all the chief; 
 His golden head is rich beyond belief. 
 
 His eyes are like the doves which waters wet. 
 Well wash'd with milk, and also fitly set. 
 
 His cheeks as beds of spices, and sweet flowers. 
 He us'd to water with those crystal showers. 
 
 Which often flowed from his cloudy eyes ; 
 Better by far than what comes fi'om the skies. 
 
 < He. iii. 6. 
 I Ee. L 13—17. 
 * Re, itix. 13. 
 
 I Re. i. 18. 
 
 «» Lu. X. 33— Si 
 
 « Mat. viii. 17. 
 • La. xxii. 81, W. 
 
A DISCOURSE or THE BUILDIKG, &c., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 581 
 
 His lips like lilies, drop sweet-smelling myrrh. 
 Scenting as do those of the comforter. 
 
 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryls; 
 By them we are delivered out of perils ; 
 
 His legs like maihle, stand in hoots of gold. 
 His countenance is ex'lent to behold. 
 
 His mouth, it is of all a mouth most sweeet, ' 
 kiss me then. Lord, every time we meet 1 ' 
 Thy sngar'd lips. Lord, let them sweeten mine, 
 WKh the most blessed scent of things divine. 
 
 3. This is one Governor ; and next in place, 
 One call'd the Ghost, in Honour and in Grace 
 No whit inferior to him; and He 
 Will also in this house our helper he. 
 He 'twas who did at first brood the creation; ' 
 And he's the cause of man's regeneration. 
 'Tis he by whom the heavens were garnished, 
 With all their host they then abroad did spread 
 (Like spangles, pearls, diamonds or richest gems) 
 Far richer than the fairest diadems. • 
 'Twas he who with his cloven tongues of file 
 Made all those wise ones of the world admire, 
 Who heard his breathing in unlearned men. ' 
 blessed ruler ! now the same as then ! 
 His work our mind is to illuminate 
 With things divine, and to accommodate 
 Us with those graces, which will us adorn. 
 And make ns look like men indeed new-born. " 
 For our inheritance he makes us meet ; 
 He makes us also in this world discreet. 
 Prudent and wise in what we take in hand. 
 To do and suffer at our Lord's command. • 
 
 'Tis he that leads us to the tomb and cross. 
 Where Jesus crucified and buried was ; 
 He shews us also, that he did revive. 
 And doth assure ns that he is alive; 
 And doth improve the merit of his blood. 
 At grace's throne for our eternal good. 
 
 Dark riddles he doth here to us unfold. 
 Yea, makes us things invisible behold. " 
 
 He sheds abroad God's love in every heart. 
 Where he doth dwell, yea to them doth impart. 
 Such tokens of a future happiness. 
 That's past the tongue of angels to express. ' 
 
 'Tis he which helpeth us, iAat to perfo) la. 
 Whether becalm'd, or whether in a storm. 
 Which God commands:* without him we do nought 
 That's good, either in deed, or word, or thought. • 
 
 'Tis he that doth with jewels ns bedeck, 
 'Tis he puts chains of gold about our neck ; 
 'Tis he that doth ns with fine linen gird, " 
 That maketh us ofttimes live as a bird. 
 That eureth us of all our doubts and fears, " 
 Puts bracelets on our hands, rings on our ears ; 
 
 He sanctifies our persons, ' he perfumes 
 Our spirits also ; he our lust consumes j " 
 
 p Ca. V. 10— IC. 
 < Ca. i. 2, S. 
 ' Ge. i. 1, 2. 
 
 • Job xivi. 13. 
 
 * ic. ii. 1—1. 
 
 » Ep. L 18—20. 
 
 ' Mar. xiii. 11. Jn. xTi.l3. 
 
 " 1 Co. xiv. 2. 
 
 X Ro. V. S. 
 
 s &0. viii. 26, 27. 
 
 ' 2 Co. iii. i. 
 " Eze. xvi. 10—14. 
 » Eo. XT. 13. 
 c 1 Co. vi 11. 
 d Is. iv. 4. 
 
 Our stinking breath he sweetens, so that we 
 To God and all good men sweet-scented be ; ■" 
 He sets God's mark upon us, and doth seal 
 Us unto life, and L'fe to us reveal. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 UNDER OPnCEES. 
 
 3. Another sort of officers here are, 
 But such as must not with these first compare ; 
 They're under-officers, but semceable. 
 Not only here to rule, but wait at table. 
 Those clothed are with linen, fine and white. 
 They glitter as the stars of darksome night.-' 
 They have Saint Peter's keys," and Aaron's rod ; 
 They ope and shut, they bind and loose for God. 
 
 The chief of these are watchmen, they have power 
 To mount on high and to ascend the tower 
 Of this brave fabric, and from thence to see 
 Who keeps their ground, and who the stragglers be. 
 These have theii' trumpet, when they do it sound 
 The mountains echo, yea it shakes the ground. 
 
 With it they also sound out an alarm, * 
 When they perceive the least mischief or harm 
 Is coming, so they do this house secure 
 There from, or else prepare it to endure 
 Most manfully the cross, and so attain 
 The crown which for the victor doth remain. 
 
 This officer is call'd a steward too," 
 'Cause with his master's cash he has to do. 
 And has authority it to disburse 
 To those that want, or for that treasure thirst..* 
 
 The distributor of the word of grace 
 He is, and at his mouth, when he's in place. 
 They seek the law, he also bids them do it; 
 He shews them sin, and learns them to eschew it.* 
 By this example too he shews them how 
 To keep their garments clean, their knees to bow 
 Before the king, when he comes into place ; 
 And when they do him supplicate for grace. ' 
 
 Another badge this officer doth wear. 
 Is that of overseer; because the care 
 Of the whole house is with him, he's to see 
 They nothing want, nor yet abused be 
 By false intruders, doctrines, or (perchance) 
 By the misplacing of an ordinance.* 
 These also are to see they wander not 
 From place or duty, lest they get a blot 
 To their profession, or bring some disease 
 Upon the whole, or get a trick to lease. 
 Or He unto their God,"* by doing what 
 By sacred statutes he commanded not. 
 
 * Banyan consiilereil that baptism is to follow belief, and that chris- 
 teuing a child was a misplacing tlie ordinance. So also with the Lord's 
 Supper— that it was to be a pMic showing forth the death of the Saviour, 
 and if administered in private, or with any other view, it was misplaced. 
 —Ed. 
 
 s Ezc. xxxiii. 3—0. * Lu. xii. 42. 
 
 « Col. iv. 6. 
 / Ke. i. 20. 
 s Mat. xyi. 19. 
 
 i 1 Co. iv. 1. 
 ilPe. iv. 10. 
 
 I lit. i. 7. 
 m Acts XX. 28. 
 
5S2 
 
 A DISCOURSE OF THE BUILDING, &c., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 Call ttem your coolcs, they're skill'd in dressing food 
 To nourish weak, and strong, and cleanse the blood : 
 They've milk for babes, strong meat for men of age; 
 Food fit for who are simple, who are sage, " 
 When the great pot goes on, as oft it doth. 
 They put not coloquintida * in broth, " 
 As do those younglings, fondlings of their sHU, 
 Who make not what's so apt to cure as kill. 
 
 They are your sub-physicians, and know 
 
 What sickness, you are incident unto;,*' 
 
 Let them but feel your pulse, and they will tell 
 
 You quickly whether you are sick or well. 
 
 Have you the staggers ? They can help you there j 
 
 Or if the falling-sickness, or do fear 
 
 A lethargy, a fever, or the gout, 
 
 God blessing of their skiU, you need not doubt 
 
 A cure, for long experience has made 
 
 These officers the masters of their trade.f 
 
 Their physic works by purge' and vomit too,' 
 
 Fear not, nor full nor fasting but 'twUl do. 
 
 Have but a care, and see you catch no cold. 
 
 And with their physic then you may be bold. 
 
 You may them Prophets call, for they can tcU 
 Of things to come, yea, here they do eicel. • 
 They prophesy of man's future event. 
 Whether to weal or woe his mind is bent. 
 Yea, so expert are they in their predictions. 
 Their arguments so full are of convictions. 
 That none who hear them, but are forced to say. 
 Woe unto them who wander from the way. ' 
 Art bound for hell against all wind and weather ? 
 Or art then one a going backward thither ? 
 Or dost thou wink, because thou would'st not see ? 
 Or dost thou sideling go, and would'st not be , 
 Suspected ? Yet these prophets can thee tell. 
 Which way thou art a going down to hell. " 
 For him that would eternal life attain. 
 Yet will not part with all, that life to gain. 
 But keepeth some thing close, he should forsalce. 
 Or sHps the time, in which he should awake ; 
 Or saith he lets go all, yet keepeth some 
 Of what mil make him lose the world to come." 
 These propheis can tell such a man his state. 
 And what at last will sureli/ be his fate. 
 
 If thou art one who tradeth in both way^, 
 God's now, the devil's then; or if delays 
 Thou mak'st of coming to thy God for life ; 
 Or if thy light, and lusts are at a strife 
 
 * It is a rare thing for Bunyan to use a foreign word; Ijut all pious 
 persons in his time were familiar with, and generally used, the Puritan 
 or Genevan Bible, vulgarly called tlie Breeches Bible, an extremely valu- 
 able book ; in the marginal notes of which, on this passage, is the follow- 
 ing explanation, ' "wilde gourdes," which the apoticarics call coUoquin- 
 tida, and is most vehement and dangerous in purging.' — En. 
 
 t The university or college in wliich Bunyan so highly graduated, is 
 the only one where ministers can be instructed in tliis spiritual physic. 
 It is Christ's college or school, neither at Oxford or Cambridge, but in 
 the Bible. Tliere, and there mly, under the teaching of the Holy Spirit, 
 eau the Christian bishop or under shepherd receive instruction in the 
 precious remedies against Satan's devices, or in specifics to cure spiri- 
 tual maladies. — Ed. 
 
 n Lu. xii. 42. J He. ix. 14. t \ Co. xiv. SI. 
 
 " 2 ICi. iv. 38—40. 1- 2 Pe. ii. 22. •• Ac. viii, 20—22. 
 
 P ll.it. X. 8. < Ac. .XV. 32. « 2 Ti. iii. 6. 
 
 About who should be master of thy soul. 
 
 And lovest one, the other dost control ; " 
 
 These prophets tell thee can, which way thou hendest, 
 
 On which thou frown'st, to, which a hand thou lendcst. 
 
 Art one of those whose fears do go beyond 
 
 Their faith? when thou should'st hope, dost thou despond ? 
 
 Dost keep thine eye upon what thou hast done,. 
 
 And yet hast licence to look on the sun ? ' 
 
 Dost thou so covet more, as not to be 
 
 Affected with the grace bestowed on thee ? 
 
 Art like to him, that needs must step a mile 
 
 At every stride, " or think it not worth while 
 
 To foUow Christ ? These prophets they can leH 
 
 To cure this tby disease, and make thee weU, 
 
 This officer is also call'd a guide. 
 Nor should the people but keep by his side ; 
 Or tread his steps in all the paths they walk. 
 By his example they should do and talk. 
 
 He is to be to them instead of eyes, 
 He must before them go in any wise ; 
 And he must lead them by the water side. 
 This is the work of this our Faithful Guide. 
 
 Since snares, and traps, and gins are for us set. 
 Since here's a hole, and there is spread a net, 
 let no body at my muse deride. 
 No man can travel here mthout a guide.' 
 
 Here's tempting apples, here are baited hooks, 
 With turning, twisting, cramping, tangling crooks 
 Close by the way; woe then to them betide. 
 That dare to venture here without a guide.'' 
 
 Here haunt the fairies with their chanting voices; 
 Fiends like to angels, to bewitch our choices ; 
 Baits for the flesh lie here on every side : 
 Who dares set here one foot without a guide ? 
 
 Master delusion dweUeth by oiu: walks. 
 Who with contusion, sings and prays and talks ; 
 He says the straight path's his, and ours the wide: ' 
 What then can we do here without a guide ? 
 
 Let God then give our leaders always eyes; 
 Yea, let him make them holy, bold, and wise ; 
 And help us fast by them for to abide. 
 And suffer not the blind to be our guide.% 
 
 4. Here are of rulers, yet another sort. 
 Such as direct our manners to comport 
 With oiu' professed faith, that we to view. 
 May let beholders know that we are new. " 
 These are our conversations to inspect, 
 And us in our employments to direct, 
 That we in faith and love do every thing. 
 That reacheth from the peasant to the king. * 
 
 % ' He had in his poclcet a map of all ways leading to or from the 
 celestial city; wherefore he struck a light, for he never went without 
 his tinder box, and took a view of his book or map ; which bid him be 
 careful, in that place, to turn to the right hand way. And had he not 
 here been careful to look in his map, they had, in all probability, been 
 smothered in the mud ; for just before them, and that in tlie cleanest 
 way, was a pit, and none knows how deep, full of nothing but mud, 
 there made on purpose to destroy pilgrims in. Then thought I with 
 myself, who that gocth on pilgrimage, but would have one of these maps 
 about him, that he may look wlien he is at a stand which is the way he 
 must take.' — Filgrirti'a Progress, Part Second. 
 
 " Tit. 1. 10. z Lu. i. 79 » Ho. xii. 8. 
 
 X Lu. xxii. 32. a Ps. Ixxviii 72. d I Co. xii. 28. 
 
 * Ca. 14. » Mat. xxui. 16, 34. 
 
A DISCOURSE 01? THE BUILDING, &c., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 583 
 
 That tiere may be no scandal in our ways, 
 
 Nor yet in our profession all onr days. ' 
 
 These should after our busy-bodies look, 
 
 Tale-bearers also, they have undertook 
 
 To keep in order, also they must see 
 
 None that can work among us idle be ; 
 
 Jars, discords, frauds, with grievances and wi^crngs. 
 
 These they're to regulate ; to them belongs 
 
 The judgment of all matters of this kind,'' 
 
 And happy is the house thus disciplined. » 
 
 5. Another sort of officers we have. 
 
 Deacons we call them 'cause their work's to save 
 
 And distribute those crumbs of charity 
 
 Unto the poor, for their subsistency. 
 
 That contributed is for their relief, 
 
 Which of their bus'ness is indeed the chief. ' 
 
 These must be grave, not of a double tongue, 
 
 Not given to wine, not apt to do a wrong 
 
 Unto the poor, through love to lucre. (Jnst 
 
 In this their office, faithful to their trust) ' 
 
 The wife must answer here as face doth face-. 
 
 The husband's fitness to his work and place, 
 
 That gi-ound of scandal or of jealousy 
 
 Obstructs not proof that he most zealously 
 
 Performs his office well, for then shall he 
 
 Be bold in faith, and get a good degree 
 
 Of credit with the church; yea what is more, 
 
 ffe shall possess the blessings of the poor. 
 
 His wisdom teach him will, to find out who 
 Is poor of idleness, and who corned to 
 A low estate by sickness, age, or 'cause 
 The want of limbs, or sight, or work it was 
 That brought them to it; or such destiny 
 As sometimes maketh low, who once were high. 
 
 They must remember too, that some there are 
 Who halt before they're lame, while others care 
 Not to make knovm, their wants, they'll rather die. 
 Than charge the churches with their poverty. 
 This done, they must bestow as they see cause ; 
 Making the word the mle, and want the laws 
 By which they act, and then they need not pause. ^ 
 
 The table of the Lord, he also must 
 Provide for, 'tis his duty and his trust. * 
 The teacher too should have his table spread 
 By him; thus should his house be clad and fed; 
 Thus he serves tables with the church's stock, 
 And so becomes a blessing to the flock.* 
 
 I read of widows also that should be 
 Employed here for further decency ; 
 I dare not say they are in office, though 
 A service here they are appointed to : 
 
 * These hints to deacons are invaluaWe. They must have hcen the 
 lesnlt of long intimacy and enlightened watchfuluess over the conduct 
 of the poor. To distinguish between the noisy beggar and the unobtra- 
 Bive sufferer — to administer rehef in just proportions, ' the KOrd the rule, 
 and viant the law,* in spite of all that influence which is constantly 
 brought to bear upon those who distribute any common charity fund. 
 It requires much of the fear of God in the heart, and a solemn sense of 
 responsibihty at the great day. The terms, 'crumbs of charity,' are 
 beautifully expressive of the general poverty of Christian churches. — Eu. 
 
 • 1 Th. V. 12— U. » Ac. Ti. 1—6. .' Ac. vi. 1. 
 / 1 Co. vi. 4, * 1 TL iiL S. * Ac. vi. 2. 
 » 1 TL V. 17. 
 
 They must be very aged, ' trusty, meek. 
 Such who have done much good, that do not seek 
 Themselves ; they must be humble, pitiful. 
 Or they wiU make their service void and null. 
 These are to teach the younger women what 
 Is proper to theii- sex and state, what not : 
 To be discreet, keepers at home, and chaste ; 
 To love their husbands, to be good; shamefac'd ; "* 
 Children to bear, to iove them, and to fly 
 "What to the gospel would be iiifamy. 
 I think these to the sick should look also, 
 A work unfit for younger ones to do. 
 Wherefore he saith. The younger ones refuse ; 
 Perhaps because their weakness would abuse 
 Them, and subject them unto great disgrace, " 
 When auch a one ss Amnon is in place. " 
 And since the good old woman this must do 
 'Tis fit she should he fed and dothed too. 
 Oat of the deacon! s purse, let it so te; 
 And let this te her service constantly.'' \ 
 
 IX. 
 THE OEDEB AND HANNEB OP THE GOVEBNMEST HERE. 
 
 As I have shew'd you who in office are, 
 So I will tell you how, and with what care 
 Those here intrusted with the government. 
 Keep to the statutes made to that intent. 
 By rules divine this house is governed ; « 
 Not sanguinary ones, nor taught nor fed 
 By human precepts: *■ for the scripture saith. 
 The word's our ghostly food ; food for our faith. 
 Nor are all forced to the same degree 
 In things divine, tho' aU exhorted be 
 To the most absolute proficiency 
 That law or duty can to them descry. ' 
 
 Alas ! here's children, here are great with young; 
 Here are the sick and weak, as well as strong. 
 Here are the cedar, shrub, and bruised reed ; " 
 Yea, here are such who wounded are, and bleed. 
 As here are some who in their grammar be, ' 
 So here are others in their A, B, C. 
 Some apt to teach, and others hard to learn ; 
 Some see far off, others can scarce discern 
 That which is set before them in the glass ; 
 Others forgetful are, and so let pass. 
 Or slip out of their mind what they did hear ** 
 But now ; so great our differences appear 
 
 + Eunyan's idea of this scriptural order of female deacons is verj' 
 atrilting, and worthy the solemn consideration of all Cliristian churches. 
 They are to be chosen from sueh as are ' widows indeed, who trust in 
 God, and continue in supplications and prayers night and day,' 1 Ti. 
 V. 5. They are to devote themselves to the sick — to be p.itterns of good 
 works — and, if needl'ul, to be fed and clothed at the expense of the 
 cimrch, ver. 16. If to this were added to examine and educate the chil- 
 dren, they miglit be most eminently useful — Ed. 
 
 IlTi.T.9. 
 m lit. ii. 3—6. 
 n 1 Ti. V. 11. 
 2 Sa. xiii. 6— 11^ 
 
 P 1 Ti. T. 16. 
 9 Mat. xxviii. 18- 
 r Lm. ix. 64 — 66. 
 « Col. ii. 20—23. 
 
 ' Phi. iii. 17. 
 -20. » IJn. ii. 1—6. 
 " Ep. iii. 18, 19. 
 " He. V, 12, 13. 
 
E84 
 
 A DISCOURSE OF THE BUILDING, &c., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 Wherefore onr Jacob's must have special care 
 
 They drive their flocks, but as their flocks can bear;* 
 
 For if they be o'erdriven, presently 
 
 They wiU be sick, or cast their young, or die. " 
 
 The laws therefore are more and less of force, 
 
 According as they bring us to the source. 
 
 Or head, or fountain, or are more remote 
 
 To what at first we should ourselves devote. 
 
 Be we then wise in handling of the laws. 
 
 Not making a confused noise like daws 
 
 In chambers, yea let us seek to exce], ' 
 
 To each man's profit; this is ruling well." 
 
 With fundamentals then let us begin, 
 
 For they strike at the very root of sin. 
 
 So the foundation being strongly laid. 
 
 Let us go on, as the wise builder said, ' 
 
 For I don't mean, we should at all disdain 
 
 Those that are less, we always should maintain 
 
 That due respect to either which is meet ; 
 
 This is the way to sit at Jesus' feet. " 
 
 Kepent I most, or I am cast away ; * 
 Believe I must, or nothing I obey: ' 
 Love God I must, or nothing I can do. 
 That's worth so much as loosing of my shoe. 
 If I do not, bear after Christ, my cross;-' 
 If love to hohness is at a loss ; 
 If I toy lusts seek not to mortify ; " 
 If to myself, my flesh, I do not die ; 
 What law, should I observe't, can do me good ? 
 In httle duties hfe hath never stood. 
 
 One reads, he prays, he catechises too ; 
 But doth he nothing else, what doth he do ? 
 I read to know my duty, * I do pray 
 To God to help me do it day by day; * 
 If this be not my end in what I do, 
 I am a sot, an hypocrite also.^ 
 I am baptiz'd, what then ? ' unless I die 
 To sin, I cover folly with a He. 
 At the Lord's table, I do eat; what though? 
 There some have eat their own damnation too. ' 
 
 I will suppose, I hear, I sing, I pray. 
 And that I am baptiz'd without delay, 
 I will suppose I do much knowledge get. 
 And will also suppose that I am fit 
 To be a preacher, yet nought profits me 
 If to the first, poor I a stranger be:"' 
 They are more weighty therefore; in compare 
 These unto them, but mint and anise are." 
 
 Not that I would the least of duty shght, 
 Because the least command, of divine right, 
 Eequires that I myself subject thereto; 
 Wilful resisters do themselves undo. 
 But let's keep order, let the first be first; 
 Kepent, believe, and love; and then I trust 
 
 ' Is. x\. 11. 
 V Ge. xxxiii. 13. 
 • 1 Co. xiv. 12. 
 » 1 Co. xiv. 26. 
 >> He. vi. 1—3. 
 
 ^ Lu. xiii. 1 — 3. 
 e Mar. xvi 16. 
 / Lu. xiv. 27. 
 a ne. xii. 14. 
 ft Jn.V 39. 
 
 i Mat. vi. 5. 
 * Ac. viii. 13, 23. 
 ' 1 Co. xi. 29. 
 "* 1 Co. xiii. 1 — i, 
 »* Mat. xxiii. 23. 
 
 Mat. xxviii. 19, 20. < Lu. xi. 47. 
 
 I have that right, which is divine, to all 
 
 That is enjoined; be they great or small. 
 
 Only I must as cautionary speak, 
 
 In one word more, a Httle to the weak ; 
 
 Thou must not suffer men so to euclose 
 
 Thee in their judgments, as to discompose 
 
 Thee in that faith and peace thou hast with him; 
 
 This would be Hke the losing of a limb; 
 
 Or like to him who thinks he doth not well. 
 
 Unless he lose the kernel for the shell. 
 
 Thou art no captive, but a child and free; 
 
 Thou wast not made for laws, but laws for thee ; 
 
 And thou must use them as thy light will bear it; 
 
 They that say otherwise, do rend and tear it. 
 
 More like to wicked tyrants, who are cruel. 
 
 And add unto a Httle fire, more fuel. 
 
 But those who are true shepherds of the sheep. 
 
 To quench such burnings would most gladly weep. 
 
 But I am yet but upon generals ; 
 Particulars our legislator calls 
 For at our hands, and that in order to 
 Consummate what we have begun to do. 
 
 1. My brother I must love, in very deed." 
 
 I'm taught of God to do it:'' let me heed 
 
 This diviue duty, and perform it well. 
 
 Who loves his brother, God in him doth dwell; » 
 
 The argument which on. me this imposes. 
 
 Smells like to ointment, or the sweetest roses. ' 
 
 Shall God love, shall he keep his faith to me ? 
 
 And shall not I ? shaU I imfaithful be ? 
 
 Shall God love me a sinner ? and shaH I 
 
 Not love a saint ? ' Yea, shall my Jesus die 
 
 To reconcile me to my God ? and shall 
 
 I hate his child, nor hear his wants that call 
 
 For my Httle assisting of bim ? ' fie 
 
 On such a spirit, on such cruelty; " 
 
 Fie on the thought that would me alienate. 
 
 Or tempt me my worst enemy to hate. ' * 
 
 3. He that dwells here, must also be a sharer 
 
 In others' griefs;" must be a burden-bearer 
 
 Among his brethren, or he cannot do 
 
 That which the blessed gospel calls him to. ' 
 
 In order hereunto, humiHty 
 
 Must be put on, it is our Hvery, 
 
 We must be clothed with it, if we will 
 
 The law obey, our master's mind fulfil." 
 
 If this be so, then what should they do here. 
 
 Who in their antic pranks of pride appear ? 
 
 Let lofty men among you bear no sway, 
 
 The Lord beholds the proud man far away. ' 
 
 It is not fit that he inhabit there 
 
 Where humbleness of mind should have the chair. 
 
 Can pride be where a soul for mercy craves ? " 
 
 ShaU pride be found among redeemed slaves ? ' 
 
 * These instructions are like * apples of gold in pictures of silver.' 
 Thrice happy are those churches whose members act in conformity with 
 these scriptui-al rules. But is there a member who dares to violate themf 
 Poor wretched creature, the Lord have mercy on thee. — Ed. 
 
 o Jn. XV. 17. I 1 Th. iv. 9. 1 Jn. iv. * Ga. vi. 2. 
 
 p 1 W. iv. 9. 16. Ps. cxxxiU. y 1 Pe. v. 5. 
 
 J 1 Jn. iv. 16. u 1 Jn. iv. 20, 21. ' Ps. cxxxviiL 6. 
 
 r Ps. cxxxliL " Mat. v. 43 — 48. « Lu. xviii. 13. 
 
 ' Jn. XV. 1". « llo. xii. 16. » Is. xiv. 14. 
 
A DISCOURSE OF THE BUILDING, &o., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 585 
 
 Shall he who mercy from the gallows bronght. 
 Look high, or strut, or entertain a thought 
 That tends to tempt him to forget that fate. 
 To which for sin he destin'd was of late. 
 And could not then at all delivered be, 
 But by another's death and misery ? ' 
 Pride is the unbecoming'st thing of all: 
 Besides, 'tis the forerunner of a fall. 
 He that is proud, soon in the dirt will He,'' 
 But honour foUoweth hnmihty. 
 Let each then count his brother as his better, 
 let each esteem himself another's debtor. 
 Christ bids us learn, of him, humble to be. 
 Profession's beauty is humility. ° 
 
 3. Forgive, is here another statute law/ 
 
 To be revenged is not worth a straw, 
 
 He that forgives shall also be forgiven. 
 
 Who doth not so, must lose his part in heaven ; " 
 
 Nor must thou weary of this duty be 
 
 'Cause God's not weary of forgiving thee.^ 
 
 Thou livest by forgiveness; ' should a stop 
 Be put thereto one moment, thou wouldst drop 
 Into the mouth of hell. Then let this move 
 Thee thy dear brother to forgive in love.^ 
 
 And we are bid in our forgivenesses 
 To do as God doth in forgiving his. * 
 
 If any have a quarrel against any, 
 (As quarrels we have oft against a many) 
 Why then, as God, for Christ's sake, pardons you. 
 For Christ's sake, pardon thou thy brother too. ' 
 We say. What freely comes, doth freely go; 
 Then let all our forgivenesses be so. 
 I'm sure God heartily forgiveth thee,™ 
 My loving brother, prithee forgive me; 
 
 But then in thy forgiveness be upright ; 
 Bo't with thine heart, or thou'rt an hypocrite." 
 
 4. As we forgive, so we must watch and pray;" 
 For enemies we have, that night and day. 
 Should we not watch, would soon our graces spoil. 
 Should we not pray, would our poor souls defile. 
 
 Without a watch, resist a foe who can ? 
 Who prays not, is not like to play the man?" 
 Complain that he is overcome, he may; 
 But who would win the field, must watch and pray. 
 Who watches, should know who and who's together : 
 Know we not friends from foes, how know we whether 
 Of them to fight, or which to entertain ?» 
 Some have instead of foes,'^ familiars slain. 
 Sometimes a lust will get into the iJace, 
 Or work, or office, of some worthy grace; 
 Tin it has brought our souls to great decay. ' 
 Unless we diligently watch and pray. 
 Our pride will our humility precede : 
 By th' nose, our unbelief our faith wiU lead. ' 
 
 « Is, liii. 5. 
 <* Pr. xvi, 18. 
 e Mat. xi. 29. 
 / Ep. iv. 32. 
 »Mat. xviii. 34. 35; 
 
 vi.:5. 
 '• Mat. xviii. 23. 
 VOL. II. 
 
 i Ep. iv. 33. 
 i Mat. xviii. 34, 35 ; 
 vi. 15; xviii. 33. 
 * Mat. xviii. 32, 33. 
 I 2 Co. ii. 10. 
 "* Je. xxxii. 41. 
 » Mat. xviii. 35. 
 
 o Mat. xxvi. 41. 
 p 1 Co. xvi. 13. 
 sEp. vi. 13— 18. 
 r 1 Pe. v. 8, 9. 
 ' He. xii. 15. 
 < Lu. xxi. 34, 35. Hu. 
 iii. 13. 13. 
 
 Self-love will be where self-denial should; 
 And passion heat, what patience sometime cool'd. 
 And thus it will be with us night and day, " 
 Unless we diligently watch and pray.' 
 
 Besides what these domestics do, there are 
 
 Abroad such foes as wait us to ensnare ; 
 
 Yea, they against us stand in battle-'ray. 
 
 And will us spoil, unless we watch and pray. 
 
 There is the world with all its vanities, " 
 
 There is the devil with a thousand lies;* 
 
 There ai'e fiilse brethren ivith their fair collusions," 
 
 Also false doctrines vrith their strong delusions; 
 
 These wiU us take, yea carry us away 
 
 From what is good, unless we toatch and pray. 
 
 Long life to many, is a fearful snare ; 
 
 Of sudden death we also need beware ; 
 
 The smiles and frowns of men, temptations be; 
 
 And there's a bait in all we hear and see. 
 
 Zet them who can, to any shew a way, 
 
 Uow they should live, that cannot watch and pray. 
 
 Nor is't enough to keep all well within, 
 Nor yet to keep all out that would be sin. 
 If entertained; I must myself concern 
 With my dear brother, as I do discern 
 Him tempted, or a wand'ring from the way; ' 
 Else as I should, I do not watch and pray. 
 Pray then, and watch, be thou no drowsy sleeper. 
 Grudge, nor refuse, to be thy brother's keeper, " 
 Seest thou thy brother's graces at an ebb ? 
 Is his heel taken in the spider's web ? 
 Pray for thy brother ; ' if that wQl not do. 
 To him, and warn him of the present woe 
 That is upon him; if he shall thee hear 
 Thou vrilt a saviour unto him appear. ° * 
 
 5. Sincerity, to that we are enjoined. 
 For I do in our blessed law-book find, * 
 That duties, how well done soe'er they seem, 
 With our great God, are but of small esteem 
 If not sincerely done ; then have a care 
 For hypocrites are hateful everywhere. ° 
 
 Things we may do, yea, and may let men see 
 Us do them too, design but honestly ; 
 Vain -gloriously let us not seek for praise, 
 Vain-glory's nothing worth in gospel days.-' 
 
 Sincerity seeks not an open place. 
 To do, tho' it does all with open face ; 
 It loves no guises, nor disfigurations, 
 'Tis plain, 'tis simple, hates equivocations. " 
 
 Sincerity's that grace by which we poise. 
 And keep our duties even: nor but toys 
 Are all we do, if no sincerity * 
 Attend our works, lift it up ne'er so high. 
 
 * Happy is that Christian, who, in obeilience to his Lord's command, 
 is so humble as to seek out the brother who has oilended him ; ' Go and 
 tell him his fault between thee and him alone' is the divine command. 
 Is it not at the peril of our souls wilfully to violate this self-humihacing 
 but impevative law ? — Eu- 
 
 " Ac. XX. 30, 31. 2 He. xii. 15. ' Mat. xxiii. 
 
 « 1 Th. V. 6. 2 Ti. iv. « Ge. iv. 9. / 2 Co. i. 13. 
 
 6. 1 Pe. iv. 7 '1 Th. v. 14. a 2 Co. ii. 17. 
 
 «' Lu. viii. 14. e Ja. v. 20. Mat. xviii. * 2 Co. viii. 8. 1 Pe li. 
 
 » 1 Pe. V. 8. 15. 1, 2. Plii. i. 10. 
 
 V Ac. XX. 30. 31. <i Jos. xxiv. 14. 
 
 4 n 
 
586 
 
 A DISCOUKSB OF THE BUILDING, &c., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 Sincerity makes heav'n upon ns smile, 
 Lo, here's a man ia whom there is no guile 1 
 Nathaniel, an Israelite indeed I ' 
 With duties he sincerely doth proceed ; 
 Under the fig-tree heav'n saw him at prayer, 
 There is but few do their devotions there. 
 Sincerity ! Grace is thereto entailed,^ 
 The man that was sincere, God never fafl'd. 
 One tear that falleth from sincerity, 
 Is worth ten thousand from hypocrisy. 
 
 6. Meekness is also here imposed hy law, 
 A froward spirit is not worth a straw.* 
 
 A froward spirit is a bane to rest. 
 
 They find it so, who lodge it in their breast. ' 
 
 A froward spirit suits with self-denial. 
 With taking up the cross, and ev'ry trial. 
 As cats and dogs, together by the ears ; 
 As scornful men do suit with *frumps and jeers.™ 
 
 Meek as a lamb, mute as a fish, is brave, 
 When anger boUs, and passions vent do crave. 
 
 The meek, God will in paths of judgment guide ; " 
 Good shall the meek eat, and be satisfied ; " 
 The Lord will lift the meek to highest station ;P 
 Will beautify the meek with his salvation. ' 
 The meek are blest, the earth they shall inherit : ' 
 The meek is better than the proud in spirit. ' 
 
 Meelmess will make you quiet, hardy, strong. 
 To hear a burden, and to put up wrong. 
 
 Meelmess, though divers troubles you are in. 
 Will bridle passion, be a curb to sin. 
 Thus God sets forth the meek before our eyes ; 
 A meek and quiet spirit God doth prize. ' 
 
 7. Temp'rance also, is on this house imposed, " 
 And whoso has it not, is greatly nosedf 
 
 By standers by, for greedy, lustful men : 
 Nor can all we can say, excuse us, when 
 Intemp'rance any where to them shall be 
 Apparent ; though we other vices flee. " 
 
 Temperance, the mother is of moderation. 
 The beauty also of our conversation. '" 
 
 Temperance will our afi'ections moderate, 
 And keep us from being inordinate 
 In our embraces, or in our salutes 
 Of what we have, also in our pursuits 
 Of more, and in a sedate settlement 
 Of mind, will make's in all states be content. •'' 
 Nor want we here an argument to prove 
 That who, inordinate is, in his love 
 Of worldly things, doth better things defy. 
 And slight salvation for the butterfly. ^ 
 
 What argimient can any man produce, 
 Why wc should be intemperate in the use 
 
 * To ' frump,* to mock or browbeat. — Ed. 
 t ' Greatly nosed,' talcen by the nose, ridiculed. — Ed. 
 > .In. i. 47—49. " Col. iii. 13. Pa. .txv. « Is.x.xuc.l9.Tit.iii.3. 
 
 1 Ep. vi. 24. 9. Ep. w. 3. ' 1 Pe. iii. 4. 
 
 * Job V. 13. » Ps. xxii. 26. " 3 Pe. i. C. 
 
 I Pr. ii. 12; xvi. 28; n 1 TL vi. 11. Ps. » Plii. iii. 18, 19. 
 
 xvii. 30. cxlvii. 6. "1 Co. ix. 35. 
 
 »" Pr. xxii. 5. « Ps. cxlix. 4. « Phi. iv. 11—13. 
 
 T Ps. x.xx™. 11. " Pv. xxiii. 5. 
 
 Of any worldly good ? Do we not sec 
 That all these things from us a fleeting be ? » 
 What can we hold ? What can we keep from flying 
 From us ? Is not each thing we have a dying ? " 
 My house, my wife, my child, they all grow old. 
 Nor am I e'er the younger for my gold ; 
 Rere's none abiding, all things fad^ away, ' 
 Foor I at lest am but a clod of clay. " 
 
 If that be true, man doth not live by bread. 
 He that has nothing else, must needs be dead ; * 
 Take bread for what, can in this world be found. 
 Yet all that therein is, is but a sound. 
 An empty sound, there is no life at all. 
 It cannot save a sparrow from her fall. 
 Let us then use this world as we are bid, 
 And as in olden times, the godly did. 
 
 Who buy, should be as if they did possess 
 None of their purchase, or themselves did bless 
 In what they have ; and he that doth rejoice 
 In what he hath, should rather out of choice, 
 AVithdraw his mind from what he hath below. 
 And set his heart on whither he must go. ' 
 
 For those that weep under their heavy crosses. 
 Or that are broken with the sense of losses. 
 Let them remember, all things here are fading, 
 And as to nature, of a self-degrading 
 And wasting temper ; yea, both we and they 
 Shall waste, and waste, until we waste away.-' 
 Let temperance then, with moderation be 
 As bounds to our affections, when we see. 
 Or feel, or taste, or any ways enjoy 
 Things pleasing to the flesh, lest we destroy 
 Om'selves therewith, or bring om-selves thereby 
 To surfeits, guilt, or Satan's slavery. " , 
 
 8. Patience, another duty, as we find 
 
 In holy writ, is on this house enjoined; '' 
 
 Her state, while here, is such, that she must have 
 
 This grace abounding in her, or a slave 
 
 She'll quickly be unto their lusts and wUl, 
 
 That seek the mind of Satan to fuM. 
 
 He who must bear all wrongs without resistance. 
 And that with gladness too, must h^ve assistance 
 Continually from patience, thereunto. 
 Or he win iind such work too hard to do. ' [squibs, 
 
 Who meets with taunts, with mocks, with flouts and 
 With raileries, reproaches, checks, and snibs; ^ 
 Yea, he who for well-doing is abused, 
 Robb'd, spoiled, and goal'd, and ev'ry way misused ; 
 Has he not patience soon will be ofi'ended, 
 Yea his profession too wiU soon be ended.* 
 
 A Christian for religion must not fight. 
 But put up wrongs, though he be in the right; ' 
 He must be merciful, loving, and meek,™ 
 When they smite one, must turn the other cheek." 
 He must not render railing for reviling 
 Nor murmur when he sees himself a spoiling," 
 
 * Is. xxviiL 1, 4. 
 n Ja. i. 11. 
 » 1 Jn. ii. 17. 
 c Ge. xviiu 27. 
 <i De. viii. 3. 
 » ICo. vii. 29—31. 
 Col. iii. 1, 2. 
 
 / Ge. iii. 19. 
 ff Lu. xxi. 34. 
 ft Ja. V. 7, 8. 
 i Ro. xii. 12., 
 J He. vi. 16. 
 «: Re. xiii. 10;xiv. 13 
 Mat. xiii. 31. 
 
 ! 2Co.vi.4— a. 
 "•lCo.iT.13,13. 
 n Mat. T. 38-41. 
 1 Pe. iii. 8, 9. Jr 
 xrai.10,11. 
 
A DISCOURSE OS THE BUILDING, &c., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 587 
 
 ■When they shall curse, he must he sure to bless, 
 And thus with patience must his soul possess. 
 
 I doubt our frampered* Christians vr'Hi not down 
 With what I say, yet I dare pawn my gown. 
 Do hut compare my notes mth sacred story. 
 And you will find patience the way to glory. J" 
 
 Patience under the cross, a duty is, ' 
 Whoso possesses it, belongs to hliss ; "■ 
 I£ it its present work accomplisheth ; 
 If it holds out, and still abideth with 
 The Truth ; then may we look for that reward, • 
 Promised at the coming of the lord. 
 
 9. To entertain good men let's not forget 
 
 Some by so doing have had benefit ; 
 
 Yea for to recompense this act of theirs. 
 
 Angels have lodged with them unawares. ' 
 
 Yea to encourage such a work as this. 
 
 The Lord himself makes it a note of his. 
 
 When hungry or when thirsty I have been. 
 
 Or when a stranger, you did take me in. " 
 
 Strangers should not to strangers but be kind 
 
 Specially if conferring notes, they find 
 
 Themselves, though strangers here, one brotherhood. 
 
 And heirs, joint heirs, of everlasting good ; 
 
 These should as mother's sons, when they do meet 
 
 In a strange country, one another greet 
 
 With welcome ; come in, brother, how dost do ? 
 
 Whither art wand'ring ? Prithee let me know 
 
 Thy state ? Dost want or meat, or drink, or cloth ? 
 
 Art weary ? Let me wash thy feet, I'm loth 
 
 TTiou shouldst depart, abide with me all night ; 
 
 Pursue thy journey with the morning light. " 
 
 X. 
 
 THE WAT OF KEDUCING WHAT'S AMISS, INTO OEDEE 
 HEEE. 
 
 Although this house thus honourable is, 
 Yet 'tis not sinless, many things amiss 
 Do happen here, wherefore them to redress. 
 We must keep to our rules of righteousness ; 
 Nor must we think it strange, if sin shall be 
 Where virtne is ; don't all men plainly see 
 That in the holy temple there was dust, "" 
 That to our very gold, there cleaveth rust ? 
 In Abi-aham's family was a derider * 
 I' th' palace of a Hng wiU be the spider. ^ 
 Who saith, we have no sin, doth also say 
 We have no need at all to watch and pray ; 
 To hve by faith, the flesh to mortify. 
 Or of more of the spirit to sanctify 
 Our nature. All this wholly needless is 
 With him, who as to this, has nought amiss. 
 
 But we confess, 'cause we would not be liars, ' 
 That we still feel the motions and desires 
 Of sin within, us, and should fall away, " 
 Did not Christ intercede and for us pray. " 
 
 * 'Irampcved' or frarapgU, peevish, crossgrained, rusged; now obso- 
 lete.— Ed. 
 
 p He. \i, 15. " Mat. xxv. 35 — 40. 
 
 J Lu. xxi. 19. » Ju. ™- 18— SI- 
 
 r Ja. i. 3, 4. " 3 Ch. xxix. 16, 17- 
 
 « Ja. T. 7—9. ' Ge. xn. 9. 
 ' lie. xiii. 1, 2. 
 
 s Pr. «x. 28. 
 z 1 Jn. i. 8. 10. 
 o l,u. xxi. 3-t-3l3. 
 * He. Tii. 35. 
 
 We therefore do conclude that sin is here, 
 But that it may not to our shame appear. 
 We have our rules, thereby with it to deal. 
 And plaisters too, our deadly wounds to heal. 
 And seeing idleness gives great occasions 
 To th' flesh, to make its rude and bold invasions 
 Upon good orders, 'tis ordained we see. 
 That none dwell here, but such as workers be : 
 So plain's the law for this, and so complete, 
 It bids who win not work, forbear to eat ; " 
 Let then each one be dihgent to do 
 What grace or nature doth obhge them to. 
 
 Who have no need to work for meat or clothes. 
 Should work for those that want. Not that the sloth 
 Of idleness should be encouraged. 
 But that those, poor indeed, be clad and fed. 
 Dorcas did thus, and 'tis to sacred stoiy ■* 
 Coiomittcd for her praise and lasting glory. 
 
 This house then is no nurse to idleness ; 
 Fig-trees are here to keep, " and vines to di-ess ; 
 Here's work for aH ; yea, work that must be done ; ' 
 Yet work, like that, to playing in the sun ; 
 The toil's a pleasure, and the laboiur sweet, " 
 Like that of David's dancing in the street ; * 
 The work is short, the wages are for ever, 
 'i'he work like me, the wages like the giver 
 
 No drone must hide himself under those eaves •, 
 Who sows not, wiU in harvest reap no sheaves. 
 The slothful man himself, may plainly see. 
 That honey's gotten by the working bee. 
 
 But here's no work for life, that's freely given ; 
 Meat, drink, and cloths, and life, we have from heav'n ; 
 Work's here enjoined, 'cause it is a pleasure. 
 Vice to suppress, and augment heavenly treasure • 
 Moreover, 'tis to shew, if men profess 
 The faith, and yet abide in idleness. 
 Their faith is vain, ' no man can ever prove 
 He's right, but by the faith that works by love. ' 
 
 If this good counsel is by thee rejected; 
 
 If work and labour is by thee neglected'; 
 
 If thou, like David, lollest on thy bed ; ' 
 
 Or art like to a horse, pamper'd and fed 
 
 With what ^ill fire thy lusts, ' and so lay snares 
 
 For thine own soul, when thou shalt be i' th' wars : 
 
 Then take what follows, sin must be detected. 
 
 And thou imthout repentance quite rejected. "* 
 
 This is the house of God, " his dwelling-place, 
 'Tis here that we behold his lovely face ; 
 But if it should polluted be with sin. 
 And so abide, he quickly will begin 
 To leave it desolate, and then woe to it. 
 Sin and his absence quicldy will undo it. ° 
 
 And since sin is, of things the worst of all, 
 And watcheth like a serpent on a wall. 
 
 » 3 Th. iii. 10. 
 ■iAc, ix. 86— 39. 
 « Pr. xxvii. 18. 
 / Mar. xiii. 34.' 
 ff 1 Jn. V. S. 
 
 » 2 Sa. vi. 14. 
 I Ja. u. 20. 
 i Ga. V. 6. 
 * 3 Sa. .\i. 1—5. 
 
 ' Jc. v. 8; xiii. 27. 
 "' Lu. xiii. 1 — i. 
 n 1 Co. iu. 16, 17. 
 o Je. vii. 11 — 15. 
 
B88 
 
 A DISCOURSE OF THE BUILDING, &c., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 Or flyeth like an eagle iu the air, 
 
 Or ruus as desperate ships, void of all care. 
 
 Or, (as great Solomon hath wisely said) 
 
 Is as the way of wantons with a maid. 
 
 Who tick, and toy, and with a tempting giggle 
 
 Provoke to lust, and by degrees, so wriggle 
 
 Them into their affections, that they go 
 
 The way to death, so do themselves undo : 
 
 As it is said, this mischief to prevent. 
 Let all men watch, yea, and be diligent 
 Observers of its motions, and then fly. 
 This is the way to live, and not to die. 
 
 ?!S' He that would never fall, must never sKp, 
 Who would obey the call, must fear the whip. 
 
 God would also that every stander by 
 That in the grass doth see the adder lie. 
 Should cry as he did, death is in the pot. 
 That many by its poison perish not. 
 
 But if that beastly thing shall hold its hold. 
 And make the man possessed basely bold 
 In pleading for it, or shall it deny, 
 Or it shall seek to cover with a lie ; 
 Then take more aid, and make a fresh assault 
 At it again, diminish not the fault. 
 But charge it home. If yet he will not fear. 
 But still unto his wickedness adhere. 
 Then tell the house thereof. But if he still 
 Persist in bis abomination will. 
 Then fly him, 'cause he is a leprous man, 
 Count him with heathens and the publican. ' 
 But if he falls before thee at the first. 
 Then be thou to him faithful, loving, just, 
 forgive his sin, tell it not to a irother, i 
 Lest tlutu thyself he served so by another. ■" 
 
 If be falls not, but in the second charge. 
 Spread not his wickedness abroad at large. ' 
 But, if thou think liis sorrow to be sound. 
 Forgive his sin, and hide it under ground. ' 
 If he shall stand the first and second shot ; 
 If be before the church, repenteth not. 
 Deal with him as the matter shall require. 
 Let not the house for bim be set on flre. 
 If after all, be shall repent and turn 
 To God, and you, you must not let him burn 
 For ever under sense of sin and shame. 
 You must his sin forgive in Christ his name. " 
 
 Confirm your love to him in Christ, you must, 
 By all such ways as honest are, and just. 
 Shy be not of bim, carry't not aloof. 
 But rather give him of your love such proof. 
 That he may gather thence, ye do believe 
 To mercy Christ again doth him receive. " 
 
 Two things, monish you, as to this, I would ; 
 The first, to shew the church wherein she should 
 In all her actions so herself behave. 
 As to convince the faulty, she would save 
 
 5 Mat. xvui. 15—17. ' Ja. v. 20. 
 7 Pr. xxv. 9. « 1 Pe. iy. 8. 
 
 r Mar. iv. 24. 
 
 " 2 Co. ii. 6. 
 " 3 Co. ii. 8—10. 
 
 His soul; and that 'tis for this very thing. 
 She doth him unto open judgment bring. 
 Then would I shew the person they reject, 
 What will, vrithout repentance, be th' effect 
 Of this tremendous censure, so conclude ; 
 Leaving my judgment to the multitude 
 Of those who sober and judicious be. 
 Begging of each of them a prayer for me. 
 
 1. This house, in order to this work, must be 
 Affected with the sin and misery, " 
 
 Of this poor creature, yea, must mourn and weep^ 
 To think such tares, in yoiu: neglect, or sleep. 
 Should spring up here, nor must they once invent 
 To think, till he's cast out, you're innocent.* 
 
 2. Thus leaven, the whole lump has leavened; 
 Israel was guilty of what Achan did ; 
 
 And so must stand, until they purged ai'e. 
 Till Acban doth, for sin, his burden beai." 
 The reason is, Achan a member was 
 Of that great body, and by nature's laws. 
 The hand, foot, eye, tongue, ear, or one of these. 
 May &nt the whole with Achan's foul disease. 
 The church must too be sensible of this. 
 Some lep'rous stones make all the house amiss: 
 And as the stones must thence removed be. 
 In order to the house's sanctity. 
 So it must purged be (iu any wise) 
 Before 'tis counted clean (by sacrifice.)" 
 
 3. Next have a care, lest sin, which you should purga 
 Becomes not unto you a farther scoui'ge. 
 
 The which it l^'ill, if such shall judges be. 
 
 Which from its spots and freckles are not free; 
 
 Pluck thou the beam first out of thine own eye. 
 
 Else the condemned will thee vilify " 
 
 And say, let not the pot the kettle judge ; ° 
 
 If otherwise, it will beget a grudge, 
 
 A great one 'twixt the church and him that sinned, 
 
 Nor by such means, can ever such be winued 
 
 To a renew'd embrace of holiness; 
 
 More like be tempted further to transgress. 
 
 4. Again, let those that loud against ic Cry, 
 See they don't entertain it inwardly ; 
 
 Sin, Mke to pitch, will to the fingers cleave. 
 Look to it then, let none himself deceive ; ' 
 'Tis catching ; make resistances afresh. 
 Abhor the garment spotted by the flesh. " 
 
 2S~ Some at the dimness of the candle jmff. 
 Who yet can daub their fingers with the snuff. 
 
 5. Beware, likewise, lest rancour should appear 
 Against the person, do in all things fear : 
 Bewail the man, while you abhor his sin ; 
 
 Pity bis soul ; « the flesh you stiU are in ; 
 Thyself consider thou may'st tempted bo/ 
 Hast thou no pity, who will pity thee?" 
 
 >» 1 Co. V. 2. 
 1 1 Co. V. 6, 7. 
 V Jos. vii. 10—13. 
 iodi.20. 
 
 ' le. xiv. 33—57. 
 " Mat. vii. 3. 4. 
 * Jn. viii. 7. 
 c Jos. x.\Li. 17. 
 
 <JJuae23. 
 « Jude 20. 23. 
 / Ga, vi. 1. 
 ; Ja. ii. 13. 
 
A DISCOURSE OF THE BUILDING, &c., OE THE HOUSE OE GOD. 
 
 6S9 
 
 6. See that the ground he good on which you go : 
 Sin, hut not virtue show dislike unto. 
 
 Take heed of hypocritical intentions, 
 And quarrel not at various apprehensions 
 Ahout some smaller matter, lest it breed 
 Needless debates, and lest that filthy seed 
 Contention, * should o'en-un your holy ground, ' 
 And lest not love, but nettles there arefoundJ 
 
 7. You must likewise allow each man his grams, 
 For that none perfect ai'e, sin yet remains, 
 And human frailties do attend the best ; 
 
 To bear and forbear here, will tend to rest. 
 
 Vain jangUngs, jars, and strifes wiU there abound, 
 
 Where moles are mountains made, or fault is found, 
 
 TlVith everv little, trivial, petty thing ; ' 
 
 This spirit snib, or 'twill much mischief bring ' 
 
 Into this house, and 'tis for want of love, "' 
 
 'Tis entertain'd : it is not of the dove. " 
 
 8. Eor those that have private opinions too 
 
 We must malce room, or shall the church undo : " 
 Provided they be such as don't impair 
 Faith, holiness, nor with good conscience jr.r : >' 
 Provided also those that hold them shall 
 Such faith hold to themselves, ' and not let fall 
 Their fruitless notions in their brother's way, "■ 
 Do this, and faith and love will not decay. 
 
 9. We must also in these our dealings shew 
 We put a difference 'twist those sins that do 
 Clash with the Mght of nature, and what we 
 Perceive against the faith of Christ to be. 
 Those against nature, nature will detect ; " 
 Those against faith, faith from them must direct 
 The judgment, conscience, understanding too. 
 Or there will be no cure, whate'er you do. 
 When men are caught in immoralities. 
 Nature will start, the conscience will arise 
 To judgment ; ' and if impudence doth recoil, 
 Tet guilt, aud self-condemuings will embroil 
 The wretch concerned, " in such unquietness 
 Cr shame, as wiU induce him to confess 
 His fault, and pardon crave of God and man, 
 Such men with ease therefore we conquer can. 
 
 But 'tis not thus with such as swerve in faith 
 With them, who, as our wise Apostle saith. 
 Entangled are at unawares, with those 
 Cunning to trap, to snare, and to impose 
 By falsiiyings, their prevarications ; " 
 No, these are slyly taken from their stations. 
 Unknown to nature; yea, in judgment they 
 Think they have well done to forsake the way. 
 ' Their understanding, and their judgment too 
 Doth Hke, or well approve of what they do. 
 These are, poor souls, beyond their art and skill, 
 Ta'en captive by the devil, at his wiU, " 
 
 » 1 Co. i. 11. 
 
 < Tit. iii. 9. 1 Co. xi. 
 
 16. 
 y 1 Ti. Ti. 3, 6. 
 * 1 Ti. i. 6, 20. 
 '2Ti.ii.16. 
 
 "> Tit. i. 10. 
 
 1 Ep. iv. 2. Col. iii. 13. 
 
 Ho. xJT. 13. 
 p Ro. xiv. 16. 
 
 1 Eo. niv. 22. 
 
 r 1 Co. viii.9— 13. 
 
 « Ex. xxxii. 22—21-. 
 2 Sa. xii. 7—13. 
 t Jn. viii. 9. 
 " Ac. V. 1—5. 
 V Ep. iv. 14. 
 w 2 Ti. ii. 23—26. 
 
 Here therefore you must patience exercise, 
 And suffer long, ye must not tyrannize 
 It over such, but must all meekness shew ; 
 Still dropping of good doctrine as the dew, - 
 Against their error ; so its churlishness 
 You conquer will, and may their fault redress.* 
 
 The reason why we must not exercise 
 That roughness here, as where conviction lies 
 In nature, is because those thus ensnared 
 Want nature's light and help to be repair'd. 
 A spirit hath them taken, they are gone. 
 Delusions supernat'ral they're on 
 The wing of; They are out o' th' reach of man 
 Nothing but God, aad gospel reach them can. ' 
 Now since we cannot give these people eyes. 
 Nor regulate their judgment, wherein lies. 
 Our work with them, if not, as has been said. 
 In exercising patience. While display'd 
 The holy word before their faces is. 
 By which alone they must see what's amiss 
 With their poor souls, and so convert again. 
 To him with whom salvation doth remain. 
 
 Ohj. But they are tm'bulent, thev would confound 
 The truth, and all in their perdition drowu'd. 
 
 Ans. If turbulent and mischievous they are. 
 Imposing their opinions without care 
 Who they offend, or do destroy thereby. " 
 Then must the church deal with them presently. 
 Lest tainted be the whole with their delusion, 
 .Ind brought into disorder and confusion. 
 
 XI. 
 
 THE PBESENT CONDITION OF THOSE THUS DEiLT WITH. 
 
 The man that worthilv rejected is. 
 And cast out of this house, his part in bliss 
 Is lost for ever, turns he not again. 
 True faith and holiness to entertain. 
 
 Nor is it boot, for who are thus cast out. 
 Themselves to flatter, or to go about 
 To shift the censure ; nothing here wiU do. 
 Except a new conversion thou come to. 
 
 He that is bound on earth, is bound in heaven. 
 Nor is his loosing, but the sin forgiven ; 
 Eepentance too, forgiveness must precede. 
 Or thou must still abide among the dead. ' 
 
 XII. 
 
 AN EXPOSTULATION WITH SUCH TO BETUKN. 
 
 ■}SS- shame ! Is't not a shame for men to be 
 For sin, spu'd out from good society 1 
 For man enlightened to be so base 1 
 To tm-n his back upon the God of grace ! 
 For one who for his sins has mourn'd and cry'd. 
 To slight him, who for sin hath bled and died 1 
 What fool would sell his part in paradise, 
 That has a soul, and that of such a price ? 
 
 I 2 Ti. ir. 2. 
 y Tit. i. 13. 
 
 t 1 Ti. i. 19, 20. 
 o 2 Ti. ii. 16—18. 
 
 6 Mat. xviii. 16—20, 
 28-35. 
 
590 
 
 A. DISCOURSE OF THE BUILDING, &i.., OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. 
 
 What parallel can suit with such so well. 
 
 As those, for sin cast down from heaven to heU 1 
 
 But let me tell thee, here is aggravation ; 
 The angels, though they did fall from their station 
 Had not the caution thou hast had ; they fell ; - 
 This thou hast seen, and seeing, didst rebel. 
 
 One would a thought, the noise of tL's theii- fall, 
 A warning ; yea, a warning, and a call. 
 Should unto thee have been, to have a care 
 Of falling too ; "^ how then didst thou dare. 
 Since God did not sjiare them, thus to presume 
 To tempt him in his wrath, thee to consume. 
 
 Nor did the angels from a Jesus fall. 
 Redeemed they were not, fi-om a state of thrall ; 
 But thou ! as one redeem'd, and that by blood, 
 Itedemption hast despised; and the mud 
 Or mire of thine own filth again embracest : 
 A dying bleeding Jesus thou disgracest I 
 What wilt thou do ? see'st not how thou hast trod 
 Under thy foot, the very Son of God ? ' 
 fearful hand of God I And fearful wiU 
 Thy doom be, when his wrath thy soul shall kiU.' 
 
 Yea, with a signal these must hear their sin, 
 ^S" This dirty sow from mire has washed been. 
 Yet there did wallow, after wash'd she was ; 
 So to procure a lust, obtain'd this loss. 
 
 shame ! is't not a shame for man to be. 
 So much averse to his felicity, 
 That none can malce him leave to play the fool. 
 Till to the devil he be put to school, " 
 To leam his own salvation to prize ? 
 fool 1 must now the devil make thee wise ? 
 sot I that will in wickedness remain, 
 Unless the devil drives thee back again. ^ 
 
 Hast quite forgot how thou wast wont to pray. 
 And cry out for forgiveness night and day ? 
 Or dost thou count they were but painted fears 
 Which from thine eyes did squeeze so many tears ? 
 Eemember man, thy prayers and tears will cry 
 Thee down to hell, for thine apostacy. 
 AVho will not have what he has prayed for. 
 Must die the death, his prayers shall him abhor. 
 
 Hast thou forgotten that most solemn vow 
 Thou mad'st to God, when thou didst crave he bow 
 His car unto thee would, and give thee grace. 
 And would thee also in his arms embrace ? 
 TTiat vow, I say, whereby thou then didst bind 
 Thyself to him, that now thy roving mind 
 Eecoil against him should, and fling away 
 From him, and his commandments disobey. * 
 
 What has he done ? wherein has he offended ? 
 Thou actest now, as if thou wast intended 
 To prove him guilty of unrighteousness, 
 Of breach of promise, or that from distress 
 He could, or would not save thee, or that thou 
 Hast found a better good than he ; but how 
 
 c 2 Pe. ii. 1 
 
 ■'Judee. 
 
 " He. X. 29—31. 
 
 / 3 Pe. ii. 20—23. 
 g Mat. .vviii. 34 
 
 '■ 1 Ti. i. 20. 
 i Job Jiv. C. 
 
 Thou wilt come off, or how thou wilt excuse 
 Thyself, 'cause thou art gone, and did refuse 
 To wait upon him, that consider well; 
 Thou art as yet alive, on this .side hell. 
 
 Is't not a shame, a stinking shame to be 
 Cast forth God's vineyard as a barren tree ?' 
 To be thrown o'er the pales, and there to lie. 
 Or be pick'd up by th' next that passeth by ? 
 
 Well, thou hast tum'd away, return again ; 
 Bethink thyself, thy foot from sin refr-ain ; 
 Hark ! thou art call'd upon, stop not thine ear : 
 Return, backsliding children, come, draw near 
 Unto your God ; * repent, and he will heal 
 Your base backsHdings, to you will reveal 
 That grace and peace which with him doth remain. 
 For them that turn away, and turn again. ' 
 
 Take with thee words, come to the throne of grace 
 There supplicate thy God, and seek his face ; 
 Like to the prodigal, confess thy sin. 
 Tell him where, and how vicious thou hast been. 
 
 2®~ Suppose he shall against thee shut the door. 
 Knock thou the louder, and cry out the more ; 
 What if he makes thee there to stand a while? 
 Or makes as if he would not reconcile 
 To thee again ? Yet take thee no denial. 
 Count all such carriages but as a trial 
 Whether thou art in earnest in thy suit. 
 As one truly forlorn and destitute ; 
 But hide thou nought of all that thou hast done. 
 Open thy bosom, make confession 
 Of all thy mckedness, tell every wliit ; ™ 
 Hast thou a secret sin ? don't cover it ; " 
 Confess, thyself judge, if thou wouldst not die; 
 IVho doth himself judge, God doth justify." 
 
 To sin, and stand in't, is the highest evil ; 
 This makes a man most like unto the devil ; 
 This bids defiance unto God and grace ; 
 This man resists him spitteth in his face. 
 Scorns at his justice, mocketh at his power, 
 Tempts him, provokes him, grieves him every hour: 
 
 When he aiiseth, he will recompense 
 This sturdy rebel for his impenitence : 
 Be not incorrigible then, come back again, 
 There's hope, beg mercy while life doth remain. 
 
 Olj. But I fear I am lost and cast away. 
 Sentence is past, and who reverse it may ? 
 
 Ans. The sentence past, admitteth of reprieve ; 
 Yea, of a pardon, canst thou but believe. " 
 tukn again sinnee, never make a doubt, 
 Come, the Loed Jesus will not cast thee out. 
 
 / Lu. xiii. 7. ™ Jer. iii. 13, 23—26. o 1 Co. xi. 31, 32. 
 
 * Jei. iii. 12—14, 22. « l>s. -atxa. 6. v Ju. vi. 37. 
 
 I Ho. xiv. 1 — i. 
 
JOHN BUNYAN ON THE TERMS 
 
 OF 
 
 COMMUNION AND FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIANS 
 
 AT THE TABLE OF THE LORD; 
 
 COMPRISING 
 
 I. HIS CONFESSION OP FAITH, AND REASON OF HIS PRACTICE ; 
 11. DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM NO BAR TO COMMUNION; AND 
 III. PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE.* 
 
 ADVEETISEMENT BY THE EDITOE. 
 
 Header, these are extraordinary productions that 
 will well repay an attentive perusal. It is the 
 confession of faith of a Christian who had suffered 
 nearly twelve years' imprisonment, under per- 
 secution for conscience sake. Shut up with his 
 Bible, you have here the result of a prayerful study 
 of those holy oracles. It produced a difference in 
 practice from his fellow Christians of ail denomi- 
 nations, the reasons for which are added to this 
 confession ; with a defence of his principles and 
 practice, proving them to be peaceable and true. 
 In all this an unlettered man displays the acumen 
 of a thoroughly educated polemical theologian. 
 The author was driven to these publications to 
 defend himself from the slanders v.'hich were 
 showered down upon him, by all parties, for nearly 
 eighteen years, and by the attempts which were 
 made to take away his members, injure the peace 
 of his congregation, and alienate him from the 
 church to which he was tenderly attached. His 
 first inquiry is. Who are to be admitted to the 
 Lord's table ; and his reply is, Those whom God 
 has received : they have become his children, and 
 are entitled to sit at their Father's table : such 
 only as have examined themselves, and by their 
 conduct lead the church to hope that they have 
 passed from death unto life. The practice of those 
 who admit ungodly persons because they have sub- 
 mitted to some outward ceremonies, he severely 
 condemns. The mixture of the church and the 
 world he deems to be spiritual adultery, the pro- 
 lific source of sin, and one of the causes of the 
 deluge. The Lord's table is scrip turally fenced 
 
 * It is mucli to be regretted that these books, in common 
 with all Mr. Bunyan's Works, were grossly corrupted in the text 
 in all the editions published since 1737, — 'poor peace indeed,' 
 was changed to ' pure peace indeed ;' ' here is Rome enough,' 
 meaning popery enough, was altered to ' here is room enough ;' 
 ' Baptist,' was printed ' Papist,' &c., &c. : all the typographi- 
 cal eiTors have now been carefully corrected by Bunyan's 
 editions. 
 
 around : ' Be ye not imequally yoked together with 
 unbelievers:' 'what communion hath liffht with 
 darkness; Christ with Belial ; the temple of God with 
 idols? be ye separate, touch not the unclean thing, 
 and I will receive you.' ' Keceive ye one another, 
 as Christ also received us to the glory of God, not 
 to doubtful disputations.' 'Withdraw from them 
 that walk disorderly, working not; but busy 
 bodies ; unless with quietness they work and eat 
 their own bread. If any are proud, doting about 
 questions and strifes of words, evil surmisings, 
 perverse disputings, supposing that gain is godli- 
 ness; from such withdraw.' Bunyan rests all 
 upon the word, — the characters are described who 
 are to be excluded from the Lord's table ; but in no 
 instance is it upon record that any one was excluded 
 because he had not been baptized in water. And 
 who wiU dare to make any addition to holy writ ? 
 The practice of making the mode in which water 
 baptism was administered a term of communion, 
 existed among the Independents long before Bun- 
 yan's time. Crosby, in his History of the Baptists, 
 makes some long extracts from a book entitled, 
 ' The sin and danger of admitting Anabaptists to 
 continue in the congregational churches, and the 
 inconsistency of such a practice with the principles 
 of both.' In America, Cotton and the Indepen- 
 dents severely persecuted their Baptist brethren, 
 even to deportation. As the Baptists increased in 
 numbers, they refused to admit any to the Lord's 
 table, even to occasional communion, who had not 
 been baptized in water upon a profession of faith : 
 in fact, the difference between those who consider 
 baptism to be a relative duty to be performed by 
 parents in having their infants sprinkled, and those 
 who deem it a personal duty to be immersed in 
 water, as a public putting on of Christ, is so great, 
 as to require the utmost powers of charity to pre- 
 serve peace. Thus it was in the primitive churches, 
 where great differences prevailed even as to the 
 duty of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles ; the 
 
592 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 keeping of days probably extending to the Jewish 
 sabbath, and to the abstaining from certain meats, 
 with other ordinances of the Jewish law. 
 
 Bunyan saw all the difEculties of this question: 
 he was satisfied that baptism is a personal duty, 
 in respect to which every individual must be satis- 
 fied in his own mind, and over which no church 
 had any control ; and that the only inquiry as to 
 the fitness of a candidate for church fellowship 
 should be, whether the regenerating powers of the 
 Holy Ghost had baptized the spirit of the proposed 
 member into newness of life. This is the only 
 livery by which a Christian can be known. Bun- 
 yan very justly condemns the idea of water baptism 
 being either the Christian's livery or his marriage 
 to the Saviom*. 
 
 We do well, in our examinations into this sub- 
 ject, to note carefully the various applications of 
 the word baptize, and not always attach the use 
 of water to the term. There is a being baptized 
 in a cloud, and in the sea, to protect God's Israel 
 from their deadly foes ; a baptism in sufierings ; a 
 baptism in water unto repentance ; a baptism in fire, 
 or the Holy Ghost ; a baptism into the doctrine of 
 the Trinity. Mat. xx™. 19. Bunyan had no doubt upon 
 this subject; he deemed water baptism an important 
 personal duty ; and that a death to sin, and resur- 
 rection to newness of life — a different tint, or 
 dye, given to the character — was best figured by 
 immersion in water : still he left it to every indi- 
 vidual to be satisfied in his own mind as to this 
 outward sign of the invisible grace. ' Strange,' 
 he says, ' take two Christians equal on all points 
 but this ; nay, let one go far beyond the other for 
 grace and holiness ; yet this circumstance of water 
 shall drown and sweep away all his excellencies ; 
 not counting him worthy of that reception that 
 with hand and heart shall be given to a novice in 
 religion, because he consents to water. 
 
 For these catholic principles be was most roughly 
 handled. Deune, in a pamphlet in the Editor's 
 possession, called him a devil ; and likened him to 
 Timri, who slew his master. The most learned 
 of the Baptist ministers entered upon the contro- 
 versy. They invited him to a grand religious 
 tournament, where he would have stood one against 
 a legion. A great meeting was appointed, in 
 London, for a public disputation — as was common 
 among the puritans — and in which the poor country 
 mechanic was to be overwhelmed with scholastic 
 learning and violence ; but Bunyan wisely avoided 
 a collision which could have answered no valuable 
 purpose, and which bid fair to excite angry feel- 
 ings. He had appealed to the press as the calmest 
 and best mode of controversy ; and to that mode 
 of appeal he adhered. Three learned men under- 
 took the cause against Bunyan: these were, 
 D'Auvers, W. KiflSn, and T. Paul. When these 
 
 lettered, able, and distinguished disputants pub- 
 lished their joint answer, it contained much scur- 
 rilous abuse. Their brother, Bunyan, was in 
 prison, and they visited him with gall and woi-m- 
 wood. He closes his reply with these remarkable 
 words, ' Thine to serve thee. Christians, so long as 
 I can look out at those eyes that have had so much 
 dirt thrown at them by many.' 
 
 The late Mr. Robert Hall, in his controversy 
 upon this subject with Mr. Kinghorn, in which — 
 having demolished Kinghorn's castle in a few pages 
 — ^he, in order to make a book, amused the public 
 by kicking the ruins about, thus adverts to these 
 treatises : ' The most virulent reproaches were cast 
 upon the admirable Bunyan, during his own 
 time, for presuming to break the yoke ; and who- 
 ever impartially examines the spirit of Mr. Booth's 
 Apology, will perceive that its venerable author 
 regards him, together with his successors, much 
 in the light of rebels and insurgents, or, to use 
 the mildest terms, as contumacious despisers of 
 legitimate authority.'* 
 
 We cannot have a more decided proof of Bun- 
 yan's great powers, and of his being much in 
 advance of his times, than by the opinions of which 
 he was the Christian pioneer having spread so 
 extensively through the Baptist denomination. In 
 this his predictions were fully verified. It is sur- 
 prising that pious dissenters should ever have 
 made uniformity in outward ceremonies of more 
 importance than inward holiness, as a term of 
 communion. Such sentiments naturally attach to 
 state churches ; and ought to be found only with 
 those bodies which exist merely for political pur- 
 poses, and for it are rewarded with earthly power, 
 pomp, and wealth. I close these observations by 
 quoting the words of Bunyan's learned antagonists, 
 published within a few years of this controversy, and 
 during his lifetime. His sentiments appear to have 
 had a hallowed effect even upon their minds, and 
 produced an apology for their conduct. It is in the 
 appendix to the Baptist confession of faith, repub- 
 lished in 1677: ' We would not be misconstrued, 
 as if the discharge of our consciences did any way 
 disoblige or alienate our affections or conversations 
 from any others that fear the Lord : earnestly 
 desiring to approve ourselves to be such as follow 
 after peace with holiness. We continue our prac- 
 tice, not out of obstinacy, but we do therein accord- 
 ing to the best of our understandings, iii that method 
 which we take to be most agreeable to the scrip- 
 tures. The christening of infants, we find by 
 church history, to have been a very ancient prac- 
 tice ; still we leave every one to give an account 
 of himself to God. And if in any case debates 
 between Christians are not plainly determinable by 
 
 * Reply to Klnghora. 1818, p. xii. 
 
TO THE BEADEK. 
 
 593 
 
 the scriptures, we leave it to tlie second coming 
 of Christ.' In 1689, the year after Bunyan's 
 death, this appendix \vas omitted from the Baptist 
 confession of faitli. 
 
 May the time soon arrive when water shall not 
 quench love, hut when all the churches militant 
 shall form one army, with one ohject, — that of 
 extending the Redeemer's kingdom.-Giio. Offor. 
 
 A CONFESSION OF MY FAITH, AND A REASON OF MY PRACTICE: 
 
 WITH ■WHO, A>*D WHO KOT, I CAN HOLD CHURCH FELLOWSHIP, OE THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS. 
 
 SHETVJNG, by diverse AEGUMEKTS, that though I D\EE not COMMUNICATK with the openly profane, yet I CAN "WITH THOSE 
 VISIBLE SAINTS THAT DIFl'ER ABOUT WATER-BAPTISai. WHEREIN IS ALSO DISCOUBSED, WHETUKE THAT BE TIIE ENIEEING OEDl- 
 KANCE INTO TELLOWSIIIP, OB NO. 
 
 * IbeVtevedf therefore have I sjioken.^ — Psal. cxvi. 10. 
 
 TO THE EEADER. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 1 MARVEL not that hoth you and others do think my 
 long imprisonment strange, (or rather strangely of 
 me for the sake of that) for verily I should also have 
 done it myself, had not the Holy Ghost long since 
 forbidden me. l Pe. iv. 12. Un. iii. 13. Nay, verily, that 
 notwithstanding, had the adversai'y but fastened 
 the supposition of guilt upon me, my long trials 
 might by this time have put it beyond dispute ; for 
 I have not hitherto been so sordid, as to stand to a 
 doctrine right or wrong ; much less when so weighty 
 an argument as above eleven years' imprisonment, 
 is continually dogging of me to weigh and pause, 
 and pause again, the groimds and foundation of 
 those principles, for which I thus have suffered ; * 
 
 * King Charles the 2ncl, about a year after this time, par- 
 doned near five hundred Quakers, who had been languishing in 
 prison for not attending the church service. Upon this Mr. 
 Bunyan, and his fellow prisoners at Bedford, petitioned for 
 liberty, and at a court of privy council at Whitehall, the 17th 
 May, 1672, present, the King and twenty-four of his coun- 
 cillors, the following minute was made : — ' Whereas, by order of 
 the Board of the 8th instant, the humble petition of John Penn, 
 John Bunyan, John Dunn, Thomas Haynes, Simon Haynes, and 
 George PaiT, prisoners in the goale of Bedford, convicted upon 
 several statutes for not conforming to the rights and ceremonyes 
 of the church of England, and for being at unlawful meetings, 
 was referred to the Sheriff of the county of Bedford, who was 
 required to certify this Board whether the said persons were 
 committed for the crimes in the said petition mentioned, anp 
 POE NO OTHER ; which he having accordingly done, by his cer- 
 tificate dated the lltli instant. It was thereupon, this day, 
 ordered by his Ma"° in council. That the said petition and 
 certificate be (and are herewith) sent to his Ma""'' Attorney- 
 Genera], who is authorized, and required, to insert them into 
 the general pardon to be passed for the Quakers.' This fully 
 confinns what Bunyan says as to the cause of his long and 
 dangerous imprisonment. It was for being absent fi-om the state 
 church and worshipping God according to His wUl, as expressed 
 in the Bible. See Introduction to Pilgrim's Progress, Hansard 
 Kuollys edition. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 but havingnot only at my trial asserted them, but 
 also since, even all this tedious tract of time, in 
 cool blood, a thousand times, by the word of God, 
 examined them, and found them good ; I cannot, I 
 dare not now revolt or deny the same, on pain of 
 eternal damnation. 
 
 And that my principles and practice may be 
 open to the view and judgment of all men, though 
 they stand and fall to none but the word of God 
 alone, I have in this small treatise presented to this 
 generation, 'A Confession of my Faith, and a Reason 
 of my Practice in the Worship of God ;' by which, 
 although it be brief, candid Christians may, I hope, 
 without a violation to faith or love, judge [that] I 
 may have the root of the matter found in me. 
 
 Neither have I in this relation abusively presented 
 my reader, with other doctrines or practices, than 
 what I held, professed, and preached when appre- 
 hended, and cast in prison. Nor did I then or now 
 retain a doctrine besides, or which is not thereon 
 grounded. The subject I should have preached 
 upon, even then when the constable came, was, 
 ' Dost thou believe on the Son of God ? ' From 
 whence I intended to shew, the absolute need of 
 faith in Jesus Christ ; and that it was also a thing 
 of the highest concern for men to inquire into, and 
 to ask their own hearts whether they had it or no. 
 
 Faith and holiness are my professed principles, 
 with an endeavour, so far as in me lieth, to he at 
 peace mth all men. What shall I say, let mine 
 enemies themselves be judges, if anything in these 
 following doctrines, or if ought that any man hath 
 heard me preach, doth [savour], or hath according 
 to the true intent of my words, savoured either of 
 heresy or rebellion. I say again, let they themselves 
 be judges, if ought they find in my writmg or preach- 
 ing, doth render me worthy of almost twelve years' 
 imprisonment, or one that deserveth to be hanged, 
 or banished for ever, according to their tremendous 
 4 F 
 
A CONFESSION OF MY FAITH. 
 
 sentence. Indeed my princijalcs are such, as lead 
 me to a denial to communicate in the things of the 
 kingdom of Christ, with the ungodly and openly pro- 
 fane ; neither can I in or hy the superstitious inven- 
 tions of this world, consent that my soul should be 
 governed in any of my approaches to God, because 
 commanded to the contrary, and commended for so 
 refusing. Wherefore excepting thip one thing, for 
 which I ought not to be rebuked ; I shall, I trust, in 
 despite of slander and falsehood, discover myself at 
 all times a peaceable and an obedient subject. But 
 if nothing will do, unless I make of my conscience 
 a continual butchery, and slaughter- shop, unless 
 putting out my own eyes, I commit me to the blind 
 to lead me, as I doubt is desired by some, I have 
 determined, the Almighty God being my help and 
 shield, yet to suffer, if frail life might continue so 
 
 long, even till the moss shall grow on mine eye- 
 brows, rather than thus to violate my faith and prin- 
 ciples. ' WiU aman leave the snow of Lebanon, which 
 Cometh from the rock of the field ? or shall the cold 
 flowing waters that come from another place be 
 forsaken?' Je. xviii. 14. ' Hath a nation changed 
 their gods, which are yet no gods ?' Je. u. ii. ' For 
 aU people will walk every one in the name of his 
 god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our 
 God for ever and ever.' Mi. iv. 5. 
 
 Touching my practice as to communion with visi- 
 ble saints, although not baptized with water ; I say 
 it is my present judgment so to do, and am willing 
 to render a farther reason thereof, shall I see the 
 leading hand of God thereto. 
 
 Thine in bonds for the gospel, 
 
 John Bunyan. 
 
 A CONFESSION OF MY FAITH, AND A REASON OF MY PRACTICE, ETC. 
 
 ' Be readi/ always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the ho]}e that is in you with meekness ana 
 fear : having a good conscience ; thai whiereas they speak evil of you, as of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely 
 accuse your good conversation in Christ.''] — 1 Pet. iii. 15, 16. 
 
 1 . I BELIEVE, that there is but one only true God, 
 and there is none other but he. ' To us tMre is 
 hid one God, the Father, of whom are all things.' 
 1 Co. ™i. 6. ' And this is life eternal, that they might 
 know thee the only true God.' &lc. Jn. xyii-S. [see 
 
 also] Mar. xii. 33. and Ac. xvii. 24. 
 
 2. I believe, that this God is almighty, eternal, 
 invisible, incomprehensible, <fec. • ' I am the Al- 
 mighty God; walk before me, aad be thou perfect.' 
 Ge. xvii. 1. ' The eternal God 2S iA?/ refuge.' Be. x.\xiii. 
 ZV ' Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisi- 
 ble, the only wise God, he honour and glory for ever 
 and ever. iTi. i. 17. [see also] Jobxi. 7. and Ho. xj. 33. 
 
 3. I believe, that this God is unspeakably per- 
 fect in all his attributes of power, wisdom, justice, 
 truth, holiness, mercy, love, &c. his power is said 
 to be eternal, Eo. i. 20. his understanding and wisdom 
 infinite ; Ps. cxi™. 5. he is called the jusl Lord in 
 opposition to all things. Zep. iii. 6. He is said to 
 be truth itself and the God thereof, a Tii. ii. 10. De. 
 xxxli. 4. There is none holy as the Lord. 'God 
 is love.' ' Canst thou by searching find out God? 
 canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection ? ' 
 Job xi. 7. 
 
 4. I believe, that in the Godhead, there are 
 three ixrsons or subsistanees. ' There are three that 
 bear record in heaven : the Father, the Word, and 
 the Holy Ghost. ' 1 Jn. v. 7. [see also] Gc. i. 2g. ch. iii. 22. ch. 
 xi. 7. and Is. vi. 8. 
 
 5. I believe, that these three are in nature, 
 essence, and eternity, equally one. ' These three 
 are one. ' 1 Jn. v. t 
 
 6. I believe, [that] there is ' a world to come.' 
 
 lie. ii. B. ch. n. 5. 
 
 7. I believe, that there shall be ' a resurrection 
 of the dead, both of the just and unjust.' Ac.xxiv. 15. 
 ' Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth 
 shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to 
 shame and everlasting contempt. ' Da. xii. 2. ' Marvel 
 not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which 
 all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and 
 shall come forth ; they that have done good, unto 
 the resurrection of life ; and they that have done 
 evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.' Jn, v. 28. 
 
 8. I believe, that they that ' shall be accounted 
 worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection 
 from the dead, neither marry nor are given in mar- 
 riage : neither can they die any more : for they are 
 equal unto the angels ; and are the children of God, 
 being the children of the resurrection.' Lu. xx. 34^-36. 
 
 [see also] Ja. x. 27—29. Ee. i-ii. 16. cli. xx. 6. 
 
 9. I believe, that those that die impenitent, shall 
 be tormented with the devil and his angels, and 
 shall be cast with them into ' the lake that burneth 
 with fire and brimstone.' Ee. xxi. 8. 'Where their 
 worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.' Mar. 
 
 ix. 43, 48. [see also] Mat. xxv. 41, 46. Jn. v. 29. 
 
 10. I believe, that because God is naturally holy 
 and just, even, as he is good and merciful ; there- 
 fore, all having sinned, none can be saved, witliout 
 the means of a redeemer. ' Then he is gracious 
 unto him, and saith. Deliver him from going down 
 to the pit: I have found a ransom.' Job xxxiii. 54. 
 ' We have redemption through his blood, evm the 
 
A CONFESSION OF MY FAITH. 
 
 595 
 
 forgiveness of sins.' Col. lu. For whicb 'without 
 shedding of blood, is no remission.' He. k. 22. 
 
 11. I believe that Jesus Christ our Lord himself 
 is the redeemer. ' They remembered that God was 
 their rock, and the high God their redeemer.' Ps. 
 ixiviii. 35. ' Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not 
 redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, 
 from your vain conversation received by tradition 
 from your fathers ; but with the precious blood of 
 Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without 
 
 spot.' IPC. i. 18,19. 
 
 12. I beUeve, that the great reason why the 
 Lord, the second person in the Godhead, did clothe 
 himself with our flesh and blood, was that he might 
 be capable of obtaining the redemption, that before 
 the world, was intended for us. ' Forasmuch then 
 as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he 
 also himself Ukewise took part of the same ; (mark) 
 that through death he might destroy him that had 
 the power of death, that is, the devil ; and deliver 
 them who through fear of death, were all their 
 ■lifetime subject to bondage.' He. ii. 14, 15. 'When 
 the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his 
 Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to 
 redeem them that were under the law. ' Ga. iv. 4, 6. 
 ' Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be 
 made like unto his brethren, and that he might 
 be a merciful and faithful high priest in things per- 
 taining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins 
 of the people. For in that he himself hath suf- 
 fered being tempted, he is able to succour them that 
 are tempted. ' He. u. 17, is. ' Christ hath redeemed us 
 from the curse of the law, being made a curse for 
 us: for it is written. Cursed is every one that 
 hangeth on a tree : That the blessing of Abraham 
 might come on the Gentiles through [faith in] 
 Jesus Christ. ' Ga. m. 13, 14. 
 
 13. I believe, that the time when he clothed 
 himself with our flesh, was in the days of the reign 
 of Coesar Augustus ; then, I say, and not till then, 
 was the Word ' made flesh,' or clothed with our 
 nature. Jn. 1 14. 1 Ti. iu. 16. ' And it came to pass in 
 those days, that there went out a decree from 
 Csesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 
 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the 
 city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, 
 which is called Bethlehem ; (because he was of the 
 house and lineage of David :) To be taxed with 
 Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 
 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days 
 were accomplished that she should be dehvered.' 
 Lu.u.1,4— 6. This child was he of whom godly 
 Simeon was told by the Holy Ghost, when he said. 
 That he should not see death until he had seen the 
 Lord's Christ, ver.as— 27. 
 
 14. I believe, therefore, that this very child, as 
 afore is testified, is both God and man ; the Christ 
 of the living God, ' And she brought forth her 
 
 firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, 
 and laid him in a manger ; because there was no 
 room for them in the inn. And there were in the 
 same country shepherds - keeping watch over their 
 flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord 
 came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone 
 round about them: and they were sore afraid. 
 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, 
 behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, 
 which shall be to all people. For unto you is born 
 this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is 
 Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto 
 you ; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling 
 clothes lying in a manger.' lu. u. 7—12. Again, 
 ' But while he thought on these things, behold, the 
 angel of the Lord appeared unto him ; saying, 
 Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto 
 thee Mary thy wife : for that which is conceived in 
 her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring 
 forth a son, and thou shalt caU his name Jesus : 
 for he shall save his people from their sins. Now 
 aU this was done, that it might be fulfilled which 
 was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 
 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall 
 bring forth a son, and they shall call his name 
 Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with 
 us.' Mat. i. 21,22. 
 
 15. I believe, therefore, that the righteousness, 
 and redemption, by which we that believe, stand 
 just before God, as saved from the curse of the 
 law, is the righteousness, and redemption, that con- 
 sists in the personal acts and performances of this 
 child Jesus ; this God-man the Lord's Christ: it 
 consisteth, 1 say, in his personal fulfilling the law 
 for us, to the utmost requirement of the justice of 
 God. ' Think not (saith he) that I am come to 
 destroy the law, or the prophets : I am not come to 
 destroy, but to fulfill.' Mat. v. 17. By which means 
 he became ' the end of the law for righteousness 
 to every one that beheveth.' Ko. x. 4. 'For what 
 the law could not do, in that it was weak through 
 the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness 
 of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the 
 flesh.' Ko. rai. 3. So finishing transgressions, and 
 making an end of sins, and making reconoihation 
 for iniquity. He brought in everlasting righteous- 
 ness. 1 Jn. iii. 8. 2 Ti. i. 9. He. x. 6—10. Da. Ix. 24. 
 
 16. I believe, that for the completing of this 
 work, he was always sinless ; He. iv. 16. did always 
 the things that pleased God's justice, Jn. viii. 29. that 
 every one of his acts, both of doing and sufiering, 
 and rising again from the dead, was really and 
 infinitely perfect, being done by him as God-man : 
 He. vii. 26—28. wherefore his acts before he died, are 
 called, 'the righteousness of God,' Ko.iU. si, 22. his 
 blood, 'the blood of God,' Ac.xx. 28. and 'hereby 
 perceive we the love of God, because he laid down 
 his life for us,' 1 Jn.iii.ie. The Godliead which gavo 
 
596 
 
 A CONFESSION OF MY FAITH. 
 
 virtue to all the acts of the himian nature, was then 
 in perfect union with it, when he hanged upon the 
 cross for our sins. Ac. x. 36. Jn. xx. 23. Ho. i. 4. 
 
 17. I believe then, that the righteousness that 
 saveth the sinner from the wrath to come, is pro- 
 perly and personally Christ's, and ours but as we 
 have \mion with him ; God by grace imputing it to 
 ITS. ' Yea doubtless, and I count all things hut 
 loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ 
 Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suflfered the loss 
 of all things, and do count them hut dung that I 
 may win Christ, and be found in him, not having 
 mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but 
 that which is through the faith of Christ, the 
 righteousness which is of God by faith.' fiiL iii. 8, 9. 
 ' But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God 
 is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and 
 sanctifioation, and redemption.' iCo. i. so. 'For he 
 hath made him to he sin for us, who knew no sin ; 
 that we might be made the righteousness of God in 
 Lim.' 2Co. T. 21. ['In the Lord have 1 righteous- 
 ness and strength.' Is. dv. 34.] 
 
 18. I believe, that God, as the reward of Christ's 
 undertakings for us, hath exalted him to his own 
 right-hand, as our mediator, and given him a name 
 above every name ; and hath made him Lord of all, 
 and judge of quick and dead: and all this that we 
 who believe might take courage to believe, and 
 hope in God. Ep, i. 17—22. ' And being found in 
 fashion as a man, he humbled himself - unto death, 
 even the death of the cross, (where he died for our 
 sins.) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted 
 him ; and given him a name above every name : 
 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, 
 of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things 
 under the earth ; And tlwi every tongue should 
 confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of 
 God the Father.' Piii. ii. 8-n. ' And he commanded 
 us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it 
 is he which was ordained of God to he the Judge of 
 quick and dead. ' Ac. x. 43; and xrii. 81. ' Who verily 
 was foreordained before the foundation of the world, 
 but was manifest in these last times for you, who 
 by him do believe in God that raised him up from 
 the dead, and gave him glory ; that your faith and 
 hope might be in God.' 1 Pe. i. 19— 31. 
 
 19. I believe, that being at the right hand of 
 God in heaven, he doth there effectually exercise 
 the oflBces of his excellent priesthood, and medi- 
 atorship, presenting himself continually before God, 
 in the righteousness which is accomplished for us, 
 when he was in the world. For by the efficacy of 
 his blood, he not only went into the holy place, but 
 being there, and having by it obtained eternal 
 redemption for us ; now, as receiving the worth 
 and merit thereof from the Father ; doth bestow 
 upon us grace, repentance, faith, and the remission 
 of sins : yea he also received for us, the Holy Ghost 
 
 to be sent unto us, to ascertain* us of our adoption 
 and glory : ' For if he were on earth, he should not 
 be a priest.' He. viii. 4. ' Seeing then that vi^e have a 
 great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, 
 Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profes- 
 sion.' He. iv.14. 'For there is one God, and one 
 mediator between God and men, the man Christ 
 Jesus. ' 1 Ti. ii. 5. For ' by his own blood he entered 
 in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal 
 redemption /or MS. For Christ is not entered into 
 the holy places made with hands, which are the 
 figures of the true ; but into heaven itself, now to 
 appear in the presence of God for us.' He. ix. 13, 2t. 
 ' Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, 
 and having received of the Father the promise of 
 the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which yo 
 now see and hear.'t -^c. ii. 33; v. 31. 
 
 20. I believe, that being there, he shall so Con- 
 tinue till the restitution of all things, and then he 
 shall come again in glory, and shall sit in judg- 
 ment upon all flesh. And I believe, that accord- 
 ing to his sentence so shall their judgment be. 
 ' Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your 
 sins maybe blotted out, when the times oFrefresh- 
 ing shall come from the presence of the Lord ; and 
 he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was 
 preached unto you : whom the heaven must receive 
 until the times of restitution of all things, - spoken 
 by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the 
 world began.' Ac. iii. 19— 31. For 'this same Jesus, 
 which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so 
 come in like manner as ye have seen him go into 
 heaven. ' Ac. i. 11. ' For the Lord himself shall des- 
 cend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of 
 the archangel, and with the trump of God;' (fcc. 
 1 Til. iv. 16. ' When the Son of man shall come in 
 his glory, and aU the holy angels with him, then 
 shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And 
 before him shall be gathered all nations : and he 
 shall separate them one from another, as a shep- 
 herd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he 
 shall set the sheep on his right hand, hut the goats 
 on the left. Then shall the king say unto them 
 on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, 
 inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the 
 foundation of the world. Then shall he say also 
 unto them on the left hand. Depart from me, ye 
 cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil 
 and his angels : And these shall go away into 
 everlasting punishment : but the righteous into 
 
 * 'To ascertaiQ us,' in the 17tli century, meant 'to make, 
 us confident,' ' to assure us.' ' It ascertaining me that I am 
 one of God's childrea.' — Hammond. Ed. 
 
 t Eternal blessings on our Emmanuel, who faiUifuUy per- 
 foiTtted His promise of sending the Comforter to unlock the 
 mysteries of the kingdom of grace, and guide us into all truth :. 
 without His powerful aid we can neither know or perform any 
 thing to a good or saving purpose. — Mason, 
 
A CONFESSION OF MY FAITH. 
 
 597 
 
 life eternal.' Mat. xxv. 31— 3S, «, «. For ' tlie day of the 
 Lord will come as a thief in the night, in the which 
 the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, 
 and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the 
 earth also and the works that are therein shall he 
 burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall 
 be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to 
 be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking 
 for and hasting unto the coming of the day of 
 God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall he 
 dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent 
 
 heat. ' 2 Pe. iii. 10—13. 
 
 21. I believe that when he comes, his saints 
 shall have a reward of grace, for all their work 
 and labour of love which they showed to his name 
 in the world. ' And every man shall receive his 
 own reward, according to his own labour. ' 1 Co. iii. 8. 
 ' And then shall every man have praise of God. ' 
 iv. 5. ' And behold, I come quickly ; and my reward 
 is with me, to give every man according as his 
 work shall be.' Re. xxii. 12. ' Therefore, my beloved 
 brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always 
 abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as 
 ye know that your labour is not in vain in the 
 Lord. ' 1 Co. XT. 68. ' Knowing that of the Lord ye 
 shall receive the reward of the inheritance : for j'e 
 serve the Lord Christ. ' Col. iii. 31. 
 
 JToio Christ is made ours ; or by what means this or 
 that man, hath tlwi benefit hy him, as to stand 
 just before God now, and in the day of judgment. 
 
 Of Justification, 
 
 1. I believe, we being sinful creatures in our- 
 selves, that no good thing done by us, can procure 
 of God the imputation of the righteousness of 
 Jesus Christ. But that the imputation thereof is 
 an act of grace, a free gift without our deserving. 
 ' Being justified freely by his grace through the 
 redemption that is in Christ Jesus. ' Ko. iii. 24. and 
 V. 17. ' Who hath saved us, and called us with an 
 holy calling, not according to our works, but accord- 
 ing to his own purpose and grace, which was given 
 us in Christ Jesus.' 2Ti. i. 9. 
 
 2. I believe also. That the power of imputing 
 righteousness resideth only in God by Christ: 1. 
 Sin being the transgression of the law. 2. The 
 soul that hath sinned being his creature, and the 
 righteousness also his, and his only. ' Even as 
 David also describeth the blessedness of the man, 
 unto whom God imputeth righteousness without 
 works, saying. Blessed a/re they whose iniquities 
 are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed 
 is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. ' 
 Eo. iT. 6—8. Hence therefore it is said again. That 
 men ' shall abimdantly utter the memory of thy 
 great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteous- 
 ness.' Vft. cxiv. 7. ' For he saith to Moses, I wiU have 
 
 mercy on whom I will have mercy, and 1 will have 
 compassion on whom I will have compassion. So 
 then it is not of him that willeth, nor of Iiim that 
 runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Ko. ix. is, le. 
 
 3. I believe, that the offer of this righteousness, 
 as tendered in the gospel, is to be received by faith ; 
 we still in the very act of receiving it, judging our-' 
 selves sinners in ourselves. ' Oh wretched man 
 that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of 
 this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ.' 
 Eo. vii. 31, 35. ' Believe on the Lord Jesus Clirist, and 
 thou shalt be saved. ' Ac. xyi. 31. The gospel is 
 preached in all nations for the obedience of faith. 
 ' Being justified freely by his grace through the 
 redemption that is in Christ Jesus ; whom God 
 hath set forth to he a propitiation, (a sacrifice to 
 appease the displeasure of God) through faith in 
 his blood. To declare his righteousness for the 
 remission of sins that are past through the forbear- 
 ance of God ; to declare / say, at this time his 
 righteousness: that he might be just, and the 
 justifier of him which believeth on Jesus.' Ko, iii. 34^ 
 26. ' Be it kno\vn unto you therefore, men and 
 brethren, that through this man is preached unto 
 you the forgiveness of sins : And by him all that 
 believe are justified from all things, from which 
 ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. ' 
 
 Ac. xiii. 38, 39. 
 
 4. I believe, that this faith, as it respecteth the 
 imputation of this righteousness, for justification 
 before God, doth put forth itself in such acts, as 
 purely respect the offer of a gift. It receiveth, 
 accepteth of, embraceth, or trusteth to it. ' As 
 many as received him to them gave he power to 
 become the sons of God, euen to them that believe 
 on his name. ' Jn. i. 13. ' This is a faithful saying, 
 and worthy of aU. acceptation, that Christ Jesus 
 came into the world to save sinners ; of whom I am 
 chief.' iTi. i. 16; and lie. xi. 13. 'In whom ye also 
 trusted, after that ye heai-d the word of truth, the 
 gospel of your salvation: In whom also after that 
 ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of 
 promise.' Ep. i. 13. I believe therefore, that as to my 
 justification from the curse of the law, I am, as I 
 stand in myself, ungodly, to receive, accept of, 
 embrace, and trust to the righteousness, that is 
 already provided by, and wrapt up in the personal 
 doings and sufferings of Christ ; it being faith in 
 that, and that only, that can justify a sinner in 
 the sight of God.* 
 
 5. I believe, that the faith that so doth, is not 
 to be found with any but those, in whom the Spirit 
 of God by mighty power dotlr work it : all others 
 being fearful and incredulous, dare not venture 
 
 * The gracious soul believes in Clirist for justification, 
 from a sense of utter inability to obtain justification by works. 
 This is effected by the power of the Holy Spirit, the glorifier 
 of Jesus. — Mason. 
 
593 
 
 A CONFESSION OF MY FAITH. 
 
 their souls and eternity upon it. And hence it is 
 called the faith that is wrought hy the exceeding 
 great and mighty power of God ; the faith of the 
 operation of God. And hence it is that others are 
 said to he fearful, and so unbelieving. These with 
 other ungodly sinners must have their part in the 
 
 lake of fire, Ep. i. :8, 19. Col. ii. 13. Ep. ii. 8. Phi. i. 19. Ec. x\i. 8. 
 
 6. I believe, that this faith is effectually wrought 
 in none, but those which before the world were 
 appointed unto glory. ' And as many as were 
 ordained unto eternal life believed. ' Ac. xiii. 48. ' That 
 he might make known the riches of his glory on 
 the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared 
 unto glory. ' Eo. ix. 23. ' We give thanks to God 
 always for you all, making mention of you in our 
 prayers ; remembering without ceasing your work 
 of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope 
 in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God ; - 
 knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. ' 
 1 Th. i. 2—4. But of the rest he saith, ' ye believe 
 not because ye are not of my sheep, as I said,' 
 Jn. X. 26. which latter words relate to the 16th verse, 
 which respecteth the election of God. 
 
 ' Therefore they could not believe, because that 
 Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and 
 hardened their heart; that they should not see 
 with ihdr eyes, nor understand with tlieir heart, 
 and I should heal them. ' Jn. xii. 39, 40. 
 
 Of Election. 
 
 1 . I believe that election is free and permanent, 
 being founded in grace, and the unchangeable will 
 of God. ' Even so then at this present time also 
 there is a remnant according to the election of 
 grace. And if by grace, then it is no more of 
 works : otherwise grace is no more grace. But if 
 it he of works, then is it no more of grace : other- 
 wise work is no more work.' Eo. xi. 5, 6. ' Neverthe- 
 less the foundation of God standeth sure, having 
 this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his.' 
 3 Ti. ii. 19. ' In whom also we have obtained an 
 inheritance, being predestinated according to the 
 purpose of him who worketh all things after the 
 counsel of his own will. ' Ep. i. ll. 
 
 2. I believe, that this decree, choice or election, 
 was before the foundation of the world ; and so 
 before the elect themselves, had being in them- 
 selves : For ' God who quickeneth the dead, and 
 calleth those things which be not as though they 
 were, ' Eo. iv. 17. stays not for the being of things, to 
 determine his eternal purpose by ; but having all 
 things present to him, in his wisdom, he made his 
 choice before the world was. Ep. i. i. 3 Ti. i. 9. 
 
 3. I believe, that the decree of election is so far 
 off from making works in us foreseen, the ground 
 or cause of the choice : that it containeth in the 
 bowels of it, not only the persons, but the graces 
 that accompany their salvation. And hence it is. 
 
 that it is said; we are predestinated 'to 6e conformed 
 to the image of his Son ;' Ko. ™i. 29. not because we 
 are, hut 'that we should be holy and without blame 
 before him in love.' Ep.i.4. ' For we are his work- 
 manship, created in Christ Jesys unto good works, 
 which God hath before ordained that we should 
 walk in them.' Ep. ii.io. He blessed us according 
 as he chose us in Christ. And hence it is again 
 that the salvation and calling of which we are now, 
 made partakers, is no other than what was given 
 us in Christ Jesus before the world began ; accord- 
 ing to his eternal purpose which he purposed in 
 Christ Jesus our Lord. Ep. iii. 8— ll. 2 Ti. i. 9. Ro. viii. 29. 
 
 4. I believe that Christ Jesus is he in whom the 
 elect are always considered, and that without him 
 there is neither election, grace, nor salvation. 
 ' Having predestinated us unto the adoption of 
 children, by Jesus Christ to himself, according to 
 the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the. 
 glory of his grace: wherein he hath made us, 
 accepted in the beloved. In whom we have 
 redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of 
 sins, according to the riches of his grace. That' 
 in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might 
 gather together in one all things in Christ, both 
 which are in heaven, and which are in earth, even 
 in him. ' Ep. i. 5—7, lo. ' Neither is there salvation in 
 any other: for there is none other name under 
 heaven given among men, whereby we must be 
 saved. ' Ac. iv. 13. 
 
 5. I believe, that there is not any Ampediment 
 attending the election of God, that can hinder their 
 conversion, and eternal salvation. ' Moreover 
 whom he did predestinate, them he also called: 
 and whom he called, them he also justified : and 
 whom he justified, them he also glorified. What 
 shall we then say to these things ? If God he for 
 us, who can he against us ? - Who shall lay any 
 thing to the charge of God's elect ? It is God 
 that jifetifieth. Who is he that condemneth?' 
 &c. Eo. viii. 30—35. ' What then ? Israel hath not 
 obtained that which he seeketh for ; but the elec- 
 tion hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.' 
 Eo. xi. 7. ' For Israel Imth not been forsaken, nor 
 Judah of his God, of the Lord of hosts : though 
 their land was filled with sin, against the holy one 
 of Israel, ' Je. li. 5. When Ananias made intercession 
 against Saul, saying, ' Lord, I have heard by many 
 of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy 
 saints at Jerusalem : and here he hath authority 
 from the chief priests to bind all that caU oli thy 
 name.' What said God unto him? 'Go thy 
 way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to hear my 
 name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the chil- 
 dren of Israel. ' Ac. ix. 12—15. 
 
 6. I believe that no man can know his election, 
 hut hy his calling. The vessels of mercy, which 
 God afore prepared unto glory, do thus claim » 
 
A CONFESSION OF MY FAITH. 
 
 599 
 
 share therein : 'Even us, [say they,] whom he hath 
 called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gen- 
 tiles ? As he saith also in Hosea ; I will call theia 
 my people, which were not my people, and her 
 beloved, which was not beloved. Uo. ix. 24, 25. 
 
 7. I beheve therefore, that election doth not 
 forestal or prevent the means which are of God 
 appointed to bring us to Christ, to grace and 
 glory ; but rather putteth a necessity upon the use 
 and effect thereof ; because they are chosen to be 
 brought to heaven that way : that is, by the faith 
 of Jesus Christ, which is the end of effectual calling. 
 ' Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to 
 make your calling and election sure.' 2 1'e. i. 10. 2 Ti. 
 
 ii. 13. 1 Pe. L 12. 
 
 Of Calling. 
 
 I believe, that to effectual calling, the Holy 
 Ghost must accompany the word of the gospel, and 
 that with mighty power: I mean that calling, 
 which of God is made to be the fruit of electing 
 love. 'Knowing,' saith Paul to the Thessaloniaus, 
 'brethren beloved, your election of God. For our 
 gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in 
 power, and Ln the Holy Ghost, and in much assur- 
 ance,' (fcc. lTh.i.4, 5. Otherwise men will not, can- 
 not, hear and turn. Samuel was called four times, 
 before he knew the voice of him that spake from 
 heaven. 1 Sa. iii. 6—10. It is said of them in Hosea, 
 That as the prophets called them so they went 
 from them ; and instead of turning to them, ' sacri- 
 ficed to Baalim, and burned incense to graven 
 images. ' Ho. xi. 2. The reason is, because men by 
 nature are not only dead in sins, but enemies in 
 their minds by reason of wicked works: the call 
 then is, ' Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from 
 the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.' Ep. v. 14. 
 Understand, therefore, that effectual calUng is hke 
 that word of Christ that raised Lazarus from the 
 dead; a word attended with an arm that was 
 omnipotent. ' Lazarus, come forth. ' Jn. xi. 43. It 
 was a word to the dead ; but not only so : it was 
 a word for the dead ; a word that raised him from 
 the* dead ; a word that outwent all opposition ; and 
 that brought him forth of the grave, though bound 
 hand and foot therein. Ga. i. 15. And hence it is, 
 that calling is sometimes expressed by quickening, 
 Ep. ii. 1, 2. awakening, illuminating, or bringing them 
 forth of darkness to light, that amazeth and asto- 
 nisheth them. He. x. 32. ^c. ix. 6. For as it is a strange 
 thing for a man that lay long dead, or never saw 
 the light with his eyes, to be raised out of the 
 grave, or to be made to see that which he could 
 not so much as once think of before, so it is with 
 effectual calling. Hence it is that Paul, when 
 called, stood ' trembling and was astonished : ' and 
 that Peter saith, ' he hath called us out of dark- 
 ness into his marvellous light. ' 1 Pe. ii. 9. Ep. iv. 24. Ac. ix. 6. 
 
 In effectual calling the voice of God is heard, and 
 the gates of heaven are opened ; * when God called 
 Abraham, he appeared to him in glory. That of 
 Ananias to Saul is experienced but by few. ' The 
 God of our fathers hath chosen thee, [saith he,] 
 that thou shouldest know his will, and see that 
 just one, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. ' 
 Ac. xxii. 14. True, Saul's call was out of the ordinary 
 way, but yet as to the matter, and truth of the 
 work, it was no other than all the chosen have, viz. 
 
 (1.) An effectual awakening about the evil of 
 sin ; and espeeially of unbelief. Jn. xvi. 9. And there- 
 fore when the Lord God called Adam, he also 
 made unto him an effectual discovery of sin ; inso- 
 much that he stript him of all his righteousness, 
 Ge. iii. Thus he also served the gaoler. Ac xii. 29, so. 
 Yea it is such an awakening, as by it, he sees he 
 was without Christ, without hope, and a stranger, 
 to the commonwealth of Israel, ' and without God 
 in the world.' Ep. ii. 12. Oh the dread and amaze- 
 ment that the guilt of sin brings with it, when it 
 is revealed by the God of heaven ; and like to it is 
 the sight of mercy, when it pleaseth God, who 
 caUeth us by his grace, to reveal his Son in us. 
 
 (2.) In effectual' calling there is great awaken- 
 ings about the world to come, and the glory of 
 unseen things; the resurrection of the dead, and 
 eternal judgment; the salvation that God hath 
 prepared for them that love him ; with the blessed- 
 ness that will attend us, and be upon us, at the 
 coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, are great things 
 in the soul that is under the awakening calls of 
 God. And hence we are said to be called to glory. 
 1 Til. ii. 12. ' To the obtaining of the glory of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ.' 2tii. ii. 14. 
 
 (3.) In effectual calling there is also a sanctify- 
 ing virtue ; and hence we are said to be called 
 with an holy calling, 1 Tli. iv. 7. with an ' heavenly 
 calling.' He. iii. 1. Called to glory and virtue. ' But 
 ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an 
 holy nation, a peculiar people ; that ye should 
 show forth the praises of him who hath called you 
 out of darkness into his marvellous light. ' 1 Pe. ii. 9. 
 Yea, effectual calling hath annexed to it, as its 
 inseparable companion, the promise of thorough 
 sanctification. ' Faithful is he that caUeth you, 
 who also wiU do it. ' 1 Tli. v. 24. 
 
 Of Faith. 
 
 I believe, that effectual calling doth therefore 
 produce, I. Faith; and therefore it is said, that 
 ' faith cai'iielh by hearing;' iki. x. 17. by hearing the 
 
 * Effectual calling is evidenced by the soul's love to God, 
 ia his dear Son ; a superior delight in Him, as a reconciled 
 Father, cleaving to Him, His ways, and people ; and longing 
 for the fuU fruition and final enjoyment of Him in glory. — 
 llason. 
 
fiOO 
 
 A CONFESSION OF MY FAITH. 
 
 word that calletli us 'unto the grace of Christ.' 
 Ga. i. 6. For by the word that calleth us, is Jesus 
 Christ held forth to us ; and offered to be our 
 righteousness ; and therefore the apostle saith 
 again, that God hath called us ' unto the fellow- 
 ship of his Son Jesus Christ ;' l Co. i. 9. that is, to be 
 made partakers of the riches of grace, and the 
 righteousness that is in him. 2. It produceth 
 hope. It giveth a ground to hope ; and tlierefore 
 hope is said to be the hope of our calling. Ep. i. 18. 
 And again, ' Even as ye are called in one hope of 
 your calling.' Ep.iv. 4. Now the godly wise know, 
 whoso misseth of effectual calling, misseth of 
 eternal life ; because God justifieth none hut them 
 whom he calleth ; and glorifies none but those 
 whom he justifies: and therefore it is that Peter 
 said before, ' Make your calUng, and (so) your 
 election sure:' make it sure, that is, prove your 
 calling right, by the word of God. For whoso 
 staggereth at the certainty of his calling, cannot 
 comfortably hope for a share in eternal life. 
 ' Remember the word unto thy servant, upon 
 which thou hast caused me to hope. My soul 
 fainteth for thy salvation, hiii I hope in thy word.' 
 Ps. cxix. 49, 81. 3. It produceth repentance ; for when 
 a man hath heaven and hell before his eyes (as he 
 wiU have if he be under the power of effectual 
 calling) or when a man hath a revelation of the 
 mercy and justice of God, with an heart-drawing 
 invitation to lay hold on the tender forgiveness of 
 sins ; and being made also to behold the goodly 
 beauty of holiness ; it must needs be, that repent- 
 ance appears, and puts forth itself, unto self- 
 revenging acts, for all its wickedness which in the 
 days of ignorance it delighted in. And hence is 
 that saying, ' I came not to call the righteous, but 
 sinners to repentance. ' Mar. ii. 17. For the effecting 
 of which, the preaching of the word of the king- 
 dom, is most proper : ' Repent : for the kingdom 
 of heaven is at hand. ' M.-it. iv. 17. 
 
 Of Repentance. 
 
 Repentance is a turning the heart to God in 
 Christ: a turning of it from sin, and the devil, 
 and darkness; to the goodness, and grace, and 
 holiness that is in him. Wherefore, they that of 
 old are said to repent, are said to loath and abhor 
 themselves, for all their abominations. ' I abhor 
 myself,' [said Job,] 'and repent in dust and ashes.' 
 
 Jol) xlii. 6. See also Eze. \i. 9j xx. i.3i xxx\i. 31 ; xlii. 0; xvi. C3. 
 
 Godly repentance doth not only affect the soul 
 with the loathsome nature of sin that is past ; but 
 fiUeth the heart with godly hatred of sins that 
 yet may come. When Moses feared that through 
 his being overburthened with the care of the chil- 
 dren of Israel, some unruly or sinful passions 
 might show themselves in him, what saith he ? 
 
 ' Kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found 
 favour in thy sight, and let me not see my wretched- 
 ness.' Nu. xi. 15. See also how that which Paul 
 calleth godly repentance, wrought in the upright 
 Corinthians, 'Behold,' [saith he,] this self same 
 thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what 
 carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing 
 of yourselves, yea, wlwt indignation, yea, what 
 fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, wlwt zeal, 
 yea, what revenge ! In all things ye have approved 
 yourselves to be clear in this matter. 2 Co. vii. u. 
 
 Of Love. 
 
 It [effectual calling] produceth also love: where- 
 fore Paul, when he had put the church in remem- 
 brance that they were called of God, adds, That 
 concerning brotherly love, they had no need that he 
 should write unto them, l Th. iv. 9. As who should 
 say, If God be so kind to us, to forgive us our 
 sins, to save our souls, and to give us the kingdom 
 of heaven ; let these be motives beyond all other 
 to provoke us to love again. Farther, if we that 
 are thus beloved of God, are made members of one 
 man's body, all partakers of his grace, clothed all, 
 with his glorious righteousness, and are together 
 appointed to be the children of the next world; 
 why should we not love one another ? ' Beloved, if 
 God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.' 
 1 Jn. iv. 11. And truly so we shall, if the true grace 
 of God be upon us ; because we also see them to 
 be the called of Jesus. Travellers, that are of the 
 same country, love and take pleasure one in another, 
 when they meet in a strange land.* Why, we 
 sojourn here in a strange country, with them that 
 are heirs together with us of the promised king- 
 dom and glory. He. xi. 9. Now, as I said, this holy 
 love worketh oy love: mark, love in God and 
 Christ when discovered, constraiueth us to love 
 [one another.] 2Co. v. u. 
 
 The name, therefore, and word, and truth of 
 God in Christ, together with the sincerity of grace, 
 of faith, and holiness in us, are the delightful 
 objects of this love. Ps. cxix. 47, 137, 133, 159; V, 11; Ixix. 36. 
 and ci. 6. For it embraceth with delight and com- 
 placency, but as it discerneth the image of God, 
 and of Christ in the soul, his presence in the 
 ministry, and a suitableness in our worship to the 
 word and mind of Christ. Ps. xxvi. Sjxxvii. 4;kx.'(iv. l— 4. 
 
 1 Th. V. 13. Phil. i. 3—7. Ep. iv. 33. 
 
 Love also hath a blessed faculty, and heavenly, 
 
 ■• How great is the delight of meeting iii a foreign country, 
 after a long absence from liome, with one who speaks your 
 own language and sympathizes with yom national feelings. 
 How much more strong are those enjoyments arising from the 
 communion of saints, while traveUiug through aa enemy's 
 country, with difficult duties to perform, — animated by a kin- 
 dred spirit, and seeking the same eternal home. — Ed. 
 
A. CONrESSION OF MY FAITH. 
 
 601 
 
 In bearing and suffering afflictions, putting up 
 wrongs, overlooking the infirmities of the brethren, 
 and in serving in all Christian offices the necessities 
 of the saints. ' Charity suffereth long arid is kind ; 
 charity envieth not ; charity vaunteth not itself, 
 is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, 
 seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, think- 
 eth no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth 
 in the truth ; beareth all things, believeth all 
 things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 
 Charity never faileth.' i Co. xUi. 4r-s. [also,] i Pe. iv. 8. 
 and Ga. V. 13. In a word, it designeth a holy con- 
 versation in this world ; that God, and Christ, and 
 the word of Christ, ' may be glorified thereby.' 
 2 Co. xi. 10—13. 1 Pe. i. 13 i iii. 16. 
 
 Of the Scriptures. 
 
 Touching which word of God 1 thus believe and 
 confess, 1. That all the holy scriptures are the 
 words of God. ' All scripture is given by inspira- 
 tion of God.' 2Ti. iii. 16. For the prophecy [of the 
 scripture] came not in old time by the wiU of man : 
 but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the 
 Holy Ghost. 3 Pe. i. 21. 2. I believe that the holy 
 scriptures, of themselves, without the addition of 
 human inventions, are able to make the man of God 
 perfect in all things ; and ' thoroughly to furnish 
 him unto all good works. ' They are able ' to make 
 thee wise unto salvation, tlirough faith which is in 
 Christ Jesus. ' 2 TL iii, 16. And to instruct thee in 
 all other things, that either respect the worship of 
 God, or thy walking before all men. 2 Ti. iii. 17. 3 Pe. 
 i. 19—31. 3. I believe the great end why God com- 
 mitted the scriptures to writing was; that we 
 might be instructed to Christ, taught how to 
 believe, i Jn. v. 13, [and be] encouraged to patience 
 and hope, for the grace that is to be brought unto 
 us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Jn. xx. 31. Ro. 
 XV. 4. Also that we might understand what is sin, 
 and how to avoid the commission thereof. ' Con- 
 cerning the works of men (said David) by the word 
 of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of the 
 destroyer.' Ps. xvii. 4. 'Through thy precepts I get 
 understanding: therefore I hate every false way.' 
 Ps. cxix. 104. * Thy word have I hid in mine heart, 
 that I might not sin against thee. ' Ps. cxix. u. 4. I 
 believe that they cannot be broken, but wiU cer- 
 tainly he fulfilled in all the prophecies, threaten- 
 ings, and promises, either to the salvation or dam- 
 nation of men. They are like that flying roU, 
 that will go over all the earth to cut off and curse. 
 Ze. y. 2—4. In them is contained also the blessing, 
 they preach to us also the way of salvation. Ga. 
 iii. 8. ' Beware, therefore, lest that come upon you, 
 which is spoken of in the prophets ; Behold, ye 
 despisers, and wonder, and perish:* for I work a 
 
 * The despisiug and disrcgai-ding tlie Holy Scriptures, re- 
 >0L. II. 
 
 work in your days, a work which ye shall in no 
 wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. ' 
 
 Ac. xiii. 40, 41. [see also] Jii. X. 36; xii. 87—11: iii. 17—19. 
 
 5. I believe that Jesus Christ, by the word of the 
 scriptures, will judge all men at the day of doom ; 
 for that is the book of the law of the Lord, accord- 
 ing to Paul's gospel. Jn. xii. 44—60. Eo. ii. 16. 6. 1 
 
 believe, that this God ' made the world and all 
 things [that are] therein,' Ac. xvii. 34, for 'in six 
 days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, 
 and all that in them is.' Ex. xx. ll. Also, that after 
 the time of the making thereof, he disposed of it 
 to the children of men, with a reserve thereof for 
 the children of God, that should in all ages be 
 born thereunto. ' When the Most High divided 
 to the nations their inheritance, when he separated 
 the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people 
 according to the number of the children of Israel, 
 De.x.xxii. 8. for as he 'made of one blood all nations 
 of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, 
 [so he] hath determined the times before appointed, 
 and the bounds of their habitation.' Ac. xvii. 30. 
 
 Of Magistracy. 
 
 I believe, that magistracy is God's ordinance, 
 which he hath appointed for the government of 
 the whole world ; and that it is a judgment of 
 God, to be without those ministers of God, which 
 he hath ordained to put wickedness to shame. Ju. 
 xviii. 7. ' Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, 
 resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that 
 resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Tor 
 rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the 
 evil. Wilt thou not then be afraid of the power ? 
 do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise 
 of the same : for he is the minister of God to thee 
 for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be 
 afraid ; for he beareth not the sword in vain : for 
 he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute 
 wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye 
 must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also 
 for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute 
 also : for they are God's ministers, attending con- 
 tinually upon this very thing.' Ko. xiii. 3— 6. Many 
 are the mercies we receive, by a well qualified 
 magistrate, and if any shall at any time be other- 
 wise inclined, let us shew our Christianity in a 
 patient a\x9mng, for weU doing, what it shall please 
 God to inflict by them.t 
 
 jecting Jesus and the way of salvation by Him, especially after 
 having attained to the knowledge and conviction of the truth 
 of it by the gospel, is the unpai'douable sin, and renders men 
 obdurate and impenitent. — Mason. 
 
 t How strongly must have been the principle of humble 
 submission to the wdl of God implanted and rooted in Bun- 
 van's mind. He writes this peaceful advice from his dungeon, 
 after twelve years' cruel imprisonment for his love and obe- 
 dience to the Saviour, It requires aboly flame of Divine love 
 to enable us to take the spoiiing of our goods joyfully ; but 
 
 4 a 
 
602 
 
 A REASON OF MY PRACTICE IX ■WORSHIP, 
 
 A REASON OF BIY PRACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 Having thus made confession of my faith, I now 
 come to shew you my practice in worship, with the 
 reasons thereof. The which I shall have occasion 
 to touch, under two distinct heads. 
 
 I. With whom I dare not hold communion. 
 
 II. With whom I dare. 
 
 Only, first, note, that hy the word communion, 
 I mean fellowship in the things of the kingdom of 
 Christ, or that which is commonly called church 
 communion, the communion of saints. For in civil 
 affairs, and in things of this world that are honest, 
 I am not altogether tied up from the fornicators 
 thereof; 1 Co. v. 9, 10, wherefore in my following dis- 
 course understand me in the first sense: — Now, then, 
 
 First, I dare not have communion with them 
 that profess not faith and holiness ; or that are 
 not visible saints hy calling: but note, that by 
 this assertion, I meddle not with the elect ; but 
 as he is a visible saint by calling ; neither do I 
 exclude the secret hypocrite, if he be hid fi'om me 
 hy visible saintshlp. Wherefore I dare not have 
 communion with men from a single supposition, 
 that they may be elect, neither dare I exclude the 
 other from a single supposing that he may be a 
 secret hypocrite. I meddle not here with these 
 things ; I only e.tolude him that is not a visible 
 saint. Now he that is visibly or openly profane, 
 cannot be then a visible saint ; for he that is a 
 visible saint must profess faith, and repentance, 
 and consequently holiness of life : and with none 
 else dare I communicate. 
 
 First, Because God himself hath so strictly put 
 the difference, both by word and deed ; for from 
 the beginning, he did not only put a diff'erence 
 between the seed of the woman and the children 
 of the wicked, Ge. iii. 15, only the instinct of grace 
 and change of the mind is his own, but did cast 
 out from his presence the father of all the ungodly, 
 even cursed Cain, when he shewed himself openly 
 profane, and banished him to go into the land of 
 the runnagate, or vagabond, where from God's face, 
 and so the privileges of the communion of saints, 
 he was ever after hid, Gc. iv. 8—16. 
 
 Besides, when after this, through the policy of 
 Satan, the children of Cain, and the seed of Scth, 
 did commix themselves in worship, and by that 
 means had corrupted the way of God : what fol- 
 lowed, but first, God judged it wickedness, raised 
 
 how mucli more strongly must this principle jrervade the heart 
 to enable us to suffer the loss of Hberty, deprived of the society 
 of a much loved wife and family, and in daily fear of an igno- 
 minioas death I We cannot sufflcieutly admire the grace of 
 (lod in the sufferer, nor abhor the tyranny under wliich he 
 tuifered. — £d. 
 
 up Noah to preach against it, and after that, 
 because they would not be reclaimed, he brought 
 the flood upon the whole world of these ungodly ; 
 and saved only Noah alive and his, because he had 
 kept himself righteous. Ge. vi. 1—13.* Here I could 
 enlarge abundantly, and add many more instances 
 of a like nature, but I am here only for a touch 
 upon things. 
 
 Second, Because it is so often commanded in 
 the scriptures. That all the congregation should 
 be holy. ' I am the Lord your God : ye shall 
 therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall he holy ; 
 for I am, holy.' Le. xi. 44. ' Ye shall be holy, for I 
 the Lord your God am holy.' xix.2. * Sanctify 
 yourselves therefore, and he ye holy : for I am the 
 Lord your God.' XX. 7.1 Pe.i. 15, 16. Besides, 1. The 
 gates of the temple were to be shut against all 
 other. ' Open ye the gates, that the righteous 
 nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. ' is. 
 xxvi. s. ' This gate of the Lord, into which the 
 righteous shall enter. ' Pa. cxviii. so. ' Thus saith the 
 Lord God; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, 
 nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my 
 sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the chil- 
 dren of Israel.' Eze. xliv. 9. 2. Because the things 
 of worship are holy ; ' Be ye clean that hear 
 the vessels of the Lord.' ls.lii. ll. 3. Because all 
 the limits and bounds of communion are holy. 
 ' This is the law of the house ; Upon the top of 
 the mountain, the whole limit thereof shall he 
 most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.' 
 Eze. xliii. 13.t 
 
 Third, I dare not have communion with them; 
 because the example of New Testament churches 
 before us, have been a community of visible saints. 
 Paul, to the Romans, writes thus : ' To all that 
 be in Rome, beloved of God, called to he saints.' 
 i. 7. And to the rest of the churches thus : ' Unto 
 the church of God which is at Corinth, to them 
 that are sanctified in Christ Jesus; called to he 
 saints.' iCo.i. 3. 'To the saints which are at 
 Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.' Ep.i.l. 
 ' To all the saints which are at Philippi, with 
 the bishops and deacons,' Phi. i.i. 'To the saints 
 and faithful brethren in Christ which are at 
 
 * This idea is found in other of Bunyan's Works. Certainly 
 the mixture of saints and sinners in a national church estab- 
 lished for worldly purposes, must engender hypocrisy and pride, 
 intolerance and persecution. Such leaders in Satan's army 
 were calciilated mightily to assist, if they were not the original 
 cause, of the overspreading of sin which called forth the flood 
 to wash away. — Ed. 
 
 t Bishop Hall describes a Christimi indeed as ' having white 
 hands and a clean soul, fit to lodge God in ; all the rooma 
 whereof are set apai-t for his holiness.' — En. 
 
A REASON OF MY PRACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 603 
 
 Colosse.' Col. i. 2. ' To the church of the Thes- 
 salonians, which is in God the Father, and in 
 the Lord Jesus Clirist,' <fcc. iTh. i.1. Thus you 
 see under what denomination those persons went 
 of old, who were counted worthy to he memhers 
 of a visihle cViurch of Christ. Besides, the mem- 
 bers of such churches go under such characters as 
 these. 
 
 (1.) 'The called of Christ Jesus.' Ro. i.e. (2.) 
 Men that have drank into the Spirit of Jesus 
 Christ. iCo. xii. 13. (3.) Persons in whom was God 
 the Father. Ep.iv. 6. (4.) They were all made par- 
 takers of the joy of the gospel. Phil. i. 7. (5.) Per- 
 sons that were circumcised inwardly. Col. ii, u. (6.) 
 Persons that turned from idols to serve the living 
 and true God. iTi. L9. (7.) Those that were the 
 body of Christ, and members iu particular, that 
 is, those that were visibly such; because they 
 made profession of faith, of holiness, of repentance, 
 of love to Christ, and of self-denial, at their receiv- 
 ing into fellowship. 
 
 Fourth, I dare not hold communion with the 
 open profane. 
 
 (1.) Because it is promised to the church, that 
 she shall dwell by herself; that is, as she is a 
 church, and spiritual; Lo, the people shall dwell 
 alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. 
 Nu. xxiiLO. (2.) Because this is their privilege. 
 ' But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priest- 
 hood, an holy nation, a peculiar people ; that ye 
 should shew forth the praises of him who hath 
 called you out of darkness into his marvellous 
 light.' 1 Pe. ii. 9, 10. (3.) Because this is the fruit of 
 thedeath of Christ, ' who gave himself for us, that he 
 might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto 
 himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. ' 
 Tit.iLU. (4.) Because this is the commandment: 
 ' Save yourselves from this untoward generation.' 
 Ac.iL40. (5.) Because with such it is not possible 
 we should have true and spiritual communion. Be 
 ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers : 
 for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrigh- 
 teousness ? and what communion hath light with 
 darkness? And what concord hath Christ with 
 BeUal ? or what part hath he that believe th with 
 an infidel ? And what agreement hath the temple 
 of God with idols ? for ye are the temple of the 
 living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them 
 and walk in them ; and I will be their God, and 
 they shall be my people. Wherefore come out 
 from among them, and be ye separate, saith the 
 Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will 
 receive you, and will be a Father unto you, - saith 
 the Lord Almighty. 2 Co. vi. 14—18. 
 
 Fifth, I dare not hold communion with the open 
 profane. Because 
 
 (1.) This would be ploughing with an ox, and an 
 ass to"-ether: Be. judi. lo. heavenly persons suit best fur 
 
 communion in heavenly matters. (2.) It subject- 
 eth not the nature of our discipline, which is not 
 forced, but free,* in a professed subjection to the 
 will and commandment of Christ: others being 
 excluded by God's own prohibition, ic. i, 3. Ro. ri. 17, 
 2Co.viii.i2iix.7,i3;viii.6. Paul also, when he exhorteth 
 Timothy to follow after righteousness, faith, cha- 
 rity, peace, he, (which are the bowels of church 
 communion,) he saith, do it ' with them that call 
 on the Lord, out of a pure heart. ' 2 Ti. ii. 22. 
 
 Sixth, In a word, to hold communion with the 
 open profane, is most pernicious and destructive. 
 (1.) 'Twas the wicked multitude that fell a lusting, 
 and that tempted Christ in the desert. Nu. xi. 4. (2.) 
 It was the profane heathen, of whom Israel learned 
 to worship idols. They ' were mingled among the 
 heathen, and learned their works. And seiTed 
 their idols ; which were a snare unto them. ' Ps. cvi. 
 35, 36. (3.) It is the mingled people that God hath 
 threatened to plague with those deadly punish- 
 ments of his, with which he hath threatened to 
 punish Babylon itself; saying. When a sword is upon 
 her liars, her mighty, her chariots, and treasures ; 
 a sword also shall be upon the mingled people that 
 are in the midst of her. 
 
 And no marvel: for, (1.) Mixed commimion pol- 
 luteth the ordinances of God. Say to the rebels, 
 saith the Lord God, ' Let it suffice you of all your 
 abominations, in that ye have brought irdo my 
 sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and 
 uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to 
 pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, 
 the fat and the blood, and they have broken my cove- 
 nant, because of all your abominations.' Eze. xiiv. e, 7. 
 (2.) It violateth the law. ' Her priests have vio- 
 lated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: 
 (how) They have put no difference between the 
 holy and profane, neither have they shewed differ- 
 ence between the unclean and the clean.' Eze. xx. 26. 
 (3.) It profaneth the holiness of God. ' Judah hath 
 dealt treacherously, and an abomination is commit- 
 ted in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath pro- 
 faned the holiness of the Lord which he loved, and 
 hath married the daughter of a strange god. Mai. ii. 
 11. (4.) It defileth the truly gracious. ' Know ye 
 not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump ?' 
 1 Co. V. 6. Look diligently therefore, ' lest any root 
 of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby 
 many be defiled. ' lie. xii. 15. 
 
 Lastly, To conclude, it provoketh God to punish 
 with severe judgments: And therefore heed well. (1.) 
 As I said before. The drowning of the whole world 
 was occasioned by the sons of God commixing them- 
 selves with the daughters of men ; and the corrup- 
 
 * Snbmissioa to the discipline of a Christian churcli must 
 be voluntary, and not by the constraint of force or hypocrisy. 
 In Christ's church all must be free, and not a mixture of free- 
 men and the slaves of sin. — Ed. 
 
604 
 
 A REASON OF MY PRACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 tion of worship that followed thereupon. Ge, vi; vii. 
 (2.) He sent a plague upon the children of Israel, for 
 joining themselves unto the people of Moab; and for 
 following their abominations in worship : Nu. ixt. 1—5. 
 Jos. xiu. 17. and let no man think, that now I have 
 altered the state of the question : for it is all one 
 with the church to communicate with the profane ; 
 and to sacrifice and ofier their gifts to the devil : 
 Dc. xxxii. 16—19* Ps. cvi. 36—40. the reason is, because such 
 have by their sin forsaken the protection of heaven, 
 and are given up to their own heart-lusts ; and 
 left to be overcome of the wicked, to whom they 
 have joined themselves. De. xii; Tii. l— 6. Join not 
 yourselves, said God, to the wicked, neither in 
 religion nor mairiages ; ' For they will turn away 
 thy son from following me, that they may serve 
 other gods : so wiU the anger of the Lord be kin- 
 dled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.' I'e. 
 vii. 6. ' Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by 
 these things ? yet among many nations was there 
 no king like him who was beloved of his God.' Ne. xiii. 
 26. Hear how Paul handleth the point ; ' But 1 
 say, that the things which the Gentiles [or openly 
 profane] sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not 
 to God ; and I would not that ye should have fel- 
 lowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of 
 the Lord, and the cup of devils : Ye cannot be par- 
 takers of the table of the Lord, and of the table 
 of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ? 
 Are we stronger than he ?' i Co. x. 20—23. I conclude, 
 that therefore it is an evil, and a dangerous thing 
 to hold church communion with the openly profane 
 and ungodly. It polluteth his ordinances : it vio- 
 lateth his law: it profaneth his holiness: it defil- 
 eth his people ; and provoketh the Lord to severe 
 and terrible judgments. 
 
 Object. But we can prove in all ages [that] 
 there have been the open profane in the church of 
 God. 
 
 Answ. In many ages indeed it hath been so : but 
 mark, they appeared not such, when first they 
 were received unto commimion, Ex. xii. 48. neither 
 were they with God's liking, as such, to be retained 
 among them, but in order to their admonition, 
 repentance and amendment of life: of which, if 
 they failed, God presently threatened the church ; 
 and either cut them off from the church, as he did 
 the idolaters, fornicators, murmurers, tempters, 
 sabbath breakers ; with Korah, Dathan, Achan, 
 
 and Otlicrs : 2 Co. vi. l Co.t. Ex. xxxii. 25. Nu. xxv. 1—9; xxi. 6, 
 6; xiv. 87; xvi; xv. 32—36. Jo.s. vii. 2 Ki. xvii. Eio. xxii. and xxiii. or 
 else cut off them with the church and all, as he 
 served the ten tribes at one time, and the two 
 tribes at another. ' My God will cast them away, 
 
 * "What faithfulness and plain dealing is here. If any 
 church communicates with the profane it is offering sacrifice to 
 the deyil. — Ed. 
 
 because they did not hearken unto liim : and they 
 shall be wanderers among the nations.' no. ix. 17. I 
 might here greatly enlarge, but I intend brevity ; 
 yet let me tell you, that when Neheraiah under- 
 stood by the book of the law of the Lord, that the 
 Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into 
 the congregation of God ; ' they separated from 
 Israel all the mixed multitude.' Ne.xiil.l— 3. Many 
 have pleaded for the profane, that they should 
 abide in the church of God ; but such hath not 
 considered, that God's wrath at all times hath with 
 great indignation been shewed against such offend- 
 ers and their conceits. Indeed they like not for 
 to plead for them under that notion, but rather as 
 Korah, and his company: 'AH the congregation 
 are holy every one of them. ' Nu. xvi. 3. But it maketh 
 no matter by what name they are called; if by 
 their deeds they shew themselves openly wicked: 
 for names and notions sanctify not the heart and 
 nature ; they make not virtues of vice, neither can 
 it save such advocates from the heavy curse both 
 of God and men. Pr. xvii. 15; xxiv. 24. ' The righteous 
 men, they shall judge them after the manner of 
 adulteresses, and after the manner of women that 
 shed blood ; because they are adulteresses, and 
 blood is in their hands.' Eze. xxiii. 45. 
 
 Second, Thus have I shewed you with whom I 
 dare not have communion : and now to shew you 
 with whom I dare. But in order thereto, I desire you 
 
 Fird, To take notice ; That touching shadowish, 
 or figurative ordinances ; I believe that Christ hatli 
 ordained but two in his church, viz.. Water baptism 
 and the supper of the Lord : both which are of excel- 
 lent use to the church in this world ; they being to 
 us representations of the death and resurrection of 
 Christ; and are, as God shall make them, helps 
 to our faith therein. But 1 count them not the 
 fundamentals of our Christianity, nor grounds or 
 rule to communion with saints: servants they are, 
 and our mystical ministers, to teach and instruct 
 us in the most weighty matters of the kingdom of 
 God: I therefore here declare my reverent esteem 
 of them ; yet dare not remove them, as some do, 
 from the place and end, where by God they are 
 set and appointed ; nor a.scribe unto them more 
 than they were ordered to have in their first and 
 primitive institution. It is possible to commit 
 idolatry even with God's own appointments; but 
 I pass this, and come to the thing propounded. , 
 
 Second, then, I dare have communion, church 
 communion, with those that are visible saints by 
 calling : with those that, by the word of the gos- 
 pel, have been brought over to faith and holiness: 
 and it maketh no matter to mc, what their life was 
 heretofore, if they now be 'washed,' if they be 
 ' sanctified,' if they be 'justified in the name of 
 the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.' 
 1 Co. vi. 11. Now in order to the discovery of this 
 
A REASON OF MY PRACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 BOB 
 
 faitli and holiness, and so to fellowship in church 
 communion: I hold it requisite that a faithful 
 relation be made thereof by the party thus to be 
 received; yea, if need bo, by witnesses also, for 
 the satisfaction of the church, that she may receive 
 in faith and judgment, such as best shall suit her 
 
 holy profession. Ac. ix. 26—29. 1 Co. ivi. 10. 2 Co. viii. 2S. 
 
 Observe it ; these texts do respect extraordinary 
 officers ; and yet see, that, in order to their recep- 
 tion by the church, there was made to them a 
 faithful relation of the faith and holiness of these 
 very persons ; for no man may intrude himself 
 upon, or thrust himself upon, or thrust himself 
 into a church of Christ ; without the church have 
 first the knowledge and liking of the person to be 
 received : if otherwise, there is a door opened for 
 all the heretics in the world ; yea, for devils also 
 if they appear in human shapes. But Paul shows 
 you the manner of receiving, by pleading (after 
 some disgrace thrown upon him by the false apos- 
 tles) for his own admission of his companions: 
 ' Receive us, [saith he,] we have wronged no man, 
 we have corrupted no man ; we have defrauded no 
 man.' 2Co. vii. 2. And so concerning Timothy: 
 ' If Timotheus come, (saith he,) see that he may 
 be with you without fear : for he worketh the 
 work of the Lord, as I also do. ' 1 Co. xvi. lo. Also, 
 when Paul supposed that Titus might be suspected 
 by some ; see how he pleads for him : If • any do 
 enquire of Titus, heis my partner and fellow-helper 
 concerning you : or our brethren 6e enquired of, 
 they are the messengers of the churches, and the 
 glory of Christ.' 2 Co. viii. 23. Phebe also, when she 
 was to be received by the church at Rome ; see 
 how he speaketh in her behalf: ' I commend unto 
 you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the 
 church which is at Cenchrea: that ye receive 
 her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye 
 assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of 
 you ; for she hath been a succourer of many, and 
 of myself also.' Eo. xvi, 1,2- Yea, when the apostles 
 Saul was in An- and brethren sent their epistles from 
 tiocli before, Jerusalem to Antioch ; under what 
 
 but oein^ 
 
 brought jnto characters do those go, that were the 
 false apostles, messengers to them ? ' It seemed 
 Snewcom-^"^ good unto [the Holy Ghost and to] 
 mendation. ^g^ , to send chosen men unto you 
 with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that 
 have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ,' kc. Ac. xv. 25— 27. Now though the 
 occasions upon which these commendations were 
 written were not simply, or only, in order to church 
 relation, but also for other causes ; yet because 
 the persons concerned were of the churches to be 
 received as faithful, and such who would partake 
 of church privileges with them, they have, there- 
 fore, their faith and faithfulness related to the 
 churches, as those that were particularly embodied 
 
 there. Besides Timothy and Titus being extra- 
 ordinary officers, stood as members and officers in 
 every church where they were received. Likewise 
 Barnabas and Saul, Judas and Silas, abode as 
 members and officers where they were sent. It 
 was requisite, therefore, that the letters of recom- 
 mendation should be in substance the same with 
 that relation that ought to be made to the church, 
 by or for the person that is to be embodied there. 
 But to return, I dare have communion, OHcncii 
 
 COMMUNION, WITH THOSE THAT ARE VISIBLE SAINTS 
 BY CALLING. 
 
 Quest. But by what rule would you receive them 
 into fellowship with yourselves ? 
 
 Answ. Even by a discovery of their faith and 
 holiness, and their declaration of willingness to 
 subject themselves to the laws and government of 
 Christ in his church. 
 
 Quest. But do you not count that by water bap- 
 tism, and not otherwise, that being the initiating 
 and entering ordinance ; they ought to be received 
 into fellowship ? 
 
 Answ. No ; But tarry, and take my sense with 
 my word. For herein lies the mistake. To think 
 that because in time past baptism was administered 
 upon conversion, that therefore it is the initiating 
 and entering ordinance into church communion : 
 when by the word no such thing is testified of it. 
 Besides, that it is not so will be manifest, if wo 
 consider the nature and power of such an ordinance. 
 
 That ordinance then, that is, the initiating or 
 entering ordinance [as before] doth give to them 
 that partake thereof a right to, and a being of, 
 membership with that particular church by which 
 it is administered. I say, a right to, and a being 
 of, membership, without the addition of another 
 church act. This is evident by the law of circum- 
 cision, which was the initiating law of old ; for 
 by the administration of that very ordinance, the 
 partaker thereof was forthwith a member of that 
 congregation, without the addition of another 
 church act. Ge. irii. This is declared in its first 
 institution, and therefore it is called the token of 
 the covenant. The token or sign of righteousness, 
 of Abraham's faith, and of the visible membership 
 of those that joined themselves to the church with 
 him ; the very inlet into church communion that 
 gave a being of membership among them. And 
 thus Moses himself expounds it ; ' every man's ser- 
 vant, that is bought for money, when thou hast 
 circumcised him, then shall eat' of the passover, 
 Ex. xii. 44, without the addition of another church 
 act, to empower him thereunto ; his circumcision 
 hath already given him a being there, and so a 
 right to, and privilege in church relation : ' A 
 foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof, 
 (because not circumcised). And when a stranger 
 shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover 
 
606 
 
 A REASON OF MY PKACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and 
 then let him come near and keep it ; (For then he 
 is one of the church) and he shall be as one born 
 in the land : for no uncircumcised person shall eat 
 thereof. ' Ex. xii. 48. Neither could any other thing, 
 according to the law of circumcision, give the 
 devoutest person that breathed a being of member- 
 ship with them. ' He that is born in thy house, 
 and he that is bought with thy money, must needs 
 be circumcised; - and the uncircumcised man 
 child, whose flesh of his foreskin- is not circum- 
 cised, that soul shall be cut off from his people.' 
 Ge. ivii. 13, li. Note then, that that which is the 
 initiating ordinance admitteth none into church- 
 communion but these that first partake thereof. 
 The angel sought to kill Moses himself, for attempt- 
 ing to make his child a member without it. Ex. iv. 
 24—26. Note again, that as it admitteth of none 
 to membership without it ; so as I said, the very act 
 of circumcising them, without the addition of 
 another church act, gave them a being of mem- 
 bership with that very church, by whom they were 
 circumcised. But none of this can be said of 
 baptism. First, there is none debarred or threat- 
 ened to be cut off from the church, if they be not 
 first baptized. Secondly, Neither doth it give to 
 the person baptized a being of membership with 
 this or that church, by whose members he hath 
 been baptized. John gathered no particular 
 church, yet was he the first and great baptizer 
 with water ; he preached Christ to come, and bap- 
 tized with the baptism of repentance, and left his 
 disciples to be gathered by him. Ac xix. 3— b. ' And 
 unto him shaU the gathering of the people be.' 
 Ge. xlix. 10. Besides, after Christ's ascension, Philip 
 baptized the eunuch, but made him by that no 
 member of any particular church. We only read, 
 that Philip was caught away from him, and that 
 the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way 
 rejoicing to his master and country of Ethiopia. 
 Ac. viii. 35— 40. Neither was Cornelius made a mem- 
 ber of the church at Jerusalem, by his being bap- 
 tized at Peter's command at Cesarea. Ac. x. and xi. 
 Neither were they that were converted at Antioch, 
 by them that were scattered from the church at 
 Jerusalem, by their baptism, if they were baptized 
 [in water] at all, joined to the church at Jerusa- 
 lem. Ac. xi. 19. No, they were after gathered and 
 embodied among themselves by other church acts. 
 Ac. xvi. What shall I say ? into what particular 
 church was Lydia baptized by Paul, or those first 
 converts at Phillppi ? Yea even in the second of 
 the Acts, baptizing and adding to the church 
 appear to be acts distmct : but if baptism were 
 the initiating ordinance, then was he that was 
 baptized made a member ; made a member of a 
 particular church, by the very act of water bap- 
 tism. Neither ought any by God's ordinance to 
 
 have baptized any, but with respect to the admit- 
 ting them by that act to a being of membership 
 in this particular church. For if it be the ini- 
 tiating ordinance, it entereth them into the church : 
 What church ? Into a visible church. Now there 
 is no church visible but that which is particular ; 
 the universal being utterly invisible, and known to 
 none but God. The person then that is baptized 
 stands by that a member of no church at all, 
 neither of the visible, nor yet of the invisible. A 
 visible saint he is, but not made so by baptism ; 
 for he must be a visible saint before, else he ought 
 not to be baptized. Ac. viii. 37; ix. 17; xvi. 33. 
 
 Take it again ; Baptism [in water] makes thee 
 no member of the church, neither particular nor 
 universal : neither doth it make thee a visible saint: 
 It therefore gives thee neither right to nor being 
 of membership at all. 
 
 Quest. But why then were they baptized ? 
 
 Ans. That their own faith by that figure might 
 be strengthened in the death and resurrection of 
 Christ. And that themselves might see, that they 
 have professed themselves dead, and buried, and 
 risen with him to newness of life. Col ii. 12. Ko. vi. 4. 
 It did not seal to the church that they were so 
 (their satisfaction as to thai arose from better argu- 
 ments) but taught the party himself that he ought 
 so to be. Farther, it confirmed to his own con- 
 science the forgiveness of sins, if by unfeigned 
 faith he laid hold upon Jesus Christ. Ga. iii. 20. 
 
 1 Co. XV. 29. Ac. ii. 38; xxii. IC. 1 Pe. iii. 21. Now then, if 
 
 baptism be not the initiating ordinance, we must 
 seek for entering some other way, by some other 
 appointment of Christ, unless we wiU say that with- 
 out rule, without order, and without an appoint- 
 ment of Christ, we may enter into his visible king- 
 dom. The church under the law had its initiating 
 and entering ordinance : it must not therefore be, 
 unless we should think that Moses was more punc- 
 tual and exact than Christ, but that also our Lord 
 hath his entering appointment. Now that which 
 by Christ is made the door of entrance into the 
 church, by that we may doubtless enter ; and seeing 
 baptism is not that ordinance, we ought not to seek 
 to enter thereby, but may with good conscience 
 enter without it. 
 
 Quest. But by what rule then would you gather 
 persons into church-communion ? 
 
 Ans. Even by that rule by which they are dis- 
 covered to the church to be visible saints ; and 
 willing to be gathered into their body and fellow- 
 ship. By that word of God therefore, by which 
 their faith, experience and conversation, being exa- 
 mined, is found good ; by that the church should 
 receive them into fellowship with them. Mark ; not 
 as they practise things that are circumstantial, but 
 as their faith is commended by a word of faith, and 
 their conversation by a moral precept. Wherefore 
 
A BEASON OF MY PRACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 607 
 
 that 13 observable, that after Paul had declared 
 himself sound of faith, he falls down to the body of 
 the law: ' Receive us, [saith he,] we have wronged 
 no man, we have corrupted no man, we have de- 
 frauded no man.' He saith not, I am baptized, 
 but I have wronged no man, <fec. a Co. vij. 2. [see also] 
 V. 18—21. And if churches after the confession of 
 faith made more use of the ten commandments, to 
 judge of the fitness of persons by; they might not 
 exceed by this seeming strictness. Christian tender- 
 ness towards them they receive to communion. 
 
 I will say therefore, that by the word of faith, 
 and of good works, moral duties gospelized, we 
 ought to judge of the fitness of members by, by 
 which we ought also to receive them to fellowship : 
 For he that in these things proveth sound, he hath 
 the antitype of circumcision, which was before the 
 entering ordinance. ' For he is not a Jew, which 
 is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, 
 which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew, 
 which is one inwardly; and circumcision is thai 
 of the heart, in the spirit, whose praise is not of 
 men, but of God. ' Uo. a. 28, 39. pw. m. 1—4. Now a 
 confession of this by word and life, makes this 
 inward circumcision visible ; when you know him 
 therefore to be thus circumcised, you ought to admit 
 him to the Lord's passover: he, if any, hath a 
 share not only in church-communion, but a visible 
 right to the kingdom of heaven. Again, ' For the 
 kingdom of God, [or our service to Christ] is not 
 meat and drink, but righteousness, peace and joy in 
 the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things 
 serveth Christ, is acceptable to Ood, and approved 
 of men.' Eo. xiv. 17, I8. De.1xTiii.47. By which word 
 Righteousness, he meaneth as James doth, the royal 
 law, the perfect law, which is the moral precept 
 evangelized, or delivered to us bythe hand of Christ. 
 Ja. a 8, 9. The law was given twice on Sinai: the last 
 time it was given with a proclamation of grace and 
 mercy of God, and of the pardon of sins going 
 before. Ex. xix. ; and xxxiv. 1—10. The second giving is 
 here intended ; for so it cometh after faith, which 
 first receiveth the proclamation of forgiveness ; 
 hence we are said to do this righteousness in the 
 joy and peace of the Holy Ghost. Now he that in 
 these things serveth Christ, is accepted of God, 
 and approved of men. For who is he that can 
 justly find fault with him, that fulfiUeth the royal 
 law from a principle of faith and love. ' Jf ye 
 fidfU the royal law according to the scripture. Thou 
 (Mi love. thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well;' ye 
 are approved of men. Again, he that hath loved 
 another hath fulfilled the law, for love is the ful- 
 filling of the law. He then that serveth Christ 
 according to the royal law, from faith and love 
 going before, he is a fit person for church-com- 
 munion; God accepteth him, men approve him. Now 
 that the royal law is the moral precept, read the 
 
 place. Ja. ii. 8—12. It is also called the law of liberty, 
 because the bondage is taken away by forgiveness 
 going before ; and this is it by which we are judged, 
 as is said, meet or unmeet for church-communion, 
 <fcc. 
 
 Therefore I say, the rule by which we receive 
 church-members, it is the word of the faith of Christ, 
 and of the moral precept evangelized, as I said 
 before, I am ' under the law to Christ,' saith Paul. 
 1 Co. u.. 31. So when he forbiddeth us communion 
 with men, they be such as are destitute of the faith 
 of Christ, and live in the transgression of a moral 
 precept : ' I have written unto you, [saith he,] not 
 to keep company, if any man that is called a 
 brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, 
 or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with 
 such an one no not to eat.' 1 Co. v. 11. He saith not, 
 if any man be not baptized [in water], have not 
 hands laid on him, or join with the unbaptized, 
 these are fictious, scriptureless notions. ' For this, 
 Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not 
 kill. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false 
 witness, Thou shalt not covet ; And if there he any 
 other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in 
 this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour 
 as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neiglibour : 
 therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. ' Ro. xiii. 9, 10. 
 The word of faith, and the moral precept, is that 
 which Paul enjoins the Galatians and Philippians, 
 still avoiding outward circumstances: hence there- 
 fore when he had to the Galatians treated of faith, 
 he falls point blank upon moral duties. ' For in 
 Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, 
 nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as 
 many as walk according to this rule, peace be on 
 them, aud mercy, and upon the Israel of God.' Ga. vi. 
 15,16. As many as walk according to this rule: 
 What rule ? The rule by which men are proved new 
 creatures: Theword of faith, and the moral precept. 
 Wherefore Paul exhorteth the Bphesians not to 
 walk, 'as other Gen tiles, inthe vanity of their mind; 
 seeing they had received Christ, and had ' heard 
 him, and had been taught by him as the truth is in 
 Jesus.' That they would put off the old man ; what 
 is that ? Why, ' the former conversation, ' which is 
 'corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;' lying, 
 anger, sin, giving place to the devil, corrupt commu- 
 nication, all bitterness, wrath, clamour, evil-speak- 
 ing, with all malice. And that they would ' put on 
 the new man. ' What is that ? That which is ' created 
 in righteousness and true holiness ;' a being'renewed 
 in the spirit' of their mind, and a putting away all 
 these things. Ep.iy. 'For in Christ Jesus;' these 
 words are put in, on purpose to shew us the nature 
 of New Testament administrations, and how they 
 differ from the old. In Moses an outward confor- 
 mity to an outward and carnal ordinance, was suf- 
 ficient to give (they subjecting themselves thereto) 
 
608 
 
 A REASON OP MY PRACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 a being of membership with the Jews ; but in 
 Christ Jesus it is not so; of Abraham's flesh was 
 the national Jewish congregation ; but it is Abra- 
 ham's faith that makes New Testament churches : 
 They that are of faith, are the children of faithful 
 Abraham. They that are of faith, the same are 
 the children of Abraham. Ga. ffi. 7—9. So then the 
 seed being now spiritual, the rule must needs be 
 spiritual also, viz. The word of faith and holiness. 
 This is the gospel concision knife, sharper than any 
 two-edged sword ; and that by which New Testa- 
 ment saints are circumcised in heart, ears, and 
 lips. 'For in Christ Jesus,' [is] no outward and 
 circumstantial thing, but the new creature ; none 
 are subjects of the visible kingdom of Christ but 
 visible saints by calling: now that which mani- 
 festeth a person to be a visible saint, must be con- 
 formity to the word of faith and holiness. ' And 
 they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with 
 the aflections and lusts.' Ga. y.24. Hearken how 
 delightfully Paul handleth the point: The new 
 creatures are the Israel of God. The new creature 
 hath a rule by himself to walk by ; and as many as 
 walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and 
 mercy, and upon the Israel of God. Paul to the 
 Phihppians commandeth as much ; where treating 
 of his own practice in the doctrine of faith and 
 holiness, requireth them to walk by the same rule, 
 to mind the same thing. I desire to be found in 
 Christ, saith he, 1 reach forward toward the things 
 that are before ; my conversation is in heaven, and 
 flatly opposite to them whose God is their belly, who 
 glory in their shame, and who mind earthly things. 
 Brethren, saith he, 'be followers together of me, and 
 mark them which walk so.' Ph. iu. 17. Mark them ; 
 for what? For persons that are to be received 
 into fellowship, and the choicest communion of 
 saints. And indeed this is the safest way to judge 
 of the meetness of persons by : for take away the 
 confession of faith and holiness ; and what can 
 distinguish a Christian from a Turk? He that 
 indeed receiveth faith, and that squareth his life 
 by the royal, perfect, moral precept'; and that 
 walketh therein, in the joy and peace of the Holy 
 Ghost, no man can reject him ; he cannot be a 
 man if he object against him ; not a man in Christ ; 
 not a man in understanding. ' The law is not 
 made for a righteous man;' neither to debar him 
 the communion of saints if he desire it, nor to cast 
 him out if he were in. ' But for the lawless and 
 disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for 
 unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and 
 murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whore- 
 mongers, for them that defile themselves with 
 mankind, for men-stealers, for liars, for perjured 
 persons, and if there be any other thing that is 
 contrary to sound doctrine; according to the glori- 
 ous gospel of the blessed God, which was committed 
 
 to my trust.' l Ti. i. 9—11. Paul also, when he would 
 leave an everlasting conviction upon the Ephesians, 
 concerning his faith and holiness, treating first of 
 the sufSciency of Christ's blood, and the grace of 
 God to save us; he adds, ' I have coveted no man's 
 silver, or gold, or apparel,' he bringeth them to the 
 the moral piecept, to prove the sincerity of his good 
 conversation by. Ac. xx. 33. And when men have 
 juggled what they can, and made never such a 
 prattle about religion ; yet if their greatest excel- 
 lency, as to the visibility of their saintship, lieth 
 in an outward conformity to an outward circum- 
 stance in religion, their profession is not worth two 
 mites. ' Let us walk honestly, as in the day ; not 
 in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and 
 wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye 
 on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision 
 for the flesh, XofdJU, the lusts thereof.' Ro xiii. v., u. 
 And it is observable, that after the apostle had in 
 the 9 th and 10th verses of this chapter told us, 
 that the moral precept is the rule of a good con- 
 versation, and exhorted us to make no provision 
 for the flesh ; he adds, these things provided, we 
 may receive any that believe in Christ Jesus unto 
 commmiion with us ; how weak soever and dark 
 in circumstantials ; and cliiefly designs the proof 
 thereof in the remaining part of his epistle. For he 
 that is of sound faith, and of conversation honest 
 in the world ; no man, however he may fail in cir- 
 cumstantials, may lightly reproach or vilify him. 
 And indeed such persons are the honour of Chris- 
 tian congregations. Indeed he is prejudiced, for 
 want of light in these things about which he is 
 dark, as of baptism, or the like ; but seeing that 
 is not the initiating ordinance, or the visible cha- 
 racter of a saint ; yea, seeing it maketh no breach 
 in a good and holy life : nor intrencheth upon any 
 man's right but his own ; and seeing his faith may 
 be eifectual without it, and his life approved by the 
 worst of his enemies ; why should his friends, while 
 he keeps the law, dishonour God by breaking of the 
 same? ' Speak not evil one of another, brethren. 
 He that speaketh evil of Ms brother, and judgeth 
 his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth 
 the law : But if thou judge the law, thou art not 
 a doer of the law, but a judge.' Ja. w. ii. He that 
 is judged, must needs fail somewhere in the appre- 
 hension of him that judgeth him, else why is he 
 judged. But he must fail in substance, for then 
 he is worthy to be judged, i Co.t. 12. His failure 
 is then in a circumstance, for which he ought not 
 to be judged. 
 
 Ol^eci. But notwithstanding aU that you have 
 said, water baptism ought to go before church- 
 membership ; shew me one in all the New Testa- 
 ment, that was received into fellowship without it. 
 
 Answ. 1. That water baptism hath formerly 
 gone first is granted ; but that it ought of neccs-> 
 
A REASON OF MY PEACTICE IN ■WORSHII'. 
 
 609 
 
 sity so to do, I never saw proof. 2. None ever 
 received it without light going before, unless they 
 did play the hypocrite: and besides no marvel 
 though in the primitive times it was so generally 
 practised first, for the unconverted themselves 
 know, it belonged to the disciples of Jesus Christ. 
 Jn. L24— 27. Yet that all that were received into 
 fellowship were even then baptized first, would 
 strain a weak man's wit to prove it, if arguments 
 were closely made upon these three texts of holy 
 scripture, i Co> i. 14— le. Ga. ia. 27. Bo, tI. 3. But I pass 
 them, and say, If you can shew me the Christian, 
 that in the primitive times remained dark about it, 
 I will shew you the Christian that was received 
 without it. But should I grant more than can be 
 proved, viz. That baptism was the initiating ordi- 
 nance ; and that it once did, as circumcision of old, 
 give a being of membership to the partakers ; yea 
 set the case that men were forbidden then to enter 
 into iellowship without it : yet the case may so be, 
 that these things notwithstanding, men might be 
 received into fellowship without it. All these things 
 intailed to circumcision ; that was the initiating 
 ordinance ; that gave being of membership ; that 
 was it without which it was positively commanded 
 none should be receiTed into fellowship. Jos. v. Yet 
 for all this more than six hundred thousand were 
 received into the church without it, yea received, 
 and also retained there, and that by Moses and 
 Joshua, even those to whom the land was promised, 
 when the uncircumcised were eut off. But why 
 then were they not circumcised ? Doubtless there 
 was a reason ; either they wanted time, or oppor- 
 tunity, or instruments, or something. But they 
 could not render a bigger reason than this, I have 
 no light therein: which is the cause at this day 
 that many a faithful man denieth to take up the 
 ordinance of baptism: but I say whatever the 
 hindrance was, it mattereth not ; our brethren have 
 a manifest one, an invincible one, one that all the 
 men on earth, nor angels in heaven can remove : 
 For it is God that createth light ; and for them to 
 do it without light would but prove them unfaithful 
 to themselves, and make them sinners against God ; 
 ' For whatsoever is not of faith is sin. ' Iio. liv. 23. 
 If therefore Moses and Joshua thought fit to com- 
 municate with six hundred thousand uncircumcised 
 persons ; when by the law not one such ought to 
 have been received among them ; why may not I 
 have communion, the closest communion with visible 
 saints as afore described, although they want light 
 in, and so cannot submit to that, which of God 
 was never made the wall of division betwixt us. I 
 shall therefore hold communion with such. 
 
 First, Because the true visible saint hath already 
 [been] subjected to that which is better ; even to 
 the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus 
 Christ; by which he stands just before Godj he also 
 
 VOL. 11. 
 
 hath made the most exact and strict rule under 
 heaven, that whereby he squares his life before 
 men. He hath like precious faith with the best 
 of saints,, and a conversation according to light 
 received, becoming the gospel of Christ. He is 
 therefore to be received, received I say, not by 
 THY light, not for that in clreumstances he jumpeth 
 with thy opiiilon ; but according to his own faith 
 which he ought to keep to himself before God. 
 ' Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the 
 other ; for why is my liberty judged of another 
 man's conscience. ' 1 Co. x. 29. Some indeed do object, 
 that what the apostles wrote, they wrote to gathered 
 churches, and so to such as were baptized. And 
 therefore the arguments that are in the epistles 
 about things circumstantial, respect not the case 
 in hand. But I will tell such, that as to the first 
 part of their objection, they are utterly under a 
 mistake. The first to the Corinthians, the epistle 
 of James, both them of Peter, and the first epistle 
 of John, were expressly written to all the godly, 
 as well as particular churches. Again ; If water 
 baptism, as the circumstances with which the 
 churches were pestered of old, trouble their peace, 
 wound the consciences of the godly, dismember and 
 break their fellowships j it is, although an ordi- 
 nance, for the present to be prudently shunned ; 
 for the edification of the church, as I shall shew 
 anon. Is to be preferred before it. 
 
 Second, and observe it; ' One Spirit, - bnft 
 hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism (not of 
 water, for by one Spirit are we all baptized Into 
 one body), one God and Father of all, who is above 
 all, and through all, and in you aU. ' Ep. iv. i_6. This 
 is a sufficient nile for us to hold communion by, 
 and also to endeavour the maintaining that com- 
 munion, and to keep it in imity, within the bond 
 of peace against all attempts whatsoever. iCo.xii.i6. 
 
 Third, I am bold therefore to have oommuniou 
 with such. He. Yi. 1, 2. Because they also have the 
 doctrine of baptisms : I say the doctrine of them. 
 For here you must note, I distinguish between the 
 doctrine and practice of water baptism ; The doc- 
 trine being that which by the outward sign is pre- 
 sented to us, or which by the outward circumstance 
 of the act is preached to the believer: viz. The 
 DEATH OF Christ ; Mt death with Christ ; also 
 his resurrection from the dead, and mine with 
 him to newness of life. This is the doctrine 
 which baptism preacheth, or that which by the 
 outward action is signified to the believing receiver. 
 Now I say, he that believeth in Jesus Christ hath 
 richer and better than that [of baptism in water], 
 viz. is dead to sin, and that lives to God by him, h© 
 hath the heart, power and doctrine of baptism : 
 aU then that he wanteth, is but the sign, the 
 shadow, or the outward circumstance thereof. Nor 
 yet is that despised but forborne for want of light, 
 4 H 
 
610 
 
 A REASON OF MY PRACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 The best of baptisms he hath ; he is baptized by 
 that one Spirit ; he hath the heart of water baptism, 
 he wanteth only the outward shew, which if he had 
 would not prove him a truly visible saint ; it would 
 not tell me he had grace in his heart. It is no 
 characteristical note to another, of my sonship with 
 God. Indeed it is a sign to the person baptized, 
 and an help to his own faith. He should know by 
 that circumstance, that he hath received remission 
 of sins ; if his faith be as true, as his being bap- 
 tized is felt by him. But if for want of light, he 
 partake not of that sign, his faith can see it in 
 other things, exceeding great and precious promises. 
 Yea, as I also have hinted already, if he appear 
 not a brother before, he appeareth not a brother 
 by that : And those that shall content themselves 
 to make that the note of visible church-member- 
 ship ; I doubt make things not much better, the 
 note of their sonship with God. 
 
 Fourth, I am bold to hold communion with 
 visible saints as afore [described]; because God 
 hath communion with them ; whose example in the 
 case, we are straitly commanded to follow. ' Re- 
 ceive ye one another as Christ also received us 
 (saith Paul,) to the glory of God. ' Ko. xv. 1—7. Yea, 
 though they be saints of opinions contrary to you ; 
 though it goeth against the mind of them that are 
 strong. ' We then that are strong ought to bear 
 the infirmities of the weak, and not to please 
 
 ourselves.' Ro. xr. 1. What infirmities? 
 
 Those that are natural are incident to 
 
 oftheway* ^^' ^^^7 ^^^ infirmities then that are 
 sinful, that cause a man, for want of 
 light, to err in circumstantials ; And the reason 
 upon which he grounds this admonitioEi is, that 
 ' Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written. 
 The reproaches of them that reproached thee, fell on 
 me.' You say, to have communion with such weak 
 brethren, reproacheth your opinions, and practice. 
 Grant it, your dulness and deadness, and imperfec- 
 tions also reproach the holiness of God ; if you say 
 no, for Christ hath borne our sins; the answer is still 
 the same. Their sins also are fallen upon Christ; he 
 then that hatli taken away thy sins from before the 
 throne of God ; hath taken away their shortness in 
 conformity to an outward circumstance in religion. 
 Both your infirmities are fallen upon Christ ; yea, 
 if notwithstanding thy great sins, thou standest by 
 Christ complete before the throne of God ; why may 
 not thy brother, notwithstanding his little ones, 
 stand complete before thee in the church. 
 
 Vain man ! think not by the straitness of thine 
 
 The strongeat 
 may sonie- 
 
 * One of the most touching scenes in the Pilgrim's Progress 
 bcautifiiUy illustrates this fact. When Christian led Hopeful 
 into Bye-path Meadow, so that they fell into the hands of 
 Giant Despair, Hopeful says, ' I would have spoke plainer, but 
 tliat you are older than I.' That whole scene manifests the 
 most delicate sensibility and christian feeling. — Ed. 
 
 order, in outward and bodily conformity, to out-' 
 ward and shadowish circumstances, that thy peace 
 is maintained with God, for peace with God is by 
 faith in the blood of his cross ; who hath borne the 
 reproaches of you both. Wherefore he that hath 
 communion with God for Christ's sake, is as good 
 and as worthy of the communion of saints as thy. 
 self. He erreth in a cibcumstancb, thou errest in 
 A SUBSTANCE ; who must bear these errors 1 Upon 
 whom must these reproaches fall ? Phi. i. lo. Some 
 of the things of God that are excellent, have not 
 been approved by some of the saints : What then ? 
 must these for this be cast out of the church ? No, 
 these reproaches by which the wisdom of heaven 
 is reproached have fallen upon me, saith Christ. 
 But to return; God hath received bim, Christ 
 hath received him, therefore do you receive him. 
 There ia more solidity in this argument, than if 
 all the churches of God had received him. This 
 receiving then, because it is set as an example to 
 the church, is such as must needs be visible to 
 them ; and is best described by that word which 
 discovereth the visible saint. Whoso, therefore, 
 you can by the word, judge a visible saint, one 
 that walketh with God; you may judge by the 
 selfsame word that God hath received him. Now 
 him that God receiveth and holdeth communiou 
 with, him you should receive and hold communion 
 with. Will any say we cannot believe that God 
 hath received any but such as are baptized [in 
 water] ? I wUl not suppose a brother so stupified ; 
 and therefore to that I will not answer. 
 
 Receive him ' to the glory of God. ' To the 
 glory of God, is put in on purpose, to show what 
 dishonour they bring to God, who despise to have 
 communion with them; who yet they know have 
 communion with God. For how doth this man, or 
 that church, glorify God, or count the wisdom and 
 holiness of heaven beyond them, when they refuse 
 communion with them, concerning whom, they are 
 by the word convinced, that they have communion 
 with God. ' Now the God of patience and cousOt 
 lation grant you to be like minded one towards 
 another according to Christ .lesus.' Eo. xv. 5. By 
 this word patience, Paul insinuateth how many 
 imperfections, the choicest Christians do mingle 
 their best performances with. And by this of 
 consolation, how readily God overlooks, passeth by 
 them, and comforteth you notwithstanding. Now 
 that this mind should be in Christians one to 
 another, is manifest ; because Paul prays that it 
 might be so. But this is an heavenly gift, and 
 therefore must be fetched from thence. But let 
 the patience of God, and the willingness of Clirist, 
 to bear the reproaches of the weak ; and the con- 
 solations that they have in God, notwithstanding, 
 moderate your passions, and put you upon prayer, 
 to be minded like Jesus Christ. 
 
\ REASON OP MY PEACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 611 
 
 Fifih, Because a failure in such a circumstance 
 as water, doth not unchristian us. This must 
 needs be granted, not only from what was said 
 before ; but for that thousands of thousands that 
 could not consent thereto as we have, more glori- 
 ously than we are like to do, acquitted themselves 
 and their Christianity before men, and are now 
 with the innumerable company of angels and the 
 spirits of just men made perfect. What is said of 
 eating, or the contrary, may as to this be said of 
 water baptism. Neither if I be baptized, am I 
 the better, neither if I be riot, am I the worse : not 
 the better before God: not the worse before men : 
 still meaning as Paul doth, provided I walli accord- 
 ing to my light with God : otherwise it is false ; 
 for if a man that seeth it to be his duty shall 
 despisingly neglect it; or if he that hath no faith 
 therein shall foolishly take it up ; both these are 
 for this the worse, being convicted in themselves 
 for transgressors. He therefore that doth it 
 according to his light, doth well, and he that doth 
 it not, or dare not do it for want of light, doth not 
 ill ; for he approveth his heart to be sincere with 
 God ; he dare not do any thing but by light in the 
 word. If therefore he be not by grace a partaker 
 of light, in that circumstance which thou professest ; 
 yet he is a partaker of that liberty and mercy by 
 which thou standest. He hath liberty to call God 
 father, as thou : and to believe he shall be saved 
 by Jesus', his faith, as thine, hath purified his 
 heart : he is tender of the glory of God as thou 
 art : and can claim by grace an interest in heaven ; 
 which thou must not do because of water; ye are 
 both then Christians before God and men without 
 it : he that can, let him preach to himself by that : 
 he that cannot, let him preach to himself by the 
 promises; but yet let us rejoice in God together: 
 let us exalt his name together. Indeed the bap- 
 tized can thank God for that, for which another 
 cannot ; but may not he that is unbaptized thank 
 God for that which the baptized cannot ? Wouldest 
 thou be content that I should judge thee, because 
 thou canst not for my light give thanks with me ? 
 why then should he judge me, for that I cannot 
 ^ive thanks with him for his ? ' Let us not there- 
 fore judge one another any more : but judge this 
 rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an 
 occasion to fall in his brother's way. ' Bo. xir. is. And 
 seeing the things wherein we exceed each other, 
 are such as neither make nor mar Christianity ; 
 let us love one another and walk together by that 
 glorious rule above specified, leaving each other in 
 all such circumstances to our own master, to our 
 o^vn faith. ' Who art thou that judgest another 
 man's servant ? to his own master he standeth or 
 falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up : for God is 
 able to make him stand.' Ko. xiv. 4 
 
 Sixth, I am therefore for holding communion 
 
 thus, because the edification of souls in the faith 
 and holiness of the gospel, is of greater concern- 
 ment than an agreement in outward things ; * I 
 say, it is of greater concernment with us, and of 
 far more profit to our brother ; than our agreeing 
 in, or contesting for the business of water baptism. 
 
 Jn. xvi. 13. 1 Co. liv. 26. 2 Co. jr. 8; xii. 19. Ep. iv. 12. 2Ti. iii. 17 
 
 1 Co. viii. 1; xiii. 1—4. That the edification of the soul, 
 is of the greatest concern, is out of measure evident 
 because heaven and eternal happiness are so imme- 
 diately concerned therein. Besides, this is that 
 for which Christ died, for which the Holy Ghost 
 was given, yea for which the scriptures and the 
 gifts of all the godly are given to the church ; yea, 
 and if gifts are not bent to this very work, the 
 persons are said to be proud or uncharitable that 
 have them; and stand but for cyphers or worse 
 among the churches of God. Farther, edification 
 is that that cherisheth all grace, and maketh the 
 Christians quick and lively, and maketh sin lean 
 and dwindling, and filleth the mouth with thanks- 
 giving to God. But to contest with gracious men, 
 with men that walk with God ; to shut such out 
 of the churches ; because they will not sin against 
 their souls, rendereth thee uncharitable. Ro.xiv. 15,20. 
 Thou seekest to destroy the word of God; thou 
 begettest contentions, janglings, murmurings, and 
 evil surmisings, thou ministerest occasion for whis- 
 perings, backbitings, slanders and the like, rather 
 than godly edifying ; contrary to the whole current 
 of the scriptures and peace of all communities. 
 Let us therefore leave off these contentions, ' and 
 follow after the things that make for peace, and 
 things wherewith one may edify another.' Ro. xiv.19. 
 And know that the edification of the church of 
 God dependeth not upon, neither is tied to this or 
 that circumstance. Especially when there are in 
 the hearts of the godly, different persuasions about 
 it ; then it becometh them in the wisdom of God, 
 to take more care for their peace and unity ; than 
 to widen or make large their uncomfortable dif- 
 ferences. 
 
 Although Aaron transgressed the law, because 
 he ate not the sin-offering of the people ; yet seeing 
 he could not do it with satisfaction to his own con- 
 science, Moses was content that he left it undone. 
 Le. X. ift— 20. Joshua was so zealous against Eldad 
 and Medad, for prophesying in the camp, without 
 first going to the Lord to the door of the taber- 
 nacle, as they were commanded, that he desired 
 
 * How strange tliat pious men should have been prone to 
 punish their fellows for non-conformity in an outward sign. 
 They themselves were suffering inconceivable miseries under 
 acts of uniformity in rites and ceremonies. How applicable 
 to the framers of such acts of parliament are our Lord's words 
 ' Woe unto you, pharisees, who whiten and garnish the outside 
 of a sepulchre, while within it is full of uncleanness, hypocrisy, 
 and iniquity,' Mat. ixiii. — Ej). 
 
613 
 
 A REASON OF MY PRACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 Moses to forbid them. Nu. xi. 27, 28. But Moses calls 
 his zeal envy, and prays to God for more such 
 prophets ; knowing that although they failed in a 
 circumstance, they were right in that which was 
 better. The edification of the people in the camp 
 was that which pleased Moses. 
 
 In Hezekiah's time, though the people came to 
 the passover in an undue manner, and ' did eat, it 
 otherwise than it was written ; ' yet the wise king 
 woidd not forbid them, but rather admitted it, 
 knowing that their edification was of greater con- 
 cern, than to hold them to a circumstance or two. 
 2 Ch. XXX. 13—27. Yea, God himself did liko the wis- 
 dom of the king, and healed, that is, forgave, the 
 people at the prayer of Hezekiah. And observe 
 it, notwithstanding this disorder, as to circum- 
 stances, the feast was kept with great gladness ; 
 and the Levites and the priests praised the Lord 
 day by day, singing with loud instruments unto 
 the Lord ; yea, there was not the like joy in Jeru- 
 salem from the time of Solomon unto that same 
 time. What shall we say, all things must give 
 place to the profit of the people of God. Yea, 
 sometimes laws themselves, for their outward pre- 
 servation, much more for godly edifying. When 
 Christ's disciples plucked the ears of corn on the 
 sabbath, no doubt for very hunger, and were 
 rebuked by the Pharisees for it, as for that which 
 was unlawful; how did their Lord succour them ? 
 By excusing them, and rebuking their adversaries. 
 ' Have ye not read, ' said he, ' what David did 
 when he was an hungred, and they that were with 
 him ; how he entered into the house of God, and 
 did eat the shew bread, which was not lawful for 
 him to eat, neither for them which were with him, 
 but only for the priests ? Or have ye not read in 
 the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests 
 in the temple profaned the sabbathy and are blame- 
 less ? ' Mat. jii. 1—5. Why blameless ? because they 
 did it in order to the edification of the people. If 
 laws and ordinances of old have been broken, and 
 the breach of them borne with, when yet the observ- 
 ance of outward things was more strictly com- 
 manded than now, when the profit and edification 
 of the people came in competition, how much more 
 may not we have communion, church communion, 
 where no law is transgressed thereby. 
 
 Seventh, Therefore I am for holding commu- 
 nion thus, because love, which above all things 
 we are commanded to put on, is of much more 
 worth than to break about baptism ; Love is also 
 more discovered when it receiveth for the sake of 
 Christ and grace, than when it refuseth for want 
 of water: and observe it, as I have also said 
 before, this exhortation to love is grounded upon 
 the putting on of the new creature ; which new 
 creature hath swallowed up all distinctions, that 
 have before been common among the churches. 
 
 As I am a Jew, you are a Greek j I am circum- 
 cised, you are not: I am free, you are bound. 
 Because Christ was all in all these, ' Put on there- 
 fore,' saith he, ' as the elect of God, holy and 
 beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness 
 of mind, meekness, long-sufifering, ' that is, with 
 reference to the infirmities of the weak, ' forbear- 
 ing one another, and forgiving one another, if any 
 man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ 
 forgave you, so also do ye: and above aU these 
 things put on charity, which is the bond of perfect- 
 ness. ' Col. iii. 12—14. Which forbearing and forgiving 
 respecteth not only private and personal injuries, 
 but also errors in judgment about inclinations and 
 distinctions tending to divisions, and separating 
 upon the grounds laid down in ver. 11. which how 
 little soever they now seem to us, who are beyond 
 them, were strong, and of weight to them who in 
 that day were entangled with them. Some saints 
 then were not free to preach to any but the Jews : 
 denying the word of life to the Gentiles, and con- 
 tending with them who preferred it to them : which 
 was a greater error than this of baptism. Ac. xi. 1— 
 19. But what should we do with such kind of 
 saints ? Why love them still, forgive them, bear 
 with them, and maintain church communion with 
 them. Why ? because they are new creatures, 
 because they are Christ's : for this swallows up all 
 distinctions. Farther, because they are elect and 
 beloved of God. Divisions and distinctions are of 
 shorter date than election ; let not them therefore 
 that are but momentary, and hatched in darkness, 
 break that bond that is from everlasting. It is 
 love, not baptism, that discovereth us to the world 
 to be Christ's disciples. It is love, that is the 
 undoubted character of our interest in, and son- 
 ship with God : I mean when we love as saints, 
 and desire communion with others, because they 
 have fellowship one with another, in their fellow- 
 ship with God the Father, and his Son Jesus 
 Christ. iJn. i. 8. And now though the truth and 
 sincerity of our love to God, be then discovered 
 when we keep his commandments, in love to his 
 name; yet we should remember again, that the 
 two head and chief commandments, are faith in 
 Jesus, and love to the brethren. 1 Jn. iii. 23. So then 
 he that pretendeth to love, and yet seeks not the 
 profit of his brother in chief; he loveth, but they 
 are his own opinions and froward notions. Ja. iv. 11. 
 Ro. xiv. 21. ' Love is the fulfilling of the law ;' but 
 he fulfils it not who judgeth and setteth at nought 
 his brother ; that stumbleth, offendeth, and maketh 
 weak his brother ; and all for the sake of a circum- 
 stance, that to which he cannot consent, except he 
 sin against his own soul, or Papist like, live by an 
 implicit faith.* Love therefore is sometimes more 
 
 * ' Au implicit faith ;' faith iu things without inquiry, or in 
 things not expressed. — Ed. 
 
A REASON OF MY PKACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 613 
 
 seen and showed, in forbearing to urge and press 
 what we know, than in publishing and imposing. 
 ' I could not,' (saith Paul, love would not let me) 
 'speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto 
 carnal, even as unto babes b Christ. 1 have fed 
 you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye 
 were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye 
 able.' 1 Co. ui. 1,2. The apostle considered not only 
 the knowledge that he had in the mysteries of 
 Christ ; but the temper, the growth, and strength 
 of the churches, and accordingly kept back, or 
 communicated to them, what might be for their 
 profit. Ac. XX. 18-30. So Christ, ' I have yet many 
 thmgs to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them 
 now. ' Jn. xYi. 13. It may be some will count these 
 old and threadbare texts ; but such must know, 
 that the word of the Lord must stand for ever. 
 I3. xl. 8. And I should dare to say to such, if the 
 best of thy new shifts, be to slight, and abuse old 
 scriptures; it shews thou art more fond of thy 
 unwarrantable opinion, than swift to hear, and 
 ready to yield to the authority that is infallible. 
 
 But to conclude this, when we attempt to force 
 our brother beyond his light, or to break his heart 
 with grief; to thrust him beyond his faith, or to 
 bar him from his privilege; how can we say, I 
 love? What shall I say? To have fellowship 
 one with another for the sake of an outward cir- 
 cumstance, or to make that the door to fellowship 
 which God hath not ; yea to make that the includ- 
 ing, excluding charter; the bounds, bar, and rule 
 of communion ; when by the word of the everlast- 
 ing testament there is no warrant for it ; to speak 
 charitably, if it be not for want of love, it is for 
 want of knowledge in the mysteries of the kingdom 
 of Christ. Strange ! take two Christians equal 
 in all points but this, nay, let one go beyond the 
 other far, for grace and holiness ; yet this circum- 
 stance of water shall drown and sweep away all 
 his excellencies, not counting him worthy of that 
 reception, that with hand and heart shall be given 
 to a novice in religion, because he consents to 
 water. 
 
 EigMi, But for God's people to divide into 
 parties, or to shut each other from church com- 
 munion ; though from greater points, and upon 
 higher pretences, than this of water baptism ; hath 
 heretofore been counted carnal, and the actors 
 herein babyish Christians. Paul and ApoUos, 
 Cephas and Christ, were doubtless higher things 
 than those about which we contend; yet when 
 they made divisions for them; how sharply are 
 they rebuke* ? Are ye not carnal, carnal, 
 CARNAL ? For whereas there are among you, 
 envyings, strife, divisions, or factions : ' are ye not 
 carnal.' iCo. i. ii, 13; iii.i— 4. While one saith, I am 
 of Paul, and another I am of ApoUos, are ye not 
 carnal ? See therefore from whence arise all tliy 
 
 endeavours, zeal, and labour, to accomplish divi- 
 sions among the godly: let Paul or Cephas, or 
 Christ himself, be the burthen of thy song, yet tho 
 heart from whence they flow is carnal ; and thy 
 actions, discoveries of childishness. But, doubt- 
 less when these contentions were among the Corin- 
 thians, and one man was vilified, that another 
 might be promoted ; a lift with a carnal brother, 
 was thought great wisdom to widen the breach. 
 But why should he be rebuked, that said he was 
 for Christ ? Because he was for him in opposi- 
 tion to his holy apostles. Hence he saith, ' Is 
 Christ divided, ' or separate from his servants ? 
 Note therefore that these divisions are deserted by 
 the persons the divisions were made about; neither 
 Paul, nor ApoUos, nor Cephas, nor Christ is here. 
 Let the cry be never so loud, Christ, order, the 
 rule, the command, or the like; carnality is but 
 the bottom, and they are but babes that do it; 
 their zeal is but a pufi'. i Co. iv. 6. And observe it, 
 the great division at Corinth, was helped forward 
 by water baptism : this the apostle intimates by, 
 ' Were ye baptized in the name of Paul ? ' Ab, 
 brethren ! Carnal Christians with outward circum- 
 stances, will, if they be let alone, make sad work 
 in the churches of Christ, against the spiritual 
 growth of the same. But ' T thank God,' saith 
 Paul, 'thai I baptized none of you,' &c. Not but 
 that it was then an ordinance of God, but they 
 abused it, in making parties thereby. ' I baptized 
 none of you, but Crispus and Gains, and the 
 household of Stephanus ; ' men of note among the 
 brethren, men of good judgment, and reverenced 
 by the rest ; they can tell you I intended not to 
 make a party to myself thereby. ' Besides, I 
 know not whether I baptized any other.' By this 
 negligent relating, who were baptized by him ; he 
 showeth that he made no such matter of baptism, 
 as some in these days do ; nay, that he made no 
 matter at all thereof, with respect to church com- 
 munion ; for if he did not heed who himself had 
 baptized ; he much less heeded, who were baptized 
 by others ; but if baptism had been the initiating, 
 or entering ordinance, and so appointed of God ; 
 no doubt he had made more conscience thereof, 
 than so lightly to pass it over. ' For Christ sent 
 me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. ' The 
 gospel then may be effectually preached, and yet 
 baptism neither administered nor mentioned. The 
 gospel being good tidings to sinners, upon the 
 account of free grace through Christ ; but baptism 
 with things of like nature, are duties enjoined such 
 a people who received the gospel before. I speak 
 not this, because I would teach men to break the 
 least of the commandments of God ; but to persuade 
 my brethren of the baptized way, not to hold too 
 much thereupon, not to make it an essential of tho 
 gospel of Christ, nor yet of communion of saints. 
 
614 
 
 A REASON OF MY PRACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 'He sent me not to baptize;' these words are 
 spoken with holy indignation against them that 
 ahuse this ordinance of Christ. So when lie 
 speaketh of the ministers themselves, which also 
 thej had abused ; in his speaking, he as it were 
 trampleth upon them, as if they were nothing at 
 all. ' Who then is Paul, and who is ApoUos ? ' 
 ' He that planteth is not any thing, neither is he 
 that watereth, but God that giveth the increase.' 
 1 Co. iii. 5, 7. Yet for aU this, the ministers and their 
 ministry are a glorious appointment of God in the 
 world. Baptism also is a holy ordinance, but 
 when Satan abuseth it, and wrencheth it out of its 
 place ; making that which was ordained of God for 
 the edification of believers, the only weapon to 
 break in pieces the love, the unity, the concord of 
 saints ; then What is baptism ? then neither is 
 baptism anything. And this is no new doctrine ; 
 for God by the mouth of his prophets of old, cried 
 out against his own institutions, when abused by 
 his people : ' To what purpose is the multitude of 
 your sacrifices unto me,' saith tlie Lord : 'I am full 
 of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed 
 beasts ; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, 
 or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to 
 appear before me, who hath required this at your 
 hands, to tread my courts ? Bring no more vain 
 oblations, incense is an abomination to me ; the 
 new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, 
 I cannot away with ; it is iniquity, even the solemn 
 meeting. Your new moons and your appointed 
 feasts my soul hateth : they are a trouble unto me, 
 I am weary to bear them. ' is. i. 11—14. And yet all 
 these were his own appointments. But why then 
 did he thus abhor them ? Because they retained 
 the evil of their doings, and used them as they did 
 other of his appointments, viz., 'For strife and 
 debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness : ' 
 ch. iriii. 4. Wherefore when that of God that is great, 
 is overweighed by that which is small ; it is the 
 wisdom of them that see it, to put load to the 
 other end of the scale ; until the things thus abused, 
 poise in their own place. But to pass this and 
 proceed. 
 
 Ninth, If we shall reject visible saints by call- 
 ing saints that have communion with God, that 
 have received the law at the hand of Christ, that 
 are of an holy conversation among men ; they 
 desiring to have communion with us, as much as 
 in us lieth, we take from them their very privileges, 
 and the blessings to which they were born of God. 
 For Paul saith not only to the gathered church at 
 Corinth, but to all scattered saints that in every 
 place call upon the name of the Lord ; That Jesus 
 Christ is theirs. That Paul, and Apollos, and the 
 world, and life, and death, and all things are theirs, 
 because they are Christ's, and Christ is God's. 
 But saith he, let no man glory in men, such as 
 
 Paul and Cephas, though these were excellent: 
 because this privilege comes to you upon another 
 bottom, even by faith of Jesus Christ, ' Drink you 
 all of this,' is entailed to faith, not baptism: nay, 
 baptized persons may yet be excluded this ; when 
 he that discemeth the Lord's body hath right 
 and privilege to it. i Co. xi. 28, 29. But to exclude 
 Christians from church communion and to debar 
 them their heaven-born privileges, for the want of 
 that which yet God never made a wall of division 
 between us. 
 
 (1.) This looks too like a spirit of persecution. 
 Jobxk. 28. (2.) It respecteth more a form, than the 
 spirit and power of godliness. 3Ti. ffi. 6. (3.) This 
 is to make laws, where God hath made none, and 
 to be wise above what is written, contrary to God's 
 word, and our own principles. (4.) It is a direct- 
 ing of the Spirit of God. (5.) It bindeth all men's 
 faith and light to mine opinion. (6.) It taketh 
 away the children's bread. (7.) It withholdeth 
 from them the increase of faith. (8.) It tendeth 
 to harden the hearts of the wicked. (9.) It tend- 
 eth to make wicked the hearts of weak Christians. 
 (10.) It setteth open a door to all temptations. 
 (II.) It tempteth the devil to fall upon those that 
 are alone, and have none to help them. (12.) It 
 is the nursery of all vain j anglings, back-bitings, 
 and strangeness among the Christians. (13.) It 
 occasioneth the world to reproach us. (14.) It 
 holdeth staggering consciences, in doubt of the 
 right way of the Lord. (15.) It giveth occasion 
 to many to turn aside to most dangerous heresies. 
 (16.) It abuseth the holy scriptures ; It wresteth 
 God's ordinances out of their place. (17.) It is a 
 prop to antichrist. (18.) Shall I add. Is it not 
 that which greatly prevailed to bring down these 
 judgments, which at present we feel and groan 
 under ;* I will dare to say, it was t a cause 
 thereof. 
 
 Tenth, and lastly. Bear with one word farther. 
 What greater contempt can be thrown upon the 
 saints than for their brethren to cast them off, or 
 to debar them church-communion ? Think you 
 not that the world may groimdly say, Some great 
 iniquity lies hid in the skirts of your brethren; 
 when in truth the transgression is yet your own ? 
 
 * ' These judgments we feel and groan under.' So frightful 
 were the persecutions of the dissenters by the church in 1670, 
 that the narrative says, ' The town [of Bedford] was so thin 
 of people, and the shops shut down, that it seemed like a place 
 visited with the pest, where usually is written upon the door, 
 " Lord, have mercy upon us." ' Had the dissenters been 
 united, the church would not have dared to Exercise such bar- 
 barities — men and women in jails — some hanged for not going 
 to church— all their goods swept away, and their children 
 perishing. — Ed. 
 
 t The printer had inserted ' the cause ;' Bunyau's manu^ 
 script was 'a cause.' See marginal note, in his Differences in 
 Judgment, p. 619. — Ed. 
 
A REASON OF MY PRACTICE IN WORSHIP. 
 
 615 
 
 But I say, what can the church do more to the 
 sinaers or open profane ? Civil commerce you 
 will have with the worst, and what more have 
 you with these ? Perhaps you will say we can 
 pray and preach with these ; and hold them Chris- 
 tians, saints, and godly. Well, but let me ask 
 you one word farther: Do you believe, that of 
 very conscience they cannot consent, as you, to 
 that of water baptism ? And that if they had 
 light therein, they would as willingly do it as you ? 
 Why then, as I have shewed you, our refusal to 
 hold communion with them is without a ground 
 from the word of God. But can you commit your 
 soul to their ministry, and join with them in 
 prayer ; and yet not count them meet for other 
 gospel privileges ? I would know by what scrip- 
 ture you do it ? Perhaps you will say, I commit 
 not my soul to their ministry, only hear them 
 occasionally for trial. If this be all the respect 
 thou hast for them and their ministry, thou may- 
 cst have as much for the worst that pisseth against 
 _the wall. But if thou canst hear them as God's 
 ministers, and sit under their ministry as God's 
 ordinance ; then shew me where God hath such a 
 gospel ministry, as that the persons ministering 
 may not, though desiring it, be admitted with you 
 to the closest communion of saints. But if thou 
 sittest under their ministry for fleshly politic ends, 
 thou hearest the word like an atheist, and art thy- 
 self, while thou judgest thy brother, in the prac- 
 tice of the worst of men. But I say, where do 
 you find this piece-meal communion with men that 
 profess faith and holiness as you, and separation 
 from the world. If you object, that my principles 
 lead me to have communion with all ; I answer 
 with all as afore described ; if they will have com- 
 munion with me. 
 
 Object. Then you may have communion with the 
 members of antichrist. 
 
 Answ. If there be a visible saint yet remaining 
 in that church ; let him come to us, and we will 
 have communion with him. 
 
 Quest. What, though he yet stand a member 
 of that sinful number, and profess himself one of 
 them. 
 
 Answ. You suppose an impossibility ; for it can- 
 not be that, at the same time, a man should visibly 
 stand a member of two bodies diametrically oppo- 
 site one to another. Wherefore it must be sup- 
 posed, that he who professeth himself a member 
 of a church of Christ, must forthwith, nay before, 
 forsake the antichristian one. The which if he 
 refuseth to do, it is evident he doth not sincerely 
 desire to have fellowship with the saints. 
 
 [Quest.] But he saith he cannot see that that 
 company to which you stand opposite, and conclude 
 antichristian, is indeed the antichristian church. 
 
 [Answ.] If so, he cannot desire to join with 
 
 another, if he know them to be professedly and 
 directly opposite. I hold therefore to what I said 
 at first ; That if there be any saints in the anti- 
 christian church, my heart, and the door of our 
 congregation is open to receive them, into closest 
 fellowship with us. 
 
 Object. But how if they yet retain some anti- 
 christian principles. 
 
 Answ. If they be such as eat out the bowels 
 of a church, so soon as they are detected he must 
 either be kept out, while out, or cast out, if in : 
 for it must be the prudence of every community 
 to preserve its own unity with peace and truth : 
 the which the churches of Christ may do ; and 
 yet as I have shewed already, receive such per- 
 sons as differ upon the point of water baptism. 
 For the doing or not doing of that neither maketh 
 nor marreth the bowels or foundation of church- 
 communion. 
 
 Object. But this is receiving for opinion sake ; 
 as before you said of us. 
 
 Answ. No; we receive him for the sake of 
 Christ, and grace, and for our mutual edification 
 in the faith ; and that we respect not opinions, I 
 mean in lesser matters, 'tis evident ; for things 
 wherein we differ are no breach of communion 
 among us ; we let every man have his own faith in 
 such things to himself before God. 
 
 I NOW COME TO A SHORT APPLICATION. 
 
 I. Keep a strict separation, I pray you, from 
 communion with the open profane ; and let no 
 man use his liberty in church relation as an occa- 
 sion to the flesh ; but in love serve one another. 
 ' Looking diligently - lest any root of bitterness - 
 (any poisonful herb, De. xxix. 18.) springing up trouble 
 you, and thereby many be defiled.' He. xii. is. And 
 let those that before were reasons for my separa- 
 tion, be motives to you to maintain the like : and 
 remember that when men have said what they can 
 for a sinful mixture in the worship of God ; the 
 arm of the Lord is made bare against it. 
 
 II. In the midst of your zeal for the Lord, 
 remember that the visible saint is his ; and is pri- 
 vileged in all those spiritual things that you have 
 in the word and hve in the practice of, and that 
 he is to partake thereof, according to his light 
 therein. Quarrel not with him about things that 
 are circumstantial ; but receive him in the Lord, 
 as becometh saints : if he will not have communion 
 with you, the neglect is his, not yours. But saith 
 the open profane, why cannot we be reckoned 
 saints also ? We have been christened, we go to 
 church, we take the communion.* Poor people! 
 
 * This is a much more extensive evil thaa many would 
 credit. I have met with these very expressions not only 
 among the poor but the rich. It is an awful delusion. — En. 
 
61(5 
 
 DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 This will not do ; for so long as in life and con- 
 versation you appear to be open profane, we cannot, 
 unless we sin, receive you into our fellowship : for 
 by your ungodly lives you shew that you know not 
 Christ; and while you are such by the word, you 
 are reputed but beasts : now then judge yourselves, 
 if it be not a strange community that consisteth 
 of men and beasts : let beasts be with the beasts, 
 you know yourselves do so ; you receive not your 
 liorse nor your hog to your table, you put them in 
 a room by themselves. Besides I have shewed 
 you before, that for many reasons we cannot have 
 communion with you. 
 
 (1.) The church of God must be holy. Le. xi. 44; 
 m. 2; IX. 7. 1 Pe. 1. 15, 16. Is. xx\i. 3. Ps. cxviii. 20. Eze. xliii. 13; lUv. 
 9. Is. lii. 11 
 
 (2.) The example of the churches of Christ 
 before, hath been a community of visible saints. 
 
 Eo. i. 7. 1 Co. i. 3. Ep. i. 1. Col. i. 3. 1 Th. i. 1. 3 Th. i. 1—5. Poor 
 
 carnal man, there are many other reasons urged 
 in this little book, that shew why we cannot have 
 communion with thee : not that we refuse of pride 
 or stoutness, or because we scorn you as men. 
 No, we pity you, and pray to God for you ; and 
 could, if you were converted, with joy receive you 
 to fellowship with us: Did you never read in Daniel, 
 That iron is not mixed with miry clay ? ii. 43. No 
 more can the saints with you, in the worship of 
 God, and fellowship of the gospel. When those 
 you read of in the fourth of Ezra, attempted to 
 join in temple work with the children of the cap- 
 tivity ; what said the children of Judah ? ' Ye 
 have nothing to do with us to build an house unto 
 our God ; but we ourselves together will build unto 
 the Lord God of Israel, ' <fec. Kze. iv. 3. 
 
 I return now to those that are visible saints by 
 
 calling, that stand at a distance one from another, 
 upon the accounts before specified : Brethren ; 
 CLOSE ; CLOSE ; be one, as the Father in Christ is 
 one. 
 
 1. This is the way to convince the world that 
 you are Christ's, and the subjects of one Lord ; 
 whereas the contrary makes them doubt it. Jn. xUi. 
 34,35; xra.2a 2. This is the way to increase love; 
 that grace so much desired by some, and so little 
 enjoyed by others. 3Co. vii. 15. 3. This is the way" 
 to savour and taste the Spirit of God in each other's 
 experience ; for which if you find it in truth you 
 cannot but bless, if you be saints, the name of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, l Th. i. 2—4. 4. This is the way 
 to increase knowledge, or to see more in the word 
 of God : for that may be known by two ; that is 
 not seen by one. is. lU. 8. 5. This is the way to 
 remove secret jealousies and murmurings one 
 against the other : yea this is the way to prevent 
 much sin, and greatly to frustrate that design of 
 heU. Pr. vi. 16—19. * 6. This is the way to bring thera 
 out of the world into fellowship that now stand oft' 
 from our gospel privileges, for the sake of our 
 vain janglings. 7. This is the way to make anti" 
 Christ shake, totter, and tremble, is. xi. 13, 14. 8, 
 This is the way to leave Babylon as an habitation 
 for devils only ; and to make it a hold for foul 
 spirits, and a cage only for every unclean and 
 hateful bird. 9. This is the way to hasten the 
 work of Christ's kingdom in the world ; and to 
 forward his coming to the eternal judgment. 10. 
 And this is the way to obtain much of that, well 
 
 BONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, when you Stand 
 
 before his face. [In the words of Paul] ' I beseech 
 you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation : for I 
 have written a letter unto you in few words. ' He. nii. 32. 
 
 DIFFERENCES IN JUDGMEiNT ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION: 
 
 OS, 
 
 TO COMMUNICATE WITH SAINTS, AS SAINTS, PROVED LAWFUL. 
 
 IH AKSTfEK TO A BOOK WltlTTKN BI THE BAPTISTS, AND PUBLISHED IIT MB. T. P'aDL] AND MR. W. K[imN], EKTITULED, 'SOME SEEIOVS 
 EEFLEGTIONS ON THAT PAKI OF ME. BUNYAN's CONFESSION OF FAITH, TOUCHING CHUECU COMMUNIOr WITH UNBAPTIZED BELIEVEES.' 
 
 WHEEEIN TIIEIE OBJECTIONS AND AEQOMENTS ARE ANSWEEED, AND THE DOCTEINE OF COMMUNION STILL ASSERTED AND TINDICAIED. 
 UEEK IS ALSO MR. HENRI JESSE'S JUDGMENT IN THE CASE, FULLY DECLARING THE DOCTEINE I HAVE ASSERTED. 
 
 By JOHN BUN Y AN. 
 
 • Should not the multitude of words le answered ? and should a man full of talk le justified ? Should thy lies make vien 
 
 hold their peace ? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee an answer [ashamed r\ ' — Job xi. 2, 3. 
 '/am iox peace ; lut when I speak, they are for war.' — Psal. cxs. 7. 
 
 London : Printed for John Wilkins, and are to be sold at his shop in Exchange Alley, next door to the Exchange 
 Coffee House, over against the Royal Exchange, 1673. 
 
 Courteous Reader, 
 Be intreated to believe mc, I had not set pen to 
 paper about this controversy, had we been let alone 
 
 at quiet in our Christian communion. But being 
 assaulted for more than sixteen years, wherein tho 
 brethren of the baptized way, as they had their 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION 
 
 617 
 
 opportunity, have sought to break us in pieces, 
 merely because we are not, in their way, all bap- 
 tized first : I could not, I durst not, forbear to do 
 a little, if it might be, to settle the brethren, and 
 to arm them against the attempts, which also of 
 late they begin to revive upon us. That I deny the 
 ordinance of baptism, or that I have placed one piece 
 of an argument against it, though they feign it, is 
 quite without colour of truth. All I say is. That 
 the church of Christ hath not warrant to keep out 
 of their communion the Christian that is discovered 
 to be a visible saint by the word, the Christian 
 that walketh according to his light with God. I 
 will not make reflections upon those unhandsome 
 brands that my brethren have laid upon me for 
 this, as that 1 am a machivilian, a man devilish, 
 proud, insolent, presumptuous, and the like, neither 
 will I say as they. The Lord rebuke thee ; Words 
 
 fitter to be spoken to the devil than a brother. 
 But reader, read and compare; lay aside prejudice 
 and judge. What Mr. Kiffin hath done in the 
 matter I forgive, and love him never the worse, 
 but must stand by my principles because they are 
 peaceable, godly, profitable, and such as tend to 
 the edification of my brother, and as I believe 
 will be justified in the day of judgment. 
 
 I have also here presented thee with the opinion 
 of Mr. Henry Jesse, in the case, which providen- 
 tially I met with as I was coming to London to put 
 my papers to the press ; and that it was his judgment 
 is asserted to me, known many years since to some 
 of the Baptists, to whom it was sent, but never 
 yet answered; and will yet be attested if need 
 shall require. Farewell. 
 
 Thine in all Christian service, according to my 
 light and power, John Bunyan. 
 
 DIFFERENCES IN JUDGMENT ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Your seemingly serious reflections upon that 
 part of my plain-hearted confession of faith, which 
 rendereth a reason of my freedom to communicate 
 with those of the saints and faithful who differ 
 from me about water baptism ; I have read and 
 considered, and have weighed them so well as my 
 rank and abilities will admit me to do. But find- 
 ing yours, if I mistake not, far short of a candid 
 replication, I thought [it] convenient, not only to 
 tell you of those iinpertinencies everywhere scat- 
 tered up and down in your book ; but also, that in 
 my simple opinion, your rigid and church-disquiet- 
 ing principles are not fit for any age and state of 
 the church. 
 
 But before I enter the body of your book, give 
 me leave a little to discourse you about your pre- 
 amble to the same, wherein are two miscarriages 
 unworthy your pretended seriousness, because void 
 of love and humility. The first is. In that you 
 closely disdain my person because of my low 
 descent among men, stigmatising me for a person 
 of THAT rank, that need not to be heeded or attended 
 unto, p.i* 
 
 * Who 13 there that reads these revUings of Banyan for his 
 poverty and mean descent, but must be struck vrith the 
 unsearchable wisdom of the Almighty. The salvation of the 
 church requires that ' GoD should be manifest in the flesh.' 
 Does he appear in his glory ? Does he honour riches, and 
 power, and wisdom, by descending in one of these classes? 
 No J the poor, the despised in this world, claim kindred with 
 him — 'Is not this the carpenter's son?' 'Have any of the 
 nders or pharisees believed on him?' Even with these exam- 
 ples before them, his Baptist ministerial brethren, who sat at 
 VOL. II. 
 
 Answ. What it is that gives a man reverence 
 with you, I know not ; but for certain, He that 
 despiseth the poor reproacheth his Maker ; yet, ' a 
 poor man is hetter than a liar. ' To have gay 
 clothing, or gold rings, or the persons that wear 
 them in admiration ; or to be partial in your judg- 
 ment, or respects, for the sake, or upon the account 
 of, flesh and blood, doubtless convicteth you to be 
 of the law a transgressor, and not without partial- 
 ity, (kc, in the midst of your seeming sanctity. 
 
 Again, you say, ' I had not meddled with the 
 controversy at all, had I found any of parts that 
 would divert themselves to take notice of you.' 
 p. 2. 
 
 Answ. What need you, before you have shewed 
 one syllable of a reasonable argument in opposition 
 to what I assert, thus trample my person, my 
 Head Pa. i. gifts, and grace, have I any, so disdain- 
 1. 2.1 fully under your feet ? What kind of a 
 YOU am /.? And why is my rank so mean, that 
 the most gracious and godly among you, may not 
 duly and soberly consider of what I have said ? 
 Was it not the art of the false apostles of old to 
 
 his feet when he came to London, and listened to his eloquence, 
 now, in their hot dispute, revile and taunt him with his impri- 
 sonment — his poverty — his want of book learning. Refused 
 the communion of some eminent earthly saints, it drove hiin 
 to closer communion with his God, and the prison became a 
 Bethel — none other than the house of God, and the very gate 
 of heaven ; and in a holy, happy frame of soul, he breathes 
 forgiveness : ' What Mr. Kiffin hath done in the matter I for- 
 give, and love him never the worse ' 1 1 — Ed. 
 
 t How do these verses cut dowu all the carnal pride of man. 
 Who is THE BiEssEn ? not the rich, or powerful, or worldly 
 wise, hut those that delight in tlie word of God. — Ed. 
 4 I 
 
618 
 
 DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 say thus ? To bespatter a man, tliat his doctrine 
 might be disregarded. ' Is not this the carpenter ? ' 
 And, ' His bodily presence is weak and his speech 
 contemptible,' 1 Co. X. 10, did not use to be in the 
 mouths of the saints ; for they knew that ' the wind 
 bloweth where it listeth.' Jn.iii. 8. Neither is it 
 high birth, worldly breeding, or wealth ; but elect- 
 ing love, grace, and the wisdom that comes from 
 heaven, that those who strive for strictness of 
 order in the things and kingdom of Christ, should 
 have in regard and esteem. Ja. iii. 17. Need I read 
 you a lecture ? ' Hath not God chosen the fool- 
 ish, - the weak, - the base, yea, and things which 
 are not, to bring to nought things that are ?' 1 Co. i. 
 27,28. Why then do you despise my rank, my 
 state, and quality in the world ? 
 
 As for my confession of faith, which you also 
 secretly despise, p. 1. If it be good and godly, why 
 may it not be accepted ? If I have spoken evil, 
 bear witness of the evil ; but if well, why smitest 
 thou me ? If you, and the brethren of your way, 
 did think it convenient to shew to the world what 
 you held ; if perhaps by that means you might 
 escape the prison : why might not I, after above 
 eleven years' endurance there, give the world a 
 view of my faith and practice ; if peradventure, 
 wrong thoughts, and false judgments of me, might 
 by that means be abated, and removed. But you 
 suggest ; I did it, because I was so willing to be 
 known in the world by my singular faith and 
 practice.* How singular my faith and practice 
 is, may be better known to you hereafter: but 
 that I did it for a popular applause and fame, as 
 your words seem to bear, for they proceed from a 
 taunting spirit, that will be known to you better 
 in the day of God, when your evil surmises of 
 your brother, and my designs in writing my book, 
 will be published upon the house-tops. Lu. xii. 1^. 
 
 And even now, before I go any further, I will 
 give you a touch of the reason of my publishing 
 that part thereof which you so hotly oppose. It 
 was because of those continual assaults that the 
 rigid brethren of your waj', made, not only upon 
 this congregation, to rend it; but also upon many 
 others about us. If peradventure they might break 
 us in pieces, and draw from us disciples after them. 
 Assaults, I say, upon this congregation by times, for 
 no less than these sixteen or eighteen years. Yea, 
 myself they have sent for, and endeavoured to per- 
 suade me to break communion with my brethren ; 
 also with many others they have often tampered, if 
 haply their seeds of division might take. Neither 
 did they altogether fail of their purpose, for some 
 
 * Nearly all the Baptist churches of that day Uinited com- 
 muaiou to them who had beea baptized in water on a pro- 
 fession of their faith. It is very different now; Bunyau's 
 principles have spread, are spreading, and most soon become 
 universal. — Ed, 
 
 they did rend and dismember from us ; but none but 
 those, of whom now they begin to be ashamed. 
 The judgment of God so following their design, 
 that the persons which then they prevailed upon, 
 are now a stink, and reproach to religion. Nei- 
 ther were these spirits content with that discord 
 they did sow among us, but they proceeded to 
 seize upon others. But to pass these. The wild, 
 and unsound positions they have urged to maintain 
 their practice, would be too large here to insert. 
 Now, Sir, to settle the brethren, the brethren of 
 our community, and to prevent such disorders 
 among others, was the cause of my publishing my 
 papers : and considering my concern in the house 
 of God, I could do no less than to give them 
 warning, ' That every man might deliver his soul. ' 
 
 You proceed, saying, ' It is my liberty, as well 
 as others into whose hands it falls, to weigh what 
 you have said in truth's balance, and if it be found 
 too light, to reject it whether you wiU or no.' 
 
 Answ. Do but grant me, without mocking of 
 me, the liberty you desire to take, and God help- 
 ing me, I desire no more [than] to shift for myself 
 among you. As to your saying, that I proudly 
 and imperiously insult, because I say they are 
 ' babes and carnal, that attempt to break the peace 
 and communion of churches, though upon better 
 pretences than water. ' You must know I am stiU 
 of that mind, and shall be, so long as I see the 
 effects that foUow, viz. The breach of love, taking 
 off Christians from the more weighty things of 
 God ; and to make them quarrel and have heart- 
 burnings one against another. 
 
 Where you are pleased to charge me with raging, 
 for laying those eighteen particular crimes to 
 the charge of such who exclude Christians from 
 church communion, and debar them their heaven- 
 born privileges, for the want of that, which yet 
 God never made the wall of division between us. 
 p. 116. I say, when you can prove. That God hath 
 made water baptism that wall, and that the stress 
 of the after eighteen charges lie wholly and only 
 in that ; then you may, time enough, call my lan- 
 guage such as wanteth charity : but I question 
 though that was granted, whether your saying, I 
 RAGE, will be justified in the day of judgment. 
 
 My great noise, as you call it, about an initiating 
 ordinance, you say, you shall take no notice of. 
 p. 3. 
 
 Answ. 1 . Although you do not, I must : For 
 if baptism be not that, but another ; and if visible 
 saints may enter into fellowship by that other, and 
 are nowhere forbidden so to do, because they have 
 not light into water baptism : it is of weight to 
 be considered by me ; yea, and of others too who 
 are unprejudiced. 2. IIow ignorant you are of 
 such as hold it the initiating ordinance I know not: 
 nor how long you have been of that persuasion 1 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 619 
 
 tnow not. TMs I know, that men of your own 
 party, as serious, godly, and it may bo, more 
 learned than yourself, have within less than this 
 twelve-month urged it. Mr. D. in my hearing, 
 did from Ro. vi. i, 3. in the meeting in Lothbury affirm 
 it: also my much esteemed Mr. D. A.* did twice 
 in a conference with me assert it. 3. But what- 
 ever you say, whether for, or against, 'tis no mat- 
 ter; for while you deny it he the entering ordin- 
 ance, you account it the wall, bar, bolt, and door; 
 even that which must separate between the righteous 
 and the righteous ; nay, you make want of light 
 therein, a ground to exclude the most godly your 
 communion, when every novice in religion shall be 
 received into your bosom, and be of esteem with 
 you because he hath, and from what ground God 
 knows, submitted to water baptism. 
 
 I am glad that in p.*. you conclude with me what 
 is the initiating ordinance: but withal, give me leave 
 to correct, as I think, one extravagant expression of 
 yours. You say, ' It is consent on all hands and 
 NOTHING else, that makes them members of parti- 
 cular churches, and not faith and baptism.' p. 4. 
 You might have stopped at, and nothing else, you 
 need not in particular have rejected faith : your 
 first error was bad enough : what, nothing else 
 but consent ? What, not so much as a respect to 
 the matter or end ? Why then are not all the 
 communities of ail the highwaymen in the land, 
 truly constituted churches of Christ ; unless you 
 can prove that they hold together, but not by con- 
 sent ? What ? consent and nothing else ? But 
 why do TOC throw out faith ? why, I throw out 
 baptism ; which because you cannot as to the ease 
 in hand fetch in again, therefore out must faith go 
 too. Your action is much like that harlot's, that 
 stood to be judged by Solomon, who because her 
 own child was dead, would have her neighbour's 
 killed also. 1 Ki. iii. 26. Faith, Sir, both in the pro- 
 fession and confession of it, is of immediate and 
 also absolute concern, even in the very act of the 
 church's reception, of this or another member. 
 Throw out faith, and there is no such thing as a 
 Christian, neither visible nor invisible. You ought 
 to receive no man, but upon a comfortable satis- 
 faction to the church, that you are now receiving 
 a believer. Faith, whether it be savingly there 
 or no, is the great argument with the church in 
 receiving any: we receive not men as men, but 
 the man immediately under that supposition ; He 
 hath faith, he is, a, Christian. Sir, consent simply, 
 without faith, makes no man a member of the 
 
 * Mr. H. D'Anvers : ' A seventh end of baptism is, that the 
 baptized person may orderly thereby have an entrance into the 
 visible church. None were esteemed members, or did partake 
 of its ordinances, before they were baptized, being so God's 
 hedge or boundary.' — Treatise of Baptism, p. 20, ed. 1674. 
 — Eb. 
 
 church of God : because then would a church not 
 cease to be a church, whoever they received among 
 them. Yea, by this assertion you have justified 
 the church of Rome itself, to be to this day both 
 good, and godly, unless you can prove that they 
 did at first, and do now receive their unbelieving 
 members, without their own consent. The church 
 hath no such liberty to receive men without respect 
 to faith ; yea, faith and holiness must be the essen- 
 tials, or basis, upon, and for the sake of which 
 you receive them : holiness, I say, yet not such as 
 is circumstantial, but that which is such in the 
 very heart of it : pray you in your next therefore 
 word it better, lest while you slight and trample upon 
 me, you stand before all, blame-worthy yourself. 
 
 The scriptures you speak of, I did not in my 
 first (p. 68.) produce to shew persons unbaptized [in 
 water] might hold communion with the church, 
 though I am fully convinced they may, but to shew, 
 that knowledge of those persons, of their faith and 
 holiness in general, ought first to be shewed to the 
 church, before she can lawfully receive them. 
 
 Ac. ix. 26—31. 1 Co. xvi. 10. 2 Co. viii. 23. As tO my answer 
 
 to a question (p. 70.) which you have at p. 5. of your's 
 corrupted, and then abused : I tell you again, 
 That a discovery of the faith and holiness, and a 
 declaration of the willingness of a person to sub- 
 ject himself to the laws and government of Christ 
 in his church, is a ground sufficient to receive such 
 a member. 
 
 But you descant ; Is baptism one of the laws of 
 Christ ? 
 
 Answ. It is none of those laws, neither any part 
 of them, that the church, as a church, should shew 
 her obedience by. For albeit that baptism be 
 given by Christ our Lord to the church, yet not 
 for them to worship him by as a church. Shew 
 me what church-ordinance it is ; and when, or 
 where the church, as a church, is to practise it, as 
 one of those laws and appointments that he hath 
 commanded his church to shew to him her obe- 
 dience by. Again, That submitting to water bap- 
 tism, is a sign or note, that was ever required by 
 any of the primitive churches, of him that would 
 hold fellowship with them ; or that it iufuseth such 
 grace and holiness into those that submit thereto," 
 as to capacitate them for such a privilege ; or that 
 they did acknowledge it a sign thereof, I find not 
 in all the Bible. 
 
 I find not, as I told you in my first, that bap- 
 tism is a sign to any, but the person that is bap- 
 tized. Col. ii. 12. Ro. ri. 1^. lCo.iv.29. Acii. 38;xxii.l6. The 
 
 church hath her satisfaction of the person, from 
 better proof. 1 Pe. iiL 21. 
 
 I told you also, That baptism makes thee uo 
 member of the church, neither doth it make thee 
 a visible saint: It giveth thee therefore, neither 
 right to, nor being of membership at all. Why, 
 
620 
 
 DIFFEEENCES ABOUT WATEK BAPTISM, NO BAE TO COMMUNION. 
 
 Sir, did you not answer these things ? but slip 
 them with others, as if you were unconcerned ; 
 troubling your reader with such kind of insinua- 
 tions, as must needs be unsavoury to godly ears. 
 Yon make the moral law none of Christ's but 
 Moses' ; not the son's but the servant's ; and tell 
 me, because I plead for faith and holiness, accord- 
 ing to moral duties gospelized, (they are my words, 
 p. 79. ) whereby we ought to judge of the fitness of 
 members ; that therefore Moses is more beholden 
 to me than Christ, p. 6. 
 
 Sir, know you not yet, that a difference is to be put 
 betwixt those rules that discover the essentials of 
 holiness, and those that in themselves are not such; 
 and that that of faith and the moral law is the one, 
 and baptism, &c. the other. Is not love to God, 
 abhorrence of idols, to forbear blaspheming, to 
 honour our parents, to do no murder, to forbear 
 theft, not to bear false witness, nor covet, <fcc. are 
 not (I say) these the precepts of the Lord Jesus, 
 because delivered by Moses ? Or, are these such 
 as may better be broken, than for want of light to 
 forbear baptism with water ? Or, doth a man 
 while he liveth in the neglect of these, and in the 
 mean time bustle about those you call gospel com- 
 mands, most honour Christ, or best fit himself for 
 fellowship with the saints ? Need I tell you. That 
 the faith of Christ, with the ten commandments, 
 are as much now gospel commands as baptism; and 
 ought to be in as much, and far more respect with 
 the holy ones than that, or other the like.* 
 
 Yea, shall I tell you, That baptism will neither 
 admit a man into fellowship, nor keep him there, 
 if he be a transgressor of a moral precept ; and 
 that a man who believeth in Jesus, and fulfilleth 
 the royal law, doth more glorify God, and honour 
 religion in the world, than he that keepeth, if 
 there were so many, ten thousand figurative laws. 
 As to those commands that respect God's insti- 
 tuted worship in a church, as a church, I have 
 told you that baptism is none of them, and you 
 have been driven to confess it [p. 40. of your book]. 
 The church then must first look to faith, then to 
 good living according to the ten commandments ; 
 after that she must respect those appointments of 
 our Lord Jesus that respects her outward order 
 and discipline, and then she walks as becomes 
 her, sinning if she neglecteth either ; sinning if 
 she overvalueth either. But why did you not 
 answer those te.its I produced for the strengthening 
 of my argument, viz. Ro. xiv. 17, is. Ve. xivii. 47. Ja. ii. 
 
 8—13. 1 Co. ix. 21; V. 9—11. Ga. vi. 15, 16. Plii. iii. 1 Ti, i. 9—11. 
 Ac. XX. 28—33. Eo. xiii. 13. Ja. iy. 11. 1 Co. v. 13. Deal fairly ; 
 
 Answer those texts, with the argument made upon 
 
 * A modern writer, in a critique on Bunyan, says that he 
 did sa much justice to grace as his Calvinism would allow 
 him 1 1 May all the world he such Calvioists. — Ed. 
 
 them ; and when you have after a godly manner 
 done that, you may the more boldly condemn. 
 
 You tell me, that in p. 93. of mine, I say, ' None 
 ever received baptism without light therein.' 
 
 What if I did ? (as I did not) but you grant 
 it : and now I will ask you, and pray deal fairly in 
 your answer. May a man be a visible saint without 
 light therein ? May he have a good conscience 
 without light therein ? And seeing that baptism 
 is none of the worship that Christ instituted in his 
 church for them to practice as a church, must he 
 be kept dark about all other things concerning the 
 worship of God in his church, until he receive light 
 therein ? 
 
 You have answered already, p. 7. ' That they 
 ought to be ashamed, and to repent of that abo- 
 mination (their sprinkling) before they come to 
 have a sight of the pattern of the house of God, 
 the goings in and the comings out thereof.' Eze. 
 xliii. 10, 11. But, Sir, where do you find that want 
 of light in water baptism, or because a man hath 
 been sprinkled, that he is to be kept dark in all 
 other temple-institutions, till he be ashamed and 
 repent of that ? Pray produce the texts, for Eze- 
 kiel helps you nothing : he speaks only of the 
 pattern of the house, the goings out, and comings 
 in thereof. As for the coming in, you have already 
 confessed. That baptism is not the entering ordi- 
 nance. And as for the worship that Christ hath 
 instituted in his church, as a church, I say, (and 
 you also have said it, p. 40.) baptism is none of the 
 forms thereof, none of the ordinances thereof, none 
 of the laws thereof; for baptism is, as to the prac- 
 tice of it, that which is without the church, with- 
 out the house of God.f Then by your own text, 
 if a man do repent him of his christening in his 
 childhood, he may be received into fellowship 
 without submitting to baptism : but I will not 
 strain you too far. 
 
 You add, ' Is it a person's light that giveth 
 being to a precept ? ' 
 
 Aiisw. Who said it? Y'et it is his light and 
 faith about it, that can make him to do it accept- 
 ably. 
 
 You ask again, 'Suppose men plead want of 
 light in other commands ?' 
 
 Answ. If they be not such, the forbearance of 
 which, discapacitates him of membership, he may 
 yet be received to fellowship. 
 
 ' But what if a man want light in the supper ?' p.7. 
 
 Answ. There is more to be said in that case 
 than in the other : for that is a part of that wor- 
 ship which Christ hath instituted for his church. 
 
 t 'Without the chui'ch,' previous to having entered info 
 the church, a personal obedience to the divine command ; 
 having repented, then he baptized r neither of these are duties 
 to be performed by the church, as such, but individnalh/. — El). 
 
DIPFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 621 
 
 to be conversant in as a church ; presenting them 
 as such, with their communion with their Head, 
 and with one another as members of him. ' The 
 cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the com- 
 munion of the blood of Christ ? The bread which 
 we break, is it not the communion of the body of 
 Christ ? For we being many are one bread, and 
 one body; for we are all partakers of that one 
 bread.' i Co. x. le, 17. Wherefore this being a duty 
 incumbent on the church, as a church ; and on 
 every member of that body as such, they are 
 obliged in that case more closely to deal with the 
 members, than in that wherein they are not SO 
 concerned; and with which as such, they have 
 nothing to do. No man baptizeth by virtue of his 
 office in the church ; no man is baptized by virtue 
 of his membership there. 
 
 ' But what if a man want light in his duty to 
 the poor ?' p. 8. 
 
 Answ. If he doth, God must give it him; I mean 
 to know his duty as a church member. Now I 
 will add, but what if he that can give a shilling, 
 giveth nothing ? I suppose all that the church 
 can do in that case, is but to warn, to exhort, and 
 charge him, and to shew him his duty : and if he 
 neglect, to shew him, that ' He which soweth 
 sparingly, shall reap also sparingly. ' 2 Co. ix. 6. But 
 to cut a man off for this, as you forwardly urge, 
 p. 8. would argue that church, at least I think so, 
 a little too bold with so high and weighty a cen- 
 sure. I plead not here for the churl, but seek to 
 allay your heat: and should it be granted that 
 such deserve as you would have it, this makes no 
 matter to the case in hand. Now whereas you 
 suggest, ' That moral evils are but sins against 
 men,' p. 8. you are too much unadvised; the moral 
 evil, as you call it, whether you respect the breach 
 of the first or second table, is first and immediately 
 a sin against God ; and more insufferable, yea and 
 damnable, than for a man for want of light to for- 
 bear either baptism or the Lord's Supper. 
 
 But say you, ' We have now found an advocate 
 for sin against God, in the breach of one of his 
 holy commands ?' 
 
 Answ. As if none of the moral precepts were 
 HIS. But, Sir, who have I pleaded for, in the 
 denial of any one ordinance of God ? Yea, or for 
 their neglect of it either ? What I say, is but 
 that men must have light, that they may not do in 
 darkness, or Papist-like, live by an implicit faith. 
 
 But I see you put no difference between an 
 open breach of the law, and a forbearing that which 
 to him is doubtful. But I will suppose a case: 
 There is a man wants light in baptism, yet by his 
 neighbour is pressed to it: he saith he seeth it 
 not to be his duty; the other saith, he sins if 
 he doth it not : now seeing ' whatsoever is not of 
 faith is sin ;' Ed. liv. 23. what should this man do ? 
 
 If you say, let him use the means : I say so too. 
 But what, if when he hath used it, he stiU con- 
 tinueth dark about it ; what will you advise him 
 now ? If you bid him wait, do you not encourage 
 him to live in sin, as much as I do ? Nay, and 
 seeing you will not lei him for want of light in that, 
 obey God in other his institutions ; what is it but 
 to say, Seeing you live for want of light in the 
 neglect of baptism, we will make you, while you 
 continue so, live, though quite against your light, 
 in the breach of all the rest. And where you are 
 commanded thus, you may shew the place when 
 you find it. 
 
 Now where you urge, that jou are one of them 
 that say, ' The epistles were writ to particular 
 churches, and so serve nothing at all for our kind 
 of communion.' Urging further, ' That it will be 
 difficult for me to prove, that they were also directed 
 to particular saints.' p. 9. 
 
 Answ. I wish there were nothing harder, that 
 were good for me to do. But what should be the 
 reason that our author, with others of his opinion, 
 should stickle so hard to prove [that] all the epis- 
 tles were wrote to particular churches ? Why, 
 because those members were, as they think, every 
 one baptized ; and so the epistles from which we 
 fetch our arguments for the love and concord of 
 saints, to be only proper to themselves.* But if 
 this be true, there is virtue indeed, and more than 
 ever I dreamed of, in partaking of water baptism: 
 for if that shall take away the epistles, and conse- 
 quently the whole Bible, from all that are not bap- 
 tized ; then are the other churches, and also par- 
 ticular saints, in a very deplorable condition. For 
 he asketh me very devoutly, ' Whether any unbap- 
 tized persons were concerned in these epistles ?' 
 p. 9. But why would they take from us the Holy 
 Scriptures ? Verily, that we might have naught 
 to justify our practice withal : for if the Scriptures 
 belong only to baptized believers, they then belong 
 not to the rest ; and in truth, if they could per- 
 suade us to yield them this grant, we should but 
 sorrily justify our practice. But I would ask these 
 men, ' If the word of God came out from them ? 
 Or if it came to them only ?' 1 Co. xiv.se. Or, whe- 
 ther Christ hath not given his whole word to every 
 one that believeth, whether they be baptized, or 
 in, or out of church fellowship. Jn. xvii. u. Or, 
 whether every saint in some sort, hath not the 
 keys of the kingdom of heaven, which are the 
 Scriptures and their power ? Would to God they 
 had learned more modesty, than thus to take from 
 all others, and appropriate to themselves, and that 
 
 • ' To tlemselves,' to the particular churches only to which 
 they were written. Contrary to the word, 'AH scripture is 
 given - to be profitable to the man of God' in every church, 
 2 Tim. iii. 16.— Ed. 
 
622 
 
 DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUKION. 
 
 for the sake of their observing a circumstance in 
 religion, so high, and glorious a privilege. 
 
 But we will come a little to proof: what church 
 will this author find in Rome, that time the epistle 
 was sent to the brethren there, besides that church 
 that was in Aquila's house, although many more 
 saints were then in the city ? Ko xvi. b. Yea, the apos- 
 tle in his salutation at the beginning, embraceth 
 them only as brethren, without the least intimation 
 of their being gathered into fellowship : 'To all that 
 be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints : 
 Grace to you,' &c. ch. 1.7. To all there, to all in 
 that city, beloved of God, and that are converted 
 to the Lord Jesus Christ. A church there was in 
 Aquila's house, and that there were many more 
 saints besides, is, and that by the text, as manifest. 
 Besides, considering the rules that are given them in 
 the 14th and 15th chapters about their receiving 
 one another, doth yet strongly suggest to me, that 
 they were not yet in fellowship, but as it were now 
 about it, when Paul wrote his epistle to them. , 
 
 The first epistle written to Corinth, was also 
 wrote to all them ' that in every place caM upon the 
 name 0/ Jesus Christ our Lord.' ch i. 2. But it will 
 be hard work for our author to make it manifest, 
 that none in those days did call on the name of our 
 Lord, but those that were first baptised. The 
 second epistle also, was not only written to the 
 church at Corinth, but also to 'all the saints which 
 were in all Achaia.' 2Co. i. 1. To the Galatians and 
 Thessalonians indeed, his salutation was only to 
 the churches there: But the three epistles before 
 were as well to all other [saints] : As also that to 
 the Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, in 
 which the faithful and saints in Christ Jesus were 
 also every one comprehended Besides, to what 
 particular church was the epistle to the Hebrews 
 wrote ? Or the epistle of James ? Both those of 
 Peter, and the first of John ? Nay, that of John 
 was wrote to some at that time out of fellowship, 
 ' that also may have fellowship with [us]' the 
 church, ch. i. 1 — t. So that these brethren must not 
 have all the scriptures. We have then a like 
 privilege with all saints, to use the scriptures for 
 our godly edifying, and to defend ourselves thereby, 
 from the assaults of those that would make spoil 
 of us. But to pass this, and come to the next. 
 
 You object for that I said, ' If water baptism 
 (as the circumstances with which the church was 
 pestered of old) trouble the peace, and wound the 
 consciences of the godly, dismember and break 
 their fellowships ; it is, although an ordinance, for 
 the present prudently to be shunned.' p. 86. At this 
 (as I said) you object, p 10, 11. and say, ' Did I ever 
 find baptism a pest or plague to churches ? And 
 did ever God send an ordinance to be p, pest and 
 plague to his people ? ' 
 
 1 answer: I said not that God did send it for 
 
 any such end at all ; God's ordinances are none of 
 this in themselves : nor if used as, and for the end 
 for which God sent them. But yet both baptism, 
 and the supper of the Lord, have, by being wrested 
 out of their place, been a great affliction to the 
 godly both in this and other ages. What say yon 
 to breaking of bread, which the devil, by abusing, 
 made an engine in the hand of Papists, to burn, 
 starve, hang and draw thousands ? What say you 
 to John of Leyden ? What work did he make by 
 the abuse of the ordinance of water baptism ? And 
 I wish this age had not given cause, through the 
 church-rending spirits that some are possessed 
 with, to make complaint of this matter ; who have 
 also had for their engine the baptism with water. 
 Yea, yourself. Sir, so far as I can perceive, could 
 you get but the opportunity ; yourself (I say) under 
 pretence of this innocent ordinance, as you term 
 it, would not stick to make inroads, and outroads 
 too, in all the churches, that suit not your fancy, 
 in tho land. For you have already been bold to 
 affirm, ' That all those that have baptized infants, 
 ought to be ashamed and repent, before they be 
 showed the pattern of the house. ' And what is 
 this but to threaten, that could you have your will 
 of them, you would quicldy take from them their 
 present church privileges, and let them see nothing 
 thereof, till those qualifications, especially sub- 
 jection to water baptism, was found to attend 
 each of them. 
 
 As to the persons you speak of, ' Who have 
 rent churches in pieces, by making preaching by 
 method, doctrine, reason and use, to be anti-chris- 
 tian : ' Or, because they could not have other 
 ministrations performed after their fancies (p. 11, 12.) 
 ' the imprudence of such with yourselves, hath 
 been heart-breaking to many a gracious soul ; an 
 high occasion of stumbling to the weak, and a 
 reproach to tho ways of the Lord. ' That it may 
 be prudently shunned, I referred you then for 
 proof, to what should be oflFered after : but at this 
 you cry out, and so pass it. 
 
 And now, reader, although this author hath 
 thus objected against some passages in this my 
 first argument for communion with persons unbap- 
 tized ; yet the body of my argument he misseth 
 and passeth over, as a thing not worth the answer- 
 ing ; whether because he forgot, or because he was 
 conscious to himself, that he knew not what to do 
 therewith, I will not now determine. 1. I effec- 
 tually prove, ' That baptism is not the initiating 
 ordinance.'p. 71— 75. 2. I prove, ' That though it 
 was, yet the case may so fall out, that members 
 might be received without it. ' p. 82, 83. 3. I prove, 
 ' That baptism makes no man a visible saint, nor 
 giveth any right to church fellowship. ' p. 76. 4. I 
 prove, ' That faith, and a life becoming the law of 
 the ten commandments, should be tho chief and 
 
DrFFEEENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 623 
 
 most solid argument with true churches to receive 
 saints to fellowship. ' * 5. I prove, ' That circum- 
 cision in the flesh, which was the entering ordi- 
 nance of old, was a type of circumcision in the 
 heart,' (fee. p. 79, so. These things, with others, our 
 author letteth pass ; although in the proof of them 
 ahideth the strength of this first argument; to 
 which I must entreat him in his next, to cast his 
 eye, and give fair answer ; as also to the scrip- 
 tures on which each are hullt, or he must suffer- 
 me to say, I am ahused. Further, I make a 
 question upon three scriptures. Whether all the 
 saints, even in the primitive times, were haptized 
 with water ? to which also he answereth nothing ; 
 whereas he ought to have done it, if he will take 
 in hand to confute. The scriptures are, i Co. l 
 14^16. Ko. Ti. s. Ga. iu. 27. Yet were they efi'ectually 
 answered, my argument is nothing weakened. 
 
 You come to my second argument, drawn from 
 Ep. iv. i— 6. Upon which a little more now to enlarge, 
 and then to take notice of your objection. The 
 apostle then iu that fourth of the Ephesians, 
 exhorteth the church there ' with all lowliness and 
 meekness, with long suficring, forbearing one 
 another in love ; endeavouring to keep the unity 
 of the spirit in the bond of peace.' ver. 2, 3. This 
 done, he presents them with such arguments, as 
 might fasten his exhortation to purpose upon them. 
 
 1. The first is, because the body is one ; There 
 is ' one body ;' therefore they should not divide. 
 For if the church of Christ be a body, there ought 
 not to be a rent or schism among them, i Co. xii. 
 
 2. His second argument is. There is ' one 
 spirit,' or one quickening principle by which the 
 body is made to live ; for having asserted before 
 that Christ hath indeed a body, it was meet that 
 he showed also, that this body hath life, and 
 motion. Now that life, being none other, than 
 that nourishment, or spirit of life, from which ' the 
 whole body fitly joined together and compacted 
 by that which every joint supplieth, according to 
 the effectual working of the measure in every part, 
 maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of 
 itself in love. ' Ep. iv. 16. Now this spirit, being first, 
 and chiefly, in the head, therefore none other but 
 those that hold the head can have this nourish- 
 ment ministered to them; besides, this is the 
 
 * To these ten commaudments mnst be added that new 
 command given by the Saviour, ' That ye love one another,' 
 •7ohn xii. 34 ; or rather the evangelical sum of the whole law, 
 ' Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy 
 neighbour as thyself.' This happy state of mind can only be 
 attained by the baptism of the Holy Ghost. How awful the 
 thought that multitudes of professing Christians rely upon 
 outward ceremonies, a fleshly carnal confidence in ordinances, 
 while they are dead as to union with God and to spiritual com- 
 munion with his saijts. lieadir, how is it with your own 
 6oul. — En. 
 
 spirit that knits the body together, and makes it 
 increase with the increase of God. Coi. ii. 19. This is 
 ' the unity of the spirit ' which he before exhorts 
 them to keep. 
 
 3. The third argument is. Because their hope 
 is also but one. ' Even as ye are called [saith 
 he] in one hope of your calling:' as who should 
 say. My brethren, if you are called with one 
 calling, if your hope, both as to the grace of 
 hope, and also the object, be but one : if you hope 
 for one heaven, and for one eternal life: then 
 maintain that unity of the spirit, and hope, while 
 here, in love, 'and the bond of peace.' Ep. iv. 3. 
 
 4. The fourth argument is. There is 'one Lord,' 
 or husband, or prince, to whom this church belongs: 
 therefore if we have husbands, but one, Lord and 
 prince but one, let us not rend into many parties, 
 as if we had many husbands, lords, and princes, 
 to govern us, as his wife, his house, and kingdom. 
 ' Is Christ divided ?' i Co. i. is. 
 
 5. The fifth argument is. There is 'one faith,' 
 by which we all stand justified by one Lord Jesus 
 Christ; 'one faith' by which we escape the wrath 
 of God ; ' one faith ' by which only they that have 
 it are blessed; yea, seeing there is but 'one faith,' 
 by which we are all put into one way of salvation, 
 let us hold together as such. 
 
 6. The sixth argument is, There is ' one bap- 
 tism. ' Now we are come to the pinch, viz. , Whether 
 it be that of water, or no? which I must positively 
 deny. (1.) Because water baptism hath nothing 
 to do in a church, as a church ; it neither bringeth 
 ua into the church, nor is any part of our worship 
 when we come there ; how then can the peace and 
 unity of the church depend upon water baptism ? 
 Besides, he saith expressly. It is the ' unity of the 
 spirit,' not water, that is here intended: and the 
 arguments brought to enforce it, are such as wholly 
 and immediately relate to the duty of the church, 
 as a church. (2.) Further, That other text, that 
 treateth of our being baptized into a body, saith 
 expressly it is done by the spirit : ' For by one 
 spirit are we all baptized into one body.' l Co. xii. 13. 
 Here is the church presented as under the notion 
 of 'one body;' here is a baptism mentioned, by 
 which they are brought, or initiated into this body : 
 Now that this is the baptism of water, is utterly 
 against the words of the text ; ' For by one spirit 
 are we all baptized into one body.' Besides, if 
 the baptism here be of water, then is it the intia 
 ting ordinance ; but the contrary I have proved, 
 and this author stands by my doctrine. So then, 
 the baptism here respecting the church as one 
 body, and water, having nothing to do to enter 
 men into the church, nor to command them to 
 practise it as a church, in order to their peace or 
 commtmion, or respecting the worship of God as 
 such : and (I say again) the baptism in the sixth 
 
624 
 
 DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 argument, being urged precisely for no otlier pur- 
 pose, but with respect to the church's peace as a 
 body ; it must needs be that baptism, by virtue of 
 which, they were initiated, and joined together in 
 one ; and that baptism being only that which the 
 Spirit executeth ; this therefore is that one baptism. 
 
 7. The other argument is also effectual ; there 
 is ' One God and Father of all, who is above all, 
 and through all, and in you all. ' Ep. iv. 6. If we are 
 'one body;' if to it there be but 'one spirit;' if 
 we have hut ' one hope, one faith,' and be all bap- 
 tized by ' one spirit ' into that ' one ' body ; and if 
 we have but ' one Lord, one God,' and he in every 
 one of us ; let us be also ' one : ' and let them that 
 are thus qualified, both join together, and hold in 
 one. 
 
 But our author against this, objeeteth. That, 
 ' now I employ my pen against every man ; and 
 give the lie to all expositors, for they hold this one 
 baptism, to be none other than that of water.'* 
 
 p. 13. 
 
 Answ. What if I should also send you to answer 
 those expositors that expound certain scriptures for 
 infant baptism, and that by them brand us for 
 anabaptists ; must this drive you from your belief 
 of the truth ? Expositors I reverence, but must 
 live by mine own faith. Hai>. u. 4. God hath no where 
 bound himself to them more than to others, with 
 respect to the revelation of his mind in his word. 
 But it becomes not you to run thus to exposi- 
 tors, who are, as to your notions in many things, 
 but of yesterday : ' to the law, and to the testi- 
 mony ; ' Is. viii. 30. for ' Out of the mouth of babes ' 
 the Lord hath ' ordained strength.' Ps. viii, 3. 
 
 But you bid me tell you, ' What I mean by spirit 
 baptism?' 
 
 Answ. Sir, you mistake me, I treat not here of 
 our being baptized with the Spirit, with respect to 
 its coming from heaven into us ; but of that act of 
 the spirit, when come, which baptizeth us into a 
 body or church. It is one thing to be baptized 
 with the Spirit in the first sense ; and another to 
 be baptized by it in the sense I treat of: for the 
 Spirit to come upon me, is one thing; and for that 
 when come, to implant, embody, or baptize me into 
 the body of Christ, is another. Your question 
 therefore is grounded on a mistake, both of my 
 
 * Bunyan's adversaries were wrong ia statiBg that a/l the 
 expositors agreed in referring this ' one haptism' to be that in 
 or with water. John Caime, 1662, refers to I Cor. xii. 13, 
 as an iUustratiou of Eph. iv. 5, 'one baptism,' 'by one Spirit 
 are we all baptized.' The Assembly's Annotations, 1657, 
 infera that ' one' means 'once,' and refers to the Nicene creed, 
 which says, ' one baptism for the remission of sins ;' this surely 
 cannot mean that the application of water remits sins. Dio- 
 dati, 1648, is silent on this subject. Dr. Hammond, 1653, 
 says, ' the same vote to be administered to all.' Very similar 
 to this is the Dutch annotations of Theodore Haak. — Ed. 
 
 judgment, and the words of the apostle. Where- 
 fore thus I soon put an end to your objections, 
 (p. 14.) For the Spirit to come down upon me, is 
 one thing ; and for the Spirit to baptize, or implant 
 me into the church, is another : for to be possessed 
 with the spirit, is one thing ; and to be led by that 
 spirit, is another. I conclude then; seeing the 
 argument taken from that one baptism, respecteth 
 church fellowship properly ; and seeing water bap- 
 tism meddleth not with it as such ; it is the other, 
 even that in i Co. xii. 16. that is here intended, and no 
 other. 
 
 But you add, ' If nothing but extraordinary gifts 
 are called the baptism of the Spirit in a strict 
 sense ; then that baptism, l Co. xii. must be water 
 baptism, as well as that in the Ephesians.' 
 
 Hold: you make your conclusions before you 
 have cause; first, prove that in the Ephesians to 
 be meant of water baptism, and that the baptism 
 in 1 Co. xii. 16 is the baptism you would have it ; and 
 then conclude my argument void. That it is thft 
 baptism of the Holy Ghost according to the com- 
 mon notion, I say not ; for you to assert it is the 
 baptism of water, gives the lie to the text: but 
 that it is an act of the Holy Ghost, baptizing the 
 saints into a body, or church, you will hardly be 
 able to make the contrary appear to be truth. 
 ' But behold, while here you would have this to 
 be baptism with water, how you contradict and 
 condemn your own notion : you say water baptism 
 is not the entering ordinance ; yet the baptism 
 here is such as baptizeth us into a body : where- 
 fore before you say next time that this in l Co. xii. 16. 
 is meant of water haptism ; affirm that water bap- 
 tism is the initiating or entering ordinance, that 
 your opinion and doctrine may hang better together.' 
 We come to my third argument ; which is to 
 prove, that it is lawful to hold church communion 
 with the godly sincere believer, though he hath 
 not been baptized with water, because he hath the 
 DOCTRINE of baptisms. He. Ti. 3. Which doctrine I 
 distinguish from the practice of it ; the doctrine 
 being that which by the outward sign is presented 
 to us ; or which by the outward circumstance of 
 the act is preached to the believer, viz., the death 
 of Christ, my death with Christ ; also his resur- 
 rection from the dead, and mine with him to new- 
 ness of life. 'This our author calleth one of the 
 strangest paradoxes that he hath lightly observed. 
 Ansvj. How light he is in his observation of 
 things, I know not ; this I am sure, the apostle 
 makes mention of the doctrine of baptisms; now 
 that the doctrine of a man, or ordinance, is the 
 signification of what is preached, is apparent to very 
 sense. What is Christ's doctrine, Paul's doctrine, 
 scripture doctrine, but the truth couched under the 
 words that are spoken? so the doctrine of baptism, 
 yea and the doctrine of the Lord's supper, are 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 those truths or mysteries that such ordinances 
 preach unto us. And that the doctrine of haptism, 
 in this sense, is the great end for which that, and 
 the Lord's supper, was instituted, is apparent from 
 all the scriptures: it is that which the apostle 
 seeketh for in that eminent sixth of the Romans, 
 ' Know ye not that so many of us as were haptized 
 into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death ? 
 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into 
 death : that like as Christ was raised up from the 
 dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also 
 should walk in newness of life. For if we have 
 been planted together in tlie likeness of his death, 
 we shall be also in (lie likeness of his resurrection. ' 
 »— 6. What is here discoursed, but the doctrine of 
 or that which baptism teacheth ; with an intima- 
 tion ; that that was the chief, for the sake of 
 which that shadow was instituted; as also that 
 they that have the doctrine, or that which is sig- 
 nified thereby, they only must reign with Christ. 
 
 Again, This is that which he seeketh for among 
 the Corinthians ; ' If the dead rise not at all, ' 
 [saith he], 'why then were you baptized for the 
 dead ? ' i Co. xv. 29. Why then were you baptized ? 
 What did baptism teach you ? What doctrine did 
 it preach to you ? further, ' Buried with him in 
 baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through 
 the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised 
 him from the dead.' CoL ii. 12. What is here in chief 
 asserted, but the doctrine only which water bap- 
 tism preacheth ? with an intimation, that they, 
 and they only, are the saved of the Lord, that 
 have heard, received, and that live in this doctrine. 
 The same may be said of the Lord's supper, it 
 also hath its doctrine. But against this our author 
 objecteth, saying, ' That this is called the doctrine 
 of baptism, I am yet to learn. ' 
 
 Answ. Your ignorance of the truth makes it not 
 an error : but I pray you, what is the doctrine of 
 baptism, if not that which baptism teacheth, even 
 that which is signified thereby? As that is the 
 doctrine of Christ, and the scriptures ; which he 
 and they teach as the mind of God. 
 
 But you say, ' I took the doctrine of baptism to 
 be the command that a believer should be baptized, 
 for such ends as the gospel expresseth.' 
 
 Answ. To assert that a figurative ordinance is 
 of God, is one thing ; but the doctrinal significa- 
 tion of that ordinance is another. A man may 
 preach the command, yet none of the doctrine 
 which baptism preacheth. The doctrine lieth not 
 in the command, but the mystery discovered to 
 faith, by the act. 
 
 You object, 'If the resurrection be the doctrine 
 
 of baptism, why doth the apostle make that, and 
 
 the doctrine of baptism, things distinct, in He. ri.' 
 
 Answ. The resurrection simply considered, is 
 
 I not the doctrine of baptism, but Christ's, and mine 
 
 r VOL. II. 
 
 by him. Besides, there is more in it than the 
 mystery of this resurrection ; there is my death 
 first, and then my rising with him. 
 
 But you add, ' Under the law, all the sacrifices 
 of that dispensation, with their sabbaths, were types 
 of that Christ, who was the substance of all those 
 ceremonies. If any of them then that professed 
 faith in the Messias to come, should upon scruples, 
 or want of pretended light, neglect the whole, or 
 part of that typical worship ; why may not a man 
 say of them, as this advocate of the practice under 
 debate, they had the richer and better sacrifice.' 
 "^Answ. First, that the brethren which refuse to 
 be baptized, as you and I would have them, refuse 
 it for want of pretended light, becomes you not to 
 imagine, unless your boldness will lead you to 
 judge, that all men want sincerity, that come not 
 up to our judgment. Their conscience may be 
 better than either yours or mine ; yet God, for 
 purposes best known to himself, may forbear to 
 give them conviction of their duty in this particular. 
 But what, because they are not baptized, have 
 they not Jesus Christ ? Or, must we now be 
 afraid to say that Christ is better than water bap- 
 tism?* Yea, God himself for the sake of this 
 better thing, hath suficred in his church a suspen- 
 sion of some of his ordinances, yet owned them for 
 his truly constituted congregation. What say you 
 to the church in the wilderness ? I touched you 
 with it in my first, hut perceive you listed not to 
 meddle therewith. That church received members, 
 the way which was not prescribed by, but directly 
 against the revealed mind of God ; yet stood a true 
 church, their members true members; also that 
 church in that state,, was such before whom, among 
 whom, and to whom God continually made known 
 himself to be their God, and owned them for his 
 peculiar treasure. 
 
 And now I am fallen upon it, let me a little 
 enlarge : this church, according to the then insti- 
 tuted worship of God, had circumcision for their 
 entering ordinance, Ge. mi. 13, 14. without which it 
 was unlawful to receive any into fellowship with 
 them : yea, he that without it was received, was 
 to he cut ofi', and cast out again. Further, as to 
 the passover, the uncircumcised were utterly for- 
 bidden to eat it. Ex. xii. 48. Now if our brethren had 
 as express prohibition to justify their groundless 
 opinion, as here is to exclude the uncircumcised 
 from the communion of the church and the pass- 
 over: I say, if they could find it written, 'No 
 unbaptized person shall enter, no unbaptized per- 
 
 * Heaven forbid that we should he afraid or ashamed of 
 sayiog that Christ is belter than water baptism. Clirist is 
 the heavenly manna, the sweet, pleasant, nouiishing food of 
 the soul. Baptism is only once for life, hut Christ is our 
 essential food all through the wilderness — every hour of life 
 until we enter the gates of the celestial and eternal city. — Ed. 
 4k 
 
626 
 
 riFEEKENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 Bon shall eat of the supper;' what a noise would 
 they make about it? But yet let the reader 
 observe, that although circumcision was the enter- 
 ing ordinance, and our author saith baptism is 
 not ; yea, though this church was expressly for- 
 bidden to receive the uncircumcised, and we have 
 not a syllable now to forbid the unbaptized, yet 
 this church received members without, and other- 
 wise than by this entering ordinance. They also 
 admitted them to the passover ; yea, entertained, 
 retained, and held communion with them so long 
 as forty years without it. I say again, That the 
 number of this sort of communicants was not so 
 few as six hundred thousand. Moreover, to these 
 uncircumcised was the land of Canaan given, yea, 
 a possession of part thereof before they were cir- 
 cimicised ; but the old circumcised ones might not 
 enter therein. I am thd larger in this, because 
 our author hath overlooked my first mention 
 thereof. And now I ask, What was the reason 
 that God continued his presence with this church 
 notwithstanding this transgression ? Was it not 
 oecause they had that richer and better thing, ' the 
 Lord Jesus Christ ? ' For they did all eat of that 
 spiritual bread, and drink of that ' spiritual rock 
 that followed them: and that rock was Christ.' 
 1 Co. X. 3, 4. 1 confess I find them under rebukes 
 and judgments in the wilderness, and that they 
 were many times threatened to be destroyed ; but 
 yet I find not so much as one check for their 
 receiving of members uncircumcised. Further, in 
 the New Testament, where we have a catalogue of 
 their sins, and also of their punishment for them ; 
 we find not a word about circumcision, nor the 
 smallest intimation of the least rebuke for neglect- 
 ing the entering ordinance. 1 Co. x. 6— lo. I will 
 therefore say of them, as I have also said of my 
 brethren, ' They had the richer and better thing.' 
 
 But you object, ' That this putteth the whole of 
 God's instituted worship both under the law and 
 gospel, to the highest uncertainties.' p. 17. 
 
 Answ. This putteth our opposers out of their 
 road, and quencheth the flame of their imwarrant- 
 able zeal. For if the entering ordinance, if the 
 ordinance without which no man might be added 
 to the church, was laid aside for forty years ; yea, 
 if more than six hundred thousand did communicate 
 with them without it : I say again, If they did it, 
 and held communion with God, that notwithstand- 
 ing ; yea, and had not, that we read of, all that 
 time one small check for so doing ; why may not 
 we now enter communion, hold communion, main- 
 tain communion, church communion, without being 
 judged, and condemned by you? because we can- 
 not for want of light be all baptized before ; espe- 
 cially cotisidering baptism makes no man a saint, 
 is not the entering ordinance, is no part of the 
 worship of God enjoined the church as a church. 
 
 To conclude, although we receive members unbap- 
 tized [in water], we leave not God's institutec 
 worship at imcertainties, especially what he hati 
 commanded us as his church ; we only profess oui 
 want of light in some things ; but see no word tc 
 warrant the forbearance of our duty in all, foi 
 want of persuasion in one. 
 
 You object, ' I call baptism a circumstance, ar 
 outward-shew I nickname it. ' 
 
 Answ. Deep reproof! but why did you not shew 
 me my evU in thus calling it, when opposed to the 
 substance, and the thing signified ? Is it the sub- 
 stance, is it the thing signified ? And why maj 
 not I give it the name of a shew ; when you call it 
 a symbol, and compare it to a gentleman's livery? 
 
 p. 62. 
 
 But you say, I call it an outward sliew. 
 
 Answ. Is it an inward one ? What is it ? 
 
 ' It is a command. ' 
 
 Answ. But doth that install it in that place and 
 dignity, that was never intended for it ? 
 
 You object further, ' They cannot have the doc- 
 trine of baptism that understand not our way of 
 administering it. ' p. 18. 
 
 This is your mistake, both of the doctrine and 
 thing itself. But if you will not scoRN to take 
 notice of me, I advise you again to consider. That 
 a man may find baptism to be commanded, may 
 be informed who ought to administer it; may 
 also know the proper subject; and that the man- 
 ner of baptizing is dipping ; and may desire to 
 practise it because it is commanded, and yet know 
 nothing of what water baptism preacheth ; or of 
 the mystery baptism sheweth to faith. But that 
 the doctrine of baptism is not the practice of it, 
 not the outward act, but the thmg signified ; and 
 that every behever hath that, must argue you more 
 than too bold to deny it. 
 
 But say you, ' Who taught you to divide betwixt 
 Christ and his precepts, that you word it at such 
 a rate ? That he that hath the one,' &c. 
 
 Answ. To say nothing of faith, and the word; 
 verily reason itself teacheth it. For if Christ be 
 my righteousness, and not water ; if Christ be iny 
 advocate, and not water ; if there be that good 
 and blessedness in Christ, that is not in water; 
 then is Jesus Christ better than water ; and also 
 in these to be eternally divided from water ; unless 
 we will make them co-saviours, co-advocates, and 
 such as are equally good and profitable to men. 
 
 But say you, ' I thought that he that hatli 
 Christ, had an orderly right to all Christ's promises 
 and precepts ; and that the precepts of Christ, are 
 part of the riches that a behever hath in and by 
 Christ.' 
 
 Answ. A believer hath more in Christ than 
 either promise or precept ; but all believers know 
 not all things, that of God are given to them bj 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 637 
 
 Christ. But must not they use, and enjoy what 
 they know, hecause they know not all. Or must 
 they neglect the weightier matters, because they 
 want mint, and anise, and cummin ? Your pre- 
 tended orderly right is your fancy ; there is not a 
 syllable in the whole bible, that bids a Christian 
 to forbear his duty in other things, because he 
 wanteth, as you term it, the symbol, or water bap- 
 tism. 
 
 But say you, ' He that despiseth his birth- 
 right of ordinances, our church privileges, will be 
 found to be a profane person, as Esau in God's 
 account.' 
 
 Baptism is not the privilege of a church as such. 
 But what ? are they all E sau's indeed ? Must we go 
 to hell, and be damned, for want of faith in water 
 baptism ? And take notice, I do not plead for a des- 
 pising of baptism, but a bearing with our brother, 
 that cannot do it for want of light. The best of 
 baptism he hath, viz. the signification thereof : he 
 wanteth only the outward shew, which if he had, 
 would not prove him a truly visible saint ; it would 
 not tell me he had the grace of God in his heart ; 
 it is no characteristical note to another of my Son- 
 ship with God. But why did you not answer these 
 parts of my argument? Why did you only cavil 
 at words? which if they had been left out, the 
 argument yet stands good. ' He that is not bap- 
 tized [in water], if yet a true believer, hath the 
 DOCTRINE of baptism ; yea, he ought to have it 
 before he be convicted, it is his duty to be baptized, 
 or else he playeth the hypocrite. There is there- 
 fore no difference between that believer that is, and 
 he that is not yet baptized with water ; but only 
 his going down into the water, there to perform an 
 outward ceremony, the substance of which he hath 
 already ; which yet he is not commanded to do 
 with respect to membership with the church ; but 
 to obtain by that, further understanding of his 
 privilege by Christ, which before he made profes- 
 sion of, and that as a visible believer.'* 
 
 But to come to my fourth argument, which you 
 so tenderly touch as if it burnt your fingers : ' I 
 am bold (say I) to have communion with visible 
 saints as before, because God hath communion with 
 them, whose example in the case we are strictly 
 commanded to follow.' ' Eeceive ye one another, 
 as Christ also received us to the glory of God.' 
 lio.xv.y. Yea, though they be saints, in opinion 
 contrary to you, or I. ' We that are strong ought 
 
 * While we acknowledge the importance of water baptism, 
 to which Christ submitted, yet we do well to consider that it 
 was not intended as a means of purifying his infinite purity; 
 no more does it purify the believer who follows his Redeemer 
 in this ordinance. He was as mnch a believer before as he 
 is after the ceremony. He submits to it as an act of obedience 
 to the divine command, in the humble hope that his faith may 
 be strengthened and his soul refreshed. — Ed. 
 
 to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to 
 please ourselves. ' Uo. xv. i. Infirmities that are 
 sinful: for they that are natural are incident to 
 all. Infirmities therefore they are, that for want 
 of light, cause a man to err in circumstantials; 
 and the reason upon which Paul groundeth this 
 admonition is ; ' For even Christ pleased not him- 
 self, but, as it is written. The reproaches of them 
 that reproached thee fell on me.' Ro. xv. ,3. 
 
 You say to this, p. 20. ' That it is Paul's direc- 
 tion to the church at Rome how to receive their 
 brethren c^iurch members. ' p. 20. 
 
 I answer, 1 . What ? are not the poor saints now 
 in this city? are not they concerned in these instruc- 
 tions ? or is not the church by these words at all 
 directed how to carry it to those that were not yet 
 in fellowship? A bold assertion ! but grounded 
 upon nothing, but that you would have it so. 2. 
 But how will you prove that there was a church, a 
 rightly constituted church, at Rome, besides that 
 in Aquila's house? ch. xvi. Neither doth this epistle, 
 nor any other in the whole book of God affirm it. 
 Besides, since Paul in this last chapter saluteth 
 the church, as in this man's house, but the other, 
 only as particular saints, it giveth further ground 
 of conviction to you, that those others were not as 
 yet imbodied in such a fellowship. 3. But suppose 
 there was another church besides ; it doth not there- 
 fore follow, that the apostle exhorteth them only to 
 receive persons already in fellowship; but ' Him,' 
 even every ' Him that is weak in the faith receive 
 ye, Jtrfnotto doubtful disputations. ' xiv. 1. 4. Sup- 
 pose again, the receiving here exhorted to, be such 
 as you would have it, yet the rule by which they are 
 directed to do it, is that by which we perceive that 
 Christ hath received them. But Christ did not re- 
 ceive them by [water] baptism, but as given to him 
 by the Father. Him, therefore, concerning whom 
 we are convinced, that he by the Father is given to 
 Christ, ' Him should we receive.' 5. But what need 
 I grant you, that which cannot be proved ? yet 
 if you could prove it, it availeth nothing at all ; 
 because you may not, cannot, ought not to dare to 
 limit the exhortation to receiving of one another 
 into each other's affections only ; and not also 
 receiving saints into communion. 
 
 But you object : ' To make God's receiving the 
 rule of our receiving, in all cases will not hold. ' p. 21. 
 
 Atisw. Keep to the thing, man: if it hold in 
 the case in hand, it is enough, the which you have 
 not denied. And that it holds thus, is plain, 
 because commanded. But let the reader know, 
 that your putting in that way of his receiving 
 which is invisible to us; is but an unhandsome 
 straddling over my argument, which treateth only 
 of a visible receiving ; such as is manifest to the 
 church. This you knew, but sought by evading 
 to turn the reader from considering the strength 
 
628 
 
 DIITERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 of this my argument. ' The receiving then (said I. 
 p. 29.) because it is set as an example to the church, 
 is such as must needs he visible unto them ; and 
 is best discovered by that word that describeth the 
 visible saint. Whoso then you can judge a visible 
 saint, one that walketh with God, you may, nay 
 ought to judge hy the same word, that God hath 
 received him. Now him that God receiveth, him 
 should you receive.' But will any ohject; they 
 cannot believe that God receiveth the imbaptized 
 saints ; I will not suppose you so much stupified, 
 and therefore shall make no answer. 
 
 But you seem to be much offended, because T said, 
 'Vain man ! Think not by the straightness of thine 
 order in outward, and bodily conformity to outward 
 and shadowish circumstances, that thy peace is 
 maintained with God?' But why so much offended 
 at this? [It is say you] ' Because you intend by 
 this the brethren of the baptized way.' 
 
 Answ. If they be vain men, and set up their 
 OWN order, how straight soever they make it, they 
 are worthy to be reproved ; if ' they have rejected 
 the word of the Lord; what wisdom is in them?' 
 Je. Tiii. 9. And as you suggest the first, I affinn the 
 second. But if you would be justified in exclud- 
 ing those, with whom yet you see God hath com- 
 munion, because they yet see not a shadow with 
 you ; produce the scripture for such order, that we 
 may helieve it is the order of God. But deal fairly, 
 lest we shew your nakedness, and others see your 
 shame. You tell me of the order of the Colos- 
 sians. cb. ii. 6. But if you can prove that that 
 church refused to hold communion with that saint 
 whom they knew to be received by Christ, and 
 held communion with him [Christ], or that none but 
 those that are baptized [in water] are received by 
 and hold communion with him, then you justify 
 your order. In the mean while the whole of mine 
 argument stands firm against you; ' You must 
 have communion with visible saints, because Cod 
 hath communion with them, whose example in the 
 case we are strictly commanded to tollow.' 
 
 But you ask me, ' If outward and bodily con- 
 formity be become a crime?' ii. 23. 
 
 Answ. I nowhere said it ; but know that to 
 glorify God with our bodies, respecteth chiefly far 
 higher and more weighty things, than that of water 
 baptism ; ' Whatsoever is not of faith is sin ; ' Ro. xiv. 23. 
 and to set up an ordinance, though an ordinance 
 of God, that by it the church may be pulled in 
 pieces, or the tridy visible saints excluded com- 
 munion with their brethren ; I say again, to make 
 water baptism a bar and division between saint and 
 saint, every whit otherwise gracious and holy alike : 
 This is like fasting ' for strife and debate, and to 
 smite with the fist of wickedness ; ' Is. Wii. 4. and is 
 not to be found within the whole bible, but is wholly 
 an order of your own devising. As to the peace you 
 
 make an objection about (p. 23.) you have granted me 
 what I intended ; and now 1 add further, that for 
 church peace to be founded in water baptism, or 
 any other external rite, not having to do with the 
 church, as a church, is poor peace indeed: Church 
 peace is founded in blood ; and love to each other 
 for Jesus' sake. Phi. u. 1—4. Bearing with, and for- 
 bearing one another, in all things circumstantial, 
 that concern not church worship as such. Ep.iv. si, 32. 
 And in my other [treatise] 1 have proved that bap- 
 tism is not such, and therefore ought not to be 
 urged to make rents and divisions among brethren. 
 
 But you ask, ' Is my peace maintained in a way 
 of disobedience? and conclude if it be, you fear it 
 is false. ' p. 24. 
 
 Answ. If the first were true ; you need not to 
 doubt of the second ; but it may be thought he 
 hath little to say in the controversy, who is forced 
 to stuff out his papers, with such needless prattles 
 as these. 
 
 My fifth argument is, ' That a failure in such a 
 circumstance as water baptism, doth not unchris- 
 tian us ;' this you are compelled to grant, p. 25. 
 And I conclude with your words, persons ought to 
 be Christians before visible Christians ; such as 
 any congregation in the land may receive to com- 
 munion with themselves, because God hath shewed 
 us that he has received them. ' Receive him to 
 the glory of God.' To the glory of God, is put in 
 on purpose, to shew what dishonour they bring to 
 him, who despise to have communion with such, 
 whom they know do maintain communion with 
 God. I say again. How doth this man, or that 
 church, glorify God, or count the wisdom and 
 holiness of heaven beyond them, when they refuse 
 communion with them, concerning whom yet they 
 are convinced, that they have communion with 
 God? But my argument you have not denied ; nor 
 meddled with the conclusion at all ; which is, 
 ' That therefore, even because a failure here, doth 
 not unchristian us, doth not make us insincere;' 
 and I add, doth not lay us open to any revealed 
 judgment or displeasure of God (if it doth, shew 
 where) therefore it should not, it ought not to make 
 us obnoxious to the displeasure of the chm'ch of 
 God, 
 
 But you say, ' I rank gospel precepts, with Old 
 Testament abrogated ceremonies. ' p. 25. 
 
 A'lisw. You should have given your reader my 
 words, that he might have judged from my own 
 mouth: I said then, speaking before of Chris- 
 tianity itself, p. 94. ' that thousands of thousands 
 that could not consent to water, as we, are now 
 with the innumerable company of angels, and the 
 spirits of just men made perfect.' What was said 
 of eating, or the contrary, may as to this be said 
 of water baptism : neither if I be baptized, am I 
 the better ? neither if I be not, am I the worse ? 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMDNION. 
 
 629 
 
 not the better before God, not the worse before men: 
 still meaning as Paul, provided I walk according 
 to my ligVit with God ; otherwise it is false. For 
 if a man that seeth it to be hia duty, shall despis- 
 ingly neglect it ; or if he that hath not faith about 
 it, shall foolishly take it up : both these are for 
 this the worse ; I mean, as to their own sense, 
 being convicted in themselves, as transgressors. 
 He therefore that doth it according to his light, 
 doth well ; and he that doth it not, for want of 
 light, doth not ill ; for he approveth his heart to 
 be sincere with God, even by that his forbearance. 
 And I tell you again. It is nowhere recorded, that 
 this man is under any revealed threatening of God, 
 for his not being baptized with water, he not having 
 light therein, but is admitted through his grace to 
 as many promises as you. If therefore he be not 
 a partaker of that cii-cumstance, yet he is of that 
 liberty, and mercy, by which you stand with God. 
 
 But that I practise instituted worship, upon the 
 same account as Paul did circumcision, and shav- 
 ing, is too bold for you to presume to imagine. 
 What ? because I will not suffer water to carry 
 away the epistles from the Christians ; and because 
 I will not let water baptism be the rule, the door, 
 the bolt, the bar, the wall of division between the 
 righteous, and the righteous ; must I therefore be 
 judged to be a man without conscience to the wor- 
 ship of Jesus Christ ? The Lord dehver me from 
 superstitious and idolatrous thoughts about any of 
 the ordinances of Christ and of God. But my 
 fifth argument standeth against you imtouched; 
 you have not denied, much less confuted the least 
 syllable thereof. 
 
 You tell me my sixth argument is. Edification. 
 
 Atisw. If it be, why is it not embraced ? But 
 my own words are these : ' I am for holding com- 
 munion thus. Because the edification of souls in 
 the faith and holiness of the gospel, is of greater 
 concern than an agreement in outward things ; I 
 say, it is of greater concern with us, and of far 
 more profit to our brother, than our agreeing in, 
 or contesting for, water baptism. ' Jn. xvi. 13. 1 Co. 
 liT. 13. 2 Co. I. 8; xii. 19. Ep. iv. 13. 1 Co. xiii. 1, 2; viii. 1. Now 
 
 why did you not take this argument in pieces, and 
 answer those scriptures, on which the strength 
 thereof depends; but if to contest, and fall out about 
 water baptism, be better than to edify the house of 
 God, produce the texts, that we may be informed. 
 
 You say, ' Edification is the end of all com- 
 munion, but all things must be done in order, 
 orderly. ' p. 26. 
 
 Answ. When you have proved that there is no 
 such thing as an orderly edifying of the church, 
 without water baptism precede, then it will be time 
 enough to think you have said something. 
 
 You add, ' Edification as to church fellowship 
 being a building up, doth suppose the being of a 
 
 church ; but pray you shew us a church without 
 baptism. ' p. 26. 
 
 Answ. See here the spirit of these men, who for 
 the want of water baptism, have at once imchurched 
 all such congregations of God in the world ; but 
 against this I have, and do urge. That water 
 baptism giveth neither being, nor well-being to a 
 church, neither is any part of that instituted wor- 
 ship of God, that the church, as such, should be 
 found in the practice of. Therefore her edifica- 
 tion as a church may, yea and ought to be attained 
 unto without it. 
 
 But you say, ' Shew us a New Testament church 
 without baptism.' p. 26. 
 
 Answ. What say you to the church all along 
 the Revelation quite through the reign of Anti- 
 christ ? Was that a NewTestament church, or no? 
 Again, If baptism be without the church, as a 
 church, if it hath nothing to do in the constituting 
 of a church ; if it be not the door of entrance into 
 the church, if it be no part of church-worship as 
 such; then, although all the members of that 
 church were baptized, yet the church is a church 
 without water baptism. But all the churches in 
 the New Testament were such: therefore, &c. 
 Again, If baptism respect believers, as particular 
 persons onlj' ; if it respects their own conscience 
 only ; if it make a man no visible believer to me, 
 then it hath nothing to do with church-membership. 
 Because, that which respects my own person only, 
 my own conscience only : that which is no character 
 of my visible saintship to the church, cannot be an 
 argument unto them to receive me into fellowship 
 with themselves. But this is true. Therefore, &C. 
 
 You proceed, ' If by edification, be meant the 
 private mcrease of grace, in one another, in the 
 use of private means, as private Christians In meet- 
 ing together ; how doth the principle you oppose 
 hinder that? Endeavour to make men as holy as 
 you can, that they may be fitted for church-fellow- 
 ship, when God shall shew them the orderly way 
 to it.' p. 36. 
 
 Answ. What a many private things have we now 
 brought out to public view ? Private Christians, 
 private means, and a private Increase of grace. 
 But, Sir, Are none but those of your way tho 
 public Christians ? Or, ought none but them that 
 are baptized to have the public means of grace ? 
 Or, must their graces be increased by none but 
 private means ? Was you awake now ? Or, are 
 you become so high in yom- own phantasies, that 
 none have, or are to have but private means of 
 grace ? And, are there no public Christians, or 
 public christian meetings, but them of your way ? 
 I did not think that all but baptists, should only 
 abide in holes. 
 
 But you find fault because I said, 'Edification is 
 greater than contesting about water baptism.' p. 27. 
 
630 
 
 DOTTERENCES ABOUT WATEU BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 Anew. If it be not, confute me ; if it be, forbear 
 (o cavil: water baptism, and all God's ordinances, 
 ;ire to be used to edification ; not to beget beats 
 and contentions among tbe godly, 'wherefore edifi- 
 cation is best. 
 
 Object. ' I had thought that the preaching, and 
 opening baptism, might have been reckoned a part 
 of our edification.' 
 
 Answ. The act of water baptism hath not place 
 in church worship, neither in whole nor in part ; 
 wherefore pressing it upon the church is to no pur- 
 pose at all.' 
 
 Object. ' Wliy may you not as well say, that edi- 
 fication is greater than breaking of bread. ' p. 27. 
 
 Answ. So it is, else that should never have been 
 instituted to edify withal ; that which serveth, is 
 not greater than he that is served thereby. Bap- 
 tism and the Lord's supper both, were made for 
 us, not we for them ; wherefore both were made 
 for our edification, but no one for our destruction. 
 But again, The Lord's supper, not baptism, is for 
 the church, as a church ; therefore as we will main- 
 tain the church's edifying, that must be maintained 
 in it ; yea, used oft, to shew the Lord's death till 
 he come, i Co. xi, sa— 26. Besides, because it is a 
 great part of church worship, as such, therefore it 
 is pronounced blessed, the Lord did openly bless it 
 before he gave it; yea and we ought to bless it 
 also; 'The cup of blessing which we bless,' not 
 to say more. Therefore your reasoning from the 
 one to the other will not hold. 
 
 Object. ' How comes contesting for water bap- 
 tism to be so much against you ?' 
 
 Aiisw. First, Because weak brethren cannot bear 
 it ; whom yet we are commanded to receive, but 
 not to doubtful disputation; doubtful to them, 
 therefore for their sakes, I must forbear it. Ko. xiv. 
 1. Secondly, Because I have not seen any good 
 effect, but the contrary, wherever such hot spirits 
 have gone before me : ' For where envying and 
 strife is, there is confusion,' or tumults, 'and every 
 evil work.* Ja. iii. 16.* Thirdly, Because by the 
 example of the Lord, and Paul, we must consider 
 the present state of the church, and not trouble 
 them with what they cannot bear. Jn. xvi. 13. l Co. iii. 
 1—3. I conclude then, edification in the church is 
 to be preferred above what the church, as a church, 
 hath nothing to do withal. ' All things, dearly 
 beloved, are for our edifying.' l Co. xiv. 6; xii. 26. 2 Co 
 xii. 19. Ep. iv. 16. Eo. xv. 2. 1 Co. xiv. 3. 2 Co. x. 8 ; xiii 10. Eo. xiv. 
 
 19. Before I wind up this argument, I present you 
 with several instances, shewing that the breach of 
 [some of] God's precepts have been borne with, 
 when they come in competition with edification. 
 
 * 'The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of 
 God,' Ja. i. 20. The angry passions of man work evil. Such 
 fiery zeal is contrary to the spirit of Christ. The ignorant 
 must be won by meekness to embrace the truth.— Ed. 
 
 As first, That of Aaron, who let the offering for 
 sin be burnt, that should have indeed been eaten. 
 Le. X. 16—20. Yet because he could not do it to his 
 edification, Moses was content. But the law was 
 thereby transgressed, ' The priest that offereth it 
 for sin, shall eat it.' vi. 26. 
 
 To this you reply, ' That was not a constant, 
 continued forbearing of God's worship, but a sus- 
 pending of it for a season.' 
 
 Answ. We also suspend it but for a season ; 
 when persons can be baptized to their edification, 
 they have the liberty. But, This was not a bare 
 suspension, but a flat transgression of the law. 
 'Ye should indeed have eaten it.' Yet Moses was 
 content. Le. x. 16— 20. 
 
 But say you, 'Perhaps it was suspended upon 
 just and legal grounds, though not expressed.' 
 
 Answ. The express rule was against it ; 'Ye 
 should indeed (said Moses) have eaten it in the 
 holy place: as I commanded.' ver. is. But good 
 Sir, are you now for unwritten verities ? for legal 
 grounds, though not expressed ? I will not drive 
 you further, here is Rome enough. As for Eldad 
 and Medad, it cannot be denied, but that their 
 edifying of the people, was preferred before their 
 conforming to every circumstance. Ku. xi. 16—26. 
 
 You add, ' That Paul for a seeming low thing 
 did withstand Peter.' 
 
 Sir, If you make but a seeming low thing of 
 dissembling, and teaching others so to do, espe- 
 cially where the doctrine of justification is endan- 
 gered, I cannot expect much good conscience from 
 
 you. Ga. ii. 11—13. 
 
 As for your answer to the case of Hezekiah, it 
 is faulty in two respects : 1 . For that you make 
 the passover a type of the Lord's supper, when it 
 was only a type of the body and blood of the Lord ; 
 ' For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.' 
 1 Co. V. 7. 2. In that you make it an example to 
 you to admit persons unprepared to the Lord's 
 supper, p. 29. 
 
 Answ. May you indeed receive persons into tlie 
 church unprepared for the Lord's supper; yea, 
 unprepared for that, with other solemn appoint- 
 ments ? For so you word it, p. 29. what an 
 engine have you made of water baptism. Thus, 
 gentle reader, while this author teareth us in pieces 
 for not making [water] baptism the orderly rule 
 for receiving the godly and conscientious into com- 
 munion ; he can receive persons if baptized, though 
 unprepared for the supper, and other solemn ap- 
 pointments ? I would have thee consult the place, 
 and see if it countenanceth such an act. That a 
 man who pleadeth for water baptism above the 
 peace and edification of the church, ought to be 
 received, although unprepared, into the church to 
 the Lord's supper, and other solemn appointments; 
 especially considering the nature of right church 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISII, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 631 
 
 constitution, and the severity of God towards those 
 that came unprepared to his table of old. iCo. xL 
 28-30. A riddle indeed. That the Lord should, 
 without a word, so severely command, that all 
 which want light in baptism, be excluded church 
 privileges; and yet against his word, admit of 
 persons unprepared, to the Lord's table, and other 
 solemn appointments. 
 
 But good Sir, why so short-yvinded ? why could 
 not you make the same work with the other scrip- 
 tures, as you did with these ? I must leave them 
 upon you unanswered ; and standing by my argu- 
 ment conclude, That if laws and ordinances of old 
 have been broken, and the breach of them born 
 with, when yet the observation of outward things 
 was more strictly commanded than now, if the 
 profit and edification of the church come in com- 
 petition ; how much more, may not we have com- 
 munion, church communion, when no law of God 
 is transgressed thereby. And note, That all this 
 while I plead not, as you, for persons unprepared, 
 but godly, and such as walk with God, 
 
 We come now to my seventh argument, for 
 communion with the godly, though unbaptized per- 
 sons ; which you say is love, p. 39. My argument 
 is this ; ' Therefore I am for communion thus ; 
 because love, which above all things we are com- 
 manded to put on, is of much more worth than to 
 break about baptism.' And let the reader note. 
 That of this argument you deny not so much as 
 one syllable, but run to another story ; but I wiU 
 foUow you. I add further, That love is more dis- 
 covered when we receive for the sake of Christ, 
 than when we refuse his children for want of water : 
 And teU you again. That this exhortation to love 
 is grounded not upon [water] baptism, bi^t the 
 putting on of the new creature, which hath swal- 
 lowed wa all distinctions. Coi. iii. 9— 14 Yea, there 
 are ten arguments in this one, which you have not 
 so much as touched ; but thus object, 
 
 ' That man that makes affection the rule of his 
 walking, rather than judgment, it is no wonder if 
 he go out of the way. ' 
 
 Answ. Love to them, we are persuaded that God 
 hath received, is love that is guided by judgment ; 
 and to receive them that are such, because God 
 hath bidden us, Ro. xiv. is judgment guided by rule. 
 My argument therefore hath forestalled all your 
 noise, and standeth still on its legs against you. 
 As to the duties of piety and charity, you boast 
 of, p. 30. sound not a trumpet, tell not your left hand 
 of it ; we are talking now of communion of saints, 
 church communion, and I plead, that to love, and 
 liold together as such, is better than to break in 
 pieces for want of water baptism. My reason is, 
 because we are exhorted in all things to put on 
 love ; the love of church communion : contrariwise 
 you oppose, Above all things put on water. For 
 
 the best saint under heaven that hath not that, 
 with him you refuse communion. Thus you make 
 baptism, though no church ordinance, a bar to shut 
 out the godly, and a trap-door to let the unpre- 
 pared into churches, to the Lord's supper, and 
 other solemn appointments, p. 29. 
 
 But you object, 'Must our love to the unbaptized 
 indulge them in an act of disobedience ? Cannot 
 we love their persons, parts, graces, but we must 
 love their sins ? ' p. 30. 
 
 Answ. We plead not for indulging. ' But are 
 there not with you, even with you, sins against the 
 Lord your God?' 2 cii. xxviii. lo. But why can you 
 indulge the baptists in many acts of disobedience ? 
 For to come unprepared into the church, is an act 
 of disobedience : To come unprepared to the supper 
 is an act of disobedience ; and to come so also 
 to other solemn appointments, are acts of disobe- 
 dience. 
 
 'But for these things,' you say, 'you do not 
 cast, nor keep any out of the churcli.' 
 
 Answ. But what acts of disobedience do wa 
 indidge them in ? 
 
 ' In the sin of infant baptism.' 
 
 Answ. We indulge them not ; but being com- 
 manded to bear with the infirmities of each other, 
 suffer it ; it being indeed in our eyes such ; but in 
 theirs they say a duty, till God shall otherwise 
 persuade them. If you be without infirmity, do 
 you first throw a stone at them : They keep their 
 faith in that to themselves, and trouble not their 
 brethren therewith : we believe that God hath 
 received them ; they do not want to us a proof of 
 their sonship with God; neither hath he made 
 water a wall of division between us, and therefore 
 we do receive them. 
 
 Object. ' I take it to he the highest act of friend- 
 ship to be faithful to these professors, and to tell 
 them they want this one thing in gospel order, 
 which ought not to be left undone.' p. so. 
 
 Answ. If it be the highest piece of friendship, 
 to preach water baptism to unbaptized believers, 
 the lowest act thereof must needs be very low. 
 But contrariwise, I count it so far off from being 
 any act of friendship, to press baptism in our 
 notion on those that cannot bear it ; that it is a 
 great abuse of the peace of my brother, the law of 
 love, the law of Christ, or the society of the faith- 
 ful. Love suffereth long, and is kind, is not easily 
 provoked : let us therefore follow after the things 
 that make for peace, and things wherewith one 
 may edify another : let every one of us please his 
 neighbour, for his good to edification : Bear you 
 one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of 
 
 Christ. 1 Co. xiii. Ho. liv. 19; XV. 2. G».vi. 3. 
 
 But say you, ' I doubt when this comes to bo 
 weighed in God's balance, it will be found no less 
 than flattery, for which you will be reproved.' p. 3i. 
 
632 
 
 DIFFEKENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, KO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 Ansio. It seems you do but doubt it, wherefore 
 tlae principles from which you doubt it, of that 
 methinks you should not be certain ; but this is of 
 little weight to me ; for he that will presume to 
 appropriate the epistles to himself and fellows, for 
 the sake of baptism, and that will condemn all the 
 churches of Christ in the land for want of bap- 
 tism, and that will account his brother as profane 
 Esau (p. 20.) and rejected, as idolatrous Ephraim 
 (p. 32.) because he wanteth his way of water bap- 
 tism ; he acts out of his wonted way, of rigidness, 
 when he doth hut doubt, and not affirm his brother 
 to be a flatterer. I leave therefore this your doubt 
 to be resolved at the day of judgment, and in the 
 mean time trample upon your harsh and unchris- 
 tian surmises. As to our love to Christians in 
 other cases, I hope we shall also endeavour to 
 follow the law of the Lord ; but because it respects 
 not the matter in hand, it concerns us not now to 
 treat thereof. 
 
 My argument treateth of church communion ; 
 in the prosecution of which I prove. 1 . That love 
 is grounded upon the new creature. Col. iii. lo— 15. 
 2. Upon our fellowship with the Father and Son, 
 ijn. i. 2, 3. 3. That with respect to this, it is the 
 fulfilling of the royal law. Ja. iv. ii. Eo. xiv. 21. 4. That 
 it shews itself in acts of forbearing, rather than in 
 publishing some truths : communicating only what 
 is profitable, forbearing to publish what cannot be 
 bom. 1 Co. iii. 1, 2. Ac. XX. 18—20. Jn. iii. 16, 17. 5.1 shew fur- 
 ther. That to have fellowship for, to make that the 
 ground of, or to receive one another chiefly upon 
 the account of an outward circumstance ; to make 
 baptism the including and excluding charter: the 
 bounds, bar, and rule of communion, when by the 
 word of the everlasting testament, there is no word 
 for it, to speak charitably, if it be not for want of 
 love, it is for want of light in the mysteries of the 
 kingdom of Christ. Strange ! Take two Christians 
 equal in all points but this ; nay, let one go beyond 
 the other in grace and goodness, as far as a man is 
 beyond a babe, yet water shall turn the scale, shall 
 open the door of communion to the less ; and com- 
 mand the other to stand back : yet is no proof to 
 the church of this babe's faith and hope, hath 
 nothing to do with his entering into fellowship, is 
 no part of the worship of the church.* These 
 things should have been answered, seeing you will 
 take upon you so roundly to condemn our practice. 
 
 * It becomes all prayerfully to follow diviue commands in 
 ALl TniNGS. Nothing is indifferent or non-essential that God 
 hath ordained for the believer. But if disciples differ about 
 days, or meats, or water, ought snch differences to prevent 
 their communion and fellowship more than differences in per- 
 sonal stature, or beauty, or in mental powers. Uniformity in 
 anything but love to God and to each other is a fool's para- 
 dise, contrary to the experience of the apostolic and all ages 
 and opposed to every law of natui-e, — Ed. 
 
 You come now to my eighth argument ; which 
 you do not only render falsely, but by so doing 
 abuse your reader. I said not that the church at 
 Corinth did shut each other out of communion ; 
 but, for Gfod's people to divide into parties, or to 
 shut each other from church communion, though 
 for greater points, and upon higher pretences, than 
 that of water baptism, hath heretofore been counted 
 carnal, and the actors therein babyish Christians : 
 and then bring in the factions, that was in the 
 church at Corinth. But what! May not the 
 evil of denying church communion now, if proved 
 naught by a less crime in the church at Corinth, 
 be counted carnal andbabyish; butthebreach of com- 
 munion must be charged upon them at Corinth also ? 
 
 That my argument is good you grant, p. 32. 
 saying, ' The divisions of the church at Corinth 
 were about the highest fundamental principles, for 
 which they are often called carnal ;' yet you cavil 
 at it. But if they were to be blamed for dividing, 
 though for the highest points ; are not you much 
 more for condemning your brethren to perpetual 
 banishment from church communion, though soimd 
 in all the great points of the gospel, and right in 
 all church ordinances also, because for want of 
 light they fail only in the point of baptism ? 
 
 As to youi- quibble about Paul and Apollos, 
 whether they, or others, were the persons, though 
 I am satisfied you are out, yet it weakeneth not 
 my argument ; for if they were blame worthy fol 
 dividing, though about the highest fundamental 
 principles, as you say, how ought you to blush for 
 carrying it as you do to persons, perhaps, more 
 godly than ourselves, because they jmnp not with 
 you in a circumstance ? That the divisions at 
 Corinth were helped on by the abuse of baptism, 
 to me is evident, from Paul's so oft suggesting it: 
 ' Were ye baptized in the name of Paul ? I thank 
 God that I baptized none of you, - lest any should 
 say, I had baptized in mine own name.' i. 13—16. 
 
 I do not say, that they who baptized them 
 designed this, or that baptism in itself eflfected it ; 
 nor yet, though our author feigns it, ' that they 
 were most of them baptized by their factious 
 leaders.' p. 56. But that they had their factious 
 leaders, is evident ; and that these leaders made 
 use of the names of Paul, Apollos, and Christ, is as 
 evident; forbythesenames they were beguiled by the 
 help of ABUSED baptism. 
 
 But say you,' Wherein lies the force of this man's 
 argument against baptism as to its place, worth, 
 and continuance ?' 
 
 I answer : I have no argument against its place, 
 worth or continuance, although thus you seek to 
 scandalize me. But this kind of sincerity of yours, 
 will never make me one of your disciples. Have 
 not I told you even in this argument, ' That I speak 
 not as I do, to persuade or teach men to break the 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 633 
 
 least of God's commandments ; but that my bre- 
 thren of the baptized way may not hold too much 
 thereupon, may not make it an essential of the 
 gospel, nor yet of the communion of saints.' Yet 
 he feigns that I urge two arguments against it. 
 p. 36. and 38. But reader, thou mayest know I have 
 no such reason in my book. Besides, I should be 
 a fool indeed, were I against it, should I make use 
 of such weak arguments. My words then are 
 these: 'I thank God,' said Paul, 'that I baptized 
 none of you but Crispus,' <fec. 'Not but that then 
 it was an ordinance, but they abused it in making 
 parties thereby, as they abused also Paul, and 
 Cephas. Besides, said he, I know not whether I 
 baptized any other. By this negligent relating 
 who were baptized by him, he sheweth that he 
 made no such matter thereof, as some in these 
 days do. Nay, that he made no matter at all 
 thereof with respect to a church communion. For 
 if he did not heed who himself had baptized, much 
 less did he heed who were baptized by others? 
 But if baptism had been the initiating ordinance, 
 and I now add, essential to church communion ; 
 then no doubt he had made more conscience of it, 
 than thus lightly to pass it by.' 
 
 I add further, where he saith, He ' was not sent 
 to baptize ;' that he spake with an holy indignation 
 against those that had abused that ordinance. 
 ' Baptism is an holy ordinance, but when Satan 
 abuseth it, and wrencheth it out of its place, 
 making that which is ordained of God, for the 
 edification of believers, the only weapon to break 
 in pieces the love, unity, and concord of the saints; 
 than as Paul said of himself and fellows, i Co. iii. 5—7. 
 What is baptism ? Neither is baptism any thing ? 
 This is no new doctrine, for God by the mouth of 
 the prophet of old, cried out against his own 
 appointments, when abused by his own people ; 
 Is. i. 11—16. because they used them " for strife, and 
 debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness." ' 
 jriii. *. But to forbear, to take notice thus of these 
 things, my argument stands firm against you : 
 ' For if they at Corinth were blame worthy for 
 dividing, though their divisions were, if you say 
 true, about the highest fundamentals, you ought 
 to be ashamed, thus to banish your brethren from 
 the privileges of church communion for ever, for 
 the want of so low a thing as water baptism.' I 
 call it not low, with respect to God's appointment, 
 though BO, it is far from the highest place, but in 
 comparison of those fundamentals, about which 
 you say, 'the Corinthians made their divisions.' 
 
 You come neit to my ninth argument, and serve 
 it as Hanun served David's servants, 2 Sa. r. 4. you 
 have cut off one half of its beard, and its garments 
 to its buttocks, thinking to send it home with 
 shame. You state it thus: 'That by denying 
 communion with unbaptized believers, you take 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 from them their privileges to which they are born.' 
 
 p. 40. 
 
 Answ. Have I such an argument, in all my little 
 book ? Are not my words verbatim these ? ' If 
 we shall reject visible saints by calling, saints that 
 have communion with God; that have received 
 the law at the hand of Christ ; that are of an holy 
 conversation among men, they desiring to have 
 communion with us ; as much as in us lieth, we 
 take from them their very privileges, and the 
 blessings to which they were bom of God. ' This 
 is mine argument : now confute it. 
 
 Paul saith, not only to the gathered church at 
 Corinth, but to all scattered saints, that in every 
 place call upon the name of the Lord, i Co. l 2. That 
 if Jesus Christ is theirs ; that Paul and Apollos, 
 and Cephas, and the world, and all things else 
 was theirs, iii. 22. 
 
 But you answer, ' We take from them nothing, 
 but we keep them from a disorderly practice of 
 gospel ordinances, we ofier them their privileges, 
 in the way of gospel ordej-.' 
 
 Answ. Where have you one word of God, that 
 forbiddeth a person, so qualified, as is signified in 
 mine argument, the best communion of saints for 
 want of water ? There is not a syllable for this in 
 all the book of God. So then, you in this your 
 plausible defence, do make your scriptureless light, 
 which in very deed is darkness, is. riii. 20. the rule 
 of your brother's faith ; and how well you will 
 come off for this in the day of God, you might, 
 were you not wedded to your wordless opinion, 
 soon begin to conceive. 
 
 I know your reply, 'New Testament saints are 
 aE baptized first. ' 
 
 Answ. Suppose it granted : Were they baptized, 
 that thereby they might be qualified for their riglit 
 to communion of saints, so that, without their sub- 
 mitting to water, they were to be denied the other ? 
 Further, suppose I should grant this groundless 
 notion. Were not the Jews in Old Testament times 
 to enter the church by circunicision ? Ge. ivii. Ex. xii. 
 For that, though water is not, was the very enter- 
 ing ordinance. Besides, as I said before, there 
 was a full forbidding of all that were not circum- 
 cised from entering into fellowship, with a threat- 
 ening to cut them off from the church if they 
 entered in without it : yet more than six hundred 
 thousand entered that church without it. But 
 how now, if such an one as you had then stood up 
 and objected, Sir Moses, What is the reason that 
 you transgress the order of God, to receive mem- 
 bers without circumcision ? Is not that the vei'y 
 entering ordinance ? Are not you commanded to 
 keep out of the church all that are not circumcised ? 
 Yea, and for all those that you thus received, are 
 you not commanded to cast them out again, to cut 
 them off from among this people. Ge. mii. is. i4.Ei.xii. 
 4 L 
 
634 
 
 DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 ti— 'IB. I say. Would not this man have had a far 
 better argument to have resisted Moses, than you, 
 in your wordless notion, have to shut out men 
 from the church, more holy than many of ourselves ? 
 But do you think that Moses and Joshua, and all 
 the elders of Israel, would have thanked this fel- 
 low, or have concluded that he spake on God's 
 behalf ? Or, that they should then, for the sake 
 of a better than what you call order, have set to 
 the work that you would be doing, even to break 
 the church in pieces for this ? 
 
 But say you, ' If any will find or force another 
 way into the sheep fold than by the footsteps of 
 the flock, we have no such custom nor the churches 
 of God,' p. ti. 
 
 Answ. What was done of old I have shewed 
 you, that Christ, not baptism, is the way to the 
 sheep fold, is apparent : and that the person [who 
 thus enters], in mine argument, is entituled to all 
 these, to wit, Christ, grace, and all the things of 
 the kingdom of Christ in the church, is, upon the 
 scriptures urged, as evident. 
 
 But you add, ' That according to mine old con- 
 fidence, I aifirai, That drink ye all of this is entailed 
 to faith, not baptism: a thing,' say you, 'soon 
 said, but yet never proved. ' 
 
 Answ. I. That it is entailed to faith, must be 
 confessed of all hands. 2. That it is the privilege 
 of him that discerneth the Lord's body, and that 
 no man is to deny him it, is also by the text as 
 evident, ' and so let him eat, ' because he is worthy. 
 Wherefore he, and he only, tliat discerneth the 
 Lord's body, he is the worthy receiver, the worthy 
 receiver in God's estimation ; but that none dis- 
 cern the Lord's body but the baptized [in water], 
 is both fond and ridiculous once to surmise. 
 
 Wherefore to exclude Christians, and to debar 
 them their heaven-born privileges, for want of that 
 which yet God never made the wall of division 
 betwixt us : This looks too like a spirit of persecu- 
 tion, Jobxk. 33, and carrieth in it those eighteen 
 absurdities which you have so hotly cried out 
 against. And I do stiU add, ' Is it not that which 
 greatly prevailed with God to bring down those 
 judgments whioli at present we (the people of 
 God) groan under, I will dai-e to say it was, *a 
 cause thereof.' Yea, I will yet pro- 
 iu my Ant ceed ; I fear, I strongly fear, that the 
 A?the''^rin" rod of God is not yet to be taken from 
 ter put in us ; for what [is a] more provoking 
 sin among Christians than to deny one 
 another their rights and privileges, to which they 
 are born of God ? And then to father these their 
 doings upon God, when yet he hath not commanded 
 it, neither in the New Testament nor the Old. 
 
 But I may not lightly pass this by, for because 
 
 t This typographical error in ' The Reasons of my Practice' 
 is corrected ia this edition fur the first time. — Ejj. 
 
 I have gathered eighteen absurdities from this 
 abuse of God's ordinances, or from the sin of bind- 
 ing the brethren to observe order, not founded on 
 the command of God ; and I am sure you have 
 none to shut out men as good, as holy, and as 
 sound in faith as ourselves, from communioJl. 
 Therefore you call my conclusion devilish, p. 43, top- 
 full of ignorance and prejudice, p. 41, and me, one 
 of Machiavel's scholars, p. 42, also proud, presump- 
 tuous, impeaching the judgment of God. 
 
 Answ. But what is there in my proposition, 
 that men, considerate, can be ofiended at ? These 
 are my words : ' But to exclude Christians from 
 chm'ch communion, and to debar them their hea- 
 ven-born privileges, for the want of that which yet 
 God never made a wall of division between us : 
 this looks too like a spirit of persecution: this 
 respecteth more the form than the spirit and power 
 of godliness, <fec. Shall I add. Is it not that whicJi 
 greatly prevailed to bring down those judgments 
 which at present we feel and groan under ? I will 
 dare to say, it was a cause thereof, ' p. 116, 117. A 
 was in my copy, instead whereof the printer put 
 in tke ; for this, although I speak only the truth, 
 I will not beg of you belief; besides, the bookseller 
 desired me, because of the printer's haste, to leave 
 the last sheet to be overlooked by him, which was 
 the cause it was not among the erratas. But, I 
 say, wherein is the proposition offensive ? Is it 
 not a wicked thing to make bars to communion, 
 where God hath made none ? Is it not a wicked- 
 ness to make that a wall of division betwixt us 
 which God never commanded to be so ? If it be 
 not, justify your practice ; if it be, take shame. 
 Besides, the proposition is miiversal, why then 
 should you be the chief intended ? But you have 
 in this done like to the lawyers of old, who, 
 when Christ reproved the pharisees of vrickedness 
 before them, said, ' Master, thus saying thou 
 reproachest us also. ' Lu. xi. 45. 
 
 But you feign, and would also that the world 
 should believe, that the eighteen absurdities which 
 naturally flow from the proposition I mak«, to be 
 the efiects of baptism, saying to me, ' None but 
 yourself could find an innocent truth big with so 
 many monstrous absurdities.' p. 42. 
 
 I answer: This is but speaking wickedly for 
 God, or rather to justify your wordless practice. 
 I say not that baptism hath any absurdity in it, 
 though your abusing it, hath them all, and many 
 more, while you make it, without warrant from 
 the word, as the flaming sword, to keep the brother- 
 hood out of communion, because they, after your 
 manner, cannot consent thereto. And let no man 
 be offended, for that I suggest that baptism may 
 be abused to the breeding such monstrous absur- 
 dities, for greater truths than that have been as 
 1 much abused. What say you to, ' This is my 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 635 
 
 body ? ' To instance no more, although I could 
 instance many, are not they the words of our 
 Lord ? Are not they part of the scriptures of 
 truth? and yet heboid, even with those words, 
 the devil, by abusing them, made an engine to let 
 out the heart-blood of thousands.* Baptism also 
 may be abused, and is, when more is laid upon it 
 by us than is commanded by God. And that you 
 do so, is manifest by what 1 have said already, and 
 shall yet say to your fourteen arguments. 
 
 My last argument, you say, is this : ' The world 
 may wonder at your carriage to these unbaptized 
 persons, in keeping them out of communion ?' 
 
 Aiisw. You will set up your own words, and then 
 fight against them ; but my words are these : 
 ' What greater contempt can be thrown upon the 
 saints, than for their bretlu-en to cut them off from, 
 or to debar them church communion.' And now 
 I add. Is not this to deliver them to the devil, 
 1 Co. V. or to put them to shame before all that see 
 your acts ? There is but one thing can hinder 
 this, and that is, by-standers see that these, your 
 brethren, that you thus abuse, are as holy men as 
 ourselves. Do you more to the openly prophane, 
 yea, to all wizards and witches in the land ?+ For 
 all you can do to them, I speak now as to church 
 acts, is no other than to debar them the commimion 
 of saints. 
 
 And now I say again, the world may well won- 
 der, when they see you deny holy men of Grod that 
 liberty of the communion of saints which you 
 monopolise to yourselves : and though they do not 
 understand the grounds of profession, or com- 
 munion, yet they can both see and say, these holy 
 men of God, in all visible acts of holiness, are 
 not one inch behind you. Yea, I will put it to 
 yourselves. If those many, yea, very many, who 
 thus severely, but with how little ground, is seen 
 by men of God, you deny communion with ; are 
 not of as good, as holy, as unblameable in life, 
 and as sound, if not sounder in the faith than 
 many among ourselves : Here only they make the 
 stop, they cannot, without light, be driven into 
 water baptism, I mean after our notion of it: but 
 what if they were, it would be little sign to me, 
 that they were sincere with God. 
 
 * The doctrine of the real presence, called transubstantiation, 
 was the test of adherence to the Romish church, which unless 
 all persons pretended to believe they were sacrificed with 
 brutal ferocity. — Ed. 
 
 + In Banyan's days, both the laws of the land, the judges, 
 and the commonalty, gave credence to the wicked gambols of 
 wizards and witches. Many a poor iniquitous old woman, 
 from some mysterious hints of her power to teU fortunes, or 
 to gratify the revengeful feelings of her neighbours, was put 
 to a crael death. More enlightened times have dissipated this 
 illusion, and driven these imaginary imps of darkness into 
 lenighted countries.- — Ed. 
 
 To conclude this ; when you have proved that 
 water baptism, which you yourself have said is not 
 a church ordinance, p. 40, is essential to church 
 communion, and that the church may, by the word 
 of God, bolt, bar, and for ever shut out those, far 
 better than ourselves, that have not, according to 
 our notion, been baptized with water ; then it will 
 be time enough to talk of ground for so doing. 
 In the mean time I must take leave to tell you, 
 ' There is not in all the Bible one syllable for such 
 a practice, wherefore your great cry about your 
 order is wordless, and therefore faithless, and is a 
 mere human invention.' 
 
 I COME NOW TO TOUR FOURTEEN ARGUMENTS, AND 
 SHALL IMPARTIALLY CONSIDER THEM. 
 
 Yoitr first argument to prove it lawful to reject 
 the unbaptized saint, is, 'Because the great commis- 
 sion of Christ, Mat. xxviii. from which all persons have 
 their authority for their ministry, if any authority at 
 all, doth clearly direct the contrary. By that com- 
 mission ministers are first to disciple, and then to 
 baptize them so made disciples, and afterwards to 
 teach them to observe all that Christ commanded 
 them, as to other ordinances of worship. If minis- 
 ters have no other authority to teach them other 
 parts of gospel worship, before they believe and 
 are baptized, it may be strongly supposed they 
 are not to admit them to other ordinances before 
 they have passed this first enjoined in the com- 
 mission. ' 
 
 Answ. I. That the ministers are to disciple and 
 baptize, is granted. But that they are prohibited, 
 by the commission, Mat. xxviii. to teach the disciples 
 other parts. of gospel worship that have not light 
 in baptism, remains for you to prove. Shall I 
 add, this position is so absurd and void of truth, 
 that none that have ever read the love of Christ, 
 the nature of faith, the end of the gospel, or of 
 the reason of instituted worship (which is edifica- 
 tion) with understanding, should so much as once 
 imagine. 
 
 But where are they here forbidden to teach 
 them other truths before they be baptized ? This 
 text as fairly denieth to the unbaptized believer 
 heaven and glory. Nay, our author, in the midst 
 of all his flutter about this xxviii. of Matthew, 
 dare venture to gather no more therefrom, but 
 that it may be strongly supposed. Behold there- 
 fore, gentle reader, the ground on which these 
 brethren lay the stress of their separation from 
 their fellows, is nothing, else but a supposition, 
 without warrant, screwed out of this blessed word 
 of God. Strongly supposed ! but may it not be 
 as strongly supposed that the presence and bless- 
 ing of the Lord Jesus, with his ministers, is laid 
 upon the same ground also ? for thus he concludes 
 the text, 'And lo, I am with you alway even 
 
636 
 
 DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 uuto the end of the world.' But would, I say, 
 any man from these words conclude, that Christ 
 Jesus hath here promised his presence only to 
 them that, after discipling, haptize those that are 
 so made ; and that they that do not baptize shall 
 neither have his presence nor his blessing ? I say 
 again, should any so conclude hence, woidd not 
 aU experience prove him void of truth ? The 
 words therefore must be left, by you, as you found 
 them, they favour not at all your groundless sup-^ 
 position. 
 
 To conclude, these words have not laid baptism 
 in the way to debar the saint from fellowship of 
 his brethren, no more than to hinder his inheritance 
 in life and glory. Mark reads it thus : ' He that 
 believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he 
 that believeth not shall be damned. ' Mai. xvi. 16. Let- 
 ting baptism, which he mentioned in the promise, 
 fall, when he came at the threatening. God also 
 doth thus with respect to his worship in the church, 
 he commands aU and every whit of his will to be 
 done, but beareth with our coming short in this, 
 and that, and another duty. But let's go on. 
 
 Yffu/r second airgument is, ' That the order of 
 Christ's commission, as well as the matter therein 
 contained to he observed, may easily be concluded, 
 from God's severity towards them that sought him 
 not according to due order, l Ch. xt. 13. Was God 
 so exact with his people then, that all things to a 
 pin must be according to the pattern in the mount. 
 He. viii. 5 ; ix. 11, whose worship then comparatively, 
 to the gospel, was but after the law of a carnal 
 commandment ; and can it be supposed he should 
 be so indifferent now to leave men to their own 
 liberty, to time and place his appointments, con- 
 trary to what he had given an express rule for in 
 his word as before ? Eze. xliv. 7, 9, lo. It was the 
 priest's sin, formerly to bring the uncircumcised 
 in heart and flesh into his house.' 
 
 Answ. That there is no such order in that com- 
 mission as you feign, I have proved. As for your 
 far-fetch 'd instance, i Ch. xy. it is quite beside your 
 purpose. The express word was, That the priest, 
 not a cart, should bear the ark of God. Also they 
 were not to touch it, and yet Uzza did, Ex. rxv. li. 
 1 Ch. XV. 12—16. Nu. iv. 16. 1 Ch. xiii. Now, if you can make 
 that xsviii. of Matthew say, Keceive none that are 
 not baptized first ; or that Christ would have them 
 of his, that are not yet baptized, kept ignorant of 
 all other truths that respect church communion ; 
 then you say something, else you do but raise a 
 mist before the simple reader : but whoso listeth 
 may hang on your sleeve. As for the pins and 
 tacks of the tabernacle, they were expressly com- 
 manded ; and when you have proved by the word 
 of God, That you ought to shut saints out of your 
 communion for want of baptism, then you may 
 begin more justly to make your parallel. How 
 
 fitly you have urged Eze. xUv. to insinuate that unbapi 
 tized believers are like the uncircumcised in heart 
 and flesh, I leave it to all gospel-novices to con- 
 sider. 
 
 Your third argument is, ' The practice of the 
 first gospel-ministers, with them that first trusted 
 in Christ, discovers the truth of what I assert. 
 Certainly they that lived at the spring-head, or 
 fountain of truth, and had the law from Christ's 
 own mouth, knew the meaning of his commission 
 better than we : hut their constant practice in con- 
 formity to that commission, all along the Acts of 
 the Apostles, discovers that they never arrived to 
 such a latitude as men plead for now-a-days. They 
 that gladly received the word were baptized, and 
 they, yea they only, were received into the church. ' 
 
 Answ. How well you have proved what you 
 have asserted, is manifest by my answer to the 
 two former arguments. I add, That the ministers 
 and servants of Jesus Christ in the first churches, 
 for that you are to prove, were commanded to for- 
 bear to preach other truths to the unbaptized 
 believers ; or that they were to keep them out of 
 the church; or that the apostles, and first fathers, 
 have given you to understand by their example, 
 that you ought to keep as good out of churches 
 as yourselves, hath not yet been shewed by the 
 authority of the word. The second of the Acts 
 proveth not, That the three thousand were neces- 
 sitated to be baptized in order to their fellowship 
 with the church, neither doth it say they, yea they 
 only, were received into the church. But suppose 
 all this, as much was done at the first institution 
 of circumcision, <kc., yet afterwards thousands were 
 received without it. 
 
 Your fourth argument is, ' None of the scrip- 
 ture saints ever attempted this church privilege 
 without baptism, if they did, let it be shewn. 
 The eimuch first desired baptism before anything 
 else ; Paul was first baptized before he did essay 
 to join with the church. Our Lord Christ, the 
 great example of the New Testament, entered not 
 upon his public ministry, much less any other 
 gospel ordinance of worship, till he was baptized.' 
 
 Answ. That none of the scripture saints, if there 
 be any unscripture ones, so much as attempted 
 this church-privilege first, remains for you to prove. 
 But suppose they were all baptized, because they 
 had light therein, what then ? Doth this prove 
 that baptism is essential to church communion ? 
 Or, that Christ commanded in the xxviii. of Mat- 
 thew, or gave his ministers by that, authority, not 
 to make known to believers other parts of gospel- 
 worship, if they shall want light in baptism? 
 The eunuch, Paul, and our blessed Lord Jesus, 
 did none of them, by their baptism, set themselves 
 to us examples how to enter into church commu- 
 nion ; what church was the eimuch baptized intOj 
 
DIFFEUENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 637 
 
 or made a member of; but where is it said, that 
 the unbaptized believer, how excellent soever in 
 faith and holiness, must, for want of water bap- 
 tism, be shut out from the communion of saints, 
 or be debarred the privilege of his Father's house ? 
 This you are to prove. 
 
 Your fifth argummt is, ' If Christ himself was 
 made manifest to be the sent of God by baptism, 
 as appears, Mar. i. 9, lo. then why may not bap- 
 tism, as the first fruits of faith, and the first step 
 of gospel- obedience, as to instituted worship, be a 
 manifesting discovering ordinance upon others who 
 thus follow Christ's steps.' 
 
 Answ. That Jesus Christ was maniiested as 
 the SENT of God by baptism, or that baptism is 
 the first fruit of faith and the first step to gospel- 
 obedience, as to instituted worship, is both without 
 proof and truth ; the text saith not, he was mani- 
 fest to be the ' sent' of God by baptism ; nay it 
 saith not, that by that he was manifest to others 
 to be anything thereby : you have therefore but 
 wronged the text to prove your wordless practice 
 by. Yea, John himself, though he knew him 
 before he was baptized, to be a man of God, for, 
 saith he, ' I have need to be baptized of thee, and 
 comest thou to me. ' Mat. m. u, and knew him after 
 to be the ' sent' of God ; yet not in, or by, but 
 after he was baptized, to wit, by the descending 
 of the Holy Ghost, after he was come out of the 
 water, as he was in prayer, for the heavens were 
 opened to John, Jn. i. 30—34, and he saw, and bare 
 record, because he saw the Spirit descend from 
 heaven, and abide upon Jesus, after his baptism, 
 as he was in prayer. Mat. m. 13—17. Lu. iu. 21, 22. Thus 
 we find him made known before and after, but not 
 at all by baptism, to be the ' sent' of God. 
 
 And that baptism is the fruit of faith, or that 
 faith ought to be tied to take its first step in water 
 baptism, in the instituted worship of God ; this 
 you must prove, it is not found expressed within 
 the whole Bible. Faith acts according to its 
 strength and as 'it sees, it is not tied or bound to 
 any outward circumstance ; one believeth he may, 
 and another believeth he may not, either do this 
 or that. 
 
 Yow sixth argument is, ' If baptism be in any 
 sense any part of the foundation of a church, as to 
 order, He. vi. 1, 2, it must have place here or no where : 
 why are those things called first principles, if not 
 first to be believed and practised ? Why are they 
 rendered by the learned the A, B, C, of a Christian, 
 and the beginning of Christianity, milk for babes, 
 if it be no matter whether baptism be practised or 
 no ? If it be said water baptism is not there 
 intended, let them shew me how many baptisms 
 there are besides water baptism ? Can you build 
 and leave out a stone in the foundation ? I intend 
 not baptism a foundation any other ways but in 
 
 re.spect of order, and it is either intended for that 
 or nothing.' 
 
 Answ. Baptism is in no sense the foundation of 
 a church. I find no foundation of a church but 
 Jesus Christ himself. Mat. wL 18. 1 Co. iu. 11. Yea, the 
 foundation mentioned. He. vi. 1, 2, is nothing else but 
 this very Christ. For he is the foundation, not 
 only of the church, but of all that good that at 
 any time is found in her. He is the foundation 
 OF our repentance, and of our faith towards God. 
 vers. 1, 2. Further, baptisms are not here mentioned 
 with respect to the act in water, but of the doc- 
 trine ; that is, the signification thereof. ' The 
 doctrine of baptisms.' And observe, neither faith, 
 nor repentance, nor baptisms, are called here foun- 
 dations : Another thing, for a foundation, is here 
 by the Holy Ghost intended, even a foundation for 
 them all: a foundation of faith, of repentance, of 
 the doctrine of baptisms, of the resurrection of 
 the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this 
 foundation is Jesus Christ himself, and these are 
 the first principles, the milk, the A, B, C, and the 
 beginning of Christian religion in the world. I 
 dare not say. No matter whether water baptism 
 be practised or no. But it is not a stone in the 
 foundation of a church, no not respecting order J 
 it is not, to another, a sign of my sonship with 
 God ; it is not the door into fellowship with the 
 saints, it is no church ordinance, as you, yourself, 
 have testified, p. 40. So then as to church work, 
 it hath no place at all therein. 
 
 Ycmr seventh argument is, ' If Paul knew the 
 Galatians only upon the account of charity. No 
 other ways to be the sons of God by faith ; but by 
 this part of their obedience, as he seems to import, 
 then the same way we judge of the truth of men's 
 profession of faith, when it shows itself by this 
 selfsame obedience. Baptism being an obligation 
 to all following duties. ' Ga. iii. 26, 27. 
 
 Answ. This your argument, being builded upon 
 no more than a seeming import, and having been 
 above ten times overthrown already ; I might 
 leave stiU with you, till your seeming import is 
 come to a real one, and both to a greater persua- 
 sion upon your own conscience. But verily Sir, 
 you grossly abuse your reader ; must imports, yea, 
 must seeming imports now stand for arguments, 
 thereby to maintain your confident separation from 
 your brethren ? Yea, must such things as these, 
 be the basis on which you build those heavy cen- 
 sures and condemnations you raise against your 
 brethren, that cannot comply with you, because 
 you want the word? A seeming import. But 
 are these words of faith ? or do the scriptures only 
 help you to seeming imports, and me-hap-soes* for 
 your practice ? No, nor yet to them neither, for 
 
 ■ ' Me-hap-soes,' a contraction of ' it may so liappen.' — Ed, 
 
638 
 
 DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 I dare toldly affirm it, and demand, If you can, 
 to prove, that there is so much as a seeming im- 
 port in all the word of God, that countenanceth 
 your shutting men, hetter than ourselves, from the 
 things and privileges of our Father's house. That 
 to the Galatians, saith not, that Paul knew them 
 to be the sons of God hy faith, no other way, but 
 by THIS part of their obedience ; but puts them 
 upon concluding themselves the sons of God, if 
 they were baptized ' into the Lord Jesus, which 
 could not, ordinarily, be known hut unto themselves 
 alone ; because, being thus baptized, respecteth a 
 special act of faith, which only God and him that 
 hath, and acteth it, can be privy to. It is one 
 thing for him that administereth, to baptize in the 
 name of Jesus, and another thing for him that is 
 the subject, by that to be baptized into Jesus 
 Christ: Baptizing into Christ, is rather the act of 
 the faith of him that is baptized, than his going 
 into water and coming out again. But that Paul 
 knew this to be the state of the Galatians no other 
 way, but by their external act of being baptized 
 with water, is both wild and unsound, and a 
 miserable import indeed. 
 
 Your eighth argument is, ' If being baptized 
 into Christ, be a putting on of Christ, as Paul 
 expresses, then they have not put on Christ, in 
 that sense he means, that are not baptized; if 
 this putting on of Christ, doth not respect the 
 visibility of Christianity ; assign something else as 
 its signification ; great men's servants are known 
 by their master's liveries, so are gospel believers 
 by this livery of water baptism, that all that first 
 trusted in Christ submitted unto ; which is in itself 
 as much an obligation to all gospel obedience, as 
 circumcision was to keep the whole law.' 
 
 Answ. For a reply to the first part of this argu- 
 ment, go back to the answer to the seventh. Now 
 that none have put on Christ in Paul's sense ; yea, 
 in a saving, in the best sense ; but them that have, 
 as you would have them, gone into water, will be 
 hard for you to prove, yea, is ungodly for you to 
 assert. Your comparing water baptism to a gen- 
 tleman's livery, by which his name is known to be 
 his, is fantastical. Go you but ten doors from 
 where men have knowledge of you, and see how 
 many of the world, or Christians, will know you 
 by this goodly livery, to be one that hath put on 
 Christ. What ! known by water baptism to be 
 one that hath put on Christ, as a gentleman's 
 man is known to be his master's servant, by the 
 gay garment his master gave him. Away fond 
 man, you do quite forget the text. ' By this shall 
 all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have 
 love one to arwtlier. ' Jn. xUi. 35. That baptism is in 
 itself obliging, to speak properly, it is false, for 
 set it by itself, and it stands without the stamp of 
 Leaven upon it, and without its signification also : 
 
 and how, as such, it should be obliging, I see not. ' 
 Where you insinuate, it comes in the room of, and 
 obllgeth as cireumcision ; you say, you know not 
 what. Ac. XV. 1,2. Circumcision was the initiating 
 ordinance, but this you have denied to baptism. 
 Further, circumcision then bound men to the whole 
 obedience of the law, when urged by the false 
 apostles, and received by an erroneous conscience. 
 Ga. v.i^t. Would you thus urge water baptism! 
 would you have men to receive it with such con- 
 sciences ? Circumcision in the flesh, was a type 
 of circumcision in the heart, and not of water 
 
 baptism. Bo. ii. 28, 29. Phi. iii. 3. 
 
 Your ninth argument is, ' If it were commendable 
 in the Thessalonians, that they followed the foot- 
 steps of the church of Judea, 1 Thes. n. 14 who It 
 appears followed this order of adding baptized 
 believers unto the church ; then they that have 
 found out another way of making church members, 
 are not by that rule praiseworthy, but rather to 
 be blamed ; It was not what was sinae in corrupted 
 times, but that which was from the beglrming : 
 the first churches were the purest pattern.' 
 
 Answ. That the text saith there was a church 
 of Judea, I find not in 1 rb. ii. 14. And that the 
 Thessalonians are commended for refusing to have 
 communion with the unbaptlzed believers, for that 
 is our question, prove it by the word, and then 
 you do something. Again, that the commenda- 
 tions, 1 Th. ii. 14. do chiefly, or at all, respect their 
 being baptized: or, because they foEowed the 
 churches of God, which in Judea were in Christ 
 Jesus, in the example of water baptism Is quite 
 beside the word. The verse runs thus : ' For ye, 
 brethren, became followers of the churches of God 
 which in Judea are In Christ Jesus : for ye also' 
 have suffered like things of your own countrymen, 
 even as they have of the Jews.' This text then 
 commends them, not for that they were baptized 
 with water, but, for that they stood their ground, 
 although baptized with suffering, like them In 
 Judea, for the name of the Lord Jesus. For suf- 
 fering like things of their own countrymen, as they 
 did of the Jews. Will you not yet leave off to 
 abuse the word of God, and forbear turning it out 
 of its place, to maintain your unchristian practice 
 of rejecting the people of God, and excluding them 
 their blessed privileges. The unbaptlzed believer, 
 instead of taking shame for entering into fellow- 
 ship without It, will be ready, I doubt, to put you 
 to shame for bringing scriptures so much' beside 
 the purpose, and for stretching them so miserably 
 to uphold you in your fancies. 
 
 Your tenth argument is, ' If so be, that any of 
 the members at Corinth, Galatia, Colosse, Rome, or 
 them that Peter wrote to, were not baptized, then 
 Paul's arguments for the resurrection to them, or 
 to press them to holiness from that ground (Ro. vi.; 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMJIUNION. 
 
 fiB9 
 
 Col. ii.j 1 Co. XV.) was out of doors, and altogether 
 needless, yea, it bespeaks his ignorance, and 
 throweth contempt upon the Spirit's wisdom. (He. 
 Ti. iPe.iiL 21.) by which he wrote; if that must be 
 asserted as a ground to provoke them to such an 
 end, which had no being : and if all the members 
 of all those churches were baptized, why should 
 any plead for an exemption from baptism, for any 
 church member now?' 
 
 Answ. Suppose all, if all these churches were 
 baptized, what then ? that answereth not our 
 question. We ask where you find it written, that 
 those that are baptized, should keep men as holy, 
 and as much beloved of the Lord Jesus as them- 
 selves, out of church communion, for want of light 
 in water baptism. Why we plead for their admis- 
 sion, though they see not yet, that that is their 
 duty, is because we are not forbidden, but com- 
 manded to receive them, because God and Christ 
 hath done it. Eo. xiv. and xr. 
 
 Your deventh argument is, 'If unhaptized per- 
 sons must be received into churches, only because 
 they are believers, though they deny baptism ; 
 then why may not others plead for the like privi- 
 lege, that are neghgent in any other gospel ordi- 
 nance of worship, from the same ground of want 
 of light, let it be what it wLU. So then as the 
 consequence of this principle, churches may be 
 made up of visible sinners, instead of visible saints.' 
 
 Answ. 1. 1 plead not for believers simply because 
 they are believers, but for such believers of whom 
 we are persuaded by the word, that God hath 
 received them. 2. There are some of the ordi- 
 nances, that be they neglected, the being of a 
 church, as to her visible gospel constitution, is 
 taken quite away ; but baptism is none of them, it 
 being no church ordinance as such, nor any part 
 of faith, nor of that holiness of heart, or life, that 
 sheweth me to the church to be indeed a visible 
 saint. The saint is a saint before, and may walk 
 with God, and be faithful with the saints, and to 
 his own light also though he never be baptized. 
 Therefore to plead for his admission, makes no 
 way at aU for the admission of the open prophane, 
 or to receive, as you profess you do, persons 
 unprepared to the Lord's table, and other solemn 
 appointments, p. 29. 
 
 Tcnir twdfih argvmeni is, 'Why should pro- 
 fessors have more light in breaking of bread, than 
 baptism? That this must be so urged for their 
 excuse : Hath God been more sparing in making 
 out his mind in the one, rather than the other ? Is 
 there more precepts or precedents for the supper, 
 than baptism? Hath God been so bountiful in 
 making out himself about the supper, that few or 
 none that own ordinances scruple it? And must 
 baptism be such a rock of offence to professors, 
 that very few will enquire after it, or submit to it? 
 
 Hath not man's wisdom interposed to darken this 
 part of God's counsel? By which professors seem 
 willingly led, though against so many plain com- 
 mands and examples, written as with a sun beam, 
 that he that runs may read? And must an advo- 
 cate be entertained to plead for so gross a piece 
 of ignorance, that the meanest babes of the first 
 gospel times were never guilty of?' 
 
 Answ. Many words to little purpose. 1. Must 
 God be called to an account by you, why he giveth 
 more light about the supper than baptism ? May 
 he not shew to, or conceal from this, or another 
 of his servants, which of his truths he pleaseth. 
 Some of the members of the church at Jerusalem 
 had a greater truth than this kept from them, for 
 ought I know, as long as they lived, Ac.». 19. yet 
 God was not called in question about it. 2. 
 Breaking of bread, not baptism, being a church 
 ordinance, and that such also as must be often 
 reiterated ; yea, it being an ordinance so full of 
 blessedness, as lively to present union and com- 
 munion with Christ to all the members that wor- 
 thily eat thereof: I say, the Lord's supper being 
 such, that while the members sit at that feast, 
 they shew to each other the death and blood of the 
 Lord, as they ought to do, till he comes. 1 Co. x. 15— 
 17. and xi. 26, 26. The church as a church, is much 
 more concerned in that, than in water baptism, 
 both as to her faith and comfort ; both as to her 
 union and communion. 3. Your supposition, that 
 very few professors will seriously inquire after 
 water baptism, is too rude. What, must all the 
 children of God, that are not baptized for want of 
 light, be still stigmatised with want of serious 
 inquiry after God's mind in it. 4. That I am an 
 advocate, entertained to plead for so gross a piece 
 of ignorance, as want of light in baptism, is but 
 like the rest of your jumbling. I plead for com- 
 munion with men, godly and faithful, I plead that 
 they may be received, that God hath shewed us 
 he hath received, and commanded we should receive 
 them. 
 
 Your thirteenth argument is, ' If obedience must 
 discover the truth of a man's faith to others, why 
 must baptism be shut out, as if it was no part of 
 gospel obedience ? Is there no precept for this 
 practice, that it must be thus despised, as a matter 
 of little use? Or shall one of Christ's precious 
 commands be blotted out of a Christian's obedience, 
 to make way for a church fellowship of man's 
 devising. ' 
 
 Armo. 1. This is but round, round, the same 
 thing over and over. That my obedience to water, 
 is not a discovery of my faith to others, is evident, 
 from the body of the Bible, we find nothing that 
 affirms it. And I will now add, That if a man 
 cannot shew himself a Christian without water 
 baptism ; he shall never shew either saint or sinner. 
 
640 
 
 DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 that he ia a Christian by it. 2. Who [soever] 
 they are that despise it, I know not but that church 
 membership may be without it, (seeing even you 
 yourself have concluded it is no church ordinance, 
 p. 40. nor the entering ordinance, p. 3, 4.) standeth 
 both with scripture and reason, as mine arguments 
 make manifest. ' So that all your arguments prove 
 no more but this, ' That you are so wedded to 
 your wordless notions, that charity can have no 
 place with you. ' Have you all this while so much 
 as given me one small piece of a text to prove it 
 unlawful for the church, to receive those whom she, 
 by the word, perceiveth the Lord God and her Christ 
 hath received ? No : and therefore you have said 
 so much as amounts to nothing. 
 
 Your last argument is, ' If the baptism of John 
 was so far honoured and dignified, that they that 
 did submit to it, are said to justify God ; and those 
 that did it not, are said to reject his counsel against 
 themselves: so that their receiving, or rejecting 
 the whole doctrine of God, hath its denomination 
 from this single practice. And is there not as 
 ranch to be said of the baptism of Christ, unless 
 you will say it is inferior to John's in worth and use. ' 
 
 Answ. 1. That our denomination of believers, 
 and of our receiving the doctrine of the Lord Jesus, 
 is not to be reckoned from our baptism, is evident ; 
 because according to our notion of it, they only 
 that have before received the doctrine of the gos- 
 pel, and so shew it us by their confession of faith, 
 they only ought to he baptized. This might serve 
 for an answer for all : but, 2. The baptism of John 
 was 'the baptism of repentance, for the remission 
 of sins,' Mar. i. 4. Mat. iii. 6. Lu. iii. 3. of which water was 
 but an outward signification. Now what is the 
 baptism of repentance, but an unfeigned acknow- 
 ledgment that they were sinners, and so stood in 
 need of a Saviour, Jesus Christ. This baptism, 
 or baptism under this notion, the Pharisees would 
 not receive, Lu. vii. 29, so. For they ' trusted in them- 
 selves that they were righteous,' that they were 
 'not as other rnen,' that they had need of no 
 repentance. L'^. xviii. 9; x. 29 ; xv. 7. Not hut that they 
 would have been baptized with water, might that 
 have been without an acknowledgment that they 
 were sinners ; Mat. Ui. 7. wherefore seeing the counsel 
 of God respected rather the remission of sins by 
 Jesus Christ, than the outward act of water bap- 
 tism, ye ought not, as you do, by this your reason- 
 ing, to make it rather, at least in the revelation of 
 it, to terminate in the outward act of being bap- 
 tized, but in unfeigned and sound repentance, and 
 the receiving of Jesus Christ by faith. Ep. i. 7, 8, ll. 
 
 Further, A desire to submit to John's water 
 baptism, or of being baptized by him in water, did 
 not demonstrate by that single act, the receiving 
 of the whole doctrine of God as you suggest. 
 ' Why did John reject the Pharisees that would 
 
 have been baptized, Mat.iu.7. and Paul examine 
 them that were ? ' Ac. xk. 2, 3. If your doctrme be 
 true, why did they not rather say, Oh ! seeing 
 you desire to be baptized, seeing you have been 
 baptized, you need not to be questioned any fur- 
 ther; your submitting to John's water, to us is a 
 sufficient testimony, even that single act, that you 
 have received the whole doctrine of God. But I 
 say, why did John call them vipers ? And Paul 
 asked them. Whether they had yet ' received the 
 Holy Ghost ?' Yea, it is evident, that a man may 
 be desirous of water, that a man may be baptized, 
 and neither own the doctrine of repentance, nor 
 know on whom he should believe ; evident, I say, 
 and that by the same texts. Mat. iu. 7. Ac. xix. 2—4. 
 
 You have grounded therefore this your last 
 argument, as also the rest, upon an utter mistake 
 of things. 
 
 I COME NOW TO yoTTR Questions ; which although 
 
 THEY EE MIXED WITH GALL, I WILL WITH PATEENCE 
 SEE IF I CAN TURN THEM INTO FOOD. 
 
 [Quest. 1.] Your first question is, 'I ask your 
 own heart, whether popularity and applause of 
 variety of professors, be not in the bottom of what 
 you have said ; that hath been your snare to pervert 
 the right ways of the Lord, and to lead others into 
 a path wherein we can find none of the footsteps of 
 the flock in the first ages ?' 
 
 Answ. Setting aside a retaliation, like your 
 question, I say, and God knows I speak the truth, 
 I have been tempted to do what I have done, by a 
 provocation of sixteen years long ; tempted, I say, 
 by the brethren of your way : who, whenever they 
 saw their opportunity, have made it their business 
 to seek to rend ns in pieces ; mine ownself they 
 have endeavoured to persuade to forsake the 
 church ; some they have rent quite off from us, 
 others they have attempted and attempted to divide 
 and break off from us, but by the mercy of God, 
 have been hitherto prevented. A more large 
 account you may have in my next, if you think 
 good to demand it ; but I thank God that I have 
 written what I have written. 
 
 Quest. 2. ' Have you dealt brotherly, or like a 
 Christian, to throw so much dirt upon your brethren, 
 in print, in the face of the world, when you had an 
 opportunity to converse with them of reputation 
 amongst us, before printing, being allowed the 
 liberty by them, at the same time for you to speak 
 among them?' 
 
 Answ. I have thrown no dirt upon them, nor 
 laid any thing to their charge, if their practice be 
 warrantable by the word ; but you have not been 
 ofi'ended at the dirt yourselves have thrown at all 
 the godly in the land that are not of our persuasion, 
 in counting them unfit to be communicated witii, 
 
PIFJEKENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAK TO COMMUNION. 
 
 Oil 
 
 Of to be accompanied with in the house of God. 
 This dirt you never complained of, nov would, I 
 doubt, to this day, might you be still let alone to 
 throw it. As to my book, it was printed before I 
 spake with any of you, or knew whether I might 
 be accepted of you. As to them of reputation 
 among you, I know others not one tittle inferior 
 to them, and have my liberty to consult with who 
 I .like best. 
 
 Quest, 3. ' Doth your carriage answer the law 
 of love or civility, when the brethren used means 
 to send for you for a conference, and their letter 
 was received by you, that you should go out again 
 from the city after knowledge of their desires, and 
 not vouchsafe a meeting with them, when the 
 glory of God, and the vindication of so many 
 churches is concerned.' 
 
 Answ. The reason why I came not amongst you, 
 was partly because I consulted mine own weakness, 
 and counted not myself, being a dull headed man, 
 able to engage sq many of the chief of you, as I 
 was then informed intended to meet me. I also 
 feared, in personal disputes, heats and bitter con- 
 tentions might arise, a thing my spirit hath not 
 pleasure in: I feared also, that both myself and 
 words would be misrepresented ; and that not with- 
 out cause, for if they that answer a book will alter, 
 and screw arguments out of their place, and make 
 my sentences stand in their own words, not mine, 
 ■when (I say) my words are in a book to be seen, 
 what would you have done, had I in the least, 
 either in matter or manner, though but seemingly 
 miscarried among you. As for the many churches 
 which you say are concerned, as also the glory of 
 God, I doubt not to say they are only your word- 
 less opinions that are concerned ; the glory of 
 GJod is vindicated : We receive him that God hath 
 received, and that ' to the glory of God. ' Eo. it. 7. 
 
 Quest. 4. ' Is it not the spirit of Diotrephes of 
 old, in you, who loved to have the pre-eminence, 
 that you are so bold to keep out all the brethren, 
 that are not of your mind in this matter, from 
 having any entertainment in the churches or meet- 
 ings to which you belong, though you yourself 
 have not been denied the like liberty, among them 
 that are contrary minded to you? Is this the way 
 of your retaliation ? Or are you afraid lest the 
 truth should invade your quarters?' 
 
 Answ. I can say, I would not have the spirit 
 you talk of ; what I have of it, God take it from 
 me. But what was the spirit of Diotrephes ? 
 Why, not to receive the brethren into the chm-ch, 
 and to forbid them that would. 3 Jn, 9, 10. This do 
 not I ; I am for communion with saints, because 
 they are saints : I shut none of the brethren out 
 of the churches, nor forbid them that would receive 
 them. I say again, shew me the man that is a 
 visible believer, and that walketh with God ; and 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 though he differ with me about baptism, the doors 
 of the church stand open for him, and all our 
 heaven-born privileges he shall be admitted to 
 them.. But how came Diotrephes so latelv into 
 our parts ? Where was he in those days that our 
 brethren of the baptized way, would neither receive 
 into the church, nor pray with men as good as 
 themselves, because they were not baptized; but 
 would either, like Quakers, stand with their hats 
 on their heads, or else withdraw till we had 
 done. 
 
 As to our not suffering those you plead for to 
 preach in our assemblies, the reason is, because 
 we cannot yet prevail with them, to repent of their 
 church-rending principles. As to the retaliation, 
 mind the hand of God, and remember Adonibezek. 
 Ju. i. 7. Let the truth come into our quarters and 
 welcome, but sowers of discord, because the Lord 
 hates it, Pr. vi, 19. we also ourselves wiU avoid them. 
 
 Ko. xvi. 17, 18. 
 
 Quest. 5. ' Is there no contempt cast upon the 
 brethren, who desired your satisfaction, that at the 
 same time, when you had opportunity to speak to 
 them, instead of that, you committed the letters 
 to others, by way of reflection upon them ?' 
 
 Answ. It is no contempt at all to consult men 
 more wise and judicious than him that wrote, or 
 myself either. But why not consult with others. 
 Is wisdom to die with you ? Or do you count all 
 that yourselves have no hand in, done to your dis- 
 paragement ? 
 
 Quest. 6. ' Did not your presumption prompt 
 you to provoke them to printing, in your letter to 
 them, when they desired to be found in no such 
 practice, lest the enemies of truth should take 
 advantage by it ? ' 
 
 Answ. What provoked you to print, wiU be best 
 known at the day of judgment, whether your fear 
 of losing your wordless opinion, or my plain 
 answer to your letter : The words in my letter are, 
 ' As for my book, never defer its answer till you 
 speak with me, for I strive not for mastery but 
 truth.' Though you did not desire to write, yet 
 with us there was continual labour to rend us to 
 pieces, and to prevent that, was my first book, 
 written. And let who will take advantage, so the 
 truth of God, and the edification of my brother be 
 promoted. 
 
 Quest. 7. Whether your principle and practice. 
 is not equally against others as well as us, viz.. 
 Episcopal, Presbyterians, and Independents, who 
 are also of our side, for our practice, though they 
 differ with us about the subject of baptism. Do 
 you delight to have your hand against every man ?' 
 
 Answ. I own water baptism to be God's ordi- 
 nance, but I make no idol of it. Where you call 
 now the Episcopal to side with you, and also tho 
 Presbyterian, <kc. you will not find them .easily. 
 4m 
 
C42 
 
 DIITERENCES ABOTJT 'nrATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMtJNION. 
 
 persuaded to conclude with you against me. They 
 are against your manner of dipping, as well as the 
 subject of water baptism ; neither do you, for all 
 you flatter them, agree together in all but. the 
 subject. Do you allow their sprinkling? Do 
 you allow their signing with the cross ? Why 
 then have you so stoutly, an hundred times over, 
 condemned these things as antichristian. I am 
 not against every man, though by your abusive 
 language you would set every one against me; 
 but am for union, concord, and communion with 
 saints,, as saints, and for that cause I wrote my 
 book. 
 
 To condude, — 1 . In all I have said, I put a 
 diflerence between my brethren of the baptized 
 way ; I know some are more moderate than some. 
 
 2. When I plead for the unbaptized, I chiefly 
 intend those that are not so baptized as my bre- 
 thren judge right, according to the first pattern. 
 
 3. If any shall count my papers worth the scrib* 
 bling against, let him deal with my arguments, 
 and things immediately depending upon them, and 
 not conclude that he hath confuted a book, when 
 he hath only quarrelled at words. 4. I have done 
 when I have told you, that I strive not for mastery, 
 nor to shew myself singular ; but, if it might be, 
 for union and communion among the godly. And 
 count me not as an enemy, because I tell you the 
 truth. 5. And now, dissenting brethren, I com- 
 mend you to God, who can pardon your sin, and 
 give you more grace, and an inheritance among 
 them that are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ. 
 Amen. 
 
 Here followeth Mr. Henry Jessey's Jcdgmekt 
 UPON the same Argument. 
 
 ' Him that is weak in the faith receive ye,' <bc. — 
 Rom. xiv. I. 
 
 Whereas some suppose the receiving there men- 
 tioned, was but receiving into brotherly afiection, 
 such as were in church fellowship ; but not a 
 receiving of such as were weak into the church. 
 Pbr answer unto which consider. 
 
 That in the texts are two things to be inquired 
 into. First, What weakness of faith this is, that 
 must not hinder receiving. Secondly, By whom, 
 and to what, he that is weak in the faith is to be 
 received ? 
 
 Fird, To the first. What weakness of faith this 
 is that must not hinder receiving, whether was it 
 weakness in the graces of faith, or m the doctrine 
 of faith ? It is conceived that the first is included, 
 but the second principally intended. 
 
 1. That some of the Lord's people are weak in 
 the graces of faith, will be confessed by all ; Mar. ii. 
 24. and Ltu xxiv. S5. and that the Lord would have- 
 
 his Iambs fed as Well as his' sheep, and his chil-- 
 drefl as Well as grown men, and that he hath gitent 
 the right to gospel privileges, not to degrees of 
 grace, but to the truth ^ 'hkn, that is weak in the 
 faUh receive ye : ' or unto youj^ as some good trans- 
 lations read it'.* ua.an i. 
 
 2. It is supposed, that this command of receiving 
 him that is weak in the faith, doth principally in- 
 tend, that is weak in the doctrine of faith, and that 
 not so much in the doctrine of justification, as in 
 gospel institutions, as doth appear by the second 
 and sixth verses : which shew, that it was in- mat- 
 ters of practice, wherein some were weak, and at 
 which others were oflfended } notwithstanding the 
 glorious Lord who bears all his Israel upon his 
 heart receives them (Ten sc) and commandeth, 'him 
 that is weak in the faith receive ye, ' or unto you. 
 
 Second, Therefore, here we are to inquire of the 
 receiving in the text. By whom, and to what he 
 that is weak in the faith, should be received. In 
 which inquiry there are two parts. 1. By whom. 
 2. To what. 
 
 1 . To tlie first. The text makes answer, ' Him 
 that is weak in the faith receive ye,' or unto you; 
 which must be the church at Rome, to whom tlie 
 epistle was writ; as also to all 'beloved of God, 
 called to be saints.' io.i. 7. And as to them, so 
 unto all churches and saints; Beloved and called 
 throughout the world. 
 
 Note, That epistles are aswell to direct how 
 churches are to carry things towards saints with- 
 out^ as to saints within ; and also toward all men 
 so as to give no ofience to Jew or Gentile, nor to 
 the church of God. iCo i.ss. 
 
 2. The second part of the inquiJ'y is, to' what he 
 that is weak in the faith is to be received ? whe- 
 ther only unto mutual afiection, as some affirm, 
 as if he were in church fellowship before, that 
 were weak in the faith? Or whether the text 
 doth as well, if not rather intend, the. receiving 
 such as were, and are weak in the faith, Not only 
 unto mutual afiection if in the church, but unto 
 church fellowship also, if they were out. For 
 clearing of which consider, to whom the epistle 
 was written. Eo. i. 7. Not* only to tiie church there, 
 but unto all that were beloved of God, and called 
 to be saints in all ages.- And as at Rome it is like 
 there then were, and in other places now are, 
 saints weak in the faith, both in and out of church 
 fellowship ; and it is probable there then were, and 
 elsewhere now are, those that will oast such out of 
 
 * TjTidale, and all the early English translations, render it 
 'unto you,' until the Elisabethan State Bible, called the 
 Bishop's,, in 1568. Do not the words mean that Christiana 
 are to receive such as are weak in the faith into their hearts 
 by love, without troubling their heads with perplexing dis- 
 putes? — Ed. 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 643 
 
 their mutual affection. And if they wUl cast such 
 out of their mutual affection that are within, no 
 doubt they -will keep out of their church fellowship 
 those that are without. 
 
 Arg. 1. Whereas ihe Lord's caro extends to all 
 his, and if it were a good argument in the third 
 verse, for them to receive those within, because 
 God hath received them, it would be as good an 
 argument to receive in those without, for God hath 
 received them also : unless it could be proved, that 
 ell that were and are weak in the faith, were and 
 are in church feUowship, which is not Ukely: for 
 if they would cast such out of their affection that 
 are within, they would upon the same account 
 keep them out of church fellowship that were 
 ••without : therefore as it is a duty to receive those 
 within unto mutual affection, so it is no less a 
 ■duty, by the text, to receive such .weak ones as 
 tare without, into church fellowship. 
 
 Arg. 2. Is urged from the words themselves, 
 which are, ' Receive him that is weak in the faith; ' 
 wherein the Lord puts no limitation in this text or 
 ■in any other j and who is he then that can restrain 
 it, unless he will limit the Holy One of Israel ? 
 And how would such an interpretation foolishly 
 charge the Lord, as if he took care only of those 
 within, but not likeeare of those without; whereas 
 he commandeth them to receive them, and useth 
 this motivie, he had received them, and he reeeiveth 
 ithose that are weak in the faith, if without, as well 
 as those within. 
 
 From the example, to wit. That God had re- 
 ceived them ; whereas had he been of the church, 
 (they would have been persuaded of that before the 
 (motive was lu-ged: for no true church of <^hrist's 
 would take in, or keep in any, whom they judged 
 the Lord had not received ; but those weak ones 
 were such as they questioned whether the Lord 
 had received them, else the text had not been an 
 answer su£Scient for their receiving them : There 
 might have been objected, they hold up Jewish 
 observations of meats and days, which by the 
 death of Christ were abolished, and so did deny 
 some of the efiSects of his death ; yet the Lord who 
 was principally wronged could pass this by, and 
 «ommandeth others to receive them also. And if 
 it be a good argument to receive such as are weak 
 in any thing, whom the Lord hath received, then 
 there can be no good argument to reject for any 
 thing for which the Lord wiU not reject them : 
 for else the command in the first verse, and his 
 example in the third verse were insufficient, with- 
 out some other arguments unto the church, besides 
 his command and example. 
 
 ,f^^^ Some object, 'Receive ye one another, as 
 J.®^ Christ also received us to the glory of God.' 
 E«. IV. 7. And from thence supposing they were all 
 in church feUowship before, whereas the text saith 
 
 not so : for if you consider the eighth and ninth 
 verses, you may see he speaks unto Jews and 
 Gentiles in general, that if the Jews had the 
 receiving, they should receive Gentiles ; and if the 
 Gentiles had the receiving, they should receive Jews, 
 for had they not been on both sides commanded: 
 the Jews might have said to the Gentiles, you are 
 commanded to receive us, but we are not com- 
 manded to receive you ; and if the weak had the 
 receiving, they should receive the strong ; and if 
 the strong had the receiving, they should not keep 
 out the weak ; and the text is reinforced with the 
 example of the Son's receiving us unto the glory 
 ■of God, that as he reeeiveth Jews and poor Gen- 
 tiles, weak and strong, in church fellowship, or 
 'Out of church fellowship; so should they to the 
 glory of God. And as the Lord Jesus received 
 some, though they held some things more than 
 were commanded, and some things less than were 
 commanded, and as those that were weak and in 
 church fellowship, so those that were weak and 
 out of church fellowship ; and that not only into 
 mutual affection, but unto fellowship with himself; 
 and so should they, not only receive such as were 
 weak within into mutual affection, but such as 
 were without, both to mutual affection and to 
 church fellowship: or else such weak ones as 
 were without, had been excluded by the text. Oh ! 
 how is the heart of God the Father and the Son 
 set upon this, to have his children in his house, 
 and in one another's hearts as they are in his, and 
 are borne upon the shoulders and breasts of his 
 Son their high priest ? and as if all this will not 
 do it, but the devil will divide them still, whose 
 work it properly is ; But ' the God of peace ' will 
 come in shortly, ' and bruise Satan under their 
 feet,' as in Bo. ivi. so. And they will agree to be 
 in one house, when they are more of one heart ; 
 in the mean time pray, as in eh. %v. 5. ' Now the 
 God of patience and consolation grant you to be 
 like-minded one toward another according to Christ 
 Jesus.' 
 
 I shall endeavour the answering of some objec- 
 tions, and leave it unto consideration. 
 
 Object. Some say this bearing or receiving, were 
 but in things indifferent. 
 
 Ansio. That eating, or forbearing upon a civil 
 account, are things indifferent, is true: but not 
 when done upon the account of worship, as keeping 
 of days, and estabhshing Jewish observations about 
 meats, which by the death of Christ are taken 
 away ; and it is not fairly to be imagined the same 
 church at Rome looked so upon them as indifferent; 
 nor that the Lord doth ; that it were all alike to 
 him to hold up Jewish observations, or to keep 
 days or no days, right days or wrong days, as 
 indifferent things, which is a great mistake, and 
 no less than to make God's grace little in receiving 
 
644 
 
 DIFKEEENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 such. For if it were but in things wherein they 
 had not sinned, it were no great matter for the 
 Lord to receive, and it would have been as good 
 an argument or motive to the church, to say the 
 things were indifferent, as to say the Lord had 
 received them. Whereas the text is to set out 
 the riclies of grace to the vessels of mercy, as 
 Eo. ix. 15. That as at first he did freely choose and 
 accept them ; so when they fail and miscarry in 
 many things, yea about his worship also, although 
 he be most injured thereby, yet he is first in passing 
 it by, and persuading others to do the like. That 
 as the good Samaritan did in the Old Testament,* 
 so our good Samaritan doth in the New, when 
 priest and Levite passed by, pastor and people 
 pass by, yet he wiU not, but pours in oil, and 
 carries them to his inn, and calls for receiving, 
 and setting it upon his account. 
 
 Object. That this bearing with, and receiving 
 such as are weak in the faith, must be limited to 
 meats and days, and such like things that had been 
 old Jewish observations, but not unto the being 
 ignorant in, or doubting of any New Testament 
 institution. 
 
 Answ. Where the Lord puts no limitation, men 
 -should be wary how they do it, for they must have 
 a command or example, before they can limit this 
 command ; for although the Lord took this occa- 
 sion from their difference about meats and days to 
 give this command, yet the command is not limited 
 there, no more than Mat. xii. 1—8. That when they 
 made use of his good law rigorously in the letter, 
 he presently published an act of grace in the 7th 
 verse, and tells them, Had they known what this 
 meaneth, 'I will have mercy and not sacrifice,' 
 they would not have condemned the guiltless ; as 
 also Milt, ix 13. ' Go ye and learn what <Aa< meaneth, 
 I will have mercy and not sacrifice,' which is not 
 to be limited imto what was the present occasion 
 of publishing the command, but observed as a 
 general rule upon all occasions, wherein mercy 
 and sacrifice comes in competition, to shew the 
 • Lord will rather have a duty omitted that is due 
 to him, than mercy to his creatures omitted by 
 ■them. So in the text, when some would not 
 receive such as were weak in the faith, as to 
 matters of practice, the Lord was pleased to pub- 
 lish this act of grace : ' Him that is weak in the 
 faith receive ye, bvi, not to doubtful disputations. ' 
 Now unless it be proved, that no saint can be weak 
 in the faith in any thing but meats and days, or 
 in some Old Testament observations, and that he 
 ought not to be judged a saint that is weak in the 
 faith as it relates to gospel institutions, in matters 
 of practice ; you cannot limit the text, and you 
 
 * Unilcr the Old Testament dispensation ; tlie parable or 
 history is recorded in Luke x. — Ec, 
 
 y^ 
 
 must also prove his weakness sucu, as that the 
 Lord will not receive him ; else the command in 
 the first verse, and the reason or motive in the 
 third verse, will both be in force upon you ; to wit, 
 ' Him that is weak in the faith receive ye,' or 
 imto you, - ' for God hath received him,' 
 
 Object. But some may object from iCo.xii.is. 'Fur 
 by one spirit are we aU baptized into one body, 
 whether we be Jews or Gentiles. Some there aro 
 that affihn this to be meant of water baptism, and 
 that particular churches are formed thereby, and 
 all persons are to be admitted and joined unto 
 such churches by water baptism. 
 
 Answ. That the baptism intended in the text is 
 the Spirit's baptism, and not water baptism ; and 
 that the body the text intends, is not principally 
 the church of Corinth, but all believers, both Jews 
 and Gentries, being baptized into one mystical 
 body, as Ep. iv. *. ' Hiere is one body and one 
 Spirit,' wherein there is set out the uniter and the 
 united ; therefore in the third verse they are ex- 
 horted to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond 
 of peace. The united are all the faithful in one 
 body ; into whom ? in the fifth verse, in one Lord 
 
 Jesus Christ : by what ? one faith, one 
 
 baptism, which cannot be meant of water 
 baptism ; for water baptism doth not unite all this 
 body, for some of them never had water baptism, 
 and are yet of this body, and by the Spirit gathered 
 into one Lord Jesus Christ, Ep. i. lo. ' both which 
 are in heaven and in earth,' Jew and Gentile, 
 Kp. ii. 16. ' that he might reconcile both unto God 
 in one body by the cross.' The instrument yoH 
 have in ver. 18. 'by one spirit.' Ep. iii. 6. 'That the 
 Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same 
 body.' irer. 15. ' Of whom the whole family in hea- 
 ven and earth is named.' And the reasons of 
 their keeping 'the unity of the Spirit,' in Ep. iv. 3. is 
 laid down in ver. 4, 5. being 'one body,' 'one Spirit,' 
 having 'one hope,' 'one Lord,' 'one faith,' 'one 
 baptism,' whether they were Jews or Gentiles, 
 ^^^^ such as were in heaven or in earth, which 
 
 CANNOT be meant of water baptism, for ia 
 that sense they had not aU one baptism, nor 
 admitted and united thereby. So in i Co. xii. 13. ' For 
 by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, 
 whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be 
 _^_^ bond or free ; and have been all made to 
 
 drink into one Spirit;' which cannot be 
 meant of water baptism, in regard all the body o.f 
 Christ, Jews and Gentiles, bond and free, partook 
 not thereof. 
 
 Objed. But Ep. iv. 6. saith, there is but ' one bap- 
 tism;' and by what hath been said, if granted, 
 water baptism will be excluded, or else there is 
 more baptisms than one. 
 
 Answ. It foUoweth not that because the Spirit 
 will have no corrival, that therefore other thinga 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 64 c 
 
 tnay not te in their places. That hecause the 
 Spirit of God taketh the pre-emmence, therefore 
 other things may not be subservient, i Jn. a. 27. The 
 apostle tells them, That the anointing which they 
 have received of him, abideth in them ; and you 
 need not, saith he, ' that any man teach you, but 
 as the same anointing teachoth you of all things.' 
 By this some may think John excludes the minis- 
 try; no such matter, though the Holy Ghost had 
 confirmed and instructed them so in the truth of 
 the gospel, as that they were furnished against 
 seducers in ver. 26. yet you see John goes on still 
 teaching them in many things : as also in Ep. iv. 11 
 —13. ' He gave some, apostles ; - some evangelists, 
 and some pastors, and teachers ; for the perfecting 
 of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the 
 edifying of the body of Christ : Till we all come in 
 the unity of the faith, and of th« knowledge of the 
 Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure 
 of the stature of the fulness of Christ.' So in 
 the Spirit's baptism, though it have the pre-emi- 
 nence, and appropriateth some things, as peculiar 
 to itself, it doth not thereby destroy the use and 
 end of water baptism, or any other ordinance in 
 its place : for water baptism is a means to increase 
 grace, and in it, and by it sanctification is for- 
 warded, and remission of sins more cleared and 
 witnessed ;/ yet the giving grace, and regenerating 
 and renewing, is the Holy Spirit's peculiar. Con- 
 sider I'it iii. 5. ' By the washing of regeneration, and 
 Renewing of the Holy Ghost;' Baptism being the 
 outward sign of the inward graces wrought by the 
 Spirit, a representation or figure, as in 1 Pc m. 21. 
 * The like figure whercunto even baptism doth also 
 How save us [not the putting away of the filth of 
 the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience 
 toward God,] by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;' 
 not excluding water baptism ; but shewing, That 
 ilie spiritual part is chiefly to be looked at : though 
 such as slight water baptism, as the Pharisees and 
 lawyers did, Lu. tM. so. reject the counsel of God 
 against themselves, not being baptized. And 
 such as would set water baptism in the Spirit's 
 place, exalt a duty against the deity and dignity 
 of the Spirit, and do give the glory due unto him, 
 as God blessed for ever, unto a duty. 
 
 By which mistake of setting up water baptism 
 in the Spirit's place, and assigning it a work, which 
 was never appointed unto it ; of forming the body 
 of Christ, either in general, as in 1 Co. xu. 13. Ep. iv. 5. 
 or as to particular churches of Christ, we may see 
 the fruit ; that instead of being the means of unit- 
 ing as the Spirit doth ; that it hath not only rent 
 his seamless coat, but divided his body which he 
 hath purchased with his own blood, and opposed 
 that great design of Father, Son, and Spirit, in 
 uniting poor saints, thereby pulling in pieces what 
 the Spirit Lath put together. ' Him that is weak 
 
 in the faith receive yc, - for God hath received 
 him;' being such as the Spirit had baptized and 
 admitted of the body of Christ, he would have his 
 churches receive them alsa : whose baptism is thb 
 ^^.^ ONLY baptism, and so is called the one bap- 
 -'"^^ tism. Therefore consider, whether such a 
 practice, hath a command or an example, that per- 
 sons must be joined into church fellowship by water 
 baptism ; for John baptized many, yet he did not 
 baptize some into one church, and some into an- 
 other, nor all into one church, as the church of Romo 
 doth. And into what church did Philip baptize the 
 eunuch, or the apostle the jailor and his house ? 
 And all the rest they baptized, were they not left 
 free to join themselves for tlieir convenience and 
 edification ? AH which I leave to consideration. 
 I might have named some inconveniences, if not 
 absurdities that would follow the assertion : as to 
 father the mistakes of the baptizers on the Spirit's 
 act, who is not mistaken in any HE baptizeth J no 
 false brethren creep in unawares into the mystical 
 body by him ; and also, how this manner of form- 
 ing churches would suit a country, where many 
 are converted, and willing to be baptized ; but 
 there being no church to be baptized into, how 
 shall such a church state begin ? The first must 
 be baptized into no church, and the rest into him 
 as the church, or the work stand still for want of 
 a church. 
 
 Object. ' But God is a God of order, and hath 
 ordained order in all the churches of Christ ; and 
 for to receive one that holds the baptism he had 
 in his infancy, there is no command nor example 
 for, and by the same rule children will bo brought 
 in to he church members.' 
 
 Answ. That God is a God of order, and hath 
 ordained orders in all the churches of Christ is 
 true ; and that this is one of the orders to receive 
 him that is weak in the faith, is as true. And 
 though there be no example or command, in so 
 many woi-ds, receive such an one that liolds the 
 baptism he had in his infancy, nor to reject such 
 a one : but there is a command to receive him that 
 is weak in the faith, without limitation, and it is 
 like this might not be a doubt in those days, and 
 so not spoken of in particular. 
 
 But the Lord provides a remedy for all times in 
 the text, ' Him that is weak in the faith receive 
 ye;' for else receiving would not be upon the ac- 
 count of saintship ; but upon knowing, and doing 
 all things according to rule and order, and that 
 must be perfectly, else for to deny any thing, 
 or to afiirm too much is disorderly, and would 
 hinder receiving : but the Lord deals not so with 
 his people, but accounts ' love the fulfilling of the 
 law,' though they be ignorant in many things 
 both as to knowing and doing ; and receives them 
 into communion and fellowship with himself, and 
 
646 
 
 BITFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 would have others do the same also. And if he 
 would have go much bearing in the apostle's days, 
 when they had infallible helps to expound truths 
 nnto them, much more now, the chm'ch hath been 
 so long in the wilderness and in captivity, and not 
 that his people should be driven away in the dark 
 day, though they are sick and weak. Kze. xxxiv. \6, 21. 
 And that it should be supposed such tenderness 
 would bring in children in age to be church mem- 
 bers, yea and welcome, if any body could prove 
 them in the faith, though never so weak ; for the 
 ,text is, ' Him that is weak in the faith, receive ye : ' 
 It is not He, and his wife and childi"en, unless it 
 can be proved they are in thk faith. 
 
 Object. ' By this, some ordinances may be lost 
 or omitted, and is it to be supposed the Lord would 
 suffer any of his ordinances to be lost or omitted 
 in the Old or New Testament, or the right use of 
 them, and yet own such for true churches, and 
 what reason can there be for it ? ' 
 
 Answ. The Lord hath suffered gome ordinances 
 to be omitted and lost in the Old Testament, and 
 yet owned the church. Though circumcision were 
 omitted in the wilderness, yet he owned them to 
 be his church j Ac tu. 3S. and many of the ordinances 
 were lost in the captivity: gee Ainsworth upon 
 %x. xxi-iii; XXX. &,c. which shewed what the high- 
 priest was to put on, and were not to be omitted 
 upon pain of death, as the Urim and Thumroim, 
 yet being lost, and several other ordinances, the 
 ark, with the mercy-seat and cherubims, the fire 
 from heaven, the majesty and divine presence, <fec. 
 yet, he owns the second temple, though short of 
 the first, and filled it with his glory, and honoured 
 it with his Son, being a member and a minister 
 therein, MaL m. 1. ' The Lord whom ye seek shall 
 suddenly come to his temple : ' So in the New Tes- 
 tament, since their wilderness condition, and great 
 and long captivity, there is some darkness and 
 doubts, and want of light in the best of the Lord's 
 people, in many of his ordinances, and that for 
 several ages, and yet how hath the Lord owned 
 them for his churches, wherein he is to have glory 
 and praise ' throughout all ages.' Ep. m. 3i. And so 
 should we own them, imless we will condemn the 
 generation of the just. It must be confessed. 
 That if exact practice be required, and clearness 
 in gospel institutions before communion; who dare 
 be so bold as to say his hands are clean, and 
 that he hath done all the Lord's commands, as to 
 institutions in his worship ? and must not confess 
 the change of times doth necessitate some variation, 
 if not alteration, either in the matter or manner of 
 things according to primitive practice ; yet owned 
 for true churches, and received as visible saints, 
 though ignorant either wholly, or in great measure, 
 in laying on of hands, singing, washing of feet, 
 and anointing with oil, in the gifts of the Spirit, 
 
 which is the Urim and Thumraim of the gospel. 
 And it caimot be proved, that the churches were 
 so ignorant in the primitive times, nor yet that 
 such were received into fellowship ; yet now herein 
 it is thought meet their should be bearing, and 
 why not in baptism, especially in such as own it 
 for an ordinance, though in some things miss it, 
 and do yet shew their love unto it, and unto the 
 Lord, and unto his law therein, that they could be 
 willing to die for it irather than to deny it ; and to 
 be baptised in their blood ; which sheweth, they 
 hold it in conscience their duty, whQe they have 
 further light from above, and are willing to hear 
 and obey as far as they know, though weak in tho 
 faith, as to clearness in gospel institutions : surely 
 the text is on their side, or else it will exclude all 
 the former, ' Him that is weak in the faith receive 
 ye, - but not to doubtful disputations, ' Ro. xiv. 5. Let 
 every man be fully persuaded in his own mind, and 
 such the Lord hath received. 
 
 As to the query. What reason is there, why the 
 Lord should aufler any of his ordinances to be lost ? 
 
 Answ. If there were no reason to be shewn, it 
 should teach us silence, for he doth nothing without 
 the highest reason ; and there doth appear some 
 reasons in the Old Testament, why those ordinances 
 of Urim and Thummim, <fec. were suffered to ba 
 lost in the captivity, that they might long and 
 look for the Lord Jesus, the priest, that was to 
 stand up with Urim and Thummim., Eir. ii. 63. Ne. vii. 
 65. which the Lord by this puts them upon the 
 hoping for, and to he in the expectation of so great 
 a mercy, which was the promise of the Old Testa- 
 ment, and all the churches losses in the Hew 
 Testament By aU the dark night of ignorance 
 she hath been in, and long captivity she hath been 
 under, and in her wandering wilderness state, 
 wherein she hath rather been fed with manna from 
 heaven, than by men upon earth ; and after all 
 her crosses and losses, the Lord lets light break 
 in by degrees, and deliverance by little and little ; 
 and she is ' coming out of the wilderness leaning 
 upon her beloved;' and the Lord hath given the 
 valley of Achor for a door of hope, that ere long 
 she may receive the promise of the gospel richly, 
 by the Spirit, to be poured upon us from on high. 
 Is. xxxii. 15, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, 
 and the fruitful field become a forest, and then the 
 Lord will take away the covering cast over all 
 people, Is. XXV. 7. and the vail that is spread over all 
 nations ; is xi. 9. ' For the earth shall be full of the 
 knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the 
 sea.' ver. IS. Then ' Ephraim shall not envy Judah, 
 and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.' Thus will the 
 God of peace bruise Satan under foot shortly ; and 
 one reason why the Lord may suffer all this dark- 
 ness and differences that have been, and yet are, 
 is, that we might long and look for this blessed 
 
DIFFERENCES ABOUT WATER BAPTISM, NO BAR TO COMMUNION. 
 
 647 
 
 promise of the gospel, the pourings out of the 
 Spirit. 
 
 Object. But many authors do judge, that the 
 weak and sttong were all in church fellowship 
 hefore, and that the receiving, Ro. xiv. i. was hut 
 into mutual affection. 
 
 Arisw. It ought to he seriously weighed how 
 any differ from so many worthy authors, is con- 
 fessed ; to whom the world is so much heholden 
 for their help in many things ; hut it would he of 
 dangerous consequence to take all for granted 
 they say, and unlike the nohle Bereans. Ac. xvii. ii. 
 Though they had some infallible teachers, yet 
 they took not their words or doctrine upon trust ; 
 and there may he more ground to question exposi- 
 tors on this text, in regard their principles neces- 
 sitate them to judge that the sense ; for if it he 
 in their judgments a duty to compel all to come 
 in, and to receive all, and their children, they must 
 needs judge by that text, they were all of the 
 church, and in fellowship, before their scnipling 
 meats and days, because that is an act of grown 
 persons at years of discretion ; and therefore the 
 receiving is judged by them to be only into mutual 
 affection, for it is impossible for them to hold their 
 opinion, and judge otherwise of the text; for in 
 baptism, they judge infants should be received into 
 church fellowship ; and then scnipling meats and 
 days must needs be after joining. Their judgments 
 might as well be taken, that it is a duty to baptize 
 infants, as that they can judge of this text rightly, 
 and hold their practice. 
 
 Ol^ect. But no uncircumcised person was. to eat 
 the passover. Ex. xiL And doth not the Lord as well 
 require the sign of baptism now, as of circumcision 
 then ? and is there not like reason for it? 
 
 Answ. The Lord, in the Old Testament, expressly 
 commanded no uncircimicised person should eat 
 the passover, Ex. lii. 48. and in Eze. xUv. 9. that no 
 stranger, uncircumcised in heart, or uncircumcised 
 in flesh, should enter into his sanctuary.* And 
 
 * We cannot ofl'er to God any acceptable sacrifice until 
 spiritually baptized. First joined to God by a living faith in 
 the atoning sacrifice of Christ, and thea bringmg forth the 
 fruits of this internal and jjurifying baptism, we must give 
 cnrselves to his church in the bonds of the gospeli— Ed. 
 
 had the Lord commanded, that no unhaptized 
 person should enter into his churches, it had been 
 clear. And no doubt, Christ was as faithful as a 
 son in all his house, as Moses was as a servant ; 
 and although there had been little reason, if the 
 Lord had commanded it so to be, yet in God's 
 worship we must not make the likeness of any 
 thing in our reason, but the will of God, the ground 
 of duty ; for upon such a foundation some would 
 build the baptiaing of infants, because it would be 
 like unto circumcision, and so break the second 
 commandment, in making the likeness of things 
 of their own contrivance, of force with institutions 
 in the worship of God. 
 
 The most that I think can he said is. That we 
 have no gospel example for receiving without 
 baptism, or rejecting any for want of it. There- 
 fore it is desired, what hath been said, may be 
 considered ; lest while we look for an example, we 
 do not overlook a command upon a mistake, sup- 
 posing that they were all in church fellowship 
 before ; whereas the text saith not so, but, ' Him 
 that is weak in the faith receive ye,' or unto you. 
 
 We may see also how the Lord proceeds under 
 the law, though he accounts those things that were 
 done contrary to his law, sinful, though done 
 ignorantly ; yet never required the offender to offer 
 sacrifice till he knew thereof. Le. v. 6. comp. with 
 ver. 15, 16. And that maybe a man's own sin through 
 his ignorance ; that though it may be another's 
 duty to endeavour to inform him in, yet not there- 
 upon to keep him out of his Father's house ; for 
 surely the Lord would not have any of his children 
 kept out, without we have a word for it. And 
 though they scruple some meats in their Father's 
 house, yet it may be dangerous for the stronger 
 children to deny them all the rest of the dainties 
 therein, till the weak and sick can eat strong meat; 
 whereas Peter had meat for one, and milk for 
 another ; and Peter must feed the poor lambs as 
 well as the sheep ; and if others will not do it, the 
 great shepherd will come ere long and look up 
 what hath been driven away. Eze. xxav. i, ii. is. xi. ii. 
 He will feed his flock hke a shepherd ; he shall 
 gather the lambs into his bosom, and gently lead 
 those that are with young. 
 
us 
 
 PEA-CMBM PRINCIPLES AND TRUE. 
 
 PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE: 
 
 OR, 
 
 A BBIEF ANSWER TO MB. D'aNVEB's AND MR. PADl's BOOKS AGAINST MT CONFESSION OF FAITH, AND 
 DIFFERENCES IN JUDGMENT ABOUT BAPTISM NO BAB TO COMMUNION. 
 
 WHEREIN TBEIS SCEIPTUKELESS NOTIONS ARE OyERTDROWN, AND HY PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES STILL MAINTAINED. 
 
 'Do ye indeed speak righteousness, congregation ? do ye judge uprightly, ye sons of men ' — Psal. hiii. 1. 
 
 Sm, 
 
 I HAVE received and considered your short reply to 
 my differences in judgment about water baptism 
 no bar to communion ; and observe, that you touch 
 not the argument at all : but rather labour what 
 you can, and beyond what you ought, to throw 
 odiums upon your brother for reproving you for 
 your error, viz. ' That those believers that have 
 been baptized after confession of faith made by 
 themselves, ought and are in duty bound to exclude 
 from their church fellowship, and communion at 
 the table of the Lord, those of their holy brethren 
 that have not been so baptized.' This is your 
 error. Error, I call it, because it is not founded 
 upon the word, but a mere human device ; for 
 although I do not deny, but acknowledge, that 
 baptism is God's ordinance ; yet I have denied, 
 that baptism was ever ordained of God to be a 
 wall of division between the holy and the holy ; 
 the holy that are, and the holy that are not, so 
 
 baptized with water as we. You, on the 
 ^tions'^p.'^r' contrary, both by doctrine and practice, 
 
 assert that it is ; and therefore do sepa- 
 rate yourselves from all your brethren that in that 
 matter differ from you ; accounting them, notwith- 
 standing their saving faith and holy lives, not fitly 
 qualified for church communion, and aU because 
 they have not been, as you, baptized. Further, 
 you count their communion among themselves 
 
 unlawful, and therefore unwarrantable ; and 
 p. 33. . . . 
 
 have concluded, 'they are joined to idols, and 
 that they ought not to be shewed the pattern of 
 the house of God, until they be ashamed of their 
 sprinkling in their infancy, and accept of and 
 receive baptism as you.' Yea, you count them as 
 they stand, not the churches of God ; saying, ' We 
 
 have no such custom, nor the churches of 
 
 God.' At this I have called for your proofs, 
 the which you have attempted to produce ; but in 
 conclusion have shewed none other, but, ' That the 
 
 primitive churches had those they received, 
 
 baptized before so received.' 
 I have told you, that this, though it were 
 granted, cometh not up to the question ; for we 
 ask not, 'whether they were so baptized? But 
 
 r. 26. 
 
 whether you find a word in the Bible that justifieth 
 your concluding that it is your duty to exclude 
 those of your holy brethren that have not been so 
 baptized?' From this you cry out, that I take 
 up the arguments of them that plead lor ipfant 
 baptism : I answer, I take up no other argument 
 but your own, viz. ' That there being no precept, 
 precedent, nor example in aU the scripture, for our 
 excluding our holy brethren that differ in this point 
 from us, therefore we ought not to dare to do it,' 
 but contrariwise to receive them ;* because God 
 hath given us sufficient proof that himself hath 
 received them, whose example in this case he hath 
 commanded us to follow. Ro. iIt. 3, 16. This might 
 serve for an answer to your reply. But because, 
 perhaps, should I thus conclude, some might make 
 an ill use of my brevity ; I shall therefore briefly 
 step after you, and examine your short reply; at 
 least, where shew of argument is. 
 
 Your first five pages are spent to prove me either 
 proud or a liar ; for inserting in the title-page of 
 my ' Differences,' <fec. that your book was written 
 by the Baptist, or brethren of your way. 
 
 In answer to which ; whoso* readeth ^ 
 your second, your fifth and sixth ques- 
 tions to me, may not perhaps be easily persuaded 
 to the contrary ; but the two last in your reply, 
 are omitted by you ; whether for brevity's sake, 
 or because you were conscious to yourself, that the 
 sight of them would overthrow your insinuations, 
 I leave to the sober to judge. But put the case I 
 had failed herein. Doth this warrant your unlawful 
 practice ? 
 
 You ask me next, ' How long is it since I p , 
 was a Baptist ?' and then add, ' It is an ill 
 bird that bewrays his own nest.' 
 
 Answ. I must tell you, avoiding your slovenly 
 language, I know none to whom that title is so 
 proper as to the disciples of John. And since 
 you would know by what name I would be 
 distinguished from others ; I tell you, I would be, 
 
 • A tender conscience, jealous of grieving or offending the 
 Holy Spirit, is of an inestimable value. If in our conscien- 
 tious conclusions we offend others, we must leave to them an 
 equal right to their own conclusions without harsh judgment.' 
 —Ed. 
 
■ PEACEABLE PEINCIPLES AND TRUE. 
 
 •649 
 
 and tope I am, a Christian ; and choose, if God 
 should count me worthy, to he called a Christian, 
 a Believer, or other such name which is approved 
 hy the Holy Ghost. Ac. xi, 26. And as for those fac- 
 tious titles of Anahaptists, Independents, Preshy- 
 terians, or the like, I conclude, that they came 
 neither from Jerusalem, nor Antioch, hut rather 
 from hell and Babylon ; for they naturally tend to 
 divisions, ' you may know them by their fruits. ' 
 
 Next, you tell us of your goodly haiTnony 
 in London ; or of the ' amicable christian 
 correspondency betwixt those of divers persuasions 
 there, until my turbulent and mutineering spirit 
 got up.' 
 
 Answ. The cause of my writing, I told you, 
 which you have neither disapproved in whole, nor 
 in part. And now I ask what kind of christian 
 correspondency you have with them ? Is it such 
 as relateth to church communion ; or such only as 
 you are commanded to have with every brother 
 that walketh disorderly, that they may be ashamed 
 of their church commimion, which you condemn ? 
 if so, your great flourish will add no praise to them; 
 and why they should glory in a correspondency 
 with them as Christians, who yet count them under 
 such deadly sin, which wUl not by any means, as 
 they now stand, suffer you to admit them to their 
 Father's table, to me is not easy to believe. 
 
 Fartheri"~¥our-€hnstian correspondency, as you 
 call it, will not keep you now and then, from fin- 
 gering some of their members from them; nor from 
 teaching them that you so take away, to judge 
 and condemn them that are left behind : Now who 
 boasteth m this besides yourself, I know not. 
 
 Touching Mr. Jesse's judgment in the case in 
 hand, you know it condemneth your practice; and 
 since in your first, you have called for an author's 
 testimony, I have presented you with one, whose 
 arguments you have not condemned. 
 
 For your insinuating my abusive and unworthy 
 behaviour, as the cause of the brethren's attempt- 
 ing to break our Christian communion ; it is not 
 only false but ridiculous. False; for they have 
 •This attempt attempted to make me also one of their 
 SnjeTs disciples, and sent to* me, and for me for 
 "S"- that purpose. Besides, it is ridiculous ; 
 
 surely their pretended order, and as they call it, 
 our disorder, was the cause ; or they must render 
 themselves very malicious, to seek the overthrow 
 of a whole congregation, for, if it had been so, the 
 unworthy behaviour of one. 
 
 Now, since vou tell me, p. 9, ' That Mr. Kiffin 
 hath no need of my forgiveness for the wrong he 
 hath done me in his epistle.' 
 
 I ask, did he teU you so ? But let it lie as it 
 doth ; I will at this time turn his argument upon 
 him, and desire his direct answer: There being no 
 precept, precedent or example for Mr. Kiffin to 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 exclude his holy brethren from Christian commu- 
 nion that difier with him about baptism, he ought 
 not to do it ; but there is neither precept, precedent, 
 nor example ; therefore, <feo. 
 
 You blame me for writing his name at length : 
 but I know he is not ashamed of his name : and 
 for you, though at the remotest rate, to insinuate 
 it, must needs be damage to him. 
 
 Your artificial squibbling* suggestions to the 
 world about myself, imprisonment, and the like, 
 I freely bind unto me as an ornament among the 
 rest of my reproaches, till the Lord shall wipo 
 them off at his coming. But they are no argument 
 that you have a word that hinds you to exclude 
 the holy brethren communion. 
 
 Now what if, as you suggest, the sober Dr. 
 Owen, though he told me and others at first ho 
 would write an epistle to my book, yet waved it 
 afterwards ; this is also to my advantage ; because 
 it was through the earnest solicitations of several 
 of you that at that time stopped his hand ; And 
 perhaps it was more for the glory of God that 
 truth should go naked into the world, than as 
 seconded by so mighty an armour-bearer as he. 
 
 You tell me also, that some of the sober Inde- 
 pendents have shewed dislike to my writing 
 on this subject : What then ? If I should 
 also say, as I can without lying, that several of the 
 Baptists have wished yours burnt before it had come 
 to light ; is your hook ever the worse for that ? 
 
 In p. 13, You tell us, you meddle not with Pres- 
 byterians, Independents, mixed Communionists (a 
 new name), hut are for liberty for all according to 
 their light. 
 
 Answ. I ask then, suppose an holy man of God, 
 that differetli from you, as those above-named do, 
 in the manner of water baptism ; I say, suppose 
 such an one should desire communion with you, 
 yet abiding by his own light, as to the thing in 
 question. Would you receive him to fellowship ? 
 If no, do you not dissemble ? 
 
 But you add, ' If unbaptized believers do not 
 walk with us, they may walk with them with whom 
 they are better agreed.' 
 
 Answ. Then it seems you do but flatter them. 
 You are not, for all you pretend to give them their 
 liberty, agreed they should have it with you. Thus 
 do the Papists give the Protestants their liberty, 
 because they can neither will nor choose. 
 
 Again, But do you not follow them with clamours 
 and out-cries, that their communion, even amongst 
 themselves, is unwarrantable ? Now, how then dc 
 you give them their liberty ? Nay, do not even 
 these things declare that you would take it away 
 if you could ? 
 
 ' For the time that I have been a Baptist (say 
 
 , * ' Squibbling,' feeble, ill-natured ridicule ; now obsolete. — Eb, 
 4 N 
 
650 
 
 PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE. 
 
 you) I do not rememljer that ever I knew that one 
 unbaptized person did so much as offer themselves 
 to us for church fellowship.' 
 
 Answ. This is no proof of your love to your 
 brethren ; but rather an argument that your rigid- 
 ness was from that day to this so apparent, that 
 those good souls despaired to make such attempts ; 
 we know they have done it elsewhere, where they 
 hoped to meet with encouragement. 
 
 In p. li. You seem to retract your denial of bap- 
 tism to be the initiating ordinance. And indeed 
 Mr. D' An vers told me, that you must retract that 
 opinion, and that he had, or would speak to you 
 to do it ; yet by some it is still so acknowledged 
 Denne's to be ; and in particular, by your great 
 weigMng, helper, Mr. Denne, who strives to maintain 
 &c., p. 46. Jt ifj several arguments ; but your denial 
 may be a sufficient confutation to him; so I leave you 
 together to agree about it, and conclude you have 
 overthrown him. 
 
 But it seems though you do not now own it to 
 be the inlet into a particular church ; yet, as you 
 tell us in p. 14 of your last, ' you never denied that 
 baptism doth not make a believer a member of 
 Treatise of the universal, orderly, church visible. 
 Baptism. ^Q^ jjj (.jjjg jjp_ J) ' Anvers and you agree. ' 
 'Persons enter into the visible church thereby,' 
 saith he. 
 
 Answ. Universal, that is, the whole churcli: 
 This word now comprehendeth all the parts of it, 
 even from Adam to the very world's end, whether 
 in heaven or earth, &c. Now that [water] bap- 
 tism makes a man a member of this church, I do 
 not yet believe, nor can you shew me why I should. 
 2. The imiversal, orderly church. What church 
 this should be, if by orderly you mean harmony 
 or agreement in the outward parts of worship, 1 
 do not understand neither. 
 
 And yet thus you should mean, because you add 
 the word visible to all at the last ; ' The universal, 
 orderly, visible church.' Now I would yet learn 
 of this brother where this church is ; for if it be 
 visible, he can tell and also shew it. But, to be 
 short, there is no such church : the universal church 
 cannot be visible ; a great part of that vast body 
 being already in heaven, and a great part as yet, 
 perhaps, unborn. 
 
 But if he should mean by universal, the whole 
 of that part of this church that is on earth, then 
 neither is it ' visible' nor ' orderly. ' 1 . Not visi- 
 ble ; for the part remains always to the best man's 
 eye utterly invisible. 2. This church is not 
 orderly ; that is, hath not hannon^ in its outward 
 and visible parts of worship ; some parts opposing 
 and contradicting the other most severely. Yea, 
 would it be uncliaritable to believe that some of 
 tlie members of this body could willingly die in 
 opposing that which others of the members hold to 
 
 be a truth of Christ ? As for instance at home j 
 could not some of those called Baptists die in 
 opposing infant baptism ? And again, some of 
 them that are for infant baptism die for that as a 
 truth ? Here therefore is no order, but an evi- 
 dent contradiction : and that too in such parts of 
 worship, as both count visible parts of worship 
 indeed. 
 
 So then by ' universal, orderly, visible church,' 
 this brother must mean those of the saints only 
 that have been, or are baptized as we ; this is 
 clear, because baptism, saith he, maketh a believer 
 a member of this church ; his meaning then is, 
 that there is an universal, orderly, visible church, 
 and they alone are the Baptists ; and that every 
 one that is baptized is by that made a member of 
 the universal, orderly, visible church of Baptists, 
 and that the whole number of the rest of saints 
 are utterly excluded. 
 
 But now if other men should do as this man, 
 how many miiversal churches should we have ? 
 An ' universal, orderly, visible church of Indepen- 
 dents ;' an ' universal, orderly, visible church of 
 Presbyterians,' and the like. And who of them, 
 if as much confused in their notions as this brother, 
 might not, they judging by their own light, con- 
 tend for their universal chm'ch, as he for his ? But 
 they have more wit. 
 
 But suppose that this unheard of fictitious church 
 were the only true universal church ; yet whoever 
 they baptize must be a visible saint first, and if 
 a visible saint, then a visible member of Christ ; 
 and if so, then a visible member of his body, whicli 
 is the church, before they be baptized; now he 
 which is a visible member of the church already, 
 that which hath so made him, hath prevented all 
 those claims that by any may be made or imputed 
 to this or that ordinance to make him so. Ac. viii. 37; 
 xix. 17, and ivi. S3. His visibility is already ; he is 
 already a visible member of the body of Christ, 
 and after that baptized. His baptism then neither 
 makes him a member nor a visible member of the 
 body of Jesus Christ. 
 
 You go on, ' That T said it was consent that 
 makes persons members of particular p. 4ofY0Bi 
 churches is true.' *^''- 
 
 Answ. But that it is consent and nothing else, 
 consent without faith, ifcc, is false. Your after- 
 endeavour to heal your vnsound saying will do 
 you no good : ' Faith gives being to, as well as 
 probation for membership.' 
 
 What you say now of the epistles, that thej 
 were written to particular saints, and those too 
 out of churches as well as in, I always believed: 
 but in your first you were pleased to say, ' You 
 were one of them that objected against our proofs 
 out of the epistles, because they were written to 
 particular churches, (intending these baptized) and 
 
PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRLrE. 
 
 651 
 
 that they were written to other saints, YourrcHec 
 would be hard for me to prove :' but you *'°'"' !•• '• 
 do well to give way to the truth. 
 
 What I said about baptism's being a pest, take 
 my words as they lie, and I stand still thereto : 
 ' Knowing that Satan can make any of God's ordi- 
 nances a PEST and plague to his people, even bap- 
 tism, the Lord's table, and the holy scriptures ; 
 yea, the ministers also of Jesus Christ may be 
 suffered to abuse them, and wrench them out 
 of their place.' Wherefore I pray, if you write 
 again, either consent to, or deny this position, 
 before you proceed in your outcry. 
 
 But I must still continue to tell you, though 
 you love not to hear thereof. That supposing your 
 opinion hath hold of your conscience, if you might 
 have your will, you would make inroads and out- 
 roads too in all the churches that are not as you 
 in the land. You reckon that church privileges 
 belong not to them who are not baptized as we, 
 saying, ' How can we take these privileges from 
 p. STofyonr them' before they have them, we keep 
 Kp'y- them from a disorderly practice of ordi- 
 
 nances, especially among ourselves ;' intimating 
 you do what you can also among others : and he 
 that shall judge those he walketh not with, or say, 
 as you, that they, like Ephraim, are 'joined to an 
 your reflec- Wol, and ought to repent and be ashamed 
 tions, p. 32. <,f tjiat idol before they be shewed the 
 pattern of the house ;' and then shall back all with 
 P. 26. the citation of a text ; doth it either in jest 
 P. 30. or in earnest ; if in jest it is abominable ; if 
 P. 7. in earnest his conscience is engaged; and 
 being engaged, it putteth him upon doing what 
 he can to extirpate the thing he counteth idola- 
 trous and abominable, out of the churches abroad, 
 as well as that he stands in relation unto. This 
 being thus, it is reasonable to conclude, you want 
 not an heart, but opportunity for your inroads and 
 outroads among them. 
 
 Touching those five things I mentioned in my 
 second ; you should not have counted they were 
 found no where, because not found under that 
 head which I mention : and now lest you should 
 miss them again, I will present you with them 
 here. 
 
 1. 'Baptism is not the initiating ordinance. 
 2. That though it was, the case may so fall out, 
 that members might be received without it. 3. 
 That baptism makes no man a visible saint. 4. 
 That faith, and a life becoming the ten command- 
 ments, should be the chief and most solid argu- 
 ment with churches to receive to fellowship. 5. 
 That circumcision in the flesh was a type of cir- 
 cumcision in the heart, and not of water baptism. 
 To these you should have given fair answers, then 
 you had done like a workman. 
 
 Now we are come to page 22 and 23 of yours ; 
 
 where you labour to insinuate, 'that a trans- 
 gression against a positive precept, respecting 
 instituted worship, hath been punished with tho 
 utmost severity that God hath executed against 
 men, on record, on this side hell.' 
 
 Answ. Mr. D'Anvers says, 'That to Treat. of 
 transgress a positive precept respecting ''apt'""'- 
 worship, is a breach of the first and second com- 
 mandments.' If so, then it is for the breach of 
 them, that these severe rebukes befal the sons of 
 men. 2. But you instance the case of Adam his 
 eating the forbidden fruit ; yet to no great purpose. 
 Adam's first transgression was, that he violated 
 the law that was written in his heart ; in that he 
 hearkened to the tempting voice of his wife ; and 
 after, because he did eat of the tree: he was bad 
 then before he did eat of the tree ; which badness 
 was infused over his whole nature ; and then he 
 bare this evil fruit of eating things that God hath 
 forbidden. Ge. Hi. Either make the tree good, and 
 his fruit good ; or the tree bad, and his fruit bad. 
 Mat. ™. 17. Lu. \i. 43, 44. Men must be bad, ere they 
 do evil; and good, ere they do good. Again, 
 which was the greatest judgment, to be defiled and 
 depraved, or to be put out of paradise, do you in 
 your next determine. 
 
 But as to the matter in hand, What positive 
 precept do they transgress that will not reject him 
 that God bids us receive, if he want light in 
 baptism ? 
 
 As for my calling for scripture to prove it law- 
 ful thus to exclude them; blame me for it no 
 more ; verily I stUl must do it ; and had you but 
 one to give, I had had it long before this. But 
 you wonder I should ask for a scripture to prove 
 a negative, p. 23. 
 
 Answ. 1. Are you at that door, my brother? If 
 a drunkard, a swearer, or whoremonger should 
 desire communion with you, and upon your refusal, 
 demand your grounds ; would you think his demands 
 such you oiight not to answer? would you not 
 readily give him by scores ? So, doubtless would 
 you deal with us, but that in this you are without 
 the lids* of the Bible. 2. But again, you have 
 acted as those that must produce a positive rule. 
 ' You count it your duty, a part of your obedience 
 to God, to keep those out of church fellowship that 
 are not baptized as you.' I then demand what 
 precept bids you do this? where are you com- 
 manded to do it ? 
 
 You object, p. 24. That in Ep. iv. s. and i Co. xii. is. is 
 not meant of Spirit baptism : but Mr. Jesse says 
 it is not, cannot be the baptism with water : and 
 you have not at all refuted him. And ^ ^^ ^^^ 
 now for the church in the wilderness ; ' You 
 
 * ' Without the Ms of the Bible,' not within it j a popular 
 Puritau saying. — En. 
 
632 
 
 PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE. 
 
 thouglit, as you say, I would have answered myself 
 in the thing- ; ' but as yet I have not, neither have 
 you. But let us see what you urge for an answer. 
 
 I. Say you, ' Though God dispensed with their 
 obedience to circumcision in that time, Ge. ivii. Ex. xU. 
 it follows not that you or I should dispense with 
 the ordinance of water baptism now. ' 
 
 Ansfw. God commanded it, and made it the 
 initiating ordinance to church communion. But 
 Moses, and Aaron, and Joshua, and the elders of 
 Israel, dispensed with it for forty years; therefore 
 the dispensing with it was ministerial, and that 
 with God's allowance, as you affirm. Now if they 
 might dispense with circumcision, though the 
 uiitiating ordinance ; why may not we receive 
 God's holy ones into fellowship, since we are not 
 forbidden it, but commanded ; yea, why should we 
 make water baptism, which God uever ordained to 
 that end, a bar to shut out and let in to chm-ch 
 
 commumon i 
 
 II. You ask, ' Was circumcision dispensed with 
 for want of light, it being plainly commanded ? ' 
 
 Answ. Whatever was the cause, want of light is 
 as great a cause: and that it must necessarily 
 follow, they must needs see it, because commanded, 
 favours too much of a tang of free will, or of the 
 sufficiency of our understanding, and intrencheth 
 too hard on the glory of the Holy Ghost; whose 
 work it is 'to bring all things to our remembrance, 
 whatsoever Christ hath said to us.' Jn. xiv. 26. 
 
 HI. You ask, ' Cannot you give yom'self a 
 reason, that their moving, travelling state made 
 them incapable, and that God was merciful? Can 
 the same reason, or anything like it, for refusing 
 baptism, be given now ? ' 
 
 Answ. I cannot give myself this reason, nor 
 can you by it give me any satisfaction. Because 
 their travelling state could not hinder ; if you con- 
 sider that they might, and doubtless did lie stiU in 
 one place years together. 1. They were forty 
 years gomg from Egypt to Canaan: and they had 
 but forty-two journies thither. 2. They at times 
 went several of these journies in one and the same 
 year. They went, as I take it, eleven of them by 
 the end of the third month after they came out of 
 the land of Egypt. Compare Ex. xix. i. with Nu. 
 xxxiii.16. 3. Again, in the fortieth year, we find 
 them in Mount Hor, where Aaron died, and was 
 buried. Now that was the year they went into 
 Canaan ; and in that year they had nine journies 
 more, or ten, by that they got over Jordan, Ku. 
 xxxiii. 38, <fcc. Here then were twenty journies in 
 less than one year and an half. Divide then the 
 rest of the time to the rest of the journies, and 
 they had above thirty-eight years to go their two 
 and twenty journies in. And how this should be 
 such a travelling moving state, as that it should 
 hinder their keeping this ordinance in its season, 
 
 to wit, to circumcise their children the eighth day; 
 especially considering to circumcise them in their 
 childhood, as they were born, might be with moro 
 security, than to let them live while they were 
 men, I see not. 
 
 If you should think that their wars in tlie wil- 
 derness might hinder them ; I answer. They had, 
 for ought I can discern, ten times as much fighting 
 in the land of Canaan, where they were circum- 
 cised, as in the wilderness where they were not. 
 And if carnal or outward safety had been the 
 argument, doubtless they would not have circum- 
 cised themselves in tlie sight, as it were, of one 
 and thirty kings. Jos. v. xii. I saj% they would not 
 have circumcised their six hundred thousand war- 
 riors, and have laid them open to the attempts and 
 dangers of their enemies. No such thing, there- 
 fore, as you are pleased to suggest, was the cause 
 of tlieir not being as yet circumcised. 
 
 IV. • An extraordinary instance to be brought 
 into a standing rule, are no parallels:' That is the 
 sum of your fourth. 
 
 Atisw. The rule was ordinary ; which was cir- 
 cumcision; the laying aside of this rule became as 
 ordinary, so long a time as forty years, and in the 
 whole church also. But this is a poor shift, to 
 have nothing to say, but that the case was extra-, 
 ordinary, when it was not. 
 
 But you ask, ' Might they do so when they came 
 into Canaan ? ' 
 
 Answ. No, no. No more shall we do as we do 
 now ' when that which is perfect is come.' 
 
 You add, ' Because the church in the wilder- 
 ness, Ee. xii. could not come by ordinances, he. 
 therefore when they may be come at, we need not 
 practise them.' 
 
 An,sw. No body told you so. But are you out 
 of that wilderness mentioned ? Ee. xii. Is Antichrist 
 down and dead to ought but your faith ? Or are 
 we only out of that Egyptian darkness, that in, 
 baptism have got the start of our brethren ? For 
 shame be silent : yourselves are yet under so great 
 a cloud, as to imagine to yourselves a Kule of 
 Practice not found in the Bible ; that is, to count 
 it a sin to receive your holy brethren, though not 
 forbidden but commanded to do it. Ro. xiv., xv. 
 
 Your great flourish against my fourth argument, 
 
 1 leave to them that can judge of the weight of your 
 words ; as also what you say of the fitth or sixth. 
 
 For the instance I give you of Aaron, David, 
 and Hezekiah, who did things not commanded, 
 and that about holy matters, and yet were held 
 excusable ; you, nor yet your abettors for you, 
 can by any means overthrow. Aaron transgressed 
 the commandment; Le. vi. 26; x. 18. David did what 
 was not lawful ; and they in Hezekiah's time, 'did 
 eat the passover otherwise than it was written, 
 
 2 Ch. XXI. 18. But here I perceive the shoe pincheth ;' 
 
PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE. 
 
 653 
 
 whicli makes you glad of Mr. Denne's evasion for 
 help. At this also Mr. D'Anvers cries out, but yet 
 to no purpose, charging me with asserting, tliat 
 p 39 ignorance absolves from sin of omission and 
 
 commission. But, Sirs, fairly take from me the 
 texts, with others that I can urge ; and then begin 
 to accuse. You have healed your suggestion of 
 unwritten verities poorly. But any shift to shift 
 off the force of truth. After the same manner 
 also you have helped your asserting, ' that you 
 neither keep out, nor cast out from the church, if 
 baptized, such as come unprepared to the supper, 
 and other solemn appointments.' Let us leave 
 yours and mine to the pondering of wiser men. 
 
 My seventh argument, as I said, you have 
 
 not so much as touched ; nor the ten in that 
 one, but only derided at the ten. But we will show 
 them to the reader. 1 . Love, which above all other 
 things we are commanded to put on, is much more 
 worth, than to break about baptism. Coi. iii. u. 2, 
 Love is more discovered, when we receive for the 
 sake of Christ And grace, than when we refuse for 
 want of water. 3. The church at Colosse was 
 charged to receive and forbear the saints, because 
 they were new creatures. 4. Some saints were in 
 the church at Jerusalem, that opposed the preach- 
 ing of salvation to the Gentiles ; and yet retained 
 their membership. 5. Divisions and distinctions 
 among saints are of later date than election, and 
 the signs of that ; and therefore should give place. 
 6. It is love, not baptism, that discovereth us to 
 the world to be Christ's disciples. Jn. xffi. 35. 7. It 
 is love that is the undoubted character of our 
 interest in, and fellowship with, Christ. Ko. xU lO; 
 xri. 10. 8. Fellowship with Christ is sufficient to 
 invite to, and the new creature the great rule of 
 our fellowship with, Christ, l Jn. i. 3. 9. Love is the 
 fulfilling of the law, wherefore he that hath it is 
 accepted with God, and ought to he approved of 
 men ; but he fulfils it not, who judgeth and setteth 
 
 at nought his brother, Ga. vi. 16. Plu.m.16. Bo. xiv. Ja.iv. ll. 
 
 10. Love is sometimes more seen, and showed in 
 forbearing to urge and press what we know, than 
 in publishing and imposing. Jn. xvi. 13. l Co. ffi. l, 2. II. 
 When we attempt to force our brother beyond his 
 light, or to break his heart with grief, to trust him 
 beyond his faith, or bar him from his privileges, 
 how can we say I love ? 12. To make that the 
 door to communion which God hath not ; to make 
 that the including, excluding charter, the bar, 
 hounds, and rule of communion, is for want of love. 
 Here are two into the bargain. 
 
 If any of these. Sir, please you not in this dress ; 
 give me a word ; and I shall, as well as my wit 
 will serve, give you them in a syllogistical mode. 
 
 Now that you say (practically) for some speak 
 with their feet (their walking, Pr. vi. is.) tliat water 
 is above love ; and all other things are evident ; 
 
 because have they all but water, you refuse them 
 for want of that ; yea, and will be so hardy, though 
 without God's word, to refuse communion with 
 them. p. 33. 
 
 In our discourse about the carnality that was the 
 cause of the divisions that were at Corinth, you ask, 
 Who must the charge of carnality fall upon, them 
 that defend, or them that oppose the truth? p. 33. 
 
 Answ. Perhaps on both ; but hesure upon them 
 that oppose, wherefore look you to yourselves, 
 ' who without any command of God to warrant 
 you, exclude your brother from communion ; your 
 brother whom God hath commanded you to receive. ' 
 
 My ninth argument, you make yourself merry 
 with in the beginning : but why do you by and by 
 so cut and hack, and cast it as it were in the fire. 
 Those seventeen absurdities you can by no means 
 avoid. For if you have not, as indeed you have 
 not, though you mock me for speaking a word in 
 Latin, one word of God that commands you to shut 
 out your brethren for want of water baptism, from 
 your communion ; I say, if you have not one word 
 of God to make this a duty to you, then unavoid- 
 ably, 1. You do it by a spirit of persecution. 
 2. With more respect to a form, than the spirit and 
 power of godliness. 3. This also, makes laws, 
 where God makes none ; and is to be wise above 
 what is written. 4. It is a directing the Spirit of 
 the Lord. 5. And bindeth all men's consciences 
 to our light and opinion. 6. It taketh away the 
 children's bread. 7. And withholdeth from them 
 the increase of faith. 8. It tendeth to make 
 wicked the hearts of weak Christians. 9. It 
 tendeth to harden the hearts of the wicked. 10. 
 It setteth open a door to aU temptations. II. It 
 tempteth the devil to fall upon them that are alone. 
 12. It is the nursery of all vain janglings. 13. It 
 occasioneth the world to reproach us. 14. It 
 holdeth staggering consciences in doubt, of the 
 right ways of the Lord. 1,5. It abuseth the holy 
 scriptures. 16. It is a prop to Antichrist. 17. 
 And giveth occasion to many to turn aside to most 
 dangerous errors. 
 
 And though the last is so abhorred by you, that 
 you cannot contain yourselves when you read it ; 
 yet do I affirm, as I did in my first (p. lie.) ' That 
 to exclude Christians from church communion, and 
 to debar them their heaven-born privileges, for the 
 want of that which God never yet made a wall of 
 division between us ; did, and doth, and will pre- 
 vail with God to send those judgments we have, or 
 may hereafter feel.' Like me yet as you will. 
 
 I come next to what you have said in justifica- 
 tion of your fourteen arguments. ' Such as they 
 were, ' say you, ' I am willing to stand by them : 
 What I have offered, I have offered modestly: 
 according to the utmost light I liad into those 
 scriptures upon which they are bottomed ; having 
 
654 
 
 PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE. 
 
 not arrived unto sucli a peremptory way of dicta- 
 torship, as what I render must be taken for laws 
 binding to others in faith and practice ; and there- 
 fore express myself by suppositions, strong pre- 
 Beflections, sumptions, and fair seeming conclusions 
 
 I"- ^'- from the premises. 
 
 Answ. Your arguments, as you truly say, are 
 builded upon, or drawn from suppositions and pre- 
 sumptions ; and all because you want for your help 
 the words of the holy scripture. And let the 
 reader note. For as I have often called for the 
 word, but as yet could never get it, because you 
 have it not, neither in precept, precedent, nor 
 example, therefore come you forth with your seem- 
 ing imports and presumptions. 
 
 The judicious reader will see in this last, that 
 
 not only here, but in other places, what poor shifts 
 
 you are driven to, to keep your pen going. But, Sir, 
 
 since you are not peremptory in your proof ; how 
 
 came you to be so absolute in youi- practice ? For 
 
 notwithstanding all your seeming modesty, you 
 
 will neither grant these communion with you ; nor 
 
 allow their communion among themselves, that 
 
 turn aside from your ' seeming imports ;' and that 
 
 go not with you in your strong presumptions. You 
 
 must not ; you dare not ; lest you coun- 
 
 ofyour'ue- tenance their idolatry ; and nourish them 
 
 ectioM. ^p j^ gj^ . ^jjgy jjyg jjj ^jjg breach of 
 
 gospel-order; and Ephraim -like are joined to an 
 idol. And as for your love, it amounts to this, 
 you thus deal with them, and withdraw from them, 
 and all because of some strong presumptions and 
 suppositions. 
 
 But you tell me, ' I use the arguments of the 
 psedo-baptist, to wit. But where are infants for- 
 bidden to be baptized?' 
 
 But I ingenuously tell you, I know not what 
 psedo means: and how then should I know his 
 arguments. 1. I take no man's argument but Mr. 
 K.'s, 1 must not name him farther, I say I take 
 no man's argument but his now, viz. ' That there 
 being no precept, precedent or example, for you 
 to shut your holy brethren out of church commu- 
 nion; therefore you should not do it.' That you 
 have no command to do it, is clear, and you must 
 of necessity grant it. Now where there is no pre- 
 cept for a foundation ; it is not what you by aU 
 your reasonings can suggest ; can deliver you from 
 the guilt of adding to his word. Are you com- 
 manded to reject them ; If yea, where is it? If 
 nay, for shame be silent. 
 
 ' Let us say what we will,' say you, ' for our 
 own practice ; unless we bring positive scriptures 
 that yours is forbidden, though nowhere written ; 
 you will be as a man in a rage without it; and 
 would have it thought you go away with the 
 garland. ' 
 
 Ansiv. 1. I am not in a rage, but contend with 
 
 you earnestly for the truth. And say what you 
 will or can, though with much more squibbing 
 frumps* and taunts than hitherto you have mixed 
 your writing with. Scripture, scripture, we cry still. 
 And it is a bad sign that your cause is naught ; 
 when you snap and snarl because I call for scrip- 
 ture. 2. Had you a scripture for this practice, 
 that you ought to shut your brethren out of com- 
 munion for want of water baptism I had done ; but 
 you are left of the word of God, and confess it ! 
 3. And as you have not a text that justifies your 
 own ; so neither that condemns our holy and Chris- 
 tian communion. We are commanded also to re- 
 ceive him that is weak in the faith, for God hath 
 received him. I read not of garlands, but those 
 in the Acts ; take you them. And I say moreover, 
 that honest and holy Mr. Jesse hath justified our 
 practice, and you have not condemned his argu- 
 ments. They therefore stand all upon their feet 
 against you. 
 
 I leave your 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 arguments under 
 my answers where they are suppressed. In your 
 seventh you again complain, for that I touch your 
 ' seeming imports;' saying, ' I do not use to say 
 as John Bunyan, this I say, and I dare to say. I 
 please myself by commending my apprehensions 
 soberly, and submissively to others much above 
 me.' 
 
 Answ. 1. Seeming imports are a base and un- 
 worthy foundation for a practice in religion ; and 
 therefore I speak against them. 2. Where you 
 say, you submit your apprehensions soberly to 
 those much above you ; it is false ; unless you 
 conclude none are above you, but those of your 
 own opinion. Have you soberly, and submissively 
 commended your apprehensions to those congrega- 
 tions in London, that are not of your persuasion 
 in the case in hand? and have you consented to 
 stand by their opinion ? Have you commended your 
 apprehensions soberly and submissively to those 
 you call Independents and Presbyters? And are 
 you willing to stand by their judgment in the case? 
 Do you not reserve to yourself the liberty of judging 
 what they say ? and of choosing what you judge 
 is right, whether they conclude with you or no? If 
 so ; why do you so much dissemble with all the 
 world, in print ; to pretend you submit to others' 
 judgment, and yet abide to condemn their judg- 
 ments ? you have but one help : perhaps you think 
 they are not above you ; and by that proviso secure 
 yourself; but it will not do. 
 
 For the ofience you take at my comment upon 
 your calling baptism, 'a livery:' and for Reflectionn, 
 your calling it ' the Spirit's metaphorical P- ^^■*** 
 
 * ' Frump,' to mock, flout, scoff. ' You must learn to mock; 
 to frump your own father on. occasion,' Ironically used in 
 Kuggle's Ignoramus. — Ed. 
 
PEACEABLE PRINCIPLES AND TRUE. 
 
 656 
 
 description of baptism :' both phrases are boldness, 
 without the word. Neither do I find it called a 
 listing ordinance, nor the solemnization of the 
 marriage betwixt Christ and a believer. But per- 
 haps you had this from Mr. D' An vers, who pleaseth 
 himself with this kind of wording it : and says 
 moreover in justification of you, • That persons 
 entered into the visible church thereby (by baptism, 
 which is untrue, though Mr. Baxter also saith it) 
 are by consent admitted into particular congrega- 
 tions, where they may claim their privileges due 
 to baptized believers, being orderly put into the 
 body, and put on Christ by their baptismal vow 
 and covenant : for by that public declaration of 
 consent, is the marriage and solemn contract made 
 betwixt Christ and a believer in bap- 
 three last pa^es tism. And, saith he, if it be prepos- 
 Sri'iptSr'''^ terous and wicked for a man and 
 woman to cohabit together, and to 
 enjoy the privileges of a married state without the 
 passing of that public solemnity: So it is no less 
 disorderly upon a spiritual account, for any to 
 claim the privileges of a church, or be admitted to 
 the same, till the passing of this solemnity by them. ' 
 
 Answ. But these words are very black. First, 
 Ilere he hath not only implicitly forbidden Jesus 
 Christ to hold communion with the saints that are 
 not yet his by [water] baptism ; but is bold to 
 charge him with being as preposterous and wicked 
 if he do, as a man that liveth with a woman in the 
 privileges of a married state, without passing that 
 public solemnity. Secondly, He here also chargeth 
 him as guilty of the same wickedness, that shall 
 but dare to claim church communion without it ; 
 yea, and the whole church too, if they shall admit 
 such members to their fellowship. 
 
 And now since cleaving to Christ by vow and 
 covenant, will not do without baptism, after per- 
 sonal confession of faith ; what a state arc all those 
 poor saints of Jesus in, that have avowed them- 
 selves to be his a thousand times without this 
 baptism? Yea, and what a case is Jesus Christ 
 in too, by your argument, to hold that communion 
 with them, that belongeth only unto them that are 
 married to him by this solemnity ! Brother, God 
 give him repentance. I wot that through ignorance 
 and a preposterous zeal he said it : unsay it again 
 with tears, and by a public renunciation of so wicked 
 and horrible words ; but I thus sparingly pass 
 you by.* 
 
 * Mr. D'Anvers, in a postscript to his History of Baptism, 
 (lie first edition, 1673, thug violently attacks his brother 
 ISunyan : — ' Having read his book, I took myself concerned to 
 give some short return to it, leaving his " manifold absurdi- 
 ties," "contradictions," "unbrotherly tauntings and reflec- 
 tions," " contemptions," " traducings the wisdom of Christ, 
 and his holy appointments," to be called to account by that 
 hand that hath so well hesun to reckon with liim." He was 
 
 I shall not trouble the world any farther with an 
 answer to the rest of your books : The books are 
 public to the world : let men read and judge. And 
 had it not been for your endeavouring to stigmatize 
 me with reproach and scandal, a thing that doth 
 not become you, I needed not have given you two 
 lines in answer. 
 
 And now, my angry brother, if you shall write 
 again, pray keep to the question, namely, ' What 
 precept, precedent, or example have you in God's 
 word to exclude your holy brethren from church 
 communion for want of water baptism.' Mr.Denne's 
 great measure, please yourself with it, and when 
 you shall make his arguments your own, and tell 
 me so, you perhaps may have an answer, but con- 
 sidering him, and comparing his notions with his 
 conversation, I count it will be better for him to be 
 better in morals, before he be worthy of an answer. 
 
 THE CONCLUSION. 
 
 Reader, when Moses sought to set the brethren 
 that strove against each other, at one, he that did 
 the wrong thrust him away, as unwilling to be 
 hindered in his ungodly attempts ; but Moses con- 
 tinuing to make peace betwixt them, the same per- 
 son attempted to charge him with a murderous 
 and bloody design, saying, ' Wilt thou kill me as 
 thou didst the Egyptian yesterday?' Ex. a. U. a 
 thing too commonly thrown upon those that seek 
 peace, and ensue it. Ac vfi. 24—39. ' My soul, ' saith 
 David, ' hath long dwelt with him that hateth 
 peace. I am /or peace, [said he] but when I speak, 
 they are for war. ' Ps. cix. 6, 7. One would think that 
 even nature itself should count peace and concord 
 a thing of greatest worth among saints, especially 
 since they, above all men, know themselves ; for 
 he that best knoweth himself is best able to pity 
 and bear with another ; He. v. % yet even amongst 
 these, such will arise, as will make divisions among 
 their brethren, and seek ' to draw away disciples 
 after them,' Ach. 30. crying still that they, even 
 they are in the right, and all that hold not with 
 them in the wrong, and to be withdrawn from. 
 Eo. xvL 17. But when every he, hath said all that he 
 
 in prison, and his brother thus visits him with gall and worm- 
 wood instead of consoling cordials. He goes on to confound 
 water baptism with that of the Spirit, and charges Bunyan 
 with ' ignorance and folly — dangerous and destructive to reli- 
 gion itself,' ' contradicting the authority of Christ,' calls him 
 'egregionaly ignorant,' 'self-condemning.' All this unoharitabla 
 vituperation was because Mr. Bunyan would hold communion 
 with all those who had been baptized into, and put on, Christ. 
 The passage quoted is correct, except that ' married estate' should 
 be ' marriage state.' So satisfied was D'Anvers with the just 
 and Christian correction given him for so egregious a blunder, 
 that if he did not repent with tears, he took special care to 
 leave out all this absurd reference to the marriage ceremony 
 performed in lealer from his second edition.— Ex). 
 
65G 
 
 PEACEABLE PHINCIPLES AND TRUE. 
 
 can, it is one of the tilings wliicli the Lord hateth, 
 to sow ' discord among brethren.' Pr. vi. 19* 
 
 Yet many years' experience we have had of these 
 mischievous attempts, as also have others in other 
 places, as may he instanced if occasion requireth 
 it, and that especially by those of the rigid way 
 of om- brethren, the Baptists so called, whose prin- 
 ciples will neither allow them to admit to commu- 
 nion, the saint that diifereth from them about 
 baptism, nor consent they should communicate in 
 a church-state among themselves : but take occa- 
 sion still ever as they can, both to reproach their 
 chm-ch-state, and to finger from amongst them who 
 they can to themselves. These things being griev- 
 ous to those concerned, as we are, though perhaps 
 those at quiet are too little concerned in the matter, 
 therefore when I could no longer forbear, I thought 
 good to present to public view the warrantableness 
 of our holy communion, and the unreasonableness 
 of their seeking to break us to pieces. At tliis 
 Mr. William K[ifSn], Mr. Thomas Paul, and Mr. 
 Henry D'Anvers, and Mr. Denne, fell with might 
 and main upon me ; some comparing me to the devil, 
 others to a bedlam, others to a sot, and the like, for 
 my seeking peace and truth among the godly. 
 Nay, further, they began to cry out murder, as if I 
 intended nothing less than to accuse them to the 
 magistrate, and to render them incapable of a share 
 in the commonwealth, when I only struck at their 
 heart-breaking, church-rending principles and prac- 
 tice ; in their excluding their holy brethren's com- 
 munion from them, and their condemning of it 
 [even] among themselves. They also follow me 
 with slanders and reproaches, counting, it seems, 
 such things arguments to defend themselves. 
 
 But I in the meantime call for proof, scripture 
 My2ndbook,p. V^oo^, to convince me it is a duty to 
 34,78. His re- refuse communion with those of the 
 ' saints that diifer from them about 
 baptism ; at this Mr. P[aul] takes oflFence, calling 
 my demanding of proof for their rejecting the 
 unbaptized believer, how excellent soever in faith 
 and holiness, a clamorous calling for proof, with 
 high and swelling words, which he counteth not 
 worthy of answer; but I know the reason, he by 
 this demand is shut out of the Bible, as himself 
 also suggesteth : wherefore when coming to assault 
 me with arguments, he can do it but by seeming 
 imports, suppositions, and strong presumptions, 
 and tells you farther in his reply, ' That this is the 
 
 * Strife and contention — evil speaking or surmisings among 
 professors, are tokens of a carnal minJ, injurious to spiritual 
 i;eace, and abominable to God. The envious, discontented, and 
 malicious, are the devil's working tools. If such die unsub- 
 dued by divine grace, they plunge themselves into the bottom- 
 leis pit. True wisdom avoids strife and contention, is mode- 
 rite in doubtful opinions, patient and cautious in judging 
 others. — Ed. 
 
 utmost of his light in the scriptures urged for his 
 practice;' p. 4i. of which light thou mayest easily 
 judge, good reader, that hast but the common 
 understanding of the mind of God, concerning 
 brotherly love. Strange ! that the scripture that 
 everywhere commandeth and presseth to love, to 
 forbearance, and bearing the burden of our bro- 
 ther ; should yet imply, or implicitly import that 
 we should shut them out of our Father's house ; 
 or that those scriptures that command us to receive 
 the weak, should yet command us to shut out the 
 strong ! Thinkest thou, reader, that the scripture 
 hath two faces, and speaketh with two mouths ? 
 yet it must do so, by these men's doctrine. It 
 saith expressly, ' Receive one anothei', as Christ 
 also received us to the glory of God.' ko. xv. 7. But 
 these men say, it is not duty, it is pre- 
 posterous, and idolatrous; concluding that flections, 
 to receive this brother, is not a custom ^' * ' 
 of them, not yet of the churches of God : conse- 
 quently telhng thee, that those that receive such 
 a brother are not (let them talk while they will) 
 any of the churches of God: see their charity, 
 their candour and love, in the midst of their great 
 pretensions of love. 
 
 But be thou assured, christian reader, that for 
 these their uncharitable words and actions, they 
 have not footing in the word of God, neither can 
 they heal themselves with suggesting their amicable 
 correspondence to the world. Church communion 
 I plead for, church communion they deny them, 
 yet church communion is scripture communion, 
 and we read of none other among the saints. True, 
 we are commanded to withdraw ' from every bro- 
 ther that walketh disorderly, - that he may be 
 ashamed, yet not to count him as an enemy, but 
 to admonish Aim as a brother.' 3 Tii. iii. o, 14, is. If 
 this be that they intend, for I know not of another 
 communion, that we ought to have with those, to 
 whom we deny church communion ; then what 
 groimd of rejoicing those have that are thus 
 respected by their brethren, I leave it to themselves 
 to consider of. 
 
 In the meanwhile, I affirm, ' that baptism with 
 water, is neither a bar nor bolt to communion of 
 saints, nor a door nor inlet to communion of 
 saints.' The same which is the argument of my 
 books ; and as some of the moderate among them- 
 selves have affirmed, that neither Mr. K. Mr. P. 
 nor Mr. D'Anvers, have made invalid, though 
 sufficiently they have made their assault. 
 
 For Mr. Denne, I suppose they count him none 
 of themselves, though both he, and Mr. Lamb, 
 like to like, are brought for authors and abetters 
 of their practice, and to refel my peaceable prin- 
 ciple. For Mr. Denne, if either of the three will 
 make his arguments their own, they may see what 
 their servant can do : but I shall not bestow paper 
 
OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 
 
 657 
 
 and ink upon him, nor yet upon Mr. Lamb; the 
 one already, having given his profession the lie, and 
 for the other perhaps they that know his life, will 
 see little of conscience in the whole of his religion, 
 and conclude him not worth the taking notice of. 
 Besides Mr. P. hath also concluded against Mr. 
 Denne, That baptism is not the mitiating ordinance, 
 and that his utmost strength for the justification 
 of his own practice is, ' suppositions, imports, and 
 strong presumptions,' things that they laugh at, 
 despise and deride, when brought by their brethren 
 to prove infant baptism. 
 
 Railing for railing, I will not render, though one 
 of these opposers, Mr. Dan. by name, did tell me, 
 tliat Mr. Paul's reply when it came out, would 
 sufiSciently provoke me to so beastly a work: but 
 what is the reason of his so writing, if not the 
 peevishness of his own spirit, or the want of better 
 matter. 
 
 This I thank God for, that some of the brethren 
 of this way, are of late more moderate than for- 
 merly, and that those that retain their former 
 sourness still, are left by their brethren, to the 
 vinegar of their own spirits, their brethren ingeni- 
 ously confessing, that could these of their company 
 bear it, they have liberty in their own souls to 
 
 communicate with saints as saints, though they 
 differ about water baptism. 
 
 Well, God banish bitterness out of the churches, 
 and pardon them that are the maintainors of 
 schisms and divisions among the godly. ' Behold, 
 how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to 
 dwell together in unity ! It is like the precious 
 ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the 
 beard, even Aaron's beard : that went down to the 
 skirts of his garments ; (farther it is) As the dew 
 of Hermon, that descended upon the mountains of 
 Zion: (Mark) for there the Lord commanded the 
 blessing, even life for evermore. ' Pa. cxxxia. 
 
 I was advised by some, who considered the wise 
 man's proverb, not to let Mr. Paul pass with all 
 his bitter invectives, but I consider that the wrath 
 of man worketh not the righteousness of God: 
 therefore I shall leave him to the censure and 
 rebuke of the sober, where I doubt not but his un- 
 savoury ways with me wiU be seasonably brought 
 to his remembrance. Farewell. 
 
 I am thine to serve thee, Christian, so long as 
 1 can look out at those eyes, that have had so 
 much dirt thrown at them by many. 
 
 J. BUNYAN. 
 
 OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 
 
 The love of Christ, poor I may touch upon: 
 But 'tis unsearchable. Oh I there is none 
 Its large dimensions can comprehend. 
 Should they dilate thereon, world without end. 
 
 When we had sinned, in his zeal he sware, 
 That he upon his back oar sins would bear. 
 And since unto sin is entailed death. 
 He vowed, for our sins he'd lose his breatK 
 
 He did not only say, vow, or resolve, 
 But to aatoniahment did so involve 
 Himself in man's distress and misery, 
 As for, and with him, both to live and die. 
 To his eternal fame in sacred story. 
 We find that he did lay aside his glory, 
 Stept from the throne of highest dignity ; 
 Became poor man, did in a manger lie ; 
 Yea was beholden upon his, for bread ; 
 Had of his own not where to lay his head : 
 Though rich, he did, for us, become thus poor. 
 That he might make us rich for evermore. 
 
 Nor was this but the least of what he did; 
 But the outside of what he suffered. 
 L. 
 
 God made his blessed Son under the law ; 
 Under the curse, which, like the lion's paw, 
 Did rend and tear his soul, for mankind's sin, 
 M ore than if we for it in hell had been. 
 His cries, his tears, and bloody agony. 
 The nature of his death doth testify. 
 
 Nor did he of constraint himself thus give 
 For sin, to death, that man might with him hve. 
 He did do what he did most willingly. 
 He sung, and gave God thanks, that he must die. 
 
 But do kings use to die for captive slaves? 
 Yet we were such, when Jesus died to save us. 
 
 Yea, when he made himself a sacrifice, 
 It was that he might save his enemies. 
 And, though he was provoked to retract 
 His blest resolves, for such, so good an act. 
 By the abusive carriages of those, 
 That did both him, his love, and grace oppose : 
 Yet he, as unconcerned with such things 
 Goes on, determines to make captives kings 
 Yea, many of his murderers he takes 
 Into his favour, and them princes makes. 
 4 
 
A CASE OF CONSCIENCE EESOLYED ; 
 
 TIZ., 
 
 WHETHER, WHErtE A CHTJECn OF CHRIST IS SITUATE, IT IS THE DUTY OP THE WOMEN OF THAT CONGUEGATIOIT, 
 
 OKDINAEILT, AND BY APPOINTMENT, TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM THEIR BRETHREN, AND 
 
 SO TO ASSEMBLE TOGETHER, TO PERFORM SOME PARTS OF DIVINE TVORSHIP, 
 
 AS PRAYER, ETC., WITHOUT THEIR MEN ? 
 
 AND THE AEGUIIENTS MADE USE Or TOE THAT PKAOTICE, EXAMINED. 
 
 By JOHN BUNYAN. 
 
 London : Printed for Benj. Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in tlie Poultry, 1683. 
 
 EDITOE'S ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 This exceedingly rare tract was first published in 
 a small 4to of thirty-nine pages, in 1683, and was 
 not reprinted, either separately, or in any edition of 
 Bunyan's works. The puhlio are indebted to the 
 owner of a copy in perfect preservation, who kindly 
 lent it, with a painful prohibition that he is to 
 remain unknown ; hut with full allowance to any 
 one who wishes to collate it with this new edition, 
 by applying to the editor. 
 
 At the time this case was drawn and submitted 
 to Mr. Bunyan for his opinion, he was one of the 
 most popular preachers in the kingdom, and uni- 
 versally esteemed in all the churches of Christ, for 
 his profound knowledge of the sacred Scriptures. 
 This may account for such a case being sent to him, 
 in preference to those illustrious divines, who for 
 learning and talent have been unrivalled in any ago. 
 
 The Reformation had progressed through state 
 impediments so slowly, that the masses of the 
 people were involved in the grossest darkness. So 
 Mr. Keach complained — ' The church is but neivly 
 come out of the wilderness of popish darkness ; and 
 not so fully neither as to he as clear as the sun ; as 
 in due time she shall.'* The era of the common- 
 wealth let loose a flood of religious light and liberty : 
 those who had just emerged from the darkness 
 of Popery, and those who had received, implicitly, 
 and without investigation, their religion from the 
 formal services of tlie Liturgy, were now alarmed 
 with the thunder of faithful exhortations, person- 
 ally and prayerfully to examine the sacred Scrip- 
 tures, upon pain of everlasting death. A light so 
 new, and so marvellous, dazzled and perplexed those 
 who rushed into it, without earnest prayer for 
 divine guidance. They were like men who had 
 been born and brought up in a dark, a deep, a 
 noisome mine, when, suddenly emerging into light, 
 are overpowered by its splendour. Long and 
 
 * ' Breacli Repaired,' a defence of singing iu public worship, 
 tlien newly and partially introduced. 1700, p. 2. 
 
 sharp was the controversy whether singing ought 
 to be used in public worship ; whether the seventh 
 day of the week or the first was to be consecrated; 
 whether ministers were to be paid for their seiwiees; 
 and in this case, to define the privileges and duties 
 of women as helpers in the gospel ; and it is sur- 
 prising that this question is almost as new now as 
 it was then. It is thus stated — 'Whether it is the 
 duty of the women of the churches of Christ to 
 separate themselves from their brethren, and, as so 
 separate, to perform divine worship by themselves.' 
 
 It appears that some females in Bedford were 
 in the habit of thus meeting, under the advice of a 
 Mr. K. They held prayer meetings for special 
 purposes, at the imminent risk of imprisonment ; 
 but whether, in these meetings, they exhorted, or 
 preached to each other, does not appear. John 
 Bunyan was applied to for advice, which he plainly 
 gives. He was a stern advocate for scriptural 
 authority in all things pertaining to divine wor- 
 ship; and one who, in regarding the invaluable 
 virtues of women, most admired retiring modesty 
 as the loveliest adornment of the female character. 
 The terms he uses, and the spirit in which he writes, 
 intimate plainly that his own wife, who was re- 
 markable for her devotion to God and her affec- 
 tionate attachment to her husband, was also the 
 most obedient of her sex. 
 
 In this tract we find no unmeaning gallant frib- 
 bling, but the solemn language of one who had 
 death and judgment before his face. He conducts 
 the inquiry with great care, as becomes a subject 
 of such miiversal interest ; and the great majority 
 of Christians remain to this day his disciples. The 
 Society of Friends is an exception, as to females 
 being admitted to the ministry; while the Wesleyan 
 Methodists have gained a most beneficial influence, 
 by embracing, to the fuU extent, Bunyan's notions 
 of rendering available the tender zeal, in compara- 
 tively private labours, of their pious females, in 
 spreading the hallowed influences of Christianity. 
 
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 
 
 659 
 
 The Society of i'riends stands upon high gronnd 
 m justifying its practice in allowing females to 
 minister in holy things. J. J. Gurney says — 
 • Friends helieve it right, freely and equally to allow 
 the ministry of both sexes. His reason is — ' That 
 all true ministry is under the immediate spirit of 
 the influence of Christ : therefore we are bound to 
 make way for the exercise of the gift of aU per- 
 sons that the Spirit may direct into this service. 
 We dare not say to the modest and pious female, 
 "Thou shalt not declare the word of the Lord," 
 when we belieye that an infinitely higher authority 
 has issued a directly opposite injunction.'* 
 
 The difference arises as to tlie more public work 
 of the ministry in proclaiming or preaching the 
 kingdom of Cnrist to the world. In the ordinary 
 ministry, by teaching the young — by a godly con- 
 versation — by visiting and praying with the sick 
 and aflSicted — ^by encouraging the inquirers and 
 directing their way to the kingdom of heaven, — in 
 these important duties there appears to be neither 
 male nor female in Christ Jesus — all are equal. 
 
 John Bunyan would have united to a great 
 degree with John Gurney in these sentiments. 
 But as our Lord appointed no female evangelists, 
 
 ' Distiuguishing Practices of yriends, ]), 280-1. 
 
 or apostles, or missionaries ; and as the Holy 
 Ghost has directed, that all bishops or elders 
 should be married men, it would appear a strange 
 innovation to place a female in the pastoral office. 
 Bunyan believed that God usually commissions men 
 and not women to this important work. J.J. Gurney 
 fully admits that women ' are forbidden to usurp 
 authority over the man,' and therefore no active 
 part is assigned to them in public assemblies for 
 the settlement of the affairs of the church. t The 
 women's meetings were established for the purpose 
 of exercising a wholesome care over their own sex. J 
 ' That faithful women should be helps to the men 
 in the service of truth, as they are outwardly in 
 civil and temporal things. 'J And to this who can 
 refuse his hearty Amen. 
 
 There is too much sectarian spirit in all our 
 controversies. Reader, in considering this sub- 
 ject, endeavour to forget for the time those 
 opinions in which you have been trained. Examine 
 the question by the Word alone, and may the 
 Holy Spirit inscribe upon your hearts that divine 
 record, which is to be found only in the christian 
 system : ' There is neither male nor female : for 
 ye are all one in Christ Jesus.' Ga. m. 38.-G.Offor. 
 
 t P. 495. + P. 509. § Sketch of Friends' Discipline, p. 33. 
 
 THE EPISTLE DEDICATOEY 
 
 TO THOSE GODLY WOMEN CONCEUNED IN THE FOLLOWING TREATISE. 
 
 HoNOUEED Sisters, 
 
 'Tis far from me to despise you, or to do anything 
 to your reproach. I know you are beloved of God 
 for the sake of Christ, and that you stand fixed for 
 ever by faith upon the same foundation with rrs. 
 I also know that the Lord doth put no difference 
 betwixt male and female, as to the communications 
 of his saving graces, but hath often made many of 
 your sex eminent for piety ; yea, there hath been 
 of you, I speak now of ordinary Christians, that 
 for holiness of life have outgone many of the bre- 
 thren: Nor can their virtuous lives but be renown 
 and glory to TO0, and conviction to those of us 
 that have come behind you in faith and holiness. 
 The love of women in spirituals, as well as natu- 
 rals, ofttimes outgoes that of men. 
 
 When Christ was upon earth, we read not that 
 any man did to, and for him, as did the woman 
 that was a sinner, Joanna, Susanna, and many 
 others. Lu. vu. 36-38; viii.i-3. And as they have 
 shewed themselves eminent for piety, so for chris- 
 tian valour and fortitude of mind, when called of 
 God to bear witness to, and for his name in the 
 world: as all histories of that nature doth suffi- 
 
 ciently testify. They were women, as I take it 
 as well as men, that were tortured, and that would 
 not accept of deliverance, that they might obtain 
 a better resurrection. He. xi. 35. Wherefore I honour 
 and praise your eminency in virtue ; and desire to 
 be provoked by the exceeding piety ol any of you, 
 in all holy conversation and godliness. 
 
 And although, as you will find, I have not with- 
 out a cause, made a question of the lawfulness of 
 your assembling together, by yourselves, to per- 
 form, without your men, solemn worship to God: yet 
 I dare not make you yourselves the authors of your 
 own miscarriage in this. I do therefore rather impute 
 it to your leaders, who whether of a fond respect 
 to some seeming abilities they think is in you for 
 this, or from a persuasion that you have been 
 better than themselves in other things ; or whether 
 from a preposterous zeal, they have put you upon 
 a work so much too heavy for you : I shall not at 
 this time concern myself to inquire into. But this 
 is certain, at least it is so in my apprehension, that 
 in this matter you are tempted by them to take too 
 much upon you. 
 
 I am not insensible but that for my thus writing, 
 though I thereby have designed your honour and 
 
660 
 
 A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 good order ; I am like enortgn to run the gauntlet 
 among you, and to partake most smartly of the 
 scourge of the tongues of some, and to he soundly 
 brow-heaten for it by others : specially by our 
 author, who will find himself immediately con- 
 cerned, for that I have blamed him for what he 
 hath irregularly done, both with the Word, to you, 
 and me. I look also to be sufficiently scandalized, 
 and counted a man not for prayer, and meetings 
 for prayer, and the like ; but I will labour to bear 
 them with patience, and seek their good that shall 
 be tempted to abuse me. 
 
 I had not, indeed I had not, spoke a word to 
 this question in this manner, had not Mr. K. sent 
 his paper abroad, and amongst us, for the encou- 
 raging this practice with us, in opposition to our 
 peace. I do not say he designed our breach, but 
 his arguments tended thereto ; and had not our 
 
 people been of a wise and quiet temper, his paper 
 might have set us into a flame. But thanks be to 
 God, we are at quiet, and walk in love, notwith- 
 standing the LIFTS that have been to make us do 
 otherwise. There are also the mouths of some 
 opened against me for this, who lie at wait for 
 occasions, and shew that they are glad to take 
 them before they are given by me : to whom I now 
 shew by this ensuing discourse, that I had a rea- 
 son to do what I did. 
 
 I commend you to God, and to the word of his 
 grace, which is able to build you up, and to give 
 you an inheritance among them that are sanctified 
 by faith in Jesus Christ : to whom be honour and 
 glory for ever. And remain, your faithful friend 
 and brother to pray for you, to love you in the 
 gospel, and to do you what christian service I can, 
 
 Joim BoSYAN. 
 
 A CASE OF CONSCIENCE EESOLVED, &c. 
 
 The occasion of my meddling in this manner with 
 this controversy, is this. After I had, for reasons 
 best known to myself, by searching found, that 
 those called the women's meetings wanted for their 
 support, a bottom in the word: I called them ia 
 our fellowship into question. Now having so done, 
 my reasons for so doing, as was but reason, were 
 demanded; and I gave them, to the causing of 
 that practice with us to cease. So subject to the 
 word were our women, and so willing to let go 
 what by that could not be proved a duty for them 
 to be found in the practice of. But when I had 
 so done, by what means I know not, Mr. K., 
 hearing of my proceeding in this matter, though 
 1 think he knew little of question or answer, sets 
 pen to paper, and draws up four arguments for 
 the justification of these meetings. The which, 
 when done, were sent down into our parts ; not to 
 me, but to some of his own persuasion, who kept 
 them, or sent them, or lent them whither they 
 thought good : And so about two years after, with 
 this note immediately following, they were con- 
 veyed to my hand. 
 
 Bro: Bunyan, This enclosed, was sent to me 
 from godly women, whose custom for a long time 
 hath been to meet together to pray: who hearing 
 of your contrary opinion, sent this. It came from 
 Mr. K., who would desire to know what objections 
 you have against it : and he is ready to give his 
 further advice. Pray be pleased to give your 
 answer in writing, for Mr. K. expects it. 
 
 Your friends in the Lord, 
 S. B. S. F. 
 
 Pray be pleased to leave your answer with 
 S. P.* in Bedford. 
 
 Now having received the papers, and considering 
 the contents thereof: I was at first at a question 
 with myself, whether the thing was feigned, or 
 true ; and to that purpose, writ to these women 
 again : but calling to mind, that I had heard 
 something of this before, 1 concluded there was 
 ground to believe, as I do, [that it was true, and 
 not feigned: ] And so resolved to answer his demand 
 and expectation. But to say nothing more as to 
 this, I will next present you with the arguments 
 he sent, and then with my manner of handling of 
 them. 
 
 [Mr. K. 's Arguments for Female Prayer Meetings. ] 
 
 He begins with this question. Whether women 
 fearing God may meet to pray together, and 
 whether it be lavfful for them so to do ? Which 
 done, he falls to a wonderment, saying, It seems 
 very strange to me, that any who profess the fear 
 of God, can make any question touching the law- 
 fulness thereof : The rule for praying beipg so 
 
 * Probably a female branch of the family of John or Samuel 
 Fenn, hatters at Bedford, who, in 1670, were cruelly perse- 
 cuted for suffering a meeting for religious worship to take 
 place in the house of John Fenn. Not only all their stock ot 
 hats, materials, and tools, but the whole of their household 
 furniture was seized and carried off to satisfy ruinous fines. 
 One John Bardolf was also cruelly persecuted for Christ's 
 sake at the same time. — Vide Narrative of Arbitrary Proceed- 
 ings at Bedford, 4to, 1670, in the editor's possessiou. 
 
A CASE OF CONSCIENCE EESOLVED. 
 
 661 
 
 general to all, and there being so many inslances 
 for the practice thereof, upon several occasions in 
 the word of God, for their encouragement therein. 
 
 He next presents us with his arguments, which 
 are in number four, but in verity not one, to prove 
 that thing for the which he urgeth them: as I 
 hope to make appear by that I have done. 
 
 First, saith he, If women may praise God together 
 for mercies received for the church of God, or for 
 themselves ? then they may pray togetlier : The 
 proof whereof is plain. Ex. xv. 20, 21. If it be objected 
 the case was extraordinai-y, and that Miriam was a 
 prophetess ; To which I answer, That the danger 
 of ruin and destruction, and our deliverance from 
 it, if the Lord grant it, cannot be looked at but as 
 extraordinary. The designs of ruin to the church, 
 and servants of God, being as great as at that 
 time when God delivered his people from the hand 
 of Pharaoh.* And wiU call for praises, if the Lord 
 please to send it, as then. And whereas it is 
 further objected, that Miriam was an extraordinary 
 person. To which I answer, That the duty itself 
 of praising God for the mercy, was incumbent upon 
 all, in as much as they were partakers of the mercy. 
 And the same spirit of Christ that was in her, is 
 also in all his servants : given for the same end, 
 both to pray for mercies we stand in need of, and 
 to praise God for [thefti]. 
 
 Second, If women have in imminent danger to 
 themselves and the church of God, prayed jointly 
 iogether for deliverance, and God hath answered 
 and approved of the same : then may women jointly 
 pray together. The instance we have is famous. 
 Es. iv. 16. We there see she and her maidens did 
 pray and fast together, and the Lord gave a gra- 
 cious answer and deliverance. 
 
 Third, If God hath in gospel times promised 
 the pouring out of his Spirit to women, to that 
 very end that they may pray together apart from 
 men ; then it is not only their liberty, but duty to 
 meet and pray together. But God hath promised 
 his Spirit to that end. Zee. xii 10—13. Which scrip- 
 ture it is plain is a promise of gospel times. And 
 
 * In times of sncli severe trial and suffering to our pilgiim 
 forefatliers, they knew the value of prayer ; and at the risk of 
 property, liberty, and even life, held frequent meetings to 
 implore their God and Father to mitigate their sufferings, and 
 to have mercy upon their cruel persecutors. Not only worldng 
 tools and stock, but commonly all the furniture, was taken 
 from the Christians, while their ministers and members, both 
 men and women, were imprisoned in miserable jails. One of 
 these, Mr. Robert Kalder, dying, was buried in the church- 
 yard; but those fm'ious bigots dug up his naked body, and 
 dragged it to the gates of his former residence, leaving it 
 there, a frightful spectacle to his widow and family. They 
 bad meetings for prayer; and how does it become their 
 descendants in the faith to have days of thanksgiving and 
 nights of jJraise? — See Broadmead Records and Crosby's 
 Ilistoiy of Baptists, vol. ii., p. 240.— En. 
 
 it is to be noted that the text doth not in the sin- 
 gular number, say, He shall pray apart, and his 
 wife apart ; but they shall pray apart, and their 
 wives apart. And Mai. iii. le. God takes notice of 
 all them that speak often together, and call upon 
 his name. 
 
 Fourth, If God hath so approved of women's 
 meeting together to pray in gospel times, as then, 
 and at that time to take an advantage to make 
 known to them his mind and will concerning Jesus 
 Christ: then it is lawful for women to pray together. 
 But God hath so approved of their meeting to pray 
 together. Ac. xvi. 13. By which text it appeareth it 
 was a frequent practice for women to meet and 
 pray together. 
 
 These are Mr. K.'s arguments; the conclusion 
 of his paper follows. And besides all these par- 
 ticular instances, says he, what means those general 
 rules to build up one another in our most holy faith, 
 and pray in the Holy Ghost. Jude 20. But it extends 
 to ail that believe, both men and women ; unless 
 any will say women are not to be built up in their 
 most holy faith. Therefore let not any hinder you 
 from a duty so incumbent upon you in a special 
 manner, in such a day as this is. Cannot many 
 women that have used this practice, by experience, 
 say, they have met with the Lord in it, and have 
 found many blessed returns of prayer from God, 
 both to themselves and the church, wherein God 
 hath owned them ? Therefore what God hath borne 
 witness to, and approved of, let no man deter you 
 from. Pray turn to the scriptures quoted, which 
 I hope will give you full satisfaction. 
 
 [Mr. Bunyari's Answer.] 
 
 These are his arguments, and this his conclu- 
 sion, in which I cannot but say, there is not only 
 boldness, but flattery. Boldness, in fathering of 
 his misunderstanding upon the authority of the 
 word of God : and flattery, in soothing up persons in 
 a way of their own, by making of them the judges 
 in their own cause : the which I hope to make 
 farther appear anon. 
 
 For since his women in their letter told me that 
 Mr. K. expects my answer, I count myself called 
 to shew the unsoundness of his opinion. Indeed 
 he would, as they insinuate, confine me to answer 
 by writing. But his papers have been I know not 
 where, and how to put check to his extravagancies, 
 that also, I know not, but by scattering mine 
 [answer] abroad. And as I will not be confined 
 to an answer in writing : so neither to his methods 
 of argumentation. What scholar he is, I know 
 not ; for my part, I am not ashamed to confess, that 
 I neither know the mode nor figure of a syllogism, 
 nor scarce which is major or minor. Methinks 1 
 perceive but little sense, and far less truth in his 
 
663 
 
 A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 arguments : also I hold that he has stretched and 
 strained the holy Word out of place, to make it, 
 if it might have been, to shore up his fond conceits. 
 I shall therefore, first take these texts from the 
 errors to which he hath joined them, and then fall 
 to picking the bones of his syllogisms.* 
 
 But as I shall not confine myself to his mode and 
 way of arguing, so neither shall I take notice of 
 his question upon which he stateth the matter in 
 controversy. But shall propound the same question 
 here, which, for the substance of it, was handled 
 among us, when the thing itself was in doubt 
 among us, namely. 
 
 Whether, where a church of Christ is situate, 
 it is the duty of the women of that congregation, 
 ordinarily, and by appointment, to separate them- 
 selves from their brethren, and so to assemble 
 together, to perform some parts of divine worship, 
 as prayer, &c. without their men ? 
 
 This was our question, this we debated, and this 
 Mr. K. might have sent for, and have spoken to, 
 since he will needs be a confuter. And, courteous 
 reader, since I have here presented thee with 
 the question, I will also present thee with the 
 method which I took when 1 handled it among my 
 brethren. 
 
 First, I opened the terms of the question. Second, 
 Then shewed what assemblies they were that used 
 to perform divine worship to God. Tfdrd, And so 
 shewed whose prayers in such worship was used, 
 or by Paul and others desired. 
 
 First, By church of Christ, I mean, one gathered 
 or constituted by, and walking after the rule of 
 the Word of God. By situate, I mean, where such 
 church shall happen to be, in whole, or in the 
 parts thereof. By separating, I mean, their meet- 
 ings together by appointment of their own, and as 
 so met, to attempt to perform divine worship [by] 
 prayer without their men. Having thus explained 
 the question ; I, as a j)reparatory to a solution 
 thereof, come, 
 
 Second, To shew what manner of assemblies they 
 were that used to perform divine worship to God 
 of old. Now I find that there have been three 
 sorts of assemblies, in which divine worship has 
 been performed. 1. It has been performed in 
 mixed assemblies ; in assemblies made up of saints 
 and sinners. I say divine worship has been per- 
 formed in such assemblies, for, that there, the saints 
 have been edified, sinners convinced and converted, 
 and made to confess their sins, to the glory of God. 
 
 * ' Syllogism,' a form of reiisoning, consisting of three pro- 
 positions, having this property ; that the conclusion necessarily 
 follows from the two premises : so that if the first and second 
 be granted, the conclusion must be gi'anted in like manner. 
 No wonder that Bunyan neither understood nor was awed by 
 this hard word. Armed with holy Writ, he goes to work ' to 
 pick the bones of the syllogism.' — Ed. 
 
 Of these assemblies we read, Mat. v. i; xiii. ij xxiii. 1 
 
 Mar. iv. 1 ; il 1; vi. 2; s. 1. Ltl Y. 1; viii. ; xil 1; liiL 1 ; xv. 1; n. 1 
 
 1 Co. xiv. 33. And in many other scriptures. 2. 1 
 also find that the church, by herself, or as dis- 
 tinct from the world, have met together to per- 
 form it by themselves. Mar. iv. S4 Ac. ii. l— 4.; xiii. l, 3; XV. 
 
 i; XX. 7; Jn. XX. ]9— 36. 3. I find also that assemblies 
 for divine worship have been made up of the elders, 
 and principal brethren of the church, none of the 
 rest of the congregation being present. Mat. x. l. Liu 
 ix. 1. Ac. i. 3iii. 17, 18. Ga. ii.], 3. with several other scrip- 
 tures beside. But in all the Scripture, I find not 
 that the women of the churches of Christ, did use 
 to separate themselves from their brethren, and 
 as so separate, perform worship together among 
 themselves, or in that their congregation : or that 
 they made, by allowance of the Word, appoint- 
 ment so to do. Thus far therefore this must stand 
 for a human invention, and Mr. K. for the promoter 
 thereof. 
 
 Tliird, This done, in the third place, I come to 
 shew you whose prayers, or by whose mouth prayer 
 in such assemblies, as are above proved lawful, 
 used to be made, or by Paul or others were desired. 
 1. Whose prayers were used, or who was the 
 mouth? and 1 find them called the prayers of the 
 church in general, or of the principal men thereof 
 in particular. Ju. ii 4, 5; xx. 8,-26i Joel i. U; ii. 16—17. Ac. 
 xii. 5; xiii. 1—3. 2. Also when Paul, or others, desired 
 that prayers should be made of others for them. 
 They either desired the prayers of the church in 
 general, or of the brethren in particular (but never 
 desireth, or biddeth a woman's meeting:, that 
 prayers might there be made for them.) (1.) He 
 desireth the prayers of the church in general. 
 ai.iv.S. Pl.i. i. 19; iv. 6. 1 TL. v. 17. He. xiii. IS. (2.) Or if 
 he desireth prayers of certain persons, he only 
 calls upon the men and brethren in particular ; but 
 never upon a woman by name nor sex to do it. 
 1 Th. V. 35. 2 Th. iii. 1. Ko. xv. 80. 1 Ti. ii. 8 . Nor was, aS I 
 said, the apostle alone in this thing. Christ speaks 
 a parable to this end, that men ought always to 
 pray. Lu. xviii. l. James saith, the effectual fervent 
 prayer of a righteous man. v. 16. Moses sent tlie 
 young men to sacrifice. Ex. xxiv. 5. And the people 
 in the time of Zacharias, sent their men to 
 pray before the Lord. Zee. vii. 3. I do not believe 
 that by any of these the prayers of women are 
 despised, but by these we are taught, who, as 
 the mouth in assemblies to pray, is commended 
 unto us. 
 
 One word more. The women in the time of 
 Jeremiah the prophet, when they had made their 
 cakes to the queen of heaven, (though the thing 
 which they did was as right in their own eyes, as 
 if they had done true worship indeed) and was 
 questioned by the prophet for what they had done, 
 could not justify what they had done, as to the 
 
A CASE OF CONSCIENCE EESOLVED. 
 
 663 
 
 act, but by pleading, They did it not 'without 
 their men. ' Je. xUv. 17-19. 
 
 Thus having premised these fevr things, I shall 
 now come more directly to discourse of the ques- 
 tion itself, TO WIT, Whether, where a church of 
 Christ is situate, it is the duty of the women of 
 that congregation, ordinarily, and by appointment, 
 to separate themselves from their brethren, and as 
 so separate, to assemble together to perform divine 
 worship, [by] prayer, without their men? 
 
 This was our question, and this I will now give 
 a negative answer unto. For I find not in Christ's 
 testament any command so to do ; no nor yet 
 example : and where there is none of these, it can- 
 not be a duty upon them ; no, nor yet liberty, but 
 presumption to attempt it. 
 
 The command, says Mr. K., is general to all. 
 But I answer, yet limited, and confined to order 
 and manner of performance. Women may, yea 
 ought to pray; what then? Is it their duty to 
 help to carry on prayer in public assemblies with 
 men, as they? Are they to be the audible mouth 
 there, before all, to God ? No verily, and yet the 
 command is general to all to pray. Women of the 
 respective churches of Christ, have no command 
 to separate themselves from the men of their con- 
 gregations, to perform prayer in their own com- 
 pany without them, and yet the command is general 
 to all to pray. We must therefore distinguish of 
 [between] persons and performances, though we 
 may not exclude either. The manner also, and 
 order in which such and such duties must be done, 
 Mr. K. knows is as essential, in some cases, as 
 the very matter of worship. But we will come 
 to my reasons for my dissenting from Mr. K. in 
 this. After which I will consider his arguments, 
 and the scriptures that he would under-prop them 
 with. As for my reasons for my dissenting from 
 him, they are these : — 
 
 First, To appoint meetings for divine worship, 
 either in the whole church or in the parts of it, is 
 an act of power: which power, resideth in the 
 elders in particular, or in the church in general. 
 But never in the women as considered by them- 
 selves. Mr. K. indeed doth insinuate that this 
 power also resided in them ; for he saith, God hath 
 In gospel times promised the Spirit to women to 
 that very end, that thev may pray together, apart 
 from men. Now if the Spirit is given them to 
 THIS very end, that they may do it apart from men, 
 then they have a power residing in themselves to 
 xall their own sex together to do it. And what 
 brave doings will such a conclusion make, even the 
 blind himself will perceive. But further of this 
 anon ; meanwhile we will attend [to] our own asser- 
 tion. Namely, ' That to call the church, or parts 
 thereof together, to perform divine worship to God, 
 is an ACT of powee, which power resideth in the 
 
 church in general, or in the elders in particular." 
 We will treat of the last first. 
 
 1. For the eldership, Moses and Aaron of 
 old were they, with the priests, that were to call 
 the church together to perform divine worship to 
 God, and that both as to the whole, or as to the 
 
 parts of it. Nu. x. 7, 8. De. iv. 14; xxxi. 11, 13. Ex. iv. 29; xii. 21; 
 
 xvii. 5. Also, in after times, they were the elders 
 and chief of the church, that did it. Jos. xxiv.i. Ezr. x. 
 6—9. Ac. xiT. 27j xv. 3. Or, 2, if their calling together 
 to perform divine worslilp, was not by the elders 
 alone : yet it was by the power that resided in the 
 church for that thing, who jointly ordered the 
 
 same. Ju. xx. 8, 18. Ezr. iii. 1. Zep. ii. 1—3. Ac. xii. 12. 1 Co. v. 4; 
 
 xi. 20. All these are plain cases. But never, as I 
 ever did read of in the Bible, did women, ordinary 
 believing ones, assume this power of the elders, or 
 of the church, to themselves. 
 
 If it be asked, Who did appoint that meeting 
 made mention of in Ac. xii. 13 ? 
 
 I answer, It was appointed by the power of the 
 church, who, for her own convenlency, if she can- 
 not come all into one place at once to perform tlie 
 duty, as it is not likely four or five thousand 
 should, in times of persecution, which was their ease, 
 [they] may meet some here, some there, for their 
 edification and comfort. Compare ver. 6 with 12 and 
 17. Nor do I question the lawfulness of this or that 
 part of the church's assembling together for prayer : 
 though the elders, and greatest part of the brethren, 
 be absent. If, first, such men that call such assem- 
 blies are countenanced by the elders, or church, to 
 do it. 1 Ti. u. 8. 2 Ti. ii. 22. But that the sisters of this 
 or that church, may call their own sex together to 
 perform such worship by themselves to God (for 
 this is the thing in debate) I find no warrant for. 
 
 Second, Because this kind of worship, when 
 done in and by a company, is minisieeial to that 
 company, as weU as petitionary to God. That is, 
 they that, as the mouth in assemblies pray to God, 
 teach that assembly, as well as beg mercies of him. 
 And I find not that women may assemble to do thus. 
 That such prayer is a kind of ministering in the word 
 to standers by, consider well l Co. xiv. 15—19. Where • 
 fore let them keep silence in the church, and in the 
 parts thereof, when assembled to worship God. 
 
 In all public worship by prayer, teaching is set on 
 foot, two ways: I. By propounding to that assem- 
 bly the things that must, by agreement, be prayed 
 for. 2. And by proving them to suit with the will 
 of God, that prayer may be made in faith, i Jn. v. W. 
 
 1 . For all such prayer must be made for the things 
 agreed upon first; and consequently for things 
 that by the word are proved good, and suitable for 
 the seasons, persons, or things, for or about which 
 such prayers are made. For they that have meet- 
 ings for prayer, without this, pray at random, and 
 not by rule. 
 
664 
 
 A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 ' If two of you sliall agree on earth, as touching 
 anything that they shall ask (according to God's 
 will) it shall he done for them,' saith Christ, ' of 
 my Father which is in heaven. ' Mat. xvffi. 19. Now, 
 I say, if things prayed for in assemblies must first 
 be jointly agreed upon, then must such things, by 
 some one, or more of that assembly, be first pro- 
 pounded, expounded, and proved to be good by the 
 word. Good for such persons, seasons, or things, 
 for which such prayer is made. And, besides, the 
 gifts required to do this, if this is not teaching I 
 am out. And yet this must first be done to 
 instruct all present, to help their faith, and to 
 quicken then- spirits to, and in that worship. That 
 they may as one man have their eyes unto the 
 Lord. Zee. ix. 1. But that tliis power is given to 
 women, to ordinary believing ones that are in the 
 highest account in churches, I do not believe. I 
 do not believe they should minister to God in 
 prayer before the whole church, for then I should 
 be a Ranter or a Quaker ; nor do I beUeve they 
 should do it in their own womanish assembly, for 
 the reason urged before. And I wiU add, if 
 brethren not heretofore called by the church to 
 open scriptures, or to speak in the church to God 
 in prayer,* are not at first to be admitted to do 
 this, but before the elders or principal brethren, 
 that they may hear and judge, l Co. xiv. 26—29. How 
 can it be thought to be meet or lawful for women, 
 of whom it must be supposed, that they have 
 received no such gifts, that they should use this 
 power ? I say, how can it be imagined that the 
 women should be hound of God to do this in such 
 sort as doth utterly exclude the elders and all the 
 men in the congregation from a possibility of 
 understanding and of judging of what they do ? 
 And yet this is the doctrine of Mr. K. ; for he 
 saith, ' That the Spirit of God is promised to 
 women to this very end, that they may pray 
 together, apart from men.' But God is not the 
 author of this confusion in the churches. 
 
 2. But secondly. As teaching by prayer in 
 assembhes, is thus set on foot ; so every one 
 also that shall in such meetings be the mouth of 
 the whole, to God, ministereth so, doctrine to that 
 
 * Much stress was, and is now, laid in many churches upon 
 the necessity of all persons, before praying or preaching in 
 public, being guided by the opinion of the church. The taking 
 advice in so important a step must be proper ; but any pledge 
 to abide by it, contrary to the conscientious conviction of the 
 individual, 'would be a violation of the duty of private judg- 
 ment. If in their ministrations they were fiJse or foolish, the 
 church must exercise discipline ; but if they became useful, 
 surely no objection could be urged as to the validity of their 
 call to the ministry, because the church had not been first 
 consulted or had advised them not to proceed. The desire — 
 the ability, by sound views of divine truth, and a happy way 
 of illustrating and enforcing them — with the opportunity of so 
 doing, is the divine call to this holy work. — El>, 
 
 assembly, as well as presenteth petitions to God. 
 Else how can that assembly say amen at their 
 prayer or giving of thanks ? For to say amen is 
 an efi"ect of conviction, or of edification received of 
 the stander by, from him that now is so minister- 
 ing in that assembly before God. l Co. xiv. 15—17. Yea, 
 I believe that they that pray in assemblies, or that 
 shall give thanks for mercies received there, ought 
 to labour to speak, not only with fervency of words, 
 but with such soundness of doctrine while they 
 mention, urge, or plead the promise with God, that 
 that whole assembly may be enlightened, taught, 
 taken, and carried away in their spirits, on the 
 wing of that prayer, and of faith, to God, whose 
 face they are come to seek, and whose grace they 
 are gathered together to beg. Now this is called 
 praying and praising, to the teaching and edifying 
 of others, as by the scripture afore named is made 
 appear. 1 Co. xiv. 14-19. But by what word of God 
 the sisters of the respective churches may set up 
 this way of teaching of one another in their assem- 
 blies, I am ignorant of. For, 
 
 Third, The Holy Ghost doth particularly insist 
 upon the inability of women, as to their well 
 managing of the worship now under consideration, 
 and therefore it ought not to be presumed upon by 
 them. They are forbidden to teach, yea to speak 
 in the church of God. And why forbidden, but 
 because of their inability. They cannot orderly 
 manage that worship to God, that in assemblies is 
 to be performed before him; I speak now of our 
 ordinary believing ones, and I know none extra- 
 ordinary among the churches. They are not 
 builded to manage such worship, ' they are not the 
 image and glory of God, as the men are.' ICo. ii.7. 
 They are placed beneath, and are called the glory 
 of the man. Wherefore they are weak, and not 
 permitted to perform public worship to God. When 
 our first mother, who was not attended with those 
 weaknesses, either sinful or natural, as our women 
 now are, stept out of her place but to speak a good 
 word for worship, you see how she was baffled, and 
 befooled therein ; she utterly failed in the perform- 
 ance, though she briskly attempted the thing. 
 Yea she so failed thereabout, that at one clap she 
 overthrew, not only, as to that, the reputation of 
 women for ever, but her soul, her husband, and the 
 whole world besides. Ge. iii. 1-7. The fallen angel 
 knew what he did when he made his assault upon 
 the woman. His subtilty told him that the woman 
 was the weaker vessel. He knew also that the 
 man was made the head in worship, and the keeper 
 of the garden of God. The Lord God took the 
 man, said unto the man, commanded the man, and 
 made him keeper of the garden. Ge. iL 15—17. Where- 
 fore the management of worship belonged to him. 
 This, the serpent, as I said, was aware of. And 
 therefore he comes to the woman, says to the 
 
A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 665 
 
 woman, and deals with tlie woman about it, and so 
 overcomes the world. Wherefore it is from this 
 consideration that Paul tells Timothy that he per- 
 mitted not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority 
 over the man, but to be in silence. But to call 
 the church or parts thereof together, to perform 
 solemn worship, and in such a call to exclude or 
 shut out the men, is an usurping of that authority 
 over them to a high degree. And he renders the 
 reason of this his prohibition thus, ' For Adam was 
 first formed, then Eve, (and therefore had the 
 headship in worship.) And Adam was not deceived, 
 but the woman being deceived, was in the trans- 
 gression.' i Ti. ii. 13, u. But again, it should seem, 
 methinks, if women must needs be managers of wor- 
 ship in assemblies, they should do it, as Eve, before 
 Adam, in presence of the men: But that I think none 
 will allow, though that would be the way best to 
 correct miscarriages ; how then should it be thought 
 convenient for them to do it alone. If children are 
 not thought fit to help to guide the ship with the 
 mariners, shall they be trusted so much as with a 
 boat at sea alone. The thing in hand is a parallel 
 case. For, 
 
 FowrOi, If the weightiness of this worship be, 
 as indeed it is, so great, that the strongest and best 
 able to perform it do usually come off with blush- 
 ing, and with repentance for their shortness, as to 
 the well performance thereof; though they engage 
 therein by good and lawful authority ; what will 
 they do who are much weaker here, and when, as 
 Eve, they set to it in a way of usurping of authority, 
 and of their own head and will. To offer strange 
 fire with incense, which was a type of prayer, you 
 know what it cost Nadab and Abihu, though men, 
 and the sons of Aaron. [Yet] Mr. K. cries the 
 sisters, the women, the women's meetings, and the 
 like, and how they have prevailed with heaven. 
 Poor man, I am sorry for his weakness, and that 
 he should show that himself is so nunnish* in such 
 a day as this. 
 
 But to return, as all worship in assemblies ought 
 to be performed with the most exact order and 
 solemnity ; so this of prayer with that, if possible, 
 that is more than all the rest ; and therefore this 
 makes it more heavy still. When men preach 
 they have to do with men, hut when they pray in 
 assemblies they have to do both with men and with 
 God at once. And I say, if it be so great a matter 
 to speak to men hefore God ; liow great a matter 
 is it to speak to men and God at once ; to God by 
 way of petition, and to men by way of instruction. 
 But I am persuaded if those most fond of the 
 
 * ' So nunnish,' a singular mode of expression, alluding to 
 the nuns being separated from the world, and shut up by them- 
 selves. They were not permitted to exercise the priestly office. 
 I'ather confessors and chaplains were aj^pointed for these duties. 
 — Ri). 
 VOL. II. 
 
 women's meetings for prayer were to petition the 
 king for their lives, they would not set women to 
 be their advocates to him ; specially if the king 
 should declare beforehand by law, that he permitted 
 not a woman in an open auditory to speak before 
 him. 
 
 There are also many temptations that attend 
 the duty of praying in assemblies, especially those 
 that are immediately employed therein. These 
 temptations, they awake, are aware of, are forced 
 to wrestle with, and greatly to groan under. 
 Wherefore we put not the weak upon this service ; 
 not the weak, though they be men ; not they in 
 the presence of the strong. How then should the 
 weakest of all be put upon it, and that when 
 together by themselves. Men, though strong, and 
 though acting by lawful authority in this, are not 
 able, but with unutterable groans, to do it : how 
 then shall all those that attempt it without that 
 authority, perform it as acceptable worship to God? 
 This work, therefore, is as much too heavy for our 
 women now, as that about which Eve engaged in 
 at first, was too heavy for her. But, 
 
 Fifth, If this worship may be managed by the 
 sisterhood of the churches, being congregated 
 together in the absence of their men : of what 
 signification is it that man is made head of the 
 woman as well in worship as in nature ? 1 Co. ri. 3, 7. 
 Yea more, why are the elders of the churches 
 called watchmen, overseers, guides, teachers, 
 rulers, and the like ? If this kind of worship may 
 be performed, without their conduct and govern- 
 ment ? Eze. iii. 17; xxxiii. 7- Ac. xi. 28. Ep. iv. 11. Ps. xxviii. 73. 
 lie. xiii. 17. 
 
 1. Why is man made the head of the woman 
 in worship, in the worship now under debate, in 
 that worship that is to be performed in assemblies ? 
 And why are the women commanded silence there, 
 if they may congregate by themselves, and set up 
 and manage worship there ? Worship was ordained 
 before the woman was made, wherefore the word 
 of God at the first did not immediately come to 
 her, but to him that was first formed, and made 
 the head in worship. Ge. u. 16—18. i co. xiv. 35, 36. And 
 hence it is that women are so strictly tied up to 
 this headship ; that if they will learn, they must 
 ask their husbands at home, ver. 35. not appoint 
 meetings of their own sex to teach one anotlier. 
 ' But what must they do that have unbelieving 
 ones? and what must they do that have none?' 
 Answer, Let them attend upon those ordinances . 
 that God has appointed for the building up and 
 perfecting of the body of Christ, Ep. iv, ii— is. and 
 learn as the angels do. Ep. m. lo. i Pe. i. 12 
 
 2. But I say, if they must do as Mr. K. 
 says, they are in duty bound, to wit, meet by 
 themselves apart from their men, and as so met, 
 perform this most solemn worship to God: how, 
 
 4 p 
 
666 
 
 A CASE or CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 ehall the elders and overseers, the watchmen, 
 rulers, and guides in worship, perform their duty 
 to God, and to the church of God, in this, since 
 from this kind of worship they are quite excluded, 
 and utterly shut out of doors : unless it he said, 
 that to watch, to oversee, and to guide, in the 
 matter and manner of performance of this worship 
 in assemblies, is no part of the watchman or over- 
 seer's work ; or in their lawful absence, the work 
 of the principal men of the church. Nor wiU the 
 faitliful and dutiful overseer leave worship, no, not 
 in the best part of the congregation assembled to 
 worship, to be performed by every weak brother, 
 though I believe it might with more warrant be 
 left to them, than to the strongest among our 
 ordinary ones of the other sex. 
 
 Also our elders and watchmen covet, if we have 
 unbelievers to behold, that our worship be per- 
 formed by the most able. How then shall it be 
 thought that they should be so silly, to turn a com- 
 pany of weak women loose to be abused by the 
 fallen angels ? Can it be thought that their con- 
 gregation, since they have it without a command, 
 shall fare better among those envious spirits than 
 those that are lawfully called shall fare before the 
 world ? Watchman, watchman, see to thy duty, 
 look well to the manner of worship that is to be 
 performed according to thy commission. Trust not 
 Eve, as Adam did, with worship, and with its 
 defence. Look that all things be done in worship 
 as becomes thee — a head, both in nature and by 
 office — and leave not so solemn a part of worship as 
 prayer, in company, is, and ought to be accounted 
 to be done ; thou canst by no means tell how. 
 Watch in and over all such worship thyself. Be 
 diligent to know the state of thy flocks, whether 
 they be flocks of men, or women ; and look well 
 to thy herds, and thou shalt have milk enough, not 
 only for men and babes, but also for the mainte- 
 nance and life of thy maidens. So that they need 
 not go with their pitchers to seek water there where 
 their God has not sent them. Pr. x\m. ss— 27. Besides 
 the shepherds' tents is provision sufficient for them. 
 Ca. i. 8. But, for a conclusion of this, I will ask this 
 man, If he doth not, by pleading for these women's 
 meetings, declare, that the women, without their 
 men, are better able by themselves to maintain 
 divine worship, than the men are without their 
 elders ? forasmuch as he himself will not allow that 
 the men should always perform worship without his 
 oversight and inspection, and yet will plead for 
 the women to have such worship in their congre- 
 gation, among themselves, excluding for ever the 
 men therefrom. For, saith he, the Spirit is pro- 
 mised to be given to them to that very end, that 
 they may meet together to pray apart without their 
 men. And now for Mr. K's arguments, which, 
 as 1 said, are in number four. 1. We will take 
 
 the scriptures from them ; and, 2. Then pick the 
 hones of their carcasses. 
 
 Yet in my taking of the scriptures from his 
 arguments, 1 wiU do it in a way that is most to 
 his advantage, making of each of them as formi- 
 dable an objection as I can against myself. 
 
 1. Ol^ect. Miriam took a timbrel in her hand, 
 and went out, and all the women went out after 
 her, praising God with timbrels and dances for 
 their deliverances. Therefore the women of the 
 churches of Christ may appoint meetings of their 
 own, as separate from their brethren, and then and 
 there perform divine worship, [by] prayer, in that, 
 their congregation, without their men. E«. it. 20, 3i. 
 
 Answ. 1. Miriam was a prophetess : and, I sup- 
 pose, that none of our women will pretend to be 
 such. And though Mr. K. labours to get over 
 this, by saying that the work of praising was 
 incumbent upon all : yet by his leave, judgment, 
 and discretion, and a spirit of conduct suitable to 
 the duty, as we read of, was found among the 
 women in none but she. Why is it else said, 
 Miriam led them forth ; Miriam the prophetess did 
 it. Another, by Mr. K.'s argument, might have 
 done it as well. Thus degrades he the prophetess, 
 that he may get favour with the ordinary women, 
 and prompt them on to a work that he has a super- 
 stitious affection for, 
 
 2. But his assertion is of no weight. The women 
 were not left in that extraordinary service to the 
 spirit of ordinary believers. Nor can I count it 
 but crooked dealing to bring in extraordinary per- 
 sons, in their extraordinary acts, to prove it lawful 
 for ordinary persons to do that which is not com- 
 manded them. 
 
 3. But though Miriam did go forth, or come 
 out with the women, yet not from the men, into 
 some remote place in the wilderness to worship by 
 themselves. She rather went or came out, and the 
 women followed her from the place by the sea, 
 where now they were, after Moses, to sing as her 
 sex became her ; for she, though an extraordinary 
 woman, might not make herself an equal with Moses 
 and Aaron, therefore she came behind in worship, 
 yet with the body of the people, as it is said, ' So 
 Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea.' Ei. it. 22. 
 Women, though prophetesses, must wear some 
 badge or other of inferiority to those that are pro- 
 phets indeed. 1 Co. xi. s— 9. And I choose to under- 
 stand that Miriam did this. (1.) Because the text 
 last mentioned says so. (2.) Because Miriam, 
 and all the women, did sing with the words of the 
 men, ver. 1 compared with 21. (3.) For that they 
 did sing them after the men, as taking them 
 from their mouth. For, saith the text, Miriam 
 answered them, and so handed it down to them of 
 her sex, saying, ' Sing ye to the Lord, for he hatb 
 triumphed gloriously.' vera. 1 and 21. (4.) For that 
 
A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 6fi7 
 
 she commanded the women that they should sing 
 the same song: hence it is called the song of 
 Moses, not of Miriam. Re. xv. 3. (5.) From all which 
 I conclude, that Miriam did not draw the women 
 away into some such place where neither Moses, 
 nor Aaron, nor the elders of Israel could see, 
 behold, and observe their manner of worship. But 
 that she, as her modesty became her; did lead 
 them out from that place where they were, to sing, 
 and to dance, and to praise God, after the men. 
 (6.) This scripture therefore favoureth not this 
 man's opinion, to wit, ' That it is the duty of the 
 women of the churches of Christ to separate them- 
 selves from their brethren, and as so separate, to 
 perform divine worship by themselves.' 
 
 II. ObjecL Esther, the queen, performed, with 
 her maidens, this duty of prayer, without their men : 
 therefore the women of gospel churches may sepa- 
 rate themselves from their brethren, and perform 
 It among themselves. Es. iv. le. 
 
 Anew. 1. Esther was in the house of the king's 
 chamberlain, and could not at this time come to 
 her brethren ; No, not to her uncle, Mordecai, to 
 consult how to prevent an approaching judgment. 
 Yea, Mordecai and she were fain to speak one to 
 another by Hatach, whom the king had appointed 
 to attend upon the queen, ver. 6—9. So she could by 
 no means, at that time, have communion with the 
 church. No marvel, therefore, if she fasted with 
 lier maidens alone : for so she must now do, or not 
 Jo it at all. But I will here ask this, our argu- 
 mentator, whether Esther did count it a burden 
 or a privilege thus now to be separated from her 
 brethren, and so forced to perform this work as 
 -she did ? If a privilege, let him prove it. If a 
 burden, he has little cause to make use of it to 
 urge that, her practice then, for a ground to women 
 that are at liberty, to separate from their brethren 
 to perform such worship by themselves in their 
 company, without their men. 2. We do not 
 read that she desired that any of the women that 
 were at liberty should come from the men to bo 
 with her ; whence we may gather, that she pre- 
 ferred their liberty to worship with men, far beyond 
 a woman's meeting. She counted that too many, 
 by herself and her maidens, were in such bondage 
 already. 3. Neither did she attempt to take that 
 unavoidable work upon herself, but as begging of 
 the men that she might, by their faith and prayers, 
 be borne up therein; clearly concluding that she did 
 count such work too hard for women to perform 
 by themselves, without the help of their men. vers. 
 15,16. 4. Besides this woman's meeting, as Mr. K. 
 would have it, was made up of none but the queen 
 and her household maids, and with but few of them ; 
 nor will we complain of our honest women when 
 jthe case is so that they cannot go out to the 
 church to do this, if they pray with their maids I 
 
 at home. 5. But what if Esther did pray with 
 her maids in her closet, because she could not 
 come out to her brethren. Is it fair to make tho 
 necessity of a woman in bondage a law to women 
 at liberty ? Tbis argument, therefore, is errone- 
 ous, and must not have this text to show it up ; 
 we therefore take it away from his words and 
 proceed to a sight of his next. 
 
 III. Object. But it is said by the prophet Zecha- 
 rias, that the Spirit is promised to be given, in 
 New Testament times, to women, that they may 
 pray together apart from men. Zee. x». 11—13. 
 
 Answ. The text says nothing so, but is greatly 
 abused by this man. Indeed, it says their wives 
 shall mourn apart, but it saith not, they shall do 
 so together. Yea, that they shall separate them- 
 selves by the dictate of God, from their brethren, 
 to do so, is that which this text knows nothing of. 
 Sometimes many may he together, apart from 
 others; but why Mr. K., to serve his purpose, 
 should rack and strain this text to justify his 
 woman's meeting, I see no reason at all. My rea- 
 son against him is, for that the look here upon him 
 whom we have pierced, which is to be the cause 
 of this mourning, is to be by an immediate revelation 
 of the Holy Ghost, who doth not use to tell before 
 hand when he will so come down upon us. But 
 such a meeting as Mr. K. intends must be the pro- 
 duct of consultation and time. ' I will pour,' saith 
 God, ' upon the house of David - the spirit of grace 
 and of supplications: and then they shall look;' that 
 is, when that spirit so worketh with them as to 
 enable them so to do. Now, I say, I would know, 
 since this mourning is to be the effect of this look, 
 and so before one is aware, Ca. ri. 12, whether Mr. 
 K. can prove that these women were to have an 
 item beforehand, when they should have this look. 
 But as it would be ridiculous thus to conclude, so 
 as ridiculous is it to think to prove his women's 
 meetings from hence. 
 
 Nor doth the conclusion that he hath made here- 
 upon prove more but that he is ignorant of the 
 work of the Spirit in this matter, or that his fond- 
 ness for the women's meetings hath made him for- 
 get his own experience. For how can one that 
 never had but one such look upon Jesus Christ, 
 draw such a conclusion from hence. And that all 
 those women should have this look at the same 
 time, even all the women of the house of David 
 and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that they 
 might, all of them, by the direction of the Holy 
 Ghost, separate themselves from their men to hold 
 a woman's meeting or meetings by themselves for 
 this, is more fictitious than one would imagine a 
 man should dream. If he says that the women 
 have a promise to have this look when they please, 
 or that they are sure to have it because it is 
 entailed to their meeting, for this seems to come 
 
668 
 
 A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 nearest liis conclusion: yet what unavoidable 
 inconveniences will flow therefrom, I leave to any 
 to judge. But I take this mourning to be accord- 
 ing as another of the prophets says, ' They shall 
 be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all 
 of them mourning, every one for his iniquity.' Eze. 
 Tii. 16. All those souls, therefore, that shall be 
 counted worthy to have this look shall mourn 
 apart, or by themselves, when they have it. For 
 though a man cannot appoint to himself when he 
 will repent of his sins, or when the Holy Ghost 
 will work, yet he shall repent indeed ; he shall do 
 it, I say, when he doth so work, not staying till 
 another can do so too. And since our own iniquity 
 will then make us best consider our own case, 
 mourning apart, or every one for their own iniquity, 
 is msst naturally proper thereto. And this is the 
 mourning that shall be in the house of David, 
 Jerusalem, the church, both with men and women, 
 at all times when the Holy Ghost shall help us to 
 look upon him whom we have pierced. Pray God 
 give Mr. K. and myself more of these looks upon 
 a crucified Christ, for then we shall understand 
 this and other such like scriptures otherwise than 
 to draw such incoherent inferences from them as 
 he doth. 
 
 IV. Object. ' Women were wont in gospel times 
 to meet together to pray. Therefore the women 
 in gospel churches may separate themselves from 
 their brethren to perform divine worship by them- 
 selves without their men.' Ac. xvi. 13. This is another 
 of his scriptures, brought to uphold this fancy: 
 But, 
 
 Amw. 1. It is not said that the women of 
 churches met together alone to pray. But that 
 Paul went down to a river-side where prayer was 
 wont to be made, and spake unto the women that 
 resorted thither. It looks therefore most agree- 
 able to the word, to think that there the law was 
 read by the Jewish priests to the proselyted women 
 of that city, and that prayer, as was their custom 
 in all such service, was intermixed therewith. But 
 this is but conjectural. And yet, for all that, it 
 is better grounded, and hath more reason on its 
 side, than hath any of this man's arguments for 
 the opinion of his women's meetings. But, 
 
 2. There was there at that time no gospel church 
 of Christ, nor before that any gospel ministry, 
 consequently no church obedience. Should it then 
 be granted, that there were none but women at 
 that meeting, and that their custom was to meet 
 at that river-side to pray, it doth not therefore 
 follow, that their pi'actice was to be a pattern, a 
 rule, a law to women in churches, to separate from 
 their brethren, to perform divine worship, in their 
 own woman's congregation without their men. 
 
 3. There was there no gospel believer. Lydia her- 
 self, before Paul came thither, had her heart shut 
 
 up against the faith of Jesus Christ; and how a 
 company of strangers to gospel faith, should in that 
 their doing, be a pattern to the women in churches, 
 a pattern of christian worship, I do not understand. 
 
 4. If Paul's call to Philippi had been by the 
 vision of a woman, or woman's meeting ; what an 
 argument would this man have drawn from thence 
 to have justified his women's meetings ? But since 
 it was by a man, he hath lost an argument thereby. 
 Though he, notwithstanding, doth adventure to say, 
 that God so approved of that meeting, as then, and 
 at that time, to take advantage to make known 
 his mind and will to them concerning Jesus Christ. 
 
 5. And now I am in, since Mr. K. will needs 
 have this scripture to justify such a practice, I 
 wonder that he so lightly overlooked Paul's going 
 to that meeting, for thither he went to be sure. 
 Ac. xri. 13—16. Yea how fairly, to his thinking, might 
 he have pleaded, that Paul by this act of his, was 
 a great lover, countenancer and commender of 
 those he calls the women's meetings. Paul went 
 to the women's meeting at Philippi, therefore it is 
 lawful for the women of gospel churches to sepa- 
 rate from their brethren, and to congregate by 
 themselves for the performance of some parts of 
 divine worship. I say how easily might behave 
 said this, and then have popt in those two verses 
 above quoted, and so have killed the old one ?* 
 For the word lies liable to be abused by the igno- 
 rance of men, and it had been better than it is, if 
 this had been the first time that this man had 
 served it so, for the justification of his rigid prin- 
 ciples ; but when men, out of a fond conceit of their 
 own abilities, or of prejudice to them that contra- 
 dict their errors, are tempted to shew their folly, 
 they will not want an opportunity from false glosses 
 put upon the text, to do it. 
 
 6. But Paul went to that company to preach 
 Christ's gospel to them, not for that they merited 
 his coming, but of the grace of God, as also did 
 Peter and John, when at the hour of prayer they 
 went up into the temple, and Paul into the syna- 
 gogue at Antioch. Ac m. 1— 3; xiii. 14— 16. Eut as 
 fairly might this man have urged, that the healing 
 of the lame man that lay at that time at the gate 
 of the temple, and the conversion of them by Paul 
 at Antioch, was by the procurement of the prayers 
 of the sisters and by their reading of the law in 
 that synagogue at Antioch, as to argue as he has 
 done, that God was so well pleased, or so weU 
 approved of that woman's meeting as he feigns it 
 at Philippi, as to send, <fec. to them his minister. 
 
 7. But again, that this woman's meeting should 
 
 * To have said that the spirit of divinatioD, which was cast 
 out, was so far killed by virtue of a female prayer meeting, 
 1 would have been as true as to have said, that these mcetioga 
 were limited to females only. — En. 
 
A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 6fi9 
 
 be so deserving, and that while they were without 
 the faith of Christ, as to procure a gospel minister 
 to be sent unto them, that Christ might to them 
 be made known, and yet that so few of them 
 should be converted to the faith, seems a greater 
 paradox to me. For we read not that one of the 
 women then, or of them of the town, that did use 
 to go to that meeting, (for Lydia was of Thyatira, 
 was ever converted to Christ ; brethren we read of 
 several, but we hear not of any one more of those 
 women. \er. 40. But Lydia worshipped God, there- 
 fore her practice might prevail. Although it is 
 said she worshipped God, yet she was but a pro- 
 selyte, as those Ac. xiii. were, and knew no more of 
 Christ than the eunuch did. Ac vffi. But hold/she 
 had faith, will that make all practice acceptable ; 
 yea, law and commandment to others, and the 
 work of those that have none, meritorious ? But 
 we must touch upon these thmgs anon. 
 
 V. Olyect. 'But (saith Mr. K.) Mai. iii. 16. doth 
 countenance these meetings.' 
 
 Answ. Not at all ; though Mr. K. has pleased 
 to change a term in the text, to make it speak his 
 mind ; for he has put out thought, and put in caU; 
 but all will not do his work; for when he has done 
 what he can, it will be difficult to make that scrip- 
 ture say, It is the duty of women in gospel churches 
 to separate from their brethren, to perf'onn divine 
 worship among themselves. 
 
 VI. Object. ' But Judeso. doth justify these meet- 
 ings, except,' saith he, 'any will say, women are 
 not to be built up in their most holy faith.' 
 
 Answ. How fain would the man lay hold on 
 something, only he wants divine hefp, that is, the 
 word of God, to bottom his things upon. But 
 doth the apostle here at all treat of the women 
 and their meetings, or are they only the beloved ; 
 and to be built up, &c. speaks he not there to 
 the church, which consisteth of men and women ? 
 and are not men the more noble part in all the 
 churches of Christ ? But can women no other 
 way be built up in their most holy faith, but by 
 meetings of their own without their men ? But, 
 Building up yourselves, I suppose is the thing 
 he holds by. But cannot the church, and every 
 woman in it, build up themselves without their 
 woman's meetings ? wherefore have they the word, 
 their closet, and the grace of meditation, but to 
 build up themselves withal ? He saith not, 'Build 
 up one another, ' but if he had, it might well have 
 been done without a woman's meeting. But any- 
 thing to save a drowning man. This text then is 
 written to the church of Christ, by which it is 
 exhorted to faith and prayer ; but it speaks not a 
 word of a woman's meeting, and therefore it is 
 fooling with the word to suggest it. I cannot 
 therefore, while I see this impertinent dealing, but 
 think our argumentator doteS, or takes upon him 
 
 to he a head of those he thinks to rule over. Tha 
 woman's letter to me also seems to import tlie 
 same, when they say, ' Mr. K. would desire to 
 know what objections you have against it (his 
 arguments), and he is ready to give his further 
 advice.' 
 
 Thus having taken from his arguments those 
 holy words of God which he has abused, to make 
 them stand ; I come next to the arguments them- 
 selves, and intend to pick their bones for the 
 crows. 
 
 Istly, He saith, ' That the same spirit that was 
 in Miriam, is also in all God's servants for the 
 same end, both to pray for mercies we stand in 
 need of, and to praise God for mercies received.' 
 
 Answ. 1. But the question is, whether Miriam 
 did, as she led out the women to dance, act only 
 as an ordinary saint. And if you evade this, you 
 choose the tongue of the crafty, and use the words 
 of deceit ; for she managed that work as she was 
 ' Miriam the prophetess;' and in your next, pray 
 tell your women so. 2. But as' Miriam the pro- 
 phetess, she did not lead the women from their 
 men, to worship in some place remote by them- 
 selves, as we have shewed before. 
 
 2dly, He saith, ' That God hath promised to 
 pour out his Spirit in gospel times to that very 
 end, that women might pray together apart from 
 men.' 
 
 Ansv). 1. Not mentioning again what was said 
 before : I add, if by men, he means the brethren, 
 the prophet wiU not be his voucher, for he neither 
 saith nor intimates such a thing. 2. And how 
 far short this saying is, of making of God and his 
 holy prophet, the author of schism in worship, and 
 an encouragement unto schism therein, it is best 
 in time that he looks to it. For if they may with- 
 draw to do thus at one time, they may withdraw 
 to do thus at another. And if the Spirit is given 
 to them to this very end, that they may go by 
 themselves from the church, to perform this divine 
 worship at one time, they may, for what bounds 
 this man has set them, go by themselves to do 
 thus always. But, as I said, the whole of this 
 proposition being false, the error is still the greater. 
 
 3dly, ' God, ' saith he, ' hath so well approved 
 of women meeting together to pray in gospel times, 
 as then, and at that time, to take occasion to make 
 known his mind and will to them concerning Jesus 
 Christ.' Ac. xvi. 13. 
 
 Answ. Let the reader consider what was said 
 before, and now it follows; if this assertion be true, 
 then the popish doctrine of merit is good, yea the 
 worst sort of it, which is, works done before faith. 
 For that we read of none of these women save 
 Lydia feared or worshipped God ; and yet saith 
 he, God 80 approved of that meeting as then, and 
 at that time, to send them his gospel, which is ono 
 
670 
 
 A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 of the richest blessings; nor will it help to lay 
 Cornelius, now in my way, for the deservings here 
 were, for ought we read, of women that feared not 
 God. Here Lydia only hare that character ; it is 
 said SHE worshipped God, but sho was not all the 
 women. But Mr. K. saith thus of them all. I know 
 also there was faith in some in Messias to come, 
 though when he came, they knew not his person ; 
 but this is not the case neither; these women, 
 who held up as he feigned, this meeting, were not 
 as we read of, of this people. 
 
 4thly, He said, ' That Esther and her maids 
 fasted and prayed, and the Lord gave a gracious 
 return, or answer and deliverance.' That is, to 
 the church, that then was under the rage of Ha- 
 man. 
 
 Answ. Let the reader remember what was said 
 before, and now I ask this man, 1. Whether Mor- 
 decai and the good men then did not pray and fast 
 as well as she ? And if so. Whether they might 
 not obtain at least, some little of the mercy, as 
 well as those women ? If so, 2. Whether Mr. 
 K., in applying the deliverance of this people to 
 the prayer of the queen and her maids, for he lays 
 it only there, be not deceitfally arguing, and do 
 not tend to puff up that sex, to their hurt and 
 damage ! Yea whether it doth not tend to make 
 them unruly and headstrong ? But if they be more 
 gently inclined to obedience, no thanks to Mr. K. 
 '6. And if I should ask Mr. K. who gave him 
 authority to attribute thus the deliverance of this 
 people, to who and what prayers he please, I sup- 
 pose it would not be easy for him to answer. The 
 text saith not that the prayers of these women 
 procured the blessing. But Mr. K. hath here a 
 woman's meeting to vindicate, and therefore it is 
 that he is thus out in his mind. Prayers were 
 heard and the church was delivered. And I doubt 
 not but that these good women had hand and heart 
 in the work. But should all be admitted that Mr. 
 K. hath said as to this also, yet this scripture, 
 as hath already been proved, will not justify his 
 woman's meeting. 
 
 Sthly, ' He makes his appeal to the women, if 
 they have not obtained, by their prayers in these 
 their meetings, many blessed returns of prayer 
 from God, both to themselves and the church of 
 God.' 
 
 Answ. I count this no whit better than the very 
 worst of his paper, for besides the silliness of his 
 appeal, by which he makes these good women to 
 be judges in their own cause, his words have a 
 direct tendency in them to puff them up to their 
 destruction. I have wondered sometimes, to see 
 when something extraordinary hath happened to 
 the church of God for good, that a few women 
 meeting together to pray, should be possessed with 
 a conceit, that they fetched the benefit down from 
 
 heaven, when perhaps ten thousand men in the land 
 prayed for the mercy as hard as they. Yea I have 
 observed, that though the things bestowed, were 
 not so much as thought of by them, yet they have 
 been apt to conclude that their meeting together 
 has done it. But poor women, you are to be pitied; 
 your tempter is to bear the blame, to wit, this man 
 and his fellows. 
 
 I come now to some objections that may yet bo 
 thought on : and will speak a word to them. 
 
 Object. 1. It is said, ' Where two or three are 
 gathered together in my name, there am I in the 
 midst of them. ' Mat xviii. 20. 
 
 Answ. To gather together in Christ's name, is 
 to gather together by his authority ; That is, by his 
 law and commandment. Ac. ii-. 17, 18, 30; t. 28,40. CoLffi. 17. 
 But we have no law of Christ, nor commandment, 
 that the women of this or that church, should sepa- 
 rate themselves from their brethren, to maintain 
 meetings among themselves, for the performing of 
 divine worship : and therefore such meetings cannot 
 be in his name ; that is, by his authority, law, and 
 commandment ; and so ought not to be at all. 
 
 Object. 2. ' But women may, if sent for by them 
 of their own sex, come to see them when they are 
 sick, and when so come together, pray in that- 
 assembly before they part.' 
 
 Answ. The law of Christ is, 'Is any sick among 
 you ? let him (and the woman is included in the 
 man) call for the elders of the church; and let 
 them pray over him,' <fec. And to this injunction 
 there is a threefold promise made. (1.) 'And the 
 prayer of faith shall save the sick.' (2.) 'And 
 the Lord shall raise him up.' (3.) ' And if he 
 have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.' 
 Ja. V. u, 15. And considering, that this advice is 
 seconded with so much grace : I think it best in 
 all such cases, as in all other, to make the word 
 of God our rule. 
 
 Object. 3. ' But women have sometimes cases, 
 which modesty will not admit should be made 
 known to men, what must they do then ?' 
 
 An^w. Their husbands and they are one flesh, 
 and are no more to be accounted two. Let them 
 tell their grief to them. Thus Rachel asked chil- 
 dren of her husband, and went not to a nest ot 
 women to make her complaint to them. Ge. xxx. i. 
 Or let them betake themselves to their closets, 
 with Rebecca. Ge. xxv. 20—23. Or ij they be in the 
 assembly of the saints, let them pray in their 
 hearts, with Hannah. And if their petition be 
 lawful, I doubt not but they may be heard, i Sa. 
 
 i. 13. 
 
 Our author, perhaps, will say, I have not spoken 
 to his question ; which was, ' Whether women, 
 fearing God, may meet to pray together ? And 
 whether it be lawful for them so to do ?' 
 
 But 1 answer, I have : with respect to all suqli 
 
A CASE or CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 671 
 
 godly women as are ia the churches of the saints. 
 1 Co. xiv. 3S— 35. compared with ver. 15—17. And when 
 he has told us, that his question respected only 
 those out of churches, then will I confess that I 
 did mistake him. Yet he will get nothing thereby, 
 forasmuch as his question, to he sure, intends those 
 in special. Also his arguments are for the justi- 
 fying of that their practice. Now the reason why 
 1 waved the form of his question, was, because it 
 was both scanty and lean of words, as to the 
 matter of the controversy in hand : Also I thought 
 it best to make it more ample, and distinct, for 
 the edification of our reader. And if after all, 
 Mr. K. is not pleased at what I have done, let him 
 take up the question, and answer it better. The 
 man perhaps may fly to the case of utter necessity, 
 and so bring forth another question, to wit, whe- 
 ther, if the men of a church should all die, be 
 murdered, or cast into prison: the women of that 
 church may not meet together to pray ? And 
 whether it be not lawful for them so to do ? But 
 when he produceth a necessity for the putting of 
 such a question, and then shall put it to me ; I will, 
 as God shall help me, give him an answer thereto. 
 
 But, may some say. Our women in this do not 
 what they do of their own heads, they are allowed 
 to do what they do by the church. 
 
 I answer, No church allowance is a foundation 
 sufficient to justify that which is neither com- 
 manded nor allowed by the word. Besides, who 
 knows not, that have their eyes in their heads, 
 what already has, and what further may, come into 
 the churches, at such a gap as this. And now to 
 give the reader a cautionary conclusion. 
 
 Caution 1. Take heed of letting the name, or 
 good show of a thing, beget in thy heart a religious 
 reverence of that thing ; but look to the word for 
 thy* bottom, for it is the word that authorizeth, 
 whatever may be done with warrant in worship to 
 God ; without the word things are of human inven- 
 tion, of what splendour or beauty soever they may 
 appear to be. Without doubt the Friars and Nuns, 
 and their religious orders, were of a good intent at 
 first, as also compulsive vows of chastity, single life, 
 and the like. But they were all without the word, 
 and therefore, as their bottom wanted divine 
 authority, so the practice wanted sanctity by the 
 Holy Ghost. The word prayer is, of itself, in 
 appearance so holy, that he forthwith seems to be 
 a devil that forbids it. And yet we find that 
 prayers have been out of joint, and disorderly 
 used; and therefore may by one, \vithout incurring 
 the danger of damnation, be called into question ; 
 and if found without order by him, he may labour to 
 set them in joint again. Mat. vi. 5—8 ; niii. 14. Ja. iv. a. 
 I am not of the number of them that say, ' What 
 
 profit should we have if we pray unto God ? ' 
 Job xxi. 15. But finding no good footing in the word 
 for that kind of service we have treated about 
 above, and knowing that error and human inven- 
 tions in religion will not offer themselves, but with 
 wiped lips, and a countenance as demure as may 
 be, and also being persuaded that this opinion of 
 Mr. K. is vagrant, yea a mere alien as to the scrip- 
 tures, 1 being an officer, have apprehended it, and 
 put it in the stocks, and there will keep it, till I 
 see by what authority it has leave to pass and 
 repass as it lists, among the godly in this land. 
 
 Caution 2. Yet by all that I have said, I never 
 meant to intimate in the least, but that believing 
 women are saints as well as men : and members of 
 the body of Christ. And I will add, that as ihei/, 
 and we, are imited to Christ, and made -members 
 of his mystical body, the fulness of him that fills 
 all in all, so there is no superiority, as I know 
 of, but we are all one in Christ. For, the man is 
 not without the woman, nor ' the woman without 
 the man, in the Lord,' i Co, xi ii. nor are we counted 
 ' as male or female ' in him. Ga. iii. 28. Ep. i. 33. Only 
 we must observe that this is spoken of that 
 church which is his true mystical body, and not of 
 every particular congregation of professing Chris- 
 tians. The churches of Christ here and there are 
 also called his body. But no church here, though 
 never so famous, must be taken for that of which 
 mention was made afore, t 
 
 As Christ then has a body mystical, which is 
 called his members, his flesh, and his bones, 
 Ep. V. 30. so he has a body politic, congregations 
 modelled by the skill that his ministers have in his 
 word, for the bearing up of his name, and the 
 preserving of his glory in the world against Anti- 
 christ. In this church, order and discipline, for 
 the nourishing up of the true mystical body of 
 Christ, has been placed from the foundation of the 
 world. Wherefore in this, laws, and statutes, and 
 government, is to be looked after, and given heed 
 unto, for the edification of that which is to arrive 
 at last to a perfect man : to the measure of the 
 stature of the fulness of Christ, i Co. xii. 27— so. Ep. 
 
 iv. 11—13. 
 
 * 'Bottom/ or foundation. 
 
 f A dangerous error, originating in tke sectarian pride of 
 Antichrist, prevails to a very great extent. It is tliat some 
 one visible cliurch, or set of united churches, is the mystical 
 body of Christ, and entitled to be called The Chukch. Every 
 congregation of pious men and women, united together in the 
 faith, is A church of Christ. But the church comprises all 
 the saints of God who ever lived — live now, or will live on the 
 earth ; until their number is completed, and this creation shall 
 give place to the new heavens and the new earth. Every 
 church ia as distinct as it is eqnal ; whether it meet at Corinth, 
 Home, or Ephesus, at London or Edinburgh. Be it Episco- 
 paliau. Independent, Presbyterian, Baptist, or a church of the 
 Society of Eriends; each is entitled, according to the New 
 Testament, to equal honour and privilege.— Ed. 
 
673 
 
 A CASE Of CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 Now, where there is order and government by 
 laws and statutes, there must, of necessity, be also 
 a distinction of sex, degrees, and age. Yea, 
 offices and officers must also be there, for our 
 furtherance and joy of faith. From which govern- 
 ment and rule our ordinary women are excluded 
 by Paul ; nor should it, since it is done bj' the 
 wisdom of God, be any offence unto them. 
 
 In this church there are ofttimes many hypo- 
 crites, and formal professors, and heresies, ' That 
 they which are approved may be made manifest.' 
 1 Co. xi. 19. These therefore being there, and being 
 suffered to act as they many times do, provoke the 
 truly godly to contend with them by the word ; for 
 that these hypocrites, and formal professors, 
 naturally incline to a denial of the power of godli- 
 ness, and to set up forms of their own in the stead 
 
 thereof. Mar. vii 6—9. S Ti. iii. 5. 
 
 And this is done for the sake and for the good 
 of those that are the true members of the body of 
 Christ, and that are to arrive at his haven of rest : 
 from whom those others at last shall be purged, 
 and with them, all their things that offend. ' Then 
 shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the 
 kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear 
 let him hear. ' Mat. xiii. 43. 
 
 This church, that thus consisteth of all righte- 
 ous, that are so in God's account: they are to 
 have a house in heaven, and to be for God's habi- 
 tation there. Who, then, shall be governed by 
 their head without those officers and laws that are 
 necessary here. And both at last sliall be subject 
 to him, that sometime did put all things under 
 Christ, that God may be all in all. Jn.xiv. i— 3. Ep. ii. 
 21. 1 Co. XV. 23—27. Wherefore, my beloved sisters, this 
 inferiority of yours will last but a little while. 
 When the day of God's salvation is come, to wit, 
 when our Lord shall descend from heaven, with a 
 shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the 
 trump of God, these distinctions of sexes shall be 
 laid aside, and every pot shall be fiUed to the 
 brim. For with a notunihstanding you shall be 
 saved, and be gathered up to that state of felicity 
 if you continue in faith, and charity, and holiness, 
 with sobriety, i Ti. ii. 15. 
 
 Caution 3. I doubt not at all of the lawfulness of 
 women's praying, and that, both in private and 
 public : only when they pray publicly, they should 
 not separate from, but join with the church in that 
 work. They should also not be the mouth of the 
 assembly, but in heart, desires, groans, and tears, 
 they should go along with the men. In their 
 closets they are at liberty to speaJc unto their God, 
 who can bear with, and pity them with us ; and par- 
 don all our weakness for the sake of Jesus Christ. 
 
 And here I will take an occasion to say, there 
 may he a twofold miscarriage in prayer, one in doc- 
 trine, the other in the frame of the heart. AU are 
 
 too much subject to the last, women [more easily] 
 to the first. And for this cause it is, at least so 
 I think, that women are not permitted to teach, 
 nor speak in assembhes, for divine worship, but to 
 be and to learn in silence, 1 Co. xiv. 33—35; xt 33. For 
 he that faileth as to the frame of his spirit, hurteth 
 only himself: but he that faOeth in doctrine cor- 
 rupteth them that stand by. Let the women be 
 alone with Rebecca in the closet ; or, if in com- 
 pany, let her, with Hannah, speak to herself and 
 to God; and not doubt, hut if she be humble, and 
 keep within compass, she shall be a sharer with 
 her brethren in the mercy. 
 
 Cavlion 4. Nor are women, by what I have said, 
 debarred from any work or employ, unto which 
 they are enjoined by the word. They have often 
 been called forth to be God's witnesses, and have 
 borne famous testimony for him against the sons 
 of the sorceress and the whore.* I remember 
 many of them with comfort, even of these eminent 
 daughters of Sarah, whose daughters you also are, 
 so long as you do well, and are not afraid with any 
 amazement. 1 Pe. iii. 1—6. What by the word of God, 
 you are called unto, what by the word is enjoined 
 you do ; and the Lord be with you. 
 
 But tliis of the women's meetings ; since, indeed, 
 there is nothing for its countenance in the word, 
 and since the calling together of assemblies for 
 worship is an act of power, and belongeth to 
 the church, elders, or chief men of the same : let 
 me intreat you to be content, to be under subjec- 
 tion and obedience, as also saith the law. We 
 hold that it is God's word that we are to look to, 
 as to all things pertaining to worship, because it 
 is the word tliat authorizeth and sanctifieth what 
 we do. 
 
 Caution. 5. Women ! They are an ornament in the 
 church of God on earth, as the Angels are in the 
 church in heaven. Betwixt whom also there is 
 some comparison, for they cover their faces in acts 
 of worship. Is. vi. 2. 1 Co. xi. 10. But as the angels in 
 heaven are not Christ, and so not admitted to the 
 mercy-seat to speak to God, so neither are women 
 on earth, [but] the man ; who is to worship with 
 open face before him, and to be the mouth in 
 prayer for the rest. As the angels then cry, Holy, 
 Holy, Holy, with faces covered in heaven : So let 
 the women cry. Holy, Holy, Holy, with their faces 
 covered on earth : Yea, thus they should do, because 
 of the angels. ' For this cause ought the woman 
 to have power,' that is a covering, ' on Jier head, 
 because of the angels. ' 1 Co. xi. lo. N ot only because 
 the angels are present, but because women and 
 angels, as to their worship, in their respective 
 places, have a semblance. For the angels are 
 inferior to the great man Christ, who is in heaven ; 
 
 * The usual appellations of Popery. — Ed. 
 
A CASE OF CONSCIENCE RESOLVED. 
 
 673 
 
 ond the woman is inferior to the man, that truly 
 worships God in the church on earth. 
 
 Methinks, holy and heloved sisters, you should 
 be content to wear this power, or hadge of your 
 inferiority, since the cause thereof arose at first 
 from yourselves. It was the woman that at first the 
 serpent made use of, and hy whom he then over- 
 threw the world: wherefore the woman, to the 
 world's end, must wear tokens of her imderUng- 
 ship in all matters of worship. To say nothing 
 of that which she cannot shake ofi", to wit, her 
 pains and sorrows in child-hearing, which God has 
 rivetted to her nature, there is her silence, and 
 shame, and a covering for her face, in token of 
 it, which she ought to he exercised with, when- 
 ever the church comes together to worship. Ge. ffi. 16. 
 
 lTi.ii.l5. lCo.xi.l3. 1 Ti. ii. 9. 
 
 Do you think that God gave the woman her hair, 
 that she might deck herself, and set oflF her fleshly 
 beauty therewith ? It was given her to cover her 
 face with, in token of shame and silence, for that 
 by the woman sin came into the world, i Ti. u. 9. 
 And perhaps the reason why the angels cover their 
 faces when they cry. Holy, Holy, Holy, in heaven, 
 is to shew that they still bear in mind, with a kind 
 of abhorrence, the remembrance of their fellows 
 falling from thence. Modesty, and shame-faced- 
 ness, becomes women at all times, especially in 
 times of public worship, and the more of this is 
 mixed with their grace and personage, the more 
 beautiful they are both to God and men. But 
 why must the women have shame-facedness, since 
 they Uve honestly as the men? I answer. In 
 remembrance of the fall of Eve, and to that the 
 apostle apphes it. For a woman, necessity has no 
 law, to shave her head, and to look with open face 
 in worship, as if she could be a leader there, is so 
 far from doing that which becomes her, that it 
 declares her to have forgot what God would have 
 her for ever with shame remember. 
 
 Caution 6. In what I have said about the women's 
 meetings, I have not at all concerned myself about 
 those women, that have been extraordinary ones, 
 such as Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, Anna, or the 
 rest, as the daughters of PhiUp the evangelist, 
 Priscilla, the women that Paul said laboured with 
 him in the gospel, or such like ; for they might 
 teach, prophecy, and had power to pall the people 
 together so to do. Though this I must say con- 
 cerning them, they ought to, and did, notwithstand- 
 ing 80 high a calling, stiU bear about with them 
 the badge of their inferiority to them that were 
 prophets indeed. And hence it is said, under 
 pain of being guilty of disorder, that if they prayed 
 in the church, or prophesied there, with their head 
 uncovered, they then dishonoured their head, i Co. xi. 6. 
 
 The prophetesses were below the prophets, and 
 their covering for their head was to be worn in 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 token thereof, and perhaps it was for want of 
 regard to this order, that when Miriam began to perk 
 it* before Moses, that God covered her face with 
 a leprous-scab. Nn. lU. lo. Hence these women, 
 when prophets were present, did use to lie still as 
 to acts of power, and leave that to be put forth by 
 them that were higher than they. And even 
 Miriam herself, though she was one indeed, yet she 
 came always behind, not only in name but worship, 
 unless when she was in her own disorders. Nu. xii i. 
 
 And it is worth your farther noting, that when 
 God tells Israel that they should take heed in the 
 plague of leprosy, that they diligently observed to 
 do what the priest and Levites taught them, that 
 he conjoins with that exhortation, that they should 
 ' remember what God did unto Miriam by the way.' 
 Be. MiT. 8, 9. Intimating siu^ly that they should not 
 give heed to women, that would be perking up in 
 matters of worshipping God. Much less should we 
 invest them with power to call congregations of their 
 own, there to perform worship without their men. 
 
 Yet, will I say, notwithstanding aU this, that if 
 any of these high women had, but we never read 
 that they did, separate themselves, and others of 
 their own sex with them, apart to worship by them- 
 selves : or if they had given out commandment so 
 to do, and had joined God's name to that com- 
 mandment, I should have freely consented that 
 our women should do so too, when led out, and 
 conducted in worship, by so extraordinary a one. 
 Yea more. If any of these high women had given 
 it out for law, that the women of the churches in 
 New Testament times, ought to separate themselves 
 from their men, and as so separate, perform divine 
 worship among themselves: I should have sub- 
 scribed thereto. But finding nothing like this in 
 the word of God, for the sanctifying of such a 
 practice: and seeing so many scriptures wrested 
 out of their place to justify so fond a conceit : and 
 all this done by a man of conceit, and of one that, 
 as his sisters say, expects my answer : I found 
 myself engaged to say something for the suppres- 
 sing of this his opinion. 
 
 But to return to the good women in the churches, 
 and to make up my discourse with them. 
 
 Fi/rd, These meetings of yours, honourable 
 women, wherein you attempt to perform divine 
 worship by yourselves, without your men, not hav- 
 ing the authority of the word to sanctify them, 
 will be foimd will-worship, in the day when you, 
 as to that, shall be measured with that golden reed, 
 the law of God. And ' who hath required this at 
 your hand? ' may put you to your shifts for an 
 answer, notwithstanding aU Mr. K. has said to 
 uphold you. la. L 12. B«. xi. 1. 
 
 Secondly, These meetings of yours need not he ; 
 
 * ' To perk it,' to hold up her head with aifected superiority 
 or spiritual pride. — En. 
 
 ; Q 
 
674 
 
 A CASE OF CONSCIENCE EESOL'/ED. 
 
 there are elders or brethren in all churches, to call 
 to, and manage this worship of God, in the world : 
 if you ahide in your subjection and worship as you 
 are commanded. 
 
 Tliirdly, These meetings of yours, instead of 
 being an ornament to the church in which you are, 
 are a shame and blemish to those churches. For 
 they manifest the unruliness of such women, or 
 that the church wants skill to govern them, i Co. xiv. 
 23. Have you not ' in your flock a male ?' Mai. i. 14. 
 
 Fourthly, Suppose your meetings in some cases 
 were lawful, yet since by the brethren they may 
 be managed better, you and your meetings ought 
 to give place. That the church together, and 
 the brethren, as the mouth to God, are capable 
 of managing this solemn worship best : consider 
 — 1. The gifts for all such service are most to 
 be found in the elders and leading men in the 
 church : and not in the women thereof. 2. The 
 spirit for conduct and government in that worship, 
 is not in the women, but in the men. 3. The men 
 are admitted in such worship, to stand with open face 
 before God, a token of much admittance to liberty 
 and boldhess with God, a thing denied to the women. 
 1 Co. xi. 4, 5. 4. For that when meetings for prayers 
 are commanded, the men, to be the mouth to God, 
 are mentioned, but not in ordinary women, in all 
 the Scriptures. Where the women and children, 
 and them that suck the breasts are called, with 
 the bride and bridegroom, and the whole land, to 
 mourn : yet the ministers, and elders, and chiefest 
 of the brethren, are they, and they only, that are 
 bid to say, ' Spare thy people, Lord ! and give 
 not thine heritage to reproach.' Joeli. 13, 14; ii. 15— 17. 
 5. The word for encouragement to pray believ- 
 ingly in assemblies is given to men. And it is the 
 word that makes, and that sanctifies an ordinance 
 of God : men, therefore, in all assemblies for wor- 
 ship, should be they that should manage it, and 
 let others join in their places. 
 
 Object. But the woman is included in the man, 
 for the same word signifies both. 
 
 Answ. 1. If the woman is included here, let her 
 not exclude the man. But the man is [by them] 
 excluded: The man is excluded by this woman's 
 meeting from worship ; from worship, though he 
 be the head in worship over the woman, and by 
 God's ordinance appointed to manage it, and this 
 is an excluding of the worst complexion. iCo. xi.3. 
 2. Though the woman is included, when the man 
 sometimes is named, yet the man is not excluded, 
 when himself as chief is named. But to cut him 
 off from being the chief in all assemblies for wor- 
 ship, is to exclude him, and that when he for that 
 in chief is named. 3. The woman is included 
 when the man is named, yet but in her place, and 
 if she worships in assemblies, her part is to hold 
 her tongue, to learn in silence ; and if she speaks, 
 
 she must do it, I mean as to worship, in her heart 
 to God. 4. Nor, do I think, that any woman 
 that is holy and humble, will take offence at what 
 I have said ; for I have not in anything sought to 
 dejrrade them, or to take from them what either 
 nature or grace, or an appointment of God hath 
 invested them with: but have laboured to keep 
 them in their place. And doubtless to abide where 
 God has put us, is that which not only highly 
 concerns us, but that, which becomes us best. 
 Sisters, I have said what I have said to set you 
 right, and to prevent your attempting to do things 
 in such sort unto which you are not appointed. 
 Remember what God did to Miriam, and be afraid. 
 
 Be as often in your closets as you will; the 
 oftener there the better. This is your duty, this 
 is your privilege : this place is sanctified to you 
 for service by the holy Word of God. Here you 
 may be, and not make ordinances interfere, and 
 not presume upon the power of your superiors, and 
 not thrust out your brethren, nor put them behind 
 your backs in worship. 
 
 Be also as often as possibly you can, in worship, 
 when the church, or parts thereof, are assembled 
 for that end, according to God's appointment. And 
 when you are there, join with heart and soul with 
 your brethren in all holy petitions to God. Let 
 the men in prayer be the mouth to God, aud the 
 women list after with groans and desires. Let the 
 men stand with open face in this worship, for that 
 they are the image and glory of God, and let the 
 women be clothed in modest apparel, with shame- 
 facedness, in token of the remembrance of what 
 has been touched afore. 
 
 When women keep their places, and men manage 
 their worshipping of God as they should, we shall 
 have better days for the church of God, in the 
 world. Je. x.xLt. 10—14. Women are not to be blamed 
 for that they are forward to pray to God, only let 
 them know their bounds ; and I wish that idleness 
 in men be not the cause of their putting their good 
 women upon this work. Surely they that can 
 scarce tie their shoes, aud their garters, before 
 they arrive at the tavern, or get to the coffee-house 
 door in a morning, can scarce spare time to be a 
 while in their closets with God. Morning closet- 
 prayers are now, by most London professors, 
 thrown away ; and what kind of ones they make at 
 night, God doth know, and their conscience, when 
 awake, wUl know ; however I have cause, as to this, 
 to look at home : And God mend me and all his 
 servants about it, and wherein we else are out. 
 
 I have done, after I have said, that there are 
 some other things, concerning women, touching 
 which, when I have an opportunity, I may also' 
 give my judgment. But at present, I intreat that 
 these lines be taken in good part, for I seek edifi- 
 cation, not contention. 
 
INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT: 
 
 A SALVE TO CORE THAT GREAT WANT OP KNOWLEDGE, WHICH SO MUCH REIGNS 
 
 BOTH IN YOUNG AND OLD. 
 
 PRRPABED AND PEESENTED TO TBEM IN A PIAIN AND EAST DTALOGUE, FIITED TO THE CAPACITY OF TUB WEAKEST. 
 
 'Ml/ people are destroyed for lack nf knowledge.' — IIos. iv. 0. 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT EY THE EDITOE. 
 
 This little catecliism is upon a plan perfectly new 
 and unique. It was first published as a pocket 
 volume in 1675, and has been republished iu every 
 collection of the author's works ; and recently in 
 a separate tract. The earliest edition that has 
 bten discovered bears the date of 1691 ; from 
 which our copy has been prepared for the press. 
 This is the first book of this class that was com- 
 posed upon the broad basis of Christianity, per- 
 fectly free from sectarian bias or peculiarity. It 
 is an exhibition of scriptural truths, before which 
 error falls without the trouble of pulling it down. 
 It is in the world, like the ark of God in the tem- 
 ple of Dagon. It is alike admirably calculated to 
 convey the most important truths to the inmates of 
 a palace or of a workhouse, — to the young or to 
 the aged, — to the ignorant Roman Catholic, or to 
 the equally ignorant Protestant, Its broad catho- 
 licity is its distinguishing excellence. In the 
 ssparate communions included within the general 
 church of Christ are various, and in many respects, 
 inestimable compendiums of Christian truth, ar- 
 ranged for the catechetical instruction of the young 
 and ignorant ; but it cannot be denied that these, 
 one and all, exhibit some marks of sectarian feel- 
 
 ing and dogmatic teaching in the details that re- 
 late to the special views which each communion 
 takes of certain scriptural doctrines. The reason 
 why this should be the case is very obvious : there 
 would be no differences of opinion amongst Chris- 
 tians except from conviction that these differences 
 are essential, and such conviction naturally leads 
 to these points of disagreement being (may we not 
 say?) rather too obtrusively enforced as part and 
 portion of a saving belief All Bunyan's efforts 
 were to awaken sinners to a sense of their de- 
 gradation, misery, and danger, and to direct them 
 to the only refuge from the wrath to come — the 
 hope set before them in the gospel ; and then 
 leaving the pious convert to the guidance of his 
 Bible in forming his connections in the pilgrimage 
 of life. Bunyan is solemnly in earnest ; his desire 
 is, that poor sinners should be relieved from igno- 
 rance, darkness, and destruction, and be introduced 
 into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. May 
 his impressive injunction be indelibly fixed upon 
 our souls, ' To read, ponder over, and receive the 
 wholesome medicine as we shall answer in the day 
 of the terrible judgment.' — Geo. Offob. 
 
 TO THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN AND ABOUT BEDFORD, WAIKING IN THE FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP OF TITE 
 GOSPEL, TOUR AFFECTIONATE BROTHER AND COMPANION IN THE KINGDOM AND PATIENCE OF JESUS CHRIST, 
 WI3HETH ALL GRACE AND MERCY BY JESUS CHRIST. AMEN. 
 
 Holy and beloved, 
 
 Although I have designed this little treatise for 
 pubhc and common benefit, yet considering that I 
 am to you a debtor not only in common charity; 
 but by reason of special bonds which the Lord 
 hath laid upon me to you-ward, I could do no less, 
 being driven from you in presence, not affection, 
 bat first present you with this little book ; not for 
 that you are wanting in the things contained 
 herein, hut to put you again in remembrance of 
 
 first things, and to give you occasion to present 
 something to your carnal relations, that may be, 
 if God will, for their awakening and conversion : 
 accept it therefore as a token of my christian 
 remembrance of you. 
 
 Next I present it to all those unconverted, old 
 and young, who have been at any time under my 
 preaching, and yet remain in their sins : * and I 
 
 * How awful tlie thought that persons should sit under so 
 faithful and searching a ministry, and still remain in tlieir 
 
676 
 
 INSTRUCTION FOK THE IGNORANT. 
 
 entreat them also that they receive it as a token 
 of my love to their immortal souls ; yea, I charge 
 them as they will answer it in the day of terrible 
 ■judgment, that they read, ponder over, and receive 
 this wholesome medicine prepared for them. Now 
 the God of blessing bless it to the awakening of 
 many sinners, and the salvation of their souls by 
 faith in Jesus Christ. Amen. 
 
 sin3. I3 it so to the present day under a faithful ministry ? 
 then. Oh rmj soul, how is it with thee ? — Ed. 
 
 Yours, to serve you by my ministry, when I can,* 
 to your edification and consolation, 
 
 John Bunyan. 
 
 * A painful recolleclion of his long and cruel imprisonment 
 for conscience sake led Banyan to feel the value of liberty. 
 Still he forcibly appeals to his reader on the necessity of pri- 
 vate judgment in divine things. His twelve years' converse 
 with God and his word in prison had confirmed his principles ; 
 while divine love had swallowed up the fear of man.— Ed. 
 
 INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT. 
 
 Quest. How many gods are there ? — Answ. To 
 the Christians there is but one God, the Father, 
 of whom are all things, and we of him. 1 Co. viii. 6. 
 
 Q. Why is not the God of the Christians the God 
 of them that are no Christians ? — A. He is their 
 maker and preserver ; but they have not chosen 
 him to be their God. Ac. xvu. 24. Ps. xxxvi 6. Ju. x. 14. 
 
 Q. Are there then other gods besides the God of 
 the Christians ? — A. There is none other true God 
 but HE ; but because they want the grace of Chris- 
 tians, therefore they choose not him, but such gods 
 as will suit with and countenance their lusts. Jn. 
 
 viii. 44. 
 
 Q. What gods are they that countenance the lusts 
 of wicked men ? — A. The devil, who is the god of 
 this world ; the belly, that god of gluttons, drunk- 
 ards, and riotous persons ; and idle pleasures and 
 vanities, which are, for the most part, the gods of 
 
 the youth. Job viii. 4. 3 Co. iv. 4. Pliii. iii. 19. Ei. xxxii. 6. 1 Co. x. 
 1. 3 Ti. u. 22. 1 Jn. t. 21. 
 
 Q. Who is a Christian ? — A. One that is born 
 again, a new creature ; one that sits at Jesus' feet to 
 hear his word ; one that hath his heart purified and 
 sanctified by faith,* which is in Christ. Jn. iii. 3, 5, 7. 
 
 Ac. Xi. 24; .IT. 9; xxvi. 18. 2 Co. T. 17. 
 
 Q. How do you distinguish the God of the Chris- 
 tians from the gods of other people ? — A. He is a 
 Spirit. Jn. iv. 24. 
 
 Q. Is there no other spirit but the true God ? — 
 A, Yes, there are many spirits, i Jn. iv. i. 
 
 Q. Wliat spirits are they ? — A. The good angels 
 are spirits ; the bad angels are spirits ; and the souls 
 of men are spirits. He. i. 7, 14. l Ki. xxii. 21, 22. Re. xvi. 13, 14. 
 Ac. vii. 69. He. xii. 28. 
 
 Q. How then is the true God distinguished from 
 other spirits ? — A. Thus : No Spirit is eternal but 
 HE, no Spirit is almighty but he, no Spirit is incom- 
 prehensible and unsearchable but he : he is also 
 
 * Faith is the only principle that, by the power of the Holy 
 Ghost, can purify the heart. It leads the soul into holy com- 
 munion with a pure and holy God, and thus cleanses the 
 heart. — Ed, 
 
 most merciful, most just, most holy. De. x-sxiii. 27. Ge. 
 
 xvii. 1. Pa. cxlv. 3. Mi. vii. 18. Job xxxiv. 17. 1 Sa. iL 3. 
 
 Q. Is this God, being a Spirit, to be known ? — 
 A. Yes, and that by his works of creation, by hia 
 providences, by the judgments that he executeth, 
 and by his word. 
 
 Q. Do you understand him by the works of crea- 
 tion ? — A. ' The heavens declare the glory of God ; 
 and the firmament sheweth his handy work. ' Ps. 
 xix. 1. ' For the invisible things of him from the 
 creation of the world are clearly seen, being under- 
 stood by the things that are made, even his eternal 
 power and Godhead. ' Ko. i. 20. 
 
 Q. Do his works of providence also declare him ? 
 — A. They must needs do it, since through his pro- 
 vidence the whole creation is kept in such harmony 
 as it is, and that in despite of sin and devils ; also, 
 if you consider that from an angel to a sparrow, 
 nothing falls to the groimd without the providence 
 of our heavenly Father. Mat. x. 29. 
 
 Q. Is he known by his judgments ? — A. ' The 
 Lord is known hy the judgments which he execut- 
 eth ; the wicked is snared in the work of his own 
 hands.' Ps. ii. 16. 
 
 Q. Is he known by his word ? — A. Yes, most 
 clearly : for by that he revealeth his attributes, his 
 decrees, his promises, his way of worship, and how 
 he is to be pleased by us. 
 
 Q. Of what did God make the world ? — A, 
 ' Things which are seen were not made of things 
 which do appear. ' He. xi. 3. 
 
 Q. How long was he in making the world ? — A. 
 ' In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the 
 sea, and all that in them is.' Ex. xx. ii. ' And on the 
 seventh day God ended his work which he had 
 made. ' Ge. a. 2. 
 
 Q. Of what did God make man ? — A. ' The 
 Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, 
 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ; and 
 man became a living soul.' Ge.ii. 7. 
 
 Q. Why doth it say, God bi-eathed into him the 
 breath of life ; is man's soul of the very nature of 
 the Godhead? — A. This doth not teach that the soul 
 
INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNOUANT. 
 
 677 
 
 is of the nature of the Godhead, but sheweth that 
 it is not of the same matter as his body, which is 
 
 dust. Ge. xviii. 27. 
 
 Q. Is not the soul then of the nature of the God- 
 head ? — A. No, for God cannot sin, but the soul 
 doth ; God cannot be destroyed in hell, but the souls 
 of the impenitent shall. Eze. nviii. i. Mat. x. 28. 
 
 Q. How did God make man in the day of his first 
 creation ? — A. God made man upright. Ec. vii. 29. 
 ' In the image of God created he him.' Ge. i. 27. 
 
 Q. Did God, when he made man, leave him with- 
 out a rule to walk by? — A. No : he gave him a law 
 in his nature, and imposed upon him a positive pre- 
 cept, but he offered violence to them, and brake 
 them both. Ge. fit 3, 6. 
 
 Q. What was the due desert of that transgres- 
 sion ? — A. Spiritual death in the day he did it, 
 temporal death afterwards, and everlasting death 
 
 last of all. Ge. ii. 17; iii. 19. Mat. itrr. 45. 
 
 Q. What is it to be sph-itually dead ?— A. To 
 be alienate from God, and to live without him in the 
 world, through the ignorance that is in man, and 
 through the power of their sins. Ep. ir. 18. 19. 
 
 Q. Wherein doth this alienation from God 
 appear ? — A. In the love they have to their sins, 
 in their being loth to come to him, in their pleading 
 idle excuses for their sins, and in their ignorance of 
 the excellent mysteries of his blessed gospel. Ep. ii. 
 
 2,3.11,12; iv. 18. 19. Ko. L 28. 
 
 Q. What is temporal death ? — A.To have body 
 and soul separated asunder, the body returning to 
 the dust as it was, and the spirit to God that gave 
 
 it. Ge. iii. 19. Ec. xii. 7. 
 
 Q. What is everlasting death ? — A. For body 
 and soul to be separate for ever from God, and to 
 be cast into hell fire. La. xiiL 27. Mar. ix. 43. 
 
 Q. Do men go body and soul to hell so soon as 
 they die ? — A. The body abideth in the grave till 
 the sound of the last trump ; but the soul, if the 
 man dies wicked, goes presently from the face of 
 God into hell, as into a prison, there to be kept till 
 the day of judgment. 1 Co. xt. 52. is. xxiv. 22. Lu. iii. 20. 
 
 Q. Do we come into the world as upright as did 
 our first parent ? — A. No: he came into the world 
 sinless, being made so of God Almighty, but we 
 came into the world sinners, being made so by his 
 'pollution.* 
 
 Q. How doth it appear that we came into the 
 world polluted ? — A. We are the fruit of an unclean 
 thing, are defiled in our very conception, and are 
 by nature the children of wrath. Job xiv. 4. Ps. u. 5. 
 £p. ii. 3. 
 
 * AU mankind, as born into the world, slow, as soon as the 
 mental powers open, aversion to God, to his purity, his law, 
 his gospel J the doctrines of grace and the work of the Spirit 
 npon the heart. A solemn proof of the universal taint given 
 by original sin, — En. 
 
 Q. Can you make further proof of this ? — A. 
 Yes, it is said, That by one man came sin, death, 
 judgment, and condemnation upon all men. Ru. v. 
 
 12—19. 
 
 Q. Do we then come sinners into the world ? — 
 A. Yes, we are transgressors from the womb, and 
 go astray as soon as we are born, speaking lies. 
 
 Is. xlviii. 8. Pa. Iviii. 3. 
 
 Q. But as Adam fell with us in him, so did he 
 not by faith rise with us in him ? for he had no 
 seed until he had the promise. — A. He fell as a 
 public person,! but believed the promise as a single 
 person. Adam's faith saved not the world, though 
 Adam's sin overthrew it. 
 
 Q. But do not some hold that we are sinners only 
 by imitation ? — A. Yes, being themselves deceived. 
 But God's word saith, we are children of wrath by 
 nature, that is, by birth and generation. 
 
 Q. Can you bring further proof of this ? — A. 
 Yes : in that day that v/e were born, we were pol- 
 luted in our own blood, and cast out to the loath- 
 ing of our persons. Again, the children of old 
 that were dedicated unto the Lord, a sacrifice was 
 offered for them at a month old, which was before 
 they were sinners by imitation. Eze. rri. 4—9. Nu. xviii. 
 
 14-16. 
 
 Q. Can you make this appear by experience ? 
 — Yes : the first things that bloom and put forth 
 themselves in children, shew their ignorance of 
 God, their disobedience to parents, and their innate 
 enmity to holiness of life ; their inclinations natur- 
 ally run to vanity. Besides little children die, 
 but that they could not, were they not of God 
 counted sinners ; for death is the wages of sin. 
 Eo. vi. 23. 
 
 Q. What is sin ? — A. It is a transgression of 
 the law. 1 Jn. iii. 4. 
 
 Q. A transgression of what law ? — A. Of the 
 law of our nature, and of the law of the ten com- 
 mandments as written in the holy scriptures. Ro. ii. 
 
 12— IS. Ei. XX. 
 
 Q. When doth one sin against the law of nature ? 
 — A. When you do anything that your conscience 
 teUs you is a transgression against God or man. 
 Eo. ii. 14, 15. 
 
 Q. When do we sin against the law as written 
 in the ten commandments ? — A. When you do any- 
 thing that they forbid, although you be ignorant 
 of it. Ps. xix. 12. 
 
 Q. How many ways are there to sin against this 
 law? — A. Three: by sinful thoughts, by sinful 
 words, and also by sinful actions. Ro. vii.7;ii.6. Mat. y. 
 
 28; xii. 37. 
 
 Q. What if we sin but against one of the ten com- 
 
 t By the word 'public' is to be understood a federal head, 
 or the representative of all his posterity. Adam's faith can 
 only save his own soul ; his sin taints all his seed. — Ed. 
 
678 
 
 INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNOPANT. 
 
 mandments ? — A. Whosoever shall keep the whole 
 law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of 
 all ; ' For he that said. Do not commit adultery, 
 said also, Do not kill. Now, if thou commit no 
 adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art hecome a trans- 
 gressor of the law.' Ja. ii. 10, 11. 
 
 Q. Where will God punish sinners for their sins ? 
 — A. Both in this world and in that which is to 
 come. Ge. iii. 24; iv. 10—12. Job juci. 30. 
 
 Q. How are men punished in this world for ain? 
 — A. Many ways, as with sickness, losses, crosses, 
 disappointments and the like: sometimes also God 
 giveth them up to their own heart's lusts, to blind- 
 ness of mind also, and hardness of heart ; yea, and 
 sometimes to strong delusions that they might 
 belieye lies, and be damned. Le. xxri. is, 16. Am. iv. 7, lO. 
 
 Ro. i, 24, 28. Ex. iv. 21; ix. 12—14. Zep. i. 17. Ro. xi. 7, 8. 2 Tli. ii. 11, 13. 
 
 Q. How are sinners punished in the world to 
 come ? — A. With a worm that never dies, and with 
 a fire that never shall be quenched. Mar. ix. 4t. 
 
 Q. Whither do sinners go to receive this punish- 
 ment? — A. ' The wicked shall be turned into hell, 
 and all the nations that forget God.' Ps. ix. 17. 
 
 Q. What is hell ? — A. It is a place and a state 
 
 most fearful. Lu. xiii. 28; xvi. 28. Ac.i. 25. 
 
 Q. Why do you call it a place ? — A. Because in 
 hell shall all the damned be confined as in a prison, 
 in their chains of darkness for ever. Lu. xii. 5, 58; ni. 26. 
 
 Jude 6. 
 
 Q. What [kind of] a place is hell ? — A. It is a 
 dark bottomless burning lake of fire, largeenough to 
 hold all that perish. Mat. xxii. 13. Re xx. 1, 15. is. xx.v. 35. 
 Pr. xxvii. 20. 
 
 Q. What do you mean when you say it is a fearful 
 state ? — A. I mean, that it is the lot of those that 
 are cast in thither to be tormented in most fearful 
 manner, to wit, with wrath and fiery indignation. 
 Ro. ii. 9. He. .v. 26, 27. 
 
 Q. In what parts shall they be thus fearfully tor- 
 mented ? — A. In body and soul: for hell-fire shall 
 kindle upon both beyond what now can be thought.* 
 
 Mat. X. 28. Lu. xvi. 24. Ja. v. 3. 
 
 Q. How long shall they be in this condition ? — 
 A. ' These shall go away into everlasting punish- 
 ment. ' Mat. XXV. 46. ' And the smoke of their torment 
 ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no 
 rest day nor night.' Re.xiv. 11. For they ' shall be 
 punished with everlasting destruction from the pre- 
 sence of the Lord, and from the glory of his 
 power.' 2Tii. i. 9. 
 
 Q. But why might not the ungodly be punished 
 with this punishment in this world, that we might 
 have seen it and believe ? — A. If the ungodly should 
 
 * A state of hostility to God plunges the soul into mental 
 darkness, rage, horror, anguish, despair, and endless and un- 
 utterable misery and woe. How ought we to love the Lord 
 Jesus for his gbeat salvation ! — Ed. 
 
 with punishment have been rewarded in this world, it 
 would in all probability have overthrown the whole 
 order that God hath settled here among men. For 
 who could have endured here to have seen the 
 flames of fire, to have heard the groans, and to 
 have seen the tears, perhaps, of damned relations, 
 as parents or children ? Therefore as Tophet of 
 old was without the city, and as the gallows and 
 gibbets are built without the towns ; t so Christ 
 hath ordered that they who are to be punished with 
 this kind of torment, shall be taken away : ' Take 
 him away,' saith he (out of this world) ' and cast 
 him, into outer darkness,' and let him have hia 
 punishment there ' there shall be weeping and 
 gnashing of teeth.' Mat. xxii. 13. Besides, faith is not 
 to be wrought by looking into hell, and seeing the 
 damned tormented before our eyes, but by ' hearing 
 the word of God.' Ro. x. 17. For he that shall not 
 believe Moses and the prophets, will not be per- 
 suaded should one ccme from the dead, yea should 
 one come to them in flames to persuade them. 
 
 Lu. xvi. 27—31. 
 
 Q. Are there degrees of torments in hell ? — A. 
 Yes, for God will reward every one according to their 
 works. ' Wo unto the wicked, it shall he ill mth 
 him, for the reward of his hands shall be given 
 him.' Is. iii. 11. 
 
 Q. Who are like to be most punished there, men 
 or children ? — A. The punishment in hell comes not 
 upon sinners according to age, but sin; so that 
 whether they be men or children, the greater sin, 
 the greater punishment ; ' For there is no respect 
 of persons with God.' Ro. ii. 11. J 
 
 Q. How do you distinguish between great sins and 
 little ones ? — A. By their nature, and by the cir- 
 cumstances that attend them. 
 
 Q. What do you mean by their nature ? — A. I 
 mean when they are very gross in themselves. 
 
 2 Ch. xxxiii. 2. Eze. xvi. 42. 
 
 Q. What kind of sins are the greatest ? — A. 
 Adultery, fornication, murder, theft, swearing, ly- 
 ing, covetousness, witchcraft, sedition, heresies, or 
 
 any the like. 1 Co. vi. 9, 10. Ep. v. 3—6. Col. iii. 5, 6. Ga. v. 19—21. 
 Re, xxi. 8. 
 
 Q. What do you mean by circumstances that 
 attend sin '{ — I mean light, knowledge, the preach- 
 ing of the Word, godly acquaintance, timely cau- 
 tion, (fee. 
 
 t It is a very modern custom to have the place of execu- 
 tion Vfithin a city^formerly they were always without — their 
 position being still noted by the name ' Gallow Knowe,' the 
 knoll or mound of the gallows; ' Gallowgate,' the gate or way 
 leading to the gallows ; and so on. Happily for the well-being 
 of society, these exhibitions are less frequent than they for- 
 merly were. 
 
 X ' That servant which knew his lord's will, and prepared 
 not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten 
 with paany stripes,' Luke xii. 47. — Ed. 
 
INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT. 
 
 679 
 
 Q. Will these make an alteration in the sin ? — 
 A. These things attending sinners, will make little 
 sins great, yea greater than greater sins that are 
 committed in grossest ignorance. 
 
 Q. How do you prove that ? — A . Sodom and 
 Gomorrah wallowed in all or most of those gross 
 transgressions above mentioned: yea, they were 
 said to be sinners exceedingly, they lived in such 
 sins as may not be spoken of without blushing, and 
 yet God swears that Israel, his church, had done 
 worse than they, Eze.xri.48. and the Lord Jesus also 
 seconds it in that threatening of his, ' I say unto 
 you. That it shall he more tolerable for the land of 
 Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee.' Mat 
 
 li.24. Lu. x.la. 
 
 Q. And was this the reason, namely, because 
 they had such circumstances attending them as 
 Sodom had not ? — A. Yes, as will plainly appear, 
 if you read the three chapters above mentioned. 
 
 Q. When do I sin against light and knowledge? 
 — A. When you sin against convictions of con- 
 science, when you sin against a known law of God, 
 when you sin against counsels, and dissuasion of 
 friends, then you sin against light and knowledge. 
 
 Co.i. 33. 
 
 Q. When do I sin against preaching of the word ? 
 — A. When you refuse to hear God's ministers, or 
 hearing them, refuse to follow their wholesome 
 
 doctrine. 2 Ch. xixri. 16. Je. xxv. 4— 7i XXXV. 15. 
 
 Q. When else do I sin against preaching of the 
 Word ? — A. When you mock, or despise, or re- 
 proach the ministers ; also when you raise lies and 
 scandals of them, or receive such lies or scandals 
 raised ; * you then also sin against the preaching 
 of the Word, when you persecute them that preach 
 it, or are secretly glad to see them so used. 2 Ch. 
 
 XXX. 1, 10. Ro. iii. 8. Je. xx. 10. 1 TL. ii. 15, 16. 
 
 Q. How will godly acquaintance greaten my sin ? 
 — A. When you sin against their counsels, warn- 
 ings, or persuasions to the contrary; also when 
 their lives and conversations are a reproof to you, 
 and yet against all you will sin. Thus sinned 
 Ishmael, Esau, Eli's sons, Absalom and Judas, 
 they had good company, good counsels, and a good 
 life set before them by their godly acquaintance, 
 but they sinned against aU, and their judgment 
 was the greater. Ishmael was cast away, Ge. xxi. 
 10. Esau hated, Ca.iT. so. Eli's sons died suddenly, 
 Mal.i.2. 1 Sa. ii. 25, 34; iv. 11. Absalom and Judas were 
 both strangely hanged. 2 Sa. xviiL Mat. xxvii 
 
 Q. Are sins thus heightened, distinguished from 
 others by any special name ? — A. Yes ; they are 
 called rebellion, and are compared to the sin of 
 witchcraft, i Sa. xy. 23. they are called wilful sins. 
 
 * Whicli is the greatest sinner ; lie who invents scandal, or 
 he who encourages the inventor to retail it ? If there were 
 BO receivers, there would be no thieves. — Ed. 
 
 He. X. 26. they are called briars and thorns, and 
 they that bring them forth are ' nigh unto cursing, 
 whose end is to be burned. ' vi. 7, 8. 
 
 Q. Are there any other things that can make 
 little sins great ones ? — A. Yes ; as when you sin 
 against the judgments of God. As for example, 
 you see the judgments of God come upon some for 
 their transgressions, and you go on in their ini- 
 quities ; as also when you sin against the patience, 
 long-suffering, and forbearance of God, this will 
 make little sins great ones. Da. v. 21— 24. Ko. iL4, 6. 
 
 Q. Did ever God punish little children for sin 
 against him ? — A. Yes ; when the flood came, he 
 drowned all the Uttle children that were in the old 
 world : he also burned up all the little children 
 which were in Sodom ; and because upon a time 
 the little children at Bethel mocked the prophet 
 as he was a going to worship God, God let loose 
 two she-bears upon them, which tore forty and two 
 of them to pieces. 2 Ki. ii. 23, 24. 
 
 Q. Alas ! what shall we little children do ? f — 
 A. Either go on in your sins, or remember now 
 your Creator in the days of your, youth, before the 
 evil days come. Ec. xii. 1. 
 
 Q. Why do you mock us, to bid us go on in our 
 sins ? you had need pray for us that God would 
 save us. — A. I do not mock you, but as the wise 
 man doth ; and besides, I pray for you and wish 
 your salvation. 
 
 Q. How doth the wise man mock us ? — A. Thus ; 
 ' Rejoice, yoimg man, in thy youth ; and let thy 
 heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk 
 in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of 
 thine eyes : but know thou, that for all these things 
 God will bring thee into judgment.' Ec. xi. 9. 
 
 Q. What a kind of mocking is this ? — A. Such 
 an one as is mixed with the greatest seriousness ; 
 as if he should say. Ay, do, sinners, go on in your 
 sins if you dare ; do, live in your vanities, but God 
 will have a time to judge you for them. 
 
 Q. Is not this just as when my father bids me 
 be naught if I wUl : but if I be naught he will beat 
 me for it ? — A. Yes ; or like that saying of Joshua, 
 ' If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose 
 you this day whom ye will serve;' serve your 
 sins at your peril. Jos. xxiv. 15. 
 
 Q. Is it not best then for me to serve God? — 
 A. Yes ; for they that serve the devil must be 
 where he is, and they that serve God and Christ, 
 must be where they are. Ju. xii, 36. Mat. x.w. 41. 
 
 t The terms in which this question is put, shows that the 
 little children here intended were capable of repentance and 
 faith. That Bunyan believed, as Toplady did, the salvation 
 of all that die in infancy by the atonement of Christ, there can 
 be no doubt. ' In my remarks on Dr. Kowell, I testified my 
 firm belief that the souls of all departed infants are with God 
 in glory.' See the Introduction to Toplady's Historic Proot 
 —Ed. 
 
680 
 
 INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT. 
 
 Q. But when Lad I best begin to serve God ? — 
 A. Just now: ' Remember now thy Creator,' now 
 thou hast the gospel before thee, now thy heart is 
 tender and will be soonest broken, 
 
 Q. But if I follow my play and sports a little 
 longer, may I not come time enough ? — A. I cannot 
 promise thee that, for there be little graves in the 
 churchyard ; and who can tell but that thy young 
 life is short ; or if thou dost live, perhaps thy day 
 of grace may be as short as was Ishmael's of old : 
 read also Pr. 1 2*— 26. 
 
 Q. But if I stay a little longer before I turn, I 
 may have more wit to serve God than now I have, 
 may I not ? — A. If thou stayest longer, thou wilt 
 have more sin, and perhaps less wit: for the 
 bigger sinner, the bigger fool. Pr. i. 33. 
 
 Q. If I serve God sometimes, and my sin some- 
 times, how then ? — A. ' No man can serve two mas- 
 ters,' Thou canst not serve God and thy sins. 
 Mat. tL 24. God saith, ' My Son, give me thine 
 heart.' Pr. xvffi. 26. Also thy soul and body are his ; 
 but the double-minded man is forbidden to think 
 that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 1 Co. n. 
 
 20. Ja. i. 7, 8. 
 
 Q. Do you find many such little children as I am, 
 serve God ? — A. Not many ; yet some I do, Samuel 
 served him being a child. 1 Sa. iii. 1. When Joslah 
 was young he began to seek after the God of his 
 father David. 2 Ch. xiiiv. 3. And how kindly did our 
 Lord Jesus take it, to see the little children run 
 tripping before him, and crying, Hosannah to the 
 Son of David ? Mat xri. 16. 16. 
 
 Q. Then I am not like to have many companions 
 if I thus young begin to serve God, am I ? — A. 
 ' Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which 
 leadeth unto hf'e, and few there be that find it.' 
 Mat. vii. 14. Yet some companions thou wilt have. 
 David counted himself a companion of all them 
 that love God's testimonies. Ps. cxix. 63. All the 
 godly, though grey-headed, will be thy companions; 
 yea, and thou shalt have either one or more of the 
 angels of God in heaven to attend on, and minister 
 for thee. Mat. iviii 10. 
 
 Q. But I am like to be slighted, and despised by 
 other little children, if I begin already to serve 
 God, am I not ? — A. If children be so rude as to 
 mock the prophets and ministers of God, no marvel 
 if they also mock thee ; but it is a poor heaven 
 that is not worth enduring worse things than to 
 be mocked for the seeking and obtaining of. 2 Ki. 
 
 u. 23, 24. 
 
 Q. But how should I serve God ? I do not know 
 how to worship him. — A. The true worshippers, 
 worship God in spirit and truth. Jn. iv. 34. Piu. in. 3. 
 
 Q. What is meant by worshipping him in the 
 spirit ? — A. To worship him in God's Spirit and in 
 mine own ; that is, to worship him, being wrought 
 over in my very heart by the good Spirit of God, 
 
 to an hearty compliance with his will. Ro. i.9; vi. 17. 
 Ps. ci 1—3. 
 
 Q. What is it to worship him in truth ? — A. To 
 do all that we do in his worship according to his 
 word, for his word is truth, and to do it without dis- 
 simulation. He. viii. 5. Jn. xvii. 17. Ps. xxvi. 6 ; cviii. 19, 20. You 
 may take the whole thus. Then do you worship 
 God aright, when in heart and life you walk 
 according to his word. 
 
 Q. How must I do to worship him with my spirit 
 and heart. — A, Thou must first get the good know- 
 ledge of him. • And thou, Solomon my son,' said 
 David, ' know thou the God of thy father, and 
 serve him with a perfect heart.' i Ch. xxriii. 9. Mind 
 you, he first bids know him, and then serve him 
 with a perfect heart. 
 
 Q. Is it easy to get a true knowledge of God ? — 
 A. No ; Thou must cry after knowledge, and lift up 
 thy voice for understanding. ' If thou seekest 
 her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid 
 treasures ; then shalt thou understand the fear 
 of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.' 
 
 Pr. ii. 4, 5. 
 
 Q. How comes it to be so difficult a thing to attain 
 the true knowledge of God ? — A. By reason of the 
 pride and ignorance that is in us, as also by reason 
 of our wicked ways. Ps. x. 4. Ep. ir. is, 19. Tit. 1 16. 
 
 Q. But do not every one profess that they know 
 God ? — A. Yes ; but their supposed knowledge of 
 him varieth as much as do their faces or com- 
 plexions, some thinking he is this, and some that. 
 
 Q. Will you shew me a little how they vary in 
 their thoughts about him. — A. Yes ; Some count 
 him a kind of an heartless God, that will neither do 
 evil nor good. Zep. i. 12. Some count him a kind of 
 an ignorant and blind God, that can neither know 
 nor see through the clouds. Job xxii. 13. Some again 
 count him an inconsiderable God, not worth the 
 enjoying, if it must not be but with the loss of 
 this world, and their lusts. Job xxi 9—15. Moreover, 
 some think him to be altogether such an one as 
 themselves, one that hath as little hatred to sin as 
 themselves, and as little love to holiness as them- 
 selves. Pa. 1. 21. 
 
 Q. Are there any more false opinions of God ? 
 — A. Yes ; There are three other false opinions 
 of God. 1. Some think he is all mercy and no 
 justice, and that therefore they may live as they 
 list. Ro. iiL 8. 2. Others think he is all justice and 
 no mercy, and that therefore they had as good go 
 on in their sins and be damned, as turn and be 
 never the better. Je. ii. 25. 3. Others think he is 
 both justice and mercy, but yet think also, that 
 his justice is such as they can pacify with their 
 own good works, and save themselves with their 
 own right hand ; Job. xi. 14. contrary to these scrip- 
 tures. Ha. 1. 13. Is. xlv. 21. 
 
 Q. How then shall I know when I have the true 
 
INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNOUANT. 
 
 681 
 
 knowledge of God ? — A. When thy knowledge of 
 him and the holy Scriptures agree. 
 
 Q. The Scriptures! Do not all false opinions 
 of him flow from the Scriptures ? — A. No, in no 
 wise ; it is true, men father their errors upon the 
 Scriptures, when indeed they flow from the igno- 
 rance of their hearts. Ep. iv. 18. 
 
 Q. But how if I do not understand the holy 
 Bible, must I then go without the true knowledge 
 of God ? — A. His name is manifested liy his Word: 
 the Scriptures are they that testify of him. Jn. xvii. 
 6—8; V. 39. And they are able to make the man of 
 God perfect in all things, and wise unto salvation 
 through faith in Jesus Christ. 3 Ti. iii. 15, I6. 
 
 Q. But what must one that knoweth not God 
 do, to get the knowledge of God ? — A. Let him 
 apply his hieart unto the Scriptures. Fr. xxii. 17; xxiii. 
 12. ' As unto a light that shineth in a dark place,' 
 even this world, ' until the day dawn, and the day 
 star arise in his heart. ' 2 Pe. i. 19, 20. 
 
 Q. But how shall I know when I have found by 
 the Scriptures the true knowledge of God ? — A. 
 When thou hast also found the true knowledge of 
 
 thyself. U. yi. 5. Job xlii. 6. 
 
 Q. What is it for me to know myself? — A. 
 Then thou knowest thyself, when thou art in thine 
 own eyes, a loathsome, polluted, wretched, mise- 
 /able sinner ; and that not anything done by thee, 
 can pacify God unto thee.* Job xEi. 5. Eze. ix. 43, u. Ro. 
 
 vii. 24. 
 
 0/ Confession of Sin. 
 
 Q. You have shewed me, if I will indeed wor- 
 ship God, 1 must first know him aright, now then 
 to the question in hand, pray how must I worship 
 him ? — A. In confessing unto him. Ne. ix. 1—3. 
 
 Q. What must I confess ? — A. Thou must con- 
 fess thy transgressions imto the Lord. Ps. xxxU. 5. 
 
 Q. Was this the way of the godly of old ? — A. 
 Yes; Nehemiah confessed his sins. Ne. i. 6. David 
 confessed his sins. Ps. xxxii, 5. Daniel confessed his 
 sins. i)a. ix.4. And they that were baptized by 
 John in Jordan confessed their sins. Mat. iii 6. 
 
 Q. What sins must I confess to God ? — A. All 
 sins whatsoever : for ' He that covereth his sins 
 shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and for- 
 saketh them shall have mercy. ' Pr. xxriii. 13. 1 Jn. i. 9. 
 
 Q. But how if I do neither know nor remember 
 all my sins ? — A. Thou must then search and try 
 thy ways by the holy Word of God. i-a. iii. 40. Ps. ixxvii. e. 
 
 Q. But how if I do not make this search after 
 my sins ? — A. If thou dost not, God will ; if thou 
 dost not search them out and confess them, God 
 
 • The knowledge of ourselves as vile and abominable, tope- 
 less and helpless, is an essential step towards our recovery. 
 The next step that leads to heaven, and lands us there, is to 
 ' know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent,' 
 as revealed in the word of trath. ' This is eternal life.' — Ed. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 will search them out and charge them upon thee, 
 and tear thee in pieces for them. Ps. 1. 21, 22. 
 
 Q. Where must I begin to confess my sins ? — 
 A. Where God begmneth to shew thee them. 
 Observe, then, where God beginneth with convic- 
 tion for sin, and there begin thou with confession 
 of it. Thus David began to confess, thus Daniel 
 began to confess. 2 Sa, xii. 7— u. Da. k. 3—9. 
 
 Q. What must I do when God hath shewed me 
 any sin, to make right confession thereof? — A. 
 Thou must follow that conviction until it shall 
 bring thee to the original and fountain of that sin, 
 which is thine own heart. 1 Ki. viii. 38. Ps. iv. 5. 
 
 Q. Is my heart then the fountain and original 
 of sin ? — A. Yes ; ' For from within, out of the 
 heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, 
 fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wicked- 
 ness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, 
 pride, foolishness. All these evil things come 
 from within, and defile the man. ' Mar. vii. 21, 23. 
 
 Q. When a man sees this, what will he think 
 of himself ? — A. Then he wUl not only think but 
 conclude, that he is an unclean thing, that his 
 heart has deceived him, that it is most desperate 
 and wicked, that it may not be trusted by any 
 means, that every imagination and thought of his 
 heart, naturally, is only evil, and that continually. 
 
 Is. Ixiv. 6. Pr. xxviii. 26. Is. xliy. 20. Ge. vi. 5. 
 
 Q. You have given me a very bad character of 
 the heart, but how shall I know that it is so Lad 
 as you count it ? — A. Both by the text and by 
 experience. 
 
 Q. What do you mean by experience ? — A. 
 Keep thine eyes upon thy heart, and also upon 
 God's word, and thou shalt see with thine own 
 eyes, the desperate wickedness that is in thine 
 heart, for thou must know sin by the law, that 
 bidding thee do one thing, and thy heart inclining 
 to another. Ro, vii. 7—10. 
 
 Q. May I thus then know my heart ? — A. Yes, 
 that is something of it, especially the carnality of 
 thy mind, ' Because the carnal mind is enmity 
 against God ; for it is not subject to the law of 
 God, neither indeed can be.' Eo. viii. 7. 
 
 Q. Can you particularize some few things 
 wherein the wickedness of the heart of man shews 
 itself ? — A. Yes ; by its secret hankering after 
 sin, although the Word forbids it ; by its deferring 
 of repentance ; by its being weary of holy duties ; 
 by its aptness to forget God, by its studying to 
 lessen and hide sin ; by its feigning itself to be 
 better thau it is ; by being glad when it can sin 
 without being seen of men; by its hardening 
 itself against the threatenmgs and judgments of 
 God; by its desperate inclinings to unbelief, 
 atheism, and the like.t Pr. i. 24— 26. is. xiiii. 22. MaL i. 12, 
 
 + The um'euewcd heart is the siuk of sin, the fountain of 
 4 R 
 
683 
 
 INSTEUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT. 
 
 ' 13, Jn. iii. 7. Jc ii. S2. Ps. cvi. SI. Ho. ii. 13. Pr. xxx. 20. Je. ii. 25. 
 Ko. L S3 ; ii. 5. Zep. i. 11—13. 
 
 Q. Is there any thing else to be done in order to 
 a right confession of sin ? — A. Yes : Let this convic- 
 tion sink down into thy heart, that God sees much 
 more wickedness in thee than thou canst see in 
 thyself. ' If our heart condemn us, God is greater 
 than our heart, and knoweth all things ;' i Jn. iii. 20. 
 besides, he hath set thy secret sins in the light of 
 his countenance. Ps. xc. 8. 
 
 Q. Is there any thing else that must go to a right 
 confession of sin ? — A. Yes ; In thy confessions 
 thou must greaten and aggravate thy sin by aU just 
 circumstances. 
 
 Q. How must I do that ? — A. By considering 
 against how much light aud mercy thou hast sinned, 
 against how much patience and forbearance thou 
 hast sinned ; also against what warnings and judg- 
 ments thou hast sinned ; and against how many of 
 thine own vows, promises and engagements, thou 
 hast sinned: these things heighten and aggravate 
 sin. Ezr. ix. 10—14. 
 
 Q. But what need I confess my sins to God, see- 
 ing he knows them already ? — A. Confession of sin 
 is necessary, for many reasons. 
 
 Q. Will you show me some of those reasons ? — 
 A. Yes ; One is, by a sincere and hearty confession 
 of sin thou acknowledgest God to be thy Sovereign 
 Lord, and that he hath right to impose his law 
 upon thee. E.x. xx. 
 
 Q. Can you show me another reason ? — A. Yes ; 
 By confessing thy sin, thou suhscribest to his righte- 
 ous judgments that are pronounced against it. 
 rs. li. 3, i. 
 
 Q. Can you show me another reason ? — A. Yes ; 
 By confessing of sin, thou showest how little thou 
 deservest the least mercy from God. 
 
 Q. Have you yet another reason why I should 
 confess my sins ? — A. Yes ; By so doing thou show- 
 est whether thy heart loves it, or hates it. He that 
 heartily confesseth his sin, is like him who having 
 a thief or a traitor in his house, brings him out to 
 condign punishment ; but he that forbears to con- 
 fess, is like him who hideth a thief or traitor 
 against the laws and peace of our Lord the King. 
 
 Q. Give me one more reason why I should confess 
 my sins to God? — A. He that confesseth his sin, 
 casteth himself at the feet of God's mercy, utterly 
 condemns and casts away his own righteousness, 
 concludeth there is no way to stand just and acquit 
 before God, but by and through the righteousness 
 of another ; whether God is resolved to bring thee, 
 if ever he saves thy soul. Ps.li.l— 3. 1 Ju. i. 9. Plii. iii. 6—8. 
 
 Q. What frame of heart should I be in when I 
 
 pollution. ' Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts, murders, 
 .■idulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, hiasphemies ; these 
 dcfde a man.' Create in us a clean heart, God ! — Ed. 
 
 confess my sins ? — A. Do it hbaktilt, and to the 
 best of thy power thoroughly. For to feign, in this 
 work, is abominable ; to do it by the halves, is 
 wickedness ; to do it without sense of sin cannot be 
 acceptable. And to confess it with the month, 
 and to love it with the heart, is a lying unto God, 
 and a provocation of the eyes of his^lory. 
 
 Q. What do you mean by feigning and dissem- 
 bhng in this work ? — -A. When men confess it, yet 
 know not what it is ; or if they think they know it, 
 do not conclude it so bad as it is ; or when men ask 
 pardon of God, but do not see their need of pardon ; 
 this man must needs dissemble. 
 
 Q. What do you mean by doing it by the halves ? 
 — A. When men confess some, but not all that they 
 are convinced of ; or if they confess all, yet labour in 
 their confession to lessen it. Pr. xxriii. 13. Job xxxi S3. Or 
 when in their confession they turn not from aU sin 
 to God, but from one sin to another. Ja. iii. 12. They 
 turned, ' but not to the most High, ' none of them 
 did exalt him. Ho. vii. I6. 
 
 Q. What is it to confess sin without the sense of 
 sin ? — A. To do it through custom, or tradition, 
 when there is no guilt upon the conscience, now this 
 cannot be acceptable. 
 
 Q. What is it to confess it with the mouth and to 
 love it with the heart ? — A. When men condemn it 
 with their mouth, but refuse to let it go ; Job xx. 13, 
 13. Je. viii. 5. when ' with their mouth they show 
 much love, bid their heart goeth after their covet- 
 
 OUSness. ' Eze. xxxiii. ,31. 
 
 Q. But I asked you what frame of heart I should 
 be in, in my confessions ? — A. I have showed you 
 how you should not be. Well, I will show you now 
 what frame of heart becomes you in your confes- 
 sions of sin. Labour by all means for a sense of 
 the evil that is in sin. 
 
 Q. What evil is there in sin? — A. No man with 
 tongue can express what may by the heart be felt 
 of the evil of sin ;* but this know, it dishonoureth 
 God. Ko. ii. 23. It provoketh him to wrath. Ep. v. 5, 6. 
 It damneth the soul. 2 Th. ii. 12. 
 
 Q. What else would you advise me to in this great 
 work ? — A. When we confess sin, tears, shame, and 
 brokenness of heart becomes us. Je. i. i. is. xxu. 12. Ps. 
 
 U. 17. Je. ixxi. 19. 
 
 Q. What else becomes me in my confessions of 
 sin ? — A. Great detestation of sin, with imfeigned 
 sighs and groans, that express thou dost it heartily. 
 
 Job xlii. 6. Eze. ix. 4. Je. xxxi. 9. 
 
 Q. Is here all ? — A. No ; Tremble at the word of 
 God ; tremble at every judgment, lest it overtake 
 
 * No poor soul was more severely visited with these feelings 
 than Bunyan. ' Now I teheld the condition of the dog and 
 toad ; aud counted the state of every thing that God had made 
 far hetter than this state of mine.' — Grace Aiounding, No. 
 104.— Ed. 
 
INSTRUCTION FOU THE IGNORANT. 
 
 683 
 
 thee ; tremble at every promise, lest thou shouldest 
 miss thereof: for, saith God, 'To this man will I 
 look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, 
 and trembleth at my -word.' is. ixvi. 3. He. w. i, 2. 
 
 Q. What if I cannot thus confess my sins ? — 
 A. Bewail the hardness of thy heart, keep close to 
 the best preachers, remember that thou hangest 
 over hell, by the weak thread of an uncertain life. 
 And know, God counts it a great evil, not to be 
 ashamed of, not to blush at sin. is. ML 17. Je. tIIB; 
 viii. 12. 
 
 Q. Are there no thanks to be rendered to God 
 in confessions ? — A. Yes. Thank him that he 
 hath let thee see thy sins, thank him that he hath 
 given thee time to acknowledge thy sins ; thou 
 mightest now have been confessing in hell : thank 
 him also that he hath so far condescended as to 
 hear the self-bemoaning sinner, and that he hath 
 promised, sdrely to have mercy upon such. Je. 
 
 mi. 18—20. 
 
 0/ Faith in Christ. 
 
 Q. I am glad that you have instructed me into 
 this part of the worship of God, I pray tell me also 
 how else I should worship him ? — A. Thou must 
 believe his word. 
 
 Q. Is that worshipping of God? — A. Yes ; 'After 
 the way which they call heresy, so worship I the 
 God of my fathers, believing all things which are 
 written in the law and in the prophets,' &c. Ac. 
 
 xxir. 14. 
 
 Q. Why should believing be counted a part of 
 God's worship ? — A. Because without faith it is 
 impossible to please him. He. xi. 6. 
 
 Q. Why not possible to please him without 
 believing ? — A. Because in all true worship, a man 
 ' must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder 
 of them that diligently seek him.' Besides, he that 
 worships God, must also of necessity believe his 
 word, else he cannot worship with that reverence 
 and fear that becomes him, but will do it in a 
 superstitious profane manner : ' For whatsoever is 
 not of faith is sin.' Eo. xiv. 2S. 
 
 Q. But do not all believe as you have said ? — 
 A. ' That which is bom of the flesh is flesh : and 
 that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.' Jn.iiL6. 
 And again ' the children of the flesh, these are not 
 the children of God : but the children of the pro- 
 mise are counted for the seed.' Ho. ix. 8. 
 
 Q. What do you mean by that ? — A. Thou must 
 be bom twice before thou canst truly believe once. 
 
 Jn. iii. 3, 5. 
 
 Q. How do you prove that ? — A. Because 
 believing is a christian act, and none are true 
 Christians but those that are born again. But I 
 mean by believing, believing unto salvation. 
 
 Q. Can you prove this ? — A. Yes. They that 
 believe In the name of Christ are su^h which are 
 
 born ' not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor 
 of the will of man, but of God. ' Jn. i. 13. 
 
 Q. What is believing? — A. It is such an act of 
 a gracious soul, as layeth hold on God's mercy 
 through Christ. Ac. xv. 11 
 
 Q. Why do you call it an act of a gracious soul ? 
 — A. Because their minds are disposed that way, 
 by ' the power of the Holy Ghost. ' Eo. %i. 13. 
 
 Q. If such a poor sinner as I am would be saved 
 from the wrath to come, how must I believe ? — A. 
 Thy first question should be on whom must I 
 believe ? Jn. ix. 36, 36. 
 
 Q. On whom then must I believe ? — A. On tlio 
 Lord Jesus Christ. Ac. xri. 31. 
 
 Q. Who is Jesus Christ that I might believe in 
 him ? — A. He is the only begotten Son of God. 
 
 Ju. iii. 16. 
 
 Q. Why must I believe on him ? — A. Because 
 he is the Saviour of the world. 2 Pe. i. 1. 1 Jn. ir. u. 
 
 Q. How is he the Saviour of the world ? — A. 
 By the Father's designation and sending : ' For 
 God sent not his Son into the world to condemn 
 the world, but that the world through him might 
 be saved.' Ju. iu.17. 
 
 Q. How did he come into the world ? — A. In 
 man's flesh, in which flesh he fulfilled the law, 
 died for our sins, conquered the devil and death, 
 and obtained eternal redemption for us. Ga. ir. 4. Ro. 
 
 %. 4; Tiii. 3. He. ii. 14, 15 : vi. 20. 
 
 Q. But is there no other way to be saved but by 
 believing in Jesus Christ? — A. 'There is none 
 other name under heaven, given among men, 
 whereby we must be saved ;' Ac. iv. 13. and therefore 
 'he that believeth not, shall be damned.' Mar.xvi.i6. 
 
 Jn. iii. 18, 36. 
 
 Q. What is believing on Jesus Christ ? — A. It 
 is a receiving of him with what is in him, as the 
 gift of God to thee a sinner. Jn. i. 12. 
 
 Q. What is in Jesus Christ to encourage me to 
 receive him ? — A. Infinite righteousness to justify 
 thee, and the Spirit without measure to sanctify 
 
 thee. Is. xlT. 24, 25. Da. ix. 24. Phi. iii. 7—0. Jn. iu. 34. 
 
 Q. Is this made mine if I receive Christ ? — A. 
 Yes ; If thou receive him as God oifereth him to 
 thee. Jn. iii. 16. 
 
 Q. How doth God offer him to me ? — A. Even 
 as a rich man freely ofi'ereth an alms to a beggar, 
 and so must thou receive him. Jn. n. 32— S5. 
 
 Q. Hath he indeed made amends for sin ? and 
 would he indeed have me accept of what he hath 
 done ? — A. That he hath made amends for sin it 
 is evident, because God, for Christ's sake, forgiveth 
 thee. And it is as evident that he would have 
 thee accept thereof, because he offereth it to thee, 
 and hath sworn to give thee the utmost benefit, to 
 wit, eternal life, if thou dost receive it ; yea, and 
 hath threatened thee with eternal damnation, if, 
 after all this, thou shall neglect so great salvation. 
 
6S4 
 
 INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT. 
 
 Ep. iv. 33. Eo. ui. 2+. Mat. ixviii. 18—30. .\c. xiii. 32—39. lie. vi. 17, 
 18; ii. 3. Mar. xvi. 16. 
 
 Q. But how must I be qualified before I shall 
 dare to believe in Christ ? — A. Come sensible of 
 thy sins, and of the wrath of God due unto them, 
 for thus thou art bid to come. Mat. xi. 28. 
 
 Q. Did ever any come thus to Christ ? — A. 
 David came thus; Ps. u. 1-3. Paul and the jailor 
 came thus; Ac. l\. 6j xvi. so. also Christ's murderers 
 came thus. Ac. ii. 87. 
 
 Q, But doth it not seem most reasonable that 
 •we should first mend and be good ? — A. The 
 ' whole have no need of the physician, but they 
 that are sick ;' Christ came ' not to call the righte- 
 ous, but sinners to repentance.' Mar. u. 17. 
 
 Q. But is it not the best way, if one can, to 
 mend first ? — A. This is just as if a sick man should 
 say. Is it not best for me to be well before I go to 
 the physician ; or as if a wounded man should say, 
 When I am cured I will lay on the plaster.* 
 
 Q. But when a poor creature sees its vileness, 
 it is afraid to come to Christ, is it not ? — A. Yes ; 
 but without ground, for he hath said, ' Say to 
 them that are of a fearful heart. Be strong, fear 
 not:' and ' to this man will I look, even to him 
 tliai is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth 
 at my word. ' is. xxw. i; hvi. 2. 
 
 Q. What encouragement can be given us thus to 
 come ? — A. The prodigal came thus, and his father 
 received him, and fell upon his neck and kissed 
 liim. Lu. XT. Thus he received the Colossians, and 
 consequently all that are saved. Col. ii. 13. 
 
 Q. Will you give me one more encouragement ? 
 — A. The promises are so worded, that they that 
 are scarlet sinners, crimson sinners, blasphemous 
 sinners, have encouragement to come to him with 
 
 hopes of life. is. L is. Mar. iii. 28. Jn. ri. 37. Lu. xxiv. 42, ii. 
 Ac. xiii. 20. 
 
 Q. Shall every one that believeth be saved ? — 
 A. If they believe as the Scriptures have said, if 
 the Scriptures be fulfilled in their believing. Jn. vii. 
 
 38. Ja. ii. 23. 
 
 Q. What do you mean by that ? — A. When 
 faith, which a man saith he hath, proveth itself to 
 be of the right kind by its acts and operations in 
 the mind of a poor sinner. Ja. ii. 19—23. 
 
 Q. Why, are there many kinds of faith ? — A. 
 Yes. There is a faith that will stand with a heart 
 as hard as a rock; a short-winded faith, which 
 (lureth for a while, and in time of temptation such 
 fall away. Lu.viii. 13. 
 
 Q. Is there any other kind of faith ? — A. Yes. 
 There is a faith that hath no more life in it than 
 hath the body of a dead man. Ja. ii. 23. 
 
 * How jjointed and forcible is this illustration of the absur- 
 dity of neglecting the Physician of souls, when the malady of 
 sin is felt. The more desperate our disease, the faster we 
 should fly to Christ for cure. — Ed. 
 
 Q. Is there yet another of these unprofitable 
 faiths ? — A. Yes. There is a faith that is of our- 
 selves, and not of the special grace of God. Ep.ii.8. 
 
 Q. Tell me if there be yet another ? — A. There 
 is a faith that standeth 'in the wisdom of men,' 
 and not ' in the power of God.' 1 Ccii. 5. 
 
 Q. Is here all ?— A. No. There is a faith that 
 seems to be holy, but it will not do, because it is 
 not the most holy faith. 2Pe. ii.9. Jucle20. 
 
 Q. Alas ! if there be so many kinds of faith 
 that will not profit to salvation, how easy is it for 
 me to be deceived ? — A. It is easy indeed, and 
 therefore the Holy Ghost doth in this thing so 
 often caution us, ' Be not deceived. ' i Co. vi. 9. ' Let 
 no man deceive you,' Ep.v.e. and ' If a man think 
 himself to be something when he is nothing, ho 
 deceiveth himself.' Ga. vi. 3. 
 
 Q. But is there no way to distinguish the right 
 faith from that which is wrong ? — A. Yes ; and 
 that by the manner of its coming and operation. 
 
 Q. What do you mean by the manner of its 
 coming? — A. Nay, you must make two questions 
 of this one ; that is, what is it for faith to come, 
 and in what manner doth it come ? 
 
 Q. Well then, what is it for faith to come ? — A. 
 This word, faith comes, supposeth thou wert once 
 without it ; it also supposeth that thou didst not 
 fetch it whence it was ; it also supposeth it hath a 
 way of coming. Ga. iii. 23—25. 
 
 Q. That I was once without it, you intimated 
 before, but must I take it without proof for 
 granted? — A. I will give you a proof or two: 
 ' God hath concluded them all in unbelief. ' Eo. xi. 33. 
 And again it is said, ' faith cometh.' Eo. x. 17. And 
 again, the Holy Ghost insinuateth our estate to be 
 dreadful ' before faith came. ' Ga. iii. 23. 
 
 Q. Why, how is it with men, before faith 
 comes ? — A. Without faith, or before faith comes, 
 it is impossible to please God, for whether their 
 actions he civil or rehgious, they sin in all they do. 
 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination, and 
 the ploughing of the wicked is sin. Pr. xxi. 4, 27. 
 
 Q. Is not this a very sad condition ? — A. Yes ; 
 but this is not all, for their present unbelief bindeth 
 them over to wrath, by shutting them up to the 
 law; it also draweth them away from God, and 
 will drown them in everlasting damnation, if the 
 
 grace of God prevent not. Ga. iii. 23. He. iii. 17, 18. Jn. iii.S6. 
 
 Q. What if a man saw himself in this condition ? 
 — A. There are many see themselves in this con- 
 dition. 
 
 Q. How came they to see it ? — A. By the 
 preaching and hearing the Word of God. Ju.xvi8,9. 
 
 Q. And what do such think of themselves ? — A. 
 They do not only think, but know that in this con- 
 dition they are ' without Christ, without hope, and 
 without God in the world. ' Ep. ii. 12. 
 
 Q. Are not they happy that see not themselves 
 
INSTRUCTION rOR THE IGNORANT. 
 
 6Sj 
 
 in this condition ?— A. Yea. If they have seen 
 themselves delivered therefrom by a work of faith 
 in their souls, else not. 
 
 Q. How do you mean ? — A. I mean if they have 
 seen themselves delivered from this state, by bejing 
 by the Word and Spirit of God implanted into the 
 faith of Christ. Ro. xi. 17—19. 
 
 Q. Are not they happy that are never troubled 
 with this sad sight of their condition ? — A. They 
 are just so happy as is that man who lieth fast 
 asleep in his house while it is on fire about his 
 ears. Can a man be happy, that is ignorant that 
 he is without God and Christ, and hope ? Can a 
 man be happy that is ignorant that he is hanging 
 over hell by the poor weak thread of an uncertain 
 life ? For this is the state of such an one.* 
 
 Q. B;jt may not faith come to a man without he 
 see himself to be first in this condition ? — A. It is 
 God's ordinary way to convince men of this their 
 sad condition before he revealeth to them the 
 righteousness of faith, or work faith in them to 
 lay hold of that righteousness. Jn. xvi, 0—11. Ga.iii. 23—25. 
 
 Q. How then do you conclude of them that 
 never saw themselves shut up by unbelief under sin 
 and the curse of God ? — A. I will not judge them 
 for the future, God may convert them before they 
 die ; but at present their state is miserable : for 
 because they arc shut up and held prisoners by tlie 
 law, by their lusts, and by the devil, and unbelief; 
 therefore they cannot so much as with their hearts 
 desire that God would have mercy upon them, and 
 bring them out of their snares and chains. 
 
 Q. Then do you count it better for a man to see 
 his condition by nature than to be ignorant thereof ? 
 — A. Better a thousand times to see it in this 
 world than to see it in hell fire, for he must see it 
 there or here : now if he sees it here, this is the 
 place of prayer ; here is the preaching of the word, 
 which is God's ordinance,!© beget faith. Besides, 
 here God applieth promises of mercy to the deso- 
 late, and Christ also hath protested that he that 
 Cometh to him he ' will in no wise cast out.' Ju. vi. 37. 
 
 Q. I am convinced that I was once without 
 faith, and also that I cannot fetch it, but pray tell 
 me the way of its coming ? — A. ' Faith comelh by 
 hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.' Ro. x.17. 
 
 Q. How by hearing ? — A. God mixeth it with 
 the Word when he absolutely intendeth the sal- 
 vation of the sinner. He. iv. 2. Ac. liu. 48. 
 
 Q. And how do men hear when faith is mixed 
 with the Word ? — A. They hear the Word, ' not 
 as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the 
 
 * The awful condition of the unconverted consists in their 
 being in a state of separation from God, insensible of that 
 dismal state, utterly unable to extricate themselves out of it, 
 and loathsome to God while they continue in it. Reader, do 
 you recollect when this was ^our state; if not, what hope is 
 there that yon have passed from death unto life ? — Ed. 
 
 V/ord of God, which eflfcctually worketh also in you 
 that believe. ' 1 Th. a. 13. 
 
 Q. Pray tell me now the manner of its eominn- ? 
 — A. It comes through diflSculty, it comes gra- 
 dually. 
 
 Q. What are the difficulties which oppose it at 
 its coming ? — A. Sense of unworthiness, guilt of 
 conscience, natural reason, unbelief, and arguments 
 forged in hell, and thence suggested by the devil 
 into the heart against it. Lu. .. 8. Mar. ix. 3t. is. \i. 5. Ru. 
 
 iv. 18—21. 
 
 Q. How doth faith come gradually ? — A. Per- 
 haps at first it is but like a grain of mustard-seed, 
 small, and weak. Mat. xvii. 20. 
 
 Q. Will you explain it further ? — A. Faith, at 
 first, perhaps may have its excellency lie in view 
 only, that is, in seeing where justification and sal- 
 vation is ; after that it may step a degree higher, 
 and be able to say, it may be, or who can tell 
 but I may obtain this salvation ? again, it may 
 perhaps go yet a step higher and arrive to some 
 short and transient assurance. + lie. xi. 13. Joeiii. 13, 14. 
 
 Zep. ii. 3. Pa. x.\x. 7. 
 
 Q. But doth faith come only by hearing ? — A. 
 It is usually begotten by the word preached, but 
 after it is begotten, it is increased several ways. 
 It is inoi-eased by prayer. Lu. xvii. 5. Mar. ix. 24. It is 
 increased by christian conference. Ro. i. 12. It is 
 iuci'eased by reading. Ro. xvi. 23, 26. It is increased by 
 meditation. 1 Ti. iv. 12—16. It is increased by the 1 
 remembrance of former experiences. Mat. xvi. 8, 9. 
 
 Q. What do these things teach us ? — A. They 
 teach us, that the men of this world are very igno- 
 rant of, and as much without desire after faith : 
 they neither hear, nor pray, confer, nor read, nor 
 meditate for the sake of faith. 
 
 Q. But you said even now, that this faith was 
 distinguished from that which profiteth not to 
 salvation, as by the manner of its coming, so by 
 its operation : pray what is its operation ? — A. It 
 causeth the soul to see in the light thereof, that 
 there is no righteousness in this world that can 
 save the sinner. Is. l.viv, 6. 
 
 Q. How doth it give the soul this sight ? — A. 
 By giving him to understand the law, and his own 
 inability to fulfil it. Ga. ii. 16. 
 
 Q. And doth it always shew the soul where jus- 
 tifying righteousness is ? — A. Yes. It shews that 
 justifying righteousness is only to be found in the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, in wliat he hath done and suf- 
 fered in the flesh, is, xiv. 24, 25. pu. iii- s— 9. 
 
 Q. How doth faith find this righteousness in 
 Christ ? — A. By the word, which is therefore 
 
 t The operation of faith is by steps. ' To open their eyes,' 
 ' to turn them fi-om darkness to light,' ' from power of Satan 
 to God,' 'forgiveness of sins,' 'the heavenly inheritance.' Acta 
 Kvi. 18.— Ed. 
 
636 
 
 INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT. 
 
 called the word of faith, because faith, by that, 
 findeth sufficient righteousness in him. Ko. x. &-9. 
 
 Q. How else doth it operate in the soul ? — A. 
 It applieth this righteousness to the sinner, and 
 also helps him to embrace it. Ro. iii. 21, 22. 1 Co. i. 30. 
 Ga. a. 20. 
 
 Q. How else doth it operate? — A. By this 
 application of Christ, the soul is quickened to life, 
 spiritualized and made heavenly. For right faith 
 quickeneth to spiritual life, purifies and sanctifies 
 the heart ; and worketh up the man that hath it, 
 into the image of Jesus Christ. Coi. ii. 12, 13. Ac. xv. 9. 
 
 xxvi. 18. 2 Co. iii. 18. 
 
 Q. How else doth it operate ? — A. It giveth the 
 soul peace with God through Jesus Christ. Ro. v. 1. 
 
 Q. Surely Christ is of great esteem with them 
 that have this faith in him, is he not ? — A. Yes, 
 Yes. Unto them therefore which believe he is 
 precious, precious in his person, precious in his 
 undertakings, precious in his Word. 1 Pe. ii.?; i. 18,19. 
 
 2 Pe. i. 3, 4. 
 
 Q. Can these people then, that have this faith, 
 endure to have this Christ spoken against ? — A. 
 ! No ! This is a sword in their bones, and a 
 burden that they cannot hear.* Vs. xlii. 10. Zep. iii. 19. 
 
 Q. Doth it not go near them when they see his 
 ways and people discountenanced ? — A. Yes ; and 
 they also choose rather to be despised and perse- 
 cuted with them, than to enjoy the pleasures of 
 sin for a season. He. xi. 24, 25. 
 
 Q. Do they not pray much for his second com- 
 ing ? — A. Yes, yes ; they would fain see him on 
 this side the clouds of heaven, their ' conversation 
 is in heaven, from whence also they look for the 
 Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.' Phi. iii. 20. 
 
 Q. And do they live in this world as if he were 
 to come presently ? — A. Yes ; for his coming will 
 be glorious and dreadful, full of mercy and judg- 
 ment. ' The day of the Lord will come as a thief 
 in the night ; in the which the heavens shall pass 
 away with a great noise, and the elements shall 
 melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the 
 works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing 
 then that all these things shall be dissolved, what 
 manner of persons ought we to be in all holy con- 
 versation and godliness.' 2 Pe. iu. 10, 11. 
 
 0/ Prayer. 
 
 Q. Well, I am glad "that you have shewed me 
 that I must worship God by confession of sin, 
 
 * Under a fear lest he had spoken against Christ, Bunyau 
 thus expresses his misery ; ' I fell into a very deep pause about 
 the most fearful state mj sin had brought me to ; and, lifting 
 up my head, 1 saw as if the sun did grudge to give me light> 
 and as if the very stones in the street, and tiles upon the 
 houses, did bend themselves against me.' — Grace Abounding, 
 >'o. 186.— Ed. 
 
 and faith in Jesus Christ: Is there any other 
 thing a part of the true worship of God? — A. 
 Yes, several ; I wiU mention only two more at this 
 time. 
 
 Q. What are they ? — A. Prayer and self-denial. 
 
 Q. Is prayer then a part of the worship of God ? 
 — A. Yes ; a great part of it. 
 
 Q. How do you prove that ? — A. ' come let 
 us worship and bow down : let us kneel before the 
 Lord our maker. ' Pa. xcv. 6. 
 
 Q. Is there another scripture proves it ? — A. 
 Yes ; ' Then came she and worshipped him, saying, 
 Lord, help me.' Mat. xv. 25. 
 
 Q. What is prayer ? — A. A sincere, sensible, 
 aficctionate pouring out of the soul to, God in the 
 name of Christ for what God hath promised. 
 
 Pr. XT. 8. Je. xxxi. 18, 19. Ps. xlii, 2—5. Jn. xiv. 13, 14. 1 Jn. v. 14. 
 
 Q. Doth not every body pray ? — A. No ; ' The 
 wicked, through the pride of his countenance, 
 will not seek after God: God is not in aU his 
 
 thoughts.' Ps. X. 4. 
 
 Q. What will become of them that do not pray ? 
 — A. They do not worship God, and he will 
 destroy them ; ' Pour out thy fury (said the pro- 
 phet) upon the heathen, - and upon the families 
 that call not on thy name.' Je. x. 25. Ps. babe. 6. 
 
 Q. But seeing God knoweth what we want, why 
 doth he not give us what we need, without pray- 
 ing ? — A. His counsel and wisdom leadeth him 
 otherwise. ' Thus saith the Lord God, I will yet 
 for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to 
 do ii for them.' Eze. x.xxvi. 37. 
 
 Q. Why will God have us pray ? — A. Because 
 he would be acknowledged by thee, that he is 
 above thee, and therefore would have thee come 
 to him as the mean come to the mighty. Thus 
 Abraham came unto him. Ge. x™. 27, 30. 
 
 Q. Is there another reason why I should pray ? 
 — A. Yes. For by prayer thou acknowledgest, 
 that help is not in thine own power. 2 cu. xx. 6, 12. 
 
 Q. What reason else have you why I should 
 pray ? — A. By prayer thou confessest that help is 
 only in him. Ps. kii. 1. 
 
 Q. What other reason have you? — A. By prayer 
 thou confessest thou canst not live witliout his 
 grace and mercy. Mat. xiv. 30. He. iv. lo. 
 
 Q. Are all that pray heard of the Lord ? — A. 
 No ; ' They looked, ' that is prayed, ' but there was 
 none to save ; even unto the Lord, but he answered 
 them not. ' 2 Sa. xxii. 42. 
 
 Q. To what doth God compare the prayers 
 which he refuseth to answer ? — A. He compareth 
 them to the howling of a dog. Ho. vii. 14. 
 
 Q. Who be they whose prayers God will not 
 answer ? — A. Theirs, who think to be heard for 
 their much speaking, and vain repetition. Mat. vi. 7. 
 
 Q. Is there any other whose prayer God re- 
 fuseth ? — A. Yes; There are that ask and havo 
 
INSTRUCTION TOK THE IGNORANT. 
 
 687 
 
 not, because what they ask, they would spend upon 
 their lusts. Ja. iv. s. 
 
 Q. Is there any other whose prayer God re- 
 fuseth ? — A. Yes ; ' If I regard iniquity in my 
 heart, the Lord will not hear me.'* Pa. ixviis. 
 
 Q. Is the regarding of sin in our heart such a 
 deadly hinderance to prayer ? — A. ' Son of man,' 
 saith God, ' these men have set up their idols in 
 their heart, and have put the stumhlingblock of 
 their iniquity before their face ; should I be en- 
 quired of at all by them ? I will set my face 
 against that man, and will make him a sign and 
 a proverK And I will cut him off from the midst 
 of my people. ' Ezc^ liv. 3, 8. 
 
 Q. WTiose prayers be they that God will hear ? — 
 A. The prayers of the poor and needy. Pe.xixiv.e. is. xiii7. 
 
 Q. What do you mean by the poor ? — A. Such 
 as have poverty in spirit. Mat. t. 3. 
 
 Q. Who are they that are poor in spirit ? — A. 
 They that are sensible of the want and necessity 
 of all those things of God, that prepare a man to 
 the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 Q. What things are they ? — A. Faith, hope, 
 love, joy, peace, a new heart, the Holy Ghost, 
 
 Sanctification. See Ja. u. 5. 2 TIl ii. I6. Eze. mytL 26, 27. 
 
 Q. What do you mean by the needy ? — A. Those 
 whose souls long and cannot be satisfied without the 
 enjoyment of these blessed things. Ps. kiu. i; cxfac. 20. 
 
 Q. Will God hear the prayers of such ? — A. 
 Yes ; ' For he satisfieth the longing soul, and 
 fiUeth the hungry soul with goodness. ' Pa. cm. 9. 
 
 Q. How shall I know that I am one of those to 
 whom God will give these things ? — A. If thou 
 seest a beauty in them beyond the beauty of all 
 other things. Ps. ex. 3. 
 
 Q. How else shall I know [that] he heareth me ? 
 ■ — A. If thou desirest them for their beauty's sake. 
 P». xc. 14, 17. 
 
 Q. How else should I know I shall have them ? 
 — A. When thy groanings after them are beyond 
 expression. Ko. Tiii.26.t 
 
 Q. How else should I know, and so be encour- 
 , jaged to pray ? — A. When thou followest hard 
 after God in aU his ordinances for the obtaining 
 of them. Is. IT. 1, 3; ixiv. 6. 
 
 Q. How else should I know ? — A. When thou mak- 
 est good use of that little thou hast already. Ke. iii. 8. 
 
 Q. Are here all the good signs that my prayers 
 shall be heard ? — A. No ; there is one more with- 
 out which thou shalt never obtain. 
 
 * 'The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the 
 Lord ; but the prayer of the upright is his delight. He loveth 
 Um that foUoweth after righteousness,' Prov. xv. 8, 9. That 
 our prayers may be heard, the heart should be right with God, 
 and OOT souls at peace with him through the Son of his love. 
 '^Mason. — Ed. 
 
 t These are parts of a Christian's experience, admirably 
 illustrated in that extraordinary book by Bunyan, 'Grace 
 Aboundiug to the Chief of Sinners.' — Ed. 
 
 Q. Pray what is that?— A. Thou must plead 
 with God, the name and merits of Jesus Christ, 
 for whose sake only God giveth thee these things. 
 If we ask any thing in his name, he heareth us, 
 and whatsoever you ask the Father in my name, 
 saith Christ I will do it. Jn. xi?. 13, 14. 
 
 Q. Doth God always answer presently? — A. 
 Sometimes he doth, and sometimes he doth not. 
 
 Is. XXX. 19. Da. X. 12. 
 
 Q. Is not God's deferring, a sign of his anger ? 
 — A. Sometimes it is not, and sometimes it is. 
 
 Q. When is it no sign of his anger ? — A. When 
 we have not wickedly departed from him by our 
 
 sins. La. XTiii. 7. 
 
 Q. When is it a sign of his anger ? — A. When 
 we have backslidden, when we have not repented 
 some former miscarriages. Ho. v. 14, 15. 
 
 Q. Why doth God defer to hear their prayers 
 that hath not wickedly departed from him ? — A. 
 He loves to hear their voice, to try their faith, to 
 see their importunity, and to observe how they 
 can wrestle with him for a blessing. Ca. li. u. Mat. xv 
 
 22—28. Lu. xL B— 8. Ge. xxxiL 25—28. 
 
 Q. But is not deferring to answer prayer a great 
 discouragement to praying ? — A. Though it is, 
 because of our unbelief, yet it ought not, because 
 God is faithful. Therefore ' men ought always to 
 pray, and not to faint. '| Lu. xviii. 1— 8. 
 
 0/ Self-Denial. 
 
 Q. I am glad you have thus far granted my 
 request : but you told me that there was another 
 part of God's worship ; pray repeat that again ? — 
 A. It is self-denial. 
 
 Q. Now I remember it well ; pray how do you 
 prove that self-denial is called a part of God's wor- 
 ship ? — A. It is said of Abraham, that when he 
 went to offer up his son Isaac upon the altar for 
 a burnt-offering, which was to him a very great 
 part of self-denial, that he counted that act of his 
 worshipping God. 
 
 Q. Will you be pleased to read the text ? — A. 
 Yes; 'And Abraham said unto his young men. 
 Abide ye here with the ass ; and I and the lad 
 wUl go yonder and worship,' <kc. This now was 
 when he was a-going to slay Isaac. Oe. xxii. 6. 
 
 Q. What is self-denial ? — A. It is for a man to 
 forsake his ALL, for the sake of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Q. Will you prove this by a scripture or two? — • 
 A. Yes ; ' Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not 
 all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.' Lu. xiv.33. 
 
 i All-prevailing prayers must be offered up through the 
 mediation of Christ, iu obedience to God's command, with an 
 eye to his glory, and for what is agreeable to his wUl and hea- 
 venly wisdom to grant. 'Lifting up holy hands, without 
 wrath and doubting," 1 Tim. ii. 8. God's service must be iu 
 faith, love, and purity of heart. — Ri/!and. — Ed. 
 
688 
 
 INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT 
 
 Q. Indeed this is a full place, can you give me 
 one more ? — A. Yes ; ' What things were gain to 
 me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubt- 
 less, and I count all things but loss for the excel- 
 lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord : 
 for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, 
 and do count them hut dung, that I may win Christ,' 
 
 <fec. Phi. iii. 7, 8. 
 
 Q. These two are indeed a sufficient answer to 
 my question ; but pray will you now give me some 
 particular instances of the self-denial of them that 
 have heretofore been the followers of Christ? — A. 
 Yes ; Abel denied himself to the losing of his 
 blood. Ge. iv. 8. Abraham denied himself to the 
 losing of his country and his father's house. Ge. xii. 
 1— t. Moses denied himself of a crown and a king- 
 dom, and of ease and tranquillity. He. xi. 24—27. 
 Joseph denied himself of fleshly lusts. Ge. ixxk. 7—9. 
 
 Q. But these men each of them denied them- 
 selves but of some things, did they ? — A. You see 
 Abel lost all, his blood and all ; Abraham lost his 
 country to the hazard of his life. Ge. xu. 13. So did 
 Moses in leaving the crown and kingdom. He. xi. 27. 
 And Joseph in denying his mistress. Ge. xxxix. 10— 15. 
 
 Q. Will you discourse a little particularly of 
 self-denial ? — A. With all my heart. 
 
 Q. First then, pray in what spirit must this 
 self-denial be performed ? — A. It must be done in 
 the spirit of faith, of love, and of a sound mind. 
 Otherwise, if a man should sell all that he hath 
 and give to the poor, and his body to be burnt 
 besides, it would profit him nothing. 1 Co. xiii. 1—3. 
 
 Q. Who are like to miscarry here ?— A. They 
 whose ends in self-denial are not according to the 
 proposals of the gospel. 
 
 Q. Who are they ? — A. They that suffer through 
 strife and vain-glory ; or thus, they who seek in 
 their sufferings the praise of men more than the 
 glory of Christ, and profit of their neighbour. 
 
 Q. Who else are like to miscarry here ? — A. 
 They that have designs like Ziba to ingratiate 
 themselves by their pretended self-denial into the 
 affections of the godly, and to enrich themselves 
 by this means. 3 Sa. xvi. 1— t. 
 
 Q. Are there any other like to miscarry here ? 
 — A. Yes. They that by denying themselves 
 think with the Pharisee, to make themselves stand 
 more righteous in God's eyes than others. Lu. 
 
 xvlii. 11. 12. 
 
 Q. Who else are in danger of miscarryinn- here? 
 — A. They who have fainted in their works, they 
 whose self-denial hath at last been overcome by 
 
 self-love. Ga. iiL 4; vi. 9. 
 
 Q. Shall I propound a few more questions ? — 
 A. If you please. 
 
 Q. What then if a man promiseth to deny him- 
 self hereafter and not now, is not this one step to 
 this kind of worship ? — A. No, by no means ; for 
 
 the reason why this man refuseth to deny himself 
 now, is because his heart at present sticks closer 
 to his lusts and the world, than to God and Christ.* 
 Q. Can you give me a Scripture instance to make 
 this out? — A. Yes ; Esau never intended for ever 
 to part with the blessing, he intended to have it 
 hereafter ; but God counted his not choosing of it 
 at present, a despising of it, and a preferring of his 
 lusts before it: and therefore when he would, God 
 would not, but reject both him and his tears. Ge. 
 
 XXV. 80-34. He. xii. 14-16. 
 
 Q. IIow and if a man shall say thus, I am 
 willing to deny myself in many things, though he 
 cannot deny himself in all, is not this one step in 
 this part of this worship of God ? — A. No, in no 
 wise ; for this man doth, just like Saul, he will 
 slay a part, and will keep a part alive ; the king- 
 dom must be taken from him also. 1 Sa. xv. 
 
 Q. How if a man he willing to lose all but his 
 life? — A. He that ' will save his life shall lose it,' 
 but he that ' will lose his life for my sake,' saith 
 Christ, ' shall keep it unto life eternal.' Mat. xvi. 25. 
 
 Jn. xii. 25. 
 
 Q. How if a man has been willing to lose all 
 that he hath, but is not now, will not God accept 
 of his willingness in time past, though he be other- 
 wise now ? — A. No ; for the true disciple must deny 
 himself daily, take up his cross daily, and go after 
 Jesus Christ. Lu. ix. 23. 
 
 Q. But how if a man carrieth it well outwardly, 
 so that he doth not dishonour the gospel before 
 men, may not this be counted self denial ? — A. No, 
 if he be not right at heart ; for though man looketh 
 on the outward appearance, God looketh at the 
 heart. 1 Sa. xvi. 7. 
 
 Q. But if I be afraid my heart may deceive me 
 in this great work, if hard things come upon mo 
 hereafter, is there no way to find out whether it 
 will deceive me then or no ? — A. I will give you a 
 few answers to this question, and will shew you 
 first whose heart is like to deceive him in this 
 work. 
 
 Q. WiU you befriend me so much ? — A. Yes. 1. 
 He that makes not daily conscience of self-denial, is 
 very imlike to abide a disciple for times to come, 
 if difficult. Judas did not deny himself daily, and 
 therefore fell when the temptation came. Jn. xii. 6. 
 
 Q. Will you give me another sign ? — A. Yes. 
 He that indulgeth any one, secret lust under a pro- 
 fession, is not like to deny himself in all things for 
 Christ. 
 
 Q. Who are they that indulge their lusts ? — 
 
 * IIow debased is the humaa heart, to delay one moment 
 in giving up its poor all for Christ, In him dwells the ful- 
 ness of the Godhead ; he has nnsearchahle riches of wisdom . 
 and knowledge to bestow ; all-sufficient gi-ace and strensith, to 
 enable us to do and suffer his will ; and everlasting glory at 
 the close of our pilgrimage. — Ed. 
 
INSTRUCTION FOR THE IGNORANT. 
 
 689 
 
 A. They that make proyision for them, either in 
 apparel, or diet, or otherwise. Ro.xULis-ii. u.m.6-2i. 
 
 Am. Ti. 8—6. 
 
 Q. Who else do so ? — A. They that excuse their 
 sins, and keep them disgijised that they may not 
 be reprehended, as Saul did, (fee. i Sa. xv. la— 22. 
 
 Q. Who else are they that indulge their lusts? — 
 A. They that heap up to themselves such teachers 
 as favour their lusts. 2 Ti. iv. s, 4. is. xxx. 10. 
 
 Q. Who else do indulge their sins ? — A. They 
 that choose rather to walk by the imperfect lives of 
 professors than by the holy Word of God : or thus, 
 they that make the miscarriages of some good 
 men an encouragement unto themselves to forbear 
 to be exact in self-denial, these eat up the sins of 
 God's people as men eat bread. Ho. iv.7— 9. 
 
 Q. Will you now shew me who are like to do 
 this part of God's worship acceptably? — A. Yea; 
 he whose heart is set against sin as sin, is like to 
 deny himself acceptably. Ro. vii. 13, 14. 
 
 Q. Who else? — A. He that hath the sense 
 and savour of forgiveness of sins upon his heart, 
 a Co. V. 14. 
 
 Q. Who else is like to deny himself well? — 
 A. He that hath his affections set upon things 
 above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of 
 God. ColiiLl— 5. 
 
 Q. Who else is like to deny himself well for 
 Christ? — A. He that seeth a greater treasure in 
 self-denial, than in self-seeking. 2 Co xii. 9—11. He. .\1. 
 at— 26. 
 
 Q. Are there none other signs of one that is like 
 to do this part of God's worship acceptably? — 
 A. Yes ; he that takes up his cross daily, and 
 makes Christ's doctrine his example. Lu. vi. 47, 48. 
 
 Jn. xii. 25, 26. 
 
 Q. But how do you discover a man to be such a 
 one ? — A. He keepeth his heart with all diligence, 
 he had rather die than sin; ill carriages of pro- 
 fessors break his heart, nothing is so dear to him 
 as the glory of Christ.* Pr. iv. 23. Nu. xi. 15. pm. hl is. 
 
 Ac. zx. 24. 
 
 Q. Pray, can you give me some motive to self- 
 denial ? — A. Yes ; the Lord Jesus denied himself 
 for thee; what sayest thou to that* 
 
 Q. Wherein did Christ deny himself for me ? — 
 A. He left his heaven for thee, he denied for thy 
 sake to have so much of this world as hath a fox 
 or a bird, and he spilt his most precious blood for 
 
 thee. Jn. vi. 38. Lu. ix. 68. 2 Co. viii. 9. Ec. i. 5. 
 
 Q. Can you give another motive to self-denial? — 
 A. Yes ; ' What shall it profit a man, if he shall 
 gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?' 
 
 Mar. viii. 36. 
 
 * No tongue can utter, or heart conceive, the unspeakable 
 reward which an unwearied, unfainting diligence in well-doing, 
 attends the humble believer ; it begins in this world, and is 
 Mnsumraated in endless glory. — Ed. 
 VOL. II. 
 
 Q. But why doth God require self-denial of them 
 that will be saved ? — A. God doth not require self- 
 denial as the means to obtain salvation, but hath 
 laid it down as a proof of the truth of a man's 
 affections to God and Christ. 
 
 Q. How is self-denial a proof of the truth of a 
 man's affections to God ? — A. In that for the sake 
 of his service, he leaveth all his enjoyments in this 
 world. Thus he proved Abraham's affections. Ge. 
 xiiii. 12. Thus he proved Peter's affections. Mat. ir. 
 18—32. and thus he proved their affection that you 
 read of in the gospel. Lu. ix. 67—63. 
 
 Q. What reason else can you produce why God 
 requireth self-denial ? — A. Self-denial is one of 
 the distinguishing characters by which true Chris- 
 tians are manifested from the feigned ones: for 
 those that are feigned, flatter God with their 
 mouths, but their hearts seek themselves ; but the 
 sincere, for the love that he hath to Christ, for- 
 saketh all that he hath for his sake.t Ps. iixviii. so, 
 
 37. Eze. xxxiii. 31, 32. 
 
 Q. Is there yet another reason why God re- 
 quireth self-denial of them that profess his name ? 
 — A. Yes ; because by self-denial the power and 
 goodness of the truths of God are made manifest 
 to the incredulous world. Por they cannot see 
 but by the self-denial of God's people, that there 
 is such power, glory, goodness, and desirableness 
 in God's truth as indeed there is. Da. lii. 16, 28. Phi. 
 
 i. 12, 13. 
 
 Q. Have you another reason why God requireth 
 self-denial? — A. Yes ; because self-denial pre- 
 pareth a man, though not for the pardon of his 
 sin, yet for that far more exceeding and eternal 
 weight of glory, that is laid up only for them that 
 deny all that they have for the Lord .Jesus, his 
 name, and cause in this world. 2 Co. iv. 8— in, 17. 2 Tii. 
 
 i. 5, 6. 
 
 Q. Before you conclude, will you give me .a few 
 instances of the severity of God's hand upon some 
 professors, that have not denied themselves when 
 called thereto by him ? — A. Yes, willingly ; Lot's 
 wife for but looking behind her towards Sodom, 
 when God called her from it, was stricken from 
 heaven, and turned into a pillar of salt ; therefore 
 remember Lot's wife. Ge. xix. 17, 26. Lu. xvii. 31, S2. 
 
 Q. Can you give me another instance ? — A. Yes ; 
 Esau for not denying himself of one morsel of meat 
 was denied a share in the blessing, and could never 
 obtain it after, though he sought it carefully with 
 
 tears. Ge. xxv. 32—34. He. xii. 16, 17. 
 
 Q. Have you at hand another instance? — A. 
 
 t Christian, you are not your own, you are bought with a 
 price far above all the treasures of the earth. You must not 
 do as you please, but study to do the will of your heavenly 
 Father. The man who is bent upon doing his own will, 
 renounces the name of Christian. Rebel against God is 
 inscribed upon all who do not his will. — Ed. 
 49 
 
690 
 
 INSTRUCTION TOR THE IGNORANT. 
 
 Yes ; Judas for not denying himself, lost Christ, 
 his soul, and heaven : and is continued the great 
 object of God's wrath among all damned souls. 
 
 Jn. xiL 6, 6. Ln. nii, 3—6. Mat. xivi. 14—16. Ac. L 25. 
 
 Q. Will you give me one more instance, and 
 so conclude ? — A. Yes ; Ananias and Sapphira his 
 wife, did for the want of self-denial, puU upon 
 themselves such wrath of God, that he slew them, 
 while they stood in the midst before the apostles. 
 
 Ac. ». 1—11. 
 
 37te Conclusion. 
 
 Before I wind up this discourse, I would lay 
 down these few things for you to consider of, and 
 meditate upon. 
 
 I. Consider, that seeing every one by nature 
 are accounted sinners ; it is no matter whether 
 thy actual sins be little or great, few or many, 
 thy sinful nature hath already Iain thee under the 
 curse of the law. 
 
 II. Consider, That therefore thou hast already 
 ground for humiliation, sins to repent of, wrath to 
 fly from, or a soul to be damned. 
 
 III. Consider, That time stays not for thee, and 
 also that as time goes, sin increaseth ; so that at 
 
 last the end of thy time, and the completing of 
 thy sin, are like to come upon thee in one moment. 
 
 IV. Bring thy last day often to thy bedside, and 
 ask thy heart, if this morning thou wast to die, if 
 thou be ready to die or no. 
 
 V. Know it is a sad thing to lie a dying, and 
 to be afraid to die ; to lie a dying and not to 
 know whither thou art going ; to lie a dying, and 
 not to know whether good angels or bad must con- 
 duct thee out of this miserable world. 
 
 VI. Be often remembering what a blessed thing 
 it is to be saved, to go to heaven, to be made like 
 angels, and to dwell with God and Christ to all 
 eternity. 
 
 VII. Consider how sweet the thought of salva- 
 tion will be to thee when thou seest thyself in 
 heaven, whilst others are roaring in hell.* 
 
 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. 
 
 * How Messed is the hope of the Christian ; full of life, 
 power, and much assurance. The salvation by Christ is infi- 
 nitely precious ; it redeems the soul from all possible misery, 
 and introduces it to the favour, love, and protection of almighty 
 God, who will save it from the ruins of time, till possessed of 
 the riches of eternity. — Ed, 
 
SEASONABLE COUNSEL: 
 
 on, 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFEEEES. 
 
 Bt JOHN BUN Y AN. 
 
 London : Printed for Benjamm Alsop, nt the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, MDCUCXiiv. 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDIIOE. 
 
 This valuable treatise was first published in a 
 pocket volume in 1684, and has only been re- 
 printed in Whitfield's edition of Bunyan's works 
 2 vols, folio, 1767. 
 
 No man could have been better qualified to give 
 advice to suff'erers for righteousness' sake, than 
 John Bunyan : and this work is exclusively devoted 
 to that object. Shut up in a noisome jail, under 
 the iron hand of persecution, for nearly thirteen 
 , years, in the constant fear of being hanged as a 
 malefactor, for refusing conformity to the national 
 liturgy, he well knew what sufi"erings were, and 
 equally well did he know the sources of con- 
 solation. It was wisely ordered by Divine Pro- 
 vidence, that before the king pardoned him, he 
 had a legal return under the hand and seal of the 
 sheriff of Bedfordshire, certifying the reasons of 
 this frightful imprisonment. This is entered in 
 the minutes of the Privy Council on the 8th and 
 15th of May, 1672 ; and it proves that he was 
 thus cruelly punished for ' being at conventicles 
 for nonconformity ' and for no other cause. In 
 this ' Advice ' we find his opinion on the origin 
 of persecution — the instruments — the motives — its 
 cruelty — with cautions, counsels, and support to 
 the persecuted. He considers persecution a strange 
 anomaly,—' The reason is that Christianity is a 
 harmless thing — that be it never so openly pro- 
 fessed it hurts no man.' Simple-hearted, honest 
 John, thou dreamest. What wouldst thou have 
 thought of a system by which all would have been 
 taught to tag their laces and mend their own pots 
 and kettles ? What would have become of thy 
 trade as a brazier ? Christianity teaches all man- 
 kind not to trust in those empirics who profess to 
 cure souls for Peter's pence, tithes, mortuaries, 
 and profits ; but to go by themselves to the Great 
 Physician, and he will pour in his wine and oil, 
 his infallible remedies for a sin-sick soul, without 
 money and without price. To Bunyan this was 
 not only harmless to others, but the most bound- 
 less mercy that God could bestow upon man. 
 What could be more destructive to the blessed 
 hierarchy of popes, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, 
 
 deans, prebends, canons, and the splendid tribe of 
 mere hireling ministers ? A system by which all' 
 their services are dispensed with, and priestly and 
 prelatic pride is levelled with the dust. Can we 
 wonder that those who preached the holy, humbling, 
 self-denying doctrines of the cross, were perse- 
 cuted to the death ? Bunyan's opinion is, that 
 Satan is the author of persecution, by which he 
 intended to root out Christianicy. The whirlwind 
 and the tempest drives away those who are not 
 rooted and grounded in the faith, some of whom 
 may have stood like stately cedars until the trying 
 time of trial came. But the humble Christian in 
 such a season takes deeper root — a stronger grasp. 
 Faith, his anchor, is sure and steadfast; it enters 
 eternity and heaven, where Satan can find no 
 entrance to disturb its hold. In persecution, men- 
 are but the devil's tools, and little think that they 
 are doing his drudgery, p. eoe. 
 
 The man of God declares the truth in plain 
 terms, ' No one is a Christian except he is bom of 
 God by the anointing of the Holy One.' Carnal 
 men cannot endure this ; and then ' the game 
 begins, ' how such troublesome fellows may be put 
 out of the way, and their families be robbed of 
 their possessions to enrich the persecutors, p. 712. 
 ' The holy places, vestures, gestures — the shows 
 and outward greatness of false religion, are in 
 danger.' Their sumptuous ceremonies, glorious 
 ornaments, new-fashioned carriages,* ' will fall 
 before the simplicity and majesty of truth.' p. 713. 
 The Christian falls out with sin at home, and then 
 with sinful ceremonies in divine worship. With 
 him all that is not prescribed in the word of God 
 is forbidden. Sentiments like these are a blow at 
 the root of superstition with all its fraudful emolu- 
 ments. Hence the storms of persecution which fall 
 on the faithful followers of Christ. Antichrist de- 
 clares the excellency of human inventions to supply 
 what he considers defects in God's system. 
 
 Such is the mad folly of the human heart! 
 Dust and ashes find fault with a system which is 
 
 * Not equipages to ride in, but dainty formalities. — Ed. 
 
693 
 
 TO THE CHB.ISTIAN READER. 
 
 the perfection of wisdom, mercy, and love. And 
 such their infatuation, that 'none must be suffered 
 to live and breathe that refuseth conformity there- 
 to.' p. 71S. Mr. Bunyan's cautions and counsels 
 are full of peace — ' submission to the powers that 
 be.' Pray for the persecutor — return good for his 
 evil. He is in the hand of Grod, who will soon level 
 him with the dust, and call his soul to solemn 
 judgment. Although the sufferer's cause is good, 
 do not run yourself into trouble — Christ withdrew 
 himself — Paul escaped by being lowered down the 
 city wall in a basket. If they persecute you in 
 one city, flee to another. • A minister can quickly 
 pack up and carry his religion with him, and offer 
 what he knows of his God to another people. 'p. 7U. 
 God is the support of his persecuted ones. ' His 
 power in holding up some, his wrath in leaving of 
 others ; his making of shrubs to stand, and his 
 suffering of cedars to fall ; his infatuating of the 
 counsels ot men, and his making of the devil to 
 outwit himself ; his giving of his presence to his 
 people, and his leaving of his foes in the dark; 
 
 his discovering the uprightness of the hearts of 
 his sanctified ones, and laying open the hypocrisy 
 of others, is a working of spiritual wonders in the 
 day of his wrath, and of the whirlwind and storm.' 
 p. 694. ' Alas I we have need of these bitter pills 
 at which we so much winch and shuck. The 
 physician has us in hand. May God by these try 
 and judge us as he judges his saints, that we may 
 not be condemned with the world. ' Such were 
 the feelings of John Bunyan after his long suffer- 
 ings; they are the fruits of a sanctified mind. 
 Reader, great are our mercies — the arm of the 
 persecutor is paralysed by the extension of the 
 knowledge of Christ. Still we have to pass through 
 taunts and revllings, and sometimes the loss of 
 goods ; but we are saved from those awful trials 
 through which our pilgrim forefathers passed. 
 May our mercies be sanctified, and may grace be 
 bestowed upon us in rich abundance, to enable us 
 to pity and forgive those sects who, in a bye-gone 
 age, were the tools of Satan, and whose habitations 
 were full of cruelty. — Geo. Offor. 
 
 TO THE CHRISTIAN EEADER. 
 
 Beloved, I thought it convenient, since many at 
 this day are exposed to sufferings, to give my 
 advice touching that to thee. Namely, that thou 
 wouldest take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul 
 diligently, and not suffer thyself to be entangled in 
 those snares that God hath suffered to be laid in 
 the world for some. Beware of ' men ' in the 
 counsel of Christ ' for they will deliver you up. ' 
 Mat. X. 17. Keep thou therefore within the bounds of 
 uprightness and integrity towards both God and 
 man : for that will fortify, that will preserve thee, 
 if not from, yet under the rage of men, in a com- 
 fortable and quiet frame of heart. Wherefore do 
 that, and that only, that will justify thy innocency, 
 and that will help thee, not with forced speech, but 
 with good conscience, when oppressed, to make thy 
 appeals to God, and to the consciences of all men. 
 
 This is the advice that, I thank God, I have 
 taken myself: for I find that there is nothing, next 
 to God and his grace by Christ, that can stand one 
 in such stead, as will a, good and harmless con- 
 science.* 
 
 I hope I can say that God has made me a Chris- 
 tian : and a Christian must be a harmless man, 
 and to that end, must embrace nothing but harmless 
 principles. A Christian's business, as a Christian, 
 
 " ' A good and harmless conscieiico ;' not as the procuring 
 c.iase of confidence iu God's tender care of us, but as the 
 strong evidence of our election and regeneration, — Eu. 
 
 is to believe in Jesus Christ, and in God the Father 
 by him ; and to seek the good of all about him, 
 according as his place, state and capacity in this 
 world will admit, not meddling with other men's 
 matters, but ever following that which is good. 
 
 A Christian is a child of the kingdom of God, 
 and that kingdom, take it as it begins in grace, or 
 as it is perfected in glory, is not of this world but 
 of that which is to come : and though men of old, 
 as some may now, be afraid of that kingdom : yet 
 that kingdom will hurt no man, neither with its 
 principles, nor by itself. To instance somewhat. 
 Faith in Christ : what harm can that do ? A life 
 regulated by a moral law, what hurt is in that ? 
 Rejoicing in spirit for the hope of the life to come 
 by Christ, who will that harm ? Nor is the insti- 
 tuted worship of our Lord of any evil tendency. 
 Christianity teaches us also to do our enemies good, 
 to ' Bless them that hate us, and to pray for them 
 that despitefully use us and persecute us,' and 
 what evil can be in that ? This is the sum of the 
 christian religion, as by the word may be plainly 
 made appear : wherefore I counsel thee to keep 
 close to these things, and touch with nothing that 
 jostleth therewith. 
 
 Nor do thou marvel, thou living thus, if some 
 should be so foolish as to seek thy hurt, and to 
 afflict thee, because thy works are good, i John UL 
 12, 13. For there is need that thou shouldest at 
 sometimes be in manifold temptations, thy good 
 
TO THE CHRISTIAN EEADER. 
 
 693 
 
 and innocent life notwithstanding, i Pe. i. e. For, 
 to omit other things, there are some of the graces 
 of God that are in thee, that as to some of their 
 acts, cannot shew themselves, nor their excellency, 
 iior their power, nor what they can do : hut as thou 
 art in a suffering state. Faith and patience, in 
 persecution, has that to do, that to shew, and that 
 to perform, that cannot he done, shewed, nor per- 
 formed any where else hut there. There is also a 
 patience of hope ; a rejoicing in hope, when we are 
 in tribulation, that is, over and above that which 
 we have when we are at ease and quiet. That also 
 that all graces can endure, and triumph over, shall 
 not be known, but when, and as we are in a state 
 of affliction. Now these acts of our graces are of 
 that worth and esteem with God, also he so much 
 delighteth in them : that occasion through his 
 righteous judgment, must be ministered for them 
 to shew their beauty, and what bravery* there is 
 iu them. 
 
 It is also to be considered that those acts of our 
 graces, that cannot be put forth, or shew them- 
 selves in their splendour, but when we christianly 
 suffer, wiU yield such fruit to those whose trials 
 call them to exercise, that will, in the day of God, 
 abound to their comfort, and tend to their perfec- 
 tion in glory, l Pe. i. 7. 2 Cor. iv, 17. 
 
 Why then should we think that our innocent 
 lives wiU exempt us from sufferings, or that troubles 
 shall do us such harm ? For verily it is for our 
 present and future good that our God doth send 
 them upon us. I count therefore, that such things 
 are necessary for the health of our souls, as bodilyt 
 pains and labour are for [the health of] the body. 
 People that live high, and in idleness, bring diseases 
 upon the body : and they that live in all fulness of 
 gospel-ordinances, and are not exercised with trials, 
 grow gross, are diseased and full of bad humours 
 in their souls. And though this may to some seem 
 strange : yet our day has given us such an experi- 
 mental proof of the truth thereof, as has not been 
 known for some ages past. 
 
 Alas ! we have need of those bitter piOs, at which 
 we so winch and shuck :| and it will be well if at 
 last we be purged as we should thereby. I am 
 sure we are but little the better as yet, though the 
 physician has had us so long in hand. Some bad 
 humours may possibly ere long be driven out : but 
 at present the disease is so high, that it makes 
 some professors fear more a consumption will be 
 made in their purses by these doses, than they 
 
 * ' Bravery;' magaificence or excellence. ' Like a stately 
 ship, with all her bravery on, and tackle trim, sails filled,' &c. 
 — Samson Agonistes. — En. 
 
 t ' Bodily pains ;' bodily industiy or painstaking. — Ed. 
 
 % ' Winch ;' to wince or kick with impatience. ' Shuck ;' 
 to shrug up the shoulders, expressive of dislike or aversion, 
 — Ek. 
 
 desire to be made better in their souls thereby. I 
 see that I still have need of these trials ; and if 
 God will by these judge me as he judges his saints, 
 that I may not be condemned with the world, I 
 will cry, Grace, grace for ever. 
 
 The consideration also that we have deserved 
 these things, much § silences me as to what may yet 
 happen unto me. I say, to think that we have 
 deserved them of God, though against men we have 
 done nothing, mates me lay my hand upon my 
 mouth, and causes me to hold my tongue. Shall 
 we deserve correction? And be angry because we 
 have it ! Or shall it come to save us ? and shall 
 we be offended with the hand that brings it ! Our 
 sickness is so great that our enemies take notice 
 of it ; let them know too that we also take our 
 purges patiently. We are willing to pay for those 
 potions that are given us for the health of our body, 
 how sick soever they make us : and if God wiU 
 have us pay too for that which is to better our 
 souls, why should we grudge thereat? Those that 
 bring us these medicines have little enough for 
 their pains : for my part, I profess, I would not 
 for a great deal, be bound, for their wages, to do 
 their work. True, physicians are for the most part 
 chargeable, and the niggards are too loth to part 
 with their money to them : but when necessity sa^'S 
 they must either take physic, or die : of two evils 
 they desire to choose the least. Why, affliction is 
 better than sin, and if God sends the one to cleanse 
 us from the other, let us thank him, and be also 
 content to pay the messenger. 
 
 And thou that art so loth to pay for thy sinning, 
 and for the means that puts thee upon that exercise 
 of thy graces, as will be for thy good hereafter : 
 take heed of tempting of God lest he doubleth this 
 potion unto thee. The child, by eating of raw fruit, 
 stands in need of physic, but the child of a childish 
 humour refuseth to take the potion, what follows 
 but a doubling of the affliction, to wit, frowns, 
 chides, and further threatenings and a forcing of 
 the bitter pills upon him. But let me, to persuade 
 thee to lie down and take thy potion, tell thee, it 
 is of absolute necessity, to wit, for thy spiritual 
 and internal health. For, First, Is it better that 
 thou receive judgment in this world, or that thou 
 stay for it to be condemned with the ungodly in 
 the next? Second, Is it better that thou shouldest, 
 as to some acts of thy graces, be foreign, and a 
 stranger, and consequently that thou shouldest lose 
 that far more exceeding, and eternal weight of 
 glory that is prepared as the reward thereof ? or 
 that thou shouldest receive it at the hand of God, 
 when the day shall come that every man shall havo 
 praise of him for their doings ? Third, And I say 
 again, since chastisements are a sign of sonship, a 
 
 { ' Much ;' in a great degree. 
 
694 
 
 TO THE CHRISTIAN EEADEK. 
 
 token of love : and the contrary a sign of bastardy, 
 and a token of hatred. He. xii. e-s. Hos. It. 14. Is it 
 not better that we bear those tokens and marks in 
 our flesh that bespeak us to belong to Christ, than 
 those that declare us to be none of his? For my 
 part, God help me to choose rather to suffer afflic- 
 tion with the people of God, than to enjoy the 
 pleasures of sin for a season : and God of his mercy 
 prepare me for his will. I am not for running 
 myself into sufferings, but if godliness will expose 
 me to them, the Lord God make me more godly 
 still : for I believe there is a world to come. 
 
 But, christian reader, I would not detain thee 
 from a sight of those sheets in thy hand: only let 
 me beg of thee, that thou wilt not be offended either 
 with God, or men, if the cross is laid heavy upon 
 thee. Not with God, for he doth nothing without 
 a cause, nor with men, for they are the hand of 
 God ; and will they, nill they ;* they are the ser- 
 vants of God to thee for good. Pb. ivii. U. Jer. xxiv. 6. 
 Take therefore what comes to thee from God by 
 them, thankfully. If the messenger that brings it 
 is glad that it is in his power to do thee hurt, and to 
 afflict thee ; if he skips for joy at thy calamity : be 
 sorry for him ; pity him, and pray to thy Father 
 for him : he is ignorant and understandeth not the 
 judgment of thy God, yea he sheweth by this his 
 behaviour, that though he, as God's ordinance, 
 serveth thee by afflicting of thee : yet means he 
 nothing less than to destroy thee : by the which 
 also he prognosticates before thee that he is work- 
 ing out his own damnation by doing of thee good. 
 Lay therefore the woful state of such to heart, and 
 render him that which is good for his evil; and 
 love for his hatred to thee ; then shalt thou shew 
 that thou art acted by a spirit of holiness, and art 
 like thy heavenly Father. And be it so, that thy 
 pity and prayers can do such an one no good, yet 
 they must light some where, or return again, as 
 ships come loaden from the Indies, full of blessings 
 into thine own bosom. 
 
 And besides all this, is there nothing in dark 
 providences, for the sake of the sight and observa- 
 tion of which, such a day may be rendered lovely, 
 when it is upon us. Is there nothing of God, of 
 
 * ' Will they, niU they;' niEan, a Saxon word, meaning ' not 
 win ' or contrary to the will — whether with or against their 
 wHl. ' Neede hath no law ; will I, or nill I, it must he done.' 
 — Damon and Pathias, 1571. 
 
 ' If now to man and wife to will and nill 
 The aelf-same thing, a note of concord be, 
 I know no couple better can agree.' — Ben Janson. — ^Eo. 
 
 his wisdom and power and goodness to be seen in 
 thunder, and lightning, in hailstones? in storms? 
 and darkness and tempests ? Why then is it said, 
 he 'hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm.' 
 Na. i. 3. And why have God's servants of old made 
 such notes, and observed from them such excellent 
 and wonderful things. There is that of God to be 
 seen in such a day as cannot be seen in another. 
 His power in holding up some, his wrath in leaving 
 of others ; his making of shrubs to stand, and his 
 suffering of cedars to fall ; his infatuating of the 
 counsels of men, and his making of the devil to 
 outwit himself ; his giving of his presence to his 
 people, and his leaving of his foes in the dark ; his 
 discovering the uprightness of the hearts of his 
 sanctified ones, and laying open the hypocrisy of 
 others, is a working of spiritual wonders in the day 
 of his wrath, and of the whirlwind and storm. 
 These days ! these days are the days that do most 
 aptly give an occasion to Christians, of any, to take 
 the exactest measures and scantlings of ourselves. 
 We are apt to overshoot, in days that are calm, 
 and to think ourselves far higher, and more strong 
 than we find we be, when the trying day is upon 
 us. The mouth of Gaal and the boasts of Peter 
 were great and high before the trial came, but when 
 that came, they found themselves to fall far short 
 of the courage they thought they had. Jnd. ix. 38. 
 
 We also, before the temptation comes, think we 
 can walk upon the sea, but when the winds blow, 
 we feel ourselves begin to sink. Hence such a 
 time is rightly said to be a time to try us, or to 
 find out what we are, and is there no good in this ? 
 Is it not this that rightly rectifies our judgment 
 about ourselves, that makes us to know ourselves, 
 that tends to cut off those superfluous sprigs of 
 pride and self-conceitedness, wherewith we are 
 subject to be overcome ? Is not such a day, the 
 day that bends us, humbleth us, and that makes 
 us bow before God, for om- faults committed in 
 our prosperity ? and yet doth it yield no good unto 
 us ? we could not live without such turnings of 
 the hand of God upon us. We should be over- 
 grown with flesh, if we had not our seasonable 
 winters. It is said that in some countries trees 
 will grow, but will bear no fruit, because there is 
 no winter there. The Lord bless all seasons to 
 his people, and help them rightly to behave them- 
 selves, under all the times that go over them. 
 
 Farewell. I am thine to serve thee in tho 
 gospel, 
 
 Jons BcNTAS. 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 695 
 
 ADTICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 •Wherefore let them that suffer according 
 to the will of god, commit the keepikg op 
 their souls to bim ijj well doing, as unto a 
 faithful creator.' — 1 pet. it. 19. 
 
 This epistle was written to saints in a£3iction, 
 specially those of the circumcision, for whom this 
 Peter was an apostle. And it was written to 
 them to comisel, and comfort them in their afflic- 
 tion. To counsel them as to the cause, for which 
 they were in afflictions, and as to the right man- 
 agement of themselyes, and their cause, under their 
 affliction. To comfort them also hoth with respect 
 to their present help from God, and also with re- 
 ference to the reward that (they faithfully con- 
 tinuing to the end) should of God be bestowed 
 upon them: all which we shall have occasion, 
 more distinctly, to handle in this following dis- 
 course. 
 
 The text is a conclusion, drawn from the coun- 
 sel and comfort which the apostle had afore given 
 them in their suffering state. As who should 
 say, my brethren, as you are now afflicted, so 
 sufferings are needful for you, and therefore pro- 
 fitable and advantageous: wherefore be content 
 to bear them. And that you may indeed bear 
 them with such christian contentedness, and pa- 
 tience as becomes you ; commit the keeping of 
 your souls to your God as unto a faithful Creator. 
 * Let them that suffer according to the will of God, 
 commit the keeping of their souls to him [in well 
 doing,] as unto a faithful Creator.' 
 
 In this conclusion, therefore, we have three 
 things very fit for sufferers to concern themselves 
 with. First, A direction to a duty of absolute 
 necessity. Second, A description of the persons, 
 who are unto this, so necessary a duty, directed. 
 Third, An insinuation of the good effect that wiU 
 certainly follow to those that after a due manner 
 shall take this blessed advice. 
 
 The duty so absolutely necessary is, that suf- 
 ferers ' commit the keeping of their souls to God.' 
 The sufferers here intended, are those ' that suffer 
 according to the will of God. ' The good insinuated, 
 that will be the effect of our true doing of this, is, 
 we shall find God ' a faithful Creator.' 
 
 [Pirst — the Duty to which Sufferers are 
 directed.] 
 
 We will first begin with the duty, that sufferers 
 are here directed to, namely, the committing of 
 their souls to God. ' Let them - commit the 
 keeping of their souls to him, in well doing.' 
 
 And I find two things in it that first call for 
 
 explaining before I proceed. 1. What we must 
 here understand by 'the soul.' 2. What by 'com- 
 mitting ' the sold to God. 
 
 1. For the first: 'The soul,' here, is to he 
 taken for that most excellent part of man, that 
 dweUeth in the body; that immortal, spiritual 
 substance, that is, and wDl be capable of life, and 
 motion, of sense and reason ; yea, that will abide 
 a rational being, when the body is returned to the 
 dust as it was. This is that great thing, that our 
 Lord Jesus intends, when he bids his disciples in 
 a day of trial, tear him that can destroy both body 
 and soul in hell. Ln. m. s. That great thing, I say, 
 that he there cautions them to take care of. Ac- 
 cording to Peter here, ' Let them commit the 
 keeping of their soul to him in well doing.' 
 
 2. Now to 'commit' this soul to God, is to 
 carry it to him, to lift it to him, upon my bended 
 knees, and to pray him for the Lord Jesus Christ's 
 sake, to take it into his holy care, and to let it be 
 under his keeping. Also, that he will please to 
 deliver it from all those snares that are laid for it, 
 betwixt this and the next world, and that he will 
 see that it be forthcoming, safe and sound, at tl^ 
 great and terrible judgment, notwithstanding so 
 many have engaged themselves against it. Thus 
 David committed his soul to God, when he said 
 ' Arise, Lord, disappoint him, cast him down : 
 deliver my soul, Lord, from the wicked, which 
 is thy sword.' Ps. ivH. 13. And again, 'Be pleased, 
 Lord, to deliver me : Lord, make haste to 
 help me. Let them be ashamed and confounded 
 together that seek after my soul to destroy it.' 
 
 Ps. d. 13, 14. 
 
 Thus, I have shewed you what the soul is, and 
 what it is to commit the soul to God. This then 
 is the duty that the apostle here exhorteth the 
 sufferers to, namely, to carry their soul to God, 
 and leave it with him while they engage for his 
 name in the world. Now from the apostle's 
 exhortation to this great duty, I will draw these 
 following conclusions. 
 
 Ctynduskm First, That when persecution is raised 
 against a people, there is a design laid for the 
 ruin of those people's souls. This, I say, doth 
 naturally follow from the exhortation. Why else, 
 need they to commit the keeping of their souls to 
 God. For by this word, 'Unto God to keep them,' 
 is suggested ; there is that would destroy them, 
 and that Owrefore persecution is raised against 
 them. I am not so uncharitable, as to think, that 
 persecuting men design this.* But I verily believe 
 
 How little do persecutors imagine that they are mere 
 
696 
 
 ADVICE TO SUWERERS. 
 
 that the devil dotli design this, when he stirs them 
 up to so sorry a work. In times of trial, says 
 Peter, ' your adversary the devil walketh about as a 
 I'oaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. ' i Pe. r 8. 
 
 Alas ! men in their acts of this nature, have 
 designs that are lower, and of a more inferior 
 rank. Some of them look no higher than revenge 
 upon the carcass; than the spoiling of their neigh- 
 bour of his estate, liberty, or life ; than the great- 
 ening of themselves in this world, by the ruins of 
 those that they have power to spoil. Their 'pos- 
 sessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: 
 and they that sell them say. Blessed be the Lord, 
 for I am rich.' Zee. xi. 5. 
 
 Ay ! But Satan will not be put off thus : it is 
 not a bag of money, or the punishing of the car- 
 cass of such a people, that will please or satisfy 
 him. It is the soul that he aims at ; the ruin of 
 the precious soul that he hath bent himself to 
 bring to pass. It is this therefore that Peter 
 here hath his heart concerned with. As, who 
 should say, My brethren, are you troubled and 
 persecuted for your faith ? look to it, the hand 
 of Satan is in this thing, and whatever men drive 
 at by doing as they do, the devil designs no less 
 than the damnation of your souls. Ware hawk, 
 saith the falconer, when the dogs are coming 
 near her : especially if she be too much minding 
 of her belly, and too forgetful of what the nature 
 of the dog is. Beware Christian, take heed 
 Christian ; the devil is desirous to have thee. 
 And who could better give this exhortation than 
 could Peter himself. Who for not taking heed 
 as to this very thing, had like by the devil to 
 have been swallowed up alive: as is manifest to 
 them that heedfully read, and consider how far 
 he was gone, when that persecution was raised 
 against his Master. Lu. uU. 
 
 When a tyrant goes to dispossess a neighbouring 
 prince of what is lawfully his own : the men that 
 he employeth at arms to overcome, and get the 
 land, they fight for half-crowns, and the like, and 
 are content with their wages: But the tyrant is 
 for the kingdom, nothing will serve him but the 
 kingdom.* This is the case: Men when they 
 persecute, are for the stuff, but the devil is tor 
 the soul, nor will any thing less than that satisfy 
 him. Let him then that is a sufferer ' commit the 
 
 tools for tlie devil to work with, whether they are harassing 
 Christians by takin;; their goods, or are hunting down their 
 liberties or lives. All works together for good to the Chris- 
 tian, but for unutterable woe to the persecutor. God give 
 them repentance. — Ed. 
 
 * Wicked men sell themselves to do the devil's work. How 
 degrading to the dignity of man ! Enlisting under a foreign 
 prince to destroy thejr own nation, and ia so doing to destroy 
 themselves, i'ov an account of the atrocities and horrors of 
 this war, read the history of the Waldenses.— En. 
 
 keeping of his soul to God:' lest stuff, and soul, 
 and all be lost at once. 
 
 Condusion Second, A second conclusion that 
 followeth upon these words, is this : That sufferers, 
 if they have not a care, may be too negligent as 
 to the securing of their souls with God, even when 
 persecution is upon them. For these words, as 
 they are an instruction, so they are an awakening 
 instruction ; they call as to people in danger ; as 
 to people, not so aware of the danger ; or as unto 
 a people that forget, too much, that their souls, 
 and the ruin of them, are sought after by Satan, 
 when trouble attends them for the gospel sake. 
 As, who should say, when troubles are upon you 
 for the gospel's sake, then take heed that you 
 forget not to commit your souls to the keeping of 
 God. We are naturally apt with that good man 
 Gideon, to be threshing out our wheat, that we 
 may hide it from the Midianites. Jn. tL ii. But we 
 are not so naturally apt to be busying ourselves to 
 secure our souls with God. The reason is, for 
 that we are more flesh than spirit, and because 
 the voice of the world makes a bigger sound in our 
 carnal mind, than the word of God doth. Where- 
 fore Peter, here, calls upon us as upon men of 
 forgetful minds, saying. Let them that suffer 
 according to the will of God, have a care of their 
 souls, and take heed, that the fears of the loss of 
 a little of this world, do not make them forget the 
 fear of the losing of their souls. That sufferers 
 are subject to this, may appear by the stir and 
 bustle that at such a time they make to lock all up 
 safe that the hand of man can reach, + while they 
 are cold, chill, remiss, and too indifferent about 
 the committing of their soul to God to keep it. 
 This is seen also, in that many, in a time of trou- 
 ble for their profession, will study more to deceive 
 themselves by a change of notions, by labouring to 
 persuade their consciences to admit them to walk 
 more at large, by hearkening to opinions that please 
 ard gratify the flesh, by adhering to bad examples, 
 and taking evil counsels, than they will to make 
 straight steps for their feet : and to commit the 
 keeping of their souls to God. What shall I say, 
 have there not been many, that so long as peace 
 has lasted, have been great swaggerers for reli- 
 gion, who yet so soon as the sun has waxed warm, 
 have flagged, have been discontented, offended, 
 and turned away from him that speaketh from 
 heaven ? All which is because men are naturally 
 apt to be more concerned for their goods, carnal 
 peace, and a temporal life, than they are about 
 
 t This frequently happened. In Bedford, Nic. Hawkins 
 attended a meeting, and was fined two pounds ; but when the 
 hai-pies went to take away his goods, finding that ' they had 
 been removed beforehand, and his house visited with the small 
 pox, the officers declined entering.' — Persecution in Bedford, 
 1670, p, 6.— Ed. 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 697 
 
 securing of their soula with God. Wherefore I 
 say, these words are spoken to awaken us to the 
 consideration of soul-concerns, and how that should 
 be safely lodged under the care, protection, and 
 mercy of God, by our committing of it to him, for 
 that purpose, by Jesiis Christ our Lord. 
 
 Conclusion Third, Another conclusion that fol- 
 loweth upon this exhortation, is this : That perse- 
 cution doth, sometimes, so hotly follow God's 
 people, as to leave them nothing but a soul to care 
 for. They have had no house, no land, no money, 
 no goods, no life, no liberty, left them to care for. 
 All is gone but the soul. Goods have been con- 
 fiscated, liberty has been in irons, the life condemned, 
 the neck in a halter, or the body in the fire. So 
 then all, to such, has been gone, and they have had 
 nothing left them to care for, but their soul. ' Let 
 them commit the keeping of their soul to God. ' 
 This conclusion, I say, doth naturally flow from 
 the words. For that the apostle here doth make 
 mention only of the soul, as of that which is left, 
 as of that which yet remains to the sufferer of all 
 that ever he had. Thus they served Christ ; they 
 left him nothing but his soul to care for. Thus 
 they served Stephen ; they left him nothing but his 
 soul to care for, and they both cared for that, 
 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit,' 
 said Jesus. La. xiiii. k. And, ' Lord Jesus, receive 
 my spirit, ' said Stephen. Ac. vk. sd. As for all other 
 things, they were gone. They parted the very 
 clothes of Christ among themselves before his face, 
 even while he did hang pouring out his hfe before 
 them, upon the tree. ' They parted my garments 
 among them,' said he, 'and upon my vesture did 
 
 they cast lots. ' Mat. jscvii. 35. Mar. it. 24. Jn. xix. 24. This 
 
 also has oftetttimes been the condition of later 
 Christians, all has been gone, they have been 
 stript of all, nothing has been left them but ' soul' 
 to care for. Job said that he had escaped with 
 the skin of his teeth ; and that is but a little : but 
 he doth not escape with so much, that loses all that 
 ha has, life and all, we now except the soul. But, 
 Condusion Mrniih, Another thing that followeth 
 from the words is this ; namely. That when the 
 devil. and wicked men have done what they could, 
 in their persecuting of the godly ; they have yet 
 had their souls at their own dispose.* They have 
 not been able to rob them of their souls, they are 
 not able to hurt their souls. The soul is not in 
 their power to touch, without the leave of God, 
 and of him whose soul it is. ' And fear not them, ' 
 saith Christ, ' which kill the body, but are not able 
 to kill the soul. ' Mat. x. 28. This, I say, lies clear also 
 in the text; for the exhortation supposes, that 
 whatever the sufferers, there made mention of, had 
 
 * 'Dispose;' power, disposal. 'All that is mine, I leave 
 at thy dispose.' — Shakspeare. — En, 
 VOL. II. 
 
 lost, they had yet their souls at their own dispose. 
 Let them that suffer, even to the loss of goods, 
 liberty, or life, ' commit the keeping of their soula 
 to God.' As, who should say, though the enemy 
 hath reached them to their all, and stripped them 
 of their all, yet I know, that their soul is not 
 among that all : For their soul is yet free from 
 them, at liberty, and may be disposed of, even as 
 the sufferer will. Wherefore, let him commit the 
 keeping of his soul to God, lest he also through 
 his negligence or carelessness be also spoiled of 
 that. The sufferer, therefore, hath his soul at his 
 own dispose, he may give that away to God 
 Almighty, in spite of all that the devil and the 
 world can do. He may, indeed, see men parting 
 his land, his household stuff, yea, his very raiment 
 among themselves, but they cannot so dispose of 
 his soul.t They 'have no more that they can do.' 
 
 Lu. xii. 4. 
 
 Conclusion Fifth, Anqther conclusion that fol- 
 loweth from these words is this. That a man, when 
 he is a sufferer, is not able to secure his own soul 
 from the hand of hell by any other means, but by 
 the committing of the keeping thereof to God. Do 
 you suffer? Are you in afilictlon for your profes- 
 sion ? Then keep not your soul in your own hand, 
 for fear of losing that with the rest. For no man 
 'can keep alive his own soul.' Ps. xxU. 29. No, not 
 in the greatest calm ; no, not when the lion is 
 asleep : how then should he do it at such a time, 
 when the horrible blast of the terrible ones shall 
 beat affainst his wall. The consideration of this 
 was that that made holy Paul, who was a man 
 upon whom persecution continually attended, com- 
 mit his soul to God. Ac xx 22-24. 2 Ti. i. 12. God, as 
 I shall shew you by and by, is he, and he alone 
 that is able to keep the soul, and deliver it from 
 danger. Man is naturally a self-deceiver, and 
 therefore is not to be trusted, any farther than as 
 the watchful eye of God is over him. But as to 
 his soul, he is not to be trusted with that at all, 
 that must be wholly committed to God, left alto- 
 gether with him ; laid at his feet, and he also must 
 take the charge thereof, or else it is gone, will bo 
 lost, and will perish for ever and ever. Wherefore 
 it is a dangerous thing for a man that is a sufferer, 
 to be a senseless man, as to the danger that his 
 soul is in, and a prayerless man, as to the commit- 
 ting of the keeping of it to God. For he that is 
 such, has yet his soul, and the keeping thereof, in 
 his own deceitful hand. And so has he also that 
 stays himself upon his friends, upon his know- 
 
 t In Ireland, whole provinces were desolated, hoth by Pro- 
 testants and Papists, with a ferocity scarcely credible. In 
 England, the church awfully tormented their Christian dis- 
 senters, to whom their Lord's words must have been pecu- 
 liarly consoling : ' Fear not them which kill the body.' Did 
 they suffer ? How holy were their enjoyments ! —Ed. 
 4, T 
 
698 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFEREUS. 
 
 ledge, the promise of men, or the mercy of his 
 enemies, or that has set in his mind a bound to 
 himself, how far he will venture for religion, and 
 where he will stop. This is the man that makes 
 not God his trust, and that therefore will surely 
 fall in the day of his temptation. Satan, who now 
 hmiteth for the precious soul to destroy it, has 
 power, as well as policy, beyond what man can 
 think. He has power to blind, harden, and to 
 make insensible, the heart. He also can make 
 truth in the eyes of the suifering man, a poor, little, 
 and insiffnificant thing. Judas had not committed 
 the keeping of his soul to God, but abode in him- 
 self, and was left in his tabernacle : and you by 
 and by see what a worthy price he set upon him- 
 self, his Christ, and heaven, and all. All to him 
 ■was not now worth thirty pieces of silver. 
 
 And as he can make truth in thy esteem to be 
 little, so he can make sufferings great, and ten 
 times more ten-ible, than he that hath committed 
 the keeping of his soul to God shall ever find 
 them. A gaol shall look as black as hell, and the 
 loss of a few stools and chairs, as bad as the loss 
 of so many bags of gold.* Death for the Saviour 
 of the world, shall seem to be a thing both unrea- 
 sonable and intolerable. Such will choose to run 
 the hazard of the loss of a thousand souls, in the 
 way of the world, rather than the loss of one poor, 
 sorry, transitory life for the holy Word of God. 
 But the reason, as I said, is, they have not com- 
 mitted the keeping of their soul to God. For he 
 that indeed has committed the keeping of his soul 
 to that great one, has shaken his hands of all 
 things here. Has bid adieu to the world, to friends, 
 and life : and waiteth upon God in a way of close 
 keeping to his truth, and walking in his ways, 
 having counted the cost, and been persuaded to 
 take what cup God shall suffer the world to give 
 him for so doing. 
 
 Conclusion Sixth, Another conclusion that fol- 
 loweth from these words is, That God is very willing 
 to take the charge and care of the soul (that is 
 committed unto him) of them that suffer for his sake 
 in the world. If this were not true, the exhorta- 
 tion would not answer the end. What is intended 
 by, ' Let him commit the keeping of his soul to 
 God,' but that the sufferer should indeed leave that 
 great care with him ; but if God be not willing to 
 be concerned with such a charge, what bottom t is 
 there for the exhortation? But the exhortation 
 
 * An awful instance occurred soon after the publication of 
 this ' Advice.' John Child, a Baptist minister, one of Bunyan's 
 friends, to escape pei-secntioii, conformed, and became ten-ified 
 with awful compnnctions of conscience. His cries were fear- 
 ful : 'J shall go to hell ;' ' I am broken in judgment ;' ' 1 am 
 as it were in a flame.' In u fit of desperation he destroyed 
 liimself on the 15th October, 1684. — Ed. 
 
 t '"What bottom;' what ground or foundation. — Eu. 
 
 has this for its bottom, therefore God is willing 
 to take the charge and care of the soul of him that 
 suffereth for his name in this world. ' The Lord 
 redeemeth the soul of his servants : and none of 
 them that trust in him shall be desolate.' p». %xm. 22. 
 1 sa. xiT. 28, 29. None, not one that committeth his 
 soul to God's keeping in a way of well doing, but 
 shall find him willing to be concerned therewith. 
 
 Ay, this, saith the sufferer, if I could believe 
 this, it would rid me of all my fears. But I find 
 mysell engaged for God, for I have made a profes- 
 sion of his name, and cannot arrive to this belief 
 that God is willing to take the charge and care of 
 my soul. Wherefore I fear, that if trials come so 
 high, as that life, as well as estate, must go, that 
 both life, and estate, and soul, and all will be lost 
 at once. 
 
 Well, honest heart, these are thy fears, but let 
 them fly away, and consider the text again, ' Let 
 them that suffer according to the will of God, com- 
 mit the keeping of their souls to him, - as unto a 
 faithful creator.' These are God's words, Christ's 
 words, and the invitation of the Holy Ghost. When, 
 therefore, thou readest them, be persuaded that 
 thou hearest the Father, and the Son, and the 
 Holy Ghost, all of them jointly and severally 
 speaking to thee and saying. Poor sinner, thou art 
 engaged for God in the world, thou art suffering 
 for his Word : leave thy soul with him as with one 
 that is more willing to save it, than thou art willing 
 he should : act faith, trust God, believe his Word, 
 and go on in thy way of witness-bearing for him, 
 and thou shalt find all well, and according to the 
 desire of thy heart at last. True, Satan will make 
 it his business to tempt thee to doubt of this, that 
 thy way be made yet more hard and difficult to 
 thee. For he knows that unbelief is a soul-per- 
 plexing sin, and makes that which would otherwise 
 be light, pleasant, and easy, unutterably heavy and 
 burdensome to the sufferer. Yea, this he doth in 
 hope to make thee at last, to cast away thy pro- 
 fession, thy cause, thy faith, thy conscience, thy 
 soul, and all. But hear what the Holy Ghost saith 
 again : ' He shall spare the poor and needy, and 
 shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem 
 their sotil from deceit and violence : and precious 
 shall their blood be in his sight. ' Pb. lixiL 13, 14. These 
 words also are spoken for the comfort of sufferers, 
 ver. 12. ' For he shall deliver the needy when he 
 crieth ; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.' 
 Wherefore, let them that are God's sufferers, pluck 
 up a good heart ; let them not be afraid to trust 
 God with their souls, and with their eternal con- 
 cerns. Let them cast all their care upon God, for 
 he careth for them. 1 Pe. t. 7. 
 But I am in the dark. 
 
 I answer, never stick at that. It is most 
 bravely done, to trust God with my soul in the 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 699 
 
 dark, and to resolre to serve God for nothing, 
 rather than give out. Not to see, and yet to 
 believe, and to be a follower of the Lamb, and yet 
 to be at uncertainty, what we shall have at last, 
 argues love, fear, faith, and an honest mind, and 
 gives the greatest sign of one that hath true sin- 
 cerity in his soul. It was this that made Job and 
 Peter so famous, and the want of it that took away 
 much of the glory of the faith of Thomas. Job l »-io, 
 21. Mat. six. 27. jn. zx. 29. Wherefore believe, verily, 
 that God is ready, willing, yea, that he looks for, 
 and expects that thou who art a sufiFerer shouldest 
 commit the keeping of thy soul to him, as unto a 
 faithful Creator. 
 
 Candudon Seventh. Another conclusion that fol- 
 loweth from these words is this, namely, That God 
 is able, as well as willing, to secure the souls of 
 his suffering saints, and to save them from the 
 evil of all their trials, be they never so many, 
 divers, or terrible. ' Let him commit the keeping 
 of his soul to God,' but to what boot, if he be not 
 able to keep it in his hand, and from the power of 
 him that seeks the soul to destroy it ? But 'my 
 Father which gave them me,' saith Christ, 'is 
 greater than all ; and no man is able to pluck 
 them out of my Father's hand.* ja, i. 29. So then 
 there can be no sorrow, afBiction, or misery 
 invented, by which the devil may so strongly pre- 
 vail, as thereby to pluck the soul out of the hand 
 of him who has received it, to keep it from tailing, 
 and perishing thereby. The text therefore sup- 
 poseth a sufficiency of power in God to support, 
 and a sufficiency of comfort and goodness to 
 embolden the soul to endure for him: let Satan 
 break out, and his instruments too, to the greatest 
 degree of their rage and cruelty. 
 
 1. There is in God a sufficiency of power to 
 keep them that have laid their sovl at his foot to he 
 preserved. And hence he is called the soul-keeper, 
 the soul-preserver, Pr. xiiv. 12. ' The Lord is thy 
 keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right 
 hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor 
 the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee 
 from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.' Ps. cxii. 
 6-7. 'The sun shall not smite thee:' that is, per- 
 secution shall not dry and wither thee away to 
 nothing. Mat. liii. 6, 21. But that notwithstanding, 
 thou shalt be kept and preserved, carried through 
 and delivered from all evil. Let him therefore 
 commit the keeping of his soul to him, if he is in 
 a suffering condition, that would have it secured 
 and found safe and sound at last. For, 
 
 (1.) Then thine own natural weakness, and 
 timorousness shall not overcome thee. — For it shall 
 not be too hard for God. God can make the most 
 soft spirited man as hard as an adamant, harder 
 than flint, yea harder than the northern steel. 
 'Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?' 
 
 Je. XT. 12. The sword of him is [used] in vain that 
 lays at a Christian, when he is in the way of his 
 duty to God : if God has taken to him the chargo 
 and care of his soul, he can shoe him with brass, 
 and make his hoofs of iron. De. xixUi. 25. ' He can 
 strengthen the spoiled against the strwig, so that 
 the spoiled shall come against the fortress.' Am. 7. a. 
 
 Eze. xiiL 9. 
 
 He can turn thee into another man, and make 
 thee that which thou never wast. Timorous Peter, 
 fearful Peter, he could make as bold as a lion. 
 He that at one time was afraid of a sorry girl, he 
 could make at another to stand boldly before the 
 council. Mat. xivi. Ac. iv. 18. There is nothing too hard 
 for God. He can can say to them that are of a 
 fearful heart, ' Be strong, fear not. ' la. ixxv. 4. He 
 can say, Let the weak say I am strong ; by such 
 a word, by which he created the world. Zeo. xu. 8. 
 
 (2.) Thine own natural darkness and ignorance 
 shaU not cause thee to fall ; thy want of wit he 
 can supply. — He can say to the fools, be wise ; not 
 only by way of correction, but also by Way of 
 instruction too. He ' hath chosen the foolish 
 things of the world to confound the wise ; - yea, 
 things which are despised, - and things which are 
 not, hath God chosen to bring to nought things 
 that are. ' 1 Co. l 27, 28. Wisdom and might are his : 
 and when, and where he will work, none can at all 
 withstand him. He can give thee the spirit of 
 wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of his Son. 
 Ep. i. 17. Yea, to do this, is that which he challeng- 
 eth, as that which is peculiar to himself. ' Who 
 hath put wisdom in the inward parts ? or who hath 
 given understanding to the heart ?' Job xxxviii. 36. 
 And that he wiU do this that he hath promised, 
 yea, promised to do it to that degree, as to make 
 his, that shall be thus concerned for him, to top, 
 and overtop all men that shaU them oppose. I, 
 saith he, ' will give you a mouth and wisdom, that 
 all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay 
 nor resist. ' La. ixi. 13. 
 
 (3.) Thine own doubts and mistrusts about what 
 he will do, and about whither thou shalt go, when 
 thou for him hast suffered awhile, he can resolve, 
 yea, dissolve, crush, and bring to nothing. — He 
 can make fear flee far away : and place heavenly 
 confidence in its room. He can bring invisible 
 and eternal things to the eye of thy soul, and 
 make thee see that in those things in which thine 
 enemies shall see nothing, that thou shalt count 
 worth the loss of ten thousand lives to enjoy. He 
 can puU such things out of his bosom, and can put 
 such things into thy mouth ; yea, can make thee 
 choose to he gone, though through the flames, 
 than to stay here and die in silken sheets. Yea, 
 he can himself come near and bring his heaven 
 and glory to thee. The Spirit of glory and of 
 God resteth upon them that are but reproached 
 
700 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 for the name of Christ, i Pe. iv. u. And what the 
 Spirit of glory is, and what is his resting upon his 
 sufferers, is quite heyond the knowledge of the 
 ■world, and is but little felt by faints at peace. 
 They be they that are engaged, and that are under 
 the lash of Christ ; they are they, I say, that have 
 it and that understand something of it. 
 
 When Moses went up the first time into the 
 mount to God, the people reproached him for stay- 
 ing with him so long, saying, ' As for this Moses, 
 - we wot not what is become of him. ' Ex. xxiii. i. 
 Well, the next time he went up thither, and came 
 down, the Spirit of glory was upon him : his face 
 shone, though he wist it not, to his honour, and 
 their amazement. Ei. ixxiv. 29-35. Also while Ste- 
 phen stood before the council to be accused, by 
 suborned men, ' All that sat in the council, looking 
 steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the 
 face of an angel. ' Ac. it. 15. Those that honour God, 
 he will honour, yea, will put some of his glory 
 upon them, but they shall be honoured. There is 
 none can tell what God can do. He can make 
 those things that in themselves are most fearful 
 and terrible to behold, the most pleasant, delight- 
 ful, and desirable things. He can make a gaol 
 more beautiful than a palace; restraint, more 
 sweet by far than liberty. And ' the reproach of 
 Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.' 
 He. xi. 26. It is said of Christ, That ' for the joy 
 that was set before him, he endured the cross, 
 despising the shame.' He. xji. 2. But, 
 
 2. As there is in God a sufficiency of power to 
 uphold, so there is in him also a sufficiency of com- 
 fort and goodness to embolden us: 1 mean com- 
 municative comfort and goodness. Variety of, 
 and the terribleness that attends afflictions, call, 
 not only for the beholding of things, but also a 
 laying hold of them by faith and feeling ; now this 
 also is with God to the making of his to sing in 
 the night. Paul and Silas sang in prison, the 
 apostles went away from the council rejoicing, 
 when they had shamefully beaten them for their 
 preaching in the temple. Ac. v. But whence came 
 this but from an inward feeling by faith of the 
 love of God, and of Christ, which passeth know- 
 ledge ? Hence he says to those under afflictions, 
 ' Fear none of those things which thou shalt suifer. ' 
 Re. iL 10. There are things to be suffered, as well as 
 places to suffer in ; and there are things to be let 
 into the soul for its emboldening, as well as thinn's 
 to be showed to it. Ko. v. 5. 
 
 Now the things to be suffered are many, some 
 of which are thus counted up : ' They were tor- 
 tured, had crud mockings . and scourgings ; - 
 Ihey were stoned, were sawn asunder, were slain 
 with the sword, - were tempted ; - they wandered 
 about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being desti- 
 tute, afflicted, tormented.' ne. 3d. 35-37. These are 
 
 some of the things that good men of old have suf- 
 fered for their profession of the name of Jesus 
 Christ. All which ' they were enabled by him to 
 bear, to bear with patience ; to bear with rejoicing; 
 ' knowing in themselves that they had in heaven 
 a better, and an enduring substance. ' He. x. 32—34. 
 And it is upon this account that Paul doth call to 
 mind the most dreadful of his afflictions, which he 
 suffered for the gospel sake with rejoicing ; and 
 that he tells us that he was most glad, when he 
 was in such infirmities. Yea, it is upon this 
 account that he boasteth, and vaunteth it over 
 death, life, angels, principalities, powers, things 
 present, things to come, height, depth, and every 
 other creature : for he knew that there was enough 
 in that love of God, which was set on him through 
 Christ, to preserve bin), and to carry him through 
 all. 2 Co. xii. 9, 10. Ro. viii. 37-39. That God has done 
 thus, a thousand instances might be given ; and 
 that God will still do thus, for that we have his 
 faithful promise, is. xiiii. 2. 1 Co. x. 13. 
 
 To the adversaries of the church these things 
 have also sometimes been shewed, to their amaze- 
 ment and confusion. God shewed to the king of 
 Babylon that he was with the three children in the 
 fiery furnace. Da. Ui. 24. God shewed to the king 
 of Babylon again, that he would be where iiis 
 wei-e, though in the lion's den. vi. 24. 
 
 Also, in later days, whoso reads Mr. Fox's Acts 
 and Monuments, wiU also find several things to 
 confirm this for truth. God has power over all 
 plagues, and therefore can either heighten, or 
 moderate and lessen them at pleasure. He has 
 power over fire, and can take away the intolerable 
 heat thereof. This those in the Marian days 
 could also testify, namely, Hauks and Bainham, 
 and others, who could shout for joy, and clap their 
 hands in the very flames for joy. God has power 
 over hunger, and can moderate it, and cause that 
 one meal's meat shall go as far as forty were wont 
 to do. This is witnessed in Elias, when he went 
 for his life to the mount of God, being fled from 
 the face of Jezebel. 1 Ki xix 8. And what a good 
 night's lodging had Jacob when he fled from the 
 face of his brother Esau: when the earth was his 
 couch, the stone* his pillow, the heavens his 
 canopy, and the shades of the night his curtains.t 
 
 Gc. xxviii. 12—16. 
 
 I can do all things, said Paid, through Christ 
 strengthening me. And again, I take pleasure in 
 
 • This identical stone is said to be in tlie chair on which 
 our monai'chs are crowned in Westminster Abbey. — Ed. 
 
 t In so unbounded, eternal, and magnificent a mansion, well 
 might he exclaim, ' This is none other but the house of God, 
 and this is the gate of heaven.' Where God meets us with his 
 special presence, we ought to meet Him with the most hum- 
 blc reverence; remembering hia justice and holiness, and our 
 own meanness aud vileness.— Ed. 
 
ADVICE TO SUITEKERS. 
 
 701 
 
 infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in perse- 
 cutions, in distresses for Christ's sake. But how 
 can that he, since no affliction for the present seems 
 joyous ? I answer, though they be not so in 
 themselves, yet Christ, hy his presence, can make 
 them so : for then his power rests upon us. When 
 I am weak, saith he, then I am strong ; then Christ 
 doth in me mighty things : for my strength, saith 
 Christ, is made perfect in weakness ; in affliction, 
 for the gospel sake. 
 
 For- when my people are afflicted and suffer 
 great distress for me, then they have my comfort- 
 ing, supporting, emboldening, and upholding pres- 
 ence to relieve them : an instance of which you 
 have in the three children and in Daniel, made 
 mention of before. But what, think you, did these 
 servants of the God of Jacob feel, feel in their 
 souls, of his power and comforting presence when 
 they, for his name, were suffering of the rage of 
 their enemies, — while, also, one, like the Son of 
 God, was walking in the fire with the three ; 
 and while Daniel sat and saw that the hands 
 of the angels were made muzzles for the lions' 
 mouths. 
 
 I say, was it not worth being in the furnace 
 and in the den to see such things as these ? ! 
 the grace of God, and his Spirit and power that is 
 with them that suffer for him, if their hearts be 
 upright with him ; if they are willing to be faith- 
 ful to him ; if they have learned to say, here am I, 
 whenever he calls them, and whatever he calls 
 them to. ' Wherefore,' when Peter saith, ' let 
 them that suffer according to the will of God, com- 
 mit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, 
 as unto a faithful Creator.' He concludes, that 
 how outrageous, furious, merciless, or cruel soever 
 the enemy is, yet there, with him, they shall find 
 help and succour, relief and comfort; for God is 
 able to make such as do so, stand. 
 
 Conehtsion Eighth. We will now come to touch 
 upon that which may more immediately be called 
 the reason of this exhortation ; for, although all 
 these things that have been mentioned before may, 
 or might be called reasons of the point, yet there are 
 those, in my judgment, that may be called reasons, 
 which are yet behind. As, 
 
 1. Because, when a man has, by faith and prayer, 
 committed the keeping of his soul to God, he has the 
 advantage of that liberty of soiil to do and suffer 
 for God that he cannot otherwise have. He that has 
 committed his soul to God to keep is rid of that care, 
 and is delivered from the fear of its perishing for 
 ever. When'the Jews went to stone Stephen they 
 laid their clothes down at a distance from the 
 place, at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul, 
 that they might not be a cumber or a trouble to 
 them, as to their intended work. So we, when 
 we go about to drive sin out of the world, in a way 
 
 of suffering for God's tnith against it,* we should 
 lay down our souls at the feet of God to care 
 for, that we may not be cumbered with the care 
 of them ourselves ; also, that our care of God's 
 truth may not be weakened by such sudden and 
 strong doubts as will cause us faintingly to say. 
 But what will become of my soul ? When Paul had 
 told his son Timothy that he had been before that 
 lion Nero, and that he was at present delivered 
 out of his mouth, he adds, And the Lord shall 
 deliver me from every evil work, and wiU pre- 
 serve me unto his heavenly kingdom. He shall 
 and will. Here is a man at liberty, here are no 
 cumbersome fears. But how came the apostle by 
 this confidence of his well-being and of his share 
 in another world ? Why, ' he had committed the 
 keeping of his soul to God,' compare 2 Ti. i. 12. with 
 iT. 18. For to commit the keeping of the soul to 
 God, if it be done in faith and prayer, it leaves, 
 or rather brings this holy boldness and confidence 
 into the soul. Suppose a man in the country were 
 necessitated to go to London, and had a great 
 charge of money to pay in there ; suppose, also, 
 that the way thither was become exceeding danger- 
 ous because of the highwaymen that continually 
 abide therein, — what now must this man do to go 
 on his journey cheerfully ? Why, let him pay in 
 his money to such an one in the country as will be 
 sure to return it for him at London safely. Why, 
 this is the case, thou art bound for heaven, but the 
 way thither is dangerous. It is beset everywhere 
 with evil angels, who woidd rob thee of thy soul. 
 What now ? Why, if thou wouldest go cheerfully 
 on in thy dangerous journey, commit thy treasure, 
 thy soul, to God to keep ; and then thou mayest 
 say, with comfort. Well, that care is over : for what- 
 ever I meet with in my way thither, my soul is safe 
 enough : the thieves, if they meet me, can not come 
 at that ; I know to whom I have committed my soul, 
 and I am persuaded that he will keep that to my 
 joy and everlasting comfort against the great day.i 
 This, therefore, is one reason why we should, 
 that suffer for Christ, commit the keeping of our 
 souls to God ; because a doubt about the well- 
 being of that will be a clog, a burden, and an 
 
 * The only way of driving sin out of the world is to mdke 
 known the Saviour. Reader, can you solve Mr. Bunyan's 
 riddle ? Burning those who made him known under Mary 
 — hanging, imprisoning, and transporting the most godly 
 preachers for nonconformity under Elizabeth and the Stuarts. 
 How can this be a means of driving much sin out of the 
 world ' in a way of suffering for God's truth against it ?' — En. 
 
 t How indescribably blessed is the Chiistian. It is true 
 that he has to perform his pilgrimage through an enemy's 
 country, beset vrith snares, pit-falls, and temptations ; but in all 
 his bufletings and storms of sorrow, his soul is safe ; God is a 
 wall of fire round about it, and the glory in the midst of it. He 
 will guide us by his counsel, and then receive us to his glory. 
 —Ed. 
 
702 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFrERERS. 
 
 affliction to our spirit : yea, the greatest of afflic- 
 tions, whilst we are taking up our cross and hear- 
 ing it after Christ. The joy of the Lord is our 
 strength, and the fear of perishing is that which 
 will he weakening to us in the way. 
 
 2. We should commit the keeping of our souls 
 to God, because the final conclusion that merciless 
 men do sometimes make with the servants of God 
 is all on a sudden. They give no warning before 
 they strike. We shall not need here to call 
 you to mind about the massacres that were in 
 Ireland, Paris, Piedoiont, and other places, where 
 the godly, in the night before they were well 
 awake, had, some of them, their heart blood run- 
 ning on the ground. The savage monsters crying 
 out, Kill, kill, from one end of a street or a place 
 to the other. This was sudden ; and he that had 
 not committed his soul to God to keep it was surely 
 very hard put to it now ; but he that had done so 
 was ready for such sudden work. Sometimes, 
 indeed, the axe, and halter, or the faggot is shewed 
 first; but sometimes, again, it is without that 
 warning. Up, said Saul to Doeg, the Edomite, 
 and slay the priests of the Lord, i Sa. xxii. ii, is, 19. 
 Here was sudden work: fall on, said Saul, and Doeg 
 fell upon them, ' and slew on that day four score 
 and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.' 
 * Nob, also, the city of the priests, smote he with 
 the edge of the sword, both men and women, chil- 
 dren and sucklings, ' <fcc. Here was but a word and 
 a blow. Thinkest thou not, who readest these 
 lines, that all of these who had before committed 
 their soul to God to keep were the fittest folk to 
 die? 
 
 ' And immediately the king sent an executioner, 
 and commanded his head to be brought.' Mar. vi. 27. 
 The story is concerning Herod and John the Bap- 
 tist : Herod's dancing girl had begged John Bap- 
 tist's head, and nothing but his head must serve her 
 turn ; well, girl, thou shalt have it. Have it ? 
 Ay, hut it will be long first. No ; thou shalt 
 have it now, just now, immediately. ' And imme- 
 diately he sent an executioner, and commanded his 
 head to be brought.' 
 
 Here is sudden work for sufferers ; here is no 
 intimation beforehand. The executioner comes to 
 John ; now, whether he was at dinner, or asleep, 
 or whatever he was about, the bloody man bolts 
 in upon him, and the first word he salutes him 
 with is, Sir, strip, lay down your neck, for I am 
 come to take away your head. But hold, stay ; 
 wherefore ? pray, let me commit my soul to God. 
 No, 1 must not stay; I am in haste: slap, says 
 his sword, and off falls the good man's head. This 
 is sudden work ; work that stays for no man ; 
 work that must be done by and by ; immediately, 
 or it is not worth a rush. I wiU, said she, that 
 thou give me, by and by, in a charger, the head 
 
 of John the Baptist. Yea, she came in haste, 
 and hastily the commandment went forth, and 
 immediately his head was brought. 
 
 3. Unless a man commits the keeping of his soul 
 to God, it is a question whether he can hold out and 
 stand his ground, and wrestle with all temptations. 
 ' This is the victory, - even our faith ;' and ' who is 
 he that overcome th the world, but he that believeth ? ' 
 And what encouragement has a man to suffer for 
 Christ, whose heart cannot believe, and whose soul 
 he cannot commit to God to keep it ? And our 
 Lord Jesus intimates as much when he saith, ' Be 
 thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a 
 crown of life.' Wherefore saith he thus ? but to 
 encourage those that suffer for his truth in the 
 world, to commit the keeping of their souls to him, 
 and to believe that he hath taken the charge and 
 care of them. Paul's wisdom was, that he was 
 ready to die before his enemies were ready to kill 
 him. ' I am now ready,' saith he, ' to be offered, 
 and the time of my departure is at hand.' 2 Ti. iv. 6. 
 This is, therefore, a thing of high concern ; to 
 wit, the committing of the soul to God to keep 
 it. It is, I say, of concern to do it now, just 
 now, quickly, whether thou art yet engaged or no; 
 for it is a good preparatory to, as well as profit 
 able in, a time of persecution : consider it, I say. 
 The apostle Paul saith that he and his companions 
 were bold in their God, to profess and stand to 
 the word of God. 1 Th. ii. 2. But how could that be 
 if they had the salvation of their souls to seek, and 
 that to be sure they would have had had they not 
 committed the keeping of their souls to him in 
 well-doing ? 
 
 Quest. But what is committing of the soul to 
 God? 
 
 Answ. I have, in general, briefly spoken to that 
 already, and now, for thy further help, we will a 
 little enlarge. Wherefore, 
 
 (1.) To commit is to deliver up to custody to be 
 kept. Hence prisoners, when sent to the gaol, are 
 said to be committed thither. Thus Paul, ' haling 
 men and women, committing them to prison.' 
 Ac. viu. 3. And thus Joseph's master committed all 
 his prisoners to him, to his custody, to be kept 
 there according to the law. Ge. ssmx. 22. 
 
 (2.) To commit, is not only to deliver up to 
 custody, but to give in charge ; that that which 
 is committed be kept safe, and not suffered to he 
 lost. Lu. xvi. 11. Thus Paul was committed to prison, 
 the jailor being charged to keep him safely. Ac 
 
 ivi. 23. 
 
 (3.) To commit, is to leave the whole disposal, 
 sometimes, of that which is committed to those to 
 whom such thing is committed. Thus were the 
 shields of the temple committed to the guard. 1 kl 
 xiv. 27. And Jeremiah to the hands of Gedaliah, 
 
 Je. XKxiiL 14. 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 703 
 
 And thus tliou must commit thy soul to God 
 and to his care and keeping. It must be delivered 
 up to his care and put under his custody. Thou 
 mayst also, though I would speak modestly, give 
 him a charge to take the care of it. ' Concerning 
 my sons [and concerning my daughters] and con- 
 cemmg the work of my hands, command ye me.' 
 Is. =dv. 11. Thou must also leave aU the concerns of 
 thy soul and of thy being an inheritor of the next 
 world wholly to the care of God. He that doth 
 this in the way that God has bid him is safe, 
 though the sky should fall, ' The poor commit- 
 teth himself unto thee, thou art the helper of the 
 fatherless." Pb. k. u. 
 
 And for encouragement to do this, the Lord 
 has bidden us, the Lord has commanded us, the 
 Lord expecteth that we should thus do. Yea, 
 thou art also bidden to commit thy way unto him. 
 Paxnras. Thy work unto him. Pr.ivi. 3. Thy 
 cause unto him. Job v. s. Thy soul to him, and he 
 will take care of all. And if we do this, as we 
 should, God will not only take care of us and of 
 our souls in the general, but that our work and 
 ways be so ordered that we may not fall in either. 
 ' I have trusted,' said David, ' in the Lord, there- 
 fore 1 shall not slide.' Ps. um. 1. 
 
 Before I leave this, I will speak something of 
 the way in which this commitment of the soul to 
 God must be ; and that is, ' in a way of well-doing. ' 
 Let them commit the keeping of their souls to 
 him 'in well-domg;' or, in a way of well-doing. 
 That is, therefore, the course that a godly man 
 should be found in, at, in, and after he hath com- 
 mitted his soul to God to keep. And, as the 
 apostle says in another place, this is but a ' rea- 
 sonable service.' Ro.idi.i. For if God be so gra- 
 cious as to take care of my soul at my request, why 
 should not I also be so gracious as to be found in 
 a way of well-doing at his bidding ? Take care, 
 master, of me for meat and wages, and I will take 
 care, master, that thy work shall be faithfully 
 done. This is honest, and thus should Christians 
 say to God : and he that heartily, in this, shall 
 mean as he saith, shall find that God's ways shall 
 be strength unto him. 
 
 A Christian is not to commit his soul unto God to 
 keep, and so to grow remiss, carnal, negligent, 
 cold, and worldly ; concluding as if he had now 
 bound God to save him, but sets himself at liberty 
 whether he will longer serve him in trying and 
 troublesome times or no. He must commit the 
 keeping of his soul to him 'in well-doing.' He 
 may not now relinquish God's cause, play the 
 apostate, cast off the cross, and look for heaven 
 notwithstanding. He that doth thus will find him- 
 self mistaken, and be made to know at last that 
 God takes the care of no such souls. ' If any man 
 draws back,' saith he, 'my soul shall have no 
 
 pleasure in him.' Wherefore, he that committeth 
 the keeping of his soul to God must do it in that 
 way which God has prescribed to him, which is in a 
 way of well-doing. Alas! alas! there is never 
 such a word in it ; it must be done in a way of 
 ' well-doing.' You must think of this that would 
 commit your souls to God in suffering and trouble- 
 some times. You must do it in well-doing. 
 
 ' In well-doing,' that is, in persevering in ways 
 of godliness, both with respect to morals and also 
 instituted worship. Thou, therefore, that wouldest 
 have God take care of thy soul, as thou believest, 
 so thou must do well ; that is, do good to the poor, 
 to thy neighbour, to all men, especially to the 
 household of faith. Benjamin must have a Benja- 
 min's mess ; and all others, as thou art capable, 
 must feel and find the fruit of thy godliness. Thou 
 must thus serve the Lord with much humility of 
 mind, though through many difficulties and much 
 temptation. 
 
 Thou must also keep close to gospel worship, 
 public and private ; doing of those things that thou 
 hast warrant for from the word, and leaving of 
 that or those things for others that will stick to 
 them — that have no stamp of God upon them. 
 Thou must be found doing of all with all thy heart, 
 and if thou sufferest for so doing, thou must bear 
 it patiently. For what Peter saith to the women 
 he spake to, may be applied to all believers, ' whose 
 daughters ye are,' saith he, meaning Sarah's, 'as 
 long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any 
 amazement. ' 1 Pe. iu. 6. 
 
 So then, the man that has committed his soul 
 to God to keep has not at all disengaged himself 
 from his duty, or took himself off from a persever- 
 ance in that good work that, under a suffering 
 condition, he was bound to do before. No ; his 
 very committing of his soul to God to keep it has 
 laid an engagement upon him to abide to God in 
 that calling wherein he is called of God. To com- 
 mit my soul to God, supposes my sensibleness of 
 hazard and danger ; but there is none [no danger] 
 among men when the offence of the cross is ceased. 
 To commit my soul to God to keep, concludes my 
 resolution to go on in that good way of God that 
 is so dangerous to my soul, if God taketh not the 
 charge and care thereof. For he that saith in his 
 heart, I will now commit my soul to God, if he 
 knows what he says, says thus : I am for holding 
 on in a way of bearing of my cross after Christ, 
 though I come to the same end for so doing as he 
 came to before me. This is committing the soul 
 to him in well-doing Look to yourselves, there- 
 fore, whoever you are that talk of leaving your 
 souls with God, but do live loose, idle, profane, and 
 wicked lives. God will not take care of inch men's 
 souls ; they commit them not unto him as they 
 should. They do but flatter him witli their lips. 
 
704 
 
 ADVICE TO SUITERERS. 
 
 and lie unto him with their tongue, and think to 
 deceive the Lord ; hut to no purpose. ' He that 
 soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corrup- 
 tion.' It is he that sows to the Spirit that shall 
 ' reap life everlasting.' Ga. vi. 7, 8. 
 
 [second — A DESCRIPTION OF THE PERSONS WHO ARE 
 DIRECTED TO COMMIT THE KEEPING OF THEIR SOCXS 
 TO GOD.] 
 
 I shall now come to the second thing contained 
 in the text, namely, to give you a more distinct 
 description of the men that are thus hid to com- 
 mit the keeping of their souls to God. And they 
 are thus descrihcd : they that ' sufier according to 
 the will of God.' ' Let them that suffer according 
 to the will of God commit the keeping of their 
 souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Crea- 
 tor.' 
 
 Two things are here to he inquired into. First, 
 What the apostle here means hy the will of God. 
 Second, M'hat sufiering according to the will of 
 God is. 
 
 FIRST, For the will of God, it is divers ways 
 taken in the scriptures ; as, sometimes, for elect- 
 ing, justifying, sanctifying acts of God ; sometimes 
 for faith, good life, and sometimes for suffering 
 
 for his name. Ro. Ll Ep. i. 11. Jn. \ii. 17. 1 Ja. in. 23. 1 Th. iv. 
 
 3. Mat. vii. 21. But, hy will of God here we must. 
 First, Understand His law and testament. Se- 
 cond, His order and dbsignment. 
 
 [the will of god means HIS law and testament.] 
 
 First, By his will I understand his law and tes- 
 tament. This is called the revealed will of God, 
 or that hy which he has made himself, and how he 
 will he worshipped, known unto the children of 
 men. Now, I, understanding these words thus, 
 must, hefore I go further, make this distinction, 
 to wit, that there is a difference to he put hetwixt 
 them that suffer for the hreach and those that 
 suffer for keeping of this law and testament; 
 for though hoth of them may suffer hy the will 
 of God, yet they are not hoth concerned in this text. 
 A malefactor that suffereth for his evil deeds the 
 due punishment thereof, suffereth, as other texts 
 declare, according to the will of God. But, I say, 
 this text doth not concern itself with them ; for 
 hoth this text and this epistle is writ for the coun- 
 sel and comfort of those that suffer for keeping 
 the law and testament of God ; that suffer for 
 
 well-doing, l Pe. Ui. 13, 14, 17 ; iv. 13, 14. 
 
 The man then that is concerned in this advice 
 is he that suffereth from the hands of men for keep- 
 ing of the word of God ; and this is he that has 
 licence, leave, yea, a command to commit the 
 keeping of his soul to God in well-doing, as unto 
 
 a faitliful Creator. 
 this.i 
 
 We will a little enlarge upon 
 
 [ WJiai ii is to suffer according to the vM of GsDd, 
 or his law and testament.] 
 
 He that keepeth the word of God is such an one 
 that has regard to hoth the matter and manner 
 thereof. The matter is the truth, the doctrine con- 
 tained therein ; the manner is that comely, godly, 
 humhle, faithful way of doing it which becomes 
 a man that has to do with the law and testa- 
 ment of God ; and hoth these are contained in 
 the text. For, first, here is the will of God to 
 he done; and then, secondly, to he done accord- 
 ing to his will. ' Let them that suffer accord- 
 ing to his will:' which words, I say, take in both 
 matter and manner of doing. So then, the man 
 that here we have to do with, and to discourse of, 
 is a man that, in the sense now given, suffereth. 
 That which makes a martyr. Is suffering for the 
 word of God after a right manner ; and that is, 
 when he suffereth, not only for righteousness, hut 
 for righteousness' sake ; not only for truth, but of 
 love to truth ; not only for God's word, but accord- 
 ing to it, to wit, in that holy, humble, meek man- 
 ner as the word of God requireth. A man may 
 give his body to be burned for God's truth, and 
 yet be none of God's martyrs. 1 Co. xiii. 1—3. Yea, 
 a man may suffer with a great deal of patience, 
 and yet be none of God's martyrs. 1 Pe. u. 20. The 
 one, because he wanteth that grace that should 
 poise his heart, and make him right in the manner 
 of doing ; the other, because he wanteth that word 
 of the Holy One that alone can make his cause 
 good, as to matter. It is, therefore, matter and 
 manner that makes the martyr ; and it is this man 
 that is intended in the text which is aforesaid 
 described. So then, they that suffer for the law 
 and testament of God in that holy and humble 
 manner that the Word requires, they are they that, 
 by this Word of God, are commanded to commit 
 the keeping of their souls to God. 
 
 From this consideration, two things present 
 tliemselves to our sight. 1. That a man may be 
 a Christian, and suffer, and yet not suffer, in the 
 sense last given, according to the will of God. 
 2. There have been, and may yet be a people in 
 the world that have, and may suffer in the sense 
 of the apostle here, according to the will of God. 
 
 [1. .4 Christian may svffer, hut not in the sense of 
 Vie apostle, according to the vM of God.] 
 
 A few words to the first of these, namely, that 
 a man may be a Christian, and suffer, and yet not 
 suffer, in the sense of the apostle in the text, 
 •according to the will of God,' He maybe a 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 705 
 
 CLristian and yet not suffer as a Cliristian. lie 
 may want the matter, or, he may want the manner, 
 of suffering as a Christian. 
 
 This is evident from what this apostle suggests 
 in several places of this epistle. For, 
 
 Saith he, ' If ye be buffeted for your faults.' 
 iPe. U.20. This supposeth that a Christian may 
 so be ; for he speaketh here to the same people, 
 unto whom he speaketh in the text, though he 
 putteth them not under the same circumstance, as 
 Fuffering for well doing. If ye be buffeted for 
 your faults, for what God's word calls faults, 
 what thank have you from God, or good men, 
 though you take it patiently ? 
 
 So agam, * For it is better, if the will of God 
 be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil 
 doing. ' iii. 17. Here it is plainly supposed that a 
 christian man may suffer for evQ doing, yea, that 
 the wiU of God may be, that he should suffer for 
 evil doing. For God, if Christians do not well, 
 will vindicate himself by punishing of them for 
 their doing ill. Yea, and will not count them 
 worthy, though they be his own, to be put among 
 the number of those that suffer for doing well. 
 
 Again, ' But let none of you suffer as a mur- 
 derer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busy- 
 body in other men's matters.' iv. 15. These are 
 cautions to Christians to persuade them to take 
 heed to themselves, their tongues and their actions, 
 that all be kept within the bounds of the Word. 
 For it would be a foolish thing to say, that these 
 are cautions to persuade to take heed of that, into 
 which it is not possible one should fall. It is pos- 
 sible for Christians to suffer for evil doing, and 
 therefore let Christians beware ; it is possible for 
 Christians to be brought to public justice for their 
 faults, and therefore let Christians beware. It is 
 possible for Christians to suffer justly by the hand 
 of the magistrate, and therefore let Christians 
 beware. This also is insinuated in the text itself, 
 and therefore let Christians beware. 
 
 The causes of this are many, some of which I 
 shall now briefly touch upon. 
 
 (1.) Sin is in the best of men: and as long as it 
 is so, without great watchfulness, and humble 
 walking with God, we may be exposed to shame and 
 suffering for it. What sin is it that a child of God 
 is not liable to commit, excepting that which is 
 the sin unpardonable ? Nor have we a promise of 
 being kept from any other sin, but on condition 
 that we do watch and pray. Mat. xmi 41. 
 
 (2.) It is possible for a Christian to have an 
 erroneous conscience in some things, yea, in such 
 things as, if God by his grace prevents not, may 
 bring us to public justice and shame. Abishai, 
 though a good man, would have killed the king, 
 and that of conscience to God, and love to his 
 master. 1 Sa. xm. 7, 8. And had David delivored 
 
 VOL. 11. 
 
 him up to Saul for his attempt, he had in all like- 
 lihood died as a traitor. Peter drew his sword, 
 and would have fought therewith, a thing for 
 which he was blamed of his Master, and bid with 
 a threatening, 10 put it up again. Mat. ixvi. 52. Be- 
 sides, oppression makes a wise man mad; and 
 when a man is mad what evils will he not do ? 
 
 Further, The devil, who is the great enemy of 
 the Christians, can send forth such spirits into 
 the world as shall not only disturb men, but 
 nations, kings, and kingdoms, in raising divisions, 
 distractions and rebellions. And can so manage 
 matters that the looser sort of Christians* may be 
 also dipt and concerned therein. In Absalom's 
 conspiracy against his father, there were two 
 hundred men called out of Jeriusalem to follow 
 him, ' and they went in their simplicity, not 
 knowing any thing.' zsa. it. 11. I thank God I 
 know of no such men, nor thing: but my judg- 
 ment tells me, that if Christians may be drawn 
 into fornication, adultery, murder, theft, blas- 
 phemy or the like, as they may ; why should it be 
 thought impossible for them to be drawn in here. 
 Wherefore I say again, watch and pray, fear God, 
 reverence his Word, approve of his appointments, 
 that you may be delivered from every evil work 
 and way. 
 
 I said- afore that the will of God may be, that 
 a Christian should suffer as an evil doer ; but then 
 it is because he keepeth not within the bounds of 
 that, which is also called the will of God. The 
 will of God is, that sin shoidd be punished, though 
 committed by the Christians ; punished according 
 to the quality of transgressions : and therefore it 
 is that he hath ordained magistrates. Magis- 
 trates, to punish sin, though it be the sin of 
 Christians. They are the ministers of God, 
 revengers, to execute wrath, the wrath of God 
 upon them that do evil. Ho. jiii. Wherefore, though 
 the Christian as a Christian is the only man at 
 liberty, as called thereunto of God ; yet his liberty 
 is limited to things that are good: he is not 
 licensed thereby to indulge the flesh. Holiness 
 and liberty are joined together, yea our call to 
 liberty, is a call to holiness, t See, and you shall 
 find, that a quiet and peaceable life, in our respec- 
 tive places, under the government, is that which 
 
 * ' Looser sort of Chiistians ;' among ChristiaDs there are 
 gradations of character. Some axe fixed upon the Saviour, 
 and can say, ' For me to live is Christ.' Such decision ensures 
 safety and happiness ; while the looser sort are subject to many 
 sorrows and continual danger. May we press on towards the 
 mark. ' Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.' — En. 
 
 + Thie truth ought to be imprinted ou every heart. As 
 the absence of darkness is light, so liberty from the thraldom 
 of sin, and from the slavery of Satan, essentially induces holi- 
 ness of life. Thus holiness and liberty are joined together. 
 —Ed. 
 
 4 U 
 
706 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 we should pray for, to wit, that we may without 
 molestation, if it were 'the will of God,' spend our 
 days in aU godliness and honesty among our neigh- 
 bours. See 1 Ti. ii. 1-3. 1 Pe. U. 13-17. 
 
 [First, Caution to Christians as Clirislians.] — 
 I would improve this a little, and first, to Chris- 
 tians as Christians : beware the cautions, that are 
 here presented to you, be not neglected by you. 
 The evils are burning hot, as hot as a red hot 
 iron. It is the greatest blemish that can be to a 
 Christian, to suffer as an evil doer. To say 
 nothing of the reproach that such do bring to the 
 name of Christ, their Lord ; to his law, their rule; 
 and to the christian profession, which should be 
 their glory ; the guilt and shame that evil actions 
 will load the conscience with at such a time, can 
 hardly be stood under. The man that suffereth 
 as an evil doer, and yet weareth the name of a 
 Christian, what stumbling blocks doth he lay in 
 the way of the ignorant in a kingdom ? The 
 devil told them before, that a Christian was a 
 mischievous man ; and to suffer for evil doing, 
 confirms them in that belief. 
 
 Consider also the difficulties that surely such 
 must meet with in the last minutes of their life. 
 For can it be imagined but that such an one must 
 have combats and conflicts at the last, who carry 
 in their consciences the guilt and condemnation 
 that is due to their deeds, to the place which 
 magistrates have appointed for them to receive 
 the reward of their works at. Such an one be- 
 reaves not only his own soid of peace, and his 
 iiame of credit, but himself of life, his friends of 
 all cause of rejoicing, and casteth reproach upon 
 religion, as he is stepping out of the world. What 
 shall I say. Christians as Christians have other 
 things to do than to concern themselves in evil 
 things, or to meddle in other men's matters. Let 
 us mind our own business, and leave the magis- 
 trate to his work, office and calling among men 
 also. 
 
 I speak now to them that are not by the king 
 called to that employ. A Christian as such has 
 enough to do at home, in his heart, in his house, 
 in his shop, and the like. But if thou must needs 
 be meddhng, consider what place, office, calling 
 or relation, God has put thee in, and busy thyself 
 by the rule of the Word to a conscientious per- 
 formance of that. Nor shalt thou want dignity, 
 though thou art but a private Christian. Every 
 chi'istian man is made a king by Christ. Ee. v. lo. 
 But then', his dominion as such, doth reach no 
 further than to himself. He has not dominion 
 over another's faith. 2 Co. i. 24. His office is to 
 govern, and bridle, and keep under, himself ; to 
 watch over himself, and to bring his body into 
 subjection to the will of God. The weapons that 
 he has for this purpose are not carnal, but spiri- 
 
 tual, and mighty through God. Let him govern 
 then, if he will be a governor, his whole man by 
 the Word. Let him bring down, if he must be 
 bringing down, his own high imaginations, and 
 every high thing that exalts itself against the 
 knowledge of God. If he must be a warrior, let 
 him levy war against his own unruly passions, and 
 let him fight against those lusts that war against 
 
 his soul.* 2 Co. X. 3-5. Ga, v. 17. Ja. iu. 3-S. 1 Pe. iL 11. 
 
 I say therefore, if thou wilt needs be a ruler, 
 thou hast a tongue, rule that ; lusts, rule them ; 
 affections, govern them ; yea, thou hast excellent 
 graces, manage them, cherish, strengthen and 
 replenish them according to the mind of that 
 great one who has bestowed such power to rule, 
 upon thee. Mortify therefore your members which 
 are upon the earth ; fornication, uncleanness, inor- 
 dinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetous- 
 ness, which is idolatry. Col. iii. 5. Nor do I think 
 that murmuring, shrinking, wincing, complaining, 
 and the like, when men, governors, lay a yoke 
 upon our necks, flow from any thing else, but love 
 to our flesh, and distrust of the faithfulness of 
 God to manage men, things, and actions for his 
 church. The powers that be are ordered as well 
 as ordained of God. They are also always in God's 
 hand, as his rod or staff for the good and benefit 
 of his people. Wherefore we ought with all meek- 
 ness and humbleness of mind to accept of what 
 our God by them shall please to lay upon us. 
 
 1 Pe. V. 6. 
 
 By what I now say, I do not forbid groaning 
 and crying to God under affliction. I speak 
 against striving to deliver ourselves from the 
 affliction. And since men are, as I said, the rod, 
 staff or sword in God's hand, we should apply 
 ourselves unto him in faith in a way of prayer, 
 intercession, supplication and giving of thanks for 
 governors. For since they are sent of God, they 
 must needs come with some good in their hand 
 for us, also our prayers may make them more 
 piofitable to us. And this we ought to do with- 
 out wrath and doubting ; for this is that which is 
 good, and acceptable unto God. i Ti. ii. 
 
 Besides, it is a sign that we forget ourselves when 
 we complain for the punishment of our sins. If 
 we look into ourselves, and ways, we shall see cause 
 
 * The whole of this heautiful passage is worthy our careful 
 study and prayerful obedience. Are we ambitious to govern : 
 be it our honour to rule our own spirits and tongues. Are 
 we for war ? let it be levied upon our unruly passions. This 
 is laudable ambition. This is honourable war, producing the 
 peace and happiness of man. This is real glory to God and 
 man, the very opposite to those horrors of desolation which 
 gives joy among the devils of hell — the burning cities, the 
 garments rolled in blood, the shi'ieks of the wounded, and the 
 sickening miseries of the widows and orphans of the slain, 
 —El). 
 
ABMCE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 707 
 
 of more heayy stripes than yet God by men has 
 laid upon us. What sin has yet been suppressed by 
 all that has happened to us : if pride, covetousness, 
 looseness, treacherous dealing, schisms, and other 
 things, redressed by all the affliction that we have 
 had ? Yea, do we not grow worse and worse ? 
 Wherefore then should we complain? Where is 
 repentance, reformation, and amendment of life 
 amongst us ? Why, then, do we shrink and winch. 
 For my part, I have ofttimes stood amazed both 
 at the mercy of God, and the favour of the Prince 
 towards us ; and can give thanks to God for both : 
 and do make it my prayer to God for the king, and 
 that God will help me with meekness and patience 
 to bear whatever shall befall me for my professed 
 subjection to Christ, by men. 
 
 We are bid, as I said afore, to give thanks to 
 God for all men, for kings, and for all that are in 
 authority. Because, as I said, there is no man 
 with whom we have to do, we doing as we should, 
 but he bringeth some good thing to us, or doth 
 some good thing for us. We will now descend from 
 them that are supreme in authority, and will come 
 to inferior men : and suppose some of them to act 
 beyond measure, cruelly. What? Can no good 
 thing come to us out of this? Do not even such 
 things as are most bitter to the flesh, tend to awaken 
 christians to faith and prayer, to a sight of the 
 emptiness of this world, and the fadingness of the 
 best it yields? Doth not God by these things oft- 
 times call our sins to remembrance, and provoke 
 us to amendment of life? how then can we be 
 ofiended at things by which we reap so much good, 
 and at things that God makes so profitable for us ? 
 
 Doth not God, ofttimes, even take occasions by 
 the hardest of things that come upon us, to visit 
 our souls with the comforts of his Spirit, to lead 
 us into the glory of his word, and to cause us to 
 savour that love that he has had for us, even from 
 before the world began, till now. A nest of bees 
 and honey did Samson find, even in the belly of 
 that lion that roared upon him. And is all this 
 no good ? or can we be without such holy appoint- 
 ments of God ? Let these things be considered by 
 us, and let us learn like Christians to kiss the rod, 
 and love it. 
 
 I have thought, again, my brethren, since it is 
 required of us that we give thanks to God for all 
 these men, it follows that we do with quietness 
 submit ourselves under what God shall do to us by 
 them. For it seems a paradox to me, to give 
 thanks to God for them, that yet I am not willing 
 should abide in that place that God has set them 
 in for me. I will then love them, bless them, pray 
 for them, and do them good. I speak now of the 
 men that hurt me as was hinted afore. And I will 
 do thus, because it is good so to do, because they 
 do me good by hurting of me, because I am called 
 
 to inherit a blessing, and because I would be like 
 my heavenly Father. ' Therefore if mine enemy 
 hunger, let me feed him ; if he thirst, let me give 
 him drink.' * Mat t. 43-48. i Pe. Ui. 9. no. xn. 17-20. (1.) 
 We must see good in that, in which other men can 
 see none. (2.) We must pass by those injuries 
 that other men would revenge. (3.) We must shew 
 we have grace, and that we are made to bear what 
 other men are not acquainted with. (4.) Many of 
 our graces are kept alive by those very things that 
 are the death of other men's souls. 
 
 Where can the excellency of our patience, of 
 our meekness, of our long-sufi"ering, of our love, 
 and of our faith appear, if it be not under trials, 
 and in those things that run cross to our flesh ? 
 The devil, they say, is good when he is pleased. 
 But Christ and his saints, when displeased, t 
 
 Let us therefore covet to imitate Christ and the 
 scripture saints. Let us shew out of a good con- 
 versation, our works with meekness of wisdom. 
 Let us take heed of admitting the least thought 
 in our minds of evil, against God, the king, or 
 them that are under him in employ, because, the 
 cup, the king, all men, and things are in the hand 
 
 of God. Ps. Ixiy. 8. Pr. viil 15; xii. 1. La. iii. 37. And he 
 
 can make them better to us, than if they were as 
 our flesh desireth they should. 
 
 I have often thought that the best Christians are 
 found in the worst of times: and I have thought 
 again, that one reason why we are no better, is 
 because God purges us no more. Jn. xv. I know 
 these things are against the grain of the flesh, but 
 they are not against the graces of the Spirit. Noah 
 and Lot, who so holy as they, in the day of their 
 affliction? Noah and Lot, who so idle as they in 
 the day of their prosperity ? I might have put in 
 David too, who, while he was afflicted, had ways 
 of serving God that were special ; but when he was 
 more enlarged, he had ways that were not so good. 
 Wherefore the first ways of David are the ways 
 that God has commended : but the rest of his ways, 
 such as had not pre-eminence. 2 ch. iviL 3. 
 
 We have need of all, and of more than all that 
 has yet befallen us : and are to thank God, since 
 his word and patience have done no more good to 
 us, that he hath appointed men to make us better. J 
 Wherefore for a conclusion, as we are to receive 
 
 * If this was our conduct, how soon should we get rid of 
 our enemies : ' for in bo doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on 
 his head.' Who would risk such punishment a second time ? 
 —Ed. 
 
 t This old proverb is a very striking illustration of the 
 words of Paul : ' Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil 
 with good.' —Ed. 
 
 X The saint must be "made meet for the inheritance." If 
 he neglects the means given in the Word, his Father, in mercy, 
 ' will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes 
 of the children of men,' 2 Sam. vii. 14. — Ed. 
 
708 
 
 ADVICE TO SOTEEERS. 
 
 with meekness the engrafted word of God, so also 
 we are with patience to bear what God, by man, 
 shall lay upon us. that saying of God to them 
 of old, ' Why criest thou for thine aflBiction ? thy 
 sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine 
 iniquity : because thy sins were increased, I have 
 done these things unto thee.' Jc. xix. 15. We have 
 need to consider of, and to sit still and he quiet, 
 and reverence the ordinance of God: I mean afflic- 
 tion. And until we can in truth get hither in our 
 spirits, I neither look to find very right Christianity 
 amongst us, nor much of God among professors. 
 When I think of Mordecai, and Daniel, yea, and 
 of David too, and of the behaviour of them all with 
 respect to the powers that they were under, I can- 
 not but think that a sweet, meek, quiet, loving, 
 godly submission unto men for the Lord's sake, 
 is an excellent token of the grace of God in us. 
 But, 
 
 [^Second Caution to Weak CIiriMians.] — As I 
 cannot but condemn the actions of such Christians 
 as have been touched before, so I -would caution 
 weak Christians not to be oU'ended with true reli- 
 gion for the miscarriages of their fellows. There 
 are two things that are very apt to be an occasion 
 of oflFence to the weak : one is, when the cross 
 attends religion ; the other is, when others that 
 profess rehgion do suffer for evil-doing. To both 
 tliese I would say this : — 
 
 1. Though the cross, indeed, is grievous to the 
 to the flesh, yet we should with grace bear up under 
 it, and not be offended at it. 
 
 2. And as to the second, though we should and 
 ought to be offended with such miscarriage ; yet 
 not with religion, because of such miscarriage. 
 Some, indeed, when they see these things, take 
 offence against religion itself; yea, perhaps, are 
 glad of the occasion, and so fall out with Jesus 
 Christ, saying to him, because of the evils that 
 attend his ways, as the ten tribes said to Rehoboam, 
 the son of Solomon the king, ' What portion have 
 we in David ? neither have we inheritance in the 
 son of Jesse ; to your tents, Israel : now see to 
 thine own house, David,' 1 Ki. xii. 10 ; and so go 
 quite away ft'om him, and cleave no more unto him, 
 to his people, or to his ways : but this is bad. Shun, 
 therefore, the evil ways of Christians, but cleave to 
 the way that is christian : cast away that bad spirit 
 that thou seest in any, but hold fast to thy Head 
 and Lord. Whither canst thou go ? the Lord Jesus 
 has the words of eternal life. Jn. «. ca. Whither wilt 
 thou go ? there is not salvation in any other. Ac iv. 12. 
 Take heed, therefore, of picking a quarrel with 
 Jesus Christ, and with his ways, because of the evil 
 doings of some of his followers. Judas sold him, 
 Peter denied him, and many of his disciples went 
 back and did walk no more with him ; but neither 
 lumself nor his ways were the worse for that. 
 
 Beware, therefore, that thou truly distinguisJi be- 
 tween the good ways of Jesus Christ and the evil 
 ways of them that profess him ; and take not an 
 occasion to throw away thy own soul down the 
 throat of hell, because others have vilely cast away 
 their lives by transgressing of the law of God. 
 Nay, let other men's faults make thee more wary; 
 let other men's falls make thee look better to thy 
 goings : shun the rock that he that went before 
 thee did split his ship against ; and cry to God to 
 lead thee in a path that is plain and good, because 
 of thy obseiTers. 
 
 Further, Let not opposite Christians rejoice 
 when they see that evil hath taken their brother 
 by the heel. Hate the garment, the thing that is 
 bad, and by which the name, and fame, and life 
 of thy brother is so vilely cast away, thou shouldest; 
 and take good heed lest it also touch thee, but yet 
 thou shouldest pity thy brother, mourn for his hard 
 hap, and grieve that a thing so much unbecoming 
 Christianity should be suffered to show the least 
 part of itself among any of those that profess the 
 gospel. 
 
 Directions /or the shunning of suffering for evil- 
 doing, are they that come next to hand. 
 
 Direction 1. Therefore, wouldest thou not suffer 
 as an evil-doer, then take heed of committing of 
 evil. Evil courses bring to evU ends ; shun all 
 appearance of evil, and ever follow that which is 
 good. And if ye be followers of that which is 
 good, who will harm you ? 1 Pe. m. 13. Or if there 
 should be such enemies to goodness in the world 
 as to cause thee for that to suffer, thou needest not 
 be ashamed of thy suffering for well-doing, nor can 
 there be a good man, but he will dare to own and 
 stand by thee in it. Yea, thy sufferings for that 
 will make thee happy, so that thou caust by no 
 means be a loser thereby. 
 
 Direction 2. Wouldest thou not suffer for evil- 
 doing, then take heed of the occasions of evil. Take 
 heed of tempting company. Beware of men, for 
 they will deliver thee up. There have been men 
 in the world that have sought to make themselves 
 out of the ruins of other men. This did Judas, 
 and some of the Pharisees. Mat. x. 17. Lu. lix. id, 20. 
 Take heed to thy mou\h : ' A fool's mouth calleth 
 for strokes, — and his lips are the snare of his soul.' 
 Pr. iTiii. 7. Take heed of indulging, and hearkenin"' 
 to the ease of the flesh, and of carnal reasonings, 
 for that will put thee upon wicked things. 
 
 Direction 3. Wouldest thou not suffer as an evil- 
 doer, then take heed of hearing of any thing 
 spoken that is not according to soimd doctrine : 
 thou must withdraw thyself from such in whom 
 thou perceivest not the words of knowledge. Let 
 not talk against governors, against powers, against 
 men in authority be admitted ; keep thee far from 
 an evil matter. My son, says Solomon, fear thou 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 709 
 
 the Lord, and the Khig, and meddle not with those 
 .that are given to change. 
 
 Direction 4. Wouldest thou not suffer as an evil- 
 doer, addict not thyself to play with evil,* to joke 
 and jest, and mock at men in place and power. 
 Gaal mocked at Ahimelech, and said, Who is 
 Abimelech, that we should serve him ? But he 
 paid for his disdainful language at last. Ju. ii. I 
 have heard of an innkeeper here in England, whose 
 sign was the crown, and he was a merry man. 
 Now he had a boy, of whom he used to say, when 
 he was jovial among his guests. This boy is heir 
 to the crown, or this boy shall be heir to the crown; 
 and if I mistake not the story, for these words he 
 lost his life.t It is bad jesting with great things, 
 with things that are God's ordinance, as kings and 
 governors are. Yea, let them rather have that fear, 
 that honour, that reverence, that worship, that is 
 due to their place, their office, and dignity. How 
 Paul gave honour and respect unto those that were 
 hut deputy-kings and heathen magistrates, will 
 greatly appear, if you do but read his trials before 
 them in the book called. The Acts of the Apostles. 
 And what a charge both he and Peter have left 
 behind them to the churches to do so too, may be 
 foimd to conviction, if we read their epistles. 
 
 Direction 5. Wouldest thou not suffer for evil- 
 doing, then take heed of being offended with 
 magistrates, because by their state acts they may 
 cross thy inclinations. It is given to them to bear 
 the sword, and a command is to thee, if thy heart 
 cannot acquiesce with all things with meekness 
 and patience, to suffer. Discontent in the mind 
 sometimes puts discontent into the mouth; and 
 discontent in the mouth doth sometimes also put 
 a halter about the neck. For as a man, by speak- 
 ing a word in jest may for that be hanged in 
 earnest ;t so he that speaks in discontent may die 
 lor it in sober sadness. Adonijah's discontent 
 put him upon doing that which cost him his life. 
 1 Ki ii, 13, 23. Great peace have they that love thy 
 law, and nothing shall offend them ; for they are 
 subjected to the ivill and foot of God. 
 
 Direction 6. But, above all, get thy conscience 
 possessed yet more with this, that the magistrate 
 is God's ordinance, and is ordered of God as such : 
 that he is the minister of God to thee for good. 
 
 * ' But if you give sin entrance at the door, 
 It's sting vjM in, and may come out no more.' 
 
 BunyarCs Caution. 
 t An equally cruel scene took place in the presence of Stow, 
 the historian, in the reign of Elizabeth. The bailiff of Rom- 
 ford coming to London, was asked by the curate of Aldgate 
 the news : he replied, ' Many men be up in Essex,' [Qu. not in 
 bed ?] For this he was hung the next morning in front of Mr. 
 fctow's house. How grateful ought we to be that such san- 
 guinai-y laws have fled, with the dark mists of en-or and 
 cruelty, before the spreading light of the gospel.— En. 
 
 and that it is thy duty to fear him, and pray for 
 him, to give thanks to God for him, and to be sub- 
 ject to him as both Paul and Peter admonish us ; 
 and that not only for wrath, but for conscience 
 sake. Ro. liii. 5. For all other arguments come short 
 of binding the soul, where this argument is want- 
 ing ; until we believe that of God we are bound 
 thereto. I speak not these tilings, as knowing 
 any that are disaffected to the government ; for I 
 love to be alone, if not with godly men, in things 
 that arc convenient. But because I appear thus 
 in public, and know not into whose hands these 
 lines may come, therefore thus I write. I speak 
 it also to show my loyalty to the king, and my love to 
 my fellow-subjects ; and my desire that all Chris- 
 tians should walk in ways of peace and truth. 
 
 2. \_Thai, Christiarts may, and have, suffered 
 according to the vnU of God.] 
 
 I come now to the second thing propounded to 
 be spoken to, as to suffering, which is this. — That 
 there have been, and yet may be, a people in the 
 world that have, and may, suffer in the sense of 
 the apostle here, according to the will of God, or 
 for righteousness' sake. 
 
 That there have been such a people in the world, 
 I think nobody will deny, because many of the 
 prophets, Christ, and his apostles, thus suffered. 
 Besides, since the Scriptures were written, all 
 nations can witness to this, whose histories tell at 
 large of the patience and goodness of the sufferers, 
 and of the cruelty of those that did destroy them. 
 And that the thing will yet happen, or come to 
 pass agaui, both Scripture and reason affirm. 
 
 Mrst, Scripture. The text tells us. That God 
 hath put enmity betwixt the woman and her seed, 
 and the serpent and his seed. Ge. m. is. This enmity 
 put, is so fixed that none can remove it so, but 
 that it still will remain in the world. These two 
 seeds have always had, and will have, that which 
 is essentially opposite to one another, and they are 
 ' the spirit of truth and the spirit of error, ' Un. iv. g ; 
 sin and righteousness, Ui. 7, s -, light and darkness. 
 
 1 Th. y. 6. Hence ' an unjust man is an abomination 
 to the just ; and Jw thai is upright in the way is 
 abomination to the wicked.' rr. xxix. 27. So that 
 unless you could sanctify and regenerate all men, 
 or cause that no more wicked men should any 
 where be in power for ever, you cannot prevent 
 but that sometimes stUl there must be sufferers for 
 righteousness' sake. ' Yea, and all that will live 
 godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.' 
 
 2 Ti. iii. 12. 
 
 h'econd. To prove this by reason is easy. The 
 devil is not yet shut up in the bottomless pit — Anti- 
 christ is yet alive. The government in all king- 
 doms is not yet managed with such light, and 
 
710 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 goodness of mind, as to let the saints serve God, 
 as he has said, whatever it is in some. And until 
 then there will he in some places, though for my 
 part I cannot predict where, a people that will yet 
 suffer for well-doing, or for righteousness' sake. 
 
 In oi'der to a right handling of this matter, I 
 shall divide this head into these two parts — A. Show 
 you what it is to suffer for well-doing, or for rigli- 
 teousness. B. Show you what it is to suffer for 
 righieousness sake. I put this distinction, because 
 I find that it is one thing to suffer for righteous- 
 ness, and another to suffer for righteousness' sake. 
 
 [A. What it is to suffer for righteousness.] 
 
 To begin with the first, namely, to shc/w you 
 ivhat it is to suffer for righteousness. Now that 
 may be done either passively or actively. 
 
 1. Passively, as when any suffer for righteousness 
 without their own will, or consent thereto. Thus, 
 the little children at Bethlehem suffered by the 
 hands of bloody Herod, when they died for, or in 
 the room and stead of, Jesus Christ. Mat. u. lo. Every 
 one of those children died for righteousness, if 
 Christ is righteousness ; for they died upon his 
 account, as being supposed to he he himself. Thus 
 also the children of Israel's little ones, that were 
 murdered with their parents, or otherwise, because 
 of the religion of them that begat and bare them, 
 died for righteousness. The same may he said 
 concerning those of them that suffered in the land 
 of the Chaldeans upon the same account. I might 
 here also bring in those poor infants that in Ireland, 
 Piedmont, Paris, and other places, have had their 
 throats cut, and their brains dashed out against 
 the walls, for none other cause but for the religion 
 of their fathers. Many, many have suffered for 
 righteousness after this manner. Their will, nor 
 consent, has been in the suffering, yet they have 
 suffered for religion, for righteousness. And as 
 this hath been, so it may be again; for if men 
 may yet suffer for righteousness, even so, for ought 
 I know, even in this sense, may their children 
 also. 
 
 Now, although this is not the chief matter of 
 my text, yet a few words here may do no harm. 
 The children that thus suffer, though their own 
 will and consent be not in what they undergo, may 
 yet, for all that, be accepted as an offering unto 
 the Lord. Their cause is good ; it is for religion 
 and righteousness. Their hearts do not recoil 
 against the cause for which they suffer ; and 
 although they are children, God can deal with 
 them as with John the Baptist, cause them in a 
 moment to leap for joy of Christ ; or else can save 
 them by his grace, as he saveth other his elect 
 infants, and thus comprehend them, though they 
 cannot apprehend him ; yea, why may they not only 
 
 he saved, but in some sense be called martyrs of 
 Jesus Christ, and those that have suffered for God's 
 cause in the world ? God comforted Rachel con- 
 cerning her children that Herod murdered in the 
 stead, and upon the account of Christ.* He bids 
 her refrain herself from tears, by this promise, 
 that her children should come again from the land 
 of the enemy, from death. And again, saith he. 
 Thy children shall come again to their own border ; 
 which I think, if it be meant in a gospel sense, 
 must be to the heavenly inheritance. Compare 
 
 Je. XHd. 15-17. with Mat. ii. 18. t 
 
 And methinks this should be mentioned, not 
 only for her and their sakes, but to comfort all 
 those that either have had, or yet may have, their 
 children thus suffer for righteousness. None of 
 these things, as shall be further showed anon, 
 happen without the determinate counsel of God. 
 He has ordered the sufferings of little children as 
 well as that of persons more in years. And it is 
 easy to think that God can as well foresee which 
 of his elect shall suffer by violent hands in their 
 infancy, as which of them shall then die a natural 
 death. He has saints small in age as well as in 
 esteem or otherwise ; and sometimes the least mem- 
 ber of the body suffereth violence, as well as the 
 head or other chief parts. And although I desire 
 not to see these days again, yet methinks it will 
 please me to see those little ones that thus have 
 already suffered for Jesus, to stand in their white 
 robes with the elders of their people, before the 
 throne, to sing unto the Lamb. 
 
 2. Actively. But to pass this, and to come to 
 that which is more directly intended to be spoken 
 to, namely, to show you who doth actively suffer 
 for righteousness. And, 
 
 (I.) It is he thai clwoseth by his ovm will and con- 
 
 * They shed their blood for Him who afterwards shed his 
 blood for them. These were the infantry of the noble army 
 of martyrs. If these infants were thns baptized with blood, 
 though their own, into the chm'ch triumphant, it could be 
 said that what they got in heaven abundantly compensated for 
 what they lost on earth. — Henri/. 
 
 t Nearly all Protestants agree as to the salvation of infants 
 dying in their infancy — Toplady and the Calvinists on the 
 ground of their being in the covenant of grace ; others because 
 they had not personally transgressed; supposing that the suf- 
 ferings and death of the body is the penalty of original sin. 
 Holy Scripture appears to settle this question very satisfactorily, 
 by requiring childlike docility as a preparation for the Spirit's 
 working. The language of the Saviour is, ' Suffer little children 
 to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom 
 of God," Luke xviii. 16. ' Such' as die in infancy — 'such' adults 
 as, with childlike simplicity, search the Scriptures, and fly 
 for refuge to the Saviour. ' It is not the will of your Father 
 which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish,' 
 Mat. xviii. 14. ' It were better for him that a milstone* were 
 hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he 
 should offend one of these little ones,' Luke xvii. 2 — Ed. 
 * So spelt iu the standard edition of the Bible, 
 
ADVICE TO SUl'FERERS. 
 
 711 
 
 sent to suffhr/or it. All suffering that can be called 
 active suffering, must be by the consent of the 
 will ; and that is done when a man shall have sin 
 and suffering set before him, and shall choose suf- 
 fering rather than sin. He chose ' rather to suffer 
 affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the 
 pleasures of sin for a season.' iio. li. 25. And again, 
 They did not accept of deliverance, that is, of 
 base and unworthy terms, ' that they might obtain 
 a better resurrection.' ver. 35. 
 
 Indeed, no man can force a Christian to suffer as 
 a Christian, without his own consent. All Chris- 
 tians are sufferers of will and consent. Hence it 
 is said, they must take up their cross, by which 
 taking up, an act of their will is intended. Mat. x. ss; 
 ivi. 24. So again, ' Take my yoke upon you, ' which 
 also intends an act of the will. xi. 29. This, there- 
 fore, is the first thing that I would present you 
 with. Not that an act of the will is enough to 
 declare a man a sufferer for righteousness, it stand- 
 ing alone ; for a man, through the strength of 
 delusion, and the power of an erroneous conscience, 
 may be willing to suffer for the grossest opinions 
 in the world. But I bring it to show that actual 
 suffering for righteousness must also be by the con- 
 sent of the will — the mind of the man must be in it. 
 
 (2.) He that suffereth for righteousness thus, must 
 also luxve a good cause. A good cause is that which 
 is essential to suffering for righteousness. A good 
 cause, what is that ? Why, verily, it is the truth 
 of God, either in the whole of it, as contained in 
 the Scriptures of truth, or in the parts of it, as set 
 before me to believe, or do, by any part of that 
 holy Word. This may be called the matter for 
 which one suffereth ; or, as it is called in another 
 place, 'the word of righteousness.' He. v. 13. It may 
 also be called the form of sound doctrine, or the 
 like. Because without this Word, the matter and 
 nature of God's truths cannot be known. Pilate's 
 question, ' What is truth ? ' will still abide a ques- 
 tion, to those that have not, or regard not the 
 Word, the rule of righteousness. Jn. xwm. 38. See 
 then that thy cause be good, thou that wouldest 
 know what it is to suffer for righteousness ; step 
 not an hair's breadth without the bounds of the 
 Word of truth ; also take heed of misunderstand- 
 ing, or of wringing out of its place, any thing that 
 is there. Let the words of the upright stand 
 upright, warp them not, to the end they may com- 
 ply in show with any crooked notion. And to pre- 
 vent this, take these three words as a guide, in 
 this matter to thee. They show men their sins, 
 and how to close with a Saviour; they enjoin men 
 to be holy and humble ; they command men to 
 submit themselves to authority. And whatever is 
 cross to these, comes from ignorance of, or from 
 wresting, the rule of righteousness out of its place. 
 
 But more particularly, the word of righteousness 
 
 — thy cause, within the hounds of which thou must 
 keep, if thou wilt suffer for righteousness, is to 
 be divided into two parts. (1.) It containeth a 
 revelation of moral righteousness. (2.) It con- 
 taineth a revelation of evangelical righteousness. 
 
 As for moral righteousness, men seldom suffer ; 
 only, for that. Because that is the righteousness 
 of the world, and that, simply as such, that sets 
 itself up in every man's conscience, and has a 
 testimony for itself, even in the light of nature. 
 Besides, there is nothing that makethhead against 
 that ; but that which every man is ashamed, by 
 words to plead for, and that is immorality. And 
 this is that which Peter intends when he saith, 
 ' And if ye be followers of that which is good, who 
 will harm you ? ' 1 Pe. iii. 13. If ye be followers of 
 moral goodness. But if it should so happen, for 
 the case is rare, that any man should make you 
 sufferers because you love God, and do good to your 
 neighbour, happy are ye. Though I do not think 
 that the apostle's conclusion terminates there. But 
 more of these things anon. For let a man be a good 
 neighbour in morals ; let him feed the hungry, 
 clothe the naked, give freely out of his purse to 
 the poor, and do that which he would another 
 should do to him ; and stop there, and not meddle 
 with the name of Christ, and he shall have but few 
 enemies in the world. For it is not the law, but 
 Christ, that is the stumbling-block, and the rock of 
 offence to men. is. vm. u, is. Ro. ix. 31—33. 
 
 Wherefore, there is in God's Word a revelation 
 of another righteousness — a righteousness which is 
 not so visible to, yea, and that suiteth not so with, 
 the reason of man as that moral righteousness 
 doth. Wherefore this righteousness makes men 
 righteous in principle, and practise so, as is foreign 
 to natural men. Hence it is said to be foolishness 
 to them. 1 Co. u. 14. And again, ' Its praise is not of 
 men. ' Ro. ii. 29. This righteousness is also revealed 
 in the Scriptures, but the blind cannot see it. It 
 is the work of the Holy Ghost in the heart, and is 
 therefore called the fruits of the Spirit ; and the 
 grace, which in the head and fulness of it, is only 
 to be found in Christ. Jn. i le. Coi. l 19. 1 tl i. 14. This 
 righteousness being planted in the heart, leads a 
 man out by the Word of God, to seek for another 
 righteousness, as invisible to, and foreign from, the 
 natural man, as this. And that righteousness is 
 that which properly is the righteousness of Jesus 
 Christ — a righteousness that standeth in his obe- 
 dience to his Father's law, as he was considered a 
 common or public person — a righteousness which 
 he brought into the world, not for himself, as con- 
 sidered in a private capacity, but for those that 
 shall by faith venture themselves upon him, to 
 obtain by him life eternal. Ho. v. 19. Ph. m. 7—10. 
 
 Again, This closing by faith, with this righ- 
 teousness thus found in Christ, and being taken 
 
712 
 
 ADVICE TO SUfFEREKS. 
 
 therewith, leads me yet to another righteousness, 
 which is instituted worship, appointed by Christ, 
 for all his followers to be conversant in ; this worship 
 is grounded on positive precepts, and so on words 
 of righteousness, called Christ's words, Christ's 
 sayings, &c. 
 
 Now, Upon this bottom begins the difference 
 betwixt the men of God and the world. For, first, 
 by this inward principle of righteousness we come 
 to see, and say, that men by nature are not Chris- 
 tians, what privileges soever they may account 
 themselves partakers thereof. But whosoever is 
 a Christian, of God's making so, is begotten and 
 bom of God, and made a new creature by the 
 anointing received from the Holy One. Ja. i. is. Jn. iii. 
 
 3, 5. 2 Co. T. 17, 18; i. 21. 1 Ja ii. 20, 24, 27. 
 
 Now, this these carnal men cannot endure to 
 hear of; because it quite excludes them, as such, 
 from a share in the kingdom of heaven. To this, 
 again, the Christian stands and backs what he 
 says by the Word of God. Then the game begins, 
 and the men of the world are thoughtful how they 
 may remove such troublesome fellows out of the 
 way. But because the Christians love their neigh- 
 bours, and will not let them thus easily die in their 
 sins, therefore they contend with them, both by 
 reasonings, writings, sennons, and books of gospel 
 divinity; and stand to what they say. The world, 
 again, are angry with these sayings, sermons, and 
 books, for that by them they are concluded to be 
 persons that are without repentance, and the hope 
 of eternal life. Here again, the carnal world judges 
 that these people are proud, self-willed, pragmati- 
 cal, contentious, self-conceited, and so unsufferable 
 people. The Christian yet goes on and stands to 
 Avhat he has asserted. Then the poor world at 
 their last shift begins to tuni, and overturn the 
 gospel-man's sayings ; perverting, forcing, stretch- 
 ing, and dismembering of them ; and so making 
 of them speak what was never thought, much less 
 intended by the believer. 
 
 Thus they served our Lord ; for, not being able 
 to down with* his doctrine, they began to pervert 
 his words, and to make, as also they said after- 
 wards of Luther's, some offensive, some erroneous, 
 some treasonable, and that both against God and 
 CsBsar, and so they hanged him up, hoping there 
 to put an end to things. But this is but the begin- 
 ning of things ; for the christian man, by the word 
 of the gospel, goes further with his censure. For 
 he also findeth fault with all that this man, by the 
 ability of nature, can do for the freeing himself 
 from the law of sin and death. He condemns him 
 by the Word, because he is in a state of nature, 
 and he condemneth also whatever, while in that 
 
 * 'To down with;' to receive, to swallow. 'Probably it 
 will hai-diy down with any body at first hearing.' — Locke. — Ed. 
 
 state, he doth, as that wliich by no means can 
 plea'se God. Eo. xiv. 23. He. to. e. This now puts him 
 more out ; this is a taking of his gods away from 
 him. This is to strip him of his raiment, such as 
 it is, and to turn him naked into the presence of 
 God. This, I say, puts him out and out. These 
 wild-brained fellows, quoth he, are never content, 
 they find fault with us as to our state ; they find 
 fault with us as to our works, our best works. 
 They blame us because we are sinners, and they 
 find fault with us, though we mend ; they say, by 
 nature we are no Christians, and that our best 
 doings -will not make us such. What would they 
 have us do ? Thus, therefore, they renew their 
 quarrel ; but the christian man cannot help it, 
 unless he would see them go to hell, and saying 
 nothing. For the Word of God doth as assuredly 
 condemn man's righteousness, as it doth condemn 
 man's sin ; it condemneth not man's righteousness 
 among men, for there it is good and profitable. 
 Job Etxi'. 6-s ; but with God, to save the soul, it is 
 no better than filthy rags. is. bdv. e. 
 
 Nor will this christian man suffer these carnal 
 ones to delude themselves with a change of tenns ; 
 for the devil, who is the great manager of carnal 
 men in things that concern their souls, and in the 
 plea that they make for themselves, wiE help them 
 to tricks and shifts to evade the power of the Word 
 of God. Teaching them to call the beauties of 
 nature grace, and the acts of natural powers 
 the exercise of the graces of the Spirit, he will 
 embolden them also to call man's righteousness 
 the righteousness of Christ, and that by which a 
 sinner may be justified in the sight of God from 
 the law. These tricks the Christian sees, and 
 being faithful to God's truth, and desiring the sal- 
 vation of his neighbour, he laboureth to discover 
 the fallacy of, and to propound better terms for 
 this poor creature to embrace, and venture his soul 
 upon ; which terms are warranted by the New 
 Testament, a stranger to which the natural man 
 is. But, I say, the things which the Christian 
 presseth, being so foreign to nature, and lying so 
 cross to man's best things, are presently judged 
 by the natural man to be fables or foolishness. 
 1 Co. ii. 14. Wherefore here again, he takes another 
 occasion to maintain his strife, and contention 
 against the righteous man ; raising of slanders 
 upon him, and laying things to his charge that he 
 understandeth not ; charging also his doctrine with 
 many grievous things. Namely, that he holdeth 
 that man was made to be damned ; that man's 
 righteousness is no better than sin ; that a man 
 had as good to do ill as well ; that we may believe, 
 and do what we list; that holiness pleaseth not 
 God ; and that sinning is the way to cause grace to 
 abound. Besides, say they, he condemneth good 
 motions, and all good beginnings of heart to God- 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 713 
 
 ward; lie easteth away that good we have, and 
 would have us depend upon a justice to save us 
 hy, that we can hy no means approve of. And 
 thus the qiiarrel is made yet wider hetween the 
 men of the world and the christian man. But 
 there is not a stop put here. 
 
 For it is possihle for the carnal man to he beaten 
 out of aU his arguments for himself and his own 
 things, by the power and force of the Word ; and 
 to he made to consent to what the Christian has 
 said as to the notion of the truth. I must not speak 
 this of all. But yet the breach doth stiU. abide ; 
 for that yet there appears to be no more with the 
 man, but only the notion of things. For though 
 the notion of things are those that of God are 
 made the means of conveying of grace into the 
 heart, yet grace is not always with the notion of 
 things; the Word ofttimes standeth in man's under- 
 standing alone, and remaineth there, as not being 
 accompanied with such grace as can make it the 
 power of God to salvation. Now, wlien it is thus 
 with the soul, the danger is as great as ever, 
 because there is a presumption now begotten in 
 the heart that the man is in a saved condition, — a 
 presumption, I say, instead of faith, which puffeth 
 up, instead of enabling the soul after a godly man- 
 ner to depend upon God for mercy through Christ. 
 This is called the word of them that are puflfed up ; 
 the word only, because not accompanied with saving 
 
 grace, l Co. iv. 19 ; viii. 1. 1 Th. i. 5. 
 
 This the Christian also sees, and says it is too 
 weak to conduct the soul to glory. And this, 
 indeed, he says, because he would not that his 
 neighbour should come short home. But neither 
 can this be borne ; but here again, the natural man 
 with his notion of things is offended ; and takes 
 pet against his friend, because he tells him the 
 truth, and would that he so should digest the truth, 
 that it may prove unto him eternal life. Where- 
 fore he now begins to fall out again, for as yet the 
 enmity is not removed ; he therefore counts him 
 an unmerciful man, one that condemneth all to 
 hell hut himself; and as to his singularity in things, 
 those he counteth for dreams, for enthusiasms, 
 for allegorical whimsies, vain revelations, and the 
 effects of an erroneous judgment. For the Lord 
 has put such darkness betwixt Egypt and Israel, 
 as will not suffer them to come together. But 
 tliis is not all. 
 
 For it is possible for these carnal men to be so 
 much delighted m the notion of things, as to addict 
 themselves to some kind of worship of Christ, whose 
 ■notions of truth have by them been received. And 
 because their love is yet but carnal, and because 
 the flesh is swelling, and is pleased with pomp and 
 Bumptuousness, therefore, to show how great an 
 esteem such have for Christ, whom they are now 
 about to worship, they will first count his testa- 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 ment, though good, a thing defective, and not of 
 fulness sufficient to give, in all particular things, 
 direction how they should, to their own content, per- 
 form their glorious doctrine. For here and there, 
 and in another place, cry they, there is something 
 wanting. Here, say they, is nothing said of those 
 places, vestures, gestures, shows, and outward 
 greatness that we think seemly to be found in 
 and with those that worship Jesus. Here wants 
 sumptuous ceremonies, glorious ornaments, new- 
 fashioned carriages,* all which are necessary to 
 adorn worship withal. 
 
 But now here again, the truly godly, as he comes 
 to see the evil of things, maketh his objections, and 
 findeth fault, and counts them unprofitable and 
 vain. Is. mix. Mat. XV. Mar. vii. But they again, seeing 
 the things they have made are the very excellencies 
 of human invention, and things added as a supple- 
 ment to make up what, and wherein, as they think, 
 the man that was faithful over his own house as a 
 son was defective. They are resolved to stand 
 upon their points, and not to budge an inch from 
 the things that are so laudable, so necessary, so 
 convenient, and so comely ; the things that have 
 been judged good, by so many wise, learned, pious, 
 holy, reverend, and good men. Nay, if this were 
 all, the godly would make a good shift ; but their 
 zeal is so great for what they have invented, and 
 their spirits so hot to make others couch and bend 
 thereto, that none must be suffered to their power to 
 live and breathe, that refuseth to conform thereto, t 
 This has been proved too true, both in France, 
 Spain, Germany, Italy, and other places ; and upon 
 this account it is that persecution has been kept 
 alive so many hundred years in some places against 
 the church of God. 
 
 From what has been said as to these things, this 
 I collect as the sum — First, That man by nature 
 is in a state of wrath and condemnation. Ep. ii. l— t. 
 Jn. iii. 18. Secondly, That the natural man, by all 
 his natural abihties, is not able to recover himself 
 from this his condemned condition. Jn. vi. n. Ep. i. 19, 
 20. Thirdly, That a man may have right notions 
 of gospel things, that hath no grace in his heart. 
 1 Co. liu. 2, 3. FourtHy, That to add human inven- 
 tions to Christ's institutions, and to make them of 
 the same force and necessity, of the same authority 
 
 * ' New-fashioned carriages ;' not equipages to ride in, but 
 dainty formalities. ' Nor in my carriage a feigned niccness 
 shown.' — Dryden. ' Trades in the carriage of a holy saint.' — 
 Shahpeare. — En. 
 
 t Bunyan, when sent to prison, was thus threatened: 
 ' If you do not go to church, or transport yourself, you must 
 stretch by the neck for it.' This led to those painful reflec- 
 tions : ' If I should malce a scrabbling shift to clamber up the 
 ladder, yet I should, either with quaking or other symptoms 
 of faintings, give occasion to the enemy to reproach the way 
 of God and his people for their timoroiisness.' — Grace Abound- 
 ing, No. 334.— Ed. 
 
 4x 
 
714 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 and efficacy, is nought ; and not to be subjected to. 
 
 Is. xiix. 13. Mat. XV. 8, 9. Mar. vii. 6, 7. 
 
 So then, he tliat saith these things, saitli true ; 
 for the Scriptures say the same. This, then, is a 
 good cause to suffer for, if men will that I shall suffer 
 for saying so ; because it is that which is founded 
 upon the Word of God; and the Word is the 
 ground and foundation of all true doctrine. Let 
 him, then, that believeth what is here discoursed, 
 and that liveth soberly and peaceably in this belief 
 among his neighbours, stand by what he hath 
 received, and rejoice that he hath found the truth. 
 And if any shall aifliet or trouble him for holding 
 of these things, they afflict or trouble him for hold- 
 ing to good things ; and he suffereth at their hands 
 because his cause is good. 
 
 And such an one may with boldness, as to this, 
 make his appeal to the Bible, which is the founda- 
 tion of his principles, and to God the author of that 
 foundation, if what he holds is not good. He may 
 say, ' Lord, I have said, that man by nature is in 
 a state of condemnation, and they make me suffer 
 for that. Lord, I have asserted that man, by all 
 his natural abilities, is not able to recover himself 
 from this his condemned state, and they make me 
 suffer for that. Lord, I have said that a natural 
 man may have right notions of the gospel, and yet 
 be without the saving grace thereof, and they make 
 me suffer for that. Lord, I cannot consent that 
 human inventions and doctrines of men should be 
 joined with thy institution as matters of worship, 
 and imposed upon my conscience as such, and they 
 make me suffer for that. Lord, I own the govern- 
 ment, pray for my superiors, live quietly among my 
 neighbours, give to all their dues, feed the hungry, 
 clothe the naked, relieve the afflicted, and show 
 myself, by my faith and life, to be a true christian 
 man, and yet my neighbours will not let me alone. 
 True, I cannot comply with all that some men would 
 have me comply with ; no more did Daniel, no more 
 did Paul; and yet Daniel said, that he had to the 
 king done no hurt, vL 22; and Paul said, "neither 
 against the law of the Jews, neither against the 
 temple, nor yet against Csesar, have I offended 
 anything at all," ' Ac. xiv. s. 
 
 For he that keeps within the compass of God's 
 Word, hurts no man, gives just offence to no man, 
 though he complieth not with all that are modes 
 and ways of worship in the world. Nor can this 
 appeal be judged injurious, if it be not attended 
 with intercessions against them that hate us. But 
 we will pass this, and come to a second thing. 
 
 (3.) As he that suffereth for righteousness must 
 have a good cause, so he that suff&rdh for riglileous- 
 ness must liave a good call. 
 
 A man, thongli his cause be good, ought not by 
 undue ways to run himself into suffering for it ; 
 nature teaches the contrary, and so doth the law 
 
 of God. Suffering for a truth ought to be cau- 
 tiously took in hand, and as warily performed. I 
 know that there are some men that are more con- 
 cerned here than some ; the preacher of the Word 
 is by God's command made the more obnoxious 
 man, for he must come off with a woe, if he preaches 
 not the gospel, i Co. ix. ic. He, therefore, I say, doth 
 and ought more to expose himself than other Chris- 
 tians are called to do. Yet it behoveth him also 
 to beware, because that Christ has said to him, 
 ' Behold, I send you forth as sheep, or lambs, in 
 the midst of wolves : be ye therefore wise as ser- 
 pents, and harmless as doves.' Mat. x. lo. Lu. x. 3. A 
 man is not bound by the law of his Lord, to put 
 himself into the mouth of his enemy. Christ with- 
 drew himself; Paul escaped the governor's hands, 
 by being let down in a basket over the wall of the 
 city. 2 Co. xi. 32, 33. And Christ hath said, If they 
 persecute you in one city, flee ye to another. If 
 they will not let me preach here, I will take up 
 my Bible, and be gone. Perhaps this is because I 
 must preach in some other place. A minister can 
 quickly pack up, and carry his religion with him, 
 and offer what he knows of his God to another 
 people. Ac. xiii. 4t-t7.* Nor should a minister strive, 
 I think, with the magistrate for place, or time. 
 But let him hearken to hear what God shall say 
 by such opposition. Perhaps the magistrate must 
 drive thee out of this place, because the soul is in 
 another place that is to be converted, or helped by 
 thy sermon to-day. We must also in all things, 
 show ourselves to be such as by our profession we 
 would that men should beheve we are, to wit, meek, 
 gentle, not strivers, but take our Lord and our 
 brethren the prophets for our examples. 
 
 But I will not here presume to give instructions 
 to ministers ; but will speak a few words in the 
 general about what I think may be a sufficient call 
 to a man to suffer for righteousness. 
 
 First, Every christian man is bound by God's 
 Word to hold to, or stand by his profession, his 
 profession of faith, and to join to that profession, 
 an holy godly life ; because the Apostle and High- 
 priest of his profession is no less a one than Christ 
 Jesus. He. iii. 1 ; x. 23. This by Christ himself is 
 expressed thus. Let your light so shine. Mat. y. le. 
 No man lighteth a candle to put it under a bushel. 
 Let your loins be girded about, and ymir lights 
 burning. Lu. xii. 35. And Paul bids the Philippians 
 hold forth the word of life. I'h. a. le. 
 
 And more particularly, by all this, this is in- 
 tended, that we should hide our faith in Christ from 
 no man, but should rather make a discovery of it 
 by a life that will do so ; for our profession, thus 
 
 * This is a truly Bunyauish mode of expression — clear, 
 comprcheusive, quaint ; but su striking as to make an indelible 
 impression. — Ed. 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFEUERS. 
 
 715 
 
 managed, is tlie badge, and the Lord's livery, by 
 which we are distinguished from other men.* So 
 then, if, while I profess the truth of Christ, and so 
 walk as to make my profession of it more apparent, 
 I be made a sufferer for it, my call is good, and I 
 may be bold in God and in my profession. This, 
 Peter intends when he saith, ' But and if ye suffer 
 for righteousness' sake, happy are ye, and be not 
 afraid of their terror, neither be troubled ; but 
 sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and 6e ready 
 always to give an answer to every man that asketh 
 you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meek- 
 ness and fear.' iPe. m.u, 15. Here, then, is a call 
 not to meddle with the other, but to mind our own 
 business ; to walk in our christian profession, and 
 to adorn it with all good works ; and if any man 
 will meddle with me, and ask me a reason of 
 the hope that I have, to give it him with meekness 
 and fear, whatever follows thereupon. This, Peter 
 should have done himself there, where he denied 
 his Master thrice. 
 
 The reason is, for that Christianity is so harm- 
 loss a thing, that, be it never so openly professed, 
 it hurts no man. I believe that Christ will save 
 me ; what hurt is this to my neighbour ? I love 
 Christ because he will save me ; what hurt is this 
 to any ? I will for this worship Christ as he has 
 bid me ; what hurt is this to anybody ? I will 
 also tell my neighbours what a loving one my 
 Christ is, and that he is wilUng to be good to them 
 as he has been good to me ; and what hurt is this 
 to the governor of a kingdom ? But and if any 
 man will afflict me for this, my cause is good, 
 and also my call to stand full godly to my profes- 
 sion. 
 
 Secondly, There is sometimes a call to suffer 
 for righteousness, even from the voice of necessity. 
 That is, either when, by my silence, the truth must 
 fall to the ground ; or when, by my shrinking, the 
 souls of other men are in danger. This, I say, is a 
 caU to suffer even by the voice of necessity. The 
 case may be when God's ways may l^e trodden under 
 foot; yea, his Word, and ways, and name, and 
 people, and all. Thus Goliah did do, for several 
 days together, 1 Sa. xvii., and vaunted in his doing ; 
 and there was not a man, no, not in Israel, that 
 durst answer him a word. And now was the 
 spirit of David stirred in him, and he would put 
 his life in his hand, and give this man an answer ; 
 and he saw there was reason for it — necessity gave 
 
 * A life of faith and holiness is the Christian's badge and 
 livery. No particular costume, that may conceal a canial 
 heart — not a baptismal profession, that may be made by a 
 hypocrite ; but it is ' the hidden man of the heart,' evidenced 
 by a ' meek and quiet spirit - in all holy conversation and 
 godHness.' This is the (Jhristian's badge and livery, by which 
 he becomes 'a living epistle, knovvn and read of all men.' 
 -Ed. 
 
 him a call. Is there not a cause, saith he, lies 
 bleeding upon the ground, and no man of heart or 
 spirit to put a check to the bold blasphemer ? I 
 will go fight with Iiim ; I will put my life in my 
 hand ; if I die, I die. 
 
 Consider also what Daniel did when the law was 
 gone out to forbid, for thirty days, petitioning any 
 god or man, save the king only. At that time, 
 also, not a man of Israel peeped. Da. vL 7. Now 
 necessity walks about the streets, crying. Who is 
 on the Lord's side ? Who, &c. And Daniel 
 answers, I am, by opening of his window, and 
 praying, as at other times, three times a day, with 
 his face towards Jerusalem, ver. 10. He heard this 
 voice of necessity, and put his life in his hand, and 
 complied with it, to the hazard of being torn in 
 pieces by the lions. 
 
 Much lik& this was that of the three children ; 
 for when that golden image was set up, and wor- 
 ship commanded to be done unto it, not one, that 
 we read of, durst stand upright when the time 
 was come that bowing was the sign of worship. 
 Only the three children would not bow : it was 
 necessarj' that some should show that there was a 
 God in heaven, and that divine worship was due 
 alone to him. Da. m. 10-12. But they run the hazard 
 of being turned to ashes, in a burning fiery furnace, 
 for so doing. But necessity has a loud voice, and 
 shrill in the ears of a tender conscience : this voice 
 will awake jealousy and kindle a burning fire 
 within, for the name, and cause, and way, and 
 people, of the God of heaven. 
 
 Thirdly, There is sometimes a call to suffer for 
 righteousness by the voice of providence. That 
 is, when, by providence, I am cast for my profes- 
 sion into the hands of the enemies of God and his 
 truth ; then I am called to suffer for it what God 
 shall please to let them lay upon me. Only, for 
 the making of my way more clear in this matter, 
 I will deliver what I have to say, with a caution or 
 two. 1. Thou must take heed that thy call be 
 good to this or that place, at which, by providence, 
 thou art delivered up. 2. Thou must also take 
 heed thal^ when thou art there, thou busiest thy- 
 self in nothing but that that good is. 3. Thou 
 must also take heed that thou stay there no longer 
 than while thou mayest do good or receive good 
 there. 4. Thus far a man is in the way of his duty, 
 and therefore may conclude that the providence of 
 God, under which now he is, is such as has mercy 
 and salvation in the bowels of it, whatsoever is by 
 it, at the present, brought upon him. 
 
 Christ Jesus, our Lord, though his death was 
 determined, and of absolute necessity, and that 
 chiefly for which he came into the world, chose 
 rather to be taken in the way of his duty than in 
 any other way or anywhere else. Wherefore, 
 when the hour was come, he takes with him 
 
716 
 
 ADVICE TO SUTFEREllS. 
 
 some of his disciples, and goeth into a garden, a 
 solitary place, to pray; wliicli done, lie sets his 
 disciples to watch, and falleth himself to prayer. 
 So he prays once ; he prays twice ; he prays thrice : 
 and hegiveth also good doctrine tohis disciples. And 
 now, hehold, while he was here, in the way of his 
 duty, husying himself in prayer to God, and in 
 giving of good instruction to his followers, upon 
 him comes Judas and a multitude with swords and 
 staves, and weapons, to take him ; to which pro- 
 vidence he, in all meekness, submits, for he knew 
 that by it he had a call to suffer. Mat. sm. 36—47. 
 
 In this way, also, the apostles were called to 
 suffer, even while they were in the way of their 
 duty. Yea, God bid them go into the temple to 
 preach, and there delivered them into the hands 
 of their enemies. Ac. ir. 1—3 ; v. 20— 2g. 
 
 Be we in the way of our duty, in the place and 
 about the work unto which we are called of God, 
 whether that work he religious or civil, we may, 
 without fear, leave the issue of things to God, who 
 only doth wonderful things. And he who lets not 
 a sparrow fall to the ground without his providence, 
 wiU not suffer a hair of our head to perish but by his 
 order. Lu. lii. 6, 7. And since he has engaged us in 
 his work, as he has if he has called us to it, we 
 )nay e.xpect that he will manage, and also bear us 
 out therein ; either so as by giving of us a good 
 deliverance by way of restoration to our former 
 liberty and service for him, or so as to carry us well 
 out of this world to them that, under the altar, are 
 crying, How long, holy and true : nor shall we, 
 when we come there, repent that we suffered for 
 him here. Oh ! how little do saints, in a suffering 
 condition, think of the robes, the crowns, the 
 harps, and the song that shall be given to them ; 
 and that they shall have when they come upon 
 mount Zion. Re. vi. 11 ; xiv. 1-7. 
 
 Fourthly, There is sometimes a call to suffer 
 for righteousness by an immediate and powerful 
 impulse of the Spirit of God upon the heart. This, 
 I say, is sometimes, and but sometimes ; for this 
 is not God's ordinary way, nor are many of his 
 servants called after this manner to suffer for righ- 
 teousness. Moses was called thus to suffer when 
 he went so often unto Pharaoh with the message 
 of God in his mouth. And ' he endured, as seeing 
 him who is invisible. ' He. xi. 25—27. 
 
 Paul was called thus to suffer, and he obeyed, 
 and went, and performed that work, according to 
 the will of God. This kind of call Paul calls a 
 binding, or a being bound in the Spu-it, because 
 the Holy Ghost had laid such a command upon 
 him to do so, that he could not, by any means, get 
 from under the power of it. ' And now, behold,' 
 saith ho, ' I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, 
 not knowing the things that shall befal me there.' 
 Ac. sx. 22. For he that is under this call has, as I 
 
 said, bonds laid upon his spirit, which carry him 
 to the place where his testimony is to be borne for 
 God; nor shall he, if he willuigly submits and 
 goes, as Paul did, but have an extraordinary pre- 
 sence of God with him, as he. And see what a 
 presence he had ; for after the second assault was 
 given him by the enemy, even ' the night follow- 
 ing, the Lord stood by him, and said. Be of good 
 cheer, Paul; for as thou hast testified of me in 
 Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at 
 Rome.' Ac. ixiii. 11. Thus God meeteth his people 
 in their service for him, when he calls them aloud 
 to do great service for him. The power of such u, 
 call as this, I say, is great, and men of ordinary 
 spirits must needs give place thereto, and leave a 
 man thus bound to the God that thus has bound 
 him. All the help such can afford him is to follow 
 him with our prayers, not to judge him or grieve 
 him, or lay stumbling-blocks before him. No; 
 they must not weep nor mourn for him, so as to 
 make him sorrowful. See Ac. xa. 12—14. 
 
 His friends may suggest unto him what is like 
 to attend his present errand, as Agabus did by 
 the Spirit to Paul when he took his girdle and 
 bound himself therewith, to show him how his 
 enemies should serve him whither he went. ' Thus 
 saith the Holy Ghost,' said he, * so shall the Jews 
 at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, 
 and shall deliver Mm into the hands of the Gen- 
 tiles.' AcxxL But if this call be indeed upon a 
 man, all sorrow is turned into joy before him ; for 
 he is ready, not only to be bound, hut also to die 
 at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 Ac. xri. 13. 
 
 Instances, also, of later times might be given 
 of a call extraordinary to suffer for righteousness. 
 For many, in the first three hundred years' per- 
 secution, when nobody knew what they were, would 
 boldly come up to the face of their enemies and 
 tell what they were, and suffer for what they pro- 
 fessed, the death. I remember, also, the woman 
 who, when her friends were gone before to suffer, 
 how she came running and panting after, for fear 
 she should not come thither time enough to suffer 
 for Jesus Christ. 
 
 But I will give you an instance of later times, 
 even in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, 
 of an Hertfordshire man that went as far as 
 Rome to bear his testimony for God against the 
 wickedness of that place. This man, when he 
 was arrived there, and had told them wherefore 
 he was come, thej' took and condemned him to 
 death, to wit, to be burned for an heretic. Now 
 he was to ride from the prison to the place of 
 execution upon an ass, with his face to the beast's 
 tail, and was to be stripped from the shoulders 
 to the waist, that he might be tormented all the 
 way he went with burning torches continually 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 717 
 
 thrust to his sides ; but he, nothing at all afraid, 
 spake in his exhortation to the people to fly from 
 their sin and idolatry ; he would also catch hold 
 of the torches and put them to his sides, to show- 
 how little he esteemed the worst that they could 
 do. Also, when he was come to the place of exe- 
 cution, he suffered there such cruelty, with so 
 unconcerned a mind, and with such burning zeal 
 for God's truth, testified against them while he 
 could speak ; that, all amazed, his enemies cried, 
 ha could not have suffered as he did but by the 
 help of the devil. His name I have now forgot, 
 but you will fiud it, with the story at large, in the 
 third volume of Acts and Monuments, at the 1022 
 page.* But we will pass this, and come to our 
 second particular, namely, 
 
 [B, What it is to suffer for righteousness' sake.] 
 
 To show when it may be said a man doth not 
 only suffer for righteousness, but also for rigUeous- 
 ness' sake. 
 
 To suffer for righteousness' sake must be either 
 with the intention of the persecutor or else of the 
 persecuted. The persecutor, whatever the person's 
 suffering is, if he afflicteth this person for a sup- 
 posed good that he thinketh he hath or profes- 
 seth, he makes him suffer for righteousness' sake. 
 So that, in this sense, a man that hath no grace 
 may not only suffer for righteousness, but also for 
 righteousness' sake. But this I intend not, because 
 the text is not concerned with it. 
 
 The thing, therefore, now intended to be spoken 
 to, is this, namely, when a man may be said to 
 suffer what he sutfereth upon a religious account, 
 of love to, or fur the sake of, that good that he 
 finds in the truths of God, or because his heart is 
 joined and espoused to the good of the truths that 
 he professeth ; not that there is any thing in any 
 truth of God that is not good ; but a man may 
 profess truth, not for the sake of the goodness 
 that is in it, but upon a remote account. Judas 
 professed truth, not of love to the truth, but of 
 love to the bag, aud to the money that was put 
 therein. Men may profess for a wife, for a trade, 
 for friendship, or because profession is at such a 
 time or in such a place, in fashion. I wish that 
 there were no cause to say this. Now there is not 
 any of these that profess the truth for the truth's 
 sake, that profess the truth of love to it ; nor shall 
 they, should they suffer as professors, never so 
 
 * These awful cruelties were practised upon Kichard Atkius, 
 in July, 1581. He went to Rome to reprove the people of 
 idolatry. In St. Peter's Church, he knocked the chalice out 
 of the priest's haud, and spUt the wine ; he then endeavoured 
 to seize the host, but was prevented. For these mad pranks 
 he suffered savage torments. — For, edit. 1631, vol. iii., p. 1022. 
 —Ed. 
 
 long, never so much, never so grievously, be 
 counted of God among them that suffer for righ- 
 teousness' sake ; that is, of unfeigned love to righ- 
 teousness. Wherefore, that I may show you who 
 may be said to suffer for righteousness' sake, I 
 will propound and speak to several things. 
 
 1. Then, he that suffereth in the apostle's 
 sense, for well-doing, or for righteousness' sake, 
 sets his face against nothing but sin. He resistetli 
 unto blood, striving against sin. Sin is the object 
 of his inilignation, because it is an enemy to God, 
 and to his righteous cause in the world. He. xii. 3, t. 
 Sin, I say, is that which such a man singleth out 
 as his opposite, as his antagonist, and that against 
 which is heart is set. It is a rare thing to suffer 
 aright, and to have my spirit, in my suffering, bent 
 only against God's enemy — sin ; sin in doctrine, sin 
 in worship, sin in life, sin in conversation. Now 
 then, he that suffereth for righteousness' sake has 
 singled out sin to pursue it to death, long before 
 he comes to the cross. It is sin, alas, and his 
 hatred to it that have brought him into this con- 
 dition. He fell out with sin at home, in his own 
 house, in his own heart, before he fell out with 
 sin in the world, or with sin in public worship. 
 For he that can let sin go free and uncontrolled 
 at home within, let him suffer while he will, he 
 shall not suffer for righteousness' sake. And the 
 reason is, because a righteous soul, as the phrase 
 is, 2 Pe. u. 8, has the greatest antipathy against that 
 sin that is most ready to defile it, and that is, as 
 David calls it, one's own iniquity, or the sin that 
 dwelleth in one's own flesh. I have kept me, says 
 he, from mine iniquity, from mine own sin. People 
 that are afi-aid of fire are concerned most with 
 that that burneth in their own chimney ; they have 
 the most watchful eye against that that is like to 
 burn down their own house first. 
 
 He also that suffereth for righteousness' sake, 
 doth it also because he would not that sin should 
 cleave to the worship of God ; and, indeed, this is 
 mostly the cause of the sufferings of the godly. 
 They will not have to do with that worship that 
 hath sinful traditions commixed with God's appoint- 
 ments, because they know that God is jealous of 
 his worship ; and has given a strict charge that 
 all things be done according to the pattern showed 
 to us in the mouut. He knows also that God will 
 not be with that worship, and those worshippers, 
 that have not regard to worship by the rule of the 
 testament of Christ. He is also against the sin 
 that is apt to cleave to himself while he standeth 
 in the presence of God. I will wash mine hands in 
 innoceucy, so will I compass thine altar, Lord. 
 This man also chooses to be in the practical parts 
 of worship, if possible, for he knows that to have 
 to do about holy things sincerely is the way to 
 be at the remotest distance from sin. He chooses 
 
718 
 
 ADVICE TO SOTFERERS. 
 
 nlso to be with those holy ones that are of the same 
 mind with him against sin ; for he knows that two 
 are better than one, and that a threefold cord is 
 not easily broken. Wherefore look to yourselves, 
 you that do, or may be called to suffer for religion : 
 if you bend not yourselves against sin, if to be 
 revenged of sin be not the cause of your suffering, 
 you cannot be said to suffer for righteousness' 
 sake. Take heed, therefore, that something else 
 be not an inducement to thee to suffer. A man 
 may suffer to save what he has : there is credit 
 also and an applause ; there is shame to conform ; 
 there is carnal stoutness of spirit ; there is hatred 
 of persecutors and scorn to submit ; there is fear 
 of contempt and of the reproach of the people, <fec. 
 These may be motives and arguments to a suffer- 
 ing state, and may really be the ground of a man's 
 being in the gaol; though he cries out in the 
 meanwhile of popery, of superstition, and idolatry, 
 and of the errors that attend the common modes 
 of the religions of the world. 1 charge no man 
 as though I knew any such thing by any ; but I 
 ' suggest these things as things that are possible, 
 and mention them because I would have sufferers 
 have a care of themselves ; and watch and pray, 
 because no man can be upright here that is not 
 holy, that cannot pray, and watch, and deny him- 
 self for the love that he has to righteousness. I 
 said it before, and will say it again, it is a rare 
 thing to be set in downrightness of heart against 
 sin. 
 
 2. Is it for the sake of righteousness that thou 
 sufferest ? Then it is because thou wouldest have 
 righteousness promoted, set up, and established in 
 the world; also thou art afflicted at those advan- 
 tages that iniquity gets upon men, upon things, 
 and against thyself. ' I beheld,' said David, ' the 
 transgressors, and was grieved ; because men kept 
 not thy word. ' Ps. cxix. 168. And again, These are 
 they that mourn for the abominations that are 
 done among men. Eze. ix. 4. There is a great deal 
 of talk about religion, a great deal of pleading for 
 religion, namely, as to the formalities of this and 
 the other way.* But to choose to be religious, 
 that 1 might be possessed with holiness, and to 
 choose that religion that is most apt to possess me 
 with it, if I suffer for this, 1 suffer for righteous- 
 ness' sake. Wherefore say thus to thy soul, thou 
 that art like to suffer for righteousness. How is it 
 with the most inward parts of my soul ? What is 
 there ? What designs, desires, and Teachings out 
 are there ? Why do I pray ? Why do I read ? 
 Why do I hear ? Why do I liaunt and frequent 
 
 * Every Christian must be decided in his own conscience as 
 to the formalities of religion ; but he who prefers talking of 
 forms and ceremonies to communion in the substance, is in a 
 melancholy state. — Ed. 
 
 places and ordinances appointed for worship ? Is 
 it because I love holiness ? would promote righte- 
 ousness, because I love to see godliness show itself 
 in others, and because I would feel more of the 
 power of it in myself ? If so, and if thou sufferest 
 for thy profession, thou sufferest, not only for 
 righteousness, but also for righteousness' sake. 
 
 Dost thou thus practise, because thou wouldest 
 be taught to do outward acts of righteousness, and 
 because thou wouldest provoke others to do so too ? 
 Dost thou show to others how thou lovest righte- 
 ousness, by taking opportunities to do righteous- 
 ness ? How is it, dost thou show most mercy to 
 thy dog,t or to thine enemy, to thy swine, or to the 
 poor ? Whose naked body hast thou clothed ? 
 Whose hungry belly hast thou fed ? Hast thou 
 taken delight in being defrauded and beguiled ? 
 Hast thou willingly sat down by the loss with quiet- 
 ness, and been as if thou hadst not known, when 
 thou hast been wronged, defamed, abused, and all 
 because thou wast not willing that black-mouthed 
 men should vilify and reproach religion upon thy 
 account ? l Co. vi. 7. 
 
 He that loveth righteousness will do thus, yea, 
 and do it as imto God, and of tenderness to the 
 Word of God which he professeth. And he that 
 thinks to make seeing men believe, that when he 
 suffereth, he suffereth for righteousness' sake, and 
 yet is void in his life of moral goodness, and that 
 has no heart to suffer and bear, and put up, and 
 pass by injuries in his conversation among his 
 enemies at home, is deceived. 
 
 There are some Scriptures that are as if they 
 were out of date among some professors, specially 
 such as call for actual holiness and acts of self- 
 denial for God ; but it wiU be found, at the day of 
 judgment, that they only are the peculiar people 
 that are ' zealous of good works. ' Tit. ii. 14. God help 
 us, it is hard now to persuade professors to come 
 up to negative holiness, that is, to leave undone 
 that which is bad ; and yet this of itself comes far 
 short of ones being found in practical goodness. 
 
 But this is the man that suffereth, when he 
 suffereth for righteousness' sake, that makes it 
 his business, by all lawful means, according to the 
 capacity that God has put him in, to promote, set 
 up, and establish righteousness in the world ; I say 
 this is the man that suffereth for righteousness' 
 sake, that suffereth for so doing; and I am sure 
 that a life that is moral, when joined to the pro- 
 fession of the faith of the things that are of the 
 Spirit of God, is absolutely necessary to the pro- 
 
 f What a severe reproach it is to human nature, to see a 
 lovely child in rags and shoeless, running the streets, exposed 
 to the pitiless weather, while a splendid equipage passes, in 
 which a lady holds up her lapdog at the window to give it an 
 airing ! ! Is not this a greater crime than sends many a poor 
 wretch to the treadmill ? — Ed. 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 719 
 
 nioting of righteousness in the world. Hence Peter 
 tells them that suffer for righteousness' sake, that 
 they must have ' a good conscience ' — a good con- 
 science towards God, towards men, towards friends, 
 towards enemies, i Pe. m. 14-iG. Ac. xriv. le ; xxiii. 1. 
 They must have a good conscience in all things, 
 being wiEing, ready, desirous to live honestly, 
 godly, and righteously in this world, or else they 
 cannot, though they may suffer for the best doc- 
 trine under heaven, suffer for righteousness' sake. 
 He. xiii. 18. Wherefore, 
 
 3. Is it for righteousness' sake that thou suf- 
 ferest? then thy design is the ruin of sin. This 
 depends upon what was said before ; for he that 
 strives against sin, that seeks to promote righte- 
 ousness, he designs the ruin of sin. ' Be not,' 
 said Paul to the suffering Romans, ' overcome of 
 evil, but overcome evil with good.' Ro. xii. 21. To 
 overcome evil with good is a hard task. To rail 
 it down, to cry it down, to pray kings, and parlia- 
 ments, and men in authority to put it down, this 
 is easier than to use my endeavour to overcome it 
 with good, with doing of good, as I said before.* 
 And sin must be overcome with good at home, 
 before thy good can get forth of doorst to over- 
 come evil abroad 
 
 Abraham overcame evil with good, when he 
 quieted the discontent of Lot and his herdsmen, 
 with allowing of them to feed their cattle in the 
 best of what God had given him. Ge. lUi. 7, 8. 
 
 David overcame evil with good, when he saved 
 the life of his bloody enemy that was fallen into 
 his hand ; also when he grieved that any hurt 
 should come to them that sought nothing so much 
 as his destruction. 'They rewarded me,' saith 
 he, 'evil for good, to the spoiling of my soul. 
 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing 
 was sackcloth. I humbled my soul with fasting 
 - I behaved myself as though he Juxd been my 
 friend or brother ; I bowed down heavily, as one 
 that mourneth for his mother. ' This is to over- 
 come evil with good. Pa. xxrr. 12—14. 
 
 Job saith concerning his enemy, that he did 
 not rejoice when evil found him ; ' neither have I,' 
 said he, ' suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a 
 curse to his soul.' He means he did the quite 
 contrary, and so overcame evil with good. Job xixi. 
 
 29, 30. 
 
 Elisha overcame evU with good, when he re- 
 ceived the men that came for his life, and had 
 them where he might feast, and comfort them, 
 and sent them home in peace to their master. 2 Ki. 
 
 n. 19—23. 
 
 * Eevenge naturally rises in the mind of man under a sense 
 of injury. To return good for evil is one of the effects of the 
 new bii-tli. But while this is done, it is also our duty to peti. 
 tion kings and parliaments to remove evils. — Eo. 
 
 t ' Forth of doors ;' out of doors, public. — Eu. 
 
 The New Testament also is full of this, both in 
 exhortations and examples. In exhortations where 
 it is said, resist not evil, that is, with evil, but 
 overcome evil with good. Pr. xxiv. 29. ' But whoso- 
 ever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to 
 him the other also. — And whosoever shall compel 
 thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to 
 him that asketh thee ; and from him that would 
 borrow of thee, turn not thou away. — Love your 
 enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to 
 them that hate you, and pray for them which 
 despitefuUy use you, and persecute you; that 
 ye may be the children of your Father which is in 
 heaven, for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil, 
 and on the good - on the just, and on the unjust.' 
 Mat. T. 39-45. 'Bless them that persecute you: bless, 
 and curse not. ' Ho. xU. 14. ' Not rendering evil for 
 evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise, bless- 
 ing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that 
 ye should inherit a blessing.' 1 Pe. m. 9. Ro. xU. 14. 
 This is righteousness — these are righteous courses. 
 And as these are preceptively propoimded, so they 
 were as practically followed by them that were 
 eminently godly in the primitive church. 
 
 ' We are fools for Christ's sake,' said Paul, 
 ' we are despised, we are hungry, thirsty, naked, 
 and buffeted. — Being reviled, we bless; being per- 
 secuted, we suffer it ; being defamed, we entreat : 
 we are made as the filth of the earth, and are the 
 offscouring of all things unto this day.' 1 Co. iv. 
 10—13. This is overcoming of evil with good, and 
 he that has chosen to himself that religion that 
 teaches these things, and that loves that religion 
 because it so teacheth him ; if he suffereth for it, 
 he suffereth for righteousness' sake. 
 
 4. He that suffereth for righteousness' sake, 
 will carry righteousness whithersoever he goes. 
 Neither the enemy, nor thy sufferings, shall be 
 able to take righteousness from thee. Righteous- 
 ness must be thy chamber mate, thy bed com- 
 panion, thy walking mate: it is that without 
 which thou wilt be so uncouth, as if thou couldest 
 not live. Pb. irv-i.; xiY, 21. 
 
 Paul in his sufferings would have righteousness 
 with him, for it must be as it were his armour- 
 bearer ; yea, his very armour itself. 2 Co. vi. 7. It 
 is an excellent saying of Job, ' I put on righteous- 
 ness, and it clothed me; my judgment was as a, 
 robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and 
 feet was I to the lame ; I was a father to the 
 poor,' &c. Job xxix. 11— 16. 'Princes,' said David 
 also, ' did sit and speak against me, bvi thy ser- 
 vant did meditate in thy statutes.' Ps. cxix. 23. A 
 man that loves righteousness doth as Abraham 
 did with his Sarah, carry it every where with him, 
 though he goes, because of that, in danger of his 
 life. Righteousness 1 It is the only intimate 
 that a Christian has. It is that by which he 
 
720 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 takes bis measures, that with which he consults, 
 with respect to what he doth, or is to do, in the 
 world. 'Thy testimonies,' said David also, 'are 
 my delight, and my counsellors.' The men of my 
 counsel, in the margin. Pa. cxix. 21. 
 
 David ! He was the man of affliction; the suf- 
 fering man in his day ; but in all places where he 
 came, he had righteousness, the law and godly 
 practice with him. It was his counsellor, as he 
 was a man, a saint, a king. I dare say, for that 
 man that suffers righteousness to be rent away 
 from him by the violence and rage of men, and 
 that casts it away, as David did Saul's armour, 
 that he may secure himself; he has no great 
 love for righteousness, nor to the cross for righ- 
 teousness' sake. ' My righteousness I hold fast,' 
 said Job, ' and will not let it go ; my heart shall 
 not reproach im so long as I live.' Job rxvii. e. 
 What ? part with righteousness ! A righteous 
 Lord ! A righteous Word ! A righteous profes- 
 sion ! A righteous life ! to sleep in a whole skin : 
 the Lord forbid it me, and all that he has counted 
 worthy to be called by his name. Let us carry 
 it with us from the bed to the cross, and then it 
 shall carry us from thence to the crown. Let it 
 be our companion to prison and death, then shall 
 we show that we are lovers of righteousness, and 
 that we choose to suffer for righteousness' sake. 
 
 5. Dost thou suffer for righteousness' sake ? 
 why then, thy righteousness is not diminished, but 
 rather increased by thy sufferings. Righteousness 
 thriveth best in affliction, the more afflicted, the 
 more holy man ; the more persecuted, the more 
 shining man. Ac. Ti. 15. The prison is the furnace, 
 thy graces are the silver and the gold ; wherefore, 
 as the silver and the gold are refined by the fire, 
 and so made more to show their native brightness, 
 so the Christian that hath, and that loveth rigli- 
 teousness, and that suffereth for its sake, is by his 
 suffering's refined and made more riorhteous, and 
 made more christian, more godly. Zee. jdii. 9. Some, 
 indeed, when they come there, prove lead, iron, 
 tin, and at the best, but the dross of silver ; and 
 so are fit for nothing, but there to be left and con- 
 sumed, and to bear the badge, if ever they come 
 from thence, of reprobate silver from the mouth 
 and sentence of their neighbours. Eze. jtxu. is— 22. 
 Je. vi. 28—30. But when I, says Job, am tried, ' I 
 shall come forth as gold.' xriii. 10. 
 
 When Saul had cast one javelin at David, it 
 made him walk wisely in all his ways. But when 
 he added to his first fury, plots to take away his 
 life, then David behaved himself yet more wiselj', 
 1 Sa. xviii. 10-30. The hotter the rage and fury of 
 men are against righteous ways, the more those 
 that love righteousness grow therein. For they 
 are concerned for it, not to hide it, but to make it 
 span.^le ; not to extinguish it, but to greaten it, 
 
 and to show the e.xcellency of it ia all its features, 
 and in all its comely proportion. Now such an 
 one will make straight steps for his feet, ' lest 
 that which is lame be turned out of the way. ' He. 
 xii. 13. Now he shows to aU men what faith is, by 
 charity, by self-denial, by meekness, by gentleness, 
 by long-suffering, by patience, by love to enemies, 
 and by doing good to them that hate us ; now he 
 walketh upon his high places. Yea, will not now 
 admit that so slovenly a conversation should come 
 within his doors, as did use to haunt his house in 
 former times. Now it is Christmas,* now it is 
 suffering time, now we must keep holy day every 
 day. The reason is, for that a man, when he suf- 
 fereth for Christ, is set upon a hill, upon a stage, 
 as in a theatre, to play a part for God in the world. 
 And you know when men are to play their parts 
 upon a stage, they count themselves, if possible, 
 more bound to circumspection ; and that for the 
 credit of their master, the credit of their art, and 
 the credit of themselves. For then the eyes of 
 every body are fixed, they gape and stare upon 
 them. Ps. xrii. 17. And a trip here is as bad as 
 a fall in another place. Also now God himself 
 looks on. Yea, he laugheth, as being pleased to 
 see a good behaviour attending the trial of the 
 innocent. 
 
 (1.) He that suffereth for righteousness' sake 
 suffereth for his goodness, and he is now to labour 
 by works and ways to convince the world that he 
 suffereth as such an one. (2.) He that suffereth 
 for righteousness' sake has many that are weak to 
 strengthen by his sweet carriages under the cross, 
 wherefore he had need to exceed in virtue. (3.) 
 He also is by well-doing to put to silence the 
 ignorance of foolish men, he had need be curious 
 and circumspect in all his actions. (4.) He is to 
 come in, and to be a judge, and to condemn, by 
 his faith and patience in his sufferings, the world, 
 with his Lord and fellows, at the appearing of 
 Jesus Christ ; he had need be holy himself. This, 
 therefore, is the fit sign of suffering for righteous- 
 ness' sake. 1 Co. vi. 1-5. He. li. 7. 2 Th. i. 5, 6. 1 Pe. iv. S-5. 
 
 , 6. He that suffereth, not only for righteousness, 
 but also for righteousness' sake, will not exchange 
 his cause, though for it in a gaol, for all the ease 
 and pleasure in the world. They that suffered 
 for righteousness' sake of old, were tempted before 
 they were sawn asunder. He. xi. Tempted, that is, 
 allured, to come out of their present sufferings, and 
 leave their faith and profession in irons behind 
 them. Tempted with promises of promotion, of 
 
 * ' Now it is Christmas ;' instead of keepiag one day in the 
 year to commemorate the nativity of Christ in riot and 
 dehauehery, every day must be kept holy in the recollection 
 both of the birth and death of tlie Saviour. All eyes are upon 
 the young convert, watching for his halting; therefore, let 
 every day be holy.— Ed. 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFEREUS. 
 
 721 
 
 ease, of frleudsliip, of favour with men. As the 
 Devil said to Christ, so persecutors of old did use 
 to make great promises to sufferers, if they would 
 fall down and worship. But this is alone as if 
 they should say, Butcher, make away with your 
 righteousness,* and a good conscience, and you 
 shall find the friendship of the world. For there 
 is no way to kiU a man's righteousness hut by his 
 own consent. This, Job's wife knew full well, 
 hence she tempted him to lay violent hands upon 
 his own integrity, job u. 9. 
 
 The Devil, nor men of the world can kill thy 
 righteousness or love to it, but by thy own hand ; 
 or separate that and thee asunder, without thine 
 own act. Nor will he that doth indeed suffer for 
 the sake of it, or of love he bears thereto, be 
 tempted to exhange it for the goods of all the 
 world. It is a sad sight to see a man that has 
 been suffering for righteousness, restored to his 
 former estate, while the righteousness for which he 
 suffered, remains under locks and irons, and is 
 exposed to the scorn, contempt, reproach of the 
 world, and trodden imder the foot of men.f ' It 
 is better,' said Paul, ' for me to die, than that any 
 man should make my glorying void. ' And it had 
 been a hundred times better for that man, if he 
 had never known the way of righteousness, than 
 after he has known it, to turn from the holy com- 
 mandment delivered unto him. 
 
 The striving is, in persecution, for righteousness; 
 to wit, whether it shall be set up, or pulled down. 
 The sufferer, he is for setting up, and the persecu- 
 tors are for pulling down. Thus they strive for the 
 mastery. Now, if a man stands by his righteous- 
 ness, and holds fast his good profession, then is 
 righteousness set up ; nor can it, so long, be pulled 
 down. Hence, so long a man is said to overcome ; 
 and overcome he doth, though he be killed for his 
 profession. But if he starts back, gives place, 
 submits, recants, or denieth any longer to own that 
 good thing that he professed, and exposed himself 
 to suffering for ; then he betrays his cause, his 
 profession, his conscience, his righteousness, his 
 soul, and all ; for he has delivered up his profession 
 to be murdered before bis face : A righteous man 
 falling down before the wicked, is as a troubled 
 fountain, and a corrupt spring. Pr. xn. 26. But this, I 
 hope, will not he do that loveth righteousness, and 
 that suffereth for righteousness' sake. I do not 
 say but that a man may slip here, with Peter, 
 
 * A striking expression. If a man's righteousness be killed, 
 it must be by his own will. He must be the butcher to kill 
 himself.— Ed. 
 
 + It is indeed sad to see professors, for the sake of paltry 
 pelf, or to escape from persecution, denying the Lord Jesus. 
 Jt subjents religion to scom and contempt, and doubles the 
 sorrows and sufferings of reiJ Christians. Bunyaa expresses 
 himself here ia a most admirable manner. — Ed. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 Origen, Hierom, Cranmer, Baynham, Ormis.J and 
 other good folk ; but be he one of the right kind, a 
 lover of righteousness indeed, he will return, and 
 take revenge upon himself in a godly way, for so 
 ungodly a fact. 
 
 7. He that suffereth not only for righteousness, 
 but also for righteousness' sake, is not so wedded 
 to his own notions as to slight or overlook the 
 good that is in his neighbour. But righteousness 
 he loves wherever ho finds it, though it be in him 
 that smiteth him. Pa. oxii. 5. Yea, he will own and 
 acknowledge it for the only thing that is of beauty 
 and glory in the world. With the excellent in the 
 earth is all such a man's delight. Wherefore I 
 put a difference betwixt suffering for an opinion and 
 suffering for righteousness ; as I put a difference 
 between suffering for righteousness and suffering 
 for righteousness' sake. 
 
 If righteousness, if the stamp of God, if divine 
 authority, is not found upon that thing which I 
 hold, let men never suffer for it under the notion 
 of righteousness. If sin, if superstition, if idolatry, 
 if derogation from the wisdom of Christ, and the 
 authority and perfection of his Word, be not found 
 in, nor joined to that thing that I disown in worship, 
 let me never open my mouth against it. I had 
 rather fall in with, and be an associate of a righteous 
 man that has no true grace, than with a professor 
 that has no righteousness. It is said of the young 
 man, though he went away from Christ, that he 
 looked upon him and loved him. War. x. 17-22. But 
 it is not said that ever he loved Judas. I know 
 that the righteousness for which a good man suf- 
 fereth, is not then embraced of the world, for that 
 at such a time it is under a cloud. But yet there 
 is righteousness also in the world, and wherever I 
 see it, it is of a high esteem with me. David 
 acknowledged some of his enemies to be 'more 
 righteous than he acknowledged some of his ser- 
 vants to be. 2 Sa. iv. 9-11 J ui. 31-35. It is a brave thing 
 to have righteousness, as righteousness, to be the 
 top-piece in mine affections. The reason why 
 Christ was anointed with the oil of gladness above 
 his fellows, was, because he loved righteousness, 
 and hated iniquity more than they. He. i. 9. Love to 
 righteousness flows from golden graces, and is that, 
 and that only, that can make a man capable of 
 suffering, in our sense, for righteousness' sake. 
 
 8. He that suffereth not only for righteousness, 
 but also for righteousness' sake, will take care that 
 his sufferings be so managed with graciousness of 
 words and actions, that it may live when he is 
 dead ; yea, and it will please him too, if righteous- 
 ness flourishes, though by his loss. Hence it is 
 
 ■j: Bunyan's familiarity with these Illustrious men was 
 obtained by reading Fox's Acta and Idonuments, when in pri- 
 son. — Ed. 
 
 4 Y 
 
723 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFi'ERERS. 
 
 that Paul said, he rejoiced in his suffering, CoLi. 24; 
 namely, because others got good thereby. And 
 that he said, ' Yea, and if I be offered upon the 
 sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice 
 with you all.' Ph. u. 17. But why rejoice in this? 
 Why, because though his sufferings were to the 
 distressing of his flesh, yet they were to the refresh- 
 ing, comfort, and stability of others. This was it 
 also that made him jostle with the false brethren 
 among the churches ; to wit, ' that the truth of the 
 gospel might continue with them. ' Ga. ii. 5. 
 
 When a man shall run the hazard of the ruin of i 
 what he has, and is, for righteousness, for the good 
 and benefit of the church of God ; that man, he 
 managing himself by the rule, if he suffers for so 
 doing, suffers not only for righteousness, but also 
 for righteousness' sake. ' I endure all things, ' said 
 Paul, 'for the elect's sake, that they may also 
 obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with 
 eternal glory.' 2 Tim. u. 10. Here was love, you will 
 say, to persons ; and I will say also, to things ; to 
 all the righteousnesses of God that are revealed in 
 the world, that all the elect might enjoy them to 
 their eternal comfort and glory, by Christ Jesus. 
 For 'whether we be afflicted,' says he, 'it is for 
 your consolation and salvation, which is effectual 
 in the enduring of the same sufferings wliich we 
 also suffer : or whether we be comforted, ii is for 
 your consolation and salvation. 2 Cor. i. 6. 
 
 The end of a man and his design, if that be to 
 promote righteousness, he using lawful means to 
 accomplish it, is greatly accepted of God by Christ ; 
 and it is a sign he is a lover of righteousness ; and 
 that if he suffereth for so doing, he suffereth not 
 for well-doing, only as to matter of fact, but also 
 for his love to the good thing done, and for its sake. 
 
 I have now done with that first head that was 
 to be spoken to, as touching the law and testament; 
 which we have said Teas to be understood of the 
 will of God spoken of in the text: ' Let them that 
 suffer according to the will of God,' that is, accord- 
 ing to his law and testament. Now we have 
 showed what it is to suffer according to 'that; we 
 come to another thing, namely : — 
 
 [the will of god means his order and DESIGNMENT.] 
 
 Second, That by the will of God, we also under- 
 stand his order and designment. For the will of 
 God is active, to dispose of his people, as well as 
 preceptive, to show unto us our duty. He then 
 that suffers for righteousness' sake, as he suffers 
 for that which is good as to the matter of it, and 
 as he suffers for that which is good, after that 
 manner as becomes that truth for which he suf 
 fereth ; so he that thus suffereth, suffereth by the 
 order and designment of God. That, then, is the 
 next thing that is to be spoken to. namely :— 
 
 God is the great orderer of the battle that is 
 managed in the world against antichrist. Hence 
 that battle is called, ' The battle of that great day 
 of God Almighty.' Re. xn. u. It is not what enemies 
 will, nor what they are resolved upon, but "what God 
 will, and what God appoints ; that shall be done. 
 This doctrine Christ teacheth when he saith, 'Are 
 not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not 
 one of them is forgotten before God? But even 
 the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear 
 not therefore: ye are of more value than many 
 sparrows. ' Ln. lU. 6, 7. He speaks in the verses before 
 of killing, and bids them that they should not be 
 afraid for that. ' Be not afraid of them that kill 
 the body, and after that have no more that they 
 can do. But 1 will forewarn you whom ye shall 
 fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath 
 power to cast into bell ; yea, 1 say unto you, Fear 
 him.' Then he leads them to the consideration of 
 this, that the will of God governs, and disposes 
 of his [people] to suffering; as well as declares to 
 them for what, and how they should suffer, saying, 
 •Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings,' <fec. 
 
 Also in isa. vui. 9, 10, and in isa. li. 12, 13, you have 
 in sum the same thing inserted again. But we will 
 not stay upon proof, but will proceed to demon- 
 stration hereof. 
 
 Pharaoh said he would, ay, that he would, but he 
 could not touch so much as a thread or a rag of Israeli 
 because the will of God was in that thing contrary 
 to hini. Saul said that he would have David, and 
 to that end would search for him among the thou- 
 sands of Judah ; but David was designed for another 
 purpose, and therefore Saul must go without him. 
 
 1 sa. xjiii. 25, &c. Rabsliakeh said that he was come 
 from Assyria to Jerusalem to make 'Judah eat 
 their own dung, and drink their own piss. ' isa. hot. 12. 
 But God said he should not shoot an arrow there. 
 And it came to pass as God had said. isa. jox™. 33. 
 
 2 Ki. xnii. 2 ch. M\iii. Jeremiah and Baruch's enemies 
 would have killed them, but they could not, for 
 God hid them. How many times had the Jews a 
 mind to have destroyed Jesus Christ; but they 
 could not touch a hair of his head until his hour 
 was come. 
 
 Those also that bound themselves in a curse, 
 that they would neither eat nor drink until they 
 had killed Paul, were forced to be foresworn, for 
 the will of God was not that Paul should die as 
 yet. Ac. xxiii. 12. This therefore should be well con- 
 sidered of God's church, in the cloudy and dark 
 day. * All his saints are in thy hand.' De. xxxiii 3. 
 It is not the way of God to let the enemies of God's 
 church do what they will ; no, the devil hiftiself can 
 devour but 'whom he may.' iPe. v. s. And as no 
 enemy can bring suffering upon a{ roan when the 
 will of God is otherwise, so no man can save him- 
 self out of their hands when God will dehvcr hiia 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFEEERS. 
 
 723 
 
 up for his glory. It remaineth, then, that we be 
 not much afraid of men, nor yet he foolishly bold ; 
 but that we wait upon our God in the way of righ- 
 teousness, and the use of those means which his 
 providence offereth to us for our safety ; and that 
 we conclude that our whole dispose, as to liberty or 
 suffering, lieth in the will of God, and that we shall, 
 or shall not suffer, even as it pleaseth him. For, 
 
 First, God has appointed who shall suffer. Suf- 
 fering comes not by chance, or by the will of man, 
 but by the will and appointment of God. ' Let no 
 man,' said Paul, 'be moved by these afflictions; 
 for yourselves know that we are appointed there- 
 unto. ' 1 Th. iii. 3. We are apt to forget God when 
 afliction comes, and to think it a strange thing 
 that those that fear God should suffer indeed, i Fe. 
 iy. 12. But we should not, for we suffer by the will 
 and appointment of God. Hence they under the 
 altar were bid to rest for a while, even until their 
 fellow-servants also, and their brethren that should 
 be killed — mark that — ' should be killed, as they 
 were, should be fulfilled.' He. vi. ii. Wherefore, suf- 
 fering for righteousness and for righteousness' 
 sake, is by the will of God. God has appointed 
 who shall suffer. That is the first. 
 
 Second, As God has appointed who shall suffer, 
 60 he has appointed when they shall suffer for his 
 tnith in the world. Sufierings for such and such a 
 toan are timed, as to when he shall be tried tor his 
 faith. Hence, when Paul was afiaid, at Corinth, 
 that the heathens would fall about his ears, the 
 Lord spake to him by night in a vision, saying, ' Be 
 not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace ; for 
 I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to 
 hui-t thee. ' Ac. xviu. 9, lo. His time of suffering was not 
 yet come there. It is also said concerning Jesus 
 Christ, that even then when ' they sought to take 
 him, no man laid hands on him, because his hour was 
 not yet come.' Jn. vu. so. The times, then, and the 
 seasons, even for the sufferings of the people of 
 God, are not in the hands of their enemies, but in 
 the hand of God ; as David said, ' My times are in 
 thy hand.' By the will of God, then, it is that 
 such shall suffer at, but not until, that time. But, 
 
 Third, As God has appointed who and when, so 
 he has appointed wheee this, that, or the other 
 good man shall suffer. Moses and Elias, when they 
 appeared on the holy mount, told Jesus of the suf- 
 ferings which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. 
 Jerusalem was the place assigned for Christ to 
 suffer at ; also, there must the whole of his suffer- 
 ings be accomplished. Ln. ii. so. 3L The saints are 
 sprinkled by the hand of God here and there, as 
 salt is sprinkled upon meat to keep it from stinking. 
 And as they are thus sprinkled, that they may 
 season the earth ; so, accordingly, where they must 
 suffer is also appointed for the better confirming of 
 the truth. Christ said, it could not be that a prophet 
 
 should 'perish out of Jerusalem.' LtLMu.33. But 
 why could it not be that they should perish other 
 where ? Were there no enemies but in Jerusalem ? 
 Were there no good men but at Jerusalem ? No, 
 no ; that was not the reason. The reason was, for 
 that God had appointed that they should suffer 
 there. So then, who, when, and whei-e, is at the 
 wUl of God, and they, accordingly, are ordered by 
 that will. 
 
 Fowrili, As God has appointed who, when, and 
 where, so he has also appointed what kind of suf- 
 ferings this or that saint shall undergo, at this placo 
 and at such a time. God said that he would show 
 Paul beforehand how great things he should suffer 
 for his sake. Ac. ii. le. And it is said that Christ 
 did signify to Peter beforehand ' by what death 
 he should glorify God. ' jn. xxi. lo. When Herod 
 had beheaded John Baptist, and when the Jews 
 had crucified Christ, it is said that they had but 
 fulfilled what was ' written of them.' Mar. ix. is. Ac. 
 xiii. 29. Our sufferings, as to the nature of them, 
 are aU writ down in God's book ; and though the 
 writing seem as unknown characters to us, yet 
 God understands them very well. Some of them 
 they shall kill and crucify, and some of them they 
 shall scourge in their synagogue, ' and persecute 
 them from city to city. ' Mat. jxiii. 34. Shall God, 
 think you, say, some of them tliey shall serve thus, 
 and some of them they shall do so to ; and yet 
 not allot which some to this, and which to that, 
 and which to the other trial ? 
 
 Doubtless our sufferings fall by the will of God 
 unto us, as they fell of old upon the people of Jeru- 
 salem. It was appointed by God who of them 
 should die of hunger, who with the sworJ, who 
 should go into captivity, and who should be eaten 
 up of beasts, je. iv. 2, 3. So is the case here, namely, 
 as God has appointed who, when, where, and the 
 like, so he has, also, what manner of sufierings 
 this or that good man shall undergo for his name. 
 Let it then be concluded, that hitherto it appears, 
 that the sufierings of saints are ordered and dis- 
 posed by the will of God. But, 
 
 Fifth, As all this is determined by the will of 
 God, so it is also appointed for what TRnTH this or 
 that saint shall suffer this or that kind of aifliction. 
 Every saint has his course, his work, and his testi- 
 mony, as is allotted him of God. Mar. xiu. 34. John had 
 a course, a testimony to fulfil for God, Ac. xiii. 25; and 
 so had holy Paul, 2 11 iv. 6, 7; and so has every saint : 
 also, he that is to suffer has his truth appointed him 
 to suffer for. Christ had a truth peculiar to himself 
 to bear witness to in a way of suffering. Miir. liv. ei, 62. 
 John had a truth peculiar to himself to bear wit- 
 ness to in a way of suffering. Mar. vi. 17, I8. Stephen 
 had also a truth, diverse from them both, to which 
 he bare a holy testimony, and for which he bravely 
 
 died, Ac. vij. 81-53. 
 
724 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 If you read tlie book of Acts and Monuments, 
 you may see a goodly variety as to this ; and yet 
 in all a curious harmony. Some are there said to 
 suffer for the Godhead, some for the manhood, 
 some for the ordinances of Christ, and some laid 
 down their lives for the brethren. And thus far 
 we see that he that suffers for righteousness' sake, 
 suffers, in this sense, according to the will of God. 
 
 Sixth, As it is appointed who, when, where, what 
 kind, and for what truth, by the will of God, this 
 and that saint should suffer ; so also it is appointed 
 BY WHOSE HAND this Or that man shall suffer for this 
 or that truth. Tt was appointed that Moses and 
 Israel should suffer by the hand of Pharaoh. And 
 for this very purpose, saith God, have I raised 
 thee up, that is, to be a persecutor, and to reap 
 the fruits thereof. Ex. i%. 16. It was also determined 
 that Christ should suffer by the hand of Herod 
 and Pontius Pilate; ' For of a truth,' said they, 
 ' against thy holy child Jesus both Herod, and 
 Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people 
 of Israel, were gathered together, for to do what- 
 soever thy hand and thy counsel determined before 
 to be done.' Ac. iv. 27. 
 
 These are great instances, from which we may 
 gather how all these things are ordered from thence 
 down hitherto. For if a sparrow falls not to the 
 ground without God, she shall not be killed with- 
 out God ; not by he knows not who. And if a 
 christian man is better than many sparrows, it 
 tollows, that God concerns himself more with, for, 
 and about him than with, for, or about many spar- 
 rows. It follows, therefore, in right reason, that 
 as the person who is appointed to be the sufferer, 
 so the persons who are appointed to be the rod 
 and sword thereby to afflict withal. Thus far, 
 therefore, the will of God is it that ordereth ffnd 
 disposeth of us and of our sufferings. 
 
 Seventh, As all these pass through the hand of 
 God, and come not to us but by his will, so now 
 is also LONG as really determined as any of them all. 
 It is not in man, but God, to set the time how long 
 the rod of the wicked shall rest upon the lot of the 
 righteous. Abraham must be informed of this. 
 ' Abraham,' says God, ' know of a surety that thj"- 
 seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, 
 and shall serve them ; and they shall afflict them 
 four hundred years. ' Ge. iv. 13. So the thraldom of 
 Israel in Babylon was not only in the general 
 appointed, but the time prefixed, how long. je. xxv. ii, 
 12; judx. 10. The time of the beast's reign and of the 
 witnesses walking in sackcloth are punctually fixed, 
 and that beyond which they cannot go. Re. xi. xu. xm. 
 
 I know these are generals, and respect the 
 church in the bulk of it, and not particular per- 
 sons. But, as was hinted afore, we must argue 
 from the greater to the lesser, that is, from four 
 hundred years to ten days, from ten days to three, 
 
 and so from the church in general to each parti- 
 cular member, and to the time and nature of their 
 
 sufferings. Re. a. 10. Ho. vi. 2. Ac. xxiii. 11. 
 
 And thus, in a word or two, I have finished the 
 first two parts of the text, and showed you what 
 there is in Peter's counsel and advice ; and showed 
 you also, to whom his advice is given : in which 
 last, as you see, 1 have showed you both what the 
 will of God is, and what to suffer according to it. 
 And particularly, I have, in a few words, handled 
 this last, to show you that our sufferings are ordered 
 and disposed by him, that you might always, when 
 you come into trouble for his name, not stagge^ 
 nor be at a loss, but be stayed, composed, and 
 settled in your minds, and say, ' The will of the 
 Lord be done.' Ac. xxi. 14. I will also say unto 
 you this by the way, that the will of God doth 
 greatly work, even to order and dispose of the 
 spirits of Christians, in order to a willingness, dis- 
 posedness, readiness, and resignation of ourselves 
 to the mind of God. For with respect to this 
 were those words last recited spoken. Paul saw 
 that he had a call to go up to Jerusalem, there to 
 bear his testimony for Christ and his gospel ; but 
 those unto whom he made known his purpose 
 entreated him, with much earnestness, not to go up 
 thither, for that, as they believed, it would endan- 
 ger his life. But he answereth. What, mean ye to 
 weep, and to break my heart ? for I am ready, not 
 to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for 
 the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would 
 not be persuaded, says Luke, we ceased, saying, 
 ' The will of the Lord be done. ' 
 
 From what has been thus discoursed, many 
 things will follow ; as, 
 
 1. That the rod, as well as the child, is God's; 
 persecutors, as well as the persecuted, are his, and 
 he has his own designs upon both. He has raised 
 them up, and he has ordered them for himself, and 
 for that work that he has for them to do. Hence 
 Habakkuk, speaking of the church's enemies, 
 saith, ' Thou hast ordained them for judgment ; 
 and, mighty God, thou hast established them 
 for correction.' Ha. L 12. And, therefore, they are 
 in other places called the rod of God's anger; his 
 staff. Is. X. 5 ; his hand ; his sword. Ps. rvii is, u. 
 
 Indeed, to be thus disposed of, is a sad lot ; the 
 lot is not fallen to them in pleasant places, they 
 have not the goodly heritage ; but the judgments 
 of God are a great deep. The thing formed may 
 not say to him that formed it, Why hast thou 
 made me thus ? To be appointed, to be ordained, 
 to be established to be a persecutor, and a trou- 
 bler of God's church — tremendous judgment ! 
 amazing anger ! 
 
 Three things the people of God should learn 
 from hence. 
 
 (1.) Learn to pity and bewail the condition of 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 725 
 
 tlie enemy; I know thou canst not alter the 
 counsel of God; appointed they are, established 
 they are for their work, and do it they must and 
 shall. But yet it becomes them that see their 
 state, and that their day is coming, to pity and 
 bewail their condition, yea, and to pray for them 
 too ; for who knows whether it is determined that 
 they should remain implacable to the end, as 
 Herod ; or whether they may through grace obtain 
 repentance for their doings, with Saul. And I 
 say again, if thy prayer should have a easting 
 hand in the conversion of auy of them, it would 
 be sweet to thy thoughts when the scene is over. 
 
 (2.) Never grudge them their present advan- 
 tages. ' Fret not thyself because of evil inen. 
 neither be thou envious at the workers of iniq[uity.' 
 Pr. xxiT. 19. Fret not, though they spoil thy resting- 
 place. It is God that has bidden them do it, to 
 try thy faith and patience thereby. Wish them 
 no ill with what they get of thine ; it is their wages 
 for their work, and it will appear to them ere long 
 that they have earned it dearly. Their time is to 
 rejoice but as in a moment, in what thus is gotten 
 by them ; and then they, not repenting, are to 
 perish for ever, like their own dung. Job ec. 5—7. 
 Poor man, thou that hast thy time to be afflicted 
 by them, that thy golden graces may shine the 
 more, thou art in the fire, and they blow the bel- 
 lows. But wouldest thou change places with 
 them ? Wouldest thou sit upon their place of 
 ease ? Dost thou desire to be with them? Pr. rny. i. 
 rest thyself contented ; in thy patience possess 
 thy soul, and pity and bewail them in the condi- 
 tion in which they are. 
 
 (3.) Bless God that thy lot did fall on the other 
 side, namely, to be one that should know the 
 truth, profess it, suffer for it, and have grace to 
 bear thee up thereunder, to .God's glory, and thy 
 eternal comfort. This honour have not all his 
 saints ; all are not counted worthy thus to suffer 
 shame for his name. Do this, I say, though they 
 get all, and leave thee nothing but the shirt on 
 diy back, the skin on thy bones, or an hole in the 
 ground to be put in. He. li. 23-26. 
 
 2. Labour to be patient under this mighty 
 hand of God, and be not hasty to say. When will 
 the rod be laid aside ? mind thou thy duty, which 
 is to let patience have its perfect work. And 
 bear the indignation of the Lord, because thou 
 hast sinned against him, until he please to awake, 
 CO arise, apd to execute judgment for thee. Mi. vU. 9. 
 But to pass this. 
 
 Are things thus ordered ? then this should 
 teach us that there is a cause. The rod is not 
 gathered without a cause ; the rod is fore-deter- 
 mined, because the sin of God's people is foreseen, 
 and ofttimes the nature of the sin, and the anger 
 of the Father, is seen in the fashion of the rod. 
 
 The rod of my anger, saith God. A bitter and 
 hasty nation must be brought against Jerusalem ; 
 an enemy fierce and cruel must be brought against 
 the land of Israel. Their sins called for such a 
 rod, for their iniquities were grievous. Ha. !. 6. 
 
 This should teach us with all earnestness to be 
 sorry for our sins, and to do what we can to pre- 
 vent these things, by falling upon our face in a 
 way of prayer before God. If we would shorten 
 such days, when they come upon us, let us be 
 lovers of righteousness, and get more of the righ- 
 teousness of faith, and of compliance with the 
 whole will of God into our hearts. Then I say, 
 the days shall be shortened, or we fare as well, 
 because the more harmless and innocent we are, 
 and suffer, the greater wiU our wages, our reward, 
 and glory be, when pay-day shall come ; and what 
 if we wait a little for that ? 
 
 These things are sent to better God's people, 
 and to make them white, to refine them as silver, 
 and to purge them as gold, and to cause that 
 they that bear some fruit, may bring forth more : 
 we are afflicted, that we may grow. Jn. xv. 2. It is 
 also the will of God, that they that go to heaven 
 should go thither hardly or with difficulty. The 
 righteous shall scarcely be saved. That is, they 
 shall, but yet with great difficulty, that it may be 
 the sweeter. 
 
 Now that which makes the way to heaven so 
 strait, so narrow, so hard, is the rod, the sword, 
 the persecutor, that lies in the way, that marks 
 where our haunt is, that mars our path, digs a 
 pit, and that sets a net, a snare for us in the way. 
 
 1 Sa. xxiii. 22. Job xxx. 12—14. Ps. ix. 10 ; x-xxi. 4 ; xxxv. 7; csix. 110; 
 cxl. 5 ; cxlii. 3. 
 
 This, I say, is that which puts us to it, but it 
 is to ti-y, as I said, our graces, and to make hea- 
 ven the sweeter to us. To come frighted and 
 hard pursued thither, will make the safety there 
 the more with exceeding gladness to be embraced. 
 And I say, get thy heart yet more possessed with 
 the power of godliness ; that the love of righteous- 
 ness may be yet more with thee. For this blessed- 
 ness, this happiness, he shall be sure of, that suf- 
 fereth for righteousness' sake. 
 
 3. Since the rod is God's as well as the child, 
 let us not look upon our troubles as if they came 
 from, and were managed only by hell. It is true, 
 a persecutor has a black mark upon him, but yet 
 the Scriptures say that all the ways of the perse- 
 cutor are God's. Da. v. 23. Wherefore as we should, 
 so again we should not, be afraid of men : we 
 should be afraid of them, because they will hurt 
 us ; hut we should not be afraid of them, as if 
 they were let loose to do to us, and with us, what 
 they will. God's bridle is upon them, God's hook 
 is in their nose : yea, and God has determined the 
 bounds of their rage, and if he lets them- drive his 
 
726 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFEllERS. 
 
 church into the sea of troubles, it shall be but up 
 to the neek, aud so far it may go, and not be 
 drowned. 2 Ki. xix. 28. 'U. ixxvu. 29 ; viii. 7, 8. I say the 
 Lord has hold of them, and orders them ; nor do 
 they at any time come out against his people but 
 by his licence aud commission how far to go, and 
 where to stop. 
 
 And now for two or three objections : — 
 1 . Object. But may we not fly in a time of per- 
 secution ? Your pressing upon us, that persecu- 
 tion is ordered and managed by God, makes us 
 afraid to fly. 
 
 Answ. First, having regard to what was said 
 afore about a call to suifer; thou mayest do in 
 this even as it is in thy heart. If it is in thy 
 heart to fly, fly: if it be in thy heart to stand, stand. 
 Any thing but a denial of the truth. He that 
 flies, has warrant to do so ; he that stands, has 
 warrant to do so. Yea, the same man may both 
 fly and stand, as the call and working of God 
 with his heart may be. Moses fled, Ex. ii. is; Moses 
 stood. He. xi. 27. David fled, i Sn. xix. 12; David stood, 
 utiv. 8. Jeremiah fled, Je. xixvii. ii, i2; Jeremiah stood, 
 xxxviii. 17. Christ withdrew himself, Lu, ix. lo; Christ 
 stood. Jn. xTiii. 1-3. Paul fled, 2 Co. xi. 33; Paul stood. 
 
 Ac. XX. 22, 23. 
 
 There are therefore few rules in this case. The 
 man himself is best able to judge concerning his 
 present strength, and what weight this or that 
 argument has upon his heart to stand or fly. 1 
 should be loath to impose upon any man in these 
 things ; only, if thou fliest, take two or three cau- 
 tions with thee: — 
 
 (] .) Do not fly out of a slavish fear, but rather 
 because flying is an ordinance of God, opening a 
 door for the escape of some, which door is opened 
 by God's providence, and the escape countenanced 
 by God's Word. Mat. a. 23. 
 
 (2.) When thou art fled, do as much good as 
 thou canst in all quarters where thou comest, for 
 therefore the door was opened to thee, and thou 
 bid to make thy escape. Ac. vm. 1-5. 
 
 (3.) Do not think thyself secure when thou art 
 fled ; it was providence that opened the door, and 
 the Word that did bid thee escape : but whither, 
 and wherefore, that thou knowcst not yet. Uriah 
 the prophet fled into Egypt, because there dwelt 
 men that were to take him, that he might be 
 brought again to Jerusalem to die there. Je. xxvi. 21. 
 
 (4.) Shouldest thou fly from where thou art, 
 and be taken in another place ; the most that 
 can be made of it — thy taking the opportunity to 
 fly, as was propounded at first — can be but this, 
 thou wast willing to commit thyself to God in the 
 way of his providence, as other good men have 
 done, and thy being now apprehended has made 
 thy call clear to suficr here or there, the which 
 before thou wert in the dark about. 
 
 (5.) If, therefore, when thou hast fled, thou art 
 taken, be not ofieuded at God or man: not at 
 God, for thou art his servant, thy life and thy all 
 are his ; not at man, for he is but God's rod, and 
 is ordained, in this, to do thee good. Hast thou 
 escaped ? Laugh. Art thou taken ? Laugh. I 
 mean, be pleased which way soever things shall 
 go, for that the scales are still in God's hand. 
 
 (6.) But fly not, in flying, from religion ; fly not, 
 in flying, for the sake of a trade ; fly not, in flying, 
 that thou mayest have ease for the flesh : this is 
 wicked, and will yield neither peace nor profit to 
 thy soul ; neither now, nor at death, nor sjt the 
 day of judgment. 
 
 2. Object. But if I fly, some will blame me: what 
 must I do now ? 
 
 Ansio. And so may others if thou standest ; fly 
 not, therefore, as was said afore, out of a slavish 
 fear; stand not, of a bravado. Do what thou 
 dost in the fear of God, guiding thyself by his 
 Word and providence; and as for this or that 
 man's judgment, refer thy case to the judgment 
 of God. 
 
 3. Object. But if I be taken and suifer, my cause 
 is like to be clothed with scandals, slanders, re- 
 proaches, and all manner of false, and evil speak- 
 ings ; what must I do ? 
 
 Answ. Saul charged David with rebellion. 1 Sn. 
 xxii. 8, 13. Amos was charged with conspiring against 
 the king. Am. vu. 10. Daniel was charged with despis- 
 ing the king ; and so also were the three children. 
 Da. vi. 13 ; m. 12. Jesus Christ himself was accused 
 of perverting the nation, of forbidding to give tri- 
 bute to Cjesar, and of saying that himself was 
 Christ a king. lu. xxUi. 2. These things therefore 
 have been. But, 
 
 (1.) Canst thou, after a due examination of thy- 
 self, say that as to these things thou art innocent 
 and clear ? I say, will thy conscience justify thee 
 here ? Hast thou made it thy business to give 
 unto God the things that are God's, and unto 
 Ca5sar the things that are his, according as God 
 has commanded ? If so, matter not what men 
 shall say, nor with what lies and reproaches they 
 slander thee, but for these things count thyself 
 happy. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you 
 - and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely 
 (lying) for my sake (saith Christ). Rejoice, and 
 be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in 
 heaven : for so persecuted they the prophets which 
 were before you. Mat. v. u, 12. Comfort thyself there- 
 fore in the innocency of thy soul, and say, I am 
 counted a rebel, and yet am loyal ; I am counted 
 a deceiver, and yet am true. 1 Sa. x.\iv. s-12. 2 Co. vi. 8. 
 Also refer thy cause to the day of judgment ; for 
 if thou canst rejoice at the thoughts that thou shalt 
 be cleared of all slanders and evil speakings then, 
 that will bear up thy heart as to what thou mayest 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 727 
 
 Buffer now. The answer of a good conscience will 
 carry a man through hell to heaven. Count these 
 slanders part of thy sufferings, and those for which 
 God will give thee a reward, hecause thou art inno- 
 cent, and for that they are laid upon thee for thy 
 profession's sake. But if thou he guilty, look to 
 thyself; I am no comforter of such. 
 
 [third, the good effect of commitiisg the soul 
 TO god's keeping.] 
 
 I come now to speak to the third and last part 
 of the text, namely, of the good effect that will 
 certainly follow to those that, after a due manner, 
 shall take the advice afore given. * Let them that 
 suffer according to the will of God, commit the 
 keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto 
 a faithful Creator. ' 
 
 Two things from the last clause of the text lie 
 yet hefore us. And they are they hy which will 
 be shown what good effect will foUow to those that 
 suffer according to the will of God, and that com- 
 mit their souls to his keeping. 1. Such will find 
 him to themselves a Creator. 2. They will find 
 him a faithful Creator. ' Let them commit the 
 keeping of their souls to him, as unto a faithful 
 Creator. ' 
 
 In this phfase, a faithful Creator, behold the 
 wisdom of the Holy Ghost, how fitly and to the 
 purpose he speaketh. King is a great title, and 
 God is sometimes called a King ; but he is not set 
 forth by this title here, but by the title of a Creator ; 
 for it is not always in the power of a king to suc- 
 cour and relieve his subjects, that are suffering for 
 his crown and dignity. Father is a sweet title — a 
 title that carrieth in it an intimation of a great deal 
 of bowels and compassion, and God is often set 
 forth also hy this title in the holy Scriptures. But 
 so he is not here, but rather as a Creator. For a 
 father, a compassionate father, cannot always help, 
 succour, or relieve his children, though he knows 
 they are under affliction ! Oh ! but a Creator can. 
 Wherefore, I say, he is set forth here under the 
 title of a Creator. 
 
 First, A Creator! nothing can die under a 
 Creator's hands. A Creator can sustain all. A 
 Creator can, as a Creator, do what he pleases. 
 ' The Lord, the everlasting God, the Creator of the 
 ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary.' 
 
 Is. ri. 28. 
 
 The cause of God, for which his people suffer, 
 had been dead and buried a thousand years ago, 
 had it not been in the hand of a Creator. The 
 people that have stood by his cause had been out 
 of both as to persons, name, and remembrance, had 
 they not been in the hand of a Creator. Who 
 could have hoped, when Israel was going in, even 
 into the mouth of the Ked Sea, that ever his cause. 
 
 or that people, should have revived again. A huge 
 host of the Egyptians were behind them, and 
 nothing but death before and on every hand of 
 them ; but they lived, they flourished, they outlived 
 their enemies, for they were in the hand of a 
 Creator. 
 
 Who could have hoped that Israel should have 
 returned again from the land, from the hand, and 
 from under the tyranny of the king of Babylon? 
 They could not deliver themselves from going 
 thither, they could not preserve themselves from 
 being diminished when they came there, their poWer 
 was gone, they were in captivity, their distance 
 from home was far, their enemies possessed their 
 land, their city of defence was ruined, and their 
 houses burned down to the ground ; and yet they 
 came home again : there is nothing impossible to a 
 Creator. 
 
 Who could have thought that the three children 
 could have lived in a fiery furnace ? that Daniel 
 could have been safe among the lions ? that Jonah 
 could have come home to his country, when he was 
 in the whale's belly ? or that our Lord should have 
 risen again from the dead ? But what is impossible 
 to a Creator? 
 
 This, therefore, is a rare consideration for those 
 to let their hearts be acquainted with that suffer 
 according to the wiU of God, and that have com- 
 mitted the keeping of their souls to him in well- 
 doing. They have a Creator to mailitain and 
 uphold their cause, a Creator to oppose its opposers. 
 And hence it is said, all that burden themselves 
 with Jerusalem ' shall be cut in pieces, though all 
 the people of the earth be gathered together against 
 
 it. Zee. xii. 3. • 
 
 Second, A Creator! A Creator cart not only 
 support a dying cause, but also fainting spirits. 
 For as he fainteth not, nor is weary, so ' he giveth 
 power to the faint, and to them, that liave no might 
 he increaseth strength.' is. \L 29. He is the God of 
 the spirits of all flesh, and has the life of the spirit 
 of his people in his own hand. Spirits have their 
 being from him ; he is the Father of spirits. Spirits 
 are made strong by him, nor can any crush that 
 spirit that God the Creator will uphold. 
 
 Is it not a thing amazing to see one poor incon- 
 siderable man, in a spirit of faith and patience, 
 overcome all the threatenings, cruelties, afflictions^ 
 and sorrows, that a whole world can lay upon him ? 
 None can quail* him, none can crush him, none 
 can bend down his spirit. None can make him to 
 forsake what he has received of God — a command- 
 
 * ' Quail J ' to oveifowcr. Well might the abettors of 
 Antichrist wonder at the Chiistian's support under the most 
 cruel tortures. While 'looking unto .Tesus' and the bright 
 visions of eternal glory, like Stephen, he can pray for bis 
 enemies, and tranquilly fall asleep while undergoing the most 
 frightful sufferings. — Ed. 
 
728 
 
 ADVICE TO SUrFEUEllS. 
 
 ment to hold fast. His holy, harmless, and profit- 
 able notions, because they are spiced with grace, 
 yield to him more comfort, joy, and peace, and do 
 kindle in his soul so goodly a fire of love to, and 
 zeal for God, that all the waters of the world shall 
 never be able to quench. 
 
 Ay, say some, that is because he is headstrong, 
 obstinate, and one that will hear no reason. No, 
 say I, but it is because his spirit is in the hand, 
 under the conduct and preservation, of a Creator. 
 A Creator can make spirits, uphold spirits, and 
 make one spirit stronger to stand, than are all the 
 spirits of the world to cast down. To stand, I say, 
 in a way of patient endiu-ing in well-doing, against 
 all that hell can do to suppress. 
 
 Thied, a Creator! A Creator can bring down 
 the spirits that oppose, and make them weak and 
 unstable as water. The Lord, the everlasting God, 
 the Creator of the ends of the earth, faintetb not, 
 nor is weary ; there is no searching of his under- 
 standing. He gives power to the faint, and to 
 those that have no might, he increaseth strength ; 
 now mark, even the youth shall faint and be weary, 
 and the young men shall utterly fall. A Creator 
 can dash the spirits of the enemies with fear. God 
 can put them in fear, and make them know that 
 they are men and not God, and that their horses 
 are flesh and not spirit. When the enemy came 
 to take Jesus Christ, their spirits fainted, their 
 hearts died in them ; they went backwards, and fell 
 to the ground. They had hard work to strengtlien 
 their spirits to a sufficiency of boldness and courage, 
 though they brought halberts, and staves, and 
 swords, and weapons with them, to take a naked* 
 
 man. Jn. xviii. 3—7. 
 
 And although this is that which is not so visible 
 to the world as some other things are, yet I believe 
 that God treads down the spirits of men in a day 
 when they afflict his people, oftener than we are 
 aware of, or than they are willing to confess. How 
 was the hostile spirit of Esau trod down of God, 
 when he came out to meet his poor naked brother, 
 with no less than four hundred armed men ? He 
 fainted before his brother, and instead of killing, 
 kissed him. Ge. miu. 4. How was the bloody spirit 
 of Saul trod down, when David met him at the 
 mouth of the cave, and also at the hill Hachilah ? 
 1 Sa. xiiv. xxvi. God is a Creator, and as a Creator, 
 is a spirit maker, a spirit reviver, a spirit destroyer.; 
 he can destroy body and soul in hell. Lu. xii. 5. 
 
 Fourth, A Creator ! As a Creator, he is over 
 all arts, inventions, and crafts of men that are set 
 on work to destroy God's people, whether they be 
 
 * ' A naked man ;' nnarmeil, or defenceleaa. 
 . ' Had I but serv'd my God witli half the zea] 
 I serv'd my king, he would not in mine age 
 Have left me nuked to mine enemies.' 
 
 Skakspeare^s WoUey. — Eu. 
 
 soldiers, excellent orators, or any other what.so- 
 ever ; we will single out one — the smith, that roar- 
 ing fellow, who with his coals and his bellows 
 makes a continual noise. ' I have created the 
 smith,' saith God, 'that bloweth the coals in the 
 fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his 
 work ; and I have created the waster to destroy.' 
 Is. Uv. 16. The smith, what is he ? I answer, an 
 idol maker, a promoter of false worship, and one 
 that makes instruments of cruelty, therewith to 
 help to suppress the true [worship], is. xu. 7; xiiv. 12 j 
 
 xlvi. e. 
 
 'I have created the smith,' saith God, 'that 
 bloweth the coals in the fire.' The idol inventor, 
 the idol maker, the supporter of idol worship, he 
 is my creature, saith God, to teach that he has 
 power to reach him, and to command his sword to 
 approach him at his pleasure, notwithstanding his 
 roaring with his bellows, and his coals in the fire. 
 So then, he cannot do what he will in the fire, nor 
 with his idol when he has made it ; the instrument, 
 also that he makes for the defence of his idol, and 
 for the suppressing of God's true -\vorship, shall 
 not do the thing for the which it is designed by 
 him. And so the very next verse saith : ' No 
 weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, 
 and every tongue tliat shall rise against thee in 
 judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heri- 
 tage of the servants of the Lord, and their righ- 
 teousness is of me, saith the Lord.' is. liv. 17. And 
 the text saith moreover, I have created the waster 
 to destroy. The waster, what is that ? Why, the 
 smith makes an idol, and God has made the rust; 
 the smith makes a sword, and God has made the 
 rust. The rust eats them up, the moth shall eat 
 them up, the fire shall devour them. ' The wicked,' 
 saith the Psalmist, ' have drawn out the sword, 
 and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and 
 needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversa- 
 tion. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, 
 and their bows shall be broken.' Ps. ixxvU. 14, 15. 
 
 All this can God do, because he is a Creator, 
 and none but God can do it. V/herefore by this 
 peculiar title of Creator, the apostle prepareth 
 support for suffering saints, and also shows what 
 a good conclusion is like to be made with them 
 that suffer for righteousness' sake, according to 
 his will ; and that commit the keeping of their 
 souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful 
 Creator. 
 
 Fifth, A Creator ! A Creator can make such 
 provision for a suffering people, in all respects, as 
 shall answer all their wants. Have they lost their 
 peace with the world ? Have they no more peace 
 with this world ? Why, a Creator can make, create 
 peace, can create peace, peace; peace with God, 
 and peace with his conscience ; and that is better 
 than all the peace that can be found elsewhere in 
 
ADVICE TO SLTTERERS. 
 
 729 
 
 the world, is. iva. 19. Hare they lost a good frame 
 of heart ? Do they want a right frame of spirit ? 
 Why, though this is to be had no where in the 
 world, yet a Creator can help them to it. Ps. li 10. 
 Have they lost their spiritual defence ? Do they 
 lie too open to their spiritual foes ? Why, this a 
 Creator can help. 'And the Lord will create 
 upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and 
 upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, 
 and the shining of a flaming fire by night : for 
 upon all the glory shaU he a defence,' is. iv. 5. 
 
 This is the work of the Spirit ; for though the 
 Spirit itself be uncreate, yet all the holy works of 
 it in the heart are verily works of creation. Our 
 new man is a creation ; our graces are a creation ; 
 our joys and comforts are a creation.* 2 Cki. t. 17, is. 
 Ep.iT. 24. i8.ixT. 17—19. Now a creation none can destroy 
 but a Creator; wherefore here is comfort. But 
 again, God hath created us in Christ Jesus ; that 
 is another thing. The sun is created in the heavens ; 
 the stars are created in the heavens ; the moon is 
 created in the heavens. Who can reach them, 
 touch them, destroy them, but the Creator? Why, 
 this is the case of the saint ; because he has to do 
 with a Credtor, he is fastened to Christ ; yea, is in 
 him by an act of creation, Ep. u. lO; so that unless 
 Christ and the creation of the Holy Ghost can be 
 destroyed, he is safe that is suffering according to 
 the will of God, and that hath committed the 
 keeping of his soul to him in well-doing, as unto a 
 faithful Creator. 
 
 And this I would have you consider moreover ; 
 <he man that suffereth according to the will of 
 God, committeth not such a soul to this Creator 
 as dwells in carnal men — a naked soul, a grace- 
 less soul, a soul that has nothing in it hut sin ; but 
 he commits a converted soul, a regenerate soul, a 
 soul adorned, beautified, and sanctified, with the 
 jewels, and bracelets, earrings, and perfumes of 
 the blessed Spirit of grace. 
 
 And I say again, this is the work of a Creator, 
 and a Creator can maintain it in its gallantry, t 
 and he will do so, but he will put forth acts of 
 creating power for it every day. 
 
 Sixth, A Creator ! He that can create can 
 turn and alter any thing, to what himself would 
 have it. He that made ' the seven stars and Orion, 
 and tumeth the shadow of death into the moi-ning,' 
 Am. Y. 8, he can 'make the wilderness a pool of 
 
 * How impossible is it for a natural mau to understand this 
 new creation — a new heart, a new birth. How different is 
 regeneration to water-baptism. How awful the delusion to be 
 mistaken in this, the foundation of all hope of a blessed immor- 
 tality. 'Create in me a cleaa heart, God!' How consoling 
 the fact : ' Now a creation none can destroy but a Creator I ' 
 and 'he changes not, therefore we are not consumed.' — Ed. 
 
 t * Gallantly ;' splendour of appearance, grandeur, noble- 
 ness. — Ed. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 water, and the dry land springs of water, is. xU. is. 
 Our most afflicted and desolate conditions, he can 
 make as a little haven unto us ; he can make us 
 sing in the wilderness, and can give us our vine- 
 yards from thence. Ho. u. u, 15. He can make Paul 
 sing in the stocks, and good Rowland Taylor dance 
 as he goeth to the burning stake. Gaols, and 
 mocks, and scourgings, and flouts, and imprison- 
 ments, and hunger, and nakedness, and peril, and 
 sword, and dens, and caves, and rocks, and moun- 
 tains, God can so sweeten with the honey of his 
 Word, and make so famous for situation by the 
 glory of his presence, and so rich and fruitful by 
 the communications of the Holy Ghost, and so easy 
 by the spreading of his feathers over us, that we 
 shall not be able to say, that in all the world a 
 more commodious place, or comfortable condition, 
 can be found. Some have known this, and have 
 been rather ready to covet to be here, than to shun 
 and fly from it, as a most unsavoury condition. J 
 
 All these things, I say, God doth as a Creator. 
 He hath created antipathies, and he can make 
 antipathies close, and have favour one for another. 
 The lion and the calf, the wolf and the lamb, the 
 little boy and the cockatrice's den he can recon- 
 cile, and make to be at agreement. So, sufferings 
 and the saint; the prison and the saint; losses, 
 crosses, and afflictions, and the saint : he can make 
 to lie down sweetly together. 
 
 Seventh, A Creator ! A Creator can make up 
 all that thou hast or shalt lose for the sake of thy 
 profession by the hands of the children of men, be 
 they friends, relations, a world, life, or what you 
 can conceive of. 
 
 1 . Hast thou lost thy friend for the sake of thy 
 profession ? Is the whole world set against thee 
 for thy love to God, to Christ, his cause, and righte- 
 ousness ? Why, a Creator can make up all. Here, 
 therefore, is the advantage that he hath that suf- 
 fereth for righteousness' sake. Jonathan, the very 
 son of bloody Saul, when David had lost the help 
 of all his own relations, he must fall in with him, 
 stick to him, and love him as he loved his own 
 soul. 1 Sa. rviii. 1-3. Obadiah, Ahab's steward, when 
 the saints were driven even under ground by the 
 rage of Jezebel the queen, he is appointed of God 
 to feed them in caves and holes of the earth. 
 1 KL xriii. 13. Yea, the very raven complied with 
 the will of a Creator to bring the prophet bread 
 and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh at 
 night, ivii. 6. When Jeremiah the prophet was 
 rejected of all, yea, the church that then was. 
 
 X ' happie he who doth possesst 
 
 Christ for his feJlow-prisoner, who doth gladde 
 With heavenly sunbeames gaoles that are most sad.' 
 
 Written on the prison walls of the 'J'ower of Lomlon by 
 William Frynne. — Ed. 
 
 4 2 
 
730 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFEHERS. 
 
 could not help him ; he was cast into the dungeon, 
 and sunk to a great depth there in the mire. God 
 the Creator, who ruleth the spirits of all men, 
 stirred up the heart of Ehed-meleeh the Ethiopian 
 hoth to petition for his liberty, and to put him out 
 of the dungeon by the help of thirty men. Je. mi'm. 
 7-13. These now, as Christ says, were both 
 fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and as a loving 
 wife or child. Mat. xix. 29. 
 
 2. Hast thou, for the sake of thy faith and 
 profession thereof, lost thy part in the world ? 
 Why, a Creator can make thee houses as he did 
 for the midwives of Egypt, Ex. i. 20, 21, and can build 
 thee a sure house as he did for David his servant, 
 who ventured all for the love that they had to the 
 fear of God and his way. 2 Sa. tiL David was 
 thrust out of Saul's house, and driven from his 
 own, and God opened the heart of Achish the king 
 of Gath to receive him, and to give him Ziklag. 
 David, when under the tyranny of Saul, knew not 
 what to do with his father and his mother, who 
 were persecuted for his sake, but a Creator inclined 
 the heart of the king of Moab to receive them to 
 house and harbour. 1 Sa. nviL 5 ; xxii. 3, 4. 
 
 3. Is thy life at stake — is that like to go for 
 thy profession, for thy harmless profession of the 
 gospel ? Why, God the Creator is Lord of life, 
 and to God the Lord belong the issues from death. 
 So then, he can, if he will, hold thy breath in thy 
 nostrils, in spite of all the world ; or if he shall 
 suffer them to take away this for his glory, he can 
 give thee another ten times as good for thy com- 
 fort. ' He that loveth his life shall lose it ; and 
 he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it 
 unto life eternal. ' Jn. idL 25. 
 
 4. Is thy body to be disfigured, dismembered, 
 starved, hanged, or burned for the faith and pro- 
 fession of the gospel ? Why, a Creator can either 
 prevent it, or, suffering it, can restore it the very 
 same to thee again, with great and manifold 
 advantage. He that made thee to be now what 
 thou art, can make thee to be what thou never 
 yet wast. It doth not yet appear what we shall 
 be, further than only by general words. 1 Jn. m. 2. 
 
 rhL m. 21. 
 
 EiCHTii, A Creator ! Peter sets him before us 
 here as a Creator, because he would have us live 
 upon him as such ; as well as upon his grace, love, 
 and mercy. In Job's day this was bewailed, that 
 none or but a few said, ' Where is God my maker, 
 who giveth songs in the night ? ' Job mv. 10. 
 
 Creator, as was hinted before, is one of God's 
 peculiar titles. It is not given to him above five 
 or six times in all the Book of God ; and usually, 
 when given him, it is either to show his greatness, 
 or else to convince us that of duty we ought to 
 depend upon him ; and not to faint, if he be on our 
 side, for or under any adversity, according as we 
 
 are bidden in the text : ' Let them that suffer 
 according to the will of God, commit the keeping 
 of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faith- 
 ful Creator.' Shall God display his glory before 
 us under the character and title of a Creator, 
 and shall we yet fear man ? Shall he do this to 
 us when we are under a suffering condition, and 
 that on purpose that we might commit our souls to 
 him in well-doing, and be quiet, and shall we 
 take no notice of this ? ' Who art thou, that 
 thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, 
 and of the son of man which shall be made as grass ; 
 and forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath 
 stretched forth the heavens, and laid the founda- 
 tions of the earth ?' &c. is. a 12, 13. 
 
 Had God concealed himself, as to his being a 
 Creator, yet since he presenteth himself unto us 
 by his Word under so many excellent titles as are 
 given to no other God besides, methinks it should 
 make us bold in our God ; but when, for our relief, 
 •he shall add to all other that he verily is a Creator, 
 this should make us rest in hope indeed. 
 
 Every nation will have confidence for their own 
 gods, though but gods that are made with hands — 
 though but the work of the smith and carpenter ; 
 and shall not we trust in the name of the Lord 
 our God, who is not only a God, but a Creator 
 and former of all things, Mi. iv. 5 ; consequently, 
 the only living and true God, and one that alone 
 can sustain us ? We therefore are to be greatly 
 blamed if we overlook the ground, such ground of 
 support and comfort as presenteth itself unto us 
 under the title of a Creator ; but then most of all, 
 if, when we have heard, believed, and known that 
 our God is such, we shall yet be afraid of a man 
 that shall die, and forget the Lord our maker. 
 We, I say, have heard, seen, known, and believed, 
 that our God is the Creator. The heavens declare 
 his glory, and the firmament showeth his handy- 
 work, and thus he has showed unto us 'his eternal 
 power and Godhead.' Ro. L 20. 
 
 Behold, then, thou fearful worm, Jacob, the hea- 
 vens, the sun, the moon, the stars; behold the earth, 
 the sea, the air, the fire, and vapours. Behold, all 
 living things, from leviathan and behemoth to the 
 least that creepeth in the earth and waters. Yea, 
 behold thyself, thy soul, thy body, thy fashion, thy 
 building, and consider ; thy God hath made even 
 all these things, and hath given to thee this being; 
 yea, and all this also he made of that which doth 
 not appear. He. xi. 1—3. This is that which thou art 
 called to the consideration of by Peter, in the text; 
 when he letteth fall from his apostolical medita- 
 tion that thy God is the Creator, and commandeth 
 that thou, in thy suffering for him according to his 
 will, shouldest commit the keeping of thy soul to 
 him as unto a faithful Creator. 
 
 He that has the art thus to do, and that can do 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 731 
 
 it in his straits, shall never bo trodden down. 
 His God, his faith ; his faith, his God, are able to 
 make him stand. For such a man will thus con- 
 clude, that since the Creator of all is with him, 
 ■what but creatures are there to be against him ? 
 So, then, what is the axe, that it should boast 
 itself against him that heweth therewith ? or the 
 saw, that it should magnify itself against him that 
 shaketh it ? as if the rod should shake itself against 
 him that lifteth it up ; or as if the staff should lift 
 up itself as if it were no wood. is. x. 15. Eead also 
 Is. xi. 12-31, and then speak, if God as Creator is not 
 a sure confidence to all the ends of the earth that 
 trust in, and wait upon him. As Creator, he hath 
 formed and upholdeth all things; yea, his hands 
 have formed the crooked serpent, wherefore he also 
 is at his bay. job ixri 13. And thou hast made the 
 dragon in the sea ; and therefore it follows that 
 lie can cut and wound him, la. li. 9, and give him 
 for meat to the fowls, and to the beasts inheritino- 
 the wilderness, Ps. imv. 13, u, if he will seek to swal- 
 low up and destroy the church and people of God. 
 
 Eze. xrix, 3, 4. 
 
 Ninth, A Creator is God ! the God unto whom 
 they that suffer according to his will are to com- 
 mit the keeping of their souls — the Creator. And 
 doth he take charge of them as a Creator ? Then 
 this shoidd teach us to be far off from being dis- 
 mayed, as the heathens are, at his tokens ; for our 
 God, the Lord, is the true God, the living God, 
 the King of eternity. Jc. ». i, z, lo. We should trem- 
 blingly glory and rejoice when we see him in the 
 world, though upon those that are the most terrible 
 of his dispensations. God the Creator will some- 
 times mount himself and ride through the earth 
 in such majesty and glory, that he will make all 
 to stand in the tent doors to behold him. how 
 he rode in his chariots of salvation when he went 
 to save his people out of the land of Egypt ! How 
 he shook the nations ! Then ' his glory covered 
 the heavens, and the earth was fuU of his praise. 
 And his brightness was as the light ; he had horns 
 coming out of his hand : and there was the hiding 
 of his power. Before him went the pestilence, and 
 burning coals went forth at his feet. He stood, 
 and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove 
 asunder the nations; and the everlasting moun- 
 tains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow : 
 his ways are everlasting. ' Then saith the prophet, 
 ' I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction : and the 
 curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. Was 
 the Lord displeased against the rivers ? was thine 
 anger against the rivers ? was thy wrath against 
 "the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and 
 thy chariots of salvation ?' Hab. iu. 3-8. 
 
 So David: 'The earth shook and trembled,' 
 saith he ; ' the foundations also of the hills moved 
 and were shaken, because he was wroth. There 
 
 went np a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out 
 of his mouth 4evoured : coals were kindled by it. 
 He bowed the heavens also, and came down : and 
 darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon 
 a cherub, and did fly : yea, he did fly upon the 
 wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret 
 place; his pavilion round about him were dark 
 waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the 
 brightness that wa,s before him his thick clouds 
 passed, hail stones and coals of fire. The Lord 
 also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest 
 gave his voice ; hail stones and coals of fire. Yea, 
 he sent out his arrows, and scattered them ; and he 
 shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. Then 
 the channels of waters were seen, and the founda- 
 tions of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, 
 Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.' 
 
 Pb. xviii. 7—15. 
 
 These are glorious things, though shaking dis- 
 pensations. God is worthy to be seen in his dis- 
 pensations as well as in his Word, though the 
 nations tremble at his presence. ' Oh that thou 
 wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest 
 come down,' saith the prophet, ' that the moun- 
 tains might flow down at thy presence I ' ib. Wt. i. 
 We know God, and he is our God, our own God ; 
 of whom or of what should we be afraid ? Pb. xiri. 
 When God roars out of Zion, and utters his voice 
 from Jerusalem, when the heavens and the earth 
 do shake, the Lord shall be the hope of his people, 
 and the strength of the children of Israel. Joel iu. le. 
 
 Every man stayeth up, or letteth his spirit fail, 
 according to what he knoweth concerning the 
 nature of a thing. He that knows the sea, knows 
 the waves will toss themselves : he that knows a 
 lion, will not much wonder to see his paw, or to 
 hear the voice of his roaring. And shall we that 
 know our God be stricken with a panic fear, when 
 he cometh out of his holy place to punish the 
 inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity ? We 
 should stand like those that are next to angels, 
 and tell the blind world who it is that is thus 
 mounted upon his steed, and that hath the clouds 
 for the dust of his feet, and that thus rideth upon 
 the wings of the wind : we shoidd say unto them, 
 ' This God is our God for ever and ever, and he 
 shall be our guide even unto death.' 
 
 Our God ! the Creator ! He can turn men to 
 destruction, and say. Return, ye children of men. 
 When our God shows himself, it is worth the while 
 to see the sight, though it costs us all that we 
 have to behold it. Some men will bless and admire 
 every rascally juggler that can but make again 
 that which they only seem to mar, or do some- 
 thing that seems to outgo reason; yea, though 
 they make thunderings and noise in the place 
 where they are, as though the devil himself were 
 there. Shall saints, then, like slaves, be afraid of 
 
732 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 their God, the Creator ; of their own God, when he 
 rendeth the heavens, and comes dowp ? When God 
 comes into the world to do great things, he must 
 come like himself — like him that is a Creator: 
 wherefore the heavens and the earth must move 
 at his presence, to signify that they acknowledge 
 him as such, and pay him that homage that is due 
 to him as their God and great Creator. 
 
 We that are Christians have heen trained up hy 
 his Son in his school this many a day, and have 
 been told what a God our Father is, what an arm 
 he has, and with what a voice he can thunder ; 
 how he can deck himself with niajestj' and excel- 
 lency, and array himself with beauty and glory ; 
 how he can cast abroad the rage of his wrath, 
 and behold every one that is proud, and abase him. 
 Job xi. 9—11. Have we not talked of what he did at 
 the Red Sea, and in the land of Ham many years 
 ago, and have we forgot him now ? Have we not 
 vaunted and boasted of our God both in church, 
 pulpit, and books ; and spake to the praise of them 
 that, instead of stones, attempted to drive Anti- 
 christ out of the world with their lives and their 
 blood ; and are we afraid of our God ? He was 
 God, a Cri^ator, then; and is he not God now? 
 and will he not be as good to us as to them that 
 have gone before us ? or would we limit him to 
 appear in such ways as only smile upon our flesh ; 
 and have him stay, and not show himself in his 
 heart-shaking dispensations until we are dead and 
 gone ? What if we must go now to heaven, and 
 what if he is thus come down to fetch us to him- 
 self? If we have been wise as serpents, and 
 innocent as doves — if we can say. Neither against 
 the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, 
 nor against Caesar, have we oifended anything at 
 all, of what should we be afraid ? Let heaven and 
 earth come together, I dare say they will not 
 hurt us. 
 
 Our Lord Jesus, when dilating upon some of the 
 great and necessary works of our Creator, puts 
 check beforehand to all uncomely fears ; to such 
 fears as become not the faith and profession of a 
 Christian. ' Brother,' saith he, ' shall deliver up 
 the brother to death, and the father the child : 
 and the children shall rise up against their parents, 
 and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall 
 be hated of all men for my name's sake.' What 
 follows ? ver. 28, ' Fear them not ;' and again, in 
 ver. 31, ' Fear ye not.' Mat. x. 21, 23. 
 
 So again, Mat. jcdv.: 'Nation shall rise against 
 nation there shall be famines, pestilences, and 
 earthquakes, &c. They shall deliver you up to 
 be afflicted, and shall kiU you. — Many shall be 
 offended, and shall betray one another. — And many 
 false prophets shall arise, and deceive many. ' And 
 yet for all this we are bid not to be afraid, for all 
 these things, with all other are ordered, limited, 
 
 enlarged and straitened, bounded and butted by 
 the wiU, and hand, and power of that God unto 
 whom Peter bids us commit the keeping of our 
 souls, as unto a faithful Creator, ver. 7— ii. Mar. xm 
 5-9. To wait for God in the way of his judgments 
 doth well become a Christian. 
 
 To believe he loves us when he shows himself 
 terrible to us, is also very much becoming of usi 
 Wherefore has he given us grace ? Is it that we 
 should live by sense ? Wherefore has he some- 
 times visited us ? Is it that our hearts might be 
 estranged from him, and that we still should love 
 the world? And I say again, wherefore has he 
 so plainly told us of his greatness, and of what he 
 can do ? Is it not that we might be still when the 
 world is disturbed ; and that we might hope for 
 good things to come out of such providences that, 
 to sense, look as if themselves would cat up and 
 devour all ? 
 
 Let us wait upon God, walk with God, believe 
 in God, and commit ourselves, our soul, our body, 
 to God, to be kept. Yea, let us be content to be 
 at the disposal of God, and rejoice to see him act 
 according to all his wondrous works. For this is 
 a posture highly becoming them that say of God 
 he is their Father, and that have committed the 
 keeping of their souls to him as unto a Creator. 
 A comely thing it is for the soul that feareth God, 
 to love and reverence him in all his appearances. 
 We should be like the spaniel dog, even lie at the 
 foot of our God, as he at the foot of his master; 
 yea, and should be glad, could we but see his face, 
 though he treads us down with his feet. 
 
 Ay, says one son, so I could, if I thought this 
 high God would regard me, and take notice of my 
 laying of my soul at his foot, while I suffer for his 
 Word and truth in the world. Why, do but see 
 now how the Holy Ghost, for our help, doth hedge 
 up that way in at which unbelief would come, that 
 there might, as to this, be no room left for doubt- 
 ing. For as he calleth the God unto whom we 
 are bid to commit the keeping of our soul, a 
 Creator, so he saith that he is a creator that is 
 FAITHFUL. ' Let them commit the keeping of their 
 souls unto him in well-doing, as unto a faithful 
 Creator ' — a Creator that will concern himself with 
 the soul committed to his trust, and that will be 
 faithful to it, according to all that he has promised. 
 
 This, therefore, of God's faithfulness being added 
 to his might and power, is in itself a ground of 
 great support to those that have in a way of well- 
 doing committed themselves, their souls, to him to 
 keep. A Creator ; what is it that a Creator can- 
 not do ? A faithful Creator ; what is it that one 
 that is faithful will not do, that is, when he is 
 engaged ? And now he is engaged, because thou 
 hast committed thy soul to him to keep, and 
 because he has bid thee do so. Let them commit 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 735 
 
 the keeping of their soul to him, as unto a faithful 
 Creator. I have sometimes seen an unfaithful 
 man engaged, when a thing has been committed to 
 him to keep. A man that is a thief, a cheater, a 
 defrauder, will yet he faithful to him that wiU 
 commit a charge to him to keep. And the reason 
 is, because, though he can steal, cheat, defraud, 
 without being taken notice of ; yet he must be 
 seen and known, if he be false in that which is 
 committed to him to keep. I know the couipari- 
 Bon is odious, yet such have been made by a holier 
 mouth than mine, and as the case may be, they 
 may be aptest of all to illustrate that which a man 
 is about to explain. Hark what the unjust judn-e 
 saith, says the Lord Jesus Christ. Ln. 1™. 
 
 To commit thy soul to God is to trust him with 
 it ; to commit thy soul to God is to engage him 
 to look to it. And if he should not be faithful 
 now, he wUl not be so in any case. For himself 
 has bidden thee do it ; he has also promised to 
 keep it, as has been already showed in the former 
 part of this discourse. Besides, he is here said to 
 be faithful — to be a faithful Creator. He chal- 
 lenges this of faithfulness to himself alone : 'Yea, 
 let God he true, but every man a liar. ' Ho. m. 4. 
 This, therefore, doth still help to encourage them 
 that would be faithful to him, to commit the keeping 
 of our soul to him. A faithful man will encourage 
 one much ; how much more should the faithfulness 
 of God encourage us ? 
 
 Here, therefore, we have a closing word indeed; 
 a word to wrap up the text with that is as full 
 of good as tlie sun is of light. What can be fitter 
 spoken ? What can be added ? What now is 
 wanting to the help of him that has committed 
 his soul to God to keep it while he is suifering 
 according to his will in the world ? He is en- 
 gaged, as I said, by the act; thou hast committed 
 thy soul to him to keep; he is engaged by his own 
 Word ; he has bidden thee commit thy soul to him 
 to keep. He is engaged by his declaring of him- 
 self to be faithful ; for that has encouraged thee 
 to commit thy soul to liim to keep. Besides, he 
 has promised to do it ; he has sworn to do it. 
 
 ' For when God made promise to Abraham, 
 because he could swear by no greater, he sware by 
 himself, saying. Surely blessing I will bless thee, 
 and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, 
 after he had patiently endured, (as thou must do,) 
 he obtained the promise. For men verily swear 
 by the greater : and an oath for confirmation is to 
 them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing 
 more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise 
 the immutability of Jiis counsel, confirmed it by an 
 oath : that by two immutable things, in which it 
 was impossible for God to lie, we might have a 
 strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay 
 hold upon the hope set before us : which hope wo 
 
 have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and sted- 
 fast, and which entereth into that within the veil ; 
 whither the forerunner is for us entered, even 
 Jesus, made an High-priest for ever after the order 
 of Melchisedec. ' He. vi. i»-2o. 
 
 Thus you see what ground we have who suffer 
 according to the will of God, and that have com- 
 mitted the keeping of our souls to him in well- 
 doing, as unto a faithful Creator. Here, therefore, 
 I might make a stop and conclude as to this advice; 
 but now we are in, we will proceed a little farther, 
 and will fall down upon three or four more parti- 
 culars. 
 
 First, then. He will be faithful to us in this : He 
 will keep us from those allurements of the world 
 that a suffering saint is subject to. They that 
 suffer have other kinds of temptations upon this 
 account than other Christians have. The liberty 
 of others, while they are in bonds, is a temptation 
 to them. The peace of others, while they are in 
 trouble, is a temptation to them. The enjoyments 
 of others, while their houses are empty and their 
 goods taking away, while their own water is sold 
 unto them, and while they are buying their own 
 wood, is a great temptation to them. La. v. 4. And 
 this temptation, were it not that we have to do 
 with a God that is faithful, would assuredly be 
 a great snare unto them. But ' God is faithful, 
 who will not suffer you to be tempted,' as to this, 
 ' above that ye are able.' 1 Co. 1. 13. 
 
 Nay, a suffering man lias not only these things 
 lying before him as a temptation, but perhaps the 
 wife of the bosom lies at him, saying, do not 
 cast thyself away ; if thou takest this course, what 
 shall I do ? Thou hast said thou lovest me ; now 
 make it manifest by granting this my small re- 
 quest. Do not still remain in thine integrity. 
 Next to this come the children, all which are like 
 to come to poverty, to beggary, to be undone for 
 want of wherewithal to feed, and clothe, and pro- 
 vide for them for time to come. Now also come 
 kindred, and relations, and acquaintance ; some 
 chide, some cry, some argue, some threaten, some 
 promise, some flatter, and some do all, to befool 
 him for so unadvised an act as to cast away him- 
 self, and to bring his wife and children to beggary 
 for such a thing as religion. These are sore 
 temptations.* 
 
 * 'Sore temptations' poor Bunyan found them. Wlien 
 dragged from his home to prison, he speaks of his poor blind 
 daughter in language of impassioned solicitude : ' Poor child, 
 thought I, what son'ow art thou like to have for thy portioa 
 in this world 1 Thou must be beaten, must beg, suffer hunger, 
 cold, nakedness, and a thousand calamities, though I cannot 
 now endure the wind shall blow upon thee I Oh I the hard- 
 ships I thought my blind one might go under would break my 
 heart to pieces.' — ' The parting with my wife and poor chil- 
 dren hath oft been to me in this place as the pulling my flesh 
 from my bones.' — Grace Abounding, 327, 328. — £d. 
 
734 
 
 ADVICE TO SUITERERS. 
 
 Next to those come the terrors of men, the 
 gripes of the laws, the shadow of death, and no 
 man can tell what. All which are sufficient to 
 pull a man from the gates of life, were he there, 
 if the faithful Creator stands not to him. ' But 
 God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be 
 tempted above that ye are able ; but will with the 
 temptation make a way to escape, that ye may 
 be able to bear it.' — ' But God is faithful.' It saith 
 not, that thou art: but ' God is faithful' — to his 
 Son, to whom he has given thee ; to his promise, 
 the which he has given thee; to his cause, to 
 wliich he has called thee ; and to thy soul, the 
 which thcu hast committed to his trust, and the 
 which he also has taken the charge of, as he is a 
 faithful Creator. 
 
 'And will not suffer thee to be tempted.' How, 
 not tempted ? No ; not above what thou art able. 
 He that tempts thee doth not at all consider thy 
 strength, so as to stop when he sees thou art weak; 
 he would have thee overthrown, for therefore it is 
 that he tempteth thee. But God will not suffer 
 that, because he is faithful, and because thou hast 
 committed the keeping of thy soul unto him in well- 
 doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 
 
 'Not tempted above that ye are able.' He saith 
 not, above that ye are well able. Indeed, thy 
 strength shall be proportioned to the temptation, 
 but thou mayest have none over and above to 
 spare ; thou shalt not have a bigger load than 
 God will give thee shoulders to bear. Christ did 
 bear his burden, but it made him cry out, and 
 sweat as it were great drops of blood, to carry it. 
 Bear thy burden thou shalt, and not be destroyed 
 by it ; but perhaps thou mayest sometimes roar 
 under it by reason of the disquietness of thy heart. 
 ' But ho will with the temptation make a way of 
 escape.' 'With the temptation,' not without it; 
 thou must be tempted, and must escape too. 
 'With the temptation.' As sure as Satan is 
 licensed, so sure he is limited ; and when Satan 
 has ended all the temptation, he shall depart from 
 thee. Lu. iv. 13. ' He will with the temptation ' — by 
 such a managing of it as shall break its own neck, 
 God can admit Satan to tempt, and make the 
 Christian wise to manage the temptation for his 
 own escape. 
 
 'Make a way.' It may be thou seest no way 
 of escape. It may be there is no way — no way in 
 all the world, to escape. Well ; but God can make 
 a way. When Israel was hemmed in at the Red 
 Sea, there was as then no way — no way in all the 
 world, to escape. ! but God made a way, and o 
 pathway too, and that through the mighty waters, 
 tx. XV. 8, 16. Ps. cvL9; ixxviii. 13. He will make a way 
 with the temptation, or ' will with tlie temptation 
 make a way to escape, that ye may be able to 
 bear it.' These are the words of the Holy Ghost, 
 
 who is God ; and they are spoken, yea, committed 
 to record for this very purpose, that those that 
 are under affliction might commit the keeping of 
 their soul to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful 
 Creator. That is the first. 
 
 Second, He will also be faithful to us as to this; 
 He will give us a competent measure of wisdom, 
 that in our suffering condition we may in all things 
 be made able to manage our state with discretion. 
 We are perhaps weak of natural abilities, parts of 
 utterance, or the like ; and our adversaries are 
 learned, eloquent, and ripe of parts. Thou hast 
 the disadvantage on thy side, and they have what 
 the world can afford to encourage them ; thou art 
 weak of spirit, they are bold and strong. The 
 great and the mighty are with thy enemies, but on 
 thy side there is no comforter. Ec. iy. i. 
 
 Why now here is, as to this, and to what else 
 can it be objected, the faithfulness of God en- 
 gaged. First, in a general promise ; I will not 
 fail thee, nor forsake thee. He. xui. 5, 6. Secondly, 
 we have an invitation to come to this faithful God 
 for wisdom to assist and help. For after he had 
 said, ' My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall 
 into divers temptations - and let patience have 
 her perfect work;' he adds, 'K any man lack 
 wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all 
 men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be 
 given him.' Ja. i. 3— 6. Here is more than an invi- 
 tation, here is a promise — it shall be given him; 
 and all to show us what a faithful Creator we have 
 committed our souls unto. Doth any lack wisdom 
 to know how to carry it in a time of trial ? let them 
 ask it of God — of the God that is wisdom itself ; 
 let him ask it of God, the liberal giver, who giveth 
 to all men all that they have, and upbraideth not 
 for their un worthiness. 
 
 Nor doth the Holy Ghost stop here, but enlarges 
 himself in a more particular way to those that 
 suffer according to the te.xt, saying, ' But when 
 they deliver you up, take no thought how or what 
 ye shall speak : for it shall be given you in that 
 same hour what ye shall speak.' Mat. x. 19. 
 
 I have often been amazed in my mind at this 
 text, for how could Jesus Christ have said such a 
 word if he had not been able to* perform it ? 
 This text, therefore, declares him to be God. It 
 is also a proof of faithfulness to those that suffer 
 for him. 
 
 For it is as if he should say. Try me and trust 
 me ; if I stand not by you in a day of distress, 
 never believe me more ; — you, suffering according 
 to the will of God, and committing your souls to 
 him in well-doing ; ' 1 wiU give you a mouth and 
 wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be 
 able to gainsay or resist,' for so he has it in Lo. 
 xii. 16. Here is no consideration of what capacity 
 the people might be of, that were to be persecutcdj 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 735 
 
 but what matters what they are ? if fools, it is no 
 matter ; if wise, it helpeth nothing. A mouth and 
 wisdom is to be given ; that of itself shaU do. And 
 this is according to that other Scriplure mentioned 
 afore, where it saith, ' No weapon that is foi-med 
 against thee shall prosper ; and every tongue Ikat 
 shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt con- 
 demn.' i«. Ut. 17. Although it may happen in this, 
 as in the former temptation, the devil and his 
 agents may give the saints, in their pleading for 
 the truth, their bellies full both of cross answers, 
 equivocations, sophistications, wrong glosses and 
 erroneous interpretations ; but truth shall prevail, 
 shall turn the scale, and bear away the victory. 
 
 Third., He will also be faithful to us in this : we 
 shall not want spiritual support to help us to bear 
 up under our particular parts of suffering. I do 
 not say that thou shalt be comforted all the while ; 
 but I say he will be to thee so faithful as to com- 
 fort thee under those thodes* gusts, blasts, or bat- 
 tering storms that beat against thy wall. is. xixii. 2. 
 
 Look then what present degrees or aggravating 
 appearances are in thy afflictions ; to such a degree 
 shalt thou at times be supported. For as surely 
 as ever the Spirit of God moved Samson at times 
 in the camp of Dan, when he lay against the 
 Philistines ; so will the Spirit of God move in and 
 upon thee to comfort and to strengthen thee, whilst 
 thou sufferest for his name in the world. As our 
 afflictions aboimd for Christ, so shall our consola- 
 tions abound by him. 2 Co. L 5. I have observed that 
 God lays this, that he useth to comfort his people 
 in a time of sufferings, as an aggravation of sin 
 upon them that did use to shuckf and shrink under 
 sufferings. 'I,' saith he, 'even I, am he that 
 comforteth you : who art thou that thou shouldest 
 be afraid of a man that shall die ?' is. u. 12. 
 
 ' God, ' says the wise man, ' hath set the one 
 over against the other, ' the day of adversity and 
 the day of prosperity, ' to the end that man should 
 find nothing after him ' to complain of. Ec. vil 14. 
 For as certainly as there is a timo to mourn, so 
 certainly there is a time to rejoice : set, I say, for 
 them that suffer for God's cause according to God's 
 
 will. Ec. ill. 4. 
 
 There are several degrees of suffering for righ- 
 teousness ; there is the scourge of the tongue, the 
 ruin of an estate, the loss of liberty, a gaol, a 
 gibbet, a stake, a dagger. Now, answerable to 
 
 * ' Thodes ;' wliirlwinds. This word does not occur in any 
 English dictionary or glossary. It gave me much trouble, and 
 a walk of seven miles, to discover its meaning. It is the 
 Saxon for noise, whirlwind, turbulence. This provincial word 
 was probably derived from some Saxon tribe that settled in 
 Bedfordshire. — Ed. 
 
 t ' To shuck ;' to shake violently — from which is the noun, 
 *a pea-shack,' the shell from which peas have beea shaken. 
 —Ed. 
 
 these are the comforts of the Holy Ghost prepared, 
 like to like, part proportioned to part, only the 
 consolations are said to abound. 2 Co i. 
 
 But the lighter the sufferings are, the more 
 difficult it is to judge of the comforts of the Spirit 
 of God, for it is common for a man to be comfort- 
 able under sufferings when he suffereth but httle, 
 and knows also that his enemy can touch his flesh, 
 his estate, or the like, but little: I say, it is common 
 for such a man to be comfortable in his sufferings, 
 from the consideration that his enemies can touch 
 him no further. And this may be the joy of the 
 flesh — the result of reason, and may be very much, 
 if not altogether, without a mixture of the joy 6f 
 the Holy Ghost therewith. The more deep, there- 
 fore, and the more dreadful the sufferings are, the 
 more clearly are seen the comforts of the Spirit, 
 when a man has comfort where the flesh is dead, 
 stirreth not, and can do nothing. When a man 
 can be comfortable at the loss of all — when he is 
 under the sentence of death, or at the place of 
 execution — when a man's cause, a man's con- 
 science, the promise, and the Holy Ghost, have 
 all one comfortable voice, and do all, together with 
 their trumpets, make one sound in the soul ; then 
 the comforts are good, of the right kind, of God 
 and his Spirit. 
 
 I told you before that there are several degrees 
 of sufferings ; wherefore it is not to be expected 
 that he that suffers but little should partake of 
 the comforts that are prepared for them that suffer 
 much. He that has only the scourge of the 
 tongue, knows not what are the comforts that are 
 prepared for him that meets with the scourge of 
 the whip. And how should a man know what 
 manner of comforts the Holy Ghost doth use to 
 give at the gaol and the gibbet, when himself, for 
 righteousness, never was there ? 
 
 But whether this or the other Christian knows 
 it, God has his consolations for his suffering 
 people ; and those, too, such as are proportioned 
 to the nature or degree of their sufferings; the 
 which shall assuredly be made appear to them that 
 shall after a godly manner stick to his truth, and 
 trust him with their souls. Joseph was cast into 
 prison; but God was with him. John was banished 
 into the isle called Patmos, for the Word of God ; 
 but what revelations of God had he there ! even 
 such as he was a stranger to all his life before : 
 this, therefore, is to be well heeded. For it is a 
 demonstration of the faithfulness of God to those 
 that, suffering according to his will, do commit 
 the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as 
 unto a faithful Creator. 
 
 Fourth, He will also be faithful to us in this : 
 He will not let the sharpness, nor keenness, nor 
 venom of the arrows of the enemies of his people, 
 reach so far as to destroy both body and soul at 
 
736 
 
 ADVICE TO SUTFERERS. 
 
 once : but he will preserve them, when what can 
 be done is done, to his eternal kingdom and glory. 
 Thus being preserved to his eternal kingdom and 
 glory, is a marvellous thing ; but it must be so, 
 because God has called them to it. Wherefore, 
 after Peter had told them that the devil their 
 adversary sought to devour them, and had bidden 
 them resist him, stedfast in the faith, he saith, 
 ' But the God of all grace, who hath called us 
 unto his eternal [kingdom and] glory by Christ 
 Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make 
 you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.' 
 1 Pe. V. 10. 
 
 The truth is, persecution of the godly was, of 
 God, never intended for their destruction, but for 
 their glory, and to make them shine the more 
 when they are beyond this valley of the shadow of 
 death. Indeed, we ofttimes, when we are perse- 
 cuted, do feel the terrors of our adversaries in our 
 minds. But it is not because they can shoot them 
 thither, nor because they of themselves have power 
 to reach so far, hut we, like fools, by our ignor- 
 ance and unbelief, do admit them thither. 
 
 No suffering, nor inflicter of suffering, can reach 
 the peace of the sufferer without his own consent. 
 This is provision of God's making; yea, and if 
 through our folly their terror is admitted to touch 
 us, yet since we are not our own, but are bought 
 with a price, we are not so at our own dispose, but 
 that God will have the butting; and boundina; of 
 their rage, as also a power to uphold and support 
 our spirits. When I said my foot slipped, thy 
 mercy, Lord, help me up. And the reason why, 
 by God's ordinance, the spirit is not to be touched 
 in suffering, is, because that is it that is to sustain 
 the infirmity of the sufferer; therefore God will 
 have the spirit of his servants kept sound, and in 
 
 good health. Pr. xviii. l*. Is. Ivii. 16. 
 
 The room, therefore, and the ground that the 
 enemy has to play upon, is the body and outward 
 substance of the people of God, but the spirit is 
 reserved, for the reason hinted before, and also 
 that it might be capable of maintaining of com- 
 munion with God. And how else could they obey 
 that command that bids them rejoice in tribula- 
 tion, and glorifv God in the fires ? as it is. Eo. xii. 
 Is. xxiv. 15, 
 
 But, I say, if they have not power to touch, 
 much less to destroy body and soul for ever. The 
 body is God's, and he gives that to them to destroy; 
 the spirit is God's, and he keeps that to himself, 
 to show that he has both power to do with us what 
 he pleases, and that he will recover our body also 
 out of their hand ; for if the spirit lives, so must 
 the body, when men have done what tliey can 
 therewith. This is the argument of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ himself. In. xx. 37, 38. Therefore the 
 faithfulness of God not only is, hut a,lso will be 
 
 seen, by them that dare trust him, till the next 
 world, to his glory and their eternal comfort. 
 
 We will now conclude with a short word by way 
 of USB, You see how I have opened the text, and 
 what hath naturally followed thereupon ; from the 
 whole of which may be gathered : — 
 
 Use First, That the people of God are a suffer- 
 ing people — a people subject to trouble for their 
 faith and profession. The reason is, besides what 
 hath been said already, because the power of truth 
 is in their hearts, and shows itself in their lives — ■ 
 a thing which the devil and the world can by no 
 means abide. He that is born after the flesh 
 persecuteth him that is born after the Spirit. 
 Ga. iv. 29. For they cannot agree in religion ; the 
 godly are so devout and the other are so profane, 
 that they cannot do. Not but that God's people, 
 as they are commanded, are willing to let them 
 alone ; hut the other they cannot bear that they 
 should serve God as they have said. Mat. iv. 14 ; and 
 hence ariseth persecution. The world also would 
 have the religion of the godly to be counted false 
 — a thing that the others can by no means endure, 
 but will stand by and maintain, yet in all peace- 
 able manner, their own ways before them, what- 
 ever it costs. 
 
 The Christian and the carnal professor are like 
 those two harlots that you read of in the book ot 
 Kings, who strove for the living child, whose it 
 should be, whose contest could not be decided 
 until it came to the sword of the king. 1 Ki. iiL 0, 
 but when the sword was drawn, under a show as 
 if the living child must now be cut in two, then 
 the true mother was known from the false ; for 
 her bowels yearned tipon her son. ver. 26, 2t. The 
 world, what show soever they have for religion, 
 and however they urge it, that the truth is with 
 them, have no yearning of bowels for it. Let it 
 be neither mine nor thine, said she, but divide it ; 
 but the woman whose the living child was, had 
 not a heart to say so. Religion may lie and die in 
 a ditch for all those that are given to their sins; 
 nor doth their zeal appear, except when they are 
 gripping of the godly for ,his faith towards God. 
 Bowels, yearning of bowels over God's condemned 
 religion, is only found in the souls of those who own 
 God has made it. 
 
 Use Second, Is it so ? Are God's people a suf- 
 fering people ? Then this should inform them that 
 will be religious, to prepare themselves for what is 
 like to attend them for their religion. To prepare, 
 I say, not with carnal weapons, but with the graces 
 of the Spirit of God; that will help them with meek- 
 ness and patience to endure. Sit down then, I say, 
 and count up the cost, before for religion thou 
 engagest too far; lest thou take upon thee to 
 meddle with that which thou wilt not know what 
 to do with in the end. Pr. mt. 8. 1m. xW. i5— so. 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 737 
 
 Many there be that are faulty here ; they have 
 taken upon them to profess, not considering what 
 what they have taken in hand may cost them. 
 Wherefore, when troubles come indeed, then they 
 start and cry. This they like not, because they 
 looked not for it ; and if this be the way to heaven, 
 let who will go on in it for them. Thus they take 
 offence, and leave Christ's cause and people to 
 shift for themselves in the world. Mat. mi. 20, 21. 
 
 Use Tliird, But let God's people think never the 
 worse of religion, because of the coarse entertain- 
 ment it meeteth with in the world. It is better to 
 choose God and affliction than the world, and 
 sin, and carnal peace. It is necessary that we 
 should suffer, because that we have sinned. And 
 if God will have us suffer a little while here for his 
 Word, instead of suffering for our sins in hell, let 
 us be content, and count it a mercy with thankful- 
 ness. 
 
 ' The wicked is reserved to the day of destruc- 
 
 \ tion: they shall be brought forth to the day of 
 wi-ath.' Jobm. 30. How kindly, therefore, doth God 
 deal with us, when he chooses to afflict us but for 
 a little, that with everlasting kindness he may have 
 mercy upon us. is. Uv. 7, 8. And ' H, is better, if the 
 will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing 
 than for evil-doing. ' 1 Pe. ul 17. 
 
 Use Fourth, Look not, therefore, upon the suffer- 
 ings of God's people for their religion, to be tokens 
 of God*s great anger. It is, to be .sure, as our 
 heavenly Father orders it, rather a token of his 
 love ; for suffering for the gospel, and for the sin- 
 cere profession of it, is indeed a dignity put upon 
 us — a dignity that all men are not counted worthy 
 of. Count it, therefore, a favour that God has 
 bestowed upon thee his truth, and graces to enable 
 
 1 thee to profess it, though thou be made to suffer 
 for it. Ac. Y. 41. Thou mightest have been a sufferer 
 
 I for thy sins in hell, hut thou art not ; but contrari- 
 
 ! wise art, perhaps, suffering for conscience to God; 
 tills is a dignity. For that thou dost thus by 
 virtue of a heavenly gift, on the b®half of Christ, 
 for the gospel's sake, and accordmg to the will of 
 God. This is a dignity that a persecutor shall not 
 be counted worthy of, until he first convert to 
 
 I Christ. PM. L 29. 
 
 Use Fifth, Take thy affliction with meekness 
 and patience, though thou endurest grief wrong- 
 fully. 'For this is thankworthy, if a man for 
 conscience toward God endure grief, suffering 
 wrongfully." 1 Pe. u. 19. Lay thy hand, then, upon 
 thy mouth, and speak not a word of ill against 
 liim that doth thee wrong ; leave thy cause and thy 
 enemy to God ; yea, rather pray that his sin may 
 not bo laid to his charge; wherefore, as I said 
 before, now show thyself a good man, by loving, 
 pitying, praying for, and by doing good, as thou 
 art commanded, to tliem that despitefully use thee. 
 
 VOL. U. 
 
 Mat. V. 44. I know thy flesh will be apt to huff, and 
 to be angry, and to wish, would thou mightest 
 revenge thyself. But this is base, carnal, sensual, 
 devilish ; cast, therefore, such thoughts from thee, 
 as thoughts that are not fit for a Christian's breast, 
 and betake thee to those weapons that are not 
 carnal. For the artillery of a Christian is the 
 Word, faith, and prayer ; and in our patience we 
 
 must possess our souls. 2 Co. I. 5. Lu. im. 16-19. 
 
 Use Sixth, Be much in the consideration of the 
 aU-suffioiency of thy Father, whose cause thou hast 
 espoused, whose Word thou hast chosen for thy 
 heritage, and whose paths thou delightest to walk 
 in. 1 say, be much in considering how all the 
 world is sustained by him, and that all life and 
 breath is in his hand, to continue or diminish as 
 he pleases. Think with thyself also how able he 
 is to rescue thee from all affliction, or to uphold 
 thee in it with a quiet mind. Go to him continu- 
 ally, as to a fountain of life that is open for the 
 supply of the needy. Remember also, if he comes 
 not at thy call, and comforteth thee not so soon as 
 thou desirest, it is not of want of love or compas- 
 sion to thy soul, but to try thy graces, and to show 
 to the fallen angels that thou wilt serve God for 
 nought, rather than give out. Also, if it seemeth 
 to thee, as if God took no care of thee to help thee, 
 but that he hath rather turned thee over to the 
 ungodly ; count this also as a sign that he deh'ghts 
 to see thee hold fast his name, though thou art 
 laid under the greatest of disadvantages. ' If the 
 scourge slay suddenly, (that is more than it hath 
 done to thee,) he will laugh at the trial of the 
 innocent. ' Job be 23. 
 
 It is a great delight to our God to see his people 
 hold fast their integrity, and not to deny his name, 
 when under such cloudy dispensations and discou- 
 raging circumstances. And considerations that 
 thy thus doing is pleasing in his sight through 
 Christ, will be a support unto thee. God sees 
 thee, though thou canst not now see him, and he 
 observeth now thy way, though darkness is round 
 about him ; and when he hath tried thee, thou 
 shalt come forth like gold. 
 
 Use Seventh, Take heed of setting of thyself a 
 bound and period to thy sufferings, unless that 
 period be the grave. Say not to thy afflicters. 
 Hitherto, and no further, and here shall your proud 
 waves be stayed. I say, take heed of doing thus, 
 for fear God should let them go beyond thee. For 
 a man is not prepared to suffer, further than he 
 thiuketh the enemy may be permitted to go. Hence 
 Christ sets their bounds at the loss of life, and no 
 nearer. So then, so far as they go beyond thee, 
 so far they will find thee unprovided, and so not 
 fortified for a reception of their onset with that 
 christian gallantry which becomes thee. Observe 
 Paul ; he died daily, he was always delivered imto 
 5 A 
 
738 
 
 ADVICE TO SUPFERKRS. 
 
 death, he despaired of life ; and this is the way to 
 he prepared for any calamity. When a man thinks 
 he has only to prepare for an assault hy footmen, 
 how shall he contend with horses ? Or if he looks 
 no further than to horses, what will he do at the 
 swellings of Jordan ? Je, xK. 5. Wherefore, set thine 
 enemies no bounds : say not. They shall not pursue 
 Tue to the death ; have the sentence of death in 
 thyself. For though they may hut tick and toy 
 with thee at first, their sword may reach thy heart- 
 blood at last. The cat at play with the mouse is 
 sometimes a fit emblem of the way of the wicked 
 with the children of God. Wherefore, as I said, 
 be always dying ; die daily : he that is not only 
 ready to be bound, but to die, is fit to encounter 
 any amazement. 
 
 Use Eighth, If thine enemies would, or do, put 
 thee imder a cloud, if they wrap thee up in a bear's 
 skin, and then set the dogs upon thee, marvel not 
 at the matter ; this was Joseph's, David's, Christ's, 
 Stephen's portion, only be thou innocent ; say 
 nothing, do nothing that should render thee faulty; 
 yea, say and do always that that should render 
 thee a good neighbour, a good Christian, and a 
 faithful subject. This is the way to help thee to 
 make with boldness thy appeals to God ; this is 
 the way to embolden thy face against the faces of 
 thine enemies ; this is the way to keep thy con- 
 science quiet and peaceable within thee ; and this 
 is the way to provoke God to appear for thy 
 rescue, or to revenge thy blood when thou art 
 gone. 
 
 And do this because it is thy duty — we must 
 fear God and honour the king — and because this 
 is the way to make the work of thy enemies hard : 
 few men have that boldness as to say. This I do 
 against you, because you profess Christ. When 
 they persecuted the Lord himself, they said to him, 
 'For a good work we stone thee not.' Jn. ». 33. 
 Heligion that is pure is a hot thing, and it usually 
 bums the fingers of those that fight against it ; 
 wherefore it is not common for men to eppose 
 religion under its own naked complexion: where- 
 fore the Jews sought to fasten other matters upon 
 Christ to kill him for them ; though the great 
 spite they had against him was for his doctrine and 
 miracles. It was for envy to that that they set 
 themselves against him, and that made them invent 
 to charge him with rebellion and treason. Mat. xxvu. 
 
 18. Lu. xxiii. 2. 
 
 Use Ninth, Wherefore it becomes all godly men 
 to study to be quiet, to mind their own business, 
 and as much as in them lies, to be at peace with 
 all men ; to owe no man any thing but love. Pray, 
 therefore, for all that are in authority ; pray for the 
 peace of the country in which thou dwellest ; keep 
 company with holy, and quiet, and peaceable men. 
 Seek by all good ways the promotion of godliness. 
 
 put up injuries, be good to the poor, do good against 
 evil, be patient towards all men ; for ' these things 
 are good and profitable unto men.' Tit. iU. 8. 
 
 Be not inclining to injure men behind their backs, 
 speak evil of no man, reproach not the governor 
 nor his actions, as he is set over thee ; all his ways 
 are God's, either for thy help or the trial of thy 
 graces. Wlierefore he needs thy prayers, not thy 
 revilings; thy peaceable deportment, and not a 
 troublesome life. I know that none of these things 
 can save thee from being devoured by the mouth 
 of the sons of Belial. 1 kl xxi. 12, 13. Only, what I 
 say is duty, is profitable, is commendable, is neces- 
 sary ; and that which will, when the devil has done 
 his worst, render thee lovely to thy friends, terrible 
 to thine enemies, serviceable in thy place as a 
 Christian, and will crown the remembrance of thy 
 name, to them that survive thee, with a blessing : 
 ' The memory of the just is blessed : but the name 
 of the wicked shall rot.' Pr. i. 7. 
 
 Use Tenth, I will conclude, then, with a word 
 to those professors, if there be any such, that are 
 of an unquiet and troublesome spirit. Friends, I 
 may say to you, as our Lord said once to his dis- 
 ciples, ' Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are 
 of.' To wish the destruction of your enemies doth 
 not become you. If ye be born to, and are called, 
 that you may inherit a blessing, pray be free of 
 your blessing : ' Bless, and curse not. ' If you 
 believe that the God whom you serve is supreme 
 governor, and is also wise enough to manage affairs 
 in the world for his church, pray keep fingers off, 
 and refrain from doing evil. If the counsel of 
 Gamaliel was good when given to the enemies of 
 God's people, why not fit to bo given to Christians 
 themselves? Therefore refrain from these men, 
 and let them alone. If the work that these men 
 do is that which God will promote and set up for 
 ever, then you cannot disannul it ; if not, God has 
 appointed the time of its fall. 
 
 A Christian ! and of a troublesome spirit ; for- 
 shame, forbear ; show, out of a good conversation, 
 thy works, with meekness of wisdom ; and here 
 let me present thee with three or four things. 
 
 1. Consider, That though Cain was a very mur- 
 derer, yet God forbade any man's meddling with 
 him, under a penalty of revenging his so doing upon 
 his own head sevenfold. ' And the Lord said unto 
 him. Therefore, whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance 
 shall be taken on him sevenfold. ' Ge. iv. 15. But 
 why not meddle with Cain, since he was a mur- 
 derer ? The reason is, because he persecuted his 
 brother for righteousness' sake, and so espoused, a 
 quarrel against God; for he that persecutes an- 
 other for righteousness' sake sets himself against 
 God, fights against God, and seeks to overthrow 
 him. Now, such an one the Christian must let 
 alone and stand off from, that God may have his 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 739 
 
 full blow at him in his time. * Wherefore he saith 
 to his saints, and to all that are forward to revenge 
 themselves, Give place, stand hack, let me come, 
 leave such an one to he handled by me. ' Dearly 
 beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place 
 unto wrath ; for it is written. Vengeance is mine, I 
 will repay, saith the Lord.' eo. xU. is. Wherefore 
 the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him 
 should slay him. You must not, indeed, you must 
 not avenge yourselves of your enemies. Yea, though 
 it was lawful once so to do, it is not lawful now. 
 Ye have heard that it hath been said to them of 
 old time, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate 
 thine enemy; but I say, said our Lord, Love them, 
 bless them, do good to them, and pray for them 
 that hate you. Mat. v. 43, 44. 
 
 2. Consider, Revenge is of the flesh, — I mean 
 this our revenge of ourselves ; and it proceeds from 
 anger, wrath, impatience under the cross, unwill- 
 ingness to suifer, from too much love to carnal 
 ease, to estates, to enjoyments, to relations, and 
 the like. It also flows from a fearful, cowardly 
 Spirit ; there is nothing of greatness in it, except 
 it be greatness of untowardness. I know there 
 may, for all this, be pretences to justice, to righ- 
 teousness, to the liberty of the gospel, the sup- 
 pressing of wickedness, and the promoting of holi- 
 ness ; but these can be but pretences, or, at best, 
 but the fruits of a preposterous zeal. For since, 
 as has been often said in this treatise, the Lord 
 hath forbidden us to do so, it cannot be imagined 
 that he should yet animate any to such a thing by 
 the Holy Ghost and the effects of the graces there- 
 of. Let them, then, if any such be, that are thus 
 minded, be counted the narrow-spirited, carnal, 
 fleshly, angry, waspish-spirited professors — the 
 professors that know more of the Jewish than of the 
 christian religion, and that love rather to counte- 
 nance the motions, passions, and gross motions of 
 an angry mind, than with meekness to comply with 
 the will of a heavenly Father. Thou art bid to 
 be like unto him, and also thou art showed 
 wherein. Mat. v. 45—48. 
 
 There is a man hates God, blasphemes his name, 
 despises his being ; yea, says there is no God. And 
 yet the God that he carrieth it thus towards doth 
 give him his breakfast, dinner, and supper ; clothes 
 him well, and when night comes, has him to bed, 
 gives him good rest, blesses his field, his corn, his 
 cattle, his children, and raises him to high estate, t 
 
 * How correct, bat how dismal a picture is here drawn of 
 the persecutor ! God has wise and holy ends in protecting and 
 prolonging the lives even of very wicked men. ' Slay them not, 
 iest my people forget; scatter them by thy power.' Comp. 
 Eccl. viii. 10. Pity the persecutor — pray for him ; but if he 
 repent not, stand off; 'God will have his full blow at him in 
 bis time,' and crush him down into misery and despair. — Ed. 
 
 I Like 3 multitude of passages in Bnnyan's writings, this 
 
 Yea, and this our God doth not only once or twice, 
 but until these transgressors become old ; hi.s 
 patience is thus extended, years after years, that 
 we might learn of him to do well. 
 
 3. Consider, A professor! and unquiet and 
 troublesome, discontented, and seeking to be re- 
 venged of thy persecutors ; where is, or what kiiid 
 of graces hast thou got ? I dare say, they, even 
 these in which thou thus actest, are none of the 
 graces of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit are 
 love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, good- 
 ness, faith, meekness, temperance ; against such 
 there is no law ; but wrath, strife, seditions, trai- 
 tors, and inventors of evil things are reckoned with 
 the worst of sins, and sinners, and are plainly called 
 the works of the flesh. Eo. i. 29—31. 3 11 ui. 3, 4. Ga. v. 
 
 19—21. 
 
 But I say, where is thy love to thine enemy ? 
 where is thy joy under the cross ? where is thy 
 peace when thine anger has put thee upon being 
 unquiet ? Where is thy long-suffering ? for, as thou 
 actest, not ought but thy waspishness can be seen. 
 Where, also, is thy sweet, meek, and gentle spirit ? 
 and is goodness seen in thy seeking the life or the 1 
 damage of thy enemy ? Away, away ; thy graces, 
 if thou hast any, are by these, thy passions, so 
 jostled up into corners, and so pent for want of 
 room and liberty to show themselves, that, by the 
 Word of God, thou canst not be known to be of 
 the right kind, what a noise soever thou makest. 
 
 A Christian, when he sees trouble coming upon 
 him, should not fly in the face of the instrument 
 that brings it, but in tlie face of the cause of its 
 coming. Now the cause is thyself, thy base self, 
 thy sinful self, and thy unworthy carriages towards 
 God under all the mercy, patience, and long-suffer- 
 ing that God has bestowed upon thee, and exercised 
 towards thee. Here thou mayest quarrel and be 
 revenged, and spare not, so thou take vengeance in 
 a right way, and then thou wilt do so when thou 
 takest it by godly sorrow. 2 Co. vii. 10, 11. 
 
 A Christian, then, should bewail his own doings, 
 his own unworthy doings, by which he has pro- 
 voked God to bring a cloud upon him, and to cover 
 him witli it in anger. A Christian sliould say, 
 This is my wickedness, when a persecutor touches 
 him ; yea, he should say it, and then shut up his 
 mouth, and bear the indignation of the Lord, 
 because he has sinned against him. ' Thy way 
 and thy doings have procured these things unto 
 thee ; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, 
 because it reacheth unto thine heart.' Je. iv. is. 
 
 4. Consider, What conviction of thy goodness 
 can the actions that flow from such a spirit give 
 
 passage is exceedingly striking. It illustrates our Lord's words 
 in Mat. if. 44, 45 : ' Love your enemies - that ye may be the 
 children of your Father which is iu heaven.' — Ed. 
 
740 
 
 ADVICE TO SUFFERERS. 
 
 unto observers ? None at all ; yea, a spirit of 
 unquietness under sufferings, and that seeketli to 
 be revenged of those that do, for thy faith and the 
 profession thereof, persecute thee, is so far off of 
 giving conviction to beholders that thou art right, 
 that it plainly tells them that thou art wrong. 
 Even Julian the apostate, when he had cast away 
 whatever he could of Christ, had this remaining 
 with him — that a Christian ought to take with 
 patience what affliction fell upon him for his Mas- 
 ter's sake ; and would hit them in the teeth with 
 an unbecoming behaviour, that complained or that 
 sought redress of them that had abused them for 
 their faith and godly profession. What will men 
 say if you shrink and winch, and take your suffer- 
 ings unquietly, but that if you yourselves were 
 uppermost, you would persecute also ? Much more 
 have they ground to say so, when you will fight 
 lying on your backs. Be quiet, then, and if thine 
 enemy strike thee on one cheek, turn to him the 
 other ; and if he also revile and curse thee, down 
 upon thy knees and pray for him. This is the 
 way to convince thy observers that thou art a godly 
 man. Father, forgive them, for they know not 
 what they do, was one of those things that con- 
 vinced the centurion that Jesus was a righteous 
 man ; for he stood by the cross to watch and see 
 how Jesus carried it in these his sufferings, as well 
 as to see execution doue. Mat. mvU. u. Lu. xxiii. 34—47. 
 
 5. Consider, A professor, unquiet and turbulent 
 under sufferings, and seeking his own revenge, 
 cannot be a victor over what he should, nor a 
 keeper of God's commandments. 
 
 ( 1 .) How can he be a victor over himself that is led 
 up and down by the nose by his own passions ? There 
 is no man a christian victor but he that conquers 
 himself, but he that beats down and keeps under 
 his body, his lusts, his passions, in the first place. 
 Is he that is led away with divers lusts a victor ? 
 Is he that is a servant to corruption a victor ? 
 And if he that is captivated by his anger, wrath, 
 passion, discontent, prejudice, &c., be not led away 
 by them, I am under a mistake. So then, to quar- 
 rel with superiors, or with any that are trouble- 
 some to thee for thy faith and thy profession, 
 bespeaks thee over-mastered and a captive, rather 
 than a master and a conqueror. 
 
 (2.) The same may be said upon the second head. 
 He keepeth not the commandments of God ; for 
 those teach him other things, as I have also showed. 
 The great gospel commands terminate in self- 
 denial; but if self-revenge is self-denial, I am 
 besides the Book. Christ, in the book of the 
 Revelation, sets him that keeps the command- 
 ments of God a great way off from him that taketh 
 and smiteth with the sword : ' He that killeth 
 with the sword must be killed with the sword. 
 Here is the. patience and the faith of the saints.' 
 
 Re. xui. 10. That is, in that they forbear to do thus, 
 and quietly suffer under those that thus take it 
 and afflict the godly with it. Again, ' Here is the 
 patience of the saints, here are they that keep the 
 commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.' 
 liv. 13. A patient continuing in well-doing ; and if 
 suffering for righteousness be well-doing, then a 
 patient continuing in that, as in other things, is 
 the way to keep God's commandments. Ko. ii. 7. 
 
 So that, I say, he keepeth not God's command- 
 ments that is angry with his enemies, and that 
 seeks to be revenged of him that doth him ill. 
 You know the subject I am upon. ' The wrath 
 of man worketh not the righteousness of God.' 
 Ja. i. 20. Wherefore, professors, beware, and take 
 heed to your spirits, and see that you let not out 
 yourselves under your sufferings in such extrava- 
 gancies of spirit against your enemies as is no 
 way seemly nor convenient. 
 
 6. Consider, Men that are unquiet and discon- 
 tented, and that seek revenge upon them that per- 
 secute them for their profession, do, by so doing, 
 also put themselves upon the brink of those ruins 
 that others are further from. These men are like 
 the fly that cannot let the candle alone until she 
 hath burned herself in the flame. Magistrates and 
 men in power have fortified themselves from being 
 attacked with turbulent and unruly spirits by many 
 and wholesome laws. And, indeed, should they 
 not do so, one or other, perhaps, would be quickly 
 tempted to seek to disturb them in the due exer- 
 cise of their authority. Now the angry man, he 
 is the fly that must be tripping and running him- 
 self upon the point of these laws ; his angry spirit 
 puts him upon quarrelling with his superiors, and 
 his quarrelling briilgs him, by words spoke in heat, 
 within the reach of the net, and that, with the 
 help of a few more, brings his neck to the halter. 
 Nor is this, whatever men think, but by the just 
 judgment of God. ' Whosoever, therefore, resist- 
 eth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; 
 and they that resist shall receive to themselves 
 damnation.' Ro. idii. 2. Es. ii. 21-23. Wherefore, let the 
 angry man take heed; let the discontented man 
 take heed. He that has a profession, and has not 
 grace to know, in this matter, to manage it, is like 
 to bring his profession to shame. Wherefore, I 
 say, let such take heed ; and the graces afore 
 mentioned, and the due exercise of them, are they 
 and that which can keep us out of all such dan- 
 gers. 
 
 7. Consider, And what comfort can such a man 
 have who has, by his discontent and unruly car- 
 riages, brought himself, in this manner, to his end ; 
 he has brought himself to shame, his profession to^ 
 shame, his friends to shame, and his name to con- 
 tempt and scorn. Bad men rejoice at his fall, 
 good men cannot own him, weak men stumble at 
 
ADVICE TO SUFFEREtlS. 
 
 741 
 
 him ; besides, his cause will not hear him out ; his 
 heart wiU be clogged with guilt ; innocency and 
 boldness will take wings and fly from him. Though 
 he talketh of religion upon the stage* or ladder. 
 
 * ' Stage ;' upon which many a Nonconformist stood with 
 his head in the pilloiy. ' Ladder' to the gallowB, upon which 
 victims suffered death by hanging. — Ed. , 
 
 thai will blush to hear its name mentioned by them 
 that suffer for evil-doing. Wherefore, my brethren , 
 my friends, my enemies, and all men, what reli- 
 gion, profession, or opinion soever you hold, fear 
 God, honour the king, and do that duty to both 
 which is required of you by the Word and law of 
 Christ, and then, to say no more, you shall not 
 suffer by the power for evil-doing. 
 
AN 
 
 EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNITY. 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 This treatise was first published in 1688, after 
 Banyan's death, at the end of the second edition 
 of the Barren Fig Tree, with a blacli border round 
 the title. It was continued in the third edition 
 1692, but was subsequently omitted, although 
 the Barren, Fig Tree was printed for the same 
 publisher. It has been printed in every edition 
 of Bunyan's Works. Respect for the judgment 
 of others leads me to allow it a place in the first 
 complete edition, although I have serious doubts 
 whether it was written by him, for these reasons : — 
 
 1. It appears to have been totally unknown to 
 his personal friends, Charles Doe and others, 
 who very carefully gathered up, not only all his 
 published works, but his manuscripts also. An 
 interesting list of these was given in the ' Strug- 
 gler,' 1691. Nor is it found in any publisher's 
 list of Bunyan's Works. 
 
 2. The style is not that of Bunyan, nor is it even 
 Bunyanish. It has none of those striking remarks 
 that render all his treatises so deeply interesting. 
 
 3. The author introduces scraps of Latin refer- 
 ences to 'Machiavel,' to the 'learned Stillingfleet, ' 
 and to ancient heathen writers. The frequent 
 recurrence of the words, ' as a certain learned 
 man observes,' is very foreign to Bunyan's manner 
 of confirming his sentiments. ' Thus saith the 
 Lord, ' is the seal of his testimony. 
 
 4. Misapplication of Scripture, Ac. ix. z\, as if the 
 'rest' was from internal dissensions, when in fact 
 it was from external persecution. 
 
 5. The terms 'infallible,' 'excommunication,' 
 and 'reason,' are used in a way not at all Bun- 
 yanish. 
 
 6. How would his spirit have been grieved at a 
 sentence which occurs on p. 760: ' Would a heathen 
 god refuse to answer such prayers in which the 
 supplicants were not agreed ; and shall we think 
 the true God will answer them?' Do stocks or 
 stones answer prayers ? 
 
 7. Bunyan's peculiar practice of admitting all 
 the Lord's children to the Lord's table ; all such 
 as he hoped were spiritually baptized, without 
 reference to water-baptism, is here directly opposed: 
 p. 744. The author refers to i Co. xii. is, on which text 
 he says — ' I need not go about to confute that 
 notion that some of hie have had of this text, viz., 
 that the baptism here spoken of is the baptism of 
 the Spirit, because you have not owned and declared 
 
 that notion as your judgment, but on the con- 
 trary.' The fact is, that Bunyan is one of those 
 here noticed as 'some of late,' and his church did 
 hold that judgment. His comment on this text 
 is, ' not of water, for by one Spieit are we all 
 baptized into one body.'* — Reason of my Practice. 
 And in his ' Differences about Water-Baptism no 
 Bar to Communion,' he thus argues upon that text, 
 ' Here is a baptism mentioned by which they are 
 initiated into one body ; now that this is the bap- 
 tism of water is utterly against the words of the 
 text ; for by one Spirit we are all baptized into 
 one body.' — 'It is the unity of the Spirit, not 
 water, that is intended, 't Bunyan was the great 
 champion for the practice of receiving all to church- 
 communion whom God had received in Christ, 
 without respect to water-baptism ; and had he 
 changed his sentiments upon a subject which 
 occasioned him so much hostility, even from his 
 Baptist brethren, it would have been heralded forth 
 as a triumph. 
 
 In 1684, four years prior to his death, he re- 
 published these sentiments in the first edition of 
 °A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity ;'| his 
 words are — ' Men are wedded to their opinions 
 more than the law of grace and love will per- 
 mit. Here is a Presbyter, here an Independent, 
 a Baptist, so joined each man to his own opinions, 
 that they cannot have that communion one with 
 another, as by the testament of the Lord Jesus 
 they are commanded and enjoined.' Bunyan, there 
 can be no doubt, lived and died in the conviction, 
 that differences were permitted among Christians 
 to stimulate them to search the Scriptures, and to 
 exercise the grace of forbearance, as was the case 
 in the primitive churches, in their disputes about 
 meats and days, and even as to whether the Gen- 
 tiles were to be visited with the gospel. 
 
 8. Bunyan is ever pressing the duty of private 
 judgment in all the affairs of religion ; not to be 
 scared with the taunts of 'schism,' 'division- 
 makers,' 'new separatists,' 'wiser than your 
 teachers,' and similar arrows, drawn from Satan's 
 quiver, which occur m this exhortation. 
 
 Judging from the style — the reference to the 
 
 * See this Edition of Ms Works, vol. ii., p. 594, 
 t Works, vol. ii., p. 608. 
 t Works, vol. ii., p. 538. 
 
AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNITY. 
 
 7t3 
 
 laying on of hands— the Latin quotations, and 
 those from learned men, it appears Somewhat like 
 the pen of D'Anvers, who answered Bunyan upon 
 the question— Whetlier water-baptism is a scrip- 
 
 tural term of communion ? It is, liowever, now 
 faithfully reprinted, that our readers may form 
 their own judgment. 
 
 Hackney, N«w-Ycat'a Day, 1850. GeOBGE OfFOU, 
 
 AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNITY. 
 
 • EKDEATO0RING TO KEEP THE UNITY OP THE SPIRIT 
 
 IN THE BOSD OF PEACE.' — EPH. iv. 3. 
 
 Beloved, religion is the great bond of human 
 society, and it were well if itself were kept within 
 the bond of unity ; and that it may so be, let us, 
 according to the text, use our utmost endeavours 
 ' to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of 
 peace.' 
 
 These words contain a counsel and a caution : 
 the counsel is, ' That we endeavour the unity of 
 the Spirit;' the caution is, ' That we do it in the 
 bond of peace :' as if he should say, I would have 
 you live in unity ; but yet I would have you to be 
 careful that you do not purchase unity with the 
 breach of charity. Let us, therefore, be cautioned 
 that we do not so press after unity in practice and 
 opinion, as to break the bond of peace and affec- 
 tion. 
 
 In tlie handling of these words, I shall observe 
 this method : — First, I shall open the sense of the 
 text. Second, I shall show wherein this imity and 
 peace consists. Third, I shall show you the fruits 
 and benefits of it, together with nine inconve- 
 niencies and mischiefs that attend those churches 
 where unity and peace is wanting. Fourth, and 
 lastly, I shall give you twelve directions and 
 motives for the obtaining of it. 
 
 First, As touddng the sense oftlie text ; when we 
 are counselled to keep the unity of the Spirit, we 
 are not to understand the Spirit of God as per- 
 sonally so considered ; because the Spirit of God, 
 in that sense, is not capable of being divided ; and 
 so there would be no need for us to endeavour to 
 keep the unity of it. 
 
 By the unity of the Spirit, then, we are to 
 understand that unity of mind which the Spirit 
 of God calls for, and requires Christians to endea- 
 vour after ; hence it is that we are exhorted by 
 
 • one spirit, with one mind striving together for 
 the faith of the gospel.' Piii. i. 27. 
 
 But farther, the apostle in these v/ords alludes 
 to the state and composition of a natural body; 
 and doth thereby inform us that the mystical 
 body of Christ holds an analogy with the natural 
 body of a man. As, 
 
 1. In the natural body there must be a spirit to 
 animate it; for 'the body without the spirit is dead.' 
 
 Ja. ii. 26. So it is in the mystical body of Christ ; 
 the apostle no sooner tells us of that one body, but 
 he minds us of that 'one spirit.' Ep. iv. 4 
 
 2. The body hath 'joints and bands' to unite 
 all the parts ; so hath the mystical body of Christ. 
 CoLu. 19. This is that bond of peace mentioned 
 in the text, as also in Ep. iv. le, where ' the whole 
 body' is said to be 'fitly joined together, and com- 
 pacted by that which every joint supplieth.' 
 
 3. The natural body, receives counsel and nour- 
 ishment from the head ; so doth the mystical body 
 of Christ. He is their counsellor, and him they 
 must hear; he is their head, and him they must 
 hold: hence it is that the apostle complaineth, 
 Col. ii. 19, of some that did ' not hold the head, from 
 wliich all the body by joints and bands hath nour- 
 ishment. ' 
 
 4. The natural body cannot well subsist, if 
 either the spirit be wounded or the joints broken 
 or dislocated ; the body cannot bear a wounded or 
 broken spirit; • A broken spirit drieth the bones,' 
 Pr. xviL 22; and ' a wounded spirit who can bear ?' 
 Pr. xviii 14. And on the other hand, how often 
 has the disjointing of the body, and the breakings 
 thereof, occasioned the expiration of the spirit ? 
 In like manner it fares with the mystical body of 
 Christ : how do divided spirits break the bonds of 
 peace, which are the joints of this body ! And 
 how doth the breakings of the body and church 
 of Christ wound the spirit of Christians, and often- 
 times occasion the spirit and life of Christianity 
 to languish, if not to expire ! How needful is it, 
 then, that we endeavour ' the unity of the spirit 
 in the bond of peace?' 
 
 Second, I now come to show you wherein this 
 unity and peace consists, and this I shall demon- 
 strate in five particulars. 
 
 1. This unity and peace may consist in the 
 ignorance of many truths, and in the holding of 
 some errors ; or else this duty of peace and unity 
 could not be practicable by any on this side per- 
 fection. But we must now endeavour the unity 
 of the Spirit, ' till we all come in the unity of the 
 faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God.' 
 Ep. iv. 13. Because now, as the apostle saith, ' we 
 know in part, and we prophesy in part,' and 'now 
 we see through a glass, darkly. ' i Co. xiii. is. And 
 as this is true in general, so we may find it true 
 
744 
 
 AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNITY. 
 
 if we descend to particular instances : the disciples 
 seemed to be ignorant of that great truth which 
 they had often, and in much plainness, been taught 
 by their Master once and again, viz., that his 
 kingdom was not of this world, and that in the 
 world they should suffer and be persecuted ; yet 
 in Ac I 6, we read, that they asked of him if he 
 would ' at this time restore again the kingdom to 
 Israel?' thereby discovering that Christ's kingdom, 
 as they thought, should consist in his temporal 
 jurisdiction over Israel, which they expected should 
 now commence and take place amongst them. 
 Again, our Lord tells them that he had many 
 things to say, and these were many important 
 truths which they could not now bear. Jn. xn. 12. 
 And that these were important truths appears by 
 the 10th and 11th verses, where he is discoursing 
 of righteousness and judgment ; and then adds, 
 that he had yet many things to say which they 
 could not bear ; and thereupon promises the Com- 
 forter to lead them into ALL TRUTH; which 
 implies that they were yet ignorant of many 
 truths, and consequently held divers errors ; and 
 yet for all this he prays for, and presses them 
 to their great duty of peace and unity. Jn. xIt. 27, 
 and xTii. 21. To this may be added that of lie. v. 11, 
 where the author saith. He had many things to say 
 of the priestly office of Christ, which, by reason 
 of their dulness, they were not capable to receive ; 
 as also that in Ac. a., where Peter seems to be ignor- 
 ant of that truth, viz., that the gospel was to be 
 preached to all nations ; and contrary hereunto, he 
 erred in thinking it unlawful to preach amongst the 
 Gentiles. I shall add two texts more ; one is Ac. 
 xix. 2, where we read, That those disciples which 
 had been discipled and baptized by John, were yet 
 ignorant of the Holy Ghost, and knew not, as the 
 text tells us, ' whether there be any Holy Ghost,' 
 or no; though John did teach constantly, that he 
 that shoidd come after him, should baptize with 
 the Holy Ghost and fire. From hence we may 
 easily and plainly infer, that Christians may be 
 ignorant of many truths, by reason of weak and 
 dull capacities, and other such like impediments, 
 even while those truths are with much plainness 
 delivered to them. Again, we read. He. v. 13, of 
 some that were ' unskilful in the word of righ- 
 teousness,' who nevertheless are called babes in 
 Christ, and with whom imity and peace is to be 
 inviolably kept and maintained. 
 
 2. As this unity and peace may consist in the 
 ignorance of many tniths, and in the holding some 
 errors, so it must consist with, and it cannot con- 
 sist without, the believing and practising those 
 things which are necessary to salvation and church 
 communion ; and they are, (1.) Believing that 
 Christ the Son of God died for the sins of men. 
 (2.) That whoever bclieveth ought to be baptized. 
 
 (3.) The third thing essential to this communioQ 
 is a holy and a blameless conversation. 
 
 (1.) That believing that the Son of God died for 
 the sins of men is necessary to salvation, 1 prove 
 by these texts, which tell us that he that doth 
 not believe shall be damned. Mar. ivi. I6. Jn. iil I8. 
 
 2 Th. iL 12. Ro. jl 10. 
 
 That it is also necessary to church -communion, 
 appears from Mat. iri. ic— is. Peter having confessed 
 that Christ was the Son of the living God, Christ 
 thereupon assures Peter, that upon this rock, viz., 
 this profession of faith, or this Christ which 
 Peter had confessed, he would build his church, 
 and the gates of hell should not prevail against it. 
 And, 1 Co. iiL 11, the apostle having told the Corin- 
 thians they were God's building, presently adds, 
 that they could not be built upon any foundation 
 but upon that which was laid, which was Jesus 
 Christ. All which proves, that christian society 
 is founded upon the profession of Christ ; and not 
 only Scripture, but the laws of right reason, dic- 
 tate this, that some rules and orders must be 
 observed for the founding all society, which must 
 be consented to by all that will be of it. Hence 
 it comes to pass, that to own Christ as the Lord 
 and head of Christians, is essential to the founding 
 christian society. 
 
 (2.) The Scriptures have declared that this faith 
 gives the professors of it a right to baptism, as in 
 the case of the eunuch, Ac. viii., when he demanded 
 why he might not be baptized ? Philip answer- 
 eth, that if he believed with all his heart, he 
 might; the eunuch thereupon confessing Christ, 
 was baptized. 
 
 Now, that baptism is essential to church-com- 
 munion, I prove from i Co. iii., where we shall find 
 the apostle labouring to prevent an evil use that 
 might be made of spiritual gifts, as thereby to be 
 puifed up ; and to think that such as wanted them, 
 were not of the body, or to be esteemed members ; 
 he thereupon resolves, that whoever did confess 
 Christ, and own him for his head, did it by the 
 Spirit, ver. 3, though they might not have such a 
 visible manifestation of it as others had; and 
 therefore they ought to be owned as members, as 
 appears, vei. 23. And not only because they have 
 called him Lord by the Spirit, but because they 
 have, by the guidance and direction of the same 
 Spirit, been baptized, ver. 13 : ' For by Oue Spirit 
 we are all baptized into one body,' &c. I need 
 not go about to confute that notion that some of 
 late have had of this text, viz., that the baptism 
 here spoken of is the baptism of the Spirit, because 
 you have not owned and declared that notion as 
 your judgment ; but on the contrary, all of you 
 that 1 have ever conversed with, have declared it 
 to be understood of baptism with water, by the 
 direction of the Spirit. If so, then it foUows, that 
 
AN EXIIOKTATION TO PEACE AND UNITV, 
 
 745 
 
 men and women are declared members of Christ's \ 
 body by baptism, and cannot be by Scripture 
 reputed and esteemed so without it ; which farther 
 appears from Eo. vi. s, where men, by baptism, are 
 said to be planted into 'the likeness of his death.' 
 And CoL ii. 12, we are said to be ' buried with him 
 by baptism.' All which, together with the con- 
 sent of all Christians, (some few in these late 
 times excepted,) do prove that baptism is neces- 
 sary to the initiating persons into the church of 
 Christ. 
 
 (3.) Holiness of life is essential to church-com- 
 munion, because it seems to be the reason why 
 Christ founded a church in the world, viz., that 
 men might thereby be watched over and kept from 
 falling ; and that if any be overtaken with a fault, 
 he that is spiritual might restore him. 
 
 That by this means men and women might be 
 preserved, without blame, to the coming of Christ ; 
 and ' the grace of God teacheth us to deny ungod- 
 liness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly and 
 uprightly in this present evil world.' Tit. u. ii, 12. 
 ' And let every one that nameth the name of 
 Christ depart from iniquity. ' 2 TL u. 19. And James 
 tells us, speaking of the christian religion, that 
 'pure religion, and undefiled, before God - is to 
 visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, 
 and to keep himself unspotted from the world.' 
 Ja. i. 27. From all which, together with many more 
 texts that might be produced, it appears that an 
 unholy and profane life is inconsistent with chris- 
 tian religion and society, and that holiness is 
 essential to salvation and church-communion ; so 
 that these three "things — ^faith, baptism, and a holy 
 life, as I said before, all churches must agree and 
 unite in, as those things which, when wanting, 
 will destroy their being. And let not any think, 
 that when I say believing the Son of God died for 
 the sins of men is essential to salvation and 
 church-communion, that I hereby would exclude 
 all other articles of the christian creed as not 
 necessary, as the belief of the resurrection of the 
 dead and eternal judgment, &c.; which, for want 
 of time, I omit to speak particularly to, and the 
 rather because I understand this great article, of 
 beUeving the Son of God died for the sins of men, 
 is comprehensive of all others, and is that from 
 whence all other articles may easily be inferred. 
 
 And here I would not be mistaken, as though I 
 held there were nothing else for Christians to 
 practise, when I say this is all that is requisite to 
 church-communion ; for I very well know that 
 Christ requires many other things of us after we 
 are members of his body, which, if we knowingly 
 or maliciously refuse, may be the cause, not only 
 of excommunication, but damnation. But yet 
 these are such things as relate to the wellbeing, 
 and not to the being, of churches ; as laying on of 
 VOL. II. 
 
 hands, in the primitive times, upon believers, by 
 which they did receive the gifts of the Spirit — this, 
 I say, was for the increase and edifying of the 
 body, and not that thereby they might become. of 
 the body of Christ, for that they were before. 
 And do not think that I believe laying on of hands 
 was no apostolical institution, because I say men 
 are not thereby made members of Christ's body, 
 or because I say that it is not essential to church- 
 commimion. Why should I be thought to be 
 against a fire in the chimney, because I say it 
 must not be in the thatch of the house ? Consider, 
 then, how pernicious a thing it is to make every 
 doctrine, though true, the bound of communion; 
 this is that which destroys unity; and, by this 
 rule, all men must be perfect before they can be in 
 peace. For do we not see daily, that as soon as 
 men come to a clearer understanding of the mind 
 of God, to say the best of what they hold, that 
 presently all men are excommunicable, if not 
 damnable, that do not agree with them. Do not 
 some believe and see that to be pride and covet- 
 ousness, which others do not, because, it may be, 
 they have more narrowly and diligently searched 
 into their duty of these things than others have ? 
 What then ? must all men that have not so large 
 acquaintance of their duty herein be excommuni- 
 cated ? Indeed, it were to be wished that more 
 moderation in apparel and secular concernments 
 were found among churches ; but God forbid, that 
 if they should come short herein, that we should 
 say, as one lately said, that he could not com- 
 municate with such a people, because they were 
 proud and superfluous in their apparel. 
 
 Let me appeal to such, and demand of them, 
 if there was not a time, since they believed and 
 were baptized, wherein they did not believe laying 
 on of hands a duty ; and did they not then believe, 
 and do they not still believe, they were members 
 of the body of Christ ? And was not there a time 
 when you did not so well understand the nature 
 and extent of pride and covetousness as now you 
 do ? And did you not then believe, and do you 
 not still believe, that you were true members of 
 Christ, though less perfect ? Why, then, should 
 you not judge of those that differ from you herein, 
 as you judged of yourselves when you were as 
 they now are ? How needful, tlien, is it for 
 Christians to distinguish, if ever they would be 
 at peace and unity, between those truths whicli 
 are essential to church-communion, and those that 
 are not ! 
 
 3. Unity and peace consists in our making one 
 shoulder to practise and put in execution the things 
 we do know. ' Nevertheless, whereto we have - 
 attained, let us walk by the same rule, and mind 
 the same thing. ' Phi. iii. is. How sad is it to see 
 our zeal consume us, and our precious time, in 
 5 B 
 
746 
 
 AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNITY. 
 
 things doubtful and disputable, while we are not 
 concerned nor affected with the practice of those 
 indisputable things we all agree in ! We all know 
 charity to be the great command, and yet how few 
 agree to practise it ! We all know they that 
 labour in the Word and doctrine are worthy of 
 double honour ; and that God hath ordained, that 
 they which preach the gospel should live of the 
 gospel ; these duties, however others have cavilled 
 at them, I know you agree in them, and are per- 
 Buaded of your duty herein; but where is your 
 zeal to practise ? how well would it be with 
 churches if they were but half as zealous for the 
 great, and plain, and indisputable things, and the 
 more chargeable and costly things of religion, as 
 they are for things doubtful or less necessary, or 
 for things that are no charge to them, and cost 
 them nothing but the breath of contention, though 
 that may be too great a price for the small things 
 they purchase with it. 
 
 But further: Do we not all agree, that men that 
 preach the gospel should do it like workmen that 
 need not be ashamed ? and yet how little is this 
 considered by many preachers, who never consider, 
 before they speak, of what they say, or whereof 
 they affirm ! How few give themselves to study 
 that they may be approved I How few meditate, 
 and give themselves to these things, that their 
 profiting may appear to all ! 
 
 For the Lord's sake, let us unite to practise 
 those things we know ; and if we would have more 
 talents, let us all agree to improve those we have. 
 
 See the spirit that was among the primitive 
 professors, that knowing and believing how much 
 it concerned them, in the propagating of Christian- 
 ity, to show forth love to one another, that so all 
 might know them to be Christ's disciples, rather 
 than there should be any complainings among 
 them, they sold all they had. Oh how ioalous 
 were these to practise, and, with one shoulder, to 
 do that that was upon their hearts for God ! I 
 might further add, how often have we agreed in 
 our judgment ? and hath it not been upon our 
 hearts, that this and the other thing is good to be 
 done to enlighten the dark world, and to repair the 
 breaches of churches, and to raise up those churches 
 that now lie agasping, and among whom the soul 
 of religion is expiring ? But what do we more 
 than talk of them ? Do not most decline these 
 things when they either call for their purses or 
 their persons to help in this and such like works 
 as these ? Let us then, in what we know, unite, 
 tliat we may put it in practice, remembering that, 
 if we know these things, we shall be happy if we 
 do them. 
 
 4. This unity and peace consists in our joining 
 and agreeing to pray for, and to press after, those 
 truths we do not know. The disciples in the 
 
 primitive times were conscious of their imperfec- 
 tions, and, therefore, they, with one accord, con- 
 tinued in prayer and supplications. If we were 
 more in the sense of our own ignorances and im- 
 perfections, we should carry it better towards those 
 that differ from us ; then we should abound more in 
 the spirit of meekness and forbearance, tliat there- 
 by we might bring others, or be brought by others, 
 to the knowledge of the truth ; this would make 
 us go to God, and say with Elihu, That which we 
 know not, teach thou us. Job xxriv. 32. Brethren, 
 did we but all agree that we were erring in many 
 things, we should soon agree to go to God, and 
 pray for more wisdom and revelation of his mind 
 and will concerning us. 
 
 But here is our misery, that we no sooner receive 
 any thing for truth, but we presently ascend the 
 chair of infallibility with it, as though in this we 
 could not err; hence it is we are impatient of con- 
 tradiction, and become uncharitable to those that 
 are not of the same mind ; but now a conscious- 
 ness that we may mistake, or that if my brother 
 err in one thing I may err in another — this will 
 unite us in affection, and engage us to press after 
 perfection, according to that of the apostle, ' Bre- 
 thren, I count not myself to have apprehended : 
 but this one thing I do, forgetting those things 
 which are behind, and reaching forth to those 
 things which are before, I press toward the mark, 
 for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ 
 Jesus,' 'and if in any thing ye be otherwise mind- 
 ed, God shall reveal even this unto you.' ru. iu. 
 ij-15. then, that we could but unite and agree 
 to go to God for one another, in confidence that he 
 will teach us; and that if any one of us want 
 wisdom, as who of us does not, we might agree to 
 ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and 
 upbraideth no man. Let us, like those people 
 spoken of in is. u., say one to another, Come, let 
 us go to the Lord, for ' he will teach us of his 
 ways, and we will walk in his paths.' 
 
 5. Tlus unity and peace mainly consists in unity 
 of love and affection ; this is the great and indis- 
 pensable duty of all Christians ; by this they are 
 declared Christ's disciples ; and hence it is that 
 love is called the great commandment, the old 
 commandment, and the new commandment — that 
 which was commanded in the beginning, and 
 will remain to the end ; yea, and after the end. 
 'Charity never faileth: but - whether tliere he 
 tongues, they shall cease ; whether Uiere be know- 
 ledge, it shall vanish away.' i Co. liii. s. * And now 
 abideth faith, hope, charity - but the greatest of 
 these is charity. ' ver. 13. ' Above all these things 
 put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.' 
 CoL m. j4. Because charity is ■ the end of the com- 
 mandment.' 1 Ti. L 5. Charity is therefore called 
 the royal law ; and though it had a superinten- 
 
AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNIT?. 
 
 747 
 
 dency over otlior laws, and, doubtless, is a law to 
 which other laws must give place when they come 
 in competition with it. ' Above all things, [there- 
 fore,] have fervent charity among yourselves, for 
 charity shall cover the multitude of sins.' i Po. iv. e. 
 Let us, therefore, live in unity and peace, and the 
 God of love and peace will be with us. 
 
 That you may so do, let me remember you, in 
 the words of a learned man, that the unity of the 
 church is a unity of love and affection, and not a 
 bare uniformity of practice and opinion. 
 
 Third, Having shown you wherein this unity 
 consists, I now come to the third general thing 
 propounded, and that is, to show you tliefrvMsand 
 beneJUs of unUy and peace ; together wWi the mis- 
 diie/s and inconveniences that attend Ovose churches 
 where unity and peace are wanting. 
 
 1. Unity and peace is a duty well-pleasing to 
 God, who is styled the author of peace, and not 
 of confusion, in all the churches. God's Spirit 
 rejoiceth in the unity of our spirits ; but, on the 
 other hand, where strife and divisions are, there 
 the Spirit of God is grieved. Hence is it that the 
 apostle no sooner calls upon the Bphesians not to 
 grieve the Spirit of God, but he presently subjoins 
 us a remedy against that evil : that they put away 
 bitterness and evil speaking, • and be ye kind one 
 to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, 
 even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.' 
 
 Ep. iv. 32. 
 
 2. As unity and peace is pleasing to God, and 
 rejoiceth his Spirit, so it rejoiceth the hearts and 
 spirits of God's people — unity and peace brings 
 heaven down upon earth among us. Hence it is 
 that the apostle tells us, Ko. liv. 17, that ' the king- 
 dom of God is not meat and drink ; but righteous- 
 ness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." 
 Where unity and peace is, there is heaven upon 
 earth; by this wo taste the first fruits of that 
 blessed estate we shail one day live in the fruition 
 of, when we shall come ' to the general assembly 
 and church of the first-born,' whose names are 
 written in heaven, ' and to God, the judge of all, 
 and to the spirits of just men made perfect.' He. 
 
 zU.23. 
 
 This outward peace of the church, as a learned 
 man observes, distils into peace of conscience, and 
 turns writings and readings of controversy into 
 treatises of mortification and devotion. 
 
 And the psalmist tells us, that it is not only 
 good, but pleasant ' for brethren to dwell together 
 in unity,' Fa. cxxidii; but where unity and peace is 
 wanting, there are storms and troubles j ' where 
 envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil 
 work.' J».m.i8. It is the outward peace of the 
 chui-ch that inereaseth our inward joy, and the 
 peace of God's house gives us occasion to eat our 
 vSoeat with gladnosa in our own houses. Ac. u. 46. 
 
 3. The unity and peace of the church makes 
 communion of saints desirable. What is it that 
 embitters church-communion, and makes it burden- 
 some, but divisions ? Have you not heard many 
 complain that they are weary of church-communion, 
 because of church contention ? but now, where 
 unity and peace is, there Christians long for com- 
 munion. 
 
 David saith that he was glad when they said 
 unto him, ' Let us go into the house of the Lord.' 
 Pa. cMii. 1. Why was this, but because, as the 
 third verse tells us, Jerusalem was a city compact 
 together, where the tribes went up, the tribes of 
 the Lord, to give thanks to his name. And David, 
 speaking of the man that was once his friend, doth 
 thereby let us know the benefit of peace and unity; 
 Pa. iv. 14: 'We,' saith he, 'took sweet counsel to- 
 gether, and walked unto the house of God in com- 
 pany. ' Where unity is strongest, communion is 
 sweetest and most desirable. You see, then, that 
 peace and union fill the people of God with desires 
 after communion ; but, on the other hand, hear 
 how David complains, Ps. eii. 5, ' Woe is me that I 
 sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell in the tents of 
 Kedar ! ' The psalmist here is thought to allude 
 to a sort of men that dwelt in the deserts of Arabia, 
 that got their livings by contention ; and, therefore, 
 he adds, ver. e, that his soul had long dwelt with 
 them that hated peace : this was that which niade 
 him long for the courts of God, and esteem one day 
 in his house better than a thousand. This made 
 his soul even faint for the house of God, because 
 of the peace of it ; ' Blessed are they, ' saith he, 
 ' that dwell in thy house : they will be still praising 
 thee. ' Ps. ixiiiv. 4, There is a certain note of concord, 
 as appears, Ac. u., where we read of primitive Chris- 
 tians, meeting with one accord, praising God. 
 
 4. Where unity and peace is, there many mis- 
 chiefs and inconveniences are prevented which 
 attend those people where peace and unity are 
 wanting ; and of those many that might be men- 
 tioned, I shall briefly insist upon these nine : — 
 
 (L) Where unity and peace are wanting, there 
 is much precious time spent to no purpose. How 
 many days are spent, and how many fruitless jour- 
 neys made to no profit, where the people are not in 
 peace! How often have many redeemed time, 
 even in seed-time and harvest, when they could 
 scarce afford it to go to church, and by reason 
 of their divisions, come home woise than they 
 went, repenting they have spent so much precious 
 time to so little benefit ! How sad is it to see men 
 spend their precious time, in which they should 
 work out their salvation, by labouring, as in the 
 fire, to prove an uncertain and doubtful proposi- 
 tion, and to trifle away their time, in which they 
 should make their calling and election sure, to 
 make sure of an opinion which, when they have 
 
748 
 
 AN EXnOETATION TO PEACE AND UNITT; 
 
 done all, they are not infallibly sure whether it he 
 true or no ; because all things necessary to salva- 
 tion and church-communion are plainly laid down 
 in Scripture, in which we may be infallibly sure of 
 the truth of them ; but for other things that we 
 have no plain texts for, but the truth of them 
 depends upon our interpretations, here we must be 
 cautioned that we do not spend much time in 
 imposing those upon others, or venting those among 
 others, unless we can assume infallibility — other- 
 wise, we spend time upon uncertainty ; and whoever 
 casts their eyes abroad, and doth open their ears 
 to intelligence, shall both see, and, to their sorrow, 
 hear that many churches spend most of their time 
 in jangling and contending about those things 
 which are neither essential to salvation or church- 
 communion, and that which is worse, about such 
 doubtful questions which they are never able to 
 give an infallible solution of ; but now, where unity 
 and peace is, there our time is spent in praising 
 God, and in those great questions — what we should 
 do to be saved ? and how we may be more holy 
 and more humble towards God, and more charitable 
 and more serviceable to one another ? 
 
 (2.) Where unity and peace is wanting, there is 
 evil surmising and evil speaking, to the damage 
 and disgrace, if not to the ruining of one another ; 
 Ga. T. 14, 15 : ' The whole law is fulfilled in one word. 
 Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself ; but if 
 ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye 
 be not consumed one of another.' No sooner the 
 bond of charity is broken, which is as a wall about 
 Christians, but soon they begin to make havoc and 
 spoil of one another; then there is raising evil 
 reports, and taking up evil reports against each 
 other. Hence it is that whispering and backbiting 
 proceeds, and going from house to house to blazon 
 the faults and infirmities of others: hence it is 
 that we watch for the baitings of one another, and 
 do inwardly rejoice at the miscarriages of others, 
 saying in our hearts. Ah, ah, so we would have 
 it ; but now, where unity and peace is, there is 
 ciiarity ; and where charity is, there we are willing 
 to hide the faults, and cover the nakedness of our 
 brethren. 'Charity thinketh no evil,' iCo. xiii. 5; 
 and, therefore, it cannot surmise, neither will it 
 speak evil. 
 
 (3.) Where unity and peace is wanting, there 
 can be no great matters enterprised ; we cannot do 
 much for God nor much for one another. When 
 the devil would hinder the bringing to pass of good 
 in nations and churches, he divides their councils ; 
 and, as one well observes, he divides their heads, 
 that he may divide their hands ; when Jacob had 
 prophesied of the cruelty of Simeon and Levi, who 
 were brethren, he threatens them with the con- 
 sequent of it ; Ge. iiii. 7 : ' I will divide them in Jacob, 
 and scatter them in Israel.' The devil is not to 
 
 learn that maxim he hath taught the Machiavellians 
 of the world, divide ei impera — divide and rule ; it 
 is a united force that is formidable: hence the 
 spouse, in the Canticles, is said to be 'hut one,' 
 'and the cmZy one of her mother.' Cs. vi. 9. Here- 
 upon it is said of her, ver. lo, that she is ' terrible 
 as an army with banners.' What can a divided 
 army do, or a disordered army, that have lost their 
 banners, or, for fear or shame, thrown them away ? 
 In like manner, what can Christians do for Christ, 
 and the enlarging his dominions in the world, in 
 bringing men from darkness to light, while them- 
 selves are divided and disordered ? Peace is, to 
 Christians, as great rivers are to some cities, which, 
 besides other benefits and commodities, are natural 
 fortifications, by reason whereof those places are 
 made impregnable ; but when, by the subtilty of 
 an adversary or the folly of the citizens, these 
 waters come to be divided into little petty rivulets, 
 how soon are they assailed and taken ! Thus it 
 fares with churches ; when once the devil, or their 
 own folly divides them, they will be so far from 
 resisting of him, that they will be soon subjected 
 by him. 
 
 Peace is to churches as walls to cities; nay, unity 
 hath defended cities that had no walls. It was once 
 demanded of Agesilaus why Lacedemon had no 
 walls ; he answers, pointing back to the city, that 
 the concord of the citizens was the strength of 
 the city. In like manner. Christians are strong 
 when united ; then they are more capable to resist 
 temptation, and to succour such as are tempted. 
 When unity and peace is among the churches, then 
 are they like a walled town ; and when peace is 
 the church's walls, salvation will be her bulwarks. 
 
 Plutarch tells us of one Silurus that had eighty 
 sons, whom he calls to him as he lay upon his 
 death- bed, and gave them a sheaf of arrows; thereby 
 to signify, that if they lived in unity they might do 
 much ; but, if they divided, they would come to 
 nothing. If Christians were all of one piece — if 
 they were all but one lump, or but one sheaf or 
 bundle, how great are the things they might do 
 for Christ and his people in the world, whereas, 
 otherwise, they can do little but dishonour him, and 
 offend his. 
 
 It is reported of the leviathan, that his strengtli 
 is in his scales ; Job lU. 15—17 : ' His scales are his 
 pride, shut up together, as viiih a close seal. One 
 is so near to another, that no air can come between 
 them. They are joined one to another, they stick 
 together, that they cannot be sundered.' If the 
 church of God were united like the scales of levia- 
 than, it would not be every brain-sick notion, nor 
 angry speculation, that would cause their separa- 
 tion. 
 
 Solomon saith. Two are better than one, because 
 if one fail, the other may raise him ; then surely 
 
AN EXHORTATION TO PEACB AND UNITY. 
 
 749 
 
 twenty are better tban two, and an hundred are 
 better than twenty, for the same reason — because 
 they are more capable to help one another. If ever 
 Christians would do any thing to raise up the fallen 
 tabernacles of Jacob, and to strengthen the weak, 
 and comfort the feeble, and to fetch back those 
 that have gone astray, it must be by unity. 
 
 We read of the men of Babel, Ge. a. 6, ' The Lord 
 said, Behold the people is one - And now nothing 
 will be restrained from them which they have ima- 
 gined to do. ' 
 
 We learn, by reason, what great things may be 
 done in worldly achievements where unity is. And 
 shall not reason, assisted with the motives of reli- 
 gion, teach us that unity among Christians may 
 enable them to enterprise greater things for Christ ? 
 Would not this make Satan fall from heaven like 
 lightning? For as unity built literal Babel, it is 
 unity that must pull down mystical Babel. And, 
 on the other hand, where divisions are, there is 
 confusion ; by this means, a Babel hath been buUt 
 in every age. It hath been observed by a learned 
 man, and I wish I could not say truly observed, 
 that there is most of Babel and confusion among 
 those that cry out most against it. 
 
 Would we have a hand to destroy Babylon, let 
 us have a heart to unite one among another. 
 
 Our English histories tell us, that after Austin 
 the monk had been some time in England, that he 
 heard of some of the remains of the British Chris- 
 tians, which he convened to a place, which Camb- 
 den, in his Britannia, calls Austm's Oak. Here they 
 met to consult about matters of religion ; but such 
 was their division, by reason of Austin's imposing 
 spirit, that our stories tell us that synod was only 
 famous for this, that they only met, and did nothing. 
 This is the mischief of divisions, they hinder the 
 doing of much good; and if Christians that are 
 divided be ever famous for any thing, it will be that 
 they have often met together, and talked of this 
 and the other thing, but they did nothing. 
 
 (4.) Where unity and peace is wanting, there the 
 weak are wounded, and the wicked are hardened. 
 Unity may well be compared to precious oil. Pb. 
 cxxxUi. 2. It is the nature of oil to heal that which 
 is wounded, and to soften that which is hard. 
 Those men that have hardened themselves against 
 God and his people, when they shall behold unity 
 and peace among them, will say, God is in them 
 indeed ; and, on the other hand, are they not ready 
 to say, when tliey see you divided, that the devil 
 is in you, that you cannot agree ? 
 
 (5.) Divisions, and want of peace, keep those out 
 of the church that would come in ; and cause many 
 to go out that are in. 
 
 ' The divisions of Christians (as a learned man 
 observes) are a scandal to the Jews, an opprobrium 
 to the Gentiles, and an iiUet to atheism and infi- 
 
 delity.' Insomuch that our controversies about reli- 
 gion, especially as they have been of late managed, 
 have made religion itself become a controversy. 
 0, then, how good and pleasant a thing is it for 
 brethren to dwell together in imityl The peacd 
 and unity that was among the primitive Christians 
 drew others to them. What hinders the conversion 
 of the Jews, but the divisions of Christians ? Must 
 I be a Christian, says the Jew ? What Christian 
 must I be ; of what sect must I be of ? The Jews, 
 as one observes, glossing upon that text in is. xL e, 
 where it is prophesied, that the lion and the lamb 
 shall lie down together, and that there shall be 
 none left to hurt nor destroy in all God's holy 
 mountain ; they interpreting these sayings to sig- 
 nify the concord and peace that shall be among 
 the people that shall own the Messiah, do from 
 hence conclude that the Messiah is not yet come, 
 because of the contentions and divisions that are 
 among those that profess him ; and the apostle 
 saith, 1 Co. xiT. 23, that if an unbeliever should see 
 their disorders, he would say they were mad ; but 
 where unity and peace is, there the churches are mul- 
 tiplied. We read, Ac. uc.31, that when the churches 
 had rest, they multiplied ; and, Ac. ii. 46, 47, when the 
 church was serving God 'with one accord,' the 
 Lord added to them 'daily such as should be saved.' 
 
 It is unity brings men into the church, and divi- 
 sions keep them out. It is reported of an Indian, 
 passing by the house of a Christian, and hearing 
 them contending, being desired to turn in, he 
 refused, saying Habamach dwells there — meaning 
 that the devil dwelt there; butwhere unity and peace 
 is, there God is ; and he that dwells in love, dwells 
 in God. The apostle tells the Corinthians, that if 
 they walked orderly, even the unbeliever would 
 hereby be enforced to come and worship, and say, 
 God was in them indeed ; and we read, Zcc. viiL 23, 
 of a time when ten men shall take hold of a Jew, 
 and say, ' We will go with you ; for we have heard 
 that God is with you.' 
 
 And hence it is that Christ prays, Jn. rrii. 2i, that 
 his disciples might be one, as the Father and he 
 were one, that the world might believe the Father 
 sent him. As if he should say, you may preach 
 me as long as you will, and to little purpose, if 
 you are not at peace and unity among yourselves. 
 Such was the unity of Christians in former days, 
 that the intelligent heathen would say of them, 
 that though they had many bodies, yet they had 
 but one soul. And we read the same of them, 
 Ac. iv. 32, that ' the multitude of them that believed 
 were of one heart and of one soul.' 
 
 And as the learned Stillingfleet observes, in his 
 Irenicum, — ' The unity and peace that was tlien 
 among Christians, made religion amiable in the 
 judgment of impartial heathens. Christians were 
 then known by the benignity and sweetness of 
 
750 
 
 AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNITY. 
 
 their dispositions, by the candour and ingenuity of 
 tlieir spirits, by their mutual love, forbearance, and 
 condescension to one another: but either this is 
 not the practice of Christianity,' viz., a duty that 
 Christians arc now bound to observe, ' or else it is 
 not calculated for our meridian, where the spirits 
 of men are of too high an elevation for it ; for if 
 pride and uncharltableness, if divisions and strifes, 
 if wrath and envy, if animosities and contentions, 
 were but the marks of true Christians, Diogenes 
 need never light his lamp at noon to find out such 
 among us ; but if a spirit of meekness, gentleness, 
 and condescension ; if a stooping to the weaknesses 
 and infirmities of one another; if pursuit afterpeaoe, 
 when it flies from us, be the indispensable duties 
 and characteristlcal notes of Christians, it may 
 possibly prove a difficult inquest to find out such 
 among the crowds of tliose that shelter themselves 
 under that glorious name.' 
 
 It is the unity and peace of churches that brings 
 others to them, and makes Christianity amiable. 
 What is prophesied of the church of the Jews, may 
 in this case be applied to the Gentile church, is. 
 ixvL 12, that when once God extends peace to her 
 like a river, the Gentiles shall come in like a flow- 
 ing stream ; then, and not till then, the glory of 
 the Lord shall arise upon his churches, and his 
 glory shall be seen among them ; then shall their 
 hearts fear and be enlarged, because the abundance 
 of the nations shall be converted to them. 
 
 (6.) As want of unity and peace keeps those out 
 of the church that would come in, so it hinders the 
 growtli of those that are in. Jars and divisions, 
 wranglings and prejudices, eat out the growth, if 
 not the life, of religion. These are those waters 
 of Marah that imbitter our spirits, and quench the 
 Spirit of God. Unity and peace is said to be like 
 the dew of Hermon, and as a dew that descended 
 upon Zlon, where the Lord commanded his blessing. 
 
 Fb, cuudii, 3. 
 
 Divisions run religion into briers and thorns, 
 contentions and parties. Divisions are to churches 
 like wars in countries. Where war is, the ground 
 lleth waste and untlUed ; none takes care of it. It 
 is love that edifieth, but division pulleth down. 
 Divisions are, as the noi'th-east wind to tlie fruits, 
 which causeth them to dwindle away to nothing ; 
 but when the storms are over, every thing begins 
 to grow. When men are divided, they seldom 
 speak the truth in love ; and then, no marvel they 
 grow not up to him in all things, which is the head. 
 
 It is a sad presage of an approaching famine, as 
 one well observes, not of bread nor water, but of 
 hearing the Word of God ; when the thin ears of 
 com devour the plump full ones ; when the lean 
 kine devour the fat ones ; when our controversies 
 about doubtful things, and things of less moment, 
 eat up our zeal for the more indisputable and prac- 
 
 tical things in religion ; which may give us cause 
 to fear that this will be the character by which our 
 age will be known to posterity, that it was the age 
 that talked of religion most and loved it least. 
 
 Look upon those churches where peace is, and 
 there you shall find prosperity. When the churches 
 had rest, they were not only multiplied, but, walking 
 in the fear of the Lord, and the comforts of the 
 Holy Ghost, they were edified ; it is when the whole 
 body is knit together, as with joints and bands, 
 that they increase with the increase of God. 
 
 We are at a stand sometimes why there is so 
 little growth among churches ; why men have been 
 so long in learning, and are yet so far from attain- 
 ing the knowledge of the truth. Some have given 
 one reason, and Bome another ; some say pride is 
 the cause, and others say covetousness is the cause ; 
 I wish I could say these were no causes. But I 
 observe that when God entered his controversy with 
 his people of old, he mainly insisted upon some one 
 sin, as idolatry, and shedding innocent blood, &c., 
 as comprehensive of the rest; not but that they 
 were guilty of other sins, but those that were the 
 most capital are particularly insisted on ; in like 
 manner, whoever would but take a review of 
 churches that live in contentions and divisions, 
 may easily find that breach of unity and charity 
 is their capital sin, and the occasion of all other 
 sins. No marvel, then, that the Scripture saith 
 the whole law is fulfilled in love ; and if so, then, 
 where love is wanting, it must needs follow the 
 whole law is broken. It is where love grows 
 cold that sin abounds ; and therefore the want of 
 unity and peace is the cause of that leanness and 
 barrenness that is among us : it is true in spirituals 
 as well as temporals, that peace brings plenty. 
 
 (7.) Where unity and peace is wanting, our 
 prayers are hindered. The promise is, that what 
 we shall agree to ask shall be given us of our 
 heavenly Father. No marvel we pray and pray, 
 and yet are not answered ; it is because we are 
 not agreed what to have. 
 
 It is reported that the people in Lacedemonla, 
 coming to make supplications to their idol-god, 
 some of them asked for rain, and others of them 
 asked for fair weather ; the oracle returns them 
 this answer, That they should go first and agree 
 among themselves. Would a heathen god refuse 
 to answer such prayers in which the supplicants, 
 were not agreed ; and shall we think the true God 
 will answer them ? 
 
 We see, then, that divisions hinder our prayers, 
 and lay a prohibition on our sacrifice. ' If thou 
 bring thy gift to the altar,' saith Christ, ' and 
 there rememberest that thy brother hath ought 
 against thee ; leave there thy gift - and go - and 
 first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come 
 and offer it.' Mat. v. 24. So that want of unity and 
 
AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNIT?, 
 
 751 
 
 charity hiuders even our particular prayers and 
 devotions. 
 
 This hindered the prayers and fastings of the 
 people of old from finding acceptance, is. iviii. 3 ; the 
 people ask the reason wherefore they fasted, and 
 God did not see, nor take notice of them. He 
 gives this reason, because they fasted for strife and 
 debate, and hid their face from their own flesh. 
 Again, is. lii, the Lord saith, His hand was not 
 shortened, that he could not save ; nor his ear 
 heavy, that he could not hear ; hut their sins had 
 separated between their God and them. And 
 among those many sins they stood chargeable 
 with, this was none of the least, viz., that the 
 way of peace they had not known. You see where 
 peace was wanting, prayers were hindered, both 
 under the Old and New Testament. 
 
 The sacrifice of the people in is. ixr., that said, 
 Stand farther off, I am holier than thou, was 
 as smoke in the nostrils of the Lord. On the 
 other hand, we read how acceptable those prayers 
 were that were made 'with one accord, ' Ac It. 24, 
 compared with ver. 31. They prayed with one accord, 
 and they were all of one heart and of one soul. 
 And see the benefit of it ; ' they were all filled 
 with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word 
 with boldness:' which was the very thing they 
 prayed for, as appears, ver. 29. And the apostle 
 exhorts the husband to dwell with his wife, that 
 their prayers might not be hindered. 1 Pe. iiL 7. We 
 see, then, want of unity and peace, either in fami- 
 lies or churches, is a hinderance of prayers. 
 
 (8.) It is a dishonour and disparagement to Christ 
 that his family should be divided. When an ^rmy 
 falls into mutiny and division, it reflects disparage- 
 ment on him that hath the conduct of it. In hke 
 manner, the divisions of families are a dishonour 
 to the heads and those that govern them. And 
 if 80, then how greatly do we dishonour our Lord 
 and Governor, who gave his body to be broken, 
 to keep his church from breaking, who prayed for 
 their peace and unity, and left peace at his 
 departing from them for a legacy, even a peace 
 which the world could not bestow upon them. 
 
 (9.) Where there is peace and unity, there is a 
 sympathy with each other ; that which is the want 
 of one will be the want of all, — Who is afflicted, 
 saith the apostle, and I burn not ? * we should 
 then remember them that are in bonds, as bound 
 with them ; and them which sufier adversity, as 
 being ourselves also of the body. He. xm. 3. But 
 where the body is broken, or men are not reckoned 
 or esteemed of the body, no marvel we are so little 
 affected with such as are afflicted. Where divi- 
 sions are, that which is the joy of the one is the 
 
 * " Who is wealf, and I am not weak ? Who is offended, 
 aud I burn u«l i' — Ec 
 
 grief of another ; but where unity, and peace, and 
 charity abounds, there we shall find Christians in 
 mourning with them that mourn, and rejoicing 
 with them that rejoice; then they will not envy 
 the prosperity of others, nor secretly rejoice at the 
 miseries or miscarriages of any. 
 
 Fourth, Last of all, I now come to give you 
 twelve directions and motives for the obtaining peace 
 and unity. 
 
 If ever we would live in peace and unity, we 
 must pray for it. We are required to seek peace: 
 of whom, then, can we seek it with expectation to 
 find it, but of him who is a God of peace, and hath 
 promised to bless his people with peace ? It is 
 God that hath promised to give his people one 
 heart, and one way ; yet for all these things he 
 will be sought unto. then let us seek peace, 
 and pray for peace, because God shall prosper them 
 that love it. 
 
 The peace of churches is that which the apostle 
 prays for in all his epistles ; in which his desire 
 is, that grace and peace may be multiplied and 
 increased among them. 
 
 1. They that would endeavour the peace of the 
 churches, must be careful who they commit the 
 care and oversight of the churches to ; as, first, 
 over and besides those qualifications that should 
 be in all Christians, they that rule the church of 
 God should be men of counsel and understanding ; 
 where there is an ignorant ministry, there is com- 
 monly an ignorant people, — according as it was 
 of old. Like priest, like people. 
 
 How sad is it to see the church of God com- 
 mitted to the care of such that pretend to be 
 teachers of others, that understand not what they 
 say, or whereof they affirm. No marvel the peace 
 of churches is broken, when their watchmen want 
 skill to preserve their unity, which of all other 
 things is as the church's walls ; when they are 
 divided, no wonder they crumble to atoms, if there 
 is no skilful physician to heal them. It is sad 
 when there is no balm in Gilead, and when there 
 is no physician there. Hence it is, that the 
 wounds of churches become incurable, like the 
 wounds of God's people of old ; either not healed 
 at all, or else slightly healed, and to no purpose. 
 May it not be said of many churches at this day, 
 as God said of the church of Israel, that he sought 
 for a man among them that should stand in the 
 gap, and make up the breach, but he found none ? 
 
 Remember what was said of old, MaL ii. 7, The 
 priest's lips should preserve knowledge ; and the 
 people ' should seek the law at his mouth.' But 
 when this is wanting, the people will be stumbling 
 and departing from God and one another; there- 
 fore God complains. Ho. iY. g, that his people were 
 'destroyed for want of knowledge;' that is, for 
 want of knowing guides ; for if the light that is 
 
752 
 
 AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNITY. 
 
 in them that teach be darkness, how great is that 
 darkness; and if the blind lead the blind, no 
 marvel both fall into the ditch. 
 
 How many are there that take upon them to 
 teach others, that had need be taught iu the begin- 
 ning of religion ; that instead of multiplying 
 knowledge, multiply words without knowledge ; 
 and instead of making known God's counsel, 
 darken counsel by words without knowledge ? 
 The apostle speaks of some that did more than 
 darken counsel, for they wrested the counsel of 
 God. 2 Pe. iii. 16. lu Paul's epistles, saith he, are 
 ' some things hard to be understood, which they 
 that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do 
 also the other scriptures unto their own destruc- 
 tion.' Some things in the Scripture are hard to 
 be known, and they are made harder by such 
 unlearned teachers as utter their own notions by 
 words without knowledge. 
 
 None are more bold and adventurous to take 
 upon them to expound the dark mysteries and 
 sayings of the prophets and revelations, and the 
 9th of the Romans, — which, I believe, contains 
 some of those many things which, iu Paul's epis- 
 tles, Peter saith were 'hard to be understood.' 
 I say, none are more forward to dig in these 
 mines than those that can hardly give a sound 
 reason for the first principles of religion ; and 
 such as are ignorant of many more weighty things 
 that are easily to be seen in the face and super- 
 ficies of the Scripture; nothing will serve these 
 but swimming in the deeps, when they have not 
 yet learned to wade through the shallows of the 
 Scriptures. Like the Gnostics of old, who thought 
 they knew all things, though they knew nothing 
 as they ought to know. And as those Gnostics 
 did of old, so do such teachers of late break the 
 unity and peace of churches. How needful, then, 
 is it, that if wo desire the peace of churches, that 
 we choose out men of knowledge, who may be able 
 to keep them from being shattered and scattered 
 with every wind of doctrine ; and who may be able 
 to convince and stop the mouths of gainsayers ! 
 
 2. You must not only choose men of counsel ; 
 but if you would design the unity and peace of the 
 churches, you must choose men of courage to 
 govern them ; for as there must be wisdom to bear 
 with some, so there must be courage to correct 
 others ; as some must be instructed meekly, so 
 others must be rebuked sharply, that they may be 
 sound in the faith ; there must be wisdom to 
 rebuke some with long-suffering, and there must 
 be courage to suppress and stop the mouths of 
 others. The apostle tells Titus of some ' whose 
 mouths must be stopped,' or else they would 'sub- 
 vert whole houses. ' Tit i. ii. Where this courage 
 hath been wanting, not only whole houses, but 
 whole churches have been subverted. Aud Paul 
 
 tells the Galatians, that when he saw some endea- 
 vour to bring the churches into bondage, that he 
 did not give place to them, 'no, not for an hour,' 
 (fee. Ga. iL 5. If this course had been taken by the 
 rulers of churches, their peace had not been so 
 often invaded by unruly and vain talkers. 
 
 In choosing men to rule, if you would endea- 
 vour to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond 
 of peace thereby, be careful you choose men of 
 peaceable dispositions. That which hath much 
 annoyed the peace of churches, hath been the 
 froward and perverse spirits of the rulers thereof. 
 Solomon therefore adviseth, that ' with a furious 
 man we should not go, lest we learn his ways, aud 
 get a snare to our souls.' Pr. xxH. 24,26. And with 
 the froward we learn frowarduess. How do some 
 men's words eat like a canker ; who instead of 
 lifting up their voices like a trumpet, to sound a 
 parley for peace, have rather sounded an alarm 
 to war and contention. If ever we would live iu 
 peace, let us reverence the feet of them that bring 
 the glad tidings of it. 
 
 how have some men made it their business to 
 preach contentions, and upon their entertainment 
 of every novel opinion, to preach separation ! How 
 hath God's Word been stretched and torn, to fur- 
 nish these men with arguments to tear churches ! 
 Have not our ears heard those texts that saith, 
 ' Come out from among them, and be separate,* 
 <fec. ; and, ' Withdraw from every brother that walks 
 disorderly ? ' I say, have we not heard these texts, 
 that were written to prevent disorder, brought to 
 countenance the greatest disorder that ever was in 
 the church of God, even schism and division ? 
 whereas one of these exhortations was written to 
 the church of Corinth, to separate themselves from 
 the idol's temple, and the idol's table, in which 
 many of them lived in the participation of, not- 
 withstanding their profession of the true God, as 
 appears 2 Co. -n. 16, 17, compared with i Co. mi. 7, and 
 1 Co. i. 14, 20, 22 recites : and not for some few or 
 more members, who shall make themselves both 
 judges and parties, to make separation, when and 
 as often as they please, from the whole congrega- 
 tion and church of God where they stood related ; 
 for by the same rule, and upon the same ground, 
 may others start some now question among these 
 new separatists, and become their own judges of 
 the communicableness of them, and thereupon 
 make another separation from these, till at last 
 two be not left to walk together. And for that 
 other text mentioned, 2Th.m.6, where Paul exhorts 
 the church of Thessalonica to withdraw themselves 
 from every brother that walks disorderly, I cannot 
 but wonder that any should bring this to justify 
 their separation, or withdrawing from the commu- 
 nion of a true, though a disorderly, church. Por, 
 
 (l.J Consider that this was not writ for a few 
 
AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNITY. 
 
 ■758 
 
 members to withdraw from tlie chm-cli, but for the 
 church to withdraw from disorderly members. 
 
 (2.) Consider that if any offended members, upon 
 pretence of error, either in doctrine or practice, 
 should by this text become judges, as well as par^ 
 ties, of the grounds and lawfulness of their separa- 
 tion, then it will follow, that half a score notorious 
 heretics, or scandalous livers, when they have 
 walked so as they foresee the church are ready to 
 deal with them, and withdraw from them, shall 
 anticipate the church, and pretend somewhat 
 against them, of which themselves must be judges, 
 and so withdraw from the church, pretending either 
 heresy or disorder ; and so condemn the church, to 
 prevent the disgrace of being condemned by the 
 church. How needful, then, is it that men of 
 peaceable dispositions, and not of froward and fac- 
 tious and dividing spirits, be chosen to rule the 
 church ot God, for fear lest the whole church be 
 leavened and soured by them. 
 
 4. As there must be care used in choosing men 
 to rule the church of God, so there must be a con- 
 sideration had that there are many things darkly 
 laid down in Scripture ; this will temper our spirits, 
 and make us live in peace and unity the more 
 firmly in things in which we agree ; this will help 
 us to bear one another's burden, and so fulfil the 
 law of Christ, inasmuch as all things necessary to 
 salvation and church-communion are plainly laid 
 down in Scripture. And where things are more 
 darkly laid down, we should consider that God 
 intended hereby to stir up our diligence, that 
 thereby we might increase our knowledge, and not 
 our divisions ; for it may be said of all discoveries 
 of truth we have made in the Scriptures, as it is 
 said of the globe of the earth, that though men 
 have made great searches, and thereupon great 
 discoveries, yet there is still a terra mcognita — an 
 unknown land ; so there is in the Scriptures ; for 
 after men have travelled over them, one age after 
 another, yet still there is, as it were, a terra incog- 
 nita, an unknown tract to put us upon farther 
 search and inquiry, and to keep us from censuring 
 and falling out with those who have not yet made 
 the same discoveries ; that so we may say with the 
 Psalmist, when we reflect upon our short appre- 
 hensions of the mind of God, that we have seen an 
 end of all perfections, but God's commands are 
 exceeding broad ; and as one observes, speaking 
 of the Scriptures, that there is a path in them 
 leading to the mind of God, which lieth a great 
 distance from the thoughts and apprehensions of 
 men. And on the other baud, in many other places, 
 God sits, as it were, on the superficies and the face 
 of the letter, where he that runs may discern him 
 speaking plainly, and no parable at all. How 
 should the consideration of this induce us to a 
 peaceable deportment towards those that differ. 
 
 VOL. II. 
 
 5. If we would endeavour peace and unity, we 
 must consider how God hath tempered the body, 
 that so the comely parts should not separate from 
 the uncomely, as having no need of them, i Co. liL 
 22-25. There is in Christ's body and house some 
 members and vessels less honourable, 2Ti.ii.20; and 
 therefore we should not, as some now-a-days do, 
 pour the more abundant disgrace, instead of put- 
 ting the more abundant honour, upon them. Did 
 we but consider this, we should be covering the 
 weakness and hiding the miscarriages of one an- 
 other, because we are all members one of another, 
 and the most useless member in his place is useful. 
 
 6. If we would live in peace, let us remember 
 our relations to God — as children to a father, and 
 to each other as brethren. Will not the thoughts 
 that we have one Father quiet us, and the thoughts 
 that we are brethren unite us ? It was this that 
 made Abraham propose terms of peace to Lot, 
 Ge. xiii.: ' Let there be no strife,' saith he, ' between 
 us, for we are brethren.' And we read of Moses, 
 in Ac. vii. 26, using this argument to reconcile those 
 that strove together, and to set them at one again : 
 ' Sirs,' saith he, ' ye are brethren ; why do ye wrong 
 one to another ? ' A deep sense of this relation, 
 that we are brethren, would keep us from dividing. 
 
 7. If we would preserve peace, let us mind the 
 gifts, and graces, and virtues that are in each 
 other ; let these be more in our eye than their fail- 
 ings and imperfections. When the apostle exhorted 
 the Philippians to peace, as a means hereunto, that 
 80 the peace of God might rule in their hearts, he 
 tells them, ch. iv. 8, that if there were any virtue, or 
 any praise, they should think of these things. 
 While we are always talking and blazoning the 
 faults of one another, and spreading their infirmi- 
 ties, no marvel we are so little in peace and charity; 
 for as charity covereth a multitude of sins, so 
 malice covereth a multitude of virtues, and makes 
 us deal by one another as the heathen persecutors 
 dealt with Christians, viz., put them in bears' 
 skins, that they might the more readily become a 
 prey to those dogs that were designed to devour 
 them. 
 
 8. If we would keep unity and peace, let us lay 
 aside provoking and dividing language, and forgive 
 those that use them. Remember that old saying, 
 Evil words corrupt good manners. When men 
 think to carry all afore them, with speaking un- 
 charitably and disgracefully of their brethren or 
 their opinions, may not such be answered as Job 
 answered his unfriendly visitants, Job vi. 26, ' How 
 forcible are right words ! But what doth your 
 arguing reprove ? ' How healing are words fitly 
 spoken ! A word in season, how good is it I If 
 we would seek peace, let us clothe all our treaties 
 for peace with acceptable words ; and where one 
 word may better accommodate than another, let 
 
 5 c 
 
754 
 
 AN EXHORTATION TO PEACE AND UNITY. 
 
 that be used to express persons or things by, and 
 let us not, as some do, call the different practices 
 of our brethren ■will-worship, and their different 
 opinions doctrines of devils, and the doctrine of 
 Balaam, who taught fornication, <fec., unless we 
 can plainly, and in expressness of terms, prove it 
 so ; such language as this hath strangely divided 
 our spirits, and hardened our hearts one towards 
 another. 
 
 9. If we would live in peace, let us make the 
 best constructions of one another's words and 
 actions. Charity judgeth the best, and it thinks 
 no evil ; if words and actions may be construed to 
 a good sense, let us never put a bad construction 
 upon them. How much hath the peace of Chris- 
 tians been broken by an uncharitable interpreta- 
 tion of words and actions ? As some lay to the 
 charge of others that which they never said, so, by 
 straining men's words, others lay to their charge 
 that they never thought. 
 
 10. Be willing to hear and learn, and obey those 
 that God by his providence hath set over you ; this 
 i)s a great means to preserve the unity and peace 
 of churches. But when men, yea, and sometimes 
 women, shall usurp authority, and think themselves 
 wiser than their teachers, no wonder if these people 
 Tim into contentions and parties, when any shall 
 say they are not free to hear those whom the church 
 thinks fit to sp<=ak to them. This is the first step 
 to schism, and is usually attended, if not timely 
 prevented, with a sinful separation. 
 
 11. If you would keep the unity of the spirit in 
 the bond of peace, be mindful that the God whom 
 you serve is a God of peace, and your Saviour is a 
 Prince of peace, and that his ways are ways of 
 pleasantness, and all his paths are peace ; and that 
 Christ was sent into the world to give light to them 
 that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, 
 and to guide our feet in the way of peace. 
 
 12. Consider the oneness of spirit that is among 
 the enemies of religion ; though they differ about 
 other things, yet to persecute religion, and extir- 
 pate religion out of the earth, here they will agree : 
 tlie devils in the air, and the devils in the earth, 
 all the devils in hell, and in the world, make one 
 at this turn. Shall the devil's kingdom be united, 
 and shall Christ's be divided ? Shall the devils 
 make one shoulder to drive on the design of damn- 
 ing men, and shall not Christians unite to carry on 
 
 the great design of savuig of them ? Shall the 
 Papists agree and unite to carry on their interest, 
 notwithstanding the multitudes of orders, degrees, 
 and differences that are among them, and shall not 
 those that call themselves reformed churches unite 
 to carry on the common interest of Christ in the 
 world, notwithstanding some petty and disputable 
 differences that are among them ? Quarrels about 
 religion, as one observes, were sins not named 
 among the Gentiles. What a shame is it, then, for 
 Christians to abound in them, especially consider- 
 ing the nature of the Christian religion, and what 
 large provisions the author of it hath made to keep 
 the professors of it in peace ; insomuch, as one well 
 observes, it is next to a miracle that ever any, espe- 
 cially the professors of it, should fall out about it. 
 13. Consider and remember that the Judge 
 stands at the door ; let this moderate our spirits, 
 that the Lord is at hand. What a sad account 
 will they have to make when he comes, that shall 
 be found to smite their fellow-servants, and to make 
 the way to his kingdom more narrow than ever he 
 made it ? Let me close all in the words of that 
 great apostle, 2 Co. mi. U: 'Finally, brethren, fare- 
 well. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one 
 mind, live in peace ; and the God of love and peace 
 shall be with you, ' 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 Reader, I thought good to advertise thee that I 
 have delivered this to thy hand in the same order 
 and method in which it was preached, and almost 
 in the same words, without any diminishings or 
 considerable enlargings, unless it be in the thirteen 
 last particulars, upon some of which I have made 
 some enlargements, which I could not then do for 
 want of time ; but the substance of every one of 
 them was then laid down in the same particular 
 order as here thou hast them: and now 1 have 
 done, 1 make no other account, to use the words 
 of a moderate man upon the like occasion, but it 
 will fall out with me, as doth commonly with him 
 that parts a fray, both parties may perhaps drive 
 at me for wishing them no worse than peace. My 
 ambition of the public tranquillity of the church 
 of God, I hope, wiU carry me through these 
 hazards. Let both beat me, so their quarrels may 
 cease ; I shall rejoice in those blows and scars I 
 shall take for the church's safety. 
 
MR. BUNYAN'S LAST SERMON; 
 
 PREACHED AUGUST IGth, 168S. 
 
 ADVEETISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 
 
 Tins sermon, although very short, is peculiarly 
 interesting : how it was preserved wo are not told ; 
 but it bears strong marks of having been pub- 
 lished from notes taken by one of the hearers. 
 There is no proof that any memorandum or notes 
 of this sermon was found in the autograph of the 
 preacher. 
 
 In the list of Bunyan's works published by Chas. 
 Doe, at the end of the ' Heavenly Footman,' March 
 1690, it stands No. 44. He professes to give the 
 title-page, word for word, as it was first printed. 
 It is, ' Mr. John Bunyan's last sermon, at London, 
 preached at Mr. Gamman's meeting-house, near 
 Whitechapel, August I9th, 1688, upon John i. 
 13: showing a resemblance between a natural 
 and a spiritual birth ; and how every man and 
 woman may try themselves, and know whether 
 they are born again or not.' Published 1689, 
 
 in about one sheet 
 appears to have been 
 
 1 12mo. From this it 
 preached only two days 
 before his fatal illness, and twelve days before 
 his decease, which took place August 31st, 
 1688. The disease which terminated his invalu- 
 able life, was brought on by a journey to Reading 
 on horseback, undertaken with the benevolent 
 design of reconciling an offended father to his 
 son. Having accomplished his object, he rode 
 to London ; on his way home, through a heavy 
 rain, the effects of which appeared soon after this, 
 his last sermon was preached. He bore, with 
 most exemplary patience and resignation, the fever 
 which invaded his body ; and, at a distance from 
 his wife and famUy, in the house of his friend Mr. 
 Strudwick, at Snow Hill, his pilgrimage was ended, 
 and he fell asleep in perfect peace, to awake amidst 
 the harmonies and glory of the celestial city. 
 
 Geo. OrFOB. 
 
 MR. BUNYAN'S LAST SERMON. 
 
 • WHICH WERE BORN, NOT OF BLOOD, NOR OF THE WILL 
 OF THE FLESH, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF 
 SOD.' JOHN I. 13. 
 
 The words have a dependence on what goes 
 before, and therefore I must direct you to them 
 for the right understanding of it. You have it 
 thus : ' He came unto his own, and his own 
 received him not ; but as many as received him, 
 to them gave he power to become the sons of God, 
 even to them that believe on his name : which were 
 bom, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh - 
 but of God.' 
 
 In the words before, you have two things. First, 
 Some of his own rejecting him, when he offered 
 himself to them. Second, Others of his own 
 receiving him, and making him welcome ; those 
 that reject him, he also passes by ; but those that 
 receive him, he gives them power to become the 
 sons of God. 
 
 Now, lest any one should look upon it as good 
 luck or fortune, says he, they ' were born, not of 
 blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will 
 of man, but of God.' They that did not receive 
 Lim, they were only born of flesh and blood ; but 
 
 those that receive him, they have God to their 
 Father ; they receive the doctrine of Christ with 
 a vehement desire. 
 
 [to explain THE TEXT.] 
 
 First, I will show you what he means by blood. 
 They that believe are born to it, as an heir is to 
 an inheritance — they are born of God, not of flesh, 
 nor of the will of man, but of God ; not of blood, 
 that is, not by generation, not born to the king- 
 dom of heaven by the flesh, not because I am the 
 son of a godly man or woman — that is meant by 
 blood ; Ac. xvii. 26: He ' hath made of one blood all 
 nations.' But when he says here, ' not of blood,' 
 he rejects all carnal privileges they did boast of: 
 they boasted they were Abraham's seed ; no, no, 
 says he, it is not of blood ; think not to say you 
 have Abraham to your father ; you must be born 
 of God, if you go to the kingdom of heaven. 
 
 Second, 'Nor of the will of the flesh.' What 
 must we understand by that ? 
 
 It is taken for those vehement inclinations that 
 are in man, to all manner of looseness, fulfilling 
 the desires of the flesh : that must not be understood 
 
756 
 
 MR. BUNYAN'S LAST SERMON. 
 
 here ; men are not made the children of God by 
 fulfilling their lustful desires. It must be under- 
 stood here in the best sense : there is not only in 
 carnal men a will to be vile, but there is in them 
 a will to be saved also ; a will to go to heaven 
 also. But this it will not do ; it will not privilege 
 a man in the things of the kingdom of God: 
 natural desires after the things of another world, 
 they are not an argument to prove a man shall go 
 to heaven whenever be dies. I am not a free- 
 wilier, I do abhor it ; yet there is not the wicked- 
 est man but he desires, some time or other, to be 
 saved ; he will read some time or other, or, it may 
 be, pray, but this will not do : 'Itis not of him 
 that wiUeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God 
 that sheweth mercy.' There is willing and run- 
 ning, and yet to no purpose. Eo. k. is. Israel, 
 which followed after the law of righteousness, 
 have not obtained it. ver. so. Here, I do not under- 
 stand, as if the apostle had denied a virtuous course 
 of life to be the way to heaven ; but that a man 
 without grace, though he have natural gifts, yet 
 he shall not obtain privilege to go to heaven, and 
 be the son of God. Though a man without grace 
 may have a will to be saved, yet he cannot have 
 that will God's way. Nature, it cannot know any 
 thing but the things of nature — the things of God 
 knows no man but by the Spirit of God ; unless 
 the Spirit of God be in you, it will leave you on 
 this side the gates of heaven. ' Not of blood, nor 
 of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but 
 of God.' It may be, some may have a will, a 
 desire that Ishmael may be saved; know this, 
 it will not save thy child. If it was our will, I 
 would have you all go to heaven. How many are 
 there in the world that pray for their children, 
 and cry for them, and are ready to die [for 
 them] ? and this will not do. God's will is the 
 rule of all ; it is only through Jesus Christ : ' which 
 were born, not of flesh, nor of the will of man, but 
 of God.' 
 
 Now I come to the doctrine. 
 
 Men that believe in Jesus Christ, to the effec- 
 tual receiving of Jesus Christ, they are born to it. 
 He does not say they shall be bom to it, but they 
 are born to it — born of God unto God and the 
 things of God, before he receives God to eternal 
 salvation. ' Except a man be born again, he can- 
 not see the kingdom of God.' Now, unless he be 
 born of God, he cannot see it : suppose the king- 
 dom of God be what it will, he cannot see it before 
 he be begotten of God. Suppose it be the gospel, 
 he cannot see it before he be brought into a state 
 of regeneration. Believing is the consequence of 
 the new birth ; ' not of blood, nor of the will of 
 man, but of God. ' 
 
 First, I will give you a clear description of it 
 under one similitude or two. A child, before it be 
 
 born into the world, is in the dark dungeon of its 
 mother's womb : so a child of God, before he be 
 born again, is in the dark dungeon of sin, sees 
 nothing of the kingdom of God; therefore it is 
 called a new birth : the same soul has love one 
 way in its carnal condition, another way when it 
 is born again. 
 
 Second, As it is compared to a birth, resembling 
 a child in his mother's womb, so it is compared to 
 a man being raised out of the grave ; and to be 
 born again, is to be raised out of the grave of sin ; 
 ' Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the 
 dead, and Christ shall give thee light.' To be 
 raised from the grave of sin is to be begotten and 
 bom ; Re. i. 5: there is a famous instance of Christ ; 
 He is ' the first begotten of the dead;' he is the 
 first-born from the dead, unto which our regenera- 
 tion alludeth; that is, if you be born again by 
 seeking those things that are above, then there is 
 a similitude betwixt Christ's resurrection and the 
 new birth ; which was born, which was restored out 
 of this dark world, and translated out of the king- 
 dom of this dark world, into the kingdom of his 
 dear Son, and made us live a new life — this is to 
 be bom again : and he that is delivered from the 
 mother's womb, it is the help of the mother ; so 
 he that is bom of God, it is by the Spirit of God. 
 I must give you a few consequences of a new 
 birth. 
 
 (1.) First of all, A child, you know, is incident 
 to cry as soon as it comes into the world; for if 
 there be no noise, they say it is dead. You 
 that are born of God, and Christians, if you be not 
 criers, there is no spiritual life in you — if you be 
 born of God, you are crying ones ; as soon as he 
 has raised you out of the dark dungeon of sin, you 
 cannot but cry to God, What must I do to be 
 saved ? As soon as ever God had touched the 
 jailer, he cries out, ' Men and brethren, what must 
 I do to be saved ? ' Oh ! how many prayerless 
 professors is there in London that never pray-! 
 Coffee-houses will not let you pray, trades will not 
 let you pray, looking-glasses will not let you pray ; 
 but if you was born of God, you would. 
 
 (2.) It is not only natural for a child to cry, 
 but it must crave the breast ; it cannot live with- 
 out the breast — therefore Peter makes it the true 
 trial of a new-born babe: the new-born babe 
 desires the sincere milk of the Word, that he may 
 grow thereby: if you be born of God, make it 
 manifest by desiring the breast of God. Do you 
 long for the milk of the promises ? A man lives 
 one way when he is in the world, another way 
 when he is brought unto Jesus Christ, is. tot They 
 shall suck and be satisfied ; if you be born again, 
 there is no satisfaction till you get the mQk of 
 God's Word into your souls, is. ixvi. ii. To ' suck 
 and bo satisfied with the breasts of her consola- 
 
MR. BUNYAN'S LAST SERMON. 
 
 757 
 
 tion., OL! wliat is a promise to a carnal man? 
 A whore-house, it may be, is more sweet to him ; 
 but if you be horn again, you cannot live without 
 the milk of God's Word. What is a woman's 
 breast to a horse ? But what is it to a child ? 
 there is its comfort night and day, there is its 
 succour night and day. how loath are they it 
 should he taken from them: minding heavenly 
 things, says a carnal man, is but vanity ; but to a 
 child of God, there is his comfort. 
 
 (3.) A child that is newly horn, if it have not 
 other comforts to keep it warm than it had in its 
 mother's womb, it dies ; it must have something 
 got for its succour: so Christ had swaddling 
 clothes prepared for him ; so those that are bora 
 again, they must have some promise of Christ to 
 keep them alive ; those that are in a carnal state, 
 they warm themselves with other things; but 
 those that are horn again, they cannot live with- 
 out some promise of Christ to keep them alive ; as 
 he did to the poor infant in Eze. xri. s: I covered 
 thee with embroidered gold : and when women are 
 with child, what fine things will they prepare for 
 their child ! Oh, but what fine things has Christ 
 prepared to wrap all in that are bom again ! Oh 
 what wrappings of gold has Christ prepared for 
 all that are born again ! Women will dress their 
 children, that every one may see them how fine 
 they are ; so he in Ezc. x\i. ii: ' I decked thee also 
 with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thine 
 hands, and a chain on thy neck ; and I put a jewel 
 on thy forehead, and ear-rings in thine ears, and a 
 beautiful crown upon thine head.' And, says he 
 in ya. 13, ' Thou didst prosper into a kingdom.' 
 This is to set out nothing in the world but the 
 righteousness of Christ and the graces of the 
 Spirit, without which a new-born babe cannot live, 
 unless they have the golden righteousness of 
 Christ. 
 
 (4.) A child, when it is in its mother's lap, the 
 mother takes great delight to have that which will 
 be for its comfort ; so it is with God's children, 
 they shall be kept on his knee ; is. Uvi. ii : ' They 
 shall suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her 
 consolations;' ver. iS: 'As one whom his mother 
 comforteth, so wiU I comfort you.' There is a 
 similitude in these things that nobody knows of, 
 but those that are horn again. 
 
 (5.) There is usually some similitude betwixt 
 the father and the child. It may be the child looks 
 like its father ; so those that are horn again, they 
 have a new similitude — they have the image of 
 Jesus Christ. Ga. iv. Every one that is bom of God 
 has something of the features of heaven upon him. 
 Men love those children that are likest them most 
 usually ; so does God his children, therefore they 
 are called the children of God ; but others do not 
 look like him, therefore they are called Sodomites. 
 
 Christ describes children of the devil by their fea- 
 tures — the children of the devil, his works they 
 will do ; all works of unrighteousness, they are the 
 devil's works: if you are earthly, you have borne 
 the image of the earthly ; if heavenly, you have 
 borne the image of the heavenly. 
 
 (6.) When a man has a child, he trains him 
 up to his own liking — they have learned the cus- 
 tom of their father's house ; so are those that are 
 born of God — they have learned the custom of the 
 true church of God ; there they learn to cry ' My 
 Father' and 'My God;' they are brought up in 
 God's house, they learn the method and form of 
 God's house, for regulating their lives in this world. 
 
 (7.) Children, it is natural for them to depend 
 upon their father for what they want ; if they want 
 a pair of shoes, they go and tell him ; if they want 
 bread, they go and tell him ; so should the chil- 
 dren of God do. Do you want spiritual bread ? go 
 tell God of it. Do you want strength of grace ? 
 ask it of God. Do you want strength against 
 Satan's temptations ? go and tell God of it. When 
 the devil tempts you, run home and tell your hea- 
 venly Father — go, pour out your complaints to 
 God ; this is natural to children ; if any wronj; 
 them, they go and teU their father; so du those 
 that are born of God, when they meet with temi>- 
 tations, go and toll God of them. 
 
 [tub application.] 
 
 The first use is this. To make a strict inquiry 
 whether you be born of God or not ; examine by 
 those things I laid down before, of a child of 
 nature and a child of grace. Are you brought 
 out of the dark dungeon of this world into Christ ? 
 Have you learned to cry, 'My Father ?' Jc. iii. 4. 
 'And I said, Thou shalt call me, My Father.' 
 AH God's children are criers — cannot you be quiet 
 without you have a bellyful of the milk of God's 
 Word ? cannot you be satisfied without you have 
 peace with God ? Pray you, consider it, and be 
 serious with yourselves; if you have not these 
 marks, you will fall short of the kingdom of God — 
 you shall never have an interest there ; ' there' is 
 no intruding. They will say, ' Lord, Lord, open 
 to us; and he will say, I know you not.' No 
 child of God, no heavenly inheritance. We 
 sometimes give something to those that are not 
 our children, but [we do] not [give them] our 
 lands. do not flatter yourselves with a por- 
 tion among the sons, unless you live like sons. 
 When we see a king's son play with a beggar, 
 this is unbecoming; so if you be the king's 
 children, live like the king's children ; if you 
 be risen with Christ, set your afi'ections on things 
 above, and not on things below; when you 
 come together, talk of wh.xt your Father promised 
 
758 
 
 MR. EUNYAN'S LAST SERMON. 
 
 you ; you should all love your Father's will, and 
 he content and pleased with the exercises you meet 
 with in the world. If you are the children of God, 
 live together lovingly ; if the world quarrel with 
 you, it is no matter ; hut it is sad if you quarrel 
 together ; if this he amongst you, it is a sign of 
 ill-hreeding ; it is not accoi'ding to the rules you 
 have in the Word of God. Dost thou see a soul 
 that has the image of God in him ? Love him, 
 love him ; say. This man and I must go to heaven 
 one day; serve one another, do good for one 
 
 another; and if any wrong you, pray to God to 
 right you, and love the brotherhood. 
 
 Lastly, If you he the children of God, learn 
 that lesson — Gird up the loins of your mind, as 
 obedient children, not fashioning yourselves accord- 
 ing to your former conversation ; hut be ye holy 
 in all manner of conversation. Consider that the 
 holy God is your Father, and let this oblige you 
 to live hke the children of God, that you may look 
 your Father in the face, with comfort, another 
 day. 
 
 u. iiLACJiJK AND CO., PElWTtaS, VILLAFJKLD. 
 
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