/"7 !^ /':^f> PRINCETON, N. J. "^ Collection of Puritan Literature. Division *••--— K*?»v^'''^*!^ Section /^ C^/St.C^^^ / X I SB SERMON S, ON SEVERAL 1 IMPORTANT SUBJECTS. BY THE REVEREND Mr. J 0 H K S WA N S T 0 N, Late Minlfter of the Gofpel at Kinross. ^ To whlcii Is prefixed, A Short Account of the Author's Life, Christ is all, and in all. Col. iii. 1 1 CntcrcS in ©tntioneijs ipaK- G L A S Cx O W: Printed by W i l l i a m Smith. Sold at his Shop in the foot of the Saltmercat j and by the Bookfellers in Town and Country. ]^I D C CL X xTTT N THE PREFACE, CONTAINING A Short Account of the Author's Life and Character. ^TPHE Rev. Mr. John Swanston, Author of the following Sermons, was born in the village of Hume, and parifli of StitchUl^ of credit- able parents, who were encouraged to give him a regular education, by the good natural parts he very early difcovered. His bodily conflitution was ftrong and healthy, which enabled him to give unwearied application to his ftudies. After he had gone thro' the feveral branches of education, preparatory to the ftudy of divini- ty, in theuniverfity of Edinburgh, he was thrown into no fmall perplexity of mind, about matters of the higheft importance to an immortal foul, which was incrcafed, by an anxiety about the part he fliould a6t, for the glory of God, and his own comfort, in fixing his religious connexions ^ whether he fhould continue with the eflablifhed judicatories of the Church of Scotland, or join with the Aflbciate Prefbytery, which had been erected a few years before ? After deliberately weighing matters, he j udged it his duty to join ia A z PREFACE. the Seceflion: In which flep he furmounted the prejudice of education, and advice of his friends. Having profecuted the ftudy of divinity in con- nexion with the Ajibciate Prefbytery, he was U- cenfed to preach the gofpel, under their infpecfli- on, in the year 1743. He had not been long a Preacher, when two calls were given him to en- ter into the holy miniftry ; one from the congre- gation of Stitchill, the other from the congrega- tion at Orr in Galloway: which lafl the Prefby- tery preferred. By fome difnculties, not ne- ceflkry to be mentioned, his ordination there was retarded until the mournful rupture in the Affo- ciate Synod, on account of the religious claufe in fome burgefs oaths, took place ; and it was at laft prevented: for our Author adhered to thofe who oppofed the making the condemnation of ' thefe oaths a term of communion ; and the con- gregation of Orr having joined the oppofite party, the profecution of their call was dropt of courfe. The Aflbciate congregation of Kinrofs, being newly ere6led, upon an application, were allow- ed a hearing of him ; and did foon thereafter j give him an unanimous call. In confcquence of which, he was ordained by the nffociatc Prefby- tery of Perth and Dunfermline, at Kinrofs, on Thurfday the 23d of June, 1748: and there ex- ercifed his miniftry, to the very great iatisfaftion and edification of that congregation, who loved hirii dearly and defervedly: he was likewife held PREFACE. y in very great efteem by others, with whom he was not fo nearly connefted. On Sabbath the yth of June 1767, he was affift- ing at the celebration of the Lord*s fupper at Perth ; where, after preaching on the evening from thefe words, Eph. i. 6. To the pra'ife of the glory ofhisgrace^ he was feized with an inflamation in his bowels. This diftemper was fo rapid in its progrefs, that he could not be tranfported to his own family in Kinrofs : But, through the kind- nefs of providence, this inconvenience was little felt, as he was lodged in the houfe of a near re- lation, where every tender office, that could alle- viate his afflidlion, was affiduoufly performed. On Friday morning, being the 12th, with a re- lignation becoming a fervant of Chrift, he yield- ed up his life into the hand of God the fovereign difpofer of all things. — Fie forefaw the approach of death, and under the immediate view of it, bore witnefs to the free grace of God, which he had preached with fomuch earneftnefs to others, fay- ing, / believe, that through the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrfl^ Ifioall be faved: and within a few minutes of his departing this life, he addrelTed himfelf, in an afFeftionate and particular manner, to his near relations, much to their fatisfadlion, faying, •* I would not now return to life for ten thoufand " worlds j" for, though myflefh and my heart fail me^ God is the frength of my hearty and my portion for ever. — Thus in his conflid with the King of Terrors, VI PREFACE. he exemplified that fortitude which he recom- mends, and experienced that comfort which he adminifters to others, in thefe favoury difcourfes from Ifaiah xli. lo. In this manner fell, by the ftroke of the inexorable meflenger of eternity? that truly great man, and faithful minifter of the gofpei, in the 46ch year of his age, and 19th of his miniftry, before his natural ftrength was a- bated, or his ufefulnefs in the Church impaired, to the very great grief of his congregation, and inexprelTiblc lofs of his young family. Tlio' I had the happinefs to be acquainted with him from my childhood, having been compa- nions at fchool ; and tho' this early acquaint- ance, as well as our being, for feveral years, mem- bers of the fame preibytery, led us to cultivate an intimate friendihip; I v/ili not, however, pre- tend to do his character jullice: but, without ex- ceeding bounds, orjuilly incurring the cenfure of iiattery or partia.lity of friendfiiip, the following things may be faid of him, now when in the dull. Ke was pofieiTed of fmgular natural parts, be- ing furniflied with a quick defcernment, great ftrength of judgment and memory, and rich in- vention. Such was his modefty, that on every cccafion, he rather concealed than fliewed his a- bilities; unlefs when necelTarily engaged in the defence of truth: and even then, he vaunted not over his antagonift, but was content if truth had the vidlory. i PREFACE. VI! His converfation was grave, accompanied with an engaging affability and unreferved gpennefs. His abilities were not ftained with an affuming air in converfation; he difrelifhed it in others, and fo guarded againft it in his own deportment. As a friend, he was fincere and Heady, more in- cUned to cover than expofe the blemiflries he dif- cerned in others. A moft affeftionate hufband, and tender-hearted parent, whofe regard was'not confined to the temporal intereft of his children, but extended, in an efpecial manner, to their fpi- ritual welfare, which lay near his heart. In his Chriftian behaviour he was very tender and circumfpedl, fliewing himfelf a pattern of good works. Being made an able minifter of the New-teftament, by a large meafure of gifts and grace conferred upon him, he occupied thefe ta- lents to the very laft, as a workman in his Lord's vineyard, who needed not to be afliamed; having a deep fenfe of the obligations he was under to ferve his Matter, and of the worth of immortal fouls committed to his charge. ♦ - His doftrine was according to godlinefs ; and, in preaching, he did not entertain his hearers with an-y fpeculations, but with the substantial truths ot the gofpel. In his delivery he aimed not at gaining the applaufeof the heady and felf- conceited, nor at pleafing the fancy with the en- ticing words of men'a wifdom; but Ihewed him- lelt ia earneil to win fouls to Ghriftj by applying viii P R E F A C F. the law to the confcience of the finner, for con- vincing him of his guilt and pollution ; and by holding forth the Redeemer in the glory of his grace, as the only means of recovery. He there- fore adapted his manner of expreffion to the capacity of ordinary hearers, that fo he might inftrudl the ignorant, flrengthen the weak, and comfort the bowed down. His manner of ad- drefs in the pulpit was compofed and fedate, ac- companied, at the fame time, with a ferious and becoming warmth, whereby he difcovered, in his own mind, a firm perfuafion of the precious truths he delivered to others. As a good foldier of Jefus Chrift, he did not turn his back on the caufe of truth, but held it faft in the face of oppofition ; and then it was, his zeal for the honour of Chrift, and boldnefs in defending truth, did moft remarkably appear. He had too much honefty for trimming his fermons to fuit the tafte of oppofite parties. Plainnefs and honefty were bright flrokes in his minifterial character from firft to laft, never fliun- ning, as opportunities offered, to declare him- feif a firm friend to the dodlrine, worfliip, dif- cipline, and government of the Church of Scot- land ; while he paid a due regard to what the royal Preacher calls a time to /peak. So fenfihle were his brethren in the afifociation of his abilities as a divine, and of his exemplary walk as a Chriftian, that they entrufted him with the overfight of their ftudents in divinity. And PREFACE. ix had it pkafed God to have lengthened out his life, what a bleffing would he have been to them, and through them to this, and fucceeding ge- nerations ! Reader, the following Sermons, now pub- liflied, labour under the common difadvantages of every other pofthumous w^ork ; and alfa, fuch as many do not. So great was the modedy of the worthy Author, that, to my certain knowledge he never had the reraoteil intention of feed- ing any of his productions to the prefs: and his friends would have complied with his inclinati- on, had they not been repeatedly importuned by feverals of his brethren in the muiiilry, and ma- ny of thefc who heard him, to pubUfli fome of his Sermons. It is expected, that, for this reafon, the candid reader will make allowances for what inaccuracies he may obferve in them. They were tranfcribed from the Author's ov/n manufcript, by his eldeft fon, with all pofTible care. Neverthelefs, though they appear under fuch difadvantages in public, I hope, through the bleffing of God, they will be ufeful to many, who fhall perufe them with a defign to profit, in recommending Chrift, and his grace more and more to the efteem of them who believe ;^and for awakening the fecure, to fly for refuge to the b X PREFACE. hope fet before them in the gofpel, which were the great points the Author kept in view. That thefe ends may be gained is the lincere and ar- dent defire of, Chriftian Reader, Your foul's weil-wifher, DUNFERM^LINE,-^ Oa. 25. 1773. 5 JOHN SMITH. The Reader will probably conclude, from the length of the following difcourfes, that what is contained in each of them, was not delivered in one Sermon ; and the variations in the original manufcripts juftify fuch a con- clufion : But the prefervation of the connexion, as well as the difllculty of afcertainin^ the time and divillons, diiTuaded the Editor from attempting to make any divifi- ons at all. If the reader finds his attention fatigued, by reading one whole difcourfe, at one time, he may relieve it by making a paufe at the clofe of the feveral general heads of method. THE CONTENTS- , God in Christ^ a God oi Kindnefs. Ep H ES. ii. 7. That in the ages to come, he might Jheiv the exceed- ing riches of his grace^ in his kindnefs toivards us^ through Chrifl JefuSy Page 9 The Riches of Grace Difplayed^ by God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. Ep H ES. ii. 7. That in the ages to come, he might fheiv the exceed-- ing riches of his grace^ in his kindnefs towards tis, through Chri/i Jefus^ , 66 Christ^ Xh^ Sun of Right eoufnefs^ ariling with Heahng in his Wings. Malachi iv. 2. But unto yon that fear my name, fhall the Sun of Righ" teoifnefs arife nuith healing in his wings, 151 A Sight of Christ^ the Chri/^ians Joy. John xx. 20. Then were the 4ifciples glad when they f aw the Lord, 210 xii CONTENTS. Christ crucified^ recommended as the Matter of Gofpel-preaching. I Cor. i. 23, 24. But ive preach Chrijl criic'ijied^ unto the Jeivs a Jlum- bling'block^ and unto the Greeks fooli/lonefs ; but unto them ivhich are called, both Jeivs and Greeks, Chrijl the poiver of God, and the ivijdom of God, Page 294 An Attempt to preach Chriji crucified. I Cor. i. 23, 24. But %ve preach Chrijl crucified, unto the feivs a Jlum- bling'block, and unto the Greeks JooUfhuefs ; but unto them ivhich are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chrifi the poiver of God ^ and the ivifdom of God ^ 347 Sovereign Antidotes again it Sla^viJJj Fear. Isaiah xli. i o. Fear thou not, far I am ivith thee ; be not difnayed, for I am thy Gody 373 The Saints on Earthy Strangers and Sojourners with God. Psalm xxxix. 1 2. I am a Jlranger ijuith thee, and a fojourner, as all my fathers ivere^ 462 [ 9 3 God in Ch rist, a God of Kindnefs. Ep H Es. ii. 7. That in the ages to come, he 77iight Jheiv the exceed^ ing riches^ of his grace ^ in his kindnefs toivards us^ through Chrifl Jefus, ■^ H E words I have now read, are the concluflon of the longeft continued fentence, perhaps, in all the book of God, viz, from the i8th verfe of the preceding chapter, to this : It began with the riches of glory ^ and it ends with the ricJ?es of grace. It contains a parallel between what was done in Chrifl the head, and in us his members ; that fo in Chrifl's glory, as in a lively pattern already perfected, we might fee what God had done, and will do for us, to the praife of his rich grace and glorious power ; for this is the great and ultimate end of all, as is plain from the text. That in the ages to come^ he might fi>ew the exceeding riches nf his grace. If one were to prepare the fpirits of a company of condemned criminals, for receiving the moft lively im- prellion of their fovereign's goodnefs and clemency, he would firft of all reprefent to them their own wretched flate and character ; what pefts they had been to focie- ty ; how julUy they are now in chains, and condemned to an ignominious gibbet ; and then to prefent them with the King*s pardon, declaring their freedom. In like manner, tlic Apoille here fets forth, in lively colours, our fin and mifery, on purpofe to fct off and illufirate the love, grace, and mercy of God in our fal- vati'on : Tou^ luho were dead in trefpajjes and fins; — but Cod IV ho is rich in mercy ^ Szc. Never was there a happier lo God's Great Ktndnefs to Men, turn towards us, nor a richer mine fprung up than that of mercy, love, and peace; whereof God is ihe/ubje^y falvation the fruity and the exaltation of grace, the riches of grace, the end^ as in the text ; That in the agei to come^ he might fiew the exceeding riches of his grace ^ in his kindnefs towards us through Chrifl* In which words, we have two things in general: ly?, God's goodnefs to men in Chrift ; and, idly^ The grand end and deiign of it. [1.3 We have firft, Xh.z goodnefs of God to men, in Chrift Jefus ; In his kindnefs towards us thro* Chrifl Jefus. Where we may obferve, firft, his goodnefs, or his kind- nefs itfelf; fecondly, the objecbsof it, us ; and, thirdly, the channel of it, through Chrifl Jefus, I . We have the goodnefs of God itfelf ; or, as- it is ftiled by the apoftle in our text, his kindnefs. It is very ufual in the Scriptures, when they would mag- nify any thing exceedingly, to inculcate it with plen- ty of woi'ds, and efpecially when it would magnify God, and the gifts of grace; as for inftance, in Ifai. Ixiii. 7. / will mention the lovinoidd tajle death for every man*, I know the common interpretation of thefe words (and it is a very good one) is this, that it was not out o£ any anger or difpleafure of God againft Jefus, in whom his fbul delighted ; nor out of any difregard to him, whom he defigned hereby to be crowned with honour: and glory ; but out of his love and kindnefs to thofe who could no otherwife be brought to glory, that he made him tafle of death : but according to fome, the fenfe is this, we fee Jefus, who in his condition in this world was lower than angels, yet in regard of his office and defign, had a crown of glory put upon him above them all ; that he, by the grace of God, fhould tafte o£ death. It is eafy to fee kindnefs in his vidory over death ; but it is not fo eafy to fee kindnefs in his taftlng of death : it is eafy to fee a glory in his being a prophet, and in his being a king ; but flefli and blood cannot fee a glory in his being a friefl^ efpecially when he is to be both prieft and facrifice. But if we look to the inflde of this, it is full of glory and kindnefs ; for v/hat incon- ceivable glory is it to heal the breach betwixt an offend- ed God, and finful men ; to purge our iin by himfelf, and then fit down at the right-hand of God, having obtained eternal redemption for us ! Could there be a greater honour, next to being the Son of God, than to reflore God's impaired honour to him, vv^ithout a ble- mifli, and man's lofl happinefs, without a flaw; to give \ God ground to behold his v/orks with pleafure, and man to look on God with delight ? and both thefe he did, by being the author of eternal fahation, 5 . Another inflance of God's kindnefs to our nature, in the perfon of Chrift, was his giving it a glorious re- C " x6 Gojd's Great Kindne/s to Men, furreBion from the dead. That our Lord Jefus, in the human nature, was truly dead, and continued in the congregation of the dead, for fome time, we have no ground to queftion, Rom. vi. 9. Chrijl beim ra'ifed from the dead^ death hath no more dominion over him; which implies, that death not only held him, but had domi- nion over him for fome time ; and that he was not loft, though he was laid in the grave. That death hath loft its prey, and the grave its prifoner, is as certain, from the teftimony of angels, who are holy creatures, and cannot deceive, Matth. xxviii. 6. He is not here^ for he is rifen : and the teftimony of holy men, who were eye- witnefTes of this truth, and to whom he Ihewed him- felf alive, by the fpace of forty days after his death, who confirmed their teftimony by their blood. Was not this kindnefs to our nature? i Pet. i. 21. Who by hi?n do believe in God, that raifed him from the dead, and gave him glory ; that is, who gave him glory in his refurrec- tion as well as in his afcenfion. O the kindnefs fliewn our nature here! in that he rofe out of the grave with awful majefty, and marched out of that bloody field with a pomp becoming fo great a conqueror: for. Behold there was a great earthquake, and the angel of the Lord defended from heaven, and came and rolled back the flone from the door ; his countenance was like lightening, and his raiment white as fiow ; and for fear of hi?n, the keep- ers did fhake, and became as dead men : human frailty was not able to bear fuch heavenly majefty as attended the bufinefs of that morning ; and to increafe the fplendor of that day, and carry on the triumph, his refurrefbion was attended with the refurrection of many of the faints who were awakened to attend the Lord at his rifing, which was defigned, both to adorn his refurrection, and to give an evidence of our refurreclion, which is alfo to be in virtue of his; llom. vi. 9, 10. Knowing that Chrifl being raifed from thQ dead, dieth no more — likQ^ Z« C H R I S T J E S U S. ^ 19 wife recton^e yoiirfehes alfo to he dead indeed unto fin ^ hut alive unto God. through Jefus Chrift our Lord, As if he had faid, is Cnrift rifen ? then ye are fure to rife : look, as death had no more dominion over Chrift, you may as foon have Chrift brought out of heaven again, as that death fliall ever have dominion over you. And is not that good news ? The apoftle, preaching the refurrecli- on, fays, We declare unto you glad tidings^ how that the fromife which was made to the fathers^ God hath fulfilled the fame to us their children^ in that he hath raifed up Jefus again from the dead. It was good for us that Chrift rofe again : this living head will in a little time have no dead members f with his dead body fJoall they arife, 6. Another inftance of the kindncfs of God to our nature, in the perfon of Chrift, was, his giving it a glorious afcenfion into heaven. Our Lord Jefus was fent into the world upon the greatcft errand imaginable, the accomplifliing of the work of man's redemption ; and when he had fulfilled it, and was ready in all things, to give an account of it to the eternal glory of God, God not only raifed him from the dead, but gave him a triumphant and glorious afcenfion, in the human na- ture, into heaven ; and^ this was kindnefs, confidering how triumphantly, munificently, and comfortably he afcended : — How triumphantly he afcended, all the angels being his attendants in his palTage to glory, Pfal. Ixviii. I 7 . ''The chariots of God are twenty thoufind^ even majiy thoufands of angels. The angel Gabriel notified his con- ception ; a multitude of the heavenly hoft anounced his birth, praifing God, and faying. Glory to God in the highefl^ peace on earthy and good-will to men. Angels miniftred to him, after his temptation ; an angel ftrength- ened him in his agony, and afiifted at his refiirreclion : but never was there fuch a general rendezvous of ano:els, as vv^hen our Lord was returning from earth to heaven, C 2 S?o G o D*s Great. Klndnefs to Men^ with all the adverfaries of the glory of God and our falvation at his chariot wheels ; and never fliall there be fuch another till he come again in his own and his Fa- ther's glory. — This was kindnefs, confidering how mu- Tiijicently he afcended, conferring, at the fame time, his bleffings and bounty upon men: for, when he afcend- cd up on high, he received gifts for men^ and he gave gifts to men : he received them with the one hand, and 8ie diftributed them with the other : he handed them to the world as they were conveyed to him by his Father 5n his glory. — This was kindnefs, confidering how com- fortably he afcended, juft in bluffing his people; For it €ame to pafs^ while he bleffed the?n, he was parted from them^ and carried up to heaven. The lail ufe he made of thefe lips into which grace was poured, and the laft ufe he made of thefe holy hands on earth, which had been nailed to the crofs, was to blefs, to fiiew the curfe was ^removed, and the blefling was procured ; and that he tvas going to heaven, to pour out bleiTmgs till there ihould be no room to receive. He came into the world as the greatefl: bleiling ever it faw : he bleifed his peo- ple when he was with them, bleffed them when he left them, and he will blefs them when they meet again. As to they^y of his actual reception into heaven, no lieart can conceive it, much lefs Q2Xi any tongue exprefs its glory : only we are fare there is joy in heaven upon the return of one finner, and this behoved to be much more upon his return who matle them all return. All the inhabitants of heaven were in motion at his coming, and went forth with applaufes to meet him, faying, Lft lip your heads ^ O ye gates ; even lift them iip^ ye everlaft- ing doors ; and the king of glory fl:) all come in. 7. Another inftance of God's kindnefs to our nature, in the perfon of Chrifl, is his being exalted to make intercejjion for tranfgreffors. The God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrifl, has not only taken our nature in the in Ch K isr ] zs vs. 21 pcrfon of Chrift away to heaven, to reap the glorious fruits and effeds of his arduous work on earth ; but to be employed about our bufinyefs alfo, to make intercef- fion : hence it is faid, be ever lives to make inter cejfion. No doubt he lives to rule his church, he lives to fub- due her eneuiies ; for he muft reign till they are all made his footftool: he lives to give the holy Spirit and all his bleffed effects to believers ; but his interceffion is the principal end of Tiis mediatory life ; and this is done in ,the human nature. He executed all the duties of his offices whilfl: he was on earth ; and in the fame nature he continues to difcharge what remains thereof: and is not this kindnefs to our nature? If we coniider the nature of his interceffion, — it lies in his prefenting himfelfm our nature and in our name, before God, Heb. ix 24. For Chrijl is not entered into the holy .flace made with hands ; but into heaven it/elf^ now to af- 'pear in the prefence of God for us : and v^hat an honour is that to our nature ? — It lies in the prefentation of his deaths oblation^ and facrijice^ which is the foundation of the application of all the benefits of the new covenant to us, Heb. ix. 12. Is either by the blood of bulls nor of goats ^ but by his own bloody he entered in once into the holy flace^ having obtained eternal redemption ^for us, — And it lies in his willing all the bleffings purchafed by his death may be beftowed on all thefe for whom his blood was fhed : Father ^ I will) that thefe who??! thou hafl given me, may be with me where lam^ that they may behold my glory. O ! what a high word was this to them, / will ! there was never a faint prayed fo. — In one word, in our nature at the end of the world, he will prefent his whole church to God, with the whole work of his laws and graces accompliflied in them ; and now he prefents them as the perfons given him out of fallen mankind, to be redeemed and faved, faying. Behold /, and the children ^ whom thou hafl given me ; I prefent them to thy care^ L 22 God's Great Kindnefs to Men, that they may enjoy all the fruits of thy eternal love, and all the benefits of my death and facrifice. 8 . Another inftance of God's kindnefs to our nature, in the perfon of Chrift, is his being in it the pattern and example to which all the people of God fhall be conformed in glory. The great God hath fet up the human na- ture of Chrift to be the ftandard or ftanding copy, ac- cording to which all believers fliould be framed and wrought, Rom. viii. 29. Whom he did foreknow^ he alfo did fredefl'inate to he conformed to the Image of his Son, that he might be the frjl-born among many brethren. To the i- mage of his Son ; not to the image of the moft holy man that ever was in the world ; not to Enoch, that lignal walker with God ; nor Noah, the only preacher of right eoufnefs in his day ; nor Abraham, who was God's friend, and the believer's father ; but his own Son in the human nature. Not only is he the great pattern and example of grace, wherefore the work of grace is called the forming of Chrift in the foul, and a changing the fame into the image of Chrift ; but it is the pattern of glory as well as of grace, and that both in foul and body: in foul ; 1 Cor. xv. 4. As zue have born the image of the earthly, we fJmll alfo bear the image of the heavenly Ada?n. I John iii. 2 . When he fljall appear, we fhall be like him; for we fl^ all fee him as he is. In body like- wife, Phil. iii. 21. Who fhall change our vile bodies, that they may be fafhioned like to his glorious body. Here we have both the meannefs of the prefent ftate of the body, and the glory of its future ftate : the meannefs of the pre- fent ftate of the bod v. it is a vile body ; or our body of this vilenefs. Some derive this word from one which fig- nifies to bury, expreffing it to be fuch a corrupt and for- did thing, as if, with Lazarus, it had been four days ftinking in the grave : others derive it from a word which fignifies to ftamp and^tread under foot ; implying our bodies to be of fo low and bafe an extraction, as 2M C H R I S T J E S U S. 23 to be meet for nothing but to be caft out upon the dung- hill, and trampled under the foot of man and beaft. Whether dead or alive it is a vile thing, yea, vilenefs itfelf; but at the refurrection, it fhall be made like Chrift's glorious body, which muft be raviiliingly beau- tiful. It is not like Chrift's body in his ftate of humi- liation, which yet was full of beauty, though the blind world could not fee it ; but it is like Chrift's glorified body, which muft needs excell in glory. O what ho- nour is this to our nature, to be the example of all the glory of the faints, that he might be the frjl-born among many brethren? "What an obligation is this on us, to ftudy likencfs to him in the frame of our foul, in our thoughts, words, and actions ? As he which hath called us is holy^ Jo we fhould he holy in all manner of converfation. 9. Another inftance of the kindnefs of God to our nature, in the perfon of Chrift, is its being admitted to more glorious communion with Gody than all other creatures. It is a high, great, and gloriovis commu- nion, which angels and the fpirits of juft men made perfect have with God ; but the communion that our nature, in the perfon of Chrili;, hath with God, is far higher; for the union is nearer, and the nearer the u- nion, the fweeter and fuller the cominunion. Why is the communion of hufband and wife, fuller than that of friend and friend ? but becaufe the union is cloler ; and fo it is here : the human nature of Chrift is nearer the fountain than any of the creatures are, and fo its communion muft be fuller; nay, the communications of God to the human nature of Chrift are of another kind, than thofe to all the other creatures, becaufe they are founded on the union of his perfon ; a privilege which no other creature can pretend to, or be made a partaker of. In one word, the way of the communi- cations of the divine nature to the human, is what we are ignorant of; only we may fay, there is nothing like 24 God's Great Kindnefs to Men^ r them, nor equal to them, in all the ways and works of God. 10. Another inftance of God's kindnefs to our na- ture in the perfon of Chrift, is its being in the full en- ' joyment of all bleffednefs^ Pfal. xxi* 6. For thou haft made him mofl hleffed for ever : thou haft made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. The humanity of Chrift coniifts of two parts, foul and body; and both of thefe enjoy all happinefs. In his foul he hath unfpeakable joy, Pfal. xvi. 14. l^hou wilt fhew me the path of life ; iri thy frefence is fulnefs of joy ^ and at thy right hand are f leaf ures for ever?nore ; which is fpoken of fuch pleafures as Jefus Chrift enjoyeth at the right hand of God. Our Lord Jefus hath fuch joy and pleafure as no creature hath ; hence is that word, Pfal. xlv. 6, where fpeaking of , Chrift as exalted at God's right-hand, he faith. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever : therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows, Whilft he was on earth he was a man of forrows, fuch as no man had ; now when he comes to heaven, he hath fuch joy as no man nor angel hath. As his forrows did abound, his confolations do now much more abound. idly, I am next to mention fome inftances of God's kindnefs to our persons in and throug^h Chrift Tefus. God has not only been kind to our nature in the perfon of Chrift, but to our perfons in and through Chrift ; and his kindnefs to our nature in Chrift's perfon, is tht foun- dation of his kindnefs to our perfons through Chrift.: thereby we have a fpiritual or myftical union with him, which is fo near and intimate, that as by the hypoftatical, there is one ferfon, fo by this myftical union, believers and their head make one church : for, as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being" many, are one body ; fo alfo is Chrift, So that the church is nothing but Chrift difplayed by his near- nefs to our nature : where alfo a foundation is laid for in CtiRist Jesus. is for greater familiarity with God, than ever Adam him- felf, in a ilate of innocence, was capable of; for, tho' Adam was the Son of God by creation, yet the natural Son of God was not then become the Son of man by his incarnation: and at this door comes in the believer's fweetell communion with God ; and the believer's fweet- eft communion with God is through this channel. But we proceed to mention the fruits of his kind- ncfs to our perfons : and a few of many fliall fuiEce. I . The firft and deepeft of ail, is eleSiion : that facred and eternal pnrpofe of God's grace, in Chriftjefus our Lord ; of which we read, 2 Tim. i. 9. Who hath favediis, and called i^y with an holy callings not according to our ivorks^ but ac- cording to his oiv7i purpofe and grace, which was given us in Chrijl Jefus^ before the world began. From all eternity, a certain number of loft mankind were deiigned, chofen, and lingled out by God, to be the objects of his free grace ; and this was kindncfs, and kindnefs through Chrift : For there was no difference between them and the pe- rifliino^ multitude of mankind ; and he chofe them to the infallible attainment of grace and glor)^ Perhaps there was as much kindnefs herein as ever he difcover- ed iince, or will manifeft to all eternity. Our God does not love as man, who begins to love a little, and then is drawn on to love more, and to do more than he intended at firft ; no : but all the srrace and favour which is beftowed on us, was given us, fotofpeak, in one lump from eternity ; and all that fliall be beftowed to eter- nity is but the m.anifeftation of it, 2 Tim. i. 9, i o. ^he grace which ivai given us before the world began, but now is made manifefl in Chrijl, who hath brought life and immortality to light through the gofpel. So that immortality ferves but to manifeft the love and kindnefs which were given at firft. All that is done fince, is but to fhow^ what love hath pre- pared to entertain us with, and is fet out with new inven- tions, and devifed ways, to attract our hearts : htnce D 26 God's Great Kindnejs to Men^ the very death of Chiift is called only a commending his love, Rom. v. 8. But God commendeth his love towards uSy, in that while we were Jinners^ Chrijl died for us. " The love (as one fays) in bullion ; the whole mafs of " it was in his heart from eternity \ and all he doth " to eternity is but the coining of it, (lamping this or " that particular mercy, and fo paying it forth to us :" For the mercy of the Lord is from everlafling to everlafling: the Lord will perfect that which concerns me. And as it is great kindnefs, fo it is kindnefs through Chrift, Eph. i. 4. According as he hath chofen us in him. It is not for Chrift, as if he had puichafed the love of election, in regard electing love pailed firft on Chrift the head, and then on his people as the body. Election deter- mines all the perfons, it determined all the bleffings thefe perfons were to be blefTed with ; and it deter- mined the way, in which thefe bleffings were to be given to them 5 and this way was Chrift, the new and living way. 2. His entering into a covenant of grace with Chrift, and with us in him, or with him in our name and room, 1 jefore any creature exifted, Pfal. Ixxxix. 3 . / have made a covenant with my chofen. The great God forefeeing from all eternity, that the covenant of works, made with Adam as our head, would be broken, and all man- kind ruined by the breach, and not willing that the whole race fhould be loft, entered into a covenant Vv^ith Chrift the fecond Adam, head of the elect ; a noble plan for recovering of loft finners, and fecuring them when recovered: So in Zech. vi. 13. the council of peace is faid to be between them both : he propofed to him the covenant in the full tenor, promifes, and condition thereof; to which he readily confented. Behold the folemnity of the tranfaclion in thefe words. No facrifice nor offering didfl thou at all defire^ &c. This was kindnefs, confideruig there was nothing in us to move him there- iK C H R I S T J E S U S. 2/ to; neither man's goodnefs, nor badnefs could be a motive : not his goodnefs ; for while man flood he could merit nothing from God, and far lefs when he was fallen : nor his badnefs ; for why then Ihould not the , miferies of fallen angels have moved him to make a covenant for them? This cpvenant is juft a compound of kindnefs and grace: and hence it is a covenant of grace, in regard the ff ring whence it came was grace; / have /aid, mercy Jh all he built up for ever: in regard the matter of it is grace ; The law was given by Mofes, but grace and truth tame by Jefus Chrifl'. and in regard the ultimate fcope and end of it is the glory of grace. All the bleflings in time and eternity, the fubjecls of grace en- joy, are to the praife and glory of that grace they fpring from. It is a defign of grace that is carried on in this covenant : That in the ages to come^ he might Jhew the eX' ceeding riches of his grace, 3. The purchafe of redemption is another fruit of his kindnefs to our perfons: His redeeming us by Chrift Jefus in the fulnefs of time, Eph. i. 7. In him we have redemption through his blood. In the covenant of grace God required of our Lord a price of redemption, iu honour to his law and juftice, in love and mercy to his chofen, and in a defign of glory to Chrift ; namely, that in the fulnefs of time he Ihould affume human nature, and in that nature be born holy, live righteoufly, and die as a Surety ; to which he readily confented, faying, Lo, I come : — / delight to do thy will, O my God, Ac- cordingly in the fulnefs of time, God feiit forth his Son ; the Son came, and in that nature paid tlie price in full meafure, heaped up, and running over ; he gave himfelf a facrif.ce, and an o-ffcrin 29 through Jefus Chrift our Saviour^ Titus iii. 5, 6. It has been difputcd, whether the Son given for us^ or the Spirit qiven to us, be the richeft favour? Whether God made man'tfejl in the flejh^ or the pouring out of the Spirit on all flefh, be the greateft kindnefs : both of them are divine perfons ; both of them come down from heaven ; and both .of them are pledges of the fame love : the one fliews his love in dying for us, and the other fliews his love in dwellina: in us. It was infinite love in the Son, to come down from heaven and become like one of us ; and it is infinite love in the Spirit, to come into man's heart full of all defilement. The Son's down-coming procured all good, and the Spirit's in- coming effecluates all good. There is no fpiritual and faving good communicated to us from firft to laft, but by the Holy Ghoft ; he who hath not the Spirit of Chrift never received fpecial love, grace, and mercy from God. For if any man have ?iot the Spirit of Chrifl he is none of his, 5. Union to his perfon is another fruit of his kindnefs. He unites us to the perfon of Chrift, in a myftical manner, which is the firft fignal ifTue and effecl of the inhabitation of the Holy Ghoft. The foul of man will be united to fomething; if it be not united to God, and to Chrift, it will be united to fin, Satan, and the world : accordingly, ever fince God and the foul of man parted, it has been united to one or all of thefe three, who are nowife proper matches for immortal fouls : but in due time, the God and Father of our Lord Jefus, dlffolves its union with thefe unhallowed objects, and unites the fouls of his people to our Lord Jefus, fo clofe- ly that they are one Spirit with him : So that he is in them as the head in the body, and the root in the branch- es ; and they in him as the body in the head, and the branches in the root. This is kindnefs, mere kindnefs ; for nature can do nothing to bring this about. And it 3d God's Great Kindnefs to Men, is great kindnefs, whether we confider the honour, or the happinefs of it : the honour of it, which is the great- eft that poffibly can be put upon our perfons, as the hypoftatic was the greateft could be put on our natures : it is an honour not put on angels ; for angels are his honourable fubjecls, but not his myftical members. They are as the nobles of the kingdom, but believers are the fppufe of the king, that lies in his bofom ; Ifa. liv. 5. Thy maker is thy husband. This is kindnefs, con- lidering the happinefs and the foul-enriching nature of it. By virtue of this union they are inteftered in the unfearchable riches of Chrift : his perfon is theirs ; I am my beloved* s^ and my beloved is mine : his perfedions are theirs; his offices theirs; his relations theirs; his righteoufnefs theirs ; his vidories theirs ; yea, all is theirs : as the Father faid to his Son in the gofpel, All that I have is thine^ and thou art ever with me : fo fays Chrift to them ; thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine: All things are yours ^ and ye are Chrijl^s, 6. His bringing them into a new-covenant relation with himfelf as their God, is another fruit of his kind- nefs ; for fo runs the promife, / will be your God. Na- tural men are without God ; at that time ye were with- out Gody and without hope : but in and through Chrift, God makes over himfelf to them ; he is not afliamed to be called their God. As he gave the blood of his Son to feal the covenant, fo he gives himfelf as the blefling of the covenant ; all he is and has, and all he hath pro- mifed to do, or can do. This is kindnefs indeed, con- fidering, that hereby they are eftabhilied in the fweeteft relation to God : it is the richeft intereft in God, the neareft and deareft communion with him. O what fa- miliarity is there in that relation ! what fulnefs in that intereft ! what felicity in that communion ! This familia- rity is moft delightfid ; this fuiHciency is mo^fatisfying ; this felicity is moft ravijJiing. So when the Pfalmift fii Christ Jesus. 31 had reckoned up many outward bleffings, and there- upon concluded, 0 ! the happinefs of that people that is infuch a cafe! by way of corredlion he adds, Yea, hap- py is that people whofe God is the Lord, Pfal. cxliv. 15.; that is, of all others they are the happieft. 7. The jujlijication of their perfons is his kindnefs to them through Chrift Jefus. As the people of God by nature are dead in reality, fo they are dead in law ; ly- ing under the fentence of it, and fo bound over to the wrath of God : but God in due time unites them to Chrift, and on account of his righteoufnefs abfolves them from the fentence of the law, and makes them live in law-reckoning, to be as free from the command of the law, as a covenant of works, as if they had ne- ver been under it : and as free from the curfe of the law, as if they had never been guilty of the tranfgref- fion of it ; for. By hi?n all that believe are jiiflified from all things from which they could not be jujlifed by the Lnv of Mofes. Our Lord Jefus has wrought out a righte- oufnefs, fully anfwering all the demands of the lav/ ; this righteoufnefs is tendered to all in the gofpel, to be embraced by faith, and really made the property of the believing finner in the moment of his union with Chrift: In this his people live, in this they die, as a ftandard- bearer under his colours. No fooner is this rightcoiit- nefs on them than all their iniquities are blotted out, and their perfons accepted as really (to fpcak with re- verence) as Chrift himfelf was ; the ground of his and their acceptation being one and the fame. This is kindnefs, vaji khidnefs indeed ; for. We are jujlificd freely by his grace, &;c. Hence the Pfalmift cries out, O the bleffedncfs of that man whofe tranfgreffion is forgiven, whofe fin is covered, Pfal. xxxii. i. 8. His kindnefs is manifeftcd in his adopting them to his family. Naturally we are illegitimate, without any •yelatiou to God \ we may indeed call God our Judge, 32 God's Great Kindnefs to Men, but not our Father. But the God and Father of our Lord Jefus, of flaves makes us fons ; in the way of u- nion to his only begotten Son, makes us adopted fons. This is kindnefs ; i John iii, i. Behold what manner of love^ the Father hath heft owed .upon us^ that we fhould be called the fons of God, Well might he put a behold^ whe- ther we confider the author, the fubjecls, the leading caufe, the coftlinefs, the dignity or happinefs of this privilege. — If we confider the author of it, the great and glorious God, who is fo far above us, fo happy within himfelf, and need- eth not us nor our choiceil love and fervice, who has a Son of his own, our Lord Jefus, the eternally begotten of the Father, the Son of his love, in whom his foul finds fuch complacency, and delight. — The ferfons a- dopted, mlferable finners, who were ftrangers and ene- mies to God, children of wrath even as others, heirs of God's curfe, dead in trefpafles and fins, and who had cafi: away the kindnefs of their creation : that fi:rangers fhould be taken into the family ; that enemies fliould not only be reconciled, but adopted ; that children of wrath, fliould be called to inherit a blefiing ; and that thefe v/ho are dead in trefpafies and fins, fliould be be- gotten again to a lively hope, is what we may well won- der at. — The leading caufe TixiA foundation of this privilege. Love, eternal love ; for we were fredeftinated to the adop- tion'of children before the foundation of the world ; \t\%fpecial and peculiar love, and not common : in this the children of God are manifefled^ and the children of the deviL — The coftUnefs of it ; for our Lord behoved to be our brother, before God would be our father, and to take a mother on earth, that we might have a father in heaven. — As to the dignity of it, it is a matter rather to be wondered at than told : David fays, Seemeth it a light thing to you to be the king's fon in lawf but we may with better rea- lon fay. Is it nothing to be taken into God's family, and to become fons and daughters to the mofl High? fw C H R I S T J E S U S. 33 As to the privileges arifmgfromit, they are inexpreffible; fuch as, pity, proteclion, correftion, and inftni^lion: in line, all the privileges the Father of mercies doth bellow. 9. The regeneration of their natures is his kindnefs to them in Chrift Jefiis : hence the apoille fays in the pre- ceding context, He hath quickened us together with Chrifl, The people of God, by nature, are dead in trefpajfes and in fins^ as well as others ; altogether depraved, and wrong fet, till God renew and re6lify them by rege- nerating grace. Original corruption, like a fretting leprofy, overfpreads their whole fouls, from the crown, of the head, to the fole of the foot. But our Lord, iu the time prefixed in his purpofe and grace, renews them all over: " Grace fets up its enfigns (as one ex- " preffes it) in all parts of the foul ; furveys eveiy cor- '' ner, and triumphs over every lurking enemy :" Well, this is kindnefs^ and great kindnefs, through Chrift je- fus, I Pet. i. 3 . Blejfed be the Gqd and Father of our Lord Jefus^ who according to his abundant 7nercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the refurredion of Jefus Chrijl from the dead. It is according to his own mercy^ and from no other motive ; according to his abundant mer-- cy^ and without any parfimony. The eternal and im- mutable love of God, like a mighty river, ran under ground until the fiilnefs of time, when it took its hid- den courfe through the heart of Chrift : in their regene- ration it breaks forth vifibly, and runs above ground. Tit. iii. /\. But after the love and kindnefs of God our Sa^ viour towards man appeared, — How did it appear^ and when? why. According to his mercy he favcd iis^ by the WASHING OF REGENERATION. 10. Another inftance of his kindnefs to their perfons through Chrift, is his giving them an iinfinged death. Die they muft, as well as others, that the ftatute paft in the court of heaven may not be broken, wherein it ^ E 4 God's Great Kindnefs to Men^ is appointed for all men once to die : but as to the fting of death, they fliall never feel it, for all their fins are pardoned ; and their fins being pardoned, the fling of death is removed, the fling of death being fin. This is kindnefsy and kindnefs indeed^ in that our Lord Jefus, by dying, hath conquered death ; and by being fhut up in the grave, hath opened it. He died for their fins, who himfelf knew no fin ; and fo, receiving in him- felf the fting of fin, hath plucked out that fling as to them ; as it is faid by fome, that the bee flriking its fling upon a dead body retains it ftill; but flriking it into a living body lofes its fling, and becomes ufelefs or dies : fo death, flriking his fling into Chrifl's living body, wherein was no fpiritual deadnefs, hath lofl his fling as to Chrift's members for ever ; and this enables them to bid death defiance, faying with the apoftle, 0 deaths where is thy fling f O grave^ where is thy vidory, II. Laflly, He fliews his kindnefs in their refurreBi- on and glorifcaticn. The people of God mufl not only die, but their bodies be locked up in the grave for fome time ; but a God of kindnefs, who hath the key of the grave, will certainly open it, and take them out; he will raife them up again, and that with advantage. He has raifed the head, and he will raife the members ; Rom. viii. 1 1. But if the Spirit of him that raifed up Jefts from the dead dwell in you^ he that raifed up Chrijl from the dead fhall alfo quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. It is true, the wicked fhall be raifed, as well as the godly, but there is a vafl dif- ference in the manner and foundation of the refurreclion of the one and the other : as wicked men never flept in Jefus ^ fo neither fhall they be quickened by his Spirit dwelling in them^ which will be the cafe with the faints. — Wicked men will not rife by virtue of the merit of Chriil's death ; but believers will : wicked men will be railed by the power of Chrifl, as a Judge ; but believers by his povver^ as their Head^ Mediator, and Redeemer: t« C H R I S T J E S U 8* 2S Wicked men will not rife in Chrift as a common perfon, leprefenting them ; but believers will : wicked men fliall be raifed in wrath ; but God will raife up believers in his kindnefs towards them^ thro' Chrifl Jefus : for thefc who Jleep in Jefus will God bring with him. Glorification follows this, and it is like wife his kind- nefs to us through Chrift Jefus : For the gift of God is eternal life through Chrijl Jefus our Lord. This is the "kindnefs fome would have to be chiefly meant in the text, "That in the ages to come ; that is, in eternity, when time fliall be no more, he might fhew the exceeding riches of his grace. God (as if he had faid) has pulled you out of your natural condition, he hath quickened you toge- ther with Chrift ; he hath raifed you up in him repre- fentatively, and fet you together with him in heavenly places ; but all this is only a foundation, a preparation for eternal happinefs in heaven hereafter. God is rich in mercy, in quickening them, in juftifying them, ' and in fanclifying them ; but all thefe are only an earneft of the riches to come in glorification. All the riches of grace expended on them here, are but fprinklings of thefe riches he will expend on them to eternity. O what a world of mercy and loving kindnefs follows, and purfues every one of his children ! He purfues them with one loving kindnefs after another : but when thev come to heaven, loving kindnefs will overwhelm' and fwallow them up through endlefs ages. And it will be all through Chrift Jefus : for we could not ftand under tliat lovino: kindnefs, that exceeding: and eternal wei<>-ht of fiflorv, if it were not conveyed to us throujrh him : it would be too weighty for us. Leaving this I come, < II. To the Second Hcadj namely. To confider the oh- jeds of all this kindnefs. Who are they upon whom fuch unbounded goodnefs is conferred ? Upon hear- ing of fuch s-reat kindnefs men would be rcadv to ap- E 2 '36 GoD^s Great Kindnefs to Men, prehend them very confiderable perfons ; but the cafe is quite the reverfe : free grace takes a way peculiar to itfelf. So, as great a favourite of free grace as ever it had, I mean the Pfalmift David, declares ; David fat before the Lord^ and he fa'id^ Who am /, and what is my father* s houfe^ that thou hajl brought me hitherto f Is this the man-- ner of man ^ 0 L/)rdf No ; but it is the manner of grace : the us to whom God is a kind God, through Chrift, are very infignificant creatures ; and in order to fliew this, let me enquire, i. What they are as creatures, 2. What tliey are 2i?>ftnners, ifty What are they as creatures f As creatures, 1. They are juft handfuls of dufl and afhes^ to whom God is a God of kindnefs ; Gen. iii. 7. And the Lord God formed man of the dujl of the ground. It is true, the foul of man is created out of nothing, and breathed imme- diately into him by God ; but his body is nothing but duft, moulded into fuch a comely fhape : it is no better than the dung he treads on. We read in the hiftory of the plagues of Egypt, that the magicians in it were not able fo much as to bring forth flies out of the duft of the ground : but God could rear fuch a beavitiful ftruc- ture as man's body out of it. But though this fpeaks forth God's power, it lliews our bafenefs and ivorthlefs- nefs ; fpr what can be more bafe and defpicable than duft? And alfo q\\x frailty: duft hath \\q coherence, or conftftence ; but is eafily fcattered with every puff" of wind: fo is our dufty tabernacle, with every blaft of God's difpleafure : Thou takefl away, their breath ; they die and return to their duft, 2. As creatures thtj tlxq frail grafs, Ifa. xl. 6. And the voice faid^ Cry ;. and he faid^ what (hall I cryf All Jlefb is grafs^ and all the goodlinefs thereof is as the flower ^f the field:, the grafs withereth^ the flower fadeth^ becaufe the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it ; furely the people is grafs, Sq it is with man, he cometh forth as a,. f« C H R I S T J E S U S. 37 flower, and is cut down by the fcythe of death ; his ftanding is fo fliort that it is not fo much as mentioned. Some naturalifts tell us of a plant called ephemeron, be- caufe it lafts but one day : fuch a flower is man ; we are born to die, and we die as foon as we are born. Pfa. ciii. 1 5 5 1 6 . As for man his days are as grafs^ as a flower of the field fo he floiirijheth : the wind faff eth over it ^ and it is gone ; and the place thereof fJmll know it no more. 3 . As creatures they are worms crawling upon God*s footilool : Job xxv. 6. How much lefs man that is a worm^ and the fon of man that is a worm ? A worm is one of the meanefl of creatures ; and the word here ufed ligni- fies a little worm which breeds in fleili, or any other kind of food, when it is corrupted: fuch a worm is man whom God is fo kind to. A worm is- a vile crea- ture ; and fo are they. A worm is a weak creature ; it wears no arms ; and fuch is man : and he is going to worms, as a worm ; and when he comes to the grave it will be worm to worm: Job xvii. 14. / have f aid to corruption^ Thou art my father ; to the worm^ thou art my mother^ and my fifer* O what little reafon have we to be proud of ourfelves ! O why does man fwell above the clouds, or proudly make his reft among the ftars, when he muft fliortly fall among the clods, and be food for the defpicable infect upon which he treads. 4. As creatures they ate nothings yea, lefs than no- thing and vanity. Pfal. cxliv. 3. Lord^ what is inany , that thou takefl knowledge of him ^ or the fon of man ^ that ' thou makefl account of him f Man is like to vanitj^ : a mere outfide ; an empty nothing ; a founding brafs and tinkling cymbal : like a cypher without a figure to give it fignificance, they ftand for nothing in God's accompt : take them all in a clufter, or as bundled up together, and they are nothing, and lefs than nothing, according to that ^ text, Ifa. xl. 17. All nations are before him as nothings and ' ihey are accounted by him lefs than nothings and vanity. / 38 Go d's Grefit Kindnefs to Men, 2dly^ What are they, to whom God is a God of kindnefs through Chrift, 2.^ftnnersf As finners, I. They are a company of -i^ooT impotent wretches; Rom. V. 6, While we were yet without flrength^ in due time Chrift died for the ungodly : he does not fay, while we were without great flrength, but without Jlrength. Nor does he fay while a part of us was without ftrength, but while we all, without exception, were without Jlrength, in due time Chrift died for the ungodly. Thefe to whom he is a God of kindnefs can do much to diflio- nour, but nothing to glorify him ; much to provoke, but nothing to pleafe him ; they can neither think, fpeak, nor acl to his glory ; Without me ye can do nothing : they cannot fpeak; for as plentiful a fountain the cor- ruption of man is, they cannot fay Jefus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghojl : and for as numerous an hive of thoughts his heart produces, he cannot think any good thought of himfelf ; We are not fufficient of our f elves to think any thing ixs of ourfelves. O how does this commend God's kind- nefs! Who amongft us would love, and take into our bofoms, one who cannot ftand, but while fupported ; nor rife, but when lifted ; nor move a member, but as moved ? and yet fucli were the us^ to whom he is a God of kindnefs. 2. They 2irc poor or impoverijhed creatures: not only could they do nothing, but they had nothing. Whom do we reckon poorer, than they who have neither meat to put in their mouths, nor raiment to put on their bodies, nor money in their pockets ; and befides are deeply in debt ? Such is the fituation of the perfons to whom God is a God of kindnefs, whether they think it or not. Rev. iii. 17. Becaufe thou fayefl I am rich^ and increafed with goods ^ and have need of nothing ; and knowejl not that thou art wretched^ and miferable^ and poory and blinds and naked. For food, they have no- I m C H R I S T J E S U S. 39 thing but the hufks of the fwine ; for raiment, they have nothing but filthy rotten rags ; for money, they have ^ no current coin, in the kingdom of heaven ; and be- iides, they owe a debt which all the riches of the world cannot difcharge : For we are not redeemed with corrupt t'lhle things^ as fiher and gold^ hut with the -precious. blood of Chrifl, O what a wonder, that he {hould love and be kind to poverty 1 3 . They are deformed creatures \ and therefore, not only without beauty, but covered over with uglinefs, and loathfome deformity: they are fpiritual monfters. Would they not be monfters in nature, who Ihould have their feet where their head fhould be, and the breaft where the back fhould be ? Well, fuch are they, in a Iphitual fenfe, to whom God is a God of kindnefs : " Their heartfi " (as one fays) are where their feet fhould be, fixed on *^ the earth ; their heels are lifted up againft heav^en, which their hearts fhould be fet on ; tlieir faces are towards hell, and their backs towards heaven ; and *' therefore God calls them to turn. They love what they fhould hate, and hate w^hat they fliould love y they rejoice in that, for which they fhould mourn, and mourn for that in which they fliould rejoice ; they glory in their fhame, and are afliamed of their glory ; abhor what they fliould defire, and defire what they fhould abhor.'* O that God ftiould fcfc his love on, and be kind to fuch monfters! 4. They are dead creatures, alienated from the life of God ; Eph. ii. i . Tou hath he quickened who were dead in trefpaffes and fins. They are not only as the man in the gofpel, half dcid^ but quite dead ; dead in trefpaffes and in fins ^ in fins of all forts ; dead again and again with ten thoufand deaths, like a man whofe body is full of deadly wounds through his vitals. It is true, they are natu- rally alive, but they are fpiritually dead \ their fouls are dead fouls \ their faith, dead faith \ their works, dead cc u *<* 40 God's Great Kindnefs to Men, works: they are alive to fin, but they are dead to God, and godlinefs ; and yet God fliews wonders of kindnefs to the dead: But God who is rich in mercy ^ &c. There is no beauty in the dead : however lovely perfons be in their life, they muft be buried out of our light when dead ; but our God is a God that quickens the dead. 5. They are mad and dijlraded creatures ; Eccl. ix. 3. The heart of the fons of men is full of evil ^ and madnefs is in their heart while they live. There is a twofold mad- nefs ; a madnefs in the intelleftuals, which is folly ; and madnefs in the paffions, which is rage and fury : and in both thefe refpecls men are mad. They are mad in in- tellectuals, being fools ; hence they efteem the trifles of time more than the bleffednefs of eternity ; and prefer the broken ciftern to the fountain of living water. They are mad in their paffions; hence their hearts are fully fet in them to do evil : it is as impoffible for luft to flop itfelf, as for the fea to give over fwelling, or the fire devour- ing, whatever is before it. The man pofiefl: with a le- gion of devils was a notable emblem of our evil nature ; of whom it is fald, that he was exceeding fierce^ no man durfl fafs by him^ nor could chams hold him : hence we are compared to a horfe rufhing into the battle, who fears nothing; to a backfliding heifer^ whom no bonds can hold ; to a wild afs^ that goes where his own will and lufts carry him, without a rider to guide, or a bridle to reftrain him. O how does this commend his kindnefs t for who would affedlionately embrace madmen, difi:racl:- ed perfons ? and yet our Lord does it daily, when the prodigal comes to him. 6. l^hcy Tive enemies ; Col. i. 21. And you that were fometimes aliens^ and enemies in your minds by wicked works ^ yet now hath he reconciled. And we are not only enemies, but enmity itfelf againfl: God : and enmity is irreconcile- able ; Rom. viii. 7. The carnal mind is e?mity againfl God. It is the nature of a wolf, to be an enemy to a lamb ; fa z« C H R I S T J E S U S. 4X it is the nature of the carnal mind, to be an enemy to God: let a wolf be put in a fhecp's fkin, and kept in the fold with the Ihecp, let it be fed with the fame food, tame it, and do with it what you will, it ftill remains a wolf; nor will the lamb and it be recon- ciled, till either the lamb become a wolf, or the wolf become a lamb: jull fo, take one of us, when dropt from the womb, put us into the church's coat, let us partake of the fame word and facraments with others^ and by thcfe means be never fo much tamed ; yet we remain flill in reality ravening wolves, enmity againft God, and all of God ; and yet he is kind to us in ChriiL O wonderful! that he fiiould love them unchangeably^ i who hate him implacably ; love them againft all provo- cations, who hate him without a caufe ; love them with a fuperlative love, who hate him with a perfect hatred. Behold what manner of love I 7 . What are they to whom he is a God of kindnefs ? w^hy, they are rather devils than men ; John viii. 44. Yd are of your father the devils and the lufls of your father yd ivill do. Sin has tm^ned men into devils ; the fimd qualities vvhich are in the devil are in them. 1 he de-^vil liiis freely, and cannot but fm ; fo do they fin freely; it is fweet and pleafant muo them: they drink up ini^ quity like ivater ; and they cannot but fin. Having eyes full of adultery^ and that cannot ceafe from fn. The de- vil is for having notlung to do with our Lord Jefus ; What have I to do with thee^ J^fi^-^^ '^^^ ^o are men na- turally : though their life depends on their coming ta liim, yet they will rather die than do it ; 2> will not come to me that ye may have life, — In one v/ord, pride^ malice, averfenefs to God, hatred of his |:>€0p]e, anti-' pathy to his ways and ordinances, are the fame in booi^ and yet God is % God of kindnefs to fuch 1 42 God's Great Kindnefs to Men^ III. The Third Head was to enquire, in what refpetls this kindnefs of God is through Chrift Jefus. And, 1 . It is through Chrift Jefus, in regard he fronts all the kindnefs of God to his people; Col. i. i8. That in all things he jnight have the pre-eminence ; or, as the words may be read, that he might ^ry? it in all things: he fronts the kindnefs oi eleBion; for we are chofen in him: — the kindnefs oi juflijication; in the Lord fi all all the feed of Ifrael be jufiifed : — the kindnefs oi fanSlification ; for, if the fr/l fruits be holy^ the lump is alfo holy : — the kind- nefs of adoption ; I afcend to my Father and your Father ;— the kindnefs of a glorious refurredion ; for he rofe as the fir ft fruits of the/n that flee p : — and the kindnefs oi glorifi- catio7i ; If ive fuffer with him we flmll alfo be glorifed with him? This is a great honour done to our Lord Jefus that he is both worthy of, and able to hold all the kind- nefs, all the grace, and glory, ever God meant to beftow on the objects of his fpecial kindnefs. As the fun in the firmament, if the objecls in this fyftem were ten thou- fand times more numerous than they are, has light e- nough to enlighten them ; fo, tho' the objecls of God's fpecial kindnefs w^ere ten thoufand times more nume- rous than they are, there is light enough in the Sun of KighteoLifnefs to enlighten them. 2. His kindnefs is throug-h Chrift lefus, in re2:ard that all God's kindnefs to us flows from his kindnefs to him : believers fometimes conlider all their blefiing's as flowing from the love of Chrift to them ; but they fel- dom confider them as coming from the love of God to Chrift. But really God's love and kindnefs to our Lord Jefus, is the fountain of all his kindnefs to his people ; hence when our Lord is praying for kindnefs to his peo- ple, he ufes this argument, For thou lovedjl me before the foundation of the world! One would have thought the argument would have run as plainly thus, for thou lovedft tkem: nOy fays Chrift , for thou lovedft 7ne*~ 2« C H R I S T J E S U S. 43 EkBing kiiidnefs is from the Father's love to the Son ; hence it is faid, Grace was given us in Chriji Jefus before the world began, — Redeeming kindnefs is from the Fa- ther's love to the Son ; love to the Redeemer as well as the redeemed fent him to pay, and accepted the price of redemption from his hand. — Drawing kiodnefs is from the Father's love to the Son ; for, None can come to me^ except the Father which hath fent me draw him, — Juftifying kindnefs is from the Father's love to the Son ; for, We are accepted in the beloved, — Preferving kindnefs is from the Father's love to the Son ; Becaufe I live, ye fhall live alfo. — Glorifying kindnefs is from the Father's love to the Son ; At that day ye fhall know that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, — Yea, all the love and kindnefs believers partake of, is but a drop, a fprinkling of the kindnefs which the Father bears to Chriil Jefus. 3. God's kindnefs is through Chrifi; Jefus, in regard his kindnefs to us is the fame with that which lie bears to him. The great God bears a kindnefs to our Lord Jefus, as his own Son, being the exprefs image of his perfon, who reprefents all his excellencies exacliy: he bears him kindnefs in his office as Mediator ; hence he himfelf fays. The Lord poffeffed me in the beginniiig of his ways, before his works of old. I was fet tip from everlaft- in/nttft do all in the name of ChriJ^, 1 1 . See how vreat the love and kindnefs of God to our Lord Jefus muft be : he is a God of kindnefs to men through him. There are ieveral forts of love and kind- Tiefs 'y but tliis love and kindnefs of God to Cliriil tran- fcends them all. There is the love of one creature to ^another, which is fometime* very ftrong. There is the s6 God's Great Kindnefs to Alen, love wherewith a behever loves our Lord Jefas, which is flill greater : for, though the love be but that of a creature, the object beloved is more than a creature ; even, God over all. There is the love of God to his chofen, which is yet greater ; but this love of God to Chrift is greateft of all : in the firft, one creature loves another; in the fecond, a creature loves God; in the third, God loves a creature : fo that in all of thefe, ei- ther the lover, or the beloved, is a creature : but here God the Father is the lover, and God the Son is the beloved ; and where God the Father is the lover, and God the Son is the beloved, who can tell what that love is? it palTes our underftandings : and this faith muft believe and adore, crying out, 0 the depth ! 12. See the way and method God takes to draw Jin- ■ners to himfelf ; it is jufl with his kindnefs in Chrift, The thing that captivates a foul to our Lord Jefus, is not the wrath of God revealed in the law againft all unrighteoufnefs ; but the love of God revealed in the gofpel, as venting through the blood and death of Chrift, A iinner, as Rutherford fays, is as heavy as a moun- tain of iron, and cannot be drawn or born ; but they be heavy lumps of hell that Chrift cannot bear to heaven. Chrift's love hath mighty arms, and great bones. Our Lord never wooed a foul with his love, but he wan the love and heart. Death, the grave, and hell, are conquering things for ftrength, and have fubdued multitudes ; but the love of Chrift is ftronger than them : Love is flrong as death. Never a (inner went to hell a victor, faying love could not " fave me ; and never a iinner went to heaven, but " Chrift's love had the better of him." I 3 . Hence fee that the kindnefs of redemption vaftly exceeds the kindnefs of creation. Great was God's kind- nefs to men in creation ; for he made him after his own image ; he advanced him to be heav^u'^ confederate iij cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc 2« C H R I S T J E S U S. ST the firft covenant : he made him lord of the world : and all thefe were acls of kindnefs. But they were nothing in comparifon of the kindnefs of God to men in Chrift Jefus. His kindnefs in redemption exceeds his kind- nefs in creation, as far as the light of the fun does the light of the moon : accordingly, when the Spirit of God fpeaks of grace, how is grace exalted! faving grace, riches of grace, exceeding abundant grace, exceeding riches of grace : — when he mentions God's mercy, how is mercy magnified ? God who Is rich in mercy ^ 8zc, — When he fpeaks of God's love, how is love commended ? God Jo loved the worlds that he gave his only begotten Son, &c» "That Chrijl may dzuell in your hearts by faith, that ye be^ ing rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all faints what is the breadth, ayid height, and depths and length, and to know the love of Chrijl which paffetb knowledge. He would have us know that the love o£ Chrift is beyond all dimeniions, as it is beyond all knowledge and comprehenfion. Oar Lord's love hath length in it, becaufe he loves his people from eternity to eternity :^t hath breadth in it, becaufe it extends to fm and guilt: — it hath depth in it, becaufe it brought him as low as earth, the grave, and hell : — and it hath hei'/ht in it, becaufe it hath carried himfcif, and will carry them far above all heavens, 14. Again, we may fee that God in the gofpelh vaftly different from God in the law, God in the law is a God armed with wrath and vengeance; for the wrath of God is therein revealed from heaven, againfl all unrig'h^ teoufnefs and ungodlincfs of men : but God in the gofpel, is a God of kindnefs in Chrift ; for therein he proclaims his love in giving Chrift, and all things freely with him, John iii. 16. God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. Every word of the law fmells rank of Sinai's fulphur, and proclaims the wrath of God to loft iinners j For curfed is every 07ie that ccntlnueth not in H i j!8 God's Great Kindttefs to Men, all things written in the book of the law to do them* But every word of the gofpel fends forth a favour of mercy, and proclaims the love of God to loft linners. Here we may fee his wing of love fpread out to cover and hide u'S from avenging wrath and juftice ; the arms of love ftretched out to embrace us ; the hand of love to help us ; the eyes of love, with infinite compaflion, be- holding us y the bowels of love fending a found after us, crying, Turn ye^ turn ye^ why will ye die^ 0 houfe of If- rael. Let all therefore that are under the law make a- way to God in the gofpel : own the law's charge, but betake yourfelves to the gofpel difcharge, faying, Ifthou^ Lord^ fhouldft mark iniquity^ who can jl and? It lies open to you, and every one of you ; and you are as free to take the benefit of it as any in the world: for the fro- mlfe js to you, and to your children, and to as many as the Lord our God Jlmll calL And whereas ye can no more believe the promifc in the gofpel, than ye can perform the duty of the law. The ftrength of Omnipotence is in the promife, to enable you to believe it. There is as much power in God's promifing word as in his crea- ting \vord ; as much power in that Vv^ord, In him fhall the Gentiles trujl, as in that word. Let there be light ; and therefore. Be not faithlefs , hut believing, Laftly, Is he a God of kindnefs to men on earth? then, what wdll he be //; heaven, when we ^?i^ fee him as he is. If the goodnefs he has laid out be fo great, what will the goodnefs he has laid up be ? O how great is the goodnefs he hath laid up in ftore for the righteous ! Ouf time in heaven, I mean eternity, fhall pafs away in kindnefs. — In thefe ages ever to come he will fhew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindnefs to us through Chrifl Jefus. All the convcrfe we fliall have with God in heaven, and all that God fhall beftow on us there, will be with vaft familiarity, kindnefs, and fweetnefs, which will be the height of our happinefs* According- |« C H R I S T J E S U S. J-J ly it is obfervable, that always when heaven is fpokeu of, it is fpoken of in words of kindnefs : thus when the new Jenifalem comes down from heaven, the bride is faid to be inade ready^ and to be cloathed in white. When Chrift would comfort his people, he fays. In my Father'' s houfe are many inanfions. When Maiy would have come, and familiarly embraced him, he fays. Touch me not^ for I am not yet afcended to my Father : As if he had faid, " There is time enough to come ; we fliall be thus familiar in heaven : but now mind your bufinefs j Go tell tny difciples^ and Peter, &c." After the firft commu- nion here, he faith, / will not drink any more of this fruit of the vine, till I drink it new zvith you in my Father"* s kingdom. This is ftill the language of kindnefs, and this makes the entertainment of heaven fo very fwect, becaufe it is all in kindnefs. God is angry fometimes here, and feems to take things unkindly at our hands ; but in heaven, nothing but kindnefs, and kindnefs in Chrift Jefus: loving us with the love wherewith he loved Chrift Jefus ; beftowing the fame glory, as to kind, on us, which he hath beftowed on Chrift Jefus, and with the fame kindnefs. 2dly, We fnall now improve the fabjecl in an ufe of examination and trial. It is worth our while to enquire whether ever wc fhared in this kindnefs of God in Chrift. Is he fuch a kind God to men ? then it certainly concerns us to en- ^jiiirc if we have tafted of it. We have all of us iieard, but have we ftiarcd of it: we have fliared of his coni- nioii, but have we liiared alfo of his fpecial and diitiii- Q-uiftiins: kindnefs in and throuch Chrift? And it more efpccially concerns us to do this, as fome of us have the profpecl of a near approach to God in the facramcnt of the fupper. This ordinance, you know, is a lii?^^ of love and kindnefs, having in it the higheft rcprefenta- .■.tion of God's kindnefs, and being appointed for ex- H 2 |K(5 God's Great Kindnefs to Men^ preffing the mutual love and affeclion of Chrift and his people to one another; and therefore it is only defign- cd for friends, and fo for them who have fhared of his kindnefs. Let us try then, if ever we have fliared of it. And, 1. If ever God v/as a kind God to you, ye have feen yourfelves the deferved objects of God's wrath ^ rather than of his kindnefs; Eph. ii. 3. We were by nature children of wrath^ as well as others. It is true, conli- dered as God's creatures, ye were not the objects of liis hatred or wrath ; for he hates not, but has a refped: to the work of his own hands : but coniidered as fallen creatures, degenerated into the plants of a ftrange vine, 3^6 become the objects of God's wrath, hatred, and en- mity ; for he is angry with the wicked every day, 'Well, did you ever fee this, fo as to be forced to cry out. What Jh all I do to be favedf O the heavy burden of fin ! O the pain and torment of guilt ! O the terrors *^ of divine WTath ! O for the cooling waters of mercy ! ^' O for the Balm of Gilead, and the Phyfician there!'* Had you ever fuch a wounding fenfe of iin, fuch an a- " larming fenfe of wrath, as made you fee your abfolute need of this kindnefs ? if not, you have reafon to fuf- pect you never fhared of it ; for the whole need not the Fhyfician^ but them that are feek, 2. If ever you have fhared of God's kindnefs, ye will ftill fee great enmity in your hearts at a God of kind-* nefs ; and it will be your burden. One would not think it ftiansre that fm in the foul fnould maintain en- mity againfl God as a God of wrath ; but it raifes a great- er enmity asfainfi: him as a God of kindnefs : it raifes a greater enmity againfl God in the gofpel, v^^herein he tenders his kindnefs, than againfl: God in the law, wherein he reveals his wrath ; and that merely becaufe more of the holy properties of his nature ihine in the one than m the other. Well, did you ever fee tiiis ? and is <2 7W C H R I S T J E s U S.^ 6l It your burden ? does it break your heart to think that you fliould be fuch an enemy in your heart, againft a God of kindnefs ? This is a good lign you have Ihared of his kindnefs : it argues fome love in your fouls to God ; for there is in us by nature no fuch difpofition. 3. If ever you fliared of God's kindnefs, you will be content with nothing fliort o£ fpecial kindnefs. No doubt you will defire other things : thus David prays for his life, 0 /pare 7ne^ that I may recover Jlrength^ be- fore I go hence and he 7io more, — Abraham for a child; — Job for health ; — and Agur for food convenient for him : but ye will feek fpecial kindnefs firft and principally. Pfal. xxvii. 4. One thing have I defire d of the Lord^ that ^ill I feek after ^ that I may dwell in the houfe of the "Lord all the days of my life^ to behold the beauty of the Lordy and to enquire in his temple. Wicked men will be pleaf- cd if they get common kindnefs, an increafe of corn, wine, and oil : but the foul that has tailed that Lord is gracious, will be content with none of thefe ; but cry out, All this availeth me nothing. It is reported of Lu- ther, that when he firft preached the gofpel in Germa- ny, he was much courted by fome great perfons, and prefented with many gifts, which made him jealous that God intended to put him off with thefe : " But, *' fays he, I made a proteftation to my God, that I " would not be fo fatisfied." The fons of Keturali may be put off with portions ; but Ifaac muft have the inheritance. The gracious foul is juft like Artibazus, who, when Cyrus gave him a cup of gold, and Chry- fontes a kifs ; faid to the king, " The cup thou haft " given me is not half fo good !" So fays the foul. Let others take the cup, give me the kifs : Let him kifs me with the kiffcs of his mouth ; for thy love is better than '-xnne. I know no better evidence of a gracious heart than to be fatisfied with nothing fhort of God's fpecial and diftinguiiliing kindnefs. 62 God's Great Klndnefs to Men, 4. You will think much of the leajl Jhare of his fpe- cial kindnefs, and you will defire the grcateft : you will think much of the leaft Ihare, or token of it; thus David afks no more than that he would look on the face of his anointed; and a good look is but a fmall thing. Thus he valued being a door-keeper : one would think the office of a door-keeper was but a fmall preferment ; yet David valued it above a manjfion in the tents of wickednefs. The woman in the gofpel reckoned it much to fit at Chrift's feet, and wafti them. The wo- man of Canaan is called a dog^ and is contented with itj fo be flie may but lick up the crumbs that fall from the mafler^s table. Another woman cries out, If I may but touch the hem of his garment. But though you will va- lue the leaft, you will defire the greateft meafure : thus David, in Pfalm li. prays for pardoning grace ; After thy loving kindnefs^ 0 Lordy blot out my tranfgrejjtons : but is this enough ? no ; he mufl alfo have fanclifying grace : Create in me a clean heart. Will thefe pleafe him ? no; he muft have comforting grace; Reflore me the joy of thy falvation. Nor will thefe pleafe him : he muft have upholding grace: Uphold me with thy free Spirit. — That foul never fhared of fpecial kindnefs, that fays it is enough^ or that is pleafed with its growth, till it grow up to heaven. 5-. Ye will be often thinking and frequently meditat- ing of God's kindnefs: We have thought of thy loving^ kindnefs^ 0 God, An the midfi of thy temple. He is not worthy of the name of a Chriftian who does not think upon Chrift's kindnefs, and who refoives not to remem- ber it more than wine. Whereabout then are your thoughts employed, and moft pleafantly employed? for you may think of God's kindnefs and not think of it fpiritually. The thoughts of God and his kindnefs with gracelefs men, are hke guefts that come into an ian. The thoughts faints have of it are like children 2M C H R I S T J E S U S. 63 that dwell in the houfe : children of the houfe are ex- pefted at thejr feafon ; and if amiffing they are enquir- ed after : travellers enter the houfe occaiionally ; and then there is a great ftir about them, to provide proper entertainment for them : within a while they depart, and they are no more looked after: but children are owned in the houfe, miffed if they be any time out of the way, and have their daily provifion made for them. Wicked mens thoughts are like the paffengers ; they enter occaiionally, and are entertained for a fmali time; on a fudden they depart and are no more heard off. 6. Ye will admire and wonder at God's kindnefs : What is man that thou art mindful of him ! There was never a foul that faw it by faith, or that tailed of it, but counted it marvellous. The loving kindnefs of it, the kindnefs of fuch a God as he is, to fuch vile creatures as we are ; and the kindnefs ilowing to us from fuch a chan- nel as God's own Son, and ilreaming forth the bleilings of grace and glory, is a love and kindnefs that all who know it wonder at it ; and all who fliare moft of it won- der moil at it. Enjoyment of this love, and admiration at it, are infeparable both in earth and in heaven ; both in believing and beholding. Ye have never come under the warm beams of this love, who do not fland ailoniih- ted at it, faying, Lord^ how is it that thou wilt manifeft thyfelf to us, and not unto the world f idly. We conclude the fubjecl with an ufe of exhor- tation, liiil to thofe who have fliared of this kindnefs, and then to all in general. Our exhortation to fuch as jhave Ihared of his kindnefs is, I !• Believe his kindnefs to you in Chrift Jefus. If ye ibe fliarers of his kindnefs, ye have believed it already ; for it is becaufe of the excellency of his loving kindyiefs, that the fons of men fut their truft under the fhadow of his wings. Well, beheve it ilill ; go on in believing till ye come at feeing : and particularly believe his kindnefs when he fecmj> 64 God's Great Kindnefs to Men^ to be cruel and unkind to you ; as when ye are vifited with afflictions : it is not the manner of men to give the fliarpeft treatment to the greateft favourites ; but it is the manner of God, and it is all in kindnefs : Whom I lovcy I rebuke and chaften. Their temporal crofs fprings from the fame kindnefs that their eternal crown fprings from ; though it is not eafy feen. — In temptation, be- lieve his kindnefs ; for the people of God are not only viiited with afflidions, but temptations, and with temp- tations often in a time of affliction \ but it is in kind- nefs: and can there' -be kindnefs in the Lord's letting loofe the devil upon his own children ? yes : Lejl I fiould be exalted above meafure^ a inejfenger of Satan was fent to buffet me, — In defertion believe his kindnefs ; when the Lord is hiding his face and dealing with you as an e- nemy, for that is kindnefs : For a fmall monient have I forfaken thee ; but with everlajling loving-kindnefs will I have mercy upon thee. 2. Admire his kindnefs. Let your thoughts be over- whelmed with it till your thoughts and underftan dings be, as it wxre, loft ; your fouls taken out of themfelves and laid in the duft, faying. What is ??ian that thou art mindful of him ! You cannot indeed comprehend, but you may lofe your thoughts in pleaiing wonder at it; for it is really admirable, whatever way you view it. (i.) It is matter of lingular admiration, if ye confi- der the fubjeEl^ or the author of it. The bleffed God, who would have been infinitely happy though ye had never been. The independent God, who was under no neceffity of fhewing you kindnefs : it was in his choice whether any creature fliould have a being, much more whether they fliould fliare of his kindnefs. The fovereign God, who, without any prejudice to his glory] might have anihilated you, and juftified the acl by hii fovereignty. (2.) k is matter of Angular and eternal admirationi ?Vi C H R I s T J E s u s. 6s coniidering the objed of it, us. David being over- powered with free grace and kindnefs in his foul, cries out, W/jo a?n /, aiid what is my Fat her* s houfe! Join ye alfo thefe two together. Who am /, 0 Lord? Set that duft in the balance, /, a creature; and /, a finner; with the great God, the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity^ and you will fee reafon to wonder: God is light, ye are darknefs; God is wifdom, ye are folly; God is holinefs, ye are unclean ; and ye will wonder. (3.) "Wi^ fpring of it is matter of wonder; and that is grace ; and all grace is admirarble : we can give the reafon for other things, but no reafon for grace. (4.) The matter of it is ground of admiration. It had been great grace to have taken an innocent man into glory ; it had been great grace to have freed a finner from mifery, though he fhould never have been brought: to the enjoyment of any pofitive good : but to free a fin- ner from the mofl inconceivable mifery, in eternal ruin ; and to bring him into the highefl happinefs in eternal glory ; and all in a M^ay of kindnefs, is admirable, and will be the fong of the redeemed for ever : Unto him that loved us^ — and hath made us kings and friefts unto God. (5.) The channel of it is matter of admiration ; it is in and through Chrifi: Jefus. The love and kindnefs of fuch vile creatures as you, and this kindnefs flowing to you in fuch an awful and amiable channel as Chrift, and ftreaming forth in all the blcilings of grace and glory, is kindnefs, that all who know it wonder at ; and fuch as know it beft, wonder at it moil. (6.) The ultimate end and deftgn of it is matter of e- ternal admiration ; That in the ages to come he might Jheiv the exceeding riches of his ^race, j 3« Be concerned to return him kindnefs ; — O love, the Lord^ all ye his faints : and fhow your kindnefs in heart, by breathing after him ; I fat d'.wn under his j?jadczi', I 66 God's Great Kindnefs to Men^ fays the Spoufe, with great delight : — in lif, by fpeak- ing well of him, and his kindnefs to others ; in defend- ing his truth, caufe, and intereft in the world : — and in /{/>, by acling in your ftation for his honour, glory, and intereft in the world : ye fliould earnejlly contend for the faith* 1 ihall conclude, with a word of exhortation to all of you in this audience. And my exhortation to you is, .believe the kindnefs of God to you, through Chrift Je- fus. In his name we offer you not only the bleflipgs of his hand, and the kind words of his mouth ; but the very love of his heart. We call you to believe it, and believing it to come and put your truft under the ^ wings of the God of kindnefs. Whatever ye have been, \ or ftiil are, whether drunkards, profane curfers and fwearers, or adulterers, if ye are of the race of Adam^ God in Chrift offers you his love, and all the great and fubftantial exprefiions of it. The kindnefs of God, as manifefted in the gofpel-offer, has mankind for its ob- jecl ; Titus iii. 4. But after that the kindnefs and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared. Accordingly God's kindnefs has vented itfelf upon the worft of men. And you are warranted to believe his love, feeing it is a love of the kind. He wants you fhould believe his love, and hence he makes folemn proclamations and declarations of it ; Ezek. xxiv. 6,7. And the Lord faffed by before h'un^ and proclaimed^ The Lord^ the Lord God inerciful and gracious^ long-fufferingy and abundant in goodnefs and truth ; keeping mercy for thoufands^ forgiving iniquity, tranfgreffwn and fin, Pfal. cxxx. 7. het Ifrael hope in the Lord ; for with the Lord there is mercy. To convince you of it, he not only proclaims^ but f%oears it, left ye fhould difbelieve his word. — He fuperadds his oath, that you may have the fulleft aiTurance of his earneft concern for your falvation and happinefs : Ezek.i xxxiii. 2, As I live^ faith the Lord God^ I have 710 pleor] z« C H R I S T J E S U S. 67 Jure in the death of the wicked ; but that the wicked turn from his way and live : turn ye ^ turn ye from your evil zu ays ; for why will ye die, 0 houfe of Ifraelf Now, an oath a^ mong men is for confirmation of a controverted truth, and is an endof all Jl rife. Well, Sirs, fhall the oath of a man be fo much regarded, and will ye not regard the oath of God ? To entertain a jealoufy of his kindnefs when he declares it, is to make him a liar ; but to do fo when hcfwears it, is to charge him with perjury. — But this is not all ; as if his word and oath were not enough to convince you of his kindnefs, he has given a practical demonftration of it in the gift of his Son to you : Godfo loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth on him fJjould not perifh, but have ever la fling life, O then, believe his love with ap- plication to your own fouls. The Father has given his Son to be a Saviour to you : he hath given him full in- ilruclions and ample powers to fave you ; and whofoever believe th on him for falvation fhall not be afhamed, but be made an eternal monument of God's kindnefs, through Chrift Jefus. I 5 [ 6S 2 The Riches of Grace Difplayed, by God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. Ep HEs. ii. 7. That in the ages to come^ he might Jloeiv the exceed- ing riches of his grace ^ in his kindnefs touoards us^ through Chrifl Jefus, TJ R E T H R E N, in the language of infpiration, which ■*"^^ abounds with the moil ftriking and expreilive me- taphors, power is the arm of God; — Who hath believed our report f and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? — knowledge is the eye of God ; hence it is faid, l^he •ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord^ and he pon- der eth all his goings : — holinefs is the beauty of God; therefore we are exhorted to worlhip in the beauty of holinefs : — ?nercy is the bowels of God ; hence is that w^ord, through the tender mercy of our God^ or, as it may be rendered from the Greek, becaufe of the yearning bowels of the mercy of our God. But grace is the riches of God, as in our text ; That in the ages to come^ he fnight Jhew the exceeding riches of his grace, — From which words, I laid down two obfervations, viz. First, That God is a kind God to men^ in Chrifl Jefus, Secondly, That the grand end and defign of Gcd^ in all his kindnefs^ is the manifeflation and exaltation of the exceeding riches of his grace. The firft of thefe obfervations was formerly difcuifed. I now come to treat of the fecond, viz. DocT. That the grand end and defign of Gcd^ in all his kindnefs^ is the manifeflation and exaltation of the eX' ceedijig riches of his grace. The Riches g/* Grace difplayed. 6g The method I propofe, for the profecution of this dodrine, is, I. To confirm the point. ir. To fpeak a little of the grace which God defigned to manifeft. III. To fpeak of the exceeding riches of God's grace. IV. The manifejlation thereof. V. They^^;? of this manifeftation. And, VI. Laftly, apply the whole. I return to the firft Head, which is to evince, That the utmoft end and deiign of God, in all his kindnefs, is the manifeftation and exaltation of the exceeding riches of his grace. And, that the exaltation of the riches of God's grace, is the grand and ultimate end of all the kindnefs he fliews to men in Chrift, is evident, i/?, From the natural condition of the perfons, to whom he is a God of kindnefs ; of which the apoille gives a lively defcription, in the beginning of this chap- ter, Tou bath he quickened^ &c. The defcription may be reduced to four things, to which we fhall confine our- fclvcs, and endeavour to illuftrate them a little. They are dead in trefpaiTes and fins ; — walking after the flefli ; — under the power of Satan ;' — and children of God's wrath. I . The perfons to whom God manifefi:s his kindnefs are dead in trefpajfes and fins : — Tou hath he quickened^ laho were dead in trefpajfes and fins^ ver. i . Sin hath two evils in it, its guilt, and its filth or power ; and in both thefe refpecis, thefe to whom God is a God of kind- nefs, are dead. — They are dead in refpecl of the guilt of fin, A man condemned to die is dead in law, and fo it is with them ; they are under the guilt of Adam's firfi: fin ; the finful depravation of their nature, and all |,t}ieir aclual tranfgrefTions, — They are dead in rcfpecl of x 70 The Riches 5/* Grace ilfphyed^ the power and pollution of fin. As every fin is a dead work to a man's confcience, binding him over to pu- niftiment : fo it works death ^in him, in refpeft of its power, difabling him to good, and making him more adive and lively to evil, which is his death : and fo it is with all them to whom God is a God of kindnefs, in their natural ftate; not only have they loft original righteoufnefs, which was the ornament of their nature, but they are filled with all unrightcoufnefs. 2 . They are walking after the lujls of the flejh^ ver. 3 . One would think it a contradiction to be dead in fin, and yet walking in fin ; but there is none : for the foul is alive, as it is originally in them, in the flefli ; and it is dead only in refpecl of God and fpiritual good : Among ivhom alfo we had our converfation in the lujls of the fiefh^ ver. 3. Their life, and every acl of it, is finful ; they live in the flefli, juft as a fifli lives in the water: the flefli is their principle, the flefli is their rule, and the flefli is their end, in the whole courfe of their conver- fation. The flefli is what they adl from, the flefli is what they acl by, and the flefli is what they acl to. 3. They are under the -power of the devil :— According to the prince of the power of the air^ the Spirit that now worketh in the children of difobedience, ver. 2. It was, no doubt, melancholy to fee the poor man that was poflefled of the devil, torn by him, and fometimes thrown into the fire, fometimes into the water; but here is a more woful fight, if we could fee it ; a poor foul fpiritually poflefled of the devil, wofully rent and torn by him, fometimes caft into the fire, and fome- times into the water, yea, into evils far worfe than any of tliefe ; and fuch is the cafe with all thofe to whom God is a God of kindnefs : they, and every thing about them, are under the rule of Satan. He rules their minds ; hence he is faid to blind them : — ^he commands their wiU ; though not to force, yet efieciually to draw them : Te in God's Kindnefs to Shiners in Christ. 71 are of your father the deviiy and the works of your father ye WILL do, — He rules over all their members ; there- fore they are called weapons of unrighteoufnefs^ all at the devils fervice, as all the arms of a king defend him a- gainit an invader. 4. They are under the wrath of God^ being chUdre7i of wrath as well as others^ ver. 3. They are liable to all punifliments in this world, and that which is to come. To the puniihment of this world, both inward and outward : — inward, as blindnefs of mind, hardnefs of heart, &c. — outward, as the curfe of God upon all the creatures, for their fakes ; and all other evils that befal them in their bodies, names, eftates, relations, znd employment ; together with death itfelf. And the pu- niihment of fin in the other world, as everl ailing fcpara- tion from the prefence of God, and moil grievous tor- ment in foul and body, without intermiilion, in hell-iire for ever ; of which it may be faid, as is faid of the glon,- of the faints, Eye bath notfeen^ nor ear heard^ neither hath it entered into the heart of men to conceive the nature and degree of it : for, Who knows the power of his wrath f as is his fear, fo is his wrath. Now, feeing the natural ilate and condition of thefe to whom God is a God of kindnefs is fucli, what can be the end and defign of God in delivering them, hut juft to ihew the exceeding riches of his grace? It cannot be to get any good from them; for there is no good ia them, but all evil ; they are filed with all unrighteouf 7iefs : it muil therefore be to ihcw the good that is in himfelf, viz. the exceeding riches cf his grace, idly. That the exaltation of the riches of God's grace is the utmoil end of his kindnefs, is evident, from the condition they are raifed to, as well as from the condi- tion they are delivered from : accordingly the apoillc, to illuilrate the riches of God's s^race, as the ultimate end of all his kindncfsj runs the parallel between wlut 72 . The Riches o/' Grace difplaycd^ they were by nature, and what they are by grace ; Bui God who is rich in mercy ^ &c. Inftead of being dead in trefpafTes and fins, they are quickened with the life of juftification, and with the life of regeneration ; and not only quickened, but quickened together with Chrijl^ with the fame life that Chriil is quickened with, which is a more excellent life than when we were in innocent A- dam. Adam was quickened by God the Creator, and became a fubjc(5l of the divine law; but finners are quickened by God the Redeemer, and become the hap- py fubjecls both of law and gofpel. Chrift is our life: Adam's life was nothing in comparifon of this ; John X. I o . I am come that they might have Ufe^ and that they might have it more abundantly, Inftead of walking ac- cording to the courfe of this world, they are raifed up with Chrift, to iit with him : — Inftead of the devil and his angels working in them, which is the earneft of hell, they have the Holy Spirit, the earneft of heaven: — - Inftead of being children of wrath, they have an inhe- ritance in glory ; they are made to fit together with Chrifl in heavenly -places : — Inftead of all evil, they are poflefTed of all good, in a way of kindnefs through our Lord Je- fus. — This being the cafe, nothing can be the end oP all but the exaltation of the riches of his grace. It had been great grace to have freed linners from mifery, tho* they fliould never have been brought to the enjoyment of any pofttive good ; but to free finners from the moft inconceivable mifer)^ in eternal ruin, and to bring them into the higheft happinefs in eternal glory ; and all in a ' way of kindnefs, is ftill more aftonifhing ! And no rea- fon can be given for it, beftdes this in the text. That i in the ages to come^ he might flnw the exceeding riches oj his qrace, 3^/y, That the ultimate end of all God's kindnefs is the exaltation of his grace, is evident, from the nature and import of the covenant of grace. You know therj in God*s Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. 73 arc two covenants, that of works and grace. The cove- nant of works was made with Adam for himfelf, and his pofterlty ; and in breaking it he loft his original righteouf- , nefs, and became liable to death ; was at once a bankrupt and rebel. The covenant of ofrace was made with Chrift; / have made a covenant with my chofen ; or, as it might be I ead, with my chofen One. By this covenant all of us profefs to be fived : well, what is the nature of it ? If we adopt the Tcripture account of this covenant, it is to give freely and ab- fclutely, without any condition to be performed by men, as the meritorious caufe of its bleffinixs : all that God doth for them whom he will fave, is for his name's fake ; and this name is recorded, Exod. xxxiv. 5, 6. 'The Lord^ the Lord God merciful and gracious^ &c. It is called the cove- nant of grace, as defigning the glory of his grace in faving men ; and giving all freely, and of mere love, grace, and favour: for, where elfc can the difference betwixt the two covenants lie? it cannot lie in the eafmefs and diiTiculty of the duties enjoined ; for faith and repentance, which legalifts make the condition of the covenant of grace, are much more above the reach of natural powers than to for- bear eatinsr the forbidden fruit: and lincere obedience is more difhcult for a iinful, than perfect obedience was for an innocent man. But it lies iathis, that the one is a co- venant of promifc, while the other is a covenant of works; or the one is a covenant of better promifes than the other: for, whereas the promlfe of the iirii; was conditional, the promife of the fccond is free and abfolute; and without this it would have been a covenant of works, be the du- ties enjoined what you will: it therefore runs not in con- ditional terms, I will J if yezvill; but abfolute and foverelgn ; I will^ and ye fh air. To fmners of mankind, this covenant is juft a bundle of exceeding great and precious promifes ; — of promifes freely made and perform^cd without the leaft fhadow of a condition to be performed on their part : for if it be of works in the fmalleft degree, it is not of grace. This - K " . 74 Tht Riches (/Grace difplaycd^ covenant indeed had a condition, or terms ; but thefe termf are not our believing, repenting, or obeying, but the obe- dience and i'uffcrings of tlie Son of Gcxl : and our bufinefs' in it is only to receive the bleilings of grace and glory, fully purchafed by Chriii; the Saviour, prefented and freely promifed to us finners. Hence we can find nothing Chrift has prefented to us but a clulkr of free and unconditional promifes: Heb, viii. lo. ''This is the covenant that 1 will make vjith the children of If real in thofe days^ faith the Lord: I ivill fut my laws into their ?nind, and write them in their hearts ; I wii^h be to them a God^ and they fhall he to me a fe&ple-: Confequently the exaltation of the riches- of grace is the grand end of it. 4fZ?/v, That the exaltation of the riches of God^s grace is the ultimate end of all his kindnefs, is evident, from gofpel invitations^ as well as the gofpel covenant and pro- mifes : the gofpel abounds with the moft fweet and pref- fmg invitations to come and fhare of the kindnefs of God in Chrift : well, w^ho, or what are they, that are invited ? Are they righteous ? no ; they are guilty : / am not come to call the righteous^ but fnners to repentance: — are they friends? no ^ they are unholy and rebellious: Hearken un^ to me' ye that aVe' flout hearted^ and far from righteoufnefs : — Is the gc>i])ci invitation to them who bring money in their hand with Jofeph's ten brethren ? no ; it is to the poor and empty handed: i^, every one that thirfleth^ come ye to the waters^ &:c.~— Is it to the happy, the rich, the clothed? no ; it is to the miferable, poor, and naked : Becaufe thou art miferable, poor, blind^ and naked^ I counfel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayfl he rich^ &c. The mef- fengers are fent, (as one obferves) '^ not to the maniioib- houfes of the rich, or the palaces of the mighty; but to the high-ways and hedges, where mifery mourns, ^"^ poverty pines, and bafeneis hides her head : their mef- ^ fage is addrelTed to the poor, the blind, the maimed " perfoiis, who have no amiabk or ixcommeuding endow* in Go d's Kindnefs to Sinners zw Ch R i s T. 7 j: " ments, but every loathfome and dlfguftful property :** Nay, gofpel invitations arc conceived into the moll large, free, and cxtenfive terms ; Whofoever willj let hi?n come^ and take the water of life freely^ &c. He may partake as freely of my Spirit and unfpeakable blefTmgs, as freely as he drinks of the water of the well : if he is one of A^ dam's family, out of hell, let him come. — This is his gra- cious invitation, hook into me all ye ends of the earthy and J)e ye faved: which is not directed to a few fpecial favou- rites only ; but to all the ends of the earth, without ex- ception : and there are no terms ; or if ye w^ill have terms, they are juft God's free giving, and our partaking and receiving : therefore the end and defign of all God's kind- nefs is the exaltation of his grace. Sthly^ This truth is alfo evident from gofpel dodr'ines. The whole doclrine contained in our Bible may be reduc^ ed to two kinds, viz, the dodrines of the law^ and of the gofpel: the doclrines of the law tend to the creature's boafting ; but the doclrines of the gofpel tend all of them to exclude boafling, and to exalt the riches of grace; which fays, that it is God's ultimate end and delign to exalt grace. Many arc the precious gofpel doclrines we have in the Bible ; and there is not one of them but tends to the exaltation of the riches of God's grace ; as for in- ftance, in the gofpel we have the doclrine of our regenera- tion : Except a man he horn again^ he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Well, what intereft or active hand have we in this ? no more than v>'e had in oiir firft creation : hence we are faid to he Qod^s workmanfJ/ip^ created in Curifl Jefus unto good works. We contribute no more to it than we did to our formation in the womb j John i. 13. Which were horn, 7iot of flefh^ nor of hkod^ nor of the \juill of m.an^ hut of God, We are as inaclive in it, as the dry bones in Ezekiel's vifion were, in caufmg themfelves live ; or as ^Lazarus, in raifmg himfeif ; of whom it is faid, Ifc- ihrd w^s deady came forth hound hand and foot ! It is tcrace th^t 7^ The Riches of Grace difplayed^ does all ; Of his own will begat he us, by the word of truth. Our original, as new creatures, is nothing but the good fleafure of his will: and why, but juft that no flejh Jljoidd glor-y in his prefence. — In the word, we have the gofpel doclrine of jujlification ; and what hand have wc in it ? none at ail: for God juftiiies the ungodly, neither by making him godly before he juftify him, nor leaving him ungodly after he hath juftificd liim ; but the fame grace that juftifies him doth immediately fanclify him : but he is ungodly when he is juftified ; and this can no more qualify him for the bleffing, than an acl of rebellion can qualify a perfon for being firft minifter of flate: he j uni- fies freely, through the redemption that is in Chrijl Jefus, and not through any performance of ours ; Rom. iii. 2/j. Being jujlified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrifl. — Again, reconciliation is a doclrine of the gof- pel; and what do w^e to bring about this? nothing; For God was in Chrift reconciling the world to hi?nfelf — Farther, adoption is another gofpel doclrine ; but have we any handi in it? no ; it is Chrift who gives us the power to becorae the\ fons of God, Do wx put ourfelves among the children? no; it is grace that does it: hence is that word, Beholt what jnanner of love the Father hath befiowcd upon us, thai *we fljould be called the fons of God. It is love, and w^onder- ful love : it is a certain truth, and wx fliould believe it firmly ; it is an importrmt truth, we ihould confider it fe- riouily ; it is a comfortable trutli, we fhould improve il to our greateft joy and coniblation. — In the word, we liav( likewife the doclrine of fandification ; but what hand has the will of man in that ? none at all ; but foiely and wholl; the will of God; Ezek. xxxvi. 26. Then will I fprinku clean water upon you, ' and ye fhall be clea?i, &c. — We hav< the doclrine oi perfeverante in grace, real and relative : an( do we keep ourfelves ? no ; but the omnipotence of God'sj grace : For we are kept by the pozver of God through faith 2/»4j to falvation^ i Pet. i. 5. — In the word, w^e have the doc* in God's Kindne/s to Sinners in Christ. 77 trine of ^hrifcation : but what hand have we in that ? none at all ; T^he ^ift of God is eternal life^ through Jefus Chrijl our Lord, -In a word, all the gofpel doctrines have this dency, to exalt the riches of his grace. 6thly^ That the exaltation of the riches of God's grace is the end of his kindnefs, is evident from gofpel interro- fratioits^ fcattered up and down the Bible; which all tend to expofe human merit, nullify the creature, and to mag- nify the riches of g.race ; or to make grace all and in all. One duller of gofpel queftions of this import, you will find, Horn. iii. 27. Where is hoaflin^ then? it is excluded: by what law f by the law of works f nay^ hut by the law of faith. Another clufter you have, i Cor. iv. 7. Whomak- €th thee to differ f what haft thou that thou haft not received? and if thou haft received it^ why doft thou boaft^ as if thou hadft not received it? Thefc, and the like queftions, though they do not take away all glorying and boafting from men, yet direct and confine their boafting to its proper object ; to make their boaft of God, the Chrift of God, and the grace of God. Would they but look to the rock from whence they are hewed, 'and hole of the pit whence they arc digged, they would find that they derive not their blcilings nor their beauty from themfelves ; but from love and kindnefs that they received them : not to facrifice to .their own net, but for the illuftration of grace, that no- thiog might be heard out of their mouths but praife ; fay- in o; Grace^ ([race unto it, 7/,^/)', This truth is evident from gofpel declarations. If we run through the gracious declarations of the God of grace, fcattered up and down the word, we fhall fee that God's firft and leading purpofc, in all his favourable dif- penfitions to fallen man, is to demonftrate the fovereignty, and advance the glory of his grace : wlvcXt is the gofpel de- claration with refpecl: to the end of our election^ or predefti- natlon in Chrift? it is the honour of this darliniiy attribute : Eph. i. 5. Having predeftinated us to the adoption of children^ 78 The Riches ^ Grace difplayed, hy Jefus Chrift to himfelf^ according to the good fleafure ^ its willy to the praife of the glory of his grace. The moving caufe of predeftinatipri was the good pleafure of his will, God blelTed for ever needed not have made a creature, far lefs predeftinated a finful creature to everlafting life ; but it was the good pleafure of his will that determined both : and the delign of the whole was great and excellent ; the fraife of the glory of his grace. As it was his will that difpofed the matter j fo it propounded to itfelf the praife of the glory of his grace, as the end. Our Lord had grace in himfelf, glorious grace ; and his end in predefti- fiating them was, that the riches of this grace might be fhown, and fo praifed : he was willing to make known the riches of his glory on the vejfels of mercy, — What, again, is the gofpel declaration with refpeA to the end of pardon f It is that he might fliew the exceeding riches of his grace: thus the Lord promifing his people a very extraordinary deliverance, fays, I^ot for your fakes do I this : what then is the inducement ? we find it in the following declaration, /, even I am he, that blotteth out your tranfgreffions for my nameU fake.. Which teacheth us, that God, and nothing in the creature, is the original, entire, fole caufe of all grace, and every gracious bleffing; and, particularly that of pardon : it is not only of him, and through him, but to him, for the honour of his adorable perfections, parti- cularly of his rich grace.— Nay, what is the gofpel decla-r. ration with refpe6l to the end of our fahationf it is juft the praife of his grace ; Eph. ii. 8. By grace ye are faved^ through faith ^ and that not of your f elves ^ it is the gift of God;, 7iot of works left any man Jhould hoafl : where you fee works ^arc difcarded, and the whole glory (l^voted to grace : and indeed works will not ftand with grace, and grace will not ftand with works. Grace will ftand well with Chrift's works ; hence it is faid to reign through, righteoufnefs : it iits on the throne and fways the fceptre thro* his works. But left any man fliould boaft, grace will ftan^ with faith j I 1 in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. 79 but it will not Hand with works : // is of faith, that it might be of grace. Now to him that worketh not, but believ* eth on hijn that juflifieth the ungodly : — for to him that ivork^ fth, is the reward reckoned of debt, not of grace. %thly. This truth is alfo evident from faith's being ap- pointed the grand receiver of God's kindnefs, in and thro* Chrift Jefus. It muft be owned, that though faith, in its inherent nature and quality, be no more noble than any- other grace*, yet in the oilices which it executeth, it is far more excellent than them all. In its own nature it is no better than the reft ; but in the offices affigned it in the new covenant, it has the precedency : it has offices affign- ed it by God which none of them have, and a vaft variety bf them too : fuch as, I I. It is the office of faith to unite the foul to our Lord Jefus. It is not repentance, nor love, nor all the works in the world, that can unite us to Chrift ; but faith ties die marriage knot betwixt Chrift and us. As nothing makes man and wife but confent ; fo, none of the graces unite to Chrift, but faith. It is true indeed, the union >n Chrift*s part, is in order of nature firft made by the mnipotent agency of the Spirit; therefore he is faid to ipprchend us, before we apprehend him : but that which ! Qiakcs the luiion on the part of the finner is faith, which I us as it were the fpiiitual joint and ligament by which Chrift and his people are united. Thus in one place we ire faid to live by Chrift ; Bccaufe I live, ye fJjall live alfo : u another /'^ fiiith ; The jufl fhall live by faith. How, by Doth ? why, by Chrift, as the fountain ; and by faith, as he pipe conveying water to us from the fountain : by rift, as the foundation ; by faith, as the cement, knit- ting us to the foundation : by Chrift, as the treafure ; by -aith as the key which opens and lets us into the treafure. it is true, there is a moral union betwixt Chrift and us ^y love ; but the myftical union is only by faith, which the imoiediate tie betwi;s;t Chrift wd the Chriftiaa : and So The Riches of Okxce difplayed^ « the myftical union by faith, is before the moral union by love; for by nature we are all enemies to Chrift. When do we love him ? never till by faith knitting us to his perfon we are perfuaded of his love to us : Herein is love^ not that we loved God^ but that God loved us^ and fent his Son to be the propitiation for our fins. So that between God's love and ours comes faith to make us one with Chrift : fo in this faith hath the pre-eminence. 2. It is the office of faith in the new covenant to be the ?nean or inftrument in ouv jufif cation ; Rom. v. i. Be- ing jufiified by faith^ we have peace with God: not juftified by love, repentance, patience, or any other grace beiides faith. As God did iingle out Chrift from all others to be the only Mediator betwixt him and man, and his righte- oufnefs to be the meritorious and material caufe of our juftiiication ; fo he hath iingled out faith from all the o- ther graces, to be the mean or inftrument for apprehend- ing or appropriating the right to ourfelves : hence as it is called the righteoufnefs cf God, becaufe it was \\T0Ught oufe by Chrift ; fo it is called the righteoufnefs of faith, becaufe it is the only grace whofe office it is to lay hold on Chrift, and fo to appropriate his righteoufnefs for our juftification* As God highly honoured Mofes, above the reft of his bre- thren, when he was called up to the mount to receive the law from God's mouth, while they behoved to keep their diftance till he brought it down to them ; fo God has high- ly honoured this grace of faith, by exalting her to fuch fa- miliarity with himfelf, and by delivering into her hands this glorious privilege of juftification, that ftie, with all the humility of an handmaid, may convey the fame unto us, Our juftification therefore is by faith that it may be by grace ; and that God may have all the glory. 3. It is the office of faith to be the inftrument oi fanBi' f cation; Acls xv. 9. And put no difference between them and us , purifying their hearts by faith. Faith may be faid tOj purif)^ us two Vyays. i. A5 itfelf is the principle grace ' in God's Kindne/s to Sinners In Christ. 8t whereby our nature is reftored to the hnage of God^ andl fo freed from our original defilement: this belongs to its nature, and is common to it with all the other graces* 2 . As it is the inilrument whereby we receive the purify -^ ins: virtue and influence of the blood of Chrift : this be* longs to its office, and is peculiar to itfclf. . No othet grace is the inftrument of our fanclification, but only faith* As the blood of Chrift is the laver, faith is the hand which applies it ; and in this fenfe it has been called by fome the inftrumental caufe of fandification. Faith looks away from all other things, and fixes its eye on Chrift crucified for fanclification : and, like the woman with the bloody ilTue, touches Chrift with its gentle trembling handj and immediately virtue proceeds from him for healing the di-* feafed foul. — Faith applies the promife of fan6tification t the word holds forth the promife of cleanfing from fin, to finners indefinitely, faying, / will fprinkle clean water upon. you^ and ye Jhall he dean, — Faith catches hold of it^ and brings it home, faying with the Pfalmift, Iniquities prevail againft me^ hut as for our tranfgrejfions thou Jh alt purge them away : and, with the church, He will fuh due our iniquities^ — Faith relies on the merit of Chrift's blood, and efficacy of his Spirit for fanclification, faying. The hlood of Jefus Chrijl his Son, cleanfeth us from all fin ; and acquiefceth in the power and faithfulnefs of God, for effecluating it, faying. Be it to us according to thy zvord. And thus faith purifies the heart. 4. Our fianding in grace is by the inftrumentality of faith ; Rom. v. 2 . By whom alfo we have accefs hy faith Into this grace wherein we ft and* We ftand by grace as the ef- ficient caufe of our ftanding; by faith, as the inftrumen- tal caufe : We are kept hy the potver of God, through faith unto falvation. Sirs, if, the way of our being kept \Ytve by other graces, we fhould be ahvays in danger : but faith is never non-plufTed. Adam did not fiand by faith; and you know the ifTue : he had no accefs into the grace of L 1 §2 The Riches of Gkack dlfplayed^ ftanding ; but by faith we have accefs into that grace Ivherein we ftand. Faith ftands, and it Hands out all llorms: when waves are ready to overwhelm the foul, what doth faith ? it leads a man to the rock that is hig/fe? than iffelf. If the foul be in any difquiet, what recover* It? it is faith: Why art thou caft down^ O 7}iy foulf nvhj art thou d'lfqidefed within ??ief trujl in God, If a man b( fallen, what raifeth him again ? it is faith. If you let gc your faith, when you fall into fin, you will fall down t( the bottom : as when a man is going up a ladder, if hi footfteps fail, and he let go his hands, he muft £dl to th groundr Hence when Chrift forefaw Peter would fall, L faid, / have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. I might mention feyeral other ofBces of faith ; fuch as that all iht joy we have in Chrifl is by faith : hence the a poftle' pfays, that the God of hope would fill them with a joy and peace in believing. — x\ll our co7nmunion with God i Chrift is by faith. But what need I mention particular for it is the inftriiment of the whole life of grace, as vifio 'is of the whole life of glory : as there are but tv.^o ways c nourifb.ing the natural life, the one in the womb, by th navel-ftring, whereby the child takes in all its nourifl ment ; the other when come out of the v/omb, by th mouth : io is it here, in the noiirifliment of fpiritual lif We are in this world as children in the womb ; and all th time faith is as the navel-llring to convey nourifhment 1 us : but when faith hath performed all its offices, and v are grown up to perfecl men, to the meafure of the jlatu if the fulnefs of Chrifl^ then the foul is carried into the oth' world, and then faith ceafes to act, and the foul lives t vilion. l empty fhadow. There is not only grace in the nature of God, grace in the purpofe of God, and grace in the Chrift of God ; but this grace has put forth itfelf in the gofpel, and the proiuifes of the gofpel to us ; and this is the foundation of faith to Tinners of mankind : for, though the bleilings of grace be difpcnfed fovereignly, hke grace itfelf; yet, in the means of grace, it is offered uniyerfally to all who hear the gofpel : 'To me ivho am lefs than the leaft of all faints^ fays Paul, is this grace giveiiy that I Jhould preach among the Gentiles the unfearchable riches of Chrift. I,t is not all the riches of grace in the nature of God, that can be a ground for faith to finners ; but grace as con- tained in the great and precious promifes of God, and exhi- bited in the gofpel of his grace : the riches of the grace of God, running in this channel, is a folid ground for faith to build upon. O the exceeding riches of grace in the promifes 1 they are exceeding great and precious : they are a rich mine of fpiritual treafure. The gofpel is a rich my- .lery, containing, revealing, and exhibiting the Chrift of God, and the riches of God ; grace in him to loft finners j riches which cannot be told over to eternity; Col. i. 27. ro lohom God would make hncivn ivbat is the riches of the glory '.f this my ft cry among the Gentiles, 5. Grace is confidered as in t\\Q^ ft reams ; or grace vent- ing itfelf in various hleffmgs to the Tons of nien : as in pre- venting: us with the bleiiini^s of his eoodnefs, which is preventing grace ; for zve love him becaife he fir ft loved us : — In quickening us when vve are dead in trefpaftes and iins, i which is quickening grace; God ivho is rich in mercy ^ — ■ hath quickened us together zvith Chrift^ when dead in fins : — In forgiving our Tins, and accepting our perfons, which is juP^'fying grace ; Being jufnfied freely by his grace : — In^ fuppiying our wants, which is providing grace; 2Ay God pjall fupply all your wants out sf his riches in glory., by Chrift' \Jefus : — In directing in doubts, which is calightcning Ma ^% The Riches ^Grage dlfplayedj grace ; / ivUl guide thee with ?nine eye : — Upholding us in our diftrclTes^ which is fupporting grace ; My grace Jhall iefufficient in your weaknefs: — Comforting us under our difcouragenrients, which is comforting grace ; 2 Cor. i. 3,4. Biejfed be God^ even the Father of our Lord Jefus^ the Father qj mercies^ and the God of all comfort^ who comforteth us in all cur tribulations : — and glorifying us at laft, which is crownr ing grace ; for. The gift of God is eter?ial life, O the ma- nifold flreams of grace ! they are fuch as cannot be rec- koned up: hence the Pfalmiit cries out, Pfal. xl. 5. Many^ O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works ; and thy thoughts which are to us-ward^ they cannot be reckoned up in order to thee : If I would declare and fpeak of the?n^ they are more than can be numbered* Pfal. cxxix. 17, 18. How precious alfo are thy thoughts to me^ 0 God! how great is the fum of them: if I fI:ould count them^ they are more in number than the f and* They are juft fuited to all the neceflities of the linner. 6. Grace may be confidered as it is in the veffels that re- ceive it, or men and women who partake of it : and this is cither common or fpecial ; common grace, of which hypo- criics are the fubjects : for we have no more reafon to queilion if there be common Q:race, than toqueflion if there be fuch creatures as hypociites in the viiible church \ for what is a hypocrite, but a finner painted over with common grace; or a wicked man in a good man's coat. Some are the futg'ccrs of comrnon awakening grace ; hence Judas cried out. / have fihned in that I have betrayed innocent blood ; and Cain, My punifbmcnt is greater than I can bear : — Some of illu uniting grace ; hence we read of them who were once ^nlis^htcned. and yet may fall away : — Some are the fub- jecls qf i eilraining grace ; hence we find God afccrtains he had bellowed it on a hearhea : / with-held thee from finning \}^ agairft rue : — Some tix e fu Lj eels of ailifling grace ; Maiiy fhall Jay in that day.^ Lord^ L')rd. have we not prophefied in thy name? — Some of ccmm.on comfort: ng grace ; hence it is faid of the fcony-ground hearers, that they received the word wita I I in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. 95 joy^ yet their nearts were not changed by it:- Some of common reforming grace ; hence we read of fome who e- fcaped the pollutions that are in the world through lujl, — There is like wife ffecial grace bellowed on the objects of fpecial love : as preventing grace, which is that love and grace which goeth before any good motives or actions of ours, according to that of the prophet, / was found of them that fought me not : — Regenerating grace, which is the free love and grace of God on the foul, enabling it to will and to choofe the things that are pleafing to God ; according to that of the apoftle. It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good fleafure : — Juftifying grace, which is the free love of God fhining on the foul, not imputing its ,tranfgreflions, and in making it righteous without works; Being jujlifed freely by his grace : — Sanctifying grace ; in which the free grace of God is fhewn in enabling us to do the things that are good ; for we are not fufficient of our- f elves to think any thing as of our f elves ; but our fufficiency is of God : — Strengthening grace; which is the love of God fliewn to the foul, in farther enabling it both to fpiritual actions, and to the managing of the good fight againft the world, the devil, and the fleffi ; which the apoftle calls a being- ftrengthened ivith all might in the inner man: — Com- forting grace, which is his love fliining upon the foul ,when fad and heavy, refrefliing it either with views of the habits of grace in the foul, or from the fea lings of fome promifcs, giving the foul full perfuafion of the love of God, according to that, The Spirit itfelf beareth witnefs with our fpirits ; — Common grace, neither changes the ftate nor the nature; but faving grace doth both. So* much for the fcveral confiderations of grace,. idly^ I come to fix on the view it falls under in the Text, and to enquire into the import of it. And by grace here, we are to underftand grace in th^f-pring or fountain of it ; that is, grace in the nature of God, And this in- fludps. p4 T^^ JljcHEs g/* Grace dlfplaycd^ I. The fovereignty of love in God: it does not import fimply lorce^ but the love of a fovereign, tranfcendantly fu- perior to every fubjed. One who may do what he will ^ and may chufe whether he will love or not. There may be love bet\yixt two equals ; and an inferior may love a fuperior : but love in a fuperior to an inferior is grace ; hence when princes love their fubjecls, they are faid to be gracious to them ; but though fubjecls may love their princes, yet they are not faid to be gracious to them. Now, God is an infinite fovereign, who might have chofen whether he would love us or not ; and therefore, for him to love us, and to love us with a fpecial love, is grace : thus when God proclaims his name to Mofes, that is the firft word, The Lord^ the Lord ; and merciful and gracious are the next : I'he Lord^ the Lord God merciful and gracious^ Exod xxxiv. 6 , I am the fovereign Lord of all the creatures ; if 1 love, or fliew mercy, this is grace: and chap, xxxiii. 19. / "ivill be gracious to whom I will be gracious ; and will fhew mercy to ivhom I will fJjew mercy- He fpeaks like a king, and like the Lord of heaven and earth. Grace (if I may ufe the expreflion) is the moft Sovereign, predominant, and abfolute principle in the na- ture and heart of God: to it belongs the dominion, not only in refpecl of all things out of God ; but even in re^ fpecl of all the other attributes of God, all which ufe their intereft for the accompliihing the defigns of grace. Altho' the other attributes of God are to have their proper glory out of our falvation ; yet in this work, they, as it were, acl in a fubferviency to free grace, effecling what it defigns: they put in their joint flock indeed ; but are content, that that glory fliould come unto them, fo far as. they fubferve Sflorious 2frace in its contrivance. What elfe means the throne of grace f not the throne of power, holinefs, or ju- ftice; but the throne of grace : Heb. iv. 16. I^t us there- fore come boldly to the throne of grace. Why is it faid to reign \ Grace reigns thro* righteoufnef : juftice, holinefs, or pow^^ in GoD*5 Kindnefs to Sinners i« Christ. jj" reign not, but grace*. And why is God faid to be love^ and not any other perfection ? it is juft becaufe, according to the manifeftation he has made of himfelf in Chrift. Love is the reigning perfection of his nature, which gives a die or tinge to all thefe other perfections : hence they are all exercifed in a way of love for the falvation of finners. 2. The grace of God imports in it the freedom of love. Grace is juft the freenefs of love^ The import of it is a fuperabundance of freedom both in mercy and love : hence when the church fays in her prayer. Receive us graciotfjly ; God anfwers her, / will love them freely. When God loves, he loves freely ; and grace denotes the freedom of love : and love in refpecft of its freenefs is called grace^ Rom. iii. 24. Being jiiflifed freely by his grace. And hence things given out of grace are faid to be ^wtn freely^ i Cor. ii. 12. ^hat we might know the things that are freely given us of God, As God could not obtain any advantage by our happinefs^ £0 he would not have fuftained any danger by our mifery: if there would have been no profit in our blood, yet for certain there would have been no lofs by it. But the rea- Ibn of his love is from within himfelf, as God's love to If- rael was, Deut. vii. 7, 8. The Lord did not fet his love upon you^ nor choofe you^ becaiife ye were more in iiumher ; hut he- caufe the Lord loved you : where you have the aB^ he loved them ; the ground of that acV, both negative and pofitive; negative, it was not for their number ; but pofitive, Becaufe he loved them. He fet his heart and love on us, merdv out of his own free will : hence they are joined together, I Eph. i. 5, 6. Lie predeflinated us to the adoption of fins ^ ac* ' cording to i,-^ good pleafure of his will^ to the praife of ths glory of his grace. He refpecfls not conditions more than perfons : he requires indeed of us faith, love, and repen- tance to falvation; but doth he require them as conditions of falvation ? no : he rather requires them as parts of fal- vation ; as efiential to Hilvation : he requires them ; but idoes he require them as condition's of grace? no: but as 9^ The Riches of Grxce dlfplayed^ effefts of grace, i Tim. i. 14. 'It he grace of God was excee-d^ ing abundant in faith and love^ which is in Chrijl Jefus ; working faith and love. — Thus grace implies love, and the freedom of love: it implies giving^ and more than giving; giwmg freely. g. The grace of God includes in it the height of the love of God. Grace in God denotes not only love, but the height of love : a love that will fhew all its goodnefs, Exod. xxxiii. 19. / will JJoew thee all my goodnefs : what follows? / will he gracious to whom I will he gracious. For God to be gracious to us, is fo to love us, as to beftow all that be- comes creatures to have from him ; all that is fuitable to the condition of a creature: hence, when the apoflles would wifh all good to thefe to whom they WTite, they flill wiih grace, becaufe it brings the utmoft good with it: The grace of our Lord Jefus ChriJl be with you all. It is love extended to the utmofl. If it be grace; he has a Son, and he wall give him, and give him in the beft manner j and make a gift of him : he gives him crucified ; God fo lov- ed the world, that he g^ave his only begotten Son. If it b grace, he hath a Spirit, and he pours him forth richly y By the renewing of the Holy Ghofl fhed on us abundantly through Jefus Chrijl our Saviour. If it be grace, he hath heaven to bellow, and he will beftow it ; and that heave Ihall be to exhauft (if it w^ere poflible) the exceeding nchesj of grace that are in him to eternity : for God the Lord i a fun and fhield, and he will give grace and glory. 4. The grace of God includes the conjlaiicy and immuta' bility of love : hence is that word. It is of faith that it migh be of grace, to the i?itent that the promifes ??iight be fire to a the feed: and w-e read of the fure mercies of David. As ther is no variablenefs nor fliadow of turning in the nature o God ; fo there is no variablenefs nor ftiadow of turning in his love. His love ftands ftill as the fun did upon mount Gibeon ; it goes not down nor declines, but continues in its full llreneth j Ifa. xliv. 7, With rcerlafling kindnefs will in God's Kindnefs to Shniers In CHRist, 97^ / have mercy on thec^ faith the Lord thy Redeemer, Love, in the creature, is like water in the river that falls and rifes ; but in God, like water in the fea, that is always full: no- thing can alter his love, nor take it off when he has fixed it ; therefore he is faid to rejl In his love. Put net your trujl in princes^ fays the Pfalmift, nor in the fon of man^ in ivhom there is no help ; his breath goeth forth ^ he returneth to his earth ; in that very day his thoughts perifh : yea, fome- times their thoughts and affections die to their greateft fa- j vourites before they die themfelves ; but his love is con- \ ftant : / a?n the Lord^ I change not ; that is, if I be God, ; and whilft I am God, I will not ceafe to love you. I will not change ; I will not be God, if I be not your God, and love you. And this manifefts his love to be grace : fo the apoflle fpeaking of the eleclion of Ifaac, fays, That the pur^-, pofe of God fh all ft and, 5 . Grace includes in it the refolutenefs^ noblenefs^ and in" vinciblenefs of love. God's purpofes of love are fo refolute and noble, that nothing fliall divert them. Grace hatli always a generoiity accompanying it : that as God is king of all the world, and will be gracious to whom he will be gracious ; fo he refolveth for ever to be fo, and nothing; fliall hinder him from being fo : there fliall be neither //> nor buts, If my people forfake my laiv ; what then? / wilt not take away my loving- kindnefs from him. And, / was a perfecutor and a blafphemer ; hut I obtained mercy, O the invuicibiencfs of love : it has run throusfh a w^orld of difficulties already, and it will run through more; for lovs. is ftrong as death^ jealoufy is cruel as the grave. The love of God is abfolutely invincible ; it overcomes all difficul- ties; Who fiall feparate us from the love of God f So invinci- ble is his love, that it overcomes all the evils in his people: How jh all I male thee as Adniah^ and fet thee as Zeboimf So invincible is his love, that if any enemy comes to accufe the people of God, it but moves him to blefs them the Iciorc. Thus when Balaam v.'ould lav lomething^ to the N 98 The Riches^ Grace difplayed^ charge of God's people, and accufe and curfe them ; what fays the God of grace ? Neverthelefs the Lord thy God woidd not hearken to Balaam ; hut the Lord thy God turned the curfe into a hlejjing, 6. It includes the pleafantnefs and delightfulnefs of love, and of difpenfing the fruits of love : the graciOufnefs of God, not only includes his doing all for his people freely, or without defert ; or willingly, and without conftraint ; or forwardly, and unfought ; but he doth all rejoicing, even with his whole heart and foul. Grace and mercy pleafes him ; and he is pleafed with occafions of ilrewing mercy : it is no burden to him to do us good. It is de- • V lightful to the mother to have her breafts drawn, or fuck- ed ; fo is it to God to have the breafts of his grace and mercy. He has a peculiar delight in extending mercy to linners of mankind ; but he has no plcafure in their de- ftruclion: He doth not afflict willingly ; but he delights in Jhewing mercy. He is flow to anger : but he is ready to for- give. Were God all wrath, that might fright us from him ; but feeing he is grace, that like a load-ftone may draw us to him. Accordingly it is propofed every where for this end, Joel ii. 12, 13. 'Therefore alfo now faith the Lord^ turn ye even to me with all your hearty and with fafting. and with weepings and with raourning; and rent your heart and not your garments^ and tur7i unto the Lord your God , for he is .gracious and mercifuL 7 . The grace of God imports the liberality and ferpe- jj tuity of his love. Grace, or gracit:)ufnefs, being the na- ture of God, faith that he will do us good liberally and perpetually: or, as the apofde James fpeaks. He gives libe- rally and upbraids not. The divine grace, like the oliv( tree in the prophet's vifion, is always .dropping: and h( upbraideth not ; he doth not upbraid us with our poverty who receive ; nor doth he upbraid us with the riches o: the gifts which himfelf beiloweth. And becaufe they flow from his nature^ he doth not in the leaft empty himfelf ifi God's Kindnefs to Sinnsrs in Christ. 99 how much foever he fills the creature with his goodnefs. Some men ading without judgment, exhauft their funds, and imdoe themfelves by liberality to others: and they who have molt to give, cannot give always. It is faid, Job xxxvii. II. By watering;^ he wearieth the thick cloitd ; that is, God commandeth the cloud to give rain fo long, that it hath not a drop more to give, but is quite fpent : but it is not fo with the God of grace. Springs or fountains are never wearied or fpent with running ; becaufe their waters come as freely, and as fail as they go: fo God is an everlafting fpring of grace ; he is not wearied nor emptied, by wliat lie gives out to us, becaufe all fioweth from his natural gracioufnefs, as from a fountain. III. The third Head, was to fpeak of the riches of (Trace, And here 1 fliall fliow, firft, what is imported in the expreiTion, riches of grace ; and fecondly, £hew what cf grace is the riches of it. i/l, I am to enquire into the import of the cxprefiloni, riches cf grace : and as this is a metaphor borrovvxd from riches among men, and God is here fpoken of after the manner of men, the phrafe may import, the following particulars. I . The prccioufnef and excellency of God's grace ; for frequently the precioufnefs and excellency of a thing is called the riches of it. Thus rich apparel, is excellent ap- parel ; rich v/ine, excellent wine; a rich cordial, is a preci* ous and excellent cordial : fo when God is faid to have riches of grace, it doth carry in it, that the grace of God is preci- ous and excellent ; and indeed, fuch is the excellency of [;Tace, tha.t ail the excellencies in tlie creature are ccather- ed together to fliadow it out; Ezck. xvi. 10, 11, 12. / clothed thee alfo vjith broidered iz^ork, and fl:od thee ijuith had" gcrs fiin^ and I girded thee about ivith fine linen^ and I covered thee with fdk ; I decked thee alfo with ornaments^ and I put bracelet^ upon thine han.dsy and a chain on thy neck^ and I put N 2 ICO The Riches ^ Grace difplayed^ jewels on thy forehead^ and ear-rings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head. Here is a collediion of the moft excellent, and precious things in the world, that are juft fliadows of God's grace, real and relative to his people in the day he brings them into a covenant relation with Jiimfelf. Such is the precioufnefs and excellency of God's grace, that there is nothing which tends to make any thing precious, or excellent, but what is to be found in it. Thus antiquity makes things precious ; antient pieces of coin or medals are reckoned precious : and fo the grace of God is precious ; for it hath been of old from ever- iafling.- — Things far fetched are precibus ; and if fo, grace 5s precious ; for it came by Chrift Jefus from heaven ; 'The law came by Mofes^ but grace and truth by Jefus Chrijl, — ■ Things dear bought are precious : and if fo, grace is pre- cious ; for it coft Chrift's blood : it is true, he did not pur- chafe grace, as in the fountain, but grace fent him ; For God fo loved the worlds that he gave his only begotten Son: l>ut he purchafed grace as it is in the vefTels ; for all graces are the fruits of the Spirit : and the Spirit is fhed on us a- hundantly by Jefus Chrijl our Lord. — Things carefully laid Tip are precious : fo grace hath the richefl cabinet in the •world : in the breaft of God lies the original copy ; the counterpart in the breaft of his ele6l ones. — Things which perifli not are precious ; and if fo, grace is precious : For his grace faileth never, — In a word, the grace of God is tranfcendantly excellent. Gold is precious ; but grace is more precious than all the gold of Ophir : It cannot be got^ ten for gold ^ neither fh all Jdver be weighed for the price thereof Gold, iilver, fapph^'res, diamonds, and rubies, are not worth the mentionino; belides the Sfrace of God. 2. Riches of grace in God imports the hiddennefs of God's grace: hence, in fcripture, riches are called hidden trea^ fures ; Ifa. xlv. 3 . / will give thee the treafures of darknefs^ and hidden riches of fecret places : fo the grace of God is hidden and unfearchable. Therefore is that wordy 0 hou in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Chris¥. ioi frrent is the (roodnefs thou hafl laid up for them that fear thee! It is hidden from the gracelefs world altogether, though it appears in its effects ; For the natural man ferceiveth not the things of God : and they are hidden from the godly and gracious in a great meafure ; Such knowledge is too wonder* ful for them. The apoftle calls it a depth, and falls a won- dering at it; llom. xi. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wifdom and knowledge of God! how unfe arch able are his judq^msnts^ and his ways f aft finding out? The fcripture in it- felf cannot contain the riches of God's grace : hence there arc bleflings of grace written and unwritten ; thus in Deuteronomy, chapter xxviii. after enumerating many bleffings, it is faid, T^he Lord fhall open unto thee his trea- fire : there is a treafure of grace laid up in the heart, the I Chrift, and the heaven of God, to be broken up at the lail day, which we know not off; and what is the reafon ? bccaufe God flieweth mercy according to his own heart. Now, if a king give, he will give as a king, according to his riches: fo does God. We read, i Kings x. 13. That Solcmcn ^ave the queen of Sheha all her deftre^ whatever fhe afkecU bcfdes that which he gave her of his royal bounty : fo will God do ; Open thy ??iouth wide, and I will fill it, Alk of God what riches of grace thou wilt, he will give thee all thy delire ; and after all, he has fomething to give of his royal bounty : he hath hidden treafures of grace lying by him to bellow according to his ow^n greatnefs. 3. It imports tliQ profit abienefs oi God's grace: riches, you iknow, are beneficial things; fo beneficial, that the Spirit [of God fays. Money anfwers all things : juft fo, the grace of God is profitable to all things, both in this life, and that which is to come. The grace of God is the moft profitable thing ever the world faw: if there be any profit, benefit, or advantage in falvation, which imports a flate of blifs, wherem all mercies eminently meet, call up the particular fums of all the good things promifed in the covenant, and the total, which they amount to, is falvation. Well, if I03 The Riches o/" Grace difplayed^ there be any advantage in falvation, grace is advantageous; for falvation, in all the parts of it, is of grace : By grace ye are faved. Take the whole chain of falvation, and all the links of it, as the apoftle names them, Rom. viii. 30. are of grace : We are chofen by grace ; fo the eleft are faid to be « remnant according to the eledioji of grace, — We were given to Chrift by grace ; Thine they were^ and thou gaveft them me. — We are redeemed by grace in him ; by grace we are juftified through that redemption: Being freely juf- tified by his grace* — By the fame grace we are converted ; It f leafed God to feparate me from my mother'' s wo?nb^ and call me by his grace. — By the fame grace we are adopted ; To as many as received hinij to them gave he power to become the fons of God, — By the fame grace we are fancliiied ; By the nvhich will we are fandifed, — And by the fame grace we fliall be glorified ; heirs of the grace of life. Let believers be what they will, it is of grace ; By the grace of God, I am what I am : take me with all my praying, (as if Paul had faid) and all my praifings, and all my fufferings ; all that I am, and fhall be is of grace : / laboured more abund- antly than they all, yet not /, but the grace of God in me. They that do not claim all the bleilings of the covenant, and hold them by the tenor of grace, they will never get them ; at prefent they have no lot nor portion in this mat- ter; and if ever they get them, they will be of another mind: they will look for the mercy of our Lord Jefus Chrift unto eternal life. 4. The riches of grace imports a fulnefs and an abund- ■ance of grace in God, even to a flowing over. Any per- fon that is faid to be rich in any thing, hath an abundance of it ; or elfe he cannot be faid to be rich : 'Now, ye art\ full, faith the apoftle, and ye are rich. If there be not \ fulnefs, there is not riches : 0 thou that art abundant ir\ ireafures, faith God to Babylon. A man is then faid to b(j rich, when lie is abundant in treafures to an overplus | K0W5 our Lord hath grace in him to abundance, i Tioi in God's Klndnefs to Sinners in Christ. loj i, 14. The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant : it was over-full, it was full to a flowing over. If there be more grace in God than there is iin in man, every one who have feen themfelves will own that he has abundance of it ; but fo it is : and hence is that word, Where fin abounded, grace did much more abound. Our ephah is full, brim -full ; f but God's grace is full to a running over : the grace of God ' is a treafure, and cannot be fpent ; an ocean, ever full and ever flowing. There cannot be fo much iin, but there is more grace : and therefore, the apoftle fpeaks indetermi- nately whefi he is to fpeak of the abundance of grace ; Grace did much more abound : but how much, he does not pretend to tell ; it did infinitely overflow. - 5. The riches of grace imports the inexhaujllblenefs of God's grace. We read in Ifaiah ii. 7 . of treafure that had no end : fuch is the grace of God in Chrifl: ; it hath no end, no bottom : therefore he forgives great fms, and continues to do it ; Forgiving iriiqu'ity^ tranfgrejfton^ andfin* ' How oft, faith Peter, fliall my brother iin againft me, * and I forgive him?' T'^SS. feven times: what fays Chrifl? {Forgive him not till feven times^ but till f event y times fevm* \Vhen God fpeaks of vengeance, he fays, vmtil feven times; '\Cain fJmll be aveng^ed feven fold : but when he fpeaks of for- givenefs, he fays, until fcventy times feven. So that tho* |his vengeance be till feven times, his grace and mercy arr |to feventy times feven : He gives all things richly to- enjoy. His mercy and grace are from everlaPcing, and they will continue to everlafiing : they are a treafure that can ircvei be fpent, never be exhaufted to eternity; Ifa. Ixiv. 5. In thy mercy is continuance. If God will but continue to be merciful and gracious to me, fays the poor foul, I have enough : why, faith he ; In his mercy is continuance^ and ivi Ihall be faved. He will flretch them out to eternity, to cverlafting ; and if one everlafting be not enough, he -will add a fecond, Pfal. ciii. 17. The mercy of the Lord is from ^verlafting to everlafiing ti^an them that fear him. I04 The Riches g/' Grace dlfplaycd^ We might have illuftrated the expreffion, the riches of grace, from the fleafantnefs and the great variety of grace in God. There is an inconceivable variety of all kinds of grace in him : hence he is ftiled the God of all grace ; and we read of the manifold grace of God ^ and of his being exceeding abundant therein. There is not only electing, redeeming, juflifying, adopting, and fanclifying grace in God ; but alfo reviving, ftrengthening, comforting, efta- blifhing, directing, fupplying, and protecting grace in him. But we proceed, idly. To enquire what i?/* grace is the riches of it? And in general, all the excellencies, properties, and qualities of grace, are the riches of grace. But more particularly, I. The royal majejly of grace is the riches of it: hence we read of the throne of grace ; Let us come boldly to the throne of grace* A throne, you knov/, is a fign of majefty, peculiar to fovereigns ; and fo grace is a majeftic fovereign: fo it is faid to acl the king ; Grace reigns through righteouf nefs. Let no man imagine that the glory of God is any way leffened by his fitting upon a throne of grace ; or that lefs reverence is due to him upon a throne of grace, than up- on a throne of judgment : for the glory and majefty of God are as much manifefted upon the one as upon the other. God's condefcending to difplay, and difpcnfe his grace to gracelefs finners, is no dcbafing of the divine majcrty, but an advancing of his glory : when he gives grace he acls royally, and as a crowned head with majefty. It is faid of Araunah's offering to David, That he gave like a king. So the God of grace difpenfes all acts of grace with great majefly, as a king, yea, as a God: and hence when Mofes prayed, / befeech thee fJoew me thy glory : God's anfwer v/as, / will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, God's majefly and glory Ihine illuflrioufly in the fovereign difpenfation of his grace to men, in Chrift Jefus: and happy is that foul that adores this glorious fovereignty, as the apoftle doth^ Jiom. ix. i8, Therefore bath he mercy on whom he will in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. loj hdve mercy; and whom he will^ he hardeneth. Approaches to God on a throne of s^race fliould be manasred with the profoundell reverence ; for it is a glorious and high throne. This is one thing in grace he wanted to manifeft. 2. The freedom of grace is the riches of it. Freedom is the very nature of grace ; it is a gift : hence we read o£ the gift of grace. And what is more free than a gift? It is free, for it was unfought ; nothing cried for grace andt mercy but our own gracelefsnefs and mifery. — It is free, for it was unforced : grace, and all the fruits thereof, be- ing in the keeping of fovereign will and pleafure, accord- ing to that forecited text, / will be gracious to whom I wilt be gracious, — It is free, becaufe it is unmerited; there be- ing nothing deiirable, nothing promifing in the perfons whci are receivers of grace. There was enough in them tomovehirrx' to condemn and punifli them with everlafling deftr ucf ion front his prefence ; but nothing to move him to be gracious ta them ; being in their blood, there was nothing lovely,^* but every thing unlovely in them : but as the fun lliinesc freely on the dunghill, as well as on the bed of rofes ; fok God's grace fhines freely on iinners : and here is the riches,' the excellency, and fuper-excellency of grace. Grace is; moil: rich when it is moft free : grace is moft grace when: it is moft gratuitous, as is plain to any that underftand' %vhat grace is; for it is a thing that runs freely n no firt or unworthinefs can Hop the current of it. It is a great depth ; and though there be a mountain of fm, it caa cover and overflow it. A mountain of lin can no mors hinder the overflows of grrice, than a rock can hinder the flowing of the fea. This is good encouragement to finners: " Lord, may they fay, we have nothing to engage thee to be gracious to us; but free grace cln move itfelf: there is enough to move it in its own bowels. If fin and unvv^or- thinefs may exclude from grace, we may lie down in for- row and defpair for ever : but it is the glory of grace to run freely, to flow out upon thofe that are moft unwor- O io6 The Riches o/Grkce dlfplayed^ thy ; and therefore, God he mercifid to tis ftnners ; glorify grace on fuch objecls as we are." — So this is another thing in grace that he defigned to manifeft. 3. Th.Q fiver eignty of grace is the riches of it. It is not only the nature and genius of grace to be free, but to be fovereignly free : and the fovereign freedom of grace has appeared eminently in two inflances ; in pitching upon fal- len man, and not upon fallen angels ; and in pitching upon fome men, and not upon all men. — The fovereignty of grace eminently appeared, in pitching on fallen men^ and not onfcdlen angels. They wxre objects equally mifer able with fallen men ; vet there was no sfi^ace for them. When the angels fell, the Father's bowels were Ihut up, and not one thought of grace and mercy rofe up in his heart to- wards them : the Son's lips, which drop fweet fmelling myrrh to men, never let a fyllable of comfort fall to them : the Holy GhoU w^ould not exert his almighty power to re- cover their original rectitude ; but down they muft go in- to the prifon of darknefs, which eternally fhuts out every glimpfe of mercy and grace. But when man fell, the whole Trinity feemed to be moved at it : the bowels of the Father yearned over him ; and, as not content with in- ward compailion, all this breaks out at the lips of the Son ; To you^ 0 men I call^ and my voice is to the fins of men, And becaufe words could not do it, he lays hold of the hu- man nature, and bleeds, and dies in it for their redemp- tion : and in confequence thereof, out comes the Holy Ghoft to make fure w^ork in an a.pplicati6n of falvation un- to us; He is fJjedon us abundantly, — The fovereignty of grace appears likewife in pitching on fime and not on all men; as upon Abel, and not upon Cain; on Jacob, and not on Efau ; on Peter, and not on Judas : the veffels of honour and the vefTcls of diHionour, are both made of the fame iinfui lamp; which is a myftery that muft be refolv- ed into the fovereign plcafure of the God of grace, as the apoftle does it, Rom. ix. 21. Hath not the potter pi^ser in God's Kindnefs to Sinners m Christ. 107 ever the clay^ of the fame lump to make one veffel to honour^ and another to difhonourf I know tliis may be, and is abufed by pride, profanenels, and unbelief; and fo may the whole difpenfation of grace: but it is the riches, the glory of grace ; and in its proper place and ufe, it hath a fignal in- fluence unto the glory of God, and confolation of the louls- of men. — This is the riches of grace which God dciigned to manifcft. 4. The w'lfdom of grace is alfo the riches of it. Upon the fall of man, had it been referred to a confutation of all intelligent beings, angels and men, how he was to be brought from the depth of mifery, to the height of happi- nefs, it would have bewildered and plunged their thoughts to all eternity : and aftef confulting millions of years, they would have returned anfwer, they could think of no way of efcape. But grace interpofed, and propounded Chrift to be God and man in one perfon ; and that he fliould bring God and men together in his perfon, and juftice and mercy together by his blood and fatisfaciion. O the ftrangenefs and wonderfulnefs of this contrivance of grace, or of wifdom acting in a w^ay of grace I Withoui controverfy great is the myflery of godlinefs. Things of fuch a feeming contradicllon meet here, as the wits of men know not how to reconcile; and that in every part of the plan of grace: — as in election, that God at once loved the fmner with an everlafling and unchangeable love, and yet a child of v.rath. — In the work of redemption ; that free grace, rich mercy, and fiilleft fatisfaciion fhould meet too-cther: For truth hath met i.vith inercy. — In tlie Vv^ork of juftiScation ; that one wlio is ungodly fliould be judiried, and one in whom God works inherent ria-hteoufncfs, fliould luand righteous before God's tribunal; not in it, but in the rip'i:teou(hefs of another. — In fanctilication ; how cfTeCLual callinp-, and infallible converlion ilioiild iland v/ith the freedom of man's will. All thefe arc mvfterics of crracc, v/hich God hatli revealed and made up on purpofc to difplay the v/Ucjom oi 0 2 TioB The Riches 5/^ Grace difplayed, grace; to make perfons his own, and befool the world: this is the riches of grace. The wifdom of the God of all grace is a myftery. 5 . The power of grace is the riches of it. The power of grace was difplayed in the plan of grace, as well as in the wifdom of grace. As it could not be contrived but 3by the infinite wifdom of grace, fo it could not be accom- pliflied but by the infinite power of grace. O the power of ;grace in the perfon of the Redeemer, in the publication of ihe dodtrine of redemption, and in the application of re- demption to finners! In the perfon of the Redeemer, in 3iis conception by the Holy Ghoil in the womb of a virgin ! Xuke i. 35. The Holy Ghofl /hall come upon thee^ and the piower of the Highejl Jhall overjhadow thee. By the ordinary laws and courfe of nature, a virgin could not bear a fon ; yea, nothing but fupernatural and almighty grace could effectuate fo holy and perfect a conjunclion, as is in the conflitution of his perfon as God-man. What a wonder of rpower is it that two natures, infinitely diftant, fliould be more intimately united than any thing in the world ! That J:he fame perfon fhpuld have both an infinite joy, and in- ipxprcilible grief; infinite joy in his divinity, and inex- preiTible grief in his humanity ! That a God on the throne, ihould become an infant in the mans^er ; the thundering iCre^tor, a weeping babe, and a fuffering man ! Thefe are fuch expx'efiions of the power of grace, that they aftonifia anen on earth, and angeb in heaven ; and will do fo for ever. —In the dodrine oF redemption ; the doctrine of grace vanquifhed the obRinacy of the Jews, baffled the wifdom of the Gentiles, threw the devil not only out of bodies, but' put of hearts ; tore up the foundation of his kingdom, and planted the crpfs where the devil had for ages eftab- liihed his ftandard. — In tht application of redemption, which tears fame proportion to the power that raifed Chriil froni ^he. dead; Eph. i. 19. And what is the e:cceeding greatnefs cf his power to us-ward who believe^ according to the work- 1 in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. 109 irig of his 7nighty power ^ which he wrought in Chrijl when he raifed him from the dead* To demoliih the ftruclurc of fin, and let up the ftruclure of grace, is a miraculous evidence of the power of grace : it is a greater evidence of power, than the creation of the world. In creation, nothing was / changed into fomething ; but in converfion, hell is trans- formed into heaven, which is more than the turning no- tjiing into a glorious angel. 6 . The jttfiice of grace is the riches of it : only when I fay, that the juftice of grace is the riches of it, I do not mean, that God's difpenfing of grace is an act ofjuftice; but only that God's difpenfation of grace, is very conlift- ent with the honour of juflice: For jufiice and judgment are the habitation of his throne. Whatever juftice did demand, or could demand, was yielded by the Surety. — Did juftice require that the Surety fhould be of one common nature with the fmner ? This is done in our Lord ; For the Word fwas made flefh, — Did juftice require that the law fliould get a finlefs fubjecl to obey it, as it was firft given to iin- lefs Adam? It got that in Chrift; Lo^ I come^ fays our Lord, without all fm ; a fabjecl againft whom, on a perfo- nal account, the law had no challenge, nor could have any; he being holy^ hannkfs, undefded^ and fepar ate from fmner s^ — Did juftice require that the honour of the law iliould be regained, by a perfect ftnlefs obedience? This was done by the Surety ; for he fulfilled all right eoufnefs^ magnified the law^ and. made it honourable* — Did it require life and blood for every breach of the law ? It got it in Chrift ; for he was made a curfe for us^ that he might redeem us from the curfe of the law. — Did juftice demand that the head of the old ferpent jQiduld be bruifed ; and that vengeance fhould be executed upon the grand enemy of God's glory, and man's happinefs ? This is done in our Lord Jcfas ; for he fpoiled principalities and powers. — Did it require that the works of the devil fhould be condemned, and deftroyed ? m This is done \ for he condemned fin in the flefh ^ that the righr no The Riches o/* Grace difplayed^ teoufnefs of the law might he fulfilled in us. So that grace is. vented in a full conliftency with j uftice. The riches of grace are twifted with the terrors of wrath ; the bowels of mercy- are wrapt about the flaming fword of juftice, and the fword of juftice protects the bowels of mercy : Mercy and truth are met together ; righteoufnefs and feace have k'lffed each ether. 7. The coftlinefs of grace is the riches of it. . When A- raunah offered to David room for an altar, oxen and fheep to facrifice for nothing, David cries out, ISlay^ hut I will furely buy it of thee at a -price; neither will I offer burnt-offer^ ings to the Lord my God, of that which cojl me nothing* He fpoke thus becaufe he knew it would be more acceptable to God to make it a free-w^ill offering; not to offer that which was given him, but what he paid for. So it is with God here : faith God with himfelf, " I could have given heaven to thefe men without any coft, but I will be at cofl ; I will not fhew favour to them out of that which coft me nothing : I will give my Son to death for them ; and all to fhew forth more grace." As when he would humble the creature, he would not only have them creatures, but he would permit them to be finners ; he would have them laid as low as hell : fo when he would advance grace, he would not fhew favour immediately ; this would not exalt grace enough : it muft have a deeper dye. It was too fmall a matter for him, to give grace and glory to us, as he did to angels ; he muft be at coft to purchafe it at the higheft rate, the blood of his Son : God fo loved the world, that he ^ave his only begotten Son. — The death of Chrift is fofar from derogating from grace, that here comes in the exceeding riches of grace. 8. Tht fur enefs of grace is the riches of it. Rom. iv. 16, Therefore It Is of faith, that It might be of grace, to the end the frcmifes anight he fare to all the feed. What makes our faivation fure to us ? It is becaufe it is by grace ; By grace ye are faved through faith* What reafon have we to in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. i u difcard that opinion which lays the ftrcfs of our falvatioii upon the free will of man, when we have the free grace of God to build it upon, and which enticeth us to forfake a living fountain, and reft on a broken ciftern? The grace of God is little beholden to that doctrine, which would give its glory to a gracelefs thing, free-will : and as little rea- fon have the fouls of men to thank it, for it feeds them with dreams, and fancies, which will leave them hardly beftead and hungry at laft. 9. The largenefs of grace is the liches of it. Waters do not fo abound in the ocean, nor light in the fun, as grace and compalTion do in the bowels of God towards fmners. Rom. v. 20. When fin abounded^ it overflowed all bounds, it rofe quite above its higheft water-mark. Sin is a great depth ; it is out of meafure finful *, and fo we will find it, if we found it to the bottom : and fo the devils and damned fpiritsin hell fhall find it, whilft they are ftudying their finfulnefs there to eternity, and can never fathom it. But the grace of God is a greater depth; God's free love and grace, is a depth which fwallows up this of fin, more than the heavens do the earth: Let the '■jui eked forfake his ^luay^ and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him return unto the Lord^ and he will have mercy up-' 071 him^ and to our God^ for he will aburidantly pardon : for as the heavens are higher than the earthy fo are my ways higher than your ways^ and my thoughts than your thoughts. It has a breadth, a height, a depth, and length in it, which pafieth knowledge; Eph. iii. 18. That ye may be able ta comprehend with all faints^ what is the breadth^ and lengthy and depths and height ^ and to know the love of Chrift which paffeth knowledge. This place of fcripture compares love and grace to a mighty fea, fo deep that it wants a bottom ; fo deep, as tho' the thoughts of men and angels fhall be diving into it through eternity, they Ihali not reach the ground: fo long and fo broad alfo, that it knows no fhore ; fo that tho' they fliall be failing over it with that fraali compafs of V 112 The Riches of Gkkce difplayed^ their capacities for ever, yet they fhall never come to land : it pafleth knowledge, and fo may be ftiil fearched further into with pleafure. 10. The liberality of grace is the riches of it. Grace is not a fountain fealed, or a fpring fliut up ; but a well of living waters, communicative of itfelf: and the liberahty of grace is feen both in giving, and forgiving. — In forgiv' ing; fo the God of grace is faid to be the Lord^ merciful and gracious^ forgiving iniquity. He is not content with faying, Forgiving iniquity ; but he adds, tranfgrejfion and fin ; to affure us of the largenefs and fulnefs of pardon : yea, to fliew the liberality of grace in forgiving. God in his pro- vidence fuffers fome of his people to fall into all forts of fin, excepting the fin againft the Holy Ghofi: : hence is that word, Matth. xii. 31. All manner of fin and hlafphemy Jhall he forgiven unto men ; hut the hlaffhemy againfl the Holy Ghofl fhall not ht forgiven unto men. He faith not it may be forgiven ; but it fhall be forgiven : which could not be if they were not left to fall into all fins. — The liberality of grace is fliown alfo in giving^ 1 Tim. vi. 17. — The living God who giveth us richly all things to en'ioy. It is faid of the liberal man, that \it devifeth liberal things ; much more will a liberal God devife liberal things : he had a Son, and he devifed to give him ; hoiv fhall he not with him alfo free- ly give us all things f He hath a Spirit, and he pours him forth richly ; fhed on us abundantly. He hath a heaven, and he will befi:ow it: Gcd the Lord is a fun and flneld^ he will give grace and glory, Laftly^ The duration of grace is the riches of it. It is- lafl:ing, yea, eternal: His mercy endureth for ever; his grace faileth never. We w^afte by giving ; but God*s grace is 1 not fpent or diminiflied, by all he hath communicated to gracelefs creatures : it reacheth from eternity paft, to e- ternity to come ; 'The mercy of the Lord is from everlafting td^\ cverlafting upon them that fear him. As it was extended'; from everlafting in the gracious pyrpofe j fo it will be ex-j M in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in CiiRrST, >l-2| tended to evciiafling, m gracious performance : much iS implied in the text, That in the ages to corne^ See. Thef jiches of grace are fo great as requires eternity to exiiauft t fo much riches as that though we iliall ever be fpending it, it will never be fpent. When you come to heaven^ believers, yea, while you are on earth, you may fay by faith. Soul take thine eafe, thou haft goods laid itp for man^ years : thou haft riches of grace laid up for ages of ages.^ which cannot be exhau-fted, fpend as fall: as you can. I might have mentioned other excellencies, which ar©^ juft the riches of grace : But I preceed, IV. To the fourth Head, which was to fpeak of God'si 7nanifeflation of the riches of his grace. And on this we propofe only to mention fome inftances whereby God has iliown the exceeding riches of his grace. And, I . God has manifefted the riches of his- grace in admit-^' ting a Mediator^ when he might have exacted the debt from us in our own pcrfons ; and we being infolvent, he might have puniilied us with an everlafting damnation^ The £inclion of the law, you know, was, In the day thou eatefl thereof thou fJ:alt furely die ': but it was not the precife de- termination that the fmner fhould die in his own pei'fon 5 for then God's faithfulnefs ihould have excluded a Surety r neither was it determined he fliould die in his Surety ; for then the threatening fliould originally have been a promife,' and a promife to fm, which the God of fpotlefs holinefs ne- ver made, nor can n>ake : only in general, the linner fhalE die, either in his own perfon, or in his Surety. Now,' thefe two interpretations lying before God, he interpreted his law, as one expreffes it^ " According to a merciful e- quity, the iinner fliall die in his Surety, when he might have interpreted it thus, The fmner Ihalldie in his own perfon." Was not this grace^ and riches of grace ^ for had he interpreted it, that the iinner Ihall die in his owa perfon, then we fliould have fallen an eternal facrifice.int€> P 114 The Riches o/' Grace dlfplayed, the hands of revenging wrath and jiiflice; whereas now he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, What but infi- nite love and grace could prevail with inexorable juftice fo far, (if I may ufe the expreffion) to difpenfe with the rigour of the law, as to admit of a Mediator, and a Sure- ty-right eoiifnefs in the room of hnners? I own, the fatis- fa^tion of Chrift had an infinite intriniic value in it ; but ftill God might have refufed it. As when Reuben offered Jacob his two fons, as a pledge for Benjamin, Jacob was at liberty either to take them or not. — In a word, though the fatisfaclion of Chrift derives not its acceptablenefs, yet it derives its aclual acceptation from the grace of God ; hence it is called the gift by grace which hath abounded to viajiy^ Rome v. 5. 2. God has manifefted the riches, and the exceeding riches of his grace, not only in accepting^ but providing a Mediator. The reconciliation of God and man, in a way confiftent with God's honour, and man's happinefs, was too ftupenduous a work for the joint w411 and wifdom of creatures. As for man himfelf, he ftood trembling, and knew not which way to turn, thinking God would have fallen upon him prefently. As for fallen angels, they could not imagine any way for man's efcape, more than for their own : and befides, when they had tempted him to fin, and effected it, they imagined the gates of hell were fo ftrongly locked upon him, that no art could make a key to open them. But, perhaps, the unblemiflied wifdom of ftanding angels might have found out a way? no; they feem to have had no thoughts of it, till the revelation of it was made to the church, Eph. iii. i o. To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be made known^ by the churchy the manifold wifdom of God. Had it been obvious to their clear and comprehenfive rea- fon, they would never have ftood gazing on it with afto- nifhment, when it was revealed, as we read they did; Into which things the angels defire to look. But infinite wif- I in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. iij dom, a6hiated by the bowels of grace and mercy, contriv- ed a way to bring home God's baniihed, in a confiftency with juflice; grace cried out, Deliver from going down to the f'lt^ for I have found a ranfom, O how rich and wonder- fid was this grace of God, confidering he was the party offended, and able to have maintained a war againft us to long eternity ! We honour men that bring forth any rare invention ; how then fliould we honour God, for bringing this fmgular invention to light, and giving us the benefit of it freely ? It had been great grace, if God had delivered us upon our finding out our w^ay to him : but how much more when he hath found out a way himfelf ! When Da- rius faw how Daniel was enfnared by his decree, he was extremely troubled, and fet his heart on Daniel to deliver him, but could not ; he behoved to be cafi: to the lions : but when we had brought ourfelves into a fnare, and mull have been cait to the lions for ever, the Lord difcovered this rare invention, whereby we are delivered from the mouth of the roarinsf lion, who croeth about fceking- whora he may devour ; and from evcrlafling deilrucllon, — even Jcfus who hath delivered us from the wrath to come* 3. Another manifeftation of the riches of God's grace, is, God made mamfcft in flefJj, The great God had done exceeding much for man, as he made him at firft ; for he put him into a good eftate, fiamped his image wpon him, and made him, above all the creatures, to be his favourite : but man fooliflily fell from God, and thereby loft all his happinefs. Well, what did God in fuch a cafe? did he let man alone? did he fliut up his bowels of mercy againft him, and fall upon him with his utmoft fury? no; he pitied him, found out a meet help, and fent his ov\^n Son in fielh to redore him: What the law cculd not do^ in that it was weak through the flejh^ God did^ by fcndinrr Lis Son, in the I'lkenefs of fiuful ficJJj ; and he, by a facrifice for fin, condemned fin in the fiefJj, And was not this riches of grace ? God's firft love and grace to man was iu making V 1 Ji6 The Riches o/' Grace difplayed^ Jiim like himfelf ; but his fecond, and great love and grace, Was in making himfelf like man. And, 0 what manner ef love and grace was this ! Here was the tender mercy of our God, the great manifcflation of his love, of his glorious grace, and the exceeding riches of his grace. Did ever Ood give the worid fuch a demonftration of his iove and grace, as here, in the incarnation of his Son ? There is a m^hai manner of love put upon the fons of men, being made the fons of God ; but wliat manner of love and grace w^as ?there in this, that the Son of God fhould be made the fon pf man, when man was at his worft, and fallen into dif- gracel I Ihall only fay, that Chrift's afTuming human na- turty as it was a mailer-piece of wifdom, fo it was a mira- culous monument of free grace. Chrift wrought many aniraclcs in the days of his flefh ; but the greateft miracle of all was himfelf, and his affuming flefli: i Tim. iii. i6. 'Without controverfy great is the myjlery of godlinefs^ God was TJtanifeJl in the fleflj. 4. God has manifefted the riches of his grace, in his not fparing his Son in human nature^ but delivering him up to the death for us alL Not only has he difplayed the riches of 3iis grace, in fending his Son in fieili ; but alfo in punifli- 5ng him in flefh for our iniquities. It is true, his not fparing, but delivering him, is a demonftration of the fo- vereigiity, impartiality, and terriblenefs of God's juftice. puch was his hatred of fin, and his refpe6l to the honour lof his law, th^t the guilty fliall not, by any means, efcape Jiis aven8:ino' wrath: and if his own Son fliali inter- j)ofe in the iinners ftead, and become his Surety, God ivill fall upon him, and not fpare him ; Avjake^ 0 fword^ figainft my fiepherd, agatnfl the man that is my fellow : but it was aifo a demonftration of the riches of his love and grace ^ X John iv. 10. Herein is love^ not that we kvedGod^ hut that h§, loved us, and fent his Son to be the propitiation for pur fins : herein is love ; here is a full, m xnifeft, and \^^ proof of love, in that he fent his Son. Had not Chrifi; in God's Kindnefs to Sinners m Christ. 117 been a perlbn infinitely dear to God, the evidence had not been fo clear ; but that he ilioiild devote him to be facri- ficed, whom he io dearly loved, is the incomprehenfible- nefs of love and grace. Some fay of the Phoenicians, that in their facrifices, they did not ufe to facrifice an enemy, or a ftranger, but one they had a fpecial love for: this God did here, and fo commended his love; God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten • Son. How did he love it? he fo loved it, that htfeemedy for a time, not to love his Son in comparifon of it ; for it pleafed the Lord to bruife him, when the world's need required it : he fpar- ed not him, that he might fpare us; refufed not to ftrike him, that he might be well-pleafed with us: he drenched his fword in the blood of his Son, that it might not be for ever tinged with ours, but that his grace might for ever triumph in our falvation ; and that in the ages to come^ he viight Jljeio the exceeding riches of his grace. 5. God has manifefted the riches of his grace in giving Chri/l, and all things ivith him, by way of grant and offer in the word of grace. As he fhewed the riches of his grace, in giving his Son as a Surety for fome of the human race; ^ io he has fliewed it ia giving him as an oilicial Saviour to the w^hole of the human race without exception : / have given him to be a. light to the Gentiles, and to be my falvation to the ends of the earth. The God of grace, moved by no- thing but the fupcrabundant riches of his grace, hath made a gift, grant, and offer of his Chrift, and with him all tlic bleilings of his purchafe, to mankind iinners indefinitely, without the leaft reftriclion or exception, holdmg him forth to them, be they elecl or reprobate, whatever qualiiication they want, or have, according to that frequently forecited text, God fo loved the world, that he gave bis only begotten Son, that whofoever believeth on him fJjould not teriO:), but have eternal lif^. He doth not delay the exhibition of liis Son to fmners, till they confent to take him ; but he holds him forth in the v/ord of grace, and bids you take him : / hai a: ii8 The Riches o/* Grace difplayedy prepared my dinner^ my oxen and my fallings are killed ; all things are ready* Whatever is neceffary for their juftificati- on, fandlification, and complete falvation, is provided ; let them therefore come as to a marriage feaft, and freely en- joy my munificence, and feaft their fouls with the royal provifion : Ho ! every one that thirjleth^ come ye to the waters. And what is the grand end and defign of thft ? It is that in the ages to come^ he might Jhew the exceeding riches of his grace. And it fhews it to purpofe : for, how foon would the treafures of all the crowned heads in the world be emp- tied, if they kept open doors, and open treafures for all comers, and made every one welcome to come and take whatever they pleafed ; as our Lord does in that word. Ho every one that thirjleth f Whofoever will let htm come. He may partake of fpiritual and eternal blellings, as freely as he drinks of the running ftream. O what a difplay is this of the riches of grace ! T^he grace of God^ fays the apoftle, which brings fahatioj2^ hath appeared to all men, 6. He has manifefted the riches of liis grace in appoint- ing/^/V/j to be the mean whereby we accept of this grace, and 2ire intercfted in it, (as obferved in a former difcourfe on this fubjecl). As God fmgled out our Lord Jefus from all others to be the only Mediator betwixt God and man ; fo he hath fingled out faith, from among all the graces, to be the mean or inftrument of interefting us in Chrift, and all the blefiings of his purchafe ; which tends exceedingly to manifeft and exalt the riches of God's grace, in re- gard faith is a mere receiver : it doth not give any thing to God, as charity and love do ; but receives all that fal- vation which grace would beftow upon it. The hands of all other graces are working hands ; but the hand of faith is merely a receiving hand: hence it is oppofed to works; No^iV^ to hi?n that worketh not^ but believeth on him that juf tifeth the ungodly^ his faith is accounted for right eoufnefs. It gives nothing, but receives every thing; it receives Chrift, it receives the atonement, it receives the gift of righteouf- in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. 119 nefs, it receives the fpirit of grace, it receives remiflion of lins ; but gives none of them. But he likewife difplays the riches of his grace, feeing it feeks all from free grace. As it brings nothing to it, fo it feeks every thing from it, faying, All my wants be upon thee : it will trade at no market, but that of free grace \ where buying is nothing but honeft begging, Buying without money and without price. It tends to difplay the riches of grace, feeing it will receive nothing, but as it lies in a word of grace: God bath fpoken in his hoHnefs, It illuftrates the riches of his grace likewife, as it will have no praife or glory to itfelf, but gives it all to grace. If God had ufed any other grace, as love, repentance, fome honour would have reflecled on them, and fo much would have been taken away from grace : but let faith do what it will, it flill comes in with a yet not I ; — / live by the faith of the Son of God, yet not I. Hereby he illuftrates the riches of his grace alfo, as of all other graces, faith is that which has the greateft tendency to difcover to a foul its own vilenefs and nothingnefs : and indeed, every thing it beholds in Chrift its object, has a tendency to abafe us in our own fight. — Do we by faith behold Chrift*s fulnefs ? this has a tendency to humble us under a fenfe of our own cmptinefs. — Do we by faith look on Chrift as the fountain of righteoufnefs and ftrength? this leads us to fee that in om^felves we have neither righ- teoufnefs nor ftrength. — In a word, as our Lord Jefus did fully glorify free grace, and ferved free grace in its own way ; fo faith is fuch a principle in the foul, as applies it- felf to glorify free grace, to its full fatisfaclion, and to detract nothing from it: It is of fait h, that it might be of grace » 7. God manifefts the riches of his grace, in giving us his Spirit to work in us that faith whereby we receive Chrift, and all bleffings in him; agreeable to that word, I^STit. iii. 5. Not by works of righteoufnefs which we have done ; hut according to his mercy he faved us^ by the wafhing of re- I20 The Riches ^ Grace dlfplayedj generation^ and renewing of the Holy Ghoft, When the QsqA of grace deiigned the great and glorious work of our fal- vation, he appointed, in his infinite wifdom, two great means thereof; the one was the giving of his Son for them^ and the other w^as the giving of his Spirit to thern : and hereby way was made for the manifeftation of the glory of the whole Trinity, which is the utmoft end of all the works of God: hereby the love, grace, and wifdom of the Father, in the projection of the whole ; the love, grace, and wonderful condefcenfion of the Son, in the procurement of grace and filvation from fin \ and the love, grace, and power of the Holy Ghoft, in the effectual application of all to the fouls of men, were made glorioufly confpicuous. In the fulnefs of time, he gave his Son to procure falvation ; and in confequence thereof, he fends forth the Spirit of his Son, in due time, to apply it : he fends him not only in his graces, and comforts ; but in his perfon to inhabit them ; and he fends him in his perfon before he comes either in his graces, or comforts ; for our perfons are the temples of his perfon immediately, and his graces are the furniture he brings along with him, that he may dwell like him^felf : Te are built up an habita- tationfar God through the Spirit. This manifefts the riches of his grace ; yea, is fuch a manifeftation of it, that it has been difputed whether the Son given for us, or the Spirit given to us, be the greateft gift ? Whether God made ynanifejl in the flejh^ or the pouring out of the Spirit on allfiefhy be the greateft favour: both of them are divine perfons ; both of them come down from heaven ; both af them are effects of the fame love : the one fliewed his love in dying for us ; the other in dweUing in us : the one procured all good; the other effectuates all good. Be- lievers, you value the gifts, graces, and comforts of the Spirit, and fo you ought ; but ye fhould value the perform of the Spirit, who is the author, root, and fpring of all. When God gives you the fountain, he gives you tlie , in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. 121 flreams ; when he gives you the mine, he gives you the gold. 8. God manifefts the riches of his grace in hlejfing us^ and that with all fpiritual hlejjings in Chr'ifl Jefus^ as the apollle faith, Eph. i. 3. Bleffed he the God and Father of our Lord Jefiis Chr'ifl^ who hath blejfed us with all fpiritual hlef-^ fjjg^s in heavenly places J in Chrift, He is the bleffed God; and when he bleffes, he bleffes like himfelf, like a God ; he bleffes altogether; he bleffes with all bieffings. When Jacob bleffed his twelve fons, and in them their poflerity the twelve tribes, it is faid in the concliifion, Thefe are th& twelve tribes^ and every man according to his hleffing he blef^ fed them, Reuben got one bleffmg, Jofeph another, Judah another ; none of them got all. But when the God of grace Comes to open the riches and bleflings of grace in Chrift, hc bleffes with all fpiritual blcffings. Every child of his he bleffes ■with the f ulnefs of the bieffings of the gofpel ; for they hang all together in a cluftcr : Whom he did predejlinate^ them he caU led ; whom he called^ them he alfo jiiftified ; and whom he juf^ tified^ them he alfo glorified, God himfelf hath all things, and every believer hath all things too; Rev. xxi. 7. Ho- that overcometh fJjall inherit all things^ and I will be his God<» V. The fifth Head of method was to fpeak of the feafo?2 ! of this manifeftation ; In the ages to come. And, I. By the ages to come may be meant, d\\ fucceeding ages to the end of the world ; and then the meaning is, that God had drawn the primitive Chriftians out of the finful A. and miferable condition they were in by nature, quicken- ed them together with Chrift, raifcd them up together with him, and fct them with him in heavenly places ; that they might be examples, holding forth thefe riches of grace Tod had begun to break up under the gofpel, and would iliew to after ages and fucceeding generations. The pri- mitiv^e Chriftians were patterns to us, in refpecl of their natural condition ; hence the apoftle favs of the EphefianSj ( 122 The Riches ^ Grace difplayed^ that they were dead in trefpajfes and fins ; that they were flaves of Satan, and children of wrath by nature, as well as wc arc in after ages. And they were patterns of grace to us as well as of fm and mifery : he fiiewed this mercy and grace to them, that he might fliew forth in them, the riches of his grace to after generations. God poured forth abundantly the riches of his grace upon them, and fet them up as lights to after ages ; i TheiT. i. 7 . Ton were exainples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia, Nay, God did not only intend them as bare examples, or pat- terns, but as pawns and pledges, that he would go on as he had begun, in after ages to pour forth the riches of his grace: thus Paul's converfion was not only an example, but it was a pawn and pledge of the converfion of other great finners ; i Tim. i. 16. Howbeit for this caife I obtain- ed mercy ^ that in me firfl Jefus Chrift might Jhew forth all longfuffering^ for a pattern to them who fhould hereafter be'^ fieve on hi?n to life everlajling. And fo was the converfion of the Ephefians ; That in the ages to come^ &c. When God converted the primitive churches, he engaged himfelf to fliew like riches of grace, exceeding riches of grace, not to that age only, but to all ages to come ; and flill to the latter ages more grace. It not only holds forth what we may comfortably aik at God's hand, becaufe he hath fliewed the like mercy to others ; but it holds forth what we may confidently expect from him. There are promifes of grace, and there are patterns of grace ; and the patterns confirm the promifes, and fo are helps to our faith. That God hath riches of grace in his own nature ; this is one foun- dation of faith; that he hath made large and Ainiverfal promifes of grace, to finners indefinitely, and fo put thefe riches out of himfelf into promifes ; this is another ground of faith : and that he hath fliewn exceeding riches of grace to others, that were as bad as we, this is another ground of encouragement to faith. As examples ufe to confirm rules, fo examples of mercy confirm our faith in promifes of mercy; in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ, 123 This is a faithful faying^ and worthy of all acceptation^ that Chrifl Jefus came into the ivorld to fave finners ; this is the rule : Of whom I am the chief; here is his example. — This is the meaning of the words, that his delign in ihewing fo much grace to the primitive Chriftians, was to ihew what a trea- iuiy of grace he had to bellow ou future ages to the end of the world: and w^hen all thefe ages fhall be run out, O what inlinite riches of grace will appear to have been in God, which flived men in all ages 1 When all the faints iliall meet together, and all the accounts fliall be given in, what a great expence will it be found God has laid out in their falvation ! 2 . The ages to come may refpecl the ages of the other worlds or eternity; and then the meaning is, that wheit God fhall have ftiown the exceeding riches of his grace to fmners in all ages, in bringing them out of their natu- ral condition, in converting them, and quickening them . together with Chrifl, railing them up at the laft day, and srathering: them all to Chriil; all this intends, that to the ages of eternity he may fliew forth a hidden and unknown treafure of grace, which he will break up in heaven, and expend to eternity. There is an eternity to come, when this world ihall be at an end ; and that eternity will be fpent, in God's communicating, and our receiving riches of grace, and exceeding riches. God does much for his people here in a way of grace ; but he will do much more hereafter. Doth God, in this world, bring them out of their natural condition, quicken them together with Chriit, ralfe them with him, fet them down in heaven v/ith him, he having taken pofiefiion of that for them, which they fliall enjoy for ever? All this is but a foundation, that he may lliew forth the exccedincr riches of his i^race to eter- nity. If thefe be but the foundation, what will the fu- perib'ucture of grace be? If thefe be but the preparations, what fhall the full eiijoymcnt be? In this life, God pur- fucs his people with one loving-kindnefs after ariOther; 0 a i24 The Riches of Grace di/played, but when thefe ages are come, loving-kindnefs will over- whelm and fwallow them up. What is that which God %vill expend upon us in heaven ? he will expend on us the riches of his grace. Sirs, the exceeding riches of God's grace inufl be laid out in fome thing proportionable to itfelf. If a king fhould fay to a man who is faithful and wife. Go take all the riches of my kingdom, and expend them upon fuchan entertainment, the entertainment would befuitable to thefe riches ; fo when God fays to his loving-kindnefs. Go take all the treafures of my grace, and make entertain^ inent for finners of mankind to eternity, that entertainment jmuft bear proportion to the riches of God's grace. And, 0 how great mull it be ! efpecially when it is to make a Ji^ow ; it is made on purpofe to fliew forth thefe riches. O iays a God of grace, I am refolved to fhow how great a God 1 am, how gracious I am, how much I can love a creature; I am refolved to fhew the exceeding riches of my grace, in i^indnefs to eternity: and if fo, how kind muft he be! If ^hafuerus, being a great king, will make a great feafl to ihew the inches of his kingdom, how great and magnificent fhall that feaft be ! So if God will make creatures happy, and undertake to do fo, in order to fliew forth the exceeding riches of his grace, how great muft the glory of heaven be ! and efpecially coniidering Loving-kindnefs is the fteward of all this grace. Grace is at the coft, and gives commiffion to Loving-kindnefs to fpare for nothing ; and confidering its end, if it be to fhew forth the exceeding riches of grace : grace will be fure to provide for its own glory, to fliew itfelf to the utmoft. If Grace fays to Loving-kindnefs, take the command of my treafure, and beftow it to eternity on iinners, Loving-kindnefs will think nothing too good for us to eternity : it will open all the coffers of grace, and thefe are fo full, that though we fliall be for ever fpend-^ ing, they fhall never be fpent : they will require an eter- ^lity to manage them ; yea, through eternity they will be ^s full as they were from eternity. in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. 12^ VI. And, lajlly^ I now come to apply this doclrinCj in the following inferences. From this doctrine we may fee, which of the ferfedions of God has the higheft difplay in our Lord Jefus ; why, the apoftle only mentions this, 'That in the ages to come, he might (hew the exceeding riches of his Grace. He does not fay, that he might fliew the glory of his holinefs, jufticc, or power ; but the riches of his grace : he Ihewed thefe perfections elfewhere ; he fliewcd his power in making the world; his holinefs in giving the law; his juftice in fend- ing the rebel angels and wicked men to hell ; but his grace nowhere fo much as in his kindnefs in Chrift. It is ob- fervable, that when God would fhew his power, he makes a world ; when he would manifeft his juftice, he prepares a tophet ; when he would manifeft his wifdom, he finds out a Mediator ; but when he would proclaim his love and grace, he lays down his life. Here we may fee one difference betwixt the covenant of ivorks^ and the covenant of grace. The end of the covenant of. works, was to fliew man what he w^as to do towards God ; but the end of the covenant of grace, is to fliow what God is to do for man. There are many differences betwixt the two covenants. — They differ in their nature, the one being a covenant of friendiliip, the other a cove- nant of reconciliation ; — in their properties, the one being a temporary, the other an everlafting covenant ; — in their conditions, the condition of the one being the righteoufnefs of a mere creature, and that of the other, being the perfect righteoufnefs of God-man ; — in their fromifes, the promifes of the one being conditional, tliofe of the other being ab- folute ; — in their order of obedience, duty in the covenant of works being the foundation of privilege, whereas in the covenant of grace, privilege is the foundation of duty ; ' — and they differ alfo in their end, the end of the cove- pant of works being to fliew what man was to do towards God, but the end of the covenant of srrace to flicw what 126 The Riches o/* Grace difplayed^ 'is in God towards men ; That in the ages to come^ he might Jhew the exceeding riches of his grace, God's higheft end is not fo much to get any thing from, as to fliew forth the riches of his grace towards you. It is good for us, that he hath made a manifeftation of that, which will commu- nicate all to us, the higheft end of our falvation, I mean, his grace. And, O what a pity is it that legality fliould attempt to fruftrate this end ! Hate legality ; it is a curfed evil, to mingle works with the riches and gracioufnefs of grace, that which of all things in God he delires to fliew forth. Here fee the reafon why God permitted y?;^ to enter into the world, namely, That in the ages to conie^ he might Jljew the exceeding riches of his grace. God never willed fin by his command \ it was never produced by any word of his, as the creation was ; he never faid, let fin be under the heaven, as he faid, let waters be under the heaven: nor doth he will it, by infufing it, or ftirring up inclinations to it ; . for he tempts no man : nor doth he approve of it ; for it is the abominable thing which he hates ; but he willed to permit it, otherwife it had never been ; for he opens ^ and none can JImt; and he JJouts^ and none can open. And why did he permit it ? not for itfelf," but for a greater good, the manifeftation of his own glory, and particularly the gloiy of his grace ; for the reign of fin opened a door for the reign of grace: Rom. v. 21. That as fin hath reigned unto deaths even fo might grace reign through righteoiifnefs unto e- ternal life. Without the entrance of fin, the bowels of mercy had never founded, and the ravifhing mufick of grace, and riches of grace, had never been heard, by a crea- ture. Sin, in its nature, tended to the diflionour of God, and the ruin of the world : yet God takes occafion from it to glorify his grace in the redemption of the world. The angels fong of Glory to God in the higheft^ and good-will to men on earthy in a way of redemption, had never been fung had not fin entered. However, do not think there is any in God's Kindncfs to Sinners in Christ. 127 good in fin ; if it do any good, it is only from infinite kindnefs, that can bring good out of evil, as well as light out of darknefs. Hence fee the reafon why God fuffers fome of his peo- ple to lie long in their graves of fin ; it is, that in the ages to come^ he may fhew the e^cceeding riches of his grace. He loved them with an everlafling love ! and one would think it ftrange, that he who has loved them fo long, fiiould leave them fo long to be as bad as any ; and yet he doth this, becaufe it makes for the praife of his grace. By \\\\% difpenfation he difplays the freedom of grace ; hence is that word, Ilom. iii. 23, 24. For all have finned^ and come fhort of the glory of God: being juflificd freely by his grace ; where you fee the freedom of grace in our juftiiication, is brought in on occafion of our having fmned. When he allows them to lie long in their finful eflate, and then wafhes^ juftifies, fanclifies, and faves them. It is obvious that grace makes all the difference: Who maksth thee to differ f Herein he fliews the power of his grace ; for the longer a faint has lien in fin, the greater power it requires to fave liim from it ; for cuflom in fin petrifies the heart and har*« dens the confcience; Caii the Ethiopian change his Jkln^ or the leopard his fpotsf And likewlfe to difplay the fulnefs of his grace ; for where a poor foul has gone long on,^. adding to the account of his fin, it requires a vaft riches of grace treafured up in the heart of God to difcharge the fame. Hence we may learn the great reafon why God allows fin to continue in his people to the day of their death ; it is, that in the ages to come^ he might (Jjeio the exceeding riches of his grace, Suppofe on the foul's firil clofing with Chriit, fin be call down in the hearts of the Lord's people, yet it is not caft out ; like Daniel's beafi:s, though its dominion be taken away, yet its life is prolonged for a feafon ; yea, it refides in the foul as long as the foul refides in the body, to the great grief and vexation of the Lord's people ; there- fore doth the apoftle cry out, 0 zvrctched man that I am ! whs 128 The Riches ^. Grace difphycd^ Jhall deliver me from this body of fin f And what is the rea- fon of this difpenfation r Various reafons have been aflign-" ed to it ; fuch as, that it is defigned to wean their hearts from the world, and make them long for heaven ; to make them more fenfible of their dependance on Chrift ; to hum- ble them ; to caufe them be more exercifed, both in prayer and praife ; and to make them more watchful : but the principal reafon is, to //:ew the exceeding riches ofgracj. The exaltation of grace is the great end and defign of the con- trivance of man's falvation ; and God's leaving fm to be, and to be active, in the fouls of believers, contributes more to the advancement of this defign, than making them fm- lefs immediately on their converfion w^ould do. The gra- dual expulfion of fin, tends more to exalt grace, than to expel it all at once ; for the more fms are pardoned to a believer, the more giace is exalted ; and in this way more fins are pardoned, than ptherwife would have been. The greater one's fins are, the more free grace is exalted in par- doning them; fo by this difpenfation, free grace hath the glory of pardoning more heinous fms, than thefe commit* ted in the unrcQ-enerate fiate ; for the fins of the o:odlv are moil provoking, as committed ag.unft a nearei' relation, againft greater helps and advantages, and againft greater obligations ; this ihould reconcile the Lord's people to this difpenfation, when they fee this way exalts grace more than the way they would be at : they iliould fay, He does all things ivelL Again, fee the reafon why God paiTes by the ?noft likely^ and pitches upon the mofi iniiikely^ to be the receptacles of his grace. The reafon hereof is juil that in the ages to come^ he might fJjeiv the exceeding riches of his grace. There is nothing more evident, than that he pitches upon the pooreft, the weakeft, the vileft, and moft worthlefs of the human race. Thus the gofpel was revealed favingly to the people who were fcorned by the proud Pharifees, and to thofe that knew not the law \ while thefe doctors of thei in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ, 1:20 chair, were left in ignorance. Chrift vouchfafed an ef- ficacious fermon to the poor woman of Samaria, while Herod, who fwayed a fceptre, could get nothing from him* Pilate mift Chrift on the bench, while the poor thief found him on the crofs ; and heaven with him. Devout Pha- rifccs are palTcd by, and left to periili in their blind zeal, while Publicans and harlots are converted by him ; nay, it is ufually fo : i Cor. i. 26. Not ma?iy wife men after thd Jlefl? ; Jiot many mighty^ 7iot many noble are called: and why is it fo? juft to difplay the riches of grace 5 and it does \t to purpofe, as we may fee in Paul, / was a ferfecutor^ and a hlafphemer ; hut I obtained mercy : he puts- / and mercy to-* get her ; and who would ever have thought thefe two would have met, that were as diftant as hell and heaven ? Who would not, fays the apoftle, have made a hut of exception at me of all the men in the world ? Ananias made a demur about him \ Lord^ I have beard by many of this man, hoia much evil he hath clone to thy faints at Jerufalem: but grace and mercy made none ^ / obtained mercy. By this we may be informed, why it is that God makes his law enter the foul with its commands and curfe, whea he comes to deal with that foul : it is juft that he may fliew the eccceeding riches of his grace. He raifes the convictions and terrors of the law in the confcience, that his grace may afcend the throne in the finner's heart with the more magnificence, honour, andmajefty; Rom. v. 20. 'The laijj entered that the offence might abourui ; not in the life by com- miflion, but in the confcience by conviclion : and why for* That where fin abounded^ grace might much more abound. Of neceflity finners muft ihape their thoughts of grace, that takes away fm, fuitable to the thoughts they have of their fms: if they conceive the one to be little, they cannot think the other great ; but if they tremble at the greatnefs of their fins, they muft needs triumph at the tranfcendency of grace, which fo far exceeds their greatnefs. He that wonders at the height of thefe mountains, will much aiore R 130 The Riches c/ Grace difplayed, wonder, at the depth of thofe waters which fvvallow them up. When fin becomes exceeding finful, grace becomes exceeding glorious. Hence we may fee the fecurlty believers have againft falling from grace totally and finally. Why, it is the end and defign of God in all his kindnefs, to flicw the exceed- mg riches of his grace. It is a temptation wherewith the people of God are ufually haunted after communions, that they v/ill prove dreadful apoflates, magor-miffahihs ^ terrors round about: however, it is nothing but a temptation. Did God, believers, fhew grace to you in your firfl con- verfion, that ye might be to the praife of his glory ? fear not but he will continue his grace, for keeping you in time to come : he has done it in ages pail, and he has promifed to do it in ages to come, to the end of the world. God ' is as rich in grace as ever ; as the fun hath fliined thefe five thoufand years and upwards, and hath as much light in it now as ever ; fo hath God of grace and mercy in him . Can God fhew kindnefs to the world, that is evil and unthank- ful f he flill continues to fliew it forth age after age: and can he not fhew mercy to you, for your little fpace of time, having fhewed you fo much ah'eady ? The grace fliewed you at converfion, may help your faith exceedingly as to your prefervation ; yea, as to your glorification. Rom. v. 10. If when we were ene?nies^ we were reconciled to God^ by the, death of his Son ; much more ^ being reconciled^ we Jhall be faxed i?y his life f Did grace take you at your firft converfion with all the faults that followed you ? certainly he will preferve you to his heavenly kingdom and glory. If it is eafier for your faith to argue from reconciliation to falvation, than from hoftility to pardon and peace, (the change from nature to grace, being gTcater than the change from grace to glory,) and if grace has done the greater, will he not do the lefTer ? Ye may therefore be confident of this, t{iat he who has be^un the good work will carry it on* Hereby we may be informed, what a vilo abufe it is of in Go d's Kindne/s to Sinners 2« Ch R i s t. 131 the grace of God to take the more liberty in Jin, bccaufe grace abounds. It is the ultimate end oi God ; and will na cheaper fluff than the grace of God ferve to make a cloke for fin ? Rom. vi. 12. Sball ive continue in fin that grace may abound f God forbid. The corrupt heart of man is very- ready to draw fuch an inference from the doclrine of grace; but it is mofl unjufl, if we confider the difference betwixt a caufe and an occafion: if the abounding of fin helps to advance grace, it is not of itfelf, but by accident ; by God's over-ruling grace : therefore it is a defperate adventure, to drink rank poifon to try the goodnefs of an antidote ; or to wound ourfelves mortally, to try the virtue of a plaifler. There is a difference again betwixt the pardon of fins pafl, and the allowance of fins future : our fixed refolution fhould be not to fin ; but if we fin, we have the benefit of God's remedy ; i John ii. i . My little children^ thefe things write I unto you that ye fin not : and if any man fin^ we have an advocate with the Father^ J^f^^ Chrifl the righteous, — -In a word, we muil not fin that grace may abound ; but when we have finned, we are to make ufe of abounding grace : ye need not fear your fins though they are great, becaufe of the riches of grace. Hereby we may learn, that there is a direct contrariety bewixt the heart of God, and the heart of a finner. And the reafon is, God is for floewing., and the natural heart is for ?ivi?i{r. Our natural hearts are flill for o-ivino: fome- thing to God: nay, but fays God, my dcfign is not to get from you, but to ffiew what is in myfelf : I will give, and you fhall take. The legal heart is always for giving, but the believing heart is always for taking ; and that is God'j; order. There is, indeed, a connexion betwixt one blef- fing and another; as between jultification and faith, and heaven in the end : but this flows all from grace ; there- fore he is called, the God of all grace : for all is merely out of his grace. Hence fee, that God's o^oodnefs is a crowin(r croodaefs: 11 s 't%z The Riches o/Gkack di/played, why, it is to be Jhewed in the ages to come, God is the 'fountain of ali good ; Every good and f erf ed gift cometh down from the Father of lights, God caufeth his goodnefs to flow forth: he is not only a fountain, but an open and over- flowing fountain ; Thou art good and doeft good. And Jiis goodnefs ever increafeth, and will increafe to eternity : it is like the waters that came down from the Lord's fanc- Stuary, which increafed from ancle deep, to knee deep ; from knee deep, to the middle of the body ; and from that to an impaflible river : / will do better things to you than fit your beginnings, God's goodnefs to the New-Teftament Church is greater than to the^^ld; God having provided for us better things : and his goodnefs to the Church tri- umphant, is alfo greater than to the Church militant : and why does it increafe? juft that the extent of his goodnefs jiiay be more diftinclly confidered, more clearly difcerned, ^nd more univerfally admired; That in the ages to comey f)e might Jhew the exceeding riches of his grace. From this doclrine fee, that humility well becomes the 5:ieople of God : why fo ? becaufe the end of all is to fhew the exceeding riches of grace. If thou be a velfel of gold, and thy brother a veiTel of wood, Be not high minded^ but fear ; it is God that maketh thee to difl'er : and the more bounty God fliews, the more humility he requires. Thefe mines that are richeft, are deepeft ; thefe ftars that are higheft, feem fmallefl ; the goodlieft buildings, have the loweil foundations; the more God honoureth men, the jnore they fhould humble themfelves ; the more the fruit, the lov/er the branch on which it grows, O how full was the apoftle Paul? yet how low was his language of himfelf f The leaJ}offaints ; lafl of apoftle s ; chief of finners ; ?ict fufficient to think one good thought : all that he is, is by grace ; By the grace of Gody I am zuhat I am. Hence we may fee a noble reafon for that great variety fp vifible in God's difpenfations towards his people, both |)f;fore and after converfioHj namely. That in the ages to in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. 133 £Dme^ he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace. • They are all by nature in the fame ftate of fin aud mifery with other men ; and their characters, in that fituation, however odious, are left upon the fcripture records, as ferv- ing to illullrate the glory of his grace in their falvation. 1 he paffage before us is a proof of this ; A?nong whom (de- vMs and wicked men) we all had our converfation in times fajl^ in the lujls of our Jlejh^ fuljilling the deftres of the flejh and of the mind. And why does he mention thefe, but as a foil to fet off the beauty of mercy ? But God who is rich in mercy^for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in fins ^ hath he quickejied us^ — that in the ages to come, he ini^'ht foew the exceeding riches of his grace, God commanded Joihua to take twelve Hones out of the midft of Jordan, and fet them up ; and what was the rea- fon \ why, that this may be a fign among you, that when your children fliall aik their fathers in time to come. What mean you by thefe Jlonesf then ye fJmll anfwer thetn. That the waters of Jordan were cut off from the ark cf the covenant of the Lord^ when it faffed over Jordan^ — and thefe fl ones fh all be a w.emorial for the children of Jfrael for ever : even fo, God liath, by his pardoning mercy, taken up fome great noto- rious fumers out of the very depth of fins, and fet them up in his word, that, to the end of the world, poor tempted fouls, when they fee what God has done for thefe, may hope he will do as much for them : no iins, tho' as great and many as the waters of Jordan themfelves, fliall be able to ftand before the grace of God, but fliall all be cut off, and everlaitingly pardoned. Thefe notorious fmners, whom grace hath waflied, fauclified, and faved, ferve a^ a land- mark, to fliev/ what large boundaries grace hath fet to it- felf, and how far it hath gone; even to inclofc thefe fin- ners who lay, as it were, at the very bottom of hell, in- gulphed in all manner of abominations. If tempted fouls were daily walking thro' this circuit, and reviewing where thc.utmofl ftonc of pardoning mercy is fet, they v/ould not 134 ^^^ Riches ^ Grace dlfplayed^ j-uflle in the ftone to the prejudice of God, by their unbe- lief, as they do ; nay, fuppofe they found their fins greater than any on fcripture record, yet they are not fo great as the fins of all whom grace hath pardoned ; and grace can forgive their fins, tho' they were as great : it could for- give all thefe fins, if they were in one heap, juft as well as now when they are in feveral heaps ; Behold the Lamb of God^ which taketh away thefm of the world. From what has been advanced, we may fee the reafon why God permits fin to make fearfid irruptions^ at fome- times, in the lives of his own people ; it is, that in the ages to coine^ he might fhew the exceeding riches of his grace. Not only does God allow fin to rcfide in the fouls of his faints to their dying day, but to make great adual irrup- tions in their lives ; and not only in the loweft fize, or ordinary fort of believers, but in thefe of the highefl: : wit- nefs Noah's being left to the fin of drunkennefs, who was a preacher of righteoufnefs ; and whofe righteous foul was vexed with the evils of the old world : and David, a man after God's own Heart, being left to murder and unclean- nefs; with many other heroes in religioti. Now, why does God fuffer this? it is juft that in the ages to come^ he might Jhew the exceeding riches cf his grace : for fuch blots in the lives of the godly are blackeft ; and fo grace is the more exalted in removing them. The greateft revenue of praife is paid into the exchequer of grace from thefe who have great fins pardoned : he that hath talents forgiven, will love more than he that hath but pence : and where there is moft love, it is likely there will be moft praife. Here we may be taught the reafon why later converts^ fometimes outftrip earlier converts in grace and religion ; it is, that in the ages to come^ he might Jhew the exceeding riches of his grace. There is nothing more certain, than that later converts may outftrip older ones injeligion, from that word, Matth. xix. 30. Many that are fir ft ^ fiall he laft ; ^nd the I aft Jh all befirft. Thus the apoftle Paul, who pro- in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. 135 feffed himfelf to be one born out of due time^ yet laboured more abundantly than all the apojlles^ who had religion before him ; and our text is the reafon. No doubt this falls out fometimes by the fault of firft converts : by their pride, lazinefs, and fecurity, they are thrown back behind many, who for a time had nothing of God, and goodnefs in them; but it is chiefly owing, to the larger meafures of grace, vouchfafed later converts above others ; for which no rea- fon can be afiigned, but fovcreign pleafure, or grace. God is arbitrary in his gifts, but not in his judgment: in con- verting grace, as to time and degree, he acls as a free Lord, Rom. ix. 16. So then it is not of him that wllleth^ nor of him that runneth ; but of God that (heweth mercy. Among the fons of men, all are born infants; but among the fons of God, fome arc born ftrong men at firft ; fo Paul feems to have been, i Cor. xv. 10. But by the grace of God^ 1 am ivhat I am : aiid his grace which was be/lowed on me was not ' in vain^ but I laboured 7nore abundantly than they all ; yet not /, but the grace of God which was with me* Again, we may fee the reafon why our Lord converts fome juft when they are mad in their oppofition to him ; it is juft, that in the ages to come^ he inay fl^ew the riches of his grace. Many a time our Lord meets men in their high- eft refolutions for fm, with the higheft efficacy of his grace: thus pcrfons have come to the place of public worftiip, to deride and feoff at the difpenfation of the word ; and yet they have been met with in that place, and converted to God. Sometimes perfons have been deftgned to perfecute the faints ; and in an inftant, have been ftopt in their courfe, -by the power of converting grace. — Dionyiius the Areopa- gite, is an inftance of this work of God's love and grace : Paul is dragged before him to plead for his life, as 1 fetter forth of Jlrange gods^ which at Athens was death by law ; in this frame of fpirit, God meets with him by his grace, and immediately fin decays in the womb, and he cleaves to Paul and his doftrine, Ads xvii. 34* — The a- 136 The Riches of Grace dlfplayed^ poftlc Paul himfelf, is an inflance of this myftery of the love and grace of God \ for our Lord encountered him ib full carreer, when his heart was more than ordinarily fet on mifchief, and near tlie place of doing it, fiiuts up the womb of fm, and dries the breafts, fo that he cries out, Lord^ what wilt thou have ?ne to dof And he could never forget this circumftance ; fo he intimates, that this is the way of God's procedure with others, even to meet thera with his converting grace, in the height of their iln and folly: For this caufe I obtained mercy ^ that in me firj}^ J^fi^^ CJiriJ} might fhew forth all long-fuffering^ for a pattern to them 'which fJjQuld hereafter believe on him to life everlafling, Ta be fuffered to profper in iin, is one of the firil judgments; to be kept back from fin, efpecially by converting grace, is the firft of mercies ; and this our Lord does. Job xxxiii, 1 6. Then he openeth the ears of man^ and fealeth their in- flruclion^ that he may draw man from his purpofe^ and hide, fride from man. From this fee, v/hy God fometimes goes into gracelefs families^ and makes them gracious ; it is to floew the ex- ceeding riches of grace. Although falvation is moft ordi- nary among the feed of the godly, yet God fometimes takes men of an evil ftock, and makes them godly ; as a rofe may grow upon a thorn, fo a fprig of an ill flock may be grafted into the tree of life : thus godly liezekiah was the fon of Ahaz ^ Joiiah, the fon of Amnion ; — that he may fhew the exceeding riches and freedom of his grace. Car- nal parents, as much as in them lies, obflrucl and flop up the courfe of mercy, from defc ending to their children : does it not then heighten the riches of grace, to break through this obflruclion, and make their children monu- ments of grace and mercy ? Hence we fee the reafon why God refijls the prcud^ and refpecls the lowly. When a Philofopher of old was alked, what God was doing ? he anfwered ; That his whole work was lifting up the humble, -and calling down the proud :^ in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ. ■ i%f arid fcripture fays the flimc, Pfal. cxxxviii. 6. Tho^ the Lord he h'lgh^ yet be bath r effect to the lowly ; but the proud heknow-*^ etb afar off, James iv. 6. God rejifleth the proud; hut he. giveth grace to the humble. Not becaufe this frame of foul is mcritorioLis of God's grace, but becaufe a humble dif^ pofition beft ferves God's great ciefign of lifting up, and glorifying his grace. What was God's end, from the lay- ing the foundation, to the putting on the cope-ftone o£ grace, but juft to exalt the riches of grace: this is what he will have magnified to eternity ; and it is not pride, but humility of fpirit, that fuits God's defign of exalting the freedom and riches of grace bcft. It is not the lega- lift, but the evangelill; not the proud Pharifee, but the poor Publican, who is fmitting on his breaft, and crying, God be merciful to me a firmer^ that fubmits to the revelati- on of grace. A foul is never truly humbled, until it be brought to make mercy and grace its only plea ; and to boaft in the freedom, the fuitablenefs, and the largenefs of mercy. Hence we may learn, w^hy God lets matters come to aii extretnity^ with his children and people, before he relieve them ; it is to fliew the exceeding riches of his ^race. Not only does our Lord aillicl his people, but he ufes to lefc things come to the utmofl point of extremity, before he relieve them ; thus he nev-er appeared for Abraham's re- lief, till he was juft going to thruft the bloody knife inta Ifaac's throat ; nor the Ifraelites, till their bondage was at the greateft height ; nor the Jews from Haman's plot, till the decree was paft, the letters of execution written, and the pods fcnt off vrith them : and why ? it is juft that his mercy and grace may be the more confpicuous. If our Lord w^ere to help them, before matters come to an extre- mity, they might imagine, their own wifdom, and power had brought relief: but when he ftays till extremity, the jlielp of grace is more vifible" to them. And as he does it ^o make his grace and mercy more confpicuous, foto make 138 The Riches o/' Grace dlfplayed^ them greater in their eyes, and advance the glory of his | grace. God's time of help, is ufually when man's time of help is gone; juft that the preflures of his people may be the prefaces of his mercy ; Noiv will I rife^ faith the Lord; now will I be exalted. Hence fee why God has put omv ft ock into Chrift's hand, and not into our own ; it is, that in the ages to come^ he might fhew the exceeding riches of his grace* It is fure and certain, in that our Lord Jefus is our treafury and llore- houfe. In him are hid all the treafures of wifdom and know- ledge ; and it f leafed the Father that in him f}:oxdd all fulnefs dwell : but why fo ? Several reafons are given for it ; fuch as our incapacity to hold the ftock of grace defigned ; for we are but vefTels, not able to receive all the grace defign- ed to come to us : hence the Lord's people when like to be overpowered with his grace, and forced to cry out, Stay me with flagons., comfort mc with apples^ for I am ftck cf love* Their infufficiency to manage all the grace to be given, is another reafon of it. If man in his beft eflate could not guide his ilock, far lefs we in our linful eflatc ; and therefore it is laid up in Chrift's hand, and it is to hearten them in a time of need, as it cannot mif*: to do: how can it be but comforting to a believer, to think when he has nothing in his own cup-board, that he has fulnefs, all fulnefs in Chrift? But the great reafon is, to fhew the exceeding riches of his grace. Had God given his people their flock of grace, and left them to the improvement of it, he had been magnified indeed, becaufe it was more than he owed them ; but he had not been fo magnified as he is now, when the believer is daily beholden to Chriil for grace ; when Chrift follows them with grace and flrength for every condition, and trial ; as it is faid of the Ifraelites, The rock folhwed them, ' Here fee 11 fuffident anfwer to all the arguments of un- belief viz, that the ultimate end and defign of all God's kindnefs is the exaltation of the exceeding riches of his grace • in God's Kindnefs to Sinners ^w Christ. 135 There is a generation that will not only doubt, but argue for their doubting ; they will not only decline believing, but they will plead the caufe of unbelief, from their own iinpreparednefs, then* own unworthinefs, the greatnefs of their fins, and their continuance in fin : but here is a fuf- ficient anfwer to them all ; that the fuprerae end of God in faving men, is the glorifying of the riches of his grace. If God had told us how much he hath done, and would do out of love to us, we could not have believed it ; but when he tells us, that the principal thing that moved him, is the manifeftation of the riches of his grace, this may fa- tisfy the foul ; this is fuch a reafon as the heart may ac- quiefce in: this takes off all objections; and the fi:ronger thefc objedions arc, it gives more and more hope ; becaufc all objedions become but matter for God's free grace to fhcw its riches on the finner. From this fee, that if believers be ftraitned^ it is not in God, but in themfelves j for he delights to JJjew the exceed- ing riches of his grace. If there come but a little light in- to the room, the defecl is not in the fun, but in the nar- rownefs of the window. If a vefl*el fill but flowly, the fault is not in the emptinefs of the fountain, but in the fmallnefs of the pipe. If mercies come to us but fparingly, it is not becaufe God is unwilling to befi:ow, but becaufe we are unwilling to receive them : to us belongs the fhame^ Hence fee the great matter we fhould Iludy to know; it is God's grace in Chrifi: Jefus. The glory of grace is God's utmoft end in our falvation ; and fo of all things we fliould feek to be acquainted with free grace. This is the fum and fubftance of the gofpel ; and Ihould be the fum and fubfl:ance of our knowledge. A man may ftep out of the way in other things, and not fi:ep out from God ; but when a man fieps out of the way and road of free grace. to any thing elfe, he is faid to turn from God; hence is . that exprelfion. Gal. i. 6. / mar-eel that ye are fo foan remove- id from him that, called you ^ unto the grace ofChrifl^ to cniothat ;i4^ The Riches o/" Grace difplayed^ go/pel ; becaufe they did not hold the doctrine of giacCa It was God's great end to advance grace ; and therefore, he calls ftepping afide from the do6lrine of it, a fruftraiing cf the grace of God: it fruftrates the great delign of God, Gal. ii. 2 1. There are two things the fubje6l matter of the gofpel, the Chrift of God, and the grace of God : the Chrift of God; therefore it is called the gof pel of Chrift : the grace of God; therefore it is called the zvord of grace ^ and t\iQ gofpel of the grace of God: and to divert from Chrift, 5s to turn to another gofpel^ according to the apoftle : and Jie pronounces a ciirfe upon any that fhall do it, even upon ?ingels themfelves. Here we may fee good reafon why all our obedience fhould be nothing but thankfidnefs to God : why ? becaufe Ood's end and defign is to exalt the riches of his grace. Our obedience fliould not therefore be a peace-offering, but a thafik-offering : thus grace was the fpring of the apoftle's obedience, 2 Cor. i. 2. We have not walked in flefhly wfdom^ hut by the grace of God we have had our converfatlon among :4he Gentiles, Flefhly wifdom was not the motive that ilirred up his obedience, but the grace of God. Hence we fee why God has appointed union to the per- son of Chrift to be the way of tranflating iinners from the covenant of works to the covenant of grace : it is juft that in the ages to co?ne^ he might fhew forth the exceeding riches if his grace. Hence we may informed, why God frequently lays the . heavieft burdens on the weak eft hacks ; it is, that in the ages to co7V.e.^ he may fiew the exceeding riches of his grace. It is lure and certain, that the weakeft get the heavieft burdens from that word, i Cor. i. 2 7. But God hath chofen the foolifh things of this loorld to confound the wife ; and God hath cho- fen the "meak things of this worlds to confound the mighty. If jif. ;he back grows the weaker, the burdens are increafed; it is but an^ordinary piece of management in the myftery of Gn-^ which accounts for that order, Ffal, xl. 31. T^bey 6C in GoTth Ktndnefs to Sinners in Christ. 141 'that wait on the Lord/hall renezv their Jlrength, Now, why does God lav the heaviefl burden on the weakeft backs? it is not only to dilplay the power of his hands, but the power of his grace; 2 Cor. xii. 9. My grace is fufficieni for thee: for my firehgt'h is made perfect in weaknefs, '' The more ready (as one fays) the houfe is to fall, the more does appear the efficacy of the prop that holds it up." Here we may fee why God fometimes defer ts his people; it is to f^jew the- exceeding riches of his grace. It is true, he never tryfts his people with eternal defertion, but he fre- quently tries them with a temporary defertion; For a f nail 7noment have I forfaken thee. He never tryfts them with a defertion as to the being of grace ; but he frequently tryfts them with a defertion as to comfort. Many a time they lofe the fenfe or feeling of God's love, yet they have his prefence, and they remain objects of love; Pfal. Ixxiii. 23, Neverthelefs I am continually with thee ; thou haft holden 7ns by my right hand. Well, why does he defert them ? it is juft to ftiew the exceeding riches of his grace : for this dif- penfation heightens the value and efteem of his gracious prefence, as we may fee in the fpoufe, Song v. 6. / opened to my beloved^ hut my beloved had withdrawn hifufelf and was gone: my foul failed when he fpake : I fought hira^ but I cbidd not find him'; I called him^ hut he gave me no anfwer. Hence we may fee the reafon why the covenant of grace was made with our Lord Jefus^ and not with us in our own perfons : why, that he might fhew the exceeding riches of his grace. The covenant of works was made with man, a mere man ; but the covenant of grace with God-man; Pfal. Ixxxix. 3. / have made a covenant with my chofen^ or my chofen one: and our part of it is only to accept the bleilings of the covenant, fully purchafed by the Saviour, and prefented to the finner: and why is it fo? Several reafons might be given for it ; fuch as, becaufe God could not enter into a conditional covenant with us bankrupts : thut the communication of righteoufnefs and life might 14* The Riches g/* Grace difplaycd^ be In as compendious a way, as the communication of fin and death ; for as by one marHs difohedience^ many were made firmer s ; fo by the obedience of one Jhall many be made righteous : but the grand reafon is, that it might be to us a covenant of grace, a compofition of mere grace ; had it been made with us, tho' the conditions of it had been never fo low, it had been a covenant of works ; for to him that workethy the reward is not reckoned of grace ^ but of debt. But Chrift Jefus being the fole undertaker and performer of the con- dition, it is a covenant of pure grace, and all ground of boafting is taken away ; Where is boa/ting then f it is ex* eluded. O but this is lingular grace to ftand under Chrift*s covenant, to get all bleffings as one with him ; to be in cafe to claim them all in his right, by virtue of the cove- nant made with him ; and to perform all the duties of the covenant, as accepted in the perfon of Chrift, the Lord receiving them all from the hand of Chrift, Rev. viii. 3, 4. Hence fee why the covenant of grace was made with Chrift from eternity ; it was that in the ages to come^ he might Jhew the exceeding riches of his grace. Although the covenant of grace was the fecond covenant, in refpecl of or- der and manifeftation to the world ; yet it was fr/ly in re- fpecl of being, being actually made with Chrift from eter- nity; and hence called an eternal covenant^ Heb. xiii. 20.: and why was it fo ? juft that he might fliew the exceeding riches of his grace. The love of God is eternal ; / have loved thee with an everlafling love: but if the covenant of giace had not been made from eternity, it would have re- mained a pent-up affeclion in his own bo^vels ; but the covenant being made from eternity, it got an early vent, even from eternity, and did not wait the flow motion of its objects creeping out of the womb of time. Hence grace is faid to be given us in Chrift Jefus^ before the foun- dation of the world; and eternal life is faid to be fromifed before the world began ^ viz. to Chrift as our head and re- prefentative, Titus i. 2. In hope of eternal life^ which Qoi that cannot lye fromifed usy before the world began% in God's Kindnefs to Sinners in ChRist. 143 Here we may be informed, why God fo fpeedily revealed the new covenant, after the fall of man ; becaufe he want- ed to Jheiv the exceeding riches of bis grace. No fooner had man broken the covenant of his God, and forfeited his life to juftice, and the threatening of death was ready to be executed upon him, than God made the fweet and fur- prizing intimation of life to found in his ears, in that firft promife, The feed of the woman fhall bruife the head of the ferpent ; which was the firft ftream that ever flowed from the fountain of grace, in the heart and purpofe of the God of grace. As foon as man was made, he haftencd to ruin himfelf ; and God almoft as foon as he was ruined, made hafte to recover hinh; as a tender parent flies to refcue his child, fallen into fire or water, and hugs it in his arms moft compaffionately ; fo our heavenly Father, fpeedi- ly refcued our firft parents from their fallen eftate, by the hand of this promife, and embraced them in the bofom of his love moft tenderly : this was love and grace indeed ; fpeedy kindnefs is double kindnefs. Had the God of grace promifed man recovery a thoufand years after his fall, it had been a glorious a6l of grace ; but he promifed it per- haps the very day he fell : this proclaims divine grace doubly glorious. O the riches of grace to wretched man! that would not fufFer him to lie defpairing in his mifery; that would not permit the old ferpent to infult over him and his mifery ; that would not fupprefs the yearning of his bowels of mercy to miferable undone men; that would not defer the publication of the foul-reviving gofpel of Chrift, the finner's falvation, and the ferpent's damnation /i/r one day! Hence learn, why God allows mountains of oppofttion^^ to be rolled in the way of his greateft and moft glorious, works for his church and people ; it is, that in the ages to come^ he might fhew the exceeding riches of his grace. As for inftance, the falvation of the fons of men bv Chrift, whom he had chofen before all worlds, is a bufinefs M^hich of all ~ 144 ^^^ Riches ^ Grace difplayed^ others he moft mindeth, and effectually intendeth; but doth he bring it about without oppoiition ? no ; never did fuch mountains lie in the way of any bufinefs. Adam, lins, and in him all thefe \vhom God meant to fave; fo their way to heaven was quite blocked up : mountains of iin make a feparation betwixt him and them, which all the> power of men and angels could no more level, or remove, than they could remove a real mountain at once ; but the Son of God comes, and throws all thefe mountains in- to the bottom of the fea, firft by price, and then by power ; that in the ages to come^ he mi^ht Jhew the exceeding riches of his grace. No doubt, he does it to confound his ene- mies the more; but it is chiefly to fhew his grace to his people : for he renders vengeance to his enemies^ and \% mer^ ciful to his people^ at one and the fame time, Deut. xxxii, 43- Here we may be informed, why the oj^er and exhibiti- on of falvation is univer/al, tho' the furpofe and purchafe ht particular ; it is, that in the ages to come^ he might Jheiv the exceeding riches of his grace. The purpofe is particular j accordingly we read of a remnant according to the eledion cf grace : the purchafe is like wife fo ; / lay down my life for my fJoeep, But the tender is very large and liberal; flil- vation in a way of grace, is not only publifhed, tendered, and offered to Chrift's feed, by eleclion given to him ; but alfo to the whole vifible church, wherein there are more tares than wheat ; yea, even unto them that are out of the vifible church, Pagans and Infidels. Thus when the Jews reject- ed the tender of the gofpcl, and thereby judged themfelves unworthy of eternal life, the apoflles turned to the Gentiles, and preached to them; and fo he was found of them that fought him not^ and was made manifefl to them that afked net after him : nay, gofpel offers know no limitations ; Who- foever will let him come ; and the reafon is ? jufl to fliew the exceeding riches of his grace. Several reafons may be given for it J as that the elect feed of Chrift may be effectually in GoD*s Kindnefs to Sinners in Christ.' f 4J^ Called, and gathered from among the corrupt niafs of man-^ kind ; for God*s cle the Sun of Right eoufnefs^ arifing with Healing in his Wings. Malachi iv. 2. But unto you that fear my name, Jloall the Sun of Righ- teoufnefs arife ivitb healing in his ivings. ' I ^ H E prophet Malachi has many a contcft with the '^ Jews in this book, for feveral impieties which reign^ ed among them. In the 1 3th verfe of the preceding chap- ter, he contends with them for their athcifm, and their blafpheming the providence of God 5 Tour words have been flout againfl me, faith the Lord; yet ye fay, what have wfr fpokenfo much againfl thee? Among other anfwers the pro- phet gives to this blafphemous charge, he tells them there was a fad day coming, when the jmlice of God's dealing fliould be manifeft ; when they themfelves would difcern a clear difference betwixt thofe that ferved God, and thofe thatferved him not: and this difference which was to be made, is infilled upon in the beginning of this chapter; For behold ^ the day cometh that fl? all burn as an oven. They looked for the day of the Lord, as if that would heal all their troubles : no, faith the prophet ; it fhall be fuch a day as you dream not of: ^hey looked for peace, but behold trouble; for li^hty but behold darknefs : they looked for a day that would fhadc them from the difpleafure of the almighty; hut behold^ faith he, the day of the Lord fhall burn as an oven. What that day is has been much queftioned : fome would have it to be the day of the laft judgment only ; and according- ly they underftand the rifmg of the Sun of righteoufnefs, of his laft appearance to judgment: others underftand it of the day of Chrift's appearance, and manifeftation in the 1S2 Christ, the Sun of Right eoufnefs^ flefli, which, to fome, would be a day of grace and rejoicing, indeed ; but, to others, a day of gloominefs and trouble ; this fenfe is favoured by what is faid, chap.iii. ver. 1,2. The Lord whom ye feek Jhall fuddenly come to his temple^ even the mejfenger of the covenant whom ye delight in : behold he Jhall come^ faith the Lord of hojls, — But who inay abide the day of his coming f arid who Jhall Jland when he appear eth f for he is like a refiner^ s fre^ and like fullers' foap. Accordingly, a fearful day came upon them who rejected the Lord Je- fus Chrift, and crucified him who came in the name of the Lord to fave men. But left the mourners in Zion, who waited for the conflation of Ifrael^ and who feared tloe 7idme of the Lord^ and trembled at his word^ fliould be difcourag- ed at this denunciation of wrath upon the wicked ; All the . proudy fays he ; yea, and all they that do wickedly, fhall be Jlubble ; and the day that co7neth fhall burn them up, faith the Lord of hoJls, that it fhall leave them neither root nor branch » The prophet, in the words of our text, feafonably admi-' nifters a cordial for cheering their drooping fpirits ; and, as it were, brings forth a fcreen to defend them from this confuming lire : But unto you that fear my name, this day fhall put on a very diiierent afpecl. — The wicked fliall be wounded, fliall fall, and arife no more ; but ye fliall be healed. — They, like hay and ftubble, fliall be caft into un- quenchable flames ; but ye, by the kindly influences of the fun of right eoufnefs, fhall go forth and grow up as calves of the ft all. In the text you may obferve, I . The character of the godly ; — Tou that fear my name. They are not under the reigning influence of a fervile fear and dread of God, as a flave is of his hard and cruel mafter ; for they have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear, but they have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby they cry, Abba, Father, This filial fear, and holy reverencd of God, is the reigning difpoiition, arx} diftinguifliing cha- racler of all his children. It includes in it a deep impref- fion of his glorious majeftyj joined with a warm aflectioii arifrng ivith Healing in his Wings, 1^3 to himftlf, and to :ill his pcrfecllons, as they fliine m the perfon of Chriil ; and this leads them forth to holinefs and circumfpeclion in their life and converfation : this leads them to exercife a con Rant jealoufy over themfelves, to av^oid everything that might offend him, and to run chear- fiilly in the way of his commandments. Let iis hear tha conclufion of the lohole matter^ faid the wife man ; fear Gody and keep his commandments ; for this is the whole duty of man, — Thcfc are the perfons, and this is their character, who fliall h^ hid in the evil day. And therefore you may ob- lerve, 2 . The comfort and happinefs promifed to them, even when it iliould go ill with the wicked: — Unto you flmll the fun of right eon fnefs arife with healing in his wings. Our Redeemer is made known in fcripture by a great variety of metapho- rical names: — but lanQ:ua2:e fails to defcribe his excellcn- o o cies. Thefe figurative characters, however, are multipli- ed to an exceeding great number, for helping us to con- ceive of his glory; and that the deficiency of one might be fuppHed by the peculiar excellency of another. And hence we find him fometimes called a lamb, and fometimcs a lion ; fometimes a root, and fometimes a tree ; fometimcs a rofe, and fom^etimes a lilly ; fometimes light, and here the fun. And becaufe he is infinitelv above them al!, there is* ufually fome aggrandizing epithet added to thefe characters when applied to him. Is he a lamb? he is the Lamb of God: — Is he a lion? he is the Lion of the tribe of Judah : — Is he a rofe ? he is the rcfe of Sharon, and the lilly of the vallies : — and is he the fun? he is the Sun of righ- teoufiefs ; Unto you that fear ?ny name, fays our text, fJjall the Sun cf righteoufnefs arife with healing in his wings. Let none pafs their fevere cenfures upon this mixed rr?etaphor, which gives wi?igs to the fun. The figure is bold ; but it is written by the pen of infplration, whicli all true Chriilians will regard with huaaility and reverence. U 154 Christ, the Sun of Right eotifnefs^ The wings of the fun are certainly his beams or rays ; and may be fo called, becaufe, like wings, they furround, clothe, and adorn him : — becaufe of the fwiftnefs of his apparent motion : no fooner does he arife than he inftant- ly fpreads forth his beams, like wings, over the w^hole he- mifphere ; and hence we read of the wings of the morning : — and becaufe all the creatures on earth are gathered under them, and are cheriflied and made to grow by their influ- ences. And thus, by the wings of the fun of right eoufnefs^ we are to underftand all the emanations of grace and mercy, of light and warmth, which come from him to fmners, for their life, happinefs, and comfort : He fhall cover thee 'with his feathers^ fays the Pfalmift ; and under his wingi fhalt thou truft. His truth fij all be thy fhield ojid buckler. The fearers of God's name are frequently in a dark and black night ; but this is their comfort, that God, who is faithful, hath promifed that the morning fhall dawn, and the fun of righteoufnefs fhall arife. They are often under fore and painful difeafes, which men and angels cannot cure ; but he ihall arife with healing in hi\ wings, David, the king of Ifrael, received comfort to his foul in his dying moments, from a believing view of this promife, 2 Sam. xxiii. 4. A}2d he fhall be as the light of the raorning^ when the fun rifeth ; even a morning without clouds ; as the tender ■ grafs ff ringing out of the earth by clear fhinlng after the rain* DocT. It is the comfort and happinefs of the fearers of God^s name^ in the worft of ti?nes, that our Redee?Jier^ the Sun of Right eoufnefs^ fbcdl arife with healing in his- wing-s. We do not at prefent intend to enter upon the charader of the godly, here filled th.Q fearers of his name : — but iliall confine ourfelves to the other branch of doclrine,. and ol> ferve the following method. arifing ivith Healing in his Wings ^ ISS I. To fpeak of our Redeemer as the Sun of nghteoufiiefs. II. Of liis arifing, III. Of the healing in his wings. IV. Confirm the doctrine. And then, V. Make fomc application of the whole. I. We are firft to fpeak of Chrifl: as the Sun of right eouf- nefs. And upon this I would firil enquire, what is imported in his being lliied, the Sun : and fecondly, what in his be- ing ftiled, tl^e Sun ^ Right eg usni^ss. i/?, We are to enquire, what is imported in our Re- deemer's being fdled, the Sun, And, 1. His being called the Sun imports his oneness. You know there is but one fun ; and juft fo, our Lord Jefus is but ONE in his perfon, and in his office. (i.) He is but one in his perfon ; he has two natures, the one eternal, immenfe, and almighty, the form and elTence of God ; the other temporal and finite, which is our nature afTumed, when he was nuidc fleflj^ and dwelt among us : but he has one iingle individual perfon; GoL ii. 9. In him dwells all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily ; that is, the whole Deity, and all the perfcclions of the Deity, dwell in Chrift perfon ally ; by virtue of the perfo- nal union of the divine, w^ith the human nature. The eternal perfon of the Son of God, did, by an ineffable acl: of divine power and love, fo join the hum^.n nature to Jrimfelf, as that the perfon of the Word, which fiibiifted before, only in the divine nature, now fubfifts alfo in the human, w^hich never had a diflincl: perfonality of its own, but was adumed, or taken into the divine pv^rfon of the Son in Chriil:. Therefore there are n-jt two pcribns, one of man, and the other of the Son of God : but the divine nature is fo united to the human, that therein it fubfiil- bodily ; that is, hypoftatically : hence the fon of David, i>> called Jehovah our Bjghteoufnefs^ and God hUffcd for ev^r^ U ^ . JS^ Christ, the Sun of Righteoicfnefs^ The eternal Son of God became man, not by afTuming the ferfon^ but the nature of man. Man is faid to be aflumed, becaufe a human foul and body were aflumed: the perfon of man is not faid to be afTumed, becaufe that foul and l3ody were not united to one another in a perfon, before they were united to the perfon of the Son of God. As ichoolmen fpeak of the foul's creation and infufion into ihe body ; that in its creation it is infufed, and in its infu- iion it IS created : fo it may be faid of our nature, when aiTumed by the Son of God, that in the aifamption it was formed, and in the formation it was afTumed ; and hence at had no proper perfonality of its own, but in the Son of v^Ess. The fun, you know, is a vaft globe of fire, efteem- ed by the antients, at a modeil computation, one hundred and fixty times bigger than the earth : v/ell, our Lord is very great; Ifai. xii. 6. Cry out and Jhout^ thou inhabitant of Zion ; for great is the Holy One of Ifael in the midft of thee. He is both abfolutely and comparatively great.— He is abfolutely great \ being the great God our Saviour : his greatnefs runs through all hi.^ perfeclions : whatever God is, he is great in it. — He is great in wifdom^ having the compafs of all things in his underflanding ; and hence cal- led, the only wife God : the wifdom of men and angels, is but folly when compared with his. — He is great in fower^ and that in all forts of power; great in authoritative power, and great in executive power. As he commands what he pleafes to be done, fo he can do what he commands : wif- dom and might are his ; wifdom to contrive, and power to efiecl. Where Ihould wifdom and power dwell, but in God over allf — He is great in holinefs ; Great is the Holy One of IfraeL — He is great in goodnefs ; How great is his goodnef f — He is great in his love: his love is fo great, that when we are called to the greateft ftudy after the knowledge of it, we are told we cannot know the greatnefs of it, Eph. ili. 18. That ye may know the love of Chrift which fafeth knowledge. Whatever is in him as God, is God; and therefore great : the power of God, is the powerful God ; and therefore great: the wifdom of God, is the wife God; and therefore great : the mercy of God, is the merciful God ; and therefore great. — God is likewife great comparatively ; Pfal. cl. 2. Praife him according to his excellent greatnefs : he is greater than the greateft, higher than the higheft ; fo great, that all things are httle, yea, nothing before him ; Ifa. xl. 15, 17. Behold the natio?is are as a drop of a bucket^ ariftng nvith Healing in his Wings. i^() And are crjiinted as the fmall dujl of the balance : behold he taketh tfp the ijles as a very little thing. All nations before him- are as nothing, and they are accounted to him lefs than nothing and 'vanity, O how great is our Lord, in compa- rifon of whom the greateft things are little, yea, nothing ! Well might Mofes cry out, Deut. xxxii. 3 . Becaufe I will fublifJj the name of the Lord, afcribe ye greatnefs unto our God; for he hath done great things for us, which none in the whole creation could have done. — He has fully anfwered all the demands of a broken law, in the room of an clecl compa- ny ; a work none elfe could have done, a weight none elfe could have born, a debt none elfe could have paid: He hath magnified the law and made it honourable, — He has deftroyed fin, that firft-born of the devil ; For this purpofe the Son of God was manife/led, that he might deflroy the works of the devil, — He has vanquiilied death and the grave ; / will ranfom the?n from the power of the grave ; I will redeem them from death : 0 death, where is thy fling? 0 grave, where is thyvidory, — He has foiled the devil; The feed of the wo- ?na7i fhall briiife the head of the ferpent ; fo that w^e may fay, 0 fing unto the Lord a new fong, for he hath done mar- vellous things ; his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the vidory. ' 3. The Mediator's being ftiled the Sun, imports his high- ness. According to fome famous Philofophers, the fun is fo high above the earth, that a bullet fliot out of a gun, would be twenty-live or thirty-two years and a half, in palling from the earth to the fun : whether this calculati- on be jufl or not, w-e are fure he appears to us very high ; and fo is the fun of righteoufnefs : view him in his divi- nity, and he is the most high ; view him as Mediator, and he is made higher than the heavens, both as to place, and as to ftate : — As to place, he is exalted above the vifiblc heavens ; hence he is faid to be made higher than the heavens : for although the heaven cf heavens cannot co?itain him, as to thg immenfity of his divine nature j yet, as to his human l6o ^Christ, the Sun of Right eoufnefs^ nature, T^Jje heavens mufl receive him^ until the time of the reflitution of all things. — As to ft ate and condition^ he is ex- alted in power, dignity, authority, and rule, above the whole creation of God: he was for a feafon made lower than the angels^ but now he is vaftly above them ; Heb. i. 7, 8. ""Thou madefl him a little lower than the angels^ viz. in refpeci: of ftate and condition ; "Thou crownedfl him with glory and honour ; ajid didfl fet him over the works of thy hands. His power is as large and extenfive as heaven and earth ; All power in heaven and in earth is given unto me* He has a power over hell, Rev. i. i8. — And have the keys cf hell and death. And there is a good reafon for it ; hav- ing drunk of the brook in the way^ it was reafonable he fliould lift up the head: having finiflied the Vv^ork of his humilia- tion, it was reafonable he fbould be advanced to an eftate of exaltation. The facrince which our Lord offered up was of fuch a fweet-fmelling favour unto God, that he cannot reward him too much for it; John v. 27. — And hath given him authority to execute judgment alfo^ hecaufe he is the Son of man* Why is it not rather faid, hecaufe he is THE Son of God, than hecaufe he is the Son of Man? The reafon is, as he is the Son of God, he hath no need of this gift, it belongs to him naturally and eiTentially ; but it is given to him becaufe he is the Son of man : He was in the form of God ^ and took upon him the form of a fer- vant ; — therefore God hath highly exalted him^ and given him a name which is ahove every 7iame, 4. It imports his commonness. The fun, you know, is a common good to the world in general: juft fo, the fun of righteoufnefs is a common good to men ; Mark xvi. 15. Go preach the gofpel to every creature ; he that helieveth^ and is baptized^ flmll he faved: that is. Go and tell every man under heaven, that Chrift is offered to him freely, gifted to him by God the Father ; and there is nothing re- quired of him in order to be really interefied in him, but only to receive him. Perhaps ye may meet with men fo arijing ivith Healing in his Wings. l6l nionftruoufly wicked, that they dliTerbut little from devils; and witli men fo f;ivage and wild, as to difFer little from the bcafts that periih ; neverthelefs ye are to make no ex-^ ccptions, but to tell all of them, that here is a cruciiied Saviour, with all faving benefits for them to come to feed on, and partake of freely: Ifa. xxv. 6. A?id in this moun^ tain Jhall the Lord of Hofls make unto all people a feafl of fat things^ a feafl of wines on the lees^ of fat things full of mar* roiv^ of wines on the lees well refined^ As God hath feC the natural fun in the heavens to enlighten the whole world ; in like manner, he hath fet the Sun of righte- oufncfs in the heavens of a gofpel difpenfation ; Ifa. xlix. 6. / will alfo aive thee for a light to the Gentiles^ that thoit mayefl he my falvation to the ends of the earth. He is God's falvation, to which fallen men are allowed accefs, and not fallen angels, for whom there is none provided ; even as the city of refuge was the ordinance of God, for the fafety of every man-flayer, who had killed his neigh- bour unawares, and the brazen ferpenf for the cure of all that were bitten with the fiery ferpents, for both thefe were types of our Lord Jefus ; As Mcfes lifted up the ferpent in the wildernep^ fo mufl the Son of man he lifted up: and again, Viho hath fled for refuge to the hope fet before them,. This is a firm and flable ground of faith to all and every- one of you, that you may come, whatever be your cafe, to our Lord's light, and the brightnefs of his riling, and claim him and his, as your- own, for all the purpofes of fal- vation ; wliich if ye do not, ye fhall perifh eternally : for He that hclie'oeth not^ fhall he damned. The ground of this appointment of our Lord, to be the Saviour of the whole world by office, according to orthodox divines, is the fuf- ficiency and fuitablenefs of his obedience and death : this way of falvation is in itfelf wide enough for all the world to walk in. There is virtue enough in this remedy to cure all their difeafes, if thev will but touch him. by faith ; v.'hich X 1^2 Christ, the^ Sun of Right eoujnejs^ alfo is the only way to draw light from this fun, and re- frefliinent from this fountain of falvation. And according:- ly, the main reafon why God aclually conftituted him the Saviour of the world \yas, to put honour on our Lord for laying down his life for his fheep; Ifa. xlix. 6, 8. And be faid^ It is a light thing that thou Jhoiddjl he viy fervant^ to raife up the tribes of Jacobs and to rejlore the freferved of Jfrael : I will alfo give thee for a light to the Gentiles^ that thou mayeft be my falvation unto the end of the earth, 5. Chrift's being filled the Sun ^ imports his sufficien- cy : one fun being fuilicient for the whole world, and one Mediator for all the men in the world : for our Lord is not only the omnipotent God, but an omnipotent Saviour j not only the all-fuflicient God, but an all-fufficient Saviour; and hence faid to be able to fave to the uttermojl. His a- tonement is of fuilicient eilicacy to fatlsfy for all the evils of all the men in the world ; his blood being, by reafon of the intimate conjunclion of the divine and human natures in one perfon, the blood of God. — There is a fufficiency of merit in him ; not only a fulnefs of fitisfacllou to deliver from all punifhment, but alfo a fulnefs of merit to procure all good : for he obtained eternal redemption for us. — There is a fufficiency o^ grace in him : as no lins are too heinous for his merits to pardon ; fo there is no obftinacy of heart too flrono: for his s:racc to fubdue : were thev ever fo vile, he is able to cleanfe them ; ever fo black, lils grace can beautify them ; ever fo wicked, he can reclaim them, and make them willing in the day of his power ; yea, were they ever fo much loil, the children of wrath, the vcflels of Satan, and heirs of hell, he can fave them, and pluck them from the brink of hell: yea, when they feem, in fome meafure, to be fallen into it, and the devouring flames arc catching hold on them, he can pluck them from it into the midft of his heavenly paradife and glory. — There is a fufHciency of patience in him, to bear all the injuries we have done him, or can do ; — a fufficiency of %(}orth and eic- arifmg ivith Healing in his Wings, 163 cellency in him, to fatisfy the moft enlarged defires of our hearts: — a fuiEciency of wifdom in him, to direct us in the moft difficult fteps of our lives. O then, what vain work is it to fct up other faviours bcfides him ! to fet up the law and mens own duties, as tho' he and his grace were not fufficicnt to fave of thcmfelves : this is a diflio- nour to our Redeemer ; for he that goes to a muddy ftrcam to wafli hirnfelf, dcfpifes the pure fountain he hath in his own dwelling : yea, to fct up any other atonements, or fa- tisfaclions, is a contempt of the wifdom of God, in his ordination of his eternal Son ; of the holinefs and juftice of God in accepting him, as if after all it needed fome ad- dition from creatures to make it complete, 6. It imports his beauty and glory. The fun is a very beautiful and glorious creature, the ornament of the heavens ; fo our Lord, the Sun of righteoufnefs, is per- feclly beautiful ; and hence when the daughters of Jerufa- lem queftioned the Spoufe, What is thy Beloved f after an enumeration of his particular excellencies, flie fums all up with this, yea, he is altogether lovely. In him there is no- tiling which is not amiable ; and in him is every thing that is amiable. The beauties of our Lord Jefus as God, and God-man Mediator, infinitely furpafs thefe of all crea- tures; Col. i. 17. He is before all things, in glory, digni- ty, and excellency, as well as in nature and order : " Yea, as godly llutherfoord fays, if heaven and earth, and ten thoufand heavens, even round about thefe heavens that now are, were all in one garden of pai^dife, decked " with all the faireft flowers and trees that can come forth from the art of the almighty hirnfelf; and itt but our one flower that groweth out of the root of Jeffe, befide that orchard of plcafure, en,e look of him, one view, one tafte, one fmell of his amiable godhead, would infinitely go beyond the fmcU, colour, beauty^ " and lovelinefs of that paradife." Would linners but 4raw near and behold his beauty, the uncreated white aixcJ ii. <<. cc (.(. (.(. ii, «( 'l6^ Christ, the Sun of Right ecufnefs, red in his countenance, it would draw their fouls after him : %vords are too ihort to exprefs his love and lovelinefs. 7. His being ftilcd the Sun^ imports his constant SAMENESS. The moon has its waxings and weanings ; but Ihe fun is always the fame: juft fo, the Sun of righteouf- jiefs is ftill the fame • Heb. xiii. 8. Jefus Chnft^ the fame "^efterday^ and to-day ^ and for ever. He is the fame in his cffence ; and hence he ailumes that name to himfelf, / am; 3efore Abraham was, I am: and this likewife, I am that I AM, Exod. iii. 14.; which implies, that he continues in the fame glory of the divine nature and effence ; he is the fame in all his attributes and perfedions : his mercy is un- changeable ; His mercy endureth for ever : — his ftrength ; and therefore he is called the rock of ag-es : — his righteoufnefs ; Jiis righteoufnefs cndiireth for ever : — his love ; for ivhom he Joves^ he loves unto the end. He alters his difpenfations in- deed, but not his love: he rebukes, chafiens, hides his face from, and fmites his people with a fenfe of his indigo jiation ; but woe would be to them if he did not rejl in his love : for it is becaufe he is God, and changes not^ that they are not confumed. Thus he is the fame in all his perfecli- ens ; for this is an attribute that like a filken ftring, thro' ;a chain of pearl, runneth through all the reft. He is un- ^changeable in his perfon : he is the fame in his mediatorial offices ; as king he fball reign for ever and ever, and there Hiall be no end of his kingdom ; as prieft, T^he Lord hath fwor7i^ and luill not repent^ he is a frieft for ever : he is a prophet for ever ; The Lord flmll he thy everlafting light ^ £ind thy God thy glory. And truly this is the Church's comfort, in the faddeft cafes, that however the face of the creatures be chanc^ed to them, our Lord will be ftill the fame : with him is no change, paft or prefent ; he remains, as fchoolm.en fpeak, in the fame indivinble point of eter- Tiity, and our fafety lies in God's immutability; we can^ pot perifh utterly becaufe he abides the fame. 8. It may import his usefulness. The fun is a very: ^ ariftng ivith Healing in his Wings, i6j: xai'eful creature ; and fo is the Sun of righteoufnefs. What is the fun ufeful fur? (i.) lie is ufetul for llhimination. The fun is the great luminary which God hath appointed to give light to the ^ inhabitants of the world ; juil fo, our Lord Jefus, the Sun : or righteoufnefs, He is the true Ught^ that lighteneth every man that cometh into the world. The prefence of the fun makes day, and his abfence night; juft fo, the prefence of Chrift makes day in the foul of a child of God, and his abfence night. The foul is by nature in darkncfs, and never fees fui's blacknefs, its own vilenefs, grace's excel- lency, nor ChriiVs beauty, till his light btam down upon it, 2 Cor. iv. 6. For God who commanded the lig^ht to fhine out of darknefs, hath fhined in our hearts^ to give the li'^ht of the knowledge of the glory of God ^ in the face of Jefus Chrift, The darknefs of unbelief, of ignorance, of error, of im- morality, and of defpondency evanifh at the rifing of the Sun of righteoufnefs; even as the clouds and darknefs of the night evanifh at the rifing of the natural iun. (2.) The fun is ufeful for warming this f)dl:sm with his influences. As the fun has light in him, fo he likewife has heat, which he communicates along with the light; fo divine heat accompanies divine light: we luve an in- ilance of this in the two difciples, Luke xxiv. \i.\ they were in a freezing temper, till Chrift overtook them ; but when they had continued awhile in that fpiritual fim-fhine, their hearts melted into love : Did not our heart bun with- in us^ while he talked with us by the way^ and while he o- fened to us the fcripturesf In our Lord's interview with the woman of Samaria at Jacob's well, we find thatfo foon as he had revealed himfelf to her, / that f peak unto thee am he^ her heart kindled intq an holy flame, immediately file left the well and her water-pot, and running to the men of her city, fpoke to them out of the abundance of her heart. Come fee a man which told me all things that fvcr I did^ Is not this the Christ? As we are darknefs J 66 Christ, the Sun of Righteoufnefs^ without his light, fo we are coldnefs without his heat. Thus when our Lord was away from the Spoufe, her heart was cold ; but whenever he lliined, her heart burned with love, ftrong as death. When the prophet had lain a while upon the Shunamite's dead child, his flefh waxed warm : juft fo here, though the foul be cold as death, if our Lord but once ftretch hinifelf on it, it prefently becomes warm, and is raifed to nen^nefs of life. (3.) The fun is ufeful for fruEllfying the vegetable cre- ation. The fun. by his influences, caufes things to grow up in abundance; and to this Bildad alludes. Job viii. 16. He is green before the fun ^ and his branch fhooteth forth in his garden : juft {o^ this fpiritual fun makes thofe who are un- der his beams to become fruitful in good works ; The righ- teous fhall floirlfh like the fahn tree^ he fhall grow like the cedar in Leba^ion, By nature we are barren ; there is not one good blolTom growing on us : but whenever the Sun of righteoufiefs arifes, he makes us bring forth the inter- nal fruits of love, joy, peace, long-fuffering, gentlenefs, goodnefs, /aith ; and alfo the external fruits of good dif- courfe, Piov. xv. 4. A wholefome tongue is a tree of life: gracious foeeches fall from the lips of a godly man, as fruit from a tree : And likewife the fruit of good works. Col. i. 10. That ye may walk worthy of the Lord unto all f leafing^ being fruitful in every good work. All the inftructions of faithful minifters are to no purpofe without him ; / have -planted^ fays Paul, Apollos watered ; but God gave the in- creafe. All the dews of friendly admonitions are to no purpofe without him ; all the waterings of godly educiui- on derive their fuccefs from hioi. If the faints bear any fruit, they are beholden to Chrift for it; and accordingly he calls their graces his grace, Song v. i . / have gathered my tir^rrh with my f pice, (4.) The fun is ufeful for elevating or exhaling vapours from the earth ; juft fo, the Sun of righteoufnefs is poflef- fed of this virtue : he it is that exhales and lifts up the arijlng 'with Healing in his Wings. i6y earthly hearts of men to heavenly things ; Through whom I am crucified to the worlds and the world to me. The heart of man naturally is fo deep buried in the earth, that if Chrift did not by his heat which he fends down in his or- dinances, lift it up, it would never ha\e one right thought of heaven : he has an attra6i:ive power to draw the hearts of men up to himfelf ; And /, /// he lif^d up^ will draw all men unto me, Alas ! our hearts are ai. heavy as lead ; but if once a beam of the love of this Sun cF righteoufnefs fall upon them, they will be drawn up to hmfelf ; / will draw with the cords of love. . \ (5.) The fun is ufeful for confolation: accorjingly he is fometimes in fcripture put for comfort; Job ixx. 28. /" went mourning without the fun : I food up^ and Iried in the congregation. And Solomon tells us, that Ligh^ is fweet^ and it is a pleafint thing to behold the fun : juft fo,t)ur Lord Jefus hath a comforting virtue; and hence he is ciled, The confolation of IfraeL — It is our Lord Jefus that remo es from his people every thing that is uncomfortable : — is iinmatter of trouble to them ? Chrift removes that ; 0 wretc\d man that I am^ who fy all deliver me from the body of this ^eath! I thank God through Jefus Chrijl our Lord^ Rom. vii. 2^25*: — does temptation trouble them ? O, yes ; by reafon \ere- gf they go in trouble and heavinefs of fpirit : well,our Lord removes that ; Si?Jion^ Simon, Satan hath defred to )ave: you, — but I have prayed for thee that thv faith fall not ;--is defertion a trouble to them ? yes ; there is nothing fo w- comfortable to them as that : it was one of the foreft trils to our Lord himfelf; and hence, tho' when his enemis fcourged, buffeted, and fmote him ; yea, nailed him t the crofs. He opened not his mouth : yet when his Fath^ hid his face from him, he cried out, ¥xy God, my God, wh^ hajl thou forfaken me : — juft fo, it is to the gracious foul \ Thou didft hid thy face, and I was trdiibled: well^ it is ow^ Lord that removes that ; For a fmall moment have I forfaken . tbee^ but with great mercies will I gather thee^ It is omt \ 1 68 Christ, the Sun of Right con/nefs^ Lord that brings every thing comfortable to them :— is par-*- don comfortable ? it is Cbriir that brings that ; In-cvbomwe have redemption through his hiood : — is peace comfortable? lie brings that ; for he is cur peace : — is liberty comfortable? he brings that, St^nd fafi in tl)e liberty wherewith Chrijl hath made you free — is hope of heaven comfortable? yes; We rejoice in hope f the (glory of God : it is Chrift that brings that ; Chrift in jou the hope of glory. He is the iirft inlet of comfort to the foul, the preferver, and the'reftorer of comfort to tie foul after dejeclion and drooping: I iviil reft ore comfor to him and to his mourners. 2dly^ Tie fecond thing on this Head was, to enquire why our Rdeemer is called the Sun of Righteoufnefs, And, I. He s called the Sun of righteoufnefs, on account of his perfecion and excellency beyond the natural fun ; and fo fome thhk there is a Hebraifm in the words ; the Sun of rio'hteoujefs ; that is, the righteous, the abfolutely perfect Sun. 'he natural fun fliines but in one hemifphere at once; ^ut the Sun of righteoufnefs is able to fliine over the wole earth at once. Though there be many parts of the \orld in which Chrift hath never appeared, yet his winp are large enough to overfpread the whole world. The^atural fun gives light, but does not give fight; but the^un of righteoufnefs gives both. If a man want the fens of feeing, he hath no more benefit by the fun, in re- fpil of light, than if there were no fun at all. Let the fvi's beams be darted with never fo much force upon blind Jirtimaeus, his eyes will not be thereby opened. The jitural fun, hath, in fome cafes, noxious effects ; but the un of righteoufnefs has none : the natural fun defaces the )eauty of man, makes the fpirits faint, as it did Jonah's, :hap. iv. 8. ; fcorches the fruits of the earth ; but the Sun of righteoufnefs hath no hurtful quality ; his beams nei- ther tawn the face, nor make the fpirits faint: he ripens ,the fruits of grace in the foul, but he never withers them. The natural fun is inanimate, it hath neither the rational. arifing with Healing in his Wings. l6^ fenfitive, nor vegetative life ; but our Lord lives for ever: / a?n be that I'lveth^ and was dead ; and behold^ I am al'ivd. for evermore : yea, he is the fountain of life ; / am the re-- furredlo7i and the life. The natural fun is only ufcful for this life, but is of no ufe in heaven ; 'There they need not the> fun by day: but our Lord is the light of that place; Thz Lord flj all be thine everlajling lights and thy God thy glory. 2 . He is called the 8un of righteoufnefs, on account o£ the rectitude of his nature; Pfal. xlv. 7. Thou lovefl righte^ oifnefs and hatsft wickednefs.. Our Lord is the holy and juil One : he hath not, never had, and never fhall have tke leall fpot of unrighteoufnefs in his own perfon. la his individual perfon there are two natures, the one divine and the other human ; and he is righteous in both: he is infinitely righteous as God ; yea, he is not only righteous^ but righteoufnefs : he is efientially righteous ; his righteouf- nefs is himfelf. A man's righteoufnefs and his being are two things ; the aian may fubfill; without righteoufnefs r all men by nature, and while nothing but nature, though, much fublimated and refined, if not converted, are un- righteous ; but it is as impoffible for God not to be righ- teous, as not to be. He was finitely righteous as man: every faculty of his foul was elevated to the highefi: degree t)f iiolinefs ; and every member of his bgdy employed to the moft holy purpofes. His human nature was holy by the union of the divine, and holy bv the effuiibn of the Spirit, whofc oiiice it is to fanclify ; Therefore that holy things ivhich fhall be born of tha\ flmll be called the Son of God: if it had not been fo, he could neither have redeem- ed himfelf from death, nor yet favcd us from wrath. Thus his freedon:i from taint and his conjunction with the fal- nqfs of the Deity, are linked together in demonftrating the ^ efficiency of his blood, for purging our confciencies from dead works; Ileb. ix. i^. How much more fij all the blood of Chrifi, IV ho through the eternal Spirit^ offered bi?nfelfivithcut Y ' *^ jyo Christ, the Sun of Righteoufnefs^ fpot to God, purge your confcience from dead ivorks to ferve the living God I 3. He is denominated the Sun of righteoufncfs, becaufe of his righteous adminijlration ; Pfal. xlv. 6. 'Tky throne^ 0 God^ is for ever and ever ; the fceptre of thy kingdom is a right fceptre. The rule and governmeni of Chrift is a fcep- tre of righteoufnefs ; becaufe all the laws whereby he rules are righteous, holy, juft, full of benignity and truth ; and all his adminifriations of grace and mercy, in the conver- fion, pardon, fanclincation, chaftifement, and prefervati- on of his people; and all his adminiilrations of juftice in deftroying his enemies, are righteous, holy, unblameable, . and good ; and as fuch will be glorioufly manifefted and difplayed, at the laft day, though they are now reproach- ed and defpifed. The laws by which our Lord proceeds are righteous, and his adminiftrations are righteous ; and they ali proceed from an habitual love to righteoufncfs and hatred of iniquity in his own nature. 4. Chrift is called the Sun of rightcoufnefs, in refpefl of his people^ he is their righteoifnefs ; Jer. xxiii. 6. This is the name whereby he flmll be called^ The Lord our righte- ousness. And he is fo in two refpec^s. (i.) He is their righteoufncfs in refpect oi juftifi cation^ or their juftifying righteouinefs before the Lord. By the * fin of Adam, and the breach of the firft covenant, righte- oufncfs was gone quite out of the world ; there was no- thing of a law righteoufnefb to be found in or amongft all the race of mankind: if God would condefcend to fave the whole world for one righteous man, as he once oiFer- ed to fave Sodom for ten, he could not be found. The apoftle divides all the Avorld into Jews and Gentiles, Rom. iii. 9, 10.; and he is not afraid to impeach them all as guilty ; They are all under fin ; there is none righteous^ no not one : not the wifeft Philofophcr among the Gentiles, nor the precifeft Pharifce amjong the Jews ; nay, nor the holieft faint tjiat ever lived on earth, car* fxand righteous ariftng nvith Healing in his Wings. lyi before God's bar ; Pfal. cxliil. 2 . Enkr not into judgment with thy fervant ; for in thy fight JJmll no man livrng he jufli- fied. And therefore the gate to eternal life and happinefs was fliut againft the wliolc world : but, behold, our Lord Jefus brought in an everlajiing right coufnefs ; a righteoufnefs every way anfwerable to the law's demands. — l)id the law demand perfect hohnefs of nature ? it hath its demand in Chrift ; for he was originally holy : Such an high priefl be- came us^ who was holy^ harmlefs^ undefiled^ and feparate fromfmners. — Did the law require perfe6l obedience to its commands ? that it hath in Chrift ; For he did no violence^ neither was guile found in his mouth, — Did the law require fetisfaclion to juftice, or the execution of its penalty? it has its demand in him ; For he was wounded for our tranf greffions : the juft fuffered for the unjujl. This righteoufnefs being reckoned to their account, upon their union with Chrift, they are juflified, as if they had wrought it out themfelves ; Surely f!?all one fay ^ in the Lord have I rightC" oufnefs and frength, O what little reafon have believers to be proud of their juftification ! they are indeed accepted^ but it is in the beloved : they are highly dignified and exalt- ed ; but it is not in their own rags, but in the Redeemer's robes. It was he, and not they, that magnified the law and made it honourable ; and hence the faints in glory will eternally caft their crowns at his feet, faying, Unto him that loved iis^ and wajhed us from our fins in his own blood ; and hath made us kings and priefls unto God and his Father ; unto him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (2.) Chrift is his people's righteoufnefs in refpecl of thdv find if cat ion J or their righteoufnefs of fancfification ; I Cor. i. :^o. But of h'im are ye in Chrift Jfus^ who of God is made unto us sanctification. Our Lord, as was juil now fiid, is made of God to us righteoufnefs, complete and perfect righteoufnefs, whereby our obligation to pu- nllhnienl: is diffolved, and a folid foundation laid for pcac of confcience. This, although it b(^ a great mercy, yet a Y 2 - * ' e '172^ Christ,^/j^ Sun of Right eoufnefsj lone cannot make us completely happy ; for though a man fhould never be damned for iin, neverthelefs it is a hell lipon earth to be under the dominion and pollution of fin: to complete therefore the happinefs of his people, he is not only their righteoufnefs, to remove their guilt, but he is their fanclification to relieve them from the pollution of their corruptions: he comes both by water and by blood; jiot by blood only, but alfo by water^ purging as well as pardoning: he is not only their righteoufnefs imputed, but their righteoufnefs inherent. — He is fo meritorioujly : Grace 5s as truly the purchafe of Chrift as glory ; he hath bought liolinefs as well as happinefs ; for their fanclification coil no lefs the price of his blood than their falvation ; Eph. v. 525, 26. Even as Chrift alfo loved the churchy a7id gave himfelf for ?V, that he might fandify and cleanfe it wlh the ^ji'aflnng of ivater by the word. — He is the material caufe of at 'y his blood being the foul's iaver in which it is waflied snd made white as the fnow. — He is the examplary caufe of it ; for our fanclification is according to the copy or pattern of holinefs which is in Chrift Jefus himfelf ; John 1. 16. And of his fulnefs have all ive received^ and grace for Ti'^ce, — And he is the efficient caufe ; for it is our Lord, •who, by his Spirit, through the ordinances of his grace, ■works holinefs in his people : he digs up the root of fin, nnd plants the root of grace in the foul; i Cor. vi. 11. Andfuch vaerefome of you ; hut ye are ivafJjed^ hut ye arefandi- fiedy in the name of the Lord Jfus^ and by the Spirit of our God: and it is he that both preferves and carries it on, frorri one degree to another, till it arrives at perfeclion in glory. O how little reafon the faints have to be proud of their ov/n holinefs I they are indeed faints here as truly, though not fo fully, as in heaven ; but no thanks to them for this, but to our Lord, who reflores likenefs to God in fanctification, as well as the love and favour of God in juftification* Their very graces fliould humble them as well as their fins; the latter, becaufe they are theirs; the ari/mg with Healing in his Wings. 173 former, becaufe they are not theirs. Sanclificatlon is a great blefline ; but was this web woven out of their own bowels? O, no ; but it is the work of the Spirit : and hence the fe- veral parts of hoHnefs are called, The fruits of the Spirit. 5. Chrill: is the Sun of lighteoufnefs in refpecl of God the Father^ whofe righteoufnefs is declared and made con- fpicuous in him. ( I .) God's viizdidive or avenging juilice is effential to him ; fo that he cannot difmifs the guilty unpuniihed : of this there feems to have been an univerfal prefumpuion among mankind ; and from thence have fprung thefe many inven- tions of iinners to appeafe the juftice, to conciliate the fa- vour of the Deity. This he difplayed in the eternal puniih- ment of the angels that finned, and the cafting Adam out of paradife, an emblem alfo of eveiiafting ruin : but never w^as it difplayed fo clearly as in the Sun of righteoufnefs. In all other inflances there is a difplay of juftice without mercy ; but here a glorious refplendency of juitice and mercy ; of the one in punifhing the Surety, of the other in pardoning the finner. The apparent inconliftency be- tween the righteoufnefs of God, and the falvation of fin- ners, wherewith the confciences of awakened perfons are exercifed and tempted, and which is the rock on which many of them fplit themfelves unto eternal ruin, is hereby removed and taken away. In his crofs was vindictive juftice executed and manifefted; and through his triumph, grace and mercy are exerted to the uttermoft. This is that glory that raviflies and folaces the hearts of them that beheve. (2.) God's re?nunerative or r^'iu^r J//; {r juftice or righteouf- nefs is confpicuous in him ; for, Becaufe he hianbled him- felf to the deaths God hath highly exalted him» By his doing and dying he had brought more glory to God than ever he received by all the works of his hands ; and therefore God advanced him above every creature : he had perform- ed a talk that would have overcome the whole tribe of 174 Chkist, the Sun of Right eoufncfsj angels ; and therefore God, the righteous judge, crowned hi?n with glory and honour^ and fo demonftrated his remu- nerative juftice: only when I fpeak of his being exalted, I do not mean, that his divine nature was exalted by an addition of glory, but only by manifeftation. The divine glory of Chrift in his perfon, belongs not to his exaltati- on, though the manifeftation of it doth ; fo he religned not the divine glory of his perfon, whilft he was in this world, but the declaration of it he laid afide, till he was declared to be the Son of God with poiver^ by his refurreBion from the dead. When the fun is under a total ecclipfe, he lofeth nothing of his native beauty, hght, and glory ; he is ftill the fame that he was from the beginning, a great light to rule the day ; only he appears to us as a dark and ufelefs meteor: and fo was it with the divine nature of our Lord. It is therefore Chrift in his human nature that is exalted, by a real addition of glory to it ; not that it is deified, or made a God \ but it is exalted in a fulnefs of all divine perfections ineffably above the glory of men or angels : it is incomprehenfibly nearer God than they all, having communications from God in glorious light, love, and power above them all ; and thus demonftrating the glory of God's rigbteoufnefs. We nov/ proceed, IT. To the fecond Head in the method, which was to fpeak of the arlfing of this Sun of rigbteoufnefs. And here we propofe, firft to fpeak of the time of his arifing ; and fecondly, why his arifmg is compared to that of the Sun. \ft^ We are to fpeak a little concerning the time of bis arifing. And, I. He arofe in the morning of time^ in the firft promife,* immediately after the fall ; Gen. iii. 15. The feed of the -wo- man fJmll bruife the head cf the ferpent. That this was the Son of God, or the San of rigbteoufnefs, intimating his future incarnation and crucifixion, is evident, becaufe God arifing ivith Healing in his Wings. 175 abfolutely confidered, is not a promifing, but an avenging God, a confuming fire to all the workers of iniquity ; and all the promifes ot God are in Chrift, yea, and amen. This promife was the firft, the day-break of falvation ; and the firft gofpel fermon that ev er was preached to finners : here the day of falvation began to dawn upon the world, and the day-fpring from on high firft to vifit us. The lluice of grace and mercy, whofe ftreams ever fince have made glad the city of God, was then firft opened to finners. No fooner had man finned, than his mind, which before was a lamp of light, became dark, yea, darknefs itfelf 5 Once were ye darknefs : but beheld, the Sun of righteoufnefs im- mediately arifes to him, with healing under his wings. O the riches of the glory of God's grace to poor wTctched man, that would not fufTer him to lie defponding in this dungeon of darknefs ; that would not fupprefs the yearn- ing of his bowels of mercy to miferable undone men for; one day • but in that very day in which they had extin- guifhcd the light of creation, he would afibrd him the light of redemption ! We misfht have added here, that he arofe alfo in the types of the ceremonial law. Which were a Jhadow of things to come\ but the body is of Chrift ; — and in the prediflions and prophefies concerning him: — but in comparifon of what is now come to pafs, thefe were only a few fcattered and faint rays ; and, in a great meafure, The myflery was hid from ages and generations. It was then comparatively fpeak- ing, night with the church ; and they could not ftedfaft- ly look to the end of that which was afterwards aboliflied: and hence the Spoufe lifts up an ardent prayer. Song ii. 17. Until the day break and the fhadows flee away^ turn my beloved. — Accordingly, the Sun has actually appeared above our horizon, and the darknefs and the fhadows of the Old- Teftament have fled away. Which leads us to obferve, 2 . He arofe in the morning of the fulnefs of time in his incarnation, to which the words of our tc^t have au im- IT 6 CHKisTy the Sun of Righteoufnefs^ mediate refped ; Gal. iv. 4. But when the fulnefs of the time was come^ God fent forth his Son. This was the moil glorious morning that ever the eye of man beheld ; a more glorious one than when the foundations of the world were laid : and hence an hoft of angels was difpatched from the throne of glory, to proclaim the news of it to the fliepherdg feeding their flocks ; Luke ii. lo, 11. Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy ; for unto you is born this day in the city of David ^ a Saviour^ which is Chrijl the Lord, O the glory of this morning! confidering the abfolute perfecti- ons of the divine nature, and its infinite diftance from the whole creation. What heart can conceive, what tongue exprefs, the glory of the condefcenfion of our Lord in ap- . pearing in our nature, taking it to be his own, in order to difcharge the office of Mediator in our behalf! The word ivas made flefh and dwelt among us^ and we beheld his glory. We may think little of it, but as it is the grief of devils, io it is the admiration of all the angels around the throne; and hence they cried out, Holy^ holy^ holy is the Lord of Hojls^ the whole earth is full of his glory. And why fo ? but becaufe Chrift the brightnefs of the Father's glory, is come down from heaven to earth. God made manifest IN THE flesh! what can equal it! what can be like it! It is the glory of the Chriftian religion, and the animating ibul of all evangelical truth. 3. He fliall arife in the morning of the refurredion^ Tit. ii. 13. Looking for that bleffed hope^ and the glorioiis appear-' ing of the great Gody even our Saviour Jefus Chrift, That will be a glorious appearance of our Redeeilier indeed, when the Son of man fh all come in his own glory ^ in the glory ef his Father y and in the glory of all the holy angels ^ to be admired in all them that believe. His firft appearance in the flefh was fo obfcure, that it was fcarce obferved, much lefs underilood by the world ; this will be fo confpicuous and glorious, as to be feen of all. — His firil appearance was in humility ^ he came rising upon (in afs^ and upon a arifing tvith Healing in his Wingi, iyf tvh the fols of an afs; but now on the clouds of heaven z then he came with a few fifliermen, perfons of mean ranlc and condition in the world, as his attendants; but now with leirions of ani^els, and ten thoufands of his faints r then he came in tks form of a fervant to be judged ; now as the Son of God, and fovereign Judge of all. At firff he came to hear the fins of many^ but then he fhall appear \\\ii fecond time without fin unto fahation; not bearing a bur- den, but bringing a difcharge ; not as a Surety, but as a pay-mafter ; not as a fuffercr, but as a conqueror trampling over death, the devil, and hell. O what a comfortable rifing will that be to the godly ! and hence it is fometimes cxprefl'ed by lights which is a very comfortable and chear- ing thing ; Light is fown for the righteous^ But what a terrible riling to the ungodly ! and hence it is fometimesr expreft by lire ; He ivill come in flaming fre^ to take vengd- tince on them who know not God, w^. He arifes in the morning o^ igofpel difpenfation ; johit iii. 14. As Mofes lifted up the fer pent in the wildernefs^ even, fo miifl the Son of man be lifted up. Wherever the gofpel of the grace of God is preached, our Redeemer arifes to fmners of mankind with healing under his Vv^ings ; and the people who fit in darknefs fee a great light. — To whom foever the gofpel comes, the Sun of righteoufnefs appears as being in the word of the gofpel difcernable by faith, llom. X. 6, 7, 8. But the righteoufnefs of faith fpeaketh on this wife^ Say not in thine hearty Who flmll afcend into hea- ven f (that /j, to bring Chrijl down from above ; J or^ Who Jhall defend into the deep? (that is^ to bring up Ch rift from the dead:) But what faith it? The word is nigh thee, even In thy mouth, and in thy heart ; that is the word of faith which we preach. The gofpel is juft the looking-glafs held before the eyes of fmners, in which they may fee him ; 2 Cor. iii. 1 8. Beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, we are changed into the fame image, fro?n glory to glory, ever^ <7i" hy the Spirit of the Lord. And whenever the facramentf' Z 178 Christ, the Su7i of Right eoufncfs^ are duly adminiftred, he arifes to tliem that fear him. As in the word, he is prefented to the ear; fo in the iacra- ment, he is prefented to the eyes and palate, by the fym- bols and facramental acts of his own inftitution : he is evi^ dently fet forth crucifed before yoii^ that ye may fee him ; for, 'This is my body broken for you ; and this cup is the new tefament irt my blood. There he appears, though not in a corporeal and carnal, yet, in a fymbolical and fpiritual manner, to the faith of the fearers of his name. And glorious lights are to be had of him there; And they told ivhat things ivere done in the ivay^ and how he was known of them in the breaking of bread. 5 . He arifes in the morning of converfion^ when he draws aiide the veil, and makes the light of the knowledge of his glory to fhine into the hearts of his people. — He arifes in the work of faving illumiliation, not only giving them light but iight ; not only giving them an outward objec- tive revelation, but an inward fubjcclive revelation of him- felf; Gal. i. 15, 16. It f leafed God to reveal his Son in me. He prefents himfelf to the underilanding, and enables it to take a view of him: he prefents the object, and prepares the faculty: he flaflies the lidit, and takes the film from the eyes of the mind, which hinders the reception of it ; The God who at firft commanded the light to fhine out of darknefs ^ hath flnned into your hearts. This is a new light in which Chrift appears far othenvife than he did before ; formerly they faw no beauty, and now they fee nothing but beau- ty ; formerly, he was a root fp rung out of a dry ground, now he is altogether lovely. It is a very affecting light, a light that hath heat and powerful influence with it, which makes deep impreffions on the heart ; and hence they are faid to be called out of darknefs into his marvellous light, 6. He arifes in the morning of renewed manifeftations : as the natural fun is very often under a cloud, fo is the Sun of righteoufnefs. He fees meet, in fovereignty, to turn about the back of his throne, and his face- cannot be arifing *with Healing in his WingT. 179 fccn ; but oftener he is provoked to hide himfelf as he did from Ephraim, Ifa. Ivii. 17. For the t7nqiuty of his covefoiif nefs was I ivroth^ and f mote him : I hid ?ne, and was wroth. Clouds of fin, guilt, and temptation, do intercept the rays of the Sun of righteoufnefs by times : fo when he, in fovereign love and kindnefs, renews the manifeftations of himfelf to them ; he doth, as it were, arife in the hemi- fphere of the foul, lliewing himfelf through the lattecfs of ordinances, making the mountains of provocation to fcat- ter, and the clouds of fm, guilt, and temptation fly off, and is fecn in his glory as formerly. ' 2dly^ The fecond branch of this Head was to enquire, why his arifing is compared to that of the Sun. And, 1. The fun rifes freely^ he is under no conftraint or force in riling; for, fince the beginning, he attends unto the law of the great Creator ; Like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber^ he rejoiceth to run his race : So the glorious Sun of righteoufnefs rifes freely ; he came to do his Father's will, and it was with infinite delight. The thoughts of this he entertained in his mind from eternity ; for, frotn this date. He rejoiced in the habitable farts of the earthy and his delights were with the fins of men. With fo much free- dom did he acl in his rifing in the morning of time, when he appeared in flcih, that before the fixed period came, he looked like one impatient ; and, as if fond to antici- pate the beginning of the day, he broke forth from behind the cloud of ceremonial inftitutions, in occafional anoear- ^nces, as the Son of man: fo he did to Abraham, when fitting in his tent-door. He arofe freely ia the fulnefs of time, and came in obedience to his Father's will ; John x. 10. I am come that they murht have life. Freely doth he arife upon the dawning of grace in the foul, which makes the finner willingly fubmit, according to thepromife, PfaL ex. 3. 7hy -people fJ:)aU be willing' in the day of thy power, 2. The natural fun doth rife irrefijlibly ; fo doth the Sun of righteoufnefs. — " And as all the attempts of Man- Z 2 l8o Christ, the Sun of Right eoufnefs^ J:ind cannot hinder the natural fun to arife fo neither can all the meanefs, fielth pollution, guilt and rebellion of men pervert the rifing of the Sun of right eoufnefs." Though JVdam's fin feemed to have beclouded his fky for ever, in^- ilantly the Sun of righteoufnefs arifes, and diifufes healing to the difeafed head, in the original promife. — When the jnorning of the fulnefs of time approached he made his appearance, after a delay of four thoufand years, when fome might have thought the time was expired, and the promife buried in oblivion ; and though the root feemed 'withered, yet this branch of righteoufnefs fprang,up. Nor could the grave, though hewn out of a rock, and ftiut up nvith a great ftone and fealed, impede his rifing ; being •the Son of God, impoflible it was he fhould be held by -death. — And all the power of hell and earth combined,^ deavour to pluck the fun out of the firmament? and are they not much worfe, who would pluck the Sun of righteoufnefs out of the heavens of the vifible church. Better want the fun of the firmament, than our Lord, the Sun of rightc- arlftng ivith Healing in his Wings. 197 oufnefs ; for the natural fun gives only light to our bodies, but the Sun of righteoufnefs to our fouls : and yet, alas ! how many in our day are chargeable with this ! — and fuch are all the wicked, but vain, attempts of Deifts, Socinians, and Arians. ^ 8. Here we may fee to ivbom we fliould afcribe all our light, all our warmth, and all our fruits of holinefs, viz. to Chrift. Let the moon and ftars then fall dow^n before this Sun, as in Jofeph's dream : they fhine but with borrowed light ; and the borrower is fervant to the lender. How fweetly do the fowls of heaven iing among the branches, when the morning dawns and the fun arifes? And fliall our mouths be filent when the Sun of righteoufnefs hath vifited, quickened, and enlightened our hearts? It is by influences from Chriil, the Sun of righteoufnefs, we bud and bring forth fruit abundantly. Your heart, behever, was a dark dungeon, full of ferpents, and all venemous reptiles. But how came it to be enlightened? why, the Sun of righteoufnefs was pleafed to iliine, and by his pre- fence to fcatter thefe vile and noxious lufls. Art thou enabled fo much as to bud, to think a good thought? It is becaufe the Sun of righteoufnefs has arifen. — Does it come to a blolfom, a good word? It is from the fame fpring.— Does the fruit grow up unto ripenefs, into holy aftions ? Whence is it but from this Sun's influence ? 9. Hence fee what reafon we have to admire the ten- der mercy of our Lord, in making the Sun of righteouf- nefs arife on us. Glory to God in the highefl:, that there is balm in Gilead. If God had left 'the world in chaos at firft, and never commanded the light to fiiine out of dark- nefs, never fet any fun in the flrmament ; who could have charged any thing on him ? But he knew vvliat a mifer- able world it would be without the fun : and how little of the beauty and excellency pf his works would appear on this fuppoiition? But here his tendernefs and compaf- vfion to poor fiuiiers in a dafk and difeafed cafe fliines foi(;h. t^S Christ, /^^ Sun of Rtght€oufnefi^ with diftinguifhed luftre, in that through the tender merties of our Gody the day fpr'ing from on high hath viftted us. Her6 are the yearnings of his bowels towards Us indeed : whert we were forlorn and hopelefs in ourfelves, to caufe the day-fpring from on high to vifit us, and to continue with us notwithftanding the clouds of fin, which are perpetu- ally hovering about us. O it is unfpeakable mercy! Ad- mire it, and blefs God for it. . 2dly^ Let us next improve this fubjecl in an ufe of r^- froof. 1. Here fee a reproof to all fuch as fliut the windows againft the light of the Sun of righteoufnefs. When our Lord enters the foul by his Spirit, as a Spirit of convidtion, light beginning to come in at fome chink, gradually dif- covers the condition in which the perfon is, flieweth him the filthy vermin that are ready to deftroy his foulj and yet, alas 1 he makes a fhift to fhut the windows that he may keep out the light. This is a fad cafe ; when out* Lord would heal them, and they will not be healed until they die. It is the way to bring the blacknefs of dark- nefs upon you, to provoke God to clap the everlafling chains of darknefs about you, wherein to referve you to the judgment of the great day. O this is a heavy judg- ment, Let him that is filthy be filthy JlilL 2. Hence fee a reproof to fuch as take occafion to ivound themfelves becaufe he has promifed to arife with healing. O how defperate is this ! would you not reckon that man out of his wits, who, upon a prefcription of the ikill and tendernefs of his phylician, fhcxild without any care, wound and gafli himfelf. You that dare be fo bold as to fin, that grace may abound, be affured, that ye know not what the grace of God means ; for, The grace of God teacheth us^ that denying tingodlinefs and worldly lufls^ we fijould live fbherly^ righteoufiy^ and godly ^ in a prefent f- vil world. How did the apoflle ftart at this ! God forbid! he recoils as a man ftunaed at fome horrid fight* Yon ariftng ivlth Healing in his Wings. 199 that never were healed, do not continue in fin that you may give more work to the phyfician. And you upon whom he has arifen, feeing Ood ]\2i^ fpokcn pace to you^ fee that ye do not return again unto folly. g. Here fuch are reproved as reft on the common infiu" ences of the Sun of righteoufnefs. Our Lord Jefus fhlnes upon the good, and the bad ; upon the juft, and the un* juft in the vifible church: but he only fliines upon the beads of finners, whereas he ihines into the .hearts of his own people, 2 Cor. iv. 6 . ; reft not fatisfied with the one without the other. You may have much knowledge, and Some perfons imagine that holy joy, and godly forrow, are in- confiftent; but they are much miftaken: for it is not grace and grace, that are contrary ; but grace and fin. As the paflbver was a feaft, yet eaten with bitter herbs; fo Chrift our paiTover may be feafted upon, with a bitter fenfe of our own fins: nay, they do not only confift, but they mutually influence oRe another. Thefe who moft mourn for fin, do moft rejoice in the Lord ; and thefe who re- joice in the Lord, do moft mourn for fin. As Mary wept much ^ htc^rait fJje loved much; and loved much ^ becaufe much was forgiven her: godly forrow is a fervant to faith, love, the Chrijiians Joy. 255 and joj in the Holy Ghoft; and joy and thankfulnefs for the mercy of God in Chrift, are helps to goldly forrow. None are io difpleafed with themfelves, for offending the Lord, as thefe who have tailed that the Lord is gracious, Zech. xii. 10. 4. It vents itfelf in felf -dedication to the Lord, PfaL cxvi. 17. 0 Lord^ truly I a?n thy fervant^ I am thy fervanty and the foil of thine Jmndmaid ; thou haft loofed my bonds. When a gracious foul is at any time under the influence of this joy, it yields itfelf to the Lord, not merely as the conquered yields to the conqueror, becaufe he can {land it out no longer; but as the wife yields herfelf to her hufband, to whom her defire is; as the fcholar yields himfelf to the teacher, and the apprentice to his mailer to be taught and ruled by him : he reckons it not enough to be called by our Lord'' s name^ to take away his reproach', but furrcnders himfelf to fche Lord, and his fubflance to the God of the whole earth ; faying, " It is corban, a gift " to God ; all I am, all I have, or can do, is a dedicated *' thing, which is facrilege to alienate :" yea, if he had ten thoufand fouls, and ten thoufand bodies ; ten thou- fand lives and eflates, he would furrender them all to the Lord. I own, this piece of religion is much miilaken, and mifmanaged in the world: the bulk of men make it a peace-ofiering, whereas it is only a thank-offering. They give themfelves to the Lord that he may be their God; whereas they fliould do it, becaufe he is their God : for this is the order of the covenant of srrace, / 1:'/// be their God ; and they fh all be my people : whereas their practice is the order of the covenant of w^orks; and fo evidences them to be alive to the law^ in this refpecl. 5. It vents itfelf in acls of chearful obedience to the will of God. Pfal. cxvi. 7, 8, 9. Return unto thy reft, 0 my foul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee; this is David's joy: and what is the effect of it? ver. 9. I will walk before the Lord in the lan4^ of the living. The more we 2s6 ' A Sight of Christ, triumph in his victory, the more we ihall abound in hi3 work; i Cor. xv. 57, 58. But thanks be to God which giveth us the vidory^ through our Lord Jefus Chrijl : ver. 58. Therefore my beloved brethren^ be ye fledfaft^ unmoveable^ always abounding in the work of the Lord, forafmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord, The foul, under the influence of this joy, is not whipt to obedience, but performs it with heart and goo(^wi]l, which is what God requires; Pfalm c. 2. Serve the Lord with gladnefs. Hypocrites obey God grudgingly, and againft their will, as Cain brought his facrifice, and not his heart : but the faint does it with willingnefs, and chearfulnefs; which fliews that there is love in the duty: and love doth that to our fervices which the fun doth to the fruit, it mellows and ripens them, and makes them eat with a better relifh. 6. This joy vents itfelf in acts of love to thofe who are of the houjhold of faith: Thufites faid of the Jews, in Efther's days, that after their deliverance from Haman's confpiracy. They had days of fea fling and joy, and of fend- ing -portions to one another, and gifts to the poor. This joy vents itfelf in doing good, both to their fouls and bodies: to their fouls, by comforting them in their troubles of mind, directing them in their doubts, and reprehending them for their faults: to their bodies^ by viliting, and fympathizing with them in their diftrefs, fupplying them in their wants. And, O what fo beautiful, as for mem- bers of the fame body, children of the fame father, thefe who lay in the fame womb, fucked the fame beafts, who fat at the fame table, and expect for ever to lodge in the fame home, to be thus helpful to one another! 7. It vents itfelf in a fledfafl adherence to the Lord's truths, caufe, and intereft: and hence that expreffion, Acts iv. 13. When they f aw the boldnefs of 'Peter and John, they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jefus, When the faints lofe heart-gladdening fights of the Lord, the Chrijlians Joy, 257 then they are Y[k& ftlly doves ^ without heart In his caufc ; but when he hfts upon them the hght of his countenance, this animates and ftirs them up to acl bodly : a notable inllance of this we have in Peter; when our Lord was fuiiering, ill company prefTed very hard on him, and the fear of being abufcd by them, prevailed with him to deny his Mafter; but it is no fooner done than our Lord looks on him, and after this no torment, no contempt, no frowns of great men, no imprifonments, not the ilern looks of the high prieft, nor the indignation of the Sad- ducees, can move him ; he opens his mouth in his Matter's caufe, and afterwards draws his pen in defence of the gofpel. — The little zeal amongft us for his truth at this day, plainly iliys, that we want heart-gladdening fights of the Lord: many having no zeal for the moft important truths of our holy religion; and others thinking we are only to contend for thofe they call fundamentals, to the neglect of others which they call fmaller truths, if it be proper to call any truth fmall; which is juft as if a man in building, fliould only be careful to lay a good founda- tion, without minding the roof, windows, or walls. 8. It vents itfelf in acts of pity and compaffion towards unbelievers, who as vet have had no tafte or fenfe of this joy. This joy has its own rife from the bounty of God, and it difpofes the believer to pity thofe who are flrangers to it, and to wiih and pray for a change to them, that they Y\\\^ he brought from darknefs to lights and from the power of Satan^ to the liberty of God^s childre?i. No fooner had Andrevv^ the apoille and brother of Simon feen Chrift, and had joy by his fight let in to his heart, than meeting Si- mon he fays, IVe have found the l^leffias ; and brought him to Jefus^ John i. 4c, 41. in. The third general head, was to enquire, whence it is that a fight of the Lord thus gladdens the difciples ? K k 258 J Sight of CUKlSTf And reafons for this may be given, from the obje^l of the fight; from the fubjecl of it; and from the fight itfelf. i/?, From the ohjed of the fight. And, 1. It proceeds from the iiearnefs of the objecl. Good abfent, you know, is the objecl of defire ; but good pre- fent, is the object of delight. It muft be owned, that a perfon may rejoice at fome good that is paft, as that at fuch a time he efcaped fuch a danger, or made fuch a good bargain ; but then the memory makes it prefent. A perfon may Ukewife rejoice in a future good, as Abraham rejoiced to fee Chnjl's day afar of; but then faith gives the thing a prefenc exiftence in the foul ; for faith is the fuhjlajice of things hoped for: fo that ftill the object of joy is prefent good. Well, our Lord Jefus is a good always prefent with his people. Mat. xxviii. 20. Lo! I am with you alway.^ even unto the end of the world. It is true, they have not his bodily prefence, which the church once en- joyed, when he went out and in among his difciples ; nor is this neceifary, redemption \vork being iinillied : but they ftill have his ipiritual prefence, Mat. xviii. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my 7iame^ there am I in the viidft of them. By his Spirit, he is more nearly prefent v/ith them, than any other good thing they have. Some things are pxfent with them, in their poffefTion, yet ftill without them; but our Lord Jefus is in them: I will dwell in them. Some things are more intimate than thefe, yet ftill feparab]e from them, as health, ftrength ; but our Lord Jefus Cliiift infeparabiy abides with them : there is an everlafting tye betwixt Chrift and the difciples; Rom. viii. 365 38. ]¥Jjo fJ'jall fcparate us from the love of Chrifl f Is it any wonder then that the difciples are glad when they fee the Lord? 2. This gladnefs proceeds from the agreeahlenefs of the objecV. A perfon cannot rejoice in any thing unlefs he fee in it a fuitablenefs to himfelf. Gold is unfuitable to one that is hungry \ food, to the fick \ honour, to the the Chrijlians Joy. 259 weary and fatigued ; and therefore perfons in fucli cir- cumftances cannot rejoice in thefe things: but our Lord Jefus is a fuitable good to the difciplcs ; and therefore they cannot but rejoice when they fee him. There ir> a twofold agreeablenefs in Chiifl to the difciples : an agree- ablenefs to their condition, for affording reUef ; to their judgment, for yielding fatisfadion. [1.] There is an agreeablenefs in Chrifl; to the condi- iion of the difciples for affording relief, which, when feen, rejoices the heart; i Cor. i. 30. But of bun are ye in Chrijl Jefus^ who of God is made unto us wifdom^ and righteouf- nefs^ and fa nd,ifi cation^ and redemption. All our fouls feel a want, and defire fupply proper for filling it up; .but be- fore they be enhghtened, they know not where to find it, and therefore fly to the creature in ilead of the Creator, but to no purpofe; for whatever reft the creature pro- mifes, it cannot afford it: Ifa. Iv. 2. Wherefore do ye fpend money ^ for that which is not bread ; and your labour^ for that which fatisfieth not f And therefore the poor foul mourns in ftead of rejoicing. In this cafe, the Lord is difcovered, and then it refts as an infant fet to the full breafl, becauie he is a fuitable good to the foul: Ifa. Ixvi. 1 1. 'That ye may fuck ^ and be fat is fed at the breafl s of her conflations , Now, there are feveral things in Chrifl an- fwerable to the fouPs condition. There is an agreeablenefs in his per/on, as he is a Deity, dwelling in flefli; and fo at once anfwering the honour of God, and the foul's necefTities, in which the foul rejoices, with the deepeil aftonifliment, crying out, in the words of Solomon, Will God indeed dwell on the earth ! There is an agreeablenefs in his offices to the cafe of the finner ; for the finner is in a triple incapacity of return^ ing to God his ultimate end : he is in the darknefs of fin, and knows not the right path thither; for this our Lord Jefus is the truth, as a prophet, leaching him by his word and Spirit: he is under the guilt of fin, and dares not re- K k 2 26o J Sight (^/'Chri^st, turn ; for this Chriil is the way, as a pneft, offering up his blood and rio-hteoufnefs for him: he is under the i?n- fotency^ and enmity of fin, and fo neither can nor will re* turn thither of himfeif ; for this Chrift is the life, as a king, fubduing and ruling him, by his gracious fceptre. I'he man finding himfelf very much in the dark as to the mind and will of God, is fuited by the prophetical office, Avhereby he tranflates finncrs out of darknefs ; here is re- lief againft this: he is prelfcd down with guiit ; in the priefiily office he finds relief agalnil: this ; for the blood of J ejus Chrift his Son cleanfes from all fin : he is cnilaved by fin ; he finds rcHef asrainfi: this in his kinG:Iv office, where- by he i^ able to fubdue all things to himfelf* Ihere is an apreeablenefs in his names to the foul's fituation. — Are they fach as have violated the law? then his name is, The Lord cur ri([hteoufufs, Jer. xxiii. 6. By his aclive and paffive obedience, he has brought in an everlafi:ing righteoufnefs for their juftification, whereby the law is magnified and made honourable ; they, through faith in him, have the rio-hteoufnefs of the law fulfilled in them ; and therefore when ever the law makes its de- mands, they have an anfwer to give it, Chrifl was made fin for iis^ that we might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him. — Are they difeafcd or wounded by the fiery darts of the devil ? Are tl)e plagues of fin affecting their fouls with deadnefs, or darknefs, or any other evil? Anfwerable to this condition, his name is, The Lord the healer ; Exod. XV. 26. I am the Lord that healeth thee, — Are thcv like lofi: iheep going aftray from the Lord? Suitable to this | cafe is his name, Ezek. xlviii. 55. And the name of the city from that day fhall be^ The Lord is there: and therefore they iliali be kept by the power of God through faith unto falvation, — Are they at any time reduced to firaits or wants, either in foul or body? Suitable to this, his name is, Jehovah-jireh, The Lord will provide^ Gen. xxii. 14. -r-Are thev at aqy time defencelefs? Suitable to this, his 4 * the Chriflian^s Joy, 261 name is, T/jc Lord ?ny bamier^ Exod. xv. 26. — Are they in mifery ? His name is, J^'Hovah, Merciful and gracious, \_:l.~\ He is agreeable to their judg?nent, for yielding full fatisfa6lion ; and this makes them rejoice, 'ihe objecl of this fight is 3.sfuitable to the condition of unbelievers as ever a plaifter was to a fore ; / counfel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire ^ that thou mayefl be rich ; and white raiment^ that thou mayefl be clothed ; and eye-falve^ that thou mayefl fee^ Rev. iii. 18.: But he is not agreeable to their judgment^ becaufe they are under the power of corruption; and cor- rupt nature is the very reverfe of the device of falvation throu2:h a crucified Chrifl; and therefore thev cannot be elad in him. Corruot nature feeks fatisfaction in the creature, and fo rejoices in it : hence thofe under its in- 'fluence are faid to be lovers of pleafures ; but Chrifl is mofl unfavoury to them. However, he is mofl agreeable to the mind, as well as the condition of the difciples : they are cafl into the mould of the gofpel, Rom. viii. 17. Jer. xxxii. 39, 40. They are pleafed with every thing about him: s they are fatisfied that he fhould get all the glory of their falvation, heartily content that they fhould be bankrupts to commend the height, depth, breadth, and length of his love, and to be deeply in the debt of free grace, and that they fliould have the advantage of an eternity to ac- knowledge it; Pfal. Ixxxix. I. I will flag of the mercies of the Lord for ever. They are pleafed with his laws, a copy of them being infcribed upon their hearts; Pfal. cxix. 128. Therefore I efleem all thy precepts conceriung all things to be right ; and I hate every falfe way. They are well pleafed with the fulnefs of the Spirit of holinefs, which is lodged in him, and that he is a Spirit of grace and fup- plication. It pleafes them, that though they be folly, he is made of God to them wifdom; though guilty, he is made righteoufnefs ; though they be filthy, he is fanclifi- cation ; though they be nothing, Chrifl is all. Whatever is wanting in them, is abounding in him ; and it is all 262 A Sight of Christ, one, if it be betwixt them : it is as good, nay, much better, in their view, that it be in him than in themfelves. 3 . This gladnefs proceeds from the wonderfulnefs of the object. An incarnate Redeemer is the moft wonderful obje6l that ever appeared upon earth. His appearance in flefh was intimated by a heavenly meifenger; and the view did inflame the feraphims themfelves, Luke ii. 13, 14. When Chrift is feen in his ordinances by faith, every thing in and about him is feen as wonderful. — He is won- derful in his per/on;, he is the mofl high God over all^ blejjed for ever : he is true man, The Word was made flefh; and he is in his perfon God-man. He is wonderful in the beau- ty of his perfon, being fairer than the children of men. He is wonderful in his birth, life, death, and refurreclion. — He is wonderful in his works ; they produce allonifhment in every beholder. So when feen in his ordinances, the fight makes glad the hearts of the difciples. 4. The rarenefs of the object is what produce the joy. If gold were as plentiful as iron, it would be as little efteemed ; but the rarity of it makes men to value and re- joice in it. Well, our Lord Jefus, the obje6l of this fight is very rare. — God hath made the beft and moft excellent things fingle. One fun in the firmament; one tree of life in Paradife ; one heart, one head in the body : fo to us there is but one Lord Jefus^ by whom are all things^ and we by him; and therefore the difciples rejoice when they fee him. 5. It proceeds from the amiablenefs of the object, which is not only lovely^ but altogether lovely. Every thing which tends to render one amiable to others, is in him in the higheil degree. In his complexion, he is white and ruddy ; fo the chlefeft among ten thoufand. The difciples fee him complete in refpecl of parts, and difcern his comely pro- portion, fo he is to them amiable; efpecially when feen after a time of defertion: the difciples have gone mourning without the fun; but upon his appearance to them anew the Chri/iia7is Joy. 2^3 his amiablcnefs is feen with great advantage ; and the ap- prehenfion of an interview fills the mouth of the difci- ples with commendations of him: hence the fpoufe, in the fifth of the Song, when he had withdrawn himfelf, and was gone, commends him until words fail, ver. 10, — 16. His amiablenefs is fo great, that the beauty of every creat- ed thing doth evanifh, as the fhining of the fi:ars upon the rifing of the fun ; and, in comparifon of him, all things are ugly, and counted for lofs and dung, that this fair One may be win, and that they may be found in him. 6. It proceeds from the purity of the obi eel. To ren- der any thing the object of full joy, it mufl: be a pure good, without any drofs or dregs to abate the fweetnefs of it. Well, our Lord Jefus is a moft pure good, without any mixture of drofs or bitternefs. Every creature is a bitter-fweet, and fo poor a comfort that its bitternefs is necelTary to the very being of its fweetnefs ; for had it not a bitternefs, its fweetnefs would be fulfome: but though our Lord be altogether delightful, yet he never clogs ; but the more he is enjoyed, the more he pleafeth. Never any believer found any thing in him to caufe him repent his chufing him ; as Polycarp faid, '' I have ferved " him thefe eighty-fix years, and he never did me any '' hurt.'' No wonder then though the difciples be glad when they fee him. 7. It proceeds from the frecioiifnefs of the object. To render any thing an objecl of full and complete joy, it mufi: be a precious good, that which hath fome fpecial value about it : we read of the joy of hawefl^ becaufe men then reap the precious things of the earth. Our Lord Jefus is no ordinary good, which if a man want he can compen- fate by fome other thing, but a treafure^ a pearl of great price, in comparifon of whom all other things are lofs and dung, Phil. iii. 7, 8. He is precious in the eyes of his peo- ple; to them that believe he is precious : precious in his own tranfcendent excellencies and perfections ; precious in the 264 A Sight of Christ, refpecl he bears to us ; in the fweet and intimate relations of an head, hufband, &c,: precious in the rich fupplies of grace he beftows, in the high dignity whereto he ad- vances, in the precious promiies he makes us, in the glo- rious hopes he fets before us, and the bleiled maniions he has prepared for us : precious in the light of his counte- nance lliining on us, and the fruits of his Spirit in us ; in fhort, in every thing about him: and therefore no won- der though the difciples be glad at the light of him. 8. The fulnefs of the objecl caufes this joy. It muft be a full good, fuilicient and proportionable to the dehres and exigencies of him, who is delighted therewith. Well, fuch is the objecl of this iight^ he can fill their capacious fouls, like the water-pots of Cana in Galliiee, up to the brim: he has enough for himfelf, and therefore muli have enough for them. Are they guilty? he has plenty of righteoufnefs to cover all their fins : Are they poor ? he has riches to fupply all their wants, grace to fubdue all their lufts, wafdom to refolve all their doubts, power to vanquiih all their enemies, virtue to cure all their difeafes. As the one ocean contains more water than all the rivers in the world, and one fun more light than all the other luminaries in heaven ; fo one Chrift has more to a poor foul than ten thoufand worlds. 9. It proceeds from tYie, perpetuity of the objecl. To render any thing a fourcc of rational joy, it muft be a per- petual good, commenfurate in duration to the foul fatis- fied with it: and fuch is the object of this fight; for though he once died, death has now no more power over him. He died, but he is now alive; and he lives not only for ever in his perfon, but he is for ever the life, portion, and blefiednefs of his people : Becaufe he lives ^ they Jhall live alfo. He leads not in heaven a life of mere glory, ma- jefly, and bleffednefs ; but a life of office, love, and care^ hereon does the prefent fafety and future eternal life of the difciples depend. He lives as their Mediator, King, Pro- the Chriflians joy. - 265 pilet, and Prieft : thus he is reprefentcd, Rev. v. 6. And I beheld^ and lo in the m'ldjl of the throne and of the four beafts. and in the midjl of the elders^ flood a Lantb as it had been flain^ this is his prieftly office ; having feven horns ^ or perfect power, this is his kingly oflce; and feven eyes^ which are the feven fpir its of God, or a fulnefs of all fpiri- tual light, this is his prophetical office : and if fo, needs it be wondered at, that the difciples are glad when they fee him ? 10. This joy proceeds from the beholder's pfoperty in the objecl. A beggar feels not the joy of another man's wealth ; nor does a malefactor, going to the gibbet, feel any joy at another malefactor's pardon : but our Lord Jefus is the property of believers ; he is theirs, and they are his. He is more theirs than they are their own ; they poffefs more in hi'm than in tliemfelves : defective in themfelves j but complete in him ; they are weak in themfelves, but itrong in him ; they are dead in themfelves, but alive in him; mutable in themfelves, but eltabliilied in him: I a?n my Beloved's, and my Beloved is 7?iine. 2dly, Reafons may be drawn from the fubjed of the fight, or perfon feeing the Lord. As, " I. Self need of the Lord makes the difciples glad when they fee him. Both faints and iinners need our Lord Je* fus. Sinners need to ht fo joined to the Lord, as to be one fpirit with him : and hence is that expreffion^ John xv. 6. If a man abide not in me, he is cafl forth as a branch, and is withered. And faints need him ; to be more and more clofely united to him, and to be growing up in all things unto the Head, John xv. 4. Abide in me, and I in you: as the branch cannot bear fruit of itfelf except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me* Sinners need his blood, being guilty before God, fubjecc to the judg- ment of God, and obnoxious to his wrath and vengeance: and faints need his blood likewife ; for, though they be waflien as to their ftate, their feet are often defiled, by L 1 rL(>(i A Sight ^Christ, going tlirough a dirty world: He that is clean needeth not hut to wajh his feet. Sinners need his Spirit, for without it they cannot worihip God fuitably to his nature ; for God is a Spirit: and faints need him likewife ; for it is not enough in order to fpiritual worfhip, that they have the Spirit of God dwelling in them, but he muft likewife ex- cite tliem by his gracious influences. A heart may be fpiritual, when a particular act of w^orfliip is not fo: the Spirit may dwell in the heart, and yet fufpend his influ- ences : the choiceft acts of worihip are but infirmities without his help; Horn. viii. 26. Likewife the Spirit afo helpcth our infirmities. Sinners need him, and every thing about him, and fo do faints: but fmners do not feel their need of him, whereas faints do, and that makes him a glad fight to them ; for to the hungry foul every hitter thing is fweet. When an indemnity is proclaimed, thofe who are not liable to condemnation, feel no great joy at it ; but it makes the hearts of the condemned to leap for joy. Mattli. ix. 12. They that he whole need not the phyfician^ hut they that are fie k, 2. Felt hemfit by the fight makes the difciples glad when they fee the Lord. There is nothing^ that aflfecls men with greater joy, than their being delivered from imminent dana^er. When the children of Ifrael were de- livered at the Pied-Sea, from the Egyptians who purfued them, then sang Mofes and Ifrael. Juft fo, the foul when it reilecls on the dreadful wrath of an angry God, which it was expofed to, the dreadful riik it ran, of being fwallowed up by endiefs woes and miferies, but from which it is now delivered by Chriil, it cannot but fill the foul w^ith joy. When a criminal, brought to the place of execution, and his neck on the block, expecting every moment the fatal blow, fees the man that comes with a pardon, how joyful is hel Juft fo, the believer when, by a fight of Chrift, he fees that he has paffied from death to life ; that the ivintcr is over and gone ; that he has no more the Chrijlians Joy. 267 to dread from an angry God, who now addrcfies him as in thefe good words, Ifa. liv. 7, 8, c;. For a [mall moment have I forfaken thee ; but with great mercy will I gather thee^ See. O what incxpreilible joy arifes from a fenfe of this! 3. Known benefit to be received by the light. They have experience, by former fights, of the advantages to be reaped by a new one ; this makes them defire a new dif- covcry of him in his power and glory^ as heretofore in the fanduary^ and rejoice when obtained. They cannot but rejoice at a fight of the Lord, becaufe they know it will humble pride, turning their comelinefs into corruption as it did Daniel's, ch.x. 8.: Give them boldnefs in their ap- proaches to his footflool ; as it did Moies, txod. xxxiv. 6, 7, 9.: Supprefs their jealoufies, difpel their doubts and fears, and crufh their unbelief: fo thefe who a few hours before were fmking inta difpondency, faying, We trujied it had been he which Jhould ha^ve redeemed Ifrael^ but feared the worft, were, upon feeing him, elated with joy. idly^ Keafons may be given from the nature of the fight. I . This light doth appropriate Chrift, and all that he is, and hath to the foul; and hence the difciples are filled with joy upon feeing him. I'his fight doth appropriate his perfon; fo did the church. Song v. 16. This is my beloved^ and this is my friend^ O ye daughters of Jerufalem. When ever Thomas faw him, as in ver. 28. he claims an interefl: in him. My Lord and my God. It claims interefl in all his perfections, cifices, and relations, and in all he doth poffefs. In viewing his righteoufnefs, they appropriate it to themfelves, Ifa. xlv. 24. Surely in the Lord have I righteoufnefs and flrength. In feeing him in the riches of his grace, they appropriate them : fo did the man accord- ing to God's heart, Pfal. cxix. 57. Thou art my portion^ O Lord. They appropriate to themfelves the whole of his purchafe, flowing from eternal love, GaL ii. 20. — Who LI 2 ^6B A Sight (/Christ, loved me, and gave h'lmfelf for me. With joy of heart they snay fay. The Lord is my Jhepberd, I Jhall not want. 2. Faith's views of the Lord beget hofe, i Pet. i. 3. Blejfed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrijl, who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope. It begets hope that they fhall fee him for ever, i^ct to face : formerly they were under fear of hell's wrath ; but by a fight of the Lord, it is turned into a hope of an iyiheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadr eth not away, "What is heaven think you, Sirs? It is nor thing but the everlafting vifion of the Lord ; feeing him as he is, and feeing all the glorious attributes and perr fe6i:ions of the divine nature, Ihining in their meridian glory in his perfon. A fight of the Lord then is heaven begun ; and the firft fruits enfurc the whole crop; He will give grace and glory. He produces joy, Rom. v. 2. And rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Hope is ^ greater pof^ fefiion to the people of God than all things w^hich they poffefs ; and what wonder is it then though they rejoice when thev fee the Lord? 3. A fight of the Lord produces holinefs and conformity to the objed;. Beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord^ we are changed into the fame image. According to the meafure of the manifeftation of Chrifii's glory to the foul, fo is the degree of likenefs to him : perfect views of his glory produce perfect likenefs ; i John iii. 2. When he Jhall appear, we fhall be like- him; for we fhall fee him as he is : and imperfect views of him beget imperfeft likenefs: perfecl likenefs again produces perfedl fatisfaciion, Pfalm xvii. 15 . As for me, I will behold thy face in righieoufnefs : I fhall be fatisfied when I awake with thy likenefs: and im-f perfect likelefs begets imperfect fatisfadion ; Pfal. iv. 6, 7. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us ; thou hafl put more gladnefs in my heart, than in the time that their corn dnd their wine increafed. And iiiuft it not afford the foul great fatisfaction and joy, to find his nature xt- the Chriftlans Joy, 269 .cover fomething of its original rectitude; to find new health, vigour, and beauty returning; to find his dif- jointed faculties all replaced, and new life come into his dry bones, fo as he is made to live the very life of God, a life of holinefs, to which he was formerly efi:ranged? un- doubtedly it mufl:; 2 Cor. i. 12. Our rejoicing is this^ the teflimony of our own conference^ that in ftmplicity and godly Jtncerity^ not with flefJAy wifdom^ but by the grace of God^ we have had our coverfation in the world. IV. The lafl: thing propofed was to make application of the fubjecl. 1 . Hence learn that religion is no melancholy employment^ it brings joy; Then were the difciples glad* A gracelefs world (landers the ways of God, as if they were dark and uncomfortable : but, O that they would come and make a trial, and they would find it to be quite otherwife; or if they will not, let them believe the fpies that have been in the land of promife, who are the only fit perfons to atteft this truth, and they will tell that wifdo?n*s ways are pleafantnefs^ and all her paths are peace. Religion indeed retrenches mens finful pleafures ; but it abounds with fpi- ritual ones: it changes the courfe of joy ; but does not require you to renounce it. And hence we read of, and, O that wc knew they^^y and peace that is in believing, 2 . Hence fee the aflonifhing grace and condefcenfion of our Lord, in that he will allow the like of us a fight of him. O, what are we, vile wretches, finful dufl: and aflies, that he fhould ihew us fuch favour and kindnefs ! O what can move him to this, feeing he is infinitely glo - rious, and fi:ands in no need of us ! Surely nothing at all but his own free grace. Admiration was a great part of the worftiip of our firfi: parents in paradife ; it is the ex- ercife of glorified faints ; and there is great reafon for it a- mong God's children in this world, feeing they are pri- vileged with fuch difcoveries pf him., as make their hearts 270 A Sight ^Christ, to rejoice; efpecially confidering, that there was never the like ihown to the angels that iinned, from whom he hides his face, and who, as exiles from the Father of lights, muft inhabit utter and eternal darknefs. 3. Hence we may be informed what a valuable blef- fing the gofpei and go/pel ordinances are, which are glaffes to fee his glory in. Thefe are the glory of Scotland; and if they go away, we may take up the complaint of Eli's daughter-in-law, and cry, Ichahod^ The glory is departed from our Ifrael: and nothing flrange is it to fee the faints putting a value upon gofpel ordinances, becaufe therein they fee the Lord, fo as to make their hearts rejoice. Carnal men do not think it ilrange to fee men flocking to fairs and markets; but they wonder what the Lord's peo- ple mean in making fuch a work about facraments and fermons; but they need not, for they have good reafon for fo doing, namely, that they may fee the Lord: they are the means of the fullell: and cleareil manifeftations of the divine glory on this fide heaven, and this makes them eftcem them highly ; How amiable are thy tabernacles^ O Lord of Hojlsl Pfal. Ixxxiv. i. Yea, long after them ear- neftly; My foul thirjleth for thecy my fief b longeth for thee^ to fee thy fewer and thy glory as I have feen thee in the fanclu- ary^ Pfal. Ixii. i, 2. Nay, attend them diligently; I was glad when they faid unto me^ Let us go into the houfe of the Lordy Pfal. cxxii. i. 4. Here we may fee one difference betwixt the mani- feftation of God made in the works of creation and provi- dence, and the manifeftation made of him in Chrijl : the one is fuited to our reafon, the other to our faith, and faith alone. Reafon alone can fee no glory in the reprefen- tation made of God in Chrifl : all that is fpoken thereof in the gofpel is fooHfhnefs to it; but by that faith which is of divine operation, we have the light of the knowledge of this glory: and this is the reafon why fo many profeffors are fo little affeded with the gofpel, notwithftanding the the Chrijlians Joy. 271 continual preaching of it to them, and their outward profeflion of it. Some fenfe they have of the power of God in the works of creation and providence, and in the workings of their natural confciences; but farther they have no real fenfe of him, and the reafon is, becaufe the)' have not faith, whereby alone the reprefentation made of God in Chrift, and declared in the gofpel, is made effec- tual to the fouls of men: All men have not faith, 5. Hence fee the reafon of the changes in believers frame of mind. Why are they at one time joyful? It is becaufe they have feen the Lord. Why are they fad at another ? It is becaufe they have miffed a fight of him. It is the greateft joy and happinefs imaginable for them to fee the Lord. And as a fight of him is their greateft happinefs, fo to be under the hiding of his face, is their greateft grief: a fight of the Lord fufEces them ; and when they mifs a fight of him, what can fuflice them^ A believer lofes not only the joy and triumph of his faith, but his very peace: he is not only in a dark, but in a difturbed condition, not knowing where to lay his head, w^hen God hides his face: Thou didft hide thy face^ faid the Pfalmift, and I was troubled, 6. See the mifery of all unbelievers under a gofpel dif- penfation. Why ? they may have a fight of the Lord, and yet they do not fee him : The light Jhineth in darknefs^ and the darknefs comprehendeth it not. This is the greateft mifery, as it is the greateft aggravation of their fin that can be : This is the condemnation^ that light is come into the worlds and men love darknefs rather than light. If the light had not come among them, then their condemnation had not been fo great : their fin had not been fo much aggravated, and their punifhment had not been fo grievous. Their fin is of a deeper dye than the fin of Heathens ; yea, than the fin of devils. Their cafe is moft miferable, for it is a dreadful fign of reprobation \ If our gofpel be hidy it is hid to them that are lofl. 272 A Sight of Cniiisty 7. See what would be a good preparative for aft evil day: juft "^ fight of the Lord^ which makes glad the heart. Sirs, (as faith an eminent minifter) " Days of adverfity feem to be coming upon the lands of Britain and Ire- land: we have all imaginable grounds to expecl a day *' of wrath, confidering we have left God, and God has *' in a greit meafure left us : we have broken off from " God, and are broken among ourfelves." There are likewife all the iigns of a day of wrath ; as you will fee if you compare the difpenfations of this day, with the word of God, Matth. xxiv. 5,6,7,8. Well, a light of the Lord is the beft preparative for a day of this kind. As nothing can quiet a foul, when a dark vail and cloud is on his glory; fo there is nothing can diftrefs a foul when Chrift's glory is feen. All fear is removed, and every ftorm finks into a calm, when the Lord is feen; Matth. xiv. 27. Be of good cheer ! it is I ; be not afraid. So, if any of you were to afk my beft advice^ concerning your being prepared for days of darknefs, my anfwer would be this, Coine and fee the Lord, The faints have all their comfort from the Lord ; whoever then would have comfort, muft wade to heaven for it: it is a commodity not to be found in this world; you may fetch in wealth from many coafts of the earth ; but you cannot fetch in comfort till you addrefs the God of heaven, who on this account is called, The God of all conflation. We can procure our own forrow quickly, but God only makes us rejoice by Jefus Chrift our Lord ; of whom it may be faid as Lamech faid to Noah, 'This fame (hall comfort us concerning our ivork^ and the toil of our hands y becaufe of the ground which the Lord hath ciirfed, 8. From this do6trine let us learn what heaven will be, where believers will fee the Lord as he is^ and be eternally in his company. If our joy here from faith's difcoverie&i be fo great, what will be the joy in that immediate vifionf If fuch be the joy of faith in hearing of our Lord by his letter, and feeing him by his pidiure, what will the joy be the Chrijlians Joy. 275 of feeing him face to face, and dwelling with him fpj? ever? U the pairengcis at fea have iuch joy m feeing the defired land afar otf, through the pi ofped of faith, wh;5:t will be the meafure of theii joy when they come to hca? ven, M'h^.re they fliail have perpetual tranquillity, and per^ feci delight in the fruition of God, in whom, as the cen- tre, all the lines of created comforts do meet ; yea, arjd much m.orc than eve hath fcen or ear heard? if a cluftei? of grapes here be fo fweet, what will the vintage be? If it be fo raviihing to have joy entering into us, what VyilJ. it be when we fliall enter into joy, and fwim in an OQean. of joy for ever more? When God iliall fay, Well done gqgcf and faithful fero ant ^ enter thou into the joy of thy Ij)rd. 9. Hence fee that it is no wonder though the Lo,rd^§ people defpife the dreggy delights of this world. They zv§ allowed joy in the Lord^ which is far preferable, Wprldly joy is but a flight and fuperficial thing; For even in laughr tcr the heart IS forrozuful : whereas fpiritual joy is inwa;rd and fubftantial ; / will fee you again^ and your heart fball rejoice^ and your joy no man taketh from you, — Worldly j,oy does us much hurt, Hof. iv. 11. Whoredom and wine^ c^nd new wine take away the heart : whereas fpiritual joy ,doe^ us great good, Neh. viii. 10. ''The joy of the Lord is your Jlretigth. — Worldly joy is foon over and gone, and leave;? bitteniefs and remorfc behind ; Prov. xiv. 13. 'The end of that mirth is heavinefs : but God in Chrift, the object ,o£ fpiritual joy is full and frclli to all eternity : angels and faints are not weary of him. nor ever will be. Befides^ carnal mirth is but madnefs, Eccl. ii. 2. I faid of laug-h:? ter^ it is mad; and of mirth ^ what doth itf whereas to re-r joice in the Lord is the hel2:ht of wifdom. — In one word, joy in the Lord excels worldly joy^ as much as a real feaij: does an imaginary one. As an hungry man dreameth a;i(f behold he eateth^ but wl)en he awaketh his foul is ,ev,ipty, WJiat wo;ider then thoiigh the Lord's people deipifc the M ra 274 ^ Sight ^Christ, delights of this world ? Jofeph bids the patriarchs, Regard not your Ji'ujf^ for the good of the land of Egypt is before you : fo fays faith to the Chriftiaii, when it gets a view of the Lord, " Regard not the lumber and rubbilh of this world, for the good of the land of promife is before you ; yea, the Lord, the good himfelf, is before you :" Gal. vi. 14. God forbid that I fJjould glory fave in the crofsof our Lord Jefus Chrij}^ by whom the world is crucified unto fue^ and I unto the ivorld, 10. Hence fee that it is no wonder though the people of God long for heaven^ where the vilion of the Lord will be full and uninterrupted for ever. Oar Lord is the true God and eternal life. Now, when a difciple fees e- ternal life, is it any wonder though he be weary of tem- poral life? Natural things are but burdenfome trifles to thofe who are flored with fpiritual; Luke v. 39. iVb man afo having drunk old wine, flraightway defireth new ; for, he faith, the old is better, A true fight of the Lord makes the world fcarce worth the looking after, or the living in: fuch perfons live becaufe God will have them live to do him fervice ; not becaufe they defire to live to ferve their own ends, Phil. i. 23. For I am in a fir ait betwixt two, haying a defre to depart and to be with Chrifl which is far better : neverthelefs to abide in the flefl) is more needful for you. Lajliy, Hence fee what would make a Ughtfome comniu- nion-fabbath amonoft us ; juft a fight of the Lord. Glori- ous objecls arc very pleafant to the eyes that behold them; Light is fwcct, and it is a pleafant thing to behold the fun : but, O what is all created glory, but a fhadow to the glory of our Lord ? And therefore the beholding of his glory cannot but yield inexprefTible fatisfadlion to the foul. A iiofht of the Lord would flrens:then our faith, inflame our love, quicken our defires, and fill us with joy ; and the livelv exercifes of thefe £»"races would make it a fweet communion-day: and faving views of the Lord, would make it one of the beil day^ ever we had in the world. i 1 the Chnjliatis Joy. 275 and oblige us to cry out. This is the day which the Lord bath made^ we will rejoice and he glad in it. The docliine may be improven for e. lamination and trial. Have ye feen the Lord? or, in other words, have ye real religion ? for a fight of the Lord by faith is the fureft tell of mens ftates that can be. Ihcy that have it are true believers, for by it they are nvade fuch ; i John v. 20. And zve knozo that the Son of God is conie^ and hath given us an under flanding that we may know him that is true. They that never faw the Lord, remain ftill in the pit where darknefs and death reign. 1. If you have feen the Lord, you have found hi^ glory to be fingular, tranfcendent, and matchlefs ; if ever you had a true view of the glory of Chriil, ye will judge that there is no glory like it. What you formerly thought glorious, you will then reckon to have 7io glory by reafon of the glory that excelleth. If a man born blind had his fight given him in the night, he w^ould wonder at the light of the candle : if he were abroad in the night, and faw the ftars and the moon ihinincr, he would wonder ftill more : but when he faw the fun arife he would won- der moft of all, and frankly own he never faw fuch a light before: well, fo it will be with them on whom the Sun of Righteoufnefs has arifen ; they will own that there is no glory like ChriiFs glory. If our Lord's glory has not difgraced all created glory, you have not feen it : I count all things but lofs and dung, for the excellency of the knowledge of Jefus Chrifl my Lord, 2, If ye have feen the Lord, ye will defire to fee ??iore of him. What the wife man fays in general of fight. The eye is not fatisfied with feeing^ may well be applied to this fpiritual fight of the glory of Chrifl : it is not fatisfi- ed, nor ever will, till the believer be where our Lord is, and fee him as he is. Th<; fpoufe had many fights of his glory, and yet fhe concludes her fong with a petition for M m 2 ty6 ' J Sight o/* Christ, ■ another figlit of hiin ; Make hafle^ my Beloved^ and he thott like to a roe^ or to a young hart upon the mountains of fpiceSi Paul had many clear views of his glory, and yet ftili ftu^ died our Lord Jefus. 3. If ye have feen the Lord and his glory, ye have ieen your own hlindncfs and darknefs, UnbeHeVers, who never faw his glory, think they always have feen him, and are ready to cry out. My God we know thee : but be- lievers, who have i^Qn him, think they know next to iiothing of him ; i Cor. viii. 2. And if any man think thai he knoiveth any thino^^ he knoweth nothing;^ yet as he ouqjjt to know. If ye ihoiild hear any hian fay that he had feen the fun, and could Hare on it fteadily, ye would eafily difcover a lye ; for every man that knows the fun, knows that his glory is too bright for the ftrongeft eye to behold liim fteadily. Well, juft fo, a proud conceit of a man^s knowing the Lord is an evidence he never faw him ; for, where oar Lord is feen, a perfons blindnefs is difcovered.' as in his light we fee light, fo in it we fee our own dark- iiefs ; Vx'Ce is me ! for I am undone ; why ? Becaufe I am un- clean^ and have feen the Lord, Even in natural knowledge the more a man knows, the more he is fenfible of his ig* iiorance. Thus Socrates, one of the mod knowing men In his day, profeffed that he knew nothing: and it is much inore fo, in a faving knowledge of the Lord; 'the perfon poiTefTed of it, laments his ignorance and blindnefs, that lie cannot fee the Lord more clearly and diftinclty: and thoucth tliere be ftill infinitely more beauty to be feen in him, yet he wants the feeing eye and the underftanding heart, as vv^e find was the cafe with godly Agur ; Prov. XXX. 2,3.^ Surely / am more brutifJj than any man^ and have not the under ft anding of a man, I neither learned wifdoni^ nor have the knowledge of the Holy. 4. If ye have feen the Lord, then fome meafure of con- formity to hini has been wrought in your fouls ; 2 Cor. iii. i % I We ail ^)iih bpen face bekclding as in a glafs the glory of the ChriJIian^s jfoy, 277 tke Lord^ are changed i?ito the fame Image from glory to glory ^ even as by the Spirit of the Lord, Mark the expreflion, we all : it IS not only / Paul an apoftle, but all we^ who under the dilpenfatlon of the gofpel, have had the vail taken off our .hearts and eyes : we all behold the fame glory, and with the fagae fruits, though we do not all behold it with the fame clearnefs, nor with the fame meafure of conformity ; yet all, who truly behold his glory, are truly made con- formable to him. If no likenefs to Chrift be wrought In^ you, know that it is either not the right Lord you have feen,»or not the right eye you have feen him with: or that it is not a right glafs you have fee him in ; for where all thefe are right, the fruit of likenefs to Chriil never faileth. 5 . If you have feen the Lord, you will be deeply humbled and abafed by the light ; Job xlii. 5,6. But now mine eye feeth thee J wherefore I abhor myfef^ and repent in dufl aitd in afloes. It is the nature of other difcoveries to puff up, but this pulls down the plumes of pride, finks a man to the duft, without fmking • him to hell ; lays him flat on the earth, thereby to raife him up to heaven. A man that fees our Lord in a faving way, cannot look on his infinite holinefs and righteoufnefs, but his pride'is prefent- ly dafhed out of countenance, and all his own excellencies appear to be mere ihadows. Try your difcoveries there- fore by this : if they exalt your pride and felf-conceit, they are not faving ; if, on the contrary, they ftrip you of it, you may conclu.de that they are. 6. If you have feen the Lord, your hearts will be wean- ed from all things here below. A difcovery of this ex- cellency fets the creature below him in the foul's efteem. As the glory of the rifing fun makes the moon look lowr- ing and pale, and the flars to difappear; fo a difcovery of the glory of Chrift makes all worldly glory and beauty to vanifli. 7. If ye have feen the Lord, your fight of him will not always be alike dear, Thofe whofe views of the Lord are 278 A Sight of Christ J always the fame without any change or viclflitude of light and darknefs, never faw him favingly at all ; Pfal. Iv. 19. Becatife they have no changes^ therefore they fear not God, True believers have fometimes more and fometimes lefs of his glory manifefted to them, and always lefs than they would wifh to have : this is fo univerfal in the experience of believers that we need not infill on it. We fhall next improve the dodrine in an ufe of reproof I. To fuch of the Lord's people as are always fad and melancholy. They who are of fuch a difpolition do not live up to the provifion our Lord allows them, which is joy. In the word, the Lord fays, Rejoice evermore ; and they live as if God had faid, Weep evermore. This is verily a fault, however difguifed ; it is a diflionour to God, a difcredit to their profeilion, a difadvantage to themfelves, and a grief to the Spirit of God. — It is a difhonour to God, and a difcredit to religion, as it brings up an evil report up- on the land of promife, and f© difcourages others, when we fliould invite, and by our example, encourage them to go with us ; Pfal. xxxiv. 2. My foul JIo all make her boaji in God ; the humble /hall hear thereof and be glad, — It is a difadvantage to themfelves, as it hinders them in the fpi- ritual life ; Neh. viii. 10. It is as wings to the bird which make it flee higher, but a fad Chriflian hath loft his wings. — It is grieving to the Spirit, becaufe they refift his work as a comforter : befides there is much ingratitude in it ; for it leaves a ftain upon the rich mercies of God in Chrift, when they are always complaining, and never rejoicing in God. I know in fome it deferves pity, viz, in thofe who are kept in bondage^ and lie in this fituation, till God faith. Go forth. Alas ! poor creatures, they cannot break prifon, when they w^ill. It is eafy for thofe who ftand upon the fliore to fay to thofe who are toffed upon the waves. Sail thus^ when they are tugging as much as they can for life \ but they are likewife to be rebuked, be- ' the Chrijlians Joy. 279 caufe they refafe to be comforted ; Rachael might weep for her children^ becaiife they were not ; but fhe is to be blamed for refufing to he comforted: their prefent duty is to come to Chrift for eafe, Matth. xi. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden ^ and I will give you reft ; and yet they will not improve the offer or command. If a king advances a man, and he is always fad before him, the king cannot fail to be angry with him ; Neh. ii. 2 . Where^ fore the king f aid unto me^ Why is thy countenance fad^ filing thou art not fick f This is nothing elfe hut forrow of heart. Then was I very fore afraid, 2. To all fuch as feek their joys from ciflerns of their own^ leaving ihit fountain of living waters from which they naturally flow. Thefe perfons may, in general, be re- duced to two claiTes. Such as feek joy from the ciftern of the creature. Some feek it in wealth and greatnefs ; others in fenfual pleafures; and others in low, fordid, and brutilh lufts: to all whom wx may fay, as the angel to the woman, Why feek ye the living among the dead? or as Samuel to Saul, Set not thy miyid upon the affes ; there are nobler things to fix thy de- fires upon. Solomon had greater variety, and more wif- dom to improve it, than any now have ; and he made it his bufinefs curioufly to examine all the creatures, and to find out all the good which was under the fun ; and all his enquires amounted to nothing : Vanity of vanities^ faith the Preacher; vanity of vanities^ all is vanity : fo he begins his book ; and to ihew he was not miftaken, fo he con- cludes it. Every particular is vanity, and all in a col- lection is vanity ; enough to vex and weary the foul, but never enough to fill it: many of them finful delights, poifoned cordials, and killing joys ; all of them earthly, painful in, and naufeous after enjoyment ; and, in their operation, hardening and eflranging from God. What- ever delights men take pleafure in, leaving Chrift out, are but as the feaft of him, who fat under a naked fword 28o A Sight o/" Christ, hanging over his head, by a ilender thread ; or as Bel- Ihazzar's dainties, with a hand-writing againft the wall : in the midft of all fuch joy, the heart is forrowful. Come away then finner from the broken ciftcrn to the fountain ; thy happinefs is in the Lord : feek no more your joy in any thing below the fun, but feek it in a God in Chrift. Such as feck joy from the law as a ciflern. AH the comfort they have is from their own duties. This and the other duty they blefs themfelves in ; and when any qu'ilm comes over their confciences; the cordial which they ufe to revive and comfort themfelves, is not the blood and righteoufnefs of Chrift ; but the righteoufnefs of their own lives. Well, whoever ye be that take this courfe to win at joy, we aflure you ye will be difappoint- ed ; for Chrift calls you to himfelf, from all others as com- forters of no value: Matth. xi. 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden^ and I will ^ive you reft. Work as if ye were to win at the rivers of pleafures at God*s right hand by your works ; but always look on your work as if ye had done nothing at all : this is the way of the faint indeed; Phil. iii. 3. For we are the cir- cwncijton, which worJJnp God in the Spirit^ and rejoice in Chri/l J ejus ^ and have no confidence in the fleJJj : we are not any thing behind others in holy duties, nay, we exceed them ;' for we worjlnp God in the Spirit ; but it is not from this we draw our comfort, for, we rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence in the flefh^ or in any thing done by it ; for, curfed is man that trufteth in man^ and maketh fief}? his arm, 3. To all who inftead of rejoicing in the Lord, are of- fended with him. Our Lord Jefus does not give any juft caufe of offence; but there are many things about him which the corrupt and proud hearts of men do turn into matter of offence to themfelves : To them who believe^ to the faving- of their fouls^ he is, and always has been preci- ous^ being the Sun of righteoufnefs^ the rock of ages^ the Chr'i/llans Joy. 2§f the bread and the life of their fouls. But to them that believe not, he is, and has been, -x ft one of Jlumblhig, and a rock of of hue ^ i Pet. ii. 7. 4. To all fuch as lUgbt opportunities of feeing the Lord; all fuch as. unnecellarily abfent themfelves from the ordi- nances. Alasl how many of this generation wilfully ne- glecl and defpife the ordinances of the gofpel altogether ? others attend only at certain occafions ; and multitudes abfent themfelves upon very trivial grounds. A fmall matter proves an hindrance where there is no love to God, nor defne after him, and the faving difcoveries and mani- feflations of his glory. The laft ufe lliall be of exhortation. i. To difciplds; and, 2. To ftrangers. ly?, To dfciples who have feen the Lord, and are joyful at the fight. [1.3 Be exhorted to prove your joy. The devil has his counterfeit joy and comfort: put yourfdves to the trial, while I fhall lay before you fome differences betwixt the joy of believers, and the joy of hypocrites, efpecially at communion occalions. .(1.) They differ in their antecedents. True joy ufually follows 2.h^Y forrcw^ on account of fin ; ^{^a. Ivii. 15, Thus faith the high and lofty One^ that inhabiteth eternity^ whofe name is holy^ I dwell In the high and holy place^ with him alfo that is of a contrite and humble fpirit^ to revive the fpi- rit of the humble^ and to revive the heart of the contrite ones* Whereas the hypocrite knows nothing of this, but has his wine before his pots are filled with water ; his morn- ing comes before his evening. Did your light then arife out of darknefs? did you bleed before you were healed? Then you may hope it is a kindly work of God's Spirit ; make much of it, and blefa your God who has given you this new wine to chear your hearts. (2.) They differ in their ground and foundation. The N n 282 J Sight (3/ Christ, joy of the bypocrite {lands bottomed on Lis external pri- vileges, his common attainments, and paiTmg frames and emoLions of affeclion in duties, which makes it but for a moment: but the jOy of the faint is founded on CbriJI^ the rock of ages, and is not eaiily fliaken ; fo that when external privileges and natural advantages fail him, when attainments decay and common emotions fubfide, ]iis joy remains; Hiib. iii. 17. Although the Jig-tree JJo all not hkjfom^ neither Jh all fruit he in. the vines ; the labour of the olive [hall fail^ and the fields Jhall yield no raeat^ the flock fhall he cut off from the fold ^ and there Jhall he no herd in the flails : yet will I rej-oice in the Lord^ and joy in the God of ray falvation, (3.) They differ in their matter. Hypocrites joys ter- minate upon the external part of duties and ordinances: but the believer's joy is upon the account of Cliriil in thefe. Hypocrites rejoice in ordinances, only as they fa- tisfy confcience, and get them a name among men : but faints rejoice in them as they are means of enjoying com- munion with the Lord. Hypocrites rejoice moll in the rnanifeftations themfelves ; behevers rejoice moft in the author and obje6l of them : for, then were the. dif cities glad when they f aw the Lord. — In ihort, the faints would not care for joy if God himfelf were not their jo^. (4..) They differ in their /r^,:/7j- : fuch as thefe following. True joy humbles.^ whereas falfe joy puffs up the foul. True joy doth humble ; for it is not fountled on what be- longs to felf : therefore thefe who rejoice in Chrijl^ have no confidence in the flejl.\ Phil. iii. 3. Falfe joy puffeth up the foul, looking upon thefe things on which it ftands as its ov/n, and brmgs the finner mto fecurity. The believer's joy purifies the foul. As he that hath this hope, {k^ he that hath this joy in him, furifes himjelf even as God is pure. He who is filled with the joy of be- lieving, will difpife all earthly and carnal joys, and guard againil them', as being oppofite to, and fubveriive of the iuperior joy he poffeffes^ and with which his foul is delight- the Chnjiians Joy. 283 « cd : whereas the hypocrites joy leaves the licart (llll carnal, and the life unholy. It' your joy does not purify your heart, fay not the Spirit of comfort brought it to hand ; for he would not bid thcc good fpeed in an evil way.: he inde< d eives the li^J^ht of comfort to them that lit in dark- nefs, and in the region and ihadow of death ; but it is to guide Gur feet in the way of peace. The believer's joy is ftreno^tbemng and reflorative ; it makes the Chrifiian flroni^ to iiHit aq;ain(l: fm and Satan: a drausrht of this makes him %o forth like a crijnt refreih- ed with wine ; and for this rcafon the Pfalmift prays fo earneftly for it, Refldre unto me the joy of thy f ah at ion ; then will I teach tranfgrefjors thy way^ and f inner s fJj all be convert- ed unto thee : but the hypocrites joy leaves him as weak,as formerly, and more fo ; it makes him fecure, calHng him off his watcii, and rendering him prefamptuous : fo that Avhile he fays to himfelf, Peace, peace ; behold fudden de- Jlrudion : and what becomes of his hope and joy, whe?i God taketh away his foul f The joy of the hypocrite gives ftrength to his lulls ; and fo he fins without a damp on his fpirits. r2.] Be exhorted to improve your privilege. Have you leen the Lord, and have been made to rejoice at the light? Then improve it, I. To thankful nefs to the Lord. If you be healthy^ and rich, while others are aiHicted with iiclsinefe and poverty, are ye not thankful? and ouecht ye not njuch more to be IT) for the health, piofperitv, and chearfulnef^^, of vour fpirits, M/hen others are poor and fickly ? Alasl for the back- wardncfs of your hearts to this exercife. iVs the Dead-fea drinks in the river Jordan, and is never the fweeter; fo we receive the Lord's mercies, and are ftill unthankful for them. Our hearts in this cafe are like the windows of the temple, wide inward to receive mercies, and nar- row outward, to fend forth praifes: but if the iron be blunt, wx ihould exert the more ftrength: if our hearts N n 2 284 A Sight (/Christ, be fo backward to the duty, we fliould urge them the more to it, and with repeated importunity charge this duty on them, as the Ffahnift, 0 that men ivould praife the Lord for bis goodnefs^ arid for his wonderfid "works to the children of men ^ Plal. cvii. 8. 2. Improve it as an argument to love the Lord. You fliould love him when he fmites you by hiding his face ; but much more when he allows you to fee it with joy : Pfal. xxxi. 23. 0 love the Lord ^ all ye his faints. Has he feen you again, and made your hearts to rejoice on this occafion ? How can ye be frozen at the fire ! how can ye chufe but to be turned into feraphims burning in love ! This is the only thing wherein ye may return back to God "what he gives you. If he is angry with you, ye mull not be angry with him again, but fear and tremble before him : if he reproves you, ye muft not reprove, but juftify him : if he judges you, ye muil not judge, but adore him: but if he loves you, ye may, ye muft take the boldnefs to love him again ; for he loves that he may be loved. 3. Improve it to your conflation under other evils. What though ye have not health, riches, gifts, employ- rncnts, and honours as ochers have ; if our Lord has given you himfclf, his Spirit to quicken, his grace to renew, and his ioy to comfort you; ihouid fuch conflation {tcmfnall to you r What loffes are there which the joy of the Lord doth not compenfite? Ye would not want Chrift, if ye mio^ht have all the world without him : and Ciall ve be dlfpleafed tho' ye have not all the world with him? Nay, but having him, fit down contented, for ye can tell a tale that all the gracelefs world cannot tell: they can fay as E- fau to Jacob, / have much ; but ye can make Jacob's reply, / Jjave all, (for fo the original words in both places run ;) all I want, all I deiire, as David expreffeth it, 2 S^m. xxiii. 5 . This is all my. fahation^ and all my defire. When ye are full, enjoy God in all ; and v/hen yp are empty, enjoy all ip him. who is all in alL the Chrijiians Joy. 285* 4. Improve it as an antidote againfl: all temptations. Whatever comfort and enlargement you have had, ye are flill in a militant Hate, and may expect new aflaults from your fpiritual enemies. When they come therefore ; when the devil, the world, and the flefti would draw away your hearts and eyes after them, you may fay, Mine eyes have feen the King^ the Lord of Hojls : I have got a heart-glad- dening light of the Lord ; and therefore I will turn away mine heart and eyes from viewing vanities : luft may put a lovely face on them, but they are all vanity. 5. Improve it to a zealous provocation of others to be partakers of the fame joy. In times of feftivity men ufe to call their neighbours under their vines and fig-trees. Our Lord Jefus is our feaft, and a noble feafl he is ; to him therefore we fhould invite one another, as Andrew did Simon, and PhiHp, Nathaniel, John 1.41. Joy is of all other affections the moil communicative. It is riot con-" fined in ones own bofom, but flieds itfelf abroad into the bofom of others. It w^as not enough for David to exprefs his own joy by dancing before the ark, but he diflributes among all the people cakes of bread, pieces of flefh, and flagons of wine, that the whole multitude might rejoice at the ark of God as well as he ; Go ye^ a7id do like-wife : perhaps you have a hufband or wife by your fide ; chil- dren, like olive plants round about your tables ; neighbours, whofe company you daily enjoy ; and all thefe evidencing that they never faw the Lord. O invite them to come and fee him : ye have found a feaft, go invite all you can fee to come and ihare. So did David, Pfal. xxxiv. 8. 0 tafle and fee that the Lord is good. 6. Improve it to the confolation of fuch of God's peo- ple as want it: like the good Samaritan, pour wine and oil into their wounds. You have arrived almoft at the haven of glory ; but do you not fee others toiled upon the fea with the winds and waves of temptation and defertion, like to fink us as lead iu the great waters ? O do what you 286 A Sight 5/" Christ, , can to comfort them, 2 Cor. i. 6. Or^ whether we be com- forted^ it IS for your confolation and falvation* The comfort- able experience of one Chriftian being comniiinicated to another, revives and fupports his finking fpirits: and hence fays Paul to the Romans, For I long tofeeyou^ 'that I may impart unto you fome fpiritual gift^ that I may be comforted together with you, . Days have been, when people were thus employed : but, alas ! fpiritual converfation is much worn out : an evidence that religion is in the decay ; For out of the abundance of heart the mouth fpeaketh. 7. Improve it to a longing to be above where the vifion will be full and uninterrupted. The foretaftes of thefe divine joys fliould increafe your appetite after the full harveft at God's right-hand. The bunch of grapes that meets us in the wildernefs, fhould make us long to be in the land of promifc ; when we will wafli our garments in this wine, and our cloathes in the blood of this grape. Think with yourfelves, if a tranfient look of Chrift's face be fo fweet, how fweet will it be to be balking ourfelves for ever in the light of his countenance ! and therefore, Thirft for God the living God^ that ye may appear before him : that the day may breaks and the fhadows flee away : Make ha/Ie-y my Beloved^ and be thou like a roe^ or a young hdrt^ up" on the mountains of f pices, [3.] Be exhorted to maintain your joy ; hold it and do not let it go : Hold f aft what thou hajl received^ let no man take thy crown^ Rev. iii. 1 1. Look to yourfelves that we lofe not thofe things which we have wrought^ 2 John ver. 8 . To enforce this exhortation, coniider, I. What a pity it is that ye fhould at any time be rob- bed of fo valuable a bleffing: what can you purchafe of equal value by the lofs of it? Had you not better lofe the light of the fun and every thing elfQ which you delight in ; yea, life itfelf ? Had you not better lofe all than lofe the joy of God*3 falvation? for, In his favour is life^ and his loving kindnefs is better than life* the Chriftian^s "Joy. 29 7 2 . Confider, that if you lofe your joy in the Lord, you know not when you fliall recover it : at lead it may be a matter of difficulty. This David found in his experience, as the pallionate rcquefts which he puts up, as it were, in an agony, fully evince, Pfal. li. 11. Caft me not away from thy frefence: deal not with me as with Cain, w^ho was banifh- ed from the prefence of the Lord; And take not thy holy f pi r it from me^ as was done with the old world, concerning whom he faid, his Spirit fhould not always J} rive with men : Reftere unto me the joy of thy falvation^ as if he had entirely loft all fenfe of it ; and uphold ?ne with thy free Spirit, as if he had been fmking into the pit of perdition. O but fay fome, what way fhall we maintain our joy ? I anfwer, in the following particulars. ( I .) Be ftrong in the grace that is in Chrift Jefus. There is grace in the fountain from whence it flows, which is grace in God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft; hence we find the Father called, The God of all grace ; and our Lord Jcfus is faid to be, full of grace ; and the Holy Ghoft, is the Spirit of grace. There is grace in the channel in which it runs, which is grace in gofpel ordinances: and there is grace in the veffels that receive it ; the fouls of believers. Now, if ye would retain grace in the veffels, improve the grace in the fountain as flowing forth in the means. Beg that the God of all grace would hll the nieans with his grace. (2.) Guard againft all manner ofy^/z, efpecially prefump- tuous fins, which will weaken both your faith and your joy. If you walk carelefly and loofeiy after a light of the Lord, you will provoke him to hide his face from you, to take the cup of confolation from you, and put a cup of trembling into your hands. Ye will cloud your evi- dences, fl\ake your hope, atid wither your comfort : fear the Lord therefore and his goodnefs, left you fin it away: and moreover remember the fight of the Lord which you have got will be a great aggravation of your fin ; thus it ,** 288 A Sight of Christ^ is noticed as an aggravation of Solomon's fin, that he tur?i' ed from the Lord God of Ifrael who had appeared to him twice. Your joy no man nor devil can take from you, but fui can • Take heed therefore^ brethren^ left there he in any of y oil an evil heart of unbeliefs in departing fom the Iroing God* (3.) If ye would keep your joy, keep jovly fight of the Lord ; keep this and it will keep thee, and all thy other graces j for by faith we Jland: as a foldier, under the pro- tection of his ihield, (lands his ground agaiuft all the darts thrown at him, fo thou ftandejl by faith ; and if you would keep your fight, make much ufe of the word ; that which was inftrumental in begetting your faith, will be helpful to preferve it ; I mean, the word of God. As it was feed for the former purpofe in thy converfion, fo now it is milk for the fupport of thy faith. If you would preferve your fight of the Lord, keep a good confience^ which fome having lojl^ concerning faith have made Jhipw reck, 2dly^ We tender an exhortation X.o ft rangers^ who never faw the Lord. O come and fee the Lord. As Mofes, at God's com- mand and appointment lifted up the brazen ferpent in the wildernefs, that every Ifraelite, fiung by the fiery ferpents, might look to it and live : fo our Lord Jefus is lifted up in this word of grace that every fin-flung fiimer among you, may look to him by faith, and live for ever. As the Ifraelites were to ufe the ferpent lifted up by looking to it, as the only ordinance of God for their healing, and were neither to ufe falve nor plaifler for the deadly flings of the ferpents ; fo you, flung finners, are to ufe a crucifi- ed Chrifl, as the only ordinance of God for your eternal life. Turn afide then, all and every one of you, and fee this great fight : it is not one or two of you we invite, but every in- dividual : it is not the poor only, or the rich only, the mo- ral only, nor the profane only: it is not the young only, nor the old only, nor the middle aged only; but every one of you in particular, whethet ye be poor or rich, great or the Chrijlians Joy, ' 289 fmall, holy or profane. Our Lord Jefus is not ftraitened in his call ; and therefore in his name we invite you all to come and fee the Q-reateil fioht that ever the world faw. We invite you that are athiefts, you that are ignorant, gracelefs, and hypocritical ; you that are lazy and luke- warm profclfors ; you that are openly wicked and pro- fane ; we pray, we befeech you to come and fee the Lord. And to enforce this exhortation, I . Confider, that it is both your Jin and m'lfery^ that you do not come and fee the Loid. It is your leading fm^ the fountahi of all your other fms ; for herein lies the for- mal nature of unbelief, that you do not, cannot, will not look to 01 u' Lord Jefus, and beiaved: you think you fia when you cuiib, fwear, break the Sabbath, and fo youL do ; but thefe, and all your other tranfgreffions are no fins in comparifon of this ; John xv. 22. If I had not co?ng and fpoken unto them^ they had not had fin; but now they have no cloke for thtir fin. By your other fins, you only violate the law ; but by this, you aot only do fo, but likewife night gofpel grace, which is worfl of all. Sin againft the gofpel is greater, than fin againfl the law ; becaufe the re- \'elation of the gofpel hath more of grace and glory in it, and confequently the fin againft it hath more of contempt. A fin againft it is died (even times deeper, and will have a furnace feven times hotter \ for. If thofe who defpfed Alofes law^ died without mercy ^ under two or three wltneffcs ; of how ?nuch forer putujhment^ f?all he he thought worthy^ who hath troden under foot the Son of God f — As it is your Jin, fo it is likewife your ?nfery: your not coming to fee the Lord, will procure not a fingle, but a double damnation ; one with the moft terrible circumftances, a condemning fen- tence with God's mock and laughter under it; Prov. i. 2 ^. Turn you at my reproof; behold I will pour out my Spirit upon you ; I will make known my words unto you, Becaufe I have railed^ and ye refufed ; I have Jl retched out my handy and no O o 290 A Sight of Christ, man regarded: I will alfo laugh at your calamity^ and mock when your fear corneth, 2 . Confider, that great advantage will accrue to you from a fight of the Lord. The perfon that is favoured with this fight gets eternal life by it, and flipll never come Into condemnation^ but is paffed from death to life. Sirs, ye are naturally in a ftate of death, and liable to die eternal- ly : but come and fee the Lord, and ye fhall get life, legal and moral, a life of grace and of glory ; for, This is the re- cord ofGod^ that he hath given to us eternal life, Chrift is al- ready given to you all as loft finners; come and fee him, and you fliall have eternal life in pofleflion ; for, // is life e- ternal to know God and Jefus Chrijl whom he hathfent f Here is life for whofoever will come and take it; and what more fweet, what more neceifary than life, to fuch as are in dan- ger of lofing it I Here is eternal life, for whofoever will come and fee the Lord ; and, O what a motive is this ! E- ternal life is a big, a pregnant word ; there is more in it than our fcanty thoughts can comprehend : there is in it all that redeeming love canbeftow; all that the precious blood of Chrift could purchafe ; all that the everlafting covenant bequeathes ; and all that is in it may be yours by a look of our Lord Jefus. 3. Conlider the excellency of the objecl, the Lord. — O how excellent is he in his perfon ! The bright ?iefs of the Father^ s glory ^ and exprefs image of his perfon : excellent in his natures ; • in his divine nature, poifeii'ed of infinite ex- cellency, which angels admire and adore, but cannot com- prehend ; excellent in his liuman nature, having received the Spirit above meafure. — He is excellent in his offices ; an excellent prophet, who not only gives the leflbn, but the capacity to learn it ; Then opened he their under/landings that they might underfland the fcriptures ; a great and excellent high prieft, being one not only without blemifh before the world, but before God. — Excellent in his offerings both as to matter and efficacy: as to inattcr ; other priefts offered the Chriftiatis Joy. 291 the blood of bulls and goats ; but he his own blood: in Its efficacy ; other facrifices could never take away fin, where- as the blood of Jefus Chrift bis Son, clean feth us from all fin : he is excellent in his kingly oflice, Zech. ix. 9. Rejoice (rreatly, 0 daughter of Zion ; fhout, O daughter of Jerufalem ; behold ihy King comet h unto thee: he is juj}^ and havingfalva- tion ; lowly ^ and riding upon an afs, and upon a colt^ the fole of an afs, — But, O what ihall I fay of his excellency! It is a my fiery that muft be referved for eternity to unfold ; when ye will be made to fay with the queen of Sheba, I Kings X. 6. // was a true report that I heard in mine own land, of thy aBs, and of thy wifdom : howbeit, I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes hadfeen it ; and be- hold, the half was not told me, 4 . Coniider how willing our Lord is that ye fhould fee him : he defires to be looked upon, if we will take his word for it; Ifa. Ixv. i. / am fought of them that afhed not for me ; I am found of them that fought me not: I faid. Be- hold me, behold 7?ie, unto a nation that was not called by my name. Look to him in his word, and ye will fee falvation in his heart and eye ; and falvation will dart in upon your foul. But perhaps fome may fay. If he be fo willing we fhould fee him, why does he not difplay his glory, and give all men eyes to fee him ? I anfwer, that though this cavil favours of a proud deviliih heart, yet fomeching may be faid to flop it : fuch as, It is a wonder of g' ace and mercy if he does it to any, as all who have feen him will own ; John xiv. 22. Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifeft thy f elf to us, and 7ict unto the worlds And, indeed, it were a better iign if ye were wondering that ever free grace granted this privilege to any of the human race, than to repme that it paffeth by . fo many. But, at fuch as cavil thus I would afk, would ye ha^^e a fight of the Lord ? Have you turned his gracious in\ itati- ons and promifes into an earnefl prayer? And when he fays, O o 2 !292 A Sight of Christ J Look to me J have ye faid from the heart Lord, Look on me? Muft not that man be both wicked and unreafonable, who quarrels with God, for not giving the grace he himfelf is unwilHng to receive, carelefs to alk, and oppofes with might and main? But nothing will ftop the mouths of fuch perfons, but either a gracious fight of Chrift in this life, or a fight of him at the laft davt 5. Confider, that a fight of the Lord is ahfolutely yieccf- Jary for you ; John xvii. 3 . Tbh is life eternal^ that they might know thee the only true God^ and jefus ChriJ} whom thou haft fent. There is no coming to eternal life without this iight ; ye mufi: know him partially here, before you can knov/ him fully hereafter: ye muft be infants in a fi:ate of grace, before ye can attain the meafure of perfed men in Chrifi: Jefus : it is not poiTible for any now to become a grown man, who was not firft an infant. A fight of .Chrift, as revealed in the word, is the infancy of the glo- rious and immediate fio^ht of him in heaven. Children in fchools begin at the Rudiments, and are not at firft ad- vanced to the highefi: clafs ; fo, be not deceived, ye can- not be promoted to the high clafs of angels, and glorified faints, if ye do not begin at the liudiments here, by fee- ing him in a way of believing. Grace is a necefiary pre- parative for glory ; and faith for fight : yea, it is not only iieceffary to glory, but it is necefiary to all grace : ye mull fee him before ye can love him ; for love is of a known good: ye mufi: fee him before ye can pray aright; for prayer is only to a known God through a known Mediator^ 6. Confider, that a fight of him is prefently necefiary - for you ; and therefore, Whatfoever thy hand Jindeth to doy do it with thy might ; for there is no work^ nor -device^ nor knowledge^ nor wifdom in the grave whether thou goeft. When thou dieft, thy condition will be like th ^^law of the Medes and Perfians, unalterable. If a man die, fhall he live a^ gain? no: God will never trufl: thee with a fecond life; he will not offer a Chrift, grace, and heaven, when thou the Chrijlians Joy. 293 art once landed in the other world : if thou failefl now, thou failed for ever: if thou trifleft now, thou art undone for ever. Lay your hands therefore to your hearts, and tell me whether ye are refolved to come and fee the Lord or not? \\' )-e are refolved againft it, and faying, / have loved Jlran- gc'f'Sy and after them I will go^ we cannot help it ; only know that a fight of the Lord has been in your ofter, and ye nuift anfwcr for the refufal of it : if ye dare not be pe- remptory that ye will not come and fee the Lord, then be peremptory that ye will come and fee him ; for your coming is fo required, that it Vv^ill admit of no excufe ; To DAY if ye will bear bis voice: and if you would come and fee the Lord you have now an opportunity. The Ma(l:er himfelf is come and callethfor thee: come therefore and fee bim who lay from eternity in the bofom of the Father; — bim who lay in the manger, and was born like one of us ; — bi?n who was the man of forrows and acquaint- ed with grief, that your joy might be full; — bi?n who made his foul an offering for fm, and who bore away the curfc from vou ; and bim who is the Lamb in the midft of the throne, ftill clothed with a garment dipt in blood: be- hold him through this glafs. Such a fight is the begin- ning of heaven, a prelude of the full vifion of God and of the I^amb ; — then fliall ye be glad for ever ivhen you fee tbe Lord^ no more darkly as tbrougb a glafs ^ hut face fa face. If you have then got fuch a fight of the Lord, we muft congratulate you in the words of the angel to Mary, Hail! bleffed art tboii among men or women. The Lord is with thee, and will be with thee. The Lord blefs thee, and keep thee ; the Lord make his face to fJnne upon thee^ and he gracious to thee ; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee^ find give thee peace. [ 294 1 Christ crucified^, recommended as the Matter of Gofpel-preaching. * I Cor. i. 23, 24. But *we preach Chrijl crucifed, unto the Jeivs a Jlum^ bling'block^ mid unto the Greeks foolijhnefs ; but unto them ijuhich are called^ both Jeuus and Greeks ^ Chrijl the poiver of God, and the uuifdom of God, ' I ^ H E apoftle Paul having planted a church at Corinth, an eminent city in Achaia ; and being informed that Satan had attempted, by feveral means, to corrupt and rend it, writes this epiflle to the Corinthians, in order to pre- vent the fuccefs of thefe helHfli plots. In this chapter, after his infcription and apoftolical fa- lutation, he congratulates the Corinthians for the excellent gifts and graces bellowed on them , by the Author of every good and perfect gift ; but, at the fame time, mentions their woful divifions, exhorts them to peace and unity by the moil cogent arguments, gives them a fummary ac- count of the prejudices which both Jews and Gentiles en- tertained againll the doclrine of a crucified Chrifl ; as alfo of the very different opinion of all true believers concern- ing him ; and teaches them, that the fimplicity of the gofpel is to be preferred to all the wifdom of the world. In the verfe immediately preceding our text, he takes notice of two evils, one of which prevailed among the Jews, and the other among the Gentiles; and kept both from giving a fuitable reception to a crucified Chrifl. The Jews, fays he, require afign^ and the Greeks feek after wif- * This Sermon was preached before the Affociate Synod, at Glasgow, May 1759, Christ crucified, (^c. i^S dom. The Jews, before they would believe, required fuch figns and wonders as would affecl the vifiblc frame of na- ture, like thcfe which Mofes wrought to convince their anceftors of the divinity of his miffion ; not adverting, that the miracles wrought by our Lord Jefus, exceeded, on many accounts, Mofes's miracles ; and were far more agreeable to the difpenfation of grace, whereof he was the Author ; for Mofes*s miracles were for the moll part fuite4 to fill mens minds with horror and coniternation, the ef- fects being evil and deilructive : whereas the mighty works of our Lord Jefus were evidently effecls of goodncfs, as well as of power, tending to the benefit and comfort of mankind ; and fo were fit credentials of a gracious mini- ftry bringing in peace, life, and falvation, fuch as the MelTi- ah*s was promifed to be. — As for the Greeks, they fought after the demonftration of all things from natural caufes and rational arguftients ; and defpifed ev^ery doclrine which could not be thus demonftrated to them. But did Paul, and the reft of the apoftles, humour either of them ? Did they work figns and wonders to convince the Jews? Did they demonftrate the truths they taught from natural caufes, or by the arguings of natural reafon, in order to convince the Gentiles ? No : the apoftle declares the con- trary, in the words of our text ; — But we preach Chrift cm- dfiedy Szc, " We who are the minifters of Chrift come and preach to men that there was one who expired on a crofs at Jerufalem, who is the fent of God and Saviour of the world, and that whoever of the human race will venture their falvation into his hands, they fhall have the favour of God and eternal life. The Jews indeed are ftumbled at this, looking for a Mefilah that Ihould be a great tem- poral Saviour, and reckoning it a difgrace to believe on one as their Saviour whom they had lately taken, and with wicked hands had crucified andjlain ; and the learned Greeks look on it as a foolifh idle ftory, that he who is God over all fliould be crUcCijied'j and that people fliould look for life 296 ChrisI' Crucified f recommended from one who had loil his own. Yet lb many as are ef- fedually called, whether Jews or Greeks look upon it, and acknowledge it to be a demonftration of the power of God far exceeding all miracles which the Jews feek after, and a demonftradon of the wifdom of God, far exceeding all that earthly wifdom the Gentiles feek after." We preach Chrijl crucified^ &c. — In which words you may obferve, I/?, The great hufinefs of gofpel-minifters : It is to preach Ch^'ifl crucified. Our Lord Jefus, as the judicious Durham obferves, ftands in a fourfold -relation to preach- mg. 1 . He is the text* , All preaching is to explain him ; Acls X. 4 3 . ^0 him give all the prophets w'ltnefs : and fo do all the four evangelifts in their gofpels, and the different apoftles in their epiftles, which are jufl fo many preachings concerning him : that fermon which flandeth not in rela- tion to him, is befide the text. 2. He is held out as the ground-zvork and foundation of preaching; fo that preaching without him is preaching without a foundation, or building a caftle in the air: I Cor. iii. 10. / have laid the found at wUy and another buildeth thereon ; but let every man take heed hozo he buildeth there- upon : for other foinidation can no man lay than that is laidy which is Chrifi Jefus. 3 . He is the great end of preaching ;- — that he may be jcnown in the judgments, and loved with the hearts of juen : 2 Cor. iii. 4. We preach not ourfehes^ but Chrifi Je- fus the Lord, And, 4. He is the life And power of preaching, without whom it can never be effeclual : Chrift crucified, is the power oj Qod. — The word here rendered preachy has an allulion to thofe heralds who were wont, with an open and loud voice, to proclaim the edicls of magiftrates ; and indeed minifters are, by office, criers of a crucified Chrift: hence the pro- phet Ifaiah is commanded to lift up his voice like a trumpet ; and of John the Baptift it is faid, he was the voice of one as the Matter of Gofpel-pre aching. 297 crying In the ivildemefs. A crucified Chrift is the minifter's fubjecl, and to make him known is his duty; and if he be faitliful, will be his fludy. So runs his commiffion. Go pre.iLh the gofpel to every creature. It is not a minifter's work to convert men to Chrift, but to publifh and pro- claim him ; and it is upon the peril of the hearers, if they do not embrace him. — In our day, minifters have got cri- tics to preach to; and one cenfure very often paiTed is, that the preacher was beiide his text: but he is never befide his fubjecl, as long as it is a crucified Chrifi. We preach Chr'ifl crucified, idly. In the words we have the entertainment glv^en by hearers to the minifter's fubjecl, and that both good and bad, difcouraging and encouraging : he is to the Jews a Jlumhring-hkck^ and to the Greeks fsolijlrnefs ; but to them who believe, he is the ivifdom of God and t\\t pcwer of God, A crucified Chrifl is a very great myftery; and the efFccls of preaching him are likewife myfterious. He is prcpofed in the fame way, at the fame time, to fundry perfons, in the fame circumftances, and all equally con- cerned in the propofal : yet they do not all give him the fame entertainment. To fome he is a ftumhlin? -block and fcclijhnefs ; to others he is the isjifdom and the power of God. Of necelikv he muil be either the one or the other to e- very gofpel hearer, there being no middle betwixt thefe two. More particularly, we have here, r. 1 he bad entertainment given him, which is ready to difcourage miniflers in preaching him, and to make them, fay, that they will not fpeak any more in his name y he is 2. flumMing-block :mdfoclifIjnefs^ (i.) He is to the Jews 2i fumbling-hlock. It was a great promife concerning a crucified Chriil, as he was to be given to the church, that God would lay him in Zion for a foundation^ a ftone^ a tried ftone^ a precious corner-ftone^ whereon he that believeth fhall not make hafle : But, at the fame time, it was foretold concerning him, that he would p p 298 Christ Cnicifcd^ recommended occafionaily be for -^ (lone of j} ambling and a rock of offence to both the hoiifes of Ifrael^ for a gin and for a fnare ; fo that many among k\\z\\\ fuould fumble^ and fall^ and be brokeny and fncired^ and taken : and ib hath it fallen aut in all ages of the church. He ii to the l^ews a lliimblin:oodnefs can brino; 2:ood out of it ; fo there is nothina: fo good, but the fin of mxan can make it prove hurtful to liim, even Cmrist to be '\ flambiing-block. (2.) He is alfo to the Gentiles ^^//./Zv/o'}. This doctrine they defpife as abfurd and fooliih, as being repugnant to the dictates of tlieir ihallow rcafon, and vain philofophy : And tints profflin<^ themfelves to be wife they became fools, 1 . In the words we have the (rood entertainment Piven to ClTrill crucified : — To them that are called^ efiecluall)^ called by the power of divine grace, and fo have their eyes o- pened to conceive aright of him ; He is the wifdom and the fower of God, - AVe are not to underftand thefe expreili- ons merely of what Chrift is effentiallv as God, or as the Son of God ; but in his peiibn as God-man Mediator, pro- pofed in the gofpel. In his perfon indeed he is the eifen- tial image, but as God-man Mediator, he is the reprefen- tative image of God. He is the viiible image of the in- vifible God, of the wifdom and power of God \ yea, he is as the Matter of Go fpel-pre aching, 299 the complete image and perfect reprcfentation of all the divine excellencies : fo that by the f ime reafon that he is called the ivifdoju and pozvcr^ be may be entitled the truth of God ; accordinojy he is called the Amen. — And as he is the power of God and the wiidom of God in himfelf ; fo he likewile appears to believers. — In the glafs of the goipel; they do not only fee the infniite mercy and grace of God, but alfo his infinite power and wifdom notably difplayed in the ceconomy of onr redemption by him. The doclrine which I propofe to handle is much the fame with the words of the text, viz. That as it is the duty, fo it will be the exerclfe of every faithful minifter to preach Chrift crucified, who is to fome gofpel-hearers, -^ijlinnb ling- block -^ndfoolijhnefs; to others, t\\& power cfGod, and the ivijdom ofGodV Our divifion of the text points out a proper method, in which I intend to handle this doclrine, which is, I. To confider the faithful minifter's duty, endeavour, and ftudy ; — to preach Chrifl crucified. II. The entertainment given by gofpel-hearers to the minifter's fubjecl; — to fome Chriil is a llumhlmg-block and foUflniefs ; to others, the power of God and the wifdom of God. III. Apply the fubjed. I. I am firft to confider tlie fiithful minifler's duty and fludy^ which is to preach Chrift crucified. And here 1 ihall, I. Explain a little the faitiiful minifler's yi^/;/Vr7; and, 2. Enquire in what manner he ought to preach upon this fubjecc. iy?5 I propofed firfl to explain a little the'gofpel mini- fter's y^^y^^? ; Christ crucified. And under this may be comprehended the following particulars. I. God's inverition of a crucified Chrift. The faithful tninifter is to preach that infinite wifdom, animated by in- P p 2 300 Christ Crucified^ recommended finite love, though God ftood in no need of man, though man's nature was defpicable, and his crimes deteftable, devifed means that his baniilicd lliould not be for ever expelled from his prefcnce ; and hence does he £iy, Job xxxiii. 24. Deliver from going down to the pit^ I have found a ravfom, — That when all finite underftandings would have been non-pluifed at the deplorable cafe of fallen man ; and neither angels nor men could have llarted a thought touching a remedy, the great God, who is never at a lofs, found, in his ovyn bofom, a ranfom for fallen man; while fallen angels, who were more honourable, and would have been more ferviceable, were pafled by, and left as exiles to inhabit outer darknefs for ever. 2. It is the dutv, and will be the concern of a faithful minifter to preach the undertaking of Chrill: : — that though there lay no obligations on the Son of God to undertake the work cf pur redemption, at any rate, far lefs to fub- mit to the hard terms which law and juftice required tcf be fulfilled ; yet, no fooner was it moved in the council of peace, that fallen man fhould be delivered, and that fince a finite perfon could not eiTecluate his deliverance, an infinite one Ihould do it, even the fecond perfon of the glorious Trinity, than he chearfully engaged to perform it, and that in fuch a manner as will be the everlailing wonder of men and angels. Sacrifice and offering thou nvouldefl not ; — then faid /, Lo^ 1 come. And well might he prefix a behold to it ; for it was a gloriou3 fpeclacle to God, angels, and men : — to God^ as it v/as filled with the highefi: efieds of infinite goodnefs, wifdom, and grace, V^hich all ihone forth in their greatell fplendor, and were glorified therein : — to angels^ as herein they have a new and mofi: ravifhing difcovery of divine wonders; For now unto the priricipalities and powers^ is made know)! by the church the manifold wifdom of God ; and into thefe things the angels defire to look : — to eletl men^ as that OH which the whole of their falvation depended. as the Matter of Gofpel-preaching. 301 q. It is the duty, and will be the concern of every futhfiil mlniller to preach the covenant entered into with our Lord Jefus Chrift. 'That in confequencc oF the Fa- ther'^ propofal, and his undertaking, there was a fpeclal covenant, or mutual agreement, made betwixt God, ef- lentialiy confidered in tlie perion of the Father, and Chriil as the head and reprefentative of an elecft company, ac- cording to fcveral places of fcripture, particularly, Ifa. liii. 10. When thou /halt make bis foul an off ering for ftn^ he fhall fee his feed ^ he fhall prolong his days^ and the pleafure of the Lord Jh all profper in his hand* Gal. iii. 1(5. Now to Abra- ham and his feed ijuere the promifes made ; he faith not^ and to feeds ^ as of many ^ but as of one ; and to thy feed^ which is Chrifl, — God forefeeing that man, by his fall, would render himfelf incapable of life by the covenant of works, propofcd to our divine Redeemer, as fecond Adam, the covenant of grace for life and faivation to the elecl, in the full tenor, promife, and condition thereof: and that our Redeemer, as fecond Adam, confented thereto upon the terms therein propofed, engaging to fulfil the fame for an elecl company ; and fo the covenant was fully concluded from eternity. Titus i. 2 . hi hope of eternal life^ zuhicb God that cannot lie promifed^ before the world bega?i. It \w\\\ be the gofpel minifter*s iludy, not only to preach the covenant made with ChriJ}^ but to preach a crucified Chrift as the covenant itfelf ; Ifa. xiii. 6. I will give thee for a covenant of the people : — That he is the cove- nant originally and fundamentally; the root from which it fprings, and the foundation on which it ftands ; Behold^ I lay in Zion for a foundation, a ftonc, a tried fone : — That he is the covenant relatively, in refpect of the manifold relations he ftands in to it, as the Mediator of the cove- nant, the day's-man who lays his hands upon both, for compofing the differences between them; Heb. xii. 24. Te are come — to Jefus the Mediator of the new covenant, — He is the teJJatcr of the cover.ant, v/ho hath confirmed it 302 Christ Cmclfied^ recommended by his blood, and turned it into a tellamenlary form, and fo it becomes to us a conveyance of grace and liberality, without any condition whatever; Heb. ix. i6. For where a tefl anient /j, there mujl of necejjity he the death of the tefla- tor, — He is the witnefs of the covenant, to atteft it to the fons of men. The covenant includes in it fuch infinite grace-, that finners know not how to believe it. Objec- tions that arife in their minds againft it are able to fliake the credit of anv ancrel in heaven: and therefore God would have our Redeemer to atteft it: Ifa. Iv. 4. Behold I have given him for a witnefs of the people, — He is the mef- fenger of the covenant, who brought the tidings of it from heaven to earth, and who made a full revelation of it to the fons of men ; Mai. iii. i . "The meffeng^er of the covenant whom ye delight in, — He is the furety of the covenant ; Heb. j' vii. 22. By fo much was Jefiis made the furety of a better tefiament, — That he is the covenant eminently^ being him- felf the firft and s^reateft of all new-covenant bleilinors: hence he is called the gift of God^ as if God had never given another : If thou knewefl the gift of God, — That he is the covenant comprehenfvvely ; the whole of it being fummed up in him. All the parties of it are in him: God the party contractor on lieaven's fide ; for God was in Chri/l, reconciling- the world unto him ft If 2 Cor. v. 19. He him- felf is the party contractor on earth's fide ; and an elect company arc all in him legally, as he is their repreferita- tive. — He is the fum of the condition of it, being the Lord our right coufiefs. He is the fum of alf the properties of it. — Is it "x free and gratuitous covenant? Its frcencfs is com- prized in him, being the gift of God; for, Crod fo loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son^ that whofoever hcUeveth on him fJjould not perifh but have everlajling life, — Is it an everlafling covenant? The eternity of it is com- prized in him ; yea, it hath its eternity from him who wasy^/ up from everlafling, — Is it a holy covenant? The ho- linefs of it is comprized in him, who is the holy One of as the Matter of Gofpel- pre aching. 303 Jfrael. — Is it a well-ordered covenant? This property is comprized in him in whom God comes down to men with the Hifety of his honour, and men go up to God with the lafety of their fouls. — Is it -i ft able 2Si<\fure covenant? Its ftabiUty is comprized in him w^ho is the fame yefterday^ to- \lay^ and for e-jer. — Is it d. foul-fat isfyiug covenant? This cjuahty is comprized in him who is all our fahation and all our defre. — Mc is the fum of all the promfes in the cove- nant ; for. In bird all the promfes of God are yea, and amen. — He is the fum of all the privileges of it ; and hence when God has given Chriif, he reckons he has performed the whole covenant ; Luke i. 7 9 . T^o perform the mercy pro- mifedj and remember his holy covenant, — Yea, he is all and in all of the covenant. 4. It is the duty, and will be the Iludy of a gofpel- minifter to preach the -luonderful love of Ch rift to a rem- nant of mankind loft ; that his love to them was wonder- ful, p^Jf^^^g the love of women, — To fet forth the wonderful- nefs of it in refpecl: of its fubjecl, or the lover hhnfelf: con- fiderins: his excellencv ; the chief excellencies in heaven and in earth meeting in his perfon : confidering his glory, being glory itfelf the brightnefs of glory, the brightnefs of the Father* s glory, and fo of infinite glory : confidering his abfolute freedom and independency, which is fuch that it was in his free choice whether a creature iliould be made or not, and much more whether any fliould be loved or not. — That his love is wonderful in refpecl of its objeds^ the party beloved ; wdio, as to their rank of being, wej^e the loweft among rational creatures -, and as to their qua- lities, were enemies in their ?ninds by wicked works. Yet he loved them: — loved tbs?n better than his life, who hated him to the death; loved them unchangeably, who hated h^*m implacably j loved them notwithftanding all manner ot provocation, who hated him without acaufe; and loved ihem fuperlativdy, who hated him v/ith a perfed: hatred. — That it is wonderful in li^forcey bringing about to its 304 Christ Crucifed, recommended objecls julHfication and {lincliScation, holinefs and happi- iieis, grace and glory. — That it is wondtrful in its quaii- ties : in its a7itiqirify^ being coeval with the being oi God himfeli""; / ba've loved tbd^ ^vith an cverla fling; love : in its freedom^ which property it pofTelTes in the largeft fenfe, being free in oppofition to ali application ; for it is free in oppoiicion to merit or motive, there being nothing in man to move God to love hhii, unlefs ignorance, filth, and deformity might pafs for motives: and free in oppofition to condraint ; Lo^ I come, — That it is wonderful in its con- defcenfion^ in pitching upon poor contemptible men, in prompting Clwiil to humble himfelf fo far in his incarna- tion, in the meannefs of his life, and in his death, when he made his crave luith the wicked. — That it is wonderful in o its /over eig/ify^ in making a difference between fallen men and fallen angels ; and between one man and another in equal circumftances : as between Jacob and E£iu both children of the fame parents, and who lay at once in the fame womb ; yet Jacob have I loved^ and Efau have I hated : betwixt Peter and Judas, w^io w^re both in the college of the apoftles, and guilty of heinous crimes ; the one de- nying, and the other betraying his Mafter ; and yet the one is ftill numbered with the difciples, w^hile the other is numbered with the damned in hell: and the two thieves on the crofs, whofe crimes had brought them to an un- timely end, and yet the one falls into the arms of mercy, and the other into the hands of iuftice. — That it is won- derful in its experjlvenefs^ immidability, and eternal duratio^i, 5 . It is the duty, and will be the fludy of gofpel-mi- nifler's to preach a crucified Chrill: in his per/on and natures. — That he is the fecond perfon in the glorious Trinity, the one fiipr erne mojl high God w^ith the Father and the Holy Ghoil, in oppofition to blafphemous Arians, who wx')uld obtrude an inferior, who mufl be a created God upon us, and thus overturn the foundation of our falvation, by taking away tiie iniSnite dignity of his perfon, whereupon as the Matter of Gofpd- pre aching. 30^" tlie efiicacy of Lis f:ici ifice depends. This is rittcmpted in direcl contrariety to the whole current of flicred writ, which holds foith our CbriJ} as (ioD in the flriclcll fcnfe; caliini^- him the h la^ God. the Iivi?i{r God, the (rreat God our Saviour ; yea, Gvd ovar all bleffed for ever. — That l\e is like- wile true rdcm^ made of a wcman^ that he might be allied to us, and ib meet to acl: v>w our behalf, but not in the wa\^ of ordinary o-eneration, which is the nieans of con- veying origmal hn ; for this would have incapacitated him for the whole work of mediation, but in an extraordinary and miraculous manner, by \A\t powerful operation of the Holy Glioil; Luke i. 35. Tije Holy Ghofl JJcall come upon thee, and the power of the highefl [hall overfhadozv thee^ where* fore alfo that holy thing which Jhall he horn of thee, fJ?all be called the Son of Ged : and thus the lord did a nezo thing in the earth ; a woman compaffed a man. — That he is God and man in one perfon ; a very wonderful perfon indeed ! concerning whom the gofpel-miniiler will be concerned to preach the ailumption, the union, and the efl'etls of the union. T he faithful minlftcr will be cxercifedin preach- ing the ajjinnption ; that the divine nature, not fublilling in the Father or Spirit, but in the Son, aiTiuned our na- ture into a pcrfonal fubfiftcnce with himielf; for. The Word was made flejh. l^he golpcl miniftcr \\'\)X preach alfo the union, \\ hich is a thing different from the alTiunp- tion ; the one rcfpecling the acting of the divine nature, and the pailion of the human ; the other, the mutual re- lation of the natures to each other: hence wx may fafely fiiy, the divine nature was united to the human, as well as the human unto tlie divine ; but we cannot fay the di- vine was affumed, as the human was. — That the nnion is real ; whence the fame perfon is called the mighty God.^ and the child born, which is neither conceivable, nor poiTible, nor true, but bv a real union betwixt the divine and human natures, in the perfon of Chrift. — That it is a my^ Jiericus union, wherein heaven and earth have met, and C) q 3o6 Christ Crucifed, recommended kilTed one another ; Without controverfy great is the wyjlery of godllnefs^ God was manifejl in the flejh. — That it is a perfo- nal union, and yet not an union of perfons ; for our Lord took the nature of man, but not the perfon of man: for if he had taken the perfon of man, the obedience he perform- ed would not have been of infinite value, nor accepted of God as a fufliclent ranfom for our fouls. — -That it is an union of natures^ remaining foil diilinct, though not a natural union ; that though the union be pcrfonal and in- timate, yet both natures are preferved from confufion and commutation ; the human nature being ilill created, finite, and viiible ; the divine nature, uncreated, infinite, and invifible : hence he is faid to be, cf the fathers^ as con- cerning the fiefh ; and yet God over all. — That it is an in- divifthle union ; fo that the Son of God will never lay afide the afiTumed manhood, nor fhall the human nature be fe- vered from the perfon, vi^hile God and eternity lafl ; hence it is faid, The fulnefs of the Godhead dwells in him bodily : it does not lodge in him, as a traveller in an inn for a night; but dwells in him as a fixed habitation. The faithful gofpel-minifter ought alfo to declare the ej^ecls of this union : that by this means he was properly qualified for finiflniig the work the Father gave him to do : that his obedience and death were in the fiime nature that fin- ned, and therefore fuch as the law required; and at the lame time infinitely meritorious. 6. It is the duty and will be the concern of the gofpel- minifter to preach up a crucified Chrift's difcharge of his mediatory v/ork, — That upon the conflitution of his me- diatorial perfon (I fay, his mediatorial perfon ; for v/hen we fpcak of the conflitution of his perfon, we intend not his perfon abfolutely, as he is the etern:^l Son of God, for his being fo was not a voluntary contrivance, or effect of infinite wiidom and goodnefs, but a neceffary internal act of the divine nature in the perfon of the Father) in the fulnefs of time, he began to difcharge the work he had as the Matter of Gofpel-pre aching. 307 undertaken from eternity, in the room and llead of an elecl company ; that whereas the law, as a covenant, re- quired two things from them, obedience as they are rati- onal creatures, and fufl'ering as they are finners ; he yield- ed up his human nature both ways, in doing and fuffer- ing : Eph. v. 2 . And walk In love^ as Cbr'ifl alfo loved us^ and bath given hinifelf for us^ an o^eruig and a facrifice to God for a fweet-fmelling favour. And the minilter of Chrift will endeavour to fej: forth the glory of both ; the glory of his active obedience to the law's precept, in the fpring of it, viz, freedom ; that though we obey, becaufe we ought, before we obey be- caufe we will ; yet our Redeemer obeyed becaufe he would^ before he obeyed becaufe he ought ; Lo^ I come, — The end of it ; that it was not for himfelf, but for us, who were bound to yield perfect obedience, but could not by reafon of lin ; Gal. iv. 5 . God fent forth his Son^ inadc of a ivoman^ made under the laiVy to redeem them that were under the law^ that we might receive the adoption offons, — In the univerfa- lity 'jLiidi perfedion of it^ that whatever the lavv^ demanded from them, he fulfilled according to his own word; Thus it hecometh us to fulfil all rhjhieoufnefs : that his obedience was a fair commentary on the whole law, written in the glorious characters of holinefs and righteoufnefs all the days of his life ; for he was obedient even unto death. — In the value of it, which is infinite, becaufe of the infinite dignity of the perfon obeying ; and fo that he did not only fulfil the law, but added a new luftrc and glory to it, which it never had before ; He magnified the law and made it honourable. The gofpel-minifter will alfo fet forth the glory of Chriil's PASSIVE obedience, in the fpring and impulfive caufe, his OWN LOVE, which made him come in the way of juftice ; He LOVED me^ and gave himfelf for me, — In the procuring caufe thereof, viz, our iniquities ; that it was the fin of man which flew the Son of God, Ifa. liii. 5. He was wounded for our tranfgrejfions^ he was bruifed for our iniqui- 3o8 ' Christ Crucified^ recommended ties ; the chafiijement of our peace was tipon him^ and by bis J}ripes we are healed. — In the qiuuit'ies thereof; that his filtering >'as voluntary ; that tiie Lamb of God did not ilruggle when he was led to the fUughtcr, but did bear his ov/n crofs, and was the prieil as well as the iacrilice. • — In that hi.^ fufferini^ was very bilUi. he beinp; hke corn grinded in the mill, or grapes iqaeezed-ia the wine-prefs of his Father's wrath ; for, ft pleafcd the Lord to hruife him* •—In that it was unherfal, as he fufiered in both rtatures ; truly and properly in Iiis human nature ; and as to his divine nature, its glory was eclipfed for a time: he fulTer- cd iikewife in all his offices : beuig mocked, as a prophet; defpifcd, as a priefl ; and infulted, as a king: and as we had iinned both in ovir fouls and bodies, he fullered in all the powers of his foul and members of his body ; tho' the fuficrings of his foul were the foul of his fuflerings : more- over, he fuffered from all hands ; from men on earth, devils in hell, and, which was worft of all, from his Fa- ther, who being offended to the highefl with our ifins, fmote him, and hid his face from him, which made him cry out upon the crois, My God^ my God! why bajl thou forfaken mef — In fine, his futferings were of /ong duration ; his v/hole life, from the manger to the crois, from the flable to Golgotha, being a continual paflion •, hence he is faid to be a ?nan of for rows, and acquainted with griefs. — • The end of his fufferings is likevvifc to be pointed out; that it was for us : not .only for our ^ood, but in our fie ad : Chrifl our pa ff over is facrifccd for us. — And finally, t\\^ efficacy thereof, for reaching this end, which is found-^ cd on the dionitv of the perfon fuffcrino:. 7. It is the duty and will be the ftudy of a gofpel-mi-. nifter to preach the offices of Chriil : That our Lord Jefus is vefted with three oniccs, of prophet, prieft, and king. And to fet forth thefe offices in their nature and nece-Tity, diilinclion and conjunclion, their relation^ completenefsa ' pvder, and perpetuity. J as the Matter of Gofpel-preachlng, 309 In tlicir nature ; that as a prophet he pabliflicth and de- clan th the wi;ole council of God to Tinners of mankind, Luke i. 7y. To (rhe li^bt to them that fit in darkncf^s^ and in the ) e<^ion and /hadozv of death: and worketh the effeclual knowlcdoe of God and of his will in the hearts of the men o given unto him; i John v. 20. ]Ve know that the Son of man is come^ and hath given us an underflanding that we may know him that is true : and ever after inilrucls them more' and more as his own difciples ; For the fecret of the Lord is with theju that fear him, — That as a prieft^ he of- fered up a faerifice fuilicient in itfelf to atone for the fins of the whole world, had it been fo intended, and which h.'X\^ perfeded for ever them that are fandified : and that on this ground he makes intercedion for them, by appearing in their natrne continually before the Father in heaven, declaring his will to have his faerifice applied to them, anfwering all accuilitions againft them; procuring for them quiet of confcience, notwithftanding of their daily failures ; accefs with boldnefs to the throne of g^race ; and the ac- ceptance of their perfons and fervices. — That as a king he gives olllcers and ordinances to his church, makes his royal proclamation unto the world, bearing, that whofoever will may come and unite with him ; and that whofoever cometk he will in no wife cafl them out : effectually fubdues his peo- ple unto himfelf by the rod of his ftrength ; rules and de- fends them ; reflrains and conquers all his and their enemies. The minifler of Chrift is likewife to point out to his hearers the neceffity of thefe oflices, arifmg from the evils under which we were lying ; the darknefs of lin, which required that he fhould be a prophet ; the guilt of fin, which made his prieflhood neceffary ; and the enmity and power of fin, which rendered his kingly office indifpenfible. The dijlindion and conjunction of thefe oflices mufl like- wife be declared ; that as they are diflinclly afligned to Chrifl:, fo they are diflind among themfelves ; and where there is an affinity between them, or any feeming cninci- 31 o Christ Crucified^ recommended dence in their actings, it rather is betwixt the kingly and prophetical, than betwixt either of thefe and the prieftly : for the nature of the two firft requires that the object of their exercife be men ; whereas the nature of the prieftly requires that its objeci: be God: in the former, he acts in the name of God, and for God towards men ; but in the prieftly, he acls in the name of men, and for men with God: For every h'lgh-friefl is ordained for men in things PERTAINING TO GoD. — That though thefe oftices were al- ways before vefted in different perfons, yet they all meet in his perfon^ and arc fweetly interwoven one with another, fo that he is a royal prieft, a prieftly prophet, and prophe- tical king ; or, in the words of holy writ, a prieft upon his throne ; the atoflle and bigh-priej} of our profefjion. The relation thefe offices bear to us is likewiie to be fet forth ; that they are wholly for us ; that they are not like his effential attributes and perfections, the being whereof is not for us, but only their acting : he would have been infinite and eternal, though he had never made a crea- ture ; but he would not have been a prophet, if there had not been ignorant finners to inftrucl ; nor a prieft, if there had not been guilty linners to atone for; nor a king, if there had not been obftinate ftnners to fubdue and govern. The compktsnefs of the Mediator's ofUces is another part of the gofpel-minifter's theme ; that they anfwer the ut- moft exigencies of a loft world ; that they are fit to fatis- fy the mind, the confcience, and the heart of a ftnner : lor, as a prophet, he fills the mind with light ; as a prieft, he pacifies the confcience ; and as a king, beftows what is fufiicient to fill the moft enlarged defires of the heart, even himfelf and all the fulnefs of the new covenant. The order of Chrift's offices fhould likewife be infifted upon, and kept in view as a cardinal point in divinity. — The proper order of thefe offices we think is this, he firft executes his prieftly oftice, and then his prophetical and kingly ^ for finners muft be redeemed to God by his blood- i as the Matter of Gofpel-pre aching. 3 1 r before they be brought to the faving knowledge of him, or entire fubjedion unto him, which is the reafon of Llie oath wherewith he was invefted in his prieftly office. It is the duty of minifters to point out the efficacy of Chrifl^s offices. — As a prophet^ he teaches and inflrucls his people with powder and authority ; for, Never man /pake like him, John vii. 46. And he opens and illuminates the un- derftanding to receive his inftructions ; for, he is the true light that lightens every man ; and the entrance of his "joords give light. — As a priefl, he offered up a iacrifice, not like the typical facrifices under the law, which were only a Z?'^- dow of good things to come, and coidd not make the comers there- unto perfeB ; but one of iniinite value and efficacy, being the facrifice of himfelf : for. By one offeriiig he. hath perfed- ed for ever them that are fanclified. He hath made peace by the blood of his crofs ; and the blood of Jefus Chrijl his Son cleanfeth us from all sin. — As a king, he rules in* and over his people, and effisclually fubdues them to himfelf; he reftrains and conquers all their enemies, and defends them acrainft their moft fubtil and violent attacks. And finally, their perpetuity muft be declared. He lives for ever in the execution of them : r.nd becaufe he lives his people fhall live alfo. He lives for ever a glorified life in heaven, as our Mediator; not merely for himfelf, but alfo for the benefit of his people. He is ftill clothed with thefe three offices and will not lav them afide to all eternitv. — Accordingly, the apoflle John beheld him in the vifions of God; and, as it is commonly underftood, defcribes him in figurative language, as ftill veiled with his threefold office: Rev. v. 6. And I beheld, and lo, in the midjl of the throne^ and of the four beafts, and in the midfl of the elders flood a Lamb as it had been flain ; having feven horns, and /even eyes : where you fee that he is in the midfl of the throne^ in the execution of all his offices. — In his prieflly office; and therefore called the Lamb fain. — In his kindly office ; and is therefore defcribed as having y5^v;2 horns ; which in 312 Christ Crucified^ recommended the prophetic flile, comn-only denote power and royal authority. — And in hi s^r^/'/^^/zV^/ office ; and is therefore faid to havey^'t'^^z eyes ; which point forth his knowledge and wifdom, whereby he is quahfied to teach effecluallv the church cathoHc by the various operations of his Spirit r' for the J even eyes are the feven Spirits of God feiit forth into all the earth. He Ihall be a prieft for ever, PfaL ex. 4. The facrilicing part of his prieft-hood, which bek^nged to the condition of the covenant, is long ago over, and he dieth no more ; but he ever liveih to make inter ctjjion^ and hath an unchangeable frieJl-Jjood. — He fhall be a king for ever to rule over the church militant and the church tri- umphant ; Ifa. ix. 7. — And he Ihall be a prophet for ever ; for as he is the light of grace, he will be the light of glory ; llev. xxi. 2 3. And the city had no rieed of the fun^ neither of the vioon to fhine in it ; for the glory of the Lord did lighten ity and the La??ib is the light thereof 8. It is the duty and v/ill be the ftudy of every gofpel- minifter, to preach a crucified Chrift in his mediatorial ex- ccllencies and ferfedions, — He is poiTelibd of all mediatorial qualities : fuch as, his ability to lave ; for, He is able to fave to the uttermof}^ all that come unto God by him. — His^?7f- nefs for the office of mediation, being God-man Mediator, and fo qualified to lay his hand upon both parties, bringing about a reconciliation between an offended God and onend- ing finners.' — His being veiled with the threefold office of , prophet, priell;, and king, for the purpofe of faving loft finners of mankind ; of which before. Chrift's mediato- rial ferfeflions are likewife to be infilled upon. — He is a -powerful Mediator ; for. All power in heaven and in earth is given unto him, — He is a welUfurnifJoed Mediator; for, 'The Father loveth the Son^ and hath given all things into his hand, — He is a moft opulent and munificent Mediator : he has received gifts for men^ that he might give gifts to men, — In a word, he is poiTelTed of unbounded goodnefs and unner- ring wifdom \ and, in himfelf, altogether lovely. as the Matter of Gofpel-pre aching. 3 1 3 9. It is the duty and will be the fludy and concern of a gofpel-miniller to preach the fulnefs of Chrifl j that belidcs the fulnefs of Deity in his divine nature, the fnlnefs'^f union in his perfon, and the fulnefs of habitual grace in his human nature, there is an authoritative ful- nefs in him as the head of the church to be communicate to others \ a fulnefs defignedly miniilerial, as the fulnefs o£ lioht in the fun and the fulnefs of water in the ocean: o Col. i. 19. It pleafed the Father that in him Jloould all fid^ nefs dwell. It is not the fulnefs of a land flood, which foon fublldes, nor the fulnefs of a veffel to ferve his own turn ; but the fulnefs of a fountain that lends its ftreams to others without lelfening its own Ihare : accordingly it is faid, that Grace is -poured into his lips ; importing, that he hath it not to keep for himfelf, but to impart to others, that of his fulnefs we all may receive and grace for grace. In him is all j unifying grace for the pardoning of our fins and the acceptance of our perfons : He is e^calted a prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Ifrael and remijjton of fins* and believers are accepted in the Beloved : all quickening grace; for the Son quickeneth whornfoever he will: all fanc- tifying grace; hence he is faid to be a fountain opened for fin and for uncle annefs : all flrengthening grace; for with^ out him we can do nothings but through Chrifl flrengthening us we can do cill things : all comforting grace ; hence he is fliled the cojfolationoflfael: all eftabliihing grace; and hence the faints are faid to be preferved in Chriil Jefus. — In iliort, all the srrace and mercv the Father determined to beftow, when he was contriving how to fhew forth the exceeding riches of his grace ; all the grace and mercy which he could procure a vent for by the precious blood of his Son, one drop whereof equalled or rather exceeded in value the blood of the whole creation : all the srrace which hath faved all who have come to God thro' Chrifl already, and fhall fave all that iliall come while the world ftands \ all the grace which the great and precious pro- il r 314 Christ Crucified, recommtndcd mifes do or can contain ; and all the grace which the ^ eagle-eye of faith can apprehend. — Indeed, the fulnefs of grace that is in him is infinite, and the ftores of it inex- hauflible ; and he is no lefs liberal than rich. 10. It is the duty and will be the concern of a gofpel- minifter to preach the gift and grant of Chrift to loft fin- ners ; that the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, moved by nothing but fovereign grace, hath made a gift and grant of a crucified Chrift, not to the elecl only, but to mankind indefinitely ; to finners of the race of Adam, without exception, and without the leaft refpecl to any qualification whatever ; John iii, 16. Godfo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten' Son, that whofsever believeth on him fhould not perijh, hut have everlafting life. Where, by the giving of him is underftood not only his eternal de- / ftination by the Father to be the Redeemer of an eled World, and his giving him up to the death for them all in the fulnefs of time ; but more efpecially in the giving him in the word to all to be received and believed in. It can- not be meant of a giving in poflefiion, which is peculiar to aftual believers, but of fuch a giving as warrants every man tobclieve, and is therefore prior to a^lual believing; for he gave him that whofoever,^c, he gave him as thebra- ferpent was given to the Ifraeiites ; it was lifted up as a common good to the camp of Ifrael, and fo Chrift is given to loft men exclufively of loft- angels. It is the duty and will be the concern of the gofpel- minifter to preach, that although the purchafe and appli- cation of falvation be peculiar to the cXtd:, yet the ofier and exhibition of Chrift is univerfal; though many in our day cannot fee the cqnfiftency of thcfe two, but alledge, that if the purchafe was not made for all, thepropofal cannot be made to all. But did not God propofe the making of the cov^enant in favours of loft finners, without requiring a price for the propofal ? And why then may he not propofe ifc to finners in the everlafting gofpel without any price for J as the Matter of Gofpcl-pr caching. 313: the propoful of it to them ? Did he not provide a ranfom of mere grace without a price? And why then may he not propofe it without receiving a price for the propoial ? The uniyerfality of the propofal indeed bears, that there is fuf- ficient vahie in the death of Chrill to pur chafe the falvation of all; but not that he actually died for all. In fliort, we are to teach that notwithllanding the particularity of the purchafe, the warrant, to receive Chrifi is common to all that hear the gofpel, eled: or reprobate ; and that the gofpel-offer abftracls from any confideratipn of this nature ; that it is dire6led to men neither as elect noi' reprobate, but merely as men : — U?ito you^ 0 men^ I call ; and my voice is to the fans of men, II. It is the duty and will be the concern of a gofpel- minifter to preach the intimate conjunction of Chriil with his people. That he and they were one legally from eternity, in virtue of his engaging with the Father in the cove- nant of grace; Heb. vii. 22. By fo much was Jefus made the furety of a better teflament. This is the foundation of the imputation of their fins to him, and of the iniiicfing the punifliment due thereto on him ; as alfo, of the imputation of his righteoufnefs to them. — That there is a. Jiatural union betwixt him and them in virtue of his incarnation ; that though he took, upon him the nature of every man, yet it was for the fake of the elecl : that tliis was indifpen- fibly neceflary to their falvation ; for otherwife the finning could not have been the fufl'ering nature, as the apoftlc Paul, writing to the Hebrews, largely declares ; chap. ii. 14, — 18. For af much then as the children are partakers ofjlefh and bloody he alfo himftlf Ukewife took part of the fame^ that through death he might deftroy him that had the power of deaths that is, the devil: and deliver them who, through fear of death, were all their life-time fubjeEl to bondage : for verily, he took not on him the nature of angels ; but he took on him the feed of Abraham, Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren ; that he might be a merciful and faithful Rr 2 ^l6 Christ Crucified^ recommended h'lgh-fr'iej} in things pert ainirig to God, to make reconciliation for the fins of the people: for in that he hlmfelf fuffered, being tempted ; he is able to fuccour them that are tempted. Had it been the recovery of angels that he defigned, he would have taken their nature upon him ; but this vi'ould have afforded us no more rehef than his afTumine: of our nature does to the fallen angels. — That he and his people are ^ myflically one, as is evident from many refemblances ufed in fcripture to illuftrate this fubjecl; fuch as the union betwixt the vine and the branches, the natural head and the members, the hufband and the wife, the meat and, the eater, which w^ould rather tend to confound and puz- zle, than inftrucl us in the knowledge of truth, if there \vere no proper union betwixt Chrift and believers. — -Tjiis myftical conjunction is the effecl and accompliihment of the other two ; they are one in law ; one in nature ; and then one in Spirit : for. He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit* The price which he paid to law and juftice in their room and (lead, is by virtue of the legal union laid to their account, in the time of love, that they may ac- tually enjoy the benefit by fpiritual union \vith him ; Rom. vii. ^. Wherefore my brethren, ye alfo are become dead to the law by the body of Chrifl, [the fufrerings of Chrift imputed to themj that ye fiould he married to another, even to him " who IS raijed from the dead, 12. It is the duty and will be the concern of a gofpel- miniiler to preach the example of our Lord Jefus. Though he will be far from preaching up Chrift's pattern, to the neglecl: of his prieftliood and atonement, (as the Socinians who make it the chief, if not the whole end of his incar- j nation and death, and place the whole of Chriftianity in the imitation of Chrift; though, by the bye, in their praclice they defpife the qualities and duties wherein he chiefly manifefted his grace;) yet he will be concerned to teach that it was one end of his becoming man, and dying ip the human nature, that he might leave us an e ii ample ; as the Matter of Gofpel-preaching. 317 that whereas fin had filled the whole world with a repre- fentation of the devil and his nature, God fcnt his Son into the world that he might in him reprefent the divine nature, and that he might exemplify to us both the end of our redemption, and what we in a way of duty ought to labour after. Horn. viii. 30. For whom he did foreknow^ them he alfo did -pre deft mate to he conformed to the image of his Son, That whereas all others are imperfect patterns, to be fol- lowed no farther than they follow Chrifi;, he is an abfo- lutely perfecl and glorious pattern of all grace, holincfs, and obedience; for. He did no fin ^ neither was guile found in his mouth. He was lights and in him was no darknefs at all ; that though all examples do in fome meafure follicit the mind to imitation, yet there is a peculiar force in the example of our Lord Jefus to incline us to the imitation of him ; becaufe, whatever he did as our pattern, he did it not for his own fake, but from lore to us ; John xvii. i 9. For their fakes I f and if y myfelf that they alfo may be fandi^ fed through the truth. And every thing we are to imitate in him is otherwife beneficial to us ; his meeknefs, his felf-denial, his readinefs for the crofs, and patience under afHidlion ; yea, all the duties he performed towards God and man, in his whole converfation on earth, make us righteous in the fight of God ; for, by his obedience we are made righteous. It was not therefore without rcafon that the apoftle, in the i 2 th chapter of the Hebrews, led his correfpondents from the cloud of witneflTes, their companions in believing, to the author and finiiher of faith, and that he did not propofe him to them in the fame manner, viz, as an example merely ; but that he propol- ed his perfon as the objed of faith, from whom they might expect affiftance in conforming themfelves to his example ; Looking unto Jefus the author and finifher of faith. What a pity is it that in our day many who are called Chrifi:iaus, and even minifl;er3, delight more in the virtuous fayings ^nd actions of the Heathens, and are readier to make them 3i8 Christ Crucified ^ recommended the objecl of their Imitation, than our Lord Jefus; though, by God's appointment, oiir beholding of hini is a means to make us like God ' 1 2 Cor. iii. 18. We all with open face be- holding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord^ are changed into the Jame image from glory to glory ^ even as by the Spirit of the Lord: but it is not to be wondered at; for the virtue and holi- nefs they are fteking after is of the fame kind with that which was in the heathen, and different from that which was in Chrift Jefus. 13. It is the duty^^and will be the concern of a gofpel- minifter to preach the law of a crucified Chrift. That our Lord Jefus, in virtue of the fupreme authority over tbp church, wherewith he is vefted, hath made the fame law which was engraven upon Adam's heart at his crea- tion, and was afterwards ftated the condition of the cove- nant of works, to be now the inftrument and rule of his government over his faved people, fo that they are not without law to God^ but under the law to Chrifl ; that the* it be the fame law with the law of works materially, yet it has undergone feveral accidental alterations, as in the way of its conveyance, extent, and form. — In the way of its conveyance ; whereas the law of works was delivered by God as Creator, out of Chrift, this is delivered by God as he is not only Creator^ but Redeemer in Chrift '.^ Bear ye one another's b^urdens and fo fulfil the law of Chrift ; an alte- ration which our neceflitv called for. Thousrh when the law was firft given, the lawgiver and man were fuch friends, that he could receive it immediately without any danger to himfelf, or ftain to the Sovereign's honour ; yet now, that a breach is made by fin^ we cannot look on God, or his law, but as a confuming fire, until the Mediator in- tervenes, from whom we may and do receive it with all the authority ever it had originally, together with all that God-Redeemer can add to it. — The law of works and the law of Chrift difter likewife in refpe61: of their extent, or objecls 5 for whereas the law of works is given to all out as the Matter of Gofpel-pr caching, 3 1 9 of Chrift only, the other is given only to fuch as are in Chrift. Others are left under the original authority of the law ; but as to believers in Chrift, the authority of the Lord Jefus doth immediately affecl their minds and confcicnces : hence he is faid to fecd^ or rule his people in the Jlrength of the Lord^ in the majefty of the name of the Lord his God, It is true, the wicked ought to fubmit to his au- thority, but yet his authority is not extended to them, foas to oblige him to govern them as his lawful fubjecls ; for then the liberties, privileges, and imtii unities of his king- dom behoved to be extended to them likewife, his law being added to the promife. — The lav/ of Chriil differs, moreover, from the law of works in its form ; for where- as the law, as it ftood in the covenant of works, had a promife of life annexed to obedience, and a threatening of death to difobedience ; it is quite ftript of thefe, as it ftands under the covenant of grace, which is founded up- on the ftate and condition of thefe who are under it, being all of them poffeffed of the perfect righteoufnefs of Chrift, and fo freed from eternal death, and intitled to eternal life. It will be the gofpel minifter's concern to preach, that this relation betwixt the covenant of grace and the law, is fo far from diffolving any obligation, w^hich lay origi- nally upon believers, as men, to any duty of the law, that on the contrary it is extended to new duties, or fuch as were not actual duties before; and it ftrencrthens the old oblisrations with new ones, and thefe ftronsfer than the old. What I call the new duties^ are fuch as thefe which the believer owes to the Mediator, to God under the re- lation of a Father, to the Holy Spirit as a fanclifier and comforter, and to fellow believers as brethren ; — w^hence the ftrongeft obligations are laid on them to fulfil the law of Chrift. 14. It is the duty and will be 'the concern of a gofpel- minifter, to preach the prefefit j^lbries of a crucified Chrift, in heaven. That our Lord Jefus, though he was laid in 320 Christ Crucified^ reconnnended the grave, was not loft in it, but rofe again with awful majefty on the third day, as the fir J} fruits of them that flepi^ according to the fcripture ; that after he had triumph- ed forty days over the devil, after he had hniflied his nii- niftry (as he was tempted forty days by the devil before he entered upon it) he went up to glory ; both gracioully, as a high-prieft ; and glorioufiy, as a king, attended with a fhining retinue of angels, and dragging the devils at his chariot wheels, and fat down on the right-hand of God ; where, in the human nature, as fubfifting in his divine per- fon, he is exalted, above the whole creation, in power, dignity, authority, and rulej yea, the glory and exalta- tion of Chrift in our nature, is not only above, but alfo of another kind than the utmoft of what any other created being hath, or is capable of, becaufe it is founded on its union to his perfon, a privilege which no other creature can pretend to, or be made partaker of to eternity. And this is a fpring of unfpeakable joy to all true believers ; for, Becaufe he lives ^ they fh all live alfo : and not only does he live a life of unfpeakable glory, in the human natu-re, but a mediatory life for us; Rev. i. i8. I am he that iiv- eth^ and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore^ Amen: and have the keys of hell and of death. But there is no end of particulars ; and therefore I con- clude this Head with obferving, that it will be the ftudy and concern of a gofpel-minifter to preach every thing a- bout Chrift ; a whole Chrift : not that any can preach him fully, no ; never minifter did fo, but himfelf, 'The minifler of the fancluary^ and of the true tabernacle^ which the Lord pitched and not man; but a gofpel-minifter will not shun to declare the whole counsel of God concerning him: and to preach a whole Chrift, is to preach the whole bible ; for what is the whole bible, but a declaration of the counfels of God? and the perfon of Chrift is the facred repofitory of all thefe. He is both the centre and circum- ference of all the lines of divine, fpiritual, and fuperna- as the Matter of Gofp£l'preaching4 3 11 tural truth ; fo he himfelf teiHnes, John xiv. 6. / am the truth, — He ib lb e ffcnt tally ^ ■^s he is one with the Father, the God of truth: — he is fo efficiently^ as by him alone it is fully and effectually declared ; for. No man hath fcen God at any t'lwe^ the only begoiten Son, which is in the bdfont of the Father, he hath declared him: — he is {<> fuhfl ant tally ^ in oppofition to tlie types and iliadows of the old tefta- nient ; for. In him duo ells all the fulnefs of the Godhead bo-^ dily : — and he is io fubjeclively ; for all divine truth, relat- ing to the faving knowledge of God, is tfeafured up ifi him ; In him are hid all the treafures of ivifdom and know* lege. There is not the leaf!: line of truth, how far foever it may be extended, and how fmall foever it may appear, \but the fpring of it lies in the perfon of Jefus ; and urllefs miniflers preach, and private perfons learft every truth iri its relation to the perfon of Chrift, it will have neither faving light nor efficacy attending it. 2^/y, The next thing propofbd, under this Head, was ' to explain the manner in which a gofpel-minifter is to preach Chrift crucified. And, I. He is to preach him demonftratively, i Cor. ii. 4. ikfy fpeech and?ny preachijig was not with enticing Words of man' f wifdom ; but in demonftraticm of the Spirit and of poiOer : that is, he preached fo as gave demon ilration that the Holy Ghoft was affifting him; or he preached fo as a demon- ,ftration of the power of the Holy Ghoft W^as given to the hearts of the hearers; or rather, which is the thing I in- tend, he preached and fet forth a crucified Chrift with fuch evidence as could not be gainfaid : he fo pictured him forth that he was bold to afHrm to the Galatians, he was cruci- fied among them, as well as at Jerufalem, Gal. iii. i. He preached Chrift in fo lively a manner, that he, as it were, fet them down at Jerufalem by the crofs, and brought hiin forth crucified before the eyes of their faith, as really as if they had feen it done with their bodily eyes. And, O happy is the minifter who thus preaches Chrift! wlio S f 3^2 Christ Critcifed, recommended preaches fo as to affect the confciences of the hearers, and make them fall down before the word, and acknowledge that God is in it of a truth. This was the primitive, tho' it be not the modern way of preaching, 2 Cor. iv. 2 . Not handling the word of God deceitfully^ hut by mamfeflatlon of the truths commending ourfehes to every man^s confcience in the fight of God. 2 . A gofpel-minifter is to preach Chrift crucified -purely 2Xidi faithfully ; Jer. xxiii. 28. He that hath wy word^ let hi?n fpeak my word faithfully ; that h^ purely^ without ming- ling it with his own dreams ; for fo he expounds it, what is the chaff to the wheats Minifters have no liberty to de- liver any new docl:rme to their hearers : they mufl preach what they have received^ and not what they have forged in their own brains ; That which I have received of the Lord^ I have delivered unto you. They are angels, and mufl keep to their meffage ; they are ambaffadors, and muil keep ^clofs to their inllruclions ; they are ftewards, and not ma- ilers of the myfleries of God ; and it is required in a fleward Jhat a man he found faithful : they are to proclaim, not contrive laws for the confcience ; Hear the word at my mouthy and give them warning fro?n me. If it is not from him, it is not right, and will never prove the power of God unto fahation. 3 . Chrift crucified muft be preached boldly : hence Paul fends as far as Ephefus for the help of the prayers of the Lord's people, that he might open his mouth boldly^ to make known the myftery of the gofpel. A minifter is boldly to af- fert the truths of the gofpel, and not only pleafing, but difpleafing truths ; truths that carry the crofs at their back : fuch was that truth v/hich Ifaiah delivered concerning the reje6lion of the JeVv^s, Rom. x. 20. But Ifaias is very holdy and faith ^ I was found of them that fought me not. He is , boldly to reprove fin, and denounce judgment againft im- penitent finners ; hence is that word, Ifa. Ivii. i. Cry aloud^ fpare not ; lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and fJ^ew my people as the Matter of Gofpel-preaching. 323 their tranf^rejfwn, and the hoiifc of Jacob their fins, Sliall uny man be fo bold as to do what God forbids ? And (liall a niinifler be fo timorous, as not to fpcak what God com- mands ? No : tins wc^iild be tlie way to provoke God to t:onfoiind him before his hearers ; Jer. i. 17. Be not dif mayed at their faces ^ left I confound thee before thevu The apofUe Paul, though a prifoner, was not afraid to preach of righteoufnefs^ continence^ and judgment to come^ before a lafcivious prince ; and the fermon made him tremble^ Acls xxiv. 24, 2.5. 4. The gofpel-minifter ought to preach Chrifl crucified with meeknefs^ as well as boldnefs ; 2 Tim. ii. 25. In meek- nef inftrucling thefe that oppofe themfelves. We muft not, as one fays, denounce wrath in wrath, left fmners think we wifh for their mifery ; but rather with fuch tender- nefs, that they may fee it is no pleafing work for us to rake in their wounds, but that we do it that we may not be acceffory to their ruin ; thus Jeremiah founds the alarm of judgment, yet at the fame time appeals to God, and clears himfelf of all cruelty towards them ; Jer. xvii. 1 6. As for me^ I have not haftened from being a f aft or to folloio thee^ neither have I de fired the woful day^ thou knoweft ; that which cajne out of my lips was rii^ht before thee. " A preacher, "' as Dr. Reynold fays, likeafurgeon,fhould have an eagle's " eye, to difcover the itate of the Ibul ; a lion's heart, to " fearch fpiritual wounds; and a lady's hand, to drefs *' them." The ferva?it of the Lord muft he gentle, 5 . The gofpel-minifter ought to preach Chrift crucified fuitahly and feafonably ; 2 Tim. li. 14. Study to fhew thy- felf approved imto God.^ a worhnan that needeth not to be a- fhamed^ rightly dividing the word of truth. The exprefiion in this text is either borrowed from the cuftom of the pricfts under the Mofaic difpenfation, who, after cutting the facrifice, did diftribute the feveral parts according to divine appointment ; or from faithful Rewards, who, without refpcd of perfons, divide to every one their al- S f 2 f V 324 Christ Crucified, recommended iowance, according to the mafter's will. And thus ini- nifters of the gofpel, who are ftewards of the myflcrics of God^ muft preach the golpel fo as every hearer may find himfelf in the fermon ; being fons of thunder to the wicked, and fons of confolation to the faints. Our deficiency in this refpecl is the reafon why fo many rejoice, \vhen they fliould mourn ; and fo many mourn, when they ought to rejoice. 6. I'he gofpel-minifter is to preach Chrifl only ; i Cor. ii. 2. / determined not to know any thing' among yoii^ fave Je^ Jus Chr'iJ}^ and him crucified. What! may you fay, is a minifter to preach nothing but Chrift'^ no: nothing but what maybe properly enough reduced to preaching Chrift. Chrift alone is to be preached abfolutely; and all other truths as thev beg-in. centre, and end in him. Some have reduced all the materials of religion to four heads, viz, things to be believed^ things to be do?ie, things to be fought, and things to be received ; and Chrifl: is the fum of them all, All the myfteries to be believed, are by the apoflle, briefly fum.med up in one phrafe, the doctrine of Chrift;^ the thing's to be done, muff be done throuofh the sfrace pf Chrift ; the things to be fought, mufl be fought in the name, and are granted for the fike of Chrift ; and the things to be received, are in him to be communicated: And of his fulnefs have all we received and grace for grace,— We now proceed, II. To the fecond general Head of our method, namelya to fpeak of the entertainment given to the faithful gofpel- minifter's fubjecb, Chrift crucified. The text prefents us with a twofold entertainment given thereto ; to fome he is a J}u?nb ling-block and fcolifhnefs ; and to others, he is the fGwer of God and the wifdom of God. We fliall coniider |:hefe feparately, i/?. We have here an account of the bad entertainment glyen to the faithful minifter's fubjecl^ he is to the Jews as the Matter of GofpeUpreaching. 325 a ftumb ling-block^ and to the Greeks fooUJhnefs, Let us enquire then what it is in and about Chrift crucified, that is a ground of ftumbling and offence to gofpel-hearers. -* 'i. They are ftumbled at the fcrfon of Chrift. The wicked world fee no forjn nor comlinefs in him ; they per- ceive no beauty nor excellency in Jefus, whereby they fliould defirc him ; and fo trample under foot the Son of God. The carnal Jews and felf-conceited Greeks united together in contemning the Son of God ; the one require a ftgn^ and the other feek after wifdom^ and thereby undervaluiiig the Prince of Hfe, and fetting at nought the wifdoai that cometh from above ; fo that both Jews and Gentiles con- fpired in the rejection of him, becaui^ he -came not in all that external pomp and grandeur they foolifhly expected. Is not this^ fay they, the carpenter^ the fon of Mary, the brother of James and Jofes f — And they were offended at him, Mark vi. 3. He has been oppofed by fome in all ages and periods : it would be endlefs to fliew the fooliflinefs of that oppofition that wicked and erroneous men have evidenced to his perfon ; fome have denied his perfonality, and others have contemned it : but the gates of hell Ihall never prevail againft him. 2. They are offended at the do6lrine of Chrift. The diftinguifliing doclrines of the crofs of Chrift, our exalted Kedeemer, though they be the peculiar glories of the Chriftian religion, and run through the whole of it ; yet multitudes feem now to grow weary of them. Philofo- phical difquifttions concerning the nature of things, the fine arts, and the excellency of moral virtue, delivered with the elegant flourifhes of oratory, are moft acceptable to men of depraved minds ; while the moft valuable dif- eourfes, on the interefting do6trines of a crucified Jefus, are difrelifhed by them.- — There are two things particu- larly relative to the doctrine of Chrift, that the hearers of the gofpel are offended with. (i.) Men are offended at the y^W/W/jv of the doctrine of .. L, 326 Christ Crucified, recommended Chrifl : it contains myfleries which they cannot compre- hend ; fiich as, the myilery of the Trinity, the incarna- . tion of the eternal Word, the uiyflical union, the fatis- facbion of the Son of God, and the refurreclion : thefe fublinie doclrines arc what men and women are offended with. And fo when Paul preached Jefus and the refur- rection at Athens, he was encountered by certain Philofo- phers. Epicureans, and Stoicks, who mocked and derided him, as a fetter forth of ft range gods^ and new dotlrines ; and therefore they were offended, and cryed out, Thou bringej} certain fl range -things to our ears ; we would know therefore what tliefe thhigs mean? Acts xvii. 16, — 20. (2.) Men are offended at the ftnipHcity of the doctrine of Chriff. The fimplicity of the docfrine of the everlaft- ing gofpel is one of its peculiar excellencies. It ftands in no need of the embellifliments and refinements of human rhetoric to fet it off; nor of the enticing words of mens wifdom. The gofpel of the grace of God, never appears to better advantage, than when preached in its naked fimplicity. The great apoftle of the Gentiles, though a preacher of accomplifhed erudition, did not preach the gofpel, v/ith the wifdom of words^ left the crofs of Chrift fhould be made of non-cffecl ; hut in the demonflration of the Spirit and of power ^ 1 Cor. i. 17. and ii. 4. Multitudes of gofpel-hearers, however, find no relifh in evangelical truths, delivered in the words of infpiration, unlefs they be dieffed up in human eloquence. The Greeks feek wifdom^ 3. Many gofpel-hearers are difplcafed with the fulnefs of Chrifl, becaufe it tends to ftrip them of felf and felf-righteoufnefs. The generality of men are filled with a conceit of themfelves, that they are, like the church of Laodicea, rich and increafed with goods^ and fiand in need, of nothing ; and cannot think of being emptied of them- felves, that they may be filled with all the fulnefs of G^d. ^ 4. There is nothing in and about Chrift but what a carnal world ftumble at, and are oflfended with, — They are as the Matter of Gofpel-pre aching. 327 offended at \ii?> facrifice and atonement ; and fo they account the blood of the covenant^ whereby they Jhould be fantlified^ an unholy ^Z;/;?^.— They are diffatisfied with his righteoufncfs ; and io go about to eftabliJJo their own right eoiifnefs , — They are offended at his laws^ becaufe of their fpirituahty and extent: The law is holy ; and the commandment holy^juj}, and good* Thy lavj is exceeding broad. — They are difpleafed at his ride znd government : and fo they will not have this man ta reicrn over them. — The Tews were offended at his miracles ; and therefore accufed him of ca fling out devils by Beelzebub the Frince of devils. But paffmg this, we proceed, 2<://y, To touch a little at the happy effect the gofpel has upon others; or at the ^oW entertainment they give it: ■ — To them which are called effedlualJy by the grace of God, and are enabled to believe, he is Chrifl the power of God^ and the wifdom of God. Here I ihall enquire, [i.] In what refpeds Chrift crucified is, and appears to believers to be, the power of God. — And to fuch, (i.) He is the power of God subjectively; that is, he is the fubje<5t in which the power of God reiides^ John xvii. 2, As thou hafl given him power over all flefh^ that he fhould give eternal life to as many as thou hafl given him. Not only is he Almighty, cdnfidered as to his divine nature, nor is his hu- man nature poffeffedmerely of a refemblance of omnipotence, in that he can do whatever he wills, becaufe his human will always correfponds moft exactly with his divine ; but as God-man, in one perfon, he is invefted with all the power of God : and hence one of his names is, the mighty God; or, as it is in the original, God the mighty One.^ which refpecls him as our Lord-Redeemer, God and man in one perfon. Infinite power cannot be feated in the human nature of Chrift, bccaufjb a created being is not capable of infinite perfection: but the divine and human natures make but one perfon in him; and fo he w^ho is the man, the God- man, is the fubje^l: of the infuiite. power of God ; which fpeaks terror to all that ftumble at him ; for he can cruih /^ 328 Christ Crucified^ recommended them in pieces as a moth, and will do it, if the thne ojf his grace were over: Luke xix. 2 7. But thofe mine enemies^ which would not that I Jhould reign over them^ brinrr hither and/lay them before mc. This conlideration likewiie, fpeaks comfort to all who regard him as the power and wifdorrv of God : for feeing he is the fubje61: of divine power, what- ever are their wants, he is able to fupply them; whatever are their weakneiTes, he is able to fupport them. It more^ ever fpeaks forth an invitation to all to come and receive him ; for certainly it is better to touch the golden fceptre than to be broken with the iron rod, and to feel the effi* cacy of his grace than the power of his anger. (2.) Chrifl crucified is in himfelf, and appears to belie- vers to be, the power of God objectively, as the power of God is eminently manifefted in him. The power of God was notably difplayed in creation, it Ihines every day in providence ; but you will not find any of thefe fliled the -power of God in the abftrad, as is here ; becaufe there, is a far greater difpjay of power in Chriil than either in cre- ation or providence. The power of God was illufl:riouily manifefted, I . In Chrift's conception in the womb. Behold^ faid the Lord to Ahaz, a virgin fh all conceive^ and. hear a Son^ and flmll call his name Immanuel. As the body djf the firft Adam was wonderfully formed of the duft; fo thebodyof thefecond Adam was wonderfully formedof thefubftanceof the virgin. That a virgin Ihould be with child was a great, a high mi- racle, far above all the laws and power of nature. Ho\f then was it effecled ? The angel's words to the virgin will inform you ; Luke i. 35. T^he Holy Ghofl fh all, come upon thee, and THE POWER of the highest shali^ overshadow thee: therefore alfo that holy thing which Jhall be barn of thee fh all be called the Son of God. The. third perfon of the bleffed Trinity overftiadowed the virgin ; and, by an aft of infinite power, formed the humanity, of Chrift, and united it to the divinity. He was the wonderful opera- as the Matter of GofpeUpre aching. 325^ tor; and therein the power of the mofl High was Angu- larly difplayed. The arm of divine power was lifted up as high as the dcfigRS of divine wifdorn were laid deep. 2 . The power of God was remarkably difplayed in the incarnation of Chrift ciiicified : The Word was made flejh» He who waii-i hi the form of Gad ^ took upon him the form of a fervant. He who had the effence and majefl^y of God, af- fumed fo low a thing as humanity. Never did God come fo near the creature as here. He w^as in the world by his univerfal prcfence; he was in the temple by types and fymbols; he is in the faints by his grace; and he is in heaven in his glory: but by the incarnation of our Lord Jefus, he h perfonally in the human nature. O what wonders of power are here, that two natures, in them- felves infinitely diflant, flioald meet by a perfonal con- junction, without any confufion or converfion whatever! Here, in fome refpecl, more power is manifeiled than in making a world. When mere nothing was by almighty power changed into angels and men, the change was but into finite ; but here the human nature was taken into an infinites and between the infinite God, and human* nature, there is a greater difnarity thaii betVv^een a world and nothincr. Here indeed God did not create an infinite, which is impollible, but he came as near it as poflibly he could, bv ailuminG: a finite nature into union W'ith an in- finite. Undoubtedly, if there was any thing next to im- . pofiible for God to do, this was it. 3. Chrift crucified difplayed divine power in the mira^ cles he wrought. This Nicodemus acknowleged, in his firft addrefs to our Lord, John iii. 2. Rabbi, we know thai thou art a teacher come from God ; for no man can do tbcfi miracles which thou dofl, except God be ivith him. Though there may be and have been lying wonders, and it may be hard enough to diftinguifli betwixt them and real mi- racles; yet it is certain, and acknowleged by all, that to work a real miracle requires almighty power : and hov/ T t 33<^ Christ Crucified^ rscdmmendcd many fuch did onr Lord work, when he brought his peo- ple out of Egypt ? He did wonders likewife when he de- livered his law upon mount Shiai : but he performed greater, and much more numerous miracles, when he was made mamfejl in flefh ; then the water was turned in- to wine ; the wind and the feas obeyed him ; the bhnd received their fight ; the lame did leap ; the lepers w ere clcanfed ; the deaf did hear ; the dumb fpake ; the dead were raifed ; and the devils were difpoffefled. In all thefe things the right hand of the Lord was gloriom in power, — What manner of man is thisy that even the winds and the fea obey hiin! 4. Chrift crucified difplayed the power of God in his fufferings. The fufferings of our Redeemer from the hands of men and devils were fuch as no power, but divine, v/as able to fuftain with fuch patience and meeknefs as he did: but his fufferings from the hand of God, when he fatisfied divine juftice, and expiated the guilt of men, were io infinitely grievous and oppreflive, that nothing but al- mighty power could have fupported him under them : hence he is reprefented in them as travelling in the great* nefs of his flrength* It would have ftruck palenefs in the face of the cherubims to fee fuch w rath coming upon them ; and if it had fallen upon them, it would have drunk up their fpirits for ever: but our Redeemer encountered it, and bore up under it with amazing fortitude ; yea, never failed, nor was difcouraged, till he could cry on the crofs wdth the fliout of a victor, // is finifl)ed; as if he had faid, This brunt is over, the work of man's redemption is ac- complifhed, and all the obftacles that flood in the way thereof are removed: offended juflice is fatisfied; the law is magnified; fin is expiated; Satan is conquered; and all the enemies of my people are fubdued; a right to eternal life is purchafed for them ; and a new way to the pofTef- '' iion of it opened." — O w^hat divine power fhines here! 5 . The divine power was illuflriouHy difplayed in the 4< as the Matter (ff Gofpel-preaching. 331 refurreSfion of Clirifl: crucified from the dead; liom. i. /[. And declared to be the Son of God with poiver ; according to the Spirit of holinefi, by his refurre6lion from the dead. He ivas crucified in iveaknefs ; but be lives by the power of God, The raifing a perfon from death to life has always been counted one of the greatctl evidences of omnipotence : but the refurrcc'tion of our Lord Jefus was no ordinary refur- re(5lion ; for it was no ordinary death he died : He died for our offences ; and he undertook never to rife till he had id- tisfied for tke iins of an elect company. It was no ordi- nary rcfurrection, becaufe he rofe not as a fingle perfon, but as a public head, in the name of all his people: when he rofe, he broke open all their graves ; and fo it was as much as the railing of them all up together at lail ; for he took the gates of hell and death, and carried them away with him, as Sampfon did the gates of Gaza: hence the apoftle fpeaking of Chrift*s rcfurreclion fays, 0 death! where IS thy fling f O grave ! where is thy vidory. It was not an ordinar)^ refurrecl:ion ; for he was raifed up fir above all principalities and powers, " Go, as one fays, and make a pair of compafTes ; meafure the diftance betwixt thefe two extremes, the low ftatc he was raifed from, and " the high ftate he was raifed to ; put one foot of the compafs in heaven, whither he is afcended, far abcve all principalities and powers ; and put the other foot of the compafs in the lower parts of the earth, where he lay, and fay if it did not require the exceeding greatncfs of divine power to raife him up." In lliort, there is no- thing that bears proportion to the power puc forth in the refurrecHon of Chrift, if it be not the power exerted in raifing a finner from death in fin to the life cf grace, Eph. i. 19. 6. The power of God was notably dlfplayed in our Lord's afcenfion into heaven, and his exaltation at God's right-hand ; hence his afcenfion is defcribed by the Pfal- niift as attended w:\t\i power and great glory ^ Pfal. Ixviii. Tt 2 33- Christ' Crucifed^ re'commended . 1 8. T'bou hajl a fc ended up ori mgh ; thou haft led ca-pthnt'i captive; thou haft received (rifts for men. And his exalta- tion is by the apoille Peter exprefsly afcribed to the al- mighty power of God ; Acls ii. 33. 'Therefoi e being by the right-hand cf God exalted: chap. v. 31. Hini hath God ex- alted WITH HIS RIGHT-HAND to be a Prince ana' a Savioi/r, O what a blefTed change of circuinftances was this to oar Lord, in which the almiahcv power of God was illuilri- oufly difplayed ! Him whom the Jews exalted on a crofs, and hanged on an accnrfed tree, did the Father exalt to the throne of crlorv at his own ris^ht-hand! 7. The power of God will be fmgularly difplayed, in ChTi{t' s /ec(;?2d coniingy and in the mighty eiiefls and events that Ihall attend it ; hence he himfclf fays concerning it, Matth. xxiv. 30. They JI? all fee the Son of 7nan corning in the clouds cf heaven with power and great glory, And,* O how will the divine po\'. er be then difplayed in xat. rcfurreclion of the dead, and the change of the living, efpecially the C'lan c that fiiall be made on the bodies of behevers, .ac- cording to what the apoftle fays, Phil. iii. 21. Who foall cha7,gc our vile body^ that it may be fafhioned like to his glo- rious body^ according to the working whereby he is able even to lubdue all thin(Ts to himfelf! What a v/ork of glorious power and majefty will the judgment of the laft day bel With what irreiifdble power and ellicacy will the fentence be executed both on the ris^hteous and the wicked 1 Thefe Jhall go away into everhifting pumfhmert^but.t.he righteous into life eternal. The wicked fhall be puniflnd-with an ever- lafiing deftrudion from the pre fence, of, the Lord^ and from the i^lory cf his power: and tlie righteous, by tlie almighty power of God, f:"iall be carried up into heaven, where they iliall be ever with the Lord. o. The pov/er of God is notably difplayed in our Lord's removing the guilt of fin^ in order to our faivation : and . hence is that word. When he- had by himself purged our j^ns, O what a difficult y/.o^^k w<^s t'aiis! It had been eafier as. the Matter of Gof pel-preaching. 333 •for our Redeemer to remove mountams, to unhinge the fr.ime of nature ; yea, to annihilate the world, than re- . move the guilt of men's fins : he fpoke the world into be- ing, and he could have fpoke it again into nothing, with the fanle eafc; but before fm Gould be expiated by him, he mull take the human nature into union with the divine, and fuifer, bleed, and die on the crofs. Now, the more diiiicult the work is, the more powei" is required to ac- compiifh it. How illuftrioiiily then was the power of God manifeded in Chrift crucified, when, by his crofs. He made an end of fin ^ and brought in an everlafting right eoufnefs ! — Hcb. X,. 14. For bjtone offering he hath perfected for ever them that are fanclified. 9. The power of God is notably difplayed in Chrift's conquering Satan and alt the powers of hell. By. nature we .are all under the power of Satan, our mortal enemy. It .was, an aggravation of Lfrael's fervitude, Pfal. cvi. 41* that they who hated them^ rided over them. Well, natu- ^r4lly:\\?e are enflayed to Satan, who is a hater of the hu- riianc race, and who writes all his laws in the blood of his .fubjecls : but our Lord Jefus has conquered Satan, and de- ftroyed his internal works, and recovered his people out of his hands. In his own perfon he fpoiled him On the crofs, and by his Spirit he fpoils him in them : by his blood he bought him out, and by his Spirit he cafts him out. And is not this a notable inflance of the power of God ? The overthrow of Pharoah and his hods in the Pted-fea, when they fink as lead in the mighty waters^ is but a faint em- blern of our Lord's viclor)^ over Satan, and of the power of God whereby it was effecluated. 10. The power of God is wonderfully difplafed in ChriiPs implanting grace in the fouls of his people. And hence there is fcarce any expreflion ufed to fignify it, that does not imply the neceflity of almighty power to accom- plifh it. Thus, when it is called lights we may gather, that \% requires the fame power of God that was put forth in 334 Christ Crucified^ recommended •jj^ro] creating the fun : when it is called a regeneration, we may collect, that it requires the fame power that is put forth in forming an infant in the womb: when it is called a refur- reclion, it is implied, that the fame power is requilite to it as to raifing the dejd : when it is called a creation, it imports, an exertion of the fame power as in bringing thrs comely world out of nothing : yea, there is a greater diftance be- twixt the terms ftn and right eoufnefs, corruption and grace, than betwixt nothing and being. IT. The power of God ihines forth remarkably in ChriiVs frefervlng in his people the grace he hath implant- ed. As the providence of God is a manifellation of his power, being a fort of continued creation, fo the prefer- vation of grace is a manifellation of his power, being in a manner a continued regeneration. It is the fame divine power that brings men into a ftate of grace, and afterwards preferves them in it ; hence is that of the apoftle, i Pet. i. 5 • Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto falvation. How foon would a believer fall finally and irrecoverably, were it not that he is kept by the almighty power of God ? A ftone may as foon hang in the air, without any thing to fupport it, or a fpark of fire burn in the midft of the ocean, as they can perfevere in a ftate of grace, without the renew- ed influences of the Spirit of God. I 2 . The power of God will be greatly manifefted in Chrift's completing the work of grace and perfecting it into glory ; when the believer, a^ftcr he has been enabled to tri- umph over the laft enemy, in the words of the apoftle, O death! where is thy fling f O grave / where is thy vidoryf When he fliall be brought home to heaven, and is there poileifed of endlefs glory and happincfs, how will he ad- mire the power of God's hand and of his gi'ace, and blefs him for the cffedual wmking thereof, whereby he was brought to that bleffed place ! Then will he clearly fee 1 crucified Chrift to be the power of God. as the Matter of Gofpcl-preachitig, 3 3 J" ' [2.] I go on in the next place to enquire, in what re- fpecls Chrift crucified is, and appears to believers to be, THE WISDOM OF GoD. And, (i.) He is fo SUBJECTIVELY j Col. ii. 3. In whom are hid all the treafures of ivifdom and knowledge. He is not only the infinitely wife God, in refpc^ of his divine nature ; nor is there in his human nature merely a wifdom refcm- bling that of God ; but as God-man he is poflefTcd of all the wifdom of God : /// him are hid all the treafures of wifdom, not objectively only, becaufe in the knowledge of him wc may find all the treafures of wifdom ; but fubjcclively alfo, as the knowledge inherent in his perfon contains all the treafures of wifdom. He could not be objeclively all wif- dom to us, if he had not firft all wifdom in himfelf. O the admirable wifdom of our Redeemer, appearing all along with the condud of his providence in the church and in the world, whereby men and devils are out-witted ! (2.) He is the wifdom of God objectively and mani- feflatively, as the wifdom of God is eminently manifeftcd in him. In creation and providence there are fome lefl'cr fums of wdfdom, but in Chrift crucified the treafures of wifdom are hid as in the great exchequer. The wifdom of God is difplayed, I . In the incarnation of Chrift crucified : Without contro- verfy great is the my fiery of godlinefs , God made inanifefl in the flefh. Our Lord Jefus, who was confubftantial with the Father as to his divinity, was made of the fame kind of fubftance with us. Heaven and earth were united to- gether in an ineffable manner. The diftance betwixt God and man was, as it were, filled up in his wonderful in- carnation : the creature came as near the Creator as pof- fibly could be. O w^hat a myftery is this ! Myfterious in- deed is the wifdom of God to unite finite and infinite, power and weaknefs, mortal and immortal, mutable and immutable ! To have a nature from eternity, and a nature fubjeft to the revolutioni of time j a nature to make the 33^ Christ Crucified^ recommended law, and a nature to be fubjed to the fame law : this is not only the wifdom of God, but the wifdom of Godwin- a inyjlery. 2. The wifdom of God is eminently difplayed in recon- ciling opfojite interefts in a crucified Chrift, 'viz, the intereil of heaven and earth. Upon the entrance of fin into the world, God's glory feemed to be abfolutely arreeon- cileable with man's falvation ; for the glory of God's jii- flice, holinefs, power, and faithfulnefs, feemed to confift with nothing fiiort of man's utter ruin and deilruclion ; but in Chrift crucified, the glory of all thcfe perfections, and thje falvation of finners are brought to a perfect con- fiftency: God having in him confulted both his own glory .and our happinefs. Rom. iii. 24, 25, 26. Being jufllfied freely hy his grace ^ through the redemption thUt 'is \nQhrlfl Jefus ; whom God hath fet forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloody to declare his righteoufnefs for the remijjion of fins that are pafl^ through the forbearance of God; to de^ clare^ Ifay^ his righteoufnefs : that he might be jufl^ and the jujlifier of him which believeth in Jefus »' 3. The wifdom of God fhines in Chrift crucified in re- conciling, through him, perfeSlions that feemed to oppofe one another in their claims. The great God prefcribed a law to man after he made him, and commanded him to obey it under pain of eternal death and damnation : man broke this law, and thereby incurr*ed the penalty ; where-' upon the juftice and veracity of God, two effential per-' feclions of his nature, pled that the threatenmg might be executed, and man puniilied according to the demerit of his crime. In the mean time, the bowels of divine com- pafiion yearned towards the offender; and mercy that had- never yet been difplayed pled, that for %er honour and glory the ofiender might be faved and fpared. The dif- ficulty, filencing to all human and angelic wifdom, was, how both thefe perfections might obtain their demands, and be equally glorified. The wiijiom of God found out as the Matter of Gofpel-preachlng. 337 the expedient, which was Chnll crucliied ; that the Soa of God Ihould become the Son of man ; and by his death and fufferincrs make full iatlsfaccion for the fuis of men, and procure a vent for mei'cy ; that at the £ime time that juftice is glorified in tiie punifliment of the fin, the glory of mercy may be manifefted in faving the finner. This is th.it wonderful contrivance of infinite wifdom which will excite the eternal admiration and praife of men and angels, and make them fay with the apoRle, i Tim. i. 17. Now^ unto the King eternal^ immortal^ mvifihle^ and the only wifi. God^ be honour and glory ^ for ever and ever. Amen. So much may fuffice for the doctrinal part of our fubjeft^ We now proceed, III. To make fome fliort Improveyneiit of what has been faid. And our firfl ufe fhall be of information^ in the fol- lowing: inferences. I. This text and docfrine fhews us the centre of all gofpel-truth ; Chr'ift crucified. This is the gofpel-minifter's theme. lie is not to fhun declaring the whole counfel of God; yet ftiil it is true, he ought to know nothing amoyig his hear-- ers, but Jefus Chrift a?id him crucifed. Thefe things are very confident, becaufe Chrift crucified is the centre of all divine truth ; accordingly, he calls himfelf the truth, John xiv. 6. — He is fo ejjentially^ as he 'is one with the Fa- ther, the God of truth. — He is fo likewife in regard that by him alone divine truth is fully and efieclually declared; For no man hath feen God at any time^ the only begotten Son, zvhich is in the bofom of the Father^ he hath declared him, — He is the truth likewife in oppofition to old-tefi:ament types and ihadows ; for the body is of CbriJ},— And he is the truth, in reo-ard all divine truth, relatino: to the favinof knowledge of God, is treafured up in him : and hence he is faid to h^ full of truths John i. 14. As all the lines of a circle meet in the centre ; fo all the lines of divine truth unite in, and fpring from the perfon of Chrift. U u ' 338 Christ Criicifed, recommended 2. This docTtrine informs us of the honour and dignify of the holy mini ft ry, 1 he work of thofe employed in it is to preach a crucified Chriih What more honourable than this ? I know very well, that what minifters fay on this fubjecl is often attributed to pride, and an afteclation of worldly great n efs : but it ought to be remembered, that we do not, we dare not, magnify oiirfelves ; but we may, we ought to magnify our office, efpecially at a time when it is fo much contemned, and our perfons for its fake: yea, it is neccifary in order to the fuccefs of our minillry, that we magnify our office, becaufe an efteem of our of- fice tends to make way for the reception of our doctrine; For I f peak to you Gentiles^ in as much as I am the apojlle of the Gentiles ; I magnify mine office^ if by any ?neans I may pro- voke to emulation them which are iny flefh^ and might five fome of them^ Rom. xi. 13, 14. If miniflers be preachers of a crucified Chrift their office is moft honourable, as all the names given them in fcripture do import; but above all, this is the greateft evidence of the honourablenefs of our office, that our Lord Jefus was clothed with it : A^(9w, / Jay^ that Jefus Chrifl was a mimfler of the circumcifion^ for the truth of God to confirm the promifes made unto the fathers^ Rom. XV. 8. 3. From what has been faid, we may learn, that a crucified Chrift fhould be the chief objed of the ftudy of private perfons. If it be the chief bufinefs of miniifers to propofe him to confideration, it certainly is the chief duty of hearers to confider him ; Wherefore^ holy brethren^ par- takers of the heavenly callings confider the apojlle and high p'iefl of our profejfwn^ Chrifl Jefus ^ Heb. iii. I . But, alas ! it is to be lamented, that as many minifters in our times have dropt him out of their preaching, fo many profeffors have dropt him out of their meditations, efpecially confi- dering the woful confequences of it ; fuch as, apoftacy and declenfion from the truth and ways of Chrift. What is the reafon of the inftability of profeffors of religion in our as the Matter of Gofpel-pre aching. 339 day, which is fuch that they are only conflant In iricon- ftancy, but that they have given over tlie conlideration of Clirift Jefus, and fb have loft the means of their eftab- hfhnicntr ifVlas! many of us have not been employed in a conftant adoration of his majefty, adniiration of his excel- lency, delight in his beauty, and holy thoughtfulnefs a- bout his whole mediation. This hath betrayed us to our lukewarmnefs and indifference, and made us faint and w^eary in his ways. — Again, whence is it that profeffors are fo unholy and fo unlike Chrift ? They have given over the confideration of him, which is the way to be made like him ; Beholding as in a ^Jafs the glory of the Lord, ^we are chamjed into the fame ima^e. — What is the reafon of the fcandalous v/orldlinefs of profeffors? It is owing to our not confidering Chrift ; for as the ftudy of him is direcfly oppoftte to this frame of mind, fo it would gradually caft it out: God forbid that I Jhould glory five in the crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift^ by whom the world is crucified unto me^ and I unto the world. Gal. vi. 14. 4. From what has been faid, we may fee reafon to lament, that hearers of the gofpel fhould be wearied of the preaching of Chrift Jefus. He is the great fubject of gofpel preaching; and is it not melancholy, that people in gene- ral, and even profeffors of religion iliould (if I might fpeak fo) be glutted with the gofpel ? That this is the temper even of profeffors is too evident from their feldom attend- ing upon the preaching of a crucified Chrift. Many are fo far from redeeming time to hear the word, that v/hen it is brought to their doors, they feem ftudioufty to avoid it. Many bewray this fatiety by their fond aft'eclation of refined language, which at the fame time they know little ^about. Wholefome doctrines will not go down with them, unlefs they be fo and fo delivered, which argues the want of a fpiritual appetite for the fincere milk of the word. — Many preachers think the word of God too plain for their mouth to preach it ; and many hearers think it too plain Uu 2 34^ Christ Cructfed, recommended for their ears to hear "it : they muft have the foothing and enticing words of man's wifdom ; thus they rejecl the word of God, and what wifdom is in them ? There is pride enough in fuch profeffors, but what wifdom is in them ? And there is cowardice enough in fuch preachers. " When, *' fays Dr. Reynolds, I hear men magnify quaint and po- '' lite difcourfes, and defpife fermons that are plain and *' wholefome, I look upon it not fo much as an aft of ** pride, as the effecf of fear and cowardice; becaufe wiien ** external trimmings are wanting to tickle the fancy, *^ there the word hath the moll: powerful operation upon *^ the confcience, and fo mull the more ftartle and terrify." 5. What has been faid reaches a reproof to all the anti- chriflian preachers of our time, who preach not Chrift crucified : fuch are all your mere inoral preachers, who prefs moral duties, but not evangelically ; who preach the law, but not as it is delivered from the hands of a Medi- ator, Such alfo are all vain-glorioiis minifters, who inflead of making Chriit known, make it their errand to the pulpit to make themfelves known, which is great wicked- nefs. Faul clears himfclf of guilt in this particular ; For 7ielther at any thne ufed ive flattering words ^ as ye know^ nor a cloke of covet 01 f nefs ; Gcd is witnefs : nor of men fought zv glory J neither of you nor yet of others^ i ThcfT. ii. S-)^* 6, From what has been faid, we mav learn one reafon of the deci7y of religion at this day. FrofefTed minifters preach not a cr.iciiied Chrift. Morality, virtue, and good works, feparate from Chrift, were never fo much preached lip in Scotland as in cur day ; they are the darling theme of the majority of our minifters: yet, ftrange to think! wickednefs abounds amongft us perhaps as much as ever it did, iince Noah's flood. To what can this be owing? why. juft to this, that minifters neglect to preach Chrift crucified. Ignorance of, and unbelief in him, are the fprings of our apoftacy and degeneracy. He is the great ordinance of infinite v/ifdom for the fanftiflcatiQn of mens -'£? as the Matter of Gofpcl-pre aching. 341 fouls, as the apoflle alTerts in the 30th verfc of the chap- ter where our text lies : and when human means are made ufe of, to the neglecl of God's inftitution, is it not rea- fonable to expect that he will blaft them, however fpcci- ous they may feem ? 7. From this text we may fee, that the effed of the gofpcl upon hearers is not to be the rule of the minifter's conduct in preaching it ; though it be "di fiumhUng'block un- to fomc, it will be the w'lfdom of God unto others. It is in- deed very encouraging for a minifter to preach Chrift cru- cilied when he meets with fuccefs, or when the power of the Lord is prefent to heal: — encouraging to fow, when the Lord giveth the increafe ; to plant and water the vine- yard with wholefome inftructions, when providence hath formerly fmiled, and vouchfafed a rich crop ; when fe- cure fmners have been awakened, the ignorant inftructed, the profane reclaimed, and the proud humbled, according to the promife, And the loftinefs of man fh all be bowed dowtiy and the hau<^htinefs of men fhall be made low ; and the Lord alone fh all he exalted in that day : when drowfy faints have been roufed to their work ; when the weak have been flrengthened ; the wandering, directed ; the caft down, raifed up; the oppreifed, relieved; and the broken in heart, healed of their painful wounds. O how encouraging for a minifter to go on in his work, and to fow diligently bcfide all waters, when he fees that his labour is not in vain in the Lord I But though fuccefs is denied, and Chrift becomes tY^^Q favour of death unto fome ; tho' many are offended at the fimplicity of his gofpel, and the doc- trines of his crofs ; though minifters toil all night, and catch nothing; yet they muft not therefore give over, but proceed in their Lord's work, in obedience to the exprefs command. Go preach the gofpel unto every creature. Thus . did the apoftles ; We preach Chrift crucified ^ unto the Jews a flumbling'block^ arid unto the Greeks foolifhnefs. And thus did our Lord himfclf, in his perfonal miniftry ; for. Re \. 34 2. Christ Crucified, recommended came unto his oijon^ and his civn received him not. Never- thekfs, Chrift, being faithful to God, who appointed him, i^ceived liis reward ; and fo fhall every faithful fteward in his houfe : Vvell done^ ^cod and faithful fervant^ enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Let minifters therefore be faithful^ and they ihall have the crown. — What the great Prophet of the Church fays of himfelf, ihall be in fome meafure verified in every one of them, Though Ifrael be not gathered, yet fhall I he glorious in the eyes of the Lord ; and my God fp all be my flreiigth. We now conclude with a fliort addrefs ; firft to miniflers of the gofpel ; and then to my other hearers. 1 {liall make no apology for any freedom I may ufe with my revei'end fathers and brethren, becaufe I have not the leaft fufpicion but they will fuffer the word of exhortation. It is fuiEcient to fay, that I have as much need of it as any, and would therefore defire to apply it to myfelf. Men, brethren, and fathers, you have heard fomewhat of your duty and likew^fe of your dignity (for a minifter's duty and honour are the fame ;) allow me to exhort you further, I. To y?//<^ a crucified Chrift. Whatever other know- ledge we may value ourfelves upon, and wafte our flrength in fearching after, this fliould be our main fludy. We ought to count all but lofs and dung^ for the excellency of the knowledge of Jcfus Chrifl, To excite you to ftudy him, confider whom you have for your fellow fludents : — all the prophets and patriarchs; i Pet. i. lo. Of which falvation the prophets have enquired and f arched diligently when they prophefied of the grace that fjould come unto you. — All the a- poftles. But why do I fpeak of prophets and apoftles? He is the ftudy of angels; i Pet. i. 12. Which things the angels defire to look into, Thefe glorious creatures, that know God much more fully than Adam did, that have his blefled face to read lectures in day and night, yet do. as the Matter of GofpeUpreacbing, 343 with unremitting earneftncfs, profound adoration, and exquilite delight, ftoop down and contemplate the glories of the plan of faving fmners through Chrili- Jefus: yea, fo defirous are they to learn it, that they are content to go to the church's fchool, Eph. iii. 10. To the intent that now unto the pri?icipalities and powers^ in heavenly places^ might he known by the churchy the manifold wifdom of God, — We have not only the patriarchs and prophets, the apollles and angels ; but, which is ftill more, we have God the Father preaching Chrift crucified : This is my beloved Son^ hear ye hi?n, 2. Preach Chrlfl: crucified: Preach the word ; be inflant in feajon^ and out of feafon. Preach not yourfelves, but Chrifl Jefus the Lord : determine to know nothing among your people, but Chrift. Let Ghrift be the diamond to fliine in all your fermons. Endeavour to fet him forth, in his love and lovelinefs, to your people ; to lead them to him as a fancluar}^ to protect them •, a propitiation, to reconcile them to God ; a treafure, to enrich them ; a phyfician, to heal them \ an advocate, to prefent them and their fervices with acceptance to his Father : as wif- dom, to counfel ; righteoufnefs, to juftify ; fanclification, to renew ; and redemption, to fave them. To enforce this exhortation, I fhall lay before you the 'following confiderations : (i.) Confider, that this is what you have in commijfion ;: Mark xvi. 15. Go ye into all the worlds and preach the- gofpel to every creature. Preach him fully, faithfully, and fervently. (2.) Confider, that there is no other doctrine that will fave afoul^ and bring it to heaven ; for this is the mean of God's appointment for the falvation of finners: / am not afhamed of the gofpel of Chrift ; for it is the power of God unto falvation^ to every one that helieveth ; to the Jew frf}^ and alfo /t? the Greek, — The light ofriature is not the external mean or inftrument of falvation, how much foever it i* 344 Christ Crucified y recommended extolled in our day; for it does not reveal Chrifl: and there is no Jalvation in another^ nor another 7ia?ne given under heaven among men whereby vje miift he faved^ hut the name of Jefus. — Neither is the law the outward mean of falvation , on the contrary, it is the minift ration of death and of condem- nation : but the gofpel is ; and how fliall the gofpel be ef- fectual unlefs it be known ? and by whom fhall it be made known, but by gofpel miniflers? Rom. x. 14. How Jhall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? and how Jhall they hear without a preacher f (3 .) Confider, that it is extremely dangerous not to preach Chrift crucified ; for, there is a woe denounced not only againft the miniller who does not preach, but againft the minifter who does not preach Chrift^ i Cor. ix. 1 6. — Tea^ woe is unto me^ fays the apoftle, if I preach not the gcfpeL Yea, we are not miniflers of Chrift, if we do not preach Chrifl, Mr. Trail, I think, fpeaks but the words of truth and fobernefs, when he fays, " I know no true minifters of Chrift, but fuch as make it their bufinefs in their cal- ling, to commend Jefus Chrift in his faving fulnefs of grace and glory, to the faith and love of men." (4.) Coniider, that it is very profitable and advantageous to preach Chrift crucified; for, in this way ^^v^\S\faveyour- felves^ as well as them that /j^^r you; 1 Tim. iv. 16. Take heed unto thy f elf and unto thy dodritie : continue in them; for in doing this^ thou fh alt both fave thyfelf and them that hear thet S To the reft of my audience, I would likewife offer two exhortations. I. Freach Chrijl crucified. What! may you fay, would vou have us invade the office of the miniftry ? No : but preach him with your lips and in your lives. With your iips^ by dropping good and holy fpceches about him. See, /if poiTible, that none of you appear at the judgment-feat without bringing fome Benjamin, or other with you. — as the Matter of Gofpel-pre aching. 34 j You have great encouragement in this work, from James V. 19, 20. Brethren^ if any of you do err from the truths and one convert h'lm^ let b'lm kno-iv^ that he which converteth a firi" ner from the error of his way^ flmll fave a foul from ckath^ and fjali hide a multitude of fins. But, alas ! this way of preach- ing is much out of fafhion with profeflbrs of religion.— Preach him likewife in your converfations : het your light fo fl/ine before men^ that they ?nay fee your good works ^ and glo^ rify your Father in heaven. The Hfe of the Chriilian fbould put the minifter's fermon in print. He Ihould preach that doctrine every day to the eyes of his neighbour^ which the minifter preaches once or twice a week in his ear$* You may not do with minifters fermons as David did with the water of the well of Bethlehem, fpill them on the ground ; for then, like the blood of Abel, they will cry to heaven againft you. 2. In order that ye may preach a crucified Chrift, we would exhort you to receive him^ as he is given of God to you in the gofpel ; for you can never walk in him to any purpofe, till you have truly received him. It is our duty, as you have been hearing, to preach Chrift crucified ; accordingly that we may be found in the way of duty, we preach, we proclaim Chrift as the ordinance of God for your falvation : Behold we bring you good tidings of great joy^ which fJmll be to all penple ; for unto you is born a Savi' our^ which is Chrijl the Lord. Warranted by this faithful word of God, we make a free offer of him to you, and would have you believe the oiler with application to your- felves, and fay from the heart; It is a faithful faying^ and worthy of all acceptation^ that Chrift Jefus came into the world to fave ftnners^ of whom I am chief It is not to this or the other fort of perfons that we offer Chrift, but to all and every one of you, who are without God, without Chrift, and without hope in the world ; to Chriftlefs, gracelefs, and Godlefs fmners of the race of Adam, with- out exception ; it is to perfons in every time of life, youngs 34<^ Christ Crucified recommended, &c. old, and middle aged ; to perfons of both fexes, and of every flation ; to fmners of every fort and of every iize, fecure or awakened ; mountain (fliall I fay) or mole-hill fmners : for gofpel-ofiers know no limitation ; Mark xvi. 15. Go ye into all the zvorld^ and preach the go/pel to every creature ; that is. Go tell every rational foul of the race of Adam you (hall meet with, that here is a crucified Chrift for him ; and if he will take him and accept of his righteoufnefs, grace, and falvation, he fhall have him; for, God jo loved the worlds that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOF.VER believeth on him Jhould not perijl?^ hut have everlafling life. Accordingly, we bring every one of you this good news, and would have you fet to your feal that God is true, by believing the record which he hath sriven of his Son : and this is the record that God hath g-ive?i to you eternal life ; ayid this life is in his Son* Be it known unto you^ therefore^ men and brethren^ that through this ?nan is preached unto you the forgivenefs of fins ; and they who be- lieve are juflified from all things ^ from which they could not be juftified by the law of Mcfes. In a word, we earneftly befeech you, to take God's gift off his hand; he is in good earneft in giving him: God fo loved the worlds that he gave his only begotten Son.— -For motives to engage you, confider how near he is re- lated to you ; he is bone of your bone, and flefh of your flefJ?. — Confider what you willy^^ in him ; you will fee God in him: My name is in him. You will fee all the mercy and grace of God in him : and all the perfections of God fliin- ing in him ; the Vv-ifdom, the power, the truth and faith- fulnefs of God illuftrioufly difplayed in him. — Confider what you will get by receiving Chrifl ; why, when you embrace him, you will get all things along with him that can make you happy in time and through eternity : Dur- able riches and righteoufnefs ; and an inheritance that is in- corruptible, iindefiled, and that fadeth not away, — But time would fail to tell what you will fee in Chrift, and get with him^ when you receive him. We preach Chrijl crucified. [ 347 ] Ar\ Attemp r to preach Cbrijl cruci/iecL I Cor. i. 23, 24. But 1VC preach Cbrijl crucified^ unto the Jeit^s a fium- bling-block^ and unto the Greeks Jooli/Jjnefs ; but unto them IV hie h are called^ both Jeivs and Greeks^ Chnjl the pouucr of God ^ and the ivifdoni of God, ^ \ ^ H E work of this day confifts of two parts, namely, minifter's preaching and prefentiag Chrift to the faith of men in the word and facrament ; — and people's receiving and entertaining him as prefented therein. The words of our text contain both ; We preach Cbrijl crucified; this is the work of minifters : — to them that are called^ the power of God^ and the wifdom of God ; this is the work of hearers. Some time ago ^, I entered upon thefe words, when I obferved two things in them. i. Ihe duty "xnd Jludy of gofpel-minifters, We preach Chrift crucified, 2. The enter- tain?nent^ both good and bad, given a crucified Chrift, the minifter's theme, by the hearers: — to fome, he is a ft urn- bling-block and foolifhnefs ; to others, the power of God^ and the zviflom of God, Some upon his being propofed to them receive and embrace, approve of and truft in him for life and falvation; and others defpife and reject him, value him not, nor truft in him: — to fome he is the wifdom and power of God; to others Tl fcandal and foolijhnefs : and indeed, he muft be either the one or the other. He is either the * Alluding to the preceding Sermon, delivered at Glasgow, on the 8th of May, 1759. at the opening of a fynodical meeting This difcourfe was an A»^ioA-Sermon, preached at Kinrofs, in the month of July following, Xx 2 34^ An Attempt to preach Chrijl crucified, wifdom of God, or down-right folly; — either the power of God, or mere v/eaknefs. But without refuming what was faid, for the explica- tion of this divifion, I proceed to the doclrifLe, which was this, *' That it is the exercife of every faithful minifter, to preach Chrift crucified ; who is to forne gofpel-hearers, ?i Jlumhltng'block and foolijhnefs- ; — to others \\\q power of Gody and the wifdom cf God.^^ Our method was, C6 I. To confider the faithful miniiler's duty and ftudy; • — to preach Chrijl crucified, IL The entertain?nent given to the minifter's fubjecl by gofpel-hearers ; — to fome, Chrift is a ftumhling-hlock 2in6. foolifhnefs ; toothers, tht power of God^ and the 'wifdom of God. And, III. Make fome application of the fubjecl, The firft Head was what I mainly infifted on formerly, •viz^ The duty and ftudy of gofpei-minifters, which is to preach Chrift crucified. At that time I enquired into the matter and manner of gofpei-preaching. But at prefent I propofe both to confider it as the aU or %mrk of a mini- fter, and to exemplify it in my own practice ; that is, after juft mentioning what it is for a minifter to preach Chrift, 1 would humbly attempt to do fo. And I earneftly defire that you fct your hearts to embrace him. Lift up your heads ^ 0 ye gates ; and be lifted iip^ ye everlafting doors ^ and the King of glory fhall come in. To preach Chrift crucified, is, i/?. To notify him fully to finners of mankind: hence Peter, when preaching Chrift, fays, Ac1:s iv. lo. Be it known to you all., arid to all the people of Ifrael^ that by the name of Jefus Chrifi of Nazareth^ whom ye crucified^ whom God raifed from the dead., even by him doth this man ft and here before you whole., A phyfician may perform a cure of bodily ficknefs though the patient know not what the An Attempt to preach Chrlft crucified. 349 medicines he ufcth are ; but fick fouls mud know their remedy before they can receive any benelit from it : Luke i. 77. To crive knowledge of falvation unto kis people^ by the yemiffwn of fins. Our Lord muft be lifted up on the pole of the gofpel, as well as on the crofs, that by the eye of faith we may lopk at him and be healed ; Ifa. xlv. 2 2 , Look unto me J and be ye faved^ all the ends of the earth. It is Ufe eternal to know the only true God, and Jefus Chr'ijl whom he hath fent. But how fhall they call on him in whom they have net believed f arid how fhall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? and hozu fhall they hear without a preacher f This gieat work therefore lies at a minifter's door, to make a crucified Chrift fully known to iinners. -r-Accordingly, that we may be found in the way of our duty, we notify to you, I. That his pedigree is royal. His human nature fprung from antient kii)gs ; for he was made of the feed of David according to the flefh. Though at the time of his birth the houfe of David was not in its grandeur, but on the contrary call down to the duft ; yet it may be fafely faid he fprung from the greatell: family, and partook of the nobleft blood in the world. — As to his divine pedigree, he is the only begotten of the Father : a Son, yet from eter- nity ; without beginning of days, as well as end of life : a begotten Son ; yet he never began to be a Son, or to have a Father: a Son, yet of equal duration with his Father; a Son, but an ojily begotten Son, of another rank and order than angels and men : he is God's natural and eflential Son, in a peculiar manner ; begotten of him by eternal ge- neration : but as to the manner of this generation, it is a fecret which belongs to God and not to us ; a myftery to be adored by faith, not to be comprehended by reafon : Ifa. liii. 8. Who fhall declare his generation? There are my- fteries even in natural generation which we cannot refolve; Eccl. xi. 5. As thou knowefl not the way of the Spirit^ nor bozv the bones do frow in the womb of her that is with child: 35^ -^^« Attempt to preach Chrijl crucified. how much more iliall we be at a loCs, when the far more inconceivable generation of Chrift is under our confidera- tion ! 2. We notify to you, that Chrift crucified, as to his perfon, is God-man^ God's Son made man. O wonderful 1 that finite and infinite fliould be joined in one, that he who maketh, fhould be one with the thins: he himfelf made; that he who is above all, fhould humble himfelf; that he who filleth all, ihould empty himfelf; that he who ruleth all, fliould become a fervant! this is a myfterj which infinitely tranfcends all the petty myfteries in Pagan religion. But it is a certain truth, that in our Ptedeemer's fingle and individual perfon there are two diftincl natures, Col. ii. 9- In h'lm dwelleth all the fulnefs of the godhead ho- d'lly ; that is, the whole Deity, and all the attributes of God dwell in Chrift perfonally, by virtue of the union of the divine with the human nature. The eternal Son of God did fo join the human nature to himfelf, that the perfon of the Word, which fubfifted before only in the di- vine nature, now fubfifts alfo in the human, which never had a diftinct perfonality of its own, but was taken into the divine perfon of the Son in Chrift.— Therefore, in him there are not two perfons, the one of man, the other of the Son of God ; but the divine nature is fo united to the human, that therein it fubfifts bodily, that is, perfonally; hence the Son cf David is called Jehovah our right eoufnefs^ and God hie (fed for ever, '^ . We notify to you, that the ferfonal glory of Chrift cinicified is funer-exceilent : John i. 14. We beheld his glory ^ the glory as of the only begotten of the Father^ full of grace and truth. His perfonal glory is fuch as darkens all cre- ated glory, and makes it appear as fackcloth ; / count all thfngs but lofs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift Je^ fus my Lord ; for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things^ and do count them hut dung that I may win Chrijl : yea, it difgraces all other glory, and makes fuch as have feen it An Attempt to preach Chrijl crucifed. 351 fay, as in 2 Cor. ill. 10. Even that which was made glori- ous hath no glory ^ by reafon of the glory which excelleth. It is fuch a glory as attracts all eyes to behold it and keeps them fixed on it. — His Father^ eyes from eternity have been, are, and to eternity will be fixed on him, as the object of his good pleafure; Matth. iii. 17. This is my he- loved Son^ in whom I am well pleafed. Pro v. viii. o^o. Then I was by him, as one brought up with him; and I was daily his delight^ rejoicing always before him : in the Hebrew it is, day^ day ; that is, one day after another. He is never fatisfied with looking at him. — The eyes of the Holy Spirit are fixed on him ; Zech. iii. 9. For behold the Jlone that I have laid before Jofhua ; upon one Jlone fh all be feven eyes ; behold^ I will engrave the graving thereof faith the Lord of hofls. — The eyes of all the angels in heaven are drawn after him, i Pet. i. 12. Which things the angels defire to look into. The word fignifies to floop down that we may take a narrow view of the object; probably in allufion to the pofture of the two cherubims over the mercy-feat, which were figured bending their faces towards it. — The eyes of all the faints, both above and below, are drawn after him as the objedl of their admiration and delight, and will be fixed on him for ever ; hence they are faid to be before the Lamb, Rev. vii. 9. — And that the eyes of all the world are not drawn after him is owino: to their not feeing his glory. It is fuch as communicates a glory to all the faints that behold it, and makes them all glorious within. There is a brighter luftre on their fouls than fhone ia Mofes's face when he had been converfing with God, as a man doth with his friend, Exod. xxxiv. 29, — 35. When his glory is partially feen by believers on earth, from it refults imperfect likenefs to him in holinefs, which is the glory of rational creatures ; yea, of God himfelf, who is glorious in holinefs. When his glory is fully feen by thofe in heaven, perfect conformity to him refulteth therefrom ; We flmll be like him, for we fhallfee him as he is, Juft ac- 352 uin. Attempt to preach Chr'ijl crucified, cording to the meafures of clearnefs with which we fee the glory of Chrift, are the meafures of our conformity to him j 2 Cor. iii. i8. But we all with open face^ beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord^ are changed into the fame i- mage from glory to glory ^ even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 4. We notify to you, that the office of Chrift crucified is that of Mediator betwixt God and man ; Heb. xii. 2 2, 24. Ye are come — to Jefus the Mediator of the new covenant. Upon the entrance of fin, w^ar was declared betwixt heaven and earth, which would have iffued in the deflruclion of our world had not our Redeemer interpofed betwixt the two in order to make peace by the blood of his crofs : this arduous talk he voluntarily undertook, without the leaft force or compulfion, and fo was conftituted days-man or Mediator; i Tim. ii. 5. 'There is one Mediator betwixt God and men^ the man Chrift Jefus. In this office, as a prieft, he reprefents us to God ; and as a prophet and king, he reprefents God to us, that we may favingly know him; and he reprefents us to God, that we may be gracioully re- ceived by him. Our Lord Jeftis is the fecond perfon in the Trinitv, in the middle betwixt the Father and the Spirit: he is the only middle perfon betwixt God and man, being God and man in one perfon; and he is the middle officer inter\^ening betwixt God and man, to take away the mu.tual enmity fin hath occafioned, and to join them in an everlafi:ing friendfliip : hence, as one obferves,, Chrift Jefus as Mediator is Hill found in the middle. 5. If ye enquire what are his relations? We anfwer. He ftands related both to heaven and earth. — He is related *to the family of heaven, and fo has the high eft poffible rela- tion. The kings of the earth are the creatures of God ; the angels of heaven are the fervants of God : but Chrift crucified is the Son of God; Heb. i. 5. Unto which of the angels faid he at any time^ Thou art my Son^ this day have I begotten theef There are chief princes among the angels; but to which of them perfonally, and on his own account^ An Attempt to preach Chnjl crucified. 3 j'3 faid he, Thou ai ^ the Son of God ? He never laid fo to any of them, efpecially with the reafon of the appellation an- nexed, T'ins day have I begvttcn thee, — He is likewlfe relat- ed to the human race. He bears a common relation to all men, which is both natural and ollicial ! natural^ as he affumcd the nature of men, and not the nature of angels; Gal. iv. 4. God fent forth his Son made of a woman t official^ in regard he is the Saviour of the world, and all Adam's family are the objefts of his adminiftration ; To you y 0 men^ I call ; and my voice is- to the fens of m.en. He has a nearer relation to the clecl, being their surkty and re- prefentative, who undertook to do all for them, when they could do nothing for themfelves ; Heb. vii. 22, By fo much was Jefus made a surrty of a better teflament* And he has yet a nearer relation to believers, beiilg. their affec- tionatc brother; Heb. ii, 11. lie is not af:aj7ied to call them brethren; their everlafting father, without inter- ruption or end; Ifa. ix. 6.: their head of government, of influence, and honour; Col. i. 18. And he is the head of the hody^ the church : their loving husband > hence the church is ftiled, the bride^ the La?nb's wife : their antient, firm, and open-hearted friend, who reveals the very fe- crets and counfels of his heart to them; John xv. 15. Henceforth I call you ?iot fervants^ for thefervant knoweth not what his Lord doth^ but I have called you friends ; for all things that I have heard of 7ny Father^ I have made known V unto you. In a word, he flands in all relations to them, and hath the love of all relitions to them ; the faithful love of a friend ; the carefal love of a brother ; the pro- vident love of a father; the compaQionate love of a mo- ther; and the intimate Xo^'z of a hufband : yea, his love is greater than the love (u' all relations put together; no fuch friend as Chrill, who would die to make them the friends of God ; no fuch brother as Chrift, who makes all liis brethren heirs togetlier v/ith him ; no fuch hufbimd as Y V ' 354 -^^ Attempt to preach Chr'ijl crucified, Chrift, who will love his fpoufe though ihe play the harlot; Jer. lii. i. Thou haj} played the harlot with many levers, yet return again to me, faith the Lord, 6, We nptify to you, that all the qualifications, which render one amiable, meet in Chrift crucified. For beauty ; — He is fairer than the children oftnc^i, A carnal eye indeed, that looks no farther than the veil of his flefli, and fees him a man of for rows and acquainted with griefs^ his vifage being more marred than any man, can fee no beauty in him why lie fhould be defired ; but the eye that is fpi- riturJIy enlightened, fees him to be white and ruddy, the chief eft among ten thoufand ; his countenayice as Lebanon, ex- cellent as the cedars. For wifdom ; — All the treafures of wijdom and knowledge are hid in him : fo wife, that he has outwitted all the poUcy of hell and earth ; taken the wife in their own craftinefs, and turned the counfel of the froward headlong: and no wonder, for the wifdom of men and devils is not match for the fooUfljnefs of God ; and how fhall it contend with the wifdom of Godf i Cor. i. 25. The foGHfI;nefs of God is wifer -than men, For riches ; there is none like him; his riches are, without a figure, unfearchablc, Eph. iii. 8. Abraham's fervant, when feeking a wife for his mafter's fon, fald, that his mafter was very rich, and ha^l only one fon, and that he was heir of all : fo our Lord Jefus, is God's only vSon, and heir of all; fo that what- ever we want or can Vv'ant, will be abundantly fupplied by him. For power ; — He is the man ofGocPs right-band, whom he hath made flrong for himfelf ; fo that there is no- thing too hard for him: he is the mighty God; and what then can ftand in his way? He is a man of war ; in whofe hand the roaring lion is nothing : he can tear him in pieces as eafily as a lion teareth a kid. For authority ; — All power in he as en and in earth is given unto him. Things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth : yea, every knee inuft bow to him, and every tongue muft confefs that Jefus Chrifl is Lord, to the glory of God tht Father * In An Attcjnpt to preach Chrijl crucified. 355* courage and refolution he has no match ; he accompliilied the purchafe, and flill carries on the applrcation of redemp- tion in faving his people, and fubduing his enemies, with determined brayery ; Ifai. xlii. 4. He fl) all not fail ^ nor he difcouraged^ til! he hath Jet judgment hi the earth. In affability; there is none 'like him, whether with refpecl to God or men : with refpecl to God^ he frankly and chear- fully entertains hisi propofals ; John vi. 38. For I came dowrl from heaven^ ?iot to do 7nine own will, but the will of him that fent me: w^th refpecl: to 7nen, he kindly and courteoufly receives the worll of finners that employ him to fave them j. Him that cometh unto me, fays he, / will in no wife cafl out. Hq is a mirror of meeknef , Though he was fmitten both by God and man, and endured the wrath of both at once, he never entertained a refentful thought, nor ut- tered a repining word; Ifa. liii. 7. He was oppreffed, and he was afflided, yet he opened not his mouth ; he is brought ns a Lamb to the f laughter^ and as a fheep before her fJjearers is dumb, fo he openeth 7iot his mouth, In a word, all ciua- Ufications centre in him; Song v. 16. His mouth is mo ft fweet ; yea, he is altogether lovely. Imagine all the beauti- ful accomplifhments and lovely excellencies that ever the world faw or heard of to be united in one perfon ; imagine that innumerable more than ever eye faw, ear heard, or heart conceived, were added to them ; imagine thefe, and infinitely more than can be imagined, to meet and fhine in one perfon, and this is Chrift ; this is our beloved, and this is our friend : this is Chriil crucified whom we preach. 7. Be it known to you, that as to his fiate and condi- tion, Chriil crucified has had experience both of the lowe/i and the highefi ; and hence he is faid both to have de- fcended and afcended; Eph. iv. 9. Now that he is afcend- ed, what is it but that he alfo defended, firfl into the lower parts of the earth f He that defended is the fame alfo that af- cended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. He defcended for fome time fo low as to come where his Yy 2 35^ -^^^ -Attempt to preach Chrijl crucified, people were, even in this world : :ind he came not from heaven only, but from the choiceil: place in it, his Father's bofom, into our world, and pitched his tent among us ; ^he Word w.ts inade flcp^ and dwelt among us. He de- scended fo low, that he was made what his people were : they were flefli and blood-, and for their fakes he would be flelli and bipod too. This was one of the loweft fteps of his humiliation, it being more for God to become man, than for man to die : For af much as the children are partakers cfflejh and bloody he alfo hlnijelf likewife took part of the fame. They were naturally and necelfarily under the law ; and he was made under the la%v to redeem them. Though he was no debtor to the law, as a covenant, either as to its pre- cept or penalty; yet he bowed his bleffed head, that that heavy yoke might be wreathed about his neck for us. And furc the law never had fuch a fubject before, as its own franker and enforcer; therefore it is faid, he inagmfied the law. They were finners, and he was mads fin for them^ that they mi^ht be made the rig-hteoufnefs of God in him. There was no fin in him inherently, but God made him fin by imputation ; not only tl facrijice for fm, buty?;; itfelf ; for he was made that fm he knew not^ and that fin which is cppofite to righteoufnefs : He bare our fns in his own body en the tree^ the curfed and ignominious tree, which is there- fore become a tree of life to us. He defcended fo low that he went where his people Ihould have gone, ^md taken up their eternal lodging, even to hell ; though not by local motion, yet by imjnenfe fuflering, his foul lying under the v/rath of God : he could not indeed go lower than he went. The light of the world vv^as under a cloud; the health of the world was under ficknefs; the life of the world was under the power of death ; the Saviour of the world was, for fometime, in a manner, loft himfelf. But now the fcene is altered ; he is now as high as ever he w^as low: while on earth he \v2iS f corned of 7nen^ and de» fpif'd of the people ^ uow be is adored by angels; thea his m An Attempt to preach Chrijl crucified. 357 name was reproached ; now God hath given bun a name a- bovc every name. The glory to which the human nature of Chrifl is now advanced, is not indeed ablolutely infi- nite, becaufe this is pecuhar to the divinity and is incom- k municable ; but its exaltation and glory is abfolutely above all the creation of God \ hence God is faid to have ra'ifed him from the dead^ and fet him at his own right-hand^ far above all principalities and powers^ and mighty and dominl^ ons^ and every name that is named ; not only in this worlds hut alfo in that which is to come ; and hath put all things under his feet. He hath fuch a glory that could a man fee him fitting in heaven, and all the angels about him, he would prefently know him, and fay that he is the Son of God ; We beheld his glory ^ the glory as of the only begotten of the Father : yea, his glory is not only abfolutely above, but of another kind and nature than any other creature is capable of; for it is founded on the union of his perfon: n privilege which no other creature can pretend to, or be partaker of to eternity. What is the reafon, think you, -that our Lord puts fo much honour upon poor worthlefs creatures under his feet ? Why, he is fo high in dignity, that no advancement of rank can commend any creature to him ; and therefore, he takes them that are under his feet, poor finners, and loves them heartily, treats them familiarly, makes them his queen, and fets them at his own right-hand. Therefore be not difcouraged, though ye be laid ever fo low in the-fenfe of your own vilenefs, for this makes no difference to Chrift: he hath none to match with, but thofe that are under his feet; he muft either marry perfect flaves, whom he might tread on, or have no fpoufe at all, which he will never fubmit to ; for his fpoufe is his fulnefs; — The fulnefs of him that filleth all in all. This makes the grace of Chrift the more exceed- ing glorious. Therefore the apoftle, Eph. ii. 5, 6. when recounting the glorious privileges of believers, as being quickened together ivith Chrijl ^ and raifed up together^ and 358 An Attempt to preach Chr'ijl crucified. made to Jit together In heavenly places^ is careful to put them in mind, By grace ye are faved. 8. Be it known to you, that Chrift crucified hath per- formed fuch glorious and zvo7iderfid exploits^ as none could have done but himfelf. In accomplilhing the work of our redemption he had many enemies to encounter ; fuch were the law, fin, Satan, the w^orld, death, the grave, and hell. The law brought its curfe on him, and fin its guilt : Satan, his malicious enemy, put forth all his power againft him ; as did alfo the world, which hated him, becaufe he teftified ag*ainfl it : death he alfo tailed, and lay for fome time under the power of the grave ; and he was not unaiTaulted by the pains of hell when he bore our iniquities. But he abfolutely conquered them all in the iffue. — As to the law^ he has fully anfwered all its demands in the room of an elect company; a work none elfe could have done! a weight none elfe could have born ! a debt none elfe could have paid ! yet he did it fo completely in his birth, life, and death, that he got up his difcharge. — As to fin ^ he gave it a deadly wound at once upon the crofs, fo that its after- deftru<^ion, in an ele6t company, is as much fecured as his own death was, by his being faftened to the crofs ; Rom. vi. 6. Our old man is criicijied with him^ that the body of fin might be deflroyed ; that henceforth we fhould not ferve fin, — As to deaths he encountered it, and by dying himfelf was its deftruclion ; Hof. xiii. 14. I will ranfoni them from the -power of the grave ; I will redeem them from death : 0 death ! I will be thy plagues ; 0 grave ! I will be thy deflrudion, — As to Satan, he engaged him as a tempter in the wildernefs, where he had the advantage of the ground ; yet he foiled him : on the crofs he engaged him as a roaring lion, and fpoiled and made an open fliew of him : he dealt with this implacable enemy of God's gloiy, and the falvation of an elecl company, as the Roman con- querors with their enemies; he took him along with him when he went to heaven in chains, tied, as it were, to An Attempt to preach Chr'ijl crucified. 359 his chariot wheels, making a fhew of him to the citizens of heaven, and then remanded him to prifon till the term of his final doom ihouid come. — As to the worlds he has vanquifhed both its fmiling and its frowning things ; Be of (rood comfort^ fays he, / have overcome the world, — As to hell^ he hath fhut its gates, and quenched its flames, fo that none of his chofen ones fhall ever be hurt in that place of torment. May w^e not Xh^wfing unto the Lord a new fong^ feeing he hath done fuch 7narvellous things f His right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory. 9. We notify to you his names. He is called, the Lord Jefus Chrijl, He is Jesus : this name is a faving name. He is Christ ; which fignifies, the anointed: and, indeed, the favour of his good ointments is fuch, that when a poor foul has once got a fcent of it, he can never forget it ; but the remembrance of it is refrefhinsr and revivino: to him ever after : 7he deftre of our fouls is towards thy name^ and the remembrance of thee. His name is the Lord, and fo a powerful and protecting name ; Prov. xvii. 11. "The name of the Lord is a flrong tower ; the righteous runneth unto it and is fafe. His name is Jehovah-tzidkenu, the Lord our righteoufnefs, ajuftifying name: Jehovah-ropiiecha; which imports his healing all our difeafes : Jehovah-sham- ma; a frefent help in the time of trouble: Jehovah-jireh; therefore they that fear him fhall not want any good thing: Jehovah-nissi, the Lord my banner; a name that imports fhelter : he giveth a banner to them that fear him, that they may difplay it becaufe of truth. A number of his names, all of them rich of meaning and comfort, you have, Ifai. ix. 6. His name fhall be called^ Wonderful^ Counfellor^ the mighty Gody the everlafling Father ^ the Prince of peace, But, who can fliew forth all his praife ? 1 go on to obferve, idly^ In the next place, that to preach Chrift is to offer him freely unto iinners. After this manner did Peter preach him. Ads ii. 38, 39. Then Peter faid unto them^ Re- / 360 An Attempt to preach Chrift crucified. pent and he baptized^ every one of you^ in the name of Jefux CbriJ}^ for the remijjion of fins ^ and ye fhall receive the ^ift of the Holy Ghojl : for the promife is unto you^ and to your children^ and all that are afar off^ even as many as the Lord our God flndl call. He excepts not the very murderers of Chrift, nor thofe that mocked him when he was hanging on the crofs in our room. " Ye killed the Saviour jufi now, would he fay ; yet to you is the word of fahation fent : ye lately killed the Promifer ; yet the pronufe is to youJ' — In the fame manner did Paul preach Chrift cru- cified J Acts xiii. 385 39. Be it known unto you therefore^ men and brethren^ that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenefs of fns : and by him all that believe are jufi fied from all things^ from which ye.coidd not be juflified by the law of Mofes, — Yea, what is much more, in this manner Chrift preached himfelf, when the great convocation was ; John vii. 37. In the lajl day ^ that great day of the feafl^Jefus flood '' and cried^ faying^ If any man thirfi^ let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me^ as the fcripture hath faid, out of his belly fl: all flow rivers of living water. Accordingly, we in his name, and ho by us, howevef unworthy, offer a crucified Chrift to every one of you. We know that without an exertion of almighty power ye cannot embrace the offer ; but feeing he ufes to make the o:eneral tender of himfelf the mean of Q^ainino^ fouls, we Ihall ufe this mean, hoping that the divine blefling will attend it, and make it effeclual. We have great reafon to fear too, that many of you will flight the offer. He muft, however, be preached, though he be a ftumbhng- block to many, becaufe he is Chrili; the wifdom and the power of God to others. Whether ye will hear, or whe- ther ye will forbear ; whether ye will receive or rejecl, he muft be offered ; for thus runs our commiflion, Goy preach the (Tofpel to every creature ; that is, make ofl^er of me to all without diftindion, even to the worft of finners : — ^to every creature, be he ever fo wicked, though he has fin- An Attempt to preach Chrljl cruc'ified. 3^1 v tied himftlf into the likcnefs of a beaft, or of a devil . tell liim, if he will but come and take me I will be his for all the purpofes of falvation. — We offer you then a crucijied Cbrijl^ the gift of God, the gift of gifts, being the Fa- ther's Fellow, w^hom, if ye knew, ye would not refufe. — We offer you a whole Chrift: — we offer you himfelf^ who \ is more than ten thoufand worlds j yea, with whom all deiirable things are not to be compared, to be yours cer- tainly, intimately, and eternally ; to be your God, your Saviour, your prophet, prieft, and king; take him, and you will be able to fay more than if you could fay. All the treafures of the earth are mine; all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them are mine. — We offer you his bloody which is of more worth than all corruptible things: take this invaluable gift by faith; and tho' the wrath of God be kindled againfl you, it will quench it ; though the jufticc of God be incenfed againft you, his blood will fatisfy it ; though heaven be iliut upon you, his blood will open it : We have holdnefs to enter into the ho* I'lejl by the blood of J ejus, — We offer you his righteoufnefs : take it, and you need not be afraid nor affiamed to ffand in the fiHit of God: this robe will hide all your deformi- ties ; whereas they who want it will one day call to the mountains to fall on them, and to the hills to cover them, rather than appear before him that fits upon the throne. — We offer you that peace and comfort which flow from his prefence; and the w^ell-fpring of heavenly joys fhall flow into your fouls : / ivill covie in^ fays he, and fup with him and he with me. — We offer you his kingdo?n :ind glory: take him while ye are on earth ; and hereafter ye fhall hear that fweet invitation addreffed to yourfelves. Come ye hleffed of my Father^ inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. — In fliort, wx offer you all that he is, all that he has, all that he has done, and is doing, fo far as they are communicable, and you are capable of them. Surely ye can crave no more \ ye can \n&x for no Z z 3^2 An Attempt to preach Chrift criicifed, more, for this is all your falvation, and ought to be all your deiire.— -And we offer you d\\ freely. The wares ex- • pofed to fale are indeed valuable ; but there needs be no diiference about the price, for it is nothing: Ho! every ane that thirjleth ; come ye to the waters : and be that hath ?ia money Jet him come, and buy wine and milk without money and without price. Indeed, when our Lord came to purchafe the mercies contained in the gofpcl-offer, the market was very high ; but when ye come to receive them, the mar- ket is wonderfully fallen : that which coil him dear, ye ]uav have for notliing^e It is ofood he was at the market before you, for lie hath exceedingly cheapned the com- lUodities : Let him that hath no money come^ and buy without money and without price. And it is not to one, or two, or a few of you, that we ofier a crucified Chrift ; but to all and every one of you jn particular : Vi-hofoever will let him come^ and take the wa^ ter of life freely, — We offer him toyou you7ig folk ^ thebreafts of whofe virginity the world has not yet prefled : take him, and ye fhall have the firft and the flower of his love. — We offer him to you ?niddle aged people, with whom worldly buiinefs is like to fliulHe out the bufmefs of eternity: take him, and though ye have fpent your youth in vanity, ye fliall now inherit fubftance. — AVe offer him to you old peo' pie J who are bowing down to meet the grave: take him, and though your bones be full of the fms of your youth, they fliall not ly down with you in the duft. — We offer him to you atheijh, who are without God in the world: take him, and you fliall believe both his being and his bounty in Chrift. — We offer him to you, grofJy ignorant perfons: take him, who is given for a light to the Gentiles y and you fliall iiot only have heads, but hearts to know the Ij)rd. You are fitting in darknefs, and in the region of the fliadow of death : but receive our Lord Jefus, and you fiiall neither remain in fin, the work of darknefs ; nor under Satan, the prince of darknefs \ nor under wrath. \ An Attempt to ptyach Chrijl crnajied, 363 the fruit of darkncfs ; nor near licll, the pliicc of d;irknefs, — We olier liiin to you Liypocrltcs^ who are pleafing your- felves with external duties, and fair fhcws of devotion, when your hearts are not right with God: take liiin, and your hearts ihall be found in God's teilimonies ; he loves truth in the inward parts, and he will put it there: A neio heart aljo tai/i I phe yon. — We offer him to you, ye openly profane^ who have the devil's mark in your foreheads, and are going on in a courfeof fcandalous enormities, declaring- your lin as Sodom and hiding it not: take him, and you will get a happy turn from lin, to holinefs ; from hell, to heaven ; and from Satan, to God: Tho^ your fins he as fcarlet^ he %v ill make tljem white as fnovj, — We offer him to you luke- warm and ind'ijf'erent perfons: take him, and God, inilead of fpewing you out of his mouth into the, pit, as he threa- tens, will take you into his bofom, into his heart. — A¥e offer him to you witches and wizzards^ if there be any fuch: take him, and your formal covenant with hell fliall be broken, and you fliall be joined to the Lord in an ever- lafting covenant : thus he hath done with others of your fiamp ; for example, Manaileh. — Vv^e offer him to you, prayerlejs perfons ; for he is found of them that fouQ'ht him not : take him, and ye will be made to pour your prayer in- to his bofom; and the heart of thofe that feek the Lord fhall live for ever. — W^e offer him to you that ne<^lect and flizht gofpel ordinances : take him, and ye fliall know by experi- ence, that a day in his courts is better than a thoufand. — We offer him to you who are filled with grofs and unwor- thy conceptions of God : take him, and ye lliall have the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrifl. — We offer him to you profane curfers and [wearers^ who have filled your mouths with oaths and execrations : take him, and though God, in the law, has threatened not to hold you guiltlefs, all manner of fin and blafphemies fiall be 'forgiven unto you : take him, and your curling iliau be turn- ed into blefling. — W^e offer him to ^qm falfe fwearers^ who, " Z ? 2 3^4 -^^ Attempt to preach Chr'ijl crucified. upon oath have aiTerted as a truth what you knew to be a he: take him, -^wd you /hall /wear in truth^ in righteouf- 7iefs^ and in judgment ; for thus runs his promife, To me e- "cery knee ^fh all bozi\ and e^jery tongue fh all Jw ear. — We offer him to you covenant-breakers : take him, and you are im- mediately within the bond of a covenant which ftands fad with him. — We offer him to you unworthy communicants : take him, and though thou haft been guilty again and a- gain of ciucifying the Lord of glory, the blood thou haft filed will fave thee, thcu^'h your condemnation has been fealed up with many feals, which no creature is able to open, yet the Lanrib who is worthy will do it: remember that many of thefe who crucified Chrift at Jerufalem wxre faved by the blood which they ^zd. — We ofler him to \OMfabbath-hreakers^ whether you break it by omitting the duties required o'i you, or by a carelefs performance of them ; or by thinking your own thoughts, fpeaking your own words, or doing your own aclions : take him, and ye fhali be made to call the Sabbath a delight^ the holy of the Lord honourable ; and you fhall honour him and be yourieif made happy, by being in the Spirit on the Lord's flay, — AVe offer hin\ to you undid if ul parents- and children^ wafers and fervants : take him, and your days fall be long^ uieful, and happy, in the land which the Lord your God giv' eth you. — Wt olTer him to you inurdcrers ; either in thought, by hatred; in word, by backbiting ; or, in deed, by actually embruing your hands in the blood of your neighbour: take him, and he will deliver you from, blood-guiltinefs. — We offer him even to vou who have been intentionally felf mur- derers: Do your fives no harm; but believe in the Lord Jefus Chrif and ye fall be faved, — We offer him to you unclean perfons, v/ho have made fhip-wieck of your chaftity : take him, and ye fliall be wafen. fandified., and jufifed in the 7iame of the Lord Jefs^ and by the Spirit of our God, — We offer him to you drunkards : take him, and though ye be charL'eabie with voluntary madnefs, though ye have fet An Attempt to pnach Chrijl crucifed, 36^; yourfelvcs below the beafts that perifli, he will receive you, Hiid inllead of being filled with wine, wherein is excefs, ye ihall be iiiled with the Spirit; yea, with all the fulnefs of God, — We offer him to you thieves^ robbers^ and unjuft dealers : take him, and the grace of God in him will make you righteous, with refpecl to your neighbour ; as well as re- ligious, with refpect to God- — We offer him to you liars: take him, and though you now are oi your father the devil^ who w^as a liar from the beginnings ye fhall become the children of God. — We offer him to every one in debt^ e- very one that is in dijlrefs^ and every one that is difcon- tented: take him, and he will be your protection from the arrells of the law, and a fatisfying portion to your fouls. After all, there may be many of you we cannot find out ; but he is offered even to you : take him, and your name iliall be called, Sought out^ and not forfaken. We are bid go out quickly to the ftreets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and the maimed, the halt and the blind; yea, as many as v/e can find ; and we have effayed to do as commanded. Yet after all, there are many we cannot find a name to ; and therefore we muft conclude with this, that yet there is room. After all who have been invited ; yet there is room for you, be what you will, if ye are men and women. — There is room in God's covenajit for you. Indeed, there is a fealed copy of it laid up in heaven, un- der Chrift's cuflody, bearing the names of all that fhall come to him by faith: but there is likewife an open copy of it fent down to finners upon earth leaving a blank for any of Adam's race that pleafes to fubfcribe; 'To you^ 0 men^ I call, — There is room in his hoj//e for you. Multitudes have come out of Satan's family into the family of God ; but after all the lioufe is not full, Luke xiv. 22. — There is room in his hand for you ; All his faints^ fays Mofes, are in thy hand: and they are a number that no man can number; but as numerous as they are, his hands are not fo fuUj but yet thcie is room; therefore he ftands with 66 An Attempt to preach Chrljl crucified. I out-ftretched arms to receive you. — There is room in his heart for you, if you will take his word for it ; and you / will not, I truft, venture to impute inlincerity to a God of truth : H'lm that comet Ij unto me I wUl In no 'wife caft out. There is nothing a poor convinced fmner is more foUici- . tous about than to know the heart of Chrift towards him; and there is nothinii: that Satan labours more to conceal than Chrift's good-will. Well, ye need no^t queftion that his thoughts towards you are thoughts of good, for this is his word, Fia-y is not in me, '^dly^ To preach Chriil is ftrongly to frefs the acceptance of him upon fmners of mankind: hence the apoftle fays, 2 Cor. v. 2 0. Now J then we are amba[[adors for Chrift^ as though God did befeech you by us : we pray you in Chriff* s flead^ be ye reconciled unto God, Our commiilion is not only to offer him to you, but to clofe a bargain betwixt him and you; 2 Cor. xi. 2. / have efpcufed you to one husbandy that I may prefent ycju as a chafe virgin to Chrif. Accord- ingly, having offered him unto you, without exception . of perfons, we would prefs him on you. When he is of- fering himfelf, we befeech you let faith fay, I accept of him for wifdom, to me a fooliCi iinner ; for righteoufnefs, to me a guilty fmner ; for fanclilication, to me a polluted fmner: and, in order to engage you to comply, I offer the followino; confiderations. I. Connder the ?nifery of a Chriftlefs ftate. It is, Sirs, no great pleafure to us to ufe this argument. It muft, in fome refpecls, be difagreeable to take men by the throats, to arrefi: them' in the name of the great God, to hale them to prifon, and fhut them up under the law, that they may be in cafe to rehih Chrift's pardon, and the proclamation which, as preachers of Chrift crucified, we make of liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prifon doors to them that are bound. We would defire to know nothing, to preach nothing among you, but Chrift and him crucified ; but feeiag we muft come with the hammer of the law^ An Attejnpt to preach Chr'ijl crucified. 3^7 and break all your bones in pieces, that fo ye may be ne- ccflitated to come to him, Ik it known unto you, that your natural ftate, being a Chriftlefs one, is very deplor- able. While you are without him, ye are under the com^ viands of the law, and without ftrength to obey them: ye are under the curfe of the law, and without redemption from it ; for it is Chrifl alone that redeems us from the curfe of the law : ye are under the gtalt of fin ; for it is only in Chrify and through his bloody that we have redemption^ e^cen the for give fiefs of fins : ye are under the filth of fm, and de- ftitute of holincfs ; for, we all are as an unclean thing^^ and cur right eoifneffes are as filthy rags : ye are under the fewer of Satan, who rules in the hearts of the children of difobedi- ence : ye are under tht fentence of condemnation, John iii. 18. He that believeth not^ is condemned already : ye are un- der the wrath of God, without mercy ; for, He that be- lieveth not^ fhall not fee life ; but the wrath of God abideth on him: and ye are upon the borders of hell ; for, the wicked fjjall be turned into hell^ and all the nations that forget God* -^Can there, upon the whole, be a more miferable con- dition than yours? Delay not to receive our Lord Jefus, and then it fliall be well with you, who are now in the midfl pf miferies and woes : then ye fhall be dead to the law, and married to another ; then ye fhall be dead in- deed to lin and alive to God ; then Satan ihall be caft out, and the prince of this world judged ; then iliall the curfe be turned to a blelling ; then iliall the wrath of God, which now hangs black and difmal over you, clear up in- to beams of mercy ; then iliall the fentence of condemna- tion give place to a gracious pardon ; then ye iliall be brought from the confines of hell, to the fuburbs of hea- ven and glory. 2. Confider the necejfity of receiving the Lord Jefus. It is a ihamc to our corrupted natures, that there ihould be any need to ufe this argument ; but feeing it muft be- ufed, confider, that if a crucified Chrifl be rcfufcd, perifh 368 An Attempt to preach Chri/i crucified, ye muft, and perllh ye ihall to eternity ; for there is na falvat'wn in another^ nor another nams given under heaven among men whereby ye mujl he faved, Wonder not at this \ for, from whom liiould lalvation come, but from Chriil? — Should it come from yourfelves i^ that is impoflible. Being darknefs, how fh^ll ye illuminate yourielves ? Being without ftrength, how iliall ye help yourfelvts ? Being enmity, how ihall ye reconcile yourfelves?— Shall relief come to you from the creatures ? No : neither man nor angel was able to fuilain the character of Saviour of a loft world : neither of them was able to perfoT m the work which belonged to that office ; to fatisfy the offended ju- ftice of God ; remove his wrath and curfe ; conquer fin, death, hell, and all the enemies of your falvation- this was the trial of the love of God to men. Our cafe was hopelefs and helplefs, as to all the creation of God ; But God fo loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son^ that ivhofoever believeth in him Jhould not ferijh^ hut have everlafl' ing life. — Shall it come from God himfelf, while Chrift is neglected ? this is impoffible ; for God hath laid out all the riches anci treafures of his wifdom, love, and grace, in our falvation by Chriil Jefus. In him he hath manifeft- ed all the glorious properties of his nature, without ex-* ception ; and in him he is well-pleafed: fo that there is not fo much as one of them that can ihew the leaft kind^ nefs to fuch as reje6l Chrift ; There remaineth no more facri-^ fee for fin. You rauft therefore either take this way, or perifti for ever. 3. Confider the horrible ingratitude that there is in flighting, or not receiving a crucified Chrift given unto you. Is it not the height of ingratitude to flight him that would relieve us ? to wound him that would heal us? to diflionour him that would ennoble us? God the Father was not backward to fend his Son ; God the Son was not backward to come and favc us ; but we are back- ward to receive him, who is God's falvation to the ends of An Attempt to preach Chrijl crucified. 369 the earth, Sligliters of Chrifl crucified are the vilefl and moil: ungrateful beings in all the creation of God. The devils themfelves cannot equal them, becaufe our Lord was never tendered unto them. This is a fin peculiar to men. The lin of the devil, as one fays, is in mahce and oppofition to knowledge, above what the nature of man is capable of in this world; yet men's fins mufl, in fome refpecl, be more criminal than that of the devil, other- wife God would not give them their eternal portions with the devil and his angels ; and the peculiarly criminal cir- cumftance in the fm of man, is his rejecling a crucified Chrift. And undoubtedly, as the fin is fo great, the pu- nifliment will be proportionable. Divine wifdom will frame a hell on purpofe for them that defpife its greatefl mafler-piece, even Chrift, the w'lfdom of God : divine power will be exerted for ever in punifhing thofe that defpifed the moft glorious eflecls of it, even Chrifl, the power of God, 4. Confider the condefc ending love and grace of God in his offering Chrift to you, and inviting you to come to him for life, deliverance, grace, peace, and falvation. He faw you fallen into a deep pit out of which ye could not extricate yourfclves ; and, in this cafe, free love and grace moved him to fay, Seeing men cannot come up to me, I will go down to them, ofier myfelf to them, and draw them to myfelf with the cords of love. And ought not this to allure you to our Lord Jetus ? Shall God, in his love, make a gift of his Chrift to you all, That whofoever believcth on him Jhould not pcrlfh^ hut have everIaJIin(T Hfcf And will ye flight fuch an unfpeakable gift? Such a gift was never in the oft'er of fallen angels ; for God fpared them not, but caft them into hell. Angels, immediate- ly upon their finning, were as much condemned as ever they will be; though not fo much punifhed: but free grace takes a contrary method with you ; and after all, fhall it be rejcdrd ? Yea, further, you hu^-e the ofler of A a a • K 37 o -^^ Attempt to preach Chrijl crucified. God's Chrift, and of God's grace in him, while the greateft part of the world want it: the found of Chrift and of fal- vation is not come to their ears, as it is to yours ; and will ye not receive him ? Then remember, that in the contempt of this infinite condefcenfion of God in Chrift, lies the ftins: and poifon _^f unbelief, which gives over the fouls of men to eternal ruin: and who ftiall pity them to eternity that are guilty oY it ? 5 . Conlider the vajl advantage that will redound-to you from reccivino' our Lord Tefus. This ufuallv is a orreat allurement. Hov\^ often will men, by the tiope of a very little profit, be induced to do that which ihail imbitter their lives, and ruin their fouls ? Well, to receive our Lord Jefus is the moft profitable thing ye can do ; whether ye conftder the evil removed, or the good poiTeiTed thereby. With refpecl to the evil removed; receive our Lord Jefus, and ye are'free from the guilt of fm: thefe fins, that now come up in remembrance before God, fhall be remembered no more : thefe fins that are now before his face Hiall be caft behind his back, and into the depths of the fea : and fin being removed, all the confequences of it ceafe of courfe. You fhall likewife be put in the foffefiton of all good ; for Chrift himfelf will become vours more intimatelv than your neareft relations are; and in virtue of his being yours, all he is and has is yours. His perfon is yours, and you are his : all his attributes are yours ; his wifdom is yours, to guide you ; his power yours, to protect you ; his mercy yours, to pity you ; his all-fufHciency yours, to fupply your wants. As the father, of whom we read in the gofpel, fliid to his fon, Son^ thou art ever with me^ and all that I have is thine ; fo favs Chrift to the foul that receives him, Thou art ever with me, and in me •, and all that I am, and have, is thine. Being in him, you fhall fliare with him in all his ofEces ; being in him, you bear his name, and partake with him in all his high relations and dignities : he is the Son of God, and fo are you 5 for, To An Attonpt to preach Chrijl crucified, 371 as many as received him^ to them gave he power to become the fons of God ; even to them that believe on his name : he is heir of all things^ and ye are joint heirs with Chrifl:. Being in him, all he lias done, or is doing is yours ; his obedience is -yours, to intitle you to eternal life, as much as if you had obeyed in your own perfons; hisfufferings are as much yours, as ifyqu had endured them in your own perfons; his miracles yours, to afg er tain ., you of the truth of his doctrine ; his prayers yours, as eiTeclually as if he prayed for you by nauie j his rcfurreclion is yours, to bring your fouls out of the grave of fm, and your bodies out of the grave of the earth ; his afceniion is yours, for he is gone to make ready maniions of glory for you, where you fhall mutually enjoy one another to eternity. Allthebleflingsand privileges he hath purchafed are yours. In a worci, All are yours ^ and ye are ChrljVs^ and Chrifl is God^s, And is there no power in all this to allure you to receive him ? Is it nothing to you to continue ftrangers to, and unintereiled in all this bleflednefs and glory? And are you content to enjoy, as your portion, a few paltry trifles, with eternal ruin at the end, while fuch riches of glory are tendered to you ? 6. Coniider the pleafantnefs as well as profit ablenefs of receiving our Lord Jefus. Pleafure, as w-ell as profit, is fufTicient to oil the v/heels of men's endeavours, and fee them at work. Well, beheving is the pleafantefl: thing in the world. The hand that works faith deals gently v/ith the foul, draws with the cords of love, and with the bands of a man ; and believing is in its own nature de- lightful. Is it not a pleafure for a wearied traveller, when he is not able to w^alk, to lie down ? Is it not a pleafure for a condemned malefadlor to take a pardon ? We could appeal to all who ever believed in our Lord Jefus, if ever , there was any thing they did more fweetly than trufling in Chrifl, when he proclaimed his name to them, and ma- nifefled his glory in the promife, and drew their hearts to ~ A aa 2 372 An Attempt to preach Chrijl crucifed. Iilmfelf. O! undoubtedly, it is a pleafant thing to be brought out of darknefs into light; out of a dungeon to a throne; from captivity and flavery to fin and Satan, to the (glorious liberty of the children of God ! 7 Confider his matchlefs excellency whom we would have YOU to receive. Thousfh v/e had the tonsrues of men Ttud angels, we would {lay, in all our exprefllons, millions of miles on this fide of Chrill's glory and excellency. Would ye but draw^ near and behold his beauty, it would inevitably draw you to him ; fpr he hath not a match in heaven or earth. If you alk, what is this beloved more than another beloved? The fpoufe informs you, that he is vjhite and ruddy ^ the chief eft among ten thoufand: his head is as the inofl fine gold^ his locks are biifJjy and black as a raven ; his eyes are as the eyes cf doves ^ by the rivers of wa- ters^ ivafloed ivith milk and fitly fet : his cheeks are as a bed cf f pices '^ — his lips like lilies dropping fvoeetfmelUng myrrhe ; ' — his 772Quth is nioft fivect^ yea^ he is altogether lovely. There is nothing ye can defire that is not in him ; and there is nothing in him that is not defuable. Ye that flight and defpife Chrifl crucified, behold and fee if there be any, in heaven or earth, that may be likened to him. Every perfon and thing, to which he can be compared, fills fhort of a full repi efentation of his excellency. — If he is a king ; he is the prince of the kings of the earth : — if a prophet ; he is raifedupfrom among his brethren^ and is in the Father's bofom. - — if a prieft ; he is the great high-priefi of our profejfion:-^\i an angel; he is the angd of God' s prcfence, — In armies; he is the fumdard -bearer^ and the captain offahation. — Among ifliepherds; he is the chief fioepherd. — He is th.t firfi-born of every creature : — the heir of all things. — He is God's oivn Son^ and hi3 only begotten. — He is the only Saviour; for, there ?)• no falvation in another: — he is the firfl-bom among m,any prethren. — In a word, he is, in all refpecls, the moft dif- tinguiihed perfon in heaven or earth: and will any of ycu venture to refufe hin)^^ [ 373 ] Sovereign Antidotes again ft Slavijh Fear. Isaiah xli. lo. Fear thou not, for I am *with thee ; be not difmayed^ for I am thy God. ]N which words we have two things : firft an evil pro- hibited in the people of God ; Fear thou not, be not difmayed: and, fecondly, remedies or antidotes prefcribed againft this evil ; / am with thee, I am thy God. \j}. An evil prohibited ; Fear not, he not difmayed. Both thefe words mean much the fame thing: only, being dif mayed is the greateft degree of fear. The Lord's people are ready to fink under trouble ; but it is the will of God they fhould be undaunted: fear not. Fear is ufually di- vided into three kinds, viz. natural, religious, 2indftnful. 1. Natural fear; which is nothing but a trouble, or unealinefs of mind, arifing from the apprehenfion of fome approaching evil or danger. This pallion infeparably at- tends the nature of man, ever lince he finned ; and tho* it be not always finful, it is the confequence of fin, as ficknefs, ihame, and forrow are. To be fick is not a iin, but it is an efFecl of iin : the fame may be faid with regard to fear ; and accordingly, our Redeemer, when he aflum- ed our nature, was not exempted from natural fear, tho' altogether free from fin ; Heb. v. 7 . He was heard, in that he feared. This is not the fear here intended ; for it is one of man's affedions, no farther evil, than as per- verted. 2 . There is a religious fear ; which is that holy awe of God, that dwells upon the fpirits of a faint, and regulates him under all the difpenfations of God towards him ; and 374 Sovereign Antidotes againjl SlaviJJj Fear. alio in all his aftlons, both towards God and man : this is called, the fear of the Lord, both becaufe he is the author o^it, and hence fai4> ^-o put his fear in our hearts ; and be- caufe he is its objecl, 'Thou ft? alt fear the Lord thy God^ and Jhalt fwear by his name, Tliis cannot be the fear intend- ed here: for it is fo far from being prohibited, that it is injoined as an antidote againit finful fear ; Ifa. viii. 12, 13. Say ye not a confederacy^ to all them to whom this people ft all fay a confederacy ; neither fear ye their fear^ nor he afraid: fandify the Lord of hojls himfelf ; and let him he your fear^ und let him he your dread. 3. There is -^ finful i^2X \ a fear which is not only a con- fequence of fin, but finful in itfelf. Of this kind is all immoderate, and diftruftful fear, however great the dan- ger is.. It is not finful to fear danger, fo asto ufe lawful means to avoid it; but it is always -finfuji to fear danger, either fo much as to fink our fpirits under it, or to make us defpair of avoiding it. Such was the fear of the Ifraehtes, who, when they fa w Pharaoh behind then[>^ and the Red- Sea before them, gave up themfelves for lofi:, and could neither think nor fpeak of any thing, but their graves ; not in a way of preparation, but defpair ; Exod. xiv. 1 1 * They f aid unto Mofes^ hecaife there were no graves in Egypt ^ haft thcu taken us away to die in the wilder nefs. This was finful fear.; and therefore Mofes rebukes their cowardice, and difi:rufi: : Fear ye nct^ ft and ft ill, and fee the falvation of God. Such alfo was the fear of the diiciples, Matth. viii. 26. As loon as the ftorm came on, their fear was raifed, and they were in as much hazard of being overfet by their own boifterous paflions, as the veflel was by the wmds : they forgot that the Lord, high-adrairal of .all the ocean, and commander in chief of the winds, was on board the fliip ; for though they applied to Chrift to keep them from ' linking, yet their faith iniiim was very, low, as his anfwer imports : firfi: he rebukes their fear, and then the winds ; firft the tempefl within, and then the tempeft without : Sovereign Ami dotes agaitijl SlaviJIj Fear, 375 Why are ye fearful^ 0 ye of little faiths This fear is our folly, our fin, 'and fliame, and accordingly, is here prohibited 9 Fear not^ he not difmayed: and it is not man, but God who prohibits it ; The Lord fait h^ fear not ; and in the voice of the Lord there is life to form in our fouls the temper he commands. Our Lord ftands over our dead hearts, as he did over Lazarus's dead body, faying, Lazarus^ arife; and he arofe immediately: the word of his mouth carried life in, and with it ; fo he fays. Fear not^ and immediate- ly all fear is removed from the fpirits of his people. In this lies the difl'erence betwixt a call from God, and a call from men to duty : men may call, but cannot give power to perform what they call to ; but God calls, and likewife gives power to obey. 2 dly^ We have the antidotes prefcribed ; / am ivith thee, and I am thy God : he does not fay. Fear not, for ye have failed and prayed ; for ye have forfaken your fins, denied yourfelves, been holy, and walked humbly with me ; no : the prefervation of the fpirits from fear, when evil com- eth, is from God alone, and not from any thing in the perfon himfelf : / am God^ I change not ; therefore ye are not conftmed. If you would have fettlednefs and compofed- nefs of fpirit in evil days, you mufl go out of yourfelves, and bring it from God: and I dare venture to fay, take all the fweetnefs and comfort in the world, and extract the quinteffence of it, it will never fettle the heart, nor fecure it from fear of evil. Nothing but a perfuafion that God is one's own, and of his prefence and fupport will do this ; and thefe are fnflicient to keep the moil tottering fpirit immovable, and firm like a mountain : They that firmly trujl in the Lord^ fhall he like mount Zion^ that cannot he re* moved, I. God's prefence with them is an antidote againfl fear; / am WITH thee. There is not any form of words, in all the book of God, made ufe of with more variety th^n this of God's hcing with his feo^le. 37^ Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Feaf. (i.) It is ufed by way of fromife; Jofhua i. 5. There Jhall not any man be able to Jland before thee^ all the days of thy life : as I was with Mofes^ fo zvill I be with thee ; I will not fail thee^ nor forfake thee. And indeed, it is the fum of all the promifes : if God fhould bid us afk what we would have at once, or wrap up all our defires in one word^ what could we afk fo compreheniive as this, his being with us f Senlible was Mofes of this, when he faid, If thy pre^ fence go not with us^ carry us not up hence. (2 .) It is ufed by believers in a way of faith ; Pfalrn xlvi. II. The Lord of hojls is with us ; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Their faith was pofitive and peremptory, in the thing : they fay not, we have foine faint hopes that the Lord will be with us ; but conclude upon it as certain, The Lord is with us^ to fupport and maintain both our fpirits and our caufe. Thus fpake Caleb and Joihua to ftill the murmurings of the people ; Numb. xiv. 9 . Only rebel not ye againfl the Lord^ neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us : their defence is departed fro/n theni^ and the Lord is with us ; fear them not. The men which , accompanied Caleb and Jofhua in the fearch of the land of promifc, gave a very difcouraging report of it, Numb. xiii. 32. " Not fo, fays Caleb, we fliall quickly eat up the inhabitants, they are bread for Us: their high walls cannot defend them, for God, w^ho is the defence of a land, hath withdrawn his prefence from them, and " is with us.'* (3.) It is ufed by way of requeft and petition; Gen. xxviii. 20. If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go: as if he had faid. Lord, I defire no more of thee, but that thou wilt be with me ; thy prefence will be my protection and provifion; it will protedl me from evil, and procure me all good. (4.) It is ufed by way oi good wifh to others ; Ruth ii.4. And behold Boaz came from Bethlehem^ and faid unto the reap- ers^ THE LoKD £E WITH YOU* The fame is ufed by many cc 'Sovereign Antidotes ngamjl Slavlffo Fear» 377 amonn-ft us in common fpecch, when taking leave of their friends; but with too common a fpirit. (5.) It is ufed by way oi propJjecy ; Gen. xlviii. 2 T. And Iff ad find unto Joffph^ Behold^ I die ; but God [hull be with you. I am now about leaving you, but GoJ will not leave you. (6.) It is ufed by way oi Jjifiory ; Gen. xxxix. 21. But the Lord was with Jofeph^ and jhewed him mercy ^ and gave him favour in the fight of the keeper of the prifon. — Now, lay all tliefe forms of fpcaking togetlier, and it appears, that one of the bed things that God can promife us, is to be with us ; the bed thing one can believe he fhall receive at the hand of God is, that he will be with him ; the bell thing one can pray for; the befl: thing that can be fore- told of any 5 the beil thing that can be wiflied ; the beft thing that can be related of any, is God's prefence Vv'ith theni : Fear not^ for I am with thee, 2 . Another antidote againft fmful fear in the people of God is, the new-covenant relation between God and them ; / a?n 1 HY Gud. Their fears were doubled, and fo is their encouragement; / am'with thee^ I am thy God, Our Lord's relief is not only fuitable, but proportionable to the ne- ceflities of lils people; thus in Pfalm xxviii. 8. God is faid to be the /Irength of falvation : in the margin it h fal- vations ; intimating, that as the evils of his people are many, fo are ihcir {lilvations: if they have a thoufand troubles, he liath a thoufand fl^lvations. The neceOities of the creature can never be above the falvations of God ; with him is plenteous redempticn. / am thy God: he does not fay, in the new covenant, / am God ; but, which is ten thoufand times more comfortable, I am thy God : thou haft a property in me ; I vm thine own as much as thy lioufes, land, corn, ca.tle, gold, or lilver. There is as great a difference betwixt God limply conhdered, and God confidered as thine, or mine, as there is betwixt hearing of a great ixvenuc, and poiTefiing it. A poor man look's Bbb 378 Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear. upon the riches and honours of the great, with indiiFer- ence, or perhaps with grief; and the plain reafon is, be- caufe he looks on them as none of his ; but the poffeflbr looks on them with pleafure. — Two malefactors are con- demned to die, to the one a pardon is fent, but not to the other; obferve what difierence there is in thefe two looking on the pardon: jufl fuch a difference is there be- t^yixt God's being fimply God, and his being our God. He whofe the pardon is, can fay, this is my pardon ; his heart leaps within him, and is much taken up in conll- dering his pardon ; but he whofe it is not, looks upon it with a languifliing and melancholy fpirit. A wicked man may think of God as God, but can never fav, this God is mine, in a6lual poffefiion. livery one of Adam's race, by the violation of God's holy law, forfeited all right and claim to God as their God ; and hence they are faid to he ^without God^ and ivitbout hope in the world. This forfei- ture they could never have removed from themfelves, be- caufe before it could be done, the law's demands behoved to be anfwered, which were perfect obedience from them as rational creatures, and full fatisf^clion by fuffering as fmful creatures : neither of which they could anfwer. But our Lord Jefus, condefcending, in the name of an elect company, perfectly to fatisfy the law, God becomes their God ; fo that this promifc, as well as all others, is found- ed upon Chrifr. He is a covenant God to none lince the fall, but thofe in Chriil the Mediator: it is therefore upon the footing of Juftice being fullyfatisfied, and judgment fully executed, that he fays to any, I ain thy God ; Pfal. Ixxxix, 14. Juftice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: he does not fay. Fear not^ I will be thy God ; but, /am thy God^ at this prefent time ; to £hew that God's covenant of promife is not a thing pad, or a thing to come, but prefent: fo that faith never wants a foundation. From the very moment one hears thefe words of grace he may lay claim to God as his God. Sovereign Antidotes agahijl SlaviJJj Fear, 379 DocT. That they whofe God the Lord h^ and zuho have his prcfencc ivith thcm^ 7iced not he afraid of any things he it ever fo hideous or formidable. In difcouiflnc: fiom thcfe v/orcis, mv method f'lall be the following^ T. To fpeak of the evil prohii^Jted. II. Of the antidotes prefcribed. HI. Shew the virtue of thcfe antidotes to prevent or re- move the*eviL IV. Apply the fubjecl. I. We are iirft to fpeak of the evil prohibited^' fear. In illuflrating this we fhall, i. Enquire Vv^hat the people of God are not to fear. 2. Why they fliould not fear thefe things. i/?5 We fhall enquire what the people of God are 7iot to fear. • ^ I. The faints are not to fear God himfelf. What, fay you ! are we not to fear God ? Is not the fear of God fre- quently fpoken of and injolned in fcripture as moil due to him? Rev. xv. 4. Who fljall not fear thee^ 0 Lord^ and glorify thy name ; for thoit only art holy? Pfal. Ixxxix. 7. God is greatly to he feared in the affcmbly of the faints ; and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him., I an- fwer, Without doubt there is a fear of God which is our wifdom, and our happinefs ; The fear of the Lord, that is loifdom : but there is likewife a fear of God v\' hich is our folly, our plague, and punifliment; Rom. viii. 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear. There is a reverential fear, when the foul is poiTciTed with a fenfe of God's majefly, greatnefs, and goodnefs, fo as to pre- vent offending him, — this is our duty; Heb. xii. 28. Let lis have grace whereby we may ferve God acceptably, with re- verence and godly fear. But there is a fear of terror, con- fifting in a dreadful conflernation of Spirit from the appre- Bbb 2 380 Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavifb Fear, heniion of God as an enemy, as one who will pimidi and avenge iin on us, which has no other effect but to weaken, difmay, and alienate the heart from God: this bcfel Adam* "upon his hn, when God made inquiry about it ; and Cain, when he cried out, My piinijbment is greater than I can bear: and this is the fear of devils, James ii. 19. The devils be- lieve and tremble. The one is the filial fear of God, as a Father, with whom is awful power and dominion ; tlie Other is a ilaviih fear of God, as a reveng^ino; iuda:e: the one is mingled with love, the other is utterly inconiiftent v/ith it ; 1 John iv. 18. "There is no fear in love ; but perfect love cafteth out fear. Now, when I fay the believer is not to fear God, 1 mean, with a ilaviih fear, which hath tor- ment and hatred of God, and fo can never be dutv. Fear him with awful reverence thev mufi:, this beinc: coniiftent with the full ail'urance of one's beino; out of hazard of hell ; but with a fear of torment, they need not, and fhould not; for It IS God that jupilfieth^ and therefore he will not harm or condemn them. 2 . The people of God are not to fear 7neyi : hence you find God chiding his people for it, Ifa. Ivii. 11. And of "whom haft thou been afraid^ or feared ; and haft ndt remeni- bered me^ nor laid it to thy heart? And our Lord exprefsly prohibits it, Matth. x, 2 8. And fear not them which kill the hody^ but are not able to kill the foul, ^ What, fay you ! are we not bidden fear the king, father, mother, and mafters ? I anfvN^er, No doubt fome men have refpect due to them, ns beariiio; the imaofe of God : but we are not to fear men more than God^ nor yet fo as to be enfnared by the fear; The fear, of man brin^eth a fnare, ( I .) ^j he Lord's people are not to fear the wrath of man. There is an implac^ible rage, an unchangeable re- solution of revenge upon the faints, in wicked men, fo that, if poflible, they would bring down fire to confume %ht fervants and people of God: but, although their rage V->';e ten thoufaad times more defperate than it is, there i§ Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear. 381 no caufc to fear ; Pfal. cxxiv. i . If it had not been the Lord who was on our fide ^ now may Ifrael fay^ when men rofe up a- crainfl us ; then they had fwallozved us up quirky when their wrath was kindled arrainft us : ver. 6. Bleffed be the Lord who hath not o'rcen i{5 a prey to their teeth. Here indeed is fierce wrath ; but here is likewife an cfcaping as a bird out of the fncCre : and how comes this to pafs? ^he Lord is the help of his faints, and on their fide. The Pfalmift elfewhere, tells us, The wrath of man fhall praife God, Pfal. Ixxvi. 10. See what little ground there is to fear the wrath and rage of men : there ihall nothing come from it but matter of praife to God ; and wilt thou be afraid at that by which the Lord fliall be praifed ? • The Lord is praifed by it ; and ail that is over and above what redounds to this, he will reflrain, (2 .) The people of God are not to fear the power of men, h^bw great foever it be, however terrible it feems, however heightened with fuccefs, and inflamed by rage and malice; and however little they fee to oppofe it: Heb. xiii. 6. So that we may boldly fay. The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what raan flndl do unto me. Why fear it ? feeing their helper can abate their power, and bring it down to what degree he pleafes ? He can make it ufelefs, and be it never fo great : if it be rendered ufelefs, it is as good as none. Let the arm of fiefh be never fo flrong, if the Lord lay hold on it, it cannot move m.ore than the arm of a dead man : if the maftift be never fo flrong and fierce ; yet if he be muzzled, there is no fear of him : and fo the Lord can deal with the mod powerful men \ he can put a muzzle on their mouth, a hook in their nofe, and a bridle in their jaws, fo that they cannot beftir, but as he pleafes, Ifa, xxxvii. 29. (3.) They are not to fear the policy of men. Satan, indeed, ufually fets a-work againft the pebple of God, men of the deepeft judgments and richeft natural endowments. Such as are among men, as the ferpent among beafts ; the ''^(f^ fubtk he draws into his net^ and makes ferviceable Tor 382 Sovereign Antidotes again/1 Slavi/h Fear. Ills ends. He made ufe of the deep policy of Ahitophel, the great oracle of his time for counfel, to deftroy David ; the high parts of a JuHan he employs againft the Chrifti- ans: but the people of God need not fear thefe, for their God confounds the wifdom of the wife^ and brings to nought the coimfel of the prudent. Where is the wife man f where is the fcribef where is the difputer of this world f He hath chofen the foolifh things of the world to confound the wife. Though hell itfelf combine with them, to lay fnares to entrap the people of God, there is no reafon to fear them ; for the wif- dom of men and devils cannot ftand before the wifdom of God; Job V. 12, 13. He dif appoint eth the decrees of the crafty^ fo that their hands cannot perform their enterprize : he iaketh the wife in their own craftinefs ; and the counfel of the froward is carried headlong. Nay, fure the wifdom of men cannot match the fooliflmefs of God ; and how can it con- tend with his wifdom, i Cor. i. 25. Becaufe the foolifhnefs of God is wifer than nun : not that there is foolifhnefs in God ; for, as God is light, and in him is no darknefs at all; fo God is wifdom, and in him is no folly: but the Spirit of God fpeaks thus, to put God as low as the fooliih thoughts of men can put him, which is to think that there is fooliflmefs with him ; yet even in this, he is wifer than tiiey. Why then fliould the people of God fear the policy of men ? (^ .) The people of God are not to fear the injlrujuents of human cruelty. Inflruments of cruelty are indeed in the ha- hit at ion of the wicked ; but the people of God need not fear them. Let them have all the inflruments that cruelty can invent, fear them not : fear not their fwords, and other engines of war ; for no weapon formed againft the people of God fl?all prof per, A naked fword, or javelin, is terrible; but when there is a coat of mail to ward ofl' the thrufl, why fear them : The armour of believers is proven: Put ye 07i the whole armour of God^ that ye may be able to withjland in the evil day; and having done all^ to Jland* But, fay you. 1 Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavi/lo Fear. 383 are not the Lord's people killed by the fword and other warlike weapons, as well as others ? We deny not but they may cut off the man ; but they cannot harm the faint. They have a natural life, and that may be deflroy- ed, as well as the life of the wicked : but their fpiritual life cannot be taken away by all the men on earth, or de- vils in hell ; for, "Their life is hid with Chrift in Gcd; fo that Chrifl himfelf mufl be more than wounded, before their lives be deftroyed. You that are the people of God have this advantage of your enemies, that you have two lives, the one they can, the other, which is the moil excellent, they cannot take away. They have but one, the natural, but ye have a life in Chrift ; yea, Chrift himfelf is your life, and that they cannot deprive you of. What fuppofe their inftruments of cruelty take away the former ? they do nothing but make you change mortality for immorta- lity, death for life, weaknefs for ftrength, fhame for glory, and fin for holinefs : they but pull down a rotten houfe of clay, to give you poiTeflion of an houfe not made with hands; and what harm is there here? None at all. Fear not. 3. The people of God are not to it2x fin. Sin is an evil, and the worft of all evils it is ; fo evil, that nothing can be faid of it worfe than itfelf, Rom. vii. 13. Sin^ that it ?night appear fin^ working death in 7ne by that which is good ; that fn by the commandment might become exceeding fn- ful. It is fo evil, that it is the caufe of all other evils ; but be it never fo evil, the people of God are not to fear it ; and that neither in themfelves, nor others. (i.) They are not to fear their own fins, I do not fay they are not to be afraid to fin ; for this is plain duty, Pfal. iv. 4. Stand in awe^ and fin not : but they need not be afraid of their fms \ for none of them can do them any hurt, becaufe there is now no condemnation to them which are in Chrijl Jefus : and why cannot fin condemn them ? be- caufe our Lord has condemned it ; He condemned fin in the fefh. A traitor, when at liberty, may do much mifchief j 384 Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slaviflj Fean but when condemned, and bound, he can do none. Now, fin is condemned to the behever, and fo cannot harm him. It has been a common praclice when men were found daur gerous to the ftate, to banifh them into a remote place, never to return under the feverefl penalties : fo our Lord Jefus, our fcape-goat, has carried away our fms into a land of forgetfulnefs ; Pfal. ciii. 12. As far as thejaji is from ths wej}^ fo far hath he removed our tranfgreffions from us. And ' how then can they harm us? Sin is a fad debt, and the law is a fevere creditor; but what of all that, when the debt is forgiven, as in the cafe here ; Ifa. xliii. 25. /, even I am he that biotteth out thy tranfgrejjlons for mine oivn fake^ and will not remember thy fins. If a man have fubfcribed a thoufand bonds, while they remain in force he is ready to fear arreftment ; but put the cafe, that thefe bonds are all cancelled, he needs no more fear them, than if they had never been ; and this is the cafe with the believer ; therefore the apoftle tells us, That the hand-writing of or- dinances that was againjl us^ and contrary to us^ is blotted cut by our Redeemer^ and nailed to his crofs, (2.) They are not to fear other men's fins. You may fay, Suppofe we had no fins of our own to draw down judgments on us, yet the land in which we live, is filled with fin aqairifl the holy One of Ifrael ; and the wrath of God is revealed from heaven^ againjl all unrighteoufnefs and ungod- ' linefs of men, I anfwer. This is a fad truth ; for I much doubt if there can be any lin found among a people pro- felling the name of Chrift, to bring on wrath, which is not to be found in our land at this day ; There is no truth .^ nor mercy ^ nor knowledge of God in the land; and therefore fl) all the land mourn. No doubt the people of G'od fliould figh and cry, but tliey need not be afraid ; for all the heaven- daring fins of the day can do them no hurt. Thus when 'the Jews charge God with injuilice, Ezek. xviii. 2. The fathers have eaten four grapes ^ and the childrens teeth are fet on edge; he rejecls the charge, and directly anfwersj Ths Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear, 383^ foul that finnetb JImll die : which is as much as to fay, the Iinner alone ihall be the-futlerer. Now, bdiever, thou art not the finncr, and therefore ihalt not be the lufferer. — O but, fay you, I have had a hand in thefe lins, by not reproving them, nor lamenting over them, and feveral o- ther ways; and therefore I may fuiTer for them. Well, but know for your comfort, that in fo far as you have been partakers of other men's (ins, our Lord hath born thefe, and fufFcred for them ; for it was not your own iins only, but your other inen's fms ; it was not fome of your fins only that Chrill bore, leaving the reft to you ; but it was all your fms, that he bore on his own body on the tree: for, He is the Lamb of God^ that taketh away the fin of the world ; and therefore you have no ground to fear. — But, fay you again, The Lord many times allows the righteous to be involved in the fame public calamities with the wick- ed; Job ix. 22. 'This is one things therefore I faid it^ he de* flroyeth the perfed and the zvicked. On this I would only fay at prefent, that though ye may fall in the common ca- lamity, yet no real evils fliall befal you ; mercy Ihall al- ways be predominant in your cup, and the evil fliall be taken out of the judgment ye fliall meet with : Job v* 19, — 22. He Jhall deliver thee infix troubles ; yea, in fcven there foall no evil touch thee. In famine he Jhall redeem thee from death ; and in war, from the power of the fword, Thozi fmlt be hid from the fcourge of the tongue ; neither fh alt thou he afraid of deftruction when it cometh. At deflruclion g,nd famine thou fmlt laugh ; neither /halt thou be afraid of the beafts of the earth. Which leads me to obferve, 4. The Lord's people are not to icw f tiff e ring or affile^ tion, God's covenant-people are ordinarily au afflicled people above all others in the world; John xvi. 53. In the world ye f mil have tribulation, Chrift himfelf bare the crofs, and Chriftians muft be crofs-bearers as v/eil as their mafter ; Luke ix. 23. If any man will come after me, let him deny himfelf^ and take up his crofs daily and follow me. But C c c 386 Sovereign Antidotes againji Slavijh Fear, they are not to fear thefe croiTes, be they ever fo heavy and many ; for they can do them no harm, but good : AlthGugb no afflidion be for the prefent time joyous^ but griev- ous; yet afterwards it yields the peaceable fruits of right eouf nefs : thereby they are purged and tried, that no drofs re- main about them; refined from their fins and iniquities; improved and advanced in their graces ; experimentally acquainted with God and his ways ; kept from their wan- derins^s out of God's wav, and incited to more dilio;ent and vigilant obedience; conformed to Chrift Jefus, allur- ed more and more of their filial relation to God, and of God's paternal faitlifulnefs to them ; and, in a word, here- by they are fitted and prepared for eternal glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17. The harbour is moil: deUghtfui to the mariner after a tempeftuous voyage, and reft is moft fweet to the labour- er after a day of hard toil: fo doubtlefs, heaven will be moft ravifhing, even a double heaven to the Lord's people becaufe of its following upon their fufterings in this world. Why therefore fear affliciion, which hasfuch happy eiFecls? 5 . The people of God are not to fear Satan, He will be fure to afHicl them more than all others befidcs. "Wicked men are under his dominion like prifoners in dungeons and irons ; he is fure of them, he troubles not himfelf with them ; therefore they are feldom buffeted by his temp- tations: but believers are brought out of prifbn, refcued from his power ; and therefore he raiies all his force and fury of temptation to re-enflave them, as the goaler raifes all the country with him, to purfue the prifoners that have mafle their efcape. But they need not fear him after all; for he cannot overcome them ; My grace fhall be fufficient for you. Our Lord Jefus conquered Satan in his own per- fon, as the head of his people; he is daily conquering him by his grace, in his members, and will at laft for ever tread him imder their feet ; Rom. xvi. 20. 'The God of peace fjjall bruife Satan U7ider your feet ffoortly. Yea, fo far fliall they be from being overcome that they fliall be gainers by Sovereign Antidotes again/! Slavijh Fear. 387 his temptations : hereby they are made conformable to Chriil the head ; for, He -was in all thijigs tempted like as they are: hereby they are obliged to make ufe of the whole armour of God, and fo their armour is kept from ruftins^: hereby they are fmgularly experienced and inftrucced in the fpiritual warfare: exercife makes them expert foldiers of Chrift, fo that their hands are taught to war^ and their fngers to fight againil all the enemies of their {alvation : hereby they are made to cleave clofer to our Lord Jefus, that they be not overthrown ; For this caufe I be/ought the Lord thrice: and hereby our Lord gives them frequent viclories and occafions of triumph. No confiicl:, no con- queft ; no temptation, no triumph. 6. The people of God are not to fear death. Indeed the dearefl of them are liable to death : none of them are without fin ; and when iin hath once entered, death, the wages of Iin, follows. Sin, at their befl in this life, hath a beinsf in them, thouofh not dominion over them; and accordingly they are expofed to death but exeemed frorn the curfe of death. Death is the king of terrors ; of ter- rors the mofi: terrible : but though this be the cafe, the faint need not fear, for it can never feparate them from the love of God, Rom. viii. 38,39. It may feparate them from the love of friends and acquaintances, even of huf- band, wife, or children ; but can never feparate them from the love of God: Thefe may love them to death, but God will love them in and after it. They need not fear it, for the fting is removed, and fo it becomes altogether harmlefs. Who fears a fnake or a fcorpion when he knows they have loft their fling ? then they may be handled and put into one's bofom without harm: juft fo may the Lord's people triumph over death ; i Cor. xv. SS* ^ death! where is thy Jiifigf 0 grave/ where is thy vidoryf If they trem-r ble when they look at death, they may triumph when they look at Chriil ; for he, by his death, in their name, has killed death, and buried the grave by being buried in it. Cc c 2 88 Sovereign Antidotes againjl SlaviJJj Fear. Some K^A'e obfei ved, ' that the bee ftrlking his fling into a d.t^G liody, retains it flill ; but ftriking it into a living bociy^ often lofes it : lb death, ftrikinghis fting into Chrift's living body, wherein was no fpiritual death, has for ever loft his fting as to Chrift's members. Yea, Chrift has turned death into great advantage to his people.— -Death is theirs to fave them: it is a diffolution or feparation of the foul from the body for a while, and no more. — Death is their- reft from the labour of fin and fo'rrow, whereby they have been fo miferably harraffed ; They reft In their beds. Now, why fee afraid to go to reft? — Death is their fleep in the bofom of Jcfus ; and if they /leap ^ they Jh all do njuell : they fhall awake in the m.orning of the refurrecfion, and then death and hell jhall he cajl into the lake of fire ^ Rev. XX. 14. 7. The people of God are not to fear helL In their natural eftate, indeed, they were children of wrath as well as others, and fo liable to hell ; but now, being in Chrift, they are quite out of its reach: John iii. 18, Re that he- lieveth on h'lm^ is not condemned] but he that heUeveth not^ is condemned already^ and the wrath of God ahideth on him : not that he is in hell already, but bound over to it. Now, a believer is ftill a believer from the firli: moment of his .believinj?' ; and therefore from that moment forward he is not condemned, or bound over to hell and wTath ; John V. 24. He fhall not corne into condemnation : by the redempti- on of Chrift, already applied to the believer, and by tha» oath of God, he is perfectly fecured from the return of the curfe : Ifa. liv. 9. For this is as the waters cf Noah unto me ; for as J have fworn^ that the waters of Noah fJj all no more go over the earth; fo have Iftvorn that J would not he Wroth with thee^ nor rebuke thee. Yea, the believer is juftified by faith, and fo adjudged to live eternally in heaven ; and a man can never ftand adjudged to eternal life, and eternal death at one and the fame time.— Let none infer from this, that Wiievers need not regard the threatenings of the -law^ Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear. 389 for though they are not to regard tlicm as denunciations of their doom, yet they are to regard them as a looking- glafs^ wherein to behold the dreadful demerit of their iins, tlic unfpeakable love of God, in delivering them from his wrath and vengeance contained in them: they are not foto be regarded, as if believers were to fear their coming un- der them ; but as they are lecured from them, that they may fear to hn, not from fear of coming under wrath, but out of love to Jefus, who hath delivered them from the wrath to come. — Again, let none infer from this, that believers may live as they lift, for the belief of the love of God does certainly teach them another leiTon, even to deny ungodlinefs and worldly lufts^ and to live foberly^ righ- teoufly^ and godly in this prefent worlds Titus ii. 1 2 . I doubt not but fome who profefs to believe this doclrine, live in all manner of wickednefs ; but fliall the children want their bread becaufe doors fnatch at it ? Becaufe wicked men a- bufe the doctrine of the free grace of God, fliall the Lord's people be deprived of what he hath provided for them ? No ; we are not to fpeak w^ickedly far God. 2dly^ I proceed next to enquire, why the people of God fhould not fear thefe things. I . They Ihould not fear them becaufe of the wrong there- by done to God, It is a great wrong done him, to fear, or fuffer our hearts to be caft down in times of trouble, and therefore iliould be guarded againft. The faint ihould be tender of God's glory, and beware of bringing up an evil report upon him. You have a feeling exprellion to this purpofe, Ezra viii. 22. / zuas ajhamed to require of the kin^ a band of foldiers and horfemen^ to help us againft the enemy in the way ; becaufe we had fpoken unto the king faying^ 'The hand of our God is upon all them for good that feek him ; but his power and his wrath is againft all them that forfake hi?n. He was in a great ftrait, for the enemy was coming upon him ; yet he was afhamed to aik any help becaufe he had faid to the king, The hand of our God is upon them for good : 390 Sovereign Antidotes agalnjl Slaviflj Fear. be would therefore rather endanger his life, than diflionour God. Fear in the Lord's people diftionours him feveral ways. (i.) It {landers his power. If you lend a man a fum of money, and he gives you a bond for it, it may be you fear ill payment: what is the ground of this? I doubt, fay you, he will not be able to pay me. Now, when fear arifeth from this principle doth it not reflecl upon the ability and fufficiency of the man ? If you thought him able you would not fufpecl him. So when you apprehend fuch and fuch evils are coming on you, and you begin to be afraid, and to cry out, " Doubtlefs I fliall fink under " them, there is no way to avoid them." What is this but a flandering the power of God, like the Ifraelites in the wildernefs ; Can God give us flejh to eatf whereas our evils can never be fo great to opprefs us, as his power is great to deliver us. God gives it under his hand, that he will put forth the whole power of his Godhead, for the good of his people ; i Chron. xvii. 24. 'The Lord of hofts is the God of Ifrael^ even a God to IfraeL Yet when we fear, we ftagger through unbelief, as if the arm of God's power were fhortened, and could not help us in defperate cafes. O what an affront to almighty power is this ! (2.) It ilanders t\\t faithful nefs of God. Some will fay they do not queftion God's power, but all their fear is whether he will grant them the neceffary aids or not. Well, this proceeds from a fufpicion of the faithfulnefs of God. Put the cafe as formerly, a man has promifed you a fum of money, and when he is gone, you fear he will never pay it, though you are convinced of his ability. Is not this calling in queftion the honefty of the man ? do you not make him a liar ? So the public faith of heaven is engaged for the fafei-y of believers, and can we have better fecurity ? The whole earth hangs upon the word of God's power, and fhall not our faith hang upon the word of his truth, which he cannot deny, without denying him- Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear. 391 felf ? 2 Tim. ii. 13. If we believe not^ yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny hbnfelf Now, for the people of God not to believe his word, but to fear, is to affront the truth and faithfulncfs of God ; i John v. 13. He that believeth not^ hath made God a liar, A perfon of honour cannot be more affronted or provoked than when he is not credited; fo he that believes not God's truth, pawned and pledged, for the fecurity of his people againft all their fears and dan- gers, makes the promife no better than falfliood : and can there be a greater affront ofl'ered to God? (3.) It flanders the love^ grace ^ and 7nercy of God. Although our Lord had never fo great power to help his people, yet if he were not willing and ready to do fo, they could draw no fecurity from thence : but they have no more reafon to doubt of this than of the former. Our Lord who is powerful enough to defeat all oppofition, has likewife love and good-will fo to do ; of this they are af- fured in his word, Rom. viii. 35. Who fhall feparate us from the love of Godf Here the apoflle defies and defpifes all oppofers, as unable to unloofe the arms of God's love wherein believers are fafely folded. Well, do not his people, when they give way to linking fear, deny his love ? And it is blafphemy to fay either he cannot, or will not help : If he cannot, he is not God ; if he will not, he is not our God, he is not love, as he has declared himfelf to be; God is love^ i John iv. 16. (4.) It flanders the wifdom of God. Our Lord is the only wife God, All creatures are but fools when compar- ed with him : and this wifdom is made over to believers in the word of grace, for their conducl and direction when they know not what to do; Pfal. xxxii. 8. / will inflrud thee^ and teach thee in the way which thou fJo alt go ; I will guide thee with mine eye: — to extricate them when involved in difficulties; i Cor. x. 13. God is faithful^ who will not fuffer you to be tempted above what ye are able ; but will with the temptation make a way to efcape^ that ye may be able 1' 92 Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijlj Fear, ' to bear it: — and to over-rule a'il their troubles to their good and advantage ; Rom. viii. 2 8 . And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God, Seeing this is the cafe, for the people of God to fear is injury to his in- finite wifdom ; for the phiin language of it is, that the wifdom of God cannot contrive and order a way for your efcape and deliverance, when all doors of hope are fhut to fenfe and reafon ; whereas the divine wifdom hath infinite ways and methods of deliverance unknown to men : We know not what to do^ but our eyes are towards thee. When our feeble wits are bewildered in a maze, and at the end of their line, then is the time for God's interpoiition. (5.) The care of God is by fear fufped:ed. Great is the care and concern he has about his people ; Nahum i. 7. The Lord is good^ ajirong hold in the d^yof trouble^ and he knoweth them that trufl in him ; that is, he hath a fpecial, careful, and tender eye upon them, to fee that their wants be fup- plied, and their dangers averted: and hence we are bid, Caft all our care upon him^ feeing he caret h for us^ i Pet. v. 7, But do the people of God think he is mindful of them, and cares for them when extremity of danger comes, and they fear that they fliall not efcape ? No : they mufl think ' that he does not mind or resrard them. O what an evil o is this, confidering the tendernefs of his care about themF It is the care of a Father; yea, the tendereft care of a fa- ther is not to be named in one day with the care of God about his people: Matth. vii. 11. If ye^ being evilj know how to give good gifts unto your children^ how much more Jh all your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that afJi him? — Confidering the univerfality of his care, extend- ing to all of them, in all places and ages ; 2 Chron. xyi. 9. Fhe eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earthy to jhew him f elf fir 071^ in the behalf of them whofe heart is per- fid towards hi?n. — -And confidering the afilduity of his care, Ifa. xxvii. 3. / the Lord do keep it, I will water it every ino-^ ment : lefl anj hurt it ; I will keep it night and day* Sovereign Antidotes aga'injl Slavijh Fear 4 393 2. Another reafon why the people of God ought not to fear, may be drawn from thcmfelves ; becaufe it is un- fuitablc to them, and it is alfo hurtful. [i.] It is very wifiutahlc to them: and that both to their calling and caufe. (i.) To their ^^///«^ ; they are called to be faints; and who fliould be more valiant than they who are moil holy? 'The ijoi eked fly 'when no man -purfiieth^ hut the righteous is hold like a lion, Greatnefs of fpirit befits them who are faints* Their caufe is good, their encouragements good, and their end is good ; and why fhould not their courage be pro- portionable to thefe? Ifa. li. 12. ]¥ho art thoii^ that thou JJjoiddeJl he afraid of a man that fhall die^ and of the fin of man^ which flndl he made as grafs f Wherefore fliould I fear in the days of evil ? fald a faint. Wherefore fliould I who have fuch relations, fuch promifes, fuch hopes, fear? this were unworthy of me. As Themiftocles faid to a foldier, when palling by the fpoil of his enemies ; " Thou mayeft " gather up the fpoil, for thou art not Themiftocles :** efteeming it unworthy of him to do thefe things which others did. So, believers, God has beftowed a great deal of honour upon you, in making you Chriilians ; and you. ought to be as far above others in courage as they are be- low you in condition. (2.) It is uiifuitable to their caufe^ viz. religion. A pity it is that fo good a caufe as religion iliould have fuch feeble and cowardly fupportcrs. The caufe is a fufficient bottom to bear up the fpirit, and enflame the heart with courage; none can defend it, but it will defend them; for it makes the great God the defejice of a people, Deut. xxxiii. 29.. Happy art thou^ O Jfrael ; ivho is like unto thee^ O people faved by the Lord^ the Jhield of thy help^ and ivho is the fword of thine exccllemy f And as our fecurity lies ia defending it, fo our danger lies in deferting it : it is a fearful thing to make God a juli: enemy, by making man an unjuft friend. He that maintains the beft caufe D dd 394 Sovereign Antidotes again/1 Slavijh Fear. 1 fliall be beft fupported ; though they fufFer with it, they Ihall conquer by it. Chrift conquered when he feemed to be overcome ; and fo does the Chriflian : In all thefe things ive are more than conquerors. Are wicked men couragious, or rather defperate in a bad caufe? What a fhame is it, that faints fliould be fo fearful in a good one ? What have they to hold up their hearts ? and what have not we to hold up ours? [2 J As it is unfuitable, fo it is hurtful to the people of God to fear. (i.) It dijlracls their minds: great fear caufes great di- ftraction ; Pfal. cvii. 26, 27. They mount up to heaven^ they go down into the depths^ their foul is melted hecaufe of trouble ; they reel to and fro^ and ft agger like a drujikcn man^ and. are at their wits end: or as fome render the words, all their wifdoni is fwallowed up. Their reafon cannot conduct them any longer. — Great fears unhinge reafon, and put it out of its place : thus the difciples of Chrill:, in a ftorm, were not only like men at their wit's end, but almoft at their faith's end ; Lordfave us, wg perifh : if thou help us not, we are undone. And he faid, Why are ye fearful^ 0 ye of little faith f (2 .) Fear produces hypocrify and diffirnulation in the foul: Ifa. Ivii. II. And of whom haft thou been afraid, or feared, that thou hafl lied? Many a fad inftance of this we have in fcripcure. We find Abraham's fear making him dif- femble, to the great reproach of religion. Gen. xx. 2. And Abraham faid of Sarah, pe is my fifter. And what was the reafon of this ? ver. 1 1 . Becaufe I thought furely the fear of God is not i?i this place ; and they will flay me for my wife^s fake. We find fear bringing Ifaac into the like fnare. Gen. xxvi. 7 . And what was it but fear, that mafl:ered Peter, and againfi: his promifes, as well as his principles, made him deny his Lord and Mailer ? (3.) It is an evil that makes them in danger of apoflacy. There are four forts of perfonSj Sirs, who will never hold Sovereign Antidotes agavijl Slavijlj Fear. 395 to any caufe. i. Ignorant perfons ; we muft know and prove before we can hold faft, i ThefT. v. 2 i . Prove all f/jin^s ; hold faft that which is good. 'I'hat which never was proved is eafily defcrted. 2. Unfoiind-hearted perfons; for it is eafy to make him any thing who is indeed nothing. It is eafy to make liini an apoftate, who was previouUy a hypocrite ; hypocrify is that virtually which apoftacy is aclually. '^. Worldly-minded va^n^ i Tim, vi. 10. The love of money is the root of all evil^ which while fome coveted after ^ they hav€ erred from the faith. When men are lovers of themfelvcs, of honours, of pleafurcs, or of profits, more than lovers of God, it v/ill be no irreat diiUcuh'v to draw them from him. 4. Fearful and timorous perfons. Fear- ful nien will never be faithful. It is all one Co truit a coward and a traitor. He that is the one will quicklv be made the other : and therefore the Chriftian ffiould banilh any fmful finking as unworthy of men, much more of Chriftians. (4.) Fear enfeebles the foul. x\s it is faid of natural fear, that it betrays the fuccours which reafon offers ; fo fpiritual fear rejects the comforts, which God and liis pro- mifes contain: thus we read, Ifai. xxx. 15. when God told fome people that he hirnfelf would be their fecurity againft danger, their fears prevailed, and ail that he faid, thev reckoned too little to fecure them: Thus faith the Lord^ In returning and reft fo all ye he faved ; in quiet nefs and in ionfdence fl^all be your flrength : and ye zvoiild not. So iikewife in Ifaiah vii. 2. where we read, That the hearts of the men of Judah were moved^ as the trees of the zuood are moved with the zui?id. In this their fear and danger, God by his prophet tells them, he v/ould be their fecurity up- on their trufting in him ; Be quiet ^ fear not, neither be faint- hearted. Yet notwithilanding all this, their fear prevail- ed againft their faith: whereupon the Lord bids the king aik a fign, whether in the depth, or in the height above ; that is, if he delircd to have his faith confirmed, by any Ddd 2 %q6 Sovereign Antidotes ag^ainfc Slavipj Fear. vifihle iign, either in heaven or earth, God would con- descend m far as to afford it : yet ft ill his fears prevailed againft his faith, and againft all the fecurity God offered. And x^haz fajd, / will not o,Jh^ neither zvill I tempt the Lord; that is, upon the matter, he would not truft God, but ' run to the arm of ilefh ; he would rather truft to the pro- vifton fear v.ould make, than to the provifion faith would find in God. — Thus it enfeebles the foul, g. Another reafon why believers fhould not fear, may be taken from their enemies. As fear is our weaknefs ; fo' it is our enemies ft.rength» Our fears encourage, and our courage diihcartens them.: we read, Judges iii. 12. that Ifraei's fin was Eglon's ftrength; And the children of Ifrael . did evil again in tht fight of the Lord : and the Lord Jirength- encd Fglon^ the king of Moab^ again]} IfraeL So our fm of fear is the courac^e and ftrength of our advcrfaries ; we theieby difarm ourfelves, and arm them. Thus it is a very dangerous fin; and therefore _God would not fuffer fuch to q:o to war, Deut. :Jtx. viii. What man is there that is fearful and faint-hearted let him ^0 and return to his hoife^ left his brethren's heart faint^ as ivell as his heart. Which leads to a . 4. Reafon of this, wliich may be drawn from the in- Jluence this fear has upon other faints. It diihcartens them that arc weak; Should fuch a man as I fear f faid Nehe- miah. He knew his difpoiitions, whether of fear or cou- rage, would have aa influence upon many ; and therefore, lie would rather (Kit than run away for fear. Fear is like the dead body > of /^mafa on the wav, which made the whole army ftand ftill, 2 Sam. xx. 12. II. I now proceed to the fecond thing piX)pofed in our niethod, viz. To fpeak of ^"^t antidotes prefcribed in our text againft fear ; thefe are two, God's prefence with his people, and the covenant-relation he ftands in to them. We fliall coufidsr theft feparately, Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear. 397 ly?, The firft antidote prefcribed in our text againft fear, is God's prefence with his faints ; / am with thee* For the illuftration of this, I would view it both negative- ly nnd pofitively. ^ God's faying, / am with thec^ is not to be undcrftood, negatively viewed, of his being with his people, 1. As to his efjmtial prefence; for he is not nearer to them, than to others in this refpecl. He is eflentially eveiy where prefent; inclofed by nothing, and excluded Ironi nothing: fo a heathen defcribcd God to be a circle^ whofe centre is every where, and whofe circumference^ is no where ; and in the prophet, he tells much the fame thing himfelf, Jer. xxiii. 23. Am I a God at hand^ faith the Lord^ and not a God afar off? Do not I fill heaven and earth? He fills all things with his eflential prefence; hea- ven, earth, and hell : Pfal. cxxxix. 7. Whither fJj all I go from thy Spirit? or whither fh all I fly from thy prefence? God is not partly in one place, and partly in another : but all in every place ; wholly in the height of heaven, and whol- ly in the depth of hell : all God, is in all things ; and all God, is without all things. They that cannot endure the thoughts of God's prefence, where will they fly from him? I'hey may run away from God, as a friend ; but cannot run away from him as an enemy. Men may fhut God out of their hearts, and yet he is there do what they will; and will be found there one day in the dreadful effecls of his anger. 2 . His being with his people is not to be underftood of his being with them as to his commori providence ; for fo he IS not far from every one of us ; for in him we live^ and move^ and have our beings Acls xvii. 27, 28. This general pre- fence, and providential care, is vouchfafed to all his crea- tures; and without it they could not fublift: Col. i. 17. By him all things confijl* All creatures are but like the impreffion of a feal upon the water; take away the feal, »nd the impreffion vaniflieth : fo, take away the preferv- 398 Sovereign Antidotes againfi Slavijh Fear. ing influence of providence, and prefently all things re- turn to their original nothing: therefore every creature needs the fupport and concurrence of God; accordingly, he is faid to uphold all things by the word of his power ^ that they may not fall into the abyfs of nothing, from which the fame power raifed them up at the firft. And all the creatures are fenfible of this dependance, and look up to God for their prefervation. Pfal. civ. 27. Thefe all wait upon thee^ that thou mayefl give the?ii their meat in due Jeojon : and man, wlio is an abridgment of all the refi;, cannot but own it. Oh! how foon would the earthen pitcher break, if he did not keep it up I how foon would the lamp of the foul be extinguilhed, if he did not add new oil! Hence God is ililed, ^he preferver of man and heajl, A moil univerfal preferver he is ; even from the hairs of our head, which he numbers, to the moft exalted Spirit, who are preferved by his viiitation. But pofitively, God's being with his people, is meant of his friendly and gracious prefefice. He is with them in a peculiar and diilinguiihing way, by his Spirit and grace, in the ordinances of his own inftitution ; with them, fo as to be for them. Novv^, this gracious prefence of God, I think, mav include the followino: thimrr;. I. Ihe bleffed neizhhourhood that fubfifts betwixt God and them. Thus, fometimes he is faid to be a God near to his people, and they are faid to be near to him ; Pfal. xxxiv. 18. 'The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart » Pfal. cxlv. 18. The Lord is ni<^h unto all them that o call upon him, .to all that call upon him in truth. Pfal. cxiviii. 14. He alfo exalteih the horn of his people^ the praife of all his faints ; everi of the children of Ifrael^ a people near untc him. Oh! how wonderful is the divine condefcenfion, that God fliould refide fo near to defpicable dull and afhesi God is the bed neighbour in the world; happy they who dwell near him, and Hand in his prefence! This honour and happinefs have all his people j Deut. iv. i'» For what Sovereign Antidotes againjl SlaviJJo Fear. 399 . nation is there fo great ^ who hath God fo nigh unto them^ as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for f Poor believers, ye have perhaps very bad neighbours in the world ; ye are forced to live befide them who are, on many accounts, troublefome and injurious to you, which makes you cry out as David, Woe is me that I fojourn in Mejhech! But know for your comfort, that ye have God's company too ; a God in Chrift to be your near neighbour: / am with thee, 2. It implies, GodJs fweet favour io thtva^ as reconcil- ed in Chrift ; for two cannot walk together unlcfs they he a- greed. When God acls gracioufly and favourably to- wards any, then he is faid to be with them ; and when he allows them to be in trouble, then he is faid to be far from them ; Pfal. x. i. Why ftandefl thou afar off^ O Lordf why hideft thou thyfelf in times of trouble f* His prefence includes his favour, which is better than life ; Lev. xxvi. 11./ will fet my tabernacle among you; and my foul Jh all not abhor you* Therefore when Ifrael had broken covenant with God, by the idolatrous worfliip of the calf, the Lord was fo offend- ed with them, that he denies them his prefence, faying, / will fend an angel before thee^ and will drive out the Ca- naanites ; for I will not go up in the midfl of thee. When God's difpleafure was upon them, on account of lin ; when they were at odds with God, he would not dwell, nor walk among them : hereupon Mofes begs of the Lord to pardon them ; that is, to reconcile them to himfelf, that they might enjoy his prefence; Exod. xxxiv. 9. 0 Lord^ let my Lord ^ I pray thee^ go amongjl us^ and pardon our ini- quity and our fn, and take us for thi?ie inheritance, AVhere- fore the Lord is with a perfon, or people, only when his fpecial favour is towards them, and they are reconciled to him through Chrift: Exod. xxxiii. 16. Wherein f hall it he known here^ that I and thy people have found ^race or favour in thy ftght? is it not in that thou goefl with usf 3. It imj^lics Jpiritual com?nunior, betwixt God and them. 400 Sovereign Antidotes againji Slavi/h Fear* They that are with one another, have communion or fel- lowfhip together. AVhcn our Lord is gracioufly with any perfon, he affords them fpiritual communion with himfclf; I John i. 3. Truly our fellowjhip is witb the Father^ and with bis Son Jefus Chrij}, They have communion with liini in his Hfe, in his love, in his grace, in his privileges, in his comforts, and all his benefits: he communicates to them the endeared fmiles of his countenance, the kiifes of his lips, and the embraces of his arms of mercy and fa- vour, which afford them a paradife of pleafure and delight; hence Mofes fo earneftly begged it, / befeech thee JJhw ms thy glory, David highly prized it, and preferred it to the fweeteff earthly enjoyments; Pfal. iv. 6. There be many that fay ^ Who will Jhew us any goodf Lord^ lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. And the apoftle did hear- tily wifli it to all the churches of Chrift j The grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift be with you all, 4. It implies his guiding and direding them in all their ways, and efpecially in doubts and difficulties. Thus he dwelt in the midft of Ifrael in the wildernefs, and by his prefencc led them on fweetly and fafely ; Pfal. Ixxviii. 52. But made his own people to go forth like fljeep^ and guided them in the wildernefs like a flock ; and he led them on fafely^ fo that they feared not. What he did by a vifible token to the Ifraelites, the fame he doth invifibly to his people in all ages ; Exod. xiii. 2 i . And the Lord went before them by day^ in a pillar of cloudy to lead them the way ; and by nighty in a pilar of fire ^ to give them light ^ to go by day and night. They who are led. both by day and night, are never wjthout guidance : and if the old church had pillars to point out their way, much more hath the new. Mofes in his laft fong, gives an elegant defchption of this conducting pre- fence of God with Ifrael; Deut- xxxii. 10. He found him in a defart land^ and in the wajle howVmg wildernefs : he led him about ^ he iJiflrutled him^ he kept him as the apple of his eye, God found Ifrael in the wUdernefs, not by chance. 1 Sovereign Antidotes agalnjl Slavipj Fear* 401 but by a refolved, and gracious choice; and he manifcfl:- ed hlmrdf, as a leader there, where there was moll need of leading : and fo the faints o^ God are always led by him, but chiefly when in a wildcrneis condition. 5. It imports his (i/fiji'mg theiil, both in doing goodt and oppofing evil. — \\\ doing good : I will be with thy mouth, iays he to Mofes, and teach thee what thou Jl? alt fay ^ Exod* iv. 12. He is alfo \^'ith their ear, and teacheth them how to hear ; with their heart, and teacheth them how to pray and praile ; and with 4:heir hands, teaching them how to work in peace, and fight in war, Pfal. cxHv. i. He teach- eth my hands to war^ and my fingers to fight: Without me^ iliys Chrifl, ye can do nothing ; and while he fays fo, he affures them that he will be with them in doing all things* — And as he is with them in doing good, fo alfo in oppofing evil^ viz. the evil of lin, to which they are tempted by Satan 5 fin within them, or in the world: and in bearing the evil of aiHiclion, whether laid on them by his owa fatherly hand, or by the malice of the wicked ; Ifa. xlii. 2» When thou pafefl through the waters^ I will be with thee / a7id through the rivers^ they fl' all not overflow thee^ Sec. 6. It imports, that he proteds them in all dangers. His prefence with his people is their protection : thus Balaam could fay of Ifrael, Numb, xxiii. 21, 22. The Lord his God is with him^ and the fhout of a king is among them, God brought them out of Egypt ; he hath^ as it were^ the flrength of an unicorn. Surely there is no enchantment againft Jacob, nor divination againfl Ifrael. God's prefence with Ifrael protected them againfl: all Balaam's curfes and enchant- ments: and hence the church triumphed fo much in the faith of God's prefence; PfaL xlvi. 7, it. The Lord of bofls is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Upon this ground alio David fo fweetly encouraged himfelf, PfaL xxiii. 4. 7'ea, though I zvalk through the valley of the fimd^ dow cf death, I will fear no evil ; for thou art with ?7u\ God's prefence protected the three children in the fiery- E e c 402 Sovereign Antidotes againfl Slavijlo Fear. furnace, and Daniel from the devouring lions. His pre- fence in the burning bufh, prefer ved it from being con- fumed ; that is, preferved Ifrael from being deftroyed in the midil of their enemies in Egypt : and fo God ufually aflures his people of his prefence, as the ground of their fafety, as in the text, Fear not^ I am ivith thee, 7. It imports his providing for them in wants. Thus God brought Ifrael into a wildernefs, where there was neither food nor raiment; but he was with them, and therefore fupplied all their wants. He furnifhed a table for them : the heavens rained bread and flefh, and dreams of water ran conftantly from the rock : their feet did not fwell, nor their raiment wax old upon their backs : for forty years together, they wanted not God's prefence a- mong them ; and therefore they wanted nothing. His prefence is inftead of all fupplies ; it is health in ficknefs, ilrength in weaknefs, eafe in pain, honour in difgrace, wealth in poverty, and life in death. 8. It imports his higheft communications of himfelf to them for their confolation ; Lev. xxvi. 11, 12. I will fet my tabernacle anwngfl yoii^ and my foul Jhall not abhor you ; and I ivill walk among you^ and will be your Gody and ye Jhall he my people. This is the fum and fubilancc, the fpring- head of all confolation, that the Lord is our God: this gives fatisfaction, infinitely beyond that of all created com- forts : this is the general and univerfal cordial againft all creature difcouragements, "The Lord thy God. Which leads, 2^/v, To conlider the import of the fecond antidote a- gainft fear, "j/z. the nezv-covenant relation God flands in to his people. And, indeed, this nevv^-covenant grant is fo full of God, that it utterly tranfcends all words and thoughts : by it apprehenlion is dazzled, invention afto- nifhed, and expreiiion fwallowed up. It is far eaiier to tell what God is not, than what God is ; and confequently it is far eafier to tell what is not promifed, than w^hat is, when God himfelf is promifed : it is not riches, nor ho- Sovereign Antidotes agalnjl Slavijh Fear. 403 nours, nor pleafurcs, nor friends, nor liberty, nor life, nor the whole world, nor- heaven's endlcfs felicity, nor any created treafure;'but fomething infinitely beyond all thefe : God lumfelf is promifed ; / ajn thy God, The au- thor of all other promifes is the matter of this : this pro- mife contains him, whom heaven and earth cannot con- tain ; who then can open up the import of it ? Who can by fearching find out Godf Only we may venture to fay, it imports in it thefe live things, viz, their interefl; and pro- perty in all that God is ; in all that he has ; 'in all that he is v/ont to do for his people; in all that he has promifed to do for them ; and in all that he can do for them. [i.] The new-covenant relation which God flahds in to his people, imports in it their intereft and property in all that God is, I. Conlidered ejfentially. The Lord is their God in all his attributes and perfections ; and they may lay claim to them all as engaged for their good : for when God fays, / a?n thy God, he, as it were, delivers to them the key of all his attributes ; it is as if he fhould fay, All my effen- tial attributes and perfections are yours. — My eternity is yours; I am the eternal God, and while I A^r, I will be life and blefTednefs to you; Deut. xxxlii. 27. The eternal God is thy refuge. — My itnchancreableriefs is yours, to be an undiftiirbed repofe to your w^earied fouls : the immutabi- lity of my nature, my counfel, and my covenant, fhall be a firm foundation for your faith, and a living fpring for your everlafting confolation. — My omnipotent arm is your fure defence: / am the Almighty GOD, Gen. xvii. i. ; and your enemies fliall as foon enervate omnipotence as ruin you. — ybf faith fulnefs fhall be your fecurity to fulfil all my promifes to you, fo that at the end you fhall acknow- ledge, that not ought of any good thing I have fpoken unto you hath failed, all is come to pafs, — My mercy is yours, to fuc- cour your fouls, and to pardon your fins : " I am the " Father of mercies, and fuch a father I will be to you j E e e 2 404 Sovereign Antidotes agahijl Slavijh Fear, ^' I am the fountain of mercies, and this foimtain iliall be ever open to you ; my mercies are many, and they ihall ' be multiplied towards you; very great, and they fliall be magnified upon you ; very fare, and they fhall be ^' fo to you/* All my vt^ays fliali be mercy and truth. — My wifdom is yours, to give you direction, and advife you for good. It fhall be a light to you when you fit in dark- Befs: it will be your counieiior in flraits ; and your ene- juies confufion. By it I know how to dehver you out of temptation, and to referve the wicked to the day of judgment. — Islj hoUnefs fnall be yours, to fanffiify you ; and becaufe I am holy, ye fhall be holy. I am holy true- ly, coni:a.ntly, and univerfally ; fo will I fprinkle clean lua- ier ivpon you, and your fouls fliall be cleanfed from all your jilthirtefs. — yiy juflice fhall be yours, tojuftify you, to par- don your fins, and to give you the gracious reward of the eternal hiheritance, and to take vengeance on your ene- iiiies ; and while I heap acls of kindnefs in righteoufnefs on you, / vJill fpend mine arrows on your foes, 2. AU tha*" he is perfonally, 1 John v. ;^. There are three that bear record in heaven^ the Father^ the Word^ and the Holy Gho/l ; and all thefe three are theirs, Ifa. liv. 5. For thy Mukers are thine Husband, The only true God, who is Father, Word, and Spirit, is theirs. Of whom, as Father ; in and through whom, as Son ; and by whoui, us Holy Gholl, all things are derived to them : they have a Father, to love them ; a Son, to redeem them ; and a SpiT it, to apply all to their fouls : their fpiritual ftate ftancis upon a fure bottom indeed. The impulfive caufe of it, is the good pleafure of the Father; the meritorious caufe of it, is the humiliation of the Son ;' and the applying caufe, is tlie influences of the Spirit. O vv'hat can they want, who have Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft to be theirs! 2 Cor, xiii. \a. The grace of the Lord Jefus Chrijl^ and the love of God ^ and' the communion of the Holy Ghoft ^ be with you alL Jnisn, Sovereign -Antidotes againjl Slavijlo Fear. 405 3. All that' God is relatively ; I mean, he is theirs in all his relations. When man fmned, God, as it were, faid to him. Henceforth 1 will not be your God, and ye iliall not be my people: I will not be yours, in any relation; Call their name^ Lo-ammi, tJjey are not my people. But now in the fair face of Immanuel, God fays, I will he your God; that is, 1 will ftand in all faving relations to you : fuch as, (i.) He is their Redeemer ; Ifa. xli. 14. I will help thee^ faith the Lord^ and thy Redeemer^ the holy One of IfraeL The eledl, as well as others, are naturally in bondage ; and the caufe of this is fin, and that confidered as a debt, and as a crime. They owed ten thoufand talents to God, as the great creditor: and they had rebelled againft him as the great law-giver ; and for this debt and rebellion, God fhut them up in the prifon of his wrath, from which the for- lorn captives could never have freed themfelves. Man eould ruin, but could not recover himfelf: therefore -Chrift became their Redeemer by price and power. All the gold and filver in the world, and ten thoufand times more, could not redeem one foul out of this Hate of bon- dage and flavery, to fin, Satan, and the wrath of God; therefore to accoinplifh the redemption of the foul, Chrift fhed his precious hbod^ i Pet. i. 18. He likewife redeems them by power, in confequence of redeeming them by price : the blood of Chrift delivers them out of the hands of law and juftice ; which being done, fin's power and Satan's authority fall of courfe, as the prifoner's chains, and the jaylor's authority over him do, when he gets a legal difcharge, Heb. ii. 14. (2.) He is their Shepherd; Pfal. xxiii. i. "the Lord is my fijepherd. Whatever kind offices a fhepherd performs to his flock, that their God does to them : He will feed them with the finej} ofHhe wheat ^ and fi^pply them with honey out of the rock, — As their fhepherd he leads them, by inform- ing them of the way, inclining and exciting them to walk in it, and ftreiithening and confirming them when weary; 40 6 Sovereign Antidotes agairi/i SlaviJJj Fear. and this he does in the moft fweet and gentle manner: He leadeth me by the quiet wafers ; or, as in the margin, the 'ivaters cf quiet nefs. — As their fhepherd he preferves them from all evil; John x. 9. / a?n the door^ by me if any man fb all enter in ^ he Jhallbe faved^ and Jhall go out andin; that is, with fafety, and flmll find faflure. The devil has been way -laying the fheep of Chrift, and attempting to deftroy them up^vards of five thoufand years ; and yet the eye of this fhepherd has been fo watchful, that he was never able to get the leaft lamb of the flock, nor ever fhall : they fliall be all folded in glory, and none of them fliall be lofl j John X. 27, 28. My fieep hear my voice ^ and I know them^ and they follow ?ne : and I give unto them eternal life^ and they fJmll never perij]^, neither fhall any pluck them out of my hand. Their God gathers them from their firfl difper- fic^n on the mountains of profanenefs, or unbelief; John X. 16. And other fheep I have which are not of this fold ; them aJfo I mufl bring in : and from their wanderings after con- veriion ; Pfal. cxix. 176. / have gone aft ray like a lofl fheep ^ fhek thy fervant : and at the day of judgment he will gather them all together, after which they fhall fcatter no more to eternity ; Pfal. 1. 5 . Gather my faints together unto me. Then indeed fhall there be one fold and one fhepherd. (3.) He is their Friend ; Song v. 16. 'This is my friend. Whatever kind offices one friend performs to another, their God performs to them : their God, as a friend, fym- pathizes with them in all their trials; Ifa. Ixiii. 9. In alt their affli6iion he was afflicled: — he fupplies their wants; Phil.iv. 19. iVfy God fiall fupply all your need^ according to his riches and glory ^ by Chrijl Jefus : — as their friend he reveals the counfels and fecrets of his heart to them ; John xv. 15. Henceforth I call ycu not fervant s ; for the fervant knoweth not what his Lord doth: but I have called you friends : for all thi?igs that I have heard of *my Father^ I have made known unto you: — and as a friend he pays them many vifits, both in ordinances^ Pfal. Ixiii. l* To fee thy power and thy glory ^ Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh FeaK '407 fo as I have feen thee in the fanBuary : and in providences / there is no condition fo fad or forlorn, as to eftrange him from them ; nay, he takes thefe opportunities to be moft kind and frequent in his vifits. In trouble of confciencCj he vifits them with loving-kindnefs ; and in darknefs and perplexities, with the light and comfort of his Spirit. (4.) He is their Fhyfician ; Exod. xv. 2 6. / am the Lord that healeth thee. By nature they are lepers from head to foGt^ full of wounds^ bruifes, and putrtfying fores ^ which ren- der them unfit for glorifying God, or enjoying him for ever ; and even after they are born again there are fome remains of the difeafe: but the Lord Jefus is a phyfician to heal them. He is a phyfician for their bodies ; thus in the days of his flefh he opened the eyes of the blind, cleanfed the lepers, healed the fick, and raifed the dead: and he is a phyfician for their fouls ; Pfal. cxlvii. 3. He healeth the broken in hearty aiid hindcth up their zvoitnds. Never was there fuch a phyfician, never fuch a fkilful healer, for there is no difeafe too hard for him ; Pfal. ciii. 3. Blefs the Lord^ 0 ?ny foul^ who healeth all thy difeafes. Never was there one fo generous, for he heals freely ; Ifa. Iv. 5 . He that hath no money let him come. Never was there a phy- fician that healed with fuch eafe : others apply very harlli and difagreeable medicines, but our Lord cures with a word. He fent his ivord and healed them ; or with a look, hence David cries. Look on me^ Lord, and prove merciful to Pie: and none cures fo fuccefsfully, for never one patient died under his care. [2.] It imports an intereft in all that he has : for, in giving himfelf he gives all things ; Rom. viii. ^1, He that fpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how fhall he not with him alfo freely give us all things ? What God has, is infinitely lefs than what he is : if then he him- felf is ours, all that he hath mufi: be ours, fo far as is for his own glory and our good. And, O what hath he, or rather what hath he not to beftow upon us ! Are wc 4^8 Sovereign Antidotes againft Slavi/Jj Fear. dead? he lias life to quicken us: are we difeafed? he has health : are we weak ? he has flrength ; are we in dark* nefs ? he hath light ; yea, he himfelf Ihall be our everlafl- ing light: are we defpifed, and reckoned the ofF-fcourings of the world ? he has honour to advance us : are we poor? he has wealth to enrich us: are we naked -^ he has riorhte- oufnefs to clothe us with: are we polluted with fin? he has holinefs to adorn us with : he has comfort to bear us up in this world, and glory to crown us with in the world to come. He is the grand, the fole proprietor of the u- niverfe ; The earth is the hordes ^ and the fulnefs thereof : heaven is his thrcne^ and earth his footftool : hell his prifon, and heaven his palace : angels are his minifters, and devils his executioners : all things natural and fupernatural, things terreilrial and celeflial ; all things pall, prefent, and to come are his, and fo theirs: i Cor. iii. 21, 22. All things are yours, God can deny them nothing to whom he has not denied himfelf. [3.] It imports an intereft in all that he is wont to do for his people: and he is wont to fupply their wants, Phil. iv. 19. : — to fupprefs their fears, Luke i. 74. 'That we^ be- ing delivered out of the hands of our ene?mes^ might ferve him without fear : — to prevent their dangers ; Gen. xlv. 5. God did fend me ^before you to preferve life': — he is wont to fup- port them under, deliver them from, and make them gain- ers by their ailliclions ; Pfal. xci. :— he is wont to prolong their lives, and fweeten their death ; Pfal. xci. 16. With lwi7 life will I fatisfy him^ and fl^ew hhn my fahation : — yea, he is wont to forgive all their fins ; Jer. xxxi. 33, 34. : — to give them his Spirit; Ezek. xxxvii. 14.:— to call them effeclually; Rom. viii. 30. Whom he did predeftinate^ them he alfo called: — to adopt them freely into his family ; i John Iii. I. Behold what manner of love the Father hath beflowed, upon uSy that wef/jould be called the fons of God! — to fanclify them thoroughly ; i IhcfT. v. 2 3. And the very God of peace fandify you wholly: — to fill them with joj( and peace in be- Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear, 409 lieving: to fied abroad his love in their hearts : — to afTure them, by his Spirit, of the things that are freely given them of God: — to make them more than conquerors over all e- vils and enemies: — to endear himfelf to them by holy and fweet communion ; and at laft, completely to glorify them with himfelf in everlafting habitations. Thefe, and the like things, God is wont to do for his people; and all thefe are yours, if ye be favingly interefted in God himfelf. [4.] It imports an interefl in all that God has fromifed to do : for this promife, of his being their God, is as the fea, to which, like rivers, all the other promifes do flow. I might therefore mention all the promifes of the new co- venant as included in this, but fliall confine myfelf to a few. 1. The promife of the Spirit ; Ezek. xxxvi. 27, 28. / will -put my Spirit within you ; and ye Jhall he my people^ and I will he your God, When God gives himfelf he gives his -Spirit, which is the fpring of all grace and comfort : nor does he give him only in his gifts and graces, but alfo in his perfon ; he is put into their hearts, as the apoftle af- ferts. Gal. iv. 6. God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts ; that is, the Father hath fent the Spirit into our fouls, as the Spirit of his Son, procured by him fpr us, promifed by him to us, proceeding from him, as to his pcrfonal lubfillence, and fent by him as to his office, as a Spirit of adoption and confolation. O wonderful privilege! 2. The promife of /^///j? ; Pfal. xxii. 31. They /J:f all come. Naturally wt are all under the power of unbelief; but in God's promiling to be our God, he promifes that we fhall believe, not with that temporary and feigned faith, which may be found in thofe who perilh, and which no more unites us to Chriil, than a thread or a piece of clay unites a branch to the ftock of a tree; but an unfeigned faith, which knits us to Chrift the head, and makes U3 one with Fff 41 o Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear. ' him; which retains Chrift in the heart: for faith is not only an hand to receive Chrift, but an arm to embrace and hold him fall there ; Eph. iii. 17. That Chnfl may dwell in your hearts by faith. It is that faith which frees the foul from the guiit of fin, by receiving Chrift's righteouf- nefs, the ground of juftiiication ; and which purifies the heart from the pollution of iin, as it receives and improves his grace : that faith which refrefhes the foul with joy and peace ; with peace, in that we are now reconciled to God, by the blood of his Son ; with joy, in that Chrijl is in us the hope of glory : that faith which lies not idle, but works by love ; not llaviihly, but fweetly and chearfully. Gal. v. 6. : that faith which quickens and enlivens the foul ; for faith is the hfe of the Chrilfian, Gal. ii. 20. The life which I now live in the Jlefh^ I live by the faith of the Son of God. The foul i5 the life of the body, faith the life of the foul, and Chrift and the promifes, or Chrift in the promifes, is the life of that faith : it is the faith by which we conquer all our fpiritual foes, by fetching courage and ftrength from Chrift : by it we conquer the flefb within, while it deter- mines and enables us to purify ourfelves, even as God is pure ; and the world without, while it enables the believer to be denied to the world's enfnaring fmiles of profperity, on the one hand ; and to defpife the perplexing frowns of adverfity, on the other. Faith likcwife conquers the de- vil ; I Pet. V. 9. Whom refifl ye fledfafl in the faith. In fliort, it is that faith which Vv^iii put all our foes to flight, and having done all, fhall triumphantly keep the field, and re- ceive the crown. 3. The promife of the infcription of his laws upon their hearts; Jer. xxxi. 33. I zvill put my law in their inward parts ^ and write it in their hearts ; and I will be their God. By nature the law of God is crazed out of the foul, and the law of fin infcribed : but when God promifes to be our God, he promifes to eraze the law of fin, and infcribe his own ; and when this is done the people of God have a Sovereign A?itidotes againjl SlaviJJj Fear, 41 I double law to rule and guide thcin, onewltliin, and another without: and the law within is more viu^orous, and fweetly compulfive than the law without; for it makes a man a law to himfelf. 4. The promife of a heart to know himfelf; Jer. xxiv. 7. And I will give thun an heart to knc^iv nic^ that J am the Lord; and they fl.Hill he 7ny people^ and I zuill be their God* By a heart to know him, we are to underfland, a Ibul fo fanclified, that it Ihall be acquaint with Iiim, not only as the true God, but as their own God in Chrift ; not only as the eternal Bein^: of beinG:s, but alfo as the covenant- making, the covenant-keeping, and promife-performing Jehovah, and that truly and favingly. Such knowledge none can have of him, but fuch as have him for their God. 5. The promife of an heart cf fieJJ) ; Ezek. xi. 19, 20. And I will take away the flony heart out of their JleJJ: ^ and I will give them an heart of flejh ; that they may walk in my flat lit eSy and keep mine ordinances^ and do them; and they fhall be my people^ and I will be their God. The llony heart is an hard, inflexible, and untraclable heart, that will not bow nor yield to any imprellion from the word of God ; and this is the natural temper of the heart of man, but this God will take away. The heart of flcfh is a broken, contrite, flexible, and obedient heart, moved by the Lord diS, lie plcafes ; and fuch a heart the Lord their God will give : fuch a heart is God's facriiice, and he will not de- fpife it; yea, with fuch a heart he will dwell, Ifa. Ixvi. 2. []5 .] It implies in it their interefl: in all that God can do : hence is that expreflion. Gen. xvii. i. I am the Almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfed: which is, as if l\^. had faid, as I am the Almighty ; nothing that I can do for thee, fhall be wanting: and, O what cannot omnipo- tence do? He dot)! great things and unfe arch able ^ marvellous things without number ^ Job v. 9, Thefe are properties pecu- liar to God's works \ he does great things : he is a great God, Fff 2 412 Sovereign Antidotes cigairjl Slavijh Fear, and his works are great works, and unfearchable ; as God in hinifcif is great, and of his greatnefs there is no fearch: io hkev/ife his works. — And they are marvellous ; Pfai. Ixxv. I . 'That thy name is near^ thy Wondrous works declare : • — and without number; God has done fo many wondrous works, that it is impoffible for man to reckon them up. O what wonders has he wrought for his people in all ages? It was he who faved Noah from perifhing in the deluge: it was he who refcued Lot out of Sodom : it was he who paved a way for Ifrael through the depths of the Red-fea, as if it had been dry land : it was he who bade the flinty * rock pour forth water to follow and refrefh the chofen tribes, all the way in their travels tin ough the parched wil- dernefs: it was he who fufpended the fury of the devour- ing flames, flopped the fun's career, and made the ftars in their courfes to fio^ht asrainfl Sifera. What the mi2:ht of Omipotence is, we know not, we cannot underfland ; only we may fliy, he can do all things he has a mind to do ; Job xxiii. 13. He is in one 7ni?id^ and who can turn himf £ind what his foul dtfireth even that he doth: yea,, he can do all thing; not inccnfiftent with his nature and perfec- tions: accordin:^ to this rule he cannot die, becaufe he is life; he cannot deceive, becaufe he is the truth: but o- therwife notliing is beyond his power. And all he hath \ done as yet, is nothing to v^'hat he can do; for he hath Bever exerted anvof his attributes to the hi^hefl: he ne- ver hath exerted his power fo high but he is able to exert it much farther; he hath never exerted mercy in pardon- ing fo far, bat he may exert it farther: a greater fmner than ever yet was pardoned, m.ay be pardoned ; a greater enemey then ever Vv^as overcome, may be overcome. He 1 can do more than we can afk or think; and all is ours, if God be ours. I go on now, III. To the Third general Head, viz. To illuilrate the %'lrtue of thefe antidotes a,2:ainft fear. And as we viewed Sovereign Antidotes againjl SlaviJI? Fear. 413 the two antidotes in the text feparately, fo we ihall con- fider their refpcclive virtues diftinclly by themfelves. ly?, God's prefcnce with his people is a noble antidote ' againil fear, on th^ following, among other accounts. 1. His being prefent with them he obferves and lays to heaA all their trials ; being fo, he*cannot but know their alHicled cafe. He was in the midfl; of the bufh burning with lire ; and therefore he perfectly knew the force of that fire, and how feverely the bufh fmarted in it: hence he fpoke in fuch a fympathizing ftrain ; / have feen^ I have feen the affliBion of my people which are in Egypt ^ and have heard their cry, by reafon of their tafk-mafters ; for I know their forrows : and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians^ Exod. iii. 7, 8. He knows their for- rows, and pities them ; he pities them, and delivers them: he obferves, and lays to heart every ftripe they bear, and every groan their afflictions draw forth, and every tear they filed ; not one of all thefe fliall be neglecled or for- gotten, by their God being always prefent with them. Now, as to be neglecled or unpitied in mifery, is a great aggravation of it ; fo to be pitied and commiferated un- der diilrefs, tends much to alleviate it. 2. Being prefent wdth them he will uphold them under all the fearful things they may meet with, and keep them from being overcome, or overthrown thereby: fo that though they be troubled on every fide, yet they are not di- fl^^effed ; though perplexed, yet not in defpair ; though perfecut- ed, yet not forfaken ; though caft down, yet not deftroyed: and hence it follows the words of our text, / will uphold thee with the right' hand of 7ny right eoufnef , And to the fame purpofe fays David, Pfal. xli. 12. As for me thou upholdefl vie in mine integrity, and fettefl me before thy face for ever : but how was this evinced ? he informs, ver. 11. By this I know that thou favoured]} me, hecaufe mine enemy does net triumph over me. He had to do with perfecuting adver-. faries^ who were rejoicing to hear of bis diflrefs, who had 414 Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavjjlj Fear. their fccrct cabals, and clofs counfels to do him mifghief ; and with thcni even his familiar friend confpircd : but God did not forfake hiiii, but upheld him in his integrity ^ and Jet him before his face continually^ that he might fee none fhould harm him : and thus he was made to Hand againft all their defigns. At another time when he was forced to flee for his life to the wildernefs of Judca, from Saul, 1 Sam. xxii. 5. he found the fame effecl of the divine pre- fence, Pfal. Ixiii. 8. 'Thy right-hand upholdeth jue : and by this the people of God are made to endure the llorm, ^vith much patience and fortitude. The primitive Chriftians experienced this, when, with fuch admirable patience, they endured, the moft exquilite torments their perfecu- tors could invent. And the hiftory of the perfecutions in our own land confirm this, that when no man Itood by them, the Lord flood with them and flrengthened them. Without God's fupporting prefence, the trials of the Lord's people would break their backs ; but how eailly can we endure the worft that men and devils can do, if we have this! 3. God*s being prefent preferves from defirutlion, Pfal. cxxiv. I, 2, 3. If it had not been the Lord 'ujho was en our fide^ IV hen men rofe up againft us^ then they had fw allowed us up quick. It was God's prefence in the burning bufli that kept it from being confumed. It was God's prefence v.'ith the three children in the iier^'-fumace that preferved them from being burnt to death by the mercilefs flames ; yea, from the fmell of the fire on their garments: for there was a fourth with ihem like the Son of God. It was God's prefence with Daniel in the den among hungry lions, that fhut their mouths, that they did not tear him to pieces. When God is with us we are in fafety ; and if he do not help, no creature can : if he do, no creature can hurt us ; Pfal. iv. 8. / will both lay me down in peace and fleep ; for thou Lord only ma kef me to dwell in fafety, 4* His being prefent with them avenges them of their Sovereign Antidotes ^gainjl Slavijh Fear. 41^ enemies, who are inftrumental in aiflicling them, or in ao-o-ravating their afflidions. 1 hus his pretence with Urael laved them in the midft of the fea, and drowned their enemies the Egyptians. God looked through the pillar of fire and of the cloud to the hoft of the Egyptians, and troubled them, fo that they were confounded, and faid, Lft us flee from the face of Ifrael^ for the Lord fighteth for them. God's prefence with the three Jews call into the ficry-furnace, which preferved them, caufed the flame to confume the men who bound them, and threw them into the fire, Dan. iii. 2 2. 5. God's being prefent with them feafonahly delivers them out of all their troubles ; Jer. xlvi. 27, 28. But fear not tboUy 0 my fervant Jacob ; and be not difmayed^ 0 Ifrael ; for behold I will fave thee from afar off^ and thy feed from the land of their captivity : and Jacob fJ: all return^ and he in refl^ and at eafe^ and none Jhall make him afraid. Fear thou not^ 0 Jacobs my fervant ; for I am with thee: for I will make a full end of all the nations^ whither I have driven thee ; but 1 will not make a full end of thee^ but correct thee in meafure ; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunifl)ed. It is faid of Zion, Pfal. xlvi. 5. God is in the mid/I cf her: AVhat then ? what will become of her when ihe falls into trouble ? God will help her, and that right early. Deliverance is a native ^^Qci of God's prefence with his people in the time of trouble ; thus when God had declared his prefence in the burning bufh, that is, in the afili6ted church, he adds, / am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egypti- ans. He was with Jofeph in prifon, and in irons, to de- liver him from them, and make him ruler of the land of Egypt. And thus God's promife runs to every true be- liever, that makes the almighty his refuge, and the moft high his habitation ; / will be with him in trouble to deliver him. If Chrift be in the Ihip during a ftorm, the difciples need not doubt of their fafe arrival on the fhore. 6. His prefence changes the very riaturs of their trials. 41 6 Sovereign Antidotes cgainjl Slavi/I: Feai\ Thus he promifes to his afflicted Jacob, firfl his prefence> and then the changing of their affliclions ; Ifa. xliii. 2- When thou paffefl through the waters I will he with thee^ &c. His prefence with Daniel in the lion's den changed the de- vouring lions into harmlefs lambs : the lions were intend- ed to be his executioners, and the den his 2"rave : but the den became his fafe retreat, and the lions his quiet and peaceable companions. His prefence made a martyr as he was at the flake in the midft of the flaming fire, cry out, " O ye Papills, ye look for miracles, and here now " ye may fee a miracle ; for in this fire I feel no more pain *' than if I were on a bed of downs : but it is to me a bed " of rofes." By the influences of his prefence their fuf- ferings are 10 changed, that they are as no fufferings ; la- ther fhadows of them than realities : — as it were reproach, yet glory and honour : — as it were imprifonment, and yet enlargement: — as it were pain, and yet eafe. After this manner, Paul declares his own and other minifler's ex- perience, 2 Cor. vi. 8, 9. As deceivers^ and yet true ; as un- kncwHy and yet well known ; as dyings a?id yet behold we live ; as chaflened^ and not killed ; as forrowful^ yet alway rejoicing ; as fcor, yet making many rich ^ as having nothings mid yet fojfejjln^ all thi?igs. 7. God's prefence is conjlant and abiding. His people, indeed, under long and heavy afiliclions, may fometimes think and complain, that the Lord hath forfaken and for- gotten them, and caft them out from his love and power, as the Jews did in the Babylonifh captivity ; Ifa. xlix. 14. Zion faidj The Lord hath forfaken me^ and my Lard hath for- gotten me. And when they are under a thick and black cloud of diflrefs, how hard a thing is it often to .behold any beam of the light of God's countenance? But not- withilanding all thefe fad apprehenfions, he will not for- get nor forfake, nor alienate his love from them in afilic- tion; Ifa. xli. 17. When the poor and needy feek water and there is -none ^ and their tongue faiktb for thirfl^ I. the Lord Sovereign Anti.htes againjl Slavl/h Fear. 4 1 7 nvill hear them^ I the God of Ifrael ivill not forfake them. And when Zion faid, ^he Lord hath for faken me, what fays the Lord ? Can a iconian forget her fucking child^ that fJje f]?vuld not have compajfion on the fon of her wombf Tea^ they 3nay forget ] yet will I not forget thee, A mother may be fo unnatural as to forget her child, her fucking child, her man child; but God will not forget his aillicled people: for a conilant memorial of them, He hath graven thera up' on the palms of his hands ^ and their walls ^ that is, either their ruined walls, or their intended walls, in the idea and model of them, are continually before him ; ftili in his thoughts how they fhall be raifed. How iliould the con- fideration of this hold up their heads and hearts in the deepeft diftreiles! Whoever forget, or forfake them, and withdraw affection from them in diilrefs, their God (hall never do any of thefe ; and therefore in the worft they can meet with, they are fafe. idly^ Let us now confider a little the virtue of the fe- cond antidote againfl; fear, / am thy God: thou haft a pro- perty in me, and I am thine. Now, if we would know what property in general is, the apoftle will tell U3, Acls V. 4. fpeaking of the land which was fold by Ananias and Sapphira : Whiles it remained^ was it not thine own? and after it was fold^ %vas it not in thine own power? So then^ for a man to have a thino: for his own, is to have it in his OW41 power, to do with it as he thinks bell. Lhus, for example, fuppofe a man had money in his pocket, and wants bread, he has this money in Iiis own power, to dif- pofe of it for the fupply of his wants : fo God's being our own God, imports, that as far as God v/ill go for a man's ufe, and for the fupply of all his neceiiities, fo far he is engaged to give forth himfelf for that perfon's good. If a man be in debt, and hath an eilate of his own, he may make ufe of it to the beft advantaorc, to free him from his debt: juft fo, as far as God can reach with his all-fuliici- cncy, the believer may draw upon him for whatever he 41 8 Sovereign Antidotes againji Slavijh Fear. needs; for his right m God, is jaft as good, as his right to his money or land. Now, let us confider what a pro- perty and treafure God is, and it will appear that fach as are poflefled of it need fear nothing. 1 . Let us confider the excellency of this treafure. Men may be pofTefTed of many things, which yet may be lictle worth : there is a great difference betwixt the poffeiling a heap of duft, and a heap of diamonds ; he that hath the one may be a becr2:ar, and the other, having: the fame quantity, is the richelt man in the world : fo, they who have God for their God, are the richeft perfons in the two worlds of heaven and earth, bv reafon of the excellencies that are in him. Some men have only a few acres of land; but thefe few acres, becaufe of the richnefs of the foil and lituation, are better than thoufands of others in a defart: well, juft fo here, fo rich is God, and every thing in him, that if I may be allowed the exprellion, the fmalleft mea- fure of property in him, is worth the largeft of the moft valuable thing in the world. All things that are given us to enjoy, are but beams from this fun: if therefore, there is fo much g^lorv in the beams, what is there in the body of the fun himfeif. David, when he confidered the countenance of the Lord, and the fuperlative excellencies that are therein, breaks out in admiration thereof, Pfal.iv. 6. While others look for, and defire after corn, wine, and oil, he looks for God's gracious countenance ; and hav- ing it, he lies down and iieeps as one fully fatiated. Silver and gold are not to be compared with the excellency which 15 in God, who is the believer's portion. The apoftle Peter, comparing thefe with the blood of Chrift, fays, they are but corruptible things : in comparifon thereof how much more is God himfeif, which the blood of Chrift brings us to I 2. Confider the virtue of this treafure. Having God, many things in the world are of worth, which are but very infignificant in themfelves. Many things are worth a Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavi/Ij Fear. 419 vaft fum of money in value, wliich, when they come to be ufed, are but very unprofitable; they cannot cure the fick, nor warm the cold, nor flrengthen the weak, nor refrefli the weary: fuch are ^\\vqv and p;old ; thefe can never af- ford nourifliment to a perfon, becaufe they have none in them. A little bread in time of famine, and water when one is thirfty, are of more ufe than all the gold in the Indies. Bat our Lord is not more precious in himfelf, than he is full of virtue to thefe whofe God he is ; he is meat to the hungry, drink to the thirfty, raiment to the naked, health to the difeafed, &c. They who have this treafure may j*uftly fay with Paul, As hav'nig nothuig^ yet fojjejjtng all things. 3. Coniider the quantity of this treafure, which cannot be comprehended. In one God is every thing: he is a bundle of all perfecl-ions. All the difperfed excellencies in the world meet in him ; therefore, w hen he fays, / a?n thy God, he fays as much as can be faid. God can fill the vaft deftres of his immortal foul up to the brim : he hath enough for himfelf; and muft therefore have enough for us. The water which fills the fea, will much more fill a cup: My people Jh all be fafisjied with ?ny goodnefs, faith the Lord^ Jer. xxxi. 14. God is an infinltcnefs, a vaftnefs, far above your capacity. Believers, be yc as empty as the creature can be, ye arc but as a fmall cup to be filled with the waters of the whole ocean. I'he Lord is fo full, that much of this fulnefs flows out by a iiood-gatc, becaufe there is more than will run throuerh your narrow pfDes : but ftill there is as much as will keep it in perpetual mo- tion.— Are ye fick ? God has health in him : — are ye poor ? he has wealth in him : — are ye difconfolate ? he is the God of all confolation : — are ye fools ? his wifdom is infinite : — are ye weak? he is omnipotent : — are ye darknefs? he is light: — are ye enmity? he is love. There is no in- firmity about you, but for it there is a fovercign remedy with him. Ggg 2 ■1 420 Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijfj Fear. 'H 4. Confider the fuitablenefs of this treafure. O how fa'table a treailire is God, to thoie who have him to be theirs I He is a fpiritual good, and fo fuitable to their im- material fouls : drofiy and earthly comforts fuit not a Spirit, your ioul is no litter to have gold put into it, than are thy bags to have grace put into them. — He is a living God: the creature is a dtA<\, lumpiih, and inactive thing, and helps not ix\ the evil day, but like Abfolom's mule, it goes from under us, and leaves us in our diftrefTes ; but God relieves the foul, and affords ftreno^thenino^ confola- tions. — He is a frefent help in the time of trouble, and either preferves hom, or fufiains under adverlity. O how fuitable is this treafure to all their faculties ! God is the light of his people's underftandings, without whom all their lip;ht would be but darknefs. God is the tranquillity of their confciences, without whom ail the peace thereof is but carnal fecurity. God is the fv/eet treafure laid up in their memories, without whom all the impreffions there- on were nothing but vanity. God is the rule of their wills, without whom all the uprightnefs therein is but crooked. God is the crown of their defires, without whom nothing in heaven or earth is defirable.' God is the loadiione of their .love, without Vv-hom nothing is ami- able. 5. Coniider tiie imfnlxednefs Oy this treafure. God is an unniixed good, and hath nothing in him but goodnefs. He is an ocean of fweetnefs, without one drop of gall: he is beaiity v\-ithout any deformity : He is altogether lovely, There is nothing in him the foul could fpare^ or wilh were abfent. Every creature is a bitter-fweet, and fo poor a pomfort, that its bitternefs is neceffary to the very being of its iWeecnefs ; for had it not a bitternefs, its fweetnefs would be loathfome: but though God be altogether de- lightful, yet he never clogs; but the more he is enjoyed, the more he pleafes the poiTeiTor, Pfal. xxxvi. 8. d. Confider the dimity and highnefs of this treafure : for « Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavi/Io Fear. 421 lie is the mod high God ; the fuprcnic good : indeed, the only good, from whofe goodnels every good thing flows. It was mucli that God laid to Abraham, Fear not^ I am thy Jh'ield^ and thy reiuard ; thy great ^ thy exceeding great re- ward: it was more that he faid to David concerning his feed, / ivUl he to him a Father^ and he JhaJl be to me a Son: but it is mod of all that God faith in the text, / will be their God. God is higher than heaven and earth ; than grace and glory ; than things prefent and to come ; than men, angels, or fcraphims: and therefore when he makes over himfelf, he makes over the higheft good. The whole covenant of grace is like a rich ring of gold, or chain of pearls : but this promife is the largeft diamond in the ring, and the moft precious pearl in the chain ; it is the very crown and top excellency in all the promifes. 7. Confider \.\\t fiveetnefs of this property. It gives us right to and property in the fweetefl: good. God is light, without obfcurity: how fweet is fuch light to the mind! God is life, without mortality; how fweet is fuch life to the foul I God is peace, without perplexity ; how fweet is fuch peace to the confcience! God is love, without mu- tability ; how fweet is fuch love to the heart ! Yea, God is all fweetnefs ; and whatever fweetnefs is among the creatures, it originally flows from this uncreated fweet- nefs of God. O then, how incomparably fweet is it to have property in this God ; to have this God for our God for ever ! This property is an antidote againft all gall and bitternefs: bavins; God to be ours, the bitternefs of wrath is paft J for God is theirs to love them : the bitternefs of fin is pail ; for God is theirs to juilify them perfectly, and fanclify them wholly : the bitternefs of death is paft ; for God is theirs to arm them againft death, to pluck out the fting of death, and at laft totally to redeem thern from the ftate of death, and from all poffibility of dying any more. O how infinitely fweet is that God that thus fweetens all our bitternefs ! how fweet that promife that makes God" our own! 4^2 Sovereign Antidotes agalnjl Slavifh Fear. 8. Conlider thtfurenefs of this property. There is no conflancy in other treafures ; and hence they are called uncertain riches. We are not certain that we fhall keep them while we live ; for riches make themf elves wings and flee aivay : but we are certain, if they do not leave us we fliall leave them ; we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we ihall carry nothing out of it. As brooks in winter are carried with violence, and run in a mighty llream, flowing over with abundance of water on every fide, when there is no need of water ; but in the heat of fummer are dried up when water is fcanty and rare to be had y fuch is the friendihip of the world : it will promife us many things, when v/e have need of nothing: but when affli6lion overtakes us, it is like a ditch in fummer 'without any water to refrefh: and thofe who derive all their happinefs from it become like trees withered for want of fap. But this treafure is fure ; all the promifes of the covenant being yea^ and amen ; the fure mercies of David. The covenant of grace, which contains all the ftock of the people of God, is liable, indfure in all things : and if fo, how fure is this with which God is wont to clofe up all his other promifes ; Lev. xx, 24. But I have f aid unto you^ ye Jhall inherit their land^ and I will give it unto you to pof fefs it ; a land that floweth with milk and honey : I am the Lard your God^ which have feparated you from other people. This laft claufe he adds as a ftrong bond, or firm feal to his other promifes, and no wonder ; for if God will per- form this greateft of bleflings, he will never deny or with- hold any inferior one. If he gives that which implies all good, which is the fountain of all good, furely he can count no good thing too dear for us: he that fpares not to give himfelf, How fhall he not freely give us all things f 9. Confider the perpetuity of this treafure. God is a never-failing good ; / will never leave thee^ nor for fake thee. A fountain which the hottefl fummer never dries ; a trea- fure never emptied ^ one whofe perfections never leave Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear. 423 himfelf ; and one who never leaves any that truly enjoy- ed him: and hence the Pfalmift fings, Whenfiejh and heart faileth^ God is the Jlrength of viy heart and my fortion for e- ver^ Pfal. Ixxiii. 26. All other bleffings have theu' ebb- in gs and Sowings ; their youth and age; growth and death; their coming and going: but God, the property of his people, is always the fame, without the leaft variablenefs or ihadow of turning ; and being from everlafting to ever- lafting God, he is to everlafting his people's God. Many one out-lives their treafure, but this treafure will out-lall: the faint, though he were to fee the age of a Methufalah twice told : for he is his people's God, when dead ; as he was the God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, after they were gone. He will be his people's guide even unto death, and their God for ever and ever. What then fliould the people of God fear ? Of whom fliould they be afraid, who have fuch company, and who have him for their God ? Is not every caufe of fear hereby entirely removed, and the moft encouraging motive ad- miniftred ? Though they walk in the midft of trouble ; though they ftand in the field of battle, againft the com- bined armies of earth and hell, and the body of fin and death within them ; though they travel through dangers and difficulties on every fide ; yet they are abfolutely fafe: they are more than match for their enemies ; they are fure of complete victory at laft ; and as fure of a crown of rightcoufnefs, and a place before the heavenly throne when they are brought out of thefe great tribulations. — You cannot defire better company for cheering your hearts, for keeping you fafely, and leading you through life. You may fall feven times a day ; but you fliall never fall into mifchief and condemnation. Your troubles, it is true, may be great ; your enemies we know are numerous and formidable, and apt to make you cry out, IVe are not able to go out againjl fuch a great hojl as this. But be not diC- couraged, there are more with you than againft you : and 424 Sovereign Antidotes agalnjl Slavljlj Fear. you may be as fure of viclory oyer them, as if you were' already on the throne with pahns in your hands ; for you have all the llrength and fafety that God can afibrd : Fear not^ for I am with thee ; be not difmayed^ I am thy God, The Lord is thy keeper ; the Lord is thy Jhade upon thy right- hand: the fun fhall not finite thee by day ; Jior the moon by night. The Lord fij all preferve thee from all evil i he fhall preferve thy foul. The Lord fhall preferve thy going out^ and thy coming in, from this time forth, and for ever7nore. IV. I propofed to make fome practical improvement of this fubjecl ; and this may be eflayed in feveral ufes. i/?, By way of information, in the following particu- lars. 1. Hence fee the admirable bounty of our Lord to his people, in vouchfafing them his gracious and favourable prefence ; and what is more, making over himfelf to them as their property ; Fear not, I am thy God, What is it that is made over to them \ It is God himfelf. If heaven and earth, and all the created treafures and fulnefs of both had been promifed, all had been nothing to this : for what are the creatures to the Creator; the finite w^orld to the infinite God? Such is our Lord's bounty that he thinks not his creatures enough for his covenant-people ; above them, there is fome further happinefs to be defired, there- fore he beftows himfelf, that they may have enough ; for ' beyond him nothing can be defired. He will be their pro- tection, their portion, their honour, their delight, their .life, their liberty, their father, their friend, their head, their hufband : he will be all thefe to them ; yea, he will be infinitely more: he will be their God. Oh! it cannot be exprefled, it cannot be conceived! therefore it fhould be admired. Was ever bounty like this bounty, or mercy like this mercy ! 2. Here learn th.t fulnefs of the new covenant. Why? It has God in it j it hath God's all in it, and our all in it : Sovereign Antidotes againjl SlaviJJo Pear. ^1$ Fear not, I am with thee. O how rich a covenant is this! What is there in the whole world prefent, or to come, of temporals, fpirituals, and eternals, that come not within the verge of this new-covenant grant, / a?n thy Godf What fulnefs is there not in God? glory, majefty, life, love, grace, mercy, goodnefs, fweetnefs, beauty, blelTed- nefs, purity, righteoufnefs, and peace ; yea, all that is defirable is in God: he made all things, he hath all things, and he is all things to his people. AVhat fulnefs can they defire that is not here? What can they deiire that God cannot fatiate ? 3. Here fee, that it is ^ifalfe way of valuing one's felf or others by any worldly enjoyments. Gains or lofTes are to be eftimated by the enjoyment of more or lefs of God. The titles of fubftance, profit, and goods are abufively given to riches-; for without an intereft in God they are but fhadows, lolTes, and evils : they, like the fieve in the water, are only full, when enjoyed in God ; empty, when without him. ' 4. Hence fee the digiiity, riches, and happiiiefs of God's people. (i .) Their dignity, in that they have God to be their God, and prefent with them. By nature, they were without God, and without ChrilT:, as well as others; and had not obtained mercv more than others : but God has taken them into a covenant-relation to himfelf, Vv-hiie others re- main ftrangers to the covenant of promife : he has diftin- guiilied them from all others, as fliecp from goats ; as the people of God, from thefe that are not a people ; as thefc. that have obtained mercy, from thefe that have not ob- tained mercy : and herein he hath highly honoured and exalted them ; hath dignified them above all the crowned heads on earth ; hath fet them on his right-hand of grace, and will fet them on his right-hand of gloiy : Thus Jhall tt he done to the man whom the kind delig-hteth to honour. Oh ! H hh 426 Sovereign Antidotes againft Slavijh Fear. let them not debafe themfelves by any courfe or carriage unworthy of God, feeing he has honoured them with himfelf. (2.) Their riches : they have God to be their God, and how much that includes none can tell. I remember A- braham's fervant, going to feek a wife for his mailer's fon, fald, The Lord hath blejfed my tnajler greatly^ and be is becojne great ^ and he hath given him flocks and herds ^ andfilver and goldy and man-fervants and maid-fervants^ and camels and ajjes. He related much of Abraham's wealth ; but the one half was not told: he mentioned not the riches of his riches, that God had given himfelf to Abraham as his re- ward, his great reward. Had Abraham wanted this, he would have been a poor man notwithflanding all his other riches ; but having this, he was eminently rich, tho' he had wanted all other things which the world calls riches. O the riches of the believer ! (3.) Their happinefs : they have God with them and to be theirs. God is the fupreme happinefs and centre of felicity, and all confluence of worldly enjoyments cannot render us fo happy as the enjoyment of one God ; Pfal. cxliv. 15. Happy is the people that is in fuch a cafe ; that is; flouriihing with all worldly peace and profperity : but, by way of corre^lion, it is added ; Tea^ happy is that peo^ pie wbofe God is the Lord. Some take thefe words in con- junclion with the preceding, as declaring their happinefs for whom the Lord their God fo profperouily provides, efpecially to whom he gives himfelf as their portion ; but others view them as disjoined from the preceding vaTes: as if he had faid, thus ftrange children and vain fpeakers- have called the people happy that are in fuch a cafe ; but I, and all the children of God, differ from them, for we think them the only happy people whofe God is the Lord. This being the cafe, 5, V\^e may fee how the Lord's people fhould underva- Ijie and defpife all earthly poffeflions j and how light they Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slai/i/Jj Fear. 427 are in their account: why? becaufe they have God him- felf to be thieirs. When Abraham returned from the ilaughter of the kings, having recovered both the perfons and goods of the Sodomites, vi^hich had been carried away by them, the king of Sodom fays to him. Give me the per^ fons^ and take the goods to thyfelf. What was Abraham's reply ? And Abraham /aid to the king of Sodom^ I have lift up my hand to the Lord^ the mofl high Gody poffeffor of heaven and eurth^ that I will not take^ from a thread even to a fhoe latchet ; and that I will not take any thing that is thine ^ lefl thou fJoouldfl fay ^ I have made Abraham rich. How gallant- ly and magnanimoufly did he rcfufe and defpife the reward of the king of Sodom ? He difdained to be made rich by the king of Sodom, who was made rich by the King of heaven: what cares he for fpoil and plunder who had God to be his reward. It is no hard thing for him that abounds with gold and filver, to defpife drofs ; for him that abounds in pearls, to trample upon peebles, and the ftones of the ftreet. 6. Here fee good reafon why the believer fliould be co7i' tent with his own lot, and not envv the men of the wond. 'Why ? becaufe he has God for his God ; and may he not be content in every ftate, as the apoftle? / have learned in every flat e therewith to be content, God brought Paul into as great a variety of conditions as many, and yet he was content; 2 Cor. iv. 8. We are troubled on every fide ; there was the ladnefs of his condition: yet not diftreffed ; there is his contentment in that cafe: we are perplexed ; there is fadnefs : but not in defpair ; there is his content- ment. 2 Cor. vi. 4. In afflidions^ in necefjtties^ in diflreffcs^ in ftripes^ in imprifonments^ in tumults^ &c.: a melancholy cafe; but behold his contentment, ver. 10. As having no- things yet poffeffing all things. Well may the Lord's peo- ple be content, whatever be their circumftances, for God has given them himfelf, and in him are unfearchable riches; As Seneca faid to his acquaintance, fo may wx fay to the Hhh 2 428 Sovereign Antidotes againji Slavijh Fear. people of God, " Never complain, faid he, of thy hard ^^ fortune as long as reafon is thy friend:*' fo never conif plain, believer, fo long as God is your friend, and that is for ever ; for he hath faid, / will never leave thee nor for- fake thee, There is a friend that fticketh clofer than a brother ; and fuch a friend is God. The linner that is contented with any thing fhort of God, is too eafiiy fatisfied : the linner that is not fatisfied with God, though he hath no- thing elfe, is too ill to pleafe ; for God is ail things. On the other hand, while they have God to be their God, xs^hatever rblefUngs or mercies the wicked are pofTelTed of, they want this mercy of mercies, without which all other mercies are not mercies. What can they fay of their en- joyments, but ye may fay much m.ore ? they may fay they have many things ; but ye can fay ye have the one thing needful : they may perhaps fay we have enough ; but ye can fay we have alL V7hen one of the emperors, in his chal- lenge to- the king of France, commanded his herald to procla'm hirn with all his titles of honour, viz, emperor cf Gerfnany, king of Caftile, Arragon, Naples, and Sici- ly, 'ith theme It is fruitlefs and yain to cyrfe theai whprn Sover£ign Antidotes againji Slavifl:) Fear. 429 God will blefs, and to oppofe them whom God helps. Balaam could teach them this. Numb, xxiii. 8. How Jh all I curfe whom God hath not curfedf or ho%v JJmll J defy whom the Lord hath not defied? It is not only fruitlefs, but ruin- ous ; for they that fet themfelves againft his people, fet themfclves againft God, Ifa. xxxvii. 23, 24. Whom haft thou reproached and blafphe?nedf and againft whom haft thou e^taltedthy 'voice ^ and lifted up thine eyes on high? even againft the holy One of IfraeL Men do not know, nor coniider who is their party, and with whom they have to do, who breathe out nothing but threatenings and deftruSion againft the lervants and people of the Lord. Are you a match for God ? he is their fecond, and engages againft you ; and he can foon tread out thefe as a fmokingflax, and with the wind of his difpleafure fcatter the duft that flies in the face of his people. The aflbciations of men are but a pre- paration to their own ruin; Ifa. viii. 9, 10. Affociate your- f elves together^ 0 ye people^ and ye fhall he broken in pieces ; and give ear ^ all ye of far countries ; gird yourf elves ^ and ye ftmll be broken in pieces ; gird your f elves ^ and ye fhall be bro- ken in pieces : take counfel together^ and it ftoall come to nought ; fpeak the word-, and it fJmll not ft and : for God is with us, 2dlyy This doctrine may be improven in an ufe of re- proof to the following forts of perfons, I. To all fuch as fcek after fomething elfe than God as * their portion ; laying out the ftrength of their endeavours upon the creature, upon fomething befides the chief good : Ifa. Iv. 2. Wherefore de ye fpend your money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which fatisfieth not? Suppofe you get all you want, ye get nothing if you get not God in Chrift: Prov. xxiii. 5. Wilt thou fet thine eyes upon that which is not? Our Lord is all, and the creatures nothing without him ; and yet how many mind the world, and neglecl him ! To fuch belongs that awful warning. Behold all ye that kindle a fire^ that compafs yourfelves about with fparks ; ipalk in the light of your ftre^ and in the f parks 43^ Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear* that ye have kindled: this Jhall ye have of mine hand^ ye Jhall lie down in for row ^ Ifa. 1. ii. 2. To all fuch as feek fomething more than God. Our Lord is a fufficient portion ; he who has him needs no more : he who has the fountain needs not the ciliern ; he who has the fun needs not the candle : and yet, alas ! there are not a few, who think they hav€ not full bleifed- nefs in a God in Chrift : God alone, without other things, cannot content them; Gen. 30. i. Give me children^ or eJfe I die. This evil under the fun hath reached even fome of them who have been within the covenant of grace. Gen. XV. 1,2. After thefe things the word of the Lord came unto Ahram in a vifion^ faying^ Fear not Abram ; I am thy fhield^ and thy exceeding great reward. And Ahram faid^ Lord God^ what wilt thou give me, feeing I go childlefs, and the flew ard of my houfe is this Eliezer of Da?nafcus f To fuch belongs that warning, Jer. xlv. 5. And feekefl thou great things for thyfelff feek them 720t : for behold I will bring evil upon all fiefh, faith the Lord ; hut thy life will I give unto thee for a prey, in all places whither thou goejl, 3. It ferves to reprove all fuch as feek fomething lefs than God, which is to flight his kindnefs in giving him- felf. Sirs, there are many of the world whom life and falvation without God would content. A created heaven \\athout God would anfwer their defires after happinefs ; Matth. xix. 16. And, behold, one came and f aid to him. Good majler ; what good thing fJ:i all I do, that I may have eternal life^ Something of this alfo may overtake the people whofe God is the Lord, under their diltempered fits : Mark ix. 5, 6. And Feter anfwer ed and f aid to Jefus, Mafler, it is good for us to be here ; and let us make three tabernacles, &c. For he wifl not what to fay, for they were fore afraid. Such ihould remember Peter*s words at another time, John vi. 6 8 . T^hen Simon Feter anfwer ed and faid. Lord, to whom fhall we go f thou hafl the words of eternal life ; which im- ports, that a created heaven would not fignify, if God Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear. 431 and Chrift' were not there : and alfo what David fays, Pfal. Ixxiii. 2 5. Whom have I in heaven but thecf and there is none upon the earth that I defire hefides thee, David had his crown and his throne to dehght in ; but it was God in Chrift he chiefly thirfted after. Without God, all his other com- forts were not only emptinefs, but bitternefs: there is none in all the earth ; yea, there is none in heaven ; none to feek to, to truft in, to court or covet acquaintance with. 4. This do(flrine ferves to reprove all thefe who content themfelves with th^vc .carnal Jl ate and condition. Why? It is a Chriltlefs and Godlefs one : all who think them- felves naturally happy enough, in a ftate good enough, and are not feeking after fupernatural happinefs, by effec- tual calling, converiion, juftification, and a new-covenant intereft in God as their God. Such are not as yet fenfible of their natural mifery, therefore they negleci: their fuper- natural remedy. They fee not themfelves loft and undone in the firft Adam, by the breach of the covenant of works; and how ftiould they feek relief in the laft Adam, by tak- ing hold of the covenant of grace : fuch defpife God and Chrift, and the myftery of falvation through him ; John V. 40. And ye will not come te me that ye may have life. Such think they are well enough without him. " God is a ' " merciful God, fay they ; we have lived and ferved him ever fince we were born ; we have good hearts to God, and hope to come to heaven as foon as the beft." O dreadful delufion! How can you be content, and yet WTetchedly poor, blind, miferable, and naked ; having not a fmall morfel of food for your ftarving fouls, nor a garment to cover them ? How can you be concent, when you are lying under the curfe of a broken covenant, pro- nouncing eternal death to be your doom ? Can any be un- der a ftronger delufion, and more fadly infatuate 1 when you have God making over himfelf to you as your God, and yet you are content in your natural ftate! But know. He that made you^ ivill not have mercy on you ; and he that formed you^ willjhew no favour:, to any in this ftate.. 432 Sovereign Antidotes again/1 Slavijh Fear, 5 * This reproves fuch of the people of God, as conclude God is not their God, and prefent with them, becaufe of the fearful things with which they are tryfted. Many of them when prefled either with perfonal, or public trials, cry out as Gideon, when faluted by the angel, thus ; The Lord is with thee^ thou mighty man of valour. Oh, my Lord! if the Lord he with us, why then has all this befallen us f Why am I fo weak, fays one, both in doing good and oppoiing evil, if the Lord be with his people to alliil them ? Why am I fo much mifled, and carried out of the way, fays another ? why am I fo much in the dark con- cerning what is fin and duty, if the Lord be with his people, to lead and inftruct them ? Why am I fo unfuc- cefsful in all I take in hand and go about, faith a tliird, if the Lord be with his people to make them profper- ous ? Why are our hearts fo hard, fo dead, if God be with his people to foften and quicken them ?" Why, Sirs, to this I would fay, (i.) Thefe queries favour more oi flefh th3.nfpirit, more of unbelief than faith ; were ye more employed in believ- ing, ye fhould be lefs in queftioning and complaining. Thefe who have faith do not always acl or fpeak accord- ing to it : for the flefh will fpeak fometimes without the fpirit, even in thofe who have the Spirit of God. (2.) Sometimes it is the Lord's will it fhould be thus, even while he is with thee. You fay, if the Lord be with us, why hath all this befallen us ? and what if the Lord anfwer, I am with thee, and yet it is my pleafure to leave thee in weaknefs, darknefs, and wants. Is not the will of God reafon enough for you, or any man ? and ought it not to be the mofl fatisfying reafon? for, tho' in men, will and reafon are often oppofed, yet never in God. His will is the higheft reafon, the perfection of reafon, tho* we perceive it not: and it w^ere the mofl unreafonable thing in the world, as well as impoffible, that things fhould go otherwife than God would have them. But, though Sovereign Antidotes ngcwij} SlaviJJj Fear. 433 the prerogative of God be enough to ftop every mouth, and to make all flcfh filent before him, yet I anfwer, (3.) That the reafon, why God, who is always with Ihs people, does yet leave them lying under great trouble, both outward and inward, is fbmetimes to correal and (haflen them for their neglefe, and undervaluings of his former prefence with, and appearances for them : For tins caiife he is as a man aftonied^ as a in'ighty man that cannot fave, though he be in the midfl of them^ as a prophet ex- preiTes it. We often depart from the living God, thro' the evil heart of unbelief that is in us ; and it is no wonder then, if God be as one departed from us: we often leave God by our uneven walking, and hnning againft him ; no wonder therefore if God be now and then as one that hath left us. You are ready to fay. If God be with us, why is it thus? w^hy hath this and the other crofs befallen us? But may not the Lord fay. Seeing I have promifed to be with you, and have fo often flood by you, v\^hy is it thus \^\t\\ you? why have ye thus requited my prefence, and the exertions of my povv^er for you i^ are your paHions, your pride, your earthlinefs, your envy and carnality, due returns for my being fo long with you, and my Handing by you fo often? (zj.) God has promifed to be with you in trouble^ and therefore ye have no reafon to make your trouble an oc- cafion of quellloning his prefence with you:, much lefs. an argument tnat he hath withdrawn from you: yea, he of- ten fufFers evils to bcfal vou, that he mav have a better opportunity to fhew the eilicacy of his prefence ; for the Lord's being Vv'ith his people, is as gloiioully feen in up- holding them under trials and temptations, as in prevent- in 2: or deliverino: from them. How s^lorious is the work of God on the heart, in making us live by faith, w^heri fenfe hath nothing to live upon? in making us live upon the promifes and word of God, even when his work and providence threaten nothing but death? Hi 434 Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear. (5 .) Though the Lord hath promifed to be fo with his people, that evil fliall not hurt nor prevail over them ; yet- he never prcmifcd to be 7^ Vv-ith them, that trouble fliall not vex or aiTault them; no : In the world ye Jh all have tribulation, (6.) Ye have no reafon to conclude, becaufe it is thus with you, that God is away ; for he is always with you, though he communicate of himfelf only as he pleafes, and as is mod for vour <2:ocd. 3^/y, Tliis fubject may be improven, in the next place, for examination. Let us from this doctrine learn, how much it concerns us to enquire, whether or not the Lord be our God ; for, if ye want God, nothing can make you happy ; and if ye have him, nothing can make you mifer- able: and this may be known, i. By his federal impref- fions upon you. 2. By your covenant-relation to him. 3. By your fuitable deportment towards him as your God. [i.] By his federal imfrejfions upon you. When the Lord becomes one's covenant God, he imprints and works upon that perfon certain marks and characters of his co- venant ; he beautifuliy delienates, and deeply engraves upon their fouls, the blefilngs and effects of his fpecial fa- vour promifed in the covenant, whereby he makes a great alteration upon them ; io that they, upon whom thefe fe- deral impreffions are enftamped, cannot but fometime or other difcover them : fuch as, I . ^If ye Irave God to be your God, he hath fat his Spi- rit uuithin you ; Ezek. xxxvi. 27. / will put my Spirit with- in you. Now, hath God put his Spirit within you ? If not, ye are none of his; for. If any man have not the Spirit of Cbrif^ he is none of his, O but, fay you, how fhall we know if we have the Spirit of God ? I anfwer, (i.) The Spirit of God is a convincing Spirit; John xvi. 9 . The Spirit^ when he is come^ will convince the world offtn. Now, I would a(k you, and would have every one of you afk his own confcience, was vou ever convinced of fin ? Sovereign Antidotes aga'mji Slavijh Fear, 43^; Some of you will lay, Yes ; you know that you are fin- ners w^ell enough : but I afk you again, Is not this know- ledge and conviction of yours made up of thcfc tw^o in- gredients, a general notion that you arc finncrs, as all men alfo are ; and particular troublefonie reflections on your- felves, when on any eruption of fin, confcicncc accufes, rebukes, and condemns? You will fay, Yes: what would you require more? Sirs, this is not the conviction I am enquiring after, which is a work of the Spirit of God, by the word of God : whereas, what you fpeak of, is mere- ly the working of a natural confcience, which you can no more be without, than ye can ceafe to be men. I afk you, therefore, were ye ever made fcnfible of your wcf al con- dition by nature, v/hat it is to be alienated from the life of God, and obnoxious to his wrath ? Have you been con- vinced of the univerfal enmity that is in your hearts to the mind of God, and wliat it is to be enmity a2:ain^l him ? Hath the unfpeakable multitude of fms in your lives been fet before you? I fear, if you anfwer truly, many of you will be obliged to own, that ye have heard of thcfe things many a time ; but that ye have had the experience of them, ye cannot fay. Well, it is a fad iign ye are ferifual^ yiot having the Spirit : you are ilrangers to God, for ye are ftrangers to fin : They that be wijok need iiGt the Fhyfician, But if ye can fay, that the law of God laid hold on you and flew you, made you apprehend yourfelf a woful fin- ner ; yea, overwhelmed you with the guilt of fin, fo that every moment ye expected tribulation and wrath from the hand of God ; that is a good fign, efpecially, if ye know by experience, that (2.) The Spirit of God is a Spirit of Illumination and r^- velation in the knowledge of Chrift, Eph. i. 17. Perhaps ye can fay, that the time w^as, when the law of God took hold of you and ilev/ you, fo that you was a dead man in your own view^ ; but I aik you furth.^r. What way was you relieved ? Did your trouble wear oft and depart of its I i i 2 43^ Sovsreis;n Antidotes againjl Slavijlo Fear. ^ own accord ? Then we declare you yet in the gall of bit» ternefs : ye have been in pain^ hut have, brought forth no- thinQ but wifid, O, no! fay voii, had I not met with an efTeclual remedy, I had funk and eternally periihed. Wells what was that ? was it Chrift Jefus revealed in the gofpel ? O yes ; I got fuch a difcovery of his glory as one every way fit and fuiLable for me, as made me eileem him, as my prefent, greateft, and only good : Tea^ I count all but lofs and danw^ for the excellency of the knowledge of hinu This was vvhat relieved me ; and, inftead of wrath v/hicli I feared, and that jnftly, becaufe I had deferved it, he faid unto. me. Fury is not in me. (?^.) The Spirit of God is -3, fanciifying Spirit; he is the immediate autlior and worker of all grace in the foul, and ian^tifies it throughout; Titus iii. 5. Through the renewing of the Holy Ghofl. Men. before they receive the Holy Gl oil, have depraved hearts; their underiiandings, wills, and afteciions, are all wrong fet, until the Spirit of God renew, and rectify them by the grace of fancfification : but ^vhenever the Spirit enters their foul, he parities themi, and iPiakes a vein of hohnefs run through their whole mxan, their thouoht?., words, and actions; their dealinsfs with God "and man. Now, 1 aik, Is it fo with you? In a god? ly perfon's heart, though forae fm be left, yet no fm is loved; in his hh^e, though fin may remain, yet no fm has dominion : his heart is in fome rneafure fuitable to God's nature, and his life anfwerable to God's lavv\ Now, Is it fo with vou? Theri ve may be fure ve have received the Soirit of God : but if ve be the lervants of fin, whether of the profane, or formal kind, ye have not the Spirit of Chrift, and fo are none of his. O do not deceive your own fouls! To live in fm. and yet have the Spirit of God, is fimply inipoiiible. (4.) 1 he Spirit of God is 1 praying Spirit, Zech. xii. 10, / will pour out the Spirit of grace and of fupplications^ Wherever the Spirit is^ there wilj be praying in the Spirit j Sovereign Antidotes againjl SlaviJIj Fear. 437 for, if he live in you, he will certainly breathe in you. Our Lord never had, nor will have a dumb child ; and hence Paul was no fooner converted than he breathed after God in prayer, Acls ix. 11. Behold be prayeth. (5.) The Spirit of God is an elevating Spirit. It raifes one above the world, Eph. ii. 6. And hath ra'ifed us up tO' get her, I alk you, Are ye like the tribes that defired to have their portion on this fide Canaan, who ?nind earthly things f Then ye 2Xt fenfiial^ not having the Spirit : or, has the Spirit of God made you feek after things that are above where Chrift is ? Though your body be on earth, is your heart in heaven? Though ye live here, do ye trade there? Then you have the Spirit of God, and fo God himfelf to be your God ; for where God gives his Spirit for an earneft, he gives himfelf for a portion. 2 . Another covenant impreilion is his writing his laws upon their hearts^ Heb. viii. 10. This is the covenant that I will make with the houfe of Ifrael after thofe days^ faith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their ?7iind, and write them in their hearts. God's law, as we formerly obferved, is fo crazed out of man's heart by the fall, and the prints there- of fo obhterated and defaced ; yea, there is fo much enmity againft it therein, that it is "a hard work to bring it to an agreement therewith : God muft write it there. Might I be allowed to carry on the metaphor, I would fay, mini- fters of the gofpel are the pens, the Spirit of God is the ink, and God in Chrift is the w^'iter. O but, fay you, how iliall 1 know if God's law be written on mv foul? (i.) By your foul's approbation of the whole law of God; Pfal. cxix. 128./ efleem all thy precepts concerning all thi7i^s to be right. Wicked men may alfent to the truth of the law, but cannot confent to the goodnefs of it ; as the de- vils affent to the being of God, yet confent not to take him for their portion : or if they do approve, it is only of fome commands of the law. A temperate man applauds highly the law that forbids drunkennefs ^ the churl ap- 438 Sovereign Antidotes againji Slavijh Fear. plauds highly the law that forbids prodigality: but the gracious foul approves of the whole law of God, the whole revelation of his will concerning holinefs and obedience. All God's frecepts were the object of the Pfalmift's efteem ; and this he does even when under the greateft temptations to diilike it : thus Paul fpeaketh good words of the law, even when it baffled all his confidence and hope, and left him wounded with the fenfe of fin; Rom. vii. 10, — 12. And the command?nent which was orda'med unto life^ I found to he unto death ; hut the law is holy^ and the commandment holy^ jufl. and good : whatever come of me, though I die and periih, the law is holy, in teaching my duty to God ; juft, in teaching my duty to my neighbour ; and good, with refpecl to myfelf : a law becoming God to give, and us to receive. Now, I alk you. Do ye approve of the law, and do ye look upon the renovation of your nature into a con- formity therewith, as a moft invaluable bleffing? There- fore, (2.) Ye may know it by your having de fires and long- ings after conformity to the law : it puts that prayer of the Pfalmifi: into the fouPs mouth, Pfal. cxix. 5. 0 that my luays were directed to keep my ftatutes I The appetite follow- eth nature; Gal. v. 17. The flefJ:> lufieth againfl the Spint^ and tJje Spirit againfl the flefh, Defires being the vigorous bent of the foul, difcover the temper of it : the carnal na- ture puts forth itfelf in luftings, and fo doth the new na- ture: the people of God come fhort of many things, but they defire to come flicrt of nothing; Ifa. xxvi. 8. lihe defire of our foul is to thy name^ and to the reniemhrance of thee ^ They could fpeak little of what they had done for God, but they could fay they defired him : they are better at willing than performing; Rom. vii. 18. For I knozo^ that in me, (that isy in my fleJJpJ dwelleth iw good thing : for to icill is prefent with me^ hut how to perform that which is good I find not. As he that loveth would not offend the party beloved \ fo it is their defire to pleafe God m all things : Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavi/h Fear, , 439 and it is not a lazy, but an aclive defire ; PfaJ. xxvii. 4, One thing have 1 defircd of the Lord ^ that will Ifcek after^ &c.: and fuch wiflies, as are joined with ferious groans, and forrow for their defects; Horn. vii. 24. 0 wretched man that I am ! who flmll deliver me from the body of this death f (3.) Ye may know it by your delighti?ig in the law; Pfal. cxix. 35. Make ?ne to go in the path of thy coinmand- ments^ for therein do I delight* Our dehght in the law of God evidences a new nature ; for what we do naturally, we do with complacency and delight : and that which is forced, and done againft the bent of our hearts, can never be delightful ; but when there is a principle of grace, the law of God will be our delight; Pfal. i. 2. His delight is in the law of the Lord: quite contrary to the hypocrite, who may do duty from the impulfe of confcience, from legal bondage, and whofe fervices are therefore a fin-ofFer- ing, but can never be a thank-offering, not being done from choice, but by conftraint : Job xxvii. \o. Will he de- light himfelf in the Almighty? will he always call upon God? When in diftrefs, and his confcience pinches him fore, he will perhaps be calling upon God ; but has he any delight in God? or in obedience to his law? O, no: but the believer delights therein ; yea, and coniiders a particular fatisfadion, in fuch acls of obedience, as carry in them any degree of conformity to the law of God. (4.) Ye may know it, by your endeavouring at an uni- verfal anfwerahlenefs of heart and life, to the law of God, Before this writing there was an univerfal contrariety ; but fince, there is an univerfal correfpondence betwixt God's law and their hearts. Now, there is a fpiritual law within, called the law of the mind^ anfwerlng in every point to the law without, as the^impreilion on the wax anfwers to the feal ; as the image in the glafs, anfwers to the face. There is fuch a general conformity of the re- generate mind to the laws of God, that they are fweetly difpofed to have a refpeci to them all ; Pfal. cxlx. 6. Then 44^ Sovereign Antidotes againft SlavifJj Feaf* Jhall I not he ajhamed^ when I have refpefl to all thy coni'^ mandments. There are fome commands little comparative- ly, and fome great : commands that require public, and commands that require private duties ; fome that Concern the inward, as well as the outward duties ; and fome that concern God, as well as others that concern man. The perfon that has the law of God infcribed on his heart, has a refpecl to all, for there is a form of grace introduced in- to the foul, that fuits any part of the law. 1 aik you therefore, Is it your endeavour to walk in an univerfal conformity to God's law ? Then you may conclude it is written in your heart ; and therefore that God is your God: this feems to have been its effect upon David, Pfal. cxix. 1 1 . l^hy word have I hid in mine hearty that I Jin not againjl thee ; but if not, ye can jiiftly lay no claim to either of thefe : for he that feeketh not to pleafe God in all things, feeketh not to pleafe him in any thing. [2.] We may know if the Lord be our God, by our covenant -relation to him : that is to fay, we may know that we have an intereft in God by his having an intereil in us; Song ii. 16. My beloved is vmie^ and I am his. Whenever God fays effeclually to a foul, / am thy God; the foul an- fvvers, 'Thine am /, 0 David, Are ye then the Lord's peo- ple ? O how fhall I know this ! I anfwer, by the following characters. I. The Lord's people are a humble people. Humility is the livery which all the people of God w^ear ; i Pet. v. 5 . Be clothed with humility. They have got a twofold difco- very, and both tend to humble them : a difcoveiy of God, and that humbles them; thus Elijah wTapped his face ia a mantle when God's glory paifed by ; and when Job got a fight of the holinefs, powder, fovereignty, and goodnefs of God, he abhorred himfelf^ Job xlii. 6. And befides this they have got a difcovery of themfelves as polluted by iin, and this likewife humbles them ; Woe is me ^ for I am undone^ becaufe I am a man of unclean U^s^ Ifa, vi» 5 • T Sovereign Antidotes againfl Slavljh Fear. 441 2. God's new-covenant people are a holy people; i Pet» ii. 9. Te are an holy nation^ a peculiar people unto God: they are fclected from among all others ; they are feparat- ed from the corrupt human mafs: holinefs implies a repa- ration from' common and profane, to facred ufes, 2 Cor. vi. 16, 17. They are the temple cf God : I will dwell in them, and walk in them^ faith the Lord ; and I will he their God, and they JIj all be my people, Now, are ye feparated from the common impure mafs of mankind, or are ye mingled with them ? Have ye renounced ungodliaefs and worldly lulls? or do ye ftill live in them? 3. They are tl f elf -denied people; Matth. xvi. 24. If any man will come after me^ let him deny himfelf. The grace of God, that is, God's doctrine of grace, teaches them that are his people, to deny themfelves; Pfal. xlv. 10, 1 1, Hearken^ 0 daughter ^ and confder^ and incline thine ear -, for- get alfo thine own people^ and thy father'' s houfe : and this alfo they put in praclice. They are content not only to deny thei^ felf-finfulnefs, but their felf-righteoufnefs, felf- excellency and perfection, that may ftand in competition with our Lord Jefus ; Phil. iii. 3. We are the circumcifion who worfJnp God in the Spirit^ and rejoice in Chrifl Jefus, and have ?io confidence in the fiefh. They fee fo much tran- fcendant worth and excellency in him, that they can freely fell all, part with all, that they maybe found in him ; Phil. iii. 8. Tea^ doubt lefs^ I do count all things but lofs^ for the ex* cellency of the knowledge of Chrif Jefus my Lord^ 8zc. 4. His people arc a 'it^/VZ/V^g- people ; Pfxl. ex. 2, 3. Rule thou in the ?nidj} of thine ene7nies : Thy people f)j all he willin(r in the day of thy power. Once indeed they were enemies to God, and all his ways, and ferved him through force and conftraint ; but now they willingly fubjecl, and devote themfelves to him : the love of Chrift conftr?ans them to ferve'him and fide with him. Murmurina: and o:rumblinp: is far from them ; / will run the ways of thy commandments, I will rejoice in God my Saviour, Kkk 442 Sovereign Atitidotes againjl Slavijh Fear* 5. God's people are a heavenly people; John xvii. 16. T^hey are not of the zvorld^ even as I am not of the world. They have little of the world's refpect, and the world has as lit- pf theh'S ; Gal. vi. 14. T7;;ccpt the Father which fent me drat'O M Ki m 458 - Sovereign Antidotes againjl Slavijh Fear. him. Neverthelefs, it is not in vain to bid you believe: for it is not men that bid you believe, but God, who com- mands things that are not, as though they were ; and his command is the channel wherein believing power comes to the foul, as when he commanded the poor man with the withered hand. Stretch forth thine hand. The man attempted it, and in making the attempt, he got power from him fo to do, who giveth power to the faint : there- fore efiay believing in a dependance on the power of God, that he may fulfil in you all the good fleafure of his goodnefs. — Again, you fay you cannot believe ; and it is very true; but know, that this needs be no bar ; for the command to believe is connecled with the promife of believing, which carries grace in it to enable you for believing ; Pfal. xxii. 3 I. They fh all come* Zeph. iii. 12. / will alfo leave in the midfl of thce^ an afflided and poor people^ and they fhall trujl in the na?ne of the Lord. God's promifes are as large as his exhortations 5 that is, there is nothing he exhorteth ta, but there is fome promife or other to anfwer it. Is it his commandment, Make you a new heart? it is his promife, A new heart alfo will Igiveyou.—-\'s> it his command, Wafh your heart from vj I eke dnefs? it is his promife. From all your JUthimjfes^ and from -all your idols will I cleanfe you. — Is it his commandment that ye fhould believe? it is his promife, hi him fJiall the Gentiles trufr. Therefore whenever God calls you to beheve, take hold of the promife and plead it with him 5 and power to enable you to believe ihall at- tend it. 7. But you urge, I am quite weary ; I have long eifay- ed beheving, or laying claim to God as my God; but have as yet felt no power enabling me thereto : I am juft where I was. Well, be itfo; yet be not difcouraged, but lift up the hands which hang down, and wait upon the Lord j for they that wait on the Lord fJmll renew their firength. The poor man waited thirty-eight years at the pool for the troubling of the water, and at laft the Lord Sovereign Antidotes againjl SlaviJJj Fear. 45 9^ came, and healed him : Go ye and do likewife. And to en- force the exhortation, (i.) Confider, that while ye have not God to be your God, ye have nothing at all. Perhaps you can plead your property in many things upon earth, and may value yourfelves on that account ; but while ye cannot fay God is yours, in facl nothing is yours ; for the curfe of God is upon all that you have, and his curfe blafls where-ever it comes : ye are curfcd in your bajhet and in your jiore ; and hence all you have can do you no good, but evil ; Prov, i. 32. The frofperity of fools deflroys them. Yea, Sirs, while ye have not God co be your God, though ye had all oa earth, and all in heaven, you have nothing. Without God as yours in covenant, what is the world but a de- formed chaos ? What the earth, but a woful w^ldernefs ? Yea, what would heaven itfelf be but emptinefs ? (2.) Confider, that while ye have not God to be yours^ he is againj} you. If he did but ftand neuter, though he did not help you, your cafe were not fo miferable; the" he fhould give you up to the will of your enemies to do their worft w^ith you, yet this were not fo fearful ; for, as there is no friend like him, fo no enemy like him : but till ye be interefted in him, God is againft you ; Ezek. v. 8. Therefore thus faith the Lord God, /, even I a?n againjl thee.-^The, face of the Lord is againft you ; Pfal. xxxiv. 16. The face of the Lord is againjl them that do evil, to cut off' the re?nembrance of them from the earth: and wo to them whom God fets his face asfainit. When he did but look on the hoft of the Egyptians how terrible was their con- fternation ! — The heart of God is agaihft you, for he hateth all the workers of iniquity, — 1 he hand of God is againft you \ I Sam. xii. 15. If ye will not obey the voice of the Lord, but rebel againjl the commajidment of the Lord, then fhall the hand of the Lord be againft you, — All the attributes of God are a- gainft you : his jujlice like a flaming fword unftieathed, is againft you ; Deut. xxxii. 41,42. If I whet 7ny glittering M m m 2 4^0 Sovereign Antidotes againjz SlaviJJj Fear. Jkvord^ and mine hand fake hold on judgment^ I will render 'vemeance to mine enemies^ and will reward them that hate me. — - The holinefs of God is full of antipathy againO; you ; Pfal. V. 4. For thou art not a God that hath pleafure in wickednefs ; neither Jloall evil dwell with thee. — The power of God is armed like a mighty warrior againil you. The ^/(?ry of God's power is to be difplayed in the confufion and de- ftrudion of all them that obey not the gofpel ; 2 TheiT. i, S 5 9 . 'Faking vengeance on them that know not God^ and that cbey not the gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift ; who fhall he pU' Tiifhed with everlafiing deflruElionfrom the prefence of the Lor dy and from the glory of his power. •■ — The wifdom of God is fet to ruin you; Pfal. vii. 12, 13. He will whet his fword^ he hath bent his how and made it ready ; he hath alfo prepared for him the inflrwnents of death.— ^T\\z truth of God is againft you : Pfal. xcv. 1 1 . Unto whom I fware in my wrath., that ihey fhould not enter into my reft. If he be true and faith- ful to his word, ye mull periih ; for he hath faid, He that believeth not., is condemned already. Upon the fin of man all the attributes of God put on an air of wrath and ven- geance. (3.) Confider, that while ye are without God, ye have TiOt one faj} friend in all the creation; fo you are never fafe : while the Lord of hofts is againil: you, you may be fure all the hofts of the Lord are aeainft vou ; and all the creatures up in arms ready to revenge their Lord's quarrel, till the controverfy be made up between God and you, and he make a covenant of peace for you with his creatures ; Rom. viii. 2 2. The whole creation ^roaneth and travelleth in fain together until 720W. The earth groans under you, and hell groans for you, till death fatisfy both, by unburden^- ing the earth and ftopping the mouth of hell upon you. ■ Laflly^ Confider how fully and freely God makes him- felf over to you : even now he fays. Be not difmayed, I am thy God. Ihis promife is unto you^ and to your children^ and to all that are afar o£\ even as many as the Lord our Sovereign Antidotes agahijl SlaviJIj Fear. -461 God JImll call. Here is a treafure opened to you, infinite- ly more precious than the whole creation of God, and which will enrich you through eternity, when the earth and the works therein ihall be burnt up, and there fliall be no more fea. Wherefore, we befeech you, by the worth of your fouls, and in the bowels of Jefus, to accept of fuch an offer, while you have it, and if thou be wife^ thou Jhalt be wife for thyfelf; but if thou fcornejl^ thou alone jhalt bear it. If you live and die in your gracelefs ftate, the awful moment will come, when God, from his throne of judg- ment, lliall pronounce the irrevocable fentence. Depart from me, ye curfed^ into ever lajling fire : but now, from his throne of grace, he iffues forth a royal proclamation in your favours, whatever you are or have been ; Hear^ 0 my profeffed people^ and I will fpeak ; 0 Ifrael^ and I will tejlify again]} thee ; againft thy folly and unbelief, / am God, EVEN THY God. This he is faying to you, finner, / am God J even thy God: and what would you have more? Is not this a fufficient ground to fupport your firmeft belief in him as your God, and to juftify your immediate reply, in the words of Thomas, My Lord a7id my G mean a gavb ? Would any man judge this to be the prime favouriie of heaven, an heir of glorv ? and yet it is a certain truth, that God hath chofen the poor cf this lucrld rich in faith. — They are commonly under the vail of reproach and cahunniesj 2 Cor. vi. 8. As deceivers, and yet true ; that is, accounted in the world a company of * diilemblers, and yet the faithful fervants and children of God. — And they are vailed w^th infirmities : Chriftians quench their vigour, and obfcure their glory by infirmi- ties, having too much of Adam, and too little of Chrift, as the Spoufe owns when flie cries out, Look not upon me heca 'fe J am black., &;c. In their obicurity they are con- formable to their Head; he had a bright inlide, and a dark outiide. The glory of his divine nature was, hidden imde- tV.z vail cf his flefh ; He had no form nor comelinefs, and io the world knew him not ; for, had they knoivn him, they would not have crucified the Lord f glory : fo his people Lave a briglit infide, The King's daughter is all glorious with- in ; and a dirk outfide, therefore the world knows them not : Now are we the children of Gody and the world knows us not, t; . They are flrangers in refpect of tht\vfupplies. When ir.en are travelhna: in a far country, it is from their own country they receive remittances of money, which ferve to defray their charges till they return: jull: fo, it is from I heaven God's ftrangers have all thefe necelTary fupplies of grace, v/hich ferve to carry them clirough all the fteps of their pilgrimage, till they arrive at their Father*s houfe in peace. An heir upon his travels, when he ftands in need of fupplies, draws upon his Father, and he makes remit- tances to him ; juft fo it is witn the heirs of glory, as they are travelling through this ftrange land: when they are in want, they draw upon their heavenly Father, and he fup- pl* ^'- themi ; My Godfhallfupply all your wants : nay, where- ever they go he goes with them to fupply them. The Strangers and Sojourners ivith GOD. 469 provlfion God made for Ifrael of old was in this manner ; he clave the rock from which water flowed, and the rock followed them in their peregrinations : they not only had a draught at prefent, but the water ran in a ilream after them: after this you hear no more of their complaints for w^ater; and this rock was Chr'ift : fo every believer, pafling throucch this world, has (.hriil; at his back, folio win": him as he travels, with fupplies for every condition and trial. 6 . They are flrangers in refpecl of their motion or pro- grefs. A ftranger, you know, is always moving on his journey ; and juft fo the people of God are makmg gradual progrefs to the land of glory : thus it is noticed of Enoch, that he walked zvith God ; he ntithtv fat with God, nov Jlood w4th him, but he walked with him. The fpiritual travel- ler neither (lands ftill nor goes round, like a horfe in an engine, who is at night where he was in the morning; but he gains ground by his fteps, like one on a journey ; He goes from Jlremjth to frengi^tb : be adds to bis fait h^ virtue; and to virtue J knowledge ; and to knowledge^ temperance ; and to temperance^ patience ; and to patience^ godlinefs ; and to godlinefsj brotberly-kindnefs ; and to hrotberly-kindnefs ^ charity. He holds on bis way^ and waxes ftrcnger and Jlronger : he is always going forv/ard, though he is fometimes driven back by wind and florms in heaven's way, and never thinks of fitting down till he comes to his Father's houfe. Some- times he is fo flraitened, that he can only creep ; at other times he is fo enlarged, that he can run : but at all times he is for going on towards perfection, prejjing forward to- wards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Chrifl Jefus. The hght of his holinefs, though at firft a fmall glimmering, is always growing; The path of the juft is as the fJnning lights that fhineth more and more unto the perfect day : as that goeth on by degrees, and fhineth more and more bright to high noon ; fo the path of the juft goes on, and increafes in luftre, unto the high noon, the per- feft day of glory. 470 The Saints on Earth, 7. They are Grangers in refpecl of their inheritance. Strangers, you know, have no inheritance in the country through which they travel, it lies in their native country: iaft fo, the people oT God have no inheritance on earth, though they fliould have the fame title to earthly heritages tliat other men have, or even a better: thus Abraham had the promife of the land of Canaan, and yet it is faid, by faith hQ/ojourned in 'the land of prcmife. The whole land was his by the befl of rights, and yet he had no inheri- tance in it ; no, not fo much as to fet his foot on. Ac- cordingly, the firfl thing he takes poiTeilion of in it, was a burial-place for his dead : fo that his infeftment was ra- ther a farewell, than an entry upon the poffeffion ; and he feemed to provide for a departure rather than an abode. But tho' the people of God have no inheritance on earth, thev have an inheritance in heaven, that deferves the name; An inheritance incorruptible^ unde filed, and that fad- eth not away: an inheritance which infinitely tranfcends all the eftates and poiTeffions of men in this world ; an in- heritance that will afford them all defirable good things, with equal plenty and variety to all eternity ; an inheritance that fhall for ever be as full, as large and fatisfa^lory, as their hearts c^n v/lfli. 8, They are flrangers in regard their Jlay is JJoort, Strangers, yoii knov/, turn afide for a night only, and go away in the morning : fo the people of God ftay but for a fhort time in the world ; Here we have 710 continuing city. Some of them juft come into the world, and falute their friends, and then take the road homewards : and fuch of them as lliay longefl, flay but a fhort time. They need no meafuring line wherewith to take the dimenfion of their days ; they have the ftandard always at hand : they are but an hand-breadth ; yea, as nothing before God. The The Spirit of God in fcripture points out to us the brevity of our life, by a great number of fimilitudes, that by e- very fleeting and decaying object we might be put in mind Strangers and Sojourners ivith GOD. 471 of it. Some of thcfe you have In Job vii. 6, 7. My days are fwifter than a weaver* s Jhuttle, O re?7iember that my I'lfe is wind, Ver. 9. As the chudis confumed^ and vanijhes azvay. Some more you have in chap. ix. ver. 25, 26. of the fame book ; Now my days are fwifter than a -poft ; they flee away, they fee no good ; they are faffed away as the fwift fhips^ as the eagle that hafteth to the frey. Go to the land, and there is the fwift riding poft ; to the fea, and there is the fwift. falling {hip ; to the air, and there is the fwift flying eagle. In a word, their time Is nothing but a coming and going, a flood and an ebb, and then they are carried into the o- cean of eternity ; Naked came I out of my ?7iother\s womh^ and naked flmll I return thither : where obferve there is no mention made of his ftay. And it is well for them that this is the cafe ; for, what is life, but a detainer of the faint fo long in the prifon ? and fo long he is kept out of heaven. The fliortnefs of life is not indeed peculiar to the faints ; but is common to them with the wicked : for, " No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before him ; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked. Fools, as well as wife men, muft die ; nay, like fliecp they are laid in their graves; death iliall devour them, and confume their beauty from their dwelling:" But only the faints, in the exercife of faith, properly confider and acknowledge this: Heb. xl. 13. ^hefe all died in faith ^ — <2/2(/ CONFESSED that they Were fir anvers and pilgrims on the earth. This leads us, 2^/y, To conlider them as flrangers and fojourners, as to their charaEler^ or in their difpofition and deportment. And on this you will attend to the following particulars, I. They are bound for another country. This ftrange country neither loves them^ nor they it ; and therefore they are traveUing towards another, that which is their home, that better country^ that city prepared for them^ whofe builder and maker is God, Thus thefe worthies, in Heb. xi. 14. in faying fuch things, declared plai?i/y that they Ci. 47^ The Saints on Earthy fought a country; that heavenly country is the place of God*s glorious reiidence, and their everlafting abode; and becaufe he is their God, it is their home. — This they look for; as it is faid of Abraham, he looked for a city, — This thty defire^ Rom. viii. 23. Oiirf elves alfo^ which have the fir Jl fruits of the Spi- rit^ even we groan within ourfelves^ waiting for the adoption^ to wit^ the redemption of our body. They are waiting for the time when their inheritance (hall fall into their hands. — This they 2.1^ fee king after; We have no continuing city, but we feek one to come. It is the great aim and bufmefs of their lives to get to heaven, to be at home in their Father's houfe. The judgment of the flefli is, " Happy are they who " have no want in their families, no complaining in their " ftreets ;" but the judgnient of the fiefli is corrected by the judgment of faith, Pfal. cxliv. 15. Happy is the people that is in fuch a cafe ; yea^ happy is that people whofe God is the Lord, Grace in them determines this to be the top of their happinefs, to have God for their God ; and fo they defign for heaven, where they will fully enjoy him as fuch. 2. They are fait ably prepared for their journey. A llranger that is letting out in a long journey, is concern- ed to provide himfelf of a fit equipage ; fo do the people of God : a ftranger puts otf his ufual cloathes, and gets garments meet and proper for the purpofe : fo the people of God fetting out for heaven, caft off the rags of their own right eoufnefs, and, by faith, put on the robe of the righteoufnefs of our Lord Jefus. — A ftranger is concerned to lay alide all weight:^ or burdens^ which would prove any impediment to him in his courfe ; and juft fo, the faints are concerned to call off every fpiritual weight, as they are ordered to do, Heb. xii. i. And thefe weights are inordinate affe6lion to things below ; for it is impollible a man can run this race with the world on his back, as is plain from the inftance of the young man in the gofpel ; he came running to Chrift, and feemed to be in full fpeed to eternal life 3 but his inordinate love to the world, weigh- Strangers and Sojourners ivith GOD. 473 ed him down. — Much, you know, would be a burden and hinderance to one on a journey ; and therefore a flrangcr buyeth no fuch things as he cannot carry with him ; he does not buy houfes or land, but jewels or pearls, and fuch things as are portable; juft fo, much of this world would but hinder God's ilrangers ; and therefore fuch things as they can carry to heaven take up their time and care- Their care is to get the jewels of God's covenant, the graces of his Spirit, which will abide with them for ever : nay, they are feldom allowed much of the world ; like the heir of a great eilate they have little in hand, Gal. iv. I. NoiVy I f(iy-i that the heir as long as he is a ch'ild^ dif- fer eth nothin Groans are turned into triumphs; iighs and tears, into joyful acclamations and fongs of praife. We now proceed, II. To the fecond Head of our method, namely, to en* quire in what refpecls the faints on earth, are ll:rao.^ers 'iv'ith God, This is peculiar to the faints ; and hereby they are more honourable and happy than their ungodly neighbours, who 2Xt without Gody ssidi alienated from the life of God^ through the ignorance that is in them. In what refpcdls the mili- tant faints are ftrangers with God^ may be taken up in the following particulars, I . They are ftrangers with God, in regard they are under his particular iifpedion, Thefe heavenly flrangers walk through the wildernefs of this world conftantly un- der his eye. It is true, all men are under it in one fenfe, the wicked as well as the godly ; For the eyes of the Lord are every where ^ beholding the evil and the good: but he has a peculiar eye upon his people. He has a fix-fold eye up- on them. — His difcerning eye; Pfal. xxxiii. 18. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon the?n that fear him^ upon them that hope in his mercy, — His proteding eye is on them ; i Pet. iii. 12, _ I 3 . For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous : ivho is he that will harm you, — His direding eye is on them ; PfaL xxxii. 8. / will inftruEl thee, and teach thee in the way zvhich thou fh alt go : I will guide thee with mi?2e eye, — Hh pitying eye is on them ; thus when Hagar was in a fad condition, and God had compallion on her, and fliewed her a well to refrefli herfelf and her child, flie calkd the name of the well Beer-lahai-rof, the well of him that liveth and fee th me, — His providing eye is on them ; of this Abraham fpoke when the Lord provided anojiher facriiice inftead ^^ Ifaac,' when he called the name of the place Jehovam-Jirsh, the Lord ivill fee and provide, — His delighting eye is upon them^- ppp .1 A^i The Saints on Earthy Ifa. Ixvi. 2 . But to this man *wUl I look, even to him that is foor^ and of a contrite Spirit, and trembleth at my ivord,-^ And as they are continually under his eye, fo they walk as in his %ht; Pfal. xvi. 8. / have fet the Lord alivays before me ; hecaufe he is at my right-hand, therefore I fhall not he moved. They do not only travel through the wil- dernefs, under a general impreffion of God's omnifclence, but they travel under the eye of God, as one that is pe- culiarly concerned in their pilgrimage, and as one from whom thev are to receive direction in the whole of their courfe ; and this quickens them in it : / have kept thy pre* cepts, fays David, for all my ways are before thee, 2 . They are ftrangers with God in regard they are ftran- gers in his land;— I am ajlranger with thee, in thy land and territory, in which I fojourn by thy leave and favour, and during thy pleafure : fo this phrafe is ufed, Lev. xxv. 2 3 . The land flmll 7iot be fold for ever, for the land is mine ; for ye are fir angers and fojourners with me; that is, m my land« Though the people of God, in refped: of men, be proprie* tors and owners of their polTeffions, and none can war- ran tably difpollefs them ; yet in refpecV of God they are but ftrangers, for he himfelf is the fole proprietor of them; for the earth is the hordes, and the fidnefs thereof ; the world, with all that it contains. There is a fcripture that gives countenance to this fenfe of the words, in i Chron. xxix. 15.; where David and his people having contributed largely to build the Lord's houfe, he blefles him for it, faying, But who am I, and what is my people, that wefhould he able to offer fo willingly after this fort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee ; for we are fir angers before thee, and fojourners, as were all our fathers : mark the expreilion, Of thine ouon have ive given thee, for WE ARE STRANGERS. He is owucr of all, and they are bat ftrangers before him, and proprietors of nothing: thefe who are thought to be landlords are not fo much as ten- ants in refpect of the Lord of all \ for a tenant is fole Strangers and Sojourners ivith GOD. 483 poiTeflbr, though he be not proprietor ; but they are not fole pofTefTors in refpe<5t of God, for he gives nothing away from himfelf, but continues in poffeflion of heaven and earth. Tenants have a leafc of their poffeflion, but we are tenants at will. 3. They are ftrangers with God becaufe they are con- ftantly in his frefence ; for it is written, / *will never leave thee^ nor forfake thee. They are not alone, for the God and Father of Chrift is with them. They may want his comforting prefence ; Pfal. Ixxvii. 2, 3. My foul refufed to be comforted; I remembered God and was troubled: but they never want his fupporting prefence; Pfal. Ixxiii. 23. Ne- 'uerthelefs I am continually with thee ; thou upholdefl ?ne by my right-hand ; they may want his fenlible prefence, but they never want his real prefence; they may be a bufh burn- ing with flames of affliction, but God is prefent with them in thefe flames, by his fpecial providence, by his almigh- ty power, and by his peculiar grace ; he is with them in the fire and the water, in prifons, in dungeons, in the wildernefs, and in the fliadow of death : he was with Jo- feph in prifon, with Ifrael in Egypt, with Paul on the fea, with Jonas in the belly of the whale, with Daniel in the lions den, with the three children in the burning fiery- furnace, and with David in the dark valley and fliadow of death : his prefence with thefe ftrangers animates them and fills them with courage. — It preferves them from ruin; and enables them to bear the heaviefl burdens, to face the greateft dangers, and accomplifli the moft difficult enter- prizes ; By my God ajfifting mc^ I have over leapt a wall, 4. They are ftrangers with God in refpecl of hisy^A lowfhip and endearing familiarity with them in this ftrange land. The men of the world are ftransrers, but they are not ftrangers with^ but ftrangers to God ; at ibif time ye were without God: but believers are ftrangers with God, having both a ftate and a life of communion with him. — A fate of communion with God, vv^hich confiits in their Ppp 2 J "li 484 77?^ Saints on Earthy mutual inte^eft in one another's perfons and poffeflions; / a?n my beloved^s and my beloved is mine. They have an in- tereft in his perfon, and he in theirs: they have an intereft in nis riches, and h« in their poverty, as well as in whaiL is good about them, though it be all of his own giving:^ he feafts himfelf on his own grace in their fouls ; Song iv. 1 6. Let my beloved come into his garden^ and eat his f leaf ant fruits. Yea, it is a feaft to him to fee them feafting on him; Song, v, i. I arn come into my garden^ ^^'^yffl^r^ my fpcufe ; I have gathered my myrrhe with my fpice^ I have eaten Tny honey- comb vjith my honey ; I have drunk my wine with my milk, — And they have a /V/> of communion with him, a thing better underflood than exprelTed ; only we may fay it lies in a fpiritual correfpondency betwixt Chriil and their fouls, and lets forth influences of light and life, of llrength and comfort to them, and they, under thefe in- fluences, make fuitable returns to him in ads of faith^ love, and godly forrow for fm. 5. They are ftrangers with God, in regard our Lord Jesus Christ, who is God over all^ bleffed for ever^ was a Jlranger on earth, and is ftill a ftranger in his members. Our Lord was a ftranger in the earth when he tabernacled and fojourned here in our flefli , for the Word was made fiefJo and dwelt among us. He was a ftranger and ftrange- ly ufed ; at his birth he was born in an inn, to fhew that he came Into the world as a ftranger and a fojourner : in the courfe of his life, he had a bag that was filled with alms, but no annual rent, or conftant poiTeffion ; ^The foxes have holes ^ and the birds of the air have nefls^ bid the Son of 7?ian hath not where to lay his head: when he died he was not mafter of a cup of cold water ; his coat was all his legacy, and he lay in a borrowed grave : thus he was a ftranger. The earth is his and the fulnefs thereof, yet he pofleiTed but little of it ; when he was weary, he begged a drink of cold water from a ftranger ; he refufed a crown when proffered it ; he had no heart to thefe things 5 no relifh of crowns and Strangers and Sojourners nvith GOD. 485 worldly glory. Thus they are ftrangers with him ; and it is enough the fervant be as his mafler^ and the difciple as his Lord: not only was he a llranger, while he fojouiaed, but he has been a ftranger in all ages in his members ; and hence, he will fay at laft, / was a ftranger^ and ye took me in. There is a communion betwixt Chrift and his people, the reproach that lighteth on the members reflecteth on the Head ; In all their afflidions he ivas affl'iBed, The touches given them afiecl him in the moft tender part ; He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of inme eye : fo this may be another fenfe of the expreffion, — / am a Jlranger with thee. But you may fay, our Lord Jefus was not incarnate in David's days, and fo was not a ftranger. I anfwer. It is true, but our Lord Jefus had communion with his people then, as well as now, in their fufferings ; and hence Mofes's fufferings are called, the reproach of ChrlJ}^ Heb. xi. 26.: and though he was not actually a ftranger, he was a ftranger in the eyes of the Pfalmift's faith; for faith is a grace which can take up things at a great diftance: in a moment it will look as far back as an eternity paft, and view the everlafting fprings of electing and redeeming love; and as far forward as an eternity to come, and view the hidden glories of the other world. Chrift*s day was prefent to Abraham's faith ; Tour father Abraham rejoiced to fee my day^ and he faw it : it was prefent to Job's faith ; / know that my Redeemer liveih^ and that he ffjallftand at the latter day upon the earth : and why not to David's ? 6. They are ftrangers with God, in regard they are, in fome fort, as great fir angers on earth as God is ; 1 am a ftranger with thee : — little known, as thou art ; — much hat- ed, as thou art;— much oppofed, as thou artj — and in heaven, as thou art. (i.) I am a ftranger, little known as thou art. God is an unknown God in his own world : hence is that word of Chrift, John xvii. 25. Righteous Father^ tbe%uorld hath 486 The Saints on Earth, not known thee ; hut I hcrve known thee. Many of the world nre grofly ignorant of God, as he difcovereth himfelf in his ^yorks, and efpecially as he is reprefented in the glafs of his word, which is moft iinful, being a breach of the fiiil: commandment, whereby we are required to know God ; and ihameful, conCdering the many obligations we lie under, to ftudy this knowledge, and the many oppor- tunities we have of knowing him ; whence the apoftle fays. Some have not the knowledge of God, I /peak this to your Jha?ne : and others who have fome fpeculative know- ledge of God, have nothing of the practical faving know- ledge : they know nothing about him as they ought to know: thev have a mafs of notions in their heads, but not a dram of fpiritual knowledge in their heart; feeing they fee not: they fee the things of God in the image of them in the glafs of the word, but they fee them not in their inward lovelinefs ; this is abundantly evident from their lives and converfations : for, from whence proceed all the riotmg and drunkennefs, chambering and wantonnefs amongfl us, but from ignorance of God ? This is the inlet to all fin and wicked nefs ; There is no knowledge of God in the land^ fays the prophet ; and then it follows, by fw earing, and lyings and killings and fteallng, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood: nay, the world cannot know God from a natural incapacity, and rooted enmity ; — from natural incapacity, i Cor. ii. 14. The natural man receiveth 7iot the things of the Spirit of God : — and from rooted en- mity, Rom. viii. 7. The carnal ?nind is enmity againfi God; i HI while the light of truth fliines only in the head, they like it well enough ; but if it awaken confcience, check lull:, or preis duty, or any way offer to affume a fupremacy in heart or life, they inftantly hate it as an enemy. Well, fays the Pfalmift, I am a ftranger with thee, I am a ftran- ger unknown as thou art : and accordingly we find, as the world knows not God, fo it knows not ihe people of God, I John iii. i . Therefore th$ world knoweth us not^ becaufe it Strangers and Sojourners with GOD. 487 knew not him. They know not the people of God, becaufe they know not God himfelf ; As unknoion^ fays the apoftlc, and yet well known: the world knows not their ilate to- wards God, and intereft in him, though it know theni well enough as to their other circumftances. (2 .) I am a ftranger, much hated as thou art. God is not only an unknown God in the world, but he is the objed of their hatred, according to that forecited text, Rom. viii. 7. The carnal mind is e?imtty agai^i/l God; it is not only an eizemy, for fo poflibly it might be reconciled, ^ but it is enmity, and fo incapable of accepting any terms of peace ; and it is enmity again/I God, whofe nature and practice is love : againft this God, the world is full of enmity. Well, fays the Pfalmifl, I am a flranger, much . hated as thou art : and indeed, as the enmity of the world againft God is fuch, that they wiih he did not exift, a- greeable to that word, The fool hath faid in his heart, there is no God; fo this enmity againft the people of God is fuch as makes them wifli their utter ruin and extirpation ; Come let us cut them off from being a people. (3.) I am a ftranger, much oppofed as thou art. God is not only unknown and hated, but he is oppofed in the world, in his Being and perfcclions, in his work and in his word, in his law and gofpel ; yea, in every thing a- bout him : hence he fays, Te have fet at nought all my coun- fel, and would have none of my reproofs. It is not chis or that part of God's counfel that is oppofed, but all his counfel; whatever he calls for, or directs to, all is fet at nought, and nothing of his reproof attended to. Well, / am a flranger with thee, that is, I am oppofed in the world as thou art : accordingly the crofs is fo infeparable from the Chriftian, that he feems to be nailed to it ; Whofoever doth not take up his crofs and follow me, cannot be my difiple. The crofs cannot be avoided by them without (inning a- gainft God, 2 I'im. iii. 12. All thaf nril! live godly in Chrift Jefus mufl fuffer perfecution : he will fuffer perfecution from 488 The Saints on Earthy the hands, the tongues, or the hearts of men; he will be hated, if he be not reproached ; he will be reproached, if he be not fmitten ; fmitten, if not flain : he may be fure of fome, or all of thefe, If he will live godly in ChriJ} Jefus, Indeed, if he will comply with the times, fwim with: the ftream, or footh men in their finful humours, and ftretch his confcience to fave his worldly intereft, he may fhlft it; but if he lives like a Chriftian, or gcdly In Chrijl J ejus ^ he muft faffer periecution. :: ., (4.) I am a ftranger with thee, in regard I am in heaven with thee in Chrijl my head and reprefentative. He that is in Chrift is in heaven already, Eph. ii. 6. And hath raifed us up together^ and made us fj together in heavenly places in Chrijl Jefus, The apoftle fpeaks of it as a thing paft; not we fball rife wdth Chriil, or we fl)all fit down with him, but we are rifen, and are ajTcended, and are fet down with him in heavenly places. A Chriftian holds all in his Head ; though he be not glorified in his own perfon, he is glorified in his Head. When Chrifl was glorified, he feized upon heaven in the name of his feed. We ufe to fay of an old man, he hath one foot in the grave and the other faft following: a believer in Chrift, hath more than a foot in heaven, his Head is there, he is fet down with Chrift ; nothing but faith can unriddle this myftery, how a believer fhould be on earth, and yet in heaven :■ the Head is there, and this muft draw the heart after it; for head and heart muft be together. III. The third Head was to fpeak of their confejfion^ that they are ftrangers. I am a fir anger ^ fays David, and afojourner with thee. What I propofe on this Head, is to enquire, firft, how, and to whom they confefs themfelves ftrangers ; fecondly, why they make this confeilion. ly?, To whom do they confefs themfelves ftrangers ? I. They confefs themfelves ftrangers to God himfelf by prayer, for his pity in their pilgrimage, as is plain from Strangers and Sojourners tvilh GOD. 489 the text and context; Hear ?ny prayer, 0 Lord ; and give ear unto my cry, bold not thy peace at my tears : For I am a Jiranger with thee. What are all our prayers, bat mate- rial confefiions that we arc ilrangers \ All that we fay to him is a profeilion of our faith in him; 0 my foul, fays the Pfalmift, 'Thou haft faid unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord, What o:reat matter would one think was there in that? Yes, it was a great word that David's foul could fay to the Lord, Thou art my Lord ; for it is a duty incumbent on every believer to profefs it to him, to avouch it before him. Our Lord would have a poor man in the days of his flefli fo to do ; Believeft thou on the Son of God, Why ? •was Chrift ignorant whether he believed or not ? No ; he knew what was in him, but he will have it out of his own mouth ; he will have him proftfs and avow it before him, and he did it accordingly ; Lord, I believe, and he worfhipped him. Have any of you made a profeffion to him ? hold fail your profeffion : if ever your fouls faid to the Lord, Thou art my Lord, never retracl thefe words, but abide by them to your dying day. But, alas! it is a common thing that a believer will call God his God con- fidently in the morning, and ere night call him by ano- ther name : but it is his promife. Thou fmlt call me. My Fa- ther, and palt not depart frojn me. Now, the people of God confcfs themfelves flrangers in order that he may pity them ; Hear my cry, for I am a J} ranger : Lord pity a poor ftranger! And in the following verfe, 0 fpare me^ that I may recover flrength. Lord fpare a poor ftranger ! 2 . They confefs themfelves ftrangers to one another, for their mutual quickening in the ways of holinefs ; Mai. iii. 1 6 . Then they that feared the Lord, fpake often one to ano- ther, 8cc, The damfel in the high-prieft's hall faid to Pe- ter, Surely thou art one of them, for thy fpeech hewrayeth thee ; fo the fpeech of the people of God bewrays them to be flrangers. When our Lord was on earth, he was often fpeaking of Iieavcn, and his Father's houfc, and heavenly 49 c> The Saints on Earthy things : thus when the Publican was at much coft to pre- pare a great feaft for him, he entertains him, and the reft too, with much better chear, They that he whole need not the Fhyfician, When one of the Pharifees invited him to his table, he taught the guefts humility, and the m alter of the feaft charity ; bidding the one, when invited, fit down in the lovv-er room ; and the other ,^ to invite the poor, and not the rich : and the primitive Chriftians were impeach- ed of treafon, becaufe they were often fpeaking of the hap- pinefs of the kingdom of heaven which they expected. Worldly men will be talking of worldly things. He that is of the earth, is earthly, and fpeaketh of earthly things ; and they that are for heaven, will be confefTmg and de- claring that they feek a country ; and they will be fpeak- ing to one another of thefe things, for their mutual quick- ening and comfort. A man is glad to meet with his own country-men in a foreign land: fo it is a great comfort and fupport to the people of God, when they fee one an- other ready to go together to heaven, by their talking and difcouriing fo much of it. Two cold things, fteel and flint, dallied too;ether, fend forth fire: When two lie to- gciher thev have warmth ; but hew can one be warm alone ? fo, cold Chriftians have been heated by being near others that v/ere glov/ing. ChrJRian fociety, like rubbing iron againft iron, takes away the ruft they had contracted which made them dull and inactive : it fets a fpiritual edge upon them; Prov. xxvii. 17. Iron JJoarpeneth iron^ fo a man Jharpeneth the countenance of hh friend, 3. They make confefTion to the worlds both by word and deed ; for their conviction and converfion, or con- demnation: thus Abraham confeiTed it to the people of, the land, / am a ftranger and fojoiirner with you: and Jacob to Pharaoh, The days of the years of my -pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty j^jrj".— They confefs it by word to the world, particularly when gofpel truth is oppofed : with a view to this cafe, our Lord fays, Mat. x. 32, 3 3. iiV that confejfetb Strangers and Sojourners ivith GOD, 491 7ne before rncn, him zvill I confcfs alfo before my Father which is in heaven. — And they confefs it by deeds many ways ; as particularly by a heavenly converfation, and a contempt of worldly things. A felf-denied Chrlftian fhews whether his journey is ; he does not take all advantages of grow- ing great: he docs not make it his bufmcfs to be high in the world; Heb. xiii. 5. Let your converfation be without covetoifnefs. — They confefs themfelves. flrangcrs by the ho' linefs of their converfation, which carries ah exprefs con- formity to their hope ; i I hell. ii. 12. T^hat ye would walk worthy ofGod^ who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. They profefs unto the world that they are ilrangers, (i.) For their conviflion. Godly Rrangers are God's witneffes to the world, that there is a reality in religion ; Te are my witnejfes^ faith the Lord^ that I am God, By the holinefs and heavenlinefs of their lives they difcover the truth of the word ; but if their lives be fcandalous, they tempt men to. atheifm : when they that pretend to religi- on fall, they make the world believe Chriftianity to be a fancy ; as when a Heathen furprized a Chrillian in an a- bominable aclion, he cried out, '' Chrijlian^ Chriftian! " where is thy GodP" But when they fay they are ftran- gers, and their lives aniwer their profeflion, they confute the fecret atheifm of the hearts of men : hence the apofde, fpeaking of the gravity to be obferved in church-meetings, fliews that it would be a mean of conviclion to the Hea- then, who might occafionally come in, and bring him to fall down on his face^ worfuip God, and report, that God is in them of a truth, i Cor. xiv. 25. If Chriftians did not let fall the majefty of their converfation, the prejudices of the world vi'ould foon vanifli; and thefe who live about them would be forced to fay, Vi'e will go with you, for we fee that of a truth God is with you. Of all ap(Viogies for religion, the practical apology is the beft ; i Pet. ii. 15. That with well-doing ye may put to filence the ignorance of fooliffo men : or, as the w^oi d figniiies, that you may muzzle 49^ The Saints on Earthy or bind up the mouth of a wicked man^ that he cannot bark againft religion. (2.) They profefs themfelves flrangers to the world for their converfwn. All God^s ftrangers are bound, as much as in them lie , to work together with God, for the converfion of men ; it is a debt or charity they owe to the world, e- fpecially conlidering the character they fuftain as God's witnefTes. Well, the verbal and pradical confeflion of the people of God, that they are ftrangers, is a mean thereto ; Matth. V. 1 6. Let your light fo finne before men^ that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Were it poilible that all the godly could keep in all their grace, fo as none iliould fee it but God and themfelves, none in the world would be a whit the better for it; but when it fhines in the life, with a refplendent luilre, it tends to the converfion of the wicked; 1 Pet. iii. i. Likewife ye 'wives be in f abjection to your own husbands ; that if ajiy obey not the word, they alfo may, without the wordy be won by the (onverfation of the wives ; while they behold your chafe convert fation coupled with fear. You would think it ftrange, that the chriftian and fober deportment of a poor woman, at home, fhould accomplifh that work, which the means of grace could not ; and yet it is poflible, that the Spirit and power of God may attend a gofpei-like converfation, and make it effecluai for bringing about what a gofpel difpen- fation has not done, That they may be won without the ^ord: not that there ia any converfion without the word; but a holy walk may afford fuch mcafures of light and conviction, as may point them to the word, the grand engine of heaven for bringing them into Chrift. (3.) Yov th-tir condemnation, A carnal profeiTorjuftifies, but a godly profciTor condemns the world: the more real and explicit our profefTion is, the more are wicked men condemned by it. Noah, by building the ark, condem- ned the world; Heb. xi. 7. By faith Noah being warned of God of things not fee n as yet, moved with fear ^ prepared an Strangers and Sojourners ivlth GOD. 495 ark ta ihe fuvhig of his houfe ; by the which he condemned the world. So, when they fee the people of God indifferent about earth, and bufy about heaven, it condemns them for their carelefsnefs and wickedncis : it doth a2:G:ravate their fin, and fo doth heighten the punilhment of it, be* ing without excufe. 2 J/y, The next thing we propofed, on this head, was to enquire whence it proceeds, that the faints confefs them- felves ftrangers. And, 1 . It proceeds from their being born from above. Hea- ven is their native country ; and therefore, thither is the tendency and aim of the gracious foul: hence contempt of the world is ufually mentioned as the fruit of our rege- neration ; I John V. 4. For whatfoever is born of God y over^ Cometh the world, 2 Pet. i. 4. M^de partakers of the divine nature^ having efcaped the corruption that is in the world through lufl. The new nature being divine in its principle, carries the foul where God is ; in it there is a ftrong in- clination, which difpofes us to look after another world : hence it is faid, We are begotten again to a lively hope. As foon as we are made children we begin to look after a child's portion. 2 . It proceeds from the burdens and miferies they labour under in this world: hence is that word, 2 Cor. v. 2, 5,4, For in this we groan earneflly^ defiring to be clothed upon with our houfe which is from heaven; if fo be that being clothed^ we fhall not be found naked: for we that are in this taber- nacle do groan^ being burdened. There are five things which efpecially burden the people of God. ( I .) Sharp afflidions. We are too apt to take up with a worldly happinefs, and to fay. It is good for us to be here; till God, by his rod, jrsvaken us out of our drowfy fits. We are fo pleafed with our entertainment by the way, that we forget home; and therefore the Lord embitters our life here, that we may think of our removal to a better fiate \ wliQre Jigbihg and forrow fhall flee away* We would 494 ^^^ Saints on Earth, fleep and reft here, if we had not fometimes thorns in our bed ; but thefe make us cry out, All the days of my pilgrim 7navo countrymen fhould be ftrange to one another in a ftrange land ? Would it not be monftrous, if one member of the body fliould withdraw offices of love from another? It is a reproach to Chriftianity, that thofe who indeed are members of the fame Chrift, fliould a6l as if they were not related: and, if ftrangenefs be fo uncomely among the people of God, what muft the root of it, alienation of afFeclions, be ? — If Chriftians have caufe to blufli, when they are not free and open hearted one to another, how ought they to be con- founded who are guilty of heart burnings and bitternefs of Spirit, as is remarkably the cafe in our day ? 3. This doci^rine reproves thofe who, like Nicodemus, think it enough to have religion in the hearty though they do not frofefs it. Why ? God's ftrangers profefs them- felves fuch. It is not enough that our hearts be rigbt with God, but there muft be a confejfton with the mouth : for with the heart man believes to righteoufnefs ^ and with the mouth confejjton is made to falvation. Do not look upon it as a matter indifferent, whether ye confefs or not ; for it is your incumbent duty, and as fuch, is inculcated both in the old and new Teftament: in the old; Deut. xxvi. 3? 5> <^? ?• -^^d thou Jh alt go to thepriejly that Jh all be in thofe days, and fay unto him^ I profefs this day unto the Lord thy Qod^ that I am come unto the country^ which the Lord fware unto our fat her Sy for to give us, — And thou flmlt fpeak and fay, before the Lord thy God^ A Syrian ready to peri/h was my father^ and he went down into Egypt ^ and fojourned there. Strangers md Sojcptrners ivith GOD. 513 with a few^ and became there a nation^ great ^ mighty^ and populous : and th Egyptians evil-intreated us^ and affllded us^ and laid upon u. hard bondage ; and when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers^ the Lord heard our voice, and look' ed on our affliHon, and our labour, and our opprejjion. — And in the new ; i Pet. iii. 1 5 . But fan ft if y the Lord God in your hearts ; and k ready always to give an anfwer to every man that afheth yd, a reafon of the hope that is in you, with meek' nefs and fear' It is impofTible for a man to be a ftranger, and not praefs it : it is impoffible to keep the fire of faith without tb fmoke of a profellion. All people will walk m the name oj their gods ; and we alfo will walk in the name cf the Lord ur God, Shall a worlhipper of Baal be more bold and confident in profeffing an idol, than Jehovah's worfhipptrs ? No : we v/ill walk, we will go up and down in his nane, profeffing and declaring in all prudent ways our adh(rence to him. '^dly. This doctrine may be applied by way of trials whether or not ye be God's ftrangers? And, 1 . 1/ ye be God's flrangers, ye will be weaned from the world. They that look on heaven as their home, regard the eaith as a flrange country : and they who have a more excellent glory fecured to them, in Chrift, take the lefs cai^e about the world. Who would purchafe a child's rattle, with the fame price he would buy a jev/el ; or dig for iron with mattocks of gold \ So, God's flrangers will not wear out their affections on carnal things ; for faith acquaints them with nobler objects. Thus the vvoman of Samaria, when Ihe knew Chrift, left her pitcher. When Chrift told Zaccheus that falvatim was come to his houfc^ Then, — Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor : but when men relifh only worldly things, they are of the earth. More particularly, If ye be God's flrangers, ye will be taken off from the admiration of worldly things: we are very prone to this, and arc ready to fay, Happy is that people that are in T t t 514 The Saints en Earthy fuch a cafe ; but if ye are flrangers withhlm, ye\vill cor- rect youiTelves, and fayj rather happy is that people inxhcfe God is the Lord. If the heart be in heavei, things in the world will not feem fo glorious : the tiling of this life are the men of the world's only realities, ani the things of lieaven chim2Eras and iliadow^; ; but in thejudgment of a faint, the things of the world are mere notlings, and the things of heaven foiid and fabllantial ; 2 Cor iv. 1 8. While we lool not at the tinngs which are feen^ hm at the things *v;hich are not feen ; for the things ^ivhich are Jen are tempo-' tal^ but the things which are ?wt feen are efer^nd. If ye be the ftrangers of God^ ye will pufue worldly things with ind[fferemy^ and refcrve the zeal aid fervour ofyourfpirit for heavenly things. God's ftsngers ufe the things of the world, as if they ufed them aot, with a kind of non-attendance: their heads and tfeir hearts are taken up with higher matters, how they nay pleafe God, thrive in grace, enjoy mere intimate cotuiiunion with God in his ordinances. They fpread all ther fails in thefe, and ply all their oars : thus fays David, MyfoulfoU loweth hard after thee. Ye will deny yourfelves in worldly advandaj^es up- on the hopes of eternity. Many a time God's firangers are put to their choice, either to wrong confcicnG^ in ac- cepting the world's profits, or to fave it in refunng them: outward conveniencies are put into one fcale, and future hopes into another, Novv% obferve the workings of your fpirits in fuch a cafe. God's ilrangers prefer future hopes to prefent advax^itages, like Moles, who had refpeti iin- io the reconipencc of the reward. \i the Vv'orid ihall come in competition with iieaven, and the man is tempted to violate confcience for a piece of prefent fatisfacfion, faith comes away from the conteft, v/ith a holy difdain at fuch a comparifon : thus we read, Ileb. xi. 35. The ferva?its of the Lord were tortured ; in the original it is tynipanized^ or flrctched out as a drum, yet they v»'culd not accept cf d^- Strangers and Sojourners ivith GOD. ^ijr Uverance^ that they might obtain a better refurreclion. The world offered them a relcafe, but faith offered them a refurreclion ; the world fuggefts temporal enjoyments, but faith comes with the treafurcs of the covenant: where- upon the foul cries out, We can lofe nothing on earth but we fliall have better for it in heaven : we can gaia nothing equal to the advantage an adherence to Chriff will bring. And fo the believer fells all' that he may buy the fear I of great frice, 2. If ye be God's ilrangcrs, though you do not enjoy the things promifed, ye will entertain the fromifes with much refpect and delight ; they wdll be dear and precious to you : thus it is faid of the patriarchs, Heb. xi, that they were perfuaded of the promifes, and embraced them, though they faw them but afar ojf: tho' they lived many years before the /r^/;2?/t'j- concerning theMeffiah took effect, yet they embraced them, as we do friends at parting, fay- ing, O thefe are fweet promifes ; thefe one day will bring a Meffiah, and yield a Saviour to the world: wdien they went down to the grave, they could not, with old Simeon, hold the matter of the promifes in their arms ; yet they held the promifes in the arms of their faith: and fo will it l)e with you ; you will rejoice in his word, which, when you take hold off, you have the promifes by the root; and this will nil you with joy, and make you fay, O thefe are great and precious promifes: fuch a prom ife will yield nie abiolute freedom from fm ; fuch another will yield m_e freedom from Satan ; fuch another will yield me heaven. 3. If ye be God's flrangers, your mind will run much upon the other country : your trealure is there ; and where your treafure is, your heart* will be alfo. Heaven is not in all the thouc:hts of carnal men ; their hearts dwell in this world, becaufe they expect not a better : they are al- ways thinking w^hat a happinefs it is to enjoy thoufands a-year, and to have no complaining in their families: thinking of pulling down their barns, and building greater; T t t 2 ^i6 77?^ Saints on Earth, but heaven bulks more in the eye of a Chriflian. The thoughts of worldly men are taken up with carnal projects; but in the heart of the ftranger with God, there is a ftage erected, on which heaven, and the exercifes of it, are by devout meditation daily reprefented. — Iii a word, the one minds earthly things, the other heavenly ; They that are after the flejh^ do mind the things of the flejh ; hut they that are after the Spirit^ the things of the Spirit, 4. If ye be God's ftrangers, ye will difcover a heavenly deportment in earthly things. Whenever ye meet a Chri- ftian, he is going to heaven: heaven is at the bottom of his loweft actions, in getting earthly things, in ufing them, and keeping them. — In getting them ; carnal men will have what their hearts are fet on, by any means, the bafeft not excepted ; thus Gehazi will lie rather than want the two talents : but a believer will not ftep out of God's road to receive a crown ; he is for providing things honefl in the fight of all men. — In tfing earthly things like wife he adls religioufiy, and for heavenly ends; Laying up inftorefor himfef a good foundation againjl the time to come^ that he .may lay hold on eternal life, — And he is heavenly in keeping them ; for he will rather quit with them all than with his hopes of heaven : and, indeed, he that keeps earth by - wrong, cannot expect heaven by right. Thefe things the faint does, when he acts like himfelf. 4^/;/)', This point may be iniproven in an ufe of exhor- tation ; which may be directed, firit to God's ftrangers ; and then to others, who are lying in wickednefs. \\7\ This dodrine tenders an exhortation to God^s flrangers^ or to thefe v/ho are ftrangers with him. And our exhortation to you is, I. Abftain homfieply lufls : this is the apoftle's advice, iPet. ii. II. Dearly beloved^ I hejeech you^ as ftrangers and pilgrims^ abftain from fleflAy lufls ^ which war againfl the foul. If v/e were not pilgrims bound for another world, it were more tolerable to fatisfy every carnal defire ; but Strangers and Sojourners ivith GOD. 517 we are on a journey, and therefore fhould mortify them : they both diftracl and clog the mind ; they dillradl: and draw it another way, fo that, as it was faid of Martha, they are mbumbered with much ferving : and they likewife load and clog it. It is true, we may feel no weight, like a bird under her feathers ; but in reality they are the foul's load, Heb. xii. i. Let us lay afide every weight. Fifli^s feel no weight, tho' they fwim never fo low in the water, for they are in their proper place ; fo, a man that hath taken up his reft here, doth not feel fleflily lufts, as thofe of drunkennefs, uncleannefs, &c, to be a weight: but to one that looketh heaven-ward, they are burdenfome, as a clog to his foul that depreifeth him in all his heavenly flights ; therefore abftain from them, as your greateft enemies car- rying on defperate defigns, not only againft the peace and ftrength, but the very life and happinefs of your fouls. 2. Our advice to you is, be not familiar with the world. You are ftrangers here ; and let the cuftoms and fafliions of the world be ftrange things to you. If ye were in A- merica, where ye faw none but rude favages, whofe de- portment, in their natural actions, differed little from the brutes, would ye conform yourfelves to their fafliion? Surely not. Well, if you count heaven your home, do not difparage it fo much, as to prefer the practices, fafhi- ons, and language of the world, before thefe of your own country. It is the fafliion of this world to be carnal and profligate; to" be carelefs about God, and the things of God, to blafpheme his name, and profane his day ; to ne- glect, at leaft, fecret and private duties ; to fpend the whole of their time in eating, drinking, buying, and fel- ling: but you are to live after another manner, and by other laws ; Be not conformed to the world, 3. Do not embroil yourfelves in the cares of the world. Entangle not yourfelves in worldly purfuits ; for your a- bode here is but for a time, and you know not how foon you may be called hence: i Cor. vii. 29, 30. The time is 5 1 8 The Saints oji Earthy fiort ; it remaineth that both they that have wives ^ he as though they had none ; and they that lueep^ as though they wept not ; and they that rejoice^ as thcicah they rejoiced not ; and they that huy^ as though they pojfejfed not ; and they that ufe this worlds as not ahufmg it : for the fajhion of this world faffeth away. What folly would it be in a traveller, who is far from Lome, to fall in love with, and fix himfelf in his inn ! Greater folly would it be in you, to fix yciur- felves in this world : therefore, beware of refolving to be rich, of making this the main bufinefs and fcope of your life; I Tim. vi. 9. They that will be rich fall i?2to tempt a f i- on^ and a fnare : he does not fiiy, they that are rich, for holy men, through the bleiling of God, may be rich ; but they that will be rich, they that make the attainment of riches their fcope and defign. Grafp not at too much of the world; for, Wo to them that join hoife to houfe^ and field to fields till there be no place^ that they 7nay be placed alone in the midjl of the earth. And if gain come in but flowly, be content with God's allowance. Ye are Gran- gers, and to cany much would be. burdenfome ; a little is enough for your journey ; you are travelling to heaven, and v/hen you come there, your fouls will be filled to the brim: we brou^rht nothinsf into the Vv'orld, and can carry nothing out. And if God give abundance, beware of carnal complacency; Pfal. Ixii. 10. If riches increafe^- fet not your heart upon them. Suffer not your hearts to rejoice in them, as your only portion, fo as to count, them your good things ; for ye have better things to mind, and to delio'ht in. o 4. Study to enjoy as much of God o?i earth as you can, in the ordinances of his grace : the full feaft is referved for heaven ; but ye may have a tafte of it here. Prayer brings us to the throne of grace, and gives an entrance into the holieft of all. In the preaching of the gofpel, heaven is brought down -to us ; The kingdom of God is come ■unto you. By reading the word, wx couverfe with our Strangers and Sojourners iv'ith GOD. S^9 friend. Meditation brings us to the company of God, and raifes our head above the clouds. The Sabbath is a type of heaven ; Tberc reinainetb therefore a reft [or Sabba- tifti] for the people of God, The Lord's fupper is an earned of that new wine we fhall drink in our Father's kingdom. Singing of pfalms fitly refembles thofe leclures of praife that iliall be read over, to the honour of free grace, thro' eternal ages. 5. Keep up a ivarm refpeEl to your own country. It is not enough to defpife earth ; but you muft look after, and long for heaven. Many of an eafy temper may defpife worldly things, as their corruptions do not vent that way ; but, befides, ye are to feck after heaven: Here we have no continuing-^ city^ but w^'seek one to come. In the midfl: of your worldly enjoyments, mind your country ; call your hearts off them and fay. Soul, this is not thy reft. 6. Confefs yourfelves^ ftrangers^ as the patriarchs did, in the midft of the Canaanites: by dwelling in tents, they declared plainly that they fought a country. Ye fliould* have a travelling difpoiition, and fet the face of your cori- verfations heaven-ward. Live as thofe that are not afham- ed of their country, that you may draw others to be fel- low citizens with you; Phil. ii. 15, 16. 'T'hat ye may be blamelefs and harmlefs^ the fons of God without rebuke^ ^c* As the liars are the fliining part of heaven; fo the faints, if they live anfwerably to their condition, are the glory of the world. As the ftar guided the wife men to Chrift ; fo it ought to be the buiinefs of the faints to guide men to Chrift bv their converfation. There are Q;reater lisrhts, and leifer liglits : minifters are as the greater, to hold forth the word of life, in doclvine ; and private Chriftians the lefTer, to hold forth the word of life in pradice. 7. If ye v/ould reach all thefe, let your life be a life of faith. Let faith be exercifed in viewing Chrift in his tranfcendant glory and excellency; and this will be an at- tractive objeft : Beholding as in aglafs the glory of the Lord* S20 The Saints on Earth, Let it be exercifed in taking up both this and the other world in their proper colours, as defcribed in the word: and it will difcover to you the vanity of this, and the reality of the other ; the preferablenefs of the other to this : and hence, when others are faying, Who will Jhew us any goodf your ciy will be, Lord^ lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Our Lord, like Jofeph, keeps all the granaries of heaven ; and faith is the key that unlocks thefe ftorehoufes, and takes out fupplies : For of his fulnefs have all we received J and grace for grace, 8. Beware of thinking that you will enjoy perfeSl and wiifiterrupted communion with God on earth ; for this would be inconiiftent with your prefent ftate of diftance from your own home, and your Father's houfe, where God is all in all. While you are ftrangers and fojourners here, there is reafon to think that fome desfree of ftrano:enefs will often take place on both iides. Hence it is no un- common thing to hear God complaining of their eftrange- ment from him : and, it may be, he is making this griev- ous complaint upon many of his ftrangers in this audience; Thus faith the Lord^ I rememher thee^ the kindnefs cf thy youth ^ and the love of thine efpcufals : — what iniquity have your fathers found in me^ that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity^ and are become vain f Neverthelefs I have fome what againfl thee^ hecaufe thou hafl left thy firfl love, — And hence, on the other hand, when the Lord hides his face from them, and feems to carry towards them as a ftranger, what doleful complaints and moans do they fend after him ? 0 that I knew where I might find him / why cafleft thou off my foul? why hidefl thou thy face from mef I fought him whom jny foul loveth ; I fought him^ but I found him not! Allowing you ihould be admitted to the moft fweet and intimate communion attainable on earth; yet remember that you are here ftrangers, and ftill on this fide heaven; and confequently, in fome meafure, abfent from the Lord, Hence fays Paul, 2 Cor. v. 6. Knowing that Strangers and Sojourners ivith GOD, 521 •iolnlfl we are at home in the hody\ we are ahfent from the Lord ; or, as the words run in the Greek, We indwelling in the hody\ d.w ell forth from the Lord, Did any of you enjoy as much of Chrift as Paul did, both in the fublime views he had of the plan of redempti- on, and in the abundant communications of divine love, it might be called remarkable prefencc xVith him ; but he count- ed all that he had, or could have in tJie body, but ahfenca from the Lord. Tliere is no communion on earth without fome defed: in it : and God has determined to preferve a deftinclion betwixt the church militant and triumphant; that here we jhall know hut in part, but then flmll we knowy even as we are known, — Communion with God, in the pil-. grimage-ftate, cannot be immediate^ in regard it is only en- joyed through means and ordinances, public and private. Here he oiAy ft andeth behind our walls, he looketh forth at the window, fJ:>ewing himfelf through the lattefs, that the travellers to Zion may have a view of him as they pafs by ; but this is only darkly as through a glafs : w^hereas in hea- ven it fhall he face to face ; when the interpoling vail {hall be drawn afide. — It cannot htfull, in regard the veiTels of mercy here are not able to fupport the exceeding weight of glory, referved for them in heaven : neither are the means fuilkient to convey the full Hoods of divine com- munications, being only as fmall conduits from a foun- tain, or narrow creeks from the fea; whereas in heaven communion fliall be full: They fij all be abundantly fatisfed %uith the fitnef of thy hoife ; and thou fJoalt make them to drink of the rivers of thy pleafures. — And it cannot be con^ flant, or perpetual, but meets with frequent interruptions. ' And hence of Jacob it was faid, that the Lord went up from him in the place that he talked with him : but in heaven, their viiion and fruition of God fliall be everlailing, with- out interruption and without end ; So fhall we be ever with the Lord. U u u 522 The Saints on Earthy [^2.] We fliall conclude the fubjecl with a word to the world lying in w'lckednefs^ Ye men of the world have been hearing that God's people are flrangers: well, you are iirangers as well as they; yoa are ftrangers in refpect of the Ihortnefs of your ftay, though not in refpecl of affec- tion. The dinerence betwixt you and them, lies not in that you are on your journey, and they arrived at home : nay, you are both by the way ; but tliough ye be ftrangers as well as they, ye are not iirangers with God, at as they are ; ye are flrangers tQ God : The wicked are ejlrancr- ed from the womb. But ye need not remain Jlrangers to God; for ye have his leave to com.e in, and be Jlrangers with hhn ; JVhofoever will 'may corns : therefore call in your lot amongit thefi^ ftrangers, by believing in our Lord Je- fus. And, to excite you, confider thefe two things. 1. That it is the gr e at ejl judgment that can be inflicted on you, to be confined to worldly happinefs : that is a fad doom, Son^ remember that thou in thy life-time received/} thy good things. It is your choice; but it is a fad one: Save me from the men that have their -part and portion in this life. It is a puniihment laid on them that forfake the fountain of living waters, for the puddle of this world ; Jer. xvii. i^. 'T'jey that depart from, me fhall he written in the earthy hecaufe they have forfaken the Lord^ the fountain of living waters. It were better to be followed with afflic- tion, to be driven to beg your bread, than to be written in the earth in a way of judgment: better never have a day of reft and eafe in this world, but ftill to be toffed with trouble, than to be condemned to a worldly felicity. 2. Coniider the happinefs of ihofe who are ftrangers with God. God pronounces them happy ; Deut. xxxiii. 29. Happy art thou^ O Ifracl : who is like unto thee ^ 0 peo- ple^ faved by the Lord., the floield of thy help^ and who is the fword of thy excellency ! The experience of God's ftrangers hath found it to be true.- — Coniider, they are happy un- der prejent wants^ becaufe they are fupported by the hope J Strangers and Sojourners ivith GOD, 523 of fulnefs, ftanding on the gracious intimation of their leader; John xiv. 2. hi my Father* s houfe are many mari' fiom : If it 'were not fo^ I ivould have told you. — They are happy wiidtv fufferings here ; and fo take joyfully the fpoil- ling of their goods^ knowing they have in heaven^ a better and a more enduring fubjlance. — They are happy in their difpofition and temper of mind ; pofTefling their fouls in pa- tience, under rubs and affronts by the way from natives. — They are happy in their company ; friends and compa- nions may leave them to go alone, but God will not; and they may fay with the glorious Fore-runner, We are not a-- lone^ for the Father is with us. — They are happy in their accom??iodation by the way : though none of the beft in it- felf ; yet the very beft for them : tho' they fhould wander in the wildernefs, in a folitary place, fometimes hungry, at other times thirfty ; the beft for them, becaufe directed by infinite wifdom which cannot err : hence it is faid, Pfal. cvii. 7. He led them forth by the right way^ that they might go to a city of habitation* Are they fo happy ! and more than I can tell ; come and put in for a fliare of their happinefs : and I conclude by addreffing y©u in the name of God's ftrangers, in the words of Mofes to his father-in- law, We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord faid, I will give it you ; come thou with us^ and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath fpoken good concerning IfraeL THE END. Errata and CorrigenDA6 In page 15. line 19- for to Chrijly read to eve another — p. 47. I. 8.- f. aSy r. is'.-^^ p. 5^. k 3S. f. 7Wf«, r. man. — p. 75. 1. a f. intOy r. in. — p, 77. 1. 4, f. rtVtfCy, r. /t'n- 4iency——\). 85. 1. iz. f. accouvr. r. account. — 1. aa, after attribute, fupply /o /a//c. — p. 100. 1. 31. f. hef.dei^ r. u'ii/;.' — p lor 1. 4. f. they arc, r. ?/ J5. — p. ic8. I. 5. dele the laft in. — 1. a8. f. dodrinCy r, fublicatioh — p. lix. 1. ao. after ally fupply his kind" nefs to iherf}. — p. 138. 1. 16. f. c??."', r. a' e. — p. 150. 1. zi. {.Jfate glory, i. jlate cf glory. —p. 160. 1. 23. f. hclhy r. have — p. 180. i, 3. f perverty r. prevent. — p. 189. 1. 15. dele -with. — p. 140, (b-c. f. 4. 5. *:rc. r. ^ihiy, sthly, &c. — p. a 56. 1. 18. f. Thufit^s^ r. T^ai J/ is.- — p. 261. 1. 18. f. Rom, vjii. 17 r vl, 17 — p. 165, i, 14. f. Self-ucedy r. F