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The ft raying State and Condition cf 'mankind Sinner J } 
 together xvith the Care of the chief "- Shepherd i>\ 
 returning them; and curing their Ji raying Dij- 
 pvfiticn. f y , 
 
 I N TWO 
 
 SERMONS. 
 
 From iPet. ii. 25. 
 
 Preached at GaUaJbiels, on a facramental Qccafion, 
 in the Year 1720. 
 
 By the Rev. 
 
 Mv.THOMAS BOSTON, 
 
 Miniller of the Gofpel at Ettrick. 
 
 ALSO, 
 The fuiiie/s of the Godhead dwelling in Ckrijt 1 by an 
 Ail of the Father's Go r A-pleafure, 
 
 BEING AN 
 
 ACTION S E R M O N, 
 From Co los. i, 19. 
 
 Preached at Gallajhhi?, in the Year 1720; 
 
 By the Rev. Mr. HENRY D AVI D S N> 
 Mmiiter of the Gofpel there. 
 
 QNevei before Publiftied.} 
 
 EDINBURGH; 
 Printed by David Paterson, 
 And fold by John Duncan, Head of Grafs Cfo/sl 
 -South hde of the High Street , and by other Book- 
 felleis, M DCCLXI, 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/strayingstateconOObost 
 
i 3 a 
 SERMON I 
 
 On the Saturday. 
 
 I Peter ii. 25. 
 
 Fvr ye were as Jheep going ajlray ; but are new returned 
 unto the Shepherd and Bijhop of your fouls. 
 
 A Dam's fons 3 as inheritors of their father's folly, 
 are fcorn wanderers ; and ever fince he brake 
 over the hedge of God's covenant, into the 
 Devil's common, they are wandering from mountain to 
 mountain, having forgotten their refting place. And 
 becaufe a wandering difpo£tion is natural unto them, 
 therefore they cannot return until they he returned, 
 as in my text, But now are returned^ &c. The fallen 
 angels are left to be miferable wanderers ; fo the fcrip- 
 ture reprefects them, walking about going to and fro ; 
 they are Graying wretches, b,ut the great Shepherd has 
 no commiiliois to gather them ; but they ftray and will 
 {tray, uotil they be (hut up in the pit; they ftray with- 
 out aGy feeking after them, but Jefus Chrift is the Shep- 
 herd of Ada??: 5 fens, fome of whom are returned to 
 him already. 
 
 I have fpoken to thefe words already at fome length, 
 in the hearing of feverals that are here, at an occafioa 
 <>f this nature, therefore I (hall not repeat what I have 
 {aid, only I'll remind you, that by the fheep is meant, 
 ftraying and loft nnners; by the Shepherd is meant, the 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, he only is the good Shepherd, who 
 giveth his life for the ftieep ; and by returning unto him 
 is meant, believing in him ; and, when it is faid, ye 
 are returned, this intimates, that it is not in your pow- 
 er to return of yourfelves. 
 
 A 2 The 
 
C 4 3 
 
 The doctrine I purpofe to fpeak to at this time, is 
 (hortly this, 
 
 Ddct.^// that are in Chrifl are as nvafs ardjlr^ '» 
 found arid recovered by divine grace. 
 
 I have fpoken to the Graying ftate, .and to the return 
 of the (trays, in feveral diflinelions. What I would 
 repeat at this time is, the place where they are ftraying, 
 
 All the fons of .-Jdam are (fraying upon the moun- 
 tains of darknefs, in a blind and ignorant itate, among 
 the pleafures and profits of this world ; they are Gray- 
 ing upon the barren mountains of the law ; they are 
 itraying in the miry and marfliy places of the earth, I 
 nvean the pollutions of this world. 
 
 What I would fpeak to at this time is, 
 
 I. To (hew the condition of tinners out of Chrift, 
 
 II. The caufe of their continued ilraying. 
 
 III. Of the (trays returned unto Chrift. 
 
 I. I would fliew the condition of finners out of Chriir., 
 I entered upon this, and ihewed you it was, ijr> A 
 loft itate. 2d(y, A friendlefs (late, idly, A defencelefs 
 itate. qthly, A famifhing Hate. I now go on, 
 
 $%fifyi The condition of ilraying miners, is a reftlefs 
 condition. Poor Itraying creatures, ye are like the 
 filly (craving fheep, ay wandering, and every one thinks 
 himftlf fet at liberty, Jer. y. 6. My people have been as 
 *of jbeep, i key have forgotten their rejitng place. Poor 
 Graying fouls are like the troubled fea that cannot reft, 
 &c. The foul of man, as to its natural make and con- 
 iiitution, can never have folid reft but in the enjoyment 
 of God, fo far as God hath made it capable of an infi- 
 nite good. The foul of .m«ni fell out of its reft, and 
 God has condemned it to a perpetual reirleflhefs in thefe 
 xefpects. if, In a Itraying confeience no reft for their 
 fouls, becaufe the (ting of guilt galls the heart, Job 
 XV. 32, tie ivandcrtib abroad for bread } but qpbere is 
 
 it* 
 
C 5' I' 
 iff It is true, it may be a \qqg time before the poifon 
 begins to work refolutfely in the mans bread ; but how- 
 ever, {having (inters can never get it purged opt, u itil 
 thePreturn to the blood of fprinkling ; but their way is 
 to the mount/wins of :he law ; they Is y thenifeWej down 
 upon the daft, to mend and grow better; but behold 
 the curie coming from it, allows them no reft: So that 
 you fee, the foul can get no left .until it get into the 
 wounds of a Redeemer. But then, idly , It is a ieftlefs 
 condition, for a firmer can never have his delli-es iirtis-ii- 
 ed; and what is wanting by lawful enjoyment, they en- 
 deavour to make up by unlawful. Oftentimes the poor 
 creature thinks he will get relt in fuch and fuch a crea- 
 ture-enjoyment, and he comes forward to reft there- 
 on ; but behold he meets with a disappointment, tie bed 
 is fhiorier than that he can Jlretch bimfetf thereon, and 
 the cohering narrower than that he can wrap himfelf 
 therein. The truth is, the heart can never get folid 
 reft, but in the enjoyment of God in Chrift ; and as 
 we were born crying, fo ye fiiall Lave complaining, and. 
 difappointments, ever till you center theie : and hence 
 it is that the foul of man can never get reft v. bile out 
 of Chrift; it muft have red, and it will have reft, but 
 this reft cannot be gotten in the creature; whatever it 
 is that they eflay to lay themfelves down upon, frill 
 there is a thorn of unealinefc, and fo they get up and 
 wander again. But men, 
 
 6//'A, A ftraying condition is a perifhing condition ; 
 the foul that is out of Chrift is hke a ftraying iheep in 
 the wildernefs full of pits and fnares, th:re wolves 
 and foxes are wandering for their prey; Deut, xxxii. 
 io. He found him ir. a efefart land y in the wsajh a^i 
 howling wildernefs. Such a creature is in no greater 
 hazard 01 peiiihing, than the foul out of Chrift is, 
 Alas ! the world is full of fnares, you cannot fet down 
 a foot any where, but there is a t r ap for them ; in the 
 pleafanteft places of the mountains of vanity, there are 
 lyohs dens, and mountains of leopards. In a word, The 
 poor fmcer's ftraying p'aces are the Deni's ranging 
 
 yh.ces; 
 
t 6 3 . 
 
 places ; there the roaring lyon range* about feeking 
 hvhom he fjtay devour, i Pet. v. 8. I may take this 
 up in two things. 1. You are ready to perifh, Luke xv. 
 17. And when he came to himfelf he /aid, How n&hy 
 hired fervants are in my father 7 houfe, who have bread 
 enough and to fpare ; and I perijh with hunger! Poor 
 graying miners, you may.make the Israelite's confeflion, 
 when he offered his baiket of ilrfl-fruits, An AJJyrian 
 ready to perijh was my father ; fo is the cafe of every 
 foul out of Chriit : you have not the piomife of one 
 moments fecurity, you are like David's lamb, in ,the 
 power of the devouring lyon ; there is only one thing 
 wanting, he hath not yet carried you away to his den ; 
 J fa. xlix. 24. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty ^ 
 or the lawful captive delivered? Therefore, I fay, 
 they are always ready to perifh. But then in the 2d 
 place, They mall certainly perifn, if they -be not return- 
 ed; Afls iv. 12. Neither is there fa /vat ion in any 
 ether, <he. Sinners if you be not returned, you fhall 
 be carried down to the den of perdition : this is tmt 
 end of a ftraying (late, bo rL h by the appointment of 
 God, and alio from the nature ot the thing, Mark xyi. 
 ltd. He that believe th net, Jhall be damned. So much 
 for the lhaying (late and .condition you are in. 
 
 II. In the fecond place, I would offer fome of the 
 caufes of your continued llrayi.ng. I (hall name thefe 
 two . 
 
 \fi, They ftray and ftray on until they be returned ; 
 becaufe they are icquifitive of happinefs, and are quite 
 blind as to the way that leads to it, Reel. x. 15. The 
 labour of the foolijh nvearieth every cue of them, be- 
 caufe he knoweth not how to go to the city. Man na- 
 turally feeks to be happy, and in no cafe does he ceafe 
 to defire to be fo ; he is confeious to himfelf, that he is 
 not felf-fufficient, and that of neceflity he muff fetch 
 his happinefs from fome other without him. Now, man 
 naturally knows Hot God, and the only way to happi- 
 Kpis through our Lord Jefu? Chriifc : hence man goes to 
 
 the 
 
. ,,. E i 1 
 
 the creature to feek his happinefs ; and the foul wafidrrs 
 from one to another, meeting with difappointments at 
 all hands, becaufe the foul is empty, and every one 
 difappoints it. 
 
 idly, They are wild and wilful, and will not return ; 
 jfohriv. 1 6. Ye will not come unto me that ye may have 
 life. They like not the relifh of the green pafture, for 
 their natures are quite changed, and nothing but what 
 is agreeable to corrupt nature relifheth with them ; and 
 fo ftraying becomes their choice : they not only cannot 
 return, but they will not return ; they cannot think to 
 be hedged in within God's inclofure; and there is fuch 
 a multitude of things in the world,* that every oae 
 helps another, and they feorn to return to Chrift. 
 
 III. The third thing propofed, was tcr fpeak of the 
 returned drays. This is a weighty point, feveral things 
 in it I cannot reach, time not allowing : what J would 
 fpeak a little to is, How they are returned. Remem- 
 ber, Sirs, all mankind are ftrays by nature, and re- 
 main many days in the pit : many of them arc never 
 recovered, nor turned back; but, blefled be God, fome 
 are returned and recovered out from among the reft ; 
 Ye were fometimes going afray, hut are now returned, 
 &c. The fubject of our prefent enquiry is, How this 
 is effected : we mail take it up in three things. 
 
 In the frf place know, that there was from all eter- 
 nity a folemc tranfaftion between the Father and the Son, 
 for the recovery of the ftraying fheep ; a grand devife 
 fet on foot by free and nndeferved love : and the Son of 
 God was conftitute as the rightful Shepherd of the re- 
 turned ftrays, and that by the original Owner. Now 
 here there are fome things to be done, firji on the Fa- 
 ther's part, ztid fecondly on the part of the Shepherd. 
 Now there are two things with refpect to the returned 
 ftrays on the Father's part, and that from the date of 
 eternity. 
 
 if, He' marked them out from eternity for recovery 
 by elfc&ins lore s I fay, he marked them out from a- 
 
 mong 
 
i s i 
 
 tnong the reft of the ft rap fot recovery, by free and tttP 
 deferred love : he fet fo many by, and marked them out* 
 for his own Sori; the great Shepherd of the fheep, Eph r 
 ii. 3. 4. And that jnvifible mark which they carry a- 
 bout with them, they can never lofs, in all their ftfay- 
 ings and wanderings* however dangerous places they 
 £0 through, and however carelefs they be of them- 
 f'elves, 2 77;;;. ii. 19. Neverthelefs ife foundation of 
 God Jlandeth fu^e, having this fea! y The Lord kuomoetfy 
 ihe:n thai are his. The maik is internal to the party 
 marked, and to others, till the drays be returned. But, 
 
 idly, He delivered you over to his Son, the good 
 Shepherd, for recovery ; you were delivered over to 
 him to bring your recovery about, to begin it, to carry 
 it on, and to complete it : the Father gave him a right 
 to them, he made a gift of the ftrays to the Son, bur" 
 Gfening him with their recovery, and burdening him 
 with the expence of their recovery. It is true, he 
 made ever a kingdom, but it war, to be gathered out 
 of the Devil's fold ; he made a gift of a flock, but it 
 was to be railed out of the Devil's ftrayS : the; gift had 
 that burden with it, and none Was able to bear it, but 
 he; Pfal. Ixxxix. 19. Then fpaheft thou in vijioh to 
 thy tcly One, and faid, I have laid help oil One f hat 
 ts mighty ; I have .exalted One zhofen out of the people. 
 So much for the Father's part. But- then there f» 
 thing on the Shepherd's part, and that from eter- 
 nity alio: As, 
 
 1/?, He engaged to bring them back* John x. I!, 
 e&ffipared with ver* i.S. The gd&d JkephAndghtih his- 
 life for thfjhkep; Nomlitt takeih it from me, <bc Jus- 
 tice ha4 a claim againd the drays rr.arl-f dout for reco- 
 very, as well as pgaind the red of the /-rays ; becaufe 
 th y bad broken over Cod's inclofure. in the loins of 
 Adam*, and by breaking over the hed^e and inclofure, 
 re out of accefs to return. JUftiqe remanded 
 them to be hunted, purfued, and (lain wherever they 
 Could be found, as they were run; .ways from their 
 ..us Lord ;,nd Owner ; and without. tke.Jhtd 
 
C 9 1 
 
 ef Mood there was no remjfion of fin ; then faysjfre 
 Shepherd, Stopjuftice, hold thy hand; I will lay dowri 
 my life for the ftrayed fheep, thofe whom my Father 
 hath given me ; I will make up the gap in the hedge 
 of the inciofure, which they have made down ; I will 
 be hunted, purfued, and (lain inftead of the poor 
 11 rays ; Pfai. x(. 7. Sacrifice and offering then ^ouldfi 
 not : Thenfaid /, Lo, I come. He engaged to bring back 
 the firay'd fheep ; John x.16. And other jhecp I have, 
 Kvhichare not of this fold, them 1 mufl bring bacL Re- 
 mark the expreffion, them I muji bring back. : There lay 
 an engagement upon him to bring them back ; the poor 
 ftrays, though accefs be purchafed to them, yet they can- 
 not return : they cannot come back y they are fofond ori 
 the mountains of vanity they cannot come back, and 10 
 they will ever ftray on endlefly ; and therefore Jefus 
 Chrift the great Shepherd engaged to bring them back. 
 So much for the firft thing. 
 
 'idly, In the fulnefs of time, Jefus Chrift the good 
 Shepherd : purchafed the life and return of the ftrays 
 by his own doing and dying for them ; the good Shep- 
 herd laid down his fife for the fheep, according to 
 the eternal compact. The word was given, Zech. xiii. 
 1 1 . yhvake, f-vord t againft my jloepherd, againfz 
 him thai is my felloe ; and then juftice purfued him from 
 the cradle to the grave, and did not leave him, till it: 
 brought him to the duft of death. The Shepherd flood 
 in the gap the ftrays had made in the firft inciofure, 
 namely, the covenant of works ; and for the making 
 it up, two things was demanded, and he anfwered in 
 both, viz. obedience and fufferirig, both which was 
 neceiTary to the making up' the hedge the ftrays had 
 broken down. The waters of the curfe, a flood of wrath, 
 which would have fv/ept all the ftrays away before it for 
 evermore, brake out at the gap, it overflowed him, 
 fink irjto his very foul, even to the very Iaft drop ; but 
 they were all fwallowed up in him, becaufe of the ex- 
 cellency of him that ftood in. the gap, to make up the 
 breach. Thus much for the fe:end thing, viz. His 
 B procuring 
 
C JO ] 
 
 procuring the life and return of the Grays, in thefulnef* 
 of time. 4 
 
 idly, In the time of life, he by the ftrength of his 
 Holy Spirit, and the influences of divine grace, ac- 
 tually returns the ftrays, and brings them back from 
 the mountains of vanity, and brings them home to God 
 the righteous owner, into the inclofure of the fecond 
 covenant, and into God's flock. And here there arc 
 four or five things remarkable. 
 
 1 . The Shepherd's voice is heard upon the moun- 
 tains, calling them to return ; Ifa. lii. 7. How beauti' 
 ful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bring' 
 eth good tidings i <&c. The gofpel of peace founds their 
 cars, in order to bring them back to take hold of God's 
 covenant, .and to return to the Shepherd. And the 
 Shepherd feeks them out of whatever corner of the 
 world they be in; and his voice is heard, which is not 
 heard in other places of the world. But alas ! the poor 
 {haying fheep, they care not for the Shepherd's voice, 
 they will not return ; and fo they (tray on : Hof. xi. 17. 
 J\jy people are bent to backjliding from me. 
 
 2. The Shepherd hunts and purfues the flrays, that 
 they can get no reft until they return; Gal. iii. 24. 
 Wherejore the law nvas our fchool-mafier to bring us un- 
 to Chrijl. Thefe fame ftrays, when they were going 
 at eafe, among the the reft of the Devil's ftrays, be- 
 fore ever they be aware, an awakened confcience is fet 
 upon them, and they are pricked at the heart. 
 
 3. A fpirit of bondage feizes upon them, and they 
 are afraid at the lyons dens, and mountains of the le- 
 opards ; where before they tranfverfed among the 
 ftrays, now they run for their life, with a fad heart, 
 about the mountains of vanity, the marfhy places and 
 pollutions of the world ; juft becaufe they can get them 
 brooked no longer, at any tolerable eafe : But go they 
 on to the Shepherd ? No, no ; that is the laft fhift they 
 will take, and when they can do no otherwife ; but 
 they run to the barren mountains of the law, and here 
 the ftrays fall a-working for their life; and fometimes 
 they get fome fkulking holes of eafe. 
 
 4. The 
 
t it ] 
 
 4. The chafe is begun again, and they can get no 
 eafe, let them travel all the parts of the mountains, 
 they are ay frighted away y and the Shepherd of their 
 fouls, in mercy to their fouls, makes the ltraying places 
 too hot for them ; and in this cafe, what mould come 
 of them, but that they mould either be (truck through 
 with torment, or enter into defpair ; or refolutely go 
 back to the mountains of vanity, and marfhy places and 
 pollutions of the world again, and make the bed of them 
 they can. 
 
 5 They come towards the inclofure, even the blefTed 
 covenant of grace, by the powerful voice of the good 
 Shepherd of their fouls, weary and heavy laden with 
 their long and tedious journey on the barren mountains 
 of the law ; Coihe unto vie all ye that labour and are 
 heavy laden, and I will give you rejl to your fouls : 
 Now this is an alluring fweetnefs to fouls, when they 
 are ready to fay of the Shepherd and his voice, as in the 
 45th Pfalm, Thou are fairer than the fans of men. 
 And becaufe they are in view of the new inclofure, 
 their fouls cry out within them, Thou art more glori- 
 ous than the mountains of vanity ! And fo the power- 
 ful voice of the Shepherd makes them willing to return ; 
 A witling people J}? all come unto thee in the day of thy 
 power. Thus the day of power makes them willing 
 to be brought under the Shepherd's hand. Alas ! what 
 mould come of them, their weak and trembling legs are 
 not able to come to him, and fo they lay themfelves 
 down at the door of the (heep-fold, at that pafs, fay- 
 ing, Turn thou me, and IJljall be turned, for thou art 
 the Lord my God. 
 
 6. But in the fixth and laft place, the Shepherd puts 
 forth his hand and draws them within the inclofure ; 
 Z.^xv.3.5. Chrift. communicates of his Spirit to them, 
 which is a Spirit of grace, and fo they come to Chriit 
 by a day of his power ; and by Jefus Ghrift they come 
 to the Father. So much how the drays are returned, 
 and now I go on to the application of what has been 
 laid : and flnr a word to unconverted finners. who are 
 B 2 ftrayingi 
 
 tr.c 
 
C 12 i 
 
 (haying to this day * and next a word to the returned 
 (trays, 
 
 Firjt to unconverted finners it fays two things. 
 
 ij}, Your ftate is certainly dangerous; O that you 
 v/euJd fee and believe it in time ; poor Tinners, young 
 iirayeis, and old ftrayers that are yet out of Chrift, 
 that bare ft rayed away from God ; if you knew your con- 
 dition, you would fee it to be a loft condition, a friends 
 iefs condition, a famiihing condition, a rcftlefs and a 
 perilling condition. What fecurity can you have tor a 
 moment's fafety ? thou art every moment in hazard of 
 iaHing into the pit, and of falling a facrifice to vindic- 
 tive juftice, and ready to be a prey to the devourer of 
 foulsj and to be let fall into the bottomlefs pit, if you 
 be not recovered and returned. But, 
 
 2J/v, This day there is ground of hope to you ; this 
 doctrine affopds two of them, i , It holds forth to you, that 
 however far you have ftrayedfrom God, the great Shep- 
 herd can bring you in : you may be recovered by di- 
 vine grace. All that are now within the fheep-fold, 
 within God's inclofure, feeding upon the green paftures, 
 were once ftrays as well as you. Sometime a-day, they 
 were fcattered abroad upon the Devil's common, even as 
 you are : and does not that fay there is hope concern- 
 ing your cafe. Look to the faints on earth, behold 
 them, all glorious ; with the mark of holinefs upon 
 them, in comparifon of the reft of the world : Ay, but 
 they were all brought from among the ftrays. Look up 
 to the holy hill of God, to the faints in glory; and for 
 as bright as they are fparkling this day, they weie once 
 among the Devil's ftrays; they were once ill favoured 
 and lean creatures as well as you ; wandering among 
 the mirry and mariih places of the earth ; but they 
 were helped out and returned by divine grace. But 
 then, 2. No thanks to fhemfelves that they are return- 
 ed ; they were all healed and recovered by divine grace : 
 they would have ftruyed on to everlafting deftruc- 
 t;on, among the reft of the ftraying world : But thanks 
 n free and, fovereign grace, that powerfully and ef£ca> 
 
 cioully 
 
I n 1 
 
 ctoufly wrought the recovery. Remember, Sirs, Tit. 
 iii. 5. Not by ffoorkj of rigirteoufnefj which hve have- 
 done, but according to his mercy he faved us, fac. My 
 beloved, our Lord jefus Chriil has not done ail his 
 work, yet, as to the bringing up of the itra\ s from the 
 pit into wlriqhtHeV are fallen : No, for the cord is this, 
 day hanging down to the pit of Gn and mifery, wir-re 
 the finners are this day lying ; and they me caU.d 
 to take hold on it : O then take hold of the cord, and 
 live : He is carrying on the work, Sirs ; but das ! it 
 goes but fiowly on in our day ; Joel ii. 32. And it fhall 
 come to pafi that nvhofoever Jhall call upon the name of 
 the Lord jhall be delivered : for in mount Zio?i and /;; 
 Jerufalem Jhall be deliverance \ and on the herd Jhall 
 all call. But there are two or thiee obj eflfam , that 
 Staying linnets make, which I will remove. 
 
 Object. I. I have flrayed faraway, there is no hope 
 of my recovery. 
 
 Ass. Many have ftrayed as far, and yet were 
 brought; back; iCor.\\. 9. Be net deceived* neither 
 fornicators, nor adulterers, nor idolaters, fee, ver. 
 11. And fuch fyertfowe if you ; but you are ivajbed, 
 but you are fi;::ii'ied, but you are ju/lified in the name 
 of the Lord J ejus Chrijl, 'and hy the Spirit of God, 
 And put the cafe, thefe had never ftrayed fo far as ycu, 
 yet the blood of Chriil is of infinite value and merit to 
 purchafe your recovery ; and the Spirit of Chriit is of 
 infinite power and efficacy to bring about your recovery ; 
 I John i, 7. And the blood of J ejus thrift his Sin. 
 cleanfeth us from all Jin. if the ocean were poured 
 out on a houfe that is fet on f;rc, it would quench it as 
 foon as it would do the rlame of a candle : and you. 
 know an angel can mailer a giant as eafy as a little 
 child ; and fo the blood of Chriir, and the Spirit of 
 Chrifc, the one of infinite value, and the other of infi- 
 nite efHcacy, can make the greateft. it ravers to return ; 
 fo that even they that have gone fared altrav, a«e oftea 
 times recovered. 
 
 0?]t£T. II. But I have been alnjoft returned and 
 
 reco- 
 
C «4 1 
 
 recovered, being brought many times within the door 
 of the inclofure ; but alas ! I have run away again. 
 
 An s. That is -the cafe of backfiiders, and it is dan- 
 gerous indeed; but yet, fer.'ni. 22. Return, \e hack- 
 fljding children, and I will heal your back}}'; dings : 
 free love is fufficient to anfwer all the objections of 
 backfiiders; Hcfeaxiv. 4. 1 will heal their backjlidin^s > 
 I will love them freely. Ephraim was fuch "an one • 
 Thou haft chafifed me and I was chaftijed ; he was as a 
 bullock unaccuftomed to the yoke ; and when the yoke 
 was half on, he ran away, yet was returned. 
 
 Object. III. I fear I am none of the ftrays marked 
 out for recovery. 
 
 Ans. Indeed this is an objection that dives very 
 deep ; what I would fay to fuch as are under this 
 temptation is, God is calling you this day to return • 
 that is his plain revealed will; and it is intolerable 
 boldnefs to pry into God's fecret purpofes ; Deut. xxix. 
 20. The fecret things belong unto the Lord our God: 
 but the things that are revealed unto us, and to our 
 children for ever, that we ??iay do all the words of this 
 law. As for yourfelves, it is a temptation from the 
 Devil, and it is dangerous with whomfcever it is found ; 
 for it is a temptation to keep you from the thoughts of 
 ever returning unto the Shepherd and Bifliop of your 
 fouls: and if it prevail, it will eternally mar }our re- 
 turn. I told you it was an invifible mark till once the 
 flrays were returned; and then indeed it is vifible: 
 "Why then would you ceilroy your own caufe in this 
 matter ? I charge you, in die Lord's name, to lay that 
 aiide, and fall to what is your immediate duty ; and 
 that is to return to the Shepherd and Overfeer of your 
 fouls. I (hall here tell you of two effects the invih'ble 
 mark has, which perhaps may be of feme ufe in this 
 matter, to any labouring under this temptation. The 
 firft is, That it keeps the (Inner from falling into the'fin 
 againft the Holy Ghoft, the unpardonable fin. In the 
 midft of all the far lengths the ftrays may go, this in- 
 vifible mark, ihll keeps them from the fm unto death ; 
 
 while 
 
 , 
 
C is 1 
 
 while' they fear only what they would fain hare to be 
 groundlefs. But a fecond effect is, It keeps in life ay 
 and till free grace come in : and now poor iinner, God 
 has not cat off thy life in the pit, neither his he buri- 
 ed thy hope under any grave-ltone whatfoever ; thefe 
 may be ground of hope to you. So, I fay, return to 
 the Shepherd of your fouls, and let no body ftand in 
 their own light, by making any fuoh objections. 
 
 A word next to the returned (trays. 
 
 You are going to the green paftures, that are prepar- 
 ed for them that are Chrift's iheep' ; you are to be en- 
 tertained with thefe green paftures, at the facrament of 
 the Lord's fupper to-morrow, that once were drays as 
 well as others. There is thefe four or five things I 
 would have you to make of it. 
 
 \ft, Strengthen your faith and con'Sdence in your 
 Shepherd ; he has brought you back when you was quite 
 gone aftray from him. He brought you from the moun- 
 tains of vanity; then affure yourfelves, and ftrengthen 
 your faith in him, when you are returning to him, and 
 faying, / tvill go and return to my fir ft husband, for 
 it was better with 7ne then than now. 
 
 2dly r Let it inflame your hearts with love to Chrift 
 your Shepherd, O will you confider what the Lord 
 has been -pleafed to do for you : Look to the pit from 
 whence you are digged, and to the rock from whence 
 you are hewn. Confider the times of lore, when the 
 Shepherd followed you, and returned you from the 
 mountains of vanity. Confider fovereign grace, that 
 was imployed that wav, and ordained for your recovery. 
 Look at it, and let it inilame your heart, with love to 
 this great Shepherd. 
 
 idly. Let it excite you to repentance in your hearts ; 
 I know of nothing more ready toimbitter fin to gracious 
 fouls, than kindly reflexions on the Lord's remembering 
 lis in our low eftate ; Jer. ii. 3. Have I been a wilder- 
 nefs to Jfrael, or a land of darknefs . 
 
 4th/y, Let it be of ufe to flir you up to thankful nefs : 
 let it inlarge your hearts and mouths in the praifes of 
 
 God. 
 
t 16 1 
 
 God. Ccnfider, that the recovery was purchased by 
 the precious blood of the Shepherd : ccnfider the pains 
 he was at in recovering you. 
 
 Sthly, And lafly, let it fill you with gracious believ- 
 ing promifes of new obedience, to return to the Shep» 
 herd, and fh*ay no more. 
 
 PREFACE, by the Rev. Mr. Hen- 
 ry Davidson, before his Action 
 Sermon* 
 
 ~YT would net be an unfit able qucftion to this multi- 
 A Me, What has brought tkem here this day? And 
 wihat is your errand in this place this day ? If you nmre 
 to /peak the language of your hearts, every one would 
 give a different anfwer. The PfalmiiVs defire Ibould 
 be your define* Even to fee the beauty of the Lord, and 
 the brightnefs of his face in the fanttuary. AW there 
 are two frames of fpirit t if they have been among yj<t. 
 this tjjft night, or this morning, I can promife you very 
 much on this matter before you go. 
 
 1 . If you have b#en in Jacob's poflure, wrejlling 
 nxiifh the Aftgel until the dawning of the day, felling a. 
 holy God, with a holy boldnefs, that you would not come 
 tip to this place, unlefs he came along with you. 
 
 2. If you have been like the woman with the bloody 
 iffue, er.erci fed under a fenfe of your vilenefs , aj 
 
 ed to look (rod in the face, and fo fetch a edmpajs about 
 to touch the hem of Chrif's garment. The foul that has 
 been arraigning and condemning itfclf before Cod, ts 
 the foul that may expert kindly entertainment : this is 
 tie great end of gofpef ordinances, that believers max 
 come and touch Chrift by faith. New Ut your iffue of 
 blood he never fo vile, let it have run never fo 'org, one 
 believing touch given to. the Phyfrcian would r o^:z 
 bring in a cure. 
 
 SEK- 
 
I 17 ] 
 SERMON II 
 
 BEING THE 
 
 ACTION SERMON. 
 
 Colos. i. 19. 
 
 For it p leafed the Father that in himfiould ail fulnefi 
 
 dwell; 
 
 T' H E Apoftle, after a preface, which- continued 
 to the 1 2th verfe of this chapter, offers praifc 
 for the great work of redemption : from the 1 5th verfe 
 he gives a defcripticn of the Redeemer in very glorious 
 terms, he tells us, that he is the image of the invijible 
 God, both the effential image of God, and the mani- 
 feftative image of God-man in one perfori. In an image 
 there rauft not only be a likenefs, but an exact and 
 perfect likenefs and fnnilkude ; and it mtift be drawn 
 from the perfon reprefented, not like an- accidental re* 
 femblance between two men, but like the^fon's reiem^ 
 bling his father. He calls him the firjl -lorn of every 
 creature, the great Head, the Lord of the whole Crta- 
 ation. In the 16th verfe, that fie was the bleffed Co- 
 worker ingaged with the Father in th^e work of creation, 
 for by htm were all things made, as the efficient caufe, 
 and to him were all things made, as the final eaufe. 
 \Vhcn God made the univerfe, eten the whole creati- 
 on, he beilcwcd this piece of glory on the incarnate 
 Word. In the 17th verfe he aiTerts his pfe-exiitence 
 of all things. He mows the kingdom of providence to 
 be intruded to his hands, and that by him all things 
 co?ne to pafs ; if be mould lofs but for a moment his al- 
 irffglity grip of the whole world, it would prefently 
 ttoalde'r into duff , and return into its firft nothing a- 
 gaia. In the i8?h verfe he further mows, that he is the 
 head of the body; he is the head of the elect body, 
 the precious generation of the faints ; that he is the head 
 •f divine influences to the church, as the natwral 
 G head 
 
t 18 ] 
 
 head is to the" body, • even fo he is the head of the 
 
 church, he is the head of government to the church, 
 
 the legiflative power is lodged in Chrift's hand ; he 
 
 alone it is that has power to appoint, ordain, inftitute, 
 
 &c. offices, and officers, ordinances, and inftittitions 
 
 in his houfe ; he i5 fet over the houfe by his Father, 
 
 and to him is the direction of every thing entrufted. 
 
 Our Apoftle goes forward andfhews, how well furnifhed 
 
 and well qualified he was for his work, and for being the 
 
 head over the church, and mows how reafonable it was, 
 
 that he who was the firft-born among many brethren, 
 
 fhould have the pre-e?ninence in all things, and that as 
 
 the gift of a glorious fulnefs of qualifications that was 
 
 lodged in him. In the words we have thefe five things. 
 
 if, We have an account of a great bleffing of fulnefs. 
 
 Fulnefs is a great word, a taking word with the world ; 
 
 the worldly man is for a full table, for a full cup, for a 
 
 full houfe, for a full family; ever fince the fall of A- 
 
 da?n, the heart of man is void and empty ; it was once 
 
 full, but now it is empty, and an empty ftomaeh, you 
 
 know, is always craving, as being faplefs. The heart 
 
 and mind of man is like the troubled fea, the waves 
 
 whereof are never at reft, but ft ill toffing themfelves to 
 
 fome more or other ; fo the heart of man, like the waves 
 
 of the fea, is rolling from fide to fide through the whole 
 
 creation for a more to reft at; but the unhappinefs is, 
 
 they take up with a drop when they may have a full 
 
 ocean, but here is fulnefs in the text to anfwer the heart 
 
 and mind of man though never fo empty. 
 
 idly, We have the extent of this fulnefs ; that is a- 
 ncther great word in the world's ears, all fulnefs % 
 join all and fulnefs together, and it muft be fome great 
 thing ; there muft be an all fulnefs to anfwer an all of 
 mants ; a fulnefs of all perfection to make the man 
 completely happy. But then again you have, 
 
 3^/v, The houfe and feat of refidencc in which -this 
 fulnefs is to be found ; and it is in Him, that great Him, 
 that glorious Him, of whom fo glorious things are fpok- 
 cn of in the ccntext, even our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 .ivhere only it is that aH fulnefs is to be found ; and we 
 
 humbly 
 
C 19 ] 
 
 humbly think, that we are not to underftand Chriit here 
 merely as the fecond perfon of the Trinity : among o- 
 ther reafons for my thus thinking, there is one in the 
 text, viz. That the fulnefs of all grace in Chriit is a- 
 fcribed to an act of the Father's good-pleafure ; were 
 he to be under flood in this text only as the fecond 
 perfon of the Trinity, that fulnefs would be natural 
 to him, fo that this fulnefs, and all fulnefs fpoken of in 
 the text, is in the Lord Jefus Chriit. the Son of God, 
 God-man, he is the great ltore-houfe of this all ful- 
 nefs. 
 
 $thly, We have the way and manner how this all 
 fulnefs is in Chrift ; it dwells in him ; which points out 
 duration and continuance. 
 
 Stlly, You have the fpring and original fountain of 
 this fulnefs dwelling in Chriit, and that is the Father ; 
 for it pieafed the Father that in him all fulnefs Jloould 
 dwell. Th-efe words, we own, are not in the original, 
 but very juitly are they infert here in our tranilation ; 
 and that word the Father, is brought down from verfe 
 1 2 . Giving thanks to the Father : and that it was the 
 Father's good-pleafure, an act of the Father's counfel 
 and purpofe : he not only fitted Chriit for his work, 
 but he did it with a mighty fatisfaction and contentment ; 
 ajid fo he is not only the treafute of grace, but the ob- 
 ject of the Father's delight. 
 
 For our better undemanding of this fulnefs in the text, 
 we are to know, that there is a threefold fulnefs afcrib- 
 ed to him in the Scriptures; as /?>/?, Thee is a relative 
 
 fulnefs in him. Secondly, There is a perfonal fulnefs. 
 Thirdly, There is a difpenfatory fulnefs in Chriit. 
 
 if. There is a relative or myftical fulnefs in Chiiil ; 
 that is, the church of God, called in exprefs terms tif 
 
 fulnefs ofChrifl. If you would make a perfect man, he 
 mud not only have a head but a body ; fo our Lord Je- 
 fus Ghrtjft being a head, he muff confequcntly have a bo- 
 
 .dy, and that is the church ; and every believer is a mem- 
 ber of the myftical body, a part ot the relative ful- 
 nefs of Chriit; and, if one- faint were a-wanting thrift's 
 myitical fulnefs, would not be complete ; a mau wanting 
 C 2 but 
 
I 20 ] 
 
 but a joint of a finger would not be a perfect man • an4 
 one faint wanting one meafure and degree of grace ap- 
 pointed him in the decree would mar the fulnefs of 
 Chrift : the church of believers is his declarative fulnefs, 
 that declares and manifefts him to believers, as an emp- 
 ty vefTel thrown in^o a fountain, and giving the foun«? 
 tain occafion to fhow its fulnefs. The church of believ- 
 ers is Chrift's outward fulnefs, and Chrift is their in- 
 ward fulnefs, fupplying them and filling up all their 
 wants ; but that is not the fulnefs in the text* 
 
 idly . There is a perfonal fulnefs faid to be in Chrift \ 
 Col of. ii . 9. For /';; him divelleth all the fulnefs of the 
 Godhead bodily : he has all the divine perfections dwell- 
 ing in him, he being God-man in one perfon ; as the 
 divine glory dwelt in and filled the temple at Jerufalem^ 
 fo does the glory of the Lord, even a whole Godhead 
 fill and dwell in the temple ©f Chrift 's human nature. 
 The pillar of fire and cloud reprefented this ; they were 
 two diftincl fubftances, and yet both made up but one, fo 
 there is two natures in Chrift, and yet both in one per- 
 fon : there was the fire that pointed out his divine na- 
 ture, and the cloud that pointed out his human nature. 
 This perfonal fulnefs in the text is bQttomlefs, and is 
 the foundation of all other fulnefles fountained up in 
 Chrift. But this perfonal fulnefs is not the thing that 
 is principally intended in this text. And therefore, 
 
 zdfyt There is a difpenfatory fulnefs (fo called) in 
 Chrift ; a fulnefs of life, of light, of grace; yea, a ful- 
 nefs of all th^jgs neceiTary for the redeeming and home- 
 bringing of flraying finners ; a fulnefs of all o^ialifica- 
 tions neceiTary to conftitute an able and faithful Shep- 
 herd for his work ; Jehn'u 14. The Word was made 
 fef!?, and dwelt among us (and nue beheld his glory, 
 the ghry as of the only begotten of the Father ) full of 
 grace and truth :. obferve the gradations of that text, 
 the Son of God made fiefh, our nature brought into aa 
 union with the fecond perfon of the glorious Trinity, 
 and that human nature filled with a fulnefs of grace, 
 and that fulnefs of grace was emptied into the veffels of 
 
C 2« 3 
 
 fouls of the elect ; and out of his fulnefs do we receive 
 grace for grace. So much for the explanation of the 
 wotds. 
 
 Doct. It was an act of the Father's good -flea fur e % 
 to make-alt fulnefs dwell in the Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 Or, in the very words of the text, It pleafd the 
 father that in him all fulnefs Should dwell. 
 
 In fpeaking to this doctrine, thefe things may be done. 
 
 I v Offer fome accounts concerning this falnefs in th e 
 text. 
 
 II. Show fome of the properties of this fulnefs. 
 
 III. The reafons why this fulnefs was lodged in 
 Chriff. 
 
 IV. Give fome accounts of the fprings and original 
 gf this fulnefs, and of the Father's hand actually 
 in fitting of Chrift. 
 
 V. Laftly, Improve the whole. 
 
 I. As to the firft, take the following accounts of this 
 fulnefs in the following branches more generally. As, 
 
 Firfl, There is a fulnefs of fitnefs in Chrift to be 
 the Mediator between God and man : very much de- 
 pends upon a fit perfon to be employed to take away 
 the difference 'between two jarring parties; one word 
 fpoken by a fit hand, will do more to the removing of 
 a difference between men, than a thoufand entreaties by 
 another perfon. You will fee there was a fulnefs of fit- 
 nefs in Chrift for that great work he was entrufted with ; 
 there was a fulnefs of natures in him, that made him 
 fully fit for hi3 work : the human nature was in him, 
 he took flefh ; it was organized flefh, not an undigefted 
 heap of matter ; it was a piece of flefh, exactly digeft- 
 ed into the frame of a human body ; A body haft thou 
 prepared me. It is very like that word was fpoken from 
 eternity, when Chrift was taking aprofpect of that ful- 
 nefs of fitnefs that was lodged in his hand ; all the na- 
 tural properties, defections, and finlefs infirmities of a 
 body. Had he a foul alfo ? Yes ; but then together 
 with this there was the divine nature ; he thought it net 
 
 robbery 
 
[ « ] 
 
 robbery to call hiinfelf equal with the Father ; there 
 was an equality, identity and onenefs cf eflfence, as he 
 was equal with his Father. There was never a time 
 when it cou'd be laid, that the father was not the Fa- 
 ther ; and fo confequently, not a period when it could 
 be faid, Chriic jyas not the Son ; they were both from 
 everlasting, bodi cf the fame Handing, which could not 
 but make him very fit &>r the work Be was employed in. 
 He was not putting fo great a truft in the hand of a. 
 mere creature j it was an honour too great for the crea- 
 ture to bear : to put an unfit, an uniunicieni perfon in 
 an office, of import, would be very ill management ; an 
 prhce of honour and dignity when mifplaced is very un- 
 becoming, bat his being, very God and very man, made 
 him evefy way fit for fuch a great undertaking : It was 
 absolutely neceiTary, that he iho.uLi be preient at the 
 drawing up of that everlafting covenant, and his being 
 Gcd made him a fit member of that great and honour- 
 able counfel ; and fo he was Handing by when that co- 
 venant was drawn up, to fpeak after the manner of 
 men, for fo we mult fpeak in thefe matters ; he coun- 
 selled with the Father, and the Father with him, about 
 every article of that covenant, about the putting down 
 of the names cf the covenanted ones ; it made him fit 
 for fealing the contract ; it would have been very un- 
 fit and improper, that the hand and feal of a mere crea* 
 rare mould have been at fuch a honourable tranf action ; 
 his being God made him fit for io noble an office as trie 
 fealing that eternal covenant. Who {o fit to be the 
 church's teacher, as he who was the eternal counfellor, 
 that lay from eternity in the Father's bofcm, and knew 
 all the fecret meafures and concerts in the counfel of 
 peace ? Who fo fit to be the High -pried over the houfe 
 of God, 2s he who was the elded fen in the family? 
 "Who jfp lit to be the church's King, as he who was 
 God's own Son the heir cf all things ? The human na- 
 ture alfo added to bis'lhlnefs of £tnefs for his work: 
 Where c< y'd there have been a facrince found, if he had 
 nor had a body and a foul ? fo that the human nature 
 makes him personally fit for the great offices he is in- 
 truded 
 
Z n 3 
 
 trufted with.' "By thefe two natures he {lands between 
 the two parties, as an in-differnt perfon, equally diit.ip.ft 
 from them both ; he has a prevailing mtereft in both 7 
 as being related to both tides ; he frauds well afrfc&ed to 
 the union of both parties, for he is of kin to both, and 
 fo very fit to be intruded with the concerns of his young- 
 er brethren; and to be fure, he will not act party in 
 the matter, for he lrands engaged on both fides. So 
 then there is a ftlnefs of fitnefs in Chriir. for his 
 work, in regard that there is a fulnefs of natures in 
 his perfon. 
 
 Secondly, There is a fulnefs of ability in Chriffc for 
 his work ; there is a fulnefs of power and fufheiency in 
 him ; a man may be very fit for a work, and yet want 
 ability for it. The man under the law, that was near- 
 eft of kin to redeem the mortgaged eftate ot inheritance, 
 was the fitted: perfon, but then he was not always able 
 to do it : let us then fee if there be not a fulnefs of *^.- 
 bilky in Chriir:. There is thefe things that plainly make 
 it evident. As, ij'L He is the Father's choice, and 
 finely the Father would never have ehofen an unfuflici-' 
 ent perfon for fo great a Work : a king when he choofes- 
 a mini-fter of ilate, may take care that he puts" none in. 
 but a furncient perfon, but he may many times be mif- 
 taken or otherways byafled; but it is not fc here: God 
 the Father would never have ehofen any hand, but 
 ■ fuch as would go through v/ith the woik; he would 
 never have put inch trull: in Chriir, but that he knew 
 well he was able to go through with it. But then 2dly,- 
 The Son's corifent to the choice makes it evident. Why ; 
 will any rational man undertake an enterprize that he 
 has not a iuiheieney for ? \v ill a man be caution for a- 
 eother man's debts, when he knows that they anioifnt 
 to more than all he hath is worth ? Thus it may forric 
 times be among men, bat our Lord Jefus Chrift would 
 never have undertaken the interell of his Father's glory* 
 and the efeeYs fal ration, if he had not known his own 
 ability for his wotk ; he is able to five to the ufterffioji 
 all that come unto Gcd by kirn. 1 have laid help upon 
 One that is might) lafitsti one that rs law-bidding, one 
 
 that 
 
t n 3 
 
 that k flifficient to anfwer all the demands that can be 
 made upon him by the juftice of God, or by the broken 
 law. But, 
 
 Thirdly y There is a fulnefs of wifdom and knowledge 
 in Chriit ; Colo/, ii. 3. In ivhom are bid all the treafures 
 of wifdom a fid knowledge. As he is God, he has aa 
 abfolute knowledge ; he is omnifcient and knows all 
 things and all perfons ; he knew them before they had a . 
 being, he knew them when they were in their mother's 
 womb ; yea, when they were in the womb of the hidden 
 decree, he knew all their thoughts, all their words, all 
 their purpofes, all their actions, all the motions and 
 ends of their anions ; he knows all their fecret purpofes 
 and defigns. Men may very artfully conceal their fecret 
 intentions from the world, but it is in vain to imagine 
 they can be fo concealed from Chrifl : all the glolfy 
 drefs men may put upon their anions, can no more co- 
 ver the will of the action from Chriit, no more than a 
 piece of tranfparent glafs can kept out the beams of the 
 fun. Fie is the great revealer of fecrets, and is very fit 
 for his work, for he was upon all the Father's councils 
 and defigns; there was not one branch of that great plot 
 of redemption, but he Was an eye and ear witnefs to it ; 
 he was an active witnefs in the matter. Here is encou- 
 ragement to gracious fouls, exercifed with their dark* 
 riefs and blindnefs of heart and mind. Why ? Here is a 
 perfection of wifdom, and a fulnefs of knowledge, and 
 light in Chriit; and therefore when the Chriitian fits 
 down with the Bible in his hand, or to hear the truths 
 of the gofpel, they may read on, and hear on, but if 
 there be not a looking up to Chriit for light, the Bible 
 is a fealed book, and difcourfes are but founds of words : 
 Therefore the Chriitian cries out, The Bible without 
 its Author will not do : The learned commentaries up* 
 on it will not do, without the Interpreter who is one a- 
 mo?ig a thoufand: The original language will not do : 
 And whenever there is a practical cafe of conference, 
 they take that cafe, and lay it in the baliance, with a 
 trembling hand; yea, they dcilre that God may hold it 
 himfelf, fearing that foiac branch of felf or other, may 
 
 give 
 
t *s 1 
 
 give a wrOrfg byas and turn to that fca'e ; in fuch a; 
 cafe, tliey look to Chrift, that has a fulnefs of wifdooi 
 to do it for them. But thenj 
 
 Fourthly, There is a fulnefs of truth in Chrift ; a ful- 
 hefs of truth with refpeft to the law, both with refpecl 
 to the commands, and with refpecl to the threatnings of 
 the law : he fulfilled the commands of the law on the 
 one hand, and he furfered the penalty of the law on the 
 other. All the promifes they centre in him. even ii> 
 this full Chrifr. ; the types are all fulfilled in him, he is 
 the true Temple, he is the true Vail, he is the true 
 High-pried, he is the true Burnt-offering : there is a 
 fulfilment of all thefe things in him. He is the fubject- 
 matter of the gofpel, he is the fubitance of gofpel truth; 
 yea, he is the revealer and publiiher of gofpel truth : 
 here is encouragement to the church, to know what a 
 fulnefs of truth is in Chrilf, when errors prevail, when 
 damnable herefy abounds in dreggy-days, when there 
 are departures from the truth, when there is a corrupts 
 ingof the truth, when there is a holdings (detaining, or 
 as it m iv be rendered, inipvijening) the truth in uu* 
 right eoufnefs \ yet here is encouragement, the church's 
 Head is the truth, however empty the church may be ot 
 truth ; however ftuftedwith error and corrupt principles, 
 yet here is encouragement to the faints faith : When they 
 go through the church fceking truth, and finding none, 
 yet there is a fulnefs of all truth in the church's glorious 
 Head and Reprefentative, even in our glorious and ever- 
 ble/Ted Lord jefus Chrift. 
 
 Fifthly , There is a fulnefs of grace in Chri/rj there 
 is a fulnefs of habitual grace in Chriit ; the divine na- 
 ture is the great fountain of grace, the human nature 
 [is the receptacle, the divine repoiitcry of this grace j 
 and it is the original inltrument by which that grace is 
 [emptied into the hearts of the finners. We fay, there 
 is a fulnefs of grace in him, there is life, and life in a- 
 bundanCe in him ; there is a fulnefs of comforting 
 [grace in him, he waters the plants at the root ; there is 
 la fulnefs of eflablifhing grace in- him, in fluking and try- 
 X> jng 
 
C it 1 
 
 ing times, 'when profeflions of religion are like To many 
 trees making before the wind, and when they are going 
 fometimes to one fide, and fome times to another, there 
 is eftabliming grace in him to hold them fail at the root : 
 there is preventing grace in him, there is fupporting 
 and frrengthening grace in him ; the poor creature 
 -would foon yield upon the very touch of a temptation, 
 the very afpect of a temptation would drive the Chrifti- 
 an foldier from his pofture, were it not the ftrengthen- 
 ing grace that is lodged in his glorious Head ; when the 
 foul is ready to fink, its head is carried above water, by 
 this ftrengthening grace. There is flrengthening grace 
 in him for duties ; when the burthen of duties lies heavy 
 upon the poor creatures moulders, then comes in the 
 full Mediator, and fliuts in his moulder, and eafes the 
 poor creatture of his burthen, and it is made light unto 
 him. There is a fulnefs of comforting grace in him; 
 whatever be the conduit-pipe of comfort for the believ- 
 er, Chrifr, is the fountain ; as for their fpiritual comfort, 
 he alone is the author of it : God has lodged all the be- 
 liever's joys in Chrifr, and fuch a fulnefs of grace is in 
 him, that he has obtained of the God of all grace, all 
 the graces of .the Spirit. Thus, we fay, there is a ful- 
 nefs of grace in him, in point of gracious qualifications ; 
 a fulnefs of grace in him, in point of meafure and degree. 
 Further there is a fulnefs of grace in Chrifr, to enable 
 and ftrengthen the foul, to the hardeft pieces of the 
 Chriitian's work; there is a fulnefs of efficacious grace 
 in Chrifr., to bring the foul into the new ways of grace ; 
 there is a fulnefs of grace in him, that enables the dy- 
 ing faint to take a grip of a full Mediator ; there is x 
 fulnefs of grace in him to enable the believer in all the 
 immediate acts of grace. 
 
 Sixthly, There is a fulnefs of example in Chrift ; he 
 is the complete pattern of all the Chriftians that have 
 trod in the way to heaven fince AheVs day ; the com- 
 plete pattern to the church, ether patterns they may 
 have, but they are imperfect ; many a wrong ftep is in 
 their way to heaven, and in their befl written copies 
 
 there 
 
[ 27 ] 
 there are blots, or at leafl: ill fpelhngs : we mud follow 
 thefe patrons by way of humiliation, but we mull fol- 
 low Chriil's pattern by way of abfolute imitation. 
 Why? Becaufe he is the mod perfect and complete 
 pattern ; there is an abfolute confluence of all graces in 
 him ; but thefe imperfect patrons, though they had all 
 grace, yet would they be but imperfect patrons, when 
 compared to our bleffed and glorious Mediator. 
 
 Seventhly ', There is a fulnefs of authority in him ; 
 Chri/t. is cloathed and inverted with an abfolute power 
 to difcharge the truil committed to him : he is called 
 the Father's Servant, which plainly implies the com- 
 mand that the Father has given him. Believers, re- 
 member it, however much be in Chrifl-, if there^had 
 been wanting this qualification of authority and power, 
 then he would have had no commimon to have done 
 what he hath done ; and confequently we would have 
 liad no benefit by a Redeemer ; and therefore the Chri- 
 fiian may plead with God after this manner in prayer, 
 faying, That he is pleading nothing but what Chrifl 
 has authority and commimon to give ; Ifa. lxi. 1.2.3.4. 
 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, &c. It is by the 
 Father's appointment that he is made the great teach- 
 ing Rabbi of the church ; it is by the Father's appoint- 
 ment that he is made the High-prieft ovsr the koufe of 
 Cod ; it is by the Father's command t$at he is made 
 King in mount Zion : all that he did or furfered was 
 in profecution of the Father's in ft ructions. 
 
 Eighthly , There is a fulnefs of acceptation in Chfift ; 
 he is the accepted of the Father, and we are accepted 
 only in him who is the Beloved. This was proclaimed 
 ones and again out of heaven, not by an Angel ; no, the 
 matter was more weighty, God was meHenger himfeif, 
 This is my beloved Son, in ivhom I a-tn <well pleafed ;• 
 hear ye hi/r. I have accepted of him for himfeif, and 
 of the church through him : What was the meaning of 
 all the facrifices under the law, but to fliadow out this 
 great, this fweet fmelling-facrirke ? It was faid by the 
 Je-ojijh writers, that it was a token of the divine ac- 
 D 2 ceptance. 
 
Z <« 3 
 
 geptan^e, when the fmoke went up (liaight to heaven-, 
 without being blown afide to any hand by any wind : 
 they were types of the great reconciling facririce, that 
 was to be offered up in the fulnefs of time, and there- 
 fore it is faid, to give reft to God, fo to fpeak. Upon 
 fin's entering into the world, God's peace was like tq 
 be difturbed ; he refted and was refreshed in the firft 
 creation, but he received more reft, and a far greater 
 iatisfaclion, after the work of the new creation was fi- 
 niihed : the worth of that facrifice reftored unto God 
 Whatever was loft by man's tranfgrellxon. There is ac- 
 ceptance in Chrift the Mefiias ; the Spirit teftirles fa 
 much. The Spirit of God would not have come down 
 in a Gofpel difpenfation, if the Father had not approved 
 pf what Chrift did. The anfwer of prayer plainly 
 d^monftrates that he is well pleafed with Chrift"; yea,, 
 his being well pleaied with nnners, fays he is extreme- 
 ly well pleafed with Chrift. You fee how he is brought 
 into heaven ;• fays jufticeand holinefs ; take the Medi- 
 ator by the hand, and wait upon him to the throne, 
 and he is fet upon the Father's light hand ; but he had 
 never come there, if he had not been fully accepted of 
 the Father You know when»^/rr<7;/> finned, paradife 
 could not keep him any longer; fo, if Chrift had not 
 iatisfied juftice, heaven could not have received him. 
 His perfon is accepted ; yea, he is fo much accepted, that 
 in and through hint who is the Beloved are we accepted. 
 God was well pleafed with us in the firft rfditw, as he 
 iaw his own image on us : but it is another kind of ac- 
 ceptance that he entertains believers with, for the fe- 
 cond Adam's fake. Do not talk of your own vilenefs 
 and unworthineis, for it is not for your own lake, but 
 for the Son of his love's fake that you are accepted. God 
 paifeth by all the unpleaiaat things that are about be- 
 lievers, his own children ; whenever he gets his eye fet 
 upon the flain Lamb, he both forgives and- forgets all 
 the injuries done him by believers, and fully accepts 
 them in Chrift. There is a fulnefs of merit in the Me- 
 diator's righteoufnefs, he gave himfelf an offering ; ha 
 
 went 
 
C*9 1 
 
 went up to the hlgheft pinnacle of active obedience, he 
 went down to the lowelt offering io the ceremonial law, 
 in point of obedience ; he gave himielf a facrifice unto 
 the death, to anfwer the threatening of the law ; he 
 poured out his blood, which was of infinite value ; there 
 was an infinite worth in his fufferings, becaufe of the dig* 
 ty of his pcrfon ; they carried the image of a kingdom 
 upon them all : There was the righteoufnefs ofChrift, 
 there was the b!oo4 of God, there was the life of God ; 
 now what deformities cannot the righteoufnefs of Chritr. 
 cover r The mercy is larger than the two tables of Hone, 
 the Mediator's righteoufnefs is broader than the moun^ 
 tains of the elect's guilt, the mercy- feat is broader 
 than the broken law ; and is not that fufficient to buy 
 moie worlds than one ? The blood of Chrilt is lufhci- 
 $nt to make a large laver for the dipping and plung- 
 ing of guilty fouls. The Apoltle knew well enough on 
 what foundation he flood, when he hang out the flag 
 of defiance againft all adrerfaries : the ocean of merit 
 is deep, and therefore when mountains of guilt are caft 
 one upon another, they will be as foon hid, and as far 
 down in this ocean as the leaf? particle of fand. Who 
 can condemn? Juftice cannot ; for he is already con- 
 demned ; the law cannot condemn, for it is a condem- 
 ned thing ; fin cannot condemn, for he hath condemn^ 
 ed fin in the flefh ; Chrifl will not condemn, for he died 
 to abfolve the condemned ; the gracelefs world they 
 may condemn, but they y/iil only condemn one another'; 
 for now the faint can fay, that there is a fupreme judge 
 who can fet all things right; and Satan he may con- 
 demn them, but what is that to the point, he is the 
 accufer of the brethren, and he is ever bufy in con- 
 demning them ; he is the executioner of heaven, and 
 he will judge and condemn the nnner, but let him do 
 it, though the law condemn, though confeience condemn, 
 though fin condemn, though the gracelefs world con- 
 demn, though the Devil condemn, yet he is not Chri(t- 
 condemned, there is a fulnefs of merit in the righte- 
 oufneijt of Chriit for them. 
 
C 30 ] 
 
 Ninthly, There- is a. fulnefs of love in Chriir, there 
 is afujnefs of mercy in him, the grace of our Lord is 
 exceeding abundant t nuith /tilth ajid love nvhich is in 
 
 Cbriji Jefus . The believer's fijis Jias many dimenfi- 
 ons, Chriil's love is all dimenilons ; Does the believ- 
 er's fin ieach up to heaven r ChriiVc love is as high : 
 iCocs the believer's fin brijeg him as low as hell ? 
 GhrilVs love is below even that, to rails him up again; 
 the unction of the Holy Gheit is upon him, The Hcly 
 Oh oil ddjeends vpo?: kim dk$ a dcie : V\ by, what is the 
 meaning of that ? The clove is an iadoceat harmlds 
 citature, rernaikabie and obiervahle for its tendernefs 
 and ]ove to its rfiate ; well, the Holy Choji defends upon 
 him hke a deve, pointing out the- Spirits fitting him with 
 ail kindly and loving chfpchtions towards f: nners. W hat 
 fhall be faid of this love ? there is a fulnefs of myite- 
 fvinit; here is one who is a Spirit, and yet lhed 
 blood to redeem the woild! Here is one whom the 
 heaven of heavens cannot contain, and yet contain'd 
 in- the womb of a Virgin! In his fano"lification, never 
 was there a father more angry, and yet better pleafed ; 
 angry with him as he fteod in tb& fnner's room and 
 iiead, but well pleafed with him as he was the eternal 
 Son o* his love, in whom he was ever well pleafed. 
 
 Tentbh) To add no more, there is a fuineis of glory 
 jn Chi hi : there is a fulnefs of eikrr.tial glory in him, 
 as he is thefecond'perfen of the glorious Trinity ; there 
 is a fulnefs of mediatory glory in him, as he is God- 
 man; and fo interpreters underilund, John xvii. 5-. 
 f ird noiv Father, glorify me nvilh thins c>u-n flf] rwith 
 that glory ^hick I had ivith thee before the -,vcrld 
 ivas. AA hat is his" glory as God-man ? Y» hy, may 
 you fay. AVhat glory could he have as God-man, be- 
 fore he took f! eih I You know, among men, when a 
 perfon is e.hofen to an office of honour, there is a 
 kind of gjory and honour put upon him, from the 
 very time of: his election ; whenever he is inflated in 
 \ te.oiEoe, there is ao honour put upon him alter the 
 new election : the general when choien, tho 1 he goes 
 
 not 
 
C 3> 1 
 
 rjot oat then to war, yet there is a kino 1 of honour paid 
 him, as he is the king's general elected. Now, may 
 we fpeak of that full ftthje<3 after the manner of men ? 
 The Father palf a predeitination act upon the Son, to 
 -be God-man in the fuinefs of time, and he confcntcd 
 to it ; and when it was pail, the Son appeared as a 
 Mediator elected : He was efpoufed to human na- 
 ture, and he had a fuinefs of Mediatory glory from 
 eternitv, and he has it ftill. Yea, the human nature 
 has received an addition of glory that it never had 
 before ; the human nature is now taken in to be a 
 fellow of that glorious fociety : to lpeak with re- 
 verence, the human nature is now in the rnidft of 
 the throne, it has now a croud of bending angels 
 worfnippin-g before it. There is a fuinefs of manifeita- 
 tive glory in Ghrtft ; yea, there is fuch a fuinefs of glo- 
 ry in Chrift the Mediator, that he puts a particular 
 crown on the heads, and a particular fong in the mouths 
 of all believers. Yea, there is fuch a fuinefs of glory 
 in Chrift, that he has a fuinefs of glory to beftow on 
 every believer ; yea, -fuch a fuinefs of glory in him, that 
 he has fet each of them upon a throne, and given each 
 of them palms in their hands. AVell may it be faid, 
 that fuinefs, fuinefs and all fuinefs d-welleth in C'rrljl. 
 
 II. The fecond thing in the method, was to* give 
 
 you fome of the properties of this fuinefs ; we inall 
 
 name a few. 
 
 Firfl, This fuinefs is a tranfcendent fuinefs ; it 
 tranfcends all thoughts, all praifcs, all expreikons ; it 
 tranfcends all unman accounts, quite tranfcends all 
 fcripture accounts, even when we have got into the 
 -depth of fuinefs that fcripture does unfold. 
 
 Secondly, It is a comprehenfve fuinefs ; it comn r e- 
 hends the fuinefs of all creatures, it comprehends the 
 fuinefs of all relations, it comprehends the fuinefs of 
 all divine names and titles. 
 
 Thirdly, It is a communicative fuinefs ; a fuinefs not 
 of the ftfeams, though never io true, but of the foun- 
 tain : 
 
t 3: 3 
 
 tain : the more noble and excellent a creature is 3 the 
 moire communicative it is of its excellencies :. the Lord 
 Jefus Chrill: the Son of Righteoufnefs, is very commu- 
 nicative of his fulnefs, and therefore he is reprefented 
 by the oil thit was poured upon the head of the high- 
 prieit, that went down to the fkirts of his garments. 
 
 Fourthly, Jt is a fuitable fulnefs ; it is fuitable to the 
 creature, it is fuitable to the neceflity of the precious 
 foul ; a full table is a very fuitable thing to a hungry 
 man, a fall cupof water is a very fuitable thing to a thir« 
 fly man : here is in this fulnefs every thing fuitable to 
 the particular neceflity of a foul ; here is bread to the 
 hungry, water to the thirfty, clothing to the naked. 
 
 Fifthly 'i It is a fatisfying fulnefs ; it is a fulnefs that 
 will faiisfy the foul that is always crying, Give, give ; 
 nothing will (top the mouth of fuch a foul but Chrift'e 
 fulnefs : the foul is diifatisned with itfelf, and it has 
 received a difgufr. from a whole creation : but here is 
 in Chriil, to fatisfy the defires of a craving foul ; here 
 is a fulnefs in Chrifr. to fatisfy the difTatisfied foul, a ful- 
 nefs in Chriil to fatisfy the doubts of a foul* to anfwer 
 all the obje&iohs of a foul, that may thrufl in betwixt a 
 believer and his joys ; here are objections drawn from 
 guilt, drawn from the vilenefs of the heart, drawn from 
 the broken law ; but here is a fulnefs in Chriir. to an- 
 fwer all thefe objections * 
 
 Sixthly, It is an overflowing and all -fufri dent fulnefs ; 
 it is not the fulnefs of a cittern, but it the fulnefs of a 
 fountain : and not only the fulnefs of a fountain, but 
 the fulnefs of a broad ocean. You have a remarkable 
 expreflion of the all-fuflficient nature of this fulnefs in 
 the fecond Command,. <-iW keeping mercy unto thoufand* 
 ofthev, thai love me ' Here there is fuppofitiOn made, 
 that if the world mould ftand a thoufand generations, 
 (but it is far from having flood an hundred yet,) there 
 is fuch an overflowing fulnefs in the heart of God in 
 Chrift towards mankind tinners, that there would be 
 mercy and grace lying in treafure for the lad year of 
 the thoufand generations, as much as for the fuH year 
 
 the; qoIOJ 
 
I 33 ] 
 thereof. Thus it is an overflowing, and an everflowing 
 fuinefs. * 
 
 Seventhly, and laftly, It is an inexhauftible and 
 undrained fuinefs ; in the ocean there may poiTibly be 
 a way made through it, but it is not fohere, there is 
 an eternal overflow, an everlafting fpring-tide of free 
 grace in Chrift ; for as many faints as have received 
 of this fuinefs, were they to fpend an eternity on earth, 
 what demands would they make on this fuinefs ; and 
 take a view of the treafure of glory above, ahd put all 
 that together, furely it would be a great mafs, a vafl 
 deal of grace, and yet the fountain of grace remains as 
 full as ever. It is fuch an unexhauftible fuinefs, the 
 Patriarchs, both before and after the flood, that lived 
 fo long, what demands did they make upon this ful- 
 neis ? but there was no hazard of their making fuch de- 
 mands on it, as to make it the leaft diminiihed, fuch is 
 the inexhauftible nature of it. 
 
 III. The third thing in the method, was the reafons 
 of the doctrine, which we pafs, and come to the 
 improvement. 
 
 Fir/i, Is it fo then, that it pleafed the Father that all 
 fuinefs fhould dwell in Chrift ? then let us entertain 
 good thoughts of the Father, after that we heard that 
 Chrift is fo full, and fo full to an overflow : But pray, 
 XVho was it that filled him with it ? Was it not the 
 Father ? Yea, it was him that qualified him, it was 
 his Father that gifted him, that fitted and furniihed him 
 for his work : You think much of the Son's love, and 
 lyou have good reafonfoto do; but is there not as good 
 feafon to think much of the Father's love, who com- 
 municated the mediatory fuinefs to Chrift, by an ad o£ 
 his own good- will and pleafure. 
 
 Secondly, Admire the love of Chrift, that though he 
 be full, and fo full, yet he reckons the church to be a 
 (piece of his fuinefs ; yea, he would not reckon much o£ 
 jail the fuinefs of his Father's houfe, if he wanted but 
 lone joint of a finger of his nayiticaJ body; jie would 
 .£ Deyef 
 
t H 1 
 fcever think the communion table above in mount Zioa 
 to be fully furnifhed, if To much as a Jofeph or a Ben* 
 jamin were wanting at it • and is not that great love, 
 that he mould fo efteem of you believers ? 
 
 Thirdly, Let us hence learn the mifery of them that 
 are out of Chrift ; let them be fiever fo full of what 
 thernfelves and a blind world reckon fulnef?, yet 
 they want a full Chrift : we pronounce you empty crea- 
 ture*, though full of the things of this world ; in the 
 midft of that falnefs you are miferable : Are you rich ? 
 Well, in the midft of your riches you are poor: Why ? 
 becaufe you want a full Chrift ; all things in the worlcl 
 are but like fo many cyphers wanting a figure, if Chrift 
 be wanting : "What is a full table, a full family of chil- 
 dren, a full cup of this world's pleafures, wanting a 
 full Chrift \ The Spirit of God pronounces them empty 
 creatures. Learn then the prodigious folly and mad- 
 nefs of them that are taken up with the things of a pe- 
 riihing world, and defpife a full Chrift \ fools they are, 
 when they may- have fubftance to feed upon, and yet 
 take up thernfelves with the empty huiks. The folly 
 of the world is juft like the folly of children, purfuing 
 after the butterfly ; How do they ftrain thernfelves 
 in the purfuit, and in the turning up and down af- 
 ter it \ and when they have got it, off ffies the gild- 
 ed wings, and they have nothing but. a worm. Sc~ 
 lovion tells us, Vanity of vanities, faith the preacher ; 
 all is vanity. This book of Ecclefiafles fignifies «;*/- 
 dom, becaufe Solomon, after his vain courfes, began 
 and gathered wifdom. What are the mod part of the 
 world doing ? They are juft like a man that dreamed 
 of a great deal of treafure on the top of an hill, he 
 calls his neighbours, and they come, and get up to 
 the top of the hill, but they find no treafure, the mrm 
 looks back and fees his fellow-creatures fcrambling on 
 the hill, crys out, Fools, we are all beguiled, there is 
 110 treafure here : Their folly muft be great, like chil- 
 dren taken with the beautiful colours of the rain-bow, 
 they think if they were at fuch a place they would be 
 atthccftd of it, but when they are fhere, they are as far 
 
 from 
 
C 31 1 
 
 from it as when they firft fet oat after it ; Co it Is wit& 
 the children of this world, they are purfuing from moun- 
 tain to mountain, and from hill to hill, feekiug fatif- 
 faclion, but find it not. 
 
 Fourthly, Was it the Father's pleafure to lodge all 
 fulnefs in "chrift? then fee hereby the church's falvati- 
 on fully fecured. Had that work, been put in any o- 
 ther hand, but in his, we had ltiil been in fear and ter- 
 ror ; but when there is fuch a fulnefs lodged in Chrift, 
 to recover a loft cleft world, then the work ihall be car- 
 ried on effectually, and mall not mifcarry. We might 
 go on, and mew you, that they who have an intereft in 
 Chrift, have all things ; but we muft proceed to anothec 
 «fe of the doctrine, which is an ufe of exhortation. 
 
 Is it fo then, that there is a fulnefs and all fulnefs la 
 Chrift; then let us all ks exhorted to embrace this full 
 Chrift ; Jet us be exhorted, by faith to renew this fulL 
 Redeemer, and all this fuinefs mail be ours : all to 
 whom the joyful found of our text reacheth, are call- 
 ed, invited, yea, and charged to embrace this full 
 Chrift. You that are wandering upon the mountains 
 of vanity, the gofpel call is to you, Come away from 
 Lebanon, myjifter, my fpcufe. You that have been 
 finking in miry places j you that have been dunking at 
 the world's well, that foon goes dry, lapging at the 
 world's puddle, the ijnfui pleafures thereof, gaping at 
 the world's honours and perferments ; you that have 
 been feeding upon the hulks, you are caljed this day to 
 come andtafte of rhefe choice fruits, you that have been 
 fucking blood from the world's breads, come now and 
 drink of thofe choice wines ; pray come, drop off like 
 a waned child from the world's poifonedbreaiU. Difeaf* 
 ed fouls come to Chrift, here is a fulnefs pf healing 
 grace, a fulnefs of medicinal grace for all your plagues, 
 for all your fores, though they have run never fo long ; 
 $ome home to the Phyfician at laft, who has his hand 
 full of cures . 
 
 Bankrupt linners come to Chrift ; finders drowned in 
 £ ? debt 
 
debt to the law and to the juftice of God, andhasnat 
 wherewith to pay, come and imbrace a full Cautioner, a 
 full, and a well qualified Surety, who will pay all your 
 debts, and that freely ; he requires nothing with you, 
 tut that you would take all freely : and be emptied of 
 felf and felf-righteoufnefs, and felf-furHciency, and come 
 and buy without ??ioney and without price ; come to 
 Chrift that he may give you the fk emptynefs, come to. 
 him, that he may empty you of fin and of a prefent 
 world ; come to him, that he may empty you of a le- 
 gal fpirit, and do not fay, We would come, if we had 
 wherewith to come ; do not fay, How can I take a full 
 Chrift, that is fo full of guilt ? If you flay away till 
 you be emptied of fin, you will never come to him 5 
 that full Chrift muft empty your foul of fin. If you 
 were to get a full eftate for the going to fuch a place, 
 you would foon run, then there would be no objections 
 made: You are called upon infinitely furer grounds to 
 accept of a full Chrift, and therewith to take all, even 
 all he is, all he has, and all that he has done, for finners : 
 Then do you take Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft ; then 
 do you take a full covenant ; then do you take all the 
 bleffings of the covenant ; then will you be able to fay 
 ©f every branch of this fulnefs, This is mine. If you 
 fay you would come to Chrift, but guilt lies in the way ; 
 well, here is a prieft to expiate guilt; accept of a full 
 Chrift, and you will gain a change of raiment; if you 
 fay you are under the power of Corruption ; why, here 
 is a King to fubdue and break all your lulls. Come 
 then, and remember you have had an invitation. Pray, 
 confider what report fhall be made of you this night 
 afterward, when you have linen' this, call ; Muft no% 
 the anfwer be, That after a full Chrift was offered unto 
 you, you refufed ? Behold ! he is ftanding at your 
 door this dav, ready to come in, and he will bring in 
 all his fulnefs with him to you. He who ftands at the 
 ^oor of the palace every day, knocking and demanding 
 entrance, is particularly ftanding in this cottage at pre- 
 fant j he is ftanding on tfiis fpot of ground this day in 
 
 th$ 
 
C 37 1 
 
 the midft of you ; he is offering himfelf to every foul 
 of you within the found of thefe words ; he is ufing 
 arguments with you, and he is weeping over you ; and 
 if you a(k him, Why weepeft thou ? his anfwcr would 
 be, Becaufe they would not accept of me, and receive 
 of my fulnefs : he who ftands to-day, will ere long 
 ftand no more, and knock no longer. If you this day 
 refufe a full Chrift, you refufe a full cup of bleilings;; 
 and not only fo, but you will procure to yourfelves a 
 full cup of the Mediator's unmixt vengeance, which 
 you fhaJl drink through eternity. Come then and take 
 the robe of his rightecufnefs, that you may not ftand 
 naked before God in the great day ; confider the call 
 made, and the danger of refufing it. 
 
 Why, remember ere long ail this afTembly will 
 ftand in another place, and God will pofe the confci- 
 ence of every one of you, man, woman, in fuch a 
 day you were called to take hold of the covenant, and 
 of a full Chrift in the covenant, and you refufed : 
 Was there not a treaty of peace fet on foot between 
 Chrift and you, and ye refufed to accept of the treaty ? 
 Muft not the confounded creature anfv/er, That I re- 
 fufed a full Chrift. Well the God of heaven is treat- 
 ing with you this day, about the things of eternity, 
 and where will you hide your heads that day ? O will 
 you at laft be wife, and confider that he out-bids all o- 
 ther merchants for your fouls, as Saul in an infuiting 
 manner faid, Can the for. of Jcjje give you fields and 
 vineyards as I car. do ? So well may God fay, Can the 
 riches and pleafures of the world give you that fatisfac- 
 tion that I and my Son can give ? 
 
 Now, may the Lord determine you to make a wife 
 Qhpice, and to his glorious name be praife. Amen. 
 
 S E R- 
 
t 38 ] 
 SERMON III. 
 
 BEI NG THE 
 
 AFTERNOON'S SERMON, 
 
 By the Rev. Mr. T If M A S B Q S TO N. 
 
 1 Pete* ii. 25. 
 
 for ye ivere as fheep going aft ray • but are now) returned 
 unto the Shepherd and Bijhop of your fouls. 
 
 WE have heard of the Graying (late of poor finners 
 out of Chrift, and alio of the recovery an<J 
 return of the poor {trays : there remains yet another 
 part of our text, namely, How the returned ftrays are 
 difpefed of. The remains of the Graying humour that 
 is yet in the returned (hays (efpecially confidering that 
 they are yet in the wildernefs of this world, in the 
 midif. of fo many dangers and fnares) is ready 10 make 
 their hearts faint., efpecially when they conGder their 
 own liablenefs to mifmanagements, and the dangers that 
 may come upon them thereby, but our text tells us they 
 are returned to the Biftoop of their fouls ; they are put 
 under the care and infpection of the great Shepherd, 
 even the Lord Jefus Chrjil, The fame divine grace 
 that returned the (trays, puts them under the care, 0- 
 verfight, and infpection of the great Shepherd of the 
 fheep. Thus they are fafe under his hand for the fu- 
 ture. 
 
 The doclrine, I propofe from this part of the words 
 is this, 
 
 Doct. That the returned ftrays are y by divine grace % 
 put under the hand, care and cverjight of the 
 great Shepherd. 
 
 Our 
 
[ 39 1 
 
 Our Lord Jefas Chrift has the infpe&on of them for 
 the future, this is the way they are difpofed of upoe 
 their return. 
 
 In fpeaking to this doctrine, I fhaH endeavour brief- 
 ly to open up thefe three things. 
 
 I. How they are put under the hand, care and oveo 
 
 Cght of the great Shepherd.. 
 IJ. Why they are put under his hand. 
 
 III. Wherein he exerts- his power over them that are 
 put under his hand. 
 
 IV. And Iaftly, apply. 
 
 I. As to the firft, you may take thefe few things for 
 explication. 
 
 Firft, Jefas Chrift. is the Shepherd appointed by the 
 Father \ he is the good Shepherd of the fheep by di- 
 vine appointment; Awake, fxord, again/? my Khep* 
 herd. Though in refpect of the divine nature, he is 
 the Father's equal and fellow, yet as Mediator, he is 
 the Father's fervant; Ifa. xlii. I. Behold my Servant 
 ivhom I uphold, mineElecl in whom my foul delight eth. 
 He has inverted him with the office of the Shepherd of 
 the flock, that he may feed all them that are to be 
 found on the high and holy hill, through eternity, viz- 
 the elect. 
 
 Secondly, They are delivered over to his hand in the 
 day of converfion ; John xvii. 6. I haze manifejled thy 
 name unto the men which thou gaveji mc out of the 
 world : thine they were, and thou gaveji them me. 
 Here h two different givings in the text, Thefe thou 
 gaveji Wf, I have manifejled thy name unto them : 
 Thine they were, and thou gaveji them me, feems to 
 have a refpeft to the delivering them ever to him in 
 time ; for, from all eternity, were they delivered over 
 to him in point of final pufTeffion. 
 
 Thirdly, Coniitler the whole care is rolled over on 
 the Shepherd ; John v. 22. For the Father judgeth m 
 vian\ but hath committed *ll judgment unto the Son. 
 
 Eph. 
 
C 40 ] 
 Eph. 1. 22. And hath put all things under his feet, ani 
 hath given him to be head over all things to the church . 
 He is not only conftitute their Shepherd, but their Over- 
 feer; whereby the whole concerns of the flock are 
 rolled over upon him : on him it lies, as the Captain of 
 Salvation, to bring many fouls to glory. The chief 
 care of the whole family lies upon him, as he is ths 
 fteward of the houfe j therefore fays the Apoftle Peter, 
 CaJIing all your care upon him, nvho careth for you. 
 In the time of life, free grace comes in, brings home 
 the flrays, and returns them back from their wandering, 
 and leaves them with the Shepherd ; and in effect fays. 
 Now Shepherd, fee you to them, from this time fcr= 
 ward . 
 
 Fourthly, This great and good Shepherd is anfwer* 
 able for all the flock, fo that none of them may be loft ; 
 John vi. 39. This is the Father's will, that of all that 
 he hai/ given me, I fhould lofe nothing, but fjould raife 
 it up again at the lajl day. This then, is the nature 
 of the charge, and therefore we find him making his 
 account in John xvii. 12. Thofe that thou haji given m? 
 1 have kept, and 'none of them is loft. God the Father 
 hath given all the returned (tray:, to Chrift, and faith 
 to him, the account of the number muft be made up, 
 againft that day in which I make up my jewels ; As 
 Laban faid to Jacob, At thy handfhall they be requir- 
 ed i fo faid the Father to Chrift. 
 
 II. The fecond thing, viz. Why are the returned 
 flrays put under Chrift's hand. Thefe few things will 
 fet this in its due light. 
 
 Firjl, They are dear bought, and fo muft not be loft r 
 The returned ftrays were a great price, and a great pains 
 ere they were brought back : For why ? every returned 
 ftray is die price of blood, even the precious blood of 
 Chrift. They are aifo the product* of great pains ; 
 it coft his own Spirit a great cL\*!l of pains to bring 
 them back, and if they fhould be loft, the pains would 
 be loft alio. 
 
 Secondly, 
 
C 41 3 
 
 Secondly, They are both weak and witlefs, and wouM 
 Certainly lofs, if left to their own management; 2Cpr, 
 in. 5. A r ot that we are fufficieht of curfehes to think 
 any thing a) of curfehes : but our fuffidency is of 
 Vod. The fubtile Serpent would foon outwit them, if 
 left to themielves but for a moment. 
 
 Thirdh, The Mediator's hand is fure, and they can- 
 not be loft ; None jhall be able to pluck the?n cut of 
 viy hand. We have heard of the fulnefs of Chrifr. the 
 great Shepherd to-day, and of his rltnefs for that work ; 
 it was upon his abfoiute fitnefs for the work, that the 
 Father made choice of him, and put the returned iirays 
 into his hand, 
 
 III. The third thing in the method was, To fhew 
 you wherein the great Shepherd exerts his care over the 
 returned frrays, which are put under his care and over- 
 light. And we (hall confider this, 1/?, With refpeci la- 
 the flocks going in this lower world, And 2d/y, Their 
 going on the high and holy hill above. 
 
 FirJ?, With refpecl to their going in this prefent 
 ■world, there are thefe few things. As, 
 j r/?, He feeds them j I fa. iv, 11. He fhall feed his 
 flock like a fbepherd. And there are two things to be 
 conndered here. As 1. He gives them the green paf- 
 tures to eat, he makes them lie down in the green pai- 
 tirres, PfaL xxiii. And what is that food, but a God iri 
 thrift, and with him all good things : It is to feed on, 
 and lie down in the green pafhires, that can never be eat- 
 ten bare ; the paflures that never wither, but are ever 
 green, through all the periods of time and eternity, 
 2. He gives them the fti'l waters to drink ; and what 
 is that but the water of the fountain of life, fpok- 
 en of, Rev. xxi. 6. / ivill give unto him that is a- 
 \k}rfti to drink, of J he fountain of the water cf life 
 freely. It is even the enjoyment of a God in Chriftj 
 held forth in the gofpel promifes: Waters that makes 
 no .noife to fright away the fheep, as the voice of the: 
 jaw do^s, while it cries. Thus their fouls are fed, but 
 
 F does 
 
t 45] 
 
 does the good fhepherd take no care of the bodies of the 
 returned ftrays ? Yes ; he provides for them alfo ; Ifa, 
 xxxiii. 1 6. He Jhall dwell on high : his J> lace of de- 
 fence foall be the munition of rocks, bread (hall be 
 given kirn, and his water Jhall be fure. They (hall be 
 fed abundantly, and that in ftraitened times, altho' the 
 world fhall not know how, and mould wonder how thej 
 are fed; Pfal. xxxvii. 19. They fhall not be afhamec 
 in the evil time : and in the days of fami?ie they f?all 
 be fatisfied. A little to them that are within the inclo- 
 fure goes far, for there is a blefling in it ; while great- 
 er things to them that are without, goes but a fhort 
 way, becaufe of the curfe that is in it, which blafh it 
 to them. 
 
 zdly, He leads them ; he calls his meep by name, 
 he calls them out of their ftraying places, they that are 
 flill ftraying, in point of wildnefs, and will not be led. 
 The meep are {till in the wildernefs, but he is their 
 ouide, he will guide them all their life ; Pfal. xlviii. 
 
 14. For this God is our God, he will be our guide 
 
 even unto death. He will guide them by his word, 
 they fhall hear a voice behind them, faying, This is the] 
 way walk ye in it. He will guide them by his provi- 
 dence, he will chalk out the way to them, according 
 to and in confidence with the word. 
 
 %dly, He heals them; Ezek. xxxiv. 16. I ivill] 
 firengtken that which is Jick. The returned drays, 
 while in this world, may pine away with ficknefs ; they '■ 
 may be weakned and fore wounded, both with tempta- 
 tions and afflictions; they may be bruifed with fore and 
 heavy difeafes, following too much their own will and 
 way, by their own unwatchfulnefs, and if there were 
 mo healing to them, they would pine away in their dif- 
 eafes ; but they are put under the hand of the good 
 Shepherd; he is their overfeer, and fo their ficknefs 
 cannot prove a ficknefs unto death ; Jer. xxx. 17. — / 
 ivill heal thee of thy woundr, faith the Lord. And for 
 as low as the returned ftrays may be brought, the time 
 
 fhall 
 
C 43 1 
 
 tfiall be when they (hall (Ing, as in Pfalm cili. Z?/^/f 
 /^<? Lord> my foul, who healeth all thy difeafes. 
 
 4thly, He provides fhelter for them againfl- the (form ; 
 a refting place for them in the heat of the day ; Cant. i. 
 7. \Tell me, thou whom my foul loveth, 'where thou feed- 
 eft, where thou makej} thy foe k to reft at noon. How- 
 ever violent the ftorm.may be, the Shepherd will fee ta 
 their repofe ; In the world they Jhall have tribulation, 
 but in die end they fl?all have peace : And many a time 
 the people of God have had it to fay, That they never 
 had greater cairn of fpirit, nor greater fatisfaction of 
 mind in the world, than in a time of perfecution and 
 tribulation for the caufe of Chrift ; in the time of public 
 calamity they fhall have chambers of pjoteclion. But 
 then, 
 
 Sthly, He reclaims them from their partial wander- 
 ings : Sometimes even the returned ftrays are driven 
 away through the violence of a temptation ; there is a 
 ftraying difpofition that they are never perfectly cured 
 of, fo long as they are in this lower world, and herein 
 they imitate the filly fheep, when turned away they can- 
 not turn themfelves again ; but the good fhepherd will 
 feek them, and bring them back again ; Ezek. xxxiv. 
 12. As a jliepherd feeketh out his flock in the day that 
 he is among his f beep that are fcatiered ; fo will I feek 
 out my fheep, and will deliver them out of all places, 
 where they have been feat t ere d in the cloudy and dark 
 4ay. 
 
 6thty, He keeps them, fo that none of them mail 
 perifh- John x. 28. And I give unto them eternal life, 
 qnd thy fljall never perifh, neither jhall any pluck 
 4-oem out of my hand. They are fet beyond the reach 
 of the (fondemning law ; For there ii no condemnation 
 to them that are in Chrifl Jefus,for they are not under 
 the law but under grace. Although indeed the Father's 
 anger may fmoke againfl: the iheep of his pafture, yet 
 no arrows of the curfe fly within the inclofure where the 
 returned drays are feeding ; Gal. iii. 1 ;>. C^riji hath re- 
 F 2 deemed 
 
I 44 3 
 
 deemed us from the curfi of the law, leing made U 
 curfe for us. 
 
 But now a word to the fecond thing on this head, 
 viz. their going on the holy hill above. And, 
 
 \Jlj He brings them fafely there, he carries them 
 fafely through the dark fhadows of death, PfiL xxiiu 
 4. The good Shepherd will not leave the fheep in the 
 pit of extremity, but he will perfect the return of the 
 itrays ; Ifa. xxxv. 10. 'And the rarfoined of the Lord 
 jfeall return and corne to Zion nviih fifffgl, and ever- 
 lajling joy upon their heads : they foal I obtain joy and- 
 gladnifs, and forrcw and fighingfloall fee aivay. 
 
 2dly, Ke feeds them ; Rev. v'ri. 17. For the Lamb 
 which, is in the viidfi of the throne, fjali feed them, and 
 jhal: lead the?n unto living fountains of waters. There 
 tiiey fhall be completely happy ; there is no dark nor 
 cloudy day in Immanuel's land ; there will be no marks 
 of their graying condition ; there they have liberal- pas- 
 tures, and none of them complain of want. 
 
 I now clofe with a word of application. And firfl 
 to the fouls that are yet ftraying, for all that they have 
 heard of the fulnefs of Chritt, and will not come to 
 him that they may have life. Sirs, what I would fay 
 to you, is, Behold the happinefs of the returned fhays ! 
 Behold their happinefs, and follow aher them, and come 
 to Chriri. Sirs, thefe things are not cunningly devifed 
 fables, but the weighty truths of the gofpel, which we 
 require you, and every one of you to believe upon the 
 authority of divine revelation. 
 
 1/?, Is your rock like their rock? No, no ; E>e ut.xxxn. 
 31. For their roek is not as cur rock, even oar enemies 
 t he mf elves' being judges. What have they to lippen to, 
 in companion of the Shepherd of 7/rael, which we have 
 to lay all our weight upon, both for time and for eter- 
 nity ? Sinner, if you will not leave off your ftraying, 
 let me tell you,, that whatever ypu trult unto, it will 
 be like the broken reed of Egypt, to which if a map 
 
 leaf, 
 
C AS 1 
 lean, it will pierce his hand, and you will find yourfelf 
 in a friendlefs condition. Bi:t, 
 
 idly, Behold their happinefr., and fay, Have they 
 not made a good choice I Have they not now exchang- 
 ed for the better ? Are they not now well away from 
 under the power of Satan ? Are they not well away 
 from among the Devil's ftrays upon the mountains of 
 vanity ? And are they not now well among Chi ill's 
 flock, and feeding on the green paftures ? 'Are they 
 pot well away from out of the Devil's common ? And 
 are they not well and fafe now where they are within 
 God's inciofure ? 
 
 %dly, Bebolq. their happinefs, and follow after them, 
 for yet there is room; Zech. yiii. 23. Thus faith the 
 Lord of hofls, In thofe days it Jhall come to pafs, that 
 ten men fhalltake hold out of all languages of the nati- 
 ons, even fliall take hold of the Jkiri of him that is a 
 Jeiv, faying, We 'will go iviihyou ; for <uv have heard 
 that God is nuiihyou. Sirs, the door of the fheep-fold 
 yet ftands open, enter in quickly, lealt ye fall a ftiay- 
 ing and die in the pit, and be put beyond recovery. 
 
 Secondly, A word to the returned fir ay. Here Wjhjl 
 comfort, andfecondly duty for you. 
 
 Firjl, Here is comfort to the returned (trays in two 
 cafes which reacheth you all. 
 
 ifl, Here is one particular caufe of comfort, Pfal. 
 Kxiii. 1. The Lord is your Shepherd, and you fhall riot 
 want ; however hard you may be put to at any time, 
 yet you fhall be fupplied. Alas ! the poor (trays can 
 do- nothing for themfelves, but your happinefs is, that 
 the Shepherd can do all for you, and can make good 
 your part againft all that can annoy you. 
 
 idly, Here is comfort to you in the cafe of the 
 church of God ; fhe will fend come what will, fhe will 
 wear out the iiorm : Whatever worldly wjfdom or car- 
 nal police is ufed to mifguide the church, yet the infi- 
 nite wifdom and power of a Mediator is employed to 
 guide her aright : Though the united power and policy 
 pi Babylon and Edom mould attempt to. raze J erufalem* 
 
 found a- 
 
C A6 ] 
 
 foundation, yet they may well fright the flock, they 
 fnall never be able to deftroy them. 
 
 Secondly, Here is duty for you, and I fliall alfo give 
 you it in thefe two things. 
 
 iy?, Tiuft him for your through-bearing, truft him 
 for time and for eternity ; truft: him for counfcl and 
 condutf ; truft him for ftrength and wifdom ; truft him 
 for all you want and need, for carrying ycu through 
 the wildernefs of this world, and for landing you fafely 
 tn glory's land. But alas. ! may fome fay, I fear I ne- 
 ver cany fairly through. Why ? this I would hearti- 
 ly confeis you might have faid, if the returned ft rays 
 1? .d been left to their own hand ; but how can you fay 
 it, when you are puc under the hand, care, overfight 
 and infpettion of the great and good Shepherd; what- 
 ever you are, look not to yourselves, but look to him, 
 truft not to yourfelves, but :o the grace that is in Chrift 
 Jefu-s, our Lord ; and carefully and conftantly ply your 
 work : truft him for your bodies, and for whatever you 
 need to them. In a word, come what will come, truft 
 him for your daily bread, for even that you muft have 
 from him. But perhaps you will be faying, What will 
 become of us, if enemies prevail, and if they get the 
 carved work of reformation thrown down, and if the 
 wells of falvation be puddled and fouled ? Why, a 
 thoufand fuch things may come in thy mind, but truft 
 thou in the Shepherd, if thefe tryals fhould come, and 
 let him fee to his own work, and to you both ; for it 
 concerns him : Lay yourfelves over upon him, and the 
 weight of a glorious reformation upon him, on *whtfk 
 jhouldcrs the government is hid, and ivhofe .name is 
 the wonderful Cowijeilsr, the mighty God ; for it lies 
 upon his honour, by virtue of his office. But take you 
 the advice given you by the great Apoftle of the Gen- 
 tiles, Phil. iv. 6. Be careful for nothing : but in every 
 thing by prayer and f application ivith thankfgiving> 
 1st your reque/is be made known unto God. The return- 
 ed ftrays arc Chrift's fliecp, and come what will come 
 be, will fee to them. But. then, 
 
 2dly t 
 
[ 47 ] 
 
 sdly, Behave yourfelves as the fheep of his paflure ; 
 Pfal. c. 3. Know ye that the Lord he is Cod, it is he 
 that hath made us , and not we ourfelves ; nve are hit 
 people, and the floeep of his paflure. Hear his voice, 
 Pfal. xcv. 7. For he is our God, and nve are the people 
 of his pafture, and the flieep of his hand ; to day if ye 
 will hear his -voice. See that ye follow him ; John 
 x. 5. And aflranger they will not follow, but will fee 
 from him : for they know not the voice of fir angers. 
 Ver. 27. My fheep hear my voice, and 1 know them, 
 and they follow me. Pretend not to guide yourfehes ; 
 beware of being found among the Devil's ftrays ; re- 
 turned drays mould walk even as the Shepherd walked,. 
 I Pet. ii. 21. For even hereunto are ye called : beczufc 
 Chrifl alfofuffered for us, leaving us an example, that 
 we Jloould follow his fieps : Be fearful, be fruitful, be 
 humble, be harmlefs, be of a meek and quiet difpoli- 
 tion ; if fo be that you have been fhorn with the knife 
 of affliction, and if the butcher's knife fhould be your 
 tot, as it hath been the lot of many of the people of 
 God, in both this and other of the churches of Chrift ; 
 and who knows but it may be the lot of fome of us here, 
 before we land in Immanuel's land, where glory dwells ; 
 even bid it welcome for the fake of the good Shepherd. 
 And the Lord that returned the ftrays, when they 
 were as loft fheep going aftray, and laid upon the Shep- 
 herd the iniquities of them all, even keep them while 
 they are here in this wildernefs, and carry them fafely 
 to Immanuel's land, and blefs what hath been faid, 
 and to his glorious name be praife. Amen. 
 
 FINIS. 
 

 
*.-*Tf