E3EfcS»W>i 
 

 Or thi: 
 
 AT 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 DOXATIOV « > V 
 
 SAMUEL AGNEW, 
 
 OF PHILADELPHIA, PA. 
 
 Ott. 
 
 J%/si4/edsMlv£.-^£&'J7 
 
 Case, SCC | 
 
 Shelf, 3V.^'^]E 
 
 t Book, J. 
 
 I 
 

SERMONS 
 
 O N 
 
 VARIOUS SUBJECTS 
 
 AND 
 
 OCCASIONS. 
 
 By the late Reverend 
 
 Mr. Samuel TVilfon, 
 

SERMONS 
 
 O N 
 
 VARIOUS SUBJFGTS 
 
 AND 
 
 OCCASIONS, 
 
 By the late Reverend 
 
 Mr. Samuel JVilfon: 
 
 TWO OF WHICH 
 
 Were publifhed in his Life-Time, 
 
 AND 
 
 The Reft taken from his own Manuscripts. 
 
 To which is prefixed 
 
 A fhort Account of his Character, 
 
 In an Oration delivered at his Interment ', 
 By JOSEPH STENNETT. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J. Ward, over-againft the Royal-Exchange ; 
 and G. Keith, at Mercers-Chapel, Cheapfide, 
 
 M.DCC.LIII. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 *7 HIS volume appears in the world 
 to gratify the preffeng inftances of 
 many of the worthy author s friends, 
 who either received their firfl ferious im- 
 preffions under his awakening and in\ 
 JlruElive miniflry, or were eflablifjjed in 
 the important doB?ines of chrijlianity 
 and nourifloed up in experimental and 
 praBical religion by that good food which, 
 by the grace of God, he di/pen/ed among 
 them. As it was the pleafure of the 
 great Difpofer of all things to call him to 
 himfelf in the midft of his days, and 
 of his ufefulnefs, it was their defer e to 
 recover, if pojfible, fome of thofe dif- 
 courfes which they had heard from his 
 A 3 lips 
 
vi PREFACE. 
 
 lips with much benefit and delight : and 
 they have encouraged themf elves to hope, 
 that) though unaj/ijled with the advan- 
 tages ofhisferious, and perfuafive man- 
 ner of addrefs from the pulpit, yet they 
 might happily revive fome of thofe influ- 
 ences they had formerly felt, and be of 
 the fame profit to others. Thefe confider- 
 ations prevailed o?i thofe, on whom the 
 right of the author s manufcripts de- 
 volved, at his deceafe, to confent to this 
 publication. 
 
 THE twofirfl fermons were printed 
 fome years ago ; a?id are to be found in 
 an excellent defe?ice of fome of the mofl 
 important principles of our holy religion, 
 which, as the tide of infidelity and cor- 
 ruption was threateni?tg to bear dow?i 
 all before it, was attempted by afet of 
 able and worthy divines, fome years ago, 
 in this city ; a?id among whom Mr. Wil- 
 fon bore a part *, which was fo well exe- 
 cuted, 
 
PREFACE, vii 
 
 cuted, as to render it the requeft offome, 
 who mourn over the continuance of the 
 fame oppojition to the gofpel^ that they 
 might Jiand here alfo. . 
 
 ALL the reft are dtfcourfes which 
 were never dejigned for the prefs, but 
 have been deciphered, from his own notes 
 in fhort-hand, by fuch of his mofl in- 
 timate friends, who were acquainted 
 with the charaEler in which they were 
 wrote e 
 
 JVHATEFE R be the cenfure that 
 may poffibly fall on the hand that, under 
 thefe difadv ant ages, from a tender re- 
 gard to the memory of his friend, a?id the 
 hope of their further ufefulnefs to the fouls 
 of men, has ventured to prepare thefe 
 papers for theprefs, a very little candour 
 willbefufficient to fecure the author from 
 any dif grace ; efpecially when it is conji- 
 dered, that, as it was feldom his cujfom 
 A 4 to 
 
viii PREFACE. 
 
 to confine himfelf to his notes in the pul- 
 pity fo, from the happy liberty he enjoyed 
 there, they ufually received confiderabh 
 
 improvement. 
 
 BUT notwithfianding thefe dij ad- 
 vantages y and the mijlak.es oftranfcribers 
 mujl have rendered many emendations 
 neceffary^ yet the reader may he affured> 
 that fuch caution has been ufed in this 
 refpetly as Jlr icily to preferve Mr. Wil- 
 fon' s fentiments, andtofecure his jufil 
 title to thefe fermons, as his own. 
 
 IT will be obferved that the choice of 
 the fubj eels which has been made for this 
 volume \ confefls offome of the doEirinal y 
 and others of the more experimental and 
 praclical kind. To which I will only 
 add, with an humble dependance o?i the 
 divi?ie bleffingy that if thefe difcowfes 
 afford as much profit and pleafure to 
 thofe who read them, as they have given 
 
 the 
 
PREFACE. ix 
 
 the editor in the revifal, the defign of 
 their publication will be happily anfwered\ 
 and that) as Mr. WilfonV other printed 
 fermons, when collected together ', make 
 one volume > of about the fame fize with 
 this j fo, if this meets with fuitable e?i- 
 courageme?it) it may be followed with a 
 third. 
 
 Joseph Stennett. 
 
A 
 FUNERAL ORATION, 
 
 A T 
 
 The Interment of the Reverend 
 Mr. Samuel Wilson, in 
 the Burial-Ground at Bunhillj 
 O&ober 12, 1750. 
 
 WHATEVER be the triumphs of 
 the king of terrors on thefe 
 mournful occafions, or the dis- 
 grace that is brought on our nature by death ; 
 whatever variety of miferies we mud our- 
 felves endure in our way to the grave, or 
 the pangs we feel in our attendance on the 
 remains of our friends thither ; or, indeed> 
 whatever be the awful confequences of dy- 
 ing; yet as the light of nature difcovers, 
 and acknowledges an infinite difplay of the 
 fovereignty of the Divine Being in this im- 
 portant concern ; fo the facred fcriptures tes- 
 tify, not only to the wifdom and juftice of 
 fuch a procedure, but to the mercy and good- 
 7 nefs 
 
2 A Funeral Oration, &c. 
 nefs of it too. It is a procedure which, one 
 would imagine, mould filence all the adverfa- 
 ries of divine revelation ; fince no fcheme be- 
 fides can fatisfy a rational enquirer about it : 
 and it mould carry the ftrongeft evidence on 
 our minds of that ruin which the fin of our 
 firfl parents has brought upon all mankind, 
 and of which the bible gives us the only clear 
 and explicit account. 
 
 And tho' we find, by fad experience, the 
 fuccefsful endeavours of corrupt nature to over- 
 come the other dictates of confcience, yet here, 
 — at the mouth of a grave, we have fuch a 
 landing conviction, as the harden: hearts, in 
 their near approaches to it, find it exceeding 
 difficult to elude. Thus, as the laft enemy 
 which a good man has to conquer, is death -, 
 fo the lafl conviction that fin is able to ftifle 
 in the breafts of the wicked, is the apprehen- 
 fion of the horrors and dangers which attend it. 
 And yet, fuch is the ftupidity of human na- 
 ture, that even this fuppreffion of all reafon, 
 and all fenfe of religion, is, too often, the 
 dreadful cafe. 
 
 If 
 
A Funeral Oration, &c. 3 
 
 If reafon did its office, how could it be pof- 
 fible for any one of us, in this great affembly, 
 to behold the enfigns of mortality around us, 
 to traverfe the fields of the dead, and to tread 
 on the duft of thoufands, to fix our eyes on 
 an open fepulchre, and to fee the dear remains 
 of a friend committed to its filence and dark- 
 nefs, to become the prey of corruption, and 
 the food of v/orms, and to know too that in 
 a few days this will be our own cafe ; how 
 could it be poffible, I fay, if rational reflection 
 took place, for any one of us to fee, and con- 
 sider thefe things with a negligent and unaf- 
 fected heart? 
 
 B u t the emotions of our minds mould furely 
 be much more quickened, and the inflru&ion 
 come with greater weight, when we attend 
 the funeral folemnities of men of any eminency 
 and conliderable ufefulnefs in the world - 3 more 
 fo ftill, when they have been eminent for piety 
 and religion 5 and, I was going to fay, moft of 
 all, when we behold the heralds of life them- 
 felves laid down in the grave, and become the 
 
 fub- 
 
4 A F&UERA l Oration, £?<;. 
 
 ilibjedls of mortality. For we have daily the 
 repeated and fbrrowful evidence, that men of 
 every rank and character mult die. — Our fa- 
 thers where are they % and the prophets, do they 
 live for ever ? 
 
 The reverend and excellent perfon, whole 
 grave we furround, was defcended from a line 
 of pious and worthy anceflors, both on his 
 father's and his mother's fide, among whom 
 were feveral very worthy minifters of the gof- 
 pel. He had fo happy a texture of mind, 
 fuch fine natural parts, and was fo very early 
 imbued with remarkable evidences of a divine 
 work upon his foul, as led his religious friends, 
 in his tender years, to hope that Heaven had 
 pointed him out for the ferviceof the fandtuary : 
 and time foon made it appear that they were not 
 miftaken. 
 
 Prepared with fuitable ftudy, adorned 
 with ufeful literature, ftock'd with fpiritual ex- 
 perience, warmed with zeal for God, and love 
 to the fouls of men, and richly furnifhed with 
 the unction from above, he came forth into 
 
 his 
 
A Funeral Oration, &c. 5 
 his facred work ; and approved himfelf an able 
 teacher of others, at a time of life, when but 
 few enter upon a public profeffion of religion 
 themfelves. He was favoured with an health- 
 ful conftitution ; a conftitution which was 
 hardly ever much fhaken with any difeafe, 
 till that which brought him hither. His in- 
 duftry was fuited to it. And fuch was the 
 fweetnefs and benevolence of his temper, that, 
 as it readily engaged him in offices of kind- 
 nefs to others, tho' frequently attended with 
 much labour and fatigue to himfelf j fo it fel- 
 dom fuffered him to be ruffled with refent- 
 ment at any ungrateful treatment he met with 
 in return. With all thefe happy talents, he 
 foon became a very popular and fuccefsful 
 preacher. And that this popularity was not 
 the effect of novelty, and fuperficial attain- 
 ments, appears, in that it was not only the 
 blaze of a few months or a year, as is often 
 the cafe, but it continued with him thro* the 
 whole courfe of his miniftry. So that, by the 
 bleffing of God on his labours, he raifed a 
 congregation from low circum fiances, to be- 
 come one of the moil flouriihing in this city. 
 
 And 
 
6 A Funeral Oration, &c. 
 
 And he difcharged his paftoral office with that 
 ferioufnefs, prudence, and temper, as was at- 
 tended with fuch a feries of increafe and har- 
 mony, as few communities have, for fo long 
 a time, enjoyed. 
 
 But neither honourable defcent, neither ge- 
 nius, nor learning, neither the ornaments of na- 
 ture, nor of grace, neither love toG q d, nor love 
 to men, nor faith, nor ufefulnefs will, we fee, 
 fecure the continuance of men here beyond the 
 limits of the divine decree. Not the art of mer 
 dicine, not the aching hearts of kindred and of 
 friends, not the tears and groans of a large, and 
 beloved flock, nor the fervent prayers of fellow- 
 labourers in the fame fervice, can refpite the 
 commiffion, when the hour is come : for it is 
 the juft and reafonable appointment of the 
 great Difpofer of all things, that man fhould die 
 and there is no difcharge in this war. 
 
 What makes the ftroke the more feeling, 
 is, that he is removed from us at a time, when 
 the growth of the moft deftructive errors, the 
 increafe of every kind of wickednefs, and the 
 fad and general decay of vital religion among 
 7 good 
 
A Funeral Oration, &c. y 
 
 good men themfelves, feem to render the con- 
 tinuance of perfons of remarkable piety, and 
 abilities, of very great confequence to the bed 
 intereft in the world. And it is ftill the more 
 affecting, that he bowed his head in the midft 
 his ftrength, and when a large treafure of ex- 
 perience, and great ripenefs of judgment, gave 
 us encouraging hopes of his growing ufefulnefs, 
 for many years to come; and that his life alfo 
 mould, at fuch a time as this, become a fa- 
 crifice to the zeal of his heart, and the fatigues 
 of his work. Thefe are fome of the myfteries 
 of providence, which tho' we underftand not 
 now, will be unfolded hereafter. 
 
 However, we muft, we ought to be re- 
 conciled to the will of the wife and righteous 
 kuler of the world, and Head of the churchy 
 who has thought fit to call him home : and 
 we have no doubt but he is entered into that 
 reft, which remains for the people of G od. Nor 
 can it be conceived what a peculiar pleafure 
 that reft muft afford to a fervant of Chrift, who 
 has laboured as he has done ; or with what 
 exalted delight, a welcome, from the lips of 
 
 a Jefus 
 
8 A Funeral Oration. &c 9 
 
 Jcfus into that world, muft have been received 
 by one, who had fo long determined to know 
 nothing but him, and him crucified, in this-,— 
 by one, the bufinefs of whofe life was to fpread 
 the Saviour's grace, of which himfelf had been 
 fo rich a partaker ; to lead finners to that pre- 
 cious fountain of his blood, in which his own 
 foul had been bathed ; and to defend the glo- 
 ries of his perfon, and the virtue of his righte- 
 oufnefs and falvation, on which he had long 
 placed all his own dependance for juftifkation 
 and acceptance with God. 
 
 We mall no more fit under the powerful 
 conviction of his manly and nervous reafoning j 
 —no more be charmed with his eloquent per- 
 fuafion, or be {truck with the happy mixture of 
 his grave and familiar addrefs; — no more enjoy 
 the force of his various, affectionate, and perti- 
 nent pleadings before the throne of grace, or 
 feel our fouls melted by his tears into the fame 
 devout and heavenly temper. 
 
 But it becomes us, I fay, to fubmit; and 
 it is our bufinefs now to make the Deft im- 
 prove- 
 
A Funeral Oration, &c. g 
 provemcnts of fo awakening, and fo inftruc- 
 tive a providence. And what are thefe ? but 
 that we mould be awfully, and more effectu- 
 ally convinced of the abfolute right which the 
 Divine Being will for ever maintain over all 
 his works ? what, — but that we mould enter- 
 tain a renewed, and a deeper fenfe than ever 
 of the malignity of fin, which continues to 
 make fuch ravage in the church, as well as in 
 the world ? what, — but that we mould in- 
 fcribe vanity upon every temporal enjoyment, 
 and uncertainty on the peaceful and uninter- 
 rupted continuance of bleflings of a higher na- 
 ture, while we pafs thro' this vale of tears, 
 and land of changes ? what, — but that we 
 {hould look forward for our comfort, under all 
 the diftrerTes of this weary wildernefs, to that 
 world, where there is no fin, nor forrow, and 
 where death (hall have no more power ? 
 
 It is an honour to the family of the de- 
 ceafed, that they have been related to fo worthy 
 a man : and they, as well as many others, will 
 tell how he adorned the characters of the huf- 
 fcand, the father, the brother, and the friend. 
 
 a 2 The 
 
io A Funeral Chat ion, &c. 
 
 The beft fupport, that every furviving relative 
 can have under their prefect very great afflic- 
 tion, is to be derived from that treafure 
 or preciens promifes which often comforted 
 his heart, and were the frequent fubjects 
 of liis miniftry, promifes which re- 
 main, tho' he is gone. His amiable ex- 
 ample alfo lives, and will always live, I 
 truft, in their remembrance, tho' he is 
 dead, and they mail fee his face no more. 
 To which 1 will add, that love itfelf, which 
 ufually opens the floodgates of forrow wide, 
 on thefe occafions, will help to moderate 
 theirs, when they reflect, that the greater 
 their lofs is, it gives them the more illuftri- 
 ous idea of his gain, 
 
 I am fenfible that many of his late'eharge, 
 and, among them, not a few of his fpi- 
 ritual children are come hither, to pay the 
 lafl refpect to his dear remains, and to pour 
 out the affectionate tribute of their tears on 
 
 his tomb, and it is a juft and decent 
 
 tribute. When Lazarus died, an affectio- 
 nate difciple of our Lord faid to the reft, Let us 
 
 alfo. 
 
A Funeral Oration, &c. ij 
 
 alfo go, that we may die with him : and Jefus 
 himfelf wept on that forrowful occafion. But 
 then, they fhould confider, that religion fets the 
 proper bounds to our grief, and it alfo inftrucls 
 us, that tears are not the only tokens of ref- 
 pect, which are due to the memory of good 
 men, when they are taken from us. No 
 
 they are to remember that their dear 
 
 paftor, tho* he is dead, yet fpeaketh, 
 
 /peaks ftill by that doctrine which he taught 
 them, and that pattern which he fet before 
 
 them, while living ; fpeaks to them now 
 
 by his own death, and tells them how frail 
 they are, and how foon thofe that hear may 
 be called to their account, as well as thofe 
 that fpeak. May they fo remember him whP 
 broke the bread of life to them, and, by di- 
 vine appointment, had the rule over them, and 
 watched for their fouls, that they may follow 
 his faith, confidering the end of his converfa- 
 tion, and be partakers at laft with him in his 
 
 And let thofe who have often felt their 
 
 confciences rovtfed by bis awakening di£- 
 
 % *;ourfes, 
 
J2 A Funeral Oration, &c. 
 couffes, or their fouls, for a feafon, melted 
 by his moft affectionate addrefs, and yet 
 continue in their fins, let them, I fay, con- 
 iider, that his lips are now (hut for ever, and 
 his commiffion is fealed up. Let them feri- 
 oufly reflect, that the gofpel which he preached 
 to them will be a favour •, if not of life unto 
 life, yet of death unto death. And let them 
 fear left, in their final neglect of his faithful 
 and unwearied warnings, he {hould prove a 
 fwift witnefs againft them, in that tremen- 
 dous day of account, which cannot be far 
 oft 
 
 May we that are minifters, and have had 
 our labours, in many refpects, united with his, 
 who have had the advantage of his friendship, 
 and have often taken fweet counfel together with 
 him, may we likewife make the bell: life of fo 
 affecting a difpenfation. Our work alfo will be 
 foon finifhed, and the places which know us 
 now, will, very foon, know us no more for 
 ever. May we therefore be quickened to 
 greater activity and faithfulnefs in the dis- 
 charge of thofe important fervices in which we 
 
 are 
 

 A Funeral Oration, $c. ij 
 
 < 
 
 are engaged, and be ftirred ,up more carefully 
 to prepare for the fame fummons ; that .when 
 cur Lord comes we may be alfo ready. 
 
 To conclude: let us all be comforted with 
 thefe confederations, that, tho' minifters die, 
 the word of God, the gofpel of Chrift Jefus 
 
 liveth and abidethfor ever : that tho' the 
 
 children mull: pafs thro' the valley of 'death ', in 
 their way to their Father's houfe, yet their Fa- 
 ther always lives : — — - that tho' their elder 
 Brother has died, yet it was for their fins ; tho* 
 he has defcended in the grave, yet he has per- 
 fumed it by lying there j and, that tho' he was 
 dead, yet be now liveth, and behold, he is alive 
 for evermore. He is rifen again for thelvjufi- 
 fication, and ever lives to make inter ceffion for 
 them. He is therefurreclion and the life, and 
 whofoever believeth in him, tho' he were dead, 
 yet /ball he alfo live. And, blefTed be God > 
 J trull: many of us can fay, that tho' we 
 muft die, yet our lives are hid with Chrift 
 in God ; that the fpirit of life, which is 
 in Chrift Jefus, hath made us free from the 
 
 law 
 
14 A Funeral Oration, tic-. 
 law of fin and death ; and that we havd 
 room to hope, that, when Chrift who is bur 
 life /hall appear, we Jl:all alfo appear with hith 
 in glory i 
 
 C O N< 
 

 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 TH E doctrine of efficacious grace averted, 
 and vindicated. Preached at Lime- 
 Street, from Phil. ii. 13. It is God who 
 worketb in you both to will and to do, of his 
 own good pleafure. page 1 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 The fecond Sermon on the fame text. p. 24 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 The infufficiency of any atonement the fmner 
 can make; from Micah vi.6, 7, 8. Where- 
 withal fiall I come before the LORD, and 
 bow myfelf before the high God f Shall I come 
 before him with burnt- offerings, with calves 
 of a year old f Will the LORD bepleafed 
 with thoufands of rams, or with ten thou- 
 fands of rivers of oil ? Shall I give my fir ft bom 
 for my tranfgrejfion, the fruit of my body for 
 the fin of my fold? He hath flawed thee O man, 
 what doth the LORD require of thee, but to 
 dojuftly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly 
 with thy God ! f p. 5$ 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 Of the duties of juftice and mercy. The fecond 
 
 Sermon on the fame text. P- 73 
 
 b S ER- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 Of walking humbly with God. The third 
 Sermon on the fame text. p. 87 
 
 SERMON VI. 
 
 The fourth Sermon on the fame text. p. 104 
 
 S E R M O N VII. 
 
 On the new birth $ from John iii. 3. fefusan- 
 
 Jwered and/aid unto him, verily, verily, I fay 
 
 unto tkte t except a man be horn again, he can- 
 
 not fee the kingdom of God. p. 1 26 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 The fecond Sermon on the fame text. p. 140 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 
 The character and privileges of Chrift\ fheep; 
 from John x. 27. My fheep hear my voice, 
 and I know them \ and they follow me. p. 158 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 The fecond Sermon on the fame text. p. 173 
 
 SERMON XL 
 
 On the final perieverance of the faints j from 
 John x. 28. And I give unto them eternal 
 life, and they /hall never perijk, neither pall 
 any pluck them out cf my hand. p. 1 90 
 
 SERMON XII. 
 
 The fecond Sermon on the fame text. p. 207 
 
 SER. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON XIII. 
 
 The third Sermon on the fame text. p. 230 
 
 SERMON XIV. ' 
 The fourth Sermon on the fame text, p. 255 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 The fifth Sermon on the fame text. p. 27 S 
 
 SERMON XVI. 
 
 The grace of the gofpel no encouragment to fin; 
 from Rom. vi. 1, 2. What fiall we fay then ? 
 f jail we continue in fin that grace may abound? 
 God forbid : hcwfiallwe that are dead to fin ; 
 live any longer therein ? p. 296 
 
 SERMON XVII. 
 
 Self-examination recommended. Preached ata 
 monthly exercife, in the year 1744 ; from 
 Jer. viii 6. 1 hearkened and heard \ but they 
 [pake not aright : no man repented him of his 
 wickednefs, faying^ what have I done ? every 
 one turned to his courfe 3 as the horfe rufieth 
 into the battle. p. 3 \ j 
 
 SERMON XVIII. 
 
 Of communicating christian experience ; from 
 Pfalm Ixvi. 16. Come and hear y all ye that 
 fear God, and 1 will declare what he hath 
 done for my foul p 340 
 
 5Ei 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 SERMON XIX. 
 
 The ftrong man conquered ; from Luke xi. 
 21, 22. When a flrong man armed keepeth 
 his palace , his goods are in peace : but when 
 a Jlronger than he ftall come upon him, and 
 ever come him, he takethfrom him all his ar- 
 mour wherein he trufted, and divideth his 
 fpoils. p. 361 
 
 SERMON XX. 
 
 The nature and privileges of adoption. The 
 laft Sermon the author preached, at his own 
 meeting-place, in Goodman' s-fields : from 
 Galatians iv. 6. And becaufeye are fons, God 
 hath fent forth the fpirit of his fon into your 
 hearts, crying, Abba, Father. p. 378 
 
 SEL 
 
SERMON I. 
 
 The dotlrine of efficacious grace ajferted 
 and vindicated. 
 
 Preach'd at Lime-Street. 
 
 Phil. ii. 13. 
 
 It is God who worketh in you, both to will and 
 to do y of his own good pleafure. 
 
 N the beginning of this chapter, 
 the apoftle recommends to the 
 faints, at Philippi, mutual for- 
 bearance, affection, humility, and 
 condefcenfion, as the great orna- 
 ments of the chriftian character. To this 
 end, he reminds them of their common fel- 
 lowfhip of the fpirit, and their joint relation 
 to, and intereft in, the bleffed Jefus ; who, 
 as he obferves, in the days of his nefh, ex- 
 emplified thefe graces, in a very diftinguifh- 
 ing manner : fo entirely was his heart fet 
 upon advancing his Father's honour, and (o 
 prevailing the affection which he bore to his 
 
 B people, 
 
2 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 people, that, though he was in the form of 
 God, and thought it not robbery to be equal 
 with God, yet he made kimfelf of no reputa- 
 tion, and took upon him the form of a [errant, 
 and was made in the likenefs of men , and, be- 
 ing found in faflrion as a man, humbled him- 
 Jelf and became obedient unto death, even the 
 death of the crofs. a " Now," fays the a- 
 poftle, " you profefs to be the difciples of 
 " this Jefus, you call him Lord ; keep in 
 " view then his temper and conduct, and 
 <c copy after him : Let the fame mind be in 
 " you that was in him , and fo much the ra- 
 " ther give diligence herein, as I, who, when 
 " prefent with you, was ferviceable, as an 
 " healer of your breaches, and an helper of 
 " your faith and joy, am now providentially 
 11 removed from among you : Wherefore, my 
 c< beloved, as ye have always obeyd, not as in 
 " ?ny prefence only, but now much more in my 
 1 c abjence > work out your own falvation with 
 <c fear and trembling. b God is calling you to 
 " duty, diligence, and circumfpection - y give 
 " no occafion for the reproach, that your 
 " zeal declined upon my leaving you , but 
 " remember what is before you, a crown of 
 <c immortal glory, and run with patience and 
 ■' conflancy the race that is appointed you, 
 M and in your way to the prize, let there be 
 " no other contention, but who fhall fooneft 
 ,c reach the goal, and firfl lay hold of eter- 
 
 " nai 
 
 a " Ycr. 6, 7, 8. b Vcr. 12. 
 
Serm. I. Of efficacious grace. 3 
 
 " nal life." And left they fhould, confcious 
 of their own fpiritual impotence, be difcou- 
 raged, he adds, " For it is God that worketh 
 " in you, &c. Your work, indeed, is great, 
 " your difficulties are many ; but if God is 
 " with you, he will give you a will, and 
 i( furnifh you with power, to perform what 
 " is acceptable to him." 
 
 Perhaps it will be faid, that the words 
 under confideration, relate to faints already 
 renewed in the fpirit of their minds, and fo 
 cannot, with propriety, be produced as an 
 argument for the neceflity of a divine agen- 
 cy, in the converfion of a finner. To this 
 it might be anfwer'd, that it is no unufual 
 thing, in theological enquiries, to borrow a 
 paffage of fcripture, as an illustration, where 
 it is not infifted on as a direct proof: but, in 
 the inftance before us, admitting it primarily 
 may belong to believers, the cenfequence 
 will be this, that either the finner has more 
 will to, and power for, that which is good, 
 than the faint, or the fame God, who works 
 in the one, muft alfo in the other, both to 
 'will and to do of his good pleafure. If a good 
 man, who knows fo much of his duty, who 
 has been fo long accuftomed to the difcharge 
 of it, and has fo often tafted the fweets of 
 communion with God, whilft engaged in his 
 fervice ; if in the midft of all his advantages, 
 experience, and hope, he cannot of himfelf 
 will or perform any thing that is fpiritually 
 
 B 2 good} 
 
4 Of e ffi c ^ ci0m grace. 
 
 good ; much lefs the finner, whofe heart is 
 carnal, who is a ilave to his lufts, and un- 
 der the tyranny of the God of this world. 
 
 The word inpyvr, which we tranflate 
 worketh, is expreffive of power, yea, of migh- 
 ty power j it iuppofes a difficulty in the per- 
 formance, and perfection or fuperior flrength 
 in the agent. It is not barely our fetting our 
 hand to a .work, but the doing of it tho- 
 roughly, or to purpofe. Accordingly, when 
 the arm of the Lord is revealed, the finner is 
 born again, by the exceeding greatnefs of that 
 power, whereby he is able to fubdue all things 
 to himfclf : c There is an energy on God's 
 part, and a change on ours. 
 
 This working of the Almighty, is further 
 defcribed to us as internal : He worketh in 
 us, and that to will, as well as to do. Mi- 
 nifters preach to us, but God worketh in us. 
 The beft of means, applied with the utrnou: 
 fkill, will not of themielves foften the hard, 
 or cleanfe the impure heart : God only has 
 accefs to the fpirits of men, fo as to fecure 
 this delirable event, and he can do it on 
 whom, and when he pleafes : For he worketh 
 in us, of his own good pleafure ; a phrafe 
 which has in it both the ideas of fovereignty, 
 and of kindnefs. God gives his grace at plea- 
 fure, to whom, and in what degree, he thinks 
 fit, dividi?ig to every man as he will : And as 
 this grace is his own image, and leads on to 
 
 the 
 
 c Phil. iii. 21, 
 
Scrm. I. Of efficacious grace. 5 
 
 the glorious enjoyment of himfclf, it muft 
 needs be a favour of ineftimable value. 
 
 The words being thus explained, give us 
 an occaMon to obferve, 
 
 That when a fmner is born again , there is 
 a change wrought in his foul, by the mighty 
 power of GocL 
 
 By this change, I do not underftand an 
 alteration of profeffion or character barely; 
 for, as the apoftle tells us, circumcifion a- 
 vails no more than uncircumcifion, where 
 the new creature is wanting. The change 
 which we intend is real, not nominal, a 
 change of the fubjec"t, not of the name only. 
 A man may profeffedly renounce idolatry, 
 fubmit to baptifm, as a badge of chriftianity, 
 and attend the worfhip of God, in the af- 
 femblies of the faints, call himfelf, and be 
 deemed by others, a believer ; and yet be a 
 ftranger to the change we are treating of. 
 Again, we diftinguifh the grace of God in 
 the renewing of a finner, from reaibn, or the 
 improvements of it, when its dictates are 
 fuppofed to be duly attended to. Reafon be- 
 longs to us as men, and is common to our 
 nature, as raifed above the beafis that perifh : 
 But this is not fufficient to make us wife un- 
 to falvation. Where is the perfon of whom 
 it may be faid, that, after a courfe of fin and 
 impiety, he brought himfelf, by bare realbn- 
 ing, to forfake the evil of his way, to love 
 the Lord his God with all his heart, to be- 
 B 3 lieve 
 
6 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 lieve on the Lord Jefus, to worfhip God in 
 the fpirit, and to perfevere in thefe things 
 unto the end ? Experience tells us, that fin 
 and fatan (o entirely poflefs the finner's heart, 
 that there mud be fomething more than the 
 care and improvement of our reafon to make 
 room for Chrifl and holinefs. Nor farther, 
 do we mean, by this change, that which is 
 merely the refult of prefenting certain truths 
 to the underftanding, in a ftrong and en- 
 gaging light ; fo that whereas formerly they 
 were either not at all, or very little attended 
 to by us, now we are brought, with proper 
 application, to reflect and meditate on them, 
 and fo are, by deductions from them, enga- 
 ged in the choice of virtue, and the hatred 
 of vice. This, indeed, we allow to follow 
 upon this change, as a fruit of it; but till 
 the foul is fpiritually enlighten'd, we fuppofe 
 it to be incapable of judging aright of fpiri- 
 tual truths, or of forming practical conclu- 
 fions from them. 
 
 In contradiftinction to thefe accounts of 
 regeneration, we arfert, that it is the im- 
 planting of a principle of fpiritual life, or 
 the forming of the divine image in the foul ; 
 in which the foul itfelf, as to the fubftance 
 of it, remains the fame, but the qualities of 
 it are altered ; the underftanding from being 
 darken W, becomes light in the Lord \ the will, 
 which before was rebellious againft God, is 
 now brought into fubjection to him j and the 
 2 affections, 
 
Serm. I. Of efficacious grace. j 
 
 affections, which before were wholly carnal, 
 and determined on fenfual objects, are now 
 purified and refined, and fixed on heavenly 
 things. In a word, the change is real and 
 univerfal, the power which effects it is di- 
 vine, the fruits many and difcernible, and 
 the great efficient Jehovah the Spirit. 
 
 A particular account of the exact way 
 in which the Spirit accomplishes this great 
 work, is not to be' expected, after our Lord 
 has told us, that as the wind bloweth where it 
 li fte thy and we hear the found thereof but can- 
 not tell whence it cometh, and whither it go- 
 ethy fo is every one that is born of the Spirit : d 
 So that we are to attend only to the proof of 
 the fact 5 That what the fcripture calls the 
 new creature, or a principle of grace, is form- 
 ed or wrought in the foul by the power of 
 God, in a way of efficacious grace. I choofe 
 to call it the new creature, as diflinguiihing 
 between regeneration and converfion, the one 
 being previous to, though neceffarily connec- 
 ted with the other. In regeneration, we are 
 paffive, and receive from God ; in conver- 
 fion, we are active, and turn to him : we 
 repent, believe, and obey ; but this fuppoies 
 we have been his workman/hip, and, by his 
 power, have been renewed in the fpirit of 
 our mind. 
 
 Here I mail, in fome meafure, purfue 
 the very fame method which a late celebra- 
 
 B 4 ted 
 
 d John iii. 8. * Dr. Whitby. 
 
8 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 ted writer, e on the other fide of the ques- 
 tion, admits to be juft, and which he there- 
 fore keeps in view, in all his reafoning on 
 this fubject. And fo I begin, 
 
 I. With thofe arguments which may 
 be taken from the fcripture account of the 
 work itfelf, which is reprefented to us in 
 fuch terms, as lead us necenarily to con- 
 clude, that the foul is paffive in it, and that 
 it is brought about by the arm of the Al- 
 mighty. Thus, 
 
 i. The Apoftle tells us, if any man be in 
 Cbriji) he is a new creature. { And again, 
 Neither circumcifion availeth any thing, nor 
 uncircumcifion, but a new creature : g And 
 fo we are faid to be God's workmanjhip 
 created; and yet more exprefly, the new 
 man is faid to be created after God in righ~ 
 teoufnefs, and true holinefs. h I don't find it 
 difputed whether thefe pafiages refer to the 
 fubjecl: before us j and if they do, it muft 
 be allowed, that either the metaphor is ill 
 chofen, and wrongly applied, or it muft be 
 expreftive of the fame power in the new 
 birth, with that which was exerted in crea- 
 tion, or the making of fomething out of 
 nothing. 
 
 To this it is objected, * that the term, 
 create, does not always fuppofe the perfons 
 of things faid to be created, to be wholly 
 
 paf- 
 
 f 2 Cor. v. 17. s Gal. vi. 15. h Eph. iv. 24. 
 
 1 See Dr. Whitbfs difcourfe of fufticient and effettual grace, 
 pag. 272, 
 
Serm. I. Of efficacious grace. g 
 
 paflive, or the power to be fo great as we 
 pretend, for God is faid to create and form 
 the church of the Jews ; k which muft be 
 underftood of their ftipulating with God, as 
 well as of his engagements to them j in 
 which their covenanting with him they were 
 active. To this we anfwer, it is certain, 
 whether the phrafe is to be underftood in a 
 natural or political fenfe, it ftands connected 
 with two other inftances of God's goodnefs, 
 (viz. redeeming them, and calliitg them by 
 their name J ) in which they had no concern, 
 but what was purely pamve. And, if we 
 confider how often God upbraids that peo- 
 ple with their breach of covenant, it will 
 not fo well agree with the defign of the 
 place, which is evidently their ecouragement, 
 that this circumftance mould be introduced, 
 which muft neceffarily effect them with 
 fhame and fear. I cannot but think there 
 was fo much fovereignty in God's choofing 
 Abraham, and fo much power in his raid- 
 ing his family, from fo fmall a begin- 
 ning, to be fo great a people, as might abun- 
 dantly juftify the Prophet in the ufe of the 
 terms create and form, without having any 
 regard to their promiflbry or covenant en- 
 gagements. 
 
 It is further objected * againft this argu- 
 ment, that God is faid to create that which 
 he brings into a new and better flate. Thus 
 
 David 
 
 k Ifaxliii. i. \ Ibid. m Dr. Whitby, p. 273. 
 
io Of efficacious grace. 
 
 David prays ; Create in ?7ie a clean heart ; n 
 and God is faid to create new heavens, and a 
 new earth y ° and to create ferufalem a. rejoy- 
 cing. p As to the cafe of David, it is plain, 
 his fall had fo far convinced him of the 
 plague of his own heart, that he defpairs of 
 healing it himfelf, and therefore cries to 
 God, Create in me a clean heart. It might 
 be a doubt with him, very probably, after fo 
 dreadful a backfliding, whether he had ever 
 been truly converted j and if fo much power, 
 as would juilify the expreffion, was necef- 
 fary for his recovery, we may eafily conclude 
 what is needful for the renewing of a finner, 
 wholly dead in trefpaffes and tins. As for 
 the other paffage mentioned, what difficulty 
 foever may attend fettling the exact mean- 
 ing of it, the following expreffions in the 
 chapter, abundantly warrant the ufe of the 
 metaphor j for, according to the prophet, 
 there is then to be no more an infant of days, 
 nor an old man that hath not filled his days : 
 for the child Jl:all die an hundred years old ; 
 the wolf and the lamb are to feed together, 
 and the lion to eat Jlraw Eke the bullock j * 
 events altogether fupernatural and miracu- 
 lous. As to the Greek fathers fpeaking of 
 the new creature as a change for the better 
 only, if it mould be allowed that this is 
 their fentiment, I do not fee how it affects 
 
 the 
 
 n Pfal. li. io. ° Ifa. Ixv. 17. p Ver. 18. « Ver. 
 20. and 25. 
 
Serm. I. Of efficacious grace. n 
 
 the argument ; for the queftion is not whe- 
 ther the change is for the better, but what 
 power is necefTary to it, and to whom it is 
 to be referred, to God or the creature. 
 
 2. Another fcripture reprefentation of re- 
 generation, is that of our being quickened by 
 the great God, when dead injins : r and what 
 the power is, whereby we are quickened, the 
 apoftle tells us, that ye may know what is 
 the exceedi?ig greatnefs of his power to usward y 
 who believe, according to the working of his 
 mighty power, which he wrought in Chriji, when 
 he raifed him from the dead. 3 Whatever may 
 be the fact the apoftle has in view, the terms 
 are as ftrong and expreflive, as language will 
 admit. Great pains are taken by our oppo- 
 nents, * in expounding this place of the refur- 
 rection of the body, in the laft day, which they 
 allow to be a work of almighty power ; but 
 it is impoffible to prove this to be the mean- 
 ing of it, becaufe there is not a word of the 
 refurrection of the faints in the text. The 
 natural meaning of the place is evidently this : 
 the apoftle prays that God would enlighten 
 them into that myftery of mercy, the work 
 of faith in their fouls, begun and carried on 
 by the hmt power, which raifed his Son from 
 the dead-, and whereas he fpeaks of thofe who 
 did believe, it is to acquaint them, that faith, 
 in the exercife and encreafe, is from the divine 
 power, as well as in the firft principle. 
 
 How 
 
 r Eph. ii. i, 5. s Chap. i. iS, 19. l Dr. THjuIj, p. 272, 
 
12 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 How far this power is confident with 
 fcripture exhortations and perfuafions, will 
 be confidered in its place. 
 
 3. We are faid in fcripture, to be bom 
 from above, * to be born of God, not of blood, 
 nor of the will of thefeJJj, nor of the will of 
 man, but of God.™ In regeneration, the agency 
 is removed from the creature, and afcribed to 
 the great Creator. To this it is objected, * 
 that we are faid to be begotten by the word 
 of the living God, and that faith comes by hear* 
 ing -, and the apoftle tells the Corinthians, he 
 begot them by his gofpel ; which muft, fay our 
 opponents, be underftood in a way of moral 
 fuafion, and not in that fupernatural, all- 
 powerful way we contend for. To this we 
 reply, that though faith comes by hearing, 
 yet it is not of ourfelves ; it is the gift of God. 
 Minifters preach, and whilft they preach, and 
 and with their preaching, God works, and 
 fo it is that men are turned unto him ; other- 
 wife even a Paul may plant, and an Apollos 
 water^ but there will be no increafe ; for, as 
 the apoftle obferves, they are only minifiers 
 by whom we believe ; neither is he that plant etb 
 any thing, nor he that water eth, but God that 
 giveth the increafe : * fo that we conclude the 
 metaphors, which the fcripture makes ufe of, 
 in reprefenting the renewing of a finner, carry 
 in them plain notices of a divine interpofure, 
 
 and 
 
 u John Hi. 3. w Chap. i. 13. * ~Dx.Whithy^. 274, 
 
 V 1 Cor.iii. 5,6,7. 
 
Serm. I. Of efficacious grace. 13 
 
 and that in a Way of infinite and almighty 
 power. And to underftand them otherwife, 
 is to charge the Holy Spirit with what is al- 
 lowed to be a blemifh in all writers, the ufing 
 of words without meaning, or of figures 
 widely diftant from, and disproportionate to 
 the fubjedt. 
 
 II. If we confider the fcripture account of 
 the finner before this change pafTes upon him, 
 it will ferve us as a further proof of the ne- 
 ceflity of efficacious grace, in our being born 
 again. 
 
 1 . We are faid to be dead in trefpajfes and 
 Sins j * that is, by reafon of fin, to be altogether 
 impotent to that which is good. As the organs 
 of the body at death ceafe to perform their ufual 
 functions, fo the unrenewed finner is without 
 God, and without Chrift, in the world - t he is 
 loft to his duty, and eftranged from every 
 thing that is fpiritually good. 
 
 To this it is objected a , that common con- 
 victions, efpecially where they are ftrong, 
 prove that the finner, even before converfion, 
 is not void of all fenfe, as a dead body is ; 
 fo that the argument, acv irding to us, if it 
 proves any thing, proves, A ay they, too much. 
 To this we anfwer, that all convictions are 
 originally from God, and the finner, under 
 the greateft fear of punifhment, may have 
 no apprehenfion of the excellency of his duty, 
 
 nor 
 
 * Eph. ii. 1. Col. ii. 13. a Dr. Whitby, p. 276. 
 
14 Of efficacious grace, 
 
 nor any fpiritual defire after communion with 
 God : witnefs Judas, who, though he had 
 an hell in his confeience, was utterly a ftranger 
 to the grace of God. 
 
 It is farther objected, that the places cited 
 concern only the Gentile world, held under 
 the government of Satan, but have no rela- 
 tion to the., profelytes of juflice, much lefs 
 to the jew, and leaft of all to the baptized 
 chriftian. To this it is fufficient to reply, 
 that the apoftle was quite of another mind, 
 or he would not have faid, among whom we 
 all had our converfation in times pafi. h And in 
 another epiftle, where he is profefTedly confi- 
 dering the difference between the jew and 
 gentile, he fays ; what then ? are we bet- 
 ter than they f no, in no wife ; for we have 
 before proved, both jew atid gentile *, that they 
 are all under fn. c And therefore he ufes that 
 phrafe to the church of Corinth, after an enu- 
 meration of the greateft finners, fuch were 
 fome of you.* And he puts himfelf into the 
 number, in what he fays to Titus; For we 
 our J elves alfo were fome time fooli/Jj, difobedient, 
 deceived, ferving divers lufts? Now it will 
 eafily be granted, that the apoflle, before his 
 converfion, was reftrained from groffer fins. 
 None fuppofe that he run into all excefs of 
 riot, but had efcaped the pollutions, which 
 were in the world through lufl. And if that 
 
 is 
 
 b Eph. ii. 3. ' Rom. iii. 9. d 1 Cor. vi. n. e Titus 
 iii. 3. 
 
Serm. I. Of efficacious grace. 15 
 
 is allowed, it will be difficult to affign a rea- 
 fon why he mould thus put himfelf into the 
 number of the chief of finners, if there had 
 not been fomething common to them all ; I 
 mean, an impotence to good, and a propen- 
 sity to evil. 
 
 2. A farther account, which the fcrip- 
 ture gives us, of our condition before con- 
 version, is that our underftanding is darkned ; 
 that we are alienated from the life of God, 
 through the ignorance that is in us, becaufe of 
 the blindnefs of cur heart -, f yea, we are faid 
 to be darkncfs : g and the apoftle tells us ; the 
 natural man receiveth not the things of the Spi- 
 rit of God, for they are foolijhnefs unto him ; 
 neither can he know them, becaufe they are fpi- 
 ritually difcemed : h fo that if we are made wife 
 tofalvation, God who commanded light tojlnne 
 cut of darknefs, muft, in the fame way, and 
 by the fame power, enlighten our understand- 
 ings, to give us the knowledge of his glory, as 
 it fhines in the perfon of his Son. 1 Till this is 
 the cafe, the gofpel, tho' in itfelf the wifdom 
 of God, will be accounted fool fine /s. k 
 
 As to what is objected, that thefe pafTages 
 only defcribe the cafe of the willfully blind, 
 who love darknefs rather than light, we an- 
 fwer, they are evident- v delivered in too ge- 
 neral terms to admit of fuch an interpreta- 
 tion j yea, we are expreflly told, there is ?io?ie 
 
 righte- 
 
 f Eph. iv\ 18. e Ver, S. h i Cor. ii. 14. * 2 Cor. iv. 6. 
 k 1 Cor. i, 23, 24., 
 
j 6 Of efficacious grace, 
 
 righteous, no, not one; there is none that 
 underjlands -, there is none that feeks after 
 God} 
 
 3. Another argument may be taken from 
 our Lord's words - 3 No man can come unto me, 
 except the Father ', who hath fent me, draw 
 frim. m By coming to Chrift, we underftand 
 receiving him, or believing in him : by the 
 Father's drawing, his work of power upon 
 the heart of a finner, when he is brought to 
 Chrift. Now without this, fays our Lord, 
 no man can come unto me -, not the wife and 
 learned, the prudent and ingenuous, any more 
 than the ignorant and illiterate, the obftinate, 
 and rebellious : the event is alike impoffible 
 to them all 3 no man can come, except the Fa- 
 ther drawhim. 
 
 To this it is objected, ■ that, if this is the 
 cafe, there is nothing praife-worthy in our 
 faith, or blame- worthy in our unbelief; iince 
 when God draws, there is no refifting ; and 
 where he is not pleafed to do it, we cannot 
 move, in a fpiritual fenfe. To this we an- 
 fwer : it is as true, that, before converfion, 
 we will not, that as we cannot come to Chrift. 
 Though we may not be condemned for a mere 
 impoffibility of believing, yet we may very 
 juftly, for ftrengthening ourfelves in our pre- 
 judices againft Chrift, and the way of falva- 
 tion by him. That the fcripture expreflly 
 tells us, faith is not of ourfelves, it is the gift 
 
 of 
 
 1 Rom. iii. 10, 1 1. m John vi 44. n Dr. Whitby, p. 280. 
 
Serm. I. Of efficacious grace. 17 
 
 of God 3 • and yet we are required to believe. 
 Nor do I fee any fuch contradiction in fome 
 mens being judicially, as. a punifhment for 
 their fins, fhut up in unbelief, and their con- 
 demnation for loving darknefs, rather than 
 light. 
 
 Again, ' it is objected, that this drawing 
 of the Father is to be underftood only, or 
 principally, of God's perfuading, and prevail- 
 ing upon us to come to Chrift, by the consi- 
 deration of the miracles, or mighty works, 
 which were done by him, as an evidence of 
 his being the Mefliah, and by the promife of 
 eternal life upon our coming. To this we 
 anfwer, that fuppoflng (though we can by no 
 means allow it) this were the genuine fenfe 
 of the place, we might urge it, as an argu- 
 ment in the cafe before us ; for if we can- 
 not, but as taught of God, confider the na- 
 ture and evidence of ChrinYs miracles, which 
 are barely facts, fuppofed to be done by him, 
 in confirmation of his miffion, much lefs can 
 we, without a divine interpofure, renounce 
 our darling corruptions, quit our moft beloved 
 iniquities, and heartily embrace Jefus as our 
 Saviour and our King. In fhort, the tree 
 muft firft be made good, before it can pro- 
 duce any good fruit ; for the carnal mind, 
 whilft it continues fo, is not fubjetl to the law 
 9/ God, neither indeed can be.* 
 
 * Eph. ii. 8. p Dr. Whitby, p. 280, 281. * Rom.viii. 7; 
 C III. Ol/R 
 
1 8 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 III. Our next general head of argument 
 
 is taken from God's challenging this work as 
 
 his own, fpeaking of it as performed hy him, 
 
 and in fuch terms, as manifeflly exclude the 
 
 creature's agency : thus we read > the Lord thy 
 
 God will circumcife thine hearty and the heart 
 
 of thy feed ; to love the Lord thy God, with all 
 
 thine heart, and with all thy foul* This is 
 
 thus explained by the prophet Ezekitl; I will 
 
 give them one heart, and I will put a new fpi- 
 
 rit within you, and I will take the Jlony heart 
 
 out of their fef/j, and will give them an heart 
 
 of fefi, that they may walk in my (tatute? A 
 
 like promife we have in thefe words - 3 Then will 
 
 Ifprinkle clean water upon you, and ycu fljall 
 
 be clean. From all your flthinefs and from all 
 
 your idols will I cleanfe you -, a new heart alfo 
 
 will I give you, and a new fpirit will I put 
 
 within you, and I will take away the Jlony 
 
 heart out of your fiejh, and 1 will give you an 
 
 heart offiefo. And I will put my Spirit within 
 
 you, and caufe you to walk in my flat ut est And 
 
 fo the prophet Jeremiah, giving an account 
 
 of the new covenant, does it in thefe terms ; 
 
 Thisfhall be the covenant that I will make with 
 
 the houfg of Ifrael ; after thofe days, faith the 
 
 Lord, 1 will put my law in their inward parts, 
 
 and write it in their hearts j and I will be their 
 
 God } and they jhall be my people ; u And more 
 
 fully 
 
 y Deut. xxx 6. * Ezek. xi. jg, 20. r Chap, xxxvi. 26, 
 27, 28. " Jer. xxxi. 33. 
 
Serm. I. Of efficacious grace. 19 
 
 fully in the following words ; I will give them 
 one heart, and one way, that they may fear 
 me for ever. v Now, can it be thought that, 
 by all thefe expreffions, God intends no more 
 than that he will afTift and fucceed our endea- 
 vours to renew and convert ourfelves ? Is this 
 the meaning of his putting his Spirit within 
 us f Of his taking the ft one out of the hearty 
 and giving an heart offjh f Why does he 
 promife fo often, I will do this for you, if the 
 work were divided between him and us ? So 
 that, according to the language of the old 
 teftament, we are to expect renewing grace 
 from God as his own proper work. 
 
 To this it is objected, x that the paffages 
 mentioned out of feremiah and Ezekiei, re- 
 fer to the jews in the end of the world, and 
 therefore are wrongly produced in the ques- 
 tion before us. To this we anfwer * y that if 
 that be the cafe, it proves however their con- 
 verfion will be of God. Befides, thefe pro- 
 mifes contain bleflings, which are infeparable 
 from falvation, and what every faint is in the 
 experience of. 
 
 The apoftle, in his epiftle to the hebrews, y 
 quotes them, and applies them to Chrift as 
 the furety of this covenant, and fo ufes this 
 as an argument of the fuperior excellency of 
 the gofpel, above the jewifh difpenfation, that 
 the covenant is better, eftabli/hed upon better 
 promifes -, which would have been foreign to 
 
 C 2 his 
 
 w Chap, xicxii. 39. * Dr. Ubitfy, p. 291 . * Heb, viii. 8, &c. 
 
20 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 his defign, if it relates only to the recovery of 
 the jews, ill the end of the world. 
 
 In the new teftament we read, that God 
 opened the heart of Lydia ; l that faith is not 
 of ourfelves, it is his gift : a he gives it to 
 ibme to believe-, he muft draw, or there will 
 be no coming to Chrift. b Paul preaches 
 and prays, but God opened Lydia'5 heart ; he 
 muft prepare the heart for the feed, and 
 caufe the feed to take root, and to bring 
 forth fruit to his glory: And therefore the 
 apoftle diftinguifhes between the gofpel, and 
 the power that renders it fuccefsful : Our gof- 
 pel came to you not in word only, but alfo in 
 power. e Life and immortality are, indeed, 
 brought to light by the gofpel'-, but God only 
 can make unto us a favour of life unto life ; 
 and this he does when he makes it his power 
 unto falvation. But to proceed, 
 
 IV. Another argument for the efficacy of 
 the grace of God in regeneration, may be 
 taken from this confideration : That fuppo- 
 fing infants are polluted and defiled, in con- 
 fequence of what we call original fin, as ma- 
 ny of thefe as die before the actual exercife 
 of reafon, muft either be renewed by the 
 immediate hand of God, or be excluded from 
 falvation ; fince our Lord has told us, except 
 a man be born again, he cannot fee the king- 
 dom of God; d nor will it be difputed, that 
 
 without 
 
 * Ads xvi. 14. a Ephef. ii. 8. b John vi. 44. 
 
 e 1 Thcf. i. 5. a John iii. 3. 
 
Serm. I. Of efficacious grace. 2 1 
 
 without habitual holinefs, at leaft, no man can 
 fee the Lord. As for infants, we take it for 
 granted, in the prefent argument, that they 
 are conceived in fn, and fiapen in iniquity ; 
 that that which is born of the fe/h y is flefi -, 
 that they are by reafon of the difobedience 
 of the firft man, finners, and fo unworthy of 
 and unmeet for the heavenly glory, and mufl 
 be excluded from it, unlefs wafh'd in the 
 blood of Jefus, and fanctified by the Holy 
 Spirit. To fuppofe them all, or indeed any 
 of them, to perifh, is to be cruelly wife a- 
 bove what is written ; and to imagine they 
 are fo holy, as to need no cleanfing, or that 
 any thing defiled can enter into heaven, is 
 directly flying in the face of fcripture. So 
 that though we are not told pofitively what 
 is their portion, yet we may fafely deter- 
 mine that they are made meet, if in heaven, 
 for that inheritance, which is incorruptible 
 and undented. And, if this is the cafe, we 
 cannot fuppofe they contribute any thing to 
 it themfelves ; it muil be from the abundant 
 mercy and powerful grace of a companionate 
 God. Now, can it be thought that perfons 
 grown to years of maturity, who have for a 
 great while accuftomed themfelves to do evil, 
 and whofe vicious habits are hereby confirm- 
 ed and enlarged, will be more eafily wrought 
 upon ? It is true, they have fome degrees of 
 reafon and confcience j but as thefe are in 
 the fervice of fin, the bias will be ever to 
 evil, till it is alter'd by the grace of God, 
 
 C 3 If 
 
22 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 If it mould be faid, fecret things belong to 
 God j and, as he has not exprefly told us 
 what will be the final ftate of infants, no ar- 
 gument can be fairly drawn from premifes, 
 which are in themfelves uncertain : We an- 
 fwer, no more is intended by it, than what 
 will be eafily granted by thofe who allow 
 the doctrine of original fin j and where this 
 is denied, we agree it is of no force. 
 
 We might now produce fome eminent in- 
 ftances of the grace of God, in the renew- 
 ing of finners, as they fland recorded in fcrip- 
 ture j from which we may conclude, that in 
 their cafe, however, the happy change was 
 from God, and the immediate effect of his 
 almighty power. Thus, in the ftory of Za- 
 cbeuSy it does not appear that our Lord faid 
 any more to him than this : Make hafie and 
 come down, to day I mufi abide at thine houfe. e 
 Yet prefently a change was wrought in his 
 foul, and the fruits of it appeared in an in- 
 genuous confeffion of his former iniquities, 
 and, in an humble refolution to purfue the 
 contrary paths of juftice and mercy. Now 
 what can this, fo great and fudden an altera- 
 tion, be attributed to, but the powerful in- 
 fluence which the grace of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift had upon his mind ? We cannot fup- 
 pofe there was an opportunity for a great 
 deal of difcourfe or reafoning with him; but, 
 if there was, we may eafily judge how far 
 words alone are fufficient to engage a rigo- 
 rous 
 
 e Luke xix. c. 
 
Serm. I. Of efficacious grace. 23 
 
 rous oppreffor in acts of righteoufnefs and 
 mercy : fo that, from the effects, we may 
 judge of the caufe, and conclude, that fo 
 great a change could not have been made at 
 once upon iiich an heart, but by \.ht fame 
 power, whereby God is able to fubdue all things 
 to himfelf Another inftance which might be 
 mentioned, is that of Saul, who was not pro- 
 felited to chriftianity under a fermon, or at 
 a religious conference f , but when his mind 
 was under the ftrongeft and molt fettled pre- 
 judice againft it j when his zeal in perfec- 
 ting the church was heighten'd into a kind 
 of fury or madnefs j under thefe unpromifing 
 circumftances, he is made to hear the voice 
 of the fon of God, and live ; and, in the 
 humble language of a difciple, to fay, Lord, 
 what wilt thou have me to do t Inftead of go- 
 ing on, as he had defigned, in making havock 
 of the church. We might add the cafe of 
 the thief on the crofs, who either went to 
 heaven without holinefs, or he received it 
 immediately from that Jefus, who faid to 
 him ; This day /halt thou be with me hi para- 
 dife. * If it is faid thefe are extraordinary 
 cafes ; we anfwer, whatever differences there 
 may be in the circumftances of finners, the 
 power is the fame in the renewing of them 
 all ; for the enmity which is in every finner's 
 heart againft Chrift. and holinefs, can only be 
 removed by an act of omnipotence. 
 
 f A&s ix. i Luke xxiii. 39, &c. 
 
 C 4 SERM. 
 
(H) 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 Of efficacious grace. 
 Preach'd at Lime-Street. 
 
 Phil. ii. 13. 
 
 It is God who worketh in you, both to will and 
 to do, of his own good pleafure. 
 
 HE doctrine which we endeavoured 
 to ftate and eftablifh, in the prece- 
 ding difcourfe, was to this effect : 
 'That when a Jinner is born again, 
 there is a mighty change wrought in his foul, 
 by the efficacious working of the Holy Gbofl. 
 His being quickned, and made fpiritually alive, 
 is the effect of God's power, which works 
 in him, as well to will, as to do, of his own 
 good pleajure. This we attempted to prove, 
 from the fcripture reprefentations of the work 
 itfelf, in which it is called, a new creation, 
 a refurreSlion, and a being born again ; terms 
 expreflive of power, in the exertion of which, 
 the Almighty is, and cannot but be alone, 
 and the creature manifeflly paffive. Again, 
 
 we 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace. 25 
 
 we obferved, from the fame infallible oracles, 
 that the fkte of man, before this change 
 paries upon him, is fuch, as will by no means 
 admit of the fuppofition of an ability to re- 
 new himfelf j fince he is defcribed as dead in 
 trefpaffes and fins, having his under -/landing 
 darkned, being alienated from the life of God, 
 through the ignorance that is in him, becaufe 
 of the blindnefs of his heart ; inafmuch as 
 he is faid to be darknefs itfelf j and it is af- 
 firmed of him, that he receives not the things 
 of the Spirit of God, but accounts them foo- 
 lijhnefs. For thefe reafons, our Lord might 
 well fay, that no man can come unto me, ex- 
 cept the Father, who hath fent me, draw him. 
 Farther, we obferved, that God challenges 
 this work as his own, and fpeaks of it in the 
 old and new teftament as brought about 
 by his power ; and the promifes which he 
 has made, concerning it, conclude him to be 
 equal to the work, as well as gracious to his 
 chofen j and are as entirely lilcnt, as to the 
 agency, as they exclude and fet afide the me- 
 rit, of the creature. Moreover, we hinted 
 that this muft be the cafe with infants dying 
 before the exercife of reafon, fuppofing them 
 to be under the pollution of original fin, un- 
 lefs we exclude them all from falvation. If 
 they p.re regenerated, it cannot be in a way 
 of moral fuafion, but of internal and almighty 
 •fficacy. 
 
 We 
 
26 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 We proceed now to another confideration, 
 to prove the neceffity of efficacious grace, in 
 the renewing of a finner j and that may be 
 taken, 
 
 V. From the difficulty of the work, as it 
 confifts in conquering the ftrongefl preju- 
 dices, mortifying the moft corrupt habits, 
 and in the implanting of a principle of grace 
 and holinefs, to which the finner is entirely 
 averfe j and, in oppofition to which, Satan, 
 who maintains the throne in his heart, ufes 
 his utmofl endeavours. There is a greater 
 diftance betwixt the terms, fin and holinefs, 
 corruption and grace, than between thofe of 
 fomething and nothing. In creation, fome- 
 thing is formed of out nothing ; but in regene- 
 ration, (as one flrongly exprefTes it) hell is 
 changed into heaven. In creation, there is no 
 affiftance, but then there is no oppofition; 
 but regeneration is like the {lemming of a 
 rapid ftream, and turning it into a contrary 
 courfe ; in which, as there is nothing to help, 
 fo there is every thing to hinder. The fin- 
 ner is not barely deftitute of the divine image, 
 and without ftrength for the performance of 
 what is good ; but every imagination of the 
 thoughts of his heart, is only evil continually : a 
 He is fo far from the fear of the Lord, and 
 any concern about communion with him, 
 that the language of his heart unto God is, 
 Depart from me, I defire not the knowledge of 
 
 thy 
 
 a Gen. vi, 5. 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace, ty 
 
 thy ways. What is the Almighty that IJhould 
 ferve him ? and what profit jhall I have if I 
 pray unto him ? b And, whilft he is wilfully 
 purfuing a courfe of rebellion, and ftrength- 
 ning and enlarging his vicious habits, we may 
 well afk, with the prophet, Can the ethio- 
 pian change his Jkin, or the leopard his f pots? 
 then, and not till then, may the finner, who 
 has been accuficmed to do evil, learn to do 
 well. c Can any created finite power, at once, 
 in a moment, change the fiercenefs of a de- 
 vouring lion into the meeknefs of a lamb ? 
 If this calls for omnipotence, how much 
 more, to reduce the flout- hearted finner, who 
 is far from righteoufnefs, to the obedience of 
 faith, and a delight in the law of the Lord 
 after the inward man. Go and try the ex- 
 periment, treat with the rebel, who, for a 
 courfe of years, has had pleafure in unrighte- 
 oufnefs, whofe heart is in league with Satan, 
 and ftrongly attached to fin j ufe the moft 
 moving and perfuafive arguments to convince 
 him of the folly of his way : fee whether 
 he will be brought, by all your reafoning, to 
 quit his darling lulls, and walk in the ways 
 of the Lord : no, after all your advice, though 
 mingled with tears, he loves his idols, and 
 after them will he go. Satan h:is fuch an in- 
 tereft in the hearts of the children of difo- 
 bedience ; he leads them captive to that de- 
 gree, that none but the Almighty can difpof- 
 
 fefs 
 
 b Job xxi. 14. c jer. xiii. 23. 
 
28 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 fefs him, and break the chain j and there- 
 fore, when the apoftle is fpeaking of this 
 mercy, he ufes a word ftrongly expreffive of 
 power — Giving thanks unto the Father, which 
 hath made us meet to be partakers of the inhe- 
 ritance of the faints in light : Who hath deli- 
 vered us from the power of darknefs, {ppuouav, 
 hath fnatch'd us out of the power or hand 
 of the devil, and hath tranfated us into the 
 kingdom of his dear fin. d An excellent and 
 moll: judicious divine e has a paflage pertinent 
 to our purpofe, in his difcourfe on regenera- 
 tion : " The new birth," fays he, " is a 
 " change of nature j of a nature, where there 
 " was as little of fpiritual good, as there was 
 " of being in nothing before the creation. 
 c * It is a change of a ftone into flefh, of a 
 " heart, that, like a ftone, hath hardneis and 
 <c fettlednefs of fin ml parts, a ftrong refill - 
 " ance againft any inftrument, an incorpora- 
 * c tion of fin and luft with its very nature ; 
 " where the heart and fin, felf and fin, are 
 " cordially one and the fame. None can 
 " change fuch a nature but the God of all 
 <( grace. No man can change the nature of 
 " the meanefl creature in the world. Now 
 " to fee a lump of vice become the model 
 " of virtue ; he that drank in iniquity like 
 " water, to thirft, after righteoufhefs, to cru- 
 " cify his darling flefh, to be weary of the 
 " poifon he loved, for the purity he hated, 
 
 " fpeakv 
 
 4 Col. i. 12, 13. • Mr. Charnock. vol. 2. p. 20?- 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace. 29 
 
 iC fpeaks a fupernatural grace, tunfcendently 
 " attractive, and powerfully operative." So 
 that, as he fomewhere elfe obferves, " We 
 " have no reafon to wonder that creation is 
 " only afcribed to tlie hand of God, when, 
 c< in regeneration, his arm is fuppoied to be 
 " revealed." But to proceed, 
 
 VI. If we confider the different fuccefs of the 
 gofpel, as difpenfed by feveral perfons, or by 
 the fame perfon, at different times ; it will be 
 evident, that there muft be the power of God 
 attending it, or it will not be fuccefsful to 
 falvation, or prove & favour of life unto life. 
 Peter's hearers, and thofe to whom Stephen 
 miniftred, appear to be equally ignorant of, 
 and alike prejudiced againfl the go/pel. Thefe 
 apoftles deliver themfelves with the fame 
 plainnefs and faithfulnefs, upon the fubjecl: 
 of the guilt contracted, by fhedding the in- 
 nocent blood of the Son of God. Three thou- 
 fand are converted, baptized, and added to 
 the church, from a fingle fermon, delivered 
 by Peter-, whereas Stephen's hearers' blaf- 
 pheme and ftone him. Paul again finds 
 hearts and houfes open to him, in one city, 
 and is obliged to efcape for his life in ano- 
 ther. 
 
 Now how can this be accounted for, but 
 upon the apoftle's principle — neither is he that 
 planteth any thing, nor he that water -eth, but 
 God that gives the increafe. Nay, how com- 
 mon is it for the fame perfon 3 who has, per- 
 haps, 
 
3° Of efficacious grace. 
 
 haps, for years, fat unmoved under the mini- 
 ffcry of a learned, faithful, and affectionate 
 preacher, at length in the day of God's power, 
 under means far lefs likely to anfwer the end, 
 tobeawakned, convinced, and renewed? And 
 are there not many instances of perfons, of 
 the fame family, education, and advantages, 
 attending the fame means, and one is taken, 
 and he perhaps the moft profane or obfti- 
 nate, and the reft left to a bare outfide pro- 
 feffion, or an hypocritical formality ? Why 
 fhould the fame gofpel, in one hand, thus 
 run and be glorified, and, in another, no lefs 
 valuable, be a favour of death unto death ? 
 Why mould the fame preacher, at one time, 
 fee of the travel of his foul to his fatisfaction -> 
 at another time have occafion to complain, 
 who has believed our report f If the weapon* 
 of our warfare were mighty in themfelves, 
 why not equally, and at all times, fuccefsful ? 
 But the event makes it evident, they are on- 
 ly fo through God-, and when his power is 
 put forth, he can eafily, and he only can, 
 bring down every high thought and imagi- 
 nation, and reduce the ftubborn hearts of re- 
 bellious finners to a fubjection to himfelf. 
 
 VII. Another argument for the effici- 
 ency of the grace of God in regeneration, 
 may be taken from the confideration of the 
 concern which God has in the whole world. 
 If we reflect on the various parts of the cre- 
 ation, we (hall find that, in the vegetable, 
 4 animal, 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace. 3* 
 
 animal, rational, and intellects world, 11 
 firft, or natural principles are derived from 
 God ; and the actual exercife of thofe prin- 
 ciples, whatever concurrent circumftances 
 may attend, is conftantly under his providen- 
 tial influence. And is this the cafe in uni- 
 verfal] nature ? and can we fuppofe that in 
 regeneration, one of the nobleil works of 
 God, he is left out, as having little or no 
 concern ? How ftrange, how unaccountable, 
 would this be ! 
 
 Our natural philofophers readily allow, 
 that every thing that is necerTary for the 
 growth and improvement of vegetables, is 
 from God ; that he, as the great author of 
 nature, has given it to the feed, to receive 
 the fatning influence of the earth, the moif- 
 ture of the rain, and the enlivening genial 
 rays of the fun : Nor will they difpute that 
 the fun itfelf had never been what it now is, 
 the great fountain of light and heat, to the 
 univerfe, but by the will and power of the 
 Creator. They will tell you, the rain de~ 
 fcends at his appointment, and that he orders 
 and determines its extent and ufefulnefs; that 
 there is an equal difplay of his power, wif- 
 dom, and goodnefs, in the growth of the 
 grafs, in the flourifhing of plants, and the 
 increafe of corn j all is from him, and un- 
 der the immediate influence of his prov4» 
 dence. Moreover, in the animal world, or 
 among the beads of the field, the fowls of 
 
 the 
 
32 Of efficacious grace* 
 
 the air, or the fifh in the fea, they will al- 
 low a principle of life and motion is from 
 God, and the actual exercife of it in a de- 
 pendance upon him. What we call fome- 
 times injlin&tt or nature in them, is confef- 
 fedly not of themfelves, but from him, who 
 hath appointed their fituation in the order of 
 creatures, and furnifhed them with all their 
 powers, fenfations, and appetites ; whence 
 they are directed to collect their proper food, 
 and reject what would be hurtful or deftruc- 
 tive to them. And none but an atheiftical 
 fceptic will deny but that, in the rational 
 world, we have our fouls, with all their ca- 
 pacities of reafoning, reflection, judgment, 
 and memory from God; that he made us 
 by his power, and continues us by his pro- 
 vidence, wifer than the beafts of the field, 
 and of more underftanding than the fowls of 
 the air : And who will not allow that the 
 angels, creatures of the higheft order, have 
 all their intellectual powers from God ? Now, 
 mall we admit that every creature hath its 
 being from, and lives, and moves, and acts 
 in a dependance upon the glorious Creator, 
 and fuppofe that the faint receives a princi- 
 ple of grace from himfelf, and continues a 
 believer, by the*flrength of his own reafon- 
 ing, and the vigour and conftancy of his 
 own refolution ? Is it from God that I am a 
 reafonable thinking creature ? and from my- 
 felf that I am a chriflian, holy and fpiri- 
 
 tual ? 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace. 33 
 
 tual ? Am I not fufficient for the lead: action 
 in common life, but as upheld by his pow- 
 er, and under the influence of his provi- 
 dence ? And will it be faid, I can renew my- 
 felf, and cleave to the Lord, with full pur- 
 pofe of heart, by my own ftrength ? What 
 is this but to allow a dependance m the lefs, 
 and to deny it in the greater ? What Adam 
 pofTefTed in paradife, as to the perfection of 
 his nature, the felicity he enjoyed, and his 
 power to ferve, w or (Lip, and adore his 
 Creator, he had confefTedly from him, who 
 made him, after his own image. Now, if 
 the firft imprefs of the divine likenefs on his 
 foul, was the produce of God's wifdom and. 
 power ; certainly the reftoring that image, 
 when loft or impaired, can be no lefs the 
 work of the Almighty. If the care and fkill 
 of an artificer is requiiite to the firft. making 
 of a machine, or any curious piece of work 5 
 it muft be equally neceffary to the repair of 
 it, when its principal fprings are broke, and 
 every thing out of order. But we go on, 
 
 VIII. To confider the grofs abfurdities, 
 which manifeftly attend the denying the ef- 
 ficacy of the grace of God in regeneration ; 
 as, 
 
 1. This would be to furnifh chriftians 
 with an eafy and ready anfwer to that ques- 
 tion of the apoftle ; Who maketh thee to differ 
 from another f What haft thou, that thou didji 
 
 D not 
 
34 Of efficacious grace, 
 
 not receive? Now, if thou didji receive it, 
 why deft thou glory, as if thou Ladft not recei- 
 ved it? f Such an one might boldly reply, 
 upon the fcheme of our opponents, " My own 
 " reflection and judgment, my reafon and 
 Ci choice made me to differ: the means were, 
 " indeed, the fame, what I enjoy'd in common 
 " with others ; but the fuccefs was the effect of 
 " my own care, diligence, and attention, whilfr. 
 " theymifs'd of it through their own heedlefs- 
 tc nefs and carnality." It is objected to this g , 
 that the apoflle is here fpeaking of gifts only, 
 and of fuch as were miraculoufly and imme- 
 diately infufed, without human induftry, and 
 conferred on the primitive chriftians, with- 
 out any co-operation of their own faculties. 
 So that, as this kind of miniltration of the 
 Spirit has, for a great while, ceafed in the 
 church, an argument cannot fairly be drawn 
 from it, in our inquiries about the more 
 {landing and ordinary difpenfations of it. To 
 this we aniwer, that, admitting the apoftle 
 is fpeaking of gifts, renewing grace is un- 
 doubtedly one of thofe gifts, and not the 
 leaf! valuable of them, which came down 
 from the Father of lights ; for when we are 
 born again, it is not of the will of the flefh, 
 nor of the will of man, but of God ; and 
 we are no more to afcribe to our own agen- 
 cy the difference between us and others in 
 the gift of grace, than the apoftles, or pri- 
 mitive christians, could in the miraculous 
 
 endowments 
 
 f i Cor. iv. 7. e Dr. Whitby, p. 296. 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace. 35 
 
 endowments which were bellowed on them. 
 Moreover, is it not evident that the diffe- 
 rence between a finner and a faint is a great 
 deal more, both in the nature and confe- 
 quence of it, than between a perfon pofTef- 
 fed of gifts, and one who is destitute of 
 them ? Gifts are ufeful to others, but grace 
 prepares for heaven j gifts may obtain and 
 enlarge a reputation among men, but grace 
 only difpofes for an intimacy with God here, 
 and the enjoyment of him hereafter. Is it 
 God who makes the difference in the one, 
 and man in the other? The apoftle deter- 
 mines how it was in his own cafe 5 And lajl 
 of all, fays he, fpeaking of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, he was feen of me alfo, as of one born 
 out of due time, for I am the leaf of the a- 
 poftles, that am not meet to be called an apof- 
 tle, becaufe I perfecuted the church of God , 
 but, by the grace of God, I am what I am. 
 " The alteration is marvellous, the change fur- 
 " prizing, from a perfecutor to a preacher ! 
 " But I afcribe it not to myfelf, but to the 
 " grace of God ; and this grace, which was be- 
 " flowed upon me, was not in vain : fo far from 
 " it, that under its influence / laboured more 
 " abundantly than they all." And fo fearful was 
 he, left God mould not have all the glory, 
 that he adds, Yet not I, but the grace of God, 
 which was with me. h 
 
 2. Another abfurdity which attends the 
 denying of the grace of God in regeneration, 
 
 D 2 is 
 
 * 1 Cor. xv. 8, 9, 1 o. 
 
36 Of efficacious grace'. 
 
 is its contradicting and oppofmg the general 
 defign of God in falvation, which is, that no 
 fiejh Jhould glory in his pre fence, but that he 
 who glorieth, jhould glory in the Lord. i That 
 doctrine which gives the creature room to* 
 boaft, that his own arm, either in the whole 
 or in part, brought him falvation, cannot be 
 of God. If our will is to give the turning 
 point, and the ballance is placed in our own 
 hands ; and, after all the provifion that God 
 hath made, and the pains he is fuppofed to 
 be at, the creature is himfelf to determine 
 the matter by his own choice or refufal j to 
 be fure, the honour ought to go with the a- 
 gency. And of this our opponents feem to 
 be fo fenfible, that fome of them allow that 
 it is of preventing grace that we will and 
 chufc what is good, and refufe what is evil ; 
 of ailiding grace, that we are enabled to per- 
 form that will, and perfift in that choice ; 
 and of mercy, when we have done all, that 
 we are accepted ; a way of expreiling them- 
 felves, not a little contradictory to their 
 fcheme, and which at other times, they are 
 far from being fond of. It is objected, k that 
 glorying, or boafting, in fome inftances is 
 not unlawful j that the apoftle was found 
 in the practice himfelf, and declares, with a 
 t;ood deal of vehemency, that it were better he 
 fliould die, than any man mould ?nake void his 
 glorying ; ■ and that elfewhere he fpeaks of 
 rejoicing or boafting in the tcjtitnony of a good 
 
 confei- 
 
 1 1 Cor, i. 29, 31. ' Dr. Whitby, p. 299. 1 1 Cor. ix. 15. 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace, 37 
 
 confcience. m To this we anfwcr ; it muft be 
 proved, before the objection will be of any 
 force, that the apoftle is fpeaking in thole 
 places of the grace of God in regeneration ; 
 whereas, in the one, he is fpeaking of the 
 high opinion he had of the gofpel, in oppo- 
 sition to the contempt it met with from an 
 ungodly world ; and in the other, of the fruits, 
 not of the principle of grace, which fruits he 
 alcribes to a divine influence, when he fays, 
 not with fi'fJdy wifdom, but by the grace of God, 
 he and the reft of the faints had their conviD- 
 fation in the world : and where is the incon- 
 iiftency of this with that general direction ; 
 Let not the wife man glery in his wifdom, nei- 
 ther let the mighty man glory in his might, let 
 not the rich man glory in his riches : but let him 
 that glorieth y glory in this, that he underftand- 
 eth and knvweth me, that I am the Lord, which 
 cxercife loving kindnefs y judgment, and right e- 
 oufnefs in the earth : for in thefe things 1 de- 
 light, faith the Lord*. 
 
 3. Another abfurdity arifing from the 
 fuppofition of the creature's agency, in his 
 own regeneration, is, that it would then be 
 uncertain whether any would be renewed at 
 all, very poffible that none might, and, all cir- 
 cumftances considered, abfolutely impoiiible 
 that any mould. Suppofe the beft external 
 evidence were produced, and the molt weighty 
 arguments made ufe of, if the ifTue depends 
 D 3 upon 
 
 n 2 Cor. i. 12. n Jer. ix, Z3, 24. 
 
38 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 upon the will of man, and that will be as liable 
 to refufe as to chufe, the event mull needs be 
 uncertain, till the creature has determined ; 
 nor could it be certainly known, were this the 
 cafe, whether any one would determine right. 
 But, if the fcripture account of man, before 
 converfion, may be depended upon, if he is 
 dead in trefpaffes and fins, darknefs, and en- 
 mity againfl God ; his will, being averfe to 
 good, and prone to evil, would necefTarily 
 determine in favour of fin, and in a rejection 
 of holinefs. One would have thought, that 
 when the apoflle Paul came to Athens, the 
 feat ot learning, the wife men of that place 
 would have patiently heard what he had to 
 offer, and duly weighed and confidered the 
 nature and importance of his doctrine, and 
 that at leaft the major part of them would have 
 embraced the gofpel evidence, which attended 
 it. But inftead of this, we find that he met 
 with more fuccefs in Corinth, a city remark- 
 ably dilfolute and wicked, than he did among 
 the learned philofophers of Athens - 3 and, upon 
 his attempt to reclaim the athenians from their 
 grofs fuperftition and idolatry, they mocked 
 and derided him as a bafe fellow, and rejected 
 the doctrine of falvation, as foolifh and irratio- 
 nal. So true is it what our Lord fays, that 
 thefe things are hid from the wife and prudent, 
 and revealed unto babes 5 neither can ftefh and 
 blood reveal them to us, but our Father who is 
 in heaven. 
 
 We 
 ? Matt. xi. 25. and Chap. xvi. 17. 
 
Serm.II. Of efficacious grace. 39 
 
 We fhall now enquire whether the grace 
 of God, in the renewing of a finner, may 
 be fruftrated, or fet a/ide, by the oppofition of 
 the creature. And here we are to remember 
 it is God's work, and therefore muft be 
 perfect, fince he can and will do all his 
 pleafure. To fay that he cannot, though 
 he would, change the llnner's heart, by an 
 immediate act of his own power, is to chal- 
 lenge his omnipotence : fo that the queftion 
 is not whether God can do this, or no ? But 
 whether it is worthy of him, and how far it 
 is really the cafe ? And this may be deter- 
 mined, 
 
 1. From the inviolable and infeparable 
 connection of the feveral parts of that golden 
 chain mentioned by the apoftle,— -for whom he 
 did foreknow, he alfo did predejlinate to be 
 conformed to the image of his Son. Moreover 
 whom he did ■predejlinate ', them he alfo called-, 
 and whom he called^ them he alfo juftified -, and 
 whom he juftified, them he alfo glorified j p that 
 is, as many as are ordained unto eternal life, ei- 
 ther are, or (hall be called and fanctified by the 
 grace of God, as their meetnefs for it, and be 
 juftified by the righteoufnefs of Chrift, as their 
 title to it, as well as at length, be glorified in 
 the enjoyment of it. Accordingly we are ex- 
 preflly faid to be chofen unto holincfs.i Now, 
 if the purpofe of God, in election, is fup- 
 pofed to {land, then thofe whom he thus 
 D 4 loved, 
 
 p Pom. viii. 29, 30, 1 Eph. i. 4. 
 2 
 
40 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 loved, with an everlafting love, fhall be ef- 
 fectually drawn by the cords of it, agreeably 
 - to what our Lord fays ; All that the Father 
 giveth me, Jhall come unto me - } and him that 
 Cometh^ I will in no wife cafl out. 1 
 
 2. This may be farther argued, from the 
 purchace which our Lord, by the merit of 
 his obedience and death, has made of his peo- 
 ple, with refpect to their prefent fafety, and 
 future felicity. The fcripture reprefents him 
 not only as redeeming them from wrath, when 
 he died for their offences, but as purchafing 
 them to himfelf, as having a fulneis of grace 
 for their fupply in this world, and as having 
 obtained a glorious inheritance for them in the 
 other. Accordingly, in the profpect of his 
 approaching death, he prays, firft, that they 
 might be fanBified through the truth, and be 
 kept from the evil one, and then adds, Father, 
 I will that they alfo whom thou haft given me 
 he with me where 1 am, that they may behold 
 my glory, which thou haft given me? Grace and 
 glory are, indeed, bleflings altogether unme- 
 rited by the faint j but they are due to his 
 furety, upon an engagement on the Father's 
 part in the counfel of peace to the Son, that 
 if he would make his foul an offering for fin, 
 he mould have a feed to ferve him, and fee of 
 the travel of his foul to his fatisfaclion} Now 
 pur Lord Jefus Chrifr. having done his part, to 
 the abundant fatisfa&ion of the Father, which 
 
 was 
 
 f John vj. 27. 5 Chap, fcvii. it, 2}. l Ifai. liii. 1 1, 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace. 41 
 
 was declared in his refurredlion, and feflion at 
 his right hand ; it would be unfaithful in the 
 Father, and contrary to mutual ftipulations, if 
 any for whom he died mould fall fhort of eter- 
 nal life. And this mull be the cafe, if any of 
 thefe are fuppofed fully and finally to refill the 
 grace of God. But, 
 
 3. We may confider God's chofen people, 
 as committed to Chrift, as his charge and truft, 
 for which he is accountable to the Father j 
 and accordingly he fpeaks of that part of them 
 who were as yet uncalled, as his other fheep, 
 whom he muft bring in, and who mould hear 
 his voice. " Other (J:eep 1 have, that is, I have 
 " their names in the book of life, their perfons 
 " within the view of mine omnifcience ; them 
 " a/Jo I muft bring in, u there is a neceflity laid 
 " upon me j not on their part, but as I would 
 cc approve myfelf faithful to him who ap- 
 cc pointed me." It would be greatly inglorious 
 to the Mediator, mould he, when giving up 
 his accounts to the Father, fay, " Here are 
 " fome only of the children whom thou hail 
 " given me ; or fome of thefe, after all the 
 " pains I have been at, are yet unrenewed, 
 ?' and fo unfit for eternal life." Belides, 
 
 4. If the foul is pafiive in the implanting 
 the principle of grace, as we have endea- 
 voured to prove, then there can be no refin- 
 ance in regeneration : whatever oppofition may 
 be made by the foul to common convictions 
 before regeneration, or what conflicls foever 
 
 be- 
 
 u John x. 1 6. 
 
42 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 between flefh and fpirit afterwards • yet we 
 may, with the apoftle, be confident, that 
 where the work is begun, it (hall be carried 
 on j where the arm of the Lord is revealed, 
 the fuccefs will be anfwerable : fo that we 
 conclude that God, in the renewing of a fin- 
 ner, works fo as none can let ; otherwife he 
 might be difappointed of his purpofe, fail in 
 his promife to his Son, or be overcome by 
 the creature, in the exertion of the exceed- 
 ing greatnefs of his power ; either of which 
 are unworthy of him, who is a God of truth, 
 and whofe arm is almighty. 
 
 Having thus eftablifhed the doctrine pro- 
 pofed, we fhall now attend to fome of the 
 principal objections which are advanced again ft 
 it ; fuch as, 
 
 j. It is faid, by the opponents" of effica- 
 cious grace, that God hath given fufficient 
 grace to all men, upon the due improvement 
 of which they may be faved, if it is not their 
 own fault ; and to affert the contrary, fay they, 
 is to wrong the fountain of goodneis, and to 
 reprefent him as a cruel, fevere, and harfli 
 Being, and fo make him the object of our 
 dread and hatred, rather than of our love and 
 reverence : and if all men have fufficient grace, 
 what neceffity for this mighty power of God, 
 in the converfion of a finner ? And to prove 
 this, they quote thefe words : What could have 
 been done more to my vineyard^ that I have not 
 done in it f Wherefore when I looked that it 
 
 fiould 
 
 » Dr. Whitby, p. 234.. 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace. 43 
 
 Jhould bring forth grapes^ brought it forth wild 
 grapes ? x To this we anfwer, 
 
 (1.) If it can be proved that God origi- 
 nally furnifhed man with fufficient knowledge 
 of, and ability for the difcharge of, his duty, 
 and that man, by his chofen rebellion, forfeited 
 this, in common with all other mercies, and 
 expofed himfelf to the deferved vengeance of 
 God j then there can be no more unrighteouf- 
 nefs in God to deny the creature, thus fallen, 
 what they call fufficient grace, than to refervc 
 the fallen angels in chains, under darknefs, to 
 the coming of the great day. There would 
 be fome appearance of reafon in the objection, 
 if man was now to be confidered as innocent, 
 and in the uprightnefs, in which God origi- 
 nally made him - t but the fcripture concludes 
 him under guilt ; a very material circumftance 
 which the objection takes no manner of no- 
 tice of. 
 
 (2.) If by fufficient grace is intended that 
 which is abfolutcly fo in itfelf, without the 
 induftry and care of the creature, or fome fu- 
 peradded aids from heaven, we deny that there 
 is iuch grace given to all men j for if there was, 
 the effect muit be the fame in all, and fo none 
 could mifcarry. If it is faid, the fuccefs de- 
 pends on the will of the creature, then this 
 grace is fo far infufficient in itfelf, and the 
 phrafe improper : if on a divine interpofure, 
 the objection comes to nothing j fince it is then 
 
 agreed, 
 
 * Ifaiah v. 4. 
 
44 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 agreed, with us, that, let the fuppofcd grace be 
 never fo fuflicient, the event is determined by 
 a divine agency. Befides, is it not evident, 
 from the Spirit ftriving with the ungodly 
 world, in bloalfs time, for a hundred years 
 together, without fuccefs, and from the con- 
 duct of the jews, who for fo many ages, en- 
 joyed the miniftry of the prophets, and at 
 Jength of the Son of God himfelf, that com- 
 mon convictions, attended with the beft of 
 external advantages, are infufficient to effect 
 the great work of regeneration ? But, 
 
 (3.) As to the place quoted from the pro- 
 phet Ifaiah, in which God is reprefented, as 
 afking what could he have done more that was 
 not done? We are not to fuppofe that he 
 fpeaks as having exerted himfelf, adultimum 
 fuipojje, or as if he could not have given grace; 
 for, to be fure, he, who made the vine, could 
 make it as fruitful as he pleafed. The phrafe 
 is evidently after the manner of men, in which 
 the Almighty floops to expcftulate with the 
 creature, for the a$ufe of his mercies, and up- 
 braids him with his ingratitude j but is far 
 from giving the leaft countenance to his pride, 
 in a falfe opinion of his own fufliciency. We 
 might add, as a farther proof, that what the 
 objection calls fuflicient grace, is not given 
 to all ; that the very means of grace are de- 
 nied to many. The gofpel revelation is en- 
 tirely unknown to a great part of the world 
 now, as it was to the greater! part of it, under 
 
 the 
 
Serai. II. Of efficacious grace. 45 
 
 the jcwifh difpemution j and the declaration 
 is exprefs, that there is falvation in no other 
 but our Lord Jejus drift, nor any other name 
 given ', under heaven whereby we can befaved; 
 that faith ernes by hearing, and hearing by the 
 word of God : fo that we may afk, with the 
 apoftie, how fiall they believe on him, of whom 
 they have not heard y ? Such, undoubtedly, have 
 not the lufncient grace which our opponents 
 contend for; and I need only add, with refpect 
 to others, who are favoured with the gofpel, 
 why do faints, after converfion, beg fo ear- 
 neftly of God, that he would enlighten, ailift, 
 fupport, and fanctify them, if the means which 
 they enjoyed were fufficient in themfelves for 
 this purpofe, or might be rendered fo, by 
 their own care and induftry ? If we may judge 
 of their fentiments by their petitions, they ap- 
 prehended grace from God, as well as, and 
 together with, the means, to be abfolutely'ne- 
 oefTary to their fpiritual improvement, and pro- 
 iiciency in holinefs. But, . 
 
 2. It is further objected % that if God has 
 not given fufficient grace to all, why does he 
 judge or condemn any for the want of it ? To 
 this we anfwer, with the apoftie Paul, there 
 will be two rules, by which the Judge will pro- 
 ceed in the great day ; as many as have finned 
 without law, fiall a/Jo perijh without law ; and 
 as many as have finned in the law,Jhall be judged 
 by the law. 3 - I am far from believing that God 
 
 will 
 y Rom. x. 14, 1;. * Dr. Whitby, p. 24.3. a Rom. ii. 12. 
 
46 Of efficacious grace, 
 
 will condemn the heathen, who never heard 
 of Chrift, for not believing in him, but con- 
 clude that they will be judged by that law, 
 which is written upon their hearts, which ei- 
 ther excufes or accufes, according to the good 
 or evil of their actions. And as for thofe who 
 live under the found of the gofpel, and fi- 
 nally perifh in unbelief, they will not, I hum- 
 bly conceive, be condemned fo much for their 
 fpiritual impotence, as for their hardening their 
 hearts, and pofitively (hutting their ears againft 
 Chrift : and, if this be the cafe, is God un- 
 righteous, who taketh vengeance ? God for- 
 bid. But, 
 
 3. It is objected*, that God commands us 
 to make ourfelves new hearts -, that he fays, 
 turn ye y turn ye, why will ye die c f that we 
 are exhorted to cleanfe our own hearts d , and 
 the like. Now, fay they, if this is impracti- 
 cable by the creature, how does this reflect 
 upon the wifdom and goodnefs of the Law- 
 giver ? Upon his wifdom, in requiring that 
 of us, which he knows is only in his own 
 power to beftow ; and upon his goodnefs, in 
 deriding and mocking his creatures with their 
 mifery ? What ihould we think of a prince, 
 who mould command his fubjects, on pain 
 of his difpleafure, to meafure out the ocean, 
 or number the fands on the fea more ? Or 
 fhould he require of them any thing elfe 
 equally impoffible, how unworthy would this 
 
 be 
 
 fc Dr. Whitby, p. 237, s Ezek. xviii. 31. * James iv. 8, 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace, 47 
 
 be of him, and how injurious to them ? And 
 fhall we impute this to him, who is infinite 
 in goodnefs, and wifdom ? God iorbid. To 
 this we anfwer, 
 
 (1.) That if a command on God's part 
 necefTarily infers a full power on our part to 
 comply with it, or fulfil it, then we muft be 
 fuppofed to have the fame power to ferve him, 
 as the faints in glory have : and, in this re- 
 fpedt, the difference between a ftate of im- 
 perfection and abfolute perfection, would be 
 loft ; for God requires we mould love him 
 with all our hearts, and with all our fouls ; 
 and the law admits of no abatement, but ri- 
 goroufly requires perfection, and threatens 
 eternal death to him who continues not in all 
 things written therein to do them * : fo that if 
 this were a fair way of reafoning, we muft 
 conclude, that becaufe God commands we 
 mould be holy, as he is holy f , and walk as Chrijl 
 walked g , therefore we might, by our own 
 power, clean fe ourfelves from every degree of 
 flthinefs, both offe/h and Jpirit y and -perfect 
 holinefs in \i\%fear h . But, 
 
 (2.) The moft that can be judged of 
 commands and exhortations, in fcripture, is 
 this; they are reprefentations of our duty, 
 not of our ftrength ; declarative of God's au- 
 thority, and right of dominion, and not of 
 our power or ability. A command refpects 
 
 us 
 
 * Gal. iii. 10. f i Pet. i. 16. h John ii. 6. * 1 Cor. 
 vii. 1. 
 
48 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 us as creatures ; whether upright or fallen, it 
 is equally obligatory on us ; God hath the fame 
 claim to worfhip from us, and the fame do- 
 minion over us, fince the fall, as he had before. 
 To which we add, 
 
 (3.) The defign of God, in thefe com- 
 mands, is to acquaint us with the neceffity and 
 importance of thofe things which he requires; 
 particularly in the inftances referred to, that 
 without holinefs we cannot fee his face ; that 
 except a man have a new heart, he cannot 
 enter into the kingdom of heaven : and fo 
 they are intended, upon a conviction of our 
 weaknefs and infufficiency, to lead us to him, 
 who hath not only required them of us, but 
 hath promifed to beftow them upon us. So 
 that the awakened finner, comparing the 
 command and the promife together, in the one, 
 he is led to contemplate the majeity, autho- 
 rity, and holinefs of God ; in the other, his 
 grace and faithfulnefs : the one is the rule of 
 his duty ; the other, the ground of his faith : 
 from the one, he learns what he ought to be, 
 and do, whilfi he is led on, and encouraged 
 by the other, to pray for that grace which is 
 fufficient for him. 
 
 The fame may be faid with refpect to the 
 expostulations we meet with in fcripture: they 
 are defigned to work upon the minds of thofe 
 to whom they are addrefied, and are made 
 ufe of by the fpirit of God in convincing of 
 lin. And is there any impropriety in charg- 
 ing 
 2 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace. 49 
 
 ing it upon a rebellious ungrateful generation, 
 that whereas the ox knows bis owner, and the 
 afs his majlers crib, ' they, by a neglect of 
 duty to their daily Benefactor, difcover more 
 ftupidity and difingenuity, than the very 
 beafts that perifi f k May not the only wife 
 God make ufe of the mofr. moving and af- 
 fecting language, in upbraiding his reafon- 
 able creatures with a contempt of his good- 
 nefs, without fuppofing the linner to be felf- 
 fufficient, and to ftand in no need of his af- 
 fiftance ? 
 
 4. It is farther objected, that whereas we 
 fay the finner is paflive in regeneration, this 
 is to deftroy the freedom of the will, to fub- 
 vert human liberty, and to reduce the rea- 
 fonable creature to a meer machine, and fo 
 to take away the merit of virtue, by making 
 it neceflary, and not the refult of choice. 
 To this we anfwer ; we are to diftinguifh 
 between the nature of the will, and the qua- 
 lities of it. The foul is the fame, in all its 
 faculties, after regeneration, as it was before ; 
 but the qualities of it are alter'd. The grace 
 of God changes the corrupt, without invading 
 the created nature of the will. Man's will, be- 
 fore the fall, was holy, as well as free, and 
 fo necefTarily under a rational bias to every 
 thing that was confonant to the divine mind, 
 and which was made known to him as fuch : 
 But the will of man, as fallen, is impair'd, 
 not fo much in its nature, or effence, as in 
 
 1 Ifa, i. 3. k pfa. xlix. \z. 
 
 E its 
 
50 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 its tendency j it is now moft unhappily turn'd 
 off from Spiritual to carnal and fenfual ob- 
 jects ; the will is the fame in it felf, or in its 
 nature, now, as it was then ; but the bias 
 is very different : fo that if we would judge 
 aright of the freedom of man's will, we mufl 
 consider the objects about which its is fup- 
 poled to be converfant. If the worfhip, fer- 
 Vice, or love of God, are taken into the ques- 
 tion, we affert, theie were originally the cho- 
 {tn objects of the delight of the innocent 
 creature, but are now the matters of his aver- 
 sion, wlfilft he continues in a ftate of unre- 
 gcneracy : And, when he is renew'd, and 
 every high thought and imagination is redu- 
 ced to a fubjection to Chrift, we never meet 
 with a complaint from him of violence of- 
 fered to his will, or of being forced and com- 
 pelled to a choice cf holinefs. True, he is 
 fenfible of the hand of God upon his foul; 
 he feels, acknowledges, and adores the arm 
 of the Lord in his conversion ; but he is fo 
 fir from thinking it any hardihip, that he 
 rejoices abundantly in the mercy. And where- 
 as, now his foul is thirfting after God, and 
 his delight is in the l.iw of the Lord, he is 
 fenilble this wonderful change in his cafe, 
 was effected by his power, who works in his 
 people both to wifl and to do t of his own good 
 pieajure. l He is far from defiring fuch a li- 
 berty, as would leave him as liable to apofta- 
 tize <iud milcii'ry, as to pcrfevere and be fa- 
 
 ved: 
 
 1 FIJI, ii 1 3, 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace. 51 
 
 ved : No, he rather longs to be In heaven, 
 among the fpirits of juft men made perfect, 
 under a glorious neceffity (if that may deem'd 
 fo, which is the matter of their conftant 
 choice and delight) of ferving God without 
 wearinefs or interruption : If he might ex- 
 prefs the utmoft of his ambition, it is to be 
 with Jefus, in a world where to fin or of- 
 fend is impoffible. «■ 
 
 We may obferve, that at the fame time 
 we aflert that God works immediately in im- 
 planting the principle of grace, we allow, that 
 the renew'd flnner is a proper fubject of mo- 
 ral fuafion ; and that God deals with him, 
 in promoting a work of grace in his heart, 
 in an argumentative way, and enables him to 
 compare and judge of things which are pro- 
 pofed to him, 'as proper to be purfued or a- 
 voided, and to choofe, or refufe, as they ap- 
 pear defirable, or the contrary ; though we 
 conclude, in all this, the faint gladly efteems 
 God's word as his only rule, and his Spirit 
 as his only guide. As to what is faid con- 
 cerning virtue, and the rewards which are 
 fuppofed to be due to it, I apprehend, man, 
 in his bed: eftate, is vanity ; his obedience, 
 in its utmoft fpirituality and perfection, is a 
 debt which he owes to his great Creator j 
 nor can he be profitable unto God, fo as to 
 enter a claim, or challenge a reward from 
 the Almighty. So that as we utterly difclaim 
 the doclrine of merit on the creature's part, 
 
 E 2 we 
 
52 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 we need not enquire how far the grace of 
 God, in the renewing of a finner, deftroys 
 this idol, which the pride of man is fo will- 
 ing to fet up, and worfhip. 
 
 5. It is objected, if God works in us both 
 to will and to do, and without his fpecial 
 grace we can do nothing, then we may e'en 
 fit ftill, and do nothing, only wait carelefly 
 till he fhall excite us to, or afliit us in our 
 duty ; and fo this doctrine, fay they, deftroys 
 all diligence and induftry, and renders the 
 iinners endeavours, how fincere and ferious 
 ibever, fbolim and unnecefTary. To this we 
 anfwer, that the great God may certainly fix 
 upon what order he pleafes, in his confer- 
 ing of favours, and beftowing undeferved 
 bleffings. Now the order he has fettled is 
 this ; that though he gives all freely, and not 
 for our fakes, yet he will be fought to, and 
 enquired of, by us, for thofe fpiritual mer- 
 cies, which we want at his hand. The di- 
 rection is, ajk, feck, and knock ; the encou- 
 ragement lies in the promife, ye f/;all receive, 
 ye Jhall find, and it jhall be open d unto you. m 
 They who feek me early, fays God, Jlmll find 
 trie ; n and fuch as wait on him, Jl:all renew 
 their ftrcngth ; ° fo that it is in a way of duty 
 that we are to expect his prefence. God is 
 not, indeed, tied up to means: lie may be 
 found of them who feek him not ; but he 
 has obliged us to a constant and diligent at- 
 tendance on them. And I would afk, Is not 
 
 his 
 w Mat. vii. 7. n Prov. viii. 17. ° Ifa. xl. 3.1. 
 
Serm. II. Of efficacious grace. ^53 
 
 his promife of meeting and bleffing us, of his 
 being in the micljl of us, to affift and comfort 
 us, a more rational and powerful motive to 
 a clofe adherence to our duty, than a falfe 
 imagination of a power, which we are not 
 really poffeffed of, and fo muff. necefTarily 
 difappoint us in all our ungrounded expecta- 
 tions from it ? 
 
 Thus we have gone through the principal 
 objections advanced againft the do&rine of 
 efficacious grace, and conclude, upon the 
 whole, that we have fcripture and experi- 
 ence on our fide, whilft we aifert that rege- 
 neration is not of the will of the fiejh, nor of 
 the will of man, but of God. ° What re- 
 mains, but a ferious enquiry, whether we 
 have tatted that the Lord is gracious ? how- 
 far we have been quickned by the mighty 
 power of God, who were dead in trefpajjes 
 and fins ? * Without the new birth there is 
 no entring into heaven, our Lord has ex- 
 preily affured us . * What can we then fay 
 of God's gracious dealings with us ? has he 
 put his Spirit within us, writ his law in our 
 hearts ', r taken the f one out of our hearts, and 
 given us hearts of fiejh f s Have we been 
 made to loath and abhor ourfelves j to prize, 
 above every thing, the perfon, righteoufnefs, 
 and fulnefs of Chrift ? Have we fled for re- 
 fuge to him, as ready to perifh ? and do we 
 E 3 find 
 
 • John i. 13. p Eph. ii. 1. * John iii. 3. r Jer.xxxi. $5> 
 
 ' Ezek. xxxvi. 26. 
 
54 Of efficacious grace. 
 
 find a fpirit of grace and {application poured 
 out upon us ? do we thirft after communion 
 with, and aim at a rcfemblance of Jefus? is 
 this, or inch like, the genuine experience of 
 our fouls ? Then let us call upon them, and 
 all that is within us, to blefs his name, whofe 
 *u:orhnanfl:ip we are. Let him have all the 
 glory ; and let it be our great concern, as well 
 as prayer, to God continually, that we may, 
 in all things, walk worthy of this holy vo- 
 cation, adorning the doctrine of God our Sa- 
 viour, till we get fife to that world, where 
 Father, Son, and Spirit, will be all in all, 
 as the eveverlafling fource of pure and perfect 
 happinefs j and where, as the great Jehovah, 
 one God over all, they will, to endleis ages, 
 inhabit the praifes of thole who mall fland 
 before the throne, perfectly cleanfed from all 
 filrhinefs, both of flefli and fpirit, and whofe 
 robes fhall be wafied^ and made white in the 
 Blood of the Lamb} 
 
 '- Rev. vii. i 4. 
 
 SER- 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 The infujjiciency of any atonement the 
 finner can make. 
 
 Micah, vi. 6, 7, 8. 
 
 Wherewith fjjall I come before the Lord, and 
 bow my f elf before the high God ? Shall I 
 come before him with burnt-offerings, with 
 calves of a year old? IVilltheLoRD be pleafcd 
 with thoujands of rams > or with ten thoufands 
 of rivers of oil? fldall 1 give my firjl-born 
 for my tranfgreffion, the fruit of my body for 
 the fin of my foul? He hath fiewed thee, O 
 man, what is good; and what doth the Lord 
 require of thee, but to do jufily, and to love 
 mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.? 
 
 The firft Sermon on this. text. 
 
 HEN God in his providence or grace 
 
 is pleafed, in a peculiar way, to dii- 
 
 tinguifh a people with fpiritual or 
 
 temporal privileges, as hereby he 
 
 lays them under the ftrongeft engagements to 
 
 obedience, fo the difregard of their divine 
 
 E 4 Bene- 
 
56 The infufficiency of any atonement 
 
 Benefactor, in the midfr. of the enjoyment of 
 his favours, befpeaks the moil: difingenuous 
 behaviour. The general conduct of the peo- 
 ple of the jews affords us an eminent difcovery 
 of this perverfenefs of human nature. And 
 in the whole of their hiflory, from Mofes to 
 Chrift, as tranfmitted to us, in its feveral parts, 
 by holy men as they were moved by the Holy 
 Ghoft, we may read ourfelves, who naturally, 
 in all the affluence of the bounties of provi- 
 dence, fay unto God depart from us, and on 
 whom the greater!: obligations too frequently 
 make little -or no impreffion. 
 
 The prophet Mi cab was fent upon a very 
 awful errand to the children of Ifrael, to re- 
 proach them for their ingratitude to their 
 greateh\ and befl Benefactor, and to denounce 
 deftined vengeance upon them. And as the 
 judgments threatened were of a very fevere 
 and destructive kind, that God might appear 
 to be righteous in inflicting them, in the chap- 
 ter before us, we have a plea lodged in their 
 confciences, and an expostulation with them, 
 as to the ungrateful returns they had made the 
 Lord for his kindnefs and care. And it is ob- 
 fervable that this is ufhered in with the greatefl 
 folemnity, by an invocation of the hills and 
 mountains to witnefs to the controverfy be- 
 tween God and his people. Hear ye new 
 what the Lord faith, arife, contend thou before 
 the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. 
 Hear ye, mountains, the Lord' s controverfy, 
 
 and 
 
Serm. III. the /inner can make. $j 
 
 and ye frong foundations of the earth ; for the 
 Lord hath a controverfy with his people, and 
 he will plead with Ifrael. 3 - As if he had faid, 
 " Were it pofiible, the mofl inanimate parts 
 <c of the creation would be feniible of the in- 
 " equality and difproportion between my 
 " ways of mercy, and your paths of rebel- 
 " lion." You have then an affectionate en- 
 quiry into the caufe of their ingratitude. O 
 my people, what have I done unto thee, and 
 wherein have I wearied thee f teftify againft 
 me. b " If you have any charge againft me 
 " produce it. If I have been unjuft or un- 
 " merciful, enter your plea, and it mail be 
 w heard." But on the contrary, he goes on 
 to remind them of what he had done for 
 them. " Have I not brought thee up out 
 " of the land of Egypt ? did I not hear thy 
 " groans in the flate of bondage, and re- 
 " deem thee from that burdenfome fervi- 
 £C tude ? did I not give thee Mofes as a leader 
 c< and a lawgiver, Aaron as a prieft, and 
 " Miriam as a prophetefs ? did I not turn 
 <c Balak's defigned evil in hiring Balaam to 
 " curfe thee, into a bleffing ? Refled: on thefe 
 " things, and then witnefs againft me, if you 
 " have the leaft ground for it." In confe- 
 quence of this awful charge, the people of If- 
 rael are reprefented as enquiring, in the former 
 part of our text. Wherewith jhall I come be- 
 fore the Lord, and bow my f elf before the high 
 
 God? 
 
 a Micah vi. 2. b Ver. 3. 
 
58 The infujfciency of any atonement 
 
 God ? fiat I I come before him with burnt -offer" 
 ings, with calves, of a year old f Will the Lord 
 be pleafed with thoufands of rams, or with ten 
 thou fan is of rivers of oil? fl jail I give my f fi- 
 ber n for my tranJgr:J/ion, the fruit oj my body 
 for the fin oj my foul? To which the prophet 
 replies, He hath Jhewed thee, O man, what 
 is good y and what doth the Lord require of 
 it' e, but to do ju/tly, and to love mercy, and 
 to walk humbly with thy God? In which words 
 you have, 
 
 I. A conviction of guilt fattened on 
 their confeiences. 
 
 II. A resolution taken by them, to wait 
 upon God, and worfliip in his preience. 
 
 III. An inquiry into the way of expiation, 
 or means of atonement. 
 
 IV. An intimation of the impossibility of 
 making an atonement, by any thing men 
 can do, or give. And then, 
 
 V. And laftly, you have the rule of hu- 
 man obdience, or what it is that God ex- 
 pects, or requires of us. 
 
 Each of thefe heads contains matter of the 
 highett importance, and deferves very fpecial 
 attention. And, I begin, 
 
 L With the conviction of guilt, which 
 ieems to be fattened upon their confeiences. 
 
 That 
 
Serm. III. the firmer can make. 59 
 
 That this was the cafe, I think, is pretty- 
 evident, partly by their filence upon hearing, 
 the dreadful charge brought againft them ; 
 but more efpecially, by their inquiring after 
 an atonement. If the cafe had been other- 
 wife, we mould no doubt have heard of their 
 innocence ; for where there is any room for 
 it, tho' only in our own apprehenfions, we 
 are naturally very prone to juftify ourfelves, 
 and efpecially when accufed of ingratitude. 
 But when the Spirit of God brings the charge 
 home, and we feel that we are really the perfons 
 who have thus come fhort of the glory of 
 God, and abufed his infinite goodnefs, there 
 is no longer any difpute : but, with Paul, 
 when fin revives c in this manner, and we com- 
 pare it with the purity and perfection of the 
 divine law, we are difabled as to our ufual 
 attempts to excufe ourfelves, or extenuate our 
 guilt. And from the method that the Holy 
 Ghofr. makes ufe of, to bring the IfraelitesHo 
 a fenfe of their evil, we may learn, that the 
 bell: way to fallen a thorough conviction of 
 guilt on the foul, is to reprefent the mercy and 
 kindnefs of God as abufed, and defpifed by 
 its rebellion. Sometimes the Lord indeed 
 works by terrible things upon his people : 
 but this ifiues not in the forrow which the 
 gofpel recommends, without fome difplays of 
 the divine mercy. We never forrow truly 
 after a godly fort, but when we confider our 
 
 God 
 
 ^ Rom. vii. 9. 
 
60 The infujficiency of any atonement 
 
 God as the beft, as well as the higheft of beings, 
 as full of mercy and companion, as well as pof- 
 feffedof indifputable authority j and fo view our " 
 fins as injurious to his goodnefs, as well as af- 
 front! ve to his fovereignty. Thus you find 
 the Lord reafons with his people here. Fir ft, 
 he fhews them what he had done for them, 
 that they might the better know what they 
 had done againft him. All moral fuafion, 
 indeed, or reafoning, how juft fo ever in 
 itfelf, or founded on the beft principles, will 
 he fruitlefs and inefficacious, unlefs the Spi- 
 rit firft create a light in the darkened under- 
 flanding, and implant a principle of love to 
 God in the foul. And thus it would have been 
 to no manner of purpofe for the prophet to 
 have fet before the people the mercies of God, 
 had he done this in ever fo moving and rea- 
 sonable a way, unlefs the arm of the Lord had 
 been revealed* But fuppoiing him to he, as 
 certainly he is, the author of all grace in the 
 foul, yet the way or means by which he ex- 
 cites this grace of evangelical repentance, is 
 by reprefenting to the finner thole bowels of 
 God's companion, and the multitude of his 
 tender mercies, which have been neglected, 
 and trampled upon by his careleffnefs, and 
 wickednefs. The terrors of God's wrath 
 againft fin have a tendency to drive us to de- 
 fpair, without fome difcoveries of his mercy 
 and compaffion ; and indeed until then, we 
 
 fhall 
 
 1 Ifai. Iiii. I. 
 
Scrm. III. the [inner can make. 61 
 
 mall never have a juft fenfe of our guilt, or of 
 the defert of our iniquities. Thus it was with 
 "David, when the prophet Nathan told him. 
 that the Lord had put away his iniquity e , he 
 cries out in the bitternefs of his foul, againjl 
 thee, thee only have 1 finned, and" done this evil 
 in thy fight} And, as it is in the firfl exer- 
 cife of repentance, fo, in the whole of the 
 chriftians converfation afterwards ; there is 
 nothing hath fo great a tendency to melt him 
 into ingenuous contrition for fin, as the be- 
 lief that God will heal his back/lidings, and 
 love him freely l , that he will be merciful to 
 his unrighteoufnefs, and his /ins and his iniqui- 
 ties he will remember no more. h But again, 
 
 II. You have the refolution of this people 
 to come before the Lord, and bow in his pre- 
 fence. 
 
 When we are made fenfible of our defici- 
 encies in duty, and are awakened to a fenfe of 
 our guilt upon that account, we are naturally 
 very ready to enter into refolutions that we 
 will now ferve the Lord with full purpofe 
 of heart; his wormip, that hath been neglecled, 
 mall be now conitantly, and diligently attended 
 to ; we will come before the Lord, we will 
 bow to his authority, and be obedient to his 
 laws. There is indeed a prefence of the 
 moil high God from which we cannot fepa- 
 
 rate 
 
 e 2 Sam. xii. 13. f Pfal. li. 4. s If a i. xlv. 4. h Heb. 
 viii. t 2. 
 
62 The tnfufficiency of any atonement 
 
 rate ourfelves, as he Jits upon the circle of the 
 earth \ and beholds, by one all-comprehend- 
 ing view, things done in both worlds. But 
 there is alio a fpecial prefence of God in 
 the ordinances of his appointment, and wor- 
 ship of his fancluary, which, how much fo- 
 ever it may be defpifed, and neglected by per- 
 fons eftranged from him $ yet, when they are 
 apprifed of their guilt, they will in fome mea- 
 fure fee the folly of their ways, and refolve tore- 
 turn unto the Lord. And this is the practice of 
 every foul under religious awakenings. When 
 our fins were firil fet in order before our eyes, 
 we entered into the firmed refolutions, that we 
 would for the future be more confeientious in 
 all our ways, efpecially with refpect to our at- 
 tendance on religious worthip: and this hath 
 often ferved to itill the clamours of confei- 
 ence about paft guilt, till the work has been 
 carried on with power, and the foul put upon 
 enquiry after a proper worthinefs, in which 
 to appear before the Lord, as a juft and holy 
 God. And this leads us to the next gene- 
 ral head. Which is, 
 
 III. That having thus rcfolved to come 
 before the Lord, they enquire in what way 
 they muff approach, fo as to find favour in 
 his light, t '/herewith jhall I come before the 
 Lord, and bow myjelj before the high Gcd ? 
 
 This fuppofes a difcovery made to the foul 
 of the infinite diflance, and direct contrariety, 
 
 that 
 
Serm. III. thejinner can make, 63 
 
 that there is betwixt the moft high and holy 
 God, and itfelf, as nothing but a poor finfui 
 creature. It was a very juft obfervation of the 
 apoftle, that it is through ignorance of God's 
 rigbteoufnefs, that we go about to cjlablifo our 
 own} Were we apprifed of the perfection 
 and purity of his nature, and the rigorous de- 
 mands of his law, we muft either contradict 
 our own experience, or believe it impoflible 
 to appear before God with comfort, but as 
 cloathed with perfect innocency and purity. 
 It isbecaufe, either we think not at all of the 
 Almighty, or elfe regard him as one like our- 
 felves, that we rufh into his prefence, as the 
 horfe rujheth into the battle. Were we fenfi- 
 ble that he is as neceflarily juft, as gracious, 
 and therefore can by no means acquit the 
 guilty, any more than he can deny himfelf, 
 we mould be more earneft in our enquiries 
 wherewith to come before him. One fingle 
 tranfgrefiiOn renders him our enemy, as well 
 as leaves us incapable offerving him in fpirit 
 and in truth. Angels approach him with awe, 
 but then it is with the freedom of fpotlefs 
 creatures, that never offended him. Man be- 
 ing fallen from his original integrity, and hav- 
 ing loft his beauty, upon the leaft fpiritual 
 awakening, muft be fenfible of the enmity 
 there is between God and him. And it is 
 obfervable, that this feems to have been a prin- 
 ciple common to the whole world, though 
 
 known 
 
 1 Rom. x. 3. 
 
64 *Fhe infufficiency of any atonement 
 
 known only in the glory of it, by that gofpel 
 which hath brought life and immortality to light. 
 As there is no nation without its God, fo they 
 have all by their practice acknowledged that 
 they had a fenfe of guilt, in thofe facrifices, 
 of fome kind or other, which they have 
 been ufed to offer to their offended deities. 
 And as it thus fuppofes that we know God 
 in fome meafure, before we can obey the gof- 
 pel of his Son k , or mall be folicitous after a 
 righteoufnefs in which to approach unto him> 
 fo you have here feveral methods propofed, 
 fome of God's inftitution, though defigned 
 to other purpofes, and fome of man's inven- 
 tion, that were abominations in his fight. 
 And, 
 
 The fir ft of thefe is that of burnt-offerings, 
 and calves of a year old. Thefe were appointed 
 by God to be obferved by the children of Ifrael, 
 through all their generations, not as expiatory 
 in themfelves, but as fpecifying, and fhadow- 
 ing forth good things to come. 1 " Shall I come, 
 fays Ifrael, with thefe ? they have divine au- 
 thority for their fandtion ; or will God be 
 better pleafed with rams, or with thoufands 
 of them? or if w7 mould be more acceptable, 
 will ten thoufand rivers of it be fufficient to 
 take away my guilt? or if he be wearied owX. 
 with his own appointments, fo that he will 
 have no more fuch oblations, fall 1 give him 
 my fir ft born, according to the barbarous fu- 
 
 " perfiitious 
 k 2 Thcf. I. 8. ' Heb. x. 1. 
 
Serm. III. thejinner can make, 6$ 
 
 " perftitious cuftom of the heathens, the 
 " child of my ftrength, the fon of my affeo 
 u . iionfor my tra?ifgrefjion i or the fruit of my 
 " body for the fin of ??iy foul? This is all that 
 " I have in my power, except I give my body 
 <c to be burnt j and this mall be readily offered, 
 <c if it may be accepted." From which we 
 may learn thefe two things: 
 
 i. How eafy a matter it is to miftake the 
 defign of God in his inftitutions. It is a very 
 great unhappinefs to converfe with the ordi- 
 nances of God from wrong principles, or with 
 miftaken views. All the fervices of the old 
 teftament-difpenfation, many and pompous as 
 they were, had no immediate influence upon 
 the people's acceptance with God, nor were 
 defigned to eclipfe the glory of Chrift, as the 
 Lord our righteoufnefs : and whenever they 
 were regarded as expiatory, it was an abufe 
 put upon them, contrary to the intention of 
 the great Lawgiver. And, would to God the 
 children of Ifrael were alone in their abufe 
 of divine inftitutions. How eafy is it to ob- 
 ferve, in ourfelves and others, the aptnefs there 
 is to reft in duty, or to regard the facrifice of 
 praife, or a broken heart, as the ground of 
 God's delight in us ? There is a wide differ- 
 ence between neglecting or defpifing, and ido- 
 lizing a duty or ordinance. By the one we 
 contemn the authority of Chrift, and by the 
 other we diminifh his glory, by making any 
 thing a partner, or competitor with him. 
 
 F 2. Hence 
 
66 The ififujiciency of any atonement 
 
 2. Hence we may alfo lee that perfons un- 
 der convi&ions will naturally turn to any thing, 
 how expenfive or unnatural foever, rather than 
 fubmit to God's righteoufnefs. They will heap 
 up oblations, give thousands of rams, and ten 
 thou fan ds of rivers of oil, nay, lofe the ten- 
 dernefs of a parent, in their concern for fin, 
 and give up the fruit of their bodies, as a fa- 
 crifice/cr their tranfgrefjions, rather than look 
 to him whom God has fet forth as a propitia* 
 tion. And how agreeable is this to the con- 
 duct: of many in our day ? If conftancy in 
 their attendance upon divine wormip, or the 
 largeft charity may fuffice, they may have fome 
 light into the way that leads to everlafting life. 
 But if they muft ceafe from pride, and glory 
 only in the Lord, if Chrift mufl: have all the 
 honour of falvation, and they be no fharers 
 with him, they practically fay they will rather 
 have no life, than receive it from his hands. 
 O the vilenefs and enmity of our natures ! 
 the pride of our hearts ! and the obftinacy of 
 our wills ! This ought to be matter of lamen- 
 tation unto us. What grievous penances do 
 the poor deluded papijts fubmit to ? what 
 large contributions do they chearfully ma^e, 
 to gain falvation out of God's way ? And I 
 am perfuaded, that, what feems to be moft 
 contrary to nature, would rather be fubmitted 
 to by the carnal mind, than that Chrift alo^ie 
 mould be exalted. What neceflity then is 
 there for his mighty power to fubdue every 
 
 high 
 
Serm. III. the /inner can make. 67 
 
 high thought and imagination, before we 
 ihall become his willing people ? Which leads 
 us, 
 
 IV. T o (hew you the impofiibility of any 
 thing of ours, to make atonement, or to take 
 away fin. 
 
 We may offer burnt-offerings ', or thoufands 
 of ramSj and, if poflible, do every thing of 
 this kind mentioned in the text ; but all will 
 not do. And that for thefe two reafons : frfi y 
 they were never defigned by God to this end , 
 nor, fecond/y, are they in themfelves fufficient 
 for it. 
 
 1. They were never appointed by God 
 unto this purpofe. The apoflle to the he- 
 brews fhews us at large, that none of their 
 rites were defigned to be fubftituted in the 
 room of Chrijt : and accordingly you find, 
 when they were abufed by the people, God 
 very firongly declares his abhorence of them : 
 which muft be underftood as refpecling rather 
 the abufe of thefe inftitutions, than the infti- 
 tutions themfelves • for they were not only good, 
 but then in their full force. There are two 
 remarkable paffages in the prophecy of Ifaiah 
 to this purpofe. Hear the word of the Lord, ye 
 rulers of Sodom , and give ear unto the law of our 
 God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpofe 
 is the ?nultitude of your facrifces unto me? faith 
 the Lord: lam full of burnt-offerings of rams, 
 a?id the fat of fed beafts, and I delight not in 
 F 2 the 
 
68 The infufficiency of any atonement 
 
 the blood of bullocks ; or of lambs, or of he-goats. 
 When ye come to appear before me, who hath 
 required this at your hands to tread my courts ? 
 Br i ng no ?nore vain oblations, inccnfe is an abo- 
 mination unto me, the new moons, and fabbaths, 
 the callitig of affemblies I cannot away with, 
 it is iniquity *> even the folemn meeting. Tour 
 new moons, and your appointed feafls my foul 
 hatcth : they are a trouble unto me, lam weary to 
 bear them. And, they are rejected with greater 
 abhorrence, if poflible, in another panage in 
 the fame prophecy, He that killeth an ox, is 
 as if he flew a man : he that facrificeth a lamb, 
 as if he cut off a dog's neck : he that offer eth 
 an oblation, as if he offered f wine's blood: he that 
 burneth incenfe, as if he bleffed an idol* Itmufl 
 be very furprifing to every confiderate mind, 
 to obferve here, with how much deteftation 
 the Lord rejects thofe very inflitutions, which 
 he himfelf had fo pofitively commanded. But 
 when we confider, how ftrangely they were 
 abufed by the jews, in the regard they paid 
 them, and the dependance they had upon 
 them, as making atonement, then the won- 
 der ceafes j for it is very evident from the 
 whole tenor of God's word, that he never de- 
 figned the blood of bulls and goats, or the afhes 
 cf an heifer to take awayfm > ° for then there 
 would have been no occafion to have laid the 
 iniquities of his people on his Son, or to have 
 
 made 
 
 m If.ii. i. 10, — 14., n Chap. Ixvi. 3. ° Pleb. ix. 13. and 
 x. 4. 
 
 2 
 
Serm. III. the finner can make. 69 
 
 made bis foul an offering for Jin. , p But, as that 
 which may fully fatisfy us that God never in- 
 tended it, compare what you find in Romans 
 iii. 25. where we are told of Chrijl, thatGo^ 
 hath fet him forth, or as it mould have been 
 rendered ', pre-ordained him to be a propitia- 
 tion thro faith in his blood, to declare his righ- 
 teoufnefs for the remifjion of fins, compare this, 
 I fay, with 1 Corinth, i. 30. But of him are 
 ye in Chrift jfefus, who of God is made unto 
 us wifdotn, right eoufnefs, fancJification, ana* 
 redemption, and you will eafily fee, that it was 
 never the defign of God, that burnt- offerings 
 or rivers of oil mould fatisfy for fin. And we 
 know that his counfel Jhall Jland, and he will 
 do all his plea/ureJ 
 
 2. This will further appear, if we confl- 
 der the infufflciency of thefe rites, in them- 
 felves, to anfwerthe demands of divine juftice, 
 or to come up to the perfection which the law 
 of God requires. Now the law requires per- 
 fection of nature, and univerfal uninterrupted 
 obedience ; and, in cafe of failure, threatens 
 death. And let us then confider what is pro- 
 pofed here. And here is nothing to anfwer 
 for that perfection of obedience that is required. 
 All that can be thought of by thofe, who 
 would give the fruit of their bodies for the fin 
 of their fouls, is, that it mould take away the 
 penalty threatened : But then, it is alfo necef- 
 F 3 fary 
 
 p Ifai. liii. 6, 10. * w§»i9(t». r I&i. xlvi. 10. 
 
jo The infufficiency of any atonement 
 
 fary that the law be made honourable by a per- 
 fection of obedience. Further, as all that is 
 propofed anfwers but to one part of a Tinner's 
 cafe, (o it is altogether infufficient for that ; 
 for what is there in the blood of bulls or of 
 goats that can fatisfy for the breach of the di- 
 vine law ? Is there any proportion between a 
 created life, and the affront offered againft an 
 infinite Being ? What tho' we could give the 
 whole world, and all the lives of men and 
 angels in both worlds, would it equal the debt 
 we owe to God ? No, fin, as it carries in it a 
 contempt of the divine authority, leaves the fin- 
 ner helplefs, as well as hopelefs in himfelf. 
 This the apoftle treats with fuch a force of 
 reafoning in the ioth of the hebrews that he 
 that runs may read it. For the law, fays he, 
 having a fhadow of good things to come, and 
 not the very image of the things, can never 
 'with thofe facrifices, which they offered year by 
 year, make the comers thereunto perfect : for 
 then woidd they not have ceafed to be offered* 
 We come now, 
 
 V. To confider what it is that the Lord our 
 God requires of us, and that is, to do jujlly, 
 and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with 
 him. 
 
 But of thefe things I mall confider here- 
 after, and conclude this difcourfe with a few 
 remarks on what has been faid. And, 
 
 • Hebix. i, 2. 
 
 i 
 
Scrm. III. the /inner can moke. yi 
 
 I. We may here juftly reflect on the great 
 unhappinefs and folly of the jewifh nation, 
 who fell into fo general and fatal, a miftake 
 with refpect to the deiign of the ceremo-* 
 nial law, notwithstanding ftich great care was 
 taken, to guard them againft reiting in the 
 performance of its rites, for their justification 
 in the light of God. This led them to add 
 many inventions of their own to thofe divine 
 appointments, and into a neglect of him who 
 is the end of the law for justifying right eoufnef$> 
 and confequently into a carnal apprehension, 
 and very partial difcharge of the moral law it- 
 Self, and upon the whole, expofed them, in 
 the end, to the feverity of the divine refent- 
 ments. Again, 
 
 2. We may from hence fee the infinite ad- 
 vantages we enjoy under the gofpel difpenfa- 
 tion : by which we are delivered from this 
 yoke of ceremonies, and have fo clear a reve- 
 lation of Jefus Chrift in all the glory of 
 his fatisfaction, and perfection of his righ- 
 teoufneSs. 
 
 3. This will furely teach us the aggra- 
 vations of their crimes, under thefe fuperior 
 advantages, who attempt to add their own 
 foolim inventions to the appointments of 
 God, or reft on any thing but Chrift Jefus, 
 and what he has done, and fuffered, for their 
 juftification before him. To which I will 
 add, . 
 
 F 4 4. And 
 
jz 'The infufficiency of any atonement , &c. 
 
 4. And laftly, The double obligation we 
 are under, both from our deliverance from 
 the burden of the legal ceremonies, and the 
 clear revelation we enjoy of Chrift and his 
 falvation, to manifeft our firm and humble 
 faith in him, by the holinefs of our lives and 
 converfations. 
 
 ! /iirtS! 
 
 5ER- 
 
(73 ) 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 Of the duties of jujlice, and mercy. 
 
 Micah vi. 8. 
 
 He hath /hewed thee, O man, what is good, 
 and what doth the Lord require of thee t 
 but to do juftly, and to love mercy, and to 
 walk humbly with thy God? 
 
 The fecond Sermon on this text. 
 
 AVING, in a former difcourfe, 
 from the foregoing words, confi- 
 dered the reprefentation which the 
 prophet gives of a conviction of 
 guilt fattened upon the confciences of the 
 people of Ifrael j and upon this the refolution 
 taken by them, to wait upon God, and to 
 worfhip in his prefence ; having confidered 
 the enquiry they make into the way of ex- 
 piation, and treated on the intimation that is 
 given of the impoflibility of making an at- 
 tonement by any thing men can do. I pro- 
 ceed now, 
 
 V. 
 
74 Of the duties of 
 
 V, To confider what it is that the Lord 
 cur God requires of us, and that is, to dojujl- 
 ly> and to love mercy, and to walk humbly 
 with him. 
 
 And, from what hath been offered under 
 the former heads, it is evident, that he re- 
 quires none even of thefe at our hands, as the 
 ground of our reconciliation to him, or ac- 
 ceptance with him. For if the fruit of our 
 bodies is infufficient to take away the guilt of 
 our fouls 5 how much more infufficient mud 
 thofe fervices be, which God hath a natural 
 right, as our Creator, to demand, and which, 
 at the fame time, in the beft of men are fo 
 very imperfect, as to need the perfuming in- 
 cenfe of the interceding fefus to be accepted 
 at all. Suppofing therefore that we are re- 
 deem'd, and only fo, by the blood of Chrij}> 
 from the curfe of a violated law, regarding I 
 fay ourfelves, as heirs of the grace of God, 
 and expectants of eternal glory, I fhall en- 
 quire what it is, in the fenfe of the pro- 
 phet, that the Lord, as our God, looks for 
 at our hands, and for the performance of 
 which, he will fupply us with neceffary mea- 
 fures of his grace. And this is, 
 
 i. To dojuftly. 
 
 Justice towards our fellow creatures, is 
 one great branch of natural, as well as reveal- 
 ed religion. As it would be impoffible, that 
 fociety among men fhou'd be preferved, and 
 
 order 
 
Serm. IV. juftice and mercy. 75 
 
 order maintained without il ; fo it is a recei- 
 ved principle, agreed to by the common con- 
 fent of all nations, that fraud, extcition, vi- 
 olence, and oppreffion, which are oppofed 
 to juftice, and faithfulnefs, are deftructive to 
 community, wherever they are allowed of, 
 or connived at. This part of natural reli- 
 gion receives very confiderable improvement 
 from revelation, as reprefented in the ftrong- 
 eft light, and enforc'd by the moil conclu- 
 five reafonings. 
 
 It may be confidered under two branches ; 
 firjt, as it refpects the fubftance; and je- 
 condly, the character and reputation of our 
 fellow creatures, or fellow chriftians. 
 
 ( 1.) Then, we are to dojuflly towards the 
 fubftance or the eftates of others. That is, 
 in the whole of our converfation, we are to 
 endeavour, as near as may be, to give to e- 
 very one his due : and, though we fhou'd 
 have it in our power fecretly to defraud or 
 over-reach our neighbour, we are to be as 
 confcientious in avoiding it, as we wou'd the 
 moft barefac'd injury or opprefiion. 
 
 In the feveral callings in which the provi- 
 dence of God hath fixed us, we are to be 
 faithful and honourable in our dealings. This 
 you find exprefly commanded under the firft 
 difpenfation : Thou /halt not defraud thy neigh- 
 bour ■, and the wages of him that ts hired, fhall 
 not abide with thee all night , niii the morn- 
 ing. * And fo again, ye Jhaii do no unrighte- 
 
 oufnefs, 
 * Lev. xix. 13. 
 
yd Of the duties of 
 
 oufnefs in judgment \ in mete-yard, in weight, 
 or in meafure. fuji balances, juji weights, a 
 jujl ephah, and a juji bin jhall ye have : J am 
 the Lord your God, which brought you out of 
 the land of Egypt. Therefore Jhall ye obferve 
 all my jlatutes and all my judgments, and do 
 them : I am the Lord. fc And if the people 
 of Ifrael were obliged to this, not only from 
 their relation to God as their creator, but as 
 efpecially favour'd with his providential ap- 
 pearances for them ; how much more does 
 it become christians, who profefs to believe 
 that Chrijl hath deliver'd them from the con- 
 demnation of the law, and from the bondage 
 of fin, and the destruction of hell, to be 
 faithful and holy in all manner of converfa- 
 tion. The reafon of this command I take 
 to be founded in our mutual relation to each 
 other as creatures. No man can apprehend 
 himfelf to be wrong'd, or injur'd in his fub- 
 ftance, with pleafure and fatisfa&ion. As we 
 therefore would have others act towards us, 
 we are to deal by them. The prophet Ma- 
 lachy reafons upon this fubject with a great deal 
 of force. Have we not, fays he, all one father ? 
 hath not one God created us ? why do we deal 
 treacheroujly every man againft his brother ? e 
 
 (2.) We are to do juftice to the cha- 
 racter, and reputation of our fellow crea- 
 tures, or fellow christians, as well as to 
 their fubftance. I doubt not but there are 
 
 many, 
 * Ver. 36, 37. c Chap ii. 10. 
 
Serm. IV. juflice and mercy. yy 
 
 many, under a profeffion of religion, who 
 would not allow themfelves in any inftances 
 of fraud or injuflice in their dealings, and yet, 
 make little or no confcience of their words, 
 forgetting that an invafion on our property in 
 worldly things, is a much inferior injury to a 
 wound or flain in our reputation. It is men- 
 tion'd as one of the greatefl branches of wic- 
 ednefs for which God will reprove, that a 
 man fitteth, and fpeaketh againft, his brother , 
 and Jlandereth his own mother's Jon. A And 
 Solomon reckons among the feven things that 
 the Lord abhors, a falfe witnefs that fpeaketh 
 lies, and him that foweth dijcord among bre- 
 thren. e And, under the new teflament, the 
 apoflle Paul recommends it to Titus, to put 
 the brethren in mind, that they /peak evil of 
 no man, and affigns a good reafon for it, for 
 we our felves alfo were fometimes fooliJJj, and 
 difobedient. f 
 
 This then is one part of the reafonable 
 fervice that the Lord requires of us, that we 
 do jujlly to the eflates and characters of our 
 fellow creatures, aud furely, (by the way) 
 hence we may conclude, that if God will be 
 the avenger of injuflice towards his creatures, 
 much more fo towards his Son. If the wa- 
 ges of every inflance of injuflice is death, of 
 how much forer punifhment, fuppofe yc, pall 
 they be thought worthy, who have trodde?i un- 
 der foot the Son of God; and counted the blood 
 of the covenant an unholy, or common, thing?* 
 
 Will 
 
 4 Pfa. 1. 20. e Prov. vi. 19. f Chap. iii. 2, 3. s Heb x. 29. 
 
78 Of the duties of 
 
 Will not the righteous Lord, think you, fe- 
 verely refent the refufal to render to Cbrift 
 his due ; which muft be the cafe where the 
 glory that is erTential to his perfon, and the 
 honour that is due to his atonement are refu- 
 fed him ? But then again, 
 
 2. We are to love mercy, as well as to do 
 jujily. 
 
 Mercy fuppofes the obje&s of it to be 
 miferable, and fo to ftand in need of a com- 
 panionate regard. Accordingly, it is highly 
 agreeable to the laws of nature, as well as the 
 revealed will of God, that we fhould pity, 
 and fympathize with our fellow creatures in 
 diftrefs. Solomon tells us, that he that is glad 
 at calamities, fiall not be unpunijhed. h It 
 muft needs be moft barbarous to infult a 
 perfon in mifery, and to triumph over dif- 
 trefs. The gofpel carries this matter further, 
 obliging us not only, in general, to pity 
 peribns in affliction j but if our very ene~ 
 my mould hunger, we are to have mercy 
 on him, fo as to feed him j and thus by re- 
 turning good for evil, we are to heap, as it 
 were, coals of fire upon his head : l and for 
 this we have not only the command, but ex- 
 ample of our great Lord, who died praying 
 for thofe that embrued their hands in his 
 blood, and breathed his foul into his Father's 
 hands, with this amazing requeft, Father, 
 forgive them, for they know not what they do. k 
 And the apoftle Paul feems to want words 
 
 to 
 
 y Prov. xvii. 5. l Rom. xii. 20, 21. k Luke xxiii. 34. 
 
Serm. IV. juftice%id mercy. jg 
 
 to exprefs to us this great and glorious princi- 
 ple, when he fays, Put on therefore, (as the 
 elect of God, holy a?id beloved) bowels of mercies, 
 kindnefs, humblenefs of mind, meeknefs, long-fuf- 
 fering j Jorbearing one another, and forgiving 
 one another, even as Chr if forgave you. i 
 
 Again, a perfon may not only be mifera- 
 ble by his neceffity, but through his own 
 folly and mifcarriage ; and then if the offence 
 be private, if we obferve repentance in our 
 brother, we are to be eafy to be entreated, and 
 forgive him, though it be to feventy times 
 feven m Nay, if the offence be of a more 
 public nature, as far as our regard for the 
 honour of Chrijl, and the good of fociety 
 will admit it, we are to judge favourably : 
 and whilft we are faithful to our Lord, we 
 are to be as merciful as may be to our fellow 
 creature. This you find eminently in the 
 example of the inceftuous perfon : the apof- 
 tle Paul was as earnefl that the Corinthians 
 fhou'd receive him upon his repentance, with 
 all the refpect and love due to a brother ; as 
 he was folicitous they fhou'd rejecl: him, 
 whilft he was infenfible of his offence. ■ And 
 where any profefling chriftians are above re- 
 ceiving returning finners, in all the bowels of 
 mercy, they, as really, and, perhaps, as hei- 
 noufly offend againft God, as in any other 
 injury or oppreffion. For the fame God who 
 fays, thou fialt not Jleal, has alfo faid, thou 
 
 fhalt 
 
 1 Col. iii. 12. m Luke xviii, 22. ■ 1 Cor. v. compared 
 with 2 Cor. vii. 
 
80 Of the duties of 
 
 Jhalt love thy ?ieighbour as thy felf He who 
 requires us to do jujlly, will have us alfo love 
 mercy. 
 
 We are not only to be merciful, but to 
 love mercy : And this may imply either the 
 readinefs, or chearfulnefs with which we are 
 to mew it ; or the degree of our regard to 
 this difpofition. 
 
 First, We are to do it, readily, not only as 
 our duty, but our privilege. This is to be 
 followers of God as dear children, ° for he de- 
 lights in mercy. p And wherever this is the 
 cafe, it doubles the favour, and renders it 
 the more peculiarly acceptable to the perfon 
 on whom it is beftowed. When we are not 
 driven to pity the dinreffed merely from the 
 extremity of their cafe, but as thofe who are 
 feniible that we are under higher obligations 
 to God for the freedom and fovereignty of 
 his kindnefs to us, it appears to flow from 
 the fpiritual tenor and difpofition of our fouls. 
 Thus what we do, in this refpect, is to be 
 done with all our hearts. Again, 
 
 Secondly, It may imply the largenefs of 
 our mercy. We are to love mercy. What- 
 ever a man delights in, he wou'd do it fre- 
 quently, and fully. And in this we are to 
 meafure our duty by the circumftances of 
 the diftreffed, and the ability God hath gi- 
 ven us. If we have it not in the power of 
 our hands to communicate of our fubftance, 
 we are to help them by our advice, and by our 
 
 prayers. 
 
 • Fph. v. i P Micah vii. 18. 
 
Sc r m . I V. j'ujiice and mercy , 8 I 
 
 prayers. But where God hath given us large- 
 ly of the good things of this life, freely have 
 we received, and jreely alfo are we to give. 
 And the neceflity a man is in of a continual 
 fupply of the abundant mercies of God, is a 
 very juft rule by which he ought to meafure 
 his pity and bounty to his fellow creatures. 
 
 Thus then I have confidered the two firft 
 branches of our duty, to dojuftly, and to love 
 mercy ; , under which two heads may be re- 
 duced all the commands of the fecond table, 
 refpecting our fellow creatures. And before 
 I enter upon the firft table, or our duty to- 
 wards God, it will be necefTary to make fome 
 remarks upon what I have faid. And, 
 
 , i. From hence then we may iearn the 
 glorious perfections of the great Lawgiver. 
 As we may know fomething of the nature 
 of a prince by the laws he enacts j fo we 
 may read the glory of God in the rules that 
 he hath prefcribed for us to walk by. He 
 muft needs be a holy and a gracious God, 
 who requires us to do juftly, and to love mer- 
 cy. That is a very magnificent defcription 
 of the holinefs of God, which Mofes gives 
 us in his fong. Who is like unto thee, O 
 Lord amongjl the gods ? who is like thee, glori- 
 ous in holinejs, fear Jul in prai/es, doing won- 
 ders? q And it is a very inftructive repre- 
 fentation, which we have in the revelation of 
 the worfhip of perfected faints in the up- 
 £er world. I'bey jing the Jong of Moles 
 •3 Exol xv. 12. the 
 
 G 
 
#2 Of the duties of 
 
 the fervant of God, and the Jong of the lamb, 
 faying, Great and marvellous are thy works, 
 Lord God almighty, jujl and true are thy 
 ways, thou King of faints. Who jhall ?iot fear 
 thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name ? for thou 
 only art holy. r And as God is juft, fo he alfo 
 is merciful 3 that is, in a way confident with 
 his juftice. For otherwife, whatever notions 
 we may have of this attribute, it muft be 
 rather a weaknefs than a perfection. And 
 therefore you find them both joined together 
 by the pfalmift, Juft ice and judgment are the 
 habitation of thy throne : mercy and truth 
 Jhall go before thy face. s So that, whilft we 
 are learning our duty, we may obferve the 
 infinite and harmonious perfections of that 
 God who hath commanded it 5 that he is a 
 being, as ftrictly juft and holy, as he is mer- 
 ciful and good. Again, 
 
 2. From hence we may infer the imper- 
 fection of our obedience. Is there a mouth 
 in the whole world, but what muft be flop- 
 ped before God, with refpect to the duties 
 of the fecond table ? Were we never unfaith- 
 ful to any truft repofed in us ? did we never 
 wrong our neighbour, either in his perfon, 
 or his eftate ? have we, upon all juft occafi- 
 ons, been ready to put on bowels of compaf- 
 fion, pity, and tendernefs ? can we fay that 
 we have been fully, and always faithful in thefe 
 things ? No, furely. If confcience performs 
 its office faithfullv, it muft tell us how infinite r 
 
 r Rev. xv. 3, 4. * Pfal. Ixxxix. 14. 
 
Serm. IV. jujlice and mercy % 83 
 
 ly fliort we have all come of our duty in 
 thefe refpects : agreeable to what the apoftle 
 Paul obferves at large to the Romans ; when 
 fpeaking of the perfon, whofe damnation is 
 ju/l, What then ? fays he, are we better than 
 they ? No, in no wife : for we have before 
 proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are 
 all under fin, as it is written, 'There is none 
 righteous, no not one. t From whence he con- 
 cludes, that every mouth fhould be flopped, and 
 all the world become guilty before God. For 
 by the deeds of the law, Jhall no flefld be juftiji- 
 ed in his fight. * Let us remember then the 
 imperfection of our circumftances at heft, 
 and confequently the unworthinefs of our 
 conduct, that, whenever we glory, it may be 
 in the Lord. But again, 
 
 3. Hence we fee the intire confiflency 
 there is between our looking to Chrijl as the 
 Lord our righteoufiefs, and our regard to the 
 precepts of the moral law, as good in them- 
 felves, and neceffary to us, both as to life, 
 and godlinefs. He that hath commanded us 
 to believe on his Son, and hath promifed eter- 
 nal life and happinefs through him, and on 
 his account, hath left it as our duty to main- 
 tain good works. m The fame Jefus who 
 came to deftroy and abolifh the condemning, 
 hath left in full force the commanding part 
 of the law. He hath indeed removed the 
 enmity, that was betwixt God and us, for the 
 breach of it ; but he hath eflabliih'd the fpi- 
 G 2 ritual 
 
 1 Rom. iii 9, 10. u Ver. 19, 20. w Tit. iii. 8. 
 
$4 'Of the duties of 
 
 ritual part, and requires our regard to it : 
 and as he knows we are impotent, as well as 
 unworthy, he hath directed us to look to 
 himfelf for afiiftance for the difcharge of du- 
 ty, as well as merit for the favour of God. 
 You fee the prophet in the text, at the fame 
 time that he allures us that nothing on our 
 part can anfwer for our tranfgrefiions, tells 
 us what God expects of us. As it is impi- 
 ous to fay we have liberty to fin in our prac- 
 tice, becaufe grace hath abounded in our ex- 
 perience -j fo it is the higheft idolatry to pre- 
 fent our fervices, as an offering to God for 
 our acceptance. It will be allowed, I ap- 
 prehend, that our Lord was a judge in this 
 matter : and he fays to his difciples, When 
 ye JJjall have done dll thofe things which are 
 commanded you, fay, We are unprofitable fer- 
 vants : we have done that which was our duty 
 to do. x Which he illuftrates by this ques- 
 tion, Will a matter thank that fervant that 
 doth the things that were com?nanded him f r 
 Will he think himfelf obliged ? much lefs 
 then the fovereign Lord of all, who fills 
 heaven and earth with his prefence and glo- 
 ry. But becaufe he will not thank him for 
 his fervices, as an obligation laid on him, 
 does he therefore ceafe from his right to 
 thofe fervices? by no means. So that you 
 fee there is the higheft confiftency betwixt 
 keeping the commandments, as a rule given 
 
 us 
 
 x Luke xvii. 10. w Ver. 9. 
 
Semi. IV. jufJce a?id mercy. 85 
 
 us by God to walk by, and not trufling in 
 our obedience, as Satisfactory for our accept- 
 ance with him. 
 
 4. And laflly, in all our actions towards 
 our fellow creatures, we are to be careful 
 that one duty does not mut out another. 
 We are to do juftly, but then fo, as to love 
 mercy ; and we are to exercife mercy, fo as 
 to do juftly. That which would be juftice 
 in one cafe, may be cruelty in another. And 
 that which would be mercy in one circum- 
 stance, may be injuftice in another. Thus, 
 iiippofing a crime committed in which the 
 good of fociety is concerned, to take no no- 
 tice of this, is to be unjuft : becaufe it is in- 
 juring a whole community. But fuppofing 
 the cafe of a private nature, in which a man's 
 felf is only concerned, to take all the advan- 
 tage of juftice, in many infbnces, would be 
 unmerciful. 
 
 I shou'd now have proceeded, under the 
 laft general head, to confider the other branch 
 of our duty, and that is to walk humbly with 
 our God; where we have a very large field 
 of difcourfe, as what includes the whole 
 firft table. The former hath a more imme- 
 diate refpect to our converfation with men, 
 this to our actions towards God. Un- 
 der the firft we are viewed as in the world, 
 under the latter as converfing more immedi- 
 ately with the divine Being. But that I 
 (hall not enter upon at prefent : and only 
 
 G 3 add, 
 
86 Of the duties of &c. 
 
 add, that we have abundant caufc to blefs 
 the name of the Lord our God, that whilfl 
 we muft plead guilty before him, he hath 
 revealed a way, in which juftice and mercy 
 are reconciled, all his perfections glorified, 
 and yet that there is hope in Sion concern- 
 ing the greatefl of tinners. 
 
 SER- 
 
( 8 7 ) 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 Micah vi. 8. 
 
 He hath Jhewed thee, O man; what is good; 
 and what doth the Lord require of thee > but 
 to do jujlly, and to love mercy, and to walk 
 humbly with thy God? 
 
 The third Sermon on this text, 
 
 O be admitted into the friendmip of 
 a great and good man, and much 
 more of a powerful and mighty 
 prince, is juftly efteemed among the 
 molt valuable bleffings of this life; and in 
 proportion to the greatnefs, or wifdom of 
 the perfon, his converfation is regarded as an 
 honour and a privilege. It is but now and 
 then that we hear of a peafant being recei- 
 ved into the confidence and familiarity of his 
 prince. How extraordinary an inftance of 
 
 G 4 conde- 
 
88 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 condefcenfion is it then in the great and ho- 
 ly God to allow, nay even to require, his 
 people to walk with him in a way of friend- 
 ly communion ? "When, with David, we con- 
 Jider the Leavens the work of his hands, the 
 fun moon and fars which he hath ordained, 
 and turn our thoughts to thofe minijlring 
 fpirits, thofe fons of the morning, who enjoy 
 a conftant view of the perfections of his na- 
 ture, and inceffantly adore his glory, we may 
 well fay, What is man that thou art mindful of 
 him, or the f on of man that thou vijttefl him f a 
 That God mould require us to make him 
 our fear and our dread, to walk before him, 
 in uprightnefs, and to tremble in his pre- 
 fence, is not lb furprifmg : but, that he mould 
 fix an infeparable connection betwixt our hap- 
 pinefs and our duty, or betwixt our reafonable 
 Service and our privilege, how amazing is 
 fuch condefcending goodnefs as this ? To 
 meafure the dimenfions, or fathom the depths 
 of this grace calls for the enlarged capacities 
 of a perfected fpirit, ana yet even fo it is, 
 that he who will not be pleafed with thou- 
 fands of rams, or ten thoufands of rivers of oil, 
 he who will not admit of the facrifice of 
 the fruit of our bodies for our tranfgrcjjions, 
 hath not only required us to do jujlly, and to 
 love mercy, but to walk humbly with him. 
 The two former duties, I have fhewn you, re- 
 fpecl; the fecond table, in which the Lord 
 
 calls 
 
 a Pfa. viii. 3, 4. 
 
& r m . V . Of walking humbly with God. 8 9 
 
 calls for equity in our dealings, and for the 
 love of mercy towards the objects of com- 
 paiTion, among our fellow creatures. We 
 proceed now, 
 
 3. To the laft claufe of the words, and 
 which contains the laft branch of our duty, 
 viz. to walk humbly with our God. 
 
 This indeed includes the whole of 
 the firft table; and I hope to make it evi- 
 dent that what God calls for at our hands, 
 as agreeable to our relation to him as crea- 
 tures, and efpecially as redeemed by the 
 blood of his Son, is one main branch of our 
 happinefs, and the fruit of our belonging to 
 the covenant of grace. And here, you will 
 eafily obferve, that there are thefe three 
 things to be inquired into from this claufe of 
 our text. 
 
 First, The duty it felf, and that is to walk 
 with God. 
 
 Secondly, The manner of its perform- 
 ance ; it is to be done humbly : and, 
 
 Thirdly, The reafon, or authority by 
 which it is enjoined; the Lord hath 
 required it of us. I begin, 
 
 First, with the duty itfelf, and this is to 
 walk with God. In his prefence, we are told, 
 is fulnefs of joy, and at his right hand are 
 pleajures for evermore. b To enjoy the fa- 
 vourable 
 
 b Pfa. xvi. 11, 
 
go Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 vourable fmiles of the fountain of all excellency 
 mult needs give joy unfpeakable^ and full of 
 _ glory. Happy is the man, that is in fuch a 
 cafe, yea thrice happy is the man whofe God 
 is the Lord. c It is faid of Enoch that he 
 walked with God. d And you find the fame 
 expreflion, with little alteration, very fre- 
 quent in fcripture. As this evidently takes 
 in the whole of our religion, fo there 
 are many things necefTarily prefuppofed, a§ 
 antecedent to fuch an honourable and graci- 
 ous intimacy with the divine Being, as is 
 intended by this phrafe. For, 
 
 i. You know there rauft be a mutual 
 agreement between two parties, before they 
 can walk together. Enmity implies averfion; 
 and there can be no friendly communion, 
 much lefs agreeable walk, between two that 
 are directly oppofite to each other. So that 
 to walk with God, fuppofes that he is at 
 peace with us, and we with him. This was 
 the cafe originally betwixt the great Jehovah 
 and our firfl parents, whilft they retain'd 
 their integrity. God could converfe with 
 them with delight, and they commune with 
 him with freedom. But no fooner had they 
 finned againft him, than they difcovered a prin- 
 ciple of enmity, in flying from his prefence. 
 And methinks we need no other evidence, 
 that in this we all bear their image, than the 
 conftant experience we have of a corrupt 
 
 principle 
 
 c Pfal. cxliv. 15, d Gen. v. xxiv. 
 
S erm . V. Of walking humbly with God. 9 1 
 
 principle within us, which fays unto the Al- 
 mighty, Depart from us, for we dejlre not 
 the knowledge of thy ways. • And hence it is 
 the apoflle obferves, that whilft we are in 
 the flefo, or ftrangers to the work of the Spi- 
 rit upon our fouls, we cannot pleafe God*, 
 and affi^ns this reafon for it, becaufe the car- 
 nal mind is enmity againjl God : i it is in 
 league with his enemies, iin and fatan, and 
 filled with the ftrongeft averfion to him. 
 And, as we are enemies to God by wicked 
 works, (o he is at enmity with us ; being of 
 purer eyes than to behold iniquity, he mud 
 abhor the workers of it, confidered as his 
 enemies. Of this you have many intima- 
 tions in his word. See, inftead of many o- 
 thers, thefe two very awful parTages, pfalm 
 v. 4, 5. For thou art not a God that hath 
 pleafure in wickednefs: neither Jhall evil dwell 
 with thee. The foolifj fiall not fland in thy 
 /ight : thou hatejl all workers of iniquity. 
 To which you may add what is mentioned 
 in pfalm xi. 5, 6. The Lord trieth the righ- 
 teous : but the wicked and him that loveth vi- 
 olence, his foul hateth. Upon the wicked he 
 fhall rain fnares, fire, and brim/lone, and an 
 horrible tempeft : this fiall be the portion of 
 their cup. 
 
 Now this being the enmity that is natu- 
 rally between God and us, as the prophet 
 Amos obferves, * Can two walk together ex- 
 
 cept 
 • Job. xxi. 14. f Rom. viii. 6, 7, 8. g Chap. iii. 3. 
 
92 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 cept they be agreed^ The way in which, or 
 the perion by whom, we arrive at this privi- 
 lege is the Lord Jefus Chrift, who is ftiled 
 our peace, h and, is faid, to have dcjlrofd 
 the enmity betwixt God and us. As we are 
 wade nigh to God through him, he having 
 finifced iranfgrefjion, and made an end of Jin, 
 and reconciPd God unto us by his everlafting 
 righteoufhefs. The means of our reconcili- 
 ation to God, is the agency of his Spirit; who 
 reveals the Saviour, in the glory of his per- 
 fon, and perfection of his atonement, and 
 powerfully deftroys every high thought and 
 imagination, that wou'd exalt it felf againfl 
 the Lord, and his Chrift; and leads the believer 
 into a difcovery of the excellency of the wif- 
 dom, grace, and glory of this way of re- 
 demption ; enabling him to blefs God for 
 it, and rejoice in it. This you have repre- 
 fented to you, in both the branches of it, in 
 a very juft light by the apoftle Faul : And 
 all things are of God, fays he, who hath re- 
 conciled us to himfelf by jfefus Chrift, and hath 
 given to us the miniftry of reconciliation. To 
 wit, that God was in Chrift, reconciling the 
 world unto himfelf not imputing their trefpaf- 
 fes unto them, and hath committed unto us the 
 word of reconciliation. Now then we are am~ 
 bafjadors for Chrijl, as though God did be- 
 feech you by us ; we pray you in Chrift' s Jlead, 
 be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made 
 
 him 
 
 h Eph. ij. 14. 
 
cerm.V. Of walking humbly with &od. 9 J 
 
 i//« to be fin for us, who knew no fin ; that 
 we might be made the righteoufncfs of God in 
 him. * In which paffage you have, firft an 
 intimation of the way of reconciliation on 
 God's part. It is by Chriji that he becomes 
 one with us ; by putting away our fins, and 
 imputing them unto his Son. Again, our 
 being friends with God being neceflary, as 
 well as his friendfhip to us ; he hath commit- 
 ted unto his minifters this word of reconcili- 
 ation : in the miniftration of which they, as 
 ambafadors for Chriji, in his name, and by 
 his authority, deliver this meffage of peace 
 unto finners; in which they.earneftly befeecb 
 them to be reconciled unto God : and, in or- 
 der to it, reprefent to them the grace of 
 God, in making him to be fin for us, who 
 knew 710 fin. So that before we can walk 
 with God, we muft be acquainted with his 
 Son, and have fome good ground to hope 
 that we are accepted in him. God muft be at 
 peace with us, and we reconciled to him, other 
 wife all our endeavours to walk with G^will 
 be infignincant. And, as one well obferves, 
 " All that we do for God, will in this cafe, be 
 <c as the gifts of an enemy j and though they 
 " may poffibly be rewarded in this life, yet 
 <c as the facrifices of the wicked are an abo- 
 " mination to the Lord, fo they will be rejec- 
 ** ted as to any worthinefs in the day of the 
 " Lord." But again. 
 
 2. It 
 
 1 2 Cor. v. 18. — zi. 
 
94 Q/* walking humbly with God. 
 
 2. It fuppofes fuch a reconciliation, as 
 that the confequence of this agreement, the 
 end and defign of the perfons fhou'd be the 
 fame. PerfonSj you know, in walking to- 
 gether are travelling towards one and the 
 fame place ; and, taking the words in a mo- 
 ral fenfe, where any are faid to walk toge- 
 ther, they are fuppofed to have one common 
 aim and view. The defign that God has in 
 every thing, is the manifestation of his own 
 perfections; to fet forth to view the glory of 
 his wifdom, power, and faithfulnefs. Thus 
 he is faid to have made all things for him- 
 felf: k and the world is faid, with all things 
 that are in it, to be created by his agency, 
 and for his pleafure. l In the work of our 
 falvation, among other perfections, that of 
 his grace is mentioned in a very peculiar 
 manner, as illuftrated in every part of it. 
 Now to walk with God fuppofes, that we are 
 regarding the fame end with him. Does he 
 defign to be glorious in mewing mercy, for- 
 giving iniquity, tranfgreflion, and fin ? then 
 the faint that walks with him in truth, is 
 breathing after the fame j and would be bet- 
 ter acquainted with the greatnefs of his kind- 
 nefs, and have the Lord alone exalted in his 
 foul. He wou'd be glad to improve in the 
 knowledge of his love, as fovereign, and 
 undeferved ; and is aiming, in every thing 
 that he does, more or lefs, that Chrift may 
 
 be 
 
 k Prov. xvi. 4. 1 Rev. iv. 1 1. 
 
Serm. V. Of walking humbly with God. 95" 
 
 be magnified, as the foundation and glory of 
 the whole fpiritual building. Again, does 
 the Lord defign, after he hath guided the 
 believer by his counfel, to receive him to his 
 glory ? or having finimed the work of grace 
 in his foul here, to crown him with the re- 
 ward of eternal life ? The believer is alfo, in 
 fome meafure, one with him in this refpect, 
 waiting and longing to enjoy him, as the in- 
 heritance, and portion of his foul. He would 
 be more and more loofened from time, and 
 grow in his longings after the God of his fal- 
 vation. As the Lord fays unto him, Fear 
 not , / am thy Jloield, and thy exceeding great 
 reward ;" fo he takes leave humbly to re- 
 ply, Whom have I in heaven but thee? atid 
 there is none upon earth that I dejire befides 
 thee. n 
 
 3. And laftly, before we can walk with 
 God, there muft be a fpiritual principle of life 
 and motion given to, or created in our fouls, 
 Natural death leaves the body inactive, deflroys 
 the power of the organs to difcharge their 
 feveral functions j and fo, whilft, in a fpiri- 
 tual fenfe, we are dead in trefpanes and lins, 
 there can be no walk with God maintained : 
 We are alive unto fin> but dead unto God. ° 
 As the body of Adam would have been like 
 the earth from whence it was taken, had not 
 God breathed into it the breath of life ; fo our 
 fouls, while in this natural flate, may very 
 
 juftly 
 
 a Gen. xv. 1. » Pfa. Ixxiii. 25. • Rom. vi. 11. 
 
 8 
 
96 Of walking humhly with God. 
 
 juflly be compared to dry bones fcatter'd at 
 the grave's mouth. And as there can be no 
 converfe between the living and the dead ; fo, 
 whilft we are fpiritually dead, we muft needs 
 be ftrangers to communion with the faints, 
 and much more with God himfelf. Thefe 
 things are necdfarily fuppofed antecedent to 
 our walking with God. He muft be at peace 
 with us in Chrift, and we reconciled to him 
 by the power of his Spirit, beftowing know- 
 ledge and faith upon our fouls. We muft. 
 have, in fome meafure, one and the fame 
 aim, and from death infw, be made alive un- 
 to God, 
 
 Having premifed thefe things, I proceed 
 to a more particular enquiry into the duty it- 
 felf. And you may obferve, that the expref- 
 fion is metaphorical, and to be taken in a 
 moral, and not a natural fenfe, confifting, as 
 I apprehend, in the believers communion with 
 the divine Being, as his God in covenant, and 
 his regard unto his will as the Lord his Sove- 
 reign. 
 
 First, To walk with God t is to maintain 
 communion or fellowship with him as our 
 God in covenant. And this may be confider- 
 ed either as extraordinary, or more common. 
 
 1. There are fome feafons in which the 
 chriftian walks with God in a more near 
 and intimate way, as his own God, in whom 
 he hath a fpecial propriety. This I call a 
 more extraordinary walk with God, as what 
 8 is 
 
Serm. V. Of walking humbly with God. 97 
 
 is not commonly maintained with conftancy 
 by the faints. It is impoffible to give a juft 
 defcription of this to the man, who is a 
 ftranger to it in his own experience. When 
 we think of the familiarity which a father al- 
 lows his child, or that which one friend 
 will take with another both fall vaftly fhort 
 of this divine communion. For as there is 
 the greateft difproportion between the two 
 parties engaged in it, God, and man ; fo, 
 when God manifefts himfelf unto us, it is 
 in a way that is agreeable to his infinitely 
 glorious nature. The befl account that I can 
 give of it, is fomething like this. When the 
 Lord defigns to vifit a believer with thefe re- 
 markable intimations of his loving-kindnefs, 
 he leads him, by the fpecial agency of his 
 Spirit, to his Son, as one in whom he is well 
 pleafed, difcovers to him the largenefs of his 
 grace in him, and witneffes by his Spirit that he 
 is interefted in it, and thus, in a fpecial and de- 
 lightful way, he looks into fuch a foul with that 
 love, that feals it unto the day of redemption - t ' 
 and as thus receiving the grace of God, he 
 allows fuch an one the liberty to contemplate 
 his divine perfections, as engaged in his fa- 
 vour. Of this the royal pfalmift feems to 
 have had frequent experience, There be many, 
 fays he, that fay, who will f jew us any good? 
 but the voice of my foul is, Lord, lift 
 thou up the light of thy countenance upon us : 
 and, as if the mercy had been given in upon 
 
 H its 
 
98 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 its being afked, he adds, Thou haft put glad- 
 nefs in my heart, more than in the time that 
 their corn and their wine encreafed. p And 
 therefore, in another place, he calls upon 
 the faints, Sing unto the Lord, (0 ye faints 
 of his) and give thanks at the remembrance 
 of his hoiinefs. For his anger endureth but a 
 moment ; in his favour is life: weeping may en- 
 dure for a night, but joy cometh in the morn- 
 ing. q And again, he fays, / will blefs the 
 Lord at all times, his praife fjall continually 
 be in my mouth. My foul fl: all make her boafl 
 in the Lord : the humble flail hear thereof, 
 and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, 
 and let us exalt his name together. r And, to 
 add no more, How excellent, fays he, is thy 
 loving kindfiefs, O God ! therefore the children 
 of men put their trufl under the JJjadow of thy 
 wings. Theyfljali be abundantly fa ti sped with 
 the fatnefs of thy houfe : and thou Jhalt make 
 them drink of the river of thy pleajures. For 
 with thee is the fountain of life, in thy light 
 flail we fee light. ' Thus, as in the multi- 
 tude of his thoughts within him, the Lord vifi- 
 ted him with the fpecial confolations of his 
 Spirit -, fo, more or lefs, it hath been the ex- 
 perience of every chofen veflel : at fome fea- 
 fons fuch have been enabled to fay, Our be- 
 loved is ours and we are his, x we know in whom 
 we have believed, u and are even confident that 
 
 he 
 
 p Pfa. iv. 6, 7. 1 Pfa. xxx. 4, 5. ■ * Pfa. xxxiv. 1, 2, 3. 
 * Pfa. xxxvi. 7, 8. « Cant. ii. 16. "2 Tim. i. 12. 
 
Serm.V. Of walking humbly with God. 99 
 
 he will keep them from fallings andprefent them 
 faultlefs, before the prefetjcc of his glory with 
 exceeding joy. w But then, 
 
 2. There is a more conftant and habitual 
 walking with God by faith, whereby we con- 
 verfe with him in his Son as a merciful God, 
 and ready to communicate every neceffary 
 good unto us. Thus, though the apoflle 
 Paul, could not always fay he felt the blils 
 of the third heaven, yet you know, as to 
 his more common experience, he fays, The 
 life which I now live in the flefh, I live by the 
 faith of the f on of God % x that is, he was de- 
 lirous to walk in Chrift Jefus, as he had at 
 firft received him, as the Lord his righteouf- 
 nefs for acceptance, and the Lord his ftrength 
 for afliftance. And thus the believer is faid to 
 walk with God, when he converfes with him, 
 as he manifefts himfelf in his Son. And to 
 this purpofe you find the word explained in 
 the eleventh of the Hebrews, where you have 
 a large catalogue of worthies, who lived and 
 died in faith, feveral of whom, as we are in- 
 formed in the old teftament, walked with God. 
 And indeed there can be no walking with 
 God without faith, for without faith it is 
 impofjible to pleafe him. y Nay, it is the pro- 
 perty of faith, in the hand of the Spirit of 
 God to empty a man of himfelf, and to fill 
 him with his Lord, or in other words, to lead 
 him to look for all that in, and from Chriir, of 
 H 2 which 
 
 * Jude 24. x Gal. ii. zo. y Heb. xl. 6. 
 
I oo Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 • which he finds he is deficient in himfelf, and 
 which maybe reduced to two heads, viz. righ- 
 teoufnefs and ftrength, as we are both impo- 
 tent and guilty. But again. 
 
 Secondly, As walking with God implies 
 communion with him and dependance upon 
 him, fo alfo it includes a regard unto him as 
 the Lord our fovereign, or to his will as our 
 law. We are expreily told, his ferv ants we 
 are to whom we yield ourfehes fervants to o- 
 bey y whether of Jin unto death t or of obedi- 
 ence unto right eon fnefs. z God calls, not only 
 for all the regard of the foul as to its depen- 
 dance on him, but alfo its obedience to him ; 
 and this muft be, (i.) Univerfal in its ex- 
 tent) and, (2.) Ingenuous in its principle. 
 
 1. It muft be univerfal in its extent. It is 
 impofTible, indeed, that it fhould be perfect in 
 the degree of it ; becaufe every imagination of 
 the thoughts of our he arts is only evil y and that con- 
 tinually.* But then we are not to fay of this or 
 that part of God's law, we will pay a ready obe- 
 dience to it, in the neglect of any other of the 
 fame authority. He that hath enjoined one pre- 
 cept, hath enjoined all. Abraham not only 
 left his native country, at the command of 
 God, but parted with Hagar and Ifomael y 
 and almoif, with his beloved fon Ifaac, and 
 and that in a dreadful way too. Nor do we 
 indeed juftly acknowledge our Redeemer's do- 
 minion, or properly call him Lord y if we 
 
 wilfully 
 
 z Rom, vi. 16. a Gen. vi. 5. 
 
Serm.V. Of * walking humbly with God. 101 
 
 wilfully, conftantly, and habitually neglect 
 the things which he commands. It is faid 
 of Zacharias and Elifabeth that they walked 
 in all the commandments, and ordinances of 
 the Lord blamelejs : b by which we are not to 
 underftand that they were abfolutely perfect 
 in their regard to the law either moral or ce- 
 remonial j but had received a principle of 
 grace from God, which, as far as it was ia 
 ^xercife, influenced them to an univerfal con- 
 cern for his glory in all their ways. In 
 walking with God no part of known du- 
 ty is to be neglected, nor any inftance of 
 tranfgreflion wilfully to be allowed of. 'Tis 
 true, when we have done all, we mutt fay 
 we have come vaftly fhort of our duty, and 
 therefore blefs God for our falvation in his 
 Son. And the afcribing our falvation wholly 
 to Chrift Jefus is fo entirely confident with 
 an habitual defire to honour God by an ho- 
 ly regard to all his revealed will, that, in pro- 
 portion to our increafein communion with him, 
 we fhall find thofe defires the more earneft 
 to fhew forth the praifes of that grace, where- 
 by we are made acceptable in the fight of 
 God, by a converfation becoming the gofpel. 
 And, for my part, I mufl think that, let a 
 man's pretentions to faith or privileges be 
 ever fo great, whilft he manifeftly difcovers 
 no proper fenfe of his obligation to duty, 
 and lives in an habitual neglect and contempt 
 H 3 of 
 
 h Luke i. 6, 
 
i o 2 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 of it, I ought to conclude that fuch a man's 
 faith is vain, that is, that he hath no true 
 faith at all. And I think what the apoflle John 
 obferves very abundantly flrengthens the con- 
 clufion : Hereby, fays he, we do know that we 
 know him, if we keep his commandments. He 
 that Jaith, I know him, and keepeth not his 
 commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not 
 in him. c And thofe are very awful words 
 of the apoflle Paul, that the damnation of 
 fuch perfons is jujl, who only fanderoufy re- 
 port, that is barely, though unjullly affirm, 
 that we may do evil that good may come. * 
 And if the very report of thefe things de- 
 ferves condemnation, how much more the 
 wilful acknowledgement of them in their 
 daily converfation ? How then can a man be 
 faid to walk with God, who allows himfelf, 
 in the courfe of his converfation, to act con- 
 trary to his revealed will, to trample upon 
 his authority, and neglect his grace ? 
 
 2. This obedience mufl be ingenuous in 
 the principle, as well as univerfal in the 
 extent of it. Paul feemed to have an un- 
 limited concern for the law of God, before 
 converfion, as far as he was acquainted with 
 it ; but then it was the obedience of an ene- 
 my, and not of a fon. He was walking with 
 himfelf rather than with his God j but after 
 his converfion, being experimentally acquaint- 
 ed with the mercies of God himfelf, he pref- 
 
 fes 
 * I John ii. 4, 5.' * Rom. iii. 8. 
 
Serm. V. Of walking humbly with God. 1 03 
 
 fes the faints at Rome , by thefe mercies to pre- 
 fent their bodies a living facrifi.ee , holy, and 
 acceptable unto God, as their ruoft reafonable 
 fervice. ■ Our obedience can never deferve 
 the name of gofpel obedience, unlefs it flows 
 from a view of our intereft in God through 
 fefus Chrijl : this our Lord feems to inti- 
 mate, when he fays, If ye love me keep my 
 commandments* f Love muft precede obedi- 
 ence. Which leads us to confider, 
 
 II. The way and manner in which this duty 
 is to be difcharged. But of that and what 
 follows in a future difcourfe. 
 
 c Rom. xii. 1. f John xiv. 15. 
 
 H 4 SEft- 
 
( io 4 ) 
 
 SERMON VI, 
 
 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 Micah vi. 8. 
 
 lie hath Jhewed thee, O man j what is good ; 
 and what doth the Lord require of thee, 
 but to do juftly, and to love mercy, and to, 
 walk humbly with thy God? 
 
 The fourth Sermon on this text. 
 
 N fpeakirig from the laft claufe of 
 thefe words, I have in a former dif- 
 courfe propofed, 
 
 I. To confider the duty itfelf, and what 
 it is to walk with God. 
 
 II. The manner of its performance} it is, 
 to be done humbly. And, 
 
 III. The reafon, or authority by which 
 it is enjoined. The Lord hath required 
 it of us. 
 
 The 
 
Serm.VI. Of walking humblywith God. 105 
 
 The firft of thefe I have considered, and 
 proceed now, 
 
 II. To treat on the way and manner how this 
 duty mould be performed. It is to be done hum- 
 bly ; with becoming apprehensions of the pri- 
 vilege we are admitted to, and our unwor- 
 thinefs of it. 
 
 The term humiiiti is as frequently ufed, 
 and as little underltood, in the genuine 
 meaning of it, by the generality of pro- 
 fe fling chriftians, as any one word by 
 which any branch of our religion is expref- 
 fed. Some take it for a free, ingenuous, and 
 unreferved deportment towards our equals 
 and inferiors, in oppofition to a lofty, impe- 
 rious carriage. And this is certainly one 
 lower branch of humility. Others confine 
 it to a ferious form of countenance, or a par- 
 ticular tone of voice in religious fervices, 
 attended with a diflinguifhed meannefs of 
 apparel and behaviour j when at the fame 
 time, there may be as much pride in 
 fuch affected Angularities, as in the moll: 
 pompous and expenfive excefTes. No, as 
 the foul is the feat of humility, and God the 
 author, and primary object of this grace, 
 it muff, needs contain fomething of a much 
 more excellent nature in it. If we were not 
 acquainted with the vilenefs of our nature, 
 we might be tempted to think that there 
 
 could 
 
I o 6 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 could be little or no occasion for the exhor- 
 tation in our text, to walk humbly with God : 
 but, if we know any thing, we muft be 
 fenfible of the infinite difproportion betwixt 
 him and us, both as to nature, and perfec- 
 tions. For a worm to be allowed to walk 
 with the Creator of all things, and a finful crea- 
 ture to be admitted to converfe with perfect 
 purity, are wonders of grace, which mull: needs 
 aflonim the foul that is a partaker of fo in- 
 eftimable a privilege : a?d the higher we are 
 lifted up in the enjoyment of it, the lower 
 we mull: needs fink in our own eyes. The 
 nearer we are to our God, the further we 
 fhall be from vanity, and carnal pride. 
 There is indeed a fort of external commu- 
 nion with God in ordinances and privileges, 
 that may be feparated from humility. Thus 
 the church of the Jews was, you know, for 
 ieveral ages diftinguimed by fome fpecial to- 
 kens of the divine prefence ; in which fenfe, 
 God might be faid to walk, or to dwell ex- 
 ternally with them. This favour they abu- 
 fed to a fond conceit of themfelves, and a 
 haughty contemptuous treatment of the reft 
 of the world ; and by their grofs purfuit of 
 bodily fervices, and reiling in them, they at 
 lall funk into an utter neglect of all fpiritual 
 and vital religion. But where the foul is ta- 
 ken by the Spirit of Chrift into the immedi- 
 ate prefence of God, and indulged with com- 
 munion with him, every look of love is of a 
 
 humbling 
 
Serm.VI. Of walking humbly with God. 107 
 humbling nature, and each teftimony of his 
 grace leaves fuch an one more abafed in his 
 own eyes. And that we may the better 
 come at the meaning of the Spirit of God in 
 the text, as to the manner of the difcharge 
 of this duty. I fhall, 
 
 First, Confider the believer in his firfl 
 fetting out for God. 
 
 Secondly, In his converfation afterwards 
 in his paffage to heaven. And, 
 
 Thirdly, In the reward that he is to re- 
 ceive, when he comes to fee as he is feen> 
 and know as he is known. 
 
 Under each of which it will be evident, 
 that it is the great work of the Spirit of God, 
 to bring us to low thoughts of ourfelves, and 
 to engage us to glory only in the Lord. 
 
 First, We are to take a view of the be- 
 liever in his firft fetting out in religion. We 
 fhall then find him brought under a fenfe of 
 his being a loft, undone, perifhing creature, 
 viler than the beafls of the earth, deferving 
 the fame torments with the very devils them- 
 felves. We are naturally prone to think our- 
 felves fomething, when in reality we are no- 
 thing ; and to fancy ourfelves rich, and in- 
 creafed with goods, when we are poor, and 
 ftand in need of every thing. Nay, fo great 
 is our pride, that we fay in our practice, if 
 not in words, Who is the Lord that we Jhould 
 obey him • ? The fpirit of man, thus vainly 
 
 exalted, 
 
 a Exod. V. 2. 
 
io8 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 exalted, requires the agency of a divine hand 
 to humble and bring it down : and till we 
 feel the power of almighty grace in bringing 
 us to a juft. knowledge of ourfelves, we can- 
 not be faid to walk with God. Many indeed 
 have, to appearance, fet out very well, with 
 determined refolutions for new obedience, 
 and perhaps have done many things for God, 
 and yet, after all, have turned back. And 
 the apoftle allures us, concerning himfelf and 
 his brethren the Jews, that they were zea- 
 lous for God, and followed after right eoufnefs, 
 but never obtained life by it, as feeking to be 
 juitified by the works of the law. b They 
 hoped to be the end of the law unto them- 
 felves for right eoufnefs j but when informed 
 by the miniftration of the gofpel, that they 
 muft have no confidence in the fiejlo, they dis- 
 cover that they never had felt the power of 
 divine grace, by their fumbling at tin's, as an 
 offence unto them. c And indeed the doc- 
 trine of the crofs, or reconciliation to God 
 by the blood of fefus, as it reduces the crea- 
 ture to the ncceffity of acknowledging that 
 all the falvation is of grace, and not of debt, 
 hath ever been rejected by the wifdom and 
 pride of this world. And this will always 
 be the cafe, till men become the workman- 
 ship of Chrijl Jefus, and receive a new crea- 
 tion from his Spirit. As our Lord's errand 
 into this world was to fave finners, to call, 
 
 not 
 
 k Rom. ix. 31. c Ver. 33. 
 
Serm.VI. Of 'walking humbly with God. 109 
 not the righteous, but loft, fick and perifhing 
 fouls ; fo there never was one that came 
 to the Father by him, but was made fenfi- 
 ble, in fome good degree, of his having fin- 
 ned, and come fhort of the glory of God, 
 and of the plague of his a tfwn heart, as being 
 deceitful above all things, and defperately wic- 
 ked. And this, is the very firft ftep towards 
 walking with God : for they are the poor and 
 hungry that he fills with good things, whilfl 
 the rich and the full he fends empty away. * 
 It is to the humble and contrite one that he 
 looks, as one made defirous of his prefence 
 by his Spirit, and having a right to it by his 
 relation to his Son. Till we can fee ourfelves 
 in fome meafure in the fame light with the 
 apoftle Paul, we muft not think of walking 
 with God. He who now came not behind 
 the very chiefeft apoftles, could remember 
 the time, and was ready enough to acknow- 
 ledge it, when he was a blafphemer, a perfe- 
 cutor, and injurious : and therefore he re- 
 commends the grace of God to others, as 
 beftowed on himfelf, when he was the 
 chief of finners. But I obtained mercy, fays 
 he, becaufe I did it ignorant ly in unbelief : 
 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding a- 
 bundant, with faith, and love which is in 
 Chrifl Jefus. This is a faithful faying, and 
 worthy of all acceptation, that Chrijl Jefus 
 came into the world to fave finners ; of whom 
 
 I 
 
 * Lukei. 53. 
 
no Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 I am chief. e And this I take to be one 
 great thing included in that promife made to 
 Chri/l, Thy people Jhall be willing in the day 
 of thy power ; f willing to own themfelves 
 what they really are, Tinners by nature and 
 practice, deferving^death as the wages of 
 their iniquities ; willing to fubmit to the 
 grace of God as given to the moft unworthy, 
 and in this way to maintain fellowfhip with 
 God. Let the thoughts of the heart be ne- 
 ver fo much exalted before converfion, no 
 fooner doth the Lord vifit the fpirit of a 
 man with his grace, but when the command- 
 ment comes, Jin revives, and the Jinner dies ; * 
 that is, is dead in himfelf ; he fees what he 
 is, what he deferves, and what would be- 
 come of him, unlefs an arm of infinite power 
 and grace relieve him. Thus then, in the 
 jfirft Jetting out of a believer, it is the con- 
 front way of the Holy Spirit to lay him low 
 in his own eyes, and this partly by reprefen- 
 ting to him the exceeding 'finfulnefs of fin, 
 and more efpecially, by leading him to an ac- 
 quaintance with the nature of rich and unde- 
 ferved mercy : and this agrees with the ex- 
 perience of every child of God. Can we 
 not look back and remember what mean 
 thoughts we once had of ourfelves ? how 
 were we made to loath ourfelves, and lie in 
 the duft before God ? Even the common 
 mercies of life, fuch as food and raiment ap- 
 peared 
 
 «i Tim. i. 13, 14, 15. f Pfa. ex 3. s Rom. vii 9. 
 
Serm.VI. Of walking humbly with God. in 
 peared as favours we had foifeited, and the 
 leaft glimmering of hope was received with 
 unfpeakable wonder, as an inftance of mar- 
 vellous love. But again, 
 
 Secondly, If we confider the believer in 
 his converfation, while paffing through this 
 world, we mail find that, as he grows in 
 grace, he will encreafe in humility. He is 
 not only convinced, in his firft fetting out 
 for God, that he is lefs than the leaft of all 
 his mercies y but this in fome meafure abides 
 upon him, and he carries it about with him, 
 more or lefs, through the whole of his con- 
 verfation. And this is manifefted, (i.) In 
 all that he doth for God, and all that he re- 
 ceives from him ; and, (2.) In all that he 
 meets with in the way of his providence, 
 whether of an afflictive or prosperous na- 
 ture. 
 
 1. The man that is truly under the lead- 
 ings of the Divine Spirit, walks humbly with 
 God in all that he doth for him, and re- 
 ceives from him. 
 
 ( 1 .) In all that he doth for God : and this 
 he evidences, partly by the apprehensions that 
 he has juftly entertained of his own infuffi- 
 ciency and impotency to do any thing that is 
 fpiritually good, by any power of his own ; 
 and partly by an acknowledgement of his un- 
 worthinefs, when he hath been affifted to 
 do his beft, 
 
 1. He 
 
1 1 2 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 i. He walks humbly with God as a ne- 
 ceffitous, weak, and heiplefs creature. One 
 of the firft lefTons which the Spirit of God 
 teaches us, is, that we cannot of ourfelves 
 either fpeak a good word, or think a good 
 thought, and that all our fufficiency is of God. h 
 No fooner do we feel, that when we would 
 do good, evil is prefent with us y l or that the 
 will may be prefent, when the power to 
 perform is abfent, but we mufl necefTarily, 
 if under the influence of grace, be led to ac- 
 knowledge that all our fprings are in our 
 God, and our help alone can come from 
 him. In the beginning of our profeffion, 
 perhaps, through the ftrength of our affec- 
 tions, we thought that we had received grace 
 enough for many days, that no duty could be 
 too great, nor any fervice too hard for us : but, 
 in proportion to our experience, we learn 
 that if we do any thing acceptably, it is God 
 who mujl work in us, both to will and to do, 
 of his good plea fur e. k And as this gives the 
 glory to him, to whom alone it is due ; fo 
 it hath a natural tendency to humble the 
 foul in itfelf ; and the believer will be ready 
 to fay, " To what a ftrange degree of 
 tc wretchednefs and impotency am I reduc'd 
 " by my original apoftacy ? That which I 
 " believe to be my mod reafonable fervice, 
 ." is now out of my power. Adam, like an 
 " angel, could have once fung the praife, and 
 
 " adored 
 
 h 2 Cor. iii. 5. l Rom. vii. 21. k Phil. ii. 13. 
 
Serm. VI. Of walking humbly with God. 1 1 3 
 " adored the grace of his God at pleafure, 
 " without wearinefs or interruption ; but 
 c * now, if a ferious reflection, or a fpiritual 
 " meditation were to fave my foul (as blef- 
 " fed be God my falvation is not put on this 
 " footing, yet were this the cafe) and were 
 " God to leave me to myfelf, I cou'd not 
 <c command my heart into fuch an exercife." 
 Thus in all the believer does, as far as he is led 
 by the fpirit of Cbrift, he remembers his own 
 infufficiency, and his dependance upon God. 
 
 2. As he is humbled, as impotent or help- 
 lefs, fo alio as an unworthy creature. Grace 
 hath taught him that the law of God is ho- 
 ly, juft, and good, and perfectly agreeable 
 to the divine nature ; and the fame principle 
 hath acquainted him with his engagements to 
 obedience as a creature, and as an obliged 
 creature, who hath been preferved and fup- 
 plied through his whole life, by the care and 
 bounty of heaven. Now, as he. is fenfible, 
 after all his labour and induftry to make 
 fome grateful returns, that there hath cleaved 
 abundance of imperfection and defilement to 
 every part of his fervice, this is made ufe of 
 by the Spirit of God, to lead him out of him- 
 felf, to an entire dependance upon the righ- 
 teoufnefs olChrijl for acceptance. And is it not 
 a very humbling consideration, altho' there 
 is great comfort attending it, that man now, be- 
 ing fallen, cannot poffibly redeem his own 
 foul j but if ever he is acceoted, it muft be 
 
 1 .- by 
 
1 1 4 Of walking humbly frith God. 
 
 by the compleat atonement of the Son of 
 God ? What the apoftle Paul fays concern-* 
 ing the ceremonial law, is certainly as true 
 of the moral ; If any other man think- 
 eth, that he hath whereof he might trufl in 
 the fefJj, I more : circumcifed the eighth day, 
 of the flock of ljrael, of the tribe of Benja- 
 min, an Hebrew of the Hebrews y as touching 
 the law, a Pharifee j concerning zeal, perfe- 
 cting the church ; touching the righteoufnefs 
 which is in the law, blame lefs. Well, what 
 account doth he make of all this ? why in- 
 ftead of boafting before God, fays he, what 
 things were gain to me, thofe I counted lofs 
 for Chrift, And left this mould be confined 
 to the ceremonial law, he adds, Tea doubt- 
 lefs, and I count all things but lofs, for the ex- 
 cellency of the knowledge of Chrift fefus my 
 Lord: for whom I have fuffercd the lojs of all 
 things, and do count them but dung that I may 
 win Chrift, and be found in him, not having 
 mine own righteoufnefs, which is of the law, 
 but that which is through the faith of Chrift y 
 the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith. l 
 Let our obedience be never fo univerfal, 
 or never {o compleat, whilft there is but one 
 flaw in it, it cannot be anfwerable to the de- 
 mands of the divine law, and therefore will 
 itand us in no ftead in that refpect. For a 
 man to rejoice in a few fparks of his own 
 kindling, m or to facrifice to his own net, and 
 
 to 
 
 1 Phil. Ui. 4.-9. ra Ifa. I. 11. 
 
Serrh.VI. Of walking humbly with God., ll$ 
 to burn incenfe unto his own drag, n is to de- 
 clare that he is a ftranger, fo far, to himfelf, 
 and the power of divine grace. But where 
 a man is under the guidance of the Spirit o£ 
 Godj he knows that, as his fufficlency for 
 duty, fo his acceptance is only in, and from 
 the Lord Jefus Chrifi : by his power he is 
 made ready to every good word and work, 
 and by the fprinkling of his blood he is 
 made acceptable in the fight of God j and 
 therefore his language is, blot unto me, O Lord, 
 not unto me, but unto thy name be all the 
 glory. °. And the more he advances in grace, 
 and in the knowledge of Chri/l, the more 
 this conviction, and thefe difpofitions increafe 
 upon him. 
 
 (2.) As in duty, fo in enjoyment, the belie- 
 ver is made fenfible of himfelf, and walks 
 humbly with God. This I have fhewed in 
 fome meafure already, as what he is appri- 
 fed of in his firft converfion ; and is impro- 
 ved afterwards. And I think I need only 
 appeal for this to the experience of every 
 child of God. Did the Lord ever fpeak 
 peace to your fouls ? did he every fay, in 
 the whifpers of his Spirit, 1 am thy fahation, 
 and thus give you joy in believing ? and has 
 it not in this cafe been the conftant language 
 of your hearts, Who am 7, and what is my 
 houfe that the Lord flmild thus manijeji him- 
 felf unto me ? r When God hath been 
 
 I 2 pleafed 
 
 n Hah. j 16. ° Pfe- cxv 1. h Sam. vii. 18. 
 
1 1 6 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 pleafed to difcover himfelf at any time in his 
 greatnefs, or in the glory of his perfections, 
 we find this hath been the confequence of 
 it. Thus you know it was with Job, when 
 the Lord anfwered him out of the whirl- 
 wind, and difcovered to him the glory of his 
 power, and wifdom ; in the works of creation 
 and providence. What was the reply he 
 made him but this ? Behold, I am vile, what 
 Jhall I anfwer thee ? 1 will lay mine hand up- 
 on my mouth, Once have I fpoken, but 1 will 
 not anfwer : yea, twice, but I will proceed no 
 further. q And again, he fays, / have heard 
 of thee by the hearing of the ear : but now 
 mine eye feeth thee. Wherefore I abhor my- 
 jclj, and repent in duft and ajhes. * And thus 
 the prophet Jjaiah, after he had been ho- 
 noured with an extraordinary difcovery of 
 the glory of God, fays, Wo is me, for I am 
 undone, becaufe I am a man of unclean lips, 
 and I dwell in the mid/l of a people of unclean 
 lips : for mine eyes have feen the King, the 
 Lord of hojls. s Now if fuch a difcovery of 
 the grentnefs of God hath been attended with 
 thefe effects, we may readily fuppofe that 
 the apprehenfion of his goodneis, and the 
 believers intereft in it, hath laid him fiiil lower, 
 if poffible, in his own eyes. Nor need we 
 have any other proof of this than a chriftian's 
 own experience. He never enjoys comrnu- 
 nion with God, but he is fenfible, in fome 
 
 meafure, 
 
 * Job xl. 4, 5. ' Ch. xlii. 4, >. s Ifa» vi. 5. 
 
Serm. VI. Of walking humbly with God, i\j 
 
 mcafure, of his unworthinefs of it : and this 
 is equally true of whatever grace he derives 
 from God. If he increafes in knowledge of 
 him, or in love to him, or in faith and de- 
 pendance upon him, he will flili be ready to 
 fay, By the grace of God I am what 1 am. l 
 And thus, the greater progrefs he makes in 
 true and vital religion, the more will he lofe 
 of that fpiritual pride, which is, more or 
 lefs, the difgrace and unhappinefs of every 
 one of us. 
 
 2. And this humility will further be made 
 manifeft, in all that the chriftian meets with 
 from God, in the way of his providence. If 
 the Lord fmiles upon him in the bounties of 
 his goodnefs, as far as he walks with him, 
 he will regard every mercy as afforded in 
 the way of his gracious covenant, and de- 
 figned to engage him more to his fervice : and 
 whilft he remembers how unworthy he is of 
 thefe things, he will be the more ready to ac- 
 knowledge that he is indebted to pure fovereign 
 kindnefs for the enjoyment of them. And thus 
 in proportion to his improvement in commu- 
 nion with God, the addition of temporal blef- 
 lings, inftead of railing and inereafing a vain 
 opinion of himfelf, will ferve as a means, in the 
 hand of the Spirit of God, to make him walk 
 more humbly, and more thankfully with him. 
 He will be ready to fay, " What pall' 1 ren- 
 <c der unto the Lord, for all his benefits to- 
 
 I 3 " wards 
 
 * i Cor. xv. io. 
 
IlS Of walking humbly with God, 
 
 u wards me?* what obligations doth he lay 
 " me under ? and how much have I realbn 
 i( to be humbled, that I improve his boun- 
 " ty no more, nor walk no more thank- 
 " fully in the fenfe of it ?" 
 
 But if the fame wifdom and goodnefs 
 mould fee it neceflary to empty \\\mfrom vef- 
 fel to vejjel, to ftrip him of all, and reduce 
 him to extremity, if he walks with God in 
 a humble way, 
 
 j. He will be concerned to eye his fove- 
 reignty and equity, in his proceedings to- 
 wards him, as one who hath a right to 
 difpofe of his own at his pleafure. It is on- 
 ly ignorance or pride that tempts the belie- 
 ver to think hard of God in this cafe, on ac- 
 count of the appearance of feverity in his 
 dealings towards him : for we have no rea- 
 fon to be angry at the removal of a mercy, 
 till we can lay fome claim to it. Job feemed 
 to have a juft fenfe of this, when he faid, 
 Naked came 1 out of my mother's womb, and 
 naked fiall I return thither : the Lord gave, 
 and the Lord hath taken away, blejjed be the 
 name of the Lord. w It was the Lord that 
 gave, or who in a way of fovereignty be- 
 ftowed the mercy, and he had a juft right in 
 the fame way to remove it. In all this, it is 
 faid, Job finned not, nor charged God foolifhly, 
 or as it is in the margin, attributed folly to 
 him. * And thus you find Aaron, when he 
 
 loft 
 
 * Pfa. cxvi. 12. w Job i. 21. a Ver. 22. 
 
Serm . VI. Of walking humbly with God. 119 
 
 loft his two fons, Nadab and Abihu, by fire 
 from the Lord : though it was a very fevere 
 difpenfation, yet he held his peace, * he was 
 filent becaufe the Lord had done it. And 
 you are well acquainted with the anfwer of 
 Eli, when judgment was denounced againft 
 bis family, it is the Lord y fays he, let him 
 do what feemeth him good. * There feems to 
 be abundance of force in that expreffion, 
 Be fill, and know that I am God. a To 
 walk humbly with him under afflictive circum- 
 ftances, muft needs include a willingnefs to 
 view him as our fovereign, and the juft judge 
 of all, who can do nothing but what is 
 right. 
 
 2. The believer in fuch circum (lances, is 
 concerned to act faith upon the wifdom and 
 goodnefs of God, which will make every 
 thing to iflue in his advantage. He fhou'd 
 not only manifeft his humility in being JIM; 
 but in hoping againfl hope, when there is but 
 little probability of any appearance for him. 
 This made the prophet Habakkuk conclude, 
 although the figtree fiall not blo/fom, neither 
 fall fruit be in the vines, the labour of 
 the olive flail fail, and the fields fall yield no 
 meat, the flock Jhall be cut off from the fold, 
 and there fall be no herd in the falls : yet I 
 will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God 
 of my fa hat ion. b One would think he could 
 I 4 have 
 
 y Lev. x. 3. . * 1 Sam. iji. 18, a Pfa. xlvi. xo. 
 
 * Hab. iii. 17, 18, 
 
120 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 have but very little occafion to rejoice, in the 
 want of every thing ; but he gives us the rea- 
 fon of it : The Lord God was his jlrength c , and 
 therefore he knew that his grace would be 
 fufficient for him. And, methinks, this is 
 the mod genuine humility a chriflian can 
 manifeft, when, in very dark appearances, he 
 is enabled to look to him who is the head over 
 all things to the church A , and able to do exceed- 
 ing abundantly above all that he can ajk or 
 think e . We are too apt to fay, why Jhculd 
 ive wait for the Lord any longer f ? But it is 
 the defire of a true believer to wait upon God, 
 and commit his way unto him, as one who 
 doth great and marvellous things: this feemed 
 to be the cafe of David, when he fays to his 
 foul, Why art thou cafl down, O my foul? and 
 why art thou difquieted within me ? hope in God, 
 for I fl:all yet praife him, who is the health of 
 my countenance, and my God 1 . He was ready 
 to fink and give up ail: but, as his laft refuge, 
 he encourages himfelf in his God. We are 
 for hafty immediate deliverances, like the 
 people of Ifrael y as reprefented by the prophet 
 Ifaiah, that took council, but not of the Lord : 
 that walked to go down into Egypt, (but had not 
 afked at his mouth) to ftrengthen themf elves in 
 the Jlrength of Pharoah, and to trujl in the 
 fjadow of Egypt h . Whereas, we are told 
 their frength was to fit Ji ill 1 , not in a way of 
 
 in- 
 
 c Hab. iii. 19. d Eph. i. 22. e Chap. iii. 20. f 2 Kings 
 vi. 33. * Pfal. xliii. 5. b Hai. xxx. 1, 2. * Ver. 7. 
 
Serm. VI. Of walking humbly with God. 1 2 1 
 indifference, but of duty, to look and cry to 
 God, and leave the event to him. And again, 
 thus faith the Lord God, the holy one ofljhaety 
 in returning and reftftallye befaved, in qidet- 
 nefs and in confidence ftall be your jlrength ; 
 and ye would not k . And we are further told, 
 therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gra- 
 cious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, 
 that he may have mercy upon you : for the Lord 
 is a God of judgment ; bleffed are all they that 
 wait for him l . Well, this is what the chri- 
 ftian is longing after. He would be a fol- 
 lower of them, who through faith and fatience 
 inherit the promifis m : he would fubmit to the 
 wifdom and judgment of God, and leave it 
 to him to choofe his lot for him, in a firm 
 belief that he will iffue every thing for his 
 own glory, and to his advantage. And this 
 is efpecially the cafe, when the believer is called 
 out to hard fervices, for which he apprehends 
 his entire infufficiency, or that, to all appear- 
 ance, his way is quite blocked up. As it was 
 with Abraham, who without doubt concluded, 
 that God muft work a m racle, or elfe his fon 
 Ifaac could not be bo' n, or reftored to him, 
 after his intended facrince. And yet he ft ag- 
 ger ed not n , knowing the power, good nefs, 
 and faithfulnefs of him who promifed. Well, 
 in this we are to walk humbly, fubmitting 
 our darkeft concerns to him, who is able to 
 
 ful- 
 
 k Ifai. xxx. 15. l Ver. iS. m Heb. vi. 12. n Rom. 
 
 iv. 20. 
 
122 Of Walking humbly witty God. 
 
 fulfil all his promifes, and perform all his plea* 
 fure. Which leads us, 
 
 Thirdly, To confider the temper of the 
 foul, when all imperfection mail be done 
 away, and it fhall be admitted into the moft 
 intimate and eternal walk, or communion ipith 
 God. And we have a very full defcription of 
 this in that well known pafTdge in the Reve- 
 lation : The four and twenty elders fall down 
 before him that fat on the throne, and worflip 
 him that liveth for ever and ever 3 and ca/l their 
 crowns before the throne, faying, thou art wor- 
 thy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and 
 power : for thou hajl created all things, and 
 for thy pleafure they are and were created °. As 
 it hath been obierved by all the people of 
 God in this world, that th-e nearer they have 
 approached to him in a way of communion, 
 the lefs they have thought of themfelves ; fo 
 we are fure there is no proud inhabitant in 
 the new ferufalem. There the Lord alone is 
 exalted. All that dwell there are perfectly 
 happy, and perfectly humble. Their humi- 
 lity juftly arifes from the fenfe they have of 
 the infinite diflance there is betwixt God and 
 them. And thus I have coniidered the be- 
 liever in his firft fetting out, in his walk in 
 this world, and in his reward in a better, 
 But to fhut up all with a few reflections, 
 
 I. We may learn from hence the fove- 
 reignty of divine grace, that God mould 
 
 never 
 
 • Rev. iv. io, ii. 
 
£>erm . VI. Of walking humbly with God. 123 
 never invite offending angels to walk with 
 him, but that his delights ihould be with the 
 
 fons of men. As the capacities of thofe fpi- 
 rits are doubtlefs larger, fo, had they been 
 the objects of divine grace, they might have 
 been furnifhed, for fuch a privilege as this, 
 more fully than we are ; and yet he dwells with 
 man upon the earth, whilfi: they are referved 
 in ever/a/ling chains under darknefs, unto the 
 
 judgment of the great day p . And thus, by the 
 way, let me obferve, that we have no reafon 
 to quarrel with the fovereignty of divine 
 grace, in chooling one man and leaving ano- 
 ther, till we can charge God with injuftice, 
 in leaving the angels to this perdition, and 
 vifiting finful men with his mercy and falva- 
 tion. 
 
 2*.i From hence we may learn, that moll: 
 men begin at the wrong end, in their obedi- 
 ence. They are for obedience before recon- 
 ciliation. Whereas, whil&God is our enemy, 
 we can have no friendly correfpondence with 
 him. And, 
 
 3. We may alfo difcover the miftake of 
 poor faints in the dark, who think it efTential 
 to walking with God, that they mould always 
 have the light of his countenance : whereas 
 
 , we are, for the moft part, to live by faith, 
 and not by fight. And our clofe, and uninter- 
 rupted enjoyment is referved for a better 
 world. 
 
 4. If 
 
 P Jude 6. 
 
X 24 Of walking humbly with God. 
 
 4. If there are fuch pleafures attending 
 communion with God here below, what will 
 be the joy of his prefence in that bleiTed 
 Hate ? 
 
 5. Hence we may alfo learn, that he who 
 is a flranger to the Lord Jefus cannot be laid 
 %o walk humbly with God, let his other preten- 
 tions to humility be what they will. Such 
 may walk humbly with men, but they cannot 
 be faid to walk fo with God-, while they 
 are practically oppofing their pretended wif- 
 dom and authority, to that of their Creator, 
 and are defpifing the only way of falvation 
 which he has revealed. 
 
 6. The greateft privileges, and the higheft 
 attainments have nothing in them, that mould 
 caufe us to think better of ourfelves, than is 
 meet. The apoftle's reafoning upon this head 
 is fo very juft, that he that runs may read it. 
 For who, fays he, makcth thee to differ from 
 another ? and what haft thou that thou did/l 
 not receive ? now if thou didfi receive it, 
 why dojl thou glory, as if thou hadft not received 
 it q ? With this you may compare what he 
 fays in his epiflle to the Romans : For I fay, thro' 
 the grace given unto me, to every man that is 
 among you, not to think of himfelf more highly 
 then he ought to think, but to think fiber ly, ac- 
 cording as God has dealt to every man the mea- 
 fure of faith \ And furely, if all that we 
 
 have 
 
 * 1 Cor. lv. 7. T Rom. xii. 3. 
 
Serm.VI. Of walking humbly with God. 125 
 have comes from God, if we glory, it muft 
 be in the Lord \ 
 
 7. May not this ferve as a reproof to us, 
 who have come fo fhort in this grace. How 
 many times have we gone forth in our own 
 ftrength into a duty, or againfl a temptation ? 
 How many times have we boafted ourfelves 
 in our fervices, and abufed our privileges ? 
 may this ferve to lay us low in the fight of 
 God. In one word, 
 
 8. And laftly, Let what has been faid en- 
 gage us to admire that God mould humble 
 himfelf to walk with us-, and let it ftir us up 
 to be importunate for more of his prefeiice, 
 grace, and affiftance, that we may walk more 
 becomingly with him. 
 
 » 1 Cor. i. 31. 
 
 S E R- 
 
( lib) 
 
 SERMON VII. 
 
 On the new birth* 
 John iii. 3. 
 
 jfefus anfwered and faid unto him, verify, ve- 
 rify , / Jay unto thee, except a man be born 
 again, he cannot fee the kingdom rJ'God. 
 
 The firft Sermon on this text 
 
 ^18 OU will eafily obferve; that thcfe 
 words are a part of that molt furpriz- 
 ing conference, which ourLord held 
 with a certain Jew, who is de- 
 fcribed by his name, Nicodemus, by the party 
 he efpoufed, he was a man of the Pharisees, as 
 alfo by the public office he fuftained, he was 
 a ruler of the Jews ', or a mailer of the fan- 
 hedrim or great council of that nation, as 
 appears I think very plainly from the 7th chap, 
 of this gofpel ver. cjoth : where an account be- 
 ing given of a meeting of the chief priefts and 
 pharifees in a judicial capacity, he is faid to be 
 one of them. He having heard the Uine of 
 
 Jefus, 
 
 a Jolmiii. !. 
 
Serm. VII. On the new birth. izj 
 
 Jefus, and perhaps, feen fome of the miracles 
 which he had wrought j it is faid the jame 
 came to Jefus by nighty to efcape, as it is prc»- 
 bable, the refentment of his countrymen, 
 who had agreed to reject every one who 
 appeared to efpoufe his caufe, or receive his 
 doctrine. Then, we have the manner of his 
 addreffing our Lord t he fays, Rabbi t we know 
 that thou art a teacher come from God: in which 
 he fpeaks the fentiments of others, as well as 
 himfelf. Cbrill had fome friends, it is not 
 unlikely, who did not publickly acknowledge 
 him. His conduct, one would think, mufl 
 needs gain him the favourable opinion of the 
 more lober and judicious, though biafled by 
 temporal interelts, they were afraid to ven- 
 ture all, and follow him. And what Nico- 
 demus faid, was not difagreeable to the 
 general opinion of the people, nay, even to his 
 enemies, as the apoftle Peter obferves, upon a 
 very great and public occafion, Te men of I/raef, 
 fays he, hear thefe words, Jefus of Nazareth, 
 a man approved of God among you, by mira- 
 cles, wonders, andfgns, which God did by him 
 in the midfi of you, as ye you? f elves alfo know b . 
 And as it was very cuftomarv to give the title 
 of Rabbi to teachers or inflructors, left our 
 Lord fhould receive it as a bare compliment, 
 or teftimony of civil refpect, Nicodemus adds 
 the reafon of his addreffing him in this man- 
 ner : For no man can do ihefe miracles that 
 thou dojl, except God be with him c . Many 
 
 very 
 
 * A<5ls ii. 22. c John iii. 2. 
 
128 On the new birth. 
 
 very furprifing things may be done, which 
 may carry a (hew of being miraculous, with- 
 out fuch a divine interpofure. But the extra- 
 ordinary works which were performed by our 
 Saviour ffand in no need of any appeal, carry- 
 ing their own evidence, that the arm of the 
 Lord was with him. Works indeed fo many 
 in number, fo excellent in their kind, and fo 
 great in their degree, that nothing lefs than 
 refolute infidelity, or direct fcepticifm could, 
 one would think, have fhut the eyes of thofe, 
 who had an opportunity of being acquainted 
 with them. 
 
 In the text you have our Lord entering 
 upon a mod neceffary and ufeful point of doc- 
 trine. The expreffion with which it is intro- 
 duced , viz. Je (us anjwered andfaid unto him, 
 feems indeed to be a reply to what was juft be- 
 fore faid by Nicodemus. But it is eafy to obferve 
 many inftances in the new tefta merit, where 
 this mode of fpeech is ufed at the very 
 opening of a difcourfe, and is rather a tran- 
 sition from one fubjccl to another, than a 
 direct anfwer to a queftion propofed. So that, 
 as I take it, we are to underftand by it no 
 more than this j when 'Nicodemus had thus 
 acknowledged Chrijl as a teacher come from 
 God, he fets immediately upon intruding 
 him into the great things that concerned his 
 everlasting peace, and opens the difcourfe 
 with a very weighty fentence, Verily, ve- 
 rily, I fay unto thee, except a man be born 
 again , he cannot fee the kingdom of God. You 
 7 mufl 
 
Serm. VII. On the new birth. 129 
 
 muft have obferved that when fomething of 
 the greaten: confequence and undoubted cer- 
 tainty, hath been delivered by our Lord, it 
 was common with him to introduce it with 
 this afleveration, verily, verify, I fay unto 
 you, intimating the weight and importance of 
 it, and the attention it deferved. Now what 
 he delivers here to this eminent perfon, was 
 not merely for his own inftrudtion and advan- 
 tage, as if no other had any concern with it : 
 for this certainly is one of thofe fcriptures that 
 are not of private interpretation . What there- 
 fore our Lord faid uuto him, he faith unto us 
 all, except 'a man be bom again, he caimot fee 
 the kingdom of God. Accordingly you will 
 obferve, that it is laid down in an indefinite 
 way, except a man — that is, let his character, 
 or his circumftances, be what they will ; old or 
 young, rich or poor, prince or fubject, unlefs 
 he is bom again, he caimot fee the kingdom of 
 God. By being bom again, I understand a 
 fpiritual imprefs wrought on the foul, or a 
 divine principle implanted in it, which be- 
 fore was dead in trefpafes and /ins. By the 
 kingdom of heaven, I understand, either the 
 kingdom of grace here, or glory hereafter, 
 the State of the church militant, or trium- 
 phant. No man hath a right to church fellow- 
 ship here, nor will ever have a part in the ge- 
 neral aifemblv above, who hath not this new 
 nature, or is not born again. The manner of 
 our treating this fubjedt, will be, 
 
 K I, 
 
130 On the new birth. 
 
 I. To offer fome things which deferve our 
 attention refpecting this new birth, and, 
 
 II. T o confider the reafons why thofe who 
 . are deftitute of it, and die in fuch a con- 
 dition, cannot fee the kingdom of Gtd, 
 I begin, 
 
 I. With offering fome things to yourcon- 
 fideration concerning this new birth. And 
 we have denned it to be a fpiritual imprefs, 
 wrought on the foul, or a divine principle 
 implanted in it, which before was dead in 
 trefpajfes and fins. Now, as a principle, it 
 ftands oppofed to the particular exercife of 
 grace, and is diftinguifhed from it, as pre- 
 vioufly neceffary to it. For as it is in na- 
 ture, fo it is in grace, a man muft have life 
 before he can move, or walk, or perform any of 
 the offices of life: and thus in religion, the mind 
 muft flrft be made fpiritual, and the foul be 
 renewed, before it will either relifli or breathe 
 after any fpiritual exercifes or entertainments. 
 Now in regeneration, or the new birth, you 
 will obferve. 
 
 1. That God is the author of it, and that 
 man is entirely pamVe, in the firft reception 
 of this divine principle. I fay, the work is 
 altogether the Lord's, and man is only the 
 recipient, and not the origin of it, or co-ad- 
 jutor in it. What is obferved of our firft crea- 
 tion, is true of our regeneration. Know ye y 
 
 fays 
 
Serm. VII. On the new birth. 131 
 
 fays the pfalmift, that the Lord he is God, it 
 is he that hath made us, and not we ourf elves \ 
 we are his people, and the fie ep of his pafture d . 
 And to this purpofe the apoftle John fays, 
 But as many as received him, to them gave he 
 power to become thefons of God, even to them that 
 believe on his name : which were born, not of 
 blood, nor of the will of the flefh, nor of the 
 will of man, but of God*. Compare with this 
 fome other paffages of the new teftament : For 
 we are his workman/hip, created in Chri/l Je- 
 fus unto good works f . Of his own will begat 
 he us with the word of truth, that we fiould be 
 a kind of firft fruits of his creatures g . Bleffed 
 be the God, and Father of our Lord Jefus Cbrifl> 
 which, according to his abundant mercy \ hath 
 begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the re- 
 fur reclion of Jefus Chrift from the dead, being 
 born again, not of corruptible feed, but of in- 
 corruptible, by the word of God, which liveth 
 andabidethfor ever h . Whofoever believeth that 
 Jefus is the Chrift, is born of God 1 . And as 
 this is the current language of the infpired 
 penmen, in the new teftament, fo it is alfo 
 agreeable to the antient promifes of the co- 
 venant of grace, under the old. But thisfiall 
 be the covenant that I will make with the houfe 
 of Ifrael; after thofe days, faith the Lord, I 
 will put my law in their inward parts, and 
 write it in their hearts, and will be their God, 
 and they fjj all be my people k . A new heart alfo 
 
 K 2 will 
 
 d Pfal. c. 3. e John i. 12, 13. ' Eph. ii. 10. g Jame 
 i. 18. h 1 Pet. i. 3, 23 - i 1 John v. i. k Jer. xxxi, 33 
 
132 On the new birth. 
 
 will 1 give you, and a new fpirit will I put 
 withih ydu: and I will take away the Jlony 
 heart out of your flejl:, and I will give you an 
 heart of jhjh '. The work is therefore the 
 Lord's, and the glory of it mutt be afcribed 
 to him. Should it be objected to this, that 
 we are commanded to cleanfe ourfelves, as in 
 that paffage, wajh ye, make you clean, put 
 away the evil of your doings from before mine 
 eyes, ceafe to do evil m . And again, cleanfe 
 your hands, ye firmer s, and purify your hearts, 
 ye double minded n . We anfwer to this, that 
 thefe and fuch like expreflions, are not to be 
 oppofed to the many fcriptures we have al- 
 ready quoted, as though they were inconfiif- 
 ent with them : but they are to be underflood 
 rather as intimations of our duty, than of our 
 ability ; of what we ought to be, rather than 
 w r hat we are capable of being, by any might 
 or power of our own j and at moft they can 
 fignify no more, on our part, than the actual 
 exercife of divine grace when received, and 
 that under the influence of him that gave it. 
 For yob fays,' If I waf? my f elf with f now - 
 water, and ntake my hands never fo clean-, yet 
 JJjalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own 
 clothes flail abhor me °. And the wife man 
 adds, who can fay, 1 have made my heart clean, 
 I am pure from my Jin* f which will yet fur- 
 ther appear, if we proceed to confider, not 
 only that God is the author of this work, but 
 
 that 
 
 1 E2dk. xxxvi. 26. m Ifai. i. 16. n James iv. 8. ° Job 
 J .v. 30, 3. f Prov. xx. 9. 
 
Sen*. VII. On the new birth, i : 3 
 
 that man is entirely paflive in the fir ft recep- 
 tion of this divine principle. I allow, that 
 after we are born again, it may properly 
 enough be faid that we believe in Chrift, 
 the act is ours, though even then the effec- 
 tual influence and^affiftance is God's. But in 
 our iirft converfion, the change which we re- 
 ceive in regeneration, is altogether of God, 
 the creature has no mare in this work. Which 
 will more fully appear, if we conficL , 
 
 (1.) The ftate in which we are found, 
 when God begins the good work in our 
 hearts. This the fcripture hath reprefented 
 by a variety of metaphors, ail which imply 
 the greatnefs of our corruption and defilement. 
 We are faid, you know, to be dead in tref- 
 pafj'es and Jim \ to be blind, nay even dark- 
 nefs itfelf, as the apoftle writes to the Ephefi- 
 ans. For ye were fometimes darknefs T . Audit 
 is faid, the natural man receiveth not the things 
 of the Spirit of God ; for they are fooliJJmefs 
 nnto him ; neither can he know them, becaufe 
 they are fpiritually difcerned*. We are alfo 
 called the fervants of /in 1 , and faid to he e?:e- 
 mies in our minds by wicked works u ; yea en- 
 mity itfelf : The car?ial mind is enmity aga'nijl 
 God : for it is not fubjeSi to the law of God, 
 neither indeed can be w , flnce we cannot of 
 ourfelves fo much as think a good thought. 
 Nay it is faid of man, that every imagination 
 of the thought of his heart was only evil conti- 
 K 3 nually. 
 
 * Eph. ii. 1. r Eph. v. 8. s 1 Cor. ii. 14. l Rom. 
 vi. 17. " Colof. i. 21. w Rom. viii. 7. 
 
134 ® n tb e w^ birth. 
 
 nually x . Now this is really the fbte of our 
 cafe, we may as well pretend to create a world, 
 as to convert ourfelves. And fo far are we from 
 helping on our converfion, or aflifting in it, 
 that we univerfally make all the head we can 
 againfl it, and oppofe the Spirit of the Lord 
 in his firft motions, with refpect to this work, 
 till, by the almighty power of fovereign 
 grace, he gains the victory. As to the fum of 
 what might be offered on this head, read at 
 your leifure the third chapter of Paul's epiftle 
 to the Romans, and I perfuade myfelf, com- 
 paring it with your own experience, you will 
 have reafon to conclude, that if ever you are 
 converted, you mufl be entirely God's work- 
 manjhip y . 
 
 (2.) Add to this the confideration of the 
 exceeding greatnefs of that power, which the 
 fcripture reprefents as exerted in our conver- 
 fion. Thus it is ftiled a creation, and we are 
 faid, in the paffage juft now mentioned, to be 
 created in Chrifi Jefiis unto good works. As 
 alfo it is called a refurreSlion, or believers are 
 faid to be rifen withChri/l*, and God promifes 
 he will take away the flony heart out ofcurjlejl:, 
 and that he will give us an heart oj fiefh b . It 
 is called a being drawn by the father c , a re- 
 ceiving the Spirit d . And there are other ex- 
 preffions of the fame kind, made ufe of, which 
 imply the utmoft degree of power. You have 
 a very remarkable paffage to this purpofe, in 
 
 the 
 
 x Gen. vi. \. y Eph. ii. 10. a Col. iii. I. b Ezek. 
 xxxvi. 26. c John vi. 44. d 1 Cor. ii. 12. 
 
• Serm. VII. On the new birth. 135 
 
 the apoftle's prayer for the Ephefa?is -, he prays 
 that they may know what is the hope of his cal- 
 lings and what the riches of the glory of his 
 inheritance in the faints ; and what is the ex- 
 ceeding greatnefs of his power to us- ward who 
 believe, according to the working of his mighty 
 power j which he wrought in Chrift, when he 
 raifed him from the dead c , &c. The apoftle 
 feems here to want words to exprefs the fenfe 
 he had of the greatnefs of that might, which 
 is exerted in the converfion of a finner. How 
 much think you didLazarus contribute towards 
 his own refurrec"lion ? no more can a finner 
 towards his converfion. The tree muft firft 
 be made good, before it can produce the leafl 
 good fruit. 
 
 (3.) This will yet more fully appear, if you 
 confider, that, to fuppofe the creature hath a 
 hand in his firft converfion, is fo far to oppofe 
 the main defign of the gofpel, which is, that 
 God mould have all the glory, whilft we 
 have all the bleffings of falvation. If a fin- 
 ner could fay, thus far, he changed himfelf, 
 fo far he would have matter of boafting, as 
 having fomething of his own, that he had not 
 received. And thus the honour of our con- 
 verfion muft be divided between the creature 
 and his Maker; and an ea'fy anfvver might 
 then be given to the apoftle's queftion, who 
 tnaketh thee to differ from another ? and what 
 haft thou that thou did ft not receive f ? Upon 
 
 K 4 the 
 
 • Tph. i. 18, 19, f 1 Cor. iv. 7, 
 
136 On the new birth. 
 
 the whole then, if the condition of the hu- 
 man nature is as the fcripture reprefents it, if 
 the work of converfion requires fuch power 
 as no created being is polleifed of, and if the 
 defign of the gofpel will not admit of the 
 creature's havmg any part in the work of his 
 own regeneration, we may juftly conclude that 
 God alone is the author of it, and man the 
 fubject, and not afiiftant in it» Let a man 
 but ferioufly look into his own, foul, and con- 
 sider how clofely he is attached to fin, and he 
 will find abundant reafon to join in the pro- 
 phet's queftion, .can the Ethiopian change his 
 Jkin ? or the leopard his fpots ? then may ye alfo 
 do good, that are accuftomed to do evil g . 
 
 Having thus confidered God as the author 
 of this work. I mould have proceeded to have 
 treated on the extent of it. But I mall leave 
 that to a future difcourfe, and clofe this with 
 two or three reflexions, on what has been faid. 
 And then, 
 
 1. If our affertion be juft, that this whole 
 work is the Lord's, we may very evidently 
 fee that mere moral fuafion, or objective light, 
 : is not fufficient to convert a finner. Some 
 divines have been ready to think, that it is 
 enough for God to fet before us the reafon- 
 ablenefs of religion, the beauty and excel- 
 lency of godlinefs, which, if the mind is made 
 throughly fenfible of, it will of itfelf be en- 
 clined to purfue it. But alas ! we find, that 
 
 though 
 
 s Jcr. ::ifi, 23, 
 
Serin. VII. On the new birth. 137 
 
 though Paul, nay even Chrift himfelf were the 
 preacher, the gofpel would be a dead letter, 
 unleis cloathed with the power of God. Many 
 perfons of the brighteft capacities, and of the 
 mod eminent character for ferioufnefs and mo- 
 rality, have yet remained ignorant of the myf- 
 teries of the kingdom of heaven, and have, 
 with Nicodemus, been {tumbled at the firft 
 principles of true fpiritual religion. When 
 our Lord called to Lazarus, to come forth 
 from the grave, all mult acknowledge it was 
 not the mere force of words, but a fecret 
 divine power that went with them, which 
 effected the miracle. Thus we may hear the 
 voice of the Son of God externally, all our 
 days, and yet, be Grangers to that fecret and 
 victorious power which attends it, when it 
 brings life and falvation to the foul. And 
 farther, 
 
 2. From hence we may alfo fee, that if God 
 will work, none can let it. Truly the new crea- 
 tion is too much for us to perform. But with 
 the fame eafe, that the Lord commanded the 
 light toflnne out of darknefs, he can Jkine into 
 our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge 
 of the glory of God, in the face of Jefus Chrift h . 
 Theapoftle Paul was, you know, an eminent 
 inftance of this. He went on raging in his 
 malice againft Chrift and his people, and do- 
 ing his utmoft, if poflible, to deftroy his in- 
 tereft in the world. Yet, of an enemy, he 
 
 is 
 
 b 2 Cor. iv. 6. 
 
j 3 8 On the new birth. 
 
 is immediately made a friend j from a perfe- 
 cutor, he became a preacher of the gofpel, 
 and the chief of ChrifVs apoflles, as a glori- 
 ous monument of victorious grace. And, for 
 my part, I cannot read without wonder, 
 what we meet with among the mighty fuc- 
 cenes that are recorded in the acts of the 
 apoftles, at the firft publication of the gof- 
 pel, that a great company of the priejls were 
 obedient to the faith ', perfons of all others 
 mod prejudiced againft it. But, 
 
 3. Let not finners, think it a light or eafy 
 matter, on the one hand, or an impoffible 
 thing on the other, to be born again. Satan 
 hath often ferved his turn with both thefe 
 fuggeftions : fome apprehending converfion, 
 to be nothing but an external reformation of 
 life, have refted in a partial amendment, or in 
 cutting off fome branches, while the root or 
 ftock has remained entire. Corruption muft 
 be deftroyed in the principle as well as the 
 produce; and this is a work too hard for you. 
 On the other hand be not difcouraged, what 
 is impoffible with man, is pojjible with God. 
 
 a. Let not the chriftian be difheartened, 
 who perhaps cannot affign any particular fea- 
 fon, or remember exactly the manner in 
 which God wrought this mighty work upon 
 his foul. It is enough for us if we are con- 
 fcious of the blefled fruits of the Spirit. As 
 to the manner of the operation, it is de- 
 
 fcribed 
 * Aas vi. 7. 
 
Serm. VII. On the new birth. 139 
 
 fcribed to be like the wind, of which we 
 know very little. The wind bloweth where 
 it lifteth, and thou heareji the jound thereof 
 but canfi not tell whence it cometh, and whi- 
 ther it goeth : fo is every one that is born of 
 the Spirit k . And, 
 
 To conclude, if you have good reafon to 
 hope that you are born again, remember what 
 you owe to God for fuch a mercy ; let him 
 have all the glory of his own work ; remem- 
 ber what was his defign in it j examine your 
 hearts, and watch over your lives ; that you 
 may be able to make it appear that this great 
 defign has taken place in your fouls, and 
 that you are cleanjed from all filthinefs of 
 flefi and fpirit> perfecting holinejs in the fear 
 of God 1 . 
 
 k John iii. 8. J 2 Cor. vii. x. 
 
 SER- 
 
( H° ) 
 
 SERMON VIII. 
 
 On the new birth, 
 
 John iii. 3. 
 
 ye/us anfwered and f aid unto him, verily , ve- 
 rily, I fay unto thee, except a man be bcrn 
 again, he cannot fee the kingdom of God. 
 
 The fecond Sermon on this text. 
 
 FTER I had in a former difcourfe 
 confidered, that the particular view of 
 our Saviour, in thcfe words, was to 
 inftruct a matter in Ifrael in the im- 
 portant doctrine of regeneration 3 I propofed, 
 more largely, toexplain the privilege itfelf,and 
 then to attend to our Lord's reafoning upon it: 
 that except a man be born again, he cannot fee 
 the kingdom of God. Accordingly, in order to 
 explain the privilege, I obferved, 
 
 1 . That God is the author of this bleffing, 
 and that man is entirely paffive in the firft re- 
 ception of it : or that this is one of thofe gifts 
 
 which 
 
Serm. VIII. On the new birth. 141 
 
 which defcend's from the Father of lights, 
 and in the beftowment of which, he will 
 alone be exalted. This I endeavoured to 
 confirm by feveral arguments, and clofed with 
 fome practical reflexions. I proceed now, 
 
 2. To confider the extent of this privilege, 
 which I apprehend is univerfal, as reaching to 
 the whole foul. As the foul was created after 
 the divine image at firft, fo it was defaced in 
 every faculty, by our apoftacy from God 5 and 
 this image is renewed in part, in the whole 
 mind, when we are born again, and effectu- 
 ally engaged to turn unto the Lord. The 
 work indeed is not perfected at once, or com- 
 pleat in its degree. But if it is genuine in its 
 kind, it muft be univerfal in its extent. Hence 
 you find the Spirit of God, when fpeaking 
 of this blefling, ufes indefinite terms. We 
 read of being renewed in the Spirit of our 
 mind, that is, in the whole foul. And again 
 it is called the new man, which after God is 
 created in righteoufnefs, and true holinefs * ; 
 plainly intimating, its author, influence, and 
 extent. Thus, as the whole compafs of cor- 
 ruption is comprifed in this term, the old man, 
 fo, the entire work of grace is reprefented 
 by the new man. And as the poifon of the 
 one, fo the influence of the other, is diffufed 
 through the whole foul. Some are fo mif- 
 taken, as to confine the work of converfion 
 to the underftanding, as though it were fuf- 
 
 ficient 
 
 a Eph, iv. 23, 24. 
 
142 On the new birth. 
 
 ficient to denominate a perfon a fervant, that 
 he knew his Lord's will. Others miftake as 
 much, when they limit it to the affections, 
 as though a zeal for God, though never fo 
 blind and ignorant, was to worjhip him in 
 Jpirit and in truth. But how much they 
 are both deceived, we may learn from the in- 
 stance o( Paul on the one hand, who, in zeal for 
 God, perfecuted the church, and blafphemed 
 the name of Chrift, till he was renewed by 
 the divine power -, and then from Judas on 
 the other, who could not be faid to perifti 
 for want of knowledge, but yet was involved 
 in ruin, his heart being untouched by the effi- 
 cacy of fovereign grace. The light thrown 
 in upon the understanding, if it is distin- 
 guishing and faving, is always attended with 
 fuitable impreffions on the affections, whence 
 the foul is at once improved and delighted, 
 grows in grace, and advances in ufeful know- 
 ledge. Agreeable to this, we find the apoftle 
 fpeaking of the fpirit ofwifdom and revelation^ 
 in the knowledge of Chrift, by which the 
 eyes of the under/landing being enlightened, ye 
 may know what is the hope of his calling h } &c. 
 And, you know, it is faid of our Lord, with 
 repect to his difciples, that he opened their 
 under [landing, that they might underftand the 
 fcriptures c . Obferve, it is not faid that 
 he opened the fcriptures to their understand- 
 ing, or, by a fuitable paraphrafe or comment, 
 
 he 
 
 * Eph. i. 17, iS. c Luke xxiv. 45. 
 
Serm. VIII. On the new birth. 143 
 
 lie explained the great and fpiritual import 
 or defign of them, tho' it may be well fup- 
 pofed he did that : but he opened their under- 
 standing : the work was internal, and the 
 foul entirely paflive in the reception of it. 
 From whence we may gather, by the way, 
 that objective evidence is not fufficient to 
 enlighten the mind of a finner. The vail 
 muft be taken off from the underftanding, 
 and the mind cleared from darknefs and pre- 
 judice, before it will rightly apprehend, or 
 receive the things of the kingdom of God. 
 David, even after his converiion, prays to 
 this purpofe, open thou mine eyes, that 1 may 
 behold wondrous things out of thy law d . More- 
 over, as the new man is renewed in knowledge ; 
 fo alfo in holinefs. Thus, you know the de- 
 fcription we have of converfion in the cove- 
 nant of grace, where God fays, I will take 
 away the fony heart out of your flefi, and I 
 will give you an heart of flcjh e . It is a re- 
 moving the obftinacy and enmity of our na- 
 ture, and a bringing us into fubjection 
 to Chrift. Agreeable to this, it is promifed 
 by the Father to him, in the covenant, that 
 his people fhould be willing in the day of his 
 power 1 . Nor is this bleffing confined to the 
 underftanding and affections, but the iudg- 
 ment is rectified and eftablifhed ; confcience 
 maintains its authority ; and the memory be- 
 comes a treafury of facred truth, and a repo- 
 
 fitory 
 * PR case 18, e Ezek. xxxvi. 26. f Pfal. ex. 3. 
 
144 ® n rf je new birth. 
 
 fitory of fpiritual experience. No faculty is 
 indeed without imperfection, but all are 
 changed and altered. This is the new birth 
 or regeneration. But, 
 
 3. I would farther obferve, that the pri- 
 vilege of regeneration is moft valuable, not 
 only in itfelf, but on account of the bleffings 
 which attend it. Its author befpeaks its excel- 
 lency, Every thing that comes from heaven, 
 mull be divine, and highly deferving our at- 
 tention. What fubject fhould fo much chal- 
 lenge our admiration and efteem, as the re- 
 paration of the divine image in the apoftate 
 creature ? But if you add to this, the many 
 precious advantages, which neceifarily arife 
 from, or are clofely connected with this hea- 
 venly bleffing, they mull needs increafe our 
 apprehenfions of it. And here allow me to 
 be a little particular, in the following indances. 
 And, 
 
 (1.) In our converflon or regeneration, a 
 vail, of worfe than Egyptia?i darknefs, is taken 
 away, and we immediately become light in 
 the Lord. What more melancholy, than to 
 be deprived of natural fight ? Every fuch ob- 
 ject awakens our concern, and engages our 
 companion. But, by how much the intereft 
 of the foul, and the affairs of eternitv. exceed 
 thofe of time, and the body, by fo much 
 the more wretched is the condition of every 
 unrenewed, ignorant finner. Nor is it the 
 leaft part of the mifery of men, in this fad con- 
 dition, 
 
Serm. VIII. On the new birth. 145 
 
 dition, that they cannot fay, Is their not a lie 
 in our right hand*? Now in conversion, as 
 the apoftle exprefles it, ye r juerefometi?nes dark- 
 nefs, but now are ye light in the Lord h . It is 
 a change, not more excellent, than furprifing : 
 hence the apoftle calls it marvellous light l . 
 It is hardly poffible to conceive with what 
 a tranfport of joy a perfon, who had been 
 long confined to darknefs, would welcome 
 the returning light. Nor is it otherwife with 
 an heir of falvation, when he looks back and 
 obferves, how wife he was to do evil, and 
 how ignorant of, as well as averfe to the 
 paths of holinefs and duty. The very review 
 of his cafe affects him with horror, as the 
 apprehenfion of its alteration ftrikes him with 
 the moft pleafing fatisfaction. How ready is 
 he to acknowledge, " Alas, I lately knew no- 
 <c thing comparatively of myfelf, or my Sa- 
 " viour, my mifery through fin, or remedy 
 " through grace ! all was dark and gloomy; 
 " and had not grace prevented, would cer- 
 <c tainly have led me to the world of uttef 
 i( darknefs and confufion ! " 
 
 (2.) In our converfion, we (hake off* the 
 fetters of the worff. of tyrants, and take upon 
 us the yoke of the heft of mafters. Thus 
 you read of the gofpel as an inftrument in the 
 hand of the Spirit, not only to open our eyes, 
 and to turn us from darknefs to light, but alfo, 
 from the power of Satan unto God k . Satan s 
 
 L power 
 
 b Jfai. xliv. 2G. h Eph. v. S. 'i Pet. ii. 9. k Adb xxvi. j £, 
 
146 On the new birth, 
 
 power is fo great in every unrenewed heart, 
 that he may be faid to rule and govern there, 
 to have the afcendant in the affections, and 
 the chief influence on the will. As his defign 
 is the ruin of mankind, fo he fuits his temp- 
 tations to their corruptions ; and while they 
 ignorantly propofe fatisfadtion to themfelves, 
 they are really, treafuring up wrath againft 
 the day of wrath, purfuing that which, at the 
 beft, will not fatisfy, and, if the mercy of 
 God do not interpofe, muft certainly end in 
 their deftruclion. Now this is the cafe of 
 every one of us by nature, as the apoftle de- 
 fcribes it to the Ephe/ians, Wherein, fays he, in 
 time pajiye walked according to the courfe of this 
 world, according to the prince of the power of the 
 air, the fpirit that now worketh in the children 
 of difobedience '. And from this fad and de- 
 plorable condition we are not delivered, till 
 the Spirit of grace refts upon us, and breaks 
 the union between us and this great adverfary 
 of God and our fouls. There is then fuch a 
 difcovery made of his wickednefs and malice, 
 as begets a fpecial and abiding fear of him, and 
 averiion to him in the foul ; and thus, re- 
 nouncing the former fubjection to him, the 
 foul is engaged in the fervice of another, 
 even the Lord Jefus Chrijl j whofe fervice is 
 not only our duty, but our honour and happi- 
 nefs, for the ways of wifdom are ways of 
 pleafantnefs, and ail her paths are peace m . Sa- 
 tan 
 
 1 Eph. ii. 2. m Prov. iii. 17. 
 
Serm. VIII. On the new birth. 1 4.7 
 
 tan treats his greateft votaries with deceit and 
 treachery; whilft our Lord is not only juft, but 
 gracious and merciful : his yoke is eafy y for he 
 a/lifts us to bear it; and he treats us as friends, 
 and not meerly as fervants. And is it a valua- 
 ble bleffing to be delivered thus from the cruel 
 tyranny of the hardeft of all mailers, and to 
 be engaged in the fervice of a moil juft and 
 bountiful benefactor ? fuch then is the happy 
 alteration the foul paffes under, that is de- 
 livered from the captivity of this enemy, and 
 fubjected to the free and gracious govern- 
 ment of our Lord J ejus Chrift* 
 
 (3.) In our regeneration, we arife from a 
 death in trefpaffes and lins, to a life of holi- 
 nefs and religion. So fays the apoftle, you 
 hath he quickened who were dead in trefpajfes 
 and fins n . The meer light of nature teaches 
 us the preference of good to evil, but it is 
 revelation only which hath fully inftructed 
 us into the amiable excellency of grace, and 
 the vile deformity of fin. Now as death 
 fpreads itfelf through the whole animal 
 frame, fo fin by nature entirely poflefTes the 
 foul, and we are as lifelefs and inactive in 
 the things of God, as one, who is naturally 
 dead, is in the affairs of this world. The re- 
 moval of which is the great end of our con- 
 verfion. Hence the apoftle, writing to the 
 believing Romans, obferves, that the defign 
 of God in calling them was, that they mould 
 L 2 be 
 
 ■ Eph, ii. 1. 
 
148 On the new birth. 
 
 be faints, or holy perfons. He writes his 
 epiitie to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, 
 called to be faints °. And he ufes the fame 
 phrafe, in his falutation to the church at Co- 
 . rinth. To them that are fanctified in Chrijl 
 jfefuSy called to be faints p . And agreeable to 
 this, our calling is faid to be an holy calling \ 
 not only as it is the work of the Holy Ghofi, 
 but as it is holy in its tendency: and thus 
 the grace of God, where it is received in re- 
 ality, the fame apoftle fays, will teach us, that 
 denying ungodlinefs and worldly lujls, wefJjould 
 li-ve Joberly, right eoufly and godly in this pre- 
 fent world 1 . And the apoftle John adds, 
 that whofbever is born of God, doth not com- 
 mit Jin* \ i. e. in the fame way, or in the 
 fame degree, with thofe who are in the world. 
 Thus iuch a one receives that inftru&ion 
 of the Holy Ghoft by the apoftle Peter, who 
 fays, As he who hath called you is holy, Jo be 
 ye holy in all manner of coiroerfation ; becaufe 
 it is written, be ye holy, fGr I am holy \ But 
 again, 
 
 (4.) In our converfion we exchange a bur- 
 denfome converfation with vain company, and 
 unfatisfying enjoyments, for fpiritual and de- 
 lightful communion with the Father, Son, 
 and Spirit, with the faints, and with the 
 world above. Perhaps before converfion, 
 none more greedy after the world, or more 
 
 ear- 
 
 • Rom. i. 7. p 1 Cor. i. 2. 1 2 Tim. i. 9. r Titus ii. 12. 
 * 1 Johniii. 9. ' 1 Teter i. 15, 16. 
 
Serm. VIII. On the new birth. 149 
 
 earned in the purfuit of fenfual pleafure and 
 carnal company. But when the mind is 
 changed and renewed, inftead of faying, to 
 the world, Who will fiew us any good "4 we 
 are feeking for the light of God's counte- 
 nance -, being inftructed in fome meafure, that 
 the world hath nothing fuitable to our fpiri- 
 tual nature, or fufficient to make us truly and 
 eternally happy. The character of un- 
 converted perfons, you have in fliort in that 
 of the Ephe/ians, That at that time, they were 
 without Chrift y being aliens from the common- 
 wealth of Ifraely and fir angers from the cove- 
 nants of promife, having no hope, and with- 
 out God in the world". But the end of our 
 converfion you may read in thofe words 
 of the apoftle, to the church at Corinthy 
 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto 
 the fellow/kip of his Son J ejus Chrift our Lord™. 
 Now what greater honour or happinefs than to 
 have Chrift manifefting himfelf unto us, as he 
 doth not unto the world ? But, 
 
 (5.) In our converfion, from being under 
 the curfe as children of wrath, we vifibly be- 
 come entitled to heaven and glory. I believe 
 I need not go far to prove that he that believeth 
 not, is condemned already x : and that, whilft 
 a firmer is unrenewed, he is, according to 
 fcripture, to look upon himfelf as under the 
 curfe. Now, in our converfion, one confi- 
 derable part of our happinefs is, that we are 
 L 3 called 
 
 u Eph. ii. 12. w 1 Cor. i. 9. x John iii. 18. 
 
I jo On the new birth* 
 
 called not only unto grace, but unto glory 
 alio -, as the apoftle exhorts the Thejfalonians, 
 to walk worthy of God, who had called them 
 unto his kingdom and glory y . So likewife the 
 apoftle Peter (peaks of the God of all grace, 
 who hath called us into his eternal glory 2 . And 
 here I might add, 
 
 (6.) And laftly, the confideration of the 
 permanency of this divine principle, and that it 
 mall not be loft, as another infinite advantage 
 that belongs to it. And this might be argued 
 from the decrees of God, from the unchange- 
 ablenefs of his nature and his other attributes, 
 from the account we have in fcripture of the 
 everlafting covenant, from the character and 
 fatisfaclion of the great Saviour, and the in- 
 tereft the believer has in him and his falva- 
 tion, from what he has already experienced, 
 and what the faithful and powerful intercef- 
 flon of Chrift, together with the promifes 
 of the gofpel, give him leave to hope for. But 
 as I intend to treat more particularly on this 
 doctrine of the faints everlafting fafety from 
 another text, I fhall proceed, 
 
 II. And very briefly, to confider, why 
 none, but fuch who are born again, fhall ever 
 fee the kingdom of God. And, 
 
 The neceffity of it is fixed, Jirfi in the di- 
 vine will, and fecondly, in the reafon of the 
 thing itfelf. 
 
 i. In 
 
 y i Theff.ii. 12. z 1 Pet, v. 10, 
 
Serm. VIII. On the new birth. 151 
 
 1. In the divine will, God hath determined 
 that without holinefs no manjhall fee his face*. 
 He hath certainly a fight to determine under 
 what circum fiances we mall enjoy eternal life, 
 or to in lift on what he pleafes, as requifite to 
 it. And he hath faid, the wicked foall be 
 turned into hell, and all the nations that for- 
 get God b . They that die in an unbelieving 
 and unfanctified condition, can have no por- 
 tion in the land of purity, and eternal blifs. 
 Old things muji pafs away, and all things muft 
 become new c , before we can ever have any 
 foundation to hope for an enjoyment of the 
 bleflednefs of that world. As thofe only 
 who have wafied their robes, and made them 
 white in the blood of the lamb, can ft and befo?'e 
 the throne of God, and ferve him in his tern' 
 fie d ; fo it is the unalterable decree of heaven, 
 that, nothing that defiles fid all enter into the new 
 Jerufalem e , but they only that do God'j com- 
 mandments have a right to the tree of life, 
 and may enter in through the gates into the city f . 
 So that had we no other evidence but this, it 
 might be fufficient to convince us, that God 
 hath fettled the way to everlafting life, in all 
 ages of the world ; and that where he gives 
 glory, he always firft gives grace as prepara- 
 tory to it. But add to this, 
 
 2. The reafon of the thing itfelf. A man 
 without this fupernatural change, would be 
 
 L 4 abfo* 
 
 * Heb. xii. 14. b Pfal. ix. 17. c 2 Cor. v. 17. d Rev, 
 vii- 14. e Chap. xxi. 27. f Chap. xxii. 14. 
 
"152 On the new birth. 
 
 absolutely unfit both for the employment and 
 happinefs of a better world. Holinefs becomes 
 the habitation of God'j houfe, and the place 
 where his honour dwells g ; and certainly then, 
 to admit a man, in his carnal, ignorant, and 
 corrupt ftate, into the general alTembly of the 
 church of the firft born, and even into the 
 palace of the divine Being, would be molt 
 dishonourable to God, and moft unfit in itfelf, 
 Jfaiah was not only a regenerate and Spiritual 
 man, but, I think, it is not to be doubted, 
 had as much acquaintance with Gcd, and con- 
 formity to him, as any one of his time j and 
 yet, under a fenfe of the imperfect circum- 
 stances which attend the beft of men in this 
 world, when he was brought nigh to the 
 throne of God in a virion, and faw the Sera- 
 phims bowing before it, and heard them, cry- 
 ing to one another \ and faying, Holy, Holy, 
 Holy, is the Lord of Hofts, the whole earth is 
 full of his glory, he fa id, Wo is me, jor I am 
 undone, becaufe I am a jnan of unclean lips, 
 and dwell in the mid/2 of a people of unclean 
 lps : for mine eyes bavefeen the King, the Lord 
 of ho/Is h . Such is the holinefs of God that 
 angels veil their faces, and elders ca/l their 
 crowns before his throne \ and acknowledge 
 that heaven is not clean in his fight k , and that, 
 in their moft perfect condition, he may juftly 
 charge them with folly 1 . Now, what could a 
 
 firmer, 
 
 8 Pfal. xcii!. i. h Tf-ii. vi. !, 2, 3. i Rev. iv. 10. k Job 
 xv. 15. J Chap. iv. ? 8, 
 
Serm. VIII. On the new birth. 153 
 
 firmer, in his unrenewed (late, do in fuch a 
 world ? what part could a man, dead in tref- 
 pafTes and fins, bear in fuch pure and fpiri- 
 tual fervices as theie? The attention of an hour 
 in this world to divine things is a grievous 
 burden to a carnal mind, and the more fpi- 
 ritual the fervice is, the heavier is the burden : 
 what then muft fuch a man endure, through 
 a long eternity, in the midfl of the mofl ex- 
 alted devotion, and the mofl holy and refined 
 converfation ? He could have no competent 
 knowledge of the manner in which God is to 
 be worfhiped, no capacity for his fervice, nor 
 any relifh for the enjoyment of him. The 
 company of angels would be wearifome to 
 him, and he muil needs be uneafy in the fo- 
 ciety of the fpirits of jufl men made perfect. 
 In a word, to fuch perfons, heaven would 
 be a mofl difagreeable place, inflead of afford- 
 ing them any fatisfaction and delight. Well 
 therefore might our Lord fay, Except a man 
 be bcrn again y he cannot fee the kingdom of 
 God. But, to draw to a clofe, from what 
 hath been faid, 
 
 1. You will fee, that there maybe know- 
 ledge in the head, without grace in the heart. 
 As many, in the prefent day, take pleafure in 
 deriding the great fundamentals of religion, fo 
 others fatisfy themfelves with a barefpeculative 
 acquaintance with them. Suppofe a man 
 had the capacity of a fallen fpirit, if he had 
 his vicious nature too, would it not rather in- 
 % creafe 
 
154 On the new birth. 
 
 creafe his mifery, than be any ground of 
 rejoicing ? It is very poffible for a perfon to 
 have very diftinct apprehensions of the gofpel, 
 and yet to retain his enmity to the Lord Jefus 
 Chrijl. Would you know therefore, whether 
 your knowledge is faving? Obferve what influ- 
 ence it hath upon your hearts and lives ; whether 
 in proportion to your improvement in know- 
 ledge, you growin humility j or whether you are 
 notrather puffed up with a fond conceit of your 
 own attainments j whether yourappreheniions 
 of the evil of fin produce a growing abhor- 
 rence of it j whether this is attended with an 
 increafing tendernefs of conicience, and watch- 
 ful diligence in your walk ; whether your ac- 
 quaintance with the gofpel fills your hearts with 
 love to jfefus Chrijl; and, in a word, while you 
 improve in a fpeculative knowledge of the other 
 world, you die the more to the things of 
 this j and while your hopes increafe refpect- 
 ing your interefl in that bleffednefs, your 
 confidence increafes alfo in the merit of that 
 Saviour, by which alone it is to be obtained. 
 
 2. Do not take a particular fit of zeal and 
 affection, for this new birth. Many have 
 feemed earneflly to let their hands to the plough, 
 who have foon looked back. Some like the 
 ftony-ground hearers, when they have heard 
 the word, have immediately received it with 
 gladnefs : but having no root in themf elves y 
 have endured but for a time m . And where 
 this is the cafe with any, it had been better for 
 
 them 
 
 m Mark iv. 16, 17. 
 
Serm. VIII. On the new birth. 155 
 
 them not to have known the way of righteouf- 
 ne/s, than after they have known tt, to turn 
 from the holy commandment delivered unto 
 them n . 
 
 3. What enemies are finners to them- 
 felves, while they are unconcerned and 
 thoughtlefs about this bk-ffing, without 
 which they cannot ferve the Lord aright, 
 nor have any well grounded peace in their 
 own breafts, or enjoy even the blerlings of 
 this life, in a way of true comfort and fatis- 
 fadtion, and much lefs the hopes of a better ? 
 O finners, finners, what are you purfuing! 
 And what are you neglecting ! Were you 
 truly fenfible of the deplorable condition you 
 are in, you could neither eat your food, con- 
 verfe with your acquaintance, nor lie down 
 on your beds with any compofure. Or had 
 you ever felt this faving change, had you 
 ever feen a glimpfe of pardoning love, or had 
 a real tafte of divine things, how unfatisfv- 
 ing would every vanity, in which you place 
 your prefent hope, appear? Sad and deceivable 
 ftate indeed, tojeek the living among the dead! 
 to fleep on the top of a mail, and fport on 
 the brink of a precipice ! And O what then 
 will become of fuch who defpife, and deride 
 the efficacious operations of the Holy Spirit 
 in the new birth ! who brand the whole of 
 the chriflian's experience, with the ignomi- 
 nious names of enthufiafm and delufion ! Cer- 
 tainly 
 
 n 2 Pet. ii. 21. 
 
156 On the new birth. 
 
 tainly our Lord was the beft judge, and he 
 fays, Except a man be bom again, he cannot 
 jee the kingdom of God. T'o be Grangers to 
 the experimental power of this work upon 
 their own hearts is bad enough furely, men 
 need not enhance the miiery of it, by fuch a 
 daring contempt of its almighty Author, and 
 of its genuine and gracious effects on the hearts 
 of others. That word of Paul to the unbe- 
 lieving Jews at Antioch may be very juftly 
 applied to fuch men, Beware left that come upon 
 you which was fpoken of in the prophets. Be- 
 hold ye defpifers, and wonder, and peri jh : for 
 I work a work in your days, a work which you 
 jhall hi no wife believe, though a man declare 
 it unto you°. For, fays the author to the 
 Hebrews, He that defpifed Mofes's law, died 
 without mercy under two or three wit7iefes : 
 of how much for cr puniflmient, fuppofe ye, Jhall 
 he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under 
 foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood 
 of the covenant, wherewith he is fantJifed, an 
 unholy thing, and hath done defpite unto the 
 Spirit of grace p f But to add no more, 
 
 4. What ground of ftrong confolation 
 have thofe, who have fled for refuge to the 
 Lord fefus Chri/J? They have the purpofe, 
 covenant, promife, and oath of God the Fa- 
 ther, with all his perfections, the merit of 
 the Redeemer's blood, the power of his in- 
 terceffion, and his own glory, together with 
 
 the 
 
 Atts xiii. 40, 41. p Heb. x. 28, zg. 
 
Serm. VIII. On the new birth. 157 
 
 the Jionour of the Spirit, all interefted in their 
 happinefs, and fecurity. This fhould fill the 
 hearts of God's people with joy, in the midft 
 of all the afflictions they pafs through in this 
 life, give them courage in every danger, and 
 raife their drooping fpirits in their darkefh 
 hours. Happy indeed, and only happy is he 
 who is Gods workmaiijhipy created in Chrijl 
 yefus unto good works ! In this blefiing, we 
 have all other bleffings, let our circumftances 
 otherwife be what they will : If God doth 
 this for us, it is as much as our hearts can 
 wifh. This new nature makes the poor rich, 
 the .(imple wife, and changes the finner into 
 a faint. This is food to the hungry, and 
 cloathing to the naked. And though we pafs 
 trTrough a thoufand afflictions in this life, and 
 even through the valley and fhadow of death, 
 we are ftill going to take poffeffion of a king- 
 dom. We are entitled to promifes and com- 
 forts, which will fupport us in the way, and, 
 being born from above, we fhall fhortly en- 
 ter into our inheritance among the faints in 
 tight. 
 
 S E R- 
 
( ij8) 
 
 SERMON IX. 
 
 7*he charaBer and privileges of 
 ChriftV Jheep. 
 
 John x. 27. 
 
 My Jheep hear my voice, and I know them, 
 and they follow me. 
 
 The firfl Sermon on this text. 
 
 ' HERE are two reafons which our Lord 
 afligns for his fpeaking in parables: 
 one of which relates to his obftinate 
 enemies, the fcribes and pharifees, 
 who wilfully (hut their eyes againft the cleareft 
 light. To thefe he fpeaks under thefe figures, 
 that feeing they might fee, and not perceive, and 
 hearing they might hear, and not under/land a ; 
 as a juft punifhment for that inveteracy and 
 contempt, with which they treated his per- 
 fon and his doctrine, notwithftanding all the 
 
 ratio- 
 
 * Mark iv. 12. 
 
Serm.IX. The char -after , &c. 159 
 
 rational, the divine, and miraculous evidence, 
 which he brought along with him. The 
 other reafon of Chrifl's fpeaking in parables 
 refers to his difciples, who wevejlow of heart 
 to believe b , and very dull and imperfect in then- 
 knowledge and underftanding, and therefore, 
 by this manner of inftruction, efpecially when 
 thefe parables were explained, the doctrines 
 of truth became more familiar to them, and 
 they were able to conceive and judge more 
 readily about them. So that what was de- 
 iigned as a punifhment to the adverfaries of 
 our Lord, by his wifdom and goodnefs, be- 
 came a mercy to his difciples. In this man- 
 ner, in the chapter before us, he acquaints 
 his followers, with the intimate relation he 
 ftahds in to them, and his watchful care over 
 them, under the familiar flmilitudeof a fhep- 
 herd and his fheep. But this was an entire 
 myftery, a hard and dark faying to the Jews. 
 Thus you read, in the context, This parable 
 fpake Jejus unto them, but they underjlood not 
 what things they were which he fpake unto 
 them c . And it is very probable the difciples 
 would have known little more of it, if our 
 Lord had not more particularly applied it to 
 himfelf, and explained it to them. 
 
 I shall not flay to enquire into the feve- 
 ral parts of this parable at prefent. The moft 
 material things in it will naturally fall under 
 our conlideration, in the profecution of the 
 
 fubjeft 
 
 1 Lukexxiv. 25. c John x. 6. 
 
160 The char after and privileges 
 
 fubject berbre us. All that I {hall farther ob- 
 ferve, by way of introduction to it, is, that the 
 yews having folemnly afked our Saviour whe- 
 ther he were thtChrijr, he replies, I told you 
 and ye believed net : the works that I do in my 
 Father's name, they bear witnefs oj me d . He 
 refers them to the miraculous works which he 
 had wrought among them. And moreover, 
 allures them, that their incredulity was no 
 furprize to him ; for he knew that they were 
 not his flieep, and therefore it was no wonder 
 that they did not hear his voice, or believe 
 the report that he made concerning himfelf. 
 But yt believe not, fays he, becaufe ye are not 
 of my Jkeep, as I f aid unto you*. In oppofi- 
 tioii therefore to their character, and in con- 
 trudiftinction from his enemies, he adds con- 
 cerning his difciples, in the text, My foeep 
 
 hear my voice, and I know them y and they 
 follow me. As if he had laid, " If the wicked 
 " defpife me, and perifh, if they fee no form of 
 tf comelinefs in me ; yet my friends, my dif- 
 " ciples, they know the pleafure of conver- 
 " ling with me; and all mine elect mall 
 <c hear my voice, and live ; they fhall fol- 
 " low me, and I will make them to lie 
 <{ down in green pa/lures, and lead them be fide 
 " the jiill waters" And here then, 
 
 I. Let us confider with what propriety and 
 affection our Lord fpeaks of his difciples : 
 he calls them his Jl:eep. 
 
 H. 
 
 * John x. 25. e Ver. 26. 
 
Serm. IX. of Qhvifc s Jheef. 16 1 
 
 II. What he afTerts concerning them, and 
 as peculiar to thern : that they hear his 
 voice. And, 
 
 III. Our Lord's fpecial regard to them, he 
 knows them i and their duty and privi- 
 lege, they follow him whitherfoever he 
 goes. 
 
 I. It is remarkable with what propriety 
 and affection Chrift fpeaks of his difciples 5 he 
 calls them his ftjeep. 
 
 They may be laid to be Chrift* s Jheep, as 
 they were created by him. For we are to 
 know that this Lord, he is God, it is he that 
 hath made ns y and not we curf elves ; we are 
 his people, and the Jheep of his pafture F . He 
 it is, of whom it is faid, all things were made by 
 him i and without him was not any thing made 
 that was made*. Now it is certain we muft 
 be the property of him who gave us our being, 
 and efpecially as we live upon his providence 
 continually, and are upheld by the word of his 
 power. But this is not the fenfc of the words 
 in the text, becaufe in this view, our Lord 
 might as well fay it of his enemies as of his 
 friends. The veflels which are fitting them- 
 felves for deftruction, as well as thofe which 
 are prepared for mercy, are in this fenfe, his 
 feeep, as they are the workmanship of his 
 hands. 
 
 Those therefore, of whom Chrift fpeaks 
 
 in this place, are his flxep in a peculiar fenfe, 
 
 M thofe 
 
 ' P&l. c. 3. * John i. 3, 
 
1 6 2 The char -after and privileges 
 
 thofe only, and all of thofe who are of the 
 ele&ion of grace j part of whom are already 
 brought in, many of them got fafe to glory, 
 and others there are who muft yet be brought 
 in, till they all become c?ie fieepfold under 
 the one great JJ:epherd h , and bifoop of fouls, 
 the Lord Je/us Chrift. Thefe may be com- 
 pared to Jheep on account of their natural, 
 weak, and defencelefs condition j they are 
 like Jheep among wolves, and were they left 
 to themfelves, would eafily fall a prey to 
 every enemy ; and they are only fafe, as un- 
 der the mephcrd's care. Moreover they, like 
 fheep, are very fubjecl: to go affray. But per- 
 haps, the principal reafon of this comparifon 
 may be taken from the change that divine 
 grace makes upon them. When, by that 
 blefTed influence, the pride and haughtinefs, 
 the paffion and fury of their nature is effectu- 
 ally fubdued, and they are made meek and 
 kivh\ in fome meafure, like their humble 
 Lord j when they are difpofed, in fome good 
 degree, like him, to the tendereil treatment 
 of others, while they are. ready to forgive, 
 an8 not apt to indulge a fevere refentment of 
 the injuries which they receive themfelves. 
 
 They are Chrift'sfteep, as the gift of the 
 Father to him. And this fpecial propriety in 
 them he frequently takes notice of in this 
 gofpel of John. Thine they were, fays he, 
 and thou gavcp them me 1 . Kere we might 
 3 con- 
 
 * John x » Chap. xvii. 6. 
 
Serm. IX. of ChnWsJheep: ^3 
 
 confider the Father's right to give them, and 
 the delight and fatisfaclion of the Son in re- 
 ceiving them from his Father's hands. As 
 God knew from everlafting what creatures he 
 would form, fo he had an undoubted right to 
 difpofe of them, according to his pleafure. 
 Thefe, by his everlafting purpofe, were his 
 portion, and, by his own appointment, were the 
 lot of bis inheritance* ; and accordingly he 
 gives them to his Son, in the covenant of 
 grace, to which his Son confents, and doth 
 it with a great deal of joy and pleafure, as 
 having his heart fixed upon them. As the 
 Father could bellow no greater teftimony of 
 his love on the church, than in the gift 
 of his Son; fo it was a peculiar mark of 
 his affection to him, that he gave him all the 
 elect:, who were fo dear to himfelf. Now vou 
 know nothing is freer than a gift, and what 
 we obtain in this way we generally value, and 
 may fafely call our own : yea, it is as really 
 ours, as it was the property of the donor, before 
 he bellowed it upon us. Moreover, they were 
 given to Chrift as his care, and his reward, as 
 a trufl committed to his charge, and as an in- 
 heritance, that he mould enjoy for ever. 
 
 Again, they were his by purchace, as well 
 as by gift. Thus he bought them out of the 
 hands of juftice, as finful creatures. As they 
 were given to him as creatures, fo they were 
 purchafed by him as finners. Now what a 
 
 M 2 man 
 
 k Deut. xxxii. 9. 
 
164 The chara&er and privileges 
 
 man buys, and pays an equivalent for, is cer- 
 tainly his own. This was necefTary with 
 refpect to the elect, for the maintenance of the 
 glory of the divine perfections, which were fo 
 much difhonoured by the fall. He hath pur- 
 chafed the church unto himfelf, with his own 
 blood l . 
 
 Again, his flieep are his by conqueft, as 
 well as by purchafe, as they are made his 
 willing people in the day fl/^his power" 1 . This 
 is necefTary in order to cur happinefs and his 
 glory ; to our happinefs in the enjoyment 
 of him, and to his glory in our fubjection 
 and obedience to him. And in this conqueft 
 he acts both powerfully, and tenderly 5 at 
 once to fecure the victory over them, and 
 yet to do it with their own confent. 
 
 Once more, they are his by polfeilion, 
 and that partly in this world, and they will 
 be fully lb when they come to glory. Ac- 
 cording to which it is faid of Chri/l, that 
 God the Father hath put all things under his 
 feet, and given him to be the head over all 
 things to the church, which is his body, thejul- 
 nefs of him that fillet h all in all n . But I come 
 now to the next general head, which is, 
 
 II. To obferve w r hat Chri/l afTerts concern- 
 ing hkflesp, and which is peculiar to them ; 
 viz. that they hear his voice. In this, to be 
 fure, he alludes to the ufage of mepherds, 
 
 and 
 
 1 Ads xx. 28. Bl Pial. ex. 3. n Eph. i. 22, 23. 
 I 
 
Serm.IX. of Chti&'sfleep. 165 
 
 and efpecially of thofe in the eaflern part of 
 the world, where their cuftom was to go be- 
 fore the fheep , and every flock knew their 
 own fhepherd's voice, and followed him, and 
 by his call he recovered them when they 
 were going aflray, and brought them into 
 the fold when it was a proper time for them 
 to take their reft. Thus our Lord Jefus 
 Chrijl is as well the prophet of his people, 
 as hie is their Lord and governour. And as 
 they are naturally without knowledge, and 
 at befl but very imperfect in it, fo he hath 
 feveral ways of fpeaking to them for their 
 inftrudtion, their reproof, and comfort. It is 
 obfervable, that he afferts this in general con- 
 cerning all his fheep. " Myfieep, whoever 
 <£ are fo, not in name and profeffion only, 
 *' but indeed, and in truth, thefe, all thefe 
 lt hear my voice:" and then he plainly diftin- 
 guifhes them, in this, from the refl of the 
 world, " thefe, and only thefe hear my voice, 
 <£ Others either hear nothing at all of me, 
 " or in hearing, underftand not, and in fee- 
 " ing are utterly blind to the excellency of 
 <c my perfon, and the great and glorious 
 " things which the gofpel reveals concern- 
 tf ing me; but thefe hear my voice" Now 
 here we may enquire, 
 
 1 . What the voice of Chrijl is ? And 
 %. When we may be faid to hear it? 
 
 M 3 1. Then., 
 
1 66 The character and privileges" 
 
 i. Then, what is the voice of Chrift? 
 The voice you know is that by which we 
 convey our ideas of things one to another. 
 By this we impart the fecrets of our minds, 
 open our hidden purpofes and works, and in- 
 ftrucl: and comfort thofe with whom we are 
 converfant. And, in this fenfe, it was pecu- 
 liar to the immediate followers of our Lord 
 Jefus Chri/l 3 to hear his voice, when he was 
 upon earth. As they were honoured with the 
 fight of his perfon, fo he indulged them with 
 a great deal of difcourfe about fpiritual and 
 heavenly things. Eut then, we are to re- 
 member, that the bare hearing of Chrijl fpeak, 
 though it was a great honour, yet it conveyed 
 no neceftary fpiritual advantage : for thus 
 yudas heard his voice, as well as the reft of 
 the difciples, and a vaft multitude of the jfews> 
 who never received any laving benefit from 
 him. They heard him cry out, If any man 
 tbirfl, let htm come unto m >', and drink °, and 
 yet they never tafted of the divine refresh- 
 ment. Nay the worft enemies Chrift hath 
 will hear his voice, in the great day, but it 
 will be to their utter confufion and deftruc- 
 tion j when he will fay unto them, Depart from 
 me, ye cur fed, into everlafling fire P . 
 
 Again, there was a voice of Chrift which 
 the apoftle Paul heard, after the afcenfion of 
 our Lord to heaven, which was peculiar to 
 
 him., 
 
 • John vii. 37. P Mat. xxv. 41. 
 
Serm.IX. of Chxittsftxep. 167 
 
 him, and which we are not to expect ; and 
 together with this voice he had a vifion of his 
 perfon, that he might be able to fay he had 
 ieen our Lord, which was neceiTary to the 
 character of one who was to be a witnefs of 
 his refurrection. And I may add, that John 
 the beloved difciple, in the revelation which 
 was given him in the ifle of Fatmos, had 
 fome fpecial difcoveries, which we alfo are not 
 to expect. Chriji fpeaks to us in another and 
 more familiar manner. 
 
 We might here likewife obferve, that 
 Chriji' 's voice was heard under the old te (la- 
 ment difpenfation. Thus, he fpake in the 
 firft promife, and in all the facrifices and other 
 fervices of the tabernacle and temple ; he 
 fpake in all the prophecies of that difpenfation, 
 and efpecially in thole which relate more im- 
 mediately to his perfon, righteoufnefs, death, 
 .and fatisfaction. His Jkcep then heard his 
 voice, foas to follow him, and to commit the 
 keeping of their fouls to him, though he did 
 not fpeak fo plainly then, as he hath done 
 fince, under the preient difpenfation, when 
 life and immortality are brought more clearly 
 to light by the everlafting go/pel. And now, 
 that we may the better form a judgment of 
 the voice of Chri/1, we are to confider him 
 in the feveral capacities, in each of which 
 he fpeaks to us. And, 
 
 (1.) We may conlider him as a prophet 
 
 fent from God j and fo, he reveals to us the 
 
 M 4 great 
 
1 6 8 The character and privileges 
 
 great myfteries of falvation, and the feveral 
 glorious and important doctrines of the gofpelj 
 the knowledge of which we could obtain no 
 other way. For this our Lord is well qua- 
 lified, as he lay in the bofom of the Father, 
 and was privy to all the counfels of his will : 
 to this he was particularly appointed, as you 
 find in the promife which God gave to his 
 people of old, The Lord thy God 'mill raife 
 zip unto thee a prophet from the midjl of thee, 
 of thy brethren, like unto tne, though fuperior 
 in dignity and glory ; unto him Jl: all ye hearken* : 
 and in this office he was actually engaged, as 
 the apoftle tells us, God who at fun dry times, 
 and in divers manners, fpake in times pa/l unto 
 the fathers by the prophets, hath in thefe la ft days 
 fpoken unto us by bis Son r . Now this he did, 
 in part, by his own minifrry, while he was 
 upon earth, but more fully, after he was af- 
 cencled into heaven, by his apoitles, whom 
 he infpired with the knowledge of thofe truths 
 which before lay hid in the wifdom and coun- 
 fel of God. Thus we are by them acquainted 
 with the great doctrine of a trinity of per- 
 fons in the unity of the divine elTence, which 
 is fo full of inflruciion and comfort to the 
 faints ; as they obferve how each of the eter- 
 nal three is concerned in their falvation, and 
 how every way equal they are to the work, 
 which they were feverally pleafed to under- 
 take. To^this purpofe, we might alfo take 
 
 notice 
 
 S P.eut. xyiii. 15. T IJcb. i. r, 2. 
 
Serm.IX. of Chn&sjheep'. 169 
 
 notice of the great doctrine of electing love, the 
 wonderful myfteries of redemption, andjuiti- 
 flcation, which are now fet before us in the 
 .cleareit light, together with the convicting and 
 fanctifying influences of the Spirit: thefe things 
 are, in all their faving efficacy, mofl clearly 
 and fully revealed to us by Jejus Chrift. 
 
 (2.) Asa fovereign and a lawgiver, he 
 /peaks to us, in thofe directions which he 
 hath given us for the worfhip of God, and 
 for the regulation of our conduct in this world. 
 That he hath a right to fpeak to us under 
 this character cannot be difputed. It is cer- 
 tainly his prerogative to give laws to his fub- 
 jects ; and that he cannot err herein is plain, 
 from his being perfectly acquainted with his 
 Father's will and glory, and therefore a pro- 
 per judge how we are to honour him. Now 
 the voice of Chrift herein is exceedingly plain, 
 and eafy to be understood, if we are enabled 
 to attend unto it without prejudice, or parti- 
 ality. Thus, let the true chriltian fearch the 
 fcriptures, and he will foon find the great or- 
 dinances of hearing the word, baptifm, and 
 the Lord's fupper, revealed therein. And he 
 need not be long at a lofs in his enquirys 
 after what manner thefe things are to be per- 
 formed : for I think they are told us in the 
 plaineft language that can be. And the fame 
 may be faid with regard to our perfonal con- 
 duct in all other refpects towards the great 
 God, towards our fellow- creatures, whether 
 
 friends 
 
j 7 o The character and privileges 
 
 friends or enemies, our families or ftrangers. 
 Our Lord hath, in his doctrine and his example, 
 told us what he requires of us in thefe feveral 
 relations : and it is not becaufe men want di- 
 rection, or, in many instances, that they do 
 not underftand the matter of their duty, that 
 they are fo carelefs about it, but it commonly 
 -proceeds from other caufes j it is owing to 
 the hardnefs of their hearts, and the preva- 
 lence of their lufts and corruptions. 
 
 (3.) There is the voice of Cbriji as a 
 redeemer, a faviour, and a friend, in thofe 
 gracious difcoveries, and glorious promifes 
 of the gofpel, which are defigned for the 
 ilrong confolation of thofe who have tafted 
 that the Lord is gracious. Thus he fays to 
 finners, burdened with a fenfe of their guilt, 
 Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy 
 laden i and 1 will give you reji s . Ho, every 
 one that thirfieth, come ye to the waters, and 
 he that hath no money ; come ye, buy and eat, 
 yea, come, buy wine and milk without money, 
 and without price 1 . He tells them, that/'/? 
 blood clcanfeth from all fin*. And his Spirit 
 affures them, that he is able alfo to fave them 
 to the iittermo/l, that come unto God by him, 
 feeing he ever liveth to make inter cefjion for 
 them™. To his people in a backfliding flate, he 
 fays, Take with you words, and turn to the 
 Lord, fay unto him, take away all iniquity, 
 
 and 
 
 s Mat. xi. 28. l Ifai. lv\ i. u i John i. 7. w Heb. 
 yii. 2C. 
 
Serm.IX. of ChiKV sfieep. 
 
 and receive us gracioufly, fo will we re., 
 the cakes of our lips \ And he fakl to 1 , 
 ter, when he prophefkd his. fall, I bar*, 
 frayed for thee ; that thy faith fail not y : an£ 
 thus Paul, under the influence of his Spirit, 
 faith to the Romans, The God of peace fall 
 braife Satan under your feet for tly z . To his 
 people, under ill ufage from the hands of 
 their enemies, or under any other trouble, he 
 fays, Let not your hearts be troubled : ye be- 
 lieve in God, believe alfo in tne a . And thus, 
 when they are weak and diftrefTed, he leads 
 them to himfelf, as to the fountain from 
 which, they are fupplied with every needful 
 thing. 
 
 (4.) There is the voice of Chrift as the 
 great difpofer of providence. So he fpeaketh 
 once, yea, twice, yet man perceiveth it not b . 
 Thus he fpeaks both in merciful and afflictive 
 difpenfations. Sometimes he fays, My [on, give 
 me thine heart c j at other times, All things 
 work together for good to them that love God d ; 
 and your light ajficlion, which is but for a 
 moment, worketh for you afar more exceeding, 
 and eternal weight of glory e . Again, 
 
 (5.) He fpeaks as God's power to his peo- 
 ple, and then he fpeaks not to the ear only, 
 but to the heart. This he doth fometimes 
 with means, and fometimes without them. 
 
 I 
 
 7 Hof.xiv. 2. y Lukexxii. 32. z Rom. xvi. 20. a John 
 xiv. i. b Jobxxxiii, 14. c Prov. xxiii. 20. d Rom. viii. 28. 
 - z Cor. iv. 1 7, 
 
'172 The character and privileges, &cc« 
 
 I take it, the firft time he fpeaks to us effec- 
 tually in our converfion, as it is in a way of 
 power, fo we are abfolutely paflive. And hav- 
 ing removed our deafnefs, and enabled us to 
 hear and welcome his voice, he teaches us 
 every thing that is neceffary, in order to his 
 own glory, and our falvation. All the preach- 
 ing of the apoftles would have had no effect 
 to the falvation of thofe that heard them, 
 had not the arm of the Lord been revealed. 
 Peter had never been fo happy in the con- 
 verfion of three thoufand fouls by one fer- 
 mon, if Chrifl had not made way to their 
 hearts by his Spirit. And the fame may be 
 faid of the people of God now : they can re- 
 ceive no advantage by the moft evangelical 
 fermon they can hear, unlefs Chrijl fpeaks to 
 them in it. So that whoever plants or waters, 
 he only can give the increafe. I fhould now 
 go on to enquire, 
 
 II. When we maybe faid to hear his voice. 
 But I fhall leave that, and what follows 
 to another difcourfe. 
 
 SEK- 
 
( l 7i ) 
 
 SERMON X. 
 
 The charaBer mid privileges of 
 ChnCxsJheep. 
 
 John x. 27. 
 
 My fleep hear my voice, and I know them> 
 and they follow me. 
 
 The fecond Sermon on this text. 
 
 AVING confidered in a former 
 difcourfe, 
 
 I. With what propriety, and af- 
 fection our Lord fpeaks of his difciples, 
 in the words of the text, when he calls 
 them bAsJJjeep ; I have proceeded, 
 II. To enquire what he afferts concerning 
 them, and as peculiar to them ; and 
 that is, that they bear his voice. And 
 here, 
 
 1. I 
 
1 74 The character and privileges 
 
 1. I have {hewn you, what we are to un- 
 derstand by the voice of Chrijl. And I go 
 on now, 
 
 2. To enquire when we may be faid to hear 
 it. And to be fure this expreffion means a great 
 deal more than a bare attention to it, or ge- 
 neral understanding of it. This we may have, 
 and yet be in no better a ftate than that of the 
 devils, of whom it is faid they believe and 
 tremble a . It fuppofes therefore that he hath 
 given us ears to hear, and that he enables us 
 to pay a proper regard to what he is pleafed to 
 fay unto us. And we may be faid then to 
 hear Chrift's voice, 
 
 (i.) When we understand, in fome good 
 meafure, the meaning, are fatisfied of the 
 truth, believe the importance, and favour the 
 fweetneis and excellency of the feveral doc- 
 trinal difcoveries, which Chrift hath made 
 known to us, as a prophet, in the gofpel. 
 When I fpeak of knowing the meaning of 
 the doctrines of Chri/i, I do not intend by it 
 a comprehending the whole of any truth, or 
 a being able to account for every difficulty. 
 For the gofpel, in all the parts of it, is a 
 myflery, which hath fomething in it unfa- 
 thomable, and which we cannot fully com- 
 prehend. And thus, when we meet with a< 
 doctrinal truth in fcripture, our reafon and 
 underftanding are to be converiant about it, 
 
 in 
 
 a James ii. icj. 
 
Serm.X. of Chvift s Jloeep. 175 
 
 in a dependence on divine affiftance, in our 
 refearches into the import or meaning of the 
 terms, under which it is conveyed to us. As, 
 for inftance, I mufr, have fome notion of the 
 words, elect, ordain, and predominate, before 
 I can form any juft apprehenfions of the 
 great doctrine of God's free choice of his 
 people, which is revealed to us in fcripture 
 under thefe terms. And the fame might be 
 faid, as to the doctrines ofjuflifcation and fane- 
 tification ; we mult know what thefe terms 
 mean, at leaft in general, or we can form no 
 notion at all of the things reprefented by 
 them. But though we are, by our reafon 
 and underftanding, to judge of the latter, or 
 external reprefentation of thefe important doc- 
 trines, yet, this is not enough to denomi- 
 nate us hearers of Chrift's voice. We mull 
 be fatisfied of the truth of thefe difcoveries, 
 and feel fomething of the power, and plea- 
 sure of them upon our hearts, or elfe, the 
 evidence we receive would be knowledge, 
 and not faith. We muft entertain them 
 with an -entire confidence in his wifdom, 
 faithfulnefs, and authority, who hath made 
 known thefe things to us : and then our faith 
 is not in man, but in God, who cannot lie. 
 I take it, thofe men have no true notions of 
 faith, who fay they will not believe what 
 they cannot comprehend, but will afient to 
 a proportion only, as they clearly fee the na- 
 tural evidence of it. This may very well 
 
 '••".come 
 
176 The character and privileges 
 
 become them, perhaps, in the purfuit of na- 
 tural knowledge, or in the Study of the libe- 
 ral fciences. But in things which are fup- 
 pofed to be divine, it is furely moil abfurd. 
 God commands us to believe feveral things, 
 becaufe he hath made them known to us ; 
 he requires this as matter of duty in us j -and 
 as an inftance of honour done to him. v But 
 thefe men fay, they will not believe even 
 God himfelf, unlefs he makes all clear and 
 evident to their reafon, than which nothing 
 can be more daring and impious. For they 
 do not treat their fellow-creatures in this 
 manner, where they deem them juffc and ho- 
 ned. Now a believer hath his name in part 
 from his receiving the feveral myfteries of 
 falvation, as undoubted truths, upon the fole 
 evidence of Chrift, whofe work it is to bring 
 them forth out of the divine treafury. And 
 fuch a man is enabled to reafon thus with 
 himfelf : <c Has Chrifl told me fo and fo ? 
 " well, he dwelt in the bofom of the Father, 
 " was privy to all his fecrets, and though I, 
 " who am a poor imperfect creature, cannot 
 " fully understand all the grace or glory con- 
 " tained in them, though I cannot tell how 
 fk to account for m?ny of thefe things, yet, 
 c< I know, he is a faithful witnefs, and there- 
 " fore I will believe him." But this is not all, 
 a man may go to hell with a great deal of 
 knowledge of the mind of Chnfl, as to the 
 letter of it, and may not fcruple to give his 
 2 alfent 
 
Serm.X. of Chrift' sjheep. 177 
 
 aflent to any part of the truth Chrift has re- 
 vealed j he may be very orthodox in his 
 judgment, and yet very unfound in his heart. 
 So that we muft be brought to know the im- 
 portance and confequence of thefe things, 
 and to favour them in their fweetnefs and 
 excellency, if we attend to them as the lan- 
 guage of Chrift. We muft not hear them 
 as a tale that is told, but as containing the 
 mind of God, the voice of his Son, the things 
 of the utmoft moment, in which our duty 
 is revealed, and on which our comfort and 
 happinefs depend. David was a man, who 
 greatly delighted in meditating upon the things 
 of God : O, fays he, how love I thy law -, it is 
 my meditation all the day b / And how often 
 doth he fpeak of the pleafure and profit of 
 thefe contemplations ? And what is the rea- 
 fon, but his being enabled to tafte and fa- 
 vour the fweetnefs of them ? as he himfelf 
 fays, How five et are thy words unto my tafle ! 
 Tea fweeter than honey to my ?nonth c . And 
 thus, when Chrift fpeaks in any doctrine, he 
 can make it at once inftructive and affecting ; 
 he can warm the heart with it, as well as 
 enlighten the head, 
 
 (2.) To hear the voice of Chrifl, is to re- 
 gard his laws, as juft and righteous, as ex- 
 cellent and defirable, as thofe which we are 
 obliged to comply with, or fubmit to, from 
 the conftraints of his love, and which we obey 
 
 N with 
 
 b Pfal. cxix. 97. c Ver. 103. 
 
jyS The character and privileges 
 
 with a fincere and earneft intention to pro- 
 mote his glory : and this fuppofes, that the 
 Spirit hath influenced us faithfully, and im- 
 partially, to enquire into his will, or in what 
 manner it is he requires, and expects to be 
 ferved by us. And how difagreeable foever 
 any thing that he commands may be to flefh 
 and blood, to worldly intereft, or carnal eafe 
 and pleafure, yet thzfoecp of Chrift defire to 
 have their ears open to his voice, and their 
 feet ready to run in all the ways of his ap- 
 pointment. This they do from the regard 
 they have to Chrift % authority : he is the head 
 of the church, the King of faints, and it is 
 in this view that they obey him. Not be- 
 caufe this obedience is the eflablifhed law of 
 the country where they live, or recommended 
 by the cuftorn of it, or the influence of their 
 iuperiors ; but from an inward perfuafion, 
 which they have from the Spirit of God, 
 that this their obedience is jufl: and reafona- 
 ble in itfelf. Befides, their love to their Lord 
 is fuch, that they would mow it every way 
 they can. This is the apoftle's argument in 
 his epiftle to the Romans. He fuppofes they 
 had received the doctrines of the gofpel, and 
 therefore were defirous to renounce the lulls 
 of the flem, as engaged to do fo by the love 
 of Jefus Chrift, But God be thanked, fays he, 
 that ye were the fervants of 'Jin ; but ye have 
 obeyed Jrom the heart that form of dofirine 
 which was delivered you. Being then made free 
 2 Jrom 
 
Serm.X. of ChrifVi Jheep. 179 
 
 from fin, ye became the fervants of righteouf- 
 nefs*. 
 
 (3.) To hear the voice of Chrijl, is to at- 
 tend to his counfel, and advice, and as 
 wretched, miferable, and deftitute finners, 
 to come to him, and to buy of him wine and 
 milk, and gold tried in the fire, without money, 
 and without price, to feek falvation of him, and 
 receive it from him in all its parts, and 
 branches, on his own terms, and in his own 
 way. Thus, the returning finner hears the 
 voice of Chrijl in his firft converfion, and, 
 I am fure, it is the fame voice to which he 
 confta'ntly attends thro' all his converfation 
 afterwards. Paul had no fooner heard the 
 voice of Chrijl, but he faid, What things were 
 gain to him before, thofe he now counted lofs 
 jor Chrijl. And he continued always after- 
 wards in the fame judgment. Tea doubtlefs, 
 fays he, and I count all things but lofs, for the 
 excelle?icy of the knowledge of Chrijl fefus my 
 Lord : for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all 
 things, and do count them but dung that I may 
 win Chrijl, and be found in him, not having 
 mine own righteoufnefs, which is of the law, 
 but that which is through the faith of Chrijl, 
 the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith*. 
 
 (4.) To hear the voice of Chrijl, is to at- 
 tend to the meaning of all his providential 
 difpenfations, as defigned to alienate our affec- 
 tions from fenfual objects, and to fix them 
 N 2 more 
 
 d Rom. vi. 17, I S. e Phil. iii. 7, 8, 9. 
 
180 ^Tloe char after and privileges 
 
 more ftronglyupon himfelf j to make us truly 
 ufeful here, to preferve us, and to make us 
 meet for future blerTednefs. In order to this, 
 the believer is fatisfied that nothing comes by 
 chance, that all is under the direction o£ Chriji', 
 and though he fometimes deals with his 
 people, as he did with Peter, when he faid, 
 What I do thou knowejl not now, but thou JJjalt 
 know hereafter f , yet he is convinced that he 
 never doth any thing in vain -, and therefore 
 he attentively liftens, if poffible, to heat- 
 whatever Chriji hath to fay, in every mercy 
 and affliction. 
 
 (5.) The faints hear the voice of Chriji m 
 his ordinances, when they are taught and in- 
 flructed by them, and by them admitted into 
 communion with him. Here they have often 
 Lad fweet and heavenly interview's, and there- 
 fore they rejoice at thefe returning feafons, 
 and prepare for them, by warning their robes 
 afrefh, and making them white in the blood 
 of the Lamb. They fiy, with the church of 
 old, Awake O north- wind, and come thou fouth , 
 blow upon my garden, that the/pices thereof may 
 jlow out : let my beloved come into his garden, and 
 eat his pie a fant fruits g . By humble and ear- 
 ned prayer they feek after the free and graci- 
 ous manifeftations of his prefence. And as 
 they know his voice on thefe occafions, fo they 
 are filled with joy when they hear it, and cry 
 out, in the language of the fpoufe in the fame 
 
 fong, 
 
 f John jriii. 7. s Cant. iv. 16. 
 
Serm.X. of Chub's fleep. 181 
 
 fong, The voice of my beloved ! behold he Com- 
 eth leaping upon the mountains^ Jkipping upon 
 the hills h . And they rejoice ftill more when 
 they hear him fay, 1 am come into my garden, 
 my fifter, my fpoufe*, I have gathered my 
 myrrh -with my /pice, 1 have eaten my ho?iey- 
 coinb with my honey \ I have drunk my wine 
 with my milk : eat, O friends, drink, yea, 
 drink, abundantly \ O beloved 1 . But, 
 
 (6.) And laftly, to hear the voice of 
 Chrijl, is to be properly affected with the de- 
 fcription he hath given of the heavenly world, 
 and to long for that exalted bleffednefs, which 
 will attend an everlafting communion with him 
 there. As the good jhepherd hath given his life 
 for thejheep k , fo they are perfuaded, that he 
 that brought him again from the dead, will 
 make them perfect, through the blood of the 
 everlafting covenant l . And as he has com- 
 manded his apoftles and other fhepherds, to 
 feed™ them, and to fold them, in their way 
 through the wildernefs ; fo they have heard 
 his voice in the gofpel, faying, Fear not little 
 flock, for it is your Father s good pleafure to 
 give you the kingdom". And they rejoice 
 greatly in the profpecl: of that day, when the 
 cl. ief [Joepherd JJiall appear °, and having fe- 
 parated them from the goats, fhall conduct 
 them into the land of reft, (hall make them 
 lie down in thok green and delightful pa/lures, 
 N 3 and 
 
 h Cant, ii. 8. J Ch.v. i. k Johnx. n. l Heb xiii. zo, 21. 
 01 John xxi. 16. * Lukexii. 32. ° 1 Pet. v. 4. 
 
182 The char after and privileges 
 
 and lead them befide the fiill and pleafant wa- 
 ters p that flow there for evermore ; when 
 they mall, in a word, be made like him y for 
 they Jloall fee. him as he is*, and when they 
 fhall Jit down with him in his throne, as he 
 is fat down with his Father in his throne r . 
 They have heard him fay, ho, I come quickly, 
 and my reward is with me % : they believe his 
 word, and that the happy hour is not far off, 
 when they fhall hear the fame voice, faying, 
 Come ye bleffed of my Father, inherit the king- 
 dom prepared for you — enter into the joy of 
 your Lord l . And in the glorious profpedt of 
 it they often cry out, Even fo come Lord 
 Jefus u . 
 
 But I proceed now to the laft thing which 
 I obferved from the words, and that was, 
 
 III. Our Lord's fpecial regard to his fheep, 
 he knows them ; as alfo, their duty and privi- 
 lege, they jollow him whitherfoever he goes. 
 And, 
 
 1. Our Lord fays of his fheep, I know 
 them. Knowledge in man may be confidered, 
 either as a habit in the mind, or as that habit is 
 drawn forth into exercife, by being converfant 
 with fome object. Thus, when we fay of a 
 man, that he is a knowing and underftanding 
 man, we mean, that he hath good natural 
 
 parts, 
 
 P Pfal. xxiii. 2. 1 1 John iii. 2.. r Rev. iii. 21. ' Chap, 
 xxii. 12. I Mat. xxv. 33, 34. M Rev. xxii. 20. 
 
Serm.X. of Chnfc sfieep. 183 
 
 parts, or hath made confiderable improve- 
 ment in ufeful knowledge. Now as we are 
 diftinguifhed from other creatures by being 
 reafonable, fo we are diftinguifhed from one 
 another, according to our different meafuresof 
 knowledge. And here we are to obferve, 
 that fome men very much exceed others in 
 clearnefs of underftanding, folidity of judg- 
 ment, and ftrength of memory, as gifts of 
 providence, and for which they are indebted 
 immediately to the great author of nature. 
 Others have taken a great deal of pains in the 
 improvement of thefe abilities, and efpecially 
 in fome particular fciences. And indeed, a 
 tolerable meafure of knowledge, in this way, 
 cannot be attained by men without a great 
 deal of time, obfervation, and experience. But 
 when we think, or fpeak of knowledge in 
 God, we are to feparate from it all the imper- 
 fections which attend us, either in what we 
 defire from him, or in what we attain, un- 
 der his bleffing and influence, in thefe pur- 
 fuits, or in the ufe and enjoyment of what 
 we attain. For it is effential to God to know, 
 and to know every thing, and that at once ; 
 not by degrees, or one thing after another, 
 as we do, but by an intuitive, perfect, and 
 immediate view of them, in their natures, 
 caufes, effects, dependence, yea, every thing 
 that relates to them. That this knowledge 
 belongs to God, and to him only, reafon as 
 well as revelation confirms to us. And that 
 
 N 4 our 
 
184 ¥be character and privileges 
 
 our Lord ycfus Chrift is pofTeffed of it, we 
 learn, not only from what Peter faid, to his 
 mafter, Lord, thou know eft all things ; thou 
 knoweji that Hove thee w j but, alfo from what 
 our Lord fays of himfelf, And all the churches 
 ft: all know, that 1 am he which fear cheth the 
 reins and hearts^: Nothing more hid and fe- 
 cret, than the purpofes, counfels, and devices 
 of a man's heart : and if Chrift knows thefe 
 things, he mud furely know every thing elfe : 
 for God only knows the heart. And he who 
 is pofTeffed of one divine perfection, is pof- 
 fefTed of them all. Befides, without this 
 knowledge he would not be fit to judge the 
 w r orld. Some fins in that cafe might efcape 
 without due examination ; fome fecret in- 
 fiances of love to, and zeal for his name 
 might be forgotten, and be unrewarded -, the 
 hypocrite might continue to wear his mafk, 
 at the bar of judgment, and the godly be ne- 
 glected and condemned. Now, if you take 
 the words in this fenfe in the text, then 
 the meaning is, that our Lord Jefus Chrift is 
 perfectly acquainted with the perfons and all 
 the circumftances of his people : and we 
 may fafely fay, that there is no circumftance 
 which concerns us from our birth to our 
 death, but what Chrijl hath his eye imme- 
 diately upon, and takes fpecial notice of. The 
 inward, fpiritual life of a believer is hid in- 
 deed to the world, but it is hid with Chrift, 
 
 and 
 w John xxi. 17. * Rev. ii. 23. 
 
Serm.X. of Chntt sfheep. 185 
 
 and he is perfectly well acquainted with it, 
 in all its fprings and actions, in all its mo- 
 tions and affections, in all its joys and {ar- 
 rows. This knowledge of his reaches to 
 them all, and to every one of them. He 
 knows them at all times, and under all con- 
 ditions ; he knows all of them as perfectly 
 as if there was but one for him to take no- 
 tice of; and he knows every one of them, 
 as if they were alone the objects of his con- 
 cern. And as this knowledge is thus exten- 
 five and univerfal, fo there are feveral proper- 
 ties of it which we may more particularly 
 confider, as, 
 
 (1.) It is a difcriminating knowledge. 
 Thus I take it, the word is underffood in 
 that paffage, Neverthelefs, the foundation of 
 God Jtandeth fure> having this feat, the Lord 
 knoweth them that are his y . What though 
 Hymeneus and Alexander make fhipwreck of 
 faith and a good confcience ? mould this Hum- 
 ble the faints ? No, God will take care of his 
 own intereft. We are told, as many as were 
 ordained to eternal life believed 7 - . A nd he th at 
 believes fhall be kept, by the power of God y 
 through faith unto falvation \ ~ And fo our 
 Lord tells the Jews, in the verfe before our 
 text, But ye believe not ; becaufe ye are not of 
 my foeep. They came about him, with a 
 great deal of concern, and faid to him, How 
 long dojl thou make us to doubt ? if thou M 
 
 the 
 
 1 2 Tim. ii. 19. * Afts xiii. 48. * 1 Pet. i. 5. 
 
1 86 The character and privileges 
 
 the Chri/l, tell us plainly b . Chrijl anfwers them, 
 that he had taken upon him that character, 
 and appeals to his works for his right to it. 
 I told youy fays he, and you believed not : the 
 works that I do in my Father's name they bear 
 witnefs of me?. Well, they are refolved to 
 fhut their eyes, and Chrijl fuffers them to 
 go on in their blindnefs : but this was not the 
 cafe with his fheep. Again, 
 
 (2 ) The knowledge Chrijl has of his fheep 
 is an affectionate knowledge, a knowledge 
 of approbation. Thus we are to understand 
 our Lord when he fays to the foolifh vir- 
 gins, Verily I fay unto you 1 know you not*; that 
 is, I never knew you, as my friends, or as 
 my fheep. As to fpeculative and intuitive 
 knowledge, Chrijl knew Judas in all his 
 hypocrify, as well as Peter in all his zeal, and 
 in all his infirmity too. But the one, he knew 
 as an object of his averfion, and the other, of 
 his love. And this affection fhews x itfelf, in 
 the acceptance of the perfons and fervices of 
 his people, and in a Sympathetic companion 
 for them under all their infirmities, in a gra- 
 cious care over them, and an affectionate com- 
 munion with them, as a prelude of that ac- 
 knowledgement of them, before the throne 
 of his Father, in the important day of their 
 account. But, 
 
 2. Our Lord not only fays he knows his 
 fheep j but, he alfo adds and they follow me. 
 
 Now 
 
 b \ Pet. i. 24. c Ver. 25. * Mat. xxv. 12. 
 
Serm.X. of Chrifl' s fieep. 187 
 
 Now to follow a perfon is, either the act of a 
 friend, a difciple, or a fervant. If a perfon, 
 for whom we have an affectionate friend fhip, 
 is going before us, one in whofe company we 
 take great delight, we mall follow him with 
 diligence and fpeed : and fo it will be with 
 the induftrious fcholar, and the faithful fer- 
 vant. And thus our Lord intends by it, that 
 the hearts of his people are towards him, and 
 to the remembrance of his name, and that they 
 defire to tread in his fteps, and to follow him 
 in a way of obedience and imitation : and 
 this is their privilege as well as their duty. 
 There are glorious perfections in Chrijl y 
 which are above all imitation j but there are 
 others, which though we cannot reach, we 
 may flrive, in our meafure, to follow ; fuch as 
 his humility, he made himfelf of no re- 
 putation, and took upon him the form of afer- 
 want*', his holinefs and unblemifhed con- 
 verfation ; his refignation to his Father's 
 will, and his zeal and fervency for his glory ; 
 his patience, conftancy, and courage under 
 his fufferingsj his unalterable love to the 
 church, and his perfevering obedience to his 
 Father, which held out to the end. 
 
 And now to clofe all with fome applica- 
 tion, what hath been faid may ferve, 
 
 1 . To encourage the weakeft follower of 
 the Lamb, when he reflects that he is un- 
 der 
 
 • Phil. ii. 7. 
 
1 88 The char after and privileges 
 
 der the eye of his Lord, who hath a heart to 
 pity, and hands to help him. For he knoweth 
 our frame y and remembereth that we are duft i . 
 He loves us, he has laid down his life for 
 us, he has mercifulty acknowledged us here, 
 he has promifed he will never leave nor for- 
 fake us ; we have found him true to his word 
 thus far ; and we have no occafion to doubt, 
 but that he will faithfully fulfil all the engage- 
 ments that he has entered into on our behalf, 
 with refpedl; to his acknowledgement of us, 
 if we appear to be his fheep, in the great day 
 of account. But, 
 
 2. In vain do we pretend to hear Chrifl'i 
 voice, if we are not concerned to follow him. 
 Thefe are the marks, by which his fheep 
 are known now, and by which they muft be 
 tried hereafter ; they know him, and they 
 
 follow him. They muft prove their know- 
 ledge of him, and their faith in him, by 
 their obedience to him. Mere fpeculative 
 knowledge will be of no avail, and the higheft 
 pretentions to an experimental acquaintance 
 with him will only enhance the mifery of 
 their condemnation, who do not follow him 
 in a faithful obedience to his commandments, 
 and imitation of his example. 
 
 3. And laftly, we may fafely conclude 
 that Chrijl's fheep fhall never perifh, fince 
 they are in his hands. And he fays, in the 
 
 verfe 
 
 * Pfal. ciii. 14. 
 
Serm. X. of Qkntt s Jhtep. 1 89 
 
 verfe following my text, I give unto them 
 eternal life, and they Jhall never perifjj, nei- 
 ther JJjall any pluck them out of my hand. 
 But as I intend fome difcourfes from thefe 
 words, I £hall flop here, and leave what I 
 have faid to the bleffing of the great fhep- 
 herd, and bifhoo of fouls. 
 
 S E R- 
 
( '9° ) 
 
 SERMON XL 
 
 On the final perfevera?ice of the faints* 
 
 John x. 28. 
 
 And I give wito them eternal life, and they 
 Jhall never periJJj, neither Jhall any pluck 
 them out of my ha?id. 
 
 The nrft Sermon on this text. 
 
 S I defign to confider among you that 
 mofr. eftablifhing and comfortable 
 doctrine of the faints final perfever- 
 ance in grace, and certain enjoyment 
 of eternal glory, I have made choice of the 
 words I have now read, as apprehending they 
 are admirably well adapted to this purpofe. 
 If we enquire into the occafion of them ; we 
 are informed a little before our text, that, as 
 our Lord was walking in the temple, he was 
 accofted by fome of the yews with this ques- 
 tion, I How long doft thou make us to doubt ? 
 if thou be the Chrijl, tell us plainly \ What 
 
 their 
 
 a John x. 24. 
 
Serm.XI. On the final perfeverance, &cc. 191 
 
 their immediate defign was in this queftion, 
 we cannot be abfolutely certain. The gene- 
 rality of interpreters fuppofe, that hereby they 
 would have enfnared our Lord ; for had he 
 acknowledged himfelf to be the Meffiah, as 
 their miftaken notions were terminated in Ms 
 being an earthly prince, coming to deliver 
 them from the Roman yoke, I fay, had he 
 profeffed himfelf to have been tht Me ffiah, they 
 would have gone and accufed him to the civil 
 governour. However, we find Chri/l, in his 
 reply to them, upbraiding them with their 
 unbelief, fays, / told you, and ye believed 
 ?iot b : which crime was fo much the more 
 aggravated by the mighty works which he 
 wrought, which carried their own evidence 
 along with them, that they were effected by 
 a divine power. Now as God cannot be fup- 
 pofed to fet his feal to a lie, fo the exceed- 
 ing greatnefs of that power, that was exerted 
 for the performance of them, was a fufiici- 
 ent tefhimony to the authority of Chrift's 
 miffion, as coming immediately from the 
 Father. And then, our Lord fubjoins the 
 great origin of this their incredulity, But ye 
 believe not. Well, and why is it ? but, be- 
 caufe ye are not of jny flieep c -, or, no part of 
 that truil committed to me by the Father, 
 and fo are left to the unbelief of your own 
 hearts, and this, without the leaft reflection 
 on the divine juftice ? For, as faith is the gift 
 
 of 
 
 b John x. 25. e Ver. 26. 
 
1 92 On the final pcrf ever ance 
 
 of God d , fo he is under no obligation to be- 
 llow it upon any perfon. It is an acl: of pure 
 favour, which, thofe, who enjoy it, have no 
 right to in themfelves. Our Lord goes on to 
 give an account of his fheep, and their pri- 
 vileges. And the firfl thing he mentions, is his 
 propriety in then?; Myfieep, " fays he," "hear 
 " my voice ; they are mine, as they are the pur- 
 " chaceofmy blood, becaufe I formed them 
 " for myfelf; they are mine, as I have taken 
 " them under my care and patronage ; they are 
 * c mine, as I delight in them, and will rejoice 
 t{ over them to do them good. Thefe, having 
 " hearing ears, and underftanding hearts, gi- 
 " ven them from myfelf, attend to my voice-, 
 " they can diftinguifh my voice from the voice 
 <£ of a jftnmger, and are in fome meafure obedi- 
 " enttomycall." To which he adds, " I know 
 " them, atid they follow me e . 1 know them, they 
 <{ are always before me, known unto me are 
 " their gifts and graces, all their joys and for- 
 tc rows, all their dangers and infirmities: and as 
 <c I know them, I love them, and delight in 
 tc them. And as a confequence of my writing 
 cc my laws in their hearts, they follow me. And 
 " a ft ranger will they not follow f ." Of thefe 
 things I have fpoken to you at large. Then our 
 Lord adds the words of our text, as the greater! 
 bleffing of all, and I give unto them eternal life, 
 and they fuall never perifi, neither flail any pluck 
 
 them 
 & Eph. ii. 8. c John x. zj. { Ver. 5. 
 2 
 
Serm. XI. of the faints. 193 
 
 them out of my hand. In which words we 
 may obferve, 
 
 i. The great portion and privilege of 
 Chrift's (heep, and this of the weaken: as well 
 as the ftrongeft amongft them ; eternal life is 
 theirs ; I give unto them eternal life, fays our 
 Lord : 
 
 2. That this bleffing comes to them in 
 a way of gift, and not of merit : J give, &c. 
 
 3. The glorious confequence of this: They 
 fjjall never perifi ; which our Lord confirms, 
 
 both by his own, and by his Father's care 
 and power. None is able to pluck them cut 
 of my handy fays Chrift in the text, and in 
 the verfe following, none is able to pluck them 
 out of my Father's hand. Each of thefe very 
 well deferve our particular attention. But as 
 that which may have a greater tendency to 
 anfwer the defign I have in view, I mall raife 
 from them the following doctrinal obfer- 
 vation : 
 
 THAT Chrijl's fheep, being given to him by 
 the Father, or committed to him as a great 
 truft, his faithfulnefs is engaged, that not 
 one of them, how weak, and how languifh- 
 ing or difeafedfoever in themfelves, fhall be 
 finally lo/l; orfallfJjort of eternal bleffednefs. 
 I give unto them eternal life, and they fhall 
 never peri fh, neither fhall any pluck them 
 cut of my hand. 
 In the profecution of this great and funda- 
 mental doctrine cf the gofpel we fhall, 
 
 O I. CXEAR 
 
1 94, On the final perfeverarjce 
 
 I. Clear our way by fome pofitions, thai 
 fnay have a tendency to explain what wo 
 mean by it. 
 
 II. We mail endeavour to confirm and 
 eftablifh it, by feveral arguments ; 
 
 III. Attend to the moft confiderable of 
 thofe objections, which are advanced 
 againft it -, and, 
 
 IV. Consider the great improvement, 
 that is to be made of this bleiTed doc- 
 trine, and how far our peace and com- 
 fort depend upon the firm belief of it. 
 
 We begin accordingly with the firft thing, 
 viz. 
 
 I. T o clear our way by fome general poil- 
 tions, which may ferve as illuftrations of what 
 we mean by the faints final perfeverance. 
 And in order to ftate the queflion, obferve, 
 
 1. That it is not difputed, whether per- 
 fons, who have an appearance of religion, make 
 large pretentions to an intereft in Chrift, and bear 
 a great profeilion in the world, whether, I fay, 
 fuchperfons may not, after all, fall a way and be 
 loft. For we allow that this will be the cafe 
 with, alas ! but too many who have called our 
 Redeemer Lord in this world, and yet have ne- 
 ver really been acquainted with his grace, nor 
 indeed have had any lot or fhare in this mat- 
 ter. It is therefore allowed on all hands, that 
 we may think we are fomething, and others 
 8 may 
 
Serm.XI. of the faints. 195 
 
 may think fo of us too, yet all the while we 
 may have only a name to live, and be really 
 dead. Again, 
 
 2. The queftion is not whether any man, 
 even a renewed man, is in himfelf a match for 
 the enemies he is furrounded with, fuch as 
 fatan, and the corruptions of his own heart. 
 We are ready to acknowledge that we can 
 bo more think a good thought, as of ourfelves, 
 after converfion, than before ; all our fuffici- 
 ency being of God. No, view a man fepa- 
 rate from the grace of God, and he is un- 
 equal to the lead temptation. So that the 
 queftion is not, whether he hath a fufficiency 
 to overcome his enemies in himfelf, but whe- 
 ther at length he (hall not gain a compleat 
 victory over them. But again, 
 
 3. The queftion is not whether, as to 
 the acting, or exerciflng of grace, the foul 
 may not many times feem to be in a very 
 Ianguifhing condition* and in effect fometimes 
 be at a very low ebb indeed. For this we rea- 
 dily grant hath been the cafe with fome of the 
 greateft believers in the world, fuch as David, 
 Peter, and others. And, to add no more, 
 
 4. We are not here difputing, whether 
 a believer may not fay, through the weaknefs 
 of his faith, that he is exceedingly fearful, 
 left he mould fall fhort, and never hold out 
 to the end : we allow this alfo to have been 
 often the cafe of the beft of men. 
 
 O 2 But 
 
196 On the final perfeverance 
 
 But the queftion lies in this more efpe- 
 cially; whether an elect vefTel, having once 
 tailed of the grace of God, can entirely lofe 
 that which was wrought in him, and fo 
 finally perifh ; whether in the iflue, let his 
 apprehenfions or fears be what they will, 
 he may either feparate himfelf, or be plucked 
 by any other out of Chrijt's hand. This we 
 muft deny, and hope to make it appear very 
 evidently to you, that it is abfolutely impof- 
 fible. You fee how exprefs our text is. It 
 is not faid, perhaps, or it may poffibly be, or 
 there is good ground to hope that they mall 
 not periih, if they hold on believing, or the 
 like 3 but, in an abfolute peremptory manner, 
 they Jh all never perijh, neither Jlmll any pluck 
 them out of my hand. Which brings us to 
 confider the next general head, and that is, 
 
 II. To confirm or eftablifh this great truth, 
 which our Lord himfelf fo ftrongly afferts in 
 the text. And here we have a very large 
 field opened to us. For as God, in his abun- 
 dant grace, hath taken fpecial care to furnifh 
 his people, in every part of his . word, with 
 flrong arguments, and gracious promifes of 
 confolation ; fo, as this is one of the main 
 fprings of the faints hope and joy, we have 
 fuch folid, and abundant evidence of it in the 
 fcriptures, that one mould fland amazed, did 
 we not confider the weaknefs of faith in the 
 
 8 befl 
 
Serm. XL of the faints, 197 
 
 belt of men, that any fhould entertain a fcru- 
 ple about it. However, we fhall begin, 
 
 1. With the immutable purpofeof God 
 in election, as a foundation every way fuffi- 
 cient to build the pofition laid down in the 
 text upon, viz. That none of Chrift's fheep 
 mail ever perim. And in order to illuftrate 
 this, obferve, 
 
 (1.) That God himfelf, as in his efTence, 
 fo in his determinations, is abfolutely incapa- 
 ble of the lean: change or alteration. This 
 is not only confirmed by the word of God, 
 where he is reprefented as the Father of lights, 
 with whom is no variablenefs^ neither Jhadow 
 oj turning *, but may very eafily be evinced 
 from realon. For, let it be confidered, if the 
 Lord changes, it muft be owing to fomething 
 in himfelf, or in his creatures. As to God 
 himfelf, you know, one of the primary ideas 
 that we have of Deity, is, that he fhould 
 be always that fame wife, holy, juft and pow- 
 erful Being, that he ever was. .Thus you 
 know that God fpeaks of himfelf, / am the 
 Lord j I change not : therefore ye fons of fa- 
 cob are not confumed h . As to his creatures, 
 there cannot poffibly be any thing in them, or 
 done by them, but what was naked and open 
 before him, even from everlafting. Add to 
 tjj.is, that was he to alter on their account, 
 or becaufe of fomething that he did not fore- 
 know concerning them, this would not only 
 O 3 be 
 
 * Jam, i. 17. h Mai. iii. 6. 
 
198 On the final perf ever ance 
 
 be to eclipfe the glory of his omnifcience, 
 but, fo far, to render him dependent on the 
 creature ; which, you know, is directly con- 
 trary to the nature of an infinite, Sovereign, and 
 unchangeable Being. This being allowed us, 
 we obferve again, 
 
 (2.) That this immutable Being hath, by 
 a peremptory decree, determined the falvatiofi 
 of his chofen. This we might prove to you 
 from that place, where we are told, that as 
 many as were ordained to eternal life, believed 1 : 
 plainly fuppofing, that fome certain number 
 of peifons were thus really ordained to eternal 
 life. So that from hence it muit neceffarily 
 follow, that they cannot perim, fince an un- 
 changeable Being hath thus decreed that they 
 mould enjoy eternal life, who fays of himfelf, 
 My connfel JJjallJland, and I will do all my plea- 
 Jure k . This is then the firfl argument, God 
 is an immutable being, who hath refolved that 
 not one of his chofen ones mail perim. But 
 this truth will be farther evident, if we con- 
 fider, 
 
 2. That, the fame Jefus who hath de- 
 clared that they mail never perim, hath, by 
 his glorious undertaking, and perfect accom- 
 plimment of it, for ever fet them fo far out 
 of the reach of their fpiritual enemies, that 
 all thofe who would endeavour to pluck than 
 out of his hand, mail not be able to effect: 
 jt. But more particularly. 
 
 J Afts xiii. 48. k Ifai. xlvi. 10. 
 
6erm. XI. of thejaints: 199 
 
 ( 1.) He hath delivered them from fin, the 
 word: of their enemies, that which hath a na- 
 tural tendency to feparate betwixt them and 
 their God. Sin, as it is a violation of God's 
 law, fo it is an act of rebellion, and highly 
 provoking in his fight. And he who hath 
 once been guilty of it, by this means, has fet 
 himfelf at a diftance from God, and declares 
 open war with him. Now if any thing in 
 the world hath a tendency to promote the 
 definition of a perfon, it mufl be fin. And 
 as Chri/i's fheep, as well as others, have finne4 
 againfi God, fo they mufl have perifhed in 
 their iniquities, had he not, fome way or 
 other, removed their tranfgreflions from them. 
 Well, this he did by the facrifice of himfelf. 
 View him then, as he is reprefented in the 
 word of God, as taking upon himfelf the 
 iniquities of his, fheep, undertaking, by a vo- 
 luntary aft of his own, to anfwer for them -, 
 and then, though they have gone aflray in 
 themfelves, yet God can b&jufi, and the jufli- 
 fierof them, who thus believe in him ] : and 
 as he hath by one offering perfected for ever 
 them that are fanc7ifad m , there is therefore 
 now no condemnation to them that are in Chrifi 
 fefus B , that is, to any of his fheep. And thus, 
 you may eafily fuppofe the difference between 
 God and them is made up, as the apoflle 
 fpeaks, He hath made him to be Jin for us, who 
 fyjew no fin, that we might be made the righte- 
 O 4 oufnefs 
 
 1 Rom. iii. 26. * Heb. x. 14. n Rom. viii. i. 
 
2oo On the final perjeverance 
 
 oufnefs of God in him °. They are now, be- 
 come the objects of God's care and delight. 
 And if fin, that enemy which wars againfl 
 the foul, and which, if any thing in the world 
 would pluck them out of Chrifi's hands, it 
 muft be that, if, I fay, that hath entirely loft 
 its power of destroying Chri/i's fheep ; we may 
 very fafely conclude that they can never perijh. 
 Sin is undoubtedly that burden which makes 
 Chri/i's fheep groan for deliverance. And tho' 
 they may cry out, as the apoftledid, O wretched 
 men that we are, who Jh all deliver us from tie 
 My of this death p f yet, at the fame time, in a 
 view of their deliverer, they may well blefs 
 the "name of the Lord, and with the fame 
 apoftle fay, Thanks be to God, thro' fefus Chrift 
 cur Lord**. They will carry fin to the grave 
 with them ; but as fin would hinder them 
 from entering into glory, fo they fhall lay 
 afide every degree of it, at their diflblution. 
 Well, this is one, and the principal of the 
 enemies of Chrift/s fheep, which their great 
 fhepherd hath overcome. But again, 
 
 (2.) SATAN, that roaring lion, O with 
 what diligence, with what fubtilty and malice, 
 doth he endeavour to ruin Chrift's fheep ! He 
 doth all he can to hinder them from coming 
 into Chrifis fold : and when they are brought 
 thither, he will labour, if poflible, not only 
 to deftroy their comfort, but even to pluck 
 them out of their fhepherd's hands. But, 
 
 bleffed 
 
 • 2 Cor. v. 2!. ' Rom. vii. 24. * Ver. 25. 
 
Serm. XI. of the faints. 20 1 
 
 blefled be the Lord, he alfo is a conquered 
 enemy. Cbrift as God, hath not only abfolute 
 power over him, and keepshim within limits, 
 which he cannot exceed in his tempting of the 
 faints, without his permiflion; but he hath tri- 
 umphed over him, as a great conqueror, and 
 that as the head, and in the name of his people. 
 So that, though he may defire to fift, or even 
 to deftrov them ; yet the glorious captain of 
 their falvation, as he knows the neceflities of 
 his people, fo alfo the ftrength of their ene- 
 mies, and on all occasions, will appear, one 
 way or other, for their deliverance. And 
 though the deitru&ion of this enemy indeed 
 is not fo entire, as that he fhall never afTault the 
 faints, or never gain, in fome meafure, the 
 advantage againfl them ; yet this we know, 
 that he mall never be able to feparate them 
 from the love of God, or rob them of ever- 
 lafting life, which Chriji hath, by his fatis- 
 facYion and righteoufnefs, obtained for them, 
 and fecured to them. 
 
 That we may have a more full idea of 
 the malice of this adverfary, he is reprefented 
 in the word of God, not only as a tempter, 
 but an accufer alfo. He not only endeavours 
 to feduce God's people from their obedience 
 to him, but then prefently accufes them of 
 the crime, with all its aggravating circum- 
 ftances, and pleads it for their ruin. And 
 this he is faid to do with unwearied diligence, 
 
 both 
 
202 On the fatal perfeverance 
 
 both day and night r . Now to counterpoife 
 this, we are affured, that, if they Jin, he 
 himfelf is their advocate \ at the throne; not, 
 as I humbly apprehend, to extenuate our guilt, 
 but to reprefent continually to his Father, that 
 great attonement, which he himfelf has made, 
 whereby his people, though guilty in them- 
 felves, are become righteous in the fight of 
 God. And in this he gains a renewed victory 
 over Satan ; for all his malice can never paint 
 iin in fuch deep and dreadful colours, but 
 Chrift can plead his blood, and prove it to be 
 capable of cleanfing it away. His people may 
 indeed have been greatly polluted, and their 
 fins of a fear let dye, yet as wafhed in his blood, 
 they become white as fnow. 
 
 This adverfary may therefore roar, and 
 threaten, and accufe, during the chriftian's 
 pilgrimage, yet ftill here is his hope, and his 
 city of jrefuge. And left he mould be dis- 
 mayed with the terrible apprehenfions of fall- 
 ing into the hands of this enemy, when he 
 comes to give up the ghoft, who would doubt- 
 lefs then, if poftible, take the advantage, were 
 it in his power, and hurry him into everjafting 
 mifery, Chrift hath promifed his prefence at 
 that time to fecure his charge, and a guard of 
 his angels, to conduct the fouls of his people 
 fafe to that repofe he defigns for them, in the 
 everlafting manfions of blifs. Thus theji, as 
 tf> this adverfary, you fee, that he fhall never 
 
 pluck 
 
 I Rev. xii. 10. • i John ii. i. 
 
oerm. XL of the faints, 2Q% 
 
 pluck Chrift'-f (keep out of his hand. For, ac- 
 cording to that ancient promife, the feed of 
 the woman, has effectually bruifed the head, 
 or broken the power, of the fer pent e . And 
 then, 
 
 (3.) The world, both as to its fmilesand 
 frowns, mall not deftroy one of Chrift's meep. 
 Sometimes good men feem to be fo much 
 glewed to this world, that one is at a lofs to 
 know whether they have any defires, or ex- 
 pectations, refpecting a removal to their Fa- 
 ther's houfe above. At other times they are fo 
 furprifed, and diftrefled by unexpected afflic- 
 tions and difappointments in outward things, 
 that they can hardly believe the great {hep- 
 herd takes any care of them at all. Thus, 
 one while they feed upon hufks, and another 
 they repine at the blerlings they enjoy, and 
 murmur at the providence of God. Why, 
 notwithstanding it may be, and is thus at 
 times, with the beft of God's people, and^ 
 though they may be righteoufly and feverely 
 chaftifed for it, yet it is impoffible it mould 
 effect their ruin. For as their ihepherd often 
 leads them over dark mountains, and in a way 
 that they have known but little of; yet he hath 
 engaged, and being in himfelf immutable, his 
 word muff ftand, that thefe things inftead 
 of feparating them from his prefence, and 
 care, and falvation, mall work together for 
 their good u . And as he is the head over all 
 
 things 
 
 \ Gen. iii. 15. ■ Rem. viii. 28, 
 
204 On the final per fever ance 
 
 things to the church v ' ; fo it is in his power, 
 you know, to bring good out of the greater! 
 evil, and to bring to pafs what is lead ex- 
 pected by the creature. Thus, though the 
 believer finds the world a fnare to him, as 
 having a great tendency to confine his regards 
 to itfelf, and fometimes attacking him with 
 its terrors ; yet Chrijl bids his people be of 
 good cheer, for he has overcome the world* : 
 They may then be fure it mall not ruin or de- 
 stroy them. It may eat out a great deal of 
 their prefent comfort, but mail by no means 
 rob them of their future and eternal happinefs. 
 And if, 
 
 (4.) And laftly, you add to thefe death, 
 as rather a fuppofed, than a real enemy, Chrijl 
 hath alfo conquered death. And let the be- 
 liever never fo much fhrink back, at the 
 thoughts of dying, yet his Lord will be with 
 him, more or lefs, in that dark valley, and 
 lead him by the hand fafe into the future 
 
 glory- 
 
 We might be much larger upon each of 
 
 thefe, but you know they are matters more 
 
 ufually indited on, and therefore what we 
 
 are ready to hope you are well acquainted 
 
 with. That you may fee the force of this 
 
 argument then, obferve, that if Chrijl hath 
 
 overcome all the enemies of his fheep, fuch 
 
 as fin, fatan, the world, and death ; then he 
 
 hath taken effectual care, that none of thefe 
 
 fhould 
 
 w Eph. i. 22. x John xvi. 33.. 
 
Serm. XI. ' of the faints. 205 
 
 fhould ever pluck them out of his hand, and 
 fo, that they /ball never perifh. If he hath 
 reconciled them to God, by the facrifice of 
 himfelf, if he hath refcued them from the 
 power of fatan, and if he will keep them 
 from the evil of the world, and make them 
 conquerors over death, then furely they fh all 
 never perifh -, which was the matter to be 
 proved. 
 
 I should now proceed to arguments, 
 drawn from the nature of the covenant of 
 grace, the promifes, and the perfections of 
 the divine Being, with feveral other confide- 
 rations which will ferve to demonftrate the 
 great truth in our text : but thefe I fhall re- 
 ferve to another opportunity. Let me only 
 add thefe two reflections upon what hath been 
 faid. And, 
 
 1. Hath our Lord given his people eter- 
 nal life? then, this at once deftroys the doc- 
 trine of merit, on the part of the crea- 
 ture, and the pharifaical notion of working 
 for life. Would it not be the molt preposte- 
 rous thing in the world for a perfon, who has 
 a clear title to a free bounty from a prince, to 
 fet about attaining it by fome meritorious 
 piece of fervice of his own, and that too when 
 he is already in the pofTeflion of it ? Yes cer- 
 tainly, fuch a one would furely rather endea- 
 vour to teflify his gratitude, by paying fuitable 
 homage to his great benefactor. And yet, 
 fo foolifh is man, that though the Lord de- 
 clares 
 
s. o 6 On the final perfeverance t &c. 
 
 clares, that he gives his fheep eternal life y he 
 is too apt to feek it in a way of defert. This 
 is doing great wrong to our own fouls : for 
 if we itay till we deferve this life, before we 
 will entertain any comfortable apprehenfions 
 of our intereft in it, we may allure ourfelves 
 we mall never enjoy it. And fuch a conduct 
 is indeed a fetting up our wifdom in oppo- 
 lition to that of God. He will have the 
 glory of giving us eternal life freely, but we 
 would have it as our own purchafe, and in 
 a way of dependance on our own perfonal 
 merit. Thus then you fee how, in this, 
 men oppofe the grace of God : and this is 
 not only the temper of thofe, who are not 
 Chrijl's fheep, but alas ! too many that are 
 really related to him, they are for defer v- 
 ing eternal life, and not receiving it as his 
 gift, in a way of pure grace. But again* 
 
 2. Are we in Chrijl's hands, and there r 
 fore fecured from perifhing ? let this teach 
 us then, where to go for every needful fup- 
 ply of grace, in our way to everlafting blef- 
 fednefs, and for ftrength againft all our fpi- 
 ritual enemies, and victory over them. For, 
 we are not only more than conquerors, thro* 
 him that hath loved us 1 j but of his fulnefs, 
 we are to receive , and grace for grace z . 
 
 y Rom. viii. 37. ■ John i. 16. 
 
 SER- 
 
( 2o 7 ) 
 
 SERMON XIL 
 
 On the final perf ever a?tce of the faints* 
 
 John x. 28, 
 
 And I give unto them eternal life, and they 
 Jhall never perijh, neither Jhall any pluck 
 them out of my hand. 
 
 1 
 
 The fecond Sermon on this text. 
 
 AV I N G confidered the connexion of 
 thefe words in a former difcourfe, I 
 obferved the following things as more 
 immediately contained in them : 
 
 1. The great portion and privilege of 
 Chrift's fheep : eternal life is theirs : 
 
 2. That this bleffing comes to them in 
 a way of grace, and not of merit -, I give 
 unto them eternal life : And, 
 
 3. The happy confequence of this; they 
 Jhall never perijh -, which our Lord confirms, 
 firft, by an aflertion of his own power, nei- 
 ther 
 
20 8 On the Jinal perfeverance 
 
 ther Jhall any pluck them out of my hand ; and 
 then, in the verfe following my text, from his 
 Father's care and power alfo; My Father, 
 which gave them me, is greater than all : and 
 no one is able to pluck them out of my Father 's 
 hand; and then fums up the whole by avert- 
 ing his equality with the Father, both in 
 power and glory ; / and my Father are one a . 
 Inftead of infifting on thefe particulars, I chofe 
 rather to raife and profecute the following doc- 
 trinal obfervation, as the fubject of our dif- 
 courfe, viz. 
 
 THAT Chrijl's Jheep, being given him as a 
 trujl by his Father, his faithfulnfs is en- 
 gaged, that none of thefe Jljould perifi. 
 
 For the illuftration of which, 
 
 I. I laid down fome general pofitions, that 
 had a tendency to explain this important 
 doctrine, which I fhall not now repeat ; 
 and then, 
 
 II. I endeavoured to eftablifh the truth 
 of it, 
 
 1. From the immutability of God's counfel, 
 who hath determined their falvation; and, 
 
 2. From the effectual care which our Lord 
 ye/us Chrift hath taken to fubdue all their ene- 
 mies. 
 
 Not to detain you therefore, with what was 
 then delivered; we proceed now to another 
 
 argu- 
 
 * John x. 30. 
 
Serm. XII. of the faints. 209 
 
 argument to prove the faints final perfeverance, 
 or their never lofing, either grace in this world, 
 or glory in the other; and that mall be taken, 
 
 3. From the nature of dvj everlafting co- 
 venant, which being founded in the grace of 
 God, and not in the obedience of the creature, 
 is therefore ordered in all things and Jure* : 
 and every bleffing arifing from it, mull un- 
 doubtedly be fecured to all thofe who are in- 
 terested in it. If you afk what I mean by 
 the covenant of grace, you need only turn 
 to that remarkable account the prophet Jere- 
 miah hath given us of this matter, But this 
 jlmll be the covenant that I will make with the 
 houfe of Ifrael, after thofe days, faith the Lord, 
 I will put my law in their inward parts, and 
 write it in their hearts, and will be their God, 
 and they fhall be my people*. Compare with 
 this the following pafTage. And I will give 
 them one heart, and one way, that they may 
 fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of 
 their children after them. And I will make 
 an everlafling covenant with them, that 1 will 
 not turn away from them, to do them good ; 
 but I will put my fear in their hearts, that 
 they Ji hall not depart from me d . That this is 
 to be underftood of the covenant of grace, 
 or a new covenant (fo called, for this reafon, 
 amongft others, becaufe there was now a 
 more diftinct or new difplay of itj I fay, that 
 this covenant is referred to by thefe paifages, 
 
 P 'the 
 
 fc z Sam. xxiii. 5 . c Jer. xxxi. 33. d Chap, xxxii. 3 3, 39, 40. 
 
ft to On the final per fever ance 
 
 the apoftle to the Hebrews puts beyond all 
 doubt, where he fays, Behold, the days come, 
 faith the Lord, when I will make a new cove- 
 nant with the houfe of Ifrael, and with the houfe 
 of Judah : Not according to the covenant that 
 I made with their fathers, in the day when I 
 took them by the hand, to lead them out of the 
 land of Egypt; becaufe they continued not in 
 my covenant, and I regarded them not, faith 
 the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will 
 make with the houfe of Ifrael, after thofe days, 
 faith the Lord-, I will put my laws into their 
 mind, and write them in their hearts : and 
 I will be to them a God, and they floall be to 
 me a people e , Now obferve what the Lord 
 promifes here ; it is not only that he will put 
 his fear in their hearts, and his law in their 
 inward parts -, but an affurance is fubjoined, 
 that their fouls fhall cleave unto him ; They 
 fjjall not depart from me. See how effectually 
 God has fecured the whole of their falvation 
 to them. Are they guilty ? faith he, / will 
 forgive their iniquity, and I will remember 
 their fin no more % Are they in fear of lofing 
 my favour ? They are born of incorruptible feed, 
 and that feed abideth for ever g ; and, I will 
 not turn away from them, to do them good h . 
 Are they apprehenfive of falling, or depart- 
 ing from me ? I will be to them a God, and 
 they fhall be to me a people \ It is not faid, 
 
 pe- 
 
 e Heb. viii. 8,9, 10. f Jer. xxxi. 54. s 1 Pet. i. 23. 
 h Jer. xxxii. 40. ' Heb. viii. 10. 
 
Serm. XII. of the faints. sit 
 
 perhaps they may ; but they J jail be to me a 
 people. 
 
 But fome may object, that this refers to the 
 bringing back the Jews, from their captivity. 
 We allow that this may be the literal lignifica- 
 tion of the words. But they muft have a further 
 reference, as appears from the laft quotation out 
 of the epiftle to the Hebrews, and from what our 
 Lord himfelf fays, by which he extends it to the 
 whole election of grace. It is written in the pro* 
 phets, fays he,and they Jhall be all taught of God. 
 Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath 
 learned of the Father, cometh unto me k . As 
 a confirmation of this covenant, the Lord hath 
 given us many great and precious promifes, 
 wherein he hath engaged his faithfulnefs for 
 the fecurity of his people, and which pro- 
 mifes are all yea and amen in Chrijl J ejus K 
 Thus, as the origin of this covenant was 
 meer fovereign grace, fo its foundation is efta- 
 bliftied on the divine faithfulnefs, and the bleA 
 fings contained therein have an undoubted fe- 
 curity, as put into the hands of the mediator, 
 and made over to us by the promife, and oath 
 of him, who cannot poffibly lie, or deceive. 
 He is not a man that he Jhould lie, neither the 
 [on of man that hefiould repent. Hath hefaid, 
 and /hall he not do it ? Or hath he fpoken, and 
 Jhall he not make it good m ? For the mountains 
 fjall depart, and the hills be removed, but my 
 kindnefs Jhall not depart from thee, neither Jhall 
 P 2 the 
 
 k John vi. 45. * 2 Cor. i. 10. m Num. xxiii. 19. 
 
212 On the final per f ever ance 
 
 the covenant of my peace be removed, faith the 
 Lord that hath mercy on thee n . And thus faith 
 the apoftle Paul, He is faithful by whom ye 
 are called into the fellow/hip of his fon, who 
 Jhall alfo confirm you unto the end, that ye may 
 be blamelcjs in the day of our Lord Jefus Chrift : 
 And again, Being confident of this very thing, 
 that he which hath begun a good work in you, 
 will per feci: it unto the day of Jefus Chrift p : 
 And again, The very God of peace fanclify you 
 wholly : and 1 pray God your whole fpirit, and 
 foul, and body be preferved blamelefs unto the 
 coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Faithful is 
 he who calleth you, who alfo will do it q . And 
 to this the apoftle Peter gives in his evidence, 
 when he fays, We are kept by the power of 
 God through faith unto falvation r . But I go 
 on now to another argument to prove this 
 point, and that is, 
 
 4. The faints union with Chrift, as mem- 
 bers of his body. The ftrictnefs of this union 
 is fuch, that, what he did is accounted to 
 them, and their fins imputed to him. Now, 
 as this union was founded in grace, fo it is 
 indifToluble. And as all things are prefent in 
 the view of God, he knows what will be the 
 temptations and corruptions of his people ; 
 and notwithstanding the faving change that 
 paries on them, and the fanctification of his 
 Spirit, he knows what will be the weak- 
 
 nefs 
 
 ■ Ifai. liv. 10. ° 1 Cor. i. 8, 9. p Phil, i. 6. « 1 Theff. 
 v. 23, 24. r 1 Pet. i. 5. 
 
Serm .XII. of the faints . 213 
 
 nefs and iinfulnefs of their conduct ; but as 
 this has not hindered their being brought into 
 this relation, fo it never can influence him 
 utterly to call them off; for he is unchange- 
 able, and his gifts and calling are without 
 repentance s . Our Lord gives us an account 
 of this particular, where he fpeaks of himfelf 
 under the character of a vine. I am the 'vine, 
 faith he, ye are the branches*. Here fome 
 may object, that Chrifi commands his peo- 
 ple to abide in him u , implying that it mufl 
 be their act. In anfwer to this, obferve 
 he adds, and I in you -, and read alfo thofe 
 words in the fame context, Te have not chofen 
 me, but 1 have chofen you ; and or darned you, 
 that you fiould go, and bring forth fruit, and 
 that your fruit Jhould remain w : Now as the 
 fecurity of the branch is in its union to the 
 flock, fo there can be no failure of life, whilfl 
 the root furTers no decay, and is conftant and 
 large in its fupplies to every part, fince It 
 pleafed the Father that in him Jhould all fulncfs 
 dwell*, that from hisfulnefs we might receive 
 and grace for grace *. A chriftian indeed 
 would foon lofe all the grace he has, were it 
 not for that connection there is betwixt his 
 Lord and him. Chri/l, related to us as our 
 head, may well be faid to be the author and 
 finifoer of our faith y . As he is pleafed by 
 his Spirit to give the principle, fo he will fe- 
 P 3 cure 
 
 * Rom. xi. 29. l John xv. 5. ■ Ver. 4. w Ver. 16. 
 * Col. i. 19. * Johni. 16. y Heb. xii. 2. 
 
214 ® n the final perfeverance 
 
 cure the finishing ftroke in our compleat 
 fan&ification, and glory. Thus he fays, Be- 
 caitfe I live, yefkall live alfo ; and in that day 
 ye Jhall know that I am in my Father, and 
 you in me, and I in you *. 
 
 5. We may argue the final perfeverance 
 of the faints, from the interceflion of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrijl. And here, that you may 
 the better underftand the force of this argu- 
 ment, you may obferve, 
 
 (1.) That our Lord Jefus Chrijl, confi- 
 dered as our mediator, doth intercede in the 
 behalf of his chofen, and more efpecially, 
 as to their final perfeverance. And then, 
 
 (2.) That this interceflion of his, as be- 
 ing founded in his own merit, and the fhed- 
 ding of his blood, is always efficacious. From 
 which we may fafely conclude, that all thofe 
 for whom he thus interceeds, fhall inherit 
 everlafting life, ox fhall never perijh. Our 
 firil pofition, I believe is allowed on all hands, 
 viz. 
 
 (1.) That our Lord JefusChrifl interceeds, 
 or is reprefented in the fcripture, as pleading 
 in the behalf of his people, and efpecially 
 as to their final perfeverance. This matter 
 is put out of all doubt, by that paflage in 
 the evangelift Luke, where our Lord fays 
 to Peter, Simon, Simon, behold, fatan hath 
 defired to have you, that he may fifi you as 
 wheat : But 1 have prayed for thee, that thy 
 
 faith 
 
 2 John xiv. 1 9, 20. 
 
SeimXII. of the faints. 21 $ 
 
 faith fail not*; that is, that it mould not 
 finally fail, or the principle, or habit of it 
 be loft. For as to the exercife of it, you 
 know it failed him in a great degree, when 
 a little after he fo obftinately denied his Lord. 
 Now if Chriji thus prayed for Peter •, the 
 fame reafon that engaged him to exercife 
 this office of an interceffor on his account, 
 muft have the fame influence with refpect to 
 all the reft, even to the weakeft of his flock. 
 For why was it that he prayed for Peter ', but 
 becaufe he was part of the truft committed 
 to him by the Father j and therefore he was 
 engaged not to lofe him ? If any mould fay, 
 this proves nothing, being a particular cafe, 
 wherein Peter only was concerned : it may 
 with eafe be replied, that our Lord mentions 
 that which is equivalent to it, concerning all 
 his difciples. I pray for them fays he, 1 pray 
 not for the world b j plainly making a diftinc- 
 tjon betwixt his difciples, and thofe, who 
 were not of that happy number. Well, and 
 what is the reafon ? Why, fee what our Lord 
 adds, for they are thine, thy chofen beloved 
 ones. In a general fenfe the whole world is 
 the Lord's, as the cattle upon a thoufand 
 hills are his. But thefe are his in an intimate 
 peculiar fenfe, as himfelf exprefles it, All mine 
 are thine, and thine are mine c . They were 
 his alfo, and, that not only as their creator, 
 but more efpecially here as their redeemer, 
 P 4 and 
 
 » Luke xm. 31, 32. * John xvii. 9; f Yer. ioi 
 
1 1 6 On the final perfeverance 
 
 and covenant- head. Upon which you may 
 obferve, what he fays further concerning them. 
 And it is worthy your notice, that this was the 
 parting requeft which he put up for them, 
 when he was juft about to leave them, And 
 now I am no more in the world, but thefe are 
 in the world, and 1 come to thee. Holy Father \ 
 keep through thine own name thofe whom thou 
 hajl given me, that they may be one, as we are. 
 While I was with them in the world., 1 kept 
 them in thy name : thofe that thou gave/t me, 
 I have kept, and none of them is loft, but the 
 fin of perdition : that the fcripture might be 
 fu filled d . And then a little further, he adds, 
 J pray not that thou Jhoula eft take them out of 
 the world, but that thou jliouldeft keep them 
 from the evil. And again, SanBify them 
 through thy truth, thy word is truth e . And 
 then, left any fhould confine this to the dif- 
 ciples, he fays, Neither pray I for thefe alone ; 
 but for them alfo, which fhall believe on me 
 through their word f . And as the fum of the 
 whole prayer, he adds, Father,, I will that 
 they alfo whom thou hafl given me, be with me 
 where I am, that they may behold my glory 
 which thou hajl given me g . Now this would 
 be lmpufTible, unlefs they were kept by his 
 m\ghi y fwer, through faith unto /alvation h . 
 Thus then you fee how our Lord interceeded 
 for his people while he was on earth. And, 
 
 though 
 
 d Johnxvii. ii, 12. e Ver. 15,17. f Ver. 20. 6 Ver. ^4. 
 * 1 Pet. i, 5. 
 
Serm. XII. of the faints. 217 
 
 though now heaven conceals him from our 
 fight, yet he is not unmindful of us, he 
 makes the fame requefts for us in that world 
 which he did in this. See to this purpofe a 
 paffage in the Hebrews, Wherefore he is able 
 alfo to fave them to the uttermoft, that come 
 unto God by him, feeing he ever liveth to make 
 intercefion for them \ And this the apoftle 
 John confirms, when he fays, If any man /in, 
 we have an advocate with the Father, Jefus 
 Chrift. the righteous k . Thus then we have 
 largely proved our firft pofition, that Chrift 
 interceeds for his people, and that he not only 
 did fo while he was on earth, but that he doth 
 it now he is in heaven, and more efpecially for 
 their final perfeverance. Our next pofition is, 
 
 (2.) That this intercefilon of our Lord, 
 being founded in his blood and righteoufnefs, 
 cannot but be efficacious, and fo proves the 
 point under our confideration. Obferve, it 
 was not an affectionate prayer only that Chrift 
 put up to his Father for thefe bleffings on his 
 people, which, by virtue of his intereft in him, 
 will be anfwered, but it is attended with fome- 
 thing, that farther afifures us that the bleflings 
 be prayed for will be beftowed ; for, fays he, 
 i" not only pray for them, but, Father, I 
 will that they alfo whom thou haft given me be 
 with me, &c. And, the apoftle John informs 
 us, that we have an advocate with the Father, 
 and he gives us this defcription of him, that 
 
 he 
 
 1 Heb. vii. 25. k 1 John ii. 1. 
 
2i8 On the final f erf ever ance 
 
 he is Jefus Chrifi the righteous l : one who 
 ftands before the throne, as the righteous head 
 of the church, who though guilty in them- 
 felves, are yet righteous and comely in him. 
 And this it is, that makes his interceffion effec- 
 tual j for as our Lord Jefus Chrifi could not 
 afk any thing of his Father but what is con- 
 fident with his glory to beftow, fo, for in- 
 stance, the pardon of (in, the removal of 
 guilt, and the gift of everlafting life, could 
 not be obtained by his interceffion, for thofe 
 who deferve everlafting deftruction, unlefs it 
 were attended with the effectual plea of his 
 own merit. Sin lying at the door, all man- 
 kind are naturally and juftly condemned, and 
 expofed to ruin, till that is removed by our 
 Lord Jefus Chrifi ; and without that it is im- 
 poffible either that he mould pray for fuch 
 fouls to be admitted to glory, or that fuch a 
 petition, if made, could be anfwered. For 
 God's juftice, being offended, that muft be 
 appeafed, before he can be reconciled, or the 
 finner be admitted to his favour. We are 
 to consider our Saviour therefore, as having 
 by one offering perfected for ever them that 
 arejaniiijied m . In the virtue of which atone- 
 ment he is now gone to his Father's right 
 hand, and there pleads in the behalf of his 
 chofen, and that his plea is moft prevalent 
 he himfelf lets us know, by what he fays, 
 as it is related by the evangelift John, And 
 
 Jefus 
 
 1 i John ii. i . * Heb. x. 14. 
 
Serm. XII. of the faints. 219 
 
 Jefus lift up his eyes, and [aid, Father, I thank 
 thee that thou haft heard me. And I knew 
 that thou hearefi me always 11 . Now if fo, 
 then he muft needs hear him, when he put 
 up that prayer for the whole election of grace, 
 Father I will that they alfo whom thou haft 
 given me^ be with me, where I am ; that they 
 may behold my glory °. From which we may 
 very fafely conclude the final falvation of God's 
 elect : Chrift interceeds for them that they 
 fhould not perifh, and his interceffion is moft 
 prevalent, therefore they cannot perifh. But 
 to proceed to another argument, 
 
 6. The glorious truth contained in our 
 text, may be confirmed by this confideration ; 
 that Chri/l's fheep have his Spirit promifed 
 to them, to take up his abode in their hearts, 
 and to remain with them, not for a day or 
 a year only, but for ever. Now if this be 
 true, and we believe him to be poflfefled of 
 infinite power, wifdom, and grace, his habi- 
 tation cannot but fecure, to all thofe who par- 
 take of fuch a blefling, a meetnefs for the 
 inheritance of the faints in light. This meet- 
 nefs, left we mould miftake, may be confi- 
 dered, in a two-fold way$ either as to wor- 
 thinefs, and then it is in Chrift's righteoufnefs 
 that we expect to behold the glory of God to 
 our comfort another day. But then as flefli 
 and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, 
 that is, a principle of carnality is not confiftent 
 
 with 
 
 * John xi. 41, 42. • Chap. xvii. 24. 
 
 2 
 
220 On the final per fever ance. 
 
 with the perfect purity and happinefs of the 
 faints in the world above j fo here we are to con- 
 sider it as the work of the Spirit. He it is that 
 brings the falvation wrought out by our Lord, 
 to our fouls, fubdues our enmity againft it, 
 enables us to receive it with pleafure and fa- 
 tisfaction, and then works all our works in us, 
 and for us. Now if we prove that he is not 
 only fent and given to CbriJFs fheep, but that 
 he abides with them all for thefe bleUed ends, 
 then I think it will naturally follow, that 
 they can never perifh. 
 
 Oeserve then what our Lord fays, to this 
 purpofe, in the 14th of John. He was now 
 about to depart ; well, he will not leave his 
 difciples comfortlefs : and which way does he 
 take to encourage them ? Why, fays he, / 
 will pray the Father, and he Jhall give you ano- 
 ther Comforter, that he may abide with you for 
 ever ; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world 
 cannot receive, becaufe it feet h him not, neither 
 knoweth him : but ye know him, for he dwelleth 
 with you, and fid all be in you p . Obferve, it is 
 not faid, he (hall abide with you, unlefs you 
 grieve, affront, and drive him away, and if 
 fo, he mail utterly forfake you ; but in a pe- 
 remptory way, he foall be in you, and abide 
 with you for ever. He may be as it were 
 quiefcent, and for a time withdraw his con- 
 folations, but he will never utterly leave yon. 
 And then, that this mutt not be confined to 
 
 the 
 
 f John xiv. 1 6, 1 7. ' 
 2 
 
Serm. XII. of the faints. 221 
 
 the apoftles will appear very plain, if we 
 confider, that the glorious effect or confe- 
 quence of this bleiling, our Lord hath equally 
 fecured to all his iheep, when he fays, Nei- 
 ther pray I for thefe alone, but for the?n aljo 
 which fliall believe on me through their word : 
 that they all may be one, &c q . And if they 
 are all to enjoy eternal life, then they muft all 
 partake of the fame Spirit, for If any man 
 have not the Spirit 0/^Chrift, he is none of his r . 
 And he who is not Chri/l's fhall never fee his 
 glory, in a way of peace and comfort. Thus 
 then we fee that the whole election of grace 
 have Chri/l's Spirit fecured to them, yea, as 
 one that is to remain with them, and that 
 for ever. Now, if fo, it is impoffible that 
 they mould everperifj. Forobferve, this good 
 and glorious Spirit is no lefs than the moll: 
 high God, and therefore able, furely, to ef- 
 fect what he pleafes. Are they ignorant ? 
 he can reveal what he pleafes to them ; for 
 the Spirit jearcheth all things, yea, the deep 
 things of God*. Are they difconfolate, or un- 
 believing ? he can enable them to cry, Abba 
 Father ', and lead them to the Son of righ- 
 teoufnefs for joy and comfort. Are they fub- 
 jecl to fall ? he can keep them by his own 
 power, make them more than conquerors, 
 and at length accomplifh the good pie afure of 
 his goodnefs in them*, and with the dilfolution 
 
 of 
 
 « Johnxvii. 20,21. r Rom. viii. 9. s 1 Cor. ii. 10. 
 \ Gal. iv. 6. u Eph. v. 9. 2 Thef. i. 1 1. 
 
222 On thejinal per fever ance 
 
 of their bodies deftroy even the principle of 
 corruption, that gives them fo much uneafi- 
 nefs, while they are on this fide the grave. 
 This we might alfo confirm, by confidering 
 the nature of thofe gifts which this Spirit be- 
 llows upon us ; fuch as faith, repentance 
 unto life, and the like. Now as thefe arife 
 from the free grace of God, as abiding fa- 
 vours, fo they are given never to be taken 
 from us, as the apoftle Paul exprefly afTerts, 
 when he fays, 'The gifts and calling of God 
 are without repentance w ; or, without a pof- 
 fibility on God's part to repent that he has 
 befbowed them upon us. And if fo, if life 
 and falvation are connected with thefe, then 
 thofe who are made partakers of them can 
 never perijh. Now, nothing can be more 
 evident from fcripture than that falvation is 
 connected with faith and repentance, or that 
 the fame God that gives us to believe in 
 his Son, will alfo, as another bleffing, give 
 us an entrance into glory : for evangeli- 
 cal repentance is unto life : and as he that 
 believeth fiall be faved x ; fo we are kept by 
 the power of God thro faith unto falvation ^. 
 Thus then he who is partaker of the former 
 will be of the latter, unlefs it repents the 
 Lord that he hath beftowed thefe gifts upon 
 him, which is utterly impoffible. Obferve, 
 we are to confider faith, repentance and eter- 
 nal life, as the gifts of God. They are all 
 
 re- 
 
 w Rom. xi. 29. x Markxvi. 16. y 1 Pet. i. 5. 
 
Serm.XlI. of the faints. 223 
 
 reprefented to us in his word, under that view. 
 Thus the apoftle Paul fays, By grace are ye 
 Javed, through faith j and that not of your- 
 7 elves : it is the gift of God*. And the apo- 
 ftle Peter fpeaking of our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 fays, Him hath God exalted with his right hand 
 to be a prince and a faviour, for to give re- 
 pentance to Ifrael, and forgivenefs of fins *. 
 And as to eternal life itfelf, we find our Lord, 
 in our text, acquainting us that we have it as 
 an act of favour j / give unto them eter- 
 nal life. You may alfo further obferve, that 
 there is a certain order and connection be- 
 twixt thefe bleffings, not in a way of merit, 
 but in a way of priority. Thus he whofe fins 
 are done away by the death and fatisfaction 
 of Chrift, (hall in time be effectually called, 
 and this as an act of grace in God, and of 
 power in the Spirit ; and then he who is cal- 
 led, mall be kept through faith j and he who 
 is fo kepfc, fhall at laft be compleatlyfaved. All 
 thefe bleffings are entirely independent on the 
 creature ; and where one is given, all the reft 
 neceffarily follow. And the reafon is becaufe, 
 as I have faid, the gifts and callijig of God are 
 without repentance b . If therefore Chri/l's 
 fheep have thefe gifts beftowed upon them ; 
 then they cannot but enjoy eternal life, which 
 was the matter to be proved. But I proceed 
 now to the Jaft argument. 
 
 7. And 
 
 z Ejfli. ii. 3. * Afls v. jr. * Rom. xi. 29. 
 
224 On the final per fever ance 
 
 j. And this may be drawn from the ab- 
 furdity of the contrary opinion. As one well 
 obferves, " that doctrine is undoubtedly to 
 ct be received, that hath the greateft tendency 
 " to illuftrate the glory of the divine per- 
 " fections j and no fentiments are to be en- 
 <c tertained that in the leaft reflect on the 
 " mercy, fovereignty, immutability or any 
 " of thofe peculiar glories of God, which he 
 " will not give to another." Now I hum- 
 bly apprehend, that to fuppofe the poffibility 
 of any of Cbrifl's meep perifhing, or that 
 any of thofe committed to him by the Father, 
 may finally fall from their intereft in his favour, 
 carries in it not only an impeachment of every 
 perfection in the Deity, but the greater!: flur 
 upon the glory of each of the divine perfons 
 in the blefled Trinity, Father, Son, and Spi- 
 rit. And, 
 
 (i.) As to the Father, to fuppofe he hath 
 not abfolutely determined the final falvation 
 of the elect, is to render him uncertain as to 
 this very important event. For, according to 
 thefe men, the Lord hath reited eternal life 
 upon certain conditions, which entirely de- 
 pend on the free-will of the creature, whe- 
 ther he will accept them or not, and accord- 
 ing to his acceptance or refufal of thefe con- 
 ditions, God deals with him, and either be- 
 ftows eternal life or excludes him from it. 
 Now obferve what this necefTarily implies, to 
 wit, uncertainty even on God's part, \%hether 
 
 this 
 
Serm. XII. of the faints. 225 
 
 this bleffing is to be his or no. For having 
 given him a condition which is at his plea- 
 sure, he may either accept or refufe it. But 
 that the Father has determined the final fal- 
 vation of his people has been already abun- 
 dantly proved \ and as the purpofe is from 
 everlafling, and the decree is gone forth, to 
 fuppofe it fhall in any inftanCe fail of fuc- 
 cefs, and prove abortive, is to fuppofe an 
 imperfection in the Father's wifdom, a de- 
 fee! in his power, or a difregard to ftricl: 
 juftice and faithfulnefs, or rather indeed a 
 deficiency in all thefe glorious attributes. And 
 can there be a greater, or a more unworthy 
 reflection on the divine Father ? Again, 
 
 2. To difpute the certainty of the faints final 
 perfeverance reflects great difhonour on our 
 Lord Jefus Chriji. It is to fuppofe the infuffi- 
 ciency of his capacity as a Saviour, and the 
 uncertainty of the fuccefs of his undertaking ; 
 it is to conclude, either that he has not fully 
 anfwered the demands of divine juftice, ful- 
 filled his engagements in the everlafling co- 
 venant, and brought in a perfect and everlaft- 
 ihg righteoufnefs c , or that he has not taken 
 care to fecure his own purchafe, tho' it has 
 been obtained at fo inestimable a price -, it is to 
 fuppofe that he will be unfaithful to his own 
 promifes, and, tho' he has faid he will love 
 his own to the end d t that yet he will not make 
 it good -j it is, in a word, to fuppofe, after 
 
 Q_ all 
 
 c Dan, ix, 34. d Johnxiii, 1, 
 
226 On the final per fever ance 
 
 all he has gone through in order to prefent 
 the body perfect of which he is the head, he 
 will be content to do it in maimed and dif- 
 membered circumftances at laft. And again, 
 
 3. This doctrine caft.s great reflection ei- 
 ther on the ability, or the faithfulnefs and 
 goodnefs of the holy Spirit, who has under- 
 taken effectually tofleiv the things of Chrift 
 to his people e , to purge and fantlify f them,, 
 to give them new hearts s , to inhabit them h , 
 and make his abode with them, to commu- 
 nicate to them thtjpirit of adoption \ to guide 
 them by his hand k , to conduct them in the 
 way through this howling wildernefs, and at 
 laft to deliver up his charge fafe into the hands 
 ©f Chrift ! , and into the poffeffion of that glory 
 for which he undertook to make them meet 1 . 
 
 Having thus explained this bleffed doc- 
 trine, and endeavoured to eltablim the truth 
 of it, I fhould have proceeded to confider the 
 principal objections againft it, but that I mult 
 leave to another difcourfe, and clofe what I 
 have faid with a few words of application. 
 And, 
 
 1. Let this be matter of comfort to chri- 
 flians who have backflidden, and whofe 
 hearts mourn on that account. They have 
 en advocate with the Father, "Jefus Chrift the 
 righteous m . This can be. no. encouragement 
 
 to 
 
 c Johnxvi. 13, 14. f 1 Cor. vl. it. s Ezek. xxxvi. 26. 
 h Rom. viii. 9, n. John xiv. 16. l Rom. viii. 15, k John, 
 xvi. 13. 1 Pfal. lxxiii. 24. ■ 1 John ii. t* 
 
Serm. XI I. of the faints. £27 
 
 to fin, but may be a blefled prcfcrvatlve againft 
 defpair. Tbat there is a neceftity for fuch an 
 advocate, who can plead a perfect atonement 
 and righteoufnefs on our behalf, is fuch an evi- 
 dence of the ftrict juftice of God, and his 
 perfect holinefs, that it is the befl argument 
 for the neceftity of purity to the chriftian cha- 
 racter, and the greateft motive to engage us 
 to afpire after growing improvements in it; 
 And fince in our befl condition, in this im- 
 perfect ftate of things, we are ftill groaning 
 under a law in our members^ which wars 
 againft the law of our minds n , and we are 
 liable to mifcarriages which bring us fome- 
 times even into doubt of our ftate 5 what a 
 blefted provifion of grace is it, to prevent the 
 dreadful confequences of a ftate of defperation, 
 that we may apply ourfelves to fuch a pow- 
 erful and fuccefsful interceftbr, who is always 
 before his Father's throne to plead for us ? 
 But again, 
 
 2. Let us trv ourfelves by this way, whe- 
 ther we are of that happy number, who fi a 11 
 never perifh. Have we the Spirit of Chrijt f 
 Jf fo, then we are his. And would you know 
 whether you have the Spirit ? why, he always 
 exalts Chrifl, and humbles the creature. If 
 the more we advance in the appearance of re- 
 ligion, the mbre vain we gfow in the opinion 
 We have of ourfelves, and the lefs we im- 
 prove in our value for Chrift, our love to him, 
 Q 2 and 
 
 * Rom. vii. 23, 
 
223 On the final per fever ance 
 
 and our experimental reliance on him, it is at 
 fad proof that our pretentions are not founded! 
 on the work of his Spirit, whofe proper bu- 
 linefs it is to lay the. creature in the duft, and 
 to take of the things of Cbrijl,. and friew them 
 to his people. But if, in the midfl of all our 
 weaknefs, we daily improve in humility, and 
 in our honourable efteem of Chrifl, and love 
 to him, it is a good fign that we are under 
 the influence of his Spirit, in whofe hands 
 we can never perijh. Once more, 
 
 3. And laftly, can any of us fay, that we 
 have had the experience of the gifts and call- 
 ings of God, and believe them to be without re- 
 pentance? let us then be looking and longing 
 for Chrifl's appearance : for unto them that look 
 for him JJoall he appear the fecond time, without 
 Jin, unto f ah at ion . And, in the mean time, 
 let us labour to walk as thofe who have re- 
 ceived fo glorious an inhabitant into our hearts, 
 as the Spirit of God. Are we temples of the 
 Holy Ghojl ? ? O what manner of peifons ought 
 we to be in all holy converfation and godlinefs q ? 
 How mould we labour, by our living tefti- 
 mony, to refute the cavils of thofe who call 
 contempt on his glorious perfon, and his 
 almighty work ? How fhould we conftantly 
 endeavour to preferve and improve the di- 
 vine confolations he came to enfure, by a 
 watchful, tender, humble and holy walk ? 
 Then may we hope for growing light, and^ 
 
 grow- 
 
 • Heb.ix. 28. p 1 Cor. vi. 19. ^ 2 Pet. iii. u. 
 
'Serm . "X 1 1. of the faints. 229 
 
 growing comfort -, and, in one word, then 
 jnay we hope to be inflruments to fpread the 
 glory of rich grace, and maintain a Heady 
 confidence of our perfonal intereft in the eter- 
 nal love of the divine Father, in the perfect 
 atonement of our great Redeemer, and our 
 tfiverlafting fafety in the hands of his Spirit. 
 
 Q3 
 
 S E R- 
 
( 230 ) 
 
 
 SERMON XIII, 
 
 On the final perfeverance of the faints* 
 
 John x. 28. 
 
 And I give unto them eternal Iife } and they 
 JJoall never perijlj, neither Jhall any plucfy 
 them out of my hand. 
 
 The third Sermon on this text. 
 
 SSJ^HE doctrine, which from this fub^ 
 jcft I have been endeavouring to ex- 
 plain and confirm, is the certainty of 
 the faints final perfeverance; which 
 I have inferred, at large, from the unchange- 
 ablenefs of the nature of that God, who, as 
 he hath power to bring to pafs what he pleafes., 
 fo he hath by a peremptory decree fecured 
 this blefnng to all his chofen ; from the effec- 
 tual care which our Lord J ejus Chrifi hath 
 taken to fecure them from all their enemies -„ 
 
 from 
 
Serm.XIII. Onthe final perfeverance, &c. 231 
 
 from their intereft in the covenant of grace, 
 ■eftablimed upon the beft promiies; from their 
 union with thrift, their intereft in his inter- 
 ceffion, and their enjoyment of his Spirit to 
 abidewith them, the nature of whofe gifts and 
 graces are incorruptible and have everlafting 
 life connected with them. And I have proved 
 it alfo from the abfurdity of the contrary opi- 
 nion, and the dishonour it reflects on the di- 
 vine Being; on Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft. 
 
 T o which I may add j that the reafon which 
 is afligned why any, who have made a pro- 
 fefiion of religion, are left to final apoftacy is, 
 their not being of the number of God's cho- 
 fen ; plainly implying that thofe who are, 
 ihould be preferved from it. Thus Judas was 
 the fon of perdition*. And the apoftle John 
 fays of fuch, They went out from us, but they 
 were not of us : for if they had been of us, 
 they would no doubt have continued with us : 
 but they went out, that they might be made 
 manifeft that they were not all of us. But ye 
 have an miction from the holy One, Sec h . 
 
 I might alfo, in thelaft place, confirm this 
 doctrine from the various nmilitudes by which 
 it is reprefented to us in the word of God, 
 which are abundant evidences that Chri/l's 
 Jheep /hall never peri/h, neither /hall any pluck 
 them out of his hand. They are the Lord's 
 •own portion^ and the lot of his inheritance c -, 
 Q 4 they 
 
 3 Johnxvii. 12. b 1 John ii. 19, 20. c Deut. xxxii. 9. 
 
23? On the Jin al per fever ance 
 
 they are his jewels d -, they zrcfet as a feal on 
 his heart, and on his arm c ; they are graven on 
 the palms of his hands, and their walls are con-, 
 tinually before him f ; they are the members of 
 that myftical body of which Chrijl is the 
 head* ; the living branches of the true vine h : 
 Chrift. is the bridegroom \ and they are ejpoufed 
 to him k 5 they are the Lord's building \ 
 founded on the rock of ages m ; God himfelf 
 is a wall of fire round about them n , their place 
 of defence is the munition of rocks °, and the 
 gates of hell flail never prevail againfi them p j 
 their faith is more precious than gold that pe- 
 rlfheth \ their hope as an anchor Jure and Jted- 
 faft, caft within the vail, whither Chrift as 
 their forerunner is for them entered 1 : and 
 whofoever drinketh of the "water he gives, fljall 
 never thirfl - y but the water he fhall give him 
 J}: all be a well of water in him fpringing up 
 into everlafling life s . 
 
 Having thus at large eftabli{he4 the doc- 
 trine itfelfj I come, 
 
 II. T o confider the mod: material of thofe 
 objections which are raifed againfi it. 
 And here, 
 
 i. Some argue from the fall of our firft 
 parents from their ftate of innocency, and fay, 
 
 if 
 
 d Mai. iii. 17. • « Cant. viii. 6. f ifei. xlix. 16. * Col. 
 i. 18. h John xv. 1,2. l Chap. iii. 29. k 2 Cor. xi. 2. 
 1 1 Cor. xiii.9 m Ifai. xxvi. 4. Mal.vii. 24. " Zech. ii. 5. 
 Ifai. xxxiii. 16. p Mat. xvi. 18. « 1 Pet. i. 7. r Heb. 
 vi. 19. s John iv. 14. 
 
Serm.XIII. of the faints. 233 
 
 if they, in the rectitude of their nature, 
 were fubject to fall, much more a poor weak 
 believer, who has the fame enemies, and lefs 
 ftreneth with which to encounter them. To 
 this it is replied ; that there is a vaft deal of 
 difference between grace in the believer, and 
 innocency in Adam. The one was in its own 
 nature mutable, the other is incorruptible. The 
 condition of Adams (landing was fettled ; the 
 poflibility and danger of his fall reprefented, 
 and the punimment that was to follow. He 
 flood in his own natural flrength, and fo he 
 fell. But it by no means follows, that the 
 believer mould perim from that flate, his fta-» 
 bility in which is fecured by the immutability 
 of God, the ftedfaftnefs of the everlafting co- 
 venant, the fatisfa&ion and flrength of Chrift y 
 and the habitation of the Spirit. But I pro- 
 ceed, 
 
 2. To the confideration of the fcriptures, 
 which are principally brought in defence of 
 the poflibility of the faints final apoflacy. Such 
 as, 
 
 (1.) That account we have of the flony- 
 ground hearers, who received the word with 
 joy, and yet afterwards fell away* j where I need 
 only obferve, that of thefe it is only faid, that 
 they received the external menage of the gof- 
 pel with joy, which is very confident with the 
 want of that faith in our Lord Jefus Chriji, 
 which is abfolutely neceffary to falvation. And 
 
 you 
 
 * Mat. xiii. 4, 5, 6, and Ver. 20, 21. 
 
234 ® n the final perfeverance 
 
 you know it is added that they had not root in 
 the mf elves ; and (o only endured for a while* 
 To which I will add, that when Paul and 
 'Barnabas preached to the gentiles at Antioch, 
 it is faid of them all in general, that they 
 were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord ; 
 but it was only as many among them as were 
 ordained to eternal life that believed u . But this 
 we mail confirm at large under another head, 
 and proceed, 
 
 2. To confider that pafTage in Ezekiel, 
 where it is faid, that when the righteous tumeth 
 away from his right eoufnefs, and committeth 
 iniquity, and doth according to all the abomina- 
 tions that the wicked man doth, fiall he live ? 
 All his righteoufnefs that he hath done Jhall not 
 be mentioned : in his trefpafs that he hath tref- 
 paffedy and in his fin that he hath finned, in 
 them f jail he die™. And here it is to be firft 
 of all obferved, that it appears from the whole 
 fcope of this context, that the prophet is vin- 
 dicating the equity of the divine proceedings 
 with refpect to the people of the Jews, on 
 whom he had brought heavy temporal judg- 
 ments, for the heinous inftances of their rebel- 
 lion againft him, and departure from him. 
 And if we take the words in a ftill larger fenfe, 
 it is very evident they are not to be referred to 
 the covenant of grace, becaufe they fpeak not 
 the language of it, but of the law. They 
 fay the Joul that finsJJjall die x ; whereas the 
 
 voice 
 
 • A&s xiii. 48. * Ezck. xviii. 24. * Ver. 4* 
 
Serm. XIII. of the faints. 23$ 
 
 voice of grace is, that God hath fent forth 
 Jjis Son to be a propitiation for us y , and 
 that whofoever believeth in him jloall not peri 'fh, 
 but have everlafting life z . In one word, there 
 is nothing fiid here of the imputed righteouf^ 
 nefs of Chri/l, which is that alone that juiti- 
 £es, but of a righteoufnefs which is a man's 
 .own j and which is not the fruit of faith, or 
 of a principle of grace wrought in the heart, 
 but a meer moral, partial, temporary refor- 
 mation, which however ufefui it may be, 
 often deceives others by its appearances, and 
 will fatally deceive that man himfelf who 
 depends upon it. And as a man may fall 
 from it, into open practical wickednefs, con- 
 tempt of all his outward proferlion, and into 
 obdurate and final apoftacy, and receive fuit- 
 able punimment ; all this we allow : but no 
 argument can be drawn from hence in oppo- 
 fition to our text, and the current of the fcrip- 
 tures, which aflure us of the eternal fafety of 
 Chrifi's fheep. I go on now to confider, 
 
 3. That parTage in the epiflle to the He- 
 brews, where it is faid, It is impoffible for thofe 
 who were once enlightened, and have tafled of 
 the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of 
 the holy Ghojl, and have tafled the good word 
 of God y and the powers of the world to come ; 
 if they Jh all fall away, to renew them again 
 y,nto repentance : feeing they crucify to them- 
 f elves the Son of God cifrefo, and put him te 
 
 an 
 
 I Rom. iii. 25, * Jobs iii. i^~ 
 
236 On the final perf ever ance 
 
 an open flame*. The argument advanced 
 from thefe words is to this purpofe : If the 
 perfons mentioned in the text are true be- 
 lievers, then believers may fall away 5 but 
 the former is true, therefore the latter. As 
 a confirmation of which, it is obferved that 
 the perfons fpoken of here, are not only faid 
 to be enlightenedy but to have tafied of the 
 heavenly gift, that, is fay they, to have been 
 fed by faith, on the Lord J'fus Chrift, and 
 have been made partakers of the holy Ghofi. 
 Now thefe are difcriminating privileges of 
 believers ; therefore the apoftle muft be fup- 
 pofed to have his eye upon thofe in this 
 pafTage, and if fo, then there is a poffibility 
 for the moll: eminent faint to apoftatize. This 
 is the fum of the 'objection, I think, in its 
 greateft force. 
 
 In anfwer to which I would firfl: obferve, 
 and that only for argument fake, for I hope 
 to mew you the contrary, that though we 
 ihould grant that what the apoftle fays here 
 might be referred to the believer; yet I hum- 
 bly apprehend, that the words being pro- 
 pofed conditionally, to argue any thing from 
 thence, in a matter of difputation, is little 
 more than begging the queftion. For I can- 
 not but apprehend that it is highly connftent 
 with the glory of God, as a holy Being, to 
 declare in his word the connection there is 
 between final apoftacy and everlafling punifh- 
 
 ment f 
 
 I Hcb. vi. 4, 5, 6, 
 
Serm.XIII. of the faints. 237 
 
 ment, without fuppofing the one or the other 
 as neceiTarily the cafe and portion of any of 
 his children. And that he may have wife 
 ends in this is equally evident j for as the be- 
 liever may be confkiered under a two-fold 
 view, either as in himfelf, or in the Lord 
 Jefus GOrift, fo the Lord may befpeak him 
 as thus confidered in his word. Thus for in- 
 ftance, as to the matter in hand, the moil 
 eminent faint while in a ftate of conflict, view 
 him in himfelf, feparate from the grace and 
 /trength of Chrijl, and he is liable every mo- 
 ment to apoftatize, becaufe of that propenfity 
 there is in his nature to turn afide from God ; 
 but view him, on the other hand, as related 
 to, and united with Chriji, as ftanding in and 
 by his ftrength, and it is abfolutely impoffi- 
 ble. Which though it be undoubtedly the 
 cafe, yet doth this hinder the Lord from de- 
 claring in his word the infeparable connection 
 there is betwixt final apoftacy, and the pu- 
 nifhment of it? This he may do for the 
 humiliation of his children, and the exalting 
 his own grace. Thus what is more natural 
 than for a child of God, when looking round 
 on all his enemies, in the fenfe of his own 
 inability to encounter them, to lie in the duft 
 before the Lord, adoring his grace that ever he 
 mould be preferved by his mighty power 
 unto falvation, and all this without the leaft 
 doubt or hefitation as to the fecurity of the 
 bleffing itfelf ? May I not fay, that unlefs the 
 3 Lord 
 
238 On the final perfeveranct 
 
 Lord keep me I mail certainly fall, and if* 
 I do fall finally, I mall certainly perifh, 
 without contradicting my well-founded faith 
 and hope, that he who hath kept me hitherto 
 is able to preferve me, and bring me off 
 victorious, and that he will do fo ? You fee 
 then, that if we refer it to believers, the 
 objection proves of no force, fince it is only 
 a declaration of the connection there is be- 
 tween fin and punilhment. 
 
 But as I cannot but apprehend that the 
 defign of the holy Ghoft here was not to 
 fpeak of believers : fo, if I fliew you that 
 there is nothing in the text which can 
 give us juft ground to confine it to them, and 
 give you fome inftanccs of perfons who have 
 arrived at all thefe attainments, and yet have 
 been Grangers to faith in the Son of God^ 
 that Faith which denotes a man an heir of 
 falvation, then I hope it mull be allowed 
 that the pafiage is entirely out of the queftion. 
 For though a perfon, how exceedingly fo- 
 ever diftinguifhed from the reft of the world 
 by his profeffion and outward appearance, 
 nay by the eminency of his talents, but want- 
 ing the root of the matter, may apoftatize 5 
 yet we are not from thence to conclude, that 
 true believers may. 
 
 And here, for your better underftanding 
 the mind of the holy Ghoft in this paffage* 
 let me obferve in general, that, as every gift 
 comes frcm God as a fovereijn Being, he 
 
 differ!-* 
 
Serm.JXIII. of the faints. 23 ^ 
 
 diftributes thefe according to ■ his own pi ea- 
 fure 5 to fome he gives greater, to others leis 
 attainments : juft as it is in the common boun- 
 ties of providence, fome have as much as heart 
 could wifh, while others are in great ftraits. 
 This we fee alfo confirmed as to natural abi- 
 lities : fome the Lord endues with quick appre- 
 henfions, folidity of judgment, and exceeding 
 retentive memories - y while others are in want 
 of all thefe, and this without the leaft reflection 
 on the juftice of God, becaufe they are fa- 
 vours which we have no right to, and he 
 may do what he will with his own b . And 
 thus it is alfo as to fpiritual abilities, or at- 
 tainments in religion : fome mail be under 
 unavoidable neceffity of remaining Grangers 
 to the found of the gofpel, as the heathens 5 
 while others mail enjoy it, and attend all 
 their days upon it, and yet be almoft as ig- 
 norant of the great tilings contained in it, 
 as the very pagans themfelves : others again, 
 and which comes to the matter in hand, fhali 
 receive the gofpel in the letter of it, and 
 arrive at a competent meafure of knowledge 
 as to the way of falvation by Chrift y ; and 
 yet, contenting themfelves with this, are very 
 far from the kingdom of God. Others, again, 
 fhall go one ftep higher, and receive the mef- 
 fage, as it brings happinefs with it, with plea- 
 fure, and fatisfaction, and perhaps continue 
 to rejoice in it for afeafon^ till afterwards it 
 
 ap- 
 * Mat, xx, t 5, 
 
240 On the final perfiverance 
 
 appears that they had no root in them* by theif' 
 apoftacy from it. Some of thefe have been 
 found, in all ages of the church, to have been 
 favoured with many eminent gifts, fuch as 
 freedom of expreffing themfelves either to 
 God in prayer, or for God in the work of 
 the miniftry, and which perhaps, though 
 coming from a dead unrenewed heart, being 
 clothed with the energy of the holy Ghoft, 
 hath brought life with it to other fouls, while 
 the inftrument hath been left in the natural 
 enmity of his mind again ft it. That this may 
 be, and really hath been the cafe with many, 
 is too well known to be difputed. How- 
 ever our Lord puts it out of all doubt, when 
 he affures us, that many will plead their right 
 to the kingdom of heaven in the day of ac- 
 count, in that they have prophefied in his name, 
 and in his name have cafi out devils, and do?ie 
 many wonderful works ; but notwithstanding 
 all this, mall be rejected by him d . Now it is 
 evident, that, without fome more than com- 
 mon gifts, thefe perfons could not be faid to 
 do thefe things. Thus Judas doubtlefs 
 preached Chrijl y and very likely wrought 
 miracles, when at the fame time his heart 
 was under the government of the bafefl: 
 covetoufnefs, and in order to gratify this 
 wicked principle, he had entertained in 
 his mind the moft deteftable purpofe of 
 betraying his Lord and matter. And, as the 
 
 laft 
 
 • Mat. xiii. 20, zi» d Chap. vii. 22, 23, 
 
Serm.XIII. of the faints. 24 1 
 
 laft thing I mall mention under this head, 
 fee the account we have of this matter from 
 the prophet Ifaiah. Tet they feek me daily, 
 and delight to know my ways, as a nation that 
 did right eoufiiefs, andforfook not the ordinance 
 of their God : they afk of me the ordinances 
 of juftice : they take delight in approaching to 
 God e . Here were perfons, not only under a 
 profeffion of religion, but who feemed to bid 
 very fair for fincerity, and yet were all the 
 while guilty of the greater!: hypocrify and de- 
 ceit. 
 
 Now obferve, if this may be, and hath 
 been the cafe with many perfons, then, if 
 I fhew you that the apoftle in this paifage hath 
 his eye to fuch profeffors as thefe, and not to 
 true believers, the objection, how forcible fo- 
 ever in its firil appearance, will prove invalid. 
 That he hath not then his eye to believers in 
 this place I prove thus : There is nothing, in 
 the whole of it mentioned, either of faith in the 
 Lord Jefus Chrijl, or what is equivalent to it : 
 nor on the other hand any of thofe privileges 
 by which believers are described, fuch as their 
 being chofen, called, and faved, according to 
 the purpofe of his grace f , elecl according to the 
 foreknowledge of God 5 , chofen in Chrijt h , and 
 the like ; but thofe things only are mentioned, 
 which perfons, making a bare profeffion of re- 
 ligion, may attain unto, in common with thofe 
 who are really regenerated. Now you will 
 
 R plainly 
 
 e Ifai. lviii. z. f 2 Tim. i. 9. * iPet.i. 2. h Eph. i. 4. 
 
242 On the final perfeverance 
 
 plainly fee, that we are not to argue, from that 
 which is common to unbelievers with believers, 
 any thing whereby we may properly infer a 
 man to be really born of God. Thus, for 
 inftance, all that are born of God have their 
 meafure of light and knowledge in the things 
 of God. But all that have light and know- 
 ledge are not born of God, as we have before 
 proved to you. And taking this remark along 
 with us, let us now proceed to examine the 
 pail-age itfelf. 
 
 And here obferve, that the perfons fpoken of 
 are faid to be enlightened. The original is (parte- 
 Srivfae, which fome have chofe rather to render 
 baptifed, than enlightened^ becaufe of the fre- 
 quent ufe of the word in that fenfe among the 
 ancients, who very commonly when they fpeak 
 of a per fon's being baptifed, and fo received into 
 the chriftian church, make ufe of the fame word 
 which we tranflate here enlightened. Now if 
 you underftand the word here in this fenfe, you 
 remember that, as in the jeivijh church, all 
 were not Jfrael, who were of lfrael l j fo, in 
 the chrijlian church, all are not members of 
 Chrifi who come under that ordinance : this 
 is fo apparent that none deny it. But taking 
 the word, as it is tranflated, I hope none 
 will difpute whether Judas muft not be fup- 
 pofed to be, in fome meafure, enlightened (and 
 the degree is not fet down here) before he could 
 preach Chriji with the reft of the apoftks : and 
 
 yet 
 
 1 Rom. ix. 6. 
 
Serm. XIII. of the faints, 243 
 
 yet who have fuppofed him to have true grace ? 
 And thus, though all believers are enlightened, 
 as we obfeved before, it doth not follow that 
 all enlightened perfons are believers. So that 
 the firfl expreffion hath nothing in it but what 
 the christian enjoys in common with many, 
 who are not in the fame relation with himfelf 
 to the Lord Jefus Chrtft - y and this character 
 cannot therefore be brought as an argument 
 that the apoftle's defign is to fpeak of be- 
 lievers. 
 
 The next expremon is their having tafled 
 of the heavenly gift. By the heavenly gift the 
 objectors for the moft part underftand the Lord 
 fefus Chrift, and thence infer that thefe per- 
 fons muff be believers. To this I anfwer, that 
 perfons may be in fome meafure convinced of 
 their fins, and be full of trouble and anxiety 
 about their condition, and fo be looking out 
 after a remedy, and hearing of Chrift in the 
 gofpelas the faviour of finners, may find fome 
 pleafure and fatisfaction in the menage, and fo 
 be faid to tafte the heavenly gift, who yet are 
 never made faving partakers of it. Obferve, 
 it is not faid having/^ on Chrift by faith ; 
 for, were that the cafe, our Lord foon puts 
 an end to the controverfy, by affuring us, that 
 whoever eateth his flefi and drinketh his blood 
 hath life eternal*. So that tailing in the text 
 muff be fomething different from feeding on 
 Chrift j or elfe apoft acy, final apoflacy I mean, 
 R 2 and 
 
 k John vi. 54. 
 
244 ® n the final perf ever ance 
 
 and that is what we are contending about, 
 would be impoffible. This expreffion there- 
 fore hath nothing in it that proves the perfons 
 to be believers. For a perfon may have fome 
 flight Superficial relijh oiChriJl in the gofpel, 
 and yet never be drawn to him by the Fa- 
 ther K 
 
 The next expreffion, and that which they 
 moft rely upon, is their being made partakers 
 of the holy Ghofl. Now, obferve, the holy 
 Ghoft in fcripture is put either for the third 
 perfon in the facred Trinity, as one with the 
 Father, and the Son, God over all blefledfor 
 ever -, or elfe for thofe gifts and graces which 
 he beftows upon mankind. That he is thus to 
 be underflood in fcripture is univerfally al- 
 lowed. If therefore you understand the words 
 in the former fenfe, we have before at large 
 proved to you, that wherever he comes, it is 
 to take up his abode for ever, which mutt ne- 
 ceffarily prevent final apoftacy. So that it 
 mufl: be referred to thofe gifts, which, in a 
 fovereign way, as I have before fliewn you, 
 he gives to many, whom he never defigns to 
 bring to glory. 
 
 As to the next expreffion, viz. their tafting 
 of the good word of God, I have already ex- 
 plained it, by obferving, that perfons may re- 
 ceive the gofpel with joy, and yet not mix it 
 with faith. And as to the powers of the world 
 to come % if you understand this of the doctrines 
 
 of 
 
 ^ John vi. 44. 
 
Serm. XIII. of the faints. 245 
 
 of the refurrection and the final judgment, 
 thefe may influence a perfon to a confiderable 
 degree of morality in his converfation, who 
 may be yet wholly ignorant of God's righte- 
 cufnefs, and going about to e/iabliflj a righte- 
 oujnefs of his own m , and feeking falvation, as 
 it were by the deeds of the law n , may fall mort 
 of it. 
 
 Thus then I have (hewn you that there is 
 nothing in all this pafiage that contradicts the 
 propofition laid down in our text: for though 
 perfons arriving at all thefe attainments may 
 fall away, yet the leafl of Chrift's fheep mail 
 not, being under his care and patronage. And 
 as a further confirmation of it, let me only 
 add, what the apoftle fays to thefe very He- 
 brews, in the words juft following thofe under 
 our confideration, But beloved we are per- 
 fuaded, that is, we are confident °, of better 
 things of you, and things that accompany faU 
 nation, though we thus fpeak p . As if he had 
 faid, " Though we fpeak to you all as pro- 
 " feflbrs of religion, and aflure you, that if 
 " any of you having made fuch a profeflion, 
 " and reft in external attainments, and after- 
 " wards fall away, and apoftatize, it will be 
 ce next to impofTible, that is very difficult, 
 " that you mould be renewed again to repen- 
 lt tance$ yet for your encouragement who are 
 {< beloved, we are perfuaded that this will ne- 
 R 3 " ver 
 
 " Rom. x. 3. n Rom. iii. 20. ° viirtW^a.. * Heb. 
 vi. 9. 
 
246 On the final per -J "ever an ce 
 
 " ver be your cafe, God having now beftowed 
 *' upon you ^thofe graces of the holy Ghoft 
 " which accompany faivation." 
 
 And here, left any doubting foul mould 
 from this text write bitter things againft him- 
 felf, remember, that though the words feem 
 to run in an abfolate way, yet the word we 
 tranflate impoj/ible hath been taken in other 
 places, and I apprehend it muft in this, with 
 limitation. Thus our Lord fays, It is eafier 
 for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, 
 than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom 
 of God' 1 -j and yet we know that many who 
 have been rich, and for a time have trufted 
 in their riches, are now fet down with Abra~ 
 ham, Ifaac, and Jacob, in that bleffed king- 
 dom. And belides our Saviour adds, when 
 his difciples were aftonifhed at thefe words, 
 with men it is impojjible, but not with God : for 
 with God all things are pojjible T . So that all 
 allow, that our Lord is onlyexpreffing the great 
 difficulty that attended it : and why may not 
 the word have the fame fenfe here ? Thus 
 then I have largely confidered this paffage, 
 and I have been the more particular upon it, 
 not only becaufe of its difficulties, but the 
 very great applaufe it hath met with when 
 produced in favour of the apoftacy of the 
 faints -, whereas in reality it hath no manner 
 of reference to them, and if it had, it is only 
 an intimation of the connection between apo- 
 ftacy 
 
 i Mark x. 25. J Ver. 27, • 
 
 
Serm. XIII. of the Jaintsi 247 
 
 ftacy, and the punifhment of it, fcr the hu- 
 miliation of the faint, and the exalting the 
 glory of the grace of God. 
 
 (4.) The fame anfwer may be given to 
 that paflage, where the apoftle fays, For if 
 we fin willfully after that we have received the 
 knowledge of the truth, there remaineth 71a 
 more facrifice for fins, but a certain fearful 
 looking for of judgment ; and fiery indigna- 
 tion, which Jhall devour the adverfaries ' : 
 which, if you underftand it of final apoftacv, 
 it fuppofes nothing, in facl, as to the poffibility 
 of the faints falling under it ; but only, in 
 general, that wherever any fall from their pro- 
 feffion, if they renounce the facrifice of Chrijl, 
 there is no other provifion for their falvation. 
 And mould any man infer from my faying to 
 a fellow-chriftian, If you fhould appear ia 
 in the end to be no true believer, by your 
 final apoftacy, you will certainly be damned j 
 would it, by any rational conclusion follow, 
 that therefore the faint that is really fo, may 
 be liable to fo dreadful a condition ? Thus then 
 I hope I have let you a little into the fallacy 
 of the reafonings that are made ufe of from 
 this pafTage. 
 
 (5.) The next portion of fcripture I fhall 
 turn you to, that is advanced in favour of 
 the faints apoftacy, is that where it is (aid. 
 Now the juft fiall live by faith : but if any 
 man draw back, my foul Jhall have no pleafure 
 R 4 in 
 
 * Heb. x. 26, 27. 
 
248 On the final perfeverance 
 
 in him. But we are not of them who draw 
 back unto perdition : but of them that believe, 
 to the faxing of the foul*. Thofe who plead 
 for the poffibility of the faints falling from 
 grace, find fault here with our tranflation of 
 the words, and render them thus : Now the 
 jufi fijall live by faith, but if they draw back, 
 my foul fall have no pleafure in them. From 
 whence they form this argument ; If by the 
 jufi man here is meant the believer, then, if 
 there is a poffibility of his falling, there is 
 alfo a poffibility of the falling of the greateft 
 faint upon earth. But the former is true, there- 
 fore alfo the latter. As to the firft propofition, 
 that it is fpoken of believers is evident, from 
 the character that is given of them j they are 
 the jufi, and they live by faith. So that they 
 think they have good ground to conclude, that 
 the meaning of the words runs thus : The jufi 
 fhall live by faith, that is, if he continues in 
 his faith, but if he draws back, my foul fijall 
 have no pleafure in him. This I take to be 
 the fum of what is produced from this text 
 in their favour. 
 
 In anfwer to which, what I faid under 
 another objection will, I think, folve every 
 difficulty that can remain in this. For, ob- 
 ferve, if you fuppofe it to refer to the be- 
 liever, what doth it conclude, but this, that 
 God may declare, for the humiliation of the 
 faint, and the exaltation of his own grace, 
 
 the 
 
 * Heb. x. 38, 39. 
 
Serm. XIII. of the faints. 249 
 
 the connection there is betwixt fin and pu- 
 nishment, without fuppofing either the one 
 or the other neceflarily in his chofen ? It is 
 evident to every one, that the words are pro- 
 pofed in a conditional form : and to argue any 
 thing from thence to a matter in difpute, as I 
 have before fhewnyou, is begging the queftion. 
 Were this all that we could fay to the ob- 
 jection, for my own part, I cannot fee but it 
 might be fufficient to convince every one ac- 
 quainted with the word of God, and duly at- 
 tending to it. But if, on the contrary, I fhew 
 you, that the defign of the holy Ghoft was 
 to fpeak of the believer only in the firil ex- 
 preffion, and of a perfon making only a pro- 
 feffion of religion, and having only a form of 
 godlinefs, in the next; it muff, be allowed, that 
 the argument drawn from hence to fupport the 
 final apoftacy of the faints cannot but be en- 
 tirely inconclufive. For though fome may 
 draw back in the fenfe of the text, yet it doth 
 not therefore follow, that the true believer 
 may. 
 
 But that you may better underftand this 
 paffage, you may obferve, that the apoftle is., 
 through the whole of this chapter, fpeaking 
 of two forts of perfons, both having a form 
 of godlinefs, and one of them no more than 
 a form. Thus he f peaks a little before of fome 
 who forfake the affemblies of Chrifl, and this, 
 in contradistinction from the true members 
 of his myftical body, who defire to preferve 
 
2 50 On the final perfeverance 
 
 a due regard to the honour of his inflitu- 
 tions u . And many other inftances might be 
 mentioned in the context, were it needful : but 
 I believe, if you confult it at yot;r ieifure, you 
 will eafily perceive the truth of this observa- 
 tion. Well, taking this along with us, we may 
 fee how beautifully the apoftle carries on the 
 fame defign in the words before us. There are 
 two different ftates mentioned which are ap- 
 plicable to two different forts of perfons. Thefe 
 two ffates are -Br/fgaw on the one hand, and 
 v7TQt?o?wi on the other, of them that believe, 
 and of them that draw back. 
 
 Observe again the different ends that are 
 afligned to thefe perfons ; the one mall live, 
 and believe to the faving of their Jbuls -, and the 
 other mall be difowned by God; he will have 
 no pleajure in them, notwithstanding all their 
 pretentions, and in the iffue mail fall into 
 perdition. And now what can any infer from 
 all this, but that the believer, being kept by 
 the mighty power of God, mail in the end ob- 
 tain everlafting falvation ; whereas, on the con- 
 trary, perfons who draw back (hall certainly 
 be deftroyed ? which may with the utmoft 
 freedom be allowed, without denying the doc- 
 trine of the faints final perfeverance. Thus 
 then you fee how foreign this paffage is from 
 the purpofe for which it is brought ; for in- 
 stead of containing any thing of that nature, 
 it appears to carry in it a plain evidence of the 
 
 con- 
 
 ■ Heb. x. 25, 26. 
 
Serm.XIII. of the faints. 251 
 
 contrary truth, which I have been endeavour- 
 ing to confirm. For you will obferve, what 
 the apoflle fays, We are of them that believe 
 to the faving of the foul ; that is, eternal life 
 will be our portion. And what is the reafon ? 
 Why it is given to us to believe in the Lord 
 Jefus Chrijt, as an inftance of his kindnefs to 
 us, and as he hath begun his good work in 
 us, we may depend upon the full inheritance, 
 as well as the firfl pledge of it. But, 
 
 (6.) The next confiderable pafTage that is 
 brought to prove the faints apoftacy, and in- 
 deed the laft that I mail mention, is in the 
 writings of the apoflle Peter, when defcrib- 
 ing the dreadful character and condition of 
 the apoftates of thofe times, he fays, When 
 they fpeak great fwelling words of vanity, they 
 allure, through the lujls of the fiefh, through 
 much wantonnefs, thofe that were clean efcaped 
 from them who live in error : while they pro- 
 mt fe them liberty, they themf elves are the fer- 
 vants of corruption : for of whom a man is 
 overcome, of the fame is he brought in bondage. 
 For if after they have efcaped the pollutions of 
 the world, through the knowledge of the Lord 
 and Saviour Jefus Chrift, they are again en- 
 tangled therein, and overcome ; the latter end 
 is worfe with them than the beginning. For it 
 bad been better for them not to have known the 
 way of right eoufnefs, than after they have known 
 it, to turn fr 0711 the holy commandment delivered 
 unto them. But it is happened unto them accord- 
 ing 
 
252 On the final per fever ance 
 
 ing to the true proverb^ the dog is turned to his 
 own vomit again ; and the few that was wafoed y 
 to her wallowing in the mire w . The argu- 
 ment drawn from this paffage is of the fame 
 nature with the preceding, viz. If the perfons 
 fpoken of in the text are faid to have efcaped 
 the pollutions of the world, and that through 
 the knowledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift, they 
 muft be believers : and if fo, then believers 
 may turn as dogs to their vomit, and fo be 
 loft. 
 
 In anfwer to this I (hall only obferve, that 
 it is fo very evident, even upon the bare read- 
 ing of the text, who the perfons are that the 
 apoftle would defcribe, that one would won- 
 der any man mould ever fuppofe them to 
 have really believed in the Son of God. Who 
 knows not but perfons may have efcaped from 
 error, and have arrived at a moral converfa- 
 tion, and fo may be faid to have efcaped the 
 pollutions that are in the world, and yet after- 
 wards make it appear that this was not upon 
 a right foundation, by a returning to their 
 former courfe? May not a man.that never tailed 
 of the grace of God, know the way of righte^ 
 oufnefs, and feemingly fet out with much zeal 
 in it, and yet all the while be an enemy to 
 God in his heart, and fo turn again to his 
 folly ; whofe knowledge inflead of profiting 
 him may prove an aggravation of his guilt ? 
 Thefe things are fo commonly infifted on in 
 
 pradi- 
 
 w 2 Pet. ii. 18,— 22. 
 2 
 
Serm. XIII. of the faint s. 353 
 
 practical difcourfes, that you cannot but be 
 well acquainted with them. And now, under- 
 ftanding the paffage in this fenfe, and if you 
 read the context at your leifure, you will fee 
 how confiftent it is with the defign of the 
 apoftle. What is there in it to oppofethe faints 
 perfeverance ? Though fome, who may have 
 the name of faints, and alfo a degree of know- 
 ledge in common with thofe who are really fo, 
 may turn away from the holy commandment 5 
 yet it doth not hence follow that faints may. 
 
 And thus I have gone through the molt 
 considerable texts of fcripture which are pro- 
 duced by the adverfaries of the faints final 
 perfeverance. I mould now have gone on to 
 the confideration of thofe inftances that are 
 given, by which they think they can demon- 
 ftrate that this hath been the cafe with fome, 
 and therefore may be with all. But this I 
 muft leave till another opportunity, only let 
 me drop thefe two reflections. 
 
 1. Are there many who may go a great 
 way in religion, and yet not one fpiritual 
 and believing ftep towards the kingdom of 
 God ? How earneftly then mould we beg of 
 God, that we may not be left to deceive our 
 own fouls ? Every grace hath its counterfeit ; 
 and we know the heart is deceitful above all 
 things , and dejperately wicked*. But would 
 we judge fafcly concerning our own ftate j let 
 us afk ourfelves where we are putting our 
 
 truft 
 
 x Jer. xvii. 9. 
 
254 ® n the final per fever ance, &c. 
 truft and dependance. Is it in Chri/l, or in 
 ourfelves ? do we look for glory, immortality, 
 and eternal life in him, as the only refuge fet 
 before us ? Why then, 
 
 2. We may aflure ourfelves, that he who 
 hath been the author, or beginner ', wiil be the 
 finijher of cur faith *, Though many mail 
 appear in this world like ftars for their bright- 
 nefs, and in the liiue lofe their luitre and fall 
 into hell ; yet, where grace hath once taken 
 porTeflion of the foul, it fhall never be loft. 
 Though many may have received light and 
 feeming fatisfaction under the means of grace ; 
 and may have had eminent gifts of the holy 
 Ghoft, and yet after all fall away, and are 
 never renewed unto repentance^ yet that foul 
 who has thofe things which neceffarily ac- 
 company falvation, mall certainly in the iflue 
 arrive at the full enjoyment of it. 
 
 y Heb. xii. z< 
 
 S E R- 
 
( *5S ) 
 
 SERMON XIV. 
 
 On the final perfeverance of the faints* 
 
 John x. 28. 
 
 And 1 give unto them eternal life, and they 
 Jhall never perifi, neither fiall any pluck 
 them out of my hand. 
 
 The fourth Sermon on this text. 
 
 HAVE, in fome former difcourfes 
 from thefe words, endeavoured to 
 explain the meaning of the great 
 doctrine of the final perfeverance of 
 the faints, and to eltablifh the truth of it by 
 feveral arguments j and then I came to anfwer 
 the moft confiderable of thofe objections 
 which are advanced againlt it. And here, 
 I have gone through the moil: remarkable 
 texts of fcripture, which are produced by the 
 enemies of this doctrine in order to overthrow 
 it, and (hall now go on, 
 
 4 3- To 
 
256 On the final per fever ance 
 
 3. To the confideration of thofe perfonal 
 inftances, which are found in the word of 
 God, of defection and apoftacy, by which 
 they think they can demonftrate that final fall- 
 ing from grace hath been the cafe with fome, 
 and therefore may with all. And here, be- 
 fore I come to a particular examination of 
 thefe inftances, allow me to lay down a di- 
 ftinclion or two, which may have a tendency 
 to lead us through this part of the argument. 
 And, 
 
 (1.) Let it be confidered, that two prin- 
 ciples, though in their own nature perfectly 
 diftinct, and contrary to each other, may fub- 
 fift, at the fame time, in the fame perfon. This 
 I think the apoftle Paul proves at large to be 
 his own cafe, in his epiftle to the Romans, 
 where he fpeaks of a two-fold law that fub- 
 fifted at the fame time in him : / delight, fays 
 he, in the law of God after the inward man. 
 But 1 fee another law in my members, warring 
 againfi the law of my ?nind, and bringing me 
 into captivity to the law of fin, which is in my 
 members*. And I cannot but think, that 
 every man, who hath been acquainted with\, 
 the plague of his own heart, and is himfelf 
 in the experience of the grace of God in his 
 foul, will fet his feal to the fame thjng ; that 
 he finds two laws, or two principles within 
 him, the one arifing from the depravity of 
 his nature, the other from the Spirit of God. 
 
 Which 
 
 a Rom. vii. 22, 23. 
 
Serm.XlV. t>f the faints. 257 
 
 Which, though it is an entire myftery to a 
 man unacquainted with the things of God, 
 yet none, I think, ever difputed the pofiibi- 
 lity of it. And when we have the teftimony 
 of the word of God, and the univerfal ex- 
 perience of the faints for the proof of it, 
 I think we may, without being charged with 
 prejudice for our own fcheme, acknowledge 
 our belief of it. Which being allowed, I 
 obferve again, . 
 
 (2.) That the exercife of either of thefe 
 principles, upon this or that occafion, doth 
 not neceffarily imply the lofs or deprivation 
 of the other. Thus when Paul was in the 
 experience of the ftriving of the law in his 
 members, it doth not imply the cefTation of 
 the other principle, to wit, the principle of 
 grace in his mind. Obferve, grace and cor- 
 ruption may be compared to two contending 
 parties. The field that they engage in is the 
 foul of every renewed man, while here be- 
 low j and fometimes one, and fometimes the 
 other prevails : and yet both remain, till, at 
 death, one is entirely vanquifhed by the great 
 Captain of our falvation. So that we are 
 not to fay becaufe the law in the members 
 of a good man hath had the better of him 
 to day, tho' a very humbling confederation, 
 that therefore he never had grace, or hath 
 entirely loft it, any more than, becaufe, upon 
 another occafion, when in the exercife of 
 grace, he may be perhaps a ftranger to any 
 
 3 re- 
 
2$$ On the final perf ever ance 
 
 remarkable power of corruption, at that fea- 
 fon ; that therefore, either he never was de- 
 praved, or hath now entirely got rid of his 
 corruptions. 
 
 Well, taking thefe two things along with 
 us, let us now confider the examples which 
 are produced of the faints apoftacy. And 
 here we mail confine ourfelves to thofe of 
 Jsoah, David, Solomon, and Peter, who are 
 all of them fo many inftances indeed that 
 the faints may fall, and fall very low, and 
 yet not fall from grace, either as to their in- 
 tereft in the favour of the Lord, or the prin- 
 ciple of it in their fouls. 
 
 T o begin then with Noah ; and you have 
 the account of his fin at large in the book of 
 Genefis b . The fum of it is this, that after his 
 great deliverance he planted a vineyard, which 
 became a fnare to him, and accordingly he 
 was drunken with the wine of it. Now take 
 the fin in all its aggravations, viz. that it 
 was an inftance of the greater! ingratitude 
 to God, who had fhewn fuch miraculous and 
 diftinguifhing kindnefs to him, in delivering 
 him, and only him and his family from the 
 common and univerfal deftruction j view it 
 again as an ill precedent to his family, and with 
 all the other aggravating circumflances that 
 can be fuppofed j and doth it any more prove 
 that he had loft the principle of grace, than 
 that his ready compliance with God's com- 
 mand 
 
 b Gen. ix. 20,-29. 
 
S erm .XIV. of the faints, <? jf 9 
 
 mand in building the ark for the fafety of his 
 houfe, and afterwards his facrificing to the 
 Lord as a teftimony of his thankfulnefs, prove 
 that the principle of corruption was entirely 
 rooted out of him ? Alas ! when Noah was 
 facrificing, and that acceptably too, he ftill 
 had the feeds of corruption in him, or elfe 
 he had never been drunken. And when he 
 was overtaken by this iin, though grace 
 feemed to lie inactive in his foul, he had ftill 
 the principle, otherwife (and which, notwith- 
 ftanding his great fall, puts his final perfever- 
 ance out of all doubt) he could not have been 
 reckoned by the apoftle among thofe, who 
 died in faith*. The fame might be faid with 
 refpect to Lot, upon a like occafion. 
 
 But to come to the cafe of David. I will 
 allow them to confider his fin with all imagi- 
 nable aggravations. Suppofe him then a fpe- 
 cial favourite of God ; taken from the fheep- 
 fold, and exalted by God's own hand to be 
 captain of his hoft, and king of all Ifrael 5 
 preferved from the envy and rage of Sauluvon. 
 many occafions, even in a miraculous way, 
 and from a thoufand other dangers 3 partaker 
 of the richeft fpiritual as well as temporal 
 bleffings ; under the ftrongeft vows as well as 
 the ftrongeft obligations; fee him now in the 
 enjoyment of all things heart could \vifh, 
 feated in a ftate of peace and tranquillity upon 
 the throne of Ifrael ; and then fuppofe him 
 S 2 con- 
 
 c Heb. xi. 13. 
 
260 On the final pe'r fever ante 
 
 contriving the wicked gratification of his ferP 
 fual appetite, and the moft cruel method of 
 concealing it with the utmoft forefight, en- 
 gaging in it with the greateft pleafure, and 
 remaining afterwards Under the moft amazing 
 ftupidity, infenlible, in a great meafure, of 
 what he had done. And doth all this prove 
 that he had loft entirely what was wrought 
 in him by the Spirit of God ? I fay this tran£- 
 greffion, great and complicated as it was, doth 
 no more fuppofe him to have been without 
 grace ; than when he faid, O how love I thy law ! 
 it is my meditation all the day d , or when his 
 foul was thirfting and panting after God, that 
 he was then without a principle of corruption. 
 But, as his humiliation was deep, fo let me 
 obferve, that he not only had pardon of this 
 fin declared to him, almoft as foon as he was 
 made truly fenfible of it ; but we find him 
 afterwards fpeakingto this purpofe, Cafi me 
 not away from thy prefence ; and take not thy 
 holy Spirit from me e . Which fuppofes that he 
 had then fome experience of God's prefence, 
 and fome enjoyment of his Spirit, and is, as 
 tho' he had faid, " Truly Lord, I deferve 
 " that thou fhouldeft throw off any concern 
 " for me j but I flee to thy grace, to thy 
 cc covenant, to thy promifes, and to thy faith- 
 <e fulnefs, in which thou haft cauied me 
 c; to hope." And fo it is rather exprei- 
 five of the becoming fenfe he had of his own, 
 
 guilt, 
 
 6 Pfal. cxix. 57. « Pfal. li. 11. 
 
Serm. XIV, of the faints. 261 
 
 guilt, than any fear of his lofing the habitual 
 prefence of the holy Ghoft, which was im- 
 poflible. And the happy event is abundantly 
 proved by the account we have of his death, 
 in the old teftament f , and the character given 
 of him in the new s . 
 
 The fame may be faid as to Solomon and 
 Peter; corruption had the upper hand in them 
 both, on fad occafions indeed -, but it is not 
 difficult to prove that they were not then with- 
 out grace in the habit. 
 
 As to Solomon, tho' his fins were very great, 
 yet the many gracious experiences that are re- 
 corded in his life, and the teftimony he bore to 
 true religion in his infpired writings, efpecially 
 in the clofe of it, abundantly fhew that the 
 principle of grace in his foul was flail prefer ved 
 to the laft, * 
 
 And then as to Peter, if you will take our 
 Lord's word for it, he aflures us, that he had 
 frayed for him that his faith mould" not fail* : 
 and you know his prayer is always prevalent, 
 being founded in his own merit, as I have 
 before proved at large. Now view Peter's 
 faith, as to the exercife of it, and you will find 
 it did fail him, and that in a moil lamentable 
 manner ; fo that, our Saviour's prayer muft 
 refer to the principle, which, though covered 
 with abundance of corruption, was not fo en- 
 tirely defaced, but the author of it foon re- 
 newed it, and it appeared again in freih, il- 
 S 3 lufirious. 
 
 f z Sam'. 23. « Heb. x i. 32t fc Luke xxii, 32, 
 
262 On the final per f ever ance 
 
 luflrious exercife. Thus then you fee how 
 little thefe examples ferve to their purpofe, 
 who would prove from them the poflibility 
 of the final apoft acy of true believers : whereas 
 all that can be concluded from them is only 
 this, that the moft eminent faint, when left 
 to himfelf, may fall into fin, into great fin ; 
 and that it is not grace received that will pre- 
 ferve them, when under the power of temp- 
 tation, but they mud have frefh meafures from 
 the fountain. But then, on the other hand, 
 thefe inftances will alfo prove, that tho' they 
 may fall, and fink very low, yet they fhall not 
 be fwallowed up, and utterly loft : for the 
 hand of the Lord flill in a meafure fuftains 
 them. And let me add this, that inftead 
 of weakening, they ferve exceedingly to 
 jftrengthen our caufe. For if perfons falling 
 thus low, have been raifed again, then the 
 foundation of God cannot but ftand fure, and 
 the truth in our text be confirmed, that 
 Chrift's JJoeep jl.mll never pertjli, being under 
 his care. I proceed now, 
 
 4. To another objection againft this doc- 
 trine. And you may take the force of it in 
 this proportion, That the doctrine which is 
 according to godlinefs, and hath the greater!: 
 tendency to promote practical religion, is un- 
 doubtedly from God j and whatever is of a 
 contrary nature is not from him. And thus 
 they who plead for the poflibility of our fall- 
 ing away, even after the greateft meafures 
 2 of 
 
Serm. XIV. of the faints. 263 
 
 of grace received, conclude that their doc- 
 trine has a natural tendency to excite caution 
 and circumipection, whereas the contrary 
 leads directly to afinfulcarelefTnefsandfecurity. 
 Or you may take it thus, Religious fear is the 
 main fpring of obedience : but the doctrine 
 of the faints final perfeverance takes away 
 occafion of fear, and accordingly tends to de- 
 itroy inftead of promoting true godlinefs, and 
 therefore is not of divine authority. This 
 I take to be the fum of what can be offered 
 from this head. And that we .may the bet- 
 ter come at a full and fatisfactory anfwer to 
 it, we mud, 
 
 First, Endeavour to explain what we mean 
 by true gofpel-obedience, or confider what we 
 are in reality to underfland by it. And then, 
 
 Secondly, Shew you that the doctrine 
 of the faints final perfeverance has the 
 greateft tendency to promote it. Accord- 
 ingly I begin, 
 
 First, With the thing itfelf that is the 
 foundation of this objection, viz. gofpel-obe- 
 dience : and we are to inquire into the true 
 nature of it. And in general it confifts in 
 conformity to the will of God, as revealed 
 in his word. And would we know concern- 
 ing this or the other particular action, whether 
 it be a part of this gofpel-obedience, we muft 
 enquire, 
 
 (1.) Into the matter of it, whether it be 
 
 an human appointment, or commanded by 
 
 S 4 God, 
 
264- On the final perfeveranse 
 
 God. For the moft exact adherence to any 
 thing in religion, which is of our own inven- 
 tion, and that is either contrary to, or not re- 
 vealed in God's word, is very far from de- 
 ferving the character of gofpel- obedience. 
 What is fo, muft have God's authority in- 
 ftamped upon it, as a warrant for our regard 
 to it. Again, 
 
 (2.) As the matter of it muft be good, 
 and appointed by God, lb it muft arife from! 
 a right principle, or elfe, though it may be 
 called obedience, yet it is not gofpel-obedience. 
 A man muft firft have his heart renewed by 
 grace, before he can ferve God, in any fenfe 
 acceptably. Thus you know the apoftle fays, 
 Whatfoever is not of fait h y is fin K And without 
 faith it is impofjible to pleafe God k . So all 
 things, of a religious kind, in which we engage, 
 if our obedience be acceptable, muft arife from 
 a principle of affection to God, who commands 
 them, aswell as a becoming fenfe of our duty to 
 him, as our Lord and King. And they muft 
 alfo be done in faith; that is, not only in depen- 
 dance upon the merits of Chrifi, for our ac- 
 ceptance therein, but with a believing regard 
 to him for aiTiftance in the difcharge of them. 
 Thus, fuppofe a perfon fetting about any re- 
 ligious duty, fuch as prayer for inftance, if 
 he is fenfible that prayer is his moft reafonable 
 fervice, that as God is the giver of his mercies, 
 io he hath an indifputable right to all the 
 
 ho= 
 J Rom. xiv. 23. * Heb. xi. 6. 
 
^erm.XIV. of the faints. 265 
 
 homage he is able to pay him ; if he is con- 
 vinced that it is moft reafonable, that as he 
 lives and moves and has his being in, and from 
 God, fo he ought in an humble and explicit 
 manner to acknowledge his dependance upon 
 him ; and if to this he adds the remem- 
 brance that God hath commanded this at his 
 hands, that thus faith the Lord God, I will 
 yet for this be enquired of by the houf'e of l{- 
 rael to do it for them l ; and if what he does 
 is under a fenfe of duty, he may be laid to 
 act from right principles. Well, but this is 
 not all, for he muft act alfo from a princi- 
 ple of love to God, fuch a principle as, un- 
 der the influence of the Spirit, leads him as a 
 child to his father: and as he knows that with- 
 out him he can do nothing, fo at the fame 
 time that he is bowing before him in a way 
 of duty, he muft. look for afliftance from him 
 in a way of grace : he muft eye not only the 
 precept, but the promife ; the one as the 
 warrant, for what he does, and the other as 
 an encouragement to the performance of it. 
 Thus not only the matter of the action mufl be 
 good in itfelf, and commanded by God ; but 
 the principle from which it arifes muft be 
 the new creature formed in the foui, a prin- 
 ciple of faith and love, implanted there by the 
 Spirit of God. And this might be confirmed 
 by many places of fcripture : but the very 
 nature of the thing fhews the neceflity of it : 
 3 for 
 
 1 Ezek. xxxvi. 37. 
 
266 On the final perfeverance 
 
 for how can we fuppofe a man to draw nigh 
 to God as a child to a father, whilft he hath 
 a reigning principle of enmity in his foul 
 againft him ? Or how can he come to him 
 acceptably, unlefs it be in the exercife of that 
 faith, which is his gift m , and without which 
 it is impoffible to pleafe him n f An unbeliever, 
 a man that hath never tafted of the grace of 
 God, may indeed come up to the letter of 
 many of God's precepts, but while in that 
 cafe, he is, in God's account, a ftranger to gof- 
 pel- obedience. Forthenrft act of evangelical 
 duty, or however one of the firft, is to obey 
 God in that great command of his, that we ho- 
 nour the Son, even as we honour the Father °, 
 and that is by believing on him ; which we 
 cannot poffibly do, but by the influence of the 
 Spirit of God. And till he hath given us 
 thus to believe in the Son of God, though 
 we may boaft , or pride ourfelves ever fo much 
 in our conformity to the divine law, we fhall 
 find, in the iflue, that it is not fufficient to en- 
 title us to the character of chriftians. But, 
 then again, 
 
 (3.) Our obedience muft not only be 
 thus good, both as to the matter and princi- 
 ple of it ; but alio it muft be genuine as to 
 the end we have in view, which mull: be the 
 glory of God. I know to this it is faid, that 
 were there no heaven in view, perhaps none 
 in the world would trouble themfelves about 
 obedience : fo that while we deny feeking our- 
 felves 
 
 » Eph. ii. 8, ? Heb. xi. 6. ° John v. 23. 
 
Serm. XIV. of the faints. 267 
 
 felves, this is only in pretence, and the fact is 
 far otherwife. But to this I think it is eafy 
 to reply, that what God hath joined together 
 no man mould feparate j and we know it is 
 impoflible to feck the glory of God as our 
 ultimate end, without purfuing our own 
 greateft, and beft interefts : and the regard a 
 believer hath to heaven and eternal life, na- 
 turally arifes from a principle of grace, and 
 the love of Chrift fhed abroad in his heart, 
 by which he concludes that the Lord hath 
 loved him with an everlafting love, and that 
 he hath in referve for him more than heart 
 can wifh : and if this refledion draws forth 
 his defire to walk becoming the gofpel, and 
 animates his obedience, it is by no means in 
 a way of merit, but of gratitude. He may 
 have regard to God as a re warder, in a 
 way of grace, and from this be encou- 
 raged in his duty, while the glory of God 
 is the great end he has in view ; and 
 while he firmly believes that the bleffednefs he 
 hopes for, is fecured beyond the poflibility 
 of his lofing it ; that heaven and happinefs 
 are his 5 that God hath given him eternal life; 
 and therefore, as the beft evidence of his love 
 to God, he defires to keep his commandments. 
 This I fay is the principal end a good man 
 purpofes in the difcharge of his duty, viz. to 
 glorify God : and here we may fee a very 
 material difference betwixt evangelical and 
 legal obedience, for in the latter men feek 
 
 their 
 
268 On the final perfeverance 
 
 their own things, and little elfe but their own/ 
 they are looking for an intereft in the favour of 
 God in a way of merit, and, by miltaken ap^ 
 preheniions of themfelves and their fervices, 
 and of the nature of the divine Being, they 
 are ready to conclude, that he is to be appeafed 
 by this or the other inftance of obedience, and 
 his glory has the leaft, mare in their view. 
 Thus then I have endeavoured to ftate the 
 true notion of gofpel-obedience. And this 
 leads us to the next thing, which is, 
 
 Secondly, To mew you that the doctrine 
 of the faints final perfeverance has the greater!: 
 tendency to promote this obedience in the chri^. 
 flian j for it is only of fuch we are fpeaking. 
 And, in general, I think it muft be allowed, 
 that if, as we have before proved, this obedi-. 
 ence flows immediately from love and confi- 
 dence in God, then, whatever principles have 
 a tendency to, draw out and increafe thefe 
 graces in our fouls, muff, be allowed to have 
 the greater!: likelihood to promote gofpel-obe- 
 dience. For, obferve, as it cannot be per- 
 formed' without them, fo in proportion to 
 the increafe or diminution of thefe graces, 
 it hath been experienced, that we either run 
 the ways of God's commandments with de- 
 light and pleafure, or are carelefs, cold, and 
 indifferent. And here, that we may guard 
 r.gainft all miftakcs, obferve, that no doctrine 
 in itfelf, how great a tendency fo ever it may 
 have to promote any good ends in us, will 
 
 bo 
 
Serm.XIV. vf the faints. 269 
 
 be of any fervice to us, but as it is fct home 
 by the Spirit of God. Chriftians themfelvea 
 may fit under the cleareft difplays of God'3 
 love in the gofpel, and yet be unmoved, un- 
 lefs the Spirit of God fet home the word, and 
 attend the difcovery with power and energy 
 from himfelf ; but, when in the hand of the 
 Spirit, it mutt be allowed, that the dc&rine of 
 the faints perfeverance has the greatefr. ten- 
 dency imaginable to promote evangelical obe- 
 dience. Since it is not only every where 
 in facred feripture recommended as an argu- 
 ment to excke us to it ; but it gives us fuch 
 evidence of the infinite greatnefs of the love 
 of God to us, that mufl, in its own nature, 
 powerfully tend to draw forth our love to him, 
 which is the great hinge upon which ail our 
 obedience is to move. To reduce this to an 
 argument you may take it thus, The more wc 
 fee of God's love to us, the more we mall lovo 
 him > and the more we love God, the more 
 confcientious we fhall be in obeying him. 
 Now nothing hath a greater tendency to dis- 
 cover God's love to us, than what we have re- 
 vealed to us in the comfortable doctrine of our 
 perfeverance. Therefore this doctrine, inflead 
 of obnructing, encourages, and promotes our 
 obedience. The truth of this will more fully 
 appear, if wq confider how this doctiinc 
 abounds with intimations of God's fpecial, and 
 particular regard to us. And, 
 
 (1.) It 
 
270 On the final perfeverance 
 
 (i.) It fets before us the immutability of 
 God's love to us. And can any thing in the 
 world encourage a chriftian more in a walk 
 becoming his profeffion and character, than 
 this ? What fays the child of God with 
 regard to it ? " Hath the Lord not only 
 " loved me from everlafting, but is it conti- 
 <c nued for ever ? Is he ever mindful of me ? 
 tc Oh how vile, how difingenuous, and un- 
 " grateful have I been, to forget my duty to 
 *• him, or to perform it info carelefs, and 
 " negligent a manner ? Surely the former part 
 <c of my converfation (hall fuffice, that 1 have 
 " walked in rebellion and difobedience againft 
 " him, or in a cold and indifferent difcharge 
 <c of any duty. Oh that I may now begin to 
 " act as one that hath been the object of fuch 
 fl remarkable grace ! O I am afhamed of my- 
 " felf," fays fuch a foul, " that when the 
 " love of God to me hath been like moun- 
 cc tains of brafs p , my goodnefs and love to 
 * f him hath been as a morning cloud, and as 
 " the early dew, it goeth away q / " Whereas, 
 on the contrary, fuppofe the poor foul regard- 
 ing his interefl in the love of God, as founded 
 on his obedience, and therefore liable to be 
 loft ; fuppofe him to be never fo certain of his 
 prefent interefl: in it, may he not juftly argue 
 thus with himfelf ? " I am now in the favour 
 <c of God, but alas how foon may it be other- 
 tc wife ! The devils themfelves were once in 
 
 p Zech. vi. i. 9 Hofea vi. 4. 
 
Serm. XIV. of the faints. 271 
 
 <c the fame cafe with me, but are now re- 
 l< ferved in everlajling chains under dark- 
 ' nefs, unto the judgment of the great day r . 
 1 They had no enemies to encounter with, 
 <c no fubtle tempter, no indwelling corrup- 
 cc tions, no alluring world; and yet they 
 " fell ; and oh how much more then, may 
 " I expect the fame portion, who have 
 <c a heart that is deceitful above all things , 
 V and defperately wicked* ! who have no 
 " ftrength to look to, that I can depend upon 
 " for certain affiftance, no eftablifhed pro- 
 " mife upon which to ground my hope of 
 " ftanding ! Surely it is preferable for me to 
 " take my fill of prefent enjoyments, fmce 
 " I have no certain fecurity of better in ano- 
 " ther world." This I humbly apprehend is 
 the very natural language of a perfon under 
 apprehenfions of the poflibility of his falling 
 away, after grace received. And I believe I 
 may, in this appeal to the experience and 
 oblervation of the moft thriving chriftians, of 
 thofe that are the beft eftablifhed in the im- 
 mutability of God's counfels, that in the view 
 of their intereft in his unchangeable love, 
 they walk moft chearfully and thankfully. 
 But again, 
 
 (2.) This doctrine reprefents to us the 
 nature of God's love, as perfectly free, as 
 well as unchangeable; and thus it hath a 
 tendency to draw out our love to him, and 
 
 con- 
 
 r Jude 6. • Jer. xviii. 9. 
 
's.j2 On the final per fever ance 
 
 confequently our regard to his will. It repre~ 
 fents God's love to us as a favour that w& 
 never deferved, and that was never beftowed 
 upon us, with regard to any thing that was 
 excellent or valuable in us, or that God ex- 
 pected from us : for God loved us, and fo 
 quickened us, ivhen we were dead in trefpajfes 
 and fins e 3 he forefaw nothing good in us, but 
 what he defigned to beftow upon us ; and 
 could not therefore be faid to love us becaufe 
 of thofe qualities, but to love our perfons, and 
 from that to beltovv them upon us. And there- 
 fore a foul, duly affected with this, will fay, 
 Hath the Lord thus acted towards me? what, 
 to love me when vile and expofed to his 
 wrath ! Oh what fhall I render to him for all 
 his mercies! Can lever think any thing too 
 dear to be facriflced to fuch grace ! Oh who 
 mall deliver me from this law that leads me 
 afide from God, when Ifhould by fuch good- 
 nefs be every day more effectually, and inti- 
 mately drawn to him ! " But then again, 
 (3.) This doctrine reprefentsthe love of God 
 to us as pregnant with the bell: of fruits. It is not 
 a difpofition of kindnefs only, but a love that in- 
 fluenced the Father, when nothing lefs would 
 do for our falvation, to part with his only be- 
 gotten Son out of his bofom to die for us ; to 
 provide the facrifice, and then to accept it in 
 pur room and flead. It is a love alfo that 
 ^fluenced the Son of God, in this manner, 
 
 freely 
 
 1 F.nh. ii. 1. 
 
feerrri. XIV. of the faints. 273 
 
 &eely to give his foul an offering for our fins, 
 and by his fufTerings and death to make atone- 
 ment for us. And is it poffible that we can 
 be properly acquainted with this love, and 
 hot be constrained by it to fome fuitable re-* 
 turns ? What can fill us with greater deteft 1- 
 tion of fin, than a believing view of if, as done 
 away by the blood of the Son of God ? When 
 we confider that it-was no leis than this blood 
 that was fufficient to cleanfe us from it, and are, 
 apprifed of the grace of God in providinG" 
 it for us, I fay, what monfters in nature mufh 
 the children of God be iuppofed to be, to draw 
 from thence encouragement td commit it? 
 Would not that man be juftly branded as ari 
 inftance of unparalleled brutimnefs, who, 
 when his friend had laid down his life for; 
 him, fhould from thence take the greater li- 
 berty to treat his counieis with neglect, and his 
 name and memory with contempt ? And cari 
 we fuppofe a child of God to behold his very 
 creator bleeding, or the Son of God, in his na- 
 ture, dying on the crofs* to remove his guilt, 
 and from thence be the more attached to thofe 
 fins which coft his Saviour (o dear, and 
 the more encouraged to commit them? 
 No, you muft fee, that whatever abufe men 
 may make of this doctrine, yet it is very far 
 from having any fuch tendency in its own 
 nature. Whereas the contrary doifHne, which 
 tells a man that God hath loved him indeed, 
 T and 
 
'274 ® n the final' f erf ever and 
 
 and Chriji hath died for him, but notwith- 
 landing all this, his falvation depends on his 
 own doings, and, tho' his faith be of the 
 right kind, it may fail, his hopes maybe darned 
 in pieces, and he may peri(h at laft ; I fay, if a 
 man is at all acquainted with his own heart, 
 this doctrine muft lay him under great difcou- 
 ragement. " What," fays he, r hath Chriji 
 " died for me, and yet am I left at fuch an 
 " uncertainty about my falvation ? Can I do 
 ft nothing without him? andhavelnofecurity 
 " that he will affift me ; though if he doth not 
 €f I muft perifh ? Why, as this is but a very 
 " fmall intimation of his love to me, who 
 " might have entirely fecured my falvation, 
 w had he pleafed j fo it is likely to have but 
 * £ a proportionable influence on me." Thus 
 then you fee, upon the comparifon, which 
 doctrine hath the greateft tendency to draw 
 out our love to God, and to promote our obe- 
 dience to him. To fum up the argument 
 then, let me add, in the laft place, 
 
 (4.) That we may fafely conclude, that 
 the doctrine of the faints perfeverance, or 
 that doctrine wherein we are affured of the 
 everlafting continuance of our intereft in the 
 love of God, muft be according to godlinefs * 
 becaufe the holy Ghoft hath been pleafed to 
 make ufe of this very way of reafoning, all 
 along, to unbelievers. I believe there is hardly 
 any obfervation more common than this, that 
 g in 
 
Serm.XtV. of the faints. 2j$ 
 
 in almoft every epiftle we have extant, and 
 in almoft every other place, where we have 
 any duty recommended, we have fome pri- 
 vilege laid down as an inducement to it. Now, 
 if it maybe allowed that the Spirit of God beft 
 knew what was the greateft inducement to 
 obedience, I believe We fhall find it almoft 
 univerfally fall on our fide. I might turn you 
 to many places ; but a few that are moll: re- 
 markable mall fuffice. See particularly that 
 paffage in the epiftle to the Romans, How fall 
 we that are dead to fin, live any longer 
 therein"? that is, we that are intirely delivered 
 from the power and dominion of it, as bring- 
 ing condemnation along with it, how fhall we 
 continue in it ? And again the apoftle fays, 
 Ibefeech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies 
 of God, that ye prefent your bodies a living 
 facrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your 
 reafonable Jervice w . And once more, in his 
 epiftle to Titus> — For the grace of God that 
 bringeth fahation, hath appeared to all men, 
 teaching us, that denying ungodlinefs and 
 worldly lujls, wejhould live foberly, righteoujly, 
 and godly in this prefent world \ I thought to 
 have concluded this fubjecl: at this time ; but 
 there yet remains one head, and that is, to 
 fet before you the way in which we are to 
 account for the exhortations and threatnings, 
 which are fcattered up and down in the word 
 T 2 of 
 
 f ftom. vi. 2. * Chap. xii. i. * Titus ii. u, n« 
 
fl'76 On the final per fever ance 
 
 of God 5 how thefe are confident with the ; 
 abfolute fecurity of falvation 5 which, together 
 with fome general remarks upon the whole 
 fubject may fcr ve for another difcourfe. I mall 
 conclude therefore at prefent with a- reflection 
 or two. And, 
 
 1. From hence we may fee howeafyiti& 
 to have miftaken notions of obedience. When 
 we act from any other principle, but love and 
 duty to God, we may think what we pleafe,. 
 but it is far from being acceptable to him. 
 The matter of the act may be good, and the 
 manner of the performance in our apprehend 
 fions may be right, and yet the end may be 
 foreign to what it ought to be. Our obedi- 
 ence was never defigned, under the covenant 
 of grace, as the matter of our acceptance. 
 No, this is €hrift- alone, in his mediatorial' 
 character, in the virtue of his blood and righ- 
 teoufnefs. And, if our obedience is well : 
 pleating in the fight of God, it muit fpring 
 from faith in this all-fufficient Saviour, from 
 a fenfe of the love of God in this falvation, 
 and be the product of a principle of grateful- 
 love, wrought in the foul by the Spirit of God, 
 Which, leads me to add, 
 
 2. That, if we would grow and flourim- 
 in religion, we mould earneftly pray for larger 
 difcoveries of the divine love. This is not 
 only of the greatelt confequence to fupport 
 and comfort us under the various afflictions, 
 
 and 
 
Serm. XFV!. if tlefamts. 277 
 
 and difpondencies we are fubjecl: to, in our 
 pafTage thro' this vale of tears -, but to ani- 
 mate us in the '.various ^conflicts with which 
 we muft be tried, to fortify us againft temp- 
 tation, and to enable us to maintain a fieady 3 
 conftant, and unfainting obedience to God's 
 jighteous^ and xeafonable .commandments. 
 
 t 3 
 
 S E R- 
 
( «7* J 
 
 SERMON XV. 
 
 On the final perf ever ance of the faints* 
 
 John x. 28. 
 
 And I give unto them eternal life, and they 
 jhall never periJJj y neither fiall any pluck 
 them out of my hand. 
 
 The fifth Sermon on this text. 
 
 T is mentioned, you know, by the 
 apoftle Peter, as a very great and 
 honourable circumftance in the 
 character of Lot, that he was vexed 
 with the filthy converfation of the wicked*. 
 And I think it cannot but fenfibly affecl: the 
 minds of the truly ferious, who have felt the 
 divine energy of the holy Ghoft, to obferve 
 the increafe of impiety and profanenefs among 
 mankind. Perhaps it hath been from this 
 
 prin- 
 
 3 2 Pet. ii. 7. 
 
Serm.XV. Onthe final per fever ance i &c. 279 
 
 principle, that in all ages, it hath been the com- 
 mon voice of the church, that the day wherein 
 they lived exceeded that which went before^ 
 for daring inftances of rebellion againft God. 
 But I am fully perfuaded, as to his day, that 
 a man muft be a ftranger in our Ifrael indeed, 
 if he is not apprifed, that error and iniquity, 
 thofe two infeparable companions, feem, 
 the one to have feated itfelf in the minds, and 
 the other to have pofTeffed the converfation, 
 alas ! but of too many, from whom, ibme 
 timefincej we were ready to hope better things. 
 And can we, ought we, who are fet for the 
 defence of the gofpel, to hold our peace, and 
 not bear our teftimony againft them ? Shall the 
 foundations of our hope be afTaulted, with daring 
 arrogance, in public, and every thing, of a reli- 
 gious nature, prove the fubject of raillery and 
 banter in private, and we fit looking unaffected 
 on ? Some indeed gild over fuch a conduct 
 with the fpectous title of charity. But I wifh, 
 how exceedingly fond foever, for the prefent, 
 they may feem to be of this pretended charity, 
 it may not be charged upon them, as an in- 
 ftance of unfaithfulnefs at the great day. With 
 this view, in order to bear my teftimony againft 
 error, I have been endeavouring, for fome time, 
 to eftablifh the glorious truth, that fhines forth 
 with fo much brightnefs in the words of our 
 text, I mean that of the faints final perfever- 
 ance. Which doctrine, as it is the verybafis. 
 of our comfort, and has beenfo, in the efteem 
 T 4 of 
 
£8o On the final perfeverauct. 
 
 of the faints in all ages j fo we can never b$ 
 too well eflablifhed in the belief it. 
 
 In fome former difcourfes I have endea- 
 voured to confirm your faith in this truth by 
 a Variety of arguments, which, if throughly 
 undei flood, and weighed in the fcripture-bal- 
 lance, may fufficiemly arm, even the weaken: 
 of thrifts fheep, fo that they need not be 
 af r aid or afhamed, when called by the pro- 
 v dence of God, to contend with the wife 
 and prudent, for this part of that faith 
 which was once delivered to the faints. J 
 ihall give you a very fhort recapitulation of 
 \vhat I have delivered, for the refrefhment of 
 your memories, and then proceed to the laft 
 thii^g, with which we mall clofe our thoughts 
 upon this fuhject. Our proportion then wa^ 
 to this effect, 
 
 That Chrift'jyZw/?, being given him by the 
 Father y or car. mitt td to him as a trujl> 
 have fui h a jeeuriiy in him, that not one 
 cf them /frail ever perifo, but Chrift will 
 give unto than ail eternal life. 
 And I told you ihe queflion lay in this: 
 whether' an elect vtff 1, having once tailed of 
 the grace of God, can entirely loie that which 
 was wi ought in him, and fo finally perifh. 
 The in.pombility of this, and the truth of our 
 propofition weeitabliihed from the immutable 
 purpofe of God in election $ from drift's having, 
 by his glorious undertaking, and the accom- 
 plishment of itj let thesn out of the reach of 
 
Serm.XV. of the faints. 38* 
 
 all their enemies, viz. fin, fatan, this world, 
 and death itfelf j (o that of none thofe who 
 would pluck them out of Chrift's hand, £haU 
 be able to effect it. We further eftablimed 
 this truth from the confideration of the nature 
 pf the covenant of grace, which is ordered in 
 fill things ■, amd Jure ; from the faints union 
 with Chrifty as members of his body j from 
 Cbri/i's interceffion for them, which being 
 founded in his blood and righteoufnefs, can- 
 pot but be efficacious j from the promife of 
 jthe Spirit to take up his abode in the hearts 
 of Chrijl's fheep, and to remain with them 
 forever; and laftly, fromtheabfurdityofthe 
 contrary fentiment, as derogatory to the glory 
 pf Father, Son, and Spirit. And then we came 
 Jo anfwer objections made againft it; and, 
 in the lafl difcourfe, confidered at large the 
 tendency this doctrine hath to promote practi- 
 cal religion, or gofpel-obedince, in anfwer to 
 that cavil of our opponents, that it opens a 
 (door to licentioufnefs. And here I obferved 
 to you, that as love to God, and faith in 
 him are the great fprings of evangelical obe- 
 dience j fo, this doctrine, as revealing God's 
 love to us, and his ability to affift us, hath, 
 £he greater! tendency to draw forth thofe 
 graces in our fouls, which cannot but be 
 moil likely to encourage the chriftian in a 
 converfation becoming the gofpel. And I 
 confirmed this by obferving, that it is the very 
 fame way in which the holy Ghoft always 
 
 pro- 
 
~1%1 On the final perfeverance 
 
 proceeds. Thus you find the infpired apoftle 
 ipeaking, I befeech you therefore, brethren^ 
 by the mercies of God, that ye prefent your bo- 
 dies a living facrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, 
 which is your reajonable Jervice b . 
 
 What remains at prefent to be attended 
 to, is the objection arifing from the exhorta- 
 tions and threatnings which are fcattered up 
 and down in the word of God. And you 
 may take the fenfe of it, in its greuteft lati- 
 tude, thus : The doctrine of the faints per- 
 feverance, confidered in that abfolute, uncon- 
 ditional way, in which we have reprefented 
 it, renders all the exhortations to duty, and 
 threatnings of punifhment, in cafe of failure; 
 perfectly ufelefs and infignificant, not to fay 
 impertinent. Wh^t avails exhorting me (fays 
 fuch a perfon) to lake heed left I fall, if I 
 am fure this fhall never be my cafe ? or fuch 
 an exhortation as that of the apoftle, Take 
 heed, brethren, lefl there be in any of you an 
 evil heart of unbelief, in departi?ig from the 
 living God c , if I am affured that God will 
 hold me fo faft, that I never fhall depart from 
 him. All that fear and circumfpection, which 
 the chriftian is commanded to be in the ex- 
 ercife of, is entirely ufelefs. For why fhould 
 he be afraid of that, which he is fully affured 
 fhall never come to pafs? Thus, I think, 
 (our adverfaries themfelves being judges) the 
 objection is reprefented in its full force. And, 
 
 if 
 
 * Rom. Jcii. I. * Heb. iii. 12? 
 
Serm.XV. of the faints, "283 
 
 if I miftake not, it is in the very words of 
 one of their greatefl champions. And now, 
 that I may give a diitincl: and full anfwer to 
 it, I (hall, 
 
 1. Premise fomething in general con- 
 cerning the fear of God. And, 
 
 2. Lay down fome portions concerning 
 the will of God in his exhortations and 
 threatnings. And, from the confidera- 
 tion of both thefe, I hope to make it evi- 
 dent, that this objection, notwithstanding 
 all its appearing force, is really invalid. I 
 begin, 
 
 1. With endeavouring to ftate the true 
 meaning of the fear of God. And I cannot 
 but obferve, 
 
 (1.) That there is a fear of God, 
 which, in a believer, is abfolutely unlaw- 
 ful, and therefore is exprefly prohibited. 
 This I think muft be universally allowed, 
 being fo evident from many paffages of facred 
 fcripture. So, for inflance, in Ifaiah's pro- 
 phecy, for the encouragement of the timo- 
 rous foul, it is faid, Strengthen ye the weak 
 hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them 
 that are of a fearful heart, be fir ong, fear not*: 
 and again, Fear not, for I am with thee e .* 
 and fo in the prophecy of Zechariah, 
 God fays, Fear not, but let your hands be 
 flrong f . And Chrift fays to his difciples, Fear 
 not little flock -, for it is your Father s good plea" 
 
 fare 
 
 t Jfei. xxxv. 3, 4. • Chap, xliii. 5. » Zach. viii. 13. 
 
&$4 On the final f erf ever ance 
 
 fure to give you the kingdom 6 . And in ano- 
 ther place, Let not your hearts be troubled : ye 
 believe in God, .believe alfi in me h . This then 
 being a flavifh fear of God, muft be looked 
 upon as a fin, elfe it would not be prohibited. 
 And if this fear is a fin, then none of thofe 
 exhortations to fear God, that we meet with 
 in other places of fcripture are to be un- 
 derstood in this light, becaufe that would be 
 charging the holy Ghoft with the moft, pal- 
 pable contradiction in the world, in com- 
 manding in one place, what he exprefly for- 
 bids, and that in the fame perfons, and un- 
 der the fame -confiderations, in another. I 
 might aifo (hew you, that the children of 
 God, being very prone to this finful fear, the 
 Lord hath in many places promifed them de- 
 liverance from it. You have a remarkable 
 paffage in the prophecy of Jeremiah, wherein 
 this matter is let before us in a very beauti- 
 ful light. Therefore fear thou not, O my fer- 
 vant Jacob, faith the Lord, neither be difmayed, 
 O Ifrael : for lo, 1 will fave thee from afar, 
 and thy feed from the land of their captivity j 
 and Jacob fhall return, and /hall be in reft and 
 quiet, and none fhall make him afraid' 1 . And 
 you know what is faid of the good man ; he 
 fljall not be afraid of evil tidings : his heart 
 is fixed trujling in the Lord k . Now if God 
 hath thus exprefly forbidden it in his chil- 
 dren, 
 
 1 Lukexii. 32. * Jahnxiv. i. s Jer. XXK. 10. k Pfak 
 
Scrm. TV. of thefainfsl 'tS§, 
 
 dren, and given them promifes of deliverance, 
 from it, it muft neceflarily follow, that fuch ^ 
 fear is difpleafing to him. To which I add, 
 
 (2.) The contrary to this flavifh- fear, is anv 
 humble reverential awe of God, ariiing from, 
 a due fenfe of the infinite diftance there is- 
 between him and us; and this is perfectly con- 
 fident with the greater!: confidence in him, 
 both as to grace here, and glory hereafter. It 
 is an empty conceit of the enemies to this 
 doctrine, that becaufe a believer is not to> 
 fear God as an enemy, or to be under a flavifh- 
 apprehenfion of loling his favour,, therefore 
 he is not to fear Gud at all. There are other 
 confide acions that put him upon this duty. 
 As he labours to fet the Lord always before 
 him, fo it is in a way of filial, religious fear,, 
 and he ly awe of h:m, not as an enemy, but 
 as a f. iend, infinitely glorious. As an evi- 
 dence that perfect love to God, nay, the 
 greateit fenfe of our interefb in his love, doth 
 not exclude, but indeed fill the foul with 
 this fear, fee what the prophet Ifaiah fays. 
 After he haJ been favoured with a moil inti- 
 mate difcovery of God's glory, he cries out,. 
 Wo is me, for I am undone , becaufe I am a 
 man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midjl 
 of a people of unclean lips : for mine eyes have- 
 feen the King, the Lord of hojls \ God's ab- 
 fblute purity carried a convincing evidence 
 along with it to the prophet's mind that he 
 
 J Ifai, vi. 5, 
 
2$ 6 On the final perfeverance 
 
 was defiled. And thus it will be with us * 
 the more intimate our communion with God 
 is, the more we fhall fee of his purity, and 
 our own pollution : and in proportion to it, 
 we mail abhor, and humble ourfelves in duft 
 and allies; and the more we fee of his glory, 
 the more we fhall be filled with holy awe 
 and reverence. When the Lord draws nigh 
 to us in a way of gracious difcovery, we fhall 
 be ready enough to fay, that God is greatly to 
 be feared in the afjembly of the faints : and to 
 be had in reverence of all them that are about 
 him m . One main thing wherein this fear 
 differs from that which is flavifh, is, that the 
 one fprings from love to God, and delight in 
 him, and the other is always attended, either 
 with fome averfion to him, or exceeding hard, 
 and unbecoming thoughts of him. 
 
 These things being premifed, I come now 
 more immediately to attend to the objection* 
 And I cannot but think that an abfolute aflbr- 
 ance, that the God who hath begun, will 
 carry on his work in our fouls, is perfectly 
 confiftent with an holy awe, and a proper de- 
 gree of a reverential fear of him, who by ex- 
 hortations and threatnings hath acquainted us 
 with our duty, as well as by promifes of af- 
 filtance hath encouraged our faith. For your 
 farther fatisfaction refpecting this truth, I fhall 
 now proceed, 
 
 2. To 
 
 «" Pfal. lxxxix. 7. 
 
Serm. XV; of the faints. 287 
 
 2. To lay down the following pofitions, 
 which will, I apprehend, abundantly confirm 
 and illuftrate this matter. And, 
 
 (1.) The faints fpecial relation to God, as 
 children, doth not difannul, or abrogate their 
 obligation to fear and ferve him, as their crea- 
 tor, but indeed confirms, and eftablimes it. 
 Take a view of man, as the workmanfhip of 
 God's hands, and as in this refpect he is God's 
 property, fo he is bound to be fubjecl: to the 
 pleafure of his Creator, in all thofe laws that 
 he mail prefcribe : a failure in which you 
 know properly calls for punifhment, but does 
 not imply a freedom from prior obligation. 
 Thus, for inftance, if we' take a view of 
 Adam when fallen, why, he had indeed broken 
 God's law, and fo contracted an inablility, 
 ever again, to come up to the fpiritual part 
 of any of its precepts, in his own ftrength. 
 But this weaknefs or infirmity doth not fup- 
 pofe a cefTation of his obligation to obedience, 
 according to that known obfervation, 
 
 THO UGH man has loft his power of obey 
 ing y God hath not loft his right of commanding. 
 
 And now let us transfer this to a child of 
 God. Our Lord Jefus Chri/i, he hath fulfilled 
 the law, indeed, for him, removed the curfe, 
 that fo he might inherit the blefling; but 
 hereby, he hath not dhTolved God's right, 
 as a fovereign, to the obedience of his chil- 
 dren. For obferve, though it is abfolutely 
 impoflible that they mould do good and fin 
 
 noty 
 
£88 On the final perfehjerance 
 
 not ft , and though this (hall not be the matted 
 of their condemnation, Chrijl being madefiri 
 for them, that they might be made the righte- 
 wfnefs of God in him ° j yet it doth not follow, 
 but that God has a right to all the obedience 
 they are able to perform. Their being re- 
 deemed ones doth not diffolve their rela- 
 tion to God, as his creatures, though it fe- 
 cures them from the punifhment which would 
 otherwife be the refult of their deficiency ini 
 their obedience. This I need not dwell long 
 upon ; for concerning even the bleffed fpirits 
 above, though they are in a ftate of perfect 
 felicity, and in the full pofllffion of everlaft- 
 ing life, yet the Lord hath the fame right to' 
 homage from them, as ever. For as the ob- 
 ligation arifes from the relation between God 
 and them as creatures, fo it remains for ever. 
 And the work of eternity will be not only td 
 enjoy, but to fear, and adore, the author of 
 all our happinefs. So that though, I fay; 
 tve are delivered from the law, as a covenant 
 of works, yet I very readily grant that we are 
 obliged, in point of duty, to be found in the 
 performance of the precepts of it. And at 
 the fame time, we can blefs God, that though 
 we come fhort in every thing, yet this (hall 
 not be the matter of our condemnation , Chrifl 
 having fulfilled the law for us. Nay, this re- 
 lation of ours to God, as children, is fo far 
 from deflroying, that it abundantly confirms, 
 
 and 
 
 * Ecdef; vii. xq, • a Cor. v. 2\i 
 
Serm. XV. of the faints. 2S9 
 
 and eflablifhes our obligation to him, accord- 
 ing to that laying of our Lord, If you love me 
 keep my commandments?. As if he had faid, 
 " If you are fenfible of the greatnefs of my 
 " love to you, in giving myfelf for you, and 
 " this hath a tendency to excite your affection 
 " to me, mew it by endeavouring to keep my 
 <c commandments j this do in my ftrength, 
 <c for without me ye can do nothing q j follow 
 " me in thofe ways, in which I have gone be- 
 " fore you." This then is our firil obferva- 
 tion, that the faints relation to God, as children, 
 doth not deflroy, but abundantly confirm their 
 obligation to ferve him, as they are his crea- 
 tures. And this being allowed us, we go on to 
 obferve, 
 
 (2.) That an exhortation to that which is 
 our duty, may be perfectly confident with 
 an abfolute promife of grace to affift us in the 
 difcharge of it. This is fo evident from the 
 general current of the word of God, that I 
 think it mull remain indifputable. Thus, you 
 know, we are commanded to fanBify the Lord 
 of ho/is himfelf and to let him be our fear •, and 
 to let him he our dread * j and it is faid, 'Thou, 
 fialt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
 and with allthyfoul> and with all thy ?nind> and 
 with all thy ftreiigth s j and thus we are com- 
 manded to put our truft in him, and ferve him, 
 
 and 
 
 > Jolinxiv. 15. 1 Chap. xv. 5., r Lai. viii. 13. s Mark 
 xii. 30. 
 
 u 
 
290 On the final per fever ance 
 
 and the like. Well, and are not the very fame 
 things mentioned in a way of free and gracious 
 promife ? Doth not God fay, / will put my 
 fear in their heart l s, that they Ji hall not depart 
 from me. 1 i? and again, / will put my fpirit 
 within you, and caufe you to walk in my ftatutes, 
 and ye fioall keep my judgments and do them u f 
 Now, either thefe mud be confident with 
 each other, or the Spirit of God mud contra- 
 dict himfelf. For you fee that the very fame 
 things which God requires in a Way of duty, 
 hi one place, he promifes in a way of favour 
 in another. Which being granted, We obferve 
 in the next place, 
 
 (3.) That all thethreatnings, which are 
 to be found in the facred fcriptures, were ne-* 
 ver defigned to excite a flaviili fear of God in 
 the believer, either as to his lofing his intered 
 in him, or falling from grace : this being 
 directly contrary to that joy, peace, comfort 
 and fatisfaction for which the Lord hath made 
 abundant provifion in his word. We cannot 
 fuppofe a Being infinite in wifdom, in one 
 place, exhorting us to rejoice in him, and in 
 another, to be filled with the mod torment- 
 ing apprehenfions of his being an enemy to 
 us, thefe two are incompatible. If it is our 
 duty to joy and rejoice in the Lord, and place 
 our confidence in him, then certainly it is not 
 io, to be tormenting ourfelves with melan- 
 choly* 
 
 1 Jer. xxxii. 40. » Ezek. xxxvi. 27. 
 
Scrm. XV. : of the faints. ■ 2 ot 
 
 cholv apprehcniions, that, through the imper- 
 fection of our obedience, we fhall lofe our in- 
 tereift in the divine favour. Nothing can be 
 more apparent, than that the defign of the 
 Lord is, that his people mould honour him by- 
 believing, and rejoicing in him. And for this 
 reafon it is, that we have fuch repeated exhor- 
 tations thereto. Finally, ?ny brethren, rejoice 
 in the Lord™, < fays the apoftle Paul in his 
 epiflle to the Phi/ippians; and a little after, 
 llejoice in the Lord alway : and again I fay 
 rejoice x - 3 and thus he exhorts the The fa- 
 lonians to rejoice evermore y . Now if this is 
 our duty, as redeemed ones, it cannot be the 
 ilefign of the holy Ghofl:, in the threat- 
 fiings which are in his word, to excite that 
 ivhich is contrary to it, even, a flrange- 
 nefs to God, and a flavifh fearfulnefs of 
 him. But, 
 
 (4.) And laftly I obferve, that, notwith- 
 flanding what I have before faid, thefe exhor- 
 tations and threatninp-s are not without their 
 life even to believers themfelves. As in the 
 one, they have their duty laid before them, 
 and are admonished to the difchar^e of it, 
 as obedience is their own act, while, at the 
 fame time, by the promifes of God, their faith 
 is encouraged to look to linn for affiftance; fo 
 in the other, they have the connection there 
 is between fin and punifhment fet before them, 
 U 2 for 
 
 v Fhil. iii. 1. x Chap. iv. 4. t 1 Theff. v. 16, 
 
'292 On the final perseverance 
 
 for their humiliation on the one hand, in a 
 juft apprehenfion that, unlefs the Lord was 
 to keep them, this would certainly be their 
 cafe, as well as it is the cafe of thofe who 
 perifh -, and on the other hand, it is to ex- 
 cite their gratitude to God, by vvhofe grace 
 and affiftanee they are fenfible they fhall be 
 preferved. 
 
 Thus, for inftance, when they confider fuch 
 a pafTage as that, If any man draw back^ my 
 foul Jhall have no pleafure in him z , they are 
 initructed firit, that they fhould certainly fall 
 back, even to perdition, unlefs kept by the 
 mighty power of God ; and then, from the 
 dreadful condition of thofe nominal profefTors 
 who fall in that fort, they are quickened to 
 holy watchfulnefs, and circumfpection. And 
 then, in the view of their being of that num- 
 ber who hold on believing to the faving of 
 their fouls, they cannot but admire the grace 
 of God, that this diftinguifhing favour fhould 
 be thus given to them. Thus then you fee 
 how weak this objection is. For though the 
 exhortations to duty fuppofe no fnfficient 
 power in a man of himfelf, and without the 
 divine aid, to difchargeitj nor threatnings, in 
 cafe of failure, are any juft ground for the be- 
 liever to fill himfelf with flavifli and torment- 
 ing fear ; yet they are not without their ufe, 
 in the hand of the Spirit of God. For as be- 
 lievers, 
 
 * Ilcb. x. ji. 
 
Serm.XV, of the faints. 2gj 
 
 lie vers, in their relation to God as children* 
 are under equal, if not fuperior obligations to 
 ferve him, as his creatures 3 and therefore may 
 and ought to be acquainted with, and exhorted 
 to their duty, thefe exhortations being per- 
 fectly confiftent with promifes of grace for 
 the difcharge of it ; fo they may converfe 
 with the threatnings of God, without fink- 
 ing into a flavifh fear of him, as an ene- 
 my ; thofe threatnings being defigned for 
 their humiliation before God, that no flejh 
 fkould glory in his frefence -, but, that, accord- 
 ing as it is written, he that glorieth, let him 
 glory in the Lord* : and that, from a confide- 
 ration of the terrible confequences of the fi- 
 nal apoftacy of others, they may be excited 
 to holy diligence in duty, and a grateful dif- 
 charge of it, in fome proportion to £bch dif- 
 tinguiming grace. 
 
 And, thus then, I have farmed what I 
 defigned, in a doctrinal way, from this fub- 
 je£t. I intended to conclude the whole with 
 a more large and general improvement 5 
 but as I have made fome remarks on each 
 part of this glorious truth, of the faints per- 
 severance, as I have gone along, fo I (hall clofe 
 all with a few reflections .on this laft dif- 
 courfe. And, 
 
 1. Hence we may fee the wifdom and 
 .grace of God, in this remarkable inftance of 
 
 U 3 it, 
 
 a j Cor. i. 29, 31. 
 
294 ® n tht final per fever arte* 
 
 it, the connection he hath been pleafed tq 
 make, between what is cur duty, and the 
 promifes of his grace to affift us in the dis- 
 charge of it. As the one might make us 
 afraid, when we confider our inability, fo 
 by the other we can converfe with our duty 
 with pleafure, knowing where our help is 
 laid. But, 
 
 2. We may alfo here fee the preference of 
 the covenant of grace to the covenant of works!, 
 The one like thcEgypfiantafk-m afters, requires 
 the full tale of bricks, without affording the leafl 
 draw to affift: the other gives every thing 
 freely ; firft, an intereft in the favour of God, 
 and then grace to help us to walk becoming 
 the dignity of our character. 
 
 3. Hat nChrift engaged that his (beep (hall 
 never peril!), what a diftinguiming inftance of 
 grace muft it be, to be one of his flock j and 
 to have fome comfortable aflurance that this 
 is our cafe ? Row may this comfort the 
 "Weakeft in the fold ? And how may it fup- 
 port them under all the trials and dangers, 
 they pafs thro', in the'.- way to the everlaft- 
 ing reft ? 
 
 4. And laftly, let us be afhamed of our- 
 felves,' that we walk no more worthy of this 
 privilege, and that our hearts are no more 
 tilled with praifes to this Redeemer, whole 
 truft we are. Let him have all the glory of his 
 ywn work. Say not, my mountain ftands 
 
 id 
 
Serm. XV. of the faints, 295 
 
 fo itrong that it mall never be moved, in a 
 way of prefumption, but in a way of triumph, 
 and thankfulnefs. And while you maintain 
 this temper of mind, you will find your- 
 felves, under the influence of the flroncreft 
 obligations, to behave agreeably to your believ- 
 ing character, and to your glorious, and your, 
 well founded expectations. 
 
 U 4 SER. 
 
( 29 6) 
 
 SERMON XVI. 
 
 The grace of the go/pel 710 encourage- 
 ment to Jin, 
 
 Romans vi. 1, 2. 
 
 What fiall we fay then? Jhall we continue in 
 /?n> that grace may abound? God forbid : 
 how fiall we that are dead to JJn, live any 
 longer therein f 
 
 HE great apoflle of the Gentlles y 
 having, in the foregoing chapter, 
 afTcrted the free grace of God, in 
 the j unification of a firmer, by J ejus 
 Chrlfi, and by him a alone ; he comes in this 
 to anfwer an objection that fome had railed 
 againit. this doctrine, as if it had a tendency 
 
 3 K> 
 
Serm. XVI. *the grace of the go/pel, &c. 297 
 
 to encourage fin. They were ready to fay, 
 " If Cbrift, as our 1 1 rety, is exalted, by bearing 
 tl our iniquities, then let us go on in fin : " and 
 fince, tUe apoftle had faid in the preced- 
 ing chapter, where Jin abounded, grace did 
 much more abound*, fome might be re id y to 
 fay, M If fuch propofitions as thefe are true, we 
 <c have from hence encouragement to gratify 
 <c our corruptions, and tranfgrefs without fear." 
 To which the apoftle anfwers, with detefta- 
 tion, in the words of the text, Shall we con- 
 tinue in fin, that grace may abound ? God 
 forbid. This objection to the doctrine of 
 grace was not confined to the days of the 
 apoftles, but you know, nothing is more 
 common in our own, than to hear it brought 
 as a charge againft thofe, who have not fun- 
 ned to declare unto you all the counfel of God b . 
 If a perfon fpeaks of the perfection of 
 Chrif's facrifice, and of the free jollification 
 of finners by his blood and righteoufnefs 
 alone, without their works having any fhare 
 in the honour of it; I fay, if he reprefents our 
 acceptance thus alone, in the beloved, it is 
 much if he is not branded with the name 
 of an antinomian, and his doctrine rejected 
 as having a direct tendency to encourage fin- 
 ners to continue in their fins. But how 11 n- 
 juft a cenfure, and how unreafonable a re- 
 proach this is on the free grace of God, 
 
 which 
 f Roei. v. 29. b Afts xx. 27. 
 
298 *The grace of the gofpel 
 
 which hath abounded towards the elect, I 
 iball endeavour to make appear. 
 
 In the words we have, 
 
 First, the objection itfelf, and that is, 
 that the aboundings of fovereign grace, have 
 a tendency to encourage fin. The apoftle 
 tacitly fuppofes fome offering this, by way of 
 objection. And, 
 
 Secondly, we have his anfwer to it, with, 
 God forbid, and by fhewing the unreafonable- 
 nefs of it 5 How fiall we that are dead to fin , 
 live any longer therein ? I mail confider each of 
 thefe, and then draw fome inferences from the 
 whole, by way of application. 
 
 I. I shall confider the objection itfelf; an4 
 it may be reduced to two heads : 
 
 1. Some may fay, " If this doctrine be true, 
 € c that if rich grace has provided for the par- 
 " don of all our fins ; and if, by the fettlements 
 <c of the covenant, and the fatisfaction of Chrijt, 
 a we are certainly delivered from the righteous 
 " punimmenttheyhavedeferved;thenwemay 
 <c with fafety indulge ourfelves in the vileft of 
 <c practices." This, you know is an inference, 
 that corrupt reafon draws from fuch glorious 
 premifes. <c If the debt is paid," fome will be 
 apt to' fay, " as you affert it is, then where is 
 " the harm of increafing it? If Chriji hath fo 
 " fecured us from wrath tocqme, that we mall 
 c< never come into condemnation, and fin (hall 
 f* never be able to divefi us of our interefi in 
 
 " him. 
 
Serm. XVI. no encouragement to fin. 299 
 " him, then, away with all duty, and every 
 *' thing of a religious nature. We will go on 
 " in fin, fincewe may do it with fafety." This 
 is one part of the objection. 
 
 2. It will be alfo argued by way of ob- 
 jection, if, as the apoftle fays, where Jin 
 abounded^ grace did much ?nore abound, then, 
 men may be naturally led to go on and in- 
 creafe their fins, that fo the riches of grace 
 may mine forth with greater luftre. " You al- 
 " low with us," will fuch fay, " that it is good 
 ic to labour that grace may abound, or that 
 f* Cod may be exalted in pardoning our iniqui- 
 * c ties : and if he is fo much the more exalted, 
 •' by how much the more our offences have 
 *.' abounded ; then we will indulge fin, and that 
 " even in flagrant inftances, that fo rich grace 
 " may appear the more glorious." This is put- 
 ting the objection in its full (irength, and let me 
 tell you, it has conftantly been fo, from the 
 apoftles days even until now. As there have 
 not been wanting fome perfons, who have been 
 fo far abandoned, as to turn the grace of God 
 into fuch wantonnefs, as this, fo others there 
 always have been, who have dared to charge the 
 doctrine of the grace of God, with having in 
 itfelf a tendency to promote it, and have there- 
 fore rejected that doctrine. I perfuade myfelf, 
 there are very few of you but have met with 
 this latter objection, efpecially when you 
 have been engaged to plead for the exaltation 
 ^f Chriji alone, feparate from our frames, 
 
 or 
 

 3 oo The grace of the gofpel 
 
 or duties, in point of acceptance, and juftifica- 
 tion in the light of God. And indeed, when the 
 Lord calls you to this, you are to expect fuch 
 fort of opposition and reproach. And what is 
 the reafon ? Why, fuffer me to fay, with re- 
 gard to fome perfons, it is not much to be 
 wondered at, fince we have caufe to fear, 
 that in deftroying their own righteoufnefs, or 
 excluding it from a fhare in their juftifica- 
 tion, you even take away their Gods : and 
 what have they more ? You deftroy the foun- 
 dation, perhaps, upon which they have been 
 building for many years. And to go about to 
 convince them of its infufficiency and danger, 
 you will too often find, it rather expofes you to 
 their fcorn and contempt, than produces the 
 good effecl: you would hope for. We are 
 all of us fo naturally fond of endeavouring 
 to eftablifh a righteoufnefs of our own, that, 
 it is no wonder we cannot eaiily bear the dis- 
 covery of its being a bed ftorter, than that a 
 wan caii fir etch himfelf on it c . And unlefs 
 we are taught by the Spirit of the Lord, I 
 am fure that the man who will venture to tell 
 us that all our prayers, our tears, and the like, 
 are even worfe than nothing, when made the 
 matter of our juftification, and acceptance with 
 God ; I fay, a man that tells us thus, will be 
 deemed by many, a licentious preacher, who 
 opens a door to the gratification of our fen- 
 &al appetites. How far, in reality, this is from 
 
 • I fa 1 . xxviH. 20. 
 
 being 
 
3erm.XVI. no encouragement to fin. 301 
 
 being the cafe, I mall endeavour to fliew you 
 under the next general head : which is, 
 
 IL To confider the weaknefs and folly of 
 this objection, both from the nature of things, 
 and from the fcriptures. And here let me 
 intreat your moil ferious attention ; and ex- 
 cufe me, if I am fomewhat large, fmce this 
 matter is of no fmall importance, and the 
 odium which is can: upon us, is fuch, that 
 unlefs the word of God will help us in wip- 
 ing it off, I am fure inflead of being fit to 
 preach the gofpel, we mould not be fit even 
 for chriftian fociety. The objection then is, 
 that what we lay down is of the fame na- 
 ture, as if v/e mould fay, that we may 
 fin that grace may abound. In anfwer to 
 which, 
 
 1. We abfolutely deny the thing to be fact. 
 For there never was a true believer who main- 
 tained it, as his avowed principle, that be- 
 caufe of the riches of the grace of God he 
 might go on to throw the reins on the neck 
 of his corruptions. Oblerve, I do not fay, 
 that there never was a chriftian, who hath, 
 when under ftrong temptation, been left of 
 God, fo fir as at fomctimes to draw very bad 
 conclufions, from the riches of divine grace; 
 and how far fuch temptations, under a fuf- 
 penfion of grace, have prevailed, I will not 
 pretend to fay. But, what I afTert is, that it 
 cannot be his avowed principle, which he 
 
 ad- 
 
302 The grace of the go [pel 
 
 adheres to, that he hath therefore reafon or 
 occaiion given to indulge himfelf in (in, be- 
 caufe it cannot do him any real damage. This 
 is not the reafoning of God's children, or what 
 they dare plead for. So that we abfolutely de- 
 ny the fa (ft. Men may talk at this rate who 
 have a name to live, and yet are dead j but it 
 is not the language of renewed fouls. The 
 holy Spirit, indeed teaches, frcm the liability 
 of the covenant* that fin mail not ruin us ; 
 but then the argument is always fo handled, as 
 to lead us into a folicitude for grace to walk, 
 as becomes the gofpel : And indeed the 
 itrongeft motives are drawn from it to in- 
 duce us to an holy, humble, and conftant 
 obedience. But again, 
 
 2. We obferve, that thofe who make this 
 objection, look upon all imperfections of the 
 chriflian through a wrong glafs. If a man who 
 pleads fur the honour oiChriji in our falvation, 
 is fuffered to fall into temptation, how ready 
 are the enemies of free grace to fay, ct We 
 <c fee what is the confequenceof thefe notions ; 
 " we expected no better ; the man has now 
 " plainly fhewn us, that his principles lead to 
 " licentioufnefs, iince he indulges it in his own 
 " practice?" Buthowunjuftisthisconciufion? 
 Alas ! where is the man, that doth good and 
 fmneth not * f Where is the oppofer of thefe 
 doctrines but what fometimes falls ? And how 
 hard is it, that all the mifconduct of thofe that 
 defend them mufl be charged upon the grace 
 
 of 
 * Ecclef. vii. 20, i 
 
Serm.XVI. no encouragement to fin. 303 
 
 of the gofpel ? No, God forbid. I am furs 
 if a man falls, it is not the grace of God that 
 teaches him to do fo : though the grace of 
 God tells him, if he is a believer, that he 
 fhall rife again. It is true, when he falls into 
 fin, inflead of depending on his repentance, 
 and performances to expiate and atone for it, 
 he defires to repair to the great iacriflce, 
 "whereby Chrifi has perfected them that are 
 fanctified. And thus, becaufe he cannot think 
 of making a Saviour of his duties, murt he, 
 from thence, be charged with a contempt of 
 them ? What, is there no difference between 
 neglecting, and defpifing duties? Where per- 
 fons conclude thus, they judge without know- 
 ledge, and cenfure without reafon. For re- 
 member, tho' we loci:, not to our duties to fa- 
 tisfyfor our fins, yet we have, wc humbly hope, 
 a ftrict regard to them in their proper place, 
 and it will be bad with us, if this regard is not 
 really fuperior to that of thofe who make their 
 all to depend upon them. But then, again, 
 
 3. Admit that among thofe who flile 
 themfelves advocates for free grace, there were 
 fome, who, mould not only talk, but even act 
 thus ; muft the grace of God, from thence, 
 be fullied, as if that grace led them to this 
 fmful conduct? No, we may much fafer 
 judge concerning fuch perfons, that thcy 
 have only a name to live, and never tailed of 
 the grace of God j than to charge this conduct 
 on principles, which, if received in faith, will 
 3 be. 
 
304 The grace of the go/pel 
 
 be necefTarily productive of holinefs. Might 
 we not, with the fame juftice, charge a 
 good, a wife, and gentle adminiftration of 
 civil government, with all the enormities 
 that are committed by licentious men un- 
 der it? You fee how this would be looked 
 upon, by men of the leaft fenfe in the world. 
 It is, you know, alwaysefteemedasanactof the 
 higheft injustice, to charge the irregularities of a 
 few particular members of a community, as a 
 brand of infamy on the confutation j and if it is 
 foin civil focietics, why not in religious ones, 
 and where Chriji and his intereft are concerned? 
 There have been from the firft, and will conti* 
 nue to be, perhaps, as long as there is a church 
 in the world, fome who have crept in at un- 
 awares, who, under fpecious pretences of ex- 
 alting Chriji) have, not only pleaded for great 
 irregularities, but have been chargeable with 
 them themfelves. But from thence, are 
 we to conclude that the grace of God in- 
 ilructed them into this, or that the doctrines 
 of the gofpel had this influence upon them ? 
 This is not only the mod monftrous abfurdity 
 imaginable, but is an act of fuch injuftice, that 
 we ihould be aihamed of in other cafes. I 
 moil freely confefs, there have been perfons of 
 the vileft characters, who have fcreened them- 
 felves under the notion of being warm pleaders 
 for the great doctrines of the gofpel : but, I am 
 ready to perfuade myielf, that there are but 
 very few, even of thofe that only bear the 
 
 name 
 
Serm. XVI. no encouragemetit to Jin. 305 
 
 name of chriftians, who will ever pretend to 
 fay, they committed this or the other fin, with 
 that view, that grace might abound, and therein 
 think they did well. However, lam throughly 
 convinced that, upon the leaft examination, 
 itwill be found, that where there is one who is 
 left of God to fo great a wickednefs as to plead 
 for fuch unlawful liberty, there are multi- 
 tudes who are building upon the fandy foun- 
 dation of their own works, and ftrength to 
 perform them, in the contempt of Chrift's fa- 
 criiice and righteoufnefs, and the aids of 
 his Spirit, who have fallen an eafy prey to 
 the temptations of Satan, and the gratifica- 
 tion of their own corruptions. But to pro- 
 ceed, 
 
 4. We obferve, that, whatever may be 
 the fentiments of carnal profeflbrs, a true 
 chriftian cannot poffibly continue in fin, or 
 avowedly do fo, that grace may abound, be- 
 caufe he is not in his own, but Chrift's keep- 
 ing ; as the apoftle tells the Corinthians j Te 
 are not your own, for ye are bought with a price*. 
 And if we are Chrift's, we have hisfpirit*, and 
 if we have his fpirit, he will teach us other- 
 wife. Were we indeed left to ourfelves, we 
 might join with the profane, in drawing fuch 
 abominable inferences from the richeit grace; 
 and not only do fo in argument, but in 
 practice too ; but, bleifed be God, the cafe 
 
 is 
 
 * &om. viii. 9. d t Cor. vi. 19, zo, 
 
 X 
 
306 The grace of the go/pel 
 
 is quite otherwife. The believer is under 
 the care of the great fhepherd, who will 
 make him hear his voice, and inftruct him, 
 not only into the way of falvation, but fo in- 
 fluence his heart and life, that inftead of 
 drawing fuch conclufions, as the world would 
 fain perfuade us he doth, that he will from 
 the love of God manifefled to him, be fo 
 much the more folicitous for grace to walk 
 as becomes his relation to Chrifi, and his cha- 
 racter as a chriftian ; and inftead of thus vilely 
 abuling the grace of God, it will be the bu- 
 finefs of his life and converfation to exalt and 
 recommend it. He will, by the grace of 
 Chrift fay, a What, did my Lord fried his 
 <c blood for my fins, and (hall I from thence 
 ' • fetch occafion to multiply my tranfgreflions ? 
 <c By no means." <c Shall I continue in Jin, 
 <c that grace may abound? God forbid. I can- 
 fC not fo much as admit the thought : this 
 " would be fo flagrant an inftance of the bafeft 
 " and vileft ingratitude, that I cannot but ab- 
 tc hor it." And how comes he indeed to fay 
 lo, but by the mighty grace of God that has 
 made him to differ? Thus I have laid down 
 fome proportions, that may ferve as an in- 
 troduction, to affift us in ourfearch into fcrip- 
 ture concerning this matter ; fuch as, that it is 
 abfolutely falfe, that a chriftian as fuch, can 
 or doth allow it as his avowed principle, to 
 continue in fin, that grace may abound ; that 
 the imperfectons of believers, in order to 
 
 eftab- 
 
Serm.XVI. 7iocnccurage?nenttofin. 307 
 
 eftablifli this charge are viewed in the moil 
 inviduous light ; and notwithstanding there 
 may be, or really are fome, that call them- 
 felves chriftians, who have the daring impiety 
 to adhere to fuch an abominable principle, 
 and bring forth the icandalous fruits of it $ 
 yet this cannot in any juftice be charged on 
 the doctrines of grace, however fuch men 
 boaft of their regard to them. For the devils 
 themfelves believe there is a God, and yet 
 their enmity againft him muft, in no fenfe, 
 be charged upon their belief of his being. I 
 have alfo obferved the impoffibility of this, 
 from the union between Chrift and the be- 
 liever, and his care over, and concern for him j 
 and that he, not being in his own keeping, but 
 in that of the great fhepherd of the church* 
 -cannot, therefore* avowedly continue in fuch 
 an abufe of the grace of God. 
 
 Let us now look into the fcriptures, and fee 
 what arguments the Spirit of God, makes ufe 
 of there, in order to prefs us to holinefs. And 
 if he ufes the very fame arguments to this 
 purpofe, which thefe perfons think have a 
 tendency to deftroy holinefs, then, either they 
 muft be miftaken, or the hoiy Spirit. The 
 latter of which, God forbid that we mould 
 fo much as admit the fuppoiition of. See 
 how the apoftle argues in this fame epiftle 
 where our text is j fays he, God hath con- 
 cluded them all in unbelief, that he might have 
 
 X 2 mercy 
 
3o§ The grace of the gofpel 
 
 mercy upon all*. And accordingly he breaks 
 out into holy admiration of the riches of 
 divine grace. O the depths of the riches , both 
 of thewifdom and knowledge of God { ! Well, 
 and what follows ? Why, / befeech you there- 
 fore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye 
 pre fent your bodies a living facriflice, holy, ac- 
 ceptable to God, which is your reajonable fer- 
 vice s . Here is an exhortation, inforced with 
 an argument, that the wife men of this world 
 may treat with contempt. He does not fay, 
 tl I befeech you, if you mean to get to heaven, 
 {C and efcape eternal deftruction," which are, 
 no doubt, juft arguments, and very properly and 
 frequently ufed in the holy feriptures, but, <£ I 
 * befeech you by the mercies of God, by thofe ex- - 
 €t traordinary inftances of his favour, that he 
 " has manifefted to you." The apoftle knew 
 well enough, that unlefs thefe would influ- 
 ence them, all other arguments would be to 
 no purpofe. 
 
 So, to the fame purpofe, is what you have 
 in the firft epiftle to the Corinthians. The 
 apoftle had been exhorting them to flee forni- 
 cation h . Well, he adds this as a reafon, for 
 ye are bought with a price : or which is the 
 fame thing, your fins are pardoned, therefore 
 glorify God in your body, and in your jpirit, 
 which are Gods l . What a fad fort of a per- 
 fon would the apoftle have been thought, and 
 
 how 
 
 * Rom. xi. 52. f Ver. 33. £ Chap. xii. 1. fc 1 Cor. 
 vi. 18. ' Yer. 20. 
 
Serin. XVI. no encouragement to fin. 309 
 
 how prepofterous his reafoning, had he lived 
 in our days ! You fee, in this paffage, the ar- 
 gument is not taken from the terrors of hell 
 and deftruction, but the very choiceft blefhng 
 that we are favoured with, and that which 
 effectually fecures the foul from deftruction : 
 Ve are bought wit Jo a price. " You are redeemed 
 * c from wrath to come, therefore glorify God, or, 
 * { be folicitous for his grace, being thus pur- 
 " chafed, as a teftimony of the great fenfe you 
 " have of your privilege: look to the Lord for 
 " grace thatyou maybe enabled to glorify him." 
 Had the apoftle thought of the confequences, 
 that fome men draw from fuch a do&rine, he 
 would certainly haye concealed it, or however, 
 have been very far from mentioning it as a 
 motive or argument to the practice of holi- 
 nefs ; when he muft be fenhble, that it would 
 rather encourage to the contrary difpofition 
 and practice. However he thus manifefts how 
 different his fentiments were, from thofe of 
 jhe objectors with whom we have to do. 
 
 See alfo what the fame apoftle fays to Titus^ 
 For the grace of God that bringeth fahation 
 hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, what r* 
 not to live as we lift, but, that denying ungod- 
 linefs and worldly Iu/fs, we Jhoidd live foberly, 
 right eoujly and godly in this prefent world k . 
 Obferve, it brings us falvation, and then 
 teaches us, as the confequence of our hav- 
 ing this great blefling, to walk as becomes 
 X 3 thofe 
 
 * Tit. ii. 11, 12. 
 
3 i o The grace of the gofpel 
 
 thofe that enjoy it, And again, Who gave him-* 
 f elf for us, that he might redeem usjrom all ini- 
 quity. And what is the refult of this? Why, it 
 follows, — and purify unto himjelj a peculiar 
 people ', zealous of good works ! . 
 
 Unto the fame purpofe, we have a re* 
 markable paflage in one of Johns epiftles, 
 My little children, thefe things write 1 unto you , 
 that ye [in not™. Thefe things, what things? 
 Why, look into the preceding chapter, there 
 he tells thofe to whom he writes, that, the 
 blood of Jefus Chrift his fon cle'Stfeth usjrom 
 all fin n . This is you know the very doctrine, 
 that thefe perfons think would abound with 
 fuch ill confluences. We\\,thefe things write 
 Junto you, fays the apoftle, that ye fin not. Some 
 would fay, were we thus to argue, that we aim 
 rather to eftablim fin, than to dethrone it in the 
 foul. — And if any man fin, we have an advo- 
 cate with the Father, Jefus Chrijl the righteous : • 
 Obferve, his defign in writing to them, is, that 
 they mould not fin, his argument is, Chri/l is 
 their propitiation p , and is entered into glory 
 for them, as their advocate. So, that you fee 
 very plainly, for any to fay, that the preach- 
 ing of free grace, as the great argument that is 
 to influence us in our new obedience, is fo far 
 from being a licentious doctrine, that it is the 
 very fame, that the Spirit of the Lord him- 
 felf makes ufe of. 
 
 The 
 
 1 Tit. ii. 14. m 1 John ii. i. * Chap.i. 7. • Chap.ii. 1. 
 P Vtr. 2. 
 
Serm.XVI. no encouragement to fin. 311 
 
 The laft inftance I fhall give you, fhall 
 be that made ufe of in our text, and context. 
 The apoftle had told us, that while we were 
 yet fmners, Chrift. died for us 1 ; and that 
 where Jin abounded, grace did much mere 
 abound r 5 or, by how much the more our 
 fins have abounded, by fo much the more 
 glory will be brought to Chrift our great pro- 
 pitiation. He comes then in our text, and 
 brings in an objection, that might be made, 
 WloatJJjall we fay then f or is this the conclu- 
 fion we fhall draw from it, fiall we continue 
 in Jin 9 that grace may abound? God forbid. 
 Says the apoftle, let it not be s , or, far be it 
 from us ; how fiall we who are dead to Jin, live 
 any longer therein ? That is, as I humbly ap- 
 prehend, <c How mail we who are dead to it, 
 " as being delivered from its ruining power 
 " by the fatisfaction of our blefTed Lord: 
 " how fliall we, who have received a prin- 
 " ciple of grace, and fo, our renewed part 
 " is dead unto fin, how fhall we now live 
 li any longer, or continue with delight, and 
 iC pleafure therein ? How can we, who are 
 " thus freed from condemnation and from 
 " the dominion of fin, live any longer 
 " therein $ " And thus he argues, Neither 
 yield ye your members as infiruments of imrigh- 
 teoufnefs unto Jin : but yield your/elves unto 
 God as thofe that are alive from the dead; and 
 your members as infiruments oj righteoujhefs 
 
 X q. unto 
 
 * Rom. v. 8. * Vfir. 20, s pj yarwro. 
 
'3 1 2 I'he grace of the go/pel 
 
 unto God, For Jlnjhall not have dominion over 
 you : for ye are not under the law but under 
 grace t . " Ye arc," as if the apoftle had faid, 
 " freed from the law as a covenant of works, 
 " or from its curfe as broken, and inftead of 
 M being in bondage to it, ye are now under 
 " grace. And what is the confequence of 
 <£ this? Why, fn jhall not have dominion over 
 " you" Thus you fee how the holy Ghoft 
 argues for holinefs conftantly, from the rich 
 aboundings of fovereign grace, and from hence 
 we have fufficient ground to conclude, that 
 the wifeft way to engage chriflians to an holy 
 obedience unto God, is to convince them of 
 what he has gracioufly done for them. 
 
 And thus, having given you fo many in- 
 stances out of the fcripture, of arguments 
 taken from the free unmerited grace of God, 
 manifefted to us in the Son of his love, in 
 whom we are all accepted, to engage us to 
 holinefs in life and converfation, you fee 
 when we take this method, we tread 
 in the very fteps of thofe perfons, who are 
 allowed to be infpired. And you muft forgive 
 me, if upon this occafion, I cannot forbear 
 expreffing my wonder, that any of thofe, 
 who I dare not but believe have a regard 
 for the fcripture, mould raife fuch clamours 
 at difpenfing the myfteries of the kingdom 
 in their own light and beauty, as if they had 
 a tendency to encourage immorality : when 
 
 unlefs 
 
 x - Rom. vi. 13, 14. 
 
Serm. XVI. no encouragement to fit. 313 
 
 unlefs thefc are the proper motives of our 
 obedience, and they operate on our minds by 
 the grace of God given to us, whatever our 
 pretences may be to ftrictnefs of life, there 
 will be no more of it, than will juft fuit 
 with our carnal interefts. It is true indeed, 
 that knowing the terrors of the Lord we per- 
 fuade men ; but furely no arguments feem fo 
 likely to influence ingenuous minds, which we 
 fuppofe thofe of believers to become by the 
 work of God's Spirit, as thofe which are 
 drawn from the love and grace of God, and 
 the fecurity of their eternal ftate as in Chri/i 
 yefus. But, whatever be the effect of this 
 reafoning, I think, I have fufficiently {hewn 
 that thefe, and fuch like motives, were thofe 
 ufed by the apoftles of our Lord Jefus Chrift y 
 pr rather the Spirit of God by them. And 
 thus I have endeavoured to fhew you the 
 weaknefs of this objection, both from rea- 
 fon and from fcripture. What I fhall further 
 add mail be by way of application. And, 
 
 1. How abundantly doth it appear that 
 the carnal mind is enmity againfi God a ? The 
 fcripture abounds in nothing more than the 
 declarations of the free grace of God; and 
 the men of this world level all their wif- 
 dom againft it. There is no doctrine that 
 is charged with fuch abominable confer 
 quences, as the clear declarations of the fove- 
 reign grace of our heavenly Father, in taking 
 
 us. 
 
 u Rom. viii. j. 
 
314 ¥& grace of the go/pel 
 
 us into fo near a relation with himfelf, and 
 laying our fins on his Son : nor need we won- 
 der at it, that, with regard to moft men, 
 this doctrine is efleemed but foolifhnefs j but 
 it is very fad indeed, that, of thofe who have 
 tatted of the truth of grace, any mould have 
 a mare in fuch ungrateful treatment of it. 
 To me it appears very plainly, that they are 
 fo far left of God. Were the matter repre- 
 fented in fcripture under any obfcurity, or 
 would it admit of the leaft difpute, we might 
 be efteemed ram for faying fo : but being 
 wrote as with a fun-beam, and being allowed 
 in a degree, by almoft all that own the autho- 
 rity of fcriptures, that it mould be difputed 
 as it has been, plainly proves that the carnal 
 mind is enmity againjl God: otherwife it could 
 not but receive what is fo plainly revealed. 
 
 2» How cautious mould we be of admit- 
 ting prejudices, againfl: any particular truth, 
 becaufe of the llander that is caft upon it by 
 the world. If the fentiments of carnal men, 
 or of the generality of the profefTors of chrifli- 
 anity, were to be the ftandard of truth, what 
 the apoftle fays, that when we were enemies > 
 we were reconciled to God by the death of his 
 Son v , had long ere this been banifhed, not 
 only out of the world, but alfo out of the 
 word of God. Inftead then of entertaining 
 an ill opinion of any fentiment becaufe it is 
 not received by the world, let us look very 
 
 care^- 
 
 * Rom. v. !o. 
 
Scrm. XVI. no encouragement to fin. 31$ 
 
 carefully, and fee whether there is fufficient 
 foundation for it in fcripture. Becaufe, for 
 the mod part, it will be found, that thofe 
 truths which are the lead efteemed in the 
 world, are the mofl agreeable to the mind of 
 God. And then, 
 
 3. And laftly, let me entreat you, who 
 make a profeffion of thefe truths, by the mer- 
 cies of God) to be fo much the more cautious, 
 that there may not be fo much as an appear- 
 ance of reafon for this objection. Be not only 
 diftinguifhed for your fentiments, but let your 
 converfation be as it becometh the gofpel of 
 Chriji x . The enemy will indeed be apt to re- 
 proach you, let your conduct be what it will: 
 but O that I could fay, concerning all chri- 
 stians, if it were the pleafure of the Lord, 
 that their converfation bore a fufficient tefti- 
 mony to the reality of thofe truths they pro- 
 fefs ! Remember, believer, the eyes of the 
 world are upon you, and efpecially if you 
 plead for Chriji and his ialvation, and bring 
 your teftimony againfl any thing elfe being fet 
 up in his room. 1 fay, remember the leafl 
 failure in your conduct, will have the worft 
 conftruction put upon it. Look to the Lord 
 Jefus then, as to a Saviour who has a fulnefs 
 of grace lodged in his hands, that you may 
 be enabled to make it appear that you are 
 bought with a price, even the precious blood 
 &£ Chriji, this great facrifke, that denying 
 
 un- 
 
 * Phil. i. 27. 
 
3 1 6 The grace of the go/pel, &c. 
 
 ungodlinefs and worldly lujls, you livefoberly f 
 right eoufly, and godly in this prefent world X 
 And when this is the cafe, let the world go 
 on to reproach, or lay what it pleafeth. Yet, 
 fince, through grace, you abhor the thought 
 of finning that grace may abound, walk on 
 in the light of God's countenance, and let 
 Cbrift, as your righteoufnefs, be exalted in your 
 fouls ; till you come to that world, where 
 every fin, every forrow, and all contradiction 
 and calumny, {hall eternally be done away, 
 and you will join the fpirits of juft men, in that 
 fong of grateful praife, Unto him that loved us, 
 and wajhed us from our fins in his own blood, 
 find hath made us kings and priejls unto God 
 and his Father ; to him be glory, and domj-* 
 nion for ever and ever. Amen '. 
 
 y Tit. ii. 12. z Rev. i. 5, 6. 
 
 ser; 
 
( 3'? ) 
 
 SERMON XVII. 
 
 Self-examination recommended. 
 
 Preached at a monthly Exercise, 
 in the Year 1 744. 
 
 Jeremiah viii. 6. 
 
 I hearkened and heard, but they /pake not aright: 
 no man repented him of his wickednefs, fay- 
 ing, What have I done ? every one turned to 
 his courfe, as the horfe rujheth into the battle. 
 
 (HE importance of the work we are 
 profeffedly engaged in this day, will 
 by no means admit that I fpend your 
 time in a large explication of the 
 context. It is fufficient to obferve, that God 
 was now reafoning the point with his peo- 
 ple : they had finned, and greatly rebelled 
 againft him, and their provocations were at- 
 tended with moil heinous aggravations : he 
 
 was 
 
 S 
 
3 1 8 Self-examination recommended. 
 
 was coming out of his place to execute judg- 
 ment againft them, which he had often threat- 
 ned, in cafe of their continuance in difobedi- 
 ence. And, tho' there were awful fignatures 
 of his refentment already upon them, but few 
 comparatively attended to them, and laid them 
 to heart. So that God feems to be fpeaking 
 after the manner of men, as furprifed at their 
 ©bftinacy and ftupidity ; and yet mercy be- 
 ing his delight, and judgment his ftrange 
 work, there feems to be fome relentings and 
 an unwillingnefs to proceed to extremities. I 
 hearkened and heard: thefe are expreffions after 
 our manner, and are to be underftood with, 
 fecurity {o the glory of the divine immenfity 
 and prefcience. God, as it were, ftooped down 
 from heaven, bent his ear in a way of atten- 
 tion to their difcourfe, to know whether there 
 Were any righteous holy perfons among them, 
 any who were lamenting over their own fins, 
 or exciting one another to acts of folemn hu- 
 miliation, for the tran fgreflions of the people. 
 But none of them [pake aright • that is, none f 
 if compared with thegreat multitude who fpake 
 againft God, or whole lips uttered vanity and 
 ialfehotfd. No man repented him of his wicked- 
 toefs, faying^ What have I done % Every one was 
 •ready to fhift off guilt from himfelf j but few, 
 very few, hardly any mourned over their own 
 iniquities; on the contrary, almolt every one 
 turned to his own courfe ; turned away from God, 
 from all advice and reproof, to his own courfe 
 of folly and rebellion, according to his parti- 
 cular 
 
Ser.XVII. Self-examination recommended. 319 
 
 cular appetite and inclinations, and this with 
 impetuous violence, like the borfe rujhing into 
 the battle, not knowing it was to the hazard of 
 his life. From the words, thus opened, we 
 may, 
 
 First, obferve, that fin, in every inftance 
 of it, is evil in the fight of God, and moft 
 hurtful to the fouls of men ; its wickednefs 
 is great, in the account of an infinitely wife 
 and holy judge, and will coll: the fifiner 
 dear, either in the bitternefs of repentance 
 in this world, or everlafting mifery in the 
 world to come. The orignal word, which we 
 render wickednefs in the text, fignifies, what 
 divines call malum culpce, & poena, both cri- 
 minal evil, and the punifhment of it. And 
 moft true it is that there is the efTence of the 
 one, and the defert of the other, in every vio- 
 lation of the law of God. Many fins may 
 appear to us little and inconfiderable, but there 
 is not one of them, but which is abominable 
 in the fight of God, and expofes the guilty 
 creature to the curfe of his law, and to the 
 fury of his indignation. The wages of Jin 
 is death a . Further,. 
 
 Secondly, every man hath his own 
 wickednefs. — No man repented him of his 
 wickednefs. There are fome fins which may 
 be more properly faid to be a man's own fins, 
 or as the apoft le Paul fays, the Jim which do eafily 
 befet us b -, to which, by conftitution, or fitua- 
 
 tion, 
 
 a Rom. vi. 23. . ^ Heb. xii. i. 
 
320 Self-examination recommended, 
 
 tion, wc are mod inclined, or molt expofea. 
 It is true indeed of all the tranfgreflions we 
 commit, that we are perfonally charged with 
 the guilt of them, and mull anfwer for them 
 before God. But how apt are we to foften 
 the language, when we are fpeaking of our 
 own fins ? This is a common cafe : what 
 men call wickednefs in others, they are ready 
 to flile unavoidable failures, or mere human 
 infirmities in themfelves. But let us remem- 
 ber, that fin found with us is as real wickednefs, 
 as when committed by others ; as hateful to 
 God, yea, if pofiible, more fo in profeflbrs, 
 than in the profane. Sin as fin* abstracted ly 
 confidered, where ever it is found is infinitely 
 odious in the pure eyes of that God with 
 whom we have to do : but a profeflion of 
 religion aggravates it greatly. Moreover, 
 
 Thirdly, we may further obferve that, 
 tho' we cannot make fatisfaction to God for 
 our fins, it is our indifpenfable duty, and, 
 when enabled by his Spirit, a very great and 
 invaluable mercy to repent of them. Or, as 
 the original word fignirics, to grieve for them, 
 as having changed our minds concerning 
 them. God complains in the text, that no 
 man 'repented him of his wickednefs : plainly 
 fuggefting, that this ought to have been the 
 cafe. And what more reafonable than that 
 a creature wholly dependent upon his Maker, 
 and infinitely obliged to his goodnefs, when 
 
 he 
 
Serm.X VII. Self-examination recommended. 321 
 
 he hath ungratefully departed from him, and 
 rebelled againft him, mould repent, or, as Solo- 
 mon exprelfes it, bethink himfelf and turn to the 
 Lord, faying, " / have finned, I have done 
 " ami/s, I have dealt wickedly c j but, won 
 <c over by thy grace, I would return to thee 
 <{ with all my heart, and with all my foul : 
 * c hear thou from the heavens, even from thy 
 <c dwelling-place, and forgive thy fervant who 
 " hath finned againft thee d f " And, for our en- 
 couragement, there is very fpecial notice taken 
 of the true penitent by God, who, tho* he is 
 thehigh and lofty one that inhabitelh eternity*, 
 yet he faith to this man will I look, even to 
 him that is poor, and of a contrite fpirit, and 
 trembleth at my word f . So, in the text, God 
 hearkened and heard whether any fpake aright, 
 and repented him of his wickednefs. The ex- 
 preffion may not only intimate the accuracy of 
 the inquiry, but the great pleafure God takes in 
 it. Wherever this is truly the cafe, he fays, 
 / have furely heard Ephraim bemoaning him! elf 
 thus, thou haft chaftifed me, and I was chaftifed, 
 as a bullock unaccuflomed to the yoke : turn thou 
 me, and Ijhall be turned-, for thou art the Lord 
 my God. Surely after that 1 was turned, I re* 
 pented -, and after that I was inftruffied, If mote 
 upon my thigh : I was ajhamed, yen, even con- 
 founded, becaufe 1 did bear the reproach of my 
 youth g . In what melting, pathetic language 
 
 doth 
 
 c 2 Chron vi. 3"?. d Ver. 39. »• Ifai. lvii. 15. X Chap. 
 Ixvi. 2. s Jer. xxxi, iS, 19. 
 
322 Self-examination recommended. 
 
 doth Gcd fpeak upon Ephraim's making this 
 acknowledgement? Is Ephraim my dear fon? 
 is he a pie a f ant child ? For Jince I /pake again fl 
 him, I do earneflly remember himjiill : therefore 
 my bowels are troubled for him 5 I will furely 
 have mercy upon him, faith the Lord h . Thus, 
 in order to repentance of the right kind, it is 
 abfolutely necelTary that things mould be 
 » brought home to ourfelves, each of us faying, 
 <c What have I done f wherein have I departed 
 « c from the Lord ? what am I chargeable 
 <e with in his fight ? " God hearkened and heard, 
 but they /pake not aright. Many might be mak- 
 ing acknowledgements of the iniquities of the 
 public, and of a general departure from God j 
 but none repented him of his own wickednefs, 
 faying, what have I done '? 
 
 And thus 1 am brought to what I had 
 chiefly in view in the choice of thefe words, I 
 mean the great duty of felf- examination, in 
 order to humiliation and repentance. If ever 
 we would rightly humble ourfelves before 
 God, we muft, every one of us, put this que- 
 flion to his own foul, What have I done ? That 
 this is our duty, will not be difputed in the 
 theory, how much fofcver it be neglected in the 
 practice. We are to commune with our own 
 hearts, to examine ourfelves, to prove cur own 
 felves l . We are to look back upon the words 
 of our lips, the actions of our lives, and the 
 ways we have walked in ; and not only 
 
 b Jcr. xxxi, 20. l 2 Cor. xiii. 5. 
 
S'erm.XVII. Self -examination recommended. 323 
 
 fo, but we mud enquire into the frames, the 
 difpofitions, and workings of our hearts, in. 
 order to difcover of what kind, and nature they 
 have been, whether good or evil. As to the" 
 manner of the performance of this duty, 
 
 1. It mould be done fecretly, or in our 
 retirements, at a diftance from the bufinefs, the 
 noife, and hurry of the world ; where no eye 
 fees us, but that of the great God. A mer- 
 chant is not willingly interrupted when he is 
 fettling his accounts, and cafting up his books. 
 The moll defirable company, and the moft 
 welcome at other times, is then unfeafonable. 
 And thus we mould fay to the world and every 
 thing in it, Keep at a diftance till the enquiry 
 is finimed. Far be it from me to fuggeft that 
 a chriftian mould live out of the world, and 
 throw up all his temporal concerns, in order to 
 devote his life wholly to meditation and reflec- 
 tion. But there are fome fcafons in which he is 
 called to be alone ; fome things which are to pais 
 betweenhimand hisown foul, aswell as betwixt 
 God and him, things that will admit of no earthly 
 witnefs. And when this is the cafe, every thing 
 elfe mould ftand ftill. A nd, by the way, it is a for- 
 rowful fign, that the affairs of our fouls are but in 
 a bad condition, when we are afraid, or unwill- 
 ing to go into our retirements, and enter into a 
 clofe examination of ourfelves. 
 
 2. This duty calls for great ferioufnefs of 
 fpiiit ; for it is a bufinefs of the laft import- 
 ance, and therefore mould be attended with 
 Y 2 fuitable 
 
324 Self-examination recommended. 
 
 fuitable folemnity. The honour of God is 
 nearly concerned, as our lawgiver and judge. 
 It is -no trifling affair when we come, as under 
 * the eye of an infinitely righteous, and heart- 
 fearching God to fay, What have I done? More- 
 over, the importance of the enquiry mould 
 make us fearch with the utmoft deliberation, 
 and with the fevereft flrictnefs and impartiality. 
 It is not enough that we recall the matter of 
 our actions, but the manner, principle, and end 
 of them are to be attended to ; what know- 
 ledge we have finned againft, what convictions 
 of our own confciences, and how often we 
 have refitted the Spirit of God 5 what profef- 
 iions we have made, and what obligations we 
 have been laid under to live to God, and walk 
 clofely with him, and the like. The felf-love, 
 that is found with every one of us, may tempt 
 us, to put more favourable conftruetions on 
 things than we ought; as on the other hand, 
 unbelief, and the malice of fatan may fwell 
 the charge beyond meafure, and aggravate cir- 
 cumftances beyond the truth. But the word 
 of God is to be our rule of judging : this is 
 the grand directory of obedience j every devi- 
 ation from the precept is evil : the law of the 
 Lord is pure, and fpiritual, reaching to the in- 
 ward man ; to our defires and affections as 
 well as our words and actions ; and, if we 
 would come to a right knowledge of ourfelves, 
 we mu.(r, with the pfahmft, lift up our voice 
 to the Lord, and fay, l£ Search we, God, and 
 
 " know 
 
Serm.XVlI. Self-examination recommended. 3 25 
 
 <c know my heart : try me, and know my thoughts : 
 " thou, whole eye nothing can efcape, lhevvme, 
 " every evil that is in me, or hath been commit- 
 " ted by mc, and leadme in the way everlajVing k ." 
 Once more, 
 
 3. The enquiry fliould be entered upon 
 with a determination, in the ftrength of grace, 
 to charge ourfelves with every evil we discover, 
 to take fhame to ourfelves for it, to judge and 
 condemn ourfelves, and to apply to the foun- 
 tain of Cbri/i's blood for pardon, and to his 
 Spirit for cleanfing, and prefervation, for the time 
 to come. Duty is enjoined, not merely to throw 
 a man into confufion, much lefs to drive him to 
 defpair ; but to make him loath himfelf in his 
 own eyes j to bring him to acknowledge the 
 mercy and forbearance of God; that Chrifl 
 may be exalted in the character of a Saviour; 
 and that, under deep conviction of guilt and 
 unworthineis, the foul may fly for refuge 
 to him, and fhelter itfelf, under the fhadow of 
 his wings. Nor can the cafe be fo bad, where 
 the heart is right with God, and folicitous to 
 pafs a righteous fentence on itfelf, as to admit 
 of no relief. The blood of Jefus Chrifl clean fes 
 from all fin l : and we have promifes from the 
 God of truth, that if, from an humble and an 
 heart-affecting fenfe of the error of our ways, 
 we confefs our fins, he is faithful and jufl to f r- 
 give u: our fins, and to clean fe us from all un- 
 righteoufnefs m . There is no man that lives, and 
 Y 3 fm r 
 
 k Pfal. exxxix. 23, 24. \ 1 John i. 7. m Ver. 9. 
 
326 Self examination recommended. 
 
 Jinneth not n : but if any manfn, ice have an 
 advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righ- 
 teous : we have a fountain fet open, to which 
 faith may appiy with comfortable aiTurance, 
 that God, for thrift's lake, will forgive all our 
 fins, and heal all our backflidings. Neither 
 can we regularly come at comfort, 1 mean 
 fuch as God gives and approves, but as having 
 firft judged ourielves, and acknowledged our 
 guilt. Thus 1 have confidered the duty itfelf, 
 with the manner of its performance. 
 
 I go on to obferve, that there are fome 
 fecifons in which we are more efpecially called to 
 attend to it. As, 
 
 1. When confeience is flirring, and charg- 
 ing us with any new guilt, infiead of putting 
 off an enquiry, we mould endeavour imme- 
 diately to enter upon it. It is a wonderful in- 
 ftance of the wifdom of God, that he hath 
 lighted up this candle in the bread of every 
 man ; and though, through the fall, this light 
 is greatly impaired, and, till fan&ified by the 
 Spirit of God, it will not regularlyand effectu- 
 ally do its office ; yet there is not a man in our 
 world, except thofe who are given over to ju- 
 dicial blindnefs, whofe confeiences are feared as 
 with a hot iron, but feels it accufing him more 
 or lefs, at one time or other, for the evil he 
 commits. But an enlightened and a tender con- 
 feience is peculiar to the faints ; and when this 
 foeaks it is the voice of God, and ought im- 
 
 medi- 
 
 * 1 Kings viii. 46, • 1 John ii. I. 
 
■Serm.XVII. Self-examination recommended, 327 
 
 mediately to be attended to. When perhaps 
 we have nattily concluded a matter, or unwa- 
 rily taken this or the other ftep, we have often 
 had a fudden whifper in the foul, This is ndt 
 right, you have not done we!!. Whenever this 
 is the cafe, the believer fhould immediately 
 retire, and take a careful and ferioas furvey of 
 his temper or conduct, compare it with the 
 rule, and judge himfelf accordingly. This is 
 the way to maintain peace in the confeience, 
 and a method which God greatly owns for the 
 advantage, and improvement of his fervants. 
 Let us then be willing our own minds mould 
 
 o 
 
 charge us, when there is a proper call for it : 
 and, on every fuch occafion, let us ferioufly en- 
 quire, What have I done f 
 
 2. When any thing unufual befals us, as to 
 our perfons, families, or friends, which hath 
 the appearance of chaflifement, and looks as 
 though God was difpleaied with us. In time 
 of affliction we are to conjider what may be the 
 voice of God, wherefore he is contending with 
 us, whether we have not provoked him by 
 fome neglect of duty, or commifficn of evil. 
 It is certain God may exercife his people with 
 affliction for the tryal and improvement of their 
 graces: but, upon ftrict inquiry, we fhali find guilt 
 enough in us at all time§, to juftify him in his 
 afflictive dealings with us ; and fometimes he 
 may point at fome particular inftances of it by 
 his rod. And when this is difcerned, we fhould 
 take up the language of the church, and fay, 
 Y 4 J 
 
328 Self- examination recommended* 
 
 1 will bear the indignation of the Lord, becaufe 
 I have finned againft him p. Elihu's defcription 
 of a fick man is full of inftruction to our pur- 
 pofe. He is chajlened, fays he, with pain upon 
 his bed, and the multitude of his bones, with 
 Jlrong pain : fo that his life abhorreth breads 
 and his foul dainty meat. His fiefo is con fumed 
 away, — and his foul araweth near to the grave \ 
 To which he adds, that in this the Lord looketb. 
 upon men, and tf any fay., I have finned, and 
 perverted that which was right, and it profited me 
 not : he will deliver his foul from going into the 
 pit, and his life Jhallfee the light r . It is highly 
 proper that God fhould be juftified in all his 
 ways, as well thole of rebuke, as thofe of 
 mercy ; and when the hand of the Lord is upon 
 us, or upon any that are dear to us, we mould 
 fay, Behold we are vile, fiew us where] ore thou 
 cpntendeft with us. 
 
 3. When God hides his face from us, and 
 we feek him in the way of his appointments, 
 and find him not j when thofe duties and or- 
 dinances, which have formerly been eminently 
 owned for our conflation and joy, are now 
 become barren and uncomfortable 5 furely every 
 child of God who values the prefence of his 
 Father, and hath fweetly tailed that the Lord is 
 gracious, mould, in this cafe, with his eyes di- 
 rected up to heaven, lay his hand on his heart 
 and fay, " What have I done f What hath pro- 
 *\ voked my God to fufpend the vifits of his 
 
 " love? 
 
 f Mic. vii. 9. 1 Job xxxiii. 19, — — 22. r Ver. 27, 28. 
 
SermXVII. Self -examination recommended. 329 
 
 " love ? Why is it that Jejus, who is my beft 
 'Jf friend, the lovely objedt of my fupreme af- 
 " feclion, oh why is it that he keeps at fuch 
 < e a diftance! that he is fo long before he re- 
 " turneth to my weary, thirfty foul ? Have I 
 " not been carelefs, and drowfy, carnal, and 
 " worldly ? Is there no idol indulged, no ri- 
 < { val to his glory admitted ? Whence is it that 
 M 1 go mourning all the day long ? Shew me O 
 li Lord the matter of the controverfy, and take 
 " it away." Here the believer is loudly called 
 upon to fearch his heart, and examine his ways ; 
 and whilft he is faithfully attending to this, 
 there is good reafon to ex peel:, from the ufual 
 conduct of our gracious Saviour, that he will 
 furprife him with his love, and, before he is 
 aware, by the returning prefence of his Lord his 
 heart (hall be made like the chariots of a willing 
 people. 
 
 4. Another feafon for this is, when God 
 is coming out of his place, in a way of national 
 judgments, and threatens, or begins to execute 
 deferved vengeance : for when his judgments are 
 in the earth, the inhabitants of the world fhould 
 learn right eoufnefs s ; and this cannot be, with- 
 out fearching our ways, in order to mend 
 them, and turn to the Lord. The believer 
 is fafe in the hands of Chrift, and the bonds 
 of the covenant : let what will come in the 
 courfe of providence, all things fiall work toge- 
 ther for good to him *. But as he may have his 
 
 part 
 
 • Ifai. xxvi. 9. < Rom. viii. 28. 
 
■- 3 o Self- examination recommended. 
 
 part in outward calamities together with others } 
 fo it highly concerns him to fee whether he 
 hath not contributed to the public guilt. Good 
 men have always humbled themfelves before 
 God in times of public calamity, and God 
 hath encouraged them to do fo : for, fays he, 
 If I Jhzct up heaven, that there be no rain ; or 
 if I fend pe ft Hence among my people : if my peo- 
 ple fall humble themfelves, and pray, and feek 
 my face, and turn jrom their wicked ways ; then 
 mill I hear from heaven, and will j or give their 
 fin, and will heal their land u . On the contrary, 
 when God is calling by public viiitations to 
 weeping and mourning, and behold foy andgladnefs y 
 flaying oxen, killing jheep , and drinking wine, &c. 
 he looks upon himfelf as greatly affronted, and 
 threatens, Surely this iniquity fall not be purged 
 from you till you die w . Once more, 
 
 5. We are called to this duty, when, by 
 the authority of the magiftrate, or our own 
 mutual agreement, on "account of the judg- 
 ments of God, we meet together profefledly to 
 humble ourfelves before him. It is indeed 
 one great part of the fervice, and ought al- 
 ways to accompany our days of failing and 
 praver. Without this, we rather mock God 
 with declaiming againft the fins of other?, 
 than honour him by taking fhame to ourfelves. 
 And as we are now in the houfe of God on 
 purpofe to bewail" our own fins, as well as the 
 fifls of all the churches in this land, and of 
 
 the 
 
 * 2 Chron, vii. 1 3, 14. " Ifai. xxii. 12, 13, 14, 
 
Serm.XVII. Self-examination recommended. 331 
 the nation in general, (hall we not engage our 
 own fouls ? Oh that I could engage mine and 
 yours in this lervice ! Let each of us put the 
 queftion then to ourfelves, and fay before the 
 Lord, What have I done I And here, I pafs 
 over the more enormous inftances of vice, 
 hoping that, through the goodnefs and mercy 
 of our God, we have none of this kind to 
 charge ourfelves with. And it is a great fa- 
 vour that we are not running into all excefs of 
 riot, and abandoned, with the profligate, to 
 open prophanenefs and impiety. 1 would fur- 
 ther hope that, by fir, the greater part of this 
 afiembly have truly received the grace of God, 
 have true love to the Lord Jefus, entire depen- 
 dence on his blood and righteoufnefs, and fome 
 good hope, through grace, that theLord is their 
 God, and will be their guide in this world, and 
 their everlaft ing portion in the next. But let us 
 conrider, that we are not only called by the name 
 of chriftians, children oj God, and friends of the 
 bridegroom; but have entered into a folemn pro- 
 feffion of religion, on well-founded hope, of 
 a faving change, wrought by the Spirit of God 
 upon our hearts : and let us take into view the 
 fpecial obligations we are under from privilege 
 and experience, from what we have in hand, 
 and what we have in hope. Has God chofen 
 us unto everlafting life in his Son j called us 
 by his grace j and revealed Jefus in us, as the 
 hope of our glory; fpoken peace to our troubled 
 confeiences ; indulged us with the light of his 
 countenance, and given us fome Pifgah views 
 
 of 
 
332 Self-examination recommended. 
 
 of that glbry, which will be hereafter more 
 iully revealed, fome realizing and appropriat- 
 ing exercifes of faith •? have we fat under the 
 Redeemer's fhadovv with great delight, and 
 been fealed by the Spirit of promife to the day 
 of redemption ? I fay, fuppoling all this to be 
 the cafe, the queftion then returns, What have 
 ive done? I do not fay, for God, alas, how little! 
 But What have we done againft him ? Let us a little 
 look back upon our thoughts; how vain and 
 unprofitable have they been ; engaged about 
 trifles, things of no moment, neither tending to 
 our own good, nor the advantage of others? May 
 it not truly be laid, of the thoughts of our hearts, 
 they are little worth? Were all the rovings and 
 mufings of our minds fetdown, how fuprifingiy 
 vain and unprofitable would the greateft part 
 of them appear ? But that is not the worn:. 
 Have there not been many bafe and unworthy 
 imaginations ftirring in our hearts ? And what- 
 ever hand the enemy may have had in them, 
 have they not almoft at all times, met with 
 too much indulgence from us ? True, there 
 is, thro' mercy, a law in our minds oppofing 
 thefe things, but now doth fin and corruption 
 ieem to prevail ? Again, What have we done ? 
 Has there not been too much irreverence of 
 God in our fclemn acts of worfhip ? With 
 how much difficulty are we fometimes brought 
 to our religious duties, even thofe in which 
 we have often found the greater!: pleafure and 
 advantage ? How thoughtleis of the glory of 
 
 God, 
 
Serm.XVII. Self-examination recommended. 33 1 
 
 God, the object we profefs to worfhip ? what 
 confufion in our fpirits ? what diftra&ion in 
 our affections, and ftrange wanderings from 
 God, even whilft his name has been in our 
 lips ? how ready to be Satisfied with the work 
 done, though performed at a poor rate, and 
 in a lame and imperfect manner? Farther, 
 what have we done ? as to our love to jfefus ? 
 as to faith in his blood, defire after communion 
 with him, and zeal for his glory ? Has there 
 not been an abatement as to each of thefe ? 
 Once his perfon, righteoufnefs, and offices 
 were truly and abundantly precious in our 
 efteem j we faw his fuperlative excellence and 
 glory, and we could not fatisfy ourfelves with- 
 out going out after him in a way of depen- 
 dence, and reaching forth the defires of our 
 fouls after fellowship with him, were glad 
 to do every thing we could for the glory of 
 his name, and willing to fufFer any thing 
 for his caufe and interest. But how is it 
 now ? How hath it been for months, or per- 
 haps years part? Hath not "Jefus been too 
 much neglected ? And have not our hearts gone 
 after other objects ? Has there not been too great 
 an attachment to the things of time and fenfe, 
 and too eager a purfuit after this perifhing 
 world ? How juftly may he complain of us, 
 as having loft our jirjl love ? Again, how have 
 we behaved in the day of profperity ? Hath 
 every mercy, efpecially thofe of a dutinguim- 
 ing ; remarkable nature filled our fouls with 
 8 adoring 
 
334 ^W" examination recommended. 
 adoring apprehenfions of the loving kindnefs 
 of God ? Have our hearts been turned towards 
 him with grateful acknowledgements, and our 
 lives fhewn forth his praife ? Or rather, have 
 we not been proud, vain, and forgetful of God, 
 even the God of our mercies, and of ourielves 
 too? But further, what advantage have we made. 
 of the means of grace ? and how have we im- 
 proved under the droppings of the fancluary ? 
 Hath our fruitfulnefs bore any proportion to 
 the care the Lord has taken in' our cultiva- 
 tion ? When we have attended on divine mi- 
 niftrations of the word preached, or at the 
 table of the Lord, have we looked for God, 
 for the living God ? Have we defired the pre- 
 fence of the Redeemer, and the awakening, 
 purifying, comforting influences of the Spirit ? 
 I am afraid the enquiry muft iffue, as to many 
 of us, in this mournful acknowledement, " O 
 " my leannefs, my barrennefs, under rich 
 u means of fruitfulnefs, and profit?" Yet again, 
 What have we done ? Have we not been apt to 
 envy the profperous ftate of others, and to fret, 
 and be uneafy at the difpenfations of provi- 
 dence towards ourfelves ? Have there been no 
 heart-rifings when others have been loaded 
 with hoiaour, have increafed in riches, and 
 enjoyed a great fhare of health, whilft we have 
 been difappointed, impoverifhed, and defpifed, 
 or have groaned under pining ficknefs, and 
 fore pain ? And, to add no more, What have 
 we done ? If we have had a little comfort, or 
 
 a 
 8 
 
Serm.X VII. Self examination recommended. 33 J 
 
 a fpii itual frame, how apt have we been to facri- 
 fce to our net, and bum incenje to our drag * ? 
 And when denied it, have we not grown fallen, 
 peevifh, and been ready to quarrel with God 
 and all about us ? This may ferve as a fpeci- 
 men of the reafonablenefs of this inquiry. 
 Many other particulars might be mentioned, 
 in which the beft of us may, with great pro- 
 priety, put the quefiion in the text to ourfelves, 
 What have I done % and upon a ferious, and 
 faithful anfwer to it, find reafon for repentance 
 and humiliation. 
 
 And, with great deference to the ferious 
 piety, exemplary ufefulnefs, and zealous fpirit 
 difcovered by you, my. honoured fathers and 
 brethren, who are engaged in the great work 
 of the miniftry, fuffer me, without offence, 
 to fay, that perhaps there may be yet fome rea- 
 fon for each of us, fure I am there is great reafon 
 for me, to fay with deep concern of foul before 
 the Lord, What have Ido?ie? You are fenfible of 
 the great honour God has put upon us, in call- 
 ing us to preach the gofpel ; our obligations are 
 of a peculiar nature, and our account very awful. 
 If I afk my own foul, " What have 1 done with 
 " God in fecret? have I been wreftling for fur- 
 " niture, afliftance, andfuccefs, crying for fouls 
 <e to be gathered, and edified ? what have I done 
 " in preparation ? have I ftudied with depend- 
 " ance on the Spirit, and laboured hard to find out 
 " what might be fuitable to every cafe, and ufeful 
 *' toall ? what have Idone in my publick miniftry ? 
 
 " what 
 
 * Hab. i 16. 
 
336 Self examination recommended. 
 
 * c what ferioufnefs and reflection of fpirit have I 
 " ufed ; what earneftnefs and zeal for the honour 
 " oiChrlft and the good of fouls? what have I 
 " done in the overfight of the flock? have I 
 <c watched over them in love, taking every op- 
 <c portunity to advife and reprove, as the cafe 
 " called for it ? what have I done by my example; 
 u in following after righteoufnefs, and godlinefs, 
 11 faith and love, patience and meeknefs ? what in 
 « every other particular of my important office ? 
 " fo much hath been amifs, that fhame may 
 <c well cover me, and there is great reafon for me 
 " to cry out, Enter not into judgment with thy 
 11 fervant x , O Lord, but according to the multi- 
 " tude of thy tender mercies blot out my tranfgref- 
 " Jions T" But, to draw to a clofe, from what 
 has been faid we may learn, 
 
 1. What a poof miferable creature the 
 hardened impenitent finner is. He is taking all 
 the pains he can to ftifle the convi&ions of his 
 own mind, to put away the threatnings of God's 
 word from him, whilft he is every day treafur- 
 ing up wrath againft the day of wrath, and the 
 revelation of the righteous judgment of God *. 
 Should I be fpeaking to any fuch at this rime, 
 remember there is a long eternity before you. 
 Perhaps you are too much engaged in the bufi- 
 nefs of the world, or too much immerfed in the 
 pleafures of it, to attend to the voice of con- 
 fciencc now: but vou will have noth'ne; elfe 
 to do hereafter. If you die in this condition, 
 the worm will never ceafe gnawing, and with 
 
 bitter 
 
 * Pfal. cxliii. 2. f Pfal li. r. * Rom. ii. 3. 
 
Serm.XVII. Self-examination recommended, 337 
 bitter howlings you will cry out for ever, Oh 
 what have I done I the fummer is gc?ic i the har- 
 vefi over, my foul is loft for ever, and that for 
 trifles, for vanity, forworfe than vanity! Wretch 
 that I am, what have I done ! 
 
 2. We may farther learn, from what hath 
 been faid, the utter impofiibility of being faved 
 by any righteoufnefs of our own. How mail 
 a creature, who cannot ftand before the bar of 
 his own confeience, if it is faithful, pretend to 
 meet his judge, a God of infinite knowledge, and 
 infinite purity ? Alas, we fee but little compara- 
 tively of ourfelves ! butGody^zn^j the heart , 
 and undefftands our errors in another man- 
 ner than we can do. Ho wfiall man then bejufi 
 with God ? Let us therefore thankfully embrace 
 Jefus as the end of the law for righteoufnefs z , and 
 with the apoftle difclaim, and give up our own, 
 and count all things but lofs for the excellency of 
 the knowledge of Chrift, that we may be found 
 in him, not having cur own righteoufnefs , which 
 is of the law, but that which is thro' the faith 
 of Chrift, the righteoufnefs which is of God by 
 faith*. 
 
 3 . We may infer the neceffity of the opera- 
 tions of the holy Spirit, and the marvellous fuc- 
 cefs which attends them in the work of grace 
 wrought upon the hearts of iinners. The 
 heart of every natural man is fully fet in him to 
 do evil : none of them fay, is there not a lie in 
 
 Z my 
 
 * Rom. x. 4. 5 Phil. iii. 8, 9. 
 
3 3 8 &y» examination recommended. 
 
 my right hand b ? But they fpeak peace, and 
 prcmife happinefs to themfelves, even in the 
 Ways which lead to death, and fay, in a very 
 different fpirit, V/hat have I done that fhould 
 deferve the divine refentment ? What lei's than 
 almighty efficacy can bring fuch a one to fay, 
 Father, I have Jinn cd againjl heaven, and in thy 
 fight c ? And how often have we feen fuch an 
 haughty, obflinate rebel brought, with tears of 
 contrition, to cry out, God be merciful to me a 
 finner. 
 
 4. And laftly, From hence we may learn 
 the happinefs of the heavenly ftate. The be- 
 liever will have nothing there to charge him- 
 felf with ; will be in no danger of offending 
 God, or grieving his fpirit. Every tear will be 
 wiped away from his eyes, every corruption ba- 
 mmed from his foul, and he will be always in a 
 fpiritual frame, and his joy full, and without 
 interruption. Blefs God for Jefns your hope of 
 glory ; live more upon his Spirit, the author of 
 all grace ; look frequently into the promifes ; 
 believe the word, and the oath of a faithful 
 God -, reach out the arm of faith, and let your 
 defires go before you into that world, where 
 your everlafting employment will be, not as 
 at prefent with tears of grief to fay, What 
 have I done ? but with an elevation of tri- 
 umph, What hath God done ? what hath Chriji 
 done? what hath grace, fovereign, matehlefs 
 
 grace. 
 * Ifai, xliv. zc» c Lake xv. 21. 
 
Scrm.XVII. Self -examination recommended. 339 
 
 grace done for our fouls ? Oh the riches of the 
 glory of what is done by Father, Son, and 
 Spirit ! Happy now in the contemplation of 
 it; but thrice happy then, in the ineffable 
 enjoyment of it, you will for ever fay, Not 
 unto us, O Lord, not unto us 3 but unto thy 
 name be ail the glory ! 
 
 2,z 
 
 8 E R- 
 
( 340 ) 
 
 SERMON XVIIL 
 
 Of communicating chrijlian experience. 
 
 Psalm lxvi. 16. 
 
 Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will 
 declare what he hath done for my foul, 
 
 HIS pfalm you will eafily difcern h 
 made up of praife and thankfgiving, 
 and what indeed fhould be the habi- 
 tual employment of chriftians when 
 the Lord hath dealt thus bountifully with them, 
 as he had done with the infpired author. In> 
 the words, more particularly, we mayobferve, 
 
 First, the perfon fpeaking. And I think 
 it is generally agreed it is king David-, one 
 who, though he enjoyed the crown of Ifrael, 
 was not afhamed of the crofs of Chrift, nor 
 the experience he had of the grace of God $ 
 but calls upon all that feared the Lord to come, 
 and attend to what he could declare of his 
 
 Fa- 
 
Serm. XVIII. Of communicating, &c. 341 
 
 Father's love to him. And in this he may 
 well fhame, alas ! but too many chriftians in 
 our day, who either are too rich or too poor, 
 too great or too mean, for ferious and friendly 
 converfation about the things of God. David 
 thought it not beneath him to invite not this Or 
 the other favourite only, but all them that 
 feared the Lord, to this entertainment. You 
 may alfo obferve, 
 
 Secondly, the invitation itfelf ; it is to a 
 fpiritual entertainment, a feaft that to the 
 world looks mean, but when the Lord owns 
 it with his prefence, it is in reality a feaft of 
 fat things. Obferve he did not call them to 
 hear an enumeration of the mighty feats of 
 war in which he had been engaged, of the 
 exploits he had performed, and the victories 
 he had won j but, come, fays he, and hear 
 what God hath done for my foul. He invites 
 them to attend to the account he had to give 
 of his religious experience. From which we 
 may learn, that we are not to hide the deal- 
 ings of God with our fouls from our fellow- 
 chriftians, but, upon every proper occaiion, to 
 be ready to open our hearts, and with the ut- 
 moft freedom declare the gracious experience 
 we have had of his goodnefs to us. Again, 
 
 Thirdly, we may take notice of the per- 
 sons David addrenes on this occafion. And it 
 was not confined to the princes and lords of his 
 court, or to the mighty men that fought un- 
 der his banners 5 but directed to them that 
 Z 3 feared 
 
342 Of communicating 
 
 feared the Lord-, and to ^//ofthem, which maybe 
 underftood as the general character of believers, 
 who rejoice with trembling, or approach to the 
 Lord in every duty with humble reverence, 
 at the fame time that it is with holy boldnefs; 
 who fear the Lord with a filial awe, though 
 they are ftrangers to a flavifh bondage ; thefe 
 in general he calls to hear what God had done 
 for him. Or elfe, it may be an intimation of 
 his defire that the fearful in Zion, and more 
 efpecially thofe believers who were ready to 
 entertain dreadful imaginations, whofe fouls 
 were opprefled with fear, mould attend to the 
 account he had to give of his religious expe- 
 rience. " Come, fays he, all ye that jear the 
 " Lord, and 1 will tell you what he hath done 
 "for my foul. Perhaps there may be fome- 
 tl thing in my cafe that may fuit your fouls, 
 cc or encourage you in the way of the Lord : 
 " however, you will certainly hear fomething 
 <c that may tend to glorify the riches of his 
 " grace. Come therefore and hear, and leave 
 " the fuccefs to the Lord." 
 
 From the words thus opened and intro- 
 duced, we have the following doctrinal obfer- 
 vation : 
 
 THAT a child of God, under the influence of 
 his Spirit, reflecting on the great things 
 Cod hath done for him, cannot but be much 
 aflfecled himfelf, and exceedingly deflrous 
 that, for the glory of God, and the good of 
 others, they fkoidd be acquainted with it. 
 
 Come, 
 
Serm. XVIII. chrijiian experience. 343 
 
 Come, and hear all ye that fear God, and 
 I will declare what he hath done for my 
 Soid. And here, 
 
 I. I shall confider the matter of this de- 
 claration, and fome inftances that the be- 
 liever, on fuch an occafion as this, may 
 be fuppofed to have his eye more imme- 
 c ely upon, when he exprefles himfelf 
 in this manner. 
 
 II. The feveral forts of perfens to whom a 
 chnftian, when led by the fame fpirit 
 with the pfalmift, would declare thefe 
 things. 
 
 III. The ends he mould propofe in this 
 duty. And, 
 
 IV. The manner in which it mould be 
 performed. And then, 
 
 I. I shall confider the matter of this de- 
 claration, and fome inftances that the pfalmift 
 might be fuppofed to have his eye more im- 
 mediately upon, when he exprefTes himfelf in 
 this manner, which may very well be fuppofed 
 to take in two heads. 
 
 1. What God had done for his foul in 
 his covenant, and by his Son. And, 
 
 2. What he had wrought in his foul, as 
 a confequence, and manifeftation of his intereft 
 in thofe bleffings. 
 
 1. We may fuppole the pfalmift here had 
 
 a fpecial regard to what God had done for his 
 
 Z 4 foul 
 
344 Of communicating 
 
 foul, in his covenant, and by his Son. And 
 here doubtlefs he was not unmindful of his 
 having loved him with an everlafting love, 
 and chofen him to everlafting life. And 
 accordingly every believer, under the like 
 fpiritual influence, is ready to addrefs his fel- 
 low-chrifHans in fome fuch language as this : 
 <( See here a poor unworthy creature whom 
 * the Lord fet his love upon even from ever- 
 " lading. Notwithstanding he was thoroughly 
 " apprifedj I fhould forfeit every thing by my 
 " rebellion againft him ; yet this was no ob- 
 iC ftruction to the kind defigns of his grace. See 
 u one whom he has diflinguifhed as the object 
 <c of his fpecial favour. He hath chofen me 
 '5 from before the foundation of the world, and, 
 " as a confequence of this, has provided a 
 " powerful and fuitable Saviour for me, one 
 " who was able and willing to fuftain the 
 cl weight of my guilt, and to make fuflicient 
 <{ atonement for it. He was at the expence 
 " of parting with his own Son out of his bo- 
 cc fom upon my account : and, when there 
 " could be no poffible relief any where elfe, 
 " he laid help upon him, who was in himfelf 
 " mighty to fave ; when he could not fave 
 <c me eonfiftent with his own juftice, without 
 " a fuflicient fatisfacticn, he himfelf provided 
 <c a lamb without fpot to die for me. And 
 " when I had nothing to induce the Lord 
 " . Jefus to take the burden of my iniquities upon 
 <( him, being all polluted and in my blood, 
 ct he freely offered himfelf, and faid to the Fa- 
 
 11 ther 
 
Serm. XVIII. chriftian experience. 345 
 
 cc ther, Lo I come, in the volume of the book it is 
 tf written of me, to do thy will O God* ! The 
 " propofal was no fooner made in the cove- 
 <c nant of peace, that was between them both, 
 " than it was agreed upon, and accordingly the 
 " Lord laid on him my iniquities, and fo I 
 U was preferved in Chrijt fafe from the hands 
 11 of avenging juftice, as interefted in his me- 
 c< diatorial undertaking. .But that was not 
 <c all. In the fulnefs of time, this fame Je- 
 <c fits came, and was content to take upon 
 " him the form of a fervant, to iubmit to all 
 •* the ignominies that finful and abandoned 
 " men could inflidt upon him. He lid not his 
 " face from Jhame and /pitting, he endured 
 " the rage of devils, and drank the cup of his 
 " Father's wrath, was bruifed for my ifiiqui- 
 " ties, and the chaflifement of my peace was 
 " upon him, that fo, by his Jlripes 1 might be 
 <l healed*. He hath thus by one offering for 
 u ever perfected this great work c . And as 
 •* juftice has difcharged him, by raifing him 
 " from the dead, and fixing him at the right 
 <c hand of God j fo now I am even rifen with 
 " him, and fet down with him, as he is my 
 ** head, and I am a living member of his 
 " body. See, O my friends, the Lord hath done 
 * c all this for me ; and if you confider the vaft 
 w difproportion between him and me, that he 
 * is the high and lofty one who inhabiteth eter- 
 
 " ?tity f 
 ■ Heb. x. 9. *> ifaj. \m 5 , c Heb. x. 14. 
 
346 Of communicating 
 
 " nity, and I a poor defpicable worm, not wor- 
 w thy of his notice ; what grace is here ! Nor 
 " is this all j I am not only, in my beji ejlate, but 
 <( vanity, yea lefs than nothifig and vanity; but in 
 <{ my natural flate I was an enemy to God, and 
 ci he did all this for me while 1 was fuch. This 
 " is love indeed ! Herein he comme?ids his love 
 " to me, that when 1 was without firength 
 Ci Chriji died for me d ." Thus the believer, 
 upon proper occafions, runs over the wonders 
 of redeeming grace, and confiders the love of 
 God in its origin, as ariiing merely of his own 
 good pleafure, and in its confequences as reach- 
 ing to the foul's welfare in time, and to eternity. 
 And while he is reflecting on thefe things, his 
 heart burns within him, and from what he 
 feels in himfelf, he cannot but be folicitous 
 that others mould join with him in his won- 
 der and thankfulnefs : and accordingly from 
 the abundance of his heart his mouth fpeaketh, 
 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and 1 will tell 
 you what he hath done for my foul. He hath re-* 
 deemed me from defruBion, and crowned me with, 
 loving kindnefs arid tender mercies* j fet me 
 above princes, in admitting me to a place in his 
 favour; and he can nowfmile upon me with due 
 glory to his juftice, and delight over me to do me 
 good, confident with the purity of his nature, 
 and the righteoufnefs of his law. But again, 
 
 2. We may fuppofe the good man to have 
 regard to what the Lord had wrought in his 
 
 foul, 
 
 d Rom. v. 8. e Pfal. ciii. 4. 
 
Serm. XVIII. chrijlian experience. 347 
 
 foul, as well as what he done for him j and 
 fo he may be looked upon as calling to his 
 friends to attend to the account of his experience 
 of the goodnefsof God to him. And then you may 
 fuppole him to befpeak them to this purpofe. 
 I was once by nature a a child of wrath as well 
 as others, an enemy to God thro' wicked works - y 
 running into all excefs of riot, finning againft 
 him without remorfe, or any fenfe of my 
 danger, without God and without Chrifi % 
 and fo without hope, in the world. Once 
 I was in worfe than Egyptian darknefs, ig- 
 norant of God , a ftranger to myfelf, un- 
 acquainted with the way of God's falvation, 
 a profefled enemy to the divine law, and a 
 thorough adverfary to every thing that is 
 good: but, through almighty grace, it is not 
 fo with me now. The Lord came at fuch, 
 or fuch a time, and touched my foul with 
 his powerful hand, and I began to find the 
 terrors of the law ftick faft in me. I could 
 not fin at fo cheap a rate as before : no, as 
 I began to fee the purity of God's law I was 
 moft feverely lafhed by it, and thought hell 
 and deftruction muft inevitably be my portion. 
 While it was thus with me I found no reft 
 for my foul, nothing but darknefs and con- 
 fufion, horror and defpair, till the Lord led 
 me to the city of refuge, and difcovered him- 
 felf in his Son to my foul : and then it was 
 that I emerged from darknefs, and began 
 to find myfelf light in the Lord, beholding 
 
 « a 
 
348 Of communicating 
 
 %< a beauty in the method of my recovery re- 
 " vealed in the gofpel : then it was that I wil- 
 " lingly caft down all the weapons of my 
 " oppoiition, and denied to be lubject to 
 " none but ye/us. How much foever -before 
 " I was for faving myfelf, now, it was the 
 " defire of my heart that Chrift alone mould 
 *' be exalted ; that he mould have all the 
 W glory, as the work was all his. Thus the 
 " Lord has led me in his own way, and 
 * c brought me to his Son, enabling me to fee 
 *' my need of him, and his meetnefs to a {lift 
 " and fave me, as made of God to me wifdom, 
 <c riglteoujnefs, fanBifcation, and redemption f ; 
 " and, at tlie fame time, I hope, revealed him 
 " in me as the hope of my glory, and mewed 
 " me, in the difcoveries of his love, that he 
 " was mine. Then this, or the other promife 
 i c was brought to my foul, .;nd fet home with 
 " peculiar warmth. He faid unto me, Be of 
 " good ckear> thy fins are forgiven thee s , / have 
 " blotted out as a thick cloud thy tranfgreffions y 
 <£ and as a cloud thy fins h ; Be not difmayed, for 
 " I am thy God'\ I have made an everlafting 
 " covenant with thee, even the fare mercies of 
 " David k : / have loved thee, with an ever- 
 ec lajling love , therefore with loving kindnefs 
 " have I drawn thee K Thus with cords of 
 " love was I won to fefus Chrift, as with the 
 " bands of a man j and at this, and the other 
 
 " time, 
 
 f ? Cor. i. 30. « Mat. ix. 2. h Ifai.xliv. 22. [ Chap. 
 xli. 10. k Chap.lv. 3. ' Jer. xxxi. 3. 
 
Scrm.XVIII. chriftian experience. 349 
 
 l< time, he told me, in the fecret whifpers of 
 <( his Spirit, that my beloved was mine, and /was 
 11 bis m . And not only fo, but, ever fince, he 
 «' hath guided me by his counfel, and com- 
 « £ forted me with his love : and though, alas! 
 " but too often, through the ftrength of cor- 
 " ruptions, I have finned againil him ; yet he 
 {£ hath not been wanting in the difcoveries of 
 '< pardoning grace, hath fried abroad his love 
 " in my heart, and bid me return unto him 
 " for he had redeemed me." Thus we may 
 fuppofe the good man addreffing his friends 
 when he fays " Come and hear what the Lord 
 <£ has done for my foul. He hath brought me 
 " out of darknefs into his marvellous light n ; he 
 " hath fet my feet upon a rock, and ejlablijhed 
 " my goings °. And now with pleafure I can 
 <c look forward ; and, from what I have for- 
 * merly felt of his goodnefs, with comfort 
 V conclude, that he will never leave me, nor 
 « for fake me p ." And in this we mull fuppofe 
 the pfalmift was very far from being alone: for 
 there never was a believer in the world but 
 (tho' he might not be able to be fo very parti- 
 cular, yet) could fet to his feal that he had 
 experienced fomewhat of this nature. And I 
 am fure, thofe that are thus led by the Spirit 
 of Chrijl will be folicitous that others fhould 
 hear, and know what the Lord hath done for 
 them. And thus I have finifhed the firft ge- 
 neral 
 
 » Cant. ii. 16. • I Pet. ii. 9. • Pfal. xl. 2. * Heb. 
 xiii. 5. 
 
35° Of communicating 
 
 neral head, concerning the matter of this de- 
 claration, or what it was Daciid muft be 
 fuppofed to have his eye upon, when he lays, 
 Come, and hear what God hath done for myfouh 
 I come now to confider, 
 
 II. The feveral forts of perfons to whom 
 a chriftian, when led by the fame fpirit 
 with the pfalmift, would declare theie things. 
 And, 
 
 i. The faints would declare them to finners, 
 making no profeffion of religion, when they 
 obferve them concerned about their eternal 
 welfare. And I am thoroughly perfuaded the 
 Lord hath owned this to many fouls. If we 
 hear finners enquiring the way to Zion, with 
 their faces ever fo little inclined thitherward, 
 methinks, we mould gladly lay hold on any 
 fuch opportunity to declare to them what God 
 hath done for us, and the way he led us, 
 when we were in the fame cafe. It is true we 
 may exhort, advife, and direct them ; but as ex- 
 ample generally influences more than precept, fo, 
 if we can fay to them not only, we would have 
 them do this or that, but at the fame time, de- 
 clare to them the remarkable dealings of God 
 with our own fouls, when we were in the fame 
 circumftances, it will be very likely to have a 
 falutary effect. And if we relate the comforts 
 with which we have been comforted, it may 
 prevent them from forrowing as thofe who 
 |re without hope, fince the fame Lord, who 
 
 fup- 
 
Scrm. XVIII. chriftian experience. 35.1 
 
 fupported and delivered us, is able to do the 
 fame for them. It is true we are not to cajt 
 our pearls before jwine ; that is, we have no call 
 to tell our experience to every profligate finner, 
 for, as fuch feel nothing of it, fo they would ra- 
 ther turn it into banter and ridicule. But me- 
 thinks, it mould be no objection to us, when 
 we fee perfons ferioufly inquiring after the way 
 of falvation, that they are ignorant and weak. 
 No, if we have but the leaft apprehenfion that 
 any degree of the fear of God is before their 
 eyes, we may fafely follow the pfalmift's exam- 
 ple, and call upon them, to come and hear what 
 God hath done for our fouls. Thus, for inftance, 
 fuppofe we hear a poor foul crying out. " O 
 " I feel my fins as a burden too heavy for me 
 " to bear 1 1 could be glad to know which way, 
 <f if it were poffible, I might be pardoned and 
 " accepted. But alas ! I am ready to fear the 
 <£ Lord hath call: me off, that he will never 
 " have a gracious thought towards me." Upon 
 fuch an occalion, what can be more natural than 
 for us to begin, and declare, that when we 
 were in this very cafe, the Lord led us this, 
 or the other way, into the knowledge of the 
 compleatnefs of Cbrift's fatisfa&ion, and {hewed 
 us where we were to flee for refuge, fo as to 
 find peace ? And thus we mould feize fuch op- 
 portunies not only to preach Chrifi as the 
 only way of falvation, but to declare that we 
 have, in our own experience, found him to be 
 fo, and have obtained relief and fafety in truft- 
 
 ing 
 
 4 
 
2 $2 Of communicating 
 
 ing in him. Thus we are to declare what God 
 hath done for cur fouls, to affift and encourage 
 poor awakened finners; but more efpecially are 
 we to do this, 
 
 2. To believers. And, 
 (i.) To thofe who are but babes in Chrift, 
 weak in faith, that are full of doubts and 
 hefitations, who cannot venture to conclude 
 they have an intereft in the Lord J ejus Chrijl, 
 and yet dare not carl: away all their confidence. 
 That it is the pleafure of the Lord that the 
 church mould abound with thefe, every day's 
 experience confirms. For where you meet 
 with one ftrong chriftian, perhaps you may 
 find many weak and trembling ones. Well ! 
 we mould never hear one of thefe complain- 
 ing, but, as a proper relief, we mould look 
 bnck upon our own experience, and afk our- 
 felves, " Was I never in fuch a cafe as this? And 
 " if fo, then let me endeavour to itrengthen the 
 ** weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, 
 <c and fay to them, Come and hear what God 
 <{ hath done for j?iy foul" And it hath been 
 often cbferved that the Lord has owned this, 
 to the comfort and eftablifhment of his little 
 ones. tc What ! faith the poor foul, was this 
 " or the other friend in the fame cafe with 
 ct myfelf ? And hath the Lord delivered them? 
 01 As 1 am fure he had no regard to any fu- 
 " perior qualifications that might be as an ar- 
 " gument to it; fo I am refolved, in the 
 " firength of his grace, to put my truft in him. 
 
 « Why 
 
feerrri. XVIII. chrijiian experience. 353 
 
 " Why mould I be .caft down, fince he who 
 V hath delivered this, or the other believer, 
 <c can, if he pleafes, deliver me ? " Thus we 
 mould declare what God hath done for our 
 fouls to the weak in Cbriji's flock. But again, 
 
 (2.) This isalfoaduty even to the ftrongeft 
 faint in the world, to thofe who are got into the 
 higheft clafs. You know this is the character 
 of the children of God, thzttbey/peak often one 
 to another 1 • and that not only about the things 
 of God in general, but about what they have 
 felt in their own fouls. They mould, as often 
 as they have opportunity, and efpecially in their 
 beft frames, recount what God has done for 
 them in times paft, and communicate alfo their 
 prefent experiences to their fellow- chriftians. 
 Thus I have gone through the fecond general 
 head, and have (hewn you to whom the be- 
 liever mould declare his experience ; to enquir- 
 ing finners, trembling faints, and growing chri- 
 ftians. I come now, 
 
 III. To confider the ends which a believer 
 mould propofe in the difcharge of this duty. 
 And, 
 
 i.°The principal end he mould have in 
 view, when he declares his experience, is the 
 glory of that God, who hath dealt fo bounti- 
 fully with him. He would furely have the 
 Lord exalted for his faithfulnefs and goodnefs 
 to him ; he would have it publiihed, that the 
 
 name 
 
 "- Mai. iii i& 
 
 Aa 
 
354 Of communicating 
 
 name of the Lord might be great ; that finners- 
 might know that his God is faithful to his word ; 
 that he hath not only engaged to be a prefent 
 help in time of need^ but that he hath found 
 him in reality to be fo. As he knows the ene- 
 mies of God are ready enough to charge him 
 with neglect of his people, becaufe of the 
 trials and afflictions they are exercifed with ; 
 fo he would, in contradiction to them, declare 
 what he hath found in his own experience y 
 that in very faithfulnefs he afflicts thofe that 
 are deareft to him. And with what luftre does 
 the glory of God mine, when his children are 
 ready to acknowledge, that he never called 
 them out to any duty, but his grace was fuf- 
 flcient for them -, that he never laid his hand 
 upon them in any afflictive exercife, but he 
 at the fame time, lupplied them with all thofe 
 fupports which they flood in need of? I fay, 
 for chriftians thus to ftand up, on proper 
 occafions, and bear their experimental tefti- 
 mony to the faithfulnefs and goodnefs of God, 
 what a tendency hath it to make the name of 
 the Lord, - who hath been their fhong tower, 
 glorious in the mid ft or the earth ? This is 
 what the chriftian chiefly aims at. But again, 
 
 2, Another end he hath in view is to hum- 
 ble his own foul, as well as the vanity of other 
 men, by declaring how little he has deferve4 
 at the hand of the Lord, and yet how much 
 he hath done for him. I he believer knows 
 too well the pnde that is naturally in man. In 
 
 order 
 
Serm. XVIII. chriftian experience. 35^ 
 
 order therefore to lower his fentiments of him- 
 felf, he will be ready to acknowledge his own 
 vilenefs, that he was worfe by nature than the 
 beafts that perifh, and unlefs the Lord had been 
 merciful to him, when he was in his blood j 
 he could never have been partaker of fuch fa- 
 vour at his hands. And thus, while others 
 boafr. of their own power and worthinefs, he 
 cannot furbear declaring, that, how much fo- 
 ever the Lord hath been pleafed to favour him 
 with his prefence, yet, that he is obliged to 
 difcard all preteniions to merit, and {ays, Not 
 unto me, not unto me, O Lord, but unto thy name 
 be all the glory. And by this means he many 
 times puts to filence the vanity of other men. 
 But then again, 
 
 3. Another end is to promote the welfare 
 of his fellow-chriftians. As he loves the head, 
 fo he alfo loves the members. In whomfoever 
 he fees the image of Chrijl formed, he defires 
 his heart may be knit in love to fuch an one. 
 And as he would not have it inactive love 5 fo, 
 upon every proper occafion, he would open to 
 his chriitian brother what he harh felt of the 
 joy, that a (banger intermeddles not with, 
 that he might be a (barer with him, and be 
 comforted by his experience, when darkneft 
 comes upon him. And thus he is likewife 
 glad to improve every opportunity of helping 
 the joy, and affifiing the comfort of his bre- 
 thren in the Lord. There are fo many difficul- 
 ties that the chriftian is befet with, in the prefent 
 A a 2 ftate^ 
 
35^ Of cgmmumcaung 
 
 ftate, that he can never follow the Lord 
 fully, and have the world to be his friend. 
 So that, methinks, fince there are fo few who 
 name the name of Chri/l, and yet much fewer 
 that love him in lincerity, where this difpofi- 
 tion is in truth, it mould have the greateft 
 tendency to enkindle the moft engaging affec- 
 tion ; an affection which mould mew itfelf, 
 in a readinefs to do all that lies in our power, 
 towards mutual growth in the knowledge and 
 comforts of the holy Ghoft. And as chriftian 
 converfation about the dealings of God with our 
 fouls hath often been owned with this good ef- 
 fect, methinks we mould not be fuch Grangers 
 to one another; but cultivate this heavenly com- 
 merce with all our intereft and power. Thus 
 you fee what are the ends that believers mould 
 propofe in their difcharge of this duty. But 
 then I come, 
 
 IV. To fpeak of the manner in which it 
 mould be performed j or how a" chriftian is 
 to tell what God hath done for his foul. And it 
 may be reduced to two heads. 
 
 i. It mould be with the greater!: humility. 
 There is too much fpiritual, as well as carnal pride 
 among the profeflbrs of religion : and it is well 
 if too many of us may not have reafon to lay 
 our hands upon our mouths, and acknowledge 
 ourfelves more or lefs guilty in this refpect. We 
 had much better let fuch converfation alone, 
 
 than 
 
Serm. XVIII. ckriflian experience. 357 
 
 than declare our experiei.ee with a view to ex- 
 alt ourfelves by it. If we aim at railing our- 
 feives in the efteem of our fellow-chriftians, 
 or to gain reputation among men, if this is 
 the end we propofe, in declaring what Go4 
 has done for out fouls, it cannot but be naufeous 
 in the fight of the Lord. No, when we fay 
 any thing of what the Lord has done ei- 
 ther for us, or in us, let us remember the rock 
 from whence we were hewn, and the hole of the fit 
 from whence we were digged-, let us lay ourfelves 
 in the duft; and when we call to thole who fear 
 the Lord to hear what he hath done for us, let our 
 fouls be filled with the deepeft fenfe of our un- 
 worthinefs. Let us remember who did it, and 
 and give all the glory, where it is juflly due. 
 But again, 
 
 2. It mould alfo be attended with the greateft 
 thankfulnefs, wonder, and adoration at the riches 
 of God's grace. I am fure, if we have felt any 
 thing of it, we (hall not be able to declare it, 
 without fome good degree of thankfulnefs. 
 The impreilion will be too lively to be forgot- 
 ten entirely, and the grace will be too illuftri- 
 ous to be recited without fome meafure of gra- 
 titude. And thus I have gone through what 
 I defigned in a doctrinal way, and mall clofe 
 all with an inference or two. And, 
 
 1. Let us each of us afk ourfelves, What 
 
 hath the Lord done for my foul ? And in order 
 
 to determine this, let us afk, What hath he 
 
 A a 3 wrought 
 
35^ Of communicating 
 
 wrought in my foul ? For though the work of 
 God's grace in the heart is not cauial of God's 
 love to us, or to any act of grace towards us, 
 yet it is declarative of it. And, I am fure, if 
 we always remain in darknefs, concerning thefe 
 things, we {hall have no reafon to conclude 
 that we are the Lord's. If we would hope 
 that God hath loved us with an everlafting 
 love, we fhould enquire whether he has de- 
 clared it, by drawing us with the cords of his 
 love. It is not indeed effential to our happi- 
 fiefs, that we mould be able to give an exact 
 account of our experience, or every particular 
 circum (lance attending our converfion : but 
 unlefs we know that whereas we were once 
 blind, now we fee, whereas we were once 
 ' darknefs^ we are now light in the Lord r , I 
 know no - ground we have of confolation, as 
 having any lot, or fhare in the riches of par- 
 doning grace. Again, 
 
 2. How may we blufh and be afhamed, 
 that we have fo much converfation in the world, 
 and fo little about what God hath done for our 
 fouls ? It is a very bad fign upon us, in our 
 day, that the things of God are generally poft- 
 poned, while either the affairs of ftate, or the cir- 
 cumftancesof outward life, or fomething perhaps 
 of a more trifling nature, are the general fub- 
 jects of our converfation. What 1 are we 
 afhamed of the nobleft, the moft interefting 
 
 fob, 
 
 ? Eph. v. 8. 
 
Serm. XVIII. chrijlian experience. 359 
 
 fubjecV? It is but a poor ilgn that we have 
 felt any thing of it, if we think it unne- 
 cefTary to declare it to our fellow-chriftians. 
 What think you ? fuppofe any two of us were 
 cart upon a barbarous more, where we neither 
 understood the language, nor the cuftoms of 
 the inhabitants, and were treated by them with 
 reproach and cruelty, do you think we mould 
 not efteem it a happinefs, that we could un- 
 burden ourfelves to each other, and commu- 
 nicate our griefs, and troubles ? And (hall we 
 think it lefs {o, while we are in fuch a world 
 as this ; in a ftrange land, and at a diftance 
 from our father's houle ? mall we neglect con- 
 verting with each other ? No, let our conver- 
 faiion not only be in heaven, but about fpi- 
 ritual and heavenly things. But, 
 
 3. And laflly, blefs God for the Lord Je- 
 fus Chrift. You would never have had any 
 experience to declare, but a fearful looking for 
 of God's righteous judgments, were it not for 
 him. Well then, when you confider what 
 God hath done for you, remember him thro' 
 whom every bleffing has been communicated 
 to you ; remember him whom the Father gave 
 out of his bofom for your falvation, whom he 
 fanftified and jent into the world s j remember 
 him, who tho' he was rich, for your fakes be- 
 came poor ', that ye thro' his poverty might be rich 1 . 
 Remember all he did, and all he fufTered, that 
 A a 4 you 
 
 • John x. 36. T z Cor. viii. 9. 
 
360 Of communicating, &c. 
 
 you might be partakers of a rich experience of 
 grace here, and that you might afterwards 
 enter into the glory, which he is gone to pre- 
 pare for you. And when you confider thefe 
 things, I am fure, a crucified, rifen, and ex- 
 alted Jefus will be the principal fubject of your 
 converfation. 
 
 SER» 
 
( 36i ) 
 
 SERMON XIX. 
 
 The Jirong man CQ7tquered, 
 
 Luke xi. 21, 22. 
 
 When a Jirong man armed keepeth his palace, his 
 goods are in peace : but when a ftronger than 
 he fiall come upon him, and overcome him, he 
 taketh from him all his armour wherein he 
 trufted, and divideth his Jpoils. 
 
 HE ocean" on of thefe words was thisj 
 our Lord, whofe bufinefs it was to go 
 about doing good, and whofe miracu- 
 lous power was continually exerted to 
 fupport his miffion, and confirm his doctrine, had 
 difporTeffed a man of a devil, to the great afto- 
 nifhment of the one part of the people, and the 
 envy and confufion of the other ; who, though 
 they could not deny the matter of fact, that 
 iho devil was really caft out, this being done 
 8 in 
 
362 The Jlrong man conquered. 
 
 in the fight of all the people ; yet they endea- 
 voured to lefTen the miracle and its author in 
 their efteem, by malicious fuggeftions, that it 
 was done by the power of Satan. But Jome of 
 them Jaid, He cajtcth out devils through Beelze- 
 bub, the chief of the devils*. On this our 
 Lord, who was intimately acquainted with the 
 thoughts of their hearts, lhews the abfurdity 
 of their reafoning, by obferving, that Satan was 
 a wifer tyrant than to deftroy his own kingdom, 
 and that the true reafon why he made no ef- 
 fectual refiftance was, becaufe he was attacked 
 by a force fuperior to his own. This he il- 
 luftrates by a very apt fimilitude, part of which 
 I have now chofen as the fubject of my dif- 
 courfe. In which we may obferve, 
 
 I. The defcription given of Satan. He is, 
 as & Jlrong man armed. 
 
 II. Th e mifery of every natural man, while 
 fuch, fet forth by Satan, this.cruel tyrant's 
 keeping his palace, in the foul. There he 
 fits as lord and king. 
 
 III. We may obferve the fatal fccurity that 
 attends the foul in this miferable condi- 
 tion. All the while, his goods are in 
 peace. 
 
 IV. We have a glorious defcription of our 
 blefled Saviour, as one that Isjtronger than 
 this Jlrong man armed. When a fir onger than 
 hejhall come upon him, &c. And then, 
 
 * Luke xi. 15. 
 
Serm. XIX. Tloejlrong man conquered. 363 
 
 V. And laftly, we have an account of the 
 method, in which the captain of our fal- 
 vation conquers, and dethrones this jlrong 
 man armed, and that is, he comes upon him, 
 and overcomes him, he takethjrom him all 
 his armour wherein he trujted, and dividetb 
 his/foils. 
 
 Th u s I have given you the divifion of the 
 text : each part of which might furnifh us 
 with fufficient matter for a difcourfe : but I 
 fhall chufe rather at this time to infill: fome- 
 what breifly upon them all, and to make fome 
 fuitable application as I go along, But before 
 I proceed, it may not be amifs to obferve, that 
 the immediate defign of our Lord in thefe words, 
 when compared with the context, feems to be 
 to confute the unbelieving yews ; and fo they 
 carry in them a direct proof of the fuperior 
 power of Chrijl to that of Satan ; that at his 
 pleafure he could difpoflefs him. But, as all 
 fcripture is given by in/piration of God, and is 
 of no private interpretation, and as other mi- 
 racles of our Saviour were not only real in them- 
 felves, and defigned to confirm his mifiion and 
 doctrine, but are frequently ufed to convey 
 fpiritual inftruction in a figurative manner - } fo we 
 may fafelytake the words in the fenfe I have al- 
 readygiven of them, as preferring us with a very 
 lively defcription of the miserable condition of a 
 iinner, in his natural and unregenerate ftate, and 
 of his deliverance by the power and grace of 
 
 Chrijt \ 
 
 4 
 
364 c lLc Jlrong man conquered. 
 
 Cbrijl. This I thought neceffary to premium, 
 that none might charge me with fathering a fenfe 
 "of my own upon fcripture, in contradiftincticu 
 to that of the holy Ghoft. Put to begin, 
 
 I. With the account we have here of Sa- 
 tan : he is compared to a jlrong man, yea, to a 
 jlrong man armed. 
 
 1. S^.tan is comparecUo a jlrong man. and 
 that becaufe of his natural ftrength as an angel. 
 It is true, he hath undoubtedly loft a great deal 
 by his fall ; but how far ttris hath had an in- 
 fluence upon that original ftrength which he 
 had as an angel of the higheft rank, is what 
 neither I, nor any man can pretend perempto- 
 rily to determine. That he is ftiil exceeding 
 powerful will appear, if we corifider the names 
 which are given him in fcripture, fuch as the 
 frince cf the porter of the aifc*, the God of this 
 worldly and a roaring lion \ which you know 
 is allowed to be one of the ftrongeft of the 
 
 o 
 
 brute creation. He is alfo called the dragon, 
 that old ferpent*, and the like. All which 
 plainly imply, that he ftill retains abundance of 
 ftrength. So that he may juftly be compared 
 to a Jlrong man. Again, 
 
 2. Hfe is faid to be a Jlrong man armed', and 
 this may be upon many accounts. 
 
 (1.) As he is armed with power : this I have 
 {hewn you under the laft head, as he is com- 
 pared to a Jlrong man. 
 
 (2.) He 
 
 "* Eph. ii. 2. c 2 Cor. iv. 4. d 1 Pet. v. 3. e Rev. xx. 2. 
 
Serm. XIX, lte flrong man conquered. 365 
 
 (2.) He is armed with malice j he is an in- 
 veterate enemy to God, and all his creatures. 
 Thus as a rearing lion he walketb about \ feeking 
 whom he may devoiir f . He would doubtleis be 
 glad, if we can fuppofe a fpirit in the utmoft 
 torment, to be capable of any kind of joy, I 
 fay, if any thing could give him any pleafure, 
 it would be, to fee God dethroned, and the 
 whole creation deftroyed. Again, 
 
 (3.) He is armed with policy. On this ac- 
 count the apoftle fays to the Ephefians, Put on 
 the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to 
 Jiand againji the wiles of the devil 1 . And fo 
 in the epiftle to the Corinthians, he is repre- 
 fented as having blinded the minds of them which 
 believe not h . He is not only a powerful enemy, 
 and fo compared, as you have heard, to a roar- 
 ing lion, but a fubtle one too, and thus he is 
 compared to zferpent which lies in wait to de- 
 ceive. The apoftle fays, we are not ignorant 
 of his devices ' : by which he fignifies that he 
 is an artful adversary, and that he makes ufe 
 of all poffible ftratagems to deceive poor fouls. 
 And he is the better fitted for this, as in the 
 next place, 
 
 (4. ) He is armed with experience. He hath 
 not been the grand deceiver of mankind, down 
 from his firft fatal attempt upon our fir fl pa- 
 rents until now, without vaft improvements in 
 this wicked and deftruclive work. Every day 
 increafes his experience, and every finner he 
 
 temps 
 
 f i Pec. v. 3. 6 Eph vi. 1 1 , h i Cor. iv 4. J Chap. ii. 11. 
 
366 'Ihe Jlrong man conquered, 
 
 tempts furnifhes him with more knowledge 
 how to fait his baits to the various conftitutions 
 and circumftances of men. If one fnare will 
 not do, he will try another. And remember 
 withal that he is can inceflant enemy, who con- 
 tinually goes about endeavouring to do miichief. 
 Thus this cruel adversary is juftly faid to be 
 armed, as he is armed with ftrength, with ma- 
 lice, policy, and experience. 
 
 And is he fo ? To apply it as we go along, 
 then from hence we may learn, how unequal 
 a match we are, in ourfelves, for him. The 
 ftrongeft faint, as well as the moll daring and 
 felf fufficient finner, is in himfelf as nothing 
 before him. Know we not in ourfelve? how 
 to think a good thought, how much lefs then, 
 to encounter fo crafty and potent an enemy ? 
 Js it not a piece of the higheft prefumption, 
 for any of us to enter the lifts with him in our 
 own ftrength ? This, let me tell you, is one 
 of the ftrong holds of Satan : if he can per- 
 fwade the foul that he is equal to the combat 
 in his own ftrength, then it is that he is almoft 
 fure of victory. Let us then, as this is our 
 duty, nay, and let me add, our privilege too, 
 when we are tempted, look unto Jejus who 
 only can fecure us. But, 
 
 II. The next thing rbfervable in our text, 
 is the miferable ftate of a finner before con- 
 vei fiob ; the firong man armed hepeth bis palace, 
 or reigns in his ioul : he takes up his refidence 
 
 there, 
 
Serm. XIX. Theftrong man conquered. 367 
 
 there, as a king ; doth his pleafure, all things 
 go according to his will ; he rules as lord, and 
 reigns without controul in the heart, till it is re- 
 newed by divine grace. It is obfervable, that 
 it is not only faid that he dwells there, as in bis 
 palace, but he kgeps it, he keeps it to himfelf. 
 God and Clorijl {hall not have the leaft room 
 there 5 no, Satan will have it all ; he keeps his 
 palace, or the foul of the finner from every 
 thing that is good, and, as far as he is permitted, 
 fills it with every thing that hath a tendency to 
 procure its ruin. Thus he keeps his palace. 
 And I perfwade myfelf, I need not go about 
 to {hew you, that, while this is the cafe, the 
 foul muft needs be miferable. For can a per- 
 fon be otherwife than miferable, who is a flave 
 to the wont of tyrants ? Are we ready to fay, 
 and with the greateft reafon, that the condition 
 or ftate, even of a private perfon, that is in 
 fubjection to a cruel tyrant, is miferable? How 
 much more muft that foul be fo, who is un- 
 der the bondage of fin and Satan ? An earthly 
 tyrant, at the worft, can only kill the body ; 
 but this enemy levels his greateft force 
 againft the foul. He is not content with 
 bringing the finner often into {hame and po- 
 verty here 5 but nothing lefs than everlafting 
 destruction hereafter, will fatisfy this cruel ad- 
 verfary. Death you know puts an end to all 
 the malicious purfuits of other enemies 5 and 
 this to a good man, when under the mcft fen- 
 fible ill ufage he can meet with in this world, 
 
 is 
 
363 The jlrong man conquered. 
 
 h a very- quieting confideration, that he matt 
 meet with a fecUre retreat in the grave whii 
 ther he is haftening ; for there , as Job fpeaks, 
 the wicked ceafe 'from troubling : and there the 
 weary are at reft K But alas •! when a man is a 
 flave to Satan, unlefs grace prevent, the refult 
 Will be fuch horror and mifery as are beyond 
 all defcription, and of which the heart of man 
 can form no proper conception* Thus you 
 fee in how miferable a flate and condition that 
 man is, whofe foul is the palace of the devih 
 It is without doubt abundantly more deplorable, 
 than for a perfon to be bodily poflefled by that 
 mifchievous and mighty adverfary. The cafe 
 that we have in our context, before our Lord 
 adminiftred help to the poor creature, was not 
 by a thoufandth part fo fad, as is the condi- 
 tion of every unregenerate foul ; for that was 
 only an unhappihefs, involving no crime or 
 guilt in it ; whereas guilt is infeparable, where 
 Saltan has the pofTefTion of the foul. Again, 
 in the one, Satan's principal influence is on the 
 members of the body; in the other, the facul- 
 ties of the foul are under his direction, and 
 abufed at his pleafure. Thus miferable is the 
 cafe of thofe who are willing flaves to fin and 
 Satan, in whofe fouls he keeps his palace. 
 
 And is it fo then? how natural is it from 
 hence to infer, the grand miftake of thofe, 
 who from their being in eafy circumftanceS, 
 though utter 1 igers to the grace of God, con- 
 clude 
 
 k Job iii. 17, 
 
Serm. XIX. The firong man conquered. 369 
 
 dude they are really happy ? It is true, as to 
 this world, perhaps, they may have more than 
 heart could vvim: though this rarely happens, for 
 riches, as they are inthemfelves uncertain, fotheV 
 are in their enjoyment unsatisfying. But, 1 fiv, 
 admit they may look upon themfelves as com- 
 pleatly happy, or let this be the judgment of 
 others concerning them, yet, if this is the true 
 ftate of their cafe, that the ftrong man armed 
 keeps his palace in their fouls , they are of all per- 
 fons the mod miferable. Which leads us to 
 the next thing I propofed to confider in the 
 words, to wit, 
 
 III. The aggravating circumftance that 
 heightens, nay, may we not fay, compleats 
 their mifery, namely, their fatal fccurity: while 
 in this fad condition, their goods are in peace, 
 their fouls are eafy and calm, as if all were 
 right and well. They have peace indeed, fuch 
 an one as it is ; not that peace of confcience that 
 pajfeth all under '/landing, which is the refult of 
 an intereft in pardoning love ; no, their peace 
 is merely external, ungrounded confidence, 
 arifing, either, from a want of thought, or 
 elfe from wrong notions of God himfelf; as, 
 that he is all mercy, and has little or no re- 
 gard to juftice, or that they ftand upon very 
 good terms with him, fince they are fuch as 
 are commonly called morally honeft, and good 
 natured men. Thus they hug themfelves in a 
 falfe peace, few pillows of deceit under their 
 B b own 
 
37 o Thejlrong man conquered.- 
 
 own elbows \ and fay, as the fool in the gofpel, 
 Soul \ thou haft much goods laid up for many years ; 
 take thine eafe, eat, drink, and be merry m . And 
 obferveit, while this is the cafe, Satan c^veth. not 
 how little he difturbs them. He is well enough 
 contented, fo he may bat keep the palace \ what- 
 ever the foul may think of it; becaufe he knows 
 what will be the fatal ccnfsquence of it in the 
 end, unlefs grace prevent. And is not this a 
 moil melancholy condition indeed ?What! Satan 
 keep the palace, or reign lord fupreme in my 
 heart, and yet I as eafy as if Chrijl had fet up 
 his throne there ! Should we not fay concern- 
 ing a perfon intoxicated with liquor, or in a 
 dead fleep in the midft of flames, alas 1 poor 
 creature, he doth not know his own danger ? 
 Why, let me tell you, and it is enough to- 
 make every unregenerate foul tremble, this is 
 but a faint refemblance of the real mifery of 
 poor fmners. Should we be eafy in the paws 
 of a furious wild beaft ? And mail we then be 
 calm and unaffected while our fouls are under 
 the power of Satan, that favage and devouring 
 lion ? This is a mofl melancholy cafe indeed ! 
 1 know no more how to fet forth the danger 
 and mifery of fuch a condition, than I know 
 how to paint all the glories of the heavenly 
 ftate. The Lord grant that what I have faid 
 of it may not prove without its ufe, if there 
 ihould be any here, of whom it may be faid 
 
 they 
 1 Ezek. xiii. i.S.. m Luke xii. 19. 
 
Serm. XIX. The Jlrong man conquered. 371 
 
 they lie as it were faft aileep upon the very brink 
 of hell. But to apply this to ourfelves, 
 
 1. Was this once the cafe of all of us ? 
 that is, did we, whilft in an unconverted flate, 
 hug our chains, reft eafy and Satisfied with our 
 bondage, without either confidering or regard- 
 ing the confequences of it ? what an humbling 
 consideration mould this be ? how may this con- 
 vince us of our natural blindnefs and ftupidity ? 
 O let us frequently remember the rock from 
 whence we were hewn, and the hole of the pit from 
 whence we were digged, in order to keep us 
 low in our own eyes and efteem, and to raife 
 our thoughts and apprehenfions of rich and 
 fovereign grace ! But then, 
 
 2. Should there be any here, who juft 
 begin to be bleft with fome glimmerings of 
 light, fo that they are convinced that their 
 Hate as finners, is the moil deplorable in the 
 world, why, what mall we fay to fuch, 
 but as it was faid in another cafe, Look to Chrijl 
 for ftrength to enable you to efcape for your lives n > 
 to flee from the flavery of .fin and Satan, into 
 the glorious liberty of the children of God ? 
 That is, pray earneftly for the Spirit of God 
 to lead you to Chriji, and if the Son fiall ?nake 
 you free, ye fljall be free indeed °. And give 
 me leave to fay, if you have peace fpoken 
 to you any other way, but as interefted in 
 Chrift, or as juftified through his righteouf- 
 nefs, unlefs grace prevent, it will ifTue in no- 
 
 B b 2 thing, 
 
 » Gen. xix.'i7. ° J°^ n v $« 36. 
 
372 Thejlrong man conquered. 
 
 thing, but weepings and wailing, and gnajhing 
 of teeth. But, 
 
 IV. Th e next thirrg remarkable in our text, 
 is the account we have of our dear Redeemer, 
 as one who is fironger than this jlrong man 
 armed. As we are told there is a roaring lion, 
 walking about feeking whom he may devour, fo 
 likewife we are informed that there is the lion of 
 the tribe of fudahv, who is fironger than he, 
 and who is mighty to Jove. And that, 
 
 i. As he is the mcjl high God. In this 
 view, the devils are as nothing before him. He 
 holds the end of the chain with which they 
 are bound, and can reftrain or enlarge their 
 power at his pleafiire. As he was the creator 
 of all things, fo he not only made all the an- 
 gels in heaven and devils in hell, but he hath 
 them all under his abfolute command,, and 
 can do with them what he pleafes. Thus 
 he is fironger than this firong man armed. 
 Again , 
 
 2. He is fo, when we confider him as our 
 Mediator and furety. As he is King in Zion y 
 fo he is far above all principality, and power, 
 and might, a?:d dominion, and every name, that 
 is named, not only in this world, but alfo in that 
 which is to come *. It is true, he, for wife ends, 
 permits Satan to fet up his flrong holds in the 
 hearts even of his own children j yet he can 
 at his pleafure difpoffefs him. As cunning, 
 
 as 
 
 f Rev. v. 5. 1 Eph. t. zi. 
 
Serm. XIX. The Jlro??g man co7iquercd. 373 
 
 as malicious, and as powerful as our great enemy 
 is; yet, it is our comfort, that in all things our 
 bleffed Jejus is above him. And is he thus 
 ftronger than the ftrong'. man armed ? Then, 
 
 ( 1 .) What high thoughts mould we enter- 
 tain of our dear Lord ? Let us not only view 
 him as our Surety, but as our Maker, our 
 Lord and Governor, and fo be filled with aw- 
 ful appreheniions of his Majefty. Again, 
 
 (2.) What acomfortingconlideration mould 
 this be to thofe who are followed with tempta- 
 tions ? To whom mould they look, but to Jefus 
 who is above this firong man, and can reftrain 
 his attempts on his people, when, and how he 
 pieales? But then, 
 
 V. And laftly, we have here an account of 
 the method, in which this lion of the tribe of 
 Judah fubdues, and dethrones the old ferpent 
 the devil, and drives him out of the hearts of 
 his people. 
 
 1. It is faid ; he will come upon him and 
 overcome him. And this he did, if we refer it 
 to the atonement which he made to divine jus- 
 tice, upon the account of finners, in order to 
 redeem them from the courfe of the law, and 
 the wrath of God ; for there is therefore now no 
 condemnation to them who are in Chrift fefus 1 . 
 And, fays the fame apoftle, having blotted out the 
 hand-writing of ordinances that was againjl us, 
 which was contrary to us, he took it out of the way, 
 
 Bb 3 tiaiU 
 
 1 Rem. viii, i, 
 
374 The jlrong man conquered, 
 
 nailing it to his crofs : and having fpoiled princi- 
 palities and powers, he mad: aJJ:ew of them openly, 
 triumphing over them in it s . This he did, I fay, 
 as by one offering he paid their debt, and ref- 
 cued them from impending vengeance. Thus, 
 according to that undent promife, the feed of the 
 woman bruifed the head of the ferpent . Satan per- 
 haps thought all was fure, upon the fall of man, 
 that he had tully accomplished his defign : but 
 he finds himfelf miftaken with refpect to the 
 elect. Chrifi comes upon him and overcomes him, 
 by pouring out his own foul unto death, and mak- 
 ing it an offering for their fins. And as the re- 
 fult of this, 
 
 3 . He defpoils Satan of all his armour ; he 
 takes from him all his armour wherein he trufled. 
 That is, having come upon him and overcome 
 him, by working out a compleat falvation by his 
 fatisfa&ion for his people j when, in confequence 
 of this, the appointed time comes, the day 
 of their being brought home to God, he de- 
 thrones Satan as to his dominion in their fouls: 
 and this he doth, not only by retraining and 
 preventing the effects of his malice and power, 
 but by the continual communications of grace 
 and ftrength, by which the believer is enabled 
 to overcome him. Thus if you refer it to Sa- 
 tan, Chrifi takes away his armour. But if we 
 {hould apply this, (as I do not fee any reafon 
 why we may not) to finners themfelves, the 
 meaning is this : He takes away their armour 
 
 in 
 
 • Col. ii. 14, 15. 
 
Scrm. XIX. The ftrong man conquered. 375 
 
 in which they trufted. That is, he mews thetn 
 the vanity of their former confidence, and, inftead 
 of fuffering them to lean on their own righteouf- 
 nefs, as in time paft, he leads them to himfelf, as 
 the only object of their truft, and foundation of 
 their comfort. Thus he takes aw.ay their armour 
 wherein they trnjled. That which before was 
 gain to the fouls of men, now they count as 
 lo(s. They are brought to look upon them- 
 felves as deftitute of every other refuge, fave 
 what they find in Jefus Cirri/}. And then, 
 
 4. He dhudeth his fpoils. Chriji juftly 
 takes the triumphs of the victory to him- 
 felf, the fpoils of principalities and powers, 
 of which he makes an open mew; he 
 divides them in a proper proportion among 
 victorious believers. And, according to the 
 other view alfo, with refpect to gracious con- 
 verts, having Gripped them of all their for- 
 mer confidence, he beftows on them fuch 
 graces as are the blefTed fruits and effects of 
 the victory. In one word, juft as the general 
 bf an army, after the battle is over, and a con- 
 quell: is gained, diftributes the fpoils among the 
 victorious foldiers ; fo our Lord Jefus the great 
 Captain of our falvation, having taken away all 
 Satan's foul-deftroying armour, gives to the foul 
 fome fpecial tokens of its intereft in this bleffed 
 victory. And having by his fpirit dethroned 
 Satan, he fets up his own kingdom in the hearts 
 of his people. From the whole we may infer, 
 B b 4 ,«. (1.) That 
 
376 *fhe prong man conquered. 
 
 ( 1.) That if it mufl be a fironger than the 
 Jlro'iig man armed that mud ccme upon him y in 
 order to his being overcome j then, how plain 
 is it, that in theconverfionof a (inner there mull 
 be a divine power exerted ? It is a piece of the 
 higheft folly and preemption, for any of us to 
 fchink, that we can change our own hearts, or 
 dethrone Satan by our refolutions, our reafon- 
 ings, the performance of duty, or the like. 
 No, it is nothing but the power of him who 
 is almighty that can erTecr. it. It mufl: be one 
 that is fironger than Satan himfelf that can do 
 this. And who is that, but the Lord of hea- 
 ven an earth ? Again, 
 
 (2.) Have any of us felt the power of God's 
 grace in the removing Satan from the throne he 
 had fet up in our hearts ? This is furely a com- 
 fortable evidence that Chrijl hath taken from 
 him all his armour, fo as that he {hall never be 
 able to do us any final damage. If this be 
 our cafe, O how highly are we privileged ! 
 under what obligations are we to love and re- 
 joice in our God ! O how folicitous fhould we 
 be to be the mod: thankful and fruitful of all 
 perfons in the world ! Should we not look back 
 10 Egyft> and confider from whence we have 
 been delivered ? Believe me, the tyranny of 
 this adverfary is a thoufand times worfe than 
 Egyptian bondage. And have we obtained 
 a deliverance from it ? is this the happy cafe 
 of any of us? mould not then the high praifes of 
 God dwell upon our hearts? And, 
 
 (3.) And 
 
Serm. XIX. The ftrong man conquered. 377 
 
 (3.) And laftly, is not this a fufficient en- 
 couragement for us to wait upon the Lord, and 
 believe, that as he hath thus far delivered, fo 
 he will go on to deliver ? It is furely our duty, 
 and privilege, under the remains of indwelling 
 corruption, and the temptations of Satan, to 
 look unto Jefus, who will bruife him ftill more 
 under our feet, and will do it fhortly. He has 
 engaged, in the end, to make his people more 
 than conquerors. To whom then fhould we 
 have recourfe, on all occafions of danger, but 
 to him who knows how to reftrain the power 
 of this outrageous and malicious enemy, or to 
 adminifter proper fupport, when we arc affault- 
 ed by him ? Remember he \%Jlronger than the 
 ftrong ?nan armed. And though, at times, Sa- 
 tan preffes very hard upon us, and, God knows, 
 too often gains the victory, yet, as our dear 
 Redeemer can bring good out of the worfl of 
 evils, fo remember he hath told us, that ail 
 things (hall work together for good to them that 
 love God, to them who are the called according 
 to his furpofe \ 
 
 1 Rom. viii. 28. 
 
 SER- 
 
( 37» ) 
 
 SERMON XX. 
 
 'The nature and privileges of adoption. 
 
 The laft fermon the author preached at his 
 own meeting-place, in Goodman's- fields. 
 
 Galatians iv. 6. 
 And becaufe ye are Jons , God hath fent forth the 
 Spirit of Lis Son into your hearts, crying, 
 Abba, Father. 
 
 HE great defign of the holy Ghoft in 
 in this epiftle was, you know, to re- 
 lieve the churches of Galatia from 
 the burdenfome yoke of the ceremo- 
 nial law, which was impofed on them by fome 
 of the judaizing teachers of thofe times, as 
 neceflary, together with the goipel, to falva- 
 tion. Chriftianity having fpread itfelf, by the 
 miniftry of the apoftle Paul, to this part of 
 
 the 
 
Serm. XX. lie nature,' Sec. 379 
 
 the world, Satan, the great adverfary of fouls, 
 threw in his tares with the feed of the word, 
 exciting fome, under a profeffion of religion, 
 to invade the glorious liberty of the gofpel ; 
 and, as a fanction to their impious conduct, to 
 abufe the names of Peter, James, and other 
 apoftles, by whofe authority and commiffion 
 they pretended to act, when they endeavoured 
 to engage the churches to continue the practice 
 of circumcifion, and other rites of the legal 
 difpenfation. And as perfons corrupted in prin- 
 ciple very rarely confine themfelves to truth, 
 or decency, they reproach the great apoftle of 
 the Gentiles, as a man of unreafonable Angu- 
 larity, and of a dying reputation in the church 
 of Chriji. Now to remove thefe falfe afperfions, 
 and vindicate his character from fo unjuft a 
 charge, the apoftle, under the fpecial direction 
 of the infallible Guide, writes to them, expref- 
 fing his wonder, that they, of all others, mould 
 be fo foon turned afide, before whofe eyes Je- 
 fus Chriji had been evidently Jet forth, crucified 
 among them a . Upon which, in the three firft 
 chapters of this epiftle, he fets himfelf to un- 
 deceive them, by alluring them that Chriji had 
 abolifhed the whole legal difpenfation, which 
 was but a fiadow of good things to come. And 
 having obferved, that as many of them as had 
 been baptized into Chrift had put on Chrift b : 
 he then mews them that there was no differ- 
 ence, in God's account, whether they were Jews 
 
 or 
 
 * Gal. iii. i. b Ver. 27. 
 
gBo The nature, and 
 
 or Greeks, bond or free , male or female; for they 
 were all members of the fame body, and united 
 to the fame perfon, as their head, even Jefus 
 Chrijl. Upon which he argues, that if they 
 were Chrift's, then were they Abraham 's feed, 
 and heirs according to the promife c . In the 
 chapter before> us he confiders the ftate of the 
 church, antecedent to the coming of Chrijl, as 
 that of an heir or child under age j and ob- 
 ferves, that the heir, as long as he is a child, 
 differ eth nothing from afervant, though, in right, 
 he be lord of all, being in his nonage, and under 
 tutors and governcurs, until the time appointed of 
 the Father. Even fo fays he we, Jews, when we 
 were children, were in bondage under the clements y 
 or in fubjecYion to the ordinances arid inftitutions, 
 eft be world. But when the fulnefs of the time was 
 come, God fent forth his Son, made of a woman, 
 and of the feed of Abraham, according to the 
 promife 3 made wider the law , that by his obe- 
 dience to it, he might redeem them that were 
 wider the law y that we might receive the adoption 
 of fons d . We are all by nature defirous of be- 
 ing under the law as a covenant, but Chrijl 
 having fulfilled it, we now receive the adoption 
 of children ; which invaluable privilege, toge- 
 ther with our intereft in it, is proved in that, be- 
 caufe we are fons, God hath fent forth the Spirit 
 of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father, 
 In the confideration of which words I mall, 
 
 I. En. 
 
 c Gal. iii. 28, 29. * Chap, iv, 1,-5. 
 
Serm. XX. privileges of adoption. 381 
 
 I. Enquire into the meaning of the term 
 that is here applied to the people of God ; 
 they are called fons. 
 
 II. I shall endeavour to mew you, that 
 all fuch either have, or mail have, the Spi- 
 rit c/*Je{us Chrifty^ into their hearts. 
 
 III. Treat this privilege, is a fruit of 
 their adoption or fonmip; — becanfe ye are 
 fons ; therefore, or being fons of God, 
 God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son into 
 your hearts. And then, 
 
 IV. Consider the Spirit as an intercenor 
 within them, crying, in the language of 
 adoption, Abha> Father. 
 
 I. I begin with the meaning of the term 
 applied here to the faints j they are fliled fons ; 
 a word peculiarly fignifkative of the diuin- 
 guiming and ineftimable privilege of God's 
 chofen people. And this term very plainly 
 implies, 
 
 1. Liberty, in oppofition to bondage. 
 They are called fons, and not fervants. 
 
 As God is the great parent of the whole 
 creation, and efpecially the Father of the fpi- 
 rits of all flsfh, he hath a fovereign, indifpen- 
 fable right, at his pleafure, to command us as 
 hisfervants: but then this krvice, in a nate 
 of innocency, would be perfect freedom. So 
 that though Adam in paradife was a fervant, 
 
 yet 
 
 4 
 
382 ¥be nature, and 
 
 yet at the fame time he ivas the Jon of God e . 
 And the angels themfelves, in all the heights 
 of happinefs and glory they enjoy, are repre- 
 lented as miniftring fpirits, and the faints not 
 only ferve God in this world, but will do fo, 
 day and night, throughout the endlefs ages of 
 eternity, in his temple above. But this fervice 
 is fo far from debating them, that it exalts them 
 to the higheft dignity, as it is attended with a 
 fpecial intereft in the favour of that God whom 
 they ferve; and every adt of homage and obe- 
 dience will be juftly efteemed the glorious pri- 
 vilege of him that pays it, as well as the un- 
 doubted right of God who receives it. So that 
 this fervice of ours, being founded in our rela- 
 tion to God as creatures, is confirmed, and by 
 no means deftroyed, by our relation to him as 
 children. But as we have all forfeited our in- 
 tereft in God as a Father and Creator, by our 
 apoftacy j fo we have enflaved ourfelves, and 
 are become fervants of fin and Satan. Which 
 thraldom we are only delivered from, as we 
 are the fons of God. The great author of 
 our liberty is the Lord Jefus Chrift, the great 
 Captain of our falvation, the lion of the tribe 
 of Judah ; and to this office he was anointed 
 and commiffioned by his Father, agreeable to 
 that well known pafTage in the prophecy of 
 Jfaiah, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, 
 becaufe the Lord hath anointed me to preach good 
 ty dings unto the meek ; he hath fent me to hind 
 
 up 
 
 c Luke iii. 3?, 
 
Serm . X X . privileges of adoption, 3 $ j 
 
 up the broke?! hearted, to proclaim liberty to the 
 captives , and the opening of the prifon to them 
 that are bound*. The way in which he pro- 
 cured it, was by a voluntary fufception of our 
 debt, whereby he became bound to divine juf- 
 tice, to anfwer for our offences ; and thus, 
 by his own death, deftroying him that had the 
 power of death, he is the author of a glorious 
 liberty to every foul that flees for refuge to him K 
 There being now no condemnation to the chil- 
 dren of God h , Satan can have no power to de- 
 flroy them, though he may difturb their peace. 
 The glorious inftrument that conveys this li- 
 berty to the foul, is the Spirit of Chrifl, fent 
 forth by the Father to all the heirs of falva- 
 tion. Thus we are told, where the Spirit of 
 the Lord is, there is liberty K Before conver- 
 fion, the man may be terrified by the threat- 
 nings of the law, and too often afterwards, 
 may for a feafon, thro' the prevalence of un- 
 belief, be led into bondage; but when the Spi- 
 rit comes, and reveals Chrifi to him as the hope 
 of his glory, he is introduced into the glorious 
 liberty of the children of God. To this pur- 
 pofe you find the apoftle fpeaking, For ye have 
 not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear ; 
 but ye have received the fpirit of adoption, 
 whereby we cry, Abba, Father k . 
 
 2. This term implies the nearnefs of their 
 relation to God. They are not only regarded 
 
 by 
 
 f Ifai. lxi. 1. s Heb. ii. 14. » Rom.viii. I. * z Cor. 
 iii. 17, k Rom. viii. 15. 
 
3 S4 The nature, and 
 
 by him as if they were his children, but he k 
 indeed their Father. This you know is a ti- 
 tle frequently given to God in fcripture. And 
 I think our Lord gives us the fum of it, where 
 he fays to Mary, Go to my brethren, and fay 
 unto them, I ajcend unto my Father, and your 
 Father, and to my God, and your God 1 . A 
 panage that has been full of comfort to his peo- 
 ple in all generations. This relation, as it is 
 near, and intimate, fo being founded in the fo- 
 vereign grace of God, it is indifToluble ; for 
 whom the Lord loves once as a child, he will 
 love, and delight in to the end : And the 
 Jirength oj Ifrael will not lie, nor repent ; for 
 he is not a man, that he jhould repent m . This 
 fuppofes him to be reconciled to us in his Son, 
 for otherwile he is our enemy, and not our 
 Father. . Again, 
 
 3. This implies an intimacy of commu- 
 nion, or familiar converfe. It is not thought 
 proper indeed by prudent earthly parents, to 
 indulge their children with too great an intimacy 
 with their fecrets, while they are in their non- 
 age, or to let them know how much they love 
 them : and fo our heavenly Father doth not 
 always fee it good, that we mould dwell in his 
 fmiles, and enjoy the unclouded view of what 
 he has provided for us. But as we grow up 
 in Chrift our head, we fhall find nearer accefs 
 unto God as our Father. O'f this our Lord 
 gives us an intimation, in that condefcending 
 
 fpeech 
 
 1 John xx. 17. * 1 Sam. xv. 29. 
 
Serm. XX. privileges of adoption. 385 
 
 Speech of his to his difciples, Henceforth 1 call 
 you, riot fervants, for the fevant knoweth not what 
 his Lord doth, but I have called you friends : for 
 all things that I have heard of my Fatter, I have 
 made known unto you n . Compare this with that 
 pailage in one of John's epiftles, That which 
 we have feen and heard, declare we unto you, 
 that ye alfo may have fellcwjhip with us ; and 
 truly our fellow jhip is with the Father, and with 
 his jon Jefus Chrift . And upon this account 
 the author of the epiftle to the Hebrews fpeaks 
 of having boldnefs to enter into the holieft by the 
 blood of Jefus p . Should it be enquired what 
 this converfe or communion with God is, we 
 muft anfwer in general, that it is better felt 
 than expreffed. And I think the bed way of 
 conceiving of it is, to confider the foul as 
 led forth by the fpirit of Chrift, in the exer- 
 cife of faith and prayer, to God as its Father, 
 and meeting with a gracious anfwer, whereby 
 it is rilled with joy unfpeakable and full of glory . 
 It is, in a word, God's rilling the fpiritual de- 
 iires that he puts into the hearts of hi? people^ 
 with himfeif. Thus he lets them know the 
 greatnefs of his love to them, and the defigns 
 of his grace, which are to be accomplished 
 when they come to glory. But then, 
 
 4. This farther implies a right to an inhe- 
 ritance. Now the inheritance that God be- 
 llows on his people, is himfeif. Thus you 
 know he revealed himfeif to Abraham; Fear 
 
 not, 
 
 * John xv, 15. ° 1 John ;. 3. p Hcb. x 19, 
 C C 
 
386 'The nature, and 
 
 not, Abram: 1 am thy fit 'eld \ and thy exceeding 
 great reward '* ; aod in the verfe following 
 my text the apoftle adds, JVherefore thou art 
 no more a fervant, but a fin -, and if a fin, then 
 an heir of God, through Chrift. By this we 
 are not to underftand an enjoyment of his per- 
 fections, but a poffemon of all that good in, 
 and from the fountain of goodnefs, that we are 
 capable of enjoying. Now our right to this, 
 is antecedent to the enjoyment of it. We are 
 heirs when under age. Thus the apoftle 
 fpeaks, — The fpirit itfelf beareth witnefs with 
 our Spirit, that we are the children of God. 
 And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and 
 joint heirs with Chrift.: iffo be thatwefuffer with 
 him, that we may alfo be glorified together r . 
 That is, Chrijl, as our head and fore-runner, 
 hath taken poffeffion of the inheritance for us, 
 and the very fame inheritance that he enjoys 
 we (hall, in our meafure, be admitted to, fince 
 we are to be glorified together. And he will 
 confer the fame kind of glory upon his chofen, 
 that he hath received from his Father himfelf. 
 This he declares expreflly in his addrefs to the 
 Father, And the glory which thou gavefi me, I 
 have given them s . The beginning of this, or 
 the firft fruits, we have now, we have joy 
 and peace in believing : but the full poffemon 
 is in reverfion for us. Thus then I have con- 
 fidered the general meaning of the term fans, 
 as fuppofing a perfect freedom, in opposition 
 
 to 
 
 •* Gen. xv. i. r Rom. viii, 16, 17. * John xvii, 22. 
 
Serm. XX. privileges of adaption. 387 
 
 to bondage, a near and indiffoluble relation, 
 intimate communion, and a right to the in- 
 heritance of our God and Father. 
 
 II. We are now to mew you that all thofe 
 who arefons, in thisfenfe, either have, or (hall 
 have Chrift's Spirit fent into their hearts. As to 
 thofe of God's chofen, who are not yet called, 
 the great ground of their fecurity lies in this, 
 that the Lord knvweth them that are his } : and 
 he can fend his Spirit into their hearts, at his 
 pleafure. But as to thofe who call themfelves 
 his children, the great criterion of fonfhip, is 
 the inhabitation of the Spirit : agreeable to 
 thefe pafTages in the epiftle to the Romans ; 
 for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they 
 are the fins of God u . But ye are not in the 
 flefh> but in the Spirit , if fo be that the Spirit 
 of God dwell in yon. Now if any men have 
 not the Spirit of thrift, he is none of his w . It 
 is obfervable that the Spirit is faid to be fent 
 forth into their hearts ; by which, I apprehend, 
 we are to underftand not only, that the under- 
 Handing is enlightened, but the will fubdued^ 
 and the whole foul brought into fubjedion to 
 Chrifl. For he is fent as the Spirit of Chrift* 
 to take of his, and fhew it to the poor necef- 
 fitous foul. After he hath convinced a man 
 of fin, his great office is to reveal a righteoul- 
 nefs for his refuge and comfort. This you 
 know was all along promifed as a blcffing of 
 C c 2 the 
 
 * 2 Tim. ii. 19. u Rom. vlii. 14. » Ver, 9. 
 
3 >8 The nature, arid 
 
 the covenant of grace, in the old teftament : 
 and we are told by our Lord exprefily in the 
 new, that except a man be born of water, and 
 of the Spirit, he cannot enter in the kingdom of 
 God\ 
 
 The necefiity of which, is not to juftify 
 us in the fight of God, or to give a right to 
 his favour, but to deftroy the enmity of the 
 carnal mind againfl God, and to root out our 
 pride and felf-confidence ; to lead us to Chrijt, 
 and make us meet for the inheritance of the 
 faints in light. And then we may obferve, 
 that he is fent as a gift of grace from God 
 as our Father j by which we are not to un- 
 derhand, that before he is fent, he is not pre- 
 fent with the foul, for as he is one with the 
 Father and Son, he fills all places with his pre- 
 fence. But it is to underftood of his efficaci- 
 ous operations, whereby the foul receives a new 
 principle, becomes alive unto God, and full of 
 love to the Redeemer. Which leads us, 
 
 • III. To confider that the Spirit, as fent forth 
 by the Lord into the hearts of his children, is 
 the confequence or refult of their adoption, be- 
 caufe ye are fons, &c. For the better under- 
 flanding of which it will be necefiary to pre- 
 mife two things. 
 
 I. All the gifts of God, and the bleflings 
 of the covenant of grace, and fo, as one of the 
 principal of them, the influences of the Spirit, 
 
 are 
 
 . * John la. 5, 
 
Serm . XX. privileges of adoption, 389 
 
 are free and Sovereign on his part, and unde- 
 ferved on ours. This truth hath been received, 
 and humbly acknowledged by the people of 
 God in every age j and the man that difputes it, 
 declares but coo evidently his ignorance of him- 
 felf, and the defert of his iniquities. If we 
 look into ourfelves, view the plague of our 
 hearts, and reflect on our conduct, as perverfe 
 and rebellious, which is the cafe of the beft 
 of us, one would think it would even force an 
 acknowledgment of our unworthinefs, and 
 oblige us to own that we are indebted to di- 
 vine grace, for every bleffing, whether of the up- 
 per or the nether fpings. But as. an additional 
 confirmation of this, to leave thofe that deny 
 it without excufe, we- find it fo often incul- 
 cated in the word of God, that he that runs 
 may read it. Thus as to our election in Chrijt 
 from before the foundation of the world, our Lord 
 fays, Te have not chofen me, but I have chofen 
 you*. And therefore we love him j becaitfe 
 be firfi loved us z . As to our redemption, or 
 falvation the apoftle fays, By grace are ye faved, 
 through faith, and that not of your fives j it is 
 the gift of God 3 -. And as faith in Chri/l is the 
 gift of God, fo we are told of our Lord, that 
 him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a 
 Prince a Saviour, for to give repentance to If- 
 rael, and for given efs off as b , As to our accept- 
 ance and adoption, we are faid to bejufifed 
 C c 3 freely 
 
 y John xv. 1 3. z 1 John iv. i$. a Eph. ii. 8. » Afts 
 v. 3 1. 
 
790 The nature, and 
 
 freely by his grace. , through the redemption that 
 ■is in Jefus Chrift c : And, to as many as re- 
 ceived him, to them gave he pacer to become the 
 fons of God, even to them that believe on his 
 7?ame d . And again, as to our fpiritual know- 
 ledge, to us it is given to know the myjiery of 
 the kingdom of God e . And to add no more, 
 es to eternal life, we are allured that though, 
 the wages of [in is death, yet, the gift of God 
 is eternal life, through Jefus Chrijl our Lord 1 : 
 And our Lord lays of his (beep, I give unto 
 them eternal life, and they jhall never perifj, 
 neither fjall any pluck them cut of my hand g . 
 '1 hus you fee all thofe fpiritual bieffings which 
 we have in hand, and all that .glorious re- 
 ward that we have in hope, are derived to us 
 in a way of undeferved favour. And it can 
 be no otherwiie, as we are fallen from our ftate 
 of integrity, and are under the curfe of the 
 law that we have broken. But, 
 
 2. You are further to take notice, that all 
 thefe gifts of God are bellowed on us, as we 
 {land in the relation of childen, or as he is 
 reconciled to us in Chrif. He is his God and 
 Father, and fo our God and Father. This 
 raturally arifes fiom comparing what we 
 cbferved under the former head, that we 
 are guilty before him, and the difcovery God 
 bath made of himfelf to us in his word, as 
 being of purer eyes than to behold evil h , and 
 
 that 
 
 c Rom. ni. 24. d Johni. 12. e Mark Iv. 1 1. 
 f Rom. vi. 23. z John x. z£, * Hah. i. 13. 
 
8erm. XX, privileges of adoption. 391 
 
 that will by no means clear the guilty ', is founded 
 in his very nature : and he muft deny himfelf, 
 before he can ceafe to will to punifh fin. 
 Nay his people, being in themfelves finners, 
 are, under that view, fubject to his wrath, and 
 and can inherit no blernng from him. Fcr 
 it muft be a direct contradiction, to fuppofe, 
 that, in the fame fenfe, God wills to punifh, 
 or which is the fame thing, to curfe, and to 
 blefs the fame perfon, under the fame confe- 
 deration. As finners, therefore, we have for- 
 feited his favour, loft our title to the common 
 mercies of life. And we are entitled to his 
 favourable regard, only as warned in the blood 
 of Jefus, or as accepted in him. 
 
 The moft material objection againft this is 
 founded in fuch paffages as that, wherein it is 
 faid, God commendeth his love towards us, in 
 that, while we were yet finners t Chrift, died for 
 us*. But I think it is very eafy to reply to 
 this, that the children of God were in this 
 ftate before their converfion j and moreover, 
 that the fame perfons may be very juftly 
 viewed under a twofold character, or in a 
 twofold relation. None I believe will difpute, 
 that have tafted of the grace of God, whe- 
 ther the fame perfons may not be related to 
 Adam as their htft head, and to Chrift as their 
 fecond head, as the apoftle expreflly afiertp, 
 that as we have borne the image of the earthly ', 
 <ive Jkall alfo bear the image of the heavenly K 
 
 C c 4 Now 
 
 5 Exod. xxxiv. 7. -* Rem. v. 8. ! 1 C<B KH < ' 
 
39 2 T^he nature, and 
 
 Now in Adaniy or confidered in our relation 
 to him, the very elect themfelves, the chofen 
 of God and precious, are ungodly j and God 
 commendeth his love towards us in fending 
 his Ton to fave fuch loft creatures. But then 
 again, confider the fame perfons in their rela- 
 tion to Chriji the fecond Adam, and they are 
 conipleat in him, comely with his comelinefs 
 put upon them, and therefore accepted of God, 
 and in that relation made heirs of the bleffings 
 of the covenant of grace. For out of Chriji 
 God is a confuming fire to every iinner. Thefe 
 things being prcmifed, let us now confider the 
 Spirit of Chriji, being fent into our hearts, as 
 the fruit of adoption. Becaujc ye are fons, he 
 hath J'ent fotih the Spirit of his Son into your 
 hearts, &c. By which youarenottounderftand, 
 
 (i.) That becauie you have the tempers 
 and difpofitions, and are enabled in fome mea- 
 sure to pay to God the obedience of children, 
 therefore he hath fent his Spirit into your 
 hearts. Were this the cafe, this part of our falva- 
 tion would be of works, and not of grace, and 
 
 uld oppofe what we have eilablifhed, that all 
 the bleffings of the covenant of grace are fove- 
 reign, undeferved gifts. For then, thefe might 
 be expected as of debt, and not of favour. Be- 
 sides, were we brought into fubjection to 
 Chriji, by our own might, or power, or refolu- 
 tion, and could renew and fanctify ourfelves, 
 what need would there be for this bleffing? But 
 \q let you fee how contrary this notion is to the 
 
 mind 
 
Serm.XX. privileges of adoption. 393 
 
 mind of the holy Spirit, I (hall turn you to 
 feveral pafTages, from which I hope to make 
 it evident, that our obedience to God, as chil- 
 dren, is not the fpring, but the confequence 
 of our receiving the Spirit of adoption. See 
 to this purpofe that pafTage in the prophecy 
 of Ezekiel, where it is laid, Then will Ifprinkle 
 clean water upon you, and ye Jkall be clean m . 
 Well, left the people mould afTume the ho- 
 nour of this privilege unto themfelves, or at- 
 tribute it to any worthinefs or righteoufnefs of 
 their own, God fays to them, / do not this 
 for your Jakes, O houfe of Ifrael, but for mine 
 holy name's Jake*. And this is repeated again, 
 Not for your fakes do I this, faith the Lord God, 
 be it known unto you : be ajloamed and confounded 
 for your own ways, O houfe of Ifrael °. And 
 therefore you find that the Spirit is firft to be 
 poured forth, before we fliall look on him 
 whom we have pierced by our iniquities, 
 and mourn. And this is confirmed by our 
 Lord, when fpeaking of the holy Spirit, the 
 Comforter, he firft promifes his difciple?, I 
 will fend him unto you, and then he adds, 
 And when he is come, he will reprove the 
 world of fin, and of righteoufnefs, and of judg- 
 mejit p . And to let us know that we cannot 
 deferve this fivour from the Lord, the Spirit 
 is faid to be given unto us^, and it is faid 
 alfo, that the fruit of the Spirit is in all good- 
 
 nefs 
 
 m Ezek. xxxvi. 25. n Ver zz K ■ Vcr. 32. p John xvi. 
 7, 2. 1 Rem. v 5, 
 
394 c ^ )e nature, and 
 
 nefs y and right eoufnefs, and truth*. From all 
 
 which it is very evident, that the Spirit of 
 
 God is given us to excite gofpel- obedience in us, 
 
 and not becaufe of any worthihefs in us : for 
 
 before he comes, we are difobedient children. 
 
 Nor, 
 
 (2.) Are we hereby to underftand th&t our re- 
 JationtoGod, isthe meritorious, defervin/ caufe 
 of the gift of the Spirit. For though there is a 
 great deal of honour and glory attending this 
 relation, yet we are indebted to Chriji, our elder 
 brother, for the whole that we enjoy. It is 
 he that deferved it, by dying ; and fo, as the 
 reward of his fuffeiings, he received gifts for 
 men ; yea, for the rebellious alfo, that the Lord 
 God might dwell among them* . And it is in him 
 only that God is reconciled unto us, and thro' 
 whom we regain our title to his favour, and to 
 all the bleffings we receive from him. But, 
 
 (3.) Hereby, as I apprehend, the holy 
 Ghoft intends, that in our relation to God as 
 children, as an additional bleffing, confequent 
 upon our adoption, we have the Spirit fent 
 down into our hearts. God having fixed an 
 inviolable connection, between our adoption 
 and our fanctification. As he hath given it to 
 us to be heirs of himfelf, and joint heirs with 
 his Son, fo the fame fpirit that eminently 
 dwelt in him as Mediator, is fent into the 
 hearts of all the members of his myftical body. 
 And thus we are to underftand the apoftle here, 
 
 Be- 
 
 • Eph. v. 9. • Pfal. bcviii. 1 8, 
 
Serm. XX. privileges of adoption. 395 
 
 Becaufe ye are children^ or in being children, 
 that ye might have the difpofition of children, 
 God hath fent forth the Spirit cf his Son into 
 your hearts. And that our enjoyment of the 
 Spirit of Chrift is thus a confequent bleffing 
 upon our adoption, is very evident from fcrip- 
 ture. This I think may be very fairly col- 
 lected from fome paffages in one of John's 
 epiftles. But, fays that apoftle, ye have ait 
 unBion from the holy One, and ye know all things. 
 But the anointing which ye have received of him, 
 abideth in you * ; the perfons who are here faid 
 to have an unction from the holy one, he had 
 before fpoken of, as having their fins forgiven 
 them, and to have known the Father ° : which 
 is more fully afferted in the fame epiftle, Hereby 
 know we that we dwell in him, and he in us y be- 
 caufe he hath given us of his Spirit w . Here, 
 the great evidence of our dwelling in God as 
 children, and his dwelling in us as a Father, 
 is put upon this, his having given us his Spirit. 
 And thus I have endeavoured to explain to you 
 our third general head, viz. that becaufe we are 
 fons , God hath fent forth the Spirit of his Son 
 into our hearts. — That the fame grace that 
 was the origin of our relation to God as chil- 
 dren, gives us as a confequent bleffing, the 
 Spirit, as a Spirit of adoption, which leads us to 
 the laft thing which I propofed, and that is, 
 
 IV. That wherever this Spirit is given as 
 a Spirit of grace, he relides or dwells in that 
 
 foul, 
 
 * 1 John ii. 20 — 'z;. u Vcr. ic, 13. w Chap. iv. 13. 
 
396 The nature ', and 
 
 foul, as a Spirit of prayer, and fupplication, cry- 
 ing y in me language of adoption, Abba, Father. 
 And here we have two things more efpecially. 
 
 1 . He is in us as a Spirit of prayer : this 
 is intimated by the term crying and, 
 
 (1.) This fuppofes a perfon to be neceffi- 
 tcus, and dependent. No wife man will afk, 
 much lefs cry eameftly for a blelTing that he 
 fees no want of. Now that it is the Spirit of 
 God that acquaints us with our necefiities, is 
 evident from what the apoftle Paul exprefsly 
 aliens. Likewi/fy fays he, the Spirit alfo helpeth 
 cur infirmities : for we know not what we Jhould 
 fray for as we ought : but the Spirit itfelf 
 rnaketh' inter cefjion j or us with groanings which 
 cannot be uttered*. Again, 
 
 ( 2.) As it fuppofes a perfon to be in want, 
 and to be convinced of it ; fo it includes in it a 
 view of the ability of him that is applied to, 
 to give relief: and that none but the Spirit can 
 convince us of this, is evident to me, from 
 that paffage in the epiftle to the Corinthians ; 
 The things of God knoweth no man, but the Spi- 
 rit of Gody. Again, 
 
 (3.) As the Spirit {hews us what is the 
 mind of God, and the things that are freely 
 given to us of God 2 -, fo he excites fpiritual de- 
 iires after this good. Thus we find it in the ex- 
 perience of the apoftle Paul. Before conven- 
 tion, he was full, and flood in need of no- 
 thins;. 1 was alive fays he, without the law 
 once : but when the commandment came, -with 
 
 power 
 
 x Rom. viii. 26. * 1 Cor. ii. 11. z Vcr 12. 
 
Serm.XX. privileges of adoption. 397 
 
 power, fin revived, and I died a . He was ftript 
 of his falfe confidence ; and the fame Spirit 
 directed him to the proper fountain for relief; 
 and in the apprehenfion of Chrifl's fulnefs, he 
 makes his prayer unto him. Thus it is faid 
 by the Lord himfelf of him, as an extraordi- 
 nary thing, behold he prayeth b . 
 
 2. As the holy Spirit is in us a Spirit of 
 prayer, fo of adoption too, he not only crieth, 
 but crieth Abba, Father. And this fuppofes, 
 
 (1.) A discovery of God to the foul as 
 a Father, or the love that is included in that 
 relation. For he muft firft be convinced that 
 God is a Father to his people, before he can 
 call upon him as fuch. And, 
 
 (2.) It fuppofes a difcovery of the way in 
 which he comes to be a Father unto finners, 
 that it is only in, and thro' Chrift> that he is our 
 God, and our Father. For to call him Father as 
 the God of nature, is ' rather to affront him 
 than to glorify him : fince we have forfeited 
 our right to his ore as children, and have 
 finned away that relation, by our difobedience. 
 Chriji mud therefore be revealed in us, as the 
 hope of glory c , before we can call God Father. 
 
 (3.) This includes in it a particular difco- 
 very to the foul, that God is his Father } and 
 under this character the Spirit is fpoken of as 
 the earnefl of our inheritance d , by whom we 
 are fealed unto the day of redemption e . And of 
 him it is faid, that the Spirit itfeif beareth wifi; 
 
 nefs 
 
 9 Rom.vii. 9. * A£ls ix. li. c Col.i. 27. d Epli.i. 14- 
 e Chap. iv. 30. 
 
398 The nature, and 
 
 nefs with our Spirit, that we are the children of 
 God f . Which privilege, when he whifpers it 
 in the fouls of God's chofen, all their unbelief 
 will not be able to deftroy the evidence. 
 
 Should it be objected here, that the Spirit 
 being faid to cry in us, takes away the liberty 
 of the creature, and makes us act neceflarily, 
 and not voluntarily : To this I anfwer, that as 
 the confequence of the Spirit's abiding in us, it 
 is he that, not only gives eyes to fee, and under- 
 ilanding to know the things of God, but he 
 excites holy breathings in the foul after him, and 
 leading it to its proper object, God in Chrifi, 
 as its' Father, teftifies to the foul its privilege. 
 It is the chriftian indeed himfelf that prays, 
 but it is the Spirit that helpeth his infirmities, 
 otherwife he would not be able fo much as to 
 utter an acceptable or prevalent figh or groan 
 before the Lord s. And therefore we are faid, 
 by the fame apoftle, to pray in the Spirit : pray- 
 ing always with all prayer and fupplication in 
 the Spirit h . And thus I have finifhed what I 
 defigned in a doctrinal way from this fubject, 
 and fhall clofe all with a few reflections. And, 
 
 I. From hence we may learn the diflin£t 
 perfonality of Father, Son, and Spirit. They 
 are all three mentioned in our text, and there 
 are three diftinct acts afligned them. The 
 Father is faid to fend the Spirit, and the Spi- 
 rit is faid to be the Spirit of the Son, and as 
 fuch takes poffeffion cf the hearts of his chil- 
 dren. The manner indeed in which theyfub- 
 
 f Rom.viii. 16. & Ver. 26. h Eph. vi. 18. 
 
Serm.XX. privileges of adoption, 399 
 
 fift, is allowed to be a myftery, concealed 
 from us : but the reality of it, is very evi- 
 dent j not only from the feveral works, which 
 are here afcribed to each of the facred Three, 
 and which imply a poiTeffion of divine per- 
 fections ; but, in many other places of fcrip- 
 ture we may obferve, that God hath particu- 
 larly and clearly revealed himfelf to us in this, 
 way, of which our text is no inconfiderablc 
 proof; where you have, God the Father fend- 
 ing the Spirit of God the Son, and this Spirit 
 reft* ing upon, and dwelling in the hearts of his 
 people. Now if from this and other paffages 
 of fcripture, we can prove, that each of thefe 
 poffefs all poffible perfections, and at the fame 
 time we allow that there is but one God, it 
 neceiTarily follows, that this one God fublifls in 
 three perfons, intimately related to each other, 
 but diftinct, and without confuiion. 
 
 2. From hence we may learn the great rea- 
 fon why we meet with fo many that deny, and 
 fome that deride the influences of the Spirit ot 
 God. They mull: furely be ftrangers to any 
 experience of his divine impreffions. And let 
 their reafon be never fo much refined, while 
 this is the cafe, their hearts are in a ftate of 
 enmity with fpiritual things *j and this accounts 
 for every kind of oppofition they make to them. 
 For the natural man receivetb not the things ef 
 the Spirit of God : for they are Joolijhnefs unto 
 him ; neither can he know them, becaufe they are 
 fpirltually difcerned k . And thus you fee, as he 
 
 under- 
 
 *Rom. viii. 7. * 1 Cor. if. 14. 
 
400 TZtf mture, &c. 
 
 underftands them not ; fo neither will he ever 
 truly efteem them. 
 
 3. From hence we may alfo gather, that to 
 be a fon of God, is a privilege of the higheft 
 nature, much more than to be heir to the greateft 
 prince upon earth. AH the pleafures of time are 
 Suited only, or principally to our carnal part : but, 
 as the inheritance of the faints is fpiritual, fo it is 
 of a mofl fublime and exalted nature. ' And 
 though a believer, in his own apprehenfion, is 
 unworthy the name of a fon ;yet, in the language 
 of adoption, he may without prefumption, when 
 led by the Spirit, call God Father, and, as a joint- 
 heir with Cbrijl jfe/us, entertain his mind with 
 the firmed hope of an inheritance with the faints 
 in light. To conclude, 
 
 4. From hence we have a very good evi- 
 dence, by which we may judge whether we are 
 interefted in this privilege, or not. Have we the 
 knowledge of Chrifl in our heads only ? or the 
 Spirit of Chrifl alfo in our hearts ? Do we idolize 
 our attainments, and forget Chrifl and his tigh- > 
 teoiuhefs and ftrength ? or do we lie in the duft, 
 and. givs all the glory where it is juftlydue? 
 
 If we have the Spirit of Chrift, he will empty 
 us of ourfelves. And, in proportion to his gra- 
 cious and powerful operations on our hearts, fo 
 mall we be more and more filled with the glory 
 of Chrifl. 
 
 F I N 1 ,3,