3  r-  f 
 
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 Itheological  seminary,! 
 
 i       Princeton,  N.  J.  ^'^^  ""/^  f 
 
 BV  4500  .R65  1830 
 Romaine,  William,  1714-1795. 
 Treatises  on  the  life,  walk, 
 and  triumph  of  faith 
 
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 TREATISES 
 
 ON  THE 
 
 LIFE,  WALK,  AND  TRIUMPH 
 
 OF 
 
 FAITH. 
 
 lY  THE 
 
 REV.  W.  ROMAINE,  A.M. 
 
 WITH 
 
 AN  INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY, 
 
 BY 
 
 THOMAS  CHALMERS,  D.D. 
 
 PROFESSOR  OF  DIVINITY  IN  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  EDINBURGH. 
 FOURTH  EDITION. 
 
 GLASGOW: 
 
 PRINTED  FOR  WILLIAM  COLLINS; 
 
 OLIVER  &  BOYD,  WM.  WHYTE  &  CO.  AND  WM.  OLIPHANT,  EDINBURGH 
 
 W.  F.  WAKEMAN,  AND  WM.  CURRY,  JUN.  &  CO.  DUBLIN  ; 
 
 WHITTAKER,  TREACHER,  &  ARNOT  ;  HAMILTON,  ADAMS,  &  CO. 
 
 SBIPKIN  &  MARSHALL  ;   BALDWIN  &  CRADOCK  i 
 
 AND  HURST,  CHANCE,  &  CO.  LONDON. 
 
 MDCCCXXX. 
 
Printed  by  W.  Collins  &  Co. 
 Glasgow. 
 
INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY, 
 
 There  is  nothing  of  which  some  readers  of  religious 
 books  complain  more  grievously,  than  that  they 
 should  be  exposed  to  a  constant  and  wearisome  re- 
 iteration of  the  same  truths ;  than  that  the  appetite 
 of  the  mind  for  variety  should  be  left  to  the  pain  of 
 its  own  unsated  cravings,  through  the  never-failing 
 presentation  of  some  one  idea,  wherewith,  perhaps, 
 it  has  long  ago  been  palled  and  nauseated ;  than 
 that,  what  they  already  know  should  yet  again  and 
 again  be  told  them — so  as  to  subject  their  attention 
 to  topics  that  have  become  tasteless  and  threadbare, 
 and  their  minds  to  a  monotony  of  ideas,  that  may,  at 
 length,  be  felt  to  be  quite  insupportable.  This  ob- 
 jection has  sometimes  been  urged  against  Mr.  Ro- 
 maine's  excellent  Treatises  on  Faith  ;  and  that, 
 precious  and  important  as  they  acknowledge  the  truths 
 to  be  on  which  he  unceasingly  delights  to  expatiate, 
 yet,  they  consider  the  frequency  of  their  recurrence 
 has  a  tendency  to  produce  in  the  mind  a  feeling,  if 
 not  of  weariness,  at  least  of  unnecessary  repetition. 
 
 Now,   Paul  himself  admitted,  that  to  write  the 
 same  things  was  not  grievous  to  himself,  however 
 
VI 
 
 grievous  it  may  have  been  felt  by  those  whom  he 
 was  in  the  habit  of  addressing.  And,  lest  they  should 
 have  felt  his  repetitions  to  be  matter  of  offence  or  of 
 annoyance,  he  tries  to  reconcile  them  to  these  repe- 
 titions, by  affirming,  that  whether  they  were  agree- 
 able or  not,  at  least  they  were  safe.  "  To  write 
 the  same  things  to  you,  to  me  indeed  is  not  griev- 
 ous, but  for  you  it  is  safe." 
 
 A  process  of  reasoning  gives  a  most  agreeable 
 play  and  exercise  to  the  faculties.  Yet  how  soon 
 would  such  a  process,  if  often  repeated,  feel  stale  to 
 the  intellectual  taste.  Even  the  pleasure  we  had  at 
 the  first,  from  the  important,  and,  perhaps,  unexpected 
 result  to  which  it  had  conducted  us,  would  speedily 
 wear  off.  It  would,  of  course,  instantly  cease  to  be 
 unexpected  :  and  as  to  its  importance,  we  know  that 
 this  is  a  property  of  such  truths  as  are  most  familiar 
 and  most  generally  recognised:  and  these,  of  all 
 others,  are  least  fitted  to  stimulate  the  mere  under- 
 standing. Like  the  element  of  water,  they  may  be 
 the  most  valuable,  yet  least  prized  truths  by  us:  and 
 certain  it  is,  that  by  the  unvarying  announcement  of 
 them,  they  would,  at  length,  fall  in  downright  blunt- 
 ness  and  insipidity  on  the  ear  of  the  inner  man.  It 
 is  thus  that  a  train  of  argument,  the  mere  object  of 
 which  is  to  gain  the  conviction  of  the  understanding, 
 does  not  admit  of  being  repeated  indefinitely.  After 
 having  once  carried  the  conviction,  it  ceases  to  be 
 any  longer  needful — and  as  to  the  recreation  which 
 is  thereby  afforded  to  the  intellectual  powers,  nothing 
 is  more  certain,  than  that  the  enjoyment  would 
 speedily  decay,  should  the  very  same  reasoning,  and 
 the  very  same  truths,  be  often  presented  to  the  notice 
 
Vll 
 
 of  the  mind,  so  as,  at  length,  to  flatten  into  a  thnig 
 of  such  utter  listlessness,  that  no  one  pleasure  could 
 be  given,  and  no  one  power  could  be  awakened  by  it. 
 
 And  what  is  true  of  a  train  of  argument  addressed 
 to  the  reason,  is  also  true  of  those  images  and  illus- 
 trations which  are  addressed  to  the  fancy.  What- 
 ever delight  may  have  been  felt  at  the  original  pre- 
 sentation of  them,  would  rapidly  subside  were  they 
 ever  and  anon  to  be  obtruded  on  the  view.  We 
 know  of  nothing  more  exquisite  than  the  sensation 
 that  is  felt  when  the  light  of  some  unexpected  ana- 
 logy, or  of  some  apt  and  beautiful  similitude  makes 
 its  first  entry  into  the  mind.  And  yet  there  is  a 
 limit  to  the  enjoyment — nor  would  the  attempt  to 
 ply  the  imagination  at  frequent  intervals  with  one 
 and  the  same  picture  be  long  endured.  The  wel- 
 come which  it  found  from  its  own  intrinsic  loveliness, 
 was  enhanced  by  the  charm  of  novelty;  but  when 
 that  charm  is  dissipated,  then  is  it  possible,  that,  by 
 the  mere  force  of  repetition,  the  taste  may  decline 
 into  languor,  or  even  into  loathing.  Both  the  rea- 
 son and  the  fancy  of  man  must  have  variety  to  feed 
 upon ;  and,  wanting  this,  the  constant  reiteration  of 
 the  same  principles,  and  the  constant  recital  of  the 
 same  poetry,  would  indeed  be  grievous. 
 
 Yet  are  there  certain  appetites  of  the  mind  which 
 have  no  such  demand  for  variety.  It  is  not  with 
 the  affections,  or  the  moral  feelings,  as  it  is  with 
 other  principles  of  our  nature.  The  desire  of  com- 
 panionship, for  example,  may  find  its  abundant  and 
 full  gratification  in  the  society  of  a  very  few  friends. 
 And  often  may  it  happen  of  an  individual,  that  his 
 presence  never  tires — that  his  smile  is  the  sunshine 
 
VIU 
 
 of  a  perpetual  gladness  to  the  heart — that  in  his 
 looks  and  accents  of  kindness,  there  is  a  charm  that 
 is  perennial  and  unfading — that  the  utterance  of  his 
 name  is  at  all  times  pleasing  to  the  ear;  and  the 
 thought  of  his  worth  or  friendship  is  felt  as  a  cordial, 
 by  the  hourly  and  habitual  ministration  of  which  the 
 soul  is  upheld.  The  man  who  expatiates  on  his 
 virtues,  or  who  demonstrates  to  you  the  sincerity  of 
 his  regards,  or  who  refreshes  your  memory  with  such 
 instances  of  his  fidelity,  as  indeed  you  had  not  for- 
 gotten, but  which  still  you  love  to  be  retold — it  is  but 
 one  theme  or  one  topic  in  which  he  indulges ;  and 
 often  will  he  retail  in  your  hearing  what  substantially 
 are  the  same  things, — yet  are  they  not  grievous. 
 
 And  the  tale  of  another's  friendly  and  favourable 
 inclination  to  you  will  not  merely  bear  to  be  often 
 repeated,  because  in  the  conscious  possession  of 
 friendship  there  is  a  perpetual  enjoyment,  but  also 
 because  there  is  in  it  a  constant  preservative,  and  a 
 charm  against  the  discomfort  to  which  a  mind,  when 
 left  to  other  influences,  or  to  itself,  might  else  be 
 liable.  When  the  heart  is  desolated  by  affliction, 
 or  harassed  with  care,  or  aggrieved  by  injustice  and 
 calumny,  or  even  burdened  under  the  weight  of  a 
 solitude  which  it  feels  to  be  a  weariness,  who  would 
 ever  think  of  apprehending  lest  the  daily  visit  of 
 your  best  friend  should  be  grievous,  because  it  was 
 the  daily  application  of  the  same  thing?  Would 
 not  you,  in  these  circumstances,  fondly  cling  to  his 
 person,  or,  if  at  a  distance,  would  not  your  heart 
 as  fondly  cling  to  the  remembrance  of  him  ?  Would 
 not  you  be  glad  to  bear  up  the  downward  and  the 
 desponding  tendencies  of  the  heart,  by  the  thought 
 
IX 
 
 of  that  unalterable  afFectioti,  which  survived  the  wreck 
 of  your  other  earthly  hopes,  and  earthly  interests  ? 
 Would  not  you  feel  it  a  service,  if  any  acquaintance 
 of  yours  were  to  conduct  him  in  person  to  your 
 chamber;  and  there  to  bring  upon  you  the  very 
 smiles  that  a  thousand  times  before  had  gladdened 
 your  bosom,  and  the  very  accents  of  tenderness  that 
 had  often,  in  days  which  are  past,  soothed  and  tran- 
 quillized you  ?  Or,  if  he  cannot  make  him  present 
 to  you  in  person,  is  not  a  service  still  rendered,  if 
 he  make  him  present  to  your  thoughts?  You  have 
 no  doubt  of  the  alleged  friendship,  but  nature  is 
 forgetful,  and,  for  the  time  being,  it  may  not  be 
 adverting  to  that  truth  which,  of  all  others,  is  most 
 fitted  to  pacify  and  to  console  it.  The  memory 
 needs  to  be  awakened  to  it.  The  belief  of  it  may 
 never  have  been  extinguished;  but  the  conception 
 of  it  may  be  absent  from  the  mind,  and  for  the  pur- 
 pose of  recalling  it,  the  voice  of  a  remembrancer  may 
 be  necessary.  It  is  thus  that  the  opportune  sug- 
 gestion of  a  truth,  which  has  long  been  known,  and 
 often  repeated,  may  still  the  tumults  of  an  agitated 
 spirit,  and  cause  light  to  arise  out  of  darkness.  And 
 who  can  object  to  sameness,  and  to  reiteration,  in 
 such  3  case  as  this?  The  same  position  brought 
 forward  again  and  again,  for  the  mere  didactic  pur- 
 pose to  convince  or  to  inform,  might,  however  im- 
 portant, soon  cease  to  interest  the  understanding; 
 and  the  same  image,  however  beautiful,  might,  if 
 often  presented,  soon  cease  to  interest  or  to  affect 
 the  fancy — but  the  affirmation  of  a  friendship  that 
 is  dear  to  your  heart,  may  be  repeated  as  often  as 
 is  necessary  to  raise  and  to  prolong  the  sense  of  it 
 
 A3 
 
within  you — and,  although  the  theme  of  every  day, 
 still,  instead  of  being  grievous  on  that  account,  may 
 it  be  felt  like  the  renewed  application  of  balsam  to 
 the  soul,  with  as  lively  a  sense  of  enjoyment  as  be- 
 fore, and  with  a  delight  that  is  utterly  inexhaustible. 
 The  same  holds  true  of  a  moral  principle.  The 
 announcement  of  it  needs  not  to  be  repeated  with  a 
 view  to  inform ;  but  it  may  be  repeated  with  a  view 
 to  influence,  and  that  on  every  occurrence  of  temp- 
 tation or  necessity.  Were  it  our  only  business  with 
 virtue  to  learn  what  it  is,  it  were  superfluous  to  be 
 told  oftener  than  once,  that  anger  degrades  and  dis- 
 composes him  who  is  carried  away  by  it,  and  ought 
 to  be  resisted  as  alike  a  violation  of  duty  and  of 
 dignity.  But  as  our  main  business  with  virtue  is 
 to  practise  it,  the  very  same  thing  of  which  by  one 
 utterance  we  have  been  sufficiently  informed,  might 
 be  often  uttered,  with  propriety  and  effect,  in  order 
 that  we  should  be  reminded  of  it.  And,  accordingly, 
 in  some  hour  of  great  and  sudden  provocation,  when 
 another's  fraud,  or  another's  ingratitude  would  take 
 full  possession  of  the  feelings,  and  shut  out  from  the 
 mind's  regard  every  element  that  had  influence  to 
 still  or  to  arrest  the  coming  storm,  were  it  not  well, 
 if  some  friendly  monitor  were  standing  by,  and  bid- 
 ding him  be  calm  ?  There  might  not,  in  the  whole 
 of  the  remonstrance,  be  one  consideration  employed, 
 which  has  not  often  been  recognised,  nor  one  prin- 
 ciple urged,  which  has  not  been  admitted,  long  ago, 
 into  his  ethical  system,  and  is  perfectly  familiar  to 
 his  understanding,  as  a  sound  principle  of  human 
 conduct.  Yet  it  is  not  superfluous  again  to  urge  it 
 upon   him.      A  practical   object   is   gained   by  this 
 
XI 
 
 timely  suggestion — and  it  is  the  highest  function 
 of  practical  wisdom,  not  to  devise  what  is  new,  but 
 seasonably  to  recall  what  is  old.  When,  in  the  heat 
 and  the  hurry  of  some  brooding  fermentation,  there 
 is  one  intense  feeling  that  has  taken  exclusive  occu- 
 pation of  the  soul,  it  is  well  that  some  counteractive 
 influence  might  be  poured  in,  which  shall  assuage 
 its  violence.  And  this  influence,  generally,  lies  not 
 with  new  truths  which  are  then  for  the  first  time 
 apprehended,  but  with  old  truths  which  are  then 
 brought  to  the  remembrance.  So  that,  while  for  the 
 author  to  repeat  the  same  things  is  not  grievous,  for 
 the  reader  it  may  be  safe. 
 
 The  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  and  him  crucified, 
 which  forms  the  principal  and  pervading  theme  in 
 the  following  Treatises,  possesses  a  prominent  claim 
 to  a  place  in  our  habitual  recollections.  And,  for 
 this  purpose,  ought  it  to  be  the  topic  of  frequent 
 reiteration  by  every  Christian  author;  and  it  may 
 well  form  the  staple  of  many  a  Christian  treatise, 
 and  be  the  leading  and  oft-repeated  argument  of 
 many  a  religious  conversation.  It  is  this  which 
 ushers  into  the  mind  of  a  sinner  the  sense  of  God 
 as  his  Friend  and  his  reconciled  Father.  That  mind, 
 which  is  so  apt  to  be  overborne  by  this  world's  en- 
 grossments— or  to  lapse  into  the  dread  and  distrust 
 of  a  conscious  offender — or  to  go  back  again  to  na- 
 ture's lethargy,  and  nature's  alienation — or  to  lose 
 itself  in  quest  of  a  righteousness  of  its  own,  by  which 
 it  might  challenge  the  reward  of  a  blissful  eternity,— 
 stands  in  need  of  a  daily  visitor  who,  by  his  presence, 
 might  dissipate  the  gloom,  or  clear  away  the  per-^ 
 plexity,  in  which  these  strong  and  practical  tendencies 
 
Xll 
 
 of  the  human  constitution  are  so  ready  to  involve  it. 
 There  is  with  man  an  obstinate  forgetfulness  of  God  ; 
 so  that  the  Being  who  made  him  is  habitually  away 
 from  his  thoughts.  That  he  may  again  be  brought 
 nigh,  there  must  be  an  open  door  of  entry  by  which 
 the  mind  of  man  can  welcome  the  idea  of  God,  and 
 willingly  entertain  it;  by  which  the  imagination  of 
 Deity  might  become  supportable,  and  even  pleasing 
 to  the  soul:  so  that,  when  present  to  our  remem- 
 brance, there  should  be  the  felt  presence  of  one  who 
 loves  and  is  at  peace  with  us.  Now,  it  is  only  by 
 the  doctrine  of  the  cross  that  man  can  thus  delight 
 himself  in  God,  and,  at  the  same  time,  be  free  from 
 delusion.  This  is  the  way  of  access  for  man  enter- 
 ing into  friendship  with  God,  and  for  the  thought 
 of  God,  as  a  Friend,  entering  into  the  heart  of  man. 
 And  thus  it  is,  that  the  sound  of  bis  Saviour's  love 
 carries  with  it  such  a  fresh  and  unfailing  charm  to  a 
 believer's  ear.  It  is  the  precursor  to  an  act  of  men- 
 tal fellowship  with  God,  and  is  hailed  as  the  sound 
 of  the  approaching  footsteps  of  Him  whom  you  know 
 to  be  your  Friend. 
 
 When  the  mind,  abandoned  to  itself,  takes  its 
 own  spontaneous  and  undirected  way,  it  is  sure  to 
 wander  from  God ;  and  hence,  if  without  effort,  and 
 without  watchfulness,  will  it  lapse  into  a  state  of  in- 
 sensibility in  regard  to  him.  While  in  the  corrupt 
 and  earthly  frame  of  our  present  tabernacle,  there  is 
 a  constant  gravitation  of  the  heart  towards  uncrodli- 
 ness ;  and,  against  this  tendency,  there  needs  to  be 
 applied  the  counterpoise  of  such  a  force  as  shall  either 
 act  without  intermission,  or  by  frequent  and  repeated 
 impulses.      The  belief  that  God  is  your  Friend  in 
 
XIU 
 
 Christ  Jesus,  is  just  the  restorative,  by  which  the 
 soul  is  brought  back  again  from  the  lethargy  into 
 which  it  had  fallen  ;  and  the  great  preservative  by 
 which  it  is  upheld  from  sinking  anew  into  the  depths 
 of  its  natural  alienation.  It  is  by  cherishing  this 
 belief,  and  by  a  constant  recurrence  of  the  mind  to 
 that  great  truth  which  is  the  object  of  it,  that  a  sense 
 of  reconciliation,  or  the  felt  nearness  of  God  as  your 
 Friend,  is  kept  up  in  the  bosom.  And  if  the  mind 
 will  not,  by  its  own  energies,  constantly  recur  to  the 
 truth,  it  is  good  that  the  truth  should  be  frequently 
 obtruded  on  the  notice  of  the  mind.  "  Rejoice  in 
 the  Lord  always,  and  again  I  say,  rejoice."  If  there 
 be  an  aptitude  in  man,  which  undoubtedly  there  is, 
 to  let  slip  the  things  that  belong  to  his  peace,  it  is 
 good  to  be  ever  and  anon  presenting  these  things  to 
 his  view,  and  bidding  him  give  earnest  heed  unto 
 them.  It  is  not  that  his  judgment  would  be  thereby 
 informed,  nor  that  his  imagination  would  be  thereby 
 regaled,  but  that  his  memory  would  be  awakened,  and 
 his  practical  tendency  to  forget  or  fall  asleep  unto 
 these  things  would  be  thereby  made  head  against. 
 And  thus  there  are  certain  things,  the  constant  re- 
 petition of  which,  by  Christian  writers,  ought  not 
 to  be  thought  grievous,  and  at  all  events  is  safe. 
 
 And  there  is  a  perpetual  tendency  in  nature  not 
 only  to  forget  God,  but  also  to  misconceive  him. 
 There  is  nothing  more  firmly  interwoven  with  tjie 
 moral  constitutions  of  man  than  a  legal  spirit  towards 
 God,  with  its  aspirings,  and  its  jealousies,  and  its 
 fears.  Let  the  conscience  be  at  all  enlightened,  and 
 a  sense  of  manifold  deficiencies  from  the  rule  of  per- 
 fect obedience  is  altogether  unavoidable;  and  so  there 
 
XIV 
 
 is  ever  lurking  in  the  recesses  of  our  heart  a  dread 
 and  a  misgiving  about  God — the  secret  apprehen- 
 sion of  him  as  our  enemy — a  certain  distrust  of  him, 
 or  feeling  of  precariousness;  so  that  we  have  little 
 comfort  and  little  satisfaction  while  we  entertain  the 
 thought   of  him.      Were   that  a  mere   intellectual 
 error  by  which  we  hold  the  favour  of  God  to  be  a 
 purchase  with  the  righteousness  of  man,  and  so  fail- 
 ing in  the  establishment  of  such  a  righteousness,  we 
 remained  without  hope  in  the  world ;  or  were  that  a 
 mere  intellectual  error  by  which  we  continued  blind 
 to  the  offered  righteousness  of  Christ,  and  so,  de- 
 clining the  offer,  kept  our  distance  from  the  only 
 ground  on  which  God  and  man  can  walk  in  amity 
 together;  then,  like  any  other  error  of  the  under- 
 standing, it  might  be  done  conclusively  away  by  one 
 statement  or  one  demonstration.     But  when,  instead 
 of  a  fault  in  the  judgment,  which  might  thus  be  sa- 
 tisfied by  a  single  announcement,  it  is  a  perverse 
 constitutional  bias  that  needs  to  be  at  all  times  plied 
 against,  by  the  operation  of  a  contrary  influence — 
 then  it  might  not  be  on  the  strength  of  one  deliver- 
 ance only,  but  by  dint  of  its  strenuous  and  repeated 
 asseveration,  that  the  sense  of  God  as  both  a  just 
 God  and  a  Saviour  is  upheld  in  the  soul.     This  might 
 just  be  the  aliment  by  which  the  soul  is  kept  from 
 pining  under  a  sense  of  its  own  poverty  and  naked- 
 ness— the  bread  of  life  which  it  receives  by  faith, 
 and  delights  at  all  times  to  feed  upon :  and  just  as 
 hunger  does  not  refuse  the  same  viands  by  which,  a 
 thousand  times  before,  it  has  been  met  and  satisfied, 
 so  may  the  doctrine  of  Christ  crucified  be  that  spi- 
 ritual food  which  is  ever  welcomed  by  the  hungry 
 and  heavy-laden  soul,  and  is  ever  felt  to  be  precious. 
 
XV 
 
 The  Bible  supposes  a  tendency  in  man  to  let  slip 
 its  truths  from  his  recollection,  and,  in  opposition  to 
 this,  it  bids  him  keep  them  in  memory,  else  he  might 
 have  believed  them  in  vain.  It  is  not  enough  that 
 they  may,  at  one  time,  have  been  received.  They 
 must  be  at  all  times  remembered.  "  And  there- 
 fore," says  Peter,  "  I  will  not  be  negligent  to  put 
 you  always  in  remembrance  of  these  things,  though 
 ye  know  them  and  be  established  in  the  present 
 truth."  To  know  and  to  be  assured  is  not  enough, 
 it  would  appear.  They  may  at  one  time  have  con- 
 sented to  the  words  which  vvere  spoken,  but  the 
 apostle  presented  them  anew,  in  order  that  they 
 might  be  mindful  of  the  words  which  were  spoken. 
 Those  doctrines  of  religion  which  speak  comfort,  or 
 have  an  attendant  moral  influence  upon  the  soul, 
 must  at  first  be  learned;  but  not,  like  many  of  the 
 doctrines  of  science,  consigned  to  a  place  of  dor- 
 mancy among  the  old  and  forgotten  acquisitions  of 
 the  understanding.  They  stand  in  place  of  a  kind 
 and  valuable  friend,  of  whom  it  is  not  enough  that 
 he  has  once  been  introduced  to  your  acquaintance, 
 but  with  whom  you  hold  it  precious  to  have  daily 
 fellowship,  and  to  be  in  your  habitual  remembrance. 
 And  this  is  eminently  true  of  that  doctrine  which  is 
 so  frequently  reiterated  in  these  Treatises,  "  that 
 Christ  died  for  our  sins,  according  to  the  Scriptures." 
 It  is  the  portal  through  which  the  light  of  God's  re- 
 conciled countenance  is  let  in  upon  the  soul.  It  is 
 the  visitor  that  ushers  there  the  peace  and  glory  of 
 heaven,  and,  forcing  its  way  through  all  those  cold 
 and  heavy  obstructions  by  w^hich  the  legal  spirit  has 
 beset  the  heart  of  proud  yet  impotent  man — it  is  the 
 
XVI 
 
 alone  truth  that  can  at  once  hush  the  fears  of  guilt, 
 and  command  a  reverence  for  the  offended  Sovereign. 
 No  wonder,  then,  that  its  presence  should  be  so  much 
 courted  by  all  who  have  been  touched  with  the 
 reality  and  the  magnitude  of  eternal  things — by  all 
 who  have  ever  made  the  question  of  their  acceptance 
 with  God  a  matter  of  earnest  and  home-felt  applica- 
 tion ;  and  who,  urged  on  the  one  hand,  by  the  au- 
 thority of  a  law  that  must  be  vindicated,  and  on  the 
 other,  by  the  sense  of  a  condemnation  that,  to  the 
 eye  of  nature,  appears  inextricable,  must  give  su- 
 preme welcome  to  the  message  that  can  assure  them 
 of  a  way  by  which  both  God  may  be  glorified  and 
 the  sinner  may  be  safe.  It  is  the  blood  of  Christ 
 which  resolves  this  mystery,  and  it  is  by  the  daily 
 application  of  this  blood  to  the  conscience  that  peace 
 is  daily  upheld  there.  When  the  propitiation  by 
 Christ  is  out  of  the  mind,  then,  on  the  strength  of 
 its  old  propensities,  does  it  lapse  either  into  the  for- 
 getfulness  of  God,  or  into  a  fearful  distrust  of  him. 
 And  therefore  it  is,  that  every  aspiring  Christian 
 prizes  every  intimation,  and  every  token  of  remem- 
 brance, by  which  to  recall  to  his  mind  the  thought  of 
 a  crucified  Saviour.  And  he  no  more  quarrels  with 
 a  perpetual  sense  of  him  who  poured  out  his  soul 
 unto  the  death,  than  he  would  with  the  perpetual 
 sunshine  of  a  brilliant  and  exhilarating  day  :  and  just 
 as  a  joy  and  a  thankfulness  are  felt  at  every  time 
 when  the  sun  breaks  out  from  the  clouds  which  lie 
 scattered  over  the  firmament — so  is  that  beam  of 
 gladness  which  enters  with  the  very  name  of  Christ, 
 when  it  finds  its  way  through  that  dark  and  dis- 
 turbed atmosphere  which  is  ever  apt  to  gather  around 
 
XVll 
 
 the  soul.  The  light  of  beauty  is  not  more  con- 
 stantly pleasant  to  the  eye — the  ointment  that  is 
 poured  forth  not  more  constantly  agreeable  in  its 
 odour — -the  relished  and  wholesome  food  not  more 
 constantly  palatable  to  the  ever-recurring  appetite  of 
 hunger — the  benignant  smile  of  tried  and  approved 
 friendship  not  more  constantly  delicious  to  the  heart 
 of  man,  than  is  the  sense  of  a  Saviour's  sufficiency 
 to  him  of  spiritual  and  new-born  desires,  who  now 
 hungers  and  thirsts  after  righteousness. 
 
 This  may  explain  the  untired  and  unexpended 
 delight  wherewith  the  Christian  hangs  upon  a  theme 
 which  sounds  monotonously,  and  is  felt  to  be  weari- 
 some by  other  men :  and  this  is  one  test  by  which 
 he  may  ascertain  his  spiritual  condition.  There  is 
 much  associated  with  religion  that  is  fitted  to  regale 
 even  a  mind  that  is  unrenewed,  if  open  to  the  charms 
 of  a  tasteful,  or  pathetic,  or  eloquent  representation. 
 And  thus  it  is,  that  crowds  may  be  drawn  around  a 
 pulpit  by  the  same  lure  of  attraction  which  fills  a 
 theatre  with  raptured  and  applauding  multitudes. 
 To  uphold  the  loveliness  of  the  song,  might  the 
 preacher  draw  on  all  the  beauties  of  nature,  while  he 
 propounds  the  argument  of  nature's  God :  nor  need 
 the  deep,  the  solemn  interest  of  tragedy  be  wanting, 
 with  such  topics  at  command  as  the  sinner's  restless 
 bed,  and  the  dark  imagery  of  guilt  and  vengeance 
 wherewith  it  is  surrounded :  and  again,  may  the 
 fairest  tints  of  heaven  be  employed  to  deck  the  per- 
 spective of  a  good  man's  anticipations;  or  the  touch- 
 ing associations  of  home  be  pressed  into  the  service 
 of  engaging  all  our  sympathies,  with  the  feelings, 
 and  the  struggles,  and  the  hopes  of  his  pious  family. 
 
XVlll 
 
 It  is  thus  that  the  theological  page  may  be  richly 
 strewed  with  the  graces  of  poetry,  and  even  the  feast 
 of  intellect  be  spread  before  us  by  the  able  champions 
 (rf  theological  truth.  Yet  all  this  dehght  would  re- 
 quire novelty  to  sustain  it,  and  be  in  full  congeniality 
 with  minds  on  which  the  unction  of  living  water 
 from  above  had  never  yet  descended.  It  is  alto- 
 gether diverse  from  that  spiritual  taste,  by  which  the 
 simple  application  of  the  cross  to  the  sinner's  con- 
 science is  felt  and  appreciated — by  which  the  utter- 
 ance of  the  Saviour's  name  is  at  all  times  welcomed 
 like  the  sound  of  sweetest  music — by  which  a  sensa- 
 tion of  relief  enters,  with  all  the  power  and  freshness 
 of  a  new  feeling,  so  often  as  the  conception  of  his 
 atoning  blood,  and  of  his  perfect  righteousness,  is 
 made  to  visit  us — by  which  the  reiteration  of  his 
 sacrifice  upon  the  ear,  has  a  like  effect  to  disperse  the 
 habitual  distrust  or  lethargy  of  nature,  that  the 
 ever-recurring  presence  of  a  friend  has  to  disperse 
 the  gloom  of  a  constitutional  melancholy.  It  is  no 
 evidence  of  his  vital  Christianity,  that  a  man  can  en- 
 joy a  kindred  recreation  in  those  embellishments  of 
 genius  or  literature  of  which  the  theme  is  susceptible. 
 But  if  its  simple  affirmations  be  sweet  unto  him — if 
 the  page  be  never  lovelier  in  his  eye  than  when 
 gemmed  with  Bible  quotations  that  are  both  weighty 
 and  pertinent — if  when  pervaded  throughout  by  a  re- 
 ference to  Christ,  and  to  him  crucified,  it  be  felt  and. 
 rejoiced  in  like  the  incense  of  a  perpetual  savour,  and 
 he,  withal  a  son  of  learning  and  generous  accom- 
 plishment, can  love,  even  in  its  homeliest  garb,  the 
 oft-repeated  truth ;  and  that,  purely  because  the 
 balm  of  Gilead  is  there, — this  we  should  hold  the 
 
XIX 
 
 evidence  of  one  who,  so  far  at  least,  has  been  en- 
 lightened, and  has  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and 
 has  been  made  a  partaker  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
 has  tasted  of  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers 
 of  the  world  to  come. 
 
 We  know  of  no  Treatises  where  this  evangelical 
 
 o 
 
 infusion  so  pervades  the  whole  substance  of  them  as 
 those  of  RoMAiNE.  Though  there  is  no  train  of 
 consecutive  argument — though  there  is  no  great 
 power  or  variety  of  illustration — though  we  cannot 
 allege  in  their  behalf  much  richness  of  imagery,  or 
 even  much  depth  of  Christian  experience.  And, 
 besides,  though  we  were  to  take  up  any  of  his  para- 
 graphs at  random,  we  should  find  that,  with  some 
 little  variation  in  the  workmanship  of  each,  there  was 
 mainly  one  ground  or  substratum  for  them  all — yet 
 the  precious  and  consoling  truths,  which  he  ever  and 
 anon  presents,  must  endear  them  to  those  who  are 
 anxious  to  maintain  in  their  minds  a  rejoicing  sense 
 of  God  as  their  reconciled  Father.  He  never  ceases 
 to  make  mention  of  Christ  and  of  his  righteousness 
 — and  it  is  by  the  constant  droppings  of  this  elixir 
 that  the  whole  charm  and  interest  of  his  writings  are 
 upheld.  With  a  man  whose  ambition  and  delight 
 it  was  to  master  the  difficulties  of  an  argument;  or 
 with  a  man  whose  chief  enjoyment  it  was  to  range 
 at  will  over  the  domains  of  poetry,  we  can  conceive 
 nothing  more  tasteless  or  tame  than  these  Treatises 
 that  are  now  offered  to  the  public.  Yet,  in  despite 
 of  that  literary  nakedness  which  they  may  exhibit  to 
 the  eye  of  the  natural  man,  who  possesses  no  spiri- 
 tual taste,  and  no  spiritual  discernment,  let  such  a 
 man  have  his  eye  opened  to  the  hidden  glories  of 
 
XX 
 
 that  theme,  which,  of  all  others,  was  dear  to  the 
 bosom  of  their  Author;  and,  whether  from  the  press 
 or  from  the  pulpit,  was  the  one  theme  on  which  he 
 ever  loved  to  expatiate — let  the  sense  of  guilt  but 
 fasten  upon  his  conscience,  and  the  sure  but  simple 
 remedy  of  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ  recommend  it- 
 self as  that  power  of  God  which  alone  is  able  to  dis- 
 solve it — let  him  be  made  to  feel  the  suitableness 
 that  there  is  between  this  precious  application,  and 
 that  inward  disease  of  which  the  malignity  and  the 
 soreness  have  now  been  revealed  to  him — then,  like 
 as  it  is  at  all  times  pleasing,  when  there  is  laid  over 
 a  bodily  wound  the  emollient  that  relieves  it,  so  is 
 it  all  times  pleasing,  whenever  the  spiritual  malady 
 is  felt,  to  have  recourse  upon  that  unction  by  the 
 sprinkling  of  which  it  is  washed  away.  A  feeling  of 
 joy  in  the  Redeemer  will  be  ever  prompting  to  the 
 same  contemplations,  and  to  the  utterance  of  the 
 same  things.  To  a  regenerated  spirit,  that  never 
 can  be  a  weariness  in  time,  which  is  to  form  the 
 song  of  eternity. 
 
 But  it  is  of  importance  to  remark,  that  the  theme 
 on  which  Mr.  Romaine  so  much  loves  to  expatiate, 
 is  a  purifying  as  well  as  a  pleasing  theme.  It  is  not 
 only  not  grievous  to  indulge  in  it,  but,  most  assu- 
 redly, to  every  true-hearted  Christian,  it  is  safe. 
 W^e  are  aware  of  the  alleged  danger  which  some  en- 
 tertain of  the  tendency  of  such  a  full  and  free  exhi- 
 bition of  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  to  produce  Anti- 
 nomianism.  But  the  way  to  avert  this,  is  not  by 
 casting  any  part  of  gospel  truth  into  the  shade.  It 
 is  to  spread  open  the  whole  of  it,  and  give  to  every 
 one  part  the  relief  and  the  prominency  that  it  has  in 
 
XXI 
 
 Scripture.      We  are  not  to  mitigate  the  doctrines  of 
 a  justifying  faith,  and  an  all-perfect  righteousness, 
 because  of  the  abuse  that  has  been  made  of  them  by 
 hypocrites — but,  leaving  to  these  doctrines  all  their 
 prominency,  we  are  to  place  by  their  side  the  no  less 
 important  and  undeniable  truths,  that  heaven  is  the 
 abode  of  holy  creatures,  and  that,  ere  we  are  quali- 
 fied for  admittance  there,  we  must  become  holy  and 
 heavenly  ourselves.      Nor  is  there  a  likelier  way  of 
 speeding  this  practical  transformation  upon  our  souls, 
 than  by  keeping  up  there,   through  the  blood  of 
 Christ,   a  peace  in  the  conscience,  which  is  never 
 truly  done,  without  a  love  in  the  heart  being  kept 
 up  along  with  it.      Those  who  are  justified  by  faith 
 in  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  and,  in  consequence 
 of  which,  have  that  peace  with  God  which  this  Au- 
 thor labours  so  earnestly  to  maintain  in  the  mind, 
 walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit  :  and 
 that  man's  faith  in  the  offered  Saviour  is  not  real, 
 nor  has  he  given  a  cordial  acceptance  to  that  grace 
 which  is  so  freely  revealed  in  the  gospel,  if  he  do  not 
 demonstrate  the  existence  of  this  faith  in  his  heart, 
 by  its  operation  in  his  character.      A  hypocrite  may 
 pervert  the  grace  of  the  gospel,  as  he  will  seek  a 
 shelter  for  his  iniquities,  wherever  it  can  be  found. 
 But  because  he  receives  it  deceitfully,  this  is  no  rea- 
 son why  it  should  be  withheld  from  those  who  re- 
 ceive it  in  truth.      The  truths  which  he  abuses  to  his 
 own  destruction,  are,  nevertheless,   the  very  truths 
 which  serve  to  aliment  the  gratitude  and  the  new 
 obedience  of  every  honest  believer,  who  gives  wel- 
 come acceptance  to  all  things  whatsoever  that  are 
 
xxu 
 
 written  in  the  book  of  God's  counsel,  and  finds  room 
 enough  in  his  moral  system  for  both  of  the  positions 
 — that  he  is  justified  by  faith,  and  that  he  is  judged 
 by  works. 
 
 T.  C. 
 
 Glasgow f  September,  1S22. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 THE  LIFE  OF  FAITH. 
 
 Page 
 
 Preface, 29 
 
 The  Life  of  Faith, 31 
 
 THE  WALK  OF  FAITH. 
 Preface, 161 
 
 CHAP.  I.  Whoever  walks  with  God  must  be  first  acquainted 
 with  the  way  of  peace, ]C7 
 
 CHAP.  II.  The  believer  is  reconciled  to  God,  and  has  the 
 peace  of  God  ruling  in  his  conscience ;  and  they  two  walk 
 together,  because  they  are  now  agreed,         .         .         .     178 
 
 CHAP.  HI.  The  believer  in  his  heart  cleaves  to  God,  and 
 walks  with  him  in  love,  197 
 
 CHAP.  IV.  The  ^believer  goes  on  successfully,  while  he 
 walks  by  faith  in  a  constant  dependence  upon  his  recon- 
 ciled God  and  loving  Father, 223 
 
 CHAP.  V.  The  believer  orders  his  steps  according  to  the 
 word,  walking  with  a  free  heart  in  the  King's  highway  of 
 obedience, 25 
 
XXIV  CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 CHAP.  VI.  The  walk  of  the  believer  in  the  way  of  duty,    271 
 
 CHAP.  VII.  The  believer  goes  on  his  way  rejoicing  in 
 God, 328 
 
 CHAP.  VIII.  The  believer  walks  humbly  with  God,  bear- 
 ing his  cross, 356 
 
 CHAP.  IX.  The  believer,  exercised  with  the  outward  cross, 
 carries  it  with  patience,  and  finds  it  a  great  help  to  him  in 
 his  walk  heavenwards, 360 
 
 CHAP.  X.  The  believer,  exercised  with  the  inward  cross, 
 learns  to  walk  more  humbly  with  his  God,        .         ,        4-24* 
 
 CHAP.  XI.  The  believer  fights  the  good  fight  of  faith,  and 
 goes  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer,  .         .         ,       451 
 
 CHAP.  XII.  The  believer  marches  on,  fighting  the  good 
 fight  of  faith,  and  daily  gains  victory  over  the  world,      .     467 
 
 CHAP.  XIII.  The  believer  marches  on,  resisting  and  over- 
 coming the  wiles  and  the  assaults  of  the  tempter,         .       476 
 
 CHAP.  XIV.  The  believer,  kept  by  the  power  of  God, 
 perseveres  in  his  holy  walk  and  victorious  warfare,        .     484 
 
 CHAP.  XV.  The  believer  finishes  his  course,  and  enters 
 into  rest, 501 
 
 THE  TRIUMPH  OF  FAITH. 
 
 Preface, 515 
 
 CHAP.  I.     Introduction, 519 
 
 CHAP.  II.    Some  Scripture  encouragements  for  the  tri- 
 umph of  faith, 525 
 
CONTENTS.  XXV 
 
 CHAP.  III.  The  believer's  triumph  in  the  Lord  his  right- 
 eousness,     ,        ,     54,5 
 
 CHAP.  IV.  The  believer's  triumph  in  Jesus  under  a  sense 
 of  the  defilement  of  sin, 553 
 
 CHAP.  V.  The  believer's  triumph  over  sin  in  its  guilt,    .     559 
 
 CHAP.   VI.  The  believer's  victory  over  the  dominion  of 
 sin, 567 
 
 CHAP.  VII.  The  believer's  triumph  over  his  troubles,     .     573 
 
 CHAP.  VIII.  The  believer's  triumph  over  the  infirmities 
 of  old  age,        . 583 
 
 CHAP.  IX.  The  believer's  triumph  over  death,-     .         .     593 
 
 CHAP.  X.  The  character  of  ^e  persons  who  have  most 
 reason  to  triumph  in  Christ,^ 609 
 
 CHAP.  XI.  The  eternal  triumph,  .        .        .        .627 
 
 B 
 
THE 
 
 LIFE  OF  FAITH. 
 
 B  2 
 
/f. 
 
 ppTITGBWI- 
 
 THE    LIFE   OF   FAITH. 
 
 The  design  of  this  little  Treatise  is  to  display  the 
 glory  and  all-sufficiency  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 and  to  encourage  weak  believers  to  glorify  him  more, 
 by  depending  and  living  more  upon  his  all-sufficiency. 
 Whatever  grace  he  has  promised  in  his  word,  he 
 is  faithful,  and  he  is  almighty  to  bestow,  and  they 
 may  receive  it  of  him  freely  by  the  hand  of  faith. 
 This  is  its  use  and  office,  as  a  hand  or  instrument, 
 having  first  received  Christ,  to  be  continually  receiv- 
 ing out  of  Christ's  fulness.  The  apostle  calls  this 
 "  living  by  faith ;"  a  life  received  and  continued, 
 with  all  the  strength,  comforts,  and  blessings  belong- 
 ing to  it,  by  faith  in  the  Son  of  God ;  and  he  also  men- 
 tions the  work  of  faith,  its  working  effectually  in  the 
 hearts  and  lives  of  believers,  through  Christ's  strength- 
 ening them,  and  its  growing  in  them,  yea,  growing 
 exceedingly,  from  faith  to  faith,  by  the  power  of  him 
 who  loveth  them.  This  is  the  subject ;  and  it  pro- 
 perly belongs  to  those  only  who  have  obtained  the 
 true  faith,  given  them  of  God,  and  wrought  in  their 
 hearts  by  his  word  and  Spirit.  Such  persons  meet 
 with  many  difficulties  every  day  to  try  their  faith, 
 and  to  hinder  them  from  depending  continually  upon 
 the  Lord  Christ  for  all  things  belonging  to  life  and 
 
so 
 
 godliness.  By  what  means  these  difficulties  may  be 
 overcome,  is  plainly  taught  in  Scripture,  is  clearly 
 prtimised,  and  is  attained  by  faith,  which  becomes 
 daily  more  victorious,  as  it  is  enabled  to  trust  that 
 he  is  faithful  who  promised.  The  strengthening 
 of  it  I  have  had  all  along  in  view,  hoping  to  be  the 
 means,  under  God,  of  leading  the  weak  believer  by 
 the  hand,  and  of  removing  hinderances  out  of  his  way, 
 until  the  Lord  thoroughly  settle  and  establish  him 
 in  the  faith  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 But  I  must  admonish  the  reader,  that  1  do  not 
 expect  this  merely  from  what  I  have  written.      It  is 
 too  high  and  great  a  work  for  any  mere  man.     Faith 
 is  the  gift  of  God.      And  he  alone  who  gives  it,  can 
 increase  it.      The   author  of  the  faith  is  also  the 
 finisher  of  it;  and  we  do  not  use  the  means  to  set 
 the  Lord  of  all  means  aside :  no  ;   we  use  them  that 
 we  may  find  him  in  them.      It  is  his  presence  which 
 makes  the  use  of  them  effectual.      By  this,  and  this 
 only,  can  any  reader  of  this  little  book  be  rendered 
 stronger  in  faith.     Being  well  assured  of  this,  I  have 
 therefore  looked  up  to  him  myself,  and  it  will  be  for 
 thy  profit  also,  reader,  to  look  up  to  him  in  prayer 
 for  his  blessing.      Entreat  him,  of  his  grace,  to  coun- 
 tenance this  feeble  attempt  to  promote  his  glory  and 
 his  people's  good.      Beg  of  him  to  make  thy  read- 
 ing of  it  the  means  of  thy  growth  in  faith,  and  to 
 accompany  it  with  the  supply  of  his  Holy  Spirit  to 
 every  believer  into  whose  hands  it  may  fall.      And 
 forget  not,  in  thy  prayers  and  praises,  to  remember 
 the  Author. 
 
 April  30,  1793. 
 
THEOLOC 
 
 \  . 
 
 LIFE   OF  FAITH. 
 
 The  persons  for  whose  use  this  little  tract  is  drawn 
 up,  are  supposed  to  be  practically  acquainted  with 
 these  following  truths : — They  have  been  convinced 
 of  sin,  and  convinced  of  righteousness.  The  word  of 
 God  has  been  made  effectual,  by  the  application  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  to  teach  them  the  nature  of  the 
 divine  law;  and  upon  comparing  their  hearts  and 
 their  lives  with  it,  they  have  been  brought  in  guilty. 
 They  found  themselves  fallen  creatures,  and  they 
 felt  the  sad  consequences  of  the  fall ;  namely,  total 
 ignorance  in  the  understanding  of  God  and  his  ways, 
 an  open  rebellion  against  him  in  the  will,  and  an 
 entire  enmity  in  the  heart;  a  life  spent  in  the  service 
 of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil :  and  on  all 
 these  accounts,  guilty  before  God,  and  by  nature 
 children  of  wrath.  When  they  were  convinced  of 
 those  truths  in  their  judgments,  and  the  awakened 
 conscience  sought  for  ease  and  deliverance,  then  they 
 found  they  were  helpless  and  without  strength ;  they 
 could  take  no  step,  nor  do  any  thing  which  could  in 
 
32 
 
 the  least  save  them  from  their  sins.  Whatever 
 method  they  thought  of,  it  failed  them  upon  trial, 
 and  left  conscience  more  uneasy  than  before.  Did 
 they  purpose  to  repent  ?— they  found  such  a  repen- 
 tance as  God  would  be  pleased  with,  was  the  gift  of 
 Christ.  He  was  exalted  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Sa- 
 viour to  give  repentance.  Suppose  they  thought  of 
 reforming  their  lives,  yet  what  is  to  become  of  their 
 old  sins?  Will  present  obedience,  if  it  could  be 
 perfectly  paid,  make  any  atonement  for  past  disobe- 
 dience ?  Will  the  broken  law  take  part  of  our  duty 
 for  the  whole  ?  No  :  It  has  determined,  that  who- 
 soever shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend  in 
 one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all.  And  let  him  be  ever 
 so  careful  in  doing  what  the  law  requires,  or  in 
 avoiding  what  the  law  forbids ;  let  him  fast,  and  pray, 
 and  give  alms;  hear  and  read  the  word;  be  early  and 
 late  at  ordinances, — yet  the  enlightened  conscience 
 cannot  be  herewith  satisfied :  because,  by  these  duties, 
 he  cannot  undo  the  sin  committed,  and  because  he 
 will  find  so  many  failings  in  them,  that  they  will  be 
 still  adding  to  his  guilt,  and  increasing  his  misery. 
 
 What  method  then  shall  he  take?  The  more 
 he  strives  to  make  himself  better,  the  worse  he  finds 
 himself:  he  sees  the  pollution  of  sin  greater;  he 
 discovers  more  of  his  guilt ;  he  finds  in  himself  a 
 want  of  all  good,  and  an  inclination  to  all  evil ;  he 
 is  now  convinced  that  the  law  is  holy,  just,  and  good, 
 but  when  he  would  keep  it,  evil  is  present  with  him. 
 This  makes  him  deeply  sensible  of  his  guilty,  help- 
 less state,  and  shows  him,  that  by  the  works  of  the 
 law  he  cannot  be  saved.  His  heart,  like  a  fountain, 
 is  continually  sending  forth  evil  thoughts ;  yea,  the 
 
S3 
 
 very  imaginations  of  it  are  only  and  altogether  evil, 
 and  words  and  works  partake  of  the  nature  of  that 
 evil  fountain  from  whence  they  flow  ;  so  that  after 
 all  his  eflPorts,  he  cannot  quiet  his  conscience,  nor 
 obtain  peace  with  God. 
 
 The  law  having  done  its  oflfice  as  a  schoolmaster, 
 by  convincing  him  of  these  truths,  stops  his  mouth, 
 that  he  has  not  a  word  to  say,  why  sentence  should 
 not  be  passed  upon  him.  And  there  it  leaves  him, 
 guilty  and  helpless.  It  can  do  nothing  more  for  him, 
 than  show  him  that  he  is  a  child  of  wrath,  and  that 
 he  deserves  to  have  the  wrath  of  God  abiding  upon 
 him  for  ever;  for  by  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of  sin. 
 
 The  gospel  finds  him  in  this  condition,  as  the 
 good  Samaritan  did  the  wounded  traveller,  and  brings 
 him  good  news.  It  discovers  to  him  the  way  of  sal- 
 vation, contrived  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  and  mani- 
 fests to  him  what  the  ever-blessed  Trinity  had  therein 
 purposed,  and  what  in  the  fulness  of  time  was  accom- 
 plished. That  all  the  perfections  of  the  Godhead 
 might  be  infinitely  and  everlastingly  glorified,  the 
 Father  covenanted  to  gain  honour  and  dignity  to  his 
 law  and  justice,  to  his  faithfulness  and  holiness,  by 
 insisting  upon  man's  appearing  at  his  bar  in  the  per- 
 fect righteousness  of  the  law.  But  man  having  no 
 such  righteousness  of  his  own,  all  having  sinned,  and 
 there  being  none  righteous,  no,  not  one  !  how  can 
 he  be  saved  ?  The  Lord  Christ,  a  person  in  the 
 Godhead,  co-equal  and  co-eternal  with  the  Father, 
 undertook  to  be  his  Saviour;  he  covenanted  to  stand 
 up  as  the  head  and  surety  of  his  people,  in  their  na- 
 ture and  in  their  stead,  to  obey  for  them,  that  by  his 
 infinitely  precious  obedience  many  might  be  made 
 b3 
 
34 
 
 righteous,  and  to  suffer  for  them,  that  by  his  ever- 
 lasting meritorious  stripes  they  might  be  healed. 
 Accordingly,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  he  carae  into  the 
 world,  and  was  made  flesh ;  and  God  and  man  being 
 as  truly  united  in  one  person,  as  the  reasonable  soul 
 and  flesh  in  one  man,  this  adorable  person  lived,  and 
 suffered,  and  died,  as  the  representative  of  his  people. 
 The  righteousness  of  his  life  was  to  be  their  right 
 and  title  to  life,  and  the  righteousness  of  his  suffer- 
 ings and  death  was  to  save  them  from  all  the  suffer- 
 ings due  to  their  sins.  And  thus  the  law  and  justice 
 of  the  Father  would  be  glorified  in  pardoning  them, 
 and  his  faithfulness  and  holiness  made  honourable  in 
 saving  them  :  he  might  be  strictly  just,  and  yet  the 
 justifier  of  him  who  believeth  in  Jesus. 
 
 In  thif.  covenant,  the  Holy  Spirit,  a  person  co- 
 equal and  co-eternal  with   the  Father  and  the  Son, 
 undertook  the  gracious  office  of  quickening  and  con- 
 vincing sinners  in  their  consciences,  how  guilty  they 
 were,  and  how  much  they  wanted  a  Saviour;  and  in 
 their  judgments,   how  able  he  was  to  save  all  that 
 come  unto  God  through  him  :  and  in  their  hearts  to 
 receive  him,  and  to  believe  unto  righteousness;  and 
 then  in  their  walk  and  conversation,  to  live  upon  his 
 grace  and  strength.      His  office  is  thus  described  by 
 our  blessed  Lord,   in  John  xvi.  13,   14.   *'  When 
 the  Spirit  of  truth  is  come,  he  shall  glorify  me;  for 
 he  shall  take  of  mine,  and  shall  show  it  unto  you:'* 
 that  is,  when  he  comes  to  convince  sinners  of  sin, 
 and  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment,  he  takes  of 
 the  things  of  Christ,  and  glorifies  him  by  showing 
 them  what  a  fulness  there  is  in  him  to  save.      He 
 leads  them  into  all  necessary  truth  in  their  judg- 
 
35 
 
 ments,  both  concerning  their  own  sinfulness,  guilt, 
 and  helplessness,  and  also  concerning  the  almighty 
 power  of  the  God-man,  and  his  lawful  authority  to 
 make  use  of  it  for  their  salvation.  He  opens  their 
 understandings  to  comprehend  the  covenant  of  grace, 
 and  the  offices  of  the  eternal  Trinity  in  this  cove- 
 nant, particularly  the  office  of  the  sinner's  surety,  the 
 Lord  Christ;  and  he  convinces  them  that  there  is 
 righteousness  and  strength,  comfort  and  rejoicing, 
 grace  for  grace,  holiness  and  glory,  yea,  treasures 
 infinite,  everlasting  treasures  of  these  in  Christ;  and 
 hereby  he  draws  out  their  affections  after  Christ, 
 and  enables  them,  with  the  heart,  to  believe  in  him 
 unto  righteousness.  And  the  Holy  Spirit,  having 
 thus  brought  them  to  the  happy  knowledge  of  their 
 union  with  Christ,  afterwards  glorifies  him  in  their 
 walk  and  conversation,  by  teaching  them  how  to  live 
 by  faith  upon  his  fulness,  and  to  be  continually  re- 
 ceiving out  of  it  grace  for  grace,  according  to  their 
 continual  needs. 
 
 The  corruption  of  our  nature  by  the  fall,  and  our 
 recovery  through  Jesus  Christ,  are  the  two  leading 
 truths  in  the  Christian  religion,  and  I  suppose  the 
 persons  for  whose  sake  this  Uttle  tract  is  drawn  up, 
 not  only  to  know  them,  but  also  to  be  established  in 
 them,  steadfastly  to  beUeve,  and  deeply  to  experience 
 them.  The  necessity  of  their  being  well  grounded 
 in  them,  is  very  evident ;  for  a  sinner  will  never  seek 
 after,  nor  desire  Christ,  farther  than  he  feels  his 
 guilt  and  his  misery ;  nor  will  he  receive  Christ  by 
 faith,  till  all  other  methods  of  saving  himself  fail ; 
 nor  will  he  live  upon  Christ's  fulness,  farther  than 
 he  has  an  abiding  sense  of  his  own  want  of  him. 
 
86 
 
 Reader,  how  do  these  truths  appear  to  thee  ?  Has 
 the  law  of  God  arraigned  thee  in  thy  conscience  ? 
 Hast  thou  been  there  brought  in  guihy,  and  has  the 
 Spirit  of  God  deeply  convinced  thee  by  the  law,  of 
 sin,  and  of  unbelief,  and  of  thy  helplessness,  so  as 
 to  leave  thee  no  false  resting-place  short  of  Christ  ? 
 Has  he  swept  away  every  refuge  of  lies  ?  and  thus 
 put  thee  upon  inquiring  what  thou  must  do  to  be 
 saved  ?  If  not,  may  the  Lord  the  Spirit  convince 
 thee,  and  in  his  own  good  time  bring  thee  to  the 
 knowledge  of  thyself,  and  to  the  saving  knowledge 
 of  and  belief  in  Christ  Jesus,  without  which  this 
 book  can  profit  thee  nothing.  But  if  thou  hast 
 been  thus  convinced,  and  the  Lord  has  shone  into 
 thy  understanding,  and  enlightened  it  with  the  know- 
 ledge of  the  way  of  salvation,  then  read  on.  May 
 the  Lord  make  what  thou  readest  profitable  to  thine 
 establishment  in  the  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  ! 
 There  are  two  things  spoken  of  faith  in  Scripture, 
 which  highly  deserve  the  attention  of  every  true  be- 
 liever. The  first  is,  the  state  of  safety  in  which  he 
 is  placed  by  Christ,  and  is  delivered  from  every  evil 
 and  danger  in  time  and  eternity,  to  which  sin  had 
 justly  exposed  him  ;  and  the  second  is,  the  happiness, 
 of  this  state,  consisting  in  an  abundant  supply  of  all 
 spiritual  blessings,  freely  given  to  him  in  Christ,  and 
 received  as  they  are  wanted,  by  the  hand  of  faith,  out 
 of  the  fulness  of  Christ.  By  which  means,  who- 
 ever has  obtained  this  precious  faith,  ought  to  have  a 
 quiet  conscience,  at  peace  with  God,  and  need  not 
 fear  any  manner  of  evil,  how  much  soever  it  be  de- 
 served ;  and  thereby  he  may  at  all  times  come  boldly 
 to  the  throne  of  grace  to  receive  whatever  is  neces- 
 
87 
 
 sary  for  his  comfortable  walk  heavenwards.  Every 
 grace,  every  blessing  promised  in  Scripture,  is  his ; 
 and  he  may  and  does  enjoy  them,  so  far  as  he  lives 
 by  faith  upon  the  Son  of  God ;  so  far  as  his  life  and 
 conversation  are  well  ordered,  his  walk  is  even,  his 
 spiritual  enemies  are  conquered,  the  old  man  is  mor- 
 tified with  his  affections  and  lusts,  and  the  new  man 
 is  renewed  day  by  day,  after  the  image  of  God,  in 
 righteousness  and  true  holiness.  And  from  what  he 
 already  enjoys  by  faith,  and  from  the  hopes  of  a 
 speedy  and  perfect  enjoyment,  the  Scripture  warrants 
 him  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord  with  joy  unspeakable  and 
 full  of  glory. 
 
 It  is  much  to  be  lamented,  that  few  live  up  to 
 thes^  two  privileges  of  faith.  Many  persons  who 
 are  truly  concerned  about  the  salvation  of  their  souls, 
 live  for  years  together  full  of  doubts  and  fears,  and 
 are  not  established  in  the  faith  that  is  in  Christ 
 Jesus ;  and  several  who  are  in  a  good  measure  estab- 
 lished, yet  do  not  walk  happily  in  an  even  course, 
 nor  experience  the  continual  blessedness  of  receiv- 
 ing, by  faith,  a  supply  of  every  want,  out  of  the  Sa- 
 viour's fulness.  These  things  I  have  long  observed, 
 and  what  I  have  been  taught  of  them  from  the  Scrip- 
 ture, and  from  the  good  hand  of  God  upon  me,  I 
 have  put  together,  and  throw  it  as  a  mite  into  the 
 treasury.  I  am  sure  it  was  never  more  wanted  than 
 at  present.  May  the  good  Lord  accept  the  poor 
 offering,  and  bless  it  to  the  hearts  of  his  dear  people, 
 to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  own  grace. 
 
 For  the  clearer  understanding  of  what  shall  be 
 spoken  upon  the  Life  of  Faith,  it  will  be  needful  to 
 consider,  first,  what  faith  is,— for  a  man  must  have 
 
38 
 
 faith  before  lie  can  make  use  of  it.  He  must  be 
 in  Christ,  before  he  can  live  upon  Christ.  Now, 
 faith  signifies  the  beUeving  the  truth  of  the  word  of 
 God  :  so  says  Christ — "  Thy  word  is  truth  :"  it  re- 
 lates to  some  word  spoken,  or  to  some  promise  made 
 by  him ;  and  it  expresses  the  belief  which  a  person 
 who  hears  it  has  of  its  being  true:  he  assents  to  it, 
 relies  upon  it,  and  acts  accordingly.  This  is  faith. 
 And  the  whole  word  of  God,  which  is  the  ground  of 
 faith,  may  be  reduced  to  two  points  ;  namely,  to  what 
 the  law  reveals  concerning  the  justification  of  a  right- 
 eous man,  and  to  what  the  gospel  reveals  concern- 
 ing the  salvation  of  a  sinner.  An  examination  of 
 these  points  will  discover  to  us  a  great  number  of 
 persons  who  have  no  faith  at  all  in  the  word  of  God. 
 
 First,  Every  man  in  his  natural  state,  before  the 
 grace  of  Christ,  and  the  inspiration  of  his  Spirit,  has 
 no  faith.  The  Scripture  says,  God  hath  shut  up 
 all  that  are  in  this  state  in  unbelief;  and  when  the 
 Holy  Spirit  awakens  any  one  of  them,  he  convinces 
 him  of  sin,  and  of  unbelief  in  particular.  When 
 the  Comforter  is  come,  says  Christ,  he  shall  convince 
 the  world  of  sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me. 
 
 Secondly,  A  man  who  lives  careless  in  sin,  has 
 no  faith ;  he  does  not  believe  one  word  that  God 
 says  in  his  law :  let  it  warn  him  of  his  guilt,  and 
 show  him  his  great  danger,  yet  he  sets  at  nought 
 the  terrors  of  the  Lord ;  he  acts  as  if  there  was  no 
 day  of  judgment,  and  no  place  of  eternal  torments  ; 
 he  has  no  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes.  How  can 
 such  a  practical  atheist  as  this  have  any  faith  ? 
 
 Thirdly,  The  formalist  has  not  true  faith.  He 
 is  content  with  the  form  of  godliness,  and  denies  the 
 
39 
 
 power  of  it.      The  veil  of  unbelief  is  upon  his  heart, 
 and  the  pride  of  his  own  good  works  is  ever  before  his 
 eyes,  that  he  finds  no  vvant  of  the  salvation  of  Jesus, 
 and  is  averse  to  the  grace  of  the  gospel.      All  his 
 hopes  arise  from  what  he  is  in  himself,  and  from  what 
 he  is  able  to  do  for  himself;  he  neither  believes  God 
 speaking  in  the  law,  nor  in  the  gospel.      If  he  be- 
 lieved his  word  in  the  law,  it  would  convict  him  of 
 sin,  and  forbid  him  to  go  about  to  establish  a  right- 
 eousness of  hi»  own ;  because  by  the  works  of  the 
 law  shall  no  flesh  living  be  justified — yet  this  he  does 
 not  believe.      If  he  believes  the  word  of  God  in  the 
 gospel,  it  would  convince  him  of  righteousness,  of 
 an  infinitely  perfect  righteousness,  wrought  out  by 
 the  God-man  Christ  Jesus,  and  imputed  to  the  sin- 
 ner without  any  works  of  his  own  ;  for   unto  him 
 that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him  that  justifieth 
 the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  imputed  for  righteousness. 
 To  this  he  dare  not  trust  wholly  for  his  acceptance 
 before  God ;  therefore,  he  has  not  true  faith. 
 
 Fourthly,  A  man  may  be  so  far  enlightened  as 
 to  understand  the  way  of  salvation,  and  yet  have  not 
 true  faith.  This  is  a  possible  case.  The  apostle 
 states  it,  1  Cor.  xiii.  2.  "  Though  I  understand  all 
 mysteries,  and  all  knowledge,  yet  I  may  be  nothing." 
 And  it  is  a  dangerous  case,  as  Heb.  x.  26.  "  If  we  sin 
 wilfully,  after  that  we  have  received  the  knowledge 
 of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for 
 sins."  Here  was  such  a  knowledge  of  the  truth,  as 
 left  a  man  to  perish  without  the  benefit  of  Christ's 
 sacrifice ;  therefore,  he  wanted  that  faith,  which  who- 
 soever hath  shall  be  saved. 
 
 What  great  numbers  are  there  under  these  de- 
 
40 
 
 lusions  !  Reader,  art  thou  one  of  them  ?  Examine 
 closely ;  for  it  is  of  eternal  moment.  Prove  thine 
 ownself,  whether  thou  be  in  the  faith.  If  thou  ask- 
 est  how  thou  shalt  know  it,  since  there  are  so  many 
 errors  about  it :  hear  what  God's  word  says.  Who- 
 ever believes  truly,  has  been  first  convinced  of  un- 
 belief. This  our  Lord  teaches,  John  xvi.  9.  "  When 
 the  Comforter  is  come,  he  will  convince  the  world  of 
 sin,  because  they  believe  not  on  me."  He  convinces 
 of  sin,  by  enlightening  the  understanding  to  know 
 the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  it,  and  by  quickening  the 
 conscience  to  feel  the  guilt  of  it, — he  shows  the 
 misery  threatened,  and  leaves  sinners  no  false  refuge 
 to  flee  unto :  he  will  not  suffer  them  to  sit  down  con- 
 tent with  some  sorrow,  or  a  little  outward  reforma- 
 tion, or  any  supposed  righteousness,  but  makes  them 
 feel,  that,  do  whatever  they  will  or  can,  still  their 
 guilt  remains.  Thus  he  puts  them  upon  seeking 
 out  for  salvation,  and  by  the  gospel  he  discovers  it 
 to  them.  He  opens  their  understandings,  to  know 
 what  they  hear  and  read  concerning  the  covenant  of 
 the  eternal  Trinity,  and  concerning  what  the  God- 
 man  has  done  in  the  fulfilling  of  this  covenant.  The 
 Holy  Spirit  teaches  them  the  nature  of  the  adorable 
 person  of  Christ,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and  the 
 infinitely  precious  and  everlasting  meritorious  right- 
 eousness which  he  has  wrought  out  by  the  obedience 
 of  his  life  and  death ;  and  he  convinces  them,  that 
 his  righteousness  is  sufficient  for  their  salvation,  and 
 that  nothing  is  required,  except  faith,  for  its  being 
 imputed  unto  them ;  and  he  works  in  them  a  sense 
 of  their  being  helpless,  and  without  strength  to  rely 
 upon  this  righteousness,  and  through  faith  in  it,  to 
 
41 
 
 have  peace  with  God.  He  makes  them  see  that 
 they  cannot,  by  any  power  of  their  own,  in  the  least 
 depend  upon  it ;  for  all  their  sufficiency  is  of  God. 
 It  requires  the  same  arm  of  the  Lord  which  wrought 
 out  this  righteousness,  to  enable  them  with  the  heart 
 to  believe  in  it :  they  are  made  clearly  sensible  of 
 this  from  the  word  and  Spirit  of  God,  and  from  their 
 own  daily  experience,  and  thereby  they  are  disposed 
 to  receive  their  whole  salvation  from  the  free  grace  of 
 God,  and  to  him  to  ascribe  all  the  glory  of  it.  These 
 are  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord,  to  whom  it  is  given 
 to  believe.  They  are  quickened  from  a  death  in 
 trespasses  and  sins  ;  their  consciences  are  awakened, 
 their  understandings  are  enlightened  with  the  know- 
 ledge of  Christ ;  they  are  enabled  in  their  wills  to 
 choose  him,  and  in  their  hearts  to  love  him,  and  to 
 rejoice  in  his  salvation.  This  is  entirely  the  work 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  for  faith  is  his  gift,  Eph.  ii.  8. 
 Unto  you  it  is  given,  says  the  apostle,  Phil.  i.  29.  in 
 the  behalf  of  Christ,  to  believe  on  him:  none  can 
 give  it  but  the  Spirit  of  God;  because  it  is  the  faith  of 
 the  operation  of  God,  and  requires  the  same  almighty 
 power  to  believe  with  the  heart,  as  it  did  to  raise 
 Christ's  body  from  the  grave,  Eph.  i.  20.  And 
 this  power  he  puts  forth  in  the  preaching  of  the  word, 
 and  makes  it  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  The 
 word  is  called,  2  Cor.  iii.  8.  the  ministration  of  the 
 Spirit,  because  by  it  the  Spirit  ministers  his  grace 
 and  strength :  so  Gal.  iii.  2,  "  Received  ye  the 
 Spirit  by  the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of 
 faith  ?"  It  was  by  hearing  faith  preached  that  they 
 received  the  Spirit ;  for  faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and 
 hearing  by  the  word  of  God,  which  is  therefore  called 
 
42 
 
 the  word  of  faith.  And  thus  the  word  is  the  means, 
 in  the  hand  of  the  Spirit,  to  dispose  the  hearts  of 
 those  who  hear  it  to  receive  and  embrace  Christ; 
 whereby  they  attain  the  righteousness  of  faith,  as 
 Rom.  X.  10.  "  With  the  heart,  man  believeth  unto 
 righteousness."  The  heart  is  the  chief  thing  in  be- 
 lieving; for  into  it  Christ  is  received,  and  in  it  he 
 dwells  by  faith.  The  vital  union  between  Christ 
 and  the  believer  is  manifested  and  made  known  in 
 the  heart,  and  therein  it  is  cemented  and  established. 
 With  joy  can  the  believer  say,  "  My  beloved  is 
 mine,  and  I  am  his  :'*  happy  for  me,  we  are  but  one 
 person  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  and  our  interests  are 
 but  one.  Blessed  state  this  !  Christ  gives  himself 
 freely  to  the  believer,  who  also  gives  himself  up  in 
 faith  to  Christ.  Christ,  as  the  believer's  surety,  has 
 taken  his  sins  upon  himself,  and  the  believer  takes 
 Christ's  righteousness ;  for  Christ  makes  over  all 
 that  he  has  to  the  believer,  who  by  faith  looks  upon 
 it,  and  makes  use  of  it  as  his  own,  according  to  that 
 express  warrant  for  his  so  doing,  in  1  Cor.  iii.  22,  23. 
 All  are  yours,  because  ye  belong  to  Christ. 
 
 This  vital  union  between  Christ  and  the  believer, 
 is  largely  treated  of  in  Scripture.  Christ  thus  speaks 
 of  it  in  his  prayer  for  his  people,  John  xvii.  "  I  pray 
 for  them  who  shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word, 
 that  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou  Father  art  in  me, 
 and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us;  1 
 in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made 
 perfect  in  one."  And  in  John  iv.  56.  he  says, 
 **  He  that  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood, 
 dwelleth  in  me,  and  I  in  him ;"  and  this  indwelling 
 is  by  faith,  as  Eph.  iii.  17.  "  That  Christ  may  dwell 
 
43 
 
 in  your  hearts  by  faith."  And  it  is  the  office  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit  to  manifest  this  union  to  their  hearts, 
 as  John  xiv.  20.  "  At  the  day  when  the  Spirit  of 
 truth  is  corae,  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in  my  Father, 
 and  you  in  me,  and  I  in  you."  And  besides  these, 
 and  many  other  plain  words,  this  union  is  also  repre- 
 sented by  several  striking  images,  such  as  that  of 
 husband  and  wife,  who  are  in  law  but  one  person, 
 the  husband  being  answerable  for  the  wife's  debts, 
 and  the  wife  sharing  in  her  husband's  honours  and 
 goods.  It  is  set  forth  by  the  union  between  a  build- 
 ing and  the  foundation  upon  which  it  stands  secure ; 
 between  a  tree  and  its  branches,  which  live  because 
 they  are  in  the  tree,  and  grow  by  the  sap  which  they 
 receive  from  it;  between  the  head  and  the  members, 
 which,  by  holding  under  the  head,  live  and  grow, 
 having  a  supply  of  nourishment  administered  to  every 
 part.  Under  these  beautiful  images,  the  Scripture 
 sets  forth  the  reality,  and  the  blessed  fruits  of  this 
 union.  The  Holy  Spirit  makes  it  known  to  the 
 believer,  by  enabling  him  to  rely  on  God's  word  as 
 infallible  truth,  and  to  receive  Christ's  person  as  the 
 Almighty  Saviour:  and  he  strengthens  it,  by  ena- 
 bling the  believer  to  make  use  of  Christ's  fulness, 
 and  to  live  by  faith  upon  him  in  all  his  offices,  for  the 
 partaking  of  all  his  promised  graces  and  blessings. 
 
 That  faith  which  is  of  the  operation  of  God,  always 
 produces  the  knowledge  and  the  fruits  of  this  blessed 
 union,  and  enables  the  soul  to  give  itself  up  to  Christ, 
 that  it  may  be  one  with  him,  not  in  a  figurative,  meta- 
 phorical way,  but  as  really  and  truly  as  the  building 
 is  one  with  the  foundation  ;  as  much  one  in  interest, 
 as  husband  and  wife ;  one  in  influence,  as  the  root 
 
44 
 
 and  the  branches,  the  head  and  the  members.  So 
 that  this  is  not  an  empty  notion  about  Christ,  or 
 some  clear  knowledge  of  him,  or  a  mere  approving 
 of  his  way  of  salvation ;  but  it  is  an  actual  receiving 
 of  him  into  the  heart  for  righteousness  to  justify, 
 and  to  dwell  and  reign  there  to  sanctify ;  a  receiving 
 him  as  a  perfect  Saviour,  and  living  upon  him  and 
 his  fulness;  waiting  upon  him  to  be  taught  daily; 
 trusting  wholly  for  acceptance  to  his  blood  and  right- 
 eousness; resting,  relying,  leaning  upon  his  promised 
 strength  to  hold  out  unto  the  end ;  and  hoping  for 
 eternal  life  as  the  free  gift  of  God  through  Jesus 
 Christ  our  Lord.  The  saving  faith  thus  receives 
 Christ,  and  thus  lives  upon  Christ. 
 
 Now,  reader,  examine  and  prove  thyself,  whether 
 thou  hast  this  faith.  Dost  thou  believe  with  thy 
 heart  unto  righteousness  ?  Thou  canst  net  live  upon 
 Christ,  unless  thou  art  first  in  Christ.  Thou  must 
 be  first  persuaded  of  thy  interest  in  him,  before  thou 
 canst  make  use  of  it,  and  improve  it ;  and  therefore, 
 the  knowledge  of  thy  union  with  him  must  be  clear 
 and  plain,  before  thou  canst  have  a  free  and  open 
 communion  with  him.  There  must  be  faith,  before 
 there  can  be  the  fruits  of  faith ;  and  strong  faith, 
 before  there  can  be  much  and  ripe  fruit.  Little 
 faith  will  receive  but  little  from  Christ.  The  weak 
 believer  is  full  of  doubts  and  fears,  and  when  he 
 wants  comfort,  or  strength,  or  any  other  things  which 
 Christ  has  promised  to  give  his  people,  he  is  ques- 
 tioning whether  he  has  any  right  to  expect  them ; 
 and  therefore  he  does  not  receive  them,  because  he 
 has  not  boldness  and  access  with  confidence  to  God 
 by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.      From  hence  appears  the 
 
45 
 
 necessity  of  being  established  in  the  faith.  The 
 believer  must  have  clear  evidence  of  his  interest  in 
 Christ,  before  he  can  live  comfortable  and  happy 
 upon  Christ;  therefore,  he  must  look  well  to  the 
 foundation,  and  see  there  be  no  doubts  left  about  his 
 being  settled  upon  it.  Christ  being  the  sure  foun- 
 dation, how  can  he  safely  build  thereon  all  his  sal- 
 vation, unless  he  be  first  satisfied  that  he  is  upon  it? 
 The  peace  with  God  in  his  conscience,  every  act  of 
 spiritual  life,  and  the  whole  walk  and  well-ordering 
 of  his  conversation,  depend  upon  the  settling  of  this 
 point.  It  ought  to  be  finally  determined,  and  brought 
 to  this  issue :  '  Christ  is  mine,  I  know  it  from  the 
 word  of  God.  I  have  the  witness  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  and  Christ  allows  me,  unworthy  as  I  am,  to 
 make  use  of  him,  and  of  his  fulness,  for  the  supply 
 of  all  my  needs,  and  I  find  I  do  make  use  of  him, 
 and  thereby  I  know,  from  daily  experience,  that  1 
 am  in  him,  because  I  live  upon  him.'  According 
 as  this  point  is  settled,  so  in  proportion  will  be  the 
 life  of  faith.  If  the  believer  be  thoroughly  grounded 
 in  it  without  any  doubt  or  fear,  then  he  may,  and 
 will  with  confidence,  improve  his  interest  in  Christ; 
 but  if  he  still  leave  it  in  suspense,  his  faith  can  be 
 but  little,  and  therefore  he  will  obtain  little  comfort 
 or  strength  from  Christ. 
 
 Reader,  art  thou  one  of  the  weak  in  faith  ?  Dost 
 thou  feel  it?  Dost  thou  mourn  for  it?  And  dost 
 thou  know  from  whence  thy  faith  is  to  be  strength- 
 ened ?  Who  can  increase  it,  but  he  alone  who  gives 
 it?  O  !  pray,  then,  to  the  Lord  God,  to  give  thee 
 the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  that  the  eyes  of 
 thy  understanding  may  be  enlightened  to  see  the 
 
46 
 
 infinite  sufficiency  of  Christ's  person,  as  God-man, 
 and  the  everlasting  merit  of  his  life  and  death  to  save 
 his  people  from  their  sins.  And  whatever  hinders 
 thee  from  seeing  the  fulness  of  Christ's  salvation, 
 and  resting  comfortably  by  faith  upon  it,  earnestly 
 entreat  the  Lord  to  remove  it.  If  it  be  sin,  beg 
 of  God  to  make  thee  more  willing  to  part  with  it. 
 If  it  be  guilt,  pray  him  to  ordain  peace  in  thy  con- 
 science through  the  blood  of  sprinkling.  If  it  be 
 much  corruption,  it  cannot  be  subdued  until  it  be 
 first  pardoned.  If  thou  hast  got  under  the  spirit  of 
 bondage,  look  up  to  the  Lord  Christ  for  that  liberty 
 wherewith  he  makes  his  people  free.  Whatever  it 
 be,  as  soon  as  it  is  discovered  to  thee,  make  use  of 
 prayer,  believing  God's  word  of  faithfulness,  that 
 what  thou  askest  thou  shalt  have,  and  that  he  will 
 so  establish  thee  that  thou  shalt  go  on  from  faith  to 
 faith.      May  it  be  thy  happy  case.      Amen. 
 
 Reader,  if  thou  art  an  awakened  man,  convinced 
 of  sin  by  the  word  and  Spirit  of  God,  all  thine  ene- 
 mies will  try  to  keep  thee  from  the  clear  knowledge 
 of  thy  union  with  Christ.  The  reason  is  plain  ;  be- 
 cause then  thou  wilt  not  be  able  to  depend  upon 
 Christ's  promised  strength,  and  to  make  use  of  it  by 
 faith,  which  is  almighty  to  defeat  them  all.  Hearken 
 not,  therefore,  to  any  suggestion,  nor  be  afraid  of 
 any  opposition,  which  would  hinder  thee  from  seek- 
 ing to  be  fully  convinced  of  thine  interest  in  Christ, 
 and  of  thy  being  a  branch  in  the  true  vine.  Satan 
 will  use  all  his  wiles  and  fiery  darts,  and  all  carnal 
 professors  will  be  on  his  side,  and  they  will  have 
 close  allies  in  thine  own  breast,  in  thine  unbelief,  in 
 thy  legal  spirit,  and  in  thy  lusts  and  corruptions. 
 
47 
 
 Consider,  why  do  these  enemies  fight  so  hard  against 
 thy  being  safely  settled,  and  comfortably  grounded 
 upon  Christ  by  Hving  faith?  Is  it  not,  because 
 thou  wilt  then  be  an  overmatch  for  them  through 
 the  strength  of  Jesus  ?  And  does  not  this  plainly 
 show  thee  the  absolute  necessity  of  knowing  that 
 Christ  and  thou  art  one  ?  Till  this  be  known,  thou 
 wilt  be  afraid  to  apply  to  him  and  to  make  use  of  his 
 strength;  and  till  thou  dost  use  it,  all  thine  enemies 
 will  triumph  over  thee.  O  beg  of  God,  then,  to 
 increase  thy  faith,  that  thou  mayest  be  fully  convinced 
 of  thy  union  with  Christ,  and  mayest  live  in  him 
 safe,  and  on  him  happy.  Hear  and  read  his  word, 
 and  pray  for  the  effectual  working  of  the  Lord,  the 
 Spirit  in  him,  and  by  it,  that  faith  may  come  and 
 grow  by  hearing,  until  it  be  finally  settled,  without 
 doubt  or  wavering,  that  Christ  is  thine,  and  thou 
 art  his. 
 
 After  the  believer  is  thus  grounded  and  estab- 
 lished in  the  knowledge  of  his  union  with  Christ,  it 
 behooves  him  then  to  inquire,  what  God  has  given 
 him  a  right  to  in  consequence  of  this  union  ;  and  the 
 Scripture  will  inform  him,  that,  in  the  covenant  of 
 grace,  it  has  pleased  the  Father,  that  all  fulness 
 should  dwell  in  his  Son,  as  the  head  for  the  use  of 
 his  members.  He  has  it  to  supply  all  their  need. 
 They  cannot  possibly  want  any  thing,  but  it  is  trea- 
 sured up  for  them  in  his  infinite  fulness :  there  they 
 may  have  it,  grace  for  grace,  every  moment  as  their 
 occasions  require ;  and  they  have  it  in  no  other  way, 
 and  by  no  other  hand  than  faith,  trusting  the  word 
 of  promise,  and  relying  upon  Christ's  faithfulness  and 
 power  to  fulfil  it;  as  it  is  written,  "  The  just  shall 
 
48 
 
 live  by  bis  faitb,"  Habak.  ii.  4.  Having  received 
 justification  to  life  by  faith  in  the  righteousness  of 
 Christ,  he  depends  on  Christ  to  keep  him  alive,  and 
 makes  use  of  Christ's  fulness  for  all  the  wants  of  that 
 spiritual  life  which  he  has  given ;  he  trusts  him  for 
 them  all,  and  lives  upon  him  by  faith  for  the  conti- 
 nual receiving  of  them  all,  and  according  to  his  faith 
 so  it  is  done  unto  him. 
 
 Let  this  be  well  weighed  and  considered,  that  the 
 justified  person  lives  and  performs  every  act  of  spiri- 
 tual life  by  faith.  This  is  a  very  important  lesson, 
 and  therefore  it  is  taught  in  Scripture  as  plainly  as 
 words  can  speak.  Every  thing  is  promised  to,  and 
 is  received  by  faith.  Thus  it  is  said,  "  Ye  are  all 
 the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus ;  and  if 
 children,  then  heirs,  according  to  the  promise,  heirs 
 of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ,  who  of  God  is 
 made  unto  us  wisdom,  righteousness,  and  holiness :" 
 made  for  their  use  wisdom  to  teach  them,  righteous- 
 ness to  justify  them,  and  holiness  to  sanctify  them ; 
 yea,  he  has  all  things  in  his  fulness  for  their  use,  as . 
 the  free  grant  speaks,  1  Cor.  iii.  21,  &c.  "  All  things 
 are  yours,  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or 
 the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present,  or 
 things  to  come;  all  are  yours,  and  ye  are  Christ's, 
 and  Christ  is  God's."  Consider,  believer,  what  a 
 large  estate  this  is ;  thy  title  to  it  is  good,  and  thou 
 enterest  into  possession  by  faith.  See  then  that  thou 
 makest  use  of  thine  inheritance,  and  live  upon  it. 
 Do  not  say,  when  thou  wantest  any  thing,  I  know 
 not  where  to  get  it ;  for  whatever  the  God-man  has 
 of  wisdom,  righteousness,  holiness,  power,  and  glory, 
 he  has  it,  as  the  head  of  the  body,  for  thee  as  one  of 
 
49 
 
 his  members,  for  thy  use  and  benefit,  and  he  has  pro- 
 mised it  to  thee  in  his  word.      Make  free  with  him 
 then.      Go  to  him  with  confidence.      Thou  canst  not 
 do  him  greater  honour  than  to  receive  from  him  what 
 he  has  to  give.      That  is  glorifying  him.      It  is  put- 
 ting the  crown  upon  his  head,  and  confessing  him  to 
 be  a  perfect,  all-sufficient  Christ,   when  it  pleaseth 
 thee,  as  it  did  his  Father,  that  in  him  should  all  ful- 
 ness dwell,  and  when  thou  art  content  to  live  out  of 
 thyself  upon  his  fulness,  for  the  supply  of  all  thy  needs 
 in  time  and  in  eternity.      To  live  thus  upon  him  is 
 his  glory,  and  it  is  thy  privilege,  thy  interest,  and 
 thy  happiness.     In  every  state,  spiritual  and  tempo- 
 ral, and  in  every  circumstance  thou  canst  possibly  be 
 in,  thou  art  commanded  to  look  up  to   Christ,   that 
 thou  mayest  receive  out  of  his  fulness,  and  to  depend 
 upon  him  to  save  thee  from  every  evil,  and  to  bestow 
 upon  thee  every  good.      In  thy  walk  heavenwards, 
 and  in  every  thing  thou  meetest  with  by  the  way, 
 put  thy  trust  in   Christ,  and  expect  from  him  the 
 fulfilling  of  all  his  promises.      He  has  all  power  in 
 .heaven  and  earth  for  that  very  purpose.      Still  rely 
 upon  him,  and  cast  thy  burdens  on  him,  when  thou 
 art  tempted,  when  old  corruptions  arise,  when  the 
 world  and  the  devil  assault  thee,  when  under  a  sense 
 of  weakness  and  dulness  in  duty,  when  in  darkness 
 and  desertion,  in  persecution  and  trouble,  in  pain  and 
 poverty,  in  sickness  and  death.      This  is  the  life  of 
 faith.     Thou  wilt  live  like  a   Christian   indeed,  if, 
 being  in  any  of  these  cases,  thou  believest  that  Christ 
 is  able,  because  he  is  almighty;  and  willing,  because 
 he  has  promised  to  supply  thy  wants,  and  then  canst 
 trust  in  him  for  that  supply.     Depend  upon  it  thou 
 
50 
 
 sbalt  have  it,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  thee  accord- 
 ing to  his  word. 
 
 After  the  believer  is  become  one  with  Christ,  and 
 through  him  has  a  right  to  all  the  riches  of  grace, 
 and  may  by  faith  make  use  of  them  as  his  own,  why 
 is  he  so  long  in  learning  this  lesson  perfectly?    Be- 
 ing adopted  into  the  heavenly  family,  and  an  heir 
 of  the  heavenly  inheritance,  why  does  not  he  imme- 
 diately live  up  to  his  privilege   and   to  his  estate? 
 His  title  is  good;  the  inheritance  is  sure;  all  things 
 are  become  his;  for  all  fulness  is  in  Christ,  and  by 
 virtue  of  his  union  with   Christ,   this  fulness  is  his, 
 and  he  may  by  faith  be  always  receiving  out  of  it 
 every  grace  and  blessing  which  Christ  has  promised  : 
 why  then   does  not  he  at  once  attain  to  this  happy 
 life  of  faith  ?      Sad  experience  proves  that  young  be- 
 lievers do  not.      They  meet  with  so  many  difficulties, 
 that  they  grow  up  slowly  into  Christ  in  all  things. 
 They  do  not  attain  to  a  solid  establishment  in  the 
 faith  in  a  day.      Enemies  without  and  within  stop 
 their  progress,  insomuch  that  they  often  continue  little 
 children  for  a  long  time.      They  have  the  same  right 
 to  Christ,  the  same  privileges,  and  the  same  promised 
 grace,  which  young  men  and  fathers  in  Christ  have, 
 but  they  have  not  learned  by  experience  how  to  im- 
 prove their  interest  in  him,  and  to  make  the  most  of 
 it.      The  difficulties  and  temptations  which  weaken 
 their  hold  of  Christ,   and  stay  their  growth  in  him, 
 are  many  ;  some  of  the  chief  are  these  : — 
 
 I.  They  continue  little  children  and  weak  in  faith, 
 because  they  do  not  presently  attain  a  solid  acquain- 
 tance with  the  person  of  Christ,  and  are  not  thoroughly 
 satisfied  how  able  he  was,  and  sufficient  for  every 
 
51 
 
 thing  he  undertook,  and  how  perfectly  he  has  finished 
 every  part  of  his  work. 
 
 II.  This  keeps  them  ignorant  of  many  things  in 
 which  the  glory  of  his  salvation  consists ;  hence  they 
 have  not  clear  believing  views  of  its  fulness  and  of 
 its  freeness. 
 
 III.  By  which  means,  they  labour  under  many 
 doubts  about  the  manner  of  their  receiving  this  salva- 
 tion. A  legal  spirit  working  with  their  unbelief,  puts 
 them  upon  reasoning  continually  against  being  saved 
 freely  by  grace  through  faith. 
 
 IV.  These  legal  unbelieving  reasonings  gain  great 
 power  from  their  unskilfulness  in  their  warfare  be- 
 tween nature  and  grace,  the  old  man  and  the  new, 
 the  flesh  and  the  spirit. 
 
 V.  All  these  difficulties  are  mightily  strengthened 
 from  their  hearkening  to  sense,  and  trusting  to  its 
 reports  more  than  to  the  word  of  God.  While  be- 
 lievers are  under  these  difficulties,  their  faith  meets 
 with  many  checks  in  its  growth ;  and,  until  they  be 
 enabled  to  overcome  them,  they  continue  to  be  little 
 children  in  Christ.  Their  weak  faith  receives  but 
 little  from  Christ ;  and  it  continues  weak,  because 
 they  have  but  little  dependence  upon  the  effectual 
 working  of  Christ's  mighty  power.  The  exceeding 
 greatness  of  his  power  is  able  to  strengthen  them, 
 and  he  has  promised  it,  but  they  dare  not  trust  him. 
 Consider,  therefore,  reader,  if  thou  art  one  of  these 
 babes,  why  thou  dost  not  grow  up  faster  into  Christ. 
 
 1.  The  first  thing  that  stops  thee,  is  the  ignorance 
 which  is  in  thy  mind  about  his  person,  and  the  pre- 
 judice  against    him   which   is    in   thy  carnal  heart. 
 These  are  in  all  men  by  nature;  and  these  Satan 
 c2 
 
52 
 
 will  work  upon,  in  order  to  hinder  the  increase  of  thy 
 faith.      He  will  use  all  his  cunning  and  his  power  to 
 keep  thee  from  growing  in  that  knowledge  of  Christ, 
 which  is  eternal  life.      He  will  inject  into  thy  heart 
 blasphemous    thoughts   against    his    Godhead,    and 
 when  thou  art  reading  in  Scripture,  or  hearing  about 
 his  being  God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  he  will  try  to 
 puzzle  and  perplex  thy  imagination  with  a  "  How  can 
 these  things  be?"      He  will  represent  the  union  of 
 the  two  natures  in  Christ  as  a  thing  not  to  be  under- 
 stood;  and  as  if  they  who  believed  it  with  the  clear- 
 est evidence  of  God's  word  and  Spirit,  had  only  some 
 fancy  about  it.      He  has  an  old  grudge  against  Christ, 
 and  will  not  scruple  to  tell  any  lies  of  him.      He  was 
 a  liar  from  the  beginning,  and  abode  not  in  the  truth. 
 Regard  him  not.      Mind  what  the  word  of  truth  says, 
 and  pray  that  thou  mayest  understand  it;  for  the 
 more  thou  knowest  of  the  Lord  Christ,  that  blessed 
 God-man,  the  more  wilt  thou  be  settled  and  estab- 
 lished in  him.      It  is  written  of  him,  first,  that  he  is 
 God,  true  and  very  God,  in  the  holy,  blessed,  and 
 glorious  Trinity ;  a  person  co-equal  and  co-eternal 
 with  the   Father  and  the   Holy   Spirit,   Isa.  ix.  6. 
 "  Unto  us  a  child  is  born,  who  is  the  mighty  God  ;'* 
 secondly,  that  he  is  Jehovah,  which  signifies  the  self- 
 existent  essence,  Isa.  xliii.  U.  **  I,  even  I,  am  Jeho- 
 vah, and  beside  me  there  is  no  Saviour :"  from  whence 
 it  is  evident,  that  the  Saviour  is  Jehovah,  and  that 
 he  exists  in  a  manner  independent  of,  and  distinct 
 from,  all  other  beings  and  things.      St.  Jude  makes 
 the  opposition  to  this  fundamental  truth  the  condem- 
 ning sin  of  certain  heretics,  who  denied  Jesus  Christ  to 
 be  the  only  Lord  God,  and  our  Lord.      In  the  cove- 
 
53 
 
 nant  of  grace,  this  divine  Person  undertook  to  be 
 made  man.  He  who  was  true  and  very  God,  was 
 made  true  and  very  man ;  he  had  a  reasonable  soul 
 and  human  flesh,  and  was  in  all  points  like  other 
 men,  sin  excepted.  And  as  the  reasonable  soul  and 
 flesh  is  one  man,  so  God  and  man  is  one  Christ. 
 This  is  the  glorious  Person,  who  undertook  in  the 
 covenant  of  grace  to  be  man's  surety.  St.  Paul 
 calls  him  the  Surety  of  the  New  Testament:  and 
 what  could  there  be  wanting  in  him  for  this  high 
 office  ?  He  is  every  way  qualified  to  be  the  surety 
 for  man,  who  is  himself  true  and  very  man,  who  is 
 also  God  as  well  as  man,  and  therefore  has  all  the 
 perfections  of  Jehovah  to  render  what  he  did  and 
 suffered,  as  man's  surety,  infinitely  and  everlastingly 
 meritorious. 
 
 This  is  the  blessed  object  of  faith,  God  and  man 
 united  in  one  Christ.  Consider  then,  reader,  what 
 the  Scripture  says  of  his  wonderful  person,  in  order 
 that  thy  faith  in  him  may  be  established.  That  very 
 self-existent  God,  who  spake,  and  all  things  were 
 made,  who  commanded,  and  they  stand  fast  to  this 
 very  hour,  was  made  flesh.  He  came  to  be  the 
 surety  for  his  people,  to  obey  and  suffer  in  their  stead. 
 What  could  not  his  almighty  power  effect?  Is  any 
 thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord  God  ?  What  obedience 
 can  his  Father's  law  demand,  which  he  is  not  infi- 
 nitely able  to  pay  ?  What  sufferings  can  satisfy  his 
 Father's  justice,  which  he  is  not  absolutely  qualified 
 to  endure?  for  he  has  every  perfection  and  attribute 
 equal  with  the  Father.  On  this  truth  thou  must 
 rest :  and  is  it  not  a  sure  foundation  ?  In  the  cer- 
 tainty of  it,  thou  must  seek  to  be  more  grounded 
 
54f 
 
 every  day ;  because,  as  thou  growest  in  the  knowledge 
 of  his  divine  person,  thou  wilt  become  more  satisfied 
 of  his  infinite  sufficiency  to  save ;  and  fully  convinced 
 of  this,  thou  wilt  be  enabled  from  Scripture  to  an- 
 swer and  silence  thine  own  unbelieving  thoughts,  and 
 to  reject  the  blasphemous  suggestions  of  Satan  against 
 the  Lord  Christ.  Observe  then,  that  he  is  God, 
 and  that  he  is  Jehovah.  Read  and  meditate  on  what 
 the  Scripture  says  of  his  Godhead,  and  pray  that 
 thou  mayest  be  taught  of  God  to  understand  it:  for 
 no  man  can  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord  but  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  It  is  his  office  to  glorify  Jesus,  by 
 enabling  thee  to  believe  him  to  be  Lord  and  God, 
 and  to  call  him  thy  Lord  and  thy  God,  and  to  prove 
 he  is  so,  by  thy  humble  dependence  upon  him  for 
 every  blessing  both  in  time  and  in  eternity. 
 
 It  is  much  to  be  lamented,  that  believers  in  gene- 
 ral take  so  little  pains  to  get  a  clear  knowledge  of 
 the  doctrine  of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity;  for  want  of 
 which,  their  faith  is  unsettled,  and  they  are  liable  to 
 many  errors,  both  in  judgment  and  practice.  I 
 would  therefore  most  earnestly  recommend  it  to  all 
 who  are  weak  in  faith,  to  be  diligent  in  hearing  and 
 reading  what  in  Scripture  is  revealed  concerning  the 
 Trinity  and  Unity,  looking  up  always  for  the  inward 
 teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  I  would  direct  them 
 to  a  form  of  sound  words  in  the  Common  Prayer 
 Book,  for  "  Trinity  Sunday,"  which  contains  the 
 shortest  and  best  account  of  the  subject  that  I  ever 
 saw.  "  It  is  very  meet,  right,  and  our  bounden 
 duty,  that  we  should  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places, 
 give  thanks  unto  thee,  O  Lord  !  almighty,  everlast- 
 ing God !  who  art  one  God,  one  Lord ;  not  one  only 
 
55 
 
 person,  but  three  persons  in  one  substance ;  for  that 
 which  we  believe  of  the  glory  of  the  Father,  the 
 same  we  believe  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 without  any  difference  or  inequality."  These  are 
 precious  words.  Meditate,  reader,  upon  them,  and 
 entreat  the  Holy  Spirit  to  enlighten  thine  under- 
 standing with  the  saving  knowledge  of  them,  that, 
 being  established  in  the  doctrine  of  the  ever-blessed 
 Trinity,  and  of  the  Godhead  of  the  Lord  Christ, 
 thou  mayest  be  enabled  to  overcome  the  difficulties 
 which  arise. 
 
 2.  From  thy  not  being  well  acquainted  with  the 
 nature  of  Christ's  salvation,  concerning  which  young 
 believers  are  apt  to  have  many  doubts,  carnal  reason 
 is  strong  in  them.  The  spirit  of  bondage  resists 
 with  many  and  mighty  arguments,  and  unbelief  mus- 
 ters up  all  its  forces,  and  there  is  a  long  and  obsti- 
 nate fight  against  being  saved  freely  and  fully  by 
 the  grace  of  Christ  Jesus.  But  the  arguments  which 
 God  has  provided  in  his  word,  when  applied  by  his 
 Spirit,  will  prevail  and  overcome.  Meditate  upon 
 them  for  the  establishment  of  thy  weak  faith. 
 
 (1.)  Consider  the  covenant.  Salvation  is  not  a 
 thing  of  chance,  or  left  to  man's  will  or  power;  but 
 it  was  contrived  by  the  blessed  Trinity,  in  the  cove- 
 nant of  grace,  and  every  thing  belonging  to  it  was 
 perfectly  settled.  It  is  said  to  be,  2  Sam.  xxiii.  5. 
 an  everlasting  covenant,  ordered  in  all  things  and 
 sure.  O  thou  of  little  faith,  why  then  dost  thou 
 doubt?  What !  doubt  of  God's  love?  Here  is  a 
 covenant  springing  from  his  mere  love,  and  from 
 everlasting.  Doubt  of  its  being  well  contrived?  in- 
 finite wisdom  orders  it  in  all  things.      Doubt  of  its 
 
56 
 
 being  well  executed  ?  it  is  in  all  things  sure,  sure  as 
 God's  almighty  power  and  faithfulness  can  make  it. 
 What  motives  are  here  for  the  strengthening  of  thy 
 faith  1      May  the  Lord  render  them  effectual. 
 
 (2.)  Reflect  upon  the  undertakings  of  the  Lord 
 Christ,  the  surety  of  this  covenant.  There  was 
 nothing  left  out  of  this  covenant ;  it  was  ordered  in 
 all  things  belonging  to  salvation,  and  Christ  under- 
 took to  perform  all  things  on  the  part  of  his  Father, 
 that  his  law  might  be  magnified,  and  his  justice 
 made  honourable  and  glorious ;  and  on  the  part  of 
 the  sinner,  that  he  might  be  saved  from  all  evil,  and 
 entitled  to  all  good.  And  being  God  and  man, 
 united  in  one  Christ,  he  was  a  proper  surety  to  re- 
 concile God  to  man,  and  to  reconcile  man  to  God. 
 May  these  things  then  sink  deep  into  thy  heart, 
 that  thy  surety  has  undertaken  the  whole  of  thy  sal- 
 vation, to  do  all  for  thee,  and  all  in  thee,  and  all  by 
 thee.  What  canst  thou  desire  more  for  the  settling 
 of  thy  faith  ? 
 
 3.  Perhaps  thou  wilt  say,  his  undertakings  were 
 great,  but  has  he  fulfilled  them?  Yes,  and  so  per- 
 fectly, that  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost.  He 
 was  called  Jesus,  because  he  was  to  save  his  people 
 from  their  sins:  as  their  surety,  he  was  to  fulfil  the 
 law  for  them  by  his  obedience,  and  to  suffer  the 
 pains  and  penalties  of  it  by  his  death  and  passion. 
 Accordingly,  in  the  fulness  of  time,  he  was  manifest 
 in  the  flesh,  and  came  to  do  the  will  of  his  Father. 
 Of  his  obedience  to  that  will,  he  thus  speaks;  "  I 
 have  finished  the  work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do." 
 Of  his  suffering  that  will,  he  said,  with  his  last 
 breath,  "  It  is  finished."     Observe,  whatever  he  un- 
 
57 
 
 dertook  to  do  in  his  life  and  death  was  finished ;  and 
 it  was  demonstrated  that,  as  man's  surety,  he  had 
 done  and  suffered  every  thing  ordered  in  the  cove- 
 nant by  his  resurrection  from  the  dead;  for  then  did 
 the  Father  declare  him  to  be  the  Son  of  God  with 
 power.  Will  not  all  this  satisfy  thee,  O  thou  of 
 little  faith  ?  Here  is  one  more  cause  of  thy  doubt- 
 ing removed:  thou  canst  not  deny  but  Christ  has 
 finished  every  thing  he  undertook,  and  in  conse- 
 quence thereof,  he  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth 
 to  bestow  a  full  and  finished  salvation.  What  canst 
 thou  now  object? 
 
 4.  Does  a  thought  arise  in  thy  heart  ?  It  is 
 finished,  but  is  it  so  freely  given  that  such  an  un- 
 worthy creature  as  I  am  may  partake  of  it  ?  Yes  ; 
 it  comes  to  thee  in  the  way  of  a  free  gift;  great,  in- 
 estimable, and  eternal  as  it  is,  yet  it  is  all  thine  in 
 receiving.  Not  he  who  worketh,  but  he  who  be 
 lieveth  is  justified  from  all  things.  It  is  by  faith 
 that  believers  are  justified  and  sanctified,  are  streng- 
 thened and  comforted,  in  their  walk ;  by  faith  they 
 fight  against  all  their  enemies,  and  by  faith  they  con- 
 quer, and  lay  hold  of  eternal  life;  and  therefore,  it  is 
 of  faith  that  it  might  be  by  grace.  Salvation  is 
 wrought  out  and  finished  by  thy  surety,  given  to 
 thee  freely,  continued  with  all  its  blessings  in  time 
 and  through  eternity,  as  a  free  gift,  to  the  praise  of 
 the  glory  of  free  grace.  Why  therefore  art  thou  dis- 
 couraged ?  Hast  thou  nothing  to  buy  with  ?  Then 
 obey  the  Lord's  command,  come  and  buy  free  salva- 
 tion without  money  and  without  price.  How  should 
 this  motive  still  add  to  the  establishment  of  thy  faith  ? 
 For  there  thou  seest  whatever  thou  wantest  is  thine 
 c3 
 
58 
 
 by  believing.  Thou  mayest  have  it  freely  by  grace. 
 It  is  treasured  up  for  thee  in  the  fulness  of  thy  dear 
 Saviour,  and  thou  canst  not  honour  him  more,  than 
 to  make  free  use  of  it.  What  dost  thou  say  to  this  ; 
 hast  thou  any  thing  to  object?  Canst  thou  find  any 
 fault  with  the  covenant  of  grace,  or  with  the  under- 
 takings of  the  God-man  in  it?  No,  certainly,  the 
 covenant  was  well  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure  ;  and 
 what  the  surety  of  the  covenant  undertook,  he  has 
 perfectly  fulfilled.  Salvation  is  finished  on  his  part. 
 He  has  glorified  the  law  by  his  infinitely  perfect  obe- 
 dience, he  has  made  divine  justice  honourable  by  his 
 sufferings  rjid  death,  he  has  brought  in  everlasting 
 righteousness  for  his  people,  and  will  bring  them  to 
 everlasting  glory;  for  he  has  already  taken  posses- 
 sion of  it  for  them  as  the  head  of  his  body  the  church, 
 and  he  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  to  save 
 them  day  by  day,  until  he  make  them  partakers  of 
 his  eternal  salvation.  What  can  thy  heart  wish  for 
 more  than  such  a  Saviour,  and  such  a  salvation  ? 
 O  !  be  not  faithless  then,  but  believing;  and  if  thou 
 hast  any  doubts  left,  endeavour  to  have  them  cleared 
 up  by  reading  and  prayer,  until  thy  faith  be  perfectly 
 settled  on  the  divinity  of  God  thy  Saviour,  and  the 
 infinite  sufficiency  of  his  salvation.  These  two  points 
 lie  at  the  very  foundation  of  the  Christian  religion. 
 They  must  be  supposed  in  all  its  principles,  and  built 
 upon  in  all  its  practice;  therefore,  being  of  univer- 
 sal influence,  if  they  be  thoroughly  established,  thy 
 faith  will  be  steadfast,  and  thy  life  well  ordered  and 
 comfortable.  Examine  then,  and  prove  thyself  here 
 before  thou  readest  any  farther.  Dost  thou  believe 
 Christ  to  be  true  and  very  God,  in  every  perfection 
 
59 
 
 and  attribute  equal  with  the  Father  ?  and  is  his  a  full 
 and  a  free  salvation  ?  All  the  following  directions 
 depend  upon,  and  can  only  profit  thee,  so  far  as  thou 
 believest  these  two  points.  Look  well  then  to  thy 
 establishment  in  thera.  If  it  be  stroncr  the  life  of 
 faith  will  be  steady  and  prosperous ;  but  if  it  be  weak, 
 will  be  liable  to  be  tossed  about  continually  with 
 errors,  and  overcome  with  temptations,  especially  with 
 those  to  which  a  legal  spirit  will  expose  thee. 
 
 III.  This  I  purpose  to  show  under  the  third  gen- 
 eral head,  in  which  is  to  be  considered,  how  the  little 
 children  in  Christ,  for  want  of  being  established  in  the 
 belief  of  his  Godhead,  and  of  his  full  and  free  salva- 
 tion, labour  under  many  doubts  :  a  legal  spirit  work- 
 ing with  their  unbelief,  puts  thera  upon  reasoning  con- 
 tinually against  being  saved  freely  by  grace  through 
 faith. 
 
 He  is  of  a  legal  spirit  who  is  under  the  law,  and 
 apprehends  himself  bound  to  keep  it  as  the  condition 
 of  life,  requiring  of  him.  Do  this  and  thou  shalt  live. 
 In  his  understanding,  he  sees  this  and  no  other  way 
 to  life;  in  his  will,  he  is  continually  inclined  to  it, 
 and  in  his  heart,  he  loves  it ;  because  he  fancies  it  is  in 
 his  own  power  to  attain  life  in  this  way,  and  he  can 
 merit  it  by  his  own  works,  which  mightily  gratifies 
 his  self-love,  and  indulges  his  pride.  This  legal 
 spirit  reigns  over  all  men  in  their  natural  state,  but 
 does  not  discover  its  tyranny  until  it  be  opposed  ; 
 and  then,  so  soon  as  the  soul  is  quickened  from  a 
 death  in  trespasses  and  sins,  it  begins  to  fight,  trying 
 to  keep  the  poor  sinner  in  bondage  by  its  legal  work- 
 ings and  strivings,  and  putting  him  upon  seeking  for 
 some  good  disposition  or  qualification  in  himself,  on 
 
60 
 
 account  of  which  God  should  love  him.  Thus  the 
 awakened  soul,  under  the  spirit  of  bondage,  always 
 seeks  deliverance  by  the  works  of  that  law,  which 
 can  do  nothing  more  than  bring  him  to  the  knowledge 
 of  sin,  discover  to  him  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  it, 
 and  the  exceeding  great  punishment  which  it  de- 
 serves; by  which  means  it  is  always  nourishing  the 
 doubts  and  fears  of  unbelief.  And  after  the  Lord 
 has  in  a  measure  removed  them  by  a  clear  discovery 
 of  the  salvation  that  is  in  Jesus,  and  by  the  gift  of 
 faith,  yet  still  this  legal  spirit  will  be  trying  to  bring 
 the  soul  into  bondage  again  to  fear,  and  it  too  often 
 prevails.  Young  believers  find  it  the  worst  enemy 
 they  have  to  deal  with.  Is  is  a  sly,  subtle  foe,  that 
 seems  to  intend  them  a  kindness,  while  it  is  always 
 on  the  side  of  their  greatest  enemy.  It  would  ap- 
 pear to  them  to  be  actuated  by  a  zeal  for  God,  but 
 it  is  to  eclipse  the  glory  of  the  Lord  Christ,  to  take 
 away  all  the  all-sufficiency  of  his  salvation,  and  to 
 rob  them  of  their  great  joy  and  peace  in  believing. 
 
 If  any  one  should  ask,  how  this  legal  spirit  comes 
 to  have  such  power  over  mankind  ?  The  Scripture 
 informs  us, 
 
 1.  That  all  men,  being  God's  creatures,  are  un- 
 der the  law  to  him,  bonnd  to  keep  it,  or  bound,  if 
 they  transgress,  to  suffer  the  threatened  pains  and 
 penalties.  In  tins  state  man  was  created,  and  in  it 
 all  men  are  by  nature,  and  therefore  there  is  in  us  all 
 a  continual  leaning  to  the  law,  and  a  desire  to  attain 
 righteousness  by  the  works  of  it.  We  are  all  wedded 
 to  this  way  of  gaining  God's  favour.  The  apostle 
 says,  there  is  a  marriage-union  between  us  and  the 
 law,  and  it,  like  a  husband,  has  dominion  over  us  as 
 
61 
 
 long  as  it  liveth ;  so  that  we  cannot  be  married  t© 
 Christ,  until  that  be  dead  wherein  we  were  held. 
 You  may  see  this  in  the  Jews.  How  does  Moses 
 labour  to  bring  them  ofF  from  an  opinion  of  their  own 
 righteousness?  And  a  greater  than  Moses  has  done 
 the  same  in  his  discourses  against  the  Scribes  and 
 Pharisees  ;  yea,  the  apostles  of  our  Lord  were  forced 
 to  write  and  preach  against  this  leaning  to  the  law,  it 
 gave  such  disturbance  to  the  true  disciples  of  Christ. 
 And  notwithstanding  the  Scripture  arguments  against 
 it,  yet  we  have  great  numbers  among  us,  who  seek 
 for  a  justifying  righteousness  by  the  works  of  the 
 law.      And  they  are  put  upon  seeking  this, 
 
 2.  From  their  ignorance  of  the  law.  They  are 
 not  acquainted  with  its  nature;  for  it  demands  what 
 they  cannot  pay.  It  insists  upon  an  obedience,  spi- 
 ritual, perfect,  and  uninterrupted ;  for  the  least  of- 
 fence, if  but  in  thought,  it  comes  with  its  fearful  sen- 
 tence, *'  Cursed  is  every  one  who  continueth  not  in 
 all  things  that  are  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to 
 do  them."  On  him  who  does  not  continue  in  all 
 things,  (and  not  one  man  ever  did,)  this  sentence  takes 
 place,  and  if  he  was  to  live  a  thousand  years,  he 
 could  not  do  any  thing  to  repeal  it.  The  law  will 
 always  be  to  him  the  ministration  of  condemnation, 
 and  the  ministration  of  death,  and  that  is  all  it  can 
 do  for  him.  It  provides  no  remedy,  and  gives  hira 
 no  hope,  but  leaves  hira  condemned  to  the  first  and 
 to  the  second  death ;  and  yet,  such  is  the  blindness 
 of  the  sinner,  that  he  will  be  still  leaning  to  the  lawy 
 and  afraid  to  trust  wholly  to  the  righteousness  of 
 Christ ;   and  this  arises, 
 
 3.  From  his  ignorance  of  Christ's  righteousness. 
 
62 
 
 which  is  infinitely  perfect,  and  wants  no  works  of  the 
 law  to  be  joined  with  it  in  the  justifying  of  a  sinner; 
 because  it  is  the  righteousness  of  God,  wrought  out 
 by  the  God-raan  for  his  people ;  and  it  is  the  right- 
 eousness of  faith ;  they  receive  it  by  faith  without 
 works :  so  that  it  is  directly  opposite  to  the  right- 
 eousness of  a  legal  spirit.  Hence  we  have  many 
 among  us,  great  professors  too,  who  are  ignorant  of 
 God's  righteousness;  they  have  not  been  entirely 
 brought  off  from  a  legal  foundation,  and  therefore 
 they  talk  of  being  justified  without  a  justifying  right- 
 eousness, which,  if  God  were  to  do,  he  would  be 
 unrighteous,  and  which,  as  he  has  declared,  he  will 
 not  do,  their  fancied  justification  leaves  them  still  in 
 their  sins.  They  dare  not  put  their  whole  trust 
 and  confidence  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ  imputed 
 unto  sinners,  and  made  theirs  by  faith.  They  have 
 many  fears  about  imputed  righteousness,  although 
 the  apostle  has  not  scrupled  to  mention  it  eleven 
 times  in  one  chapter,  Rom.  iv. ;  and  these  fears  make 
 them  read  the  Scripture  with  such  prejudice,  that 
 they  say  they  cannot  find  the  expression,  "  faith  in 
 the  righteousness  of  Christ, "  in  all  the  Bible.  They 
 may  find  the  sense  of  the  expression  in  Moses,  and 
 in  all  the  prophets,  and  the  very  words  in  2  Pet.  i.  1. 
 ''  Simon  Peter,  a  servant  and  an  apostle  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  to  them  who  have  obtained  like  precious  faith 
 with  us,  (in  the  Greek  is  m,)  in  the  righteousness  of 
 God  and  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ."  Here  is  faith 
 in  the  righteousness  of  Christ,  with  several  glorious 
 titles  to  recommend  it ;  namely,  it  is  the  righteous- 
 ness of  God,  of  God  our  Saviour,  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 From  whence  can  men's  opposition  to  this  way  of 
 
63 
 
 justification  arise,  but  from  their  not  being  convinced 
 by  the  Spirit  of  God  of  the  necessity  of  Christ's 
 righteousness?  It  is  his  peculiar  office  to  convince 
 of  this  truth.  No  teaching  but  his  can  do  it.  O 
 that  he  may  do  it  in  the  hearts  of  those,  who,  out  of 
 a  zeal  for  God,  though  not  according  to  knowledge, 
 eclipse  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  and  rob  afflicted  con- 
 sciences of  their  comfort  by  opposing  imputed  right- 
 eousness !  It  is  a  righteousness  of  so  high  and 
 heavenly  a  nature,  wrought  out  by  another,  and  so 
 wonderful  a  Person — is  bestowed  as  a  free  gift  upon 
 the  chief  of  sinners,  whereby  alone  they  obtain  re- 
 mission of  their  sins,  and  aro  made  partakers  of  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and  they  receive  it  by  faith  only, 
 without  works,  which  a  legal  spirit  always  wants  to 
 mix  with  it — that  no  one  could  ever  believe  in  it,  un- 
 less it  were  given  him  from  above.  May  it  be  given 
 to  those  professors  who  cannot  yet  submit  to  the 
 righteousness  of  Christ  to  see  their  want  of  it,  and 
 with  the  heart  to  believe  in  it  unto  salvation. 
 
 Reader,  hast  thou  not  found  what  an  enemy  this 
 legal  spirit  is  to  thy  peace  and  joy,  and  how  it  is  al- 
 ways inclining  thee  to  some  self-righteousness  through 
 thy  ignorance  of  the  righteousness  of  the  law,  and  of 
 the  righteousness  of  faith  ?  And  wouldst  thou  gladly 
 be  delivered  from  it  ?  Know  then,  that  nothing  can 
 subdue  it,  but  the  bringing  into  thy  conscience  a  bet- 
 ter hope  from  a  better  righteousness  than  that  of 
 the  law  ;  and  when  thou  art  enabled  to  plead  it  there, 
 against  all  the  charges  of  sin  and  Satan,  then  thou 
 wilt  stand  fast  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ  hath 
 made  thee  free.  His  is  a  better  righteousness ;  it 
 is  infinitely  perfect  and  everlasting,  even  the  right- 
 
64 
 
 cousness  of  God :  by  faith  in  this  righteousness, 
 thou  shalt  be  saved  from  the  law,  and  shalt  receive 
 remission  of  sins :  through  it  the  Father  doth  accept 
 thee,  and  give  thee  the  Spirit  of  his  Son,  to  lead, 
 and  comfort,  and  sanctify  thee ;  he  doth  love  thee 
 and  bless  thee,  as  his  dear  child,  making  all  things 
 work  together  under  him  for  thy  good,  and  keeping 
 thee  by  his  mighty  power  through  faith  unto  salva- 
 tion ;  so  that  in  and  on  account  of  this  righteousness, 
 thou  shalt  be  saved  from  all  the  evils  of  sin,  and  re- 
 ceive all  spiritual  blessings  in  earth  and  heaven. 
 And  this  thou  shalt  have  freely,  without  any  merit, 
 or  work  of  the  law  ;  for  this  righteousness  comes 
 wholly  by  grace,  and  is  for  thee  a  sinner,  as  such, 
 and  is  to  justify  thee  from  the  condemnation  of  the 
 law,  to  turn  its  curses  into  blessings,  and  its  threa- 
 tened punishments  into  happiness.  And  this  it  can 
 do  for  thee  perfectly  and  everlastingly ;  so  that,  being 
 found  in  this  righteousness,  there  is  no  grace  pro- 
 mised in  time,  or  glory  in  eternity,  but  it  shall  be 
 thine.  The  Lord  God  promises  them  to  thee  in  the 
 fullest  and  freest  manner:  to  thee,  without  any  ex- 
 ception or  limitation,  being  a  sinner  and  ungodly; 
 though  one  of  the  vilest  and  basest,  yet  to  thee,  as 
 such,  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent.  And  it  will 
 be  all  thine,  in  the  comfortable  enjoyment  of  it, 
 through  believing.  Thou  art  to  bring  nothing  to 
 recommend  thee  but  that  thou  art  a  sensible  sinner; 
 and  thy  right  and  title  to  a  finished  salvation  is  clear 
 from  the  warrant  of  God's  word,  when  thou  believest 
 with  thy  heart  in  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  The 
 divine  command  is,  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ :"  the  promise  is,Whosoever  believeth  in  him. 
 
65 
 
 shall  not  perish,  but  shall  receive  remission  of  sins, 
 shall  be  justified  from  all  things,  shall  have  ever- 
 lasting life.  Why  then  dost  thou  lean  to  works, 
 since  salvation  is  by  faith  ?  Why  dost  thou  disquiet 
 thyself  about  attaining  the  righteousness  of  the  law, 
 and  thereby  suffer  the  law  to  disturb  the  peace  of 
 thy  conscience,  since  thou  hast  a  far  better  righteous- 
 ness, which  ought  to  reign  there,  even  the  righteous- 
 ness which  is  of  God  by  faith  ?  For  thou  art  a  be- 
 liever, and  although  a  weak  one,  yet  thou  hast  as 
 good  a  title  to  Christ  and  his  righteousness  as  the 
 strongest  believer  in  the  world  ;  because  thy  right 
 comes  from  the  free  grant  of  the  word  of  grace,  and 
 is  apprehended  by  faith,  by  which  all  things  are  be- 
 come thine.  Thou  art  an  heir  of  them  all  by  faith 
 in  Christ  Jesus.  O  thou  of  little  faith,  why  then 
 dost  thou  doubt?  Remember  how  highly  thou  dis- 
 honourest  the  infinite  love  and  free  salvation  of  Jesus, 
 and  how  much  thou  robbest  thy  own  soul  of  its  peace, 
 and  its  growth  in  grace,  by  thy  weak  and  little  faith. 
 Think  upon  these  things,  and  entreat  the  Author 
 and  Finisher  of  the  faith  to  strengthen  it  in  thy 
 soul. 
 
 But  perhaps  thou  wilt  say.  How  shall  I  so  live 
 upon  Christ  with  my  weak  faith  that  it  may  grow 
 stronger,  and  I  may  get  the  better  of  my  legal  spirit  ? 
 Here  is  the  remedy ;  may  it  be  to  thee  effectual ! 
 The  Scripture  directs  thee  to  look  at  Christ  God- 
 man  as  thy  surety,  who  for  thee  has  wrought  out  a 
 finished  salvation ;  and  whatever  he  has  promised  in 
 his  word  relating  to  this  salvation,  thou  art  to  trust 
 him  for  the  making  of  it  good,  and  to  depend  upon 
 his  faithfulness  and  power  to  make  it  good  to  thee. 
 
66 
 
 Whatever,  therefore,  he  has  done  and  suffered  to  save 
 thee  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  from  the  spirit  of 
 bondage,  and  to  make  thee  free  with  the  liberty  of 
 the  children  of  God,  thou  art  to  live  upon  him  for 
 these  blessings,  and  by  faith  to  be  always  receiving 
 them   from  him,  in  the  fullest  and  largest  measure 
 that  he  promises  them  to  thee.      Look  not  into  thy- 
 self then  for  any  qualification,  but  look  unto  Jesus, 
 that  thou   mayest  experience  more  of  that  liberty 
 wherewith  he  hath  made  thee  free,  and  mayest  be  no 
 longer  a  babe,  unskilful  in  the  word  of  righteous- 
 ness.      Hear  what  he  says :  If  the  Son  shall  make 
 you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed — free  from  the  law 
 of  sin  and  death,  free  from  condemnation  at  the  bar 
 of  God ;  and  being  freed  from  the  bondage  of  cor- 
 ruption, ye  shall  be  brought  into  the  glorious  liberty 
 of  the  children  of  God,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs 
 with   Christ.      This  is  the  freedom  which  God  pro- 
 mises thee :  it  is  very  extensive,  has  many  noble  pri- 
 vileges and  vast  blessings.      By  faith,  all  is  thine. 
 See  how  perfectly  believers  have  received  all,  and 
 may  thy  faith   be   like  theirs.      Rom.  viii.  15,  &c. 
 "  Ye  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage  again 
 to  fear,  but  ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of  adoption, 
 whereby  we  pray,   Abba,  Father.      The  Spirit  itselt 
 beareth  witness  to  our  spirits,  that  we  are  the  chil- 
 dren of  God,    and  if  children,  then  heirs,  heirs  ot 
 God,   and  joint-heirs  with  Christ."      Observe  what 
 is  here  said  of  the  believing  Romans,  and  by  faith 
 thou  shalt  experience  the  same  as  perfectly  as  they 
 did. 
 
 1.  They  were  freed  from  the  spirit  of  bondage, 
 under  which  they  once  had  laboured. 
 
67 
 
 2.  They  were  so  freed  as  to  be  under  it  no  more; 
 tliey  were  not  to  fear  again,  as  heretofore :  for, 
 
 3.  They  had  received  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  and 
 he  gave  them  the  evidence  of  their  sonship.  Upon 
 which, 
 
 4.  They  beHeved  God  was  their  reconciled  Fa- 
 ther, and  they  had  boldness  and  access  to  him  with 
 confidence.      And,  therefore, 
 
 5.  They  lived  in  light,  and  walked  in  love,  like 
 his  children  and  heirs,  who  were  to  abide  in  his  house 
 for  ever. 
 
 See  also  what  great  freedom  the  Galatians  had, 
 chap.  iv.  4,  &c.  "  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made 
 of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem  them 
 that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might  receive  the 
 adoption  of  sons.  And  because  ye  are  sons,  God 
 hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his  Son  into  your  hearts, 
 crying  Abba,  Father.  Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a 
 servant,  but  a  son  ;  and  if  a  son,  then  an  heir  of  God 
 through  Christ."  O  what  treasures  of  grace  and  con- 
 solation are  there  in  this  scripture,  tending  to  sub- 
 due thy  legal  spirit !      Consider  some  of  them. 
 
 1.  All  men  having  broken  the  law,  and  being 
 under  the  curse  of  it,  Christ  was  made  under  the 
 law,  that  the  law  might  reach  him  as  the  surety  of 
 his  people ;  accordingly, 
 
 2.  By  his  obedience  to  the  precepts,  and  by  his 
 suffering  the  penalties  of  the  law,  he  redeemed  his 
 people  who  were  under  the  law ;  so  that, 
 
 3.  They  are  no  longer  in  bondage  to  it,  but  be- 
 ing made  free,  and  having  received  the  adoption  of 
 sons, 
 
 4.  They  have  the  Spirit  of  liberty  sent  into  their 
 
68 
 
 hearts  to  witness  to  them,  that  Christ  fulfilled  the 
 law  for  them  ;  and, 
 
 5.  That  the  Father  loves  them  as  dear  children, 
 and  they  love  him,  and  serve  him,  without  fear,  cry- 
 ing to  him,  Abba,  Father; 
 
 6.  Wherefore  they  are  no  longer  servants  in  bon- 
 dage to  any  one,  but  are  made  free  indeed,  being 
 now  the  sons  of  God  through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 And, 
 
 7.  If  sons,  then  heirs  of  God,  and  free  to  inherit 
 whatever  he  has  promised  to  give  his  children  in 
 earth  and  heaven. 
 
 These  and  many  more  arguments  are  contained 
 in  this  one  scripture,  tending  to  subdue  thy  legal 
 spirit,  and  to  bring  thee  to  live  more  comfortably  by 
 faith  upon  Christ,  who,  as  thy  surety,  has  fully  kept 
 the  law  for  thee  in  his  life  and  death.  Thou  art  to 
 consider  thyself  now,  not  under  the  law,  but  under 
 grace,  and  therefore  absolutely  free  from  the  con- 
 demning power  of  the  law.  This  thou  must  maintain 
 against  all  the  carnal  reasonings  of  thy  legal  spirit, 
 **  Christ  is  my  law-fulfiller."  And  thou  wilt  glorify 
 him  for  redeeming  thee  from  under  the  law,  and  wilt 
 live  in  sweet  peace  in  thine  own  conscience,  while  thou 
 keepest  fast  hold  of  this  most  blessed  and  eternally 
 precious  truth.  May  all  thy  reading  and  prayer, 
 and  the  use  of  all  means,  help  thee  to  grow  in  the 
 knowledge  and  experience  of  it  ! 
 
 There  is  a  very  strong  bias  and  leaning  in  weak 
 believers  to  a  legal  spirit,  which  ought  to  make  them 
 read  such  promises  as  I  have  been  mentioning,  over 
 and  over  again,  that  God  may  thereby  encourage 
 them  to  maintain  the  liberty  which  he  hath  given 
 
69 
 
 them  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  to  stand  fast  in  it  against 
 the  fresh  attacks  of  the  devil  and  unbelief.  They 
 should  be  always  jealous  over  themselves,  and  watch- 
 ful against  their  enemies :  because,  after  they  have, 
 in  a  truly  gospel  and  evangelical  way,  through  grace 
 got  their  legal  spirit  subdued  ;  yet,  if  it  be  not  in  the 
 same  way  kept  subdued,  it  will  break  out  with  more 
 power  than  ever,  and  will  be  likely  to  bring  them 
 into  bondage  again  to  fear.  And  this  may,  and  I 
 have  known  it  often  happen,  after  they  had  obtained 
 some  great  victories  over  it;  and  finding  it  not  stir 
 for  some  time,  they  flattered  themselves  they  should 
 have  but  little  trouble  with  it  any  more.  Thus  they 
 were  drawn  off  their  guard,  which  gave  room  to  their 
 legal  spirit  to  exert  itself  again  with  vigour.  This 
 surprised  the  weak  believers,  put  them  upon  reason- 
 ing and  doubting,  whether  all  had  been  right  with 
 them  before :  and  so,  at  the  very  time  when  they 
 should  have  taken  the  shield  of  faith,  and  should  have 
 been  making  use  it,  they  were  questioning  whether 
 they  had  any,  which  left  them  unarmed  in  the  midst 
 of  their  enemies,  an  easy  prey  to  every  temptation  ; 
 but  an  invisible  power  kept  them  safe,  although  they 
 were  not  comfortable  in  themselves. 
 
 For  the  encouragement  of  persons  in  this  case, 
 that  they  may  presently  recover  themselves  out  of 
 the  snare  of  the  devil,  they  should  observe, 
 
 1.  What  the  Scripture  says  of  a  legal  spirit,  de- 
 scribing it  to  be  one  of  the  members  of  their  corrupt 
 nature,  one  of  the  affections  of  the  flesh,  which  will 
 never  be  quite  dead,  while  the  breath  is  in  their 
 bodies.  It  is  an  enemy  that  will  be  always  fighting 
 against  the  Holy  Spirit ;  for  they  are  directly  con- 
 
70 
 
 trary  the  one  to  the  other,  and  theretore  believers 
 must  not  dream  of  any  such  victory  as  leaves  no  more 
 fighting,  but  must  expect  sharp  battles  with  their 
 legal  spirit  as  long  as  ever  they  live.      And, 
 
 2.  The  same  means  by  which  they  formerly  ob- 
 tained victory  must  be  made  use  of  again.  As  often 
 as  the  legal  spirit  is  tempting,  Christ's  strength  must 
 be  opposed  to  it,  and  his  strength  must  be  brought 
 into  the  soul  by  faith  in  his  righteousness,  as  it  is 
 written,  Isa.  xlii.  24.  "  Surely  shall  one  say,  in  the 
 Lord  have  1  righteousness  and  strength."  Right- 
 eousness comes  first,  and  is  established  in  the  con- 
 science, that  it  may  be  pleaded  and  maintained  there 
 against  all  the  charges  and  accusations  of  the  law. 
 And  as  often  as  these  arise  afresh,  still  they  must 
 be  answered,  and  silenced  with  this  plea — In  the 
 Lord  Christ  have  I  righteousness,  he  is  my  law- 
 fulfiller,  and  I  depend  upon  his  promised  strength  to 
 make  me  stand  fast  in  that  liberty  wherewith  he  hath 
 made  me  free.  And  the  soul  must  not  only  thus 
 quiet  and  stay  itself,  by  faith  upon  the  righteousness 
 and  strength  of  Christ,  for  victory  over  the  present 
 temptations,  but  must  also, 
 
 3.  Continually  do  this;  because  there  is  in  our 
 nature  a  continual  opposition  to  it,  the  experience 
 of  which  is  the  believer's  safety.  The  abiding  sense 
 of  his  being  naturally  inclined  to  lean  to  legal  de- 
 pendencies, and  therefore  his  want  of  Christ  every 
 moment  to  justify  him  by  his  righteousness,  and  to 
 keep  him  by  his  strength,  will  be  the  surest  way  to 
 prevent  his  falling  into  bondage;  for  this  will  keep 
 him  very  jealous  over  himself,  and  will  show  him  the 
 necessity  of  living  out  of  himself  for  righteousness 
 
7t 
 
 and  strength ;  and  while  he  liveth  upon  Christ  for 
 these  by  faith,  he  shall  not  be  overcome  by  any 
 enemy. 
 
 The  glory  of  the  incarnate  God,  and  his  infinite 
 sufficiency  to  save,  have  not  a  greater  enemy  than 
 a  legal  spirit,  and  therefore  I  have  enlarged  upon 
 this  point,  that  believers  might  be  convinced  from 
 the  word  of  God,  they  were  saved  from  the  condem- 
 nation of  the  law.  They  will  never  live  comfortably, 
 till  they  see  the  law  dead  and  buried,  and  then  will- 
 ingly give  up  themselves  to  be  espoused  to  Christ, 
 who  will  make  them  free  indeed.  And  when  they 
 have  learned  of  him  to  enjoy  and  walk  in  their  Chris- 
 tian liberty,  then  they  will  be  better  acquainted  with 
 the  warfare  between  nature  and  grace,  the  old  man 
 and  the  new,  the  flesh  and  the  spirit. 
 
 IV.  This  warfare  is  the  fourth  great  hinderance, 
 that  stops  the  growth  of  faith  in  weak  believers. 
 They  are  unskilful  in  it,  soon  tired  of  it,  and  often 
 likely  to  be  defeated.  They  do  not  enter  into  the 
 battle  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his 
 might;  nor  are  they  certain,  if  they  fall  in  battle, 
 they  shall  be  saved  with  an  eternal  salvation.  These 
 are  great  discouragements,  and  until  these  be  re- 
 moved, they  cannot  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  like 
 good  soldiers  of  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 The  case  is  thus  : — There  is  in  every  believer  an 
 old  man  and  a  new  man,  nature  and  grace,  flesh  and 
 spirit,  and  these  are  opposite  and  contrary  the  one 
 to  the  other,  in  their  principles  and  actions;  they  are 
 always  desiring  different  things,  and  pursuing  differ- 
 ent ends,  which  occasions  a  continual  war  between 
 them       The  flesh  lusteth  always  against  the  spirit, 
 
72 
 
 and  has  many  and  mighty  allies  on  its  side,  armies 
 of  lusts,  the  faculties  of  soul  and  body  to  bring  forth 
 sin,  hosts  of  fallen  angels,  and  all  the  world  that 
 lieth  in  wickedness.  But  the  new  man,  renewed  in 
 the  spirit  of  his  mind,  has  a  reconciled  God  on  his 
 side,  and  therefore  he  need  not  fear  what  any  enemy 
 can  do  unto  him,  but  may  bravely  face  the  stoutest 
 of  them,  even  death  itself,  relying  upon  that  sure 
 word  of  promise,  "  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  for- 
 sake thee."  Here  is  the  believer's  encouragement 
 to  fight,  his  God  will  never  leave  him ;  here  he  ob- 
 tains victory  every  day,  his  God  never  forsakes  him ; 
 and  after  he  has  fought  the  good  fight  of  faith,  his 
 God  and  Saviour  will  make  him  more  than  con- 
 queror; he  will  send  death  to  kill  sin;  and  then  the 
 believer  will  never  more  have  temptation  from  it, 
 no  sorrow  about  it :  but  till  that  happy  time  come, 
 he  must  be  fighting  against  his  corrupt  nature  and 
 all  his  allies;  no  peace  can  be  made  with  them,  not 
 even  a  truce ;  he  must  expect  no  kind  of  favour  from 
 them,  because  they  are  God's  irreconcilable  enemies; 
 and  therefore,  as  long  as  he  is  in  the  world,  he  must 
 be  fighting  against  the  world ;  as  long  as  he  has  a 
 body  of  flesh,  he  must  oppose  it  with  its  affections 
 and  lusts,  because  they  war  against  the  soul ;  and  as 
 long  as  he  is  in  the  reach  of  temptation,  he  must 
 oppose  the  tempter,  steadfast  in  the  faith,  never  put- 
 ting off  his  armour,  until  the  Lord  give  him  a  dis- 
 charge. 
 
 The  believer's  peace  within,  and  victory  without, 
 are  closely  connected  with  the  clear  understanding  of 
 this  case;  and  although  I  have  stated  it  from  the 
 word  of  God,  and  agreeably  to  the  sense  in  which 
 
73         ' 
 
 the  church  of  God  has  always  interpreted  it,  yet,  for 
 its  more  full  confirmation,  some  testimonies  must  be 
 brought,  which  speak  to  the  very  point:  first,  to  the 
 believer's  having  in  him  an  old  man  and  a  new; 
 secondly,  that  these  two  are  at  war;  and  thirdly, 
 that  they  fight  together  till  death, 
 
 1,  The  apostle  says  to  the  saints  at  Ephesus, 
 chap»  iv.  22,  &c.  "  Put  off  the  old  man,  put  on  the 
 new."  Mind,  the  same  persons  had  both  in  them 
 an  old  man,  corrupt,  according  to  his  deceitful  lusts, 
 daily  to  be  put  off,  and  a  new  man  to  be  put  on,  and 
 renewed  day  by  day  in  the  spirit  of  his  mind.  The 
 old  man  is  described  to  have  a  body  of  sin  with  all 
 his  members,  his  affections,  and  lusts;  these  must 
 not  be  obeyed,  but  mortified.  "  Let  not  sin  reign 
 in  your  mortal  body,  that  ye  should  obey  it  in  the 
 lust  thereof,  neither  yield  ye  your  members  as  in- 
 struments of  unrighteousness  unto  sin,"  Rom.  vi.  12, 
 13.  The  saints  at  Rome  had  sin  in  them,  and  it 
 wanted  to  reign  as  it  had  done  heretofore  in  the 
 lusts  thereof;  but, 
 
 2.  They  were  not  to  obey  them.  There  was  in 
 them  a  new  man,  who  was  to  fight  against  those 
 fleshly  lusts  which  war  against  the  soul.  "  The 
 flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against 
 the  flesh;  and  these  are  contrary  the  one  to  the  other, 
 so  that  ye  cannot  do  the  things  that  ye  would,"  Gal. 
 v.  17.  Here  is  battle  between  two:  the  flesh,  the 
 whole  nature  of  the  old  man;  and  the  spirit,  the  new 
 man  born  again  of  the  Spirit :  the  cause  of  it  is,  the 
 one  wills  what  the  other  hates,  each  wants  to  carry 
 his  own  will  into  execution,  and  these  being  con- 
 trary the  one  to  the  other,  they  fight  for  mastery : 
 
 D  4 
 
74 
 
 in  the  battle,  the  flesh,  the  old  man,  is  defeated,  and 
 the  Spirit  working  in  the  new  man  conquers;  and 
 this  lusting  and  fighting  is  in  one  and  the  same  per- 
 son, in  him  who  is  said  to  be  not  under  the  law,  to 
 be  led  by  the  Spirit,  and  to  live  and  to  walk  in  the 
 Spirit.      In  Rom.  viii.  7.  the  apostle  calls  the  flesh 
 the  carnal  mind,  and  he  says,  "  It  is  enmity  against 
 God;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither 
 indeed  can  be;"  since  it  is  enmity  itself,  there  is  no 
 reconciling  it,  it  will  not,  nay  it  cannot  obey  God, 
 but   is   ever  lusting  and  rebelling  against  his  law. 
 The  nature  of  the  battle  is  described  at  length  in 
 Rom.  vii.     The  chapter  consists  of  three  parts:  first, 
 the  believer's  liberty  from  the  law,  to  ver.  6;  secondly, 
 he  answers  some  objections  made  against  the  law 
 from  its  nature  and  properties,  and  that  in  his  own 
 person,  because  it  had  been  the  means  of  bringing 
 him  to  the  right  knowledge  of  sin,  ver.  7 ;  and  sin 
 being  discovered  by  the  law  through  the  corruption 
 of  nature,  raged  and  rebelled  the  more  in  him,  ver. 
 8 ;  and  the  law  had  made  him  sensible  of  God's  an- 
 ger against  sin,  and  of  his  deserving  death  and  hell 
 for  it,  ver.  9  to  14;   and  from  thence  to  the  end  of 
 the  chapter,  he  describes  the  conflict  between  the 
 old  man  and  the  new,  the  one  consenting  to  the  law, 
 and  the  other  resisting  the  law.      In  this  conflict 
 there  were  three  sharp  attacks:  in  the  first,  he  found 
 in  himself  two  contrary  principles  of  action  always 
 resisting  each  other,  the  old  man  fighting  against  the 
 new,  from  ver.  14  to  18;  secondly,  when  the  will  of 
 the  new  man  was  good,  through  the  opposition  of 
 the  old  man,  it  had  not  the  desired  effect,  ver.  19, 
 20 ;  and  thirdly,  he  felt  in  himself  two  contrary  laws, 
 
75 
 
 both  requiring  obedience,  the  law  of  the  members 
 warring  and  rebelling  against  the  law  of  God  written 
 in  the  renewed  mind;  for  no  sooner  did  his  mind, 
 guided  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  set  about  any  thing 
 which  God*s  law  commanded,  but  he  found  the  law 
 of  the  members  making  a  strong  resistance.  This 
 he  groaned  under  as  a  heavy  burden,  and  was  hum- 
 bled for  it  before  God,  expecting  pardon  from  him, 
 and  victory  every  day,  and  perfect  deliverance  at  last. 
 I  cannot  enlarge  upon  this  chapter.  Turn  to  it, 
 and  read  it  over  upon  the  plan  which  I  have  here 
 laid  down,  remembering  all  along,  that  St.  Paul  is 
 describing  himself.  He  ten  times  says,  it  is  him- 
 self he  is  speaking  of,  from  ver.  7  to  14,  where  he 
 is  showing  of  what  use  the  law  had  been  to  him, 
 when  he  was  first  convinced  of  sin ;  and  from  thence 
 to  the  end,  he  mentions  himself  thirty-eight  times. 
 I,  the  apostle  Paul,  I  myself,  my  very  self,  and  not 
 another;  I  myself  am,  now,  at  this  present,  at  the 
 very  time  of  writing  this ;  I  myself,  whom  the  law 
 of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made  free 
 from  the  law  of  sin  and  death ;  I  myself,  to  whom 
 now  there  is  no  condemnation,  for  I  am  in  Christ 
 Jesus,  and  I  walk  after  the  Spirit,  am  still  at  war 
 with  sin  that  dwelleth  in  me,  with  the  old  man,  with 
 the  flesh,  with  the  law  of  the  members,  with  the 
 body  of  sin.  Although  I  have  a  new  nature,  and 
 God  is  on  my  side,  yet  it  is  a  hard  and  a  sharp 
 battle.  I  find  it  so.  The  length  of  it  makes  it  still 
 more  painful,  and  forces  me  to  cry  out,  "  O  wretched 
 man  that  I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body 
 of  this  death  ?"  Paul  was  not  out  of  God's  favour, 
 or  accursed;  but  as  the  word  rendered  wretched^ 
 d2 
 
76 
 
 means,  he  was  weaned  and  tired  with  this  continual 
 fighting,  troubled  with  the  filthy  motions  of  sin  ris- 
 ing,  and  striving,   and  rebelling  in  him,   and  giving 
 him  no  rest ;  this  was  such  a  hard  warfare,  that  he 
 was  ever  looking  out  and  praying,  "  Who  shall  de- 
 liver me?"      He  meant  wholly,  perfectly,  deliver  me 
 from  this  corruption.      He  sighed  for  it,  not  because 
 he  doubted  of  an  absolute  deliverance,  but  because 
 he  had  sure  and  certain  hope  of  it ;  not  because  he 
 was  ignorant  who   his  deliverer  was,   but  because  he 
 had  steadfast  faith  in  him.      "  Thanks  be  to  God 
 through  Jesus  Christ."      This  comforted  him,   and 
 kept  him  fighting  on  with   courage :   he  knew  that 
 he  should  gain  the  victory,  and  through  Christ,  not 
 through  his  own  virtues  or  works,  but  through  faith 
 in  the  life  and  death,  in  the  blood  and  righteousness 
 of  Christ,  he  should  at  last  be  more  than  conqueror. 
 Since  this  was  the  case  with  the  apostle,  who  can 
 expect  a  discharge  from  this  warfare  until  death  ? 
 What  !   says  one,  is  it  to  continue  so  long?      Yes. 
 The   Scripture  is  very  clear  to  this  point,    as  I  was 
 thirdly  to  show, 
 
 3.  The  seat  of  the  corruption  of  the  old  man,  or 
 of  the  flesh,  is  not  only  in  our  nature,  but  is  also 
 our  very  nature  itself:  that  which  is  born  of  the  flesh 
 is  flesh,  altogether  carnal  and  corrupt.  It  is  a  filthy 
 fountain,  always  sending  forth  impure  streams;  and 
 therefore,  while  the  believer  is  in  the  body,  he  must 
 either  be  fighting  against  the  flesh,  or  else  be  led  cap- 
 tive by  it.  We  that  are,  says  Paul,  in  this  taber- 
 nacle of  flesh,  do  groan,  being  burdened  with  sin  and 
 sorrow.  And  when  did  they  expect  an  end  of  their 
 groaning,  and  rest  from  their  burdens?      Not  till 
 
77 
 
 the  tabernacle  was  dissolved  by  death.      Ourselves, 
 says  he,  who  have  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,  even 
 we  ourselves  groan  within  ourselves,  waiting  for  the 
 adoption,  to  wit,  the  redemption  of  our  body.      The 
 body  will  be  redeemed  from  the  grave,   and   raised 
 like  the  glorious  body  of  Jesus  Christ :  this  is  pro- 
 mised,  and  this  we  wait  for,   and  until  death  deliver 
 us  from  this  mortal,   corruptible  body,   we  shall  be 
 groaning  under  the  burden   of  it.       This  was   St. 
 Paul's  case.     He  had  long  sighed  to  be  discharged 
 from  his  warfare;  and,  like  an  old,  wearied,  tired 
 soldier,   he  wished  the  hard,  tedious  campaign  was 
 ended,  that  he  might  enter  into  rest:  but  hear  with 
 what  joy  he  at  last  cries  out,   "  I  have  fought  the 
 good  fight."     Have  fought  it  ?     What !  is  the  battle 
 over?      Yes,  just  over. — "  I  am  now  ready   to  be 
 offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand — I 
 have  finished  my  course."      My  battle   and  my  life 
 are  finished  together;  and  so  must  thine,  reader:  thou 
 art  to  resist  unto  blood,  striving  against  sin  ;  for  thou 
 art  called  to  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  until  thou 
 lay  hold  of  eternal  life.      Since  thou  art  a  believer, 
 however  weak,   and  hast  a  new  man  in  thee  as  well 
 as  an  old,   they  will  be  fighting  against  each   other 
 till  thou  finish  thy  course.      And  if  this  discourage 
 thee,  consider  what  God  has  spoken  concerning  this 
 warfare,  and  what  exceeding  great  and  precious  pro- 
 mises he  has  made  to  them  who  are  engaged  in  it. 
 He  has  promised  to  pardon  those  corruptions  of  the 
 old  man,   to  subdue  them,  and  to  deliver  thee  from 
 the  very  being  of  them.      Canst  thou  desire  more  ? 
 Mark  well  what  he  says  to  thee,  and  be  not  faithless, 
 but  believing. 
 
78 
 
 1.  Although  the  believer  has  an  old  man,  corrupt, 
 according  to  the  deceitful  lusts,  always  warring  against 
 the  new  man,  yet  the  Lord  God  has  promised  a  free 
 and  a  full  pardon  ;  because  he  has  imputed  sin,  all 
 thy  sin,  to  the  Son  of  his  love,  who  bore  it  in  his 
 own  body  upon  the  tree.  After  the  apostle,  in  Rom. 
 vii.  had  described  the  battle  between  them,  he  makes 
 this  inference,  "  There  is  therefore  now  no  condem- 
 nation to  them  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus" — to  them 
 who  are  in  Christ,  united  by  faith  as  members  to 
 him  their  head,  and  thereby  partakers  of  his  right- 
 eousness, there  is  now^  while  they  are  fighting  against 
 their  corruptions,  no  condemnation ;  "  For,"  says  he, 
 "the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made 
 me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  of  death,"  Rom.  viii. 
 2.  These  words  demonstrate,  that  Paul  was  speak- 
 ing of  himself  in  the  7th  chapter.  Although  he 
 had  the  corruption  of  nature  still  in  him,  and  was 
 fighting  against  it,  yet,  being  in  Christ  by  faith,  he 
 was  made  free  from  the  guilt  and  punishment  due 
 to  it;  therefore  he  had,  and  every  believer  shall  have, 
 a  full  pardon.      In  consequence  of  which, 
 
 2.  He  shall  subdue  the  corruptions  of  the  old 
 man.  This  is  promised,  and  shall  be  made  good. 
 The  Lord  encourages  believers  to  oppose  the  reign 
 of  sin  in  their  mortal  body,  and  not  to  obey  it  in  the 
 lusts  thereof,  with  this  promise — **  Sin  shall  not 
 have  dominion  over  you,"  Rom.  vi.  H.  Ye  are 
 under  grace,  and  grace  is  almighty  to  subdue  sin; 
 because  it  is  atoned  for.  In  like  manner,  he  says 
 to  the  Galatians,  v.  16.  "  Walk  in  the  Spirit,  and 
 ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lusts  of  the  flesh.'*  Ye  shall 
 not  fulfil  them  either  in  word  or  deed.      The  lusts 
 
79 
 
 of  the  flesh  will  be  in  you,  but  not  one  of  them  shall 
 reign  over  you :  the  Spirit  of  Jesus  will  teach  you 
 to  resist,  and  enable  you  to  overcome  them,  yea,  to 
 crucify  and  mortify  them  day  by  day.  And  besides 
 this,  the  Lord  has  promised, 
 
 3.  Deliverance  from  the  very  being  of  thy  cor- 
 ruptions. The  time  is  coming,  when  they  shall  not 
 exist  in  the  believer,  nor  any  more  be  suffered  to 
 tempt  him.  He  shall  be  made  holy  and  blameless, 
 without  spot  or  wrinkle  of  sin,  or  any  such  thing. 
 In  this  perfect  state,  the  Father  now  sees  him,  and 
 accepts  him  in  the  Beloved ;  and  after  death  admits 
 the  soul  into  his  presence,  cleansed  with  the  blood, 
 clothed  with  the  righteousness,  adorned  with  the 
 graces,  of  his  dear  Son :  and  body,  soul,  and  spirit, 
 shall  be  in  this  perfect  state  in  the  day  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ — they  shall  be  unblameable  in  holiness 
 before  God,  even  our  Father,  at  the  coming  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ  with  all  his  saints.  It  doth  not 
 yet  appear  how  great  a  perfection  of  holiness  this  will 
 be,  but  we  know  that  when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall 
 then  be  like  him ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is. 
 
 Such  are  the  divine  promises.  And  dost  thou 
 not  see  from  hence,  reader,  what  great  things  thou 
 art  to  expect  in  thy  present  warfare  ?  If  thou  say- 
 est.  How  shall  I  attain  all  that  is  promised  ?  Know, 
 that  it  is  come  to  thee  by  faith.  Christ,  and  all 
 that  he  has,  is  thine  upon  believing,  and  particularly 
 a  free  pardon  for  indwelling  sin,  as  well  as  for  any 
 other.  Consider  him  as  thy  surety,  God-man  tak- 
 ing thy  sins  and  sufferings  upon  himself  to  save  thee 
 from  them.  By  his  life  and  death  he  has  obtained 
 full  salvation,  which  he  gives  to  thee  freely.      And 
 
80 
 
 thou  hast  received  it.  Thou  canst  not  deny  but 
 thou  art  a  believer,  and  it  is  written — "  Ali  that  be- 
 lieve are  justified  from  all  things,"  from  the  corrup- 
 tions of  their  nature,  as  well  as  the  corruptions  of 
 their  lives.  Know  then,  that  there  is  no  condemna- 
 tion to  thee.  The  Judge  himself  says  so.  And 
 when  he  acquits,  who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  thy 
 charge  ?  Here  thou  must  hold,  through  the  power 
 of  the  Lord,  if  thou  wouldst  have  thy  spiritual  war- 
 fare successfully  conducted.  Abide  by  the  sentence 
 of  God,  and  keep  condemnation  out  of  thy  con- 
 science. Have  it  ready  to  plead  against  all  charges, 
 from  whatever  quarter  they  come,  that  Christ  hath 
 made  me  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  of  death. 
 
 Here  I  must  refer  thee  back  to  what  has  been 
 said  concerning  Christ  and  his  finished  salvation. 
 Thou  now  seest  how  necessary  it  is  thou  shouldst 
 be  well  established  in  the  belief  of  his  Godhead, 
 and  the  infinite  sufficiency  of  his  salvation ;  so  that 
 he  is  both  able  and  willing  to  save  thee  from  all  thy 
 sins,  and  all  the  misery  due  to  them,  and  to  bestow 
 upon  thee  eternal  happiness,  and  to  bring  thee  by 
 his  almighty  power  safe  to  the  eternal  enjoyment  of 
 it.  All  this  he  will  give  thee,  not  for  working,  but 
 in  believing.  I  entreat  thee  therefore  to  read  again 
 and  again,  what  has  been  before  said  upon  these  sub- 
 jects; and  the  good  Lord  help  thee  to  apply  it  to  thy 
 present  case,  that  thou  mayest  be  fully  assured  thou 
 art  in  Christ,  and  that  there  is  no  condemnation  to 
 thee. 
 
 But  perhaps  thou  art  ready  to  say — Steadfastly 
 do  I  believe  all  this ;  but  I  do  not  find  such  victory 
 over  my  corruptions  as  I  could  wish ;  nay,  I  think  at 
 
81 
 
 times  they  rage  more  than  ever.  Here  thou  for- 
 gettest  the  Lord  is  thy  strength.  Thou  dost  not 
 make  use  of  him,  and  therefore  thou  failest.  The 
 woman  with  the  bloody  issue  grew  worse  and  worse, 
 till  she  went  to  Christ ;  so  wilt  thou.  Why  is  it 
 given  thee  to  know  Christ  in  the  spirit,  but  that  thou 
 shouldst  go  to  him  daily,  and  plead  his  promise — 
 Lord,  thou  hast  declared  that  sin  shall  not  have  do- 
 minion over  thy  people ;  I  believe  this  word  of  thine 
 cannot  be  broken;  and  therefore,  helpless  in  myself, 
 I  rely  upon  thy  faithfulness  to  save  me  from  the  do- 
 minion of  such  and  such  a  sin  (as  then  tempts  thee). 
 Put  forth  thy  power,  O  Lord  Christ,  and  get  thy- 
 self glory  in  subduing  my  flesh,  with  its  affections 
 and  lusts.  And  then  trust  him  to  make  his  word 
 good,  and  wait  the  event.  Sooner  shall  heaven  and 
 earth  pass  away,  than  sin,  any  sin  thus  left  with 
 Christ  to  be  subdued,  shall  reign  over  thee. 
 
 If  thou  sayest,  I  think  I  seek  for  victory  over  sin 
 in  no  other  way,  and  yet  I  do  not  attain  it  so  com- 
 pletely as  I  desire — depend  upon  it  thou  art  under 
 some  mistake;  for  Christ  is  almighty  to  fulfil  every 
 promise  in  its  largest  sense  and  fullest  meaning;  and 
 there  never  was  a  believer  who  could  justly  charge 
 him  with  the  breach  of  his  word.  Perhaps  thou 
 dost  believe,  that  power  to  subdue  sin  comes  from 
 Christ,  and  thou  are  expecting  it  from  him ;  but  hast 
 thou  not  some  legal  dependence,  some  notion  of  thy 
 own  working  together  with  him  ?  Search  and  see. 
 Dost  thou  commit  ALL  to  the  Lord,  who  is  to  do 
 ALL  and  in  all  ?  Is  the  whole  battle  left  to  him  ! 
 wisdom,  and  courage,  and  armour,  and  strength,  and 
 patience,  and  victory,  are  all  from  the  Lord.  If 
 d3 
 
8e 
 
 thou  art  not  doing  this  simply,  thou  art  not  living 
 by  faith  upon  Christ,  but  thou  art  fighting  in  thine 
 own  strength,  and  depending  upon  some  inherent 
 stock  of  grace,  or  knowledge,  or  experience.  While 
 these  proud,  selfish  motives  put  thee  upon  asking  his 
 help,  he  will  not  give  it  thee,  because  thou  dost  not 
 wholly  depend  upon  him  for  it. 
 
 Or  perhaps  Christ  doth  not  appear  on  thy  side, 
 because  thou  art  proposing  some  wrong  end.  Thou 
 art  working  and  striving  against  sin  to  establish  a 
 righteousness  of  thine  own,  which  is  to  be  some  part 
 of  thine  acceptance  before  God  ;  and  thou  hast  been 
 trying  in  thine  own  strength  to  get  thy  corruptions 
 quite  subdued,  but  they  were  too  strong  for  thee, 
 and  therefore  now  thou  art  glad  to  make  use  of 
 Christ's  help.  And  if  he  would  do  the  work  for 
 thee,  then  thou  wouldst  have  confidence  in  the  flesh  ; 
 and  this,  thy  fancied  holiness,  would  be  the  ground  of 
 thy  rejoicing  before  God.  Is  it  not  so  ?  if  it  be, 
 thou  wilt  never  succeed  upon  this  plan.  Christ  will 
 not  give  his  glory  to  another,  nor  put  the  crown  of  his 
 gospel  grace  upon  the  head  of  thy  legal  dependence. 
 
 Or  perhaps  thou  art  expecting  from  Christ  what 
 he  has  not  promised,  such  a  victory  over  thy  corrup- 
 tions, that  they  shall  not  fight  again  for  some  time, 
 or  that  they  shall  be  quite  dead  and  buried.  And 
 so  they  shall  be,  in  the  Lord's  appointed  time.  But 
 now  he  calls  upon  thee  to  fight  against  them ;  he 
 provides  thee  armour  for  that  purpose,  even  the 
 whole  armour  of  God;  and  he  requires  thee  to  resist 
 unto  blood,  striving  against  sin,  promising  thee  daily 
 victory.  This  is  thy  present  state  of  warfare.  To 
 this  thou  art  now  called,  and  there  is  no  discharge 
 
83 
 
 in  this  war.  O  beware  then,  as  thou  lovest  thy 
 soul,  of  a  false  peace  !  Thou  wilt  be  sadly  deluded, 
 if  thou  ever  supposest  that  thy  fighting  is  over,  be- 
 fore thy  course  be  finished.  The  good  fight  of  faith 
 must  continue  till  death  :  for  till  then,  corruption  be- 
 ing in  thee,  thou  must  oppose  it,  relying  upon  God 
 for  promised  victory  over  it.  He  is  able  to  save 
 thee  from  the  very  being  of  it  now,  as  well  as  in 
 heaven ;  but  it  is  not  his  mind  and  will.  Here  he 
 will  have  thee  to  live  by  faith,  which  is  every  mo- 
 ment to  keep  thee  dependent  upon  Christ,  or  thou 
 wilt  fall.  This  is  to  exalt  his  grace,  and  to  subdue 
 thy  selfish  legal  spirit,  to  humble  thy  pride,  to  put 
 thee  upon  prayer  and  watchfulness,  to  make  sin  more 
 hateful,  and  heaven  more  desirable,  and  to  secure 
 the  glory  of  every  victory  to  him,  whose  strength  is 
 perfected  in  thy  weakness.  These  are  some  of  his 
 gracious  purposes  in  keeping  thee  continually  de- 
 pendent upon  his  strength;  and  if  he  has  made  thee 
 willing  to  fight  and  conquer  to  the  praise  of  the 
 glory  of  his  grace,  then  thou  wilt  experience  that 
 blessed  promise — "  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over 
 thee."  And  it  will  not  be  long  before  sin  shall  not 
 have  a  being  in  thee. 
 
 Reader,  if  thou  hast  fallen  into  these,  or  any 
 other  mistakes  concerning  the  subduing  of  thy  cor- 
 ruptions, mind  what  is  written,  and  what  is  promised. 
 Having  first  received,  through  faith  in  the  blood  of 
 Christ,  the  pardon  of  thy  sin,  then,  as  one  of  his 
 good  soldiers,  thou  art  to  fight  against  it  all  thy  life; 
 he,  being  on  thy  side,  promises  to  subdue  sin  for 
 thee.  Without  him  thou  canst  do  nothing  in  this 
 warfare ;  and  therefore  thy  faith,  resting  on  his  pro- 
 
84 
 
 mise,  is  to  wait  the  fulfilling  of  it.  He  has  given 
 thee  his  word,  that  he  will  use  his  almighty  power 
 for  this  purpose.  To  that  word  must  thou  look,  be- 
 lieving that  Christ  will  bring  thee  victory  continually, 
 if  thy  faith  fail  not — greater,  as  thy  faith  increases 
 —complete,  when  the  good  fight  of  faith  shall  be 
 ended,  and  thou  shalt  rest  from  thy  labours.  All 
 this  he  stands  engaged  to  do,  and  his  power  is  able 
 to  fulfil  his  engagements,  and  thy  faith  will  bring 
 the  happy  experience  of  his  power.  When  corrup- 
 tions rise,  temptations  are  strong,  enemies  nume- 
 rous, dangers  on  every  side,  that  is  the  time  to  glo- 
 rify Christ,  })y  making  use  of  his  promised  strength. 
 Then  put  thy  trust  in  the  Captain  of  thy  salvation, 
 and  fear  not.  Look  unto  Jesus,  and  look  at  nothing 
 but  him.  The  battle  is  his.  He  will  fight  for  thee, 
 and  thou  shalt  hold  thy  peace.  Leave  him  to  direct 
 all,  to  do  all,  and  to  finish  all  relating  to  it;  and 
 then,  as  he  can  get  all  the  glory,  thou  shalt  see  what 
 a  salvation  he  will  bring  thee.  O  that  thy  faith  did 
 but  reach  to  the  extent  of  his  promises  ! — how  suc- 
 cessful would  be  thy  spiritual  warfare — such  victories 
 over  thine  enemies,  corruptions  so  subdued,  the  world 
 so  crucified,  Satan  so  defeated,  as  thou  canst  now 
 scarce  believe.  The  Lord  increase  thy  faith  !  Look 
 up  to  him  for  it ;  because,  as  thy  faith  increases,  let 
 the  battle  grow  hotter  and  hotter,  thou  wilt  find  thy- 
 self safer,  and  more  reason  to  give  thanks  to  God, 
 through  Jesus  Christ  thy  Lord. 
 
 For  want  of  attending  to  the  important  truths  al- 
 ready considered,  and  of  bringing  them  into  constant 
 use  and  exercise,  young  believers  are  liable  to  fall 
 into  another  great  mistake,  which  keeps  their  faith 
 
85 
 
 weak,  and  stops  its  growth ;  namely,  a  hearkening  to 
 sense,  and  trusting  to  its  reports,  which  is  the  fifth 
 general  head  I  purpose  to  consider. 
 
 V.  They  are  seeking  to  be  established,  and  they 
 think,  that  they  should  have  no  doubt  of  their  being 
 true  believers,  if  they  had  but  the  testimony  of  sense, 
 and  comfortable  feelings  to  assure  them  of  it.  And 
 being  used  to  judge  in  this  way  in  other  matters,  (for 
 it  is  our  strongest  evidence  in  natural  things,)  they 
 are  disposed  to  expect  the  same  in  spiritual ;  and  they 
 are  the  rather  disposed  to  it,  because  sensible  com- 
 forts are  promised  in  Scripture;  which  being  very 
 desirable  and  pleasing  to  nature,  they  art  apt  to  co- 
 vet them  too  much,  and  from  not  regarding  what  the 
 Scripture  says  about  them,  they  are  apt  to  seek  them 
 in  a  wrong  way,  and  for  a  wrong  end.  Sense  judges 
 from  what  it  sees,  and  draws  its  inferences  from  what 
 it  feels;  so  that  its  report  to  the  conscience,  either 
 of  a  believer's  state,  or  of  his  growth  in  it,  is  not 
 from  unchangeable  things,  which  would  settle  the 
 conscience  in  peace,  but  from  changeable  things, 
 which  leave  room  for  continual  doubting.  Sense  also 
 looks  at  the  fruits  of  faith,  more  than  at  the  object  of 
 it;  and  if  the  believer  has  been  misled,  and  taught  to 
 confound  these  two  together,  he  will  be  at  great  un- 
 certainty in  judging  of  his  state  ;  for,  instead  of  mak- 
 ing the  word  of  God,  he  will  make  his  comforts  the 
 ground  of  his  faith,  and  as  these  are,  more  or  less,  so 
 will  his  faith  be.  When  he  has  comfortable  feelings, 
 then  he  will  think  himself  a  believer,  and  when  he 
 has  none,  then  he  will  think  himself  an  unbeliever; 
 changing  his  judgment  of  himself,  as  his  feelings  do, 
 Hke  the  wind,  and  varying,  as  his  comforts  do,  like 
 
86 
 
 the  weather.  This  is  a  common  case ;  I  have  seen 
 the  sad  effects  of  it  in  the  lives  of  many  of  my  ac- 
 quaintance, who,  from  being  taught  thus  to  judge  of 
 themselves,  were  tossed  about  for  several  years  up 
 and  down,  now  comforted  then  doubting,  and  could 
 not  get  any  solid  establishment,  till  the  word  and 
 Spirit  of  God  convinced  them,  that  sense  was  not  to 
 be  the  ground  of  their  believing,  nor  the  object  to 
 which  they  were  to  look.  Sense  judges  by  feeling, 
 and  reports  what  it  sees.  Sense  says.  Now  I  am  in 
 the  favour  of  God  ;  for  I  feel  it.  Now  he  is  my 
 God;  for  I  find  him  so:  I  am  comforted.  Now  he 
 demonstrates  it  to  me;  for  I  feel  nearness  to  him  in 
 prayer,  and  sweet  answers.  Now  I  am  sure  my  duties 
 and  services  are  acceptable;  for  I  am  quite  lively  in 
 them,  and  I  come  from  them  with  warm  affections. 
 Now  I  cannot  doubt ;  for  I  feel  the  assurance  of  his 
 love  to  me. — And  when  sense  has  lost  those  comfort- 
 able feelings,  then  it  draws  contrary  inferences.  Now 
 I  am  not  in  the  favour  of  God ;  for  I  do  not  feel  it. 
 Now  he  is  not  my  God;  for  I  do  not  find  him  so  :  I  am 
 not  comforted,  &c.  What  can  be  the  issue  of  this, 
 but  continual  wavering  and  changing  ?  For  our  feel- 
 ings are  sometimes  more,  some  times  less,  as  every 
 believer  experiences.  What  an  unsettled  state  then 
 must  he  be  in,  who  has  no  way  to  judge  of  himself 
 but  by  those  changeable  things  !  What  room  does 
 he  leave  for  continual  doubting,  and  what  trouble  and 
 misery  does  he  thereby  bring  upon  himself,  as  well 
 as  dishonour  to  the  unchangeableness  of  God  in  his 
 nature  and  promises  ! 
 
 If  the  poor  weak  believer  should  say,   I  am  con- 
 vinced of  this,  and  I  should  be  glad  to  have  my  faith 
 
87 
 
 so  fixed,  that  I  might  be  freed  from  doubts  and 
 fears ;  then  let  it  rest  upon  the  word  of  God,  which  is 
 the  only  ground  of  believing,  and  is  therefore  called  the 
 word  of  faith,  upon  which  faith  is  built,  and  by  which 
 it  is  nourished  and  grows  up.      The  believer  should 
 receive,  and  rely  upon  what  God  hath  spoken,   and 
 because  he  hath  spoken  it;  for  his  word  changeth 
 not.      It  abideth  the  same  for  ever  ;  therefore,  what 
 it  truly  reports,  stands  upon  an  immoveable  rock. 
 Sense  and  feeling  may  report  things  contrary  to  it, 
 but  the  believer  can  silence  them  with,  "  God  has 
 spoken  it :"  for  his  faith  has  evidence  of  things  not 
 seen,   and  he  does  not  form  his  judgment  by  the 
 things  which  are  seen,  but  by  things  which  are  not 
 seen.      Generally  speaking,  faith  judges   the   very 
 contrary   to  what  sense  does,   and   will  not  believe 
 what  sense  perceives.      Abraham  against  hope   be- 
 lieved in  hope:   so  do  all  his  children.      They  be- 
 lieve the  pardon  of  sin,  victory  over  sin,  and  the 
 death  of  sin  ;  the  immortality  of  the  body,  though 
 crumbled  to  dust  and  atoms;   the  second  coming  of 
 Christ,  and  the  eternal  state  of  happiness  or  misery. 
 Faith  looks  at  God's  word,  calling  the  things  which 
 be  not  as  though  they  were,  and  is  commonly  forced 
 to  contradict  sense.      Sense  judges  from  what  it  sees 
 — faith   from   what   God  says.      Sense  is  governed 
 by  what  appears — faith  by  what  God  says  shall  be. 
 Sense   looks  inward — faith  looks  outward.      Faith 
 can  answer  the  seeming  contradictions  which  sense 
 opposes  to  it,  from  the  word  of  God,  which  cannot 
 be  broken.      And  when  sense  is  ready  to  despair, 
 and  all  its  fine  frames  and  feelings  are  gone,  then  it 
 it  is  the  believer's  happy  privilege  still  to  trust  in  the 
 
88 
 
 Lord,  and  to  have  a  good  hope  because  of  the  word 
 of  his  grace. 
 
 But  perhaps  thou  art  ready  to  say,  It  is  written, 
 that  there  is  great  joy  and  pesce  in  beheving,  yea, 
 joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.      True,  these  are 
 what  faith  produces,  and  not  what  it  is;  these  are 
 the  fruits  of  faith,   which  it  brings  forth   in  most 
 abundance  from  the  inexhaustible  fulness  of  Jesus. 
 The  more  simple  the  believer  is,  the  more  he  eyes 
 Christ  the  object  of  faith,  and  his  word  the  ground 
 of  faith — the  more  clear  and  distinct  will  the  actings 
 of  his  faith  be,  and  consequently  it  will  bring  greater 
 peace  into  the  conscience,    and  more  joy   into   the 
 affections.      But  still  these  fruits  are  not  faith — no 
 more  than  the  fruit  is  the  tree.      The  fruits  do  not 
 go   before   faith,   but   follow  it,  and  grow  from  it. 
 This  is  God's  order.      He  gives  us  his  word  to  be 
 the  ground  of  our  beheving;   and  by  believing,  all 
 things  promised  in  the  word  are  made  ours  :  then  we 
 go  on  comfortably,  and  are  happy:  but  when  sense 
 is  put  in  the  place  of  the  word,  then  the  consequence 
 is,  that  weak  believers  have  got  a  changeable  rule 
 to  judge  of  themselves  by,  which  hinders  them  from 
 being  established  in  believing,  and  from  attaining  the 
 promised  peace  and  joy. 
 
 Some  may  begin  to  object.  What !  are  you  against 
 all  lively  frames,  and  sensible  comforts?  No,  God 
 forbid,  I  would  have  them  spring  from  the  right 
 cause,  that  they  might  be  more  pure  and  fixed  than 
 they  commonly  are.  God's  word  and  promises  are 
 an  unchangeable  foundation  to  rest  upon,  even  when 
 sensible  feelings  are  gone;  because  Christ  revealed 
 in    the   word,   and   laid   hold  of  in    the   promises, 
 
89 
 
 changeth  not.  Therefore,  reader,  for  thine  own 
 sake,  and  for  the  glory  of  God,  take  heed  what  thou 
 buildest  thy  faith  upon.  Beware  of  making  any 
 thing  that  sense  reports  to  thee  the  ground  of  it, 
 but  rest  it  upon  that  which  abideth  for  ever.  The 
 word  of  God  is  a  sure  foundation.  It  will  never  fail 
 thee.  Thou  mayest  safely  depend  upon  it,  because 
 it  cannot  be  broken  ;  and  steadfastly  rely  upon  Christ 
 to  make  its  promises  good  to  thee.  There  is  thy 
 object.  Look  at  him.  And  since  he  is  thine,  thy 
 Saviour  and  thy  God,  make  use  of  him  as  such,  and 
 trust  body  and  soul,  and  all  things  belonging  to  them, 
 in  his  hands ;  and,  among  the-rest,  thy  comforts.  Be 
 content  he  should  give  them  to  thee  as  seemeth  him 
 good.  Set  not  thy  heart  upon  them,  nor  follow  him, 
 as  the  multitude  did,  for  the  sake  of  his  loaves  and 
 fishes,  and  the  dainties  that  he  gave  them,  who,  when 
 these  were  withheld,  soon  forsook  their  kind  bene- 
 factor. Thou  art  by  faith  to  make  up  all  thy  hap- 
 piness in  him,  and  in  him  only;  and  he  himself  be- 
 ing thine,  let  him  give  thee,  or  take  away  what  he 
 will  besides,  th&u  hast  enough.  What !  is  not  this 
 comfort  enough,  that  thou  hast  got  the  pearl  of  great 
 price,  the  infinitely  rich,  inestimably  precious  Jesus  ? 
 He  has  the  wisdom  of  God  to  contrive  what  is  best 
 for  thee,  boundless  love  to  dispose  him,  and  almighty 
 power  to  enable  him  to  give  it  thee,  and  he  has  pro- 
 mised it :  canst  thou  desire  more  ?  Walk  then  with 
 him  by  faith,  and  not  by  sight.  When  the  word  of 
 God  is  the  ground  of  thy  faith,  which  rests  there, 
 and  is  grown  to  a  fixed  settlement,  then  thou  wilt  be 
 enabled  to  go  on  comfortably,  whatever  thy  frames 
 and  feelings  be;  yea,  when  these  are  at  the  lowest 
 
90 
 
 ebb,  thou  wilt  not  be  thereby  discouraged.  Suppose 
 thou  art  walking  in  darkness,  thou  canst  walk  by 
 faith,  because  thou  hast  a  promise :  "  Who  is  among 
 you  that  walketh  in  darkness,  and  hath  no  light? 
 Let  him  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay 
 upon  his  God."  Still  let  him  trust  and  believe. 
 Why  ?  Because  God  is  his  God  still.  Mind  that 
 — his  God  still :  this  blessed  relation  still  subsists, 
 and  faith  may  draw  comfort  from  it  in  the  darkest 
 hour.  Suppose  thou  art  in  heaviness,  through  ma- 
 nifold temptations,  the  word  says  to  thee,  "  Heavi- 
 ness may  endure  for  a  night,  but  joy  coraeth  in  the 
 morning:"  here  thou  -mayest  quiet  thy  heavy  heart, 
 and  rest  with  confidence,  till  the  Lord  deliver  thee 
 out  of  thy  temptations.  Suppose  God  hideth  his 
 face  from  thee,  thou  hast  the  example  of  those  in  the 
 same  case :  "  I  will  wait  for  the  Lord,  that  hideth 
 his  faith  from  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  will  look  for 
 him."  Wait  in  faith  looking  for  him,  and  thou 
 shalt  see  the  light  of  his  countenance.  Suppose  all 
 other  comforts  fail,  thou  hast  one  still,  worth  more 
 than  all — "  This  God  is  my  God  for  ever  and  ever. 
 He  will  never  leave  me  nor  forsake  me."  This  is 
 the  happiness  of  the  true  believer — he  is  enabled  to 
 maintain  his  confidence,  when  sensible  feelings  are 
 no  more.  And  thou  seest,  reader,  how  this  happi- 
 ness is  attained,  and  how  it  is  preserved.  It  is  by 
 trusting  to  things  which  change  not,  the  word  of 
 God,  the  Son  of  God,  and  his  promises — all  which 
 are  in  him,  yea,  made  in  him,  and  fulfilled  by  him, 
 Amen.  May  the  Lord  help  thee  simply  to  trust  his 
 word,  and  to  live  upon  Christ  for  the  fulfilling  of  it, 
 and  then  thou  wilt  indeed  get,  what  thou  art  now 
 
91 
 
 seeking  in  vain,  a  comfortable  frame,  and  wilt  be  en- 
 abled to  maintain  it  against  all  the  discouragements 
 of  sense.  To  that  end  search  the  Scriptures,  which 
 are  able  to  make  thee  wise  unto  salvation ;  and  let  it 
 be  thy  daily  request  to  the  Lord  to  make  thee  strong 
 in  faith,  that  thou  mayest  not  stagger  at  his  promises 
 through  unbelief,  but  mayest  against  hope  believe  in 
 hope.  Beg  of  him,  when  sense  goes  contrary  to  the 
 word,  to  enable  thee  still  to  believe  it,  and  not  to 
 doubt  of  Christ's  faithfulness  to  fulfil  it ;  and  ask  for 
 strength  to  walk  every  moment  by  faith,  and  not  by 
 sight.  Thus  the  Lord  will  carry  thee  on  safely  and 
 sweetly  from  faith  to  faith,  till  thou  receive  the  end 
 of  thy  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  thy  soul.  May  it 
 be  so.      Amen. 
 
 St.  Paul  has  been  my  guide  hitherto.  He  says, 
 Heb.  V.  13.  that  a  babe  in  Christ  is  one  who  is  un- 
 skilful in  the  word  of  righteousness.  To  this  de- 
 termination of  his  I  have  had  an  eye  all  along;  and 
 have  accordingly  endeavoured  to  remove  those  hin- 
 derances  out  of  the  way  of  young  beginners,  which 
 chiefly  arise  from  their  unskilfulness  in  the  word  of 
 righteousness.  Righteousness  signifies  strict  justice, 
 with  respect  to  God;  it  is  paying  him  the  full  de- 
 mands of  his  holy  law :  in  this  sense  there  is  none 
 of  us  righteous,  no,  not  one.  The  God-man  Christ 
 Jesus,  the  surety  of  his  people,  came  to  work  out 
 such  a  righteousness  for  them ;  and  the  word  reveals 
 it,  sets  it  before  them  in  its  infinite  freeness,  and  in 
 its  infinite  sufiiciency  to  justify  from  all  things.  The 
 word  is  also  the  means,  in  the  hand  of  the  Spirit,  of 
 bringing  them  with  the  heart  to  believe  unto  right- 
 eousness ;  and  therefore  the  Scripture  is  called  the 
 
92 
 
 word  of  righteousness.  And  being  unskilful  in  it, 
 signifies  want  of  experience  in  the  management  of  it 
 — unskilful  in  the  knowledge  of  the  person  of  the 
 Lord  our  righteousness,  who  is  true  and  very  God, 
 as  well  as  true  and  very  man — unskilful  in  the  na- 
 ture of  his  righteousness,  that  it  is  absolutely  perfect 
 and  everlastingly  meritorious,  so  that  any  sinner,  by 
 receiving  it,  will  be  not  only  delivered  from  sin,  and 
 all  the  miseries  due  to  sin,  but  will  also  be  entitled 
 to  life  and  glory — unskilful  in  the  gift  of  righteous- 
 ness, how  freely  soever  God  bestows  it,  nothing  b6- 
 ing  required  to  make  it  the  sinner's  but  receiving  it, 
 and  therefore  it  is  called  the  righteousness  of  faith ; 
 because  by  faith  he  trusts  in  it  for  salvation,  and  for 
 all  its  blessings  in  earth  and  heaven,  and  expects  them 
 as  the  fruits  of  righteousness — unskilful  in  experi- 
 ence, not  knowing  how  to  plead  this  righteousness 
 against  the  charges  of  the  law,  of  conscience,  and  of 
 the  accuser  of  the  brethren  ;  and  therefore  apt  to  fall 
 into  a  legal  spirit,  to  be  distressed  in  their  warfare 
 between  the  old  man  and  the  new,  and  to  covet  and 
 to  rely  more  upon  sensible  feelings  than  upon  the  sure 
 testimony  of  God  in  his  word.  These  are  some  of 
 the  principal  difficulties  which  young  believers  meet 
 with,  and  they  all  arise  from  their  unskiifulness  in 
 the  word  of  righteousness;  and  therefore  I  have  par- 
 ticularly considered  some  scripture  motives  for  re- 
 moving them  out  of  the  way.  And  after  thou  hast 
 perused  these  motives,  have  they  been  the  means  of 
 settling  thy  judgment,  comforting  thy  conscience, 
 and  strengthening  thy  faith  ?  Dost  thou  see  more 
 of  Christ's  grace  and  power  to  save  thee,  a  sinner, 
 than  thou  didst  before,  and  therefore  canst  trust  him 
 
93 
 
 better,  and  in  time  of  need  make  more  use  of  his 
 promised  grace  ?  If  this  be  thy  case,  give  him  the 
 glory,  and  may  he  carry  thee  on  from  strength  to 
 strength.  But  if  thou  hast  received  no  improvement 
 from  reading  thus  far — what  is  the  reason  ?  Per- 
 haps thou  art  under  some  of  the  temptations  here  de- 
 scribed— search  and  see;  and  whatever  it  be,  either 
 in  doctrine  or  experience,  which  hinders  the  increase 
 of  thy  faith,  may  the  Lord  discover  it  to  thee,  and 
 enable  thee  to  overcome  it,  that  thou  mayest  be  no 
 longer  a  babe,  unskilful  in  the  word  of  righteousness, 
 but  mayest  grow  up  to  be  a  young  man,  strong  in 
 the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might. 
 
 The  apostle  Paul  has  directed  me  how  to  speak 
 to  the  babes  in  Christ;  and  another  apostle  shows 
 how  they  grow  up  to  be  young  men,  and  thereby  he 
 furnishes  me  with  matter  for  the  second  part  of  this 
 *  Treatise  on  the  Life  of  Faith.'      "  I  have  written 
 unto  you,  young  men,"  says  he,  "  because  ye  are 
 strong,   and  the  word  of  God  abideth  in  you,  and 
 ye  have  overcome  the  wicked  one :"   1  John  ii.  14. 
 These  young  men  knew  the  principles  of  the  doc- 
 trine of  Christ :  they  were  established  in  the  belief 
 of  his  Godhead,  of  the  infinite  sufficiency  of  his  sal- 
 vation, of  the  free  gift  of  all  its  graces  and  blessings, 
 promised  to  him  that  worketh  not,  and  received  by 
 faith  only,  and  all  treasured  up  for  the  believer's  use 
 in  the  fulness  of  Christ  Jesus,   to  whom  he  is  to 
 bring  nothing  to  recommend  him,   but  the  promise 
 of  the  grace  which  he  then  wants,  and  a  dependence 
 upon   Christ  to   supply  that   want.      These  young 
 men  had  attained  to  a  great  degree  of  knowledge 
 and  experience  in  these  truths.      They  began  to  be 
 
945 
 
 able  to  keep  the  evidence  of  their  union  with  Christ 
 clear  and  distinct,  and  to  improve  it  by  their  com- 
 munion with  him  in  all  his  offices.  But  notwith- 
 standing their  establishment  in  these  points,  they 
 had  many  temptations  and  great  difficulties — still 
 they  knew  but  in  part — still  they  had  a  fleshly  cor- 
 rupt nature  to  watch  over  and  to  fight  against,  always 
 incHning  them  to  trust  to  the  law,  to  their  feelings, 
 to  any  thing  but  Christ,  and  always  disposing  them 
 to  yield  to  the  suggestions  of  the  devil,  and  to  the 
 allurements  of  the  world.  This  warfare,  instead  of 
 ceasing,  grows  hotter  and  hotter;  but  they  grow 
 stronger.  It  is  the  peculiar  character  of  the  young 
 men  in  Christ  to  be  strong;  they  have  learned  where 
 their  strength  lies,  and  they  put  it  forth.  They  go 
 down  to  battle,  not  trusting  in  any  power  or  might 
 of  their  own,  but  great  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power 
 of  his  might.  He  is  their  strength.  When  the 
 enemy  cometh  in  like  a  flood,  then  to  Jesus  they 
 look  for  safety  and  victory — "  O  our  God,  we  have 
 no  might  against  this  great  company  that  cometh 
 against  us,  neither  know  we  what  to  do,  but  our 
 eyes  are  upon  thee."  The  abiding  sense  of  their 
 own  weakness  keeps  them  dependent  upon  him,  so 
 that  the  more  they  feel  of  their  helplessness,  the 
 stronger  they  grow ;  because  they  live  more  upon 
 Christ  for  strength, — which  illustrates  that  seeming 
 paradox  of  the  apostle,  "  When  I  am  weak,  then 
 am  I  strong" — when  I  am  most  sensible  of  my  own 
 weakness,  then  am  I  strongest  in  the  Lord,  his 
 strength  is  then  perfected  in  me;  and  his  strength 
 is  put  forth  in  the  effectual  working  of  it  by  believ- 
 ing.     It  is  not,  neither  can  it  be,  inherent  in  them, 
 
95 
 
 who,  without  Christ,  can  do  nothing,  but  it  is  brought 
 in  by  faith ;  nor  does  faith  bring  it  in  to  lodge  it,  or 
 lay  it  up  in  store  till  it  shall  be  wanted ;  but  when 
 it  is  wanted,  faith  then  regards  the  promise,  looks 
 up  to  Christ  to  fulfil  it,  and  receives  strength  out  of 
 his  fulness;  and  being  his,  freely  promised  and  freely 
 given,  it  is  therefore  called  the  strength  of  grace. 
 '*  Thou,  therefore,  my  son,"  says  Paul  to  Timothy, 
 "  be  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus." 
 Strong  faith  gets  strong  grace  in  Christ,  according 
 as  it  is  written — "  All  things  are  possible  to  him 
 that  believeth ;"  for,  according  to  his  faith,  it  shall 
 be  done  unto  him.      If  his  faith  reach  to  the  full 
 extent  of  the  promises,  he  shall  find  all  things  pos- 
 sible which  God  has  promised ;  yea,  he  shall  be  able 
 to  do  all  things  through  Christ  strengthening  him. 
 This  is  the  life  of  these  young  men  in  Christ: 
 they  are  strong  in  him,  living  upon  his  promised 
 strength,  and  by  faith  receiving  it — they  live  not 
 upon  any  thing  in  themselves,  but  whatever  they 
 stand  in  need  of,  and  whatever  they  have  a  promise 
 for,  that  they  expect  shall  be  given  them  by  the 
 power  of  God  their  Saviour — they  see  themselves, 
 poor  helpless  creatures,  full  of  continual  wants,  and 
 no  means  in  their  own  power  to  supply  them — the 
 sense  of  this  empties  them  of  self-greatness  and  self- 
 dependence,   and   the   abiding  sense  of  this  keeps 
 them  humble  and  dependent  upon  Christ.      Thus 
 the  Lord  teaches  them  how  to  live  out  of  themselves, 
 and  to  be  always  receiving  out  of  the  Saviour's  ful- 
 ness grace  for  grace.      They  have  his  infinite  store- 
 house to  repair  to,  in  which  there  is  treasured  up 
 for  them  every  thing  that  they  can  possibly  want. 
 
96 
 
 Happy  for  them,  their  God  has  promised  to  supply 
 all  their  need  out  of  the  riches  of  his  grace  in  Christ 
 Jesus ;  and  by  faith  they  have  an  abundant  supply, 
 to  the  praise  of  that  God  who  keepeth  his  promise 
 for  ever. 
 
 In  him  they  live — he  is  the  Lord  and  giver  of 
 spiritual  life,  as  Paul  says,  *'  I  live,  yet  not  I,  but 
 Christ  liveth  in  me."  They  are  made  strong  in  him : 
 "  The  Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life,"  says  the 
 Psalmist, — that  life  which  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
 Son  of  God  has  all  its  strength  from  him. 
 
 And  is  continued  by  his  power — "  For  none  can 
 keep  alive  his  own  soul :"  Psalm  xxii.  29.  "  It  is 
 God  who  holdeth  our  soul  in  life :"  Psalm  Ixvi.  9. 
 
 And  is  kept  by  faith — *'  Ye  are  kept  by  the 
 power  of  God  through  faith."  Whatever  strength 
 the  believer  wants  to  enable  him  to  bear  hardship, 
 endure  the  cross,  fight  his  spiritual  enemies,  daily 
 gain  victories  over  them,  he  expects  it  from  God, 
 and  through  faith  he  receives  it,  and  is  kept — yea, 
 so  kept 
 
 As  to  be  confirmed  unto  the  end.  He  that  is 
 able  to  keep  believers  from  falling,  will  keep  them, 
 until  they  receive  the  end  of  their  faith,  even  the 
 salvation  of  their  souls.  Thus  the  life  which  Christ 
 begins  by  his  grace,  he  continues  by  his  strength; 
 and  every  act  of  this  spiritual  life  is  from  him*  The 
 will,  the  power,  is  his;  for  he  doeth  all,  and  in  all. 
 These  young  men  were  so  well  assured  of  this,  that 
 they  lived  upon  Christ  for  strength,  and  they  re- 
 ceived it;  they  were  strong  in  him.  Their  faith 
 viewed  him  in  his  exalted  state  with  all  power  in 
 heaven  and  earth,  and  engaged  as  their  covenant  head 
 
97 
 
 to  use  it  for  them,  to  make  them,  and  to  keep  them 
 alive  to  God.  On  this  power  they  depended.  And 
 whatever  promise  they  had  of  its  being  used  in  their 
 behalf,  they  pleaded  it  at  the  throne  of  grace,  and 
 trusted  Christ  with  the  fulfilling  of  it,  who  never 
 disappointed  them.  They  were  made  strong,  and 
 stood  fast  in  the  Lord,  who  never  withdrew  his  sup- 
 porting arm  ;  therefore  they  never  ceased  to  put  their 
 whole  trust  and  confidence  in  him. 
 
 When  the  enemy  sees  them  thus  strong  in  the 
 Lord  through  faith,  it  stirs  up  his  devilish  malice, 
 and  makes  him  burn  with  envious  rage.  He  leaves 
 no  temptation  untried  to  draw  them  from  Christ. 
 He  is  well  skilled  in  cunning  wiles  and  sly  devices 
 for  this  purpose.  He  does  not  begin  with  tempting 
 them  to  open  sin ;  that  would  at  once  discover  his 
 wicked  design  :  but  he  artfully  tries  to  sap  the  foun- 
 dation, and  to  weaken  their  faith.  If  he  can  get 
 them  from  their  dependence  upon  Christ,  he  carries 
 his  point;  and  too,  too  often  he  succeeds.  O  be- 
 ware, reader,  of  every  thing ;  suspect  it,  let  its  ap- 
 pearance be  ever  so  fair  and  good,  which  in  the  least 
 tends  to  weaken  thy  fast  hold  of  Christ ;  cleave  to 
 him  with  full  purpose  of  heart,  as  long  as  ever  thou 
 livest;  for  the  enemy's  whole  plan  is  to  separate  thee 
 from  him.  Formerly  he  tried  to  do  this  by  dis- 
 tressing thee  about  thy  sins — how  they  could  be  par- 
 doned— whether,  being  so  great,  so  many,  the  blood 
 of  Christ  could  cleanse  from  all:  now  thou  hast 
 through  believing  received  forgiveness  of  sins,  he 
 will  try  to  do  the  same  by  distressing  thee  about  thy 
 duties.  Sometimes  he  will  try  to  bring  guilt  into 
 thy  conscience,  by  suggesting  to  thee  thy  many  fail- 
 
 E  4, 
 
98 
 
 ings  and  short-comings  in  them — the  disorder  of 
 thine  imagination — thy  wandering  in  thy  prayers— 
 thy  dulness  in  hearing  and  reading  the  word — the 
 little  life  and  power  thou  findest  in  thine  attendance 
 upon  the  ordinances — and  the  coldness  of  thy  love 
 to  God  and  man.  If  he  can  get  thee  to  dwell  upon 
 these  things,  so  as  to  forget  Christ,  then  he  has 
 made  way  for  this  insinuation — How  could  it  be 
 thus  with  thee,  and  thou  a  strong  believer?  And 
 if  he  can  get  thee  to  reason  upon  it,  then  he  has 
 thee  fast,  thou  art  caught  in  his  snare. 
 
 But  if  the  Lord  has  taught  thee  not  to  be  igno- 
 rant of  Satan's  devices,  as  soon  as  the  thought  arises, 
 whether  thou  art  in  Christ,  because  of  such  failings, 
 thou  wilt  know  from  what  quarter  it  comes,  and  wilt 
 immediately  resist  it:  so  that  the  temptation  will 
 make  thee  stand  faster;  it  will  drive  thee  closer  to 
 Christ;  make  thy  dependence  stronger  on  his  blood 
 and  righteousness;  put  thee  upon  making  more  use 
 of  him  as  thy  intercessor  and  advocate  with  the  Fa- 
 ther, and  help  thee  to  live  more  out  of  thyself  by 
 faith  upon  him.  Thus  Christ  becomes  precious, 
 thou  art  more  humble,  the  snare  is  broken,  and  thou 
 art  delivered. 
 
 When  the  enemy  sees  this,  his  implacable  malice 
 will  soon  tempt  thee  again.  He  has  another  deep- 
 laid  stratagem  relating  to  thy  duties;  and  that  is,  from 
 their  being  unsuccessful.  Thou  hast  had  something 
 laid  much  upon  thy  heart,  and  thou  hast  carried  it 
 to  God  in  prayer,  and  thou  hast  waited  long,  but  no 
 answer  comes.  Upon  this  Satan  takes  occasion  to 
 suggest— Now  you  see  God  does  not  give  you  what 
 vou   ask,  although   he  has  promised.   Ask  and  ye 
 
99 
 
 shall  have :  the  fault  cannot  be  in  him,  therefore  it 
 is  plain  you  are  not  in  his  favour — his  promises  do 
 not  belong  to  you  !  And  if  he  can  thus  work  a 
 little  upon  thy  impatience,  he  will  soon  get  thee  into 
 doubting  and  unbelief.  Here  thou  mayest  see  how 
 all  the  wiles  of  Satan  tend  to  one  point;  namely,  to 
 separate  thee  from  Christ:  and  how  necessary  then 
 is  it,  that  thou  shouldst  have  this  settled  beyond  all 
 question,  that  Christ  and  thou  art  one.  If  this  be 
 maintained  in  thy  conscience,  then  Satan's  stratagem 
 is  defeated;  for  Christ  being  thine,  he  will  give  thee 
 every  thing  that  he  has  promised:  and  although 
 thou  hast  it  not  just  at  the  time  thou  hast  fixed  thy- 
 self, yet  he  knows  best.  Thou  shalt  certainly  have 
 it,  if  his  infinite  wisdom  sees  it  good  for  thee ;  and 
 if  he  does  not  see  it  good,  his  love  will  give  thee 
 something  better.  Thy  faith  must  wait  God's  time. 
 Strong  faith  can  wait  long.  Having  such  a  promise 
 as  this  to  depend  upon,  "  They  shall  not  be  ashamed 
 who  wait  for  me,"  Isaiah  xlix.  33.  thou  mavest 
 with  confidence  wait,  and  be  a  follower  of  them  who, 
 through  faith  and  patience,  inherit  the  promises; 
 who  by  faith  regarded  the  promises,  by  patience 
 waited  for  the  fulfilling  of  them;  and  although  they 
 waited  long,  yet  they  succeeded  at  last,  and  did  in- 
 herit every  grace  and  blessing,  for  which  with  faith 
 and  patience  they  had  been  waiting.  Go,  and  do 
 thou  likewise. 
 
 Upon  the  failing  of  these  temptations,  the  enemy 
 has  another  ready.  Since  he  cannot  get  thee  off 
 thy  guard  by  bringing  thee  into  doubting  and  unbe- 
 lief, he  will  attack  thy  faith  in  another  way — he  will 
 come  like  an  angel  of  light,  and  seem  to  be  Christ's 
 £2 
 
100 
 
 friend  and  thine;  he  will  allow  thee  to  be  a  child  of 
 God,  and  to  be  strong  in  faith.  The  more  clearly 
 thou  art  satisfied  of  thy  union  with  Christ,  the  more 
 will  he  improve,  if  thou  art  not  aware,  this  thy  cer- 
 tainty to  his  own  wicked  purposes ;  he  will  try  to 
 keep  thine  eye  upon  thy  graces  and  high  gifts,  he 
 will  flatter  thee  exceedingly  upon  them,  and  will 
 terapt  thee  to  view  them  with  a  secret  delight,  every 
 now  and  then  insinuating,  what  a  great  Christian 
 thou  art — how  few  there  are  like  thee — to  what  an 
 exalted  state  thou  hast  attained — what  temptations 
 thou  hast  overcome — what  victories  thou  hast  gained 
 over  Satan — and  how  safe  thou  art  now,  fast  upon 
 the  rock !  And  if  he  finds  this  pleasing  bait  is  not  in- 
 stantly rejected  with  a  "  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan;" 
 then  he  will  begin  to  work  upon  thy  self-love,  and 
 to  give  thee  many  plausible  reasons  for  self-admira- 
 tion, so  that  thou  shalt  first  look  pleasingly  at,  then 
 fondly  love,  and  at  last  sacrilegiously  dote  upon  thy 
 wondrous  attainments.  Thus  he  will  lift  thee  up 
 with  pride,  and  will  try  to  draw  thee  into  his  own 
 crime,  and  into  his  own  condemnation.  What  a 
 dangerous  temptation  is  this  !  How  many  have  I 
 known  who  fell  into  it !  If  thou  sayest,  By  what 
 means  shall  I  escape  it?  Mind  the  first  approach; 
 for  it  is  coming  upon  thee,  as  soon  as  thou  beginnest 
 to  think  of  thyself  more  highly  than  thou  oughtest 
 to  think.  Thou  art  in  thyself  a  poor,  miserable, 
 helpless  sinner;  and,  to  this  very  moment,  without 
 Christ  thou  canst  do  nothing.  Thou  canst  not  do 
 one  good  thing,  nor  overcome  the  weakest  enemy, 
 nor  take  one  step  in  the  way  to  heaven  without 
 Christ;  nay,  thou  canst  not  think  one  good  thought 
 
101 
 
 without  hira.  What  hast  thou  then  to  be  proud  of, 
 and  to  stir  up  thy  self-admiration  ?  Nothing  but 
 sin.  The  humble  abiding  sense  of  this  tends  to  thy 
 safety;  for  while  this  is  ever  present  with  thee — 
 "  In  me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good 
 thing,"  it  will  lead  thee  to  live  by  faith  upon  Christ 
 for  all  good  things;  and  being  all  his,  and  received 
 every  moment  from  him  as  his  free  gift,  thou  wilt 
 be  glorifying  and  exalting  him  in  all  and  for  all, 
 knowing  that  he  resisteth  the  proud,  but  he  giveth 
 grace  unto  the  humble.  The  Lord  keep  thee  hum- 
 ble, and  then  thou  wilt  have  grace  to  escape  this 
 cunning  wile  of  the  devil. 
 
 If  thou  shalt  say,  Alas  !  I  am  fallen  into  it;  how 
 shall  I  recover  myself?  Remember  his  case  who, 
 in  his  prosperity,  said,  he  never  should  be  moved, 
 the  favour  of  the  Lord  had  made  his  mountain  to 
 stand  so  strong  :  Psalm  xxx.  6,  7.  He  was  too 
 confident  in  himself,  and  was  moved.  How  did  he 
 recover  his  standing?  "  1  cried  unto  the  Lord,  and 
 unto  the  Lord  I  made  my  supplication.  Hear,  O 
 Lord  !  and  have  mercy  upon  me.  Lord  !  be  thou 
 my  helper."  His  prayer  was  heard,  he  found  mercy 
 to  pardon  his  offence,  and  help  to  raise  him  up;  and 
 his  mourning,  he  says,  was  turned  into  joy  and  glad- 
 ness. Look  up,  as  he  did,  to  the  Lord  Christ. 
 Plead  thy  pardon  through  his  promised  mercy,  and 
 beg  of  him  to  enable  thee  to  walk  more  humbly  with 
 thy  God.  Then  shall  the  Psalmist's  experience  be 
 thine,  and  thou  shalt  escape  the  snare  which  was  laid 
 for  thy  precious  life. 
 
 These  young  men,  having  thus  overcome  the 
 device  which   Satan  had  contrived  to  weaken  their 
 
102 
 
 faith,  must  expect  a  fresh  attack  from  him.  He 
 will  tempt  them  concerning  the  ground  of  faith. 
 He  sees  they  are  strong,  because  the  word  of  God 
 abideth  in  them ;  therefore  he  will  use  all  his  cun- 
 ning and  power  to  weaken  their  trust  in  the  word 
 and  promises  of  God.  By  the  incorruptible  seed 
 of  the  word,  faith  is  begotten;  and  by  the  same  word, 
 it  is  nourished  up  and  strengthened,  growing  ex- 
 ceedingly from  faith  to  faith.  The  word,  which  is 
 the  sole  ground  of  faith,  reveals  the  covenant  made 
 by  the  eternal  Trinity  for  the  salvation  of  sinners, 
 and  makes  many  free  promises  of  every  covenant 
 blessing  to  him  that  believeth.  These  promises 
 may  most  steadfastly  be  relied  upon  ;  because  of  the 
 unchangeable  nature  of  God  who  makes  them.  All 
 his  perfections  are  engaged  for  the  fulfilling  of  his 
 word ;  so  that  what  he  has  spoken  has  an  actual  be- 
 ing and  existence.  He  says,  and  it  is  done — say- 
 ing and  doing  are  the  same  with  him.  Let  there 
 be  ever  so  great  a  distance  of  time  between  the  word 
 spoken  and  the  thing  done,  yet  this  is  as  real  as  any 
 thing  now  in  being;  because  it  exists  in  the  mind 
 and  will  of  God,  is  revealed  in  his  word,  and  by  his 
 faithfulness  and  almighty  power  is  to  be  established 
 at  the  time  appointed.  How  is  it  possible,  then,  that 
 this  word  should  be  broken  ?  There  is  no  matter 
 of  fact  of  more  undoubted  evidence,  nothing  in  futu- 
 rity, not  even  the  rising  of  the  sun  to-morrow,  so 
 fixed  and  certain  as  the  accomplishment  of  God's 
 promises  to  him  that  believeth.  These  young  men 
 in  Christ  were  most  assuredly  persuaded  of  this 
 truth.  They  knew  that  heaven  and  earth  should 
 pass  away,  before  one  tittle  of  God's  promises  should 
 
103 
 
 fail.  They  looked  upon  them  all  as  made  in  Christ, 
 in  him  Yea,  and  in  him  Amen — made  in  him,  and 
 fulfilled  to  hira,  as  the  head  of  the  body  of  the 
 church,  and  in  him  fulfilled  to  all  his  members.  As 
 certainly  as  every  one  of  them  has  been  made  good 
 to  him  the  head,  so  will  they  be  made  good  to  his 
 members.  He  has  all  the  power  in  heaven  and  earth 
 committed  to  him  for  that  very  purpose.  Whoever 
 by  believing  is  joined  to  him,  has  thereby  a  right  and 
 title  to  every  promise,  and  may  boldly  sue  it  out  in 
 time  of  need ;  and  then  it  is  Christ's  ofiSce  and  glory 
 to  fulfil  the  promise.  If  mountains  of  difficulties 
 stand  in  the  way,  the  believer  need  not  fear  or  doubt. 
 Christ  is  upon  the  throne.  What  are  difficulties 
 against  his  almighty  power?  Besides,  Christ  has 
 already  given  him  good  security.  He  has  put  into 
 his  hands  the  pledges  and  earnests  of  the  promised 
 inheritance,  and  how  is  it  possible  he  should  fail  in 
 fulfilling  his  engagements,  and  putting  him  in  due 
 time  into  actual  possession  ?  Read  what  the  apostle 
 says  on  this  subject.  Turn  to  the  passage,  for 
 it  is  too  long  to  quote,  Heb.  vi.  from  ver.  11.  to  the 
 end  of  the  chapter,  in  which  you  may  observe  these 
 particulars  :— 
 
 1.  The  heirs  of  promise  are  apt  to  be  full  ot 
 doubt,  and  to  have  strife  in  their  consciences  about 
 the  right  and  title  to  all  the  graces  and  blessings  of 
 salvation : 
 
 2.  God  was  willing,  out  of  his  infinite  mercy,  to 
 establish  their  right  and  title  to  them  beyond  dis- 
 pute, and  to  put  an  end  to  all  strife : 
 
 3.  Therefore  he  engaged  by  promise  to  give  them 
 all  those  graces  and  blessings :  and, 
 
104 
 
 4.  To  show  the  unchangeableness  of  his  will 
 herein,  he  confirmed  the  promise  by  an  oath. 
 
 5.  It  is  impossible  that  God  should  lie  in  his  pro- 
 mise, or  that  he  should  be  perjured  in  his  oath. 
 
 6.  Therefore  here  are  two  immutable  things  to 
 strengthen  the  faith  and  hopes  of  the  heirs  of  pro- 
 mise. 
 
 7.  While  their  Faith  rests  upon  those  immutable 
 things,  it  will  always  bring  them  strong  consolation. 
 
 8.  When  enemies,  dangers,  and  temptations  at- 
 tack them,  they  are  safe  by  fleeing  for  refuge,  to  lay 
 hold  of  the  hope  set  before  them  in  God's  immutable 
 promises. 
 
 9.  This  hope  will  be  as  useful  to  them  at  such 
 times,  as  an  anchor  to  a  ship.  By  it  they  will  ride 
 out  all  the  storms  of  life,  until  Jesus,  their  forerun- 
 ner, bring  them  within  the  vail,  where  their  anchor 
 is  now  cast,  and  put  them  into  eternal  possession  of 
 all  the  promises. 
 
 With  what  rich  and  copious  matter  does  this 
 scripture  abound,  tending  to  show  the  absolute  safety 
 of  resting  upon  God's  promises  !  How  strong  are 
 the  arguments  to  persuade  the  heirs  of  promise,  to 
 put  their  whole  trust  and  confidence  in  the  faith- 
 fulness of  their  God  !  vvho,  having  provided  an  in- 
 finitely glorious  and  everlasting  inheritance  for  them, 
 was  willing  to  make  it  over  to  them  in  the  strongest 
 manner  of  conveyance ;  and  therefore,  he  has  given 
 them  the  promise  and  the  oath  of  God,  which  can- 
 not possibly  change  or  alter,  that  their  faith  might 
 never  doubt  or  waver,  and  their  hope  might  at  all 
 times  be  sure  and  steadfast.  And,  until  he  bring 
 them  to  the  inheritance  itself,  he  has  given  them 
 
105 
 
 many  sweet  and  blessed  promises  of  all  things  need- 
 ful for  their  temporal  and  spiritual  estate,  upon  which 
 he  would  have  them  not  only  to  live  comfortably  at 
 present,  but  also  to  receive  them  as  part  of  the  in- 
 heritance, allowed  them  for  their  maintenance,  till 
 they  come  to  age,  and  enter  upon  the  possession  of 
 the  whole.  And  what  God  intended  in  his  promise 
 and  oath,  has  its  effects  in  a  good  degree  among 
 those  who  have  the  word  of  God  abiding  in  them. 
 They  cast  their  anchor  where  he  commands  them, 
 and  they  are  not  only  safe,  but  also,  in  time  of  the 
 greatest  troubles  and  temptations,  have  strong  con- 
 solation. When  enemies  come,  corruptions  arise, 
 and  difficulties  are  in  the  way;  they  have  a  promise, 
 and  a  promise-keeping  God  to  depend  upon.  What- 
 ever straits  they  are  in,  the  word  abiding  in  them 
 brings  some  promise  of  support  and  deliverance;  the 
 promise  shows  what  God  has  engaged  to  do,  and 
 faith  receives  the  fulfilling  of  his  engagements. 
 When  they  draw  nigh  to  God  in  duties,  in  ordi- 
 nances, they  know  what  he  has  promised  to  them 
 that  wait  upon  him,  and  they  judge  him  faithful  who 
 hath  promised,  and,  lo  !  he  is  present  with  them. 
 In  short,  while  they  live  like  themselves  as  the  heirs 
 of  promise,  they  are  preserved  from  all  evil,  and  want 
 no  manner  of  thing  that  is  good.  This  is  their 
 happy  case,  thrice  happy,  because  the  means  used  to 
 deprive  them  of  their  happiness  are  overruled  of 
 God  for  the  establishing  it.  The  enemy  rages 
 against  them,  but  in  vain.  He  was  a  liar  from  the 
 beginning.  The  word  is  truth,  and  he  abode  not 
 in  it ;  therefore  he  hates  it,  and  with  a  greater  ha- 
 tred, because  the  Lord  has  made  it  the  means  of 
 e3 
 
106 
 
 strengthening  those  beHevers :  he  knows  that  all  his 
 temptations  will  be  fruitless,  while  the  word  abideth 
 in  them :  he  fears  no  weapon  formed  against  him, 
 like  the  sword  of  the  Spirit;  he  has  felt  its  sharpness 
 and  its  power;  with  it  the  Captain  of  our  salvation 
 cut  Rahab,  and  wounded  the  dragon ;  and  with  it 
 all  his  good  soldiers  resist  the  devil,  and  make  him 
 flee  from  them.  For  these  reasons,  he  has  great 
 variety  of  temptations  to  weaken  the  believer's  trust 
 in  the  word,  and  his  reliance  upon  the  promises  of 
 God. 
 
 Sometimes  he  attacks  them  in  a  matter  where  his 
 hopes  are  founded  on  their  ignorance  :  he  is  cunning 
 to  spy  out  the  particular  way  in  which  they  have  been 
 led,  and  their  readiness  to  maintain  their  ground,  by 
 making  use  of  the  promises  suited  to  that  way;  he 
 resolves  therefore  upon  some  new  temptation,  with 
 which  they  have  never  been  exercised  ;  and  he  watches 
 the  favourable  opportunity  to  inject  it  with  all  his 
 strength.  Upon  his  doing  it,  the  soul  is  put  into  a 
 great  hurry,  because  it  has  no  promise  ready  to  apply 
 to  the  present  case:  for  want  of  which,  the  under- 
 standing is  confused,  faith  wavers,  doubt  enters,  and 
 Satan  carries  his  point.  This  demonstrates  the  ne- 
 cessity of  searching  the  Scriptures,  and  meditating, 
 upon  them  night  and  day.  In  them  God  has  gra- 
 ciously treasured  up  all  sorts  of  promises.  There  is 
 not  a  possible  case  for  a  believer  to  be  in,  of  spiritual 
 or  temporal  concern,  but  there  is  a  promise  suitable 
 to  it,  which  he  ought  to  have  ready  against  the  hour 
 of  temptation :  if  he  has  not,  he  neglects  the  Lord's 
 kind  provision,  and  lays  himself  open  to  the  enemy's 
 attack.      Reader,  if  thou  wouldst  not  be  ignorant  of 
 
107 
 
 Satan's  devices,  follow  Christ's  counsel — **  Search 
 the  Scriptures."  Remember  they  are  able  to  make 
 thee  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  in  Christ  Je- 
 sus; therefore  store  up  his  promises — pray  him  to 
 sanctify  thy  memory  to  retain  them,  and  to  enable 
 thee  to  make  use  of  them  in  every  time  of  need. 
 
 If  this  temptation  fail,  the  enemy  will  soon  have 
 another  ready.  I  have  known  him  often  try,  and 
 often  succeed  in  endeavouring  to  take  off  the  atten- 
 tion from  the  most  easy  parts  of  Scripture,  and  to 
 fix  it  upon  those  parts  which  are  hard  to  be  under- 
 stood. Upon  those  the  believer  dwells  too  much, 
 and  puzzles  himself:  his  head  grows  confused— he 
 consults  commentators,  and  they  confuse  him  more. 
 And  if  he  does  not  fall  from  hence  into  questioning 
 the  truth  of  Scripture,  yet  he  certainly  neglects  the 
 right  use  of  it,  forgetting  it  is  the  means  of  building 
 himself  up  in  his  most  holy  faith.  Reader,  when- 
 ever thou  art  tempted  about  difficult  texts,  look  up 
 to  the  incarnate  Word,  and  pray  him  by  his  Spirit 
 to  open  thine  understanding,  that  thou  mayest  know 
 what  thou  readest;  and  if  thou  still  dost  not  find  the 
 meaning  of  them  made  plain  to  thee,  pass  them  by 
 for  that  time — do  not  puzzle  and  distress  thyself 
 about  them — perhaps  when  thou  meetest  with  them 
 again  they  will  appear  easy,  and  Christ  will  give  thee 
 light  to  see  and  to  comprehend  thee. 
 
 If  thou  sayest,  I  do  look  up  to  him  to  teach  me, 
 but  nevertheless  I  find  many  hard  and  difficult  texts; 
 remember,  thou  knowest  but  in  part,  and  therefore 
 thou  standest  in  need  of  daily  teaching  :  these  texts 
 are  profitable,  if  they  humble  thee,  and  make  thee 
 live  more  upon  the  teaching  of  the  divine  Prophet. 
 
108 
 
 The  humbler  thou  art,  thou  wilt  be  the  more  teach- 
 able. The  lower  thou  sittest  at  his  feet  to  hear  his 
 words,  thou  wilt  learn  the  most.  The  Master  him- 
 self has  declared,  "  Whosoever  shall  humble  himself 
 as  a  little  child,  the  same  is  the  greatest  in  the  king- 
 dom of  heaven. '^  If  these  difficult  texts  thus  humble 
 thee,  and  make  thee  live  more  upon  Christ's  inward 
 teaching,  they  will  be  the  means  of  thy  growth  in 
 saving  knowledge.  Thy  hearing  and  reading  the 
 word  in  a  constant  dependence  upon  him,  will  keep 
 thee  from  the  dangerous  errors  and  heresies  of  the 
 times.  Most  of  those  arise  from  unlearned  and  un- 
 stable men,  full  of  pride  and  self-conceit,  whom  God 
 resisteth ;   but  he  giveth  grace  to  the  humble. 
 
 If  he  has  given  thee  grace  to  hold  fast  the  form 
 of  sound  words  which  thou  hast  learned,  and  been 
 assured  of,  the  enemy  will  change  his  attack,  and 
 pursue  thee  with  new  temptations.  Envious  of  thy 
 happiness,  he  will  be  often  assaulting  thee,  and  try- 
 ing to  move  thee  from  thy  steadfastness:  he  will  at 
 times  insinuate  every  lie  that  he  can  raise  against 
 the  word  of  God,  and  he  will  not  begin  with  reason 
 or  argument,  but  by  way  of  surprise,  with  sudden 
 injections,  darting  into  the  mind  doubts  like  these: 
 '  How  do  I  know  the  Scripture  is  inspired?  What 
 proof  have  I?'  And  if  these  be  not^immediately 
 rejected,  he  will  follow  them  like  lightning  with 
 others  :  *  How  can  that  be  inspired,  which  is  full  of 
 contradictions,  and  full  of  doctrines  above  reason  ? 
 Who  can  defend  the  matters  of  fact  related  in  it  ? 
 The  language  is  low  and  mean,  unworthy  of  God — 
 the  Scripture  is  false — perhaps  there  is  neither  God 
 nor  devil.' 
 
109 
 
 These  blasphemous  thoughts  sometimes  put  the 
 believer  into  a  hurry  and  confusion,  and,  through 
 the  suddenness  and  violence  of  them,  greatly  distress 
 him.  The  apostle  calls  these  assaults,  "  the  fiery 
 darts  of  the  wicked  one;" — darts,  because  he  throws 
 them  with  all  his  might  against  the  soul ;  and  fiery, 
 because  he  would  have  them  to  catch  hold  of,  and  to 
 inflame  its  corruptions  and  lusts.  And  they  do,  if 
 the  shield  of  faith  be  not  ready  to  stop  their  force, 
 and  to  quench  their  fire.  This  Is  a  piece  of  the 
 armour  of  God,  prepared  for  the  believer's  safety  at 
 such  times,  and  the  right  use  of  it  is  this: — The 
 Lord  having  promised  to  be  a  shield  to  them  that 
 put  their  trust  in  him,  and  to  compass  them  about 
 with  his  favour  as  with  a  shield,  the  believer  looks 
 up,  when  these  fiery  darts  are  flying  thick  about  him, 
 and  says,  '  O  Lord  God  of  hosts  I  who  hast  promised 
 that  thy  faithfulness  and  truth  should  be  my  shield 
 and  buckler,  now  establish  thy  word  unto  thy  ser- 
 vant. Li  thee,  O  my  God  !  do  I  put  my  trust ; 
 save  me  in  this  hour  of  temptation.'  Then  the  battle 
 becomes  the  Lord's :  he  is  engaged  to  put  forth  his 
 strength  to  shield  thee  from  the  enemy.  Thus  thou 
 shalt  conquer,  and  shalt  happily  experience  what  is 
 written — "  Resist  the  devil,  and  he  will  flee  from 
 you." 
 
 He  will  flee  for  a  season,  but  will  return  again : 
 he  has  other  temptations,  and  he  will  try  them  all 
 to  disparage  the  word  of  God,  and  to  lessen  the  be- 
 liever's confidence  in  it.  Sometimes  he  will  insinuate 
 — '  How  can  these  things  be  ?  In  what  way,  or  by 
 what  means,  can  such  a  promise  be  fulfilled  ?'  If 
 you  begin  to  reason  upon  the  point,  he  will  get  you 
 
110 
 
 from  your  stronghold,  and  conquer  you.  Beware 
 of  his  lies,  and  have  always  your  answer  ready — 
 "  It  is  written."  What  God  hath  said  put  your 
 trust  in,  if  all  the  world  gainsay  it ;  for  he  is  faithful 
 who  hath  promised,  and  all  things  are  possible  with 
 him. 
 
 If  this  temptation  does  not  succeed,  and  he  can- 
 not bring  you  to  doubt  of  the  truth  of  the  promises, 
 then  he  will  try  you  about  your  right  to  them.    When 
 you  are  in  darkness,  or  walking  heavily,  in  sickness, 
 or  any  trouble,  and  you  have  been  praying  for  deliv- 
 erance, but  Christ  does  not  presently  answer  you, 
 then  he  has  a  favourable  opportunity  to  suggest-— 
 '  Now  you  see  the  promises  do  not  belong  to  you, 
 Christ  will  not  hear  you,  and  therefore  you   have 
 been  deceivimj;;  yourself  with  a  vain  notion  of  faith." 
 This  is  a  common  temptation,  against  which  still  op- 
 pose— "  It  is  written."      Thy  case,   be  it  what  it 
 will,   has  a  promise  either  of  support  or  deliverance. 
 If  thou  art  not  delivered,  yet  if  Christ  support  thee, 
 so  that  thy  faith  and  patience  fail  not,   does  not  this 
 show  his  infinite  goodness  to  thee?      He  will  have 
 thy  faith  tried,  and  he  will  put  it  into  the  fire,  not  to 
 consume  it,   but  that  it  may  come,  like  gold  out  of 
 the  furnace,  purer  and  brighter.      And  what  if  thou 
 art  in  the  fire  a  great  while? — thou  wilt  see  more  of 
 his  tender  mercies  in   keeping  thee  there,  and  wilt 
 thereby  learn  to  live  in  a  more  simple  dependence 
 upon  him.      Cast  not  away  therefore  thy  confidence 
 in  the  written  word ;   the  promises  in  it  stand  faster 
 than  the  strong  mountains.      If  all  the  powers   in 
 earth  and  hell  should  join,  they  cannot  defeat  one 
 single  tittle  of  them.      When  the  world  and  all  the 
 
Ill 
 
 works  therein  shall  be  burned  up,  and  the  place  of 
 them  shall  be  no  more  found,  then  the  promises  shall 
 stand  fast  as  the  throne  of  God,  and  shall  receive  their 
 full  and  perfect  accomplishment  through  the  ages  of 
 eternity. 
 
 These  are  some  of  Satan's  temptations  against 
 the  young  men  in  Christ,  who  are  strong,  because 
 the  word  of  God  abideth  in  them ;  his  design  is  to 
 weaken  their  reliance  upon  his  promises.  Till  he 
 can  do  this,  he  despairs  of  success ;  and  therefore  he 
 tries  every  method  which  his  wicked  cunning  and 
 rage  can  invent.  His  busy,  active  spirit  is  night  and 
 day  plotting  against  the  word  of  God.  See  a  lively, 
 picture  of  his  utter  hatred  to  it  in  the  parable  of  the 
 sower.  While  the  good  seed  is  sowing,  the  devil  is 
 indefatigable  in  picking  it  up — he  exercises  all  his 
 wiles  to  keep  it  out  of  the  hearers'  hearts,  and  he 
 prevails  with  the  greater  part  to  reject  it — among 
 those  who  seemingly  receive  it,  he  cheats  many,  so 
 that  the  word  does  not  take  root,  nor  bear  fruit  to 
 perfection.  Since  Satan  is  thus  successful,  is  it  not 
 absolutely  necessary,  reader,  that  thou  shouldst  be 
 well  acquainted  with  his  devices?  And  the  word 
 abiding  in  thee,  the  ingrafted  word,  will  both  make 
 thee  acquainted  with  them,  and  also  strong  to  resist 
 them  ;  because  then  thou  wilt  be  taught  by  Christ's 
 wisdom,  and  strengthened  by  his  almighty  power. 
 As  thou  growest  in  the  sense  of  thy  want  of  him, 
 and  livest  in  a  closer  dependence  upon  him,  thou 
 wilt  understand  more  of  his  word,  and  experience 
 more  of  his  power.  By  which  means,  the  enemy's 
 continual  attacks,  driving  thee  to  Christ  for  the  ful- 
 filling of  liis  promises,  will  make  thee  continually  safe. 
 
112 
 
 Let  the  roaring  lion  rage,  what  hast  thou  to  fear? 
 Let  him  go  about  seeking  whom  he  may  devour,  the 
 Lord  is  thy  shield  and  thy  defence  :  in  him  is  thy 
 trust.  Thou  hast  his  promise,  that  he  will  preserve 
 thee  from  all  evil,  and  will  make  all  things,  even  Sa- 
 tan's spite  and  rage  against  thee,  work  together  for 
 thy  good.  How  dear  and  precious  then  should  the 
 word  of  God  be  to  thee  ! — if  thou  art  weak,  because 
 it  is  the  means  of  thy  growing  and  being  nourished 
 up ;  and  if  thou  art  strong,  because  by  its  abiding  in 
 thee  thou  wilt  be  established.  May  it  be  thy  study 
 and  thy  delight,  and  may  every  reading  of  it  bring 
 thee  to  a  better  acquaintance  with,  and  a  greater  de- 
 pendence upon,  the  adorable  Jesus.  And  if  thou 
 desirest  thus  to  profit  from  the  Scriptures,  I  would 
 advise  thee,  reader,  to  observe  two  things,  which  will 
 be  much  for  Christ's  glory,  and  for  thy  edification : — 
 
 L  In  thy  frequent  and  careful  perusal  of  the 
 Bible,  (and  mind,  thou  canst  not  read  it  too  much,) 
 take  particular  notice  of  the  promises,  which  are  most 
 suited  to  thy  age,  state,  and  condition  in  life;  be- 
 cause these  God  has  graciously  made  for  thy  use, 
 and  about  these  the  enemy  will  be  most  busy  with 
 thee.  Treasure  them  up  then  in  thy  memory,  and 
 have  them  ready  against  the  time  of  need,  looking 
 up, 
 
 2.  To  Christ  for  the  fulfilling  of  them.  All  the 
 promises  are  made  in  him,  and  made  good  by  him; 
 thou  art  therefore,  in  an  humble  dependence  upon 
 his  faithfulness  and  power,  to  expect  whatever  thou 
 wantestj  and  he  has  promised.  Trust  him,  and  he 
 will  not  fail  thee.  Stagger  not  at  any  of  his  pro- 
 mises through  the  seeming  impossibility  of  their  be- 
 
113 
 
 ing  made  good;  but  depend  upon  his  almighty  power, 
 and  thou  wilt  find  him  a  faithful  promise-keeping 
 God,  whose  word  standeth  fast  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 Thus  thou  shalt  not  only  be  safe,  but  shalt  also 
 overcome  the  wicked  one,  which  the  apostle  John 
 makes  the  last  part  of  their  character  who  are  strong 
 in  the  Lord.  They  overcome  him  by  the  strength 
 of  their  faith  ;  they  hold  fast  their  confidence  in  the 
 Lord's  promised  strength,  and  he  fights  for  them. 
 That  mighty  arm,  which  bruised  the  serpent's  head, 
 brings  them  victory,  as  it  is  written  of  that  noble 
 army,  mentioned  Rev.  xii.  11.  "  They  overcame  the 
 accuser  of  the  brethren  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb, 
 and  by  the  word  of  their  testimony."  Through 
 faith  in  his  blood,  they  were  pardoned  and  justified 
 freely,  and  they  knew  that  in  him  they  had  right- 
 eousness and  strength ;  therefore  they  were  at  peace 
 with  God,  and  the  accuser  of  the  brethren  could  not 
 lay  any  thing  to  their  charge.  Thus  they  were  de- 
 livered from  his  power,  and  translated  into  the  king- 
 dom of  God's  dear  Son ;  and  they  testified  this  by 
 adhering  to  the  word  of  truth.  They  believed,  that 
 whatever  Christ  had  therein  promised  he  would  fulfil 
 to  them,  and  they  bore  their  testimony  to  their  being 
 safe  in  depending  upon  his  word  in  the  most  trying 
 circumstances.  They  would  not  give  it  up,  whatever 
 they  lost  for  trusting  to  it :  nay,  they  stuck  stead- 
 fastly to  its  truth,  although  it  cost  them  their  lives 
 for  maintaining  their  testimony;  for  it  is  said  of  them, 
 "  they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death,"  that  is, 
 they  loved  the  truth  more  than  life ;  they  were  not 
 afraid  publicly  to  own,  that  their  trust  and  confidence 
 was  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  they  believed 
 
114 
 
 they  should  be  infinite  and  everlasting  gainers  by 
 holding  fast  the  word  of  their  testimony  unto  death. 
 And  the  Lord  was  with  them,  and  mightily  streng- 
 thened them,  so  that  they  joyfully  sealed  their  testi- 
 mony with  their  blood,  although  they  died  in  flames, 
 and  in  the  most  exquisite  torments.  Thus  they 
 overcame  Satan.  A  most  noble  company  of  those 
 conquerors  are  now  standing  round  the  throne  of  the 
 Lamb,  enjoying  his  exceeding  great  and  precious 
 promises :  he  has  crowned  them  with  glory — he  has 
 clothed  them  with  robes,  washed  and  made  white  in 
 his  own  blood — he  has  wiped  away  all  tears  from 
 their  eyes,  and  taken  all  cause  of  sorrow  from  their 
 hearts — he  has  put  palms  into  their  hands,  to  show 
 that  they  are  eternal  conquerors,  and  that  they  shall 
 stand  confirmed  in  bliss  for  ever  and  ever.  May 
 thou  and  I,  reader,  ere  long  join  them;  and,  until 
 that  happy  time  come,  may  our  faith  be  daily  more 
 established  in  the  blood  and  righteousness  of  the 
 Lamb  of  God,  that  we  may  be  growing  in  our  love 
 to  him,  and  in  our  dependence  upon  him,  until  he 
 admit  us  to  see  him  as  he  is. 
 
 Through  much  exercise  and  fighting,  these  young 
 men,  strong  and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures,  grow  up 
 to  be  fathers  in  Christ ;  whose  character  is  thus 
 drawn  by  the  apostle  John,  1  Epis.  ii.  14.  "I  have 
 written  unto  you,  fathers,  because  ye  have  known 
 him  that  is  from  the  beginning,"  namely,  Jesus  Christ, 
 whose  style  and  title  it  is  to  be  from  the  beginning, 
 as  he  himself  speaks  in  Prov.  viii.  22,  23.  "  The 
 Lord  possessed  me  in  the  beginning  of  his  way,  be- 
 fore his  works  of  old.  I  was  set  up  from  everlasting, 
 from  the  beginning,   or  ever  the  earth  was."      He 
 
115 
 
 was  a  person  in  the  Godhead,  co-equal  and  co-eternal 
 with  the  Father,  but  was  set  up  in  his  office  from 
 everlasting,  to  be  the  beginning  of  the  ways  and 
 works  of  God.  Upon  account  of  what  he  was  to 
 do  and  suffer  in  man's  nature,  according  to  the  grace 
 of  the  covenant  of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity,  he  was 
 the  Creator,  and  is  the  Preserver  of  the  Universe ; 
 for  by  him  were  all  things  created  that  are  in  heaven 
 and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  and  by 
 him  all  things  subsist;  and  he  is  the  beginning,  the 
 first  cause  of  all  things  in  nature,  and  also  in  grace, 
 the  head  of  the  body  the  church.  In  the  same 
 manner  our  Lord  speaks  of  himself:  "  I  am  Alpha 
 and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  ending,  saith  the 
 Lord,  which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come, 
 the  Almighty."  He  is  in  and  from  the  beginning, 
 being  the  first  cause  of  all  the  divine  works  in  crea- 
 tion, in  providence,  and  in  redemption,  the  Author 
 and  the  Finisher,  the  First  and  the  Last  in  all, 
 which  shows  the  great  propriety  of  describing  him 
 here  by  this  name.  The  apostle  is  treating  of  the 
 highest  state  of  a  believer,  and  he  says,  it  consists 
 in  knowing  that  Jesus  Christ  is  all  and  in  all. 
 Whatever  good  there  is  in  his  kingdom  of  nature, 
 from  him  it  had  its  beginning,  and  by  him  it  is  pre- 
 served :  whatever  good  there  is  in  his  kingdom  of 
 grace,  he  is  the  author  of  it;  by  his  power  it  is  con- 
 tinued; and,  when  brought  to  perfection,  he  is  the 
 finisher.  He  is  the  beginning,  he  is  the  ending, 
 of  all  the  counsels,  and  of  all  the  works  of  God.  In 
 this  light,  these  fathers  had  learned  to  consider  the 
 Lord  Jesus;  they  knew  that  he  was  to  do  all  for 
 them,  and  in  them,  and  by  them ;  they  not  only  knew 
 
116 
 
 it  speculatively,  but  had  also  experimental  knowledge 
 of  it.  "  Ye  have  known  him  that  is  from  the  be- 
 ginning;" have  known  him,  and  tried  him,  and  found 
 him  to  be  what  his  name  siijnifies.  And  this  is  the 
 right  knowledge  of  Christ — not  such  as  the  devil 
 has :  he  could  say,  "  I  know  thee  who  thou  art,  the 
 Holy  One  of  God" — not  such  as  too  many  nominal 
 Christians  have,  who  profess  that  they  know  God, 
 but  in  works  they  deny  him — not  such  as  many  pro- 
 fessors attain,  for  whom  it  had  been  better  not  to 
 have  known  the  way  of  righteousness,  than,  after 
 they  had  known  it,  to  turn  from  it.  These  fathers 
 knew  Christ  by  the  inward  teaching  of  his  Word 
 and  Spirit,  whereby  he  made  himself  known  to  them, 
 as  he  does  not  to  others :  for  he  fulfilled  to  them  the 
 great  promise  of  the  new  covenant — "  I  will  give 
 them  a  heart  to  know  me,  that  I  am  the  Lord;  and 
 they  shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God." 
 The  covenant  is  well  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure, 
 particularly  with  respect  to  the  quickening  of  the 
 soul  from  a  death  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  to  the 
 renewing  of  its  faculties,  that  they  may  be  capable 
 of  knowing  God;  and  to  the  enlightening  of  them, 
 that  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ  may 
 shine  unto  them,  even  unto  the  heart,  enlivening  it 
 with  holy  and  heavenly  affection  to  the  person,  to  the 
 offices,  and  to  the  glories  of  the  blessed  Emmanuel. 
 Whereby  the  believer,  thus  taught  of  God  to  know 
 him  aright,  can  now  trust  him,  hope  in  him,  and  love 
 him  ;  which  graces  are  strengthened  from  the  consi- 
 deration of  God's  standing  related  to  him  as  his  co- 
 venant God,  and  of  his  being  one  of  God's  redeemed 
 people ;  from  which  relation  he  has  a  right  to,  and 
 
117 
 
 by  faith  may  enjoy  every  covenant  mercy  in  time, 
 and  shall  be  a  partaker  of  them  all  in  eternity.  This 
 is  the  knowledge,  concerning  which  so  many  and  such 
 great  things  are  spoken  in  Scripture,  and  which  St. 
 John  says  these  fathers  had  received :  they  had  at- 
 tained, by  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  to  that 
 knowledge  of  Christ  which  is  life  eternal;  and  the 
 same  Spirit  enabled  them  to  be  continually  growing 
 and  increasing  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ.  As  he 
 shines  more  clearly  into  their  hearts,  he  discovers  to 
 them  more  of  their  wants.  He  makes  them  better 
 acquainted  with  themselves,  and  lets  them  feel  more 
 of  the  workings  of  their  corrupt  nature,  and  of  their 
 own  entire  helplessness.  Thus,  by  his  light,  they 
 see  deeper  into  that  mystery  of  iniquity  which  is  in 
 them,  and  they  grow  in  the  sense  and  experience  of 
 it  all  their  lives.  Day  by  day  some  failing,  short- 
 coming, infirmity,  or  temptation,  leads  them  to  more 
 lowly  and  humbling  views  of  themselves,  and  brings 
 them  fresh  discoveries  of  their  fallen  and  helpless 
 state.  While  they  attend  to  what  is  passing  in  their 
 own  breasts,  every  moment  something  will  be  speak- 
 ing for  Christ — "  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing." 
 It  is  this  abiding  sense  of  their  wants,  and  faith  in 
 his  promises  to  supply  them,  which  lead  them  to  be 
 constantly  looking  unto  Jesus.  Many  wants  do  not 
 discourage  them,  for  his  promises  are  as  many  as 
 their  wants  can  be — nor  great  wants,  for  he  has 
 given  them  exceeding  great  promises — nor  continual 
 wants,  for  he  has  promised  them  grace  every  moment. 
 As  they  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  themselves,  they 
 see  more  need  of  living  upon  Christ  in  the  several 
 offices   which   he   sustains.      The   daily   experience 
 
118 
 
 which  they  have  of  their  own  ignorance,  and  sinful- 
 ness, and  helplessness,  endear  to  them  their  divine 
 Prophet,  Priest,  and  King.  The  continual  sense 
 of  their  want  of  him  makes  them  glad  to  live  in  a 
 settled,  fixed  dependence  upon  his  fulness,  and  to 
 be  always  receiving  out  of  it.  They  would  not  live 
 otherwise,  if  they  could.  They  know  that  their 
 dear  Saviour  will  manage  better  for  them  than  they 
 could  for  themselves  :  he  has  taken  their  affairs,  spi- 
 ritual and  temporal,  into  his  hands,  and  he  can  make 
 no  mistakes :  his  infinite  love  is  guided  by  unerring 
 wisdom,  and  its  blessings  are  bestowed  by  almighty 
 power.  Happy  for  them,  they  and  theirs  are  under 
 the  care  of  this  best  of  friends.  They  know  it,  and 
 are  sensible  of  their  happiness.  Daily  experience 
 brings  them  fresh  proofs  of  the  love  and  power  of 
 Jesus ;  which  makes  them  wish  for  more,  still  more 
 faith,  that  they  may  glorify  their  blessed  Saviour  by 
 trusting  him  more.  However,  in  this  they  are 
 growing,  increasing  day  by  day  in  their  knowledge 
 of  the  salvation,  and  gaining  a  closer  acquaintance 
 and  fellowship  with  the  person  of  God  their  Saviour, 
 until  they  come  to  see  him  as  he  is. 
 
 This  is  the  character  of  those  believers  who  are 
 steadfast  in  the  faith,  and  are  become  fathers,  able 
 now  to  teach  others  also:  they  have  attained  to  that 
 knowledge  of  Christ  which  is  life  eternal,  and  they 
 are  daily  pressing  forward.  What  they  already 
 know  of  him  increases  their  desire  to  know  more ; 
 and  by  being  always  conversant  with  him,  (for  with- 
 out him  they  can  do  nothing),  they  have  continual 
 opportunities  of  making  new  discoveries.  In  him  are 
 laid  up  treasures  of  every  thing  that  is  great  and 
 
119 
 
 good.  His  riches  are  unsearchable,  infinite,  and 
 eternal ;  there  is  no  coming  to  the  end  of  thera.  Be- 
 lievers are  persuaded  of  it,  and  therefore  they  try 
 to  dig  deep  into  this  golden  mine.  It  is  all  theirs : 
 the  farther  they  go,  the  more  is  their  faith  streng- 
 thened, and  the  more  precious  Christ  becomes;  for 
 they  find  such  an  excellency  in  the  knowledge  of 
 Christ  Jesus  their  Lord,  that  their  souls  hunger 
 and  thirst  to  know  more  of  him.  The  more  they 
 attain,  the  more  the  appetite  increases ;  and  nothing 
 can  perfectly  satisfy  it,  but  the  full  enjoyment  of 
 Christ  in  glory,  when  they  shall  know,  even  as  also 
 they  are  known.  Till  that  blessed  time  come,  they 
 will  be  growing  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of 
 God  their  Saviour. 
 
 This  is  the  distinguishing  mark  of"  these  fathers — 
 they  are  pressing  forward.  They  have  not  yet  at- 
 tained to  the  perfect  knowledge  of  Christ,  but  they 
 are  going  on  to  perfection ;  and  they  make  a  happy 
 progress:  God  meets  them  in,  and  blesses  the  means 
 which  he  has  appointed  for  their  daily  growth.  In 
 those  he  requires  them  to  depend,  and  to  wait  upon 
 him ;  and  he  gives  them  clearer  discoveries  of  the 
 adorable  person,  and  of  the  gracious  offices  of  the 
 Lord  Christ,  and  thereby  enables  them  to  live  more 
 by  faith  upon  him,  for  all  things  belonging  to  their 
 temporal,  their  spiritual,  and  their  eternal  concerns. — 
 These  particulars  will  include  the  principal  acts  of  the 
 life  of  faith,  and  while  we  take  a  short  view  of  them, 
 may  every  page,  reader,  be  the  means  of  increasing 
 
 and  strengthening  thy  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus. 
 
 1.   They  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  his  person, 
 
 which  is  altogether  wonderful,  so  that  they  can  never 
 
120 
 
 come  to  the  end  of  his  perfections ;  nor  to  eternity 
 can  they  show  forth  all  his  praise ;  for  he  is  God  and 
 man  in  one  Christ — Jehovah  incarnate — Emmanuel, 
 God  with  us.  This  is  the  great  mystery  of  godli- 
 ness, God  manifest  in  the  flesh ;  in  which  he  came 
 amongst  us,  that  he  might  be  the  second  Adam,  who 
 is  the  Lord  from  heaven :  that  as  the  first  Adam  by 
 sin  had  ruined  all  those  who  are  born  of  him  after 
 the  flesh,  so  the  second  Adam  might  save  all  those 
 who  are  born  of  him  after  the  Spirit.  And  for  this 
 end,  he  has  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  committed 
 to  him ;  he  has  all  fulness,  yea,  the  fulness  of  the 
 Godhead  dwelling  in  him,  that  he  might  be  the  head 
 of  the  body  the  church,  and  that  out  of  his  fulness 
 his  members  might  be  receiving  grace  in  time  and 
 glory  in  eternity.  Of  this  divine  Person,  all  the 
 prophets  have  spoken  since  the  world  began  ;  and 
 what  they  said  in  many  words,  the  apostle  sums  up 
 in  a  short  description,  where  he  is  treating  of  that 
 Person  in  the  Godhead,  who  covenanted  to  come 
 into  the  world  to  save  sinners:  "  Who  is  the  image 
 of  the  invisible  God,  the  first-born  of  every  creature: 
 for  by  him  were  all  things  created  that  are  in  heaven, 
 and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether 
 they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or 
 powers;  all  things  were  created  by  him  and  for  him; 
 and  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things 
 consist.  And  he  is  the  head  of  the  body,  the  church: 
 who  is  the  beginning,  the  first-born  from  the  dead ; 
 that  in  all  things  he  might  have  the  pre-eminence : 
 for  it  pleased  the  Father,  that  in  him  should  all  ful- 
 ness dwelL"  In  which  words,  these  three  glorious 
 truths  are  declared  of  Christ  Jesus :  first,  that  he 
 
mi 
 
 created  all  things,  visible  and  invisible;  secondly, 
 that  he  upholds  them  all  by  the  word  of  his  power ; 
 thirdly,  that  he  has  redeemed  unto  himself  a  peculiar 
 people,  through  his  own  blood,  who  are  his  church ; 
 and  he  is  to  them  what  the  head  is  to  the  body,  the 
 head  of  authority,  the  first  in  rank  and  dignity,  and 
 the  head  of  influence,  from  whom  life,  and  motion, 
 and  sense,  are  communicated  to  all  his  members :  for 
 in  him  they  live,  and  move,  and  have  their  being. 
 In  all  things  he  is  first,  or  has  the  pre-eminence ;  he 
 is  Jehovah,  the  Creator  and  the  Preserver  of  all 
 things.  Jehovah  incarnate,  the  Head  of  his  church, 
 and  the  Saviour  of  the  body.  This  is  the  blessed 
 object  of  faith ;  and  what  can  there  be  conceived 
 beautiful,  useful,  or  happy — what  excellency  is  there, 
 or  perfection,  which  is  not  in  its  highest  degree  in 
 this  most  adorable  God-man  ?  What  can  a  believer 
 want,  what  can  his  heart  desire,  which  is  not  here 
 treasured  up  for  his  use  ?  Here  is  a  surety  perfectly 
 qualified,  as  man,  to  act  and  suffer  for  man ;  as  God, 
 to  merit  infinitely  and  eternally  by  what  he  did  and 
 suffered;  and  as  God-man  he  has  now  all  fulness  of 
 wisdom  and  righteousness,  and  holiness  and  strength, 
 and  every  thing  needful  for  his  people's  happiness. 
 Whither  then  should  they  go,  but  to  him  for  every 
 grace  and  blessing  ?  And  to  him  they  do  repair, 
 according  to  the  command — "  Look  unto  me,  and 
 be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth."  The  pro- 
 mise to  them  who  are  looking  unto  him  is  very  ex- 
 tensive— "  My  God  shall  supply  all  your  need,  ac- 
 cording to  his  riches  in  glory  by  Christ  Jesus."  By 
 him  they  expect  a  continual  supply  of  all  their  tem- 
 poral and  spiritual  needs ;  and  therefore  on  him  they 
 F  4 
 
1^^ 
 
 would  have  their  eyes  ever  fixed,  looking  unto  Jesus. 
 While  by  faith  their  eyes  are  kept  steady  upon  him, 
 they  will  be  discovering  something  new  in  this  won- 
 derful God-man,  and  receiving  something  out  of  his 
 fulness  to  strengthen  their  hopes,  and  to  inflame 
 their  affections;  he  will  grow  more  lovely  in  their 
 sight,  fresh  beauties  will  discover  themselves,  new 
 worlds  of  delight  will  appear  ;  for  all  the  glories  of 
 heaven  and  earth  shine  in  their  fullest  lustre  in  his 
 person.  The  believer  sees  them  at  present :  for  by 
 faith  he  can  see  him  that  is  invisible:  and  although 
 he  has  not  such  a  perfect  vision  as  they  have,  who, 
 standing  round  his  throne,  see  him  face  to  face,  yet 
 he  hopes  to  enjoy  it  soon  ;  and  has  even  now  this 
 peculiar  pleasure  in  viewing  the  glories  of  his  God 
 and  Saviour,  that  he  can  truly  say  of  him — "  This 
 is  my  Beloved,  and  my  Friend ;"  here  I  fix,  and  on 
 him  I  rest;  I  want  to  look  no  where  else  for  any 
 good,  since  it  all  meets  and  centres  in  one  object: 
 for  it  hath  pleased  the  Father  and  the  eternal  Spirit, 
 that  all  fulness  should  dwell  in  the  Son  of  God,  and 
 he  is  my  beloved  Saviour,  and  my  dearest  friend ;  he 
 is  the  Chief  among  ten  thousand  in  my  affection ; 
 yea,  he  is  altogether  lovely.  The  more  I  live  by 
 faith  upon  him,  the  more  I  love  him ;  for  I  experi- 
 ence such  tender  compassion  in  his  heart,  and  such 
 a  kind  concern  for  me  and  my  interest,  that  the  love 
 of  Christ  constrains  me  to  love  him  again.  He  en- 
 dears his  person  to  me  by  continual  favours.  I  do 
 love  him,  but  not  so  much  as  he  deserves.  I  would 
 increase,  and  abound  more  and  more  in  love  to  him, 
 as  his  mercies  increase  and  abound  to  me;  but  a 
 grateful  sense  of  them,  and  love  to  him  for  them, 
 
U3 
 
 are  his  own  gifts,  for  which,  as  well  as  for  his  mer- 
 cies, I  must  be  content  to  be  indebted  to  him  for 
 ever  and  ever.  Lord,  shed  more  of  thy  precious 
 love  abroad  in  my  heart ;  enlarge  it  in  true  affection 
 to  thee,  and  make  all  that  is  within  me  bless  thy 
 holy  name. 
 
 Reader,  stop  a  little  here,  and  consider.  Art 
 thou  one  of  these  believers?  Hast  thou  a  warm 
 heart  for  the  person  of  Christ?  Dost  thou  see  in 
 him,  and  in  its  highest  degree,  every  thing  that  is 
 lovely?  and  art  thou  growing  and  abounding  in  love 
 to  him  ?  If  this  be  thy  present  happiness,  thou  wilt 
 find  many  powerful  motives  to  increase  it  in  the  45th 
 and  72d  Psalms.  Read  them,  and  see  whether  thou 
 canst  so  mix  faith  with  what  is  said  in  them  of  the 
 incarnate  God,  as  to  conclude  with  David — "  Whom 
 have  I  in  heaven  but  thee,  and  there  is  none  upon 
 earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee  !"  If  thy  heart  be 
 thus  enamoured  with  his  love,  then  thou  hast  got  a 
 key  to  the  book  of  Canticles;  for  thou  art  the  spouse 
 of  Christ.  Mayest  thou  experience  what  is  therein 
 said  of  the  glories  of  thy  heavenly  Bridegroom,  and 
 mayest  thou  grow  in  love  to  his  adorable  Person,  by 
 finding  continual  tokens  of  his  love  to  thy  soul  in 
 the  several  offices  which  he  sustains  for  the  dispen- 
 sing of  his  favours.  In  these  offices,  he  is  always 
 endearing  himself  to  his  people. 
 
 2.  This  is  the  second  thing  whereby  the  fathers 
 in  Christ  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  him.  There  is 
 not  a  want  which  sin  has  brought  upon  believers,  but 
 there  is  an  office  in  Christ  where  it  may  be  supplied  : 
 and  the  sense  and  feeling  of  that  want,  leading  them 
 to  trust,  in  him  upon  the  warrant  of  his  word  and 
 f2 
 
Ig4 
 
 promise,  will  certainly  bring  them  a  supply  in  the 
 hour  of  need.  His  offices  are  many,  but  they  may 
 be  all  concluded  in  these  five — He  is  the  Saviour, 
 the  Prophet,  the  Priest,  the  King,  and  the  Advocate 
 of  his  people. 
 
 The  Saviour,  Jesus,  a  dear  name,  descriptive  of 
 his  infinite  grace,  and  sweetly  suited  to  the  sinner's 
 wants.      Whatever  pollution  or  guilt  he  has  con- 
 tracted, whatever  misery  he  deserves  to  suffer  in  time 
 or  in  eternity,  Jesus  is  Jehovah,  almighty  to  save 
 him :   for  he  was  called  Jesus,  because  he  was  to 
 save  his  people  from  their  sins.       Whatever  they 
 stand  in  need  of  to  make  them  happy — wisdom,  right- 
 eousness, holiness,  comfort,  or  strength — it  is  all,  in 
 the  fulness  of  Jesus,  freely  promised,  and  by  faith 
 received,  as  it  is  written,   "  Ye  are  saved  freely  by 
 grace  through  faith,"  and  saved  for  ever ;  for  Jesus 
 the  author  of  eternal  salvation.      The  spirits  of  just 
 men  made  perfect  in  glory,  are  said  to  be  crying  with 
 a  loud  voice — "  Salvation  to  our  God,  who  sitteth 
 upon  the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb  for  ever  and  ever," 
 So   that  the  name  Jesus   is  dear   and   precious   to 
 the  saints  in  heaven ;  they  are  happily  employed  in 
 ascribing  the  glory  of  their  eternal  salvation  to  the 
 Lamb  of  God  ;  and  the  believer  has  at  present  a  part 
 of  their  happiness,  for  Jesus  is  the  Saviour.      He 
 can  trust  him  for  all  the  promised  blessings  of  his 
 salvation,  and  live  by  faith  upon  him  for  the  receiv- 
 ing of  them.      As  every  moment  some  of  them  are 
 wanted,  so  the  Saviour's  love  in  bestowing  them  is 
 more  experienced;  faith  in  him  is  thereby  strength- 
 ened, and  love  to  him  increased.     And  these  graces 
 will  be  continually  growing,  while  the  beHever  views 
 
U5 
 
 the  state  of  guilt  and  misery  from  which  Jesus  has 
 saved  him  ;  the  state  of  safety  in  which  he  has  placed 
 him,  and  the  blessings  which  he  has  promised  him 
 in  life  and  death,  and  in  eternity.  Must  not  such 
 a  Saviour  become  more  precious  for  continuing  day 
 by  day  such  free  and  unmerited  benefits  ?  And  who 
 can  receive  them,  sensible  of  his  unworthiness,  with- 
 out rejoicing  in  such  a  salvation,  and  admiring  and 
 adoring  the  goodness  of  the  Saviour?  O  most 
 blessed  Jesus  !  increase  the  faith  of  thy  people,  that 
 they  may  glorify  thee  more  by  depending  upon  thee 
 for  all  the  promised  blessings  of  thy  salvation. 
 Teach  them  how  to  do  this,  as  the  great 
 
 Prophet  of  the  house  of  God.  This  is  another 
 of  his  gracious  offices,  suited  to  the  ignorance  of  his 
 people ;  for  when  sin  separated  them  from  God,  they 
 then  lost  the  light  of  life,  and  had  no  means  left  in 
 their  own  power  to  discover  God  and  the  things  of 
 God.  Hear  what  two  infallible  witnesses  say  to  this 
 fact — *'  There  is  none  that  understandeth,  there  is 
 none  that  seeketh  after  God."  Mind,  here  is  no  ex- 
 ception, the  prophet  knew  not  one;  neither  did  the 
 apostle — "  All  the  Gentiles  had  the  understanding 
 darkened,  being  alienated  from  the  life  of  God  through 
 the  ignorance  that  is  in  them,  because  of  the  blind- 
 ness of  their  hearts."  To  man,  in  this  state  of  igno- 
 rance, what  could  be  so  suitable  as  a  Prophet  ?  And 
 what  Prophet  like  him,  who,  being  God,  is  possessed 
 of  infinite  wisdom,  and,  being  God-man,  has  that  in- 
 finite wisdom  for  his  people's  use  ?  He  was  made 
 unto  them  wisdom,  that  by  his  divine  teaching  he 
 might  enlighten  their  understandings,  and  by  lead- 
 ing them  into  all  truth  might  make  them  wise  unto 
 
126 
 
 salvation.  He  begins  his  teaching  without  discover- 
 ing to  them  their  ignorance,  which  is  a  hard  lesson 
 to  learn ;  but  he  uses  such  mildness  and  gentleness 
 with  his  authority,  that  by  degrees  he  subdues  their 
 pride,  and  makes  them  willing  to  sit  at  his  feet  to 
 hear  his  words.  This  is  the  humble  posture  of  all 
 his  true  disciples.  They  receive  him  by  faith  for 
 their  teacher,  convinced  that  without  him  they  can 
 learn  nothing  which  belongs  to  their  peace ;  and  hav- 
 ing been  for  some  time  under  his  teaching,  they  grow 
 more  sensible  of  their  want  of  it.  He  discovers  to 
 them  more  of  their  ignorance,  and  thereby  brings 
 them  to  closer  dependence  upon  him  for  wisdom. 
 And  that  is  the  way  they  rise  in  his  school.  Who- 
 ever is  the  most  humble  and  teachable,  he  is  the 
 greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The  abiding 
 sense  of  his  standing  in  need  of  the  divine  Prophet 
 every  moment,  makes  him  the  highest  scholar.  And 
 the  Lord  keeps  him  in  this  dependent  state,  waiting 
 upon  him  for  his  continual  instruction,  in  hearing 
 and  reading  the  word,  and  in  prayer  for  the  enlight- 
 ening Spirit  to  make  the  word  effectual.  The  great 
 Prophet  could  teach  without  these  means,  but  he  has 
 commanded  us  in  the  use  of  them  to  wait  upon  him; 
 for  in  them  he  has  promised  to  meet  and  bless  his 
 people,  and  for  the  fulfilling  of  this  promise  they 
 wait.  Christ's  presence  they  look  for  in  the  use  of 
 all  means,  and  they  find  it.  He  teaches  them  how 
 liable  they  are  to  err,  how  little  they  know,  how  soon 
 they  forget,  and  thus  they  grow  in  a  dependence  upon, 
 and  in  love  to,  their  divine  Teacher.  And  as  all  the 
 treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  are  in  him,  and 
 they  can  know  at  present  but  in  part,  they  therefore 
 
will  be  waiting  upon  hira  for  more,  still  more  know- 
 ledge ;  and  he  answers  his  character,  he  teaches  them 
 wisdom.  He  shows  them  dangers,  discovers  to  them 
 the  devices  of  Satan,  guards  them  against  the  errors 
 and  heresies  of  the  day,  makes  manifest  the  snares  of 
 the  world,  and  in  all  respects  fulfils  to  them  the  office 
 of  an  infallible  Prophet ;  for  he  keeps  them  from  rest- 
 ing upon  any  false  foundation,  and  enables  them  to 
 build  all  their  hopes  of  acceptance  with  God  upon 
 the  atonement  made  by  the  High 
 
 Priest  of  our  profession,  Christ  Jesus.  This  is 
 his  chief  office.  He  is  our  Prophet,  to  teach  us  our 
 guilty,  helpless  state ;  and  to  bring  us  to  rely  upon 
 him  to  save  us  from  it,  by  being  our  Priest.  We 
 all  have  sinned,  and  have  incurred  the  pains  and  pen- 
 alties due  to  sin.  We  are  all  justly  liable  to  the 
 sufferings  and  death,  to  the  curse  and  to  the  separa- 
 tion from  God,  threatened  in  his  law  to  transgressors, 
 and  we  have  no  means  in  our  power  to  escape  them. 
 How  full  then  of  grace  and  love  was  the  heart  of 
 our  blessed  Emmanuel,  that  he  would  vouchsafe  to 
 be  a  Priest  to  offer  gifts  and  sacrifices  for  sin  !  His 
 gifts  were  infinitely  precious, — he  gave  himself  for 
 us,  the  gift  of  his  eternal  Godhead,  the  gift  of  his 
 immaculate  manhood,  body  and  soul,  in  which  he 
 obeyed  perfectly,  and  so  magnified  the  law,  that  it 
 may  be  eternally  honourable  in  admitting  those  who 
 have  sinned  into  heaven — the  gift  of  his  prevailing 
 prayer  for  all  that  shall  believe  in  him  to  the  end  of 
 the  world — and  the  gift  of  his  body  and  soul  to  be 
 once  offered  for  sin,  in  the  place  and  in  the  stead 
 of  sinners,  as  it  is  written,  "  Jle  suffered  once  for 
 sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us 
 
128 
 
 unto  God — He  died  for  our  sins  according  to  the 
 Scriptures — He  was  made  a  curse  for  us,  that  he 
 might  redeem  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  that 
 we,  who  sometimes  were  afar  off,  might  be  made 
 nigh  by  his  blood,  and  might  through  him  have  ac- 
 cess by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father."      In  these  most 
 precious   gifts,   in    this   everlasting   meritorious  sa- 
 crifice, consist  the  office  of  our  divine  Priest;  and 
 upon  him  the  beHever  rests.      He  is  enabled,  upon 
 this  foundation,  to  build  all  his  hopes  of  acceptance. 
 The  great  atonement  made  by  Jesus'  obedience  unto 
 death,  is  all  his  salvation  and  all  his  desire — all  his 
 salvation,  for  he  looks  no  where  else,  but  to  Jesus 
 and  him  crucified ;  he  depends  upon  nothing  else  to 
 save  him  from  suffering  and  death,  from  the  curse  of 
 the   law,    and  from   being   eternally  separated  from 
 God :  and  this  is  all  his  desire — to  get  a  closer  ac- 
 quaintance, and  more  intimate  communion,  with  the 
 crucified  Jesus.      This  is  his  one  study  and  delight 
 — '  I  have  determined,'  says  he,   *  to  know  nothing 
 but  Jesus,  by  whom  I  have  now  received  the  atone- 
 ment.     God  forbid  that  I  should  glory,  except  in 
 the  cross  of  my  Lord  Jesus  Christ.      I  would  look 
 upon  all  other  things  as  dross  and  dung,  compared 
 to  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  that  one  offer- 
 ing, by  which  he  hath   perfected  for  ever  them  that 
 are   sanctified.       In  this   his  priestly  office,  bleed- 
 ing and  dying  for  me,  he  is  beyond  description,  be- 
 yond conception,  full  of  grace  and  truth  ;  and  daily 
 he  becomes   more  lovely  in   mine  eyes.      As  I  dis- 
 cover more  of  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  my  heart 
 and  life,   my  meritorious  Priest  grows  more  dear  to 
 me;  I  rest  more  safely  on  his  atonement,  satisfied 
 
129 
 
 of  its  infinite  sufficiency  to  bring  me  near  to  God. 
 And  finding  my  faith  and  hopes  established  in  it,  and 
 through  it  a  free  access  to  the  Father,  Jesus,  the 
 sacrificed  Lamb  of  God,  becomes  day  by  day  more 
 precious  to  my  heart ;  his  blood  and  righteousness 
 are  the  continual  rejoicing  of  my  soul.  Oh  !  how 
 happy  am  I  in  this  my  royal  Priest !  for  now,  even 
 DOW,  have  I  redemption  in  his  blood,  the  forgive- 
 ness of  sins — I  am  safe  from  the  destroying  angel 
 under  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  and  I  have  also  bold- 
 ness to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus. 
 Daily  do  I  experience  more  of  the  riches  of  his 
 grace,  comforting,  strengthening,  and  sanctifying  me, 
 through  faith  in  his  most  precious  blood.  Through 
 this  he  saves  me  from  hell,  through  this  he  bestows 
 upon  me  heaven,  and  for  this  shall  be  my  song  of 
 everlasting  praise.  Unto  him  who  hath  thus  exceed- 
 ingly loved  me,  and  hath  washed  me  from  my  sins  in 
 his  own  blood,  and  hath  made  me,  the  vilest  of  sin- 
 ners, a  king  and  a  priest  (amazing  grace  1)  unto  God 
 and  his  Father ;  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  for 
 ever  and  ever.      Amen.' 
 
 These  are  the  breathings  of  the  believing  soul, 
 now  become  well  grounded  upon  the  atonement,  and 
 living  upon  the  priestly  office  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ  for  peace  and  joy,  and  expecting  to  be  estab- 
 lished in  them  continually  by  his  power,  which  makes 
 another  of  his  offices  necessary ;  for  some  corruption 
 or  enemy,  temptation  or  trouble,  will  be  always  try- 
 ing to  draw  the  eye  of  faith  from  looking  unto  Jesus, 
 the  High  Priest  of  our  profession;  and  such  is  the 
 believer's  helplessness,  that  he  could  not  be  fixed  a 
 moment,  were  not  Jesus  a  Priest  upon  his  throne, 
 f3 
 
130 
 
 almighty  to  make  all  his  enemies  his  footstool,  and 
 to  rule  in  and  over  his  people  as  their 
 
 King.  In  this  relation,  he  exceedingly  endears 
 himself  to  them ;  for  they  are  in  themselves  weak 
 and  helpless.  They  are  without  strength  to  resist  the 
 least  temptation,  or  to  overcome  the  weakest  enemy. 
 They  cannot  of  themselves  subdue  one  corruption, 
 nor  get  the  victory  over  a  single  lust ;  neither  can 
 they  perform  one  act  of  spiritual  life.  They  cannot 
 make  nor  keep  themselves  alive  to  God,  by  any 
 power  of  their  own;  for  without  Christ  they  can  do 
 nothing.  Most  mercifully,  then,  is  his  kingly  office 
 suited  to  their  weakness.  He  is  the  great  King 
 over  all  the  earth,  as  God  ;  but  he  has  a  peculiar  rule 
 in  and  over  believers,  as  God-man,  the  Head  of  the 
 body,  the  church ;  to  which  he  is  connected  by  as 
 close  and  near  a  bond,  as  the  members  of  the  body 
 are  with  the  head.  He  is  the  first  in  dignity,  as 
 the  head  is,  and  in  all  things  has  the  pre-eminence: 
 and  what  the  natural  head  is  to  its  members,  the 
 same  he  is  to  the  members  of  his  spiritual  body ;  for 
 he  is  the  Head,  from  which  all  the  body,  by  joints 
 and  bands,  having  nourishment  ministered,  and  knit 
 together,  increaseth  with  the  increase  of  God.  And 
 for  the  ministering  of  proper  nourishment  and  influ- 
 ence to  his  members,  he  has  all  power  in  heaven  and 
 earth  in  his  hand.  He  is  the  Lord  God  Omnipo- 
 tent, whose  kingdom  ruleth  over  all.  It  is  not  an 
 outward  thing,  like  the  kingdoms  of  the  world;  but, 
 says  he,  *'  the  kingdom  of  God  is  within  you."  He 
 sets  it  up  within,  in  the  hearts  of  his  people,  and  there 
 he  sways  the  sceptre  of  his  grace,  subduing  all  the 
 evils  within,  and  conquering  all  the  enemies  without, 
 
131 
 
 by  his  almighty  arm.  He  takes  them  and  theirs 
 under  his  royal  protection,  and  manages  all  their 
 matters  for  them,  until  he  brings  them  by  his  power 
 unto  eternal  salvation.  The  power  is  his;  but  by 
 faith  it  becomes  theirs.  When  they  find  themselves 
 helpless  and  without  strength,  then  they  look  up  to 
 him  to  make  them  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  by  faith 
 rest  upon  his  promised  strength,  and  thereby  receive 
 whatever  degree  of  it  is  needful  at  that  time.  Thus 
 they  live  by  faith  upon  their  almighty  King,  and 
 they  glorify  him  by  trusting  in  him  for  strength. 
 By  daily  experience  they  become  more  sensible  of 
 their  weakness,  and  learn  to  live  more  out  of  them- 
 selves upon  him — they  find  the  safety,  the  comfort 
 of  this — they  see  it  is  far  better  for  them  to  be  de- 
 pendent upon  Christ,  that  his  power  may  rest  upon 
 them,  than  that  they  should  be  strong  in  themselves: 
 and  therefore  they  rejoice,  they  take  pleasure  in 
 their  own  weakness,  because  it  illustrates  and  mag- 
 nifies the  power  of  Christ,  who  does  all  for  them  and 
 in  them. 
 
 Hear  one  of  these  happy  believers  thus  describing 
 his  case :  '  1  was  caught  up,'  says  he,  *  into  the  third 
 heaven,  into  paradise,  and  I  heard  there  unspeakable 
 words,  which  it  is  not  possible  for  a  man  to  utter; 
 and  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure,  through 
 the  abundance  of  the  revelations,  there  was  given 
 to  me  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan, 
 to  buffet  me,  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure. 
 For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  he 
 would  take  it  away  from  me.  And  he  said  unto 
 me :  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee — my  grace  is 
 sufficient  to  sanctify  this  cross,  and  to  support  thee 
 
132 
 
 under  it :  it  will  be  for  my  glory  and  for  thy  good  it 
 should  be  continued;  because  my  strength  is  made 
 perfect  in  weakness — the  weaker  thou  art,  the  more 
 will  my  strength  be  magnified  in  bearing  thee  up, 
 until  faith  and  patience  have  their  perfect  work. 
 This  divine  answer  from  my  Lord  and  King  satisfied 
 me,  and  I  have  for  fourteen  years  had  sweet  experi- 
 ence of  the  truth  of  it.  I  am  a  witness  to  the  all- 
 sufBciency  of  Jesus'  grace;  but  never  have  I  found 
 so  much  of  it,  as  when  I  have  been  the  most  help- 
 less in  myself;  and  therefore  most  gladly  will  I  glory 
 in  my  infirmities  and  weaknesses,  that  the  power  of 
 Christ  may  rest  upon  me,  that  his  power  may  be 
 continually  glorified  by  ray  continually  depending 
 upon  him  for  it ;  and  that  I  may  have  fresh  evidence 
 of  Christ's  power  working  mightily  in  me.  Since 
 the  Lord  is  thus  become  my  strength,  I  take  plea- 
 sure in  infirmities,  in  reproaches,  in  necessities,  in 
 persecutions,  in  distresses  for  Christ's  sake,  in  what- 
 ever I  suffer  for  him  and  his  cause :  for  when  I  am 
 weak,  then  am  I  strong, — weak  in  myself,  strong  in 
 the  Lord ;  stronger  in  him  the  more  sensible  I  am 
 of  my  own  weakness,  and  then  strongest  of  all, 
 when,  finding  I  can  do  nothing,  I  live  by  faith  upon 
 him  to  do  all  for  me.  In  this  state  of  weakness  and 
 dependence  I  glory,  I  take  perfect  pleasure  in  it ; 
 because  it  honours  the  kingly  office  of  my  Lord 
 Christ,  and  makes  it  plain  to  myself  and  others,  that 
 he  keeps  me  every  moment  by  his  almighty  power; 
 for,  since  I  can  do  nothing,  the  excellency  of  the 
 power  which  does  all  in  me  and  by  me,  appears  evi- 
 dently to  be  of  God,  and  not  of  man.' 
 
 Reader,  is  not  this  a  happy  case?      Is  not  that 
 
133 
 
 man  blessed  whose  strength  is  in  the  Lord,  and  who 
 can  say  in  faith,  Surely  in  the  Lord  have  I  strength  ? 
 And  what  hinders  thee  from  being  as  strong  in  the 
 Lord  as  Paul  was?  Thou  hast  the  same  promises, 
 the  same  God  and  Saviour  to  fulfil  them ;  and,  for 
 thy  greater  encouragement  to  live  upon  him  by  faith, 
 for  the  fulfilling  of  them  to  thee,  he  has  another 
 office,  in  which  he  condescends  to  be  thy 
 
 Advocate,  freely  to  take  thy  cause  in  hand,  and 
 to  see  it  carried  in  the  court  of  heaven.  In  this 
 character,  he  would  represent  himself,  as  having  un- 
 dertaken to  answer  all  charges  against  thee,  from 
 whatever  quarter  they  come,  and  to  obtain  for  thee 
 every  blessing  promised  in  his  word,  and  for  which 
 thou  appliest  to  him  by  faith  in  the  time  of  need. 
 In  this  amiable  light,  he  would  have  thee  to  consider 
 him  as  thy  days-man,  to  whom,  being  thy  Saviour 
 and  thy  Friend,  thou  raayest  safely  refer  thy  cause; 
 as  the  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  who  will 
 transact  all  thy  matters  for  thee  with  the  Father; 
 and  as  thy  Intercessor,  who  appears  in  the  presence 
 of  God  for  thee,  that  every  blessing  of  his  salvation 
 may  be  thine.  Under  these  names,  the  Scripture 
 describes  the  advocateship  of  the  Lord  Christ,  which 
 office  he  sustains  for  thy  sake,  to  encourage  thee  to 
 come  with  boldness  to  the  throne  of  his  grace.  Thou 
 hast  a  friend  there,  who  is  bound  by  his  word,  and 
 also  by  his  office,  to  see  that  thou  want  no  manner 
 of  thing  which  is  good;  and  although  all  things  seem 
 to  make  against  thee,  and  thou  canst  find  no  human 
 means  of  obtaining  the  promised  good  which  thou 
 wantest,  then  look  up  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  Thou 
 wilt  glorify  him  at  such  a  time,  if  thou  canst  trust 
 
134, 
 
 in  his  intercession,  and  if  the  workings  of  thy  faith 
 be  such  as  these — 
 
 '  Although  I  am  less  than  the  least  of  God*s  mer- 
 cies, a  vile  sinner,  and  to  this  moment  unprofitable 
 servant,  deserving  for  my  very  best  works  and  duties 
 to  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the 
 presence  of  the  Lord;  yet,  glory  be  to  his  infinite 
 grace,  I  have  an  Advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus 
 Christ  the  Righteous,  and  he  is  the  propitiation  for 
 my  sins.  All  the  blessings  which  he  has  promised 
 to  give  his  dear  people,  as  their  Saviour,  their  Pro- 
 phet, Priest,  and  King,  he  is  my  Advocate  with  the 
 Father  to  obtain  for  me; — a  righteous  Advocate, 
 who  asks  nothing  but  what  he  has  a  right  to,  and 
 who  never  asks  in  vain.  It  hath  pleased  the  Father, 
 that  all  fulness  should  dwell  in  the  Head  of  the 
 body,  the  church ;  and  it  pleaseth  him  that  the  mem- 
 bers should,  from  the  fulness  of  the  Head,  receive 
 abundantly  all  the  influence  they  want;  for  the  Fa- 
 ther himself  loveth  them,  and  out  of  his  infinite  love 
 gave  his  Son  to  be  their  head,  that  he  might  fill  all 
 in  all  of  them.  What  then  may  not  I  expect  from 
 such  an  Advocate  with  such  a  Father?  Already 
 have  I  received  so  much,  that  I  know  Jesus  appears 
 in  the  presence  of  God  for  rae.  I  can  trust  my 
 cause  in  his  hands.  He  has  taught  me  to  leave  all 
 my  matters  to  his  management,  and  I  desire  more 
 simply  to  resign  them  up  to  him.  I  find  every 
 thing  goes  on  well  which  is  left  to  his  direction,  and 
 nothing  miscarries  but  what  I  undertake  without  him. 
 O  for  more  faith  !  The  Lord  increase  it,  that  my 
 precious  Advocate  may  be  more  glorified  by  my  trust- 
 ing him  more,  and  that  he  may  have  all  the  honour 
 
135 
 
 of  conducting  my  affairs,  spiritual  and  temporal,  in 
 earth  and  heaven,  in  time  and  eternity :  even  so  be 
 it.  Lord  Jesus.' 
 
 After  the  believer  has  been  taught  thus  to  trust 
 the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  expect  that  grace 
 which,  in  his  several  offices,  he  is  engaged  to  give, 
 then  his  conversation  will  be  well  ordered ;  and  as  he 
 daily  grows  in  faith  and  dependence  upon  Christ,  he 
 will  walk  more  in  the  comfort  of  the  Holy  Ghost : 
 his  outward  as  well  as  inward  matters  will  come  un- 
 der the  influence  of  grace,  and  will  be  left  to  the 
 direction  and  government  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  which 
 is  another  excellency  of  the  life  of  faith,  and  which 
 renders  it  infinitely  preferable  to  any  other  way  of 
 living. 
 
 The  state  of  the  case  is  this  :  Christ  has  all  power 
 in  heaven  and  earth  given  unto  him :  as  God-man 
 he  has  a  mediatorial  kingdom,  which  ruleth  over  all 
 created  beings  and  tilings ;  for  they  subsist  by  the 
 word  of  his  power,  and  are  upheld  by  his  providence; 
 so  that  whatever,  in  his  infinite  love  and  wisdom,  he 
 sees  best  for  his  people,  he  is  almighty  to  bestow  it 
 on  them.  They  can  want  no  promised  good,  nor 
 suffer  any  outward  evil ;  but  he  is  able  to  give  the 
 one,  and  to  deliver  from  the  other.  Their  wants 
 are  many,  their  sufferings  great.  Sin  has  brought 
 disorder  upon  the  whole  creation.  The  outward 
 state  of  man  in  the  world  is  full  of  misery,  not  only 
 following  him,  but  also  in  him,  in  his  very  frame  and 
 constitution — Pain,  sickness,  mortality  in  his  body, 
 emptiness  in  his  enjoyments,  disappointments,  losses, 
 worldly  cares,  something  or  other  in  body  or  estate 
 troubling  him  ;  for  man  is  born  to  trouble.      What 
 
136 
 
 manner  of  love  then  is  this,  that  God  our  Saviour 
 would  take  these  things  under  his  government,  and 
 manage  them  for  the  good  of  his  people,  whom  he 
 would  have  to  be  happy  in  him  in  this  world,  as  well 
 as  in  the  next !  He  has  given  them  many  great  and 
 precious  promises  relating  to  the  life  that  now  is, 
 and  he  is  faithful  who  hath  promised  to  supply  their 
 earthly  wants,  to  sanctify  their  sufferings,  and  to 
 make  all  things  work  together  under  him  for  their 
 good.  He  has  kindly  undertaken  their  temporal, 
 as  well  as  their  spiritual  concerns;  for  nothing  was 
 left  out  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  It  was  ordered 
 in  ALL  things.  The  outward  state  and  condition  of 
 believers,  their  poverty  or  riches,  health  or  sickness, 
 trials  of  every  kind,  how  great  they  should  be,  how 
 long  they  should  continue,  are  all  appointed,  and 
 unalterably  fixed;  nothing  left  for  chance  to  do. 
 When  the  Lord  God  determined  to  bring  many  sons 
 into  glory  through  Christ  Jesus,  the  means  by  which 
 he  intended  to  bring  them  into  that  end,  were  in  his 
 purpose,  as  well  as  the  end  itself;  and  therefore  all 
 things  were  ordered  and  made  sure,  even  to  the  very 
 hairs  of  their  head ;  for  they  are  all  numbered.  What 
 a  continual  source  of  comfort  is  this  to  believers  ! 
 Their  present  happiness  is  provided  for  as  well  as 
 their  eternal,  in  the  covenant  of  grace.  God  is  be- 
 come their  God,  has  made  himself  known  to  them  in 
 this  covenant-relation,  and  has  thereby  bound  him- 
 self to  give  whatever  he  sees  will  be  the  best  for  them. 
 But  because  he  knoweth  their  frame,  and  how  apt 
 they  are,  under  hard  and  long  trials  of  faith,  to  be 
 discouraged,  he  has  therefore  made  them  many  sweet 
 temporal  promises  for  their  support ;  lest  they  should 
 
137 
 
 be  weary  and  faint  in  their  minds,  he  has  engaged 
 to  deliver  them  from  all  evil.  "  Many  are  the  af- 
 flictions of  the  righteous,  but  the  Lord  delivereth 
 him  out  of  them  all."  He  delivers  two  ways,  either 
 by  entirely  removing  the  affliction,  or  by  changing 
 its  nature  ;  for  he  takes  the  curse  out  of  it,  and  turns 
 it  into  a  real  blessing :  he  makes  it  the  means  of  in- 
 creasing faith  and  patience,  sweetens  it  with  a  sense 
 of  his  presence,  and  demonstrates  that  it  comes  from 
 love,  by  its  increasing  love  to  him  in  the  heart  of 
 the  righteous.  This  is  the  best  deliverance,  as  one 
 of  the  greatest  sufferers  for  Christ  witnesses,  who, 
 upon  the  mention  of  his  afflictions,  declares,  "  Out 
 of  them  all  the  Lord  delivered  me,"  by  saving  me 
 from  the  evil  that  was  in  them,  and  by  making  them 
 yield  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness. 
 
 The  Lord  has  also  engaged  to  bestow  upon  be- 
 lievers all  good :  "  They  that  seek  the  Lord  shall 
 not  want  any  good  thing."  Their  loving  Shepherd 
 will  see  that  they  lack  nothing,  no  good  thing  will 
 be  withheld  from  them.  To  the  same  purpose  are 
 the  promises  in  the  New  Testament.  Seek  ye  first 
 the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness,  and  all 
 these  things,  food  and  raiment,  and  all  necessaries, 
 shall  be  added  unto  you :  1  your  God  and  Saviour 
 give  you  my  word  for  it ;  trust  me,  and  you  shall 
 never  want.  With  confidence  did  he  believe  it, 
 who  said  to  the  Philippians,  "  My  God  shall  supply 
 all  your  need,  according  to  his  riches  in  glory  by 
 Christ  Jesus."  What  a  powerful  motive  is  here 
 for  the  strengthening  of  our  faith,  that,  be  our  wants 
 ever  so  many,  ever  so  great,  our  God  has  engaged 
 to  supply  them  all !      We  may  boldly,  then,  cast  all 
 
138 
 
 our  care  upon  him,  since  he  careth  for  us,  and  may 
 rest  assured  of  his  managing  our  whole  outward 
 estate  infinitely  better  than  we  could  for  ourselves. 
 What  trouble,  what  burdens  shall  we  be  hereby 
 eased  of  1  What  peace  of  mind  shall  we  enjoy,  when 
 we  can  give  up  our  temporal  concerns  into  the  Lord*s 
 hands,  and  by  faith  see  them  all  conducted  for  our 
 good,  by  his  infinite  wisdom  and  almighty  love  ! 
 Blessed,  surely,  is  the  man  who  thus  putteth  his 
 trust  in  the  Lord  his  God.  He  is  delivered  from 
 the  anxious  care  of  getting,  and  from  the  fear  of 
 losing  what  he  has  got ;  he  is  easy  about  the  present, 
 the  future  he  leaves  to  the  Lord ;  his  conversation 
 is  without  covetousness,  and  he  is  content  with  such 
 things  as  he  has,  and  thereby  he  escapes  thousands 
 of  the  common  troubles  of  life.  In  this  sweet  peace, 
 he  enjoys  his  soul ;  because  the  Lord  has  said  to  him 
 — "  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee,"  in 
 any  state,  in  any  want,  or  in  any  distress — I  will  be 
 ever  with  thee  to  turn  all  things,  seem  they  ever  so 
 afflicting,  into  real  blessings.  Trusting  to  this  word, 
 which  cannot  be  broken,  he  may  boldly  say,  '  The 
 Lord  is  my  helper,  and  I  will  not  fear  what  man  can 
 do  unto  me :  let  the  world  persecute  me,  my  trade 
 fail,  poverty  pinch  me,  sickness  pain  me,  friends 
 leave  me,  and  all  outward  comforts  forsake  me,  never- 
 theless I  am  a  happy  man.  The  Lord  Christ  is  my 
 portion,  my  all-sufficient  portion  still,  and  these 
 things  being  of  his  appointment  are  for  the  best :  I 
 find  them  so,  glory  be  to  him  :  He  makes  them  the 
 means  of  weaning  me  from  the  world,  deadening  the 
 old  man  of  sin,  bringing  me  to  a  more  intimate  ac- 
 quaintance with  himself,  and  to  a  greater  experience 
 
139 
 
 of  his  goodness  to  my  soul ;  whereby  he  enables  me 
 to  trust  all  things  for  time  and  for  eternity  in  his 
 hands,  who  hath  said  unto  me,  and  faithful  is  he 
 that  hath  spoken,  who  will  also  do  it,  *'  I  will  never 
 leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee."  ' 
 
 But  some  may  say,  '  Are  there  any  persons  who 
 live  thus  above  the  world,  freed  from  its  cares,  and 
 fears,  and  troubles  T  Yes,  thanks  be  to  God  for  his 
 unspeakable  gift;  he  has  promised  to  make  all  things 
 to  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  him, 
 and  he  has  had  witnesses  in  every  age  of  his  faith- 
 fulness in  fulfilling  his  promises.  Read  that  little 
 book  of  martyrs,  Hebrews  xi.  and  you  will  see  how 
 happy  they  were  in  God,  not  only  in  prosperity,  but 
 also  when  the  world  was  against  them.  Great  were 
 the  triumphs  of  their  faith ;  they  chose  to  suffer 
 affliction  rather  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for 
 a  season ;  they  esteemed  the  reproach  of  Christ,  and 
 set  more  value  upon  it  than  upon  riches  and  honour. 
 And  we  have  a  great  cloud  of  witnesses  in  the  New 
 Testament,  who  rejoiced  that  they  were  accounted 
 worthy  to  suffer  for  the  name  of  Christ,  who  blessed 
 their  revilers,  prayed  for  their  persecutors,  and  took 
 joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods.  Hear  one  of 
 them  speaking  the  sentiments  of  the  rest :  "  I  ac- 
 count all  things  but  loss,  for  the  excellency  of  the 
 knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord,  for  whom  I 
 have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  I  do  account 
 them  but  dung,  that  1  may  win  Christ."  Still  there 
 are  some  among  us  of  Paul's  mind.  The  Lord 
 hath  not  left  himself  without  witnesses.  We  have 
 a  few  names  (may  the  Lord  daily  add  to  their  num- 
 ber !)  who  can  trust  all  their  temporal  affairs  in  the 
 
140 
 
 hands  of  Christ,  and  who  find  the  happiness  of  hav- 
 ing them  in  his  management.  He  does  all  things 
 well  for  them :  what  would  make  them  unhappy,  he 
 takes  upon  himself — "  Cast  thy  burden  on  the 
 Lord,"  says  he,  "  and  he  shall  sustain  thee :"  and 
 he  does  sustain  the  weight  of  it,  and  thereby  frees 
 them  from  anxious  care,  and  gives  them  sweet  con- 
 tent. They  have  enough,  let  them  have  ever  so 
 little  of  outward  things,  because  they  have  got  the 
 pearl  of  great  price.  Christ  is  theirs,  and  the  Spirit 
 of  Christ  enables  them  to  make  up  all  their  happiness 
 in  him,  and  not  in  the  things  which  perish  in  the 
 using.  Christ,  with  bread  and  water,  is  worth  ten 
 thousand  worlds;  Christ,  with  pain,  is  better  than 
 the  highest  pleasures  of  sin ;  Christ,  with  all  out- 
 ward sufferings,  is  matter  of  present,  and  of  eternal 
 joy.  Surely  these  are  the  only  happy  people  living. 
 Reader,  art  thou  not  one  of  them  ?  Art  thou  not 
 a  partaker  of  their  happiness  ?  If  thou  art  a  be- 
 liever, it  is  thy  privilege ;  thy  title  to  it  is  good,  and 
 thou  enterest  into  possession  by  faith  ;  and  if  it  be  so 
 weak  that  thou  art  not  so  happy  as  they  are,  thou 
 shouldst  take  shame  to  thyself  for  dishonouring  God 
 thy  Saviour,  for  robbing  him  of  his  glory  before 
 men,  and  for  injuring  thine  own  soul,  by  not  com- 
 mitting all  thy  outward  matters  unto  his  guidance. 
 What  could  he  do  more  than  he  has  done  to  encou- 
 rage thee  to  leave  them  to  him,  that  he  might  man- 
 age them  for  thee  ?  He  has  given  thee  argument 
 upon  argument,  promises  in  abundance,  bonds  which 
 cannot  be  broken,  immutable  things,  in  which  it  is 
 impossible  that  God  should  lie,  to  convince  thee 
 that  thou  mayest  safely  trust  in  him  for  all  temporal 
 
141 
 
 things,  which  he  knows  will  be  for  thy  good.  O  ! 
 pray  then  for  more  faith.  Beg  of  the  Lord  to  ena- 
 ble thee  to  walk  more  by  faith,  and  less  by  sense, 
 that  thou  mayest  commit  thy  way  entirely  unto  him, 
 and  he  may  direct  all  thy  paths.  The  more  thou 
 trustest  in  him,  the  happier  he  will  make  thee;  there- 
 fore daily  entreat  him  to  deliver  thee  from  taking 
 any  anxious  thought  for  thy  life,  what  thou  shalt 
 eat,  or  what  thou  shalt  drink ;  or  yet  for  thy  body, 
 what  thou  shalt  put  on  :  since  he  knoweth  thou  hast 
 need  of  all  these  things,  and  hast  sent  thee  to  the 
 fowls  of  the  air,  and  to  the  grass  of  the  field,  to  see 
 what  a  rich  provision  he  makes  for  them ;  art  thou 
 not  much  better  than  they  ?  O  !  pray  still  for  the 
 increase  of  faith,  that  all  thy  worldly  matters  being 
 resigned,  and  given  up  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord 
 thy  God,  thou  mayest  be  eased  of  many  weights  and 
 burdens,  and  mayest  run  with  more  patience  and  joy 
 the  race  that  is  set  before  thee. 
 
 As  these  fathers  in  Christ  learn,  by  daily  expe- 
 rience, to  live  more  upon  him  for  the  bread  that  per- 
 isheth,  so  do  they  for  the  bread  that  endureth  unto 
 everlasting  life.  They  attain  to  a  fixed,  settled  de- 
 pendence upon  Christ  for  the  conducting  of  all  things 
 belonging  to  their  state  of  grace,  to  their  comfortable 
 walk  in  it,  and  to  their  finishing  their  course  happily. 
 They  grow  in  the  knowledge  of  those  blessed  truths ; 
 are  more  grounded  and  better  established  in  them  ; 
 and  these  being  received  and  enjoyed  by  faith,  do 
 manifest  the  excellency  of  living  by  it  above  any  other 
 state,  except  that  of  glory. 
 
 L  They  are  pardoned  and  accepted  in  the  Be- 
 loved— in  him  made  partakers  of  every  covenant- 
 
142 
 
 mercy:  for  he  was  made  of  God  unto  them  wisdom, 
 righteousness,  sanctification,  and  redemption.  His 
 whole  salvation  is  theirs.  And  this  is  their  state 
 of  grace,  into  which  he  has  brought  them,  and  by 
 faith  put  them  into  the  present  enjoyment  of  it. 
 
 This  was  largely  treated  of  before,  but  cannot  be 
 too  much  insisted  upon,  both  because  there  is  growth 
 in  the  knowledge  of  the  covenant,  and  clearer  evi- 
 dence daily  to  be  had  of  the  believer's  interest  in  it, 
 and  also  because  the  love,  and  wisdom,  and  mercy 
 in  contriving,  the  power  in  executing,  the  grace  in 
 applying,  the  blessings  of  the  covenant,  are  all  infi- 
 nite. The  height  and  depth,  the  length  and  breadth, 
 of  those  divine  perfections,  cannot  be  fully  compre 
 hended.  They  surpass  knowledge;  so  that  if  a  be- 
 liever knows  a  great  deal  of  the  way  of  salvation, 
 yet  there  is  still  more,  far  more  to  be  known.  So 
 long  as  he  lives,  he  must  be  learning,  waiting  upon 
 the  divine  Prophet  for  his  inward  teaching,  and  he 
 will  become  more  dependent  upon  him  the  more  he 
 learns  ;  for  the  wiser  he  grows,  the  clearer  views  will 
 he  have  of  his  having  attained  as  yet  but  little  wis- 
 dom, which  makes  him  press  forward.  He  believes 
 that  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge  are  laid 
 up  in  Christ,  and  he  longs  for  more  knowledge  of 
 his  gracious  undertakings,  of  his  adorable  person, 
 and  of  his  full  and  free  salvation;  he  follows  on  to 
 know  the  Lord ;  he  advances  from  one  degree  to  ano- 
 ther, from  faith  to  faith,  and  is  not  satisfied  with  any 
 discovery,  until  that  which  is  in  part  be  done  away, 
 and  he  shall  know  even  as  also  he  is  known. 
 
 The  believer,  being  thus  satisfied  that  he  is  in  a 
 safe  state,  looks  up  to  the  Lord  to  keep  him,  and  to 
 
143 
 
 enable  him  to  walk  comfortably  in  it,  which  is  an- 
 other excellency  of  the  life  of  faith.  All  things  are 
 well  ordered  in  the  covenant  for  every  step  he  is  to 
 take :  all  treasured  up  in  the  fulness  of  Christ,  and 
 by  faith  received  out  of  it.  The  believer  has  many 
 enemies  opposing  him  in  his  way  heaven-wards;  but 
 in  Christ  he  has  strength  sufficient  to  conquer  them 
 all,  and  does  conquer  them.  His  worst  enemy,  that 
 gives  him  most  uneasiness,  is  indwelling  sin,  which  is 
 never  at  rest,  like  the  troubled  sea,  always  casting 
 up  some  of  its  filthy  motions  and  corruptions ;  so  that 
 when  he  is  in  prayer,  it  is  ever  trying  to  amuse  and 
 distract  the  mind  with  a  thousand  vain  and  idle 
 thoughts,  to  weaken  faith  by  its  carnal  reasonings 
 and  doubts  ;  or  when  he  is  in  any  holy  duty,  it  is  ever 
 present  with  him  to  hinder  him  from  doing  it  so  per- 
 fectly as  he  would.  Over  this  enemy,  there  is  no 
 victory  but  by  faith.  The  old  man  of  sin  defies  all 
 strength,  except  that  which  is  almighty,  and  there- 
 fore this  the  Lord  has  promised  ;  and  these  believers 
 had  experience  of  this  faithfulness,  whose  iniquities 
 he  had  pardoned,  and  who  declared,  "  He  will  sub- 
 due our  iniquities."  He  will  do  it :  he  is  engaged 
 by  promise,  by  office ;  it  is  his  glory  to  save  his  peo- 
 ple from  the  dominion  of  their  sins.  On  him,  there- 
 fore, they  depend  for  continual  victory,  and,  accord- 
 ing to  their  faith,  so  is  it  done  unto  them.  While 
 they  fight  against  sin,  relying  on  the  strength  of 
 their  Almighty  King,  they  always  conquer;  his 
 arm  subdues  the  strongest  lust ;  but  if  they  attack 
 the  weakest  without  him,  they  are  infallibly  con- 
 quered. And  this  has  so  often  happened  to  those 
 fathers  that  know  him  that  is  from  the  beginning, 
 
144 
 
 that  now  they  never  dare  go  down  to  battle,  but  with 
 their  eyes  upon  the  Lord.  He  has  taught  them 
 to  depend  wholly  upon  him  for  the  crucifying  of  the 
 old  man  of  sin  day  by  day ;  and  in  the  power  of  his 
 might,  armies  of  lusts  are  made  to  flee  before  them. 
 The  Captain  of  their  salvation  encourages  them  to 
 fight  on,  not  only  by  subduing  sin  in  them ;  but  also 
 by  making  this  the  earnest  of  their  having  in  him  an 
 absolute  mortification  of  sin.  By  faith  they  see  it, 
 and  his  victorious  grace  will  never  leave  them,  until 
 he  put  them  into  full  possession  of  it.  Thanks  be  to 
 God,  through  Jesus  Christ  their  Lord,  ere  long  they 
 shall  have  perfect  and  everlasting  victory  over  the 
 whole  body  and  being  of  sin. 
 
 2.  And  as  the  old  man  is  thus  crucified,  so  is  the 
 new  man  quickened  by  the  power  of  Jesus  received 
 by  faith,  according  to  what  is  written,  "  The  just 
 shall  live  by  faith."  The  justified  person,  by  his 
 union  with  Christ,  is  a  partaker  of  the  grace  of  life  ; 
 and  in  virtue  of  this  union,  he  lives  upon  Christ  as 
 a  member  does  in  the  body,  and  thereby  he  has  com- 
 munion with  the  Father  by  the  bond  of  the  Spirit ; 
 and  this  spiritual  life  is  begun  and  carried  on  by  faith  : 
 it  is  a  life  of  faith,  not  as  if  faith  quickened  a  dead 
 sinner;  for  Christ  is  our  life.  But  the  sense,  and 
 comfort,  and  strength  of  that  life  which  Christ  gives, 
 are  received  by  faith ;  and  these  are  according  as 
 faith  is.  If  faith  be  weak,  so  are  they.  As  it  grows, 
 so  do  they.  Which  discovers  to  us  another  wonder- 
 ful excellency  of  the  life  of  faith,  since  by  it  we  now 
 partake  of  spiritual  and  eternal  hfe :  "  For  he  that 
 believeth  hath  everlasting  life;"  hath  it  now,  is  already 
 passed  from  death  unto  life,  and  he  looks  up  to  the 
 
145 
 
 Lord  and  Giver  of  it  for  every  thing  needful,  and 
 expects  it  out  of  his  fulness.  Hear  one  of  these 
 happy  believers  thus  relating  his  case  : — *  I  am  dead 
 to  the  law,'  says  he,  'yet  alive  to  God;  I  am  cruci- 
 fied with  Christ,  and  am  a  partaker  of  the  merit  and 
 power  of  his  cross,  and  by  faith  I  have  in  him  an 
 absolute  crucifixion  of  sin  :  and  althoufTjh  the  old 
 man  is  thus  crucified,  yet  the  new  man  liveth :  never- 
 theless I  live,  yet  not  I — I  live  a  spiritual  life,  yet 
 not  I  as  a  natural  man ;  I  did  not  quicken  myself,  I 
 cannot  keep  myself  alive.  Christ  liveth  in  me,  he 
 is  the  author  of  my  life,  and  on  him  I  depend  for  the 
 continuance  of  it  in  time  and  in  eternity:  for  the  life 
 which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  while  I  am  in  this  body 
 of  sin  and  death,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
 God  ;  he  is  the  Author,  he  is  the  object  of  that 
 faith,  by  which  I  have  received  life  from  him  :  by  an 
 act  of  sovereign  grace,  he  quickened  me  from  a  death 
 in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  united  me  as  a  living 
 member  unto  his  mystical  body,  and  1  am  kept  alive 
 through  his  living,  acting,  and  working  in  me  by  his 
 Spirit;  he  dwelleth  in  my  heart  by  faith,  and  the 
 more  clearly  I  see  this,  the  more  do  I  love  and  en- 
 joy the  Prince  of  Life,  my  precious,  above  all  ex- 
 pression, infinitely,  eternally,  precious  Jesus,  who 
 loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me,  that  by  his  death 
 I  might  be  dead  to  sin,  and  by  his  resurrection  might 
 live  to  and  with  God  for  ever  and  ever.  Thanks  and 
 praise  be  to  thee  without  ceasing,  thou  dear  Lamb 
 of  God,  for  thy  love  to  me,  the  chief  of  sinners. 
 Let  all  thy  people  say,   Amen.' 
 
 This  is  the  happy  case  of  those  believers  who  are, 
 like   the  blessed  Paul,  strong  in  the  Lord  Christ. 
 G  4, 
 
146 
 
 By  his  death,  they  are  dead  to  sin,  and  because  he 
 liveth,  they  are  alive  to  God  ;  for  they  who  are 
 joined  to  the  Lord  are  one  spirit.  And  as  their 
 faith  increases,  they  have  more  spiritual  fellowship 
 with  Christ  in  his  death  and  resurrection,  not  only  in 
 the  merit,  but  also  in  the  efficacy  of  both ;  they  grow 
 more  dependent  upon  the  Lord's  strength,  and  he 
 daily  mortifies  in  them  the  old  man  of  sin  ;  and  as  he 
 grows  weaker,  their  other  enemies  have  less  power 
 over  them.  By  their  lusts,  Satan  tempts  them :  the 
 more  these  are  mortified,  the  weaker  will  be  his  temp- 
 tations. By  their  lusts,  by  the  lusts  of  the  flesh, 
 the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of  life,  the  world 
 tempts  them :  as  these  are  subdued,  they  will  be 
 more  crucified  to  the  world.  Christ  living,  dwelling, 
 and  reigning  in  them  by  faith,  will  day  by  day  weaken 
 the  strength  of  sin  and  Satan,  and  the  world ;  and  by 
 the  power  of  his  death  and  resurrection,  he  will  be 
 conforming  them  more  to  his  own  image  and  hke- 
 ness.  He  will  by  faith  enable  them  to  be  growing 
 up  into  him  in  all  things,  as  long  as  they  live :  they 
 will  be  going  on  from  strength  to  strength,  till  sin 
 and  death  be  swallowed  up  in  victory. 
 
 Until  that  happy  time  come,  he  has  appointed  cer- 
 tain means,  in  the  use  of  which  they  are  to  wait  for 
 the  continual  receiving  of  grace  from  him  to  deaden 
 the  old  man,  and  for  the  growth  of  the  new.  And  this 
 grace  they  receive,  not  merely  because  they  use  the 
 means,  but  because  they  use  them  in  faith,  expect- 
 ing his  presence  in,  and  blessing  upon  them.  Be- 
 lievers set  the  Lord  always  before  them,  and  look 
 through  the  means  at  him ;  for  without  him  they 
 are  good  for  nothing :  but  when  observed,  according 
 
147 
 
 to  his  mind  and  will,  as  acts  of  trust  in  his  promise, 
 and  of  dependence  upon  his  faithfulness,  they  then 
 answer  the  end  for  which  they  were  instituted,  and 
 become  the  means  of  spiritual  communion  with  him ; 
 and  thus  legal  duties  become  Christian  privileges. 
 One  of  these  means  is  attendance  upon  public  wor- 
 ship, the  ground  and  reason  for  which  is  Christ's 
 promise — "  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  toge- 
 ther in  my  name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them." 
 Two  or  three  believers  make  a  church,  when  they 
 are  gathered  together  in  the  name  of  Christ's  divi- 
 nity. By  faith  they  expect  the  fulfilling  of  his  pro- 
 mise, and  his  presence  in  the  midst  of  them  ;  and 
 they  are  then  most  spiritual  worshippers  when  they 
 are  looking  most  unto  Jesus,  and  enjoying  commu- 
 nion with  him.  What  are  their  prayers,  but  acts  of 
 faith  and  dependence  ?  "  Whatever  ye  shall  ask," 
 says  Christ,  "  in  my  name,  believing,  ye  shall  re- 
 ceive." Which  words  show  us,  that  prayer  is  nothing 
 worth  unless  it  be  presented  in  Christ's  name,  and 
 in  faith  relying  on  Christ's  promise  to  hear  and  an- 
 swer. The  object  of  prayer  is  the  Godhead  in  three 
 persons.  The  address  to  each  is  in  their  covenant- 
 offices,  and  the  petitions  to  each  should  be  according 
 as  they  stand  related  to  sinners  in  these  offices ;  and 
 the  communion  with  the  divine  Persons  is  thus  ex- 
 pressed— "  Through  Christ  Jesus  we  have  an  ac- 
 cess by  one  Spirit  unto  the  Father ;"  and  whatever 
 we  ask,  believing,  we  receive.  What  is  believers' 
 hearing  the  word  ?  Is  it  not  a  continual  dependence 
 upon  their  divine  Teacher  to  make  his  word  spirit 
 and  life  unto  their  souls  ?  They  expect  his  presence 
 to  enable  them  to  mix  faith  with  what  they  hear,  and 
 g2 
 
148 
 
 then  they  grow  thereby.  What  is  their  keeping  the 
 Lord's  day  ?  Is  it  not  to  express  their  behef  of  his 
 being  risen,  and  entered  into  his  rest,  and  of  their 
 having,  by  beheving,  entered  into  rest  also?  and  there- 
 fore they  wait  upon  Christ  in  the  ordinances,  to  keep 
 them  until  he  bring  them  to  his  eternal  sabbath,  to 
 that  rest  which  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God. 
 What  is  their  attendance  upon  the  Lord's  supper? 
 Is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  and 
 the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ,  a  real  partak- 
 ing by  faith  of  his  broken  body,  and  of  his  precious 
 blood-shedding,  and  of  all  the  benefits  of  his  passion  ? 
 In  these  and  all  other  ways  of  God's  appointment, 
 they  expect  Christ's  presence,  and  therefore  they  go 
 to  them  with  gladness  of  heart  to  meet  him.  He  is 
 the  dear  object  of  their  love,  and  he  grows  more 
 lovely  by  every  day's  experience.  They  taste,  and 
 see  more  how  gracious  he  is ;  and  therefore,  to  con- 
 verse with  him  in  prayer,  and  to  be  in  his  company 
 in  the  ordinances,  becomes  more  sweet  and  delight- 
 ful to  them.  Oh  !  what  hnppy  moments  do  they 
 therein  spend  !  All  the  great,  rich,  and  pleasant 
 things  in  the  world  are  less  than  nothing  compared 
 to  this  joy.  Communion  with  Christ  is  heaven  be- 
 gun ;  and  by  faith  they  enjoy  it,  and  nothing  can 
 rob  them  of  it  but  sin ;  which  makes  them  careful  in 
 their  life  and  conversation  to  please  their  gracious 
 Lord  :  they  depend  upon  him  to  teach  them  his  will, 
 and  to  give  them  strength  to  perform  it,  that  they 
 may  walk  before  him  in  all  well-pleasing.  What- 
 ever is  opposite  to  his  will  they  dread,  because  it 
 would  deprive  them  of  their  greatest  blessing,  even 
 communion  with  their  best  and  bosom  Friend.     Sin, 
 
119 
 
 viewed  in  this  light,  is  blacker  and  viler  than  all  the 
 devils  in  hell.  The  love  of  Christ  shows  sin  in  its 
 exceeding  sinfulness;  and  faith,  working  by  love  to 
 Christ,  gains  daily  victory  over  it.  He  who  has  the 
 love  of  Christ  in  his  heart,  will  be  thereby  sweetly 
 constrained  to  fight  against,  and  powerfully  enabled 
 to  conquer  sin ;  so  that  it  cannot  separate  him  from 
 his  beloved  Saviour,  nay,  it  shall  make  him  live  in 
 closer  and  nearer  connection.  The  motions  of  sin 
 within,  and  temptations  without,  to  which  he  is  con- 
 tinually liable,  will  show  him  the  necessity  of  living 
 in  a  settled  dependence  upon  the  grace  and  strength 
 of  the  Captain  of  his  salvation,  who  will  lead  him  on 
 conquering  and  to  conquer,  until  he  make  him  at  last 
 more  than  conqueror. 
 
 The  same  faith,  working  by  love,  has  gained  the 
 hearts  and  affections  of  believers  over  to  the  interest 
 of  holiness,  and  the  commandments  now  cease  to  be 
 grievous.  Love  to  Christ,  who  is  perfect  righteous- 
 ness and  holiness,  cannot  consist  with  the  hatred  of 
 either  ;  nay,  they  are  renewed  after  his  image  in  both, 
 and  renewed  in  knowledge,  that  they  might  know  his 
 precious  image,  and  renewed  in  heart,  that  they  might 
 love  it ;  therefore,  being  thus  created  anew  in  Christ 
 Jesus,  they  will  certainly,  in  the  inner  man,  delight 
 in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.  He  has  shed  his 
 love  abroad  in  their  hearts,  has  won  them  to  him- 
 self, and  now  nothing  is  dearer  to  them  than  that 
 everlasting  righteousness  by  which  he  justifies  them, 
 and  that  true  holiness  of  which  they  are  become  par- 
 takers in  him,  which  they  evidence  by  a  holy  walk, 
 and  in  which  he  will  present  them  holy,  and  unblame- 
 able,  and  unrebukeable,  before  the  Father.      Thus 
 
150 
 
 he  has  perfectly  secured  the  interest  of  holiness,  and 
 the  glory  of  the  most  holy  God ;  for  they  are  his 
 workmanship,  created  unto  good  works,  to  love  them, 
 to  do  them,  to  walk  in  them  as  the  way  to  the  king- 
 dom ;  and  they  live  by  faith  upon  Christ's  strength 
 for  will  and  power  to  do  them,  and  upon  his  inter- 
 cession for  the  acceptance  of  them,  laying  them  all 
 upon  the  golden  altar  that  sanctifieth  the  gifts.  Thus 
 their  whole  dependence  is  upon  Christ,  He  is  all 
 and  in  all  of  their  Christian  walk.  To  him  they 
 look  for  every  thing  needful  to  enable  them  to  glorify 
 God  in  their  lives,  and  to  show  forth  the  virtues  of 
 him  that  hath  called  them ;  on  his  grace  they  rely, 
 that  their  conversation  may  be  as  becometh  the  gos- 
 pel of  Christ,  and  that  they  may  adorn  the  doctrine 
 of  God  their  Saviour  in  all  things  :  and  they  find  in 
 him  a  sufficiency  of  grace,  yea,  they  can  do  all  things, 
 and  suffer  all  things,  through  Christ  strengthening 
 them.  Whatever  difficulties  they  meet  with  in  the 
 way  of  duty,  leaning  upon  their  Beloved,  he  carries 
 them  through  all, — whatever  temptations,  I  will  be 
 with  thee,  says  he,  in  the  hour  of  temptation ;  look 
 unto  me,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved, — whatever  enemies, 
 Fear  them  not,  says  he,  for  1  am  with  thee ;  be  not 
 dismayed,  for  I  am  thy  God  ;  I  will  strengthen  thee, 
 yea,  I  will  help  thee,  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the 
 right  hand  of  my  righteousness, — whatever  sorrows. 
 Your  sorrows,  says  he,  shall  be  turned  into  joy,  and 
 your  joy  no  man  taketh  from  you, — whatever  sick- 
 ness, I  will  strengthen  thee  upon  the  bed  of  languish- 
 ing, and  I  will  make  all  thy  bed  in  thy  sickness, — 
 whatever  poverty,  I  will  be  a  strength  to  the  poor,  a 
 strength  to  the  needy  in  his  distress, — whatever  per- 
 
151 
 
 secution,  Blessed  are  ye,  says  he,  who  are  persecuted 
 for  righteousness'  sake ;  I  pronounce  to  you,  I  will 
 make  you  blessed.  Thus  Christ  is  with  them,  and 
 none  of  the  evils  or  miseries  of  life  can  separate  them 
 from  him.  He  keeps  them  safe,  and  carries  them 
 through  all  their  trials  by  his  mighty  power;  and  they, 
 trusting  in  him,  find  that  he  makes  all  things  work 
 together  for  their  good. 
 
 What  a  blessed  life  is  this  !  Surely  there  is  none 
 like  it ;  for  the  life  of  faith  is  glory  begun :  the  pri- 
 vileges, the  happiness  of  it,  are  greater  than  can  be 
 described.  The  strongest  believer  upon  earth  may 
 daily  know  more,  and  may  experience  far  more,  of 
 the  comfort  of  walking  by  faith;  because,  as  they 
 grow  more  established  in  it,  they  will  be  receiving 
 more  power  over  sin,  and  will  walk  nearer  to  God. 
 Having  but  one  object  to  look  unto,  and  to  live  upon 
 for  all  things,  here  they  will  be  quietly  settled. 
 What  can  so  effectually  keep  them  from  being  tossed 
 to  and  fro,  as  to  have  all  fulness  treasured  up  for 
 their  use  in  Christ,  and  to  be  brought  to  a  fixed  de- 
 pendence upon  this  fulness,  and  to  live  upon  it  for  all 
 things  belonging  to  life  and  godliness  ?  Hereby  sweet 
 peace  will  be  established  within,  and  there  will  be  a 
 regular  walk  in  the  outward  conversation  :  the  whole 
 man  will  experience  what  the  Lord  has  promised  to 
 his  redeemed  people:  "  I  will  cause  them  to  walk  by 
 the  rivers  of  waters  in  a  straight  way,  wherein  they 
 shall  not  stumble."  He  leads  them  by  his  Spirit, 
 and  causes  them  to  walk  by  the  rivers  of  waters,  where 
 there  are  abundant  streams  of  grace  continually  flow- 
 ing; and  he  guides  them  in  a  straight  way,  that  they 
 shall  not  stumble  nor  err  therein,  but  shall  be  kept 
 
152 
 
 happily  to  the  end  of  their  course,  and  shall  finish  it 
 to  their  everlasting  joy. 
 
 And  this  is  another  inestimable  privilege  of  be- 
 lievers. Christ  has  engaged  to  keep  them  unto  the 
 end ;  and  having  begun  a  good  vrork  in  them,  he  has 
 promised  never  to  leave  it  until  it  be  finished.  What 
 a  strengthening  is  this  to  their  faith,  and  what  a 
 glory  does  it  put  upon  the  whole  life  of  faith,  that  it 
 is  a  life  which  cannot  perish  !  Believers  have  in 
 them  the  immortal  seed  of  eternal  life.  This  is  the 
 crown  of  all :  for  how  will  this  bear  them  up  under 
 crosses,  support  them  in  troubles,  carry  them  on  in 
 their  warfare  against  the  flesh,  the  devil,  and  the 
 world,  and  make  them  defy  all  dangers,  yea,  death 
 itself,  since  they  are  assured,  from  the  mouth  of  God 
 their  Saviour,  that  none  shall  pluck  them  out  of  his 
 hands  !  They  do  not  trust  to  themselves,  or  have 
 any  dependence  upon  grace  received,  but  they  rely 
 upon  the  faithfulness  and  power  of  Jesus,  who  has 
 given  them  abundant  evidence  that  he  will  water  them 
 with  his  grace  every  moment,  and  hold  them  up  by 
 his  strength,  and  they  shall  be  safe.  How  confident 
 were  believers  of  this  in  the  Old  Testament !  One 
 of  them,  who  had  attained  this  assurance  of  faith, 
 says,  "  Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow  me 
 all  the  days  of  my  life:"  and  he,  with  many  others 
 who  had  obtained  like  precious  faith  with  him,  de- 
 clare, "  This  is  our  God  for  ever,  he  will  be  our  guide 
 even  unto  death."  They  were  sure  he  would  be 
 their  God,  and  would  follow  them  with  mercy,  and 
 guide  them,  and  do  them  good  in  life  and  death. 
 
 To  the  same  purpose  our  Lord  has  promised  be- 
 lievers, "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them, 
 
153 
 
 and  they  follow  me,  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life, 
 and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck 
 them  out  of  my  hand."  How  confidently  did  he 
 trust  in  Christ  for  the  fulfilling  of  this  blessed  pro- 
 raise,  who  said,  "  I  am  fully  persuaded,  that  neither 
 death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor 
 powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor 
 height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be 
 able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in 
 Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  !"  Oh  !  sweet  words  of  com- 
 fort !  how  happy  was  Paul  in  this  assurance  of  faith  ! 
 It  is  thy  privilege,  believer,  as  well  as  his.  Thou 
 hast  the  same  promises  that  he  had,  the  same  God  to 
 fulfil  them,  and  tby  faith  ought  to  be  growing,  until 
 thou  be  assured  that  no  creature,  not  all  the  powers 
 on  earth,  nor  the  gates  of  hell,  can  separate  thee 
 from  Christ.  They  may  as  soon  get  into  heaven, 
 and  cut  off  Christ's  right  hand,  which  is  impossible, 
 as  cut  off  one  of  the  members  of  Christ's  mystical 
 body. 
 
 If  thou  art  ready  to  say,  *  I  see  clearly  how  I 
 should  glorify  my  dear  Lord,  and  how  happy  I  should 
 be  if  my  faith  was  but  like  Paul's  in  this  point ;  but 
 I  am  so  weak,  and  liable  to  fall,  and  mine  enemies 
 so  numerous  and  mighty,  that  I  sometimes  fear  I 
 shall  never  be  able  to  hold  out  unto  the  end.'  Be- 
 cause thou  art  such,  therefore  the  Lord  has  given 
 thee  his  promise  that  he  will  hold  thee  up,  and  thou 
 shalt  be  safe :  and  this  promise  is  part  of  the  cove- 
 nant, which  is  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure.  Look 
 at  that,  and  not  at  thyself. 
 
 Consider  the  Messeno-er  of  the  covenant,  in  whom 
 it  is  all  ordered,  and  by  whom  it  is  sure.  When  thy 
 g3 
 
154 
 
 unfaithfulness  would  discourage  thee,  think  of  his 
 faithfulness.  Let  thy  weakness  remind  thee  of  his 
 strength.  If  indeed  he  leave  thee  a  single  moment, 
 thou  wilt  fall ;  but  he  has  promised,  I  will  never  leave. 
 If  the  number  and  strength  of  thine  enemies  make 
 thee  fear  lest  thou  shouldst  one  day  perish  by  the 
 hand  of  Saul,  he  says  to  thee,  "  Thou  shalt  be  kept 
 by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith  unto  salvation." 
 But  if  thou  art  tempted  to  doubt,  finding  thy  revolt- 
 ing heart  apt  to  turn  from  the  Lord,  "  I  will  put  my 
 fear,"  says  he,  "  into  thy  heart,  that  thou  shalt  not 
 depart  from  me."  Observe,  it  is  his  faithfulness  and 
 power,  and  not  thine,  which  is  to  keep  thee,  and  has 
 covenanted  to  do  it,  and  he  has  al|  power  in  heaven 
 and  earth,  and  he  has  given  thee  promise  upon  promise 
 for  the  establishment  of  thy  faith,  that  thou  mightest 
 be  certain  he  will  love  thee,  and  keep  thee  unto  the 
 end :  and  when  he  has  brought  thee  to  a  certainty  of 
 it,  then  thy  comfort  will  be  full.  Christ  will  be  mag- 
 nified in  thee,  now  he  has  made  thee  one  of  those 
 fathers  who  have  known  him  that  is  from  the  be- 
 ginning. He  has  taught  thee  so  to  know  him,  as 
 to  trust  him  for  all  things,  and  in  all  times:  this  is 
 his  crown  and  glory.  He  has  enthroned  himself  in 
 thy  heart,  as  thy  perfect  Saviour,  and  his  kingdom  is 
 within  thee,  even  righteousness  and  peace  and  joy  in 
 the  Holy  Ghost.  Now  thy  calling  and  thy  election 
 is  sure.  Thou  knowest  that  he  is  faithful  who  hath 
 promised  to  keep  thee,  who  also  will  do  it.  And 
 having  this  assurance  of  faith,  attended  with  the  re- 
 joicing of  hope,  and  being  sealed  with  the  blessed 
 Spirit  to  the  day  of  redemption,  surely  thou  art  a 
 happy  man,  thrice  happy,  whom  the  Lord  hath  thus 
 
155 
 
 highly  favoured.  How  infinitely  indebted  art  thou 
 to  his  grace  !  Oh,  what  thanks  and  praises  dost  thou 
 owe,  more  than  thou  canst  ever  pay,  for  what  he  has 
 already  done  for  thee  !  and  yet  this  is  only  the  dawn- 
 ing of  the  perfect  day.  His  present  favours  are  only 
 earnests  and  pledges  of  what  he  will  hereafter  give 
 thee;  therefore  still  trust  in  him,  and  he  will  enlighten 
 thee  more  by  his  word  and  Spirit,  he  will  enliven, 
 strengthen,  and  establish  thee  more.  Thy  faith  will 
 daily  rest  more  assuredly  upon  him,  the  joy  of  thy 
 hope  will  increase,  thy  love  will  yet  more  abound : 
 he  will  guide  thee  by  his  counsel  in  an  even  course, 
 and  will  receive  thee  into  glory. 
 
 Thus  have  I  treated,  as  I  was  able,  of  the  safety 
 and  happiness  of  living  by  faith  upon  the  Son  of 
 God,  and  have  described  the  common  hinderances 
 which  stop  its  growth,  and  the  victory  over  them 
 which  the  Lord  gives  his  people.  I  have  been  forced 
 to  be  very  short,  and  could  only  throw  out  some  hints 
 upon  this  copious  subject.  May  the  good  Lord  par- 
 don what  is  amiss,  and  bless  abundantly  what  is  ac- 
 cording to  his  mind  and  will.  If  thou  hast  followed 
 me,  reader,  in  thy  experience,  and  art  indeed  a  happy 
 believer,  living  upon  thy  blessed  Jesus  for  his  pro- 
 mised heaven,  and  for  all  things  promised  to  thee  in 
 the  way  thither,  think  what  a  debt  thou  owest  him  ! 
 how  dear  and  precious  should  he  be  to  thy  heart ! 
 He  has  saved  thee  from  all  evil — he  will  bless  thee 
 with  all  good.  As  surely  as  thou  hast  the  earnest, 
 thou  shalt  have  the  purchased  possession.  Oh,  what 
 a  Saviour  is  this  !  he  has  already  bestowed  upon  thee 
 the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace ;  but  how  great  will 
 be  the  riches  of  the  glory  which  he  will  give  thee  ! 
 
156 
 
 Thou  wilt  soon  see  him  as  he  is,  and  then  thou  shalt 
 be  like  him.  No  tongue  can  tell  how  great  that 
 glory  will  be— —not  all  the  tongues  in  heaven,  after 
 the  number  of  the  elect  shall  be  perfected,  no,  not 
 after  they  have  enjoyed  it  for  millions  of  ages ;  never, 
 never  will  they  be  able  to  show  forth  all  his  praise 
 for  making  them  like  himself.  Surely  then,  whilst 
 thou  art  waiting  for  this  glory  which  shall  be  re- 
 vealed, thou  wilt  be  going  on  from  faith  to  faith, 
 that  thy  beloved  Saviour  may  become  dear  to  thee; 
 and  that  thou  mayest  have  more  close  and  intimate 
 communion  with  him.  Every  day's  experience  should 
 bring  thee  to  love  his  appearing  more.  Having  tasted 
 how  gracious  he  is,  thou  shouldst  be  longing  for  the 
 marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb  with  fervent  desire. 
 And  being  now  a  father  in  Christ,  and  strong  in 
 faith,  thou  wilt  be  often  looking  up  to  him,  and 
 saying, 
 
 Make  haste,  my  Beloved,  and  take  me  to  thyself 
 — let  me  see  thee  face  to  face,  and  enjoy  thee,  thou 
 dearest  Jesus,  whom  my  soul  longeth  after.  It  is 
 good  to  live  upon  thee  by  faith,  but  to  live  with  thee 
 is  best  of  all.  1  have  found  one  day  in  thy  courts, 
 conversing  sweetly  with  thee,  better  than  a  thousand  : 
 but  this  has  only  whetted  my  appetite;  the  more 
 communion  I  have  with  thee,  1  hunger  and  thirst 
 still  for  more.  My  soul  panteth  for  nearer,  still 
 nearer  communion  with  thee.  When  shall  I  come 
 to  appear  before  the  presence  of  God  ?  O  thou 
 Light  of  my  life,  thou  Joy  of  my  heart,  thou  know- 
 est  how  I  wish  for  the  end  of  my  faith,  when  I  shall 
 no  longer  see  through  a  glass  darkly,  but  with  open 
 face  behold  the  glory  of  my  Lord.      Thou  hast  so 
 
157 
 
 endeared  thyself  to  me,  thou  precious  Emmanuel,  by 
 ten  thousand  thousand  kindnesses,  that  I  cannot  be 
 entirely  satisfied,  until  I  have  the  full  vision  and  com- 
 plete enjoyment  of  thyself.  The  day  of  our  espousals 
 has  been  a  blessed  time.  O  for  the  marriage  of  the 
 Lamb,  when  I  shall  be  presented  as  a  chaste  virgin 
 to  my  heavenly  Bridegroom  !  How  can  I  but  long 
 earnestly  for  this  full  enjoyment  of  thy  everlasting 
 love  !  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  let  me  see  thee  as  thou 
 art ;  come,  and  make  me  like  unto  thee.  I  do  love 
 thee,  I  am  now  happy  in  thy  love,  but  not  so  as  I 
 hope  to  be.  I  am  often  interrupted  here,  and  never 
 love  thee  so  much  as  I  desire  ;  but  those  blessed  spi- 
 rits standing  now  round  thy  throne  are  perfected  in 
 love.  O  that  I  was  once  admitted  to  see,  as  they 
 do,  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ ! 
 Is  not  that  the  voice  of  my  Beloved,  which  I  hear 
 answering,  "  Surely  I  come  quickly  ?"  "  Amen,'* 
 say  I,  "  even  so,  come.  Lord  Jesus."  "  Make  haste, 
 my  Beloved,  and  be  thou  like  to  a  roe,  or  to  a  young 
 hart  upon  the  mountains  of  spices." 
 
 Are  not  these,  believer,  the  breathings  of  thy 
 soul  ?  Since  the  time  for  them  is  short,  may  they 
 grow  warmer  and  more  affectionate  every  day  !  Thou 
 wilt  wait  but  a  little  while  before  thou  shalt  see  the 
 King  in  his  perfect  beauty,  and  thou  shalt  be  a 
 blessed  partaker  of  his  eternal  glory.  And  if  he 
 make  these  few  lines  any  means  of  bringing  thee  to 
 see  more  of  his  beauty  at  present,  to  live  more  upon 
 his  fulness,  and  to  be  happier  in  him,  I  hope  thou 
 and  I  shall,  through  his  grace,  meet  him  soon,  and 
 give  him  to  eternity  the  glory  of  this  and  of  all  his 
 other  mercies.      To  the  Lord  I  commend  thee,  on 
 
158 
 
 whom  thou  hast  believed.  May  he  strengthen  and 
 establish  thy  faith  daily,  that  it  may  grow  exceed- 
 ingly, until  he  bring  thee  to  the  end  of  it,  and  admit 
 thee  into  that  innumerable  company,  who  are  ascrib- 
 ing blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  to 
 Him  that  was  slain,  and  hath  redeemed  them  unto 
 God  by  his  blood  :  to  whom,  with  the  Father  and  the 
 eternal  Spirit,  three  Persons  in  one  Jehovah,  be  equal 
 and  everlasting  praise  !      Amen. 
 
THE 
 
 WALK  OF  FAITH. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 THE  WALK  OF  FAITH. 
 
 Ever  since  the  '  Life  of  Faith '  was  published,  I  have 
 been  attending  to  the  doctrines  therein  advanced, 
 to  bring  them  into  experience.  Their  truth  has 
 appeared  to  me  from  the  word  of  God,  and  has  been 
 confirmed  by  their  being  accompanied  with  the  power 
 of  God.  His  divine  influence  attends  his  own  doc* 
 trines  to  this  day,  and  they  have  the  promised  effect 
 upon  the  heart  and  life  of  the  beHever.  They  are 
 mighty  through  God  for  all  the  purposes  of  salva- 
 tion. What  is  said  upon  the  subject  in  these  vo- 
 lumes, is  chiefly  in  this  experimental  way.  My  de- 
 sign is  to  bring  the  great  and  leading  points  of  our 
 religion  into  use  and  practice,  and  to  show  how 
 necessary  the  doctrines  of  grace  are  for  the  well 
 governing  of  the  Christian  walk.  Every  thing 
 needful  is  promised,  and  by  faith  is  received,  which 
 can  make  it  even  and  regular,  holy  and  happy. 
 
 The  apostle  Paul  complained  of  professors,  who 
 walked  not  according  to  the  gospel.  There  has 
 been  occasion  for  the  same  complaint  ever  since;  but 
 never  more  than  the  present.  Many  walk  at  this 
 day  who  make  some  profession  of  Christ,  and  yet 
 
162 
 
 never  attain  to  any  steadfastness,  but  are  tossed  to 
 and  fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doc- 
 trine, and  at  last  come  to  nothing. 
 
 Others,  pretending  to  be  better  settled,  attain  to 
 some  form  of  godliness,  but  are  without  the  life  and 
 power  of  it.  They  appear  to  have  some  notions  and 
 opinions  about  the  way  of  righteousness,  but  not  be- 
 ing taught  them  of  God,  nor  ever  brought  under  the 
 mighty  influence  of  them,  their  walk  is  therefore 
 very  uneven  and  irregular,  and  generally  in  the  end 
 brings  great  scandal  upon  the  name  and  cause  of 
 Christ. 
 
 We  have  also  many  at  this  day,  who  set  out  in 
 the  ways  of  religion,  but  never  felt  the  ruin  of  the 
 fall,  nor  the  plague  of  their  own  hearts :  these  are 
 commonly  very  confident  and  presumptuous;  they 
 make  a  shining  profession,  and  go  on  with  great  pa- 
 rade, until  they  come  to  be  tried,  and  then  in  the 
 time  of  temptation  they  fall  away. 
 
 There  are  others  who  are  the  real  children  of 
 God,  and  yet  do  not  walk  as  becometh  their  high 
 rank  and  dignity.  An  even,  holy,  happy  walk  with 
 their  reconciled  God  and  Father  is  their  privilege, 
 and  there  is  grace  sufficient  promised  in  Jesus,  and 
 to  be  received  by  his  Spirit,  to  enable  them  to  live 
 up  to  it,  that  they  may  walk  worthy  of  the  Lord 
 unto  all  pleasing.  Yea,  the  apostles  call  upon  them 
 and  encourage  them  to  be  going  on  and  advancing 
 in  the  right  way — "  Furthermore  then,  we  beseech 
 you  and  exhort  you,  brethren,  by  the  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ,  that  as  ye  have  received  of  us,  how  ye  ought 
 to  walk  and  to  please  God,  so  ye  would  abound  more 
 and  more."      How  few  follow  this  evangelical  ex- 
 
163 
 
 hortation  !  How  very  few  attain  and  preserve  in 
 their  consciences  the  sense  of  God's  being  perfectly 
 at  peace  with  them !  It  ought  to  rule  there  always 
 and  by  all  means:  but  for  want  of  it,  they  afford  con- 
 tinual occasion  for  a  legal  and  unbelieving  spirit  to 
 rob  them  of  their  peace,  and  thereby  to  distress  them 
 in  their  hearts.  As  guilt  comes  in,  love  goes  out. 
 What  weakens  the  cause,  must  also  weaken  the 
 effect.  Love,  with  its  fruits,  must  decrease  in  pro- 
 portion as  the  believer  withdraws  his  heart-depen- 
 dence  from  God.  Then  he  begins  to  walk  uneven 
 and  uncomfortable,  he  grows  cold  and  indifferent 
 about  spiritual  things,  he  gets  into  darkness  and  dis- 
 content, he  becomes  quite  unhappy  in  his  frame,  and 
 unthankful  in  his  affections :  whatever  was  the  cause 
 of  his  falling  into  this  decay,  it  began  at  the  root. 
 His  faith  was  attacked,  and  gave  way.  As  this 
 yielded,  the  decay  became  general,  and  it  was  found 
 true,  "  If  ye  will  walk  contrary  unto  me,"  saith  God, 
 "  then  will  I  also  walk  contrary  unto  you." 
 
 Reader,  if  thou  hast  the  faith  of  God's  elect,  thou 
 knowest  that  these  things  are  true.  Thou  findest 
 it  hard  work  to  maintain  peace  with  God  :  and  if  this 
 be  not  maintained,  if  the  foundation  give  way,  the 
 building  will  certainly  totter.  Look  well,  then,  to 
 the  ground-work.  Is  all  safe  there?  Dost  thou 
 see  the  infinite  glory  of  the  Saviour's  work,  when  he 
 made  peace  by  the  blood  of  the  cross,  and  does  this 
 silence  guilt  in  thy  conscience?  Canst  thou  at  all 
 times  draw  nigh  in  love  to  a  reconciled  God  ?  Does 
 not  the  sense  of  thy  failings  and  remaining  corrup- 
 tions keep  thee  at  a  distance  from  him,  and  render 
 thy  work  uncomfortable?    especially  when  without 
 
164 
 
 are  fightings,  within  are  fears.  If  it  be  very  diffi- 
 cult, under  such  trials,  to  preserve  a  sense  of  God*s 
 loving-kindness,  yet  it  should  be  remembered,  there 
 is  a  gracious  provision  made  for  the  establishing  of 
 the  soul  so  safely  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  the  peace  of 
 God  may  rule  in  it  always,  and  by  all  means.  Is  it 
 not  necessary  then  to  inquire,  what  this  provision  is — 
 how  it  may  be  received — and  how  it  may  be  made 
 use  of?  For  if  by  daily  practice  it  may  be  expe- 
 rienced in  its  divine  power,  it  will  then  have  the 
 same  happy  effect  which  it  had  upon  David :  "  I 
 will  run  the  way  of  thy  commandments,  when  thou 
 hast  set  my  heart  at  liberty."  May  thine  heart, 
 reader,  and  mine,  enjoy  more  of  the  liberty  of  the 
 children  of  God,  and  then  we  shall  not  only  go  for- 
 ward, but  also  run  fast;  and  may  nothing  stop  us 
 from  pressing  toward  the  mark,  till  we  win  the  prize 
 of  the  hi<Th  callinfj  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 Tiiis  has  been  my  constant  prayer  during  the 
 writing  of  the  following  Treatise.  It  was  the  fruit 
 of  reading,  and  meditating,  and  praying  over  those 
 scriptures  which  speak  of  the  walk  of  faith.  Such 
 reflections  as  used  to  occur  to  myself,  I  have  put 
 down ;  whether  it  was  in  searching  mine  own  heart, 
 or  in  begging  the  blessing  of  God  upon  the  text 
 then  under  consideration.  This  seemed  to  me  an 
 easy  method,  and  very  useful :  because  the  doctrine 
 would  lead  to  practice,  and  frequent  and  heart- 
 searching  meditations  would  tend,  under  the  teach- 
 ing of  the  Holy  Ghost,  to  an  increase  of  faith. 
 There  are  some  soliloquies  addressed  to  my  own 
 soul,  and  some  exercises  of  devotion  in  prayer  and 
 thanksgiving.      I  would  have  every  believer  to  con- 
 
165 
 
 sider,  whether  it  be  not  his  privilege  to  join  me  in 
 them,  and  to  make  ray  words  his  own.  If  he  can- 
 not follow  me  in  his  experience  after  the  fifth  chap- 
 ter, 1  pray  God  to  increase  his  faith,  and  that  this 
 book  and  his  experience  may  go  hand  in  hand;  and 
 that  he  may  attain  to  holy  fellowship  with  God  in  all 
 duties,  and  to  rejoice  in  God  at  all  times;  yea,  under 
 the  cross  itself,  and  to  go  on  conquering  and  to  con- 
 quer, till  the  good  fight  of  faith  be  over,  and  he 
 finish  his  course  with  joy. 
 
THE 
 
 WALK  OF  FAITH. 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 Whoever  *walks  with  God,  must  bejirst  acquainted 
 with  the  way  of -peace. 
 
 It  is  the  constant  usage  of  Scripture  to  represent 
 spiritual  things  by  material,  and  to  speak  of  the  fa- 
 culties and  actions  of  the  soul  by  terras  borrowed 
 from  those  of  the  body.  Walking  is  a  bodily  ac- 
 tion, and  consists  in  moving  and  going  from  one 
 place  to  another;  hence  it  is  applied  to  the  spiritual 
 walk.  The  soul  reconciled  to  God,  and  at  peace 
 with  him,  has  an  appointed  way  in  which  it  is  to 
 walk,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  grace  promised  to  them 
 who  are  in  Christ  Jesus.  This  is  enjoyed  by  faith, 
 and  therefore  the  Scriptures  call  the  beHever's  going 
 on  in  his  walk  with  God  from  strength  to  strength, 
 The  walk  of  faith,  "  We  walk  by  faith,"  says  the 
 apostle,  *'  not  by  sight." 
 
 When  man  fell  from  God,  he  lost  his  way,  and 
 had  neither  will  nor  power  to  return.  The  Old  Tes- 
 tament church  makes  this  confession — "  All  we  like 
 sheep  have  gone  astray,  we  have  turned  every  one 
 to  his  own  way.'* 
 
168 
 
 The  apostle  Peter  reminds  believers  of  this — 
 "  Ye  were  as  sheep  going  astray,  but  are  now  re- 
 turned to  the  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  your  souls." 
 To  which  agree  the  words  of  his  brother  Paul — 
 *'  There  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one ;  there  is  none 
 that  understandeth;  there  is  none  that  seeketh  after 
 God,  they  are  all  gone  out  of  the  way.''  The  whole 
 human  race,  say  the  oracles  of  truth,  is  gone  astray, 
 all  of  them  are  gone  out  of  the  way;  they  have  left 
 the  way  of  God,  and  turned  every  one  to  his  own 
 way;  they  are  unable,  like  a  poor  lost  sheep,  the 
 most  unable  of  all  creatures,  to  return,  yea,  they  are 
 unwilling  also ;  for  they  walk  not  after  the  Spirit, 
 but  after  the  flesh — carnaily-minded,  and  in  their 
 carnal  mind  enmity  itself  against  God  and  his  ways. 
 
 It  pleased  God,  in  the  exceeding  riches  of  his 
 grace,  to  reveal  to  those  wanderers  the  way  of  sal- 
 vation. Fie  made  it  knov.n  to  them  upon  the  fall; 
 and  believers,  from  that  time  forward,  saw  it  plainly, 
 and  went  on  in  it  comfortably.  Enoch,  Noah,  Abra- 
 ham, &c.  are  said  to  have  walked  with  God,  in  the 
 very  sam.e  way  afterwards  marked  out  by  the  written 
 word;  which  was  a  directory  to  the  Jews,  showing 
 them  how  they  should  walk  in  the  steps  of  the  faith  of 
 their  father  Abraham,  Age  after  age  God  raised 
 up  the  prophets  to  bring  his  people  into  the  king's 
 highway,  and  to  put  them  upon  praying,  that  they 
 might  be  kept  in  it.  By  the  mouth  of  his  servant 
 David,  he  gave  them  this  promise — "  Good  and  up- 
 riijht  is  the  Lord,  therefore  will  he  teach  sinners  in 
 the  way :  the  meek  will  he  guide  in  judgment,  and 
 the  meek  will  he  teach  his  way."  Encouraged  by 
 this  warrant  from  the  word  of  God,  sinners,  feeling 
 
169 
 
 their  wants,  were  led  to  pray — "  Show  me  thy  ways, 
 O  Lord  !  teach  me  thy  paths,  lead  me  in  thy  truth, 
 and  teach  me."  It  is  written  in  the  prophets — 
 *'  They  shall  all  be  taught  of  God — they  shall  all  be 
 taught  of  me,  from  the  least  of  them  unto  the 
 greatest  of  them,  saith  the  Lord."  If  any  of  his 
 children  lack  wisdom,  and  ask  it  of  God,  he  giveth 
 to  all  his  liberally,  and  upbraideth  not.  He  brings 
 them  by  his  word,  and  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  to  the 
 knowledge  of  themselves,  and  to  the  knowledge  of 
 the  true  God. 
 
 Divine  teaching  is  necessary  to  make  men  ac- 
 quainted with  themselves.  They  know  not  their 
 state,  nor  fear  their  danger,  until  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 according  to  his  office,  proceed  from  the  Father  and 
 the  Son :  then  he  convinces  them  of  sin,  of  the  ex- 
 ceeding sinfulness  of  it,  of  the  guilt  thereby  incurred, 
 and  of  the  wrath  deserved.  He  enlightens  the  un- 
 derstanding with  a  clear  sight  of  those  truths,  and 
 he  fastens  the  convictions  of  them  upon  the  con- 
 science. Then  they  find  that  they  had  been  blind 
 and  ignorant,  rebels  in  their  wills,  and  apostates  in 
 their  hearts  from  God.  He  makes  them  feel  the 
 corruption  of  their  nature,  and  the  error  of  their 
 ways,  in  which,  if  they  had  gone  on,  they  must  in- 
 evitably have  perished :  for  they  were  without  will, 
 and  without  power,  to  return  to  God.  When  they 
 were  made  to  see  it  right,  that  they  ought  to  return 
 and  to  repent,  yet  it  was  not  their  choice  to  come  to 
 him  in  the  way  of  believing.  They  found  they 
 could  not  believe,  unless  it  was  given  them  from 
 above.  Faith  is  the  gift  of  God,  and  cannot  be 
 received  but  by  the  mighty  operation  of  God.      He 
 
 H  4, 
 
170 
 
 must  put  forth  his  divine  power,  or  else  the  con- 
 vinced sinner  will  remain  utterly  helpless  and  hope- 
 iess,  shut  up  in  unbelief. 
 
 Thus  the  Lord  teaches  all  his  children.  He 
 makes  them  acquainted  with  their  fallen  state,  and 
 sensible  of  their  guilt  and  of  their  misery.  He 
 brings  them  to  the  right  knowledge  of  the  corruption 
 of  every  faculty  of  soul  and  body,  which  are  always 
 inclined  to  evil,  and  incapable  of  doing  any  thing 
 truly  good.  A  corrupt  tree  can  bring  forth  nothing 
 but  evil  fruit.  The  judgment  is  enlightened  to  see 
 this,  and  the  conscience  is  awakened  to  feel  this,  and 
 thereby  the  convinced  sinner  is  made  willing  to  be 
 taught  the  way  of  salvation.  The  Holy  Spirit  ful- 
 fils his  office,  bv  teaching  him  the  knowledge  of  God. 
 
 Our  blessed  Saviour  declares,  No  man  knoweth 
 the  Son  but  the  Father,  neither  knoweth  any  man 
 the  Father  save  the  Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the 
 Son  will  reveal  him ;  and  this  he  does  by  the  Holy 
 Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  who  is  therefore 
 given  to  the  children  of  God,  that  they  may  know 
 him  and  believe  in  him,  as  their  reconciled  Father  in 
 Christ  Jesus.  This  saving  knowledge  is  hid  from 
 the  worldly  wise  and  prudent,  but  it  is  revealed  unto 
 the  unlearned,  whom  the  Holy  Spirit  has  made  sim- 
 ple and  teachable  people.  To  them  he  reveals  the 
 things  of  God.      He  makes  them  acquainted  with  the 
 
 Nature  of  the  Godhead,  which  is  one.  There 
 is  one  Jehovah,  and  there  is  none  other.  And  also 
 with  the 
 
 Personality  in  the  Godhead,  Father,  Son,  and 
 Spirit.  These  three  exist  in  one  Jehovah.  They 
 took  those  names,  not  to  describe  their  manner  of 
 
171 
 
 existing,  but  their  manner  of  acting;  not  what  they 
 are  in  themselves,  but  how  they  stand  related  to  us 
 in  the  economy  of  redemption  :  for  the  Eternal  Three 
 entered  into  covenant  before  all  worlds,  and  agreed 
 to  sustain  certain  covenant  offices,  and  assume  naraeii, 
 or  characters,  descriptive  of  their  offices.  Father  is 
 the  title  of  that  divine  person,  who,  out  of  his  in- 
 finite grace,  gave  an  innumerable  company  of  sinners 
 to  his  Son,  upon  condition  that  he  would  be  mani- 
 fested in  the  flesh,  and  would  become  their  surety, 
 to  work  out  for  them  a  righteousness  in  his  life,  and 
 to  make  an  atonement  for  them  by  his  death,  and 
 then  he  would  be  his  Father  and  their  Father.  A 
 co-equal  and  co-eternal  person  accepted  the  condi- 
 tion, and  covenanted  to  be  made  man,  and  to  live 
 and  die  for  the  many  sons  whom  he  was  to  bring 
 into  glory;  therefore  he  took  the  name  of  Son,  Son 
 of  God,  Son  of  Man,  &c.  Another  co-equal  and 
 co-eternal  person  covenanted  to  breathe  life  into 
 them,  to  be  to  them  the  Spirit,  or  breath  of  life, 
 that  they  might  be  regenerate  from  a  death  in  tres- 
 passes and  sins,  and  be  made  the  children  of  God, 
 heirs  of  God,  and  joint-heirs  with  Christ ;  therefore 
 he  is  called  throughout  the  Scriptures,  the  Spirit,  or 
 the  breath  of  life.  He  makes  them  acquainted  with 
 the  covenant,  as  he  has  promised  :  "  The  secret  of  the 
 Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  him,  and  he  will  show 
 them  his  covenant."  He  will  open  to  them  the  na- 
 ture and  certainty  of  all  covenant  engagements  for 
 the  establishment  and  growth  of  their  faith.  The 
 covenant  was  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure;  it  was 
 ordered  by- the  counsel  and  purpose  of  the  Eternal 
 Three  concerning  the  heirs  of  promise,  whose  salva^ 
 n2 
 
172 
 
 tion  was  settled  by  two  immutable  things,  in  which 
 it  was  impossible  for  God  to  lie — his  counsel,  his 
 oath.  His  counsel,  the  result  of  his  infinite  wisdom, 
 confirmed  by  that  sacred  oath  which  cannot  possibly 
 be  broken.  Ail  his  perfections  stand  engaged  to  see 
 the  sovereign  decree,  thus  solemnly  ratified,  carried 
 into  execution;  for  what  was  ordered  is  sure — sure 
 as  the  throne  of  Jehovah,  unchangeable  as  his  na- 
 ture, durable  as  his  being.  Though  it  be  but  a 
 man's  covenant,  yet,  when  it  has  been  signed  and 
 sealed  according  to  law,  none  disannuUeth  or  addeth 
 thereto.  None  can  disannul  God's  covenant,  and  he 
 himself  will  not.  "  My  covenant  will  I  not  break," 
 says  he,  "nor  alter  the  thing  that  is  gone  out  of 
 my  lips."  I  will  not  add  thereunto,  nor  dimi- 
 nish from  it;  for  1  have  ordered  it  in  all  things.  I 
 have  not  left  one  single  thing  out,  not  the  least 
 circumstance;  I  have  settled  the  whole  plan  by  mine 
 unerring  wisdom,  and  I  will  fulfil  every  tittle  of  it  by 
 mine  almighty  power.  According  to  ray  will  the 
 course  of  nature  and  grace  is  infallibly  directed,  even 
 the  most  minute  events.  Every  hair  is  numbered. 
 Not  a  sparrow  falls  but  by  my  divine  decree. 
 
 How  safely  then  may  the  heirs  of  promise  depend 
 upon  a  covenant  God  !  and  whenever  they  flee  to 
 Jesus  for  refuge,  what  strong  consolation  may  they 
 draw  from  hence,  that  their  salvation  is  fixed  by  the 
 immutable  counsel  and  inviolable  oath  of  the  blessed 
 Trinity  ! 
 
 The  same  divine  Teacher,  who  enabled  them  to 
 believe  those  truths,  for  the  farther  establishment  of 
 their  faith,  led  them  to  discover  the  freeness  of  all 
 covenant  mercies.      They  are  promised  as  free  gifts. 
 
173 
 
 They  are  bestowed  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  free 
 grace.  They  are  not  conferred  upon  the  worthy, 
 but  upon  enemies,  upon  the  ungodly,  upon  sinners 
 as  sinners.  No  conditions  are  required,  no  pre-requi- 
 sites  are  expected.  The  motives  which  determine 
 God  to  show  mercy  to  sinners,  are  not  taken  from 
 any  good  in  them,  or  foreseen  to  be  in  them.  Not 
 for  works  of  righteousness  which  they  have  done,  or 
 can  do;  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saveth  them. 
 He  does  all  to  the  magnifying  of  the  honours  of  his 
 own  mercy.  His  covenant  was  so  contrived — car- 
 ried into  execution  by  the  life  and  death  of  Jesus 
 applied  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  that,  according  as  it  is 
 written,  He  that  glorieth,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord. 
 No  flesh  shall  glory  in  his  presence.  Boasting  is 
 for  ever  excluded  ;  because  all  is  of  grace.  Wisdom 
 to  teach  the  sinner  saving  knowledge,  righteousness 
 to  justify  him,  strength  to  keep  him,  comforts  to 
 bless  him,  heaven  to  receive  him — these  are  the  free 
 gifts  of  covenant  love :  for  by  grace  he  is  saved 
 through  faith,  and  that  not  of  himself,  it  is  the  gift 
 of  God  ;  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast. 
 Thus  would  the  Lord  hide  pride  from  man,  and 
 would  teach  him  practically  such  scriptures  as  this — 
 *'  Not  for  your  sakes  do  I  this,  saith  the  Lord,  be  it 
 known  unto  you,  but  for  mine  holy  name's  sake." 
 
 Closely  connected  with  this  divine  lesson  is  the 
 fulness  of  covenant  mercies.  Every  thing  needful 
 for  the  salvation  of  the  sinner  is  fully,  as  well  as  freely 
 provided  by  the  exceeding  riches  of  grace,  and  is 
 treasured  up  by  the  Father's  love  in  the  fulness  of 
 the  Son.  To  this  the  Spirit  bears  witness  in  the 
 word  of  truth,  and  seals  his  witness  upon  the  believer's 
 
174. 
 
 lleart.  It  pleased  the  Father  that  in  the  Word  made 
 flesh  should  all  fulness  dwell,  and  that  out  of  his 
 fulness  his  people  should  receive  grace  for  grace. 
 This  is  the  infinite  ocean.  There  is  not  a  stream, 
 not  a  drop  of  grace  to  be  had  but  from  hence :  Jesus 
 Christ,  as  God-man,  has  it  all  in  himself,  and  for  the 
 same  end  as  the  head  has  the  senses  in  itself.  He 
 has  it  to  communicate  to  his  members,  a  fulness  of 
 light  and  life,  of  sense  and  understanding,  of  love 
 and  joy,  yea,  of  every  spiritual  blessing.  On  him, 
 as  the  head  of  the  body,  the  church,  every  believing 
 member  is  directed  to  live.  On  him  must  he  de- 
 pend at  all  times;  and  to  him  must  he  go  for  all 
 things.  If  he  seek  pardon  and  peace,  righteousness 
 and  holiness,  a  supply  of  his  vi^ants,  strength  for  his 
 warfare,  comforts  under  his  miseries — if  he  expect 
 life  in  death,  and  life  eternal,  he  must  make  conti- 
 nual use  of  the  fulness  of  Jesus;  for  in  him  dwelleth 
 all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily.  It  dwelleth 
 in  him  as  in  an  overflowing  fountain.  The  Father's 
 love  to  his  adopted  children,  the  experience  of  it  by 
 the  grace  of  the  Spirit,  are  entirely  in  and  from  the 
 salvation  of  Jesus  Christ.  Out  of  his  fulness  comes 
 every  covenant  mfercy  of  the  Godhead,  and  in  a  rich 
 abundant  stream,  always  flowing  with  some  blessing 
 or  other  into  the  believer's  soul.  The  enjoyment 
 of  it  on  his  part,  may  not  be  always  alike  comfortable, 
 but  is  always  alike  sure  on  God's  part.  Nothing 
 can  stop  it.  Nothing  can  turn  its  course.  Unto 
 the  place  from  whence  the  rivers  come,  thither  they 
 return  again.  The  river  of  the  water  of  life  proceeds 
 out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  and  it  will 
 be  running  on  till  it  come  back  into  its  own   ocean. 
 
175 
 
 *'  The  water  that  I  will  give  him,"  says  Jesus,  speak- 
 ing of*  the  believer,  "  shall  be  in  him  a  fountain  of 
 water  springing  up  into  everlasting  life,  and  bringing 
 with  it  the  fulness  of  joy  and  pleasures  for  evermore." 
 
 No  man  will  see  any  reason  to  set  out  in  the  way  to 
 heaven,  until  he  be  made  acquainted  with  those  truths. 
 His  judgment  must  be  enlightened  with  the  know- 
 ledge of  them.  He  will  never  think  of  changing  his 
 course,  until  he  be  made  sensible  of  his  own  sinful  and 
 helpless  state ;  and  when  this  is  brought  home  to  his 
 conscience,  and  he  has  nothing  in  himself  left  to  trust 
 in,  then  he  will  be  led  to  look  abroad  for  help.  The 
 Spirit  of  God  will  teach  him  the  doctrines  of  grace, 
 the  nature  of  the  Godhead,  the  persons  in  the  God- 
 head, the  covenant  of  the  divine  Persons,  by  which 
 every  grace  and  blessing  was  freely  and  fully  pro- 
 vided, given  by  the  Father  to  the  Son,  in  whose 
 fulness  they  were  all  laid  up  for  the  use  of  his  body 
 the  church,  and  communicated  to  every  member  of 
 it,  through  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Thus 
 he  is  taught,  that  all  is  of  grace  from  first  to  last. 
 Whatever  good  a  sinner  receives  on  earth,  or  enjoys 
 in  heaven,  is  so  given,  as  to  exclude  all  boasting, 
 and  to  lay  every  proud  and  self-righteous  principle 
 in  the  dust,  that  grace  alone  may  wear  the  crown, 
 and  may  have  all  the  glory. 
 
 Here,  then,  O  my  soul,  is  matter  of  close  exami- 
 nation !  Dost  thou  know  thyself,  thy  state  and 
 condition,  and  hast  thou  fled  from  the  wrath  to  come? 
 Has  the  light  of  God's  word  shone  into  thy  under- 
 standing, and  made  thee  to  see  that  thou  art  indeed 
 set  out  in  the  way  to  heaven?  How  was  this  disco- 
 vered to  thee?     Did  the  Holy  Spirit  ever  convince 
 
176 
 
 thee  of  sin,  and  that  thou  hadst  lost  the  image 
 and  forfeited  the  favour  of  God  ?  Didst  thou  ever 
 see  thyself  fallen  in  Adam,  in  him  a  child  of  wrath, 
 a  ruined  miserable  sinner?  Hast  thou  felt  how  ut- 
 terly unable  thou  art  to  alone  for  thy  sins,  or  to 
 make  thyself  holy  ?  And  wast  thou  brought  to 
 submit  to  Christ's  righteousness  after  many  legal 
 trials  and  self-righteous  efforts? — at  last  forced  to 
 give  up  all  hope  in  thyself,  and  to  look  to  the  Lord 
 who  made  heaven  and  earth,  from  whom  alone  thy 
 help  could  come? 
 
 And  hast  thou  been  taught  the  true  knowledge 
 of  the  unity  of  the  Godhead,  and  of  the  Persons  in 
 it,  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  the  covenant  of  the  ever- 
 blessed  Three,  and  the  absolute  security  of  all  cove- 
 nant mercies  promised  by  the  Father,  and  engaged 
 to  be  given  to  the  Son,  as  the  head  of  his  body  the 
 church,  who  is  now  actually  as  God-man  in  possession 
 of  them,  and  by  his  Spirit  he  freely  and  fully  bestows 
 them  upon  his  members?  for  they  will  never  cease  to 
 be  receiving  out  of  his  fulness  grace  for  grace,  until 
 they  receive  out  of  the  same  fulness  glory  for  glory. 
 
 O  my  soul,  examine  closely,  and  prove  thyself  by 
 the  standard  of  the  divine  word.  Search  and  try, 
 what  the  conviction  of  thy  lost  estate  has  been.  Was 
 it  deep  and  practical  ?  Is  it  an  abiding  truth  with 
 thee,  that  there  is  no  help  or  hope  in  thyself?  And 
 hast  thou  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  of  the  hope  set 
 before  thee  in  the  Lord  Jesus?  Is  thy  knowledge 
 of  the  Godhead  mere  theory,  or  is  it  brought  into 
 practice?  Dost  thou  enjoy  the  Father's  love,  through 
 faith  in  the  finished  salvation  of  the  Son,  by  the  in- 
 fluence of  the  Holy  Spirit  ?    This  is  the  saving  know- 
 
177 
 
 ledge  of  the  Godhead.  And  is  this  thine?  Dost 
 thou  honour  the  divine  Persons,  by  acknowledging 
 their  immutable  counsel,  and  immutable  oath,  entered 
 into  for  the  security  of  the  heirs  of  promise,  that  they 
 might  trust,  and  not  be  afraid?  Dost  thou  see  with 
 any  clearness  the  absolute  safety  of  relying  upon 
 the  promises  of  God,  and  dost  thou  expect  to  draw 
 from  hence  comfort  to  thy  conscience,  and  joy  to  thy 
 heart  ? 
 
 If  thou  art  indeed  set  out  in  the  way  to  heaven, 
 art  thou  settled  in  the  knowledge  of  thy  fallen  state? 
 Hast  thou  found  thyself  unable  to  do  any  thing,  but 
 to  hasten  on  thy  ruin  ?  And  from  the  sight  and  sense 
 of  this,  hast  thou  been  led  to  see  all  undertaken  for 
 thee,  and  secured  to  thee  for  time  and  eternity,  in 
 the  covenant  of  the  ever-blessed  Trinity?  These 
 truths  lie  at  the  very  foundation  of  all  comfortable 
 walking  with  God.  See  that  thou  be  well  grounded 
 in  them.  The  knowledge  of  thyself  is  to  bring  thee 
 to  God :  the  knowledge  of  God  is  to  lead  thee  to 
 walk  with  him.  The  one  is  to  teach  thee  to  renounce 
 all  trust  in  thyself:  the  other  is  to  show  thee  that 
 thou  mayest  safely  place  the  confidence  of  thy  heart 
 on  thy  reconciled  Father,  thy  Saviour,  and  thy  Guide. 
 Look  up  to  him  then,  O  my  soul,  and  be  often  pray- 
 ing to  him,  and  saying — 
 
 O  Lord  God  !  that  which  I  see  not,  teach  thou 
 me.  Keep  me  an  humble  disciple  in  the  school  of 
 Christ.  Let  me  be  daily  learning  there,  what  I 
 am  in  myself,  a  fallen  sinful  creature,  justly  deserv- 
 ing everlasting  destruction  from  thy  presence.  O 
 let  me  never  lose  sight  of  my  want  of  a  Saviour,  nor 
 ever  be  without  the  sense  of  what  he  said — "  With- 
 
 H  3 
 
178 
 
 out  me  ye  can  do  nothing."  Teach  me  this,  thou 
 eternal  Spirit.  Open  thou  mine  understanding  to 
 understand  the  Scriptures.  What  thou  hast  re- 
 vealed in  them  concerning  the  Godhead,  and  concern- 
 ing the  counsels  and  works  of  the  ever-blessed  Tri- 
 nity, that  reveal  to  my  soul.  Thou  hast  declared, 
 that  no  man  can  say  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost:  O  shine  then  into  my  dark  mind,  and 
 lead  me  into  the  saving  knowledge  of  the  Lord  Jesus* 
 Make  me  acquainted  with  his  covenant  undertakings, 
 and  his  perfect  fulfilling  of  them,  that,  by  resting  on 
 his  finished  salvation,  I  may  find  the  Father's  love  in 
 the  Son,  his  Father  my  Father,  and  may  be  brought, 
 through  thy  blessed  influence,  to  have  fellowship  with 
 the  Father  and  the  Son.  O  lead  me  into  all  truth, 
 thou  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  that  I  may  know 
 the  things  which  belong  to  my  peace,  and  may,  through 
 thee,  be  made  wise  unto  salvation  !      Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  IL 
 
 The  believer  is  reconciled  to  God,  and  has  the  peace  of  God 
 ruling  in  his  conscience ;  and  they  tivo  walk  together, 
 because  they  are  nova  agreed. 
 
 It  is  written  in  the  prophets — "  They  shall  be 
 all  taught  of  God"— every  one  of  his  children  shall 
 be  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  what 
 they  have  been  taught  in  the  understanding  shall  be 
 made  practical,  that  it  may  have  its  proper  elFect  upon 
 the  conscience.      And  this  is  answered,  when  it  comes 
 
179 
 
 under  the  authority  and  power  of  the  word  of  God, 
 and  faithfully  accuses  or  condemns  according  to  that 
 unerring  rule. 
 
 Conscience  supposes  the  knowledge  of  some  rule, 
 and  it  consists  in  comparing  a  man's  state  or  actions 
 with  that  rule,  in  order  to  discover  whether  they  agree 
 with  it  or  not. 
 
 The  rule  is  the  Scripture,  the  whole  revealed  will 
 of  God,  which  is  the  unerring,  and  the  only  stan- 
 dard of  right  and  wrong :  for  all  Scripture  is  given 
 by  the  inspiration  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  doc- 
 trine, to  teach  the  man  of  God  what  is  truth,  and  to 
 make  him  wise  in  it  unto  salvation.  Fallen  man 
 has  no  means  of  discovering  the  will  of  God,  but  as 
 it  is  revealed  to  him.  He  has  no  innate  knowledge. 
 He  has  no  implanted  principles.  He  is  born  as  ig- 
 norant of  God,  and  of  the  things  of  God,  as  a  wild 
 ass's  colt.  His  understanding  is  darkened,  being 
 alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  through  the  igno- 
 rance that  is  in  him,  because  of  the  blindness  of  his 
 heart.  And  he  has  no  means  in  his  own  power  of 
 attaining  any  divine  knowledge;  for  he  cannot,  by 
 searching,  find  out  God.  The  world  by  its  wis- 
 dom never  did  find  him  out.  The  Hottentots  know 
 as  much  of  him  as  the  Greeks  and  Romans  did : 
 indeed  the  natural  man,  let  him  be  ever  so  wise, 
 knoweth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  neither 
 can  he  know  them  ;  because  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
 cerned. 
 
 The  Scripture,  then,  is  the  only  rule  of  right  and 
 wrong.  Conscience  has  no  direction  but  this  rule. 
 Neither  ethics  nor  metaphysics,  no  fancied  light  of 
 dark  nature,  no  lawless  law  of  rebel  nature,  no  hu- 
 
180 
 
 man  science,  whether  pretended  to  be  implanted,  or 
 by  the  use  of  reason  to  be  acquired,  have  any  right 
 to  guide  the  conscience.  These  are  blind  leaders 
 of  the  blind ;  they  undertake  what  they  are  not  only 
 unfit,  but  what  they  have  no  warrant  for.  A  parcel 
 of  felons  in  jail  may  think  what  they  will  of  their 
 state.  They  may  take  it  upon  them  to  form  a  mock 
 court,  and  to  try  one  another.  They  may  acquit 
 or  condemn  as  they  please;  but  the  judge  and  the 
 jury  will  pay  no  regard  to  their  foolish  proceedings. 
 There  is  a  word  which  is  to  try  us  at  the  last  day, 
 and  by  that  we  should  try  ourselves  at  present.  It 
 was  revealed  for  this  purpose.  And  when  the  re- 
 vealed truth  is  clearly  understood,  then  conscience 
 is  acting  aright,  if  it  finds  a  true  verdict  for  God, 
 either  accusing,  or  else  excusing,  according  to  the 
 direction  of  his  unerring  word. 
 
 And  this  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He 
 enlightened  the  judgment  with  the  knowledge  of  the 
 truth,  in  order  to  make  it  practical;  which  he  effects 
 by  bringing  the  conscience  to  submit  to  the  sove- 
 reignty of  God  in  the  law,  and  to  submit  to  the  right- 
 eousness of  God  in  the  gospel.  Herein  he  displays 
 the  omnipotent  power  of  his  grace,  according  to  the 
 promise.  He  carries  with  demonstration  the  convic- 
 tion of  guilt,  and  the  conviction  of  righteousness,  to 
 the  conscience.  By  the  former,  he  gives  the  sinner  a 
 real  heart-felt  sense  of  his  sin  and  misery,  and  he 
 acknowledges  himself  a  convict  of  the  law,  justly  de- 
 serving all  its  penalties  in  time  and  eternity.  By 
 the  latter,  he  sets  open  a  door  of  hope,  showing  him 
 the  perfect  righteousness  of  the  God-man,  wrought 
 out  for  such  guilty  creatures  as  he  is  :  he  enables  him 
 
181 
 
 to  plead  it  before  the  throne,  and  to  trust  in  it  for 
 his  acceptance ;  by  which  means,  he  finds  relief  in 
 his  conscience,  and  comfort  in  his  heart.  Being  jus- 
 tified by  faith,  he  has  peace  with  God,  through  Jesus 
 Christ  our  Lord. 
 
 What  the  Holy  Spirit  teaches,  has  life  as  well  as 
 light  in  it.  He  accompanies  his  doctrine  with  the 
 power  of  God.  What  he  has  revealed  concerning 
 the  state  of  mankind  under  the  fall,  he  applies  with 
 divine  evidence  to  the  conscience.  Under  his  in- 
 fluence, the  sinner  reads  those  scriptures,  and  feels 
 the  truth  of  them  :  "  As  by  one  man  sin  entered 
 into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin,  so  death  passed 
 upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned :  through  the 
 offence  of  one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  con- 
 demnation :  for  it  is  written.  There  is  none  righteous, 
 no,  not  one  :  there  is  none  that  understaudeth,  there 
 is  none  that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all  gone 
 out  of  the  way,  they  are  together  unprofitable;  there 
 is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one.  Now  we 
 know,  that  what  things  soever  the  law  saith,  it  com- 
 mands them  who  are  under  the  law ;  that  every  mouth 
 may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world  may  become  guilty 
 before  God."  His  mouth  is  stopped.  He  has  no 
 plea  to  make.  No  excuse  left.  What  the  law  saith 
 he  subscribes  to.  The  law  brings  him  in  guilty  be- 
 fore God,  and  in  his  conscience  he  bears  his  testi- 
 mony to  the  law.  He  acknowledges  it  to  be  holy, 
 just,  and  good,  even  in  its  penalties,  which  he  deserves 
 to  suffer.  Formerly  he  tried  in  his  own  strength,  and 
 took  great  pains  to  escape  them,  but  now  he  gives 
 over  all  those  self-righteous  attempts.  He  found 
 that  he  laboured  in  vain  to  atone  for  his  sins,  or  to= 
 
182 
 
 make  himself  holy.  He  groans,  being  burdened, 
 under  the  ruins  of  the  fall.  His  ignorance,  rebel- 
 lion, apostacy,  his  corruption  in  every  faculty  of  soul 
 and  body,  render  hira  unable  to  take  one  step  in  his 
 return  to  God.  He  owns  it,  and  confesses,  that 
 without  Christ  he  can  do  nothing. 
 
 O  my  soul,  consider  whether  God  has  taught  thee 
 this  knowledge  of  thyself.  It  is  absolutely  neces- 
 sary to  reconcile  thee  to  him  and  to  his  ways.  Thou 
 wilt  never  heartily  agree  to  walk  with  him  by  faith, 
 so  long  as  thou  hast  any  thing  of  thine  own  to  trust 
 in,  or  to  draw  comfort  from.  Examine  then  ;  art 
 thou  sensible  of  thy  fall,  and  dost  thou  feel  the  sad 
 effects  of  it  ?  Dost  thou  know  what  it  is  to  be  alie- 
 nated from  the  life  of  God  ?  What !  dost  thou  find 
 to  this  day  the  opposition  of  thy  sinful  nature  to  the 
 holy  law,  the  flesh  lusting  in  thee  against  the  Spirit? 
 Has  God  thus  convinced  thee  of  sin  ?  If  he  has, 
 then  in  thy  conscience  thou  submittest  to  what  the 
 law  says  of  thy  state.  Thy  mouth  is  stopped,  and 
 thou  art  guilty  before  God.  Thou  hast  nothing  of 
 thine  own  to  urge  in  arrest  of  judgment.  This  is  an 
 enlightened  conscience ;  so  far  as  it  speaks  for  God, 
 and  is  guided  by  his  unerring  word.  O  pray  to  the 
 Lord  the  Spirit,  and  beg  of  him  to  guide  thee  into 
 all  truth,  that  he  may  bring  thy  conscience  to  submit 
 to  the  righteousness  of  Jesus,  and  to  be  a  faithful  wit- 
 ness for  him. 
 
 This  is  his  proper  work  in  the  soul,  and  what  he 
 undertook  in  the  everlasting  covenant.  *  When  he 
 is  come,'  says  Christ,  '  he  shall  convince  the  world 
 of  righteousness ;  he  shall  testify  of  me,  that  I  am 
 made  of  God  righteousness  to  believers ;  and  he  shall 
 
183 
 
 glorify  me,  as  Jehovah  their  righteousness :  thus  he 
 shall  teach  them  my  righteousness,  with  which  the 
 Father  is  satisfied ;  and  he  shall,  through  faith,  apply 
 it  effectually  to  their  consciences,  and  they  shall  also 
 be  satisfied  with  it.'  Being  justified  by  faith,  they 
 shall  have  peace  with  God,  through  their  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 Righteousness  is  a  perfect  conformity  to  the  law : 
 if  it  be  tried  by  the  balance  of  the  sanctuary,  it  is 
 full  weight;  if  by  the  standard,  it  is  full  measure; 
 if  judgment  be  laid  to  the  line  and  righteousness  to 
 the  plummet,  it  is  quite  upright.  There  is  no  de- 
 fect in  it  of  any  kind.  This  is  the  righteousness  of 
 the  law-i— it  must  be  perfect  and  continual,  failing  in 
 no  one  point :  for  the  unrighteous  shall  not  inherit 
 the  kingdom  of  God.  And  it  is  an  adjudged  case, 
 that  there  is  none  righteous,  no,  not  one.  It  is  left 
 upon  record,  that  all  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of 
 the  glory  of  God:  therefore,  by  the  deeds  of  the 
 law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight. 
 
 When  the  Holy  Spirit  has  convinced  a  sinner  of 
 his  being  in  this  unrighteous  state,  then  it  becomes 
 an  important  inquiry — how  can  the  Judge  of  all  the 
 earth  ever  look  upon  and  treat  a  sinner,  as  if  he  was 
 a  righteous  person  ?  To  which  the  gospel  answers 
 directly — "  God  hath  made  Christ  to  be  sin  for  us, 
 who  knew  no  sin,  that  we  might  be  made  the  right- 
 eousness of  God  in  him."  This  was  agreed  upon 
 in  the  covenant  of  the  Eternal  Three.  The  Fathet 
 undertook  to  maintain  the  honour  and  dignity  of  his 
 law  and  justice.  His  co-equal  Son  undertook  for 
 his  people  to  come  in  their  nature,  and  to  stand  in 
 their  place  and  stead ;  to  act  for  them,  and  to  suffer 
 
184 
 
 for  them.  As  their  surety,  he  made  himself  answer- 
 able for  their  debt  of  obedience,  and  for  their  debt  of 
 suffering.  Accordingly,  when  the  great  Law-fulfiller 
 cometh  into  the  world,  he  saith,  "  Lo,  I  come  to  do 
 thy  will,  O  God  !'*  He  did  it  in  his  infinitely  holy 
 life,  in  which  he  magnified  the  precepts  of  the  law, 
 and  made  them  everlastingly  honourable.  He  suf- 
 fered it  in  his  infinitely  holy  passion,  bearing  the  sins 
 and  sorrows  of  his  people,  their  curse  and  wrath,  in 
 his  body  and  soul  upon  the  tree,  until  the  immense 
 debt  being  paid,  he  cried  out,  in  the  triumph  of  a 
 conquering  though  a  dying  Jesus,  "  It  is  finished ;" — 
 for  through  death  he  conquered  death,  and  him  that 
 had  the  power  of  death  ;  that  is,  the  devil :  he  fin- 
 ished the  transgression,  and  made  an  end  of  sins,  and 
 made  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  brought  in  ever- 
 lasting righteousness. 
 
 This  is  the  great  leading  truth  of  the  gospel,  in 
 which  the  peace  of  conscience  is  principally  concerned. 
 The  justly-offended  God  is  here  revealed  under  the 
 character  of  a  reconciled  Father.  He  gave  his  Son 
 to  be  a  covenant  of  the  people,  who  was  to  fulfil  all 
 covenant  engagements  for  them ;  and  he  has  fulfilled 
 them  all.  The  end  of  his  living  and  dying  for  them 
 is  answered.  He  has  finished  the  transgression,  and 
 has  made  peace  by  the  blood  of  the  cross.  He  has 
 brought  in  everlasting  righteousness  by  his  divine 
 obedience,  and  the  Lord  is  well  pleased  with  him  for 
 his  righteousness'  sake;  yea,  he  is  well  pleased  also 
 with  his  body,  the  church.  He  looks  upon  all  the 
 members,  as  he  looks  upon  the  Head.  He  accepts 
 them  in  the  Beloved.  He  beholds  them  in  him  with 
 perfect  delight,  and  rests  in  his  love.      He    is  his 
 
185 
 
 Father,  and  their  Father.  He  is  related  to  his  whole 
 family  in  heaven  and  earth  in  the  closest  bonds  of 
 fatherly  affection,  and  he  makes  his  love  known  to 
 them,  and  sheds  it  abroad  in  their  hearts  by  the  Holy 
 Ghost.  He  would  have  all  his  children  to  address 
 him  under  his  dear  name — "  Our  Father,  which  art 
 in  heaven ;"  and  to  expect  from  his  fatherly  love  all 
 spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 When  this  comfortable  doctrine  is  received  into 
 the  conscience,  it  silences  guilt,  and  produces  peace 
 with  God.  The  gospel  comes  with  full  authority 
 to  establish  it  in  the  conscience:  for  it  is  therein  re- 
 vealed and  proposed  to  our  belief,  under  the  charac- 
 ter of  a  divine  record,  made  authentic  and  properly 
 enrolled  in  the  court  of  heaven.  The  witnesses  are 
 the  Eternal  Three.  Their  record  is  in  the  nature 
 of  a  covenant,  confirmed  by  their  joint  counsel,  and 
 ratified  by  their  joint  oath — the  two  immutable  things 
 in  which  it  is  impossible  for  God  to  lie.  He  gra- 
 ciously vouchsafed  to  give  the  heirs  of  promise  this 
 perfect  security  for  their  salvation,  that,  after  they 
 had  fled  to  Jesus  for  refuge,  there  might  be  an  end 
 of  all  strife  in  their  consciences,  and  they  might 
 have  strong  consolation.  Accordingly  we  read— 
 "  There  are  Three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the 
 Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  these 
 Three  are  one."  A  record  among  men,  is  an  authen- 
 tic testimony  in  writing,  entered  by  authority  in  one 
 of  the  king's  courts,  in  order  to  preserve  the  proceed- 
 ings had  upon  any  suit.  This  record  contains  the 
 final  determination  of  the  judges  in  that  cause,  and 
 is  their  memorial  of  it,  and  therefore  imports  in  itself 
 such  uncontrollable  evidence,  as  to  admit  of  no  proof 
 
186 
 
 to  the  contrary.  The  matter  of  the  record  is  never 
 allowed  to  be  tried  by  a  jury,  but  is  of  such  credit  as 
 not  to  be  questioned  in  any  instance.  This  is  the 
 nature  of  a  record  in  law.  And  if  we  receive  the 
 witness  of  men,  certainly  the  witness  of  God  is 
 greater;  for  this  is  the  witness  of  God,  which  he 
 hath  witnessed  of  his  Son,  namely,  "  He  hath  given 
 to  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son."  To 
 which  the  Spirit  beareth  witness,  because  the  Spirit 
 is  truth.  He  has  revealed  the  covenant  of  life  and 
 peace,  which  was  between  the  Father  and  the  Son  : 
 he  has  entered  it  upon  record,  and  every  word  of  the 
 record  may  be  pleaded ;  for  it  is  allowed  to  be  good 
 and  valid  in  the  court  of  heaven.  As  a  powerful 
 advocate,  he  pleads  the  perfect  fulfiUing  of  all  right- 
 eousness in  the  life  and  death  of  the  God-man;  and 
 the  Father's  perfect  acceptance  of  what  he  did  and 
 suffered,  as  the  full  redemption-price  for  all  his  people, 
 and  he  carries  his  cause  in  the  court  of  conscience. 
 The  awakened  sinner  is  convinced  that  the  work  of 
 Jesus  is  a  finished  salvation,  and  that  the  divine  re- 
 cord is  a  sufficient  warrant  for  him  to  believe  in  it. 
 Accordingly  he  gives  it  credit,  and  is  enabled  to 
 plead  it  against  guilt  and  fear.  Upon  which  he  finds 
 peace  with  God.  Trusting  to  the  blood  of  sprink- 
 ling for  pardon,  and  to  the  righteousness  of  Jesus 
 for  acceptance ;  he  then  sees  God  reconciled  to  him, 
 and  that  reconciles  him  to  God,  and  by  the  Spirit  of 
 adoption  he  cries,   "  Abba,  Father." 
 
 But  perhaps  it  may  be  said,  '  I  believe  this,  but 
 I  do  not  find  peace  in  my  conscience.'  Nay,  but 
 you  do  not  believe  it :  if  you  did,  it  would  certainly 
 bring  present  relief;  for  guilt  comes  from  the  broken 
 
187 
 
 la%  and  from  the  apprehension  of  punishment  de- 
 served :  but  the  law  has  been  restored  to  its  dignity, 
 and  made  infinitely  honourable  by  the  righteousness 
 of  Jesus — how  can  you  believe  this,  and  yet  be  un- 
 der guilt  ?  The  punishment  was  laid  upon  Jesus, 
 and  he  suffered  all  that  was  due  to  his  people,  as 
 their  atoning  sacrifice — how  can  you  believe  this, 
 and  yet  fear  that  justice  will  punish  you?  A  debtor 
 would  not  fear  to  be  arrested,  if  his  surety  had  paid 
 the  sura,  and  got  him  a  full  discharge.  A  felon, 
 with  the  king's  pardon  in  his  pocket,  would  dishon- 
 our it  greatly,  if  he  was  to  live  in  continual  dread 
 and  terror  of  suffering  for  his  crime.  Examine  care- 
 fully, and  pray  for  the  right  understanding  of  your 
 case :  and  depend  upon  it,  you  will  find  that  either 
 you  do  not  believe  the  matter  of  fact,  or  the  record 
 concerning  it. 
 
 The  matter  of  fact  is  the  method  provided  for 
 quieting  the  guilty  conscience — a  provision  of  ex- 
 ceeding rich  grace,  and  of  everlasting  efficacy.  The 
 Father  gave  the  Son  to  be  the  surety  for  his  people, 
 and  to  live  and  to  die  for  them,  and  in  their  stead. 
 The  Son  has  finished  the  work  which  the  Father 
 gave  him  to  do,  and  is  become  the  author  of  their 
 eternal  salvation. 
 
 The  record  of  this  fact  is  in  the  Scripture.  Fa- 
 ther, Son,  and  Spirit,  the  three  witnesses  in  heaven, 
 have  by  covenant  and  oath  attested,  that  there  is  life 
 for  every  one  who  believeth  in  Jesus.  "  God  so  loved 
 the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that 
 whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but 
 have  everlasting  life." 
 
 Now,   consider,  of  what   do  you   doubt?     Has 
 
188 
 
 Jesus  made  full  atonement  for  sin,  and  brought  in 
 everlasting  righteousness?  Has  the  Father  demon- 
 strated, again  and  again,  his  perfect  delight  in  his 
 person,  and  his  infinite  satisfaction  in  his  work  ? 
 Certainly  you  cannot  question  this  doctrine,  if  you 
 believe  the  Scripture  to  be  a  divine  revelation.  Do 
 you  doubt,  then,  of  God's  free  promise,  or  his  faith- 
 fulness to  fulfil  it  ?  What !  can  his  word  be  broken  ? 
 Can  his  promise  fail  ?  His  word  and  promise,  rati- 
 fied in  the  immutable  covenant,  and  sealed  with  the 
 immutable  oath  of  the  Eternal  Three  ?  This  is  your 
 warrant  to  believe;  and  do  you  question  the  veracity 
 of  it?  "  He  that  believeth  not  God,  hath  made 
 him  a  liar."  O  what  a  dreadful  sin,  to  give  the  lie 
 to  the  Holy  Trinity  !  The  Father  says.  Whosoever 
 cometh — the  Son  says.  All  that  come  unto  me  shall 
 be  saved — the  Spirit  says.  Come,  whosoever  will, 
 let  him  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely,  and  be  saved  ! 
 Are  not  these  faithful  sayings  worthy  of  all  credit, 
 especially  as  they  are  delivered  with  divine  authority, 
 under  the  great  seal  of  heaven  ?  If  doubts  still  re- 
 main, pray  against  them,  and  meditate  upon  the  un- 
 reasonableness, as  well  as  the  wickedness  of  them, 
 and  continue  to  hear  and  read  the  word  of  God,  (for 
 faith  cometh,  and  groweth  too,  by  hearing,)  that  you 
 may  be  enabled  to  put  honour  upon  it,  by  venturing 
 your  soul  upon  the  divine  faithfulness,  to  make  it 
 good  to  you. 
 
 Perhaps  you  may  believe  the  record  which  God 
 hath  given  of  his  Son,  but  you  cannot  do  it  with 
 steadfastness :  you  can  at  times  stay  your  mind  upon 
 God  with  sweet  peace,  but  you  are  not  able  to  main- 
 tain it ;  yea,  you  lose  it  when  you  want  it  most.    How 
 
189 
 
 in  this  case  shall  the  believer  keep  the  peace  of  God 
 ruling  always  in  his  conscience  ? 
 
 It  is  to  be  maintained  in  the  same  way  by  which 
 it  was  first  received.  It  came  by  believing,  and  is 
 thereby  strengthened.  By  the  shedding  of  the  blood 
 of  Jesus  Christ,  peace  was  made  between  God  and 
 man  ;  by  the  sprinkling  of  his  blood,  peace  is  made  be- 
 tween man  and  God.  When  this  is  applied  to  the 
 conscience  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  received  by  faith, 
 there  is  a  continual  preservative  against  guilt :  "  For 
 the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin." 
 Here  is  the  witness  of  God ;  and  it  is  always  the 
 same.  This  believed,  will  always  bring  the  same 
 cleansing  virtue,  and  keep  the  conscience  purged  from 
 dead  works.  If  at  any  time  guilt  defile  it,  then  un- 
 belief has  entered,  and  has  been  denving,  either  that 
 the  blood  of  Christ  does  cleanse  from  all  sin,  or  that 
 the  divine  testimony  concerning  it  does  deserve  credit. 
 Guilt  cannot  easily  enter  into  the  conscience  but  by 
 one  of  these  two  ways.  Examine,  and  see  which  it 
 is.  Do  you  doubt  of  the  virtue  of  Christ's  blood, 
 or  of  the  truth  of  God's  record  concerning  it? 
 
 You  reply,  '  I  dare  not  question  either  of  them  ; 
 yet  nevertheless  I  cannot,  with  any  settled  comfort, 
 maintain  peace  with  God.'  But  it  is  your  privilege 
 to  maintain  it,  confirmed  to  you  by  the  royal  charter 
 of  grace,  and  ratified  in  it  by  many  express  promises. 
 Jesus  has  made  peace  by  the  blood  of  his  cross;  and 
 if  you  believe  what  the  God  of  truth  says  of  it,  peace 
 should  rule  in  your  heart  always :  for  all  things  are 
 well  ordered  for  you,  and  sure  in  the  everlasting  co- 
 venant. On  the  part  of  God,  all  is  unalterably  fixed 
 and  settled.      What  is  it  then  that  unsettles  you  ? 
 
190 
 
 Is  it  something  you  find  in  yourself?  Is  it  from 
 indwelling  sin,  remaining  corruption,  a  body  of  sin 
 and  death,  or  from  the  weakness  of  your  faith  and  of 
 your  other  graces  ?  What !  have  you  forgotten  that 
 from  all  these  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  ? 
 Is  it  from  a  suspicion  that  your  peace  is  not  right, 
 because  it  ebbs  and  flows?  This  should  humble, 
 but  not  discourage  you ;  because  there  is  a  gracious 
 provision  made  to  remove  your  suspicion.  God  has 
 taken  the  charge  of  you  and  of  your  peace:  he  keeps 
 both  by  his  mighty  power;  as  it  is  written,  "  The 
 peace  of  God,  which  surpasseth  all  understanding, 
 shall  keep,  with  a  safeguard,  your  hearts  and  minds  in 
 Christ  Jesus."  You  are  as  safe  in  the  hand  of  God, 
 at  the  lowest  ebb,  as  at  the  highest  spring-tide  of 
 sensible  comfort :  because  your  safeguard  is  almighty, 
 and  he  is  equally  concerned  about  your  peace,  whether 
 you  feel  it  or  not.  Your  sense  of  it  may  vary,  but 
 he  varies  not.  There  is  in  hira  no  variableness,  nor 
 shadow  of  turning.  How  should  the  belief  of  this 
 stay  your  mind  upon  your  God,  and  keep  guilt  out 
 of  the  conscience,  even  when  you  are  walking  in 
 darkness,  and  have  no  light  ! 
 
 O  my  soul !  meditate  upon  those  precious  truths. 
 Give  thyself  wholly  to  them.  Consider  how  deeply 
 they  enter  into  the  very  being  of  thy  peace.  Unless 
 they  be  understood,  thou  canst  not  know  the  way  of 
 peace;  and  unless  they  be  received  by  faith,  thy  con- 
 science will  not  be  purged  from  guilt  and  unbelief. 
 And  while  these  defile  it,  thou  canst  not  look  upon 
 God  as  reconciled,  or  delight  thyself  in  him  or  his 
 ways.  Can  two  walk  together  except  they  be  agreed  ? 
 But  when  they  are  agreed,  and  of  one  mind,  then 
 
191 
 
 walking  with  God  becomes  pleasant,  and  all  his  paths 
 are  peace. 
 
 Search,  then,  and  examine  thyself,  O  my  soul ! 
 and  that  not  lightly,  and  after  the  manner  of  dis- 
 semblers with  God,  but  closely  and  thoroughly  by 
 the  light  of  the  divine  word,  and  under  the  teaching 
 of  the  divine  Spirit.  Dost  thou  understand  what  is 
 revealed  concerning  the  way  of  peace — what  was 
 covenanted  in  the  counsel  of  the  Eternal  Three—— and 
 what  has  been  done  in  consequence  of  it?  Jesus 
 Christ  is  the  great  Peace-maker.  He  has  made 
 peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross.  The  Father 
 sent  him,  gave  him  to  be  a  covenant  of  the  people,  to 
 fulfil  for  them  all  righteousness,  and  to  be  their  aton- 
 ing sacrifice.  The  Father  hath  seen  the  work  which 
 he  gave  him  to  do,  and  has  accepted  it;  is  perfectly 
 satisfied  with  it,  and  therefore  is  infinitely  delighted 
 with  him,  and  with  all  his.  He  would  now  be  known 
 by  the  high  style  and  title  of  the  God  of  Peace. 
 Fury  is  not  in  him  to  those  whom  he  sees  in  the 
 Beloved.  He  is  a  Father  fully,  for  ever  reconciled 
 to  all  his  children  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  loves  them, 
 as  he  loves  him,  with  every  kind  feeling  of  the  most 
 tender  parent.  And  he  will  bring  every  one  of  them 
 to  partake,  with  their  glorified  Head,  of  the  blessings 
 of  his  everlasting  love. 
 
 If  thine  understanding  be  enlightened  with  this 
 knowledge  of  God,  is  it  effectual  in  thy  conscience? 
 Canst  thou  plead  it  there  ?  This  is  the  principal 
 thing.  Hast  thou  a  good  conscience,  freed  from 
 guilt  and  condemnation,  by  believing  the  record  which 
 God  hath  given  of  his  Son  ?  He  is  well  pleased 
 with  him  for  his  righteousness'  sake.      His  soul  dc- 
 
192 
 
 lighteth  in  the  sweet-smelling  savour  of  his  Son's 
 sacrifice.     Because  he  humbled  himself,  and  became 
 obedient  unto  death,   even  the  death  of  the  cross, 
 therefore  the  Father  hath  highly  exalted  him.    This 
 is  the  witness  of  God.      Dost  thou  yield  to  it,  and 
 give  it  full  credit  ?      What !   canst  thou  set  to  thy 
 seal  that  God  is  true,  and  that  what  satisfied  him  has 
 perfectly  satisfied  thee,  and  therefore  the  peace  of 
 God  rules  in  thy  conscience  always,  and  by  all  means  ? 
 Remember,  this  is  thy  privilege.     Thou  art  called 
 to  the  enjoyment  of  it.      The  evidence  is  as  full  as 
 could  be  desired,  for  the  ending  of  all  strife  in  thy 
 conscience.      The  greatest   honour  thou  canst   put 
 upon  the  divine  witnesses,  is  so  to  end  it,  as  to  suf- 
 fer no  appeal  to  be  made  from  their  decree.      Thy 
 conscience  should  join  issue.     It  should  say  the  same 
 that  God  does.     It  should  plead  thy  discharge  from 
 guilt,  under  the  broad  seal  of  heaven;  and  should 
 stop  the  mouth  of  unbelief  with  those  words,  written 
 in   golden   letters  in   the  royal   charter  of  grace — 
 "   There  is  no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in 
 Christ  Jesus — they  are  freely  forgiven  all  trespasses. 
 They  are  justified  from  all  things.      Thy  sins  and 
 iniquities,"  says  God  himself,  "  will  I  remember  no 
 more."      These  are  the  immutable  words  of  truth. 
 They  cannot  be  broken.      O  my  soul,  put  honour 
 upon  them !    Believe  them  without  doubt  or  wavering. 
 Why  dost  thou  draw  back  thy  confidence  ?      Trust, 
 and  do  not  be  afraid.      Thou  mayest  safely  venture 
 to  believe  all  that  the  Lord  hath  spoken.      He  will 
 make  it  good  ;  and  the  more  thou  believest,  the  more 
 will  be  made  good.      More  faith  will  bring  thee  in 
 a  richer  revenue  of  peace.      The  Lord  increase  thy 
 
193 
 
 faith.  May  it  entirely  influence  thy  conscience,  that 
 it  may  agree  with  God :  neither  questioning  the  in- 
 finite value  of  the  righteousness  and  atonement  of 
 Emmanuel,  nor  yet  the  faithfulness  of  his  promise, 
 under  which  thou  claimest  them — "  Whosoever  will 
 may  take  them  freely." 
 
 Let  thy  faith  be  ever  so  well  established,  yet  thou 
 wilt  meet  with  something  every  day  to  try  it;  but 
 remember,  the  foundation  on  which  thou  standest 
 cannot  fail,  and  none,  nothing  shall  remove  thee 
 from  it.  The  Lord  brought  thee  to  build  upon  this 
 foundation.  He  hath  begun  the  good  work,  and  he 
 will  not  leave  his  work  unfinished.  The  top-stone 
 shall  certainly  be  brought  forth  with  shouting  Grace, 
 grace :  for  his  love  is  like  himself.  His  purposes, 
 his  word,  his  works  change  not.  What  if  thou  feel 
 many  things  wrong  in  thyself;  thou  art  sometimes 
 low  in  spirits;  thou  canst  not  be  pleased  with  thy 
 corruption,  and  thou  art  not  pleased  with  thy  duties ; 
 thy  graces  are  weak,  thy  love  not  as  it  should  be, 
 thy  best  services  unprofitable ;  yet  these  very  things 
 rightly  understood,  and  improved  by  the  teaching  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  will  be  the  means  of  establishing 
 thy  conscience  in  the  peace  of  God.  They  will  lead 
 thee  every  day  to  a  greater  dependence  upon  sove- 
 reign grace :  for  they  will  leave  thee  nothing  to  trust 
 in,  but  the  righteousness  and  the  atonement  of  Em- 
 manuel; nothing  to  keep  thee,  but  his  faithfulness 
 to  his  word  and  work;  and  nothing  to  bless  thee, 
 but  his  free  covenant  mercy.  Thus  they  will  work 
 together  for  thy  good.  Trials  will  settle  thee. 
 Enemies  will  confirm  thee  in  peace.  Troubles  will 
 bring  thee  nearer  to  God.  Amidst  all  discourage- 
 I  4 
 
194 
 
 ments  thou  wilt  have  this  promise  to  stay  thy  soul 
 upon — "  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee." 
 His  friendship  is  fixed.  It  springs  from  the  purpose 
 and  love  of  his  own  breast,  and  therefore  was  and  is 
 always  unchangeably  the  same  in  him.  Whom  he 
 loveth,  he  loveth  unto  the  end. 
 
 Well,  then,  O  my  soul,  thou  hast  examined  thy- 
 self.     How  is  it  with  thee?      Dost  thou  know  the 
 way  of  peace  ?      Art  thou  at  peace  with  God,  being 
 justified  by  faith  ?    Canst  thou  plead  this  peace,  and 
 maintain  it  in  thy  conscience  ?      Is  it  a  good  con- 
 science, does  it  witness  for  God  ?      Is  it  a  pure  con- 
 science, cleansed  from  guilt  and  condemnation  ?      Is 
 it  satisfied,  that  the  Father  is  perfectly  reconciled 
 through  the  life  and  death  of  his  Son  ?      And  is  it 
 satisfied  with  the  divine  record,  giving  thee  a  free 
 grant  of  the  benefits  of  his  life  and  death,  and  put- 
 ting thee  into  possession  by  believing  ?      Art  thou 
 of  one  heart  and  of  one  mind  in  this  matter  with  the 
 Father,  and  now,  being  at  peace  with  him,  agreed  to 
 walk  in  his  way  ?      If  indeed  he  has  been  thus  gra- 
 cious unto  thee,  bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  all 
 that  is  within  me  praise  him  for  the  exceeding  riches 
 of  his  love  !    What  a  mercy  is  it  that  he  has  brought 
 thee  into  the  way  of  peace  !      O  go  on :  fear  not. 
 Set  out  daily  with  a  holy,  humble  boldness  to  walk 
 with  thy  God.      And  for  the  guiding  of  thy  feet  in 
 his  way,  and  that  thy  steps  may  not  decline  from  it, 
 be  diligent  in  hearing  and  reading  the  word  of  God. 
 Study  it.      Pray  over  it.      Mind  what  encourage- 
 ment it  gives  thee — "  Having  therefore,  brethren, 
 boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood  of 
 Jesus,  by  that  new  and  living  way  which  he  hath 
 
195 
 
 consecrated  for  us  through  the  vail,  that  is  to  say, 
 his  flesh;  and  having  an  high  priest  over  the  house 
 of  God,  let  us  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full 
 assurance  of  faith,  having  our  hearts  sprinkled  from 
 an  evil  conscience,  and  our  bodies  washed  with  pure 
 water."  What  perfect  peace  is  here  proclaimed  to 
 the  children  of  God  !  Sin  had  separated  them  from 
 him,  but  there  is  access  through  Jesus.  He  is  the 
 way  to  the  Father.  He  is  a  new  way,  in  opposition 
 to  the  old  way  of  works,  which,  upon  the  fall,  was 
 shut  for  ever.  He  is  a  living  way;  all  that  are  alive 
 to  God  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God.  He 
 is  a  consecrated  way ;  every  thing  needful  for  their 
 holy  walk  being  provided  in  him.  And  they  are 
 required  to  walk  in  this  way  with  boldness;  trusting 
 to  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and  depending  on  the  inter- 
 cession of  the  High  Priest  over  the  house  of  God, 
 they  have  access  with  confidence  into  the  holiest. 
 It  is  their  undoubted  privilege  to  draw  near  with  a 
 true  heart,  not  like  a  double-minded  man,  wavering 
 and  unstable;  but  with  full  assurance  of  faith,  en- 
 tirely satisfied  that  God  in  Christ  has  nothing  in  his 
 breast  but  love  towards  them :  therefore  they  should 
 believe  in  him,  and  serve  him  without  fear,  having 
 their  hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience,  main- 
 taining peace  with  God  through  the  continual  appli- 
 cation of  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and  having  their  bodies 
 washed  with  pure  water,  body  and  soul  being  cleansed 
 from  the  guilt  and  filth  of  sin,  by  the  washing  of  re- 
 generation and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 
 O  may  this  be  my  happy  experience  !      May  I 
 ever  have  grace  to  draw  near  to  my  reconciled  Fa- 
 ther with  a  good  conscience.    Yea,  Lord,  this  is  my 
 I  2 
 
196 
 
 heart's  desire.  I  would  walk  with  thee  day  by  dayi, 
 in  perfect  peace.  O  deny  me  not  the  request  of  my 
 lips.  Glory  be  to  thy  free  love,  that  through  Jesus 
 I  am  suffered  to  have  access  into  thy  presence,  and 
 am  commanded  to  come  with  boldness  into  the  holiest 
 of  all.  Lo,  I  come  before  thee,  Holy  Father,  to 
 plead  the  blood-shedding  and  the  righteousness  of 
 thy  dear  Son ;  and  I  hope  my  plea  will  be  admitted, 
 through  the  intercession  of  the  High  Priest  of  the 
 house  of  God.  O  look,  thou  God  of  peace,  upon 
 the  face  of  thy  Beloved.  See  me  in  him.  I  desire 
 to  be  found  in  him.  And  for  his  sake  let  the  faith- 
 ful witness  for  thy  love  in  Jesus  abide  with  me,  that, 
 in  hearing  and  reading  thy  word,  in  prayer  and  medi- 
 tation, he  may  increase  my  faith  in  thee  and  love  to 
 thee. 
 
 O  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  I  beseech  thee  to  make 
 practical  upon  my  heart  what  thou  hast  revealed  in 
 Scripture  of  the  Father's  love.  Deliver  me  from 
 guilt  and  condemnation  by  the  sprinkling  of  the 
 blood  of  Jesus.  Apply  it  effectually.  Apply  it 
 continually.  Help  me  to  believe  with  more  comfort 
 in  my  conscience,  and  with  more  steadfastness  in  my 
 walk,  that  his  blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin.  O  blessed 
 Spirit,  carry  on  thy  work  in  my  soul.  Lead  me  from 
 faith  to  faith,  that  I  may  at  all  times  have  freedom 
 to  enter  within  the  vail  to  a  reconciled  God  and 
 Father,  and  may  be  able  to  maintain  peace  with  him, 
 against  doubts  and  fears,  against  corruptions  and 
 enemies.  O  teach  me  to  draw  near  to  him  with  a 
 true  heart,  steadfastly  persuaded  of  his  love,  and  in 
 full  assurance  of  faith.  This  is  thy  gracious  office: 
 O  fulfil  it  in  me,  that  my  heart  may  be  sprinkled 
 
197 
 
 from  an  evil  conscience,  and  my  body  washed  with 
 pure  water.  Let  me  find  grace  sufficient  for  me,  for 
 Jesus'  sake ;  to  whom  with  thee,  O  Father,  and  the 
 eternal  Spirit,  three  persons  in  one  Jehovah,  be  equal 
 honour  and  glory,  for  ever  and  ever  !      Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  III. 
 
 The  Believer  in  his  heart  cleaves  to  God,  and  walks  tvith 
 him  in  love., 
 
 This  depends  entirely  upon  a  good  conscience. 
 There  can  be  no  love  of  God,  unless  there  be  first 
 peace  with  God.  No  convinced  sinner  can  love  him, 
 until  he  believes  him  to  be  reconciled.  While  guilt 
 remains  in  the  conscience,  enmity  will  keep  its  place 
 in  the  heart :  for  so  long  as  he  looks  upon  his  sins 
 unpardoned,  and  God  the  just  avenger  of  them,  he 
 must  consider  him  as  a  jealous  God,  and  a  consum- 
 ing fire.  In  this  view,  there  is  every  thing  that  can 
 increase  his  guilty  fears.  And  while  these  defile 
 the  conscience,  instead  of  walking  v/ith  God,  he 
 would  run  away  from  him,  and,  like  the  first  offen- 
 ders, he  would  foolishly  try  to  hide  himself  from  the 
 presence  of  God. 
 
 But  when  the  Holy  Spirit  has  discovered  the  way 
 of  peace,  and  has  enabled  the  sinner  to  find  peace, 
 being  pardoned  and  justified  through  faith  in  Christ 
 Jesus,  then  he  looks  upon  God  in  another  light.  He 
 can  view  him,  according  as  he  has  proclaimed  him- 
 self, the  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious, 
 
198 
 
 long-sufFering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth, 
 keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity,  and 
 transgression,  and  sin.  Under  this  endearing  char- 
 acter, the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
 is  revealed  in  Scripture.  Thus  would  he  be  con- 
 sidered in  the  covenant  of  grace — related  in  the 
 nearest  bond  of  affection  to  all  his  children.  He  is 
 their  Father,  the  Father  of  mercies,  freely  loving, 
 freely  forgiving,  freely  accepting  them  in  the  Be- 
 loved. The  Holy  Spirit  convinces  them  of  it,  and 
 sheds  the  Father's  love  to  them  abroad  in  their 
 hearts;  the  sense  of  which  sweetly  inclines  thera  to 
 love  him  again.  Love  begets  love.  God  has  put 
 on  the  tender  bowels  of  an  ever-loving  parent,  and 
 he  gives  them  the  affection  of  dutiful  children. 
 They  love  him,  because  he  first  loved  them.  Then 
 it  is  the  delight  of  their  souls  to  cultivate  and  im- 
 prove this  love  on  their  part,  and  it  becomes  their 
 heaven  upon  earth  to  walk  with  their  God  in  the 
 ways  wherein  he  has  appointed  to  meet  thera,  to  love 
 them,  and  to  bless  them. 
 
 The  main  point,  then,  in  the  Christian  walk,  is  to 
 know  how  to  maintain  peace  in  the  conscience;  be- 
 cause this  is  a  powerful  motive,  upon  which  the  be- 
 liever first  sets  out,  and  it  is  the  great  spring  which 
 keeps  hira  going  on.  While  his  conscience  con- 
 tinues pure  and  undefiled,  and  the  peace  of  God  rules 
 in  it,  all  is  well.  He  does  not  stop,  he  does  not 
 halt  in  the  way.  But  when  guilt  enters,  unbelief 
 certainly  follows  close  after  it,  and  then  there  is  a 
 fresh  controversy  in  the  court  of  conscience.  Many 
 doubts  arise,  and  afford  matter  for  strife  and  debate. 
 The  sense  of  peace  is  not  only  disturbed,  but  is  also 
 
199 
 
 for  a  time  destroyed  by  such  suspicions  as  these-— 
 *  Am  I  freely  pardoned  ?  Is  God  fully  reconciled 
 to  me?  Is  he  still  my  loving  Father?  I  fear  not. 
 I  have  done  so  and  so.  He  is  certainly  displeased 
 with  me,  and  therefore  I  dare  not  approach  him,  as 
 I  used  to  do,  with  love  and  confidence.*  This  is 
 an  evil  conscience.  It  is  not  purged  from  dead 
 works;  because  guilt  is  still  in  it,  and  this  keeps  the 
 soul  at  a  distance  from  God.  It  begets  a  coldness 
 and  a  shyness  to  him,  and,  by  shutting  out  the  com- 
 fortable sense  of  his  love,  makes  way  for  fear  of 
 wrath.  Then  the  motives  to  walk  with  God  lose 
 their  influence,  and  an  evil  heart  of  unbelief  tempts 
 the  man  to  depart  from  the  living  God. 
 
 Look  well,  then,  O  my  soul,  to  this  leading  truth, 
 which  has  such  universal  influence  over  the  Chris- 
 tian walk.  Attend  to  the  peace  of  thy  conscience. 
 See  it  be  true  peace,  and  mind  it  be  well  settled. 
 Learn  to  maintain  it  upon  gospel  motives.  The 
 heart  follows  the  determination  of  conscience;  and 
 cleaves  to  the  Lord,  or  departs  from  him,  according 
 as  the  conscience  excuses  or  accuses.  It  is  there- 
 fore absolutely  necessary  for  our  peace,  that  we 
 should  know  how  God  has  shown  himself  reconciled 
 in  Christ  Jesus.  This  character  of  him  in  the  Scrip- 
 tures should  be  studied.  Whoever  has  been  en- 
 abled to  call  him  Abba,  Father,  should  implore  the 
 assistance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  for  an  increase  of  faith, 
 and  should  make  use  of  all  appointed  means  for  his 
 growth  in  the  knowledge  of  the  love  of  the  heavenly 
 Father.  The  apostle  is  upon  this  subject  in  Ro- 
 mans fifth — a  chapter  abounding  with  powerful  ar- 
 guments to  establish  the  peace  of  God  in  the  con- 
 
200 
 
 science,  in  order  that  the  love  of  God  may  rule  in 
 the  heart.  He  gives  us  this  account  of  the  privi- 
 leges of  a  justified  man : — He  has  peace  with  God 
 through  Jesus — by  whom  he  has  free  access  to  God 
 — is  in  a  state  of  grace — stands  in  it  by  the  power 
 of  God — has  reason  to  rejoice,  come  what  will,  in 
 hope  of  the  glory  to  be  revealed — and  whatever  he 
 meets  with  in  the  way  to  glory,  should  increase  the 
 rejoicing  of  his  hope,  and  confirm  his  heart  in  the 
 love  of  God  to  him.  Observe  how  divinely  the 
 apostle  speaks — "  Therefore  being  justified  by  faith, 
 we  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ:  by  whom  also  we  have  access  by  faith  into 
 this  grace  wherein  we  stand,  and  rejoice  in  hope  of 
 the  glory  of  God.  And  not  only  so,  but  we  rejoice 
 in  tribulations  also :  knowing  well  that  tribulation 
 worketh  patience;  and  patience,  experience;  and  ex- 
 perience, hope :  and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed ;  be- 
 cause the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts 
 by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  given  unto  us." 
 
 What  privileges !  how  many,  how  free,  how 
 blessed  are  here  declared  to  be  the  portion  of  the 
 justified  man,  which  he  is  to  enjoy  in  his  reconciled 
 God  !  Each  of  them  tending  to  establish  peace  in 
 his  conscience,  and  love  in  his  heart,  that  he  may 
 delight  himself  in  God  and  in  his  ways.  The  first 
 and  chief  blessing  in  experience,  which  draws  after 
 it  all  the  rest,  is  the  Spirit — 
 
 1.  "  The  Holy  Ghost  is  given  unto  him,"  to  be 
 a  witness  for  Jesus,  and  to  shed  abroad  the  Father's 
 love  through  him.  He  comes  as  the  Spirit  of  life 
 to  quicken  the  soul,  which  had  been  dead  in  tres- 
 passes and  sins,  and  to  bring  it  to  the  knowledge  of 
 salvation,  which  he  does  by  the  gift  of  faith. 
 
201 
 
 2.  "  Being  justified  by  faith."  He  enables  the 
 sinner  to  believe  in  the  finished  work  of  the  God- 
 man,  and  to  trust  to  the  free  grant  of  it  in  the  word 
 of  God;  whereby  he  sees  himself  fully  justified: 
 through  the  atonement  of  Jesus,  freed  from  sin  and 
 guilt;  through  the  righteousness  of  Jesus,  entitled  to 
 life  and  glory ;  and,  therefore,  he  has, 
 
 3.  "  Peace  with  God  through  Jesus  Christ  his 
 Lord."  He  sees  God  is  at  peace  with  him — per- 
 fectly and  continually  reconciled.  The  peace  is 
 everlastinc^  which  was  made  throucrh  the  blood  of  the 
 everlasting  covenant.  The  belief  of  this  quiets  and 
 satisfies  the  sinner's  conscience;  which,  being  purged 
 by  the  blood,  and  justified  by  the  righteousness  of 
 Jesus  Christ  his  Lord,  is  at  peace,  is  freed  from 
 guilty  fears,  and  is  reconciled  to  God,  yea,  to  the 
 justice  of  God,  who  can  now  be  just,  and  yet  the 
 justifier  of  the  ungodly.  To  what  high  honour  is 
 he  then  called?  He  is  admitted  into  friendship  with 
 God,  and  has, 
 
 4.  "  Access  by  faith  into  this  grace  wherein  he 
 stands" — access  to  a  mercy-seat,  to  which  he  is  in- 
 vited to  come  freely,  as  a  beloved  child  to  an  affec- 
 tionate parent.  Boldness  and  access  v/ith  confidence 
 are  required  and  commanded  :  "  Let  us  come  boldly 
 to  the  throne  of  grace:  having  boldness  to  enter  into 
 the  holiest  by  the  blood  of  Jesus,"  let  us  by  faith 
 make  much  use  of  that  new  and  living  way  which 
 he  hath  opened  for  us.  O  what  a  mercy  is  it  thus 
 to  have  access  to  a  gracious  Father  !  How  much 
 is  the  mercy  increased  by  his  settling  his  children  in 
 it !  "  We  stand  in  it,"  says  the  apostle,  denoting 
 the  being  fixed  in  a  state  of  perfect  acceptance,  con- 
 
 i3 
 
202 
 
 ferred  by  sovereign  grace,  brought  into  it  by  un- 
 changeable love,  and  kept  in  it  by  the  power  of  a 
 faithful  God,  How  strengthening  to  faith,  how  en~ 
 couraging  to  hope  !  for, 
 
 5.  "  We  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God/^ 
 Faith  relies  upon  the  truth  of  what  God  hath  pro- 
 mised, and  hope  waits  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  good 
 in  the  promise,  but  more  especially  for  the  glory 
 which  is  to  be  revealed.  This  hope  of  glory  is  full 
 of  rejoicing;  because  every  thing  which  hope  looks 
 at  and  draws  its  joy  from,  depends  on  the  truth  and 
 faithfulness  of  a  covenant  God.  There  can  be  no 
 failing  on  his  part,  and  therefore  on  the  believer's 
 there  can  be  no  disappointment.  On  this  ground 
 hope  casts  its  anchor,  both  sure  and  steadfast,  and 
 finds  all  safe  during  the  storms  of  life ;  yea,  has  many 
 a  sweet  foretaste  of  the  promised  glory  brought  into 
 the  soul  by  these  very  storms:  for, 
 
 6.  "  We  rejoice  in  tribulations  also."  These  are 
 so  far  from  taking  away  the  joy  of  the  justified  man, 
 that  they  tend  greatly  to  increase  it,  and  to  make  it 
 more  holy,  as  well  as  more  happy.  Tribulations 
 produce  a  plentiful  harvest  of  blessings;  they  bring 
 forth 
 
 "  Patience,"  giving  occasion  to  exercise  the  graces 
 of  the  Spirit,  to  find  the  truth  and  the  power  of  them, 
 and  thereby  working  submission  under  the  cross  ta 
 the  will  of  God.  "  It  is  good  for  me,"  says  David, 
 "  that  I  have  been  afflicted" — his  troubles  brought 
 him  to  God.  "  Before  I  was  afflicted,  I  went 
 astray."  His  troubles  kept  him  near  to  God,  de- 
 pendent on  the  divine  strength  to  bear  with  patience, 
 and  for  a  happy  issue  out  of  them.  Whereby  he 
 learned 
 
203 
 
 "Experience,"  which  follows  suffering  and  pa- 
 tience. Tribulations  teach  us  what  we  are  as  sin- 
 ners, and  what  God  is  to  his  reconciled  children. 
 They  make  us  sensible  of  our  weakness,  and  of  our 
 being  strong  only  in  the  Lord — of  our  misery,  and 
 of  his  comforts — of  what  we  deserve,  and  of  what  he 
 saves  us  from — they  bring  us  to  live  out  of  ourselves, 
 upon  the  sure  mercies  of  a  covenant  God :  whereby 
 our  hope  in  him  being  tried,  and  by  trials  confirmed, 
 we  discover  his  love  to  us  in  suffering ;  and,  by  daily 
 experience,  become  quite  satisfied,  that  our 
 
 "  Hope"  is  in  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit:  for 
 it  answers  the  Scripture  character;  it  rejoices  in  tribu- 
 lation. It  has  good  reason  so  to  do.  It  experiences 
 God's  faithfulness.  Every  thing  promised  being 
 made  good  to  us  in  time,  we  thereby  grow  up  in  the 
 full  assurance  of  hope,  that  we  shall  not  fail  of  re- 
 ceiving the  promised  glory.      And  this 
 
 *'  Hope  maketh  not  ashamed,  because  the  love  of 
 God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 which  is  given  unto  us."  He  is  given  to  satisfy  our 
 hearts  of  the  love  of  God  to  us,  and  to  lead  us  to 
 study  the  nature  and  the  perfections  of  his  love. 
 Behold  !  what  manner  of  love,  what  a  free,  full,  so- 
 vereign, and  everlasting  love  the  Father  hath  be- 
 stowed upon  us  !  It  is  actually  bestowed  and  enjoyed 
 by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  shows  us 
 how  the  Father  loved  us,  even  when  we  were  without 
 strength :  yea,  herein  God  commendeth  his  love  to- 
 wards us,  in  that,  while  we  were  sinners  and  enemies, 
 he  gave  his  Son  to  live  and  die  for  us;  much  more 
 then,  being  now  justified,  we  shall  be  saved  from 
 wrath,  and  brought  to  glory,  through  him.      How 
 
204. 
 
 does  this  commend  and  set  ofF  the  love  of  God  !  It 
 is  the  first  cause  of  all  the  graces  here  mentioned, 
 and  bestows  them  upon  the  most  unworthy.  Faith, 
 justification  by  faith,  access  to  God,  standing  in  a 
 justified  state,  rejoicing  in  hope  of  glory,  and  rejoic- 
 ing in  the  way  to  it,  even  in  tribulations,  because  they 
 exercise  and  improve  patience,  and  put  our  graces  to 
 such  trials,  as  convince  us  that  they  are  the  true 
 graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  we  shall  never 
 be  ashamed  of  our  hope  in  God.  In  this  golden 
 chain  of  experience,  love  is  the  uppermost  link.  It 
 was  the  first,  and  draws  after  it  all  the  rest.  The 
 free  love  of  the  Father  gave  his  Son  for  us,  and 
 with  him  gave  us  all  things.  The  same  love  has 
 now  given  his  Spirit  to  us,  and  he  has  enabled  us  to 
 know  and  to  believe  that  we  are  justified,  have  access 
 to  a  reconciled  God,  stand  accepted  before  him,  and 
 that  he  is  our  loving  God  and  Father  in  Jesus.  The 
 sense  of  this  warms  the  heart,  and  sweetly  and  power- 
 fully influences  the  affections  to  delight  in,  and  to 
 walk  in  love  with,  such  an  exceedingly  gracious  and 
 merciful  God. 
 
 In  this  delightful  portion  of  Scripture,  the  Holy 
 Spirit  teaches  us  how  he  brings  sinners  to  know  that 
 God  loves  them.  It  is  by  believing  in  the  righteous- 
 ness and  atonement  of  the  Son  of  God.  Hence 
 spring  peace  and  love — peace  with  God  in  the  con- 
 science, and  love  to  God  in  the  heart.  There  is  an 
 inseparable  connexion  between  these  two  graces. 
 The  one  cannot  exist  without  the  other.  Whoever 
 knows  the  God  of  peace,  will  find  that  God  is  love: 
 tor,  being  justified  by  faith,  he  will  thereby  see  that 
 God  is  at  peace  with  him,  and  himself  in  a  state  of 
 
205 
 
 free  acceptance  before  him ;  in  which  he  shall  stand 
 and  be  kept  safe,  until  he  receives  the  promised  glory. 
 The  hope  of  which  will  be  confirmed  by  his  daily 
 experience  of  God's  faithfulness,  making  all  things, 
 even  tribulations,  work  together  for  his  good  in  the 
 way  to  glory:  thus  will  the  Holy  Spirit  satisfy  him 
 of  the  love  of  God  to  his  soul.  And  the  persuasion 
 of  his  love  begets  love.  It  softens  the  hard  heart. 
 It  warms  the  cold  heart.  It  works  kindly  upon  all 
 the  affections ;  and,  by  setting  before  them  every  pos- 
 sible good  to  be  enjoyed  in  their  reconciled  God,  it 
 mightily  disposes  them  to  seek  their  supreme  happi- 
 ness in  walking  humbly  and  closely  with  him. 
 
 Attend  then,  O  my  soul,  to  this  scripture.  Me- 
 ditate upon  the  experience  of  which  it  treats.  Pray 
 for  it.  Pray  for  more  of  it.  And,  above  all,  observe 
 the  great  truth  here  taught  thee  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 namely,  that  thou  canst  not  have  any  true  love  of 
 God,  but  what  arises  from  the  sense  of  his  being  at 
 peace  with  thee  in  Jesus.  O  beware  of  false  teach- 
 ers ;  for  there  is  great  reason.  Many  talk  big  of 
 their  loving  God  for  his  own  inherent  loveliness.  A 
 fundamental  mistake.  Mystics,  Quakers,  men  of 
 natural  religion,  dreaming  metaphysicians,  and  the 
 motley  tribe  of  moralists  and  deists,  pretend  to  love 
 an  absolute  God,  without  viewing  him  in  the  cove- 
 nant of  grace,  or  as  he  has  revealed  himself  in  the 
 incarnation  of  his  Son.  There  has  been  no  love  of 
 this  kind  in  any  heart  for  near  six  thousand  years. 
 Adam  in  Paradise  might  love  him  thus.  But  when 
 driven  out  of  Paradise  for  sin,  he  could  love  him  so 
 no  more.  The  promised  seed  of  the  woman,  the 
 Word  made  flesh,  became  then  the  object  of  his 
 
206 
 
 faith,  and  the  only  ground  of  his  love.  The  Scrip- 
 ture has  clearly  determined  this — "  We  love  him, 
 because  he  first  loved  us. — And  in  this  was  manifested 
 the  love  of  God  towards  us,  because  that  God  sent 
 his  only-begotten  Son  into  the  world,  that  we  might 
 live  through  him."  When  the  Holy  Ghost  has 
 taught  this  love  of  God  to  sinners,  and  by  believing 
 has  manifested  it  to  their  hearts,  then  they  love  him 
 upon  Christian  principles;  and  sinners  cannot  love 
 him  upon  any  other.  They  love  him  for  that  infinite 
 noercy,  which  led  him  to  send  his  only-begotten  Son 
 into  the  world,  to  finish  the  salvation  of  his  people. 
 They  love  him  for  sending  the  Holy  Ghost  to  enable 
 them  to  see  the  everlasting  sufficiency  of  this  salva- 
 tion, and  to  believe  the  record  of  God  concerning  it: 
 whereby  they  come  to  experience  how  much  the 
 Father  loved  them.  This  is  heaven  begun.  The 
 Father's  love  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  is  the  foretaste  of  glory.  Whoever  enjoys 
 it,  has  found  what  is  more  to  be  desired  than  gold, 
 yea,  than  much  fine  gold ;  sweeter  also  than  honey 
 and  the  honey-comb.  O!  it  is  indeed  heaven  upon 
 earth.  To  preserve  it,  to  improve  it,  is  become  the 
 only  study  of  the  happy  believer.  The  panting  of 
 his  soul  is  after  more  of  this  love.  The  prayer  of 
 his  faith  is,  '  O  thou  eternal  Spirit !  help  me  so  to 
 walk  with  my  most  loving  Father,  as  that  I  may 
 maintain  peace  with  him  in  my  conscience,  and  a 
 growing  love  to  him  in  my  heart,  until  thou  bring 
 me  to  the  enjoyment  of  everlasting  peace  and  love!' 
 The  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  prevaileth  much, 
 being  offered  with  energy.  By  the  love  of  the  Spirit 
 it  is  answered.      He  not  only  preserves,  but  also  in- 
 
207 
 
 creases  his  own  graces.  He  leads  the  believer  to 
 fresh  discoveries  of  the  Father's  love,  and  puts  him 
 into  possession  of  the  exceeding  rich  treasures  of  it. 
 He  helps  him  to  draw  very  strong  arguments  for  the 
 comfort  of  his  heart,  from  the  perfect  freshness  of 
 divine  love.      Thus  he  reasons: 
 
 Although  I  am  beset  with  temptations,  and  as- 
 saulted with  corruptions,  and  in  a  world  of  troubles, 
 yet  I  need  not  fear  but  God  will  bring  me  safe 
 through  all ;  for  I  know  he  loves  me.  It  is  plain  he 
 does.  I  could  never  have  loved  him,  unless  he  had 
 first  freely  loved  me.  My  love  is  only  the  reflection 
 of  his.  I  have  been  convinced  of  sin,  but  it  was  not 
 from  myself:  the  conviction  was  of  God.  I  have 
 been  convinced  of  righteousness,  and  I  put  my  whole 
 trust  in  the  righteousness  of  Jesus.  He  is  the  only 
 ground  of  my  hope.  1  now  rest  my  soul  upon  the 
 sure  foundation  which  he  hath  laid.  And  this  faith 
 is  not  of  myself.  It  is  the  gift  of  God.  I  ascribe 
 it  to  his  sovereign  grace,  that  I  have  been  enabled 
 to  look  upon  the  Father  as  reconciled  to  me,  pardon- 
 ing me  through  the  blood-shedding  of  his  Son,  ac- 
 counting me  righteous  through  the  obedience  of  his 
 Son,  and  in  him  accepting,  loving,  and  blessing  me. 
 How  could  I  experience  these  things  but  by  the 
 power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  And  for  what  did  I 
 deserve  to  experience  them  ?  The  reason  must  be 
 found  in  the  riches  of  his  own  free  grace.  Did  the 
 Father  foresee  any  thing  good  in  me,  for  which  he 
 chose  me  in  his  Son  ?  Was  it  for  any  worthiness 
 of  mine,  that  the  Son  vouchsafed  to  take  flesh,  and 
 to  live  and  die  for  me?  Was  it  for  any  foreseen 
 works,  faithfulness,  or  diligence  in  means,  that  the 
 
208 
 
 Holy  Ghost  called  me  to  know,  to  believe,  and  to 
 enjoy  the  Father*s  love  through  the  Son's  salvation  ? 
 
 0  no  !  Away  with  such  thoughts.  I  dare  claim 
 nothing  for  my  own  but  sin  and  shame.  Not  unto 
 me.  Lord,  not  unto  me,  but  unto  thee  be  all  the 
 glory.  It  was  the  good  pleasure  of  thine  own  will, 
 which  chose  me  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
 and  accepted  me  in  the  Beloved  ;  and  now  I  know 
 that  thy  counsels  of  old  are  faithfulness  and  truth. 
 
 1  experience  the  happy  fruit  and  effect  of  them.  I 
 am  brought  to  believe  in  thee,  and  to  love  my  God 
 and  Father,  which  I  am  satisfied  I  could  never  have 
 done,  if  thy  free  love  had  not  first  purposed  to  save 
 me,  and  now  carried  thy  purposes  into  execution. 
 To  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  thy  distinguishing 
 grace,  I  am  in  possession  of  the  things  which  accom- 
 pany salvation.  O  give  me  more  grace,  that  I  may 
 daily  make  use  of  them,  and  may  return  thee  better 
 praise  for  thy  free  gifts  of  free  grace. 
 
 It  is  free,  and  it  is  also  covenant  love.  This  is 
 another  of  its  divine  properties.  God  commendeth 
 his  love  towards  the  heirs  of  promise,  by  giving  them 
 full  security  for  its  unchangeableness.  And  this 
 view  the  Holy  Spirit  opens  to  them  for  the  support 
 of  their  faith  in  times  of  trial.  When  they  are 
 walking  in  darkness  and  have  no  light,  troubled  on 
 every  side,  without  are  fightings,  within  are  fears, 
 when  in  great  heaviness  through  failings  in  duty, 
 through  risings  of  corruption,  or  through  manifold 
 temptations,  then  he  discovers  to  them  the  treasures 
 of  covenant  love,  and  enables  them  to  draw  rich  con- 
 solation from  that  heavenly  storehouse.  An  heir  of 
 promise  under  his  teaching,  is  often  supported  in  this 
 
209 
 
 way : — It  is  true,  I  am  in  trouble,  but  not  forsaken. 
 What  if  every  thing  I  have  and  am  in  myself  makes 
 against  me,  yet  God  is  on  my  side,  a  covenant  God: 
 for  I  believe  the  Eternal  Three  entered  into  covenant 
 before  all  worlds,  and  with  manifold  wisdom  ordered 
 all  things  relating  to  the  heirs  of  promise.  For  their 
 sakes,  and  to  end  all  strife  in  their  consciences  about 
 the  certainty  of  their  salvation,  it  pleased  the  blessed 
 Trinity  to  enter  into  covenant,  and  to  confirm  their 
 covenant  by  oath,  thus  giving  them  two  immutable 
 things  to  trust  in,  in  which  it  is  impossible  for  God 
 to  lie.  O  how  strengthening  to  faith  is  this  view  of 
 the  unchangeableness  of  covenant  love !  If  it  be  but 
 a  man's  covenant,  being  properly  signed  and  sealed, 
 no  one  disannulleth  or  addeth  thereto.  And  who 
 shall  disannul  or  add  to  the  covenant  of  the  Trinity? 
 The  creature  cannot.  God  will  not.  His  purpose 
 of  bringing  many  sons  to  glory  is  unalterably  fixed 
 in  his  own  mind;  and,  in  order  to  make  it  a  sure 
 ground  for  their  faith,  he  confirmed  his  immutable 
 covenant  by  his  immutable  oath.  On  this  security 
 I  rest  my  soul.  A  covenant  God  has  enabled  me  to 
 trust  in  his  covenant  engagements.  Hence  I  se« 
 every  thing  relating  to  my  salvation,  absolutely  cer- 
 tain in  the  counsel  and  covenant  of  God ;  and  I  look 
 upon  my  faith  to  be  one  of  the  effects  of  my  being 
 in  the  covenant.  And  faith,  as  a  covenant  gift,  is 
 an  immutable  gift.  What  a  blessing  is  it,  that  the 
 gifts  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance  !  It 
 has  been  given  me  on  the  behalf  of  Christ  to  believe. 
 And  is  not  this  from  covenant  love?  W^hat  else 
 would  bring  me  to  trust  in  covenant  faithfulness? 
 Therefore,  by  believing,  I  have  immutable  things  to 
 
210 
 
 depend  upon  for  the  certainty  of  my  salvation.     Upon 
 them  would  I  stay  my  soul,  as  well  as  I  may,  and 
 fix  my  heart  upon  them.      O  that  I  could  bring  more 
 glory  to  my  covenant  God,  by  trusting   him  with 
 unshaken  confidence  !      His  love  to  me  demands  it 
 at  my  hands.      His  love  contrived  the  plan  of  salva- 
 tion.     Love  provided  every  thing  needful  to  carry 
 it  into  execution.      The  evidence  which  he  has  given 
 of  this,  was  from  the  overflowings  of  love.       His 
 word  of  promise,  ratified  by  covenant,  confirmed  by 
 oath,   the  oath  of  the  holy,   blessed,   and  glorious 
 Trinity,  made  to  satisfy  the  heirs  of  promise  of  the 
 immutability  of  the  divine  will  concerning  them — O 
 what  miracles  of  love  are  these  !      And  all  to  assure 
 them,  that  the  heart  of  Jehovah  is  invariably  towards 
 them  for  good  !      Yes,  Lord,  this  is  the  great  love 
 wherewith  thou  lovest  me.      And  this  is  the  evidence 
 of  love.      Thou  hast  brought  me  to  believe  it,  and 
 to  put  some  honour  upon  it.      I  desire  to  trust  to 
 thy  covenant  engagements  without  wavering.    Estab- 
 lish, strengthen,   settle  my  faith.      Increase  it  from 
 day  to  day,  that  I  may  grow  in  the  knowledge  and  ex- 
 perience of  that  love  which  passeth  knowledge.    For 
 
 It  is  a  free  covenant,  and  also  an  everlasting  love. 
 This  is  another  of  its  most  glorious  properties.  His 
 love  knows  neither  beginning  nor  end.  It  is  with- 
 out variableness,  or  shadow  of  turning.  The  heart 
 of  God  is  always  one  and  the  same  towards  his  chosen 
 people;  for  he  loveth  them  freely  :  the  motives  to  it 
 were  all  in,  and  from  his  own  breast.  The  covenant 
 was  distinguishing  love,  secured  to  the  heirs  of  pro- 
 mise by  the  most  solemn  engagements.  And  this 
 crowns  all.     His  love  is  of  the  same  date  with  the 
 
mi 
 
 covenant— not  only  before  all  worlds,  but  also  from 
 eternity.  Therefore  it  is  frequently  called  in  Scrip- 
 ture an  everlasting  covenant,  and  covenant-love  is  said 
 to  be  according  to  the  eternal  purpose,  which  he  had 
 purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord  :  whereby,  before 
 the  foundations  of  the  world  were  laid,  he  hath  con- 
 stantly decreed  by  his  counsel,  secret  to  us,  to  deliver 
 from  curse  and  damnation  those  whom  he  hath  cho- 
 sen in  Christ  out  of  mankind,  and  to  bring  them  by 
 Christ  to  everlasting  salvation,  as  vessels  made  to 
 honour.  Here  is  a  never-failing  source  of  comfort 
 to  a  believing  heart.  Meditate,  O  my  soul,  upon 
 it.  Consider  what  God  hath  done  for  thee,  and  give 
 him  the  glory  of  his  precious  love.  Has  he  not 
 called  thee  by  his  Spirit,  working  in  thee  in  due 
 season  ?  Hast  thou  not  obeyed  the  call  ?  Dost  thou 
 not  depend  upon  the  finished  work  of  God  thy  Sa- 
 viour ?  Art  thou  not  justified  freely  by  faith  in  him  ? 
 Art  thou  not  seeking  daily  to  mortify  the  works  of 
 the  flesh,  and  thy  earthly  members,  and  that  thy 
 mind  may  be  drawn  up  to  high  and  heavenly  things? 
 Certainly  these  are  good  proofs  of  the  Father's  love 
 towards  thee;  because  these  are  the  happy  effects  of 
 his  purposes  now  taking  place  in  thy  soul.  O  how 
 greatly  should  this  consideration  establish  and  con- 
 firm thy  faith  of  eternal  salvation  to  be  enjoyed  by 
 Christ,  and  thereby  kindle  thy  love  towards  God  ! 
 He  has,  indeed,  drawn  thee  by  the  sweet  attraction 
 of  his  Spirit  unto  himself,  and  he  has  explained  to 
 thee  the  motive  for  his  so  doing — "  Yea,  I  have  loved 
 thee  with  an  everlasting  love,  therefore  with  loving- 
 kindness  have  I  drawn  thee."  His  love,  discovered 
 to  thee  in  time,  is  the  fruit  of  his  love  before  time, 
 
212 
 
 for  the  one  is  the  effect  of  the  other.  If  love  had 
 not  been  always  in  his  heart  towards  thee,  thy  heart 
 could  never  have  been  drawn  in  love  to  him :  but  he 
 has  drawn  it.  And  thou  art  seeking  to  have  it  drawn 
 more  closely  to  him.  Is  it  not  thy  daily  wish,  O 
 for  more  love  to  my  gracious  Father  ? — what  a  love 
 has  he  shown  to  me — what  a  free,  covenant,  ever- 
 lasting love  !  And  yet,  alas  !  what  poor  returns  do 
 I  make  him  !  Holy  Spirit  of  love,  raise  and  exalt 
 my  affections,  and  let  the  consideration  of  the  won- 
 derful love  of  my  heavenly  Father  to  me  increase 
 mine  to  him,  and  let  mine  abound  yet  more  and  more 
 in  knowledge,  and  in  all  sensible  experience. 
 
 The  Holy  Spirit,  who  is  the  great  teacher  and 
 manifester  of  the  Father's  love,  has  revealed  these 
 properties  of  it  in  Scripture,  for  the  establishment  of 
 the  faith  of  the  children  of  God.  He  would  have 
 them  believe  assuredly  that  God  is  their  Father,  not 
 in  name  only,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth ;  that  he  has 
 the  bowels  of  the  tenderest  parent,  and  that  he  freely, 
 fully,  everlastingly  loves  them  in  his  dear  Son.  As 
 he  loves  him,  so  he  loves  them.  He  embraces  the 
 head  and  the  members  with  the  same  affection.  And 
 because  they  can  hardly  believe  this  in  times  of  trial 
 and  trouble,  the  Holy  Spirit  would  satisfy  their 
 hearts  of  it,  by  discovering  to  them  the  unchange- 
 ableness  of  their  Father's  love,  as  it  has  been  mani- 
 fested in  the  divine  covenant,  and  confirmed  with 
 the  divine  oath.  In  both  which,  the  witness  of  the 
 Father  to  his  children  is  given  in  this  manner — *  I 
 have  freely  loved  you,  I  have  engaged  to  love  you, 
 and  I  will  ever  be  mindful  of  my  covenant  engage- 
 ments—as I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  will  love  you 
 
213 
 
 unto  the  end — yea,  I  will  bless  you  with  all  spiritual 
 and  eternal  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus — what  he,  your 
 elder  brother,  is  now  in  glory,  that  will  my  love  make 
 you — the  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  shall 
 be  removed,  but  my  kindness  shall  not  depart  from 
 you,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my  peace  be  re- 
 moved, saith  the  Lord  that  hath  mercy  on  you/ 
 
 These  are  faithful  sayings,  and  worthy  of  all  ac- 
 ceptation. O  evil  heart  of  unbehef,  what  pretence 
 hast  thou  to  reason  against  the  truth  of  them  ?  O 
 ye  of  little  faith,  wherefore  do  ye  doubt  of  receiving 
 the  goodness  of  them  ?  Your  Father  is  not  a  man, 
 that  he  should  lie ;  neither  the  son  of  man,  that  he 
 should  alter  his  purpose.  Hath  he  said,  and  shall 
 he  not  do  it  ?  or  hath  he  spoken,  and  shall  he  not 
 make  it  good  ?  Yes,  the  purpose  of  his  heart,  spoken 
 with  his  mouth,  shall  be  made  good  with  his  arm  : 
 all  his  perfections  stand  engaged  to  establish  his  faith- 
 ful word,  and  therefore  it  is  a  safe  ground  to  build 
 and  to  rest  upon.  Trusting  to  it,  the  believer  may 
 boldly  claim  the  promised  blessings  of  his  Father's 
 love;  and  with  a  hope  that  will  never  make  him 
 ashamed,  he  may  expect  a  growing  enjoyment  of  its 
 free  covenant  and  eternal  blessings. 
 
 Well  then,  O  my  soul,  thou  hast  considered  the 
 subject.  What  are  thy  sentiments  of  the  love  of 
 the  Father?  Are  they  such  as  the  Scripture  teaches? 
 Take  heed  of  error.  A  little  mistake  here  will  have 
 dreadful  effects  upon  thy  walk.  Dost  thou  believe, 
 that  thou,  coming  to  the  Father  through  faith  in  the 
 life  and  death  of  his  co-equal  Son,  art  pardoned  and 
 justified  before  him,  and  that  this  thy  coming  to  the 
 Father  through  the  Son,  is  from  the  grace  of  the 
 
2U 
 
 Spirit?  Therefore  the  Three  that  bear  record  in 
 heaven,  do  witness  to  thy  being  an  object  of  cove- 
 nant love.  Does  this  witness  keep  thy  conscience 
 quiet,  and  thy  heart  happy  ?  Canst  thou  plead  it 
 against  guilt  and  fear,  and  maintain  the  influence  of 
 it  in  dark  and  trying  times  ?  The  love  of  thy  heavenly 
 Father  is  immutable :  dost  thou  experience  it  to  be 
 so ?  It  is  everlasting:  canst  thou  depend  upon  it  as 
 such  ?  It  has  provided  all  blessings  for  thee  in  Jesus : 
 art  thou  receiving  them  out  of  his  fulness,  grace  for 
 grace  ?  It  is  proposed  to  thy  faith  in  John  xvii.  and 
 in  Eph.  iii.  as  a  never-failing  spring  of  consolation. 
 Read  and  try,  whether  thou  art  practically  acquainted 
 with  what  is  there  written.  Examine  the  character 
 of  the  Father's  love;  and  be  assured,  what  is  not 
 agreeable  to  it,  is  not  the  teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 His  office  in  thy  soul  is  to  witness  to  what  he  has  re- 
 vealed in  the  Scripture,  to  explain  it  to  thine  under- 
 standing, to  make  it  the  ground  of  thy  faith,  and  the 
 enjoyment  of  thy  heart.  Dost  thou  then  understand, 
 and  believe,  and  enjoy  the  Father's  love,  according  to 
 what  the  Holy  Spirit  has  testified  of  it? 
 
 Perhaps  thou  art  clear  in  thine  understanding, 
 but  through  the  weakness  of  thy  faith  hast  but  little 
 enjoyment  of  the  love  of  God.  Why  is  thy  faith 
 weak?  Search  into  the  cause,  (depend  upon  it  God 
 is  not  the  cause,)  and  having  discovered  it,  inquire 
 into  the  remedy.  There  is  provision  made  in  the 
 covenant  for  all  the  infirmities  of  thy  faith  ;  for  it 
 was  well  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure,  and  thy  faith 
 was  well  ordered  and  sure, — infallible  securities  were 
 provided  in  the  covenant  to  make  it  sure.  That 
 thou  shouldst  have  it,  that  thou  shouldst  keep  it,  and 
 
215 
 
 keep  it  too  unto  the  end,  the  blessed  Trinity  have 
 engaged  by  their  immutable  counsel,  and  their  im- 
 mutable oath.  Therefore,  thou  art  now  kept  by  the 
 power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation.  The 
 power  of  God,  which  is  thy  keeper,  has  given  thee 
 faith,  and  keeps  thy  faith,  that  it  fail  not.  Thou 
 and  it  are  well  kept.  A  covenant  God  has  the  charge 
 of  both.  Almighty  love  watches  over  thee,  and  un- 
 derneath are  the  everlasting  arms.  Till  these  fail, 
 thy  faith  cannot  fail.  O  what  powerful  motives  are 
 these  to  induce  thee  to  believe  without  wavering  ! 
 Consider  them  carefully.  And  may  the  Lord  render 
 them  the  means  of  strengthening  thy  faith,  and  of 
 thereby  enabling  thee  to  cleave  more  closely  in  love 
 to  thy  heavenly  Father. 
 
 It  may  be,  thou  art  hindered  from  living  by  un- 
 shaken faith,  because  thou  hast  so  little  love  to  God. 
 He  ought  to  have  all  thy  heart  and  soul,  and  mind 
 and  strength,  but  it  grieves  thee  to  observe  what  a 
 small  part  he  has  of  them.      This  view  is  always 
 humbling.     Our  love,  at  best,  is  not  what  it  ought 
 to  be.     It  is  not  constant :  it  ebbs  and  flows.     It  is 
 not  perfect :  the  flesh  lusteth  always  contrary  to  the 
 Spirit.      It  is  not  what  God  deserves  as  payment  for 
 love  received.     Who  will  compute  the  full  value  of 
 his  love  to  one  redeemed  sinner?     On  earth  it  sur- 
 passeth  knowledge.     In  heaven  it  surpasseth  all  re- 
 turns of  praise.     The  highest  love  of  glorified  saints 
 is  only  acknowledgment,  but  not  payment.     They 
 are  perfectly  humble,  and  therefore  willing  that  God 
 should  have  all  the  glory  of  their  salvation.     To  him 
 they  ascribe  it.     The  same  mind  in  thee  would  re- 
 fine  thy  love,  and  make  it   something  like  theirs. 
 
216 
 
 When  thou  art  considering  thy  love  to  God,  and 
 ashamed  at  the  sight  of  it,  then  look  at  his.     Look 
 especially  at  his,  when   thine  is  little.      Believing 
 views  of  his  will  increase  thine.     Thine  has  nothing 
 else  to  excite  it,  or  to  nourish  it.     Thou  art  not 
 called  upon  to  warm  thyself  with  the  sparks  of  thy 
 love  to  God,  but  with  the  pure  constant  flame  of  his 
 love  to  thee.     His  is  to  keep  up  thine.     His  is  the 
 first  cause,  and  thine  is  but  the  effect.     The  experi- 
 ence of  his  will  heal  all  the   infirmities  of  thine. 
 When  thy  love  is  little,  unsettled,  cold,  and  dull, 
 then  study  the  divine  properties  of  his :  these  rightly 
 understood,  will  increase,  settle,  warm,  and  actuate 
 thine  affections.     By  believing  meditation  thou  wilt 
 find  a  pardon  provided  for  thy  little  love:  the  sense 
 of  it  will  comfort  thy  conscience.     Thy  heart  will 
 grow  hot  within  thee;  while  thou  art  musing  the 
 fire  will  kindle.     It  will  break  out.     Thou  wilt  speak 
 with  thy  tongue,  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  thy  lov- 
 ing God  and  Father. 
 
 Thou  art  willing  then,  O  my  soul,  and  ready  to 
 set  out  to  follow  thy  God.  Under  the  influence  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit  thou  hast  chosen  him  for  thy  por- 
 tion, and  in  a  constant  dependence  upou  his  grace 
 thou  hast  taken  his  way  for  thy  daily  walk.  How 
 great  is  the  love  wherewith  he  loveth  thee  !  Sur- 
 vey it.  *  Measure,  if  thou  canst,  the  dimensions  of 
 it  in  thine  own  particular  case.  The  more  thou  art 
 acquainted  with  it,  the  readier  wilt  thou  be  to  give 
 him  all  the  glory  of  it,  and  to  make  such  acknow- 
 ledgments as  these: — 
 
 I  speak  the  truth  in  Christ,  I  lie  not,  my  con- 
 science bearing  me  witness  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  that 
 
217 
 
 being  justified  by  faith,  I  have  found  peace,  and  free 
 access  to  a  reconciled  God,  We  are  agreed,  and 
 now  I  desire  to  walk  with  him.  He  is  my  Father 
 in  Jesus,  and  I  know  he  has  bowels  of  the  tenderest 
 affection  for  me.  I  ought  not,  it  would  be  base  in 
 me  to  question  it,  since  he  has  shed  his  love  abroad 
 in  my  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  who  has  made  me 
 of  one  mind,  of  one  heart,  and  of  one  way  with  him- 
 self. His  way  is  become  mine;  for  he  has  recon- 
 ciled me  to  it,  by  causing  me  to  see  that  he  has 
 chosen  me  freely,  as  an  object  of  his  electing  love, 
 that  he  gave  his  Son  to  finish  salvation-work  for  me, 
 and  that  he  has  now  given  his  Spirit  to  me,  who  has 
 called  me,  and  given  me  ears  to  hear,  who  has  be- 
 stowed on  me  faith  and  hope,  and  has  enabled  me  to 
 look  upon  these  as  fruits  of  the  Father's  covenant 
 grace,  and  everlasting  favour.  O  what  exceeding 
 riches  of  love  are  these  !  If  I  would  declare  and 
 speak  of  them,  they  are  more  than  can  be  numbered. 
 What  am  I,  that  I  should  be  accepted  in  the  Be- 
 loved? His  Father  is  mine.  He  sees  me,  loves  me, 
 yea,  blesses  me  in  him.  My  title  is  clear  to  all  spi- 
 ritual blessings,  because,  God  being  my  God  in  Jesus, 
 all  things  are  mine.  He  will  make  them  all  work 
 together  for  my  good.  He  that  withheld  not  his 
 own  Son,  but  gave  him  for  me,  how  shall  he  not  with 
 him  freely  give  me  all  things?  Having  his  free 
 grant  of  them  in  the  word  of  promise,  and  trusting 
 to  his  faithfulness,  I  have  set  out  to  walk  with  my 
 divine  Friend  and  Father,  hoping  to  enjoy  his  loving 
 presence  all  the  way  to  heaven.  I  would  not  aim  at 
 getting  any  new  title  to  his  love,  but  to  have  new 
 enjoyment.  Every  day  I  am  seeking  for  more  know- 
 K  4, 
 
^18 
 
 ledge,  and  for  more  experience  of  his  abundant  love 
 to  me  in  his  beloved  Son.  And  for  this  end,  I 
 would  walk  close  with  him  in  his  way, — not  to  buy 
 his  love,  it  is  inestimable, — not  to  merit  it,  free  grace 
 and  merit  cannot  stand  together, — -not  that  I  may  de- 
 serve it  for  my  walk,  but  may  freely  receive  it  of  him 
 in  my  walk, — not  that  he  may  give  it  me  for  walk- 
 ing with  him,  but  that  in  walking  with  him  I  may 
 enjoy  what  he  has  already  given  me.  His  love  is  a 
 free  gift.  1  would  by  faith  enjoy  it  in  time,  as  I 
 hope  by  sense  to  enjoy  it  in  eternity.  Whatever 
 blessings,  strength,  victory,  or  comfort  I  stand  in 
 need  of,  I  look  to  the  fulness  which  he  has  laid  up 
 in  Jesus,  and  from  thence  I  receive  it.  I  read  my 
 title  to  it,  and  I  take  possession  of  it,  for  nothing 
 done  in  me  or  by  me,  now  or  at  any  other  time,  but 
 only  in  and  for  the  free  grace  of  his  Father  and  my 
 Father.  While  I  can  live  thus  by  simple  faith,  I  find 
 I  am  enabled  to  go  on  well.  The  sense  of  his  free,  co- 
 venant, everlasting  love,  keeps  my  heart  happy,  and 
 makes  walking  with  him  my  delight.  O  that  he  may 
 enable  me  to  press  forward,  that  I  may  hold  my  con- 
 fidence, and  the  rejoicing  of  hope,  steadfast  unto  the 
 end  !  And  why  need  I  doubt  of  it,  since  he  has  me 
 in  his  keeping?  His  love  has  bound  itself  to  me  by 
 covenant  engagements,  which  are  my  full  security  for 
 what  he  has  declared — "  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor 
 forsake  thee." 
 
 These  desires,  I  am  persuaded,  are  from  thee,  O 
 Father  of  mercies  !  I  could  never  have  sought  my 
 happiness  in  thy  love,  unless  thou  hadst  first  loved 
 me.  O  grant  me  then  the  desires  of  my  heart ! 
 What  thy  good  Spirit  has  put  me  upon  seeking,  let 
 
219 
 
 me,  by  his  grace,  find  continually.  He  has  mani- 
 fested to  me  thy  perfect  reconcihation  to  thy  people, 
 through  the  life  and  death  of  Jesus.  It  has  been 
 given  me  on  his  behalf  to  believe  this.  I  have  there- 
 fore taken  thee  for  my  God  and  my  portion,  and  I 
 would  so  walk  with  thee  as  to  obtain  a  growing  know- 
 ledge and  experience  of  thy  love.  For  this  cause  I 
 bow  my  knees  unto  thee,  Holy  Father.  O  hear  and 
 answer  the  prayer  of  faith  !  Give  me  grace  to  walk 
 with  thee  in  love,  all  the  way  to  glory.  I  ask  it  in 
 the  name  of  Jesus  :  for  thou  art  the  Father  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in 
 heaven  and  earth  is  named.  One  Father,  one  family, 
 one  love.  Thou  receivest  all  thy  children,  whether 
 in  heaven  or  earth,  into  the  same  near  relation,  and 
 embracest  them  with  the  same  dear  affection  in  thy 
 beloved  Son.  O  what  a  mercy  is  this  !  Blessed,  for 
 ever  blessed  be  thy  fatherly  love,  which  chose  me  to 
 be  of  thy  family,  and  which  has  brought  me  to  know 
 that  I  am  a  child  of  God,  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 I  thank  thee  for  giving  me  the  desire  to  live  as  such, 
 and  to  walk  worthy  of  my  high  calling.  O  grant  me, 
 then,  according  to  the  riches  of  thy  glory,  (out  of 
 thine  infinite  treasury  of  grace,  and  to  the  praise  of 
 the  glory  of  thy  grace,)  to  be  strengthened  with  might 
 by  thy  Spirit  in  the  inner  man.  He  is  the  promise 
 of  the  Father.  All  thy  children  have  their  new 
 birth,  and  every  faculty  of  the  new  man  from  him, 
 and  by  the  working  of  his  mighty  power  they  are  kept, 
 as  well  as  renewed,  day  by  day:  for  without  him  they 
 can  do  nothing.  Of  this  he  has  thoroughly  con- 
 vinced me.  I  know  I  cannot  call  thee  Father,  nor 
 believe  in  thee,  nor  love  thee,  but  by  thy  Spirit.  O 
 K  2 
 
220 
 
 my  God,  strengthen  me  efFectually  by  his  grace  in 
 the  inner  man,  for  every  purpose  of  spiritual  life  ! 
 Whatever  he  has  engaged  to  do  in  thy  children,  let 
 him  do  it  in  me,  that  through  his  presence  and  power 
 Christ  may  dwell  in  my  heart  by  faith.      O  let  him 
 continually  discover  to  me  mine  interest  in  Christ, 
 and  open  to  me  the  exceeding  riches  of  thy  love  in 
 him  !      Holy  Father,  let  thy  good  Spirit  abide  with 
 me,   that  I  may  know  for  certain  Christ  is  one  with 
 me,  and  I  am  one  with  him,  and  may  thereby  be  able 
 to  maintain  constant  fellowship  with  him — he  dwell- 
 ing in  me,  and  I  in  him.   O  may  I  thus  live  continually 
 by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,   depending  always 
 for  acceptance  with  thee  upon  his  atonement  and  his 
 righteousness,  and  so  may  find  the  happy  fruit  of  his 
 prayer  to  thee — "  O  righteous   Father,  I  have  de- 
 clared to  my  disciples  thy  name,   and  will  declare  it, 
 that  the  love  wherewith  thou  lovest  me  may  be  in 
 them,  and  I  in  them."      Thou  didst  hear,  thou  hast 
 answered  times  out  of  number,  the  request  of  thy 
 beloved  Son.     Lord  God,  answer  it  to  me.    Let  me 
 rejoice  in  thy  love,  and  find  it  to  be  the  same  to  me 
 as  to  him.     Let  thy  good  Spirit  root  me  and  ground 
 me  in  the  knowledge  of  thy  love  to  me  in  Jesus.    O 
 grant  me  to  be  deeply  rooted  in  the  experience  of  it, 
 that  my  faith,  working  by  love,  may  bring  forth  much 
 fruit  to  thy  glory,  and  I  may  become  so  grounded  in 
 love,  as  to  stand  unshaken,  like  a  house  built  upon 
 a  rock,   against  every  attack  made  upon  my  love  to 
 thee.    O  my  God  and  Father,  my  heart  is  naked  and 
 open  to  thee.    Thou  knowest  the  secrets  of  it.    Thou 
 seest  how  fervently  I  pray  for  the  abiding  presenoe 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit.      My  prayer  comes  from  a  feel- 
 
5^1 
 
 ing  sense  of  my  want  of  him,  and  from  a  dependence 
 on  thy  promise  to  give  the  Spirit  to  them  that  ask 
 him.  Lord,  I  ask.  Grant  me  to  be  strengthened 
 by  hira,  with  every  needful  gift  and  grace  in  the  inner 
 man.  Send  him  to  manifest  plainer  and  plainer  my 
 union  with  Jesus,  in  order  to  my  keeping  up  com- 
 munion with  him ;  that,  having  him  dwelling  in  my 
 heart  by  faith,  I  may  be  so  established  in  the  expe- 
 rience of  thy  love  to  me  in  him,  as  to  be  able  to  com- 
 prehend, with  all  saints,  what  is  the  breadth,  and 
 length,  and  depth,  and  height  of  thy  love.  All  the 
 saints  comprehend  it;  but  the  saints  below  less  than 
 they  above.  And  some  of  them  below  comprehend 
 more  than  others.  I  know  but  little:  O  my  God, 
 increase  my  knowledge  of  thy  love  in  Jesus  I  Where- 
 unto  I  have  attained,  establish  me;  and  keep  me 
 pressing  forward  for  clearer  discoveries  of  it.  Help 
 rae  to  survey  it,  so  far  as  faith  is  able,  in  its  most 
 glorious  dimensions,  and  to  praise  thee  for  mine  ex- 
 perience of  its  rich  mercies.  Holy  Father,  teach  me 
 still  more  by  thy  Spirit  of  the  boundless  freeness, 
 and  of  the  endless  fulness  of  thy  love — let  me  know 
 thy  love  in  Christ,  which  passeth  knowledge.  Al- 
 though I  cannot  know  it  as  it  is,  my  limited  under- 
 standing being  incapable  of  measuring  the  infinity  of 
 thy  love,  yet  for  this  very  reason  let  me  be  daily 
 studying  to  know  more  of  it — growing  up  into 
 Christ  Jesus  by  faith — abounding  in  hope  by  the 
 power  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  and  increasing  in  the  love 
 of  God.  Holy,  blessed,  and  glorious  Trinity,  let 
 me  thus  partake  of  the  fulness  of  grace  below,  grace 
 for  grace,  till  I  partake  of  the  fulness  of  glory  above  ; 
 that  I  may  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness  which  is  of 
 
222 
 
 God,  with  which  thou  hast  promised  to  fill  thy  chil- 
 dren in  earth  and  heaven.  O  magnify  thy  love  to- 
 wards me  according  to  its  greatness,  and  not  according 
 to  my  deserts  or  to  my  prayers.  I  know  thou  canst 
 do  exceeding  abundantly  above  all  that  I  can  ask  or 
 think,  according  to  the  power  that  worketh  effectu- 
 ally in  me.  Thy  power  engaged  to  act  for  me  is 
 the  support  of  my  faith,  and  mine  encouragement  in 
 my  prayer.  It  is  an  infinite  and  almighty  power, 
 which  has  graciously  begun,  and  has  hitherto  pros- 
 perously carried  on  the  good  work  in  my  soul.  To 
 it  all  things  are  possible.  Lord  forbid  I  should 
 doubt  of  thy  granting  the  petitions,  which  I  have 
 been  offering  up  unto  thee  in  thy  Son's  name.  That 
 which  thou  hast  promised,  thou  art  able  also  to  per- 
 form. O  my  God  and  Father,  set  thy  power  to 
 work  more  effectually  in  me.  Let  the  Spirit  of 
 might  enlarge  my  thoughts  of,  and  my  faith  in,  thy 
 precious  love.  Let  me  experience  daily,  how  much 
 more  thou  art  able  to  do  than  I  have  yet  obtained; 
 to  give,  than  I  have  yet  asked ;  to  increase,  than  I 
 have  vet  thought.  And  whatever  increase  thou  giv- 
 est,  may  it  draw  out  mine  affections  in  greater  love 
 to  thee  and  to  thy  ways,  and  so  be  the  means  of 
 bringing  more  glory  to  thee.  For  thy  love  in  Je- 
 sus, the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  ascrib- 
 ing honour  and  praise.  Accept  my  thanks,  Holy 
 Father,  together  with  theirs.  To  thee  be  glory  in 
 the  church  by  Christ  Jesus,  throughout  all  ages, 
 world  without  end.      Amen. 
 
223 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 The  believer  goes  on  successfully ,  tvhile  he  lualks  by  faith 
 in  a  constant  dependence  upon  his  reconciled  God  and 
 loving  Father, 
 
 The  leading  principle  upon  which  he  sets  out  is 
 this ; — God  is  my  God  and  Father.  He  is  perfectly 
 reconciled  unto  me,  and  my  conscience  is  at  peace 
 with  him,  through  faith  in  his  beloved  Son.  He 
 loves  me  in  him.  He  has  manifested  it  plainly  to 
 me,  and  now  my  heart  would  cleave  to  him  as  my 
 most  tender  parent.  I  would  rest  in  my  love  to  him, 
 as  he  rests  in  his  love  to  me.  It  is  entirely  through 
 the  grace  of  the  eternal  Spirit,  that  I  have  been  en- 
 abled thus  to  believe  in  the  finished  work  of  Jesus, 
 and  to  experience  the  Father's  love  in  him.  By 
 which  means  I  have  been  satisfied  of  the  love  of  the 
 ever-blessed  Trinity  to  my  soul.  Father,  Son,  and 
 Spirit,  have  covenanted  to  make  me  an  heir  of  God, 
 and  a  joint-heir  with  Christ.  From  my  belief  and 
 experience  of  these  truths,  I  have  been  enabled  to 
 choose  God  for  my  portion.  His  will  is  become 
 mine.  His  appointed  way  is  my  course;  and  now 
 I  desire  so  to  walk  with  him,  as  to  maintain  in  my 
 conscience  the  peace  of  God,  and  in  my  heart  the 
 love  of  God.  I  do  not  expect  any  new  title  to  these 
 inestimable  graces.  My  claim  is  good  and  valid 
 under  Christ.  I  would  not  disparage  it,  by  suppos- 
 ing that  my  close  walk  with  God  was  to  make  any 
 atonement  for  my  sins,  or  to  be  the  least  part  of  my 
 
justifying  righteousness.  I  have  these  already,  and 
 perfectly  too,  in  Jesus.  The  enjoyment  of  thera  is 
 the  thing  I  want.  I  am  seeking  for  more  of  that 
 peace  with  and  love  to  the  Father,  to  which  I  am 
 entitled  in  his  Son.  His  fulness,  the  fulness  of  him 
 that  filleth  all  in  all,  is  mine.  A  free  grant  of  it 
 has  passed  in  the  court  of  heaven,  has  been  revealed 
 in  the  record  of  truth,  and  I  by  believing  have  ac- 
 cepted the  grant.  I  am  in  possession  of  its  privi- 
 leges, and  am  enjoying  its  blessings.  On  the  ful- 
 ness of  Jesus  I  live  this  day.  Out  of  it  I  hope  to 
 be  receiving  every  grace  which  I  shall  want  for  my 
 safe  and  happy  walk  with  his  Father  and  my  Father. 
 Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  for  what  thou  knowest 
 and  hast  experienced  of  his  abundant  grace;  which 
 has  enabled  thee  thus  to  walk  with  thy  reconciled 
 God  and  loving  Father.  This  day  thou  art  called 
 upon  to  maintain  peace  with  him  in  thy  conscience, 
 and  love  to  him  in  thy  heart — peace  like  his,  flowing 
 from  the  sense  of  his  being  perfectly  reconciled  to 
 thee — love  like  his,  the  happy  fruit  of  his  unchange- 
 able love  to  thee.  Whatever  thou  meetest  with  in 
 thy  work  or  warfare,  ought  not  to  lessen,  but  ought 
 to  exercise  and  to  improve  those  graces.  Never  for- 
 get that  he  is  thy  God — the  God  of  peace.  He 
 stands  related  to  thee  in  the  dearest  and  most  indis- 
 soluble bond  of  love.  He  is  thy  Father  in  Jesus. 
 Keep  the  sense  of  this  always  fresh  upon  thy  mind, 
 and  thy  steps  will  be  ordered  aright.  Nothing  will 
 be  able  to  stop  thee  in  the  way  to  heaven,  or  to  se- 
 duce thee  out  of  it;  but  every  thing  will  bring  thee 
 forward.  Whilst  thou  canst  maintain  peace  and 
 love,  thou  wilt  go  on  prosperously  against  guilt  and 
 
225 
 
 self-righteousness,  against  the  wiles  and  assaults  of 
 thy  spiritual  foes,  against  the  world  which  lieth  in 
 wickedness,  and  against  every  inward  and  outward 
 trial.  The  Lord  being  on  thy  side,  all  these  shall 
 work  together,  under  him,  for  thy  good ;  and  they 
 shall  be  the  means  of  making  tliee  walk  safely  in  the 
 way,  and  of  bringing  thee  happily  to  the  end  of  it. 
 The  apostle  has  given  us  the  whole  plan  in  few  words 
 — "  We  walk,'*  says  he,  "  by  faith,  and  not  by 
 sight."  We  direct  our  Christian  course  by  believ- 
 ing, and  not  by  seeing.  Faith  is  to  us  the  evidence 
 of  things  not  seen,  and  the  ground  of  our  hoping  to 
 enjoy  them.  W^e  believe  upon  the  authority  of 
 God's  word,  that  they  are  what  he  describes  them  to 
 be  ;  for  faith,  as  a  grace  of  the  Spirit,  consists  in  giv- 
 ing credit  to  what  God  says.  If  it  be  a  truth  pro- 
 posed to  the  understanding,  faith  relies  upon  the  in- 
 fallible word.  "If  it  be  a  promise,  faith  depends  upon 
 the  arm  of  God  to  make  it  good.  And  whatever  he 
 has  promised,  faith  (when  it  is  as  it  should  be)  does 
 not  stagger  at  difficulties,  but  rests  fully  persuaded, 
 that  what  God  hath  promised,  he  is  able  also  to  per- 
 form. Faith  looks  at  the  word  spoken,  and  over- 
 looks seeming  impossibilities.  Thus  saith  the 
 Lord — that  is  enough  for  faith — full  of  satisfying 
 evidence :  for  it  knows,  that  to  speak  and  to  do  are 
 the  same  thing  with  an  unchangeable  God. 
 
 How  many  errors  in  judgment,  and  consequent 
 mistakes  in  practice,  prevail  at  this  day,  chiefly  arising 
 from  confounding  faith  with  its  fruits ;  and  from  not 
 distinguishing  between  the  word  of  God  believed, 
 and  what  will  follow  upon  believing  it  aright !  Thus, 
 some  make  assurance  to  be  of  the  essence  of  faith, 
 k3 
 
226 
 
 others  make  it  appropriation,  and  many  make  it  con- 
 sist in  an  impression  upon  the  mind,  that  Christ  loved 
 me,  and  gave  himself  for  me.  These  are  fruits— 
 what  faith  should  produce,  but  not  what  it  is.  These 
 are  effects  of  faith  working,  and  not  definitions  of  the 
 nature  of  faith.  A  believer  should  be  exhorted  to 
 make  his  calling  and  election  sure ;  for  it  is  his  pri- 
 vilege. He  ought  to  give  all  diligence  to  attain  as- 
 surance, to  appropriate  Christ  with  all  his  blessings 
 to  himself,  and  to  be  clearly  persuaded  that  Christ 
 loved  him,  and  gave  himself  for  him.  These  are 
 blessed  fruits  of  believing.  May  God  give  his  people 
 more  of  them.  But  then  the  tree  must  be  before 
 the  fruits,  and  the  fruits  grow  upon  the  tree.  Faith 
 is  first,  and  faith  derives  its  being  from  believing  the 
 word  of  God,  and  all  its  fruits  are  continued  acts  of 
 believing.  And  when  you  hear  of  believing,  do  you 
 not  always  think  of  something  spoken  ?  You  can- 
 not separate  these  two  in  your  mind.  Something 
 has  been  said  and  proposed  to  you  before  your  brlief 
 can  be  called  for.  If  nothing  has  been  said,  belief 
 has  no  exercise.  Faith  and  the  word  of  God  there- 
 fore are  related,  as  the  effect  and  the  cause:  because 
 "  faith  cometh  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word 
 of  God."  What  God  hath  spoken  in  his  word, 
 demands  belief  from  all  that  hear  it.  When  faith 
 cometh  by  hearing,  then  we  assent  to  the  truth  of 
 what  God  hath  said,  and  we  rely  upon  his  faithful- 
 ness to  make  good  what  he  has  promised.  Assur- 
 ance is  this  faith  grown  to  its  full  stature:  but  we 
 are  not  born  six  feet  high.  Appropriation  is  a  very 
 comfortable  acting  of  faith,  when  a  man  is  persuaded 
 of  his  interest  in  covenant  mercies;  and,  from  what 
 
227 
 
 he  then  feels,  can  say,  *  Christ  loved  me,  and  gave 
 himself  for  me:'  but  he  has  not  this  comfort  in  times 
 of  heaviness ;  he  may  be  walking  in  darkness,  and 
 having  no  light,  yea,  in  the  hidings  of  the  Lord's 
 countenance,  and  yet  even  then  he  may  trust  simply 
 to  what  God  hath  spoken ;  which  is  true  faith,  and 
 more  exalted  faith,  than  that  which  draws  its  evi- 
 dence from  its  appropriating  acts  and  its  present  ex- 
 perience. The  more  a  man  trusts  to  sense,  the  less 
 he  lives  by  faith ;  for  sensible  feelings  are  not  faith. 
 Impressions  are  not  believing.'  I  see  the  sun — I 
 hear  a  sound — I  feel  an  object :  faith  hath  no  place 
 in  these  instances.  Its  essence  is  believing  and 
 trusting  what  God  hath  spoken.  If  his  word  be 
 believed,  and  by  believing  the  conscience  find  peace 
 and  the  heart  joy  :  these  are  joy  and  peace  in  believ- 
 ing. They  come  from  believing,  are  its  eflPects,  and 
 no  more  enter  into  the  essence  of  faith,  than  com- 
 fortable feelings  do  into  the  essence  of  a  man.  He 
 is  as  truly  a  man  when  miserable,  as  he  is  when  com- 
 fortable. 
 
 These  mistakes  should  be  carefully  guarded 
 against,  because  they  are  chiefly  pernicious  to  the 
 children  of  God ;  who  are  kept  by  them  from  grow- 
 ing up  into  assurance,  into  appropriation,  and  into 
 the  sensible  experience  of  God's  love  to  them  in 
 Christ  Jesus,  They  are  puzzled — they  are  misled, 
 by  being  told  that  they  have  no  faith,  if  they  have 
 no  assurance,  &c.  They  examine  themselves,  but 
 cannot  find  any  such  faith.  This  discourages  them. 
 They  are  tempted  to  think  they  have  no  true  faith, 
 because  they  have  not  what  certain  persons  talk  of. 
 But  if  they  would  adhere  strictly  to  the  word  of 
 
228 
 
 God,  and  would  take  their  ideas  from  it,  they  would 
 see  how  simple  and  plain  a  thing  believing  is,  and 
 would  soon  be  satisfied  that  they  were  true  believers. 
 Which  conviction  would  have  many  blessed  effects, 
 especially  these — it  would  put  them  on  seeking  for 
 an  increase  of  faith,  and  upon  expecting  the  proper 
 fruits  of  faith.  What  nourishes  faith,  ripens  them; 
 for  they  cannot  be  produced  so  long  as  persons  are 
 doubtful  whether  they  have  any  faith  at  alL  They 
 would  see  how  desirable  it  is  to  believe  without 
 doubt  or  wavering,  what  honour  it  puts  upon  God's 
 word,  what  comfort  it  brings  to  them.  And  they 
 would  be  waiting  in  the  appointed  means  for  grace 
 to  maintain,  for  grace  to  improve  their  faith,  that 
 they  may  be  going  on  from  faith  to  faith.  While 
 this  was  their  end  and  aim,  faith  in  act  and  exercise, 
 maintained  and  improved,  would  bring  in  daily  grow- 
 ing evidence  of  their  being  indeed  partakers  of  the 
 faith  of  God's  elect.  Living  by  faith,  walking  by 
 faith,  would  demonstrate  to  them  their  spiritual  life 
 and  walk,  as  plainly  as  natural  life  and  walk  can  be 
 demonstrated  by  outward  actions. 
 
 Here  is  great  need,  O  my  soul,  to  read  the  Scrip- 
 ture and  to  pray  for  the  Spirit  of  vvisdom.  Read, 
 pray  much,  lest  thou  shouldst  err  concerning  the 
 faith.  Every  error  will  be  a  stumbling-block  in  the 
 way  of  thy  holy  walk,  and  make  thee  tired  of  it,  or 
 seduce  thee  out  of  it.  Let  it  be  one  of  thy  daily 
 petitions — *  Lord,  save  me  from  all  mistakes  concern- 
 ing the  faith  of  the  gospel;'  and  let  the  word  of  God, 
 by  which  faith  cometh  and  groweth,  be  thy  daily 
 study.  Tins  is  thy  present  business.  Now  set  out 
 trusting  to  what  God  hath  spoken,  and  relying  on 
 
229 
 
 what  lie  hath  promised.      On  this  principle  proceed, 
 as  it  is  laid  down  by  the  apostle,  "  As  ye  have  there- 
 fore received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  so  walk  ye  in 
 him."      He  is  expressing  his  joy  at  his  beholding 
 their  order,  and  the  steadfastness  of  their  faith  in 
 Christ,  and  he  would  teach  them  how  to  maintain 
 their  faith  throut^hout  their  Christian  course.     How 
 did  you  receive  Christ  at  first  ?     Was  it  not  by  be- 
 lievincr?    Receiving  Christ  and  believincr  in  him,  are, 
 in  John  i.  12.  supposed  to  mean   the  same  thing. 
 And  our  Lord  says,  that  "  they  who  believe  in  him 
 through  the  word,  are  one  with  him."      Christ  then 
 is  received  by  faith  ;  and   by  the  same  faith,  by  the 
 belief  of  the  same  word  of"  God,  we  walk  in  him,  so 
 as  to  be  rooted  and  grounded  and  established  in  the 
 faith.      Our  walk  is  in   him,  not  any  thing  distant 
 from  him;   but  is  the  effect  of  union  with  him.     By 
 him  we  live,  in   him  we  walk, — rooted  in  him,  we 
 grow  as  a  branch  in  the  vine — built  up  in  him,  we 
 are  fixed  as  a  building  on  a  sure  foundation,  and 
 thereby  we  become  established  and  strengthened  in 
 the  faith.      Every  step  we  take  is  by  faith,   by  the 
 same   faith   wherewith    Christ   was   received.       He 
 must  be  received  always,  as  he  was  received  once. 
 There  is  no  change  of  object,  and  there  must  be  no 
 change  of  faith,  but  the  same  continued  trust  on  his 
 word,  and   the   same   dependence  on    his   promised 
 strength.      We  never  set  out  to  walk  with  a  recon- 
 ciled God,  till  we  are  one  with  Christ  by  faith,  and 
 know  our  union  with  him,  and  our  walk  is  in  conse- 
 quence of  this.      If  we  go  on  at  all,  it  is  by  com- 
 munion with  him.      We  can  receive  only  out  of  his 
 fulness,  grace  for  grace,  to  make  us  willing  and  able 
 
230 
 
 to  go  forward.  Our  fellowship  with  him  is  in  every 
 part  and  in  every  moment  of  our  walk,  and  this  is  as 
 necessary  as  our  fellowship  with  the  air  and  elements 
 of  this  world  is  to  every  thing  that  concerns  our 
 natural  walk.  Our  wisdom  to  guide  our  steps,  our 
 progress  in  the  way,  our  courage  and  strength,  our 
 warfare  and  victory,  every  grace  and  every  blessing 
 is  received  by  faith,  and  is  the  effect  of  our  com- 
 munion with  Jehovah  Jesus.  We  trust  in  his  word, 
 we  rely  on  his  arm,  we  wait  on  his  faithfulness,  and 
 so  go  forward ;  for  he  makes  good  what  he  had  pro- 
 mised to  give  us  in  our  walk,  which  confirms  the 
 peace  of  God,  establishes  our  hearts  in  his  love,  in- 
 creases our  faith,  and  thereby  makes  our  daily  walk 
 more  comfortable  to  us,  and  more  glorious  to  him. 
 
 But  if  faith  consist  in  believing  and  trusting  the 
 word  of  God,  it  may  be  inquired,  *  How  shall  we  know 
 the  difference  between  true  and  false,  between  dead 
 and  living  faith  ?'  It  may  be  known  from  the  cause. 
 The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  faith.  He  produces  it. 
 It  is  the  gift  bestowed  by  his  operation,  continued 
 by  his  power,  increased  by  his  blessing,  and  carried 
 on  to  the  end,  by  his  never  leaving  nor  forsaking 
 his  own  work.  And  he  makes  it  known  to  be  his. 
 He  gives  eyes  to  see  it,  and  hearts  to  acknowledge 
 it.  Therefore  the  apostle  says  of  them  who  have 
 received  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  they  know  the  things 
 which  are  freely  given  to  them  of  God :  by  faith 
 they  both  know  the  reality,  and  also  taste  the  sweet- 
 ness of  those  free  gifts  of  free  grace. 
 
 It  may  be  known  from  the  effects.  Dead  faith 
 brings  forth  nothing.  Living  faith  is  fruitful.  It 
 produces  a  hearty  trust  in  the  truth  of  what  God 
 
231 
 
 hath  spoken,  and  a  quiet  reliance  on  the  faithfulness 
 of  what  God  hath  promised.  It  gives  hira  credit 
 for  the  finished  salvation  of  his  Son,  and  puts  honour 
 upon  his  record  concerning  it;  whereby  peace  is  re- 
 ceived into  the  conscience,  and  love  into  the  heart. 
 Upon  which  there  follows  a  settled  dependence  upon 
 this  reconciled  God  and  loving  Father,  for  the  ful- 
 filling of  every  promise,  and  this  is  improved  by  daily 
 experience.  He  that  trusteth  in  the  Lord  is  never 
 confounded.  God  is  faithful.  His  promises  can- 
 not fail.  Blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth  in  him. 
 The  Lord  God  will  be  a  sun  and  a  shield  unto  him : 
 the  Lord  will  give  him  grace  and  glory. 
 
 As  for  the  hypocrites,  it  is  not  so  with  them. 
 The  Holy  Spirit  was  not  the  author  of  their  faith. 
 It  was  a  fancy  of  their  own,  formed  in  their  heads, 
 without  any  warrant  from  God.  There  was  no  life 
 in  it,  and  no  living  effects  from  it.  There  was  the 
 form,  and  nothing  more.  They  made  a  profession, 
 but  never  came  to  any  enjoyment.  They  had  no 
 vital  union,  and  therefore  they  could  not  have  any 
 real  communion  with  Christ.  They  could  not,  as 
 the  apostle  expresses  it,  walk  in  him;  and  therefore, 
 in  the  hour  of  temptation  they  fell  away,  and  came 
 to  nothing.  Take  heed  then,  O  my  soul,  of  mis- 
 takes. Examine  carefully  of  what  sort  thy  faith  is. 
 Bring  it  to  the  standard  of  Scripture,  and  see  what 
 went  before  believing — see  whether  thou  dost  now 
 from  thy  heart  believe  what  God  hath  spoken — wait 
 for  the  effects.  Dost  thou  so  trust  his  word,  as  to 
 take  him  for  thy  God  and  thy  portion  ?  Art  thou 
 walking  with  him  ?  And  art  thou  depending  on 
 him  to  bestow  the  promised  graces  and  blessings  on 
 
232 
 
 thee  in  thy  walk  ?  If  this  be  thine  experience,  thou 
 art  set  out  well :  go  on.  Remember  where  every 
 thing  relating  to  thy  walk  is  to  be  had.  The  Fa- 
 ther's love  has  laid  it  up  all  in  the  Son's  fulness,  and 
 it  is  the  office  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  teach  thee  how 
 to  receive  out  of  it  grace  for  grace.  He  teaches  by 
 his  word.  With  this  in  thy  hand,  and  his  light  in 
 thine  understanding,  read  and  study  what  he  has 
 promised  thee  for  thy  safe,  happy,  and  holy  walk. 
 Take  no  step  without  the  direction  of  his  word,  and 
 expect  at  every  step  that  he  will  make  good  to  thee 
 what  he  has  promised.  Thou  wilt  very  soon  find 
 the  necessity  of  this  dependence  upon  him  ;  for,  ere 
 thou  hast  well  begun  thy  walk,  thou  wilt  be  called 
 upon  to  exercise  thy  faith,  and  to  put  it  to  trial. 
 Thou  wilt  meet  with  many  things  in  thee  averse  to 
 this  holy  walk,  and  many  more  to  distress  thee  in  it. 
 The  body  of  sin,  the  old  man,  the  flesh,  with  all  its 
 affections  and  lusts,  are  still  in  thee.  It  is  of  their 
 nature  to  be  lusting,  and  to  be  always  putting  forth 
 some  filthy  motions,  in  order  to  draw  thee  to  walk 
 after  the  flesh,  and  not  after  the  Spirit.  The  tempter 
 helps  them  all  he  can.  He  knows  how  to  improve 
 them  to  his  own  interest ;  and  if,  from  what  is  pass- 
 ing within  thee,  there  be  a  sight  and  sense  of  sin, 
 then  if  he  can  get  thee  to  look  at  it  in  his  view,  he 
 will  act  upon  thy  legal  and  self-righteous  tempers, 
 and  will  inject  such  vile  insinuations  as  these  against 
 the  Lord  and  against  his  Christ : — 
 
 How  is  it  that  I  am  yet  the  subject  of  sin?  It 
 is  still  in  me.  It  cleaves  to  me,  as  the  flesh  to  my 
 bones,  and  it  mixes  so  with  my  duties,  that  I  cannot 
 perform  them  without  it.      I  sometimes  fear  I  am 
 
233 
 
 nothing  but  sin.  When  I  attempt  to  walk  with 
 God,  ere  I  set  out,  something  evil  arises  within  me, 
 and  stops  me.  Some  proud  unbelieving  thought, 
 some  sensual  affection,  some  worldly  disposition, 
 some  corruption  or  other,  is  ever  at  hand  to  hinder 
 my  course.  What  then  must  I  think  of  myself? 
 I  scarce  know  what.  Things,  I  see,  do  not  grow 
 better.  I  have  been  long  hoping  for  it;  but  1  find 
 there  still  dwelleth  no  good  thing  in  me:  so  that  I 
 am  almost  ready  to  question  the  truth  of  my  grace, 
 and  it  is  with  great  difficulty  I  can  keep  up  any  peace 
 in  my  conscience.  When  the  believer  is  attacked 
 in  this  manner,  (and  who  is  not,  at  some  time  or 
 other?)  how  is  he  to  defend  himself?  Will  his 
 skilfulness  in  the  word  of  righteousness,  and  his  faith 
 in  the  word  of  reconciliation,  keep  him  safe  in  the 
 hour  of  temptation  ?  Yes.  By  the  grace  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  the  lessons  before  learned  will  be  en- 
 forced and  brought  into  use.  This  is  the  time  to 
 maintain  faith  in  the  atonement,  and  in  the  right- 
 eousness of  the  God-man.  Now  it  is  to  be  tried  in 
 the  fire;  and  it  is  put  to  the  trial,  that  it  may  come 
 out  of  it  'jke  gold,  proved  to  be  sterling  metal,  and 
 refined  from  its  dross — better  in  every  respect  for 
 having  gone  through  the  fire.  The  trial  of  faith  is 
 far  more  precious  than  that  of  gold  which  perisheth. 
 It  is  therefore  put  into  the  furnace,  that  the  believer 
 may  know  the  truth  of  it,  and  may  experience  the 
 blessings  of  it.  Faith  conflicting  with  unbelief  is  a 
 good  fight — sometimes  sharp,  but  always  profitable. 
 The  flesh  may  be  weak  and  ready  to  yield,  faith 
 may  be  hard  put  to  it,  but  victory  is  certain.  Dur- 
 ing the  battle,  the  warrior  is  invincible  in  the  whole 
 
^34, 
 
 armour  of  God.  He  takes  to  him  the  shield  of 
 faith,  and  holds  it  up  against  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan. 
 He  draws  out  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the 
 word  of  God,  and  with  it  he  defeats  Satan,  He 
 consults  or  remembers  a  scripture  suitable  to  his 
 present  case,  and  this,  being  sent  home  by  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  puts  an  end  to  the  engagement,  and  restores 
 and  settles  sweet  peace  in  the  conscience.  How 
 often  has  he  applied  the  following  passage,  which 
 the  Lord  speaks  concerning  his  true  Israelites  !— 
 '*  They  shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God; 
 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 
 everlasting  covenant  with  them,  that  I  will  not  turn 
 away  from  them  to  do  them  good ;  but  I  will  put  my 
 fear  into  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart  from 
 me :  yea,  I  will  rejoice  over  them  to  do  them  good." 
 
 "What  strong  consolation  is  there  in  this  scripture  ! 
 Every  sentence  has  an  argument  in  it,  tending  to 
 establish  peace  with  God,  and  to  maintain  it  in  the 
 midst  of  war.  How  quieting  and  satisfying  to  the 
 troubled  conscience  is  his  covenant  purpose  !  "  They 
 shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God."  They 
 shall,  because  1  will.  My  will  shall  make  them 
 willing.  And  in  the  day  of  my  power,  when  my 
 purpose  takes  place,  I  will  give  them  one  heart, 
 turned  to  myself,  and  one  way,  to  walk  with  me  by 
 faith,  as  obedient  children  with  their  loving  Father. 
 This  I  will  do  for  them,  that  they  may  fear  me  for 
 ever,  that  the  fear  of  offending  me  may  rule  always 
 and  by  all  means  in  their  hearts. 
 
 O  what  promises  are  these !      What  can  weak 
 
Q35 
 
 faith  require  farther  to  silence  its  doubts  !  How 
 great  is  the  goodness  of  God  to  his  children,  who, 
 knowing  their  frame,  and  whereof  they  are  made, 
 for  the  good  of  them  and  of  their  children  after  them, 
 has  laid  such  a  foundation  for  their  faith,  that  they 
 may  build  on  it  and  not  be  afraid,  yea,  standing  on 
 it,  that  they  may  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  assured 
 of  victory  ! 
 
 I  will  make,  says  their  God,  an  everlasting  cove- 
 nant for  them,  a  covenant  ordered  in  all  things  and 
 sure,  by  the  counsel  and  oath  of  the  blessed  Trinity, 
 the  two  immutable  things  in  which  it  is  impossible 
 God  should  lie:  "  the  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the 
 hills  shall  be  removed,  but  my  kindness  shall  not 
 depart  from  them,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my 
 peace  be  removed,  saith  the  Lord  that  hath  mercy 
 on  them."  My  covenant  was  made  for  them,  and 
 shall  be  made  good  to  them.  As  I  live,  saith  the 
 Lord,  "  I  will  not  turn  away  from  them  to  do  them 
 good."  I  will  never  change  my  purpose,  nor  alter 
 the  word  that  has  gone  out  of  my  mouth.  I  mean 
 nothing  but  good  to  them.  My  heart  is  fixed  upon 
 it.  And  I  will  not  leave  the  event  to  them.  They 
 shall  not  have  the  management  of  my  purposes,  nor 
 have  any  power  to  defeat  them.  My  will  to  do  them 
 good  shall  not  depend  on  their  will,  nor  on  their 
 faithfulness,  nor  on  any  thing  in  themselves.  I  have 
 taken  all  their  concerns  into  mine  own  hands,  and  I 
 will  conduct  them  all  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of 
 mine  own  grace.  I  will  put  my  fear  into  their  hearts, 
 that  they  shall  not  depart  from  me — they  shall  not 
 depart  from  me.  They  are  not  the  cause  of  their 
 not  departing,  but  I  am.      I  have  taken  it  upon  ray-. 
 
^86 
 
 self.  I  will  give  them  grace  to  walk  close  with  me, 
 and  to  fear  me  always.  I  have  covenanted  for  all, 
 the  means  as  well  as  the  end ;  and  I  will  keep  them 
 by  my  almighty  power,  till  they  receive  the  end  of 
 their  faith,  even  the  salvation  of  their  souls.  "  Yea, 
 I  will  rejoice  over  them  to  do  them  good."  This 
 confirms  all  the  rest.  His  purpose  of  doing  them 
 good,  his  executing  it,  his  continuing  it,  his  increas- 
 ing it  through  time  and  through  eternity,  is  a  matter 
 of  rejoicing  to  the  Lord  God.  He  delights  in  it. 
 It  always  was,  and  always  will  be,  the  joy  of  his  heart, 
 his  crown  and  glory.  He  will  not,  he  cannot  be  de- 
 prived of  his  joy.  Consider  this,  thou  poor  dis- 
 tressed soul,  who  art  in  heaviness  through  manifold 
 temptations,  an.i  ready  to  faint  through  the  weakness 
 of  thy  faith.  Take  courage.  Thy  salvation  is  safe. 
 Thy  Father,  who  is  in  heaven,  rejoices  in  it :  he  will 
 save;  he  will  rejoice  over  thee  with  joy;  he  will  rest 
 in  his  love ;  he  will  joy  over  thee  with  singing.  And 
 his  joy  too  shall  be  thine.  As  sure  as  God  is  in 
 Zion,  thou  shalt  return  and  come  to  Zion  with  songs 
 and  everlasting  joy  upon  thy  head  ;  thou  shalt  obtain 
 joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee 
 away  for  ever, 
 
 O  what  a  discovery  is  here  of  the  ever-loving 
 heart  of  our  heavenly  Father  !  What  more  could 
 he  promise,  in  order  to  put  an  end  to  all  strife  in  the 
 consciences  of  his  afflicted  children  ?  He  has  en- 
 gaged in  a  covenant  of  peace  to  do  good,  nothing  but 
 good  to  them.  He  has  undertaken  the  whole  of  the 
 covenant — what  was  to  be  done  in  them,  as  well  as 
 for  them — to  work  out,  to  apply,  and  to  secure  their 
 salvation.      It  is  his  unchangeable  purpose,  not  to 
 
237 
 
 depart  from  tbem,  and  not  to  sufFer  them  to  depart 
 from  him ;  but  he  will  rejoice  in  doing  them  good, 
 and  that  for  ever.  This  scripture,  when  understood 
 and  applied  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  received  as  full 
 evidence  of  the  unchangeable  love  of  God  to  his 
 children,  and  then  it  quiets  their  troubled  mind. 
 They  can  believe  God  to  be  their  God  still  in  an 
 unchangeable  covenant ;  and  they  become  satisfied 
 that  he  has  made  them,  and  will  keep  them,  his 
 people  for  ever.  When  they  can  thus  mix  faith 
 with  the  promise,  it  then  becomes  the  means  of  their 
 resting  on  the  faithful  arm  of  God  in  the  hour  of 
 temptation,  and  of  their  finding  him  still  a  God  of 
 peace:  whereby  peace  is  established  in  their  con- 
 sciences, and  multiplied  in  their  hearts.  They  learn 
 to  put  more  trust  in  him,  as  their  perfectly  reconciled 
 Father,  and  to  approach  him  with  more  holy,  filial 
 confidence.  The  trial  of  their  faith,  sharp  as  it  was, 
 yet  has  done  them  great  good.  It  has  proved  their 
 peace,  and  has  confirmed  it.  They  now  know  well 
 that  it  is  the  peace  of  God;  and  they  have  been 
 taught  how  to  maintain  it.  War  makes  good  sol- 
 diers. The  trials  of  their  grace  are  for  the  improve- 
 ment of  grace.  Their  peace  has  been  therefore 
 shaken,  like  a  new  planted  tree,  that  it  may  take 
 deeper  and  faster  root.  Being  thus  strengthened  in 
 the  faith,  and  having  the  peace  of  God  ruling  in  their 
 hearts,  they  can  meditate  upon  this  scripture,  and 
 turn  it  into  a  subject  of  prayer  and  praise  :— 
 
 O  gracious  God  and  Father  !  pardon  ray  thoughts 
 of  thy  love  to  me  in  Jesus.  I  was  tempted,  and 
 ready  to  give  way  to  unbelief;  but  the  gracious  pro- 
 vision made  in  thy  word,  was  the  means  of  keeping 
 
238 
 
 me  in  the  hour  of  temptation.  O  my  God  !  make 
 the  word,  in  which  thou  hast  caused  me  to  put  my 
 trust,  more  precious  to  my  soul.  Open  still  more  to 
 me  the  fulness  of  it,  and  put  me  into  happier  posses- 
 sion of  its  promised  blessings.  I  praise  thee,  I  wor- 
 ship thee,  for  revealing  this  promise  by  thy  Spirit, 
 and  for  applying  it  by  his  grace  with  comfort  to  my 
 heart.  I  now  set  to  my  seal  that  it  is  true.  It  is 
 a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation. 
 Glory  be  to  thee  that  I  accept  it,  and  enjoy  the  good 
 promised  in  it.  O  Father  of  mercies,  what  am  I 
 that  I  should  be  made  one  of  thy  people,  and  should 
 have  thee  for  my  God  !  This  love  surpasseth  know- 
 ledge. O  help  me  to  understand  more;  give  me  to 
 find  more  of  thy  covenant  love.  Make  my  heart 
 one  with  thee.  Lead  me  in  thine  own  way,  that  I 
 may  fear  thee  for  ever.  And  when  temptations 
 come,  such  as  I  have  been  in,  grant  that  they  may 
 bring  me  nearer  to  thee,  and  may  be  the  means  of 
 my  making  much  use  of  what  thou  hast  provided  for 
 me  in  thy  Son's  fulness.  O  let  thy  good  Spirit  abide 
 with  me  to  establish  my  faith  in  thine  everlasting 
 covenant,  that  1  may  believe  thou  wilt  never  turn 
 from  me  to  do  me  good.  Merciful  God,  grant  me 
 this  grace  in  every  hour  of  need.  Thou  hast  given 
 me  thy  word  for  it,  and  therein  thou  hast  enabled 
 me  to  put  my  trust.  On  thy  faithful  promise  I  would 
 depend,  and  on  nothing  in  myself.  Thou  hast 
 showed  me  something  of  my  heart,  and  I  feel  it  is 
 revolting,  and  ready  always  to  rebel  against  God ; 
 but  thou  hast  undertaken  to  put  thy  fear  into  it, 
 that  it  shall  not  depart  from  thee :  therefore,  into  thy 
 faithful  hands  I  commit  it.      Keep  me,  my  God,  by 
 
^39 
 
 thy  mighty  power,   through  faith   unto   salvation. 
 Amen,  amen. 
 
 Happy  trials  !  which  have  so  good  an  issue,  and 
 bring  forth  such  peaceful  fruits.  My  brethren, 
 count  it  all  joy,  when  ye  fall  into  divers  temptations, 
 if  they  lead  to  the  exercise  of  grace,  and  occasion 
 fervent  effectual  prayer.  The  believer  thus  tried, 
 learns  by  practice  the  necessity  of  being  at  peace  with 
 God,  and  of  maintaining  it  in  order  to  walk  with 
 God.  He  is  put  upon  studying  the  nature  of  this 
 peace.  He  reads  and  meditates  upon  the  revealed 
 account  of  it.  He  sees  it  as  a  perfect  unchangeable 
 peace,  secured  to  him  by  the  everlasting  covenant  of 
 the  blessed  Trinity,  who  have  engaged  to  save  him 
 from  all  his  sins  and  miseries,  and  never  to  turn  away 
 from  doing  him  good.  To  this  he  trusts.  He  com- 
 mits himself  to  the  care  of  this  covenant  God ;  and 
 he  finds  the  promise  true.  In  temptation,  he  believes 
 and  is  delivered.  In  his  warfare,  out  of  weakness 
 he  is  made  strong.  He  fights  the  good  fight  of 
 faith,  and  he  conquers  all  his  enemies.  He  learns 
 from  trials  to  trust  with  great  confidence.  He  not 
 only  maintains,  but  also  improves  peace  with  God. 
 He  depends  upon  what  God  has  promised  to  them 
 who  walk  with  him,  and  the  promise  is  made  good ; 
 and  he  learns  to  go  on  more  comfortably,  and  daily 
 walks  closer  with  his  heavenly  Father. 
 
 The  enemy  looks  on  him  with  malice.  He  envies 
 his  state.  He  once  knew  the  heaven  of  communion 
 with  God,  but  he  was  lifted  up  with  pride,  and  fell. 
 It  stirs  up  every  infernal  temper  in  him  to  see  the 
 happy  believer,  who  had  fallen  like  him,  restored  to 
 what  he  never  can  expect.      Hence,  either  as  a  sly 
 
240 
 
 serpent,  or  as  a  roaring  lion,  he  never  ceases  to  tempt. 
 As  soon  as  one  wile  fails,  he  has  another  ready.  He 
 is  night  and  day  plotting  and  scheming,  waiting  for 
 an  opportunity  to  make  a  seasonable  attack.  While 
 conscience  is  at  peace  with  God,  and  lives  under  the 
 protection  of  the  blood  of  sprinkling,  he  tempts  in 
 vain.  But  he  does  not  despair  of  success.  He 
 knows  he  has  an  ally  within  us  in  fast  league  with 
 sin,  and  therefore  he  still  hopes  to  draw  him  into 
 sin  by  surprise  and  assault.  In  which  he  is  indefa- 
 tigable. He  is  never  tired.  He  is  always  tempting 
 the  believer,  not  so  much  to  gross  offences,  as  to 
 spiritual  wickedness.  Sly  injections,  legal  insinua- 
 tions, and  self-righteous  thoughts,  are  his  most  com- 
 mon temptations.  With  these  he  tries  to  shake  the 
 peace  of  conscience;  and  he  forms  his  attack  generally 
 in  this  manner: — 
 
 How  can  you  be  a  child  of  God,  and  yet  be  as 
 you  are?  There  is  nothing  in  you  for  which  God 
 should  look  upon  you,  and  love  you.  What  have 
 you  ?  What  ceasing  from  evil,  what  learning  to  do 
 well,  to  recommend  you  to  him  ?  How  can  God 
 love  any  thing  unless  it  be  agreeable  to  his  will,  and 
 what  can  he  delight  in  unless  it  be  conformable  to  his 
 image?  But  do  you  live  up  to  his  will,  and  is  his 
 image  perfectly  renewed  in  you  ?  Have  you  grace, 
 and  do  you  live  up  to  it  ?  Are  you  a  Christian,  and 
 are  you  like  Christ?  How  are  your  duties?  Just 
 as  they  should  be?  You  know  they  are  not:  and 
 how  can  God  be  pleased  with  them,  when  you  are 
 not  pleased  with  them  yourself?  How  is  your  walk? 
 Is  it  such  as  becometh  your  high  calling — close  with 
 God,  and  at  a  vast  distance  from  sin  and  the  world? 
 
241 
 
 How  is  your  warfare  ?  Is  the  whole  armour  of  God 
 kept  buckled  on  ?  And  are  you  always,  in  the 
 strength  of  the  Lord,  a  conqueror  ?  Examine,  and 
 try  yourself.  Bring  forth  that  one  good  thing,  for 
 which  God  should  love  you,  and  bestow  his  blessing 
 upon  you.  You  have  no  such  thing.  You  have 
 nothing  to  merit,  yea,  nothing  to  recommend  you  to 
 the  divine  favour:  and,  therefore,  is  it  not  great  pre- 
 sumption to  fancy,  that  God  will  love  such  a  one  as 
 you,  whose  just  desert  is  wrath  and  everlasting  de- 
 struction ? 
 
 These  are  some  of  the  depths  of  Satan.      He 
 knows  how  strongly  we  are  by  nature  attached  to 
 the  covenant  of  works,   and  that  if  he  can  get  the 
 believer   to  look  off  from   Jesus,    expecting  to  see 
 something  in  himself  for  which  God  should  love  him, 
 he  shall  then  weaken  his  faith  and  shake  his  peace. 
 In  this  snare  he  has  catched  many  a  child  of  God. 
 The  temptation  is  suitable  to  the  workings  of  our 
 legal  minds :  it  flatters  our  self-righteous  hopes,  and 
 is  vastly  pleasing  to  the  pride  of  our  carnal  hearts. 
 No  wonder  then,  so  long  as  there  is  flesh  in  us  as 
 well  as  spirit,  this  artful  suggestion  should  be  some- 
 times received  in  this  manner :   '  Have  I  any  thing 
 for  which  God  would  esteem  me  and  bless  me  ?      I 
 wish  I  could  discover  some  amiable  temper,  or  some 
 praise-worthy  deed,  which  might  recommend  me  to 
 the  particular  regard  of  God.      Indeed,  at  present 
 I  have  not  any  such ;   but  I  hope  to  attain  it  some 
 time  or  other.      If  I  do  but  use  more  diligence  and 
 watchfulness,  and  wait  more  constantly  in  the  means 
 of  grace,  perhaps  I  may  attain  it  soon.      However, 
 there  can  be  no  harm  in  trying.      I  will  exert  myself. 
 L  4 
 
242 
 
 And  I  hope  the  day  will  come,  when  I  shall  be  some 
 way  deserving  of  the  divine  favour.' 
 
 Here  the  temptation  has  taken  place.      As  the 
 serpent  beguiled  Eve  through  his    subtlety,    so  is 
 this  man's  mind  corrupted  from  the  simplicity  that  is 
 in   Christ.       The  subtle   serpent   has  attacked  the 
 liberty  of  the  child  of  God,   and  has  darkened  his 
 understanding,  and  obscured  his  view  of  gospel  grace. 
 His  eye  is  not  now  single :  his  heart  is  not  now  simple 
 in  the  finished  salvation.      He  has  been  deceived  into 
 a  legal  dependence,  and  is  giving  way  to  a  spirit  of 
 bondage.      If  he  was  left  to  himself,  the  enemy  would 
 lead  him  captive  at  his  will.      Satan  desires  to  have 
 him,  that  he  may  sift  him  as  wheat;  but  he  is  not 
 suffered  to  blow  any  thing  away,  except  a  little  chafiP: 
 for  the  Holy  Spirit,   in  whose  keeping  he  is,  disco- 
 vers and  defeats  the  attempts  of  Satan.      He  brings 
 to  his  mind,  and  enables  him  to  make  use  of  what  he 
 before  knew  of  the  doctrines  of  grace.      The  present 
 trial  requires  the  practice,   and  affords  occasion  for 
 the  improvement,   of  his  former  lessons.      He  had 
 learned  from  Scripture,  truths  very  different  from  the 
 suggestions   to  which   he  was  ready  to  yield.      He 
 was  therein  taught,  that  the  Father's  love  to  his  chil- 
 dren does  not  suppose  merit  in  them.      Grace  does 
 not  follow  works :  for  then  grace  would  be  no  more 
 grace.      Election  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  or   of 
 him   that  runneth,  but  of  God  who  showeth  mercy. 
 For  we  are  saved  freely  by  grace,  through  faith,  and 
 that  not  of  ourselves;  it  is  the  gift  of  God.      The 
 election  of  grace  is  from  mere  love  and  sovereign 
 favour,   and  has  no  motives  to  influence  it  but  the 
 good  pleasure  of  the  divine  will.      The  objects  of  it 
 
243 
 
 are  not  the  worthy,  but  the  unworthy, — not  innocent, 
 but  fallen  men, — sinners,  as  such,  no  way  conditioned 
 or  qualified, — the  lost,  the  helpless,  the  ungodly, — 
 yea,  the  chief  of  sinners,— open  enemies  and  rebels 
 against  God.  They  are  not  saved  by  works  of  right- 
 eousness which  they  have  done  or  can  do,  lest  any 
 of  them  should  boast:  for  boasting  is  absolutely  ex- 
 cluded. Salvation  was  so  contrived,  was  so  wrought 
 out,  and  is  so  applied,  that  he  who  glorieth  shall  have 
 nothing  left  him  to  glory  in  but  the  Lord.  No  flesh 
 can  glory  in  his  presence :  for  of  him,  and  through 
 him,  and  to  him,  are  all  things;  to  whom  be  glory 
 for  ever.      Amen. 
 
 So  soon  as  the  Spirit  of  God  opens  this  view  of 
 the  exceeding  riches  of  divine  grace,  the  believer  sees 
 his  mistake.  He  finds  that  he  was  departing  from 
 the  simplicity  of  the  gospel,  by  supposing  that  the 
 love  of  God  followed  merit,  and  that  he  should  be 
 loved  more  according  as  his  walk  recommended  him. 
 His  eyes  are  opened.  The  delusion  vanishes.  The 
 perfect  freeness,  and  the  absolute  sovereignty  of  the 
 Father's  love,  as  revealed  in  Scripture,  is  manifested 
 to  him.  He  reads,  and  mixes  faith  with  what  he 
 reads,  and  so  recovers  himself  out  of  the  snare  of  the 
 devil.  Some  such  passage  as  this  is  made  the  means 
 of  his  deliverance  :  "  The  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from 
 everlasting  to  everlasting  upon  them  that  fear  him." 
 Precious  words  !  full  of  rich  consolation  to  those  who 
 have  been  tempted  to  seek  some  qualifications  in  them- 
 selves, on  account  of  which  they  might  be  entitled  to 
 the  love  of  God,  and  who  have  been  distressed  upon 
 their  not  finding  it.  The  Holy  Spirit  teaches  such 
 persons  to  look  out  of  themselves,  to  an  object  exactly 
 l2 
 
suitable  to  their  case.  He  directs  them  to  the  divine 
 mercy — a  never-failing  spring  of  comfort, — to  that 
 mercy  which  reacheth  from  eternity  to  eternity,— 
 and  which  confers  its  richest  favours,  not  for  the  wor- 
 thiness of  the  receiver,  but  to  the  praise  of  the  grace 
 of  the  Giver,  Here  he  would  have  them  fix  their 
 eyes,  and  expect  relief  to  their  hearts.  Out  of  the 
 fulness  of  mercy  they  may  always  receive  grace  for 
 grace  ;  for  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from  everlasting 
 to  everlasting  upon  them  that  fear  him.  Every 
 word  is  weighty.  Meditate  upon  it,  O  ray  soul ! 
 and  may  the  consideration  of  each  lead  thee  to  exalt 
 that  mercy  of  God  which  is  over  all  his  works. 
 
 Jehovah  is  the  word  here  rendered  Lord.  It 
 is  the  incommunicable  name,  expressive  of  the  in- 
 communicable nature  of  the  Godhead.  It  signifies 
 the  peculiar  manner  of  the  divine  existence,  which  is, 
 in  and  of  itself,  underived  and  independent.  O  how 
 happy  is  it  for  thee,  that  there  is  mercy  in  the  self- 
 existent  Godhead,  and  that  every  perfection  in  it  will 
 be  for  ever  exalted,  even  justice  itself,  for  the  exer- 
 cise of  mercy  !  May  the  Holy  Spirit  teach  thee 
 more  of  its  nature,  and  make  thee  daily  more  ac- 
 quainted in  thine  experience  with  its  free  grace  and 
 free  gifts. 
 
 Mercy  is  that  perfection  in  Jehovah  which  dis- 
 poses him  to  save  miserable  sinners  :  not  a  blind 
 mercy,  such  as  infidels  dream  of, — but  consistent  with 
 the  honour  of  his  law,  and  exercised  to  the  glory  of 
 its  holy  precepts  and  of  its  just  sanctions:  therefore, 
 mercy  and  truth  are  so  often  mentioned  together  in 
 Scripture.  God  will  not  show  any  mercy  to  sinners, 
 but  such  as  tends  to  establish  his  truth.      Not  one 
 
245 
 
 of  his  words  can  be  broken,  nor  can  one  tittle  of  them 
 ever  fail.  He  will  be  justified  in  all  his  sayings,  and 
 clear  when  he  is  judged.  He  will  be  true  and  just, 
 whenever  he  is  merciful;  his  mercies  beinff  all  cove- 
 nant  mercies,  and  all  given  in  and  through  Christ 
 Jesus.  All  men  are  by  nature  children  of  wrath, 
 and  only  they  who  are  chosen  and  called  in  Christ 
 Jesus  are  saved  from  wrath.  These  are  vessels  of 
 mercy.  His  mercy  is  to  them  the  love  of  a  ten- 
 der parent  to  his  miserable  children.  He  pities 
 them,  and  determines  to  save  them  from  their  sins : 
 in  due  time  he  quickens  them,  gives  them  eyes  to 
 see,  and  hearts  to  believe  his  love  to  them  in  Jesus, 
 as  the  apostle  witnesses :  "  God,  who  is  rich  in 
 mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even 
 when  we  were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  to- 
 gether with  Christ.'* 
 
 But  for  what  reason,  and  upon  what  account,  is 
 he  merciful  to  them  ?  His  mercy  has  no  motive 
 but  his  own  will.  The  objects  of  his  mercy  are  cor- 
 rupt, fallen  creatures,  deserving  his  wrath,  even  as 
 others ;  and  therefore  he  does  not  deal  with  them 
 upon  the  footing  of  desert.  If  he  showed  them 
 mercy  for  any  foreseen  works  of  theirs,  because  he 
 knew  they  would  repent  and  believe  the  gospel,  and 
 walk  worthy  of  it,  mercy  would  then  be  turned  into 
 justice,  and  would  lose  both  its  name  and  its  nature. 
 Whereas  he  saith  unto  Moses,  "  I  will  have  mercy 
 on  whom  I  will  have  mercy,  and  I  will  have  com- 
 passion on  whom  I  will  have  compassion."  It  is 
 from  mine  own  freedom  and  sovereignty  that  I  have 
 mercy  on  any  sinners.  The  cause  is  in  myself,  and 
 not  in  them.      I  have  compassion  on  whom  I  will. 
 
246 
 
 It  is  frora  mine  own  mere  love  that  I  have  deter- 
 mined to  be  gracious  to  them ;  and  my  love  has  de- 
 termined to  save  them,  and  the  way  also  in  which  I 
 will  save  them.      I  have  appointed  the  end  and  the 
 means  at  the  same  time.      Of  mine  own  motion  and 
 good-will  I  have  resolved  to  give  my  Son  for  them, 
 and  my  Spirit  to  them,  that  they  may  repent  and  be- 
 lieve the  gospel,  and  walk  worthy  of  it ;  and  so  I  may 
 bring  them,  through  my  tender  mercies,  to  eternal 
 salvation.      If  this  was  not  the  case,   how  could  the 
 description  be  true,  that  mercy  is  from  everlasting  to 
 everlasting?    The  mercy  of  God  knows  no  variable- 
 ness, nor  shadow  of  turning.      It  is  always  the  same. 
 His  fatherly  heart  ever  entertained  thoughts  of  mercy 
 towards  them :  for  when  he  shows  them  mercy,  it  is 
 said  to  be  according  to  the  eternal  purpose  which  he 
 had  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus;  not  for  their  merits, 
 but  for  his  mercies'  sake ;  not  for  what  they  have 
 any  claim  to,  but  for  his  own  name's  sake.      He  gives 
 all  from  mercy,  and  he  would  have  all  the  glory  re- 
 turned to  the  mercy  of  the  Giver.      What  he  gives, 
 that  he  continues,  and  according  to  covenant  engage- 
 ments.     Covenant  mercies  are  sure  mercies  :     "  I 
 will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  for  you,  even  the 
 sure  mercies  of  the  Beloved."      Thjey  have  already 
 been  made  sure  to  him.      He  is  now  in  full  posses- 
 sion of  every  promised  mercy.      And  he  has  received 
 them,  not  as  a  private  person,  but  as  the  head  of  the 
 body,  the  church.      He  keeps  them  for  the  use  of 
 his  church  members.      And  as  sure  as  the  crown  is 
 upon  his  head,  so  surely  will  it  be  upon  every  one 
 of  their  heads;  for  they  are  in  the  same  covenant 
 with  him,  whose  sure  mercies  reach  from  eternity  to 
 
U7 
 
 eternity.  O  what  a  view  is  liere  open  to  the  eye  of 
 faith  !  Mercy  always  purposing,  and  in  due  time 
 bestowing  its  free  blessings  upon  sinners ;  mercy, 
 without  beginning  and  without  ending.  The  Holy 
 Spirit  often  calls  upon  us  to  behold  it  in  this  light; 
 for  he  has  not  celebrated  any  of  its  divine  properties 
 so  much  as  this.  It  is  frequently  the  noble  subject  of 
 thanksgiving  in  the  Psalmist's  hymns.  Fie  has  dedi- 
 cated the  136th  entirely  to  the  praise  of  mercy ;  and 
 going  through  the  works  of  nature,  providence,  and 
 grace,  he  ascribes  them  one  by  one  to  that  mercy 
 which  endureth  for  ever.  O  happy,  thrice  happy 
 objects  of  it !  What  was  in  the  heart  of  the  Father 
 of  mercies  towards  you  from  everlasting,  will  be  so 
 to  everlasting.  His  sure  mercies  are  yours.  His 
 compassions  towards  you  fail  not.  Whatever  you 
 want  for  your  successful  walk,  he  has  promised  to 
 give  you.  Be  not  discouraged  then.  He  will  sup- 
 ply all  your  wants,  not  for  your  sakes,  but  for  his 
 mercies'  sake.  Are  you  sensible  of  your  unworthi- 
 ness?  That  is  well;  mercy  is  for  such.  It  can 
 have  no  glory,  but  from  such  as  you.  Trust  it,  and 
 be  assured  you  will  find  that  it  endureth  for  ever  and 
 ever. 
 
 If  a  doubt  should  arise  in  your  mind — '  It  is  true, 
 mercy  in  God  cannot  fail,  but  the  exercise  of  it  to- 
 wards me  may  fail :  I  may  so  walk  as  to  deprive  my- 
 self of  all  claim  and  title  to  it.*  The  Psalmist  has 
 given  a  direct  answer  to  this  ill-grounded  suspicion. 
 He  says,  the  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from  everlasting 
 to  everlasting 
 
 Upon  them  that  fear  him.  This  is  their 
 character:  they  fear  their  God.      Once  there  was  no 
 
248 
 
 fear  of  God  before  their  eyes;  but  now  they  know 
 him  to  be  their  Father.  The  Spirit  of  adoption  has 
 given  them  joy  and  peace  in  beheving  it.  Hence  a 
 holy  fihal  fear  rules  in  their  hearts,  and  influences 
 their  walk.  While  it  operates  thus,  and,  as  obedient 
 children,  they  fear  to  offend  their  loving  Father,  and 
 desire  to  please  him  in  all  things,  what  ground  have 
 they  to  suspect  that  his  mercy  towards  them  should 
 fail? 
 
 *  But  may  they  not  cease  to  fear  him,  and  then  he 
 will  cease  to  be  merciful  to  them  ?'  No,  blessed  be 
 God,  he  has  made  ample  provision  in  this  case.  "  I 
 will  put  my  fear,"  says  he,  "  into  their  hearts,  and 
 they  shall  not  depart  from  me."  This  fear  is  one 
 of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  which  he  produces  in  all 
 the  children  of  God.  And  they  have  it  from  him 
 as  a  covenant  blessing,  which  is  full  security  for  its 
 continuance.  It  is  one  of  the  graces  provided  for 
 them  in  Jesus,  by  the  Father's  immutable  love.  "  I 
 will  give  them,"  says  he,  "  one  heart  and  one  way  ; 
 that  they  may  fear  me  for  ever  !"  The  Holy  Spirit 
 is  the  guardian  of  this  never-failing  fear.  It  is  his 
 office  to  put  it,  and  then  to  keep  it  in  their  hearts. 
 He  has  the  whole  charge  of  it,  and  therefore  he  has 
 promised  to  abide  with  them  for  ever,  that  they  may 
 fear  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  their  lives. 
 
 How  exactly  suited  is  this  scripture  to  the  case  of 
 the  tempted  Christian  I  What  a  full  provision  is 
 there  made  in  it  for  his  safety  and  peace  !  God  has 
 mercy  for  him,  and  plenteous  redemption — mercy 
 reaching  from  everlasting  to  everlasting — always 
 kind  to  the  miserable.  Mercy  and  misery  are  re- 
 lated as  sin  and  salvation.     There  is  not  any  thing 
 
249 
 
 which  a  sinner  can  want,  but  mercy  has  a  supply  tor 
 him — a  promised,  a  covenant,  a  never-failing  sup- 
 ply. It  is  a  Father's  mercy,  which  will  never  leave 
 his  children,  and  the  same  mercy  will  not  suffer  them 
 to  leave  him.  His  mind  is  fixed  upon  showing  them 
 mercy  for  ever  and  ever ;  and  therefore  he  gives  them 
 his  Spirit  to  abide  with  them,  and  to  dwell  in  them. 
 He  abides  with  tnem,  and  they  live :  he  dwells  in 
 them,  and  they  walk  in  the  fear  of  God.  And  by 
 the  supply  of  the  Spirit  they  go  on  till  they  finish 
 their  course  with  joy. 
 
 By  meditating  upon  this  scripture,  the  believer 
 is  set  at  liberty.  Though  his  faith  staggered  a  little, 
 yet  the  trial  of  it  has  done  him  good.  He  has  learned 
 a  useful  lesson,  and  gained  much  experience  by  it. 
 His  reflections  upon  what  has  passed  in  his  mind  are 
 such  as  these  : — 
 
 O  how  foolish  was  I  to  forget  the  atonement  and 
 righteousness  of  my  dearest  Emmanuel,  in  whom  alone 
 I  have  pardon  and  acceptance !  How  base  was  I, 
 and  ungrateful !  I  was  tempted  to  expect  that  in 
 myself,  which  I  can  have  only  in  him.  Vile  legal 
 creature  that  I  am  !  I  abhor  myself  for  behaving  so 
 ill  to  my  best  friend.  What  good  can  I  have,  but 
 what  I  first  receive  from  him?  I  agree  with  the 
 apostle,  that  in  me,  that  is,  in  my  flesh,  dwelleth  no 
 good  thing.  I  am  a  very  sink  of  sin,  and  of  all  un- 
 cleanness.  I  deserve  mercy  no  more  than  the  devil 
 does.  And  yet  I  was  looking  out  for  some  good 
 quality  in  myself,  on  account  of  which  God  might  be 
 merciful  to  me.  Whereas  I  am  now  satisfied  he  has 
 no  mercy  but  in  Jesus.  All  his  mercies  are  cove- 
 nant mercies,  given  from  mere  grace,  and  given  to 
 1-3 
 
2.50 
 
 miserable  sinners — not  to  make  them  self-admirers, 
 but  to  humble  them — not  to  lead  them  to  think  that 
 they  can  bring  God  in  debt  to  them  for  his  own  gifts, 
 or  for  the  right  use  of  them,  which  is  a  fresh  gift- 
 but  he  gives  all  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  grace. 
 He  delighteth  in  mercy;  and  my  case  required  mercy. 
 It  was  such  as  his  mercy  could  get  all  the  honour  of 
 relieving.  Therefore  I  ought,  in  the  hour  of  temp- 
 tation, to  have  trusted  in  his  mercy,  to  have  hoped 
 in  his  mercy  in  time  of  trouble,  and  to  have  loved 
 him  for  his  mercy  in  time  of  misery.  Here  should 
 my  faith  have  directed  its  eye,  and  not  to  any  good 
 which  I  have  done  or  can  do.  I  should  have  remem- 
 bered how  it  was  with  the  election  of  grace,  and  with 
 the  vessels  of  mercy.  God  has  one  way  of  dealing 
 with  them  all.  Not  by  works  of  righteousness  which 
 they  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he  saveth 
 them,  freely,  fully,  eternally.  All  is  from  his  own 
 good  will,  from  first  to  last.  Every  motive  which 
 inclines  him  to  do  good  to  any  sinner,  is  not  excited 
 by  what  the  sinner  does  or  is,  but  arises  from  himself. 
 And  when  he  bestows  any  good,  it  never  is  deserved, 
 but  is  entirely  an  act  of  sovereign  grace,  flowing  from 
 the  Father's  love  out  of  the  Son's  fulness,  by  the 
 influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  and  is  given  and  con- 
 tinued to  magnify  and  exalt  the  mercy  of  the  Eternal 
 Three.  O  how  did  I  dishonour  the  divine  perfec- 
 tions, by  giving  way  to  legal  hopes,  and  by  supposing 
 that  the  divine  will  would  be  governed  by  my  more 
 or  less  deservings  !  Where  should  I  be  if  I  had 
 my  deservings  ?  God  forgive  me.  I  see  mine  error. 
 1  am  humbled  for  it,  and  I  repent  with  shame  and 
 sorrow.      I  hope  my  past  misconduct  will  prove  a 
 
251 
 
 blessing  to  rae.  For  it  has  certainly  taught  me  to 
 trust  less  to  myself,  and  more  to  the  word  of  God ; 
 to  depend  less  upon  ray  own  doings,  and  more  upon 
 free  grace  promises.  To  the  word  which  cannot  be 
 broken,  I  would  trust  in  the  time  of  need.  Whoever 
 trusts  in  it  shall  never  be  confounded.  This  I  know 
 to  be  true  by  happy  experience.  I  will  therefore 
 read,  and  hear,  and  study  it  night  and  day.  By 
 means  of  it  the  Lord  wrought  a  great  deliverance  for 
 me.  My  feet  were  almost  gone,  my  treadings  had 
 well  nigh  slipped;  but  he  sent  out  his  word  and 
 saved  me.  I  read  and  believed,  that  the  Father  was 
 not  reconciled  to  me  for  the  goodness  of  my  walk, 
 but  that  reconciliation  was  planned  in  the  great  cove- 
 nant before  all  worlds,  and  was  carried  into  execution 
 by  the  life  and  death  of  Emmanuel.  It  was  his  pecu- 
 liar, his  glorious,  his  incommunicable  work :  it  was 
 his  sole  prerogative  to  make  peace  by  the  blood  of 
 his  cross.  O  that  I  may  be  enabled  to  maintain  it 
 the  next  time  my  faith  is  tried,  and  to  put  honour 
 and  glory  upon  the  divine  record  concerning  it.  I 
 read  and  believed,  that  the  Father  does  not  love  me 
 upon  account  of  my  walk,  but  for  his  mercies'  sake. 
 His  mercy  was  towards  me  from  everlasting.  He 
 loved  me  in  his  Son — chose  me — accepted  rae  in  the 
 Beloved — and  all  his  dealings  with  me,  since  he 
 called  me  by  his  grace,  have  come  from  the  tender 
 mercies  of  a  covenant  God  and  Father.  I  would 
 not  henceforth  have  one  doubt  of  his  being  recon- 
 ciled to  me,  and  of  his  loving  me  perfectly  in  Jesus. 
 My  faith  herein  has  been  confirmed  by  my  late  trials. 
 I  have  learned  by  experience  to  rely  upon  what  God 
 has  spoken,  for  preserving  his  peace  in  my  conscience, 
 
2.52 
 
 and  bis  love  in  my  heart.  Depending  on  his  faith- 
 ful word  and  mighty  arm,  I  would  walk  with  him 
 this  day  for  the  strengthening  and  increasing  of 
 those  graces.  This  is  the  desire  and  prayer  of  my 
 soul : — 
 
 O  Father  of  mercies,  hear  me  for  Jesus'  sake.  I 
 acknowledge  my  sinfulness  and  unworthiness,  even  in 
 my  closest  walk  with  thee.  I  am  less  than  the  least 
 of  thy  mercies ;  yea,  deserving  the  heaviest  of  thy 
 vengeance.  It  is  of  the  Lord's  mercy  that  it  has 
 not  fallen  upon  me  long  ago,  and  I  trust  in  his  word 
 that  it  will  never  fall  upon  me.  Who  is  a  God  like 
 unto  thee,  that  pardoneth  iniquity,  and  passeth  by 
 the  transgression  of  the  remnant  of  thine  heritage? 
 Thou  retainest  not  thine  anger  against  them  for  ever; 
 because  thou  delightest  in  mercy.  Glory  be  to  thee 
 for  thine  unspeakable  mercies :  for  thou  hast  given 
 me  faith  in  the  atonement  of  Jesus,  by  whom  1  have 
 peace  with  thee  my  reconciled  God,  and  by  whom  I 
 have  experienced  thy  great  love  to  me.  On  thee, 
 O  my  God,  is  still  my  hope.  I  look  up  to  thee, 
 the  giver  of  those  graces,  for  strength  to  maintain 
 them  in  my  daily  walk.  I  do  believe  in  the  sacrifice 
 and  righteousness  of  Emmanuel;  Lord,  help  mine 
 unbelief.  I  find  it  hard  to  preserve  in  my  practice, 
 what  I  believe  to  be  true  in  doctrine :  and  therefore 
 on  thy  present  help  I  must  continually  depend. 
 Lord,  strengthen  me  mightily  by  thy  Spirit  in  the 
 inner  man  against  temptations.  I  am  daily  and  hourly 
 called  upon  to  exercise  my  faith,  and  when  thy  grace 
 does  not  hold  me  up,  I  fall.  The  fiery  darts  of  Sa- 
 tan easily  inflame  me,  when  they  are  thrown  at  ray 
 legal   hopes,   false    dependencies,    or   self-righteous 
 
253 
 
 tempers.  My  shield,  which  should  quench  them,  is 
 ready  to  drop  out  of  mine  hand.  I  should  fall  a  prey 
 to  the  enemy,  and  the  fire  would  consume  me,  if  thy 
 mercy  was  not  over  me  for  good.  O  my  God  and 
 Father,  strengthen  my  faith  against  the  wiles  and 
 assaults  of  Satan,  and  against  the  workings  of  mine 
 own  unbelief.  When  these  trials  come,  keep  me 
 sensible  of  my  weakness,  and  dependent  on  thy  pro- 
 mised strength,  that  I  may  meet  them  strong  in  the 
 Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  thy  might.  O  let  every 
 trial  teach  me  more  of  thy  peace  in  my  conscience, 
 and  more  of  thy  love  in  my  heart,  that  I  may  keep 
 on  in  a  steady  course,  walking  humbly  with  my  God. 
 This  is  the  work  of  thy  good  Spirit.  I  cannot  pre- 
 serve nor  improve  his  graces,  unless  he  be  every 
 moment  present  with  me.  He  is  the  giver,  the  con- 
 tinuer,  the  inereaser  of  them  all.  O  God  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  I  therefore  beseech  thee  to  water  thy  graces 
 every  moment.  Lest  any  hurt  them,  keep  them 
 night  and  day.  Never  leave  me  nor  forsake  me, 
 but  what  thou  hast  graciously  begun,  that  mightily 
 carry  on,  in  my  soul.  Temptations  are  strong,  and 
 I  am  weak ;  stand  by  me  in  the  hour  of  need.  And 
 if  my  faith  be  tried  on  fiery  temptations,  let  it  come 
 out  of  them  like  gold  out  of  the  fire.  O  thou  al- 
 mighty Spirit,  confirm  by  trials,  improve  by  experi- 
 ence, ray  trust  in  thy  promised  help.  Let  me  go  on 
 from  faith  to  faith.  Keep  up  the  confidence  of  my 
 rejoicing  in  my  reconciled  God  and  loving  Father, 
 that  I  may  walk  humbly  with  him  in  sweet  commu- 
 nion, and  holy  fellowship,  in  the  way  everlasting. 
 Grant  me  these  mercies,  gracious  Father,  for  thy 
 dear  Son's  sake,  by  the  influence  of  the  eternal  Spi- 
 
254 
 
 rit,  three  Persons  in  one  Jehovah,  to  whom  be  equal 
 praise  for  ever  and  ever.      Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 The  believer  orders  his  steps  according  to  the  xvordf  ival/c 
 ingmth  a  free  heart  in  the  Kings  highvoay  of  obedience. 
 
 Meditate,  O  my  soul,  upon  the  wonders  which 
 divine  love  hath  wrought  for  thee  and  for  thy  salva- 
 tion. Review  the  many,  many  mercies  of  thy  past 
 life;  and  consider,  that  thou  art  called  upon  to  walk 
 this  day  with  thy  God.  What  a  privilege  is  this  ! 
 He  is  thy  God,  and  thou  art  his  adopted  son.  O 
 what  a  high  honour  has  he  conferred  on  thee  !  He 
 has  taken  thee  into  the  most  noble  family,  yea,  into 
 the  divine  household  of  faith.  He  has  permitted 
 thee  to  walk  with  him  as  thy  Father.  He  has  ap- 
 pointed the  way,  promised  to  be  with  thee  in  it,  and 
 every  moment,  and  at  every  step,  to  be  doing  thee 
 good.  There  can  be  no  happiness  superior  to  this 
 on  earth.  Prize  it :  for  it  is  inestimable.  Enjoy 
 it :  for  it  is  heaven  begun.  Walking  with  God  by 
 faith,  is  present  enjoyment  of  him,  and  will  infallibly 
 bring  thee  to  the  end  of  thy  journey,  to  full  and 
 everlasting  enjoyment. 
 
 Hold  fast,  then,  the  confidence  of  thy  rejoicing. 
 What  thou  hast  been  taught  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 depend  upon  him  for  confirming  and  establishing. 
 He  has  enabled  thee  to  see  the  glory  of  the  finished 
 salvation  of  Jesus,  and  to  believe  the  divine  record 
 
^55 
 
 concerning  it.  Thou  hast  renounced  every  thing 
 for  the  pardon  of  thy  sins,  but  the  blood-shedding 
 of  the  Lamb;  and  every  thing  for  acceptance,  but 
 the  Lord  our  righteousness.  Thy  faith  herein  has 
 been  tried,  and  the  trial  ended  well.  Thy  tempta- 
 tions were  manifold  and  violent,  but  they  have  done 
 thee  good.  They  have  showed  thee  the  necessity 
 of  depending  upon  the  perfect  work  of  the  God-man 
 — of  rejoicing  wholly  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  of  having 
 no  confidence  in  the  flesh.  They  have  also  been 
 the  means  of  convincing  thee  that  thou  standest  by 
 faith.  Be  not  high-minded,  then,  but  fear.  And 
 let  thy  fear  of  thyself  lead  thee  to  trust  more  in  God. 
 Rely  on  his  faithful  arm  to  maintain  and  to  carry  on 
 his  own  work  in  thy  soul.  Remember,  he  has  pro- 
 mised it.  Thy  sufficiency  is  of  God,  and  he  has 
 engaged  to  give  thee  grace  suflScient  for  thee.  He 
 has  undertaken,  as  a  Father,  to  supply  all  thy  wants, 
 to  deliver  thee  from  all  miseries,  and  to  withhold 
 from  thee  no  manner  of  thing  that  is  good.  Thy 
 salvation  is  safe.  It  rests  upon  a  sure  foundation, 
 as  sure  as  the  covenant  of  the  day  and  the  covenant 
 of  the  night.  These  succeed  each  other  by  the  will 
 of  their  Creator,  and  have  not  been  out  of  course 
 not  one  single  moment.  The  ordinances  of  day  and 
 night  are  regular  and  certain.  So  certain  is  thy  sal- 
 vation by  the  same  unerring  will.  While  the  belief 
 of  this  rules  in  thy  conscience  and  in  thy  heart,  thou 
 wilt  be  able  to  resist  temptations.  None  of  them 
 will  overcome  thee,  unless  they  separate  between 
 thee  and  thy  God.  Nay,  they  will  work  for  thy 
 good,  if  guilty  fears  do  not  wrest  the  shield  of  faith 
 out  of  thine  hand.      O  beg  of  God  to  keep  thee  and 
 
256 
 
 thy  faith  in  the  hour  of  trial,  that  thou  mayest  ex- 
 perience his  faithfulness  to  his  word.  If  thou  put 
 honour  upon  it,  according  to  thy  faith  so  shall  it  be 
 done  unto  thee.  Give  it  credit,  and  thy  steps  will 
 be  ordered  aright.  Thou  wilt  walk  in  love  this  day, 
 as  God  hath  loved  thee.  He  will  be  thy  portion, 
 and  the  way  in  which  he  is  to  be  enjoyed  will  be  thy 
 delight. 
 
 Set  out  then  in  this  faith,  with  peace  in  thy  con- 
 science, and  love  in  thy  heart — trusting  to  thy  God 
 and  Father.  Look  up  to  him  for  strength  to  main- 
 tain and  to  increase  these  graces.  And  hope  to  re- 
 ceive it  from  his  faithfulness.  Now  he  has  put  a 
 new  song  in  thy  mouth,  even  praise  unto  thy  God, 
 go  on  thy  way  believing  and  rejoicing.  Jesus  is 
 thine  with  all  his  fulness.  And  he  has  promised 
 thee  a  constant  supply  of  the  Spirit,  that  thou  mayest 
 have  grace  for  grace  to  enable  thee  to  walk  humbly 
 with  thy  God. 
 
 Mind,  then,  thy  walk  is  to  be  ordered  according 
 to  his  revealed  will,  and  in  his  appointed  way  of  obe- 
 dience to  it ;  for  all  rational  creatures  are  bound  to 
 obey  God.  As  soon  as  he  makes  known  his  will  to 
 them,  it  becomes  their  indispensable  duty.  His  will 
 is  one,  like  himself,  unchangeably  the  same,  yester- 
 day, to-day,  and  for  ever:  for,  when  revealed  by  the 
 sovereign  Creator,  it  becomes  to  mankind  a  law 
 which  altereth  not.  It  binds  angels  and  men  every 
 moment,  in  every  point  and  circumstance.  And  its 
 obligation  will  never  cease.  For  all  his  command- 
 ments are  sure,  they  stand  fast  for  ever  and  ever. 
 What  he  has  commanded  is  as  fixed  as  the  sun  be- 
 fore him.  It  shall  be  established  for  ever  as  the 
 moon,  and  as  a  faithful  witness  in  heaven. 
 
257 
 
 It  pleased  the  sovereign  Creator  to  enforce  this 
 holy,  just,  and  good  law,  by  proper  sanctions.  Out 
 of  his  mere  grace  he  has  promised  life  to  obedience, 
 which  man  engaged  to  perform ;  and  he  threatened 
 death  to  disobedience,  to  which  penalty  man  sub- 
 mitted. Thereby  this  law  became  a  covenant  of 
 works.  The  promise  was  to  him  who  should  con- 
 tinue obedient  in  all  things;  for  Moses  describeth 
 the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  that  the  man 
 who  fulfilleth  those  things  shall  live  by  them.  But 
 if  he  does  not  fulfil  them  perfectly,  without  one 
 faiHng,  he  then  comes  under  the  penahy  which  God 
 had  threatened  to  disobedience — -"  Cursed  is  he  who 
 continueth  not  in  all  things  that  are  written  in  the 
 book  of  the  daw  to  do  them."  This  curse  draws 
 after  it  all  the  pains  and  penahies  of  the  broken  law 
 in  earth  and  in  hell. 
 
 Under  this  law  of  works  Adam  was  placed,  and 
 under  it  all  his  descendants  are  born.  He  and  they 
 are  bound  to  keep  the  law  in  their  own  persons,  if 
 they  would  receive  the  promise ;  or  liable  to  suffer 
 the  penalty,  if  they  transgress.  Adam  broke  the 
 law  of  works,  and  we  all  in  him ;  for  in  him  all  have 
 sinned.  We  were  all  in  his  loins  when  he  fell,  and 
 forfeited  in  his  attainder.  By  the  offence  of  that 
 one,  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation. 
 The  righteous  Judge  passed  the  sentence,  and  de- 
 creed, that  by  the  law  of  works  no  flesh  living  should 
 be  saved :  for  he  has  proved  in  his  word  both  Jews 
 and  Gentiles  to  be  under  the  law,  and  under  sin, 
 which  is  the  transgression  of  itv  Whereby  every 
 mouth  is  stopped,  and  all  the  world  is  become  guilty 
 before  God  :  therefore,  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there 
 shall  no  flesh  be  justified  in  his  sight. 
 
258 
 
 In  the  law  of  works  there  was  no  provision  made 
 for  a  surety ;  but  it  did  not  absolutely  exclude  one : 
 therefore  it  left  room  for  the  covenant  of  grace,  in 
 which  a  provision  was  made  in  the  person  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  for  securing  the  divine  honour  of  this  holy 
 law.  He  undertook  to  stand  up  in  man's  place  and 
 stead,  to  magnify  the  precepts  of  the  law  in  his  life, 
 and  to  glorify  the  penalties  of  the  law  in  his  death, 
 that  not  one  jot  or  tittle  of  it  might  fail  till  all  was 
 fulfilled.  And  as  he  was  God  over  all,  blessed  for 
 ever,  his  life  and  death  put  everlasting  honour  upon 
 the  divine  law.  His  obedience  was  of  inestimable 
 value,  and  his  sufferings  were  infinitely  sufficient  to 
 take  away  sin.  Christ  is  now  the  end  of  the  law 
 for  righteousness.  He  answered  the  end  of  the  law 
 for  his  people,  by  obeying  and  suffering  for  them. 
 And  every  one  of  them  can  now  plead  by  faith  a 
 perfect  fulfilling  of  all  the  precepts,  a  perfect  suffer- 
 ing of  all  the  penalties  in  the  person  of  their  divine 
 Surety.  God  the  Father  is  faithful  and  just  to  his 
 word  and  engagements  with  his  Son :  he  has  made 
 known  his  will  in  the  immutable  record  of  his  grace, 
 "  That  whosoever  believeth  in  Jesus  should  not 
 perish,  but  should  have  everlasting  life."  How  can 
 he  perish  ?  Jesus  died  for  him.  He  shall  live  with 
 God  in  everlasting  life ;  because  Jesus  lived  for  him. 
 And  this  is  the  declared  will  of  the  Father  concern- 
 ing all  that  believe  in  his  only-begotten  Son. 
 
 Remember  then,  O  my  soul,  that  thou  art  not 
 under  the  law,  but  under  grace.  Thou  art  saved 
 from  the  law,  under  the  form  of  a  covenant  of  works. 
 Thou  art  not  bound  to  keep  its  precepts,  in  order 
 to  have  life  for  thy  obedience.      Thy  surety  under- 
 
259 
 
 took  to  act  and  suffer  for  thee.  He  was  to  answer 
 the  law  in  its  commands  and  demands,  to  every  jot 
 and  tittle.  And  he  did.  Whatever  it  required, 
 whatever  it  threatened,  was  perfectly  fulfilled  in  the 
 person  of  thy  God  and  Saviour:  and  he  has  abso- 
 lutely discharged  thee  from  it,  as  a  law  of  works. 
 Thou  art  to  have  nothing  to  do  with  it  in  that  view; 
 nay,  he  has  forbidden  thee  to  keep  it,  in  hopes  that 
 thou  mayest  live  thereby.  The  irreversible  decree 
 entered  in  the  records  of  heaven  has  enacted — "  By 
 the  works  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  be  justified." 
 Thou  art  now  to  look  upon  the  law,  in  the  matter  of 
 justifying  and  giving  life,  as  a  woman  looks  upon  her 
 dead  husband.  She  is  freed  from  the  marriage  con- 
 tract with  him,  and  may  now  give  her  heart  and  hand 
 to  another :  so  art  thou  freed  from  the  bond  of  the 
 legal  covenant.  Thou  art  become  dead  to  the  law 
 by  the  body  of  Christ,  who  has  espoused  and  be- 
 trothed thee  to  himself,  that  serving  him  in  newness 
 of  spirit,  and  not  in  the  oldness  of  the  letter,  thou 
 mayest  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God.  This  is  thy 
 high  privilege.  Thy  first  husband  is  dead;  happy 
 for  thee  thou  art  lawfully  married  to  another — thy 
 husband  is  thy  Maker,  Jehovah  of  hosts  is  his  name. 
 The  Word  made  flesh  has  paid  all  thy  debts,  suffered 
 thy  punishment,  wrought  out  a  perfect  righteousness, 
 and  won  a  crown  of  perfect  glory  for  thee.  O  what 
 a  divine  honour  has  he  put  upon  thee  !  Thou  art 
 now  one  with  Emmanuel  in  a  bond  of  everlasting  love. 
 He  has  given  himself  to  thee,  with  all  he  has  and 
 all  he  is ;  and  it  is  thy  happiness  now,  not  to  be 
 thine  own,  but  the  Lord's — not  to  follow  thine  own 
 will,  but  his.      The  law  of  thy  Lord  is  liberty.      As 
 
260 
 
 taught  by  his  Spirit,  and  performed  by  faith,  it  is 
 perfect  freedom.  Whilst  thou  walkest  with  him  in 
 obedience  to  it,  and  leanest  on  thy  Beloved  every 
 step,  thou  vpilt  find  deliverance  from  all  spiritual 
 tyranny  and  bondage,  and  wilt  enjoy  the  light  of  his 
 countenance,  and  the  love  of  his  heart.  When  the 
 Son  has  thus  made  thee  free,  thou  art  free  indeed — 
 free,  now  thy  heart  is  set  at  liberty  to  run  with  Jesus 
 in  the  way  of  his  commandments. 
 
 In  this  view,  O  my  soul,  thou  canst  look  with 
 delight  at  the  most  holy  law.  Attend  to  it  closely, 
 and  study  it  carefully.  In  order  to  obey  as  a  Chris- 
 tian, these  following  considerations  should  be  well 
 understood  and  digested ;  because,  under  the  influ- 
 ence of  them,  every  step  of  thy  walk  is  to  be  ordered. 
 O  pray,  then,  for  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  to  teach  thee 
 practically, 
 
 1.  That  thy  walk  with  God  in  the  way  of  obe- 
 dience, is  not  to  fulfil  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works. 
 Thou  art  not  required  to  do  this.  Thou  canst  not 
 do  it.  Emmanuel,  thy  divine  surety,  took  it  upon 
 himself.  Because  it  was  impossible  for  thee,  a  fallen 
 creature,  to  keep  the  law,  so  as  to  be  justified  by  it,  he 
 therefore  came  in  person  to  fulfil  it.  He  honoured 
 its  precepts  by  his  infinite  obedience.  He  magni- 
 fied its  penalties  by  his  inestimable  sacrifice.  And 
 this  is  thy  justifying  righteousness.  Through  faith 
 in  the  hfe  and  death  of  the  God-man,  thou  art  not 
 only  freed  from  guilt  and  condemnation,  from  curse 
 and  hell,  but  art  also  entitled  to  life  and  glory. 
 The  law  is  now  on  thy  side,  and  is  become  thy  friend. 
 It  acquits  thee.  It  justifies  thee.  It  will  give  thee 
 the  reward  promised  to  obedience.      The  law  in  the 
 
261 
 
 hand  of  thy  Saviour  has  nothing  but  blessings  to 
 bestow  upon  thee.  Thou  art  to  receive  it  at  his 
 mouth,  and  to  obey  him :  but  not  from  any  legal 
 hopes  of  heaven,  or  from  any  slavish  fears  of  hell; 
 for  then  thou  wouldst  come  under  the  covenant  of 
 works  again.  Whereas  thou  art  not  under  the  law, 
 but  under  grace :  mind  thy  privilege,  and  pray  for 
 grace  to  live  up  to  it.  Thou  art  not  under  the  law, 
 bound  to  keep  it  perfectly  in  thine  own  person,  or 
 in  case  of  failing  condemned  by  it,  and  under  its 
 fearful  curse;  but  thou  art  under  grace,  a  state  of 
 grace  through  faith  in  the  obedience  and  sufferings 
 of  thy  blessed  surety,  and  under  the  power  of  grace 
 sweetly  inclining  thee  to  love,  and  mightily  enabling 
 thee  to  keep,  the  law  of  the  Lord  thy  God.  Live 
 thus  by  grace,  and  sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over 
 thee.  Under  the  reign  of  grace,  the  tyrant  sin  is 
 always  dethroned.  Obey  under  grace,  as  freely  and 
 fully  saved  by  faith  in  Jesus,  and  this  will  make  thy 
 walk  easy  and  evangelical:  thou  v;ilt  go  on  with  a 
 free  spirit,  and  wilt  delight  thyself  in  the  ways  of 
 God,  walking  with  him. 
 
 2.  By  faith,  and  not  by  sight.  This  is  the  great 
 spring  of  all  gospel  obedience.  Faith  has  a  uni- 
 versal efficacy;  for  thus  it  is  written — "  Without 
 faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God."  He  is  not 
 pleased  with  the  thing  done,  but  with  the  principle 
 on  which  it  is  done.  He  looks  at  the  heart.  Hear- 
 ing the  word,  or  saying  prayers,  or  giving  alms,  or 
 doing  any  thing  commanded,  are  not  pleasing  in 
 themselves;  but  they  must  be  performed  upon  a 
 right  motive,  and  to  a  right  end.  And  both  these 
 come  from  faith.      The  apostle  mentions  the  mo- 
 
262 
 
 tive  which  had  influenced  every  step  of  his  Christian 
 course,  "  We  walk  by  faith  and  not  by  sight" — 
 we  judge  of  our  state  by  what  God  says  of  it,  and 
 we  order  our  walic  accordingly.  We  give  credit  to 
 his  witness  of  our  being  pardoned  and  justified  freely 
 by  grace  through  faith,  and  we  depend  for  the  truth 
 of  this,  not  on  what  we  see,  but  on  what  we  believe. 
 We  trust  not  on  our  good  frames,  or  warm  feelings, 
 or  sensible  comforts,  or  to  any  of  the  genuine  fruits 
 and  effects  of  faith,  but  we  trust  what  God  says, 
 simply  as  his  record;  and  therefore  we  walk  in  a 
 constant  dependence  on  the  truth  of  God  in  his 
 word,  and  upon  the  faithfulness  of  God  to  his  word. 
 Some  promised  grace  we  stand  in  need  of  every  step  ; 
 and  we  rely  upon  his  word,  which  cannot  be  broken, 
 and  upon  his  faithfulness,  which  cannot  fail.  Thus 
 we  go  on,  and  we  find  the  promise  made  good,  ac- 
 cording to  our  faith. 
 
 Such  was  the  apostle's  walk.  And  is  thine  di- 
 rected by  the  same  motive  ?  Search,  O  ray  soul, 
 and  examine  upon  what  principle  thou  goest  to  duty. 
 Is  it  in  the  obedience  of  faith  ?  Dost  thou  take  no 
 step  without  the  warrant  of  the  word  of  God?  Dost 
 thou  give  full  credit  to  what  God  says  in  it  of  thy 
 state  as  a  justified  person?  And  does  this  appear 
 from  thy  dependence  upon  his  faithfulness  to  make 
 good  every  thing  promised  them  who  are  in  that 
 state?  Blessed  art  thou  of  the  Lord,  if  thou  art 
 walking  by  this  faith.  O  praise  his  holy  name,  who 
 has  thus  highly  favoured  thee,  and  ascribe  to  him  all 
 the  glory.  So  will  thy  end  be  right,  as  well  as  thy 
 motive.  True  faith  takes  no  honour  to  itself.  It  is 
 an  emptying,  humbUng  grace.      Its  spring-head  is  in 
 
263 
 
 covenant  love,  and  it  is  given  from  distinguishing 
 favour  and  sovereign  mercy.  It  has  no  foundation, 
 when  given,  but  the  word  of  God :  nothing  to  rest 
 on,  but  the  divine  truth  :  no  support,  but  the  divine 
 power:  and  no  growth,  but  from  the  divine  influ- 
 ence. What  then  does  it  leave  a  man  to  glory  in  ? 
 "Whoever  has  it,  has  it  all  from  God;  and  while  he 
 is  in  his  right  mind,  living  by  it,  he  will  be  disposed 
 to  give  God  all  the  glory  of  it :  even  for  common 
 mercies,  as  well  as  spiritual,  he  will  live  by  the  faith 
 of  the  Son  of  God.  Whether  he  eats  or  drinks,  or 
 whatever  he  does,  he  does  all  in  the  name  of  the 
 Lord  Jesus,  giving  thanks  to  God,  and  the  Father 
 by  him.  And  thus  he  will  go  on  sweetly  and  happily, 
 obeying,  not  from  slavish  fears  or  legal  hopes,  but, 
 
 3.  From  holy  love,  which  is  the  fruit  and  conse- 
 quence of  walking  by  faith.  Faith  worketh  love, 
 and  then  worketh  by  love.  The  faith  of  the  gospel, 
 as  a  grace  of  the  Spirit,  worketh  chiefly  by  love  to 
 God,  and  to  man  for  God's  sake :  for  the  gospel  dis- 
 covers the  way  of  salvation,  contrived  by  the  Eternal 
 Three,  fulfilled  in  the  life  and  death  of  Emmanuel, 
 and  applied  to  the  sinner's  heart  by  the  eternal  Spi- 
 rit. Whoever  is  enabled  to  believe  the  gospel,  will 
 see  himself  an  object  of  the  covenant  love  of  the 
 blessed  Trinity,  and  will  therefore  love  Father,  Son, 
 and  Spirit :  for  we  love  him,  says  the  apostle,  because 
 he  first  loved  us.  And  faith  in  his  love  to  us,  will 
 make  us  that  we  shall  neither  be  barren  nor  unfruit- 
 ful. Love  is  very  active.  Obeying  from  love  is 
 very  sweet.  How  active,  how  sM'eet  is  obedience, 
 when  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  the  heart  by 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  who  is  given  unto  us !      He  is  an 
 
264 
 
 almighty  Agent.  He  overcomes  the  power  of  legal 
 unbelieving  workings,  and  puts  a  new  spring  to  duty 
 into  the  heart.  He  manifests  the  love  of  God  in 
 Christ,  as  free  distinguishing  love,  the  exceeding 
 riches  of  it,  and  the  numerous  blessings  flowing  from 
 it  through  time  and  eternity.  In  the  sense  of  these 
 mercies  he  excites  gratitude,  and  puts  it  upon  act- 
 ing. This  grace  has  a  wonderful  influence.  "  What 
 return  shall  I  make  unto  the  Lord  ?"  is  the  devout 
 breathing  of  the  grateful  heart.  While  the  love  of 
 Christ  constraineth  it,  all  the  affections  follow  him, 
 and  the  soul  delights  itself  in  his  ways.  Then  none 
 of  his  commandments  will  be  grievous.  Nay,  his 
 yoke  itself  becomes  easy,  and  his  burden  light.  O 
 triumphant  love  !  How  active,  how  sweet  did  he 
 find  it,  who  cried  out — "  I  can  do  all  things,  I  can 
 suffer  all  things  :  I  am  more  than  conqueror,  through 
 him  that  loveth  me  !" 
 
 And  is  not  this,  O  my  soul,  thy  happy  case?  O 
 prize  thy  privilege,  and  adorn  it  in  thy  life.  Walk 
 in  love  with  thy  reconciled  God,  and  out  of  love  to 
 him  perform  all  duties,  and  bear  all  crosses.  Re- 
 member, thou  art  not  required  to  obey,  in  order  to 
 be  saved  for  thine  obedience,  but  thou  art  already 
 saved;  and  therefore,  out  of  gratitude  to  thy  dearest 
 Saviour,  thou  art  bound  to  love  him  and  to  obey  him. 
 Thou  canst  not  love  his  person,  and  yet  hate  his 
 will.  "  If  ye  love  me,"  says  he,  "  keep  my  com- 
 mandments,"— give  this  proof  of  it,  keep  in  my  way, 
 doing  my  commandments.  But  whatever  ye  do,  let 
 it  come  from  the  heart.  Obey  me,  but  see  it  be 
 with  a  willing  mind,  and  with  a  free  spirit.  When 
 all  springs  from  love,  then  my  service  will  be  perfect 
 
265 
 
 freedom.  I  would  have  you  to  do  my  will,  but  with- 
 out fear;  not  for  life,  but  from  life;  not  that  ye  may 
 live,  but  because  ye  live.  Do  it  as  sons,  and  not  as 
 slaves :  the  slave  abideth  not  in  the  house  for  ever, 
 but  the  son  abideth  for  ever.  In  this  free  spirit  of 
 adoption  serve  me,  as  sons  of  God,  and  heirs  of  God, 
 and  joint-heirs  with  me.  Stand  fast,  therefore,  in  the 
 liberty  wherewith  I  have  made  you  free,  and  be  not 
 entangled  again  with  the  yoke  of  bondage. 
 
 To  obey  from  life  and  salvation  received  and  en- 
 joyed, is  sweet  liberty.  To  obey,  as  the  condition 
 of  life  and  salvation,  is  bitter  slavery :  it  is  an  into- 
 lerable yoke,  because  it  is  not  possible  any  fallen 
 man  should  so  keep  the  law  as  to  live  thereby.  But 
 the  believer,  freed  from  this  condition  by  Christ's 
 keeping  the  law  for  him,  is  in  liberty.  He  is  saved 
 from  the  penalty  annexed  to  the  transgression ;  he  is 
 entitled  to  the  life  promised  to  obedience;  and  thereby 
 he  is  delivered  from  legal  hopes  and  from  guilty 
 fears.  In  this  faith  he  walks  on  delightfully  in  the 
 ways  of  obedience:  for  he  is  reconciled  to  the  law 
 through  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  loves 
 it.  O  what  love,  says  he,  have  I  unto  thy  law  !  be- 
 cause now  I  find  it,  according  to  the  promise,  written 
 upon  my  heart.      And  this  is  a 
 
 4.  Motive  to  gospel  obedience.  The  new  cove- 
 nant runs  thus — "  I  will  put,"  says  God,  "  my  law 
 in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their  hearts, 
 and  I  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall  be  my  peo- 
 ple; and  they  shall  teach  no  more  every  man  his 
 neighbour,  and  every  man  his  brother,  saying.  Know 
 the  Lord;  for  they  shall  all  know  me,  from  the  least 
 of  them  to  the  greatest  of  them."  The  heart  is  by 
 M  4 
 
266 
 
 nature    as    hard   as  adamant.     It   is   enmity   itself 
 against  the  holy  law.      But  the  Lord  here  engages 
 to  take  away  the  stony  heart,  and  to  give  a  heart 
 of  flesh,  upon  which  he  will  write  the  ten  command- 
 ments;  not   in  tables   of  stone,  but  in  the  fleshly 
 tables  of  the  heart.      The  Spirit  of  the  living  God 
 will  teach  all  his  children  to  know  their  Father:  he 
 will  manifest  to  them  their  adoption,  he  will  reveal 
 to  them  their  Father's  love  in  Jesus,  and  he  will 
 make   their   hearts  happy  in  the  enjoyment   of  it. 
 Then  the  holy  fruits  of  this  love  will  appear  towards 
 man.     It  will  work  sweetly  in  benevolence,  and  effec- 
 tually in  beneficence.      The  love  of  God  will  open 
 the  contracted  heart,  enlarge  the  selfish,  warm  the 
 cold,  and  bring  liberality  out  of  the  covetous.    When 
 the  Holy  Spirit  teaches  brotherly  love,  he  overcomes 
 all  opposition  to  it.      He  says  to  his  disciples — "  Be 
 ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one 
 another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven 
 vou."      And  he  makes  them  kind  one  to  another : 
 they  show  it  by  every  good  word  and  work.      Thus, 
 by  manifesting  to  them  the  Father  reconciled  in  Je- 
 sus, and  by  enabling  them  to  love  man  for  his  sake, 
 he  writes  upon  their  hearts  the  two  great  command- 
 ments, on  which  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets. 
 "  The  love  of  God,"  says  the  apostle  to  the  Romans, 
 *'  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost;"  and 
 to  the  Thessalonians,  "Ye  yourselves  are  taught  of 
 God  to  love  one  another."      Thus  he  engages  the 
 affections  of  the  soul  to  the  holy  law,  and  inclines  the 
 inner  man  to  love  obedience.      It  ceaseth  to  be  a 
 yoke  and  a  burden.      How  easy  is  it  to  do  what  one 
 loves?      If  you  dearly  love  any  person,  what  a  plea- 
 
267 
 
 sure  is  it  to  serve  him  ?  What  will  not  love  put  you 
 upon  doing  or  suffering  to  oblige  him?  Let  love 
 rule  in  the  heart  to  God  and  to  man,  his  law  will 
 then  become  delightful,  and  obedience  to  it  will  be 
 pleasantness.  The  soul  will  run,  yea,  inspired  by 
 love,  it  will  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles,  in  the 
 way  of  God's  commandments. 
 
 Happy  are  the  people  that  are  in  such  a  case  ! 
 And  is  it  not,  O  my  soul,  in  some  measure  thine? 
 Hast  thou  not  been  taught  to  love  God  and  his 
 ways?  Since  thou  hast  been  acquainted  with  him 
 as  thy  loving  Father  in  Jesus,  has  not  thy  faith  been 
 working  by  love  to  him  and  to  his  will,  and  to  his 
 whole  household  and  family?  Remember  this  is 
 promised.  All  the  children  of  God  are  to  be  taught 
 to  know  and  to  love  their  heavenly  Father.  This 
 is  the  very  tenor  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  the 
 almighty  Spirit  has  undertaken  to  fulfil.  And  he 
 cannot  fail  in  his  office.  It  is  his  crown  and  glory 
 to  make  good  his  covenant  engagements.  O  trust 
 him  then,  and  put  honour  upon  his  faithfulness.  He 
 has  promised  to  guide  thee  with  his  counsel,  and  to 
 strengthen  thee  with  his  might,  in  the  way  of  obe- 
 dience to  thy  reconciled  God. 
 
 What  is  within  thee,  or  without  thee,  to  oppose 
 thy  walking  in  love  with  him,  he  will  incline  thee 
 to  resist,  and  he  will  enable  thee  to  overcome.  O 
 what  mayest  thou  not  expect  from  such  a  divine 
 friend,  who  is  to  abide  with  thee  on  purpose  to  keep 
 thy  heart  right  with  God  ?  What  cannot  he  do, 
 what  will  he  not  do  for  thee?  Such  as  is  the  love 
 of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son,  such  is  the  love  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  the  same  free,  perfect,  everlasting 
 m2 
 
268 
 
 iove.  Read  his  promises  of  it.  Meditate  on  thero. 
 Pray  to  him  for  increasing  faith  to  mix  with  them ; 
 that  he,  dwelling  in  the  temple  of  thy  heart,  thou 
 mayest  have  fellowship  there  with  the  Father  and 
 with  the  Son.  Whatever  in  thee  is  pardoned 
 through  the  Son's  atonement,  pray  the  Holy  Spirit 
 to  subdue,  that  it  may  not  interrupt  communion  with 
 thy  God,  And  whatever  grace  is  to  be  received 
 out  of  the  fulness  of  Jesus,  in  order  to  keep  up  and 
 to  promote  that  communion,  entreat  the  Holy  Spirit 
 to  give  it  thee  with  growing  strength.  But  pray  in 
 faith,  nothing  wavering.  So  shall  the  love  of  God 
 rule  in  thy  heart.  And  then  thou  shalt  be  like  the 
 sun  when  it  goeth  forth  in  its  might,  shining  clearer 
 and  clearer  to  the  perfect  day.  O  may  thy  course 
 be  like  his,  as  free,  as  regular,  and  as  communicative 
 of  good,  that  thy  daily  petition  may  be  answered, 
 and  that  the  will  of  thy  Father  may  be  done  in  earth, 
 as  it  is  done  in  heaven. 
 
 When  all  these  things  concur,  what  can  be  want- 
 ing to  make  the  way  of  obedience  easy  and  pleasant  ? 
 It  is  not  now  a  hard  burden,  impossible  to  be  borne. 
 The  Spirit  of  life  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  hath 
 made  it  easy.  He  has  reconciled  the  believer  to 
 the  law :  for  he  shows  it  to  him  in  surety,  magnified 
 and  made  honourable, — magnified  infinitely  in  his 
 life — made  everlastingly  honourable  in  his  death  : 
 so  that  the  Father  can  get  the  fullest  glory  to  every 
 divine  perfection,  even  to  his  justice,  by  saving  sin- 
 ners through  faith  in  the  righteousness  of  his  Son : 
 he  can  be  just,  and  yet  the  justifier  of  the  ungodly. 
 The  believer,  persuaded  of  this,  is  reconciled  to  God. 
 Being  no  longer  under  the  law  as  a  covenant  of 
 
269 
 
 works,  but  under  grace,  he  loves  the  law,  and  walks 
 with  God  in  sweet  obedience  to  it.      He  sets  out, 
 and  goes  on  every  step,  in  faith ;  trusting  to  the  ac- 
 ceptance of  his  person  and  of  his  services  in  the  Be- 
 loved.     He  does  not  work  now,  in  order  to  be  saved; 
 but  he  works,  because  he  is  saved.      And  he  ascribes 
 all  he  does  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  free  grace. 
 He  works  from  gratitude,   and  the  faith  of  God's 
 elect  always  does.      It  never  fails  to  show  itself  by 
 love.      The  Holy  Spirit  wins  the  heart  by  revealing 
 to  it  the  love  of  God,  and  thereby  draws  out  the  af- 
 fections after  hira.    When  the  commandment  comes, 
 "  My  son,  give  me  thy  heart ;"  the  son  is  ready, 
 *'  Lord,   take  it,  and  seal  it  thine  for  ever."      And 
 whatever  inbred  enmity  may  remain  against  giving 
 it  to  the  Lord,   the  Holy  Spirit  has  undertaken  to 
 subdue  it.      It  is  his  office  to  take  away  the  stony 
 heart,  and  to  create  a  heart  of  flesh,  soft  and  willing 
 to  receive  the  impression  of  this  grace.      With  the 
 same  finger  which  once  wrote  the  holy  law  upon  tables 
 of  stone,  it  is  now  written  upon  the  fleshly  tables  of 
 the  heart.      And  then  the  love  of  God,  and  the  love 
 of  man,   are  clearly  taught  and  effectually  enforced. 
 What  a  change  does  this  make  in  obedience  !     Hard 
 things  are  now  done  with  ease.      Rough  ways  are 
 made  smooth.      Painful  things  become  delightful. 
 The  labour  of  love  is  sweet  labour ;  because  the  heart 
 is  in  it.      The  feet  run ;  the  hands  work :  all  the 
 faculties  are  ready  to  exert  themselves  when  love 
 commands. 
 
 O  my  God,  let  it  be  thus  with  me.  Thou  hast 
 given  me  an  earnest  desire  to  walk  with  thee  in  thy 
 ways,  guide  me  in  them  by  thine  almighty  Spirit. 
 
270 
 
 Let  him  abide  with  me,  Holy  Father,  as  the  Spirit 
 of  adoption,  that  I  may  always  serve  thee,  as  thy  re- 
 conciled child,  not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace. 
 I  would  gladly  walk  with  thee  every  step  by  faith, 
 and  that  faith  working  by  love  to  thee  and  to  thy 
 whole  will.  O  God,  give  me  grace  sufficient  for  my 
 holy  walk.  Let  thy  faithful  promise  be  daily  ful- 
 filled :  write  thy  law  still  plainer  in  mine  inward  parts, 
 and  let  it  be  more  fairly  copied  out  of  my  life.  I 
 want  to  love  thee  more,  as  thou  knowest,  O  my 
 God,  keep  my  heart  sensible  of  the  exceeding  riches 
 of  thy  love  to  me,  and  let  the  growing  sense  of  this 
 increase  mine  to  thee.  In  the  strength  of  thy  good 
 Spirit,  enable  me  to  overcome  inward  and  outward 
 opposition  to  my  walking  with  thee  in  love.  Let 
 him  strengthen  me  mightily  in  the  inner  man  for 
 every  labour  of  love.  From  him  cometh  power  to 
 embrace  and  to  cleave  with  full  purpose  of  heart  unto 
 the  ways  of  God — to  love  what  he  loves,  and  to  hate 
 what  he  hates.  O  thou  blessed  Spirit  of  the  Father 
 and  of  the  Son,  make  me  willing,  keep  me  able,  to 
 enjoy  the  Father's  love  in  his  Son ;  and  let  it  be  a 
 growing  love,  abounding  yet  more  and  more  in  know- 
 ledge, and  in  all  sensible  feeling,  that  I  may  run  and 
 not  be  weary,  may  be  going  on  to  the  end,  and  not 
 be  faint.  Even  so.  Let  it  be  done  unto  thy  ser- 
 vant according  to  thy  word,  wherein  thou  hast  caused 
 me  to  put  my  trust.  Let  me  have  fellowship  with 
 the  Father  in  his  love,  through  the  salvation  of  his 
 Son,  by  thine  influence  upon  my  heart,  now,  hence- 
 forth, and  for  ever.      Amen* 
 
^71 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 The  voalk  of  the  believer  in  the  voay  of  duty. 
 
 It  is  very  hard  to  go  on  in  a  straight  course,  and 
 for  any  length  of  time.  The  hinderances  are  many. 
 To  understand  the  nature  and  obligation  of  duty,  to 
 enter  upon  it  with  right  motives,  to  perform  it  in  a 
 proper  temper;  to  go  through  it  without  backward- 
 ness or  weariness,  not  by  constraint,  but  willingly, 
 and  to  find  the  true  end  of  doing  it  answered,  these 
 are  great  difficulties :  but  they  will  be  removed  in 
 some  measure  out  of  the  believer's  walk,  if  he  attend 
 to  what  was  said  before  of  obedience  in  general,  and 
 if  he  be  enabled  to  bring  it  into  practice. 
 
 It  cannot  be  too  often  repeated,  that  the  true  be-, 
 liever  is  not  under  the  law,  as  a  covenant  of  works 
 — bound  to  keep  the  precept  for  life,  or  liable  to  the 
 penalty  of  death.  He  is  not  under  the  law  in  this 
 respect,  but  under  grace.  He  is.  one  with  Christ, 
 who  kept  the  precept,  and  suffered  the  penalty  for 
 him,  as  his  surety,  and  in  his  stead.  He  has  put  in 
 his  plea,  and  taken  the  benefit  of  Christ's  suretyship. 
 His  plea  has  been  admitted;  and  therefore  he  is  in 
 a  state  of  perfect  acceptance.  He  stands  in  the  li- 
 berty wherewith  Christ  hath  made  him  free.  Grace 
 reigns  in  him  and  over  him,  and  renders  his  obedience 
 perfect  freedom.  He  obeys,  but  it  is  all  in  faith. 
 He  works,  but  it  is  from  a  sense  of  the  Father's  love 
 to  him  in  his  Son.  Gratitude,  taught  by  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  influences  his  heart  and  life.      His  heart  has 
 
272 
 
 the  love  of  God  written  upon  it,  and  his  life  mani- 
 fests it.  He  serves  God  with  a  thankful  mind  and 
 without  fear,  and  cheerfully  does  all  the  good  he  can 
 to  man  for  God's  sake. 
 
 The  believer  will  never  get  on  in  the  way  of  duty, 
 unless  he  learns  to  obey  upon  these  gospel  principles. 
 He  will  stand  in  need  of  their  assistance  at  every 
 step ;  for  he  will  meet  with  constant  opposition  to 
 them.  The  flesh  will  not  come  under  grace.  The 
 carnal  mind  is  always  legal.  The  old  man  of  sin 
 knows  nothing  but  working  for  life,  and  will  not 
 submit  to  any  other  way.  Our  sinful  nature  is  al- 
 together for  the  covenant  of  works.  Jews,  Turks, 
 Heathens,  and  nominal  Christians,  are  all  upon  one 
 plan  :  they  expect  God  will  be  merciful  to  them  for 
 their  doings.  And  the  children  of  God  are  exer- 
 cised  with  this  self-righteous  spirit,  more  or  less,  all 
 their  days.  Is  it  not,  O  my  soul,  thy  grief  and 
 burden  ?  Art  thou  not  daily  plagued  with  it  in  thy 
 duties?  And  though  thy  principles  be  very  evan- 
 gelical, yet  they  too  often  fail  thee  in  practice.  O 
 beg  of  God  then,  earnestly  and  often,  that  thou 
 mayest  be  cast  into  the  mould  of  the  gospel,  quite 
 evangelized  in  thy  mind,  and  mayest  perform  all 
 duties  upon  such  motives  as  he  himself  requires  and 
 approves. 
 
 Duty  is  a  debt  owing  to  God — due  from  the 
 creature  to  the  Creator.  The  obligation  to  it  arises 
 from  the  absolute  dependence  of  the  one  upon  the 
 other :  and  it  consists  in  acknowledging  this  in  the 
 appointed  way,  by  a  perfect  and  continual  service 
 of  every  faculty — the  creature  being  entirely  sub- 
 ject to  the  will  of  the  Creator,  and  living  in  never- 
 
273 
 
 failing  conformity  to  it :  for  the  will  of  God  doth 
 bind  all  men  on  earth,  and  angels  and  glorified  spirits 
 in  heaven.  It  is  an  unchangeable  law,  obliging  for 
 ever  all  the  creatures  to  obedience,  not  only  on  ac- 
 count of  the  matter  contained  in  it,  but  also  with  re- 
 spect to  the  sovereign  authority  of  the  almighty  Law- 
 giver. And  this  obligation,  Christ  in  the  gospel  has 
 not  in  the  least  dissolved,  but  on  all  occasions  has 
 confirmed  and  strengthened.  How  decisive  are  these 
 words :  "  Think  not  that  I  am  come  to  destroy  the 
 law  and  the  prophets;  I  am  not  come  to  destroy,  but 
 to  fulfil :"  to  fulfil  the  law  in  mine  own  person,  as 
 the  surety  for  my  people,  and  to  put  the  love  of  it 
 into  their  hearts,  and  to  engage  them,  and  to  enable 
 them  to  practise  it  in  their  lives  ;  though  not  for  the 
 same  end  for  which  I  fulfilled  it. 
 
 Duty  is  always  one  and  the  same — a  debt  always 
 due  to  God.  But  the  debt  of  obedience  being  with- 
 held, and  the  death  of  suffering  being  incurred,  the 
 believer  is  taught  to  plead  his  discharge  from  suf- 
 fering under  Christ,  and  his  fulfilling  of  obedience 
 in  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  With  this  faith  he 
 has  a  delightful  prospect  of  duty.  God  is  now  at 
 peace  with  him.  God  loves  him  in  his  Son.  It  is 
 his  high  privilege  to  enjoy  the  sense  of  those  dis- 
 tinguishing favours.  For  this  end  he  is  admitted 
 to  walk  with  his  God.  What  an  honour  is  this  ! 
 Having  received  the  adoption  of  sons,  he  is  blessed 
 with  his  Father's  love,  and  is  taken  into  near  fel- 
 lowship with  him.  What  a  happiness  is  this  ! 
 "  Son,  all  that  I  have  is  thine,  it  is  freely  given  to 
 thee  in  Jesus;  and  thou  art  now  called  upon  to  enjoy 
 rae  and  mine  in  thy  holy  walk."  Here  duty  be- 
 M  3 
 
comes  his  privilege.  It  is  exalted  and  spiritualized 
 into  a  gospel  grace.  He  is  bound  to  it,  but  it  is  by 
 the  cords  of  love.  The  pleasing  bonds  of  gratitude 
 tie  his  heart  to  obedience — to  a  free,  holy,  evangeli- 
 cal obedience.  He  obeys,  not  as  a  slave,  but  as  a 
 son — not  from  fear,  but  because  Christ  has  set  him  at 
 liberty — not  that  God  may  accept,  pardon,  and  jus- 
 tify him,  but  because  God  has  done  all  for  him,  and 
 will  do  all  in  him — not  that  he  may  have  heaven  for 
 his  obedience,  but  because  heaven  is  reserved  for 
 him,  and  he  for  it.  He  therefore  looks  at  duty,  as 
 greatly  refined  by  the  gospel.  Every  act  of  it  done 
 in  faith,  is  an  act  of  fellowship  with  the  Father  and 
 with  the  Son  ;  and,  by  the  grace  of  the  Spirit,  every 
 act  brings  the  Father's  love  through  the  Son's  sal- 
 vation into  experience.  He  has  communion  with 
 his  God  in  all  he  does.  This  ennobles  duty.  It 
 is  hereby  raised  to  a  divine  honour :  for  it  is  hereby 
 made,  to  them  who  are  in  Christ,  the  highest  privi- 
 lege they  can  have  on  this  side  of  heaven. 
 
 When  the  Holy  Spirit  writes  the  law  upon  the 
 heart,  he  then  teaches  this  obedience  of  faith.  He 
 does  not  abolish  duty,  but  he  enforces  it  upon  right 
 motives,  and  directs  it  to  a  right  end.  The  same 
 duties  remain  in  the  gospel,  but  not  upon  the  same 
 obligation.  Law  duties,  as  conditions  of  life,  cannot 
 be  fulfilled.  The  Judge  himself  has  decreed,  that 
 by  the  works  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh  be  justi- 
 fied in  his  sight.  Therefore  the  law,  as  a  covenant 
 of  works,  does  not  enter  into  the  believer's  obedience. 
 He  obeys,  because  he  is  freed  from  this  covenant—— 
 not  freed  from  doing  the  same  duties  which  this 
 covenant  required,  but  freed  from  doing  them  upon 
 
275 
 
 law  motives ;  neither  expecting  the  promised  life  on 
 account  of  keeping  the  precepts,  nor  fearing  the 
 threatened  penalty  on  account  of  not  keeping  them. 
 It  is  his  privilege  to  obey,  because  he  is  saved.  He 
 works  from  a  free  spirit,  and  with  a  thankful  heart. 
 He  does  all  his  duties  in  faith.  He  is  spiritual  in 
 them,  acting  upon  the  endearing  motive  of  God's 
 love  to  him  in  Christ,  as  it  has  been  revealed  to  his 
 heart  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  hopes  for  the  accep- 
 tance of  them  only  through  the  intercession  of  Christ : 
 and  after  he  has  done  them  ever  so  well,  he  desires 
 grace  from  Christ  to  return  him  all  his  glory.  Thus, 
 in  every  duty,  he  aims  at  fellowship  with  God  in 
 Christ  through  the  Spirit,  and  seeks  to  present  an 
 odour  of  a  sweet  smell,  a  sacrifice  acceptable,  well- 
 pleasing  to  God. 
 
 Whatever  thou  art  required  to  do,  remember,  O 
 my  soul,  that  thou  art  under  grace,  and  it  is  thy 
 privilege  to  do  it  in  faith.  View  the  two  tables  in 
 the  hand  of  thy  Saviour,  and  receive  the  ten  com- 
 mandments from  his  mouth.  Happy  for  thee,  Jesus 
 is  thy  lawgiver.  His  Spirit  will  evangelize  thine 
 obedience.  H^  will  bring  thine  heart  into  it.  He 
 will  set  thee  in  the  chariot  of  love,  and  thou  shalt 
 ride  on  prosperously:  he  will  oil  the  wheels  of  duty, 
 and  they  shall  run  easy  and  pleasant.  Thou  shalt 
 be  carried  sweetly  through  duty,  thy  Beloved  being 
 present  and  conversing  with  thee  in  it;  yea,  thy  faith 
 working  by  love  to  him  will  render  fellowship  with 
 God,  in  all  thou  doest,  the  joy  of  thy  heart  and  the 
 glory  of  thy  life. 
 
 O  beg  of  thy  divine  Teacher  thus  to  spiritualize 
 thine  obedience.      From  him  onlv  canst  thou  learn 
 
276 
 
 the  two  great  commandments,  which  are  the  sura  and 
 substance  of  the  will  of  thy  God.  In  the  first,  his 
 nature  is  revealed,  and  then  his  worship.  He  is  the 
 Lord  thy  God,  Jehovah  thy  Alehim:  Jehovah  means 
 the  self-existent  Godhead;  and  Alehim,  the  persons 
 in  covenant.  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  partakers  of 
 the  same  self-existence  and  divine  glory,  without  any 
 difference  or  inequality.  There  can  be  no  true  re- 
 ligion without  the  true  object  of  worship,  and  he  can- 
 not be  worshipped  unless  he  be  known ;  therefore  it 
 is  an  indispensable  duty  to  know  the  Lord  God. 
 But  how  shall  fallen  man  attain  to  this  knowledge  ? 
 He  lost  it  by  sin,  and  he  cannot  by  any  reasoning 
 faculty  or  power  of  his  own  recover  it.  It  is  a  mat- 
 ter of  fact,  that  no  man  did  ever  by  searching  find 
 out  God :  and  attested,  by  infallible  authority,  that 
 the  world  by  its  wisdom  knew  not  God.  There  is 
 no  true  description  of  the  Godhead,  but  what  is  re- 
 vealed in  Scripture ;  and  it  is  altogether  from  the 
 teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  any  one  savingly 
 understands  what  is  revealed.  He,  the  Spirit  of 
 wisdom  and  revelation,  opens  the  eyes  of  the  mind, 
 sets  the  object  before  them,  and  gives  a  clear  idea 
 of  it.  He  takes  of  the  things  of  God,  and  shows 
 them  to  his  disciples.  He  does  not  lead  them  into 
 abstracted  reasonings  about  the  divine  nature,  or 
 what  the  absolute  Godhead  is,  but  his  lessons  are 
 useful  and  practical.  He  teaches  the  knowledge  of 
 the  persons  in  Jehovah,  as  they  are  related  to  sinners 
 in  the  covenant  of  grace.  Through  him  the  Father 
 is  made  known:  *' Ye  have  received  the  Spirit  of 
 adoption,  by  whom  we  cry,  Abba,  Father."  Through 
 him  the  Son  is  believed  in:  for  **  no  man  can  say  that 
 
277 
 
 Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost.'*  He 
 discovers  the  Father's  love  in  the  Son,  with  its  rich 
 graces  and  abundant  blessings,  as  it  is  written,  we 
 have  "  received  not  the  spirit  of  the  world,  but  the 
 Spirit  which  is  of  God,  that  we  might  know  the 
 things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God."  He 
 makes  known  the  Giver  and  the  gifts,  and  he  is  re- 
 ceived for  that  very  purpose.  He  shines  into  the 
 heart,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory 
 of  God  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ.  And  this  is 
 saving  acquaintance  with  the  Father  and  with  the 
 Son;  for  hereby  the  understanding  is  restored  to  the 
 image  of  God,  and  the  new  man  is  renewed  in  know- 
 ledge after  the  image  of  Him  that  created  him. 
 
 O  what  a  mercy  is  this  !  What  can  call  for  a 
 greater  praise?  And  this  mercy,  O  my  soul,  is 
 thine.  Unspeakably  gracious  has  the  Lord  been  to 
 thee.  He  has  given  thee  the  knowledge  of  himself. 
 His  image  is  upon  thine  understanding :  his  light 
 is  shining  upon  it.  Certainly  it  is  as  great  an  act,  as 
 when  he  first  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
 darkness;  for  hereby  I  believe  in  him,  I  know  him 
 to  be  my  Father.  O  precious  name  !  The  love  of 
 his  heart,  and  it  is  infinite — the  blessings  of  his  love, 
 and  they  are  numberless — he  has  called  me  to  enjoy, 
 freely,  of  mere  grace,  of  his  own  sovereign  good-will 
 — called  me  to  the  adoption  of  sons,  to  the  noblest 
 dignity;  yea,  to  everlasting  honour,  to  be  a  son  of 
 the  most  high  God.  God  is  my  Father — my  new 
 birth  is  from  him — that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit 
 is  spirit,  and  has  fellowship  with  the  Father  of  spirits. 
 Behold  !  what  manner  of  love  this  is  !  No  parent 
 ever  loved,  or  can  love  a  child,  as  my  Father  which 
 
278 
 
 is  in  heaven  loves  me.  And  I  desire  in  the  sense 
 of  this  to  love  him,  to  cleave  to  him  with  full  purpose 
 of  heart,  and  gratefully  to  devote  all  I  have  and  am 
 to  his  service  and  to  his  glory.  O  thou  divine  Re- 
 vealer  of  this  love,  enlighten  mine  understanding, 
 and  influence  my  affections,  that  I  may  grow  in  the 
 knowledge  of  my  Father  in  Jesus  :  for 
 
 In  him  the  Father  only  is  to  be  known.  He  is 
 his  Father,  as  our  covenant  head,  and  therefore  ours 
 in  him.  God  is  not  a  Father  to  any  but  in  Christ. 
 The  name  Father  respects  Christ  as  the  first-be- 
 gotten, and  then  all  his  seed.  He  is  the  Father  of 
 our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family 
 in  heaven  and  earth  is  named,  and  depends  for  its 
 adoption  on  the  Father  of  their  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 He  undertook  to  be  made  man,  to  live  and  die  for 
 the  many  sons  whom  he  was  to  bring  to  glory:  and 
 in  consequence  of  his  undertakings,  it  pleased  the 
 Father  to  lay  up  all  fulness  of  grace  for  them  in  the 
 God-man,  their  covenant  head.  And  it  pleases  the 
 Spirit  to  witness  of  this  fulness,  and  to  enable  be- 
 lievers to  receive  out  of  it  grace  for  grace.  Thus 
 he  reveals  Emmanuel  to  them.  They  know  him, 
 and  are  one  with  him.  He  is  their  Lord  and  their 
 God,  and  by  faith  they  live  in  him  and  upon  him. 
 Trusting  to  his  atonement  and  righteousness,  they 
 have  peace  with  their  reconciled  Father,  and  they 
 enjoy  his  love  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost.  Waiting  in  the  appointed  ways,  they 
 grow  in  the  knowledge  of  the  wonderful  person 
 God-Jesus.  They  see  more  of  the  divine  glory  of 
 his  salvation-work,  and,  by  depending  on  it  daily, 
 they  enjoy  more  of  the  things  which  accompany  sal- 
 
279 
 
 vation.  Thrice  happy  are  they  whose  acquaintance 
 with  Jesus  is  thus  increasing.  Their  happiness  has 
 a  boundless  subject.  They  may  study  on,  and  they 
 will  find  in  him  new  worlds  of  delight  to  eternity. 
 O  ye  highly  favoured,  read  and  adore  the  wonders 
 already  wrought  for  you  !  among  which  these  are  not 
 the  least — '*  We  know  that  the  Son  of  God  is 
 come,  and  hath  given  us  an  understanding  to  know 
 him  that  is  true,  and  we  are  in  him  that  is  true,  even 
 his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  true  God  and  eter- 
 nal life."  Blessed  knowledge  !  they  have  an  under- 
 standing given  them,  and  they  are  savingly  acquainted 
 with  the  Father  and  with  the  Son,  by  the  teaching 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Jehovah  is  their  Alehim. 
 Thus  they  learn  the  first  part  of  their  duty,  which 
 leads  them  to  the 
 
 Second,  namely.  To  love  the  persons  in  the  God- 
 head, because  they  stand  in  this  most  endearing  re^ 
 lation  to  them.  They  love  the  Father,  who  is  their 
 Father  in  Jesus.  They  have  not  only  heard  of,  and 
 believed  in,  but  have  also  enjoyed  this  precious  love. 
 It  has  been  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts  by  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  who  has  overcome  all  resistance  to  his  love; 
 yea,  has  made  enmity  itself  yield  to  it.  Having 
 purified  the  conscience  by  faith,  he  then  purifies  the 
 heart:  he  pours  into  it  a  sense  of  that  love  which 
 gave  his  co-equal  Son  for  them,  and  all  the  blessings 
 in  earth  and  in  heaven  with  him.  Thereby  he  draws 
 up  the  affections  in  holy  desires  to  be  more  united 
 to  the  Father  of  mercies.  It  is  the  property  of  love 
 to  desire  to  be  united  to  the  beloved  object.  The 
 Holy  Spirit  has  discovered  the  object,  and  has  given 
 the  desire,  and  he  fulfils  ail  the  desires  of  his  own 
 
280 
 
 creating.  He  teaches  all  the  children  of  God  to 
 know  their  Father,  and  to  experience  his  love  to 
 them  in  his  Son ;  and  then  they  cannot  but  love  hira. 
 He  creates  the  new  heart  for  this  very  purpose,  and 
 makes  it  sensible  that  the  Father's  love  is  all  received 
 through  the  Son ;  and  therefore,  the  Father  and  the 
 Son  are  beloved  with  an  undivided  affection. 
 
 The  Son  is  his  office-name.      It  should  never  be 
 heard  without  putting  us  in  mind  of  the  wonderful 
 love  of  our  God  in  his  undertakings.      He  covenanted 
 to  be  made  flesh.      What  a  miracle  of  love  is  that!' 
 He  engaged  with  his  Father  to  be  the  surety  for 
 his  people,  to  do  their  work,  to  suffer  their  punish- 
 ment ;  and  then  God  and  man,  one  Christ  for  ever, 
 was  to  have  all  fulness  of  covenant  blessings  to  give 
 his  people.      The  Father   has   no  love,  the  Spirit 
 bestows  no  grace,  but  what  comes  through  Christ. 
 A  believer  is  therefore  taught,  in  every  thing  he 
 does,  to  have  fellowship  with  Christ.      His  safety, 
 his  happiness,  his  hopes  of  happiness  to-day  and  for 
 ever,  are  blessings  to  be  received  out  of  Emmanuel's 
 fulness:  for  he  is  the  head  over  all  things  to  the 
 church,  which  is  his  body,  the  fulness  of  him  that 
 filleth  all  in  all.    And  while  the  member  is  receiving 
 life,  and  sense,  and  happiness,  from  the  fulness  of 
 the  head,  he  will  have  fresh  motives  to  love  his  divine 
 Saviour.      What  can  fix  his  affections,  if  gratitude 
 to  Jesus  cannot?      He  has  every  thing  in  him  that 
 can  win  the  heart.      He  has  beauty  to  engage  love, 
 blessings  to  increase  love,  glories  to  increase  love  to 
 him  for  evermore.      He  is  beauty  without  a  rival. 
 Whatever  is  charming  in  any  earthly  object,  is  but 
 a  ray  from  him,  and  should  lead  to  him :  it  is  but  a 
 
281 
 
 beam,  to  point  out  the  matchless  graces  of  Emmanuel. 
 And  so  is  the  loveliness  of  heavenly  objects :  saints 
 and  angels  have  nothing  beautiful,  but  what  the  love 
 of  Jesus  has  put  upon  them.  He  is  the  Lord  and 
 Giver  of  all  their  glory.  How  glorious  then  must 
 he  be!  He  is  mine,  says  the  believer;  and  my 
 property  in  him  makes  him  indeed  glorious  in  mine 
 eyes.  Once  I  saw  no  beauty  in  him,  that  I  should 
 desire  him ;  but  now  he  is  my  beloved  and  my  friend. 
 I  can  see  every  thing  truly  lovely  in  my  Lord  and 
 ►  my  God.  Whatever  else  courts  my  heart,  appears 
 to  be  but  a  shadow:  the  substance  is  my  Jesus. 
 He  endears  himself  daily  to  me  by  his  numberless 
 favours.  I  am  always  receiving  out  of  his  fulness 
 some  blessing,  which  makes  him  the  centre  of  my 
 happiness.  Every  look  of  faith  discovers  in  him 
 some  new  excellency,  and  brings  from  him  some 
 fresh  kindness,  and  thereby  engages  my  heart  still 
 more  to  its  precious  Saviour.  And  when  I  look 
 forward  to  the  glory  to  be  revealed,  when  I  shall 
 see  my  Jesus  face  to  face,  and  shall  be  like  him,  and 
 shall  enjoy  him,  and  in  him  all  the  blessings  of  the 
 Eternal  Three  for  ever — O  this  is  too  big  for  present 
 thought ;  yet  it  constrains  me  to  give  up  my  whole 
 soul  to  this  heavenly  lover.  Glorify  him  daily  in 
 me,  thou  faithful  witness  for  Jesus;  and  give  me 
 continual  reason  to  love  thee,  with  the  same  undivided 
 affection  wherewith  thou  hast  enabled  me  to  love  the 
 Father  and  the  Son. 
 
 The  Holy  Spirit  is  Jehovah,  a  person  in  the  self- 
 existent  Godhead,  equal  with  the  Father  in  every  at- 
 tribute. His  office-name  is  Spirit :  the  idea  is  taken 
 from  air,  such  as  we  breathe,  to  denote  his  being  the 
 
28^ 
 
 breather,  or  inspirer  of  spiritual  life.  Every  thing 
 done  by  him  in  this  character  tends  to  holiness,  and 
 therefore  he  is  called  the  Holy  Spirit.  His  office 
 in  the  covenant,  as  well  as  his  co-equality  with  the 
 Father  and  the  Son,  entitle  him  to  equal  worship, 
 and  to  equal  love.  For  he  undertook  to  carry  into 
 execution  the  purposes  of  the  Father's  love  in  Jesus. 
 Their  fulfilment  depends  entirely  upon  his  grace. 
 The  Son  has  been  incarnate;  he  has  brought  in 
 everlasting  righteousness,  and  made  the  atonement 
 for  sin  :  the  Father  is  satisfied  with  his  finished  work, 
 and  has  demonstrated  his  acceptance  of  it :  the  God- 
 man  is  now  upon  the  throne  of  glory,  with  all  power 
 in  heaven  and  earth.  To  this  the  Holy  Spirit  bears 
 witness.  It  is  his  divine  office  to  apply  the  salva- 
 tion of  Jesus,  and  to  make  it  effectual.  He  does 
 all  in  the  heirs  of  promise.  The  Father  gave  them 
 to  the  Son,  the  Son  redeemed  them ;  but  they  are, 
 in  the  common  mass  of  corruption,  dead  in  trespasses 
 and  sins,  till  the  Spirit  of  life  enter  into  them.  They 
 feel  not  their  guilt  nor  their  danger,  till  he  convince 
 them.  They  are  quite  ignorant  of  God  and  of  the 
 things  of  God,  till  he  make  them  wise  unto  salvation. 
 They  cannot  believe  in  Jesus,  till  the  Spirit  of  faith 
 enable  them.  They  cannot  rejoice  in  the  Father's 
 love,  till  the  Comforter  makes  them  sensible  of  it. 
 They  are  without  strength,  until  they  be  strongs 
 thened  with  might  by  the  Spirit  in  the  inner  man. 
 They  cannot  go  on  in  their  Christian  course,  but  by 
 a  constant  supply  of  the  Spirit.  They  cannot  hold 
 out  to  the  end,  but  from  his  abiding  with  them  for 
 ever.  So  that  he  is  the  Lord  and  Giver  of  life. 
 He  begins  the  good  work,  and  he  confirms  it  until 
 
283 
 
 the  day  of  Jesus  Christ.  Every  motion  of  spiritual 
 life  is  from  him  ;  and  all  those  whom  he  makes  ahve, 
 he  makes  sensible  of  the  debt  which  they  owe  him. 
 He  manifests  his  love  to  them,  and  thereby  he  en- 
 gages their  love  to  him.  They  experience  how 
 great  the  love  of  the  Spirit  is.  They  are  sensible 
 of  their  obligations  to  him,  and  desire  to  be  thank- 
 ful for  them.  Thus  their  affections  return  to  the 
 proper  object  of  love  and  worship.  They  receive 
 daily  the  blessings  of  the  Father's  love  through  faith 
 in  the  Son's  salvation,  by  the  applying  power  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  and  hereby  they  are  reconciled  to  the 
 first  and  great  commandment :  it  is  become  the  de- 
 light of  their  souls  to  love  the  Lord  God, 
 
 Here  consider,  O  my  soul,  whether  thou  art  act- 
 ing upon  the  principle  of  gratitude  to  thy  God,  If 
 thou  art,  then  his  yoke  will  be  easy  and  his  burden 
 light.  Thou  wilt  not  go  to  duty  in  bondage,  hoping 
 to  gain  his  love  by  the  desert  of  what  thou  doest, 
 or  fearing  to  be  beaten  with  many  stripes  for  not 
 doing  it  well.  Thy  God  whom  thou  servest  is  thy 
 most  loving  friend,  and  tenderest  father.  He  loved 
 thee  in  Jesus  freely  by  grace,  not  by  works  done  by 
 thee,  or  to  be  done,  Emmanuel  is  thy  Saviour: 
 his  love  to  thee  is  made  up  of  miracles :  no  under- 
 standing of  angels  or  of  glorified  spirits  can  conceive 
 how  great  it  is ;  for  it  passeth  knowledge.  Never- 
 theless, the  Holy  Spirit  has  revealed  it  unto  thee. 
 He  loves  thee,  as  the  Father  and  the  Son  do,  with 
 the  same  divine  affection.  Thy  debt  is  equal,  thy 
 gratitude  should  be  the  same  to  the  blessed  Trinity. 
 In  the  sense  of  thine  infinite  obligations,  thou  art 
 called  upon  to  walk  in  the  way  of  duty.      Love  to 
 
284 
 
 the  person  whom  thou  art  to  serve,  will  make  ser- 
 vice pleasant.  And  thou  dost  love  thy  God.  He 
 has  given  himself  with  every  covenant  blessing  to  be 
 thine,  and  these  blessings  are  to  be  enjoyed  in  thy 
 walk  with  him.  With  this  faith  look  at  duty.  It 
 is  the  expression  of  gratitude  to  thy  dearest  friend, 
 and  it  is  the  way  to  enjoy  his  divine  friendship.  He 
 requires  it  out  of  love  to  thee  :  and  would  have  thee 
 to  do  it  out  of  love  to  him.  O  how  exalted  is  duty, 
 when  communion  with  God  is  carried  on  by  it  !  He 
 would  have  thee  to  keep  close  to  him,  in  order  to 
 maintain  a  sense  of  his  gracious  presence  in  thy 
 heart,  and  so  to  walk  with  him  as  to  have  his  love 
 to  thee  confirmed  at  every  step;  and  therefore  thou 
 shouldst  seek  to  preserve  a  constant  nearness  and 
 holy  fellowship  with  him  in  every  thing  thou  doest. 
 This  is  the  will  of  thy  God.  May  it  be  thine,  O 
 my  soul.  Study  this  glorious  way  of  gospel  duty. 
 Pray  to  be  taught  it  better,  and  to  go  on  in  it  more 
 spiritually  every  day.  Bring  it  into  all  thy  affairs. 
 In  thy  calling  as  well  as  in  the  means  of  grace,  in 
 temporal  as  well  as  in  heavenly  matters,  set  the  Lord 
 always  before  thee;  and  so  live  and  act  in  every  thing, 
 as  to  keep  up  communion  with  thy  God  and  Father 
 in  Jesus  by  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 
 When  God  is  thus  become  the  dear  object  of  thy 
 happy  heart,  then  every  way  wherein  his  love  is  to  be 
 enjoyed  will  become  delightful.  The  time,  the  place, 
 the  means  of  meeting  with  him,  will  be  greatly  de- 
 sired and  much  longed  for.  Thy  heart  cannot  but 
 be  where  thy  treasure  is.  Thou  wilt  want  no  spur 
 to  duty,  no  whip  to  drive  thee  to  ordinances.  It 
 will  be  enough,  that  the  Lord  is  there.      As  when 
 
285 
 
 he  said  to  David,  "  Seek  ye  ray  face" — his  heart  re- 
 plied, "  Thy  face.  Lord,  will  I  seek."  His  heart  said 
 it.  His  affections  were  set  upon  God,  and  he  was 
 ready  to  seek,  wherever  God  was  to  be  found.  No 
 hunted  hart  ever  panted  more  after  the  water-brooks, 
 than  his  soul  did  after  God.  His  hope  in  doing 
 any  thing  was  to  have  God's  gracious  presence  with 
 him.  And  his  happiness  in  it  was  to  have  commu- 
 nion with  God.  This  is  gospel  duty.  And  what 
 a  glorious  privilege  is  it !  O  that  it  may  be  my 
 happy  experience  thus  to  meet  God  in  all  his  ways, 
 and  to  enjoy  him  in  my  daily  walk  !  That  thou 
 mayest  grow  in  this  divine  fellowship,  consider,  O 
 my  soul,  some  of  the  duties  of  the  first  table,  and 
 learn  to  practise  them  upon  gospel  principles.  The 
 first  and  chief  is  prayer,  which  consists  in  keeping 
 up  daily  converse  with  thy  God  upon  all  occasions. 
 This  is  the  breathing  of  the  new-born  soul.  It 
 wants  to  draw  the  air  of  heaven,  and  to  live  in  its 
 own  proper  element.  There  is  a  way  opened  for 
 it  unto  the  throne  of  glory,  and  the  children  of  God 
 may  approach  it  with  boldness :  for  it  is  a  throne  of 
 grace,  and  he  that  sitteth  upon  it  loves  to  hear  and 
 to  answer  their  petitions.  He  is  their  Father — "  1 
 go,"  says  Jesus,  "  to  my  Father,  and  to  your  Father: 
 my  Father  himself  loveth  you ;  ask  what  ye  will  of 
 him  in  my  name,  he  will  do  it."  This  is  the  be- 
 loved object  of  prayer — a  reconciled  Father  in  Jesus, 
 whose  heart  is  full  of  tenderness  to  the  complaints 
 and  miseries  of  his  family — his  promises  are  the  de- 
 clarations of  his  pure  love — a  dependence  upon  his 
 fulfilling  them  does  honour  to  his  truth  and  faith- 
 fulness, and  always  brings  down  the  blessing.      The 
 
286 
 
 Holy  Spirit  abides  with  the  children  of  God,  to  teach 
 them  thus  to  pray  in  faith.  He  helps  their  infir- 
 mities in  prayer,  strengthens  their  graces,  and  be- 
 stows on  them  their  comforts.  He  enables  them  to 
 come  with  boldness,  and  to  have  access  with  confi- 
 dence. Whatever  their  Father  has  freely  promised 
 to  give  them  in  Jesus,  they  will  ask  in  faith,  nothing 
 wavering:  for  they  know  his  promises  cannot  fail. 
 They  find  them  daily  fulfilled,  whereby  their  holy 
 familiarity  with  their  Father  increases.  He  draws 
 nearer  to  them,  and  they  draw  nearer  to  him.  This 
 their  mutual  intercourse  may  be  interrupted,  but  it 
 cannot  be  entirely  broken  off.  God  is  always  dis- 
 posed to  hear,  although  the  believer  be  not  always 
 able  to  pray  rejoicing.  It  is  still  his  privilege,  al- 
 though he  may  not  find  any  great  delight  in  it;  but 
 if  he  continue  to  make  constant  use  of  his  privilege, 
 his  delight  will  return,  and  God  will  fulfil  to  him  the 
 gracious  promise — "  I  will  make  them  joyful  in  my 
 house  of  prayer." 
 
 Thus  the  child  of  God  learns  to  love  prayer,  yea, 
 to  pray  without  ceasing.  He  lives  under  his  Fa- 
 ther's eye,  and  in  a  dependence  on  his  Father's  care 
 for  him,  night  and  day.  And  he  has  hereby  as  true 
 and  lasting  fellowship  with  the  things  of  God  in  his 
 soul,  as  he  has  with  the  things  of  this  world  in  his 
 body. 
 
 O  what  an  exalted  privilege  is  this  !  How  highly 
 is  prayer  hereby  ennobled  !  It  is  not  a  law  duty  to 
 an  absolute  God ;  but  a  gracious  intercourse  with  a 
 covenant  God, — not  practised  that  he  may  love  us ; 
 but  because  he  loves  us, — not  to  make  us  his  chil- 
 dren ;  but  because  we  are  his  children.      It  should 
 
287 
 
 be  performed  always  in  this  faith.  If  there  be  infir* 
 mities  in  it,  such  as  wandering  coldness,  or  the  like, 
 we  are  to  remember,  that  we  are  not  heard  for  the 
 goodness  of  our  prayers,  nor  answered  for  the  fer- 
 vency of  them.  That  which  makes  our  persons 
 accepted,  obtains  acceptance  for  our  services  also. 
 We  and  all  vve  do  are  only  accepted  in  the  Beloved: 
 "  For  through  Jesus  Christ,  we  have  an  access  by 
 one  Spirit  unto  the  Father ;"  our  access  is  through 
 Jesus  Christ.  Trusting  to  his  finished  salvation,  we 
 enter  into  the  presence  of  the  Father;  and  guided 
 by  the  Holy  Spirit,  we  pray  in  faith.  Whatever 
 we  ask  in  the  Son's  name,  we  know  that  we  have 
 the  petitions  which  we  desired  of  him.  This  spiri- 
 tualizes prayer,  and  puts  glory  upon  it:  because 
 there  is  heavenly  fellowship  with  God  in  it,  with 
 the  Father  through  the  Son,  by  the  one  Spirit. 
 
 These  are  some  of  the  privileges  of  Christian 
 prayer.  Thou  goest,  O  my  soul,  to  meet  thy  God 
 in  it — to  converse  with  thy  Father — to  call  on  him 
 for  the  fulfilling  of  his  promises  made  in  Jesus — to 
 wait  on  him  for  his  answers — and  to  give  him  his 
 glory.  O  what  blessed  seasons  hast  thou  enjoyed 
 in  this  communion  with  thy  God  !  How  has  he 
 manifested  his  nearness  to  thee,  and  bounty  towards 
 thee  !  Hast  thou  not  found  his  heart  open,  his 
 ears  open,  and  his  hands  open,  to  grant  thee  the  re- 
 quest of  thy  lips  ?  And  when  thou  hast  not  found 
 such  sweet  fellowship  with  thy  God  in  prayer,  yet 
 thy  dependence  on  his  faithful  word  has  been  exer- 
 cised and  improved.  Thou  hast  left  thy  petitions 
 with  thy  Friend  and  Advocate,  trusting  to  that  most 
 glorious  description  of  him  in  Rev.  viii.  3,  4.  "  And 
 
288 
 
 another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having  a 
 golden  censer:  and  there  was  given  unto  him  much 
 incense,  that  he  should  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of 
 all  saints  upon  the  golden  altar  which  was  before 
 the  throne.  And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  which 
 came  with  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  ascended  up 
 before  God  out  of  the  angel's  hand."  O  thou  great 
 Angel  of  the  covenant,  thus  present  my  prayers. 
 They  are  nothing  worth,  but  as  perfumed  with  thy 
 divine  odours.  Let  them  ever  ascend  before  God 
 out  of"  thy  hand,  with  the  smoke  of  the  incense  of 
 thy  sacrifice  and  intercession.  Blessed  Spirit  of 
 prayer,  increase  my  faith,  that  I  may  trust  more  to  a 
 prayer-hearing  God  and  Father,  who  is  always  ready 
 to  grant  every  good  thing  promised  to  his  children 
 in  Christ  Jesus.      Amen. 
 
 Praise  and  prayer  go  together.  The  prayer  of 
 faith  will  afford  continual  matter  for  praise.  The 
 one  is  a  dependence  on  God  for  every  promised 
 blessing ;  the  other  is  the  acknowledgment  of  his 
 having  bestowed  it.  Innocent  man  had  his  heart  in 
 this  sweet  work.'  It  was  his  happiness.  Every  breath 
 in  paradise  was  praise.  The  redeemed  mau  has  more 
 reason.  His  obligations  are  far  greater  than  Adam 
 was  under  to  his  God  :  raised  from  his  fall — saved 
 from  the  guilt  and  misery  of  it — chosen  and  called 
 to  this  salvation  by  mere  grace — through  faith  a 
 partaker  of  it — an  heir  of  God,  and  a  joint-heir  with 
 Christ.  O  what  motives  are  these  to  continual  thank- 
 fulness !  And  these  motives  are  effectual,  when  the 
 Holy  Spirit  discovers  the  things  that  are  freely  given 
 to  us  of  God.  He  makes  us  sensible  of  them,  and 
 thankful  for  them;  for  he  preserves  in  the  soul  a 
 
289 
 
 blessed  poverty  of  spirit,  an  humble  abiding  sense  of 
 wants  and  unworthiness:  and  thus  he  lays  a  sure 
 foundation  for  thankfulness.  Every  blessing  is  then 
 received  with  a  *  Why  me?  What  am  I,  and  what 
 is  my  father's  house,  that  God  should  deal  thus  boun- 
 tifully with  me  ?  I  must  refer  it  all  to  the  praise  of 
 the  glory  of  his  own  grace.  Blessed  be  the  God  and 
 Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed 
 me  with  ail  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  things  in 
 Christ.  All  these  blessings  flow  from  the  Father's 
 love  in  his  Son;  and  the  Holy  Spirit  has  discovered 
 to  me  that  boundless  ocean  of  love,  and  has  often 
 refreshed  me  with  its. life-giving  streams.  He  has 
 made  known  to  me  the  good  pleasure  of  the  Father's 
 will,  which  he  had  purposed  in  himself,  to  choose  me 
 by  his  distinguishing  grace  to  be  one  of  his  children  ; 
 and  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  I  read  my  adop- 
 tion, and  take  possession  of  the  inheritance  of  chil- 
 dren. Mine  experience  of  these  blessings  cannot  be 
 questioned,  while  I  am  receiving  out  of  the  fulness 
 of  Jesus  grace  for  grace.  O  how  great  is  my  debt! 
 It  is  equal  to  the  Eternal  Three:  so  should  my  gra- 
 titude be.  It  is  very  meet,  right,  and  my  bounden 
 duty,  that  I  should  at  all  times,  and  in  all  places,  give 
 thanks  unto  thee,  O  Lord,  holy  Father,  almighty, 
 everlasting  God  !  therefore,  with  angels  and  arch- 
 angels, and  with  all  the  company  of  heaven,  I  laud 
 and  magnify  thy  glorious  name,  evermore  praising 
 thee,  and  saying,  Holy,  holy,  holy  Lord  God  of 
 hosts :  heaven  and  earth  are  full  of  thy  glory.  Glory 
 be  to  thee,  O  Lord  most  high.      Amen.' 
 
 May  such  as  this,  O  my  soul,  be  thy  daily  tribute 
 of  thanks !      Consider  what  thou  owest  to  thy  God 
 N  4 
 
290 
 
 — how  great  are  his  favours,  how  many,  how  endless 
 - — and  bestowed  on  the  most  unworthy  !  Review  his 
 goodness  in  giving  thee  being,  and  in  preserving  it. 
 Remember  from  how  many  dangers  and  pains  he  has 
 delivered  thee;  what  health  and  creature-comforts 
 he  has  vouchsafed  of  his  mere  bounty ;  and  what  a 
 monument  of  his  long-suffering  thou  art.  O  what 
 a  miracle,  that  one  like  thee  should  be  out  of  hell ! 
 Then  put  to  the  account  spiritual  favours,  what  bless- 
 ings thou  hast  received  from  the  Father's  love  in 
 Jesus ;  what  blessings  thou  art  entitled  to  in  him, 
 not  only  in  time,  but  also  in  eternity.  Cast  up  the 
 mighty  sum,  and  say  how  much  it  is.  Canst  thou 
 tell  the  numbers  thereof?  No :  it  is  beyond  the 
 power  of  the  greatest  arithmetician.  If  thou  couldst 
 write  a  figure  upon  every  atom  in  the  creation,  thou 
 wouldst  want  a  new  world  whereon  to  sum  up  the 
 vast  account;  for  thy  mercies  reach  to  the  heaven  of 
 heavens,  and  they  are  also  everlasting.  Then  con- 
 sider to  whom  thou  art  thus  indebted.  Is  it  not 
 to  a  justly-offended  God,  who  might  have  glorified 
 all  his  perfections  in  punishing  thee  for  thy  sins  ? 
 Whereas,  in  wonderful  grace,  he  has  chosen  and 
 called  thee  to  the  adoption  of  sons.  He  is  thy  Fa- 
 ther. This  is  the  spring  of  all  thy  mercies.  In 
 love  he  gave  his  Son  to  finish  thy  salvation.  And 
 his  Spirit  has  brought  thee  to  believe  in  it,  and  to 
 enjoy  it.  This  is  the  source  of  all  thy  praise.  The 
 object  of  thanksgiving  is  thy  covenant  God,  who  is 
 related  to  thee  in  such  a  bond  of  love  as  will  bring 
 thee  under  eternal  obligations.  Thou  art  therefore, 
 in  all  thy  praise,  to  remember  thy  relation  to  Father, 
 Son,  and   Spirit;  thy  debt  to  them  for  that  most 
 
291 
 
 blessed  relation — thy  growing,  ever-growing  debt. 
 Praise  will  pay  none  of  it.  The  saints  in  glory  do 
 but  acknowledge  it.  While  they  are  praising  more, 
 the  sum  is  increasing.  O  my  soul,  beg  of  thy  God 
 to  give  thee  grace,  that  thine  acknowledgments  may 
 be  in  some  measure  like  theirs.  They  are  crying. 
 Holy,  holy,  holy  Lord  God,  giving  glory  for  the 
 Father's  love  in  Jesus,  and  for  their  experience  of  it 
 by  the  Eternal  Spirit.  May  this  subject  be  thine, 
 more  spiritual,  more  holy  every  day,  till  it  be  what 
 theirs  is — perfect,  and  without  intermission. 
 
 Since  it  is  thy  privilege,  O  my  soul,  to  pray  to 
 thy  covenant  God,  and  to  praise  him  for  covenant 
 mercies,  then  thou  wilt  highly  prize  the  Holy  Scrip- 
 tures; because  without  them  thou  canst  not  know 
 what  to  pray  for,  nor  what  is  indeed  a  mercy.  Thy 
 faith  has  nothing  to  stand  upon  but  the  word  of  God, 
 and  nothing  to  praise  him  for  but  mercies  therein 
 promised,  and  by  believing  received.  O  how  dear, 
 then,  should  his  word  be  to  thee  !  how  greatly  studied, 
 how  diligently  heard  !  that  by  it  thou  mayest  grow 
 in  every  grace  which  is  needful  for  thy  holy  walk 
 with  God.  It  is  the  appointed  means  by  which  the 
 Holy  Spirit  acts.  It  is  his  great  instrument  in  be- 
 ginning and  carrying  on  spiritual  life.  He  opens 
 the  understanding  to  know  the  Scriptures,  he  inclines 
 the  will  and  the  affections  to  receive  them  in  the  love 
 of  the  truth,  and  he  influences  the  whole  man  to 
 submit  to  live  under  the  obedience  of  faith.  What- 
 ever strength,  victory,  comfort,  or  blessing  of  any 
 kind  he  bestows,  it  comes  by  obeying  the  truth 
 through  the  Spirit.  So  that  thou  canst  not  go  on 
 in  thy  walk  with  God,  but  by  constant  and  believing 
 n2 
 
292 
 
 use  of  the  Scriptures.  They  should  be  thy  study 
 night  and  day,  heard  and  read  carefully,  mixed  with 
 faith,  treasured  up  in  thy  memory,  received  into  thy 
 heart,  and  brought  into  thy  life,  and  all  by  the  teach- 
 ing of  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  order  to  thine  enjoyment 
 of  the  promised  blessings  of  the  Father's  love  through 
 the  Son's  salvation.  Thus  the  word  will  be  the 
 means  of  thy  maintaining  fellowship  with  the  blessed 
 Trinity.  By  mixing  faith  with  it,  thou  wilt  be  con- 
 stantly receiving  from  them  covenant  mercies:  and 
 so  thou  wilt  go  forward.  Thy  steps  will  be  ordered 
 aright  according  to  the  word,  and  thy  way  will  be 
 prosperous. 
 
 Consider  then,  O  my  soul,  whether  thou  art  mak- 
 ing this  use  of  the  Scriptures.  Dost  thou  find  them 
 the  means  of  thy  growth  in  divine  knowledge,  in  faith 
 and  love  ?  Do  they  really  promote  thy  communion 
 with  God?  and,  on  that  account,  are  they  daily  more 
 thy  study  and  thy  delight?  Never  think  of  hearing 
 or  reading  them,  without  praying  for  the  teaching 
 of  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  they  may  be  the  means  of 
 keeping  up  fellowship  with  thy  Father  in  Jesus.  For 
 this  end  they  were  revealed ;  and  if  this  end  be  not 
 answered,  they  profit  thee  nothing.  Make  it  then 
 thy  constant  practice — before  hearing,  to  pray  for  a 
 spiritual  appetite;  and  as  new-born  babes  desire  the 
 milk,  so  thou  mayest  hunger  and  thirst  for  the  good 
 word  of  life — in  hearing,  beg  of  God  that  thou  may- 
 est feed  upon  the  word  and  digest  it,  and  thine  in- 
 ward man  may  be  nourished  up  in  the  words  of  faith 
 and  of  good  doctrine — after  hearing,  pray  for  a  sanc- 
 tified memory,  to  treasure  up  for  use  what  thou  hast 
 learned,  that,  as  occasion  shall  serve,  it  may  be  realized 
 
293 
 
 and  brought  into  practice,  thy  life  and  conversation 
 being  cast  into  the  mould  of  the  word.  With  the 
 same  dependence  on  the  divine  Teacher,  read  as  well 
 as  hear  the  Scriptures.  Meditate  on  them,  converse 
 about  them — expecting  to  find  them  able  to  make 
 thee  wise  unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in 
 Christ  Jesus;  and,  as  thy  faith  in  him  increases,  able 
 to  bring  in  richer  experience  of  thy  Father's  love  in 
 him. 
 
 How  sweet  is  prayer,  how  delightful  is  praise,  how 
 blessed  is  hearin'g  and  reading  the  word,  when  these 
 are  the  means  of  meeting  and  conversing  with  God  ! 
 His  presence  puts  the  highest  honour  upon  them, 
 and  exalts  duty  into  a  royal  privilege ;  for  he  is  pre- 
 sent as  a  Father  with  his  children.  O  what  a  dig- 
 nity is  it  to  have  God  for  our  Father  !  What  a 
 happiness  to  have  free  fellowship  with  him  in  this 
 dearest  relation,  in  thy  daily  hearing  and  reading  his 
 word  !  Observe,  0  my  soul,  what  is  spoken  of  this 
 holy  fellowship,  and  seek  to  maintain  it  and  to  im- 
 prove it  in  every  appointed  way,  particularly  in  keep- 
 ing the  command  of  thy  dying  Friend : 
 
 "  Do  this  in  remembrance  of  me." — When  his 
 disciples  meet  together  for  this  purpose,  then  place 
 the  whole  dependence  of  thy  heart  upon  thy  crucified 
 Saviour.  Considering  the  infinite  and  everlasting 
 efficacy  of  the  sacrifice  of  his  body  and  soul  to  take 
 away  sin,  draw  near  in  faith  to  feast  upon  it;  for  his 
 flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  his  blood  is  drink  indeed. 
 Look  well  to  the  end  of  the  institution.  It  was  not 
 only  to  remind  thee  of,  but  also  to  convey  to  thee  all 
 the  blessings  of  that  one  offering,  which  perfects  for 
 ever.     It  was  to  teach  thee,  that  thy  spiritual  life, 
 
294 
 
 and  every  grace  and  comfort  of  it,  are  as  dependent 
 upon  Christ  crucified,  as  the  life  of  thy  body  is  upon 
 the  meat  and  drink  of  this  world.  Thy  life  comes 
 from  his  death.  Thy  life  is  nourished  by  feeding 
 upon  Christ  thy  passover,  who  was  sacrificed  for  thee. 
 He  intended  by  the  bread  to  point  out  unto  thee  his 
 body,  and  by  the  wine  his  blood — by  eating  and  drink- 
 ing them,  thy  taking  hira  and  living  upon  him — by 
 thy  bodily  support  received  from  them,  the  nourish- 
 ment of  thy  soul,  by  eating  his  flesh,  and  drinking 
 his  blood.  He  would  have  thee  to  look  through  the 
 signs  to  the  things  signified.  Thou  art  not  to  rest 
 in  the  outward  act,  but  to  rest  in  the  promise  of  the 
 word  of  God.  Thy  faith  is  not  to  be  exercised  about 
 the  Lord's  supper  as  a  duty  ;  but  it  is  to  be  exercised 
 upon  his  word :  and  what  he  has  therein  promised  to 
 make  it,  that  thou  art  to  expect  in  taking  it.  He 
 appointed  it  to  be  the  means  of  communicating  with 
 him,  and  of  thy  enjoying  fellowship  with  him  in  his 
 sufferings.  It  is  a  spiritual  believing  act,  in  which 
 thou  art  invited  to  partake  of  the  paschal  Lamb.  It 
 is  the  Lord's  passover;  and  will  certainly  answer 
 every  purpose  for  which  he  instituted  it.  He  ap- 
 pointed it  to  be  the  means  of  safety  from  the  de- 
 stroyer, of  deliverance  from  bondage,  of  free  and  full 
 forgiveness  of  all  sins,  of  a  happy  passage  through 
 the  Red  Sea,  and  of  the  everlasting  possession  of  the 
 promised  inheritance.  For  these  gracious  purposes, 
 the  Father's  love  gave  his  Son  to  be  a  lamb  slain, 
 and  then  a  lamb  feasted  on :  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
 makes  it  a  feast  indeed.  It  is  to  the  believing  re- 
 ceiver spiritually,  whatever  the  passover  was  to  the 
 Jews  on  their  coming  out  of  Egypt.      It  is  a  com- 
 
295 
 
 munion  with  the  blessed  Trinity :  with  the  Father, 
 for  providing  such  a  banquet  of  love — with  the  Son, 
 for  giving  himself  to  be  a  lamb  slain,  and  to  be  a 
 spiritual  repast  to  his  people  in  earth  and  in  heaven 
 —with  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  rendering  the  bread 
 which  is  broken  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
 and  the  cup  of  blessing  the  communion  of  the  blood 
 of  Christ.  Communion  signifies  union  with — the 
 believer  united  to  Christ — one  with  Christ — a  mem- 
 ber in  his  body,  lives  in  him  and  on  him,  has  com- 
 munications of  life,  nourishment,  strength,  and  com- 
 fort, as  the  members  have  from  their  union  with  the 
 head.  He  has  a  real  inward  fellowship  with  Jesus, 
 in  his  cross  and  passion,  in  his  resurrection  and  ascen- 
 sion, in  his  intercession,  and  sitting  at  the  right  hand 
 of  the  Majesty  on  high.  He  communicates  now  with 
 Jesus  in  all  the  blessings  of  his  Father's  love,  and 
 will  communicate  with  him  in  all  his  Father's  glory. 
 O  what  a  privilege  is  the  Lord's  supper,  when  it  is 
 thus  the  means  of  communion  with  the  Son  and 
 with  his  Father  through  the  Spirit !  What  an 
 honour  is  it  to  be  admitted  to  a  feast  instituted  by  the 
 Lamb  of  God,  and  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  love  of 
 God  !  What  a  blessing  is  it  to  sit  down  now  to 
 the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb,  and  to  partake  by 
 faith  of  its  spiritual  realities  and  delights  !  There 
 is  nothing  beyond  this  upon  earth,  and  it  has  some- 
 times been  to  the  believing  receiver  a  foretaste  of 
 heaven.  Yes,  blessed  be  God,  it  has  been,  even  to 
 thee,  O  my  soul — unworthy  as  thou  art  of  one  crumb 
 from  the  Master's  table — a  feast  of  fat  things,  of 
 wines  kept,  even  of  fat  things  full  of  marrow,  of  wines 
 kept  and  well  refined.     And  when  thou  hast  not  been 
 
296 
 
 so  highly  feasted,  yet  thou  hast  enjoyed  solid  com- 
 munion. Partaking  of  the  bread  and  wine  according 
 to  the  Lord's  institution,  and  depending  on  the  Lord's 
 promise,  thou  hast  been  fed  and  nourished  at  his  table. 
 The  virtue  of  the  Spirit  has  been  put  forth  in  thy 
 heart,  and  thou  hast  as  truly,  by  faith,  eat  the  flesh 
 and  drank  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  Man,  as  thou  didst 
 eat  the  bread  and  drink  the  wine.  It  was,  strictly 
 speaking,  a  communion  :  being  united  to  Christ  thou 
 wast  a  partaker  of  Christ,  and  hadst  fellowship  with 
 him  in  his  life  and  death.  O  pray  for  more  of  this  f 
 Beg  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  increase  thy  communion 
 with  Jesus,  that  thou  mayest  live  more  in  him  and 
 on  him,  and  thereby  enjoy  more  of  the  love  of  thy 
 heavenly  Father.  Plead  his  promise,  and  expect 
 the  fulfilling  of  it :  "  He  that  eateth  my  flesh  and 
 drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me  and  I  in  him:  as 
 the  living  Father  hath  sent  me,  and  I  live  by  the  Fa- 
 ther, so  he  that  eateth  me,  even  he  shall  live  by  me." 
 Viewing  the  duties  of  the  first  table  in  this  light, 
 how  exalted  are  they,  and  spiritual !  What  a  glory 
 does  it  put  upon  them,  that  the  believer  has  fellow- 
 ship with  the  Eternal  Three;  and  in  prayer  and 
 praise,  in  hearing  and  reading  the  word,  and  at  the 
 Lord's  supper,  he  enjoys  their  covenant  mercies,  par- 
 taking of  them  now  as  really  by  faith,  as  ever  he  will 
 by  sense  in  heaven  !  The  law  written  and  engraven 
 in  stones  was  glorious,  but  the  law  thus  written  upon 
 his  heart  excelleth  in  glory.  The  two  first  tables 
 of  stone  were  broken,  the  other  two  are  lost ;  but 
 no  time  shall  deface  the  writing  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
 The  new  heart  turned  in  love  to  God,  shall  keep  his 
 impression  for  ever.      He  then  should  rest  securely 
 
297 
 
 upon  this :  because  he  has  undertaken  to  abide  for 
 ever  with  his  own  people,  that  the  purposes  of  the 
 Father's  love,  and  the  blessings  of  the  Son's  salva- 
 tion, may  be  always  enjoyed  by  them.  In  remem- 
 brance of  this  great  truth,  they  keep  the 
 
 Lord's  day.  They  rest  on  it  from  labour,  de- 
 claring thereby  their  belief  of  the  rest  which  the 
 Eternal  Three  have  provided  in  Jesus — a  rest  in  their 
 souls — given  without  their  labour  and  pains — se- 
 cured to  them  by  covenant — kept  for  them  by  al- 
 mighty power — a  sabbath  remaining  for  the  people 
 of  God,  into  which  they  shall  as  certainly  enter, 
 as  Jesus  their  forerunner  has  entered.  Sabbath  sig- 
 nifies a  day  of  rest.  It  was  set  apart  in  memory  of 
 God's  finishing  the  works  of  the  first  creation,  and 
 is  observed  now  in  memory  of  his  finishing  the 
 works  of  the  new  creation.  The  end  for  which  the 
 world  was  made,  will  be  answered  soon;  and  then  it, 
 and  all  the  works  therein,  shall  be  burnt  up,  and  the 
 place  of  them  found  no  more  :  but  the  glorious  work 
 of  the  God-man  shall  endure  for  ever.  In  honour 
 of  this  greatest  work  of  God,  we  keep  the  Lord's 
 day.  It  is  his  sabbath  ;  a  day  eternally  famous  for 
 his  finishing  the  work  of  salvation,  and  entering  into 
 his  rest.  "  And  we  who  have  believed,"  says  the 
 apostle,  "do  enter  into  rest."  We  do  enter  into  it 
 now  by  faith,  and  we  share  with  him  in  his  sabbath. 
 The  atonement  which  he  made,  the  righteousness 
 which  he  wrought  out,  the  victory  which  he  ob- 
 tained, the  works  which  he  perfected  for  ever,  and 
 the  glory  which  he  now  inherits,  we  enjoy  at  present 
 by  believing,  and  enter  upon  the  possession  of  them. 
 According  to  our  faith,  such  is  our  rest.  He  that 
 N  3 
 
298 
 
 believes,  without  wavering,  in  the  finished  salvation 
 of  Jesus — he  will  have  the  peace  of  God  ruling  in 
 his  conscience;  he  will  experience  the  perfect  love  of 
 God  to  hira,  which  will  make  him  rest  in  his  love  to 
 God,  and  then  he  will  delight  himself  in  the  ways 
 of  God.  This  is  the  Christian  sabbath.  It  con- 
 sists in  resting  upon  Jesus,  and  in  depending  upon 
 his  having  finished  the  works  of  redemption  ;  and  then 
 in  living  upon  them  for  our  souls,  as  much  as  we  do 
 upon  the  works  of  creation  for  our  bodies. 
 
 Sweet  is  the  day  of  rest,  spent  in  this  holy  em- 
 ployment. Happy  time  !  set  apart  for  spiritual  in- 
 tercourse with  God,  and  consecrated  for  keeping  up 
 fellowship  with  him  in  his  fatherly  love  in  Jesus,  and 
 for  receiving  from  him  communications  of  his  graces 
 and  blessings.  Thrice  happy  day  !  in  which  this 
 fellowship  is  kept  up,  and  these  graces  and  blessings 
 are  enjoyed.  By  this  heavenly  converse,  the  inward 
 man  is  renewed  with  growing  strength :  his  faculties 
 are  enlarged,  and  their  happiness  is  increased.  By 
 which  means  he  comes  nearer  to  the  spiritual  rest  of 
 the  heavenly  sabbath.  He  calls  it  his  delight,  holy 
 of  the  Lord,  honourable:  because  the  end  of  its  in- 
 stitution is  answered  to  him,  and  he  has  on  it  happy 
 communion  with  his  God.  When  he  draws  near  to 
 God  in  his  appointed  ways,  he  finds  God  in  them,  and 
 experiences  his  loving-kindness,  which  is  better  than 
 life  itself.  Blessed  is  the  man  who  is  thus  highly  fa- 
 voured !  He  enters  within  the  veil  into  the  holiest 
 by  the  blood  of  Jesus,  and  finds  a  most  loving  Fa- 
 ther upon  a  throne  of  grace.  In  every  service  on 
 the  Lord's  day,  he  seeks  a  more  intimate  acquain- 
 tance and  more  spiritual  fellowship  with  him.      His 
 
299 
 
 very  heart  is  engaged  in  this  work.  His  soul  thirst- 
 eth,  and  his  very  flesh  longeth  to  meet  God,  as  he 
 has  met  him  in  the  sanctuary.  Therein  he  has  found 
 communications  of  grace,  which  have  rendered  the 
 ordinances  delightful  indeed.  He  rejoices  in  hopes 
 of  meeting  God,  and  of  drawing  near  to  him  in  prayer ; 
 of  praising  him  still  more  and  more  for  his  abundant 
 mercies;  of  hearing  the  reviving  sound  of  gospel 
 grace,  and  of  everlasting  love  ;  and  of  receiving  it  not 
 as  the  word  of  man,  but  as  it  is  in  truth  the  word  of 
 God ;  and  of  sitting  down  to  the  banquet  of  heaven 
 in  communion  with  Christ  crucified,  through  him 
 partakirrg  of  the  Father's  love  by  the  Spirit's  influ- 
 ence. Blessed  is  he  of  the  Lord,  who  is  thus  spi- 
 ritual in  sabbath  duties.  By  keeping  up  constant 
 communion  with  God  in  them,  his  blessedness  is  in- 
 creasing. He  is  already  in  possession  of  the  same 
 things  which  his  elder  brethren  are  enjoying  in  hea- 
 ven ;  and  he  will  become  more  heavenly-minded,  while 
 he  maintains  daily  fellowship  with  the  Eternal  Three 
 in  their  covenant  oflSces  and  blessings. 
 
 Consider,  O  my  soul,  that  these  privileges  are 
 thine.  Look  well  to  thine  improvement  of  them. 
 Remember  thou  art  already,  by  beheving,  entered 
 into  rest.  Thy  sabbath  is  begun — a  day,  whose  sun 
 shall  never  set — whose  glory  shall  shine  brighter  for 
 evermore.  May  thine  enjoyment  of  this  rest,  which 
 is  so  glorious,  be  growing,  until  thou  attain  to  the 
 eternal  sabbath.  O  pray  thy  Lord  to  lift  up  the 
 light  of  his  countenance  upon  thee,  to  vouchsafe  thee 
 more  of  the  love  of  his  heart,  and  more  of  the  bounty 
 of  his  hand;  more  communion  with  him,  and  more 
 communications  from  him ;  that  thou  mayest  be  grow- 
 
soo 
 
 ing  up  unto  Jesus  in  all  things,  and  be  ready,  when- 
 ever he  calls  thee,  to  enter  in  with  him  into  his  per- 
 fect rest. 
 
 Thus  the  First  Table  duties  are  kept.  By  the 
 teaching  of  the  Spirit,  they  become  gospel  privileges. 
 When  he  makes  us  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus, 
 then  we  take  the  Three  in  Jehovah  to  be  our  God. 
 We  know  our  Father  in  Christ,  believe  in  him,  and 
 love  him.  We  will  have  no  other  gods  but  him. 
 We  give  his  honour  to  none,  his  name  to  none,  our 
 time  and  heart-service  to  none,  but  him.  His  love 
 made  known  to  us,  engages  our  affections,  and  puts 
 us  upon  seeking  fellowship  with  him  in  all  appointed 
 ways.  Yea,  the  more  we  know  of  his  perfect  love 
 to  us,  the  more  we  are  disposed  to  love  him,  and  to 
 witness  it  in  every  thing  we  do.  It  becomes  our 
 study  to  walk  before  him  in  all  well-pleasing ;  for  we 
 find  it  our  happiness.  Whether  we  eat  or  drink, 
 rise  up,  or  lie  down  to  rest,  follow  our  worldly  call- 
 ing, or  have  any  dealings  with  men,  we  endeavour  to 
 do  all  in  faith.  This  makes  the  common  things  of 
 life  spiritual  actions ;  because  in  them  we  maintain 
 intercourse  with  God.  This  is  indeed  the  heavenly 
 temper  of  the  children  of  the  Most  High.  They 
 seek  the  presence  and  the  blessings  of  their  Father 
 in  Jesus,  in  all  they  do.  They  are  taught  to  live 
 in  a  simple  dependence  upon  him.  They  acknow- 
 ledge this  dependence  by  looking  up  to  him  for  every 
 thing  needful ;  and,  having  received  it,  by  giving  him 
 all  his  glory.  Then  they  are  returned,  in  heart  and 
 life,  to  that  God  from  whom  they  had  departed  by 
 unbelief. 
 
 Most  blessed  return  !       For  now  the  old  sinful 
 
301 
 
 nature,  with  its  affections  and  lusts,  is  pardoned,  and 
 thereby  they  have  lost  their  dominion.  They  have 
 no  right  to  exercise  their  tyranny  any  longer.  The 
 base  selfish  tempers,  vt^hich  rendered  a  man  a  plague 
 to  others,  and  often  a  burden  to  himself,  are  de- 
 throned. The  pardoning  them  is  subduing  them. 
 These  always  go  together.  They  keep  the  under- 
 standing in  darkness,  but  now  it  is  light  in  the  Lord. 
 They  blinded  the  conscience,  and  made  it  insensible, 
 but  now  it  has  seen  its  guilt,  and  has  found  peace 
 with  God.  The  heart  was  engaged  in  their  service, 
 but  now  God  has  set  up  his  throne  in  it,  and  sweetly 
 rules  over  the  affections.  Thus  a  free  pardon  brings 
 a  man  into  liberty.  He  ceaseth  to  be  a  slave  to  his 
 selfish  tempers.  A  full  pardon  brings  him  full  vic- 
 tory over  them :  for  then  he  has  the  blood  of  Jesus 
 to  cleanse  him  from  all  sin,  and  the  Spirit  of  Jesus 
 to  subdue  all  sin.  He  is  taken  into  the  protection 
 of  Christ,  and  is  his  free-man.  None  shall  make 
 him  a  slave.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  rules  in  him,  and 
 makes  him  willing  to  live  under  the  reign  of  grace : 
 he  dwells  and  abides  with  him,  to  preserve  in  his  heart 
 the  love  of  God,  and  to  produce  in  it  the  proper  fruits 
 of  that  love  towards  men.  Thus  he  brings  the  sin- 
 ner to  love  the 
 
 Duties  of  the  second  table,  which  our  Lord 
 has  summed  up  in  one  sentence — '*  Thou  shalt  love 
 thy  neighbour  as  thyself."  This  love  was  lost  at 
 the  fall.  Nothing  is  in  mankind,  by  nature,  but  sel- 
 fishness. He  is  a  slave  to  divers  lusts  and  pleasures, 
 living  in  malice  and  envy,  hateful  and  hating  one 
 another.  Every  age  has  felt  this  malady,  and  com- 
 plained of  it.      But  no  human  means  have  been  able 
 
302 
 
 to  remedy  it.      Fine  systems  of  ethics,  and  beautiful 
 plans  of  natural  religion,  have  been  tried ;  the  aid  of 
 strong  reasoning,  assisted  with  the  forces  of  logic  and 
 metaphysics,  has  been  called  in,  but  all  in  vain.    Sel- 
 fish tempers  broke  through  their  cobweb  arguments, 
 and  sported  with  their  imaginary  bonds.      Sometimes 
 they  polished  the  outside  a  little,  and  made  a  man  a 
 courtier:  he  looked  and  smiled,  and  seemed  to  love; 
 but  they  did  not  reach  his  heart.      This  is  the  pre- 
 rogative of  the  Lord  God.      He  only,  who  made  us 
 creatures,  can  make  us  new  creatures.      And  until 
 we  are  new  born  of  God,  we  have  every  thing  in  us 
 opposite  to  brotherly  love.      But  when  we  are  born 
 of  the  Spirit,  then  we  are  taught  of  him  to  love  one 
 another.      He  teaches  it,  and  he  enforces  it.      His 
 lessons  are  entirely  practical.      He  not  only  informs 
 the  understanding,  but  also  influences  the  affections. 
 Having  disposed  and  enabled  the  heart  to  love  God, 
 he  evidences  the  power  of  his  divine  love  by  its  gen- 
 uine fruits  towards  men.     These  are  inseparable  from 
 their  cause.      Divine  love  is  never  without  brotherly 
 love :  for,  so  far  as  the  love  of  God  is  felt,  it  produces 
 loving  tempers.      It  opens  and  enlarges  the  heart, 
 as  the  warm  beams  of  the  sun  open  and  expand  the 
 flowers.    The  agency  which  performs  this  is  almighty. 
 The  Holy  Spirit,  having  begotten  the  new  nature, 
 writes  upon  it  the  law  of  love.      He  keeps  it  willing 
 to  resist,  and  makes  it  able  to  overcome,  the  selfish 
 tempers  of  the  old  man.      The  apostle   Peter  has 
 given  us  a  delightful  description  of  the  manner  of 
 the  divine  proceeding  herein — "  Christ  was  manifest 
 in  those  last  times  for  you,  who  by  him  do  believe  in 
 God,  that  raised  him  up  from  the  dead,  and  gave  him 
 
303 
 
 glory;  that  your  faith  and  hope  might  be  in  God. 
 Seeing  you  have  purified  your  souls  in  obeying  the 
 truth  through  the  Spirit,  unto  unfeigned  love  of  the 
 brethren,  see  that  you  love  one  another  with  a  pure 
 heart  fervently  :  being  born  again,  not  of  corruptible 
 seed,  but  of  incorruptible,  by  the  word  of  God,  which 
 liveth  and  abideth  for  ever."  The  Christians  to  whom 
 he  writes  were  partakers  of  the  new  birth,  they  were 
 born  again,  not  of  corruptible  seed,  but  of  incorrup- 
 tible. The  Holy  Spirit  was  the  author  of  their 
 regeneration.  The  word  of  truth  was  the  means 
 which  he  made  use  of:  they  obey  the  truth  through 
 the  Spirit.  By  beUeving  it,  they  were  begotten 
 again  to  a  lively  faith  and  hope  in  God.  They 
 evidenced  their  love  to  him  by  their  unfeigned  love 
 of  the  brethren :  they  loved  him  that  begat,  and 
 loved  those  also  that  were  begotten  of  him.  From 
 whence  it  appears,  that  the  love  of  the  brethren  is 
 not  in  the  heart  by  nature,  but  is  from  the  grace  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit.  He  gives  a  new  heart,  and  he 
 sheds  abroad  in  it  the  love  of  God,  which,  by  his  in- 
 fluence, works  mightily  in  opposing  and  overcoming 
 our  selfish  tempers,  and  in  establishing  the  practice 
 of  second  table  duties.  These  spring  from  divine 
 love.  The  Holy  Spirit  joins  them  together,  as  the 
 cause  and  the  effect.  He  teaches  no  man  to  love 
 God,  without  teaching  him  also  to  love  the  brethren. 
 He  rains  and  shines  upon  the  tree  of  love ;  under  his 
 cultivation  it  thrives :  he  brings  forth  the  sweet  and 
 loving  tempers  of  the  new  man,  and  they  bear  fruit 
 abundantly.  And  blessed  fruit  it  is;  for  God  has 
 great  glory  from  it,  and  men  much  good.  Love 
 thinketh,  speaketh,  and  doeth  no  evil.     Yea,  it  can- 
 
304 
 
 not  be  in  the  heart,  without  a  desire  to  do  good  to  all 
 men,  especially  unto  them  that  are  of  the  household 
 of  faith — to  do  good  to  their  bodies  and  souls — to 
 give  honour  to  whom  honour  is  due— to  preserve 
 their  lives,  their  property,  their  chastity,  their  good 
 name — to  bear  no  false  witness,  but  always  to  speak 
 the  truth  of  them — and  to  covet  none  of  their  bles- 
 sings, either  spiritual  or  temporal.  This  is  mora- 
 lity— Christian  morality — for  it  is  learned  nowhere 
 but  in  the  school  of  Christ.  What  his  Spirit  teaches, 
 he  enables  also  to  perform,  which  moral  persuasion 
 cannot.  He  gives  a  will  and  power  to  put  off  the  sel- 
 fish tempers  of  the  old  man,  and  to  put  on  the  loving 
 graces  of  the  new  man  :  these  graces  he  preserves  by 
 his  almighty  agency,  and  calls  them  into  daily  prac- 
 tice, through  faith  working  by  love  :  love  to  God 
 from  a  sense  of  his  infinite  goodness ;  and  love  to 
 man  for  God's  sake.  Thus  the  Second  Table  duties, 
 when  done  out  of  gratitude  to  God  for  his  infinite 
 mercies,  help  the  believer  on  in  his  walk  heaven- 
 wards, and  are  the  means  of  maintaining  constant  fel- 
 lowship with  his  God. 
 
 Is  this,  O  my  soul,  thy  happy  experience?  Ex- 
 amine carefully.  What  are  thy  tempers  ?  What 
 is  thy  practice  with  respect  to  loving  thy  neighbour 
 as  thyself?  There  is  great  complaint  in  the  world 
 of  the  want  of  brotherly  love.  And  no  wonder.  It 
 cannot  be  in  them  who  are  wholly  lovers  of  themselves. 
 But  may  not  the  same  complaint  be  taken  up  of  the 
 household  and  family  of  faith  ?  Are  not  the  chil- 
 dren of  the  same  Father  deficient  in  brotherly  love? 
 Yes,  they  are.  Too,  too  often  they  live  below  their 
 privilege,  and  thereby  bring  great  dishonour  upon 
 
305 
 
 God,  and  give  great  offence  to  men.  Be  humbled, 
 O  my  soul,  for  thine  own  failing.  Remember  what 
 reason  thou  hast  to  mourn  for  the  infirmities  of  thy 
 love — how  barren  it  is  in  its  proper  fruits — how  cold, 
 when  it  should  be  fervent — how  polluted,  when  it 
 should  be  pure — how  covetous,  when  it  should  be 
 liberal !  Hast  thou  duly  attended  to  the  cause  of 
 this,  and  does  it  grieve  thee  to  thy  heart?  Wouldst 
 thou  be  saved  from  self-love,  and  increase  in  brotherly 
 love  yet  more  and  more?  Since  this  is  thy  case, 
 meditate  carefully  upon  what  is  promised,  and  pray 
 earnestly  for  what  is  provided,  for  the  subduing  of 
 those  tempers  which  are  enemies  to  brotherly  love, 
 and  which,  if  not  subdued,  will  hinder  thee  from  en^ 
 joying  the  love  of  God  in  thy  walk  with  him. 
 
 1.  Consider  thy  state.  Thou  art  a  pardoned  sin- 
 ner, not  under  the  law,  but  under  grace;  freely,  fully 
 saved  from  the  guilt  of  all  thy  sins.  There  is  none 
 to  condemn,  God  having  justified  thee.  He  sees  thee 
 in  his  Son,  washed  thee  in  his  blood,  clothed  thee 
 in  his  righteousness,  and  he  embraces  him  and  thee, 
 the  head  and  the  members,  with  the  same  affection. 
 
 2.  Consider  what  is  promised  to  them  who  are 
 in  Christ.  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  them. 
 Pardoned  sin  shall  not  reign.  It  cannot,  for  it  is 
 dethroned.  Thou  art,  therefore,  free  from  its  bon- 
 dage. Stand  fast  in  this  liberty.  Now  the  con- 
 demning power  of  sin  is  taken  out  of  thy  conscience, 
 make  use  of  the  grace  provided  in  Jesus  to  deliver 
 thine  heart  from  the  love  of  it,  and  thy  conversation 
 from  the  slavish  service  of  it.  And  remember  this 
 grace  is  almighty.  Trust  in  it,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved 
 from  the  tyranny  of  every  sin.      Therefore, 
 
306 
 
 3.  Read  the  great  charter  of  grace,  and  mark  to 
 what  glorious  privileges  thou  art  entitled.  Being 
 saved  from  the  guilt  of  all  sin,  and  having  a  promise 
 of  being  saved  from  the  dominion  of  all  sin,  as  the 
 Lord's  free-man,  thou  art  by  faith  to  claim  thy  birth- 
 right, and  to  enjoy  it.  Since  Christ  has  given  thee 
 liberty,  to  whom  shouldst  thou  be  a  slave  ?  Put  ofF 
 therefore  the  old  man  with  his  lusts  and  deeds;  serve 
 him  no  longer :  it  is  a  blessed  part  of  redemption  to 
 be  saved  from  his  service.  God  be  thanked,  that  he 
 may  be  put  off,  as  a  garment  which  you  have  done 
 with,  and  will  be  put  on  no  more.  Away  with  it,  it 
 is  filthy  and  abominable  altogether.  Yea,  worse  still ; 
 the  plague  is  in  it.  Death  and  hell  are  in  it :  for 
 the  old  man,  sinful  nature,  thus  to  be  put  off,  is  a  body 
 of  sin,  and  selfish  tempers  are  his  members ;  such  as 
 anger,  wrath,  malice,  lies,  inordinate  affection,  evil 
 concupiscence,  and  covetousness,  which  is  idolatry. 
 These  must  be  put  off,  or  they  will  be  always  plotting 
 and  acting  against  brotherly  love.  Therefore  the 
 new  man,  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  his  mind,  opposes 
 them,  and  is  mighty  through  God  to  mortify  them. 
 By  the  same  power  he  puts  on,  as  the  elect  of  God, 
 holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  hum- 
 bleness of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffering,  forgiveness 
 of  injuries,  even  as  Christ  forgave  him,  so  he  for- 
 gives :  and  unto  all  these  graces  he  puts  on  love, 
 which  is  the  complete  binding  of  them  together. 
 What  an  amiable  character  is  here  of  the  new  man  ! 
 He  is  created  anew  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  he  may 
 exercise  every  kind  and  benevolent  temper  to  the 
 brethren.  He  is  renewed  in  his  heart  to  the  un- 
 feigned love  of  them ;  and  is  enabled  to  manifest  it 
 
307 
 
 by  every  work  and  labour  of  love.  And  lest  the  vile 
 tempers  of  the  old  man,  still  in  being,  although  de- 
 throned, should  get  dominion  again,  he  is  strengthened 
 mightily  by  the  Spirit  in  the  inner  man  to  crucify 
 them  day  by  day.  Since  this  is  hard  work,  consist- 
 ing of  continual  and  severe  self-denial,  no  less  than  in 
 cutting  oflP  right-hand,  and  in  plucking  out  right-eye 
 lusts ;  for  thine  encouragement  to  persevere,  consider, 
 4.  That  thou  art  in  Christ — a  member  in  his 
 body — and  in  him  thou  hast  perfect  and  eternal  re- 
 demption from  the  old  man  of  sin,  with  his  affections 
 and  lusts.  The  more  this  is  believed,  the  more  will 
 the  fruits  of  it  appear.  Faith  in  the  absolute  and 
 everlasting  victory  of  thy  glorified  Head,  will  animate 
 thee,  as  one  of  his  members,  to  resist  thy  vanquished 
 foes,  knowing  thou  art  a  partaker  of  his  victory,  and 
 in  his  strength,  and  to  his  glory,  thou  art  fighting 
 against  them.  In  him  thou  hast  already  conquered. 
 In  him  thou  shalt  be  more  than  a  conqueror.  Reckon 
 thyself,  therefore,  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin,  but  alive 
 unto  God  in  Jesus  Christ  thy  Lord.  And  depend 
 on  him  for  the  power  of  his  death,  that  he  may  put 
 it  forth  in  thee,  and  mortify  sin ;  and  for  the  power 
 of  his  resurrection,  to  quicken  thee  to  newness  of  life. 
 Thy  communion  with  him  in  his  death  and  resurrec- 
 tion will  be  in  proportion  to  thy  faith.  If  thou  be- 
 lievest  steadfastly  that  thou  art  one  with  him,  thou 
 wilt  find  the  effect  of  it  in  steadfast  communion. 
 Cleave  then  to  him,  as  a  branch  in  the  vine.  Planted 
 together  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  thou  wilt  find 
 virtue  coming  from  him  to  crucify  thy  selfish  tempers. 
 Planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  his  resurrection, 
 thou  wilt  find  virtue  coming  from  him  to  keep  thee 
 
308 
 
 alive  to  God.  To  this  fellowship  with  Jesus  thou 
 art  crucified.  Thou  hast  a  right  to  communicate  with 
 him  in  his  life  and  death.  And  whilst  thou  art  en- 
 joying it  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  sin  shall 
 have  no  more  dominion  over  thee  than  it  has  over 
 him.  This  being  thy  glorious  birthright,  O  my  soul, 
 put  honour  upon  it.  Enjoy  it  in  the  peace  of  thy 
 conscience,  and  in  the  love  of  thy  heart.  Read  thy 
 perfect  redemption  in  Jesus  from  every  thing  opposite 
 to  brotherly  love,  and  improve  this  thy  experience. 
 As  there  is  sufficient  grace  promised  and  provided  for 
 thee,  see  thou  make  use  of  it,  and  manifest  it  openly 
 in  thy  tempers  and  in  thy  walk.      For,  consider, 
 
 5.  Thy  God  and  Father  calls  upon  thee  to  give 
 glory  to  him  for  his  love  to  thee,  by  exercising  love 
 toward  the  brethren  :  and  thou  art  bound  to  this  by 
 a  thousand  ties.  Has  he  loved  thee  freely,  dost 
 thou  know  it,  and  is  the  grateful  sense  of  it  upon 
 thy  heart?  How  then  can  it  be  hid?  It  cannot; 
 it  will  manifest  itself,  as  light  does.  The  Father 
 has  chosen  thee  in  his  Son,  that  he  might  communi- 
 cate to  thee  of  his  goodness;  and  he  has  made  thee 
 a  child  of  light,  that  thou  mightest  reflect  the  rays 
 of  his  goodness  upon  others.  Thou  art  to  show 
 forth  the  praises  of  Him  that  hath  called  thee  out  of 
 darkness  into  his  marvellous  light.  He  hath  called 
 thee  out  of  the  deadness  and  blindness  of  thy  natural 
 state,  and  hath  enlightened  thee  with  the  light  of 
 life.  How  marvellous,  that  it  should  ever  shine 
 upon  thee  !  Marvellous  indeed,  that  thou  shouldst 
 shine  as  a  light  in  the  world  !  Admire  this  grace. 
 Let  others  admire  it  with  thee,  by  seeing  the  reality, 
 and  by  feeling  the  comfort  of  it.      As  the  sun  not 
 
309 
 
 only  enlightens,  but  also  enlivens  with  his  fruitful 
 rays  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  cheers  every  creature 
 upon  it;  so  let  thy  light  shine  before  men.  Give 
 them  clear  proof  of  thy  love  to  God  by  thy  love  to 
 them  :  let  them  feel  the  blessed  fruits  of  it,  that  they 
 may  see  thy  good  works,  and  glorify  thy  Father  who 
 is  in  heaven.  Love  in  thy  heart  will  show  itself. 
 It  will  communicate  its  gracious  rays,  and  the  Fa- 
 ther of  lights  will  have  the  praise.  This  should  be 
 tliine  end,  as  it  is  his.  He  aims  at  his  own  glory 
 in  all  his  mercies:  this  aim  should  be  thine  also. 
 Thy  Father  calls  upon  thee  to  do  good  to  others, 
 that  he  may  be  glorified  thereby.  O  what  a  high 
 calling  is  thine  !  What  an  honour  does  God  put 
 upon  thee.  Thou  art  to  bring  him  glory  from  men 
 — from  his  own  children  :  for  their  bowels  are  to 
 be  refreshed  by  thee, — -and  from  others,  that  whereas 
 they  would  speak  against  thee  as  an  evil-doer,  they 
 may  by  thy  good  works,  which  they  shall  behold, 
 glorify  God  in  the  day  of  visitation.  Aim  at  this. 
 Look  at  no  motive  to  do  good  to  men  below  the 
 glory  of  God.  And  remember,  thy  doing  it  may 
 be  the  means  of  his  visiting  them,  as  he  visited  thee, 
 with  his  great  salvation.  O  blessed  fruit  of  brotherly 
 love  !  may  it  be  the  happy  effect  of  thy  light  shining 
 before  men.  May  God  be  daily  honoured  by  it, 
 and  the  comfort,  and,  if  it  please  him,  the  salvation 
 of  his  people  be  thereby  promoted.  Yea,  Lord, 
 this  is  my  prayer.      My  heart  says,  Amen. 
 
 If  thou  findest  it  very  difficult  to  live  in  the  con- 
 stant practice  of  brotherly  love,  meditate,  O  my  soul, 
 upon  the  gospel  motives  for  an  increase  of  faith,  and 
 seek  for  the  promised  assistance  to  enable  thee  to 
 
310 
 
 love  others  as  God  hath  loved  thee.  Above  all, 
 expect  the  effectual  teaching  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
 He  only  can  write  this  delightful  law  upon  the  heart 
 — the  fair  impression  of  it  is  kept  by  his  power,  and 
 the  exercise  of  it  in  thy  tempers  and  walk  is  the 
 work  of  his  grace.  O  pray,  then,  for  a  constant  sup- 
 ply of  the  Spirit,  that  in  all  thy  dealings  with  man- 
 kind it  may  appear  thou  hast  been  with  Jesus.  Set 
 his  most  amiable  life  before  their  eyes.  Give  them 
 reason  to  honour  his  beneficence,  from  thy  copying 
 it  legibly  after  him.  Let  his  love  to  thee  be  glori- 
 fied from  thy  labour  of  love  to  them.  Study  to 
 show  forth  his  praises,  and  go  about  doing  good  as 
 he  did.  And  hereby  convince  the  world,  that  Jesus 
 Christ  was  the  greatest  moraHst,  and  that  his  dis- 
 ciples came  the  nearest  to  the  perfect  pattern  of  their 
 Master;  as  a  poet  of  our  own  observes — 
 
 *'  Talk  they  of  morals?     O  thou  bleeding  Love ! 
 Thou  Maker  of  new  morals  to  mankind  ! 
 The  grand  morality  is  love  of  Thee." 
 
 The  love  of  Jesus  teaches  and  enforces  the  love  of 
 the  brethren.  The  Spirit  of  Jesus  writes  it  upon 
 the  heart,  and  makes  it  practical  in  the  life.  And 
 thus  the  two  tables  are  joined  together :  and  love  to 
 him  that  begat,  produces  love  to  them  that  are  be- 
 gotten of  him.  When  the  happy  believer  is  walk- 
 ing in  this  love  to  his  Father,  and  to  his  family,  then 
 he  will  live  in  the  observance  of  the  duties  which 
 relate  to  himself:  for  he  was  taught  them,  when  he 
 returned  in  his  heart  to  God.  And  every  step  he 
 walks  with  God  is  in  the  practice  of  them. 
 
 The  first  temptation  was  an  offer  of  independence 
 
311 
 
 — "  Ye  shall  be  as  gods." — Man  was  drawn  away  by 
 it,  and  fell  from  his  high  estate.  Still  this  mother- 
 sin  is  fruitful  in  fallen  man.  In  great  mercy  there 
 is  a  pardon  provided,  and  in  the  way  of  receiving  the 
 pardon  there  is  a  remedy  for  it.  The  infinite  wis- 
 dom of  God  so  contrived  the  way  of  our  recovery, 
 that  without  Christ  we  can  do  nothing.  His  salva- 
 tion undertaken  and  finished  for  us,  his  salvation 
 applied  to  us,  the  blessings  of  his  salvation  enjoyed 
 by  us  in  time  and  in  eternity,  are  the  free  gifts  of 
 his  free  grace.  He  is  the  author.  He  is  the  finisher. 
 He  carries  it  on  from  first  to  last.  All  our  suffi- 
 ciency is  of  him.  We  cannot,  without  him,  so  much 
 as  think  a  good  thought.  Therefore  his  redeemed 
 people  are  brought  ofi"  from  all  trust  in  any  other 
 object,  and  are  taught  to  place  their  whole  dependence 
 for  salvation,  and  for  every  thing  that  accompanies  it, 
 upon  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
 
 To  this  end  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  great  convincer 
 of  sin,  had  made  them  acquainted  with  themselves. 
 He  had  awakened  them  to  a  right  knowledge  of  their 
 state,  of  which  they  had  not  been  sensible  before; 
 and  they  found  that  they  were  fallen  and  apostate 
 creatures.  He  showed  them  sin  in  its  exceeding 
 sinfulness,  and  they  tasted  some  of  the  bitter  fruits 
 of  it :  they  felt  in  what  a  dreadful  condition  their 
 departure  from  God  had  left  them — so  ignorant,  that 
 they  could  not  by  any  human  means  attain  to  the 
 least  saving  knowledge  of  God — so  guilty,  that  let 
 them  do  all  they  could,  still  the  condemning  sentence 
 of  the  law  stood  out  against  them — so  unholy,  that 
 soul  and  body  were  sold  under  sin,  and  ready  to 
 every  unholy  word  and  work — so  utterly  helpless, 
 
3H 
 
 that  it  was  impossible  they  should  of  themselves  at* 
 tain  true  happiness,  or  escape  deserved  misery.  The 
 Holy  Spirit  taught  them  these  lessons  practically. 
 His  conviction  carried  demonstration  with  it.  He 
 not  only  made  them  feel  their  guilt  and  their  dan- 
 ger, but  he  also  opened  a  way  for  pardon  and  safety. 
 He  led  them  to  Jesus,  and  in  him  they  found  every 
 thing  needful  for  their  salvation;  treasured  up  for 
 them  by  the  free  covenant  love  of  the  Father;  se- 
 cured to  them  by  the  fulfilling  of  all  covenant  con- 
 ditions in  the  life  and  death  of  the  God-man — and 
 received  by  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  the  Holy 
 Ghost :  by  whom  they  were  made  new  creatures  in 
 Christ  Jesus — members  under  him,  their  Head — 
 united  as  intimately  as  the  branches  are  to  the  vine ; 
 and  living  by,  and  in,  and  on  him  every  moment, 
 and  for  every  thing.  Thus  the  glorifier  of  Jesus 
 teaches  all  his  members  to  depend  upon  the  fulness 
 of  their  Head,  and  he  abides  with  them  in  order  to 
 keep  them  in  this  dependence.  He  testifies  to  them 
 of  Jesus — *'  He  is  your  whole  salvation,  your  all  in 
 all ;  you  have  not,  you  never  will  have,  any  thing 
 to  glory  in,  but  in  the  Lord:  whatever  good  you 
 receive,  comes  from  his  grace — whatever  evil  you 
 escape,  is  from  his  blessing — and  if  ever  you  have 
 eternal  life,  it  will  be  the  free  gift  of  God  in  Christ 
 Jesus.  Your  bodies  also  are  dependent  on  him,  as 
 well  as  your  souls  :  personal,  family,  national  mercies 
 are  his  royal  favours,  and  bestowed  out  of  his  sove- 
 reign bounty."  Thus  he  teaches  believers.  He 
 humbles  them,  that  they  may  exalt  the  Saviour. 
 He  makes  them  poor  in  spirit,  that  they  may  live 
 upon  his  riches.      He  keeps  them  sensible  of  their 
 
313 
 
 own  emptiness,  that  they  may  be  making  constant 
 use  of  the  Saviour's  fulness,  and  living  in  an  abso- 
 lute dependence  upon  him  for  every  thing.  While 
 they  live  thus  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  every 
 high  thought  is  brought  into  subjection  to  him. 
 Pride  is  daily  mortified.  Self-complacency  is  ab- 
 horred. Self-admiration  is  abominable.  Humility 
 is  become  their  clothing,  and  they  cannot  put  it  off; 
 because  every  moment  they  are  making  use  of  it. 
 Sins,  wants,  miseries,  and  temptations,  are  continu- 
 ally reminding  them  of  their  vileness,  and  of  God's 
 goodness.  And  this  truth,  enforced  by  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  makes  them  willing  to  learn  of  Jesus  to  be 
 meek  and  lowly.  They  become  teachable  scholars, 
 and  sit  very  low  at  his  feet,  where  they  attain  to  true 
 humility  of  heart.  And  this  influences  their  whole 
 behaviour.  In  a  deep  and  abiding  sense  of  their 
 entire  sinfulness  and  helplessness,  they  loathe  them- 
 selves before  God,  and  walk  humbly  before  men. 
 They  feel  they  are  of  themselves  nothing  but  sin, 
 and  if  left  to  themselves  can  be  nothing  but  misery; 
 therefore  they  put  their  whole  trust  and  confidence 
 in  a  covenant  God,  and  his  free  grace  has  from  them 
 all  its  glory. 
 
 What  is  thy  knowledge,  O  my  soul,  and  what  is 
 thine  experience  of  this  Christian  poverty  of  spirit? 
 Art  thou  acquainted  with  it  in  the  ground  of  thine 
 heart,  and  is  it  in  thy  daily  practice?  Examine  thy- 
 self, and  with  diligence:  for  it  is  a  most  blessed  grace, 
 advanced  to  high  honour  in  the  court  of  Jesus.  To 
 it  he  has  made  many  exceeding  great  and  precious 
 promises.  O  pray  to  him  for  this  royal  gift.  Wait 
 on  thy  divine  Prophet,  and  hear  his  lessons.  He 
 O  4 
 
314 
 
 teaches  as  man  cannot.  He  recommends,  he  gives, 
 the  grace  of  humility.  He  makes  his  scholars  truly 
 humble  in  heart.  Observe  his  abasing  doctrine,  and 
 may  all  within  thee  bow  to  the  power  of  it. 
 
 Observe  how  he  humbles  the  sinner.  He  con- 
 vinces him  of  his  sinful  state,  of  the  corruption  of 
 his  whole  nature,  and  of  the  depravity  of  every  faculty 
 of  soul  and  body.  The  sinner  is  made  to  feel  it, 
 and  to  live  under  the  sense  of  it.  And  in  order  to 
 fasten  the  conviction,  clearer  discoveries  are  daily 
 made  of  this  corruption  :  for  it  is  a  mystery  of  ini- 
 quity. There  is  no  tracing  to  the  bottom  its  deep- 
 laid  devices  and  never-ceasing  workings.  "  The  heart 
 is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked  : 
 who  can  know  it?"  There  is  not  a  man  upon  earth 
 who  knows  all  that  may  be  known  of  the  exceeding 
 sinfulness  of  sin,  and  of  his  own  sinfulness.  When 
 the  Lord,  who  searcheth  the  heart,  has  laid  open 
 some  of  its  infinite  evil,  he  continues  to  discover 
 more.  Every  day  brings  to  light  strange  workings 
 of  corruption.  The  convinced  sinner  has  deeper 
 views  of  his  helplessness,  and  of  his  unworthiness. 
 And  after  many  vain  legal  trials,  he  at  last  finds  it 
 impossible  for  him  to  do  any  thing,  for  which  God 
 should  pardon  him  and  save  him.  Thus  he  is  laid 
 low,  with  his  mouth  in  the  dust.  Behold,  1  am  vile, 
 filthy,  and  abominable  altogether;  I  abhor  myself, 
 and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes. 
 
 These  are  the  humbling  lessons  which  the  Holy 
 Spirit  teaches.  He  convinces  the  sinner,  that  there 
 is  neither  help  nor  hope  in  himself,  and  so  leaves  him 
 nothing  to  trust  in,  but  the  salvation  provided  in 
 Jesus  by  covenant  love,  and  given  freely  by  grace. 
 
315 
 
 And  tbe  manner  of  receiving  this  salvation  is  such 
 as  cuts  ofF  all  occasion  of  boasting :  for  faith  is  the 
 only  means  appointed  of  God, — and  faith  is  his  gift 
 —not  bestowed  upon  the  w^orthy,  but  upon  the  un- 
 godly,— not  for  any  merit  in  them,  or  for  any  terms 
 or  conditions  which  they  have  performed,  or  ever  will 
 perform,  but  by  an  act  of  absolute  sovereignty,  to 
 the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his  own  grace.  He  will 
 have  mercy,  because  he  will  have  mercy.  O  hum- 
 bling consideration  !  How  low  does  it  bring  the 
 sinner  !  How  must  his  proud  heart  be  abased,  while 
 he  feels  himself  a  debtor  for  every  thing  good,  to 
 the  mere  will  and  pleasure  of  God  !  And  so  long 
 as  he  enjoys  those  good  things,  he  is  kept  poor  in 
 spirit,  because  he  has  none  of  them  to  himself. 
 They  are  laid  up  in  the  fulness  of  Jesus,  are  to  be 
 had  from  thence  only  by  faith,  and  are  received  as 
 the  sense  of  his  wants  leads  the  believer  to  make  use 
 of  them.  Living  by  faith  is  the  death  of  self-impor- 
 tance. Then  the  loftiness  of  man  is  bowed  down, 
 the  haughtiness  of  man  is  made  low,  and  the  Lord 
 alone  is  exalted. 
 
 Observe,  O  my  soul,  what  an  honour  God  has 
 put  upon  this  grace.  "  Before  honour  is  humility." 
 Whom  God  honours,  he  humbles  first.  He  giveth 
 grace  to  the  humble,  because  the  humble  give  him 
 all  his  glory.  The  highest  throne  which  he  has 
 upon  earth  is  in  the  humblest  heart.  To  it  he 
 vouchsafes  his  constant  presence,  and  makes  the 
 greatest  communications  of  his  love :  "  For  thus 
 saith  the  high  and  lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity, 
 whose  name  is  Holy;  I  dwell  in  the  high  and  holy 
 place,  with  him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble 
 o  2 
 
316 
 
 spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  re- 
 vive the  heart  of  the  contrite  ones."  O  what  an 
 honour  is  here  promised  to  the  humble !  The 
 greatest  they  can  have  on  this  side  of  heaven.  God 
 will  dwell  with  them  ;  and  what  a  blessing  !  and  his 
 temple  shall  be  in  the  humble  heart.  The  high 
 and  holy  One  passes  by  what  is  in  highest  esteem 
 among  men.  He  stains  the  pride  of  human  great- 
 ness and  goodness.  He  does  not  vouchsafe  to  set 
 up  his  throne  with  the  princes,  nor  to  give  his  hon- 
 our to  the  learned  of  the  world.  But  he  puts  hon- 
 our upon  the  contrite  and  humble.  He  condescends 
 to  visit  them;  yea,  he  delights  to  dwell  with  them, 
 and  in  them — the  highest  above  all  heavens  in  the 
 lowest  hearts.  There  he  communicates  his  choicest 
 love  and  richest  favours.  O  my  God  !  bestow  upon 
 me  this  grace,  which  in  thy  sight  is  so  precious. 
 Humble  me,  that  I  may  be  revived  with  thy  pre- 
 sence, and  refreshed  daily  with  thy  love.  Give  me 
 more  humility,  and  fit  me  for  nearer  fellowship  with 
 thee.  Bring  down  every  high  thought,  and  let  me 
 find  it  true,  that  God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth 
 more  grace  unto  the  humble. 
 
 Thus  the  true  poverty  of  spirit  is  needful,  not  only 
 to  bring  the  sinner  to  Christ,  but  also  to  preserve  the 
 believer  in  communion  with  him :  for  so  long  as  he 
 walks  by  faith,  every  thing  will  tend  to  promote  this 
 communion.  In  the  daily  sense  of  his  wants,  he  will 
 go  to  his  bountiful  Saviour  for  a  supply.  In  the 
 feeling  of  his  misery,  he  will  depend  on  his  loving 
 Saviour  for  relief:  whereby  he  will  be  led  to  more 
 intercourse  with  him.  What  he  finds  wrong  in  him- 
 self, will  bring  him  to  live  more  by  faith ;  and  as  faith 
 
317 
 
 increases,  so  will  his  delight  in  God.     He  will  grow 
 more  sensible  of  his  weakness,  and  that  will  make 
 him  stronger  in  the  Lord.      He  will  know  more  ot 
 his  own  heart;  which  will  humble  him,  and  keep  him 
 dependent  on  the  grace  of  Jesus.      He  will  see  a 
 reason  not  to  lean   on   his   own  understanding,  but 
 ever  to  pray,  '  Lord,  guide  me  by  thy  good  Spirit.' 
 Viewing  spots  and  blemishes  in  his  best  doings,  his 
 triumph  will  be,  "  I  will  make  mention  of  thy  right- 
 eousness, Lord  Jesus,  even  of  thine  only."     Thus 
 every  thing  will  humble  him,  and  lead  him  to  live 
 more  by  faith :  by  which  means  he  will  get  faster 
 hold  of  Jesus,  live  in  nearer  fellowship,  and  be  re- 
 ceiving out  of  his  fulness  grace  for  grace ;  two  graces 
 at  once — the  blessing  needed,  and  thankfulness  for 
 it.      Hereby  a  sweet  intercourse  will  be  kept  open.     * 
 To  the  humble,  God  delights  to  give  grace,  and  they 
 delight  to  return  hira  his  glory.    The  more  he  gives, 
 the  more  glory  would  they  gladly  return.      And  he 
 does  give  more,  and  he  receives  it  back  again  in 
 thanks  and  praise.      Blessed  grace  !   by  which  this 
 holy  fellowship  is  maintained.     Happy  humility !  by 
 which  the  heart,  being  emptied  of  sell",  is  made  capable 
 of  receiving  the  fulness  which  is  of  God.      Then  is 
 the  promise  fulfilled — "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spi- 
 rit, for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven."    It  is  theirs 
 now — not  only  in  title,  but  also  in  possession,  for  the 
 kingdom  of  God  is  within  them ;  and  they  are  par- 
 takers at  present  of  its  blessings  and  glories,  as  truly, 
 though  not  so  perfectly,  as  they  will  be  in  heaven. 
 Meditate,  O  my  soul,  upon  this  divine  grace  !    Thou 
 seest  the  necessity  of  it.      O  pray  earnestly  for  it, 
 and  for  more  of  it.     The  great  idol  self  must  be 
 
318 
 
 dethroned  where  God  reigns.  Thou  canst  not  walk 
 with  him,  unless  thou  art  humble  in  heart.  And  if 
 thou  hast  been  walking  with  him,  thou  wilt  be  taught 
 to  stop,  whenever  thou  beginnest  to  look  at  self  with 
 admiration.  O  beg  of  the  Lord,  then,  to  give  thee 
 the  true  gospel  poverty  of  spirit.  It  is  to  be  in  con- 
 stant practice,  and  used  for  every  thing :  for  thou 
 seest  how  it  keeps  up  fellowship  with  God,  who 
 makes  the  greatest  communications  of  himself  to  the 
 humblest.  And  the  reason  is  plain :  because  they 
 return  him  all  his  glory.  If  therefore  thou  wouldst 
 have  much  grace  in  exercise,  pray  for  much  humility, 
 O  my  God,  whatever  thou  givest,  give  humility  with 
 it,  that  I  may  not  seek  self  in  it,  but  thine  honour, 
 nor  lay  it  out  upon  myself,  but  to  thy  glory.  Meek 
 and  lowly  Jesus,  make  me  like  thyself:  keep  me 
 learning  of  thee,  till  I  am  perfectly  like  thee.  I 
 would  come  always  poor  to  thee,  to  receive  of  thy 
 riches,  and  to  receive  with  them  an  humble  heart  to 
 praise  thee  for  them.  O  let  thy  glory  be  mine  end 
 and  aim.  Let  me  and  mine  be  thine — I  humbled, 
 thou  exalted.  Let  thy  graces  and  gifts  bring  thee 
 in  a  constant  revenue  of  praise.  And  may  thine  in- 
 creasing goodness  be  joined  with  a  constant  increase 
 of  humility,  that  my  heart  and  all  within  me  may 
 bless  and  praise  thy  holy  name,  to-day  and  for  ever. 
 Amen. 
 
 And  let  this  appear  in  my  whole  behaviour  to 
 others.  This  is  another  blessed  fruit  of  humility. 
 It  has  an  influence  over  the  believer's  intercourse 
 with  mankind,  and  renders  his  tempers  and  manners 
 loving  and  amiable.  Pride  was  not  made  for  man ; 
 and  yet  it  is  in  all  men,  and  i?  the  chief  parent  of 
 
319 
 
 human  woe.      It  sets  people  above  their  place,  and 
 makes  them  think  that  they  could  support  the  greatest 
 fortunes,  and  are  able  to  manage  the  most  difficult 
 affairs.      Others,  as  proud  as  they,  deny  them  the 
 fancied  superiority.     Hence  come  wars  and  fightings, 
 public  and  private.      The  sweet  grace  of  humility  is 
 sent  from  heaven  to  relieve  those  distresses :  for  into 
 whatever  bosom  it  enters,  it  renders  men  kind  to  one 
 another,  tender-hearted,  ready  to  every  good  word 
 and  work.     Thus  runs  the  divine  exhortation :  "  Be 
 ye  kindly  affectioned  one  to  another  with  brotherly 
 love,  in  honour  preferring  one  another."      This  is 
 heart-humility,  which  the  Holy  Spirit  requires,  and 
 which    he   bestows.      He    brings   his  disciples   into 
 humble  subjection  to  God,  and  then  to  one  another; 
 which  has  the  most  happy  effects  upon  public,  social, 
 and  private  happiness.      How  would  these  flourish, 
 if  all  men  were  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit !      But 
 there  is  none  of  this  among  the  unconverted ;  and, 
 alas  !    how  little  is  there  amon£   believers !      How 
 often  are  they  found  in  the  proud  spirit  of  the  world, 
 acting  contrary  to  the  lowly  spirit  of  Jesus !      And 
 yet  it  is  not  for  want  of  precept,  nor  for  want  of  pro- 
 mised help :  but  it  is  because  they  are  not  walking 
 by  faith  as  becometh  the  gospel,  nor  out  of  love  to 
 God's  glory,    studying  to   recommend  humility  by 
 theif  practice.      Observe,  O  my  soul,  the  remedy 
 provided  of  God  for  the  subduing  of  all  selfish  tem- 
 pers, and  pray  that  it  may  be  effectual  in  thy  life  and 
 conversation.      Do  ye  think  that  the  scripture  saith 
 in  vain,  "  The  spirit  that  dwelleth  in  us  lusteth  to 
 envy?"      But  God  giveth  more  grace  ;  wherefore  he 
 saith,  "  God  resisteth  the  proud,  but  giveth  grace 
 
3€0 
 
 unto  the  humble."  This  scripture  cannot  speak  in 
 vain ;  for  fallen  man  is  certainly  such  as  he  is  here 
 described.  The  spirit  that  dwelleth  in  him,  in  his 
 own  nature,  lusteth  to  envy — a  passion  made  up  of 
 pride  and  discontent — offended  with  God,  and  dis- 
 pleased with  the  blessings  which  he  bestows  upon 
 men.  It  is  an  enemy  to  the  love  both  of  God  and 
 man,  and  transgresses  the  lavp  of  both  tables.  Pride 
 brought  it  into  heaven,  and  the  fallen  angels  brought 
 it  into  this  world.  Ever  since  it  entered  by  sin,  na- 
 tural corruption  breaks  out  very  much  in  envy.  But 
 God  giveth  more  grace  to  conquer  this  passion,  than 
 sinful  nature  has  to  put  it  forth.  He  not  only  gives 
 grace  to  pardon  it,  but  also  more  grace  to  subdue  it : 
 so  that  envy  loses  its  dominion  in  the  reign  of  grace. 
 We  cannot  subdue,  any  more  than  we  can  pardon, 
 envy,  pride,  and  such  passions ;  but  grace  is  almighty. 
 Want  ever  so  much,  use  ever  so  much,  God  has  still 
 more  for  you.  And  he  gives  more,  when  the  crea- 
 ture is  humbled  enough  to  take  it  out  of  the  hands 
 of  his  mercy.  Thus  he  overcomes  envy  :  "  For  he 
 resisteth  the  proud" — he  is  at  open  war  with  them, 
 and  they  with  him.  Pride  lifts  up  the  creature 
 against  the  Creator,  and  puts  it  upon  seeking  happi- 
 ness out  of  God :  this  is  resisting  his  sovereignty, 
 attacking  his  providence,  and  opposing  his  law.  He 
 is  concerned  to  pull  such  rebels  down,  and  he  says 
 their  pride  goeth  before  destruction.  "  But  he  giveth 
 grace  unto  the  humble:"  he  gives  them  grace  to 
 humble  them,  and  being  emptied,  he  delights  to  fill 
 them ;  for  then  they  are  disposed  to  receive  his  grace, 
 and  to  value  it.  Whatever  God  gives,  the  humble 
 give  it  back  again  to  him.      They  have  the  blessing, 
 
321 
 
 he  has  the  praise;  which  is  the  just  tribute  due  to 
 him  for  his  gifts.  And  he  gives  more  grace  where 
 he  can  get  more  glory.  Thus  he  subdues  self-con- 
 ceit, with  its  various  proud  workings.  And  as  grace 
 reigns  over  them,  humility  prevails;  which  has  a 
 friendly  aspect  towards  mankind.  It  keeps  brotherly 
 love  in  the  heart,  and  tends  mightily  to  the  practice 
 of  every  social  virtue.  Humility  sufFereth  long  and 
 is  kind ;  humiUty  envieth  not;  humility  vaunteth  not 
 itself;  is  not  puffed  up ;  doth  not  behave  itself  un- 
 seemly; seeketh  not  her  own ;  is  not  easily  provoked : 
 thinketh  no  evil. 
 
 Consider,  O  my  soul,  these  motives  to  a  holy 
 walk.  Put  them  all  together.  Weigh  them  care- 
 fully again  and  again.  Do  it  faithfully,  as  in  the 
 presence  of  God.  And  then  try  whether  thou  art 
 walking  in  the  way  of  duty  with  a  free  spirit?  Dost 
 thou  proceed  upon  evangelical  or  upon  legal  prin- 
 ciples ?  Dost  thou  serve  God  for  wages  or  for  love  ? 
 Examine  thy  heart.  God  looks  chiefly  at  it.  How 
 is  it  in  duty  ?  Is  thine  obedience  to  justify  thee  in 
 the  least,  or  does  it  spring  from  a  sense  of  thy  being 
 justified  freely  and  fully  ?  Art  thou  going  about  to 
 establish  thine  own  righteousness,  or  dost  thou  sub- 
 mit to  the  righteousness  of  God  ?  Art  thou  work- 
 ing from  life,  or  for  life  ?  I  require  thee  to  examine 
 diligently,  by  the  light  of  the  word,  and  by  the  teach- 
 ing of  the  Holy  Spirit,  what  thy  motives  are ;  for 
 there  is  no  acceptable  obedience  but  what  is  done  in 
 faith  :  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin.  If  thou  art 
 acting  aright,  the  love  of  Christ  is  constraining  thee 
 to  obedience.  Thou  art  living  under  the  influence 
 of  free  grace.  Thy  conscience  is  at  peace  with  God. 
 o3 
 
322 
 
 Thou  hast  sweet  liberty  to  serve  him  without  fear. 
 Thy  heart  delights  in  his  service,  and  love  makes  his 
 ways  the  joy  of  thy  soul.  Thou  knowest  what  Ja- 
 cob felt,  when  he  served  seven  years  for  Rachel,  and 
 they  seemed  unto  him  but  a  few  days,  for  the  love 
 he  had  to  her.  A  ^ospel  spirit  does  the  same  to 
 God :  love  makes  long  service  short,  and  hard  ser- 
 vice easy.  Nothing  is  pain  which  love  does.  And 
 this  is  gospel  obedience.  It  is  faith  working  by  love, 
 which  refines  duty  into  a  grace :  the  commandments 
 are  exalted  into  privileges,  the  ordinances  become 
 happy  means  of  fellowship  with  God.  The  believer 
 meets  God  in  them,  and  by  free  converse  he  exercises 
 and  improves  his  love.  He  draws  near  to  God,  and 
 God  draws  near  to  him  in  prayer,  in  praise,  in  hear- 
 ing the  word,  at  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  in  all  Sabbath 
 duties.  In  tliese  ways  God  manifests  his  gracious 
 presence,  and  the  believer  rejoices  in  it.  God  com- 
 municates his  graces,  and  the  believer  receives  them 
 with  thankfulness.  O  my  soul,  pray  before  duty  for 
 much  of  this  communion  with  God  in  it.  Seek  it  as 
 the  one  great  end  of  all  duty.  And  if  thou  findest 
 it,  bless  and  praise  the  goodness  of  thy  God.  But 
 still  seek  to  be  more  spiritual  and  evangelical,  that 
 the  fruits  of  thy  fellowship  with  God  may  appear  in 
 thy  practice  of  the  duties  of  the  second  table.  Love 
 to  God  will  manifest  itself  by  love  to  men:  for  the 
 Holy  Spirit  teaches  all  his  disciples  to  love  one  an- 
 other, and  he  teaches  effectually.  He  not  only  makes 
 them  understand  what  brotherly  love  is,  but  he  also 
 gives  it.  They  become  partakers  of  the  grace,  and 
 are  enabled  to  practise  it.  Thus  he  recommends 
 and  enforces  his  lessons.      He  renders  his  scholars 
 
3^3 
 
 kind  to  one  another,  and  tender-hearted.  He  puts 
 forth  his  mighty  power,  and  subdues  the  vile  selfish 
 tempers  of  the  old  man,  and  brings  into  use  the 
 benevolent  tempers  of  the  new  man.  While  he 
 carries  on  the  gracious  work,  his  disciples  grow  more 
 acquainted  with  themselves,  and  learn  heart-humility. 
 He  makes  them  feel  their  fallen  state,  their  sinful- 
 ness, and  their  danger :  in  the  sense  of  their  guilt 
 and  of  their  distance  from  God,  they  are  willing  to 
 receive  Christ  for  their  whole  salvation,  and  then  to 
 enjoy  in  him  all  the  blessings  of  the  Father's  love  in 
 earth  and  heaven. 
 
 If  thou  findest  it  difficult,  O  my  soul,  to  walk  ac- 
 cording to  this  rule — if  to  obey  from  love  to  God, 
 to  love  men  for  God's  sake,  and  to  the  sense  of  thine 
 own  vileness  to  be  humbled  to  the  dust — if  these  be 
 hard  lessons,  consider  what  makes  them  so.  Where 
 is  the  difficulty?  Is  it  not  in  thyself?  And  is  it 
 not  chiefly  in  thy  not  using  and  not  bringing  into 
 practice  the  principles  advanced  in  the  former  chap- 
 ters ?  Duty  must  be  hard  if  the  spring  of  obedience 
 be  not  in  motion ;  but  if  this  act  freely,  then  all  will 
 go  on  well. 
 
 Thy  whole  conduct  through  life,  depends  upon 
 the  nature  of  the  salvation  of  which  thou  art  a  par- 
 taker by  grace.  Consider  it  attentively.  The 
 growing  knowledge  of  it  will  engage  thine  affections 
 to  a  willing  obedience.  Is  it  not  a  complete  salva- 
 tion— an  absolutely  perfect  work — yea,  the  greatest 
 work  of  God  ?  because  all  the  rest  come  from  it,  and 
 lead  to  it.  Is  it  not  the  infinitely  wise  contrivance 
 of  the  Eternal  Three,  for  which  everlasting  glory  is 
 to  be  given  to  every  divine  attribute?      When  every 
 
324 
 
 other  work  of  God  shall  cease,  for  this  all  heaven  will 
 to  eternity  be  ascribing  honour,  and  blessing,  and 
 praise,  to  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit.  Attend,  O  my 
 soul,  to  the  Scripture  account  of  this  salvation.  Re- 
 view the  glory  of  it.  Read  again  and  again  the  re- 
 vealed descriptions  of  it,  till  thy  heart  be  satisfied 
 that  this  salvation  is  as  perfect  and  complete  as  the 
 Lord  God  Almighty  could  make  it.  This  is  its 
 character.  Hast  thou  studied  it  well,  and  art  thou 
 well  grounded  and  established  in  the  belief  of  it  ? 
 Mind  :  this  is  the  foundation.  If  this  totter,  so  will 
 all  the  superstructure.  O  pray,  then,  and  be  earnest 
 in  prayer,  that  God  would  enlarge  thy  views  of  the 
 infinitely  glorious  and  everlastingly  perfect  salvation, 
 which  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 As  thou  growest  more  acquainted  with  it,  thou 
 wilt  see  less  reason  to  be  discouraged  at  the  experi- 
 ence of  what  thou  art  in  thyself.  It  is  a  salvation 
 for  sinners — such  as  thou  art — and  no  way  differing 
 from  thee.  Only,  when  they  are  called  to  the  know- 
 ledge of  the  truth,  they  are  acquainted  with  their 
 fallen  state,  are  made  sensible  of  their  helplessness 
 and  of  their  misery;  but  are  made  willing  to  cast  their 
 souls,  at  God's  command,  upon  the  Lord  Jesus,  trust- 
 ing to  the  peace  which  he  made  by  the  blood  of  the 
 cross.  And  art  not  thou  in  the  happy  number  of 
 these  redeemed  sinners?  Dost  not  thou  believe  the 
 record  which  God  hath  given  of  his  Son,  and  look 
 upon  it  as  thy  lawful  warrant — to  make  use  of  what 
 is  laid  up  in  the  fulness  of  Jesus — thine  to  take 
 freely — thine  to  use  fully — the  more  the  better — • 
 thine  for  receiving,  without  any  condition  or  any 
 (jualification  ?     He  loves  to  give,  and  without  money 
 
3^5 
 
 or  money's  worth.  He  thinks  himself  honoured  by 
 the  pensioners  of  his  grace,  who  bring  nothing  to 
 recommend  themselves  but  their  sins  and  miseries, 
 and  yet  trust  in  his  promised  rehef.  Herein  he 
 glories.  When  they  come  to  him  believing,  he  be- 
 stows his  royal  gifts  upon  every  one  of  them ;  and  so 
 far  as  they  believe,  he  withholds  nothing  that  is 
 needful  for  their  holy  walk  in  the  way  of  duty. 
 
 These  are  the  principles  which  thou  art  to  bring 
 into  practice.  Carry  them,  O  my  soul,  into  every 
 act  of  obedience.  Go  to  prayer  and  every  duty  with 
 this  faith,  that  thou  art  in  Christ,  and  in  him  a  par- 
 taker of  his  finished  salvation  :  then  the  Father's  love 
 to  thee  will  be  manifest,  and  thou  wilt  have  sweet 
 fellowship  with  him  in  all  thine  approaches  to  the 
 throne : — whatever  thou  undertakest,  forget  not  this 
 leading  truth.  If  thou  lose  sight  of  it,  thou  wilt  get 
 into  darkness;  if  thou  art  not  influenced  by  it,  thou 
 wilt  be  brought  into  bondage.  Upon  this  absolutely 
 perfect  salvation  thou  art  to  live  by  faith  upon  earth, 
 and  thou  wilt  have  nothing  else  to  live  upon  by  sense 
 in  heaven.  Trusting  to  the  complete  work  of  Jesus, 
 thou  art  to  walk  with  thy  God  in  time,  as  thou  wilt 
 follow  the  Lamb  in  eternity,  receiving  all  out  of  his 
 fulness.  O  view  him  in  this  light,  and  it  will  have 
 the  happiest  effects  upon  thy  daily  walk.  While 
 thou  art  receiving  from  him  grace  for  grace,  thou 
 wilt  live  with  him  in  sweet  friendship ;  duty  will  be 
 the  way  and  means  of  enjoying  the  love  of  thy  divine 
 Friend,  and  the  more  thou  art  in  his  company,  the 
 more  delightful  will  be  the  way  of  his  commandments. 
 These  are  thy  privileges.  Read  the  promises  con- 
 cerning them.      Call  to  mind  what  thy  Father  in 
 
326 
 
 Jesus  has  engaged  to  give  his  children.  Has  he  not 
 provided  grace  sufficient  for  them  ?  And  is  it  not 
 for  his  honour,  as  well  as  thy  profit,  that  he  should 
 give  both  the  will  and  the  power  to  walk  humbly 
 with  him  ?  O  plead  his  promises  !  Bind  him  with 
 his  faithfulness.  Be  importunate  with  him,  and  pray 
 without  ceasing.      Let  this  be  thy  daily  plea : — 
 
 O  my  God,  order  ray  walk  according  to  thy  holy 
 word.  It  is  thy  mind  and  will,  that  I  should  love 
 thee  with  all  my  heart  and  soul,  and  mind  and 
 strength,  and  my  neighbour  as  myself;  but  I  am  not 
 sufficient  for  these  things.  There  is  no  pure  love  in 
 my  soul  by  nature.  Every  affection  in  me  is  turned 
 from  the  Creator  to  the  creature.  I  am  in  bondage, 
 a  slave  to  lust,  sold  under  sin.  I  cannot  love  thee, 
 infinitely  lovely  as  thou  art,  until  thou  break  my 
 bonds  asunder,  and  set  my  soul  at  liberty.  But,  be- 
 ing now  redeemed  from  guilt  and  fear,  I  am  become 
 thy  free-man ;  and,  for  the  unspeakable  redemption 
 that  is  in  Jesus,  thou  wouldst  have  me  to  serve  thee. 
 Blessed  be  thy  holy  name,  for  requiring  mine  obe- 
 dience upon  this  sweet  motive^"  I  am  the  Lord 
 your  God,  who  brought  you  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
 and  out  of  the  house  of  bondage."  On  this  account 
 obey  me;  because  I  am  the  Lord  your  God,  and  I 
 stand  related  to  you  as  your  Redeemer  from  slavery. 
 
 0  my  gracious  God  and  Father,  I  desire  upon  this 
 motive  to  keep  thy  commandments.  I  believe  thou 
 art  my  God  in  Jesus,  and  through  him  I  have  re- 
 demption from  bondage  to  my  sins  and  enemies. 
 With  this  free  spirit  would  I  always  go  to  duty :  but 
 
 1  cannot  walk  in  this  liberty,  any  more  than  I  could 
 at  first  attain  it,  without  thy  grace.      O  my  God, 
 
327 
 
 let  the  Spirit  of  adoption  abide  with  me,  that  he  may 
 draw  me  nearer  to  thee  in  thy  ways  and  ordinances, 
 and  I  may  in  them  enjoy  more  of  thy  presence  and 
 of  the  light  of  thy  countenance.  Thee  I  seek  in 
 them.  Thou  art  the  end  of  all  ways  and  means : 
 and  if  they  lead  me  not  to  thee,  I  go  empty  away. 
 Gracious  God,  make  thy  commandments  the  joy  of 
 my  heart,  and  let  them  be  the  means  of  keeping  up 
 holy  intercourse  and  happy  fellowship  with  thee. 
 This  my  heart  pants  after.  Duty  without  this  is 
 nothing  worth.  I  wait  in  thine  appointed  ways  for 
 the  visits  of  grace,  hoping  to  grow  in  knowledge  and 
 faith,  in  hope  and  love.  The  communion  which  I 
 have  enjoyed  has  increased  my  longing.  My  soul 
 is  athirst  for  God,  praying  to  be  more  with  thee  and 
 more  like  thee.  And  is  not  this  what  thou  requirest, 
 and  what  thou  hast  promised  to  do  for  me  ?  Grant 
 me,  then,  my  gracious  God,  the  prayer  of  my  heart. 
 In  all  my  duties  let  me  enjoy  thy  presence  and  com- 
 munications of  thy  love.  Let  me  do  them  in  faith, 
 and  with  a  single  eye  to  thy  glory.  Let  me  be  thus 
 spiritual  and  heavenly-minded  in  them,  that  I  may 
 grow  up  into  Christ  Jesus  in  all  things. 
 
 And  I  desire,  holy  Father,  to  grow  in  love  to 
 thee,  that  I  may  manifest  the  fruits  of  it  by  my  love 
 to  mankind.  Pardon  every  selfish  temper,  which  is 
 opposite  to  the  love  of  the  brethren ;  and  teach  me 
 to  love  them  as  thou  hast  loved  me.  Whatever 
 thou  hast  promised,  fulfil  in  me.  Make  me,  O  thou 
 Spirit  of  love,  like  the  loving  Jesus.  Give  me  his 
 benevolent  tempers,  and  help  me  to  imitate  his  be- 
 neficent actions.  Let  his  love  to  me  be  the  pattern 
 of  my  love  to  them.      Since  thou  hast  in  much  mercy 
 
328 
 
 made  me  a  child  of  light,  O  let  me  shine  before  men, 
 that  they  may  see  and  feel  my  good  works,  and  may 
 glorify  thee  for  them.  And  the  more  thou  doest  in 
 me  and  by  me,  humble  me  still  more,  O  my  God. 
 Keep  me  meek  and  lowly,  always  ready  to  give  the 
 glory  of  all  my  mercies  to  the  Three  in  Jehovah, 
 Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  to  whom  be  equal  honour 
 and  praise  for  ever  and  ever.      Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  VII. 
 
 The  believer  goes  on  his  'voay  rejoicing  in  God. 
 
 Happy  is  the  man,  to  whom  it  is  given,  on  the 
 behalf  of  Christ,  to  believe.  He  has  the  blessing 
 of  peace.  He  is  reconciled  to  God,  through  faith 
 in  the  blood  of  Jesus;  and  he  is  freely  justified, 
 through  faith  m  the  righteousness  of  Jesus.  The 
 Father  has  accepted  him  in  his  beloved  Son,  and  it 
 is  the  joy  of  his  soul  to  know  it :  therefore  he  loves 
 God,  because  God  first  loved  him.  In  the  enjoy- 
 ment of  this  love  he  finds  his  heaven  begun.  By 
 the  same  Spirit,  who  manifested  it  and  shed  it  abroad 
 in  his  heart,  he  is  kept  seeking  for  more  discoveries 
 of  it.  In  every  appointed  means  he  waits.  As  the 
 hart  panteth  after  the  water-brooks,  so  panteth  the 
 soul  after  more  of  the  presence  of  God,  and  of  the 
 light  of  his  loving  countenance.  Having  a  command 
 —Seek  ye  my  face, — he  obeys  it  from  his  heart ;  but 
 his  chief  view  in  obedience,  is  to  behold  the  face  of 
 the  Lord  turned  to  him  in  love.      He  wants  fellow- 
 
329 
 
 ship  with  God  in  duty,  which  highly  ennobles  and 
 also  endears  it  to  him.  He  performs  it  in  faith,  and 
 in  a  free  spirit.  He  goes  to  it  as  a  beloved  child  to 
 a  most  loving  parent :  and  his  heavenly  Father  meets 
 him  in  it,  receives  him  graciously,  speaks  to  his  heart, 
 and  makes  him  sensible  that  he  can  deny  him  no 
 manner  of  thing  which  is  good.  Hence  the  ways  of 
 duty  become  ways  of  pleasantness.  The  farther  he 
 advances  in  them,  and  the  more  spiritual  he  grows  in 
 the  performance  of  them,  he  finds  clearer  communi- 
 cations of  his  Father's  grace  and  love,  which  still 
 increase  his  joy,  and  afford  him  surer  earnests  and 
 happier  foretastes  of  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 
 As  for  the  ungodly,  it  is  not  so  with  them.  They 
 are  always  seeking  after  joy.  They  are  busy,  and 
 weary  themselves  in  the  pursuit  of  it,  but  they  can- 
 not find  it.  While  they  are  turned  in  heart  from 
 the  Lord,  they  look  downwards  for  it,  where  it  is 
 not.  They  expect  it  will  spring  out  of  the  ground : 
 and  if  they  cannot  discover  it  upon  the  surface,  they 
 will  dig  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth  for  treasures  of 
 hidden  joy.  But  they  disquiet  themselves  in  vain. 
 It  is  the  sovereign  decree  of  the  Almighty,  that  no- 
 thing can  make  a  sinner  truly  happy  but  God  in 
 Christ :  this  they  will  not  believe ;  and  therefore  they 
 go  from  creature  to  creature,  from  object  to  object, 
 inquiring.  Where  is  the  best  joy  to  be  found  ?  Each 
 promises  them — It  is  in  me.  But  each  disappoints 
 them.  And  yet  they  go  on,  seeking  it  to-day  in 
 that  very  thing  which  deluded  them  yesterday.  Yea, 
 their  foolish  hearts  are  willingly  deluded.  They  love 
 to  be  pursuing  what  it  is  impossible  they  should  at- 
 tain.     If,  after  many  trials,  they  find  the  emptiness 
 
330 
 
 of  one  creature- comfort,  then  they  turn  to  another: 
 and  they  will  try  the  whole  compass  of  beings  and 
 things,  and  will  at  last  die  in  the  trial,  rather  than 
 seek  for  joy  where  it  is  holy,  perfect,  and  everlasting. 
 The  believer  is  saved  from  this  vain  pursuit.     He 
 has  been  convinced  of  the  insufficiency  of  the  crea- 
 ture to  make  him  happy.      He  has  seen  an  end  of  all 
 perfection  in  it.      He  can  say  with  the  royal  preacher, 
 "  Vanity  of  vanities,  all  is  vanity  " — all  is  changeable 
 and  imperfect  under  the  sun ;  for  the  whole  world 
 lieth  in  wickedness,  and  under  the  curse.      Deeply 
 sensible  of  his  error  in  having  sought  for  joy  in  the 
 way  of  destruction,  he  now  seeks  it  in  the  living  God. 
 Here  he  comes  to  the  supreme  good,  the  spring-head 
 of  true  joy  :  and  the  streams  which  he  receives  from 
 thence  are  always  in  proportion  to  his  faith.      If  this 
 be  strong,  there  is  great  joy  in  the  soul.      If  this  be 
 weak,  joy  is  at  a  low  ebb.      The  effect  is  according 
 to  the  cause  which  produces  it.      Joy  in  God  is  the 
 effect  of  faith ;   according    to   the  apostle's  prayer, 
 "  Now  the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy  in  be- 
 lieving."     There  is  a  present  fulness  of  joy,   which 
 we  have  by  believing,  as  there  is  a  future  fulness  of 
 joy,  which  we  shall  have  by  sense.      So  that  joy  rises 
 as  believhig  does :  fulness  of  believing  brings  in  all 
 joy— present  enjoyment   increasing   as  the  title  to 
 future  is  clear.      The  present  is  the  divine  pledge  of 
 the  future,  and  is  therefore  given  us,  that,  by  believ- 
 ing, we  may  now  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  and  be  glad  in 
 the  God  of  our  salvation. 
 
 From  hence  it  appears,  how  necessary  it  is  to  the 
 believer's  walking  in  joy,  that  his  understanding 
 should  be  clearly  enlightened  with  the  knowledge  of 
 
331 
 
 the  doctrines  of  grace,  and  that  his  heart  should  be 
 established  in  the  behef  of  them.      Thou  canst  not, 
 O  my  soul,  review  them  too  much,  nor  meditate  upon 
 them  too  long;  for  they  enter  into  the  very  essence 
 of  all  true  joy.      Study  the  gospel  method  of  making 
 reconciliation  for  iniquity,   which  was  the  work  of 
 Emmanuel;  and  of  reconciling  man  to  God,  which  is 
 the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.      Has  he  done  this  in 
 thee?      Art  thou  reconciled  to  God?      Is  thy  con- 
 science at  peace?      Is  thine   heart  happy  through 
 faith  in  the  atonement  and  righteousness  of  thy  Sa- 
 viour ?      Art  thou  satisfied  of  thy  perfect  acceptance 
 in  the  Beloved  ?      Dost  thou,   therefore,   obey  thy 
 Father  out  of  gratitude,  and  go  to  duty  to  meet  him, 
 and  to  have  fellowship  with  him  in  his  love,   and  to 
 glorify  him   for  it?      Dost  thou  find  his  presence? 
 Is  he  with  thee  in  all  means,  and  art  thou  seeking  in 
 them  for  nearer  and  more  intimate  communion  with 
 him  ?      Since  this  is  thy  case,  what  return  wilt  thou 
 make  for  such   inestimable  favours  ?      Surely  thou 
 wilt  be  glad  in  the  Lord,  and  wilt  rejoice  in  the  God 
 of  thy  salvation.      Being  at  peace  with  him,   and  a 
 partaker  .of  his  love — waiting  for  the  establishing  of 
 this  peace  and  love  in  the  way  of  obedience,  and  ex- 
 pecting more  communion  with  thy  God  in  the  way 
 of  duty,  who  can  have  greater  reason  to  rejoice?     A 
 saved  sinner,  delivered  by  mere  grace  from  wrath  and 
 hell,  entitled  to  all  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus, 
 and  already  admitted  to  partake  of  them,   may  sing 
 and  make  melody  in  his  heart  all  the  way  to  heaven. 
 And  yet,  alas  I   how  often  art  thou,   O  my  soul,  in 
 heaviness,  walking  in  distress,  and  cast  down,  as  if 
 thy  hope  of  rejoicing  was  in  vain.      And  this  is  not 
 
332 
 
 thy  case  alone.  It  is  too  common.  How  many  of 
 God's  children  spend  their  days  in  a  mournful  frame, 
 and  seem  to  forget  their  high  calling  and  undoubted 
 title  to  the  fulness  of  joy?  Meditate  a  little  upon 
 the  ingratitude  of  this  behaviour;  and  may  the  gos- 
 pel motives  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord  always,  be  the 
 means  of  saving  thee  from  an  unthankful  and  mourn- 
 ful temper. 
 
 First,  Observe,  he  requires  it  of  thee*  The  Scrip- 
 ture speaks  much  of  the  holy  joy  of  believers,  and 
 calls  for  it.  They  are  in  duty  bound  to  be  glad  in 
 their  God,  as  much  as  to  pray  to  him :  for  he  is  al- 
 ways bestowing  mercies  upon  them,  which  demand 
 their  everlasting  tribute  of  thanks  :  and  they  cannot 
 be  thankful  without  being  joyful.  How  closely  were 
 these  two  united  in  the  holy  Psalmist !  None  ever 
 more  famous  for  praising  God,  or  for  rejoicing  in 
 God.  What  he  felt  himself,  he  often  exhorts  the 
 redeemed  to  experience :  "  Rejoice  in  the  Lord,  O 
 ye  righteous :  for  praise  is  comely  for  the  upright. 
 Light  is  sown  for  the  righteous,  and  gladness  for 
 the  upright  in  heart.  Rejoice  in  the  Lord,  ye  right- 
 eous, and  give  thanks  at  the  remembrance  of  his 
 holiness."  Remember  his  righteousness  and  holi- 
 ness, how  great  they  are — and  how  great  the  grace  is, 
 which  has  found  out  a  way  to  make  you  righteous 
 and  holy:  remember  those  blessings  with  faith,  and 
 your  hearts  will  be  glad,  and  your  mouths  will  praise 
 God  with  joyful  lips.  What  a  sense  had  the  pro- 
 phet of  those  blessings,  when  he  broke  forth  into 
 this  acknowledgment ! — "  I  will  greatly  rejoice  in 
 the  Lord,  my  soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God :  for  he 
 hath  clothed  me  with  the  garments  of  salvation,  he 
 
333 
 
 hath  covered  me  with  the  robe  of  righteousness,  as 
 a  bridegroom  decketh  himself  with  ornaments,  and 
 as  a  bride  adorneth  herself  with  her  jewels."  These 
 are  the  wedding-garments  with  which  the  heavenly 
 Bridegroom  adorns  his  church,  and  in  which  he  in- 
 troduces her  to  the  eternal  banquet  of  love.  Bless- 
 ed are  they  who  are  called  to  the  marriage-supper 
 of  the  Lamb.  Blessed  are  they  indeed,  for  they  are 
 arrayed  in  royal  robes :  their  souls  are  all  glorious 
 with  the  beauties  of  Emmanuel,  with  his  divine  right- 
 eousness and  matchless  graces.  They  have  reason 
 now  to  rejoice  greatly ;  for  they  shall  soon  come  to 
 Sion  with  songs,  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their 
 heads  :  they  shall  obtain  joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow 
 and  sighing  shall  flee  away  for  ever.— These  scrip- 
 tures prove  evidently  that  believers  are  called  upon 
 to  rejoice:  it  is  their  bounden  duty  to  be  glad  in 
 their  God ;  for  they  are  not  living  like  his  children, 
 and  making  up  their  happiness  in  their  Father's  love, 
 unless  they  are  rejoicing  in  his  rich  and  everlasting 
 blessings.      For, 
 
 Secondly,  Joy  arises  from  the  sense  of  some  good. 
 Joy  in  God  arises  from  the  sense  of  his  being  our 
 chief  good,  and  of  our  interest  in  him.  And  this  is 
 the  joy  of  faith;  which  is  not  in  the  least  like  the 
 light  frothy  joy  of  the  sensualist,  nor  the  wanton 
 mirth  of  the  unthinking  multitude.  It  is  not  drawn, 
 as  worldly  joy  is,  from  vain  perishing  things,  but  from 
 the  word  of  God,  which  standeth  fast  for  ever.  It 
 springs  from  the  revelation  of  grace  and  mercy  in 
 Jesus;  and  from  giving  credit  to  it.  Whoever  hon- 
 ours its  testimony  as  the  truth  of  God,  will  be  con- 
 vinced, that  he,  trusting  to  the  atonement  of  Jesus, 
 
334 
 
 shall  never  perish ;  and,  trusting  to  the  righteousness 
 of  Jesus,  shall  have  everlasting  life.  Hence  come 
 joy  and  peace  in  believing.  The  conscience  is  re- 
 conciled to  God,  and  is  at  peace.  The  heart  is  made 
 sensible  of  the  love  of  God,  and  rejoices  in  him. 
 This  was  the  experience  of  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel, 
 in  the  33d  Psalm  :  "  Our  heart  shall  rejoice  in  the 
 Lord,  BECAUSE  we  have  trusted  in  his  holy  name." 
 This  is  a  good  reason.  Whoever  trusts  in  God  will 
 certainly  rejoice  in  God :  for,  by  trusting  in  his  word, 
 and  by  depending  upon  his  faithfulness,  he  cannot 
 be  disappointed  of  the  good  things  which  God  has 
 promised.  We  have  an  instance  of  this  in  a  trem- 
 bling, despairing  sinner,  who  had  drawn  his  dagger, 
 and  was  plunging  it  into  his  heart.  In  that  moment 
 he  heard  of  Jesus.  It  was  given  him  to  feel  his 
 want  of  a  Saviour — "  Sirs,"  says  he  to  Paul  and  Si- 
 las, "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  And  they  said, 
 Believe  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
 thou  shalt  be  saved,  and  thy  house.  And  they 
 preached  unto  him  the  word  of  the  Lord,  and  to  all 
 that  were  in  his  house.  And  he  took  them  the 
 same  hour  of  the  night,  and  washed  their  stripes, 
 and  was  baptized,  he  and  all  his  straightway.  And 
 when  he  had  brought  them  into  his  house,  he  set 
 meat  before  them,  and  rejoiced  believing."  O 
 what  a  happy  change  was  here,  and  made  by  believ- 
 ing 1  The  self-murderer  forgets  his  bloody  design, 
 and  drops  his  dagger.  He  hears  of  a  pardon,  and 
 believes.  His  black  despair  gives  way  to  sweet  peace 
 in  God.  His  misery  ends  in  the  knowledge  of  a 
 joyful  salvation.  How  blessed  are  they  that  believe! 
 God  has  pronounced  them,  and  God  will  make  them, 
 
335 
 
 blessed.  There  is  no  misery  deserved,  but  by  faith 
 they  are  saved  from  it;  and  no  good  promised,  but 
 by  faith  they  may  now  enjoy  it :  they  have  therefore 
 all  the  reason  to  rejoice  that  any  person  can  have  on 
 this  side  of  heaven.      For, 
 
 Thirdly,   This  joy  is  distinguished  from  the  vain 
 joy  of  the  world,  by  its  Author.      It  is  the  gift  of 
 God.      It  is  one  of  the  graces  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
 St.  Paul  says,  "  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  love,  joy," 
 &c. — love    to    God,    and    then    rejoicing    in    God. 
 When  the  Spirit  of  adoption  enters  into  any  heart, 
 he  manifests,   by  believing,  the  love  of  the  Father, 
 and  thereby  excites  it  into  holy  joy.      He  comes  to 
 make  the  soul  happy  in  its  return  to  God.      It  is  the 
 very  end  for  which  he  is  sent  from  the  Father  and 
 the   Son,  and  therefore  it  is  called  the  joy  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost.      It  is  his  fruit,  produced  by  his  influ- 
 ence, and  kept  by  his  power.      It  is  like  himself,  of 
 a  spiritual  and  heavenly  nature — a  pure  affection — 
 in  all  goodness,  and  righteousness,   and  truth.      He 
 refines  it  from  creature-delight,  and  exalts  it  above 
 sensual  pleasure;  for  it  is  the  result  of  nearness  to 
 God,  and  the  effect  of  fellowship  with  him  :  which  is, 
 Fourthly,  Another  blessed  ingredient  in  the  joy 
 of  believers.      It  has  God  for  its  object.      It  is  joy 
 in  God  as  their  God,   their  supreme  good,  known, 
 believed  in,   and  enjoyed.       The  Holy  Spirit   has 
 consecrated  their  hearts  for  fellowship  with  him.     He 
 has  brought  a  free  pardon  for  past  apostacy,  and  full 
 power  to  dethrone  creature-love;  and   he  abides  in 
 their  hearts  to  subdue  it.      He  enlightens  their  un- 
 derstandings to  see  the  vanity  of  the  creature,  and 
 the  fulness  of  God ;  and  he  enables  them  to  reject 
 
336 
 
 every  thing  that  promises  them  happiness,  if  they 
 cannot  enjoy  God  in  it.  Thus  he  keeps  their  hearts 
 chaste  and  fixed  upon  God.  Their  joy  becomes 
 simple  as  their  faith  is :  for  this  looks  at  the  finished 
 salvation,  and,  resting  entirely  upon  it,  sees  God 
 perfectly  reconciled :  thereby  it  lays  a  sure  foundation 
 for  their  joy  in  God ;  because  they  now  know  him  by 
 faith  to  be  their  God,  and  can  see  their  interest  in 
 all  the  blessings  of  his  love  in  Jesus.  This  is  the 
 fountain-head  of  joy,  from  whence  flow  rivers  of  plea- 
 sure for  evermore.  The  nearer  they  live  to  the 
 fountain-head,  the  more  communion  they  have  with 
 God  :  their  hearts  become  purer  and  holier,  and  their 
 joys  are  more  spiritual  and  heavenly. 
 
 This  is  the  only  remedy  for  the  miseries  with 
 which  the  world  abounds.  Men  are  uneasy;  seek 
 for  joy,  and  cannot  find  it ;  because  they  seek  where 
 it  is  not.  They  go  to  broken  cisterns,  which  can- 
 not hold  it.  They  are  disappointed,  and  wonder: 
 but  still  go  on,  spending  their  days  in  this  vain  pur- 
 suit. They  do  not  attain  any  true  joy.  It  flies 
 from  them,  and  at  last  they  lie  down  in  sorrow. 
 What  thanks  then  art  thou  bound,  O  my  soul,  to 
 return  unto  thy  God,  who  hast  saved  thee  from  this 
 delusion  !  What  a  mercy  is  it  that  thou  hast  been 
 led  to  the  fountain  of  joy  !  O  live  near  it,  and  from 
 it  derive  all  thy  streams.  Seek  them  all  in  God, 
 and  seek  them  in  faith,  upon  the  warrant  of  the  di- 
 vine promise.  He  has  said,  "  The  meek  shall  in- 
 crease their  joy  in  the  Lord" — they  shall  have  it, 
 and  increase  it.  The  more  meek  and  lowly  thou 
 art,  the  more  wilt  thou  be  joyful  in  God.  Pray 
 then  for  growing  humility,  that  thou  mayest  experi- 
 
337 
 
 ence  the  sweetness  of  this  scripture :  "  Rejoice  in 
 the  Lord  always;  and  again  I  say,  Rejoice."  There  is 
 always  a  matter  of  joy  in  the  Lord.  What  a  ful- 
 ness did  he  find  who  testifies  of  it  thus :  "  My  joy 
 shall  be  in  the  Lord — God  is  the  gladness  of  my 
 joy — all  my  springs  are  in  thee — for  thou  art  my 
 exceeding  joy  !"  Happy  prince  !  all  his  springs  came 
 from  God,  and  led  him  to  God.  He  did  not  draw 
 his  happiness  from  the  brooks,  but  from  the  fountain. 
 The  brooks  dry  up,  but  the  fountain  cannot.  He 
 did  not  rejoice  in  his  crown  and  dignity,  in  his  vic- 
 tories and  treasures,  or  in  any  worldly  good.  He 
 enjoyed  God  in  them,  who  was  the  joy  of  his  heart. 
 He  only  valued  the  gifts  for  the  sake  of  the  Giver ; 
 for  he  made  use  of  them  by  faith,  and  then  they  were 
 the  means  of  bringing  him  near  to  God,  and  of  keep- 
 ing up  communion  with  God,  Whatever  does  this 
 is  a  great  blessing.  And  every  thing  should  do  this 
 to  a  believer.  While  he  lives  like  a  child  of  God, 
 he  exercises  his  faith  for  spirituals  and  temporals ; 
 and  his  heavenly  Father  blesses  him  according  to  his 
 word,  wherein  he  hath  caused  him  to  put  his  trust,  and 
 gives  him  continual  matter  for  joy  and  thankfulness. 
 
 This  is  the  portion  of  the  Lord's  people.  He 
 has  entailed  it  on  them.  It  comes  to  them  by  in- 
 heritance. And  thou  art  bound,  O  my  soul,  to  make 
 use  of  it.  Thy  duty  and  interest  call  upon  thee  to 
 enjoy  much  of  it.  Thy  gratitude  for  the  exceeding 
 great  mercies  of  thy  Father's  love  cannot  be  so  pro- 
 perly shown,  as  by  rejoicing  in  him :  for  the  thank- 
 ful  heart  cannot  but  be  joyful.  It  feels  happy  in 
 God.  "  My  meditation  of  him,"  says  a  grateful  soul, 
 *'  shall  be  sweet ;  I  will  be  glad  in  the  Lord."  This  is 
 P  4 
 
338 
 
 a  just  tribute,  which  the  Father  expects,  and  which 
 the  Holy  Spirit  enables  his  children  to  return  him. 
 "  Blessed  is  the  people  that  know  the  joyful  sound : 
 they  shall  walk,  O  Lord,  in  the  light  of  thy  counte- 
 nance; in  thy  name  shall  they  rejoice  all  the  day, 
 and  in  thy  righteousness  shall  they  be  exalted.'* 
 These  are  great  privileges,  which  God  has  promised 
 and  does  bestow  upon  his  people.  It  is  true,  they 
 do  not  all  alike  rejoice  with  great  joy;  but  they  all 
 ought.  When  their  faith  is  weak,  their  joy  is  little. 
 But  they  have  the  same  right  to  believe,  and  to 
 rejoice  in  believing.  There  is  the  same  provision 
 made  for  the  whole  family  and  household  of  faith. 
 They  are  interested  in  the  same  covenant,  have  the 
 same  promises,  and  the  same  faithfulness  to  make 
 them  good.  They  have  perfect  security  given  them, 
 that  they  may  trust  and  not  be  afraid.  The  people 
 who  know  the  joyful  sound  of  a  free-grace  salvation, 
 have  good  reason  to  believe,  without  doubt  or  wa- 
 vering. By  such  a  faith  they  will  see  God  perfectly 
 reconciled  to  them,  and  will  behold  the  light  of  his 
 countenance  shining  on  them  in  love.  A  blessed 
 sight  ! — to  see  it  clearly,  is  glory  begun ;  to  walk  in 
 it,  is  glory  increasing.  What  is  it  but  heaven,  to 
 rejoice  all  the  day  long?  But  then  it  must  be  in 
 thy  name,  in  the  incarnate  Word,  in  Jehovah  Jesus  ; 
 by  faith  in  whose  righteousness  they  shall  be  exalted, 
 as  high  as  a  creature  can  be — being  justified  freely 
 and  fully,  they  have  access  into  this  perfect  grace 
 wherein  they  stand,  and  they  rejoice  in  the  hope  of 
 the  glory  of  God  :  and  not  only  so,  but  they  rejoice 
 m  the  way  to  glory,  in  tribulations  also,  knowing  that 
 all  things  are  working  together  for  their  present,  and 
 for  their  eternal  enjoyment  of  God. 
 
339 
 
 For  their  encouragement  thus  to  rejoice  in  the 
 Lord,  he  has  promised  them,  that  the  joy  which  he 
 gives  shall  not  be  taken  away ;  which  is, 
 
 Fifthly,  Another  great  privilege.  True  joy  is 
 the  gift  of  God — is  a  grace  of  the  Spirit  of  God. 
 It  has  God  for  its  author,  and  God  for  its  object ; 
 and  it  has  this  prerogative  annexed  to  it,  that  no  one 
 can  destroy  this  gift  of  grace.  The  Lord  Christ 
 declares,  that  he  will  not  suffer  any  creature  to  take 
 away  what  he  bestows  :  What  a  rich  cordial  was  this 
 to  his  dejected  apostles  !  They  were  mourning  upon 
 account  of  his  leaving  them,  and  were  sadly  cast 
 down,  as  men  without  hope.  But  he  revives  their 
 drooping  hearts  with  a  promise — "  I  will  see  you 
 again,  and  your  hearts  shall  rejoice,  and  your  joy  no 
 one  taketh  from  you."  This  is  indeed  strong. con- 
 solation ;  for  it  is  one  of  the  streams  which  maketh 
 glad  the  city  of  God — a  stream  that  never  fails — - 
 it  runs  out  of  the  ocean  of  free  grace,  and  none  can 
 stop  its  running  back  into  it.  "  Not  as  the  world  giv- 
 eth,  give  I  unto  you,"  says  Jesus.  The  world  giveth 
 empty  joys,  continueth  them  by  an  uncertain  tenure, 
 and  at  last  takes  away  all  its  gifts,  and  leaves  its 
 deluded  votary  to  suffer  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire. 
 Whereas  Christ  gives  what  is  truly  good,  solid,  and 
 lasting.  His  gifts  are  without  repentance.  He  is 
 of  one  mind  in  continuing,  as  well  as  in  giving :  for 
 his  motives  are  in  and  of  himself,  and  always  the  same. 
 His  own  mere  love,  his  free  grace,  and  the  good 
 pleasure  of  his  own  will,  dispose  him  to  give  and  to 
 continue  his  favours :  and  his  one  end  is  his  own 
 glory.  Therefore  he  will  not  take  away  the  joy 
 which  he  has  given,  and  he  will  suffer  no  one  to  take 
 p  2 
 
340 
 
 it  away.  He  secures  by  his  power  what  he  gives  by 
 his  love.  Such  is  the  believer's  right  to  rejoice  in 
 the  Lord  always.  His  title  is  indefeasible.  God 
 has  freely  given  him  in  Christ  all  the  good  that  can 
 make  hira  happy ;  and  he  enjoys  it,  and  is  happy,  so 
 far  as  he  lives  by  faith.  While  he  goes  on  from 
 faith  to  faith,  his  joys  increase.  Growing  faith  brings 
 him  in  a  richer  harvest  of  joy.  And  he  is  commanded 
 still  to  proceed,  until  his  joy  be  full ;  which  is  a 
 
 Sixth  privilege,  peculiar  to  joy  in  God.  Other 
 springs  fail.  They  are  often  dry.  And  when  they 
 run  the  fullest,  he  that  drinks  of  their  water  thirsts 
 the  more.  But  joy  in  God  has  a  satisfying  fulness. 
 The  fountain  is  always  full,  yea,  is  always  running 
 over  ;  and  all  the  streams  bring  happy  peace  and  holy 
 joy.  The  more  a  man  drinks  thereof,  the  more 
 sober  and  spiritual  he  becomes  ;  for  whatever  flows  out 
 of  this  fountain  is  grace,  sanctifying  grace :  the  more 
 we  partake  of  it,  we  grow  more  like  it.  There  is  in 
 it  the  divine  property  of  conforming  and  assimilating 
 us  to  itself:  for  it  weakens  the  corruptions  of  nature, 
 and  strengthens  the  faculties  of  the  new  man  ;  and 
 as  these  grow  stronger,  they  cleave  closer  to  God, 
 and  have  more  fellowship  with  him.  By  which  means 
 they  partake  more  of  his  joy.  A  happy  partaker 
 of  it  declares — "  In  thy  presence  is  the  fulness  of 
 joy;"  and  therefore  he  prays — "  Make  me  full  of 
 joy  with  thy  countenance," — the  presence  of  God 
 with  me,  and  his  loving  countenance  shining  upon 
 me,  is  the  fullest  joy  upon  earth.  And  this  comes 
 from  the  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  is  received  by 
 faith.  Our  Lord  says  to  his  disciples,  "  These 
 things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  my  joy  might 
 
341 
 
 remain  In  you,  and  that  your  joy  might  be  full."  His 
 end  in  speaking  was  to  give  them  good  reason  to  re- 
 joice, and  to  continue  rejoicing ;  and  if  they  received 
 what  he  spake  with  full  assurance,  as  they  ought  to 
 do,  it  would  produce  in  them  a  fulness  of  joy.  And 
 this  would  be  so  much  to  his  honour  and  to  their 
 profit,  that  he  commands  them  to  ask  it  of  the  Fa- 
 ther in  his  name — "  Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive,  that 
 your  joy  may  be  full.'*  To  the  same  purpose  the 
 apostle  John,  treating  of  the  person  of  God  incarnate, 
 through  whom  we  have  fellowship  with  the  Father 
 in  all  the  blessings  of  his  love,  says,  "  These  things 
 write  we  unto  you,  that  your  joy  may  be  full."  His 
 design  in  writing  was  to  lead  them  to  nearer  fellow- 
 ship with  the  blessed  Trinity,  and  to  stir  them  up  to 
 seek  in  it  their  fulness  of  joy  :  and  they  have  it  full, 
 who,  satisfied  of  their  title  to  the  Father's  blessings, 
 are  receiving  them  freely  out  of  the  Son's  fulness  by 
 the  grace  of  the  Spirit.  It  becometh  them  well  to 
 rejoice:  for  in  the  same  blessings  there  is  fulness  of 
 joy  for  evermore — ^joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 
 Put  all  these  considerations  together,  and  then 
 see,  O  my  soul,  what  a  rich  provision  thy  God  has 
 made  for  the  joy  of  thy  heart.  Admire  and  adore 
 him  for  his  great  salvation,  for  delivering  thee  from 
 sin  and  sorrow,  and  for  the  free  gift  of  righteousness 
 and  life  eternal.  To  pardon,  to  justify,  to  glorify 
 such  a  one  as  thou  art,  O  what  divine  and  infinite 
 grace  1  What  wilt  thou  return  him  for  manifesting 
 his  love  to  thee,  and  for  engaging  thy  love  to  him  ! 
 How  great  is  thy  debt  for  admitting  thee  to  fellow- 
 ship with  him  as  thy  God  and  Father,  and  for  the 
 gracious  communications  of  his  love  to  thee  in  Jesus  I 
 
342 
 
 What  a  subject  is  here  before  thee  for  delightful 
 praise  !  Look  at  it  in  any  true  light,  thou  hast  reason 
 to  be  glad  with  exceeding  great  joy.  God,  the  in- 
 finite fountain  of  good,  is  thy  God.  He  rejoices  in 
 thee,  therefore  thou  shouldst  rejoice  in  him.  He  has 
 loved  thee  freely,  how  canst  thou  be  sensible  of  this 
 without  loving  him  ?  His  love  hath  blessed  thee  with 
 all  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus:  whilst  thou  art 
 receiving  them  out  of  his  fulness,  how  canst  thou  re- 
 fuse to  thank  him  with  joyful  lips  ?  He  says,  that  he 
 rejoices  over  thee  to  do  thee  good  :  the  belief  of  this 
 should  fill  thy  heart  with  joy  and  gladness.  Indeed, 
 there  is  nothing  in  God  but  what  should  be  to  thee 
 matter  of  rejoicing.  His  faithfulness  and  justice  are 
 on  thy  side,  as  well  as  his  never-failing  compassions  : 
 for  he  is  thy  God,  thy  covenant  God ;  he  has  given 
 his  Son  for  thee,  and  his  Spirit  to  thee;  by  his  grace 
 thou  hast  been  called  to  enjoy  fellowship  with  the 
 Father  and  the  Son,  and  to  partake  of  their  covenant 
 blessings.  It  is  thy  privilege  to  be  improving  this 
 fellowship,  and  even  upon  earth  to  be  tasting  of  the 
 joys  of  heaven.  May  thy  faith  bring  thee  in  a  rich 
 feast,  yea,  a  fulness  of  joy,  till  thy  cup  run  over  with 
 the  rivers  of  pleasure  which  are  at  God's  right  hand 
 for  evermore. 
 
 Remember,  O  ray  soul,  it  is  thy  duty  and  thy 
 privilege  thus  to  rejoice  in  God.  It  is  thine  interest 
 and  thy  happiness.  Thy  God  requires  it  of  thee, 
 as  the  grateful  acknowledgment  of  his  favours :  they 
 are  all  of  grace,  inestimably  rich  and  everlasting. 
 He  would  have  thee  to  honour  him  for  the  gifts,  by 
 rejoicing  in  the  Giver.  Joy  is  the  sense  of  his  good- 
 ness to  thee;  and  canst  thou  receive  the  present,  and 
 
343 
 
 live  in  hopes  of  the  eternal  blessings  of  his  goodness, 
 and  yet  be  without  a  joyful  sense  of  them  ?  Examine 
 well;  and  try  thyself.  How  is  thy  heart?  Is  it 
 happy  in  God  ?  Is  it  happy  in  nothing  but  God  ? 
 Whatever  a  man  puts  his  trust  in,  from  that  he  ex- 
 pects his  happiness.  In  what  then  dost  thou  trust  ? 
 Certainly  thou  wilt  say,  "  My  trust  is  in  the  mercy  ot 
 God  for  ever  and  ever."  And  should  not  he  be  the 
 only  matter  of  thy  joy,  who  is  the  only  ground  of 
 thy  faith  ?  If  he  be,  then  why  art  thou  so  often  cast 
 down,  O  my  soul;  and  why  art  thou  so  disquieted 
 within  me  ?  How  many  dejections,  what  great  sor- 
 rows, and  what  frequent  heaviness  dost  thou  expe- 
 rience? From  whence  come  they?  Joy  is  sown 
 for  thee.  The  sower  is  the  Son  of  Man.  The 
 Father  has  promised  it,  and  bestowed  it  on  thee  for 
 thy  portion:  thou  hast  been  called  by  grace,  and  the 
 joy  in  believing  is  thy  birthright.  What  is  the  rea- 
 son thou  art  not  happy  in  thy  God,  and  rejoicing  in 
 him  always  ?  Search  diligently  for  the  cause.  De- 
 pend upon  it,  there  is  a  great  mistake  somewhere. 
 The  scriptures  cannot  be  broken  which  treat  of  con- 
 tinual joy  in  God.  The  promises  cannot  fail.  The 
 Promiser  is  faithful ;  and  yet  thou  art  not  always  a 
 partaker  of  the  promised  grace.  How  is  this  ?  O 
 try  to  come  to  the  bottom  of  this  error.  May  the 
 Spirit  of  wisdom  lay  it  open  to  thee,  and  may  thy 
 sorrow  be  turned  into  joy. 
 
 Perhaps  thou  art  seeking  for  some  reason  to  re- 
 joice in  thyself.  This  rejoicing  is  not  good,  although 
 it  be  very  common.  It  has  a  bad  motive :  it  comes 
 from  pride.  The  end  is  bad  :  it  is  to  exalt  and  ag- 
 grandize self,  which  was  man's  sin  and  ruin.      It  is 
 
34^ 
 
 forbidden  in  Scripture — "  He  that  rejoiceth,  let  him 
 rejoice  in  the  Lord."  If  thou  couldstfind  something 
 in  thyself  to  be  pleased  with,  thou  wouldst  then  re- 
 joice in  thy  pride.  Sorrow  for  not  finding  it  may 
 bring  thee  right ;  because  it  may  be  the  means  of 
 showing  thee,  that  thou  hast  nothing  of  thine  own  to 
 look  at  with  self-complacency.  What  hast  thou  that 
 thou  hast  not  received  ?  And  if  thou  hast  received  it, 
 why  wouldst  thou  glory  as  if  thou  hadst  not  received 
 it?  Hast  thou  any  thing  of  thine  own  but  sin? 
 "Who  gave  thee  grace,  and  made  thee  to  differ  from 
 others  ?  Was  it  not  God  ?  Did  not  all  come  from 
 the  good  pleasure  of  his  own  will  ?  He  saw  nothing 
 good  in  thee  at  first  to  move  him  to  be  gracious,  and 
 ■what  he  continues  is  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  his 
 own  grace.  If  thou  hast  lost  the  sight  of  these 
 truths,  no  wonder  thou  shouldst  go  mourning.  God 
 will  not  vouchsafe  bis  joy  to  them  who  sacrifice  to 
 their  own  net,  and  burn  incense  to  their  own  drag. 
 He  humbles  and  fills  the  humble  with  good  things, 
 but  he  sendeth  the  rich  empty  away.  The  rich  rob 
 him  of  his  glory,  and  he  refuses  them  his  grace. 
 Watch,  therefore,  over  thy  proud  legal  heart.  Be 
 jealous  over  it  with  a  godly  jealousy ;  and  entreat  the 
 Holy  Spirit  to  bring  down  every  high  thought  in  it, 
 that  thou  raayest  exalt  God,  and  he  may  exalt  thee. 
 Remember  the  promise — *'  The  meek  shall  increase 
 their  joy  in  the  Lord  :"  seek  the  fulfilling  of  this ;  for 
 joy  in  him  is  the  death  of  self-seeking  and  self- pleasing. 
 O  beg  of  God,  then,  to  keep  thee  meek  and  lowly,  that 
 thou  mayest  be  willing  to  live  upon  Jesus  by  faith,  and 
 to  receive  all  the  joy  out  of  his  fulness  of  joy  ! 
 Perhaps  thou  art  mourning  under  a  sense  of  thy 
 
345 
 
 sinful  nature,  and  groaning  under  the  burden  of  in- 
 dwelling sin,  as  holy  Paul  did,  and  as  all  the  dear 
 children  of  God  do,  when  they  are  in  their  right 
 mind.  This  is  godly  sorrow,  which  worketh  repen- 
 tance not  to  be  repented  of.  It  is  the  true  poverty 
 of  spirit,  to  which  the  Lord  has  promised  his  bless- 
 ing. Indeed,  every  one  that  has  it  is  blessed,  be- 
 cause it  is  not  only  consistent  with  the  truest  joy, 
 but  also  is  the  very  proper  temper  of  mind  in  which 
 it  is  preserved  and  increased.  They  that  sow  in 
 tears  shall  reap  in  joy.  Self-knowledge  is  the  break- 
 ing up  of  the  fallow  ground,  and  is  the  ploughing 
 and  harrowing  of  it,  thereby  making  it  fit  for  the 
 good  seed,  and  to  receive  the  enlivening  influence  of 
 the  heavens.  The  more  any  man  knows  of  himself, 
 the  greater  reason  will  he  have  to  seek  the  harvest 
 of  his  joys  in  God ;  and  seeking  by  faith,  he  will  find 
 them.  If  he  be  in  the  deepest  humiliation,  he  will 
 be  then  best  disposed  to  rejoice  in  God.  This  holy 
 joy  generally  rises  highest  when  self  is  lowest :  as  the 
 highest  tide  is  always  after  the  lowest  ebb.  Re- 
 member this,  O  my  soul,  in  the  most  abasing  viewj- 
 of  thy  fallen  nature,  and  it  will  lead  thee  to  seek, 
 and  in  believing  to  find,  that  in  God  which  thou  hast 
 not  in  thyself.  The  empty,  and  none  but  the  empty, 
 may  be  filled  with  his  joy.  Let  every  discovery  ot 
 thine  emptiness  lead  thee  to  trust  more  in  the  salva- 
 tion of  God,  and  to  enjoy  more  of  its  blessings ;  and 
 then  thou  mayest  be,  with  Paul,  always  sorrowful,  yet 
 always  rejoicing.  Sorrow  for  self  is  the  greatest 
 friend  to  joy  in  God.  Self-loathing  is  accompanied 
 with  the  sweetest  delight  in  God.  May  the  apostle'? 
 experience  herein  be  thine  :  "  We  are  of  the  circum- 
 p3 
 
346 
 
 cision,  who  worship  God  in  the  Spirit,  and  rejoice  in 
 Christ  Jesus,  and  have  no  confidence  in  the  flesh." 
 O  pray  for  the  same  grace,  and  thou  wilt  find  that 
 the  less  confidence  there  is  in  the  flesh,  the  more  re- 
 joicing there  will  be  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 Perhaps  thou  hast  been  tempted  to  seek  for  joy 
 in  some  creature-comfort,  and  hast  not  received  it  as 
 the  gift  of  God,  nor  enjoyed  it  by  faith,  nor  returned 
 him  his  glory.  Thou  wast  looking  below  God  for 
 happiness,  and  expecting  it  from  some  other  object. 
 The  world  has  herein  ensnared  thy  heart.  There 
 is  not  a  greater  enemy  to  the  children  of  God ;  be- 
 cause it  has  objects  suited  to  their  senses,  and  capable 
 of  gratifying  them :  by  which  the  world  is  always 
 trying  to  engage  their  affections,  and  always  succeeds, 
 when  they  are  not  living  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
 God :  for  this  is  the  only  victory  that  overcometh 
 the  world,  even  our  faith.  See  whether  thy  sorrow 
 did  not  spring  from  some  worldly  disappointment. 
 Thou  hadst  dropped  thy  shield,  and  wast  falling 
 asleep  in  Delilah's  lap;  but  awaking,  didst  find  the 
 pleasure  turned  into  pain.  This  pain  may  be  very 
 profitable.  It  should  convince  thee  of  thy  dreadful 
 mistake  in  leaving  God  for  the  world,  and  should  stop 
 up  thy  way  for  the  future.  Now  thou  seest  the  need 
 of  being  cautioned :  Love  not  the  world,  neither 
 the  things  that  are  in  the  world ;  for  all  things  out 
 of  Christ  are  under  the  curse.  There  can  be  no 
 blessedness  in  them.  The  whole  world  lieth  in  wick- 
 edness; it  cannot  make  thee  happy  any  more  than 
 hell  can.  But  it  is  thy  privilege  to  be  delivered  from 
 this  present  evil  world,  and  to  be  saved  from  the  love 
 o£  it.     This  is  a  blessed  part  of  thy  salvation.    Expect 
 
347 
 
 it  by  faith.  The  victory  is  obtained  :  see  thy  share 
 in  it — "  I  have  overcome  the  world,"  says  Jesus. 
 Almighty  Lord,  overcome  it  ^n  me,  as  thou  hast  over- 
 come it  for  me. 
 
 But  remember,  O  my  soul,  whatever  be  the  real 
 cause  of  thy  sorrowing,  there  is  joy  in  God,  and  for 
 thee :  because  he  is  thy  God,  in  whom  there  is  no- 
 thing to  make  thee  sorrowful,  but  every  thing  which 
 can  possibly  give  thee  true  joy.  The  blessed  Trinity 
 are  in  covenant  for  thee  and  for  thy  salvation.  And 
 it  is  thy  bounden  duty,  trusting  to  the  finished  work 
 of  the  Son,  to  rejoice  in  the  love  of  the  Father.  In 
 the  peace  of  thy  conscience,  and  in  the  love  of  thy 
 heart,  thou  art  required  to  have  fellowship  with  the 
 Father  and  Son,  and  to  be  always  giving  thanks  to 
 the  Holy  Spirit  for  this  fellowship.  Every  enjoy- 
 ment of  their  covenant  blessings  on  earth  is  a  fore- 
 taste of  heaven,  and  a  pledge  of  joy  unspeakable. 
 What  thou  hast  now  by  faith,  thou  shalt  certainly 
 have  in  everlasting  possession :  for  there  is  a  sure 
 foundation  laid  in  the  covenant  for  thee  to  build  thy 
 hopes  upon  of  rejoicing  evermore.  Thy  Father  has 
 chosen  thee  and  accepted  thee  in  his  Son.  He  has 
 set  his  heart  upon  doing  thee  good,  and  he  changeth 
 not.  His  loving-kindness  is  like  himself.  He  has 
 drawn  thee  by  his  Spirit  to  believe  in  his  love,  and 
 he  has  promised  to  love  thee  unto  the  end.  He 
 has  freely  given  thee  all  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ 
 Jesus,  and  he  reserves  the  full  enjoyment  of  them 
 for  heaven.  Nothing  can  rob  thee  of  them  ;  because 
 he  keeps  them  by  his  power  for  thee,  and  thee  for 
 them.  How  should  this  help  to  fill  up  the  measure 
 of  thy  joys  !     The  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 
348 
 
 the  Father  of  mercies,  and  the  God  of  all  comfort, 
 is  thine,  with  all  that  his  love  can  do  to  make  thee 
 happy.  What  canst  thou  want,  but  more  faith  ? 
 The  Lord  increase  it,  that  thy  heart  and  conversa- 
 tion may  be  more  with  him.  As  thine  affections 
 are  set  more  on  things  above,  the  temptations  to  the 
 love  of  the  things  below  will  be  weakened.  The 
 sweetness  of  heavenly  communion  will  deaden  thee 
 to  the  charms  of  the  world;  yea,  the  world  will  be 
 to  thee  as  nothing,  while  God  is  all.  And  is  he  not 
 all  in  all  to  thee?  Consider  his  nature,  his  perso- 
 nality, his  covenant,  his  works,  his  graces,  and  his 
 blessings :  view  them  in  their  greatness  and  good- 
 ness ;  thou  hast  an  interest  in  them  all.  His  wisdom 
 contrives  for  thee — his  providence  watches  over  thee 
 — his  love  waits  to  be  gracious  to  thee — his  holiness, 
 and  justice,  and  truth,  are  thy  friends — all  his  attri- 
 butes have  engaged  his  power  to  bring  thee  to  glory. 
 The  perfect  salvation  of  Jesus  is  thine.  His  Father 
 is  thy  Father  in  him,  and  has  nothing  in  his  heart 
 but  love  to  thee :  the  Holy  Spirit  has  manifested  it 
 to  thee  in  believing,  to  be  a  perfect,  unchangeable, 
 and  everlasting  love.  Whatever  the  Godhead  has 
 promised  to  give  of  happiness,  is  promised  to  thee; 
 and  thou  dost  believe  it,  although  thou  art  sometimes 
 in  heaviness  through  manifold  temptations.  But 
 even  then,  there  is  joy  laid  up  for  thee  in  God.  Joy 
 enough  in  the  fountain.  It  is  always  full :  only  thy 
 faith  draws  out  of  it  sparingly.  Enough  in  God  to 
 turn  thy  sorrow  into  joy,  if  faith  did  its  perfect  work. 
 O  for  more  faithy  that  thou  mayest  have  more  joy  in 
 believing  I 
 
 From  whatever  cause  then,  O  my  soul,  thy  sor- 
 
349 
 
 row  arose,  it  certainly  did  not  spring  from  any  thing 
 which  faith  discovered  to  be  in  God.      Be  assured 
 of  this ;  and  learn  to  improve  thy  sorrow  about  other 
 things,  so  as  to  see  thy  need  of  trusting  more,  and 
 of  rejoicing  more  in  God.      If  thy  sorrow  be  lawful, 
 coming  from  a  sight  and  sense  of  thy  sinfulness, 
 there  is  good  reason  thou  shouldst  abhor  thyself,  and 
 repent  in  dust  and  ashes.      But  this  is  also  a  good 
 reason  for  joy  in  thy  God ;  because  the  Lord  is  nigh 
 unto  them  that  are  of  a  broken  heart,  and  saveth 
 such  as  be  of  a  contrite  spirit.     He  gives  to  them  the 
 knowledge  of  salvation,  and  makes  them  glad  with 
 the  joy  of  his  countenance.     Thus  he  delivers  them 
 from  their  sins  and  sorrows.    He  continues  his  loving- 
 kindness  :  surely  his  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow 
 them  all  the  days  of  their  lives.      When  they  are 
 under  temptations  to  seek  for  joy  in  other  things,  he 
 hedges  up  their  way,  that  they  cannot  attain  the  ex- 
 pected good :  or  if  they  do,  he  imbitters  the  enjoy- 
 ment, and  will  not  let  them  find  any  thing  in  the 
 creature  but  vanity  and  vexation ;  by  which  means 
 he  would  teach  them  to  derive  all  their  joys  from 
 him,   and   from   nothing  but  him.      Wait,    O  my 
 soul,  and  read,  and  hear,  and  pray;  be  diligent  in  all 
 means  for  thine  improvement  in  this  divine  lesson. 
 Seek  the  presence  of  God,  wherever  thou  art.     Ex- 
 pect his  blessing  upon  all  that  thou  doest.    Account 
 his  love  thy  chief  happiness,  and  be  sure  nothing 
 can  make  thee  happy  in  which  thou  canst  not  enjoy 
 his  love.     If  riches  increase,  the  world  smiles,  health 
 be  granted  thee,  relations  are  kind,  and  all  things  go 
 well,  set  not  thy  heart  upon  them.      Look  at  the 
 bountiful  hand  which  gives,  and  depend  on  the  grace 
 
350 
 
 which  sanctifies  those  things.  They  are  not  worth 
 having,  but  as  they  come  from  and  lead  to  God,  and 
 so  may  be  spiritually  improved.  If  thou  canst  live 
 by  faith,  and  enjoy  God  in  them,  then  they  are  real 
 blessings :  for  then  thou  wilt  receive  them  as  his 
 gifts,  and  use  them  to  his  praise ;  thou  wilt  eye  his 
 goodness  in  them,  and  admire  him  for  them :  and, 
 while  he  continues  them,  thou  wilt  be  dependent  on 
 his  grace  to  keep  thy  heart  from  idolatry,  that  thou 
 mayest  love  the  gifts  only  for  the  sake  of  the  Giver. 
 Whatever  thou  art  going  to  do,  ask  thyself,  How 
 can  this  be  the  means  of  my  rejoicing  in  God  ?  If 
 it  cannot,  avoid  it.  If  it  come  with  all  the  world's 
 flatteries,  and  make  thee  the  greatest  offers  of  joy, 
 fly  from  it :  there  is  deadly  poison  under  its  gilded 
 outside.  Lay  it  down  as  an  invariable  rule  of  thy 
 walk,  that  nothing  can  do  thee  good  but  what  thou 
 canst  enjoy  God  in.  He  is  the  only  source  of  good  ; 
 and  every  thing  is  to  thee  what  he  makes  it :  not 
 what  it  is  in  itself;  as  such,  all  is  vanity ;  but  it  is 
 good  when  God  makes  it  so.  True  joy  is  from  him, 
 and  in  him.  It  is  the  gift  of  his  grace,  and  does  not 
 stop  at  any  of  the  streams,  but  goes  up  to  the  foun- 
 tain-head, from  whence  they  flow,  and  there  finds  its 
 comforts.  O  my  God,  teach  me  thus  to  seek  my  joys 
 in  thee,  and  to  make  thee  ray  crown  of  rejoicing. 
 
 For  thine  encouragement,  consider,  O  my  soul, 
 what  he  did  to  the  travellers  gone  before  thee  in  the 
 way  to  Sion  :  how  he  comforted  them,  and  made  them 
 glad  with  the  joy  of  his  countenance.  He  led  them 
 indeed  through  the  valley  of  Baca,  (of  mourning,) 
 the  only  highway  to  the  kingdom ;  but  they  found  a 
 well  in  it,  a  fountain  of  living  waters :  they  went  on 
 
.351 
 
 sorrowing  for  their  departure  from  God,  but  were 
 made  glad  at  their  hearts  in  being  brought  back  by 
 his  grace;  therefore  they  wept  rejoicing.  Happy 
 mourners  !  And  hast  thou  not  the  same  reason  as 
 they  had  to  sorrow  for  thyself,  and  yet  to  be  ex- 
 ceeding glad  in  God  ?  Is  not  this  also  the  case  with 
 all  thy  fellow-travellers  now  upon  the  road?  Their 
 hearts  are  with  God.  He  is  their  portion.  His 
 heaven  is  their  home.  They  would  not  make  up 
 their  happiness  in  the  accommodations  by  the  way, 
 but  in  God,  their  treasure,  their  supreme  good,  and 
 their  everlasting  joy.  Neither  would  they  be  stopped 
 by  the  inconveniences  which  they  may  meet  with: 
 these,  improved  by  faith,  will  tend  to  make  them  long 
 more  to  be  at  home ;  for  these  will  lead  them  to  feel 
 more  of  the  true  joy  there  is  in  God,  and  will  there- 
 by inspire  them  with  higher  strains  of  praise  and 
 thankfulness.  So  that  every  thing  they  meet  with 
 on  the  road  will  be  sanctified  to  them,  and  will  dis- 
 pose them  to  make  melody  in  their  hearts  unto  the 
 Lord.  Their  Father  and  our  Father,  out  of  the 
 riches  of  his  grace,  has  not  only  given  them  matter 
 of  thanks,  but  has  also  provided  the  very  words  to 
 be  used  by  them.  Many  a  weary  traveller  has  found 
 them  a  rich  cordial.  His  spirits  have  been  raised, 
 his  soul  and  all  within  made  happy,  while  he  was 
 singing  the  sweet  and  heavenly  hymn.  The  gospel 
 prophet,  who  had  seen  the  glory  of  Emmanuel,  and 
 who  was  the  honoured  penman  of  this  divine  poem, 
 has  left  us  a  direction,  when  any  one  has  a  right  to 
 sing  it,  and  to  make  it  his  own,  Isa.  xii.  1.  "  And 
 in  that  day  thou  shalt  say."  By  looking  at  the  con- 
 text, the  time  here  mentioned  appears  to  be  the  day 
 
352 
 
 of  the  Lord's  power,  when  the  Spirit  of  life  enters 
 into  the  sinner,  and  he  is  quickened  from  a  death  in 
 trespasses  and  sins.  A  happy,  eternally  happy  day  ! 
 The  same  Spirit  will  be  his  comforter,  will  bring 
 him  to  the  knowledge  of  his  salvation,  through  faith 
 in  the  gloriously  complete  work  of  Emmanuel,  by 
 which  he  shall  find  himself  freed  from  guilt  and  fear, 
 and  in  Jesus  made  a  partaker  of  grace  and  glory. 
 Then  the  joy  of  the  Holy  Ghost  is  felt  in  his  soul, 
 and  his  heart  is  in  tune  to  bless  the  Lord  his  God 
 — "  O  Lord,  I  will  praise  thee :  though  thou  wast 
 angry  with  me,  thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and  thou 
 comfortest  me.  Behold,  God  is  my  salvation;  I 
 will  trust,  and  not  be  afraid ;  for  the  Lord  Jehovah 
 is  my  strength  and  my  song ;  he  also  has  become  my 
 salvation ;  therefore  with  joy  shall  ye  draw  water  out 
 of  the  wells  of  salvation."  These  wells  are  the 
 fountains  of  grace,  from  which  the  heavenly  travellers 
 draw  their  holy  comforts,  and  with  which,  refreshed, 
 they  go  on  from  strength  to  strength,  praising  Jeho- 
 vah, and  ascribing  to  him  all  the  glory  of  their  sal- 
 vation. He  was  angry  with  them,  and  justly.  The 
 fire  of  his  wrath  might  have  burned  to  the  lowest 
 hell;  and  his  law,  his  justice,  his  holiness,  and  his 
 truth,  would  have  been  glorified  for  ever  in  their  de- 
 struction. But  admired  be  his  mercy,  adored  be  his 
 sovereign  grace,  he  himself  found  out  a  way  to  mag- 
 nify every  divine  attribute  in  their  salvation.  This 
 was  the  wonderful  contrivance  of  the  Three  in  cove- 
 nant. The  Father  accepted  his  co-equal  Son  in 
 the  place  of  his  people,  and  his  obedience  unto  death 
 in  their  stead :  he  is  now  perfectly  reconciled  to  them 
 in  Jesus :  his  anger  is  turned  away  from  them.    And 
 
853 
 
 when  it  is  given  unto  them  to  know  it,  and  they 
 receive  the  comfort  of  it ;  when  they  have  joy  and 
 peace  in  believing,  O  what  a  day  of  light  and  glory 
 then  breaks  in  upon  their  souls — a  day  sometimes 
 clouded  with  the  rising  mists  and  vapours  of  the 
 body  of  sin,  but  often  so  bright  and  serene,  that  the 
 warm  beams  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  shine  di- 
 rectly into  their  hearts  !  These  are  times  of  great 
 refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  The 
 communications  of  his  love  are  then  felt  with  pure 
 delight;  and  the  soul  is  made  sensible,  that  it  is  in 
 Jesus  a  happy  partaker  of  the  fulness  of  joy.  The 
 man  cannot  contain  his  mighty  bliss ;  and  breaks  out 
 aloud  into  thanks,  and  calls  upon  the  by-standers  to 
 admire  the  marvellous  goodness  of  God,  "  Behold," 
 see  here  a  miracle  of  grace — "  God  is  my  salvation" 
 — wonder  with  me  at  the  exceeding  riches  of  this  love. 
 Why  me?  What  am  I,  that  the  Most  High  God 
 should  be  my  Saviour  ?  I  am  sure  he  never  set  his 
 love  upon  one  more  unworthy,  nor  plucked  any  brand 
 out  of  the  burning  that  was  fitter' fuel  for  hell-fire. 
 O  help  me,  then,  angels  and  men,  to  praise  and 
 adore  that  infinite  mercy,  which  contrived,  wrought 
 out,  and  has  now  applied  to  me,  this  salvation  with 
 all  its  blessings.  My  debt  increases ;  and  I  want  to 
 praise  him  more :  for  in  that  unspeakable  gift  of  his 
 Son  he  gave  me  all  things,  and  he  has  now  given  me 
 faith,  and  has  put  me  into  possession.  I  have  his 
 word  for  it,  and  I  believe  it — a  word  of  infallible 
 truth,  confirmed  by  promise,  ratified  by  the  covenant 
 oath  of  the  blessed  Trinity.  These  engagements 
 cannot  be  broken,  therefore  "  I  will  trust,  and  not 
 be  afraid.'*      On  the  part  of  the  Divine  covenanters 
 
354^ 
 
 all  is  sure.  They  have  given  me  the  fullest  security 
 that  can  be,  and  I  may  take  the  comfort  of  it.  They 
 will  never  leave  me  nor  forsake  me,  and  my  faith 
 shall  not  fail.  Blessed  promise  !  I  shall  be  kept 
 by  the  power  of  God,  through  faith,  unto  salvation. 
 Glory  be  to  "  the  Lord  Jehovah,  who  is  my  strength'* 
 — his  almighty  arm  holds  me  up,  and  therefore  he 
 is  my  song — the  same  arm  will  carry  me  safe  to  the 
 end,  therefore  my  heart  rejoiceth  in  him,  and  with 
 my  song  will  I  praise  him.  I  will  make  my  boast 
 of  his  strength :  all  the  day  long  will  I  be  telling  of 
 his  salvation.  How  can  I  mention  too  often  these 
 infinite  mercies  of  my  God  !  I  love  to  dwell  on  the 
 delightful  theme.  It  warms  my  heart,  it  inflames 
 my  affections,  and  raises  my  soul  to  heaven.  My 
 joys  are  all  in  this  one — "  He  also  has  become  my 
 salvation."  He  is  my  present  salvation ;  for  he  has 
 opened  the  fountain,  and  has  opened  my  heart  to 
 receive  the  life-giving  streams.  How  can  I  but 
 bless  and  adore  his  holy  name,  while  I  am  "  with 
 joy  drawing  water  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation  !" 
 
 O  ye  blessed  of  the  Lord,  who  have  received  the 
 same  salvation  out  of  the  infinite  fountain  of  divine 
 grace,  assist  me  to  praise.  Your  rejoicing  with  me 
 will  increase  my  joys,  and  improve  my  thankfulness. 
 So  it  follows  in  the  prophet — "  In  that  day  shall  ye 
 say" — ye;  not  one  only,  as  before;  but  the  many 
 partakers  of  the  same  mercies  will  sing  in  chorus. 
 They  will  join  in  social  worship,  and  with  one  heart 
 unite  in  the  common  tribute  of  praise.  "  Praise  ye 
 the  Lord,  call  upon  his  name,  declare  his  doings 
 among  the  people,  make  mention  that  his  name  is 
 exalted.      Sing  unto  the  Lord ;  for  he  hath  done  ex- 
 
855 
 
 cellent  things :  this  is  known  in  all  the  earth.  Cry 
 out  and  shout,  thou  inhabitant  of  Sion ;  for  great  is 
 the  Holy  One  of  Israel  in  the  midst  of  thee."  Great 
 is  he  indeed ;  infinitely,  everlastingly  great  in  him- 
 self— and  to  be  admired  for  his  excellent  greatness 
 in  saving  sinners.  This  is  his  greatest  work,  and  it 
 demands  of  them  their  highest  praise ;  and  they  are 
 glad  to  give  it  him.  Happy  are  they  now,  when 
 humble  and  poor  in  spirit  they  can  exalt  their  Savi- 
 our God :  but  who  can  tell  how  happy  they  shall  be 
 when  he  shall  exalt  them,  and  make  them  partakers 
 of  his  own  happiness?  Eternal  salvation  will  de- 
 mand the  tribute  of  their  eternal  praise;  and  they 
 will  be  most  blessedly  employed  in  paying  it,  when 
 they  shall  return  to  Sion  with  songs,  and  everlasting 
 joy  shall  be  upon  their  heads.  Crowned  heads  may 
 well  sing ;  for  their  coronation-day  will  last  for  ever, 
 and  the  King  of  kings  will  put  such  honour  upon 
 his  royal  friends,  that  all  heaven  will  ring  with  his 
 praises.  They  will,  with  one  heart  and  one  voice, 
 adore  God  the  Lamb ;  whose  gracious  hand  wiped 
 away  all  tears  from  their  eyes,  and  made  sorrow  and 
 sighing  flee  away  for  ever;  and  who  gave  them  his 
 joy  and  gladness,  such  as  are  even  in  heaven  inex- 
 pressible, and  will  be  to  eternity  full  of  glory. 
 
 O  my  God,  accept  of  my  poor  mite.  I  desire  to 
 join  all  the  redeemed  on  earth  and  in  heaven,  in 
 blessing  and  praising  thee  at  all  times.  I  would  give 
 thee  praise  continually  with  my  heart  and  with  my 
 mouth.  I  would  rejoice  in  thee,  and  in  nothing  but 
 thee :  for  thou  art  my  God,  my  supreme  good,  and 
 mine  everlasting  portion.  Let  me  then,  for  thy 
 mercy's  sake,  glory  in  praising  thee  henceforth  and 
 
356 
 
 for  ever.  I  ascribe  it  now  to  thee  with  a  glad  heart, 
 rejoicing  in  hope,  that  my  praise  will  be  better  ere 
 long,  and  never-ceasing.  Thou  art  worthy  of  all 
 that  angels  and  men  can  pay.  To  thee,  holy  Fa- 
 ther, with  the  Son  and  Spirit,  the  Three  in  one 
 Jehovah,  be  equal  and  endless  praise.  To  this  I 
 give  my  hearty  Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 
 The  believer  voallcs  humbly  luith  Gody  bearing  his  Cross, 
 
 The  happy  believer  is  now  advanced  a  great  way 
 in  his  journey.  He  has  been  brought  to  the  saving 
 knowledge  of  God — has  received  faith  in  his  recon- 
 ciled God  in  Jesus — has  been  taught  by  the  Spirit 
 to  love  his  God — and  has  found  the  blessedness  of 
 holy  communion  with  him  in  the  way  of  obedience 
 and  duty,  which  makes  him  go  on  rejoicing:  then  it 
 is  become  fit  and  proper  that  his  faith  and  love  should 
 be  tried.  He  must  expect  it.  It  is  to  the  honour 
 of  God,  to  the  good  of  others,  and  to  the  establish- 
 ing of  those  graces,  that  proof  should  be  made  of 
 them,  and  that  they  should  be  put,  like  gold,  into 
 the  furnace.  This  is  only  a  refiner's  fire.  If  the 
 furnace  be  very  hot,  one  seven  times  more  than  it 
 was  wont  to  be  heated,  the  gold  will  lose  nothing. 
 Sterling  grace  is  purer  and  brighter  for  every  fiery 
 trial.  Its  enemies,  who  blow  the  flame,  have  no 
 intention  to  refine  it,  and  sometimes  the  believer 
 himself  cannot  see  how  the  means  will  answer  the 
 
357 
 
 end ;  but  God  overrules  every  trial  for  his  glory  and 
 the  believer's  good,  and  makes  it  more  precious  than 
 that  of  gold  which  perisheth.  Troubles,  opposition 
 from  within  and  from  without,  all  the  difficulties  he 
 can  meet  with,  only  serve  to  purge  out  his  dross 
 and  to  render  him  more  fit  for  his  heavenly  walk. 
 Herein  the  grace  of  God  is  most  marvellous.  Such 
 a  power  as  brought  light  out  of  darkness,  is  con- 
 tinually directing  and  sanctifying  the  crosses  of  the 
 believer,  so  that  not  one  of  them  can  stop  him ;  nay, 
 the  greatest  of  them  help  him  forward  in  his  journey, 
 and  bring  him  not  only  more  safely,  but  also  more 
 happily  to  the  end  of  it.  Adored  for  ever  be  the 
 Father's  love,  which  makes  all  things  work  together 
 for  his  children's  good  ! 
 
 When  man  was  ui  paradise,  there  was  nothing  in 
 him  but  what  was  conformed  to  the  image  of  God. 
 His  will  was  one  with  the  will  of  God.  In  this 
 state  there  was  no  cross.  Harmony  ruled  in  the 
 innocent  breast;  and  God  looked  on  his  favourite 
 man  with  delight.  They  were  perfectly  agreed, 
 and  they  walked  together  in  holy  and  happy  friend- 
 ship. But  when  man  fell,  then  sin  brought  in  sor- 
 row, in  the  ten  thousand  miseries  which  the  body 
 suffers,  and  in  the  entire  corruption  of  the  faculties 
 of  the  soul,  particularly  the  will,  now  at  enmity  with 
 the  will  of  God.  Hence  our  crosses.  Sin  is  their 
 fruitful  parent :  and  when  we  are  in  a  body  of  sin 
 and  death,  we  cannot  be  exempt  from  suffering;  for 
 man  is  born  to  trouble  as  naturally  as  the  sparks  fly 
 upwards :  but  the  unregenerate  man  does  not  feel 
 the  cause  of  this.  He  has  no  spiritual  senses.  He 
 is  dead  to  God.      He  does  not  know  why  he  suffers. 
 
358 
 
 and  he  is  not  sensible  of  what  he  deserves  to  suffer ; 
 therefore  he  goes  on  merrily,  laughing  and  singing 
 under  a  load  of  guilt,  enough  to  ruin  a  thousand 
 worlds.  But  when  the  Spirit  of  life  enters  into  him, 
 and  he  is  made  to  see  his  state,  to  feel  his  guilt,  and 
 to  fear  his  danger,  then  he  begins  to  groan  under 
 the  cross.  Every  day  he  discovers  how  totally  he 
 was  fallen,  and  departed  in  heart  from  the  living 
 God.  He  now  tastes  the  bitterness  of  sin,  and 
 finds  the  deadly  fruits  of  it.  Although  there  be  a 
 remedy  provided  to  bring  the  wanderers  home,  and 
 he  is  made  acquainted  with  it,  yet  he  is  without 
 strength  to  apply  to  it.  He  cannot  by  believing  take 
 the  comfort  of  it.  When  it  is  given  him  to  believe, 
 he  still  has  sin  and  suffering  to  exercise  his  faith. 
 Against  his  corruptions  and  temptations  he  must  be 
 continually  fighting  the  good  fight  of  faith.  From 
 this  warfare  he  can  have  no  discharge  but  by  death. 
 He  must  take  to  himself  the  whole  armour  of  God, 
 and  be  under  arms  night  and  day,  or  he  will  never 
 be  able  to  resist  the  assaults  of  evil  spirits,  or  to 
 overcome  the  opposition  of  evil  men.  This  is  the 
 heritage  of  all  the  servants  of  the  Lord.  All  that 
 will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecu- 
 tion. If  they  be  on  the  Lord's  side,  all  his  ene- 
 mies will  certainly  be  theirs ;  so  that  if  they  enter 
 into  his  kingdom,  it  must  be  through  much  tribula- 
 tion. The  King  himself  went  this  way  to  the  crown, 
 bearing  his  cross ;  and  he  has  assured  us  there  is  no 
 other  way — "  Whosoever  doth  not  bear  his  cross, 
 and  come  after  me,  cannot  be  my  disciple" — he  must 
 deny  himself  what  by  nature  he  loves,  and  must 
 love  what  by  nature  he  hates :  unless  he  live  in  this 
 
359 
 
 state  of  self-denial,  which  is  to  be  his  daily  cross,  he 
 cannot  live  in  communion  with  me,  as  one  of  my 
 disciples.  If  he  be  one  of  the  highest  of  them,  yet 
 he  must  carry  his  cross :  for  he  has  still  a  fallen 
 nature,  and  its  senses  and  appetites  are  always  lust- 
 ing against  the  will  of  God ;  and  it  is  like  plucking 
 out  a  right  eye,  to  deny  them  their  gratifications, 
 and  to  refuse  them  their  much-coveted  pleasures. 
 He  is  in  a  body  of  sin  and  death,  and  must  carry 
 his  cross  to  his  grave,  being  liable  to  all  the  suffer- 
 ings which  mortality  is  heir  to,  and  all  the  way 
 mortified  under  them,  because  he  cannot  bear  them 
 without  faith,  nor  hold  out  without  patience — and 
 these  graces  are  not  of  himself,  but  are  the  gift  of 
 God.  He  is  also  forced  to  carry  another  cross  all 
 his  days,  even  the  corruption  of  his  nature,  depraved 
 in  every  faculty,  and  always  inclined  to  evil.  This 
 is  the  burden  and  grief  of  the  children  of  God,  under 
 which  they  all  groan :  and  a  sore  and  heavy  burden 
 it  is,  heavier  for  being  continual,  and  for  its  always 
 working  against  the  grace  and  glory  of  the  Lord 
 Christ :  for  this  infection  of  nature  doth  remain,  yea, 
 in  them  that  are  regenerated,  and  appears  in  nothing 
 more,  than  in  their  adulterous  love  to  their  own 
 righteousness,  of  which  they  are  so  dotingly  fond, 
 that  after  the  Holy  Spirit  has  divorced  them  from  it, 
 and  their  Maker  has  become  their  husband,  even  the 
 Lord  their  righteousness,  yet  still  an  unlawful 
 attachment  to  their  own  righteousness  remains,  and 
 is  the  cause  of  the  greatest  crosses,  and  of  the 
 heaviest  trials  they  meet  with  in  their  way  to  heaven. 
 Hence  the  cross  becomes  necessary  for  the  whole 
 nature  of  fallen  man,  for  body  and  soul.      The  sen- 
 
360 
 
 sual  appetites  are  continually  seeking  their  gratifica- 
 tion in  unlawful  things,  and  the  spiritual  faculties 
 are  full  of  blind  pride,  and  self-righteousness,  and 
 know  no  way  to  the  divine  favour,  but  by  their  own 
 works  and  goodness.  The  cross  is  indispensably 
 needful  to  mortify  the  flesh,  with  its  affections  and 
 lusts,  and  to  crucify  the  vanity  of  the  mind,  that 
 when  it  would  glory,  it  may  have  nothing  left  to 
 glory  in  but  the  Lord.  In  this  light  let  us  con- 
 sider the  infinite  love,  which  appointed  the  outward 
 cross  for  the  outward  man,  and  the  inward  cross  for 
 the  inward  man;  and  let  us  see  how,  by  each  of 
 them,  communion  with  God  is  preserved,  and  the 
 believer  is  helped  forward  in  his  blessed  journey. 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 
 The  believer,  exercised  with  the  outward  Cross,  carries  it 
 with  patience,  and  finds  it  a  great  help  to  him  in  his 
 walk  heavenwards. 
 
 We  call  that  a  cross  which  opposes  our  will. 
 This  opposition  renders  it  painful  and  grievous.  A 
 very  little  matter,  the  least  trifle,  becomes  a  great 
 cross,  when  our  will  is  set  much  against  it.  How 
 then  can  the  believer  rejoice  with  a  heavy  cross  upon 
 his  back  ?  or  how  can  he  rejoice  all  his  days,  if  he 
 must  carry  it  to  his  grave?  The  blessed  gospel 
 discovers  how  this  may  be,  and  the  blessed  Spirit 
 gives  the  experience  of  it :  for  he  continues  to  teach 
 the  doctrines  of  grace,  and  under  the  cross  he  en- 
 
361 
 
 forces  them.  What  has  been  treated  of  in  the  for- 
 mer chapters,  he  now  applies  with  life  and  power. 
 The  doctrines  are  put  to  the  trial,  and  it  appears 
 that  they  are  of  God;  for  none  could  produce  the 
 effects  which  follow  upon  believing  them,  but  an 
 almighty  arm.  Faith  is  tried  in  the  fire,  and  the 
 believer  is  convinced  it  is  the  faith  of  God's  elect ; 
 for  the  promise  is  made  good — "  When  thou  walk- 
 est  through  the  very  fire  thou  shalt  not  be  burned, 
 neither  shall  the  flame  kindle  upon  thee."  His  love 
 to  his  reconciled  God  is  put  into  the  fiery  furnace, 
 and  it  comes  out,  like  the  three  children,  sensible 
 their  God  had  been  with  them  in  the  furnace,  and 
 their  God  had  brought  them  out :  for  which  marvel- 
 lous instances  of  his  love  to  them,  their  love  was  in- 
 creased to  him.  This  is  God's  way.  He  gives 
 grace,  and  then  tries  it.  When  he  has  enabled  the 
 sinner,  by  believing,  to  find  peace  and  love,  then 
 he  would  improve  those  graces  by  daily  exercise ;  and 
 if  the  exercise  of  them  be  very  sharp  and  afflicting, 
 it  is  only  to  establish  the  truth  of  his  heart,  and  to 
 confirm  the  affection  of  his  soul  more  perfectly  in  his 
 God.  His  God.  Mind  that.  His  God  still. 
 The  cross  is  not  sent  to  weaken  that  relation.  He 
 is  the  same  tender  Father  to  his  children,  when  he 
 puts  it  upon  them,  as  when  he  takes  it  off;  and  he 
 would  have  them  by  faith  to  experience  it.  While 
 they  depend  on  his  being  perfectly  reconciled  to  them 
 through  the  obedience  and  sacrifice  of  Emmanuel, 
 they  will  see  the  same  paternal  affection  invariably 
 set  upon  them,  and  always  disposed  to  do  them 
 good.  His  love  changeth  not.  The  happy  objects 
 of  it  have  given  this  glorious  testimony,  even  when 
 Q  4 
 
S62 
 
 under  his  cross — "  We  know  that  all  things  work 
 together  for  good  " — they  found  it  so.  Whatever 
 he  sent  to  them  came  with  a  message  of  his  love. 
 *'  Hear  ye  the  rod,  and  him  that  sent  it."  They 
 hear  what  he  says  by  it,  for  it  speaks  of  the  Father's 
 love,  and  the  belief  of  this  quiets  their  minds  under 
 the  stroke  of  this  rod.  Thus  it  answers  his  purpose 
 — '  This  cometh  not  forth  of  the  dust,  but  is  ap- 
 pointed for  me ;  my  Father  sent  it,  not  in  anger  for 
 the  punishment  of  my  sins,  but  in  the  tenderness  of 
 his  affection — He  is  not  dealing  with  me  as  the  su- 
 preme Disposer  of  all  events,  who  may  afflict,  and 
 justly,  his  rebel  creatures  according  to  his  sovereign 
 will;  but  he  has  sent  me  this  affliction  with  a  mes- 
 sage of"  grace  and  peace — I  know  it  is  well  ordered 
 — I  kiss  the  rod,  and  I  bless  him  that  sent  it.' 
 
 The  apostle  Paul  uses  this  argument  to  the  suf- 
 fering Hebrews.  They  had  endured  a  long  and 
 great  fight  of  afflictions.  They  had  need  of  pa- 
 tience. He  therefore  gives  them,  in  the  eleventh 
 chapter,  a  short  history  of  the  Lord's  favourites,  and 
 shows  that  they  all  carried  his  cross,  and  that  he  sup- 
 ported them  all  under  it;  yea,  gave  them  strength 
 to  run  their  race,  till  every  one  of  them  won  the 
 prize.  Then  he  requires  them  to  look  to  Jesus,  the 
 greatest  sufferer,  out  of  whose  fulness  they  might  re- 
 ceive faith  to  run,  and  patience  happily  to  finish  the 
 same  race.  And,  lest  they  should  be  weary  through 
 suffering  ^ong,  or  faint  in  their  minds  under  hard 
 suffering,  he  reminds  them  of  the  character  of  their 
 heavenly  Father,  who,  out  of  the  tenderest  love,  ap- 
 pointed their  crosses : — "  Have  ye  forgotten  the  ex- 
 hortation," says  the  apostle,  "  in  which  your  Father 
 
363 
 
 speaketh  unto  you  as  unto  children  ?  My  son,  de- 
 spise not  thou  the  chastening  of  the  Lord,  nor  faint 
 when  thou  art  rebuked  of  him :  for  whom  the  Lord 
 loveth  he  chasteneth,  and  scourgeth  every  son  whom 
 he  receiveth.  If  ye  endure  chastening,  God  deal- 
 eth  with  you  as  with  sons :  for  what  son  is  he  whom 
 the  father  chasteneth  not?  But  if  ye  be  without 
 chastisement,  whereof  all  are  partakers,  then  are 
 ye  bastards  and  not  sons."  O  what  a  blessed  ex- 
 hortation !  How  full  of  love — the  love  of  God  the 
 Father — love  to  his  child,  who  wants  correction — 
 love  that  would  not  touch  him  with  the  rod,  till  he 
 had  most  tenderly  informed  him  of  his  gracious  pur- 
 pose I  '  My  SON,  my  beloved,  this  chastening  is  from 
 thy  Father.  It  was  determined  for  thee  by  cove- 
 nant-love, and  settled  upon  thee  for  thy  portion  in 
 the  great  charter  of  heaven.  All  thy  crosses  were 
 then  mercifully  appointed — their  weight  and  mea- 
 sure— how  long — how  great — how  many — what 
 strength  was  needful  to  bear  them — what  comforts 
 under  them — and  what  holy  fruits  should  be  pro- 
 duced by  them, — all  was  fixed  by  love,  is  now  given 
 in  love,  and  is  to  bring  thee  to  greater  enjoyment  of 
 my  love*  My  dear  child,  despise  not  then  my 
 chastening,  nor  faint  when  I  rebuke  thee.  Be  as- 
 sured it  is  for  thy  good.  There  is  a  needs  must. 
 It  is  so  necessary,  that  I  cannot  love  thee  without 
 chastening  thee,  nor  receive  thee  among  mine  adopted 
 without  scourging  thee.  See  then  how  thou  takest 
 my  correction.  Look  at  thy  temper  and  behaviour 
 under  it.  Examine.  Art  thou  patient  ?  Not 
 suffering  merely,  but  suffering  quietly,  is  the  proof 
 of  thine  adoption.  If  ye  endure  chastening — if, 
 82 
 
364 
 
 when  I  afflict,  thou  canst  possess  thy  soul  in  patience 
 under  mine  afflicting  hand,  then  I  deal  with  thee  as 
 with  sons— I  give  thee  thy  portion  of  suiBPering,  and 
 I  give  thee  thy  portion  of  grace  to  bear  it.  All  ray 
 children  want  correcting,  and  they  all  have  it:  for 
 what  son  is  he  whom  the  father  chasteneth  not? 
 They  are  all  sufferers.  Mine  only-begotten  was 
 the  greatest.  None  of  you  can  suffer  as  he  did; 
 but  whoever  is  following  him  must  share  with  him  in 
 his  cross,  and  bear  it  after  him.  If  any  be  without 
 my  chastisement,  whereof  all  mine  are  partakers: 
 if  any  cannot  bear  it ;  have  not  faith  to  receive  my 
 loving  correction,  and  therefore  no  patience  to  wait 
 the  blessed  issue  of  it — such  do  not  belong  to  my 
 family ;  they  are  none  of  mine :  they  are  bastards, 
 and  not  sons.' 
 
 How  should  the  argument  in  this  scripture  re- 
 concile the  believer  to  suffering  !  How  easy,  yea, 
 how  happy  should  it  make  him  under  the  cross  ! 
 He  suffers,  but  it  is  from  his  Father,  who,  in  most 
 perfect  love  and  infinite  wisdom,  appointed  the  cross, 
 and  appointed  also  the  precious  fruits  which  it 
 should  produce.  O  my  soul,  keep  this  in  mind. 
 Remember  whose  cross  thou  art  carrying.  Thy 
 Father  contrived  it.  He  sent  and  continues  it,  that 
 it  may  work  under  him  for  the  best.  It  is  the 
 chastening  of  his  richest  love.  Receive  it  then  pa- 
 tiently, thankfully  at  his  hands,  and  thou  wilt  find 
 it  full  of  blessings.  But  take  heed  how  thou  con- 
 sultest  sense,  or  carnal  reason.  These  are  always 
 enemies  to  the  cross :  for  they  judge  of  it  only  by 
 feeling,  and  always  refuse  to  believe  what  God  says 
 concerning  it.       Adhere   to  the  truth ;   and  reject 
 
365 
 
 every  suggestion  which  would  insinuate  to  thee,  that 
 there  is  any  thing  but  love  in  the  chastening  of  the 
 Lord.  He  is  thy  Father.  He  never  loves  thee 
 more  than  when  he  chastens  thee.  There  is  no 
 hatred  in  his  heart,  no  vengeance  in  his  hand.  He 
 assures  thee  of  this  from  the  infallible  word  of  his 
 mouth.  Here  may  thy  faith  be  settled ;  believe  him, 
 he  is  doing  thee  good — he  is  promoting  thy  best  in- 
 terest. Cast  not  away  this  confidence,  and  then  the 
 cross  will  be  the  means  of  bringing  thee  to  the  nearest 
 and  holiest  communion  which  thou  canst  have  with 
 thy  Father  on  this  side  of  heaven. 
 
 In  this  amiable  light  look  upon  thy  Father  and 
 thy  Friend.  Never  forget  it,  O  my  soul,  but  keep 
 it  in  the  faith  of  thy  heart,  especially  when  he  chas- 
 teneth  thee.  Then  expect  from  his  love  patience 
 under  his  stroke,  and  after  it  the  peaceable  fruits  of 
 righteousness.  These  will  grow  abundantly  upon 
 the  cross.  They  grow  nowhere  else  so  rich  and 
 ripe.  Survey  the  promises  which  he  has  made  to 
 his  suffering  children,  and  wait  in  faith  for  a  joyful 
 harvest.  In  due  season  thou  shalt  reap,  if  thou 
 faint  not.  And  the  cross  is  intended  to  keep  thee 
 from  fainting ;  because  thy  Father  sends  it  for  the 
 increase  and  for  the  strengthening  of  thy  faith. 
 Read  and  study  what  he  says  to  thee  upon  this 
 point.  Learn  and  inwardly  digest  it.  In  time  of 
 trouble  thou  wilt  find  great  comfort  from  depending 
 upon  the  promise  of  the  Father  to  give  thee  a  happy 
 issue.  Meditate  then  upon  the  Scriptures,  in  which 
 he  has  declared  his  gracious  purposes  in  afflicting  his 
 children,  namely, 
 
 First,  It  is  for  the  trial  of  faith.      God  gives  it 
 
366 
 
 and  then  tries  it;  that  it  may  appear  to  be  his  grace, 
 that  men  may  see  it,  and  honour  him  for  it,  and  that 
 it  may  grow  by  use,  which  is  as  necessary  to  spiritual, 
 as  exercise  is  to  bodily  growth.  Trial  shows  the 
 truth,  and  brings  forth  the  power  of  grace,  and  is 
 thereby  a  matter  of  great  joy ;  as  the  apostle  James 
 testifies,  writing  to  the  twelve  tribes  in  their  disper- 
 sion and  affliction :  "  My  brethren,  count  it  all  joy 
 when  ye  fall  into  divers  temptations;  knowing  this, 
 that  the  trying  of  your  faith  worketh  patience.  But 
 let  patience  have  its  perfect  work,  that  ye  may  be  per- 
 fect and  entire,  wanting  nothing."  God  be  thanked 
 for  this  word  of  strong  consolation  !  What  a  pre- 
 cious scripture  is  it  !  How  full  of  encouragement  to 
 the  believer  to  look  with  delight  at  temptations  \^ 
 not  temptations  to  sin,  but  trials  sent  from  God  to 
 keep  from  sin.  When  he  falls  into  them  by  provi- 
 dence, and  meets  them  in  the  way  of  duty,  then  he 
 should  judge  of  them,  not  from  sense,  which  can  feel 
 nothing  but  sorrow  in  afflictions;  but  he  should  take 
 account  of  them  from  the  declared  purpose  of  God 
 in  sending  them,  and  he  should  wait  in  faith  for  the 
 blessings  which  they  are  to  produce.  God  says, 
 that  they  are  matter  of  joy,  of  all  joy,  of  all  true  spi- 
 ritual joy — they  are  not  only  such  in  his  account, 
 but  he  also  makes  them  such  to  the  believer.  Ac- 
 cordingly we  read  in  Scripture  of  many  who  did  re- 
 joice in  trials.  The  Hebrews  did;  for  they  took 
 joyfully  the  spoiling  of  their  goods.  Paul  did  :  "  I 
 am  comforted,"  says  he,  "  I  am  exceedingly  joyful 
 in  all  our  tribulation."  Nay,  he  went  farther — 
 "  We  glory  in  tribulation."  He  leaped  for  joy  with 
 the  cross  upon  his  back.    He  boasted  and  triumphed 
 
367 
 
 under  it.  What  the  world  accounted  his  worst,  he 
 made  his  very  crown  of  rejoicing:  for  he  knew  and 
 found  that  the  trial  of  faith  worketh  patience :  faith 
 receives  the  cross  from  the  Father's  love,  and  learns 
 to  bear  it  after  Jesus  :  by  the  grace  of  the  Spirit,  the 
 bearing  of  it,  as  it  exercises,  so  it  improves  patience. 
 The  believer  becomes  more  acquainted  with  it.  Use, 
 we  say,  makes  perfect.  He  learns  where  the  strength 
 to  bear  is — from  whence  his  comforts  are  to  flow — 
 and  from  whose  hand  the  blessed  issue  is  to  be  re- 
 ceived. He  waits,  therefore,  with  sweet  submission 
 to  his  Father's  will,  that  patience  may  have  its  per- 
 fect work,  that  by  trials  it  may  be  exercised,  by 
 sharper  trials  it  may  be  improved,  and  by  daily  trials 
 it  may  appear  to  be  the  genuine  grace  of  the  Spirit, 
 perfect  and  entire,  lacking  nothing.  This  the  be- 
 liever aims  at.  He  would  have  every  thing  that  be- 
 longs to  true  patience,  and  growth  in  it ;  he  would 
 have  it  refined  by  every  fiery  trial,  and  made  purer 
 and  brighter,  that  it  may  hold  out  till  it  has  done 
 its  perfect  work.  The  apostle  Peter  gives  the  same 
 encouragement  to  the  same  afflicted  Hebrews :  he 
 exhorts  them  to  faith  and  patience  under  their  suf- 
 ferings, in  these  words :  "  Ye  are  kept  by  the  power 
 of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation,  ready  to  be 
 revealed  in  the  last  time  :  wherein  ye  greatly  rejoice, 
 though  now  for  a  season  (if  need  be)  ye  are  in  heavi- 
 ness through  manifold  temptations ;  and  the  trial  of 
 your  faith,  being  much  more  precious  than  of  gold 
 that  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried  with  fire,  might  be 
 found  unto  praise,  and  honour,  and  glory,  at  the  ap- 
 pearing of  Jesus  Christ."  What  treasures  of  love 
 are  laid  open  in  this  scripture  !      Read,  O  my  soul, 
 
368 
 
 and  adore  the  exceeding  riches  of  thy  Father's  grace. 
 He  knew  how  needful  afflictions  were,  both  for  the 
 flesh  and  for  the  spirit ;  and  therefore  he  appointed 
 thee  thy  portion,  and  he  has  in  mercy  informed  thee 
 of  his  design  in  them.  He  has  revealed  his  will  for 
 the  ground  of  thy  faith,  that  when  he  sends  them, 
 thou  raightest  experience  the  blessings  promised  to 
 his  suflPering  children.  The  belief  of  his  love,  in 
 contriving  and  in  proportioning  them  to  the  ability 
 given  thee  to  bear  them,  would  administer  matter  of 
 joy  in  sorrow,  and  by  trusting  to  his  faithfulness  thou 
 wouldst  greatly  rejoice :  thy  joy  would  so  far  exceed 
 thy  sorrow.  The  heaviness  is  but  for  a  season — the 
 joy  for  ever.  The  heaviness  only  during  the  trial  of 
 faith — the  joy  increased  by  that  very  trial.  The 
 trial  was  only  to  prove  the  truth  of  faith,  and  to 
 evidence  the  power  of  it — not  to  weaken,  but  to 
 strengthen  it — not  to  destroy,  but  to  refine  it.  The 
 refiner  does  not  intend  to  lose  one  atom  of  his  gold, 
 but  puts  it  into  the  fire  to  purge  away  the  dross.  So 
 does  God.  "  When  he  hath  tried  me,"  says  Job, 
 "  I  shall  come  forth  as  gold."  He  was  tried  in  the 
 fire,  and  his  faith  was  found  unto  praise,  and  honour, 
 and  glory.  Therefore  he  is  set  forth  for  an  example 
 of  suffering  affliction  and  of  patience.  Behold,  we 
 account  them  happy,  not  who  suffer,  but  who  endure 
 suffering.  Ye  have  heard  of  the  patience  of  Job, 
 and  have  seen  the  end  of  the  Lord — that  the  Lord 
 abounds  in  compassion,  and  is  of  tender  mercy.  O 
 my  soul,  wait  upon  the  same  Lord,  and  he  will  bring 
 all  thy  trials  to  the  same  blessed  end.  He  has  the 
 same  pity  and  mercy  to  thee  as  he  had  to  Job.  Thou 
 bast  the  same  reason  to  believe  it  as  he  had.      Thy 
 
369 
 
 faith  is  tried  in  the  fire  as  he  was,  that  it  may  come 
 out  of  it  like  gold.  The  trial  was  appointed  in  per- 
 fect love,  and  is  to  produce  the  greatest  blessings  of 
 love.  Thy  God  has  most  gracious  designs  towards 
 thee  in  putting  thee  into  the  fire.  It  is  to  try  thy 
 faith,  whether  thou  canst  trust  him  there.  It  is  to 
 improve  thy  faith  by  the  trial,  that  thou  mayest  trust 
 him  more.  If  thou  hast  trusting  faith,  it  is  to  teach 
 thee  patient  faith.  It  is  a  hard  lesson,  to  learn  to 
 trust  against  sense  and  carnal  reason,  and  to  say, 
 *  This  cross  is  good  for  me ;  I  desire  to  submit,  and 
 to  take  it  patiently  at  the  hand  of  God.'  O  it  is  very 
 hard  to  believe  that  there  is  nothing  but  love  in  every 
 suffering ;  and  it  is  harder  to  find  it  so  while  suffer- 
 ing. And  yet  the  Spirit  of  God  declares  there  is 
 nothing  but  love  in  it,  and  by  believing  thou  wilt  cer- 
 tainly find  it.  May  every  trial  of  thy  faith  establish 
 it,  and  thereby  bring  forth. 
 
 Secondly,  The  blessed  fruit  of  patience.  The 
 cross  does  good  to  faith;  because  by  it  God  teaches 
 his  children  to  bear  up,  and  to  hold  out,  trusting  to 
 his  promises,  and  waiting  in  hope  for  his  fulfilling 
 them:  and  thus  it  exercises  patience,  which  is  a 
 grace  of  the  Spirit,  learned  only  in  the  school  of 
 Christ;  and  therefore  the  giver  of  it,  among  his 
 other  high  titles,  is  called  the  God  of  patience.  He 
 first  enables  his  afflicted  children  to  believe  what  he 
 has  said  of  his  love  in  afflicting  them,  and  then  to 
 wait  for  the  experience  of  his  love  under  their  afflic- 
 tions. This  waiting  quietly,  without  giving  way  to 
 sense  or  unbelief,  is  patience.  Faith  is  tried,  and 
 stands  the  trial.  Tribulation  comes,  faith  is  exer- 
 cised with  it,  but  holds  fast  its  confidence  in  the  word 
 23 
 
370 
 
 of  God,  and  thereby  has  full  proof  of  the  faithfulness 
 of  God.  This  worketh  patience,  a  quiet  submission 
 to  the  divine  will,  and  a  holy  subjection  to  the  divine 
 rod.  The  flesh  murmurs,  self-will  repines,  self-in- 
 dulgence rebels ;  but  faith  looks  up  for  the  promised 
 strength,  and  by  it  conquers  them.  It  stops  their 
 mouths  with  a  '  Hush  !  be  still,  and  know  that  he  is 
 God — he  is  my  Sovereign  and  my  Father.  This 
 affliction,  indeed,  is  not  for  the  present  joyous,  but 
 rather  grievous;  nevertheless  it  comes  from  his  love 
 — love  guides  his  hand,  love  will  bring  good  out  of 
 it.  O  that  all  within  me  may  submit  to  his  will, 
 and  bless  his  name  !^ 
 
 '  But  the  cross  is  hard  and  painful ;  flesh  and  blood 
 cannot  bear  it.'  True;  but  grace  can.  To  endure 
 is  the  proper  work  of  patience.  It  endures  by  trust- 
 ing to  the  word  of  God,  and  by  receiving  from  him 
 the  promised  strength.  What  cannot  such  a  grace 
 endure!  When  God  says,  "  Fear  not;  I  will  be 
 with  thee  when  thou  goest  through  the  fire,"— the 
 believer  is  hereby  forewarned  of  the  fire;  and  when 
 he  is  called  to  go  through  it,  he  expects  the  presence 
 of  his  God,  that  if  the  bush  burn,  it  may  not  be  con- 
 sumed. How  comfortably  does  the  apostle  Peter 
 speak  of  this  to  the  suffering  Hebrews  !  "  Beloved, 
 think  it  not  strange  concerning  the  fiery  trial  which 
 is  to  try  you,  as  though  some  strange  thing  had  come 
 unto  you :  but  rejoice,  inasmuch  as  ye  are  partakers 
 of  Christ's  sufferings ;  that,  when  his  glory  shall  be 
 revealed,  ye  may  be  glad  also  with  exceeding  joy." 
 He  would  have  them  to  be  accustomed  to  the  cross, 
 it  being  the  only  way  to  the  crown.  There  is  no- 
 thing new  or  strange  in  it.      All  the  crowned  heads 
 
371 
 
 in  heaven  carried  it  while  they  were  upon  earth,  yea, 
 the  King  of  saints  went  bearing  it  before  them. 
 There  never  was  sorrow  like  unto  his  sorrow ;  and 
 yet,  for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  he  endured 
 the  cross,  and  despised  the  shame.  Take  up  thy  cross, 
 O  my  soul  !  and  follow  him.  Look  unto  Jesus.  He 
 will  give  thee  strength.  He  has  taken  the  curse  and 
 wrath  out  of  thy  suffering.  Thou  wilt  see  it  the 
 fruit  of  his  love  to  thee,  and  it  will  be  the  means  of 
 engaging  thy  love  to  him.  What  if  it  be  a  burning 
 fiery  furnace ;  is  it  not  almighty  love  which  calls  thee 
 to  go  into  it?  Not  to  hurt  thee,  but  to  try  thee;  to 
 give  thee  happy  proof  of  the  soundness  of  thy  faith, 
 and  of  the  power  of  thy  patience.  He  would  have 
 thee  to  know,  that  thy  patience,  trusting  to  his  tried 
 word,  is  invincible — that  no  blow  can  beat  it,  no  fire 
 can  burn  it,  from  Christ.  He  would  bring  thee  to 
 experience  what  the  prophet  did,  when  he  said,  "  Thy 
 word  is  tried  to  the  uttermost,  and  thy  servant  lov- 
 eth  it."  The  good  word  of  God  was  tried  as  far  as 
 it  could  be,  and  the  trial  proved  its  truth,  and  there- 
 fore he  had  fresh  reason  to  love  it.  The  trial  in- 
 creased his  confidence  in  the  truth,  and  his  experi- 
 ence in  the  sweetness  of  its  promises :  thereby  his 
 patience  was  confirmed,  and  he  could  rejoice,  inas- 
 much as  he  was  a  partaker  of  Christ's  sufferings, 
 both  of  their  infinite  sufiiciency,  and  also  of  their 
 mighty  efficacy  to  save.  By  enjoying  these  bless- 
 ings under  the  cross,  his  heart  was  happy  in  the  joy 
 set  before  him.  He  had  the  earnest  and  the  fore- 
 taste of  heaven  ;  for  he  knew,  that  when  the  glory  of 
 Jesus  should  be  revealed,  he  should  be  glad  with 
 exceeding  joy. 
 
372 
 
 But  the  carnal  mind  is  ready  to  complain,  *  This 
 would  be  true,  if  the  suffering  was  short ;  but  it  is 
 long,  as  well  as  hard.  I  have  borne  up  a  great  while, 
 but  now  my  patience  is  quite  tired  out.  I  am  ready 
 to  give  all  up,  being  weary  of  my  life  with  the  length 
 of  my  trials.'  How  many  have  I  known  in  this  me- 
 lancholy case  !  Fair  blossoms  in  the  mild  and  gentle 
 spring.  In  fine  weather  and  smiling  sunshine  they 
 looked  beautiful,  and  gave  hopes  of  their  being  in 
 the  tree  of  life,  and  of  their  growing  and  ripening 
 upon  it.  But,  alas  !  a  trying  time  came,  a  bleak 
 cold  north  wind,  and  a  very  sharp  piercing  frost- 
 like  leaves  in  autumn,  down  fell  the  promising  bloom. 
 My  heart  has  mourned  again  and  again  at  the  fall  of 
 one  and  another,  and  mourns,  while  I  am  writing 
 this,  over  several  now  living,  who  have  forsaken  God 
 and  his  ways,  for  the  world  and  its  delights.  They 
 met  with  trouble,  and  it  was  too  much  for  them. 
 They  were  tempted,  and  they  had  not  strength  to 
 resist.  The  reason  is  thus  assigned :  "  He  that 
 received  seed  into  stony  places,  the  same  is  he  that 
 heareth  the  word,  and  anon  with  joy  receiveth  it: 
 yet  hath  he  not  root  in  himself,  but  endureth  for  a 
 while ;  for  when  tribulation  or  persecution  ariseth  be- 
 cause of  the  word,  by  and  by  he  is  offended."  He 
 is  offended  and  falls  away,  because  he  had  no  root ; 
 and  they  who  have  root  are  too  often  tempted  to  be 
 offended  at  the  cross.  They  find  it  very  difficult  to 
 bear  up  under  it.  Natural  infirmity,  remaining  cor- 
 ruption, and  strength  of  temptation,  make  pain  and 
 suffering  grievous  to  the  flesh ;  yea,  when  they  are 
 forced  to  bear  the  cross  long,  and  it  is  very  heavy, 
 they  are  apt  to  murmur  and  fret,  grow  discontented. 
 
373 
 
 are  tempted  to  unbelief,  and,  if  they  give  way  to  it, 
 to  despair.      How  necessary  is  it,  then,  that  they 
 should  be  enabled  to  possess  their  souls  in  patience, 
 under  their  great  and  many  trials  !      To  which  end, 
 nothing  can  contribute  more  effectually,  than  a  settled 
 faith  in  the  word  and  promise  of  a  reconciled  God. 
 This  will  stay  and  quiet  the  soul  when  trouble  comes. 
 '  It  is  the  chastening  of  my  Lord,'  says  the  believer; 
 *  my  loving  Father  sends  it  for  good  :  he  is  only  try- 
 ing my  faith  and  patience,  and  the  trial  will  end  well. 
 It  is  grievous  indeed  at  present,  and  I  go  on  my  way 
 weeping ;  but  I  have  my  supports  now,  and  I  shall 
 soon  reap  a  joyful  harvest.     I  have  a  faithful  promise 
 for  it,  which  is  a  constant  cordial,  and  keeps  up  my 
 spirits.      My  God  will  be  with  me  as  long  as  the 
 trial  lasts :  he  says  he  will.     I  believe  him,  and  there- 
 fore expect  his  promised  presence  and  strength,  till 
 faith  and  patience  have  their  perfect  work.'     Such  a 
 cordial  the  apostle  James  gives  to  the  Hebrews.   They 
 wanted  it  much.      They  were  greatly  oppressed  by 
 the  rich,  and  some  of  them  were  persecuted  even 
 unto  death.     "  Be  patient  therefore,  brethren,"  says 
 he,  "  unto  the  coming  of  the  Lord.      Behold,  the 
 husbandman  waiteth  for  the  precious  fruit  of  the  earth, 
 and  hath  long  patience  for  it,  until  he  receive  the 
 early  and  latter  rain.      Be  ye  also  patient ;  stablish 
 your  hearts:  for  the  coming  of  the  Lord  draweth 
 nigh."      He  puts  great  stress  upon  the  Lord's  com- 
 ing :  "  Yet  a  very  little  while,  and  your  Lord  will 
 come  to  appear  for  you."     It  is  true  you  are  in  a  fiery 
 trial,  but  your  God  calls  you  to  it;  and  it  may  seem 
 to  you  a  long  trial,  but  he  has  promised  you  grace 
 sufficient  to  bear  it.     Trust  him  then,  and  he  will 
 
S74 
 
 keep  you  patient.      He  knows  your  frame  and  tem- 
 per, and  bids  you  look  about  you.     See  how  the  hus- 
 bandman waits,  having  only  a  general  promise  that 
 seed-time  and  harvest  shall  not  fail :  and  is  it  not 
 more  reasonable  that  you  should  wait  with  patience 
 the  end  of  the  Lord  ?    He  sows  his  seed,  and  leaves 
 it.      It  endures  much  hard  weather,  frost  and  snow, 
 rough  winds  and  wintry  storms.      Summer  comes, 
 but  he  must  still  wait:  his  corn  is  in  ear,  yet  it  is 
 liable  to  suffer  from  long  drought  and  from  blights, 
 and  to  be  beat  down  with  heavy  thunder  showers ; 
 but  he  has  long  patience.      At  last  he  is  not  disap- 
 pointed of  his  hope.      He  reaps  the  precious  fruit  of 
 the  earth,  and  gathers  in  his  joyful  harvest.     Behold, 
 O  my  soul,  and  imitate.      How  strong  is  his  faith  ! 
 Is  thine  like  his  ?      God  has  only  said  that  the  sea- 
 sons shall  not  fail ;  he  has  not  said  that  the  harvest 
 in  every  field  and  country  shall  not  fail :  yet  the  far- 
 mer sows  in  faith,  and  waits  in  patience.      But  the 
 promise  is  sure  to  thee :  "  He  that  believeth  shall 
 never  be  confounded;"  and  dost  thou  believe  this 
 with  a  hope  that  maketh  not  ashamed  ?    He  has  long 
 patience :  how  is  thine  ?      Art  thou  not  weary  and 
 faint  in  thy  mind,  especially  when  the  course  of  pro- 
 vidence seems  to  run  counter  to  thy  hope?      Canst 
 thou  hold  thee  still  in  the  Lord,  and  abide  patiently 
 upon  him  when  he  chastises  thee,  and  seems  in  anger 
 to  cast  thee  off?      He  waits  long  for  a  harvest  of 
 perishing  things ;  and  canst  not  thou  wait  to  have 
 thy  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life  ? 
 O  what  need  hast  thou  of  patience  !      Seek  it,  pray 
 for  it,  beg  of  thy  God  to  establish  thy  heart,   that 
 thou  mayest  be  rooted  and  grounded  in  faith ;  and  if 
 
375 
 
 troubles  come  great  and  heavy,  thou  mayest  possess 
 thy  soul  in  patience,  so  long  as  the  Lord  shall  please 
 to  exercise  thee  with  them.  And  never  forget  that 
 he  will  certainly  come,  and  quickly.  Let  this  pro- 
 mise keep  thee  from  fainting.  He  will  come  in 
 with  his  support ;  he  will  administer  his  comforts 
 under  the  cross;  he  will  remove  it  in  due  season. 
 What  can  be  required  for  the  establishing  of  thy 
 heart,  which  is  not  promised  thee  in  this  scripture: 
 "  Cast  not  away  therefore  your  confidence,  which 
 hath  great  recompense  of  reward.  For  ye  have  need 
 of  patience,  that,  after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God, 
 ye  might  receive  the  promise.  For  it  is  but  a  very 
 little  while,  and  he  that  shall  come  will  come,  and 
 will  not  tarry."  Wait  then  on  the  Lord,  O  my  soul ! 
 be  of  good  courage,  and  he  shall  strengthen  thine 
 heart;  wait,  I  say,  on  the  Lord. 
 
 Perhaps  thou  art  ready  to  reply — '  I  have  waited 
 long,  but  am  still  to  learn ;  for  my  trials  are  so  va- 
 ried, that  as  soon  as  I  have  been  well  exercised  with 
 one  sort,  presently  it  is  changed,  and  another  comes 
 to  which  I  was  not  accustomed.  And  this  continu- 
 ally, like  Job's  messengers,  one  after  another;  and 
 still  the  last  brings  a  sadder  message  than  the  former. 
 Hard  and  long  trials  I  have  endured,  but  this  con- 
 stant change  of  them  wearies  me  out ;  they  come  so 
 unexpected,  they  find  me  so  unprepared,  they  so 
 harass  my  troubled  mind,  that  I  am  ready  to  sink 
 under  them, — frequently  I  am  tempted  to  think,  that 
 if  God  loved  me,  he  would  not  delight  in  afflicting 
 me  in  this  manner.' 
 
 Thus  the  carnal  mind  is  apt  to  reason  against  God 
 and  his  ways ;  but  when  the  believer  goes  into  the 
 
376 
 
 sanctuary  and  consults  the  oracle,  he  receives  an 
 answer  of  grace  and  peace,  and  is  satisfied  that  this 
 change  of  trial  is  nothing  new  with  God.  It  is  his 
 usual  method  of  training  up  his  children  in  faith  and 
 patience.  He  appoints  troubles  for  the  exercise, 
 and  all  sorts  of  troubles  for  the  improvement  of  their 
 graces.  The  Captain  of  their  salvation  was  made 
 perfect  through  sufferings;  so  are  all  the  soldiers  of 
 Jesus  Christ.  It  was  the  remark  of  one  of  his  cham- 
 pions— "  Many  are  the  troubles  of  the  righteous." 
 The  apostle  James,  speaking  of  the  persecuted  He- 
 brews, says,  "  They  had  divers  temptations,  differ- 
 ent one  from  another;"  and  his  brother  Peter  tries 
 to  comfort  them  under  their  manifold  afflictions,  many 
 in  number,  succeeding  as  fast  as  wave  follows  after 
 wave ;  and  of  many  kinds  :  some  distressed  them  in 
 their  bodies,  others  in  their  minds,  in  their  charac- 
 ter, in  their  substance,  in  their  families,  in  every  way 
 that  affliction  could  be  felt.  Patience  is  the  grace 
 suited  to  all  these  trials ;  because  it  bears  them  in 
 the  strength  of  God :  for  it  consists  in  trusting  to 
 his  sure  word  of  promise,  and  believing  it  against 
 sense  and  feeling.  Faith  says.  This  present  trial 
 comes  from  the  love  of  my  covenant  God  :  Patience 
 says.  Then  I  will  bear  it,  till  he  bring  it  to  a  good 
 issue.  Whatever  the  trial  be,  patience  has  the  same 
 promise,  and  the  same  promise-keeping  God  to  trust 
 in.  If  he  send  variety  of  trials,  it  is  only  to  give  a 
 variety  of  proofs,  that  he  is  faithful  who  hath  pro- 
 mised. He  knows  we  have  divers  diseases,  which 
 must  have  divers  remedies  to  heal  them.  We  have 
 manifold  evils  in  us,  which  require  manifold  afflic- 
 tions to  subdue  them.      And  our  God  intends  to  give 
 
377 
 
 US  many  blessings,  and  he  appoints  many  troubles 
 to  bring  us  to  the  enjoyment  of  them.  All  these 
 are  gracious  dispensations,  mercifully  contrived,  and 
 seasonably  administered,  that  patience  may  learn  to 
 bear,  and  may  learn  to  persevere  in  bearing.  God 
 changes  the  trial.  Patience  has  a  new  lesson,  and 
 a  new  opportunity  of  improvement.  A  good  teacher 
 brings  his  scholars  forward,  and  when  they  are  gone 
 through  one  book  and  are  well  grounded  in  it,  then 
 he  advances  them  to  another :  when  they  have  learned 
 Latin,  he  puts  them  into  Greek.  But  he  does  not 
 change  their  studies  out  of  ill-will  or  hatred  to  his 
 scholars.  They  had  rather  be  at  play  than  mind- 
 ing their  books ;  and  they  had  rather  get  but  one 
 lesson,  and  be  saying  it  over  from  day  to  day :  but 
 the  master  knows  what  is  best  for  them,  and  he  keeps 
 them  to  their  work.  God  trains  up  his  scholars  in 
 various  exercises,  but  all  for  their  improvement.  He 
 does  not  consult  what  would  please  them,  but  he 
 changes  the  lesson  as  he  sees  needful.  He  knows 
 when  their  faith  wants  confirming,  when  their  patience 
 needs  establishing;  and  therefore,  in  much  mercy, 
 he  sends  a  new  trial  for  the  growth  of  those  graces. 
 Lest  they  should  mistake  his  meaning  in  varying  his 
 trials  so  often,  he  gives  them  this  general  rule : 
 ''  There  hath  no  temptation  taken  you,  but  such  as 
 is  common  to  man ;  but  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not 
 suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able,  but 
 will  with  the  temptation  also  make  a  way  to  escape, 
 that  ye  may  be  able  to  bear  it."  The  Father  will 
 exercise  his  children  with  no  trial  but  such  as  is  com- 
 mon to  man  ;  and  he  will  enable  them  to  bear  it ;  and 
 he  will  make  a  way  for  them  to  escape.     How  should 
 
378 
 
 these  considerations  silence  the  murmurings !  If 
 the  trial  be  new  to  them,  yet  it  is  common  to  man. 
 If  it  be  hard  to  bear,  yet  grace  is  almighty  to 
 strengthen  patience.  If  it  last  long,  yet  it  shall  end 
 well.  How  convincing  are  these  reasons  !  How  pa- 
 tiently should  believers,  influenced  by  them,  submit 
 to  the  chastening  of  the  Lord  !  And  yet  there  is 
 still  unbelief  in  them,  which  will  be  urging  fresh 
 complaints,  and  stirring  up  impatience. 
 
 The  poor  sufferer,  feeling  his  smart,  is  apt  to  think 
 — *  Any  cross  but  mine  would  be  tolerable — I  should 
 not  say  one  word  against  God,  if  he  tried  me  with 
 any  other;  but  this  cuts  me  to  the  heart — O  it  is  a 
 very  agony  both  to  my  flesh  and  spirit — there  is 
 nothing  like  it — it  is  so  exactly  calculated  to  cross 
 my  temper,  to  hurt  me  in  the  tenderest  part,  and  to 
 rob  me  of  my  most  beloved  gratification,  that  it  is  the 
 very  thing  in  the  world  from  which  I  could  have  wished 
 to  be  exempted — Any  cross.  Lord,  but  this.' 
 
 Nay,  but,  O  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  thus 
 against  God  ?  Hold  thy  tongue  as  it  were  with  a 
 bridle.  Let  not  self-will  murmur,  and  folly  speak 
 against  the  chastening  of  the  Lord.  He  says  that 
 he  is  dealing  with  thee  as  with  sons.  Where  is  thy 
 faith,  then,  that  sense  and  feeling  should  be  per- 
 mitted to  plead,  and  to  be  heard  against  the  witness 
 of  God  in  his  word  ?  Where  is  thy  patience,  that 
 thou  canst  not  bear  the  present  cross,  but  wouldst 
 take  up  any  other?  Alas,  alas!  mistaken  man— 
 what  canst  thou  bear  in  thine  own  strength  ?  Thou 
 feelest  the  smart  of  thy  present  cross,  and  it  makes 
 thee  peevish  and  fretful :  the  smart  of  any  other 
 would  have  the  very  same  effect.     A  less  than  this— 
 
379 
 
 the  least  thing  in  the  world  that  opposes  thy  will, 
 would  stir  up  thiue  impatience.  Observe  thy  tem- 
 per, how  it  catches  fire  at  any  little  opposition  from 
 men.  The  same  temper  will  be  inflamed,  and  rage, 
 when  God  chastises  thee,  if  thou  refuse  to  receive 
 his  correction.  Thy  rebel  will  is  the  cause  of  thy 
 pain,  and  makes  thy  cross  so  bitter:  for  if  God's 
 will  and  thine  were  one,  there  could  be  no  cross ;  but 
 his  will  is  almighty,  and  yet  thou  resistest  it.  God 
 puts  his  yoke  upon  thee,  and  thou  art  like  a  stub- 
 born beast,  which  only  hurts  and  galls  itself,  by  striv- 
 ing and  kicking  against  its  work.  He  tries  thee  with 
 one  cross,  and  thou  art  dissatisfied ;  thou  couldst 
 contrive  a  better  for  thyself.  Thou  wouldst  be 
 thine  own  lord  and  governor.  Self-will,  they  say, 
 is  a  sure  guide  to  self-destruction.  Beware  then  of 
 thine  own  will.  When  God  calls  thee  to  take  up 
 any  cross,  do  not  wish  for  another.  He  sends  this, 
 and  to  it  he  requires  thy  submission.  It  is  thy  duty, 
 and  thine  interest,  to  receive  it  for  the  exercise  and 
 for  the  improvement  of  thy  patience :  but  instead  of 
 taking  it  up  quietly,  and  waiting  for  the  good  fruit 
 of  it,  thou  art  quarrelling  with  it,  and  opposing  the 
 will  of  God.  O  take  heed  of  this  vain  attempt.  It 
 is  a  snare  laid  for  thee.  A  fatal  trap,  into  which 
 the  love  of  independence  seduced  the  first  man,  and 
 which,  ever  since,  easily  ensnares  his  posterity. 
 When  thou  art  tempted  to  murmur  at  thy  present 
 cross,  consider  what  it  is;  meditate  a  moment  upon 
 thy  Father's  love,  who  most  mercifully  appointed, 
 who  most  seasonably  sent  it;  and  if  it  be  nothing 
 strange,  but  common  to  man,  then  do  not  try  to 
 shift  it  off,  but  seek  the  promised  grace  to  bear  it. 
 
380 
 
 There  is  not  a  cross  that  he  will  lay  upon  thee,  but 
 he  has  laid  it  before  upon  others;  and  it  will  tend 
 greatly  to  the  peace  of  thy  mind,  and  to  the  restrain- 
 ing of  thine  own  will,  to  observe  how  he  dealt  with 
 them.  Take  notice  then,  how  he,  in  love,  exercised 
 them  with  every  cross  that  can  be  laid  upon  thee  ; 
 how  he  supported  them  under  it,  and  what  blessed 
 fruit  they  reaped  from  it. 
 
 This  is  the  kingdom  of  the  cross ;  and  it  is  the 
 Lord's  will,  that  every  disciple  in  it  should  be  as  his 
 Master.  He  has  chosen  them  to  suffer  with  him, 
 as  well  as  to  reign  with  him.  And,  therefore,  in- 
 tending to  call  forth  his  gifts  and  graces  into  daily 
 exercise,  he  has  honoured  them  with  the  daily  cross. 
 He  sees  it  needful  often  to  change  it,  and  he  has  in- 
 formed them  of  his  gracious  designs  herein.  There 
 is  scarce  any  kind  of  suffering,  but  some  or  other  of 
 his  people  have  been  tried  with  it,  and  he  has  left 
 promises  in  Scripture  of  his  support,  and  of  his  com- 
 ing in  with  comfort,  and,  in  due  time,  with  deliver- 
 ance. So  that  whatever  thy  cross  be,  it  is  not  sent, 
 O  my  soul,  to  hinder,  but  to  promote  communion 
 with  thy  God,  and  to  help  thee  forward  in  the  hea- 
 venly way. 
 
 Art  thou  pinched  with  poverty — a  believer,  but 
 in  distressed  circumstances?  Blessed  art  thou  of 
 the  Lord.  "  Hearken,  my  beloved  brother,  hath 
 not  God  chosen  the  poor  of  this  world  rich  in  faith, 
 and  heirs  of  the  kingdom,  which  he  hath  promised 
 to  them  that  love  him  ?'*  What  a  mercy  is  it  to  have 
 thine  outward  estate  thus  appointed  for  thee  by 
 the  choice  of  thy  heavenly  Father — and  the  same 
 estate  which  he  chose  for  his  best  Beloved  !      In  the 
 
S81 
 
 exceeding  riches  of  his  love,  he  decreed  that  thou 
 shouldst  be  poor  in  this  world,  as  Jesus  was — He 
 knew  it  was  best  for  thee — and  he  chose  thee  rich 
 in  faith — outward  poverty  was  to  be  the  means  of 
 thine  improvement  in  spiritual  riches;  thy  want  of 
 temporals  was  to  bring  thee  to  live  more  by  faith 
 upon  eternal  things.  O  how  good  is  thy  God  ! 
 He  sent  thee  poverty  to  enrich  thee.  It  is  to  bring 
 thee  near  to  God,  to  keep  thee  near  to  him,  and  to 
 afford  thee  daily  proof  of  his  precious  love.  These 
 are  some  of  the  blessings  of  rich  faith,  and  these  are 
 worth  more  than  all  the  treasures  of  the  world.  Be 
 content,  then — thy  God  will  supply  all  thy  need.  Be 
 thankful — thou  art  an  heir  of  the  kingdom.  Bless 
 thy  God — no  creature  out  of  heaven  has  more  reason 
 to  bless  him  than  thou  hast — He  is  thine — All 
 things  are  thine. 
 
 Perhaps  thou  art  tried  with  bodily  pain  and  sick- 
 ness :  these  are  hard  trials.  To  endure  them  is  the 
 very  crown  of  patience;  but  strength  to  endure  them 
 is  promised,  and  in  waiting  upon  the  Lord  will  be 
 received;  so  that  outward  pains  shall  produce  in- 
 ward joy.  Thus  we  read:  "The  Lord  will  strengthen 
 him  upon  the  bed  of  languishing ;  thou  wilt  make 
 all  his  bed  in  his  sickness."  He  is  weak — God 
 strengthens  him.  He  is  sick — God  comforts  him. 
 He  is  in  pain — God  smooths  his  bed,  and  he  lies 
 patient.  Sickness  cannot  be  pleasant  in  itself,  but 
 is  profitable  for  its  fruits.  It  is  the  appointment  of 
 God,  and  teaches  submission  to  his  sovereign  will. 
 It  comes  to  the  believer  with  a  message  of  precious 
 love — This  bitter  cup  is  sent  from  thy  heavenly  Fa- 
 ther, who  has  many  gracious  purposes  to  answer  by 
 
382 
 
 thy  taking  it — he  would  humble  thee,  and  let  thee 
 feel  what  thou  art,  and  what  thou  deservest— he 
 would  mortify  the  life  of  sense — he  would  give  oc- 
 casion to  increase  faith,  and  to  advance  patience — 
 Drink  it  up — there  is  a  rich  cordial  at  the  bottom 
 •^the  taste  of  it  will  draw  out  thy  heart  in  love  to 
 God.  Happy  sickness,  which  promotes  spiritual 
 health  !  Blessed  pain,  which  the  kind  Physician 
 often  makes  the  way  to  pleasure,  yea,  to  the  sweet- 
 est communications  of  his  love  ! 
 
 Art  thou  in  the  fire  of  persecution?  Are  thy 
 friends  and  relations  all  in  arms  against  thee,  for 
 leaving  them  to  follow  Christ  ?  Is  thy  dependence 
 upon  them,  and  art  thou  greatly  tempted  to  make 
 some  compliances,  lest  they  should  cast  thee  out, 
 and  thou  shouldst  come  to  poverty  ?  This  may  be 
 a  fiery  trial ;  but  it  is  a  blessed  one.  He  will  make 
 it  so,  who  says,  "  Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall 
 revile  you,  and  persecute  ''mu,  and  shall  say  all  man- 
 ner of  evil  against  you  falsely,  for  my  sake.  Re- 
 joice, and  be  exceeding  glad ;  because  great  is  your 
 reward  in  heaven :  for  so  persecuted  they  the  pro- 
 phets who  were  before  you."  This  persecution  will 
 be  so  far  from  stopping  thee  in  thy  way,  that  it  will 
 both  help  thee  forward,  and  will  also  make  thy  jour- 
 ney pleasant.  Thy  friends  revile  thee :  look  up  to 
 him  who,  when  he  was  reviled,  reviled  not  again. 
 He  will  turn  their  reproach  into  a  blessing.  They 
 persecute  thee  :  the  goodly  fellowship  of  the  prophets 
 carried  the  same  cross,  and  found  it  no  hinderance  to 
 their  spiritual  joy.  They  say  all  manner  of  evil  of 
 thee:  take  heed  that  they  say  it  falsely,  and  for 
 Christ's  sake ;  and  if  thou  suffer  for  him,  and  art 
 
383 
 
 evil  spoken  of  for  thine  attachment  to  him,  then  re- 
 joice, and  be  exceeding  glad ;  for  great  is  thy  reward 
 in  heaven.  Thou  art  a  sufferer  with  him,  and  thou 
 shalt  also  reign  with  him.  Look  forward  to  the 
 promised  kingdom.  Expect  it  in  faith,  and  the  pros- 
 pect will  give  thee,  at  every  step,  joy  unspeakable 
 and  full  of  glory. 
 
 Perhaps  this  persecution  may  be  carried  on  to  acts 
 of  injustice,   even  to  the  depriving  thee  of  thy  pro- 
 perty :  thou  mayest  suffer  the  loss  of  all  thy  worldly 
 goods  for  Christ's  sake.      When   God  calls  thee  to 
 this  trial,  he  will  give  thee  strength  to  bear  it,  and 
 thou  shalt  be  a  great  gainer  by  thy  loss.      So  Paul 
 found  it :  "I  have  suflPered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and 
 I  do  account  them  but  dung  that  I  may  win  Christ." 
 So  it  was  with  the  Hebrews ;   "  They  took  joyfully 
 the   spoiling  of  their  goods,   knowing  in  themselves 
 that  they  had  in  heaven  a  better  and  an  enduring 
 substance."      What  love  was  here  !      God  was  their 
 portion,  and  their  great  reward.    He  had  made  them 
 happy  in  the  sense  of  his  love :  and  to  manifest  the 
 reality,  and  to  demonstrate  the  power  of  it,  what  great 
 things  love  can  do  for  his  name's  sake,  he  took  away 
 all   their  earthly   delights.       '  Let  them  go,'  says 
 Paul,   '  I  part  with  them  as  freely  as  I  would  with 
 so  much  dung,   for  1  have  experienced  that  the  loss 
 of  them  has  brought  me  to  nearer  fellowship  with  my 
 precious,   most  precious  Jesus.'      '  Happy  parting,' 
 say  the  Hebrews ;   '  farewell  goods  and  chattels — we 
 rejoice  at  the  spoiling  of  our  goods,  because  we  have 
 got  faster  hold  of  the  substance  by  the  loss  of  the  sha- 
 dow— outward  comforts  are  gone,  but  inward  richly 
 supply  their  place — we  are  robbed  of  our  earthly  pos- 
 
384 
 
 sessions;  thank  God,  we  cannot  be  robbed  of  our 
 better  and  enduring  substance :  for  it  is  reserved  in 
 heaven  for  us,  where  no  moth  or  rust  can  corrupt, 
 and  where  no  thieves  can  break  through  or  steal :  in 
 this  faith  we  find  our  hearts  free  and  Hght  and  happy 
 in  running  the  race  that  is  set  before  us.' 
 
 The  trial  may  be  something  still  nearer.  It  may 
 be  the  loss  of  thy  dearest  relations.  The  wife  of 
 thy  bosom  is  taken  froni  thee.  Thy  favourite  child 
 is  dead,  perhaps  drowned  or  burned,  or  killed  at  a 
 stroke :  the  delight  of  thine  eyes  is  gone,  and  thine 
 heart  is  ready  to  break.  All  sorrow  is  not  forbidden, 
 but  sorrowing  even  as  others  who  have  no  hope. 
 Tears  may  flow,  but  Christian  hope  keeps  them 
 within  their  proper  bounds;  it  restrains  and  sancti- 
 fies them.  Thy  wife  is  dead,  thy  child  is  dead ;  the 
 Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away.  He 
 requires  thee  to  forsake  loving  wife  and  children,  be 
 they  ever  so  dear,  if  love  of  them  cannot  be  enjoyed 
 without  forfeiting  his  love :  "  And  there  were  great 
 multitudes  with  Christ,  and  he  turned  and  said  unto 
 them.  If  any  man  come  unto  me,  and  hate  not  his 
 father  and  mother,  and  wife  and  children,  and  breth- 
 ren and  sisters,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple."  The 
 disciple  gives  up  himself  to  the  Master's  disposal — 
 to  learn  of  him,  to  believe  in  him,  and  to  love  him. 
 "  My  son,"  says  he,  "  give  me  thy  heart."  He 
 has  a  right  to  it,  and  he  will  admit  of  no  rival.  It 
 is  his  temple  and  his  throne,  in  which  he  alone  will 
 be  worshipped  and  honoured.  He  is  a  jealous  God  ; 
 and  if  any  love  hinder  love  to  him,  it  must  be  torn 
 from  the  heart.  O  disciple,  read  this  scripture, 
 study  it  carefully,  and  it  may  be  the  means  of  show- 
 
385 
 
 ing  thee  the  true  cause  of  thy  great  sorrow  about 
 worldly  relations :  it  is  because  thou  hast  so  little 
 love  to  thy  best  relation  and  friend,  Jesus  Christ. 
 If  thy  love  to  him  was  what  it  should  be,  thy  heart 
 would  not  be  so  grieved  at  those  losses ;  but  would, 
 in  patient  submission,  acknowledge,  "It is  the  Lord, 
 let  him  do  what  seemeth  him  good." 
 
 Perhaps  thou  art  mourning  for  the  loss  of  living 
 friends.  They  have  forsaken  thee.  Old  connexions, 
 as  dear  to  thee  as  thine  own  soul,  are  broken.  Per- 
 sons whom  thou  hast  known  from  thy  childhood,  and 
 with  whom  thou  hast  grown  up  in  strict  friendship, 
 are  now  thine  enemies,  and  become  so  without  any 
 offence  or  fault  of  thine.  They  hate  thee,  because 
 thou  art  a  real  Christian  ;  and  their  hatred  is  harder 
 to  bear,  because  the  world  joins  with  them  in  it,  and 
 thy  name  is  every  where  cast  out  with  contempt. 
 
 It  must  be  so.  The  decree  cannot  be  altered — 
 I  WILL  PUT  enmity  between  the  seed  of  the  woman, 
 and  the  seed  of  the  serpent.  God  put  it,  and  put 
 it  for  ever.  The  enmity  broke  out  as  soon  as  there 
 were  two  born  into  the  world.  Cain  hated  Abel, 
 and  slew  him.  Ever  since,  he  that  was  born  after 
 the  flesh  persecuted  him  that  was  born  after  the  Spirit. 
 There  has  been  one,  and  but  one,  perfect  man  upon 
 the  earth  since  the  fall ;  and  the  enmity  of  the  world 
 followed  him  unto  death.  Lest  we  should  marvel  at 
 its  following  us,  he  has  forewarned  us  :  "  If  the 
 world  hate  you,  ye  know  that  it  hated  me  before  it 
 hated  you  :  if  ye  were  of  the  world,  the  world  would 
 love  its  own;  but  because  ye  are  not  of  the  world, 
 but  I  have  chosen  you  out  of  the  world,  therefore 
 the  world  hateth  you."  What  a  strange  reason  is 
 R  4 
 
386 
 
 this !  Because  I  love  you,  therefore  the  world 
 hates  you.  What  God  chooses,  the  world  rejects. 
 Why  then,  O  my  soul,  dost  thou  court  its  smiles,  or 
 fear  its  frowns  ?  The  world,  which  lieth  in  wicked- 
 ness, cannot  love  thee,  and  its  enmity  cannot  hurt 
 thee.  Remember  the  words  of  Jesus :  "  These 
 things  have  I  spoken  unto  you,  that  in  me  ye  might 
 have  peace.  In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation  ; 
 but  be  of  good  courage,  I  have  overcome  the  world." 
 1  have  overcome  it  for  you,  and  I  will  overcome  it  in 
 you;  tribulation  from  it  shall  not  hurt  your  peace  in 
 me,  but  shall  increase  it :  I  will  make  my  love  the 
 sweeter  for  its  enmity  :  troubles  from  it  shall  be  well 
 repaid  with  my  joys :  and  when  it  quite  casts  you 
 out,  then  will  I  take  you  into  my  bosom,  and  let  you 
 know  what  the  affection  of  the  heavenly  Bridegroom  is. 
 W' hy  then,  O  my  soul,  art  thou  afraid  of  such  an 
 exchange?  Is  it  not  for  thy  profit  to  part  with  the 
 world  for  Christ,  and  to  give  up  its  joys  for  his  ? 
 What  greater  gain  canst  thou  expect,  than  to  win 
 Christ,  and  by  him  to  be  crucified  to  this  present  evil 
 world  ?  Dying  to  it,  thou  wilt  be  more  alive  to  him, 
 and  therefore  happier  in  him.  As  other  ties  are  dis- 
 solved, thy  heart  will  be  knit  closer  to  thy  divine 
 lover.  Warmed  with  his  precious  love,  "  clothed 
 with  the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  thy  feet,"  thou 
 wilt  hasten  thy  steps  heavenwards  ;  yea,  thou  wilt  be 
 ready  to  take  wing,  and  to  fly  to  the  embraces  of  thy 
 dear,  infinitely  dear  Jesus.  Thou  wilt  want  no  com- 
 ment upon  the  words  of  the  Bride,  the  Lamb's  wife, 
 but  wilt  gladly  use  them  after  her :  "  Make  haste, 
 my  Beloved,  and  be  thou  like  to  a  roe  or  to  a  young 
 hart  upon  the  mountains  of  spices." 
 
387 
 
 In  former  ages,  the  children  of  God  were  often 
 deprived  of  their  hberty,  cast  into  prisons,  and  bound 
 in  chains.  This  seems  to  us  a  heavy  cross.  To 
 be  shut  up  in  a  dark  dungeon,  put  into  fetters,  and 
 deprived  of  every  v^^orldly  comfort,  requires  great 
 patience  :  but  even  this  did  not  stop  them  in  their 
 way  to  heaven,  nor  in  the  enjoyment  of  God  by  the 
 way.  Paul,  the  prisoner  of  the  Lord,  often  men- 
 tions it  among  his  highest  honours,  that  he  was  ac- 
 counted worthy  to  suffer  for  the  name  of  Christ. 
 He  and  Silas  were  cruelly  beaten  with  many  stripes 
 at  Philippi ;  were  put  into  the  inner  prison,  and  their 
 feet  fastened  in  the  stocks :  but  the  Lord  was  with 
 them,  and  he  turned  their  prison  into  a  paradise ; 
 his  joy  made  them  forget  their  wounds  and  pains ; 
 for,  "  at  midnight  Paul  and  Silas  prayed,  and  sang 
 PRAISES  unto  God.'*  This  has  often  been  the  case 
 since  their  time;  the  Lord  has  often  visited  his  pri- 
 soners, and  the  light  of  his  countenance  has  made 
 them  happy  in  their  bonds.  Indeed,  we  are  not 
 called  to  this  kind  of  suffering  at  present ;  thanks  be 
 to  his  grace.  This  is  a  day  of  such  uncommon  mer- 
 cies, that  we  have  more  to  fear  from  our  want  of 
 thankfulness,  than  from  our  want  of  liberty.  I  pray 
 God  we  may  not  grow  licentious,  and  abuse  our  great 
 privileges  ;  but  may  he  enable  us  so  to  value  them, 
 and  live  up  to  them,  that  he  may  be  honoured  for 
 continuing  them  to  us,  and  to  our  posterity.  In 
 former  times,  also,  believers  were  often  forced  to  seal 
 the  testimony  of  Jesus  with  their  blood  :  and  even 
 this  did  not  stop  them  in  their  walk,  nor  hinder  their 
 communion  with  God.  Hear  one  of  his  martyrs  : 
 "  The  Holy  Ghost  witnesseth,  that  bonds  and  afflic- 
 r2 
 
388 
 
 tioiis  wait  for  me  in  every  city;  but  none  of  these 
 things  move  me,  neither  account  I  my  life  dear  unto 
 myself,  so  that  I  may  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and 
 the   ministry   which  I   have  received   of  the  Lord 
 Jesus."      This  was  not  a  vain  brag.      He  spake  it 
 in  humble  faith,    depending  on   his  Master's  pro- 
 mise,  that  he  would  stand  by  him  when  his  blood 
 should  be  shed,  and  would  make  him  a  happy  con- 
 queror in  the  hour  of  death.      And  he  was  more 
 than  conqueror;   but  the  grace  which  made  him  so, 
 was  not  peculiar  to,   or  the  privilege  of,  an  apostle  : 
 the  same  was  given  to  a  noble  army  of  martyrs,  who 
 overcame   Satan  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by 
 the  word  of  their  testimony ;  and  they  loved  not  their 
 lives  unto  death.      What  a  triumph  of  patience  was 
 this  !      They  were  enabled  to  bear  any  thing,  even 
 the  loss   of  life,   rather  than  suifer  the  loss  of  the 
 Lord's  favour.      Examine,  O  my  soul,  whether  thy 
 faith  be  like  theirs.      Canst  thou  endure  as  they  did  ? 
 How  is  thy  patience  under  the  cross  ?      Read  what 
 they  went  through,  who  are  well  reported  of  by  the 
 Holy  Ghost  for  their  faith  ;  and  remember  the  same 
 grace  is  promised  to  thee,  to  carry  thee  patiently 
 through  all  thy  sufferings  :   "  They  had  trials  of  cruel 
 mockings  and  scourgings;    yea,  moreover,  of  bonds 
 and  imprisonments :  they  were  stoned,  they  were  sawn 
 asunder,  were  tempted,  were  slain  with  the  sword ; 
 they  wandered  about  in  sheep-skins  and  goat-skins, 
 being  destitute,  afflicted,  tormented;  of  whom  the 
 world  was  not  worthy:  they  wandered  in  deserts  and  in 
 mountains,  and  in  dens  and  in  caves  of  the  earth,  and 
 these  all  obtained  a  good  report,  through  faith."  They 
 are  celebrated  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  having  patiently 
 
389 
 
 endured  till  they  had  run  their  race,  and  finished 
 their  course  with  joy.  He  sets  their  example  before 
 thee,  that  thou  shouldst  not  be  slothful  in  running 
 the  same  race,  but  a  follower  of  them,  who,  through 
 faith  and  patience,  inherit  the  promises. 
 
 Meditate  seriously,  O  my  soul,  and  reflect  again 
 and  again  upon  the  great  need  thou  hast  of  patience. 
 Remember,  the  cross  lies  in  thy  way  to  the  crown, 
 and  thou  canst  not  avoid  it.  The  Lord  has  appointed 
 it  to  be  thy  portion,  and  it  is  entailed  upon  thee  as 
 much  as  the  kingdom  is.  When  he  exercises  and 
 tries  thee  with  it,  he  does  not  act  merely  as  a  Sove- 
 reign, but  as  a  Father.  He  deals  with  thee  as  with 
 sons.  His  children  want,  and  his  children  have  cor- 
 rection. None  are  without  it :  but  they  find  it  hard 
 to  bear.  The  will  of  the  flesh  is  impatient  under 
 the  cross.  Self-love  hates  it.  Carnal  reason  cannot 
 be  reconciled  to  it.  If  it  be  thus  with  sons,  what 
 must  it  be  with  bastards  ?  The  natural  man,  when 
 he  is  brought  into  great  trouble,  is  like  a  mad  beast. 
 If  his  pains  be  sharp  and  acute,  he  rages,  storms,  and 
 blasphemes ;  if  they  be  also  lasting,  having  no  God 
 to  go  to,  he  often  gives  way  to  despair,  and  despatches 
 himself  with  a  pistol,  running  to  hell  for  relief.  O 
 my  soul,  marvel  not  at  this.  If  God  had  left  thee 
 to  thyself,  the  same  trials  might  have  brought  thee 
 to  the  same  unhappy  end.  How  necessary,  then,  is 
 patience  !  without  it,  thou  canst  not  bear  the  cross, 
 nor  hold  on  thy  way  under  it,  nor  profit  from  it. 
 And  how  necessary  are  the  doctrines  before  insisted 
 on  for  the  practice  of  patience  !  No  one  can  submit 
 to  bear  the  cross,  unless  he  be  first  persuaded  that 
 God  is  reconciled  to  him,  and  loves  him  in  his  Son. 
 
390 
 
 When  he  is  satisfied  of  this,  he  will  see  all  things 
 (the  cross  among  the  rest)  well  ordered  for  him  in 
 the  covenant,  and  all  working  together  for  the  best. 
 The  cross  is  mercifully  sent  to  make  a  trial  of  these 
 doctrines  :  by  it  God  would  manifest  the  truth,  and 
 bring  forth  the  power  of  them,  that  it  may  appear 
 they  were  not  learned  as  notions,  but  experienced  by 
 his  almighty  grace.  His  end  is  answered.  The 
 trial  of  faith  establishes  the  peace  of  God  in  the 
 conscience,  and  confirms  the  love  of  God  in  the 
 heart,  and  thereby  keeps  patience  waiting  for  strength 
 to  hold  out,  and  for  a  blessed  issue.  The  believer, 
 made  strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus, 
 endures  patiently.  He  knows  from  whom  his  cross 
 comes.  It  is  the  appointment  of  his  Father,  who 
 does  not  send  it  in  hatred.  He  never  afflicts  his 
 children,  but  in  perfect  love.  He  never  puts  a  heavy 
 cross  upon  them,  to  break  the  back  of  their  patience; 
 but  to  strengthen  it,  and  to  train  them  up  to  bear 
 greater  burdens.  He  would  teach  them  their  weak- 
 ness and  his  strength,  their  wants  and  his  supplies; 
 he  would  call  forth  their  faith  for  the  honour  of  his 
 word,  and  their  patience  for  the  glory  of  his  faith- 
 fulness. Lord,  teach  me  these  lessons.  I  want  the 
 experience  of  them  every  day.  O  my  God,  make 
 me  an  humble  disciple  in  the  school  of  Christ. 
 There  only  can  I  learn  to  suffer  thy  will ;  to  thee  I 
 come  for  this  grace.  Assist  me,  O  thou  Spirit  of 
 wisdom  and  revelation,  in  reading  thy  word,  that, 
 through  patience  an«i  comfort  of  the  Scriptures,  I 
 may  have  hope.  Enable  me  to  meditate,  night  and 
 day,  on  the  doctrines  of  grace  revealed  in  them,  and 
 to  mix  faith  with  them,  that  I  may  be  strong  in  the 
 
391 
 
 patience  of  hope.  O  merciful  God  and  Father,  I 
 desire  to  be  strengthened  mightily  by  thy  Spirit  in 
 the  inner  man,  to  bear  thy  cross.  I  would  live  in 
 a  continual  dependence  upon  thine  arm  to  carry  me 
 through  every  trial.  O  thou  God  of  patience  and 
 consolation,  enable  me  to  bear  thy  cross  daily  to  the 
 praise  of  the  glory  of  thy  grace,  and  to  bear  it  pa- 
 tiently to  the  end,  that  I  may  finish  ray  course  with 
 joy.  Be  it  unto  thy  servant  according  to  thy  word, 
 wherein  thou  hast  caused  me  to  put  my  trust. 
 Amen ;  so  be  it,  Lord :  Amen. 
 
 To  receive  benefit  from  afflictions  is  a  great  bless- 
 ing. To  suffer  them  with  a  resigned  will,  yea,  to 
 rejoice  in  them,  as  if  all  the  joy  in  the  world  was 
 come  to  us,  is  contrary  to  sense  and  feeling,  to  carnal 
 reason,  and  to  human  philosophy  :  therefore  our  hea- 
 venly Father  has  graciously  informed  his  children  of 
 his  love  in  afflicting  them  ;  these  informations  are  the 
 ground  of  their  faith,  and  were  given  to  silence  mur- 
 muring in  their  hearts,  and  to  keep  them  waiting 
 patiently  for  the  promised  fruits  of  suffering.  Among 
 which,  this  is  a 
 
 Third,  and  not  the  least,  namely,  The  crucifying 
 of  the  flesh,  and  the  deadening  of  it  in  those  affec- 
 tions and  lusts,  which,  if  not  daily  mortified,  would 
 stop  the  believer  in  his  walk,  and  would  hinder  his 
 holy  communion  with  God.  When  faith  has  been 
 tried,  and  is  come  out  of  the  fire,  proved  to  be  the 
 faith  of  God's  elect;  and  when  patience  has  gone 
 through  the  fiery  furnace,  and  has  found  no  harm — 
 then  it  is  the  Father's  will  to  advance  and  to  improve 
 his  children  in  the  doctrine  of  the  cross.  They  have 
 a  carnal  mind  still,  which  is  enmity  against  God — a 
 
392 
 
 body  of  sin — an  old  man  of  sin — the  flesh  in  them 
 lusting  against  the  Spirit.  This  their  fleshly  nature, 
 which  doth  remain,  yea,  in  them  that  are  regener- 
 ated, is  the  greatest  enemy  to  their  holy  walk  with 
 God  in  constant  peace  and  growing  love ;  because  it 
 is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can 
 be.  The  life  of  sense  in  them  is  always  opposing 
 the  life  of  God.  Hence  the  continual  war  between 
 nature  and  grace,  which  if  a  man  does  not  find  in 
 himself,  he  may  depend  upon  it,  he  either  never  was 
 aiive  to  God,  or  else  at  that  time  he  is  dead  to  God. 
 If  he  be  living  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  he 
 will  also  be  fighting  the  good  fight  of  faith  against 
 all  the  enemies  of  his  salvation.  He  will  never  think 
 of  putting  off"  the  whole  armour  of  God,  until  he  put 
 off  the  body  of  sin  and  of  death ;  and,  until  that  day 
 come,  he  will  be  striving  for  the  mastery  over  his 
 body,  that  he  may  keep  it  under,  and  bring  it  into 
 subjection.  How  absolutely  necessary  this  striving 
 is,  appears  from  the  tender  compassion  of  our  God 
 and  Father,  who  has  appointed  and  decreed,  in  cove- 
 nant love,  all  the  crosses  which  were  to  be  laid  upon 
 our  rebel  nature,  and  which  were  to  be  kept  upon  it 
 till  death.  It  is  his  holy  will,  hereby  to  restrain  its 
 affections,  to  mortify  its  lusts,  to  hedge  up  its  way  by 
 thorns  and  afflictions :  and  by  these  means  he  would 
 weaken  its  power.  Is  not  this  mercy  unspeakable? 
 And  what  more  likely  method  could  he  contrive  thus 
 to  crucify  the  flesh,  than  to  put  it,  and  to  keep  it, 
 upon  the  cross?  For,  as  the  sinful  nature  is  dead- 
 ened, the  new  man  is  renewed  day  by  day.  The 
 one  grows  more  alive  by  the  mortification  of  the 
 other.     The  subduing  of  unbelief,  pride,  and  self- 
 
393 
 
 seeking,  is  the  strengthening  of  faith,  humility,  and 
 glorifying  God.  This  command,  therefore,  is  fre- 
 quently given  to  believers:  "  Put  off  the  old  man — 
 put  on  the  new — mortify  your  members  which  are 
 upon  the  earth — crucify  the  flesh  with  its  affections 
 and  lusts."  And  this  is  spoken  to  believers  high  in 
 grace,  as  high  as  ever  any  went,  or  can  go.  The  Spi- 
 rit of  God  says  to  the  saints  at  Rome  :  "  Let  not  sin 
 reign  in  your  mortal  body,  that  ye  should  obey  it  in 
 the  lusts  thereof;  neither  yield  ye  your  members,  as 
 instruments  of  unrighteousness,  unto  sin."  ■  The  in- 
 fallible Spirit  speaks  to  the  saints  at  Ephesus  :  "  Put 
 oft',  concerning  the  former  conversation,  the  old  man, 
 who  is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  lusts;  and 
 put  on  the  new  man."  The  same  precept  is  given, 
 by  the  same  Spirit,  to  the  saints  at  Colosse :  "  Mor- 
 tify your  members  which  are  upon  the  earth."  This 
 is  a  holy  war ;  and  all  the  saints  of  God  are  engaged 
 in  it.  They  are  fighting  against  every  thing  sinful; 
 but  more  particularly  watching  under  arms  against 
 their  own  corrupt  nature,  which  is  their  hardest  war- 
 fare ;  because  there  is  no  release  from  it,  and  it  is 
 carried  on  by  continual  self-denial,  by  resisting  the 
 affections  and  lusts  of  the  old  man,  and  by  opposing 
 his  giving  up  the  members  of  his  body,  as  instruments 
 of  unrighteousness,  unto  sin.  But,  as  good  soldiers 
 of  Christ  Jesus,  they  resist  unto  blood,  striving 
 against  sin.  The  Captain  of  their  salvation  is  always 
 on  their  side,  to  encourage  them  with  his  promises, 
 and  to  help  them  with  his  strength.  He  intends  to 
 lead  them  on,  conquering,  and  to  conquer;  therefore 
 he  lays  the  cross  upon  their  corruptions,  as  the  most 
 US 
 
394 
 
 efFectual  means  of  subduing  them :  and,  to  reconcile 
 them  to  it,  he  speaks  unto  them  as  unto  children — 
 
 *  My  son,  despise  not  thou  the  chastening  of  the 
 Lord.  I  do  not  afflict  thee  in  hatred,  but  in  cove- 
 nant love.  My  design  is  to  mortify  the  body  of 
 sin,  and  therefore  I  give  thee  this  wholesome  physic. 
 Thou  hast  many  bad  humours  and  corruptions,  for 
 which  I  have  appointed  this  sovereign  medicine. 
 Trust  ray  skill — believe  my  love — depend  upon  mine 
 arm — and  thou  wilt  infallibly  find  it  profitable  to  the 
 spirit,  however  painful  to  the  flesh.  Wait,  and  the 
 end  shall  be  blessed.' 
 
 To  this  truth  the  prophet  Isaiah  bears  a  clear 
 testimony.  He  explains  the  Lord's  design  in  afflict- 
 ing his  people;  and  tells  them,  it  was  to  purge  them 
 from  their  iniquity,  to  keep  them  from  the  love  of 
 sin,  and  to  restrain  the  practice  of  it.  He  afflicted 
 them  in  mercy;  but  he  afflicted  their  enemies  in  jus- 
 tice. Hath  he  smitten  Israel  as  he  smote  those  that 
 smote  him  ?  No;  he  has  not.  Or,  is  he  slain  ac- 
 cording to  the  slaughter  of  them  that  are  slain  by 
 him  ?  No:  he  chastises  his  in  love ;  he  has  appointed 
 the  measure,  the  time,  the  degree,  of  their  correction: 
 *'  In  measure,  when  it  shooteth  forth,  thou  wilt  de- 
 bate with  it ;  he  stayeth  his  rough  wind  in  the  day 
 of  his  east  wind  :  by  this  (moderate  affliction)  there- 
 fore, shall  the  iniquity  of  Jacob  be  purged,  and  this 
 is  all  the  fruit  to  take  away  his  sin" — to  keep  him 
 back  from  sin  in  general,  and  from  the  sin  of  idolatry 
 in  particular,  as  it  follows  in  the  prophet :  "  When 
 he  maketh  all  the  stones  of  the  altar  like  chalk-stones 
 that  are  beaten  in  sunder,  then  the  groves  and  images 
 shall  not  stand  up."      The  altar,  at  which  they  of- 
 
395 
 
 fered  their  idol-worship,  shall  be  broken  down,  like 
 stones  burned  in  pieces  for  lime ;  and  the  groves  and 
 images  shall  not  stand  up,  but  shall  be  broken  down 
 also.  These  happy  effects  shall  be  brought  about 
 by  sanctified  affliction — iniquity  shall  be  purged — 
 sin  shall  be  restrained — idolatry  shall  be  thrown 
 down.  And  God  says,  this  shall  be  all  the  fruit 
 and  end  of  his  chastening.  He  tells  his  people  of 
 his  design,  that  they  might  know  their  affliction, 
 would  bring  forth  good  fruit,  and  that  they  might 
 wait  patiently  for  the  fulfilling  of  his  promise.  Blessed 
 are  they  that  wait  for  him :  they  shall  never  be  dis- 
 appointed of  their  hope. 
 
 How  gracious  is  God  in  his  dealings  with  his 
 children  !  He  provides  the  best  for  them,  informs 
 them  of  it,  and,  because  they  have  a  fallen  nature 
 opposite  to  his  holy  mind  and  will,  an  enemy  to  his 
 glory  and  to  their  own  peace,  he  acquaints  them  with 
 his  design  in  subduing  it.  He  appoints  affliction  for 
 this  end.  It  is  the  chastening  of  the  Lord.  He 
 promises  them  strength  to  bear  it,  and  comfort  under 
 it.  Nothing  but  good  shall  flow  from  it.  Iniquity, 
 their  worst  enemy,  shall  be  crucified;  actual  sin, 
 springing  from  the  iniquity  of  their  nature,  shall  be 
 mortified ;  the  heart  shall  be  deadened  to  its  old  idols, 
 and  as  it  dies  to  them  it  shall  be  happier  in  the  love 
 of  God.  O  blessed  cross  !  what  mercies  dost  thou 
 bring  with  thee  !  Is  not  that  blessed  indeed,  which, 
 under  God,  produces  such  unspeakable  mercies  r* 
 Take  it  up  then,  O  my  soul;  bear  it  patiently,  and 
 expect  the  choicest  blessings  of  the  Father's  love 
 from  it.  Why  dost  thou  refuse  ?  It  is  heavy — it 
 is  painful.     True;  but  what  makes  it  so?     The 
 
396 
 
 burden  is  from  thy  rebel  will.  The  pain  comes  fronra 
 thy  corruption,  unwilling  to  be  mortified.  Take  it 
 up  in  faith,  and  thou  wilt  find  strength  enough  to 
 bear  it,  and  blessings  enough  to  make  it  a  matter  of 
 all  joy.  Lord  God,  reconcile  me  to  my  daily  cross. 
 May  thy  will  in  it  be  done.  Mortify  sin,  weaken 
 its  power,  deaden  its  affections  and  lusts.  Only, 
 Lord,  whatever  cross  thou  sendest,  give  grace  with 
 it,  that  I  may  bear  it  patiently,  and  may  wait  for  its 
 promised  fruit.  Thou  knowest  what  would  stop  me 
 in  ray  heavenly  journey:  if  it  be  my  bosom-favourite, 
 the  dearest  object  of  my  love,  O  tear  it  from  my 
 heart.  Thou  hast  given  me  a  desire  to  have  every 
 rival  dethroned.  O  come,  and  reign  alone  in  me, 
 almighty  Jesus,  and  subdue  whatever  opposes  thy 
 lawful  government.  My  Saviour  and  my  God,  make 
 all  within  me  feel  the  power  of  thy  cross.  Crucify 
 the  body  of  sin.  Spare  nothing  that  would  hinder 
 my  walking  with  thee,  or  would  deprive  me  of  thy 
 friendship  and  favour.  I  bless  thee,  I  worship  thee, 
 1  glorify  thee,  for  this  infinite  grace,  that  thou  hast 
 made  me  willing  to  have  all  mine  idols  pulled  down. 
 On  thee  I  depend  every  moment  for  keeping  them 
 down.  O  my  loving  Jesus,  carry  on  thy  work,  and, 
 in  thine  own  way,  subdue  sin  in  me;  let  me  be 
 planted  together  in  the  likeness  of  thy  death,  that  I 
 may  be  also  in  the  likeness  of  thy  resurrection — 
 dead  to  sin,  but  alive  to  God.  I  ask  this  for  thy 
 great  name's  sake.  Let  it  be  thy  good  pleasure  to 
 hear  and  answer.  I  believe  thou  wilt.  I  have  thy 
 word  for  it.      There  I  rest.      Amen  and  amen. 
 
 With  this  faith  review  thy  mercies.      Consider, 
 O  my  soul,  what  a  good  God  has  done  for  thee,  and 
 
397 
 
 what  greater  things  he  has  still  in  store.  He  has, 
 in  some  measure,  reconciled  thee  to  his  cross.  Thou 
 art  convinced  it  is  thy  Father's  appointment,  contrived 
 for  the  best  of  his  infinite  love,  and  settled  on  the6 
 for  thy  richest  portion  in  time.  He  sends  it  for  the 
 trial  of  thy  faith,  that  it  may  be  found  unto  praise, 
 and  honour,  and  glory — for  the  exercise  and  for  the 
 improvement  of  thy  patience — for  the  mortifying  of 
 the  body  of  sin,  and  for  the  deadening  of  the  life  of 
 sense.  This  is  the  will  of  thv  most  lovino;  and  ten- 
 der  Father.  He  sends  the  cross  to  be  the  means  of 
 these  blessings.  Certainly,  then,  it  cannot  hinder 
 thy  walk  with  him ;  but,  in  all  these  respects,  will 
 tend  to  keep  thee  in  the  way,  and  to  help  thee  for- 
 ward in  it.      And  thus, 
 
 Fourthly,  It  will  assist  and  promote  thy  holy 
 fellowship  and  communion  witli  God.  This  is  the 
 principal  thing  in  religion.  We  fell  from  God  by 
 sin,  and  it  is  the  greatest  mercy  to  be  brought  back 
 to  him  again.  In  this  point  all  religions  fail  but 
 the  Christian.  Christ  is  the  way.  No  one  cometh 
 to  the  Father  but  by  him  :  for  there  is  salvation  in 
 no  other.  He  only  can  forgive  sins :  he  only  can 
 justify  sinners.  And  this  way  was  contrived  in  the 
 covenant  of  the  Trinity,  for  the  highest  display  of 
 their  divine  perfections;  which  begin  to  be  manifested 
 when  the  Spirit  of  life  enters  into  the  sinner,  and 
 quickens  him,  when  the  Spirit  of  adoption  enables 
 him  to  trust  in  the  atonement  and  obedience  of 
 Emmanuel,  and  thereby  to  see  God  reconciled,  and 
 to  call  him  Abba,  Father.  With  this  faith  in  Jesus, 
 he  expects  from  the  Father's  love  all  the  promised 
 mercies.     Thus  he  has  fellowship  with  the  Father 
 
398 
 
 and  the  Son,  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  stands  re- 
 lated to  the  Eternal  Three  in  their  covenant  offices, 
 and  he  receives  freely,  in  believing,  the  covenant  bless- 
 ings of  each. 
 
 Among  these  blessings  the  cross  is  not  the  least : 
 for  it  is  mercifully  appointed  to  be  the  means  of 
 bringing  sinners  to  this  divine  fellowship.  They 
 go  on  stubbornly  after  their  own  hearts,  and  in  the 
 error  of  their  own  ways,  until  the  Lord  sends  some 
 trouble  to  stop  them.  They  look  wishfully  at  the 
 gilded  cup  of  pleasure,  and  drink  greedily  of  its 
 sweets,  without  any  fear  of  the  deadly  poison  mixed 
 up  with  it.  But  when  God  convinces  of  sin,  then 
 comes  sorrow :  they  feel  the  poison  working,  in  a 
 sense  of  guilt  and  dread  of  punishment,  which  teach 
 the  want  of  a  Saviour,  and  are  a  good  schoolmaster 
 to  bring  them  unto  Christ.  So  God  dealt  with  the 
 chief  of  the  Old  Testament  sinners — a  giant  in  ini- 
 quity, who  surpassed  all  that  were  before  him  in 
 Jerusalem  for  idolatry  and  blood-shedding.  The 
 Lord  sent  his  prophets  to  warn  him  of  his  guilt,  but 
 he  would  not  hearken.  He  hardened  his  heart,  till 
 the  Lord  brought  upon  him  the  captains  of  the  host 
 of  the  king  of  Assyria,  who  took  Manasseh  among 
 the  thorns,  and  bound  him  with  fetters,  and  carried 
 him  to  Babylon :  and  when  he  was  in  affliction,  he 
 besought  the  Lord  his  God,  and  humbled  himself 
 greatly  before  the  God  of  his  fathers,  and  prayed 
 unto  him ;  and  he  was  entreated  of  him,  and  heard 
 his  supplication,  and  brought  him  again  to  Jerusalem, 
 into  his  kingdom ;  then  Manassth  knew  that  the 
 Lord  he  was  God. — His  case  was  not  singular.  It 
 is  a  common  thing  with  the  Lord  to  send  affliction 
 
399 
 
 to  make  sin  bitter,  that  he  may  lead  his  people  to 
 true  sorrow  for  it,  and  that  they  may  seek  until  they 
 find  salvation.  And  when  they  have  found  it,  he 
 still  uses  the  cross  to  keep  them  near  unto  himself. 
 Indeed,  the  cross  alone  has  not  this  eft'ect,  but  rathe? 
 the  contrary.  The  natural  man  has  his  fretfulness 
 stirred  up  by  suffering,  and  cannot  help  murmuring 
 at  the  will  of  God.  But  grace  sanctifies  suffering, 
 God  makes  it  a  blessing  to  his  children,  as  by  it  he 
 exercises  their  faith  in  such  general  promises  as  these: 
 If  God  sends  great  and  many  troubles,  they  shall 
 not  separate  believers  from  him  ;  because  he  will  then 
 be  with  them,  as  he  spake  unto  Israel :  "  Fear  not 
 to  go  down  into  Egypt,  for  I  will  there  make  of  thee 
 a  great  nation;  I  will  go  down  with  thee  into  Egypt." 
 It  was  the  house  of  bondage,  in  which  the  task- 
 masters heavily  afflicted  his  descendants  with  their 
 burdens;  but  the  more  they  afilicted  them,  the  more 
 they  multiplied  and  grew.  So  it  was  with  the  Is- 
 rael of  God.  They  need  not  fear  any  affliction  :  for 
 their  God  has  promised  to  be  with  them  in  it,  and 
 by  it,  to  make  them  great  Christians;  the  more  they 
 are  afflicted,  the  more  shall  their  graces  multiply  and 
 grow :  "  I  will  be  with  thee  in  trouble,"  says  God, 
 "  I  will  redeem,  I  will  save  thee  from  all  thy  troubles 
 — many  are  the  troubles  of  the  righteous,  but  I  will 
 deliver  thee  out  of  them  all — yea,  when  thou  passest 
 through  the  water,  and  through  the  fire,  I  will  be 
 with  thee,  and  will  preserve  thee  from  all  evil — I  will 
 make  all  these  things  work  together  for  thy  good," 
 These  promises  are  a  great  support  to  faith  :  for  God 
 engages  to  be  with  his  children  in  every  affliction. 
 He  does  not  intend  that  any  should  separate  them 
 
400 
 
 from  him,  but  that  all  should  keep  them  near  to 
 himself.  He  says  he  will  be  with  them:  they,  there- 
 fore, expect  his  presence;  and  if  their  afflictions  be 
 very  great,  they  may  on  good  grounds  wait  for  his 
 time  of  deliverance.  And  as  his  word  cannot  be 
 broken,  their  trust  in  it  will  be  confirmed,  and  their 
 hearts  will  be  established  in  waiting  upon  the  Lord. 
 If  their  afflictions  continue  long,  he  is  with  them  all 
 the  time,  making  them  sensible  of  their  own  weak- 
 ness, and  putting  forth  his  promised  strength,  both 
 that  they  may  endure,  and  may  also  persevere  in 
 enduring:  thus  he  improves  their  patience.  And 
 because  they  have  still  a  carnal  nature,  which  cannot 
 bear  the  cross,  God  therefore  keeps  it  upon  them, 
 in  order  to  crucify  the  flesh  with  its  affections  and 
 lusts,  that  as  they  die  unto  sin,  they  may  live  unto 
 righteousness.  Such  is  the  declared  purpose  of  God 
 in  afflicting  his  children ;  he  would  hereby  cherish 
 these  graces  in  them,  by  which  communion  with 
 them  is  kept  up;  and  as  these  grow,  communion 
 with  them  will  grow  in  proportion.  Faith  will  look 
 more  at  the  truth,  and  live  more  upon  the  faithful- 
 ness of  God.  Patience  will  depend  more  on  his 
 arm,  and  the  less  happiness  the  believer  can  find  in 
 the  creature,  he  will  seek  and  will  find  the  more  in 
 his  God.  The  mortifying  of  the  old  man  will,  of 
 course,  make  the  new  man  more  alive :  for  as  the 
 power  of  the  cross  of  Christ  is  laid  upon  the  former, 
 the  power  of  the  life  of  Christ  will  be  experienced 
 in  the  latter. 
 
 But  such  is  the  goodness  of  God  to  his  children 
 under  the  cross,  that  he  has  given  them  several  very 
 particular  and  express  promises,  in  order  to  strengthen 
 
401 
 
 their  faith  and  patience.  He  has  shown  them  what 
 fellowship  they  are  to  expect  with  the  Eternal  Three 
 in  their  covenant  offices;  for  promoting  which  he  most 
 mercifully  provided  the  cross.  O  my  soul,  attend  to 
 this;  carefully  survey  this  rich  contrivance  of  divine 
 love,  and  when  the  cross  is  sent,  take  it  up  in  faith, 
 and  expect  to  be  a  partaker  of  its  covenant  blessings. 
 Remember,  it  is  laid  upon  thee  to  promote  com- 
 munion with  thy  God  and  Saviour.  The  appointed 
 trial  comes.  It  is  to  give  thee  proof  of  the  sound- 
 ness of  thy  faith  in  Jesus,  and  to  let  thee  see,  by 
 experience,  that  thou  hast  not  believed  in  vain. 
 Thou  hast  fled  to  him  for  refuge,  from  sin  and  guilt, 
 from  wrath  and  hell :  he  took  thee  into  his  protec- 
 tion, and  now  thy  safety  in  him  is  to  be  attacked. 
 It  will  be  seen  that  the  foundation  upon  which  thou 
 standest  will  bear  thee  up  in  an  hour  of  temptation. 
 If  thou  hast  indeed  fellowship  with  him  in  his  glo- 
 rious salvation,  it  will  now  be  made  manifest  to  thy 
 great  profit.  The  cross  is  laid  upon  thee,  a  heavy, 
 a  bitter  cross :  it  deprives  thee  of  all  sensible  com- 
 fort, and  is  kept  upon  thee  till  thou  hast  no  prospect 
 of  any.  Hope  in  creature-comfort  is  failed.  This 
 is  a  sweet  season  for  spiritual  communion  with  thy 
 Jesus.  He  has  deadened  the  enjoyment  of  other 
 things,  that  thy  heart  might  be  happier  in  him; 
 therefore  now  thou  art  to  bring  the  principles  laid 
 down  in  the  former  chapters  into  practice.  Here  is 
 a  fair  opportunity  to  make  use  of  them  :  for  without 
 them  a  man  must  sink  under  such  a  cross;  but, 
 through  faith  in  the  righteousness  of  thy  God  and 
 Saviour,  thou  wilt  not  only  have  powerful  arguments, 
 but  will  also  have  powerful  grace,  to  bear  thy  suffer- 
 ings, patient  under  them,  and  thankful  for  thera» 
 
402 
 
 Under  them  thou  wilt  be  tried — Is  it  good  ground 
 upon  which  I  have  built  my  hope  of  salvation  ?  It 
 is  the  rock  of  ages  !  Does  it  bear  me  up  safe,  anil 
 keep  me  unshaken  in  this  time  of  trouble  ?  Yes, 
 blessings,  eternal  blessings  on  my  precious  Jesus :  I 
 have  fled  to  him  for  refuge,  and  he  has  set  my  feet 
 upon  a  rock  that  can  never  be  moved  :  Christ,  my 
 passover,  is  sacrificed  for  me :  in  the  blood  of  sprink- 
 ling I  have  put  my  trust,  and  I  am  safe  from  the 
 destroyer:  he  is  my  propitiation,  in  whom  I  have 
 redemption  through  faith  in  his  blood:  he  is  mine 
 advocate  also  with  the  Father,  standing  in  his  pre- 
 sence as  my  surety:  while  the  Father  sees  him  and 
 loves  him,  he  will  see  me  in  him,  and  love  me  with 
 the  same  love :  Jesus  is  mine  atonement  with  him, 
 my  righteousness,  my  sanctification,  and  my  full  re- 
 demption. O  thou  most  lovely  loving  Jesus,  I  have 
 often  been  happy  in  the  sense  of  mine  interest  in 
 thee,  but  never  so  happy  as  now.  This  cross  is 
 sanctified  indeed :  for  it  has  removed  what  hindered 
 my  communion  with  thee,  and  has  brought  me  to 
 seek  thy  presence,  and  to  enjoy  thy  supports  and  thy 
 comforts.  1  was  foolish  enough  to  wish  it  might 
 pass  from  me  ;  but  this  was  mine  infirmity.  Pardon 
 it,  my  sweet  Jesus,  and  accept  mine  unfeigned  thanks 
 for  thy  late  mercies.  Never  in  my  life  did  I  find 
 the  virtue  of  thy  sacrifice  in  the  peace  of  my  con- 
 science, nor  had  I  such  intimate  communion  with 
 thee  in  thy  finished  salvation,  as  I  have  had  under 
 this  cross.  It  tried  me,  indeed ;  but  the  trial  was  to 
 thy  glory,  and  to  my  profit.  I  am  now  more  satis- 
 fied than  ever  that  thy  salvation  is  infinitely  per- 
 fect, and  that  I  have  my  share  in  it :  I  have  it  indeed 
 
403 
 
 now ;  for  I  am  a  partaker  of  the  things  which  ac- 
 company salvation.  I  am  making  use  of  them — I 
 find  their  reaUty — I  enjoy  their  sweetness, — bless- 
 ing, and  thanks,  and  praise  without  ceasing,  be  unto 
 thee,  my  adorable  God  and  Saviour. 
 
 Is  it  not,  O  my  soul,  thy  fervent  prayer,  that 
 thou  mayest  live  in  holy  friendship  with  Jesus? 
 Why  then  dost  thou  fear  his  cross,  which  is  his  ap- 
 pointed way  and  means  of  improving  thine  intimacy 
 with  him,  and  likeness  to  him?  O  study  the  dis- 
 covery of  his  love  in  the  Scriptures ;  and  take  par- 
 ticular notice  of  the  promises  which  he  has  made  to 
 his  suffering  brethren.  Read,  mark  them,  mix  faith 
 with  them,  that  they  may  be  fulfilled  in  thine  expe- 
 rience. Remember,  thou  canst  not  suffer  but  by  his 
 will,  to  which  he  expects  submission :  he  sends  the 
 cross  to  teach  thee  this  lesson.  It  cannot  hurt  thee 
 if  thou  dost  not  quarrel  with  it:  but  if  thy  will  be 
 resigned  to  his,  herein  thou  wilt  have  fellowship 
 with  him ;  and  thou  wilt  have  reason  constantly  to 
 be  praying  to  him — "  Not  my  will.  Lord,  but  thine 
 be  done." 
 
 Consider,  for  the  improvement  of  this  fellowship, 
 that  thy  Lord  himself  was  exercised  with  the  cross. 
 He  has  gone  before  thee,  bearing  it.  He  has  taken 
 the  curse  and  wrath  out  of  it,  and  has  sanctified  it 
 to  all  his  followers.  In  faith  they  must  take  it  up, 
 and  in  patience  carry  it,  or  they  will  not  come  to  the 
 kingdom.  Certainly,  then,  their  crucified  Lord  will 
 be  with  them;  yea,  he  has  promised — "  I  will  be 
 with  thee  in  trouble."  Seek  his  presence,  O  my 
 soul,  under  the  cross — wait  for  communion  with  him 
 — he  has  said  he  will  be  with  thee:  expect,  there* 
 
404 
 
 fore,  the  light  of  his  countenance,  which  is  better 
 than  life.  Do  not  fear  the  cross,  since  it  is  to  bring 
 thee  such  a  blessing :  it  is  to  be  the  means  of  thy 
 fellowship  with  Jesus,  in  his  sensible  support  and 
 heavenly  comfort;  take  it  up  then.  Suppose  it  re- 
 moves all  thine  earthly  joy  :  let  that  go.  The  pain  of 
 its  loss  is  not  to  be  compared  with  the  joy  of  thy 
 spirit.  Jesus  will  give  thee  pure  holy  joy;  and,  by 
 his  divine  art,  will  extract  it  out  of  pain.  He  afflicts, 
 that  he  may  comfort.  He  takes  away  sensual,  that 
 he  may  give  spiritual  pleasure.  He  removes  crea- 
 ture-love, that  he  may  communicate  more  of  his 
 happy  love.  In  mercy  he  chastises.  He  sees  there 
 is  need  to  mortify  sin.  He  sends  the  cross  for  this 
 purpose,  and  blesses  what  he  sends.  It  works  like 
 wholesome  physic.  But,  oh  !  it  is  bitter,  it  is 
 nauseous  to  the  taste.  Why  do  you  chew  it  then  ? 
 Swallow  the  pill.  The  benefit  is  not  to  be  found  in 
 the  mouth,  but  in  the  stomach.  There  it  will  purge 
 bad  humours.  The  sovereign  Physician  intends  it 
 should  operate  upon  every  evil  temper  which  would 
 hinder  your  blessed  communion  with  him,  and  should 
 be  the  means  of  exercising  those  graces  by  which 
 that  communion  is  maintained  and  may  be  improved. 
 Such  is  the  cross  of  Christ ; — taken  up  in  faith, 
 and  carried  in  patience,  it  promotes  daily  fellowship 
 with  him,  which  is  the  greatest  blessing  upon  earth. 
 There  is  no  greater  in  heaven  :  only  they  enjoy  it 
 by  sense,  and  we  by  faith.  But  vve  have  the  same 
 fellowship  with  them  in  Jesus,  and  the  same  com- 
 munion with  them  in  the  graces  of  his  salvation. 
 And  for  these  he  makes  way  by  his  cross.  He 
 deadens  the  soul  to  the  life  of  sense,  that  it  may  feel 
 
405 
 
 more  of  happiness  in  him.  When  he  has  with- 
 drawn other  joys,  he  often  shines  into  the  heart  with 
 joy  unspeakable.  He  generally  vouchsafes  these 
 his  love-tokens  to  his  suffering  brethren,  and  gives 
 his  richest  cordials  in  their  deepest  distress.  Each 
 of  such  happy  souls  can  say,  It  is  good  for  me  to 
 suffer  with  Jesus.  Yes,  Lord,  I  am  thy  witness : 
 thy  cross  is  good :  it  has  been  the  means  of  my 
 greatest  good;  for  thou  hast  brought  me  by  it  to 
 forsake  communion  with  other  objects,  and  to  enjoy 
 communion  with  thee  in  thy  precious  love.  If  thou 
 hast  been  pleased  to  take  away  any  of  my  beloved 
 objects,  thou  hast,  in  much  mercy,  supplied  their 
 place  with  thy  presence.  I  have  found  my  losses 
 my  chief  gain.  O  my  Jesus,  Lord  God  Almighty, 
 I  bless  thee  and  adore  thee  for  the  distinguishinsr 
 grace  vouchsafed  to  me  under  the  cross.  It  was 
 entirely  from  thee,  and  the  effect  of  thy  love,  that  I 
 had  any  patience,  or  any  fellowship  with  thee  in  the 
 way  of  suffering.  It  was  thy  doing,  and  I  glorify 
 thee  for  enabling  me  to  maintain  peace  with  the  Fa- 
 ther, through  faith  in  thine  obedience  unto  death, 
 and  for  satisfying  me  that  my  crosses  were  appointed 
 and  sent  by  covenant  love.  Thou  art  the  Giver  of 
 these  blessings,  and  on  thee  I  wait  for  the  continu- 
 ance of  them.  Whatever  thou  callest  upon  me  to 
 suffer,  order  it  and  me  as  seemeth  best  to  thy  godly 
 wisdom  ;  but  leave  me  not  to  myself.  Be  always 
 with  me,  my  good  Lord,  that  I  may  bear  thy  cross, 
 and  carry  it  patiently  and  profitably;  thou  sustaining 
 both  me  and  it  every  step  of  my  way  to  heaven. 
 Hear  me,  my  Jesus,  and  answer;  for  without  thee 
 I  can  do  nothing :  but  strengthened  by  thee  I  shall 
 
406 
 
 be  able  to  bear  all  things,  and  my  daily  cross  will 
 keep  me  in  daily  communion  with  thee,  to  my  profit 
 and  to  thine  eternal  praise.      Amen. 
 
 Thus  the  cross  of  Christ  is  sanctified,  and  keeps 
 up  communion  with  him  in  the  blessings  of  his  sal- 
 vation. So  it  does  with  the  Father  in  his  love.  In 
 the  covenant,  his  name  is  expressive  of  his  office. 
 He  is  a  Father  who  has  every  holy  afiection  and 
 feeling  of  love.  He  embraces,  in  the  bowels  of  the 
 tenderest  parent,  all  his  family — Christ  the  head, 
 and  all  the  members  of  his  body,  the  church.  With 
 one  undivided  love  his  heart  is  set  upon  Christ  and 
 them,  and  with  the  same  bountiful  hand  he  blesses 
 him  and  them.  What  Christ  is,  they  shall  be.  In 
 this  most  gracious  relation  he  stands  to  the  whole 
 household  of  faith.  He  is  their  Father,  who  loves 
 and  accepts  them;  pardons,  justifies,  sanctifies,  and 
 blesses  them  with  all  spiritual  and  eternal  blessings 
 in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 It  is  hard  to  believe  this  under  the  cross.  To 
 cleave  to  him  in  love,  as  our  Father,  when  his  hand 
 is  Hfted  up  to  smite,  yea,  when  we  smart  under  his 
 rod,  then  to  see  love  in  his  heart,  and  love  guiding 
 his  hand,  is  faith  very  triumphant.  We  are  apt  to 
 look  upon  our  sufferings  as  coming  from  the  wrath 
 of  God.  We  think  he  must  be  displeased,  or  else 
 he  would  not  delight  to  put  us  to  pain :  upon  this 
 account  we  are  not  reconciled  to  the  cross,  but  would 
 shake  it  off  if  we  could.  The  Scriptures  give  us  a 
 different  view  of  this  matter,  and  represent  God  in 
 a  more  amiable  light,  even  in  the  severest  chastise- 
 ment of  his  children.  He  is  their  Father,  and  they 
 are  his  sons.      This  relation  cannot  subsist  without 
 
407 
 
 his  chastening  them.  He  informs  them  of  the  ne- 
 cessity of  it,  he  declares  to  them  his  purpose  and 
 grace  before  the  chastening,  and  he  assigns  the  mo- 
 tives and  ends  of  his  proceeding.  He  has  always 
 the  same  Father's  love,  and  is  always  dealing  with 
 them  as  with  sons.  His  cross  is  one  of  the  chief 
 marks  of  it.  He  sends  it  with  a  message  of  love, 
 and  it  comes  to  them  big  with  mercies.  When  the 
 Father  intends  an  abundant  communication  of  his 
 love,  he  generally  makes  way  for  it  by  some  heavy 
 cross;  and  when  he  would  continue  or  increase  his 
 favours,  he  keeps  the  cross  upon  them.  It  is  his 
 appointed  means  of  promoting  fellowship  with  him, 
 in  the  graces  and  blessings  of  his  fatherly  love.  And 
 it  answers  this  end,  when  it  is  received  by  faith,  and 
 carried  by  patience :  for  then  the  believer,  resting  on 
 the  sure  foundation  laid  for  him,  in  the  holy  life  and 
 death  of  Emmanuel,  sees  the  Father  reconciled,  and 
 expects  every  promised  blessing  from  his  love. 
 Whatever  cross  comes,  he  receives  it  from  his  Fa- 
 ther in  Jesus.  He  holds  fast  this  truth :  '  God  is 
 my  God — -he  loves  me  perfectly  in  his  Son,  and 
 therefore  I  shall  find  some  proof  of  his  fatherly  love 
 in  this  affliction.'  But  if  his  faith  be  weak,  if  he 
 forget,  or  forsake  for  a  time,  his  foundation,  then 
 the  cross  will  become  intolerable.  Murmuring  will 
 arise.  The  flesh  will  hearken  to  unbelief.  Fret- 
 fulness  will  take  place,  and  thus  God  will  be  robbed 
 of  his  glory,  and  the  believer  of  his  comfort.  It  has 
 pleased  God,  therefore,  in  order  to  strengthen  his 
 children's  faith  against  these  attacks,  to  give  them 
 many  plain  declarations  of  his  invariable  intention  to 
 do  them  good  in  all  their  afflictions.     The  Son  is  a 
 
408 
 
 witness  for  him  :  he  was  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
 and  knew  all  the  purposes  of  his  heart.  He  has 
 given  us  a  most  delightful  account  of  the  Father's 
 design  in  afflicting  his  children  :  "  I  am,"  says  he 
 to  his  disciples,  "  the  true  vine,  and  my  Father  is 
 the  husbandman  :  every  branch  that  beareth  not  fruit 
 in  me,  he  taketh  away ;  and  every  branch  that  beareth 
 
 fruit,  HE  PURGETH  IT,  THAT  IT  MAY  BRING  FORTH 
 
 MORE  FRUIT."  The  Father  looks  upon  all  his  chil- 
 dren as  one  with  Christ :  as  much  united  to  him,  and 
 in  him,  as  the  branches  are  in  the  vine ;  therefore,  as 
 a  wise  husbandman,  he  takes  the  special  charge  and 
 care  of  them.  Every  branch  that  does  not  bear  fruit 
 in  Christ — it  is  not  as  we  read  it,  every  branch  in  me, 
 but  every  branch  that  does  not  bear  fruit  in  me — 
 whatever  it  may  seem  to  be — in  profession,  a  branch 
 — in  show,  a  fruitful  branch  ;  yet  it  has  no  life :  it 
 was  never  cut  off  from  the  old  dead  stock,  nor  grafted 
 into  me,  the  life-giving  vine.  The  husbandman 
 knows  this  well.  Every  plant  which  my  heavenly 
 Father  hath  not  planted,  shall  be  rooted  up.  He 
 does  this  in  an  hour  of  trial.  Then  it  appears  that 
 such  branches  were  only  in  appearance  united  to  the 
 vine :  for  if  he  had  made  them  part  of  it,  he  would, 
 no  doubt,  have  continued  them  in  it ;  but  he  took 
 them  away,  that  they  might  be  manifest  that  they 
 were  not  one  with  the  vine.  This  is  a  great  part 
 of  the  vine-dresser's  business — he  suffers  no  rotten 
 branches  upon  his  vine.  He  goes  over  his  charge, 
 and  attends  to  every  branch.  If  any  seem  to  men, 
 or  to  themselves,  to  be  in  the  vine,  (for  hypocrites 
 are  great  self-deceivers,  and  the  self-righteous  love 
 to  be  deceived,  and  proud  nature  is  fond  of  growing 
 
409 
 
 into  Christ  by  something  of  its  own,)  the  vine-dresser 
 in  due  time  discovers  their  mistake,  and  manifests 
 to  the  world  that  they  were  not  branches  of  his  graft- 
 ing; for  he  "  taketh  them  away  :"  but  every  branch, 
 says  Christ,  that  beareth  fruit  by  its  communion  with 
 me,  he  "  purgeth  :"  by  his  divine  husbandry  he  re- 
 moves every  thing  which  would  stop  its  growth  and 
 hinder  its  fruitfulness.  The  branches  of  the  vine 
 are  so  weak  that  they  always  want  a  prop — he  sup- 
 ports them.  They  often  run  very  luxuriant — he  cuts 
 them  with  his  pruning-knife.  They  have  many  bad 
 humours  and  juices  in  them — those  he  corrects.  He 
 purges  every  noxious  quality;  and  whatever  is  contrary 
 to  the  holy  nature  of  the  heavenly  vine  he  subdues. 
 Most  merciful  is  his  purpose  herein.  He  would 
 have  the  branches  of  his  own  grafting  to  be  lively 
 and  flourishing — like  the  stock  upon  which  they  grow. 
 I  am  the  vine,  says  Christ,  ye  are  the  branches.  God's 
 husbandry  is  to  make  the  branches  like  the  vine; 
 therefore  he  purgeth  them,  in  order  that  "  they  may 
 bring  forth  much  fruit.''  And  is  this  his  design  ? 
 Does  he  afflict  them  entirely  for  their  good  ?  Does 
 he  send  every  trial  and  trouble  to  purge  their  cor- 
 ruptions, and  to  quicken  their  graces  ?  Has  the  Lord 
 Jesus  given  us  such  a  pleasing  view  of  his  Father's 
 love,  assuring  us  that  all  crosses  are  sent  by  him,  to 
 make  us  more  lively  and  more  fruitful?  Since  this 
 is  the  case,  what  great  reason  hast  thou,  O  my  soul, 
 to  expect  these  blessings  from  the  cross  ?  Here  is  a 
 promise  for  thy  faith  to  rest  on.  A  promise  which 
 discovers  the  heart  of  thy  Father,  and  his  abundant 
 love  in  afflicting  thee.  He  would  have  thee  not 
 only  to  believe  in  his  love,  but  also  to  enjoy  it.  He 
 S  4, 
 
410 
 
 afflicts  thee  ;  but  it  is  in  order  to  thy  keeping  up  com- 
 munion with  him  under  the  cross;  and  he  knows  it 
 is  the  best  means  of  keeping  it  up,  and  of  promoting 
 it,      O  seek,  then,  by  faith,  for  the  promised  fruit. 
 Expect  in  patience  the  rich  harvest.      And  that  thou 
 rnayest  quietly  submit  to  the  Father's  will  in  purging 
 thee,  as  a  branch,  observe  how  exactly  the  apostle 
 Paul  agrees  with  his  blessed   Master:    "  Further- 
 more, we  have  had  fathers  of  our  flesh  who  corrected 
 us,  and  we  gave  them  reverence ;  shall  we  not  much 
 rather  be  in  subjection  unto  the  Father  of  spirits, 
 and  live?      For  they  verily,  for  a  few  days,   cor- 
 rected us  after  their  own  pleasure;  but  he  for  our 
 profit,  that  we  might  be  made  partakers  of  his  holi- 
 ness."     There  is  a  reverence  due  to  earthly  parents, 
 and  children  are  required  to  submit  to  their  correc- 
 tion ;  although  herein  they  often  consult  their  own 
 will  and  pleasure  more  than  their  children's  profit. 
 And  is  not  greatest  reverence  due  to  the  Father  of 
 our  spirits,  and  shall  we  not  submit  to  his  corrections  ? 
 especially  since  his  design  in  them  is  to  promote  the 
 greatest  dignity  and  highest  happiness  of  his  children, 
 even  to  make  them  partakers  of  his  holiness  :  for,  to 
 partake  is  not  only  to  give  them  a  title  to,  but  also  to 
 give  them  possession  of,  to  communicate,  to  have  fel- 
 lowship with  him,  to  share  with  him  in  his  holiness. 
 Holiness  is  the  Father's  image  in  his  children,  by 
 which  he  makes  them  like  him,  and  capable  of  enjoy- 
 ing him.     He  chose  them  in  Christ  before  the  foun- 
 dation of  the  world,  that  they  should  be  holy.      He 
 chose  them  in  Christ,  and  made  Christ  their  sancti- 
 fication.      In  hira  they  partake,  as  branches  in  the 
 vine,  of  his  holy  nature.      They  are  one  with  him  in 
 
411 
 
 righteousness  and  true  holiness.  He  is  the  divine 
 root,  from  which  all  the  branches,  by  the  influence  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit,  derive  their  nourishment  and  growth. 
 From  him  is  their  fruit  found.  And  the  heavenly 
 Husbandman,  purposing  to  make  the  branches  very 
 fruitful,  has  provided  effectual  means.  Among  which 
 the  chief  is  his  fatherly  correction.  This  he  sends 
 to  all  his  children,  and  in  the  tenderest  love.  He 
 would  have  them  to  bring  forth  much  fruit,  that 
 herein  he  may  be  glorified — holy  fruit,  produced  by 
 his  care  and  culture,  and  ripened  by  daily  communi- 
 cations of  his  grace.  Therefore  he  appoints  many 
 heavy  trials  and  crosses,  by  which  he  designs  to  bring 
 them  not  only  to  believe  in  his  love,  but  also  to  a 
 growing  enjoyment  of  it.  He  would  communicate  to 
 them  an  increase  of  its  blessings.  He  would  have  them 
 nearer  to  himself,  and  more  like  to  himself — holy  as 
 he  is  holy — not  in  degree,  but  in  likeness.  He 
 would  teach  them  more  submission  to  his  will,  for 
 which  he  wisely  and  mercifully  suits  the  cross.  He 
 would  improve  their  love  to  him,  which  he  does  by 
 manifesting  his  to  them  :  therefore  he  sends  his  cross 
 to  deaden  their  hearts  to  other  love,  that  he  may  give 
 them  a  happier  sense  of  his.  And  his  children  have 
 found  suffering  times  blessed  times.  They  never 
 had  such  nearness  to  their  Father,  such  holy  freedom 
 with  him,  and  such  heavenly  refreshments  from  him, 
 as  under  the  cross.  It  only  took  away  what  stopped 
 the  increase  of  this  happiness,  which  thereby  was 
 made  more  spiritual  and  exalted.  The  cross  thus 
 sanctified,  is  the  greatest  blessing  on  this  side  of 
 heaven.  Because  by  it  the  Father  keeps  his  chil- 
 dren in  the  closest  communion  that  they  have  with 
 s  2 
 
419 
 
 him  upon  earth :  by  it  he  purges  them,  makes  them 
 fruitful,  and  partakers  of  his  holiness;  by  it  he  cru- 
 cifies the  life  of  sense,  deadens  them  to  the  world, 
 mortifies  their  lusts  and  passions  ;  and  by  it,  as  the 
 outward  man  perisheth,  the  inward  man  is  renewed 
 day  by  day.      Most  blessed  renewal  !      Daily  the 
 Father  communicates   (and  by  means  of  the  cross) 
 new  life,  new  strength,  and  new  comfort,  to  the  in- 
 ward man.      By  the  right  spirit  renewed  within  him, 
 he  learns  the  necessity  of  the  daily  cross — he  sees 
 the  merciful  appointment  of  it,  to  teach  resignation  to 
 the  Father's  holy  will,  to  work  a  conformity  to  the 
 first-born  among  many  brethren,  both  in  suffering  and 
 by  suffering,  to  bring  in   sensible  experience  of  the 
 Father's  support  and  comfort.     What  blessings  are 
 these  !     How  great — how  precious  !   to  be  branches 
 in  the  vine,  and  to  have  the   Father  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ  the  husbandman,  who  grafts  them  into 
 liim — O  what  an  infinite  mercy  is  this  !  and  to  be 
 under  his   special  care,  faithfully  watched  over,  in 
 order  to  remove  every  thing  hurtful,  and  to  bestow 
 every  thing  useful ;  this  love  passeth  understanding : 
 and  to  have  this  love  to  feast  upon  in  the  absence  of 
 other  comforts,  to  have  them  taken  away  only  to  make 
 room  for  this,  to  enjoy  this  most  plentifully,  even 
 unto  troubles  and  afflictions,  and  to  be  only  purged 
 by  them  in  order  to  bring  forth  much  fruit ;  these 
 are  triumphs  of  divine  love.     O  my  God  and  Father, 
 I   confess   and  deplore  my  frequent  mistaking   thy 
 dealings  with  me.      I  did  not  see  they  were  all  in 
 love.   Through  mine  ignorance  and  self-will,  I  thought 
 thy  cross  was  a  punishment,  and  I  used  wickedly  to 
 despise  the  chastening  of  the  Lord.      Pardon  thy 
 
413 
 
 servant  concerning  this  thing.  Forgive  mine  oppo- 
 sition to  thy  cross,  and  subdue  mine  impatient  desire 
 to  shake  it  ofF.  Holy  Father,  mortify  my  will,  and 
 make  it  bow  to  thine.  Thy  will  be  done  in  me  and 
 by  me.  Purge  me,  and  make  me  fruitful  under  the 
 cross.  Chasten  me,  that  I  may  be  a  partaker  of  thy 
 holiness.  I  bless  thee,  O  my  God,  for  the  desire 
 which  I  have  to  keep  up  communion  with  thee  in  my 
 sufferings.  I  believe  thou  art  my  perfectly  recon- 
 ciled Father  in  Jesus ;  and  therefore,  trusting  to  thy 
 love  in  him,  I  would  take  up  thy  cross,  and  expect 
 under  it  thy  covenant  blessings.  Yes,  Lord,  this  is 
 of  grace.  Thine  be  the  praise  for  showing  me  the 
 need  of  suffering,  and  of  renewing  me  by  it  in  the 
 inward  man  to  a  conformity  to  thy  holy  will.  I  now 
 see  thy  love  herein.  It  is  as  much  love  to  crucify 
 the  outward  man,  as  to  renew  the  inward  man.  I 
 believe  it  in  ray  judgment,  O  blessed  God ;  let  me 
 experience  it  in  my  heart  and  walk.  Order  all  my 
 crosses,  that  they  may  work  together  under  thee,  for 
 thy  glory  and  for  my  good  :  and  if  afflictions  abound, 
 let  consolations  abound  also.  I  have  thy  promise, 
 and  I  rely  upon  it.  Let  it  be  fulfilled  unto  thy  ser- 
 vant, for  thy  dear  Son's  sake.      Amen  and  amen. 
 
 This  blessed  communion  with  the  Father  and  the 
 Son,  which  the  sanctified  use  of  the  cross  is  made 
 the  means  of  promoting,  is  maintained  by  the  Holy 
 Spirit;  he  is  a  person  in  the  Godhead,  co-equal  and 
 co-eternal  with  the  Father  and  with  the  Son.  It 
 is  his  office  to  apply  and  to  make  effectual  all  cove- 
 nant blessings.  Faith  in  the  Son,  and  through  him 
 love  to  the  Father,  are  from  his  influence.  He  is 
 the  Lord  and  Giver  of  all  spiritual  life,  and  of  every 
 
414 
 
 spiritual  enjoyment ;  for  so  the  apostle  teaches  in  his 
 prayer  for  the  Corinthians :  "  The  grace  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God  the  Father,  and 
 the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  you  all." 
 This  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost  consisted  in  par- 
 taking by  his  means  with  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
 his  grace,  and  with  the  Father  in  his  love.  The 
 Holy  Ghost  made  the  application :  he  quickened 
 the  soul,  and  inspired  the  breath  of  life  into  it,  and 
 on  him  it  depends  for  every  spiritual  act,  as  much 
 as  the  life  of  the  body  does  on  its  breathing.  Who- 
 ever steadfastly  believes  in  Jesus  under  the  cross, 
 and  experiences  under  it  the  Father^s  love,  has  this 
 fellowship  with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  by  the  opera- 
 tion of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Therefore,  that  sweet  grace 
 which  bears  up  with  faith  in  Jesus,  and  with  patience 
 under  the  Father's  rod,  is  said  to  be  from  him  :  "  The 
 fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  long-suffering^^ — he  enables  the 
 soul  to  wait  quietly  :  and  if  the  time  be  long,  and  the 
 suffering  hard,  he  gives  long  patience.  He  does  not 
 take  away  the  sense  of  pain,  but  he  bestows  strength 
 to  bear  it,  and  by  it  he  produces  a  plentiful  harvest 
 of  graces  and  blessings.  Thus  he  teaches  us  him- 
 self: "  Now  no  chastening  for  the  present  seemeth 
 to  be  joyous,  but  grievous :  nevertheless,  afterward 
 it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness  unto 
 them  who  are  exercised  thereby."  These  are  the 
 fruits  of  the  Spirit — they  are  all  of  his  producing: 
 and  they  are  fruits  of  righteousness,  which  none  can 
 produce  but  those  who  are  one  with  Chrit,  and  in 
 him  righteous  before  God.  Although  sense  cannot 
 perceive  how  they  should  grow  or  ripen  upon  the 
 cross  of  Christ,  yet  faith  can.      The  promise  is  sure ; 
 
415 
 
 and  waiting  faith,  exercised  with  suffering,  finds  many 
 promised  fruits.  O  my  soul,  consider  this  precious 
 scripture,  and  with  close  attention.  Study  it.  Trea- 
 sure it  up  in  thy  heart.  It  contains  a  rich  cordial  for 
 the  afflicted.  Observe,  there  is  love  in  sending  the 
 cross,  love  to  be  manifested  by  it,  and  heavenly  fruits 
 of  love  to  grow  upon  it.  Why  then  is  suffering  so 
 hard  ?  Why  art  thou  so  little  profited  by  it  ?  Is 
 it  not  generally  barren,  because  thou  art  not  looking 
 to  the  word  of  promise,  aud  depending  upon  the  Holy 
 Spirit  to  give  thee  the  promised  fruit  ?  Ask  thyself, 
 therefore,  especially  in  the  hour  of  suffering.  Am  I 
 now  expecting  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 that  by  his  grace  I  may  partake  with  the  Son  in  his 
 salvation,  and  with  the  Father  in  his  love?  Is  this 
 my  present  experience  ?  There  is  no  bearing  the 
 cross  without  it.  Art  thou  then,  O  my  soul,  trust- 
 ing to  him  for  this  happy  fellowship,  and  hoping, 
 that  as  thou  art  a  branch  in  the  vine,  and  the  Hus- 
 bandman is  now  purging  thee,  thou  mayest  bring 
 forth  much  fruit  ?  And  observe  what  kind  of  fruit 
 it  is.  All  the  effects  of  being  in  union  with  Christ, 
 and  of  having  communion  with  him,  are  called  "  fruits 
 of  righteousness."  Christ  is  the  vine.  The  branch 
 must  be  one  with  him  before  it  can  live  and  grow — 
 one  with  him  in  his  life  and  death — a  partaker  of  his 
 divine  righteousness;  and  then  the  branch,  abiding  in 
 him  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  will  be  made 
 fruitful  in  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness, 
 goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance  :  for  the  fruit 
 of  the  Spirit  is  in  all  goodness,  and  righteousness, 
 and  truth.  He  brings  forth  all  the  fruit  that  is 
 to  the  glory  of  God ;  and  it  is  all  peaceable  fruit : 
 
416 
 
 for  it  is  produced  by  him  in  consequence  of  covenant 
 love,  by  which  the  Father  is  revealed  as  the  God 
 of  peace,  and  the  Son  as  the  great  peace-maker; 
 and  when  the  Holy  Spirit  enables  the  poor  sinner 
 to  believe  this,  then  he  gives  him  joy  and  peace  in 
 believing — being  justified  by  faith,  he  has  peace  with 
 God  through  Jesus  Christ.  The  cross  soon  comes 
 after  this,  not  to  destroy,  but  to  try  this  faith  ; 
 not  to  take  away,  but  to  confirm  this  peace :  it  is 
 sent  to  give  proof  of  the  soundness  of  faith,  and 
 to  manifest  the  sweetness  of  divine  love ;  for  it  comes 
 from  the  God  of  peace,  and  all  the  fruits  which 
 he  intends  to  produce  by  it  are  peaceable,  such  as 
 should  increase  the  happy  sense  of  peace  in  the 
 minds  of  his  children.  And  for  this  purpose  the 
 Holy  Spirit  abides  with  them.  He  has  revealed 
 the  Father's  love  in  Scripture,  and  he  is  a  faithful 
 witness  of  it  to  their  hearts.  He  sheds  it  abroad, 
 and  satisfies  them  of  it.  Yea,  he  gives  them  sen- 
 sible experience  and  enjoyment  of  it  under  the  cross. 
 This  produces  a  quiet  submission  to  his  will,  and  an 
 humble  dependence  upon  his  power:  which  are  mani- 
 fested by  waiting  upon  God  in  all  ways  and  means 
 for  the  grace  promised  to  his  afflicted  children.  The 
 cross  requires  great  grace,  and  therefore  calls  forth 
 much  prayer.  Suffering  times  are  praying  times. 
 The  cross  brings  sinners  upon  their  knees :  Manasseh 
 in  affliction  entreated  the  Lord  :  so  did  Paul — "  Be- 
 hold, he  prayeth."  It  keeps  believers  upon  their 
 knees,  as  the  prophet  witnesses :  "  Lord,  in  trouble 
 have  they  visited  thee,  they  poured  out  a  prayer  when 
 thy  chastening  was  upon  them."  The  Lord  himself 
 declares  the  same :  "  I  will  go  and  return  to  my 
 
417 
 
 place,  till  they  acknowledge  their  oflPence,  and  seek 
 my  face ;  in  their  affliction  they  will  seek  me  early." 
 Accordingly  they  did  seek  him — "  Come,"  say  they, 
 "  and  let  us  return  unto  the  Lord  :  for  he  hath  torn, 
 and  he  will  heal  us;  he  hath  smitten,  and  he  will 
 bind  us  up."  O  blessed  fruit  of  affliction  !  when, 
 sanctified  by  the  Spirit,  it  teaches  the  children  of  God 
 to  pray  fervently,  and  to  continue  instant  in  prayer : 
 it  discovers  the  weakness  of  the  flesh,  and  the  rebel- 
 lion of  the  will;  and  shows  the  necessity  of  drawing 
 near  to  God  for  strength  and  patience.  It  keeps  the 
 mind  in  a  praying  frame,  expecting,  by  the  grace  of 
 the  Spirit,  communion  with  the  Father  and  the  Son. 
 The  cross  makes  this  communion  necessary.  It 
 cannot  be  endured  without  a  belief  of  the  Father's 
 love  in  Jesus ;  and,  therefore,  the  Spirit  of  prayer 
 keeps  this  belief  in  exercise,  and  enables  the  soul  to 
 plead  the  promise  of  strength,  to  endure  patiently, 
 and  to  bring  forth  much  fruit.  The  promise  cannot 
 fail.  They  who  trust  in  it  cannot  be  disappointed, 
 but  shall  find  grace  to  help  in  time  of  need.  As 
 prayer  is  thus  necessary,  so  the  Holy  Spirit  gener- 
 ally makes  it  sweet  under  the  cross.  Is  any  afflicted 
 among  you?  Let  him  pray.  Prayer  is  the  ap- 
 pointed means  of  his  comfort.  If  affliction  send  him 
 to  God,  God  will  meet  him,  and  make  him  joyful  in 
 his  house  of  prayer.  How  encouraging  are  these 
 words ;  "  Draw  nigh  to  God,  and  he  will  draw  nigh 
 to  you  !"  In  every  case  of  distress,  draw  nigh  in 
 faith  to  God :  he  is  a  very  present  help.  Seek  his 
 face,  and  you  will  find  him  near  unto  you :  for  the 
 Lord  is  nigh  unto  all  that  call  upon  him ;  nigh  to 
 hear,  to  answer,  and  to  comfort.  Thus  his  promise 
 s  3 
 
418 
 
 runs:  "  Then  shalt  thou  call,  and  the  Lord  shall 
 answer;  thou  shalt  cry,  and  he  shall  say.  Here  I 
 am."  What  is  your  burden  ?  I  am  present  to  give 
 strength  to  bear  it.  What  is  your  grief?  Here 
 are  my  comforts.  Do  your  tribulations  abound  ? 
 Here  are  my  consolations  abounding  also.  Here  I 
 am — ask  what  you  will,  believing,  and  it  shall  be 
 done  unto  you.  O  what  times  of  refreshing  are 
 these !  The  Holy  Ghost  sensibly  comforts  the 
 afflicted.  When  they  draw  nigh  to  God,  he  is  pre- 
 sent to  make  their  hearts  joyful.  He  dispels  their 
 darkness  with  the  light  of  his  countenance,  and  turns 
 their  mourning  into  joy.  And  thus  they  have  not 
 only  communion  with  God  in  prayer,  but  also  such 
 communications  of  his  heavenly  love,  that  they  can 
 often  say.  It  is  good  for  us  that  we  have  been  in 
 trouble. 
 
 In  times  of  trouble,  the  word  also  is  generally 
 sweet.  All  people  in  distress  look  out  for  some 
 comfort :  and  the  Holy  Spirit  directs  believers  to  the 
 Scriptures.  "  Whatsoever  things  were  written  afore- 
 time, were  written  for  our  learning,  that  we,  through 
 patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures,  might  have 
 hope."  The  afflicted  feel  their  want  of  patience  and 
 comfort,  which  puts  them  upon  careful  hearing  and 
 reading  of  the  good  word  of  God.  They  want  to 
 know  what  it  says  of  their  case  ;  and  when  they  meet 
 a  suitable  promise,  then  they  have  a  ground  of  hope. 
 Their  present  trials  require  them  to  seek  for  some- 
 thing more  than  the  truth  of  the  promise.  This 
 being  credited,  they  therefore  expect  the  promised 
 blessing.  When  the  famine  was  in  Canaan,  Jacob 
 and  his  family  could   not  have  been  kept  alive  by 
 
419 
 
 believing  that  there  was  corn  in  Egypt:  they  must 
 either  fetch  it  or  die.  Trouble  calls  for  the  experi- 
 ence of  the  promised  blessings,  and  when  they  are 
 received  at  such  a  time,  they  are  sweet  indeed.  They 
 feel  as  ease  does  after  pain.  When  the  Holy  Spirit 
 applies  the  comfort,  the  promise  by  which  he  applies 
 it  is  precious.  It  is  like  a  reviving  cordial  to  a  faint- 
 ing heart.  "  O  how  sweet  are  thy  words  unto  my 
 taste,  yea,  sweeter  than  honey  unto  my  mouth  !" 
 Honey  is  sweet,  but  the  word  is  sweeter.  When, 
 through  patience  and  comfort  of  the  Scriptures,  the 
 afflicted  believer  enjoys  the  good  of  the  promise, 
 then  he  can  say — Now  I  know,  O  Lord,  that  thy 
 judgments  are  right,  and  that  thou  in  faithfulness 
 hast  afflicted  me :  let,  I  pray  thee,  thy  merciful  kind- 
 ness be  for  my  comfort,  according  to  thy  word  unto 
 thy  servant. 
 
 Sweet  is  the  comfort  which  the  afflicted  receive 
 from  God  the  Comforter  under  the  cross ;  not  only 
 in  suffering,  but  also  after  it.  Afterward  also  "  it 
 yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruits  of  righteousness.'*  He 
 who  carries  the  cross  of  Christ,  does  not  labour  in 
 vain,  and  spend  his  strength  for  nought;  but  he  is 
 bearing  forth  good  seed.  If  he  sow  it  in  tears,  yet 
 he  shall  reap  in  joy.  The  Lord  looks  at  the  fruit, 
 and  intends  to  bring  forth  much  of  it  by  the  cross : 
 we  are  apt  to  look  at  the  sufiPering  and  to  forget  the 
 fruit.  He  has  the  end  in  view  in  the  use  of  all 
 means ;  and  the  Holy  Spirit  has  revealed  this  clearly, 
 that  we  might  depend  upon  him  for  receiving  the 
 proper  fruit  of  affliction.  The  Lord  says,  he  led 
 his  people  through  the  great  and  terrible  wilderness, 
 wherein  were  fiery  flying  serpents  aud  scorpions,  and 
 
420 
 
 drought;  that  he  might  humble  them,  and  that  he 
 might  prove  them,  to  do  them  good  at  the  latter  end. 
 He  intended  to  do  them  good.  This  was  first  in 
 his  heart.  Then  the  way  in  which  he  would  do  it: 
 he  would  lead  them  through  many  afflictions,  by  which 
 they  should  find,  at  the  latter  end,  how  good  God 
 was  to  them.  The  promise  of  this  was  their  en- 
 couragement to  bear  the  cross,  till  they  reaped  the 
 fruit.  In  like  manner  the  Lord  says  to  the  afflicted 
 Jews,  ''  I  know  the  thoughts  that  I  think  towards 
 you,  saith  the  Lord;  thoughts  of  peace,  and  not  of 
 evil,  to  give  you  an  expected  end" — such  an  end  as 
 you  would  wish,  and,  having  my  promise,  such  as 
 you  may  safely  hope  for.  My  thoughts  indeed  are 
 not  as  your  thoughts :  you  think  1  have  cast  you  off, 
 and  that  your  present  cross  is  to  crush  you ; — no, 
 I  mean  to  do  you  good  by  it;  and  so  the  end  will 
 prove  :  wait  a  little  in  faith,  and  all  will  come  to  a 
 happy  issue. 
 
 Are  these  scriptures  the  truth  of  God  ?  Has 
 the  eternal  Spirit  promised  in  them,  that  although 
 the  bearing  of  the  cross  be  very  painful,  yet  it  is 
 very  profitable?  Will  he  afterwards  cause  them  to 
 bring  forth  much  fruit,  who  have  been  exercised 
 with  it?  Art  thou  then  waiting,  O  my  soul,  under 
 all  thy  troubles,  for  the  promised  end?  Dost  thou 
 expect  it,  and  in  patience  tarry  the  Lord's  leisure  ? 
 Canst  thou  look  back,  and  see  how  merciful  the 
 dealings  of  thy  God  have  been — how  gracious  his 
 rod — how  loving  his  correction?  Canst  thou  look 
 forward  under  every  cross,  persuaded  that  God  will 
 do  thee  good  at  the  latter  end? — that  he  will  cause 
 many  peaceable  fruits  to  grow  upon  this  seemingly 
 
4^1 
 
 barren  tree  ?  Yea,  that  these  light  afflictions,  which 
 are  but  for  a  moment,  shall  work  for  thee  an  eternal 
 weight  of  glory,  far  more  excellent  than  can  be  con- 
 ceived ?  O  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  I  do  believe  it : 
 I  would  not  doubt  of  the  truth  of  the  promise  in  thy 
 word,  nor  of  the  truth  of  thy  grace  in  my  heart.  I 
 therefore  beseech  thee,  O  thou  Spirit  Jehovah,  to 
 enable  me  to  keep  up  communion  with  thee  in  all  ray 
 trials,  that  I  may  bring  forth  those  peaceable  fruits 
 of  righteousness.  Thou  art  the  Giver  of  every  grace. 
 I  acknowledge  thee  to  be  the  Author  of  my  spiritual 
 life :  I  was  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  thou  hast 
 quickened  me.  It  is  of  thy  mere  gift  that  I  have 
 any  faith,  and  that  upon  the  trial  it  was  found  to  be 
 true  faith :  I  bless  thee  for  this  grace,  and  humbly 
 pray  for  the  continuance  and  for  the  increase  of  it. 
 Meet  me  in  the  use  of  all  means,  and  enable  me  to 
 grow  in  faith,  rooted  and  grounded  in  Christ  Jesus, 
 that  I  may  also  grow  in  love  to  his  Father  and  to 
 my  Father.  O  thou  divine  Revealer  of  his  heavenly 
 love,  shed  it  abroad  more  abundantly  in  my  heart, 
 that  I  may  learn  more  resignation  to  his  will,  more 
 subjection  to  his  authority,  and  more  submission  to 
 his  rod.  I  acknowledge  thee,  O  holy-making  Spirit, 
 to  be  the  teacher  of  patience,  and  what  I  have  learned 
 was  thy  revelation.  It  was  in  thy  strength  that  I 
 was  enabled  to  go  on  with  any  quietness  bearing  ray 
 cross.  Thy  grace  made  me  willing,  and  nothing 
 else  can  keep  me  willing,  to  have  the  flesh  crucified 
 with  its  affections  and  lusts.  O  God,  put  forth  thine 
 almighty  power,  and  enable  me  to  part  with  every 
 thing  which  would  hinder  my  fellowship  with  the 
 Father  and  Son.     I  desire  so  to  walk  this  day,  as 
 
42^ 
 
 to  have  growing  fellowship  with  the  Eternal  Three, 
 and  I  desire  it  through  thine  influence.  O  God  the 
 Holy  Ghost,  carry  on  thy  work.  Exalt  and  purify 
 my  faith  and  patience,  and  every  grace :  if  it  be  thy 
 will  to  do  this  under  the  cross,  O  make  me  willing 
 and  able  to  bear  it.  Let  every  cross  bring  forth 
 richer  and  riper  fruit,  until  thou  give  me  an  exceed- 
 ing great  and  eternal  harvest  of  glory.  I  ask  this 
 in  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  I  expect  an  answer  of 
 grace  through  the  Father's  love  in  him,  to  whom 
 with  thee,  O  blessed  Spirit,  three  persons  in  one 
 Godhead,  be  equal  glory,  worship,  and  praise,  now 
 and  for  ever.      Amen. 
 
 Meditate,  O  my  soul,  with  seriousness,  upon  this 
 great  subject.  Study  the  Scripture  account  of  the 
 cross.  The  knowledge  of  it  enters  into  the  very 
 essence  of  the  peace  and  comfort  of  thy  walk.  Thou 
 canst  not  run  away  from  the  cross ;  thou  canst  not 
 cast  it  off:  remember,  if  thou  wilt  be  Christ's  disci- 
 ple, thou  must  take  it  up  daily,  and  follow  him.  If 
 it  be  very  heavy  and  very  grievous,  yet  it  will  not 
 hinder  thee  from  following  him.  He  carried  the 
 heaviest  part  for  thee — he  endured  the  curse  and 
 punishment  due  to  thy  sins — he  left  no  wrath  for 
 thee  to  suffer.  Blessed  be  his  love,  the  cross  has  no 
 curse  in  it  now-^thy  sufferings  are  all  sent  from 
 love — and  his  love  will  help  thee  to  bear  them,  and 
 to  profit  by  them  :  for  he  has  promised  to  bless  and 
 sanctify  them  to  his  people.  And  he  makes  them 
 a  blessing  indeed.  Never,  on  this  side  of  heaven, 
 does  he  give  them  such  near  and  happy  communion 
 with  himself,  as  under  the  cross.  O  read,  then,  and 
 study  what  is  revealed  in  Scripture  concerning  it. 
 
423 
 
 Go  over  it  again  and  again.  Learn  well,  and  in- 
 wardly digest,  the  doctrine  of  the  cross  of  Christ ; 
 the  necessity,  the  benefit,  the  blessings  of  it.  Medi- 
 tate and  feed  upon  the  sweet  promises  relating  to 
 it:  mix  faith  with  them,  that  they  may  nourish  and 
 strengthen  thee  in  time  of  need.  But  never  forget, 
 that  thy  cross,  be  it  what  it  will,  is  appointed  for 
 thee  in  covenant  love.  It  is  the  portion  allotted 
 thee  by  thy  heavenly  Father;  decreed,  in  weight 
 and  measure,  to  an  atom :  thou  shalt  not  bear  it 
 one  moment  longer  than  he  has  determined  ;  and 
 many  precious  fruits  it  shall  produce.  Thou  wilt 
 find  suffering  times  growing  times — growth  in  faith 
 and  patience,  in  mortification  to  sin,  and  in  fellow- 
 ship with  the  ever-blessed  Trinity.  The  Author  of 
 thy  faith  puts  it  to  the  trial :  it  comes  out  of  the 
 lion's  den  unhurt ;  it  comes  out  of  the  fiery  furnace 
 refined.  God  is  glorified  hereby,  and  thou  art 
 strengthened.  He  sends  the  cross  to  teach  thee 
 patience,  and  he  continues  it  for  the  exercise  and 
 for  the  improvement  of  the  same  grace.  He  intends, 
 by  his  chastening,  to  crucify  the  flesh,  and  to  mor- 
 tify thy  members  which  are  upon  the  earth.  In  love 
 he  takes  away  sensual,  that  he  may  give  thee  spi- 
 ritual joys.  He  does  not  hate  thee,  but  love  guides 
 every  stroke  of  his  chastening.  He  is  only  weak- 
 ening thine  attachment  to  earthly  things,  that  he 
 may  increase  thy  communion  with  Father,  Son,  and 
 Spirit.  O  what  blessings  are  these  !  Meditate, 
 O  my  soul,  much  and  often  upon  them.  Pray  for 
 the  experience  of  them  in  time  of  need;  and  be  as- 
 sured, with  all  these  helps,  the  cross  will  be  exer- 
 cised hard  enough  for  thy  patience.      Thou  canst 
 
424 
 
 carry  it  only  in  the  strength  of  almighty  grace. 
 May  the  Lord  strengthen  thee  from  day  to  day,  to 
 run  the  race  set  before  thee,  till  thou  win  the  prize 
 of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus. 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 
 The  believer,  exercised  tvitk  the  inward  Cross,  learns  to 
 walk  more  humbly  with  his  God, 
 
 The  outward  cross  is  not  always  a  burden  alike 
 heavy.  God  gives  his  children  a  little  respite.  Af- 
 ter they  have  been  long  tried,  he  sometimes  removes 
 their  trouble,  and  gives  them  ease  and  outward  pro- 
 sperity. Their  sun  arises  as  it  does  in  nature.  Af- 
 ter many  cold  and  dark  days,  a  fine  season  comes — 
 finer  for  coming  after  them.  The  sky  grows  clear 
 and  serene,  the  air  is  soft  and  refreshing,  the  sun 
 shines  with  warm  and  enlivening  rays.  Every  thing 
 looks  pleasant,  and  smiles  around  you.  So  it  is  in 
 the  kingdom  of  grace.  The  believer  may  not  be 
 always  in  heaviness  through  manifold  afflictions. 
 He  has  his  times  of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of 
 the  Lord.  He  prospers,  and  is  in  health.  The 
 blessing  of  God  is  upon  his  substance.  Every  thing 
 that  he  takes  in  hand  succeeds.  He  is  happy  in  his 
 circumstances,  and  happy  in  his  family.  He  sees 
 the  goodness  of  God  in  these  mercies,  and  he  is 
 thankful.  But  if  the  heavenly  Father  sometimes 
 indulge  his  children  with  the  removal  of  the  outward 
 cross,  yet  he  never  does  with  the  inward.      They 
 
425 
 
 carry  it  all  their  days,  and  a  heavy  burden  it  is.  So 
 long  as  they  are  in  the  body,  while  they  are  in  this 
 tabernacle,  they  do  groan,  being  burdened :  for 
 
 The  INWARD  CROSS  is  the  fault  and  corruption  of 
 sinful  nature,  which  doth  remain  in  the  regenerate, 
 and  is  their  continual  grief  and  plague  ;  because  it  is 
 always  opposing  their  holy  and  happy  walk  with  God. 
 It  is  called  in  Scripture, 
 
 The  FLESH,  the  whole  man  being  carnal  and  full 
 of  lusting  against  the  Spirit: 
 
 The  OLD  MAN,  being  the  first  in  us,  before  the  new 
 man  is  created  by  the  Spirit  of  regeneration  : 
 
 A  BODY  OF  SIN,  made  up  completely  of  members 
 and  appetites,  in  which  there  is  not  only  an  absence 
 of  all  good,  but  also  a  propensity  to  all  evil,  inso- 
 much that  nothing  can  move  or  stir  in  this  body 
 but  what  is  sinful : 
 
 The  LAW  OF  SIN,  because  sin  rules  and  governs 
 the  natural  man  : 
 
 Indwelling  sin,  because  it  dwells  in  the  whole 
 man,  both  in  soul  and  body  : 
 
 Concupiscence,  or  lust,  which  the  apostle  says, 
 he  should  not  have  known  to  be  sin,  unless  the  law 
 had  said.  Thou  shall  not  covet,  or  lust. 
 
 This  fallen  nature  is  also  said  to  be  corrupt  ac- 
 cording to  the  deceitful  lusts,  to  be  contrary  to  the 
 Spirit,  to  rebel  against  the  law  of  God,  and  not  to  be 
 subject  to  it,  neither  indeed  can  be.  This  corrup- 
 tion of  nature  doth  remain,  according  to  our  Re- 
 formers, Art.  9.  "  Yea,  in  them  that  are  regenerated, 
 whereby  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  called  in  Greek  fro^ 
 neema  sarkos,  which  some  do  expound,  the  wisdom ; 
 some,  sensuality ;  some,  the  affection ;  some,  the  de- 
 
426 
 
 sire  of  the  flesh,  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God ; 
 and  although  there  is  no  condemnation  for  them  that 
 believe  and  are  baptized,  yet  the  apostle  doth  con- 
 fess that  concupiscence  and  lust  hath  of  itself  the 
 nature  of  sin."  And  in  the  15th  Art.  Of  Christ 
 alo?2e  without  sin,  they  say,  "  that  all  we,  the  rest, 
 although  baptized  and  born  again  in  Christ,  yet  of- 
 fend in  many  things ;  and  if  we  say  we  have  no  sin, 
 we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us." 
 
 The  compilers  of  our  Articles  were  holy  men,  and 
 taught  of  God.  They  spake  his  mind  and  will  ac- 
 cording to  the  oracles  of  truth.  And  it  will  be  a 
 great  comfort  to  a  poor  soldier,  wearied  with  fighting 
 against  those  lusts  which  war  against  the  soul,  to 
 find  that  the  best  Christians,  in  every  age,  have  been 
 engaged  in  the  same  holy  war.  This  will  mightily 
 encourage  him  to  take  to  him  the  whole  armour  of 
 God,  that  he  may  be  able  to  withstand  in  the  evil 
 day ;  and  having  done  all,  to  stand. 
 
 Attend  then,  O  my  soul,  to  the  law  and  to  the 
 testimony.  Pray  for  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  reve- 
 lation. Desire  grace  to  submit  to  the  truth  of  God, 
 that  whatever  he  teaches  plainly  and  expressly  in  his 
 word,  thou  mayest  believe  it,  and  abide  by  it.  Read 
 and  pray  till  thou  art  satisfied,  and  the  conviction  of 
 thy  mind  influence  thy  heart  and  walk.  Art  thou 
 to  carry  the  inward  cross  all  the  way  to  heaven  ?  Is 
 there  no  discharge  in  this  war — no  truce  to  be  made 
 — not  even  a  cessation  of  arms  ?  But  art  thou  to  be 
 fighting  on  the  good  fight  of  faith,  till  the  Captain 
 of  thy  salvation  take  thee  out  of  the  field  of  battle? 
 O  hard  service  !  To  be  night  and  day — at  home 
 and  abroad— in  the  closet  and  in  the  church — at 
 
427 
 
 hearing  the  word  and  meditating  upon  it — fasting 
 and  praying — at  the  shop  and  at  the  exchange — 
 every  where  and  at  all  times,  forced  to  be  in  arms 
 against  the  assaults  of  indwelling  sin ; — this  is  a 
 warfare  terrible  indeed  to  flesh  and  blood.  The 
 length  of  it — never  ended  so  long  as  breath  is  in  the 
 body.  The  painfulness  of  it — consisting  in  being  at 
 war  with  a  man's  self,  and  in  resisting  his  bosom  sins 
 and  strongest  appetites.  What  discouragements  are 
 these  from  entering  into,  and  from  continuing  in  this 
 battle  !  Why  should  it  be  wondered  then,  that  some 
 persons,  who  only  follow  the  camp,  and  are  not  of  it, 
 should  repent  when  they  see  this  war,  and  return  to 
 Egypt?  or  that  others,-pretending  to  be  on  Christ's 
 side,  but  never  one  with  him,  should  dream  of  shak- 
 ing off  this  cross,  and  of  sitting  down  here  in  a  land 
 of  perfect  peace  ?  This  is  the  coward's  paradise. 
 They  want  to  rest  quiet  on  this  side  of  Jordan,  and 
 would  not  go  over  with  Jesus  to  fight  for  the  pro- 
 mised land.  O  dear  Saviour,  keep  thy  noble  army 
 from  this  delusion  of  Satan :  so  long  as  they  are  in 
 the  body  of  sin  and  death,  make  them  good  soldiers 
 of  Christ  Jesus,  resisting  unto  blood,  striving  against 
 sin.  For  so  long  must  we  be  in  this  hot  battle.  It 
 is  decreed  by  the  sovereign  will  of  God ;  and  he  is 
 always  of  one  mind.  He  has  revealed  it  in  his  word 
 of  truth,  that  the  corruption  of  nature  doth  remain 
 in  his  regenerate  children  ;  they  have  an  old  man  and 
 a  new,  they  have  flesh  and  spirit,  they  have  nature 
 and  grace ;  and  he  has  described  the  combat  which  is 
 to  last  through  life  between  these  two.  The  beloved 
 apostle  bears  a  clear  testimony.  He  is  speaking  of 
 those  whom  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from 
 
428 
 
 all  sin,  and  who  had  fellowship  with  the  Father  and 
 with  the  Son,  and  who  proved  the  truth  of  this  by 
 their  walking  in  the  light ;  he  puts  himself  among 
 them,  and  declares,  "  If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin 
 now,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  us." 
 '  If  WE  say  :'  he  saith  not  '  if  thou  say,'  as  if  he  spake 
 of  some  particular  person — nor  *  if  3/^  say,'  as  if  he 
 intended  ordinary  Christians  alone — but  '  if  we, 
 apostles  or  whatever  we  be,  say  so ;  if  any  of  us,  if 
 I,  for  instance,  should  think  I  had  no  sin  now,  who 
 am  a  saint  of  a  hundred  years  old  ;  because  I  was  a 
 great  favourite  of  the  Lord  Christ,  and  have  been  a 
 great  suflPerer  for  him  ;  or  because  I  have  lived  blame- 
 less before  men,  and  have  been  a  witness  for  the  truth 
 in  my  writings,  and  am  ready  to  seal  it  with  my  blood: 
 if,  upon  account  of  any  thing  done  by  me  or  in  me, 
 of  any  real  excellency  or  attainment,  I  should  fancy 
 myself  in  a  state  of  sinless  perfection,  the  Holy  Ghost 
 charges  me  with  self-deceit — a  dreadful  delusion  ! 
 arising  from  the  pride  of  my  heart,  and  its  rebellion 
 against  God,  and  discovering  the  most  gross  igno- 
 rance of  God's  righteousness  in  the  holy  law,  and  of 
 Christ's  righteousness  in  the  glorious  gospel :  but  if 
 I  was  to  say,  as  well  as  to  think  it ;  if  I  should  tell 
 any  body.  Now  I  have  no  sin,  I  am  perfect — now, 
 at  this  time,  I  have  received  perfect  purity  of  heart; 
 for  ever  since  I  received  it,  I  have  had  nothing  stir- 
 ring in  me  for  one  year,  for  two,  twenty,  forty  years, 
 but  love,  pure  love  to  God — God  is  in  ail  my 
 thoughts,  and  nothing  but  God — I  do  his  will  in 
 earth,  as  it  is  done  in  heaven ; — if  I  should  say  so, 
 I  should  tell  a  great  lie  :  for  I  should  deceive  myself, 
 and  the  truth  would  not  be  in  me.' 
 
429 
 
 Are  these  indeed  the  very  words  of  the  apostle : 
 *'  If  we  say  that  we  have  no  sin  now,  we  deceive  our- 
 selves, and  the  truth  is  not  in  us  ?"      Can  no  other 
 sense  be  fairly  put  upon  them,  but  that  the  holy  John 
 had  sin  in  him  at  every  given  moment  of  his  life  ?    Is 
 this  the  plain  literal  meaning  of  the  passage  ?    As  it 
 certainly  is,  observe  then,  O  my  soul,  the  decisive 
 evidence  given  here  by  the  Holy  Ghost  concerning 
 the  inward  cross.      Pray  for  his  teaching,  that  thou 
 mayest  understand  ;  and  pray  for  his  grace,  that  thou 
 mayest  profit  from  this  scripture.     Here  is  his  in- 
 fallible record  concerning  St.  John  and  all  highly- 
 favoured  believers :  he  asserts,  that  there  was  no  time 
 of  their  lives  in  which  they  were  free  from  indwelling 
 sin ;  God  forbid,  then,  that  I  should  think  I  have  no 
 sin.      He  avers,  that  if  they  should  say  they  had 
 none,  they  were  deceived ;  and  that  if  they  should 
 stand  to  it,  as  Popish  mystics  and  Protestant  perfec- 
 tionists do,  the  Searcher  of  hearts  declares  that  they 
 lie,  and  do  not  the  truth — the  truth  is  not  in  them ; 
 for  the  father  of  lies  has  flattered  them,  and  drawn 
 them  into  self-idolatry,  with  a  wicked  design  to  cor- 
 rupt their  minds  from  the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ. 
 Beware,  O  my  soul,  of  this  deceit  !  the  Holy  Ghost 
 has  warned  thee  of  it.      He  foresaw  how  the  first  sin 
 would  break  out  in  after-times,  and  pride  would  per- 
 suade men  that  they  were  perfect  in  the  flesh :   he 
 therefore  so  guarded  this  scripture  that  none  can 
 mistake  it,  but  such  as  turn  away  their  ears  from  the 
 truth.      He  puts  all  the  words  in  the  present  tense, 
 lest  any  should  think  he  was  speaking  of  time  past, 
 or  of  what  men  were  before  the  blood  of  Christ  had 
 cleansed  them.     "  If  we  now  say" — we,  who  now 
 
430 
 
 have  fellowship  with  the  blessed  Trinity,  and  are 
 walking  in  the  light  of  their  countenance — say,  that 
 we  now  have  no  sin,  nor  had  none  formerly;  he  is 
 not  speaking  of  that :  if  he  was,  he  would  certainly 
 have  used  the  past  tense;  but  he  uses  the  present, 
 "  NOW  HAVE  NO  SIN,"  SO  as  not  to  want  the  clean- 
 sing blood  of  Jesus  this  moment  as  much  as  ever— if 
 we  have  any  such  thoughts,  we  now  deceive  ourselves, 
 and  the  truth  is  not  now  in  us.      How  forcible  and 
 strong  is  this  testimony  from  the  mouth  of  John  ! 
 and  the  sense,  as  well  as  the  grammar,  shows  that  he 
 is  speaking  of  believers,  and  that  there  is  sin  in  them : 
 for  throughout  the  chapter  he  treats  of  the  very  same 
 persons,  and  describes,  not  what  they  were  before, 
 but  what  they  are  since  they  received  the  grace  of 
 God.     They  were  cleansed  from  all  sin  by  the  blood 
 of  the  Lamb ;  were  admitted  into  communion  with  the 
 Father  and  the  Son  by  the  Spirit;  and  they  enjoyed 
 this  communion,  walking  in  the  light,  as  God  is  in 
 the  light.       These  are  the  persons  here  mentioned, 
 of  whom  God  says  they  had  sin  still  in  them ;   in- 
 dwelling sin,  the  fault  and  corruption  of  nature,  still 
 remained  in  them  :  and  if  they  fancied  it  did  not, 
 they  would  be  sadly  deceived — they  would  entirely 
 mistake  the  covenant  of  grace,  which  was  to  bring 
 sinners,  sensible  of  their  wants  and  miseries,   to  live 
 out  of  themselves  upon  the  fuhiess  of  the  God-man 
 -^they  would  forget  their  own  character,  under  which 
 alone  they  can  be  saved,  salvation  being  only  for 
 sinners — they  would  fall  into  the  crime  of  the  devil, 
 by  pride  exalting  themselves  against  the  person  and 
 work  of  the  incarnate  God — and  they  would  quite 
 pervert  the  law  and  the  gospel :  for,  in  order  to  main- 
 
431 
 
 tain  their  inherent  perfection,  they  are  forced  to  legal- 
 ize the  gospel,  and  to  make  it  consist  of  certain  terms 
 and  conditions,  upon  the  performance  of  which  sin- 
 ners shall  be  saved :  and  then,  in  order  to  comfort 
 themselves  with  their  having  performed  these  terms 
 and  conditions,  they  are  forced  to  turn  rank  Antino- 
 mians :  they  lessen  the  evil  of  sin,  they  excuse  it  in 
 themselves,  and  make  just  nothing  of  it.  They  call 
 it  by  several  pretty  soft  names,  such  as  infirmity, 
 frailty,  excrescence ;  and  at  last  they  get  quite  rid  of 
 it,  by  laying  it  upon  the  devil,  and  by  terming  it  an 
 injection  of  old  Satan.  And  thus  they  deceive  them- 
 selves into  perfection,  and  insist  upon  it  that  they 
 have  no  sin,  although  they  have  enough  in  them  to 
 damn  the  whole  world.  O  God,  open  the  eyes  of 
 these  self-deceivers,  and  bring  them  into  the  way  of 
 truth ! 
 
 Such  is  the  clear  evidence  of  the  Holy  Spirit :  he 
 asserts,  that  the  greatest  believers,  while  in  the  body, 
 have  sin  in  them.  Dost  thou  yield,  O  my  soul,  to 
 his  testimony  ?  Art  thou  fully  convinced  of  it  from 
 the  work  of  his  grace,  as  well  as  from  the  word  of 
 his  truth  ?  Dost  thou  feel  indwelling  sin  ?  Is  it 
 the  plague  of  thy  heart,  and  the  burden  of  thy  life  ? 
 When  thou  art  willing  to  walk  humbly  with  thy 
 God,  is  it  continually  in  thy  way,  raising  objections, 
 putting  difficulties,  and  suggesting  hinderances  ?  Is 
 it  like  a  heavy  weight  pressing  thee  down  in  thy  race, 
 that  thou  canst  not  run  so  long  or  so  fast  as  thou 
 couldst  wish  ?  Since  this  is  indeed  thy  daily  cross, 
 and  the  bearing  of  it  the  hardest  part  of  thy  warfare, 
 O  read  with  diligence  the  Scripture  account  of  it. 
 Take  notice  of  the  Lord's  champions,  how  they  felt 
 
432 
 
 under  this  burden,  from  whence  they  derived  strength 
 to  bear  it,  and  had  comfort  under  it.  Hear  the  man 
 after  God's  own  heart,  crying  out,  "  Mine  iniquities 
 are  gone  over  my  head  as  a  heavy  burden :  they  are 
 too  heavy  for  me."  David  had  a  heavy  load  :  he 
 was  ready  to  sink,  and  he  could  not  cast  it  off.  He 
 could  not  go  into  his  closet,  or  to  the  house  of  God ; 
 he  could  not  sit  upon  his  throne,  or  go  in  and  out 
 before  his  family,  but  this  grievous  cross  so  bowed 
 him  down  greatly,  that  he  went  mourning  all  the  day 
 long.  The  burden  of  it  was  intolerable,  and  would 
 have  crushed  him  under  it,  if  he  had  not  learned  how 
 to  cast  it  on  the  Lord — "  Make  haste,"  says  he, 
 "  to  help  me,  O  Lord  God  of  my  salvation."  Here 
 he  found  relief.  The  prayer  of  faith  was  heard,  and 
 God  was  the  strength  of  his  salvation. 
 
 Under  the  same  burden,  a  New  Testament  saint 
 went  groaning  all  his  days.  He  had  a  hard  conflict 
 between  the  flesh  and  the  spirit,  and  he  has  left  the 
 account  of  it  upon  record.  Blessed  be  God  for  the 
 seventh  chapter  of  the  Romans.  We  there  read  of 
 the  inward  cross,  with  which  all  the  children  of  God 
 are  exercised.  Li  the  very  same  Paul  there  was 
 delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man ;  but 
 he  found  another  law  in  his  members,  rebelling  against 
 the  law  of  God, — the  flesh,  in  which  dwelleth  no  good 
 thing,  never  ceased  to  assault  the  spirit  with  its  vile 
 thoughts,  legal  workings,  and  rebellious  inclinations 
 — when  he  had  a  will  to  do  good,  he  could  not  do  it 
 so  perfectly  as  he  desired — his  best  moments  were 
 never  free  from  the  inroads  of  indwelling  sin  :  there- 
 fore, in  the  bitterness  of  his  soul,  he  cried  out,  "  O 
 wretched  man  that  I  am  I"      O  ! — that  sigh  came 
 
433 
 
 from  the  bottom  of  his  heart.  I  know  what  he  felt 
 — he  groaned,  being  burdened  :  weary  and  tired  with 
 this  continual  conflict,  he  looked  out  for  deliverance 
 — "  Who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this 
 death?"  He  saw  by  faith  his  almighty  Saviour, 
 and  in  him  expected  everlasting  victory — "  I  thank 
 God,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  He  rested 
 upon  Christ  in  the  battle,  and  through  him  waited 
 for  deliverance,  knowing  that  one  day  he  should  be 
 made  more  than  conqueror. 
 
 Well  then,  O  my  soul,  here  is  comfort.      If  the 
 corruption  of  nature  be  thy  cross,  so  it  was  to  David, 
 and  so  it  was  to  Paul.      Thy  case  is  not  singular. 
 It  is  common  to  every  soldier  who  is  fighting  under 
 the  banner  of  Christ.      This  cross  is  unavoidable, 
 because  it  is  in  thy  bosom.      It  is  thine  inmost  self, 
 thy  whole  nature,  which  is  corrupt  according  to  the 
 deceitful  lusts.    Thou  hast  not  an  atom  of  thy  body, 
 nor  the  least  motion  or  stirring  of  any  faculty  in  thy 
 soul,  but  sin  is  in  it;  and  therefore  it  is  capable  of 
 being  a  plague  to  the  new  man.      The  Holy  Ghost 
 speaks  thus  of  the  inward  warfare  :  "  This  I  say  then. 
 Walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye  shall  not  fulfil  the  lust 
 of  the  flesh.     For  the  flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit, 
 and  the  Spirit  against  the  flesh :   and  these  are  con- 
 trary the  one  to  the  other;  so  that  ye  cannot  do  the 
 things  that  ye  would."      These  words  are  addressed 
 to  the  Galatians,  who  were  believers,  and  called  into 
 the  liberty  of  the  gospel,  but  by  false  teaching  they 
 were  under  a  great  temptation.     They  had  begun  in 
 the  spirit,  but  they  thought  of  being  perfected  in  the 
 flesh.     They   set  out  with  salvation   by   faith,  but 
 expected  salvation  at  last  by  works.      Among  other 
 T  4 
 
434 
 
 arguments  to  convince  tbem  of  their  mistake,  here  is 
 one  unanswerable,  namely,  No  works  of  ours,  but 
 such  as  are  perfect,  can  save  a  sinner ;  no  works  of 
 ours  are  perfect,  therefore  they  cannot  save  a  sinner. 
 And  that  none  of  them  are  perfect  is  certain,  because 
 in  every  one  of  them  there  is  something  of  the  flesh, 
 of  corrupt  nature,  as  well  as  something  of  the  spirit 
 and  of  spiritual  nature.  These  two  are  contrary  as 
 life  and  death,  and  they  are  always  in  action,  every 
 moment  the  one  lusting  against  the  other :  so  that 
 no  believer  can  do  the  things  which  he  would,  so 
 perfectly  as  the  holy  law  requires. 
 
 How  grievous  must  this  inward  cross  be  to  a  real 
 believer  !     For  it  consists  in  the  opposition  which  he 
 finds  within  him  to  God  and  to  the  things  of  God. 
 The  flesh  ever  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  old 
 man  against  the  new.      There  is  a  continual  war 
 between    these   contrary  powers.       The   flesh   is   a 
 complete  body  of  sin,  armed  with  every  member  and 
 instrument  of  rebellion  that  can  resist  the  motions 
 and  actions  of  the  new  man.      There  is  darkness  in 
 the  understanding,  always  clouding  the  light  of  the 
 glorious  gospel,  and  therefore  we  know  but  in  part. 
 The  will  of  the  flesh  always  opposes  the  holy  will  of 
 God.     There  is  enmity  in  the  heart,  working  against 
 the  love  of  God  and  of  his  will.      There  is  pride,  to 
 weaken  humility— anger,   to  oppose  meekness — the 
 carnal  mind,  to  fight  against   spiritual-mindedness. 
 When  the  spirit  is  willing,  the  flesh  is  weak.     When 
 you  draw  near  to  God  in  prayer,  the  imagination  will 
 not  be  confined :  it  will  wander  after  a  thousand  vain 
 objects.      When  you  are  hearing  the  word,  it  will 
 disturb  your  attention  with  its  unaccountable  excur- 
 
435 
 
 sions.  It  is  so  sportive  and  flighty,  that  you  cannot 
 keep  it  within  any  bounds.  Is  it  not  so,  O  my  soul  ? 
 Art  thou  not  sensible  of  this  heavy  cross  ?  Dost 
 thou  not  find  something  in  thee  always  resisting  and 
 weakening  the  exercise  of  thy  graces  ?  and  is  not  this 
 the  great  plague  of  thy  life  ?  Can  there  be  a  greater, 
 than  to  carry  about  with  thee  a  sinful  nature,  daily 
 trying  to  hinder  thee  in  thy  holy  walk  and  happy 
 communion  with  God  ?  O  how  much  does  it  con- 
 cern thee,  then,  to  be  well  skilled  in  bearing  this 
 cross,  and  in  behaving  under  it  as  a  good  soldier  of 
 Clirist  Jesus  !  And  to  this  end,  the  principles  be- 
 fore laid  down  are  absolutely  necessary.  Without 
 them  thou  canst  not  rightly  understand  the  nature 
 of  indwelling  sin,  and  canst  not  possibly  gain  victory 
 over  it.  Only  the  doctrines  of  grace,  received  into 
 thy  heart,  can  enable  thee  to  walk  with  God  under 
 this  cross.  Call  to  mind,  then,  what  was  agreed 
 upon  in  the  covenant  of  the  Trinity,  and  was  fulfilled 
 in  the  person  and  work  of  Emmanuel,  for  thy  peace 
 with  the  Father,  and  for  thy  returning  to  him  in 
 love,  and  has  been  applied  to  thee  by  the  Holy 
 Spirit,  who  has  given  thee  faith  in  Jesus,  and  has 
 manifested  the  love  of  the  Father  in  him :  thou  art 
 therefore  now  one  with  thy  covenant  Head — in  him 
 complete  and  perfect,  although  thou  art  in  thyself 
 still  a  sinner.  Thou  hast  a  body  of  sin,  through 
 the  lusting  of  which  thou  art  not  able  to  keep  the 
 holy  law,  according  to  its  full  demands,  in  any  one 
 instance.  But  thou  art  before  the  Father,  what  thy 
 surety  is.  He  sees  thee  in  him,  without  spot  or 
 wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing ;  accepted  as  he  is,  be- 
 loved with  the  same  love,  looked  upon  with  the  same 
 t2 
 
436 
 
 joy,  and  blessed  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  him. 
 Thy  surety  lived  for  thee :  thou  hast  the  righteous- 
 ness of  God  for  thy  justification.  Thy  surety  died 
 for  thee :  in  him  thou  art  as  truly  dead  unto  sin  as 
 Christ  himself  is.  Thy  surety  rose  again,  and  took 
 possession  of  spiritual  and  eternal  life  for  thee.  He 
 was  delivered  for  thine  offences,  and  raised  again  for 
 thy  justification.  Thou  shalt  reign  with  him,  as 
 certainly  as  he  has  now  the  crown  upon  his  own  head. 
 8uch  is  the  perfect  salvation  which  is  for  thee,  al- 
 though thou  art  still  the  subject  of  sin  :  for  thy  par- 
 don is  without  exception  or  reverse — all  trespasses 
 are  freely  forgiven.  Thy  justification  to  life  is  ab- 
 solute :  for  it  is  God  himself  that  justifieth.  He 
 chose  thee  in  Jesus,  that  thou  shouldst  be  holy  and 
 without  blame  before  him ;  and  so  thou  art.  As  a 
 member  in  his  body,  thou  art  without  blemish.  Here 
 is  thy  relief  under  the  inward  cross.  The  Father 
 chose  thee  in  his  Son,  looks  upon  thee  in  him,  and 
 deals  with  thee  according  to  covenant  love:  there  is 
 therefore  now  no  condemnation  to  thee,  who  art  in 
 Christ  Jesus.  With  the  sweet  sense  of  this  upon 
 thy  conscience,  persuaded  that  God  is  at  peace  with 
 thee,  take  up  the  inward  cross.  In  this  delightful 
 view  see  the  curse  removed.  Thou  hast  no  reason 
 to  fear  wrath,  or  death,  or  hell.  Victory  over  all 
 sins  and  enemies  is  certain.  Daily,  eternal  victory 
 is  promised.  In  this  faith  follow  the  noble  array 
 who  carried  this  cross  to  their  graves.  Fight  as 
 they  did,  looking  unto  Jesus.  Sin  is  in  thee:  it 
 was  in  them  ;  but  they  looked  upon  it  as  a  vanquished 
 foe,  slain  and  put  to  death  when  Jesus  died  for  sin 
 once.      Likewise  reckon  thou  also  thyself  to  be  in 
 
437 
 
 him  dead  unto  sin — freed  from  the  condemning  sen- 
 tence of  the  law — freed  from  the  dreadful  stroke  of 
 justice  by  his  death — freed  as  truly  as  he  is — and 
 therefore  thou  art  no  more  liable  than  he  is  to  be 
 condemned  and  punished.  And  for  the  strengthen- 
 ing of  this  faith,  seek  for  fellowship  with  him  in  his 
 death.  It  is  thy  privilege,  as  thou  art  planted  in  the 
 likeness  of  his  death,  to  derive  power  and  efficacy 
 from  it,  daily  to  put  sin  to  death.  The  more  stead- 
 fastly thou  believest  that  thou  art  one  with  him  in  his 
 death,  the  more  wilt  thou  find  thy  sinful  nature  cru- 
 cified with  him.  Communion  is  always  according  to 
 the  faith  of  union  with  Christ.  The  strongest  faith 
 must  have  the  strongest  hold  of  him,  and  thereby 
 draw  the  most  virtue  from  him.  It  is  true,  as  our 
 faith  increases  we  become  more  spiritual ;  and  we  see 
 corruption  more,  as  we  see  motes  in  the  sun-beams. 
 The  senses  of  the  new  man,  by  exercise,  gain  a 
 quicker  perception  of  sin — we  become  all  over  ten- ' 
 der  as  the  eye — jealous  of  the  motions,  yea,  of  the 
 appearance  of  evil.  This  is  real  growth.  Sin  is 
 more  felt,  in  order  that  the  power  of  Jesus  may  be 
 put  forth  to  make  us  hate  it,  resist  it,  and  overcome 
 it  more.  As  believers  are  more  sensible  of  their 
 sinfulness  in  the  first  Adam,  so  they  grow  up  into 
 the  second  Adam,  the  Lord  from  heaven;  they  bear 
 the  cross  of  the  corruption  of  the  first,  which  leads 
 them  to  constant  fellowship  with  the  second — in  his 
 death,  for  the  pardon  of  their  corruption — in  the 
 power  of  his  death,  to  mortify  sin,  that  it  may  not 
 have  dominion  over  them. 
 
 Corruption  is  in  thee,  and  it  will  strive  for  do- 
 minion.      Thy  sins  will  sometimes  fiercely  assault. 
 
438 
 
 Their  allies,  the  world  and  the  devil,  will  join  them 
 with  stratagems  and  force  :  when  the  battle  is  hot, 
 and  thou  art  weak,  then  it  behooves  thee  to  live  by 
 faith  upon  Jesus  as  thy  surety,  now  acting  for  thee 
 in  heaven,  as  he  acted  for  thee  upon  earth.      He 
 has  gone  up,  as  thy  High  Priest,  to  carry  thy  name 
 within  the  veil.      He  bears  it  upon  the  ephod  on  his 
 shoulders,  and  upon  the  breast-plate  on  his  heart : 
 his  power  and  his  love  are  engaged  for  thee,  now  he 
 is  in  glory.      He  stands  in  the  presence  oF  God,  as 
 thy  representative.      The   Father  sees  thee  in  him  ; 
 and  thou  art  in  his  sight  what  thy  forerunner  is.     As 
 he  stands  there,  so  dost  thou  stand — righteous  as  he 
 is  righteous — holy  as  he  is   holy — beloved  as   he 
 is  beloved — and  shalt  be  blessed  as  he  is  blessed. 
 View,  by  faith,  thy  nature  in  him,  exalted  and  glo- 
 rified, and  for  the  joy  set  before  thee  in  him  take 
 up  thy  cross.      It  is  a  heavy  burden — it  is  a  hard 
 warfare.       True  :  but  consider,   who  shall  lay  any 
 thing  to  thy  charge  for  indwelling  sin  ?      It  is  God 
 that  justifieth  thee  from  it.      Who  is  he  that  con- 
 demneth  ?      It  is  Christ  that  died  ;  yea,  rather,  that 
 has  risen   again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of 
 God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  thee.      He 
 appears  in  the  presence  of  God  for  thee,  as  thine 
 intercessor.      He  is  always  in  court  to  represent  thy 
 person,  and  to  carry  thy  cause,  especially  as  to  what 
 concerns  sin  :  "  If  any  of  us  sin,"  says  the  beloved 
 disciple,   "  we  have  an  advocate  with  the   Father, 
 Jesus  Christ  the  righteous;  and  he  is  the  propitia- 
 tion for  our  sins  :"   in  this  office  he  is  skilful,  and 
 faithful,  and  compassionate.      He  has  thine  interest 
 at  heart ;   thy  safety,  thy  comfort,  under  this  cross, 
 
439 
 
 and  thy  victory  over  it.  His  very  glory  is  so  inter- 
 woven with  thine,  that  they  are  one :  yea,  the  advo- 
 cate and  his  clients  form  but  one  spiritual  body,  of 
 which  every  member  is  what  the  head  is.  O  my 
 God  and  Saviour,  I  bless  thee  and  worship  thee, 
 for  acting  for  me  as  mine  advocate  and  intercessor  in 
 heaven.  Increase,  I  beseech  thee,  my  faith,  that  I 
 may  see  more  of  the  glory  of  thine  office,  and  may 
 make  more  use  of  it  in  the  bearing  of  mine  inward 
 cross.  O  let  thy  faithful  witness  abide  with  me,  to 
 enable  me,  without  doubt  or  wavering,  to  trust  in 
 what  thou  hast  done  for  me  upon  earth,  and  to  draw 
 comfort  from  what  thou  art  now  doing  for  me  in 
 heaven.  Into  thy  hands  I  desire  to  commit  my 
 cause.  Lord,  undertake  for  me.  Be  surety  for 
 thy  servant  for  good,  and  guide  me  with  thy  coun- 
 sel, till  thou  bring  me  to  thy  glory.  I  ask  this  for 
 thy  mercies'  sake.  Amen. — Is  this  the  true  state 
 of  the  case  ?  Is  it  certain  from  the  word  of  God  ? 
 Is  it  confirmed  from  matter  of  fact  ?  Did  the  high- 
 est believer  upon  earth  experience  his  inward  cross.'' 
 When  his  conscience  summoned  him  to  the  bar  of 
 God,  and  put  him  upon  inquiring  what  he  would  plead 
 there  for  his  justification,  had  he  any  thing  to  urge 
 but  the  sacrifice  and  righteousness  of  the  ever-blessed 
 Emmanuel  ? — And  is  not  this  thy  plea,  O  my  soul  ? 
 Dost  thou  not  find  so  much  weakness  and  infirmity 
 in  thy  holy  things,  that  thou  wouldst  seek  atone- 
 ment for  the  iniquity  of  them  through  the  interces- 
 sion of  the  great  High  Priest  ?  And  thou  wouldst 
 not  think  of  standing  before  the  throne,  to  claim 
 eternal  life  as  the  reward  due  to  thine  own  holiness  ^ 
 Is  not  this  thine  experience  ?  If  it  be,  then  take  up 
 thy  cross  in  this 
 
440 
 
 Faith.  It  is  thy  grief  that  sin  is  in  thee»  The 
 motions  and  lustings  of  it  are  thy  burden.  Th€ 
 resisting  and  opposing  them  is  thy  continual  warfare; 
 and  thou  hast  no  prospect  before  thee  of  enjoying 
 perfect  deliverance  from  this  heavy  cross,  until  death 
 release  thee.  Blessed  be  God  for  the  salvation  that 
 is  in  Christ  Jesus.  There  is  a  provision  made  in 
 the  covenant  of  grace  for  the  pardon  of  indwelling 
 sin,  for  victory  over  it  daily,  and  for  the  eternal 
 destruction  of  the  whole  body  of  sin :  it  shall  have 
 no  existence  in  the  members,  any  more  than  it  has 
 in  their  glorified  Head.  Here  is  a  comfort  for  thee, 
 O  my  soul,  of  God's  own  providing,  and  of  God's 
 own  applying.  When  it  is  applied  to  thy  heart,  the 
 cross  will  be  easy.  Observe  carefully  what  is  re- 
 vealed concerning  the  being  of  sin  in  the  best  Chris- 
 tians, and  concerning  the  pardon  of  it.  The  Holy 
 Ghost  declares  it  dwells  in  them,  but  they  are  for- 
 given all  trespasses — they  are  in  Christ  without  spot 
 or  wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing — in  the  first  Adam  they 
 are  heirs  of  sin,  death,  and  hell ;  in  the  second  Adam, 
 the  Lord  from  heaven,  they  are  heirs  of  righteous- 
 ness, life,  and  glory.  He  is  their  covenant  Head, 
 and  they  are  before  God  what  he  is.  This  is  the 
 record  of  truth  :  Ye  are  complete  in  him.  Abide 
 by  it,  O  my  soul :  give  it  full  credit,  and  boldly 
 plead  it  against  all  the  charges  of  guilt,  and  fears  of 
 wrath  : — 
 
 It  is  true,  I  have  sin  in  me,  but  it  is  pardoned. 
 God  has  forgiven  me  all  trespasses.  I  stand  before 
 him  in  my  surety,  who  undertook  for  me,  and  I  am 
 perfect  in  him.  The  Father  chose  me  in  his  Son  : 
 he  looks  upon  the  face  of  his  Beloved,  and  sees  me 
 
in  him.  In  him  he  is  well  pleased,  so  he  is  with 
 me.  As  he  loves  him,  so  he  loves  me.  This  is 
 the  glorious  privilege  which  by  faith  I  now  enjoy. 
 I  deny  sight  and  sense,  and  I  stick  to  the  word  of 
 God.  I  adhere  strictly  to  its  testimony  concerning 
 me,  believing  myself  to  be  dead  indeed  unto  sin  in 
 Christ,  and  in  him  absolutely  freed  from  guilt  and 
 condemnation.  The  Father  is  at  peace  with  me, 
 and  he  loves  me  in  his  Son,  and  with  the  same  love 
 with  which  he  loves  him — his  Father  and  my  Father. 
 With  this  persuasion  I  go  to  war  with  my  corrup- 
 tions. I  see  their  traitorous  designs.  They  are 
 fighting  against  every  thing  that  is  dear  and  precious 
 to  my  soul.  But,  having  the  promised  grace  of  the 
 almighty  Saviour  for  my  help,  I  desire  to  set  upon 
 them  in  his  name.  I  know  he  has  them,  among  mine 
 other  enemies,  under  his  feet;  and  I  have  his  word 
 for  it  that  he  will  put  them  under  mine.  Yea,  Lord, 
 I  believe;  and  on  thy  faithful  promise  I  trust  this 
 day.  Although  I  must  carry  my  cross,  yet  I  bless 
 thee,  and  worship  thee,  for  removing  curse  and  wrath 
 from  it.  I  can  now  take  it  up  as  thy  soldier,  and 
 fight  against  it  in  thy  strength,  expecting  victory 
 from  thee,  and  to  thy  glory.  O  my  God,  save  me 
 from  indwelUng  sin.  Let  me  feel  it  my  burden. 
 Glorify  thy  grace  in  me  and  by  me,  that,  being  en- 
 dued with  power  from  on  high,  I  may  hold  out,  re- 
 sisting and  conquering  it,  till  thou  give  me  everlast- 
 ing victory. 
 
 If  this,  O  ray  soul,  be  thy  constant  dependence, 
 
 then  the  cross  will  become  light.      Guilt  makes  it 
 
 heavy;   the  curse  in  it  makes  it  intolerable:    but  if 
 
 by  faith  thou  canst  see  guilt  and  curse  removed,  then 
 
 t3 
 
442 
 
 it  will  be  no  hinderance  to  thee  in  thy  heavenly  walk, 
 but  will  daily  call  forth  into  use  and  exercise  those 
 graces  which  will  help  thee  forward,  and  especially 
 
 Patience.      Here  is  great  need  of  patience — a 
 continual  war — and  within  thee — thine  own  bosom 
 the  seat  of  it — and  thine  own  lusts  carrying  it  on, 
 and  maintaining  it.      The  more  spiritual  thou  art, 
 the  more  wilt  thou  feel  this  inward  conflict.      The 
 more  thou  growest  into  Christ,  the  more  will  thy 
 corruptions  stir  and  move  :  they  will  be  thy  continual 
 plague,  so  that  thou  wilt  not  be  able  to  draw  any 
 comfort  from  what  thou  art  in  thyself.      Here  is  ex- 
 ercise for  patience.      Every  where  indwelling  sin  is 
 present  with  thee;  upon  every  temptation  ready  with 
 its  flatteries  to  entice,  and  with  its  power  to  break 
 out  into  act  and  deed.      The  opposing  it  is  like  cut- 
 ting off  a  right  hand,  and  plucking  out  a  right  eye-^ 
 as  contrary  to  nature,  and  as  painful.      The  hand 
 and  the  eye  cannot  be  destroyed  twice ;  but  inbred 
 lusts,  overcome  a  thousand  times,  are  not  in  the  least 
 discouraged   from  warring  against  the  soul.      Like 
 the  troubled  sea,  never  at  rest,  they  are  always  cast- 
 ing up  some  sinful  mire  and  dirt.      What  canst  thou 
 do  without  faith  in   the  Redeemer's  blood,  without 
 patience  to  wait  for  the  Redeemer's  strength  ?    Every 
 moment  there  is  need  of  faith  and  patience;  and  every 
 moment,  if  these  graces  be  exercised,  they  will  be 
 improved.      The  bearing  of  the  cross   continually, 
 and  fighting  under  it  on  the  side  of  God,  will  also  be 
 the  means  of  teachintj  thee 
 
 The    TRUE    SPIRITUAL    MORTIFICATION,    which 
 
 does  not  consist  in  sin  not  being  in  thee,  nor  in  its 
 being  put  upon  the  cross  daily,  nor  yet  in  its  being 
 
443 
 
 kept  upon  it.  There  must  be  something  more  to 
 establish  perfect  peace  in  thy  conscience ;  and  that  is, 
 the  testimony  of  God  concerning  the  body  of  sin. 
 He  has  provided  for  thy  perfect  deliverance  from  it 
 in  Christ.  Every  thing  needful  for  this  purpose 
 was  finished  by  him  upon  the  cross.  He  was  thy 
 surety.  He  suffered  for  thee.  Thy  sins  were  cru- 
 cified with  him,  and  nailed  to  his  cross.  They  were 
 put  to  death  when  he  died :  for  he  was  thy  covenant 
 Head,  and  thou,  as  a  member  of  his  body,  wast  legally 
 represented  by  him,  and  art  indeed  dead  to  sin  by 
 his  dying  to  sin  once.  The  law  has  now  no  more 
 right  to  condemn  thee,  a  believer,  than  it  has  to  con- 
 demn him.  Justice  is  bound  to  deal  with  thee,  as 
 it  has  with  thy  risen  and  ascended  Saviour.  If  thou 
 dost  not  thus  see  thy  complete  mortification  in  him, 
 sin  will  reign  in  thee.  No  sin  can  be  crucified, 
 either  in  heart  or  life,  unless  it  be  first  pardoned  in 
 conscience;  because  there  will  be  want  of  faith  to 
 receive  the  strength  of  Jesus,  by  whom  alone  it  can 
 be  crucified.  If  it  be  not  mortified  in  its  guilt,  it 
 cannot  be  subdued  in  its  power.  If  the  believer 
 does  not  see  his  perfect  deadness  to  sin  in  Jesus,  he 
 will  open  a  wide  door  to  unbelief;  and  if  he  be  not 
 persuaded  of  his  completeness  in  Christ,  he  gives 
 room  for  the  attacks  of  self-righteous  and  legal  tem- 
 pers. If  Christ  be  not  all  in  all,  self  must  still  be 
 looked  upon  as  something  great,  and  there  will  be 
 food  left  for  the  pride  of  self-importance  and  self- 
 sufficiency.  So  that  he  cannot  grow  into  the  death 
 of  Christ  in  sensible  experience,  farther  than  he  be- 
 lieves himself  to  be  dead  to  sin  in  Christ.  The 
 more  clearly  and  steadfastly  he  believes  this,  as  the 
 apostle  did — 
 
4f4f4t 
 
 I  AM  CRUCIFIED  WITH  Christ,  in  proportion  will 
 he  cleave  to  Christ,  and  receive  from  him  greater 
 power  to  crucify  sin.  This  believing  view  of  his 
 absolute  mortification  in  Christ,  is  the  true  gospel 
 method  of  mortifying  sin  in  our  own  persons. 
 
 Examine  then,  O  my  soul,  the  mistakes  which 
 thou  hast  made,  and  the  temptations  which  thou  art 
 under,  concerning  this  leading  truth  in  thy  walk. 
 Pray  to  thy  God  for  his  wisdom  to  guide  thee. 
 Without  it,  thou  wilt  be  afraid  where  no  fear  is. 
 Thou  wilt  be  inclined  to  think  this  doctrine  rather 
 encouraging  to  sin;  because  it  seems,  to  carnal  rea- 
 son, to  take  off  thy  rnind  from  watchfulness  against 
 it,  and  from  praying  for  victory  over  it.  But  be 
 assured  this  is  a  great  error.  If  thou  art  not  com- 
 plete in  Christ,  thou  never  canst  be  complete.  Seek 
 for  the  death  of  sin  where  thou  wilt,  it  is  not  to  be 
 found  but  in  his  death.  Try  to  conquer  it  upon  any 
 other  principle  than  faith  in  his  death;  the  very  at- 
 tempt is  sinful,  and  proves  thee  to  be  under  the  law. 
 Unless  thou  art  one  with  him  in  his  death,  there  can 
 be  no  pardon  of  sin,  and  consequently  no  victory  over 
 it.  O  fear  not,  then,  to  lay  the  whole  weight  of  thy 
 salvation  upon  Jesus.  Depend  on  him  as  dying  to 
 sin  for  thee,  and  look  at  thyself  dead  to  sin  in  hira — 
 as  completely  dead  to  it  as  he  is.  Read  the  testi- 
 mony of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Study  the  infinite,  the 
 everlasting  sufficiency  of  his  death,  for  thine  absolute 
 freedom  from  guilt  and  condemnation.  Trust  with- 
 out wavering;  be  not  afraid  to  view  the  everlasting 
 perfection  of  thy  deliverance  in  Jesus,  and  this  will 
 weaken  the  tyranny,  and  will  crucify  the  power  of 
 sin.      This  will,  and  nothing  else  can.      Read  the 
 
445 
 
 sixth  of  the  Romans,  and  pray  for  the  Spirit  of 
 revelation  to  open  it  to  thee.  There  thou  wilt  dis- 
 cover the  true  way  to  mortify  sir.  It  is  by  beHeving, 
 that  thou  art  planted  together  with  Christ  in  his 
 death:  from  thence  only  thy  pardon  flows,  from  thence 
 thy  daily  victory  is  received,  and  from  thence  thy 
 eternal  victory  will  be  perfected.  Fight  on ;  soon 
 thou  shalt  be  what  Christ  now  is.  The  member 
 shall  be  perfectly  like  the  Head.  O  glorious  pros- 
 pect !  Thou  shalt  be  with  him,  and  like  him — 
 spotless  and  fair  as  Jesus,  righteous  and  holy,  happy 
 in  body  and  soul.  Thou  shalt  see  him  as  he  is,  and 
 awaking  after  his  likeness,  thou  shalt  be  satisfied  with 
 it.  Take  up  thy  cross  for  the  joy  here  set  before 
 thee.  Bear  it  in  faith.  It  will  be  light  and  easy  to 
 thy  pardoned  conscience ;  yea,  the  carrying  of  it  in 
 patience  will  bring  forth  many  peaceable  fruits  of 
 righteousness:  among  the  rest,  there  is  one  which 
 in  the  sight  of  God  is  of  great  price,  and  which  is 
 daily  improved  by  the  inward  cross ;   namely. 
 
 Humility,  which  consists  in  the  right  knowledge 
 of  ourselves,  not  only  of  what  we  have  been,  but  also 
 of  what  we  now  are.  The  best  and  holiest  man  upon 
 the  earth,  has  a  corrupt  fallen  nature :  he  has  flesh 
 still,  which  is  always  lusting  against  the  Spirit. 
 While  he  is  alive  to  God  he  feels  it.  He  is  sensible 
 of  the  inward  conflict.  Dead  men  indeed  feel  no- 
 thing. A  dead  corpse  has  no  sense  of  the  worms 
 which  are  eating  it  up.  He  that  has  these  lusts  in 
 him,  and  warring  against  his  soul,  and  yet  does  not 
 feel  them,  cannot  be  spiritually  alive.  A  natural 
 man  has  no  sense  of  them;  because  they  are  in  him 
 as  worms  in  a  dead  body :  just  so  it  is  with  the  per- 
 
446 
 
 fectionist.  But  so  soon,  and  so  long,  as  he  lives 
 to  God,  he  will  perceive  them.  If  he  be  in  happy 
 communion  with  God,  indwelling  sin  is  present  to 
 interrupt  the  enjoyment.  If  he  exercise  any  grace, 
 this  besetting  sin  tries  to  weaken  its  actings.  If  it 
 be  set  about  any  duty,  it  will  hinder  him  from  doing 
 it  so  perfectly  as  God  requires,  and  as  he  could  wish. 
 The  abiding  sense  of  these  truths  will  keep  down 
 pride.  The  believer  will  see  nothing  of  his  own  to 
 trust  in  ;  no  faith,  or  hope,  or  love ;  no  faithfulness 
 to  grace,  no  holy  obedience :  all  is  stained  and  pol- 
 luted. He  is  forced  to  cry  out  of  his  best  duties- 
 Unclean,  unclean  !  In  this  school  the  disciple  learns 
 to  walk  humbly  with  his  God.  The  more  he  knows 
 of  himself,  the  more  humble  he  becomes.  And  he 
 grows  in  this  heavenly  grace,  the  more  he  is  ac- 
 quainted with  the  mercy  of  God  in  Jesus.  This, 
 learned  by  divine  teaching,  keeps  the  believer  meek 
 and  lowly  in  his  own  eyes.  Nothing  softens  and 
 melts  the  soul  into  holy  tenderness  like  the  sense  of 
 God's  mercy.  A  man  who  feels  the  plague  of  his 
 own  heart,  is  never  truly  humbled  until  he  be  par- 
 doned. But  when  he  is  justified  from  all  things  in 
 Christ,  in  him  a  partaker  of  all  spiritual  blessings  in 
 earth  and  heaven ;  when  he  sees  all  his  salvation  of 
 grace,  of  free  sovereign  grace,  flowing  from  the  ab- 
 solute favour  of  electing  love,  and  bestowed  upon 
 him,  as  unworthy  an  object  as  ever  did  or  ever  can 
 partake  of  it,  then  he  becomes  truly  broken-hearted. 
 These  truths,  taught  of  God,  bring  every  high 
 thought  into  subjection  to  Christ  Jesus.  The  soul 
 bows  before  him,  lies  low  at  his  feet;  prostrates  itself 
 before  the  throne  of  his  grace,  and  desires  to  be  kept 
 
447 
 
 willing  to  take  all  its  blessings  out  of  his  hands,  and 
 to  use  them  to  his  glory.  This  is  gospel  humility; 
 the  true  abasement  of  spirit,  with  which  a  man,  sen- 
 sible that  he  is  saved  by  mere  mercy,  loathes  himself. 
 And  while  the  experience  of  indwelling  sin  humbles 
 him  down  to  the  dust,  it  produces,  through  God's 
 grace,  the  happiest  effects :  for  it  keeps  him  in  his 
 strong  tower  and  sanctuary,  in  which  alone  he  is 
 
 Safe.  It  is  ever  reminding  him  of  the  need  of 
 the  blood  of  sprinkling — ever  showing  him  his  want 
 of  a  perfect  righteousness — and  ever  preaching  to 
 him  the  necessity  of  his  being  kept  by  the  power  of 
 God.  And  while  he  hearkens  to  these  lessons,  trust- 
 ing to  Jesus,  he  will  stand  fast  and  be  established. 
 The  arm  of  the  Lord  God  Almighty  will  hold  him 
 up,  and  he  shall  be  safe.  While  he  lives  thus  out 
 of  himself,  the  sense  of  indwelling  sin  will  lead  him 
 to  his  true 
 
 Happiness,  which  is  all  in  the  fulness  of  the 
 God-man.  He  will  enjoy  the  more  of  this,  the  less 
 he  finds  in  himself.  When  he  cannot  draw  comfort 
 from  any  thing  of  his  own,  he  will  seek  it  more  in 
 God.  When  all  the  streams  are  dried  up,  he  will 
 get  nearer  to  the  fountain-head,  and  live  more  upon 
 it.  This  is  the  portion  of  the  Lord's  people,  and 
 the  inheritance  of  all  his  saints.  And  in  this  view, 
 indwelling  sin  is  made  the  means  of  promoting  their 
 
 Holiness.  They  see  their  continual  need  of 
 Christ.  They  can  do  nothing  without  him ;  but, 
 believing  their  oneness  with  him,  they  desire  to  im- 
 prove it  in  experience.  Every  thing  they  do  keeps 
 them  sensible  of  their  sins  and  wants,  and  shows  them 
 the  necessity  of  living  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
 
448 
 
 God.  This  is  true  humility.  The  more  they  are 
 humbled,  the  more  they  receive  out  of  the  fuhiess 
 of  Jesus ;  for  he  giveth  more  grace — more,  to  pro- 
 duce nearer  fellowship  with  him  in  his  death,  where- 
 by sin  will  be  more  dead ;  and  in  his  resurrection, 
 whereby  the  soul  will  be  more  alive  to  God.  So 
 that  the  humblest  believer  is  the  nearest  to  God, 
 and  is  the  safest,  happiest,  and  holiest  of  all  the  men 
 upon  earth,  because  he  has  most  fellowship  with  God. 
 He  dwells  in  God,  and  God  in  him.  Meditate,  O 
 my  soul,  upon  this  use  of  this  cross.  Is  sin  in  thee  ? 
 Dost  thou  feel  it,  and  art  thou  fighting  against  it? 
 And  does  not  this  humble  thee?  Art  thou  freely 
 forgiven  all  trespasses,  indwelling  sin  among  the  rest  ? 
 Dost  thou  know  that  thou  art  a  saved  sinner — a 
 brand  plucked  out  of  hell?  And  does  not  this 
 humble  thee?  I  see  reason  enough  to  be  humbled, 
 but  I  feel  pride  in  me  lusting  against  humility.  O 
 my  precious  Jesus,  humble  me  under  thy  mighty 
 hand.  To  thee  I  look  for  all  my  salvation.  Lord, 
 save  me  from  pride.  Thou  hast  made  me  willing 
 to  be  taught  of  thee  to  be  meek  and  lowly,  and  I 
 come  to  thee,  praying  that  the  disciple  may  be  as  his 
 Master.  O  let  me  drink  deep  into  thy  Spirit.  In 
 every  day's  warfare  against  my  corruptions,  enable 
 me  to  renounce  myself,  that  I  may  find  thou  art  car- 
 rying both  me  and  ray  cross.  Keep  me  humbled  at 
 thy  feet,  that  thou  mayest  exalt  me  in  due  time.  I 
 pray  to  thee,  my  precious  Saviour,  for  this  grace,  to 
 mine  eternal  humbling,  and  to  thine  eternal  exalta- 
 tion. In  life  and  death,  and  for  evermore,  I  hope 
 to  glory  only  in  the  Lord,  and  to  triumph  in  the 
 God  of  my  salvation. 
 
44.9 
 
 Thus  the  believer  learns  to  walk  humbly  under 
 the  inward  cross.  He  is  brought  to  trust  all  in  the 
 Saviour's  hand.  Daily  he  discovers  more  of  the 
 ruins  of  the  fall,  which  lead  him  to  fresh  discoveries 
 of  the  perfect  salvation  in  Jesus.  If  he  attend  to 
 what  is  passing  in  his  own  breast,  he  finds  his  need 
 of  a  Saviour  every  moment,  and  for  every  thing ;  by 
 which  means  he  grows  in  grace,  and  in  the  excel- 
 lency of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  his  Lord. 
 He  learns  to  put  no  confidence  in  the  flesh ;  but  to 
 rejoice  only  in  his  completeness  in  Jesus,  from  whom 
 all  his  comforts  and  victories  are  received.  Thus, 
 while  self  is  laid  low,  the  Saviour  is  exalted,  and  his 
 perfect  work  is  more  depended  on.  The  believer, 
 by  hope  and  love,  obtains  more  delightful  commu- 
 nion with  his  God.  Indwelling  sin  is  his  cross : 
 but  he  bears  it,  looking  unto  Jesus;  from  whom  he 
 receives  strength  to  go  on,  yea,  to  run  the  race  set 
 before  him.  By  faith  he  sees  in  Jesus  the  corrup- 
 tion of  his  nature  condemned  and  dead  in  law :  he 
 beholds  himself  freed  from  this,  as  well  as  from  hi* 
 other  sins.  Guilt  is  the  most  galling  part  of  this 
 cross;  but  when  guilt  is  thus  removed  from  the  con- 
 science, then  the  cross  grows  light.  When  taken 
 up  in  faith,  and  carried  in  love  to  the  Almighty  Sa- 
 viour, then  it  does  not  stop  the  believer  in  his  fel- 
 lowship with  Jesus,  or  in  his  happy  walk  with  him. 
 Glory  be  to  thee,  my  Lord,  of  this  I  have  some  ex- 
 perience. Yes,  precious  Jesus,  I  know  the  infinite 
 value  of  that  sacrifice  which  put  away  sin.  I  bless 
 thee  for  that  offering  which  perfects  for  ever.  In- 
 terested in  it,  I  would  not  distrust  my  completeness 
 in  thee.      Through  thy  holy  nature,  I  expect  to  be 
 
450 
 
 renewed  after  thy  likeness.  The  fountain  for  cleans- 
 ing from  the  filth  of  sin  stands  open :  in  it  I  daily 
 wash  my  spotted  soul.  In  thy  divine  righteousness, 
 I  see  the  law  and  justice  of  the  Father  infinitely 
 honoured  by  justifying  me,  and  dealing  with  me  as 
 perfectly  righteous.  Complete  in  thee  I  am.  In 
 thy  work  finished  upon  earth  I  am  perfect,  and  am 
 represented  as  such  by  thee  in  heaven.  I  believe 
 thou  appearest  there  as  my  divine  Intercessor,  bear- 
 ing my  name  upon  thy  shoulders,  and  upon  thy 
 breast,  with  a  glory  beyond  all  the  precious  stones  in 
 the  world.  O  my  blessed  Jesus,  increase  this  faith. 
 Lead  me  from  faith  to  faith,  that,  while  I  am  travel- 
 ling heavenwards,  mine  eye  and  my  heart  may  be 
 more  simply  fixed  upon  thee.  Come,  thou  glorifier 
 of  the  Saviour,  and  discover  to  me  more  of  the  sin- 
 fulness of  sin,  and  of  my  need  of  his  salvation.  Holy 
 Spirit,  teach  me  in  the  deepest  sense  of  indwelling 
 sin,  to  trust  wholly  to  the  ofiering  of  the  body  of 
 Jesus.  O  lead  me  to  his  cross,  there  to  see  all  my 
 sins  nailed,  crucified  with  him,  dead  in  his  death, 
 buried  in  his  grave :  in  this  faith  strengthen  me 
 mightily  to  resist  and  to  conquer  my  corruptions. 
 Enable  me  to  experience  the  power  of  his  cross,  that 
 I  may  feel  sin  weakened  in  the  love  and  in  the  prac- 
 tice of  it.  Almighty  Spirit,  in  my  daily  warfare  I 
 find  no  strength  less  than  thine  can  make  me  con- 
 queror: and  therein  thou  hast  caused  me  to  put  my 
 trust.  Awake,  awake;  put  on  strength,  O  arm  of 
 the  Lord :  awake  as  in  the  ancient  days,  in  the  gen- 
 erations of  old.  Art  thou  not  it  that  cut  the  pride 
 of  nature  to  pieces,  and  wounded  the  old  dragon? 
 O  my  God,  magnify  thine  arm  in  subduing  every 
 
4.51 
 
 sin.  Thou  seest  my  naked  heart,  and  its  sighings 
 are  not  hid  from  thee.  My  corruptions  are  indeed 
 my  cross  :  and  they  would  have  been  a  sore  burden, 
 too  heavy  for  me  to  bear,  if  the  curse  had  not  been 
 taken  out  of  them.  But  still,  pardoned  as  they  are, 
 yet  in  this  tabernacle  I  do  groan,  being  burdened. 
 I  believe  the  day  is  coming  when  I  shall  have  per- 
 fect and  eternal  freedom  from  sin  and  sorrow  :  the 
 first-fruits  of  this,  only  make  me  long  the  more  for 
 the  blessed  harvest.  But  1  desire  to  wait  in  hope, 
 bearing  my  cross,  till  thy  will  be  done.  O  Lord, 
 make  me  willing  to  resist,  give  me  power  to  over- 
 come indwelling  sin,  till  the  day  of  redemption  and 
 mortality  be  swallowed  up  of  life.  Hear  me,  my 
 good  God,  and  answer  me,  for  thy  name^s  sake,  to 
 the  glory  of  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  the  Three  in 
 one  Jehovah,  to  whom  my  heart  now  bows  in  wor- 
 ship, and  my  soul  hopes  soon  to  join  in  the  song  of 
 never-ceasing  praise.      Amen,  and  amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 
 The  Believer  Jights  the  good  fight  of  Faiths  and  goes 
 forth  conquering  and  to  conquer. 
 
 When  the  believer  has  been  disciplined  under 
 the  cross,  and  has  learned  to  bear  it  with  patience, 
 the  Captain  of  his  salvation  has  other  exercises  for 
 him.  He  has  chosen  him  to  be  a  soldier,  and  he 
 intends  to  teach  him  to  endure  hardness.  His  life 
 in  Christ  is  one  continued  battle,  not  only  against 
 
452 
 
 flesh  and  blood,  but  also  against  principalities  and 
 powers  of  earth  and  hell :  he  cannot  discover  their 
 stratagems,  nor  overcome  their  assaults,  but  by  being 
 strong  in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  His 
 warfare  is  therefore  to  be  carried  on  entirely  by  faith. 
 The  principles  before  laid  down  must  be  brought 
 into  use.  What  the  Spirit  of  God  has  discovered 
 to  him  of  his  salvation  in  Jesus,  is  to  be  tried  in  every 
 battle;  and  if  it  be  maintained,  it  will  be  improved. 
 If  he  hold  fast  the  confidence  of  his  faith,  he  will 
 behave  like  a  good  soldier.  If  he  always  takes  up 
 arms  in  absolute  dependence  on  the  Divine  General, 
 to  give  him  courage,  to  order  him  how  to  attack  his 
 enemies,  to  bestow  strength  upon  him  daily  to  resist 
 them,  then  victory  will  be  certain.  Yea,  he  will  be 
 invincible,  while  he  stands  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in 
 the  power  of  his  might.  He  will  meditate  upon  the 
 principles  which  he  had  been  taught  of  God,  and 
 will  find  peace  in  his  own  conscience,  and  joy  in  his 
 heart,  by  bringing  them  into  daily  experience.  His 
 believing  views  of  the  warfare  to  which  he  is  called, 
 will  be  such  as  these  : — 
 
 I  am,  through  sovereign  grace,  called  to  fight 
 under  the  banner  of  Jesus.  He  has  not  left  me  to 
 fight  as  uncertainly,  but  he  has  conquered  all  mine 
 enemies  for  me,  and  he  has  undertaken  to  conquer 
 them  all  in  me.  It  is  true,  I  am  weak;  but  ray 
 Redeemer  is  strong:  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name. 
 He  has  saved  me  from  my  sins,  from  the  shame  and 
 pain  of  them,  from  the  wicked  one,  and  the  wicked 
 world,  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  and  from  the  wrath 
 of  God.  He  has  given  me  a  divine  righteousness 
 for  my  justification,  and  in  it  I  am  accepted  before 
 
453 
 
 the  throne :  he  has  put  it  upon  me  for  ornament  and 
 defence — it  is  a  garment  of  salvation,  which  cannot 
 be  lost  upon  earth,  and  which  will  shine  with  never- 
 fading  beauty  in  heaven.  The  Father  is  perfectly 
 reconciled,  and  loves  me  with  a  love  that  passes 
 knowledge.  I  believe  it.  God  is  on  my  side:  I 
 need  not  fear  what  any  enemy  can  do  unto  me.  He 
 has  taken  me  into  his  protection.  By  his  all-wis« 
 counsel  1  am  guided;  by  his  almighty  arm  I  am  de- 
 fended. My  battles  are  the  Lord's.  Indeed,  mine 
 enemies  are  many,  and  they  are  too  cunning  and  too 
 mighty  for  me.  But  why  do  they  now  fight  against 
 me?  Is  it  not  because  God  is  ray  friend?  They 
 hate  me,  because  he  loves  me.  While  I  lived  in 
 friendship  with  them,  and  was  at  war  with  God,  they 
 were  always  trying  to  make  me  happy:  but  ever  since 
 I  fled  to  Jesus  for  refuge,  and  sought  redemption  in 
 his  blood,  they  have  taken  up  arms  against  me;  and 
 they  have  raged  more  furiously  since  I  was  enabled 
 to  believe  in  him.  But  I  have  no  reason  to  fear 
 their  opposition.  With  them  is  an  arm  of  flesh,  but 
 with  me  is  the  Lord  my  God  to  help  me,  and  to  fight 
 my  battles.  I  may  therefore  go  to  my  daily  warfare 
 in  faith,  regarding  the  commands,  waiting  for  the 
 fulfilling  of  the  promises  of  my  God,  and  relying 
 upon  the  provision  which  he  has  made  for  my  present 
 and  for  mine  eternal  victory. 
 
 Are  thy  meditations,  O  my  soul,  like  these  upon 
 the  Christian  warfare?  Examine  thyself.  If  thou 
 art  at  peace  with  God,  thou  must  expect  war.  It 
 is  unavoidable.  If  it  be  in  thy  heart  to  please  him 
 who  hath  chosen  thee  to  be  a  soldier,  then  all  the 
 powers  of  wickedness  will  be  in  arms.      Night  and 
 
454 
 
 day,  with  never-ceasing  rage,  they  will  pursue  thee. 
 Deep-laid  plans  will  be  formed,  and  fierce  assaults 
 will  be  made  against  thy  true  happiness.  They  will 
 be  attempting,  so  long  as  thou  art  in  the  world,  by 
 some  cunning  or  force,  to  draw  thee  from  thy  God. 
 Thy  life,  from  henceforth,  is  to  be  one  continued 
 battle.  Thy  victory  depends  every  moment  upon 
 holding  fast  thy  confidence  in  God ;  and  therefore 
 thou  must  bring  the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of 
 Christ  into  exercise.  Thou  hast  seen  how  necessary 
 they  are  for  every  step  of  thy  walk,  and  thou  wilt 
 find  them  equally  necessary  for  every  part  of  thy 
 warfare.  This  is  a  leading  truth  ;  thine  enemies  are 
 God's  enemies.  Once  thou  didst  join  with  them, 
 and  wast  on  their  side  fighting  against  God,  but  he 
 has  saved  thee  from  the  guilt  of  thy  rebellion.  In 
 free  love  he  chose  thee  in  his  Son,  and  in  sovereign 
 mercy  gave  him  for  thee.  The  Son  rejoiced  to  do 
 his  Father's  will  for  thy  salvation :  he  did  it  in  his 
 life ;  he  suffered  it  in  his  death.  The  ever-glorious 
 work  is  finished;  and  it  is  given  thee  on  the  behalf 
 of  Christ  to  believe.  The  Lord  the  Spirit  has  sa- 
 tisfied thy  conscience,  and  has  comforted  thy  heart 
 with  the  knowledge  of  this  perfect  salvation.  The 
 Father  is  thy  Father  in  Jesus — thine  by  his  own  free 
 gift — thine  by  his  own  unchangeable  purpose — and 
 now  thine  by  thy  free  choice.  He  has  made  thee 
 willing  in  the  day  of  his  power  to  take  him  for  thy 
 God.  He  is  perfectly  reconciled  unto  thee  in  his 
 Son :  and  should  not  this  perfectly  reconcile  thee  to 
 him  ?  His  love  to  thee  is  wonderful  in  all  its  pro- 
 perties, in  its  rise  and  origin,  and  in  its  free  and  full 
 communication   of  every  covenant  blessing.      And 
 
455 
 
 does  not  the  belief  of  this  engage  thy  heart  in  love 
 to  God  ?  Dost  thou  not  love  him  for  his  love  to 
 thee ;  and  is  it  not  thy  daily  prayer  that  thy  love  may 
 abound  yet  more  and  more?  Has  not  the  sense  of 
 this  peace  and  love  been  improved  in  thy  daily  walk 
 with  him  ?  Hast  thou  not  found  the  truth,  and 
 enjoyed  the  comfort  of  these  graces  in  thine  experi- 
 ence ?  O  fear  not  then,  since  God  is  on  thy  side — 
 fear  not,  O  my  soul,  to  go  to  war  with  any  enemy, 
 who  would  rob  thee  of  the  peace  of  God  in  thy  con- 
 science, or  of  the  love  of  God  in  thy  heart.  This 
 is  the  design  of  all  those  who  fight  against  thee. 
 They  want  to  shake  thy  confidence  in  God,  and  so 
 to  draw  thee  from  him.  They  know  they  cannot 
 succeed  while  thou  standest  strong  in  the  Lord, 
 trusting  to  his  being  thy  reconciled  God  and  loving 
 Father.  O  keep  this  trust  in  him,  as  the  apple  of 
 thine  eye — bind  it  continually  to  thy  heart  in  love 
 — and  fight  for  it  as  for  thy  precious  life.  Be  as- 
 sured no  enemies  can  prevail  against  thee,  until  they 
 have  first  overcome  thy  faith :  because,  while  thou 
 makest  God  thy  refuge  and  strength,  his  almighty 
 arm  will  be  thy  defence.  "  Be  not  afraid,"  says  he, 
 "  I  am  with  thee,  and  I  will  keep  thee  by  my  power, 
 through  faith,  unto  salvation." 
 
 In  this  warfare,  it  is  the  chief  business  of  the  be- 
 liever to  have  respect  to  the  orders  given  him.  He 
 is  entirely  to  depend  on  the  Captain  of  his  salvation. 
 What  has  he  said,  O  my  soul,  to  encourage  thee  to 
 go  to  battle  without  fear?  Mind  his  description — 
 it  is  the  good  fight  of  faith  in  which  thou  art  en- 
 gaged. By  faith  thou  art  to  attack  thy  foes;  by 
 faith  alone  thou  canst  conquer  them ;  and  faith  must 
 have  his 
 
456 
 
 Commands,  or  else  it  can  have  no  lawful  warrant 
 to  fight,  and  no  just  ground  to  expect  victory.      In- 
 deed, if  he  had  spoken  nothing,  there  could  have 
 been  no  faith  :  for  his  word  comes  first — it  is  spoken 
 — it  is  heard — and  then  faith  comes   by  hearing. 
 Look  well  then  to  his  word.      Study  it  carefully. 
 If  thou  obey  it  aright,  thou  art  absolutely  safe  in  the 
 hottest  battle;  and  thy  victory  is  as  certain  as  if  the 
 crown  was  already  upon  thy  head.      These  are  his 
 standing  orders — "  Fear  thou  not,  for  I  am  with  thee ; 
 be  not  afraid,  for  I  am  thy  God :   I  will  strengthen 
 thee,  yea,  I  will  help  thee,  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee 
 with  the  right  hand  of  my  righteousness.      Behold 
 all  they  that  were  incensed  against   thee  shall   be 
 ashamed  and  confounded :   they  shall  be  as  nothing, 
 and   they  that  strive  with  thee  shall  perish.      Thou 
 shalt  seek  them,  and  shalt  not  find  them,  even  them 
 that  contended  with  thee  :  they  that  war  against  thee 
 shall  be  as  nothing,  and  as  a  thing  of  nought;  for 
 the  Lord  thy  God  will  hold  thy  right  hand,  saying 
 unto  thee.   Fear  not,   I  will  help  thee.      Fear  not, 
 thou  worm  Jacob,  and  ye  men  of  Israel ;   I  will  help 
 thee,  saith  the  Lord,  and  thy  Redeemer,  the  holy 
 One  of  Israel."      Are  these  indeed   the  words  of 
 God  ?      Does  he  command  poor  worms,  weak  and 
 defenceless,   to  go  to  war  without  fear  ?      Does  he 
 encourage  them  to  look  up  to  his  arm,  promising  to 
 be  on  their  side?     Yes,  the  Lord  of  hosts  fights  for 
 them.     All  their  enemies  are  his,  and  therefore  they 
 may  safely  trust,   and  not  be  afraid.      O  my  soul, 
 read  carefully,  read  again  and  again,  mark  and  in- 
 wardly digest  every  word  of  this  divine  command; 
 and  in  obedience  to  it  expect  his  help.      Face  thine 
 
457 
 
 enemies,  whoever  they  be,  with  holy  boldness ;  for 
 God  is  with  thee.  He  has  undertaken  to  fight  thy 
 battles.  Look  at  this  scripture.  Canst  thou  medi- 
 tate on  it,  and  yet  be  afraid  ?     Of  whom,  or  of  what? 
 
 0  vile  unbelieving  fear  !  Beg  of  God  to  save  thee 
 from  it.  Honour  the  Captain  of  thy  salvation. 
 Trust  him.  Doubt  not  but  thou  art  as  safe,  obey- 
 ing his  orders  and  expecting  his  help,  as  almighty 
 power  can  make  thee.  Observe  the  courage  of  one 
 of  thy  fellow-soldiers — observe  his  victory:  "  When 
 
 1  cry  unto  thee,  then  shall  mine  enemies  be  turned 
 back  :  this  I  know,  for  God  is  on  my  side.  In  God 
 will  I  praise  his  word ;  in  the  Lord  will  I  praise  his 
 word :  in  God  have  I  put  my  trust,  I  will  not  be 
 afraid  what  man  can  do  unto  me."  The  enemies  of 
 David  came  to  swallow  him  up,  but  he  encouraged 
 himself  in  the  Lord  his  God.  He  attended  to  his 
 orders.  He  considered  the  word  which  was  spoken 
 to  him,  he  depended  upon  it,  and  had  reason  to  praise 
 God  for  his  faithfulness;  for  God  fulfilled  it  unto 
 him.      There  was  in  it  a 
 
 Promise,  as  well  as  a  command — Do  this — and 
 I  will  be  with  thee.  The  promise  is  always  made 
 good  to  them  who  keep  the  command  in  faith.  The 
 one  is  our  divine  warrant  to  fight,  the  other  is  our 
 encouragement  to  fight  in  certain  hopes  of  victory. 
 Attend,  O  my  soul,  to  the  promise,  and  fear  not  the 
 accomplishment  of  it — "  In  righteousness  shalt  thou 
 be  established  :  thou  shalt  be  far  from  oppression,  for 
 thou  shalt  not  fear;  and  from  terror,  for  it  shall  not 
 come  near  thee.  Behold,  they  shall  surely  gather 
 together,  but  not  by  me :  whosoever  shall  gather  to- 
 gether against  thee,  shall  fall  for  thy  sake.  Behold, 
 U  4, 
 
458 
 
 I  have  created  the  smith  that  bloweth  the  coals  in 
 the  fire,  and  that  hringeth  forth  an  instrument  for 
 his  work,  and  I  have  created  the  waster  to  destroy. 
 No  weapon  that  is  formed  against  thee  shall  prosper, 
 and  every  tongue  that  shall  rise  in  judgment  against 
 thee  thou  shalt  condemn.  This  is  the  heritage  of 
 the  servants  of  the  Lord,  and  their  righteousness  is 
 of  me,  saith  the  Lord."  Thou  art  here  forewarned 
 of  thine  enemies:  they  shall  gather  against  thee. 
 But  the  Lord  is  not  with  them.  Ke  is  thy  defender 
 and  mighty  deliverer,  and  he  will  bring  all  opposition 
 to  nought  for  thy  sake.  However  numerous  their 
 hosts  may  be,  yet  they  shall  fall.  Whatever  wea- 
 pons of  war  they  may  form,  yet  none  of  them  shall 
 prosper.  This  is  the  certain  heritage  of  all  believers. 
 Their  righteousness  and  their  strength  is  of  me, 
 saith  the  Lord — I  will  fight  their  battles,  and  I  will 
 never  leave  them  nor  forsake  them  :  I  will  make 
 them  daily  conquerors;  and  behold  the  days  come, 
 saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  perform  that  good  thing 
 which  I  have  promised  them,  I  will  make  them  more 
 than  conquerors. 
 
 Is  this,  O  my  soul,  the  infallible  word  of  pro- 
 mise ?  Has  the  Lord  of  hosts  undertaken  to  stand 
 by  his  people?  Has  he  engaged  to  lead  them  out 
 to  war  by  his  wisdom,  to  defend  them  in  battle  by  his 
 power,  and  to  give  them  eternal  victory  to  the  praise 
 of  his  own  grace?  O  what  motives  are  these  to 
 strengthen  thy  heart  and  thy  hands  !  What  hast 
 thou  reason  to  fear,  since  the  Almighty  is  on  thy 
 side?  The  battle  is  his.  If  hosts  of  enemies  op- 
 pose, yet  following  his  orders,  and  trusting  to  his 
 strength,  thy  victory  is  infallibly  sure:  for  then  thou 
 
459 
 
 wilt  fight  against  them  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in 
 the  power  of  his  might,  and  thou  wilt  be  invincible 
 In  the  whole  armour  of  God.  This  ar- 
 mour is  the  provision  which  God  has  made  for  the 
 safety  of  his  soldiers.  He  puts  it  on  them,  and  he 
 keeps  it  on  them.  It  is  a  whole  armour,  a  complete 
 defence  from  head  to  foot.  In  great  mercy,  their 
 God,  who  provided  it,  has  revealed  to  them  the  use 
 of  every  part.  In  the  sixth  of  the  Ephesians,  the 
 apostle  has  described  it  at  large.  He  supposes 
 them  to  be  acquainted  with  the  Christian  doctrines, 
 and  to  have  walked  in  the  comfort  of  them,  and  he 
 calls  upon  them  to  bring  them  into  practice  in  their 
 daily  warfare:  "  It  only  remains,  my  brethren,"  says 
 he,  "  that  ye  be  strong  in  the  Lord," — for  no 
 strength  less  than  his  can  keep  you — "  and  in  the 
 might  of  what  he  is  able  to  do ;"  by  faith  relying  on 
 his  promise,  and  trusting  to  his  power;  "  putting  on 
 the  whole  armour  of  God  ;"  that,  being  strengthened 
 mightily  by  the  Spirit  in  the  inner  man,  ye  may  be 
 preserved  dependent  upon  the  Lord,  and  enabled  to 
 engage  in  his  strength,  and  to  conquer  to  his  glory. 
 Unless  you  thus  rely  upon  his  word  and  arm,  you 
 will  not  be  able  to  stand  against  the  wiles  of  the 
 devil:  for  we  wrestle  not  only  against  flesh  and 
 blood,  but  also  against  principalities,  against  powers, 
 against  the  rulers  of  the  darkness  of  this  world, 
 against  spiritual  wickednesses  in  high  places;  there- 
 fore take  unto  you  the  whole  armour  of  God,  that  ye 
 may  be  enabled  to  withstand  in  the  evil  day,  against 
 the  combined  legions  of  earth  and  hell,  and  after  ye 
 have  done  all,  to  stand  conquerors  in  the  field  of 
 battle,  when  your  enemies  are  driven  out  of  it. 
 u  2 
 
460 
 
 Stand,  tlierefore,  having  your  loins  girt  about  with 
 truth — this  is  the  first  grace  in  use — 
 
 Saving  knowledge,  which  the  Holy  Spirit 
 teaches.  He  guides  believers  into  all  truth  neces- 
 sary for  their  salvation.  As  the  military  girdle  went 
 round  the  loins,  and  bound  all  the  armour  together, 
 so  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  binds 
 together  all  the  graces.  It  is  of  the  essence  of  every 
 one  of  them  ;  it  is  light  in  the  understanding  to  dis- 
 cover what  they  are,  that  they  may  be  received  into 
 the  heart  in  love,  and  that,  in  obeying  the  truth, 
 their  influence  may  operate  upon  the  life  and  con- 
 versation. When  a  man  is  thus  taught  of  God, 
 then  he  sees  his  need  of  the  breast-plate  of  right- 
 eousness, and  he  puts  it  on;  namely,  the 
 
 Imputed  righteousness  of  the  God-man.  The 
 breast-plate  was  armour  for  the  vital  parts;  so  is  the 
 righteousness  of  Christ ;  it  is  a  perfect  protection 
 from  every  stroke  of  every  enemy.  He  that  wears 
 it  upon  his  heart,  believing  in  the  life  and  death  of 
 Emmanuel,  has  armour  proof  against  all  weapons. 
 If  the  strength  of  his  adversaries  could  be  collected 
 into  one  arm,  which  was  to  strike  one  mighty  blow, 
 his  breast-plate  would  ward  it  off.  The  armour  of 
 God  could  not  be  hurt.  The  soldier  with  it  on  can- 
 not perish,  but  shall  have  everlasting  life.  There- 
 fore, covered  with  this  invincible  breast-plate,  he 
 may  face  the  stoutest  foes,  and  attack  them  without 
 fear.  He  may  march  on  undaunted,  "  having  his 
 feet  shod  with  the  preparation  of  the  gospel  of  peace." 
 
 Peace  with  God,  through  Jesus  Christ,  is  an- 
 other grace  of  the  Spirit,  which  mightily  strengthens 
 the  inner  man.      Whoever  sees  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
 
461 
 
 pel,  and  believes  it,  will  discover  God  to  be  at  peace 
 with  him,  perfectly  reconciled  to  him  in  Jesus,  and 
 who,  out  of  his  fatherly  love,  will  overrule  all  things 
 for  his  good.  In  the  sense  of  this  he  may  go  on 
 with  holy  boldness,  as  the  soldier  did  with  his  greaves 
 on.  When  his  feet  and  legs  were  armed  with  them, 
 he  was  not  afraid  of  thorns  or  briers,  of  rough  roads 
 or  sharp  spikes.  In  like  manner,  the  peace  which 
 the  gospel  brings,  carries  the  Christian  soldier  fear- 
 less through  difficulties.  He  will  march  on  conquer- 
 ing, if  he  keep  on  his  greaves.  If  he  maintain  peace 
 with  God  through  Jesus  Christ,  he  will  not  be 
 stopped  by  war,  or  trouble,  or  temptation.  But  he 
 must  remember,  that  to  every  piece  of  armour  faith 
 is  essentially  necessary — the  girdle  is  good  for  no- 
 thing, without  the  belief  of  the  truth — the  breast- 
 plate is  no  defence,  without  faith  in  the  righteousness 
 of  God  our  Saviour — the  greaves  are  no  more  than 
 if  the  feet  were  covered  with  a  bit  of  thin  gauze, 
 unless  faith  may  be  mixed  with  the  gospel :  "  There- 
 fore, to  all  these  take  the  shield  of  faith,  wherewith 
 we  shall  be  able  to  quench  all  the  fiery  darts  of  the 
 wicked  one."  What  excellent  things  are  here 
 spoken  of 
 
 Faith,  as  a  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit !  When 
 they  used  to  fight  with  bows  and  arrows,  the  soldier 
 could  hold  up  his  shield  and  keep  himself  safe:  so 
 the  Christian  soldier,  if  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan  fly 
 thick  about  him,  by  faith  will  quench  them  all.  He 
 has  much  combustible  within  him,  and  one  spark 
 would  set  him  in  a  flame,  if  he  had  not  his  shield  : 
 but  armed  with  it,  and  opposing  it  to  the  arrows  of 
 the  wicked  one,  he  may  lift  up  his  head  with  joy  : 
 
462 
 
 "  for  he  has  the  helmet  of  salvation*'  upon  it.  The 
 grace  here  meant  is 
 
 Hope,  and  it  is  fitly  compared  to  a  helmet,  which 
 was  armour  for  the  head,  and  a  defence  for  all  the 
 senses  which  are  seated  in  the  head.  It  is  called 
 the  helmet  of  salvation,  because  it  always  saves.  It 
 never  can  be  destroyed.  None  of  the  senses  of  the 
 spiritual  man  can  perish  in  this  warfare,  and  therefore 
 it  is  a  hope  that  maketh  not  ashamed.  Hope,  with 
 its  helmet  on,  fears  no  blows.  I  can  truly  say,  I  am 
 commanded  to  be  strong  and  of  good  courage,  not  to 
 be  afraid  or  dismayed;  for  the  Lord  my  God  is  with 
 me,  whithersoever  I  go.  Trusting  to  this  command, 
 hope  is  in  wars  and  fightings  full  of  glory  and  im- 
 mortality. The  Lord's  orders  to  march  forward  are 
 the  ground  of  hope :  and  this  supplies  him  with  a 
 weapon  which  none  of  his  enemies  can  withstand, 
 even  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  "  which  is  the 
 
 "  Word  of  God."  The  Scripture  is  called  a 
 sword,  (an  offensive  weapon ;  and  it  is  the  only  one 
 which  a  Christian  soldier  has — all  the  rest  being  for 
 his  defence,)  because  it  is  mighty,  through  the  Spirit 
 working  by  it,  to  cut  off  all  opposers.  Our  Lord, 
 in  combat  with  the  old  serpent,  defeated  him  with 
 this  sword.  And  the  noble  army  of  his  followers,  now 
 crowned  in  glory,  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the 
 Lamb,  and  "  by  the  word  of  their  testimony;"  they 
 held  fast  their  confidence  in  the  word,  and  with  it, 
 as  with  a  two-edged  sword,  they  slew  the  old  dragon, 
 and  gained  eternal  victory  over  him.  Fight  against 
 him,  O  my  soul,  with  the  same  weapon.  Keep  the 
 sword  in  thy  hand.  Thou  wilt  stand  in  need  of  it 
 every  moment  against  that  subtle  foe.      The  word  is 
 
463 
 
 the  means  of  overcoming  the  devil,  and  it  is  mighty, 
 through  God,  when  heard  and  read  in  faith,  and  in- 
 wardly digested  by  prayer.  The  best  soldier  in  the 
 Lord's  array  is  best  acquainted  with  the  necessity  of 
 prayer :  he  not  only  believes  what  God  says  of  his 
 armour,  but  he  also  depends  upon  him  for  the  daily 
 experience  of  it :  and  therefore,  when  he  has  put  his 
 armour  on,  in  the 
 
 Prayer  of  faith,  he  calls  upon  the  Captain  of 
 his  salvation  for  orders,  courage,  strength,  victory, 
 and  every  thing  needful :  "  Praying  always  with  all 
 prayer  and  supplication  in  the  Spirit,  and  watching 
 thereunto  with  ail  perseverance."  O  my  God,  teach 
 me  thus  to  pray.  I  would  depend  on  thee,  and  ex- 
 press my  dependence  without  ceasing  :  for  I  am  sen- 
 sible that  without  thee  I  can  do  nothing.  Although 
 thou  hast  chosen  me  to  be  a  soldier,  yet  I  have  nei- 
 ther counsel  nor  strength  for  war.  My  foolish  heart 
 loves  ease :  it  would  have  the  crown,  but  it  would  be 
 excused  striving  lawfully  for  it.  I  find  nothing  in 
 myself  that  disposes  me  to  endure  the  hardship  of 
 the  Christian  warfare.  My  whole  trust,  therefore, 
 is  in  thee,  Jesus,  my  Lord  and  my  God.  Thou 
 hast  called  me  to  the  battle,  thou  must  fit  me  for  it, 
 keep  me  in  it,  and  make  me  conqueror.  All  is  of 
 thee.  The  whole  armour  of  God  which  I  have  re- 
 ceived, the  saving  knowledge,  the  righteousness  and 
 the  peace,  that  precious  faith  and  glorious  hope,  that 
 sure  word,  wherein  thou  hast  caused  me  to  put  my 
 trust ;  these  are  the  gifts  of  thy  grace,  and  on  thee, 
 ray  Jesus,  1  entirely  depend  for  the  right  use  of 
 them.  Thou  must  still  cover  my  head  in  the  day  of 
 battle.      Mine  eyes  are  lifted  up  to  thee,  my  hopes 
 
464 
 
 centre  in  thee,  from  whom  alone  cometh  all  my  sal- 
 vation. O  Lord  of  hosts,  keep  me  in  this  simple  de- 
 pendence upon  thy  word  and  arm,  that  I  may  exer- 
 cise thy  graces  in  fighting  thy  battles  ;  and  if  thou 
 art  pleased  to  give  me  daily  victory,  I  may  be  willing 
 to  return  thee  all  thy  glory.  O  faithful  promise- 
 keeping  God,  stand  by  me,  and  enable  me  to  hold 
 out,  till  I  finish  my  course  with  joy ;  and  my  warfare 
 being  ended,  I  may  bless  thee  for  evermore  for  that 
 peace  which  passeth  all  understanding.  O  grant  me 
 this  for  thy  mercies'  sake.      Amen. 
 
 If  this  be  thy  dependence,  if  thou  art  standing  in 
 the  Lord's  strength,  and  trusting  entirely  to  his  ar- 
 mour, then  consider,  O  my  soul,  thy  safety  in  every 
 battle.  If  thou  go  to  war,  calling  upon  thy  God 
 to  be  with  thee,  and  to  give  thee  victory,  then  vic- 
 tory is  certain.  Thou  canst  not  be  conquered,  if 
 thou  fight  in  faith,  relying  upon  the  orders  of  thy 
 General,  expecting  his  promised  help,  and  waiting 
 for  it  in  prayer,  trusting  to  the  armour  which  he  has 
 put  upon  thee.  Is  this  then  thy  defence?  Dost 
 thou  pray  always — begin  the  good  fight — carry  it 
 on — and  end  it  with  the  prayer  of  faith  ?  Blessed 
 be  his  holy  name,  since  this  is  in  some  measure  thy 
 case,  go  on  in  his  strength,  and  fear  not  to  fight  his 
 battles,  who  hath  chosen  thee  to  be  a  soldier.  Be 
 of  good  courage,  and  he  shall  strengthen  thy  heart. 
 The  more  bold  thou  art  in  thy  faith,  the  stronger 
 shait  thou  be  in  thy  warfare :  for  whatever  thou  hast 
 courage  to  do  at  his  command,  thou  shalt  perform 
 in  his  strength.  And  why  should  a  doubt  arise? 
 Hast  thou  forgotten,  that  the  great  decisive  battle 
 has  been  fought  and  won  ?      Emmanuel  stood  up  the 
 
465 
 
 great  champion  for  his  people.  The  almighty  War- 
 rior entered  the  lists  with  their  enemies,  and  he 
 conquered  all  their  hosts.  He  triumphed  over  Sa- 
 tan and  the  world,  over  sin  and  death  ;  and  he  led 
 captivity  captive.  Remember,  he  calls  upon  thee  to 
 share  in  his  victory,  by  faith  to  partake  with  him  oF 
 the  spoils,  and  to  keep  the  vanquished  enemies  daily 
 under  thy  feet.  He  has  made  them  his  footstool, 
 and  he  will  make  them  thine.  This  is  thy  warfare. 
 And  what  hast  thou  to  fear  in  it?  What  hurt  can 
 a  dead  man  do  thee?  If  he  has  a  gun  charged  in 
 his  hand,  he  cannot  fire  it.  He  is  not  able  to  stir 
 a  finger.  No  more  able  is  any  adversary  to  destroy 
 thee.  Whilst  thou  art  trusting  to  the  complete 
 victory  of  Jesus,  thou  wilt  daily  share  with  him  in 
 it.  And  the  more  simple  thy  trust  is  in  him,  the 
 greater  conquest  will  he  give  thee,  because  he  will 
 then  receive  from  thee  greater  glory.  How  should 
 this  consideration  inspire  thee  with  courage — it  is 
 for  his  glory  that  thou  shouldst  conquer  !  Thy 
 God  commands  thee  to  fight  on  his  side,  promises 
 to  assist  thee,  has  provided  invincible  armour,  and 
 has,  in  his  own  person,  engaged  and  defeated  every 
 enemy  against  whom  thou  art  to  fight ;  and. therefore 
 he  requires  thee,  in  obedience  to  his  orders,  depend- 
 ing upon  his  promises  and  armour,  to  bring  him  glory, 
 by  conquering  in  his  strength.  O  my  soul,  hast 
 thou  not  a  zeal  to  promote  the  honour  of  thy  Sa- 
 viour ?  Is  not  his  fame  and  renown  very  near  thy 
 heart  ?  Dost  thou  not  think  it  a  privilege  to  be  any 
 ways  instrumental  in  exalting  his  great  name  ?  Yes, 
 Lord,  thou  hast  made  me  willing  to  glorify  thee. 
 Thou  art  ray  lawful  king,  and  I  desire  to  honour  thee 
 u3 
 
466 
 
 by  following  thine  orders,  fighting  thy  battles,  and 
 relying  entirely  upon  thy  promises.  I  would  not 
 question  thy  faithfulness  to  them,  nor  fear  any  ene- 
 my against  whom  thou  hast  commanded  me  to  fight. 
 I  vvould  not  doubt  of  thy  strength  to  carry  me  through 
 the  battle,  or  to  give  me  the  promised  victory.  In 
 this  faith  I  conduct  my  warfare,  and  I  would  have 
 all  my  success  to  bring  fresh  glory  to  thee.  I  know 
 that  the  courage  which  I  have  in  the  field  of  battle 
 is  not  from  nature,  but  from  grace.  It  arises  from 
 the  belief,  that  I  am  armed  with  the  whole  armour 
 of  God,  and  that  the  enemies  against  whom  I  fight, 
 are  his  as  well  as  mine — his,  whom  he  conquered 
 for  me,  and  is  now  conquering  in  me ;  and  all  to  his 
 own  praise.  From  hence.  Lord,  arises  my  sure  and 
 certain  hope  of  victory.  I  ground  it  on  thy  word. 
 I  fight  in  faith.  I  trust  to  thy  complete  victory, 
 and  now  am  sharing  in  it.  My  daily  victories  are 
 only  the  fruit  and  effect  of  thine.  O  my  almighty 
 Jesus,  give  me  grace  to  ascribe  all  the  glory  to  thee. 
 It  is  thy  due.  Make  we  willing  to  give  it  thee  for 
 the  victories  obtained  for  me,  and  in  me.  O  keep 
 me  by  thine  almighty  power,  through  faith,  till  I 
 have  fought  the  good  fight,  and  won  the  prize.  Grant 
 rae  this,  blessed  King  of  saints,  to  thine  eternal  hon- 
 our and  glory.      Amen. 
 
467 
 
 CHAPTER  XII. 
 
 The  Believer  marches  on,Jighting  the  goodjlght  q/^  Faith, 
 and  daily  gains  victory  over  the  ivorld. 
 
 The  world  signifies  the  visible  frame  of  nature  ; 
 not  the  earth  only,  but  also  the  present  constitution 
 of  the  universe,  of  animate  and  inanimate  beings : 
 all  which  were  created  good  at  first,  but,  through  the 
 sin  of  man,  and  the  just  sentence  of  God,  are  now 
 subject  to  vanity. 
 
 The  world  has  become  a  great  enemy  to  fallen 
 man  ;  because  it  is  always  presenting  something  to 
 his  senses  which  is  a  temptation  to  sin.  It  keeps 
 him  from  God  by  its  flatteries,  promising  to  make 
 him  happy  in  its  enjoyments.  It  sets  them  before 
 him.  He  looks  and  loves.  He  gives  his  heart  a 
 willing  sacrifice  to  the  world,  and  suffers  himseh"  to 
 be  entirely  influenced  by  its  hopes  and  fears. 
 
 While  man  was  innocent,  every  object  raised  in 
 him  some  spiritual  idea,  and  thereby  led  him  to  con- 
 template and  adore  the  great  Creator  in  his  works; 
 but  upon  the  fall,  he  lost  this  use  of  natural  objects : 
 they  did  not,  as  they  struck  upon  his  senses,  excite 
 correspondent  ideas  in  the  mind ;  because  the  man 
 was  "  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  throueh  the 
 ignorance  that  was  in  him."  His  understanding  was 
 in  darkness  :  he  could  not  see  the  things  of  the  Spi- 
 rit of  God;  neither  could  he  know  them,  for  want 
 of  spiritual  discernment.  Being  thus  deprived  of 
 the  image  and  likeness  of  God  in  knowledge,  having 
 
468 
 
 no  will  but  the  will  of  the  flesh,  and  his  heart  being 
 at  enmity  with  God,  he  sinks  into  communion  with 
 the  creature.  His  very  mind  is  carnal.  His  affec- 
 tions are  earthly.  His  pursuits  are  after  temporal 
 things.  His  enjoyments  are  in  the  delights  of  sense. 
 In  this  state  he  lives  a  mere  animal  life,  without  God 
 in  the  world. 
 
 Indeed  he  has  within  him  an  immortal  soul,  but 
 it  is  apostate.  It  is  fallen  from  God,  and  has  no 
 more  communion  with  him  by  nature  than  the  devil 
 has.  The  law  has  condemned  it  to  death:  the  soul 
 that  sinneth  it  shall  die ; — and  it  is  already  spiritually 
 dead  to  God,  being  as  incapable  of  quickening  itself 
 as  a  dead  corpse  is.  Therefore  it  cannot  attain  of 
 itself  any  true  knowledge  of  God,  or  have  any  real 
 fellowship  with  the  things  of  God.  While  fallen 
 man  is  in  this  state,  his  earthly  and  sensual  appetites 
 take  the  lead  ;  and  all  the  light  in  his  mind,  and  the 
 desires  of  his  heart,  only  dispose  him  to  seek  for  their 
 present  gratification.  Outward  objects  offer  them- 
 selves to  him  ;  they  make  an  impression  upon  his 
 senses,  and  sometimes  act  upon  them  very  forcibly, 
 soliciting  and  enticing  to  the  enjoyment  of  some  fan- 
 cied good  ;  and  so  long  as  he  continues  an  unregen- 
 erate  man,  these  temptations  prevail,  and  keep  him 
 from  God.  He  does  not  see  God  in  outward  ob- 
 jects. He  does  not  love  God  for  them.  He  does 
 not  enjoy  them  to  the  glory  of  God.  God  is  not  in 
 all  his  thoughts. 
 
 Man  has  been  called  a  microcosm.  He  is  so  won- 
 derfully made,  that  the  whole  creation  comes  under 
 the  observation  of  some  of  his  senses.  His  eye,  by 
 means  of  light,  can  discover  the  form  and  surface  of 
 
469 
 
 all  objects.  The  ear  takes  in  all  sounds.  The  nose 
 perceives  all  vapours  and  smells.  The  palate  tastes 
 all  sorts  of  fluids.  All  sorts  of  solids  come  under 
 the  sense  of  feeling,  which  is  in  every  part  of  the 
 body,  for  the  benefit  and  preservation  of  the  whole. 
 Thus  every  object  in  the  universe  is  fitted  to  act^upon 
 some  of  the  senses,  and  was  intended  by  the  Creator 
 to  excite  some  spiritual  idea.  But  this  use  was  lost 
 by  the  fall.  The  impression  made  by  outward  ob- 
 jects does  not  raise  up  the  mind  to  God,  and  excite 
 adoration  and  praise;  but  keeps  the  heart  from  him, 
 and  affords  a  continual  temptation  to  live  to  the  world, 
 and  to  the  things  of  it.  Whatever  is  presented  to 
 the  eye,  to  the  ear,  &c.  can  stir  up  and  bring  forth 
 evil.  And  actually  does,  according  to  the  scripture: 
 for  "  the  whole  world,"  as  fallen  from  God,  "  lieth 
 in  wickedness,"  and  is  at  enmity  with  him;  and 
 therefore  believers  are  commanded,  "  Love  ye  not 
 the  world,  neither  the  things  that  are  in  the  world  : 
 if  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is 
 not  in  him  :  for  all  that  is  in  the  world,  the  lust  of 
 the  flesh,  and  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of 
 life,  is  not  of  the  Father,  but  is  of  the  world."  Mind, 
 all  that  is  in  the  world  is  the  means  of  feeding  some 
 lust;  for  which  reason  the  apostle  calls  it  "  this  pre- 
 sent evil  world," — evil  because  of  sin,  and  because  of 
 its  temptations  to  keep  the  heart  in  love  with  it,  and 
 to  shut  out  the  love  of  the  Father. 
 
 How  awfully  solemn  are  these  scriptures  !  What 
 strict  examination,  O  my  soul,  should  they  put  thee 
 upon  !  Search  and  try  thyself  by  them,  and  see 
 whether  thou  art  saved  from  the  love  of  the  world. 
 It  is  a  blessed  part  of  redemption,  and  it  is  one  of 
 
470 
 
 the  brightest  jewels  in  the  Redeemer*s  crown.  How 
 infinitely  glorious  is  this  character :  "  Jesus  Christ 
 gave  himself  for  our  sins,  that  he  might  deliver  us 
 from  this  present  evil  world  !"  This  deliverance  is 
 worthy  of  God.  We  had  sinned  by  loving  this 
 present  evil  world,  and  he  came  to  save  us  from  our 
 sins.  It  ruled  over  our  hearts  and  lives,  and  kept 
 us  under  its  tyranny,  and  he  came  to  deliver  us  from 
 the  love  and  from  the  power  of  it.  Thrice  happy 
 are  they  for  whom  he  thus  gave  himself,  O  ray 
 soul,  read  and  study  the  everlasting  honours  of  this 
 great  victory,  and  see  whether  thou  art  indeed  a 
 partaker  of  them.  Jehovah  was  made  flesh  for  his 
 people,  and,  as  their  divine  surety,  came  to  conquer 
 their  enemies,  the  world  among  the  rest.  He  waf, 
 in  their  nature,  to  enter  into  open  war  with  it,  and 
 to  overcome  every  temptation  by  which  it  had  drawn 
 Adam  or  any  of  his  descendants  from  God.  Thus 
 he  was  to  conquer  the  world  for  them  ;  and  then  by 
 his  Spirit  he  was  to  conquer  it  in  them.  He  began 
 the  battle  with  his  first  breath,  and  every  moment  of 
 his  life  he  was  victorious.  The  world  has  its  snares 
 for  every  age  and  state,  but  he  fell  into  none  of  them. 
 His  hands  were  clean ;  his  heart  was  pure  :  he  never 
 lifted  up  his  soul  to  vanity ;  he  was  in  his  infancy  the 
 holy  child  Jesus ;  and  he  grew  in  wisdom  and  sta- 
 ture. When  he  was  twelve  years  old,  he  was  wiser 
 than  his  teachers;  for  he  sat  in  the  midst  of  the 
 doctors,  both  hearing  them  and  asking  them  ques- 
 tions :  and  all  that  heard  him  were  astonished  at  his 
 understanding  and  answers.  His  delight  was  in  the 
 law  of  the  Lord,  and  in  this  law  did  he  meditate 
 day  and  night.     He  saw  things  as  they  are  there 
 
471 
 
 described,  in  their  true  nature.  The  world  could  not 
 impose  upon  him.  He  lived  above  its  offers  of  good, 
 and  he  feared  not  the  worst  of  its  threatened  evils. 
 "When  he  began  his  ministry,  he  fought  a  pitched 
 battle,  and  became  an  eternal  conqueror:  the  prince 
 of  this  world  was  permitted  to  try  every  object,  by 
 which  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  or 
 the  pride  of  life  had  seduced  mankind.  They  were 
 presented  to  Christ  in  their  richest  dress.  The 
 beauty,  the  pleasure,  the  honour,  and  riches  of  the 
 world,  were  set  before  him  in  all  their  glory.  But 
 they  made  no  impression.  They  did  not  darken  his 
 understanding,  nor  influence  his  heart,  nor  provoke 
 any  sensual  appetite.  He  rejected  every  pleasing 
 ofiPer;  he  withstood  every  flattering  allurement.  Thus 
 he  conquered  the  world,  but  not  for  himself.  His 
 victory  over  all  his  temptations  was  for  his  people. 
 He  accounted  their  enemies  his.  He  fought  their 
 battles.  He  conquered,  as  a  king  for  his  subjects. 
 And  he  gives  them  to  share  with  him  in  his  triumph 
 when  they  believe  in  him ;  for  thus  he  encourages 
 them :  "  These  things  have  I  spoken  unto  you, 
 that  in  me  ye  might  have  peace  :  in  the  world  ye 
 shall  have  tribulation ;  but  be  of  good  courage,  I 
 have  overcome  the  world.'*  The  world  is  your  enemy. 
 It  had  you  in  bondage,  and  you  could  not  free  your- 
 selves ;  therefore  I  came  in  your  nature,  God  mani- 
 fest in  the  flesh,  to  conquer  it  for  you ;  and  I  have 
 obtained  a  perfect  conquest.  When  I  have  pro- 
 claimed it  to  your  consciences,  and  pardoned  your 
 idolatrous  attachment  to  the  world — when  in  me  ye 
 have  found  peace,  yet  still  the  world  will  be  your 
 enemy.     Because  1  have  chosen  you  out  of  it,  there- 
 
472 
 
 fore  it  will  hate  you.  My  peace  will  occasion  and 
 increase  your  tribulation  in  it.  But  fear  not.  Re- 
 member it  is  a  vanquished  foe.  Attack  it  in  my 
 strength,  as  partakers  of  my  victory.  Fight  against 
 it,  and  treat  it  as  under  my  feet,  and  made  my  foot- 
 stool. Whenever  it  tempts  you,  depend  absolutely 
 upon  my  conquest,  and  you  will  find  my  grace  al- 
 mighty to  crucify  the  world  to  you,  and  you  to  it. 
 
 How  animating  are  these  words  !  with  what  cou- 
 rage should  they  inspire  the  Christian  soldier  !  Al- 
 though the  world  be  his  enemy,  yet  it  cannot  conquer 
 him,  and  rob  him  of  his  crown.  The  main  battle  has 
 been  fought,  the  victory  is  gained,  and  the  conqueror 
 is  already  crowned  in  the  name  and  person  of  all  the 
 redeemed.  By  faith  he  gives  them  their  share  in 
 his  victory,  as  it  is  written,  "  Whatsoever  is  born 
 of  God  overcometh  the  world  ;  and  this  is  the  victory 
 that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith."  Every 
 person  who  is  born  again  by  the  Spirit  has  a  new 
 nature,  spiritual  and  heavenly,  and  has  new  senses  to 
 exercise  about  spiritual  things.  His  renewed  facul- 
 ties were  formed  for  heavenly  things,  as  his  bodily 
 senses  are  for  material.  By  faith  he  sees  a  better 
 world  than  this,  and  surveys  its  beauties  and  glories. 
 He  has  ears  to  hear  the  joyful  sound  of  gospel  grace, 
 and  to  receive  it.  When  that  name,  which  is  dear  and 
 precious  above  every  name,  is  preached,  it  is  to  him 
 as  ointment  poured  forth  :  the  sweet-smelling  savour 
 refreshes  his  heart,  and  exhilarates  his  spirits.  Then 
 he  tastes  that  the  Lord  is  gracious — foretastes  his 
 heavenly  love,  and  as  truly  lays  hold  of  and  enjoys 
 its  spiritual  blessings,  as  he  ever  did  of  any  thing 
 material.      He  is  created  anew  in  Christ  Jesus,  not 
 
473 
 
 only  that  he  may  know  these  things,  hut  may  also 
 partake  of  them — as  truly  now  by  faith  as  he  ever 
 will  by  sense  :  and  the  more  he  knows,  and  the  more 
 he  partakes  of  them,  the  more  will  he  be  delivered 
 from  this  present  evil  world :  for  "  this  is  the  vic- 
 tory that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith."  Bv 
 faith  we  see  the  victory  of  Christ,  and  rest  upon  it ; 
 and  the  more  safely  we  put  our  trust  and  confidence 
 in  it,  the  more  fellowship  we  shall  have  with  him  in 
 its  fruits — more  wisdom  to  see  the  vanity  of  the  world 
 as  he  saw  it — more  grace  to  deliver  us  from  the  love 
 of  it — and  moie  strength  to  subdue  its  temptations. 
 These  are  some  of  the  happy  eflPects  of  his  conquests, 
 which  he  left  us  to  enjoy  here,  as  pledges  of  our  be- 
 ing one  day  what  he  now  is.  He  is  more  than  con- 
 queror, so  shall  we  be  through  him  that  loveth  us. 
 As  our  faith  increases,  we  shall  share  more  with  him, 
 and  triumph  more  over  the  smiles  and  the  frowns  of 
 the  world. 
 
 Since  this  is  the  only  way  to  conquer  the  world, 
 art  thou,  O  my  soul,  conquering  it  in  this  way,  and 
 hast  thou  faith  in  the  victory  of  Jesus  ?  Dost  thou 
 depend  on  him  for  the  pardon  of  thy  former  love  of 
 the  world,  and  the  crucifying  the  love  of  it  in  thy 
 heart  ?  Art  thou  relying  upon  his  victorious  grace 
 to  make  thee  a  daily  conqueror  over  all  its  tempta- 
 tions ?  Examine  thy  warfare,  and  see  whether  it 
 be  carried  on  according  to  the  Scripture  rule,  and 
 with  the  promised  success.  Look  at  some  of  the 
 Lord's  champions.  Survey  the  triumphs  of  Moses, 
 and  remember  the  Lord's  hand  is  not  shortened. — 
 "  By  faith  Moses,  when  he  was  come  to  years,  re- 
 fused to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter ; 
 
474 
 
 choosing  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of 
 God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season ; 
 esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than 
 the  treasures  of  Egypt :  for  he  had  respect  unto  the 
 recompense  of  the  reward."  How  great  was  this 
 faith  !  How  glorious  its  victories  !  It  was  a  divine 
 grace,  and  exercised  by  a  divine  operation — mighty 
 through  God.  By  it  Moses  saw  the  reality  of  hea- 
 venly things ;  by  it  he  tasted  their  sweetness,  en- 
 joyed their  blessedness,  and  had  a  hope  full  of  glory 
 and  immortality.  The  world  made  him  its  highest 
 offers,  but  he  rejected  them.  His  eye  was  kept 
 single,  his  heart  chaste  towards  his  God.  The  hon- 
 our of  Pharaoh's  alliance  he  despised.  He  pre- 
 ferred affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  to  the  plea- 
 sures of  sin.  He  embraced  reproach  when  it  came 
 on  him  for  following  Christ,  and  he  esteemed  it  be- 
 yond all  the  treasures  of  Egypt.  He  saw  the  vanity 
 and  emptiness  of  earthly  enjoyments,  and  he  trampled 
 upon  them  having  respect  unto  the  recompense  of 
 the  reward.  Thus  he  was  crucified  to  the  world. 
 What  an  exalted  character  !  There  is  no  such  hero 
 in  the  records  of  profane  history;  but,  thank  God, 
 there  are  great  numbers  in  sacred,  who  follow  the 
 steps  of  his  faith.  Every  soldier  of  Christ  Jesus  is 
 called  to  war  against  the  world,  and  every  good  sol- 
 dier is  a  daily  conqueror.  The  world  is  always  pre- 
 sent, and  has  its  temptations  ready  to  stop  him ;  but 
 he  meets  them  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power 
 of  his  might,  trusting  to  the  whole  armour  of  God. 
 Then  victory  is  certain.  And  in  order  that  the 
 Lord  may  have  all  the  glory,  he  will  keep  him  fight- 
 ing and  praying  in  this  manner ;— 
 
475 
 
 This  world  is  not  my  portion.  My  happiness  does 
 not  consist  in  loving  and  enjoying  the  things  of  it. 
 It  is  an  evil  world — it  lieth  in  wickedness — Satan 
 has  his  seat  and  throne  in  it — and  it  is  condemned 
 to  fire.  Thank  God,  mine  eyes  are  open  to  see  a 
 better  world  than  this,  and  I  am  travelling  to  it.  I 
 believe  it  was  the  purpose  and  will  of  the  Eternal 
 Three,  to  choose  me  to  be  an  heir  of  the  world  to 
 come.  Glory  be  to  the  Father  for  his  free  choice, 
 and  for  all  the  blessings  of  his  love.  Glory  be  to 
 the  co-equal  Son,  for  his  complete  and  everlaJtingly 
 perfect  salvation.  Glory  be  to  the  Eternal  Spirit, 
 to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  what  I  believe  of  the 
 Son's  salvation,  and  for  what  I  have  experienced  of 
 the  Father's  love.  On  thee,  O  God  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  I  place  my  dependence  for  carrying  on  the 
 work  which  thou  hast  begun.  I  would  be  guided 
 by  thy  counsel  every  step  of  my  walk,  and  strength- 
 ened by  thee  for  every  part  of  my  warfare.  Keep 
 me  in  the  right  way,  and  make  me  conqueror  over  all 
 the  enemies  who  would  stop  me  in  it,  or  turn  me  out 
 of  it;  especially  deliver  me  from  this  present  evil 
 world.  While  I  am  going  through  it  to  a  better, 
 preserve  my  heart  from  the  love  of  it.  O  my  God, 
 give  me  a  stranger's  temper,  and  a  pilgrim's  frame. 
 Let  me  live  a  sojourner  here  below,  that  the  good 
 things  I  meet  with  on  my  journey  may  not  tempt 
 me  to  make  this  my  rest;  and  the  evil  things  I  meet 
 with  may  not  lead  me  to  fret  and  murmur,  as  if  God 
 was  not  my  Father,  and  his  heaven  my  home.  O 
 thou  divine  Teacher,  show  me  daily  the  glory  of  my 
 Saviour's  victory  over  the  world,  that  I  may  share 
 with  him  in  it ;  and  enable  me  to  go  forth  conquer- 
 
476 
 
 ing  and  to  conquer,  in  his  strength  and  to  his  praise. 
 Help  me  to  look  upon  the  world,  and  to  treat  it  as  he 
 did,  that,  feeling  the  emptiness  of  its  offered  happi- 
 ness, I  may  with  a  single  heart  cleave  to  my  Father 
 in  Jesus,  and  may  be  saved  from  the  spirit  of  the 
 world.  Keep  me  waiting  for  my  appointed  time, 
 sitting  quite  loose  and  free  to  the  things  about  me ; 
 and  let  heavenly  and  eternal  things  be  always  present 
 to  my  faith,  in  their  reality  and  blessedness,  that  I 
 may  grow  more  alive  to  them,  and  more  dead  to  every 
 thing  else.  Preserve  my  heart,  O  my  gracious  God, 
 that  I  may  be  simple  with  thee  when  I  am  in  my 
 \Torldly  business.  Enable  me  to  cast  all  my  cares 
 and  burdens  on  thee,  believing  thou  carest  for  me. 
 O  daily  crucify  the  world  to  me,  and  rae  to  it,  that, 
 when  its  offers  stand  in  competition  with  thy  love,  I 
 may  have  grace  to  reject  them.  In  this  holy  war 
 carry  me  on  glorifying  him  who  hath  called  me  to  be 
 a  soldier.  Grant  me  this  for  Jesus'  sake.  Amen, 
 and  amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIII. 
 
 Jlie  Believer  marches  on,  resisting  and  overcoming  the 
 wiles  and  assaults  of  the  l^empter. 
 
 Satan  is  a  continual  adversary.  He  rebelled 
 against  the  sovereign  will  of  the  Most  High  in  hea- 
 ven, and  was  cast  out.  As  soon  as  man  was  formed, 
 he  began  to  tempt  him  to  rebel  against  God,  and  he 
 succeeded.      Ever  since  the  revelation  was  made  of 
 
477 
 
 the  divine  purpose  to  redeem  sinners,  he  has  set  him- 
 self up  against  it,,  and  with  impotent  rage  opposed  it. 
 He  is  always  trying  to  hinder  sinners  from  coming  to 
 the  Saviour;   and  when  they  are  come  to  him,  to 
 hinder  them  from  living  by  faith  upon  his  fulness. 
 On  the  side  of  Satan  are  principalities  and  powers, 
 combined  armies  and  united  legions  of  apostate  spirits 
 — formidable  to  man  for  their  number — more  so  for 
 their   subtlety  and  cunning:  they  have  stratagems 
 and  wiles,  depths  of  skill  to  deceive — in  which  they 
 are  so  successful  that  they  have  deceived  the  whole 
 world.      Their  courage  is  desperate — they  fear  no- 
 thing ;  for  they  were  mad  enough  to  take  up  arms 
 against  the  Almighty.      No  wonder,  then,  that  they 
 should  be  unwearied  in  their  attacks  against  man. 
 They  are  always  upon  the  watch — ready,   as  one 
 temptation  fails,  to  present  another.     Their  strength 
 is  very  great:  they  are  called  principalities  and  powers, 
 rulers  and  princes,   yea,  the  god  of  this  world,  be- 
 cause they  work  as  they  please  in  the  children  of  dis- 
 obedience, whom  they  keep  so  fast  bound  in  the  chains 
 of  sin,   that  no  human  arm  can  break  them  asunder. 
 And  it  is  the  only  joy  they  know — the  joy  of  hell — 
 to  rivet  the  chains  of  sin  upon  these  poor  captives, 
 till  they  bind  them  in  everlasting  chains  of  darkness. 
 These,  O  my  soul,  are  thine  enemies.    They  had 
 drawn  thee  into  their  rebellion,  and  they  are  still  try- 
 ing to  draw  thee  into  their  torments.      They  have 
 free  access  to  thy  fallen  nature.      They  know  how 
 to  make  use  of  the  objects  in  the  world  to  work  upon 
 thy  senses,  and  to  stir  up  evil  thoughts.     They  have 
 fiery  darts  always  at  hand  to  throw  at  thy  faith,  and 
 rest  not  night  and  day  in  attacking  thy  peace  and 
 happiness  in  Jesus. 
 
478 
 
 Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within 
 me  bless  his  holy  name,  for  undertaking  to  save  thee 
 from  those  enemies.  The  love  of  the  Father  gave 
 his  Son  to  be  the  woman's  seed — Jehovah  incarnate 
 — for  his  people.  In  their  nature  he  was  to  bruise 
 the  head  of  the  serpent :  his  cunning,  his  poison,  and 
 all  his  power  to  hurt,  lie  in  his  head;  when  this  is 
 bruised,  he  is  defeated.  The  battle  to  be  fought 
 was  foretold,  and  the  victory  to  be  won  was  promised 
 to  Adam ;  and  by  faith  in  it,  he  and  all  the  redeemed 
 in  the  Old  Testament  conquered  Satan.  In  the  ful- 
 ness of  time  God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh  :  he  came 
 to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil.  Sin  is  his  great 
 work;  by  it  he  drew  man  from  God,  and  by  it  he 
 keeps  man  from  God.  Emmanuel  began  the  de- 
 struction of  the  works  of  the  devil  by  taking  human 
 nature.  His  manhood  was  perfectly  holy — it  had 
 not,  it  could  not  have  any  sin  ;  because  God  was  in 
 Christ.  There  was  every  thing  in  his  holy  life  which 
 the  law  could  require.  He  obeyed  all  its  precepts 
 with  uninterrupted  conformity;  and,  being  co-equal 
 and  co-eternal  with  the  Father,  his  obedience  was 
 therefore  Divine,  absolutely  complete,  and  infinitely 
 sufficient  to  justify  for  ever.  He  was  tempted,  in- 
 deed, but  he  overcame  every  temptation.  He  de- 
 feated Satan  in  all  his  attempts,  insomuch,  that  when 
 he  was  entering  on  the  last  scene  of  his  life,  he  could 
 declare — "  The  prince  of  this  world  cometh,  and 
 hath  nothing  in  me."  He  did  come,  and  the  great 
 pitched  battle  was  fought,  which  was  to  decide  for 
 ever,  whether  the  seed  of  the  woman  or  the  serpent 
 should  be  crowned  conqueror.  The  battle  began  in 
 the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  and  was  finished  upon 
 
479 
 
 Mount  Calvary.  Every  stratagem  of  infernal  policy 
 was  then  tried;  every  assault  of  devilish  malice  was 
 exerted  against  the  Captain  of  our  salvation  :  but  he 
 conquered  them  all,  as  it  was  foretold — "  Thou  shalt 
 tread  upon  the  lion  and  adder;  the  young  lion  and 
 the  dragon  shalt  thou  trample  under  thy  feet."  He 
 trod  upon  the  serpent's  head,  and  crushed  it;  but,  at 
 the  same  time,  the  serpent  bit  his  heel.  The  heel 
 is  his  lowest  part — his  body ;  this  fell  in  the  con- 
 flict: but  he  completed  his  victory  by  the  loss  of  his 
 life.  The  apostle  speaks  of  the  cross  upon  which  he 
 bled  and  died,  as  the  great  scene  of  this  engagement, 
 and  on  which  he  vanquished  and  triumphed  for  ever 
 over  the  powers  of  hell — having  spoiled  principalities 
 and  powers,  and  taken  away  all  their  armour  wherein 
 they  trusted,  he  made  a  show  of  them  openly,  tri- 
 umphing over  them  upon  the  cross,  leading  them  as 
 you  would  captives  in  chains;  rebels  still,  but  unable 
 to  rob  the  Lord  Christ  of  the  glory  of  any  part  of 
 his  conquest.  Thus  through  death  he  conquered 
 death,  and  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is, 
 the  devil.  O  blessed  and  almighty  Jesus  !  eternal 
 thanks  are  due  to  thee  for  this  most  glorious  victory. 
 Satan  is  now  a  vanquished  foe.  He  is  under  thy 
 feet,  thou  high  exalted  Head  of  the  redeemed.  Thou 
 hast  for  them,  and  in  their  stead,  overcome  all  his 
 wiles  and  assaults.  He  may  tempt,  but  he  cannot 
 conquer  them.  He  has  no  right  to  accuse  them— 
 thou  hast  made  an  end  of  sin.  He  has  no  power 
 to  torment  them — thou  hast  brought  in  everlasting 
 righteousness.  He  cannot  pluck  them  out  of  thy 
 hands — they  are  dear  to  thee,  and  kept  as  the  apple 
 of  thine  eye.      Glory  be  to  thee  !  thou  wilt  soon 
 
480 
 
 bring  them  out  of  the  reach  of  his  temptations,  and 
 thou  wilt  be  to  them  an  eternal  and  infinitely  perfect 
 Saviour. 
 
 In  this  faith,  O  ray  soul,  thou  art  called  upon  to 
 take  up  arras  against  the  old  serpent.  Thou  art 
 to  fight  against  him  under  the  banner  of  Jesus — a 
 name  terrible  to  the  devil  and  his  angels.  Trusting 
 to  the  victory  of  Jesus  for  thee,  and  to  the  strength 
 of  Jesus  working  in  thee,  thou  art  daily  to  bring  him 
 honour  and  renown.  How  safe,  how  blessed  is  such 
 a  warfare  !  Thou  hast  the  wisdom  of  thy  God  and 
 Saviour  to  discover  to  thee  the  wiles  of  Satan.  Trust 
 to  it,  O  my  soul.  Leave  thyself  simply  to  his  direc- 
 tion; and  although  Satan  be  subtle  and  cunning— 
 although  he  has  depths  of  policy,  and  plans  out  of 
 number — yet  thou  shalt  be  ignorant  of  his  devices. 
 Thy  all-knowing  Saviour  will  detect  his  plots,  and 
 turn  the  counsel  of  that  Ahithophel  into  folly.  And 
 if  he  attack  thee  as  a  roaring  lion,  yet  fear  him  not. 
 Thy  Redeemer  is  strong.  He  has  bruised  the  ser- 
 pent's head  ;  resist  him  in  faith,  and  thou  shalt  bruise 
 it  also.  Lean  on  the  arm  of  thy  Jesus;  depend  on 
 his  promised  strength  ;  follow  his  orders,  and  thou 
 shalt  tread  Satan  under  thy  feet  daily. 
 
 But,  above  all,  remember  that  thou  canst  only 
 conquer  him  by  faith — by  faith  in  the  victory  of 
 Jesus,  built  upon  thy  faith  in  the  word  of  Jesus ;  for 
 this  the  Scripture  testifies  of  the  conquerors  now 
 round  the  throne,  "  that  they  overcame  the  devil  by 
 the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their 
 testimony."  They  overcame  him  by  depending  upon 
 the  atoning  blood,  and  by  trusting  to  what  the  word 
 says  of  its  all-sufiiciency  to  save ;  and  they  found,  by 
 
481 
 
 experience  the  promised  victory.  To  the  same  effect 
 the  apostle  Peter  stirs  up  believers  to  a  sobriety  in 
 the  use  of  all  creature  comforts,  and  to  a  continual 
 watchfulness  against  their  enemies,  in  order  that  they 
 might  daily  conquer:  "  Be  sober,  be  vigilant;  be- 
 cause your  adversary  the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion, 
 walketh  about,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour:  whom 
 resist  steadfast  in  the  faith."  This  brings  victory. 
 The  believer  resists  the  devil,  and  stands  against 
 him  steadfastly  in  the  power  of  Christ.  This  power 
 is  almighty ;  and  therefore  faith,  relying  upon  it,  in- 
 fallibly secures  victory.  The  devil  may  throw  his 
 fiery  darts  thick  and  fast,  but  the  shield  of  faith  is 
 proof  against  them.  It  is  able,  through  God,  to 
 quench  them;  so  that  the  fire  of  temptation  shall 
 not  inflame  the  soul.  How  precious  are  these  scrip- 
 tures 1  how  encouraging  to  the  Christian  soldier  ! 
 They  promise  him  every  thing  needful  for  the  battle 
 and  for  victory.  Why  then  shouldst  thou  doubt, 
 O  my  soul,  of  the  promised  blessings  ?  Take  cour- 
 age. Fight  under  the  banner  of  Jesus.  Keep  close 
 to  his  colours.  Follow  strictly  his  order;  and  he 
 will  keep  Satan  under  thy  feet  to-day,  and  thou  shalt 
 be  more  than  conqueror  over  him  for  ever. 
 
 Considering  thy  war  with  Satan  in  this  light,  what 
 is  there  in  it,  O  my  soul,  to  stop  thee  in  thy  way  to 
 heaven?  Thou  art  called  upon  to  fight  against  him, 
 but  then  it  is  in  the  Lord's  strength,  and  as  a  par- 
 taker of  his  conquest.  He  made  all  thine  enemies  his. 
 He  fought  thy  battles.  His  triumph  is  thine.  Thou 
 mayest  therefore  sing  of  victory  before  every  battle. 
 Thou  dost  not  fight  to  gain  the  pardon  of  thy  sins, 
 or  to  make  thyself  righteous ;  but  to  oppose  thine 
 X  4 
 
482 
 
 adversary,  who  would  draw  thee  into  sin,  and,  if  he 
 could,  would  rob  thee  of  thy  righteousness.  He 
 hates  thee,  because  Christ  loves  thee.  But  his  hatred 
 is  in  vain.  Thy  Saviour  has  conquered  him  for  thee, 
 and  by  faith  will  conquer  him  in  thee;  for  thou  art 
 kept  by  his  almighty  power.  Trusting  to  this,  go 
 forth  strong  in  the  Lord.  While  thou  art  living  in 
 communion  with  him,  thy  warfare  will  be  successful. 
 If  thou  attend  to  his  word,  and  follow  his  orders,  he 
 will  encourage  thy  heart,  and  strengthen  thy  hand 
 with  such  promises  as  these : — 
 
 1  have  chosen  thee  to  be  a  soldier,  and  I  send 
 thee  out  to  fight  against  all  the  enemies  of  thy  peace. 
 But  thou  dost  not  go  to  this  warfare  at  thine  own 
 charges,  nor  carry  it  on  doubtful  of  victory.  I  have 
 provided  every  thing  needful  for  maintaining  the 
 battle,  and  for  bringing  thee  off  conqueror.  Thou 
 shalt  find  much  profit  in  this  holy  war.  It  will  be 
 the  means  of  keeping  up  constant  fellowship  with  me. 
 Thou  shalt  see  thy  need  of  coming  to  me  for  cour- 
 age, for  orders,  for  strength ;  and  by  faith  thou  wilt 
 receive  sensible  experience  of  my  being  present  with 
 thee,  and  on  thy  side.  Only  trust  me,  and  thou 
 shalt  find  me  faithful  to  my  promise  of  help  and  vic- 
 tory. Go  forth  then  to  thy  daily  warfare,  and  boldly 
 face  Satan.  Fear  him  not  in  the  least;  for  that 
 would  betray  a  doubt  of  my  having  him  under  my 
 feet,  or  of  putting  him  under  thine.  Give  not  place 
 to  him,  no,  not  for  a  moment;  but  resist  him,  and 
 continue  to  resist  him,  steadfast  in  faith  and  prayer 
 — trusting  to  my  promise,  and  depending  on  mine 
 arm.  Be  sober,  be  vigilant.  Thus  oppose  the  devil, 
 and  thou  wilt  certaiuly  conquer  him.      And  having 
 
483 
 
 conquered,  fight  on.  In  the  fight  look  to  me  for 
 victory;  having  obtained  it,  expect  a  fresh  battle, 
 and  look  still  to  me  for  victory:  and  thus  go  on  con- 
 quering and  to  conquer.  Thy  crown  is  in  my  keep- 
 ing. As  sure  as  1  have  it  on  my  head,  it  shall  be 
 on  thine.  Thou  shalt  soon  sit  down  with  me  on  my 
 throne,  a  crowned  conqueror  for  evermore. 
 
 Glory  be  to  thee,  my  precious  God,  for  these  faith- 
 ful promises,  in  which  tliou  hast  caused  me  to  put  my 
 trust.  And  now,  Lord,  let  the  thing  that  thou  hast 
 spoken  concerning  thy  servant  be  established,  and  do 
 as  thou  hast  said.  Thou  hast  put  it  into  my  heart 
 to  desire  to  be  a  good  soldier,  and  to  fight  thy  battles 
 against  all  the  enemies  of  thy  crown  and  dignity.  O 
 thou  glorious  Captain  of  my  salvation,  arm  me  for  mv 
 daily  warfare  with  Satan.     He  is  too  cunning  for  me ; 
 
 0  my  God,  teach  me  his  devices.  Fie  is  too  mighty 
 for  me,  but  the  seed  of  the  woman  hath  bruised  his 
 head :  yes,  almighty  Jesus,  thou  hast  destroyed  the 
 devil  and  his  works.  I  believe  in  thy  victory.  O 
 let  me  partake  of  its  fruits,  and  daily  bring  thee  hon- 
 our and  renown  by  my  victories.  Make  me  strong 
 in  the  grace  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  that  I  may  not 
 fear  Satan :  send  me  out  against  him,  armed  with  thine 
 invincible  armour.     Strengthen  me,  O  my  God,  that 
 
 1  faint  not  through  the  length  or  sharpness  of  the 
 battle  ;  but  enable  me  to  persevere,  till  thou  discharge 
 me  from  the  war.  Thus,  in  a  constant  dependence 
 upon  thee,  would  I  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  keep- 
 ing up  communion  with  thee  in  every  battle,  and  grow- 
 ing more  acquainted  with  my  wants,  and  more  thank- 
 ful for  every  supply.  O  my  loving  Jesus,  increase 
 my  fellowship   with   thee.      I  desire  to  war  a  good 
 
 x2 
 
484 
 
 warfare,  and  every  thing  needful  for  it  is  from  thee. 
 From  thy  fulness  I  expect  it;  and  when  I  receive  it 
 I  would  use  it  to  thy  glory.  Hear,  Lord,  and  an- 
 swer me,  for  thy  mercies'  sake.     Amen,  and  amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  XIV. 
 
 The  Believer,  kept  hy  the  Povoer  of  God,  perseveres  in 
 his  holy  Walk  and  victorious  Warfare. 
 
 After  the  believer  has  made  a  great  progress  in 
 his  walk,  and  has  been  very  successful  in  his  warfare, 
 yet  he  is  not  out  of  the  reach  of  any  temptation.  He 
 is  still  liable  to  be  stopped  in  the  way  of  duty.  His 
 enemies  may  cheat  him  by  some  stratagem,  or  gain 
 some  advantage  over  him  by  open  force.  While  he 
 is  attending  to  these  things  as  they  come  before  him 
 in  his  daily  experience,  a  thought  will  often  arise — 
 
 I  am  afraid  my  profession  will  at  last  come  to 
 nothing,  and  I  shall  be  a  cast-away.  I  feel  so  much 
 corruption  working  in  my  duties,  and  my  heart  is  so 
 ready  to  revolt  and  to  turn  from  the  Lord  in  every 
 battle,  that  I  cannot  help  being  uneasy  about  my 
 final  state.  How  can  I?  it  is  not  in  me  to  hold  out 
 and  persevere  against  so  much  opposition  from  within 
 and  without.  What  signifies  my  resolution  to  walk 
 forward,  or  to  fight  for  an  uncertain  crown  ?  I  think 
 I  gain  no  ground.  My  own  carnal  will  plagues  me, 
 and  I  love  ease  and  quiet  as  much  as  ever.  My  cor- 
 ruptions seem  as  many,  and  mine  enemies  as  strong 
 as  they  were.      One  day,  I  fear,  I  shall  perish  by 
 
485 
 
 their  hands.  My  heart  faints  at  the  thought — my 
 courage  fails  me.  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  ! — 
 where,  to  whom  shall  I  look  for  strength,  to  enable 
 me  to  hold  out  unto  the  end? 
 
 No  believer  is  absolutely  free  from  such  an  attack ; 
 and  there  are  seasons  very  favourable  to  it.  If  his 
 mind  be  in  heaviness  through  manifold  temptations, 
 and  be  reasoning  legally  upon  them ;  if  he  be  under 
 the  hidings  of  the  Lord's  countenance,  or  in  a  time 
 of  desertion  ;  if  he  be  fallen  into  any  great  sin,  per- 
 haps his  old  besetting  sin;  if  the  guilt  of  it  be  upon 
 his  conscience,  and  the  indignation  of  God  be  heavy 
 upon  him :  then  such  thoughts  find  easy  admittance; 
 and  if  they  be  indulged,  they  greatly  distress  the 
 believer;  for  they  directly  assault  his  faith,  and  strike 
 at  the  very  being  of  his  hope.  As  these  graces  are 
 weakened,  he  moves  slowly;  and  if  unbelief  prevail, 
 there  is  a  stop  put  to  his  progress  in  the  heavenly 
 road. 
 
 Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  who  has  made 
 ample  provision  for  victory  over  this  temptation.  The 
 principles  before  insisted  on  are  now  to  be  brought 
 into  practice.  Here  is  a  fresh  occasion  to  try  their 
 power  and  influence,  and  to  make  it  appear  that  in 
 these  distressing  circumstances  the  Father  has  given 
 his  children  good  ground  to  rely  upon  his  unchange- 
 able love.  He  has  revealed  to  them  the  immuta- 
 bility of  his  counsel  and  of  his  oath,  that  when  they 
 have  fled  to  Jesus  for  refuge,  they  may  comfort  their 
 hearts,  and  say — I  have  been  afraid  of  falling  away, 
 but  it  is  without  reason ;  for  I  have  still  immutable 
 things  to  trust  in — although  to  my  sense  and  feel- 
 ing, every  thing  seems  to  make  against  me,  yet  God 
 
486 
 
 has  promised  not  to  leave  me  nor  forsake  me.  O 
 that  I  may  honour  his  promise,  and  without  doubt- 
 ing rely  upon  his  faithful  arm  to  make  it  good  ! 
 
 Consider  then,  O  my  soul,  the  principles  of  the 
 doctrine  of  Christ.  Review  them  carefully.  Thou 
 seest  what  influence  they  have  upon  every  step  of 
 thy  walk,  and  how  mighty  they  are,  through  God, 
 to  carry  thee  through  all  thy  difBculties.  O  study, 
 then,  the  perfect  freeness  and  the  absolute  sufficiency 
 of  the  salvation  of  Jesus.  Read  and  mark  the  bonds 
 and  securities  which  a  faithful  God  has  given  thee 
 to  trust  in,  and  not  to  be  afraid.  The  time  to  hon- 
 our them  most,  is  to  believe  them  when  thou  hast 
 the  least  sensible  evidence ;  for  that  is  the  strongest 
 faith.  If  thou  canst  believe  upon  his  bare  word, 
 and  it  is  a  very  good  warrant,  thy  feet  shall  stand 
 firm  upon  the  rock,  and  thy  goings  shall  be  well  or- 
 dered: and  that  thou  mayest  believe  this  in  the 
 hardest  trials,  God  informs  thee  that  thy  continuance 
 in  grace  does  not  depend  on  thyself.  "  Thou  standest 
 by  faith  ;"  and  faith  should  direct  thee  to  what  God. 
 has  undertaken  and  has  promised  to  do  for  thee.  He 
 would  have  thee  to  place  the  confidence  of  thy  heart 
 upon  his  tried  word,  which  is  a  never-failing  founda- 
 tion;  and  if  thou  wast  to  build  all  thy  hopes  of  per- 
 severing upon  it,  it  would  quiet  thy  fears  and  com- 
 fort thy  heart.  Thou  wouldst  then  see  that  God 
 has  not  left  thee  to  thyself  to  stand  or  fall,  but  has 
 engaged  never  to  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee.  He 
 has  declared  he  will  not  turn  away  from  thee  to  do 
 thee  good,  and  he  will  put  his  fear  into  thy  heart, 
 and  thou  shalt  not  turn  away  from  him.  View  thy 
 case  in  this  comfortable  light,  and  while  thou  art 
 
487 
 
 considering  the  safety  of  thy  persevering,  as  revealed 
 in  Scripture  for  the  ground  of  thy  faith,  may  every 
 promise  lead  thee  to  trust  more  in  God,  and  to  trust 
 less  to  thyself,  and  then  the  snare  which  was  laid  for 
 thee  will  be  broken,  and  thou  wilt  be  delivered. 
 
 But  take  heed  of  carrying  thine  opinions  to  Scrip- 
 ture, and  of  forcing  it  to  speak  for  them.  Beware 
 of  that  common  mistake;  and  beware  of  human  sys- 
 tems. Pay  no  regard  to  men  or  names.  Simply 
 attend  to  the  promises  of  God  concerning  thy  per- 
 severing. Thy  present  trial  has  convinced  thee, 
 that  thou  canst  not  depend  on  thy  own  faithfulness  : 
 this,  therefore,  is  the  time  to  learn  practically  the 
 faithfulness  of  God,  and  to  improve  thy  faith  in  it 
 from  such  Scripture  arguments  as  these  :— 
 
 First,  The  nature  of  the  divine  covenant,  which  is 
 not  only  the  unchangeable  will  of  the  Eternal  Three, 
 but  is  also  their  agreement,  confirmed  by  oath,  con- 
 cerning the  heirs  of  promise. 
 
 The  Father  loved  them  as  his  children,  freely, 
 with  an  everlasting  love:  he  chose  them,  and  gave 
 them  to  his  Son :  he  engaged  to  keep  them  by  his 
 power,  through  faith,  unto  salvation. 
 
 The  Son  accepted  them,  and  wrote  all  their  names 
 in  his  book  (not  one  of  them,  therefore,  can  be  lost) ; 
 he  undertook  to  be  made  man,  and  to  live  and  die 
 for  them  ;  to  rise  from  the  dead,  to  ascend,  and  to 
 intercede  for  them  ;  and  he  sitteth  as  King  Mediator 
 upon  the  throne,  till  every  one  of  them  be  brought 
 to  glory. 
 
 The  Holy  Spirit  covenanted  to  carry  into  execu- 
 tion the  purposes  of  the  Father's  love,  and  to  apply 
 the  blessings  of  the  Son's  salvation.     He  undertook 
 
488 
 
 to  quicken  the  heirs  of  promise,  to  call  them  effec- 
 tually, to  guide,  to  strengthen,  to  sanctify,  and  to 
 comfort  them ;  yea,  he  is  not  to  leave  them,  till  the 
 number  of  the  elect  be  perfected.  Therefore  he 
 abides  with  them  for  ever. 
 
 In  this  covenant  the  Eternal  Three  have  under- 
 taken, for  every  heir  of  promise,  to  do  all  for  him, 
 and  all  in  him — for  the  means,  and  for  the  end ;  so 
 that  not  one  of  them  can  perish  :  for  faithfulness  to 
 the  covenant  is  one  of  the  highest  honours  of  the 
 Godhead :  "  I  am  Jehovah  your  Alehim,  which 
 keepeth  covenant:  I  will  ever  be  mindful  of  my  cove- 
 nant— My  covenant  will  I  not  break,  nor  alter  the 
 thing  that  has  gone  out  of  my  mouth."  What  strong 
 consolation  is  there  in  these  words  !  Study  them, 
 O  my  soul,  that  by  them  thy  faith  may  be  established, 
 and  they  may  do  thee  good,  like  a  medicine. 
 
 Thou  art  afraid  of  falling  away ;  but  the  blessed 
 Trinity  have  undertaken  to  hold  thee  up,  and  their 
 covenant  engagements  are  to  be  the  ground  of  thy 
 believing,  that  they  will  fulfil  what  they  have  pro- 
 mised. Observe  and  adore  the  goodness  of  God : 
 see  how  he  meets  thy  doubts,  and  answers  thine  ob- 
 jections :  "  An  oath  for  confirmation  is  among  men 
 an  end  of  all  strife;  wherein  God,  willing  more  abun- 
 dantly to  show  to  the  heirs  of  promise  the  immuta- 
 bility of  his  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an  oath :  that 
 by  two  immutable  things,  in  which  it  was  impossible 
 for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a  strong  consolation, 
 who  have  fled  for  refuge"  to  Jesus.  Thy  faith 
 should  run  parallel  with  this  promise,  and  should 
 safely  trust  as  far  as  it  warrants  thee :  now  it  gives 
 thee  sufficient  reason  to  conclude,  that  thy  state  be- 
 
489 
 
 fore  God  is  immutable,  and  that  he  has  determined 
 thou  shalt  not  fall  away  and  perish :  for  observe, 
 
 Secondly,  His  design  in  the  covenant.  He  knew 
 thy  frame,  thine  infirmities,  and  thy  temptations,  and 
 therefore  he  provided  the  covenant,  and  promised  the 
 blessings  of  it  upon  oath,  for  thy  sake;  to  end  all 
 strife  in  thy  conscience;  and  to  give  thee  strong  con- 
 solation. This  was  his  mind  and  will.  He  revealed 
 it  for  thee,  to  settle  thy  heart  in  believing,  and  to 
 administer  to  thee  great  comfort.  Weigh  atten- 
 tively each  of  these  particulars,  and  then  say,  what 
 more  could  have  been  done  to  satisfy  thee  of  thine 
 immutable  persevering. 
 
 But  thou  thinkest,  *  Such  trials  as  thine  are  un- 
 common, and  perhaps  not  provided  for  in  the  cove- 
 nant; and  therefore  it  can  be  no  disparagement  to 
 the  divine  faithfulness,  if  thou  shouldst  fall  away/ 
 How  can  this  be,  since  the  everlasting  covenant  is 
 ordered  in  all  things,  and  on  the  part  of  God  is  ab- 
 solutely sure? — nothing  that  concerns  thee  is  left  out 
 of  it;  not  a  single  hair  of  thy  head:  thy  trials  are 
 all  appointed  and  ordered,  and  the  end  also  which 
 they  are  to  answer. 
 
 Perhaps,  from  the  clear  evidence  of  the  divine 
 record,  thou  art  convinced  of  the  covenant  of  God 
 to  save  the  heirs  of  promise,  and  of  his  engaging  to 
 keep  them  that  they  shall  never  perish;  but  thou 
 art  afraid  thou  art  not  in  the  covenant,  nor  an  heir 
 of  promise.  From  whence  arise  thy  fears  ?  From 
 Scripture  ?  No :  all  Scripture  is  on  thy  side.  Hast 
 thou  not  fled,  as  a  poor  sinner,  to  Jesus  for  refuge  ? 
 Hast  thou  not  acknowledged  his  divine  nature,  and 
 his  all-sufficient  work  ?  And  though  thou  art  now 
 x3 
 
490 
 
 tempted  to  doubt,  yet  some  faith  is  still  fighting 
 against  unbelief?  These  are  covenant  blessings. 
 O  look  up  then  to  Jesus — why  not  thy  Jesus  ? 
 But,  however,  look  to  him — keep  looking  on — and 
 he  will  give  thee  reason  to  be  ashamed  of  thy  doubts 
 and  fears. 
 
 But  the  Lord  hides  himself  from  me,  and  there- 
 fore I  fear  I  am  not  in  his  favour.  This  objection 
 is  answered  in  the  charter  of  grace — "  I  will  not  turn 
 away  from  doing  thee  good."  He  has  hidden  his 
 face,  and  thou  art  troubled :  this  trouble  is  for  good. 
 It  should  put  thee  upon  inquiring  into  the  reason  for 
 God's  hiding  himself  It  should  humble  thee,  and 
 should  exercise  thy  faith  upon  such  a  scripture  as 
 this;  "  For  the  iniquity  of  his  covetousness  was  I 
 wroth,  and  smote  him :  I  hid  me,  and  was  wroth, 
 and  he  went  on  frowardly  in  the  way  of  his  heart: 
 I  have  seen  his  ways  and  will  heal  him;  I  will  lead 
 him  also,  and  will  restore  comforts  to  him  and  to  his 
 mourners."  Although  he  hid  himself,  yet  he  had 
 love  to  his  people :  although  he  smote  them,  yet  it 
 was  with  a  fatherly  correction.      But 
 
 Thou  fearest  God  not  only  hides  his  face,  but  has 
 also  quite  forsaken  thee — He  may,  as  to  thy  sense 
 and  feeling,  but  not  as  to  his  own  purpose,  which 
 changeth  not.  Hear  how  he  speaks  to  thee,  and 
 silences  thy  doubts:  "  For  a  small  moment  have  I 
 forsaken  thee,  but  with  great  mercies  will  I  gather 
 thee :  in  a  little  wrath  I  hid  mv  face  from  thee  for 
 a  moment,  but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I  have 
 mercy  on  thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Redeemer."  How 
 gracious  is  thy  God  !  What  infinite  mercy  is  it, 
 that  he  should  give  thee  such  promises,  so  suited  to 
 
491 
 
 the  trials  of  thy  faith,  to  preserve  thee  under  them, 
 and  to  bring  thee  out  of  them  !  Read  carefully, 
 over  and  over  again,  these  promises ;  and  may  every 
 reading  of  them  disperse  the  cloud  of  unbelief,  until 
 thy  soul  be  enlivened  with  the  light  of  the  Lord's 
 loving  countenance. 
 
 But  perhaps  thou  art  in  a  worse  case  as  to  thine 
 own  apprehension  :  Thou  thinkest,  '  God  is  in- 
 censed against  me,  and  justly — he  has  cast  me  off, 
 and  I  can  expect  no  more  favour  at  his  hand  :  once, 
 indeed,  I  thought  he  loved  me,  but  I  have  fallen  into 
 a  great  sin — an  old  besetting  sin — my  conscience 
 accuses  me  of  committing  it  against  light  and  con- 
 viction— it  is  a  foul  black  spot,  such  as  is  not  to  be 
 found  upon  the  children  of  God.' 
 
 Thou  art  fallen :  and  wilt  thou  lie  there,  and  not 
 be  raised  up  again  ?  Thou  art  under  guilt :  and 
 wilt  thou  nurse  it,  and  add  sin  to  sin?  Aggravate 
 the  sinfulness  of  thy  fall  as  much  as  thou  wilt,  yet 
 thou  canst  not  be  truly  humbled  for  it,  but  by  re- 
 turning to  God,  and  by  trusting  in  the  plenteous 
 redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  Then  thy  heart 
 will  be  softened  and  melted  into  love,  for  grace  will 
 have  its  due  honour,  and  thou  wilt  see  what  the 
 Scripture  says  of  thy  case,  in  its  divine  truth  and 
 majesty.  Thou  wilt  feel  thyself  exactly  what  the 
 word  of  God  says  of  thee — a  fallen  sinful  creature: 
 in  thee  (that  is,  in  thy  flesh)  dwelleth  no  good 
 thing;  so  that  there  is  not  any  sin  but  thou  art 
 capable  of  falling  into  it,  through  the  strength  of 
 temptation.  So  long  as  thou  art  in  the  body,  the 
 flesh  lusteth  against  the  Spirit,  and  the  Spirit  against 
 the  flesh  :  in  this  conflict  thou  mayest  fall,  but  the 
 
492 
 
 covenant  secures  thee  from  perishing.  Abraham, 
 the  father  of  the  faithful,  fell — the  friend  of  God 
 fell  into  the  same  sin  again  and  again.  Moses  fell : 
 so  did  David.  Peter,  forewarned,  fell :  so  did  all 
 the  apostles.  Yet  they  were  believers,  and  they 
 recovered  themselves  out  of  the  snare  of  the  devil. 
 For  whatever  sin  thou  art  fallen  into  may  be  par- 
 doned, as  theirs  was.  ''  The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ 
 cleanseth  from  all  sin" — there  is  in  it  an  infinite  vir- 
 tue to  wash  away  every  spot  and  stain — it  is  a  public 
 fountain — it  stands  open  for  daily  use,  that  believers 
 may  wash  and  be  clean — it  is  always,  at  every  given 
 moment,  effectual — it  cleanseth,  in  the  present  tense, 
 iiow — to  day,  while  it  is  called  to-day;  for  there  is 
 nothing  new  to  be  suffered  on  the  part  of  Christ,  in 
 order  to  take  away  sin.  He  put  it  away  by  the  sac- 
 rifice of  himself;  the  Father  accepted  it,  and  thus 
 proclaims  the  free  forgiveness  of  all  the  trespasses 
 for  which  the  atonement  was  made :  "  I  will  be  mer- 
 ciful to  their  unrighteousness,  and  their  sins  and  their 
 iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more."  Why  dost 
 thou  reject  the  comfort  of  this  promise?  It  is  suited 
 to  thy  present  distress,  and  is  the  remedy  for  it. 
 Thou  art  fallen  into  unrighteousness  :  God  says,  I 
 will  be  merciful  to  it.  Thou  art  fallen  into  sins  and 
 iniquities :  he  says,  I  will  remember  them  no  more. 
 Thou  mayest  remember  thy  fall,  but  let  it  be  in 
 order  to  rise  from  it  by  faith.  It  should  teach  thee 
 thy  need  of  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  It  should  bring 
 thee  to  sprinkle  it  afresh  upon  thy  conscience,  and  to 
 live  safe  and  happy  under  the  protection  of  it.  Thus 
 apply  it  to  thy  fall,  and  thou  wilt  repent  aright;  thou 
 wilt   be  truly   humbled   and   made   more  watchful. 
 
493 
 
 Thou  wilt  live  more  by  faith  in  thy  covenant  God, 
 wilt  glorify  more  the  infinitely  perfect  salvation  of 
 Jesus,  and  wilt  be  more  dependent  upon  the  grace 
 and  keeping  of  the  eternal  Spirit. 
 
 Consider  then,  O  my  soul,  the  rich,  abounding, 
 superabounding  grace  of  thy  God,  in  making  such 
 a  provision  for  raising  thee  up  when  fallen  into  sin. 
 He  intended  the  promises  in  the  covenant  should  be 
 the  means  of  thy  recovery,  as  they  give  thee  good 
 ground  still  to  trust  in  a  covenant  God,  and  in  his 
 immutable  counsel  and  oath.       O  lie  not  then  in 
 guilt — rest  not  in  unbelief — give  not  place  to  the 
 devil.      The  Lord  has  put  words  into  thy  mouth — 
 may  he  help  thee,  in  the  faith  of  thy  heart,  to  take 
 them  up  and  say,  "  Rejoice  not  against  me,  O  mine 
 enemy :   when  1  fall,   I  shall  arise ;  when  I  sit  in 
 darkness,  the  Lord  shall  be  a  light  unto  me.     I  will 
 bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord,  because  I  have 
 sinned  against  him,  until  he  plead  my  cause,  and 
 execute  judgment  for  me :  he  will  bring  me  forth  to 
 the  light,  and  I  shall  behold  his  righteousness."     If 
 the  Lord  open  to  thee  the  rich  treasury  of  grace  in 
 this  scripture,  and   enable  thee  to  depend  on  the 
 ample  security  here  given  for  raising  thee  from  thy 
 fall,  then  consider,  in  the 
 
 Third  place,  The  express  promises  made  in  the 
 covenant,  that  the  believer  shall  not  perish,  but  shall 
 have  everlasting  life.  These  promises  are  not  con- 
 ditional, made  to  the  believer  upon  certain  terms,  as 
 if  upon  doing  his  part  God  would  do  his  also;  for  be 
 does  not  stand  by  his  own  will,  or  strength,  or  faith- 
 fulness ;  he  does  not  hold  out  to  the  end  by  his  own 
 diligence  and  watchfulness  in  means,  or  receive  the 
 
494 
 
 crown  of  glory  as  the  rrterited  reward  of  any  works 
 of  righteousness  done  by  hira :  the  promises  are  all 
 of  free  grace,  not  dependent  on  man's  will,  but  on 
 God's;  not  yea  and  nay,  but  of  absolutely  certain 
 fulfilment.  They  were  all  made  in  the  covenant  to 
 Christ  the  head,  and  are  already  made  good  to 
 Christ,  as  the  head,  for  the  use  of  his  members — 
 "  For  all  the  promises  of  God  are  in  hira.  Yea,  and 
 in  him.  Amen."  He  was  given  for  the  covenant  of 
 his  people,  and  as  such  he  undertook  to  do  all  their 
 works  for  them  and  in  them,  and  therefore  all  the 
 promised  blessings  of  the  covenant  are  laid  up  in  his 
 fulness — "  in  him  they  are  Yea" — and  laid  up,  as 
 the  head  has  the  fulness  of  the  senses,  for  the  use 
 of  his  members — "  in  him  they  are  Amen."  He 
 communicates  the  promised  blessings  freely,  not 
 conditionally ;  by  believing,  and  not  for  working : 
 "  Therefore,"  says  the  apostle,  speaking  of  Christ's 
 righteousness,  "  it  is  of  faith,  that  it  might  be  by 
 grace,  to  the  end  the  promise  might  be  sure  to  all 
 the  seed." 
 
 In  this  sovereign  manner  and  style  runs  the  cove- 
 nant, and  every  promise  in  it — "  I  will  be  their  God :" 
 of  mine  own  mere  motion  and  grace,  and  according 
 to  the  good  pleasure  of  mine  own  will — "  and  they 
 shall  be  my  people  :"  my  will  shall  make  them  willing 
 in  the  day  of  my  power ;  for  I  will  work  in  them  both 
 to  will  and  do ;  yea,  "  I  will  be  a  Father  unto  them, 
 and  they  shall  be  my  sons  and  daughters,  saith  the 
 Lord  Almighty."  The  word  Father  relates  to  his 
 children,  and  expresses  the  unchangeable  love  of  his 
 heart  towards  them :  it  is  a  dear  covenant  name,  and 
 denotes  the  inseparable  connexion  between  him  and 
 
495 
 
 his  children  :  whenever  they  hear  it,  it  should  always 
 excite  in  them  an  idea  of  his  everlasting  affection. 
 He  loves  his  family  as  a  Father,  and  loves  everyone 
 of  them  with  the  same  almighty  love.  He  cannot 
 change.  He  cannot  cease  to  be  a  Father,  and  they 
 cannot  cease  to  be  his  children.  His  name  is  a  se- 
 curity to  them  that  they  cannot  perish ;  for  if  one  of 
 them  could,  they  all  might.  And  then  his  covenant 
 purpose  to  bring  many  sons  unto  glory  would  be  de- 
 feated— his  relation  to  them  as  a  Father  would  be 
 broken — he  would  be  a  Father  without  children — 
 he  would  deny  them  the  promised  blessings — he 
 would  forget  to  be  gracious  to  them — his  will  con- 
 cerning them  would  change,  or  would  be  overruled 
 by  some  opposite  will — and  his  great  plan  in  the  co- 
 venant would  come  to  nothing.  But  these  things 
 cannot  possibly  be.  He  is  the  Father  of  his  chil- 
 dren, and  he  has  engaged,  by  promise  and  oath,  to 
 love,  to  bless,  and  to  keep  them  for  ever.  Out 
 of  perfect  love  he  gave  them  to  his  Son,  who  under- 
 took to  be  their  Saviour:  he  came  and  was  made 
 man,  Jehovah  incarnate,  to  live  and  die  for  them. 
 He  was  so  delighted  with  them  (for  he  has  all  their 
 names  written  in  his  book)  and  with  the  work,  that 
 he  was  straitened  till  it  was  accomplished.  Blessings 
 on  him  for  ever  !  it  is  finished.  The  royal  Saviour 
 is  upon  the  throne,  almighty  to  save  his  dear  re- 
 deemed. He  would  lose  his  name,  which  is  above 
 eyery  name ;  the  honours  of  his  salvation  would  fade 
 away  upon  his  head,  and  the  glories  of  his  offices 
 would  come  to  nothing,  if  one,  whom  Jesus  lived  and 
 died  to  save,  should  perish.  But  it  is  not  possible. 
 Whom  he  loves,  he  loves  unto  the  end.      "  I  give 
 
496 
 
 unto  them,"  says  he,  "  eternal  life;  and  they  shall 
 never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my 
 hand."  They  are  his  seed — and  it  was  covenanted 
 that  he  should  see  his  seed.  They  are  the  travail 
 of  his  soul — and  he  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his 
 soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied.  How  can  he  be  satisfied 
 if  any  one  of  them  should  be  lost?  He  prayed — 
 "  Holy  Father,  keep,  through  thine  own  name,  those 
 whom  thou  hast  given  me,  that  they  may  be  one,  as 
 we  are  one."  And  the  Father  always  heard  him. 
 He  prayed  that  they  might  be  with  him  where  he  is, 
 to  see  his  glory :  and  the  Holy  Spirit  covenanted  to 
 bring  them  to  it — he  undertook,  as  his  name  SpuHt 
 imports,  to  breathe  life  into  them,  to  call,  to  convert 
 them,  to  keep  them,  and  to  give  them  every  thing 
 needful  for  their  spiritual  life.  How  can  they  fail 
 of  coming  to  glory,  being  thus  kept  for  it  by  the 
 power  of  God?  The  Holy  Spirit  would  lose  his 
 name.  Spirit,  or  breath  of  life,  and  his  office,  which 
 is  to  abide  with,  and  to  dwell  for  ever  in,  the  elect 
 people  of  God,  if  any  one  of  them  should  die  from 
 God,  and  perish.  Thus  there  is  full  security  given 
 by  the  names  and  offices  of  the  Trinity,  that  be- 
 lievers shall  be  kept  from  falling  away.  The  Father 
 cannot  be  without  his  children.  The  glory  of  Jesus 
 would  fade  away,  if  one  of  his  redeemed  was  plucked 
 out  of  his  hand.  The  divine  honours  of  the  Spirit 
 of  life  would  be  eclipsed,  if  he  was  to  forsake  his 
 charge,  and  suffer  any  of  the  redeemed  to  fall  into 
 hell.  But  these  things  cannot  be.  The  will  of  the 
 Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  is  the  same  concerning  the 
 salvation  of  the  elect,  which  is  as  secure  as  covenant 
 bonds  and  oaths  can  make  it. 
 
497 
 
 Art  thou  then,  O  my  soul,  established  in  this 
 great  truth  ?  Dost  thou  yield  to  the  power  of  the 
 evidence  which  the  blessed  Trinity  have  vouchsafed 
 to  give  thee  ?  Meditate  carefully  upon  it  for  the 
 growth  of  thy  faith.  Search  the  Scriptures,  and  ob- 
 serve how  clearly  God  declares  his  fixed  purpose  to 
 keep  his  people,  and  to  hold  them  up  unto  the  endw 
 The  great  preacher  of  the  gospel  in  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment church,  speaks  thus  of  the  unchangeable  will 
 of  a  covenant  God :  "  The  mountains  shall  depart, 
 and  the  hills  be  removed;  but  my  kindness  shall  not 
 depart  from  thee,  neither  shall  the  covenant  of  my 
 peace  be  removed,  saith  the  Lord  that  hath  mercy 
 on  thee."  A  great  preacher  in  the  New  Testament 
 church  has  confirmed  the  same  precious  truth.  He 
 is  treating  of  the  golden  chain  of  salvation,  and  show- 
 ing how  inseparable  every  link  of  it  is ;  and  in  this 
 prospect  he  triumphs  ;  "  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to 
 the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth, 
 who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?  It  is  Christ  that  died, 
 yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the 
 right  hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for 
 us.  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ  ? 
 Shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecution,  or  fa- 
 mine, or  nakedness,  or  sword  ?  Nay,  in  all  these 
 things  we  are  more  than  conquerors,  through  him 
 that  loveth  us."  By  the  mouth  of  these  two  infal- 
 lible witnesses  the  truth  is  established — they  depose 
 that  the  covenant  is  immutable,  and  that  nothing  can 
 separate  believers  from  the  love  wherewith  God  loves 
 them  in  his  Son.  O  most  comfortable  doctrine  ! 
 How  encouraging  is  it,  in  any  undertaking,  to  set 
 about  it  with  certain  hope  of  success !      How  ani- 
 
498 
 
 mating  in  our  Christian  walk,  how  reviving  in  the 
 dark  and  difficult  path  of  it,  to  have  God's  promise 
 that  he  will  keep  us,  and  bring  us  to  a  happy  end  ! 
 How  pleasing  is  it  to  go  on  by  faith  in  our  warfare, 
 casting  all  our  care  upon  him  who  careth  for  us  ! 
 How  delightful  is  it  to  trust  his  promise,  and  daily 
 to  find  it  made  good  :  "  Ye  are  kept  by  the  power  of 
 God,  through  faith,  unto  eternal  salvation."  Here, 
 O  my  soul,  thou  art  to  seek  for  strong  consolation 
 amidst  the  trials  and  difficulties  of  thy  walk.  Thou 
 art  afraid  of  falling — God  has  engaged  to  hold  thee 
 up.  Thou  hast  been  tempted  to  think  thou  shouldst 
 fall  quite  away,  and  come  to  nothing — but  God  says, 
 thou  art  preserved  in  Christ  Jesus.  His  covenant 
 and  oath  are  made  to  confirm  the  faith  of  thy  perse- 
 vering. Thou  standest  by  faith,  and  thy  faith  should 
 lead  thee  to  rest  safely  on  what  God  says  about  thy 
 standing:  and  for  thy  faith  itself,  its  continuing,  its 
 increasing,  thou  hast  his  infallible  faithfulness  to  de- 
 pend upon.  Thou  art  weak — but  he  keeps  thee  by 
 his  power.  Thine  enemies  are  strong — but  none  of 
 them  shall  pluck  thee  out  of  his  hand.  Thou  art 
 willing  to  join  them,  and  to  depart  from  the  living 
 God — but  he  has  promised  to  put  his  fear  into  thy 
 heart,  and  thou  shalt  not  depart  from  him.  He 
 meets  with  thy  doubts,  and  answers  all  thine  objec- 
 tions in  a  word — for  he  hath  said,  "  I  will  never 
 leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee." 
 
 Be  of  good  courage  then,  O  my  soul,  and  go  for- 
 ward, strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his 
 might,  and  he  will  bring  thee  safe  to  the  end  of  thy 
 journey.  He  has  promised  it.  Put  thyself  into 
 his  hands,  and  give  him  the  glory  of  keeping  thee. 
 
499 
 
 He  will  hold  up  thy  goings  in  his  paths,  that  thy 
 footsteps  slip  not.  The  Lord  shall  preserve  thee 
 from  all  evil.  The  Lord  shall  preserve  thy  going 
 out  and  thy  coming  in,  from  this  time  forth,  and  even 
 for  evermore.  How  then  canst  thou  miscarry,  safe 
 under  his  guidance  and  keeping  ?  Commit  thy  ways 
 unto  the  Lord.  Do  it  simply.  Look  up  by  faith 
 to  his  promise,  and  then  lean  on  his  arm.  Thus 
 going  on  thou  mayest  rejoice  at  every  step  in  the 
 Lord  thy  God.  He  has  left  thee  a  sweet  hymn  upon 
 the  subject,  with  which  the  weary  travellers  to  Sion 
 have  often  refreshed  their  spirits.  Take  it  up,  and 
 sing  it  after  them.  Study  it.  Mix  faith  with  it : 
 and,  with  perfect  reliance  on  what  God,  who  cannot 
 lie,  has  promised  in  it  to  do  for  thee,  sing  and  make 
 melody  with  it  in  thy  heart  unto  the  Lord — 
 
 "  In  that  day  sing  ye  unto  her,  A  vineyard  of  red 
 wine.  I  the  Lord  do  keep  it ;  I  will  water  it  every 
 moment :  lest  any  hurt  it,  I  will  keep  it  night  and 
 day.  Fury  is  not  in  me :  who  would  set  the  briers 
 and  thorns  against  me  in  battle  ?  I  would  go  through 
 them,  I  would  burn  them  together.  Or  will  he  take 
 hold  of  my  strength,  that  he  may  make  peace  with 
 me?  then  he  shall  make  peace  with  me.  He  shall 
 cause  them  that  come  of  Jacob  to  take  root:  Israel 
 shall  blossom  and  bud,  and  shall  fill  the  face  of  the 
 world  with  fruit." 
 
 O  my  good  God  and  faithful  Keeper,  I  do  believe 
 these  precious  promises  ;  help  my  unbelief.  Forgive 
 my  distrusting  thy  faithfulness,  and  enable  me  stead- 
 fastly to  rely  upon  it  for  the  future.  What  return 
 can  I  make  unto  thee  for  grafting  me  into  the  true 
 vine  ?       O  Lord,  this  love  surpasseth   knowledge. 
 
500 
 
 I  was  fit  for  nothing  but  the  fire,  and  thou  hast 
 brought  me  into  the  vineyard  of  red  wine,  and  hast 
 enabled  me  to  trust  in  that  blood  of  the  Lamb  which 
 cheereth  God  and  man.  On  this  my  soul  lives,  and 
 is  refreshed :  and  being  through  grace  in  him,  and 
 living  upon  him,  I  bless  thee,  Holy  Father,  for  thy 
 faithful  promise  to  keep  me  unto  the  end.  I  am 
 still  an  easy  prey  to  all  those  who  seek  the  hurt  of 
 my  soul ;  but  thou  hast  given  me  thy  word,  that,  lest 
 any  hurt  me,  thou  wilt  keep  me  night  and  day.  I 
 confess,  gracious  God,  that  I  have  dishonoured  thee 
 by  doubting  of  thy  love,  and  by  questioning  its  un- 
 changeableness,  but  now  I  believe  that  fury  is  not 
 in  thee  to  any  one  branch  in  the  true  vine.  There 
 is  love,  and  nothing  but  love,  in  all  thy  dealings  with 
 Christ,  and  with  his.  Forgive  my  guilty  fears  and 
 suspicions  of  thy  forsaking  me,  arising  from  my  weak- 
 ness, and  from  the  strength  of  mine  enemies :  I  now 
 see  that  thou  canst  as  easily  consume  them  as  fire 
 can  briers  and  thorns.  Lord,  increase  my  faith  in 
 thy  promised  strength,  that  I  may  lay  hold  of  it  for 
 peace,  and  may  keep  fast  hold  of  it  for  maintaining 
 peace  with  thee  always  and  by  all  means.  O  grant 
 me  this,  my  good  God,  that  my  faith  may  work 
 more  by  love.  Let  me  take  deeper  root  in  Jesus, 
 and  grow  up  more  into  him,  blossoming,  and  bud- 
 ding, and  flourishing  in  his  vineyard.  I  depend  upon 
 thee  to  keep  me  a  branch  in  him,  and  to  make  me  a 
 fruitful  branch,  bringing  forth  plentifully  the  fruits 
 of  righteousness,  which  are  by  Christ  Jesus  to  the 
 glory  and  praise  of  God.  I  believe  the  work  is 
 thine — thou  hast  begun  it — and  thou  wilt  carry  it 
 on  until  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus.      Thou  art  faith- 
 
501 
 
 fill  to  thy  word  and  work.  In  dependence  upon  thy 
 faithfulness,  I  hope  to  persevere.  Let  it  be  done 
 unto  me  according  to  thy  promises,  wherein  thou  hast 
 caused  me  to  put  my  trust.  Hear,  Lord,  and  an- 
 swer, for  thy  mercies'  sake  in  Jesus,  to  whom,  with 
 thee  and  the  Eternal  Spirit,  Three  Persons  in  one 
 Godhead,  be  equal  glory  and  praise,  for  ever  and 
 ever.     Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  XV. 
 
 The  Believer  finishes  his  Course^  and  enters  into  Rest. 
 
 The  believer  is  now  happily  arrived  at  the  verge 
 of  life.  Goodness  and  mercy  have  followed  him  all 
 his  days,  and  will  not  lose  their  glory  by  forsaking 
 him  at  the  close  of  them.  It  is  appointed  unto  all 
 men  once  to  die,  and  his  fixed  time  is  at  hand.  This 
 body  is  returning  to  dust,  and  the  spirit  must  appear 
 before  the  throne  of  God.  In  this  trying  hour  he 
 trusts  to  the  principles  which  had  carried  him  through 
 life,  and  he  finds  them  a  perfect  preservative  from 
 the  fear  and  from  the  power  of  death.  The  same 
 faith  in  a  reconciled  God  and  loving  Father,  keeps 
 peace  in  his  conscience,  and  love  in  his  heart.  He 
 depends  upon  the  atonement  of  Emmanuel,  and  is 
 safe  :  he  wraps  himself  up  in  the  robe  of  Emmanuel's 
 righteousness,  and  is  happy.  He  knows  he  shall  be 
 found  in  Jesus,  when  he  stands  before  God;  and 
 therefore  he  looks  upon  death  as  his  friend,  and 
 meets  it  with  a  hope  full  of  glory  and  immortality. 
 
502 
 
 This  is  the  privilege  of  believers  in  Jesus.  They 
 die  in  peace.  Their  principles  are  mighty,  through 
 God,  to  support  and  comfort  them  in  the  hour  of 
 death.  Reader,  are  these  principles  thine  ?  Exa- 
 mine carefully.  Come  to  a  point  in  this  matter;  for 
 it  is  of  infinite  and  eternal  moment.  What  is  thy 
 state?  Art  thou  prepared  to  die?  Perhaps  thou 
 art  openly  profane.  And  what  wilt  thou  do  upon 
 thy  death-bed,  when  the  divine  law  accuses  thee, 
 justice  condemns  thee,  and  the  terrors  of  hell  take 
 hold  of  thee?  The  stings  of  guilt,  at  such  a  time, 
 will  be  worse  in  the  conscience  than  all  the  tortures 
 that  thy  sick  body  can  possibly  feel.  But  if  thy 
 conscience  be  asleep — O  what  a  dreadful  death  !  if 
 thou  go  out  of  the  world  with  thine  eyes  shut,  and 
 open  them  not  till  thou  find  the  flames  of  hell  about 
 thee  ! 
 
 Perhaps  thou  art  not  afraid,  because  thou  hast  a 
 decent  outside :  O  take  care  of  trusting  in  thyself, 
 lest  thou  shouldst  have  thy  portion  with  the  openly 
 profane.  If  thou  make  what  thou  art,  or  hast,  any 
 ground  of  thy  hope  before  God — if  thou  depend  on 
 thy  duties  or  righteousness,  or  join  them  with  the 
 work  of  Christ,  and  meet  death  in  this  confidence — 
 how  dreadful  will  be  thy  mistake  !  how  inevitable  thy 
 ruin  !  Such  false  hopes  are  thus  described :  "  Be- 
 hold, all  ye  that  kindle  a  fire,  and  compass  yourselves 
 about  with  sparks,  walk  in  the  light  of  your  fire,  and 
 in  the  sparks  that  ye  have  kindled" — but  mind  the 
 end — thus  saith  the  Lord  :  "  This  shall  ye  have  of 
 mine  hand,  ye  shall  lie  down  in  sorrow."  And  to- 
 gether with  them  will  the  open  enemy  of  God  and 
 his   Christ  lie   down,      A   denier  of   revelation  is 
 
503 
 
 brought  to  the  bed  of  languishing — a  slow  lingering 
 distemper  is  carrying  him  oflp — the  physician  has 
 given  him  over — his  disease  is  mortal,  and  he  is  con- 
 vinced of  it :  but,  alas  !  he  has  no  preparation  fbr 
 death  and  judgment.  He  has  some  Christian  friends, 
 and  they  talk  freely  to  him  about  his  eternal  state, 
 but  he  will  hear  nothing  of  his  guilt,  or  of  his  want  of 
 a  Saviour.  They  get  a  minister  of  Christ  to  visit 
 him,  and  he  speaks  to  him  of  sin,  which  is  the  trans- 
 gression of  the  holy  law;  and  of  the  justice  of  God, 
 which  is  engaged  to  give  transgressors  their  due; 
 and  of  the  impossibility  of  his  finding  mercy  at  the 
 judgment-seat,  until  every  demand  be  satisfied,  which 
 law  and  justice  have  upon  him :  he  tries  to  persuade 
 the  dying  man  of  the  Godhead  of  Jesus,  and  of  the 
 divine  work  of  Jesus,  but  in  vain.  He  sets  at  nought 
 the  minister's  advice,  and  with  a  hardened  and  im- 
 penitent heart  replies — *  Be  it  as  it  will  with  me  in 
 eternity,  I'll  have  nothing  to  do  with  your  Christ.' 
 So  he  died.  We  need  not  follow  him  to  the  judg- 
 ment-seat, to  know  what  became  of  his  soul.  The 
 infallible  record  has  declared  what  will  be  the  portion 
 of  the  unbelieving.  Their  misery  is  as  certain  as 
 the  truth  of  God.  O  reader,  examine  thyself;  for 
 he  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  because 
 he  hath  not  believed  in  the  name  of  the  only-begot- 
 ten Son  of  God. 
 
 Perhaps  thou  art  in  name  a  Christian ;  but  what 
 thinkest  thou  of  Christ  ?  The  grand  heresy  of  this 
 day  is  about  his  person ;  and  if  thou  art  fallen  into 
 it,  there  is  no  hope  in  thy  death.  Is  he  Jehovah  ? 
 O  leave  not  this  matter  undetermined.  The  truth 
 of  his  word,  and  the  glory  of  his  work,  depend  en- 
 
504 
 
 tirely  upon  this  one  point :  so  do  thy  peace  and  com- 
 fort ;  for  if  thou  believe  him  to  be  any  thing  but  the 
 self-existent  God,  thou  shalt  die  in  thy  sins.  His 
 sufferings  cannot  avail  for  thy  pardon,  nor  his  obe- 
 dience for  thy  righteousness,  unless  he  be  Jehovah. 
 Without  faith  in  him,  as  the  self-existent  Saviour, 
 death  will  find  thee  under  guilt,  and  judgment  will 
 leave  thee  among  the  enemies  of  God  and  his  Christ. 
 Whatever  evil  there  is  in  death  to  terrify,  what- 
 ever pain  to  hurt,  the  blessed  Jesus,  by  the  grace  of 
 God,  tasted  it  for  all  his.  The  grace  of  the  Father 
 gave  him  to  be  the  surety  for  his  people  unto  death. 
 He  died  for  them  and  as  truly  tasted  death  as  ever 
 the  nicest  palate  tasted  meat  or  drink.  But  it  was 
 like  a  taste — of  short  duration — it  was  not  possible 
 that  he  should  be  holden  long  under  the  bands  of 
 death.  He  rose  again  on  the  third  day;  and  because 
 he  lives,  believers  in  him  shall  live  also.  They  are 
 partakers  of  his  victory  over  death,  and  share  in  all 
 its  blessings.  The  sentence  of  the  broken  law  is 
 repealed.  They  do  not  die  to  bear  the  punishment 
 of  sin.  Christ  sustained  that.  The  pains  and 
 agonies  of  death  fell  upon  him :  "  The  sorrows  of 
 death,'*  says  he,  "  compassed  me,  and  the  pains  of 
 hell  got  hold  upon  me."  He  was  a  just  man,  who 
 had  no  reason  to  fear  death :  but  being  found  in  the 
 place  of  his  people,  with  their  sins  upon  him,  he  was 
 to  bear  every  thing  that  was  dreadful  in  death.  Hence 
 his  agonies  at  the  approach  of  it :  "  My  heart,"  says 
 he,  "  is  sore  pained  within  me,  and  the  terrors  of 
 death  are  fallen  upon  me :  fearfulness  and  trembling 
 are  come  upon  me,  and  horror  hath  overwhelmed 
 me."     He  endured  those  inconceivable  horrors,  to 
 
505 
 
 deliver  them,  who,  through  fear  of  death,  had  been 
 all  their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage.  But  the  bon- 
 dage is  at  an  end  when  they  believe  in  his  victory. 
 Their  fears  are  dispelled,  when  they  see  the  glory 
 of  the  battle  which  he  fought  and  won ; — how  by 
 dying  he  took  away  sin,  satisfied  justice,  removed  the 
 curse,  conquered  death,  broke  its  sceptre,  took  out 
 its  sting,  and  left  nothing  in  it  but  what  was  friendly 
 to  them.  In  these  believing  views  they  can  meet 
 death  with  confidence :  for  they  cannot  taste  that  in 
 death  which  Christ  tasted.  He  felt  it,  that  they 
 might  not  feel  it :  he  died  in  agonies,  that  they  might 
 die  in  peace.  O  my  most  loving  and  precious  Jesus, 
 I  beheve  this :  let  not  any  unbelief  in  me  dishonour 
 thy  complete  conquest  over  all  that  is  fearful  or  pain- 
 ful in  dying.  My  times  are  in  thy  hand :  when  thou 
 art  pleased  to  bring  them  to  an  end,  let  me  find  death 
 swallowed  up  in  victory.  O  that  I  may  then  triumph 
 with  thy  redeemed.  What  can  separate  us  from  the 
 love  of  Christ — shall  the  sting  of  death  or  the  fear 
 of  death,  or  of  Satan  or  of  hell  ?  No ;  thanks  be 
 to  God,  these  were  all  conquered  when  Jesus  died; 
 subdued  for  ever  when  he  rose  again.  And  he  has 
 left  us  many  precious  promises,  that  we,  trusting  in 
 him,  shall  share  in  his  victory,  and  find  the  blessings 
 of  it  in  the  hour  of  death. 
 
 Attend  then,  O  my  soul,  to  what  he  has  engaged 
 to  bestow  upon  his  dying  disciples,  as  the  fruit  of 
 his  death ;  and  give  him  credit,  not  doubting  but  he 
 will  make  it  good.  Live  now  in  the  comfort  of  his 
 promises,  and  fear  not.  The  almighty  Jesus  will  be 
 with  thee,  and  thou  shalt  conquer  with  him  in  the 
 hour  of  death.  Observe  his  word,  which  cannot  be 
 y  4 
 
506 
 
 broken — "  I  will  ransom  them  from  the  power  of 
 the  grave,  1  will  redeem  them  from  death  :   O  death, 
 I  will  be  thy  plague ;  O  grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruc- 
 tion :  repentance  shall  be  hid  from  mine  eyes."    The 
 ransom  which  he  here  engages  to  pay  for  his,  he  paid 
 as  their  surety,  r.nd  he  daily  applies  it  to  them,  as 
 their  Saviour.     Upon  quoting  this  promise,  and  find- 
 ing, by  faith,  the  happy  fulfilment  of  it,  mark  how 
 the  apostle  rejoices  with  the  Corinthians  in  the  near 
 view  of  death :  "  O  death,  where  is  thy  sting  ?    O 
 grave,  where  is  thy  victory  ?      The  sting  of  death 
 is  sin,  and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law  :  but  thanks 
 be  to  God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory,  through  Jesus 
 Christ  our  Lord."    O  thou  most  glorious  conqueror, 
 almighty  Jesus,   eternal  thanks  be  to  thee,  that  the 
 law  cannot  accuse,  sin  cannot  condemn,  death  can- 
 not sting  thy  redeemed.      Thou  hast  promised  to 
 make  them  happy  in  death,  and  faithful  is  thy  word. 
 The  beloved  John  is  one  of  thy  witnesses  :  "  I  heard 
 a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me.   Write,  Blessed 
 are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  :"   Write  it  for 
 the  use  of  my  disciples,  that  it  may  be  the  ground 
 oi^  their  faith  when  they  come  to  die:   I  promise  to 
 make  them  blessed  in  their  death  ;  being  in  me,  mem- 
 bers under  me  their  Head,  and  living  in  the  Lord, 
 they  shall  die  in  the  Lord:  they  shall  have  union 
 with  me,  and  communion  too,  when  they  are  dying : 
 the  hour  of  death,  the  time  of  their  dissolution,  shall 
 he  a  season  of  great  blessedness ;  they  shall  have  my 
 presence  in  their  last  moments:    I   will   walk   with 
 them  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  and 
 they  shall  fear  no  evil ;  my  rod  and  ray  staff  shall  then 
 eomfort  them. — O  my  God,  make  thy  word  good. 
 
507 
 
 Sweet  Jesus,  write  this  promise  upon  my  heart.  O 
 help  me  to  mix  faith  with  it,  that  when  mine  appointed 
 time  is  come,  I  may  experience  the  blessedness  of 
 dying  in  the  Lord.  I  wait  for  the  time,  it  is  not  far 
 oflp.  O  keep  me,  Jesus,  till  that  hour ;  keep  me, 
 Jesus,  in  that  hour.  Save  me  through  life  and  death, 
 and  bless  me  with  thine  eternal  salvation.  Hear  and 
 answer,  for  thy  mercies'  sake.      Amen. 
 
 Meditate,  O  my  soul,  upon  these  blessings.  Con- 
 sider how  great,  how  many  they  are.  Consider  also 
 thine  unworthiness.  Thou  art  less  than  the  least  of 
 them:  and  yet  God  has  set  his  love  upon  thee,  and 
 has  given  thee  the  greatest  of  them.  He  has  called 
 thee  to  the  knowledge  of  his  love  in  Jesus,  and  has 
 shed  it  abroad  in  thy  heart.  He  has  set  thee  in  the 
 way  that  leads  to  the  eternal  enjoyment  of  his  love, 
 has  promised  to  keep  thee  all  the  way,  and  to  bless 
 thee  at  the  end  of  it.  He  will  make  thee  blessed  in 
 death,  and  blessed  for  evermore.  Hitherto  thou  hast 
 found  him  faithful.  Not  one  good  thing  has  failed 
 which  thou  didst  ask  in  faith,  and  wait  for  at  his 
 hands.  Review  all  his  dealings  with  thee,  and  see 
 what  infinite  mercy  there  was  in  them.  He  made  thy 
 walk  prosperous,  thy  warfare  successful,  thy  crosses 
 sanctified.  Thou  hast  not  taken  a  false  step,  but 
 when  thou  wast  not  living  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of 
 God.  O  trust  him  then,  and  be  not  afraid.  His 
 love  has  brought  thee  thus  far:  he  has  led  thee  in 
 the  right  way  to  the  verge  of  life,  and  he  declares  he 
 will  not  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee  in  the  hour  of 
 death.  Fear  not  to  look  down,  fear  not  to  cro  down 
 with  Jesus  into  the  grave.  He  has  promised,  "  I 
 will  be  with  thee;"  and  wherever  he  is,  there  is  hea- 
 Y  2 
 
508 
 
 ven.      He  is  with  his  dying  friends,  and  they  are 
 blessed  indeed.      They  die  in  faith  ;  they  live  by 
 faith  in  death ;  and  as  soon  as  faith  ceases,  they  live 
 with  their  God  forever.      The  body  falls  asleep,  and 
 rests  safely  till  the  morning  of  the  resurrection.    The 
 soul  in  a  moment  enters  into  the  joy  of  its  Lord : 
 a  joy  like  his — pure  and  holy ;  a  fulness  of  joy — 
 every  ^ense  has  its  proper  object,  enjoys  it,  and  is 
 satisfied  for  ever.      O  what  will  the  heart  feel  in  this 
 blessedness  !      What  acknowledgments  will  it  make 
 to  God  and  the  Lamb  !     To  praise  him  for  the  won- 
 ders of  his  grace,   in  bringing  to  that  glory,  will  be 
 the  happy  employment  of  eternity.      To  see  him  as 
 he  is,  in  his  divine  majesty,  is   heaven.      For  how 
 great  communications  of  his  love  the  being  ever  with 
 him,  and  ever  like  him,  will  make  the  soul  capable 
 of,  we  cannot  perfectly  conceive.    These  things  are  at 
 present  too  high  and  heavenly,  even  for  our  thoughts. 
 By  faith  we  sometimes  have  a  little  glimpse  of  the 
 glory  to  be  revealed,  and  it  eclipses  all  the  grandeur  of 
 the  world.      There  are  happy  moments,  when  we  are 
 permitted  to  behold  the  King  in  his  beauty,  when  he 
 discovers  his  matchless  loveliness,  and  gives  us  a  taste 
 of  the  heavenly  feast :  at  such  blessed  seasons  the 
 soul  is  bowed  down  and  humbled  to  the  dust,  adoring 
 the  infinite  mercy  and  goodness  of  God.      If  there 
 be  so  much  of  heaven  in  these  manifestations  of  divine 
 love,  what  must  the  full  enjoyment  be?      We  may 
 suppose  a  happy  soul  entered  into  rest,  thus  meditat- 
 ing upon  the  grace  which  brought  it  to  that  glory : — 
 Blessing  and   thanks  without   ceasing,   be  unto 
 Father,   Son,  and   Spirit,   through  whose  sovereign 
 grace  I  was  chosen  to  this  blessedness,  and  am  now 
 
509 
 
 brought  to  the  perfect  and  everlasting  enjoyment  of 
 it.  This  communion  with  the  Godhead,  through 
 Jesus,  is  as  far  beyond  my  former  thoughts  of  it,  as 
 the  heaven  is  above  the  earth :  how  great  is  his  good- 
 ness, and  how  great  is  his  beauty,  that  the  most  High 
 and  Holy  One  would  thus  communicate  his  love  unto 
 sinful  creatures  !  Glory  be  to  thee,  Holy  Father, 
 for  predestinating  me  to  the  adoption  of  children,  and 
 for  the  free  gift  of  the  heavenly  inheritance.  Glory 
 be  to  thee,  incarnate  Jehovah,  for  thy  covenant  un- 
 dertakings for  me — for  thy  life,  death,  and  complete 
 salvation.  I  worship  thee,  I  glorify  thee,  O  God 
 the  Holy  Ghost,  for  quickening  me,  for  teaching  me, 
 and  enabling  me,  through  believing  in  Jesus,  to  ex- 
 perience the  love  of  the  Father,  and  for  bringing  me 
 to  enjoy  his  endless  blessings.  Surely  the  goodness 
 and  mercy  of  the  Holy  Trinity  have  followed  me  all 
 the  days  of  my  life;  were  with  me  when  I  walked 
 through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death ;  and  are 
 now  my  most  blessed  portion  in  the  house  of  the 
 Lord.  I  am  made  a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my  God, 
 and  am  to  go  no  more  out.  O  what  exceeding  riches 
 of  grace  are  these  !  What  has  God  done  for  me  ! 
 Angels  and  brethren,  help  me  to  praise.  My  debt 
 is  immense.  No  saved  sinner  can  owe  him  more: 
 it  is  growing  every  moment.  My  praises  pay  none 
 of  it.  With  my  thankful  heart,  and  it  is  all  thank- 
 fulness, I  only  acknowledge  his  infinite  goodness, 
 and  own  myself  his  eternal  debtor.  Blessing,  and 
 honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him  that  sit- 
 teth  upon  the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb  for  ever  ! 
 
 Reader,  art  thou  in  the  way  which  leads  to  this 
 glory  ?  If  not,  may  the  Lord  be  merciful  unto  thee, 
 and  bring  thee  unto  it. 
 
510 
 
 If  thou  art  seeking  to  be  set  right  in  it,  remem- 
 ber Jesus  is  THE  WAY.  May  his  good  Spirit  enable 
 thee  to  beheve  in  his  word,  and  to  trust  in  it,  till 
 thou  attain  the  salvation  of  thy  soul  ! 
 
 If  thou  art  in  the  way,  and  hast  communion  with 
 the  Father,  through  faith  in  the  atonement  and  right- 
 eousness of  his  Son,  art  thou  maintaining  it  in  thy 
 daily  walk,  and  improving  it  in  every  duty  ?  And 
 art  thou  going  on  thy  v/ay  rejoicing  in  God  ?  If 
 thou  art  sorrowing  for  outward  crosses,  or  burdened 
 with  inward  conflicts,  canst  thou  nevertheless  find 
 joy  and  peace  in  believing  ?  Dost  thou  march  on 
 victorious  in  thy  warfare,  keeping  up  communion  with 
 God  against  all  opposition  of  thy  spiritual  enemies  ? 
 And  is  thy  faith  established  upon  the  faithfulness  of 
 God,  that  he  will  carry  on  his  own  work  in  thee  unto 
 the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ?  In  this  faith  art  thou 
 now  living?  And  in  this  faith  dost  thou  hope  to 
 die  ?  Has  God  indeed  done  these  wonders  for  thee? 
 O  bless  him  then  with  me,  and  let  us  magnify  his 
 name  together.  Be  thou  exalted.  Lord,  in  us  and 
 by  us.  Every  day  we  would  grow  up  into  nearer 
 and  holier  communion  with  thee.  We  desire  to  be 
 more  like  thee,  and  to  show  forth  more  of  thy  lovely 
 image  before  men.  O  help  us  to  praise  thee  better 
 with  our  lips  and  lives.  By  the  communion  of  the 
 Holy  Ghost  we  would  communicate  more  by  faith 
 with  the  Son  in  his  salvation,  and  with  the  Father 
 in  his  love.  O  holy,  blessed,  and  glorious  Trinity, 
 in  this  divine  fellowship  we  hope  to  find  our  heaven 
 upon  earth  :  let  it  be  growing  and  increasing,  helped 
 forward  by  all  means,  and,  if  it  please  thee,  by  this 
 volume.      Make  it.  Lord,  the  instrument  under  thee^ 
 
511 
 
 of  leading  thy  people  into  the  right  way,  and  of  estab- 
 lishing them  in  it.  Accompany  the  reading  of  it 
 with  the  teaching  of  thy  Spirit,  and  to  the  advance- 
 ment of  thy  glory.  I  present  the  book  unto  thee, 
 ever-glorious  Jesus,  and  lay  it  at  thy  feet.  Thou 
 knowest  my  heart :  accept  it  graciously,  as  a  public 
 acknowledgment  for  inestimable  mercies.  In  thy 
 great  compassion  overlook  the  faults  in  it :  what  is 
 agreeable  to  the  Scripture  is  thine  own.  Make  use 
 of  it  to  thy  praise.  I  devote  myself,  my  body  and 
 soul,  my  tongue  and  pen,  all  I  have  and  am,  to  thy 
 service.  I  would  not  look  upon  myself  as  any  longer 
 mine  own  ;  but,  being  bought  with  a  price,  I  would 
 glorify  thee  in  the  use  of  all  thy  gifts  and  graces. 
 With  thee  I  desire  to  walk  through  life.  In  thine 
 arms  I  hope  to  die.  Through  thee  I  expect  soon  to 
 enjoy  perfect  communion  with  the  Father  and  the 
 Spirit :  therefore,  into  thy  hands  I  commend  myself. 
 Keep  me  in  the  right  way.  Guide  me  to  the  end  of 
 it,  that  I  may  finish  my  course  with  joy,  and  join  thy 
 redeemed  in  giving  to  thee,  with  the  Father  and  the 
 Spirit,  the  Three  in  one  Jehovah,  equal  and  everlast- 
 ing praise.      Hear,  Lord,  and  answer  !      Amen. 
 
THE 
 
 TRIUMPH  OF  FAITH. 
 
 y3 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO 
 
 THE  TRIUMPH  OF  FAITH. 
 
 The  present  Treatise  is  a  continuation  of  some  re- 
 marks formerly  published  concerning  the  experience 
 of  a  true  Christian,  who,  quickened  by  the  Spirit  of 
 life  in  Christ  Jesus,  lives  by  faith,  and  who  is  en- 
 abled to  go  forward  in  his  walk  by  the  faith  of  the 
 Son  of  God.  There  was  one  Treatise  upon  this 
 subject,  entitled,  "  The  Life  of  Faith ;"  and,  some 
 years  after,  another  on  "  The  Walk  of  Faith  ;"  in 
 which,  the  divine  helps  and  supports  were  considered 
 great  and  many,  not  only  for  the  establishment  of 
 believers  in  the  way,  but  also  for  their  happiness  eveiy 
 step  of  it,  that  they  might  rejoice  in  the  Lord  always, 
 yea,  with  such  a  fulness  of  joy,  as  to  make  them  tri- 
 umph in  the  God  of  their  salvation. 
 
 This  is  the  grand  gospel  privilege,  which  is  grant- 
 ed to  believers  as  believers,  and  promised  to  them 
 in  the  freest  and  fullest  manner  that  any  grant  can 
 be  conveyed,  springing  from  sovereign  grace  in  the 
 Giver,  and  received  not  from  any  qualification  in 
 themselves,  but  entirely  from  his  own  bounty,  con- 
 
516 
 
 tinued  and  increased  with  all  the  rich  and  ripe  fruits 
 of  faith  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  the  grace  of  God. 
 It  has  heen  long  observed,  and  much  lamented, 
 that  there  are  very  few  of  these  happy  believers,  who 
 give  such  a  perfect  credit  to  the  promises  of  God  in 
 Christ,  as  to  rest  their  hearts  upon  his  faithfulness, 
 without  any  doubt  or  wavering.     They  do  not  trust 
 so  far  as  the  promises  warrant  them,  which  stops  the 
 exercise  of  faith,  and  hinders  the  growth  of  the  spi- 
 ritual life.     Weak  faith  has  little  fruit.     Strong  faith 
 improves  love  to  God,  loving  obedience,  patient  suf- 
 fering, persevering  warfare,  and  the  other  fruits  of 
 the  Spirit.    Indeed,  for  this  very  purpose  it  is  com- 
 manded, that  we  might  trust  and  not  be  afraid :  and 
 there  are  promises  made  to  them  who  obey  the  com- 
 mand ;  and  all  things  promised  are  possible  to  them 
 who  believe:  for  there  is  strength  sufficient  in  the 
 Promiser  to  make  faith  grow,  yea,  to  make  it  grow 
 exceedingly  :  and  he  has  done  it,  giving  us  a  happy 
 instance  in  the  church  of  the  Thessalonians,  in  which 
 persecution  raged,  but  faith  was  victorious,  and  pa- 
 tience triumphant.      It  has  pleased  God  to  give  us 
 in  the  Scriptures  many  encouragements  for  the  growth 
 of  faith,  which  are  in  the  following  Treatise  set  be- 
 fore the  reader,  that  we  may  honour  his  word,  and 
 trust  in  it  at  all  times,  especially  when  appearances 
 make  against  their  being  fulfilled.      Then  it  is  high 
 worship,  against  hope  to  believe  in  hope,  as  the  father 
 ^f  the  faithful  did :  and  they  are  his  children,  and 
 follow  the  steps  of  his  faith,  who,  when  sin  is  felt  in 
 its  defilement,  in  its  guilt,  in  the  sense  of  inward 
 corruptions,  and  of  strong  temptations,  in  the  many 
 troubles  of  life,  in  the  infirmities  of  age,  and  in  the 
 
517 
 
 approach  of  death,  put  their  whole  trust  and  confi- 
 dence in  the  promise  of  God.  Nothing  else  is  ap- 
 pointed, either  to  bring  in  the  peace  of  God  to  the 
 conscience,  or  to  keep  it  in.  God  only  in  such  trials 
 can  be  a  safe  refuge  and  a  sure  defence,  and  faith, 
 looking  at  what  he  has  engaged  to  give,  secures  the 
 promised  help  to  the  glory  of  God.  Under  these 
 several  heads  something  is  here  offered  from  the 
 Scriptures  of  truth,  to  encourage  a  more  steadfast  re- 
 liance on  the  divine  faithfulness,  than  one  commonly 
 meets  with.  And  what  is  said  upon  each  head  is 
 here  set  before  the  reader  on  the  authority  of  God's 
 word,  and  is  also  followed  with  fervent  prayer,  that 
 the  end  of  publishing  this  Treatise  may  be  answered ; 
 even  that  the  scriptural  faith  may  be  hereby  increased, 
 that  it  may  abound  yet  more  and  more,  and  in  such 
 a  great  degree,  as  may  bring  the  highest  glory  to 
 God,  the  truest  hohness  to  the  heart,  and  the  hap- 
 piest experience  in  the  life,  and  in  the  welfare  of  the 
 Christian.  May  the  gracious  Lord,  who  is  the 
 Author  and  Finisher  of  the  faith,  accompany  it  with 
 his  Spirit,  to  the  advancement  of  his  own  praise,  and 
 to  the  edification  of  his  own  people.  To  Him  who 
 keepeth  promise  for  ever,  be  glory  in  the  church, 
 through  Christ  Jesus,  world  without  end.      Amen. 
 
THE 
 
 TRIUMPH  OF  FAITH, 
 
 CHAPTER  I. 
 
 Introditdion. 
 
 Where  there  has  been  war,  a  triumph  supposes  a 
 battle  to  have  been  fought,  a  victory  to  have  been 
 obtained,  and  the  great  rejoicings  of  the  conq.uerors 
 upon  this  occasion.  The  Christian  has  his  matter 
 of  triumph,  but  it  is  spiritual.  It  is  always  in  Christ, 
 the  Captain  of  his  salvation.  So  it  is  written— 
 "  Thanks  be  to  God,  who  always  causeth  us  to  tri- 
 umph in  Christ."  The  apostle  is  speaking  of  his 
 preaching  the  gospel.  He  carried  the  sweet  savouF 
 of  Jesus'  name  from  place  to  place;  but  it  was  not 
 always  received  as  a  joyful  sound,  nor  welcomed  as  it 
 deserved.  He  met  with  great  opposition.  The 
 Holy  Ghost  witnessed,  that  in  every  city  bonds  and 
 afflictions  awaited  him.  As  these  abounded,  grace 
 did  much  more  abound.  For  he  was  carried  on 
 through  persecutions,  imprisonment,  stoning,  whip- 
 ping, perils  of  various  kinds,  suffered  for  Christ,  and 
 Christ  made  him  victorious  over  them  all.  He  not 
 only  enabled   Paul  to  conquer,  but  also  made  him 
 
520 
 
 more  than  conqueror :  he  was  the  blessed  instrument 
 of  pulling  down  the  strongholds  of  sin  and  Satan, 
 and  of  setting  up  in  the  world  that  kingdom  of  Jesus 
 which  is  flourishing  to  this  day,  and  which  will  tri- 
 umph to  eternity.  A  poor  weak  man  had  all  the 
 Roman  empire  against  him,  but  he  did  wonders. 
 Through  Christ  strengthening  him,  he  went  on  con- 
 quering and  to  conquer :  and  to  Christ  he  gives  all 
 the  glory ;  acknowledging  that  the  gospel,  his  preach- 
 ing it,  and  the  success  of  it,  was  of  God— -the  ex- 
 cellency of  the  power  was  of  God  :  "  Thanks  be 
 unto  God,  who  always  causeth  us  to  triumph  in 
 Christ."  He,  for  us  men,  and  for  our  salvation, 
 came  down  from  heaven,  and  was  incarnate,  that  as 
 our  surety  he  might  live,  and  die,  and  conquer  for  us. 
 It  was  to  the  everlasting  honour  of  his  grace  and 
 mercy,  that  he  would  engage  in  this  war,  and  under- 
 take to  deliver  his  people  from  the  tyranny  of  their 
 enemies.  They  were  in  bondage  to  sin — sold  under 
 sin — enslaved  to  divers  lusts  and  pleasures — living 
 according  to  the  course  of  this  world — according  to  the 
 prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  wicked  spirit,  who 
 now  worketh  effectually  in  the  children  of  disobe- 
 dience. These  tyrants  were  leading  them  captive 
 at  their  will,  hoping  soon  to  have  them  delivered 
 over  to  death,  and  then  to  everlasting  destruction 
 from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of 
 his  power.  In  this  miserable  state,  under  sin,  under 
 condemnation,  we  all  were — guilty  and  helpless — 
 not  only  without  any  means  of  deliverance  in  our  own 
 power,  but  without  any  desire  of  it ;  being  tempted 
 to  dream  of  liberty,  while  we  were  tied  and  bound 
 with  the  chain  of  our  sins,  and  fancying  that  we  were 
 
521 
 
 free,  even  while  our  enemies  were  waiting  to  exer- 
 cise their  utmost  malice  against  us,  by  binding  us 
 with  chains  of  everlasting  darkness.  O  what  mer- 
 cies— what  compassions  are  in  our  God — in  our 
 Jesus  !  He  remembered  us  in  this  our  low  estate, 
 and  manifested  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in 
 coming  from  heaven  to  save  his  people  from  their 
 sins.  To  this  end  Jehovah  was  manifested  in  the 
 flesh,  as  it  is  written :  "  The  children  of  Israel,  and 
 the  children  of  Judah,  were  oppressed  together ;  and 
 all  that  took  them  captives  held  them  fast,  and  re- 
 fused to  let  them  go  :  but  their  Redeemer  is  strong, 
 the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name,  he  shall  thoroughly 
 plead  their  cause."  He  made  all  our  enemies  his 
 own,  and  fought  our  battles  against  them.  He 
 obeyed,  that  the  broken  law  which  stood  against  us 
 might  be  magnified  by  his  obedience :  the  penalties 
 of  it  he  endured,  when  the  Lord  laid  upon  him  the 
 iniquities  of  us  all.  His  cross  was  his  triumphal 
 chariot,  on  which  he  vanquished  all  our  foes.  He 
 blotted  out  the  hand-writing  of  ordinances  that  was 
 against  us,  which  was  contrary  to  us,  and  he  took  it 
 out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his  cross:  and  hav- 
 ing spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  he  made  a  show 
 of  them  openly,  triumphing  over  them  in  that  same 
 cross.  By  dying  on  it,  he  put  away  sin  by  the  sacri- 
 fice of  himself;  and  by  his  rising  from  the  dead  on 
 the  third  day,  according  to  the  Scriptures,  he  over- 
 came death,  and  him  that  had  the  power  of  death, 
 that  is,  the  devil.  And  now,  as  God-man  in  one 
 Christ,  the  almighty  Saviour  of  his  redeemed,  he  is 
 seated  upon  his  throne  of  grace :  all  his  enemies  be- 
 ing made  his  footstool,  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  utter- 
 
5^2 
 
 most  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him.  Such  was 
 the  battle  which  the  Redeemer  fought.  Such  was 
 the  victory  which  he  obtained.  The  important  news 
 of  it  is  the  substance  of  that  blessed  gospel  which  he 
 ordered  his  apostles  to  preach  to  every  creature,  and 
 which  he  promised  to  assist  them  in,  and  to  be  with 
 them  for  that  purpose,  to  the  end  of  the  world.  He 
 is  as  good  as  his  word  to  this  day.  Still  faith  cometh 
 by  hearing  it.  The  Holy  Spirit  witnesses  to  it,  that 
 it  is  the  truth  of  God ;  and  he  applies  it,  and  makes  it 
 the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  He  enables  the 
 hearers  to  mix  such  faith  with  it,  that  they  receive 
 and  enjoy  the  happy  fruits  of  Christ's  victory.  Once 
 they  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  but  now  Christ 
 hath  quickened  them.  They  were  guilty,  and  bound 
 over  to  condemnation,  but  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of 
 life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath  freed  them  from  the  law  of 
 sin  and  of  death.  Once  they  walked  after  the  course 
 of  this  world,  but  now  they  walk  with  God.  Their 
 old  enemies  are  still  fighting  against  them,  and  watch- 
 ing for  their  destruction ;  but  they  are  enabled  to 
 gain  daily  victory  over  them,  over  the  world,  the  flesh, 
 and  the  devil,  through  the  strength  of  Jesus,  and 
 through  the  power  of  his  might.  Their  wants  are 
 many,  and  they  are  daily  made  more  sensible  of  them  ; 
 but  they  have  an  abundant  supply  of  every  thing  that 
 pertains  to  life  and  godliness,  out  of  the  infinite  ful- 
 ness of  God  their  Saviour. 
 
 Thus  far  the  two  Treatises  went  which  were  for- 
 merly published  upon  this  subject,  entitled,  The  Life 
 of  Faiths  and  The  Walk  of  Faith,  The  present 
 Treatise  relates  to  the  improvement  of  the  former 
 doctrines,  considering  the  Scripture  motives  and  en- 
 
5^3 
 
 couragements  for  the  believer's  rejoicing  always  in 
 the  Lord,  and  triumphing  in  the  God  of  his  salvation. 
 The  ground  of  his  triumph,  is  the  work  of  Christ : 
 his  warrant  to  depend  upon  it,  is  the  word  of  Christ : 
 and  his  actual  dependence,  is  the  work  of  the  Spirit 
 of  Christ.  Building  upon  these  principles,  he  is 
 commanded  to  go  on  from  faith  to  faith,  still  pressing 
 forward,  that  he  may  see  more  clearly  the  glory  of 
 the  person,  and  the  glory  of  the  work  of  Christ; 
 what  he  is  to  trust  to  for  his  title  to  salvation,  and 
 for  the  things  which  accompany  salvation ;  and  may, 
 by  every  day's  experience,  be  growing  into  a  more 
 settled  dependence  upon  the  word  of  Christ,  and 
 upon  his  faithfulness  to  fulfil  it;  and  thereby  may 
 be  Ie»-*:i.ng  to  expect  constant  supplies,  and,  accord- 
 ing as  his  faith  increases,  receiving  greater  supplies 
 of  the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ — that  the  God 
 of  hope  may  fill  him  with  all  joy  and  peace  in  be- 
 lieving, that  he  may  abound  in  hope  by  the  power 
 of  the  Holy  Ghost:  and  we  have  an  encouraging 
 example  in  the  Thessalonians,  who  had  great  trials, 
 and  met  them  with  great  faith.  The  apostle  com- 
 mended it  highly,  but  by  practice  it  had  so  improved, 
 that  having  occasion  to  mention  it  some  time  after- 
 wards, he  says — "  We  are  bound  to  thank  God 
 always  for  you,  brethren,  as  it  is  meet,  because  that 
 your  faith  groweth  exceedingly."  We  have  the 
 same  promises,  and  the  same  helps,  as  they  had — 
 promises  exceeding  great  and  exceeding  precious, 
 containing  a  free  grant  in  Christ  of  all  spiritual  bless- 
 ings— a  full  warrant  to  make  use  of  them  for  life 
 and  godliness,  with  commands  and  encouragements 
 to  trust  and  not  be  afraid  of  any  enemies,  or  of  any 
 
524 
 
 dangers ;  because  he  is  faithful  who  has  promised  to 
 be  with  them — to  guide  them  with  his  counsel — to 
 keep  them  safe  by  his  power — to  bless  them  with 
 his  love — and  never  to  leave  them  nor  forsake  them  : 
 so  that,  in  all  difficulties  and  troubles,  they  may  go 
 on  their  way  rejoicing,  until  faith  and  patience  have 
 done  their  perfect  work.  To  this  purpose,  a  Divine, 
 whose  praise  is  in  all  the  churches,  has  given  his 
 testimony  : — "  It  is  an  everlasting  spring  of  comfort 
 and  encouragement  unto  the  people  of  God,  both 
 in  prayer,  and  unto  prayer:  they  pray  to  hira  who 
 is  mighty,  mighty  to  do  what  they  pray  for.  The 
 Lord's  promises  are  our  richest  inheritances,  and  that 
 not  only  because  he  hath  promised  greater  and  better 
 things  than  are  in  the  compass  of  any  man^s  power 
 to  make  good,  or  in  the  compass  of  any  man's  un- 
 derstanding to  comprehend ;  but  because  he  will  cer- 
 tainly be  as  good  in  performance,  as  he  hath  been  in 
 promise :  for  he  is  in  one  mind  concerning  all  that 
 he  hath  promised :  he  will  be  merciful  as  he  hath 
 promised,  and  pardon  sin  as  he  hath  promised,  and 
 sanctify  all  our  troubles  as  he  hath  promised :  he 
 will  give  us  his  Spirit  as  he  hath  promised,  and  save 
 us  eternally  as  he  hath  promised."  A  great  layman 
 thus  confirms  the  same  truth — "  Were  God  but 
 believed  in  what  he  says,  all  the  temptations  of  Sa- 
 tan, and  the  doubtings  of  our  unbelieving  hearts, 
 would  be  silenced  and  brought  to  nothing.  What 
 exceeding  folly  is  it  in  our  hearts,  that  God,  who 
 never  deceived  any  that  trusted  in  him,  should  be 
 distrusted  by  any,  and  not  believed  by  all !  He  is 
 the  God  of  truth :  so  is  his  word  the  word  of  truth. 
 And  not  any  soul,  that  ever  tried  God  by  trusting 
 
525 
 
 him  upon  his  word,  but  found  him  so.  Oh,  then, 
 take  God's  word,  and  our  hearts  will  be  quiet. 
 Though  the  heathen  do  rage,  yet  they  imagine  but 
 a  vain  thing.  In  this  glorious  doctrine,  free  grace 
 in  God  is  the  fountain,  full  satisfaction  to  divine 
 justice  the  way,  but  perfect  salvation  and  redemption 
 to  all  his  elect  body  in  Christ  the  end.  And  truly 
 when  a  soul  can  say,  '  My  Beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am 
 his,'  he  hath  spoken  all  at  once.  I  know  no  other 
 light  nor  rule,  but  the  word  and  Spirit,  to  make  out 
 any  thing  of  God  to  any  soul :  the  glory  of  the  great 
 day  will  be — God  is  mine,  and  I  am  his." 
 
 CHAPTER  II. 
 
 Some  Scripture  Encouragements  for  the  Triumph  of  Faith, 
 
 All  the  Old  Testament  words  which  we  translate 
 "  triumph,"  signify  great  joy,  felt  in  the  heart,  and 
 expressed  outwardly  in  word  or  deed ;  a  jubilee  of 
 joy,  even  joy  in  the  highest,  as  near  as  it  can  be  to 
 the  joy  of  heaven.  In  the  New  Testament  the  word 
 is  used  but  twice.  First,  for  what  Christ  engaged 
 to  do  for  us;  and  secondly,  for  what  Christ  engaged 
 to  do  in  us.  For  us  he  undertook  to  fight  our  bat- 
 tles against  all  our  enemies — sin,  the  world,  Satan, 
 death,  and  hell:  and  the  Captain  of  our  salvation 
 has  gained  a  complete  victory,  and  had  a  most  glori- 
 ous triumph  over  them  in  his  own  person,  when  he 
 blotted  out  the  hand-writing  of  ordinances  that  was 
 
526 
 
 against  us,  which  was  contrary  to  us,  and  he  took  it 
 out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to  his  cross ;  and  having 
 spoiled  principalities  and  powers,  he  made  a  show  of 
 them  openly,  triumphing  over  them  in  that  same  cross. 
 And  he  still   goes  on  conquering  and  to  conquer. 
 By  the  preaching  of  his  cross  and  passion,  his  resur- 
 rection and  ascension,  he  is  to  this  very  day  exalting 
 the  honours  of  his  victory  and  triumph  in  the  hearts 
 and  lives  of  his  redeemed,  giving  them  such  a  share 
 in  his  conquests,  that  they  ought  to  be  ever  praising 
 him  with  joyful  lips — "  Now  thanks  be  unto  God, 
 who  always  causeth  us  to  triumph  in  Christ."     This 
 was  the  apostle's  happy  experience.     He  found  that 
 the  gospel,  and  his  preaching  of  it,  and  the  great 
 success  which  attended  it,  were  the  fruits  of  Christ's 
 presence  with  him,  and  blessing  upon  him  :  therefore 
 to  him  he  gave  all  the  glory.      So  do  we  still.     We 
 see  the  triumphs  of  the  cross  spread  far  and  wide, 
 and  we  praise  him  for  our  day  of  gospel  grace.     The 
 crucified  Saviour  in  his  majesty  rifles  on  prosperously 
 in  the  chariots  of  salvation,  and  his  enemies  fall  un- 
 der him.      In  the  day  of  his  power,  he  makes  them 
 a  willing  people.      They  submit  to  his  sceptre,  and 
 acknowledore  him  to  be  their  Lord  and  their  God, 
 Under  his  banner  they  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith, 
 and  they  daily  conquer,   yea,  they  are  more  than 
 conquerors  through  him  who  Icveth  them — crowned 
 conquerors  in  glory  everlasting.      Thus  it  appears 
 that  the  triumph  of  the  Head  includes  the  triumph 
 of  his  members.     The  fountain  from  whence  springs 
 their  present  and  their  eternal  joy,  is  God — God  in 
 Christ.      They  glory  in  the  victories  of  the  God- 
 man,  because  of  his  commandment;  because  of  his 
 
527 
 
 free  promise,  which  is  a  perfect  warrant  for  the  fullest 
 confidence ;  and  because  of  his  goodness,  truth,  and 
 power,  which  are  bound  to  fulfil  all  his  engagements. 
 Looking  to  these  infallible  securities,  the  believer's 
 heart  is  established,  trusting  in  the  Lord.  Being 
 of  the  true  circumcision,  he  would  put  no  confidence 
 in  the  flesh,  but  would  be  daily  crucifying  it  with  its 
 affections  and  lusts,  and  bringing  all  high  thoughts 
 of  self  to  the  obedience  of  Christ.  If  he  has  been 
 long  standing  in  the  faith — an  old  Christian, — if  he 
 has  received  much  consolation  from  his  Lord,  or 
 has  been  very  active  and  successful  in  his  service, 
 his  trust  is  never  in  himself.  The  ground  of  his 
 believing  is  always  one  and  the  same.  He  has  no 
 new  doctrine  to  learn,  no  new  warrant  to  encourage 
 him  to  believe.  The  word  of  God,  *'  Thus  saith 
 the  Lord,"  is  always  sufficient ;  and  ought  to  draw 
 forth  the  fullest  credit  that  can  possibly  be  given  to 
 the  testimony  of  the  God  of  truth.  What  was  ad- 
 vanced before  in  the  Life  of  Faith ^  and  in  the  Walk 
 qf  Faith,  is  taken  for  granted  in  the  present  Treatise. 
 Here  is  no  new  doctrine.  Salvation  is  in  Christ 
 Jesus,  and  in  no  other :  I  am,  says  he,  the  truths 
 the  one  saving  truth — like  himself,  the  same  yester- 
 day, to  day,  and  for  ever.  One  Lord,  one  faith, 
 one  salvation.  And  whoever  believes  this  aright  is 
 in  a  safe  state,  in  which  there  is  no  change  with  re- 
 spect to  God  ;  no  variableness  or  shadow  of  turning. 
 Whatever  his  own  apprehensions  may  be,  the  word 
 of  the  Lord  endureth  for  ever.  He  may  be  tempted 
 in  a  legal  hour  to  cast  away  his  confidence,  but  the 
 counsel  of  the  Lord  shall  stand.  He  may  change; 
 but  I,  saith  God,  change  not.      For  the  gracious 
 
528 
 
 gifts,  and  calling  of  God  are  without  repentance — 
 they  are  such  that  it  cannot  repent  hira  of  bestowing 
 them,  or  of  continuing  them  when  once  bestowed. 
 As  the  believer  has  no  new  truth  to  learn,  only  to 
 improve  the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  so 
 he  has  no  new  title  to  expect.  Under  the  free  grant 
 and  gift  of  God,  salvation  comes  to  hira  of  grace,  in 
 the  most  sovereign  way  that  can  be  conceived.  And 
 his  warrant  to  receive  it  is  the  divine  command ;  and 
 when  he  has  been  enabled  to  receive  it  by  the  obe- 
 dience of  faith,  the  divine  promise  assures  him,  that 
 he  shall  not  perish  for  his  sins,  but  that  he  shall 
 have  everlasting  life.  Believing  the  promise  is  the 
 best  title  that  possibly  can  be  to  this  salvation ;  for 
 we  are  saved  freely  by  grace,  through  faith,  and  that 
 not  of  ourselves,  neither  salvation  nor  faith ;  both 
 are  the  gifts  of  God.  And  under  the  title  all  the 
 blessings  which  accompany  salvation  are  included, 
 all  the  things  which  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God — 
 a  sufficiency  of  present  grace,  and  the  full  possession 
 of  eternal  glory.  This  is  the  good  old  foundation, 
 upon  which  the  heirs  of  promise  have  always  built 
 their  faith  and  hope.  They  knew,  that  all  fulness 
 was  in  Christ  for  their  use  and  enjoyment:  and  they 
 were  persuaded,  that  they  should  honour  him  most, 
 by  believing  this  with  the  strongest  certainty.  They 
 could  not  trust  too  soon,  nor  too  much,  to  his  faith- 
 fulness. And  therefore,  they  come  boldly  to  the 
 throne  of  grace,  that  they  may  receive  out  of  his 
 fulness  at  all  times,  for  all  things,  for  body  and  soul, 
 for  earth  and  heaven,  what  they  wanted,  and  what 
 he  had  promised.  The  more  they  live  thus  by  faith, 
 they  will  experience  more  occasion  to  rejoice  in  the 
 
5^9 
 
 Lord ;  and  to  find  that  his  arm  to  fulfil  will  always 
 go  as  far  as  his  promise ;  even  to  bless  the  God  and 
 Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed 
 us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly  things  in 
 Christ,      This  indeed  is  strong  faith,  but  it  is  the 
 gift  of  a  strong  God :   it  does  not  depend,  in  the 
 least,  on  what  the  believer  can  do  for  himself,  but 
 on  what  the  Almighty  has  engaged  to  do  for  him, 
 and  in  him,  and  by  him ;  for  he  requires  and  com- 
 mands it  in  this  high  degree :  there  is  grace  sufficient 
 to  bring  it  into  use  and  practice,  as  far  as  the  com- 
 mands go,  all  things  promised  being  possible  to  him 
 that  beheveth ;  and  they  who  have  trusted  most  to 
 the  faithfulness  of  God,  who  against  hope  believed 
 in  hope,  have  experienced  that  God  did  never  leave 
 them  nor  forsake  them.      He   magnified  his  word 
 above  all  his  name.      There  he  has  made  his  name 
 to  shine  forth,  and  all  his  attributes  are  magnified  in 
 their  greatest  perfection.      The  believers  on  earth, 
 and  the  saints  in  heaven,  praise  God  for  his  word ; 
 because  it  is  the  instrument  of  his  Spirit,  by  which 
 he  bestows  grace,  and  according  to  which  he  gives 
 glory.    The  fulfilling  of  his  word  runs  through  time, 
 and  will  run  through  eternity.     Blessed  be  God  for 
 his  word  of  promise ;  blessed  be  the  Lord,  that  it 
 will  be  fulfilling  for  ever  and  ever.     This  being  the 
 case,  it  becomes  necessary  to  inquire  into  the  divine 
 records,  and   to  see  what  a  full  warrant  God   has 
 given  us  to  trust  and  not  be  afraid :  and  this  to  every 
 believer,  there  being  the  same  ground  to  believe  with 
 the  strongest  faith,  as  to  believe  at  all. 
 
 This  inquiry  is  the  more  necessary,  because  of 
 the  place  which   faith  holds  in   our  religion.       It 
 Z  4 
 
530 
 
 reaches  to  the  whole  of  it :  so  that  nothing  is  good 
 before  God,  however  fair  and  specious  it  may  appear 
 to  men,  without  it.  The  conscience,  the  heart,  and 
 its  affections,  are  purified  only  by  faith.  All  duties, 
 lor  their  right  motive,  and  for  their  acceptance,  de- 
 pend upon  it.  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to 
 please  God.  No  trials  and  afflictions  can  be  pa- 
 tiently and  profitably  endured,  unless  faith  be  in 
 exercise.  Our  whole  warfare  is  carried  on,  and  can 
 be,  by  our  being  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  fighting  in 
 the  power  of  his  might,  finished  victoriously,  only  by 
 faith.  Indeed  it  enters  so  much  into  every  thing 
 wherein  we  have  to  do  with  God,  that  the  strength- 
 ening of  it  is  the  strengthening  of  every  other  grace, 
 which  are  weak  or  vigorous  according  as  more  or  less 
 faith  enters  into  them.  And  therefore,  the  Scripture 
 encouragements  for  our  growth  in  faith  should  be 
 well  weighed  with  much  prayer,  frequent  meditation, 
 and  thanksgiving,  that  they  may  have  their  proper 
 effect  upon  the  believer's  heart  and  life.  And  as 
 this  can  be  done  only  by  power  from  on  high,  assist- 
 ance must  ever  be  sought  from  thence,  and  depended 
 upon.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  very  breath  of  spiri- 
 tual life,  and  of  all  spiritual  activity.  Every  godly 
 motion  of  the  heart  is  from  his  holy  inspiration.  So 
 the  Scripture  teaches:  ^'  Not  that  we"  (even  apos- 
 tles) "  are  sufficient  of  ourselves,  to  think  any  thing 
 as  of  ourselves,  but  our  sufficiency  is  of  God."  So 
 we  are  taught  to  pray  :  '*  O  Lord,  from  whom  all 
 good  things  do  come,  grant  to  us,  thy  humble  ser- 
 vants, that  by  thy  holy  inspiration  we  may  think 
 those  things  that  be  good,  and  by  thy  merciful  guid- 
 ing may  perform  the  same,  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
 
3S1 
 
 Christ.  Amen."  Fifth  Sunday  after  Easter. — And 
 again,  the  Nineteenth  Sunday  after  Trinity :  ''  O 
 God,  forasmuch  as  without  thee  we  are  not  able  to 
 please  thee;  mercifully  grant  that  thy  Holy  Spirit 
 may  in  all  things  direct  and  rule  our  hearts,  through 
 Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.      Amen." 
 
 A  great  divine  has  thus  expressed  the  same  senti- 
 ments : — 
 
 "In  those  who  are  truly  converted,  all  saving  truths 
 are  transcribed  out  of  the  Scripture  into  their  hearts. 
 They  are  taught  of  God;  so  as  they  find  all  truths, 
 both  concerning  the  estate,  and  the  gracious  and 
 happy  estate  of  man,  in  themselves.  They  carry  a 
 body  of  divinity  in  them  and  about  them  ;  so  as  from 
 a  saving  feeling  they  can  speak  of  conversion,  of 
 grace,  of  the  Spirit,  &c.  and  from  this  acquaintance 
 are  ready  to  yield  and  give  up  themselves  to  truth 
 revealed,  and  to  God  speaking  by  it.  And  thus  a 
 man  may  know  his  estate  before  God,  by  his  relish 
 for  the  word.  There  is  a  heavenly  and  divine  relish 
 in  the  word  of  God ;  as,  for  instance — Take  the 
 doctrine  of  his  providence,  that  all  things  shall  work 
 together  for  the  best  to  them  that  love  God.  What 
 a  sweet  word  is  this  !  A  whole  kingdom  is  not 
 worth  this  promise — That  whatever  befalls  a  Chris- 
 tian in  this  world,  there  is  an  overruling  Providence 
 to  sway  all  to  good,  to  help  forward  his  eternal  good 
 — that  Christ  will  be  present  with  us  in  all  condi- 
 tions— that  he  will  give  us  his  Holy  Spirit — that 
 when  we  confess  our  sins,  and  lay  them  open,  he  is 
 merciful  to  forgive  them — that  if  our  sins  were  red 
 as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  white  as  wool.  What  kind 
 of  incredible  sweetness  is  in  these  to  a  heart  that  is 
 z  2 
 
53^ 
 
 prepared  for  these  comforts  !  The  doctrines  of  re- 
 conciliation, of  adoption,  of  glory  to  come,  of  the 
 offices  of  Christ,  and  such  hke,  how  sweet  are  they  I 
 They  relish  wonderfully  to  a  sanctified  soul.  These 
 truths  that  come  out  of  the  mouth  of  Christ,  and  out 
 of  the  ministry  concerning  Christ,  they  are  most 
 sweet  of  all.  Oh,  how  sweet  were  these  words  to 
 the  poor  man — '  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee  I'  Do 
 vou  think  they  went  not  to  his  heart?  The  best 
 discovery  of  a  true  affection  to  Christ,  and  of  a  true 
 state  in  grace,  is  from  our  affection  to  the  word  of 
 Christ.  Wherever  there  is  an  interest  in  Christ, 
 there  is  a  high  respect  to  the  word." 
 
 A  believer,  trusting  to  these  helps,  and  making  a 
 diligent  use  of  these  means,  in  reading  the  charter  of 
 grace,  will  find  such  a  faith  frequently  described  and 
 required,  as  relies  on  the  truth  of  God  without  doubt 
 or  wavering,  as  depends  on  his  faithfulness  to  his 
 promises  with  the  fullest  confidence  of  the  heart,  and 
 waits  on  his  fulfilling  them,  steadfastly  persuaded 
 that  he  has  spoken  nothing  with  his  mouth,  but  what 
 he  will  infallibly  make  good  with  his  arm. 
 
 All  the  gifts  and  graces  of  God  come  to  us  in  his 
 promises,  and  cannot  be  received  or  enjoyed  but  in 
 the  way  of  believing.  What  then  can  be  a  greater 
 encouragement  not  to  stagger  at  any  promise  through 
 unbelief,  than  that  God  has  declared  it  is  a  service 
 well  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  him  ?  It  is  high  wor- 
 ship, to  be  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory  to  God :  for 
 it  is  a  gift  of  his  love,  and  a  grace  of  his  Spirit,  and 
 his  own  special  work  in  the  hearts  of  his  people.  In 
 the  day  of  his  power  he  makes  them  willing,  and  he 
 enables  them  to  set  to  their  seal  that  God  is  true. 
 
533 
 
 So  we  read — "  By  faith  in  Christ,  Enoch  walked 
 with  God,  and  he  had  this  testimony,  that  he  pleased 
 God ;  but  without  this  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
 him  :"  therefore  Enoch's  state,  and  his  walk,  and  his 
 translation,  were  all  by  faith.  Now  we  know,  that 
 the  judgment  of  God  is  according  to  truth,  and  he 
 has  declared  in  the  word  of  truth,  that  whatsoever 
 is  not  of  faith  is  sin.  So  that  it  is  impossible  it 
 should  please  a  most  holy  God ;  who  has  magnified 
 his  word  above  all  his  name,  and  who  delights  to  see 
 his  people  do  the  same — magnifying  it,  by  giving  it 
 the  fullest  credit  of  their  hearts,  and  the  most  per- 
 fect dependence  of  their  lives. 
 
 He  has  also  required  this  by  his  express  com- 
 mand:  This  is  his  commandment,  that  we  should 
 believe  on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  who 
 has  said,  "  Ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me," 
 with  the  same  faith,  and  with  the  same  worship : 
 and  when  the  jailor  inquired  of  Paul  and-  Silas, 
 "  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?"  they  answered 
 — "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou 
 shalt  be  saved."  And  this  belief  is  commanded  in 
 very  trying  circumstances,  when  the  outward  sup- 
 ports of  faith  seem  to  fail,  and  the  inward  comforts 
 are  at  a  very  low  ebb :  "  Who  is  among  you  that 
 feareth  the  Lord,  that  obeyeth  the  voice  of  his  ser- 
 vant, that  walketh  in  darkness,  and  hath  no  light? 
 let  him  trust  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  stay  upon 
 his  God," — his  God  still.  That  relation  is  always 
 the  same ;  and  so  are  the  blessings  which  are  in- 
 cluded in  it,  and  which  he  cannot  fail  to  bestow  upon 
 them  who  honour  his  word  in  such  trials  of  their 
 faith,  that  against  hope  they  beheve  in  hope :  for 
 blessed  are  all  they  who  put  their  trust  in  him. 
 
534. 
 
 For  the  farther  confirraation  of  their  faith,  he  has 
 strengthened  his  commands  with  the  most  encourag- 
 ing promises  of  grace  to  help  in  every  time  of  need. 
 Ask,  and  ye  shall  have  ;  for  he  giveth  to  all  askers 
 liberally,  and  upbraideth  not,  come  they  ever  so  often, 
 or  ask  ever  so  much :  yea,  our  heavenly  Father  will 
 give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  him ;  and  his 
 influence  goes  as  far  as  any  promise;  for  he  is  the 
 mighty  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one 
 that  believeth.  Whatever  is  promised,  he  is  al- 
 mighty to  fulfil.  So  we  read  when  our  Lord  cursed 
 the  barren  fig-tree,  the  apostles  marvelled  that  it 
 presently  withered  away.  "  Jesus  answered  and 
 said  unto  them,  Verily  1  say  unto  you,  if  ye  have 
 faith,  and  doubt  not,  ye  shall  not  only  do  this  which 
 is  done  to  the  fig-tree,  but  also,  if  ye  shall  say  unto 
 this  mountain,  Be  thou  removed,  and  be  thou  cast 
 into  the  sea;  it  shall  be  done:  and  all  things  what- 
 soever ye  shall  ask  in  prayer,  believing,  ye  shall  re- 
 ceive:" for  believing  honours  the  truth  of  the  Pro- 
 miser,  and  asking  in  prayer  for  the  fulfilling  of  it, 
 engages  and  secures  the  promised  grace.  The  ef- 
 fectual fervent  prayer  of  a  righteous  man  availeth 
 much;  so  much,  that  the  prayer  of  faith  has  opened 
 and  shut  heaven.  It  has  done  wonders  in  removing 
 mountains  of  difficulties,  and  conquering  hosts  of 
 foes,  which  rendered  it  seemingly  impossible  that 
 the  word  of  God  should  be  established.  But  faith 
 gained  the  victory,  and  triumphed  gloriously. 
 
 It  has  pleased  God  also  to  confirm  all  these  ar- 
 guments, by  revealing  the  motive  on  which  he  made 
 the  promises.  It  was  love.  They  are  all  free-grace 
 promises.      In  his  counsels,  in  the  revealing  them, 
 
535 
 
 in  the  fulfilling  them,  love  directs  the  whole.      They 
 are  discoveries  of  what  is  in  the  Father's  heart  to  his 
 children,  and  are  the  means  of  conveying  his  fatherly 
 blessings,  especially  such  a  persuasion  of  his  love  to 
 them,  as  will  work  love  to  him ;  and  they  work  by 
 love.      For  we  love  him,   because  he  first  loved  us : 
 therefore  he  speaks  to  them  comfortably,  addressing 
 himself  to  them  in  the  tenderest  compassion,    and 
 calling  them  by  the  dearest  names, — his  chosen — 
 his  beloved — his  adopted — his  children — his  friends 
 — heirs,  heirs  of  God — ^joint-heirs  with  Christ,  who 
 is  Lord  of  all — his  peculiar  treasure — his  portion. 
 These,  and  many  other   endearing  names,  are   in- 
 tended to  convince  them  of  his  love,  and  to  win  and 
 engage  their  hearts  in  love  to  him,  that  when  it  is 
 given  them  to  believe    the  truth  of  his   promises, 
 they  might  be  certain  of  their  fulfdment.      God  is 
 love ;  he  delighteth  in  his  people.      His  heart  is  so 
 set  upon  them,  that,  in  his  dealings  with  them,  love 
 has  the  appointing,  the  directing,  and  the  blessing 
 of  all.      His  love  to  them  had  no  beginning,  and  it 
 will  have  no  end.      It  bestows  on  the  happy  objects 
 of  it  grace,  and  it  secures  to  them  glory.      Love  has 
 crowned   their   Head ;    and  love  will   crown  all  his 
 members.      For  out  of  his  fulness,   they  are  most 
 freely  invited  to  come  and  take  all  spiritual  blessings, 
 as  the  earnest  of  eternal.      Behold,  what  manner  of 
 love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  them  !  who  can 
 believe  it,  and  not  love  him  again  ? 
 
 It  has  pleased  God  also  to  give  us  some  examples 
 of  his  singular  favour  to  them  who  acted  strong 
 faith,  and  to  whom  he  therefore  administered  strong 
 consolation.      The  apostle  says,  "  That  whatsoever 
 
5S6 
 
 things  were  written  aforetime  were  written  for  our 
 learning,  that  we  through  patience  and  comfort  of 
 the   Scriptures   might  have  hope."      And  then    he 
 prays,   "  Now  the  God  of  hope  fill  you  with  all  joy 
 and  peace  in  believing,   that  ye  may  abound  in  hope 
 by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost."      And  when  the 
 Holy  Ghost  gives  it  this  blessed  effect,  he  always  fills 
 the  heart  with  gratitude  and  thankfulness.      Thus 
 it  operated  in  the  day  when  the  believer  was  enabled 
 to  say,  "  O  Lord,   1  will  praise  thee:  though  thou 
 wast  angry  with  me,  thine  anger  is  turned  away,  and 
 thou  hast  comforted  me.      Behold,  God  is  my  salva- 
 tion, I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid:  for  the  Lord 
 Jehovah  is  ray  strength  and  my  song;  he  also  is  be- 
 come my  salvation.      Therefore  with  joy  shall  ye 
 draw  water  out  of  the  fountain  of  salvation."      O 
 what  reviving  cordials  did  the  father  of  the  faithful 
 draw  out  of  it !  who  against  hope  believed  in  hope, 
 that  he  should  become  the  father  of  many  nations, 
 according  to  that  which  was  spoken — "  So  shall  thy 
 seed  be :  and  being  not  weak  in  faith,  he  considered 
 not  his  own  body,  now  dead,  neither  yet  the  dead- 
 ness  of  Sarah's  womb :  he  staggered  not  at  the  pro- 
 mise of  God  through  unbelief,   but  was  strong  in 
 faith,  giving  glory  to  God :"  and  being  fully  per- 
 suaded, that  what  he  had  promised  he  was  able  also 
 to  perform.      For  this  heroic  faith  he  is  celebrated  in 
 Scripture,  and  proposed  to  us  for  an  example.      One 
 of  his  children  was  enabled  to  follow  the  close  steps 
 of  his  faith,  through  a  life  of  continual  and  great 
 sufferings,  and  to  triumph  in  the  prospect  of  a  violent 
 death :  "  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered  up,  and  the 
 time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand :  I  have  fought  a 
 
537 
 
 good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept 
 the  faith  ;  henceforth  there  is.  laid  up  for  me  a  crown 
 of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord,  the  righteous 
 Judge,  will  give  me  in  that  day;  and  not  tome  only, 
 but  unto  all  them  that  love  his  appearing." 
 
 We  have  another  example  given  us  in  the  fifty- 
 sixth  Psalm.  On  whatever  occasion  the  prophet 
 indited  it,  the  Spirit  of  prophecy  teaches  us  to  ap- 
 ply it  to  the  Son  of  David,  who  is  Christ  the  Lord. 
 It  describes  his  great  trials,  and  continual  persecu- 
 tions, and  his  invincible  faith,  by  which  he  was  car- 
 ried through  them,  when  all  the  world  was  against 
 him.  The  whole  Psalm  is  a  prayer  made  up  of  the 
 most  perfect  trust  and  confidence  in  the  faithfulness 
 of  God  to  his  word,  and  he  assures  himself  that  hea- 
 ven and  earth  shall  pass  away,  before  one  jot  or  tittle 
 of  it  could  fail.  He  had  enemies,  many,  mighty, 
 cunning,  cruel,  united  together  to  destroy  him.  Acts 
 iv.  27.  but  his  heart  was  established,  trusting  in  the 
 Lord.  He  read,  he  knew,  he  believed  the  promises 
 made  to  him ;  and,  without  doubt  or  wavering,  he 
 waited  for  the  fulfilling  of  them.  Thus  he  viewed 
 the  Father's  covenant  engagements,  who  had  de- 
 clared— "  Thus  saith  God  the  Lord,  he  that  created 
 the  heavens,  and  stretched  them  out ;  he  that  spread 
 forth  the  earth,  and  that  which  coraeth  out  of  it ;  he 
 that  giveth  breath  unto  the  people  upon  it,  and 
 spirit  to  them  that  walk  therein  :  I  the  Lord  have 
 called  thee  in  righteousness,  and  I  will  hold  thy 
 hand,  1  will  keep  thee,  and  1  will  give  thee  for  a 
 covenant  of  the  people,"  &c.  On  this  rock  he  built 
 his  faith,  and  could  not  be  moved.  "  The  Lord 
 God,"  says  he,  "  hath  opened  mine  ear,  and  I  was 
 z3 
 
538 
 
 not  rebellious,  neither  turned  away  back :  I  gave  my 
 back  to  the  smiters,  and  my  cheeks  to  them  that 
 plucked  off  the  hair :  I  hid  not  my  face  from  shame 
 and  spitting;  for  the  Lord  God  will  help  me,  there- 
 fore shall  I  not  be  confounded;  therefore  have  I  set 
 ray  face  like  a  flint,  and  I  know  that  I  shall  not  be 
 ashamed.  He  is  near  that  justifieth  me,  who  will 
 contend  with  me  ?  Let  us  stand  together.  Who 
 is  mine  adversary?  Let  him  come  near  to  me.  Be- 
 hold the  Lord  God  will  help  me,  who  is  he  that 
 shall  condemn  me  ?  Lo,  they  all  shall  wax  old  as  a 
 garment,  the  moth  shall  eat  them  up."  What  an 
 undaunted  courage  is  here  manifested  !  In  this  spirit 
 of  faith  he  prays — 
 
 Be  gracious  unto  me,  O  God,  because  fallen 
 man  would  devour  me.  All  the  day  long  he  is  fight- 
 ing against  me,  and  oppressing  me:  all  the  day  long 
 mine  enemies  would  devour  me;  for  they  are  many 
 who  fight  against  me,  O  thou  Most  High.  Li  the 
 day  when  I  might  have  reason  to  fear,  I  will  put  my 
 trust  in  thee:  I  shall  praise  God  because  of  his 
 word:  in  God  I  have  put  my  trust,  I  will  not  fear 
 what' flesh  can  do  unto  me:  all  the  day  long  they 
 torture  my  words :  all  their  devices  are  against  me 
 for  evil:  they  assemble  together:  they  hide  them- 
 selves; they  watch  my  steps,  as  if  they  were  waiting 
 for  my  life.  Shall  they  escape  for  their  wickedness  ? 
 In  thine  anger,  O  God,  thou  wilt  bring  these  people 
 under:  thou  numberest  my  wanderings:  thou  hast 
 put  my  tears  into  thy  bottle :  are  they  not  recorded 
 in  thy  register?  In  the  day  when  I  shall  pray  unto 
 thee,  then  shall  mine  enemies  be  driven  back :  this  I 
 have  known  for  certain,  because  God  is  on  my  side : 
 
539 
 
 I  will  praise  God,  because  of  his  word :  I  will  praise 
 Jehovah,  because  of  his  word.  In  God  have  I 
 trusted,  1  will  not  fear  what  man  can  do  unto  me. 
 Thy  vows  are  upon  me,  O  God.  I  will  pay  my 
 thanksgivings  unto  thee ;  for  thou  hast  delivered  ray 
 life  from  death.  Wilt  thou  not  also  keep  my  feet 
 from  falling,  that  I  may  be  able  to  walk  in  the  pre- 
 sence of  God,  in  the  light  of  life  everlasting? 
 
 O  what  a  perfect  trust  and  confidence  is  this  ! 
 and  how  loudly  does  it  call  upon  us  to  look  to  his 
 example,  that  God  would  give  us  grace  to  follow  the 
 steps  of  his  faith  !  Observe,  O  my  soul,  and  con- 
 sider the  pattern  set  before  thee.  He  had  God  on 
 his  side — the  promises,  the  power,  the  providences 
 of  the  Almighty.  He  knew  that  every  step  was 
 marked,  every  tear  noticed,  and  that  God  had  them 
 in  the  book  of  his  remembrance.  In  this  faith  he 
 met  his  trials,  and  came  oflP  triumphant.  Notwith- 
 standing his  many  weary  steps,  and  his  strong  crying 
 and  tears  under  that  sorrow,  which  never  had  its  like, 
 yet  he  knew  that  he  should  be  heard — and  he  was 
 heard :  his  enemies  fell  before  him ;  but  they  rose, 
 and  returned  to  the  combat.  Upon  the  word  he 
 casts  his  anchor  again.  He  trusts  to  it ;  and  he  finds 
 it  firm  and  sure  still.  The  storm  is  great;  it  con- 
 tinues— it  increases.  All  thy  waves  and  storms, 
 says  he  to  his  God,  are  gone  over  me.  But,  my 
 soul,  trust  thou  still  in  the  Lord ;  for  my  hope  is  in 
 him.  His  word  is  my  stay :  it  cannot  be  broken. 
 I  praise  him  for  it:  again  I  praise  him  for  it.  Trust- 
 ing in  it,  now  my  fears  are  gone.  God  is  my  helper, 
 and  I  will  not  fear  what  man  can  do  unto  me.  O 
 what  a  pattern  is  here  set  for  us  !      May  the  medi- 
 
540 
 
 tation  upon  it  be  useful.  May  the  gracious  Lord, 
 who  is  the  Author  and  the  Finisher  of  the  faith,  bless 
 the  means  of  his  own  appointing,  for  the  strength- 
 ening of  it.  And  in  the  use  of  them,  looking  up  for 
 the  constant  supplies  of  his  Spirit,  may  he  enable  us 
 to  go  on  from  strength  to  strength,  keeping  this  ex- 
 ample always  in  view,  until  he  bring  us  in  peace  unto 
 the  end  of  our  faith. 
 
 These  are  some  of  the  Scripture  grounds  upon 
 which  the  triumph  of  faith  is  built.      It  stands  upon 
 the  almighty  power  of  God,  as  engaged  to  fulfil  his 
 word :  for  his  word  is  his  deed.      To  take  him  at  his 
 word  is  the  proper  exercise  of  faith.      He  hath  pro- 
 mised, and  it  is  done.      To  rest  thus  upon  it,  as 
 what  cannot  possibly  fail,  is  the  foundation  of  Chris- 
 tian worship :  and  when  it  is  established  in  the  heart, 
 in  the  love  of  the  truth,   it  constitutes  the  chief  of 
 that  service,  which  is  perfect  freedom :  for  God  has 
 declared  himself  well  pleased  with  our  trusting  to  his 
 truth  and  faithfulness.      He  has  commanded  us  to  do 
 it  without  doubt  or  wavering.      He   has  promised 
 grace  sufficient  to  enable  us  thus  to  believe,  and  we 
 cannot  put  too  much  trust  and  confidence  in  his  arm 
 and  power.      And  he  has  also  given  us  examples  of 
 those  who  honoured  him  with  the  fullest  reliance  of 
 their  hearts,  and  had  reason  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord, 
 who  keepeth  promise  for  ever.      Glory  be  to  him  for 
 such  encouragements  of  our  faith.      O  that  they  may 
 have  their  proper  effect  !      May  the  Holy  Ghost  ap- 
 ply them  by  his  grace,  and  give  us  such  a  faith  as 
 may  be  well  pleasing  unto  God :   such  a  faith  as  he 
 has  commanded,  and  for  the  full  exercise  of  which 
 he  has   made  exceeding  great  promises.      Help  us, 
 
541 
 
 O  God  of  all  grace,  to  trust  and  not  be  afraid ;  for 
 thou  art  faithful :  thy  word  and  thy  promises  give  us 
 full  security  to  trust  in  the  Lord  at  all  times ;  be- 
 cause in  the  Lord  Jehovah  is  everlasting  strength; 
 and  blessed  are  all  they  who  put  their  trust  in  him. 
 But  by  what  ways  and  means  shall  these  argu- 
 ments and  encouragements  have  their  full  effect? 
 This  is  the  main  point,  and  it  is  settled  beyond  dis- 
 pute upon   Scripture  authority.      The  same  Spirit 
 who  revealed  the  promises,   is  also  the  fulfiller  of 
 them :  and  he  is  almighty.      The  blessing  on  the 
 use  of  the  means  is  entirely  from  him :  it  is  he  who 
 teacheth  man  knowledge;  and  from  him  we  are  to 
 seek  it  in  prayer.      With  all  our  reading,  hearing, 
 studying,  meditating  upon  the  Scriptures,  we  must 
 look  up  to  him  for  his  divine  teaching.      If  any  of 
 you,  believers,  lack  wisdom,  let  him  ask  it  of  God, 
 who  giveth  to  all  askers  liberally,   and  upbraideth 
 not,  and  it  shall  be  given  him ;  but  let  him  ask  in 
 faith.      Here  is  a  command  and  a  promise.      When 
 we  lack  wisdom,  which  we  always  do,  as  much  as  we 
 want  breath,  we  are  to  ask  it  of  the  Spirit  of  wis- 
 dom, and  it  shall  be  given  us.      He  will  make  us 
 wise  unto  salvation.      He  will  keep  us  in  the  use  of 
 means,  dependent  on  his  leading  us  into  all  useful 
 truth,  and  of  his  revealing  to  us  the  things  which 
 are  freely  given  to  us  of  God,  to  show  them  to  us 
 as  realities,    and  to   put  us  into  the   enjoyment  of 
 them  as  blessings.       In   this  dependence  on   him, 
 we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being.      Our  spiri- 
 tual life  and  faculties,  and  the  exercise  of  them,  and 
 the  improvement  of  them,  are  entirely  from  his  in- 
 fluence.     For  the  apostle,   mentioning  the  several 
 
54^ 
 
 gifts  and  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  says,  "  All  these 
 worketh  that  one  and  the  self-same  Spirit,  dividing 
 to  every  man  his  own  gifts,  according  to  his  own 
 will."  To  him  then  we  are  to  look  up  for  every 
 good  gift,  and  every  perfect  gift.  Whenever  we 
 open  the  Bible,  we  should  ask  his  light  and  his 
 teaching.  He  is  the  chief  commentator.  He  only 
 can  put  the  Scriptures  into  our  inward  parts,  and 
 Write  them  upon  our  hearts,  so  that  we  may  expe- 
 rience them  to  be  the  power  of  God  unto  our  own 
 salvation.  Our  first  reformers  were  of  this  senti- 
 ment, exhorting  us  to  pray,  that  "  by  the  holy  in- 
 spiration of  God's  Spirit,  we  may  think  those  things 
 that  be  good,  and  by  his  merciful  guiding  may  per- 
 form the  same."  "  Grant  to  us.  Lord,  we  beseech 
 thee,  the  Spirit,  to  think  and  do  always  such  things 
 as  be  rightful ;  that  we  who  cannot  do  any  thing  that 
 is  good  without  thee,  may  by  thee  be  enabled  to  live 
 according  to  thy  will,  through  Jesus  Christ  our 
 Lord.      Amen."      Ninth  Sunday  after  Trinity. 
 
 As  they  prayed,  so  they  sang :  for  we  meet  with 
 two  hymns,  inserted  by  the  reformers  in  the  Common 
 Prayer  Book,  appointed  to  be  sung  at  the  ordaining 
 of  priests,  and  at  the  consecration  of  bishops.  The 
 first  begins  with  these  words — 
 
 Come,  Holy  Ghost,  our  souls  inspire. 
 And  lighten  with  celestial  fire,  &e. 
 
 Out  of  the  second  I  quote  some  verses,  not  for 
 any  excellency  of  the  poetry,  but  for  the  soundness 
 of  the  divinity  expressed  in  these  lines — 
 
543 
 
 Come,  Holy  Ghost,  eternal  God, 
 
 Proceeding  from  above, 
 Both  from  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
 
 The  God  of  peace  and  love : 
 
 "Visit  our  minds,  and  into  us 
 
 Thy  heavenly  grace  inspire, 
 That  in  all  truth  and  godliness 
 
 We  may  have  true  desire. 
 
 Thou  in  thy  gifts  art  manifold, 
 
 Whereby  Christ's  church  doth  stand, 
 
 In  faithful  hearts  writing  thy  law. 
 The  finger  of  God's  hand. 
 
 According  to  thy  promise  made, 
 
 Thou  givest  speech  of  grace. 
 That  tlirough  thy  help,  the  praise  of  God 
 
 May  stand  in  every  place. 
 
 O  Holy  Ghost,  into  our  souls 
 
 Send  down  thy  heavenly  light, 
 Kindle  our  heart  with  fervent  love. 
 
 To  serve  God  day  and  night. 
 
 Strengthen  and  stablish  our  weakness, 
 
 So  feeble  and  so  frail, 
 That  neither  devil,  world,  nor  flesh. 
 
 Against  us  may  prevail. 
 
 Grant  us,  O  Lord,  through  thee  to  know 
 
 The  Father  most  of  might. 
 That  of  his  dear  beloved  Son, 
 
 We  may  attain  the  sight. 
 
 And  that  with- perfect  faith  also, 
 
 We  may  acknowledge  thee. 
 The  Spirit  of  them  both  always, 
 
 One  God  in  persons  three. 
 
 From  these  authorities,  it  appears  to  be  the  doc- 
 trine of  the  Scriptures,  and  of  our  reformers  in  har- 
 
544 
 
 mony  with  them,  That  spiritual  Hfe,  and  knowledge, 
 and  faith  in  Christ,  and  hope  in  hira  that  maketh 
 not  ashamed,  and  holy  love,  with  every  godly  motion 
 of  the  heart,  come  from  the  holy  inspiration  of  God 
 the  Spirit.  It  is  from  him  that  we  understand  the 
 Scriptures,  in  the  mind  of  the  Spirit :  it  is  from  his 
 grace  that  we  grow  in  Scripture  knowledge,  and  per- 
 severe in  the  use  of  means,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
 in  a  constant  dependence  on  his  presence  in  them, 
 for  the  furtherance  and  joy  of  our  faith.  He  be- 
 gins, he  carries  on,  and  he  perfects,  our  learning  in 
 his  revealed  word  and  will.  O  that  he  may  make 
 us  and  keep  us  good  scholars,  in  an  abiding  sense  of 
 the  necessity  of  his  divine  teaching ;  that  the  Spirit 
 and  the  word  may  go  together  in  our  Bible  studies, 
 and  Bible  experience ;  so  that  this  may  be  the  daily 
 prayer  of  our  faith  : — 
 
 O  thou  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  who  hast 
 taught  us  that  secret  things  belong  to  the  Lord  our 
 God,  but  those  things  which  are  revealed  belong  to 
 us  and  to  our  children  for  ever;  open  the  eyes  of  our 
 understanding  to  understand  what  is  revealed  in  the 
 Scriptures  for  our  use.  Dispose  us  to  hear  them, 
 read  them,  and  meditate  on  them  with  profit.  And 
 help  us  to  mix  more  faith  with  them,  that  they  may 
 become  more  precious.  In  every  day's  reading,  grant 
 that  we  may  find  them  to  be  the  ingrafted  word,  and 
 that  we  are  really  branches  grafted  into  the  tree  of 
 life,  and,  by  the  rain  and  shining  of  heaven,  enabled 
 to  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  abundantly. 
 For  all  these  blessings  keep  us  ever  dependent  on  thy 
 divine  teaching,  that  our  fruits  may  grow  richer  and 
 riper we  may  be  more  humble  in  our  hearts,   and 
 
54^5 
 
 more  thankful  in  our  lives  ;  and  so  we,  who  can  learn 
 nothing  as  we  ought  without  thee,  may,  by  thy  grace, 
 be  made  wise  unto  eternal  salvation,  through  faith 
 which  is  in  Christ  Jesus — To  whom,  with  Thee, 
 O  Father,  and  Thee,  O  Holy  Spirit,  be  equal  hon- 
 our and  glory,  now  and  for  ever.      Amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  ni. 
 
 The  Believers  Triumph  in  the  Lord  his  Righteousness, 
 
 The  object  of  his  rejoicing  is  always  one  and  the 
 same,  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever,  without  any 
 variableness,  or  shadow  of  turning.  It  is  Christ, 
 God  in  Christ,  concerning  whom  the  commandment 
 runs — Rejoice  in  the  Lord  Jesus  always,  and  again, 
 I  say,  rejoice ;  there  being  in  him  a  fountain  of  joy, 
 springing  up  into  everlasting  life.  What  he  is  in 
 his  own  wonderful  person — what  is  revealed  of  his 
 gracious  works  and  ways,  in  his  dealings  with  the 
 sinners  of  mankind — what  he  did  for  them  in  the 
 days  of  his  flesh — what  he  does  in  them  by  his  Spirit 
 in- time — what  he  has  promised  to  give  them  in  eter- 
 nity :  in  every  possible  view  that  can  be  taken  of  him, 
 a  believer  may  and  ought  to  rejoice  always,  and  that 
 with  a  fulness  of  joy :  for  thus  the  apostle  offers  up 
 his  praise — "  Now  thanks  be  to  God,  who  always 
 causeth  us  to  triumph  in  Christ."  For  he  has  in 
 his  person  every  possible  subject  of  triumphant  joy. 
 He  is  true  and  very  God ;  and  he  is  true  and  very 
 man — God  and  man  in  one  Christ.      The  prophet 
 
546 
 
 Isaiah  foretold  this  marvellous  union,  and  gloried  in 
 the  prospect :  For  us  men,  and  for  our  salvation,  a 
 child  is  born,  and  a  Son  is  given  ;  and  his  name  shall 
 be  called  Wonderful,  because  the  child  is  the  mighty 
 God,  and  the  Son  is  the  everlasting  Father,  the 
 Prince  of  Peace.  This  is  the  great  mystery  of  god- 
 liness, of  which  the  saints  in  the  Old  Testament 
 sang  with  the  sweetest  melody  in  their  hearts  unto 
 the  Lord:  as  the  prophet  does  in  the  148th  Psalm, 
 calling  upon  all  in  heaven  and  earth,  with  all  their 
 inhabitants,  to  join  him  in  the  praises  of  Emmanuel; 
 because  his  name  alone  is  excellent,  and  his  praise 
 above  heaven  and  earth.  So  that  New  Testament  saint 
 felt  it,  who  declared,  that  he  "  accounted  all  things 
 but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ 
 Jesus  my  Lord;  for  whom  1  have  suffered  the  loss 
 of  all  things,  and  I  do  account  them  but  dung,  that 
 I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,'' — found  so 
 united  to  him  as  to  be  one  with  him ;  for  he  was 
 united  to  our  nature,  in  order  to  bring  about  another 
 most  blessed  union, — he  taking  our  nature,  that  we 
 might  take  his — he  made  the  son  of  man,  that  we 
 might  be  made  the  sons  of  God — he  having  the 
 power  of  an  endless  life,  that  he  might  give  spiritual 
 and  eternal  life  to  all  believers :  for  they  in  the  day 
 of  his  power  are  joined  to  the  Lord  by  one  Spirit — 
 the  same  Spirit  in  the  members  as  in  the  Head^ 
 that  through  him  their  Head,  they  might  be  able  to 
 say,  "  Truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and 
 with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  bond  of  his  Spirit." 
 It  is  not  possible  for  man  to  conceive  higher  things 
 than  our  Lord  has  prayed  for  in  these  words — 
 '*  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for  them  also 
 
547 
 
 who  shall  believe  on  me  through  their  word ;  that 
 they  all  may  be  one  :  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and 
 I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us,  that  the 
 world  may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me :  and  the 
 glory  which  thou  gavest  me,  I  have  given  them,  that 
 they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one."  By  virtue 
 of  this  union  with  Christ,  who  is  the  Head  over  all 
 things  to  the  church,  his  members  have  fellowship 
 with  him  in  his  holy  life:  he  is  the  Lord  Jehovah 
 their  righteousness :  for  them  he  became  subject  to 
 the  law,  and  obedient  to  its  precepts,  born  of  a  wo- 
 man, and  made  under  the  law,  that  through  his  obe- 
 dience many  might  be  made  righteous.  "  Lo,  I 
 come,"  says  he,  "  to  do  thy  will,  O  God ;"  and  he 
 did  it  by  fulfilling  all  righteousness.  As  the  surety 
 for  his  people,  what  he  did,  when  he  magnified  the 
 law,  and  made  it  infinitely  honourable  in  all  its  de- 
 mands, vvas  for  them,  and  for  their  justification,  that 
 it  might  be  imputed  unto  them  for  righteousness, 
 and  they  might  be  dealt  with  as  righteous  at  the 
 judgment-seat  of  God.  In  this  the  father  of  the 
 faithful  made  his  boast,  and  gloried  all  the  day  long; 
 for  we  read,  that  he  believed  in  God,  and  God  im- 
 puted to  him  righteousness,  loving  him  as  his  friend, 
 and  blessing  him  in  all  things.  Now  it  was  not 
 written  for  his  sake  alone,  that  it  was  imputed  to  him  ; 
 but  for  us  also,  to  whom  it  shall  be  imputed,  if  we 
 believe  on  him  that  raised  up  Jesus  our  Lord  from 
 the  dead :  for  the  children  of  believing  Abraham  are 
 freely  made  heirs,  as  he  was,  of  the  righteousness 
 which  is  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ.  Hear  one  of 
 them  with  what  heart-felt  joy  he  celebrates  his  tri- 
 umphant state  in  Christ ;  **  1  will  hope  continually, 
 
548 
 
 and  I  will  praise  thee  more  and  more:  my  mouth 
 shall  show  forth  thy  righteousness,  and  thy  salvation 
 all  the  day;  for  I  know  not  the  numbers  thereof:  I 
 will  go  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  God,  I  will  make 
 mention  of  thy  righteousness,  even  of  thine  only." 
 He  found  the  blessings  flowing  from  it  numberless 
 and  endless :  so  that  it  was  all  he  wanted  for  his  jus- 
 tification to  life,  and  for  his  title  to  glory — it  only. 
 In  the  same  Psalm,  admiring  and  adoring  the  won- 
 ders of  the  gift  of  grace,  he  breaks  out :  "  Thy  right- 
 eousness, O  God,  is  very  high,  who  hast  done  great 
 things :  O  God,  who  is  like  unto  thee  ?"  He  was 
 so  complete  in  this  righteousness  of  Christ,  that  he 
 would  mix  nothing  with  it  for  his  free  access  to  God, 
 or  for  his  full  acceptance  before  God.  He  knew 
 that  this  righteousness  of  faith  was  appointed  of  God, 
 was  the  gift  of  his  grace,  and  was  all-sufficient,  being 
 an  everlasting  righteousness ;  and  therefore  it  effec- 
 tually removed  the  consciousness  of  sin  from  his 
 heart,  and  enabled  him  to  come  boldly  to  the  throne 
 of  grace,  where  he  stood  perfectly  justified  in  Jesus. 
 And  in  the  same  spirit  we  hear  a  New  Testament 
 saint  resolving  to  exclude  all  glorying,  except  in 
 Christ  and  in  his  righteousness — "  in  v/hom  God 
 can  be  just,  and  yet  the  justifier  of  him  who  believ- 
 eth  in  Jesus.  Where  is  boasting  then  ?  It  is  ex- 
 cluded. By  what  law?  By  the  law  of  works? 
 Nay,  but  by  the  law  of  faith.  Therefore  we  con- 
 clude, that  a  man  is  justified  by  faith  without  the 
 deeds  of  the  law;  and  that  Christ  is  the  end  of  the 
 law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth." 
 This  was  the  apostle's  highest  ambition,  to  be  found 
 in  his  precious  Saviour.      O  that  I  may  rejoice  in 
 
549 
 
 him  through  life,  and  may  be  found  in  him  at  the 
 hour  of  death,  and  at  the  day  of  judgment — found 
 in  him,  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is 
 of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of 
 Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith  ! 
 Blessed  testimony  for  Jesus— encouraging  example 
 to  place  our  whole  trust  and  confidence  in  the  Lord 
 our  righteousness,  and  our  strength  .  for  he  is  the 
 same  to  us  as  he  was  to  the  apostle  Paul,  and  we 
 have  as  good  reason  to  triumph  as  he  had ;  because 
 it  is  written,  "  I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  my 
 soul  shall  be  joyful  in  ray  God :  for  he  hath  clothed 
 me  with  the  garments  of  salvation,  he  hath  covered 
 me  with  the  robe  of  righteousness,  as  a  bridegroom 
 decketh  himself  with  ornaments,  and  a  bride  adorneth 
 herself  with  her  jewels:  for  as  the  earth  bringeth 
 forth  its  bud,  and  as  the  garden  causeth  the  things 
 that  are  sown  in  it  to  spring  forth ;  so  the  Lord  God 
 will  cause  righteousness  and  praise  to  spring  forth 
 before  all  the  nations."  This  is  the  righteousness 
 of  faith,  and  these  are  the  fruits  of  it,  which  abound 
 to  the  glory  of  God,  even  peace  with  him,  joy  in 
 him,  a  holy  walk  with  him,  and  a  victorious  warfare 
 by  him.  In  the  Lord  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel  be 
 justified,  and  shall  glory.  Herein  to  glory  is  the 
 believer's  bounden  duty.  He  is  called  to  it,  as  his 
 gospel  privilege,  and  according  to  his  faith  he  does 
 triumph  in  it,  as  his  present  happiness,  and  as  a 
 good  ground  for  his  hope  of  eternal  joy.  Wonder- 
 ful blessings  are  promised  to  this  faith  and  hope,  and 
 they  are  truly  experienced  at  this  day.  Bless  the 
 Lord,  O  my  soul,  for  his  providing  such  a  garment 
 for  glory  and  beauty.      He  has  warranted  thee  to 
 
550 
 
 put  it  on,  and  having  through  it  free  access  into  his 
 presence,  he  has  commanded  thee  to  join  that  great 
 multitude,  whom  no  one  can  number,  who  are  stand- 
 ing before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed 
 in  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands,  and  who 
 cry  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  "  Salvation  to  our  God, 
 who  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  to  the  Lamb  for 
 ever."      Their  robes  are  as  white  as  the  light,  being 
 washed  clean  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb ;  and  through 
 him  they  have  conquered,  as  the  palms  in  their  hands 
 denote;  yea,  are  more  than  conquerors,  having  crowns 
 of  righteousness  upon  their  heads,  which  can  never 
 fade  away.      For  grace  reigns  through  righteousness 
 unto  eternal  life  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.      O  what 
 matter  of  triumph  is  here  1  a  righteousness  absolutely 
 perfect  and  everlasting  !    This  greatly  enhances  all  our 
 high  joys  in  Christ,  that  there  is  full  security  for  their 
 continuance.      It  depends  on  the  faithfulness  of  God 
 to  his  word  and  promise,  fixed  in  his  eternal  counsels, 
 and  established  upon  immutable  things.      "  Their 
 righteousness  is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord,  and  mine  is 
 an  everlasting  righteousness :  lift  up  your  eyes  to  the 
 heavens,  and  look  upon  the  earth  beneath :  for  the 
 heavens  shall  vanish  away  like  smoke,  and  the  earth 
 shall  wax  old  like  a  garment,  and  they  that  dwell 
 therein  shall  die  in  like  manner,  but  my  salvation 
 shall  be  for  ever,  and  my  righteousness  shall  not  be 
 abolished."      The  state  of  a  believer  is  always  one 
 and  the  same  on  God's  part.      He  may  vary  in  his 
 apprehensions  of  his  state,  but  with  God  there  is  no 
 variableness  or  shadow  of  turning.      He  may  be  a 
 believer  walking  in  darkness — tempted  to  doubt :  he 
 may  pay  too  much  attention  to  sense  and  feeling — 
 
551 
 
 may  get  into  a  legal  spirit — his  evidences  may  be 
 clouded — when  outward  things  and  providences  seem 
 to  make  against  him,  his  faith  may  be  sore  tried,  and 
 he  may  stagger  at  the  promises  of  God  through  some 
 fit  of  unbelief — the  man  changeth,  but  God  changeth 
 not.  His  mercies  are  sure  mercies.  They  cannot 
 fail ;  for  they  spring  from  the  ocean  of  grace,  and  are 
 streams  which  no  created  power  can  cut  off:  but  they 
 shall  infallibly  return  to  it  again,  and  shall  bring 
 with  them  all  the  happy  objects  of  his  love.  The 
 Father  chose  them,  and  gave  them  to  his  Son,  who 
 has  all  their  names  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of 
 life :  for  them  he  lived  and  died ;  and  when  he  pre- 
 sents them  at  the  last  day  to  the  Father — "  Behold 
 I,  and  the  children  whom  thou  hast  given  me," — not 
 one  of  them  shall  be  wanting;  for  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
 by  his  office  the  Lord  and  Giver  of  life  to  them,  and 
 in  the  day  of  his  power  he  enables  them  to  receive 
 Jesus,  and  to  live  by  faith  upon  him,  as  members 
 united  to,  and  in  fellowship  with,  their  glorified  Head. 
 This  covenant  of  the  blessed  Trinity  is  unalterable, 
 being  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure.  All  the  sub- 
 jects of  its  grace  shall  infallibly  be  saved,  according 
 to  our  Lord's  promise,  and  according  to  our  Lord's 
 prayer;  namely,  "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I 
 know  them,  and  they  follow  me;  and  I  give  unto 
 them  eternal  life,  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither 
 shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand."  Trusting 
 to  these  immutable  securities,  the  heirs  of  promise 
 are  commanded  to  draw  strong  consolation,  even  to 
 rejoice  in  Jesus  with  a  fulness  of  joy ;  in  darkness  as 
 well  as  walking  in  light — in  winter  as  well  as  in 
 summer — in  adversity  as  well  as  in  prosperity — in 
 
552 
 
 death  as  well  as  in  life ;  because  he  has  all  power  in 
 heaven  and  earth  to  make  good  to  them  every  cove- 
 nant engagement.  And  he  will  do  it:  for  the  ran- 
 somed of  the  Lord  shall  return,  and  shall  come  to 
 Sion  with  songs,  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their* 
 heads :  they  shall  obtain  joy  and  gladness,  and  sor- 
 row and  sighing  shall  flee  away  for  ever. 
 
 O  thou  most  blessed  God  and  Saviour  !  thou  art 
 the  Lord  our  righteousness  and  our  strength.  I 
 believe  that  the  whole  Israel  of  God  shall  be  justified 
 only  by  thee,  and  in  thee  only  shall  they  glory.  O 
 let  thy  Spirit  abide  with  me,  to  increase  in  me  this 
 faith,  that,  by  fresh  supplies  of  his  grace,  I  may  be 
 kept  from  going  about  to  establish  my  own  righteous- 
 ness, and  may  constantly  submit  myself  to  the  right- 
 eousness of  God.  And,  by  the  same  grace,  help  me 
 to  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  righteousness  abundantly 
 unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God,  magnifying  thine 
 atonement  in  the  peace  of  my  conscience,  exalting 
 thy  righteousness  in  the  love  of  my  heart,  and  in  my 
 walk  and  warfare  glorifying  thy  fulness  ;  so  that  out 
 of  it  I  may  be  receiving  a  sufiBciency  of  grace,  by 
 which  I  am  now  enabled  to  bless  thee  for  the  hope 
 of  glory.  To  thee,  almighty  Jesus,  for  the  work  of 
 righteousness,  which  is  peace,  and  for  the  effect  of 
 righteousness,  which  is  quietness  and  assurance  for 
 ever — to  thee  be  everlasting  praise.  Amen,  and 
 amen. 
 
553 
 
 CHAPTER  IV. 
 
 The  Believers  Triumph  in  Jesus  under  a  sense  of  the 
 dejilement  of  Sin, 
 
 It  is  in  virtue  of  this  fellowship  with  Jesus,  that 
 believers  are  freely  forgiven  all  their  iniquities.  His 
 atonement  was  the  work  of  our  great  High  Priest, 
 who  was  made  sin  for  us,  although  he  knew  no  sin, 
 that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in 
 him.  God  is  of  purer  eyes  than  to  look  upon  the 
 least  iniquity;  and  there  is  a  defilement  in  sin,  which 
 makes  it  exceedingly  filthy  and  abominable  in  his 
 sight.  He  showed  his  utter  abhorrence  of  it,  by 
 establishing  in  the  Old  Testament  such  an  abundance 
 of  legal  pollutions,  as  might  exhibit  to  sense  the  defil- 
 ing nature  of  sin,  and  might  keep  it  ever  before  their 
 eyes,  and  fresh  upon  their  minds.  And  by  making 
 it  necessary  that  the  worshippers  should  be  purified 
 from  these  pollutions,  and  by  establishing  the  means 
 of  their  purification,  and  by  forbidding  every  other, 
 he  would  lead  them  to  exercise  faith  in  the  great 
 Purifier,  whose  office  it  was  to  purge  their  consciences, 
 before  they  could  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in 
 righteousness.  And  it  was  a  fixed  law,  That  if  any 
 one  legally  unclean  neglected  or  refused  the  appointed 
 means  of  being  cleansed,  he  was  to  bear  his  iniquity  : 
 for  an  unpardoned  sinner  can  have  no  communion 
 with  a  most  holy  God. 
 
 Unto  the  pure,  all  things  are  pure  :  but  unto  them 
 that  are  defiled  and  unbelieving,  is  nothing  pure ;  but 
 2  A  4 
 
554 
 
 even  their  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled.  The 
 mind  is  the  fountain  from  whence  all  the  streams  flow. 
 Out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil  thoughts,  murders, 
 adulteries,  &c. — these  are  the  things  which  defile  the 
 man.  An  enlightened  conscience  is  made  sensible 
 of  this,  and  feels  the  necessity  of  being  purified  from 
 all  filthiness  of  flesh  and  spirit,  in  order  to  approach 
 God,  and  to  have  boldness  and  access  with  confidence 
 to  the  throne  of  grace.  His  meditations  at  such 
 times  are  like  these: — 
 
 The  more  I  know  of  myself,  the  more  am  I  led 
 to  loathe  myself,  and  to  repent  in  dust  and  ashes : 
 lor  I  am  a  sinner,  filthy  and  abominable  altogether. 
 By  nature  as  vile  as  sin  can  render  a  fallen  creature, 
 and  daily  polluting  myself  in  heart  and   life  with 
 fresh  impurities.     I  have  no  means  of  cleansing  my- 
 self; no  hope,  that  any  thing  in  the  creation  can  do 
 it  for  me.      Deep  in  my  very  constitution  the  stain 
 remains.      And    I  am    forced   to   be  crying   out — 
 Unclean,  unclean  !      My  case  would  be  quite  des- 
 perate, if  God  himself  had  not  provided  a  remedy, 
 the  report  of  which  has  come  to  mine  ears  in  the 
 gospel.      O  it  is  blessed  news  !      I  welcome  it  to 
 mine  heart,  that  God  has  opened  a  fountain  which 
 cleanseth  from  all  sin.      He  has  recommended  it  to 
 me,  as  having  infinite  virtue  and  everlasting  efficacy 
 to  cleanse.      And  I  have  a  command  from  heaven, 
 vile  and  filthy  as  I  am,  to  make  use  of  it :  for  thus 
 it  is  written — "  In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  fountain 
 opened  to  the  house  of  David,  and  to  the  inhabitants 
 of  Jerusalem,  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness."      When 
 the   Holy  Spirit  enables  the  sinner  to  believe  the 
 report,  and  to  mix  faith  with  it,  then  he  has  a  war- 
 
555 
 
 rant  thus  to  pray — "  Purge  me  with  hyssop,  and  I 
 shall  be  clean;  wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter  than 
 snow — Hide  thy  face  from  my  sins,  and  blot  out  all 
 mine  iniquities — Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God ; 
 and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me."    And  the  Lord 
 hears  and  answers  the  prayer  in  these  words—"  I 
 will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be 
 clean ;  from  all  your  filthiness  and  from  all  your  idols 
 will  I  cleanse  you :  a  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you, 
 and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within  you;  and  I  will 
 take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I 
 will  give  you  a  heart  of  flesh :  and  I  will  put  my 
 Spirit  within  you,  and  I  will  cause  you  to  walk  in 
 my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  judgments  and 
 do  them  :  I  will  also  save  you  from  all  your  unclean- 
 ness."      The  sacrifices  from  the  beginning  preached 
 this  blessed  doctrine:  their  blood  could  sanctify  by 
 divine  appointment  to  the  purifying  of  the  flesh : 
 how  much   more   shall   the   blood   of  Christ,    who 
 through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered  himself  without 
 spot  to  God,  purify  the  conscience  from,  dead  works 
 to  serve  the  living  God  ?    Blessed,  for  ever  blessed 
 be  his  grace,  who  by  this  offering  hath  opened  a 
 fountain  for  sin  and  for  uncleanness,  in  which  the 
 most  polluted  may  wash  and  be  clean :  for  Christ  so 
 loved  the  church  as  to  give  himself  for  it,  that  he 
 might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it  with  the  washing  of 
 water  by  the  word;  that  he  might  present  it  to  him- 
 self a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot  or  wrinkle, 
 or  any  such  thing,  but  that  it  might  be  holy  and 
 without  blemish :  for  his  blood  has  infinite  virtue  to 
 purify  the  foulest  sinner,  even  so  to  cleanse  him, 
 that  he  may  be  perfect  for  ever :  and  the  great  use 
 2  a2 
 
556 
 
 of  faith  is  to  receive  it,  and  to  apply  it,  even  as  God 
 himself  has  recommended  it,  and  it  has  lost  none  of 
 its  virtue.      To  this  very  day  it  purifies  as  perfectly 
 as  ever  it  did,  and  believers  now  in  life,  and  in  the 
 hour  of  death,  feel  its  divine  efficacy,  as  truly  as  the 
 martyred  Stephen  did.      I  find  a  dying  Christian 
 thus  proclaiming  his  faith  and  hope  in  it,  when  heart 
 and  flesh  were  failing  him  :   "  Am  not  I,  my  friends, 
 a  monument  of  God's  rich,  free  grace,  of  his  bound- 
 less love  and  mercy  in  Christ?      O  most  extensive 
 IS   the   efficacy  of  his   precious   blood  !    for  it  has 
 reached  to  me,  one  of  the  vilest  of  sinners :  O  here 
 is   boundless   goodness,    unfathomable    love  ! — this 
 blood  has  washed  clean  my  soul,  the  seat  of  defile- 
 ment,  that  was  as  black  as  hell;  purified  my  con- 
 science, that  v/as  darker  than  the  grave,  and  made 
 it  brighter  than  the  light :  in  a  word,  this  blood  will 
 make  me,  who  was  vile,  most  vile,  a  child  of  hell,  an 
 heir  of  wrath,  holy  before  God,  and  fit  to  live  with 
 God  and  the  Lamb,  with  angels,  and  the  spirits  of 
 good  men  made  perfect,  to  all  eternity,  and  in  a  few 
 minutes  my  soul   shall  be  made  perfect  also.      O 
 blessed,  for  ever  blessed  be  God  my  Saviour :  eter- 
 nal praises  be  rendered  unto  thee  !"      This  is  true 
 faith,  and  high  honour  put  upon  the  blood  of  Jesus, 
 to  seal  God's  testimony  concerning  it.     He  hath  set 
 forth  Jesus  Christ  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith 
 in  his  blood.      Trusting  to  it,  the  foulest  sins  are 
 washed  as  white  as  snow,  and  crimson  sins  as  the 
 purest  wool.      So  the  Beloved  says  to  his  church — 
 "  Behold,  thou  art  fair,  my  love :  behold,  thou  art 
 all  fair,  there  is  no  spot  in  thee ;  thou  art  all  glorious 
 within^"    No  angel  can  be  whiter  or  purer,  or  stand 
 
557 
 
 more  accepted  before  God,  than  he  does  who  is 
 washed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  O  blessed  man 
 who  has  obtained  redemption  by  it !  thou  art  com- 
 manded to  enter  with  boldness  into  the  holiest  by 
 the  blood  of  Jesus — the  way  is  open :  thou  art  called 
 to  draw  near  with  a  true  heart,  in  full  assurance  of 
 faith,  having  thy  heart  sprinkled  from  an  evil  con- 
 science, and  thy  body  washed  with  pure  water,  that 
 thou  mayest  hold  thy  profession  of  faith  without 
 wavering,  as  that  great  multitude  did,  who  washed 
 their  robes  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
 Lamb:  they  are  now  crying  with  a  loud  voice, 
 "  Salvation  to  our  God  who  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
 and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever  !'*  They  triumph  in- 
 deed ;  and  so  mayest  thou.  Thou  hast  the  same 
 reason  as  they  have.  The  same  fountain,  which 
 washed  their  robes,  cleanses  thine.  The  same  pro- 
 mises that  it  will;  and  thou  shalt  stand  before  God 
 without  spot  of  sin  unto  eternal  salvation,  as  perfect 
 as  they.  Jesus  is  thy  Saviour,  as  truly  as  he  is 
 theirs:  even  to-day,  thy  conscience  purged  from  guilt, 
 and  thy  heart  purified  by  faith,  thou  mayest  enter 
 within  the  vail,  and  make  sweet  melody  in  thy  heart 
 unto  the  Lord  thy  God.  Our  elder  brethren  round 
 his  throne,  are  employed  in  the  same  delightful 
 work :  we  do  it  here  as  well  as  we  can :  they  in 
 heaven,  and  we  on  earth.  The  same  subject  in  the 
 church  below,  as  well  as  above,  and  the  same  em- 
 ployment. We  try  to  sing  the  praises  of  the  worthy 
 slaughtered  Lamb  in  as  high  a  note  as  they  do. 
 And  when  we  fail,  we  try  again,  praying  the  Holy 
 Spirit  to  enable  us  to  keep  in  tune  with  them,  that 
 our  songs  may  daily  be  more  spiritual  and  heavenly. 
 
558 
 
 A  poet  of  our  own,  feeling  something  of  this  har- 
 mony, would  have  us  to  celebrate  the  triumphs  of  the 
 Lamb  of  God  in  these  words ; — 
 
 There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood, 
 
 Drawn  from  Emmanuel's  veins, 
 And  sinners  plunged  beneath  that  floods 
 
 Lose  all  their  guilty  stains. 
 
 The  dying  thief  rejoiced  to  see 
 
 That  fountain  in  his  day; 
 And  there  have  I,  as  vile  as  he. 
 
 Washed  all  my  sins  away. 
 
 Dear  dying  Lamb,  thy  precious  blood 
 
 Shall  never  lose  its  power, 
 Till  all  the  ransomed  church  of  God 
 
 Be  saved  to  sin  no  more. 
 
 E'er  since  by  faith  I  saw  the  stream 
 
 Thy  flowing  wounds  supply, 
 Redeeming  love  has  been  my  theme. 
 
 And  shall  be  till  I  die. 
 
 Then  in  a  nobler  sweeter  song 
 
 I'll  sing  thy  power  to  save. 
 When  this  poor  lisping,  stamm'ring  tongue 
 
 Lies  silent  in  the  grave. 
 
 The  song  of  heaven  is  upon  this  same  subject. 
 The  Holy  Ghost  has  taught  us  the  very  words  of 
 their  divine  hymn,  and  what  is  the  harmony  of  all 
 the  redeemed  round  the  throne,  with  one  heart  and 
 one  voice,  blessing  God  and  the  Lamb :  O  that  he 
 may  tune  our  hearts  to  join  the  chorus,  and  fit  us 
 now  to  sing  in  as  high  a  strain  as  we  can,  and  every 
 day  to  aim  higher,  till  we  come  to  the  completion  of 
 the  heavenly  vision  thus  described  by  the  apostle! — 
 
 "  After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  great  multitude, 
 whom  no  one  could  number,  of  all  nations,  and  kin- 
 
559 
 
 dreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the 
 throne,  and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white 
 robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands.  These  are  they 
 who  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed 
 their  robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
 Lamb  :  therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God, 
 and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple;  and  he 
 that  sitteth  upon  the  throne  shall  dwell  among  them. 
 They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more; 
 neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat : 
 for  the  Lamb,  who  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne, 
 shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living 
 fountains  of  waters;  and  shall  wipe  away  all  tears 
 from  their  eyes."  "  And  they  sung  with  a  loud  voice, 
 saying.  Salvation  to  our  God  who  sitteth  upon  the 
 throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  for  ever" — "  Unto  him 
 that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his 
 own  blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto 
 God  and  his  Father,  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion 
 for  ever  and  ever.      Amen." 
 
 CHAPTER  V. 
 
 The  Believer  s  Triumph  over  Sin  in  its  guilt. 
 
 The  forgiveness  of  sins  is  the  grand  doctrine  of 
 salvation,  on  which  peace  with  God  is  built.  Sin 
 is  present  with  the  believer,  but  pardoned.  Sin  is 
 felt,  but  ceases  to  condemn.  This  is  the  chief  dif- 
 ficulty in  experience,  How  the  truth  of  God,  and 
 his  holiness,  and  his  threatenings,  and  the  honour  of 
 
560 
 
 his  law,  can  be  maintained,  and  yet  he  can  be  faith- 
 ful and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins.  The  believer 
 may  be  often  shaken  in  his  mind,  and  troubled  with 
 legal  fears  and  workings,  if  he  be  not  so  well  estab-r 
 lished  by  the  Spirit  and  word  of  God,  as  to  submit 
 in  his  conscience  to  God's  way  of  pardoning  sin :  it 
 was  always  one  and  the  same,  contrived  and  appointed 
 in  the  everlasting  counsels  of  the  blessed  Trinity, 
 and  revealed  upon  the  entrance  of  sin,  namely,  that 
 a  person  in  Jehovah  would  become  incarnate,  and 
 take  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself.  To  him 
 Moses  and  all  the  prophets  gave  witness,  that  through 
 his  name,  whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall  receive 
 remission  of  sins.  The  proclamation  of  grace  holds 
 it  out  most  clearly.  When  Moses  was  permitted 
 to  see  his  glory,  the  Lord  passed  by  before  him, 
 and  proclaimed,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merci- 
 ful and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in 
 goodness  and  truth :  keeping  mercy  for  thousands, 
 forgiving  iniquity  and  transgression  and  sin."  Every 
 sacrifice  preached  this  same  truth  visibly,  showing 
 the  death  which  the  sinner  deserved,  and  the  divine 
 method  of  pardoning  it,  through  faith  in  the  Lamb 
 slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world ;  for  Jesus  is 
 the  very  paschal  Lamb  who  was  sacrificed  for  us:  and 
 the  deliverance  which  they  experienced  in  Egypt, 
 through  the  sprinkling  of  his  blood,  we  feel  the  same 
 in  our  hearts  unto  this  day.  Through  faith  they 
 kept  the  passover  and  the  sprinkling  of  blood,  lest 
 he  that  destroyed  the  first-born  should  touch  them : 
 through  the  same  faith  we  keep  the  same  feast,  and 
 having  found  redemption  through  his  blood,  even  the 
 forgiveness  of  sins,  we  live  safe  out  of  the  reach  of 
 
561 
 
 the  destroyer.  We  know  our  danger  as  they  did, 
 and  we  look  to  the  Lamb  of  God  for  safety.  It  is 
 the  Holy  Spirit  who  convinces  both  of  sin  and  of 
 pardon.  His  conviction  of  sin  makes  an  impression 
 upon  the  conscience  of  its  infinite  evil.  He  stops 
 the  sinner's  mouth,  and  makes  him  subscribe  to  all 
 that  is  said  in  Scripture  of  his  guilt  and  of  his  dan- 
 ger. Looking  at  himself  under  the  law,  and  under 
 sin,  which  is  the  transgression  of  the  law,  he  is  made 
 to  submit  to  the  sentence  of  condemnation,  and  has 
 nothing  of  his  own  to  plead  in  arrest  of  judgment. 
 Thus  he  is  taught  to  think  of  the  law  as  God  does, 
 both  of  its  precepts  and  penalties.  He  sees  infinite 
 justice,  and  holiness,  and  truth,  armed  against  him, 
 and  the  desert  of  his  sins  to  be  everlasting  destruc- 
 tion from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  which  he  has  no 
 power  to  resist,  and  no  means  to  escape.  When 
 the  Holy  Spirit  convinces  him  of  righteousness,  and 
 manifests  the  grace  of  God  in  the  free  forgiveness 
 of  his  sins,  yet  still  he  feels  the  exceeding  wicked- 
 ness of  them.  He  loathes  and  abhors  himself  as  the 
 subject  of  them,  and  groans,  being  burdened  with 
 the  abiding  sense  of  his  corruptions.  At  his  very 
 best  it  is — "  O  wretched  man,  who  shall  deliver 
 me?"  &c.  but  at  the  same  time  he  can  rejoice  in  God 
 his  Saviour — "  I  thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ" 
 — He  is  the  propitiation  for  ray  sins,  and  I  have 
 found  peace  with  God  through  faith  in  his  blood. 
 Thus  the  Holy  Spirit  glorifies  Jesus.  He  gives  a 
 steadfast  faith  in  the  atonement  of  Jesus,  and  settles 
 such  a  peace  in  the  conscience,  as  answers  all  charges 
 from  sin  and  from  unbelief.  And  hereby  he  fulfils 
 the  proclamation  of  grace  in  the  New  Testament, 
 2  A3 
 
562 
 
 which  agrees  exactly  with  the  sentiments  of  the  Old. 
 When  our  Lord  sent  out  his  apostles  to  preach  the 
 gospel  to  every  creature,  his  commission  to  them 
 runs  in  these  words:  "  And  Jesus  said  unto  them, 
 Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behooved  Christ  to 
 suffer,  and  to  rise  from  the  dead  on  the  third  day; 
 and  that  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be 
 preached  in  his  name  among  all  nations."  They 
 were  to  warn  sinners  of  their  danger,  and  to  call 
 upon  them  to  look  to  Jesus,  and  to  him  only  for 
 salvation.  For  he  who  commandeth  all  men  every 
 where  to  repent,  hath  exalted  Jesus  to  be  a  Prince 
 and  a  Saviour,  to  give  repentance  unto  his  people, 
 and  forgiveness  of  their  sins.  It  is  a  gift  of  his 
 royal  grace,  one  of  the  high  honours  of  his  exaltation 
 — that-  he  can  freely  forgive  every  iniquity,  and 
 transgression,  and  sin,  be  they  ever  so  many,  or  ever 
 so  great.  For  Jesus  can  take  away  all  iniquity,  and 
 receive  the  sinner  graciously.  We,  says  Feter,  are 
 witnesses  of  these  things ;  and  so  also  is  the  Holy 
 Ghost,  whom  God  hath  given  to  them  that  obey 
 him — that  come  at  his  call  in  the  gospel,  and  obey 
 it :  the  Holy  Ghost  turning  them  from  self  to  Christ, 
 from  sin  to  righteousness,  from  a  life  of  sense  to  a 
 life  of  faith,  thereby  witnesses  their  true  conversion, 
 which  is  a  continual  work  of  his  grace  in  that  repen- 
 tance which  is  not  to  be  repented  of;  and  when  he 
 enables  them  to  glorify  God  for  this  mercy,  he  gives 
 great  joy  and  peace  in  believing  the  forgiveness  of 
 their  sins — according  to  the  commission  which  our 
 Lord  gave  to  St.  Paul  at  his  conversion,  "  I  send 
 thee  to  the  Gentiles,  to  open  their^eyes,  and  to  turn 
 them  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of 
 
563 
 
 Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may  receive  forgiveness 
 of  sins,  and  an  inheritance  among  them  that   are 
 sanctified  by  faith  that  is  in  me."      When  this  com- 
 mission is  opened  to  a  sinner  in  his  name,  and  cre- 
 dited by  the  power  of  his  Spirit,  then  the  conscience 
 is  purged  from   guilt,  by  that  one  offering  which 
 perfecteth  for  ever.      The  believer  in  it  has  a  clean 
 heart  given  him.      It  is  sanctified,  and  made  a  tem- 
 ple for  the  worship  of  the  true  God.      To  this  the 
 word  vvitnesses — and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  also  a  wit- 
 ness to  him,   that  he  may  now  enter  with  boldness 
 into  the  holiest  of  all  by  the  blood  of  Jesus — every 
 possible   hinderance   being  removed,   he  may  have 
 access  with  confidence  to  the  throne  of  grace — to  a 
 Father  of  mercies,  loving  him,  and  blessing  him  with 
 all  spiritual  blessings  in  Christ  Jesus.      When  he 
 lives  up  to  these  privileges,  then  he  feels  as  he  ought 
 to  do.     His  faith  relying  steadfastly  upon  the  divine 
 promises,  and  giving  full  credit  to  a  faithful  God, 
 he  has  a  good  conscience  purged  from  dead  works 
 to  serve  the  living  God ;  and  his  heart  consecrated 
 for  this  service,  he  may  sing  of  pardon  and  peace  in 
 as  high  a  note  of  praise,  and  with  as  much  spiritual 
 joy,  as  ever  any  believer  experienced.      They  had 
 much  in   the  Old  Testament,  when  they  sung  the 
 triumphs  of  the  Lamb  of  God  in  the  twentieth  Psalm. 
 The  argument  of  which  is  thus  given  us  in  Bishop 
 Home's  Comment:  "   1 — 4.  The  church  prayeth 
 for  the  prosperity  of  King  Messiah  going  forth  to 
 the  battle,  as  her  champion  and  deliverer :  for  his 
 acceptance  by  the  Father,  and  for  the  accomplishment 
 of  his  will.      5 — 7.  She  declareth  her  full  assur- 
 ance of  faith,  and  her  resolution  to  trust  in  him  alone. 
 
564 
 
 and  not  in  the  arm  of  flesh.      8.   She  foreseeth  the 
 fall  of  her  enemies,  and  her  own  exaltation  :  and,  9. 
 concludeth  with  a  prayer  to  the  God  of  her  strength." 
 As  long  as  the  temple  stood,  and  the  service  of  God 
 was  regularly  carried  on  in  it,  the  true  worshippers 
 had   every  day   a  solemn   commemoration   of  that 
 sacrifice  which  was  to  put  away  their  sins.      They 
 were  taught  to  look  to  that  precious  blood  of  Christ, 
 as  of  a  lamb  without  blemish  and  without  spot,  who 
 verily  was  foreordained  before  the  foundation  of  the 
 world,  whom  God  had  set  forth  in  every  sacrifice  to 
 be  the  great  propitiation  and  atonement;  through 
 which  alone  they  were  to  expect  pardon  and  peace. 
 While  the  lamb  was  burning   on  the  altar,  every 
 morning  and   evening,   they  celebrated   his  praises 
 with  the  choicest  instruments  of  music,  and  with  the 
 sweetest  voices,  making  also  melody  in  their  hearts 
 at  the  same  time  unto  the  Lord.      Among  other 
 hymns  given  by  inspiration  of  God  for  this  joyful 
 occasion,  they  used  to  sing  the  twentieth  Psalm,  in 
 which  they  triumphed  in  the  God  of  their  salvation, 
 and  declared  their  faith  and  hope  in  him,  in  full  con- 
 cert, after  this  manner — 
 
 "  Jehovah  will  hear  thee  in  the  day  of  trouble, 
 the  name  of  the  God  of  Jacob  will  defend  thee:  he 
 will  send  thee  help  from  his  sanctuary,  and  he  will 
 strengthen  thee  out  of  Sion :  he  will  grant  thee  ac- 
 cording to  thy  heart,  and  he  will  fulfil  all  thy  pur- 
 poses :  then  we  shall  shout  for  joy  in  thy  salvation, 
 and  in  the  name  of  our  God  we  shall  set  up  our 
 banners,  when  Jehovah  shall  fulfil  all  thy  requests. 
 Now  I  have  known  that  Jehovah  will  help  the  Mes- 
 siah, his  Christ,  and  will  answer  him  from  his  sane- 
 
565 
 
 tuary  with  the  mighty  power  of  the  right  hand  of 
 Jesus.  Some  put  their  trust  in  chariots,  and  others 
 in  horses,  but  we  will  cause  the  name  of  Jehovah, 
 our  Alehim,  (the  Trinity  in  covenant,)  to  be  remem- 
 bered: they  are  brought  down  and  fallen,  but  we 
 are  risen,  and  made  still  to  stand  safe :  for  the  King 
 (Jesus)  will  put  forth  his  power  to  save  us ;  he  will 
 answer  us  in  the  day  when  we  pray  unto  him." 
 
 These  are  the  words  of  the  hymn  :  in  which  they 
 express  their  faith  in  the  future  triumphs  of  the  Lamb 
 of  God,  and  their  hope  in  that  one  offering  of  his, 
 which  was  to  perfect  them  for  ever.  The  divine 
 appointment,  the  divine  acceptance,  the  divine  ap- 
 plication of  his  sacrifice,  is  the  most  noble  subject 
 that  could  be  sung  upon  earth  :  indeed  it  is  the  sub- 
 ject of  heaven,  and  will  be  the  harmony  and  concert 
 of  eternity.  May  the  Holy  Ghost  put  our  hearts 
 in  tune  to  join  in  it,  and  to  adore  and  to  bless  the 
 Lamb  that  was  slain,  setting  up  our  banners  as 
 they  did,  Romans  viii.  31 — 34.  conquerors  over  sin 
 and  Satan,  and  all  their  enemies.  We  have  the 
 same  Jesus  to  rejoice  in,  and  as  good  reason  as  ever 
 believers  had,  to  rejoice  in  him  with  a  fulness  of  joy. 
 When  the  heart  feels  as  happy  as  it  can  be  here  in 
 God  the  Saviour,  these  are  some  of  the  delightful 
 exercises  of  faith  in  his  blood- — 
 
 Oh,  what  am  I,  that  such  a  sinner  as  I  am  should 
 be  thus  highly  favoured  1  A  child  of  wrath  by  na- 
 ture, even  as  others,  and  by  practice — having  sinned 
 long  with  greediness — against  light  and  conviction 
 — sinning  and  sorrowing — sorrowing  and  sinning, 
 from  year  to  year — a  slave  to  the  lust  of  the  flesh, 
 to  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  to  the  pride  of  life,  every 
 
566 
 
 moment  fit  and  ripe  for  hell.      O  what  a  monument 
 of  infinite  patience  and  long-sufFering — spared  from 
 day  to  day,  and  at  last  called  to  the  saving  know- 
 ledge of  Jesus  1      O  what  exceeding  riches  of  grace 
 are  these — that  the  Father  would  choose  me  in  the 
 Beloved,  and  give   him   to  save   me  from  sin  and 
 misery  !  that  he  would  send  his  Spirit  to  quicken 
 me,  and  to  enable  me  to  believe,   that   there  was 
 mercy  in  Jesus  for  me,  even  for  me,  and  plenteous 
 redemption!      What  sinner  can  be  more  indebted 
 than   I  am,  for  such  miracles  of  grace  ?      Glory  be 
 to  God  in  the  highest !     My  Lord  Jesus,  the  great 
 God  and  ray  Saviour,  gave  himself  for  me,  that  he 
 might  redeem  me  from  all  iniquity,  and  might  cleanse 
 me  from  all  sin :  trusting  to  his  atonement,  and  to 
 his  righteousness,  I  am  led  to  admire  the  Father's 
 full  absolution :   "  Thy  sins  and  thine  iniquities  I 
 will  remember  no  more."      Thanks  be  to  him  for 
 this  unspeakable  gift.      He  has  pronounced   them 
 blessed,  and  he  has  caused  me  to  feel  some  of  their 
 blessedness,  whose  iniquities  he  has  forgiven,  and 
 whose   sin    he   has  covered :    and   therefore  I   look 
 forward  with  thankfulness  to  the  great  day  of  re- 
 demption, when  Jesus  will   present   me  to  himself 
 holy  and  without  blemish,  as  if  I  had  never  sinned. 
 In    this  hope  of  salvation   I   triumph  before   God. 
 Now  I  see  the  felicity  of  thy  chosen — I  rejoice  in 
 the  gladness  of  thy  people — and  I  glory  with  thine 
 inheritance.     Unto  him  who  chose  me  in  his  Son — 
 unto  him  who  loved  me,  and  washed  me  from  my 
 sins  in  his  own  blood — unto  him  who  gave  me  this 
 faith,  and  keeps  me  in  it;  for  this  fellowship  with 
 the  Eternal  Three, — be  eternal  praise.      Amen. 
 
567 
 
 CHAPTER  VI. 
 
 The  Believers  Victory  over  the  dominion  of  Sin. 
 
 We  have  heard  from  Scripture  some  of  the  vic- 
 tories of  faith  over  sin  in  its  pollution  and  in  its  guilt; 
 but  there  is  still  a  hard  warfare  to  be  maintained 
 against  its  dominion ;  for  it  reigneth  absolutely  in 
 the  children  of  disobedience,  and  it  never  ceaseth  to 
 strive  for  mastery  in  the  children  of  God;  who  have 
 an  evil  nature  still — an  old  man,  who  is  corrupt,  ac- 
 cording to  the  deceitful  lusts,  and  who  is  to  be  put 
 off  every  day — denied  in  his  desires,  mortified  in 
 his  affections,  and  crucified  in  his  appetites.  Thus 
 the  commandment  runs — "  Mortify  therefore  your 
 members  which  are  upon  the  earth."  And  the  new 
 man,  who  is  called  to  this  warfare,  is  ordered  to  make 
 use  of  Christ's  fulness  for  promised  courage,  and 
 strength,  and  victory :  for  without  Christ  he  can  do 
 nothing.  Sin  is  himself — he  is  a  body  of  sin  ;  and 
 he  has  not  only  to  fight  against  himself,  but  also 
 against  principalities  and  powers,  hosts  of  foes,  united 
 under  the  banner  of  the  god  of  this  world,  trying  all 
 their  cunning,  and  all  their  force,  to  bring  the  be- 
 liever back  into  the  bondage  of  corruption  :  and  what 
 he  has  of  his  own  is  on  their  side.  His  worst  foe  is 
 his  indwelling  sin,  which  has  a  complete  body,  with 
 all  its  members  and  lusts,  always  enticing  to  some- 
 thing unlawful,  and  tempting  to  the  commission  of 
 it.  Every  faculty  is  ready  to  become  an  instrument 
 of  unrighteousness  unto  sin.      It  is  an  absolute  ty- 
 
568 
 
 rant,  who  rules  his  slaves  with  the  most  cruel  rigour, 
 keeping  them  captive  to  his  will,  although  nothing 
 but  destruction  and  misery  be  in  their  ways. 
 
 Thus  original  sin  is  described  in  the  ninth  Article 
 of  our  church — It  is  the  fault  and  corruption  of 
 every  man  born  of  Adam;  and,  notwithstanding  it 
 still  remaineth  in  the  regenerate,  yet  there  is  a  pro- 
 mise of  daily  and  of  complete  victory  over  the  tyrant. 
 Thus  it  is  written :  "  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion 
 over  you;  because  ye  are  not  under  the  law,  but  un- 
 der grace."  Once  sin  had  full  dominion,  but  it  is 
 taken  away  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  not  entirely  de- 
 stroyed as  to  its  being,  but  as  to  its  ruling  power — • 
 Dethroned  in  the  judgment :  there  seen  as  it  is,  ex- 
 ceedingly sinful,  exceeding  dangerous — Dethroned 
 in  the  conscience:  the  believer  no  longer  under  the 
 law,  but  under  grace,  is  freed  from  condemnation- 
 Dethroned  in  the  will:  "  Not  my  will.  Lord,  but 
 thine  be  done" — Dethroned  in  the  heart:  "  I  hate 
 all  evil  thoughts,  but  thy  law  do  I  love  :  O  what  love 
 have  I  unto  thy  law  !" — Dethroned  in  the  life:  cru- 
 cified with  its  affections  and  lusts,  by  the  power  of 
 the  cross  of  Jesus.  It  is  not  quite  dead,  but  it  is  put 
 to  a  lingering  death,  kept  upon  the  cross,  dying  daily. 
 And  thus  the  sin,  which  is  pardoned  through  the 
 blood  of  Christ,  is  conquered  by  the  arm  of  Christ ; 
 as  it  is  written,  "  He  will  subdue  our  iniquities :" 
 and  faith  in  his  promised  help  keeps  them  under, 
 subdues  them  effectually,  so  that  they  do  not  reign 
 in  the  mortal  body  to  obey  them  in  the  lusts  thereof. 
 Take  an  instance  of  this  triumphant  faith.  What- 
 ever the  natural  man  can  set  his  heart  upon,  or  seek 
 his  happiness  in — the  lust  of  the  eyes,  or  the  pride 
 
569 
 
 of  life — Moses  was  enabled  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
 to  overcome  :  "  By  faith  Moses,  when  he  was  come 
 to  years,  refused  to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's 
 daughter;  choosing  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the 
 people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for 
 a  season ;  esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater 
 riches  than  the  treasures  of  Egypt :  for  he  had  re- 
 spect unto  the  recompense  of  the  reward."      What 
 but  almighty  grace   could  have  given  him  such  a 
 complete  victory?     He  gained  entire  dominion  over 
 sin,  even  when  it  came  to  tempt  him  with  all  the 
 pleasures,  and  riches,  and  honours  of  the  world.     He 
 was  made  strong  in  faith ;   Christ  ruling  in  his  heart 
 brought  every  high  thought  into  subjection  to  him- 
 self: so  that  Moses  not  only  resigned  all  his  tempo- 
 ral advantages  for  Christ's  sake,  but,  what  natural 
 men  account  a  great  paradox,  he  chose  reproach, 
 poverty,  misery,  rather  than  give  up  his  interest  in 
 Christ.      This  is  the  victory  which  still  overcometh 
 the  world,  even  our  faith :  for  the  New  Testament 
 furnishes  us  with  such  another  instance  of  Christian 
 heroism  in  the  apostle  of  the  Gentiles.      He  is  giv- 
 ing an  account  of  his  own  experience,  and  by  what 
 means  he  was  now  no  longer  under  the  law,  but  un- 
 der grace — -a  sinner  saved  from  the  sentence  of  the 
 broken  law,  and  from  all  hope  of  being  made  right- 
 eous by  his  own  personal  keeping  of  it — "  I  through 
 the  law,"  says  he,  "  am  dead  to  the  law,  that  I  might 
 live  unto  God,"  &c.     Once  he  was  alive  without  the 
 law,  when  he  thought  proudly  of  his  own  good  life, 
 that  concerning  the  law  he  was  blameless ;  but  when 
 the  commandment  came  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit, 
 then  it  slew  him,  and  killed  all  his  former  legal  hopes. 
 
570 
 
 What  he  had  trusted  in  before  for  life,  he  now  found 
 to  be  unto  death.  And  Christ,  faith  in  Christ,  was 
 the  only  means  by  which  he  saw  he  could  live  unto 
 God,  by  his  grace  and  to  his  glory.  By  this  faith 
 he  then  experienced  the  power  of  the  crucified  and 
 risen  Jesus ;  I  am  in  Christ,  says  he,  crucified  with 
 him,  truly  and  spiritually  dead  to  sin,  to  self,  to  the 
 world,  by  the  virtue  of  his  cross.  Nevertheless,  by 
 the  same  faith  in  the  same  Jesus,  I  live  :  the  Spirit 
 of  life  in  him  has  quickened  my  spirit:  he  has  given 
 me  a  new  birth  into  the  spiritual  world,  and  has 
 brought  me  to  live  upon  the  fulness  of  Jesus,  as 
 really  now  by  faith,  as  I  hope  to  live  upon  him  by 
 sense  in  heaven :  "  Yet  not  I ;"  I  neither  had  it  of 
 myself,  nor  do  I  continue  it  by  any  act  of  my  own, 
 "  but  Christ  liveth  in  me ;"  and  although  I  seem  to 
 live  outwardly  like  other  men,  yet  *'  the  life  which 
 I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the 
 Son  of  God,"  depending  upon  him  every  moment 
 for  fresh  supplies  of  his  Spirit,  to  keep  me  in  union 
 and  communion  with  the  Father  and  the  Son ;  and 
 thereby  he  gives  me  to  feel  in  my  heart  some  of  the 
 blessings  of  that  love  of  God  in  Christ,  which  sur- 
 passeth  knowledge.  It  is  this  that  purifies  my  soul, 
 and  sanctifies  my  life ;  blessed,  for  ever  blessed  be 
 his  name,  who  thus  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for 
 me. 
 
 Such  were  the  heroes  of  Christianity.  They 
 fought  the  Lord's  battles,  and  in  the  power  of  his 
 might  they  subdued  sin  :  they  obtained  dominion 
 over  it  through  faith  in  Jesus.  And  the  same  faith 
 in  the  same  Jesus  is  still  mighty,  through  him,  to 
 obtain  as  great  victories.     The  truth  of  his  promise, 
 
571 
 
 the  faithfulness  of  the  Promiser,  the  strength  of  his 
 arm  to  fulfil  his  promise :  these  did  not  fail  Moses 
 nor  Paul — never  did,  never  can  fail  any  believer. 
 Thus  speaketh  the  Lord  unto  them — "  Sin  shall 
 not  have  dominion  over  you;"  having  pardoned  it 
 by  my  blood.  I  will  subdue  it  by  my  Spirit :  trust 
 me,  you  shall  find  strong  faith  an  overmatch  for 
 strong  sin;  because  it  fights  in  the  strength  of  Jesus, 
 to  whom  all  things  are  possible,  and  who  must  reign 
 till  he  hath  put  all  his  enemies  under  his  feet,  and 
 sin  and  death  shall  be  no  more.  Say  it  is  a  beset- 
 ting sin :  this  only  gives  more  employment  for  faith, 
 and  for  the  power  of  Jesus.  It  may  be  a  sin  of 
 constitution,  breaking  out  into  wrath  and  passion, 
 that  the  man  has  no  government  of  himself :  but  the 
 Spirit  of  Christ  can  make  him  a  new  creature,  and 
 can  enable  him  to  put  off  the  old  man  with  his  deeds, 
 and  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is  created 
 in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.  It  may  be  a 
 long  habit  of  sin ;  but  is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the 
 Lord  ?  Has  he  not  promised — "  A  new  heart  will 
 I  give  you,  and  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you, 
 and  I  will  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye 
 shall  keep  my  commandments  and  practise  them?" 
 Wherever  grace  reigns,  this  scripture  is  fulfilled. 
 The  armies  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  fight  under  his 
 banner,  and  no  weapon  formed  against  them  can 
 prosper — kept  by  his  mighty  power  they  are  daily 
 more  than  conquerors,  marching  on  triumphant  over 
 all  opposition  :  for  he  enables  them  to  hold  fast  the 
 confidence  and  the  rejoicing  of  hope  firm  unto  the 
 end.  Thus  they  were  commanded  to  pray — "  Or- 
 der my  steps,  O  Lord,  according  to  thy  word,  and 
 
572 
 
 let  not  any  iniquity  have  dominion  over  me."  They 
 looked  to  his  word  and  to  his  arm  for  the  right  or- 
 dering of  their  steps,  believing  that  he  would  keep 
 the  feet  of  his  saints,  and  sin  should  not  have  domi- 
 nion over  them,  now  they  were  no  longer  under  the 
 law,  but  under  the  kingdom  of  his  grace.  The  vic- 
 tory which  he  had  promised,  they  expected ;  and  he 
 did  put  forth  his  power,  according  to  that  good  word 
 wherein  he  had  caused  them  to  place  their  trust : 
 they  found  his  grace  sufficient  to  subdue  the  tyranny 
 of  iniquity ;  yea,  where  sin  had  abounded,  grace  did 
 much  more  abound,  in  daily  victory  over  its  wiles  and 
 assaults.  And  the  power  of  Christ  resting  upon 
 them,  they  were  kept  in  this  spirit  of  prayer — 
 
 O  thou  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
 strengthen  me  mightily  by  thy  Spirit  in  the  inner 
 man,  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  my  heart  by  faith, 
 and  I  may  have  his  strength  to  set  against  the  power 
 of  my  sins  and  mine  enemies.  For  orders,  for  cour- 
 age, for  perseverance,  for  victory,  for  eternal  triumph, 
 I  look  unto  thee  for  all.  Blessed  be  thy  name,  that 
 thou  hast  chosen  me  to  be  a  soldier,  and  to  %ht  un- 
 der the  banner  of  Jesus;  I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord, 
 for  he  hath  triumphed  gloriously.  He  made  all 
 mine  enemies  his  own,  and  they  are  now  under  his 
 feet ;  and  I  believe,  according  to  thy  good  word, 
 that  thou  wilt  put  them  under  mine.  Thou  hast 
 conquered  them  for  me  and  hast  engaged  to  con- 
 quer them  in  me  and  by  me.  It  is  of  thy  mere 
 grace,  almighty  Jesus,  that  I  am  enabled  to  deny 
 myself,  to  take  up  my  cross,  and  to  follow  thee  in 
 this  holy  war.  All  my  sufficiency  is  from  the  fresh 
 supplies  of  thy  Spirit.     O  grant  me  them  abundantly 
 
573 
 
 to  the  increase  of  my  faith,  and  to  the  praise  of  thy 
 promised  help.  Cause  me  to  depend  every  moment 
 upon  it — let  me  experience,  that  when  I  am  weakest 
 in  myself,  I  may  be  made  strongest  in  the  Lord  ; 
 and  when  I  have  nothing  left  me  to  glory  in  of  mine 
 own,  then  ray  soul  may  magnify  the  Lord,  and  my 
 spirit  may  rejoice  in  God  my  Saviour.  Behold,  God 
 is  my  salvation,  I  will  trust  and  not  be  afraid,  be- 
 cause the  Lord  Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  my  song : 
 he  also  is  become  my  salvation.  To  his  grace  and 
 power  be  all  the  glory  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen, 
 and  amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  VIL 
 
 The  Believers  Triumph  over  his  Troubles. 
 
 After  sin  is  pardoned,  and  the  pardoned  sinner 
 is  enabled  to  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith  against  it, 
 yet  there  is  another  enemy  assaulting  him  to  the  last 
 moment  of  his  life.  Fallen  man  is  born  to  trouble. 
 The  man  in  Christ  is  so  far  from  being  exempt,  that 
 many  are  the  troubles  of  the  righteous.  He  is,  in 
 common  with  others,  liable  to  pain  and  poverty,  and 
 to  afflictions  of  every  kind ;  he  is  by  his  very  pro- 
 fession exposed  to  some  of  the  most  trying  nature: 
 his  owning  Christ — his  following  Christ — his  con- 
 formity to  Christ — give  offence,  provoke  the  malice 
 of  wicked  men,  and  the  rage  of  wicked  spirits.  Wave 
 does  not  follow  wave  more  certainly,  than  every  day 
 brings  its  fresh  troubles,  and  forces  the  believer  to 
 
574^ 
 
 seek  for  aids  and  comforts  out  of  himself.  This  is 
 a  sore  fight  of  afflictions.  To  bear  up  under  them 
 with  any  patience,  and  to  reap  profit  from  them,  is  a 
 task  above  the  power  of  mere  man.  Every  little 
 pain  stirs  up  murmuring  and  impatience,  and  this 
 rebellion  against  God's  will  is  the  parent  of  a  thou- 
 sand fretful  tempers :  and  these,  exercised  by  sharp 
 suffering,  render  the  man  truly  miserable.  If  his 
 suffering  continues  long,  increases  much,  it  often 
 drives  the  poor  sinner  to  despair :  and  if  he  has  no 
 Saviour  to  flee  unto,  he  is  sometimes  guilty  of  self- 
 murder,  and  dies  in  an  act  of  sin,  rushing  headlong 
 into  everlasting  destruction — the  wisdom  of  man,  of 
 Cato  himself,  furnishing  no  better  remedy  against 
 the  numerous  evils  of  human  life. 
 
 To  man,  thus  exposed  to  suffering,  and  helpless 
 under  it,  his  suffering  remaining  as  long  as  sin  re- 
 mains, how  necessary  must  be  the  grace  of  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ?  He  has  vouchsafed  to  give  us  his 
 promises  of  help,  suited  to  every  possible  case  of  dis- 
 tress. When  it  is  his  will  that  any  of  his  people 
 should  be  tried,  he  engages  to  make  the  trial  of  their 
 faith  much  more  precious  than  that  of  gold  which 
 perisheth.  He  is  with  them,  present  with  his  divine 
 supports  and  holy  comforts.  "  Call  upon  me,"  says 
 he,  "  in  the  day  of  trouble ;  I  will  deliver  thee,  and 
 thou  shalt  glorify  me."  "  Many  are  the  troubles  of 
 the  righteous,  but  out  of  them  all  the  Lord  deliver- 
 eth  them."  They  acknowledge  it  with  gratitude: 
 "  God  was  our  refuge  and  strength,  we  have  found 
 him  a  very  present  help  in  trouble,"  helping  us  to 
 bear  up  under  the  heaviest  pressures,  keeping  his 
 everlasting  arms  underneath  us  as  long  as  we  suffer, 
 
575 
 
 and,  if  the  sufFerings  increase,  increasing  our  faith  and 
 patience,  until  they  have  done  their  perfect  work. 
 
 When,  through  the  aids  of  his  Spirit,  these  pro- 
 mises have  their  full  credit,  through  his  inward  peace, 
 which  he  alone  can  give,  and  which  the  world  cannot 
 take  away — when  he  makes  the  heart  to  feel  happy 
 in  God,  enjoying  the  peculiar  supports  of  the  gospel, 
 and  living  up  to  its  privileges,  then  the  believer  finds 
 the  apostle's  experience  to  be  true  :  "  Always  sorrow- 
 ful, yet  always  rejoicing;"  and  sometimes  with  a  ful- 
 ness of  joy,  according  to  what  is  written,  "  But  now, 
 thus  saith  the  Lord,  that  created  thee,  O  Jacob,  and 
 he  that  formed  thee,  O  Israel,   Fear  not,  for  I  have 
 redeemed  thee,  I  have  called  thee  by  thy  name,  thou 
 art  mine.      When  thou  passest  through  the  waters, 
 I  will  be  with  thee,  and  through  the  rivers,  they  shall 
 not  overflow  thee :  when  thou  walkest  through  the 
 fire,  thou  shalt  not  be  burned,  neither  shall  the  flames 
 kindle  upon  thee :  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  the 
 Holy  One  of  Israel,  thy  Saviour:    Fear  not,  for  I 
 am  with  thee,"  to  support,  to  deliver.    This  is  spoken 
 to  the  redeemed,  who  are  God's  property,  and  whom 
 he  bought  with  a  great  price.      What  could  the  Lord 
 God  engage  to  do  for  them  more  than  is  here  pro- 
 mised, in  order  to  still  all  their  guilty  fears,  and  to 
 quiet  all  their  natural  fears?      Trusting  to  the  re- 
 demption that  is  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  they  are 
 under   his  keeping,   they  go  out  in  his  strength  to 
 meet  their  trials  and  their  enemies.      Jesus  is  with 
 them,  on  their  side ;  and  therefore,  believing  in  him, 
 they  need  not  fear  any  suffering.      Jehovah  is  their 
 Alehim,  their  covenant-God  in  Trinity,  their  sworn 
 ally,  engaged  by  his  almighty  arm  to  save  them  from 
 
576 
 
 all  evil,  and  to  give  them  all  possible  good.  "  I  the 
 Lord,"  says  he,  "  do  keep  thee — I  will  water  thee 
 with  the  dew  of  heaven  every  moment — lest  any  hurt 
 thee,  I  will  keep  thee  night  and  day."  Having  such 
 great  and  exceeding  precious  promises,  with  what 
 holy  courage  should  the  believer  look  up  to  a  faith- 
 ful God,  and  what  strong  consolation  should  they 
 afFord  him,  when  he  is  to  go  through  the  fire,  or 
 through  the  water  !  He  may  sing  with  Jonah,  "  I 
 will  sacrifice  unto  thee  with  the  voice  of  thanksgiv- 
 ing— salvation  is  of  the  Lord."  Or  with  the  trium- 
 phant faith  of  the  three  children  who  were  not  afraid 
 to  go  into  the  furnace,  heated  seven  times  hotter 
 than  usual,  fully  persuaded,  that,  whether  they  lived 
 or  died,  Jesus  would  be  with  them.  Threatened  with 
 the  burning  fiery  furnace,  if  they  refused  to  worship 
 Nebuchadnezzar's  image,  "  They  said,  O  king,  we 
 are  not  careful  to  answer  thee  in  this  matter :  if  it 
 be  so,  our  God  whom  we  serve  is  able  to  deliver  us 
 from  the  burning  fiery  furnace,  and  he  will  deliver 
 us  out  of  thy  hand,  O  king."  And  he  did ;  he  went 
 with  them  into  the  fire,  and  they  walked  in  the  midst 
 of  the  flames  unhurt.  The  same  Jesus  is  daily  re- 
 peating the  same  miracle.  He  has  approved  himself  in 
 all  ages  to  be  the  friend  of  his  afilicted  people ;  what- 
 ever he  sends  to  them,  he  sends  it  with  his  blessing. 
 So  they  testify :  "  We  know  that  all  things  work 
 together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God."  They 
 knew  it  by  his  promise,  and  they  felt  it  by  experi- 
 ence :  It  is  good  for  us  that  we  have  been  in  trouble :  • 
 we  have  gone  through  many  seas  and  storms  of  af- 
 fliction, and  through  the  raging  fire  of  persecution, 
 not  only  unhurt,  but  benefited ;  for  Christ  was  with 
 
577 
 
 US.      As  the  suffering  of  Christ  abounded,  so  our 
 consolation  abounded  by  Christ :  he  feels  for  them, 
 as  his  members,  and  has  bowels  of  the  tenderest  com- 
 passion.     In  all  their  affliction  he  is  afflicted.      He 
 brings  in  his  supports,  and  comes  with  his  deliverance, 
 in  the  best  time.      He  leaves  no  accusation  of  sin  in 
 the  conscience,  but  gives  and  maintains  a  sweet  peace 
 with  God.      O  what  matter  of  triumph  is  it,  when 
 this  peace  rules  in  the  heart,  always  and  by  all  means 
 testifying — "  Since  God  is  for  us,  who  can  be  against 
 us  ?      He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  but  delivered 
 him  up  for  us  all,  how  shall  he  not  with  him  also 
 freely  give  us  all  things?      Who  shall  lay  any  thing 
 to  the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?      It  is  God  that  justi- 
 fieth,  who  is  he  that  condemneth  ?      It  is  Christ  that 
 died,   yea  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at 
 the  right  hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession 
 for  us."      Thanks  without  ceasing  be  to  Jesus,  the 
 Lamb  that  was  slain,  for  this  complete  and  eternal 
 victory  over  sin.      The  apostle  carries  on  his  praises, 
 Romans  viii.  that  through  Jesus  all  outward  opposi- 
 tion  shall  fall  before  us:   "  Who  shall  separate  us 
 from  Christ's  love  to  us :  shall  tribulation,  or  distress, 
 or   persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,    or   peril, 
 or  sword  ?      As  it  is  written.   For  thy  sake  we  are 
 killed  all  the  day  long;  we  are  accounted  as  sheep 
 for  the   slaughter :  nay,   in   all  these  things  we  are 
 more  than  conquerors  through  him  that  hath  loved 
 us."      His  love  is  in  them  all — appoints  them,  sends 
 them,  proportions  them,  and  they  conquer  them  all 
 in  his  strength.    Not  only  conquer,  but  are  more  than 
 conquerors, — they  are  great  gainers  :  they  gain  what 
 is  better  than  all  the  world,  fresh  proofs  of  his  love : 
 2B  4 
 
578 
 
 they  gain  experience  of  it ;  for  they  find  that  nothing 
 can  hurt  them,  now  he  has  taken  them  under  his  pro- 
 tection. For  this  his  divine  support  we  are  taught 
 to  pray  daily,  asking  it  as  a  matter  of  mere  favour, 
 and  expecting  it  only  through  the  grace  and  inter- 
 cession of  our  great  High  Priest. 
 
 We  humbly  beseech  thee,  O  Father,  mercifully 
 to  look  upon  our  infirmities,  and  for  the  glory  of  thy 
 name,  turn  from  us  all  those  evils  which  we  most 
 righteously  have  deserved;  and  grant,  that  in  all  our 
 troubles  we  may  put  our  whole  trust  and  confidence 
 in  thy  mercy,  and  evermore  serve  thee  in  holiness, 
 and  pureness  of  living,  to  thy  honour  and  glory, 
 through  our  only  Mediator  and  Advocate,  Jesus 
 Christ  our  Lord.      Amen. 
 
 When  this  is  the  prayer  of  Faith,  outward  trials 
 become  inward  mercies;  for  the  Holy  Spirit  keeps 
 the  heart  settled,  with  its  whole  trust  and  confidence, 
 upon  his  promised  help  :  so  that  if  the  trials  increase, 
 he  makes  them  redound  to  the  glory  of  God.  If 
 the  outward  man  be  the  greater  sufferer,  even  ready 
 to  perish,  he  renews  the  inward  man  day  by  day :  he 
 brings  in  abundant  grace  to  sanctify  abundant  suffer- 
 ings ;  whereby  he  satisfies  the  hearts  of  the  sufferers, 
 that  these  light  afflictions  which  are  but  for  a  moment, 
 will  work  for  them  a  far  more  excellent  and  eternal 
 weight  of  glory.  The  hope  of  this  keeps  them  pa- 
 tient and  thankful.  By  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 they  know  this  eternal  triumph  will  be  soon.  Yet 
 a  very,  very  little  while,  they  will  be  favoured  with 
 the  sight  ot  the  King  in  his  beauty.  They  shall  sit 
 down  with  him  in  his  throne,  and  shall  reign  with 
 him  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
579 
 
 For  the  farther  confirmation  of  our  faith,  he  has 
 set  before  us  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  who  testify  with 
 one  voice,  that  he  sanctified  all  their  troubles,  and 
 turned  them  into  covenant  blessings.  So  one  of 
 them  said — "  I  will  bless  the  Lord  at  all  times;  his 
 praise  shall  continually  be  in  my  mouth  ;  my  soul 
 shall  make  her  boast  in  the  Lord :  the  humble  shall 
 hear  thereof  and  be  glad.  O  magnify  the  Lord  with 
 me,  and  let  us  exalt  his  name  together :  I  sought  the 
 Lord,  and  he  heard,  and  delivered  me  from  all  my 
 fears.  The  righteous  cry,  and  the  Lord  heareth, 
 and  delivereth  them  out  of  all  their  troubles."  Their 
 very  troubles  become  matter  of  triumph.  He  shut 
 them  up  in  the  ark,  and  they  were  saved,  when  he 
 drowned  the  world  of  the  ungodly.  Peter,  speaking 
 from  experience,  says,  *'  The  Lord  knoweth  how  to 
 deliver  the  godly  out  of  their  trouble,  as  he  did  right- 
 eous Lot,  when  he  overthrew  Sodom  and  Gomor- 
 rah." The  more  the  Egyptians  oppressed  his  people 
 the  more  they  multiplied  and  grew.  Behold,  the 
 bush  burned  with  fire,  and  the  bush  was  not  con- 
 sumed !  The  fire  of  persecution  raged  against  the 
 church,  but  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  was  fruitful,  and 
 increased  it  both  in  number  and  in  grace.  The  seed 
 of  the  wicked  have  been  at  enmity  with  the  children  of 
 the  promise  from  the  beginning;  but  these  trusted  in 
 the  Captain  of  their  salvation,  and  he  led  them  on 
 conquering  and  to  conquer :  "  Through  faith  they 
 subdued  kingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  obtained 
 promises,  stopped  the  mouths  of  lions,  quenched  the 
 violence  of  fire,  escaped  the  edge  of  the  sword,  out 
 of  weakness  were  made  strong,  waxed  valiant  in  fight, 
 turned  to  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens.  Women  re- 
 2b2 
 
580 
 
 ceived  their  dead  to  life  again  :  and  others  were  tor- 
 tured, not  accepting  deliverance ;  that  they  might  obtain 
 a  better  resurrection." — These  and  the  other  worthies 
 mentioned,  Hebrews  chap,  xi,  did  wonders  through 
 Christ,  who  strengthened  them, — they  loved  not  their 
 lives  unto  death,  fully  persuaded,  that  when  he  should 
 call  them  to  it,  he  would  be  with  them,  and  would 
 enable  them  to  finish  their  course  with  joy.  And  he 
 did :  for  they  all  obtained  a  good  report  through 
 faith,  leaving  us  an  example  to  follow  the  steps  of 
 their  faith,  and  encouraging  us  to  do  it  with  holy 
 boldness,  whatever  troubles  we  meet  with  in  our  way. 
 We  may,  we  ought  to  rejoice  in  tribulation  :  for  we 
 have  the  same  Jesus  to  look  unto,  the  author  and  the 
 finisher  of  their  faith  and  ours — the  same  promises 
 of  his  support;  the  same  almighty  arm  to  make 
 them  good — and  the  same  matter  of  triumph  which 
 they  experienced  whom  he  led  on  from  strength  to 
 strength,  until  every  one  of  them  in  Sion  appeared 
 before  God.  This  is  the  certain  heritage  of  the  ser- 
 vants of  the  Lord,  and  their  righteousness  and  salva- 
 tion is  of  me,  saith  the  Lord. 
 
 Of  the  same  sentiments  were  our  reformers,  which 
 they  give  us  in  these  remarkable  words  in  one  of 
 their  prayers  :  "  O  God,  who  art  the  author  of  peace, 
 and  lover  of  concord,  in  knowledge  of  whom  standeth 
 our  eternal  life,  whose  service  is  perfect  freedom- 
 defend  us,  thy  humble  servants,  in  all  assaults  of  our 
 enemies,  that  we,  surely  trusting  in  thy  defence,  may 
 not  fear  the  power  of  any  adversaries,  through  the 
 might  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.      Amen." 
 
 And  to  the  same  purpose,  in  one  of  their  homilies, 
 they  thus  express  themselves :  "  All  correction,  which 
 
581 
 
 God  sendeth  us  in  this  present  time,  seemeth  to  have 
 no  joy  and  comfort,  but  sorrow  and  pain  ;  yet  it  bring- 
 eth  with  it  a  taste  of  God's  mercy  and  goodness  to- 
 wards them  that  be  so  corrected,  and  a  sure  hope  of 
 God's  everlasting  consolation  in  heaven.  If  then 
 these  sorrows,  diseases,  and  sicknesses,  and  also  death 
 itself,  be  nothing  else  but  our  heavenly  Father's  rod — 
 whereby  he  certifieth  us  of  his  love  and  gracious 
 favour,  whereby  he  trieth  and  purifieth  us,  whereby 
 he  giveth  unto  us  holiness,  and  certifieth  us  that  we 
 be  his  children,  and  he  our  merciful  Father — shall 
 we  not  then  with  all  humility,  as  obedient  and  loving 
 children,  joyfully  kiss  our  heavenly  Father's  rod,  and 
 ever  say  in  our  heart,  with  our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ, 
 Father,  if  this  anguish  and  sorrow  which  I  feel,  and 
 death  which  I  see  approach,  may  not  pass,  but  that 
 thy  will  is  that  I  must  suffer  them,  thy  will  be  done." 
 O  thou  hope  of  Israel,  the  Saviour  thereof  in  th« 
 time  of  trouble,  I  acknowledge  my  reluctance  to  take 
 up  thy  cross,  and  my  weakness  in  bearing  it,  hold 
 thou  me  up  by  fresh  supplies  of  thy  Spirit,  that  I 
 may  be  safe.  Let  thy  strength  be  perfected  in  ray 
 weakness.  Thy  promises  of  help  are  exceeding  great : 
 through  thee  I  do  believe  the  truth  of  them,  and  I 
 pray  for  grace  to  make  a  right  use  of  them.  Enable 
 me  in  patience  to  possess  my  soul,  that  when  it  is 
 thy  will  to  try  my  faith,  I  may  live  up  to  my  privi- 
 leges, and  may  find  it  better  to  suffer  with  Christ 
 than  to  reign  with  the  world.  O  Lord,  thou  hast 
 showed  this  favour  to  Moses,  and  thou  hast  done 
 more  than  this  : — thou  hast  made  thy  witnesses 
 glorify  thee  in  the  fires;  they  have  marched  on  fight- 
 ing thy  battles  against  hosts  of  foes  :   and  they  did 
 
582 
 
 not  account  their  lives  dear  to  themselves,  so  they 
 might  finish  their  course  with  joy,  and  die  in  faith, 
 blessing  and  praising  thy  holy  name.      O  thou  faith- 
 ful  God,   thou  art  the  same  to  us  now  as  thou  wast 
 to  them.      Lead  me  on  then  in  thy  strength,  trusting 
 in  thy  word,  and  leaning  on  thine  arm.      Thou  hast 
 promised  thy  flock,  and  I  hope  I  am  one  of  them— 
 "  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,   and 
 they  follow  me  :  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life ; 
 and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck 
 them  out  of  my  hand."      O  thou  good   Shepherd, 
 let   me   trust  in   thy  love,   and   feel  thy  supports, 
 that  whatever  lies  before  me,  to  be  done  or  suffered, 
 I  may  be  enabled  to  do  it,  and  to  suffer  it,   by  the 
 continual  supplies  of  thy  Spirit.      And  by  his  influ- 
 ence help  me  to  persevere,  till  I  win  the  prize  of  my 
 high  calling,  and  be  admitted  to  join  that  "great  com- 
 pany,  whom  no  one  can  number,   who  stand  before 
 the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb;  clothed  with  white 
 robes,  and  palms  in  their  hands. — These  are  they  who 
 came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their 
 robes,  and   made   them   white  in   the  blood  of  the 
 Lamb.    Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne  of  God, 
 and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his  temple:  and  he 
 that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall  dwell  amoncr  them. 
 They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more; 
 neither  shall  the  sun  smite  them,  nor  any  heat.    For 
 the  Lamb,  who  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne,  shall 
 feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  living  fountains 
 of  waters  :  and   God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from 
 their  eyes." — O  my  Jesus,  I  bless  thee  for  this  most 
 glorious  prospect !   It  is  of  thy  mere  grace  that  I  am 
 in  any  measure  enabled  to  join  that  great  company : 
 
583 
 
 it  is  entirely  of  thy  special  favour  that  I  have  any 
 good  hope  to  come  to  their  glory.  For  this,  and  for 
 all  thy  mercies,  to  Thee,  with  the  Father,  and  the 
 eternal  Spirit,  the  Three  in  one  Jehovah,  I  give  hon- 
 our, and  glory,  and  thanks,  to-day,  and  I  hope  to  do 
 it  without  ceasing,  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen  and 
 amen. 
 
 CHAPTER  VIII. 
 
 The  Believer  s  Triumph  over  the  Infirmities  of  Old  Age, 
 
 It  is  appointed  unto  all  men  once  to  die.  The 
 time  is  fixed  by  an  immutable  decree.  "  The  days  of 
 our  years  are  threescore  years  and  ten ;  and  if  by  rea- 
 son of  strength  they  be  fourscore  years,  yet  is  their 
 strength  labour  and  sorrow  ;  for  it  is  soon  cut  off,  and 
 we  flee  away."  If  some  be  permitted  to  live  longer, 
 yet  the  infirmities  of  old  age  must  arrive,  bringing 
 with  them  labour  and  sorrow,  the  forerunners  of 
 death.  Circulation  will  become  languid.  The 
 senses  of  the  body  will  grow  dull  and  heavy.  The 
 faculties  of  the  mind  will  be  impaired,  and  will  dis- 
 cover it  by  not  remembering  proper  names.  In  this 
 decline  of  life,  believers  are  subject  to  the  same  infir- 
 mities with  other  men.  They  have  no  exemption 
 from  pain,  or  sickness,  or  death ;  but  they  have  that 
 which  keeps  up  their  spirits,  and  makes  them  patient 
 and  joyful.  The  consolations  of  God  are  then  most 
 needed;  and  he  has  promised  them,  and  he  is  faith- 
 ful: he  never  failed  them  who  trusted  in  him.      He 
 
584f 
 
 has  suited  bis  promises  to  all  the  infirmities  of  age. 
 He  knows  our  frame  perfectly,  and  has  described  it 
 with  an  unerring  pen,  Ecclesiastes,  chap.  xii.  that 
 when  we  feel  the  signs  of  old  age,  we  may  apply  to 
 him  for  grace  to  profit  by  them.  The  symptoms 
 there  given  are  infallibly  true  and  just ;  and  are  as  so 
 many  monitors,  warning  the  man,  that  the  vigour  of 
 life  is  declining,  and  that  the  body  is  returning  to 
 the  earth  from  whence  it  came.  Happy  is  he  who 
 takes  this  warning,  and  remembers  his  Creator  in 
 the  days  of  his  youth,  before  the  wearisome  days 
 come  of  weakness  and  pain  !  He  has  fled  to  Jesus 
 for  refuge — and  finds  and  experiences  what  he  has 
 engaged  to  do  for  his  people,  when  heart  and  flesh 
 begin  to  fail  them.  Blessed  be  his  grace  for  the 
 abundant  provision  which  he  has  made  for  their  faith 
 and  patience  ! — he  says  to  them,  "  I  will  be  with  you; 
 I  will  never  leave  you  nor  forsake  you  :"  so  that  you 
 may  boldly  say,  "  The  Lord  is  our  helper,  and  we 
 need  not  fear  what  the  infirmities  of  age  can  do  unto 
 us.'*  One  of  them,  the  Christian  hero,  thus  en- 
 couraged himself  in  the  Lord  his  God — "  Thou 
 art  my  hope,  O  Lord  God;  thou  art  my  trust  even 
 from  my  youth  :  by  thee  have  I  been  holden  up  from 
 the  womb;  thou  art  he  that  took  me  out  of  my  mo- 
 ther's bowels:  my  praise  shall  be  continually  of  thee. 
 I  am  a  wonder  unto  many,  but  thou  art  my  strong 
 refuge."  This  was  his  trust;  and  God  did  not  for- 
 sake him.  He  remembered  his  word  unto  his  ser- 
 vant, whereon  he  had  caused  him  to  depend.  There 
 failed  not  aught  of  any  good  thing  which  the  Lord 
 had  spoken  unto  him.  O  what  great  encourage- 
 ment have  believers  to  follow  the  steps  of  his  faith  ! 
 
585 
 
 for  his  God  is  their  God ;  the  same  yesterday,  to- 
 day, and  for  ever,  to  young  and  old,  who  put  their 
 trust  in  him.  His  promise  to  the  Israel  of  God 
 cannot  be  broken.  Thus  he  pledges  his  word  of 
 truth  to  them,  giving  them  a  warrant  to  pray  unto 
 him — "  My  mouth  shall  be  filled  with  thy  praise, 
 and  with  thy  honour  all  the  day  long  :  for  thou  wilt 
 not  cast  me  off  in  the  time  of  old  age,  thou  wilt  not 
 forsake  me  when  my  strength  faileth."  To  this 
 prayer  the  Lord  inclined  his  ear,  and  vouchsafed  this 
 gracious  answer — "  Hearken  unto  me,  O  house  of 
 Jacob,  and  all  the  remnant  of  the  house  of  Israel; 
 which  are  borne  by  me  from  the  belly,  which  are 
 carried  from  the  womb,  and  even  to  your  old  age,  I 
 am  he;  and  even  to  hoary  hairs  I  will  carry  you:  I 
 have  made  and  I  will  bear  you,  even  I  will  carry  and 
 I  will  deliver  you."  These  are  some  of  his  rich 
 cordials  for  the  aged.  He  provided  them  in  his 
 love,  and  he  is  sensibly  touched  with  the  feeling  of 
 their  infirmities  in  administering  them ;  for  he  himself 
 took  our  infirmities,  and  bare  our  sicknesses.  His 
 compassions  bind  him  to  comfort  and  relieve  his  old 
 disciples:  and  when  they  apply  to  him  in  time  of 
 need,  he  is  ever  present  to  grant  them  his  promised 
 help :  yea,  so  suited  to  their  case,  as  to  make  them 
 grow  in  grace  as  they  grow  in  years.  They  bring 
 forth  fruit  in  their  old  age — the  rich  fruit  of  humility, 
 and  the  ripe  fruit  of  thankfulness;  fruit  that  endur- 
 eth  unto  everlasting  life.  We  have  a  happy  instance 
 of  this  in  God's  goodness  to  an  ancient  believer, 
 who  lived  to  be  a  hundred  and  seventy-five  years  old. 
 He  was  the  friend  of  God,  who  had  blessed  Abra- 
 ham through  life,  and  that  in  all  things;  and  who 
 2b  3 
 
586 
 
 even  to  hoary  hairs  loaded  him  with  blessings.  For 
 God  had  promised  him,  "  Thou  shalt  go  to  thy  fathers 
 in  peace ;  thou  shalt  be  buried  in  a  good  old  age." 
 And  the  sacred  historian,  relating  the  fulfilHng  of  the 
 promise,  says,  "  He  gave  up  the  ghost,  and  died  in 
 a  good  old  age,  an  old  man,  and  full  of  years;  and 
 was  gathered  to  his  people."  His  old  age  was  good, 
 in  body  and  soul.  Whatever  infirmities  he  had, 
 they  were  intended  for  good,  and  actually  did  him 
 good.  He  was  a  very  clieerful,  pleasant  old  man. 
 The  peace  of  his  mind  had  a  sweet  influence  on  his 
 temper  and  behaviour.  It  kept  him  from  being  fret- 
 ful and  peevish  in  his  family.  He  was  loving  to 
 his  children,  and  kind  to  his  servants;  God  himself 
 being  witness.  He  was  also  happy  in  his  last  years; 
 for  he  spent  them  in  faith,  and  when  they  came  to 
 an  end,  he  died  in  peace:  with  his  last  breath  he 
 committed  his  spirit  into  the  hands  of  him  who  had 
 redeemed  it,  "  full  of  years."  It  is  in  the  original 
 one  word — "  he  was  satisfied  :"  so  it  is  rendered, 
 Psalm  xvii.  15.  "  As  for  me,  I  shall  behold  thy  face 
 in  righteousness;  I  shall  be  satisfied,  when  I  awake 
 up  after  thy  likeness."  He  was  satisfied  with  what 
 he  had  enjoyed  of  the  favour  and  friendship  of  his 
 God;  who  had  been  his  shield  to  defend  him  from 
 all  sins  and  enemies,  and  also  had  promised  to  be  his 
 exceeding  great  reward  :  this  he  obtained,  when  he 
 was  gathered  to  his  people,  to  the  general  assembly 
 and  church  of  the  first-born,  and  to  the  most  blissful 
 communion  of  the  Three  in  Jehovah.  All  the  chil- 
 dren of  faithful  Abraham,  treading  in  the  steps  of 
 his  faith,  have  the  same  God  to  deal  with,  who  keep- 
 eth  promise  for  ever.     It  is  recorded  of  Isaac,  the 
 
587 
 
 heir  of  the  same  promise  with  his  father,  that  he 
 died,  in  the  same  faith,  an  old  man.  He  was  tried 
 with  many  infirmities,  but  we  read  of  no  complaints, 
 though  he  was  a  hundred  and  eighty  years  of  age. 
 He  expired  in  praise  and  thankfulness ;  satisfied  with 
 life,  and  happy  in  the  prospect  beyond  death.  And 
 his  son  Jacob,  a  hundred  and  forty-seven  years  old, 
 when  he  was  dying,  declared  that  he  had  waited  for 
 the  salvation  of  God — waiting  faith  is  strong  faith — 
 and  after  he  had  blessed  his  children,  and  had  given 
 commandment  concerning  his  bones,  he  quietly,  as 
 if  he  had  been  going  to  sleep,  gathered  up  his  feet 
 into  the  bed,  and  died  in  peace,  an  old  man  and  sa- 
 tisfied. All  these  lived  in  the  world,  strangers  and 
 pilgrims,  looking  for  a  city  that  hath  foundations, 
 whose  builder  and  maker  is  God:  and  they  were  not 
 disappointed  of  their  hope ;  they  all  died  in  faith — 
 in  an  act  of  faith,  and  were  gathered  to  their  people, 
 to  the  general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born. 
 When  they  came  to  the  end  of  their  faith,  they  came 
 to  heaven.  The  moment  they  expired,  they  entered 
 the  city  which  God  had  prepared  for  them  :  and  their 
 bodies,  sleeping  in  the  dust,  are  in  the  covenant  of 
 life,  and  shall  be  raised  and  glorified  in  the  morning 
 of  the  resurrection.  For  our  Lord  proves  that  the 
 dead  shall  rise  from  this  very  circumstance :  he  says 
 to  the  Jews — "  Have  ye  not  read  in  the  book  of 
 Moses,  how  in  the  bush  God  spake  unto  him,  say- 
 ing, I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the  God  of 
 Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob  :  he  is  not  the  God  of 
 the  dead,  but  the  God  of  the  living."  In  this  faith 
 the  patriarchs  died :  being  children  of  the  resurrec- 
 tion, they  left  their  bodies  in  the  hand  and  care  of 
 
588 
 
 a  covenant  God ;  well  assured  that  he  would  raise 
 them  up  to  glory  and  life  everlasting,  according  to 
 that  good  word,  wherein  he  had  caused  them  to  put 
 their  trust. 
 
 These  examples  of  the  loving-kindness  of  God  to 
 his  aged  servants  were  recorded  for  our  learning; 
 that  believers,  if  God  by  his  providence  should  bring 
 them  to  old  age,  might  be  encouraged  to  trust  in  the 
 God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  with  such  a  con- 
 fidence of  their  hearts,  as  not  to  doubt  of  the  divine 
 truth,  or  of  the  divine  power.  Whatever  he  was  to 
 them,  he  is  the  same  to  us — our  God  as  well  as 
 theirs — our  covenant  God,  engaged  to  glorify  both 
 body  and  soul:  on  whom  we  are  commanded  to  cast 
 all  our  cares  and  concerns  in  extreme  old  age.  If 
 what  is  of  nature  be  failing,  what  is  of  grace  cannot. 
 If  the  life  of  sense  be  dying,  the  life  of  faith  should 
 flourish  the  more.  It  is  a  life  that  cannot  die;  for 
 the  branches  thrive  and  bring  forth  fruit  in  their  old 
 age ;  not  of  themselves,  but  because  they  are  ingrafted 
 into  the  heavenly  vine,  in  which  they  live  for  ever. 
 "  I  am  the  vine,"  says  Jesus,  "ye  are  the  branches : 
 he  that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth 
 forth  much  fruit :  for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing.'' 
 But  through  my  Spirit  strengthening  you,  he  will 
 make  you  bud  and  flourish,  and  fill  the  face  of  the 
 world  with  fruit.  He  will  so  fill  you  with  the  fruits 
 of  righteousness,  which  are,  through  Christ  Jesus,  to 
 the  glory  and  praise  of  God,  that  your  last  days  shall 
 be  your  best  days. 
 
 In  this  view  of  old  age,  it  may  become  a  favour- 
 able time  for  exercising  and  improving  faith  ;  because 
 the  activity  of  the  life  of  sense  is  abating,  and  there- 
 
589 
 
 by  many  things  are  removed,  which  before  obstructed 
 the  growth  of  the  spiritual  life.  Now  is  the  time  to 
 learn  to  walk  by  faith,  and  not  by  sense.  A  be- 
 liever young  in  years,  and  young  in  experience,  is 
 often  tempted  to  judge  of  himself  by  his  feelings, 
 more  than  by  the  word  of  God.  In  a  good  frame 
 he  is  a  good  believer.  Then  all  is  well  with  him. 
 But  when  he  is  walking  in  darkness,  he  is  very  apt 
 to  question  his  state — If  all  be  right  with  me,  why 
 am  I  thus? — my  present  frame  is  very  dull  and  un- 
 comfortable— I  am  not  so  lively  as  I  used  to  be  in 
 prayer,  or  in  ordinances — ray  delight  in  God,  and 
 the  things  of  God,  is  far  short  of  what  it  was  formerly 
 — perhaps  I  have  been  deceiving  myself,  and  crying, 
 Peace,  peace,  when  there  was  no  peace  for  me. 
 
 From  this  temptation  age  itself  is  a  sort  of  de- 
 liverance: self-activity  is  weakened,  and  thereby, 
 through  grace,  self-dependence.  The  believer,  if  he 
 be  a  good  scholar,  will  now  learn  to  walk  more  by 
 faith,  and  less  by  sight.  The  vigour  of  his  senses 
 is  decaying.  The  high  spirits  of  youth  are  abating. 
 His  present  lesson  is  very  plain  and  simple;  and  while 
 he  attends  to  what  is  passing  in  him,  and  about  him, 
 he  has  a  thousand  monitors,  calling  upon  him  now 
 to  learn  and  practise  a  perfect  dependence  on  those 
 things  which  are  always  one  and  the  same,  without 
 any  variableness,  or  the  least  shadow  of  turning. 
 One  record  of  God.  One  Saviour.  One  Spirit. 
 One  faith,  of  which  the  Saviour  is  the  author  and 
 the  finisher.  This  faith  is  made  to  grow  and  flour- 
 ish, as  there  is  less  dependence  on  other  things: 
 and  as  age  itself  tends  to  weaken  this  dependence,  it 
 becomes,  in  the  hand  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  a  favourable 
 
590 
 
 time  to  live  less  upon  the  things  which  are  seen,  and 
 more  upon  the  thhigs  which  are  not  seen.  Less  of 
 sense,  more  of  faith.  One  scale  rises  as  the  other 
 falls;  the  outward  man  dying,  the  inward  man  grows 
 more  lively — yea,  grows  up  into  Christ  Jesus,  and 
 that  in  all  things.  O,  hlessed  old  man,  thou  hast 
 lived  to  a  good  time,  when  this  is  thy  experience ! 
 when,  in  the  prayer  of  faith,  thou  canst  cast  all  thy 
 burdens  on  thy  Saviour :  "  Lord,  keep  me,  a  poor 
 helpless  creature.  Now  I  feel  that  of  myself  I  can 
 do  nothing,  as  I  ought,  or  as  1  wish  to  do.  Glorify 
 thy  grace  in  me,  and  strengthen  me  mightily  by  thy 
 Spirit  in  the  inner  man,  that  I  may  bless  thee  for 
 thy  salvation,  and  for  the  things  which  accompany 
 salvation.  Into  thy  faithful  hands,  for  life  and  death, 
 I  commit  myself,  and  all  my  concerns;  for  thou  hast 
 redeemed  me,  O  Lord,  thou  God  of  truth." 
 
 But  it  must  be  remembered,  that  old  age  does  not 
 produce  these  happy  effects  of  itself.  It  is  not  of 
 nature,  but  entirely  of  grace,  that  any  one  is  able  to 
 gain  such  spiritual  profit  from  bodily  infirmities.  The 
 mere  natural  man,  fortify  him  vvith  all  his  boasted 
 aids  of  reason  and  philosophy,  yet  he  cannot  help 
 murmuring,  when  age  brings  weakness,  and  sickness 
 brings  pains.  He  becomes  peevish  and  fretful. 
 Having  no  friendship  with  God,  he  cannot  look  up 
 for  divine  supports,  when  all  human  begin  to  fail 
 him.  Under  a  severe  fit  of  the  stone,  or  a  long  fit 
 of  the  gout,  he  is  often  out  of  all  patience.  Uneasy 
 in  himself,  he  is  out  of  humour  with  every  body  and 
 every  thing.  How  different  is  the  believer  in  the 
 same  circumstances  !  His  body  feels  pain  as  others 
 do;  but  his  mind  is  comfortable,  and  at  ease.    Happy 
 
591 
 
 in  God,  he  has  patience  given  him  to  bear  his  suffer- 
 ings, and  grace  to  profit  from  them ;  yea,  the  peace 
 of  God  rules  in  his  heart  always,  and  by  all  means. 
 An  old  man  with  this  peace,  which  surpasseth  all 
 understanding,  ruling  in  his  heart,  will  be  so  far 
 from  complaining,  that  he  has  every  thing  to  be 
 thankful  for,  which  can  render  him  blessed  of  the 
 Lord.  He  is  provided  with  an  infallible  antidote 
 against  all  that  old  age  can  try  him  with  : — It  is  true, 
 I  have  an  infirm  body,  but,  thank  God,  1  have  a 
 sound  mind :  age  has  brought  upon  me  great  weak- 
 ness, but  this  makes  more  room  for  the  power  of 
 God,  that  it  may  be  perfected  in  my  weakness.  I 
 have  many  pains,  but  not  so  many  as  he  has  comforts 
 to  give  me :  in  the  worst  of  them  he  keeps  me  pa- 
 tient. Father,  thy  will  be  done — I  have  an  afflicted 
 body,  but  I  have  a  happy  heart :  although  the  out- 
 vvard  man  be  perishing,  yet  I  faint  not;  because  the 
 inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day.  My  supports 
 are  great ;  the  consolations  of  God  not  a  fev/.  I  feel 
 the  symptoms  of  old  age  warning  me  daily  of  my 
 approaching  dissolution :  through  grace  I  take  the 
 warning — they  find  me  living,  and  I  hope  they  will 
 find  me  dying,  in  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God.  The 
 earthly  tabernacle  is  taking  down,  but  he  does  it 
 with  much  tenderness  and  love,  and  assures  me,  that 
 he  has  prepared  for  me  a  house  not  made  with  hands, 
 eternal  in  the  heavens.  May  he  who  keeps  it  for 
 me,  and  me  for  it,  never  leave  me  nor  forsake  me, 
 till  I  be  with  him,  where  he  is,  and  be  like  him,  and 
 enjoy  him  for  ever  and  ever  !  Yet  a  very,  very 
 little  while — hold  on  faith  and  patience — and  I  shall 
 see  Jesus  in  his  glory,  which  is  the  heaven  of  heavens. 
 
592 
 
 O  thou  merciful  and  faithful  High  Priest,  Jesus 
 Christ,  I  bless  thee  for  thy  kind  promises  to  the 
 aged.  Thou  hast  suited  them  in  great  mercy  to  all 
 their  infirmities,  and  thou  art  always  with  them  to 
 help  in  time  of  need.  I  begin  to  feel  the  sad  effects 
 of  sin  in  my  body,  weakening  it,  and  tending  to 
 bring  it  down  to  its  appointed  end.  To  thee  I  look, 
 almighty  Jesus,  for  thy  promised  grace.  O  grant 
 me  constant  supplies  of  thy  Spirit,  that  I  may  profit 
 by  my  infirmities,  may  exercise  and  improve  my 
 faith  in  thee,  that  they  may  keep  me  humble,  and  I 
 may  pray  more  in  faith,  and  keep  me  thankful,  that 
 I  may  be  more  in  praise.  Thine  arm  is  not  shor- 
 tened, nor  can  thy  compassions  fail.  Stand  by  me, 
 then,  and  hold  me  up  according  to  thy  word.  Make 
 me  strong  in  thy  strength,  that  I  may  daily  put 
 more  honour  upon  thy  love  and  thy  power.  In  the 
 decline  of  life,  let  me  not  doubt  of  thy  faithfulness 
 to  support,  and,  when  thou  seest  it  best,  to  comfort 
 me.  Vouchsafe  me  the  consolations  of  God  :  when 
 my  heart  and  my  flesh  fail  me,  then  be  thou  the 
 strength  of  my  heart,  and  my  portion  for  ever. 
 When  I  am  weakest  in  myself,  then  make  me 
 strongest  in  the  Lord :  and  if  it  be  thy  holy  will 
 that  I  should  become  quite  helpless,  an  infant  again, 
 make  me  to  lie  quiet  in  thy  hand,  without  murmur- 
 ing or  repining,  but  believing  that  thou  art  all  my 
 salvation,  and  enjoying  in  thee  all  my  desire.  Grant 
 me  this,  Lord  Jesus :  for  thy  mercies*  sake,  let  me 
 die  in  faith.      Amen  and  amen. 
 
593 
 
 CHAPTER  IX. 
 
 The  Believers  Triumph  over  Death, 
 
 Man  consists  of  two  parts — a  body  and  a  soul. 
 The  bodily  life  is  dependent  on  the  light  and  air  of 
 this  world,  and  on  the  circulation  which  they  main- 
 tain and  carry  on.  When  this  connexion  is  broken, 
 the  body  expires,  it  loses  all  sense  and  motion,  and 
 is  dead.  So  the  life  of  the  soul  is  dependent  on  the 
 light  and  air  of  the  spiritual  world.  Jehovah  in 
 Trinity  is  the  Creator,  the  only  fountain  of  being, 
 and  there  can  be  nothing  independent  of  him  :  Christ 
 is  the  light,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  breath  or 
 air  of  all  spiritual  life,  and  when  this  connexion  is 
 broken,  although  the  soul  may  exist,  yet  its  happi- 
 ness in  God  is  broken,  and  at  an  end.  Sin,  that 
 great  murderer  sin,  brought  death  upon  body  and 
 soul :  "  For  as  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the 
 world,  and  death  by  sin,  so  death  passed  upon  all 
 men,  for  that  all  have  sinned."  And  we  read,  "  The 
 soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  die :"  sin  separating  it  from 
 its  union,  and  thereby  cutting  it  oflp  from  its  com- 
 munion, with  the  Father  of  spirits.  In  the  moment 
 that  Adam  sinned,  the  spiritual  death  took  place; 
 for  he  had  lost  the  Spirit  of  life,  and  was  dead  in 
 trespasses  and  sins:  and  that  same  moment  his  body 
 became  mortal,  although  he  lived  nine  hundred  years 
 after.  Thus  we  have  sin,  and  death,  and  misery, 
 entailed  upon  all  his  descendants  from  the  first  Adam, 
 who  is  of  the  earth,  earthy.      O  how  precious  to  a 
 
594 
 
 sinner,  in  these  circumstances,  should  be  the  second 
 Adam,  the  Lord  from  heaven,  who  stands  at  the 
 head  of  the  spiritual  world,  that  he  may  give  his 
 righteousness,  and  his  life,  and  his  happiness  to  all 
 that  believe  in  him  !  He  comes  Jehovah  of  hosts 
 in  our  nature,  as  our  champion  to  fight  our  battles, 
 and  to  conquer  all  our  foes.  Emmanuel  was  made 
 sin  for  us,  and  he  died  for  our  sins  according  to  the 
 Scriptures,  when  the  Lord  laid  upon  him  the  iniquity 
 of  us  all,  and  was  buried  and  rose  again  the  third 
 day,  according  to  the  Scriptures.  We  read  therein 
 of  his  noble  challenge  to  death  and  the  grave :  "  I 
 will  ransom  my  people  from  the  power  of  the  grave, 
 I  will  redeem  them  from  death.  O  death,  I  will  be 
 thy  plague ;  O  grave,  I  will  be  thy  destruction : 
 repentance  shall  be  hid  from  mine  eyes."  It  was 
 the  Captain  of  our  salvation,  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his 
 name,  who  purposed  this  in  the  everlasting  councils, 
 and  in  due  time  fulfilled  it  by  his  almighty  power. 
 "  Pscause  the  children  were  partakers  of  flesh  and 
 blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took  part  of  the  same; 
 that  through  death  he  might  destroy  him  who  had 
 the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil,  and  might  de- 
 liver them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all  their 
 lifetime  subject  to  bondage."  O  what  infinite  con- 
 descension is  this  !  what  love,  surpassing  all  know- 
 ledge !  The  most  high  God  is  manifest  in  the  flesh, 
 that,  as  God  in  our  nature,  he  might  be  our  surety 
 to  act  and  suffer  for  men,  and  for  our  salvation. 
 Accordingly,  he  takes  our  sins  upon  himself,  bears 
 the  guilt  and  punishment  of  them  in  his  own  body 
 and  soul  upon  the  tree,  gives  his  own  life  a  ransom 
 for  ours,  that  by  his  death  we  might  live.      He  was 
 
595 
 
 buried,   but  he  rose  again  the  third   day,   having 
 loosed  the  bonds  of  death,  because  it  was  not  possi- 
 ble that  he  should  be  holden  of  it.      In  this  conflict 
 with  death  and  the  grave,  repentance  was  hid  from 
 his  eyes.      He  knew  what  he  was  to  go  through, 
 more  than  any  of  us  can  conceive  of  pain  and  agony, 
 yet  he  would  not  change  his  purpose  of  grace,  al- 
 though he  was  to  become  obedient  unto  death,  the 
 most  tormenting,  the  most  shameful,  even  the  death 
 of  the  cross.      His  enemies  having  brought  him  to 
 the  grave,  and  sealed  the  sepulchre,  seemed  then  to 
 have  him  in  their  power.      So  they  thought:  but 
 here  Jesus  made  his  complete  and  eternal  triumph. 
 By  his  resurrection  he  swallowed  up  death  in  victory: 
 for  he  did  not  rise  as  a  private  person,  but  as  the  first 
 fruits  of  the  dead,  drawing  the  joyful  harvest  after 
 him.      The  Lord  is  risen  indeed,  the  Head  of  the 
 body  the  church ;  and  has  the  power  of  an  endless  life 
 to  quicken  all  his  members.     In  which  most  glorious 
 prospect,    the   apostle,   quoting    the  passage   above 
 mentioned,  breaks  out  into  these  raptures  of  joy,  see- 
 ing all  his  enemies  vanquished,  and  nothing  but  bliss 
 and  glory  before  him — "  O  death,  where  is  thy 
 sting?    O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory?      The  sting 
 of  death  is  sin,  and  the  strength  of  sin  is  the  law." 
 The  law  armed   death  with  its   sting,  as  the  just 
 wages  of  the  transgression  of  the  law  ;  but  Jesus  our 
 surety  magnified  the  law  by  his  holy  life  in  all  its 
 precepts,  and  by  his  death  in  all  its  penalties.      He 
 died  for  our  sins,  and,  by  his  rising  from  the  dead,  he 
 demonstrated  that  he  had  taken  out  its  sting,  and 
 had  disarmed  it  of  its  power  to  hurt :  nay,  had  done 
 much  more — he  had  changed  death  into  life. — "  I 
 
596 
 
 am  the  resurrection  and  the  life,  saith  the  Lord:  he 
 that  beheveth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall 
 he  live :  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me, 
 shall  never  die."  By  faith  in  him  we  share  in  the 
 triumph  and  glory  of  his  resurrection,  and  have  a 
 new  song  put  into  our  mouths,  with  which  we  may 
 make  the  sweetest  melody  in  our  hearts,  even  when 
 our  breath  is  failing  us :  "  Thanks  be  to  God,  who 
 giveth  us  the  victory,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord/' 
 These  are  Scripture  views  of  the  almighty  Jesus. 
 Out  of  his  infinite  compassion  he  undertook  to  save 
 his  people  from  sin  and  death,  the  works  of  the 
 devil.  And  he  has  done  it.  It  is  finished.  He 
 has  put  away  sin  by  his  sacrifice,  and  he  completed 
 his  conquest  of  death  by  his  resurrection.  And  has 
 had  witnesses  of  these  gospel  truths  in  all  ages, 
 whom  he  sent  to  preach  repentance,  and  remission 
 of  sins,  in  his  name.  When  it  is  the  good  pleasure 
 of  his  own  will  to  accompany  the  message  with  power 
 from  on  high,  then  he  blesses  it  by  making  it  the 
 ministration  of  righteousness  and  of  life :  as  it  is 
 written,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that 
 heareth  my  word,  and  believeth  in  him  that  sent  me, 
 hath  everlasting  life,  and  shall  not  come  into  con- 
 demnation, but  is  passed  from  death  unto  life,"  al- 
 ready. The  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus  hath 
 freed  the  believer  from  the  law  of  sin  and  of  death, 
 and  has  also  created  in  him  a  new  life :  he  has  given 
 him  a  new  birth  into  the  spiritual  world,  and  spiritual 
 senses  to  fit  him  for  spiritual  enjoyments:  for  he  is 
 actually  passed  from  death  unto  life.  By  the  Holy 
 Spirit  as  the  agent,  and  by  faith  as  the  instrument, 
 he  is  made  a  child  of  God,  united  to  Christ,  one 
 
597 
 
 with  him,  interested  in  him,  and  so  closely  joined  to 
 him,  as  the  members  are  to  the  head,  as  to  he  a  real 
 partaker  of  all  that  he  did  upon  earth,  and  of  all  that 
 he  is  now  doing  for  his  redeemed  in  heaven.  He 
 has  a  good  warrant,  for  he  is  not  only  permitted,  but 
 also  commanded,  to  apply  to  himself  all  the  privi- 
 leges and  blessings  which  are  contained  in  this  large 
 charter  of  grace:  "  Ye  are  complete  in  Christ,  who 
 is  the  head  of  all  principality  and  power:  in  whom 
 also  ye  are  circumcised  with  the  circumcision  made 
 without  hands,  in  putting  off  the  body  of  the  sins  of 
 the  flesh  by  the  circumcision  of  Christ ;  buried  with 
 him  in  baptism,  wherein  also  ye  are  risen  with  him 
 through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  who  hath 
 raised  him  from  the  dead.  And  you,  being  dead  in 
 your  sins  and  the  uncircuracision  of  your  flesh,  hath 
 he  quickened  together  with  him,  having  forgiven 
 you  all  trespasses;  blotting  out  the  handwriting  of 
 ordinances  that  was  against  us,  which  was  contrary 
 to  us;  and  he  took  it  out  of  the  way,  nailing  it  to 
 his  cross;  and  having  spoiled  principalities  and 
 powers,  he  made  a  show  of  them  openly,  triumphing 
 over  them  in  that  same  cross."  In  this  view  of  the 
 almighty  Conqueror  of  all  our  enemies,  and  of  his 
 enabling  us,  also,  by  faith  to  come  after  him,  conquer- 
 ing and  to  conquer,  what  thanks  and  praises  should 
 be  given  unto  him  !  There  is  no  possible  evil,  but 
 he  has  removed  it  from  us;  and  no  possible  good, 
 but  he  has  obtained  the  right,  and  gives  the  possession. 
 We  are  complete  in  him,  our  Head : — completely  cir- 
 cumcised in  heart  by  his  circumcision,  so  as  to  put 
 off  the  body  of  sin  ;  and  risen  indeed  with  him  by  the 
 faith  of  his  own  operation,  through  which  we  have 
 
598 
 
 the  first  resurrection  from  the  grave  of  sin,  and  shall 
 have  the  resurrection  of  the  body  from  the  grave  of 
 death.  He  now  gives  the  first  as  a  sure  earnest  of 
 the  second.  He  raises  us  from  the  grave  of  sin, 
 and  quickens  us  to  newness  of  life,  and  thereby  gives 
 us  a  lively  hope,  that  we  shall  one  day  be  with  him 
 and  like  him.  In  this  hope,  the  redeemed  of  the 
 Lord  have  thus  expressed  their  joys — "  We  will 
 rejoice  in  thy  salvation,  and  in  the  name  of  our  God 
 we  will  set  up  our  banners,"  in  defiance  of  all  our 
 enemies, — we  need  not  fear  sin,  nor  Satan,  nor 
 death,  nor  hell.  Our  Redeemer  is  strong,  the  Lord 
 of  hosts  is  his  name.  He,  for  us  men,  and  for  our 
 salvation,  was  manifested  to  destroy  the  works  of 
 the  devil.  And  he  has  destroyed  them.  He  died 
 for  our  sins,  and  rose  again  for  our  justification. 
 His  victory  was  complete,  and  in  him  we  conquer. 
 We  come  after  him  only  to  gather  up  the  spoils  of 
 his  triumph.  Through  faith  in  him  the  sting  of 
 death  is  taken  out  of  the  conscience,  and  thereby 
 the  fear  of  it  out  of  the  heart.  A  believer  ought 
 to  say,  and  when  he  is  in  his  right  mind  he  says 
 with  joy  and  gratitude — "  The  Lord  is  my  light  and 
 my  salvation,  what  then  shall  I  fear?  The  Lord  is 
 the  strength  of  my  life,  of  whom  then  shall  I  be 
 afraid  ?  Yea,  though  I  walk  through  the  valley  and 
 shadow  of  death,  I  will  fear  no  evil — I  need  not  fear 
 any,  because  thou  my  Lord  and  Saviour  hast  pro- 
 mised to  be  with  me;  thy  rod  and  thy  staff,  they  shall 
 comfort  me."  What  an  infallible  antidote  has  our 
 Jesus  here  provided  against  all  guilty  fears,  and 
 against  all  natural  fears  !  These  promises  to  his 
 dying  followers  cannot  fail.      He  who  made  them  is 
 
599 
 
 almighty  to  fulfil  them ;  and  almighty  to  enable  us 
 to  believe,  that  he  will  both  support  and  comfort. 
 Jesus,  wonderful  in  his  person,  wonderful  in  all  his 
 works  and  ways — he  has  changed  the  very  nature  of 
 death;  he  has  turned  it  into  life.  Whosoever  be- 
 lieveth  in  him  shall  never  die,  but  is  passed  already 
 from  death  unto  life.  The  Holy  Spirit  has  put  him 
 into  present  possession  of  a  life,  laid  up  with  Christ, 
 out  of  the  reach  of  death.  So  that  when  his  body 
 expires,  it  falls  asleep  in  the  Lord,  and  his  spirit 
 enters  upon  an  eternal  triumph  of  life  and  glory, 
 among  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect. 
 
 O  what  a  deliverance  is  this  from  the  bondage  of 
 sin,  and  the  terrors  of  the  grave.  It  is  the  peculiar 
 blessedness  of  believers  in  Jesus  ;  for  the  natural  man 
 cannot  but  fear  death,  and  look  upon  it  as  his  enemy. 
 He  has  no  prospects  but  what  are  bounded  by  time. 
 His  whole  happiness  is  in  the  present  world,  and  in 
 the  enjoyment  of  what  he  calls  the  blessings  of  it. 
 He  was  laying  fine  plans,  and  hoping  to  live  to  exe- 
 cute them — heaping  up  riches — living  in  the  unre- 
 strained liberty  of  sensual  enjoyments — murdering 
 his  time — mispending  his  talents — without  any  con- 
 cern about  eternal  things, — when,  lo,  an  enemy 
 comes,  and  puts  an  end  to  all  his  schemes  !  He  dies. 
 Perhaps  he  may  be  a  sceptic,  doubting  of  the  cer- 
 tainty of  a  future  state :  he  may  wish  there  was 
 none,  but  he  can  have  no  evidence;  and  if  he  con- 
 tinue to  wish  it,  even  to  the  last,  O  what  a  scene  will 
 open,  when  he  meets  a  just  and  an  angry  God  !  He 
 may  be  a  materialist,  and  please  himself  with  fancy- 
 ing, that  what  we  call  his  soul,  will  vanish  at  his 
 death  into  soft  air :  but  the  God  of  truth  says,  that 
 
600 
 
 when  the  dust  shall  return  to  the  earth,  as  it  was, 
 the  spirit  shall  return  to  God  who  gave  it :  and,  in  the 
 morning  of  the  resurrection,  Christ  will  re-animate 
 the  dust,  and  body  and  soul  shall  be  united,  to  live 
 for  ever  !  He  may  be  one  of  the  careless,  quite  un- 
 prepared :  but  when  the  messenger  arrests  him,  he 
 must  go  with  him,  and  that  in  a  moment  !  Perhaps 
 he  may  be  a  moralist,  trusting  to  his  own  goodness; 
 he  may  fortify  himself  with  arguments  taken  from 
 Seneca  :  but  these  will  furnish  him  with  no  armour, 
 proof  against  the  guilt  of  sin,  or  the  sting  of  death  ! 
 He  may  seek  aids  from  philosophy,  falsely  so  called  : 
 but  its  votaries,  professing  themselves  to  be  wise,  in 
 the  hour  of  death  found  that  they  were  fools ! — Every 
 human  help  has  failed,  when  most  wanted.  "  But, 
 blessed  is  he  who  hath  the  God  of  Jacob  for  his  help, 
 and  whose  hope  is  in  the  Lord  his  God;  who  made 
 heaven  and  earth,  and  all  that  therein  is,  who  keepeth 
 his  promise  for  ever."  Here  is  the  Christian's  never- 
 failing  support !  God,  even  his  covenant  God,  has 
 promised  to  be  with  him,  and  to  be  his  Saviour  in 
 death.  God  Jesus,  almighty  to  keep  his  promise  for 
 ever,  is  his  one  hope,  living  and  dying;  and  he  is  his 
 gain,  both  in  life  and  death.  If  he  has  won  Christ, 
 he  has  lived  to  a  blessed  time ;  and,  whenever  he  dies, 
 Christ  will  make  death  his  friend,  and  will  reconcile 
 him  to  his  going  to  the  Lord,  which  is  best  of  all. 
 To  look  upon  death  as  an  enemy,  to  fear  it  as  if  it 
 could  take  from  us  any  thing  worth  keeping,  or  as  if 
 it  did  not  put  us  into  the  eternal  possession  of  every 
 thing  worth  enjoying — these  are  views  of  the  resur- 
 rection of  Jesus  very  dishonourable  to  his  victories, 
 and  very  injurious  to  our  interest  in  him.      He  un- 
 
601 
 
 dertook  to  conquer  death  for  us,  as  our  surety.  He 
 has  done  it.  He  has  swallowed  up  death  in  victory. 
 He  has  made  it  our  friend  and  our  benefactor;  for 
 he  has  engaged  to  support  us  in  our  last  moments. 
 He  never  did,  he  never  can  fail  any  who  put  their 
 trust  in  him.  Experience  has  confirmed  his  faith- 
 fulness in  all  ages.  His  soldiers,  whom  he  made 
 valiant  in  fight,  a  goodly  company  whom  no  one  can 
 number,  have  triumphed  gloriously — before  death — 
 in  death — and  after  death. 
 
 Before  death  he  prepared  them  to  meet  it  in  faith  ; 
 for  the  great  design  of  his  gospel  is  to  arm  them 
 against  the  guilt  of  sin,  and  the  terrors  of  death. 
 And  they  are  good  soldiers  of  Christ  Jesus  who  put 
 on  this  armour — who  have  learned  their  exercise, 
 and  who,  by  their  daily  battles,  keep  their  arms  shin- 
 ing and  bright.  Looking  to  Jesus,  the  Captain  of 
 their  salvation,  for  orders,  for  courage,  for  strength, 
 for  victory,  all  opposition  falls  before  them.  He 
 enables  them  to  fight  the  good  fight  of  faith;  and  the 
 more  they  conquer  sin,  the  less  they  have  to  fear 
 from  death  :  for  Christ  is  to  them  the  whole  armour 
 of  God,  and  the  pieces  of  this  armour  are  the  graces 
 of  his  Spirit.  For  with  these  the  apostle  says,  that 
 Christ  has  perfectly  equipped  the  armies  of  the  Lord. 
 They  have  the  truth  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  of 
 Christ,  the  peace  of  God  in  Christ,  faith  in  Christ, 
 the  word  of  Christ,  hope  in  Christ,  and  prayer  to 
 Christ  for  fresh  supplies  of  his  Spirit,  that  he  would 
 enable  thera  to  make  such  a  use  of  their  armour,  that 
 they  might  get  the  victory  over  sin  and  death,  and 
 he  might  get  all  the  praise.  In  this  holy  war  he 
 is  every  thing  to  them ;  and  they  find  in  him,  and 
 2C  4. 
 
60^ 
 
 receive  out  of  his  fulness,  whatever  they  want  for  the 
 peace  of  their  conscience,  and  for  the  happiness  of 
 their  hearts.  Sin  is  pardoned — death  is  conquered. 
 They  experience  the  power  of  his  resurrection,  and, 
 being  passed  from  death  unto  life,  they  have  believ- 
 ing views  of  their  own  dissolution.  We  read  of 
 their  deliverance  from  the  fear  of  death,  and  we  have 
 examples  of  those  who  were  more  afraid  of  sin  than 
 of  death  ;  yea,  who  chose  to  go  into  a  burning  fiery 
 furnace,  rather  than  offend  their  God.  Hear  how 
 they  triumphed — "  Our  God  is  able  to  deliver  us; 
 but  if  he  does  not,  be  it  known  unto  thee,  O  king, 
 that  we  will  not  serve  thy  gods,  nor  worship  the 
 golden  image  which  thou  hast  set  up."  Hear  the 
 witness  of  another  Christian  hero,  how  he  was  enabled 
 to  look  upon  death — "  The  Holy  Ghost  witnesseth 
 in  every  city,  saying,  that  bonds  and  afflictions  abide 
 me  :  but  none  of  these  things  move  me,  neither  count 
 I  my  life  dear  to  myself,  so  that  I  might  finish  my 
 course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  which  I  have  re- 
 ceived of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  testify  the  gospel  of  the 
 grace  of  God."  This  was  a  great  victory,  but  the 
 case  is  not  singular:  in  the  same  faith  died  the  noble 
 army  of  martyrs,  of  whom  we  read — "  That  they 
 overcame  the  accuser  of  the  brethren  by  the  blood  of 
 the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their  testimony,  and 
 they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death."  And  to 
 this  day,  the  Floly  Spirit  witnesses  to  the  same  truth, 
 and  seals  it  upon  the  consciences  of  believers  in  the 
 hour  of  death.  I  call  one  evidence,  a  great  digni- 
 tary in  our  church,  a  man  of  great  learning,  and  never 
 suspected  of  enthusiasm  :  being  near  his  death,  he 
 thus  expressed  himself — "  I  cannot  plead  innocency 
 
603 
 
 of  life,  especially  of  my  youth  :  but  I  am  to  be  judged 
 by  a  merciful  God,  who  is  not  willing  to  see  what  I 
 have  done  amiss ;  and  though  of  myself  I  have  nothing 
 to  present  to  him  but  sins  and  misery,  yet  I  know  he 
 looks  not  upon  me  now  as  I  am  of  myself,  but  as  I 
 am  in  my  Saviour,  and  hath  given  me,  even  at  this 
 time,  some  testimonies  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  that  I  am 
 of  the  number  of  his  elect:  I  am  therefore  full  of 
 joy,  and  shall  die  in  peace." 
 
 Thus  the  precious  Jesus  was,  in  the  prospect  of 
 death,  more  desirable  than  life  itself.  So  he  was  to 
 them  in  dying.  All  these  died  in  faith.  They 
 were  his  witnesses,  that  he  kept  every  thing  hurtful 
 from  them,  and  brought  them  in  triumph  to  the  end 
 of  their  lives.  That  great  company  round  his 
 throne  who  are  crowned  conquerors,  testify  for  him 
 that  he  did  not  leave  them,  nor  forsake  them  one 
 moment.  He  kept  his  word  with  them.  He 
 smoothed  their  bed  in  their  sickness.  He  was  ten- 
 der over  them,  and  wiped  away  all  tears  from  their 
 eyes.  When  fainting,  he  gave  them  strong  consola- 
 tion. When  he  called  them  to  meet  death  in  all  its 
 terrors,  to  suffer  in  flames  of  fire,  to  be  torn  to  pieces 
 by  wild  beasts,  to  be  tormented  in  every  way  that 
 malice  could  invent,  or  the  power  of  tyrants  could 
 inflict — He  was  with  them — their  Saviour  and  their 
 God.  The  tender  care  of  his  heart,  and  the  mighty 
 power  of  his  arm,  were  never  more  felt  than  when 
 most  wanted.  He  kept  his  peace  ruling  in  their 
 consciences  always  and  by  all  means ;  and  gave  them 
 to  feel,  that  bodily  pain  could  not  lessen  his  love  to 
 them,  nor  abate  or  stop  their  love  to  him.  I  might 
 bring  a  cloud  of  witnesses  to  prove  the  compassion 
 2  c2 
 
604 
 
 of  Jesus  to  liis  redeemed  in  their  dying  hours;  but 
 let  these  two  suffice: — 
 
 Dr.  Thomas  Goodwin  was  upon  his  death-bed, 
 when  his  friend  Mr.  Collins  came  to  visit  him,  and 
 to  pray  with  him,  to  whom  he  said,  "  He  rejoiced 
 that  he  was  dying,  and  going  to  have  a  full  and  un- 
 interrupted communion  with  God." 
 
 "  I  am  going,"  said  he,  "  to  the  Three  Persons, 
 with  whom  I  have  had  communion  :  they  have  taken 
 me,  I  did  not  take  them.  I  shall  be  changed  in  the 
 twinkling  of  an  eye;  all  my  lusts  and  corruptions  I 
 shall  be  rid  of,  which  I  could  not  be  here." 
 
 After  mentioning  these  great  examples  of  faith, 
 Heb.  chap.  xi.  he  said,  "  All  these  died  in  faith : 
 I  could  not  have  imagined  I  should  ever  have  such 
 a  measure  of  faith  as  I  have  in  this  hour.  My  bow 
 abides  in  strength.  Is  Christ  divided  ?  No :  I 
 have  found  the  whole  of  his  righteousness.  I  am 
 found  in  him,  not  in  my  own  righteousness,  which  is 
 of  the  law,  but  in  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God, 
 which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  loved  me  and 
 gave  himself  for  me :  Christ  cannot  love  me  better 
 than  he  does,  and  I  think  I  cannot  love  Christ  bet- 
 ter than  I  do :   I  am  swallowed  up  in  God." 
 
 The  historian  remarks,  that  with  this  assurance  of 
 faith  and  fulness  of  joy  his  soul  left  this  world,  and 
 went  to  see  and  to  enjoy  the  reality  of  that  blessed 
 state  of  glory,  of  which,  in  a  discourse  on  that  sub- 
 ject, he  had  given  a  very  lively  description. 
 
 I  may  be  permitted  to  call  another  witness  to  this 
 blessed  truth,  a  believer  who  just  before  his  death 
 addressed  himself  to  his  friends  in  these  words — 
 "  My  brethren,  is  not  this  very  amazing  to  you  ? 
 
605 
 
 When  I  contemplate  the  holiness  of  God,  I  cannot 
 but  cry  out,  that  I  myself  am  vile,  most  vile  :  and 
 then,  when  I  consider  the  justice  of  God,  could  any 
 one  imagine,  but  that  I  should  be  struck  with  the 
 most  dreadful  apprehensions  of  approaching  judg- 
 ment and  deserved  wrath  ?  Instead  of  that,  I  am 
 under  no  fear  of  the  latter,  and  much  desire  the 
 former.  I  long  to  appear  before  this  holy  just  God  : 
 I  have  a  righteousness  to  plead  that  is  perfect.  The 
 holy  Jesus  is  my  security ;  and  I  cannot  be  disap- 
 pointed. In  Christ,  the  justice  of  God  is  as  much 
 my  security  as  his  mercy :  here  is  a  hoHness  that 
 transcends  that  of  all  the  angelic  host.  There  is 
 no  charging  my  Redeemer  with  possible  folly :  O,  I 
 know  I  am  pardoned  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ, 
 my  only  Lord  and  Mediator :  I  am  sure  of  it :  I  am 
 fully,  freely  pardoned :  I  shall  soon  be  thoroughly 
 sanctified  and  fitted  for  glory.  O,  I  want  words  to 
 express  ray  gratitude,  to  tell  my  joy:  adored  be  God, 
 my  Lord,  my  Saviour  !  this  is  the  work  of  God  alone  : 
 O  unfathomable  love,  infinite  condescension,  un- 
 merited, unbounded  grace  to  a  vile  offender  !  I  de- 
 serve hell ;  I  enjoy  heaven." 
 
 O  thou  that  readest  this  honourable  mention  of 
 the  love  of  Jesus  to  his  dying  followers,  may  it  be 
 given  thee  to  find  him  near  to  thee  in  that  time  of 
 need  !  If  thy  faith  be  in  him,  doubt  not.  Take 
 courage,  and  live  up  to  thy  privileges.  Regard  his 
 promise.  Observe  his  faithfulness  to  it.  Depend 
 upon  his  arm.  Trust  in  him,  and  be  not  afraid. 
 Since  he  has  overcome  death,  why  shouldst  thou 
 fear  that  it  will  overcome  thee?  Is  not  his  victory 
 thine  ?     Whatever  thou  feelest  in  thyself — if  nature 
 
606 
 
 shrink,  and  thou  hast  many  uneasy  thoughts  about 
 thy  dissolution — remember  that  all  thy  salvation  is 
 in  and  from  him,  and  he  has  made  thee  a  free  gift 
 of  salvation,  and  of  all  the  things  which  accompany 
 salvation.  He  undertook  it  all.  He  has  put  away 
 sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself.  He  has  conquered 
 death.  It  is  now  a  vanquished  foe.  In  his  hand 
 it  is  the  royal  way  to  the  kingdom — the  only  way. 
 Trust  him,  he  will  not  suflPer  it  to  hurt  thee.  Trust 
 him,  and  thou  wilt  find  there  is  nothing  in  it  that 
 ought  to  frighten  thee.  Breath  may  be  failing  thee, 
 but  Jesus  will  not  fail  thee.  He  has  pronounced 
 them  blessed,  he  will  infallibly  make  them  blessed, 
 who  die  in  the  Lord.  Only  believe,  and  thou  wilt 
 experience  that  he  has  dying  consolations  for  his 
 dying  friends.  They  live  in  death.  He  makes 
 them  blessed  in  dying :  yea,  sometimes  to  encourage 
 the  faith  of  others,  and  to  recommend  his  own  grace, 
 he  has  vouchsafed  to  give  them,  at  the  time  of  their 
 death,  a  foretaste  of  the  glory  which  was  just  going 
 to  be  revealed.  In  this  faith  they  leave  the  world, 
 casting  all  their  care  for  time  and  for  eternity,  for 
 body  and  soul,  upon  him  who  careth  for  them.  Je- 
 sus, into  thy  hand  I  commend  my  spirit,  for  thou 
 hast  redeemed  me,  O  Lord,  thou  God  of  truth.  I 
 believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  body :  thou  hast 
 promised  it,  and  I  hope  it  shall  be  done  unto  me 
 according  to  thy  word.  Christ  is  the  first  fruits, 
 and  afterward  they  that  are  Christ's  at  his  coming, 
 when  he  will  bring  the  joyful  harvest  with  him: 
 therefore  into  his  faithful  hands  I  commit  my  body. 
 I  take  my  leave  of  it  in  faith.  It  is  not  possible 
 that  the  grave  should  hold  me  in,  any  more  than  it 
 
607 
 
 eould  him.  And  I  not  only  hope  to  be  raised  from 
 the  grave,  but  I  shall  be  brought  out  of  it  in  tri- 
 umph on  that  day  of  wonders,  when  Jesus  Christ, 
 the  great  God  and  our  Saviour,  shall  change  this 
 my  vile  body,  and  shall  make  it  like  unto  his  own 
 most  glorious  body.  O  what  a  change  !  O  what 
 a  miracle  !  This  very  body,  which  is  now  sinful 
 dust,  shall  be  like  the  Son  of  God,  who  is  the  stan- 
 dard of  all  perfection — even  this  body  of  mine  shall 
 be  conformed  to  his  most  glorious  body  :  although  it 
 be  now  a  house,  so  infected  with  the  leprosy  of  sin, 
 that  it  must  be  taken  down,  yet  out  of  its  ruins  will 
 the  Lord  raise  it  a  monument  to  his  eternal  praise, 
 even  a  habitation  of  God  by  his  Spirit.  Come 
 then,  thou  blessed  of  the  Lord :  O  welcome,  wel- 
 come death  ! — thou  art  the  smiling  messenger  from 
 my  Jesus,  bringing  with  thee  glad  tidings  of  great 
 joy—of  a  salvation  secured  from  all  possible  evil,  and 
 the  enjoyment  of  all  possible  good.  In  sure  and 
 certain  hope  of  this  complete  and  eternal  salvation,  I 
 resign  my  body  into  thy  hands,  thou  Lord  of  life, 
 and  Giver  of  glory — I  intrust  it  with  thee  to  be 
 kept  against  that  day,  when  all  that  sleep  in  Jesus 
 will  God  bring  with  him.  For  this  prospect,  for 
 believing  views  of  it,  for  the  earnest,  and  for  some 
 little  foretaste  of  it,  to  the  Eternal  Three  be  eternal 
 praise.      Amen. 
 
 Such  are  the  hopes  of  a  real  Christian,  which  he 
 is  warranted,  which  he  is  commanded  to  entertain 
 in  the  hour  of  death,  which  God  in  his  infinite  grace 
 actually  favours  his  people  with,  to  the  strengthening 
 of  their  faith,  and  to  the  silencing  of  unbelievers. 
 Never  did  he  display  his  faithfulness  more  signally 
 
608 
 
 than  in  our  times.  Many  instances  might  be  given, 
 but  I  select  one,  who  thus  expressed  himself  to  his 
 friends  surrounding  his  death-bed: — 
 
 "  My  soul  is  abundantly  comforted  and  refreshed  : 
 ray  body  is  dying,  but  my  mind  is  still  vigorous  and 
 alive,  I  feel  the  cold  hand  of  death  is  actually  upon 
 me;  and  you  may  feel  it  too,  if  you  touch  my  feet 
 and  legs  :  they  are  once  more  clay.  Blessed  be  God, 
 death  is  no  king  of  terrors  to  me.  He  is  a  welcome 
 messenger,  because  sent  by  my  heavenly  Father, 
 Here  I  am,  O  Lord,  waiting  thy  pleasure;  ready 
 to  obey  the  summons :  thy  will,  O  Lord,  be  done. 
 Blessed  be  God  that  the  attack  is  made  below :  my 
 head  is  as  yet  very  clear,  and  untouched ;  and  till 
 my  heart  feels  the  damp,  I  hope  to  be  engaged  in 
 work  suitable  to  a  death-bed.  It  is  not  to  me  a  bed 
 of  languishing  or  wasting  :  this  poor  remainder  of  a 
 body  is  hardly  capable  of  any  greater  decay,  till  it 
 moulders  in  the  grave;  and  there  let  it  moulder. 
 Who  would  not  part  with  it  as  it  is?  It  is  now  my 
 burden,  my  bar  to  happiness,  a  hinderance  to  a 
 lively  spiritual  communion  with  God.  But,  O  my 
 friends,  it  is  united  to  Christ,  and  shall  therefore 
 one  day  become  a  glorious  body.  This  corruption 
 shall  put  on  incorruption,  and  shall  be  for  ever  with 
 the  Lord."  Thanks  be  to  God  for  such  a  witness 
 — may  my  latter  end  be  like  his  ! 
 
609 
 
 CHAPTER  X. 
 
 The  Character  of  the  Persons  who  have  most  reason 
 to  Triuni'ph  in  Christ* 
 
 They  are  such  as  know  most  of  themselves,  and 
 have  seen  the  deepest  into  the  mystery  of  iniquity. 
 The  Holy  Spirit  has  convinced  them  of  sin — of 
 original  sin,  the  fountain  from  which  all  the  streams 
 flow  of  actual  sin  in  thought,  word,  and  deed.  In 
 this  conviction  he  has  put  life  and  power :  it  is  far 
 more  than  a  moral  persuasion — he  makes  it  practical 
 and  abiding :  for  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ  Jesus 
 quickens  the  dead  sinner,  and,  making  him  free  from 
 the  law  of  sin  and  of  death,  gives  him  the  faith  of 
 God's  elect ;  and  by  the  daily  use  and  exercise  of 
 that  faith,  makes  him  more  sensible  of  his  obligations 
 to  Jesus.  In  every  act  of  faith,  he  leads  the  believer 
 out  of  self  to  the  Saviour — humbles  him,  that  he 
 may  exalt  Christ — empties  him  of  self,  that  he  may 
 fill  him  with  the  good  things  of  Christ — casts  down, 
 and  keeps  down,  every  high  thing  that  exalteth  itself 
 against  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  brings  into  cap- 
 tivity every  thought  to  the  obedience  of  Christ.  In 
 his  hand,  and  by  his  blessing,  this  work  prospers. 
 The  loftiness  of  man  is  humbled,  and  the  haughti- 
 ness of  man  is  bowed  down,  and  Jehovah  alone  is 
 exalted  in  that  day;  according  to  the  oracle  of  truth 
 — "  He  shall  glorify  me" — which  is  the  office  of 
 the  Holy  Spirit  to  testify  of  Christ,  and  to  glorify 
 2  c3 
 
610 
 
 Christ,  by  taking  of  the  things  of  Christ,  and  by 
 putting  the  believer  into  the  possession  of  them. 
 
 In  this  school  of  humility,  every  view  that  can  be 
 taken  of  self  is  abasing :  and  as  the  lesson  becomes 
 more  and  better  experienced,  sin  more  discovered  in 
 its  exceeding  wickedness,  and  more  felt  in  its  ex- 
 ceeding great  danger,  the  behever  is  enabled  to  re- 
 joice more  in  Christ  Jesus,  as  he  has  less  confidence 
 in  the  flesh.  And  when  he  attains  to  the  highest 
 of  his  triumph,  v.'hich  he  can  have  in  Christ  in  this 
 world,  he  is  then  the  lowest  in  his  own  eyes — 
 
 When  he  looks  back  and  surveys  what  he  was  by 
 nature  and  practice- 
 When  he  considers  what  he   is  now,   although 
 he  be  renewed  by  grace — 
 
 And  when  he  looks  forward  to  what  he  hopes  to 
 be  at  the  appearing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ — 
 
 Every  thing  in  the  Scripture  doctrine,  and  every 
 thing  in  Scripture  experience,  leads  him  to  conclude 
 — Behold,  I  am  vile,  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in 
 dust  and  ashes :  so  that  whenever  he  is  tempted  to 
 gicry,  he  has  nothing  left  him  to  glory  in  but  the 
 Lord — self  always  abased,  that  Christ  alone  may  be 
 exalted. 
 
 When  he  looks  back  on  what  he  was  by  nature 
 and  practice,  the  more  he  knows,  he  will  be  the 
 more  deeply  humbled  for  what  he  was  when  under 
 the  law  and  under  sin,  and  for  what  he  still  feels  of 
 a  body  of  sin  and  of  death.  He  was  the  creature 
 of  God's  power,  made  out  of  nothing :  distinguished 
 by  his  being  in  the  image  of  God,  and  by  being 
 capable  of  communion  with  him  in  all  the  graces  and 
 blessings  of  his  love.      He  was  under  the  best  law 
 
611 
 
 that  could  be  given  him  for  promoting  God's  glory 
 and  his  own  happiness.      He  was  bound  to  perfect 
 and  continual  obedience  to   it,  and  was  left  to  his 
 own  will  and  power,  that  he  should  not  offend  in  any 
 one  point:   but  upon  his  transgression  he  became 
 liable  to  suffer  the  threatened  pains  and  penalties  of 
 the  broken  law.      Every  right  view  of  himself  in  this 
 state  ought  to  humble  and  to  abase  the  sinner,  and 
 it  effectually  does  when  the  conviction  is  from  God. 
 He  then  finds  that  his  nature  was  earthly,  sensual ; 
 and  having  not  the  Spirit,  it  was  alienated  from  the 
 life  of  God.      AH  his  thoughts  and  actions  were  not 
 only  irregular,  but  also   contrary  to  the  holy  law. 
 His  very  imagination  was  evil,   only  evil,  and  that 
 continually.      His  understanding  was  not  only  igno- 
 rant of  spiritual  things,  but  was  darkness  itself.     His 
 will  was  a  rebel.      His  affections  apostate,   ever  at 
 enmity  with  God.      Misery  and  destruction  were  in 
 his  ways:  of  the  way  of  peace  he  had  no  knowledge, 
 neither  was  there  any  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes : 
 for  although  death  and  hell  were  threatened,  and 
 were  ready  to  give  him  the  just  wages  of  his  iniquity, 
 yet   he   was    kept  careless   and  secure.       Like  the 
 atheists  of  old,   when  warned  of  their  approaching 
 destruction    by  the    prophet — "  Let    us    eat    and 
 drink,"  say  they,  "  for  to-morrow  we  shall  die." 
 
 This  true  knowledge  of  the  exceeding  evil  of  sin, 
 and  the  right  humiliation  for  it,  come  by  believing, 
 and  are  the  genuine  fruits  and  effects  of  it.  Legal 
 conviction  has  guilt  and  bondage  in  it,  and  worketh 
 sorrow  unto  death.  But  this  conviction  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit  reveals  the  remedy  along  with  the  disease,  and 
 produces  such  a  repentance  as  is  not  to  be  repented 
 
612 
 
 of — a  turning  from  sin  to  Christ — teaching  us  prac- 
 tically and  daily  what  we  are  in  ourselves,  and  how 
 much  we  want  such  an  almighty  Saviour,  to  teach 
 us  how  to  trust  in  him  as  our  great  High  Priest, 
 and  to  live  happy  and  holy  under  his  government, 
 which  is  perfect  freedom.  Every  act  of  this  faith 
 is  humbling.  The  believer  is  made  to  feel  his  need 
 of  that  in  himself,  which  he  is  commanded  to  trust 
 in  Christ  for.  And  the  more  he  is  enabled  to  de- 
 pend upon  Christ,  he  will  certainly  have  the  less  in 
 himself.  And  when  his  whole  dependence  is,  as  it 
 ought  to  be,  fixed  upon  Christ,  he  will  come  to  the 
 apostle's  experience,  even  so  to  rejoice  in  Christ 
 Jesus,  as  to  put  no  confidence  in  the  flesh.  Herein 
 consists  the  triumph  of  the  Christian.  In  every 
 step  of  his  walk  and  warfare,  he  is  led  from  self  to 
 Christ — kept  humbled  in  his  own  eyes,  that  he  may 
 exalt  the  Saviour — emptied  of  self,  that  he  may  live 
 upon  the  fulness  of  Jesus,  and  may  thereby  be  taught 
 to  rest  his  heart  in  him  at  all  times,  and  for  all  things. 
 With  respect  to  sin,  which  is  his  daily  burden, 
 under  which  he  is  always  sorrowing,  yet  in  Christ 
 he  can  always  rejoice.  The  more  he  knows  of  the 
 exceeding  wickedness  of  sin,  the  more  precious  is 
 Jesus,  and  the  more  does  he  value  the  blood  of  the 
 Lamb  of  God,  which  cleanseth  from  all  sin.  In  his 
 conscience,  purged  from  guilt,  he  can  triumph  with 
 exceeding  great  joy,  that  there  is  now  no  condemna- 
 tion to  them  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus :  for  where  sin 
 abounded,  grace  does  much  more  abound ;  that  as 
 sin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  even  so  might  grace 
 reign  through  righteousness  unto  eternal  life  by 
 Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  His  grateful  acknowledg- 
 ments are  such  as  these :— 
 
613 
 
 I  was  even  as  others  once — by  nature  a  child  of 
 wrath,  and  an  heir  of  misery.  I  was  going  on  in  the 
 broad  way  of  destruction,  careless  and  secure — and 
 I  am  quite  astonished  to  see  the  danger  that  I  was 
 in.  I  trembled  to  behold  the  precipice  which  I  was 
 ready  to  fall  over,  when  Jesus  opened  mine  eyes, 
 and  by  the  light  of  his  word  and  Spirit,  showed  me 
 my  guilt  and  my  danger,  and  put  it  into  my  heart 
 to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come.  O  what  a  most 
 merciful  escape  !  I  cannot  think  of  it  without  ador- 
 ing the  compassionate  Saviour,  who  remembered  me 
 in  my  low  estate;  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever: 
 and  hath  redeemed  me  from  the  hand  of  all  mine 
 enemies ;  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever.  Not  unto 
 me,  not  unto  me,  in  the  least,  but  to  the  super- 
 abounding  grace  of  my  God  be  all  the  glory.  That 
 the  Father  would  make  me  an  object  of  his  choice 
 and  love — that  Jesus  Emmanuel  would  humble  him- 
 self to  be  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and  be  obedient 
 unto  death,  for  me  and  for  my  salvation — that  the 
 Holy  Ghost  would  give  me  a  new  birth  into  the 
 spiritual  world,  and  would  quicken  me  into  union 
 with  Jesus,  and  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  Father's 
 love  in  him, — adored  for  ever  and  ever  be  the  holy, 
 blessed,  and  glorious  Trinity.  That  such  a  filthy 
 sinner  should  be  cleansed  from  all  sin — that  such  an 
 ungodly  creature  should  be  freely  justified  by  grace 
 — that  such  a  miserable  sinner  should  be  blessed 
 with  all  spiritual  blessings — that  such  a  weak  crea- 
 ture should  be  strengthened  mightily  by  the  Spirit 
 in  the  inner  man,  and  when  weakest  in  myself,  then 
 to  be  strongest  in  the  Lord — O  what  riches  !  what 
 unsearchable  riches  of  grace  are  these  !     Abide  with 
 
614 
 
 me,  O  thou  Spirit  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  and 
 keep  me  constantly  dependent  on  the  fresh  supphes 
 of  thy  divine  influence.  By  thy  daily  teaching, 
 keep  open  to  me  the  depth  and  mystery  of  iniquity, 
 the  exceeding  wickedness  of  sin — of  my  sin ;  that  by 
 thy  holy  inspiration  I  may  live  more  by  faith,  and 
 nothing  may  be  suffered  to  hinder  my  growing  fel- 
 lowship with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  until  I  am 
 admitted  to  full  and  eternal  fellowship.      Amen. 
 
 Thus  reflecting  with  self-abhorrence  upon  what 
 he  was  by  nature,  when  he  was  under  the  law,  and 
 under  sin,  which  is  the  transgression  of  the  law; 
 alive  to  sin,  but  dead  to  God — he  is  led  to  consider 
 
 What  he  is  now,  although  he  be  renewed  by 
 grace,  a  believer  and  a  man  in  Christ:  how  he  feels 
 himself,  after  much  and  sound  experience  of  his  title 
 to  salvation,  and  of  his  enjoyment  of  the  things 
 which  accompany  salvation — every  day,  and  in  every 
 thing,  he  has  fresh  matter  for  the  deepest  humiliation. 
 He  finds  that  he  is  still  a  man  in  Adam — still  he 
 carries  about  him  a  sinful  nature,  an  old  man  as  well 
 as  a  new,  a  body  of  sin  with  all  its  members:  he 
 has  spirit,  but  he  has  also  flesh ;  and  that  which  is 
 born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  nothing  but  corruption,  as 
 that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit  is  spirit.  The  old 
 man  has  flesh  still,  with  all  its  appetites  and  lusts: 
 the  new  man  is  by  the  Spirit  of  life,  that  is  in  Christ 
 Jesus,  alive  to  God.  In  the  same  person  sin  dwell- 
 eth,  as  we  read:  "  When  we  were  in  the  flesh,  the 
 motions  of  sin,  which  were  by  the  law,  did  work  in 
 our  members  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto  death.  And 
 the  new  man  liveth,  who  after  God  is  created  in 
 righteousness  and  true  hoHness."      The  apostle,  in 
 
615 
 
 Romans  chap.  vii.  not  only  confesses  that  he  had 
 nature  and  grace  in  him  at  the  same  time,  but  also 
 describes  it  at  full  length.  Indwelling  sin  was  his 
 continual  grief,  and  his  heavy  burden :  an  apostle  in 
 Christ,  and  yet  he  felt  the  plague  of  his  own  heart: 
 and  it  was  his  daily  cross,  which  he  was  forced  to 
 bear;  and  his  constant  enemy,  against  which  he  was 
 always  at  war — no  peace,  no  truce  could  be  made. 
 The  flesh  was  ever  lusting  against  the  spirit,  and  the 
 spirit  against  the  flesh;  and  these  two  with  such  un- 
 ceasing opposition  night  and  day,  that  he  could  not 
 do  the  things  that  he  would,  either  so  continually  or 
 so  perfectly.  He  describes  this  battle  as  it  was  car- 
 ried on  in  his  own  experience,  the  two  combatants 
 striving  in  him  for  mastery.  He  was  a  good  soldier 
 of  Jesus  Christ,  and  as  well  instructed  and  armed  as 
 ever  any  believer  was  for  this  warfare,  having  on  the 
 whole  armour  of  God:  and  yet,  wearied  v^ith  this 
 daily  conflict,  he  is  forced  to  cry  out,  "  O  wretched 
 man  that  I  am  !  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body 
 of  this  death  ?"  He  had  no  deliverance  in  or  from 
 himself:  it  was  against  himself  that  he  fought,  and 
 of  himself  he  was  led  to  despair.  But  looking  to 
 Jesus  he  takes  courage,  assuring  himself  of  a  com- 
 plete victory,  and  of  an  everlasting  triumph  in  the 
 Captain  of  his  salvation — "  I  thank  God,  through 
 Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. — So  then,"  (this  is  the  con- 
 clusion of  the  whole  matter,)  "  so  then  with  the  mind 
 I  myself  serve  the  law  of  God,  but  with  the  flesh  the 
 law  of  sin." 
 
 This  is  still  the  experience  of  every  true  believer, 
 at  all  times,  and  upon  all  occasions :  he  has  a  practi- 
 cal comment  upon  the  seventh  chapter  of  the  Romans 
 
616 
 
 in  his  own  bosom  :  he  has  heartfelt  experience  of  the 
 warfare  between  the  flesh  and  the  Spirit :  he  finds 
 it  hard  fighting;  harder,  because  it  is  continual- 
 it  will  never  cease  so  long  as  flesh  is  flesh ;  that  is, 
 so  long  as  the  believer  lives  in  the  body  and  in  the 
 present  world.  Indwelling  sin  never  rests — it  is 
 like  the  troubled  sea,  always  casting  up  its  filthy 
 motions,  and  then  the  most  troublesome  when  he 
 would  be  the  freest  from  them.  O  what  humbling 
 lessons  does  he  learn  in  all  his  approaches  to  God  ! 
 he  knows  his  privileges,  and  he  wishes  to  live  up  to 
 them,  but  he  cannot.  When  he  would  draw  near 
 to  God  in  the  prayer  of  faith,  the  Spirit  is  willing, 
 but  the  flesh  is  weak.  On  his  bended  knees  de- 
 siring to  confess  his  sins,  and  to  humble  himself 
 under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  imploring  pardon 
 through  the  redemption  that  is  in  the  blood  of  the 
 Lamb,  and  expecting  it  freely,  as  the  most  sovereign 
 mercy  that  a  poor  sinner  can  receive — Alas,  alas  ! 
 even  then  shame  and  confusion  cover  his  face.  He 
 desires  to  keep  his  thoughts  from  wandering — he 
 would  have  his  whole  heart  engaged  in  the  duty,  but 
 he  cannot.  His  imagination  is  not  to  be  restrained. 
 When  he  would  be  uniting  all  his  affections  in  fer- 
 vent and  effectual  prayer — vain,  foolish  thoughts 
 force  themselves  upon  him  :  he  drives  them  away  as 
 Abraham  did  the  birds  which  came  down  upon  the 
 sacrifice,  but  they  will  return.  He  mourns,  as  well 
 he  may,  for  these  distractions  of  his  mind ;  and  is 
 deeply  convinced,  that  a  most  holy  God  might  justly 
 condemn  him  for  his  very  best  devotions.  He  is 
 therefore  led  to  put  them  into  the  hands  of  the  Me- 
 diator, that  he  may  perfume  them  with  much  of  his 
 
617 
 
 incense  for  their  acceptance,  and  through  his  inter- 
 cession, and  through  that  only,  he  may  obtain  an 
 answer  of  grace. 
 
 Neither  can  he  trust  in  his  praises  any  more  than 
 in  his  prayers.  Let  him  praise  ever  so  much,  and 
 ever  so  well,  yet  he  can  make  no  suitable  acknow- 
 ledgments for  the  blessing  of  creation.  Once  he 
 was  nothing :  for  his  being  at  all — for  such  a  being, 
 rather  than  any  other — for  being  made  a  man,  and 
 at  first  highly  favoured  with  the  image  and  friend- 
 ship of  God — who  can  express  the  noble  acts  of  the 
 Lord,  or  show  forth  all  his  praise  for  the  miracle  of 
 creation  ?  But  who  can  conceive  how  great,  how 
 endless  are  the  blessings  of  the  new  creation  ?  For 
 they  are  all  gifts  of  God's  grace — distinguishing  and 
 sovereign — given  to  sinners  as  sinners — to  the  chief 
 of  sinners — continued  to  the  unworthy — increased 
 to  the  unthankful — how  great  in  their  nature — how 
 invaluable  the  sum  of  them  !  The  believer,  deeply 
 impressed  with  these  sentiments,  acknowledges  that 
 he  is  less  than  the  least  of  all  God's  mercies;  yea, 
 he  is  sensible  that  he  deserves  the  heaviest  of  the 
 divine  vengeance :  so  that  his  prayer,  "  God  be  mer- 
 ciful to  me  a  sinner,"  lays  the  foundation  of  his  very 
 best  praises.  He  who  has  most  forgiven  will  love 
 most.  He  who  feels  what  he  really  is  among  the 
 chief  of  sinners,  will  be  among  the  chief  of  those 
 worshippers  who  ascribe  all  their  salvation  to  God 
 and  the  Lamb.  The  humblest  among  them  will 
 feel  that  they  have  most  reason  to  be  thankful.  But 
 still  their  praises  are  no  payment.  They  must  re- 
 ceive fresh  grace  to  praise  with,  and  more  grace  to 
 praise  better.      The  debt  increases  by  the  addition 
 
618 
 
 of  fresh  gifts  of  grace,  and  leaves  the  believer  no- 
 thing to  glory  in  but  the  Lord — to  be  saved — to 
 feel  it — to  enjoy  it  by  faith — to  be  made,  and  to  be 
 kept  thankful,  giving  all  the  glory  where  it  is  due : 
 — these  are  amon^  the  mercies  which  endure  for  ever. 
 In  this  school  of  self-abasement  he  is  taught  to 
 be  humbled  for  his  short  attainments  in  the  Scrip- 
 tures, read,  or  preached,  or  meditated  on.  How 
 seldom  does  he  attend  the  word  as  that  congrecration 
 did — "  Behold,  we  are  all  here  present  before  God, 
 to  hear  all  things  that  are  commanded  thee  of  God." 
 This  preparation  of  heart  was  from  the  Lord.  He 
 disposed  Cornelius  and  his  family  to  receive  the  word 
 aright,  and  his  blessing  came  upon  them  in  hearing 
 it;  for  while  Peter  was  speaking,  the  Holy  Ghost 
 fell  on  all  them  that  heard  the  word.  And  it  would 
 be  so  still,  if  there  was  the  same  dependence  on  his 
 grace,  and  the  prayer  of  faith  for  his  teaching  along 
 with  the  word.  How  little  is  this  depended  upon 
 under  hearing,  although  the  profit  be  entirely  from 
 him  !  how  seldom  is  the  mixing  faith  with  it  received 
 and  acknowledged  !  Therefore  the  memory  keeps 
 little  impression  of  the  word,  and  in  heart  it  is  not 
 fruitful  as  it  ought  to  be.  On  all  these  accounts  the 
 believer  mourns  and  is  humbled  before  God.  He 
 feels  it  to  be  true,  "  I  know  that  in  me,  that  is  ia 
 my  flesh,  dwelleth  no  good  thing :  for  to  will  is  pre- 
 sent with  me,  but  how  to  perform  that  which  is 
 good,  I  find  not."  He  is  sensible  of  these  failings 
 and  distractions,  even  when  he  labours  to  be  most 
 free  from  them.  He  is  going  to  the  Lord's  table 
 to  be  fed  and  feasted,  hoping  that  he  is  one  with 
 Christ,   and  Christ  is   one  with  him.      He  would 
 
619 
 
 gladly  partake  of  the  fruits  and  blessings  of  this 
 union  by  communion  with  Christ,  by  receiving  the 
 bread  of  life,  and  the  cup  of  salvation,  according  to 
 Christ's  holy  institution.  He  comes  in  faith  to  eat 
 the  flesh  of  Christ,  and  to  drink  his  blood  in  grate- 
 ful remembrance  of  him — according  as  he  hath  been 
 taught — The  body  and  blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
 Christ,  which  was  given  for  me,  preserve  iriy  body 
 and  soul  unto  eternal  life — I  take  and  I  eat  this 
 bread,  and  I  take  and  I  drink  this  cup,  in  remem- 
 brance that  Christ  died  for  me,  and  I  desire  to  feed 
 on  him  in  my  heart  by  faith  with  thanksgiving.  In 
 this  service  he  would  have  his  whole  soul  engaged, 
 that  nothing  might  interrupt  his  communion  with 
 his  beloved.  But  vain  thoughts  which  lodge  within 
 him,  will  break  out.  They  intrude,  although  most 
 unwelcome  guests,  into  this  banquet  of  love  :  so  that 
 he  is  constrained  to  cry  out.  Lord  Jesus,  pardon  the 
 failings  of  my  holy  things :  I  come  to  the  throne  of 
 thy  grace,  that  I  may  obtain  mercy,  and  may  find 
 more  grace  to  help  me  in  every  time  of  need. 
 
 When  he  is  led  to  consider  what  is  the  cause  of 
 all  these  failings,  O  what  an  abiding  lesson  of  hu- 
 mility has  he  to  learn  1  He  sees  that  they  all  spring 
 from  the  bitter  root  of  unbelief,  and  are  the  fruits 
 of  remaining  corruption;  which  can  only  be  kept 
 down,  and  conquered,  as  the  strength  of  Christ  ap- 
 prehended by  faith  prevails  over  them.  Self,  pride, 
 legality,  nurse  them :  they  have  their  being,  their 
 activity,  their  power,  from  those  fleshly  lusts  which 
 war  against  the  soul,  and  render  the  whole  life  of 
 the  believer  one  continued  act  of  self-denial.  He 
 has  still  a  body  of  sin,  with  all  its  members  mixing 
 
6€0 
 
 with  every  duty,  so  that  he  cannot  ground  his  faith 
 and  hope  upon  the  best  of  them.      The  work  of 
 Jesus  upon  earth,  the  intercession  of  Jesus  in  hea- 
 ven, are  the  sole  ground  of  his  confidence  towards 
 God.      His  motive  is  good — he  aims  at   pleasing 
 God  in  all  things — he  would  do  his  will,  and  suffer 
 his  will,  as  it  is  his  bounden  duty,  with  faith  and 
 patience.      His  end  is  good — he  would  gladly  keep 
 the  glory  of  God  in  his  eye,  and  direct  all  he  does 
 to  it,  as  his  elder  brethren  do  in  heaven.      But  he 
 cannot.      When  the  spirit  is  willing,  the  flesh   is 
 weak.     Yet  he  is  not  so  discouraged  as  to  give  over 
 and  cease  his  approaches  to  God,  because  of  his  in- 
 firmities.     Having  obtained  help  of  God,  he  fights 
 on  the  good  fight  of  faith.      He  does  not  leave  off 
 praying,  because  he  is  not  so  spiritual  as  he  desires 
 to  be;  but  he  is  rather  more  earnest  and  fervent. 
 The  Spirit  helping  his  infirmities,  keeps  him  in  an 
 humble  dependence  upon  Jesus,  waiting  on  him  for 
 due  sense  of  his  wants,  for  the  acceptance  of  his 
 prayers,  for  a  supply  of  them,  for   pardoning   the 
 failings  of  them,  for  more  faith  in  them,  and  for  ena- 
 bling him  to  continue  instant  in  prayer,  according  to 
 the  divine  command,  that  men  ought  always  to  pray 
 and  not  to  faint ;  which  supposes  them  to  be  kept  in 
 a  praying  frame,  and  to  use  the  means  which  St.  Jude 
 recommends   for  the  obtaining  of  these  blessings: 
 "  But  ye,  beloved,  building  up  yourselves  on  your 
 most  holy  faith,  praying  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  keep 
 yourselves  in  the  love  of  God,  looking  for  the  mercy 
 of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  unto  eternal  life." 
 
 As  he  is  not  weary  of  his  prayers,  because  they 
 are  not  so  spiritual  as  he  could  wish,  so  neither  is  he 
 
6n 
 
 weary  of  his  praises,  although  they  fall  far  short  of 
 what  such  a  Saviour  deserves,  and  of  what  he  would 
 acknowledge  with  all  possible  gratitude :  because  he 
 falls  short,  he  aims  higher.  He  feels  himself  under 
 infinite  obligations  to  the  Father  for  his  love,  to  the 
 Son  for  his  salvation ;  and  by  the  supply  of  the  Spi- 
 rit's grace  he  is  made  sensible,  that  he  is  not  only 
 less  than  the  least  of  divine  mercies,  but  if  he  had 
 his  just  deserts,  he  should  have  judgment  without 
 mercy.  This  lays  the  foundation  for  his  highest 
 praises.  The  faithful  witness  for  Jesus  makes  the 
 beHever  willing  to  be  beholden  to  him  for  every 
 mercy ;  yea,  to  glory  in  being  a  pensioner  upon  his 
 fulness ;  from  which  he  receives  grace  for  grace,  that 
 in  all  things  he  may  be  giving  of  thanks  :  according 
 to  the  Lord's  favour  to  his  people,  informing  them 
 to  take  with  them  words,  and  turn  to  the  Lord,  and 
 say  unto  him,  "  Take  away  all  iniquity,  and  receive 
 us  graciously,  so  will  we  render  the  calves  of  our 
 lips;"  which  is  the  sacrifice  of  the  New  Testament 
 worshippers,  who,  through  Jesus  the  Mediator,  offer 
 the  sacrifice  of  praise  continually — that  is,  the  fruit 
 of  their  lips,  giving  thanks  to  his  name :  wishing, 
 praying  to  do  it  with  some  of  the  praises  of  heaven ; 
 as  one  said,  "  I  will  hope  continually,  and  I  will  yet 
 praise  thee  more  and  more." 
 
 As  these  prayers  and  praises  are  grounded  upon 
 faith  in  the  divine  promises,  this  makes  the  believer 
 a  diligent  reader  of  the  Scriptures.  He  does  not 
 neglect  his  Bible,  because  he  has  not  yet  attained 
 the  perfect  knowledge  of  every  part  of  it.  For  that 
 very  reason  he  studies  it  more;  he  prays  more  over 
 it,  grows  more  thankful  for  the  divine  power  which 
 
622 
 
 still  accompanies  it,  and  studies  and  prays  that  he 
 may  experience  more  of  this  power:  it  has  been  the 
 means  of  making  him  wise  unto  salvation,  through 
 faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  He  finds  it  also  to 
 be  the  food  of  this  faith :  it  nourishes  him,  and  he 
 grows  thereby.  He  hears,  reads,  meditates,  and 
 keeps  on  praying  to  the  Holy  Ghost  to  write  the 
 Scriptures  upon  his  heart,  and  to  make  his  life  a  fair 
 copy  of  them.  And  what  he  thus  learns,  preserves 
 him  in  a  settled  dependence  upon  the  faithfulness  of 
 God  to  his  word  and  promise.  And  he  is  not  dis- 
 appointed :  he  finds  that  all  the  Scripture,  which  was 
 given  by  the  inspiration  of  God,  is  still  profitable  for 
 doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction 
 in  righteousness,  that  "the  man  of  God  may  be  per- 
 fect, thoroughly  furnished  unto  all  good  works. 
 This  blessing  he  has  in  his  Bible.  The  more  he 
 can  mix  faith  with  it,  the  more  precious  it  becomes. 
 His  Bible  is  his  library.  The  study  therein  makes 
 him  wise  for  eternity ;  which  is  the  superlative  excel- 
 lency of  Bible  knowledge,  of  which  Jesus  thus  speaks: 
 *'  Blessed  is  the  man  that  heareth  me,  watching  daily 
 at  my  gates,  waiting  at  the  posts  of  my  doors :  for 
 whoso  findeth  me,  findeth  life,  and  shall  obtain  fa- 
 vour of  the  Lord." 
 
 Thus,  in  the  use  of  means,  he  is  kept  humble  and 
 dependent,  exercising  the  true  gospel  poverty  of  spirit 
 in  self-abasement ;  and  so  far  from  being  stopped, 
 that  he  rather  glories  and  triumphs  in  his  infirmities. 
 The  opposition  which  they  give,  helps  him  forward; 
 they  are  always  driving  him  out  of  self  to  Christ, 
 teaching  him  the  necessity  of  the  supplies  of  the  Spi- 
 rit, making  hira  more  diligent,  and  keeping  him  more 
 
623 
 
 humble  in  the  use  of  the  means :  and  thus  he  learns 
 to  live  more  by  faith  upon  Christ,  and  to  seek  more 
 close  communion  with  him  and  his  fulness,  especially 
 at  his  table.  He  does  not  absent  himself  from  it, 
 because  he  has  not  the  fellowship  there,  so  close,  in- 
 timate, and  abiding  as  he  could  wish,  or  because  the 
 last  time  he  was  there  he  was  not  so  lively  as  he  used 
 to  be,  or  because  he  was  unworthy,  and  full  of  com- 
 plaints. He  has  tasted  that  the  Lord  is  gracious, 
 and  this  taste  has  increased  his  hunger  and  thirst: 
 the  food  which  he  wants  he  does  not  carry  with  him, 
 but  he  goes  to  receive  it.  When  he  hears  his  Lord's 
 command — Take,  eat  this  bread — drink  this  cup — 
 do  ye  this  in  remembrance  of  me, — he  obeys,  believ- 
 ing the  promise:  This  is  my  body  given  for  you; 
 this  is  my  blood  shed  for  you.  The  more  faith  in 
 the  promise,  there  will  be  the  more  appetite,  and  the 
 more  nourishment  received  from  the  spiritual  food; 
 for  then  the  Holy  Spirit  puts  his  influence  into  the 
 elements,  and  the  communicant  eats  the  flesh  of 
 Christ  indeed,  and  drinks  his  blood  indeed ;  having 
 by  faith  communion  with  him  in  the  bread  and  wine. 
 At  this  table  the  believer  is  fed,  nourished,  and 
 feasted,  with  the  bread  that  cometh  down  from  hea- 
 ven, even  angel's  food.  For  he  that  eateth  of  this 
 bread  shall  live  for  ever;  according  to  the  Lord's 
 own  promise,  "  Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drink- 
 eth  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life,  and  I  will  raise  him 
 up  at  the  last  day."  The  believer  has  this  in  his 
 eye,  both  in  what  the  banquet  is  now,  and  in  what  it 
 is  the  pledge  and  earnest  of,  when  it  shall  be  rea- 
 lized. Faith  gives  a  substance  to  the  things  pro- 
 mised and  hoped  for.      It  has  the   earnest  and  the 
 
6S4 
 
 pledge  of  them  :  as  certainly  as  we  have  the  one,  so 
 certainly  shall  we  have  the  other.  A  faithful  God 
 gives  us  this  security — "  Whoso  is  one  by  faith  with 
 Jesus,  shall  sit  down  at  the  marriage-supper  of  the 
 Lamb:  whoso  eateth  and  drinketh  at  his  table  here 
 in  faith,  shall  infallibly  eat  and  drink  with  him  at  his 
 table  in  his  kingdom  of  glory.  The  sure  and  cer- 
 tain hope  of  this  makes  our  present  feast  at  the  Lord^s 
 supper,  a  happy  foretaste  of  that  eternal  banquet, 
 when  he  will  vouchsafe  to  admit  us  to  the  honours 
 of  his  table  and  of  his  kingdom.  O  blessed,  most 
 blessed  time  !  the  prospect  is  animating,  it  brightens 
 the  darkest  day  of  affliction,  refreshes  the  spirits  under 
 the  heaviest  trials,  and  is  a  rich  cordial  under  the 
 deepest  feeling  of  indwelling  sin.  Where  Christ  is, 
 all  is  blessed.  Union  with  him  is  heaven  begun, 
 and  this  the  believer  is  called  to  enjoy :  even  to  en- 
 joy communion  with  him  in  all  he  is  and  has.  Christ 
 is  one  with  him.  Christ  will  not  leave  him  nor  for- 
 sake him :  nothing  is  able  to  separate  the  mem!'  -s 
 from  the  head.  He  who  has  begun  the  good  worife 
 has  given  the  fullest  security  that  he  will  not  leave  it 
 unfinished.  He  will  carry  it  on  unto  the  end;  for 
 he  is  faithful  who  hath  promised.  And  the  apostle 
 applies  the  words  spoken  to  Joshua,  and  says,  that 
 they  were  spoken  also  to  us,  that  we  might  trust  and 
 not  be  afraid:  "  This  book  of  the  law  shall  not  depart 
 out  of  thy  mouth ;  but  thou  shalt  meditate  therein 
 day  and  night,  that  thou  mayest  observe  to  do  ac- 
 cording to  all  that  is  written  therein  :  for  then  thou 
 shalt  make  thy  way  prosperous,  and  then  thou  shalt 
 have  good  success.  Have  not  I  commanded  thee? 
 Be  strong,  and  of  a  good  courage ;  be  not  afraid, 
 
625 
 
 neither  be  thou  dismayed :  for  the  Lord  thy  God  is 
 with  thee  whithersoever  thou  goest."  And  he  went 
 out  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might. 
 He  fought  the  Lord's  battles  and  prospered,  until 
 the  whole  land  was  subdued  before  hira.  There 
 failed  not  ou|»ht  of  any  good  thing  which  the  Lord 
 had  spoken  to  the  house  of  Israel — all  came  to  pass. 
 Even  so  shall  it  be  to  the  whole  Israel  of  God. 
 Every  good  soldier  of  Christ  Jesus  shall  be  kept  safe 
 by  his  almighty  power,  and  under  his  banner  shall 
 fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  until  he  obtain  the  pro- 
 mised inheritance,  which  is  incorruptible  and  unde- 
 filed,  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven 
 for  them.  He  has  taken  possession  of  it  in  their 
 name,  as  their  surety,  and  not  one  of  them  can  per- 
 ish ;  for  he  keeps  the  inheritance  for  them,  and  them 
 for  it :  yea,  the  day  is  hastening;  on,  when  he  will  pre- 
 sent all  his  redeemed  unto  the  Father.  "  Of  those 
 whom  thou  hast  given  me  have  I  lost  none;  behold 
 1,  and  the  children  whom  thou  hast  given  me." 
 
 On  all  these  accounts  it  is  evident,  that  a  believer 
 every  day,  and  in  every  thing,  finds  matter  for 
 the  deepest  humiliation.  He  has  still  a  body  of  sin, 
 remaining  corruptions,  daily  infirmities,  and  short- 
 comings. All  tliat  he  has  of  his  own  abases  him  in 
 his  own  eyes;  so  that  his  triumph  is  never  in  him- 
 self. His  salvation,  with  all  its  graces  and  blessings, 
 depends  entirely  upon  what  he  is  in  Christ.  On 
 this  foundation  he  may  rest  safely  always,  notwith- 
 standing he  has  nothing  of  his  own  to  glory  in. 
 Most  of  his  mistakes  and  miseries  come  from  his 
 seeking  to  be  independent  of  Christ — hoping  to  find 
 that  in  himself,  or  in  the  world,  which  is  only  in 
 2D  4 
 
626 
 
 Christ.      Self-love  is  unwilling  to  be  beholden   to 
 Christ  for  every  good  thing  ;  it  is  always  trying  to 
 put  some  confidence  in  the  flesh  :   but  the  believer 
 is  commanded,   and  is  taught  to  deny  self,   to  put  it 
 upon  the   cross,    and  lo    (rucify    it    daily   with   its 
 affections  and  lusts.      As  Christ  is  exalted,  self  goes 
 down.     As  Christ  is  beloved,  self  is  not  only  denied, 
 but  is  also  abhorred.      The  prophet  Ezekiel,   in  the 
 thirty-sixth  chapter,    describes   the   very   height    of 
 the  experience  of  a  great  believer,  who  is  blessed 
 with   the  abundant  graces  of  the  Holy  Spirit:  the 
 result  of  which  is,   "  Then  shull  ye  remember  your 
 own  evil  ways,   and  your  doings  that  were  not  good, 
 aind  ye  shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight,  for 
 your  iniquities,  and  for  your  abominations.     Not  for 
 vour  sakes   do    1  this,   saith   the  Lord   God,   be  it 
 known  unto  you :  be  ashamed  and  confounded  for 
 your  own  ways,   O  house  of  Israel.'*      Such  is  the 
 genuine  working  of  true  grace;  it  lays  the  sinner 
 low  at  the   Saviour's  feet,   abased  and   humbled  to 
 the  dust :  "  Behold,  1  am  vile — I  abhor  myself,  and 
 I  repent  in  dust  and  ashes."      The  sense  of  God's 
 distinguishing  and  sovereign   mercy  brings  ail  high 
 thoughts  of  self  into  subjection  to  Christ  Jesus,  and 
 teaches  the  believer  to  walk  humbly  with  his  God, 
 ascribing  all  his  salvation  to  the  praise  of  the  glory 
 of  the  exceeding  riches  of  God's  grace  in  his  kind- 
 ness towards  us  through  Christ  Jesus  :  that,  according 
 as  it  is  written,  *'  He  that  glorieth,  let  him  glory  in 
 the  Lord." 
 
 Thus  it  is  evident,  that  when  the  believer  looks 
 back  upon  what  he  was  by  nature,  or  considers  what 
 h«  now  is  by  grace,  he  has  nothing  of  his  own   to 
 
627 
 
 boast  of:  yet  even  in  this  continual  warfare  between 
 the  flesh  and  the  Spirit,  in  Christ  Jesus  he  may  rejoice 
 even  to  a  triumph,  a  jubilee  of  joy.  But  the  grand 
 triumph  is  yet  to  come.  The  best  glorying  in  the 
 Lord  here  is  only  a  prelude  to  it.  Now  we  have  the 
 espousals  with  our  heavenly  Bridegroom,  but  then 
 the  marriage  will  be  consummated.  Now  we  are 
 kept  waiting  in  hope  for  the  crown  of  righteousness, 
 but  that  will  be  our  coronation  day.  What  a  day 
 will  it  be  !  What  wonders  and  miracles  !  The 
 promises,  exceeding  great  and  exceeding  precious, 
 will  then  have  their  full  and  everlasting  accomplish- 
 ment by  a  faithful  God,  when  he  shall  come  to  be 
 glorified  in  his  saints,  and  to  be  admired  in  all  them 
 who  have  believed.  When  they  shall  see  him  face 
 to  face — shall  be  with  him  where  he  is — shall  be 
 like  him,  and  made  capable  of  enjoying  the  honours, 
 and  riches,  and  pleasures  of  his  kingdom,  in  their 
 fulness  of  blessedness  for  evermore. 
 
 CHAPTER  XI. 
 
 The  Eternal  Triumph, 
 
 This  is  the  great  lesson  which  the  believer  is 
 learning,  till  he  comes  to  the  end  of  his  faith — what 
 is  promised  him,  and  what  he  hopes  to  be  at  the 
 appearing  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the 
 centre  to  which  all  his  experience  tends;  and,  while 
 he  keeps  it  in  view,  it  so  enlivens  and  animates  his 
 prospect,  that  come  what  may,  he  goes  on  his  way 
 2  d2 
 
6QS 
 
 rejoicing,  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.      "  Eye  hath 
 not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into 
 the  heart  of  man,   the  things  which  God  hath  pre- 
 pared for  them  that  love  him.      But  God  hath  re- 
 vealed them   unto  us  by  his   Spirit."     And  by  his 
 holy  inspiration  he  opens  the  eyes  of  the  understand- 
 ing, both  to  understand  what  is  revealed,  and  also  to 
 know  the  things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God: 
 for  great  as  they  are,  endless  as  they  are,  "  the  natu- 
 ral man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
 neither  can   he  know  them,    because  they  are  spi- 
 ritually discerned  ;"  but  he  that  is  spiritual,  has  spiri- 
 tual senses  given  him  to  exercise  upon  spiritual  things 
 — he  is  made  certain  oF  their  reality — his  faith  gives 
 a  substance  to  the  things  hoped  for,  and  evidence  to 
 the  things   not   seen — a   hope    that    never    maketh 
 ashamed — an    evidence   very    clear  and    satisfying  : 
 sometimes  he  can   triumph   in   hope  of  the  glory  of 
 God,  when  the  Holy  Spirit  sheds  abroad  in  his  heart 
 the  Father's  love,   and  bestows  great  joy  and   peace 
 in   believing.      But   he  who  is  thus  taught  of  God 
 knows   only  in   part.      An    apostle  knew  no  more. 
 The  best  of  our  present  enjoyment  is  only  a  foretaste 
 of  the  heavenly  banquet.      But  even  this  little  is  of 
 such  a  nature,  and  has  such  efficacy,  that  when  it  is 
 truly  believed,  it  influences  the  whole  man,  while  he 
 looks  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,   but  at  the 
 things  which  are  not  seen :  for  the  things  which  are 
 seen  are  temporal,  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen 
 are  eternal.      They  are  not  seen  by  the  eye  of  the 
 body,  but  are  visible  by  the  eye  of  faith  :  so  we  read, 
 **  Come,   taste  and  see  how  gracious  the  Lord  is." 
 By  this  eye  of  faith  Moses  saw  Him  that  is  invisible  : 
 
6^9 
 
 and  this  sight  so  aflPected  him,  and  had  such  an  influ- 
 ence upon  his  heart  and  life,  that  he  Hved  above  the 
 world  with  all  its  temptations.  This  is  the  victory 
 that  overcame  the  world,  even  his  faith.  The  same 
 sioht  stills  works  the  same  effect — producing  a  real 
 value  for  spiritual  and  eternal  things,  and  forming 
 the  heart  to  love  and  to  practise  the  apostle's  rule — 
 *'  My  conversation  is  in  heaven,  from  whence  also  I 
 look  for  the  Saviour,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom 
 the  world  is  crucified  unto  me,  and  I  unto  the  world.'* 
 
 In  the  scripture  view  of  our  victory  in  Christ, 
 there  are  two  great  points,  which  will  take  in  all  that 
 is  revealed  of  our  eternal  triumph ;  namely,  the  com- 
 plete conquest  of  all  our  enemies — and  the  full  and 
 eternal  enjoyment  of  all  possible  good.  These  two 
 truths  come  now  under  our  consideration :  and  if  we 
 can  meditate  upon  them  under  the  influence  of  the 
 Holy  Spirit,  and  mix  faith  with  his  revelation,  we 
 shall  have  a  good  warrant  to  begin  those  praises 
 which  will  never  end  ;  and  to  sing  in  harmony  with 
 ail  the  redeemed  our  everlasting  jubilee. 
 
 When  we  come  to  the  end  of  our  faith,  even  the 
 eternal  salvation  of  our  souls,  our  victory  is  described 
 to  be  a  perfect  deliverance  from  all  evil — from  sin, 
 from  suffering.  Sin  has  brought  all  pain  into  the 
 world — miseries  upon  the  body — miseries  upon  the 
 soul — spiritual  wickedness — numerous  hosts  of  foes 
 —mighty  principalities  and  powers — it  has  armed 
 thousands,  yea  millions  of  them,  for  our  destruction 
 -—made  us  our  own  enemies  by  enslaving  us  to  divers 
 lusts  and  passions,  making  us  the  prey  to  earthly, 
 sensual,  devilish  tempers — and  as  if  there  was  not 
 suffering  enough  in  the  world,  filling  us  with  many 
 
630 
 
 imaginary  fears,  which  occasion  real  suffering.  At 
 last  come  the  wages  of  sin — death  with  its  terrors- 
 hell  with  its  torments  !  O  what  a  deliverer  !  what 
 a  deliverance  !  Not  one  enemy  left.  They  are  all 
 brought  under,  and  subdued  to  rise  no  more.  The 
 Captain  of  our  salvation  has  vanquished  them  for  us. 
 His  victory  is  the  earnest  of  ours.  His  was  com- 
 plete, so  is  ours.  No  sin,  no  suffering,  can  come 
 near  the  habitation  of  his  holiness.  Indeed  he  suf- 
 fered once  for  sin,  but  he  put  it  away  by  that  sacri- 
 fice of  himself.  By  faith  we  have  the  benefit  of  his 
 suffering,  a  conscience  purged  from  guilt,  no  condem- 
 nation left,  no  charge  from  any  enemy.  God  him- 
 self justifies  ;  God  himself  sees  us,  accepts  us,  glori- 
 fies us,  in  and  with  his  Son :  for  in  that  day  he  will 
 present  us  to  his  Father,  without  spot  of  sin,  unto 
 eternal  salvation. 
 
 Of  this  blessed  and  complete  victory  over  all  sin, 
 and  all  suffering,  the  prophet  Isaiah  had  a  delightful 
 prospect,  speaking  of  it  in  these  words :  "  And  the 
 ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  return,  and  shall  come  to 
 Sion  with  songs,  and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads: 
 they  shall  obtain  joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and 
 sighing  shall  flee  away."  O  give  thanks  unto  the 
 Lord  Jehovah,  for  he  is  good,  for  his  mercy  endur- 
 eth  for  ever.  Let  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  say  so, 
 whom  he  hath  redeemed  from  the  hand  of  the  enemy. 
 They  have  as  much  to  thank  their  Redeemer  for,  as 
 any  creature  possibly  can  have :  his  ransomed  were 
 under  sin,  helpless,  miserable,  dying  sinners :  from 
 this  slavery  he  bought  them  vvith  an  inestimable  price; 
 and  they  are  become  his  property,  his  pecuHar  people, 
 who  have  through  him  liberty  to  return  to  God,  and 
 
631 
 
 to  serve  him  without  fear  on  earth,  and  to  bless  him 
 for  giving  them  freedom  to  come  to  Sion,  to  the  city 
 of  the  Hving  God,  with  songs  of  gratitude  and  praise: 
 they  have  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads— crowned 
 conquerors  :  they  have  the  joys  of  heaven,  and  the 
 gladness  of  eternity  in  their  hearts,  which  exclude 
 all  pain,  and  all  sorrow — no  fear  can  enter  there; 
 not  one  sigh.  The  Lord  himself  is  their  portion, 
 and  they  shall  reign  with  him  for  ever  and  ever. 
 
 The  beloved  John  was  favoured  with  a  view  oi 
 the  same  eternal  conquest,  which  the  ransomed  of  the 
 Lord  shall  have  over  all  their  enemies,  and  he  speaks 
 of  it  thus  :  "  And  1  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  hea- 
 ven, saying,  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with 
 men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be 
 his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and 
 be  their  God  :  and  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from 
 their  eyes;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  curse,  and 
 there  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sorrow  nor  cry- 
 ing, neither  shall  there  be  any  more  pain :  for  the 
 former  things  are  passed  away :  and  he  that  sat  upon 
 the  throne  said.  Behold  I  make  all  things  new." 
 This  is  Jesus,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords, 
 who  reigneth  the  Lord  God  Omnipotent  for  this  very 
 purpose,  that  this  scripture  may  be  fulfilled  to  the 
 uttermost,  and  to  eternity.  He  was  the  Word  made 
 flesh,  who  tabernacled  amongst  us,  being  that  most 
 holy  temple  which  God  pitched,  and  not  man  ;  out 
 of  whose  fulness  believers  receive  all  grace  and  all 
 glory.  The  compassions  of  Jesus  are  like  himself,  in- 
 finite and  endless.  He  loves  his  redeemed  too  well 
 to  let  either  sin  or  sorrow  come  near  them.  They 
 might  have  been  holy  mourners  in  their  pilgrimage, 
 
6r32 
 
 when  they  went  through  the  valley  of  Baca;  but  now 
 he  has  wiped  away  their  tears,  all  tears  from  their 
 eyes.  The  curse  that  caused  them  he  has  removed. 
 That  death,  the  wages  of  which  they  deserved,  he 
 has  changed  into  life.  The  pillars  in  his  house, 
 which  are  to  go  out  no  more,  are  thereby  delivered 
 from  sorrow,  and  crying,  and  from  every  pain  :  all 
 the  former  things  are  passed  away — sin  is  no  more— • 
 pain  is  no  more.  Into  the  kingdom  of  Jesus  nothing 
 of  the  old  man  is  suffered  to  enter;  for  he  creates  all 
 things  new.  The  Lord  from  heaven  makes  all  his 
 people  like  himself,  conformed  to  his  own  image  in 
 righteousness  and  true  holiness.  A  more  perfect 
 victory  cannot  be  imagined,  than  to  have  enemies  so 
 vanquished,  all  enemies,  that  they  shall  never  have 
 entrance  into  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his  Christ. 
 When  believers  shall  come  to  the  end  of  their  faith, 
 they  shall  not  only  be  thus  saved  from  all  possible 
 evil,  but  who  can  conceive  what  their  actual  enjoy- 
 ments will  then  be  ?  To  be  saved  from  all  sin,  from 
 all  the  effects  of  sin,  is  a  great  mercy;  yet  it  is  only 
 a  part  of  our  salvation.  But  looking  at  the  world 
 lying  in  wickedness,  beholding  the  variety  of  pains 
 and  miseries  in  it,  from  which  no  one  is  exempt- 
 no  state  of  life  free  from  them — the  palace  as  full  of 
 them  as  the  cottage — kingdoms  convulsed — infide- 
 lity spreading  its  poisonous  influence,  and  attempting 
 to  destroy  all  good  order  and  government — old  age 
 bringing  its  infirmities,  and  death  hastening, — it  is 
 certainly  a  great  deliverance,  that  none  oF  those  evils 
 can  approach  us  any  more.  Blessed  be  God  the 
 Saviour  for  this  great  mercy.  It  is  through  his 
 grace  that  his  kingdom  of  glory  will  be  kept  in  per- 
 
633 
 
 feet  peace ;  no  evil,  no  fear  of  evil,  shall  for  one  mo- 
 ment interrupt  the  happiness  of  his  subjects.  But 
 what  is  this  compared  to  the  actual  enjoyment  of  all 
 possible  good?  who  is  able  to  declare  fully  what 
 this  will  be  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  the  great  God  ? 
 We  must  wait  for  the  full  manifestation  of  the  sons  of 
 God  !  But  yet  there  is  a  great  deal  revealed,  which 
 belongs  to  us  and  to  our  children ;  and  if  we  can  read 
 it  in  faith,  with  prayer,  and  with  a  continual  depen- 
 dence upon  the  teaching  and  application  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit ;  he  will  give  us  to  form  our  hearts  and  lives 
 upon  the  certainty  of  what  he  has  revealed :  for  our 
 conversation  will  then  be  in  heaven,  and  we  shall  have 
 both  the  knowledge,  and  also  the  experience  of  hea- 
 venly things,  growing  according  to  our  faith.  The 
 word  revelation,  signifies  taking  off  the  veil  or  cover- 
 ing from  any  thing,  that  it  may  be  seen  clearly :  in 
 the  Scripture  sense,  it  is  removing  the  veil  from  hea- 
 venly things;  which  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
 creating  spiritual  senses  to  exercise  upon  these  hea- 
 venly things,  of  which  the  natural  man  can  have  no 
 just  ideas:  for  he  cannot  understand  nor  receive  the 
 things  that  are  freely  given  to  us  of  God :  but  he 
 that  is  taught  of  God,  has  evidence  given  him  of  the 
 reality  and  of  the  blessedness  of  those  things  which 
 are  revealed,  and  by  faith  enjoyed.  When  such  a 
 one  reads  what  God  said  to  Abraham,  "  After  these 
 things  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  Abram  in  a 
 vision,  saying.  Fear  not  Abram,  I  am  thy  shield,  and 
 thy  exceeding  great  reward ;"  he  reads  it  for  him- 
 self— he  makes  the  promise  his  own,  and  trusts  in 
 it  as  steadfastly  as  if  God  had  spoken  it  to  him  by  a 
 voice  from  heaven ;  for  so  is  he  warranted  to  apply  it 
 2  D  3 
 
634^ 
 
 by  the  apostle.  Now  it  was  not  written  for  his  sake 
 alone,  but  for  us  also :  no  scripture  being  of  any  pri- 
 vate interpretation.  The  gift  of  grace  to  Abraham 
 was  nothing  short  of  an  infinite  good  ;  for  it  was  God 
 himself — "  I  will  be  thy  God."  What  is  meant  by 
 this  relation  has  been  largely  treated  of  in  the  former 
 treatises.  It  is  only  needful  to  add,  that  it  denotes 
 the  relation  in  which  the  Holy  Trinity  stand  to  be- 
 lievers, and  the  covenant  engagements  to  them.  God 
 is  theirs.  He  is  their  Father,  the  Son  is  their  Sa- 
 viour, the  Spirit  of  life  has  enabled  them  to  receive 
 the  Son,  and  they  are  one  with  him,  he  dwelling  in 
 their  hearts  by  faith,  and  through  him  they  are  one 
 with  his  Father:  as  the  Lord  said  in  his  prayer—- 
 *'  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  (the  apostles,)  but 
 for  them  also  who  shall  believe  on  me  through  their 
 word,  that  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou.  Father,  art 
 in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in 
 us."  This  prayer  was  for  all  the  chosen  of  the  Fa- 
 ther, given  to  the  Son,  redeemed  by  him,  and  in  due 
 time  quickened  by  the  Spirit,  and  brought  into  the 
 same  covenant  relation,  and  partakers  of  the  same 
 covenant  blessings,  as  Abraham  was.  What  was 
 promised  to  him,  was  promised  to  all  that  walk  in 
 the  steps  of  his  faith,  the  whole  family  and  household 
 of  faith.  It  is  as  if  God  had  said,  Fear  not,  be- 
 liever; I  myself,  Jehovah  in  Trinity,  will  be  your 
 present  salvation,  to  shield  you  from  all  sins  and  ene- 
 mies, and  I  myself  will  be  your  exceeding  great  re- 
 ward. Who  can  tell  what  the  believer  shall  then 
 be,  when  this  promise  shall  be  fulfilled  !  When  he 
 shall  be  brought  as  near  to  the  Godhead,  as  a  crea- 
 ture can  possibly  be,  joined  to  the  Lord  Jesus  by 
 
635 
 
 the  Hoiy  Spirit,  a  habitation  of  God  through  the 
 Spirit,  and  through  Jesus  unto  the  Father,  and  in 
 this  holy  and  blessed  communion,  finding  an  eternal 
 heaven  of  happiness,  an  exceeding  great  reward. 
 When  it  is  received  in  this  its  fulness,  it  is  a  reward  ; 
 but  of  grace,  a  gift  of  sovereign  mercy — great,  some- 
 thing worthy  of  the  great  God — like  himself — ex- 
 ceeding great,  eternally  great.  O  Holy  Ghost, 
 keep  the  hope  of  it  lively  !  O  make  it  every  day 
 more  lively,  till,  through  thy  blessing,  I  come  to 
 know  it  as  it  is  ! 
 
 The  Psalmist,   speaking  of  this  happiness,  suits 
 his  description  to  our  present  method  of  understand- 
 ing spiritual  things,  as  they  are   imaged  to  us  by 
 material.      The  pleasures  of  our  senses  are  made  use 
 of  to  give  us  ideas  of  that  happiness  which  is  to  be 
 found  in  God ;  for  it  is  all  in   him :   he  is  hea  -en. 
 The  enjoyment   of  him  in   glory  is  the   heaven  of 
 heavens.      "  As  for  me,   I  will   behold  thy  face  in 
 righteousness;  I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I  awake  with 
 thy  likeness:  fot  thou  wilt  show  me  the  path  of  life; 
 in  thy  presence  is  the  fulness  of  joy,  and  at  thy  right 
 hand  there  are  pleasures  for  evermore."      All  this, 
 great  and  endless  as  it  is,  belongs  to  them  who  have 
 God  for  their  God  :  for  when  they  are  admitted  into 
 his  presence,  they  shall  be  made  like  him.     O  mar- 
 vellous change  ! — capable  of  enjoying  him,  so  as  to 
 be  quite  satisfied — finding  in  him  a  fulness  of  joy- 
 pleasures  divinely  great,  abundant,   a  river  of  plea- 
 sures— yea,  a  fountain  of  pleasures  springing  up  into 
 everlasting  life.      Every  sense  shall  be  gratified  to 
 the  uttermost,  and  that  for  evermore.      Blessed  be 
 God  for  this  unspeakable  gift :  and  has  he  not  herein 
 
636 
 
 vouchsafed  us  matter  of  triumph  ?  May  not  the  be- 
 liever, ought  he  not,  to  rejoice  with  exceeding  great 
 joy,  who  has  this  prospect  before  him  ?  Who  that 
 is  out  of  heaven  can  have  more  reason  than  he  has? 
 Survey  it,  O  my  soul !  take  a  narrow  review  of  it. 
 Examine  over  and  over  again  the  Psalmist's  descrip- 
 tion of  it,  and  see  what  can  be  added  to  make  it  ab- 
 solutely perfect.  If  nothing  can,  if  it  be  as  full  as 
 God  can  make  it,  may  my  heart  grow  in  holy  desires 
 after  the  glory  that  is  to  be  revealed,  and  triumph  in 
 the  God  of  my  salvation  ! 
 
 Our  Lord  gives  us  the  same  description  in  these 
 words,  speaking  to  his  apostles,  "  I  appoint  unto  you 
 a  kingdom,  as  my  Father  hath  appointed  unto  me^ 
 (in  the  surest,  fullest  manner  that  it  can  be  con- 
 veyed)— that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table,  in 
 my  kingdom,  and  sit  upon  thrones,  judging  the 
 twelve  tribes  of  IsraeL"  The  king  of  this  holy  land 
 is  Emmanuel — God  Jesus  :  He  is  the  King  of  kings, 
 the  Lord,  Creator  of  all  worlds,  and  the  government 
 of  them  all  is  upon  his  shoulders,  and  the  names  of 
 hiff'redeemed  are  written  upon  his  heart.  For  them 
 he  has  made  abundant  provision,  that  they  may  feast 
 with  him  at  his  table,  and  may  be  receiving  out  of 
 his  fulness  every  grace  that  can  make  them  com- 
 pletely and  eternally  blessed :  for  they  shall  sit  down 
 with  him  upon  his  throne,  and  shall  share  with  him 
 in  all  his  royalties,  blessing  and  adoring  him  in  their 
 everlasting  songs  of  triumph.  "  Unto  him  that 
 loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own 
 blood,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God 
 and  his  Father:  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  for 
 ever  and  ever.      Amen."      The  apostle  John  calls 
 
637 
 
 upon  us  NOW  to  begin  the  heavenly  song:  and  he 
 would  have  us  to  do  it  with  the  sweetest  melody  in 
 our  hearts,  praising  our  sovereign  Lord,  who  has 
 taken  our  nature  into  union  with  himself,  in  order 
 that,  by  his  Spirit,  we  might  be  joined  to  him,  our 
 glorified  Head,  and  might  by  faith  partake  of  his  holy 
 and  heavenly  nature.  No  words  can  describe  more 
 fully  the  dignity  to  which,  by  virtue  of  this  union, 
 we  shall  be  exalted :  nay,  it  is  not  to  be  conceived  at 
 present  how  great  it  will  be.  "  Behold  what  man- 
 ner of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,  that 
 we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God  !  therefore  the 
 world  knoweth  us  not,  because  it  knew  him  not: 
 Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth 
 not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be;  but  we  know  that 
 when  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him ;  for  we 
 shall  see  him  as  he  is:  and  every  man  that  hath  this 
 hope  in  him,  purifieth  himself  even  as  he  is  pure." 
 O  what  a  dignity  is  this  !  what  upon  earth  is  to  be 
 compared  for  one  moment  to  it ! — Sons  of  God  !— 
 Sons  of  Adam,  who  have  borne  the  image  of  ti  e 
 earthly,  advanced  to  bear  the  image  of  the  heavenly  ! 
 This  is  a  glory  which  surpasseth  all  understanding. 
 It  did  not  yet  appear  as  it  is  to  the  beloved  John: 
 he  knew  as  much  of  it  as  perhaps  ever  man  did,  but 
 it  was  far  greater  than  his  knowledge.  He  knew  it 
 but  in  part :  he  was  indeed  sealed  with  the  Holy 
 Spirit  of  promise,  who  is  the  earnest  of  our  inheri- 
 tance, until  the  redemption  of  the  purchased  posses- 
 sion. But  the  earnest  is  not  the  inheritance  itself. 
 It  is  only  a  pledge  and  a  security,  that  at  the  appear- 
 ing of  Jesus  Christ,  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour, 
 we  shall  be  put  into  full  possession.      At  present  we 
 
638 
 
 have  it  in  the  promise  of  the  God  of  truth  ;  and  faith 
 in  his  promise  begets  a  hope  that  will  never  make  us 
 ashamed ;  because  it  will  keep  us  patiently  waiting 
 for  the  manifestation  of  the  sons  of  God,  when  we 
 shall  come  to  the  eternal  enjoyment  of  all  the  riches, 
 and  pleasures,  and  honours  of  our  sonship  with  Christ, 
 our  glorified  Head. 
 
 The  apostle  would  lead  us  also  to  consider  the 
 fountain  from  whence  all  this  blessedness  springs,— 
 from  the  Father; — what  manner  of  love  the  Father 
 hath  bestowed  upon  us.  The  love  expressed  by  this 
 name,  Father,  has  no  parallel.  It  had  no  beginning, 
 and  it  will  have  no  ending.  It  is  from  everlasting 
 to  everlasting — bringing  with  it,  out  of  its  infinite 
 ocean,  all  the  streams  of  grace  which  make  glad  the 
 city  of  God,  and  never  stopping  till  it  return  with  all 
 the  happy  objects  of  his  love  to  the  same  great  ocean 
 again.  The  apostle  would  have  us  to  behold,  and 
 to  admire  the  miracles  of  the  Father's  love,  which  he 
 purposed  and  wrought  out,  and  bestowed  upon  W5,  who 
 are  sinners,  even  as  others;  and  yet,  to  the  everlast- 
 ing praise  and  glory  of  his  grace — chosen — called — 
 effectually  brought  into  the  family  and  household  of 
 faith  by  the  Spirit  of  adoption,  and  ennobled,  sons 
 of  God.  What  an  exaltation  !  what  a  blessedness  ! 
 Made  the  children  of  God,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint- 
 heirs  with  Christ — with  him  who  is  Lord  of  all:  ad- 
 mitted to  share  with  him  in  his  kingdom,  his  crown, 
 his  glories ;  according  to  his  own  prayer,  "  Father,  I 
 will  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with 
 me  where  I  am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory,"— 
 may  be  with  me,  may  be  like  me.  O  what  an  ani- 
 mating view  is  here  for  the  highest  rejoicing  of  faith 
 
639 
 
 and  hope  !  Christ,  by  taking  our  nature  into  union 
 with  himself,  has  advanced  it  into  the  greatest  dignity 
 oF  which  it  is  capable:  for  it  is  heaven  to  be  with 
 him,  where  he  is  in  his  glory;  like  him,  conformed 
 to  that  standard  of  all  perfection  in  body  and  soul, 
 perfectly  and  eternally.  What  a  hope  should  this 
 beget  and  cherish,  even  a  hope  full  of  glory  and  im- 
 mortality !  especially  as  all  this  honour  is  according 
 to  the  Father's  covenant  purposes :  "  For  whom  he 
 did  foreknow,  them  he  also  did  predestinate  to  be 
 conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son,  that  he  might  be 
 the  first-born  among  many  brethren.  Moreover, 
 whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called  ;  and 
 whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified ;  and  whom 
 he  justified,  them  he  also  glorified.  What  shall  we 
 say  to  these  thinos?"  Can  there  be  greater  grace 
 shown  from  the  God  of  all  grace?  Can  there  be 
 higher  honour  conferred,  than  to  be  so  exalted  from 
 the  depth  of  sin  and  misery,  as  to  be  raised  to  the 
 honours  of  sonship,  even  to  a  conformity  to  the  Son 
 of  God.  O  what  sentiments  had  that  blessed  man 
 of  it,  when  he  said,  *•  As  for  me,  I  will  behold  thy 
 face  in  righteousness;  I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I 
 awake  after  thy  likeness ;  for  thou  wilt  show  me  the 
 path  of  life.  In  thy  presence  is  the  fulness  of  joy, 
 and  at  thy  right  hand  there  are  pleasures  for  ever- 
 more !"  Conformity  to  Jesus  brings  with  it  this  ful- 
 ness of  joy;  and  the  hope  of  it  is  an  active  and  a 
 lively  grace :  for  every  one  that  hath  this  hope  in 
 him  purifieth  himself  even  as  Christ  is  pure.  This 
 is  the  mark  at  which  the  believer  aims:  he  wishes  to 
 be  like  Christ,  and  to  be  more  like  him;  he  would 
 feel  more  of  the  power  of  the  cross  of  Christ  to  era- 
 
640 
 
 cify  in  him  the  body  of  sin,  and  more  of  the  power 
 of  the  risen  Jesus,  that  there  may  be  a  real  growth 
 into  him,  and  that  in  all  things:  thus  he  purifies  his 
 heart  and  hfe  by  that  faith  in  Jesus,  of  which  the 
 apostle  thus  speaks :  "  Brethren,  I  have  not  yet  at- 
 tained what  I  am  striving  for;  but  this  one  thing  I 
 do,  forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind,  and 
 reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before,  I 
 press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  call- 
 ing of  God  in  Christ  Jesus." 
 
 These  are  some  of  the  Scripture  authorities  from 
 which  this  conclusion  may  be  fairly  drawn, — that  a 
 believer,  whatever  view  he  may  take  of  himself,  either 
 from  what  he  was,  when  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins, 
 or  from  what  he  now  is,  quickened  by  the  Spirit  of 
 Christ,  and  living  by  faith,  yet  crying  out  under  a 
 sense  of  his  corruptions,  "  O  wretched  man  that  I 
 am  !  who  shall  deliver  me?"  Yet  he  may  thank  God 
 through  Jesus  Christ  his  Lord :  for  he  is  warranted, 
 he  is  commanded  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord  always,  and 
 to  triumph  in  the  God  of  his  salvation.  And  he 
 has  enough  given  him  in  hand  to  exercise  that  strong 
 faith  which  will  administer  strong  consolation,  even 
 great,  very  great  joy  and  peace  in  believing :  for  the 
 word  of  God  cannot  be  broken,  his  promises  cannot 
 fail,  his  covenant  engagements  are  immutable,  given 
 as  infallible  security  to  the  believer,  that  his  faith 
 may  not  stagger  at  any  difBculty;  but,  looking  to  a 
 faithful  God,  he  may  go  on  his  way  rejoicing,  in  hope 
 of  the  glory  of  God. 
 
 These  are  some  of  the  blessed  effects  of  looking 
 to  Jesus,  and  living  by  faith  upon  him  and  his  ful- 
 ness.     In  this  way  there  is  continual  matter  of  tri- 
 
641 
 
 umph.  Let  the  believer  look  back  on  what  be  was 
 by  nature,  or  on  wbat  he  is  now  in  his  renewed  state 
 by  grace,  or  looking  forward  to  the  glory  that  is  to 
 be  revealed  at  the  appearing  of  his  Saviour,  when  he 
 shall  be  with  him  in  the  kingdom  which  cannot  be 
 moved,  and  shall  be  like  him,  all  his  members  con- 
 formed to  their  most  glorious  Head,  and  partaking 
 of  his  divine  riches,  and  honours,  and  pleasures — 
 what  upon  earth  can  exceed  such  a  prospect !  What 
 can  administer  greater  happiness,  than  to  have  the 
 evidence  of  it  kept  clear  and  open  !  What  can  make 
 life  more  comfortable,  and  the  end  of  our  faith  more 
 desirable,  than  such  great  and  blessed  things  !  pro- 
 mised and  given  most  freely  in  time,  yea,  in  the 
 fullest  manner  that  almighty  lov£  can  bestow  them  in 
 eternity. 
 
 For  such  mercies,  bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul ! 
 and  all  that  is  within  me  bless  his  holy  name. 
 
 O  thou  beginning  and  ending,  the  first  and  the 
 last,  the  author  and  the  finisher  of  the  faith,  Jeho- 
 vah Jesus,  I  have  been  looking  up  to  thee  for  thy 
 divine  teaching,  and  I  am  still  looking  up  to  thee 
 for  thy  divine  blessing  on  this  my  offering.  It  is  a 
 poor  mite,  which  1  would  cast  into  thy  treasury  as 
 my  dying  testimony  for  the  truth  and  for  the  power 
 of  thy  gospel.  Be  pleased  to  accept  it  out  of  thine 
 infinite  condescension.  Thou  knowest  the  heart  of 
 thy  servant :  whatever  is  right  in  it  is  thine  own,  the 
 work  of  thine  own  grace.  Failings  there  are,  and 
 they  are  mine — of  thy  mercy  pardon  them  :  and 
 make  use  of  this  little  treatise,  as  it  sh^ll  seem  best 
 to  thy  godly  wisdom,  for  the  increase  of  faith  in  thy 
 church,  and  for  the  advancement  of  thine  own  fame 
 
642 
 
 and  glory ;  that  more  honour  may  be  put  upon  thy 
 word,  more  dependence  exercised  upon  thy  faithful- 
 ness, and  there  may  be  a  growing  conformity  to  it  in 
 the  hearts  and  lives  of  thy  people.  Be  plea  ed, 
 merciful  Saviour  !  to  accompany  the  reading  of  it 
 with  thy  Spirit  for  these  purposes,  and  I  shall  be 
 amply  rewarded.  May  thy  grace,  the  grace  of  our 
 Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love  of  God,  and  the 
 communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  be  with  us  all.  Amen. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 Printed  by  W.  Collins  &  Co. 
 Glasgow. 
 
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